Special Story: In the World of Midgar (Part 04)
The ground shook. As did the mana.
Something's coming! Something incredible.
Someone terrible is coming this way! That was something Teuchi understood not through reason but through the instinct he had cultivated over all his battles up until now.
"Orders! All mercenaries on standby are to arm themselves and gather at the front border ASAP! I repeat! All mercenaries, gather at the front border immediately!"
The messenger soldier ran around shouting orders, causing the Trade district to buzz with noise.
Due to necessity, the Trade district was positioned to be the most in danger of being attacked. Naturally, mercenaries and soldiers were constantly posted around the area, and they'd always stopped any attacks. However, the fact that they were calling those that were off duty as well meant the situation was serious.
The mercenaries hurried to gather together, and the gate guards were forming up before the border. Going along with the flow, Teuchi equipped himself and ran out of the entrance to the Trade district.
"Mister Teuchi! What's goin' on?!"
"As if I'd know!"
Teuchi met up with another fellow mercenary on the way by the name of Kaiza, and while they ran, Kaiza asked Teuchi what was going on, but Teuchi didn't know either. However, his instincts as a warrior were warning him.
It starts today… A fight bigger than anything before. A fight to protect this country!
"But this atmosphere… You get it, right? It makes my skin tingle…! It's here…! The final battle that's been on the way for so long!"
"So that means… the Ram is attacking?!"
"On the way." Everyone was predicting this would happen eventually. The war with Aries the Rainbow Ram had reached a stalemate, but that wouldn't last forever. At some point, Aries was going to attack again with everything she had, for sure. Everyone understood that and feared it.
And that moment that was "on the way" was here!
"Captain!"
"Ohh! You're here, Teuchi!"
By the time they'd reached the border, the border patrol had already finished getting into formation.
Teuchi found the large man that served as his captain and ran over to meet him. Although they were in different positions as a soldier serving his nation and a mercenary hired for money, they were still both comrades protecting the same place. The two recognized and trusted each other.
"What's the enemy's size?!"
In response to Teuchi's question, the captain silently handed over a pair of binoculars. That probably meant that it'd be faster for Teuchi to see for himself.
Looking through the binoculars, Teuchi laid eyes on a nightmare that he would rather have never seen, covering everything in his vision.
The army approaching the border was an avalanche of monsters, monsters, and more monsters. The huge army that consisted of who knew how many bodies pushed ever closer with no sense of order or discipline.
"… Wow, looks like the Ram's being serious today."
"Yeah. The question is, 'Why now?'… Just what happened to set this off? Or did she just suddenly feel like it?"
"As if I'd know. It probably just took this long to gather that many of them, right? More importantly, what do we do? Are you seriously telling me we're going to have to keep that at bay by ourselves until the main army arrives from the castle?" Teuchi said sarcastically, resting his favorite claymore on his shoulder.
Right now, the guards at the gates numbered a total of five hundred men. And with two hundred mercenaries, that made for a total of seven hundred fighters. There was a limit to how lopsided a fight could get. There just weren't enough of them.
There was still a chance of them being able to resist if the main army were here, but it was more likely that they'd all be killed before buying enough time for the army to arrive.
"It's crazy but we don't have any other choice. They've already gone out of their way to make a greeting and give us time to get ready. So we have to answer in kind."
"So that earthquake just then really was a declaration of war. That sheep, playing all cool."
There was no need for her to warn us of her attack with an earthquake. The best time to use an earthquake would be just before the attack, to crush any advance or counterattack we could try. But instead, Aries caused an earthquake long in advance and gave us time to prepare ourselves. She went out of her way to send a message, saying, "I'm going to attack now."
"I'll invade and conquer, but I won't start a war without announcing it first. I won't attack by surprise."
… Wasn't that one of the rules that the now departed Haruka Heartfilia set for herself?
You cocky sheep, taking after your master in the weirdest ways. Teuchi thought as he spat onto the ground.
"But thanks to that, we managed to make some preparations. All mages, forward! Kill as many of them as you can before they come close!"
Following the captain's orders, robed magicians stepped forward.
This was Svel, the country of magicians and scholars. The country ranked first in the world in the number of magicians within its borders. The magic barrage unleashed by them wouldn't allow the monsters to pass easily.
"FIIIRRRREEEE!"
A wave of magic was fired in time with the order.
That order became the signal for the great war for the country of Svel to begin.
"Let's go! We're going to hold on until the army comes, no matter what!"
The captain's orders reverberated throughout the air, and all the soldiers drew their swords. The mercenaries also drew their respective weapons, and they all kicked off the ground.
The number of enemies was large and unknown. The long-ranged sweeping fire of magic should have lessened their numbers, but the original number was so large that it was actually hard to tell if it made a difference.
"OOOOAAAAHHHH!" Teuchi howled and bisected an approaching monster with his gigantic claymore.
A great warrior that anybody making their living as a mercenary should have heard of at least once. That was Teuchi. Although he didn't quite reach the level of the vaunted sword saint, his skills still ranked at the top of the world. He could bury any half-baked monster with a single strike and would cleave straight through shields and armor to kill the enemy within.
"Come at me, you monsters! I'll slice you all in two!"
A second strike. Teuchi sliced a howling wolf, a wolf-shaped monster, in two as it jumped at him.
A third strike. Teuchi cut down a living armor, an empty but moving suit of armor, as it tried to attack him from behind.
A fourth strike. Teuchi struck down a bird monster that tried to descend on his head with the pommel of his claymore before slicing it apart while it was on the ground.
"OOAAAAGGGHHH!" Slice! Cut! Slice!
Even after putting down every monster that came at him one after the other and being bathed in their blood, Teuchi didn't rest. In the blink of an eye a small mountain of corpses piled up around him, and that pile only grew bigger.
"W-Wow! So that's Teuchi, the man hailed as the strongest mercenary…"
"What unreasonable strength…"
The other soldiers around him reacted in wonder and amazement. That was just how strong Teuchi was and just how isolated he was from everyone else.
