thened this technique even more.

Not only could Sharnid see his opponent standing far away, he could also see his targets. Sharnid's eye had captured its opponent's weak point as it captured his image. All that he needed do next was to shoot the Kei bullet. His target would go down.

Of course, he could only do this if his sniping skill was accurate.

Layfon said this was a dangerous move. Sharnid was increasing his level of Kei, executing the move he usually made while strengthening his body so he could hit his target more accurately.

More creatures attacked them. A second creature immediately took the space vacated by the first one. Sharnid continued to shoot. The creatures that got shot had the same fate as the first creature, deflecting and heading for the wall of Steel Threads.

Nina finally went beyond her limit and released her move when Sharnid made the fourth shot.

Combined Internal and External Kei variation - Raijin.

Rumbles instantly conquered the field. The huge snake of thunder created by the two iron whips evaporated one creature after another as it headed for the monster on the other side of the air shield.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

Nina howled. The sound of rumbles swallowed her roar and became much louder as if to condense her will. The mad snakes of thunder came together because of the iron whips that Nina crossed in front of her. It became a beast of lighting and hurled itself out with fangs bared. It burst through the air shield with Nina and, aiming at a point on the monster's body, a point that was so tiny compared to the entire body, she struck with the iron whips.

The destructive power of the strike hit one point of the body, seeped in and created a chain of explosions. Nina didn't stop. The destructive power cut straight into the monster's body as she continued to release Kei, making the monster unable to repair itself.

Forward, destroy, move forward and continue to destroy.

Behind Nina was the inside of the monster's body, an overwhelming sense of being swallowed. Nina felt it even though she was in the world of Raijin.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" she roared to dispel that feeling. She kept moving forward.

Finally, she burst through.

"Ah!"

She fell onto the ground.

She had never executed such a powerful Raijin before. The remnants of the ripples caused confusion in her consciousness. This only lasted for a short moment, but that was the truth. Nina shook her head to confirm her surroundings. She was on the bridge linking Zuellni and Grendan. She could see the city's legs. This meant she must be in Zuellni since she was inside an air shield.

"Hurry and run!"

Sharnid was running madly through the hole inside the monster's body and already, the flesh behind him was regenerating, attempting to close up the hole. He flew out of the hole as it sealed itself after him.

"That was exciting!" he panted.

Nina picked up the thing lying beside him. The flake that had come through with Sharnid had become a simple metal piece because the refilled hole had cut off the transmission of Psychokinesis. This was the end of contact with Grendan.

"We'll come back for you," she said to the flake she held it tightly in her hand.

She then urged Sharnid forward as they ran for the place where the Student President was.

◇

The blades weaved together. The Iron Dite cut through the dim atmosphere. The light of Kei became streaks, the scars of the sky. The two opponents' eyes were round as the two men continued to exchange positions, and they were both in the air. The creatures shot out from the monster's body continued to fall around them and in front of them. The rain of creatures became a rainstorm. They were blocked by a pillar of light covering the city's sky that prevented them from falling into the city.

That pillar of light seemed to be the Kei bullets of Barmelin. Barmelin was continuously shooting Kei bullets from two gun barrels, creating a river that continued to swallow the creatures.

And Layfon was in a position above that river.

If they went up a bit more, they could touch the air shield. Layfon and Derek jumped and used the creatures as their platforms. Their blades danced in the air.

"............"

"............"

They had nothing to say.

Or one should say they had missed their chance to make any questions. Both were moving their blades through their will. Layers of cut paths were drawn in the sky, cutting the creatures into pieces.

But both were canceling each other's moves as they read them. The apprentice who was using moves he learnt from his master. He was familiar with his master's movements......

And the master who faced his apprentice's moves. He understood his every movement. Even though his apprentice was using moves that went beyond him, moves that he created himself....

And the master was canceling those attacks through the experience that he held, experience that his apprentice didn't have.

Kei, as one of the abilities of a Military Artist, couldn't so simply fill up the gap, but it had now become something equivalent. Why did the master have the same amount of Kei as his student and was using it? This was unbelievable. But the student understood that knowing the reason now wouldn't have made any difference to his situation.

The master decided to stand before his apprentice. The apprentice decided to surpass his master. Perhaps this intention was related to this amount of Kei, but this wasn't the reason behind his master's decision. The master still stood before him even if he couldn't fill up the gap of strength in Kei.

