Rota was hiding in the darkness of the checkpoint, clutching her pounding heart.
Cold sweat trickled from the hands covering her ears as the nightmare from that night vividly resurfaced in her mind.
"Senior...!"
Rota unconsciously tried to move outside the checkpoint. Even now, she could clearly see Clara collapsed, deathly pale, with blood flowing from every opening on her face.
And then.
Just as she was about to step forward.
"You absolutely must not come out—☆"
Freeze—!
"...!"
What held her ankle in place was...
Beyond the sister who died young from illness, beyond those sad and lonely times.
The smile of the second reliable sister she had met in her life.
Warm embrace.
Gentle eyes.
Fragrant hair.
*I am...!*
At that moment, an impact like heaven and earth turning upside down struck.
BOOOOOM——!
"...?!"
A shockwave spread, making the ground tremble.
Heat that could be felt even dozens of meters away.
Rota, caught in the impact while in an awkward posture, fell forward.
Her sensitive cat ears' eardrums vibrated, making her feel nauseous.
"Kyaah...?!"
Still rolling on the ground.
Rota clutched her cat ears, whimpering as she recalled the memory of "that time."
A burning city under bright moonlight.
Four wings that seemed to block the sky.
Black aether pressing against her heart like a wave.
The enormous eyes she had seen only once, but that often appeared in her nightmares.
With a pale face, Rota recalled their group name.
*Ra... "Ratatoskr"... Why are they in the Golden Street...*
The ill-fated encounters since the beginning of the semester.
Outside the checkpoint, members of "Ratatoskr" with power similar to the "Priests" were rampaging. Even the residual black aether emanating from the truck they had shattered made her skin tremble.
"..."
There was nothing her incompetent self could do here.
Because she was a fool who had been expelled from her original school.
And because she was just a kid belatedly following the path others walked.
*Last time, only Alvitr and Kara fought... I'm always... just a burden...*
It was laughable.
Despite making such confident declarations to Alvitr.
In the end, her useless self was just hiding like this.
*Clara Senior... why do you fight like that... when you're so covered in wounds...?*
Until when.
Until when...
Until when must I hide like this and be a burden?
*Dreaming stupid dreams... useless, incompetent, and stupid... that's why both my sister and senior...*
Rota endlessly blamed herself internally, hanging her head low.
"..."
The battle was still continuing.
From far away, she could hear the voices of her two seniors.
-Local range, precision strike, standby... activate—!
-Street cat~♡ I'll just borrow a few of these—☆
-Standby, standby, standby—!
Freyja hastily stopped her skill activation and shouted angrily.
-Y-you... crazy pink pony—!! You're d-disrupting my calculations, just take one—!!
-Sorry, sorry—♪ But dual-wielding weapons is every girl's dream—☆
-Throw away such d-dreams!! W-what kind of stupid thing is this, picking up someone else's weapons like some delinquent—!!
-Hmm♪ I just wanted to try it once—☆
-T-this is actually getting in the way—!!
For a while, the seniors bickered.
But then they quickly resumed fighting.
Even just from the sounds, Rota could tell they were moving at speeds beyond her comprehension.
However, they didn't seem to be in sync, as there were also sounds of them getting in each other's way.
*Clara Senior... why... can she fight like that...?*
Rota thought about the pink senior fighting beyond.
Despite being so wounded.
Despite losing so much.
Despite being so broken.
Why does she stand up and fight again?
*Why on earth...?*
Rota dragged her trembling legs and barely managed to peek outside through the gap in the checkpoint door.
There was a dancing light pink girl.
Though without the tremendous pink storm she had seen that night.
She was swaying like a dancer, holding purple weapons in both hands.
Gathering faint aether again, fighting to protect everyone.
"Sister."
Like the dance her sister had shown her once.
Clumsy and awkward, but filled with pure heart.
"Sister, why can you dance like that when you're in pain?"
"Because I have feelings I want to convey!"
Conveying... feelings.
Rota also had feelings she needed to convey to them.
"Watch! The progress of [The Spiral]...!"
"No. I won't just watch anymore."
Though she knew it was foolish.
Nevertheless, she couldn't let them dance alone anymore.
Even if dancing together wouldn't erase all their pain.
*If I've received... I have feelings I need to convey...!*
To respond to their love.
Rota grabbed the checkpoint door handle with trembling hands.
＊
To be honest... it was kind of fun.
*Even if I can't spam secret arts, with the same operational power, I can stab more efficiently. Actually, it's common sense that weapons are stronger than fists...*
I guess that just shows how much I've ignored common sense until now...
