Original chapter: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n0383ht/64/

 I lock blades with the full-body suit man using Dreamer gripped in both hands.

The enemy's body is hard; especially his hands seem highly dense, as I cannot pierce them even when thrusting my sharp blades.

The blade I thrust at his chest is brushed away by his hand, and this time the opponent's hand-blade aims for my face.

I dodge by tilting my head.

Then I grab that arm, grip the opponent's shoulder with my other hand, and break his balance.

But conversely using that momentum, the opponent does a forward somersault—and in the middle of it, shoots beams of light from the countless eyes writhing on his face.

Fortunately, having specialized in agility, I can dodge even at this point-blank range.

At a glance, the scattering light beams seem to leave no path of escape.

But by leaping and twisting my body, I slipped through that "only" path.

Well, having been hit and having my limbs burned off so many times by now, I'd better be able to dodge it.

I land on one hand.

The opponent sweeps his claws, aiming for that hand.

I leap using the strength of my arm and throw a knife in mid-air—but the nimble enemy dodges that attack too.

Then, perhaps seeing I had no leeway, he turns his gaze toward Nemusia.

Since earlier, this guy has been trying to kill her whenever there's an opening.

You could call it cunning, or maybe petty.

However, Nemusia was waiting for that.

"Now, take this!"

The attack preparations were already complete.

Almost at the exact same time the suit man looked at Nemusia, Wyvern Rage activated.

It scores a direct hit on him from straight on.

He crosses his arms trying to catch it, but upon impact, the mass of wind bursts and blows him away.

Furthermore, perhaps unable to withstand the impact, the black liquid peels off from his arms.

Now is my chance.

I kick the ground hard, approaching the enemy as if gliding.

I accelerate even more with Sword Dance.

Succeeding in overtaking the blown-away man, I cancel my skill and jump.

I rapidly descend from right above his head using Meteor Dive.

The enemy noticed me too and tried to guard, but his arms were defenseless.

Right after realizing that, the eyeballs plastered all over his face gathered in one spot, forming one giant eye.

From there, he fires an exceptionally thick beam of light.

"Erika, it's dangerous!"

I understand what she wants to say.

But having come this far, I can't back down either.

"There's no problem if I just kill him like this!"

Without interrupting my attack, I challenged the beam head-on with Meteor Dive.

The energy hidden within Dreamer repels the opponent's beam.

The single large band is torn to the left and right by the blade, singeing my shoulder.

But—I don't feel like I'll be pushed back.

After all, the opponent is in an unstable posture in mid-air.

In addition, the timing of unleashing the attack was sooner on my end, even if only by an instant.

His preparation was incomplete.

The beam is pushed through by the knife, and the blade finally reaches the eyeball.

"Get crushed along with your brain!"

With a squelch, the blade pierced the eye.

With the momentum of the fall, the enemy's body is slammed into the ground, and with a loud BOOM!, the ground caves in along with the surroundings.

However, the man is still moving, trying to grab my hand.

A normal human should be dead.

Perhaps, even without this outer covering, the being inside has long since ceased to be human.

Keeping the blade thrust in, I twist the hand gripping the hilt, and feel the squishy sensation of churning his brain.

Furthermore, the enemy's body jerks and trembles greatly, then immediately goes limp and stops moving.

Once the host ceases activity, the black liquid covering the body also melts as if it died, seeping into the ground.

[Monster 'Giraiguu Avatar' killed. Congratulations, you have leveled up to 102!]

Giraiguu... Avatar?

What's an Avatar? I feel like I've seen it in some manga.

Also, levels can go over 100.

Well I guess that makes sense. Even getting this strong isn't enough to defeat Kaigyo, so it'd be a problem if it didn't go up more.

"Did you do it...?"

"Even though Nemusia took the trouble of stripping off the arms, I ended up crushing the head anyway."

"The eyeball must have been fragile. It looked like he was using a trump card, but it was a desperate, self-sacrificing strike."

That act of gathering the eyeballs in one spot, it completely looked like he was exposing a weak point.

Even so... this black stuff really stinks.

I thought I was used to it with the zombies, but Fantasy Land was a bit better, and maybe because the air is clear around here, I feel it even more.

As if escaping from that smell, we started running toward the classroom again.

"By the way, you heard it too just now, right Nemusia? Your level should have gone up."

"It said something about Giraiguu."

