Toaru Majutsu no Index

Volume 16, Chapter 3: The Duel to the Death between Entirely Different Monsters. Saint_VS_Saint.

Part 1

How could anyone not hear the sound of the Earth breaking?

The sound had already surpassed the level of explosions and sonic booms; it was no longer within acceptable human range. It was the world’s cry of agony. Every single aftermath of this cry was lost in storms or gusts of winds that uprooted the trees along the streets, causing the concrete on the 4th level to tremor and bend the metal handrails like sugar.

Kanzaki Kaori and Acqua of the Back.

On the streets filled with a scientific atmosphere, the two Saints clashed. This was everything that was happening on the observatory in the middle of the night.

"Hhhhhhhaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!"

Kanzaki let out a loud cry as she used a god speed sword-drawing technique. Using the idea of manipulating other teachings to counter a specific religion and cause damage to the opponent, even the angels in a monotheistic religion could be sliced in half. This was Kanzaki’s killer move.

If Christian spells were ineffective, she would use Buddhist spells.

If Buddhist spells were ineffective, she would use Shinto spells.

If Shinto spells were ineffective, she would use Christian spells.

Using such a method to mask the weaknesses of other religions, a one-of-a-kind spell filled with destructive power.

Single Flash, Yuisen.

No matter how great the numbers or how strong the person, no one should be able to survive it.

Acqua’s huge mace blocked the strike and, after trading a few hits, it was clear to Kanzaki that Acqua likely knew as many spells as she did, possibly even more. Since Acqua was not an ordinary member of God’s Right Seat, he was even able to cast ordinary magic spells.

To bypass this, Kanzaki switched from Buddhism to Shintoism, but Acqua immediately changed his defensive stance. The huge amount of magic clashing between them continued to change, and in this supersonic battle another element was currently underway: A mental battle called "reading the moves".

Science and magic.

Body and spirit.

Chaos and order.

Their weapons continued to clash with each other, sending sparks flying. In this battle between two Saints, one thing was glaringly obvious.

Normally speaking, talent was not required to master magic: Magic was originally something that existed to allow people without ability to create miracles like someone with ability, but how could anyone say such a thing after witnessing this battle between two who resided within the special existence called Saint?

"... how exciting. For just one person, you people sent in your entire group. I’m truly impressed. Even I, as an enemy, have to be impressed with that boy.”

Acqua waved his five meter-long block of metal as easily as if he were waving a twig, "But be warned: Since you have placed yourself as my enemy on this battlefield, the only future you face is being defeated by my hand!"

Another explosion cut through the air.

Once Kanzaki felt the surface of the black stream behind her beginning to move, a twenty-meter column of water had already risen. Like a huge jointed hammer, it swept past the ceiling of the underground street at a terrifying pace, slamming down against Kanzaki. Kanzaki, who was already having a difficult time dealing with just Acqua's metal mace, would die if she was unable to handle this other threat.

The sound of cutting was heard.

Around Kanzaki, fighting in a death match with Acqua, something was shining. The moment Acqua noticed, the seven strikes hit the water hammer created by Acqua of the Back and caused it to return to the stream it originated from.

The Nanasen created by the steel wires.

"... I’ll be really insulted if you think that this is my full power."

Kanzaki moved her lips, and the seven strikes seem to be correcting Kanzaki’s sword trajectory as they assaulted Acqua from all angles. Acqua quickly increased his attack rate in response. Using his mace to block, turning his head to avoid, in front of Acqua, who continued to manipulate the sword and the wires—suddenly, a strong red flame surrounded him.

"——Eh?"

The steel wires scattered in the air became a three-dimensional magic array. The moment Acqua realized this, the lotus flames swallowed his entire body. A second explosion followed, then a third, then finally a slash from a blade basked in moonlight. The sounds of continuous attacks could not be heard. It was happening too fast; the sounds had become indistinguishable. The deafening noises that had been delayed for a few moments felt like a giant fist ready to rip the air apart.

But Acqua was not there.

Moving away from the direction Kanzaki was looking, Acqua flew to the concrete floor ten meters in front of him.

A cut was on his face. Maybe he had cut by the steel wires; it was a small cut, after all. Despite the cut's small size, however, it was a rare wound, one of the few inflicted upon him despite the huge number of people he had fought against in his lifetime. The red fluid flowed down Acqua’s face, and he said silently, "As expected of a member of the Amakusa; you people are all basically the same."

He used his index finger to wipe away the blood left behind, and then pressed the fingertip on the side of the mace, writing something of an unknown meaning, "But there is a remarkable difference when it's being done by a Saint. The thing called 'Talent' is truly cruel."

Throughout history, magic had always been the savior of people without talent; however, this truth was meaningless before those known as Saints, who were blessed by God.

