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============
The sky flashed.
Torrents of black and white light clashed repeatedly, intertwining and bursting forth in streaks of crimson and azure. With each impact, space warped and cracks appeared in the fabric of spacetime.
Aldias, wreathed in black magical power, raised the flaming sword in his hand. At the same time, Schbass, clad in white magical power, also raised his pale blue magical sword.
As their blades intersected, the air exploded, and the thunder generated by the clash of magical powers echoed across the battlefield.
Aldias recoiled from the impact, raising his fingertips towards Schbass.
"Silent Bullet!"
"Tch!!"
Spassdeployed a barrier against the invisible bullet fired by Aldias, but it passed through effortlessly, meeting no resistance. He barely managed to block it by crossing his arms, but he couldn't suppress the impact and was blown away.
(I see, a sound bullet created by vibrating space. Physical and magical barriers wouldn't be able to defend against it.)
Without a moment's pause, Aldias fired a rapid succession of transonic bullets, but this time they dissipated without a trace directly in front of Schbass.
Spasscompressed and solidified the space directly in front of him with magic. If the air couldn't vibrate, the sound bullet wouldn't reach him.
"You blocked it after all..."
"My turn."
This time, Spassswung his arm upwards from below, and a giant iceberg appeared beneath Aldias, surging towards him, intent on impaling his body.
"Magic Cleave: Void!"
The focused, directional magical slash concentrated in Aldias's downward-swinging arm bisected the giant iceberg... but the compressed magical power embedded in the center of the iceberg rapidly expanded and burst once its icy exterior was gone.
Aldias instantly moved away from the spot to evade it, then ascended above Schbass, glaring down at Schbass, who looked up at him with an air of composure.
Aldias raised his arm high into the sky.
An uncountable number of magic circles unfolded overhead. The unobstructed sky was filled with gleaming orbs of light.
"Roaring Rain Dragon!"
A torrential downpour of meteors descended from the heavens. A horde of magic dragons, tearing through the sky and pulverizing the earth, turned their jaws to devour the god.
"Divine Gate: Fivefold!"
Five layers of hexagonal barriers, glowing with seven colors, unfolded centered around Schbass.
A momentary flash illuminated the sky, and the next instant, an ear-shattering explosion and shockwave erupted, shaking the world. Schbass's figure disappeared in the explosion, but the bombardment did not cease.
The attack, which seemed to last an eternity, finally ceased as all the light orbs were unleashed, and silence returned.
Aldias gazed at the black smoke without a moment's lapse in vigilance. Aldias could still feel the unwavering magical power.
When the black smoke completely cleared, Spassreappeared, looking up at him with two of the five barriers remaining.
Aldias instinctively clicked his tongue at this fact.
"To think you even cracked the second layer... That's quite a good spell. Seems easy to use too."
âI'll take that.
The next instant, behind Schbass, magic circles appeared in a quantity that completely covered the ground visible from Aldias's vantage point.
"!!"
"Roaring Rain Dragon!"
The torrential rain that had poured from the heavens now ascended towards the sky, as if in reverse.
Aldias's eyes widened at Spassso effortlessly mimicking his magic, but he quickly shifted... and directly closed the distance towards Schbass.
He understood his own magic best. Due to "Rain Dragon"'s characteristic of deploying magic circles over a wide area, guarding in place or retreating would increase the concentration of hits. Therefore, by daring to move forward, one could reduce the hit rate.
However, it was difficult to judge this at first sight, and even if one could, closing the distance while evading the approaching barrage was not easy. If you stopped, you would instantly be subjected to concentrated fire.
Schbass, seeing Aldias approaching, evading the light orbs with minimal movement, showed not a hint of impatience.
"One who cannot reproduce what they see is a third-rate. One who can reproduce exactly what they see is a second-rate. And one who can elevate it into their own technique is a first-rate."
Spassextended one hand and snapped his fingers. At that moment, the light orbs that had been flowing, having lost their target, changed their trajectories and assailed Aldias from behind.
"Tch!"
Aldias, judging it difficult to approach Schbass, darted through the sky erratically, but the swarm of light orbs clung tightly to his back, refusing to let go.
"An addition."
Further light orbs, launched from newly appearing magic circles, expanded to encircle Aldias.
