Hybrid x Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia Volume 10 Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - Human’s Worth
Part 1

Grace was at the field of the arena in that day where snow was floating down relatively calmly.

「Hmph……I never imagined that I will come as far as another world to fight in arena.」

Grace looked around the vast arena with diameter that reached 10 kilometer. There was audience seat more or less, but after all it was an arena with diameter of 10 kilometer, so the spectators were also spa.r.s.e.

However all the spectators were also warrior that fought in the same arena. They were opponent that she might fight someday. They were sending zealous gaze to the arena trying to grasp the true strength of the fighters.

And then there was also the figure of Aine, Zelcyone, Quartum, Gravel, and Aldea at the front row of the audience seats, observing the fate of their comrade with bated breath.

「However, what a sad number of guest this is.」

Grace whispered jokingly, and then she gazed at her opponent with a wry smile.

「Yes……if this is Vatlantis, this match will definitely be a gold card with all the tickets sold out.」

Lunorlla of Quartum spoke apologetically.

Grace and Quartum also fought several matches in this Odin world. It was for the sake of earning their daily provisions. And so after they obtained the minimum required rank, they stopped making challenge from their side.

However yesterday, the battle system was revised.

According to Odin, a compulsory matching would be carried on.

The reason was for the sake of stimulating even faster evolution――they were told.

「Good grief……we wanted to avoid conflict between comrades though.」

「But, conversely we can manage this any way we want, so perhaps this is more convenient. Even if we cut corners, or if we decide before hand who will be the winner, it will be as we pleases.」

「Umu……」

The audience seats were really heating up compared to the calm two. They jeered or yelled to quickly kill each other. When they looked up, Odin was looking down from the balcony of her palace.

「She is being a spectator huh. When I think this is for amusing that woman, this is really not funny at all.」

「Isn't it fine, if we think that this is for our own entertainment in the end.」

Lunorrla said hesitatingly.

Grace also nodded in delight.

「You're right. Then, the true strength of the Colosseum's G.o.d of death, let me take a thorough look at it.」

「As you command.」

Lunorrla drew out a twin swords from the wings of her magic armor『Seles』.

And then Grace also drew out a feather from Koros's wing and transformed it into scythe shape.

Aine held her breath while observing the two who took fighting stance.

――Grace……Lunorlla.

The distance between the two was less than three meter.

Lunorlla's both hands that were holding short swords were dangling down limply, Grace was also putting her scythe on her shoulder causally. Neither of them was making a stance, their posture was natural.

It even seemed like their calm talk just now was still continuing.

However there was no smile or anything in the expression of the two. It seemed they were full of opening, but there was actually no opening at all from both sides.

They said consoling things like how it was possible to do fixed game as much as they pleased, yet both of them were completely serious. Perhaps they were enjoying this match that was difficult to realize in Vatlantis from the bottom of their heart.

The surrounding was jeering seeing the two who were only staring at each other.

The spectators who were tired of waiting raised up their hands.

Thick cloud was covering the sky.

Snow was raining down.

Wind was blowing slightly.

The spectators above the wall were howling.

Snow was piling up around ten centimeter thick.

Flash crossed.

Snow whirling up from explosion.

The body of the two pa.s.sing over each other.

Lunorlla's swords were cutting through empty air.

The scythe of Grace that was pa.s.sing through was hanging on Lunorlla's neck.

――It was Grace's victory.

The audience seats returned to silence instantly.

After a few seconds where it felt like the time stopped, cheers rose from the audience seat. Aine and others also sighed in relieve. Quartum's Clayda and Ramza high-fived each other and shared their happiness.

The scythe was taken off from Lunorrla's neck and Grace smiled in enjoyment.

「Hrm, a contest of only martial art like this is also something fun.」

「It seem that we also satisfied the spectators.」

Lunorlla looked around the noisy spectators and sighed in satisfaction.

However――,

Looking up at the balcony in the palace, there Odin was making a face as though she had bitten something sour.

Grace snorted looking at that face.

「Hmph. We have been conforming to the rule. That woman cannot make any complaint.」

Odin hit the floor with Gungnir that she was holding like a cane. That strike shook the whole palace and made a thundering sound that was like earthquake in the arena.

The audience seats fell silent and silence ruled over the arena.

「The match is decided. The winner is Grace.」

Odin spoke the result dispa.s.sionately.

「Well, it's like this.」

Grace grinned.

「Then, the winner Grace――」

Odin's right eye glinted fiercely.

「Kill the loser.」

Shock ran through the arena. Aine, Zelcyone, and also other Quartum doubted their ear.

