Magika no Kenshi to Shoukan Maou

Volume 6 Chapter 2 - Enemy territory Infiltration (Part 4-8)

Part 4

Kazuki too felt his heart become excited from this battle where they formed a duo.

But that feeling was sinking gloomily little by little. He became fed up before long.

Of course it was not because he held any dissatisfaction between the two of them. The problem was the enemy.

He cut and cut and felt the thick defensive magic power where the enemy kept standing back up, this crowd of armored warriors. While he kept cutting down the armored warriors no matter how many times, “This is bad” he couldn’t clear away such anxiety inside him.

There was still some allowance in his stamina and magic power. However even now the armored warriors that were scattered all over the Haunted Ground ought to be converging in on their location here following the mark of the cloud string that was hanging down from the sky.

The situation had become something he couldn’t laugh at. …What’s going on with this enemy’s toughness?

In the first place, what in the world are these enemies? Were they human or Demon Beast, he couldn’t even make that distinction.

“STIGMATAAAAAAA!!” The armored warriors raised a shriek filled with resentment and came assaulting.

Their number and toughness became a dreadful pressure, they kept surging forward.

At that time in spite of the dome of clouds that isolated the Haunted Ground, above Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai’s head something was traversing fast―it was a single crow, perching on top of the power pole at the side of the street.

Yatagarasu―a polished bright copper disk was caught between its beak.

Yatagarasu raised a high-pitched voice from the edge of its beak. That was a spell.

“…O exalted light illuminating the seven seas and all nations! Gather in my lord’s idol, emit the light that purifies the defilement…Yata no Kagami ?Sun Flower FlashYouka Issen!”

The disk appended in the beak, the

released a powerful light.

He reflexively closed his eyes, but even so, the light was so intense it felt like his retina was burned with whiteness.

Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai who had their eyes closed were supposed to become defenseless, but there was no attack coming at all during that interval.

When they opened their eyes, there were a lot of young people in casual clothes collapsed unconsciously in front of Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai’s eyes.

There were no armored warriors, he couldn’t think of any explanation other than that the light that Yatagarasu emitted made the armored warriors become like this. The fainted young people had fallen into symptoms that looked like magic intoxication.

Kazuki looked around his surrounding and what he saw made his eyes open even wider. The surrounding area was recovering from being a Haunted Ground into a normal street corner. The original scenery of Ise's city street was returning.

“The light just now is…offensive magic? It shaved off that thick defensive magic power with one attack? All those enemies!?”

“…No, that magic just now is purge magic. It has a power that can purify even stronger evil than what Futsunushi no Kami’s level 3 magic [Futsu no Mitama] can do. It’s the only power I in this form can use.”

The bronze mirror that was held between the beaks had also vanished. Most likely it was a Sacred Treasure created from magic power.

Yatagarasu pointed at the fainted young people with its beak.

“These young people had Wild Gods reside in their bodies and acted violently because of that magic power. But because the light from before got rid of [the connections with the Wild Gods] that were embedded within their minds, they are now returned to their original human appearance.”

The contents of the armored warriors; everyone of the fainted young people were between their teens to their twenties. Many were female but a few males were mixed in. They were people of the generation that were most strong in magic power.

“…So we were saved by you.”

Kazuki stared at Yatagarasu while still maintaining his vigilance. Even while being vigilant―he had to obtain information regarding this mysterious situation from this guy.

All the armored warriors in this Haunted Ground weren’t supposed to be completely annihilated just with this, but the surroundings were strangely filled with silence.

“Even if you said that I saved you two, these people could return to their original appearance only because the both of you had inflicted damage to them. As long as their defensive magic power was still considerably thick, even that light won’t be able to reach to the depths of that curse. To defeat them efficiently, there is a need for us to cooperate.”

Yatagarasu lightly flapped its wings and perched on top of Kazuki’s shoulder. It was an action that was appealing to him that they were comrades.

“…Were these people transformed into Demon Beasts?”

Kazuki asked while looking around his surroundings. The scenery where the buildings looked abandoned with the loss of color and weathered condition had returned imto a normal street of stores and houses. However, it only applied to Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai’s immediate surroundings, in the distance―the direction of the Haunted Ground’s center still looked like an extensive Haunted Ground.

The Haunted Ground could only return to normal when the Demon Beasts that resided inside it had been subjugated.

Such a similar phenomenon as that Haunted Ground recovery had happened here when they defeated these armored warriors.

“No, these guys are something that only resembles Demon Beasts. They are―. Hosting the power of a wild god inside their body and yet failed in controlling that power, [a failure of a shrine maiden].”

“Failure? Don’t tell me…Yamato’s government is creating shrine maidens with human experiments?”

A possibility that made dread run through him surfaced to the forefront of Kazuki’s mind.

―Nyarlatoteph. A hateful name came to mind.

“When the government of Yamato instigated the Divas of Japanese Mythology that went wild to be added as their allies, they gathered humans that excelled in magic power and made them bind a contract with the Wild Gods. It is impossible to communicate with those Wild Gods that had lost their reasoning, so what all of them got was Possession ContractsDrive.”

In the middle of the explanation, Kazuki took a glance at Kazuha-senpai. Even though she was a similar Shrine Maiden, Kazuha-senpai didn’t experience Drive for the sake of binding a contract and borrowed the power of Futsunushi no Kami.

Possession contract with an unknown Diva was a dangerous act forbidden by Japanese law.

“The government of Yamato conducted [a group possession contract ceremony by human initiative] so to speak. People who did well can control the power of the Wild Gods that possessed them to a certain degree and become a . The humans that failed lost their reasoning and became God’s reliant. ―In other words the failure.”

“What a crazy thing to do…”

So Yamato’s government produced their battle strength in a short time like that.

Even in the successful case, just being in a possession contract was dangerous already, if it failed―they became armored warriors.

“That was an unreasonable way of doing things. The Wild God side doesn’t even choose the human and the human is forced into doing something unreasonable. Moreover, to push something like a Wild God inside the heart…they were going to be completely ruined.”

A Diva with ill will would try to take over the human’s body by means of Drive.

Then what would happen if a Diva who had lost their senses and ran wild was made to reside in a human’s body.

Even if the Diva didn’t do any body stealing, wouldn’t the human get abused like a toy by that overwhelming power? So that was what it meant to be called 'God’s reliant'.

“If you look around you it’s just as you understand, God’s reliant emit the same type of miasma as a Demon Beast and transform the surroundings into a Haunted Ground. Wild Gods belong under the same category as Demon Beasts―an .”

An absolute enemy of the human race―it was still in the middle of being researched, but for Demon Beasts, other than [attacking humans] and [expanding the Haunted Ground in the place where humans live], it was said that they didn’t show any other instinctual action at all.

It seemed that there was never any confirmed sighting of Demon Beasts eating or sleeping.

The expression of an absolute enemy of the human race was something he could surely agree with. But―

“Is it fine to lump the existence of Wild Gods and Demon Beasts together? They are raging and rampaging around but, though imperfect they are still gods right?”

“Different with many other Mythologies, demarcation of or existences called don’t exist in Japanese Mythologies. [Enemies] in Japanese Mythology are none other than the disasters caused by the god that acted wildly. Japanese Mythology doesn’t worship the dual nature of good and evil, but the two faces of nature’s blessing and calamity.”

Wild Gods were not evil. However once angered, they would bare their fangs as the human race’s greatest enemy.

Violent natural phenomenon destroyed the world of humans and encroached.

“…Among the people of Yamato’s government, there is the existence of someone that can skillfully manipulate beings that can possibly be good or evil don’t you agree?”

Loki―the trickster of the Norse Mythology.

“Yamato's government made Ise Imperial Shrine as the place for the ceremony that creates Shrine Maidens. It seems they possess the know-how of a method that is interlaced with science to make human hosts for Divas.”

Nyarlatoteph―the data from the experiments that that guy made Headmaster Otonashi do. The politicians of Yamato might make use of that. All of it was something possible if it was them.

“They carried out the ceremony to produce Shrine Maidens here many times over, those who failed and became uncontrollable God’s reliant were abandoned and left behind. Like that the Ise Imperial Shrine was completely transformed into a Haunted Ground.”

Yatagarasu sadly hung its head down.

“…I now understood how Ise Imperial Shrine became a Haunted Ground.”

For the sake of obtaining battle strength called Shrine Maidens, these young people became the compensation. To watch out for the arrival of Kazuki and the others at Ise Imperial Shrine, for defense against that happening…these armored warriors were not for that purpose.

