Ichirou came flying out of nowhere, summoning a humongous sword while shouting. My eyes widened because of his sudden appearance. I feel like the whole world moves slower as I watch the astonishing display.

Nil also stops at his track and blankly stares at the gigantic sword that pop-up out of nowhere. Also, in that very moment, his mouth gape in surprise as he watches the sword cuts the air and swings down to his direction.

Fair enough, my face is also petrified by the sight.

“Oh, shi--!”

BAM!

The sword that landed on Nil sends tremor throughout the tower and shook everything. I fell on my butt because of the powerful impact.

Looking closely at Nil, he was able to block the giant mass of sword by putting up a barrier. Although, the barrier have slightly dug little centimeters from where he is standing.

“Asagao!!”

“Ichirou-nii!?”

Ichirou lands beside me and called out to my name. Rather, they said he died, right?!

But I am relieved that he is alive at the same time, I kind of felt that he isn’t someone to die easily. I quickly give him hearty hug!

“Ichirou-nii! I thought…they said…”

“Ahahaha…I’m happy that someone is genuinely glad that I’m alive…”

“Eh…?”

“Anyway, Asagao, let’s get out of here!”

“Ah..?!”

Upon my cry, Ichirou immediately grabs me with his left hand and started running for a jump. Now that I noticed it, his right arm is somewhat metallic!

Cyberpunk?! Cool!!

PUI~

Eh..?!

I felt something…

“Ichirou-nii…your arm!”

“I know. I’ll explain later, Asagao! Let’s go before that man recovers!”

As he said that, he leaps toward the sky.

PUI~

“Hiyaa!”

“Asagao?!”

“Ichirou-nii! You’re touching me at an unpleasant part!”

“Wha--? Ah!!”

“Wah!”

As Ichirou realized that he’s been grabbing me by the chest, his face reddens like an apple and in panic, he unhands me, whilst, we are in the air so I am falling!

“Uwaaaaah!”

“Asagao!!!”

He quickly spins his body towards me and glides. Within the span of a few seconds, he was able to catch me again in mid-air but now, our momentum broke.

“Sorry!”

“Geez, Even at times like this…”

“[Revision – Mountain Cleaver!]”

A large sword appears out of nowhere again. This time, Nil is the one who holds it in his right hand while holding Hydrangea in his left hand.

“No way!”

“Lies!!”

“Let me return the favor!!”

Nil shouted as he swings the sword vertically towards our direction. Even though it is the same sword Ichirou used earlier, I feel like this is far more dangerous and sinister judging by the one who is now using it.

“[Morning Glory Ninety  Nine Petal Layered Barrier!]”

I immediately used my barrier in a panic!

The giant sword came close to us and while holding my by my abdomen in his arm, Ichirou spins again. With that spin that Ichirou did, we were able to delay our fall even just a single second. The sword came contact with my barrier but grazed only its bottom.

BAKIN!

As the result, we got flung in the air and we are going to land towards the tower earlier. Ichirou holds me with both hands with a protective hug and braces for a landing.

Nil, knowing where we are going to fall, rushes there to attack us again with something.

“Double the fun!”

“[Revision – Twin Sword Mountain Cleaver!]”

“Another one?!”

“Again?! How in the world he was able to use that?!”

Both of us scream at the bottom of our lungs because of Nil’s consecutive attack. From both sides, the gigantic swords were swung towards us.

“[Blooming Thorn – Barrier!]”

“[Mountain Cleaver!]”

I plan to block at least one of the swords coming from the left and Ichirou, using his right arm he created another one of those large swords and swings it towards the upcoming sword from the right.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

I tightly cling to his neck to brace myself for the impact as his right hand has gotten busy.

CLANG!

A high pitch sound came from the two clashing giant sword as well as the sword that was blocked by my barrier.

The clash was a stalemate because both weapons and my barrier crumble after the exchange but, we are both forced to land in the tower again which right now, looks like about to crumble.

As we land…

“Asagao! Are you okay?!”

