Chapter 167

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-- Chapter 167
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Interesting chapter all around. Quite exciting.

borisdrakoni (Spoiler):

Looks like Hajime is branching out into pharmacology now as well since he's inventing boosting drugs and healing potions. Shizuku has upgraded to wielding 20 black swords simultaneously. Ryuutaro paid homage to the Hulk and finally showed us his transformation ability. Most props go to Suzu though, for owning Eri and having the guts to accept that the power of friendship won't save her. Though who knows, maybe she'll finally come around after seeing Kouki get beaten down next week.

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The childhood friends fight it out as Suzu re-enacts the usual power of friendship speech to try & bring back some sense in her...

El Rue (Spoiler):

Too bad Eri really is far too gone it seems. Suzu then wrecks Eri & her undead hybrid troops with her Insect Corps + Mr.Rabbit. Inaba-san was a powerful badass.

Though it seems that the trio's fight was ending at the same time?

>> Originally Posted by sierra117
>> so, Shizuku is like this?:
	>> http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/owarinoseraph/images/8/87/Asura-Kanon.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150108013624
Only sexier. Kouki was stunned & can't help but silently utter the word "beautiful" as he looks on upon the war maiden that gracefully stopped his counter attack in front of him.

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borisdrakoni (Spoiler):

The Extended Hand, Does Not Reach

Declaring that he won't hold back and that it would be fine because they would all be revived later, Kouki began his attack.

Thrusting out his sword, the light dragon shot out its breath of Heaven's Might.

The atmosphere was burned by the white light that shot toward Shizuku and the others while drawing a spiral.

Seeing that, Suzu started to move her fan to cast Sacred Absolute, but Eri was one step ahead and cast Falling Consciousness on her.

Darkness system magic “Falling Consciousness” - it is a magic where the memory of a few seconds before gets sealed up temporarily.  The memory returns in a flicker of time, but if used in battle it could become fatal.  It should be difficult use since it was high magic, but Eri seemed to use it without trouble.

Clicking his tongue at the light that approached them while the barrier could not be put up, Ryuutaro softly knocked Suzu away and jumped back along with Shizuku.

Shortly after, the roar of Heaven's Might struck the place they had been moments before, shaking the ruined building as it pierced through the floor.

To Shizuku and the others who escaped into the air, corpse-beast soldiers appeared from all directions and attacked them.

Shizuku used her sword drawing technique with the black sword to execute Wind Claw against a corpse-beast soldier attacking with a large sword, however, while its arm was cut up by the slash that carved three sword stroke lines, they did not reach its body.

Shizuku narrowed her eyes since the stroke should have cut it in two, but when she saw the dark reddish-brown magic it was wearing she realized it was using Vajra.

Despite losing an arm, the corpse-beast soldier kept attacking as if not feeling any pain.  Shizuku dodged by using Aerodynamic and delivered a kick to it.

Nearby, Ryuutaro was blocking innumerable blades of wind with his own Vajra while Suzu was parrying a burning red spear with light flower petals.

In addition to the corpse-beast soldiers who could use unique abilities of the attack system, those who could use the defense and recovery systems made them complete.  It was indeed an abundance of variation.  With this amount, perhaps like with the chimera before, there might be corpse-beast soldiers that can absorb magic too.

While she was watching the corpse-beast soldiers' abilities, Shizuku suddenly felt a chill down her whole body as her instincts were warning her.  Using Aerodynamic and No Beat, she jumped back with all her strength.

At that moment, an innumerable amount of light blades passed through where she just was, tearing through a hillside a short distance away, destroying the building that had been standing on it.

Additionally, she drew her sword while twisting her body around in midair because her instinct was still warning her and intercepted Kouki's sword, who had struck at her from behind.

Kouki said that as expected she was strong.

Shizuku said that he had gotten weaker, and called him a disgrace to the Yaegashi style.

Kouki called her pitiable, asking if she couldn't understand their difference in strength, but said it was alright since he would protect her.

Kouki, who seemed to be able to fly thanks to the light dragon, had smiled at Shizuku while they locked swords, however, due to her sharp words his face had distorted and he muttered the latter part.

At the same time, the light dragon glaring at Shizuku from behind Kouki opened its mouth and shot Heaven's Might at her from a super close distance in no time.