However, no matter how strong he was, Teuchi was still human. There was a limit to how many monsters he could take on at once, and no matter how many he killed, with the number of monsters present, he wasn't anywhere near strong enough to push them all back. There was no doubt that Teuchi fought furiously. However, that was almost meaningless in front of the sheer mass of monsters that was thrown at them.
"GWOAAARRGGHH!"
"-! Kaiza!"
One of Teuchi's friends screamed as he died.
Teuchi looked over and saw that his friend Kaiza's throat was ripped out by a leopard monster before his body was swallowed up by a wave of monsters in the next instant and disappeared.
War is merciless. Life is reaped equally, whether one knows a person or not. Even a friend who was just recently laughing with you can be changed into a corpse. Teuchi had experienced that countless times; it was a fact that he knew well. However, no matter how many times it happened, he never forgot the rage that followed.
"YOU BASTARDS! HOW DARE YOU!"
Teuchi swept away all the monsters swarming Kaiza's body with his claymore. However, he was already too late.
The little bit of Kaiza that Teuchi saw after driving off the monsters was no longer in the shape of a human. What was left was also quickly trampled on by other monsters, and it would surely continue to be trampled all the way until the end of the battle, at which point it would just be some sort of mass of color painting the battlefield.
"Gyaaahh!"
"Hiiiiiggh!?"
Everywhere, soldiers and mercenaries alike were screaming their last, and the numbers of Svel's defenders were dwindling. The enemy should have been losing fighters as well, but it was impossible to tell just how many. Even now, monsters were swarming around, and it was still impossible to tell just how many of them there were.
"Tch!"
A human-sized praying mantis, an Anveterin, sunk its sickle into Teuchi's shoulder. Although he immediately struck back and beheaded it, it hurt too much to take. Of course, it was so in the sense of pain, but also—and more importantly—in the sense of loss in fighting ability.
His arm would still move, but it was clearly weaker than before. In a battle that would continue for who knew how long, a wound like that was basically a death sentence.
"Dammit! Is the army not here yet?!" Teuchi complained while swinging his claymore, cutting down monsters that jumped at him.
How many more minutes? How many more minutes do we have to hold on? Five? Ten? Or even more than that? Impatience swirled in Teuchi's chest, and his movements started to lack their usual brilliance.
Along with the passage of time, Teuchi's number of wounds grew, and his stamina continued to chip away.
This was the weakness of the country of magic. It had abundant mana, as well as abundant mages and sorcerers. However, magic had an opposite… In other words, the country had almost no acolytes or priests who used the power of heaven, or heaven-arts. Especially the flugels, who were most proficient in said arts, hated mana, and wouldn't come near. It could be said to be a fatal flaw.
Basically, Svel lacked the means to recover and heal during battle. It wasn't as if there were no practitioners. However, the number of users was clearly lacking. For this specific battle, the insufficiency was too big to ignore.
"Guargh!"
Another hit. This time, Teuchi took a wound in the leg. With that, almost all of his mobility was gone. Taking that into account along with his exhaustion, Teuchi was already at less than half fighting power compared to how he was in his best condition.
Fear and resignation started to creep into Teuchi's heart and take over.
Is this it…? Am I going to die here…? In his mind, Teuchi pictured the faces of his dead wife and the precious daughter she left behind. Unlike him, who only knew how to swing around a weapon, she was smart, and clever, and his pride.
Right now, she's surely doing her best at her studies in the Academics district.
Teuchi thought about her and banished his resignation from his heart.
Not yet! I can't die yet!
In a flash, huge spears of water crashed into the monsters.
"-?! W-What the hell?!"
Countless blades of water rained from the heavens. And strangely, after hitting the monsters, they went back up into the sky.
Teuchi—no, the entire battlefield followed the blades with their eyes… and saw it.
The jaw itself, dancing through the sky, was over 100 meters across. Its body, made of water that was chock full of magic, was clear, and it was wriggling like it was covering the whole country of Svel. Its length was unclear. In the first place, it used to be a lake that surrounded the entire country… Most likely, it should've been at least several kilometers.
That was the giant dragon created by the Witch Princess Juvia, one of the Seven Princesses of Midgar who once defeated the Black Empress, using the lake as a medium.
The artificial guardian deity: Levia.
The holy beast that protected the country of Svel howled, and the sound was loud enough that the world itself seemed to shake. And in the next instant, hundreds of monsters disappeared into the dragon's jaws.
"The g-guardian deity Levia… Finally, it's come…!" The captain, covered in wounds, muttered in blank amazement as he watched the giant dragon.
Now, look! Look at this magnificent form! What impressive gallantry! And what a beautiful dragon!
This is the pride of Svel! The strongest iron wall of a guardian deity, Levia! It's invincible! As long as this great guardian is here, even the Grimm King or the Black Empress would break!
The dragon's presence was so overwhelming that the defenders believed that.
"Soldiers, you've held on well!"
The next voice they heard was the cornerstone of this country's defenses. Everyone's gazes gathered on the speaker with looks of respect. Her long, azure blue hair fluttered in the wind. Her dark blue eyes were sharp like blades and held the glint of great knowledge, and she had the signature doll-like proportional face of an elf. She wore a dark blue witch-hat with a yellow ribbon coiled around it and a navy blue color theme coat, both of which have flowers pattern in the interior. She also wore black-colored skirt, golden earrings, and brown boots with yellow ribbons. She was standing with a crutch since one of her legs stopped working after a battle with the Grimm King long ago, but even so, she was just as reliable as ever.
One of the Seven Princesses of Midgar, the Witch Princess Juvia Rainfall.
The soldiers's excitement bubbled over at the sight of this lone transcendent figure appearing as if to paint over this entire situation.
"Ohh! Lady Juvia! Lady Juvia has come!"
"Great Witch Juvia, the Elf heroine! And the guardian deity Levia! Ohh, we're saved!"
