Chrome Shelled Regios

Volume 24, Chapter 3: Goodbye, Encore, Afterwards

She felt pain in her chest.

But, right now she couldn't slow her feet because of that kind of pain.

Nina had a battle that she had to be in.

She had a mission, to fulfill her great-grandfather's long-cherished wish as well as the Electronic Fairies' desire.

So, Nina didn't stop running.

There was still a bit of distance with that flame beast that was like a mountain.

At this time, a new change occurred before her.

That was obvious.

Because the place she wanted to go to was currently the center of the world.

◇

How much time had passed since first coming to this road?

She had long since given up on anything like counting time.

In order to wait for the day that had arrived today, how many things had already been lost?

In order to obtain one thing, the resolution had been made to give up everything.

So, it was only this thing that she couldn't give up.

Where had Saya gone after leaving Grendan?

She arrived there even earlier than Nina. It wasn't such a difficult thing for her who was the prototype of the Electronic Fairies and who had created this world.

But, because she maintained this world, she continuously spent her own strength, so the current Saya didn't have much strength.

She didn't have much fighting ability.

Even so, the black-clothed girl still appeared there.

Saya's moving figure appeared in the sky.

It was above the beast of flame. The strong rising airflow created by the burning flame carried the midair Saya. Though Saya was able to block the heat with her abilities, she was still helpless in the current situation.

Even if she knew that things would become this way, Saya had still come here.

She had come here, and she strongly believed that she had to have come here.

Here, right now, he was visiting.

The sky that had spat out the beast of flame once again split apart.

On the other side of the sky that was filled with various things, a black figure could be seen hiding among inexplicable colors.

A face appeared from the Aurora Field.

From the confusing space that originally should have split the world into two…… the figures of two people flew out.

"Aien!"

Countless, endless years were contained in that call.

The emotionless, mechanical doll's call reached one of the humans.

That human changed its path of descent, flying to Saya.

The human's figure overlapped with Saya's, and then they fell together.

The airflow battered against a coat sleeve.

"It's been a long time."

In this kind of noise-filled environment came a voice that was low but carried feelings of affection.

"Aien."

"Nn, Saya. Though I'm very happy we were able to meet again, we can't be this leisurely right now. That guy is also here."

"Yes."

The beast of flame was below the two of them.

It was a being different from the things that Aien…… that Airen and Saya had fought before.

"Aien, do you know what that thing is?"

"Something from Ignasis's wreckage, I guess."

"Wreckage?"

"Yes."

The two of them were clearly descending towards a searing battlefield, but one would feel that the conversation between them seemed leisurely.

"Something laughable is, when Ignasis was in his period of confinement, it could be said that on a mental level he was already dead."

"Was it really like that?"

"Yes. But, the trouble was that that person seems to have left behind something like a split body."

"That's the split body?"

"This thing doesn't know that it's a piece of Ignasis. It only has a part of part of Ignasis's character, and though it's a dangerous being, it isn't an evil being."

"Aien, who did you learn this from?"

"I also only heard this halfway through. Also, Saya, you also encountered that person."

"Eh?"

"……Ah, never mind. Nothing much would change even if you knew, so you don't need to concern yourself with this."

"Aien is the one who's concerned."

"Probably."

During that conversation, the two of them had already arrived to a distance that counted as dangerous.

"Alright……"

At that time, the two of them suddenly changed their falling path, and the two who originally had been descending straight down suddenly moved out to the side.

Saya looked, and noticed that from Airen's coat extended something like a vine, piercing the surface of the ground in the distance. That vine was pulling Saya and Airen.

The two of them who were being pulled by the vine calmly descended to the ground.

"Next, Saya, since we've already confirmed that we're both fine, it should be about time for you to go to a safe place, right?"

"I don't want to."

"Uh……"

"I don't want to leave you anymore."

"I've really lost to you."

Though he said this, Airen, who had a single eye covered with an eyepatch, didn't look worried at all.

"Ah, then we'll do this."

"Nn."

"Whether we live or die and disappear, we'll be together as two. Ah, in that case I truly hope that I can choose the final ending."

"Nn>"

Saya nodded her head, and afterward two guns appeared in her hands.

Saya had prepared weapons for him.

