One fragment of Ilyailiya that was doing nothing but being in a daze at Loki Allied Army’s general staff headquarter, whose figure sometimes flickered becoming silver and then black and vice versa repeatedly, suddenly opened her mouth.
「……Robin Hood’s contractor will die soon.」
It was a firm declaration. The sudden words made Loki turned his head at her in fluster.
「You killed her!? Is this that thing you said you gonna attempt!?」
「She is not killed yet. ……It seemed that the defeated clones becomes pure magic power that is recovered by the main body. Therefore I inserted poison into the clones that I defeated. ……The poison I made her recover had already reached a lethal dose. I believe that she will die with certainty soon.」
「Poison you say?」
Something that could enter magic power as a foreign material and ignore defensive magic power before stealing someones life……there wasn’t such a thing as『poison』. Ilyailiya had no intention to uncover her hidden card to Loki and so she used the word『poison』to represent it.
「Then now we can even search for their position huh. It’s difficult for us to launch a surprise attack inside this magic power cloud, but we should be able to check them by sending Ilyailiya.」
Regina who was steamy warm after getting out of the bath cut into their talk. In the end she did nothing but enter the bath for several hours. However Ilyailiya shook her head.
「Robin Hood’s clone bodies are still active. It’s still necessary to wait. However even at the longest she will die within a hour.」
……Loki’s broad grin stiffened.
One hour. The moment he heard that word, he felt like sparks scattered inside his head.
「……In other words, this remaining one hour will be those guys’ last chance to take action. Those guys, they’re gonna launch a surprise attack for sure in this one hour. We cannot stay like this.」
「The other side should be still in the dark about our position though. On top of that, it’s impossible for a surprise attack to happen without going past me.」
「If it’s Kazuki then he will somehow manage to do both. He will overturn that assumption. That guy won’t do anything like letting go of his hand from the initiative.」
Loki said that with a bias passion filling it somewhere.
「……That sounds like an overestimation.」
Regina spoke indifferently. Both Ilyailiya and Regina evaluated Hayashizaki Kazuki suitably but……they didn’t hold as much of a fixation as Loki.
「Nonetheless, however, perhaps there is nothing better than getting ready for a flawless defense ready in this one hour.」
If he assumed that Kazuki and others would come with the best move they could――then there was one more thing that Loki had to think about no matter what.
About how Nyarlathotep was watching the situation over here through a spy.
Because of that, he couldn’t make a move that was too bold. In the case Nyarlathotep and his bunches came to muscle into the fight, he had to constantly reserve some leeway properly so he could deal with them.
If he didn’t skillfully deceive and lure in those guys in the convenient timing…….
「It’s interesting but……this is a bit troubling.」
Loki murmured――Loki felt himself drowning in the chaos that he created.
……Perhaps someone like me is always like this. Even inside the myth…….
No, the myth is the myth. It ain’t related to the current me.
「Can’t we use Apollo and Artemis?」
Regina cut off Loki’s thought and proposed.
「……You’re right, first start with that.」
Regina went outside for a moment, after that she led in Valextra Versace who was the contractor of Apollo and Diana Versace who was the contractor of Artemis.
She couldn’t work them hard the whole night, but there wouldn’t be any problems if it was an hour.
Apollo’s <Aganaverea> would shoot by accurately detecting magic power at far away.
Artemis’s <Ginekaverea> would shoot by detecting fast movement at far away.
Even with magic power obstruction, these sisters possessed the ability to sense and shoot the enemy at super long range. When they took position on a mountain in the daytime, it was like they had encompassed the whole Atlantis.
「With the ability of you two, how much range you can cover in this situation?」
Loki confirmed.
Valextra and Diana looked at each other, and then Valextra answered.
「Without a place with good visibility, our bow cannot cover all that surrounds us with just the two of us.」
「How much is your range in this place?」
「Because we are inside this forest and in the magic power cloud……I think the effect towards a distant place that we can display at maximum is, about thirty degrese like a human’s field of vision when we focus.」
Thirty degrees. Loki imagined a protractor inside his head and he felt hopeless.
「That ain’t enough at all even with the two of you. Say……it ain’t gonna be a problem at all if you two just shake your head left and right ain’t it?」
「We are not seeing with our eyes, we are sensing by activating summoning magic. If we want to aim at different zone, we need to chant again.」
「Kuuuh, what an inconvenient magic.」
「That’s why at that time it was important to take a position at a high place.」
Diana also spoke out.
「If you are fine with decreasing the observation range until 10 kilometer then I think I can maintain around a hundred degrees. With two of us it will be two hundred degree. That much should be an appropriate balance.」
「……I guess.」
It left blind a spot, but it was a good performance for a safety net in the case they broke through Ilyailiya.
10 kilometers――If it was the cavalry squad of Arthur and others they should be able to cover that distance in a blink of an eye.
Even so what he could rely next after Ilyailiya’s speed was these two’s detection firing he guessed.
「Got it. That’s fine.」Loki nodded.
「Now we gotta prepare so that if Valextra and Diana detect the enemy we can go out to intercept right away.」
They had to prepare immediately.
Especially because it would take really long time for Loki to lead his subordinates organizationally.
Suddenly loud and hurried footsteps could be heard from outside, and then a duo rolled into the tent.
「Preparation preparation, stop saying that, we won’t be able to rest like that hee―re! Bring in alcohol and snack and good man inste―ad!」
The one who yelled that was a young woman whose whole body was clad in black clothes decorated with jewelry――a chaos Diva of Celt Mythology, Queen Maeve.
「Rather than that send us to kill right away already―!!」
The one who yelled while stepping *zudododo* fiercely was a four armed goddess with pitch black skin. A chaos Diva of India Mythology Kali.
When she was periodically becoming frustrated wanting to kill, she would dance.
「Annoying! Just shut up and wait for my order!! The battle will start soon!!」
「You two, you must not disturb the strategy meeting politoca. ……Because the boorish us won’t be useful here politoca. Sorry politoca, Loki.」
And then one more person forcefully entered the tent, a giant with a height that might of reached three meters came in while bending forward due to the cramped space. This person had skin that was black like ink without any glossiness, wearing a mask that was made from a deep blue gem. A chaos Diva from Astec Mythology, Tezcatlipoca.
The tent was creaking dangerously.
「Don’t force yourself to enter!! This tent ain’t created with your size’s standard!!」
「It’s lonely when everyone entered the tent politoca.」
In preparation of this day, there were three chaos Divas that Loki managed to successfully materialize.
Their mythologies were different, but every one of them had a shared wish for a chaotic world.
Loki picked them as the best from everyone that he was able to come across by chance and hurried up their awakening, they were powerful bunches that were relatively reasonable.
Even though they were like this.
「Aoo―n! I also came woof! I’ll show my good aspect to Tou-san woof―!!」
In addition a young man with dog ears growing on his head also leaped into the tent and clung at Loki’s waist.
He was Fenrir that succeeded in materializing.
「You―Are―Hindrance-! Just go eat dog food!!」
Loki kicked Fenrir flying.
「Wafuu~」Fenrir got dejected at the corner of the tent.
「Your subordinates are……really consisted of incorrigible bunches only huh.」
Regina sighed in exasperation.
Beatrix made various runes float around her and sensed that power’s undulation which was like a pulsing heartbeat while advancing through the forest.
Their preparation finally finished, first Beatrix would go out to hold Ilyailiya in place.
The matter from here on would be depending on whether she could use the rune’s power well or not.
The dawn was still far away, there was not a single sign of the magic power cloud thinning down.
The magic power cloud enshrouding everywhere was emitting blue light, because of that even at night it wasn’t pitch dark, but an inch ahead of her sight was dyed bright blue that she couldn’t see through at all. It was a hazy blue world that gave her an illusion as though she was walking inside a sea. To the degree that she felt suffocated.
A Robin Hood clone was accompanying Beatrix at her side as a guide. But the clone’s appearance was warped and visibly tinged with noise, even now it looked unstable as though it would melt into the blue world and vanish.
One rune was shining conspicuously strong as though to guide Beatrix.
Runes are something curious, but it displayed its power of its own accord regardless of Beatrix’s control.
It was as though it had its own will――as if Hrotsvit was giving her company right beside her.
What was shining was『Rune of Detection』――it amplified Beatrix’s magic power perception.
Due to that Beatrix detected the existence of magic power body that approached to this direction with super high speed.
Beatrix took stance and chanted a spell.
The『Rune of Foresight』also shined. She understood the movement of the magic power body at the moment ahead…….
The owner of that magic power――Ilyailiya also noticed Beatrix’s existence, and then she attempted to change direction to opposite direction.
It was a movement that prioritized going back to give notification rather than moving for elimination when she detected enemy.
The current duty of Ilyailiya was simply being a scout.
And then the duty of Beatrix was――to stop Ilyailiya in place.
「O straw rope of thunder god, stop the cowardly weapon! Blits Pfeil(Arrow of Lightning Arc)!」
The『Rune of Sorcery』shined brightly――it had the effect that accelerated the chanting of low level magic just slightly. Beatrix dashed with all her might while raising her right hand, and then a thunder was fired from there drawing an arc.
That lightning flashed in the way where Ilyailiya tried to change direction.