"Hahahaha! Look! The monsters are like trash!"
The monsters were being chewed apart by Levia one after the other, and their numbers were dwindling in the blink of an eye. It was exactly as if a dragon were fighting some ants.
Unable to do anything in the face of Levia's gigantic body, the monsters could only be killed one-sidedly. No. Even if the monsters were able to do something, it still wouldn't have been much of a threat at this point. There was an insurmountable gap in levels between Levia and the monsters, so even if an attack were to land, it would effectively do nothing.
However, the people, elated over the appearance of the guardian deity, didn't notice.
Levia was the country's last line of defense, and the fact that it had to act signified just how far their backs were up against the wall.
No one knew… of the fact that this was their last resort.
… Wow, I've got nothing to do?
Naruko and I somehow managed to make it to the border in time, but the fight was already reaching the climax. At the moment, I was standing on the platform I was making float with my ESP, looking down at the battle that was happening.
Levia was scary as hell… That was my honest impression.
Even considering the fact that the monster army's quality was low, the water dragon's actions were overwhelming, to say the least. Just being huge like that was a weapon, and a strength, in itself. The enemy couldn't hope to shave away at a mass of water that large, and cutting it and piercing it didn't mean anything, either.
On top of that, Juvia was constantly healing and casting support magic on Levia, so the gap was only getting bigger. Golems couldn't be repaired by anything other than the Alchemist's skill. On the other hand, that also meant that they could be repaired as long as the Alchemist was there. Levia was going on a rampage while having its 180k HP constantly replenished. The sight of that was a masterpiece unto itself.
"Looks like you won't have anything to do, Big Sis."
"Indeed, We can only commend them."
On the monsters' side, even the strongest was only around level 50. Put bluntly, the entire army was just a group of small-fry. Like that, there was no way for anyone to stand up to Levia, who was level 500. Fiona must have prized quantity over quality, as all the monsters that made up her army were common in the game. In other words, they were all of races that propagated like rabbits but weren't individually all that strong.
Like this, Levia might actually win, even if Fiona does show herself. There was a difference in their levels, but Fiona's stats aren't that great in the first place, while on the other hand, Levia's got one foot in boss status. It's got no feet, though. But Levia also had the complete support of its creator, and more than anything, the water dragon had the leverage of their compatibility to each other.
… Fiona's element is fire, right? And it looks like Juvia's made preparations for her, too. This might actually be a checkmate already.
Hm, I probably won't be able to, but I guess I should at least try to check Juvia's stats.
The skill Observing Eye would only display stats if I was double the target's level or more. Anything over that and all I'd get was the name and level. And it doesn't need to be said what happened if we were the same level or she was stronger.
That's why I know that I won't see anything even if I try to turn the skill on Juvia but… Well, just in case.
[ Witch Princess Juvia Rainfall]
[Level]: 500
[Race]: Elf
[Class Levels]
・Mage: 100
・Sorcerer: 100
・Acolyte: 100
・Seeker: 100
・Alchemist: 100
[HP]: 29500
[SP]: 9400
[STR (Strength)]: 980
[DEX (Dexterity)]: 1250
[VIT (Vitality)]: 1028
[INT (Intelligence)]: 5720
[AGI (Agility)]: 723
[MND (Mind)]: 4290
[LUK (Luck)]: 1311
[BAD STATUS] One Leg Paralyzed
[BAD STATUS] Mark of the Vanquished
… Huh? It totally let me see everything.
Wait, isn't Juvia totally weak right now? And she's got some weird status conditions on her, too. Like, what the hell is the Mark of the Vanquished? I do get the whole one leg paralyzed thing, though.
"Naruko."
"Yes, what is it?"
"It looks like Juvia has some weird thing called 'Mark of the Vanquished' on her… We don't know of it. What is it?"
Whenever I'm in trouble, I just ask my reliable little sister, Naruko. That's the first and easiest method I've learned since coming to this world. I'm really thankful for having someone right by me that has all the knowledge that I've missed over the last one thousand years.
If Naruko didn't know anything, that would mean it wasn't a problem of me missing the last one thousand years, and just knowing that was a relief.
"Ah, so that condition does exist. That means the rumors were true."
"Rumors?"
"Yes. I should have already told you about how the Seven Maidens of Midgar were defeated by the Grimm King, but to tell you the truth, there's been rumors that the Maidens were cursed by the Grimm King after their defeat."
Cursed, huh? That must really be annoying.
"I think I remember hearing from somewhere that it's the curse's fault that they can only bring out half their original strength. That's why, if the curse is real, Levia really is their last line of defense."
"… It looks like on top of having her levels halved, she's lost several classes."
"Woah! That's pretty mean… Doesn't that mean she'll never be able to make a golem of that level again?"
If Juvia's weakening was all thanks to that "Mark of the Vanquished," then it was an incredibly fearsome curse. I shuddered in fear.
First, the level. Clearly, it's been halved. On top of that, her stats have also probably been halved. There's no way in hell Juvia's INT would ever be lower than mine since she should be specialized in magic and other back line roles.
And to have half her classes disappear, too? That should be a joke, but it isn't. She should have had the Esper and Archer classes, among others, but I don't see them anywhere.
That Mark of the Vanquished is way too scary…
"Oh? Big Sis. Look there; it seems she's appeared."
"…! Fiona?"
The sense of pressure was so clear I could feel it on my skin. It was the feeling of her presence.
Having felt that, I looked towards her.
Even though she was a ways away, her wool stood out with its rainbow colors that changed depending on the angle you were looking from. Along with her huge body that easily cleared 100m in height, she was sporting a downright baleful expression along with a pair of cold, angry eyes.
The form of this huge sheep monster made the game's cute chibi characters seem like a lie.
Fiona, one of the Twelve Zodiac's Guardians.
The monster that used to be my follower approached Svel while causing earthquakes.
The huge sheep shook the earth as it walked.
