Kays Translations

Chapter 31- Sky and Sea Battle [2]

Outside the training ground, Lord Leonardo was present.

"Kaito!"

When Lord Leonardo approached, everyone stopped.

He was tall, muscular, yet seemingly slender and dignified. At first glance, one could sense the overwhelming power and aura he exuded.

"Father! Is there a problem?"

"Monsters have appeared from the sky above this airship. It's a pack of Shinlinkrai."

"Is... is it safe?"

"Yes. Most of them have been defeated by the magic weapons, but some have undoubtedly managed to escape and come to this ship. I'll handle them."

Lord Leonardo was also one of the few skilled individuals. In addition to the Leonardo family's shield techniques, he was a Sword Saint in both Holy Sword Techniques and Imperial Sword Techniques.

"Father, I'll fight too."

There was no time to hesitate.

Lord Leonardo knew that as well, so he nodded.

Then, Vane tapped Kaito's shoulder.

"Not just you, we'll fight too."

Vane, Sarah, Nemu, and Charlotte all nodded in agreement.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The port where Ren and the others immediately headed to was bustling with people.

The smell of seafood being grilled on stalls and burnt sauce tantalized everyone's appetites.

"Sister, sister! Let's go there next!"

"Umu! I don’t mind!"

The adults ahead of them were even more excited than Ren and Fiona.

Walking a little behind them, the two chuckled.

"If I let you eat while walking like this, Ulysses-sama might scold me later."

"Fufu, I don't think so. Besides, I've always wanted to do something like this..."

"You mean, street food tasting?"

"――――Close, but you get 90 points."

"Why do I fall 10 points short?"

"...That's a secret!"

She pressed her finger to her lips, making a deliberately coy gesture.

This winter break was enjoyable. Ren also took a bite of the skewered food in his hand and followed the adults ahead.

After visiting several stalls, their stomachs were quite full.

"Except for not being able to drink alcohol, it's perfect."

Estelle sighed.

Unfortunately, there was a problem with the water supply, causing delays in transportation.

While seafood could manage, some items, like alcohol, hadn't arrived yet.

Leaving the port, they headed to the road lined with Eupheim's famous waterways.

As the crowd thinned, the two took a brief break, leaning against the waterway bridge.

“.......”

Estelle’s eyes fixed on the waterway, and she fell silent.

Eventually, she narrowed her eyes and focused on something deep in the water.

Near the port, facing a particularly large waterway leading into the city, she stood on the bridge.

She didn’t reply when Verlich called her “Sis” and remained silent.

“Fiona Ignat.”

Suddenly.

"I'm fine with Fiona. So, how about you, director? What’s the matter?"

"Then call me Estelle. So...tell me one thing.” 

Ren and Verlich understood it. It was the voice of Estelle that they rarely hear, a voice that had become hardened.

“Have you been experiencing problems with the waterway since autumn?"

"Y-yes! My father has been confirming various water sources, but we couldn't find the cause. For now, we've adjusted the water flow within the city using magic tools."

"I see. So you've been investigating already."

Ulysses must have been investigating. There shouldn't be any holes.

However...

"Kuu, even that strong arm couldn't find it, huh?"

Estelle chuckled victoriously and raised her voice.

She called over a Eupheim knight who had been patrolling the bridge.

"Hey, you there! I am Estelle Osroes Drake!"

The knight rushed over, and, seeing Fiona by her side, he knew it was not a hoax.

"Ha!"

He knelt before Estelle.

"What's the matter?"

"From now on, disseminate the information with my name to the imperial capital and various places."

Mobilize the knights to the location where Estelle gave orders.

Send urgent requests for reinforcements from the capital and follow Estelle's instructions to secure Eupheim's defense.

The knight was taken aback by the sudden situation, and there was no time to ask for the reasons.

Feeling overwhelmed by Estelle's determination,

"Understood!"

He hurriedly left.

The residents were suddenly in commotion, but Estelle ignored it and returned her gaze to the water.

Ren asked in a stiff voice.

"Did something happen?"

"Rather, it's about to happen."

As she answered Ren, Estelle unsheathed her sword, Black Authority.

Suddenly.

The surface of the largest waterway in Eupheim rose like an inflated balloon. Large waves, suddenly spanning several miles, surged and approached the bridge.

Estelle was about to unleash the pressure of Black Authority upon the waves when...

"Freeze."