"Earlier, I mentioned that Ooki and the others succeeded in summoning Giraiguu, but—"

"This black liquid they are clad in, are you saying that is Giraiguu?"

"Ooki and the others had it plastered to their faces too, so it must be usable like that. Well, it seems to be completely rotten, though."

There's a possibility it always smelled like that, but Gii smells sweet, so it's probably different.

"So Giraiguu... after being summoned to this world, lost to Kaigyo."

"The worlds they live in were too different. A fish that devours massive amounts of worlds versus a god who can barely destroy one world."

"Thinking about it that way, it is also pitiful. Just when it thought it was summoned, it was rotted by an incomprehensible monster, and made into one of their companions."

It is a pathetic guy.

But there's no room for sympathy.

The moment it says something like "murky human souls are my favorite food," it's already a scumbag.

Ah, but that voice I heard when I touched Tsumori Takuro's name tag on the second floor... it said something like, "Teaching me the taste and doing this to me, I will not forgive humanity."

"Moreover, the ones who taught it the taste of souls might have been humans."

"Is that so?"

"Like a bear that learned the taste of human flesh, seems like the Kaisei kyou are the one who fed humans to it are the most at fault. For all we know, they're just calling it a god on their own, and there's a possibility Giraiguu isn't a god at all."

A new species of lifeform living in a different place from the space we live in.

It didn't even know of our existence until humans made contact—something like that.

"So it is merely acting with the aim of satisfying its appetite. If so, then the concept of a True World and all of that is..."

"Just something humans made up on their own."

Having that kind of concept probably made it easier to spread the faith, or some reason like that.

"Haa... a swarm of those fools is approaching."

Looking back, there were nearly dozens of full-body suit men.

It's not as lame as calling it a full-body suit, but I don't know any other words to describe it.

Running to match Nemusia's pace, the distance between us and them was gradually closing—

"Shall we intercept them?"

"There are simply too many. Is there anywhere we can stall them?"

"There is a place with an underground cavity. If we can lure them there and destroy the ground with magic, that would be good."

While talking about the underground, the ground at the edge of my vision suddenly bulges up.

Curious, I looked over and saw Marin unexpectedly popping her head out.

Hiyami san also comes out right after.

However, the suit guys, completely fixated on us, don't seem to have noticed yet.

Seeing us being chased, the two immediately take their weapons in hand and attack the enemies' feet.

"Marin, no need to defeat them!"

"Acknowledged!"

A beam of light is fired from Hiyami san's Gyges, destroying the ground at the swarm's feet.

The soil was gouged out, and just as visibility worsened due to the dust cloud, Marin unleashed slashes at the suit-men who stopped their feet for a split second.

She's aiming for the legs.

She fires multiple "flying" slashes in an instant, using them to slightly break the opponents' posture.

That's enough to buy time.

Hiyami san and Marin immediately pull up alongside us, and together we start running toward the destination.

"Hey there. How was the enemy reconnaissance? Was it fun?"

"You noticed?"

"I mean, I saw you."

"Then did you hear that—"

"I didn't hear it. But from your reaction, I can tell it's something you'd rather I didn't hear."

"..."

Marin looks down.

This level of depression just from a light poke, it must have been something she really didn't want heard.

Ah, sounds like a pain. I don't want to hear it.

"We'll talk when we get back. Right, Marin?"

Hiyami san said in an unusually gentle voice.

"Yeah... I suppose so."

"And if I say I don't want to hear it?"

"Please listen to her. I know it's a disagreeable topic."

"Well, fine... But Hiyami san, did you not stop Marin because you thought meeting Setaguchi sensei would lead to a good result?"

"I thought there were two solutions. I wished there were three, but no matter what, there are only two. One of them was crushed. So, we have no choice but to pray for the last one."

One of them was meeting Setaguchi sensei, right.

I don't know what the one that disappeared was, but given this flow, the last one... isn't that me?

"By the way Erika senpai, it seems we are straying a bit from the path back to the classroom."

"I'm leaving the guidance to Nemusia. Is around here good?"

"Umu, the distance with them has closed. It should be about time."

"Hiyami san, can I have you blast through the ground together too?"

"So you have a plan to seal their movements. Understood, I'll join in."

My and Marin's weapons aren't suited for destroying terrain.

Right person for the right job, so I decided to leave this to Nemusia and Hiyami san.

The suit-men, having recovered from being stalled, close in on us.

Eyeballs line up on the leader's head, firing beams of light at us.

