It had been several minutes since the game had begun. I—Kiba, and Xenovia entered the multi-storey parking lot.
We advanced forward while cautiously looking through the dimly-lit parking lot. Because we had both encountered a lot of spies in our missions, moving forward like this was our strong point.
I walked in front, and then, after I confirmed that there was no one hiding under cover ahead of us, I called back to Xenovia behind me for her to move forward as well. We repeated this many times and gradually advanced through the parking lot.
The plan was to descend down the car passages on the second floor and go down to the first floor. The elevator was also functioning, but we feared being attacked while we rode it down.
We had no choice but to advance with the most reliable method.
We advanced down the passage from the second floor and set foot on the first floor of the parking lot.
—There was a silhouette before us.
Looking closely, it was a glasses-wearing girl with long black hair—.
I knew her. Kaichou’s [Queen], the “vice-president of the student council”, Shinra Tsubaki-senpai. She held a naginata[1] in her hand.
That’s right, I had heard that she was a naginata-user. And she held a considerably high-rank with it as well.
“How do you do, Kiba Yuuto-kun, Xenovia-san. I knew that you would come here.”
Shinra-senpai spoke indifferently. There were two girls at her side—. A girl with a tall figure and a slender girl carrying a Japanese sword.
The tall girl was called Yura-san. A [Rook]. The girl holding the Japanese sword was called Meguri-san. A [Knight].
Yura-san excelled in hand-to-hand combat techniques, while Meguri-san was a member of a clan that made their living on the extermination of evil spirits.
I see, so you stationed three people at the parking lot, Sona-kaichou. She read us well. She had secured this place… She predicted that we would be the ones most likely to attack.
Xenovia unsheathed the sword that she carried on her back and I also produced a holy demonic sword in my hand.
Xenovia didn’t use Durandal. With that special rule, she wouldn’t be able to act well with Durandal. Since its power couldn’t be controlled, it would recklessly destroy the building.
[Rias Gremory-sama’s first “Bishop”, retired.]
—! The defeat of one of our comrades was heard from the announcement. It was difficult to think that it was Asia-san. I didn’t understood how it happened, but Gasper had likely been taken out.
“How calm you are.”
Shinra-senpai said that.
“Yes, since I won’t be able to endure if I don’t get used to something like this.”
I responded extremely calmly. Inside, though, my heart was seething. Because even I felt the frustration and regret in losing a friend.
Gasper-kun. Most likely, he was taken out before he could display his power. I’ll swing my sword for your share as well.
“Geez, it’s because he didn’t train his body enough.”
Beside me, Xenovia sighed as well. She was also calm—or so it seemed, but her eyes were still.
“But even so, they took out my cute kouhai. I’ll have to avenge him.”
Dreadful pressure was being given off from her. The pressure was even transmitted to me, her ally. She’s surprisingly soft towards her friends as well. Despite appearances, she also felt that Gasper-kun was cute. Being notified of his defeat was unforgivable to her.
Together, we prepared our special weapons and while shortening the distance between us and our opponents—we sprang forward!
Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!
Me and Shinra-senpai, and Xenovia and Meguri-san crossed swords. Sparks flashed from the force of the blades clashing, and intense clangs rang out.
At that instant, Meguri-san noticed what Xenovia held in her hand and took a step back.
“…A holy sword!?”
She let out a voice of surprise.
Yes, Xenovia was holding a holy sword. Moreover, it was a legendary one.
“Yeah, this is Ascalon. Ise-kun loaned it to me.”
[!?]
Azazel-sensei had noticed Ascalon, which was assimilated into the Boosted Gear.
“Ise, can’t you remove it?”
Due to these words, the fact that Ascalon could be detached from the Sacred Gear was uncovered. Sensei had then hurriedly handed Xenovia a training plan to get accustomed to Ascalon.
It seemed that she had practiced handling Ascalon while training outside. As both dragon-slaying powers and the Sekiryuutei’s power were now imbued in Ascalon, it had changed into a specialised weapon that boasts enormous power.
It may not match Durandal’s destructive power, but when taking into account its ease of use, it had a wider range of uses than Durandal.
However, that meant that Ise-kun didn’t have Ascalon at present. That shouldn’t backfire on us this time, but…
After that, me and Xenovia entered an intense slashing battle with our opponents.
We made sure to avoid each other, but it was the other person on the opponent’s side, the [Rook] Yura-san, that I was concerned about.
Depending on her movements, we would know whether she regarded either of us as dangerous and was aiming at either me or Xenovia.
While remaining vigilant of Yura-san, I continued firing my holy demonic sword at the vice-president! My and Xenovia’s swords emitted a holy wave. If we landed a blow on our opponents, big damage would be definite. If that happened, they would have to retire, as healing techniques were restricted.