Shizuku used her sheath to generate a shock wave and knock her away from Kouki.  At the same time, since she couldn't escape from the range of Heaven's Might completely, she used the black sword's ability to draw the attack to the blade.  The moment the when the breath came into contact with the blade, she twisted her body, using a Yaegashi style technique “Dance of Leaves” to redirect it behind her.  Though it was something she attempted without practicing first, it was a splendid success.

While hearing the sound of a building collapsing from Heaven's Might behind her, she turned an amazed look at Kouki.

“Protect me, right?  You've been saying that to me since the old days, but, honestly, I don't think that you have ever protected me.  Even now, aren't you throwing considerable attacks at me while saying you will protect me?”

“I see...that guy Nagumo even went as far as to alter your memories, huh?  Shizuku, you may not remember, but I was always beside you, I was always protecting you.  Though I say that, I think it's useless no matter what I say to the current Shizuku.”

“That is completely my line.  If one grand wound is attached to that excellent face, I wonder if it will become a little better?”

Shizuku was floating several veins in irritation.  Corpse-beast soldiers growing wings from their back flew up from behind her.  Additionally, Kouki waved his sword and about 30 small light dragons were produced from the large light dragon.

Telling her that he would end it with this since she could not surpass an attack with this number, he said that though it might be painful she should sleep at ease since he would look after her.

Saying so one-sidedly, Kouki pointed the tip of his sword at her and the mini light dragons and corpse-beast soldiers attacked her from all directions.  There was nowhere to escape.  Ryuutaro could not get to her because he was cut off by the corpse-beast soldiers and light dragon.

Though Suzu started to take action, Shizuku stopped her with telepathy, telling her it would be alright.

Immediately afterward, she was swallowed up by the attackers.

Kouki sadly shook his head seeing it.  He wore an expression like a tragic hero as if to say, “I don't mind dirtying my hands or bearing your grudges if I can save everyone!” while turning his gaze to Ryuutaro who would be his next target.

At that moment...

“Sorry, I sincerely decline having any man other than him see my sleeping face.  Hirameka!”

Kouki's chest was cut in a line and blood sprayed out.  Though thanks to his holy armor it did not reach a mortal wound, but it was still enough damage.

Kouki who fell clutching his chest, while staring up at Shizuku who had originated the calm voice noticed the flying swords in the distance behind her.

As Kouki had said, swords identical to Shizuku's black sword were floating in the air around her with their blades pointed at him.

Kouki then saw the spectacle of the enemies surrounding her all crumpling to the ground.  More black swords appeared, surrounding Shizuku like a barrier.  Shizuku gave another command, and with the swords glowing a deep blue, they flew out and cut all the surrounding corpse-beast soldiers and mini light dragons cleanly in two.

As the corpse-beast soldiers dropped to the ground and light dragons vanished, Shizuku pointed the sword in her hand at Kouki.  The black swords surrounding her lined up in an orderly fashion with Shizuku at the center, pointing their tips below, 20 in total.

Standing in the air with a straight back accompanied by the group of black swords, with her beautiful black hair in a ponytail waving, her strong, serene appearance was like a hero in a picture book.

Kouki unconsciously thought to himself that she was beautiful.  It was improper, but he could not help but be fascinated by Shizuku whose appearance like a war maiden caused him to swallow.

Shizuku explained that the group of swords (Living Swords) all had her soul put in them.  She wondered if she had surpassed Kouki who kept running away into a convenient dream.

Kouki started to say something but instinctively closed his mouth.  Shizuku had filled in the difference between physical and magical specs with an unguessable amount of spirit.

Eri, declaring that she hated Shizuku after all since she was conceited to her Kouki, tried to have all the corpse-beast soldiers attack her at once while she disrupted her with dark magic.  However, numerous shadows entered her vision, obstructing her.

Before anyone was aware, a large number of butterflies were flitting in the battlefield.

The source was Suzu, who summoned them one after another from their sacred gems.  The spectacle of the butterflies with black wings and bright red patterns drawing a spiral in the sky along with the light petals gave Suzu a beauty not normally seen, and she admonished Eri not to ignore her anymore.

Though Eri tried to laugh it off, Suzu summoned Inaba to her side, who dashed off leaving afterimages.  He appeared behind Eri before she could react.  His appearance was only just able to be caught by her who had her physical specs strengthened using the technology that created apostles.

