"Asagi..." "Kojou?" "Hey, what are you doing?" "That sword..." "Is it actually real?" "Stay back, Asagi!" "Stop right there, Akatsuki Kojou!" "Asagi..." "Asagi..." "I, Sword Shaman of the High God, as a priestess of the Lion, beseech thee..." "Spirit wolf of snowy mist, fashion a shield from the echoes of the thousand swift ones, and expel this calamity!" "Yukina..." "What were you two doing up here?" "Well, little miss jealous here was..." "No!" "This pervert was doing shameful things to betray you!" "I want you both to think about what you've done." "Right." "What is this?" "What happened?" "I'll take Aiba-senpai to the nurse's office." "Damn it!" "This one's down, too!" "All of you, don't move until the order to evacuate is given!" "Damn that Kojou..." "My soundscape is ruined now." "Nurse's Office" "Medical checkup completed." "Diagnosis: mild shock symptoms." "No after-effects are expected." "However, it is recommended that she spend the remainder of the day resting." "Understood." "Anyway, Yukina-chan!" "Look, a maid!" "I've never seen a real maid before!" "What's a maid doing in the nurse's office?" "Or is that a different style of lab coat?" "Or is it a service you offer?" "Do you know her, Yukina-chan?" "Er, w-well..." "Huh?" "Where..." "Asagi-chan!" "You're awake?" "Do you recognize me?" "How many fingers am I holding up?" "Are you in pain at all?" "Did Kojou-kun do anything to you?" "That kind of interrogation isn't fun to wake up to..." "What happened, exactly?" "Apparently, the ductwork on the roof broke." "The ductwork?" "Now that you mention it, I did hear a really shrill noise..." "But I also remember Kojou and a weird girl with some kind of blade..." "Huh?" "I'm sorry, Aiba-senpai." "She's a friend of mine." "She's your friend?" "Why'd she attack Kojou?" "Well, I suspect... she may have been jealous of Akatsuki-senpai." "Jealous?" "Because he and I were together?" "Yes..." "I think that was part of it." "Listen..." "What's your relationship with Kojou?" "What have you been doing sneaking around with him?" "Well..." "So... how long are we supposed to stay here?" "Until Yukina comes back, I suppose." "It's not as though I want to spend even a single moment with a shameless man like you, either." "I might get pregnant just breathing the same air as you." "That doesn't happen!" "What do you think vampires are?" "!" "Stay away!" "If you cross this line, I'll kill you and then slaughter you!" "Don't kill me more than once!" "Quiet!" "You're the one who drank my Yukina's blood!" "You're the one who drank my Yukina's blood!" "Now, look..." "You're right that it's my fault, though." "I'm sorry for everything." "Huh?" "For that stuff with the Combat Deacon, and now the terrorists." "It's my fault Himeragi keeps getting involved in all this trouble." "When you come out and admit it like that, it almost sounds like you're bragging about it." "Just so you know, Yukina is only doing this because it's her job." "It's nothing you should concern yourself with." "But it's also true that she's helped me a lot." "You're one weird vampire." "I don't think most of them would feel grateful toward someone who's just observing them." "Well, the observation thing is annoying, but Himeragi's a nice girl." "I see..." "But saying she's a nice girl doesn't sound like much of a compliment." "What should I say, then?" "Just describe Yukina as she really is." "That smooth skin, that golden arm hair, those shoulder blades that look like angel wings..." "That only describes her appearance!" "Say something about her personality!" "Like how she's earnest and hardworking, or shy but also meddlesome, or confident but also weak under pressure..." "N-Not bad, Akatsuki Kojou." "I never expected you to compete so well against me." "I'm not trying to compete..." "Just so you know," "Yukina and I took baths together until I was seven." "As two girls with no relatives," "I've been with her longer than family." "Well?" "She's an angel, isn't she?" "Stay away!" "Okay, look..." "But yeah, that is cute." "Isn't she?" "Well, Himeragi, too, but you were pretty even back then." "Wh-What are you..." "What is it?" "Warning." "Intruders confirmed