It hit――Ilyailiya staggered from the impact and her body went numb for a moment.
That was enough. Beatrix circled around to block Ilyailiya’s escaped route and stood in her way.
Both confronted each other.
Ilyailiya immediately recovered her body’s freedom from the electric current and tried to launch herself to slip beside Beatrix.
But regardless of her status of an owner of a super speed, she needed an instant to gather strength to produce her explosive force. Beatrix made the rune of foresight shine and moved to block Ilyailiya’s path ahead of her.
Beatrix headed toward Ilyailiya’s trajectory and drew out her large sword from its sheath. Ilyailiya stumbled her step so that she didn’t fly into the slash by herself and stepped back.
Stopped……Ilyailiya was stopped in place.
However if Beatrix showed even the slightest opening, Ilyailiya would surely be gone from her sight.
「This time I’ll have you accompany me in a one-on-one fight, Ilyailiya.」
Beatrix glared vigilantly while addressing her opponent.
The second person finally opened her mouth.
「A distraction is it……」
Ilyailiya also understood the aim of this move right away.
The clone body of Robin Hood that accompanied Beatrix vanished after fulfilling its duty.
The sounds of knights and galloping cavalry squad weren’t audible from here.
However it was exactly at this time that the whole force with the exception of Beatrix was starting to move for the surprise attack offense.
Beatrix succeeded in the opening of the battle.
Splitting the army into three where each one would launch surprise attacks at different times, that was the plan that Kazuki thought up.
Inside the forest at night that was enshrouded by magic power cloud, the more the army was split the harder it would be able to take command. However with Kazuki’s telepathy ability it made it possible enough to even use a complicated strategy.
The army was split into three squads where the first squad was led by Kaguya-senpai, second squad by Mio, and third squad by Kazuki. The squad leader of each squad was Japan, but Britain and German knights were also included in the squads and displayed attitude that obeyed instructions from Kazuki.
And then Arthur and the elites of the Knights of the Round Table acted as a『reserve force』with the addition of Lotte in the communication role, they were standing by in case of critical moment.
Beatrix succeeded holding back Ilyailiya in place. The clone body of Robin Hood conveyed that using body gesture. Knowing that Kazuki and others moved out all at once.
Three squads were made to form formation to surround the enemy headquarter that Gino discovered from three directions.
There they halted for a moment.
Gino herself was left behind in the tent in her worn-out condition, but the clone bodies of Robin Hood that were still in a state that could move numbered several dozen bodies. ……Although every single one of them was in the verge of instability as though they were wandering in the middle of false image and real body.
Those several dozen Robin Hood received Kazuki’s signal and charged forward all at once.
The three squads followed behind them.
When they had advanced for a certain distance, the clone bodies of Robin Hood got shot through one after another and disappeared. Each squads halted still once more.
What happened was something that they could predict beforehand.
Long range shooting with bow and arrow――Apollo and Artemis.
But the range that Apollo and Artemis could cover should have limit. That was why they made those Robin Hood went ahead.
The zone where Robin Hood clones weren’t shot――that zone was the blind spot of Apollo and Artemis. Perhaps it wouldn’t be a surprise attack like this……however the initiative was at their side.
That was what was important.
『Mio, Kaguya-senpai, please go.』
Kazuki sent his instruction through telepathy.
Kaguya-senpai’s first squad and Mio’s second squad began their assault――,
「O Astaroth commiserating the foolish sin! In order to be the agent of thy indictment, please lend me thy manservant which is thy mounted beast!! Trampling Drake!!」
「Loyal manservant of Lucifer, o Gamigyn! Please lend me thy swift horse the symbol of thy loyalty!! Gallop Racer!!」
The yankee duo Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai activated the magic to summon a drake and cavalry horse. Dragon and horse of hell were summoned along with a flash, but then they were overwritten by the individuality of the yankee duo and each transformed into yankee honored ride of armored car and large bike. 「Everyone, get into our ride!」Mibu-senpai gave a thumb up.
Other than them, people that could summon『mounted beast』activated their magic simultaneously. The knights of Japan and German board onto them while Britain Knight Order straddled their own beloved horse.
This was in order to swiftly attack far faster rather than marching by foot.
The first and second squad were charging through the zone that wasn’t monitored with the force of raging wave.
The two squads that attacked two blind spots formed positioning to launch pincer attack from opposite sides.
Kazuki and others at third squad and Arthur with her group as reserve force were estimating the timing for their other plan while slowly advancing.
「Loki. I encountered Beatrix. I’m being hold in place.」
The jet black Ilyailiya silently murmured.
It was the Ilyailiya that was cloned and left at the headquarter.
Loki grinned broadly.
「Yosh, they are right on our palm.」
If Ilyailiya’s scout was hold in place, then the other side would surely think that their surprise attack couldn’t be detected.
But Ilyailiya had split into two and they could share their senses, even Kazuki wouldn’t be able to imagine that even in his wildest dream. Doing something like holding back Ilyailiya was pointless.
Their surprise attack failed.
However what was unexpected was that it was Beatrix who was in the role of holding back Ilyailiya. Einherjar should be worn out already, yet their new leader was taking this kind of risk here.
If it was Kazuki that took the role of holding back Ilyailiya, for Loki there would be nothing easier thant hat.
「Ilyailiya, deal with Beatrix quickly. There is only Thor that has the qualification as sub-chief god in Norse Mythology to inherit Odin’s power yeah. Even German that has escaped their death would end if Beatrix is defeated there. Perform the last rites for them.」
「I plan to do that.」
The jet black Ilyailiya nodded. If a mythology lost their chief god, the whole mythology would be losing power. Germany would be finished with that.
「And then the surprise attack from enemy will come soon! Quicken the interception preparation!!」
「Oh」「My」
Valextra and Diana leaked out their voice simultaneously while each of them were facing different directions.
And then they began firing arrows fiercely. That was a precise reaction that could be mistaken as machine.
「So they came!」Loki raised his voice.
「This shoddy feel, Robin Hood’s clones huh. I can see that the caster is doing her best really toughly.」Valextra said.
「Perhaps they are starting to move to investigate our location right away because they were able to break through Ilyailiya.」Diana said.
Loki’s face turned weary thinking ‘so she ain’t dead yet?’ and cursed how Atlantis was covered with forest.
「However it’s strange. Rather than coming here to search, they were heading her all at once as though they are surrounding this place with large number. This movement, our location is found out completely from a long time ago already.」
Diana’s expression slightly warped in unease.
But Loki was also preparing with that assumption.
「Robin Hood surrounding us…..」He groaned.
The clones were tactic in order to narrow down the range of Apollo and Artemis’s detection range. Kazuki had already knew about the existence of these two bow expert.
「The surprise attack of the enemy is coming from the blind spot of Apollo and Artemis’s firing range!」
With the surveillance state of the two where each of them covered a hundred degree, that meant there was eighty degree blind spot at each side. Surely the enemy would come by splitting their force into two squad and stormed with pincer attack from there.
Versace sister’s bow had blind spot――conversely speaking that meant that the enemy’s infiltration route could be narrowed down because of that.
「Don’t panic and deal with them calmly! A surprise attack that we know from where and when it will come ain’t surprise attack at all!! First burn down all the tents!!」
Loki ordered that and the tents were turned into ash all at one go using magic. The time for rest was over. The tents now were nothing but hindrance. So that everyone could participate in magic battle, they had to clear up the place from obstacle.
The area returned into a desolate wasteland.
There Loki Allied Army’s whole battle strength was assembling into one group in the blink of eye.
……Now then. Kazuki and his group is coming just as expected.
No, wait, Loki suddenly thought.
There is no guarantee that there are only two squads. ……Kazuki has telepathy power. For him it’s possible enough to move three or four squad altogether.
……He was moving Robin Hood with the assumption they will get detected and shot by Apollo and Artemis――they were feigning a surprise attack while not relying that much to surprise attack. It could be seen like that.
There was high possibility that they were still preparing another plan?
In that case they would need to distribute a lot of their number as reserve force no matter what.
「……Regina, Ilyailiya! We gonna reorganize the reserve force that is not going out to intercept!!」
「Starting, right now……?」Regina faltered. The enemy was already approaching here.
Kazuki and Loki’s battle started. That was Loki was thinking of this.
『I’ll defend that attack, so you don’t bother with it……』
Beatrix felt like she was hearing such voice.
「Pylevaja Zvesda.」
Ilyailiya rained down small meteors from all direction――it was a magic that intended to shave down her concentration. At the same time with that a silver blade aimed at Beatrix.
However the『Rune of Defense』around Beatrix shined, it flew as though it had its own will and blocked the meteors where the two were annihilated.
『You just devote yourself in attacking happily……see, over there.』
「NUORYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!」
Beatrix simply made a full swing using her large sword with empty mind. That blade was filled with electricity due to Thor’s magic.
「……Shchit!!」
Ilyailiya changed her silver flame into a shield and blocked that attack. But the electric current couldn’t be blocked by the shield, making her body paralyzed. Ilyailiya who was proud of her speed lost sight of any chance to move into offense.
Something at the level of all direction attack to disorder concentration wouldn’t shake up Beatrix’s current foresight.