He felt relieved that this infiltration operation was not detected right from the start but…just that was not sufficient to explain the present situation.

“Then what is the objective of you and Futsunushi no Kami?”

This guy was probably connected with Futsunushi no Kami. If not for Futsunushi no Kami’s notification about Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai’s visit, then there was no way Yatagarasu could show its appearance with timing this good.

However he knew well that it wasn’t an enemy.

“You all called us out here, what do you want us to do? Can we properly achieve the objective of our coming here by doing the thing you want from us? Just so you know, we have no intention of only being used.”

In response to Kazuki’s question, Futsunushi no Kami’s avatar appeared beside Yatagarasu.

{…We want you to rescue Amaterasu.}

Futsunushi no Kami said such a thing.

“If Amaterasu recovers her power and gives birth to Japanese Mythology’s , all the Diva will surely return to their senses from their Wild God state and obey the true King altogether. For that sake…I want the other chief god Susanoo to be defeated.}

“I never heard about this two chief gods in Japanese Mythology before.”

Futsunushi no Kami had explained that [all the Wild Gods will return to their sanity if the chief god of Japanese Mythology is defeated] and led Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai to this land. Indeed, certainly there was no lie that was said there.

Just that for such complex circumstances to lie around in between was rushing off everything.

Kazuki exposed a dissatisfaction in his expression and pressed his question to Futsunushi no Kami.

“Give us a proper explanation now. About all the circumstances of the Japanese Mythology.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Japanese Mythology is a mythology that is made up of two powers of Yin and Yang.”

Like that, Yatagarasu got the ball rolling for the explanation.

“Therefore, there are also two chief gods. The one that symbolized the Yang is Amaterasu, the one that symbolized the Yin is Susanoo. Once, Japan was divided into two of Amaterasu’s Wakoku and Susanoo’s Izumo. These two chief gods raised their own respective king as their mouthpiece and got embroiled in a destiny of conflict. Amaterasu and Susanoo, and , the victor will become the true chief god and king of Japan. [Unification in the conflict’s aftermath], that is what have been established in the mythology.”

Yatagarasu gave such an explanation about the Japanese Mythology.

“So you are going to get me involved in the confrontation between Amaterasu and Susanoo. …And then that Susanoo, right now he is forming an alliance with Yamato's government, so that’s the situation.”

When Kazuki confirmed, Yatagarasu gave a brief nod.

{What caused this situation was Susanoo. Susanoo joined hands with Yamato's government and made the other Japanese Divas become Wild Gods from the instigation of shrine defilement.}

Futsunushi no Kami made a grimacing expression.

The wiles of Yamato's government to make the Divas of Japanese Mythology into Wild Gods and manipulate them was with the cooperation of Susanoo.

“Why did Susanoo ally himself with Yamato?”

“Susanoo was thinking that the [Japanese Mythology is weak, therefore I have to borrow another Mythology’s power], that’s how it seems. From there he was approached by Loki.”

Kazuki opened his eyes wide in shock.

“Japanese Mythology is weak?”

{Right, I wonder if it can even be categorized as puny class.} Saying that, Futsunushi no Kami nodded.

“Japanese Mythology doesn’t really demand strong faith from the people of Japan. Even their will of opposition against other Mythologies is low. As long as they have companions for festivals, making ruckus and playing around with, then everything is fine. Their [will for power] is weak.”

Kazuki reflexively looked at Kazuha-senpai.

Kazuha-senpai was a Shrine Maiden that made a contract with Futsunushi no Kami, but the relationship between the two was exactly like that of friends.

“We are like that, but in the present times where [the era of Mythology has been revived], if we keep like this then [other Mythologies will swallow us], Susanoo is harboring a sense of impending crisis like that. Right now he is buttering up Loki, but most likely he is planning to catch Loki off guard slyly in the end.”

Kazuki frowned his eyebrows hearing Yatagarasu words. Planning to catch Loki off guard?

Exactly because it was Loki, he was a Diva that could easily catch Susanoo off guard instead while joining hands with him.

Susanoo and Loki…on the surface they were joining hands together, but their relationship was one where both of them kept looking for an opening in each other’s guard.

“The Divas that reign as the chief god of the Mythology not only bestow their characteristic magic to their contractor, but a power that should be called a [King’s Authority] is also granted together with being recognized as a King. You too should have something like that.”

Yatagarasu said. Kazuki stared at the Stigmata on his own left hand.

Kazuki was able to use Lemegeton’s characteristic magic, <{{{2}}}Goetia>.

The more he deepened his bond, the greater his power of bond became.

Apart from that, there was also the power to visualize the change of girls’ positivity level and their location. This was what is called as [King’s Authority].

It seemed there was still room for this power to strengthen even more together with Leme’s growth.

“Amaterasu and Susanoo, the Wakoku King and the Izumo King, they won’t be able to obtain their true power if they haven’t achieved victory over the opposing camp and become the true chief god and King. If the situation stays like this then the [King’s Authority] of the Japanese Mythology is impossible to use. Susanoo’s camp is being rash in their desire to defeat Amaterasu’s camp quickly. But Amaterasu has zero motivation for that. She didn’t enthrone her contractor as the King of Wakoku in the least and just kept playing with her contractor. Binding contracts and recognizing someone as King are two separate matters.”

Kazuki had a contract with Leme, but he still hadn’t been fully recognized as Solomon's King yet.

This was the same thing.

“Why didn’t Amaterasu make her contractor to be King? That’s because she understood that the instant the King of Wakoku is born, the fight with Susanoo’s camp will begin. Amaterasu dislikes conflict. Her contractor too is also not someone suited for fighting. However [Even though the Japanese Mythology is weak even in the best of times, also being unable to use its true power like this is intolerable], like that, Susanoo’s camp was getting even more irked.”

Despite the preordained destiny of opposition between the two, it seemed there was a difference in the degree of enthusiasm in between them.

“The angry Susanoo defeated the contractor of Amaterasu that still hadn’t become the Wakoku King yet prematurely. Furthermore he also recommended to Yamato's government to leave the God’s reliant that were created from the failed ceremony of possessed Shrine Maidens unregulated just like that in the Ise Imperial Shrine, and made the Ise Imperial Shrine into a Haunted Ground. Amaterasu obtained her power from both her contractor and Ise Imperial Shrine, that’s how she is preserving her divinity. But losing both of them simultaneously, her power weakened and she was sealed completely inside the . There is a danger of extinction for her if it keeps like this. Even the happy-go-lucky Amaterasu thought [Just as expected it’s going to be bad if it keeps like this] and she sent a messenger to the other side of the seal―that messenger is this me, Yatagarasu.”

{Yatagarasu has the privilege to come and go as it pleases from the of Japanese Mythology’s Divas. And then he made a contact with a Diva that hadn't become a Wild God, me.}

How Futsunushi no Kami didn’t become a Wild God…was surely thanks to his Shrine Maiden, Kazuha-senpai, who secretly moved Futsunushi no Kami’s altar to an abandoned club room in the Knight Academy.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki, I heard about you from Futsunushi no Kami. I want to ask you for a favor to rescue Amaterasu. To defeat Susanoo and become the person that controls the Japanese Mythology, that is the favor that I want to ask. If it’s you, then you can defeat the Izumo King that Susanoo raised right?”

“WAITT――――TT! JUST WAITT――――TT!!”

At that time together with a shout, Leme materialized beside Kazuki.

Since this operation began, there was someone that maintained silence and acted like this matter about Japanese Mythology was of no concern for her. That was Leme.

“Wait right there, Leme just stayed quiet and listened but Kazuki has already contracted with Leme just so you know! Is the Japanese Mythology intending to snatch Kazuki from Leme!?”

{I too understand about that. We are not planning to do that, so it’s fine to feel relieved.}

Futsunushi no Kami said so in order to soothe Leme.

“Just like what I said before, Amaterasu too already has her own contractor. What we want is to enthrone that [girl] as Wakoku King formally, on top of that we want to present her to the King of Solomon.”

“Mu…oh hoh? Present you say?” Leme’s expression changed and her eyes brightened.

“The King of the Japanese Mythology will be affiliated to Hayashizaki Kazuki as , Solomon's King, which is you, will be accompanied by our King, becoming an existence of higher rank than even the King―we want to ask you to become the . In exchange for that we ask all of you to become our substitute in fighting Susanoo and Loki.”

