Chapter 55: Chaotic Melee

『Here I go, Balrog!』

“Here I go, Lucifer!”

Rizlet’s Balrog, charging from the front, swung its claws down.

The four golden claws equipped on its right hand extended shu, becoming like hook claws, and attacked my Lucifer.

I parried it with the Kodachi in my left hand and swept horizontally at its torso with the Kodachi in my right, but Balrog jumped back faster than that.

It’s faster than I thought, this girl. Is she a Ritter Frame but with lightened armor to make it easier to move? The same type as a Cavalry.

Then!

“Asterisk! [Barrel Mode]!”

At my voice command, the snowflake-like [Floating Swords] ‘Fragarach’ detached from my waist and floated into the air, and their six folded short barrels stood up.

A total of twelve muzzles took aim at Balrog.

“[Full Burst]!”

A storm of magic bullets assailed Balrog, but the opponent held both arms together like a shield, blocking the magic bullet attacks.

That gauntlet part can become a shield too…!

『[Sonic Claw]!』

When Balrog thrust its right arm upward from below like an uppercut, four blades of wind appeared on the ground and headed toward me like shark dorsal fins. This is…!

I jumped into the sky to evade the four blades of wind.

That was close. Was that just now perhaps a Gear Spell… no, Gear Arts?!

There are special techniques for Frame Gears called ‘Gear Spells’ and ‘Gear Arts’.

To put it simply, a Gear Spell is created by combining a specially adjusted machine with the pilot’s special magic or characteristics. It cannot be used if either the machine or the pilot is missing.

Therefore, my [Zero Gravity] and such are Gear Spells because they only activate when the two, Lucifer and Nero Silhoueska, are brought together.

In contrast, Gear Arts are unleashed by the technique of the machine and the pilot.

Roughly speaking, for this one, even a different person can unleash a similar technique if they have similar skills. Even with a different machine, it can be done depending on the conditions.

Even if Rizlet pilots Lucifer, [Zero Gravity] will absolutely not activate, but if I pilot Balrog and train a lot, there’s a possibility I could fire that [Sonic Claw] thing.

Perhaps Gear Spells are like ‘techniques unique to an individual’, and Gear Arts are like ‘techniques of a master’.

Hilda Onee-sama’s ‘Wind Blade’ is also a Gear Art. Since she can probably use it with any machine.

For this girl to use Gear Arts… it means she really does have ability…

『Don’t look down from above!』

Sonic Claws flew towards me again as I escaped into the air.

The principle behind this is the same as Hilda Onee-sama’s ‘Wind Blade’ and the ‘Sonic Slash’ used by [Troopers].

By cladding the blade in magic power and swinging it at high speed, it generates a slash/shockwave. It’s the same method Master used to slice through rocks with a bare-handed chop.

Techniques of this sort have short ranges. To be precise, the further away they are, the weaker the power becomes.

So as long as I keep my distance, I won’t take massive damage that easily… Hm?!

“[Shock Claw]!”

The four claws on Balrog’s left hand pointed at me were launched.

I deflected them with the Kodachi, but I overlooked that something like a thin wire was attached to those claws.

The moment I thought the wire tangled around the Kodachi, a powerful electric shock was unleashed. For an instant, the Ether Lines in Lucifer’s arm were obstructed, and I dropped the Kodachi.

“Kuh…!”

I tried to pick up the dropped Kodachi, but Sonic Claws flew from Balrog’s right arm again.

I gave up on the Kodachi and retreated to take distance from the opponent.

The claws with the wires were reeled back to the left hand and reattached. Tch, to have a hidden weapon like that… What a cheapskate.

If you’re going to come at me like that, I won’t hold back anymore either.

I sheathed the remaining Kodachi in my hand on my back, and drew a dagger with an even shorter blade length from my rear waist.

Illuminated by the sunlight filtering through the Sea of Trees, the blade shone black.

I’ll show you. The sturdiness of the Adamantite dagger I bought by pouring in all the prize money I earned from the match with Pearl!

“[Zero Gravity]!”

Changing Lucifer’s weight to almost zero, I put the thrusters on full throttle and charged at Balrog.

At the sudden charge, Balrog again raised both arms in front of its body like a shield, taking a defensive posture.

Hah, don’t think you can stop my strike with such a thin shield!

“Right here… [Zero Impact]!”

『Wha…?!』

Lucifer’s weight, which had been erased by [Zero Gravity], returned to normal.

The sturdy Adamantite dagger pierced into Balrog’s left arm without breaking, penetrating and destroying it.