「Fuhahahah」
Beatrix spontaneously laughed out. She reversed her blade and swung the second slash with her large sword. She made stirring sound of cutting wind *bu―n bu―n* while attacking contiuously.
However although that attack looked like it was done without any thought, but actually the attack was guided by rune and accurately predicted Ilyailiya’s movement.
Ilyailiya couldn’t hold on and leaped backward, taking some distance.
If Beatrix whose role was to hold Ilyailiya back could make her stepping back, then she wouldn’t recklessly pursue her.
Ilyailiya opened her mouth.
「……How are you able to use the King’s power until that much already?」
What was called the King’s power wasn’t something that could be used skillfully right after it got inherited.
Beatrix looked around staringly at the several runes floating around her as though she herself didn’t understand although it was about herself. She felt like she could hear a voice…….
「Hrotsvit-sama is together with me right at my side. When I think like that I became able to use this power well, somehow it became fun and strength welled up from inside.」
「Absurd.」
Ilyailiya spoke as though she was spitting out even while her face was expressionless. 「That’s irrational.」
「Fuhahahahahah! A feeling that yearn and love someone will become strength! I was taught that by that man, and I believe it-!!」
「So you too are also Hayashizaki Kazuki’s believer……」
Fufufu……Beatrix chuckled bashfully.
「But for you who is a believer of god to be taught by Hayashizaki Kazuki who is a pagan, and for you to believe that teaching, just what’s with that?」
「Eh!? Is, is that something wrong?」
Beatrix reflexively asked the rune floating beside her when Ilyailiya questioned where it hurt.
『It doesn’t really matter isn’t it?』
「Seems like it doesn’t really matter!!」
Beatrix looked back at Ilyailiya in a flash and yelled.
「……Is it possible to converse with that rune?」
『I was picturing despair and desire of ruin in the future, seeking to experience life for real I enjoy myself with battle.』
Beatrix thought that this was really Hrotsvit-sama’s voice just as expected.
『Hesitation doesn’t suit you. Don’t think of anything, just purely, purely enjoy the battle more. If you say that you have a companion who you can find future with, then it’s fine even if you get close with that person.』
The voice said to her exactly the same thing like Eleonora.
And that granted her the conviction that she wasn’t mistaken, and a burning courage.
『What is important, is that in front of your eyes right now……』
「There is a battle.」
『Yes, that’s everything. If you fight in a way that is the most enjoyable for you, then surely you will be able to wield the King’s authority in a different shape than me.』
Fighting enjoyably. That was the key to handle the rune in her case.
When she thought that, she felt even more enjoyment.
『Fight while laughing, Beatrix.』
「Fuhahahahah! Now come, Ilyailiya! This time I’ll have you dance together with me for sure!!」
Ilyailiya became a haze and vanished as though to say enough with the tedious talk. Beatrix swung her blade toward the path she was traveling through. Sparks of thunder and silver scattered.
The surprise attack couldn’t be called a success.
The allied army of Japan-Britain-German that slipped through the blind spot of the bow attack assaulted with two groups, but the place they attacked already had the Loki Alliance Army lying in wait in flawless interception stance.
Magi exploded one after another at the wasteland where the tents for camping and the forest had already burned away so they could fight as they please. But because of the magic power cloud that enshrouded the dead of night, both sides couldn’t confirm each other’s figure clearly.
The surprise attack couldn’t be said as a success――but, the result of the two armies clashing from the front wasn’t even.
「What the hell is happening?」Loki’s expression distorted.
If at this kind of time the silver Ilyailiya was at their side, she could run around the battlefield with her inherent speed and confirmed the situation for them but……currently she was facing Beatrix and couldn’t get away. The strategy to hold back Ilyailiya produced a result in a different sense.
The attack didn’t become a surprise attack. They were able to intercept the attack with flawless readiness.
Then why was it their side that was falling into a disadvantage?
The enemy was rushing here from two directions, one side was dealt with by Italia Knight Order, the other side by Russia Knight Order, while Loki’s Loki Einherjar was assigned to both sides equally. They should be intercepting the enemy with enough battle strength.
The elites that were the materialized Divas and Regina’s Olympia Twelve Gods were standing by at this headquarter. They were reserve force that could move in immediate respond by Loki or Regina’s order.
In a battle it was senseless to throw everything to the front line. The worth of a commander was decided in how they made use of their reserve force that could react immediately when something happened.
Especially where the opponent was Kazuki who could take elaborate strategic action even under this situation using his telepathy.
Loki, Regina, and the jet black Ilyailiya, the three of them place the headquarter at the center of the wasteland. Even though there was magic power cloud interfering and damping the effect, the three of them were also participating in the battle by firing attack magic from here. However they couldn’t peek clearly at the situation at the front line, at the enemy’s situation.
Knights at the front line were periodically coming to them as messenger, reporting that『enemy army’s pressure』was great.
「Our side is in disadvantage!!」
Among the military force of the other side, German knights were bunches that barely escaped death and now were unable to exhibit their full strength anymore.
No matter how they thought the other side was supposed to have fewer number. ……Did the enemy left no troop for reserve force and divide their whole army into two groups to strike here? If the other side didn’t have reserve force and struck here while this side was retaining reserve force, then certainly this side would fall into disadvantage temporarily.
However would Kazuki who had experienced the principle and rule of battle at the war with Yamato commit that kind of carelessness?
If that was the case……then they would just need to wait until a crack appeared somewhere at enemy army, and if they struck there with this reserve force they could decide the battle with greater number.
「……Do we still need to continue observing a direction where no one is fighting like this?」
Diana spoke to Loki in bafflement with her stance still holding her bow readily.
「It’s strange to say this myself but, we believe we are valuable battle strength though?」
Valextra also shrugged her shoulders.
「You guys don’t know jack about Kazuki.」
Loki talked back flatly.
「But it’s certain that they are battle strength that is too valuable to be squander for the sake of piling up caution on top of caution.」
Regina spoke with a pensive look.
Even Regina didn’t take Kazuki lightly. ……However it was not to the degree of Loki.
On the contrary Loki’s high assessment of Kazuki to an abnormal degree felt like something of a bias affection to her, which made her somewhat creeped out.
Ilyailya also looked expressionless, but it seemed that she was mostly of the same feeling like her.
Loki sensitively sensed that and felt a faint crack. He also felt anger.
However, looking at the situation as a whole objectively, it was obvious that he ought to make compromise.
「Gau―! I want to sniff the smell of blood woof!!」
「Hey―! How long you are gonna make me stay still like this huh―!」
「Let us rampage and kill―!!」
「Mumumu……it’s vexing politoca.」
Fenrir, Maeve, Kali, and Tezcatlipoca who were preserved as reserve force also couldn’t calm down like peevish children.
「There is a rational reason that can be seen in this situation.」
The jet black Ilyailiya said.
She understood. If Beatrix who came out to hold back Ilyailiya ran out of strength fighting her and got defeated, at that point of time Einherjar would completely lose strength and became a disordered mob.
Perhaps that was why Kazuki didn’t save any troop as reserve force and challenge them in a hurry.
But such thinking could be seen through as a matter of course. It was too simple.
Kazuki wasn’t someone who was that careless…….
But there was no other explanation that could be found for the inexplicable strength of the enemy’s momentum…….
「……Can’t be helped. Both of you stop observing and move to cover fire. The reserve force too, we will throw them in while watching the situation.」
The chaos Divas raised wild cheer of joy and rushed to the front line.
Several of the Olympus Twelve Gods also immediately departed to the front line.
Shit-, even though I told them we are watching the situation first they ain’t listening at all! Kazuki can use his telepathy to take command without any disorder y’know!
At that time something flickered inside Loki’s awareness.
It was as though something small inside the scenery somewhere was wriggling.
Wasteland was spreading at the surrounding, beside him there were Regina and jet black Ilyailiya, and then just several Olympus Twelve Gods who were being preserved……his visibility was bad but that was all.
Flicker――wrong, this was something……a surge of really minute magic power.
Loki sharpened his awareness while looking around the surrounding……and his expression froze.
A standing by Italia knight……the contractor of Diva <Hera>, Diadora, beneath her feet, there was something like a green caterpillar. Diadora who seemed to mostly have lesbian tendencies was staring at her lord Regina in ecstasy, she didn’t notice the existence of that which was lying so near her that she could step on it just by moving a bit.
Something that was like a green caterpillar……wrong.
This was……something that took the shape of human was crawling on all four.
Loki felt his spine turning shuddering cold.
That was Robin Hood’s clone body.
With a posture where she could lick the ground, only her face was lifted up, her bloodshot eyes were looking at this direction with a gleam.
「Tha, that dying……!!」
Loki noticed, without even any time to attack that clone body was self-disintegrating into tatters and vanished.
There was no doubt that exactly just now the life of Robin Hood’s contractor had came to an end.
「What’s wrong?」
Regina didn’t notice that, however she noticed Loki’s state and asked.
「Its’ Robin Hood’s clone body! It was right under Diadora and vanished just now……that bastard! She fucking saw our order just now!!」
「……She sneaked in until this place?」
Regina asked Loki back wondering if he had just hallucinated.
「Eh, under my feet?」
Even Diadora made a puzzled face.
All the people there looked at each other as though to say that it was impossible for them to not notice something like that.