In order to fulfill his will.

"Um!"

The cut paths clashed in a roar. The handles of the blades touched each other. On the other side of the blade was the harsh countenance of his master. The fight of Kei had changed the density of the air and twisted the vision.

They were on par in terms of technique.

External Kei variation. Internal Kei variation. They were on par.

There existed adaptable techniques in Psyharden even in the situation of two fighters holding off each other with the handles of their katana. The sparks created by the tiny clash adorned the two of them.

But it wasn't permitted to hold each other for long.

Shot down by Barmelin's Kei, the creatures would change their direction no matter where Barmelin's Kei hit, even if it was the tip of a nose. In the end, they were taken into the rushing river and became powder. The two fighters could only leapt away from their makeshift platforms and released long distance moves in the air to restrain each other.

Their moves cancelled each others’ out.

They were on par in terms of external and internal strength, as well as on Kei techniques.

It was as if the current Derek held the same level of Kei as a Heaven's Blade successor.

(But......)

The lightning of cutting paths struck the rain of creatures. Layfon pondered as he released his moves. Since both of them held a Heaven's Blade successor's level of Kei, then they must be limiting their Kei output through the Dite.

(I don't think father has completely grasped hold of the control of such Kei.)

Just when did Derek's Kei increase exponentially? If it happened over a long period of time, it must have occurred right after Layfon left Grendan. If it wasn't the case and was a recent event...... the timing between these two possibilities was huge. But it took Layfon a long time to master controlling his when he found out a normal Dite couldn't hold all of his Kei. It hadn't been a year since he left Grendan, so it wasn't possible for Derek to be able to take full control of the Kei he now held.

The pain Layfon suffered when he was still immature couldn't compare with the pain a fully matured Military Artist had endured, but the current Layfon had found out his opponent's weak point and he wouldn't let that go.

Besides, there was one more thing.

"........"

He held the handle of his Dite in a tight grip.

The weapon he gave up when he became a Heaven's Blade successor was his katana. And the first weapon that trapped him in such a situation was also the katana.

The crisis of a food shortage.

The minute reason of Layfon being a Military Artist gave him more food to eat than the other kids in the orphanage. The city would face destruction if its Military Artists' strengths were low. Food shortage had trapped the city in a crisis, but that wasn't the only crisis the city faced. Layfon was rationed with more food because he was a Military Artist. None of his siblings agreed with him, though he wanted to share his food with them.

Because he was a Military Artist.

He was the city's protector.

But he held a different opinion at that time.

No, what he wanted to protect wasn't the city but everyone in the orphanage. And he wanted to protect all orphanages in the city. He felt that he should protect all who were in the same situation as him.

Derek's katana had given direction to his feelings. Layfon continued to hone his skill and continued to climb upward as a Military Artist. He stood in a position that was higher than anyone else to protect the orphans of Grendan. This was the face he should have. This was the road his blade pointed out for him.

Layfon held that katana right now. He was releasing his move through the blade that pointed his path out for him. What pained him more was the fact that he was fighting the father who raised him in the orphanage. The murderous intent and fire of iron, blood and death weaved through this field.

The monster that covered the sky, the creatures shooting out of the monster's body, that all the Heaven's Blades were battling and yet were unable to stop this whirlwind. Father and son fought in this insane situation.

(No matter what........)

Layfon had decided.

Even if...... that too.

He jumped to the boundary of the air shield and landed on a creature. He let his Kei explode, increase, refine, continued to increase the density level. The particles of dust in the air around him burnt because of the Kei he released.

He buried his blade deeply in the vicinity of his left waist. His left hand pressed down on the blade.

He was ready to pull out the weapon.

Derek was in a position almost on the same line as Layfon and making the same pose.

The two of them were thinking the same thing. Or that Derek felt there wasn't any other move better than this.

This would have fallen right into Layfon's lap if it were the latter.

Psyharden technique - Water mirror. Reflected Water Ferry.

A silent, high-speed technique. Both fighters appeared on the creature they wanted in the next split second. They took away their left hands that were pressing down the blades.

Psyharden technique - Flame Cut.

The two flame writhed cut paths clashed into each other. The two Keis clung to each other like glue. The two moves were fighting each other.

