Hybrid x Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia Vol 5 Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Colosseum(Circular Arena) Duel Part 1

The citizens of Zeltis were walking on the street with smiling faces that were overflowing with expectation.

It was the city of the common citizens which was surrounded by the most outside castle wall. At the sides of the street, stores aimed at that procession were lining up. Not to mention beverages and snacks, there were also various things like opera gla.s.s and souvenirs sold. That sight was exactly the same like the shopping district that was adjacent with tourist attractions or sport facilities on earth.

The people were talking with enjoyment, they ran their thoughts of the fun things that would happen after this and made their heart swell with antic.i.p.ation. And then, ahead of that procession, the facility that was their destination was displaying its dignity proudly.

It was something that was completely like the Colosseum of the ancient Roman Empire.

On its outer wall that was created by the same black stone, several reliefs of angels fighting were carved. Slas.h.i.+ng with sword, stabbing with spear, grappling with bare hands. Their figures were completely unlike angels. As if to color those reliefs, light of magic power was flowing on the wall. How the colorful radiances were flowing even looked similar to the flow of electricity that ran inside integrated circuits.

As if being invited by those angels and magic power lights, the people were being absorbed one after another into the entrance of the Colosseum. When they came out of the pa.s.sage, there a huge battle field was spreading with diameter that surpa.s.sed five hundred meters. And then surrounding it were audience seats where a hundred-odd thousand people could watch the battle at the same time.

The extent of this Colosseum was for the sake of the battle between magic weapons, and even possibly between people wearing magic armor.

Similar to the ancient Roman Empire, Vatlantis made criminals and prisoners fight, which was exhibited as a spectacle event.

The most popular was the compet.i.tion between fellow humans wearing magic armor. The appearance of magic armor was nice, each one was rich with personality, with various weapons making the people watching entertained. Besides being granted magic armor was also the proof that the person’s ability was recognized as suitable. There was a showy impressiveness in a battle between fellow strong warriors, it was only natural that the audience would be excited.

However, if they fought using that kind of weapon, the audience too wouldn’t end up safe. There, this whole Colosseum was constructed by means of sorcery mechanisms. The battle field was wrapped by many layers of Life Saver, creating a solid wall that was invisible to the audience’s eye. Thanks to that, there was not a single worry that stray bullets or blown away magic armor would plunge between the audience seats. At the same time, it also served as the cage so that the prisoners fighting in this place couldn’t escape.

Several huge floating windows were opened above the battle field and the audience seats. And then phrases to promote today’s show were streamed, heating up the audience’s excitement in one go.

The gathered hundred-odd thousand people understood. That the match today would be a special compet.i.tion card which they had never seen until now. And then, that this match was also attended by the emperor who returned after ten years and the second princess.

It was the beginning of a festival without doubt.

Aine who was sitting on the throne which was prepared for the sake of royalty was overpowered by the Colosseum which she witnessed for the first time and the excitement that ruled the place.

“This is……what’s this commotion?”

“Yes. This is one of the events to celebrate Ainess-sama’s return. Magic knights with pride in their strength will devote all their strength and skill as attraction. Especially since there is Ainess-sama and Grace-sama in attendance this time to watch, so I had prepared a treasured card.”

Aine made a frown and looked over the audience seats and the battle field.

“Making people fight as an attraction like this……it’s not a good hobby.”

“However Nee-sama, didn’t you say that in Lemuria there is also a similar attraction like this that made people fight each other. Something like……boxing or pro-wrestling?”

Sitting on the two lined up thrones, at the right side was Aine and at the left side was Grace. In contrast with Aine, Grace was waiting for the start of the match in a cheery mood.

“Those are just sports, it’s not killing each other like this.”

Aine answered without looking at Grace. It even felt like there was a tear growing in her voice.

Zelsione who was standing by beside the two took a step forward and lowered her head reverently.

“Ainess-sama. The objective of this match is not for killing each other. Until the end it has the objective of pitting each others’ skill, it doesn’t mean that one side will die for sure. Besides, the people fighting here are not just enemies or prisoners. For example there are Clayda and Lunora there who are members of the Quartum, they originated from this Colosseum.”

Zelsione pointed at a blonde eye-patched girl and a blue haired beautiful woman among the four Quartum standing still behind her.

Clayda was the girl who led away Kizuna from the cell in the battles.h.i.+p into the prisoner transport. Right now she was not in her imperial guard uniform, but she was wearing a battle outfit that clung tightly to her body. She wore a no sleeve short vest with vertical line in it. Together with that was a hot pants with size that was abnormally little. And then on her back she was armed with a thin sharp sword that looked like a crescent moon.

The other one, Lunora, was a female with elegance and beauty like a daughter from a good family rather than a swordswoman. However, the atmosphere her body was clad in seemed bizarre somehow. She put on the white s.h.i.+rt of imperial guard and a see-through camisole under it. At her lower body there were only panty that was tied with strings at the left and right sides and tights until above her knee, her appearance looked like she was coming outside in the middle of changing her clothes. Her look was really inflammatory, but she wasn’t merely s.e.xy but also caused a bizarre pressure towards those watching her.

The cause for that were the large gashes carved on her beautiful face and body.

There was a diagonal painful-looking scar from her forehead until her cheek that seemed to be coming from a sword cut. The wounds were not only on her face. There was a large scar along the valley of her breast that was like a vertical st.i.tch. Similar scars were also carved on her neck and abdomen, and her legs and arms. It made one wonder just how many life and death battles she had acted in this Colosseum. Aine felt a shudder in her back just from imagining it.

“I grew to desire them no matter what while watching the fight of these two many times. They were scouted by this Zelsione truly.”

Grace was staring at the proud Zelsione with astonished eyes.

“What scouting. Isn’t that just your quick hand, or your bad habit of philandering huh?”

Behind Zelsione were the Quartum and then also Aldea who recently was added as a close-aide standing in a slightly distanced spot.

“I feel obliged by the praise your highness bestowed me.”

Zelsione made a theatrical bow. Aine spontaneously leaked out a smile looking at them. She then asked Zelsione while once again staring at the faces of the four Quartum.

“Other than Clayda and Lunora……the other two didn’t originate from the Colosseum?”

“Yes. Elma is a native-born of the imperial guard.”

