After that, I took Lavinia's hand and led her away from that spot, my mind racing to figure out how to survive this final hell. First and foremost, I had to assess the difference in our power. I took a deep breath to calm my pounding heart and sat down in the room that had been prepared for us. We both remained silent for a while.
"...Lavinia, do you think you can land a single hit?"
"It will be very difficult. My Sacred Gear is of the ice and snow element, which I do not believe is a good match against a dragon who commands fire. I think my power will likely be overwhelmed."
"When he was chasing me yesterday, I tried hitting him with my Sacred Gear with everything I had. Of course, I used my deletion effect to eliminate air resistance and imbued it with my full-power 'Ruin.' Tannin took it head-on without flinching, but… it didn't even pierce his skin."
"...Oh, dear."
"Oh, dear" was right. How were we supposed to land a single blow? The first problem was that there was almost no support I could offer. My Ruin Javelin is a technique that only works if it pierces the opponent. If a dart won't work, maybe making it bigger would, but I probably wouldn't be able to handle it. Throwing a spear requires a considerable amount of control and strength.
"My Sacred Gear, Absolute Demise, is made of ice, so it can be repaired no matter how many times it is broken. However, at my current level, creating one about three meters in size is my limit. Any larger, and fine control becomes difficult, and it could potentially go berserk."
"It's a Longinus, one of the most powerful Sacred Gears. Of course it's going to be hard to control," I said. "...By the way, Lavinia, are you able to use Balance Breaker?"
"What?!"
Her eyes widened in surprise at my words, and she shook her head vigorously. In the original story, Balance Breakers were popping up like they were on sale, so I was a little relieved. It would have been nerve-wracking for my position as her partner if a ten-year-old girl had already mastered her Sacred Gear's ultimate technique. I just asked out of curiosity, I said, brushing it off.
Azazel himself had said in the original story that it was strange for there to be so many people who could use Balance Breaker, so it must have been a truly rare phenomenon in this era. For reference, Balance Breaker is an immense power, capable of disrupting the world's equilibrium, that is unleashed when a user reaches a certain domain by enhancing their Sacred Gear's power. It could be called the trump card of a Sacred Gear. For that reason, it was difficult to handle, and some forms were draining and hard to control.
A Sacred Gear grows stronger by feeding on its owner's will, changing and evolving. But when that will becomes so dramatic that it goes against the very "flow" of the world, it reaches the next domain. A power that breaks the balance, hence the name Balance Breaker. Its power was said to rival even that of a high-class devil.
A will strong enough to break the flow of the world… I wondered if a day would ever come when I could harbor such a feeling. Honestly, with my personality, I felt like I was the furthest from achieving Balance Breaker. I was well aware of my own pathetic nature. I felt a little down, but I shook my head hard to cast off the thoughts of things I couldn't change right now. In any case, we had to do everything we could with the cards we were dealt.
My hand was my Sacred Gear. That was all I had. Using my deletion effect on myself probably wouldn't be very effective in this fight. I could use four slots for deletion, but one was already dedicated to the lifeline that allowed me to stay in the Underworld, so I effectively had three. What could I possibly do with these three slots?
Think, really think. What can I do? If a Longinus was having trouble, magic probably wouldn't work either. No, but maybe I could create an opening. But even if I could create an opening, how could I deliver a blow that would damage that former Dragon King? We didn't have the kind of power Issei Hyoudou did. Our opponent was a dragon, and one that possessed the traits of a reincarnated devil on top of that.
…Wait a minute. Could that possibly work? Right, because Tannin is—
"Lavinia, I might have a way to damage Tannin, but only for a single hit."
"Really?"
"But if he figures it out, he'll definitely be on his guard. So we have to create a situation where we can land that one hit…"
I explained my idea to Lavinia, and her eyes blinked wide. Then she agreed, "With that, we could certainly land something that feels like a hit." A single ray of hope had appeared, and the tense expressions on our faces finally broke into smiles. Now the only question was how to create that situation…
"Hey, you two. If we don't start soon, the sun will set. Normally, you don't get this much leisure time before a battle. More importantly, I want to get back to my inventions using those dragon scales," Azazel's voice called out.