Therefore, immediately after her eyes were opened wide, she was sent flying though the air by Inaba's Grand Leg and crashed through a building hundreds of meters away.  Since she immediately strengthened her body with magic before the impact, though, it could not be said to be the end.

Kouki raised his voice to denounce Suzu, but he was stopped by Ryuutaro sending a punch at him that he blocked with his sword.  While his eyes looked over to where Eri had been sent flying, the claws and tail of the light dragon attacked Ryuutaro.  Ryuutaro did not try to avoid the attack, but instead activated his Age of God magic, Demon Change, to become a steel ogre.  His muscles bulged, straining against, and then tearing his shirt while his height also grew to over two meters.  His canine teeth also lengthened.

The light dragon's tail and fangs struck his back and shoulder respectively, however, rather than making him wet with blood, an impossible metallic sound rang out.

Saying that it was effective, Ryuutaro threw a punch and sent Kouki flying in the opposite direction to similarly crash into a building.

Though the remaining corpse-beast soldiers tried to attack him, a black sword came flying and intercepted them.  Shizuku went up beside Ryuutaro who was in a demonic form and commented that he was able to use it well.  Ryuutaro chuckled, saying that it was thanks to Hajime's “CheatMate”, while staring at the building Kouki had been knocked into without letting his guard down.

Transformation magic Demon Change – Using a magic stone as a medium to transform one's own body, one could gain the characteristics of the demon that had held the magic stone.

Even though Ryuutaro had an aptitude for Transformation magic, being a muscle head, he could not get the monsters in the abyss to follow him in a short time.

Then, while he thought, Tio's dragon transformation gave him a hint, and he finally reached the conclusion that if he could not tame the demonic beasts, he only had to become the one he wanted to follow him.  Immediately trying it out, he found that he was indeed very compatible with the magic since the normally highly advanced ability was performed rather easily.

Of course, because there was no time to train, the time that the change could be maintained was cruelly short, and there would be a bad reaction on transforming back, making it only good for a last resort.  Hajime, however, had solved this.

The solution, giving the body CheatMate, a supplement giving Transformation and Sublime magic to minerals not harmful to the body like calcium ground to a powder and mixing it with food.  The body would enter its best state for transformation and could endure a large load by strengthening it to a near Limit Break too.

The effects of CheatMate last half a day once taken, an article Hajime was satisfied with as it did not produce any side effects after use.  Everyone from Hajime's group had consumed one before entering the Sanctuary.  Shizuku being able to use 20 swords at once was also because of having taken this.

Incidentally, the naming came from CalorieMate.  If the story could be believed, mate had a meaning of “friend”.  It was a horrible naming.

While Shizuku and Ryuutaro looked around at the surrounding corpse-beast soldiers and joked with each other, they received an unexpected telepathy from Suzu, suggesting that she take care of Eri while they handle Kouki.  Shizuku asked her if she would be alright, to which Suzu responded that she would say what she wanted to say, hear what she wanted to hear, and then beat down that idiot.  Ryuutaro said that was fine and told her not to die.  Summing it up with a “That's for sure,” Suzu put Inaba on her head and went off in pursuit of Eri.

At that moment, the building Kouki had been knocked into exploded with a bright light and Kouki emerged with the light dragon and numerous mini light dragons.  He expressionlessly pointed his sword at them.

Shizuku and Ryuutaro set out in a pincer movement while the blast of Heaven's Might passed through where they had been afterward.  They rushed toward their idiotic childhood friend while considering the corpse-beast soldiers around them.

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Shizuku advanced toward the ruined building along with the petals of light and butterflies, as well as Inaba.

With no sign of Eri already, Inaba guided her using his sensitive rabbit ears.

For a moment, she though Eri had gone off to rescue Kouki.  The corpse-demon soldiers had disappeared from the surroundings and the only thing that could be heard was the sound of Shizuku's and Ryuutaro's combat in the distance.  In that strange space wrapped in an eerie silence, Suzu was sweating with the tension.

Inaba telepathically urged her to calm down.  Getting on her head and comically crossing his arms while nodding.  Suzu loosened her cheeks at the gesture.