Marin and I deflected the beams aimed at Nemusia and Hiyami san with our blades respectively.

"Now, let's go! Wyvern Rage!"

"Now, let's see what happens—Meteor Starfall!"

The two's attacks completely destroyed the ground through explosion, sniping, and pulverization.

Then the footing collapsed, and the men fell into the underground cavity.

"So there was a natural pitfall."

"They didn't look like they could fly, so they shouldn't be able to chase us with this."

"As expected of the Queen, utilizing the advantage of the terrain."

"It is a lost country. It matters not how much it gets broken."

Saying that, Nemusia looked at the hole with a lonely expression.

Unable to bear watching, and though I didn't think it would be much consolation, I lightly patted her head.

◇◇◇

"There was a really loud noise. Were you okay!?"

As soon as we returned to the classroom, Rea hugged me.

Because the location from earlier wasn't that far, the other survivors seem frightened.

"That was the sound of our attacks. We were chased by new monsters, so we stalled them."

"Stalled. You didn't defeat them?"

Gii said, nonchalantly sticking close right next to me.

"There were a lot of them."

"I think if the four of us fought together, they weren't an unbeatable opponent."

"If our mental state was at 100%."

Not just Nemusia, but Marin's heart is also shaking violently.

I didn't think it was a situation where we could fight properly at all.

"Judging by that, it seems you found out something."

Inoue san said.

Unchanged from before we left, she was firmly held on the left and right by Hiiro san and Ushizawa san, looking unable to move.

"We found out a lot. So much that my head is spinning. On top of that, Marin and Ruka also caught some info, so confusion is guaranteed."

"Are you saying there are still things to be confused about at this point?"

"Do not worry, Mitsurugi. Because this is the end of it."

"The end of it... Ai heard that as meaning the last."

"I don't know if you're interested, but it's about what Kaigyo and Giraiguu are, their true identities and origins. I want to know the info Marin and the others got too, so let's all discuss it for now."

To start from the form, we push the desks together to create a simple meeting place.

And decided to share the facts we each learned with everyone.

◇◇◇

After finishing telling everything—several sighs could be heard.

I think there are probably some people who haven't fully comprehended the content at this stage.

Or rather, honestly, I'm also bewildered because the content spoken from Marin's mouth was too disgusting.

I felt there was no need to say it in front of a large group, but since she went to meet the enemy pretending to go for a walk, I guess this is Marin's way of taking responsibility.

Amidst such a gloomy atmosphere, the brave Inoue san opens her mouth.

"First, to summarize Erika chan's story, because Kaigyo and Giraiguu appeared simultaneously, our world didn't perish properly. Therefore, if we head to the upper floor at this rate and leave the school building, there is a possibility we can escape. Hope has come into view."

"If you extract only the happy parts, it's something like that. Well, rather than leaving, we might need to destroy the fang too."

"Moreover, Giraiguu lost to Kaigyo and exists in this space in a rotted state. And Marin chan and Ruka witnessed its main body, right?"

That story also skips the element of a giant girl who is cutting off pieces of Giraiguu and throwing them away.

"And that rotted Giraiguu is likely the master of this floor. Though we haven't found a place that looks like an exit yet."

Marin said in a voice lower than usual.

Rather, I'm impressed she could speak up here.

"In other words, we only need to think about defeating that Giraiguu. Then, this time for sure, we might be able to get outside. Right?"

"Th-That's right, Big sister. Let's be happy about that first!"

Hiiro san followed up.

Ushizawa san next to her is also nodding "Yeah, yeah."

However, Mitsurugi san had an explicitly unconvinced expression.

"Right, just as Inoue san said, hope might have come into view, but—honestly, the impact of the other parts is so strong that the story isn't entering my head, that's my true feeling."

"Guu... eating humans in order for themselves to survive, what worthless scumbags!"

"That's true, but you are also part of that impact, you know? I never heard that you were a part of Giraiguu."

"But Erika should have known."

"Is that so?"

Mitsurugi san looks this way with a light glare.

I don't think I did anything wrong, though.

"I knew. But telling everyone would just confuse them, and it doesn't change the fact that Gii is an ally, so isn't it unnecessary information?"

"Then you shouldn't have talked about it now either."

"That won't do. When we fight Giraiguu's main body, something might happen. Making it widely known is necessary, right?"

"No need to worry. The current me is already completely separated from Giraiguu. Thanks to Erika!"