A single stroke of the sword. If they suffered a single stroke of our swords, it would become our victory!
As she switched between offence and defence, Xenovia suddenly made a hole in space. Normally, anyone would think that she would materialise Durandal here—. But that wasn’t it.
A holy aura drifted out from the tear in space and wrapped itself around the Ascalon that Xenovia held.
“—! While keeping Durandal locked up in the space!? You’re taking out only its holy aura!”
Shinra-senpai was shocked as she understood. Xenovia smiled.
“Yeah, I was suggested an interesting way to use Durandal. I somehow managed to achieve it in my training. Now, I can use it more than sufficiently.”
Buchou and Azazel-sensei had also highly regarded Xenovia’s Durandal. At the same time, they felt that it was wasteful that she couldn’t control the sword.
Durandal was a holy sword that boasted a tremendous sharpness. Therefore, when its owner couldn’t control it, it became an assassin’s blade. In reality, Xenovia used Durandal, but it was also a fact that she was also considerably tossed about by its destructive power.
She may become able to control it eventually. However, until then it was also dangerous to simply swing such an assassin’s blade recklessly. Therefore, sensei had an idea.
“Can you not release only Durandal’s aura from the separate space? You could then clad it on Ascalon or a holy sword that Kiba creates.”
I was also wonderstruck by such an amazing idea of using Ascalon and my swords like this.
Durandal was simply kept in that space and it continuously emitted its mighty holy aura. Only the aura was taken out from the separate space and the power was poured onto other swords.
It wasn’t Durandal itself, but a power equal to its own was limitlessly poured onto a different sword. That—was the new power of the Ascalon that Xenovia held in her hands.
The Fallen Angel Governor Azazel. He had showed all these possibilities to us. Such a fallen angel had been our enemy. I was delighted that he was now on our side.
Xenovia attacked her opponent with Ascalon + Durandal’s aura!
Giin! Giiiiiiiin!
Silver light and sparks flashed in the darkness of the parking lot. The skill and sword possessed by the [Knight] Meguri-san were quite special, but she was gradually being cornered by Xenovia’s speed and power!
“Take this!”
Not overlooking an instant of opening, Xenovia instantly cornered her opponent! She had got her!
But, there was someone who stepped into the space between them—the [Rook] Yura-san!
As she put out both of her hands in front of her—.
“Reverse!”
Xenovia let out her attack, but the holy aura had disappeared and changed into a demonic aura!
Xenovia’s slash became an attack trapped by momentum, and in that moment her sword was caught by Yura-san and flicked away. Yura-san tried to pursue her in that state, but Xenovia regained her balance and avoided her kick.
Gasshaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!
The kick blew away several cars with its force. A direct hit would be dangerous.
I had become speechless from the phenomenon just now. A holy aura become a demonic aura!?
Yura-san had called out “reverse”. In other words, she transformed a holy aura into a demonic aura? Was that Yura-san’s ability? Or a Sacred Gear? I didn’t understand the reason for it, but this was troublesome.
It was a kind of those so-called counters. It’s a special case, but it would be bad if that counter was used while Yura-san and Meguri-san worked together.
Ascalon’s holy power was reversed and turned into demonic power. Only ordinary damage would be given to a devil from demonic power. Since a devil’s origin was from demonic magic. It became just an ordinary slash.
Xenovia also possesses incredible skills, but her battling would be disturbed because she had trained and fought based on holy swords. If she received a counter, even Xenovia would fall.
…Well done, Sitri group. If it’s like this—.
“Xenovia! Switch with me!”
By my shout, me and Xenovia switched places and exchanged our respective opponents.
This was fine. With my holy demonic swords, the effect of their “reverse” would have no meaning. Because there was nothing to reverse when the power of holy and demonic were blended together.
Yura-san also didn’t display her “reverse” stance, and she started to attack me along with Meguri-san.
Next to us, Xenovia and Shinra-senpai had started slashing at each other. Xenovia’s furious attacks were intense and at last she managed to corner Shinra-senpai in front of a wall!
—She had her!
Xenovia, decide it instantly like that!
As if my thoughts were transmitted to her, Xenovia raised Ascalon and entered a posture for the finishing strike! She can do it! If we take out the [Queen], the whole situation will become considerably easier!
“With this—this match is decided!”
As Xenovia swung down the sword at Shinra-senpai and dealt a direct hit—at that instant.
“—Sacred Gear, [Mirror Alice][2].”
A huge ornamented mirror appeared in front of Shinra-senpai!