At that moment, Inaba reversed his position, spinning on her head and delivering a strong kick behind her, knocking away Eri's gray sword.

Eri's voice sounded out, saying that in truth the disgusting rabbit was irritating.

Suzu turned and met Eri's cold eyes who had tried to attack her from behind.

Though the sword had been stopped by Inaba's foot which was equipped with an artifact of Hajime's design, it would have directly hit Suzu's head otherwise.  Judging by the power of both the sword and the kick, it was obvious that Eri had tried to kill her with a surprise attack.

Inaba twisted his body further, rotating on top of Suzu's head like he was break dancing and shot a shock wave out with his other foot.  The was a derivation of the Aerodynamic skill, Revolving Blast, which could shoot a shock wave from a kick.

Eri somersaulted in the air with her gray wings fluttering and dodged the shock wave.

Eri mentioned that she had heard that evolving monsters with Transformation magic took time to complete, and asked if Inaba didn't seem too abnormal, scrutinizing him while in a bad mood.

Suzu said that Inaba was special, with most of it being his original ability.

Eri complained that it smelled like foul play, but said that she didn't think Suzu would have many demonic beasts of that level, and then shot her dark magic at Inaba to obstruct his movements.  With that timing she then shot a gray flash attack that had the disintegration ability added to it.  Additionally, the corpse-beast soldiers hiding in the surrounding ruins came out together to obstruct the path of retreat.

Suzu called on the assistance of the rest of her insect companions while putting up her Sacred Absolute barrier.  From the sacred gems around her waist emerged two ten meter length centipedes, ten bees one meter in length with a red and black striped pattern, four six mantises with six sickles, and a four meter long spider.

The gray flashes were prevented by the barrier that was replenished from the dissolved edges while at the same time Suzu used the light petals of Sacred Absolute – Cherry Blossoms to cover the puppets.

The corpse-beast soldiers with the burning spears were assaulted by the barrage of the missile bees.  After five successive rounds fired by the ten of them within seconds, explosive flowers of flame bloomed.

The corpse-beast soldiers that were blown back were torn to pieces by the web of the steel thread spider that had spread its web across the valley of abandoned buildings.

Additionally, the corpse-beast soldiers that had gotten through the barrage of missile stingers were cut to pieces by the sickle mantises firing blades of wind from their six sickles.

Corpse-beast soldiers specialized in defense ran forward to prevent it while equipping large shields, while from their shadows emerged those who wielded large swords that could shoot out shock waves.
The sword wielding soldiers attacked the centipedes that were defending Suzu's back, easily dispersing them.  However, as they tried to close in on Suzu, they were struck by the acid emitted from the pieces of the centipedes, which melted them away without even leaving bones behind.

Reinforcements started appearing from the abandoned buildings, however the moment they emerged they were dragged underground by the jaws of ants.

Seeing her corpse-beast soldiers being annihilated by the various attacks of Suzu's insects, Eri couldn't help but leak out her disbelief, asking what was up with those demonic beasts since Freed had evolved the corpse-beasts to such an extent.

Eri felt her irritation increasing since she could not exceed Suzu's defense despite the great strength she had obtained.

While keeping up her bombardment, she tried to start casting Falling Consciousness on Suzu.

Then, with a cry, a white rabbit appeared.  His crimson eyes were narrowed dangerously as if to say, “How dare you do that to me!  I'll hit you around!”  At the same time as afterimages were generated by the excessive speed, Inaba shot Grand Leg at Eri.

Eri tried to defend with her gray wings, but could not finish generating destructive power and was blown off.

Inaba began pursuing her.  With his rabbit ears waving, he kicked up into the sky sending successive attacks.  The impact and wall of air generated by Inaba's kick was not due to a skill, but simply because his kick had broken the speed of sound.

Eri barely surpassed the storm of kicks using sword techniques and her apostle's specs.  Seeing Eri using sword techniques, Suzu's glance was astonished.  Eri shot the disintegration magic from her whole body.  Enduring it, Inaba kicked the air and returned to Suzu's side.

Starting to go a bit crazy, Eri starts shouting the question of why she is being cornered when her opponent isn't that monster(Hajime) after she obtained the body of an apostle, the corpse-beast soldiers, as well as the skill of the strongest swordsman in the kingdom.