In the past she had always stayed by his side, like now.

Right now things had returned to normal.

With that feeling, even in this hell of heat, Saya still felt incomparably satisfied.

◇

Nina noticed the change as she ran.

The sky split, and two figures flew into the sea of flame.

"……Damn."

The change became a tense feeling that assaulted Nina's entire body.

Conscious that she was a single person, the feeling of tension that she endured even made her feel that her muscles hurt.

Even so, Nina had expected things to change like this.

Who could she share this resolution with?

Of the figures that appeared in the sky, one of them fell straight down, and in the end was devoured into the dancing walls of flame.

Then, what about the other?

The other figure that fell in a different direction suddenly changed its direction midway, flying towards Nina.

"An enemy, huh."

Nina drove back the flame beasts while she advanced. Because of the new obstacle that had appeared, she felt angry and tense.

She would get rid of the opponent before she was driven back. That idea made the current Nina act very naturally. She was only able to do this because everything around her was an enemy.

That idea was also fitting for the figure that was drawing closer, so Nina released external Kei without saying a word.

But she wouldn't have thought that the figure would evade her external Kei.

The figure that avoided the Kei turned a loop, and then caught up to Nina who was thinking of ignoring her and continuing to run, flying side by side with her.

"How dangerous, I was almost killed."

Hearing that teasing voice, Nina looked to the side. Nina felt that this kind of voice that seemed as if it sank deep into one's heart was a bit familiar.

"Nelphilia…… is it?"

"Yes. I've met you before, right?"

"Yes."

Nina felt loathing and confusion at her arrogance-filled voice.

Past experience told Nina that she definitely couldn't look at her. Nina focused her mind on looking ahead. In this kind of time right now, the flame beast would still attack Nina, and it was fortunate that she didn't have the time to be misled by this flirtatious girl.

"Your relationship with that red-haired idiot isn't bad."

Nina didn't instantly think of the answer as to who 'red-haired idiot' meant.

But, there was only one red-haired person that she and Nina both recognized.

"Are you speaking of senpai?"

Something had the strength to hook her. There was something devious in Nelphilia's voice. So it was impossible to Nina to ignore her.

The answer that came up also made Nina concerned.

When she had last seen him in Grendan was when he had entered a mysterious hole that appeared in the sky.

At that time, hadn't Nelphilia also been there?

"Wasn't he with you at that time?"

"Yes."

She had asked about something that she clearly knew.

That made Nina feel a bit angry, and to be honest she kind of wanted to get mad, but right now she could only endure and continue moving forward.

Though she didn't know why she had appeared here, right now Nina didn't have the energy to pay attention to those who weren't prepared to fight.

"Don't you want to know how he is right now?"

"Right now I don't have the leisure to care about those things!"

Nina quickly refused Nelphilia's question.

She didn't know what her goal was, but right now she didn't have time to play along.

"I have something that I have to do."

"So that's how it is."

After saying this, Nelphilia went silent.

But even with this, she still flew in the sky next to Nina. There was some kind of inexplicable dark, shadowy fog in Nelphilia's surroundings, and she was currently riding on that fog.

"……Ah, if you could get rid of that thing, then maybe it would be very good."

Nelphilia said this.

Nina still didn't understand her meaning, but right now she didn't have time to ask.

Nina continued advancing, sweeping away the flame beasts.

She swept them away as she advanced.

At some time, she lost track of Nelphilia. Where had she gone? Right now she didn't have time to go look with her eyes. What had happened to Dix? Though that question wouldn't disappear from her mind, right now she had no leisure to consider it.

Since even now, the flame beasts were still attacking her.

The heat of the air had already reached the point where it could instantly kill someone. If she didn't have Kei, Nina would have been incinerated in moments.

If she stopped her feet, then the flame beasts would wipe her out, and if she lost focus then the heat would turn her into lava.

It wasn't only a problem of her feelings, but Nina's current situation also didn't allow her to stop.

But, Nina didn't have any intention to stop since the beginning.

She continued running.

The flame beast towering in front of her also seemed extremely close already.

At that time, a new change occurred around the flame beast.

Though one change after another could indicate that the situation was intensifying, Nina's tension had already begun making her feel worried.

The originally chaotic flame and heat suddenly became as if they had a direction.

