Chapter 141

Episode 139: Intersection

Thanks to Eina’s detection, the Rokuhara Enforcers had pinpointed the location and headed there, only to find two girls standing there.

Agiri Rinka and Clam Kirara.

Despite being strangers, for some reason, one of them seemed familiar.

“Hey, have we met somewhere before?”

“Eh, do you know Clam?”

“…Nope, never seen her before~ ahahaha.”

The purple-haired girl kept avoiding eye contact with Rokuhara.

Though something about her felt off, Rokuhara tilted his head in thought but decided to proceed with the conversation.

Whether this girl was an acquaintance or not was trivial.

What mattered more was…

“The destruction of the angel at the heart of this chaos. I’ve been tasked by Solciera to handle it.”

“Yeah, Solciera told me. Leave it to me.”

With that, Rinka opened a virtual window.

It was a map of both camps.

“Huh? What’s this? Since when…”

“I specialize in this kind of thing. Anyway, while we’re talking about destroying the angel, the situation is a bit different this time. There’s someone manipulating the angel from behind the scenes. So, I need you, Rokuhara Enforcer, to capture that person.”

“I see, that’s why we’re using Eina.”

Understanding the plan, Rokuhara nodded.

Clam had quietly distanced herself from Rokuhara.

“Thanks to Clam’s autonomous armament, we’ve roughly figured out where the angel will appear. It’s clearly deliberate with distinct habits of the controller. Once we reverse-calculate from here to their current position—”

Saying this, Rinka looked at the map and started muttering under her breath.

Her intense focus was evident even to those watching from afar.

Having a brief moment of idleness, Rokuhara turned to Clam who had inexplicably kept her distance and spoke to her.

“Hey, aren’t you doing anything?”

“…My role hasn’t come yet. Right now, all I can do is watch her fight.”

While viewing the live footage sent by the man-eating frog, Clam replied.

The video showed Solciera and Tourak on screen.

“So, those are… them?”

Clam’s eyes were fixed on just one person.

“…That child is there because they paid a price. Again, I couldn’t do anything.”

■

Star Slash is essential to the Bright Star Project.

The power to sever concepts and cut off calamities can only be done by Lutra.

Tourak knew well of its immense strength.

However…

“…Something’s off. I heard nothing can withstand Star Slash.”

“Haa…fufu, sorry, but I can’t afford to lose here.”

Before him, Solciera stood clad in a red dress.

In the midst of battle, her black attire had been swallowed and overlaid by a crimson veil.

This wasn’t merely a visual change.

Through several attacks, Tourak had come to understand the essence of her form.

“Interference nullifies any abnormality upon contact with the scythe…isn’t that right?”

“Indeed, impressive observation skills. Correct. Now, what will you do?”

Solciera smiled.

But contrary to her expression, her breathing was labored, and her movements lacked vitality.

Even disguising her own discomfort would be effortless for the usual Solciera.

This form must place a considerable burden on her, as even she couldn’t fully conceal it.

Seeing this, Tourak grimaced.

“What will I do…? Of course, I’ll help you!”

“Then let go of Lutra first.”

“I refuse. If I do that, I won’t be able to protect you.”

Their gazes intersected.

A fleeting silence.

And in the next instant, both clashed.

(That nullifies abilities upon contact. Then, everything else—!)

Just before Solciera’s massive scythe collided with Lutra, Star Slash severed gravity.

Tourak performed an unnatural maneuver to evade the scythe, then positioned himself behind her and slashed horizontally with great force.

But his strike was blocked by thorns emerging from the ground.

“I expected you’d try that.”

Without turning around, Solciera murmured.

Then she snapped her fingers.

Thorny vines erupted from the ground, encircling Tourak.

The same painful black thorns that clung to her body.

“Lutra, one swing.”

Unperturbed, Tourak commanded the thorns surrounding him to disintegrate instantly, falling apart into fragments.

Beyond them, he saw Solciera rushing towards him.

“Lutra!”

“Fufu, too late now.”

Faster than Star Slash could activate, Solciera’s scythe swung down.

Tourak deflected it at the last second, relying solely on his swordsmanship honed through years of training.