Seeing Eri's distorted expression as she continuously shouted “How?!” in a frenzy, Suzu quietly answered that she had decided, because she wanted to talk with Eri.

To Eri's confused expression, Suzu continued saying that since Eri had made light of her she had worked hard so that she could no longer disregard her.  Although Hajime had helped when she was feeling miserable.

Eri jeered at her, guessing she had come for revenge for how she had been treated.  She seemed to have regained her composure believing she had seen Suzu's depth.

However, Suzu's expression did not change at Eri's words, and she continued quietly, saying she could never abuse or ridicule Eri, since she was the same for having used her.

Eri asked her what she meant while inclining her head.  Apparently she was also interested in Suzu's story since the corpse-beast soldiers did not attack and merely stood there surrounding her.

Suzu told her how she had always played the fool because she couldn't stand being alone.  Furthermore, a best friend was necessary to show that she was a normal person who could form special relationships rather than a heretic who changed the way she spoke simply so that she would be liked by everyone and not be hated.  Eri asked if that was her.  Suzu said yes, though of course she was not thinking about it consciously, but in Orcus she had noticed it.  When Kaori and Shizuku had clung to each other at the end she had been convinced that she and Eri were different, although she had desperately pretended she had not noticed.

Eri asked Suzu what she wanted to say with an irritated voice.

Suzu bowed to Eri and apologized for using her as a convenient tool.

Eri asked her if she came there just to say such trivial shit or if she thought she would care about such things.  Now that she had Kouki, Suzu had as much value as a stone on the roadside.

To Eri who looked like she had heard something worthless from the bottom of her heart, Suzu simply laughed and returned a smile, saying she knew it was only for her own self-satisfaction that she apologized.

Eri asked if the talk was over, but Suzu told her she wanted to hear the story of why Eri came to like Kouki.

Without a care for Eri, Suzu began rapidly firing off questions about Eri's home life as if tap dancing through a minefield, accurately guessing that since Eri never wanted Suzu over to her house to play, and that she refused to talk about her parents that there was some kind of an issue, and that Kouki had helped her out somehow.

For Eri who had been reflecting on those things a short while before, the dark feelings of her memories resurfaced.

She responded to Suzu with a silent bombardment of the gray flash attacking without mercy.  Suzu blocked it with her Sacred Absolute barrier while laughing with a smile.  Though the corpse-beast soldiers began to move again, Suzu's pets perfectly corresponded to them.

Suzu told Eri that she wants to know about her.  Until now she had said best friend without ever doing the duty of one, but now she wanted to know.  Eri asked if the shock of her betrayal had warped her.  Suzu told her not to dodge the question and to tell her about her feelings and what caused her to distort.  Eri shouted that she was annoying.

Suzu kept putting up barriers with a speed equal to them being destroyed.  In her gaze there was neither ridicule nor contempt for Eri, simply a sincere desire of wanting to know her.

Eri was irritated by that gaze, and her mind was unexpectedly disturbed.  In irritation she cast Lawless, a dark system magic that obstructed	image supplementation while casting magic.

Being able to create barriers at the same speed as the destruction magic was due to Suzu using images to supplement the magic casting.  Therefore, if that was interfered with the speed of the barriers developing would fall...

However, Eri let out an astonished voice as the speed which Suzu put up new barriers did not seem to drop at all.

Suzu said that she had lost room since the use of image supplementation was being interfered with.  Eri asked if that meant she wasn't being serious before.  Suzu replied in the affirmative since as a barrier master she wouldn't lose to anyone when it came to defense.  Although she was helped out by Hajime's artifact, and she couldn't say that if it were the attack of a true apostle.

To Eri's scrutinizing eyes Suzu seemed to mutter, “Because Kaorin's bombardment couldn't be caught.”

Suzu guessed that Eri, despite using an apostle's power, could only use about 30% of their ability, and that her sword techniques were acquired from Meld by necromancy.  Eri angrily told her not to get carried away.

Having been seen through, Eri no longer had the room to look down on Suzu and simply wanted to get rid of her quickly.

Suzu told Eri that she would not look away any longer and asked her again to teach her about herself.  Eri called her annoying for constantly saying to teach her and asked if she was trying to grasp her weakness performing some kind of mental attack.