Not only this, but it could be confirmed from here that there were intense flashes of light all over the opponent. It seemed as if there was someone fighting.

"……Who is it?"

There shouldn't have been anyone who rushed out sooner than Nina.

Then, this wasn't a Military Artist from there?

Could it be, that this wasn't even a Military Artist?

Perhaps it was an extraordinary being like Nelphilia that was fighting with the flame beast.

She didn't know who it was.

But at that moment, something happened inside Nina.

Nina's heart, which hadn't been shaken by Felli and the others or Nelphilia, trembled at this moment.

"Ugh!"

Because Nina was the one who was shaken the most and who felt the strongest feeling of crisis.

"Urrrraaaaaaaaah!"

She roared.

Increasing her speed and momentum, cleaving the flame, blowing the flame beasts away, and advancing.

Her speed was clearly not the same as before. The intensity and thickness of the shockwaves guarding Nina grew along with the increase of speed, raising their destructive force.

The flame beasts that came in contact with the energy of Nina's shockwaves were run through, being smashed away from her surroundings one by one.

Even with this, Nina still continued raising her speed.

The strength of a Military Artist's body and Kei had limits, and Nina was as if she were challenging those limits, continuously increasing her speed……

……And then, Nina finally reached the monstrosity of flame.

She leaped up.

Her target was the top of that body that towered in front of her like a tall mountain, and using the flame beasts that appeared one after another as stepping stones, Nina finally reached there.

"Finally……"

The moment she thought this, Nina's chest became hot. But, right now she didn't have the energy to worry. The heat of the flame kept trying to pull Nina into the abyss of death, and the continuously appearing flame beasts also slowly surrounded Nina.

Most importantly, there was something that she had to do after coming here.

Moreover, she could hear sounds of battle that she didn't know the origins of.

"Where is it?"

Nina sent the continuously approaching flame beasts flying while she searched.

Just at that time.

The flames that covered the surroundings like a forest began to shake violently, and a hole appeared, with something piercing into it.

Something like a Kei bullet carved a slanting path, burying itself into the monster's giant body, and then exploding.

Destructive shockwaves enveloped Nina, blowing away the surrounding flame beasts.

A surprising destructive force.

The thing that had buried itself was even now still penetrating the vast body of the beast, breaking it, and continuously going deeper, not seeming at all like it was going to stop.

That kind of might was on the level of Grendan's Heaven's Blade successors.

It could even already have surpassed them.

The destructive power in front of her was that strong.

"Who is it?"

The Heaven's Blade successors should all be in Grendan, and moreover all of them should be quite fatigued because of the recent battle.

Who could it be on this battlefield?

Nina continued searching, and on the other side of the flame that she avoided, she saw a figure.

There was a man and a woman in that space.

The two of them were cleverly dodging back and forth as if taunting the claws of flame. The reason they could do this was because of the vine-like objects spread throughout their surroundings. Though the flame tried to burn the vines, every time a new vine would extend into a new place, and they didn't show any signs of decreasing in number.

The two of them moved the battlefield to the place where the new vines appeared while they fought.

The male wore a long coat, and held something like a pistol in his hand. The recent destructive strike had come from his pistol, which was proved after he pulled the trigger.

Nina looked at the woman…… no, the girl that was being carried on his left arm.

She looked exactly the same as Nelphilia.

But, they weren't the same.

Nina instantly saw that they were different.

Though they had the same outer appearance, the feelings from the two of them were completely different.

The girl carried in the man's arm also held a gun in her hand, fending off the attacking flame beasts. The cartridges that flew out disappeared in a space somewhat far away from the girl, seemingly turning into a black mist.

The girl wasn't simply being carried by the man. What was surprising was that as the man avoided the flame and ran around, the girl continuously changed her position and carried out shooting.

Moreover, black smoke appeared from her hands, becoming black mist and disappearing, and at the same time the form of the gun in her hands changed.

It had just been firing high-speed bullets, and in the next moment it became something like a big cannon, and had also turned into a missile filled with explosive that could be guided through the air.

Weapons that generally weren't used by moving cities because of their resource consumption continuously appeared in the girl's hands like magic.

Though the feeling from the two of them was very much like the feeling of Military Artists, they had a definite difference.

