Chapter 64
Tearing Blade
"…Aah" (Lina)
At that moment, the one that was most shocked by the sight was Sheila.
It was because she clearly realized that it was her fault that Soma’s wooden sword broke down.
In the first place, Soma’s wooden sword broke down not because he was receiving a blow from the angel.
It was self-destroyed as it couldn’t endure the blow that Soma had swung.
The reason for doing such a thing was apparent.
If Soma didn’t do that, they were surely died.
"…Saying that I don’t want to drag you… that was embarra.s.sing." (Sheila)
"Eh? What do you mean?" (Aina)
Although Aina responded to Sheila who was falling back, Lina noticed something overturned before Aina’s respond.
"…Oh, I see, is that it? Nii-sama’s wooden sword wasn’t broke down. Instead, he crushed it." (Lina)
"He crushed it… he did it himself?" (Aina)
"…Yes. …It is a matter of the result, though." (Sheila)
"There is one reason why Nii-sama did such a thing. …What happened just now, it was because of that." (Lina)
"…Yes." (Sheila)
Sheila also clearly didn’t understand it, but she presumed that it was the trump card of that angel.
Of course, it was impossible for that song to be a mere song.
Perhaps, it was a Concept Rank cla.s.s.
In terms of skill, people who held Special Rank skills would finally reach that degree after further training.
The skill wasn’t something that displayed any effects except it was simply scattering shocks.
It was a song that scattered the concept of destruction itself.
Indeed, that was said by Soma about the illusion-type creature, and he was convinced even until now.
It would be difficult to prevent it even by them.
Alternatively, if they knew from the beginning, they might be able to deal with it. But, what happened just was definitely a timing that brought certain death.
Soma, who guessed it right away, had no other measure to rescue Sheila.
Moreover…
"Could it be, ‘that’ is still alive…!?" (Aina)
"Nii-sama is giving priority to save us…" (Lina)
"…If he didn’t do that, we would have been defeated." (Sheila)
Simultaneously with Soma being blown away, that thing was also falling down to the ground.
Soma’s blow reached it a bit late, but the angel was slowly getting up.
There was a firm slash mark on its chest. Although blood was dripping, it was far from a fatal blow.
It was too shallow to think that Soma had done so far, but it was obvious that was done because he prioritized their lives.
On the other hand, Soma, who was blown up, also regained posture in the air. There seemed to be no problem.
What remained in his hand was only the handle of the wooden sword.
"…Should we withdraw?" (Sheila)
"It might be better for us to do that. Even for Soma, that angel is…" (Aina)
The reason why Aina’s words stopped halfway was because she caught the movement of ‘that’.
Sheila also saw it but it was inevitable because her mind was stiffened.
When ‘it’ got up, ‘it’ opened its mouth wide.
It went without saying what ‘it’ was trying to do.
"–!?" (Sheila)
At that moment, Sheila instantly turned her eyes to Soma.
She wasn’t asking for help.
It was the opposite.
Soma hadn’t landed yet, and in that condition, he would barely make it in time.
Avoidance was impossible. Moreover, he was further away from Sheila.
Let alone going there to help him, it was hard to say if she could make it.
She was also in the similar situation.
Although she was on the ground, she didn’t think that she would be able to escape from the effective range.
She thought about the optimal solution in a moment, but… shortly afterwards, Soma’s line of sight turned to them.
Sheila instantly recognized the meaning and nodded.
In exchange, she asked the two on her sides.
"…Aina, Lina, can you do something?" (Sheila)
"…I don’t have confidence, but I will do it. As for protection, I can do it." (Aina)
"Me too. I can’t forgive myself for dragging Nii-sama." (Lina)
"…Yes." (Sheila)
Then, Sheila would just concentrate on protecting herself only.
Although a sound was certainly something invisible…
{RaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAA!} (Angel)
"– Dividing Cut." (Sheila)
Katana Special Rank – Protection of The Forest Spirit – Concentration of Mind – Sole Mind – Iai – Mind’s Eye: Dividing Cut
If she knew
According to her own sense, when she swung her arm, there was no response but she only had the conviction that she had slashed something.
When Sheila looked at the sides, she slightly exhaled as both of them were safe.
After that, when they looked at Soma–…
"…He could do anything at once if he had something in his hands? Goodness, he is random as ever…" (Aina)
"That is expected, but since it is difficult to follow, I want you not to act rashly." (Lina)
Soma also had a posture of swinging his arms again, and there was something falling apart from those hands.