"Just a minute! You're the one who gave us this impossible task! A real teacher would be praying for his cute students' safety instead of thinking about research and inventions…"
"Hey, Kanata?"
"Azazel, inventions, combining, shattering the world's conventions…"
"Hey, what's with that string of words?"
Azazel was saying something, but I was lost in thought. Seeing him had reminded me of a certain form he had shown in the original story. Could I possibly recreate it with my power? No, I probably could. With this, there was something I could do.
Moreover, it would provide maximum support for Lavinia and should greatly expand her tactical options. A new card for us, who lacked power and were poor at close combat. An idea born from the combination of her Sacred Gear and mine. I was sure we could do it.
"Lavinia! Tell me if you think this is possible!"
"Huh? What is it?"
She looked at me curiously and leaned in. I lowered my voice as if sharing a secret and told her my idea. For a moment, she looked even more surprised than she had at my previous suggestion, but then her eyes started to sparkle.
"I want to try it! Kana, let's do it! I want to see it!"
"Right? You want to see it, don't you!"
"Yes, I will do my best. We will bring the Japanese anime you told me about to life with our own hands!"
"H-Hey, you two. What are you planning? Or rather, what did you come up with? I have a feeling it's nothing good…"
We would definitely not tell the person who caused all this in the first place. With our idea formed, we ignored Azazel and resumed our whispered conversation. I thought I heard him mutter something like, "My own students are shutting me out…" but I decided to pretend it was just my imagination for now.
Our opponent was Tannin. A long battle would be to our disadvantage, and his raw power was overwhelmingly superior. Normal attacks would never reach his tough body. So, we wouldn't engage in a power contest. Why should we have to fight on our opponent's terms? Anything would do. If we landed one hit, we won. Yes, hewas the one who said, "any single blow will do." So we wouldn't hold back.
And so, on the last day of my summer vacation training in the Underworld, the tag-team battle of Lavinia and I versus Tannin was about to begin.
***
"What's wrong, Azazel?"
"Oh, you know, I got kicked out of the strategy meeting."
Tannin called out curiously to Azazel, who had just emerged from the ruins scratching his head. The reply came with a laugh. A Fallen Angel and a former dragon, they had known each other for a long time. But they had never been on such terms as to make small talk like this. They had had a few business-like conversations and deals, but with no common topics, they had kept their distance.
But now, with him visiting as a chaperone for children, a common topic had emerged. Tannin had wondered what the Governor-General of an organization was doing, but he also knew this was the kind of man Azazel was. He knew through Mephisto that Azazel did not desire war. But he also knew he was an elusive, untrustworthy man. And this man was being led around by two children barely ten years old. The thought made him chuckle.
"Hey, don't laugh."
"Heh heh, you'll have to forgive me for that. But since when did you become a teacher?"
"About a month ago. I'm teaching them about Sacred Gears, so they call me that. And just so you know, it was their idea."
"The fact that you allow it makes you just as much one. Not that I'm one to talk."
Although it was at Mephisto's request, he was the one who had trained the boy. He never thought he would be training a child of another species, a human one at that. The boy's personality was cowardly and human-like, but he had worked hard, even while complaining. The boy himself was an ordinary child, but his Sacred Gear was indeed troublesome.
It was worthy of the caution Mephisto and Azazel showed it. It was hard to tell if the boy himself understood, but if they pushed him too hard, his personality would prevent him from using his power effectively. At the very least, he had the will to become stronger. For now, watching over him while observing his progress seemed to be the best course of action.
"Still, a strategy meeting to fight me, is it? Heh, well, I hope they can at least entertain me."
"Ah, about that, Tannin. If you're not careful, you might actually get hit," Azazel said.
"What?"
"For me, this final training was just about them gaining experience against a truly powerful opponent. An extraordinary combat experience enhances the quality of a Sacred Gear. It's still impossible for them to land a blow on you at their current level. If there's a chance, it's with Lavinia, but she still hasn't been able to fully commit to unleashing what's inside her. The difference in our power is simply too great."