Gii leans against me while melting sluggishly.

"I also think she's fine. She's this cute, after all."

"That has nothing to do with it. Haah... well, it's meaningless for me, who doesn't fight, to say anything."

"Mitsurugi san also got quite a bit of experience points on the second floor, so I think you can fight reasonably well."

"...Is that so?"

Mitsurugi san's cheek twitches.

I can understand her feeling bewildered being told she can fight this late in the game.

"But look, since she has no combat experience... I think doing it suddenly from now on would be tough!"

"No need to worry Rea, I have no intention of making her fight. If the escape gets prolonged, I was thinking of having her take skills like agriculture or mechanical engineering."

"I-I'm not saying I won't fight! If I feel like it... even I could..."

"The enemies are technically teachers from our school. If I forced you, and you ended up dead because you couldn't move mid-battle, I'd be the one feeling apologetic."

"That... I can't definitively say it wouldn't happen."

"Right? It's the same for Ushizawa san and Akabane san. Your levels went up and if you learn skills you can fight, but for this time, I'm not counting you as combat potential. You're like reserves."

Suddenly brought into the conversation, Akabane san gripped his fist with a sharp expression.

"I also think I would like at least enough power to fight when danger approaches my daughter."

"Dad..."

Perhaps because he successfully rescued his daughter, he seems slightly bolder.

On the other hand, Ushizawa san was on the first floor so she seems reasonably used to corpses; if she has a turn, she seems the most capable of fighting.

"Ai does have the feeling of wanting to fight side-by-side with Big sister. I can protect Hiiro too."

"Ai chan, that is my role. As long as I'm alive like this, I won't let Ai chan or Hiiro do dangerous things."

"Nn..."

Ushizawa san whose cheeks turn flushed red.

Well, her turn should not come.

"By the way, Erika senpai, there is still information we haven't shared."

"Was there something like that?"

At Hiyami san's words, I tilted my head.

"The life or death of the students inside the castle. From what we saw, we could only find teachers."

"Ah, that. All we saw were slaughtered corpses too."

In the end, all the food in the castle had rotted, so the teachers must have started eating the students.

Most likely, making the excuse that—it's because they aren't believers of Kaisei kyou.

Conveniently, it seems their bodies were no longer human because of that black liquid, too.

"To be blunt, I can't see any possibility other than total annihilation."

"Even so, if there are those who might be alive, wouldn't you want to save them? You've done so up until now, haven't you."

"Well yeah... but, if we're going to settle the match from here, I kinda want to decide it all at once..."

"They are swift. It would be best to crush the entire castle with overwhelming firepower."

The words I had hesitated to say out of consideration for Nemusia, she herself declares.

Saying she "shook it off" makes it sound nice, but she also looked like she was acting out of desperation.

"In that case, we approach with Gyges so as not to be noticed, and everyone hammers them with high-firepower skills."

"Hey Erika, haven't the teachers found out the location of this classroom?"

"I think it's fine since we dropped them into a hole right before it, but..."

"They should have been able to pinpoint the direction. Given time, they will definitely find this place."

Marin explained it, so I hopped on that and nodded.

"Then let's do this: I'll infiltrate the castle alone to search for survivors. As long as the enemy doesn't know Gyges's abilities, I should be able to safely escape even if there are survivors."

"Wait Ruka, that is dangerous!"

"Is it really dangerous?"

"To be blunt, I think Ooki and the others were more dangerous. The diversity of their abilities for one, and their intelligence was higher than theirs too."

"I agree. Those guys have obtained Giraiguu's power and excel only in combat ability, but inside they are idiots who mistakenly believe this place is a paradise."

"And yet they're the kind of lot that lays hands on students just because they're starving to death. I don't think their heads are working well."

"I guarantee it, this plan will go smoothly without a hitch. To the point you might even feel it's boring."

"...There is no way I would say it's boring if you are safe, Ruka."

"Whoa, I didn't think Marin would show me such a maiden-like face."

"Saying foolish things..."

To Hiyami san, it might be a happy event, but as an older sister seeing her younger sister show her female side, it's exhausting.

Then, Rea whispered in my ear.

"You're exasperated, but you act pretty lovey-dovey in front of me too, Erika, you know?"

...My face is hot.

I see, it's the face from times like this...

"Uhh... then, we'll leave the rescue of the survivors to Hiyami san. I think you can find out the castle's layout by asking Nemusia."