(There’s no opening to use Star Slash… Even with reckless attacks, when your base stats are this high, it’s troublesome.)

“Stop resisting already.”

“No way. I’ll end this tragedy!”

Their short exchange ended in disagreement once again.

“You’re as stubborn as ever…guh…!?”

“!”

Suddenly, Solciera’s movements slowed.

Seizing the opportunity, Tourak quickly distanced himself and immediately assessed her condition.

She groaned in pain, clutching her left arm, barely staying upright by leaning on her scythe.

Under normal circumstances, Tourak would have dropped his weapon and rushed to her side.

But now, things were different.

Seeing Solciera hurt stirred something within him.

“—Why do you fight so hard? For your mission, your role… Aren’t you yourself?”

“…Because this is my wish.”

“!”

With Lutra ready, Tourak charged forward.

“Lutra, three swings!”

Distance was severed as he moved behind Solciera.

Gravity was disrupted, lifting her body into the air.

“Ah.”

Coolly, Solciera swung her scythe.

Interference canceled out the gravitational anomaly, allowing her feet to touch the ground again.

But that very gap was what Tourak had aimed for.

“Sorry, but now—I’m going to kill you.”

Tourak had been thinking deeply about this.

(…Isn’t it better to kill you now and bring you back later?)

Ignoring the voice inside him screaming that this was a line he shouldn’t cross…

(…Yes, that’s the best option.)

The ideal future he had envisioned was discarded by his own hands.

“No matter how much it hurts, endure it. Only I can save you.”

“Wh-You’ve gone far beyond what I imagined…!”

Solciera was shocked.

In the next moment, she decisively pointed her scythe at Tourak.

“I’ll stop you.”

“I’ll save you!”

Their weapons crossed.

But the direct clash was avoided.

“Here!”

Dodging the scythe, Tourak took a step forward.

With her abilities restricted, Solciera faced Tourak whose special powers had been nullified.

The difference in basic capabilities that once existed between these two was now gone.

The third swing.

Tourak used this to sever his own limitations.

Breaking free from the unconscious restraints he imposed on himself as a human, he descended into the realm of a beast.

Even so, he desperately wanted to save the girl before him.

“Kei!”

“…”

Once inside the range of her large scythe, Solciera had no means to resist.

Her ability to produce thorns was impaired due to the cost she had already paid.

“With this, I’ll grant you death!”

Tourak discarded Lutra.

His empty hand reached out—grabbing Solciera by the neck.

“Gaaaah!?”

Tourak strangled her with his bare hands, abandoning his greatest weapon.

Caught off guard by this unprecedented attack, Solciera frantically tried to break free, her eyes darting wildly.

“You’ll be happier if you let me save you…! I don’t want to see you get hurt anymore, so please allow yourself to be saved!”

“Anya…gaa…”

As the grip tightened around her neck, Solciera managed to smile and say:

“Who says someone suffering more than oneself wants to be saved?”

“…Eh?”

Confused by her words, Tourak paused momentarily.

She wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.

“Kuramu…!”

Her lips barely moved to utter that name.

At that moment, the autonomous armament lurking nearby sprang into action.

It was a single frog.

The frog leaped onto Tourak’s back and exploded.

“!”

Without Lutra, Tourak had no way to counter.

The explosion, powerful enough to decide the match, struck Tourak, causing him to collapse face-first.

Solciera caught him gently in her arms and embraced him warmly with a smile.

“Thank you for trying to save me.”

As she spoke, a magic circle spread centered around Tourak.

A gentle, warm light enveloped the surroundings.

Placing him at the center of the light, she laid him down and placed Lutra beside him.

Then Solciera whispered softly, audible only to Tourak.

“When I met you—I was already saved.”

Dragging her injured body, Solciera stood with Tourak on her back.

Countless angels surrounded them, eager like predators before prey.

“Fufu, did you really think we’d stand a chance fighting each other?”

Shaking with effort, Solciera readied her scythe.

Her eyes still sparkled brightly.

“Come on, I was just looking for a new dance partner anyway.”

To protect Tourak, Solciera charged toward the angels.

All Tourak could do was watch her fight alone.

“Kei…”

His body moved slightly, his hand reaching out toward Solciera.

And there, his consciousness faded away.