“Ugh?!”

However, in the next instant, a dazzling light was unleashed from somewhere, and the cockpit’s main monitor turned pure white. I, who had been looking directly at the monitor, was also blinded. What is this?! A flashbang?!

I heard the sound of Balrog being blown away deep into the forest. But my eyes were impaired by the sudden light, and I couldn’t see it.

As my eyes gradually adjusted, a Frame Gear was standing in front of me.

It’s not Balrog?!

What stood before me was a machine completely different from Balrog, a white and light purple machine with hood-like armor.

It held a long, spear-like staff, and the tip was fitted with something like a round crystal ball. From the shoulders, several vertically long armor plates were layered like short cloaks. It had small star-shaped paint on it.

Judging from its appearance, it’s a Mystic Frame… which means this is Ann Shelfus of the [Azure Dragon Dormitory], who’s in Rizlet’s team!

It’s a Frame Gear that suits a silver-haired twintail young lady… Was that blinding light earlier this girl’s doing too?

『O light, pierce, Shining Holy Spear, [Shining Javelin]!』

The moment Ann’s Frame Gear raised the spear-like staff to the heavens, a spear of light rained down on Lucifer from the sky like a lightning bolt. Fast!

I pulled the control stick with all my might, firing the leg verniers to retreat.

The spear of light pierced the ground right where Lucifer had been moments before. Light Magic…! So that flash earlier was indeed this girl’s doing…!

“Nice surprise attack.”

『This is not a [Star Duel]. It is your fault for letting your guard down, you know?』

Fair point. It’s my mistake for concentrating too much on the battle with Rizlet and neglecting to check my surroundings. That’s why…!

“Hup.”

I dodged the shockwave flying from the side by stepping backward.

Rizlet had circled around at some point and unleashed a ‘Sonic Claw’ at me. Hmph. I was taken by surprise earlier, but as if I’d take it over and over.

Rizlet’s Balrog’s left gauntlet? was destroyed by my [Zero Impact], but the left arm itself was intact. Just making those shocking claws unusable is good enough.

That being said, two-on-one is truly tough…! Should I retreat for now? No…!

I checked the monitor for the machine approaching from behind at high speed, and decided to stay put.

Rizlet charged, swinging those hook claws at Lucifer.

“Asterisk, [Shield Mode]!”

I pulled Asterisk back, deploying invisible shields in front of me to block Rizlet’s attack.

『Hah! Something like this…! [Slash Claw]!』

The hook claws imbued with magic power glowed red with heat and were swung down just like that. Gakya!, with a sound like breaking glass, my [Shield] was destroyed.

This…! Destroying it by sheer force. Well, it bought time so it’s fine. This time, it’s you who neglected to check your surroundings, right?

I shifted my machine sideways smoothly su.

At that perfect timing, a silver-shining light-armored warrior armor jumped out from the forest, thrusting the Naginata it held towards Balrog.

『Kokonoe Shinmei Style Secret Technique, Houshi Ittotsu (Bee Sting Single Thrust).』

『Wha…?!』

The caught-off-guard Balrog somehow dodged the thrust of the Naginata, rolling sideways to evade.

I moved Lucifer next to Tsukuyomi, which had readied its Naginata.

『Sorry I am late.』

“What about Hatoba and Pienetta?”

『I think they will take a little longer.』

It seems only Koto went ahead and came here. Well fine, this makes it two-on-two.

But before Hatoba and the others arrive, the red Titan Frame I saw in the sky… the girl named Lumiel might arrive first.

Titan Frames don’t move fast, but because of their size, one step is large, so in terms of simple running speed, they aren’t that far behind.

It’s just that because of that size, it’s hard to move in this Sea of Trees. Well, the same could be said for Pienetta’s Night Stinger.

Ultimately we have four machines and they have three, so we might be advantageous in numbers, but…

When I glanced at the map monitor to check how close Hatoba and the others were getting, there was another machine reaction.

I snapped my head up bat! and directed the main camera in that direction. Through the trees, I saw something sparkling, like light gathering.

“…Tch, bad news!”

I instantly grabbed Tsukuyomi’s hand, forcefully jumping into the sky, taking her with me.

In the next instant, a torrent of light was unleashed from deep within the forest, crossing straight through where we had been. This attack is…!

I magnified the origin of the light on the monitor.

Standing there was a black knight clad in black armor, holding the same black greatshield.

It was the figure of Aegis, piloted by Pearl Frennel.