It was an incredible feeling.

But, right now she didn't have the leisure to feel confused at that incredible feeling.

Coming back to her senses, Nina also began battle.

Though it was so huge that it was easy to be mistaken about it, below her feet was the beast of flame that towered above the earth.

"Haah!"

Kei crashing, Nina swung her iron whips.

The strength that she obtained from the Haikizokus accelerated, and Kei rushed through her body, with the heat produced almost burning her body.

The iron whips that had been raised high were swung down.

Nina challenged the giant beast.

This was the strike symbolizing Nina's challenge.

The iron whips sank deeply into the tough-feeling flesh, and a shockwave penetrated into the interior.

The shockwave became destructive force that spread outwards.

The spreading shockwave destroyed the composition of the surrounding body, and the energy released became heat. Not long after, the released heat swelled outwards, diffusing out and dissipating its momentum.

In other words, it exploded.

That pillar of flame had already risen high into the sky.

That kind of explosion endlessly continued by Nina's side.

A raucous howl came from the battlefield.

It was the roar of the flame beast, and its triangular head in the distance was roaring into the sky. The burning waves that made up its fur began to move in a frenzy.

This wasn't a roar made because of pain.

This was a roar of rage.

The anger that filled it became sound and was released, and even so, this roar still wasn't enough to release all of its anger. Nina didn't plan on ending her attack here either.

The battle of the man in the coat and the black-clothed girl wasn't something that she should concern herself about here.

This being of flame wouldn't disappear no matter what, like a bottomless swamp of anger……

It could only turn its anger into destructive actions.

That flame beast was a being that could not be saved.

Nina thought this.

The feeling spread out from that roar made Nina believe this.

"What's going on!?"

So, Nina shouted out.

She used anger to confront anger.

Even if she knew that this kind of action didn't have any meaning, Nina still couldn't control herself.

"Don't involve us just for this kind of thing!"

Nina shouted her thoughts from long ago while she once again ran out with the monster's head as her target.

Nina had no idea whether this thing was actually an organism with something like a true life. But, since it had a head, and moreover since that rage she could feel was genuine, she could believe that the beast's consciousness was housed in that area.

"Then, I'll crush that place!"

Carrying out a thorough attack towards the weakness.

That was a very correct battle plan.

She no longer had any reason to think of other things, and the Haikizokus inside Nina's body also released their full power.

"Dischale, Tentorium, Falysodam……"

She called out their names.

"Armadune."

Nina called out the names of the Electronic Fairies that she had inherited from her great-grandfather.

They who had been born in the Senou City had not chosen to become the guides of cities but instead were Electronic Fairies that had dedicated everything for this day, her great-grandfather had said about the four Haikizokus in the past.

"Melnisc."

An Electronic Fairy that had chosen to become the guide of a moving city, but who had in the end lost control from loathing because his city was destroyed, was also in Nina's body.

A Haikizoku whose hatred for filth monsters and hatred for the culprit who had created filth monsters ended up becoming strength to lend to Nina.

And also……

The nameless Electronic Fairy inside Nina.

The one who had encountered disaster before it had even been able to choose to become a guide of a city, and who in the end chose to save Nina's life…… It was a symbol of Nina's immaturity, a gentle pain.

"Let's go."

Bringing them, Nina began running.

Nina avoided the flame that sought to block her advance, or used external Kei to blast away the flames. Nina who had become lightning charged straight at the head.

The beast's head was like a pillar supporting the sky, or perhaps an existence that wished to completely destroy the sky, extending tall and thick towards the sky.

Could this kind of thing truly be destroyed?

That kind of worry didn't disappear.

"……There's no way it can't be done."

The Electronic Fairies in Nina's body had kept living through now just for this day.

Regardless of what kind of thing appeared, she wouldn't be blocked by the word 'impossible'.

"I'll defeat it!"

That was all she needed to do.

Nina who had become lightning succeeded in nearing the towering head, and swung her iron whips down.

The shockwaves that were even faster than before penetrated deep inside, and an intense explosion spread in all directions.

Not long after, it became a hole like a giant crater, but it seemed like a simple bruise compared to the monster's giant body.

"It's not over!"

Nina didn't stop.

