As two blade-users, shall we decide it by the blade?”
Shinra-senpai responded to my question. “That is also fine. In chess, when a pawn is promoted, in most cases they become [Queen]. However, the battle situation changes if they promote to [Knight] instead depending on the setting. There are also a lot of differences between actual chess and the Rating Games, but—this will be a good match.”
The battle between me and Shinra-senpai was decided. Besides her, there was only the opposing [Bishop]—Kusaka-san, but—. At that moment, Akeno entered my sight as she gave off a crackling golden aura from her entire body. Akeno-san—had a cold look in her tear-soaked eyes and was giving off a strange aura. “…Even though I tried to show Ise-kun my determination…”
She went forward a step on with wobbly and shaky legs. I could feel a strong pressure in that step that couldn’t be expressed in words. “…Even though I tried to overcome it…by using this hateful power in front of him…”
Akeno-san slowly raised her hands in front of her and—. “I won’t forgive you.”
She showed the natural face of her S-side! The number one state that Akeno-san shouldn’t be touched in! Impossible, to think that the usually calm Akeno-san would react to losing Ise-kun like this! “—Disappear.”
After that brief anger-filled declaration, a great mass of thunder sprung forth from Akeno-san’s hands and swooped down on the Sitri [Bishop] Kusaka-san! Doooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon! “Reverse!”
At the instant of impact, Kusaka-san spread out her hands and tried to reverse the thunder, but—. Bigagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagaga!! The violent thunder wrapped around Kusaka-san! Kusaka-san couldn’t reverse the thunder and directly received Akeno-san’s attack! And at the same time, she was wrapped in light and disappeared! “It seems it was useless. She tried to reverse the thunder, but what I shot just now was lightning. Thunder and light. The reverse of the light portion wasn’t enough to reverse it all.”
[One of Sona Sitri-sama’s “Bishops”, retired.] “—The power couldn’t be overturned when the power being reversed was changed.”
Just as Akeno-san said, it seemed that their training wasn’t enough for them to master the power of [Reverse]. Akeno-san then pointed her hands at the [Queen] Shinra-senpai! Akeno-san had already disregarded the battle between me and senpai! She had forgotten me in her shock over losing Ise-kun and her anger at not being able to display her lightning power to him! It may be that, as a result of that, Akeno-san was able to conquer that power, but what an unexpected development. To think that Ise-kun meant that much to Akeno-san! “Kuh!”
Shinra-senpai felt the danger to her body and started running away from here! Kah! Dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon! The lightning extended straight towards senpai! If a devil was hit directly by that, they would be helpless! Since it was mixed with the power of thunder and the power of light, the weakness of devils, just imagining getting hit by that power was terrifying. However, Shinra-senpai avoided the lightning and tried to escape into the interior of the department store. I swiftly ran after her! I won’t lose when it comes to speed! While dashing, I created a holy demonic sword, and when I caught up I stabbed at her! My blade was blocked by her naginata, but I didn’t know when she would bring out that counter Sacred Gear! Shinra-senpai took out a small bottle from her pocket. —[Phoenix Tears]! So the Sitri [Queen] had theirs! She threw the small bottle at me and cut it apart with her naginata. The liquid inside was poured onto me! “Reverse!”
Shinra-senpai shouted that! She intended to change the immense healing power of the tears into damage the instant it hit me! I quickly changed my holy demonic sword into a sword of water! Bishah! The wave of water mixed together with the tears. When mixed with something else, the tears lost their effect. And as a result, the [Reverse] also lost its meaning! “If an opening is made even just a little!”
Senpai sharply turned her naginata towards me! I see, the attack just now was to make me block and step out. However—. Zan! Holy demonic swords bloomed in profusion around Shinra-senpai! The multiple holy demonic blades that sprouted out from the floor destroyed senpai’s naginata. “The current me has no openings.”
When I tried firing a second bout of swords at her, she made the mirror from before appear in front of her. I weakened the swords as much as possible and they stabbed with just enough power to destroy the mirror. Barin! Dooooooooo! The short-lived mirror broke and the impact was returned to me with double the damage, but—I could endure this much! I clenched my teeth in pain and raised my left arm towards the sky. “Petro, Basileus, Dionysius, Holy Mary. Please listen to my voice!”
Space warped and a tear was created! I stuffed my hand into there! “No way!? That’s!”
Understanding the meaning of this, Shinra-senpai was shocked. “In the name of the saints lodged in the holy blade, I release thee. —Durandal!”
The item I took out from the space was the legendary holy sword, Durandal! Xenovia! I’ll clear away your regrets here and now! Following the momentum as I took Durandal out, I slashed at Shinra-senpai! The holy sword hit, and serious damage was given to Shinra-senpai. Even in that situation, she didn’t activate her counter Sacred Gear. So she was unable to use it continuously. “It was Xenovia’s suggestion. That, in the case that she became unable to function and fight, she would transfer the sword’s right of use to me, since this sword is too good for her.”
That’s right, Xenovia had taught me how to use Durandal. And how could I, who possesses holy demonic swords, use Durandal, you ask? “However, your holy demonic aptitude is—”
Shinra-senpai said that as she was wrapped in the light of retirement teleportation. “I had no past. Because of that, I saw hell, but…I’m different now. Thanks to attaining Balance Breaker, it seems I can also handle Durandal like this.”
Buuuuuuuuuuuun…
Durandal was emitting a quiet and peaceful surge. It wasn’t letting out a violent and rampaging surge like it did with Xenovia. “Kuh! This is…! You can handle it better than Xenovia-san! ?”
Shinra-senpai said that, but I didn’t think so. “…Since Xenovia has aura temperament that desires power, Durandal may have also reacted to that. But I choose certainty over power. Ability over strength.”
I had intended to suppress its power, but even so the floor had been cut into two equal halves up to quite a distance away from the shockwave of slashing Shinra-senpai. It seemed I would receive a minus evaluation because of this. “I thought that it was a stubborn steed that didn’t listen to the words of its wielder, but it really seems to be true. It cut more than I thought…So controlling it is still difficult.”
“…! This is outside of our calculations, Sona! Even more than Hyoudou-kun…! Their true ace is…!