“I see! So you are going to present the Queen of Japanese Mythology into the harem! If it’s like that then certainly, it’s feasible for Kazuki to rule both Solomon's Mythology and Japanese Mythology! The Emperor that rules even other Mythologies by means of Harem …Solomon's Emperor! That’s really not bad!!”

{Guwahhahha! If that is realized then it will become Solomon's Myriad 72 Pillars!}

Leme was really gleeful and accepted the other side’s proposal. Futsunushi no Kami too got carried away with the mood and guffawed. Kazuki interjected into the conversation in a panic.

“Hey wait, even if you say that you will present me with an unknown girl I’ve never seen before, it will just make me troubled!”

“For the time being if you just meet her first it will be okay after that right, My King. Most of all to make this infiltration operation succeed, it doesn’t look like there is any other way than this anyway.”

Leme, who had been completely won over to the other side before he could even say ‘ah’ said such to Kazuki.

Certainly, there was truth in that but…

It was a long explanation but, the main point was they wanted him to substitute for Amaterasu and fight Susanoo. If he defeated Susanoo and the true King of Japanese Mythology was born, the Japanese Divas that became Wild Gods would return to their senses and could be subdued. The objective of this side too could be fulfilled.

{Guwahhahha! You can reach the Gate of the Celestial Rock Cave where Amaterasu is sealed through the deepest part of Ise Imperial Shrine! For that, defeat the pitiful children that had transformed completely into God’s reliant and rescue them!!}

Pitiful children…if they defeated those God’s reliant with Yatagarasu’s cooperation, they could return to their original human form. They have to make this operation a success, for that they also couldn’t leave these God’s reliant alone.

“Well then, we are going to meet with Amaterasu…what do we need to do to release Amaterasu from the seal? What kind of seal is the Gate of Celestial Rock Cave?”

Kazuki questioned. The guffawing Futsunushi no Kami suddenly had his expression become serious.

{That’s…for later. You will understand if you go to the Gate of Celestial Rock Cave.}

…[So he was still planning to give incomplete information].

Kazuki directed his doubtful eyes to Futsunushi no Kami. When he was going to say ‘cut it out’ to him, suddenly his hand was gripped tightly from the side. It was Kazuha-senpai.

“Hayashizaki, that…don’t get angry with Futsunushi no Kami. Rather than that, let’s rescue these people inside the God’s reliant, okay.”

Kazuha-senpai directed her sorrowful eyes to the people that were losing their consciousness. Even before feeling any distrust towards Futsunushi no Kami, it seemed Kazuha-senpai thought about the people that became God’s reliant even more strongly.

“…In the ceremony of possessed Shrine Maidens, I think these people surely became candidates by their own will. Perhaps these people were originally a Knight. And they were resenting the humans that were chosen by Stigmata. That was why they themselves wanted to become stronger…”

In the middle of battle, these God’s reliant were raising screams of hatred [STIGMATA!] many times over.

Perhaps from envy and yearning toward Stigmata, and with feelings of [we too want to become even stronger], these guys were spurred into an extreme action like this. …Kazuki also felt heavy in his chest looking at them.

“Something like that, really feels sad for some reason…”

Kazuha-senpai hung her head down despondently.

Part 5

Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai selected the katana that were in good condition from the hips of the fainted people and borrowed them, attaching them on their hips.

A lot of time had passed while they were grilling Yatagarasu and Futsunushi no Kami, but there was no attack from the armored warriors that were supposed to still remain in this Haunted Ground.

Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai were still tied with the cloud strings from the sky as yet, those strings were a marking of their position.

Nevertheless, for there to be no further attacks…,

“Most likely the Izumo King that is commanding them had already detected my existence.”

Yatagarasu said that.

“Knowing that we cannot be defeated with only force, right now they are preparing an ambush in a location where they can use their number advantage with more reliability, that’s what I think.”

Kazuki also thought that Yatagarasu’s conjecture was correct.

“That [Kumoito Shibari] is Susanoo’s magic that possesses equal power with Amaterasu. With the power of the currently weakened Amaterasu, it cannot be purged even if we use the [Yata no Kagami] from before. As long as that thread becomes the mark, it’s surely impossible to advance while evading ambush.”

“Our side has also decided to rescue the people that became the God’s reliant anyway. We have no intention to advance while avoiding them. On the contrary, if they are gathering in one place it will become easier.”

Before when they were prioritizing the original strategy, they couldn’t help but leave the Haunted Ground alone, but the situation had changed.

“Well then Senpai, let’s be off! …Senpai?”

Kazuha-senpai who only had few words from some time before was…having her attention completely stolen by one of the souvenir shop buildings.

With some of the God’s reliant defeated, the original appearance of Ise appeared in front of their eyes. With how close they were with Ise Imperial Shrine, souvenir shops intended for tourists were lining up, but…,

“…Hayashizaki, this akafuku , I wonder if it’s edible.”

Kazuha-senpai was directing her eyes filled with greed on the packages that were piled up in heaps on the most conspicuous shelve inside the souvenir shop. The famous product of Ise, [Akafuku Mochi]. Of course the inside of the store right now was in a defenseless and unmanned state.

“Senpai, stealing is no good. Moreover after the store became a Haunted Ground and then returned back to normal, it's unknown what happened with the flow of time during that period. It might have gone bad already. Besides, time is precious, let’s go.”

When he pulled Kazuha-senpai’s hand forcefully, senpai went “Aa~, Hayashizaki~” and raised a quacking voice that sounded like a whine.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

When they advanced through the streets of Ise, their surroundings soon changed into the eerie Haunted Ground again. When he compared the area with the map he had seen, it appears that the size of the Haunted Ground had been reduced to around half its previous size. In other words, they had defeated half the number of the God’s reliant in the previous battle.

The remaining half was waiting for them ahead…

They finally arrived to a point with a similar feel to when they first came here. The asphalt road was muddy and wet, the surrounding buildings were weathered, and the sky lost its color. Trees outnumbered the buildings in this area. On the rotting trunks and branches that looked as if they were going to fall off, rust-colored leaves were hanging down.

They advanced even further. There was still no ambush or attack from the God’s reliant.

A large shrine archway standing in the path forward entered their view.

―it was an archway with an extremely ancient shape before it even received the influence of Buddhist’s ornament culture.

However now that it was currently under the influence of the Haunted Ground, its color was transformed into an ominous jet black.

They had arrived at Ise Imperial Shrine.

Ahead of the archway was the Isuzu River and the bridge that crossed that river― was built there.

The length of the bridge was 100 meters, its width was just a little around 8 meter.

…They are coming here. Kazuki felt that hunch.

Here was an open area that was just right for a large group assault. Even on the bridge it was wide enough to make the best use of numerical advantage.

As expected, the instant he stepped his foot on the bridge―war cries were raised from the dark forest ahead of the bridge and a crowd of armored warriors was approaching.

At the same time, armored warriors that went around and cut in also came along from behind.

On top of the Uji Bridge, it became a pincer attack.

“I leave the back to you, Hayashizaki!”

Kazuha-senpai immediately stood back-to-back with Kazuki.

Yatagarasu flew up to the sky from Kazuki’s shoulder in order to escape.

The armored warriors surged ahead with the force of surging waves while taking the stance of the Dragonfly, making the bridge creak worryingly. The bridge was filled with troops that surrounded Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai in the blink of an eye. They slashed away while making opponents of enemies that came from every directions.

“Ameno Hidzukuri no Kazatsuchi!”

*DON!* Shockwave and flame explosions. Kazuha-senpai blew away the enemies altogether with magic. …Defeat the enemy only using sword skill to preserve their magic power…such thinking was unreasonable.

“The light of heaven resides in that body, O bird of paradise, comply with my accusation and reduce to ashes the sin above the earth! Israel Judgment!!”

Phoenix’s avatar emerged at Kazuki’s back and emitted brightness as if every light in the world were gathered. That light dazzled the eyes, stopping the attack of the armored warriors for a moment. At that interval Kazuki set his aim at an angle that would swallow the most number of enemies, the vast light was changed into a thick laser and fired. The armored warriors in a straight line fell down altogether.

“”””STIGMATAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!””””

Angry voices that were like an earthquake welled up from the armored warriors.

“Wawa! Just as I thought these guys really get angry when Summoning Magic is used. Their fierceness is growing rapidly!”

“Let’s settle the bout quickly!”

“Got it! …Tenkū Battou Renge Hou!!”

