34 – That was too close for comfort
"You all really amuse me."
Ingrid made a cruel smile and in the next moment, Mio's body was blown away.
"Gah….!"
Stella’s forehead was drenched with sweat.
"You bastard……how dare you, do that to Mio." (Rose)
Rose took a fighting stance and Shiro entered her battle mode.
Stella also faced Ingrid and raised her fist.
"That’s pointless. You're just wasting energy. Can't you just all come quietly with me?"
"Don’t screw around! Try to think about our feelings for a moment." (Rose)
"There is no need at all to think about something like the feelings of you all."
"Why? If you introduce yourself as a ruler even as a joke, then why will you do things that torment people?" (Misha)
"The reason is simple. Because you all are weak existences."
"Wha……" (Lisa)
"Powerless and incompetent existences, why should I have to be considerate to such things?"
"E……exactly because they are weak existences without power, you should support them." (Stella)
"You don’t understand. Exactly because they have low ability and a worthless existence, that they don’t need help.
If it’s an existence with high ability and that possesses power, then their existence can be recognized, their existence value can also be acknowledged. They also have value to be helped. But, helping someone without any ability whatsoever, just what value is there in doing that?
It’s the same whether an incompetent person exist or not. No, rather, they are only consuming energy, just by existing itself is a sin for them."
"Conclusion: Discussing with her is pointless. I recommend immediate actions." (Shiro)
"If you want to face me, you have to earn that right."
Ingrid snapped her fingers and from her back, 3 dragon heads emerged. They were completely made of ice.
"Meet my pet, Fafnir. This dragon has remarkable strength that not even the strongest warrior can defeat it. It can also shoot powerful lightning attacks.
Get past him if you wish to face me."
Facing an opponent protected by a dragon is difficult in it's own. However Ingrid also posseses a powerful barrier around her.
"I'll break her defensive barrier. You all focus on suppressing those dragon heads." (Rose)
"Got it." (Unison)
" Statement: Then I’ll land the finishing blow. If I strike at point blank I should be able to vaporize her." (Shiro)
If Ingrid does not draw her killer sword Balmung, they might have a chance.
Rose leaped towards Ingrid.
"Let’s do this! The 2nd stance: Code Breaker!" (Rose)
Rose fist filled with mana and Ingrid's defense shield of light clashed. Using the Flowing Water Rock Shattering Martial Art, Rose managed to channel her inner PA and reverberate across Ingrid's defense shield that shattered instantly.
"Explosion Bullet!" (Yuri)
Yuri's hand cannons immediately spouted fire. The large caliber particle cannon shell flew towards Ingrid. However Fafnir blocked that.
"Kuh……"
Fafnir was unaffected by Explosion Bullet. He opened its mouth and inside light and lightning were whirling. That radiance was reflected on Yuri's eyes.
"……!!"
Tremendous light swallowed Yuri like god’s lightning.
"Yuri!"
Misha stood in the way by deploying her own proton shield instantly in the front. However Fafnir’s attack could only be blocked just for a moment.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
The 2 girls fell on the ground covered in bruises.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
At that time Lina thrust her scythe at the 2nd head of Fafnir, while sending her fly drones to distract the 3rd one.
"What the-, it’s hard-!"
In Fraxinus Online, Lina's scythe was a rare weapon. Harvester. And it had the unique ability to absorb PA energy and weaken the target. By all means, Fafnir should have been bisected right into two already, but it blocked the scythe with fierce sparks scattering around.
"Ku…… even so… UAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Lina was continuously sucking magic power with all her strength. Fafnir’s resistance was gradually weakening in proportion with that. However, what was essential was Ingrid herself. What Lina was doing was nothing more than holding back one of the heads. A quick glance was enough to see that the 3rd head was distracted by the drones and Stella who also jumped in.
――I never thought Stella would work back to back with my drones. But now!
"Shiro, now's your chance!!"
Shiro pushed forward. Her arms already morphed and combined together into a cannon like machine.
This was a do-or-die attack that was launched with that determination.
"Determination: I’ll absolutely defeat Ingrid!" (Shiro)
Shiro prepared to launch the incredible output of the laser cannon and charged to aim at that instant of opening.
However,
"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
There wasn’t any opening or anything.
But it was already at the range where missing was absolutely impossible.
Shiro pulled the trigger with superb timing.
"-……!?!!"
Ingrid drew her sword and pulverized Shiro's arms. It was like time stood still for Shiro. Ingrid's Balmung pierced Shiro's cannon arms before the blast was fired and retreated almost at the same time. It wasn't a bullet or laser beam, but the blade itself.
And shortly afterwards an explosion engulfed Shiro.
"KYaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
That intense explosion shredded apart Shiro’s body.
"Shiro!!" (Rose)
Fafnir violently howled, pushing back all the attackers and making them crash on the sand.
Rose immediately raised her body and leaped towards Shiro.
"Hang in there, Shiro. Molly can fix this."
Ingrid was looking down coldly at that figure and she lightly put her sword on her shoulder with a light wave.
"Now then, with this I’ll claim all of you."
"You bastard…… do you honestly think we would want to live under your rules?" (Rose)
"Well, if you are stubborn and aren't willing to adapt to my teaching, let's see… although I hate wasting potential talent like that… You can just die then."
A star was falling at that time.
A white falling star pierced Ingrid.
"……!?!!"
That which was flying from beyond the sky broke through Ingrid’s iron wall defense.
Fafnir that couldn’t be defeated by anyone was instantly pulverized.
A honed attack was piercing Ingrid’s stomach.
Just a mere kick.
"GUOAaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
That kick sent the so-called ruler flying and crashing in a sand dune.
Relentless smoke where Ingrid collapsed.
"Who…… against this me, who dares attack me so cowardly? WHO DAREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!」
A little girl was floating in the sky and slowly descended, placing herself in between Ingrid and the crew. She opened her glossy beautiful lips:
"So, you're Ingrid, huh? It seems you had your fun with my subordinates. But that ends here. Let's see how that attitude of yours fades away when you pick on someone your own size!"