Ikana Village – Rua and Kurinka’s Home
As everyone pondered what to do, a bolt of lightning struck one of the flying ships, sending it into a tailspin as smoke billowed from its hull. It tilted dangerously and began to plummet to the ground. One after another, more ships were torn apart by the relentless lightning.
“Oh, this is just as I expected…”
“It’s Madias! No… it’s definitely him!”
Just as I had predicted, the screen displayed the masked Religious Founder, Rulud. Just like when he was battling Branburm, he hovered effortlessly in the air. He raised his staff, swaying it, while his other hand danced in the air. It seemed like a gesture of attack, but it looked more like he was mocking the fleet.
“Fufufufufu! Ignorant children of man! How dare you attempt to sink your fangs into Lord Madias!”
“F-Forward enemy presence! Identification… unknown! Number… one?!”
“Fire the main cannons! Don’t hesitate!”
Though they shouldn’t have been audible, the voices of the Trikaria Federation reached us clearly. This was bad; I knew that against Rulud, that fleet stood no chance. Even without the power I received from Madias, he was certainly a more formidable opponent than Vandalsia. But there was no way those people could handle a monster that even the Hero clan, who brought calamity upon the world and created the Festival of Calamity, feared.
“Ah! No! This is bad! They’ll be wiped out! Run away!”
“The military strength of the Torkaria Federation is second only to Metallica… But seeing them so helpless is disheartening.”
“The main cannons aren’t hitting at all! What is that mist or powder?!”
“That is likely the work of Ash Angel Zeyel.”
Before I knew it, Meria had joined me, staring intently at the screen. Elmera had even draped her arm over my shoulder, trying to relax. I found it annoying and pushed her away.
“With Imagination Magic, he’s trying to help those people, you know? Rua, do you understand?”
“But Rulud’s power…”
“Yes, he’s utilizing Divine Nature & Divine Nature. That ash is probably using the power of the completely exposed Divine Nature.”
“Rulud is currently using both ‘Miracle’ and ‘Victory’ as his Divine Natures.”
“What does that mean?!”
“The Ash Angel Zeyel possesses the ability to wield all those he has turned to ash.”
I understood. Zeyel had turned the World’s Strongest Man, who had died there, to ash and given it to Rulud. Damn it, if he was such a troublesome opponent, we should have defeated him right then and there. I couldn’t bring myself to resent Lord Daigami, but it was undeniably frustrating. Still, I wondered how Meria knew so much. Even in the Kingdom of Metallica, they seemed to know little about the Celestial Realm.
“The Cyclops has fallen… too soon.”
“I’ll go there and help them right now!”
“Calm down. From the looks of the Cyclops, it seems to have just lost the ability to fly. Fortunately, it likely intends to call for rescue from its homeland after landing.”
“But there’s no way Rulud will let that happen.”
“It seems he will. He merely watches the falling Cyclops with satisfaction, showing no signs of pursuit. However, the flying ships are almost completely wiped out…”
Rulud must have thought he had won. He might not know it, but as long as there are survivors, humanity will rise again. Even though Madias is desperately trying to annihilate us, we are still alive. I didn’t know what the people of the Federation intended to do, but it wasn’t predetermined that we would be killed.
“Rulud…!”
“Your complacency is commendable.”
“…! H-He looked this way!”
Rulud clearly gazed at us through the screen, consciously addressing us.
“This was merely a performance, but now it is a divine oracle.”
The screen went black and then displayed something new. Even Genia seemed confused, inexplicably tapping the side of the screen.
“This is strange. I should have aligned the satellite’s footage and channel… Ah, that must be Rulud’s power. There’s nothing we can do about that. Hahaha!”
“Where is this place being shown?”
“This is likely the capital of the Trikaria Federation, Luxina. Its population is about five times that of Avangarde Royal Capital…”
“No way…”
I couldn’t afford to pay attention to Genia’s casual chatter. Suddenly, the buildings of the capital began to crumble, and the ground split apart. From above, I could see devastation spreading everywhere. Tall structures snapped like twigs, crashing down into rubble. I didn’t even want to think about the damage occurring below.
Of course, that was just the beginning; soon, torrential rain began to pour. An unimaginable amount of rain fell, accompanied by lightning strikes. Then came the tsunami. In less than a minute, every conceivable disaster had brought the city, larger than Avangarde Royal Capital, to utter ruin.
“…What is this?”
Tall buildings barely peeked above the tsunami, but they too were quickly engulfed. Debris and people were swept away, and the rain showed no signs of stopping. After the tsunami receded, the scene was one I didn’t want to witness. It was hard to tell if there had ever been a place for people to live, as rubble and trees were mixed together in chaos.
I couldn’t even imagine how long it had taken to build this city, larger than Avangarde Royal Capital. Countless people had poured their time and effort into creating it, only for that demon called Madias to take it all away.
“We, Metallica, have endured this great calamity time and again… That is why we thrive. However, if you are not from Metallica, you will be reduced to nothing like this.”
“…Is Madias in the Celestial Realm?”
“Most likely… However, even we have no means to reach it. This is beyond our ability to assist.”
“Then I’ll just ask that Zeyel guy.”
Lord Daigami suddenly looked at me as if he had just realized something, but I deliberately ignored him. I understood why he hadn’t said anything. It wasn’t that he had given up on persuading me.