Eri shot a large amount of ashes from her gray wings planning to attack Suzu from multiple directions to throw her off balance.  Since the corpse-beast soldiers could not approach due to Suzu's pets she would need to do it all herself.  She regretted being separated from Kouki who had superior offensive and defensive capabilities.

However, her plan was crushed by Suzu, who with a wave of her fan was surrounded by petals of light drawing a spiral around her.  The petals were erased in coming into contact with the ashes, but showed no signs of diminishing.

Suzu told Eri she was wrong, that she seriously wanted to know her and become friends with her again.

Asking what she is saying, Eri's bombardment weakened.  She was surprised Suzu would say such a thing after Eri had killed so many people and was trying to kill her as well.

Suzu agreed that it was strange, but those were her real feelings because she had remembered Eri's smile.  Eri grew even more confused, but Suzu continued, saying that though she knew her usual smile was fake, at times when she was staying over at Suzu's house, or when they were walking home together chatting or hanging out in a park doing nothing in particular, Eri would occasionally show and ironic, but also happy for a moment smile.  It wasn't an expression she showed to other people.  That's why Suzu guessed that it was her true smile shown only to Suzu when her mind had relaxed a little.

Eri was silent.  Her eyes were hidden by her bangs.  Her expression was concealed by the shadow caused by the flash.

Suzu's words resounded.  She was no longer frightened of being disliked.  She told Eri to come back with Kouki.  Being in a world of only two people was sad, and that she wanted to be with Eri again and become her true best friend this time.

Suzu returned her fan to her waist.  Before anyone was aware, the attack of the ashes had stopped, so the flower petals of light did not need to be moved.  She held her now empty hand out to Eri, saying that if she took it she would defend Eri, even if the opponent was Hajime.

The gray bombardment gradually lost momentum and disappeared.  Suzu also erased her barrier.  Both her pets and the corpse-beast soldiers stopped moving.

Suzu thought her words had reached her, however, when Eri met her gaze, her eyes were cold with contempt, and she asked if she was an idiot.

A huge magic formation appeared in the sky overhead.  The ashes Eri released had not only been used to attack Suzu, but had also circumvented her barrier to draw the magic formation above.  The magic formation shone gray, but spouted black miasma, and just like at Kamiyama before, a large crack appeared in the sky.

Eri said that was enough nonsense, calling her foolish and open thinking about what she was saying and thanked her for giving her time to complete it, telling her to die in a wave of summoned demonic beasts.

This time Suzu was silent.  In the sky, flying monsters were appearing one after another.  About 70 corpse-beast soldiers also remained.  On Suzu's side only three bees and a mantis were left while the rest were too seriously injured to continue fighting.  No matter how strong Inaba was, it might only be a matter of time before he was brought down by numbers.

And, the intense sounds of combat still came from far off.  The possibility of Shizuku and Ryuutaro coming to rescue her were low.

Eri grinned, enjoying it.  She raised her sword, asking if her “best friend” has any last words.  Likely the attack would start when she lowered her sword.

Suzu told Eri she was making light of her, and asked Inaba to take care of  the magic formation.  She pulled the fan from her waist showing neither impatience nor shaking, and looked straight at Eri with the will to confront her.

Eri instinctively retreated one step from that glance and then lowered her sword.  At that moment the demonic beasts and corpse-beast soldiers all attacked at once.  However, what the corpse-beast soldiers attacked was the demonic beasts.

Eri was angrily confused since her instructions should have reached the corpse-beast soldiers without obstruction.

Suzu answered Eri's question, saying that her butterflies could scatter scales of various characteristics.  Having been effected by them, now the corpse-beast soldiers saw the demonic beasts as Suzu and her pets.

Eri wanted to click her tongue at Suzu's careful preparation.  At the same time, part of the magic formation was crushed by Inaba's kick as he destroyed it at high speed.  Because the corpse-beast soldiers were originally knights of the kingdom skilled in fighting demonic beasts and their spec had been raised like a joke, the demonic beasts were being killed one after another.  Suzu pets were also healed by the corpse-beast soldiers specialized in recovery due to being made to look like allies by the butterflies and returned to battle.

Eri tried to make the butterflies a priority target and ordered all of the remaining loyal demonic beasts to go after them.  However, as soon as  they touched the butterfly, both of them would explode.