But Loki angrily shouted back with conviction.
「Call back the reserve force right now!!」
「Weren’t all of Robin Hood’s clone bodies got shot to death already under Apollo and Artemis’s monitoring?」
Ilyailiya pointed out to Loki.
Loki was groaning while ruminating in his thought.
「……No, the arrows of the two are fired in reaction of the largest magic power and fastest movement. What if there is just one clone, that intentionally thinned down its magic power until it was exceedingly weak mixing in among all the others……?」
Even if she did that, but to be able to sneak in until this close without anyone noticing, something like that was already beyond carelessness or inattention and went right to nothing but horror.
That clone body which Loki witnessed was already endlessly frail.
Its presence was like a ghost.
For its magic power to thin down until that level with even its body being vague, perhaps it would be difficult for it to even be aware that it existed…….
It was a paper-thin state between not vanishing and vanishing――doing something like maintaining clone body that was created with magic power in such state while controlling it, was nothing but impossible.
Magic power control needed for that would be something beyond really delicate.
Likely it wasn’t something done intentionally. A human who was going to die anytime mustered her magic power that was just barely there, and then she maintained it only using tenacity so that it wouldn’t vanish……the result of that became a stealth clone body that was like a ghost.
It was truly a living ghost!
Loki recognized the ability of Diva Robin Hood as one of the most troublesome things in this war, but now he knew that what should be truly feared was the contractor of that Diva.
「I don’t care whether they are already in the middle of battle or not, but drag back those idiots here quickly! The real surprise attack will come after this!!」
「Gino is……」
Arthur moaned with an agonized voice above her horse.
Until just now there was the clone body of Robin Hood that was powerlessly groveling on all four at the end of the gazes of Kazuki and Arthur who were still standing by inside the forest.
The clone body that succeeded in infiltrating until deep inside enemy’s headquarter with good luck and the clone body that was just before them, they were the last two clones.
Although the clone bodies were sharing their senses but they couldn’t talk, and because Gino was also not here, the clone brought the information to Kazuki and Arthur by groveling and used its finger to draw on the ground.
It was groveling also because it had already lost the power for even just standing.
And then at the end the clone body brought precious information to them before it vanished. And about what happened to Gino right now after she burned out her mind until the utmost limits even with that state of hers, they didn’t even need to imagine it to know.
「Gino-san did well. Let’s go right away.」
He had no other words than those right now. Surely standing still was exactly what that woman didn’t wish for.
「Yeah……」
Arthur closed her eyes and lifted her head.
Loki, Regina and others were mistaking that this side was launching an assault with all their battle force. Because of that the other side came out in counterattack by also investing their preserved reserve force into the battle.
But in reality the third squad of Kazuki and others were still not moving at all. When the enemy became overly eager and invested all their battle force to the battle, Kazuki and others aimed to launch a violent attack at their flank.
At Kazuki’s original plan, he planned to have everyone who came out to the front line to make the judgment whether Loki and his group had invested their reserve force. However making that kind of judgment accurately inside this thick magic power cloud would surely be difficult. But unexpectedly one Robin Hood caused a miracle by succeeding to infiltrate until deep inside enemy headquarter.
No, most likely it wasn’t because of miracle but because of tenacity.
Because of that they couldn’t just stand around grieving.
「O soaring king of air pirate, please send thy retainer from that wing, and lend it to us……」
Nagasaka Yuka who was included in the third squad activated the magic for traveling.
「Simurgh(Wind Weaving Giant Bird)!」
The avatar of Diva with bird shape, <Valefor> floated up and flapped its wings, white wind blew faintly from there. The thicker the whiteness of the wind became, the clearer the presence it had, the winds then were weaved into several layer which was constructing a giant bird in a moment.
With the exception of Kazuki, everyone of the third squad boarded that bird’s back or got held by the bird’s claw to be transported.
「「Soaring wings, glaring eyes, invading world-destroying conflagration――manifest god’s authority right here, as the agent of civilization I will advance deeper and deeper! Deep Striker!!」」
Kazuki and Lotte put on the high speed mobile armor using Prometheus’s magic and flew to the sky.
Arthur and others of the cavalry squad also handled their horse’s rain simultaneously and broke into a dash following behind.
「Arthur’s group and Lotte mustn’t get too deep inside the battlefield yet as reserve force, please take distance for a while and carry out cover fire.」
「That will push the burden to you all our ally.」
It seemed that she was reluctant to be placed in the position where they would be earnestly preserved.
「I chose Arthur and others as reserve force because we don’t know where is Nyarlako in this battlefield, your force cannot go in carelessly.」
「I see, you’re right.」
It was an unreserved remark that gouged her weak point, but Arthur nodded.
「The battle strength of Arthur’s group has to be used at the most important time. A situation that we cannot even imagined yet will surely happen.」
The authority of King Arthur was something that intently heightened the battle strength of oneself using proud pledge.
Although she had a clear weak point that was mental magic, but her destructive power was exactly the strongest spear.
「……We still don’t know the King’s authority of Regina and Ilyailiya completely.」
Just like how right now he was going to outwit Loki using King’s authority, it should be possible for those two queens to use their powerful King’s authority in a way that they couldn’t even imagine to change the battle situation.
「You’re right. At that time we will become the force to break the deadlock.」
「However, they should be unable to effectively use their King’s authority into their strategy like us. Most likely Regina and Ilyailiya doesn’t disclose their King’s authority to Loki.」
It was a situation that was like the strongest strategist who didn’t know of his own army’s trump card.
Before this operation, Kazuki had already disclosed his own authority at Arthur and Beatrix.
And then right now Kazuki was using the King’s authority of Japan Mythology『Power of Harmony』.
It was a power that could distribute the magic power of his comrades to a certain degree to the optimum allotment.
Loki and others mistaken the assault of just the first and second squad as the whole army’s attack was because of this power.
Kazuki distributed the magic power of third squad to his comrades that were included in the first and second squad. Even though it was the same summoning magic, but if it was invoked by an owner of powerful magic power then the magic’s might would change.
If powerful magic attacks were rained down with the other side not knowing the other’s number due to the darkness of the night and the magic power cloud, Loki who didn’t know about Power of Harmony would naturally judge that the enemy was attacking with their full force.
Due to various things or another Loki――he hadn’t fight Kazuki since the war with Yamato.
However Kazuki felt fear of Loki who kept worrying about the decision to invest the reserve force or not until the very last minute in vigilance against detached force of enemy even though he didn’t know about the Power of Harmony. Kazuki was shocked.
The ruler of chaos Loki grasped even the matter that he didn’t know about and he could manipulate that. That control ability was already something outside logic.
「Power of Harmony and telepathy communication huh……. Furthermore it can be used by multiple comrades at far away. Honestly speaking I underestimated both Solomon Mythology and Japan Mythology as puny mythology, but there are no other King’s authority that are more suited for group battle that this.」
Calling them puny was uncalled for, but Arthur spoke with honest praise in her tone.
The avatar of Amaterasu popped out and floated behind Kazuki who was flying in the sky.
『To say the truth, with my original power doing something like using Power of Harmony to far away comrade inside this magic power cloud is completely impossible. The Power of Harmony can work like this because it totally used that circuit of bond or something. Rather than saying that I did this, it’s more like that big bro Leme’s power mixed into me on its own and strengthened me ya―』
Amaterasu explained with easygoing voice.
Power of Harmony could only be used to comrade inside one’s range of perception. However currently Kazuki was able to constantly sense the comrades with whom he had strong tie of bond because of Leme’s power. That was why even the Power of Harmony could still work until super long range. It was a beautiful collaboration of two mythologies.
「A mix……. So it’s a peerless strength due to being the King of two mythologies.」
Arthur murmured while spurring her cavalry horse.
Kazuki and others were rushing altogether inside the night enshrouded by faint blue magic power cloud.
They had already circled until a position that couldn’t be detected from the place that became battlefield, thanks to Gino they could mark the target and aim at enemy headquarter.
Arthur’s group and Lotte was braking little by little and stood by at the rear.
They were starting to be able to sense the magic power of the enemies at the other side of the blue night.
The magic power of Kazuki and others in the third squad that was entrusted to the other squads using the Power of Harmony was returned back――and they attacked.
「Imitation Flare!!」
Kazuki invoked magic right away like drawing out katana from its sheath.
A presence that was like a small scale barrier was smashed.
From the other side of the exploding light「UWAAAAAAAA!」or「THEY FUCKING CAMEEEEEE!」angry roar and scream that were the very definition of chaos resounded.
――He felt like there was Loki’s voice mixed in there too.
With Kazuki’s magic invocation as the signal, his comrades that were grasped by『Simurgh』also descended down to the ground all at once and started chanting magic.
The enemy figures emerged across the magic power cloud. Amidst the chaotic situation, enemy force was turning back in great panic, but their movement didn’t even have order at all.
There was the figure of Loki standing at the very front.
「Kazuki! So you fucking come huh!!」
That tone of voice could be taken as anger and also joy.
The comrades that followed behind Kazuki attacked simultaneously――they activated group magic.
Loki’s hand was visibly holding a shining blue large sword, it flashed.
「Display the essence of divine sword!! Lævateinn!!」
Dazzling light and thunderous roar burst.
