Kiyotaka had left Beatrice at the City Government Office so she could help heal the injured. Kiyotaka was walking around when he saw some demibeasts roaming around.
Kiyotaka: (I don't have time for this. If Reinhard isn't here, it's because Felt is in danger. Heinkel is likely the one. I need to find Pricilla so she can call him off.)
Kiyotaka brandished his weapon and sliced them to bits, killing them in an instant when he saw a girl in a red dress walking.
Kiyotaka: [There you are!]
Kiyotaka rushed over as Pricilla's eyes locked onto him, and her lips curled up into a smile.
Pricilla: [It seems fate has brought you and mineself together.]
Kiyotaka: [I've been actively looking for you.]
Pricilla: [Even better, then.]
Kiyotaka sighed.
Kiyotaka: [Listen. I need you to come with me. We need Reinhard's strength, and your subordinate is causing that to not be possible.]
Pricilla: [Oh? That old peasant is it?]
Kiyotaka: [Yes.]
Pricilla: [For someone like you to be convinced we need the『Sword Saint's』assistance... very well.]
Liliana: [It's good to see you are alright, Kiyotaka-sama! Your humble Liliana is so shaken that her legs won't stop trembling! It's almost like I invented a new dance.]
She was indeed trembling.
Kiyotaka: (Those thighs are so skinny. Unappealing.)
Kiyotaka shook off the thought.
Kiyotaka: [It's good that you're alive and well. It would be bad if you had been injured.]
Liliana: [Oh, wow. You're being so nice. Are we close friends now? To think I've become friends with the legendary『Womanizer』. Wait, are you using your abilities on me?]
Kiyotaka: [I've changed my mind. I hope a Demibeast bites you.]
Liliana: [Eh?!!]
Liliana sagged where she stood when Pricilla patted her head as she seemed to calm down, leaning into it in appreciation.
Pricilla: [Enough idle chatter.]
Kiyotaka: [Agreed.]
Liliana: [You two are completely on the same wavelength.]
Pricilla: [Well, of course we are. People of our calibre obviously think alike.]
Kiyotaka: [We need to get moving.]
Some more demibeasts approached as Kiyotaka readied himself, but Pricilla stepped forward.
Pricilla: [Unsightly, aren't they? What truly pitiful creatures.]
She drew the Yang sword from her chest.
Pricilla: [Therefore, in my great mercy, I shall personally see to your last rites!]
Kiyotaka: (An interesting place to put your sword...)
To Liliana, the way she slashed them so quickly, she could barely make out a single movement, but Kiyotaka could see each movement. Its fluidity was almost like a dance as the corpses were lit on fire, disappearing.
Pricilla: [You have witnessed the light of the Yang Sword and gained my assistance. Now you must assist me in finding Schult.]
Kiyotaka: [Schult huh? I'll help you find him after we fix the situation with Reinhard.]
Pricilla smirked.
Pricilla: [Let us resolve this now.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Kiyotaka, Pricilla and Liliana arrived where Reinhard was, as Pricilla entered first.
Hienkel: [Pricilla-sama? What are you doing, he...]
Pricilla raised her blade, slashing at Heinkel, who whimpered in fear as Reinhard blocked the strike, also freeing Felt simultaneously.
Heinkel: [What the heck?]
Pricilla proceeded to whack him in the face, knocking him out cold.
Felt: [The heck? Why'd you?]
Kiyotaka stepped forward.
Kiyotaka: [That would be a favour to me.]
Reinhard: [Kiyotaka!]
Felt: [Big bro!]
Kiyotaka looked at Reinhard.
Kiyotaka: [You need to go to the City Government Office. Everyone is gathering there, so it's our new base of operations.]
Reinhard nodded.
Reinhard: [I'll be there shortly.]
Kiyotaka: [Felt. I need you to gather a few people and do Pricilla a favour.]
Pricilla: [Well, it does seem appropriate that the gutter rat is doing our menial labour.]
Felt: [You skanky...!]
Kiyotaka: [I don't feel that way at all. This is just something I know I can entrust to you.]
Felt sighed.
Felt: [Alright, alright. What is it?]
Kiyotaka: [I need you to look for a member of Pricilla's camp. His name is Schult.]
Pricilla: [He's a young boy. Purple hair. Mineself will be off to conduct mine own search.]
Pricilla left as Felt sighed.
Felt: [Basically, you're asking me to do search and rescue work, right?]
Kiyotaka: [You're strong enough to deal with any Demibeasts you have to fight on the way.]