within the building." "Their speed and amount of ground covered implies that they are demons." "Demons?" "They're not after Akatsuki-senpai, are they?" "Negative." "Their predicted destination is our current location, the Saikai Academy nurse's office." "Wha—" "No..." "No!" "Nagisa-san?" "No..." "No!" "No!" "Quiet or I'll shoot!" "No!" "Quiet!" "This isn't good..." "Aiba Asagi." "I have a job for you." "Do as I say and you won't be harmed." "You have my word that you will be released upon completion." "Who are you people?" "My name is Christoph Gardos." "Former soldier of the Warlord's Dominion, and currently a revolutionary activist." "I've been called a terrorist, as well." "Gardos..." "In accordance with exception two, invoking right to self defense." "Execute Rhododacty—" "That came from downstairs!" "It's finally letting up a little..." "Damn..." "Astarte!" "Going after Asagi at a time like this?" "That Gardos must be pretty crazy." "That road leads to... the airfield?" "Is he planning to take them off the island?" "So that's their ride..." "If I want to find out where they're going, and can't follow them..." "I guess there's no other choice." "Get there!" "Sound control, eh?" "That's an unusual ability." "It doesn't look like druid magic." "It appears to be of the same origin as continental wizardry..." "Ah, Hyper Adapter, right?" "You're..." "Why..." "Sorry." "I can't let you interfere with them yet." "Don't worry." "You won't die..." "Probably." "So, where do you think we are?" "We've been moving for about ten minutes." "I don't think we've traveled too far." "You seem pretty calm." "Not at all..." "I'm more worried about Nagisa-san." "I'll tell you this because Kojou and Nagisa-chan seem to trust you." "Nagisa-chan almost died once." "She was in a train accident that involved demons four years ago." "They were told that she'd never regain consciousness." "That's why she's so scared of demons?" "Also, I'm sorry." "This happened because of me." "Aiba-senpai, do you know what's going on?" "I occasionally have people ask me to do things like illegal hacking." "Of course, this is the first time anyone was so forceful about it." "But why..." "You don't seem to realize just how famous you are." "Not one of the engineers we've hired didn't know your name." "A Souveran IX manual?" "It's the latest model of the supercomputer you use." "I want you to use this to analyze the control commands for Nalakuvera." "You're the ones who sent me that stupid puzzle yesterday, aren't you?" "We have sent the same email to 150 hackers, and you were the only one who could solve that "stupid puzzle."" "In under three hours, no less." "I had my reasons for wanting to escape reality for a while..." "To eliminate the First Progenitor..." "We need the power of Nalakuvera in order to realize that goal." "Do you intend to involve the whole world in an all-out war?" "I would welcome it." "Though I'm sure that would disagree with your values." "But that is why I believe you will cooperate with us." "Huh?" "What are you saying?" "Do you know what this is?" "It's the first of 54 stone tablets, the one you deciphered." "The words to start it all," "Nalakuvera's activation commands, are written here." "So what about it?" "Even if you've activated it, if you can't control—" "Exactly." "We can do no more than activate Nalakuvera." "We can't control whether it destroys the city or roasts your friends." "That's not fair..." "Can't you get any further away?" "Does it look like I can?" "Honestly..." "Still... thanks." "For saving Astarte." "War Dancers of the Lion King" "Organization specialize in hexes and assassination." "We know a lot about life and death." "But are you sure Yukina went this way?" "It's what Natsuki-chan said." "She found their base in the subfloat." "Sorry, but it looks like we can't go any further." "The road's blockaded." "This is the place." "We'll get out here." "That'll be 890 yen." "You should pay, Akatsuki Kojou." "Don't tell me to pay!" "Take it out of your expenses!" "Looks like the terrorists are holed up in there." "Yukina..." "What do you plan to do?" "You're not going to use a Familiar, are you?" "I only