One fragment of Ilyailiya that was doing nothing but being in a daze at Loki Allied Army’s general staff headquarter, whose figure sometimes flickered becoming silver and then black and vice versa repeatedly, suddenly opened her mouth.
「……Robin Hood’s contractor will die soon.」
It was a firm declaration. The sudden words made Loki turned his head at her in fluster.
「You killed her!? Is this that thing you said you gonna attempt!?」
「She is not killed yet. ……It seemed that the defeated clones becomes pure magic power that is recovered by the main body. Therefore I inserted poison into the clones that I defeated. ……The poison I made her recover had already reached a lethal dose. I believe that she will die with certainty soon.」
「Poison you say?」
Something that could enter magic power as a foreign material and ignore defensive magic power before stealing someones life……there wasn’t such a thing as『poison』. Ilyailiya had no intention to uncover her hidden card to Loki and so she used the word『poison』to represent it.
「Then now we can even search for their position huh. It’s difficult for us to launch a surprise attack inside this magic power cloud, but we should be able to check them by sending Ilyailiya.」
Regina who was steamy warm after getting out of the bath cut into their talk. In the end she did nothing but enter the bath for several hours. However Ilyailiya shook her head.
「Robin Hood’s clone bodies are still active. It’s still necessary to wait. However even at the longest she will die within a hour.」
……Loki’s broad grin stiffened.
One hour. The moment he heard that word, he felt like sparks scattered inside his head.
「……In other words, this remaining one hour will be those guys’ last chance to take action. Those guys, they’re gonna launch a surprise attack for sure in this one hour. We cannot stay like this.」
「The other side should be still in the dark about our position though. On top of that, it’s impossible for a surprise attack to happen without going past me.」
「If it’s Kazuki then he will somehow manage to do both. He will overturn that assumption. That guy won’t do anything like letting go of his hand from the initiative.」
Loki said that with a bias passion filling it somewhere.
「……That sounds like an overestimation.」
Regina spoke indifferently. Both Ilyailiya and Regina evaluated Hayashizaki Kazuki suitably but……they didn’t hold as much of a fixation as Loki.
「Nonetheless, however, perhaps there is nothing better than getting ready for a flawless defense ready in this one hour.」
If he assumed that Kazuki and others would come with the best move they could――then there was one more thing that Loki had to think about no matter what.
About how Nyarlathotep was watching the situation over here through a spy.
Because of that, he couldn’t make a move that was too bold. In the case Nyarlathotep and his bunches came to muscle into the fight, he had to constantly reserve some leeway properly so he could deal with them.
If he didn’t skillfully deceive and lure in those guys in the convenient timing…….
「It’s interesting but……this is a bit troubling.」
Loki murmured――Loki felt himself drowning in the chaos that he created.
……Perhaps someone like me is always like this. Even inside the myth…….
No, the myth is the myth. It ain’t related to the current me.
「Can’t we use Apollo and Artemis?」
Regina cut off Loki’s thought and proposed.
「……You’re right, first start with that.」
Regina went outside for a moment, after that she led in Valextra Versace who was the contractor of Apollo and Diana Versace who was the contractor of Artemis.
She couldn’t work them hard the whole night, but there wouldn’t be any problems if it was an hour.
Apollo’s <Aganaverea> would shoot by accurately detecting magic power at far away.
Artemis’s <Ginekaverea> would shoot by detecting fast movement at far away.
Even with magic power obstruction, these sisters possessed the ability to sense and shoot the enemy at super long range. When they took position on a mountain in the daytime, it was like they had encompassed the whole Atlantis.
「With the ability of you two, how much range you can cover in this situation?」
Loki confirmed.
Valextra and Diana looked at each other, and then Valextra answered.
「Without a place with good visibility, our bow cannot cover all that surrounds us with just the two of us.」
「How much is your range in this place?」
「Because we are inside this forest and in the magic power cloud……I think the effect towards a distant place that we can display at maximum is, about thirty degrese like a human’s field of vision when we focus.」
Thirty degrees. Loki imagined a protractor inside his head and he felt hopeless.
「That ain’t enough at all even with the two of you. Say……it ain’t gonna be a problem at all if you two just shake your head left and right ain’t it?」
「We are not seeing with our eyes, we are sensing by activating summoning magic. If we want to aim at different zone, we need to chant again.」
「Kuuuh, what an inconvenient magic.」
「That’s why at that time it was important to take a position at a high place.」
Diana also spoke out.
「If you are fine with decreasing the observation range until 10 kilometer then I think I can maintain around a hundred degrees. With two of us it will be two hundred degree. That much should be an appropriate balance.」
「……I guess.」
It left blind a spot, but it was a good performance for a safety net in the case they broke through Ilyailiya.
10 kilometers――If it was the cavalry squad of Arthur and others they should be able to cover that distance in a blink of an eye.
Even so what he could rely next after Ilyailiya’s speed was these two’s detection firing he guessed.
「Got it. That’s fine.」Loki nodded.
「Now we gotta prepare so that if Valextra and Diana detect the enemy we can go out to intercept right away.」
They had to prepare immediately.
Especially because it would take really long time for Loki to lead his subordinates organizationally.
Suddenly loud and hurried footsteps could be heard from outside, and then a duo rolled into the tent.
「Preparation preparation, stop saying that, we won’t be able to rest like that hee―re! Bring in alcohol and snack and good man inste―ad!」
The one who yelled that was a young woman whose whole body was clad in black clothes decorated with jewelry――a chaos Diva of Celt Mythology, Queen Maeve.
「Rather than that send us to kill right away already―!!」
The one who yelled while stepping *zudododo* fiercely was a four armed goddess with pitch black skin. A chaos Diva of India Mythology Kali.
When she was periodically becoming frustrated wanting to kill, she would dance.
「Annoying! Just shut up and wait for my order!! The battle will start soon!!」
「You two, you must not disturb the strategy meeting politoca. ……Because the boorish us won’t be useful here politoca. Sorry politoca, Loki.」
And then one more person forcefully entered the tent, a giant with a height that might of reached three meters came in while bending forward due to the cramped space. This person had skin that was black like ink without any glossiness, wearing a mask that was made from a deep blue gem. A chaos Diva from Astec Mythology, Tezcatlipoca.
The tent was creaking dangerously.
「Don’t force yourself to enter!! This tent ain’t created with your size’s standard!!」
「It’s lonely when everyone entered the tent politoca.」
In preparation of this day, there were three chaos Divas that Loki managed to successfully materialize.
Their mythologies were different, but every one of them had a shared wish for a chaotic world.
Loki picked them as the best from everyone that he was able to come across by chance and hurried up their awakening, they were powerful bunches that were relatively reasonable.
Even though they were like this.
「Aoo―n! I also came woof! I’ll show my good aspect to Tou-san woof―!!」
In addition a young man with dog ears growing on his head also leaped into the tent and clung at Loki’s waist.
He was Fenrir that succeeded in materializing.
「You―Are―Hindrance-! Just go eat dog food!!」
Loki kicked Fenrir flying.
「Wafuu~」Fenrir got dejected at the corner of the tent.
「Your subordinates are……really consisted of incorrigible bunches only huh.」
Regina sighed in exasperation.
Beatrix made various runes float around her and sensed that power’s undulation which was like a pulsing heartbeat while advancing through the forest.
Their preparation finally finished, first Beatrix would go out to hold Ilyailiya in place.
The matter from here on would be depending on whether she could use the rune’s power well or not.
The dawn was still far away, there was not a single sign of the magic power cloud thinning down.
The magic power cloud enshrouding everywhere was emitting blue light, because of that even at night it wasn’t pitch dark, but an inch ahead of her sight was dyed bright blue that she couldn’t see through at all. It was a hazy blue world that gave her an illusion as though she was walking inside a sea. To the degree that she felt suffocated.
A Robin Hood clone was accompanying Beatrix at her side as a guide. But the clone’s appearance was warped and visibly tinged with noise, even now it looked unstable as though it would melt into the blue world and vanish.
One rune was shining conspicuously strong as though to guide Beatrix.
Runes are something curious, but it displayed its power of its own accord regardless of Beatrix’s control.
It was as though it had its own will――as if Hrotsvit was giving her company right beside her.
What was shining was『Rune of Detection』――it amplified Beatrix’s magic power perception.
Due to that Beatrix detected the existence of magic power body that approached to this direction with super high speed.
Beatrix took stance and chanted a spell.
The『Rune of Foresight』also shined. She understood the movement of the magic power body at the moment ahead…….
The owner of that magic power――Ilyailiya also noticed Beatrix’s existence, and then she attempted to change direction to opposite direction.
It was a movement that prioritized going back to give notification rather than moving for elimination when she detected enemy.
The current duty of Ilyailiya was simply being a scout.
And then the duty of Beatrix was――to stop Ilyailiya in place.
「O straw rope of thunder god, stop the cowardly weapon! Blits Pfeil(Arrow of Lightning Arc)!」
The『Rune of Sorcery』shined brightly――it had the effect that accelerated the chanting of low level magic just slightly. Beatrix dashed with all her might while raising her right hand, and then a thunder was fired from there drawing an arc.
That lightning flashed in the way where Ilyailiya tried to change direction.