Moving as if each light orb had a will of its own, they gradually deprived Aldias of an escape route, finally completely surrounding him.
"Now, what will you do about this?"
The light orbs, packed so densely that not even a needle could pass through, increased in brilliance at Schbass's signal and caused a massive explosion.
The roar once again echoed across the battlefield. Spasswatched the scene in silence, a smile unchanged on his face.
"Oh, careful there."
And then, he suddenly ducked low.
At that instant, a flaming sword, brimming with immense heat, passed through the space where Schbass's neck had been.
Aldias, whose surprise attack from behind had been evaded, showed no agitation whatsoever and swung a second blow aimed at the lowered head. However, it clashed with the magical sword Spasswielded while turning, sparks flying.
"I'm surprised. I thought it was just long-range teleportation magic... I see, you can perform short-range warps as well."
Spasslooked towards Aldias's back. There, faint traces of black magical power could be seen.
This was a characteristic of Aldias's "Shadow Star" magic. While attention tended to focus on its ultra-long-range teleportation, it could also be used for short-range teleportation within one's line of sight. Furthermore, since there was no need to precisely set coordinates, there was almost no error between activation and teleportation.
"What's surprising, you say? Say something like that after changing your expression a little."
Aldias forcefully pushed him away, creating distance between them.
"I am surprised, you know? By both you and them."
Saying this, Spasslooked down at the ground. Aldias, drawn by his gaze, also briefly glanced down.
The battle was still ongoing, but the situation was completely in their favor. If things continued without incident, they would likely be able to completely suppress the enemy forces.
Despite this situation, Aldias's expression was anything but bright. For this day, he had held discussions with the leaders of various nations and races and had implemented countermeasures for every conceivable situation.
From Aldias and humanity's perspective, the situation was proceeding as expected... but precisely because of this, Aldias couldn't help but feel a lingering unease.
This is...
"Too well...?"
Aldias glared at Schbass, who spoke as if voicing Aldias's own thoughts, but no words of rebuttal came out.
"I'll take your silence as an affirmation. Most of the monsters are being suppressed by the various racial units, and the individuals I specifically enhanced, starting with Aletiaia-kun, have been defeated by skilled individuals. From my perspective, it's quite a pinch."
Despite saying it was a pinch, Spassshowed no signs of panic, which only fueled Aldias's suspicion further.
"The battlefield is clearly visible from here. I'm unlucky too. To think that my carefully prepared trump cards would 'accidentally' encounter them..."
"...What are you trying to say?"
"You've already realized it, haven't you, Aldias-kun?"
"âTch."
Aldias simply scowled at Schbass's probing. This exchange clearly confirmed his unpleasant premonition.
Even while fighting Schbass, Aldias had been constantly monitoring the situation on the ground.
The specially modified Apostles of God who attacked Hajime and Aletiaia.
The undetectable monsters that appeared before Shea and Miledi.
The gigantic chimera that Tio and Freid obliterated.
For example, if the modified Apostles of God had mingled with other angels and attacked regular soldiers, they would have taken their lives without giving them time to resist.
For example, if the undetectable monsters had infiltrated the allied forces' main camp or headquarters, they might have lost the significant advantage of shared information.
For example, if the gigantic chimera had been teleported to the center of the battlefield, the front lines, regardless of friend or foe, would have turned into a living hell.
Perhaps it could be called luck if it happened just once. However, if it happened twice or three times, it was no longer "chance" but "inevitability."
"What are you plotting?"
"As I said at the beginning, my goal is not to defeat you, but to promote humanity's evolution. Aldias-kun, what do you believe is necessary for evolution?"
"Experience and practice. Growth does not come to those who do not act, and it is only by stepping into a place where one can demonstrate it that experience truly becomes skill."
"I see, that's logical. However, I believe this: evolution lies beyond... 'despair'."
"..."
Humanity is a creature that truly demonstrates its worth only when cornered. The experience accumulated through daily training and practice is certainly indispensable. However, it is as slow as a turtle's pace, and fragile and fleeting humanity collapses before reaching evolution.
But, sudden unreasonableness and madness. The fear of death. The attachment to life. By experiencing these firsthand, one can gain a foothold to reach a higher realm.
"Then, how can despair be given? A simple method might be to take away something precious to that person. For you, the people of your country would fall into that category."