“Your worry is not needed, Ichirou-nii. Thank you for protecting me.”

“Why are you even here in the first place?!”

“Long story…but right now, please, help me to defeat him.”

“That’s reckless of you…”

I glare at Nil who is smugly looking at our direction as he stands comfortable in his place. Ichirou also looks at Nil as a sign of vigilance.

Nil initiated the conversation…

“Hahaha! It’s Dylan’s boy! That was really unexpected!!”

“Dylan?! How did you…no… you must be the one who he referred to as Lord. You must be Nil!”

“He created a one fine protagonist material, that Dylan!”

“What do you mean?”

“Your life is a one fine silver lining, Artificial Hero.”

“Ichirou-nii, who are you guys talking about?”

The confused me intervened in their conversation as I heard an unfamiliar name. I directed that question to Ichirou while tilting my head.

“Asagao…my mechanical limbs…are given by a man called Dylan, one of the Order of Arcana Sins.”

“Eh..?! Are you okay?!”

“Don’t worry, Dylan isn’t like this man. He is a really nice drunkard!”

“”

What entered our ears is Hydrangea’s voice.

Ichirou’s body immediately jerks from her voice as if a chill immediately crawls in his spine. Bewildered, he intently stares at the winged sapphire sword Nil is holding.

“Miss Hydrangea?!”

“”

“What’s happening?!”

“”

Ichirou’s face pale after having a brief conversation with Hydrangea. So, they have already met. I wonder what kind of an epic encounter they had.

“”

“Ah..ah…eh…”

Hydrangea teasingly said towards Ichirou. What did she mean by that?

I turn to look at Ichirou just to see that his face is burning red while sweating bullets. I knew well what kind of face he is sprouting, a face of someone guilty.

I look at Ichirou with a perplexed face is if trying to examine his inner thoughts. He quickly averts his eyes from my stare.

“”

“A lucky pervert! You touched Hy and Asagao?! That’s an unforgivable crime!”

Nil made an outburst that made Ichirou in a distraught manner.

How nostalgic…

This is the same Ichirou that I know back in the castle. Master and Milin may be gone, but someone returned to me as they go. It lightens the burden that my heart carries and it lets me breathe easier than before.

I am glad that he is safe, although, his doesn’t have the same limbs that he got.

Among the deaths that happened around me, one friend returns.

“Ichirou-nii! I am honestly glad that you are alive but, for now, we are in a middle of a battle! So please, lend me your strength!”

“Asagao? I don’t know what’s happening right now, but, if you say that you need me, then I will give you everything that I have!”

As I said so, Ichirou immediately recovers from the mental pain Nil and Hydrangea inflicted and answered me with a vigor in his eyes. He clenches his right fist and points it towards me. As I already know what this gesture is, I also close my fist and bump it to his.

This is a gesture of our deep friendship.

Nil who saw our determination just sprouts a simple smile on his lips as he briefly closes his eyes.

As he opens his eyes again, he lifts Hydrangea and points it towards us.

“Let’s commence that battle!”

When he said so, he kicks the ground beneath him, charging towards us.

Ichirou immediately carries me in his arm and manifests a sword in his left hand. I start preparing what kind of barrier I will use depending on what kind of attack Nil is going to throw at us.

Even though he beat Fon in a battle using Hydrangea, whom Fon loves to drastically reduce his fighting prowess, Nil is still really powerful and it's dangerous once he laid his hands to any part of your body.

Nil swings his sword upward diagonally from left as he crouches. Ichirou was going to parry it when…

“Dodge it, Ichirou-nii!”

“[Barrier!] [Thorn!] [Force]!”

SHATTER!

My barrier shatters as Hydrangea hits it. But I am glad that it made a little resistance, giving Ichirou a little leeway to dodge by leaping to his left while throwing the sword he manifested earlier.

The sword stuck Nil at his shoulder and staggers a little. The wound Ichirou caused was immediately erased from Nil’s body as the sword disintegrated into nothing.

