Katahane no Riku

“Riku Barusak, why have you come?”

For some strange reason Riku felt a sense of deja vu the moment she heard Leivein′s voice.

She had the impression that Gortoberuk had asked her the same question one year ago, in that hopeless situation when he had just lost his right arm; just as how Leivein has lost his now.

However, there are two different points when comparing the Gortoberuk of then and the Leivein of now.

The first point is the weariness on the eyes.

The second one is the reaction to the predicament.

At that time, Gortoberuk didn′t completely have a grasp of the situation; his tone of voice was filled with genuine surprise. On the other hand, Leivein′s tone of voice was far too calm. He gave off a feeling that it was as if he already knew Riku would get there in time.

Most likely… No, without doubts, he had predicted that Riku would come to him.

“I… I’ve been saved by you.”

Riku spoke in a low voice. With her halberd at hand, and without turning around despite feeling Leivein′s gaze on her back, she spoke while looking at Rook with immense hostility.

“No matter what sort of circumstances you are going through… This fact alone won’t ever change.”

Riku’s body was about to reach its limits.

The taste of blood gradually began to spread through her mouth. Dizzy, her view began to shake. Even though she had accepted Vrusto’s advice and rested for a bit, her fight with Raimon had really taken a toll on her. Her right shoulder was assaulted by pain, feeling as if it would fall apart. Perhaps, that was because she took Raimon’s full out attack head on. Even now both her legs felt as if they were about to give in. She could only barely keep standing by leaning herself onto her halberd.

In that condition, she had buried about a hundred elite-picked spiritualists outside on her way. Frankly speaking, she just wanted to lie down and sleep; it didn′t even matter where.

However…

“I want to become captain Leivein’s right wing.”

As she spoke out her feelings she had kept inside her chest, she concentrated to keep herself conscious and raised her fighting spirit.

Honing her mind more and more, she began to even consciously feel her fingertips. Despite the dim darkness in that room that was only being illuminated by a few torches, she could even minutely see the facial muscles of the spiritualist she was facing against.

“That’s why… I shall remove every person that stands on your way in the stead of your right arm.”

With an angry roar, Riku lauched her attack.

Making use of all the muscles of her body, she unleashed a devastating attack. If Rook was to receive that, there was no doubt that bisected in two in a single slash. However, as to be expected, the Rook that would just stand there in stupor waiting to be killed was no longer there.

“Sorry, Riku-ane!”

Even though Rook was one step behind, he moved with flexibility, and sidestepped away from the attack. Riku′s attack resulted only in the loss of a few strands of Rook′s silver hair. With the failed attack, Riku’s stance became too bent forward.

“There is now way I can allow this demon to realize his goals.”

Rook didn′t let Riku get away with the opening she just created herself. Without a moment’s delay, Rook slashed with his sword, aiming for Riku′s leg. However, even though Riku had accumulated a lot of exhaustion and had lost her right arm, she was still the elite of the Demon Lord Army. Twisting her body, she raised her halberd as if she was using it to scoop up. Rook′s sword was blocked by the halberd’s blade.

“Now that Charlotte-chan isn’t alive anymore, the world will be destroyed if the Demon Lord is to be resurrected, you know!?”

“That doesn’t have anything to do with me!”

Both blades crossed against each other.

The metallic sound echoed through the room. (TL: 斬、という刃鳴りが沈殿とした空間に木霊した Idk what ->沈殿

“Once I finish you, I will use your blood as the sacrifice. If it is not enough with just your blood, I will also offer my blood as well. If the resurrection of the Demon Lord is what the captain wishes, then I will make it become true.”

“What… But Riku-ane, that guy is just using you!”

“I don’t mind even so.”

Riku pushed back Rook’s sword.

Because of the recoil, Rook stumbled backwards. Immediately, Riku ran towards Rook while his stance was still broken.

“Even if it was all lies, he was still the person that for the first time cared about me. There is no change to that!”

“…Gh, Riku-ane!”

Rook received Riku’s head-on attacks with his sword. As sparks were surging by the halberd’s blade, Rook was getting pushed back to the wall. Clenching his teeth, Rook shouted with all his strength.

“So it’s like that… Then I will answer to your resolve with all I have!!”

Even whilist puking blood, Rook was able to deflect Riku’s halberd just right when he was on the brink of being cornered to the wall. His sword became enveloped in light.

“I have wronged you, Riku-ane. I know that I won’t be able to make up for it even if I were to give my life for that. But even so!”

Rook raised his sword, and without hesitations swung it down towards Riku.

It might have been because Riku got too close to Rook in distance. Maybe the dimly dark room that made it harder to see was another reason for that. Being half a step late to dodge the sword, a creak was created in the red armor that has already absorbed so much blood.

“I must take revenge for Raku-ane, Selestina-chan, and all the others! Moreover, more than anything, I must stop the resurrection of the Demon Lord! That′s why, Riku-ane, I will defeat you!!”

