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On the roof of one of the two Aerial Battleships that was floating above the Royal Castle…

KABOOOOMMM!! KERCHAAANNKKK!! BAMBAMBAAMMM!!

Ear-splitting sounds of impact echoed from all around Rafinha as Inglis and the Black Mask engaged in a battle.

They were moving so fast that Rafinha could only occasionally make out their blurred figures wrapped in pale light. And the fact that she couldn’t make them out meant that she had no means to protect herself from things like a stray bullet.

Most people would be terrified and inclined to flee out of fear. And yet, Rafinha wasn’t intimidated at all as she remained in her spot to block the two ships’ bombardment with a rain of light arrows from her Artifact.

It was a necessary thing to do, lest the city would be further damaged if she stopped. She couldn’t afford to back down. Besides, she believed in Inglis. That girl would surely protect her.

Inglis’ expression, in the few times that she did appear flickering in and out of Rafinha’s vision, was looking very inappropriately delighted. She was enjoying the battle to the bottom of her heart. A grin was ever-present on her face; not at all tensed, and a very much dangerous one.

However, for Inglis’ case, that was just her usual self. And if Inglis was in her usual self, that meant she would surely protect Rafinha. Rafinha believed that based on all of her life experiences.

Suddenly, Rafinha’s field of vision was filled with Inglis. She had just delivered a backhand blow, and the sheer power of it made the Black Mask’s guarding arms flung backward.

KERCHINK!

The sound was heard one beat slower than the visual. The next moment, Inglis’ figure disappeared from Rafinha’s sight yet again.

「There——!!」

KABOOM!!

「HNNnnggghh!?」

Only the sounds were heard. Then, not a moment after that, Inglis appeared with lowered hips, the posture right after hitting the Black Mask on his shoulder and back. The latter was blown off to the space between two airships like a bullet.

「There’s more to come!」

Inglis planted her feet, just about to leap to chase after him.

However, the pale light that surrounded her suddenly disappeared as she turned her head towards Rafinha. She raised an index finger at her, on which pale light was converged.

「! Glis…….!?」
「Don’t move!」

Pshoo pshoo!!

Two streaks of light shot in succession, passing by both sides of Rafinha.

「There it is……! That’s the one jamming our… guaahk!?」
「Kill her! We can’t fire back if she keep—aaagh!?」

Those were soldiers from Highland’s battleship. They came to get rid of Rafinha who kept scattering light as a curtain.

「Please be careful. I won’t tolerate you if you’re trying to hurt Rani.」
「No, they can’t even hear you now!」

After all, they were shot precisely between their eyes. They became empty husks, slipped away from the Flygear that carried them here and fell off to the ground.

What was left behind was a masterless, stagnant, and airborne Flygear.

「Rani. Since it’s here, why don’t you get into that Flygear? It’s safer that way.」
「Y-, you’re right, I’ll do that.」

Inglis was right. Using something whose owners had just died in front of her gave Rafinha a bit of bad aftertaste, though.

「Then, you too, Glis……!」
「No. We’re not quite done yet!」

Inglis turned her back to Rafinha again. Being blown off by Inglis, the Black Mask corrected his posture midair, kicked the wall of his own ship, and used the recoil to launch back to Inglis.

「I’m sorry. I won’t let it end just yet!」

The Black Mask stuck out his shoulder and prepared to tackle her down with it.

「I more than welcome it!」

Not every day Inglis could get an opponent as tough as this. If possible, she would ask him to accompany her in this fight forever.

Inglis once again enveloped her body in Ether Armor. Then, she prepared to swing her leg up to kick the incoming Black Mask.

However, she sensed something midway.

Since he put his shoulder on the front, his hands were hidden in the shade of his body. There was a flow of Ether that seemed to converge there, a different one from the Ether that surrounded his entire body. Was he preparing for another Ether battle skill in the shadow of his movements!?

「Haat!!」

Right away, Inglis somersaulted backward with everything her axle leg could muster.

Vwooom!

After a moment that was far too brief for Rafinha’s eyes to catch, a sword of highly luminous pale light cleaved the foothold where Inglis had been.

「An Ether Sword——!?」

The Black Mask feigned it with a shoulder hurl while in truth he was going to slash her down with the Ether Sword he hid from her vision.

