Part 5
Galdo Gasper had crouched in a ball on the second level of the Headquarters.
His left leg that had been cut in the previous battle was bleeding profusely.
(......Was it cut by the silver sword?)
Galdo had not heard of the rules. No, to be exact, he had already lost the ability to comprehend speech. There seemed to be a person who was sent from the Golden haired Vampire to clarify the rules with him but that person had already stopped breathing— having become the first meal of a Vampirified Galdo. Galdo felt that the person might still be somewhere below his heart in the belly somewhere, but the current him wasn't able to remember that sort of detail too clearly.
He who did not know of the rules had only guarded the Silver cross sword due to the instinctive primal fear of such an object.
Ever since the day that he sold his soul to the Devil, Galdo had never come into contact with any silver-crafted items. And the reason would be similar to that of the werewolves—the fear of the exorcising characteristic inherent in Silver.
(During the time that I've lived as a tiger, there wasn't anything that I had to be afraid of. No, in fact, there wasn't anything in the forest that was worth fearing......Then when was it that I've become such a coward who has accumulated a list of fears?)
It was from the moment when he had obtained the appearance of Man and started his life in Little Garden that Galdo had started to fear many things around him. For in the world of Little Garden, the existences that were far stronger than him could be said to be as uncountable as the number of stars in the sky.
Having obtained some authority with much struggle, the number of things he feared had increased even more. Upon knowing that a mere [No Name] Community housed a [Highborn of Little Garden], he had almost lost control with his jealousy.
(That authority and Community I had is already done for......All that I have left is only this building.)
It wasn't that he couldn't leave the building, but he was unwilling to do so.
The last remaining scrap of sanity that he clung to desperately was filled with thoughts of keeping his territory and he didn't care about the Game which he had given no room in his limited sanity. And in this office which he had decorated to make himself look grand was all that remained of Galdo's pride.
Hence Galdo would not show any mercy to those who invaded this building for this was his territory and his area of influence.
Even if he were to face that Golden-haired Vampire now, Galdo would also fearlessly stand up to the challenge. The Weretiger that had all restrictions on him—removed, was now returning to his former wild instincts that trusted no one other than himself.
But it was then that the Headquarter started to undergo a strange change.
(......?)
The scent that stimulated his nose was one that Galdo had recognised and it reminded him of his past when he had caught such a scent in the forest a long time ago. Somehow, he just couldn't pinpoint the memory and the situation of which such a scent was attributed to. But that didn't stop him from feeling a growing sense of unease from within.
As long as there's no infiltrators, he would not leave the room on the second floor.
But the unease had finally grown to the point that it shook this determination and had gripped Galdo's heart within its claws.
Unable to take it anymore, he ran out of the room and what met his sight caused him to be stumped.
(The building......is burning......?)
Compared to anger, the primal instinct of fear washed across his heart as he took in the dreadful sight of the first storey. The fear of fire was the normal instinct of wild animals and to compound to that fear, fire was in fact something that had left a trauma in him. For when he was just a young tiger cub, he had once witnessed the forest being destroyed by the hungry flames.
And it is also fire that will burn out his last ties to the life that he had as a Human.
"........GRRRRROAAAAARRRRR!!!"
Galdo rushed out from the burning building in a frenzy. The last shred of reason had long been burnt away by the flames and what was left of his mind was controlled by an awakened wild beast persona. One that favoured the thought of running in the forest and partially with the inclination towards the devouring of humans that came from the Vampirification. And the nearest source of blood scent wasn't that far from him either.
Bounding along the path between the trees that seemed to have neatly parted out of his way to guide him along, Galdo reached his destination.
"......I have been waiting for you though I must say that you came much faster than I had expected."
The tiger slowed down its steps. Not out of wariness.
But due to the burning torch fashioned out of broken off furniture and the silver cross sword held in her hands.
"Ara? Only cringing back at this point in time? Everything that you've worked to build up in [Fores Garo] should have gone to waste already right? Then the least that you can do is to bring out that piece of courage in you as the pride worthy of the forest, am I right?"
Even though it was taunted, the tiger wasn't able to comprehend human speech.