Suzu's voice reached Eri who was dumbfounded, asking if she thought all of the nearly one hundred butterflies were real.  In fact only about one third of them were.  The others were butterfly type golems created by Hajime containing combustion powder.  Using a minimum type of treasure warehouse, a large amount seemed to be packed in to each of them.

Eri narrowed her eyes and saw butterflies attached to the heads and backs of the corpse-demon soldiers.  As they destroyed the demonic beasts, it became a countdown for their own deaths as well.

Eri asked if it was checkmate, saying she never thought her plan would be ruined by Suzu and that it was probably because of that monster(Hajime).

Suzu wondered if she wasn't influenced by Hajime, however being there was her own will since Hajime would kill Eri if she left her alone.

Eri asked if Suzu was saying she came to save her.  Suzu said yes, because she wanted to start over again with Eri.

Eri said it was fine already, but then sprang at Suzu while at the same time casting Falling Consciousness at her, screaming for her to die.

Suzu bit her lip at Eri's suicide attack, mortified that her extended hand couldn't reach her.

Saying that she was sure it wasn't good to say something like why did things become this way, Suzu, with an expression as if smiling through her tears, held her fan while biting her lip that was dripping blood.

At that moment a barrier completely surrounded Eri.  She tore through it with her disintegration ability,  but it slowed her down enough to create an opportunity.  The moment the barrier was destroyed, light petals poured in and wrapped around her.  Eri tried to bombard them with her gray wings and hit them with her sword, but like leaves in the wind or flowing water the petals avoided the attacks.

Immediately after that, Suzu cast her Sacred Absolute – Light Scattering Flowers, and all the petals of light exploded in a chain.  At the same time further explosions sounded as the corpse-beast soldiers had finished killing the demonic beasts and self-destructed from the dummy golems.

Suzu was dyed orange by the explosive flame.  Inaba dropped onto her head and patted her with his front paws.

From among the flames, a shadow fell down toward the ground.  It was Eri, who had white smoke raising from her entire body.  Her limbs were twisted in strange directions and her gray wings had scattered.

Suzu moved her fan quickly and cast a net that caught Eri, placing her onto the ground.  Suzu went to her side, attended by Inaba.

Coughing, Eri said to kill her.

She seemed to have barely stayed conscious.

She said that being friends was impossible and that it was better to die.  There was neither ridicule nor contempt.  Eri was talking like she couldn't even see Suzu.  Suzu bit down on her lip.

Eri went on saying she was the worst about just about everything, but she just...
Suzu urged her on, but Eri wouldn't speak anymore.  Her life was spilling out.  Even though she had an apostle's body, Suzu's technique was not half-assed.  If nothing was done, Eri would die.

Suzu brought out a container from the treasure warehouse.  The contents were a recovery medicine made by Hajime's Transformation magic.  The effects were ten times greater than the highest class of recovery medicine.  Though it wouldn't produce immediate effects like holy water, the life could be preserved even if near death.

However, Eri, guessing what Suzu had taken out, looked at her severely.  There were no words, but her eyes said it all, that she would rather die than receive sympathy from Suzu.

Grasping the recovery medicine, Suzu ground her teeth realizing that this was their end.  She partially understood, but as expected her heart still tightened.

However, it could not be down halfway.  Her mind was not delivered.  She did not reach Eri.  The road Suzu should take is tying her mind and pulling her hand, not making her recover by force.  If Suzu does things halfway here, the tragedy of that day will be repeated again.

Only, it wasn't possible anymore.  It was a wish to look away from reality, blindly believing in a convenient future because Suzu knew in her flesh and bones what end could tie them together.

Suzu resolved herself that it would at least be by her hand and not any other.

Suzu put away the recovery medicine and grasped her fan instead.  She locked gazes with Eri.

Then, at that time, a terrific magic spouted from a distance in the valley of abandoned buildings.  Pure white magic pierced the heavens, changing into the shape of a ten meter tall person.  The giant's arm slammed down sending a large impact to even where Suzu stood.

Eri opened her eyes wide muttering Kouki's name.  Immediately afterward the giant of light disappeared.

Eri started shouting for Kouki, and her broken body started shining gray.  She flew off with terrific speed toward the place where the giant of light had been.

The dumbfounded Suzu who had not been able to move hurriedly ran after her back.


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