Aldis was having a dream.

　But it was too vivid to call it a dream, a recurrence of a heart-wrenching memory.

　If it was a dream, it was a dream. If it's not a dream - what is it?
　Only the rage that rises from the depths of her heart moves Ardis' body to urge her to move.

'Xamaaaaah!　How dare you--......, how dare you--!

Wait, Aldis!

　Ignoring the voices of his companions who were holding him back, Aldis rode the momentum that made the scaffolding burst and slashed at the grudge enemy.

　Deep within the citadel that had been raided by one hundred and forty of the mercenary group's elite, a room that was probably the largest indoors.
　Aldis's scream echoes in the hall, which is fifty meters wide and deep.

　Facing it is an army of female generals with crimson eyes and long hair.
　The person who greeted Aldis and the others as the head of the fortress said with a wan smile.

It's up to me to decide what to do with my toys, isn't it?　It's not for a small-time soldier to say that.

　She took a glance at the dark-haired mercenary while dodging the onslaught of attacks with a cool face.

　The crimson cloak the woman wears sways faintly.
　Peeking out from it is a flicker of metal armor shaped to keep the curves of her limbs intact, and a slender sheathed shortsword she carries from her waist.
　This is a clear indication that she is not a young lady with a deep window protected by guards, but one who has taken her place in the battlefield.

''It was a bit disappointing that she only cried herself to death after I went to the trouble of preparing the perfect scene for her at the very end.

　Aldis would not regret selling his soul to the devil if he could tear the mouth out of the mocking smile and condescending words.
　He had no intention of forgiving her, even if she had fallen to the ground and asked for his forgiveness, but his resentment and hatred for the woman were building up anew.

　The depths of his hatred were still unclear to him.

''Screw you!''

　Aldis unleashes a series of sword strikes while howling with killing intent in anger.
　At the same time, in an attempt to catch an opening, she also directs her flying swords from behind and above the female general's army--''

''That's it?　It's boring.

　With a distracted expression on her face, the female general's army pelted the flying sword with countless spheres.
　The small silver spheres, about three centimeters in diameter, formed an impromptu shield as they aligned in the air in a plate-like formation to catch the flying sword's blow.
　In an instant, the instant shields scattered under the heavy sword's blow, but another shield was formed incessantly, and then another, to fill the gap.

''The number of moves is ......!

　With a twisted face, Aldis realizes the disadvantage.

　The number of flying swords Ardis can satisfactorily control is currently sixteen.
　If he could just move them, he could add two more digits.

　However, a flying sword that only floats and rushes forward would not be good enough for an experienced and skilled warrior.
　And the opponent was the female general's army, which controlled the sword of the country.
　Even though his temperament was a spiteful outcast, his ability was unquestionable.
　The flying swords that can't replicate their swordsmanship would be a trivial existence.

　In contrast, the female Shogun's army is able to repel attacks from the flying swords by manipulating countless spheres.
　The number of shields made of spheres greatly exceeded the number of flying swords Aldis controlled.
　Nowadays, the sixteen flying swords were just accessories that floated around the female general's army.

''Then the front!''

　Sword in hand, Aldis unleashed a sharp thrust.
　The female general's army did not even dodge it.

　What prevented Ardis's sword was an invisible shield.
　It's a wall of magic power commonly called a physical barrier.

''It's yawning. ''Better than those toys from earlier, though.''

　Ardis, enraged by the provocation of the female general's army, bleeds her eyes.

''-- You are -- ah!

　In a fit of rage, Aldis swings his sword.
　A single slash shaves two barriers, and a slamming blow shatters a third barrier.

　But a new barrier is immediately deployed to fill it, and Ardis' sword point never reaches the female general's army.
　She slashes again and again while letting out a roar, and each time she is blocked by the barrier.

''You, only, never--!

　Still, Aldis will not rest on his attack.
　If the red-haired female general's army of mockery can be rewarded, what else is there to wish for?
　You'll be able to see that your soul is dyed in anger and you continue to wield your sword and blade with all your might.

　But--''

''What, de-aah!

　No matter how much he screamed in grief, the tip of his sword could not reach the female general's army.

　I'm not going to be the only one who has a problem with this.
　The proprietress's troops were blocking the flying swords from all directions with their spheres, while leisurely brushing off the Aldis in front of them.

　In the first place, she didn't even draw her sword.
　While preventing the approaching slash with an easy barrier, the landlady's army takes a swing of her hand as if to chase away a troublesome insect.

　Suddenly, countless blades glowing red struck Ardis' entire body.

''Kook!''

　Sensing the danger, Aldis gave up on his next attack move and did his best to defend himself.
　A strong defense with a thickness equivalent to a five-layer barrier.
　The blade invaded at a speed that seemed to melt that barrier.

