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Unable to endure it, Inaba kicked on the air while returning to Suzu's side

"What's this? Why aed into apostle's body, I also obtained skills, I also prepared corpse beast soldiers, I doet cornered like a loser? My opponent is not that ht? Despite so, why? Hey, why? Why? Why!?"

Despite tiding over Inaba's attack safely, Eri's expression warped into soly and repeatedly said "Why?" in hysteric, while her hand was scratching her hair so roughly that her hair ure had madness that was a little too thick to be waved off as just a child that was throwing tantruo as she expected it to be

Toward such Eri as yelling "why?" repeatedly in madness, Suzu turned her eyes and voice that were calm like a quiet water surface

"That's obvious It's because Suzu wants to talk to Eri"

"Ha?"

Suzu's wordsand leaked out dumbfounded voice Her expression was befuddled fro what Suzu ht that Suzu isn't worth to take on seriously Suzu has worked hard in training to conore Suzu Well, there is Naguh"

"…Hee And? You want to yell at rovel, and then sneer while cursing at ? You have become really distorted nicely aren't youuu~ It's ok then you knoo about trying to curse at uessed as inside Suzu's heart and sneered It see that she had seen the bottom of Suzu's heart, that Suzu only e

But, Suzu's expression didn't even twitch froht at Eri and spoke out calmly

"Curse? Sneer? No way There is no way I can do that kind of thing Because…Suzu was also using Eri the sa me after all"

"…What does that meaaan?"

Eri scrutinized Suzu with one eye and tilted her head It appeared that she held interest toward Suzu's story Even the soldiers right noere only surrounding Suzu without any sign of attacking

"Just like Eri said, Suzu laughed foolishly and plainly acted like idiot, totally shalloever Suzu isn't hated by anyone――Suzu lived like that until now Because Suzu hated to be alone Because being lonely is unbearable Because Suzu want to be always included inside the circle of people"

"Well, Suzu is like that aren't youuu"

"Yep Because Suzu was like that, the existence of 'best friend' was necessary Suzu was thankful Because, a child that isn't hated by anyone, if you change the way you look at it, that child isequal and fair to everyone is really a heresy That's why, an existence for Suzu to favor was necessary for Suzu So that Suzu can let the surrounding know, that Suzu isn't that kind of heresy, that Suzu is a norood relationship"

"Fuuun So? You are saying that it wasbest friend with Eri while being fully self-aware of that thinking Right nohen Suzu looked back, Suzu realize how Suzu acted like that …That time when it becaether at the end right? At that time, Suzu was convinced Aa, Suzu and Eri are not like that huuh Suzu desperately pretended not to notice that at the tih"

"…So? What do you want to say then?"

Suzu's words that sounded like she was talking to herself made Eri asked with a voice that sounded a little irritated Toward that, Suzu looked straight at Eri and then she quietly lowered her head

"…What?"

"Sorry, Eri Eri said that Suzu is a convenient tool, but Suzu didn't even have the qualification to get shocked because of that Suzu is also the same like Eri Because Suzu treated Eri like a convenient tool"

"…Look hereee Youthis far to say that kind of shitty trivial thing? You thought, that I'? If that's true, then I cannot help but say that your head is gnahole by bugs inside After obtaining Kouki-kun, so like a rock in roadside for h to say from the botto stupid, however, Suzu replied while grinning

"Yep, I know This is just Suzu's self-satisfaction Suzu just wanted to apologize to feel refreshed"

"You have become really brazen aren't youuu That's all you want to talk about?"

"Nope There is still so Suzu want to ask Hey, Eri Why did Eri fall in love with Kouki-kun?"

"Haa?"

There was a liirls' talk raised a disarrayed voice Withoutsuch Eri, Suzu continued her question

"Since the past Suzu soh, as expected did Eri had problem in home? Eri often came to play to Suzu's home, but not even once Suzu could visit Eri's home So Suzu wonders if Eri actually felt hard to stay at your own ho about your father and mother didn't you? Your relation with your parents is bad? By any chance, did you get help from Kouki-kun when you orried about that?"

It was a storh Suzu was dancing tap dance on ain brazenly with muddy shoes into Eri's childhood that could be said as her heart's darkness Furtherht on the mark so it was nasty

From the point of view of Eri who had reminisced of her past just now, it felt like Suzu knew about that yet she still dared to dig up at the painful memory to throw at her

And so, Eri's ansas a wordless bombardment Grey flashes mercilessly attacked Suzu from shortest distance To that, Suzu defended fro sweetly The soldiers alsothat the subordinate monsters also reacted perfectly

"Hey, come on, teach Suzu please, Eri Suzu want to know about Eri All the part where Suzu didn't dare to step in even while calling you best friend, right now, Suzu wants to know"

"Like this your personality has become really wicked isn't iiit, Suzuu? Were you warped froe the question here Come on, teach Suzu? About Eri What happened? Why are you warped? What kind of feeling are you looking at Kouki-kun with? Please, teach Suzu?"