"You...!"
Aldias's gaze sharpened at Schbass's words.
He didn't utter a word. Yet, his expression, his tone, conveyed it clearly.
"Lay a hand on them, and I'll kill you"âthat's what it communicated.
"Calm down. It's just an example. If I did it to everyone, it would be endless... Well, it would be a lie to say I wouldn't hurt anyone..."
He was tempted by the urge to smash Schbass's head in right then, but he managed to swallow it. What he needed now was information. It would be convenient if the guy just kept babbling.
"To return to the topic, I thought desperately. The growth of children is at stake, you see. I thought and thought and thought... and arrived at one conclusion. What is necessary to give despair to humanity? That is..."
âA story.
"...What?"
"A story, of course. You have one too, don't you? A story is the path a person has walked through life. The episodes that form one's personality, seeking wisdom, and acquiring power."
Spassspoke passionately, spreading his arms wide, but Aldias had no idea what the man in front of him was talking about.
No, he understood the meaning of the words. But he didn't understand what Spasswas thinking or what he had discovered.
Perhaps because Aldias's reaction was poor, Spasstilted his head and then explained each point carefully. As if patiently explaining to a slow child...
Why do people try to protect what is precious to them? Why do they struggle to prevent it from being taken away... It is because there is a story, a history of memories, with that precious existence.
Because such strong feelings have been formed that they don't want to lose it, they try to protect it. Because they know the pain in their heart when they lose it, they try to struggle. People can only understand what they have experienced themselves.
Then, what if those memories, that story, didn't exist? Would one be able to harbor such strong feelings for something they had never even touched?
I declare: No, you wouldn't.
Life is equal. This statement is not wrong. No matter how benevolent a person is, no matter how evil a person is... life is equally equal.
However, the "value" of life is not equal. Value is a standard determined by others for that person. Just as the people precious to Aldias were hated enemies to the human race.
Therefore, to inflict despair, that person's story is necessary.
"Enough. What are you trying to say in the end?"
Aldias interrupted the excessively long monologue.
"I didn't come here to listen to a lecture about such vague phenomena."
"...You're right. Seeing is believing. It's faster to show you directly."
Suddenly, Spassspread both hands parallel to his chest. Simultaneously, seventeen magic circles appeared around Schbass.
In response, Aldias took a defensive stance.
â------------
That was a mistake.
â------------
The magic circles suddenly rotated 90 degrees, aiming their points at the ground.
"!! Damnâ"
"This is the answer."
With a soft whoosh, lumps of lightâdespairâwere fired from the magic circles.
"Overcome it, humanity."
â------------
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"What was that!?"
Gahard exclaimed, raising his voice at the sudden roar echoing across the battlefield.
"I-it seems an unidentified flying object suddenly fell from the sky!!"
"A flying object?"
Gahard turned his gaze to the falling object, catching sight of the peculiar entity.
It was like a bud. A gigantic bud, waiting for the moment to bloom, with countless white petals layered upon each other.
However, that moment soon arrived.
The closed petals unfurled, revealing what was contained within.
A knight automaton, clad in full plate armor of silvery-white, slowly rose to its feet. Its total length was about 3 meters, but due to its slender build, the name Valkyrie might be more fitting.
It was equipped with a round shield in its right hand and a flamberge in its left.
The appearance of a new enemy caused tension among the soldiers of the Allied Forces.
The moment Gahard opened his mouth to give a command to rally his soldiers, it entered his vision.
The knight automaton twisted its waist and raised its flamberge high.
There was still a distance of over 100 meters between the enemy and them. While it was possible for the sword to be imbued with magic and sent as a flying slash, no magic could be felt from this sword at all.
The moment he frowned, wondering what it intended to doâ
"â!?"
A tremendous chill ran down Gahard's spine.
It was a warrior's sixth sense, which had saved him from countless predicaments on the battlefield. It was now sounding the loudest alarm of his life.
"Everyone, get down!!"
There was no time to think. He unconsciously bellowed his voice loud enough for the surrounding soldiers to hear.
It was fortunate that the soldiers here were all from the Empire. The soldiers who heard Gahard's command all simultaneously prostrated themselves on the ground.
Almost simultaneously, the flamberge was swung horizontally.
