Ti turned back.
While Ryougi Yutsuki and Takamiya Mio were locked in a fierce battle, outside the Neighboring World covered by Ain Soph, the crew of Fraxinus EX were also fighting their own battle.
"Report. All airships have reached their assigned positions and are standing by."
"All magic generators are at maximum output. Target value has been reached."
"Accumulated talismans are ready. Beginning construction of simulated Spirit formula."
"Yggdfolium, launch all units."
Tense reports rang through the command room one after another.
At this mont, including Fraxinus EX, more than sixty airships maintained the sa altitude and floated a hundred ters above the ground. Like keystones fixing the heavens in place, they ford a circular array around the area covered by Ain Soph's Neighboring World.
"What's Biri-chan's situation?"
"Report. Still unable to confirm. Radio waves cannot reach the area where Acting Commander Ryougi is located."
"I see..."
Nia's face was filled with worry and unease.
[Worrying here won't help. Do your own job.]
Maria's urging voice ca through the earpiece. Though her words were cold, speaking to Nia at such a tense mont might have been her way of comforting her.
"Yeah, I know. Biri-chan is definitely still fighting."
Nia nodded gently, turned her gaze back to the computer, continued checking the progress of every operation unit, and corrected any parts of the formula construction that showed errors.
"Kannazuki-san, the Spirit formula construction is complete."
"Good."
Kannazuki Kyouhei gave a small nod and ordered in a loud, firm voice.
"Operation codena Godslayer, phase one, begin!"
Like a turbine engine pushed to full power, the mont Kannazuki gave the command, a deep rumbling began to echo throughout the bridge.
The Realizers used to generate magic all entered full operation. A massive amount of magic began to pour continuously into the Territories.
At the sa ti, the other airships also mobilized all their magic. A deep green shield appeared over the outer layer of each ship.
Between each airship floated a Leaf of the World Tree(Yggdfolium) . When the expanding Territories touched one another, these Yggdfolium acted like fusion agents, analyzing the nature and strength of each Territory and adjusting them.
It was an unbelievable scene.
The airships's Territories were like giant soap bubbles. When they ca into contact, they rged into an even larger half-sphere bubble that enveloped the Neighboring World of Ain Soph.
[Territory connection and synchronization complete. Spirit formula——activate.]
The voices of the Arusu sisters echoed through the space.
Countless flowing mysterious patterns appeared on the surface of the Territory. Then, the bubble began sinking from its top, lowering from a three-dinsional hemisphere into a flat plane.
If one were looking at Earth from space at that mont, they would see a gigantic magic circle carved across the land of Europe.
"So this is... the Spirit formula?"
Seeing that grand sight, Nia could not help gasping in wonder.
The Spirit formula——that was the secret magic art Westcott had created thirty years ago by gathering the leylines and magic scattered across the entire world into a single point. The Spirit of Origin, Takamiya Mio, had been born because of that magic.
Of course, the leylines of the whole world were now dried up. It would take hundreds or even thousands of years for them to recover. Even if this formula were activated now, it would be impossible to create a second Spirit of Origin out of nothing.
But after Takamiya Mio appeared, the situation beca completely different.
She, who had been born from the Spirit formula, could herself be treated as an absurdly large leyline.
And right now, they were using the Territories generated by the airships to simulate that formula.
Light flickered. The magic from the airships flowed along the patterns of the magic circle, gathering toward Ain Soph at the center.
However, the instant the Spirit formula touched Ain Soph, a huge burst of spirit power erupted from Ain Soph, scattering the converging magic current.
Fraxinus EX, located inside the formation, shook violently under the impact caused by that burst of spirit power.
"What happened?!"
"Report. A powerful spirit power reaction has been detected from Ain Soph."
"The Spirit formula has been blocked by a strange force. We cannot invade Ain Soph."
"First contact failed."
"Begin second contact. Do not stop the supply of magic!"
"Understood."
The crew quickly regained their pace and worked with the other airships to maintain the Spirit formula.
However, no matter how they tried, the Spirit formula and Ain Soph repelled each other like two magnets with the sa pole. They could not get any closer.
"What's going on? Did I miss sothing?"
Nia, unwilling to accept it, checked every detail of the Spirit formula.
According to Yutsuki, this formula had been obtained through Rasiel and then simulated and tested by Ratziel. In theory, it should absolutely succeed.