Moreover if he had retained even a spark of his reasoning, he would have realised the strangeness in the forest. That the trees which were supposed to grow densely and intertwine their branches to block off pathways had now moved to the sides, seemingly guided to the left and right to form a nice straight path.
"......Could it be that you can't comprehend my words? Oh right, after all you've completely changed into a beast now."
Asuka was just standing ahead of Galdo on the path where the trees had bent to the sides. A Vampirified Galdo was supposed to have a pounce much faster than that of a cheetah and should have easily darted in to clamp his teeth on her exposed throat. But the burning torch in her hand prevented him from doing just that.
"There is also Kasukabe-san's condition to consider. I shouldn't be wasting any more time here, so...."
Asuka threw the torch to one side and that acted as the signal. Raising the silvery white cross sword she tilted the tip towards the middle of Galdo's brows to prepare her battle stance.
"This is a one-on-one duel, so bring it on."
"..ROAAAAAAAR!!!"
Galdo ran along the straight path in a charge. And if he had an sliver of intelligence, he would have noticed....
In a situation where the path was a narrow and straight one that limited the choice of action, his movement would be limited as well.
"Hmph......!"
Facing Galdo who was charging straight for her, Asuka had also made her stance to welcome the battle. However with just Asuka's slender wrist and arm, it wasn't possible for her to chop the tiger down.
Just a moment after the start of the battle, the Silvery white cross sword started to give out a brilliant light.
Asuka's Gift—[Authority], originally a raw unpolished gem, was now going through a change with her willpower.
The large amount of raw talent and Asuka's determination combined to grant power to various plants and caused a phenomenon in her subconscious state...... This was something that Kuro Usagi had suggested to Asuka in the Community Headquarters just the previous night.
According to Kuro Usagi, Asuka's unpolished talent had already leaned towards the element of [Subordination] due to her manipulation of the Gift in that area.
"So that means that my power can also be used to bend the will of those that are not Humans or living creatures?"
"YES! If Asuka-san wishes to develop a power other than that which you already possess and have great control over, you will have to learn how to make [some kind of target] result in [some kind of miracle]. However if it is to change a speciality trait that has been developed over a long time, it would take a long time and probably your whole life to train. Kuro Usagi would suggest for you to continue working on the talent that you have an advantage on currently—-"
However, Asuka rejected the idea of making her control over others grow stronger. That's because she truly wanted to be friends with Kasukabe Yō and Sakamaki Izayoi who didn't have to be controlled to be friends with her.
"—Then Kuro Usagi will teach you a way to rapidly grow in strength without needing to rely on the power to control others."
Unable to abandon her current talent and the fact that it would take too long to redevelop a new talent, Asuka willingly accepted the compatibility of the subordination talent which she had always hated.
And to start developing her Gift in the new direction of [A Gift that controls Gifts].
"Right now! Hold him there!"
Under Asuka's shouted command, the branches of the demonified Trees reached towards Galdo.
The whole idea for the straight path created by Asuka was to force the hand of the opponent to block off any routes of escape. Even if he were to be protected by the Geass Roll, the narrow path would still cause his actions to be limited and this was the plan by Asuka who wanted to win using her wits for her strength wasn't enough to slay him.
Asuka charged up the silver cross sword to release its exorcising powers to the maximum as Galdo was held by the tree roots just inches before her sword tip.
"GROAAAAAAAR!!!"
The tiger looking monster gave an enraged roar as it tried to struggle out of its entanglement of tree roots.
But before it could free itself, Asuka took aim and pierced the Silver Cross sword - with it's exorcising powers amplified to the maximum by Asuka's Gift - between the eyes of the beast.
"ROArr.....!"
With a brilliant light given off from the cross sword accompanied with the continued dead screams, it marked the end of the Tiger beast's time in the living world.
Asuka who was sent flying in one of the last few death throes slammed her back hard onto a Tree. And due to the impact of the collision, she had gone into a coughing fit before feeling her lungs recover enough to stand up.
With a bitter smile mixed with sarcastic expression, she told the corpse of Galdo:
"Not that it means anything to you now......but you sure look better as a tiger."
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