The countless Sacred Treasures that Kazuha-senpai created flew about freely above the battlefield on top of the bridge. The Sacred Treasures that possessed various elements released flame or lightning, even cold here and there from each of them.

“Please take care not to break the bridge okay!” Kazuki raised his voice.

“…So that Yata no Kagami can finish off as many armored warriors as possible, please inflict damage to all the enemies evenly!”

Yatagarasu said an unreasonable challenge from the sky. …Does it think anyone can do such miraculous thing!?

“This is not for the sake of preserving my magic power! The youth that is transformed back by Yata no Kagami will faint in magic intoxication, they are going to get trampled by the armored warriors that flood in next!! If that happens then they're going to die for real!!”

“Kuh…that certainly can happen!”

Even while Kazuki complained, he couldn’t help but consent to Yatagarasu’s request.

The curtain of a long battle on top of the bridge was opened.

Part 6

After blowing away an armored warrior flying far away from the inflicted damage, the newly created empty space right there was quickly occupied with a different armored warrior. If the newly arrived armored warrior was a fresh one then it would be assaulted just like that, but if it was one that had been damaged then it would be quickly driven off by sending it flying far away… The armored warriors that had lost their own will were also quite mechanical in some respects, the battle itself completely turned into something like a puzzle game.

After a long repetition―Yatagarasu used the completed [Yata no Kagami], where afterwards the youths of Yamato fainted on top of Uji bridge in a closely packed formation.

The surrounding scenery returned back to the original Ise Imperial Shrine. The Isuzu river shone from the sunlight, the Uji bridge that was built on top of it recovered its beautiful wooden texture. A forest where trees that looked mystical grew in abundance spread out ahead of the bridge, and a road that pushed its way through that forest was extending forward.

Heaps of corpses scattered all around on top of the bridge…such an image emerged to the surface of the mind, but nobody was dead because the youths only fainted from magic intoxication. There was no strong burden weighing down their minds but they only fainted from the state where their connection with the Wild Gods that were like a curse disappeared. It was surely not a dangerous magic intoxication.

Kazuha-senpai breathed a sigh of relief. Surely the state inside her head had become more full with the thoughts of rescuing the people that were turned into God’s reliant rather than the infiltration operation itself.

God’s reliant―they held envy and hatred toward Stigmata, because of that they offered themselves to a dangerous ceremony and in the end were completely transformed into an existence that was called a failure.

Before this, their outcry hurt Kazuha-senpai’s heart. Kazuki had the feeling that he understood the reason why.

For a long time until now, Kazuha-senpai was looked down on by the swordsmen and made fun of.

For envy and hatred to be directed at her as a possessor of Stigmata surely made her have complicated feelings.

Kazuki also was once an existence that was looked down on in the Magic Division and came this far by relying upon his pride in the sword. That was why his mental state felt conflicted to have such emotions directed at him by many swordsmen.

“Senpai, we were gifted the power of Stigmata and became far stronger than we if were just swordsmen, but that’s why it doesn’t mean that we have seen the limit of the strength of swordsmen either, that’s what I think.”

Standing stock still unintentionally on top of the bridge, Kazuki called out to Kazuha-senpai from the side hoping to cheer her up.

“…Kohaku is attempting to become a swordsman that won’t lose to Magika Stigma by making practical use of Sacred Treasures. Kanae too, recently she is trying to discover a new possibility for new techniques by putting general magic to practical use even further.”

What kind of phenomenon magic power could give birth to was the product of the imagination. Right now there were some aspects from the old sword skill outlook that still restrained both Kazuki and Kanae, but there was plenty of room for creating sword skills that had never even been imagined until now by means of new creative originality.

“Even the students of the Magic Division are stopping their high and mighty attitude just because they possess Stigmata now. They are also starting to listen to opinions that ask them to stop looking down on the Sword Division. The Knight Order in the future from now on is supposed to become nearer in equality between swordsman and Magika Stigma. If that happens, then there shouldn’t be any more swordsmen that will do something stupid like this. …Doing something like throwing one’s self away, is something that mustn’t be done no matter what."

Right at that moment, the memory of Kaya’s scream when she was eroded by Loki was replying inside Kazuki’s mind.

“If swordsmen and Magika Stigma can look at each other right in the eye, swordsmen should be able to reach that new possibility that can only be achieved by swordsmen.”

“…That’s right huh, you are really someone that caused a revolution in the Knight Academy.”

“Calling that a revolution, that’s not…”

“Kohaku too…even I, we are really thankful for what you have done.”

Facing each other in the middle of the bridge, Kazuha-senpai softly clasped both of Kazuki’s hands.

Holding hands like this might be a skinship that Kazuha-senpai could just barely do with honest feelings. For Kazuki, this warmth transmitted to him was an irreplaceable, important feeling.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Indeed it’s just like what you said. These small fries are feeling jealous without even doing any respectable hard work. Their appearance pawing at the ground while ruining their own bodies is…extremely unsightly. What is called strength should be something more pure.”

―A singing like voice that sounded really clear suddenly could be heard.

From the forest ahead, the master of the voice appeared and halted in front of the bridge.

The distance between them was dozens of meters. It was not a distance that could be closed immediately.

With a shock, Kazuki separated his body from Kazuha-senpai while calmly ascertaining that character.

It was a girl wearing a deep red kimono that looked like a prostitute's.

A loose collar to the degree that one could peek into her back, a languid style of wearing kimono, making one look graceful.

It was a gorgeous appearance that could never be thought as something for a fight, but a Japanese katana could be seen at her hip. She was a swordsman.

And then at her side were two people, two armored warriors in divine possession were coming along with her. Most likely those two were the last God’s reliant.

The girl in kimono sent her glancing gaze to those two and her mouth curved cynically.

“Please look at them, their pathetic figures. Having lost their reason they are the very definition of mere beasts. Although they can now fight better compared to when they were just their former worthless swordsmen selves, even then, the current state of their souls can't really be called strong. …You two, please give your greetings.”

The girl in kimono extended both her hands respectively to the faces of the armored warriors waiting at her left and right.

The under the helmet that were covering the nose and mouth that hid the faces of the armored warriors, were taken off by those hands.

The faces of the two armored warriors became exposed. Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai reflexively caught their breath.

“The Takasugi brothers!”

What appeared from under the face armors were―the faces of the Takasugi brothers.

The two that had become rival candidates to Kazuki in the Chief Student Council President battle election, Takasugi Shūsui and Takasugi Harunari.

Advocating the rejection of human rights for Magika Stigma that possessed far too much power and that they should be treated as mere weapons, the two young student activists!

So these two sought power after they were beaten in the battle election and were reduced to God’s reliant here.

“”Hayashizakii…Hayashizaki KazukiiIIIII!!””

The faces under the face armor were ruled by shuddering madness. Both their eyes and their mouths were opened to the limit and deep creases were engraved in their faces. They were leaking voices of curses while their jaws were convulsing with a spasm.

“The introduction is over for now…it’s okay to let loose already you guys!”

The girl in kimono handed down her command with a sharp voice as if a wild beast tamer lashing her whip.

“GO-!!” Simultaneously with the voice, the Takasugi brothers leaped at their direction.

They raised their katana overhead straight like berserkers and slashed at Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai with dauntless courage.

Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai traversed the bridge in a big leap while meeting the attack in order not to drag the people lying down around them into this fight.

“Kazuha-senpai!”

“It’s okay, you don’t need to worry about me!”

They completely couldn’t make heads or tails of which one was the older brother Shūsui and which was the little brother Harunari, but Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai picked one opponent each while exchanging voices, *GIN!* *GIN!* sparks of clashing swords were scattered.

Kazuki softly redirected the enemy’s simple powerful downswing with .

Just like that, he sidestepped the enemy’s stance and promptly slashed diagonally below with his returning blade.

His opponent was blown away together with the backlash of defensive magic power.

During that time, he directed his sight to Kazuha-senpai. Kazuha-senpai couldn’t parry as smoothly as Kazuki and she was brought into a sword-locking contest. If the attack was not quickly parried away with skill, she would have to go against the enemy’s superhuman power directly from the front. Kazuha-senpai leaked out “Kuh” in a painful voice while somehow redirecting her opponent’s heavy blow. Kazuha-senpai’s posture was disarranged.

Because her posture was disarranged, she couldn’t move into a counterattack smoothly like what Kazuki did.

But if it was Kazuha-senpai, who excelled in chanting ability, then it was enough with just that.

“Ameno Hidzukuri no Kazatsuchi!”

