CHAPTER 9
VOID SHIFT
Multiple sets of footfalls echoed through the abandoned underground tunnel. Riselia and her group moved as a straight line, racing through the labyrinthine channels. Two Eye of the Witch orbs floated ahead of them, lighting the way. The spheres guided the group along, probed for enemies, and scanned for traps all at once.
This had initially been a simple, straightforward tunnel for transporting supplies, but with partitions closing different parts of the place, it became part of a maze.
“Everyone, stop,” Elfiné warned. “There’s a core flag reaction in a hundred-melte radius of us.”
Core flags transmitted a faint mana pattern, allowing scanner-type Holy Swords to detect them and probe after their general direction.
“It’s not moving, so I don’t think any unit has claimed it yet.”
“Seems like it’s fairly close, but because of the winding tunnels and closing barriers, it might take a while to get there. Do you know which level it’s on, Miss Finé?”
“It’s above us… Probably the second one.”
Riselia’s group was currently on the fourth underground tier. A partition had already sealed off the nearest staircase, so they had to wander and find another way up.
It’s possible another group might beat us to the punch… Riselia hummed with concern as she examined the map displayed on her terminal. Unfortunately, it didn’t denote which partitions had closed.
“There’s an elevator ahead.” Regina pointed at a metallic door ahead of them. It looked like the industrial sort meant for transporting supplies.
“Is it usable?”
“The mana lights in this passage are on, so unless the higher-ups turned it off, it should be,” Elfiné replied. She approached the control panel with an Eye of the Witch orb in tow. Smirking, she added, “Or I could just take control of it.”
“I-I’d expect nothing less from you, Miss Finé,” Riselia said, a strained smile on her lips.
“…Huh?” Elfiné’s fingers froze, hovering before the panel.
“What’s wrong?”
“This elevator, it’s moving. Descending, I think.”
“…?!”
Riselia raised her Holy Sword, stepped back, and waited on guard. A few seconds later, the door opened with a whir.
“Huh?”
Inside was a large, metallic hermit crab.
“Is that a Void Simulator?!”
These multilegged armored weapons were employed in training exercises. This one’s large eye glowed red as it lunged forward for Riselia.
“…?!”
Screeeeeeeech!
Riselia reflexively blocked it with her Holy Sword’s blade, but she was unable to curb the momentum, which sent her flying back.
…Wh-what?!
The members of the eighteenth platoon had heard that several dozen new Void Simulator models would be deployed as obstacles at the Holy Sword Dance Festival.
I didn’t think it’d use an elevator to launch a preemptive attack on us!
“Leave Lady Selia alone!” Regina fired her Drag Striker.
Unfortunately, the bullets bounced off the Void Simulator’s metallic body, producing sparks. The Drag Striker lacked the firepower to penetrate its reinforced Metahalcum plating. This training machine was meant for academy students, but it could be loaded with large artillery to provide covering fire for Holy Swordsmen during actual Void attacks. It was a powerful weapon in its own right.
The Void Simulator swung down one of its large front legs. Riselia kicked off the ground, evading it, and the leg sank into the ground with a thud, blowing a large hole into the concrete.
“Miss Finé, can you try hacking the Voids Simulator’s Artificial Elemental…?!” Riselia asked.
“Yes, I’ll try!”
“Whoops, can’t let you do that!” a voice suddenly called out.
Riselia looked up in alarm. A boy with a small build was clinging to a duct in the ceiling. He threw something resembling a net down at Riselia and the others.
“Ahhh!” Elfiné got tangled, which rendered her immobile.
“Miss Finé?!” Riselia called out.
“Heh-heh, that’s my Holy Sword, the Predator’s Web. It’s a living net, so you can forget escaping.”
Riselia glared at the boy. “That uniform. You’re from the Military Instruction School.”
The Military Instruction School was the Second Assault Garden’s Holy Swordsmen training facility. It was the successor to the knight academy of the old empire and had been established before Excalibur Academy.
“Lucky me, I get to chew up a platoon of dropouts as soon as the match begins!” The boy smirked.
“Looks like he set up this trap…,” Riselia whispered.
“That’s right,” a mechanical voice replied mockingly from within the Void Simulator.
“There must be another with a Holy Sword that can manipulate magical apparatuses and control them from afar,” Elfiné said, still tangled in the net.
“A platoon of dropouts? Don’t underestimate us!” Regina fired her Drag Striker.
“Whoa there.” The boy nimbly took cover behind the duct. “My Holy Sword is strong enough to pin down Voids. Once you’re caught, there’s no escape.”
The boy cast another Predator’s Web in Regina’s direction.
“Ahhhh!”
“Regina!” Riselia cried.
Regina fired, but the shots from her Drag Striker were caught in the net. She was snared…as was Leonis, who’d been standing by the maid.