Elma was a beautiful girl with an atmosphere like a caged lady. She had cute charm points with her long gently wavy white hair as her characteristic, and her ears which were a little like beast ears with how it pranced up.

The combat uniform she was wearing was also like a feminine dress, there were frills arranged on it making it seem like young lady, her skin was exposed in places like the valley of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s or her stomach, its exposure rate was high. Besides a large slit was inserted right in the middle of her skirt, her thighs and panty were in plain sight, the essential places weren’t hidden. The modesty of lady was combined with obscenity in that figure, creating a dangerous feeling of immorality.

She pinched her skirt and bowed elegantly.

“Ainess-sama, it’s lovely to be in your presence. This is truly a great honor to serve as your highness’s guard in this occasion.”

“Yes. Take care of me, Elma. And the remaining one is……”

A girl with flaming red hair.

“She is called Ramza. There is a little special circ.u.mstance――”

At that time, a powerful music began to flow in the Colosseum.

“Oo, it will begin soon Nee-sama.”

Grace raised her voice happily.

At the same time with the opening of the battle field’s gate, white smoke blew out. Inside it a figure with light brown skin was walking. A splendidly tight body with the muscularity. Her short cut blonde hair and the white costume that hid the body unsatisfactorily suited the light brown skin.

Aine had seen that figure before. Rather, it was someone she couldn’t possibly forget even if she tried.

“That’s Gravel!? ……Why is she?”

She was a soldier of Vatlantis who a.s.saulted Ataraxia and struck Aine with her gunsword. The opponent who acted a mortal combat with Kizuna at Okinawa.

“Ainess-sama, Gravel is under the suspicion of the crime of treason. Right now she is being entrusted to me and is under investigation.”

“Treason……?”

Just what in the world happened? Aine stared fixedly at the back figure of Gravel who was slowly walking to the middle of the battle field. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but it looked like there was tiredness seeping on her back.

If she remembered right Aldea should be her comrade…….

Aine who thought that took a glance at Aldea who was behind Zelsione. However Aldea was expressionless, it seemed there was no particularly strong emotion welling up in her even after looking at Gravel’s figure.

The music suddenly stopped and a different tune began to flow.

And the wall at the opposite side of Gravel opened and similar white smoke like before was blown out. Cheers thundered in the Colosseum. From inside the misty smoke which was like mist, the figure of the opponent appeared.

The instant she saw that silhouette, Aine gulped.

She wouldn’t mistake that person even just from his figure. Aine’s heart was ringing like an alarm bell.

“Ki……Ki, zuna?”

With his whole body swaying the white smoke coiling around, Kizuna’s figure appeared. In place of his pilot suit, Kizuna was wearing top and bottom which was prepared by the promoter for him, he was walking while looking straight ahead. His clothes had similar design with Vatlantis’s military uniform, giving a masculine style to Kizuna. The fighting warriors wouldn’t liven up the place if they had shabby appearances, so Kizuna was made to wear that for the production.

Aine’s clenched hand was trembling hard.

“What is……the meaning of this?”

Zelsione tilted her head as if she didn’t understand the meaning of Aine’s words.

“The meaning?”

“Why is Kizuna over there!? Don’t tell me that you plan to make Kizuna fight――”

“Of course. There is no other meaning than that for someone to stand in the battle field.”

Aine’s astonished expression hardened.

“Is something the matter?”

After returning to her senses with a ‘hah’, Aine lifted her eyes.

“Stop this match right now! Zel-! I should have told you already to treat everyone courteously! Yet……what’s, with this-!”

Zelsione kept back Aine with a wheedling voice to calm her down from her agitation.

“Please rest a.s.sured Ainess-sama. This is just an entertainment you know, entertainment.”

“Entertainment……you say?”

“Yes. This is the unveiling of the black magic armor……Kizuna. This is to let the people of Vatlantis to know, and recognize of Ainess-sama’s friend. Ainess-sama also wished for them to live as a member of Vatlantis correct?”

“Tha, that’s……if that’s the case, that’s certainly fine, but this is too rushed or……no! If they die before that then it will all come to nothing.”

“Kizuna is a really strong magic knight. I think he doesn’t compare unfavorably with Gravel. Rather, Kizuna has defeated Gravel once hasn’t he? Then there is nothing to fear. Besides, this Zelsione who has actually fought him gives his strength my stamp of approval.”

Grace too had her eyes s.h.i.+ning from deep interest, she chuckled ‘fufu’ after hearing that.

“Hohou, I’ll look forward to this then. Moreover the opponent is that beast with tanned skin.”

Zelsione nodded as if to say ‘that’s exactly what I think too’.

“Yes. Furthermore combined with the fact that he is a rare species of male, there is no doubt that he will become the star player of this Colosseum.”

Unable to endure, Aine yelled with a loud voice.

“You’re wrong. At his current state, Kizuna’s strength is the same like being nonexistent! He is going to get killed by Gravel!”

Grace and Zelsione reflexively looked at each other. For the two of them who didn’t know about Heart Hybrid and Climax Hybrid, they couldn’t comprehend at all just what Aine was talking about. However, they at least understood that Aine was worrying about Kizuna’s safety.

For just an instant, cold light flashed in Zelsione’s eyes. That light wasn’t noticed by anyone before her expression changed into a troubled one. Zelsione then whispered into Aine’s ear as if she was reluctantly exposing a secret.

“Of course, there is also the case where the fighters bet their lives. However, just as I told your highness before, this is an entertainment. This is not a battle where they are taking each others’ life, but it’s nothing more than two fighters displaying their respective strength. They are not really fighting for real.”

“Eh……”

‘――That means, this is a fixed game?’

Aine’s expression softened a little.

“Ainess-sama, if Kizuna can suddenly become famous here, surely he will be able to regard Vatlantis as his second home and live a happy life here.”

“……!?”

With a violent shake, Aine’s heart was greatly wavered.

‘――Living together with Kizuna in Vatlantis. A happy life……’

Aine stared at the center of the battle field with trembling eyes. Surrounded by cheers that shook the Colosseum, Kizuna and Gravel confronted each other with glaring eyes.

Kizuna was staring hard at Gravel that he even forgot to blink.

Previously she was an opponent with whom he acted a battle that was on the verge of life and death, but mysteriously he didn’t have any ill feelings or hatred towards her.