The giant dragon raised a cry and tried to intimidate it.
Both of them were monsters beyond human ken, living proof of the Age of Heroes, and also monsters, that no human today could stand up against. The strongest golem that Juvia created before receiving her curse, Levia.
And one of the Twelve Zodiac's Guardians that used to be under Haruka Heartfilia, Fiona the Rainbow Ram. Those two giants, who could sap someone's will to fight just by being their opponent, faced off against each other while slowly approaching, creeping closer to each other's range.
Teuchi and the others could no longer do anything other than watch events unfold.
"GRRROOOAAAHHHHH!"
"MEEEEEeeeEEEEEEHH!"
They roared. Just that action caused violent winds to break out and froze people on the spot.
Probably the only ones who didn't wither in the face of Fiona's roar would be someone of Juvia's level. And even for her, a drop of sweat could be seen, sparkling as it rolled down her cheek, giving away that she was just barely holding on.
Juvia was fully aware that she was far from her best condition. Levia was her masterpiece that she made back in her prime. It was actually stronger than Juvia herself right now. That meant that if Levia were to be destroyed, she'd never be able to replace it.
If that were to happen, even if they got through this battle, it would mean the death of the country anyway, having lost the cornerstone of their defense. Levia was a deterrent that Juvia really didn't want to move if she could help it. The golem acted as a restraint, giving others the impression that they shouldn't foolishly attack since they had a guardian deity. That was Levia's role.
In other words, losing Levia equaled the loss of the country.
Juvia had to somehow keep Levia alive and claim victory over that monster.
"… Go, Levia!"
Victory to those who act first!
Juvia gave her orders to Levia, and it flew at Fiona.
The two monsters's elements were water and fire. If they were to clash straight on, Levia would have the advantage.
Levia's fangs sunk into Fiona, but Fiona didn't seem affected. The wool covering Fiona's body must have interfered, as almost no damage went through.
"Guarrgh!"
In return, Fiona also bit into Levia.
But Levia's body was made of water. Physical attacks held almost no meaning. Levia's body, torn apart by Fiona's bite, reconnected as if nothing had happened, and the two of them took their distance and went back to glaring at each other.
"… Mehh," Fiona cried, and her eyes, filled with rage and madness, glinted.
In a flash, Fiona opened her mouth and shot out a line of powerful fire from the opening.
The target was… Svel! Just now, Fiona ignored her opponent, Levia, and tried to destroy Juvia directly.
The flames, which melted the ground itself along their path, were intercepted by Levia as it put itself in the way.
Was that attack really because Fiona was ignoring Levia? Or was it intended to make Levia put itself in the way?
… Either way, if this went on, Levia would no longer be able to move.
However, Levia was still Svel's guardian deity. Even though it doesn't come near a real god like Lunaru, or even the kin that she spawned, the "true dragons", Levia was still undoubtedly a witness to the Age of Legends.
There were seven elements in this world. Of those, the Goddess Lunaru presided over two, and she spawned five dragons to preside over the other five. Levia was made as a guardian deity imitating those dragons.
In other words, Levia was nothing but an imitation of those gods, a replica. However, even as a replica, its power was real.
Levia morphed its ever-changing body, letting loose a wave of water spears.
Even though Fiona managed to evade the sudden attack, Juvia made her move, aiming for that gap.
"Tidal Wave!"
She unleashed a high tier water element spell, one that unleashed a tsunami. In that space that should have been empty, suddenly, it was as if the entire area was an ocean as a giant wave that threatened to engulf even Fiona's huge body appeared.
Magic was the act of changing the mana in the atmosphere into something else. All it did was fake events and phenomena that would disappear once the magic was over, but while it was happening, the event was definitely real enough. That was why ridiculous things like "making a tsunami appear out of thin air" were possible.
"Mehh!"
However, just when the wave seemed about to hit, Fiona jumped.
The jump caved in the earth under Fiona and caused a huge shake that even knocked Teuchi to the ground as Fiona flew up 100 meters into the air.
"Wha…! It jumped with that huge body?!"
One of the mercenaries expressed his shock, but Juvia wasn't moved. She knew… She knew from the onset that Fiona would easily get past a trick like that.
After all, she was one of the Twelve Zodiac's Guardians that Haruka Heartfilia herself recognized. Something like common sense was no deterrent to them. They were a group that would easily stomp over even divine providence. However, the next moment, Fiona did something that even Juvia couldn't anticipate.
Of all things, Fiona blasted fire out of the ends of her hooves and accelerated through the air. Her target, as before, was Svel! Levia couldn't dodge since it needed to protect Svel and all the people living there, so it had no choice but to use its body to block Fiona's attack.
They clashed.
Right away, Juvia put up a defense barrier, protecting herself and the city.
If Juvia was even a little late with that reaction, the two monsters would have crashed into them with all their weight, and everyone in the vicinity would probably have been squished under them. As if to prove that prediction, just the aftershocks of those two huge bodies colliding threatened to destroy the capital. However, a straight clash would see Levia with the advantage. Even though there was a gap in levels, it wasn't insurmountable with the advantage in elements.
Or so Juvia thought, but her opinion was quickly proven too optimistic. Something occurred within the rainbow wool that covered Fiona's body.
The wool stood as if it was being burned—No, it was, in fact, being burned. All the wool around her body burst into rainbow-colored flames, turning Fiona into a ball of fire.
"Mesarthim."
It was a skill that turned one's entire body into fire, allowing them to apply continuous damage to the enemy through simple contact. It was one of the skills once given to Fiona by Haruka. A memento of her comrade who was betrayed long ago.
Seeing the skill bare its fangs, Juvia felt irritated. "… Annoying Sheep."
Juvia immediately turned all her attention to maintaining the barrier and defending the city and her troops. She was forced to do so because if she didn't, just the waste heat from the skill would cause those around not of a high enough level to evaporate.
Of course, the capital would burn as well.