Facing this speech by her opponent, Kanzaki temporarily turned silent.

"..."

If he was judging by the results of battle his statement may indeed be true. Without Kanzaki, the current Amakusa couldn’t even scratch him, but...

"I hope you can correct your words," Kanzaki sheathed the sword in her hand, lowering her center of gravity and preparing to draw her sword again. "It’s true they can’t use Yuisen, but the basics of swordsmanship, steel wires, and spells are all passed down from my Amakusa ancestors. What created all of these isn't this small thing called talent, but the result of history. Amakusa is my school, my teachers are my comrades. I will never agree with those humiliating words of yours."

Her hand on the sword grip tightened, "What about you? You understand the kind of power you have, yet you attacked an ordinary high school student without mercy. You have no right to look down on others like that."

But these words could easily be turned back on Kanzaki. For a certain motive, she had attacked a certain boy. The words she had just spoken may have been punishment to herself as well.

"... to become angry over something as small as that is immature."

Acqua drew patterns along the mace using his own blood, preparing it as he said this.

Ten meters. To a Saint, it could not even be called a distance.

The scene of confrontation between these two was like a traditional Japanese drama, and yet it felt more similar an American Western.

"The infantryman accidentally met the tank while he was scouting... this is a battlefield, there can't possibly be any sure-fire strategy or an escape route or safe zone, let alone any gentleman's rule. These things don't exist on any kind of battlefield. Purposefully making all the conditions exactly the same, making the chances of winning equal for everyone... such a thing can only be called a sport. These are talents, firepower. Anyone can expect the outcome when an ill-armed infantryman meets a tank. The tank will attack without mercy, and the infantryman will inevitably be dust on the battlefield. Are you telling me your battlefield is different?"

"That is just your reasoning."

"But you and your people are the ones walking onto my battlefield," Acqua was not even mocking them, just calmly stating an observation. "Regarding that boy: I wonder which master pulled him up?"

"..."

No warning at all.

Kanzaki took action.

With a speed that would make any professional magician feel the battle in front of them was a mirage, Kanzaki raced into Acqua’s arms, and maybe the sheath touched the concrete floor as sparks followed Kanzaki’s cuts, but before the sparks could chase up, the Shichiten Shichitou had already started to hack into Acqua.

The clear metallic sound rang out.

The two monsters called Kanzaki and Acqua clashed, both staring into each others' eyes.

"Even after you knew all this, you still treated him as someone who merely got involved! WHY DID YOU STILL USE THE POWER OF A SAINT TO ATTACK HIM!?"

A voice that no one heard of before, one roar that revealed all her emotion. Because Kanzaki and Acqua were both Saints. Or rather, Saints bearing the painful experience of hurting others.

"There are only twenty of us in this world, and even normal magicians are fearful of this existence. You still continue to carry out violent acts without considering the consequences, you bastard!"

"This thing called a reason to fight... what can you do even when you understand it?" In contrast to Kanzaki, Acqua still remained as calm as ever, "Anyone who has confidence in the rightness of their actions has no need to find excuses for the path they have chosen, for their will is shown in their actions. For those with a prepared script, how much of this is real?"

Between these two colliding forces, the superficial magic around them continued to release minor explosions. The words written in blood on the mace activated, and both Saints used the opportunity to increase their distance. Kanzaki slightly backed away from Acqua, who still held onto the huge mace and remained unmoving.

What supported a strong opponent's core may be a steadfast belief...

... but Kanzaki Kaori didn’t see it at all.

"Show it to me, Saint of the Far East."

The atmosphere that surrounded Acqua’s body expanded two-fold. It was not just words; it was as if the weight and pressure of the entire weapon he held had increased exponentially countless times over.

"I don’t want shallow words; I want you to show me your belief through that blade of yours. I want you to show it to me wordlessly."

The Saints clashed again, at a speed none could catch, with a power none could interfere with.

Part 2

Kamijou Touma's eyelids twitched.

This small movement was so tiny no one knew he did it unconsciously. It was almost a spastic movement; slowly, slowly, his eyes forced open the smallest of slits. Even so, his vision was not going to recover within a few seconds, and he could not even grasp distances. After a moment, he realized he was looking at the ceiling of a hospital.

... I...

Kamijou did not know what place he was in, or maybe he had been here before, but his brain was unable to process any of this. Compared to the scene in front of his eyes, the disinfectant alcohol registered far more quickly and with much greater clarity.

... wha... t's... with... me...

He could feel something stuck to his chest and abdomen. Electrodes attached to him for information collection?

Though the lights in the room were off, Kamijou could feel someone's presence. There was a slight weight on one side of the blanket. Kamijou moved his eyes in that direction and saw Index sitting in the chair, sprawled across the bed as she slept. Though her long hair hid her expression, it seemed she was deeply worried even as she slept.