Xenovia’s slash continued without stopping and crushed the mirror.
Zuooooooooooooooooon!
“—!?”
A wave was released from the broken mirror and attacked Xenovia!
With a bewildered expression on her face, Xenovia spurted out blood all over the place.
“When this mirror is destroyed, the impact on it is doubled and returned to the opponent. —I am a counter-user. Kiba Yuuto-kun, it was a mistake to send the Power-type Xenovia-san against me.”
Shinra-senpai gave a sneer.
“Gahah!”
Lying on the road surface, Xenovia coughed out blood from her mouth in apparent pain.
—They got us! Her ability was different from what I had heard. Had she accomplished change and growth and attained a new ability!?
“The only one remaining is Kiba Yuuto. You’re the only one left.”
The three of them approached me. I picked up Xenovia and then swiftly hid myself within the shadows nearby.
I placed Xenovia in the shadow of a car and took out the medical supplies we had gotten at the drugstore a short while before.
We had completely lost just now. That she would station two counter-users here… It seemed that Sona-kaichou intended to completely crush us first. So she had naturally predicted that we would be the likely attackers.
Certainly, they were a threat to just us who were quick on our feet and users of holy swords. Kaichou had supplemented for their respective weaknesses by having them team up against us and spurred us to use power.
—Had she predicted everything to this point?
Xenovia… was in serious condition. She had received double the power of Durandal and Ascalon.
If Shinra-senpai’s Sacred Gear was a type that countered holy attacks perfectly, it would be an instant retire for us. If it was handled poorly, Xenovia could have died.
With these injuries, her withdrawal from the battlefield won’t be long now. She’ll completely retire with the next attack.
Buchou was the one who had the “Phoenix Tears”. We couldn’t use healing techniques here either.
Xenovia grasped my hand as I treated her and spoke.
“…Abandon me, Kiba. I’ll disappear from this place anyway when I retire soon because of these injuries.”
But I took my hand away from hers and continued treating her.
“Yeah, I know that. But, you know, I promised that I wouldn’t abandon an ally so easily.”
“…How soft. You’re just like Ise.”
I gave a smile at those words.
“That makes me happy. Because part of me also thinks that I’d like to become like him.”
That’s right, I wanted a spirit that would never give up like Ise-kun. He was amazing.
Even though he knows that he’s weak, he still confronts the enemy. He belittles himself, but in fact, he understands himself more than anyone else and works hard.
Most likely, I wouldn’t be a match for him anymore in terms of simply physical strength. His efforts and guts entered into the territory of deserving admiration. Advancing step by step with effort, his progress was nobler than anyone else.
“Become like Ise? You mean become a pervert?”
“That is Ise-kun’s thing. —I want to obtain his guts and willpower.”
At those words, Xenovia let out a strained laugh.
“…That doesn’t suit you best, though.”
I also thought that.
“True. But, as long as I can move even a single finger, I won’t fall!”
“…I see. Are you telling someone like me to move since I can still move a single finger? What a cruel guy.”
“If I fall down, I’ll do what I have to do, even if I can move only a single millimetre or inch. Because otherwise—the regret of not doing anything would be so painful that I’d die!”
[Sona Sitri-sama’s first “Pawn”, retired.]
An announcement. It seemed that someone had taken out one of the opponents. We also had to hold on.
The sound on the enemies’ footsteps approached.
—Xenovia.
You’ll retire from here soon. But before that, I think that I’ll show it to you. I appeared in front of the three opponents.
“Have you resolved yourself?”
Preparing to use her naginata, Shinra-senpai approached.
A small tear in space appeared behind me. Xenovia was making it form. It couldn’t be seen like this, as it was in the enemies’ blind spot. Then, Durandal’s aura flowed into me.
Now then, Xenovia. I’ll show it to you.
This technique created by you and me, Rias Gremory’s two [Knights]!
Zazazazan!
Holy demonic swords sprang up everywhere within this parking lot. The holy demonic aura that covered them might have been little. But, if Durandal’s aura is also added to them, it’s another story entirely.
“—Durandal Birth!”
That attack pierced through Yura-san and Meguri-san. Just as they began to shine, they disappeared from this place.
Two down. Shinra-senpai—seemed to have escaped and left the parking lot.
In my arms, Xenovia’s body began to shine.
“Kiba. That was a nice attack.”
Her expression was covered with a smile as she was disappearing from here. So I also smiled and saw her off.
“Yeah, when you and I work together again, we can make more holy swords bloom.”
Her weight had disappeared and then she herself disappeared as well.
Pariiiiiiin.
After making a short-lived noise, the holy swords that had bloomed all over the place crumbled and dissolved into nothingness.