It hit――Ilyailiya staggered from the impact and her body went numb for a moment.
That was enough. Beatrix circled around to block Ilyailiya’s escaped route and stood in her way.
Both confronted each other.
Ilyailiya immediately recovered her body’s freedom from the electric current and tried to launch herself to slip beside Beatrix.
But regardless of her status of an owner of a super speed, she needed an instant to gather strength to produce her explosive force. Beatrix made the rune of foresight shine and moved to block Ilyailiya’s path ahead of her.
Beatrix headed toward Ilyailiya’s trajectory and drew out her large sword from its sheath. Ilyailiya stumbled her step so that she didn’t fly into the slash by herself and stepped back.
Stopped……Ilyailiya was stopped in place.
However if Beatrix showed even the slightest opening, Ilyailiya would surely be gone from her sight.
「This time I’ll have you accompany me in a one-on-one fight, Ilyailiya.」
Beatrix glared vigilantly while addressing her opponent.
The second person finally opened her mouth.
「A distraction is it……」
Ilyailiya also understood the aim of this move right away.
The clone body of Robin Hood that accompanied Beatrix vanished after fulfilling its duty.
The sounds of knights and galloping cavalry squad weren’t audible from here.
However it was exactly at this time that the whole force with the exception of Beatrix was starting to move for the surprise attack offense.
Beatrix succeeded in the opening of the battle.
Splitting the army into three where each one would launch surprise attacks at different times, that was the plan that Kazuki thought up.
Inside the forest at night that was enshrouded by magic power cloud, the more the army was split the harder it would be able to take command. However with Kazuki’s telepathy ability it made it possible enough to even use a complicated strategy.
The army was split into three squads where the first squad was led by Kaguya-senpai, second squad by Mio, and third squad by Kazuki. The squad leader of each squad was Japan, but Britain and German knights were also included in the squads and displayed attitude that obeyed instructions from Kazuki.
And then Arthur and the elites of the Knights of the Round Table acted as a『reserve force』with the addition of Lotte in the communication role, they were standing by in case of critical moment.
Beatrix succeeded holding back Ilyailiya in place. The clone body of Robin Hood conveyed that using body gesture. Knowing that Kazuki and others moved out all at once.
Three squads were made to form formation to surround the enemy headquarter that Gino discovered from three directions.
There they halted for a moment.
Gino herself was left behind in the tent in her worn-out condition, but the clone bodies of Robin Hood that were still in a state that could move numbered several dozen bodies. ……Although every single one of them was in the verge of instability as though they were wandering in the middle of false image and real body.
Those several dozen Robin Hood received Kazuki’s signal and charged forward all at once.
The three squads followed behind them.
When they had advanced for a certain distance, the clone bodies of Robin Hood got shot through one after another and disappeared. Each squads halted still once more.
What happened was something that they could predict beforehand.
Long range shooting with bow and arrow――Apollo and Artemis.
But the range that Apollo and Artemis could cover should have limit. That was why they made those Robin Hood went ahead.
The zone where Robin Hood clones weren’t shot――that zone was the blind spot of Apollo and Artemis. Perhaps it wouldn’t be a surprise attack like this……however the initiative was at their side.
That was what was important.
『Mio, Kaguya-senpai, please go.』
Kazuki sent his instruction through telepathy.
Kaguya-senpai’s first squad and Mio’s second squad began their assault――,
「O Astaroth commiserating the foolish sin! In order to be the agent of thy indictment, please lend me thy manservant which is thy mounted beast!! Trampling Drake!!」
「Loyal manservant of Lucifer, o Gamigyn! Please lend me thy swift horse the symbol of thy loyalty!! Gallop Racer!!」
The yankee duo Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai activated the magic to summon a drake and cavalry horse. Dragon and horse of hell were summoned along with a flash, but then they were overwritten by the individuality of the yankee duo and each transformed into yankee honored ride of armored car and large bike. 「Everyone, get into our ride!」Mibu-senpai gave a thumb up.
Other than them, people that could summon『mounted beast』activated their magic simultaneously. The knights of Japan and German board onto them while Britain Knight Order straddled their own beloved horse.
This was in order to swiftly attack far faster rather than marching by foot.
The first and second squad were charging through the zone that wasn’t monitored with the force of raging wave.
The two squads that attacked two blind spots formed positioning to launch pincer attack from opposite sides.
Kazuki and others at third squad and Arthur with her group as reserve force were estimating the timing for their other plan while slowly advancing.
「Loki. I encountered Beatrix. I’m being hold in place.」
The jet black Ilyailiya silently murmured.
It was the Ilyailiya that was cloned and left at the headquarter.
Loki grinned broadly.
「Yosh, they are right on our palm.」
If Ilyailiya’s scout was hold in place, then the other side would surely think that their surprise attack couldn’t be detected.
But Ilyailiya had split into two and they could share their senses, even Kazuki wouldn’t be able to imagine that even in his wildest dream. Doing something like holding back Ilyailiya was pointless.
Their surprise attack failed.
However what was unexpected was that it was Beatrix who was in the role of holding back Ilyailiya. Einherjar should be worn out already, yet their new leader was taking this kind of risk here.
If it was Kazuki that took the role of holding back Ilyailiya, for Loki there would be nothing easier thant hat.
「Ilyailiya, deal with Beatrix quickly. There is only Thor that has the qualification as sub-chief god in Norse Mythology to inherit Odin’s power yeah. Even German that has escaped their death would end if Beatrix is defeated there. Perform the last rites for them.」
「I plan to do that.」
The jet black Ilyailiya nodded. If a mythology lost their chief god, the whole mythology would be losing power. Germany would be finished with that.
「And then the surprise attack from enemy will come soon! Quicken the interception preparation!!」
「Oh」「My」
Valextra and Diana leaked out their voice simultaneously while each of them were facing different directions.
And then they began firing arrows fiercely. That was a precise reaction that could be mistaken as machine.
「So they came!」Loki raised his voice.
「This shoddy feel, Robin Hood’s clones huh. I can see that the caster is doing her best really toughly.」Valextra said.
「Perhaps they are starting to move to investigate our location right away because they were able to break through Ilyailiya.」Diana said.
Loki’s face turned weary thinking ‘so she ain’t dead yet?’ and cursed how Atlantis was covered with forest.
「However it’s strange. Rather than coming here to search, they were heading her all at once as though they are surrounding this place with large number. This movement, our location is found out completely from a long time ago already.」
Diana’s expression slightly warped in unease.
But Loki was also preparing with that assumption.
「Robin Hood surrounding us…..」He groaned.
The clones were tactic in order to narrow down the range of Apollo and Artemis’s detection range. Kazuki had already knew about the existence of these two bow expert.
「The surprise attack of the enemy is coming from the blind spot of Apollo and Artemis’s firing range!」
With the surveillance state of the two where each of them covered a hundred degree, that meant there was eighty degree blind spot at each side. Surely the enemy would come by splitting their force into two squad and stormed with pincer attack from there.
Versace sister’s bow had blind spot――conversely speaking that meant that the enemy’s infiltration route could be narrowed down because of that.
「Don’t panic and deal with them calmly! A surprise attack that we know from where and when it will come ain’t surprise attack at all!! First burn down all the tents!!」
Loki ordered that and the tents were turned into ash all at one go using magic. The time for rest was over. The tents now were nothing but hindrance. So that everyone could participate in magic battle, they had to clear up the place from obstacle.
The area returned into a desolate wasteland.
There Loki Allied Army’s whole battle strength was assembling into one group in the blink of eye.
……Now then. Kazuki and his group is coming just as expected.
No, wait, Loki suddenly thought.
There is no guarantee that there are only two squads. ……Kazuki has telepathy power. For him it’s possible enough to move three or four squad altogether.
……He was moving Robin Hood with the assumption they will get detected and shot by Apollo and Artemis――they were feigning a surprise attack while not relying that much to surprise attack. It could be seen like that.
There was high possibility that they were still preparing another plan?
In that case they would need to distribute a lot of their number as reserve force no matter what.
「……Regina, Ilyailiya! We gonna reorganize the reserve force that is not going out to intercept!!」
「Starting, right now……?」Regina faltered. The enemy was already approaching here.
Kazuki and Loki’s battle started. That was Loki was thinking of this.
『I’ll defend that attack, so you don’t bother with it……』
Beatrix felt like she was hearing such voice.
「Pylevaja Zvesda.」
Ilyailiya rained down small meteors from all direction――it was a magic that intended to shave down her concentration. At the same time with that a silver blade aimed at Beatrix.
However the『Rune of Defense』around Beatrix shined, it flew as though it had its own will and blocked the meteors where the two were annihilated.
『You just devote yourself in attacking happily……see, over there.』
「NUORYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!」
Beatrix simply made a full swing using her large sword with empty mind. That blade was filled with electricity due to Thor’s magic.
「……Shchit!!」
Ilyailiya changed her silver flame into a shield and blocked that attack. But the electric current couldn’t be blocked by the shield, making her body paralyzed. Ilyailiya who was proud of her speed lost sight of any chance to move into offense.
Something at the level of all direction attack to disorder concentration wouldn’t shake up Beatrix’s current foresight.