have one Familiar that listens to me at the moment." "And it only acknowledged me as its master after I drank Himeragi's blood." "Then that's why Yukina..." "Sorry." "Keep still." "Huh?" "Wh-What are you doing?" "No!" "Let me go!" "Quit flailing!" "Here we go!" "This doesn't count, you hear?" "!" "Huh?" "I thought I told you it won't do you any good to interfere." "Looks like the Lion King Organization is quite fond of you." "They sent a War Dancer now?" "What's going on?" "I'm not really sure..." "But it doesn't look good, does it?" "What do you want, snake charmer?" "Well, I suppose I should have your little party retreat first." "What?" "The Island Guard has been drawn here..." "To be the targets for the new weapon." "Is that..." "It can't be..." "You haven't forgotten what they came to this island to obtain, have you?" "Take cover!" "Take cover!" "Nalakuvera..." "Give me a status report, Grigore." "Grigore here." "Bingo, Major." "The sample is operational." "At the current pace, it could destroy everything." "Roger." "You heard him." "Any other questions?" "There's one thing I don't understand." "What is that?" "Why did Lord Ardeal assist you?" "Oh..." "I realized it when I saw your assistant's face." "We're on board the Oceanus Grave, aren't we?" "On board a vessel with diplomatic immunity, the Island Guard can't touch you." "But why?" "I don't know how an immortal vampire thinks, but he probably did it to stave off boredom." "Wha—" "A weapon of the gods that can defeat a Progenitor would make an ideal playmate for a vampire with too much time on his hands." "It's the perfect cure for boredom." "That's..." "We wouldn't do something in such poor taste, but the Black Death Emperor Faction needs the power to defeat a Progenitor." "The fact that we both desire some form of conflict is the one thing both our forces have in common." "Itogami Island could be destroyed!" "It's the humans who created that cage they call the demon district." "It makes no difference how many of their domesticated demons die." "Miss Aiba." "I don't doubt your abilities, but heed this one warning." "You'd best hurry." "He said the Souveran IX was back here, right?" "Aiba-senpai!" "Don't rush things, girl." "Don't lose your head." "With that rubbish ability of yours, deciphering the writings of a dead civilization should be quick work." "Nagisa-chan?" "It looks like she's either fanatical or possessed..." "Oh, yes... you're a priestess, aren't you, Lion King attack mage?" "You needn't worry." "That boy will buy you time." "What was that about?" "Aiba-senpai, may I borrow your cell phone?" "So that's the fire-breathing spear?" "I'm impressed by its power." "How long are you gonna stay here?" "!" "Where's that boat you love so much?" "!" "The Oceanus Grave?" "Actually, Gardos hijacked her." "I barely escaped with my life." "You didn't intentionally..." "Oh, by the way, I picked this up while I was on the run." "Y-Yaze!" "Oh?" "You know him?" "Well, you can rest at ease." "I'll take responsibility and destroy Nalakuvera." "Hey!" "Asagi?" "Hello?" "Senpai, is that you?" "Himeragi?" "Manasvin!" "Utpalaka!" "Well, that should do it." "I didn't know that snake charmer could fuse two Familiars together." "Ever the nuisance..." "Keep it still?" "Yes." "Don't try to destroy it, and avoid anything that would cause further damage." "Okay, I'll try." "Hey, Vatler!" "Don't bother interfering!" "I'll take him on!" "I'm not sure it's proper etiquette to take another's quarry." "If we're going that route, then you have no etiquette at all for doing whatever the hell you want on someone else's turf!" "Until I drop dead, you stay out of this!" "Well, I can offer no response to that..." "Very well." "Then, in deference to you," "I'll see to it that you can fight without constraint." "The subfloat..." "Natsuki-chan, did the Island Guard make it out?" "It seems they just barely got off the subfloat." "Take care of Asagi and the others, then." "That idiot." "So it still comes to this in the end?" "!" "Next Time" "Is that a new Familiar?" "Senpai, have you done it again?" "!" "{\fad(487,1)}From the Warlord's Empire IV" ""From the Warlord's Empire IV.""