A silver, armored coffin had been affixed in the center of a special pa.s.senger plane with a huge cargo area. A crest depicting the wings of a blue b.u.t.terfly could be seen on the coffin’s surface.
Two men, looking very much like mercenaries and wearing camouflage uniforms, were watching the coffin. Both held a.s.sault rifles connected to them with sling swivels. One hand was placed along the grip of the rifle while the other hand was positioned so that their index finger could touch the trigger at any moment.
One of the mercenaries furrowed his eyebrows, and approached the coffin.
His partner felt puzzled by his action, “Is something wrong?”
“I heard a sound from this coffin.”
“A sound?”
The other mercenary also drew close to the coffin.
“It might be nothing but my imagination, but I felt like I’ve heard something from within.”
“The atmospheric pressure here should be stable, no?”
They nodded at each other while touching the coffin.
“Yeah.”
“…Hmm, is it some kind of monster? I mean, Sana-sama retrieved the coffin from Anchorage’s ancient ruins amidst heavy gun firing.” The blond guy said while looking in the direction of the front cabin.
The person called Sana-sama, whom he had mentioned, had bought up the parent company that employed them as mercenaries. She was a mage of the twelve distinguished families which were the pride of East j.a.pan.
“The miss said that the contents might become a help in the war if they’re still in good health, though.”
“And that we’ll know the details after returning to the imperial capital, huh…?”
The grim-faced man tapped the silver lid several times with his burly finger.
“It sounded like she intends to wrench this coffin open, using special equipment.”
“I heard that as well, but…I don’t think that it’ll be that easy to open. It’s as hard as a diamond.”
“True. But maybe they got the necessary technology in j.a.pon?”
“Who knows? It seems quite likely that even the material welding lid and box together is an unknown metal. I’ve heard that they don’t know how it’s been welded together either.”
“An extremely ancient civilization that used abnormally smooth, silver metal, eh? The gold vein…and the Anchorage ruins where they found the bones of the giant called Nephrim…all of it appears to be related to the small carvings of ancient letters.”
At that moment――
They heard a faint, “I, Kizele…g…,” from the coffin they were touching.
“Did you hear?”
“I did…it looks like the contents of the coffin are really alive.”
“I’m sure Sana-sama will celebrate.”
“But, it was a voice I couldn’t understand. Maybe a foreign language?”
“Sana-sama predicted that it falls in the category of Ancient Anunaki.”
“…Haha, that’s all Greek to me. It’s all way too absurd, so I can’t catch up.”
“Yeah, I feel you. Same for me. I don’t get the prized magic of the Orient’s j.a.pon either.”
“Understanding these babies here is more than enough for us.”
The two mercenaries held up their rifles, laughing. With their blond hair and blue eyes, they obviously didn’t hail from East j.a.pan. The blond guy on the left came from England. He used to be a member of the Royal Marines in the past. The a.s.sault rifle in his hands was a bullpup with an L-shaped tip.
The other guy hailed from the Northern Californian Commonwealth, a state independent from the United States. Originally he had belonged to a Ranger unit of the army.
The private military company, to which those two belonged until just recently, was currently still active.
If you wanted to make the current situation sound nice, you could call it a subdued world war with sporadic battles constantly occurring, but in reality…the armed forces of major powers like Eastern j.a.pan, Oriental Russia, the Chinese Federation, North America, and the North Californian Commonwealth had fierce battles going, violently fighting over the Aleutian Islands, Anchorage, the large gold deposits reaching all the way to the Caucasian Mountains, and the interests of the ancient ruins related to all those areas.
And those two were superb mercenaries any country would want to hire, even if they had to pay huge amounts of money.
Suddenly they heard the voice of a woman from an array of chairs installed to the inner wall of the cargo area.
“Keith, Ares, did something happen?” The black-haired woman addressed the two men gently.
Behind her stood a short woman who wore round gla.s.ses and held a tablet PC.
“Sana-sama, Hina, please sit down without minding us.”
“Indeed. We’re still in contested airs.p.a.ce.”
“Is that so? This pa.s.senger plane has been remodeled to suit our needs, and above all, I’m on board as well. So everything will be fine.” Sana murmured as she walked up to the two men while brus.h.i.+ng her hair behind her ear.