“Oh, shoot, I got caught…,” Leonis remarked in a very monotone voice as he thrashed in the bindings.
“Huh?! Leo?!” Riselia exclaimed despite herself.
Shary had definitely gotten caught on purpose.
Ngh. She did say she wouldn’t help, but…
Leonis had kept hidden so far, so as not to draw attention, and the enemy Holy Swordsmen seemed not to notice him. It seemed likely that his body double was someone who was skilled at stealth.
I get the feeling the real Leo would’ve helped a bit more, Riselia thought as she leaped away.
She crouched to evade the Void Simulator’s attack, then jumped to Elfiné’s side. The Eye of the Witch could mode-shift into an offensive form, the Vorpal Ray, and launch powerful attacks over a large area. However, Elfiné was too tangled to concentrate enough for that.
If I cut the web…!
“Hah, you’re next, Crystalia the dropout!”
Another net spread wide as it flew toward Riselia from above, but she brandished her Holy Sword.
Whish, whish, whish…!
The Bloody Sword unleashed multiple blades of blood, which cut the net to bits in the blink of an eye.
“What?!” the boy exclaimed in disbelief.
“That won’t work on me!”
Riselia hurried to help Elfiné, with the dancing crimson razors following after.
“Whoa there, I can’t let you do that!” a loud voice echoed through the underground passage.
Something flew at Riselia from the dark.
“…?!” Riselia reflexively hopped to the side, and an object sped past her cheek.
Boom!
A concrete wall behind the young woman shattered.
Another one?
Riselia peered into the darkness with her vampire’s eyes. She spied the silhouette of a large-built man approaching her calmly.
“Oh-ho. You actually dodged it. Not bad for a unit of dropouts.”
The figure stepped into view—a giant of a man carrying a chain.
“The Serpent Wielder, Kaiser Bouffolop,” Riselia muttered.
Kaiser Boufflop was the ace attacker of the Military Instruction School. His Holy Sword, the Crush Vise, could move independently and smash Voids with its bite.
The Void Simulator and the nets were meant to stall and inhibit. Kaiser was the one who’d finish the job.
“Let me have some fun before I beat Chatres, okay?” Kaiser raised his burly arms.
His chain Holy Sword swung through the air and then returned to his hand. Great metallic jaws dangled at the end of the links, lined with jagged teeth.
“Hrahhhhh!” Kaiser swung his Holy Sword overhead and hurled the jaws forward.
Riselia dodged adroitly, but…
“…?!”
…the chain altered its trajectory in midair. It came snapping at Riselia from behind with movements that defied physics.
A partially autonomous Holy Sword that attacks its target regardless of its wielder’s input…!
Riselia twisted to guard with the Blood Sword, yet the chain coiled around the weapon to yank it away.
“Ahh!” Riselia refused to release the Blood Sword, though. “Dance, my blade! Bloody Slash!”
Her Holy Sword shone, sending crimson blades at the chain, hammering it until it came free. Riselia got to her feet swiftly and fixed her stance.
“Ha-ha-ha! Not bad, Crystalia girl!” Kaiser pulled the Crush Vise back. Its snakelike jaws rose to rush at Riselia again.
The bloody razors dancing around the girl converged in one place to form a shield, but the Crush Vise burst through effortlessly. Riselia had no choice but to fall back. Giving up that much space would put her at a disadvantage, but without any chance to move in closer, she had to play defensively.
“Ha-ha-ha! What’s wrong, girl? Eh?!”
Bang, bang, bang, baaaaaaang!
The chain changed its trajectory irregularly, digging into the underground passage’s walls.
“Quit all that running! I’ll lose points if I trash this place too hard!”
Bang, bang, thud!
Kaiser’s wild swinging wound up sweeping the Void Simulator.
If this continues, he’ll corner me before long!
Riselia steeled her nerves, gathered mana in her legs, and kicked off a nearby wall.
“…What?!”
She sprinted across the wall, launching a surprise attack at Kaiser Bouffolop!
“Whoops, can’t let that fly.”
“…?!”
The boy hiding in the duct launched a net at Riselia. Blood blades tore through the thing easily, but part of it still caught the young woman’s legs, disrupting her flow of mana and knocking her off-balance. Although she managed to keep from collapsing to the ground…
“Take this!”
…Kaiser seized upon the momentary faltering, flinging the Crush Vise at Riselia. She managed to block it with her Holy Sword but couldn’t offset the force of the collision, which sent her sailing backward.
“Selia!”
“Lady Selia!”
Regina and Elfiné both cried out for their friend.
“Khh… Ahhh!”
Riselia’s body struck the floor hard. The impact send a terrible shudder through her bones, which left them feeling out of place.
“Ngh!”
Ignoring the pain as best she could, Riselia pushed off a knee and stood, the Bloody Sword in hand.
Why…? I’m using mana… Why does my body feel so heavy…?