There was no time to be surprised by the crack in the armor. Without any rest, Rook followed upon his attack.

Riku would parry against the attacks and then strike back. When Riku would go in the offensive, Rook would then deflect it and turn it around into a counter attack. All that could only be described as a continuous exchange of blows.

How many tens of times have this crossing of blades been going on.

There were no space for outsiders to step into that battle. It was as if they were dancing with swords.

However, with both previously having fought battle after battle, they were already at the peak of their exhaustion.

The more tiredness accumulated, the more their breathing sped up. There was not one spot on the smooth and tender skin of both that was without wounds. They were bleeding from everywhere throughout their bodies, but even so, with their gaze fixed only on the enemy before each other’s eyes, they continued to fight.

The one to first lose his focus was Rook. freℯ𝓌e𝚋𝐧𝘰vℯl.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Perhaps it was the act itself of keeping his eyes on Leivein right at the corner of his field of vision to be sure whether he would join Riku on the fight that made him be down on his luck. Sweeping at Rook’s sword, Riku rotated her halberd on the palm of her hand, and stabbed its handle onto Rook’s stomach. Being unable to react against the attack that came on the span of time which he had lost focus, Rook’s hold on the grip of his sword loosened as he received the attack. He spat out foam from his mouth, alongside blood.

“With that it is your end, Rook Barusak.”

Following that, now using the spearhead of the halberd, she stabbed Rook. Fresh blood flowed along the blade. Rook’s body started to convulse.

“No-not yet… I won’t…. In a place like this…”

“No, with that it will be our farewell.”

Being a target of revenge to Riku, it was very regrettable to her that she was going to be able to turn Rook into her toy.

Despite her wishes, she couldn′t afford to do so due to the current circumstances. She should end his life at once and offer his blood to the coffin the Demon Lord is sealed in. Right as she was having those thoughts and was about to rip Rook’s stomach open… It was at that moment.

It sounded as if the room was creaking. Before one’s notice, the small pebbles around the place started moving around. The tremor became even more intense, until it finally became like the shaking of an earthquake.

“This is…!?”

Could it be that the Demon Lord was already releasing himself from the seal even though Riku still didn’t sacrifice Rook? While Riku was being confused, Rook tiredly moved his pale lips.

“…As expected… of Raku-ane’s explosives.”

“Explosives…?”

“With… these many explosions…. In such a small cave…. There is no way it won’t collapse.” 𝒇r𝙚𝙚𝓌𝙚𝑏𝗻𝑜𝘷𝗲𝘭.c૦𝑚

Rook’s smile seemed to have a hint of triumph.

The tremors gradually increased in intensity, creating a huge crack on the ground. The crack then spread to the walls. The moment it reached the ceiling, suddenly a huge boulder came crashing from above Riku.

“That’s bad!”

Moving away her halberd from Rook, she immediately jumped away from the falling boulder.

Rook remained on the ground with his back leaning onto the wall. He couldn’t move because he was drained from strength. The collapsing ceiling separated Riku and Rook from each other. Unceasingly, many debris continued to fall, raising dust.

“Captain! Are you ok!?”

Riku her eyes and shouted with all her strength.

“Riku Barusak. Stop worrying about useless matters and use your blood on the coffin at once!”

Riku heard Leivein’s voice nearby.

Once she strained her eyes to see through the dust, she confirmed Leivein’s figure. He was still standing, with his hands covering his shoulder. Behind him she saw the coffin. The dust and the light of the torches shining upon the coffin really made the coffin feel out of the place, as if it was illusionary.

“Understood, Captain.”

Now that she couldn’t make use of Rook’s blood, she could only use her own.

Without any hesitations Riku headed towards the coffin. Her field of vision was restricted due to the darkness and dust; there was also the unceasingly trembling ground, the vibrations that spread through her whole body and the resounding noise of the crack spreading through the room. Even though she was in such a bad predicament, she ran towards the coffin as fast as it was viably possible.

However… Riku ended up catching a glimpse of it…

The glimpse of a huge boulder that was about to fall.

Below the boulder was Leivein.

“!?”

In just a few steps she would be able to get to the coffin and sacrifice herself to it.

However, if she were to go back a few steps, she would be able to save Leivein. However, if she were to do that, the way to the coffin would be shut off, and it would become impossible to resurrect the Demon Lord.

“Go forward, Rinkus Barusak!!”

The feeling of having her soul binded assaulted Riku the instant Leivein shouted her true name. A power strong to the point of being outside imagination was telling Riku to go forward. In the corner of her mind she realised that Leivein was using her true name. Although she had already experienced that tyrannical power, she had never felt it being this much strong. It felt as if her soul would become shackled even more so to the point it would be squeezed into pieces if she were to try defying it.

“!!”

Strongly gripping onto her halberd, she kicked the ground with all she had.

Forward!

As the impulse to advance continued to pressure her.