Chapter 630: Hero (2/2)

In fact, the current Chronois doesn't even suffer a scratch even when she is attacked by Ein, who is comparable to the Six Kings.

However, Alice managed to deal damage to such a Chronois with just a kick. That means, Alice can easily penetrate the magic defense of the strengthened Chronois……

Shuddering upon realizing such a fact, the damage to her side disappeared as a green light fell on her.

[……God of Life huh, thank you.]

Life, who had been fighting elsewhere, seemed to have realized how dangerous Alice was, as she created a cavalry of over 10,000 soldiers to charge towards Alice while she healed Chronois and Fate.

She never expected that cavalry to be able to do any damage to Alice. However, she's hoping that they buy them some time. As if to ridicule Life's thoughts though, Alice's body blurred out and turned into two, and one of them changed forms.

[I'm counting on you, Iris.]

[I know. Widespread annihilation is my specialty after all…… Roaring Cages of the Underworld, Open! The Madness of Nightmares, Swallow all Creations———— Εφιάλτηςπύλη!]

(T/N: Nightmare Gate.)

When Iris, who had emerged from Alice's body, completed her magic, an ominous gate appeared in the center of the cavalry, sucking in the over ten thousand soldiers like a black hole.

Then, after confirming that the cavalry had been annihilated, Iris returned to Alice's body.

(……Combat power that overwhelms the God of Fate, ingenuity that surely outstrips ours, and an unlimited amount of cards in her hand…… She's too strong. This is bad, if Phantasmal King can pin us down…… This would be really bad for our side.)

Alice's power overwhelmed the Supreme God, who was supposed to have been strengthened. Shuddering at her power, Chronois pondered.

If all three Supreme Gods were to be suppressed by Alice, the Human-Demon Allied Forces would gain momentum, and if that happened, the tide of battle would completely turn towards their direction.

At this point, they must be prepared to sacrifice one of our Supreme Gods and do everything in her power to stop Alice alone. Even the strengthened Supreme God wouldn't be able to stop Alice without using all of their strength.

This isn't something Life, the cornerstone of this battle, absolutely shouldn't do…… and it wasn't just Chronois who thought about this.

[Aaaahhhh!!!]

[Mnhhh……]

Fate, recovered by Life, lunges forward with a shout, and grabbing Alice's hand, she rapidly accelerates away. Pulling Alice away, far from the center of the battle, she seemed to be planning to fight Alice one on one.

(……Sorry, God of Fate. I would have to push this disadvantageous role to you.)

Fate's decision to take on Alice by herself was a welcome choice for Chronois. If she were to speak honestly, she finds Fate's actions today as completely lackluster. Even putting aside the fact that she was facing Alice, the strongest among the Human-Demon Allied Forces, she seemed to be somewhat unfocused on the fight.

Chronois doesn't know the reason why…… but as long as she had chosen to stand by Shallow Vernal's side, Chronois wouldn't outwardly criticize her for it. But even so, she was slightly doubting Fate right now.

It's a cruel choice, but thinking that she can be revived later anyway…… Fate was the right sacrifice to suppress the Human-Demon Allied Forces' strongest card.

Thousands of kilometers away from the floating island that was at the center of the battle, Fate and Alice engaged in battle once again. The spheres floating around Fate unleashed numerous powerful attacks, but none of them managed to reach Alice.

(……Amazing, Shall-tan. Before I knew it, you've become this strong…… 20,000 years ago, I was barely on par with Shall-tan when she's using Ἑκατόγχειρες. But now, I'm ”being overwhelmed when she isn't even using it”. I can't catch up with her with my fate manipulation at all, and even when I did catch up with her, she would completely twist the law of causality.)

Yes, Alice currently has combat power that even her long-time friend Fate couldn't have imagined.

(Or rather, seriously, how did she get so strong? I wonder how is it possible for Shall-tan, who originally was completely strong already, to grow so rapidly? No, perhaps, did she not seriously fight 20,000 years ago?)

Even as such questions popped up within her mind, there was something even more than that that Fate was questioning about.

(……No, rather than that…… Why is it that Shall-tan ”shake off” my suicidal attack earlier? No, before all that, why won't she use her Ἑκατόγχειρες? If she's already overwhelming me like this, it should be easy for her to defeat me if she uses her Ἑκατόγχειρες……)

Yes, so far, Alice had not used her trump card, Ἑκατόγχειρες. This shows her confidence that she can win without using it…… isn't the case at all.

In the first place, considering that Alice's goal is to save Kaito, she will not spare anyone nor show any mercy. This is something that Fate, who has known her for a long time, understands.

If Alice is holding herself back, it means she has some reason why……

[……That's an ugly look on your face, Fate-san.]

[……Well, that wouldn't have happened if Shall-tan isn't beating me up.]

[That's not what I'm talking about…… Good grief, you're still underestimating me, is what I'm saying!]

[Eh? Wha!?]

Alice's speed increases even more. She was currently moving at a speed that even the current Fate couldn't follow with her eyes……

[With such a tattered mind filled with indecision, there's no way you can ever beat me, is what I'm talking about!]

[ ! ? ]

At Alice's words, Fate's eyes widened. Yes, Fate was still wavering. For she currently stands…… as an enemy of her beloved Kaito……

[……But…… I……]

[Boo hoo, cry me a river. You used your position as an excuse and looked away from the consequences of your actions! And now, your mind is all uncertain…… How long are you going to pretend like you're some tragic heroine!?]

[Uwaahhh…… Guuhhh……]

Blown away by Alice's fist, Fate's body pierced through several floating islands before stopping, buried under the ground.

She received significant damage, but it isn't that serious. It's just something she can recover from instantly with her power. But Fate…… couldn't move.

Even though the damage she received wasn't that serious, Alice's words brought Fate face to face with the fact that she had been looking away from.

(……Kai-chan…… Kai-chan…… Tell me, what am I supposed to do? I don't want to lose you, Kai-chan. But I can't betray Shallow Vernal-sama…… This…… hurts.)

With her face lowered down, a streak of something shiny ran down her cheek.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [Wait a moment, putting aside the Hero, aren't you too strong? Why don't you just go defeat them all by yourself?]

? ? ? :  [No, it's not like I'm the same person as the Transcendental Beauty Alice-chan, but of course, there's a reason why Alice was super enhanced in this battle!]

Serious-senpai : [There's a reason?]

? ? ? : [I guess it's more like an impetus? In fact, when Alice-chan came to this world, she was at the ”limit of her growth” and had already reached her maximum level, so her magic power and physical abilities weren't supposed to grow any further.]

Serious-senpai : [No, she got really strong though?]

? ? ? : [Yes, Alice-chan is now a being that ”can only grow under certain condition”. As for that certain condition…… If I had to give a hint, it would be that Alice-chan didn't take 20,000 years to get to her current level of strength, but that ”she grew rapidly over the course of a few dozen minutes during the past year”.]

Serious-senpai : [……Ahh, I guess it's some kind of special ability or something huh. What the heck is with that cheat ability……]