Under Fiona's composed voice, the waves instantly froze.

In the past, the ice shadows that once protected Ren in the Baldor Mountains were no longer there. Fiona’s powerful ice magic, which even impressed Estelle, easily defended against the oncoming water.

"Excellent. Worthy of praise."

Estelle said this and shattered the frozen waves with a swing of her Black Authority.

The shattered ice was blown into the sea by the force of her sword.

"It seems that it has surpassed the power of the city's protective magic tools. It looks like the magic energy in the water influenced the formation of the waves, judging by their size."

There was no doubt about Ulysses’ actions.

The Holy Lion’s Sanctuary’s Director declared this.

"We must join with Marquis Ignat and the others."

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The flock of flying monsters were wreaking even more havoc than before.

Since the Leonardo family's magic airship was equipped with numerous magic weapons, they could still handle it. However, as expected, some monsters were getting close to the deck.

"How foolish to target our ship."

Lord Leonardo stood on the deck, holding up his large shield.

A wall created by magic emerged from his shield, protecting the Leonardo family's children present and defending against the attacks of the approaching enemies.

The wall shone like a thinly stretched piece of jade. It was semi-transparent, allowing them to easily see the surprised expressions of the approaching monsters.

"As expected of Leonardo-sama!"

Charlotte shot an arrow. It was a powerful arrow created with more magic than the ones she used in the mock battle with Vane.

The shield created by Lord Leonardo allowed only allies' attacks to pass through, but it dealt powerful counterattacks to the flying monsters.

Amidst the ear-piercing cries of the monsters,

"We're going too!"

Facing monsters approaching from another direction, everyone swung their weapons at Sarah's command.

Vane's attacks were especially formidable, easily slicing through the bodies of the approaching monsters with the sword he held. Against the abnormality known as the Shinlinkrai, the boys and girls were able to fight sufficiently.

Not to be outdone by his father, Kaito, with the determination to protect everyone using his large shield, was brave and heroic.

"Why did they suddenly attack us? Are they trying to do something to Airia!?"

Of course, they couldn't expect any answers from the monsters they were fighting.

Their opponents were Shilinkrai, lower-rank C-class monsters, but still formidable enemies. It was not an easy fight when so many of them were attacking.

However, they were strong.

With sweat and effort, they fought with determination—strength far beyond that of ordinary students.

Many shinlinkrai had already fallen into the sea.

Then Vane noticed,

(... What was that just now?)

He was the only one who noticed.

For a moment, he felt a pressure as if he was being stared at from the bottom of the sea.

As a precaution, he looked at the sea. Due to the bad weather, visibility was poor, and the presence he felt earlier had disappeared.

"Vane! They're coming!"

"Oh, yes!"

Called by Sarah, he regained his focus.

After defeating another Shinlinkrai on the deck, one more fell into the sea.

"Well done, Vane-kun!"

"Charlotte-senpai too!"

Cooperating and fighting together for a few more minutes, they finally defeated the last shinlinkrai.

"It's nothing."

As Lord Leonardo caught his breath, he continued,

"Everyone, well done! With this, we have nothing to fear even if the Demon King Cult attacks!"

With Lord Leonardo's words, the battle ended.

Warships were approaching from the modified port constructed on the cape.

It would still take some time to reach the airship terminal, but they were almost safe until they landed.

The airship continued to gradually lower its altitude.

(... Again.)

While everyone was catching their breath, Vane was different.

He looked down at the sea again, furrowing his brow.

Charlotte, who had come over to him, asked, "Vane-kun?"

"What's wrong?"

"..."

"Vane-kun?"

Vane kept his gaze fixed on the sea, seemingly even more vigilant and tensed up, despite the airship terminal approaching.

"It's not over yet!"

The boy, carrying the blood of the Hero Ruin, said clearly.

The sword he held was bestowed upon him by Marquis Riohard, a treasured sword that Sarah couldn't wield properly, so Vane ended up holding it.

Almost unconsciously, Vane dashed forward, spurred on by the courage summoned from deep within him and a sense of duty that was still unknown to him.

The children of the Seven Heroes followed Vane.

Standing at the front of the deck, where they could overlook the sea more than anywhere else,

"There... Something is coming!"

Everyone was surprised that only Vane noticed, but they also believed him.

His words were soon proven right.

The sea around them shook violently, causing irregular waves.