Not crudely pushing through with raw output.
Truly reading the enemy's attacks and countering.
It was less flashy than my usual crude methods, but more efficient.
"Hiyah—☆"
I swung the purple twin swords and smashed them into the head of a disciple who was still in the middle of transforming. The collision of two different colored aethers created a vicious sound.
KAKAKAKAK—!
The vibrating sound of pale red and purple colliding.
A sound like an operating chainsaw.
"Puhaak...?!"
DDDDDDRRRR—!
The head of the disciple, still mid-transformation, shattered into pieces.
It became something straight out of a B-grade horror movie.
I announced the name of the martial art I used toward the now unconscious figure. Even if they were enemies, it was proper to declare the martial art one used.
"This is the Pretty☆Hamburg☆Sword Technique—♪ The master of this martial art was a passing delinquent... a reclusive eccentric who used twin scrap metal longswords—♪"
"..."
"He's currently in Gjallarhorn's detention facility for getting caught stealing bread..."
"..."
But the guy didn't respond to my words and remained silent.
That's because the twin swords clashing with two colors of aether made a threatening wind sound as they shattered his skull. And the massive body fell helplessly down the building with a thud.
BOOM—!
"Huhu—☆ That makes four—♪"
I successfully recreated the delinquent's twin sword helmet splitting technique.
*Actually, that kid was just an unremarkable common delinquent student, but his sword technique was unique, so it's still impressive.*
Twin dagger charge.
Twin greatsword whirlwind.
Twin sword helmet splitter.
I was trying out all sorts of dual-wielding techniques used by the small fry of Academy City Jord. I thought I could follow them naturally since they were similar to my habit of pummeling with both fists.
But after trying them, my impression was...
*Dual-wielding weapons aren't that great. No wonder nobody except small fry uses them... Liu Bei, who blocked Lü Bu's attack with twin swords, must truly have been a martial arts master.*
Liu Bei using twin swords.
Perhaps he could use such threatening dual sword techniques because he was an elf master unbound by lifespan? Surely he was the last Chinese elf high school girl with long ears and suspiciously high popularity.
SHAAAAAAAA——!
An impatient disciple finally completed his transformation, covering the upper part of his body with dragon scales. And with a roar, he was charging toward me.
*Going to use the Adolescent Chaos Insect summoning pattern again.*
But today I was the all-knowing Clara.
Tonight, I felt like I could swing all day without getting tired.
Anyway.
The conclusion is that dual-wielding weapons are useless.
Thinking this, I activated my aether and stomped on the rooftop.
BOOOOOM—!
The shockwave emanating from my foot.
The rooftop floor cracking with a massive vibration. I felt like I could see the building owner's tears, but I hoped all claims would be directed to the furry beasts later.
*Sorry, building owner. I tried not to use this technique.*
I thrust the two purple longswords I was holding into the floor. And as I drew up aether again, the two colors of aether collided, rejecting each other.
KAKAKAKAK——!
Using that power.
I shattered the rooftop floor I was standing on.
Debris flew up and scattered from where the twin swords were embedded.
RUMBLE——!
Dozens of debris floating in the air.
I struck each piece with the twin swords, sending them flying. They flew toward the disciple with the dragon face, making threatening sounds.
Like a shotgun fired by hand.
The fierce sound of bullets cutting through the air.
SWISH—!
SWISH—!
SWISH—!
I swung the twin swords, shooting dozens of debris while shouting.
"Pretty☆Biscuit—♪"
"KYAAAAK?! You inferior species—?!"
"Your side is open—♪"
And I stabbed the side of the guy who had raised both hands to protect his face.
CRUNCH——!
Freyja's purple aether made a threatening sound. It easily pierced through the stone-like skin, and the guy screamed.
"KRAAAAK—?!"
KAKAKAKAK——!
His side burst open like it was being ground by a chainsaw due to numerous aether resonances. And with his charging momentum, he fell down the building.
I chuckled at the sight.
*He should be quite a strong enemy at this point, but too bad he ran into me.*
Although it's still difficult for me to draw out my own [Unique Aether].
Even now, I was fighting using Freyja's aether remaining in the purple weapons. The purple weapons with [Unique Aether] remaining were threatening weapons by themselves.
*But using them like this is more uncomfortable than I expected.*
RUMBLE——
The twin swords vibrating whenever they meet my aether.
I feel a repulsive force like forcibly holding magnets of the same pole together. It's like gripping a strength tester, forcibly holding onto something trying to fly away.
"..."