However, that also meant that Juvia could no longer take any other action. If she were to undo her defense, although she might be fine, the people behind her would all die. If she were to let up on the barrier even a little to attack, someone would burn and die.
Juvia had no other choice.
"Kssshhaaaahhh!"
"MEEEeeeeehh!"
The two giant beasts once again clashed.
They shook the earth, caused wind to blow, and continued to crash into each other along with their tremendously oppressive presences. Just by moving, the two of them caused the ground to fissure. If one fell, it would cause nearby mountains to crumble, and just the shockwaves would break trees in half.
Like that, the two continued to crash into each other. However, Levia slowly started to look like it was coming out ahead.
Their elements were fire and water… Looking at that relationship alone, Levia was completely on top. Of course, that was exactly why it could fight evenly even with a 300 level difference.
Levia's charge blew Fiona back, causing her to fly back in an arc and crash into the ground. Once again, the ground fissured. And it shook.
Right away, Fiona got up, but the damage definitely remained. It was working. Fiona was definitely being worn down.
"We-We can do it! We can do it, Lady Juvia!"
"We can win! We're going to win this fight!"
"All hail the Witch Princess! All hail the great guardian deity, Levia!"
Behind Juvia, the soldiers were all cheering. However, none of them noticed. They were the ones that were really in trouble.
Juvia frowned, desperately holding back all the insults and complaints she wanted to yell.
… This is bad… She's evaporating the very water that makes up Levia's body! Now I can't repair it…!
Alchemists could use their skills to repair, or heal, their golems. However, that repair was impossible thanks to the water making up Levia's body itself being changed. There's no getting back what's gone! And on top of that, water made from magic couldn't be used in alchemy, either.
Water and fire born from mana weren't natural. They were just phenomena born from burning the mana in the air or transforming it in some other way, and once the spell was over, the mana returned to how it once was.
In other words, mana was an all-purpose energy that could become anything in creation. That was what magic engines used as fuel, and it only worked because it burned the mana as energy and discarded it. However, alchemy needed to use at least semipermanent materials, so magic that disappeared immediately had no use. Even if Juvia were to make a water golem out of water made from magic, it would just immediately disappear back into mana.
At the moment, the fight seemed even.
However, the one actually with their back to the ropes was the kingdom of Svel. Even if they managed to win this time, if the war were to persist, Levia would only continue to be weakened and become unable to weather the next fight.
But, even knowing that, there was no other choice but to keep relying on Levia!
… Forgive me… Levia…! While apologizing in her heart to her masterpiece that had to be used roughly, Juvia once again ordered Levia to charge.
Will Fiona fall first? Or will Levia disappear…?
With no choice other than to bet on awful odds, at this moment, Juvia was having the most bitter experience out of everyone there.
"What do you think of this fight, Big Sis?"
"… If it's just this fight, then it's Levia's win. However…" I replied with my own prediction to Naruko's question.
At the moment, Levia had the advantage.
The relationship of their elements was really big. Unfortunately, I couldn't see Aries's HP or SP thanks to her level of 800, but I could tell that she was taking damage. I did give Aries a recovery skill just in case, but most likely, it wasn't catching up.
That's why, if this fight were to continue, Levia would win.
… However…
[Guardian Deity Levia]
[Level]: 500
[Race]: Artificial Life Form
[HP]: 103567/103567
"But in the end, Levia is the one who'll lose." Levia's max HP itself was getting shaved away.
That Aries, what a thing to do. She was evaporating the water that made up Levia's body to weaken it so that she could have the advantage later. In other words, it wasn't a strategy to win in the moment, but one that looked forward to battles later on! She was allowing her opponent to win right now in order to certainly take victory later.
At a glance, Aries looks like she's in the depths of madness, but… She's actually pretty calm, isn't she?
"I see… In other words…"
"Yeah. Aries never intended to win this fight from the start. She forced Levia to move by making it seem like the final battle and planned to weaken it."
I thought it was strange. Even though power levels were supposed to have weakened in these past one thousand years, the monsters were still clearly too weak.
However, I understood after watching Aries fight. They were expendable bait, ready to be exterminated. They were just there to lure out Levia. It was all Aries's plan after having decided that it would be impossible to defeat Levia in just one fight.
"Aries should already be fighting while planning her escape. And neither Juvia nor Levia will chase too far."
"They're the guardians of this country, after all… They're pretty smart, so I bet Juvia is thinking, 'This could be a trap, and more monsters will come while we're away.' So there's no way she'll give chase."
"… That Aries, she's gotten quite cunning over the years."
"You were the one who taught her to fight that way in the first place, Big Sis."
As Naruko pointed out, I was probably the one who taught Aries all those tricks. In truth, I did make her fight real sneaky like that in the game in order to help make up for her low stats. But… Even I don't remember teaching her anything like how to jump in such a huge body. She probably just grew. I don't know if I should be happy about it or not, though.
Anyway, it's finally reached the point where I can't just sit and watch any longer. I couldn't expose myself to so many people either, though, so I couldn't appear in front of Aries as "Haruka Heartfilia" just yet. Or rather, if I did, in the worst case, I'd get attacked by Levia from behind. However, I can force Aries to retreat easily enough.
"We're going, Naruko. Hang on tight."
"Huh? No way. Are you going to jump down from here?"
"What else is there to do?"
As soon as I said that, I jumped off. My wings were still stuffed inside my robe, so of course, I wasn't able to fly, but I wasn't planning to anyway. I allowed gravity to accelerate me and added ESP on top of that to turn myself into a cannonball.
My target was Aries, who was clashing with Levia! Specifically, her head!
"HYOWHAAAAAAAHHHH?!"
"We don't enjoy the idea of kicking a loyal subject, but… Apologies, Aries! Unfortunately, We don't wish for anything like revenge, and We have no recollection of asking you to do this, either! Cool your jets, you foolish sheep!"
Ignoring Naruko, who was clinging onto me while screaming, I charged at Aries.