A storm manifested on the battlefield. A gust so fierce that it was mistaken for one assaulted them. Several individuals were apparently blown away, unable to withstand it, but because they had lowered their bodies, they escaped with only light injuries.
"That was close!? Is everyone okay!?"
"Y-yes!"
"Somehow...!"
"This much power from just swinging a sword. What kind of monstrous strength does it have... Hey, you idiots! How long are you going to stand there gawking!! Get up quickly!!"
As he squinted to check on the soldiers scrambling to get up, Gahard noticed that some soldiers were still rooted to the spot, paralyzed, and roared.
He understood their feelings, but this was a battlefield. Those who let their guard down would die instantly.
However, they remained wide-eyed and showed no sign of moving.
"Hey, enough ofâ"
"Y-your Majesty... l-look at that..."
A soldier, with a pale face, pointed behind Gahard, cutting off Gahard who was about to speak further.
Interrupting his emperor was a foolish act that could warrant an extreme penalty, but Gahard, sensing something off about the soldier's expression, turned to look behind him.
"......Impossible."
And like the other soldiers, he was speechless.
Behind Gahard lay the Kingdom. Though the distance made it difficult to confirm with the naked eye, the Divine Mountain, boasting an elevation of eight thousand meters, could be clearly seen even from here.
That Divine Mountain... had shifted.
A diagonal cut had been made, and it had shifted position as if sliding.
"It... cut the Divine Mountain!?"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"What is it this time!?"
Unable to believe the sight, and forgetting that this was a battlefield, he stood dumbfounded when successive roars echoed across the battlefield.
Gahard averted his gaze from the Divine Mountain and looked around, this time utterly speechless. Some of the surrounding soldiers even collapsed to their knees.
What met their eyes were knight automatons, subtly different in detail from the one that had just cleaved the Divine Mountain, but unmistakably of the same type. They could be seen rising up in various locations.
At that moment, a "telepathic message" arrived from Liliana, who was at the Allied Forces' command center.
"Lord Gahard!! Lord Ulfric!! Lord adul!! Lord Freid!! What's your situation!?"
It seemed she had simultaneously connected telepathically with the representatives of each race.
"The situation is dire! Knight automatons suddenly appeared from the sky and are rampaging! The ground split with a single blow!"
"Same here! What are those things...!?"
"I'm near Lord adul right now! I can confirm three from here!"
Reports flew back and forth from Ulfric, adul, and Freid in succession, but the situation seemed to be the same everywhere.
"...It's the same here. You probably see it already, but that bastard... cut the Divine Mountain...!"
Gahard's report didn't receive a particularly strong reaction. Everyone must have already confirmed it.
"Say, Lady Liliana. I'd like to know... how many of them are there?"
From the information so far, it was certain that there were multiple knight automatons falling from the sky. And they were all at the level of cutting the Divine Mountain...
After a slight hesitation, Liliana, with a trembling voice, delivered the "despair" to them.
"...Seventeen."
Everyone gasped, a reaction felt even through the telepathic link.
"Ah, you son of a bitch...!!"
â------------
"The plan is going well. Even when powerful enemies appeared, skilled individuals continuously defeated them. Everyone must have felt it, right? 'Could we win?' In such a situation, what if a being far surpassing all previous enemies appeared? Those who had seen hope would surely feel despair."
"Tch!"
Aldias immediately aimed at the ground.
"Oh, I'd rather you not interfere."
"Gah!?"
However, a beam of light fired from Spassapproached Aldias, forcing him to cancel his magic activation to evade.
"It's meaningless if you lend a hand. Those are my doppelgangers. They inherited my memories and power. That said, their power is quite flawed, so you could probably kill them easily... However, the ground is different."
Even at this very moment, Aldias was looking for an opening to attack, but Spassshowed no signs of complacency whatsoever. Blood dripped from his unconsciously clenched fist.
"On the ground, only Aletiaia-kun and Miledy-kun would be able to fight them adequately. Normally, it would be a complete annihilation."
"But there..."
Ignoring Aldias's small murmur, Spasscontinued.
"Humanity, it is time for evolution. Overcome despair and reach a new realm. If you cannot do that..."
"Get out of the wayyyy!!"
âPerish here, you weak humans.