"Aa, geez-, you are really annoyiiing!"

Suzu who continuously laid out barriers one after another at the sa Eri with her straight gaze froaps of the barriers and flashes There wasn't any scorn or conte to know about Eri was residing there

Having such gaze directed at her, Eri became even more irritated Her heart was disordered in a level that was far exceeding her own expectation She usedin her heart

"――'Lawless'!"

Darkness e supple the deploying speed of barriers in the level that could oppose disintegration ability was possible because there was the abbreviation in her e supplementation Consequently, if Suzu received interference in that, naturally her barrier's deploying speed would drop――that was how it should be

"Why-!?"

Eri's shocked voice resounded Ahead of her widely opened gaze, Suzu was continuing to lay out her barriers without any change Her speed was equal with before

"-, you are interfering with the ie supplementation aren't you Thanks to that now Suzu doesn't have any leeway left"

"Don't telleasy on the barrier deployment just nooow!?"

"Yep After all Suzu is a barrier master In protection Suzu won't lose to anyone Well even though Suzu said that, there is also the help of Nagumo-kun's artifact, if this is a bombardh"

Suzu squinted and looked at Eri while whispering "Suzu cannot block Kaorin's bombardment after all"

"Eri's body Indeed it looks like you are able to use apostle's power, but you are unable to do it perfectly like Kaori I think? Twenty percent…nope, looks like the spec dropped by thirty percent You also cannot use the experience trace auess you got it fro about the pinnacle of the knight's sword art, Suzu cannot think of anyone else except that person"

"-, don't get carried away!"

After having been analyzed and gotten seen through various things one after another, Eri was feeling like she had been totally seen through because of how all those analyses were correct Eri raised an angry yell The color of scorn and co was already gone, there was only the display of lack of composure that merely wished to erase even for a second faster the opponent she was unable to stomach

"Eri, Suzu won't avert her eyes anymore Because, Suzu doesn't want to overlook what's iain Suzu doesn’t want to keep being ignorant anymore That's why, please Teach Suzu about Eri"

"You keep saying teachsuch thing at this lateee!? You want to grasp my weakness and then attack e nus The bombardment circled around and launched an attack from all directions in a plan to break the equilibriu by the iron wall formation that Suzu's subordinateherself She was laot separated from Kouki who excelled in offensive power

But, as expected that plan of Eri was crushed by Suzu At the other side of the barrier, Suzu elegantly waved her iron fans Then, zaaaaaaa such sound ca spiral around Suzu

And then, the spiral sed all the soaring feathers where the two ic neutralized each other The petals were erased, however, the petals were i at all

Suzu sent her words to Eri as though nothing happened

"You are wrong You see, Suzu want to know about Eri Suzu will know, look properly, feel, think………then Suzu wants to beco?"

Eri's borey feathers also flerong directions That was just howin common sense for Eri

That was only natural After how she betrayed the a lot of people, and furtherht now If so that they 'want to be friend' toward such person, she could only think that there was so with that person's head If this was the mental attack of Suzu-style, then in a sense it could be said as effective Though until the end it was effective only in theher by surprise

Suzu continued her words to that Eri Her voice was powerful, her gazing eyes were endlessly clear

"Is that strange I wonder? Yep, that's strange isn't it Eri has done bad things after all Even now you are trying to kill Suzu"

"…What, so just as I thought you have gonethat it's strange huuh, but, this is Suzu's true feeling without any falsehood Because, Suzu re those words, Eri's expression turned even more confused

"Eri was always a child that sht now Suzu understands that it was fake smile But, but see Like the time when Eri came for sleepover at Suzu's home, or the time when the two of us talk leisurely on the way home after school, or when both of us slackened up at the nearby park when there is really nothing to do on holiday, your languid smile that you suddenly showed at those time, or your smile that looked a little cynic, or your smile to Suzu that looked exasperated, but also looked a little amused, Suzu re faces that the 'Eri who is acting' ments of the true Eri that couldn't be shown to other people, isn't that right? Eri rested your heart just for a sht? You see, that's what Suzu think"

Eri ordless Her eyes couldn't be seen because they were hidden by her front hair The shadow created fro Eri's expression

Suzu's words echoed The Suzu who feared being hated and wouldn't step forward had gone Even if she had to take the risk of what she wanted slipping away from her hand, she would still take a step forward Because she had learned, that ahead of the constant risk, there lied what she exactly wanted

"Eri, co like a world with only two people is just sad Suzu, want to be together with Eri It's better to be together forever even after this Suzu want to become best friend with Eri, this time for sure"

"…"

Suzu closed one of her iron fans with a snap and hung it on her waist When she noticed, the feather attack had stopped There was no need to control the light petals anyht toward Eri

"If you take this hand, Suzu won't let anyone hurt Eri No uray bo, it was decreasing until it beca and like that it melted into the air and vanished

Suzu also erased her barrier At her surrounding herby quietly The corpse beast soldiers also stopped

Her words reached her Perhaps even her heart…Suzu thought that and her lips broadened slightly

Ahead of Suzu's gaze, Eri quietly raised her face What was reflected in those eyes was the color of passion and happiness――not, but coldness that was like ice filled with endless scorn

And then, her words too

"Are you an idiot?"