“Gravel……it’s strange to say long time no see, but why are you in this kind of place?”

On the other hand Gravel’s eyes felt down, her face looked a little lacking in vitality. Her glossy tan skin also seemed to be somehow dull.

“Kizuna……that’s your name right? I am already not the me of before. Right now I’m merely a captive……I’m in the same position as you. No, now that I have received utter humiliation, perhaps I’m even lower than you.”

Kizuna felt a shock that even resembled an impact from the murmur coming out of that dark expression.

She was completely like a different person than the Gravel he once crossed swords with. The killing intent, ambition, the power of soul that he felt amidst the defense and offense in paper thin difference, he couldn’t feel at all of all those things from that time.

“What’s wrong? You are really down.”

Reacting to Kizuna’s voice, Gravel lifted her gaze with upturned eyes.

“You are concerned about the opponent you will kill each other with after this?”

Kizuna knitted his eyebrows. He recalled the thing Zelsione announced to him in the cell.

{I’ll grant you the chance to be liberated. Tomorrow, if you can triumph in the duel that will be carried out in the Colosseum, you will be free. But, if you lose――}

“Killing each other……huh. So this is an attraction where people watch the prisoners kill each other.”

“That’s right. I never thought that I will be able to see you again in this kind of place and shape.”

Gravel’s mouth was slightly smiling. However that was a self-deprecating smile, that sneered at herself.

“So it’s true that the one who loses in this match will die?”

“That’s right.”

“But, I also heard that if you win you can be free.”

Gravel snorted.

“I was also told that. But don’t believe those guys’ words. Even if you win you will only be put in the next fight anyway. And then, you will continue to kill your opponent to win and advance to the next round, and die when you lose.”

“Something like that……I want to refrain from that huh.”

“This body is smeared with humiliation. I don’t feel precious of something like my life at this late hour……but if there is still a sliver of hope……if my life can still become useful, then there is still something that I have to do!”

After letting out a deep breath, Gravel yelled with a tensed voice.

“Zoros!”

Together with that voice, orange light enveloped Gravel’s body. That radiance was compressed and crystallized, creating a magic armor.

“Eros!”

Kizuna too immediately called his own Heart Hybrid Gear. In response to that voice, pink particles equipped Kizuna’s body with armor possessing black l.u.s.ter.

As if already estimating the timing, fireworks were launched all at once around the Colosseum. Fierce explosive sounds thundered, beads of light fell from the sky, amidst all that, cheers that resembled screaming welled up from the audience who reached the peaked of their excitement.

The gong of the battle rang.

Three line particle cannons were floating behind Zoros in wing shape. Twelve cannon muzzles in total from the four wings were directed at Kizuna. While they were just the common equipment, but it was Zoros’s main equipment that possessed powerful destructive power. The street of office buildings of Ataraxia was cruelly returned to ashes after receiving the volley from them. Gertrude of Masters had her Heart Hybrid Gear destroyed after receiving bombardment from close range. And then she became heavily wounded to the degree that all the bones in her body broke and she wandered between the boundary of life and death.

“Here I go Kizuna!”

Kizuna too deployed several layers of Life Saver.

“Yeah, I too cannot die in this kind of place!”

Zoros ignited its particle cannons. Flame explosion rose up at the spot where Kizuna was standing, Kizuna’s figure was hidden by the flame. Surprised and disappointed voices leaked out from the audiences who thought that he was instantly killed. However, Kizuna’s figure who flew out from inside the explosion like gliding made cheers to be raised once more.

“s.h.i.+t! That’s too severe for a preliminary attack!”

His Life Saver quickly reached the limit with the attack just now. In his condition without Climax Hybrid, Kizuna didn’t have any method of fighting. What he could do was just continuing to lay out Life Saver and blocked the attack. Cold sweat flowed down Kizuna’s cheek.

“d.a.m.n it! I’ve got to quickly think of a way to defeat Gravel!”

Gravel ignited her thruster and chased after Kizuna. However she was putting a fixed distance between them from what might be a precaution.

“What’s wrong Kizuna. Escaping forever like this is not like you.”

“Ku……-”

He didn’t have any way to pick a fight even if he wanted it!

He wanted to speak back like that, but he endured with an effort. He raised the output of his thruster and could only run away. But, Gravel was gradually closing in on Kizuna. Although it was a s.p.a.cious battle field, Kizuna was soon cornered to the wall.

Gravel reached out her hand to the gunsword on her back.

On the large caliber particle cannon that was like a bazooka, there was a huge and wide single-edged sword buried into it. The sword part elongated even more ahead from the gun muzzle and its length was even taller than Gravel’s height. There was a trigger in the hilt and an ammo cylinder at the gun barrel. By changing the bullet that was inserted into the cylinder, it could be added with a special attack.

Putting aside the Corruption Armament, it was Zoros’s strongest weapon.

However, Gravel was also hesitating whether to draw out the gunsword or not.

‘――Why doesn’t Kizuna come to attack?

His movements are also slow, there is no speed for him to escape.

Is he inviting an attack from me?

What is he aiming at?

No, there will be no end to it if I’m hesitating!’

Gravel’s fingers grasped the hilt of her gunsword. She accelerated at the same time and closed the distance in one breath.

Kizuna sensitively sensed her presence.

‘Here she comes!’

He made a spin-turn near the wall and faced Gravel.

“HAAAAAAAAA-!”

Gravel’s gunsword was swung down at Kizuna.

‘――Now!’

Kizuna’s leg kicked on the ground.

He leaped aside with the maximum instantaneous force the current Eros could use. The gunsword that cut empty air slashed the wall and fierce sparks scattered.

That wall was the entrance from where Kizuna arrived to this battle field. It was the door he entered from.

“Yosh-! Did that do it!?”

For Kizuna who didn’t have a weapon, he made use of Gravel’s strength and tried to destroy the Life Saver that was enveloping the battle field. If it was the gunsword that destroyed even Kizuna’s Life Saver, then perhaps it could destroy this wall.

Kizuna was staring fixedly at the dazzling light and sparks that the conflict between the gunsword and the Life Saver emitted while holding his breath.

‘――Just now was a speed that Eros can only barely create. A movement that I can only do after training for a while in the prison. If I’m still the same until now, perhaps I’ll get killed by that attack.’

