"Durandal..."
Gazing at the back of the figure before her—petite yet radiating a mountain-like, immense sense of security—Tohka's overstrained nerves finally snapped.
In a situation where the entire world seemed to be her enemy, the emergence of an ally on her side made an inexplicable itching sensation spread through her chest.
Then, the memory of Shiori's death surged back. Rage flared up in an instant, filling her entire heart, only to be abruptly extinguished and replaced by another emotion.
"Shiori... was killed by these people..."
She felt self-blame and shame.
Though they'd only met once, the impression Durandal left wasn't bad—in fact, it was somewhat indescribably good.
Perhaps because the other was willing to stand on her side, or perhaps because she'd received a name from her.
Regardless, Tohka had come to regard Durandal as one of her only two friends.
If Shiori was the adorable human who needed her protection, then Durandal was the reliable human who had broadened her horizons.
Tohka knew the kindness these two showed her was rare and precious among their kind. To humans, their actions would likely be incomprehensible.
And so, Tohka had quietly sworn in her heart that if the day ever came when they faced pressure from their own race because of her, she would protect them without hesitation.
Durandal had protected the weaker her from that strongest Wizard. So, it was only right that she protect the weakest Shiori in return. These two, her only friends, and herself—this three-way bond of mutual protection, of facing the world together, fascinated Tohka and made her cautious.
But... Shiori had died right before her eyes. She died protecting her, killed by humans—her own kind.
"Shiori isn't dead."
Amber didn't need to look to know the guilt and torment Tohka was feeling. She didn't beat around the bush, stating it directly.
"Huh...? But her body..."
The gaping hole torn through her by the energy weapon had nearly severed Shiori in two.
"Shiori has a rather unique constitution, with some regenerative abilities. Combined with Ratatoskr's treatment, she's already out of danger."
Amber glanced back at Tohka behind her, offering a reassuring smile. "So don't worry. Shiori is fine."
"I-Is that so...?"
A boulder that seemed capable of dragging her whole being into the abyss plummeted down with the blonde girl's explanation.
Learning this news, Tohka, belatedly feeling the strain, nearly collapsed as her legs grew heavy, her arms trembling slightly as she braced against the ground.
"That's... such a relief..."
Tears she hadn't even been aware of streamed down her face.
Watching Tohka finally snap out of her frenzied state, Amber let out a quiet sigh of relief.
That was too close. She'd known she couldn't rely completely on the story's plot, but if she'd been even a moment later, things might have spiraled into the worst-case scenario.
"...Durandal, is it?"
Arti's expression grew stern at Amber's appearance. Glancing at the dozen or so approaching figures already visible in the distance, she didn't immediately engage in combat, instead voicing her confusion.
"Durandal, as a Valkyrie of Schicksal, why are you protecting a Spirit?"
"That involves classified matters."
Amber had no intention of explaining. Mainly because she knew Westcott was certainly watching. If he discovered Shiori's uniqueness, the subsequent efforts would become exponentially more difficult.
Given that bastard Westcott's nature, he'd inevitably interfere in every way possible, even scheming to kill Shiori and the other Spirits.
Don't be fooled by how DEM had only captured Nia so far—in reality, capturing just one Nia was enough for their purposes.
If Westcott truly wished it, the number of Spirits alive now would be far fewer.
"..."
Arti frowned, studying the calm-faced blonde girl below. She couldn't discern anything from the other's expression.
Westcott had told her that Schicksal likely had plans bordering on treason against humanity.
That Mobius was certainly scheming something. The reason Schicksal's higher-ups were never subverted or found was because Mobius had already secretly controlled their minds, turning them into puppets.
And now, Schicksal intended to claim the power of the Spirits for themselves, using it to fulfill Mobius's hidden agenda.
From a personal standpoint, Arti found this hard to believe.
If Schicksal were really that kind of organization, how could so many justice-seeking Valkyries fight for them?
But she knew this was just her own wishful thinking. Seeing Durandal now standing alongside a Spirit, Arti had to consider the possibility Westcott had mentioned.
It bore repeating: the impression Mobius gave was that of a ruthless schemer.
You didn't even need to meet her in person—just one look at her photos from various events was enough to feel an overwhelming sense of danger.
And as long as that possibility existed, coupled with Schicksal's evasive attitude, Arti had no choice but to take the 'politically correct' action: killing the Spirit.
Whatever your reasons for protecting the Spirit, good or bad, killing the Spirit is undoubtedly the right course.
"I'm no match for you."
Arti was well aware of her limits. She basically couldn't beat Ellen, and Ellen couldn't beat Durandal, so it was easy to conclude she wasn't Durandal's opponent.
But...
She wasn't alone.
A blue light swiftly rose from the ground, arriving at Arti's side.
Appearing before everyone was Mana, her blue hair in a single ponytail, now clad in the custom-made Realizer Unit 'Murakumo,' her entire demeanor radiating a sharp, heroic aura.
"Durandal, huh..."
Mana frowned slightly, her face also showing gravity. Clearly, she too knew about Ellen's defeat at Durandal's hands. But... it was only gravity.
As far as they knew, the fight between Ellen and Durandal had ended relatively quickly. But a swift conclusion didn't necessarily mean one side was far stronger than the other. Compatibility issues and state of mind could both affect the battle's outcome.
Even if Durandal was truly stronger than Ellen, it should only be a 70-30 split. A gap existed, but it was a measurable one.
And their current confidence stemmed from the fact that there were two of them.
Two against one made a world of difference in combat, especially in the three-dimensional warfare of aerial battles.
Simply put, they didn't give much credence to Ellen's mention of the other having an adjutant with combat power rivaling a Spirit.
Their DEM squad was a true elite unit, fully capable of confronting a Spirit head-on. As for the other members of the Immortal Blades, the AST forces about to arrive could handle them for a while.
That way, they just needed to keep Durandal tied up in combat while seizing any opportunity to kill the already exhausted Spirit.
A glint shone in Arti and Mana's eyes.
Clearly, the advantage was on their side.
--+--
T/N: No it isn't
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.