「Wha……?」

「――Wa, wait. What is the meaning of that?」

Grace looked up to Odin and spoke with shrill and nervous voice.

She felt like she was suddenly pushed down a cliff. The last fence that she thought to be an absolute safety was easily erased by a single will of someone else. She was shocked when she understood that.

Signal that notified Grace of danger rang inside her heart. Her body turned cold, and her ear was buzzing.

「The meaning is exactly as I stated. The loser is to be granted death according to the rule change. After all if it's not like that then n.o.body will fight seriously.」

「Wha……we were fighting seriously!」

「If you lose after fighting seriously, then surely you won't have regret even if you die.」

Odin's voice resounded in the arena.

「Death to the loser! Death to the incompetent! That is the law of Odin from here on! If you say that you refuse that……」

Odin swung Gungnir and pointed its tip at Grace.

「Then the winner is to grant death to themselves!」

Part 2

A palace covered in snow and ice was built at the slope of mountain.

A person whose body was wrapped in thick cold proof clothes was looking up at that palace. The building seemed to be a historic ruin from considerably far in the past, but the specific number of year was totally unknown.

There was no door at the entrance. That person was being careful so they wouldn't slip on the freezing floor while entering inside the palace. The inside was simpler than what they thought, wooden floor and wall without decoration were continuing on.

That person advanced inside the palace. They stopped still when there was a branching path, before starting to walk again after thinking for a while. It seemed that this person entered this palace for the first time, but they also didn't look like they didn't know the path at all.

After advancing forward even while hesitating about the path, before long they arrived at a vast room.

「As I thought……the fundamental arrangement is similar.」

There was a large relief around five meters high on the wall.

It seemed to be something carved in a large tree by people of the ancient time to extol the ruler. At the topmost was a carving of female with long hair and abundant breast, below it were large number of human lining up. And then in the middle there was also a figure fighting with sword.

That person lowered down the hood covering their head and took off the m.u.f.fler covering their lips.

「This is……Odin I think.」

Queen Landred approached the figure carved on the ancient relief.

「The letter too……as I thought, it's close with Baldin's.」

When she heard the story from Gravel and others who were defeated in their fight against Odin, Queen Landred had only one point that she became concerned with.

The historic ruin near where Oldium was landing. Odin said this regarding that historic ruin.

『That's the palace before I become a G.o.d you know.』

Before she became G.o.d.

Perhaps there was once a period where Odin was a different existence from machine G.o.d. Not a flawless being like now, but a living thing that would shed blood if she was stabbed with knife and died. Such possibility existed.

Landred arrived here in her search of the previous form of Odin.

Her gloved hand wiped up the ice and she traced the letter carved on the relief with her finger.

「Those wings, destroy tens of thousands of enemies all at once……」

However the current Odin had no wing.

――What does that mean I wonder?

She searched wondering if there was more detailed information, but there were only words extolling Odin's strength carved there.

「Is there……nothing more?」

White breath that was like smoke blew out from her mouth along with that whisper. And then her eyebrows frowned with a serious look.

Landred searched for other descriptor and went back and forth in front of the relief.

「……Infinite regeneration.」

Her fingertip stopped still.

「Odin has regeneration ability……?」

Landred's face complexion changed in a flash.

「Even if she is killed five times, she will resurrect five times. Even if her arm is gone, even if her leg is gone, even if her head is gone, Odin cannot be granted death……」

Landred crossed her arms with a serious face.

――If I believe this relief, Odin will revive no matter how much damage she is given. Most likely that is the original power of Odin. What is written here, the wings that defeated many enemy all at once, and the regeneration ability, they are the foundation that build up the current power of Odin.

However right now she wasn't using those two powers.

Most likely her other abilities were for the sake of making those two powers effective. And then those two powers were being preserved as trump card.

In any case it was certain that the difficult problems were increasing. Currently it was hard to make attack reached Odin, but even if an attack struck Odin, even if Odin was damaged, it would be meaningless.

Landred let out a deep sigh and breathed out large white smoke.

There was nothing but things that praised Odin here. They were telling how strong and how invincible she was. Certainly there was new information, but it was only needlessly increasing her despair.

Landred turned her back on the relief and she was about to exit the palace.

Currently it was about time where Grace and Lunorrla were having a match. Yesterday when they gathered, they agreed to have a match but fought in the way that wouldn't endanger theirlife. However, would such justification really work with Odin?

The match card today was also including Baldein's researchers that originally weren't combatant. They would be helpless if they fought.