Felt: [Alright, but I ain't doin' this for her. I'm doing this for you, Big bro.]
Kiyotaka: [Alright...]
Kiyotaka tied up Heinkel.
Kiyotaka: [I'll be heading off with Reinhard.]
Reinhard: [Let's go.]
The two rushed off together towards the City government office.
Reinhard: [Kiyotaka. You've gotten faster than before.]
Kiyotaka: [Thanks.]
The two ran off until they were out of Felt's sight.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Kiyotaka arrived at the building as he entered.
Julius: [You're here, Kiyotaka. Reinhard.]
Kiyotaka: [Yes. I've brought him here.]
Anastasia: [It looks like most of us are here now.]
Kiyotaka: [We'll have to hold a strategy meeting soon.]
Julius took out a scroll, unravelling it onto a table to reveal a map.
Julius: [The citizens are currently in their designated shelters. The people are anxious and irritable, and in some shelters, there have been instances where their stress has boiled over into violence. We're doing everything to contain the damage...]
Anastasia: [... but some shelters were beyond savin'.]
Julius looked surprised as Anastasia looked at him intensely.
Anastasia: [There have been more casualties already. We'd be cowards if we looked away from reality.]
Julius: [Anastaisa-sama...]
Anastasia: [People have died, and more will follow. We've chosen to save as many as we can, but we'll have to leave some behind.]
Reinhard looked a bit saddened at this.
Reinhard: [But the civilians...]
Kiyotaka: [Such a thing isn't necessary.]
Anastasia: [What?]
Reinhard: [Kiyotaka?]
Kiyotaka: [It's completely avoidable.]
Anastasia: [How so?]
Kiyotaka: [The Metia.]
Anastasia: [Ah, of course. But seriously, Ayanokoji-san. Your mind's always so focused. I don't really get it.]
Kiyotaka: (Julius has kept it from her, huh?)
Julius looked at Kiyotaka, nodding as if to confirm Kiyotaka's thoughts.
Kiyotaka: [It's a side effect of my childhood.]
Anastasia: [But what kind of...]
Al: [Looks like you've been working hard, bro.]
Kiyotaka turned his attention to him.
Anastasia: [Well, someone's back early.]
Al: [Hey, it's not like I came back just 'cause I felt like it! I've got a message for you, bro.]
Kiyotaka: [Message?]
Al: [It seems like there's a lovely bride waiting for her Prince Charming to whisk her away before her wedding. Wish I was you, bro.]
Kiyotaka: [Alright. Lia has definitely gathered information, so tell us.]
Al: [The『Archbishop』Regulus is occupying the tower in District 3. Also, the Archbishop of Lust is in District 1's tower.]
Kiyotaka: [District 3 and District 1...]
Al: [And that's pretty much it.]
Kiyotaka: (Very well done, Lia. This is all very helpful information.)
Kiyotaka: [This is all very useful information.]
Reinhard: [Indeed.]
Al: [Now what are you planning to do with this Metia?]
Kiyotaka: [Since the entire city is being affected by Sirius's『Authority Of Wrath』in which emotions of rage, anxiousness and despair are resonating within the populace. If someone can make people feel hopeful, then that will also resonate, leading to the opposite effect.]
Julius: [An excellent plan.]
Anastasia: [But that's not so simple. If they hear the broadcast, they'll open the flood gates again and...]
Kiyotaka: [False. That occurred while Capella was here. No one but her should have the authority to open the floodgate at her tower. Also, it was convenient in helping us minimise our casualties. They're not responsible for that flooding.]
Anastasia: [Even still...]
Kiyotaka: [They've been oddly more careful than usual. One existence is covering for them after all.]
Anastasia: [There is someone like that?]
Kiyotaka: [Yes. She's likely the second strongest person in this place.]
They all looked stunned.
Kiyotaka: [The ability to rewrite reality with just her voice...]
Kiyotaka looked at Reinhard.
Kiyotaka: [Your job will be to track down this person and defeat her.]
Reinhard nodded.
Reinhard: [How can I find her?]
Kiyotaka: [She'll likely be out there reviving the Archbishops wherever one of them is brought down. If we can't manage to take her down or at least keep her occupied, then we'll never win this battle.]
Many of them shuddered at the thought.
Kiyotaka: [Earth Smith Arts!]
Kiyotaka formed earplugs out of stone that could be tightly secured.
Kiyotaka: [When you find her, put these on so you won't be affected by her words.]