It made Kamijou's heart ache.

"..."

His lifeless hand resting on the bed finally regained a miniscule amount of its normal strength.

As if responding to his awakening brain, the blood started to circulate more strongly throughout his body.

Acqua of the Back.

Itsuwa.

The Amakusas.

They must have continued to battle even after Kamijou lost consciousness when he was thrown off the bridge, and he really hoped to do the same. Of course, the probability of him hearing "the Amakusa won; there's no need for you to fight" was not zero, but Kamijou could not find it in himself to conjure such a scenario in his mind. It was not disrespect for the Amakusa. Acqua of the Back was a true monster, and though Kamijou understood that he, an ordinary high school student, should not make an enemy of such an unstoppable power, there was strength in numbers.

Acqua viewed the power residing in Kamijou's right hand as a dangerous existence. If viewed the other way, it could cause a drastic change in the situation should Kamijou use it. So long as it was his right hand, even a miracle of God Himself could be destroyed.

After confirming the presence of his right hand, Kamijou nodded to himself. He again glanced at Index, sprawled on the bed as she continued to sleep. The poor girl must truly be worried about him.

... sorry Index, I'll continue to apologize profusely after this...

But first...

So, let me do what I need to do.

Part 3

BAM!!!

A deafening explosion resounded throughout the night in Academy City.

It was not a storm created by fire, but a storm created by water.

The torrent of water being manipulated by Acqua's magic passed through the ceiling and formed itself into a giant large hammer; Kanzaki mercilessly used her steel wires to quickly slice it into pieces. The machinery-shaped, several-ton block of water instantly dispersed into steam, where it was again controlled by Acqua, formed into diamond-like things.

Acqua did not just control a "hammer".

The entire two kilometer stretch of the 4th level could be said to be under Acqua's absolute control. All water flowing through the artificial streams was siphoned out, every single drop floating in the air before becoming fine strings and scattering across the school, forming a complex and unfamiliar magic array.

The water was shaped countless different arrays and continued to interchange, changing shape and form to create various types of arrays for the singular purpose of serving Acqua's will.

Multiple attacks came at Kanzaki.

Ice spears thirty meters long flew towards her.

Water whips attacked Kanzaki from every direction.

Massive, spherical blocks of ice intercepted paths with one-another.

Among these gaps, Acqua slipped himself in front of Kanzaki.

——Using a tactic to increase the chances of killing his opponent, multiple spells that could each be considered a guaranteed kill were merged together. According to Acqua's prediction, seventy seconds later Kanzaki's movement would be too slow to dodge or intercept and she would be hit with a fatal blow.

"Hm!"

Even after she managed to surpass his expectations, Kanzaki still counterattacked.

In response to an ever-changing water magic array, Kanzaki controlled her seven steel wires and extended them, immediately creating all sorts of barriers. After understanding that she was in a completely disadvantageous situation, Kanzaki's steel wires continued to rip the water lines, distorting the water streams and causing Acqua's magic to either fail or attack Acqua himself.

This was simply another form of electronic warfare, a high-tech battle triggered by magic.

The water and steel wires constantly corroded each other, breaking through the gaps, hiding in deep places, fighting for the supremacy of this limited world.

The world was engulfed by numerous beams of light.

The water Acqua used to form magic arrays and the steel wires of Kanzaki break them.

Acqua, who had complete control of this underground city, and Kanzaki, who was creating the only enemy foothold.

While carrying out this magnificent duel of magic, their bodies continued to use martial arts to fight.

Regardless of which side one spoke of, it was a level no magician could reach. The two who resided in this unachievable level of power continued to engage in a deadly battle for supremacy.

Numerous explosions resounded.

Kanzaki and Acqua's bodies had become mist in the air. The steel objects in their hands continued to swing in numerous directions, missing each other, clashing with each other.

He knows how to use the Divine Mother's Mercy...

Kanzaki gritted her teeth as she controlled her sword, steel wires, and spells.

It was not just because of pain she was showing such an expression.

Acqua admitted he was distorting the strict rules which accompanied Christian spells and rituals, but the Divine Mother's Mercy was never meant to be used in the way it was being used by the man before her. It was intended to give the Fallen a chance for salvation. Committing a crime, or even merely straying from the path of salvation, was a tragedy God abandoned hope on. In His place, however, the Divine Mother shed tears for them, smiled upon their dreams, and placed the key to salvation in their own hands. They could then stand up and express the desires in their hearts through the act of prayer, thus activating the spell.

It could be said the intricacies of the Divine Mother's Mercy differed depending upon the person who activated it, and it was in some ways unrelated to the worship of the Son of God. No matter how she looked at it, however, Acqua's use was a perversion of its blessing: The nature of the Divine Mother's Mercy was to prevent and even correct the tragedies created by the gaps within the network formed by the various Churches and their clergymen. The Divine Mother did not exist for Christian society to be disrupted; she existed for a person to kneel down and pray for the safety of their families, friends, and companions... and sometimes even their enemies.