I didn't use any skills whatsoever. In the first place, since I had gotten to level 100 in both the Grappler and Champion classes, my barehanded attacks were now permanently damage-boosted. In other words, I had passives. That's why I didn't need any half-baked attack skills right now. My physical attacks that I've leveled up—in other words, my regular attacks—-would work just fine.
… No, just in case, I should activate the Warrior skill "Blunted-Sword Strike". It's a mercy skill that forces the next attack made after the skill is used to never reduce the opponent's HP to 0. The fun thing about this skill is that even though the skill is named "Blunted-Sword Strike", it still works with weapons that don't have a blade or even with one's bare hands.
It makes you think, wouldn't the name "Hold Back" or something be more appropriate?
"-?!"
Aries noticed me, but it was already too late. Having accelerated more than enough, my kicked connected, burying my feet in Aries's head, blowing her and her giant over-100-meter-tall body back.
After crushing several mountains, rolling over several times, and then crushing several more mountains in her way, Aries finally stopped, having been blasted back around a kilometer.
And I noticed Juvia and the others turn their shocked gazes towards Naruko and I as we landed.
"Looks like you're having a hard time, Witch Princess. It must be some sort of fate that We visited at this time… We shall lend you a hand."
"Y-you're… Ruka and Rukp?!"
"Ohh, Teuchi. It's great to see you alive."
"Hawmowkneefree…"
"… The girl's not looking okay back there, you know?"
For now, I breathed a sigh of relief, having been able to confirm Teuchi safety up close. I already knew since I was watching from afar, though. He had wounds on his shoulder and leg, but at that level they'd probably heal without a scratch.
Juvia was… looking at us suspiciously.
Well, that's a matter of course, I guess. Someone as suspicious as me wearing a mantle just suddenly fell out of the sky and kicked away one of the Twelve Zodiac's Guardians. She almost certainly knows I'm someone from one thousand years ago. But it's not too much of a problem right now. I already planned to show myself to Juvia anyway, so the important thing was just to not expose myself too much to anyone else.
"That power… Just what are you…?"
"We shall answer that question at a later date, Witch Princess. However, there are too many eyes upon us now… We have our own circumstances as well. Understand that We cannot reveal that just yet."
" -?! That way of speaking… And that voice… No, it can't be… There's no way…!"
Oh? Just what I'd expect out of Juvia; she figured it out just from that. As for my way of speaking, well, I'd prefer it if you didn't pay so much attention to that. No matter how much I try to fix it, this pattern just comes out like I've been using it for years and years. I've given up on doing something about it already. If I concentrate, I can loosen up my speech a little but really only a little.
Leaving Juvia where she was, I lightly kicked off the ground, closing the distance with Aries. I used a Strider skill to instantly reduce my distance from my opponent to 0, "Blink". The class comboed really well with Grapplers, so there were a lot of players who took both the Grappler and Strider classes. I was one of those.
"Ghh, urgh… Just what are you…!"
Ah, she spoke. What the hell, Aries? You can totally speak! You've only been going "Meehh" for a while now, so I totally thought you couldn't speak.
But man, seeing you like this is as awesome as always. Even though you were smaller than me when we first met, you've grown a lot.
"Sorry, but We can't answer that question for you now. There are elves among those soldiers… If We say something We shouldn't, it'll spread among them immediately. So, I will simply give you a single 'order' for now… Turn back."
I turned back on my Pressure, which I'd kept off this whole time. Of course, it wouldn't render Aries immobile, but it should go some way to revealing my identity to her. Even if she doesn't figure it out, it should at least get her to figure out that I'm not someone she can win against with how wounded she is right now.
"-! Th-this pressure…! It can't be, you… No, you're… l?!"
"Now is not the time to answer that. However, We will say this: We will surely give you the answer you desire."
"…!"
The madness disappeared from Aries's eyes.
It seems she did realize my identity. However, from what I can tell, she's still half in doubt and half wanting to believe.
She turned her back to me and slowly started to leave while causing the ground to shake. Every once in a while she'd turn back to look at me, which was so like Aries in the past I couldn't help but laugh.
… Hm? Aries? The past? Did I just start thinking like Haruka instead of me…? Well, whatever.
It was a memory from days long past, already in the realm of nostalgia. From before Juvia Rainfall was hailed as one of the Seven Princesses of Midgar. Back when she was still immature and reckless but an adventurer burning with dreams.
Back then, almost all elves still stayed cooped up in their forests, and it was rare for one to travel the outside world like her. She was a strange one to her race, an oddball, an eccentric. Juvia remembered a lot of those insults being thrown her way. However, she didn't mind, and more than that, she was enjoying traveling the wide world on her own two feet. She met many people, parted with them, and then met more in the next town.
Just like that, Juvia traveled around the world. It was around then when she met Haruka.
Back then, every day was fun.
"This is what I think: Elves all coop themselves up in their forests too much. They should experience more of what this wide world has to offer. They need to turn their eyes outside."
Juvia told her friends her dream as they all sat at the same table in a dingy bar. It definitely wasn't a good bar, and the alcohol they offered was, likewise, of the same quality. However, everyone was there. Friends that were gone now. Even Haruka, who she cut ties with, was there. Back then, everyone was with her, and they all laughed together.
"That's why, someday, I want to make a country where elves can live proudly. Not in the back of some small forest, but in a more gorgeous urban place. I want to prove that elves can make it in a country like that."
"Oohh! You sure dream big!"
"Hahaha! You talk pretty big, too, don'tcha? That's right! Girls have to have big dreams!"
After that, the future Blacksmith Princess and the Adventurer Princess joined in on the laughter, which brought everyone else in, too.
Next, Haruka stood up and declared proudly with her booze in hand: "That's too naive, Juvia! If your dream is to found a country, then mine is to conquer the world! I'll make a paradise with my own hands! One where nobody has to be afraid of grimmfolk!"