That was the conclusion they had reached before it even began. Tannin himself shared Azazel's assessment. He would hold back, but he had no intention of taking it easy, and dragons were not so soft as to let them win on purpose. Dragons were beings of power, born to fight. Many of them hated losing more than anything. Tannin was relatively less bloodthirsty than other dragons, but only relatively. The desire to fight strong opponents and aim for greater heights had not faded.
"You say that with such conviction. What is your basis?"
"...You know, Tannin, I love researching Sacred Gears. They're fascinating. They stimulate my collector's spirit, and their growth changes depending on their owner. I see them as a mass of potential that can't be measured by simple power."
"…"
"But it's been a long time since the war ended. I don't think I've figured everything out, but it's also true that there are fewer things that show me the kind of potential that piques my interest. But recently, a new source of entertainment that makes me want to see what happens next has appeared."
"...That Sacred Gear?"
At the doubtful reply, Azazel's eyes narrowed with amusement as he shook his head.
"That's part of it, but what I want to see is—that idiot's screw-ups. He removes his limiters, develops a mock-Senjutsu, and sometimes comes up with the most idiotic ideas that make you wonder why he'd go in that direction. He's usually a hopeless case, but he unconsciously pulls off things that are just dumbfounding. And more than anything, a guy like that has a way of moving the people around him."
To put it bluntly, he was a little off. He should have been the same as any other human, but something was different. Azazel was the Governor-General of the Fallen Angels, a man who had been called shady and untrustworthy his whole life. And yet, this boy acknowledged him as a teacher and placed his complete trust in him.
To make him train with the dragons, Azazel had forcibly trampled on what the boy held dear, telling him he couldn't return to his normal life. And yet, the boy unconsciously believed that this person would not betray him. Azazel didn't know the reason for it. What had surprised him the most was the straightforward trust directed at him.
Sacred Gears respond to their owner's will. How would this memento left behind by God grow from here? He neither drowned in his power nor cowered before it. A human, weak in both body and mind, was desperately struggling to master his Sacred Gear in his own way, to live his future. He wouldn't grow much unless someone set a direction for him and gave him a push, but the self-proclaimed "not-so-busy" Fallen Angel had found it entertaining enough to be worth the trouble.
"It seems that idiot has come up with something interesting. See? Aren't you excited?"
"I see. So it's a question of whether the dragon wins or the idiot wins… But are you sure it's okay to tell me all that?"
"It's payback for excluding me."
"Are you a child?"
As the former Dragon King looked on in exasperation, the Fallen Angel laughed heartily. Then, the two of them sensed a presence slowly approaching the exit of the ruins and exchanged smiles. Tannin crossed his arms and waited quietly, while Azazel leaned against the wall, settling in to watch.
"Are you ready?"
"Um, yes. We'll do our best. By the way, we win if we land one hit, but what counts as a loss for us? A single hit from you would probably kill us."
"Ah, right. What should we do, Tannin?"
"I'll hold back, but I'll also parry and counterattack. If it gets dangerous, Azazel, you jump in. You've been doing nothing but research since the Great War, but you should still be able to manage that much."
"Well, I suppose I can do that much. Alright then, if I have to step in, you lose. Deal?"
"...Understood."
Kanata confirmed the rules and nodded with a difficult expression. He seemed to be muttering his usual "Tannin really doesn't hold back…" under his breath. Azazel had wondered if he would be frozen with fear and tension facing a dragon, but that didn't seem to be a concern. The two weeks he had spent with the dragons must have given him a fair bit of courage.
Now, how would Lavinia compensate for her lack of power? And how would Kanata fight an opponent his Sacred Gear's abilities were ineffective against? With their respective weapons in hand, the two of them walked straight out into the open area.
"I will give you the first move. Now, let us begin."
At Tannin's handicap, Kanata and Lavinia exchanged a quick glance and nodded in agreement. Lavinia then took a step forward and slowly spread her arms to her sides. She took a small breath, and particles of light began to dance around her. From her movements, he could tell she was playing her hand right away. And it was the right choice. Against an opponent with such a large power gap, there would be no opportunity to prepare leisurely. They had chosen to make effective use of Tannin's handicap.