That was the Divine Mother's Mercy.

The greatest Saint in the history of Christianity for her act of giving birth to the Son of God, the most important task in Christianity. In order to allow people to lay down their burdens and achieve salvation, the Divine Mother received the blessings of the Angels and birthed the Son of God into this world, walking down the path of trials and tribulations with her husband. The result of those who worshiped her for her feats was the Divine Mother's Mercy.

And right now...

What a thought...!

Even when used as it was supposed to be, the Divine Mother's Mercy was remarkably complex and difficult to understand. This misunderstanding was hampered by countless false reports of objects like idols and tools that could trigger miracles in place of the spell. It was possible to use this basis to determine the fake miracles from the genuine, but Acqua was markedly different from those who would fabricate such a miracle. He was really using the genuine miracle to commit violence and destruction and escape punishment.

"Truly impressive."

Acqua's voice could be heard through the ear-splitting sounds of her katana and his mace colliding against each other.

"This five thousand ton array is two kilometers in diameter, and yet you managed to endure it with your own strength." Acqua continued, "... however, is that body of yours truly at its limit as it appears to be?"

"Eh?"

These words made Kanzaki's movements pause, and Acqua's attacks became even more ferocious in response. Kanzaki looked as if she was about to pull away, but she quickly bounced back and swung her sword. The amount of force Kanzaki exerted when using Yuisen was one an ordinary fighter would find impossible to control, and she was forcing that power as it was. In this condition, such a technique was ill-suited for long-term battles, and Kanzaki's Yuisen was a sword technique used only when necessary and even then only when a kill was guaranteed.

A one-hit kill was an impossible feat when the opponent was Acqua of the Back.

Acqua, who possessed power equivalent to or even greater than Kanzaki as a Saint, also possessed the special attributes bestowed as a member of God's Right Seat, exponentially magnifying the power contained in his body. In this world Kanzaki just so happened to step into, Acqua was casually standing there with a calm smile. Like an angel's serene existence...

Kanzaki gritted her teeth.

The power Acqua boasted as a member of God's Right Seat was The Power of God.

That time, Misha Kreutzev didn't really appear completely...

On that note, Kanzaki recalled the battle she fought against the monstrous existence called archangel.

But it's strange... I can feel something even greater than that from Acqua...?!

Acqua sent multiple consecutive strikes towards Kanzaki, making her wonder whether her opponent really did have the same capacity as a Saint as she did. Even if he did not, the feeling of power emanating from Acqua easily matched her own.

But this... this was unimaginable.

If he really had as much power as she suspected, he should have destroyed himself with it long ago.

"Ha!"

Kanzaki heard Acqua's breathing. A moment later, she was surrounded by a sensational feeling. Acqua paused his ferocious assault, storing his strength and preparing to deliver the next crushing blow. His fully-powered hit was coming.

The large mace swung downwards from overhead, and Kanzaki shifted her sword horizontally to block. The moment the mace connected with the blade in her hands, the impact passed from the sword along her wrists, arms, torso, and legs before finally being felt at the bottom of her feet; she registered it all at once. The soles of her boots sunk several centimeters into the hard-tiled floor. The ground beneath her feet changed form with the consistency of mud.

Even though she did not suffer a direct blow, such an impact would have given anyone a severe concussion at the very least. She still endured it and Acqua, who used his entire weight and strength to attack, would soon reveal an opening.

"Woooooohhhh!"

Kanzaki let out a shout as she drew her Shichiten Shichitou, waiting for the perfect timing, the perfect chance, to gain the upper hand in one blow. It was useless. Acqua shifted his mace to block the attack, and only the sound of metal colliding against metal heralded the impact which caused the force within the sword to be scattered. This was the cold reality of her situation.

"It's been three years since I last fought another Saint. It makes for excellent sport," upon closer inspection, the smile upon Acqua's face was empty: Not a single emotion or thought was expressed by it, "but let's end this. I came here to work, so unfortunately I don't have much time to enjoy sport."

"Wha-?!"

Kanzaki was unable to make a proper retort, and could only swing her sword as forcefully as possible, delivering another strong hit.

Acqua had already vanished.

Kanzaki sensed Acqua's existence not through sight, but through presence. He was in the air, having jumped roughly twenty meters. It was not something an ordinary person could do, leaping into the air like a rocket. Acqua, nothing more than a dot in the sky, had the satellite of The Power of God, the Moon, directly behind him.

In the most strict sense, that was not true. It was just a display in the sky formed by the planetarium's image display.