“Asagao, why?”

“His sword…it can phase through to anything as long as he pleases.”

“Wh--! Good thing you warned me immediately! But you barrier sure is strong…it was able to resist it…”

“Yeah… I don’t know why he wasn’t able to phase through it…”

We turn to look at Nil again but at that moment, he was already swinging his sword from the air. Nil is neither smiling nor frowning. He just expressionlessly attacks.

In a hurry, Ichirou immediately manifests another sword and throws it to Nil. Nil blocks it by swinging a single slash and his momentum hasn’t changed.

“[Morning Glory Ninety Nine Petal Layered Barrier!]”

I hastily cast as I immediately felt that his attack this time is serious. And so, I was right!

As his attack land on my barrier…

BOOM!

The whole place was dyed in purple light as it crashes into my blue barrier. The whole tower which is on a verge of collapse, shook violently again, sending tremors everywhere.

Ichirou immediately slips out of the barrier carrying me and runs towards Nil’s flank while holding a spear. With a shout, he stabs Nil in his ribs, piercing him all the way through.

“Gack!”

Nil violently swings his sword towards us again, dousing the whole place in a purple radiance that destroys everything in its path.

Ichirou dodges the attack, albeit, with a little time to save his left arm which I cast barrier again to give him another leeway to pull back every bit of his body.

But from within the surge of the purple wave, came Nil inside it and swings his sword to Ichirou again. With no time to recast my barrier, I had no way of saving us from this attack.

“Ah!”

Ichirou immediately lets go of me, flinging me to the side as he blocks the sword with his right metallic arm.

BAKIN!

The winged sapphire sword that was able to slash at anything, including the soul of the foe, was repelled!?

“Tsk!”

“”

“Too late!”

As Ichirou shouted, he immediately kicks Nil in the face with a roundhouse kick, sending him flying with a bloodied face. He didn’t stop from there as he jumps up high again and manifests a gigantic axe in his right hand.

“[Heaven Splitter!]”

Swinging it overhead, Ichirou slashes the whole sky, splitting the clouds and creating a violent gust that it almost blows me away and planted it on Nil.

“Haaaa!!”

BAM!

CRACK!

“No way!”

“Such strength!”

Ichirou and I are both astonished as we saw Nil catches the tip of the axe and strangles it. The axe began to exhibit cracks from it tip towards the whole body.

“[Pain of Hearts]”

“Ichirou-nii! Let go of that axe!”

As I heard what Nil mutters, I immediately warn Ichirou to let go of the axe. I tried to run towards him to cast another barrier but I stumble.

Wha--!?”

I must be reaching my limits. Concentrating on keeping the barrier intact despite it breaking over and over again was hard.

It has taken a great toll both in my mind and body that my legs feel numb.

As for my warning, Ichirou immediately lets go of his axe and falls downward.

Nil, without missing a beat, rushes to Ichirou and swings his sword towards him. Nil covers his sword, Hydrangea, with an unbelievable amount of power as he swings it upward.

“Ichirou-nii!”

“UOOOOOHHHH!”

I shouted worriedly, thinking that Ichirou is in danger!

BAM!

BAKIN!

It turns out my worry is unfound.

Ichirou immediately spins his whole body and give the upcoming sword an axe kick. Even thought the sword was repelled, the wave of power surges towards him without abandon.

Through the violent torrent of power that explodes at him, Ichirou was still alive, albeit, sustaining so much damage that he staggers as he tried to stand up.

“Kuh…!”

Ichirou immediately runs to my side and manifests a sword, covering me with his body.

“Haa…Haa…so strong…”

“Ichirou-nii…!”

“If only Susanoo is here, everything would be easier…”

“Am i…insufficient…? A burden?”

To my query, his body jerks and slowly turns his head towards me.

Again… I am just looking at someone else back.

“No…Asagao…thank you very much! I knew I could count on you!”

“Ah! I’m…happy…”

“But… I don’t know how long we can keep this up… If everything becomes bad, I’ll have you escape by yourself.”