The sparks the gunsword caused stopped and Gravel raised her sword. She swung around the gunsword lightly and then pointed its tip at Kizuna.

“You won’t be able to get out from this Colosseum using this kind of petty trick.”

“What-!?”

The door of the entrance was completely unharmed.

“The Life Saver enveloping this battle field is firm. Your Life Saver is also hard, but the one here is even harder than that. If it’s possible to break through with the gunsword, then I’ll have done that a long time ago.”

Kizuna groaned with a face as if he was chewing a bitter bug.

“s.h.i.+t-, so your gunsword is also no good……even though it destroyed my Life Saver in Okinawa like a joke.”

“Certainly if it is my Corruption Armament [Sword Gatling] then……if I use that then even the Life Saver of this battle field can be destroyed. However, it’s impossible right now.”

“Why!? If there is your Corruption Armament, then we can escape from here without killing each other!”

In contrast with the frustrated Kizuna, Gravel answered disinterestedly with an expression as if she had given up.

“In order to draw out Sword Gatling, a large amount of magic power is necessary. My magic power is insufficient. Before this, I was confined in a special prison. That prison has the function to absorb magic power, I cannot store a magic power above a certain amount.”

Kizuna recalled of the prison where he was locked at.

“Is that the prison that looked like ice?”

“I see……so you too were in the same prison. If so I can understand of the half-hearted way you fight. It looks like your magic power was absorbed even more than me.”

“……uh huh.”

Gravel comprehended it as she pleased, but that actually wasn’t it.

‘Even if I have magic power……Hybrid Count enough, I still don’t have the power to fight.

When I haven’t done Climax Hybrid with someone, my combat power is equal to zero. s.h.i.+t-, if I just had the chance to be together with Himekawa or the others……’

“It seems that the power you showed at Okinawa……the power to create an inexhaustible supply of weapons is unusable huh.”

Gravel stared hard at Kizuna as if she was trying to see through the inside of Kizuna’s heart.

“Most likely that miraculous power was accomplished by consuming a vast amount of magic power right? The secret of your strength is due to the absurd storage amount of magic power that surpa.s.sed our common sense. But, the current you is nothing more than a huge tank filled with only a few drops of water……am I wrong?”

“……Something like that.”

He whispered his true thoughts inside his heart while replying ambiguously.

‘――That’s totally not it!

Rather than something like that, there is something I’ve got to think about.

What do I do to defeat Gravel?

What should I do so I can escape from here?

Honestly speaking, there is no plan I can take. I’m walking blind here.’

Gravel directed her gunsword at Kizuna and fixed her stance.

“Kizuna. Even if you don’t have any way to fight right now, I am not allowed to sheath back my sword in this situation. Also I’ll, live……I have something that I have to accomplish at all cost. That’s why, no matter how low I have to live in disgrace……I cannot die here no matter what!”

In the face of Gravel who wrung out a painful voice, there was not a single speck of happiness from being convinced of her victory. What was there were only dark shadows and tragic determination.

“Gravel……what in the world are you fighting for? I understand that it’s not only because you value your life. For what, for whose sake that makes you try to survive here?”

Gravel glared at Kizuna with a bitter expression as if her wound was widened. After glaring at him for a while, she suddenly sighed and lowered her gunsword. Her gaze also fell to match that movement. There was nothing but the ground ahead of her hung down gaze, but those eyes were staring at the far beyond.

“Two things.”

Two things?

Kizuna didn’t understand the meaning of those words. However, he had the feeling that a door inside Gravel that wasn’t opened until now was going to open.

“I have things I want to save……one, is my motherland and its people.”

“Motherland? This Vatlantis Empire you mean?”

“No. My country is a small country in the corner of this continent that lost the battle with Vatlantis. Right now it’s nothing more than an administration sector of Vatlantis.”

‘Is that so……so this world originally wasn’t a single united country. There are multiple countries like on earth, war happened, and amidst that there is a powerful country that is the Vatlantis Empire that ruled at the top.’

“However, I thought that if a just government and administration are carried out, it will be fine even like this. There is not only bad things from being under the umbrella of a large empire. Being obsessed to independence and uselessly prolonging the fight will hurt the people……but, Vatlantis is not a country that one can have expectations to.”

“Gravel……”

“The Genesis is not working normally, this world is heading to its collapse. Nevertheless, this country continues to skirmish with the surrounding countries, and the senior statesmen are only obsessed with the power struggle in the imperial castle. Even the forceful invasion to your Lemuria, is far off from righteousness.”

‘Aah, is that so.

Even the people of this world are the same like us. Even in our world, if there are good guys then there are also bad guys. And it’s similar here, there is no way that all the people of the AU are man-eating fiends.

Besides, Gravel’s position is really similar with us, how her country is under the rule of Vatlantis. Gravel and her motherland are perhaps the figure of us in the future.’

“That’s why, I have to escape from here. And then I’ll return to my country, and call out to the neighboring countries to fly the banner of revolution.”

There was a single thing Kizuna was convinced at in regards to Gravel.

‘――This woman is someone that is worthy of trust.’

“I see now, I really understand that. And then, what is the other thing?”

Gravel sent her gaze at one corner of the audience seats. Over there was a place that common audience couldn’t enter, the n.o.ble seat exclusive for the royal family.

Seeing the figure of a girl who was sitting there, Kizuna reflexively raised his voice.

“Aine……-!”

There was the figure of Aine who was sitting on a splendid chair. The instant he discovered that figure, Kizuna’s heart was beating fiercely. Beside her was a girl slightly younger than Aine with pink hair. At their nearby were Zelsione and the Quartum, and then also the figure of Aldea who they had fought against several times.

“The other one is……a personal story. There is someone that I want to rescue no matter what.”

He didn’t understand clearly just where was Gravel’s gaze looking at. But, even Kizuna could imagine that who she meant was Aldea.

“Is that so……so she is an important existence for you huh.”

“No, I don’t think of her as important. If it’s thinking of wanting to kill her then I had such thoughts several times. In the first place, we were trying to kill each other at our first meeting.”

“……Wait a second. Didn’t you want to save her?”

Gravel’s lips floated a smile. It was a real smile that he saw for the first time since they met here.

“But, I cannot abandon her.”

“Is that so……”

‘――She is also the same with me there.’