Acqua did a half turn near the ceiling and stepped onto the artificial sky.

"Ugh!"

Kanzaki wanted to immediately close the distance between them, but the damage she had just taken, coupled with the burden she was placing on her body, slowed her movements. During the temporary lull, Kanzaki felt a cold presence pressing down on all sides. What she was feeling was the boundary of life and death only fighters in the midst of furious battle could feel. The huge wave bearing down upon continued to flow through the entire battlefield.

And as for Acqua, who was above her...

"——The Divine Mother shall remove all evil."

In response to Acqua's low voice, the glowing orb behind him gained an explosion-like brightness.

The planetarium screen was wrecked due to overload, and sparks flew to and from every direction, like an unknown countdown was activating countless hidden explosive devices. The real Moon, hidden in the sky far above them, was unable to shine its light in their battlefield, yet an intangible layer of intensive protection could still be felt. An ordinary magician was incapable of such a feat but for Acqua of the Back, member of God's Right Seat who was also a Saint, such a feat was easily manageable.

He was using the Divine Mother's Mercy to perform a miracle.

This is...!

Kanzaki easily deduced the mace surrounded by a bluish-white glow currently possessed a tremendous amount of energy.

"In depicting this power called the Truth of God, LET YOUR MERCY RISE TO THE HEAVENS!"

The moment Acqua roared, he stomped onto the ceiling and quickly descended upon her. Having already been damaged beyond its limits, the fake sky was completely destroyed with this final blow, and the blue silhouette above them became the darkest of blacks once again.

A vertical drop.

A giant mace bore down.

What followed was not a strike, a stab, a shot, an explosion, a break, a split, or even simply a crushing blow.

It was just ordinary pressure.

The sudden charge from above had more than enough destructive power to shatter everything in its path, giving the impression of an asteroid crashing into the Earth.

The world vanished.

Even the sight and sound of the Earth buckling from beneath disappeared.

With the harbinger of this unstoppable blow at the center, everything within a one-hundred meter radius of the fourth level of Academy City's District 22 collapsed. Acqua's falling impact caused the steel and concrete floor to collapse into dust and leave a massive hole in its wake, a floor with the same hardness as those used in safety shelters.

The world around them collapsed, everything within one-hundred meters falling to the 5th level.

The booms and tremors and dust exploded and scattered everywhere.

The sound of destruction echoed throughout the area.

The water streams and turbine generator were cut off, and the water began to flow downward like a waterfall.

Amidst the shattered aftermath, Kanzaki Kaori lay where she had fallen to the ground.

She had blocked the attack itself using the Shichiten Shichitou, but the ground beneath her feet was ill-suited to withstanding such impact.

Having endured such an unstoppable pressure and falling more than twenty meters, Kanzaki lay atop a pile of concrete, looking up.

She was thoroughly covered in wounds, and even though it was not a direct hit, the force of Acqua's most recent blow corroded her body through her weapon. Trapped between the massive mace in Acqua's hands and the artificial ground beneath her, regardless of whether it was her arms, legs, or torso, a reddish-black liquid gushed out of Kanzaki's body.

Even this one of less than twenty Saints was now in such a pitiful state.

If she endured an attack of the same caliber again, the only possible outcome was death.

However...

Biting her teeth as hard as possible, Kanzaki Kaori wore a look of neither fear nor shock on her face. The only expression on her face was anger.

This was the 5th level below, maybe Kanzaki just so happened to land on a plaza, but the miraculous thing was there were no innocent victims who lost their lives because of this battle. This thought was just a theory at the moment, however: If their battleground was a residential area, or if anyone was simply walking around the plaza... the idea sent chills racing up Kanzaki's back. Though Academy City seemed to have taken some measures to counter such a possibility, this place was much different from the 4th level. There was not even the bare minimum of a 'dispel bystander' spell.

There was no doubt they were both Saints. There was no doubt they were two of only twenty people blessed with such power.

So why? Why must they clash swords for such stupid reasons?

Kanzaki finally managed to lift her thoroughly-wounded upper body, tightly gripped the Shichiten Shichitou which had fallen among the rubble, and said in a lifeless voice, "Acqua..."

In perfect contrast, standing on a thoroughly devastated 5th level, Acqua merely said, "Where is Imagine Breaker?"

He easily carried the mace that had such destructive power on his shoulder, "If I were to destroy every level, one by one, will I find him?"

Giving the impression she was shaking the fresh blood off her body, Kanzaki abruptly stood up, "AAAAAAACQUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

The Shichiten Shichitou swayed in both hands, moving left and right in unsteady coordination.

Maybe she gripped the sword too tightly, as broken fragments fell off her fingernails. Blood continued to flow through the gaps between her fingers, and Kanzaki's insides were severely damaged from being unable to completely endure the most recent of Acqua's crushing impacts. Blobs of blood spurted out of the lips she was trying her hardest to breathe through.