Thrusting her one hand forward, from there *DON!* a flame explosion and shockwave were produced.

―The two Takasugi brothers were repelled altogether from Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai and blown away from the bridge.

But they were abruptly rising back up again.

Kazuha-senpai stood in front of Kazuki in order to cover for him.

“Hayashizaki…I’ll face these two guys together just by myself. That’s why you, Hayashizaki, deal with that kimono girl there.”

“But senpai” Kazuki’s tone of voice was mixed with hesitation.

“Perhaps compared to these two guys, that girl over there is far stronger. That’s why I’ll leave her to you.”

Certainly, Kazuki also harbored that same premonition.

“I’m far stronger compared to these small fries!! I won’t let you two pass beyond this point!!”

While their attention was diverted by the Takasugi brothers, the figure of the girl in kimono vanished.

…The voice came from above! With her kimono’s fringe fluttering loosely, the girl was soaring high above Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai―it was not a jumping power that could be done somehow or other just with Enchant Aura.

The girl landed a few meters behind Kazuki, with the force of a bouncing rubber ball she drew out her sword while in the stance of turning back.

It didn’t mean that Kazuki was taken by surprise. Kazuki too instantly turned his back and drew out his sword in return.

Flashes of light collided. Both of their drawn swords bit at each other from directly opposite sides scattering sparks. From there they entered a sword-locking contest.

It was not a contest between strength. Kazuki redirected the opponent’s strength with Instant Positioning and tried to break her stance. The girl was also doing a similar thing at the same time. Their blades were mutually entangling with each other flexibly skill to skill.

If he could match the opponent’s vector of power, he could break the deadlock.

Strings of tension were stretched silently inside his brain. In the distance where they could even feel each other’s breath, he focused on nothing but to Foresight the movement of the opponent and control the blade delicately against the other.

An even sword-locking contest―at that moment Kazuki and the kimono girl were mutually making a surprised expression of [There is an opponent that is my equal]. …I can do this!!

Both of them jumped back at the same time and created some distance.

The girl held the katana languidly with her right hand, she brushed her disordered kimono’s cuff with her left hand swiftly and fixed her clothes instantly.

A natural body posture that really couldn’t be called a stance at all. But there was no opening. Even like that she could leap to all kinds of movements in any moment. There was this indication of 'all in one' in her.

There was no doubt she had the bearing of a master.

“What kind of person are you?”

Kazuaki finally questioned the girl that stood in his way with respect toward an exceptional character coloring his words.

Behind Kazuki, there was the sight of Kazuha-senpai exchanging blades with the Takasugi brothers with the roars of Summoning Magic.

“I won’t let you interfere in Amaterasu’s sealing. I am one among the hightest echelon within Kensheetou entrusted with the defense of this land…the thirtieth Hidetada.”

Kensheetou’s upper echelon…he thought that this Haunted Ground held no protection squad from Yamato, yet…

No wait, rather than that, Aisu Ikousai she said?

Kazuki felt his mind became white. It was a feeling like being in the presence of a legend.

“…You are joking right? Moreover, the thirtieth?”

“Oh, so you too are doubting the reality? You who are the successor of the Hayashizaki-style sword drawing art?”

Aisu Ikousai―he was a swordsman of the Muromachi period . No, perhaps he ought to even be called a sword god.

From the Muromachi period until the Sengoku period , there were countless schools of sword styles created in Japan.

The most famous in history among them was surely Yagyuu Shinkage-style. With the choosing of Yagyuu Sekishūsai and his child, Munenori to become the instructors of the Shogunate family, the house of Tokugawa, Yagyuu became known as the best sword-style in the whole country. It was also fine to even say that they are the best sword-style in the world of swordsmanship.

When that Yagyuu’s history was perused, there was the master of Yagyuu Sekishūsai, the Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Nobutsuna. And then looking even further at the master of that person was a character that was already in the realm of myth―Aisu Ikousai Hisatada.

When Japan’s school of sword style was traced back, every one of them would run into three origins. Those were namely Art of War Three Great Origins―, , and then Aiko Ikousai’s , those three.

Kazuki was…feeling like he was confronting his own honored ancestor.

“Hey the successor of Hayashizaki-style. Since when did you think Japan’s swordsmanship was transformed into a sport?”

The girl―Aisu Ikousai asked.

“Generally it is said that the impetus was Kamiizumi Ise no Kami’s idea to use bamboo swords but…personally I think swordsmanship had already changed into sports by the Muromachi period. The uselessness of katana in wars that were fought in groups had already become self-evident at that period…swordsmanship was just a mere fashion of samurai. True, practical swordsmanship or the like had already vanished at that time. The only scene where practical use of swordsmanship could be applied was the one versus one fights that happened behind the other side of history―only in the setting of assassination. That is surely the sword’s true long cherished desire, the thirty generation piling up in the shadows…”

That was a completely different history compared to an old style sword school like Kazuki’s Hayashizaki-style. Even though the Hayashizaki-style was also an old style sword school that was passed in secret, by no means had they erased their own name by their own hands. It was not the case that they attempted to become a legend.

The mystical assassination sword art that earnestly erased their name continuously since the Muromachi period…

“I see…and then an era like the present time came.”

“The era of magic…an era where the minority of powerful warriors dictated the battle had come. Now is the time for swordsmanship's resurrection! This Aisu Ikousai too!! That’s the reason why I formed a partnership with Kensheetou.”

Tension filled the languid limbs of Aisu Ikousai to the brim. …It's coming!

“Hayashizaki-style! I was looking forward at having a bout with you-!”

*ton*, Kicking the ground lightly, but with acceleration that ran in contrast with that lightness, Aisu Ikousai closed the distance. Kazuki didn’t chant any spell and intercepted with just only his sword.

“Secret Sword…Naked Blade Heat HazeShiraha Kagerou!”

Ikousai yelled. At that time Kazuki witnessed something hard to believe.

Aisu Ikousai’s blade that was approaching Kazuki―bent like jelly from its base.

Kazuki’s katana that was going to block slashed empty air.

Ikousai’s katana approached near Kazuki’s neck as if it had transformed into a whip. Kazuki attempted to dodge just barely from the blade. At that instant, the blade was not only twisting itself, it lengthened itself flexibly even further.

The blade grazed Kazuki’s neck and with a spark, the blue light of magic power scattered.

Ikousai passed the side of Kazuki who got slashed.

“…First is one kill.” Ikousai whispered while they passed each other.

…Just now was an advanced application of Psychokinesis. The slashed Kazuki instantly understood.

Sensing the Prima Material of the blade, then it was influenced powerfully by Psychokinesis and its shape was altered.

He could grasp the how but he was amazed that such thing was really possible. It was a technique that was completely beyond his imagination.

Kazuki immediately turned back and faced Ikousai.

Kazuki moved out without a moment’s delay. Next it was Kazuki’s turn to be the attacker―surely even a flickering blade was just a normal katana when it was reversed to be the defender. There was a necessity to hold the initiative in this fight.

Ikousai blocked the single stroke that Kazuki swung down and it became a sword-locking contest once more.

This time it was not with technique, Kazuki attempted to push her with power.

“Ou” Aisu Ikousai raised her voice. “So because I’m a woman, you think you can win in arm strength?”

Kazuki didn’t permit Ikousai to try to parry the blade and pressed her with strength.

With the difference in strength between male and female, Kazuki’s blade slowly approached Ikousai’s face.

“If it's like this then, Secret Rite…Blue YakshaAoiro Yasha.”

In front of Kazuki’s eyes, strange magic power was whirling inside Ikousai’s flesh.

*doku doku* Her body pulsed strongly…Ikousai’s face was turning blue before his eyes.

What is currently happening―this is, blood flow manipulation.

A human’s physical body was creating energy with two distinct methods, one that was [utilizing oxygen] and one [not utilizing oxygen]. The structure that utilized oxygen was making energy for stamina, but the structure that didn’t utilize oxygen―produced explosive power by decomposing sugar content.

The body automatically balanced which of the two structures would be prioritized to use.

But this girl controlled the blood flow of her entire body and closed the oxygen supply herself, making use of that to invigorate her Muscle Power Releasecreation of the energy that didn’t need oxygen to the maximum. She tilted the balancing scale of her body by her own will.

That could be called an artificial ultimate anaerobic exercise. The girl’s slender arm that was turning pale was influenced with a doping effect, producing an explosive power that should be impossible from physical balance!

…He never thought that someone would reinforce their own physical strength with this kind of approach!