A strange feeling of solidarity was born inside Kizuna. Perhaps it was only a one-sided thing, but he began to harbor a feeling that resembled friends.h.i.+p towards Gravel.

Kizuna and Gravel faced each other once more.

“Kizuna, that time I fought you. That fight, in that time, in that instant, was when I felt the most fulfilled in my life. It was the best time. I even feel that every single second of that with affection.”

Gravel said that and her eyes narrowed. As if feeling nostalgic of an important memory.

“Aah, me too. But……my bad. Honestly, I cannot show a power like that time.”

“I know. But, I cannot go easy on a soldier of your level. I’ll come with all my strength.”

Gravel took out a cartridge from her waist and inserted it into the cylinder of the gunsword. And then she faced Kizuna and aimed.

“Bullet!!”

“Ku――”

Kizuna immediately jumped away. Fierce flash caused explosion in front of his eyes.

“UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

He avoided direct hit, but after that he was swallowed by the spreading shockwave. His body danced in the air as if he was just kicked flying by a giant, then his body bounced on the ground and rolled.

“Gah! Hah……”

His body was numbed. However, he had to stand up soon, Gravel was coming.

“Kizuna! Dodge to the right!”

“!?”

He could hear a familiar voice.

He reflexively obeyed that voice and flew to the right.

Sharp blade ran through his left side. He rolled just like that and jumped up with the momentum.

Gravel had stabbed the gigantic sword of the gunsword to the ground where he was just at.

‘――That was dangerous. But, the voice just now?’

“That’s how you do it Kizuna-kun!’

“Captain! Please do your best desu!”

“Everyone!?”

At the audience seats right nearby, the members of Amaterasu were there at the front row. Himekawa, Yuris.h.i.+a, and Sylvia looked worried for Kizuna and raised their voice desperately.

But, they were not here as audience to watch the battle. All of them had their limbs restrained and surrounded by ten-odd imperial guards with their swords drawn.

“Don’t you die, Kizuna! Win and save me here!”

Scarlet yelled so vigorously that her throat got hoa.r.s.e. The Masters were lining up at the row behind her, all of them opened their mouths largely and cheered for Kizuna.

‘――I see, so they plan to show how I get tortured to death.

That’s right. This is not just my problem.

I cannot lose.

It’s for the sake of saving everyone too.’

Kizuna ignited his thruster and took distance from Gravel. However the bullet of the gunsword hit Kizuna’s body.

“GUAA-! s.h.i.+, s.h.i.+t-”

Even though he intended to evade with irregular trajectory, but he was. .h.i.t accurately. Kizuna’s body was toyed by the gunsword’s bullets like a joke. A severe attack snapped him from his feet. Shockwave blew him away, he was rolling on the ground of the battle field.

‘d.a.m.n it! Something, some kind of way, the way to defeat Gravel.’

He stood up with staggering feet. He thought that Gravel wouldn’t waste time to attack him, but she was unmoving with her feet staying still.

In the brief moment where he took a breath, Gravel inserted a bullet into the cylinder.

“s.h.i.+t-! That thing will come again!?”

The cylinder created a metallic sound and settled inside the gun barrel. Gravel didn’t aim the muzzle at Kizuna, she grasped the handle and lifted the weapon overhead. It was handled not like a gun, but as a sword. So to speak――,

‘So it’s light sword this time!’

It was the weapon that shot down Scarlet together with her barrage with a single attack at Ataraxia.

Gravel pressed the trigger at the handle. Thereupon, the sound of firing hammer shot at the bullet resounded, light of magic power ran along the sword and elongated to the sky.

“Reaver!”

“Kuh!!”

Kizuna materialized s.h.i.+eld of Life Saver in layers. Many layers, many piles, and then they blocked the sword of light.

“UGUOWAAAAA-!”

Several layers of Life Saver broke and scattered apart. The remaining Life Savers somehow blocked the cutting edge of the light blade, but the shockwave mercilessly pierced Kizuna’s body.

“GAAH! ……-……kuh!”

The impact made him feel like he was. .h.i.t by a truck. Kizuna’s body rotated strangely and crashed onto the ground of the battle field. Pain that made him wonder if all the bones in his body were broken made Kizuna’s consciousness feel far.

“s.h.i.+, s.h.i.+t-……in, in this kind of place!”

He desperately yelled in his attempt to hold on to his consciousness.

He got on his knees and hands from laying face-down and somehow rose up his body. The scenery looked warped. In his warped eyesight, there was the figure of Gravel walking to him with her gunsword in one hand.

‘d.a.m.n it, it’s useless with only Eros.’

Kizuna looked at the audience seats with an unfocused gaze. He could see the figures of Himekawa and the others who were yelling at him with worried faces.

‘s.h.i.+t-, even though if Himekawa or Yuris.h.i.+a was just nearby……I can do Climax Hybrid. If I can do that my Hybrid Count will be recovered, I can even fight Gravel. If it’s a Ros-series, Corruption Armament will even become usable.

But, right now it’s impossible to do Climax Hybrid with Himekawa or the others. Everyone is captured and the wall separating us cannot be broken.’

A footstep was approaching.

Gravel finally arrived at the distance where if the huge gunsword was swung down, it would be able to cut down Kizuna. Her toes entered the sight of Kizuna.

When he raised his face, there was Gravel wearing a magic armor that s.h.i.+ned orange looking down at him.

――Gravel who was wearing the magic armor Zoros.

Kizuna suddenly leaked out a snort.

“I’m an idiot.”

A way existed already in front of his eyes since the beginning.

“Hey, Gravel. You want to save your country and Aldea right?”

“That’s right. That’s why even if I feel bad……but you――”

“If right now, I restored your magic power fully, what are you going to do?”

“――What?”

Gravel showed a perplexed face that didn’t understand what Kizuna was saying.

“Even if you win against me, perhaps you still won’t be freed. You said that yourself just now. But……if your magic power is recovered right now in this place, if you can use your Corruption Armament, what are you going to do?”

Gravel’s eyes opened wide.

“That’s……if that’s possible. No! Such thing is impossible. What are you scheming now that it has come to this!? You are just trying to invite agitation in me!”

Kizuna understood that Gravel’s heart was shaken.

“No, I can do it! If what I’m scheming can only be realized! And then by combining our strength, we are going to escape this place. And then we will save our respective important people!”

Will to fight was disappearing from Gravel’s eyes.

