The situation took a sudden turn, and I found myself being carried by Melfina while on the move. Why was I being transported by Mel? Let’s try to recall the circumstances that led to this. First, what happened to the battle between Melfina and Kuromel?
After a fierce exchange between the two, Kuromel’s domain was brilliantly shattered. It seemed they had both managed to unleash their ultimate attacks in perfect synchrony. When their fists collided in mid-air, a sound like shattering glass echoed from the space surrounding us. The sound of “bakiri, bakibakiri” started in one spot and then spread like a chain reaction, creating an ominous chorus. With my magic completely depleted, I had no strength left to do anything about the situation. Regardless, I had to inform my allies about this crisis. I quickly used telepathy to send instructions to everyone to evacuate the Ark. Once that was done, it was time to ensure my own safety.
“Please, hold on just a little longer, my meager magic,” I thought, as I chanted a spell of flight. With the destruction of this domain a foregone conclusion, I had no idea where I would be flung afterward. In the worst-case scenario, I could be thrown out of the ship. This was the bare minimum preparation for such an event and a way to avoid causing Melfina unnecessary worry. This was my limit for now.
“Haaaaaa!”
“Kooooooonoooooo!”
Beating their widened wings, the two continued to increase their power, paying no mind to the crumbling domain. As the power concentrated in their fists grew, their halos glowed brighter, becoming too dazzling for me to see them from my viewpoint. And at that moment, the domain collapse I had anticipated occurred.
The scenery that had simulated outer space exploded, and the environment surrounding us changed drastically. The black fragments that had been part of the scenery moments ago scattered like light particles, revealing a magnificent cathedral that had been hidden by Kuromel’s domain. It would be best to disregard any common sense considerations, such as being inside a battleship. The space that unfolded before my eyes was strikingly similar to the grand cathedral I had seen on Delamis. Even the aura and atmosphere surrounding the place were just like Delamis.
…However, that didn’t stop Melfina and the others. It was impossible for their moods to calm down upon sensing the solemn atmosphere of the cathedral when facing their archenemy, and their fists showed no signs of stopping. Or perhaps, they were too focused on the battle to even notice the domain’s collapse? Ah, that seemed highly likely. It happened to me occasionally too, and getting utterly absorbed in something is, in a way, unavoidable. If the opponent possesses power equal to your own, it’s even more understandable.
“You’re quite good!”
“So are you! As expected of me!”
Oh, is that a Pipe Organ over there? Isn’t that the same one from the Apostle’s base in the Underworld? I couldn’t destroy it back then, and they escaped with the Kuromel Ark and the others. To think it’s now being thoroughly pulverized as collateral damage at this very moment, it’s rather anticlimactic. Perhaps because it was outside Kuromel’s awareness, the Shrine Maiden’s Secret Art wasn’t used for its regeneration.
While enjoyng the battle between gods from up close, I found myself indulging in such sentimental thoughts, analyzing the situation, and worrying about myself and my surroundings. My heart was experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. My parallel thought process was running on overdrive, and I was likely constantly releasing neurochemicals. Since I wasn’t fighting myself, my mind was exceptionally sharp.
—Precisely because of this, in the very next moment, I intuitively understood that the cathedral would be utterly destroyed, and the Battleship Elpis would crash as a result of the aftershocks. Now, I could fully understand Sera’s feelings and her precognitive senses…!
—But this is no time for joking. While my senses were indeed sharper than usual, my torn and tattered body couldn’t keep up. I easily dodged a falling chunk of rubble, but this was my limit. If the Elpis itself were to completely collapse, escaping would be extremely difficult. If I, who sent telepathic messages to my allies, didn’t survive, they’d have quite a laugh. Viscous Wind Reflecting Barrier, can I use it one more time…?
“!”
Mel and the others had already burst through the cathedral’s walls and were fighting unhindered, creating holes through the battleship’s armor plate with their sheer force. As a battle junkie, I couldn’t help but respect their fighting style, unswayed by their surroundings. However, like this heavily ravaged cathedral, the ship would fall before long. I wanted to focus on watching their battle, but I couldn’t sacrifice my own life for it. I diverted all the resources of my parallel thought process to chanting spells, maximizing the effect of my scarce magic power. My enhanced sensitivity seemed to translate into my magic as well, and I managed to create a barrier comparable to an S-Rank.
“Alright, I think I can m—”
“—You, we’re evacuating,”
Just as I finished creating the barrier, Melfina suddenly appeared from nowhere. Brushing aside my barrier as if it were just another wall of the Ark, she scooped me up without my consent. It felt like my hard work was just shattered before my eyes… No, wait!
“Whoa, Mel!?”
“Don’t worry, it’s the Melfina with the pure heart♪.”
Despite boasting about how sharp my mind was, I was captured so easily. It was fortunate it was Melfina; otherwise, it would be embarrassing in front of Sera. Sorry, I got carried away. But Mel, I don’t think someone with a pure heart would say that.
“Ah, no, what about Kuromel?! Did you defeat her!?”
“Not yet. We’ve traded blows countless times, inflicting damage and fatigue, but as expected, it’s a stalemate. No matter what I do, we’re evenly matched. See, my body is torn and tattered. Though, my heart is currently being fulfilled as we speak.”
“O-oh!?”
I almost flustered at Mel’s unexpected innocent smile, but I didn’t have time for that. Mel, holding me, kicked off the ground with tremendous speed and flew through the air and walls.
“I’d love to talk more slowly, but we must prioritize our escape first. I got carried away and it snapped… Ah, please respond via telepathy. You might bite your tongue otherwise.”
“Snapped… you say…? Well, that’s fine. Looking at our surroundings, I can vaguely grasp the situation.”
“As expected of you. Well then, we’ll really get moving now. I’m going to chase Kuromel…!”
“Eh, faster—”
—And so, I was being transported by Mel, swept along by circumstances. Melfina prioritized my rescue, while Kuromel had flown away from the Ark. Perhaps the destruction of the Battleship Elpis served as the gong for the gods’ conflict.
As we pierced through the collapsing battleship, the sight of the Elpis being split in half right down the middle entered my vision. Ah, it really snapped. Undoubtedly, it snapped. Once again, I felt the overwhelming power of Melfina as a god, and of Kuromel, who was trying to become one.
“Kuromel’s motive is to please you. At this final stage, she wouldn’t resort to despicable acts like taking hostages.”
“Yeah, I know. If she were to do something, it would be something that would make me even happier, right?”
“That would be problematic in its own way… Well then, let’s bid farewell to this Ark. We’re going outside from here!”
We exited the battleship, which was astonishingly vast, and emerged into the open sky. I was truly grateful to feel the sun’s rays on my skin again while alive. But as expected, the situation outside was not one where we could relax.