The balance of strength tilted from Ikousai’s instantaneous explosive force. Kazuki was outpushed. Ikousai didn’t miss the disarray of Kazuki’s balance and drove away Kazuki’s katana, breaking his stance.

Kazuki suffered a defeat in a sword-locking contest for the first time after several years.

Ikousai’s slash assaulted Kazuki whose stance was broken. Kazuki forcefully evaded that. He planned to evade but―Ikousai’s blade stretched out like a snake and grazed Kazuki’s neck.

“The second kill.” The girl floated a smile in her face.

With a stumbling step Kazuki regrouped himself with some distance. Ikousai immediately gave chase and pursued with the ever-changing twisting katana.

Just with the katana’s shape twisting, the movement became really hard to read, to a degree he never imagined.

He was bewitchingly looking at it with his eyes. With such insight…Kazuki Foresighted the magic power produced from the blade. If the magic power could be read, the he could Foresight what kind of alterations would happen to the blade next. From there he could calculate the trajectory of the slash.

Though it was a complicated calculation that had to be done in an instant…

Kazuki breathed out strongly with a huff and concentrated. He Foresighted the phantasmagoric stroke of the katana. And then he grasped the logic of the blade and *KiIN!* sparks were scattered. Ikousai went “Hou?” and showed a surprised expression.

“For someone to start seeing through Shiraha Kagerou from just one occasion, really.”

“In the Hayashizaki-style, no same technique will work twice against us.”

“Then…Secret Sword, Heaven Tower StairTenrou Kaidan!”

*PAAN!* A terrific voice rang out.

At that moment, Aisu Ikousai’s figure disappeared from Kazuki’s sight.

*PAAN!*, *PAAN!*, the sounds of something bursting reverberated around Kazuki.

Where is she!? ―Even the time allowed to think of that question, was just for an instant.

The next instant, Kazuki was slashed diagonally in the back.

On the back of Kazuki who was pitching forward staggeringly, a further second slash was carved. “Third kill! Fourth kill!!” Ikousai raised a joyful voice and attacked while pursuing Kazuki.

This swordsman of Yamato, this person…!

While Kazuki received the backlash from the defensive magic power, he rolled forward in order to take distance and escaped from Ikousai’s range. Ikousai didn’t chase too far and made a broad grin in her face from her triumph. She fixed her kimono with one hand.

“Secret Rite…Light Crimson HannyaUsubeni Hannya.”

The girl’s pale body was recovering its former complexion. If the blood flow was constrained for too long, then next the stamina would surely disappear from the body.

She exploded her instantaneous force with [Aoiro Yasha], and recovered her stamina with [Usubeni Hannya].

But, even more than that, the technique just now…

“Fufufu, it’s four times already. If we crossed swords without this thing called defensive magic power, you had already died four times.”

“…Don’t just make up an assumption that’s convenient for yourself as you please, assassin swordsman. What we are doing right now is a fight with defensive magic power aren’t we? Who can agree with that kind of simple win lose condition attached here.”

Toward Kazuki who got a little worked up in his rebuttal, ‘ku-ku-ku’, Ikousai chuckled innocently.

“This might be a little childish but, at any rate my opponent is the greatest masterpiece of the Hayashizaki-style and the famous [Cyclops] after all. It’s really unbearable, this desire of mine to prove that my sword is the strongest with you as the opponent.”

The strongest sword…

Certainly this fellow’s skill was not ordinary. That kind of conception she used in her technique had never occurred to him at all.

Even if he was struck with that kind of idea, he would surely be unable to manage to realize such technique without piling up a mountain of training.

This girl in front of his eyes was not a swordsman that just merely inherited an ancient style sword art. Matching the current era and evolving her sword together with it―she was a swordsman that had advanced several steps ahead of the path that Kanae was trying to traverse.

In this match as a swordsman, Kazuki honestly realized that he was falling into inferiority here.

[Tenrou Kaidan]…First he had to fathom the true form of that technique…

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Kazuha dodged the Takasugi brothers' violent downswings as if dancing.

She returned a compact slash through that opening.

A battle between butterfly and boar―it was an easy offense and defense for Kazuha who was in the middle of learning the skill of Foresight.

“…Why were you guys trying to become strong with that kind of method?”

With the timing of the widening distance as the impetus, Kazuha questioned while taking her stance vigilantly.

These guys were following the orders of that girl in kimono. In other words they should still have some of their consciousness remaining.

“…Kill the Magika Stigma…!”

With a look exactly like a beast's, the Takasugi brothers’ voices leaked out.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki, Hayashizaki Kanae! They insult us that [our skill in swordsmanship is no big deal] and so on…!”

Right now the one who stood in front of their eyes was Kazuha, but perhaps they were already unable to recognize that anymore. The two of them vented their hatred in frankness to Kazuha.

“Our, revolution, our ideology was defiled, because of you bastards!”

“The battle election…what we were saying was supposed to be the most correct thought! Despite that, nobody elected us…because we lost in the battle election!! That battle election was just a farce decided only by power!!”

“Power, power destroyed our just ideal!! Power is…abominable!!”

Certainly there was an aspect in the battle election where the vote easily gathered on the students who made great showings in the tournament.

But what would happen to the Magic Division and the Sword Division from now on? The students wouldn’t give their vote just from the result of the tournament without giving a serious consideration on that.

They lost in the election not because their fighting strength was weak. What was weak of them was…,

“What is lacking in you guys, isn’t it the strength to look hard at yourselves!?”

The Takasugi brothers assaulted her recklessly. Yet Kazuha dodged them easily and slashed back in return.

The brothers were repelled from the backlash of the defensive magic power and fell onto their backsides…they stood back up with faces that looked as if they were going to cry.

“It’s you bastards’ fault, that we failed to get elected…that power, power got away from our hands! Authority got away from our hands!!”

“It’s you bastards’ fault that we are like this! That we failed to obtain the power to trample those Magika Stigma under our foot!!”

For the third time, they stepped forward like idiots that only knew how to do just one thing.

Kazuha evaded as if she was dancing. Even while she evaded elegantly, Kazuha’s chest felt gloomy.

“Authority got away from your hands you said? You want to trample the Magika Stigma under your foot you said? Even though you talked about ideals so haughtily…the inside of you guys is just that sort of thing!!?”

Kazuha slashed the two of them away with all her might. But the two whose bodies were poured with the magic power of Wild Gods would abruptly stand back up no matter how many times they were cut down.

“…It’s you bastards’ fault. It’s you bastards’ fault that we became useless…”

“…It’s you bastards’ fault, that father branded us as useless…”

The deep resentful voices of the brothers overlapped.

Father―the one that switched over from being the board chairman of the knight academy to be Yamato’s statesman, they were surely talking about Takasugi Takayoshi.

“”Power…, I want strength…!””

That lurid spirit overpowered Kazuha. However she soon glared back.

…Even I harbored a feeling of inferiority, I was wishing stronger than anyone that I want to become stronger.

But I didn’t distort my feelings like this.

“That distorted [will to become strong] of you guys…I won’t recognize something like that!!”

“GYAAAAAA! Earth Lightning BladeJiraiba!!”

One of the Takasugi brothers raised one of his hands high to the sky. At his side an avatar of a Diva that resembled Futsunushi no Kami emerged out. A Diva with the appearance of an ancient sword!

Thunder fell to the raised hand, then he took hold of that lightning where it turned into a sword of lightning.

“Thousand Pull Immobile ArmSenbiki Fudouwan!!”

The other Takasugi brother was also raising one of his hands high to the sky. An avatar of a giant emerged beside him.

The arm raised overhead bulged out several times larger, transforming into an arm so gigantic that it made the gripped long sword look like a toy.

{That’s…the power of and . If the high level magic of those two are used then it won’t finish with just that much but, well, looks like those just now are only level 2 magic.}

Futsunushi no Kami conveyed his voice to Kazuha-senpai through telepathy.

…If there was consciousness still left inside them even in just a little amount, they could still manage to use even low level Summoning Magic.

The Takasugi brothers slashed at Kazuha simultaneously. Kazuha received an electric shock the moment she made contact with the lighting sword, and surely the slash launched using that gigantic arm possessed a power to the degree that she couldn’t block it.

If it kept like this she wouldn’t be able to defend. If she evaded the attack then there was no doubt that the Uji Bridge she was standing on would be broken to pieces.

Therefore Kazuha also chanted her spell. The spell that she had been preparing for quite some time from before.