She wore an Eastern j.a.pan military uniform, despite still being a student. However, she was also the second daughter of the Hououin family of Eastern j.a.pan’s prided twelve distinguished families, and a mage of rare ability.
Plus, what drew the eyes of Keith and Ares more than her beauty as a j.a.panese was the special being floating above Sana’s head which was proof of her strength, manifestation of her confidence, and the reason why she could so boldly ensure their safety.
This being was a guardian categorized as 【Heroic Battle Spirit】, commonly referred to as “Battle Spirit.” For a member of the twelve family it was testimony of their power and proof of them being a mage belonging to the twelve.
The war spirit looked like a semi-transparent mirage. However it wore helmet and armor, and its face was covered by a fearsome visor, vividly reminding one of a Warring States warrior. It was holding a spear with a cross-shaped head. This spirit was Silent Matabei, a spearmaster of the Hououin family who had lived during the era of the Warring States in j.a.pan.
There existed a famous poem about him – “Silent Matabei the Lightning”
“Whenever he swung his spear, his opponent lost his words and head.”
His spear mastery was famous for being soundless. He was truly a match for a thousand.
Only a special mage would be able to employ a battle spirit like Silent Matabei. Even among the twelve families, only a few special mages were able to form a contract with this particular spirit.
The mercenaries gulped when seeing Sana’s battle spirit.
“…We’re well aware. After all, you went totally berserk outside and inside the ancient ruins, Sana-sama.”
“Miss, we trust in your abilities, and especially, your strength when it comes to inter-personal combat, but we’re in the sky right now.”
Keith and Ares told her, and then nodded at each other. They recalled the sight of her battle spirit freely mowing down the enemy soldiers and Sana’s movements when she recovered the silver coffin. However, they couldn’t rid themselves of the thought that a fighter plane as an opponent was a different beast altogether, even if you might be able to ultimately compare it to a battle on the ground.
The men looked at Sana and Hina with doubtful expressions.
“For you to not understand even after seeing that much strength…,” sighed Hina while adjusting her gla.s.ses.
She also wore a military uniform, but one with a short skirt. Hina was another superb mage. Her family had been serving the Hououin family for generations.
“That’s only natural, no?”
“In case we get caught in the enemy’s net, we won’t be fighting people, but jet fighters.”
The two confronted Sana and Hina.
“Even if you complain about it now, we’re already up in the air. Let’s put our trust in this refurbished pa.s.senger plane. Besides, pa.s.sengers from the Chinese Federation, Oriental Russia, and Northern California are flying on it as well, so even pursuers might find it hard to simply shoot it down just like that,” Sana explained while looking towards the upper deck of the plane.
“Miss, that’s naive thinking. We have already left neutral airs.p.a.ce…”
“Right. They should try shooting down this plane, even while involving other planes, without any scruples.”
“So what about it? You guys are mercenaries who survived various battlefields, aren’t you? Just as Sana-ojousama has pointed out, we’re already in the air. So, please believe in Sana-ojousama’s strength.”
At that point, a youth in military uniform rushed over from the front cabin, and announced, “We have a response on the radar. Two fighters are incoming.”
“Just as expected, huh?”
“…Keith. Do you trust in the power of a plane that had been remodeled by the twelve distinguished families of Eastern j.a.pan?”
“No…no matter how you put it, the frame is just too big.”
Ares and Keith stared at the two women, blame gleaming in their eyes.
“You guys just need to watch the coffin over there for us――”
The instant Sana rebuked them, the frame shook violently. It stemmed from the remodeled pa.s.senger plane abruptly performing a turn.
The tailing fighters had fired their Vulcan cannons.
“Kyaaa.”
“Ugh――”
During that turn, their entire surroundings were engulfed by a dazzling flash.
◇◆◇◆
Ah man, come on, she even summoned airplanes? Well, although it’s in the distant sky, the view of the torn s.p.a.ce closing looks pretty.
At the moment of closing, dazzling dull silver flashes continued to be emitted crosswise and randomly, before stopping after the tear closed up completely. It was a nostalgic sight.
But, a.s.suming the planes are carrying pa.s.sengers, it’s an isekai transfer for them…
In a hurry, I took a distance from Golgonshura while carrying the Wave Gourd.