Suddenly, she realized the answer.
Ah…
Riselia spun around, locking eyes with Leonis, who was still entangled in a net.
“Leo!” she called out to him. The boy answered only with a questioning look. “Can I take them off now?”
“…?” Leonis’s expression betrayed his confusion. His eyes widened in realization after a moment, and he nodded while giving a thumbs-up.
“Huh? What are you talking about?” Kaiser asked, still brandishing the Crush Vise.
“I had them on even when I went to sleep, so I completely forgot about them.”
Riselia focused mana in her limbs and then released it in a single burst. The darkness around her arms and legs came apart and fell into her shadow.
“Huh…? What did you just…?”
“Wow,” Riselia whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief as she hopped in place several times. “I can’t believe this. I feel so…light…”
“Hah! I don’t know what you’re mumbling about, but this is over!” Kaiser snapped the Crush Vise at her, hoping to deliver the final blow.
Before his attack connected, however, Riselia disappeared.
“What?”
The only sound was a gentle breeze.
“Behind you.”
“…?!”
A flash of silver hair fluttered behind Kaiser.
“I’ll beat you with the back of my blade,” Riselia said.
“Ah…gah!”
The stroke of a sword knocked the Military Instruction School’s ace out, and the Crush Vise vanished. A moment later, something dropped from the duct overhead, hitting the ground with a thud. The net-casting Holy Swordsman lay on the ground, his eyes devoid of expression.
“They did it! Excalibur Academy’s eighteenth platoon beat the Military Instruction School’s veteran ace, Kaiser Bouffolop! With this, they’ve scorned one point!”
The commentator’s enthusiastic report caused the stadium to erupt into cheers.
“Selia is amazing!” Tessera stared at the screen with rapt attention, her eyes absolutely glittering with excitement.
That really was an impressive display, Arle conceded.
Riselia’s sword skills were yet underdeveloped by Arle’s and Sakuya’s standards. However, her physical prowess when besting the enemy ace was impressive. She’d improved by leaps and bounds compared to when they’d fought together in the Sixth Assault Garden, Alexandria.
“Heh! And the one to defeat Kaiser was none other than Riselia Crystalia! Such a performance befits my worthy rival!”
“…Miss Fenris, please stop hijacking the commentary.”
“Ah, what are you doing?! I am not at all done yet!”
“You did it, Lady Selia!” Regina gave her friend a high five upon being freed from the net.
Two of the Military Instruction School’s competitors had lost their Holy Swords and slunk back into a dark corridor, muttering bitterly all the while. Defeated competitors were to either retreat to a noncombatant zone or stay put until the administrative bureau picked them up.
Incidentally, the Holy Swordsman controlling the Void Simulator had fled.
“But wow, Lady Selia, you moved so quickly out of nowhere,” Regina noted, puzzled. A question mark all but popped up over her head.
“W-well…I guess I was just tense because this is my first time participating in the Holy Sword Dance Festival…” Riselia waved her hand in front of her face evasively. She turned to Shary, still in Leonis’s form. “I was basically walking around all day with the shadow shackles. I completely forgot about them.”
Shary gave a dry cough. “N-normally, I’d expect you to beat opponents of that level with the fetters still on.” Truthfully, she hadn’t expected Riselia to forget about the shadowy weights.
“Let’s go claim that core flag, then.” Regina approached the elevator.
“Ah, wait, before we do, we need to inform Sakuya that we eliminated a few from the Military Instruction School’s unit.” Elfiné connected an Eye of the Witch orb to her terminal and tried transmitting. “That’s strange.” She cocked her head.
“What is it?”
“I can’t get in touch with Sakuya.”
The Imperial Standard Time was 11:40.
“That princess really let loose on us. And here I thought we might be able to enjoy this match a little.”
A girl dressed in a uniform from St. Eluminas Monastery chuckled from beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in the Central Garden. Immediately after the match had started, Chatres Ray O’ltriese’s Holy Sword destroyed the building the girl and her comrades were using for cover. The attack that followed ended with the fourth choir’s utter defeat. It took only ten minutes.
“But my, that princess. Were her Holy Sword to become a Demon Sword, she’d make for a fine sacrifice…”
The girl’s red lips warped unnaturally.
However, preparing the Demon Swords was another group’s responsibility. Her tasks were to ensure humanity’s capital overlapped with part of the Voids’ world and to bring the great goddess’s voice to all…
Iris Void Priestess was an apostle of the goddess and speaker for the Voids. She was a powerful undead and a high-ranking officer in the Undead King’s forces.
“Now then, let us begin the Void Shift.”
The dark priestess took out a triangular stone, a Trapezohedron—a fragment of the goddess’s soul. The black rock that drew in the surrounding light floated in the air. It was set almost directly in the middle of the Central Garden, right above the two mana furnaces that were the heart of the Eighth Assault Garden.