"The places where people can be imprisoned are limited, leave it to me."

"It's reassuring to have the master of the castle at times like this."

"And as soon as Hiyami san returns, the humans who can fight will crush the enemy along with the castle with their maximum firepower. Then we drag out Giraiguu... is that okay?"

"Quite a dynamic plan, I like that kind of thing."

Inoue san chuckles.

As expected of someone used to life-or-death situations, she has guts.

"But what worries me is the giant girl who was near Giraiguu. Could it be that she is actually the main body?"

"Honestly, regarding her, I don't know what she is."

"Same as Marin. If anything, I felt a more intense pressure from her than Giraiguu, though."

"Then it should be fine."

I said in a light tone.

"Do you have some basis for that?"

Gazes focus on me.

Everyone is probably thinking the same thing as Hiyami san's words.

"Because I think that girl is probably Yumemi chan."

"Eh, eh!? Erika, didn't that girl become the core of Kaigyo?"

"But she seemed to be relatively close. I thought it wouldn't be strange if she was ripping Giraiguu's body apart as a side-task of her revenge."

"As a side-task..."

"Gishishi, Giraiguu being torn apart by the girl it was supposed to eat as a sacrifice. Funny."

"Certainly, with that logic, it is... reassuring, I guess."

Even Hiyami san is at a loss.

But I'm relatively confident.

Well, it's intuition, though.

"Understood. If you seem confident, I will trust Erika senpai."

"Thanks. If something comes out, I'll take responsibility and defeat it."

"Either way, if such a thing is there, the fact that we have to fight remains the same. Now then, with what we should do next solidified—it might be better to rest for a few hours until execution."

She said, looking at Nemusia and Marin in turn.

It's a matter of the heart, not the body.

I know a few hours aren't nearly enough for a fundamental solution.

But if we act without resting, there's no telling what kind of fatal mistake might occur.

"If you are being considerate of my feelings, there is no need to worry—"

"The fact that you're acting tough here means it's no good. Let's rest properly, Nemusia."

"Erika..."

When I smiled at her, Nemusia gave a firm nod.

◇◇◇

Even if we say resting, it doesn't mean anything special.

We just huddle close, spending empty time while feeling body warmth.

By the way, Rea and Gii are also with us now.

I won't make baseless claims like three or four are better than two—but I think having a lot of people who care for you brings a sense of security.

I can't help but wonder if I only feel that way because I'm not used to being cared for by someone, though.

"You all are... overprotective."

"You were so shocked, yet you're saying this?"

"That's right. You lost all your important places and people, so of course it's painful."

"You say that but you had to kill your own mother by your own hand."

"That was... because Erika was with me. I don't think you can equate things you discarded by your own decision with things you lost unwillingly."

Rea isn't as depressed as I thought she would be.

Rather, she even seems to be making the parting from her mother into a driving force to move forward.

I don't know if you'd call that strength, but I've come to like Rea much more than before.

"I should have had plenty of time to prepare my heart, though... simply because I turned my eyes away..."

"Guu, it's natural to be surprised if you're in a body that isn't your own. If the body and heart don't match, emotions are bound to be disturbed."

"You are oddly knowledgeable, Gii."

"Gishishi, experience speaks."

"Could it be that it was painful when you fused with Inuzuka san?"

"Guu, no! That time was only happy. What I'm talking about is much earlier—when I was born by being put into Nanase Asami's empty shell. A different human's regrets were inside me. But I am merely a terminal of Giraiguu. Even if there are clashing emotions, Giraiguu doesn't care at all how we feel."

When fighting Shimakawa Yuya, Gii completely acted like Nanase Asami—I wonder in what form she exists within Gii.

Judging by her current tone, it doesn't seem like she just remains as a mere "memory."

"Therefore, the difference between heart and body is more delicate than you think. Even if you intend to be fine, if you feel an anomaly, it's better to rest properly."

"Fufu, you say things like a doctor."

"Gii is smart, isn't she."

"Gishishi... wait, this is no time to be praising me. I am healing Nemusia."

"There is no need to worry, this kind of casual conversation makes one forget the pain. Come to think of it... not just Rea, but Erika has also just learned a fact you didn't want to know, have you not? Is it not painful?"

"About Marin's father being Setaguchi? Now that you mention it, she did seem like a mother who would have an affair, and I feel like I can accept the difference in how Marin and I were treated. Rather than painful, it's more like the fog has cleared, you know?"