In that short exchange, we are both trying to catch our breath. My body is almost spent and Ichirou has sustained so much injury while Nil is visibly unharmed.

Fon make it seems like Nil is nothing by just casually attacking him, but now that I fought him like this, Nil… is indeed… powerful…even without using his arcana magic.

“How was he able to recover those injuries?!”

Ichirou mutters to his self.

“Impressive. That arm of yours…”

Nil complimented Ichirou as he stops walking towards us. He slackens his grip to Hydrangea and made a relaxed face.

“This is an ether tech. As what Dylan always say, Ether Technology is the best in the world..!”

“Hahahaha! That is so him! But…that’s not the only reason…right? Half spirit?”

“Ah… it is as you guessed, my body is…greatly altered and I am now a half human and half spirit…”

“Hehehe…HAHAHAhA! You heard that Asagao?!”

Loud and clear.

Half spirit, right? I don’t know if this is going to work because he is only half spirit but…

Is that what Nil wanted? I will give him what he wants!

“Nil! Don’t regret this! I will make you eat dust!”

“If you can become stronger, I will be delighted!”

I reach out to Ichirou’s hand with my own.

“Ichirou-nii…”

Eh..?!”

He blushed as I hold his hand.

“A-a-a-a-asagao! Y-you’re still young!!!”

“Don’t get the wrong idea, Ichirou-nii. We are simply going to copy him…”

“Copy…?”

“Please, believe in me. Give everything you have to me, will you?”

“Hm…As I said, I will give you everything that I have! So, use me as you will!”

“Thank you…”

Before closing my eyes, I took another glance at Nil.

He simply shrugs his shoulder and gestures that he won’t interfere.

I close my eyes.

I try to feel Ichirou’s existence, warmth, and presence.

I interlock my fingers to his and firmly hold it.

Ichirou starts to concentrate too as I felt his presence colliding with mine.

I dig through his very core.

His body is teeming with an abundance of holy spirits. It was so many that it is so bright, it’s blinding. The feeling is already implanted in this body so all I have to do is to remember it.

Heat began to flow throughout my body.

Ichirou’s hand tightly holds my hand now too in return.

I am still trying to find the right feeling to resonate with him.

I dug up my memory of Ichirou inside my mind.

Remembering his smile…

Remembering him tearing up…

Remembering how he is easily flustered…

Remembering how he always strives to become stronger…

And…remembering all of our bond and friendship…that we build, even with the little amount of time I am with him.

Then I found it.

I already found it!

.

.

.

The whole top of the tower was covered with blinding but dazzling beautiful blue light. Even the sun cannot match its brilliance as it continues to spill out from my body.

That’s what I saw as I open my eyes.

Nil is standing there with a shock on his countenance.

I turn to look at Ichirou and he looks back at me.

He just simply stares in wonder but still manages to give me a smile.

In that instant, his body becomes more and more transparent with a pretty hue of blue. In no time, he becomes a lump of powerful spiritual energy and enters my body.

“Ichirou-nii…I can feel your warmth inside of me. It feels big and hot…”

“”

Not minding his comment, I feel the power coursing throughout my body.

As if the power has settled, a sword with a black luster manifested in my left hand just like what happened to Nil.

But…there was a significant difference this time.

Just what like Ichirou has, my entire right arm is covered with the ether tech that acts as his limb. It also covers both of my thighs going down to the very last skin of my toes.

At the sight, Nil becomes bewildered as his eyes widen.

Finishing the resonance which feels like a long time, I immediately rush at Nil with one swing of the sword in my hand, dashing past him.

BAKIN!

He was able to block it but… my movement left a blue flash and he was blown away with a great force.

I turn my head towards him.

“You…did given me a chance.”

Getting excited by my new-found power…no…

This power is only borrowed but… nevertheless…this..is what I needed!

“Detesting the purest form of Evil.”

“”

“Our mind and body resonate to vanquish Impurities!”

“”

“Divine Possession!”