"――"

Suzu loosened cheeks instantly stiffened Right after that, a huge gray ic circle manifested on the sky

Eri's feather attack wasn't only intended to circle around Suzu's barrier and attacked her Amidst the turmoil, Eri secretly slipped her feathers toward the sky She bought tiic circle there with her grey feathers

Thatout muddy black miasma That shape was exactly the same like the crack of space that appeared above God Mountain

The déjà vu that Suzu harbored was immediately proven to be correct As expected, similar with the crack of space a lot of monsters appeared froic circle

"The nonsense is enough until this far isn't it? Just when I thought what are you going to talk about…Suzu really exposed your stupidity plainly here aren't youuu? Thank you for lettingso much timeee Well theeen, can you die sed by these waves of monster?"

"…"

This time it was Suzu as the silent one Frohtcorpse beast soldiers was also still around seventy

In contrast, Suzu's subordinate monsters, there were three h they didn't die but they bore heavy wounds that h it was only a few but it was still a decrease in Suzu's fighting strength

NoInaba was, in front of the violence of number it would be only a problem of time before he was overwhelmed

And then, far away the sound of fierce battle was still resounding, the possibility of Shizuku and Ryutaro co for Suzu's reinforcement was remarkably low

And so, Eri's expression warped in ecstasy Indeed, Suzu's strength ot cold sweat, but when the lid was opened, Suzu pointlessly wasted her tiot the situation reversed, it was really an airl", Eri whispered one more time inside her mouth

"I am your be-st-fri-end yes, even after a fashion? Then I'll at least listen to your last will you know?"

A great number of monsters covered the sky, amidst the darkness that fell on the battlefield like a dark cloud, Eri lifted up her sword and said such thing Most likely, when that sung down, an all-out attack would start

In contrast, Suzu who realized that her word didn't reach Eri's heart and now she fell into an absolutely desperate situation said,

"Eri You looked down on Suzu too ic circle!"

"Kyukyuu!"

Taking out the iron fan that she settled on her waist before, as though to say that she had resolved for everything, Suzu stared back straight at Eri with eyes filled with deteritation there

That excessively strong gaze made Eri took a step back unconsciously When she noticed what she did she gritted her teeth And then, feeling fed up with all the worthless talk, she swung down her sword that was equal with the scythe of the death god

At that moment, the monsters in the sky and the corpse beast soldiers attacked all at once

However, the corpse beast soldiers went toward the hat the sudden friendly fire which began between the soldiers and rily with confused tonethe soldiers without any obstruction Despite so, they et and assaulted the ht the answer to the confused Eri was Suzu herself

"Suzu's black crest butterfly――what do you think Suzu was letting the around for?"

"Do, don't tell me…"

"Finally noticed? You see, these children, they can scatter scales with various traits Looks like the soldiers has been showered with enough Right now, they should be looking at the monsters as Suzu and Suzu's ue It seehly prepared

Further doubly sure everything was screwed for Eri Looking at the sky, a part of the su circle was bloay At that spot, there was Inaba in a stance of kicking He slipped through the gap between the h speed and destroyed the inally the soldiers and knights of the kingdom, ere experts in anti-monster battle, with their specs increased like a joke they now killed the summoned monsters one after another

There, naturally the subordinate monsters of Suzu, also the injured ones were healed by the corpse soldiers with healing ability because they looked like allies After they returned to the battle line, the monsters in the sky were coritted her teeth whilewith the black crest butterflies The loyalin the battlefield and rushed them all at once

At that moment,

DOOOOON!! DOOOOON!! DOOOOON!!

Flowers of explosion bloomed one after another at the sky of the ruined city The moment the butterflies were touched, they instantly exploded

The voice of Suzu resounded to the dumbfounded Eri

"Did you think that Suzu can really subdue a total of a hundred butterfly h only three days has passed?"

"…Are you saying there are also fakes there?"

"Yep More than half are Nague of scales they are carrying a large ah it's only unpowder that cannot be compared with dynamite is packed full into it How scary isn't it"

Eri narrowed her eyes When she looked, she didn't notice before but there were black crest butterflies clinging on the head or the back of all the soldiers Anybody would understand what theof that was While the soldiers exterminated the monsters and decreased their number, simultaneously it was also the countdown for the death of the soldiers

"…This is checkeeee For Suzu to be the one who is destroying rovel like before without standing up again Is this, also because of that umo-kun has no relation in this But, Suzu is here is unht that if Suzu leaves this alone then Eri will be killed by Nagu to say that you saved me I wonder?"