『――Helme, deploy 』
『Okay!』
The visual field of my left eye was instantly covered by Helme’s liquid. The sight inside her body was mysterious, as if light was s.h.i.+ning upon the beautiful depth of an ocean. However, we didn’t use just yet.
Even during my telepathic communication with Helme that took mere milliseconds…Golgonshura flapped her lovely, semi-transparent b.u.t.terfly wings. But, the right hand she had extended diagonally above and the big wand withered away and vanished.
Having become one-armed, Golgonshura revealed a pained expression.
“Although there’s no interference by the G.o.ds, as I thought……but still, it succeeded…Kizeleg…”
Golgonshura placed a knee and hand on the ground. Despite having stolen eyes from Jody and Ciel…the grand sound wave magic that tore through the dimensions consumed her magic wand and her own arm.
It must have expended a substantial amount of power.
“A mighty sound spell? But, if it’s just sound, it won’t work on me! Kisara’s kicks, no, divine beast-sama’s b.u.t.t attacks really hurt!” Rotalz boasted after having weathered through the sound attack. “Crush her alongside the annoying tree――”
He screamed and shook his huge body. The horn on his forehead swung left and right, hitting the b.u.t.terfly-shaped prison where Demi-G.o.d Golgonshura had been sealed.
But all he managed to achieve was a hard, metallic clanking.
“How hard.”
“It’s a prison which sealed away a G.o.ddess, so it’s only natural.”
“If the folks from the Vatican’s First Ruin Excavation Bureau saw this, they might be quite interested… But, it’s my first time to see a being that’s called G.o.d…according to rumors, the 【Lich Absolute】, who leads Gusdell Death AsoleArmy of the Dead – the ones ruling over the 【Purgatory Hill】’s underground, is a humanoid as well, but…” Tsuan ran his mouth after fixing his posture while holding his kukri in a backhand grip.
A lich? It’s gotta be hard on the Religious State and the Holy Kingdom to have to deal with such an enemy on top of the armies advancing onto the surface through Spirit World tears. Well, for this very reason, the Vatican with its light attribute possesses the power it has ama.s.sed.
At that point, I s.h.i.+fted my eyes to Rollodeen.
“Rollo! They’re quite a bit away from here, but we’ll save the big pa.s.senger plane! It’s the huge, iron box. Eva, use your mind force on the medium-sized fighter planes – the narrow, steel-made objects. It’s also fine for you to just guide them. ――Kisara, Rebecca, I leave the command over here to you. Watch Golgonshura and deal with her appropriately.”
“Nn, possible――” Eva floated up in her magic wheelchair.
Meanwhile I placed the Wave Gourd on the ground. Powerfully kicking off the gourd’s front part, I leaped into the sky. While flying through the air, I looked down for a bit.
“Sure thing! I’ll show you my true power as Lucival ! Kisara-san, we’re suddenly forming a common front, but nice to work with you!” Rebecca yelled while swinging her magic wand Guphon after having already expanded her blue flames.
“Back at you! ――Just like earlier, we’re going to take up defensive positions, Rotalz. Zemetas, Adomos, please spread out to the sides. Adombraly, you launch a preemptive strike from the center――”
“Ayes, I’ll start with getting rid of this pesky prison.” Rotalz charged at the b.u.t.terfly-shaped tree in order to take it down, but the prison didn’t even budge.
“Four Heavenly Witch! You seem to be deeply trusted by Milord. I don’t like it, but for now I shall obey your instructions――” Adombraly blurted out with a sharp glint in his three eyes while readying and brandis.h.i.+ng his whip-staff.
The instant he swung it, the staff trembled lightly and divided into several blades. The blades were connected by a wire.
Just like that, the blades headed for Golgonshura while bending like a whip.
At that point, I s.h.i.+fted my eyes to the distant airplanes.
I’ll leave the battle against Golgonshura to my friends. First I’m going to check that big plane. If it carries any pa.s.sengers, I’ll save them.
Powerfully kicking off the I created underneath my feet, I jumped even higher into the sky. Next I invoked Blood Magic and
◇◆◇◆
————– End of Part 1 ————–