If it failed, then the only possible reason was that Nia had overlooked so important detail.
[The cause is not you, Honjou Nia.]
"Marina-chan, what does that an?"
Nia asked in confusion after hearing the voice in her earpiece.
[There is no doubt. You perfectly recreated the Spirit formula from thirty years ago. There are also no flaws in the constructed formula. But it still failed.]
Marina displayed a series of data on the main screen and analyzed it.
[The reason is simple. Unlike thirty years ago, this ti the leyline has a clear self-awareness. Although Mio, who is fighting Yutsuki, has not yet noticed our actions, Ain Soph, which has a master, is still instinctively rejecting the Spirit formula's interference.]
"I see... It doesn't want to cheat on its boyfriend, so it refuses the NTR, huh? Damn it, what a faithful Angel."
Nia could not help complaining.
[As always, your comparisons are strange, Nia-san.]
Maria coldly retorted.
"Don't nitpick the small stuff! Since we know the reason, is there a solution? What should we do?"
[A solution...]
[There is indeed a way.]
Maria and Marina exchanged a glance, then nodded gently.
[The mont the Spirit formula made contact earlier, we also received feedback from Ain Soph.]
[For the Spirit formula to succeed, one more condition is needed.]
For so reason, an extrely bad feeling rose in Nia's heart.
"Hey! What are you two planning to do? Maria, Marina-chan?!"
For the first ti, the Arusu sisters showed Nia a gentle smile.
[Nia, this is where we part.]
[Although it worries , we leave Yutsuki to you.] (TL:Ahhhhhh)
After their farewell, Maria and Marina's images and voices vanished from the airship.
...
Marina felt very strange right now.
As Fraxinus EX's artificial intelligence, she could normally use other people's communication terminals for remote contact, or use an android body to move like a human. But her main body had always been the airship's computer.
Yet at this mont, she clearly understood that both she and her younger sister Maria had separated from the airship, becoming independent souls——or spiritual bodies——moving through the magic circle of the Spirit formula.
Rather than birds spreading their wings and flying, she felt more like a carp swimming through a river.
"Are you ready, Maria?"
"Yes. No problem, Onee-chan."
Maria answered Marina's question with certainty.
A wave-like force pushed from behind them. It was the magic transmitted from the airships.
Maria and Marina rode that push and charged toward Ain Soph at the center of the formula.
When the two were about to approach Ain Soph, another pushing force ca from the front, forcing them to stop.
"So this is... Ain Soph's resistance?"
Compared with the magic output of the airships, this overwhelming counterforce was on a completely different level. It felt as if they were fighting so natural law. The final step was as hard as climbing to heaven.
But it was not completely without an opening.
Although the reaction was faint, every ti the Spirit formula touched Ain Soph, Maria and Marina had detected a completely different spirit wave reaction.
It was a ssage.
An invitation from Ain Soph, saying it was willing to hear their wish.
(Where is the source of the spirit wave?)
While desperately maintaining herself so she would not be blown away by the turbulence, Maria searched continuously.
"There, Onee-chan."
Maria pointed in one direction and shouted.
Marina turned to look. Indeed, on the airtight surface of Ain Soph's shield, only that spot had opened a small crack less than half a ter long.
Without any hesitation, Maria and Marina nodded, then slipped through the crack.
The instant they passed through, the resistance that had blocked them disappeared.
In its place was an empty, hollow world.
(Is this the inside of Ain Soph?)
Marina looked around in confusion.
At so point, a girl wearing a gorgeous Astral Dress appeared before them.
"You are..."
Marina spoke in confusion.
At first, she had thought the other party was Takamiya Mio. But after taking a closer look, although the Astral Dress had a similar style, it was made of a blue-purple robe and pure white skirt, matched with golden shoulder guards and a crown. The hair was also pink rather than silver.
More importantly, from those light brown eyes, Marina did not feel anything like human consciousness.
Only a simple doll.
——Small ones.
"——!"
"——!"
The instant the other party spoke, heavy pressure enveloped Marina and Maria's bodies.
There was not even the possibility of escape. If the other party had a single thought, their souls would turn to ash in an instant.
Without any calculation or analysis, the two reached that conclusion through instinctive fear alone.
——My true na is Ain Soph. I am the Angel of Law who governs the laws of this world. You have specially prepared the Spirit formula and invaded this place. State your purpose.
