Gluttony Subjugation Battle (I)
— 3X minutes after the operations meeting ended, Second District —
"Hey, brat, are you sure that Gluttony Sin Archbishop bastard is really here?"
Heinkel looked around, pulled out the communication mirror for video calls, and shouted a bit irritably at Ram on the other end.
"Please wait, I will use my Clairvoyance to confirm his current location."
"Can your ability called Clairvoyance accurately locate that Gluttony Sin Archbishop bastard?"
"...Yes, the entire Water Gate City is within the range of my Clairvoyance. Clairvoyance is an eye that allows Ram to share the sight of beings whose wavelength matches Ram's. Although somewhat displeasing, Ram's wavelength matches that of the Gluttony Sin Archbishop."
"The rest is up to my people. Based on the information I collected on the Water Gate City, they can analyze the Gluttony Sin Archbishop's current location within a few minutes."
Anastasia's confident voice came from the other side of the communication mirror.
"The three of you are in my sight, and there are many sights watching you in the waterway as well."
Suddenly, Ram's slightly anxious voice came from the communication mirror.
"Been spotted? Then we won't stand on ceremony! Binge, Gluttony, we've been waiting for a long time! Jumper!"
Almost at the same moment Ram gave the warning, another person's voice came from above.
—So fast! Is this what Reinhild called spatial movement!
"We'll gladly take the food delivered to us!"
Subaru, who was about to look up, noticed a sharp-toothed child appear next to him without warning. The child was also staring wide-eyed at him. He spoke while reaching out his hand.
"Let's eat."
—No time! I can only rely on Beatrice.
"Beatri... Woah!"
Before Subaru could finish his words, he suddenly felt a huge force at his waist, and his entire vision rapidly receded. As Subaru flew away, he saw Roy's hand grabbing empty air and Heinkel's foot back on the ground.
"That's great, amazing... You're the first person to dodge Jumper's surprise attack this way. Is it really okay to attack your comrade so mercilessly?"
"While he's mediocre in other aspects, the fact that he can continue fighting unscathed after being kicked away almost makes you feel like his body is made of playdough."
The ability to get up unscathed after being kicked away, which had blossomed from countless battles with Petelgeuse, was a technique Wilhelm had deemed useless in a true sword fight. However, at this very moment, it led Heinkel, who had been training with Subaru for over half a year, to decide to kick Subaru away.
And just as Heinkel had expected, the kicked-away Subaru first curled up and rolled over three times while hugging Beatrice to dissipate the force, then seized the opportunity to apply a little pressure with his feet and instantly stood up.
"You bastard! Even I've never been kicked away while holding Beatrice!"
Subaru placed the unharmed Beatrice beside him and shouted in dissatisfaction.
"Aren't you fine? Or did you want to be eaten by that brat?"
"How many humans have you accumulated inside you?"
Hearing the girl's angry voice, Subaru stopped arguing with Heinkel and looked at Beatrice. Beatrice was glaring fiercely at Roy.
"Who knows? After all, unlike Lye, the connoisseur who believes the quality of food is life and meticulously selects gourmet meals. As the Gluttonies, we believe filling our stomachs is most important, so we eat all kinds of coarse fare. Therefore, there is a huge gap between the highest-ranking and our siblings."
"However,"
Roy's demeanor changed.
"I'm so happy. Heinkel actually took the initiative to subjugate the Gluttony Sin Archbishop. I always believed Heinkel could realize his dream and become a great hero, no less than Aunt Theresia and Mr. Wilhelm."
Roy's tone was gentle and full of trust.
"Speaking of which, Reinhild has grown up healthy too. But she really spoils you too much. If it weren't for her, you would definitely have realized your ideal sooner, wouldn't you..."
Roy commented on events that happened within the Astrea family, which no one should know about, as if he were an old acquaintance. This instantly gave Subaru an idea.
"No way."
Subaru subconsciously looked at Heinkel. He was grinding his teeth so hard it was audible, and his eyes were wide and bloodshot.
For the first time, Subaru inwardly rejoiced that he hadn't allowed Reinhild to subjugate Gluttony. Although Reinhild would ultimately draw her sword, she would certainly be hurt by Roy's words to an unimaginable degree.
"Don't talk in that tone! Die, you bastard!"
Heinkel roared and charged at Roy.
"Beatrice, it's up to us. Let's finish him off here."
Subaru also rushed forward, speaking.
"Betty is ready."
The eternally reliable Beatrice responded to Subaru's expectation once again. Purple crystals had silently filled the air. That was Beatrice's Yin magic used for attack.
"Oh dear, Miss Beatrice is truly merciless."
"There is no one in this world who will show you mercy or go easy on you."
Purple arrows appeared before Roy one step ahead of Subaru and Heinkel. Roy simultaneously wielded the bandages that were wrapped around his body to meet the purple arrows in the air.
"So happy, so good, so great. Strong emotions are wonderful, you know? The rich, mellow spiciness, the fragrant, sensation that makes your whole body tingle—you understand, right?"
The bandages that turned into purple crystals gradually dissipated in the air. Roy's free hands caught the short swords falling out of his sleeves. He looked at the two furious people charging at him and said with an ecstatic expression.
"Die!"
"Too bad. I am a mere mortal, so I don't find humans to be delicious."
"Muraku! Curtain!"
Beatrice's incantation came from behind them. First, it was the spell that reduced weight and allowed people to fly. This time, Beatrice's target was not Subaru and Heinkel, but Roy, who was using short swords to block their attacks. Simultaneously, the Curtain magic, which usually shielded the five senses of people within a certain radius, was applied only to Roy through Beatrice's powerful mana control technique.
"Flow Style!"
When Roy struggled free from the Curtain, he found himself in the air. Subaru precisely blocked Roy's counterattack with his sword. At the same time, Heinkel's sword had already ripped Roy's clothes, but Roy used the combat technique 'Flow Style,' which circulated mana inside the body to enhance defense, at the last moment.
Clang~~~
The sound of steel colliding. However, Heinkel's current strength was definitely not weak. Although it wasn't a fatal blow, it still left a second large wound on Roy's body.
"Ha, ha~! As expected of Lady Beatrice~! That was truly splendid."
Roy leaped back a few steps, tore his clothes to wrap his wounds, and at the same time praised Beatrice's astonishing combat skill.
"Even though a moment's mistake would mean losing your important contractor."
"Do you think Betty would make such a basic mistake?"
"Good, well, nice... But how many more times can you use that?"
Roy looked at the magic crystals on Beatrice's waist, which had turned into powder, and revealed a wicked smile.