Kanzaki's eyes showed no signs of weaknesses despite her pitiful state. So long as this expression remained on her face, she would continue to swing the sword in her hands.

Maybe she was simply trying to encourage herself, as Kanzaki used her hand to press against her damaged respiratory system and gave a hoarse roar, sending a strike Acqua blocked with his mace. The sound of metal slamming against metal, quickly followed by several more metallic clashes, caused the surrounding air to explode.

A deafening sound exploded through the environment.

The Saints, and the weapons they wielded, collided with one another yet again.

Kanzaki Kaori swung the Shichiten Shichitou at an extremely high velocity, and the seven steel wires moved about as if covering any opening created by her attack. Once she bought enough time, she would sheath her sword and use another quick-draw technique at a blindingly-fast speed. The steel wires would trace a three-dimensional array in the air or aid in her movement, using the rhythm of steel colliding with steel to discharge fire or ice spells. She continued to employ such ambush tactics.

Acqua of the Back, in contrast, used the mace in his hands to block Kanzaki's sword, absorbing the moonlight representing the attribute of The Power of God to greatly increase the offensive power of his attacks. He used the special effects of the Divine Mother's Mercy to relieve the punishment, surpassing the limit placed on members of God's Right Seat which forbade them from using ordinary magic. He maintained a steady barrage of supersonic attacks as he bombarded Kanzaki from all angles with spells like vacuum blades and rocks.

Sparks littered the air as the two clashed. The environment surrounding Kanzaki and Acqua was similar to the night sky they were unable to see.

"Ack, ack?!"

The results were obvious.

In the sky Kanzaki resided in, blobs of blood continued to flow out of the wounds littering her body. She had reached her limit, and one could tell she had suffered numerous blows despite her trying her best not to show it. The speed she was swinging her sword with had obviously gone down, and she could already picture an image of despair in her mind. She could already predict the moment she would no longer be able to match Acqua's impossible speed and suffer the finishing blow. For Kanzaki, who already struggled to keep up, it was impossible to make a comeback and go on the counter-offensive. She had to keep some moves in reserve, and wait for Acqua to make a mistake. Only then did she have a chance to make a comeback.

For Kanzaki, who had already used all of her trump moves, this opportunity would never come. No battle situation was more difficult than not having a trump card still in reserve.

However...

"I told you to shut up!"

What appeared in her mind were the words she had heard when she first met him in Academy City. Hearing them, the strength returned to Kanzaki. Her power had returned.

"That doesn’t matter! Do you resign yourself to protecting people because you happen have strength!?"

The boy who had stood in front of the Saint with only a fist, all because of Index.

"No, you don’t, do you!? Don’t lie! You worked to gain power because there was something you wanted to protect!"

Though she did not feel the boy had said the most wonderful thing in the world. This thing called "thinking"... there were many people, and thus many ways to do it. Among them, none could conclude the boy stood right at the top. After recognizing the great power of a Saint and God's Right Seat residing in a single body and using this power to attack ordinary citizens, anyone could tell the boy had no chance of winning.

He was an ordinary person, but that boy's act in enduring Acqua of the Back's attack to protect Itsuwa would never lose to those who thought they were "God-chosen" and acted so high and mighty.

Kanzaki Kaori continued to swing her sword, biting her teeth hard as she thought this.

The reason she saw in the boy's action...

The belief he had shown when he risked his life...

She would never let the scumbag in front of her who had so much talent, who was being so selfish with such an unimaginable power, get away from her unscathed.

Part 4

Even though the bandages on their bodies were ripped and the blood continued to seep out of their wounds, the fifty members of the Amakusa-style Remix of Church were unconcerned about their physical condition. From the edge of the massive hole in the 4th level, they stood dumbfounded as they observed the furious battle between the two Saints on the 5th level.

The sound of explosions, gusts of wind, shockwaves, aftershocks... the wake of the battle alone was impressive; considering the huge amount of rubble scattered about, however, it was equally amazing no one else had been caught in the crossfire.

Though they were all human, this battle had already far surpassed their abilities, and after the huge maze of magic arrays were blown away they could only continue to observe the two monsters below. Shouts, metal clashing against metal, storms blowing away the steam in the air to form what looks like a vestige of engine trails after a plane flies past. There were many after-effects of every attack and, no matter which it was, should any of the Amakusa members be hit by it they would be instantly reduced to dust. These extremely powerful attacks and spells were being used all over the place.

From their vantage point, it was easy to feel they were observing a galaxy colliding with another galaxy. With this clash, countless stars exploded, space was distorted, everything swallowed by darkness, and new lights appeared again, giving the impression of chasing the darkness away. So what did the two colliding galaxies represent?