The table boiled over with excitement in a flash. Her dream, which was too big to even be called a dream, caused everyone to do a spit take.
In response, Haruka's face reddened, and her voice started to raise.
"Wh-What's so funny?! I'll tell you now, I'm serious! I'll make you eat your laughter someday, Levy!"
"KYAAAHAHAHAHA! Conquering the world is too much, even for you, Haruka! If you really manage it, I'll eat pasta through my nose!"
"All right, you said it, Levy! It's a deal! No going back; if I conquer the world, you're definitely eating pasta through your nose! Hey, come on! Don't you laugh, too, Juvia!"
It was so fun back then. Everyone talked about their dreams, which were half delusions, something they weren't even sure they could achieve. They laughed together, and although sometimes they played pranks and fought, they'd always make up and laugh about it.
But—unfortunately, they had the power to make the girl's dreams a reality. And once it became real, everything started to go wrong a little at a time.
Just where did it start?
I… We… Just where did we step down the wrong path… Haruka, if it was you, would you know the answer…?
The fight with Aries ended, and I was immediately invited to the Nobles district by Juvia.
Each of the four bridges that led to the center were constantly guarded by over one hundred soldiers, and it didn't seem like they moved, even during that whole fuss.
I see. So while the border guards and the mercenaries with Teuchi were buying time, they were planning on concentrating their might here to try a counterattack.
It's true that this Nobles district is the center of the country with its castle, as well as its heart. It's the place they can least afford to be destroyed. However, that also meant leaving Teuchi and the others who fought so hard to die, so I can't really praise that behavior. Like this, there would have been no point to the deaths of all those people who sacrificed themselves believing help was coming.
… Well, I may have my own opinions, but everybody has their own way of doing things. It's not my place to step in.
Still, I suppose I should have expected this out of the Nobles district. It's really pretty. This country itself was pretty well developed and designed. The Nobles district just completed the picture. There was not a single shabby looking house, and everything was basically a mansion. Even the people walking the streets were wearing fancy clothes like they were going to a ball, and they acted elegantly and fearlessly, as if they didn't even know about the battle at the border.
Well, on the point of clothing, I don't really have the grounds to comment. Under my robe is the usual dress, too.
… Let's make something more normal to wear with alchemy eventually. The castle was also very well designed. It's hard to explain, but… Let's see, it's like if they took France's Chambord Castle and just made it a size bigger, I guess. The main coloring was centered around a mixture of blues, and the combination of white and blue was really beautiful.
As I passed through the castle gates, the soldiers there looked at me dubiously, but I ignored them and followed after Juvia, who's moving with a flying hover pod.
"Ohh, Lady Juvia! I was worried!"
"I was so worried about what would happen to you when you went out by yourself… Oh, I'm so glad you're all right!"
When we entered the castle proper, a group of well-fed men dressed in uselessly extravagant clothing came to meet Juvia. My instant impression upon seeing them was "pigs wearing clothes," but I admonished myself for how rude that was. Well, they say obesity is a sign of wealth, so I guess it's not totally bad. More importantly, it's wrong to judge people based on their appearances.
"However, I'm loath to say this, but you should be more aware of yourself, Lady Juvia. You and Levia are irreplaceable treasures to this country."
"That's right. You are several times more precious than anyone in that Trade district."
… Ah, crap. I already want to take back what I just thought. These guys sound like they're worrying about Juvia, but I can't feel any actual emotion in it. All I can feel is a sense of relief that they themselves were saved. This is basically that kind of thing… You can translate it to something like, "You and Levia, who protect us, are way more important than other people."
"Truly, it's great that you're safe."
"Indeed. This means the country is still safe. Hahahah!"
Those pigs in clothing were saying whatever they liked, but Juvia just ignored them and passed through. Naruko and I followed, and eventually, we left through the opposite side of the castle and came to a separate mansion.
I see, so Juvia doesn't live in the castle, but in a separate place like this. Certainly, this way it's much quieter since she won't be constantly in the middle of all the bustle in the castle.
… Hm? But then, wouldn't it have been fine to go around the castle instead of through it?
"How was it? Awful, right? Those were this country's elite, meant to protect the people. But all they have in their heads is their own safety and the favor of those above them."
"… So you wanted us to see that."
"Yes. Since it's you, I wanted you to see the proof of my mistakes."
I want to tell her not to cut through the castle just to show me something like that, but I'll hold back on that.
As we entered the mansion, a butler-like person tried to take off my mantle, but I refused. The butler seemed disappointed by that, but still proceeded to hand Juvia a crutch, after which he took the now-empty hover pod somewhere else.
Then, I was shown to a noticeably fancier room which seemed to be for receiving guests.
"We've come this far; it should be good enough. There's no one here other than me and no prying eyes, either.… Would you show me your face?"
"All right."
Urged on by Juvia, I undid the clasp on my outer cloak, took off the attached hood, and quite literally spread my wings.
As for the feeling of release and finally being free to move my wings, it's hard to describe. Actually, I've been feeling constrained and squeezed this entire time. I'll probably cramp up if I don't let my wings free every once in a while.
"… It really was you… Haruka."
"Yeah. It's been a while, Juvia, old friend."
Now then, this means one of my objectives has been achieved. Now I just need to know if this woman's a player like me inside…
Of course, I'd like it if she's the same. Someone also from Japan, who for some reason is possessing their avatar and is a comrade in the same position as me.
But… Yeah, it's different. She's different.
I understood already. I was made to understand. If she were the same inside, she wouldn't be looking at me like that. The feelings showing through Juvia's eyes… were fear and regret. As if she was trying to apologize to me. They were pitiful eyes, like the sort a child would give to their parents after having done something bad.
If she was a player, she'd have no reason to fear me. There wasn't a single reason to regret what she did to me if she was. That fight was started with consent from all sides, and she would know that it wasn't anything near a betrayal. If she truly was afraid and regretful of that fight, then that meant she was a resident of this world.