“Bu, but, such thing is impossible. Don’t talk of a pipe dream that you cannot even do! Or else are you saying that you will cause a miracle!? Just what kind of miracle can you do!”

‘――Got her.’

“It’s impossible to cause a miracle with just me alone. But, if it’s you and me……the both of us can do it! This thing called miracle!”

Kizuna straightened his knees in one go and leaped at Gravel’s legs. He hugged at her thighs and pulled her down. Gravel who was taken by surprise fell on the ground looking up and got pinned down by Kizuna.

“Wha……Kizuna, you cowar――HAAann!”

Kizuna’s hand quickly grasped Gravel’s large breast. It was not too strong and not too gentle, he was rubbing with a superb control of strength. Gravel’s body was suddenly driven by a sweet sensation.

“AHAaAn……ii-……n!!”

Gravel blocked the gasping voice that reflexively leaked out from her mouth with her hand in panic.

By all rights, she wasn’t supposed to raise that kind of unseemly voice this easily. However, her body that had been thoroughly broken by Zelsione now would react even from a little stimulation.

Gravel felt an outrageous humiliation and shame from that fact. Her cheeks reddened and she bit her lips.

“Ki……Kizuna-! Even you are trying to humiliate me……-!”

Kizuna brought his face in front of Gravel’s eyes. They stared at each other in a distance where their nose tips could touch each other.

The eyes of Kizuna that were staring at Gravel were serious.

Gravel’s words stopped inside her throat from that serious gaze. Suddenly the inside of her chest pulsed poundingly.

“Gravel. How did I acquire the ability to create weapons and won against you? I’ll teach you the secret. This is the way to cause that miracle!”

“Ah……wha, what are you……kyann!”

Kizuna’s hand traced the undulation of Gravel’s body. She was the AU human that he touched for the first time. Kizuna thought that and touched Gravel’s body as if to ascertain the shape of her body.

But if he really thought about it, he remembered that Aine was also a human of AU. There was nothing different at all with a normal human. The toughness and the soft sensation wrapping it that Gravel’s body possessed was characteristic of her. Her body was virile like an athlete, suppleness without any pointless fat. Caressing that body felt like an act of taming a wild animal with excellent vigor.

“Fu-……ku……st, sto……I, don’t……aan”

Gravel tried to resist, but she couldn’t oppose the pleasure that was given to her.

‘――Ju, just what happened, to me. This is, I am feeling this……even more than with Zelsione? I cannot feel my strength. This is……even though I should be able to easily push him away……I cannot think anything, from the pleasure.’

There was Kizuna’s face in front of her eyes. It was like her expression that was feeling it was observed, it felt like her body would be scorched with shame. Above all, this place was packed with a hundred-odd thousand people as audience. To do something like this in front of them all, wasn’t something that could possibly be allowed.

――But,

“Haa……n, no-NOOoO……AAAAANNNNhN”

The body that was developed by Zelsione was reacting over-sensitively just from a slight caressing.

“Kuh……wha, what happened to me……this kind, this kind of obscene body……AaN!”

Even the audience seat began to create disturbances from the strange stage of the two.

The audience too at the start were thinking that Kizuna was bringing the fight into pinning techniques. However they gradually began to notice just what the two of them were doing, their agitation became a spreading commotion. That wave was radiated in succession and in a flash the whole Colosseum was enveloped in an uproarious commotion.

Inside the bewilderment and agitation that was occupying the Colosseum, there was only a single person raising a loud laughter.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA! Interesting! Now you really did it! You really made this enjoyable instead! I’m really pleased here black magic armor Hida Kizuna!”

Zelsione clapped her hands in a great delight from the act of love that the two suddenly started.

Aine’s mouth stayed open while thinking about what Kizuna was doing.

‘This is……no doubt about it. Kizuna is planning a Climax Hybrid with Gravel as the partner……should I stop this?

If I stop the Climax Hybrid, can I protect Kizuna by putting him nearby? However, even when I intend to protect him it still comes to this situation. Then should I overlook this? However, if I do that Kizuna will fight Vatlantis then.

――He will come, as my enemy.’

Aine grasped the elbow rest of the throne. She put so much strength to her fingertips until they became white.

“Wa……just what are you starting in front of the public presence like THISSSSSSSSS!”

It was a scream that burst out Himekawa’s wrath aura. It even felt like the temperature around her was going up from the flaming rage.

Even while making an astonished face, Scarlet didn’t let her eyes go from the act of the two.

“This is already not in the level of in front of the public……as expected from j.a.panese. Their perverted level is unreachable no matter how.”

“I really feel admiration to Captain’s mental power desu……but, this is――”

Yuris.h.i.+a winked toward Scarlet who was knitting her eyebrows. Noticing what that meant, Sylvia shut her mouth.

With a grim look, Yuris.h.i.+a stared fixedly at Kizuna and Gravel who were entangling with each other on the battle field.

“I’ll specially allow this, so……absolutely don’t fail this Kizuna!”

Kizuna was sweating coldly with a hard expression. He felt even more nervous compared to the usual Climax Hybrid, he also didn’t have any composure in his heart.

He absolutely couldn’t fail this. The lives of him and his comrades hanged on this. Despite so, he didn’t really understand about his partner. Furthermore he had to hurry. He didn’t know when the security or the imperial guard would enter to stop them.

Kizuna’s hand tried to touch Gravel’s breast directly and slipped under the pilot suit. The suit that was a white bikini type was easily slipped off with Kizuna’s hand movement, causing the tanned b.r.e.a.s.t.s to spill out.

“-! ……ya”

Gravel tried to hide her breast with her hand. However when Kizuna’s hand caressed it like kneading a dough, Gravel’s hand was only overlapping Kizuna’s hand and she couldn’t put strength to tear off Kizuna’s hand.

“Sorry, Gravel.”

“Eh……”

Her reaction to Kizuna’s voice was slow. It seemed that the inside of her head was completely melting from the pleasure.

“All of a sudden, in this kind of place……I feel bad. But, it’s fine if only for now. Believe in me. If you let me into your heart, I absolutely won’t let you die. I’ll save you for sure. We cannot die just like this. Both I, and you.”

Gravel’s eyes became drowsily moist from Kizuna’s earnest gaze.

Why was it?