「Fuhahahah」
Beatrix spontaneously laughed out. She reversed her blade and swung the second slash with her large sword. She made stirring sound of cutting wind *bu―n bu―n* while attacking contiuously.
However although that attack looked like it was done without any thought, but actually the attack was guided by rune and accurately predicted Ilyailiya’s movement.
Ilyailiya couldn’t hold on and leaped backward, taking some distance.
If Beatrix whose role was to hold Ilyailiya back could make her stepping back, then she wouldn’t recklessly pursue her.
Ilyailiya opened her mouth.
「……How are you able to use the King’s power until that much already?」
What was called the King’s power wasn’t something that could be used skillfully right after it got inherited.
Beatrix looked around staringly at the several runes floating around her as though she herself didn’t understand although it was about herself. She felt like she could hear a voice…….
「Hrotsvit-sama is together with me right at my side. When I think like that I became able to use this power well, somehow it became fun and strength welled up from inside.」
「Absurd.」
Ilyailiya spoke as though she was spitting out even while her face was expressionless. 「That’s irrational.」
「Fuhahahahahah! A feeling that yearn and love someone will become strength! I was taught that by that man, and I believe it-!!」
「So you too are also Hayashizaki Kazuki’s believer……」
Fufufu……Beatrix chuckled bashfully.
「But for you who is a believer of god to be taught by Hayashizaki Kazuki who is a pagan, and for you to believe that teaching, just what’s with that?」
「Eh!? Is, is that something wrong?」
Beatrix reflexively asked the rune floating beside her when Ilyailiya questioned where it hurt.
『It doesn’t really matter isn’t it?』
「Seems like it doesn’t really matter!!」
Beatrix looked back at Ilyailiya in a flash and yelled.
「……Is it possible to converse with that rune?」
『I was picturing despair and desire of ruin in the future, seeking to experience life for real I enjoy myself with battle.』
Beatrix thought that this was really Hrotsvit-sama’s voice just as expected.
『Hesitation doesn’t suit you. Don’t think of anything, just purely, purely enjoy the battle more. If you say that you have a companion who you can find future with, then it’s fine even if you get close with that person.』
The voice said to her exactly the same thing like Eleonora.
And that granted her the conviction that she wasn’t mistaken, and a burning courage.
『What is important, is that in front of your eyes right now……』
「There is a battle.」
『Yes, that’s everything. If you fight in a way that is the most enjoyable for you, then surely you will be able to wield the King’s authority in a different shape than me.』
Fighting enjoyably. That was the key to handle the rune in her case.
When she thought that, she felt even more enjoyment.
『Fight while laughing, Beatrix.』
「Fuhahahahah! Now come, Ilyailiya! This time I’ll have you dance together with me for sure!!」
Ilyailiya became a haze and vanished as though to say enough with the tedious talk. Beatrix swung her blade toward the path she was traveling through. Sparks of thunder and silver scattered.
The surprise attack couldn’t be called a success.
The allied army of Japan-Britain-German that slipped through the blind spot of the bow attack assaulted with two groups, but the place they attacked already had the Loki Alliance Army lying in wait in flawless interception stance.
Magi exploded one after another at the wasteland where the tents for camping and the forest had already burned away so they could fight as they please. But because of the magic power cloud that enshrouded the dead of night, both sides couldn’t confirm each other’s figure clearly.
The surprise attack couldn’t be said as a success――but, the result of the two armies clashing from the front wasn’t even.
「What the hell is happening?」Loki’s expression distorted.
If at this kind of time the silver Ilyailiya was at their side, she could run around the battlefield with her inherent speed and confirmed the situation for them but……currently she was facing Beatrix and couldn’t get away. The strategy to hold back Ilyailiya produced a result in a different sense.
The attack didn’t become a surprise attack. They were able to intercept the attack with flawless readiness.
Then why was it their side that was falling into a disadvantage?
The enemy was rushing here from two directions, one side was dealt with by Italia Knight Order, the other side by Russia Knight Order, while Loki’s Loki Einherjar was assigned to both sides equally. They should be intercepting the enemy with enough battle strength.
The elites that were the materialized Divas and Regina’s Olympia Twelve Gods were standing by at this headquarter. They were reserve force that could move in immediate respond by Loki or Regina’s order.
In a battle it was senseless to throw everything to the front line. The worth of a commander was decided in how they made use of their reserve force that could react immediately when something happened.
Especially where the opponent was Kazuki who could take elaborate strategic action even under this situation using his telepathy.
Loki, Regina, and the jet black Ilyailiya, the three of them place the headquarter at the center of the wasteland. Even though there was magic power cloud interfering and damping the effect, the three of them were also participating in the battle by firing attack magic from here. However they couldn’t peek clearly at the situation at the front line, at the enemy’s situation.
Knights at the front line were periodically coming to them as messenger, reporting that『enemy army’s pressure』was great.
「Our side is in disadvantage!!」
Among the military force of the other side, German knights were bunches that barely escaped death and now were unable to exhibit their full strength anymore.
No matter how they thought the other side was supposed to have fewer number. ……Did the enemy left no troop for reserve force and divide their whole army into two groups to strike here? If the other side didn’t have reserve force and struck here while this side was retaining reserve force, then certainly this side would fall into disadvantage temporarily.
However would Kazuki who had experienced the principle and rule of battle at the war with Yamato commit that kind of carelessness?
If that was the case……then they would just need to wait until a crack appeared somewhere at enemy army, and if they struck there with this reserve force they could decide the battle with greater number.
「……Do we still need to continue observing a direction where no one is fighting like this?」
Diana spoke to Loki in bafflement with her stance still holding her bow readily.
「It’s strange to say this myself but, we believe we are valuable battle strength though?」
Valextra also shrugged her shoulders.
「You guys don’t know jack about Kazuki.」
Loki talked back flatly.
「But it’s certain that they are battle strength that is too valuable to be squander for the sake of piling up caution on top of caution.」
Regina spoke with a pensive look.
Even Regina didn’t take Kazuki lightly. ……However it was not to the degree of Loki.
On the contrary Loki’s high assessment of Kazuki to an abnormal degree felt like something of a bias affection to her, which made her somewhat creeped out.
Ilyailya also looked expressionless, but it seemed that she was mostly of the same feeling like her.
Loki sensitively sensed that and felt a faint crack. He also felt anger.
However, looking at the situation as a whole objectively, it was obvious that he ought to make compromise.
「Gau―! I want to sniff the smell of blood woof!!」
「Hey―! How long you are gonna make me stay still like this huh―!」
「Let us rampage and kill―!!」
「Mumumu……it’s vexing politoca.」
Fenrir, Maeve, Kali, and Tezcatlipoca who were preserved as reserve force also couldn’t calm down like peevish children.
「There is a rational reason that can be seen in this situation.」
The jet black Ilyailiya said.
She understood. If Beatrix who came out to hold back Ilyailiya ran out of strength fighting her and got defeated, at that point of time Einherjar would completely lose strength and became a disordered mob.
Perhaps that was why Kazuki didn’t save any troop as reserve force and challenge them in a hurry.
But such thinking could be seen through as a matter of course. It was too simple.
Kazuki wasn’t someone who was that careless…….
But there was no other explanation that could be found for the inexplicable strength of the enemy’s momentum…….
「……Can’t be helped. Both of you stop observing and move to cover fire. The reserve force too, we will throw them in while watching the situation.」
The chaos Divas raised wild cheer of joy and rushed to the front line.
Several of the Olympus Twelve Gods also immediately departed to the front line.
Shit-, even though I told them we are watching the situation first they ain’t listening at all! Kazuki can use his telepathy to take command without any disorder y’know!
At that time something flickered inside Loki’s awareness.
It was as though something small inside the scenery somewhere was wriggling.
Wasteland was spreading at the surrounding, beside him there were Regina and jet black Ilyailiya, and then just several Olympus Twelve Gods who were being preserved……his visibility was bad but that was all.
Flicker――wrong, this was something……a surge of really minute magic power.
Loki sharpened his awareness while looking around the surrounding……and his expression froze.
A standing by Italia knight……the contractor of Diva <Hera>, Diadora, beneath her feet, there was something like a green caterpillar. Diadora who seemed to mostly have lesbian tendencies was staring at her lord Regina in ecstasy, she didn’t notice the existence of that which was lying so near her that she could step on it just by moving a bit.
Something that was like a green caterpillar……wrong.
This was……something that took the shape of human was crawling on all four.
Loki felt his spine turning shuddering cold.
That was Robin Hood’s clone body.
With a posture where she could lick the ground, only her face was lifted up, her bloodshot eyes were looking at this direction with a gleam.
「Tha, that dying……!!」
Loki noticed, without even any time to attack that clone body was self-disintegrating into tatters and vanished.
There was no doubt that exactly just now the life of Robin Hood’s contractor had came to an end.
「What’s wrong?」
Regina didn’t notice that, however she noticed Loki’s state and asked.
「Its’ Robin Hood’s clone body! It was right under Diadora and vanished just now……that bastard! She fucking saw our order just now!!」
「……She sneaked in until this place?」
Regina asked Loki back wondering if he had just hallucinated.
「Eh, under my feet?」
Even Diadora made a puzzled face.
All the people there looked at each other as though to say that it was impossible for them to not notice something like that.