And the result was as expected.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Layfon continued to raise the level of his Kei. He kept pouring Kei into the Dite even though it far exceeded the amount the Iron Dite was capable of receiving. A slight error occurred in the external Kei that were glued to each other, almost deciding the direction of the explosion.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Derek roared. Father was also pouring Kei into his Dite and turning it into external Kei. The two Kei became glue-like again.

And then......

Kei continued to rise and rise and rise and surpassed the limit of the Dites.

The blades gradually turned red hot and then both Dites exploded.

Both fighters threw away their Dites and pulled open the distance between them. The explosion hadn't affected Layfon but his chest hurt. He had lost his Iron Dite. This wasn't the first time he had lost a weapon as it had occurred several times in Zuellni. His lack of control of Kei before he became a Heaven's Blade successor had damaged many Dites. He could ask Harley to make another Iron Dite when he returned to Zuellni. Harley had the data of his Dite. He could use the same material to make a Dite that was the same in shape, weight and balance.

But that Dite would never return.

The proof of father's forgiveness, the symbol of reconciliation that Leerin brought him, would never return.

This pain grinded at Layfon.

But....

He watched Derek as he bore this invisible pain.

Derek didn't have anything in his hand. He also wasn't holding another Dite in his weapon harness.

Exactly as Layfon suspected.

But in Layfon's weapon harness were three Dites, the Sapphire Dite, the Adamantium Dite and the Shim Adamantium Dite.

It would end here.

He had lost the Iron Dite, the proof of reconciliation. Even so, he wouldn't kill the father who had lost his weapon. He would only keep on going.

Though he didn't mean to let down his guard, the sense of relief and pain spreading through him wasn't a lie.

But Derek wasn't aiming for that. In reality, he didn't seem to want to.

Layfon didn't miss his reaction, but the appearance of that thing was too sudden.

A thing of nostalgia. That thing was closing in with incredible speed.

Unbelievable.

That thing was heading right for them as if it didn't want the fight to end like this.

"No way........?"

Layfon's gaze moved away from Derek, but Derek wasn't moving.

His father had felt it too.

That thing flew into the sky, becoming a streak of white light. It flew for the position in between Layfon and Derek. It hit a creature and the light suddenly disappeared.

The creature was destroyed, leaving behind a tiny thing. It was very tiny compared to the huge creature it just destroyed.

It was rumored to be a material that didn't exist outside Grendan.

"A Heaven's Blade......"

The line of trajectory slowly faded.

Heaven's Blade.

Wolfstein.

The thing that Layfon held in the past.

He thought of that and immediately reacted. Derek moved too. He leaped for the weapon in order to fulfill his will. Layfon wouldn't let him take it. He couldn't let the fight drag on anymore. He jumped for it and reached out with his hand.

Both outstretched hands wove together.

◇

Two lights.

Leerin saw them in the tower of the palace, but it was apparent that they didn't appear in her eyes in their physical form. The image appeared through her right eye.

Twelve lights.

Just what were they? Leerin knew.

The Heaven's Blades.

The twelve pieces of metal held different appearances. They lined up in front of her. Of course, this was just an image in her head.

"Why?"

Why could she see them now? No.... Just like the existence of the Queen who held the absolute power of a Military Aritst, and just like the existence of the right eye that Leerin held that was related to the creation of this world, the Heaven's Blade successors existed in Grendan, so there must be a purpose to them. The existence of Heaven's Blades that made the potential of Heaven's Blade successors into reality was necessary.

Perhaps similar, it held some important meaning just like Leerin's right eye.

But why?

The Queen.

The right eye.

And Heaven's Blades.

The world Saya created.

The moving city that Saya slept in.

The moon.

The cross of thorns.

"........ Uh!"

The sudden pain made her stop thinking. She felt that she understood something, a feeling of almost finding all the pieces of the puzzle only to have to reassemble it again. Remnants of unhappiness. The pain in her head made her think of something else.

The cross of thorns.

Tho......rns.

She did see the image of a thorn entering his body when Derek left. What did that mean? The speed of the answer came faster than that of the question surrounding the Heaven's Blades. The answer appeared clearly in her head. Why was the answer so obvious? The answer was simple because its predecessor already existed.