Nemusia looked blank.

She probably doesn't understand the flow of how hearing that story would make one's heart clear up.

"That's just how little hope I had for my family. The biggest cause of the stagnant air that drifted through the house has been revealed, so I feel refreshed."

"I see, if the mystery is solved, that is better than anything."

The one who answered wasn't any of the three including Rea, but Marin.

Standing in front of me, she stares straight this way.

"Isn't it the same for Marin? You hated being sisters with me that much, so weren't you refreshed to find out half of it was different?"

"I envy you. However, the one who has been committing sins is none other than myself. Erika receiving compensation is only natural considering the treatment you have received up until now."

"Natural, or rather, it's not nearly enough, you know? Do you perhaps intend to have atoned with just this much?"

"I have no such intention."

"Maybe you never intended to atone from the start or something."

"If that is the right thing to do—I shall do so. However, assuming I were to serve Erika, would I be able to obtain your forgiveness?"

"Service from Marin is gross, so impossible."

"Right?"

She's proudly saying "Right?", but what does she want to talk about?

Since we found out we're only half-related, did she come to gloss over things out of awkwardness?

But if she were doing something that weird, Hiyami san would usually stop her—yet she's just staring at me from a distance with a difficult expression.

As if expecting something.

But for some reason, harboring a slight anger in those eyes.

I cannot comprehend.

However, it is conveyed that this exchange between Marin and me is probably "something" important for the two of them, Hiyami san and Marin.

That makes it all the more bothersome.

Do not try to fish for the piece needed to complete your relationship from me.

"Personally, I think forgiving or not forgiving doesn't matter. At least regarding Marin. You're technically a victim of the gross Kuragane house, after all. Maybe my mind will change once we get outside, though."

"I see..."

"But Marin, you aren't satisfied with that, are you?"

"...Yeah."

"Going to see Setaguchi was the same. You thought your worries would be resolved if you traced your roots. But when you actually met him, it didn't go as you expected."

"You... knew?"

"I knew you were hiding something and agonizing over it from before. In that sense too, I feel refreshed. The mystery of why we don't look alike at all and why our heights are so different has also been solved. Yeah, I am extremely satisfied. But this is my satisfaction. My conviction. Even if you seek the same thing, it won't be an answer Marin can be satisfied with."

"But—there is only Erika left now."

There it is.

I knew it, that was your goal.

"Father knows nothing. Mother is just intoxicated with forbidden love. And Setaguchi just forces his own convenience. Where is the answer? Who am I, where did I come from, and where should I go? Where is the answer to that supposed to be?"

I stood up, silently gripped Dreamer, and thrust it at Marin's neck.

"Got it. Then let's have a serious fight to the death once."

"Eh, Erika!?"

"What are you saying!"

Surprised Rea and Nemusia.

But I don't have any strong medicine other than this.

"It sounds like I'm the one proposing it, but you came expecting this, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Making me say it is a pain... but depending on how you think about it, it might have been just right. It ended half-baked on the first floor. I have plenty of reasons to beat Marin, I have to take proper revenge this time."

"I will also go all out."

"Fine, I'll crush you from above and break your confidence."

We left the classroom and moved our location outside.

"This is not something to be doing at such a timing..."

"That's right, you said it was a break!"

Everyone's anxiety is reasonable.

Honestly, I too want to stay stuck to Nemusia right now.

I intend to vent all that frustration.

But even so, there was a problem that couldn't be postponed.

"Guu, but now is the only time."

"...Is that so?"

"Once we go outside, we can't have a fight to the death anymore. Above all, if she's going to shake off her hesitation, it's too late after the battle. It would be a problem if she hesitated to kill Setaguchi in the middle of the battle."

We placed a little distance between us and faced each other.

I held knives in both hands.

Marin gripped her sword with both hands, and our gazes crossed.

The scenery of the green-wrapped grassland and the blue sky spreading endlessly was beautiful, if looking only at the colors and shapes.

However, no wind blew, nor did the grass sway; an unnatural, dead place.

This distorted place is just the right location for distorted sisters to settle things.

"I will go with the intention of a serious fight to the death. You will die if you hold back."

Marin said, almost as if telling herself.

I replied with a laugh, intending to make a fool of her.

"I have no reason to hold back."

And at the same time Marin jumped forward, I kicked the ground and dashed out.