It was as if a massive balloon had expanded beneath the sea. The entire sea surface was disturbed, and a gigantic water pillar blocked the airship's path.

"... There are still some left!"

The water pillar had a diameter of several dozen miles.

Such a massive water column was even higher than the airship, which had considerably lowered its altitude.

Next, Lord Leonardo and the others noticed the figure of the enemy who created the water pillar in the sea.

—The messenger of the giant god, Wadatsumi.

Its massive body must have been about thirty miles long.

With a serpent-like build, its blue-white scales covering its entire body looked like precious jewels. Green fins adorned its neck and waist.

A monster as beautiful as a woman dressed in a feathered robe.

『Oooohhhh――――』

Multiple water pillars emerged from the surrounding sea.

From those pillars, countless small droplets of water were shot out. Each and every one of them carried the lethal force of the giant god's messenger, Wadatsumi's magic.

The water droplets approached the magic airship like a gust of wind, trying to crash it and make it fall. But it didn't fall.

"You dare underestimate the Leonardos! You monsters from the Demon Continent!"

With even greater power than before, Lord Leonardo erected a protective barrier that defended the entire ship. The magic wall repelled all the approaching water magic. Every time a droplet collided with the magical barrier, a deafening explosion resounded.

The situation was completely different. In the legendary world of the Seven Heroes that Ren had seen, this never happened.

But since the battle had started,

"What's going on with the monsters from the Demon Continent!? Vane!"

"Yes! We have to defeat them for sure!"

"Hey, you two! Don't be reckless... Oh, forget it! Charlotte, support Nemu! We'll take the front!"

"I know. Don't worry, just go!"

The interplay here and the one from the world of the Seven Heroes overlapped. The only differences were the battlefield and the presence of Lord Leonardo.

The tension and the strength of the enemies remained the same.

Wadatsumi, the giant god's messenger, continued attacking while swimming in the sea. But attacking from underwater wouldn't be enough to sink the Leonardo family's ship.

Realizing this, the enemy unleashed an even more formidable magic.

A spherical water barrier enveloped the Leonardo family's magic airship. If the flying magic airship advanced as it was, it would collide with the space created by the water magic.

The airship could fly through the sphere of water with some leeway, but the barrier was thick. So thick that Wadatsumi, swimming in the water surrounding the airship, could easily swim through it.

Wadatsumi extended the water pillar and dived into the water barrier.

"Hey, hey, hey...! What's that monster doing!?"

Kaito shouted in panic. Then Lord Leonardo calmly said,

"If we don't do something about the water defense it created, repelling it will be difficult."

"Father, are you suggesting..."

"Shall we use the sacred power of Airia?"

"That's right. With that――――"

Airia possessed powerful divine power.

Not only could it block all of Wadatsumi's attacks, but it might also destroy the water barrier the enemy created.

However, it was imaginable that the enemy was targeting Ailia.

Going out with Airia might be foolish.

Just as they were somewhat hesitant,

"――――"

Lumps of water emerged from inside the water barrier, undulating as they extended. As they were about to strike the airship, Wadatsumi, who was swimming inside the spherical water barrier, turned its body in an arch.

The tips of its two horns shone brightly, and then,

"Kaito! There's no time to hesitate!"

Lord Leonardo called out to Kaito in a loud voice, prompting him to run. Then, he raised his large shield again and took a deep breath.

A much larger and thicker magic barrier was formed near the bow of the ship.

Wadatsumi roared and opened its mouth.

『Ooooohhh!』

It released a powerful breath. The breath of water magic was not just ordinary water; it was more like flames of a color reminiscent of the lush green sea.

The breath was released from underwater and approached the airship's surface.

Its destructive power was remarkable. It spread like a shotgun blast, bringing a blast of wind that cut like a sharp blade.

However, Lord Leonardo’s magic barrier effectively blocked all of them.

He was sweating considerably from the exhaustion, but the powerful destructive power of the magic weapon he released helped to slightly shake the water barrier.

A few seconds later, Kaito returned. For some reason, Airia in his hand was faintly emitting light.

"Father!"

"Come here, Kaito!"

Kaito ran to his father's side at the front of the deck, holding Airia.

The appearance of Wadatsumi, who was swimming in the water, changed. Its eyes emitted an eerie crimson light, and it once again prepared its breath.

At the moment the breath was about to be released,

"This is a shield that even the Demon King's attack couldn't breach!"