She had chosen her protector subconsciously, and had similarly given him a thorn. Did it happen when he was still a baby, when he was a small child, when he was an adolescent or when he left?

Layfon Alseif.

Leerin subconsciously chose him to be her protector just because Derek happened to pick him up on the same day that he picked her up. The power in her right eye, the cross of thorns, entered Layfon in order to protect the slumbering princess. Layfon held a huge amount of Kei from when he was young. He easily became a Heaven's Blade successor. Living inside him was Airen, the ancestor of all Military Artists, the man who had become the moon to protect this world, the particles from his body that brought Military Artists into existence. It held the same meaning as the thing that generations of the three royal families sought.

Leerin's power made Layfon into a Heaven's Blade successor. Because she had given him the power that was needed to become a Heaven's Blade successor.

Then it was also her responsibility that he was exiled from Grendan. The Queen wouldn't have exiled him for entering the underground matches if he wasn't a Heaven's Blade successor.

In truth, the other Military Artists who participated in underground matches weren't exiled. Leerin felt that Layfon was exiled not because of his participation but because of that tragedy in the Heaven's Blade title match. That was the real reason.

Either way, the ending would have been different had he not become a Heaven's Blade successor. So she didn't want him to get hurt anymore.... But, ah.... But to give Derek the thorn in order not to get Layfon involved.... She couldn't forgive herself even though it wasn't her intention.

She lifted her head as she hated herself. Because of that, she couldn't retreat anymore. She couldn't always be protected. She must do all she could for this desperate situation.

◇

The hand he reached out did tightly grasp hold of it.

The two people used their momentum to brush past each other.

In Layfon's hand was the restored Heaven's Blade. Layfon landed on a creature. The remnants of the Kei flowing through his body shattered the creature and he leapt again.

He had time to confirm the Heaven's Blade in his hand as he jumped.

"Uh!"

The shape was different. He was holding a sharp katana. Wolfstein should have been a sword. No one had taken the title after Layfon. The setting hadn't been cancelled and so the blade should have been a sword. Either way, Wolfstein wouldn't have reacted to Layfon's voice and Kei and restored itself if the setting had been reset.

And this wasn't the only strange thing.

Kei filled with majesty headed for him like a storm. Layfon turned his gaze to it.

Derek was jumping between the gaps of the creatures to him.

He was also holding a katana, and the shape of it was the same as the one in Layfon's hand. Layfon was right. That was a Heaven's Blade. Besides, Derek was releasing more Kei than before. Only a Heaven's Blade could withstand that amount of Kei.

There were two Heaven's Blades?

No. That wasn't possible.

So the katana had split into two just like Savaris' gloves. But why? Layfon had no time to ponder because Derek was in front of him. He raised his katana to block the strike, wielding it as he poured all of his Kei into the blade.

The two Heaven's Blades clashed.

And the remnants of Kei created from this clash destroyed the creatures surrounding them.

He didn't have to confirm it anymore. It was a Heaven's Blade. He didn't understand what was happening but he hated the katana in his hand. This battle would have ended if the Heaven's Blade hadn't appeared.

"No one would acknowledge that half-hearted result!"

Derek's voice echoed in the sky.

"This battle won't end until one side falls. Throw away the katana and leave if you don't want to fight."

Layfon gritted his teeth. The fact that Derek didn't understand his feeling made blood rush up to his head.

But he controlled himself. Father was showing his preparation, showing his all without reservation. He had to defeat him if he were to disobey his father. He couldn't see Leerin if he didn't do that because Father already said he wouldn't let him see her.

Father was prepared to die for his will.

"Wu........"

Layfon could easily shatter his preparation no matter how strong it was, no matter how much it would hurt him if the gap of strength remained as it was before. But he couldn't do that now. They were even. Both of them held the Heaven's Blade that allowed them to use their Kei without regret.

He would die if he got distracted in this fight.

"Then show me your resolve again."

Derek rushed him.

He raised the katana to receive the strike.

The two jumped from one creature to another. The blades danced in the air. The remnants of their kei annihilated the creatures around them and making them lose their platforms, but they used the remnants to make themselves jump again to another creature, to find a new platform.

And then they clashed once more.

Numerous spaces were opening up in the torrent of creatures falling from Grendan's sky.

◇

A few people thought this was good timing.