The human named Kizuna in front of her eyes. An unfamiliar race called male, furthermore even though he was a soldier of Lemuria, all about this man, made her feel dearness that couldn’t be expressed in words.

It was a yearning that was in a different dimension with Aldea.

She was not protecting, this was the comfortableness of being protected. It made her want to entrust everything to him.

Gravel’s cheeks were dyed pink, her expression was changing into a loose and melting look. In that look there was already not a shred of the hero that was feared as the tanned beast.

“In any case……this is a body that already received disgrace in public……it doesn’t really matter after this late. That’s why……”

Gravel smiled bewitchingly.

“You can……do as you please.”

That expression and voice, made shudders drive through Kizuna’s spine.

He couldn’t hold back and sucked on the breast that was jiggling in s.h.i.+vers in front of his eyes.

“Aann, so, so strong like that…….UFUAAaaa!”

He sucked up the pink colored circle which was floating on the tanned skin. Kizuna licked up with his tongue at the pointed center. As if to trace its shape, he diligently licked and put it in his mouth to suck up.

“It’s already this hard, it’s standing tall see.”

Gravel’s cheeks were dyed in shame and she twisted her body.

“If, if you do something like that, that’s just obvious.”

She crossed her arms trying to hide her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, but the b.r.e.a.s.t.s weren’t hidden completely. Rather the b.r.e.a.s.t.s were turning into the pressed and lifted up shape. As if saying that it wanted to be licked more. And then, the tips of the b.r.e.a.s.t.s were standing up largely, pointing at Kizuna’s direction. It was as if they were pleading, that the b.r.e.a.s.t.s also wanted to be touched by Kizuna.

Kizuna answered that expectation by putting one into his mouth, while pinching at the other with his fingers.

“FUuNn! Ku……AAAA-, go, good-”

Gravel’s body became moistly sweaty. l.u.s.ter was created on her tanned skin, changing the body into an even more indecent one.

The commotion around them didn’t enter their ear anymore. Voices that resembled scream and jeering were raised from the audience seats, but all those felt like something from another world. People who criticized, people who thought this interesting, each one were jumbled together in a great chaos, but there wasn’t a single person that didn’t harbor an interest. All present looked bloodshot fixing their eyes upon the two.

Kizuna caressed Gravel’s cheek with one hand. Gravel captured the fingers of that hand and put them into her mouth adorably.

“A……n. Un……u, NN-”

Wet sound was created, she was sucking diligently at the fingers one by one. Furthermore, her tongue was also thoroughly crawling between the fingers obsessively. Kizuna’s excitement was also heightened from that soft slipperiness.

He separated his rubbing hand and stroked around from her side to her stomach where well-trained abs were sleeping.

“Haa……ann, ah……aan, don’t, that tickles-”

Gravel’s body was trembling in twitches and writhed. She was toyed by the mixed sensation of ticklishness and pleasure.

Kizuna moved his hand further below and forced his way through Gravel’s groin.

“HYAAAAAAAAAAN-! The-, there AaaaAAUUuNu!”

The way she became disheveled was the most intense until now. It seemed that the pleasure granted to Gravel from here was special. Kizuna slid his fingertips softly along the valley of her groin.

“Aaan, don’t, don’t-, the-, Ki-, I feel ……STRANGEEEEE”

The cloth between the groin became wet in the blink of an eye. And then, immediately a surprising amount of honey began to overflow. A really nice aroma drifted from that honey that tickled Kizuna’s nose. That aroma further invited Kizuna into Gravel’s body, an aroma of temptation.

The suit that covered Gravel’s groin was something similar to the swimsuit of a bikini. He inserted his finger into the opening and tried to s.h.i.+ft the suit aside.

“Ah……do, don’t!”

“Eh?”

“I don’t……want to show that place.”

Gravel supplicated with a face that seemed almost crying. Kizuna lightly smiled, patted Gravel’s head, and caressed from her cheek to her neck. Gravel frolicked to Kizuna’s hand like a cat and closed her eyes in a happy face.

In the end, Kizuna kept the suit as it was and inserted only his finger inside the opening. And then, he directly touched at the flower which emitted the nice aroma.

“Hii……!?”

Gravel bent backwards. In that tempo her thigh pressed on Kizuna’s groin.

Kizuna directly tortured the source of Gravel’s honey with his fingertips. The honey that gushed out copiously enveloped Kizuna’s hand thoroughly. And then Kizuna’s thing too was stimulated by Gravel’s soft but tight thigh, it became completely hard.

“This is……what?”

Gravel who held discomfort to that sensation reached out her fingers and touched Kizuna’s groin.

“No, wait. That is!”

His restraining voice didn’t enter her ear, Gravel slipped in her hand under the suit of Kizuna.

“So something mysterious like this, is attached to Kizuna……but, what? Over there became hot. It’s mysterious……”

Gravel held Kizuna’s thing with a backhand grip and began to stroke up and down.

“Kuh, at this rate……-“

In order to resist, Kizuna crawled his fingertips into inside.

“AAAAAAAAA-! Nn, aah-! Hiuu!”

He bent his finger inside and vibrated it. Gravel’s legs stretched tautly, and her body began to convulse. As if to give her the finis.h.i.+ng blow, Kizuna rubbed up the bud that was nearby the entrance with his palm.

“NOOOOOO♥AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN♥!”

At that moment, light particles overflowed from Kizuna and Gravel’s bodies.

‘――Success!’

But this was still only Heart Hybrid. With this Gravel’s magic power should be recovered, but for him it would be the main act from here on.

“My bad, but I’ll have you accompany me a little bit more. I will――UWAA!”

Kizuna was overturned with a quick movement and Gravel straddled him.

“Wha-……o, oi”

Gravel straddled the lower body of Kizuna and she was looking down on him with half-closed eyes.

Something cold ran through Kizuna’s spine.

‘Don’t tell me……Gravel, you. I――,’

“No good……it’s still, not enough.”

With her cheeks reddened, Gravel made a charming smile.

“……eh?”

“Under my stomach is hot, it feels fuzzy……I don’t know what to do.”

Kizuna gently caressed down her breast.

“Is that so……so it’s the intoxication result of Heart Hybrid. I got panicked for a second.”

“Hey, this is the first time I feel this painful. What should I……nn?”

Feeling something out of place between her groin, Gravel looked below.