''Ardis!

　At the sound of a voice from behind him, Aldis quickly piled up the scaffolding and retreated upwards.

　Immediately after that, a large bundle of light greenish tinted light passed by.
　That light, emitted from the rear, enveloped the entire body of the female commander's army, and evaporated the surrounding floor and pillars by the roots, creating a single large gulf in the hall where the battle was fought.

''Sark!''

No!

　As the person who released the bundle of light called out to him, another companion released a chase spell.

　It is the space itself, compressed to the limit.
　Ten distortions, distorting the surroundings, turn into a crush and thrust in a straight line to the place where the female general's army had been.

　What stands in the way as if to block it is a silver sphere floating in the air.
　You will be sucked into the crushed crush as if you were jumping into death, but every time the spheres collide, the distortion of the crushed crush will fade.

　When the distortion of the crushed body disappears in exchange for dozens of spheres, all that is left is the figure of a woman standing calmly, her long hair flowing in the air.
　The dark red-drawn lips open and a look of disgust appears on the female general's face.

''You guys again?''

　His gaze was directed at two figures.
　They were fellow mercenaries dressed in the same attire as Aldis.

　One had his hair arranged at the same length as Ardis', while the other had his hair flowing down his back and tied up in a single bun at the nape of his neck.
　That's the only difference.
　Other than that, they were brothers who were born on the same day, almost indistinguishable in hair color and facial features.

　The neat face that attracts tavern girls is such that one wonders how they could be mercenaries.
　The greenish silver hair combined with the cool blue eyes give the impression of softness at first glance, but his ability was far more assured than Aldis'.

''I hope that's enough. I'm going to hate the twins more and more.''

That's what I'm talking about!

I don't want you to like me one iota!

　The two of them respond to the landlady's displeased glances at them with words.

"That's enough for an indisciplined servant who can't even keep up his dance routine.

　With a flick of her arm, the proprietor's troops gave a wave of her arm, and the piled up mass of magic power sucked up the surrounding debris and composed into a human shape.

'I'll take my time torturing you later, so for now you can dance with this one.

　The two humanoid forms produced on each side approached the twins with such speed that it was hard to believe that the original was a mishmash of rubble.

''Sark, Erion!　It's not just a doll, watch out!

Who do you think you're talking to?

I know, Aldis!

　While warning them both, Ardis does not let her eyes leave the female general's army for a moment.
　I'm not going to be able to get rid of it.
　I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to do anything about it.

To ashes!

　At the same time as the sword is brought down, a white flame that has gained the full extent of Ardis's magical power is directed at the woman as if to envelop everything.

　I know that this is no ordinary opponent.
　There is no room at all for stinginess.
　Numerous metals instantly vaporize so hot that they are poured into a single point to break through the barrier of the female general's army.

''Miscellaneous soldiers!　Don't get cocky, please!

　As if that were not enough, the female general's army intercepted the flames from the front.

　In the next moment, a blue flame was created from the woman's hand.
　The blue flame quickly stifled the attack that Ardis unleashed, and in a flash, it turned into a counterattack by enveloping the white flame this time.

''d*mn it!''

　Realizing that he couldn't compete with a frontal force push using magic power, Aldis stopped attacking and focused on defense.

　When he poured all of his magic power into the barrier to protect himself from the blue flame, he barely deflected its momentum and avoided a direct hit.
　The aftermath of the flame's collision blasts the surroundings with an explosive impact, blowing Ardis away.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

''That's the extent of your desperation, you know the bottom line.

　The female general's army instantly closed the distance and swung their swords sideways with their momentum intact.

''Kuh!''

　Aldis's sword, which she had tried to prevent on the spur of the moment, was flicked off and her hand swam.

　A follow-up blow is delivered from the woman's hand, but Ardis is also a warrior who has crossed the death line many times.
　She instinctively focused her magic power to a single point and used it as an instant strong shield to prevent sword strikes, while she moved away from the wall in search of an escape route.

　However, even that shield, constructed with all of Ardis' magical power, is unable to completely prevent the slash of the female general's army.

''Gaha!

　Although the barrier was not completely destroyed, it was not able to completely kill the impact given, and Ardis was blown away again.

　The blow from the female general's army, which was transmitted through the thin skin barrier, shook her organs greatly.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with your friends.
　But as if they saw through it, silver spheres swarmed around the arm holding the sword and interfered with its movement.

''Ungodly, huh?''

　As if to drown out the generous smile on the female general's face, a voice simultaneously rose from behind Aldis.

'Aldis, get down!'

　Aldis, who remembers the owner of the voice, falls to the floor without hesitation as instructed.

　Several sharp ice spears pass by as they graze over her head.
　An unexpected blow, using Aldis' body as cover, struck at close range in an attempt to reap the life of the female general's army.