“Watching thousands of lives withering in the path of the sword…O military men obeyed by hundreds of grass, please lend that hand free from obstructive thought to my morals! …Devilish Swordsman Four Directions SwordKenki Shihou Ken!!”

Futsunushi no Kami’s level 6 magic―great number of bluish-white souls drifted and gathered around Kazuha.

Those were the souls of the swordsmen that followed the path of the sword to its extremes and perished halfway through.

Responding to Futsunushi no Kami’s guidance, those souls appeared under Kazuha. They possessed mass due to magic power and transformed into something that symbolized their temper; becoming enormous arms and katana.

There were a total of four ghostly arms and katana each with a size that reached Kazuha’s stature, floating around her.

“Become my substitute, block them!”

The lightning sword born from Take Mikadzuchi’s power was blocked solidly by the two arms surrounding the right side crossing their two katana. The electric shock couldn’t flow to the spot where Kazuha was.

The one strike that was made gigantic by Take Minakata’s power was blocked solidly by the two arms surrounding the left side crossing their two katana. The three giant arms were locked in a rivalry of strength with grinding sounds.

In the center of those two spots of power, Kazuha’s own two hands were free.

Kazuha directed those two hands at the Takasugi brothers and chanted.

“Ameno Hidzukuri no Kazatsuchi!”

*DON!* The released shockwave blew away both the Takasugi brothers altogether.

The four arms created by Kazuha were controlled remotely in accordance with Kazuha’s will and even now they assaulted the Takasugi brothers who were trying to stand and pressed them on.

During that time, Kazuha turned her eyes to the battle between Kazuki and the kimono girl.

Kazuki was having much trouble with the girl who introduced herself as Aisu Ikousai…

“…What is he doing? [Just against techniques of that degree], that guy became cornered like that.”

Kazuha reflexively knitted her eyebrows. The Hayashizaki Kazuki that I know isn’t supposed to be that kind of person.

Part 7

“Hayashizaki! What the hell are you doing, just against that kind of fellow!”

―Kazuha-senpai threw a scolding voice at Kazuki who was in the middle of a glaring match with Aisu Ikousai.

“Those kind of techniques aren't really a big deal right!!?”

Hearing that, Ikousai looked sullen with her pride wounded.

“Now you really said it. I thought that it would be fine to leave the dunce of the Sword Division to those dimwit Takasugi brothers, yet…should I have carved the technique of Aisu’s Kage-style on that body of yours too?”

“Even if you don’t deliberately carve it into my body, I get it already just from watching here! [Like this right]!?”

Kazuha-senpai dashed to this direction trying to interrupt between Kazuki and Aisu Ikousai.

That figure of hers, *PAAN!* went flying together with that sound.

“!?” Ikousai’s spine trembled with shock witnessing that.

Kazuha-senpai’s body danced high to the sky. From there even more *PAAN!* *PAAN!* sounds rang out and she maneuvered three dimensionally in the air. Kazuha-senpai instantly circled to Ikousai’s back.

When Kazuki saw that from his position as a third party observer, he comprehended that trick for the first time.

…I see, certainly seeing it from outside is really easy to understand.

The sound of *PAAN!* was the sound of kicking with full power the movement energy produced by Psychokinesis. Creating a foothold in the sky with magic and making the body leap through the air under an instant. That speed was several levels faster compared to a normal jump. When the opponent was thinking vaguely that the enemy was above, she had already flew about three dimensionally who knew how many times―and circled to the back.

“Learned by imitating, Tenrou Kaidan!”

While yelling, Kazuha-senpai swept her katana sideways.

As expected from the originator herself, Ikousai was not tricked by that movement and saw through Kazuha-senpai’s position instantly and dodged the blade. But at that time Kazuha-senpai’s blade twisted like jelly. It was just a slight twist compared to Ikousai’s own, but certainly her blade’s shape distorted―Shiraha Kagerou.

Kazuha-senpai’s single stroke of katana gouged Ikousai’s neck shallowly, making her defensive magic power shine.

“Saying it in your manner from before…it’s one kill with this right?” Kazuha-senpai grinned broadly.

Ikousai took some distance with a light leap, her expression transformed from shock into admiration.

“[Just about that much is still incomplete, however,] you really can imitate my sword that easily huh. You…won’t you enter the Ikousai-style and become my disciple?”

“Who would do that, stupid-! I am with the Hayashizaki-style!!”

Hearing Kazuha-senpai make a refusal like that, Kazuki could only stare in amazement.

“Eh, is that true?”

“What kind of reaction is that! It is like that right!? You are aallways saying that ‘I am the master’ aren’t you!?”

“I was saying that half in jest but…if you are my disciple than please become more honest.”

“I’m honest in matters concerning the sword right!? What’s with you! Don, don’t tell me you are planning to order me to do something perverted!?”

“Right now I’m a romance master and I command senpai to do romance training for the whole day.”

“No Way, even if it’s for romance―!! This hentaii―!”

Ikousai was looking at them with cold eyes. “You two, looks like you are really having fun.”

“Anyway don’t you dare lose to that fellow. Besides, why are you fighting without using Summoning Magic?”

Even while saying such things, Kazuha-senpai kept making the gigantic four arms fight the Takasugi brothers. It was a splendid control of Summoning Magic.

Right there Kazuki finally noticed how he had fought while sealing his own Summoning Magic.

“The strength as a swordsman, is not all there is to your strength right-!!”

…Before, Kazuki relied on the strength of the sword as the foundation of his pride. His genius in swordsmanship was recognized and he was adopted into the Hayashizaki family, getting praised by his stepfather was the meaning of his existence.

…Right now is different. Even now, the sword was still something important for him, but it was not everything to him. The power he obtained from his bonds, and the important things he protected with it…that was also his own strength.

“You are the same as me, a magic swordsman. I don’t want to see you get defeated or the like.”

“That’s right isn’t it…I’ll stop obstinately thinking only as a swordsman.”

In all honesty…if he used Summoning Magic then he surely could defeat Aisu Ikousai easily.

He fought a straight forward match as a swordsman against his better judgment, but he had to defeat this swordsman and reach the inner part of the Ise Imperial Shrine. Reservation or anything like that was unnecessary.

“Is that so, so you plan to use Summoning Magic? Hmph. …Then I wonder, should I do that too?”

With a nonchalant tone Ikousai said that. Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai went ‘Don’t tell me!’ in their minds.

No, now that he thought back…the voice from the sky that commanded the God’s reliant―that was surely the contractor of Susanoo, but wasn’t this girl in front of him also ordered around the Takasugi brothers just now?

Then this fellow was…Susanoo’s contractor, the Izumo King!

“You two have the face that says if you are using Summoning Magic then you can win easily, I really can’t stomach that look! Both in the sword and in magic as well, I am the stronger one!!”

Ikousai sheathed the sword in her right hand. Then she folded her arm cuff and abruptly pulled off the bracelet that was on her wrist.

It was a bracelet that he had remembered seeing before―.

The fellows of God’s reliant held a grudge against Stigmata. Because of that she surely wore a Limiter and hid her stigmata while taking joint action with them. She only took the Limiter off when she was giving orders as the voice from the sky.

“Polished black steel of heaven, O Totsuka no Tsurugi…release a flash of light that gouges the storm! This is Snake’s Exact RoughOrochi no Arasama…the advent of tearing limb from limb, Sky Feathers DecapitationAme no Habakiri!!”

The girl didn’t even perform Access and chanted her spell directly.

She didn’t even have the blessing of a Magic Dress, yet in spite of that she chanted with speed that she seemed familiar with.

Magic of Sacred Treasure Creation's light was formed from her hand and in it, held an atypical sword with its blade divided in eight directions.

"It’s fine even if you too make your Stigmata shine! Come, this is the beginning of sword and magic’s second act!”

“Wait!”

The instant Ikousai was going to kick the ground, a voice halting them reverberated.

Yatagarasu who escaped to the sky to avoid the fighting descended and perched on Kazuki’s shoulder.

“I’ll shut my eyes if it is just sport between fellow swordsmen, but more than this and you should stop your interference! Amaterasu chose this gentleman as the substitute of the !! You too should have no real intention to keep depending on Loki like what you are currently doing while being unable to plunder Amaterasu’s power!!”

“…Hou, so that NEET god finally intended to raise a King. I thought she was going to continue being sealed like this and vanish, but if she showed some motivation then the story is different. I see, so that’s why the King of Solomon came to this land.”

