Chapter 1238: Defeat, an inopportune moment
"Hmm?"
The Magicians tagging behind Ellen looked in front.
A flame pillar sprouted on top of the airship. Like a meteor, the blazing fireball stopped before the ensemble of spirit-killing magicians.
The Magicians took aim while Ellen gripped her laser sword harder. Her purple eyes glimmered.
"Finally, you showed yourself, Efreet..."
Kotori roamed her gaze over the literal company of Magicians. She gave them a sarcastic smile.
"As expected of DEM, you sure know how to use sheer numbers against your enemy."
"I don't want to do this but..."
Ellen didn't take offense.
"To finish the mission and fulfill my order, I cannot go against this arrangement. Moreover, we don't have much time. Once your brother returns, we will be in deep trouble..."
"Really?"
"Why didn't you send out Bandersnatches?"
"It can't be helped..."
Ellen looked at Kotori.
"Because a great fire consumed our Branch HQ, all the Bandersnatches are gone. We also can't resupply so we can only do this..."
"Oh?"
Kotori laughed.
"That is good news then..."
"Kotori!"
Mana stopped next to Kotori.
Mana is in a completely different heavy CR-unit loadout than her previous DEM loadout.
"Let me assist you..."
"You deal with the small fries."
Kotori gave her an order.
"Let me deal with the strongest magician in the world..."
"I..."
Mana hesitated for a second, however, she agreed.
"Watch out. You might be a spirit but that lady is the real deal, if you..."
"Calm down..."
Kotori nodded.
"You done with your strategy meeting? I don't have any time to waste!"
Ellen narrowed her eyes. She raised an arm.
"Everyone, get them!"
"Yes madam!"
The DEM magicians charged at the same time. Mana also jumped forth like a lamb into a streak of vicious tigers. In a storm of bullets and missiles, she started defeating magicians left and right.
The DEM magicians were far inferior, even with sheer numbers, they could do nothing against Mana.
"Looks like I have very capable magicians on my side..."
Kotori taunted her.
"If you don't go help, you might lose all your pawns..."
"It's fine."
Ellen took up her laser blade.
"I never counted them in the composite force. I am enough to capture you."
Kotori sprouted more flames, the flames burned her clothes away.
"Astral Dress No.5 Elohim Gibor..."
Kotori spread her arms wide as a feathery robe covered her. The sleeves and sash were burning with red hot flames. Her twintails also had two horn-like accessories that made her look beautiful and tyrannical at the same time.
"Camael..."
A giant burning halberd appeared out of nowhere. Kotori raised the oversized halberd before pointing it at Ellen.
"You're so unfortunate... Ellen..."
Ellen growled.
"What do you mean?"
"You're the strongest but you lost to my brother on Arubi Island..."
Kotori smirked at her.
"You also lost to Natsuki when you tried to catch Miku. In the fight to defend your branch HQ, you lost once more to both my brother and Natsuki. Your streak of defeats can only be described as untimely appearances in untimely places."
Ellen floated a cold look.
"If you think you can demoralize me with those words, you're sorely..."
"No, you're the one who is mistaken here..."
Kotori raised her head.
"This is my point, your luck just took a turn for the worse..."
"Unlike Onii-chan and Natsuki, I might be able to control my Reiryoku but I don't know how to hold back in a fight..."
With that...
Boom
In a burst of crimson flames, the explosion echoed across the skies of Tengu city. Kotori used high-powered explosions to instantly close the distance between them.
"What the?"
Ellen could only see Kotori's grin for a second before raising her sword to guard.
Kotori swung her over-sized halberd down with incredible speed.
Bam
Flames spread for hundreds of meters around like a giant red lotus. The heatwaves created shockwaves that dissipated the clouds near them.
From within the sea of flames, Ellen flew out while covering herself with a smoldering green protective barrier.
Ellen's heart trembled when she recalled the infernal attack Kotori just unleashed.
Is Efreet stronger than me too?
Impossible.
Itsuka Shido is already an exception. Natsuki is the Angel of the exception so it's a given that she won. But, how?
How did a spirit overwhelm her?
Wu Yan's words back on Arubi Island came back to her.
'You're not the strongest anymore. There are multiple individuals in this world who can beat you."
'You were the strongest, not anymore."
Ellen's expression distorted into a horrible look.
"Damn!"
She extended an arm to reveal a heavy Maryoku Cannon.
"Pierce her!"
Ellen fired a spear of light that pierced through the sea of flames.
When the sea of flames got pushed apart. Kotori revealed herself, specifically, she revealed that she is also charging up an attack.
Ellen's eyes shrunk down to pin-points.
Kotori grinned as a flaming light streaked across her eyes.
"Camael, Megiddo!"
The charged cannon-halberd took the form of concentrated flames. She fired the concentrated flame bolt at the incoming light spear.
Shatter
The spear of light didn't even last a second. The flame bolt struck Ellen much to her horror.
Booom
From far away, Kurumi, Kaguya, and Yuzuru arrived just in time to see Kotori finishing off Ellen with her flame bolt. Ellen fell to the ground in plumes of smoke like a crashing plane. The three spirits exchanged smiles.
"Ara ara..."
Kurumi shrugged.
"Looks like we weren't even needed..."