Reinhard nodded, taking them and pocketing them as Garf entered.
Garf: [Boss!]
Kiyotaka: [Oh. Garf, you're here.]
Garf: [Yeah. I just finished helping move all the injured folks into the medic ward.]
Kiyotaka: [Um, Garf. Have you seen Ichika?]
Garf: [Um, no. Sorry Boss. I haven't seen her.]
Kiyotaka sighed.
Kiyotaka: (Well...)
Kiyotaka: [Reinhard. Please move out immediately.]
Reinhard: [Oh? Well, alright.]
Reinhard quickly ran off to begin his search.
Kiyotaka: (I have a bad feeling about all of this, but as long as Ichika doesn't run into that existence or Regulus, she should be fine. After all, Sirius's『Authority Of Wrath』won't have any effect on her. She can use Al Shamak so she can deal with Capella as well. And if Julius and Crusch could fight『Gluttony』and not sustain any serious injuries, I don't think even 2 of them could hurt Ichika. Let alone beat her. She's even better at using Mana strings than I am due to her sheer affinity for mana, so no one will be able to get within 5 meters of her without her knowing. In addition, with that Auto Lock-On Magic she invented, she won't be missing any of her attacks. Right now... She's stronger than me.)
Kiyotaka took a deep breath to calm himself.
Kiyotaka: [About the speech. It'll likely draw attention to this place, so let's all get in position first. Julius. Crusch. Stay here and guard this place.]
Crusch nodded.
Crusch: [You don't have to worry about this place while I'm here.]
Kiyotaka: [Mostly, you'll run into demibeasts. If you're unlucky, then Capella. If that's the case, have something ready to fight her and to evacuate simultaneously.]
Crusch: [Understood.]
Anastasia: [The speech...]
Garf turned to Kiyotaka.
Garf: [It should be you, Boss. You're our only chance. You're the Boss after all. Who else could it be? You defeated the『Sin Archbishop of Sloth』. You're the only guy here who's defeated a『Sin Archbishop』and can still remember it. And right now, that means more... that means more than anythin' in this whole city!]
Kiyotaka sighed.
Kiyotaka: [Very well. I'll do it.]
Garf: [About your sis.]
Kiyotaka: [Beatrice. Can you go look for her?]
Beatrice: [Betty's Kiyotaka can entrust this to Betty, I suppose.]
Kiyotaka: [Now let's go make a proper strategy meeting.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Everyone sat at the table when Liliana barged in.
Liliana: [I've had a revelation! Please listen.]
Kiyotaka: (But now's not the time or place for songs... someone please shut her up.)
Liliana: [Mad'n Crazy about every bit of you!]
She began singing as Pricilla walked in.
Pricilla: [I've found Schult, so now I am gracing you all with my presence.]
Al got up and walked to her.
Al: [P-Princess! You're okay!]
He looked relieved, but Pricilla used her fan to hit him, as he fell on top of Liliana, causing her song to be cut short.
Kiyotaka: (Thank you.)
Liliana: [Ack! My elbows! My knees! The pain of every bone in my body breaking! All six of my ribs just gave in!]
Pricilla then put her foot on Al's helmet.
Pricilla: [Al, excluding Kiyotaka, how dare you fool around with commoners without attending to my needs?]
Kiyotaka: [He was quite useful in relaying information. You should cut him a break.]
Pricilla: [Oh? Very well. Mineself will forgive you this time, Al.]
Al sweated but looked appreciative to Kiyotaka.
Al: [Thank's bro.]
Pricilla sat down.
Pricilla: [Now let me join in on all of your schemes.]
Al looked shocked.
Al: [Wait, Princess. Are you seriously gonna take on the Witch Cult?]
Pricilla glared at him.
Pricilla: [Would you have me flee, Al? You'd best remember that even insolence has its limits. Now, explain the situation to me.]
Al: [Alright, Princess. I got it, okay?]
Al explained the situation.
Anastasia: [And you're not actually kiddin' me?]
Pricilla: [Do not make me repeat mineself. I shall make for District 4 and lop off『Wrath's』head for you. The diva will accompany me, of course.]
Liliana: [Hey, wait up! Why in the world would you pick me?!]
Kiyotaka: [Your singing should be able to offset Sirius's『Authority』.]
Liliana: [Eh? I'm that important?]
Kiyotaka: [For now, yes. But don't get a big head. If you don't give it everything you have, you'll die and get Pricilla killed along with you.]
Liliana gulped.