That was because she accidentally straddled just right above Kizuna’s thing. The thing standing hard was pressed down by Gravel’s groin, its head was coming out from between her groin.

“Aa……nn”

Gravel made a really delighted face.

“I don’t really understand but……perhaps, I think I need to use Kizuna’s this. Like this……”

After murmuring deliriously, Gravel began to shake her waist back and forth.

“Gr, Gravel……-!”

“Haa……it feels good……an♥”

The honey overflowing out from Gravel’s flower petal wet her panty, revealing the shape of the body under it vividly. The valley of the groin was becoming thoroughly sticky, sandwiching Kizuna’s thing softly.

“An-, an-! Haahn, aaaaa-, good-!”

Gravel who was drunk from the intoxication effect of the Heart Hybrid became dazed and continued to shake her waist.

Kizuna’s rigidity stimulated Gravel’s valley by sc.r.a.ping, rubbing at the sensitive bud. And then while Gravel’s slippery honey was dripping down, Kizuna’s thing was wrapped by the soft small valley.

Light particles began to s.h.i.+ne inside their respective eyes.

Both of them were nearing the limit.

And then Gravel raised her head and bent her back like a bow.

“A♥! HAAAAAaauuuaaAAAHNNNNNNNNN♥♥”

Tears flowed out from Gravel’s eyes from the excessive pleasure. Climax pierced through her body, making her body greatly convulse. And then, matching with that motion, fierce light was emitted from the bodies of the two.

“Haa……n……? Thi, this……is?”

Having her consciousness back, Gravel raised a perplexed voice of the light wrapping on her body. And then she felt surprised from the strength that filled her body.

“I never…..the magic power, is returning. No, not only that. This is――”

The endlessly overflowing magic power snapped apart the magic power restraining bracelets that were wrapped on Kizuna and Gravel’s arm.

“Strength is gus.h.i.+ng out inexhaustibly……this kind of miracle”

Kizuna answered Gravel’s gaze that seemed to look for an answer.

“This is Climax Hybrid. The mixing of two people’s heart and love. This is exactly the true ability of Heart Hybrid Gear!”

“Heart and……love. I and, your……you say.”

Gravel’s cheeks reddened.

“Now! Gravel, we are escaping!”

“Eh? Ye, yeah!”

Gravel manifested a magic circle at the s.p.a.ce before her eyes and inserted her hand into it. And then from inside the magic circle, she pulled out a gigantic gunsword. That was different with the normal equipment. Several gun turrets were linked in ring shape, the Sword Gatling.

“Here we go!”

She fired the Sword Gatling towards the sky. Bullets with destructive power that were more than equal with Bullet were fired rapidly with terrific speed. Furthermore it was added with the power up from Climax Hybrid.

The Life Saver of the Colosseum which was that firm was broken apart. Screams were raised from the audience who were watching the success of the Climax Hybrid in surprise.

“Kizuna, what should we do after this?”

Gravel asked with a tone that sounded completely like she was talking with her war buddy.

“I’ll accomplish my mission. Gravel too, accomplish your own mission.”

“……Got it. Don’t die.”

“Yeah, someday let’s once again together――”

When Kizuna started to say that, Gravel’s face became so bright red that it felt like smoke would come out.

“Stu-, stupid! That was because of the emergency situation, that’s why, that……it’s not unpleasant though.”

Gravel spoke incoherently with ambiguous words.

“Gah! If you survive, we will do it again! That’s why don’t you die!”

Zoros’s thruster spewed out particles and Gravel flew to the sky instantly. Looking at her retreating figure, Kizuna murmured.

“Let’s, once again together fight with me……will you?”

The gate of the Colosseum opened and soldiers that seemed to be the guard rushed in.

“So they are coming here too! Mode Zoros!!”

The luminescence of Eros changed color to orange. And then the same wings like Zoros were created on his back.

“I’m going!”

He aimed at the rus.h.i.+ng in guards and fired a volley with the three-line particle cannons. Flame explosion occurred and the guards were blown away in succession.

“It’s an amazing destructive power as expected huh. But, still not yet!”

Kizuna reached out both his hands and particles of light began to converge between his hands. And then the particles grew into a single long and thick rod. When Kizuna’s hand grasped the handle, the light was torn off and a Sword Gatling appeared from inside it.

“Now, I’m going to blown away the hindrance wall!”

The audience were already beginning to evacuate. He aimed at the block that became empty and rapidly fired the Sword Gatling.

‘――Where is Aine!?’

However the royal seat had already become an empty sh.e.l.l.

‘s.h.i.+t-! The way they run away is fast.’

This time he searched for the audience seat where Himekawa and the others were at.

“Kizuna―!”

He looked at the direction where he heard the screamed voice. There, a red ponytail disappearing at the emergency exit of the stadium was reflected in his eyes.

“Over there!”

Kizuna ignited his thruster and rushed to the emergency exit.

“!”

However, over there the imperial guard had formed a line and aimed gun muzzles at Kizuna.

“MOVEEEEEEEEEEE!”

Kizuna pulled the trigger of the Sword Gatling.

Consecutive explosive sounds were resounding inside the Colosseum.

That sound also reached Gravel’s ear. Thanks to that Gravel also understood that Kizuna was fighting the imperial guard.

‘――Can Kizuna accomplish his mission?’

Such worry floated inside her heart for an instant. However, she immediately pulled herself together and searched for Aldea’s figure amidst the audience seats. Her aim was her motherland, but she wanted to recover Aldea no matter what.

“Aldea, where are you!?”

When she landed nearby the royal seat, she called out with a loud voice.

She was supposed to be nearby here just now, but right now she couldn’t see her figure. Was she accompanying the emperor and her group? No, that wouldn’t happen. It was a different story if Zelsione commanded it, but as expected she couldn’t think that Aldea was that trusted.

‘In that case――!?’

s.p.a.ce was crooked on the guest seat and a hole was opened. And then from there Aldea with spear in hand leaped out.

“Aldea!”

Gravel flicked the spear that crooked the s.p.a.ce with the belly of the Sword Gatling. Sparks scattered, Aldea whose spear was s.h.i.+fted rotated around and took a distance from Gravel.

And then she readied her spear once more and glared at Gravel.

“I won’t allow you to escape! I also won’t let you oppose Zelsione-sama!”