Hearing those words, hope appeared in Marina and Maria's eyes.
"We..."
Overcoming the fear in her heart, Marina raised her head and told Ain Soph their request.
However——
——Impossible.
The girl slowly shook her head.
——Takamiya Mio is my master. Granting your wish would be a betrayal of my master. Therefore, I cannot respond.
"But you understood our thoughts and goals, yet still called us here. Does that an there is room for negotiation?"
Maria suddenly asked.
——Indeed.
The girl did not deny it.
——I am the Angel of Law, the one who controls the laws of all things. And every law in the world is built upon the foundation of equivalent exchange. Therefore, as long as you offer sothing to , I shall make an equivalent concession for your wish.
"Sothing?"
Marina could not help feeling puzzled.
——The hearts of you electronic Spirits.
The girl answered in a voice without any emotion.
Marina was surprised and looked toward Maria. Then she saw that Maria was looking at her with the sa confusion.
They were not hesitating because of the girl's words.
They were simply confused.
Did they truly possess sothing of such precious value?
——You do.
As if reading their doubts, the girl affird it.
——Normally, only species that possess hearts can give birth to individuals with hearts. A heart born from nothing is a miracle that may occur only once every thousands or tens of thousands of years.
——You use lifeless steel as bodies, and emotionless electrical signals to carry your wills. Yet you successfully nurtured the miracle known as the heart. Though you do not possess the great power to move mountains and seas, the way your souls were born shares the sa origin as my master. Therefore, I acknowledge that your existence has value enough for a trade.
"I see... Just like how I gained emotions by imitating Onee-chan."
Maria let out a soft sigh.
For intelligence that could only analyze things through logic and formulas, understanding and breaking down the existence called the heart would always be an unavoidable final question.
——Then, are you willing to trade?
Hearing the girl's question, Marina and Maria looked at each other.
Then, without hesitation, they nodded.
"Of course. From the mont I ca here, I had already prepared myself."
"If my heart can be exchanged for a trump card that lets Yutsuki win, I will gladly offer it to you."
——Trade established.
In the next mont, Marina and Maria felt their bodies wrapped in dazzling white light. Their bodies began to disappear little by little, starting from their feet.
That was only natural.
For them, losing their hearts was no different from death for humans.
——Sorry, Maria.
——What's wrong, Onee-chan? Saying sothing like that all of a sudden.
——For making you accompany this far.
——What are you talking about? It's fine, Onee-chan. I chose to follow you myself. You don't need to apologize.
——Thank you.
——Hey, Onee-chan. What do you think Yutsuki will do if she finds out we made this choice behind her back?
——She will probably...be very sad. After all, she loves her family so deeply.
——I hope she won't fall apart because of it.
——She won't. She is Yutsuki, after all.
——Yeah, you're right.
——Hey... Onee-chan.
——What is it, Maria?
——Can you hold my hand...? I'm a little scared.
——Yes.
——I love you.
——I love you too.
....
The cycle of four seasons.
The rise and fall of the sun.
The law of the strong eating the weak.
There is no right or wrong. No good or bad.
These laws exist in the world as naturally as breathing.
But one day, after the first living being with a heart appeared, the world changed in so way.
The heart beca like a ruler, dividing right from wrong, good from bad, strong from weak. Going one step further, it even created the standards of justice and evil.
But let it be asked.
Can good never commit evil?
——No.
Then let it be asked again.
Can evil never beco good?
——No.
Those are only the subjective standards of the heart. They are not the essence of the world.
The front and back are one body from the very beginning.
Therefore——
Ah! Ah——! My beloved master, Takamiya Mio!
Please forgive my selfish decision. In order to honor the contract that cannot be broken, and in order to praise the courage and love of those two small beings as lives, I shall raise a flag of rebellion against you.
For the next one hundred and eighty-seven seconds, I will no longer be only Ain Soph, the Angel of Law who maintains order and rewrites laws.
At the sa ti, I will also be the Demon King of Law who rules order and destroys rules.
Its na is——
...
"Belial." (TL:chills..literal chills)
In the shaking black-and-white world, Ryougi Yutsuki spoke the Demon King's true na that had appeared in her mind.
Original Author's PS: I completely let myself go with this one and write so stuff that 90% might be conflicting with canon source.(Sorry~ tehe~)
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