Kouki said as he lowered Holy Sword. Demon Race woman looked at him with pure scorn, and she shouted an order instead of answering him.
“Ahatd! Aim at the swordswoman! The others, attack!”
Having recovered from the impact, Ahatd approached Shizuku with tremendous momentum, exactly what the Demon Race woman had ordered. Within Kouki’s party, although her charisma to lead people could not be compared to him, to excel in making calm judgement of the situation made her the most troublesome enemy, so Shizuku was the first to be targeted.
The others demonic beasts also began attacking the other party members. Rather than the merits gained by making them betray their allies with attached collars, she judged, because of his last attack, it was necessary to kill Kouki. The Demon Race woman felt Kouki’s latest attack was a threat.
“Wh-, why!”
“You’re a boy without any self-awareness… we are at “war!” You who possessed huge power with immature mind is too dangerous! You are going to die here no matter what! Look, your comrades will be annihilated if you don’t help them!”
Kouki shouted at the Demon Race woman who ignored his suggestion, but the woman didn’t care at all.
Next, Kouki turned around because of the woman’s words, and at the same time, Shizuku was blown away and she crashed into the ground. Ahatd was already a monster that had already far surpassed the strong demonic beasts. It overpowered Kouki who was using “Limit Break” even if it was just a surprise attack. So, Shizuku should not be able to fight it by herself.
Kouki turned pale and used the power from “Supreme Break” to instantly move between Ahatd and Shizuku, and caught the “Magic Shock Wave” attack. Next, he counter-attacked by swinging Holy Sword which cut off its arms.
However, by the time he was before its bosom to finish it off with a stab, just like before, he fell to his knees, lost his strength, and fell forward.
“Supreme Limit” had reached its time limit. It was the worst case scenario. Not only was weakened because of the after effect he had accumulated one impossible plight after another, he also could not move his body as though he was paralyzed.
“A-At Such a time!”
“Kouki!”
Covering Kouki, Shizuku slashed towards the wound Ahatd had on its arm that was cut off. Unable to calm down after its wound was slashed, Ahatd screamed and retreated. At that moment, Shizuku grabbed and threw Kouki to where their comrades were.
With Kouki incapable of moving, his comrades could only defend against the encircling demonic beasts. Then… I must do something! Shizuku aimed at the Demon Race woman. Her gaze unmistakably carried killing intent.
“…Heh~. You seem be conscious about the murder. Rather, aren’t you the one most suitable to be called as Hero?”
“… I don’t care. It is our fault Kouki did not realize it. That’s why I will pay for that debt!”
Completely healed by the white crow’s peculiar magic, the Demon Race woman stood up steadily and commented on Shizuku actions.
Shizuku should have known Kouki’s straightforward character, and how deeply he sets his heart on something. She gritted her teeth because she felt responsible that it was only until now that Kouki realized they were killing people, and how he didn’t realize their true enemies during this war.
Shizuku had no experience of murder, and she felt she did not want to experience it either. However, she was prepared such a day would come if she was going into a war. By learning swordsmanship, the “heaviness” of hurting people was driven into her.
However, now that the time has come, her resolution was easily shaken because of fear neither from the shame nor honour, but because she wanted to cry due to the thing she was going to do. Even so, she bit her lip and gritted her teeth to desperately suppress her fear.
Thus, she took a stance as she activated “No Beat” to kill the Demon Race woman using the Godspeed from the sword drawing technique. However in that moment, a chill ran along her spine because her instinct warned her to imminent danger. Immediately, from the side of the location where she jumped back from, a black cat’s tentacles was fired.
“I never told the other demonic beasts to not aim at you. Do you think you can kill me with Ahatd and other demonic beasts as your enemies.”
“Kuh.”
Saying, “Of course I am also going to kill you,” the Demon Race woman began to chant. Shizuku somehow managed to break through the waves of attacks from the demonic beasts using acceleration and deceleration without preliminary action of “No Beat,” but her expression was gradually dyed in despair when she tried to move before the Demon Race woman through an opening.
The most difficult was that Ahatd had speed similar to Shizuku. The sturdy and gigantic figure was certainly seen by Shizuku, so even if she used the chance to jump towards the Demon Race woman, its swung fist give an explosion-like impact that would immediately reach Shizuku.
Shizuku was a swordsman who specialized in speed, so her defense was extremely brittle. Evasion and parry were the basic of her defense. Besides, damages would accumulated little by little from “Magic Shock Wave”‘s after effect. Also, she could neither completely evade nor parry.
Following that, Shizuku’s movement had slightly become duller because of the accumulated damages. And that was fatal in a fight to death such as this.
WHHAAAAAM!!
“Aghh!!”
Although she immediately used the sword and sheath as shields, Ahatd’s fist crushed Shizuku’s partner and hit her shoulder. Having blown parallel to the ground, forcefully crashing, and continued skidding on the ground, Shizuku laid down helplessly. The arm on her right shoulder was bent into an impossible angle. It was completely crushed. And because the impact was passed into her body, she sometimes coughed up blood.
“Shizuku-chan!”
Kaori called Shizuku with tone overflowed with uneasiness, but Shizuku could not move at all even as she gripped the handle of her broken sword while crouching.
At that time, the things about her comrades, formation, and her exhausted magic power, there was be no meaning for her to come to Shizuku’s side, but other logical reasons had completely disappeared from her mind. Kaori’s only thought was she “must go to her important best friend’s side.”
Kaori dashed out due to impulse. Her body was swaying and her feet weren’t steady because she hardly had any magic power. Although there were voices behind that tried to stop her, they did not reach Kaori’s ears. She was only trying her best to recklessly rush towards Shizuku. Naturally, the demonic beasts did not overlook the defenseless Kaori, and merciless attacks poured towards her.
However, all of those attacks were received by shining shields. Moreover, the numerous shields were standing just like a passage between Kaori and Shizuku.
“Ehehe. As expected, being alone is unpleasant.”
Suzu said with a pale expression. She held out her right hand straight towards Shizuku, and used all of her shields to make a beeline between Kaori and Shizuku. A faint smile floated on her face.
Suzu had realized it herself. Realized they could not survive at all. That’s why, she thought of using her magic to allow her to be together with the best friends she loved even in the last moment. Naturally, the defense on the other comrades had become thinner as the effect… so Suzu, “I am sorry,” apologized in her mind, and continued to put up her shields for Kaori and Shizuku.
With Suzu’s shields, Kaori reached Shizuku with only few wounds. Then, she embraced Shizuku’s body tightly.
“K-Kaori… what are you doing… Get back, hurry. It’s dangerous here.”
“Uun. It is the same anywhere. That’s why, it’s okay for me to be by Shizuku-chan’s side.”
“… I am sorry. I can’t win.”
“Me, too, I am sorry I can’t really do anything. I have hardly any magic power.”
Supporting Shizuku, Kaori was frowning while smiling while using her magic to lessen Shizuku’s pain. Shizuku on the other hand, used her solid right arm to grasp the hand Kaori was using to support her, and sported a troubled smile.
A shadow appeared before the two. It was Ahatd. With bloodshot eyes, it approached and looked down at Kaori and Shizuku. “RoOoOaR!!,” it raised its characteristic roar and swung its thick arm.