One was Kanzaki Kaori. She was their former leader, and right now she loved them in ways they couldn't see, a true Saint among those twenty that existed. The Priestess-sama of the Amakusa was in battle. Most likely, she was protecting the ordinary boy whom Acqua of the Back had targeted, and to protect her Amakusa comrades who Acqua had attacked for protecting that boy in turn.

"..."

They heard the sound.

The sound came from the bloodied Friuli spear that fell from Itsuwa's hands. In order to take on Acqua and help the boy Itsuwa had tried her best to strengthen her spear, but right now all her hard work was like gravel on a road: Scattered about to be trampled on by others.

Itsuwa was not alone. There were others among them who dropped their weapons onto the ground. Some lost strength in their knees, using their hands to support their bodies on the wall. No matter who it was, everyone had the same expression. A powerless look that overcomes everything else.

What exactly are they doing? Itsuwa wondered.

Kanzaki Kaori was fighting for her comrades, but the more she did so the more Itsuwa felt everything she and her comrades had done was being denied. No matter how hard they tried, she and her comrades could not possibly escape from a Saint. She was guarding here with those seemingly pitying eyes of hers, and once this place became dangerous, she would step up and proceed to carry out such a high level battle. She did not recognize what her own companions had done. No matter where they went, what they did was only playtime to her.

In the face of this harsh reality, Itsuwa felt her heart crumble. At the same time, in contrast to the gentleness Kanzaki Kaori displayed, what they considered but were unable to do was so minute. This hurt Itsuwa and the rest, but they could not do anything to help; they were too weak. They could only continue to watch the battle they could not interfere with; they could only watch as their strength and motivation was worn away, bit by bit.

If that boy was here, he wouldn't bother with them.

The simple fact his "comrade" Kanzaki Kaori was here was enough; if he saw her injured, he would immediately rush into the midst of the battlefield without a second thought. This was another definition of strength. Right now, the Amakusa were unable to muster even that small display of strength.

The battle between the Saints raged on below them.

The tremendous power being exerted was such that, even if they were not being hit directly, the hearts of anyone merely watching crumbled bit-by-bit.

Between the Lines 3

The request for help was heard.

But nobody could do anything. It was not like they had any serious injury, it was not like they were far away from their goal, and it was not like they didn't have any transport to get there. The reason why they were not helping was because of their own stand and the political problem.

The one who had sent out the SOS was the British Royal Family's specialized long distance carriage.

In truth, this carriage originally should have had a perfect protection net, in a magical sense. From when the carriage was made, someone quipped that even if this planet was to be cut in half, it was unlikely for this carriage to release an SOS signal. This carriage should already have been strengthened to such an extent, and it was already far stronger than the special nun's habit Walking Church. This was a combination of all the techniques and history of this large magical country called Great Britain; forming the 'Moving Iron Wall', the name for this Royal Family carriage. No attacker could probably get away with it.

But an SOS. could be heard from that carriage.

This thing couldn’t possibly happen in ordinary situations.

And the meaning behind it was simple.

This was a ‘deal’ that arose due to political reasons.

The third princess of England became that abandoned Chess piece.

Along the Straits of Dover, the Knights could only listen silently to that anguish plea for help.

Everyone could only grit their teeth and grip their fists, as if their palms were going to bleed.

The Knights of England were meant to prevent the 3 factions and 4 cultures of England from breaking up, and they were willing to sacrifice their lives in order to protect those from the Royal Family.

The men of the Knights of England who were in planning were often stuck in such harsh conditions. Thus, they were able to guess the situation.

The people who had abducted the third princess of England were the Spanish Astrological Sect. They were one of the few major factions in the Roman Catholic Church. Ever since Queen Elizabeth I buried their Invincible Fleet, there had been quite some history between the Spanish and English magic sects.

The reason why the British Royal Family would completely ignore this was because they hoped to use this chance to launch an attack on the Spanish Astrological Sect. Because of the spread of Christianity during the Age of Discovery, most of the old cultures in South America were still controlled by the Spanish Astrological Sect. England wanted to take this influence of South America back from the Roman Catholic Church and the Spanish Astrological Sect and expand. And the third princess of England didn’t really have any huge power. In comparison to a continent, she became a sacrifice.

It was the Knights' job to protect the Princess.

Even if there weren’t any cries for rescue, it was natural for them to be near the Princess. Besides, it was impossible for them to ignore this plea for help in front of them.

However,

Only now, only in this instant, did the Knights of England have to become stone.

France had declared that they would settle this magic battle near the Straits of Dover and requested England not worry. In truth, the hidden meaning behind it was that before the battle reached English soil, they wouldn’t take action.

“...”

William Orville walked out of a tent in this camp of the Knights of England.