Placing Airia at the lower part of the deck, Kaito's aura sparkled with a silver light.

The strongest shield that had even troubled the Demon King demonstrated its power once again after hundreds of years.

『――――What!?』

As the breath touched the silver barrier, it immediately dispersed.

The dispersed light floated in the air, riding the wind and reaching even Wadatsumi protected by the water barrier.

The sound of electrical surges resonated, shaking the water barrier irregularly.

When Wadatsumi was about to release its breath again,

"I'll say it again."

With Airia in his hand, despite feeling considerable magic power consumption, Kaito proudly declared,

"This is the shield that protected the Hero Ruin from the Demon King's attack!"

The barrier unfolded again. This time, it was pushed forward and pushed out as if to press against the breath, not just repelling it but directing it straight to Wadatsumi, who was in the water...

The barrier created by Kaito turned into a wind of light as soon as it repelled the breath, attacking the water barrier protecting Wadatsumi.

『Goo――――Ooo――――』

The water exploded, and Wadatsumi, left behind in the air, fell into the sea in accordance with gravity.

Its eyes, which had shone a deep crimson, faded in color.

The water barrier finally returned to just seawater.

"Everyone, grab onto something!"

Following Lord Leonardo's instruction, everyone prepared for the incoming seawater.

It was an enormous amount of seawater, but everyone used magic and battle skills to repel the water and held onto nearby railings to avoid falling from the airship.

After soaking wet, everyone finally regained their composure.

"We did it...!"

"K-Kaito-senpai!"

Vane supported Kaito, who was on the verge of collapsing due to exhaustion. They exchanged smiles filled with a sense of accomplishment and tried to celebrate this great achievement.

However, it wasn't over yet. The enemy was still attempting one final attack. Originally, the battle should have ended here, with the giant god's messenger Wadatsumi escaping somewhere. But perhaps due to the different battlefield or some other factor, Wadatsumi, who was falling into the sea, let out a powerful roar.

At this moment, Vane was the first to move. He thought of Ren and wished to become as strong as him... with that strong desire in mind, he moved his body.

“Me too…”

...I don't want to be a mere protected existence.

"But I have no intention of losing to anyone. Since the time I had someone I want to protect, I've felt that way."

Before the Lion King Festival, before the first match of the martial arts tournament.

Vane recalled Ren's strength, which had given him courage, and the feeling that he might gain something from this...

"I can't stay the same as before...!"

As the falling Wadatsumi finally released its breath, Vane, standing near the bow of the deck, swung his sword upward. Numerous water pillars rose from the surrounding sea surface, transformed into water arms, and attacked.

Both Kaito and Lord Leonardo thought about deploying their barriers.

However, they were dumbfounded when they saw the dull flash emitted by the sword Vane held.

And it was none other than Sarah, also tired from the battle, who smiled naturally.

"...Just like back then, Vane."

Vane's sword, clad in the flash of light,

"Haaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Deflected the approaching water arms and redirected the approaching breath towards the sky.

This was not an awakening. Unlike the legend of the Seven Heroes, where Ren stopped Ulysses in the Baldor Mountains, it was a modest power. Compared to Asval, who was trying to resurrect, the opponent was too weak.

Like when he had saved Sarah in the past, the power of the Hero Ruin, dormant deep inside his body, had been activated only slightly.

However, it was undoubtedly a part of the Hero's power.

Until he awakened as a hero, Vane had come very close.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

It was already past noon. Ren advanced a little further into the old town and met up with Ulysses and the others on a cape overlooking a cave along the coastline.

He had brought along several town knights and had come this far on horseback.

"Ulysses-sama!"

Ulysses, accompanied by Edgar and other subordinates, was investigating the water source around this area.

"Oh? Why are you here?"

As the safest place in this area was with Estelle, Fiona had stayed in town.

Upon hearing about what happened in Eupheim, Ulysses expression changed.

"It might be related to the anomalies in the waterways, as Estelle-sama thought."

Although Ulysses had once been in the military, the actual instructions were still given by Estelle. Ulysses truly appreciated Estelle's instructions. The opponent was the Director of the Lion Sanctuary and the strongest knight of Leomel.

Being given instructions by Estelle in town, Ulysses was genuinely grateful.

"Then, let's get started."

"Yes. Let's return quickly."

Ren also had to return with them. Following the urge to hurry back to Eupheim, he took the reins of his horse.

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