Ikousai docilely vanished the Sacred Treasure held in her hand.

“Susanoo is a rebellious god toward the Amaterasuabsolute authoritarian. Therefore the too is a rebellious King. The [King’s Authority] of such a King is to plunder for herself the power of the defeated King, the [Power of Usurpation]. …Therefore the starting condition of Izumo's King is powerless. The nearest some other BasileusKing at hand…Amaterasu’s King is someone she has to defeat and to plunder for power…!!”

“Simultaneously that’s also something that Amaterasu can say. If Amaterasu’s Wakoku King cannot make the rebel Izumo King submit, she also cannot wield the [King’s Authority] of Japanese Mythology and stays powerless. Consequently both of them are Yin and Yang. They have a destiny of conflict.”

“Interesting! Moreover if you hold both the title of Solomon's King and Wakoku King then it’s two birds with one stone! This is fine, I’ll allow you to proceed forward [for the sake of plundering your power for my own later].”

…She could speak like this because the Izumo King could steal the power of another King when she defeated them. It was just that, the only one she could defeat quick and easy even in her powerless state was Amaterasu who was in the same powerless state as her.

If she had that kind of ability then Kazuki could understand her strategy to ally herself with Loki temporarily.

Ikousai swept away her disarrayed sleeves with one hand and then turned her back on Kazuki and co.

“You the of the Hayashizaki-style, and also the newly appointed proxy of Amaterasu…understand well your destiny with me, I’ll carve it deeply onto your body.”

An existence with a different quality somewhere compared to all his enemies until now―Aisu Ikousai left those words behind and exited the stage.

Part 8

“If we have arrived here already, then it’ll only take a little more until the Imperial Shrine’s sacred main temple.”

The Takasugi brothers had also left following Ikousai.

Yatagarasu guided Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai in the front, walking briskly with its three legs in short steps.

Almost all the scenery around them had recovered from being a Haunted Ground to its original scenery of Ise Imperial Shrine.

Inside the Imperial Shrine’s forest that were filled with ancient trees growing in abundance, it made them feel the atmosphere of perpetuity. They continued to walk along the path made of pure white gravel until the deepest part of the shrine. The Isuzu River that flowed beside them had also recovered its transparent stream.

A scenery filled with sacred tranquility. This was Japan’s oldest shrine, the true appearance of Ise Imperial Shrine.

They were finally going to reach the end of their journey.

After they advanced through the gravel path drawing a gentle arc, they hit into a stone stairway. Ahead of the stone stairs there was a shrine archway. Passing through it, finally they saw [that].

An architectural style of ancient times that even made them feel the connection with Takakura-style warehouses from the Yayoi period. It was built based from , yet the feel of the material felt like it was brand new. That was because every twenty years the main building of Ise Imperial Shrine was remodeled and was performed. Because the only Shinmei Dzukuri was built using ancient construction techniques, its endurance was short and resulted in the necessity of reconstruction periodically no matter what.

At the time of its reconstruction, it followed the style and all the rituals from the ancient times strictly and thoroughly. Its appearance from time immemorial was obstinately protected just like how it originally was. This building was not in an unchanging condition since the ancient times until the olden days. Yet exactly because of the periodic rebuilding, its unchanging appearance could be preserved for more than a thousand years in the truest meaning.

Of course with that method it would take far more expense and labor compared to merely preserving the building.

This is Ise Imperial Shrine, its sacred main temple.

Further ahead of the archway were fences surrounding the shrine―a gate could be seen on the wall.

“From here on, normal people are not allowed to enter.” Saying that, Kazuha-senpai hesitated to proceed.

“That’s true, but if you two don’t enter then we cannot begin anything.”

Yatagarasu entered without care with bobbing steps inside as if this building was its own home.

The gate opened automatically on its own.

There was another archway inside the outer fence. The inner wall obstructed the path. There were several layers of closed walls and gates in order to reject visitors coming to the inner sanctuary.

With the guidance of Yatagarasu, they passed through several gates.

And then the inner sanctuary that even resembled the Takakura-style warehouse in history textbooks appeared in front of their eyes. It had a simple architecture with a thatch roof, but its linear shape made them feel its artificial bearing rather than a respect towards nature.

Yatagarasu proceeded forward through the stairs that ascended the raised-floor building with a bobbing advance and gestured Kazuki to go inside.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

One surface of the inside was stained with blood.

Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai were dumbfounded and lost their words. The bloodstains had blackened and permeated into the surface. It was clear just with one glance that a long time had passed since the blood was spilled. The amount of the bloodstains was enough to make them able to imagine that a person had died in that space.

“Amaterasu’s contractor was killed here through the hands of Yamato’s government and Susanoo.”

“Wait a second, you said things like you are going to present the contractor of Amaterasu to me, but like this what is the meaning of…?”

A cold shiver ran through Kazuki’s spine.

Don’t tell me…are they going to ask me to [conquer a ghost]!?

“The body of Amaterasu’s contractor had been annihilated, but Amaterasu narrowly managed to save her soul and sealed it inside Amaterasu’s Territory. On top having no physical body, if the situation stays like this then her fate will be to naturally vanish together with Amaterasu. That’s why your cooperation…the

that you possess is necessary. If Amaterasu recovers her power and from there also ties a bond with you and obtains power, the girl will be able to regain her physical body.”

“You're saying that a dead human can be restored to life!?”

Was such a thing possible? Kazuki had also once resurrected Mio from the grip of death using Phoenix’s level 10 magic. But such an event was supposed to be completely different compared to reviving an existence that didn’t even have her corpse remaining and the only thing left behind of her was the bloodstains that had already dried on the floor.

“The girl still hasn’t welcomed a complete death yet. Her soul is preserved through Amaterasu’s power. But the currently weakened Amaterasu simply doesn’t have enough strength. If she can borrow that power by becoming a subordinate to Solomon's Mythology…”

“Does Amaterasu want to save that contractor so much that she will even go as far as subordinating herself to another Mythology?”

Yatagarasu was trotting ahead to the center of the sacred main temple’s floor. Over there was the center of the bloodstains' spread.

“Amaterasu deeply loved that [girl]. Therefore she didn’t raise that girl to become Wakoku King and abandoned her battle with Susanoo. Yamato's government and Susanoo were furious because of that and killed the girl before pressing Amaterasu to choose a new contractor to become King. But for Amaterasu it was inconceivable to even make a contract with another human. And so Amaterasu abandoned everything and shut herself inside the Gate of the Celestial Rock Cave. …Please follow me.”

With a jerk, Yatagarasu kicked the floor of the sacred main temple. Thereupon the floorboard came off and a hole was opened.

Yatagarasu then descended down the hole. Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai too followed from behind.

When they entered under the floor, many pillars stretching up supported the floor of the sacred main temple from the surface below. In the center of the space surrounding those pillars, there was a pillar that didn’t reach until the floor of the sacred main temple with a height that only reached halfway.

It was a pillar that didn’t support anything.

In the peak of that halfway pillar, a miniature size sacred main temple was put on it.

“…This is the entrance to Amaterasu’s residence, the path leading to the Gate of the Celestial Rock Cave. Amaterasu is ahead through this.”

“How do we enter inside through this miniature sized thing?”

“Of course its destination is . The Gate of the Celestial Rock Cave is a district of Amaterasu’s Territory. Being sealed inside that healing space and isolated from everything else, Amaterasu can just barely hold her ground of having herself vanishing little by little. Supply power to Amaterasu from the outside, if she cannot go out from the Gate of the Celestial Rock Cave then like this she also cannot talk with you. Touch your hand to this True August Pillar and close your eyes, then please unify your Tranceconsciousness and subconsciousness. If you do that then it will synchronize with the mind of you two and can guide you to Astrum.”

Kazuki remembered about the contract ceremony after the entrance ceremony. At that time he was guided by Kaguya-senpai and dove into the Diva’s Territory in Astrum. What he was going to do after this was the same thing as that.

“Pass through and head to .”

“…Isn’t Yomotsu Hirasaka the place that continues to the world after death?”

Kazuki asked frightfully with ominous presentiment. He came along with them this far believing that their interest matched each other, but he was going to be troubled if he became a dead person just like this.

“That’s a misinterpretation of the myth. …Yomotsu Hirasaka is a corridor that linked the world with different worlds. It is the exit and entrance that leads to Takamagahara which is the Territory of Japanese Divas.”

Yatagarasu went on “Anyway, please close your eyes.”, like that it prompted Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai to proceed.

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