Due to the independent power characteristic of [Unique Aether], these weapons were heavily dominated by Freyja's perception and sensibility. That's why even a little force created such strong repulsion.
*Is it because the street cat still can't imagine lending me power at an unconscious level...*
RUMBLE——!
Freyja still fighting now.
The [Eternal Spindle] pouring waves of purple armaments at the many Chaos Insects and charging disciples from the opposite road. In sync with that power manifestation, the purple armaments in my hands were also stirring.
It was as if the purple twin swords were shouting at me.
-Y-you scarred pink-haired bitch...! W-what are you doing with me...! Q-quickly send me back to my master...!
*Alright, go then... sigh...*
Now that most of the disciples have been dealt with.
All that's left is to handle dozens of Adolescent Chaos Insects.
With a regretful sigh, I released the two purple weapons into the air.
SWOOSH——!
As expected, the twin swords rejoined Freyja's command without hesitation.
"..."
Regrettably, if I'm going to use weapons... rather than using these magical skill armaments, it might be better to just pick something up from somewhere.
*I thought it would be an infinite supply, cost-effective option...*
There's always a reason why others don't use certain methods.
SHAAAAAAAA——!
SHAAAAAAAA——!
Dozens of Adolescent Chaos Insects still howling around.
Summons left behind by the disciples at the level of Adult Chaos Insects.
While I was thinking about how to deal with them, I saw something unbelievable. Because down there, I saw cute orange cat ears approaching this way.
*I told her to hide!*
With a startled heart, I quickly ran toward her.
Now I could move dozens of meters without any problem.
TAP TAP—!
I quickly picked up the orange cat and moved to a safe place while speaking. She was surprised but soon drooped and looked sheepish.
"Rota—☆ What's this all about♪"
"I-I know I'm doing something dangerous...!"
"..."
"B-but... still...! I couldn't leave Senior alone!"
"..."
"W-well... um..."
After hesitating for a while.
Rota finally burst into tears and screamed.
"I don't care! I'll die with you if I have to!! I don't want to be left alone anymore!! I don't want to see losing precious people anymore—!!"
"Rota..."
HUG—!
Rota threw herself into my arms.
"Sister too... Senior too... always going ahead like that...! I-I...!"
"..."
Actually... my surprise didn't last long.
Surprisingly quickly, I found myself understanding the situation.
I couldn't keep separating my juniors from danger forever.
*Yes... if the situation has changed anyway... I should teach them how to fight together now.*
And right now.
There was a way for the two of us to fight together.
*Maybe... with Rota's weapon...*
With that thought, I showed my back to Rota.
"Well then...☆ Want to fight together? The weapons the street cat made are as picky as her personality—♪"
"...!"
Rota was surprised for a moment, then understood the meaning of my words and nodded.
"Yes!"
After climbing onto my back, Rota created her armament without hesitation.
[What use is a longsword when it's cold, use it as a poker instead.]
A gentle incantation like her personality.
A longsword with a ridiculous cat drawn on it.
But that weapon didn't reject my touch.
Rather, it gradually heated up, accepting my faint aether.
*Somehow, it feels ticklish... at this rate... I think I could even use secret arts...*
I gripped the cat longsword with both hands and looked ahead.
SHAAAAAAAA—!
SHAAAAAAAA—!
Dozens of Adolescent Chaos Insects recognized us and charged. Dozens of bear-like monsters, the sight of them extending their terrible pincers forward as they charged was disgusting.
But in the midst of it all, I couldn't help but laugh.
"Hehehe☆"
"W-why...? Is something wrong?"
Rota's anxious words.
I shook my head and answered.
"Just—☆ I don't feel like we're going to lose—♪"
"...!"
I charged toward the rushing Chaos Insects.
I wrapped aether around the cat sword held in both hands.
Numerous hearts appeared on the longsword, creating resonance.
The first secret art.
It's my first time shooting it with a weapon in actual combat.
But somehow, I didn't feel like we would lose at all.
TSUTSUTSU—!
I thrust forward the longsword that had transformed into a white bouquet and shouted.
"[Red Flower Darjeeling]—!"
A white light flashed in front of the Golden Street gate.
Numerous Ratatoskr subordinates disappeared within it.
And so we headed inside the Golden Street, adapting to fighting together.
＊
They were coming.
Those gathering toward this battlefield.
[The Scarlet Orbit]... and [The Azure Lightning].
It was almost time for him to make his move.
"All of you... disappear in the conflict...!"
The man in the green robe, [Priest of Discord], returned to his main body while touching the rune in his hand.