There was a light that continued to shine opposite the Straits of Dover. That wasn’t a light from a lighthouse, the light that came from French territory was the aftermath of the magic attacks launched by the Spanish Astrological Sect.

“Are you going?”

A voice came from behind him.

William turned around, and standing there was the leader of the Knights of England, Knight Leader. Unlike Acqua, he exuded elegance, and this was because of his upbringing. And because he continued to serve those with the Royal blood, he had to understand all the workings and rituals in the castles and palaces.

William Orville however was merely a mercenary who worked for whoever paid him money.

A Knight Leader who would risk his life for his own country, normally, these two people were as incompatible as water and fire.

But in reality, both of them would go out and drink when they were free, and Knight Leader tried many times to tempt William to join the Knights of England, but William always refused. But every time, after a battle on any certain place on Earth, he would naturally come back to England just to have a drink. These two were completely different people, whether in terms of status, position, battle methods, way of living; but incredibly, these two identified with each other well.

Thus, Knight Leader knew what William was thinking as he said nothing and walked out of the tent.

“As people who protect the country, you people have things that can’t be said, and being the shield of the country’s people, this would be seen as the intention of the country. Seems like we can’t just casually barge into French Territory and do whatever we want to the Spanish Astrological Sect, right?”

William set the large mace on his shoulder and said silently,

“But I’m different, I’m just a mercenary. Even if I’m to go overboard in my actions, it would be completely irrelevant to what England thinks, and won’t represent England at all.”

“Do you think I’ll let you go alone?”

Knight Leader opened his lips.

“Even if you’re a mercenary, I can’t just leave it to you alone. With that damned luck of yours, you can’t possibly die, but from the Princess’ standpoint, how can I allow a nameless mercenary to protect her? Even if she’s only 14, she’s almost at a suitable age to marry. It’d be a country’s crisis if she was taken away by someone who's possibly of ill reputation.”

“Are you listening to me?”

Acqua said impatiently.

He realized that all these objections that Knight Leader raised were just some flimsy made-up excuses.

And to Knight Leader himself, this was just nothing more than a joke.

Those two only exchanged looks, to the state where even their breathing was in sync.

They had such great chemistry.

“You’re saying that the Knights that support England can’t do anything in this situation?”

Knight Leader said, and then pulled out something like a pure gold medal from his chest. This was the proof of his bloodline; the patterns on the shield-shaped medal had his family crest. It was his identification medal. Knight Leader looked a bit lonely as he stared at the medal, and finally released his hand.

Without even looking at the identification medal that dropped onto the floor, Knight Leader gazed into Acqua’s eyes seriously.

“I’ll lose my right as a Knight, so let me go as well. The distress signal’s still being released, that means that the third princess is still alive.”

“I see, as expected of what you would do.”

William Orville knew of his determination, and revealed a slight smile.

Like Knight Leader, he knew all these. They were drinking partners, and they were extremely clear of what each other’s like.

And because they each understood, Acqua was a comrade that he could rely on to cover his back.

Knight Leader looked uneasy as he saw the flickering light, prompting William.

“Hurry up, even if we don’t do anything, the carriage’s defensive capabilities should be functional...since this is something that the Royal Family is taking part in directly, we can’t hope for the defenses to continue on. Got to get there fast.”

“You’re right.”

William wholeheartedly agreed, and the next moment, his fist slammed hard into Knight Leader’s abdomen. With a heavy sound, Knight Leader had a look of disbelief as he stared at William’s face.

“What...are you doing...?”

“Nope, I can’t let you go. You should understand that.”

William kept his fist back, and Knight Leader lost support as he fell onto the floor. Even so, Knight Leader, who had underwent rigorous training, didn’t lose consciousness completely. But William didn’t look at Knight Leader for even one bit, only saying,

“I used my identity as a mercenary to allow myself to move about freely on all the battlefields in the world, but I can’t enter the English Castle or Palace. Only you can do that.”

“Wil...liam...”

“If you really want to protect the third princess, you have to look ahead at the future, not just now. With such a ploy to fight for the throne, it seems like the same thing will happen to the third Princess again. At that time, it’s better to have someone accompany her. Protect her well, Knight Leader, not just the third Princess, but also the Royal Family who have become so corrupted. This is not something I can do as a mercenary, this is something that only you as a Knight can do.”

“WIIILLLLIIIIAAAAMMMM OOORRRVVVIIIILLLEEE!!!”

Abandoning Knight Leader who was shouting on the floor, William headed towards the battlefield.

Knight Leader once heard of a magic name.

It belonged to a mercenary.

Flere210.

“The time for me to proclaim my name has arrived, my name—'The one who changes the reason of tears'!!”

Smack down in the middle of England and France,

Was William Orville, who could manipulate water spells, and was breaking past the country boundary.

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