「If something is not done……」

After breathing out a white breathe with that whisper, Landred stopped her foot that was heading to the exit and turned around toward the relief once more.

「――ah」

There was one point, that caught her attention.

「Odin doesn't have, left eye.」

The left eye of Odin in the relief was hollow as though a hole was gouged there.

――Odin who should have infinite regeneration power, yet why?

Landred went in front of the relief once more, she took off her glove and put both her palms on the freezing wood. And then, she chanted spell inside her mouth.

「If, this world is the basis of Baldein……」

It was magic to supply energy into building that was handed down in Baldein through generations. It was basically the same power with was providing lifeline into Aine's apartment.

If she granted life to this palace once more, she would know what appearance this relief once displayed. If so――,

Landred's body s.h.i.+ned blue. That light ran from the floor to the ceiling. The building material, the lumber that had magic mechanism built internally was being granted life force once more.

The ceiling started to s.h.i.+ne, the floor was tinged with head and the ice was starting to melt. Ice became water at once, and then into hot water, flowing on the floor while raising steam. And then it was as though light that was buried inside the relief was s.h.i.+ning, coloring the relief with various colors beautifully.

「That's……」

The appearance of Odin that was ruling on the summit. Blue light was gathering there.

「At her back wings are?」

Blue light was spreading on Odin's back. It was as though crystal was forming the shape of wings.

「Is……that the thing that destroyed tens of thousands of enemies all at once?」

Other than the s.h.i.+ning wings, thin lights were running on top of Odin's body like blood vessel. Before long those lights were gathering into several spots.

The left and right of the abundant breast, the abdomen, and then the hole gouged in the left eye.

Those spots were starting to s.h.i.+ne as though telling that those were really important.

As though boasting that power.

As though showing that it was precious thing.

「This is……Odin's……」

Landred's gaze was gradually turning wide.

At that moment, there was something that crossed Landred's mind.

「This is……?」

She turned on her heel and looked outside. The palace that recovered its life melted the ice covering it, the ice became water and flowed down from the entrance to outside like a waterfall.

Landred stood at the palace's entrance that was continuously spouting out hot water and looked up to the sky.

The thick cloud was cut apart and a single streak of falling star was flying.

The radiance she felt from that falling star was something that she knew.

It was a star that was possessing radiance brighter than anyone, yet that radiance was hidden secretly.

Landred stared at that radiance and squinted her eyes fondly.

「That person, is going isn't she……」

Landred turned her eyes at where the falling star was moving to.

Ahead of it there was a palace.

The castle where machine G.o.d Odin was residing.

It was exactly there that Odin was pus.h.i.+ng Grace into a predicament right now.

「Choose, kill your opponent, or kill yourself!」

Grace was trickling cold sweat while staring at Lunorlla.

But Lunorlla was surprisingly calm. Her face was even smiling, and she nodded.

「It can't be helped now that it become like this. Please, do it resolutely.」

「Wha……what are you saying!」

「Even I am a warrior that was called as the Colosseum's G.o.d of death. Dying in a match, is something that I have resolved to since I was a child. However……」

Lunorlla kneeled in front of Grace and hung down her head.

「It seem, I saw too much of a good dream.」

「Lunorlla……」

「Please do it resolutely.」

Grace strongly clutched the scythe her hand was holding.

And then she looked up fiercely at Odin and spoke with resounding voice.

「Don't make fool of me, machine G.o.d!」

Odin's one eye distorted.

「What?」

「This Grace hasn't fallen so far, that I'll put my hand on my people just to spare my own life!」

Grace faced Odin and readied her scythe.

「The one who'll die is you! Odin!」

「Grace!」

Aine yelled from the audience seat and jumped down to the arena.

「We are also going!」

Gravel wearing her magic armor and also all the Vatlantis members were running toward Grace and Lunorlla's side in succession.

Odin was staring at that situation with a fed-up face.

「Incompetents that are unable to understand my thinking……」

Odin's body was s.h.i.+ning blue.

Blue light was spreading on her back. That light was emitting radiance like crystal and solidified. Wings that other machine G.o.ds possessed, yet Odin didn't have. Right now, it revealed its appearance.

「You all can die together.」

The wings on her back emitted light.

Several streaks of light were launched from the crystal wings. Sharp beams accurately shot through Grace and others on the arena.

「GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

Those beams pierced magic armor and smashed it into pieces.

And then a moment later, explosions occurred in the same number of the fired beams.

「UOOOOOOH!」

「KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

Flame blast and shockwave overlapped and blown away Grace and others as though they were being stirred inside a mixer.