Liliana: [I'm not really sure... if I can answer your expectations...]
Pricilla: [I see. So you do not believe in the songs you've inherited from your predecessors.]
Liliana: [And what exactly do you mean by that?]
Pricilla: [You've faithfully sung out the song of your ancestors to the present, yet you fall silent and shrink back in fear when the people's hearts cry out for salvation. I have no need for crying mutts...]
Liliana got annoyed.
Liliana: [Now you've said it! Yep, you just said it! Fine, I'll do it! Bring it on! I'll show you what real singing is. I can't call myself a proud woman if I stay silent now!]
Kiyotaka: (Manipulating someone like her is really child's play.)
She strummed her guitar.
Liliana: [I wanted to sing a requiem for Kiritaka-san as this city's waters tragically claim his lifeless body, but no, I shall not! You can count on me, for I am none other than Liliana!]
Everyone sweated in confusion at the beginning.
Kiyotaka: [Very well. You two will handle Sirius.]
Kiyotaka then looked to Wilhelm and Garf.
Kiyotaka: [As for the Cult soldiers. They're likely corpses reanimated via necromancy.]
Julius: [You're saying they're swordsmen who were brought back from the dead?]
Kiyotaka: [Yes.]
Garf: [That means I was dukin' it out with『Eight-Arms』Kurgan himself. A guy that strong with eight arms... There ain't no one else it could be! And that woman's gotta be someone on the same level as him!]
Wilhelm: [The woman... she's definitely my late wife.]
They all looked surprised at this.
Julius: [A forbidden art that desecrates the dead and turns them into corpse soldiers... Even the previous『Sword Saint』. Yes, it does match『Lust's』twisted tastes. The logic is sound.]
Kiyotaka: [Wilhelm. I'm suspecting you still want to face off against your late wife?]
Wilhelm: [Indeed.]
Kiyotaka sighed as he held out his hands.
Kiyotaka: [Earth Smith Arts!]
Kiyotaka created two straight swords that looked crystal-like.
Wilhelm: [They're... beautiful...]
Kiyotaka: [These blades are made of condensed Earth magic. You won't find anything as durable or sharp.]
Wilhelm accepted the blades as he inspected them closely, feeling the weight. AN: The reason Kiyotaka doesn't create these for himself is that they cost a lot of Mana, and his normal blades are good enough to serve their purpose. Right now, he's trying to give Wilhelm every advantage possible to boost the odds in Wilhelm's favour.
Wilhelm: [Heavy, but the weight is perfect for me.]
Kiyotaka then looked at Garf.
Kiyotaka: [I'm trusting you to deal with Kurgan.]
Garf looked shocked at this.
Garf: [But what about saving the Princess?]
Kiyotaka: [You leave that to me.]
Kiyotaka: (Frankly, I'd rather have Reinhard beside me for this, but... fighting that existence is something only he can do. I'm on my own.)
Garf: [But...]
Kiyotaka: [Then kill him quickly, and if you have some strength left over, come to my aid. It's as simple as that.]
Garf: [You got it.]
Anastasia: [Lastly, for Gluttony...]
Julius: [Yes, leave Gluttony to Ricardo and me.]
Ricardo: [Why're you the one callin' the shots? I'm in, though.]
Anastasia: [I'm counting on you. Ferris, Crusch and I will stay behind to guard the City Government Office. Everythin' good?]
Kiyotaka: [Yes. Now, everyone get into position and I'll use the Metia. You have 1 hour.]
They nodded as they moved out.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Kiyotaka stepped forward towards the Metia as he turned it on.
Kiyotaka: [Hi, Hello. Hopefully you can all hear me clearly. Don't worry. I'm not a Witch Cultist. I'm one of the ones fighting the Witch Cult right now. And so far, we've retaken the City Government Office. I know the situation is bad right now. A lot of people have died and are still dying. The『Sin Archbishops』are still in control of the city, but there are still people fighting for you. Right now, the『Sword Saint』Reinhard『Van』Astrea is out in the city fulfilling his role in our plans to retake the city. The strongest man in the world is fighting for you. And so am I. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. The『Knight of Emilia』, the one who defeated the『Sin Archbishop of Sloth』and who participated in the deaths of the『White Whale』and『Great Rabbit』. I am fighting out there with everyone to take down the『Sin Archbishops』so I only ask one thing of you. Put your trust in us and look after one another. Look into each other's eyes and see what they're feeling. Don't let the people around you get pulled into despair. Keep your head up straight and leave the rest to me.]
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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