Mana furnaces—most people didn’t know the secret behind those endless energy sources, that they drew power from the remnants of fallen gods.
Of the two in the Eighth Assault Garden, one housed the remains of an ordinary demigod, while the other held a deity from another world. Which meant that mana furnace possessed a pseudo-ability to traverse dimensions.
“Considering it’s merely a copy of the Azure Hold, it’s quite inferior to the genuine article. But even an imitation of the magical apparatus bequeathed by the goddess is far too great a gift for mere humans…”
The Trapezohedron floating in midair shone dark, resonating. It was beginning to synchronize with the second mana furnace.
“Now, let the ritual begin. Tear away the veil of this false world to reveal true reality. Let this city, the final citadel of humanity, be the beginning of it all.”
Crack.
Fissures ran through the air around the Trapezohedron.
“Hee-hee-hee… Hee-hee-hee, hee-hee-hee-hee-hee…”
The Voids were like mere stains that dripped into this world. Those blots alone were enough to drive humanity to near-extinction. But that was only the beginning. A total breach would soon follow. Even the greatest dam needed only the smallest crack to begin its eventual rupture.
A group of shadows rose eerily behind Iris. They were the members of the St. Eluminas Monastery’s fourth choir, who’d been defeated by Chatres’s attack earlier. They looked up at the Trapezohedron floating in the sky, their eyes hollow and blank.
“Now, let us stoke the furnace fires with our sacrifice. To bring the Void world here.”
The Imperial Standard Time was 11:45.
Five figures clad in Excalibur Academy uniforms lay on the ground in Industrial Block III amid the wreckage. These were the Holy Swordsmen of Excalibur Academy’s fifth platoon. Unlike the special entry unit, the eighteenth platoon, this squad was made of upperclassman elites who’d handled many Void hive extermination missions.
“Wh-why… Why are we…?” their leader, still conscious, groaned.
They had lost to the Fourth Assault Garden’s Academia unit. Yet based on the fifth platoon’s preliminary research, they should have outmatched the Academia’s contestants.
“…”
The Academia students looked down upon the defeated Holy Swordsmen with eyes bereft of joy for their victory and pity for their opponents. Their expressions lacked all emotion save reverence for the emptiness.
“Let us stoke the furnace with our sacrifice. To bring the Goddess of Nothingness.”
“Now. Let the gates to emptiness open.”
They all recited as one, as if they were chanting solemn scripture.
“…Wh-what?! What are you… What are you doing…?!”
Their consciousnesses were linked by a device implanted in their brains. Seraphim, the Phillet Company’s Artificial Elemental, was responsible for that. The creature delivered the word of the goddess from the Void world and awakened the power of the Demon Swords in people.
This system, developed by Finzel Phillet, had been tested on the Sakura Orchid’s Kenki Gathering.
“With Holy Swords as sacrifices, let emptiness incarnate manifest here.”
The Academia unit’s members raised their Holy Swords together. No, not Holy Swords. Theirs had already warped into Demon Swords, losing their original characteristics to become blades shaped like tentacles.
The Void Shift project was an effort meant to transport Camelot into the Void world. And it was this squad from the Academia’s role to supply the Demon Swords necessary. Since the power of both Demon and Holy Swords stemmed from the same source, they were excellent bait for gigantic Voids.
This made the Holy Sword Dance Festival, a gathering of powerful Holy Swordsmen, the perfect hunting ground for collecting sacrifices.
“S-stop! Somebody, help…me…!” the fifth platoon leader’s scream echoed in vain.
Knights of the empire were stationed around the Eighth Assault Garden to supervise the event, but they didn’t seem to respond to this unusual occurrence. The footage drones buzzing overhead had been hijacked by Seraphim, projecting fake footage to spectators.
The tentacle-like Holy Swords came down upon the leader of the fifth platoon.
“Hey there. Looks like you’re having fun. Mind if I join?”
“…?!”
The Demon Swordsmen all turned around in unison at this voice.
At some point, a blue-haired girl had arrived entirely undetected. She wore Sakura Orchid traditional garb over her Excalibur Academy uniform.
“I came because I felt the presence of other Demon Swords like mine.”
Sakuya Sieglinde stepped forward, her katana enveloped in lightning.
“A squad from the Fourth Assault Garden’s Academia, huh? I suppose Miss Elfiné was right to warn us.”
“Who are you? An Excalibur Academy swordswoman, all on her own?”
The Demon Swordsmen surrounded Sakuya cautiously. The girl stopped in her tracks, turned Raikirimaru’s blade, and…
“Prepare yourselves, Demon Swordsmen—”
…tore away her eye patch, revealing an eye that shone amber. It was the mystic eye of time, given to her by a Dark Lord.
“—for I am one who hunts Demon Swords.”
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