I see… So you're the same. You, too, are a resident of this world, Juvia.
"… So, even you look at us like that…"
So, I guess I'm still alone in this world, in the end. That's just a little… No, really disappointing.
"… So, even you look at us like that…"
That was the lonely, quiet utterance that escaped Haruka's mouth.
And Juvia reflexively looked away. Her inner fears and regrets were seen through in an instant. And as it was pointed out to her once again, she lost her ability to speak.
"You are… not the Juvia that We know."
"… People change, Haruka. As time passes, they grow stronger or, possibly, weaker.… I became weak… Not just in body but in heart as well."
Back then, it was different.
One thousand years ago, it was different.
Haruka, enthusiastic and vigorous, flew all around the world with our friends and took part in countless reckless adventures.
We chased dreams, ideals, and ambitions, living like we were running so fast we were almost falling forward.
But the present is different. I've grown a lot of shackles now. This heart no longer has the hopes and ideals it used to and now is filled only with resignation and regret.
"Say, Haruka, why is it you only revived now? Was it to come laugh at what we've become?"
"Who knows? If you ask why, We can only answer that it was coincidence. Some fools tried to summon a hero and called us here instead. That's all."
Juvia knew that she herself was afraid of being blamed by Haruka. However, she also, somewhere in her heart, wanted to be blamed.
One thousand years ago, Juvia and the others rebelled against Haruka's rule and defeated her. They believed that was the correct thing to do.
However, once they'd actually accomplished that, humanity dispersed in a flash, lost all their unity, and were, as a consequence, trampled over by the grimmfolk. And the country that Juvia made became led by the kind of individuals who made light of the lives of their people.
As it was, Juvia couldn't tell who was right anymore. She had even started to believe that it would have been better for Haruka to have stayed in power. Juvia thought that, in the end, all that she and the others managed to accomplish was to senselessly betray their friend, kill her, and drive the world to the point of despair.
Just what about that makes me a hero?… Seven Maidens of Midgar, what a joke. Like this… Like this, we're just war criminals, aren't we…?
"I saw this country's library."
"…"
"There sure were a lot of books criticizing the Seven Maidens of Midgar. It's unthinkable for a country where its hero is still alive and protecting it.… Was that your doing?"
Juvia couldn't respond. However, sometimes silence speaks more than anything. The fact that Juvia couldn't respond—that just meant that Haruka's words were correct.
"It seems like you, too, have a lot to bear. Rather than praise, you want admonishment. More than respect, it seems you desire contempt."
"… That's…"
"You can't stand the envy and respect of everyone around you, no? You're about to be crushed under your own self-hate, but thanks to your position, you can't even complain about your regrets, and their reverence has become a blade sharper than anything else… Is that right?"
Once again, Juvia found herself unable to answer. Because Haruka hit the nail spot-on, she couldn't say anything.
It's funny.
While I, the victor, am filled with regret and fear, she, who lost, is just as bold as she was one thousand years ago.
Like this, it's hard to tell just who won that fight.
"While you may no longer be the adventurer Juvia that We knew, that difficult part of you never changes, it seems. You won; feel proud. You should be more confident knowing that you defeated such a strong enemy. But instead, We find you here, feeling embarrassed of your victory, fearful, and regretful.… Say, Juvia. If the victor is embarrassed by their victory, just what should the loser do then?" Haruka said, before once again donning her cloak.
Her pitch-black wings were once again hidden, and her beauty disappeared under the hood.
Simply not being able to see her expression caused Juvia unease.
She might be exasperated. She might be disappointed.
She might even be sneering at me behind that hood because I'm in such a sorry state after winning.
To Juvia, that possibility brought more fear than anything.
"You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Some people who don't know anything might claim after the fact that 'That was a mistake' or, 'They should have done this,' as if their thinking is correct, but in the end, nothing will grow from being concerned about that. Insults like that, made from a completely safe place where they're guaranteed to be safe from a counterattack, have no worth. You should simply proceed along the path you think is correct… At the very least, that was the kind of woman the Juvia We knew was."
What came out of Haruka's mouth was unexpectedly motivating. Hearing that, Juvia thought:
She surely isn't ashamed of that fight at all. She doesn't regret a single thing.
As a result, it sparked a rebellion, but she's surely proud of even that. She's no different from the woman she was back then, whom I admired and wanted to follow with all my heart.
"… Is that your attempt to comfort me? If it is, I'm grateful."
"There is no need for your thanks. We simply gave you a small warning because you were looking far too pathetic," Haruka said before leaving the room.
I suppose that means she has no more business here.
But that's a matter of course. Right now, she has somewhere she needs to be above all else and something she needs to do.
Then right now, what I can do is… Well, it's certainly not regretting the past. Juvia resolved herself.
"Haruka."
"Hm?"
"Let me see you to the exit. As I am now, I can still do at least that much." While depending on her crutch, Juvia walked up beside Haruka. Like that, Juvia felt like they'd be able to go back to how things were, at least while they were walking. Juvia reminisced back to when there were no shackles, but instead, days passed where they could simply be adventurers.
"… There is someone pulling the strings behind Fiona."
"What?"
"Fiona is certainly the one invading this country, but there's someone stoking the fires of her desire for revenge and using her. I don't believe I need to be telling you this, but… Be careful, Haruka."
"'Who do you think you're speaking to?' is what We would like to say, but it's a warning from an old friend. We'll take it gladly."
It's as if we've gone back in time, Juvia thought.
But that was just a hallucination… There was no going back, and even if there was, she shouldn't. Their paths had long since separated.
Haruka waved goodbye lightly and exited the mansion without looking back. Juvia could do nothing but stand there, watching her back disappear into the distance.
The two of them should have been friends in the past. However, right now, to Haruka, Juvia was no longer the friend that she knew. And to Juvia, Haruka was someone she once betrayed. The distance between them was vast; a huge gap that could never be filled ran between the two.