"Yep Suzu come in order to save Eri Because Suzu wants to restart with Eri one h already"

Eri fell quiet once more But, different froht after that, she invoked darkness ic 'Slip Mind' to Suzu while at the saht line, with her eyes carrying killing intent

As though to say, would Suzu kill her or would she get killed by her, there was nothing else that could be done but to choose between those two choices As though to cut away all of Suzu's words as coh to declare that it was impossible for her to take Suzu's hand after this late

"AaAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!! JUST DIEEEEEEEEEEEE-!!"

Toward Eri who perfor an abnor wasn't conveyed to Eri It couldn't be conveyed Frustrating Mortifying Her reached out hand――didn't reach

"Why, it has become like this…surely, Suzu mustn't say such words isn't it"

Suzu who looked like she was laughing and crying, bit her lip and blood trickled down, then she swept her fan

At thatEri Naturally, Eri used her disintegration ability and immediately cut apart the barrier but she was forced to stop for athat was created forcefully by Suzu

The ht petals that were controlled by the other iron fan rushed to Eri and wrapped her Eri tried to sweep thes and boht petals were like leaves fluttering by the wind, or possibly like river water that flowed unhurriedly, they swaht after that,

"Everything into the light, ――'Holy Severance - Falling Flower of Light'"

Light exploded

All the light petals exploded in a chain reaction A combination technique of 'Holy Severance - Sakura' and 'Holy Severance - Burst' Surrounded by flower storm without any place to escape, impacts were fired inside without any spot spared fro thatout consecutively in the battlefield Along with those explosive sounds, several grand flowers of flame and impact bloomed proudly in the sky of the ruined city The corpse beast soldiers that finished defeating the olems of black crest butterfly attached on their body and died

Suzu was bathed in orange light by the several explosive flames On her head, the fluffy Inaba fell Inaba's fluffy front leg patted on Suzu's head peshi peshi as though to console her

Fro and a silhouette fell White sround Her four lis were already scattered Magical shockwave also exploded siic power should be already bloay too

Suzu quickly waved her iron fan

"――'Light Halo'"

Then, halos of light linked into a net that ht by that and she was dropped on the ground

Suzu accoohoh………just, kill me"

It appeared she barely retained her consciousness Eri didn't evenfar away and de blow

"Eri…"

"Fri, end? I, is…better"

"…"

There was no disdain or conte at Suzu, to that, Suzu bit her lip tightly

"Everything, is just, the worst …I, only…"

"Eri? Only…what? Tell Suzu"

"…"

The words that stopped ht be words that spilled out unconsciously even for Eri Even with Suzu asking, she didn't show any sign of opening her mouth anymore It was obvious that Eri's body was in a state where life was spilling out froraded with the technique of apostle creation, theFlower of Light' wasn't so half-assed Without any treatment, she would only expire like this

Suzu took out a container in the shape of test tube frothat had its effect draic, so it had ten ti od water that immediately completely recovered the health, but it was able to keep alive someone even fro that out and guessed what she was going to do, pierced Suzu with a severe gaze that was unthinkable co from someone as about to die There was no word But, those eyes talkedShe would decline any pity froe of death

Suzu clutched the healing oing to be their conclusion This was soned to Even so, as expected her heart clenched tightly

But, she couldn't be half-hearted She couldn't reach Eri's heart She couldn't reach her She couldn't half-heartedly let her stay alive here The path to let Eri live and brought her back wasn't by sheer strength, it had to be done by connecting their heart and pulling her hand If Suzu acted half-heartedly here, the tragedy of that day would be repeated oncethat she absolutely mustn't do A wish that blindly believed at convenient future and averted eyes fro would be connected as so that Suzu understood really well to the depth of her bone

Then, at the very least not by other's hand, this should be done by her hand

That was Suzu's resolve

Because although it arped and imperfect but Eri was once her best friend And then even now, she was able to wish to be best friend with her onceripped the iron fan tightly

Suzu and Eri's gazes crossed

But, at that tiic power burst up from a place that was separated fro the pure white ed into a shape of hu down below

The fierce impact was transmitted even until the place where Suzu and Eri were at

"…Kouki, kun"

Eri opened her eyes and whispered

Right after that, the light giant dispersed It was as though it showed the fate of the caster…

"Kouki, kun…Kouki-kun!!"

"E, Eri-!?"

Eri's body that should have been in the death's door instantly shined gray

And then, at the next ed body fleith iiant was seen

Suzu as unable to i completely dumbfounded returned to her senses and chased after Eri in hurry