To put it correctly, they were Heaven's Blade successors.

"...... Layfon. Who is the other person?"

Ruimei watched the sky. His huge body hadn't moved, but the metal chain that was connected to a metal ball covered the entire area he was responsible for, exuding the light of Kei. The surrounding was shockingly quiet. Creatures continued to rain down in other areas and the Heaven's Blades were dealing with them. The battles were quite tragic yet grand, but that scenery didn't take place here.

Ruimei's chain didn't only cover the ground of the outer edge, it had also sunk inside the monster's body as if it was part of the monster's skin. The first strike of the metal ball had entered the body and left itself in it.

External Kei variation - Lightning Quake.

The metal ball and chain inside the monster's body flowed Ruimei's kei in a rampage. This was destroying the creatures being shot out of the monster's body. Unlike the silence in the surrounding, Ruimei's mad destructive power was eating into the monster.

But one could only say they were on par with each other.

Ruimei turned his gaze back to the monster, but the rough hand patting his chin showed he was thinking of something.

"........ Can't we use him?"

(You're right.)

Delbone's flake replied next to him.

This was what Ruimei was considering.

(Tigris and Barmelin don't have as many to deal with because of the fight in the sky. This is a chance to take action.)

What that fight was about, how it was connected to the current situation, who Layfon was fighting against, all these meant nothing to Ruimei. His current mission was to fight this monster and not to chase after the details of Layfon's battle.

He should take advantage of this if Layfon's fight could make changes in the current situation. This was all he was pondering about.

"Really, I wish that fight were happening near me."

This was all he took notice of.

"Ha? Better to come over to my side than yours."

Cauntia's voice came through the flake. This defensive fight must be boring for her as she specialized in offence. But then, Ruimei was the same.

"You're annoying. For someone who can't fight without Reverse, you've no right to speak."

"What did you say!? Careful else I cut your stomach in half!"

"Come over here if you were to do that."

"Both of you, stop arguing."

Reverse's tension-filled voice that was unlike his usual calm made the two stop arguing. His words in battle were that powerful.

"We have to defeat the monster. It matters not who beats it."

"Exactly."

Kalvan entered the conversation.

"Delbone, have you discovered the enemy's weak point?"

(My flakes situated outside the city can't work because the transmission of Psychokinesis is cut off. I haven't found anything inside the city. I'm afraid the inside of this monster is made of atoms from creatures.)

"Then we have to find it from outside the monster."

Kanaris entered the conversation too.

"We can't change our assigned locations. Then let Tigris or Barmelin make a hole in that monster. There isn't any other way. What do you think about a hole that can remain open for a long period of time?"

(That's good. A thorough investigation will take a minute or so.)

"Let's give this good mission to the young," Tigris said.

"Eh?"

Tigris obviously meant someone else, and that made Barmelin call out in disapproval.

"It's better for you old timers to do this than the creepy guy there."

"Shut up. So annoying."

"What did you say! You filth!"

"Okay okay. Let me do it."

"You shut up!" the two howled together when Troyatte tried to break up the fight.

"A creepy personality has nothing to do with your level of strength," Troyatte said with a bitter smile.

"Leave it to Lintence to keep the hole open, since he's got time."

"...... I'm not just playing around."

"Even so, you can do it right? You're the strongest Heaven's Blade successor."

"........"

Lintence chose silence at this obvious provocation.

"All right. We'll attack the other places. Should that help you out?"

"Unnecessary."

The others chose silence at his displeased reply.

"What is Her Majesty doing?"

(Her Majesty is concentrating. If she didn't accurately give the monster a fatal strike, the rebound and heat of her attack would be too much for the city.)

"That's troublesome."

Troyatte's sigh closed the conversation.

"Then, let's go."

"You annoying old man. Guard me well."

Tigris and Barmelin, who had been continuously shooting Kei bullets and arrows, regulated their breathing. The Heaven's Blade at Barmelin's feet, Swattice, seemed lonely for not getting the chance to be used.

"Ha."

Tigris shot out Meandering Haze to eliminate all creatures in his area.

"......Wu."

Tigris took a step forward and changed his pose when Meandering Haze was swallowing the creatures. He pointed his bow at the sky and pulled his Kei together in an instant.

The light he released became a pillar, running straight through the sky.-->>

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