"—Awaken, from your eternal slumber. And grant the fool, an eternal sleep—"
A mystical, pale blue light. Deep blue eyes that seemed to hold the abyss. An icy aura that sought to envelop the surroundings. Azazel could feel that the quality of her cold energy had improved. Lavinia had a gentle personality, but she was good at switching her way of thinking, and her diligence and seriousness had steadily developed her skills as a mage. Naturally, that also affected her Sacred Gear. The training she had diligently accumulated had further polished her skills, making her worthy of being called the prized student of Mephisto Pheles.
A blizzard raged before their eyes, and a mass of ice began to take a human form. The ice doll, probably about three meters tall, was clad in a beautiful dress, and its four arms creaked. But its opponent was a giant dragon, about fifteen meters tall. From the side, the difference was even greater than that between an adult and a child. Yet, the six eyes it had created stared forward without flinching.
One of the thirteen Longinus, Absolute Demise. Its ice freezes all things, putting them to sleep. What made it particularly dangerous was that it was an Independent Avatar-type Sacred Gear made of ice. This Ice Princess felt no pain. Furthermore, it could be repaired no matter how many times it was broken and would continue to regenerate as long as its owner was not defeated. The Ice Princess itself was clad in a cold aura that could freeze its opponents, so simply touching it would cause them to freeze over.
Therefore, close combat with this Independent Avatar-type Sacred Gear was extremely dangerous. A punch would be frozen from the fist, and even an attack with a weapon would freeze the weapon itself. Furthermore, the secondary effect of the Sacred Gear's activation would lower the surrounding temperature, draining the opponent's stamina over time, and the ground would become covered in ice, turning the battlefield into a field advantageous to the Ice Princess.
"...Ruin Ronscarlet."
At the same time as the awe-inspiring princess was formed, a crimson spear glowed in Kanata's hand. The heretical Sacred Gear that governs the ability of deletion, having strayed from its original function. It was reacting more strongly than ever before, perhaps in response to the aura of the Dragon King and the Longinus.
"Analyze."
Amidst the howling, cold wind, a quiet voice echoed. The Sacred Gear in the boy's hand shone, and as its power was deconstructed, a new spear was created and thrust into the ground. He gripped the original Sacred Gear in his left hand and pulled the one stuck in the ground out with his right.
"From the density of the Sacred Gear's power, it seems he's divided the abilities into one for the original and three for the one he just pulled out. The original is probably the one he's using to survive in the Underworld."
Azazel analyzed, stroking his chin. Now, how would they fight with the two spears created by deconstructing the four deletion slots? No matter how powerful the ice Longinus was, it was at a disadvantage against a dragon that could produce Maou-class flames.
"...First of all, Lavinia and I both agree that Absolute Demise and Ruin Javelin won't work on Tannin. Lavinia's ice isn't strong enough to freeze a Dragon King's flames. And with my current abilities, I can't erase the flames or delete the skin of that tough dragon. So, I realized I can't support her by weakening Tannin or creating openings," Kanata explained.
"Hmm, so you'll give up?"
"No, there's one thing I wanted to try. Support isn't just about jamming the enemy, right? If it doesn't work on Tannin, then I just need to think outside the box. I realized I could just simply strengthen our own side."
Kanata readied the spear he had pulled out in his right hand and slowly, largely, wound up.
"My Sacred Gear's effect won't activate on others unless it pierces them. But I can activate its abilities just by touching it myself. I've been saved by this spear's effects many times."
By using the power of deletion on himself, he had been able to do various things, like erasing his presence, erasing his wounds, and erasing the effects of gravity. He had been saved by the power of his Sacred Gear against stray devils, stray mages, and during his training with the dragons.
"But I can't bring out its true potential because I'm not strong enough. It's frustrating. If I could erase my own air resistance, I might be able to move at high speeds, and if I could erase things like recoil, I think I could deliver some incredible physical attacks. But if I tried close combat with my stamina, I'd run out of gas immediately, and more importantly, a human body would self-destruct from such reckless movements."