With just the remaining handle, it would be the price of using a technique by force.
No matter how one would think of it, it would be strange that he could cope only with that.
However, before they cared about it, there was something they had to do.
The mouth of the angel that sang the song wasn’t closed.
Everyone instantly noticed its meaning.
"No way… ‘it’ can do that continuously!?" (Aina)
"As expected, it’s difficult to defend one more time…" (Lina)
Sheila also agreed.
Once the trick was known, she thought that it would be easy to deal with it for the rest, but that was only possible if they had time to spare.
When it was repeated at this interval, it wasn’t always but she couldn’t cope with it now.
Sheila lightly bit her lips, considering whether she could retreat in time…. In that moment, their eyes met.
"…" (Sheila)
It was mysterious because he had no hesitation.
She understood that he was the most reliable, and there were times when she was helped.
Or maybe, that was…
"…Eh? Wait, Sheila, what are you…!?" (Lina)
Aina did say something because Sheila was holding her katana without putting it away, but she had no time to reply.
Swinging down with full power, and she threw it away.
Of course, towards Soma.
"Hmm… as expected of you." (Soma)
For some reason, Sheila clearly heard the words that Soma lowly muttered. He grabbed the handle of the flying katana and brought that arm to the waist as it was.
The posture of Iai…
Although there was no scabbard, it was definitely the same execution as Sheila, and… almost simultaneously, the angel also changed its target of action.
A song let out from that opened mouth…
{Raa–} (Angel)
"– Dividing Cut." (Soma)
Even the murmur was the same as Sheila.
Immediately after, a line ran in the middle of the angel’s body as if a trace of sword swung.
It started with the trace, and then the body gradually s.h.i.+fted… eventually, it fell to the ground.
There were two small sounds echoed… and it ended abruptly.
"Yeah… if he has proper weapon, he can easily do that much, right? As expected of Nii-sama." (Lina)
"…Yeah, as I expected." (Sheila)
"It fine if you say that, but… isn’t a bit weird just now?" (Aina)
"…? …What do you mean?" (Sheila)
"Well… Sheila threw the katana toward Soma with a momentum like a p.r.i.c.kly stick, but Soma accepted it without difficulty." (Aina)
"…? …That’s not normal?" (Sheila)
"I think he wouldn’t get the katana in time if it wasn’t thrown with that speed. To begin with, if he understand that the katana will come to him, it won’t be difficult to accept it, correct?" (Lina)
"…Right. Come to think of it, I am the only normal person here." (Aina)
"What are you saying?" (Soma)
"It’s just that I’m the only normal person…" (Aina)
Sheila didn’t know what Aina was saying but leaving that aside, there was something she wanted to say to Soma.
Although Soma who returned the katana to Sheila couldn’t see from his current position, her cheeks were slightly inflated.
"…That was my technique." (Sheila)
"Hmm? Aah, it looked good on appearance because it was imitated. Well, it was a splendid technique after all." (Soma)
"…Are you praising it? It feels complicated." (Sheila)
Basically, that technique was the technique Sheila most proud of. It was also her most used technique.
He didn’t only imitate it, but he made it as a long range attack. Was it possible to improve it that much?
Even if the other side who copied the technique said that it was a splendid technique, she couldn’t easily feel happy about it.
"By the way, it’s great that we could safely defeat it the moment ago, but… what are we going to do now? Are we going back?" (Aina)
"No, there is no need to do that. You three are not injured, and I also barely managed to defend against that." (Soma)
"But, Nii-sama, your sword… we don’t have any spare sword." (Lina)
"What? Something just right for that has fallen over there. It’s fine if I take that without permission." (Soma)
As Soma was saying that, he pointed at the sword lying down on the ground which was used by the angel.
Certainly, it was a fairly sharp sword, and… if it wasn’t good, there was Sheila’s katana, but…
"…Is it fine?" (Sheila)
"There is no curse, so it’s going to be fine. In worst case, it’s fine to use it only for this time." (Soma)
Well, if Soma was fine with it, then there was no problem. Sheila nodded as if to say ‘Is that so?’
After getting closer to that sword, Soma picked it up and swung it in order to confirm the feeling.
"Hmm… it seems to be used more than I thought. The problem is that there is no sheath, but… Oh well, there is no problem if I hold it in hand." (Soma)
While letting out small breath at Soma who somewhat satisfied as he said so, Sheila and others went further towards the rear.