If one wound couldn't defeat it then make the second and third and fourth. If she continuously wounded it, then it definitely wouldn't be a waste.

Her iron determination made the Kei in Nina's body burn endlessly, definitely not inferior to the surrounding flames.

Something stirred in the midst of her battle.

In the distance of her peripheral vision, she could see the vine she had seen before.

Countless vines were twining around the monster's throat, and the flame was trying to burn them.

The vines that she had originally thought would be incinerated in a moment held out for unexpectedly long. Though in the end they were still burned away, because of that delay, the attacks of the vines in other places succeeded.

Right now she didn't have time to keep watching, but in the period of time when the vines were resisting, Nina noticed something flash.

Had such a thing been there the first time she looked.

Right now she didn't have time to go recall. The angry roar the beast gave out and the intense storm of the surrounding flame wanted to burn Nina to death.

Nina swung her iron whips, and craters created from her strikes were smashed into the beast's body one by one like footsteps, and at the same time she ran towards the top of its head.

At that time, the vines chased Nina.

Also, that man-woman pair was also running on the vines.

"Hey, girl, good luck to you too."

The man's leisurely attitude made Nina uncomfortable.

"Who are you?"

Nina advanced while asking.

"Explaining would be rather annoying. This thing and I……"

When he said this, gunfire sounded from the man's location that was much louder than those before.

"Are guys with a bit of history."

From behind her came a surprising explosion because of the gunshot.

In other words, the 'this thing' he had said meant this beast of flame.

"Really. But, don't obstruct me."

"I have no plans of doing that. Rather, in this kind of time, shouldn't I should be saying that kind of thing?"

"How would I know."

"Haha."

It was just a fruitless chat, and Nina ignored them and continued advancing.

"Wait up, I came to ask if you wanted to team up and fight together."

Though Nina had increased her speed thinking to throw them off, she was caught up to easily.

But, the man's tone was the same as before.

That meant that this man had ability rivaling Nina's.

"Did you say fight together?"

"Of course. Defeating a common enemy together, that's not bad is it?"

"…………"

"Girl, you also seem to have some good destructive power, and if we fight together we'll get rid of it faster."

"…………"

"What? Not satisfied?"

"No…… it's just that, I still can't trust you."

"I don't need anything like your trust."

"What did you say?"

"Won't it be enough for us to mutually use each other?"

"…………"

"Don't think too complicated. Ah, I won't attack a girl like you from behind. Is that enough?"

"Whatever you want."

"Then we'll do that. Ah, right, I still haven't introduced myself. I'm Airen, and this girl is Saya."

"I'm Nina."

"Alright, Nina, I'm counting on you."

That man was similar to someone.

The pair moved away…… Nina felt Airen and Saya's presences while thinking.

Though Sharnid's face quickly emerged in her mind, they weren't the same.

It was some person that she had only met recently, but it wasn't someone she had met very often.

She felt like it was on the tip of her tongue.

"It's no use caring about those things."

In a moment, Nina's thinking had been occupied by this problem, but after that sentence Nina gave up on those thoughts, continuing to think about her targets.

She could feel the presences of Airen and Saya in the distance.

What did they want to do, and how were they planning to fight?

Nina felt that it was necessary for her to see those things clearly.

◇

"Aieh."

After they left Nina, Saya spoke.

"That person just now."

"I know."

Airen already knew what Saya wanted to say.

"Really, what a disagreeable method. Has she been affected by Erumi?"

"I don't know, and speaking of which, that is……?"

"Who knows. Starting from when this commotion began I didn't have the leisure to care about her. She's probably observing from somewhere again, or got mad and closed herself in again……"

Regardless of what it was, she would no longer have any effect on this commotion. Airen had faith in this.

"Compared to that."

The topic of the chat changed.

"She definitely hasn't noticed."

"She's probably not paying attention."

"Truly pitiful. Being thrown away after being used, alas."

"If this goes on it will be like that. Are we doing the same?"

"If I would have done that then I wouldn't have brought it up right now."

"That's true."

"…………"

"What is it?"

"How should I say it…… Have you changed? Saya."

"I'm unclear. Speaking of which, haven't you also changed?"

"Nn?"

"Your tenderness has become even simpler to understand."

"Hah!"