He couldn't continuously stab an ally to apply the effect, and using the ability carelessly could easily break them. That's why he had put strengthening on hold and opted to weaken the enemy instead. But then, he had a flash of inspiration. If he had an ally who wouldn't be concerned about self-destruction, wouldn't all his problems be solved?
"But what if I had an ally who wouldn't feel pain even if I stabbed them with the spear? What if they had a body that wouldn't self-destruct even with reckless ability manipulation? And what if, even if they broke, they could regenerate again and again and keep charging at the enemy? A transcendent being with a near-infinite regenerative ability, similar to my own. Don't you think… that would be the best?"
"—Hey."
"...Kanata Kuramoto, Lavinia, you two."
"If one isn't enough, then we just have to combine them. Sacred Gear Unison. This is the method we found to fight against a superior opponent, making the most of my and Lavinia's synergy!"
Azazel and Tannin finally realized their objective. Combining Sacred Gears. Not the users cooperating, but fusing the Sacred Gears themselves, making two powers into one. What is this?was their immediate thought. But theoretically, it was possible. Between a Longinus that was an Independent Avatar-type yet an inorganic substance of ice, and a Sacred Gear that governed the effect of deletion through stabbing.
Kanata then took the spear in his hand and—thrust it vigorously into Absolute Demise. Lavinia had created a thin film of ice on the Ice Princess's body, creating a place to insert the crimson spear. She then covered the spear with ice, creating a sturdy defense to prevent it from coming out. The eyes of the Ice Princess, having taken in Kanata's Sacred Gear, glowed with a crimson light.
"Go, Demise Gear Doll!"
As if responding to Lavinia's voice, the Ice Princess's form changed. Slits appeared in her graceful dress, making it easier to move. Her transparent hair, which had been tied up, now flowed straight down her back. Ice formed over the doll's joints, covering its body like armor. Furthermore, fairy-like ice wings sprouted from her back, and ice blades grew from her four arms, her form now filled with the fighting spirit of a war goddess.
The slender, female-form ice body thrust its right hand forward, taking a stance to face the enemy. Within the cold, rugged form that felt devoid of life, there seemed to reside a heat called romance.
The Sacred Gear Unison Kanata had come up with—was born from remembering one of Azazel's inventions. The mad scientist, true to his own desires, had nonchalantly created robots and UFOs in a fantasy world. That had given him the idea.
If he stabbed the spear of deletion into a giant, remotely operated Sacred Gear with a body of ice, he might be able to make it fly through the power of his ability, move at high speeds ignoring G-forces, and since it was ice, maybe even launch its arm for a rocket punch-like attack. It was a fantasy Sacred Gear, but the remote-control aspect was robot-like, and frankly, he just wanted to try it, so who cares about the world's conventions? With that kind of thinking, the ice Sacred Gear robot came to be.
This was a combination technique created on a whim, fueled by the passion of a Japanese boy who loved anime and manga, and a foreign girl who had been inspired by Japanese culture. That was the Sacred Gear Unison, Demise Gear Doll.
"Alright! Let's go, Lavinia! A robot's not cool if it can't fly!"
"Yes! Kana, go for it!"
"W-Wait, you two! A robot?! I know of their existence from human culture, but why a robot here?! And more importantly, what's with this high tension?!"
"Being able to control a robot, even if it's by remote, is a childhood dream! To think something like this could be realized, fantasy really is amazing, isn't it!"
"That's not fantasy! You fools!!" Tannin's roar shook the canyon.
"That's right, you two! What in the world are you doing?!"
"Azazel!"
"Why didn't you let me in on such a fun plan?! If I had been there, I could have given you ideas for an even more beautiful and refined form, or installed more interesting gimmicks, and so much more!"
"Is there no one but fools here?!"
The heartfelt cry of the Governor-General of the Fallen Angels, pounding the ground with his fist in genuine frustration, and the Dragon King, who had earned the title of "pitiful" for being too sensible, echoed throughout the canyon.
***
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