While it was true that Inglis sensed it right away and evaded it… What an interesting technique! To think he can condense Ether so compressed it attains similar properties to physical objects.

Inglis was also capable of sorcery that produced ice swords, but the level of difficulty between the two was a world apart.

The difficulty of controlling Ether was not comparable to that of mana. Moreover, Black Mask created his Ether Sword while also using a skill similar to Inglis’ Ether Armor.

Two major Ether techniques at the same time, the Black Mask once said that Inglis excelled in sheer Ether power while he was blessed in skills, and he was correct. Inglis couldn’t even imagine how to use two techniques simultaneously.

「That’s how it is! I’m sorry, but I’ll get you!」

The Black Mask launched a follow-up flying slash before Inglis could land. Inglis was at a considerable disadvantage in terms of stances. To add to that, a slash from that sword couldn’t be scoffed off even if her Ether Armor was still activated. She couldn’t catch it with her hands or feet either.

But…

「You won’t!」

Ssshhrink!

An ice sword appeared within Inglis’ hand. With her Ether Armor still on, this sword would shatter in just a single strike. That was because the blade could not withstand the load of Ether energy transmitted to it. Even so, a single strike is enough for this situation!

Kerchaaannk!!

The ice sword with enough energy to twist the very fabric of reality itself collided with Black Mask’s Ether Sword.

「Kgh……!」

However, it was Inglis’ ice sword that was overpowered. She managed to parry off Black Mask’s sword, but the blade of her sword had been pulverized into shards.

But thanks to that, Inglis managed to land on her feet and fix her posture. As long as she accomplished that, it was enough.

「That feeble sword can never handle my own!」

As though he was trying to corner Inglis, Black Mask released a fury of flying slashes.

「Yes. That is fine by me!」

After successfully dodging that nigh unavoidable slash in the air, she could easily connect a good hit if she managed to maintain a good enough stance and avoid the consecutive slashes!

「Hng… What is……!?」

His strike was evaded every time he drew it, and Inglis would approach him a step closer every time she did. He couldn’t hit her. She dodged the rain of swords with the most minimum and optimal motions as if she read his every movement.

Ultimately, while it was the Black Mask who was on the offense, she forced him to inch backwards to keep his distance. It was very evident that Inglis excelled over him in terms of reaction speed.

Inglis had superior Ether strength. And to make up for that gap, Black Mask used two Ether battle techniques simultaneously.

And yet, what is the meaning of this……!? This is no simple matter of Ether. There is an overwhelmingly sharp insight, profound proficiency, and a vast amount of battle experience in her. In such a young girl. How can this be!?

「HYAAaatt!!」

Inglis, who finally had completely slipped into Black Mask’s reach, struck a palm strike into his abdomen.

「KGGHHUUAAAKK!?」

The impact sent Black Mask’s body flying backwards. He somehow managed to hold on without collapsing, albeit he was on his knees.

「Fu——fufufu……It appears that even I can no longer hold you back, is it? You weren’t as strong as this before!」
「You seem to be very busy all this time, while I, on the other hand, have been devoting myself to train!」
「I am running about to serve for the greater cause, just so you know. Although, I don’t mean to sound childish and say that justice will prevail……」
「Justice or evil has nothing to do with strength. After all, strength is something you attain from talent, training, and experience. Is it not even more discourteous to attach your ideology onto your strength?」

To say For the Greater Cause meant nothing more than to use one’s power for the sake of justice or evil. And as long as their ideology had been realized, they would need their power no more.

That wasn’t an approach purely for a power-centric alone. If one wanted to reach their ultimate goal, they had to be more sincere. They should abandon their ideals and ideas and just seek to be as strong as possible.

「HAHAHAHA!! For someone with a dainty look, you sure are a combatant to the very core……!」
「I am. After all, that is the only way I can live. Now, you still have something up your sleeve, don’t you? Please show it to me.」

Inglis was sure that she saw Black Mask repel the Ether Strike that she fired at his battleship, but none of the abilities that he had shown thus far seemed capable of such a feat. They didn’t appear to have enough Ether power to do that.

There was more! And since the opportunity was present, she would have him show everything.