But Loki angrily shouted back with conviction.
「Call back the reserve force right now!!」
「Weren’t all of Robin Hood’s clone bodies got shot to death already under Apollo and Artemis’s monitoring?」
Ilyailiya pointed out to Loki.
Loki was groaning while ruminating in his thought.
「……No, the arrows of the two are fired in reaction of the largest magic power and fastest movement. What if there is just one clone, that intentionally thinned down its magic power until it was exceedingly weak mixing in among all the others……?」
Even if she did that, but to be able to sneak in until this close without anyone noticing, something like that was already beyond carelessness or inattention and went right to nothing but horror.
That clone body which Loki witnessed was already endlessly frail.
Its presence was like a ghost.
For its magic power to thin down until that level with even its body being vague, perhaps it would be difficult for it to even be aware that it existed…….
It was a paper-thin state between not vanishing and vanishing――doing something like maintaining clone body that was created with magic power in such state while controlling it, was nothing but impossible.
Magic power control needed for that would be something beyond really delicate.
Likely it wasn’t something done intentionally. A human who was going to die anytime mustered her magic power that was just barely there, and then she maintained it only using tenacity so that it wouldn’t vanish……the result of that became a stealth clone body that was like a ghost.
It was truly a living ghost!
Loki recognized the ability of Diva Robin Hood as one of the most troublesome things in this war, but now he knew that what should be truly feared was the contractor of that Diva.
「I don’t care whether they are already in the middle of battle or not, but drag back those idiots here quickly! The real surprise attack will come after this!!」
「Gino is……」
Arthur moaned with an agonized voice above her horse.
Until just now there was the clone body of Robin Hood that was powerlessly groveling on all four at the end of the gazes of Kazuki and Arthur who were still standing by inside the forest.
The clone body that succeeded in infiltrating until deep inside enemy’s headquarter with good luck and the clone body that was just before them, they were the last two clones.
Although the clone bodies were sharing their senses but they couldn’t talk, and because Gino was also not here, the clone brought the information to Kazuki and Arthur by groveling and used its finger to draw on the ground.
It was groveling also because it had already lost the power for even just standing.
And then at the end the clone body brought precious information to them before it vanished. And about what happened to Gino right now after she burned out her mind until the utmost limits even with that state of hers, they didn’t even need to imagine it to know.
「Gino-san did well. Let’s go right away.」
He had no other words than those right now. Surely standing still was exactly what that woman didn’t wish for.
「Yeah……」
Arthur closed her eyes and lifted her head.
Loki, Regina and others were mistaking that this side was launching an assault with all their battle force. Because of that the other side came out in counterattack by also investing their preserved reserve force into the battle.
But in reality the third squad of Kazuki and others were still not moving at all. When the enemy became overly eager and invested all their battle force to the battle, Kazuki and others aimed to launch a violent attack at their flank.
At Kazuki’s original plan, he planned to have everyone who came out to the front line to make the judgment whether Loki and his group had invested their reserve force. However making that kind of judgment accurately inside this thick magic power cloud would surely be difficult. But unexpectedly one Robin Hood caused a miracle by succeeding to infiltrate until deep inside enemy headquarter.
No, most likely it wasn’t because of miracle but because of tenacity.
Because of that they couldn’t just stand around grieving.
「O soaring king of air pirate, please send thy retainer from that wing, and lend it to us……」
Nagasaka Yuka who was included in the third squad activated the magic for traveling.
「Simurgh(Wind Weaving Giant Bird)!」
The avatar of Diva with bird shape, <Valefor> floated up and flapped its wings, white wind blew faintly from there. The thicker the whiteness of the wind became, the clearer the presence it had, the winds then were weaved into several layer which was constructing a giant bird in a moment.
With the exception of Kazuki, everyone of the third squad boarded that bird’s back or got held by the bird’s claw to be transported.
「「Soaring wings, glaring eyes, invading world-destroying conflagration――manifest god’s authority right here, as the agent of civilization I will advance deeper and deeper! Deep Striker!!」」
Kazuki and Lotte put on the high speed mobile armor using Prometheus’s magic and flew to the sky.
Arthur and others of the cavalry squad also handled their horse’s rain simultaneously and broke into a dash following behind.
「Arthur’s group and Lotte mustn’t get too deep inside the battlefield yet as reserve force, please take distance for a while and carry out cover fire.」
「That will push the burden to you all our ally.」
It seemed that she was reluctant to be placed in the position where they would be earnestly preserved.
「I chose Arthur and others as reserve force because we don’t know where is Nyarlako in this battlefield, your force cannot go in carelessly.」
「I see, you’re right.」
It was an unreserved remark that gouged her weak point, but Arthur nodded.
「The battle strength of Arthur’s group has to be used at the most important time. A situation that we cannot even imagined yet will surely happen.」
The authority of King Arthur was something that intently heightened the battle strength of oneself using proud pledge.
Although she had a clear weak point that was mental magic, but her destructive power was exactly the strongest spear.
「……We still don’t know the King’s authority of Regina and Ilyailiya completely.」
Just like how right now he was going to outwit Loki using King’s authority, it should be possible for those two queens to use their powerful King’s authority in a way that they couldn’t even imagine to change the battle situation.
「You’re right. At that time we will become the force to break the deadlock.」
「However, they should be unable to effectively use their King’s authority into their strategy like us. Most likely Regina and Ilyailiya doesn’t disclose their King’s authority to Loki.」
It was a situation that was like the strongest strategist who didn’t know of his own army’s trump card.
Before this operation, Kazuki had already disclosed his own authority at Arthur and Beatrix.
And then right now Kazuki was using the King’s authority of Japan Mythology『Power of Harmony』.
It was a power that could distribute the magic power of his comrades to a certain degree to the optimum allotment.
Loki and others mistaken the assault of just the first and second squad as the whole army’s attack was because of this power.
Kazuki distributed the magic power of third squad to his comrades that were included in the first and second squad. Even though it was the same summoning magic, but if it was invoked by an owner of powerful magic power then the magic’s might would change.
If powerful magic attacks were rained down with the other side not knowing the other’s number due to the darkness of the night and the magic power cloud, Loki who didn’t know about Power of Harmony would naturally judge that the enemy was attacking with their full force.
Due to various things or another Loki――he hadn’t fight Kazuki since the war with Yamato.
However Kazuki felt fear of Loki who kept worrying about the decision to invest the reserve force or not until the very last minute in vigilance against detached force of enemy even though he didn’t know about the Power of Harmony. Kazuki was shocked.
The ruler of chaos Loki grasped even the matter that he didn’t know about and he could manipulate that. That control ability was already something outside logic.
「Power of Harmony and telepathy communication huh……. Furthermore it can be used by multiple comrades at far away. Honestly speaking I underestimated both Solomon Mythology and Japan Mythology as puny mythology, but there are no other King’s authority that are more suited for group battle that this.」
Calling them puny was uncalled for, but Arthur spoke with honest praise in her tone.
The avatar of Amaterasu popped out and floated behind Kazuki who was flying in the sky.
『To say the truth, with my original power doing something like using Power of Harmony to far away comrade inside this magic power cloud is completely impossible. The Power of Harmony can work like this because it totally used that circuit of bond or something. Rather than saying that I did this, it’s more like that big bro Leme’s power mixed into me on its own and strengthened me ya―』
Amaterasu explained with easygoing voice.
Power of Harmony could only be used to comrade inside one’s range of perception. However currently Kazuki was able to constantly sense the comrades with whom he had strong tie of bond because of Leme’s power. That was why even the Power of Harmony could still work until super long range. It was a beautiful collaboration of two mythologies.
「A mix……. So it’s a peerless strength due to being the King of two mythologies.」
Arthur murmured while spurring her cavalry horse.
Kazuki and others were rushing altogether inside the night enshrouded by faint blue magic power cloud.
They had already circled until a position that couldn’t be detected from the place that became battlefield, thanks to Gino they could mark the target and aim at enemy headquarter.
Arthur’s group and Lotte was braking little by little and stood by at the rear.
They were starting to be able to sense the magic power of the enemies at the other side of the blue night.
The magic power of Kazuki and others in the third squad that was entrusted to the other squads using the Power of Harmony was returned back――and they attacked.
「Imitation Flare!!」
Kazuki invoked magic right away like drawing out katana from its sheath.
A presence that was like a small scale barrier was smashed.
From the other side of the exploding light「UWAAAAAAAA!」or「THEY FUCKING CAMEEEEEE!」angry roar and scream that were the very definition of chaos resounded.
――He felt like there was Loki’s voice mixed in there too.
With Kazuki’s magic invocation as the signal, his comrades that were grasped by『Simurgh』also descended down to the ground all at once and started chanting magic.
The enemy figures emerged across the magic power cloud. Amidst the chaotic situation, enemy force was turning back in great panic, but their movement didn’t even have order at all.
There was the figure of Loki standing at the very front.
「Kazuki! So you fucking come huh!!」
That tone of voice could be taken as anger and also joy.
The comrades that followed behind Kazuki attacked simultaneously――they activated group magic.
Loki’s hand was visibly holding a shining blue large sword, it flashed.
「Display the essence of divine sword!! Lævateinn!!」
Dazzling light and thunderous roar burst.