Airen wanted to laugh from his heart, and he laughed it all in a single breath.

Though he seemed to be leisurely, in the end it only looked like it, and actually there could be no such thing. Since this was a battlefield, the abnormal flame in the surroundings could burn even Airen.

And moreover when Airen died, Saya would also die with him.

Speaking of which, Saya had never planned to give up on the people of this world, as that was the reason for her existence.

Then, it was also natural for Airen to fight for the people of this world.

"This is for you."

"Thanks a lot."

Airen advanced while chatting.

◇

She could already see the top of its head.

The flame that she had originally not known the extent of had suddenly parted, and on the other side of the flame was a blue sky.

"There!"

Scattering the flames blocking her front, she took aim at that place.

"I'll be first, though."

It was Airen's voice. She suddenly heard the voice of him who had disappeared completely without a trace in the middle of things, and then she felt a strong abnormal presence from behind her back.

That feeling of presence made Nina unconsciously move aside from her original path of advance.

It wasn't Airen's body that attacked out towards the sky.

It was countless vines.

The countless vines that acted as his footholds bundled together, and intertwined while chasing out from behind Nina.

The vines passed Nina, rushing towards the head. Perhaps they were trying to use the vines to completely surround the burning flame.

Light shot out from various places on the vines that beat back the flame. This time, Nina saw clearly and was sure that she was not mistaken.

The countless grains of light that shot out made sharp noises and fell down.

"Stones?"

After the particles were smashed by the shockwaves in Nina's surroundings, Nina felt very confused at these grains that flew in every direction.

Glowing solid objects would appear after putting out fire? That kind of phenomenon had never happened before.

The group of vines twisted towards the head like a giant snake, and then entrenched its position, raising its 'neck' into a sickle shape.

And then, it spread out.

The originally clustered group of vines quickly filled her entire vision, but suddenly separated again.

The countless vines spread out as if they wanted to surround the beast's entire head, knotting and tightening.

Sharp sounds rang out during the process, tormenting her ears. The particles from before appeared, and bright white flashes appeared in her red-dyed vision.

"Do it."

She didn't know where Airen's voice came from.

"Because of my encroachment, it should be easier to get results from an attack right now. Go."

Even in this kind of condition, his voice was still extremely calm.

There was no time to continue feeling confused about this situation.

Another change happened.

A surprising feeling of pressure was closing in on this place with a surprising momentum.

It was Kei pressure.

Though she felt it could be Layfon, she wasn't very clear.

When she noticed this feeling of pressure, it had already arrived, advocating its existence with a fierce and intense shock.

It hit the beast's chest.

"A good opportunity has come from outside."

Airen's words pushed Nina from behind.

"O, Ohhhhhhhhh!"

She roared.

She kicked off with all of her strength.

She would decide victory here.

Nina ran as fast as she could, putting everything into running without looking down, and when she arrived at the place where she should be, she prepared to make the final decision.

She made her resolution.

"Armadune!"

Nina called a name.

"Dischale! Tentorium! Falysodam!"

She called the names of the Haikizokus that she had inherited from her great-grandfather.

"Melnisc!"

She called the names of the comrades she fought together with.

In her mind, she thought of that nameless savior.

Right now, in this moment, she had to use up all of her strength!

"Go!"

Airen's voice only ordered Nina forward, and Nina leaped up, reaching the head.

Flying through the air, Nina raised her iron whips, filling with Kei.

After being full, after overflowing out, she felt giddy because of the strong rushing Kei power while desperately enduring it, focusing her consciousness on controlling the Kei power.

This way, everything could be ended.

The world would achieve peace, and this kind of meaningless battle would disappear.

The mission that her great-grandfather had entrusted Nina with would also end.

She wanted to do something for others, and she didn't want to be helpless in a tense situation.

Nina had left Schneibel to hold to that kind of resolution.

Right now was the time to realize all of the thoughts and desires that had existed in her heart since that day.

The final day was here.

Though she felt satisfaction and a sense of emptiness inside her heart for a moment, it only took a moment for the surging Kei she maintained to burn away that kind of feeling.

The overflowing Kei seemed limitless, and continuing to flow it into her tow iron whips, Nina didn't need to worry at all about their capacity limits. It was because of her trust in the Dites that she had obtained from Zuellni, but an even bigger reason was because she didn't have the leisure to consider those things right now.