Odin didn't move a single finger.

The wings on her back automatically shot Aine and others with its own will. That was the impression they got.

Furthermore, that destructive power was absurd, there was no one standing after the smoke from the explosions cleared up.

「Gu……Grace」

The collapsed Aine tried to stand up somehow. Zeros's thruster died from the attack just now. It was a lethal wound for Zeros that had speed as its inherent characteristic.

「Get a hold of yourself, Grace.」

Aine walked with staggering steps toward Grace who was lying down on the ground, then she held up the body of her little sister in her arms. Koros's wings were half torn up, Grace herself was also bleeding from her head and she fainted.

「How dare you……」

Aine looked up at the palace's balcony.

「Just why do we have to kill!? There is no need to kill at all, just because someone lose!」

However Odin spoke coldly.

「People with inferior ability, they should die.」

「Wha……」

「Until now it was a mistake to let the loser live. Incompetent person is only giving negative influence to my world. Furthermore, how dare they try to look for meaning of life other than ranking.」

Aine lost her words toward Odin's extreme point of view.

「That's why I'll dispose of all the incompetents with rank below five hundred.」

With something like that, almost all the people of Baldein with Queen Landred in the lead would be killed.

「Don't screw around! There is no way you can do something like that!」

Odin tilted her head with a frown, as though to say that she couldn't understand what Aine was saying.

「It caught my attention since before this but, you all are talking as though life is something precious aren't you? But that's a mistake you know? Something like life, it's a dime a dozen, it's really nothing that significant. It's just consumable goods. The problem is how you use it.」

「Odin……you」

「I'm using it as method of evolution. What is necessary for that, is life with high ability.」

Inside Aine's heart was blazing with uncontrollable rage.

However Odin wasn't even bothered with that and declared coldly.

「Incompetent is to die.」

A star was falling at that time.

A white falling star pierced Odin.

That which was flying from beyond the sky broke through Odin's iron wall defense.

Fafnir that couldn't be defeated by anyone was instantly pulverized.

A honed attack was piercing Odin's stomach.

It wasn't arms or weapon.

Just a mere kick.

「GUOAaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

That kick sent the G.o.d flying and destroyed that palace.

The dreadful impact tilted the palace and broke the wall. The kicked flying Odin smashed the palace's tower and like that she was buried under the rubbles.

The tilting palace exceeded the limit of its construction and turning into rubbles from the chain reaction.

Relentless smoke was rising and the palace of G.o.d was collapsed.

The internal machinery caused explosion and wooden materials were flying off in succession.

Fragments that were smashed into pieces were soaring high to the sky.

The palace that boasted its luxury and majestic appearance, granting terror that made the summoned warriors trembled in their boots, it was crumbling away.

The rubbles became a mountain that raised smoke high to the sky.

「You……b.a.s.t.a.r.d」

The figure of Odin covered in splinters appeared from under the rubbles.

「Against this me……who dare……WHO DAREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!」

Above the mountain of rubbles that was the mere shadow of the crumbled palace, a shadow was standing.

It was a beautiful black haired woman.

There was a silver circlet like a tiara on her head.

There was a lot of exposure with the white pilot suit that tightly fit that body, the left and right of her breast was only barely covered, and from there her flanks and between her legs were just slightly hidden.

Both her legs and arms were protected by silver armor, which notified other only barely that it was a magic armor.

However, the suit with little armor and extreme exposure rate made anyone who saw it to hesitate to call it magic armor.

The white wings that looked like angel's folded up on the back were s.h.i.+ning with blue magic power.

That woman opened her glossy beautiful lips.

「Machine G.o.d Odin. There is one thing, that I should teach you beforehand.」

Aine and others were struck with surprise and trembled seeing that woman who suddenly swooped down in this place.

「……Lies.」

A whisper leaked out from Aine's lips.

The reality that appeared couldn't be believed so suddenly.

Grace, Quartum, Gravel, Aldea, and even Zelcyone――,

They were merely staring dumbfounded, their mouth gaping wide, their eyes widely opened toward that figure.

That armor, was exclusive magic armor(order made) created only for that woman(person)'s sake.

It was an inheritance of slaughter(present) from her mother who once almost destroyed the world and became G.o.d.

That was an angel that descended from sky.

That was magic armor that was a garment of G.o.d, 『Zecros』.

That was the ultimate weapon that wore the strongest magic armor.

Hida Reiri howled.

「The worth of human isn't about whether their ability is high or low! It's a problem about how they live!」