“I’ll force it out of him.”
An eerie silence enveloped us, as if no one remained nearby. The rustling of grass and the distant laughter of village children had vanished. The sounds and presence had disappeared because I had made it so. I held my breath, waiting for my anger to subside. Unconsciously, I had made everyone feel this way. I had become so uncontrollable that I had frightened my beloved friends.
“Rua…”
“I’m sorry, Platiu. I’m fine.”
Surprisingly, it was Platiu who finally managed to squeeze out a voice. She trembled, her eyes glistening with tears. I hurriedly patted her head, but her anxious gaze pierced my heart.
“It’s getting late, so let’s leave it for tomorrow.”
As if to say my anger was nonexistent, Kurinka was tidying up the bed. She was in a cheerful mood, as if we were about to set off on a picnic. For just a brief moment, I had likely frightened even Kurinka. Yet, she was acting just like always.
“Um, I have a request for you, Genia.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“If we fight Madias… As Lord Daigami said, a clash with the Celestial Realm may occur. Before that happens, I want to ensure everyone’s safety as much as possible.”
“Ah… But we currently lack proper equipment… We’re barely managing by patching together the remains of Satanakia. Honestly, we could use some help ourselves.”
“You have the Divine Nature of ‘Inspiration,’ Genia, so you should be able to do something. We’re trying to do something reckless too… So, please cooperate!”
Genia scratched her head multiple times, hesitating to respond. Eventually, she sighed, looking quite troubled. I couldn’t let Kurinka be the only one bowing her head.
“Lord Daigami, Platiu… Elmera, Meria. I want everyone to cooperate. I understand how you feel, Lord Daigami, and I don’t want to force anyone, but… If you truly love humanity, you can’t allow what Madias is doing.”
No one said anything, lying face down on the floor. Their tails thumped against the ground in displeasure. Elmera was frustrated that her Imagination Magic had been of little use and that Rulud had toyed with her at will. She banged her head against the wall, muttering curses under her breath.
“Rua. What you are trying to do could shatter the very fabric of the world. If you defeat Madias, as Lord Daigami said, a horrific situation may arise. Let me ask you once more. Setting aside your hatred for Madias, why do you believe this is necessary?”
“Just as I am alive now, having produced some result, there may have been potential within the lives Madias has taken. Whether it’s a Divine Being or not, I won’t let them do as they please.”
“Even if there were evil people among them who deserved to die?”
“There are people like Nentro in this village, who have killed many. He is quiet now, and some of them could start over. Even a Divine Being wouldn’t know whether there’s potential or not.”
“…Yes. Perfect score.”
Meria formed a circle with her hands and smiled. I had thought this for a while, but it felt like she was testing us in some way. She watched over us gently, but she wouldn’t actively help unless we clearly expressed our intentions, just like with the Sky Cannon.
“I entrust the future to you, Rua… though I can’t say that with any authority, as I’m not a Divine Being. However, to move forward with such a clear intention is truly wonderful. No matter what results it brings, it is far more beautiful than those who merely try to seize the future. Rua, you are truly amazing.”
“Waaah! Big sister is going far away!”
“We’ll always be together.”
“Woohoo!”
“To say I’m amazing… that’s too much…”
Meria was beautiful, and when she said it so clearly, I found it hard to look directly at her. Her smile was dazzling, warming my heart from deep within.
“Rua-chan, over here!”
“Huh? Whoa!”
Kurinka suddenly pulled me in with incredible strength. She held me tightly at my sides, making it impossible to escape. I wondered what was going on with all this moving around, and before I knew it, I was being carried to the bed. This was just like what I had seen in storybooks—a princess carry. What were we doing in front of everyone?
“Alright! It’s really late today, so let’s disperse! Everyone, let’s head home! Genia, I hope you’ll think about it too!”
“Ah, yes. I’ll do my best.”
“Platiu, don’t sneak into bed with us in the chaos!”
“Poo!”
“Not ‘poo’!”
It felt like the tension from earlier had vanished. Just moments ago, I had been on the verge of losing it with all the anger from the deaths around us, and now I was lying on the bed. It felt like I shouldn’t move at all.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave. Oh, and Harp-san too.”
“Ah, speaking of which, you two are newlyweds, right? My apologies! Enjoy yourselves!”
Harp’s face suddenly turned bright red as she dashed out. Genia was reluctantly pulled out by Platiu, leaving only Elmera and Meria behind.
“Rua, Kurinka. I have something to share, just between us.”
“What’s going on all of a sudden…?”
“I can actually send you both to the Celestial Realm.”
“…Huh?”
“But first, let’s deal with Zeyel. Going to the Celestial Realm will come after that.”
As Meria gently patted Elmera’s head, she continued to smile. Who exactly was she?
◆ Shin Report ◆
It seems we are in a serious situation. If Madiath begins to move in earnest, this entire continent will be erased. By showcasing the destruction of the capital of Torcalia, the situation has become even more dire.
Rurudo, why did you have to show that? What remains after such provocation? Is there any hope left? Rua’s anger has ignited, turning her resolve into something solid.
The final war is looming right around the corner. The time has come for this report to reach its conclusion. Now, what kind of ending awaits us?