But, in the end, the Dites didn't break down even though their capacity limits had been surpassed.

It was as if Nina was carrying two suns now, and she raised her iron whips.

"Yaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!"

The Kei pressure was transmitted to her arms, and was extremely heavy.

After slowly swinging her iron whips, the two giant clusters of Kei above her head slowly descended, and then destroyed.

Her vision was completely filled with white.

Her hearing was blotted out in a moment as well, and her entire body's feeling seemed to disappear.

When Nina realized that she was going to lose consciousness, she had already completely fallen into darkness.

◇

Before Nina released the strike she had resolved for……

Layfon ran rapidly.

The situation right now was not very good.

(Do we have no other way?)

Though he had made up his mind, in reality he had no way to catch up to Nina, and not only this, but she had already reached the location of the flame beast.

The distance between the two had even been widened.

In this kind of situation, Felli raised the question.

"I'll think of a way."

Layfon could only reply like this. Layfon who chased after Nina was the same as her, running rapidly while being assaulted by flame beasts.

The shockwaves produced by his running knocked away the flame beasts, or perhaps the Shim Adamantium Dite in his hands beat down the flame beasts. The waves of flame that appeared wanting to engulf him were also cut apart.

Layfon repeated this series of actions as he advanced.

He didn't have the leisure to think about other things.

"Though I made some preparations, this is all I can do."

(Preparations?)

"Necessary preparations that I made for chasing her."

(That is……)

"I was always confident that I could catch up to her."

Layfon already said what Felli was thinking of saying.

If he didn't catch up to her, everything would have been for nothing.

So, right now he should consider actions for catching up to her first and foremost.

She wanted to say this.

Because Layfon knew, he hadn't let Felli say it.

Because Layfon had catching up to her as a premise.

This was something that he had no choice but to accomplish.

If he couldn't endure this kind of preliminary thing, then saving Nina was a complete daydream.

"Looking at it right now, I'm already at my limits. But, I believe Felli and the other senpais can definitely do something."

(…………)

The Psychokinesis flake didn't transmit any reply, and Felli was speechless.

Even so, Layfon still believed.

"I'm only a single person here."

(Layfon?)

"Though Felli has told me before, there's only me out here."

(………………Yes.)

"But, I believe. Felli and senpais can definitely help me. You can definitely make me catch up to Captain."

(If it's something we can do, then we'll try it no matter what it is.)

But they couldn't think of any way.

He could even feel that kind of distressed emotion through the Psychokinesis flake.

"Felli……"

Layfon continued speaking patiently to Felli.

(Yes.)

"You can talk to a lot of people other than me."

(But, Sharnid and Harley can't think of……)

"Not that……"

Towards Felli's words, Layfon thought 'Ah, as expected'. Because Felli's attitude when she had communicated with Elsmau had been like that too.

"Right now isn't a time to be willful."

Layfon spoke.

"If you're like that, then how are you different from Captain right now? If you refuse to listen to others, then you're the same as Captain, and you might make a mistake difficult to correct."

(………………Nn.)

"Though I'm only an individual here, Felli is different. If you want to, Felli's Psychokinesis can definitely connect to anyone."

(Okay.)

"So, don't be that stubborn. With everyone, we can think of some way to save Captain."

(Nn.)

"So right now isn't the time to narrow our means."

(I know, I'll think of something.)

"I'm counting on you…… Felli."

(What is it?)

"Please, save me."

Because the current Layfon was alone, being surrounded by flame.

(Go think of something yourself.)

Though Layfon had haphazardly thought of saying that kind of thing, he hadn't thought that he would be decisively refused.

But, that way was like her normal self, and Layfon couldn't help but showing a wry smile.

(Thank you.)

In the end, he heard a softly whispered word of thanks. The wry smile from before now completely became a smile.

But, this kind of expression quickly disappeared.

"……I'll definitely catch up to you, Captain."

Intense Kei vibrations constantly came from the location of the flame beast that Layfon saw far ahead. The battle had already begun.

Before the situation became despair-

"Definitely."

For this, Layfon believed in Felli and the others far away from him, and ran desperately.