"No way..."
A sudden voice from a third party.
Turning around in a hurry, I saw Lena standing there.
Her usual smile was nowhere to be seen.
Her eyes were wide open, as if she was utterly shocked.
"She should have completely fallen... I've never heard of anyone returning from that state... I was supposed to obtain the fallen divine beast, and with it, I could have created a new cursed sword..."
"Lena!"
The first to act was Sofia.
She immediately switched targets and slashed at Lena with her holy sword.
"Tch!"
Almost by reflex alone, Lena managed to block Sofia's attack.
However, the mental shock seemed to have taken a toll on her—her movements lacked sharpness.
She was struggling just to defend against Sofia's relentless strikes, her face twisted in frustration.
"I'm surprised you even dared to show yourself! I'll cut you down right here and now!!!"
"Ugh, I don’t have time to deal with you right now!"
"Tch!"
Lena suddenly spun on the spot, using the momentum to deliver a powerful kick to Sofia.
Sofia blocked with her sword, but she couldn’t completely absorb the impact and was sent flying.
"Sofia!"
"I’m fine! More importantly..."
Lena now had an expression of panic unlike anything before.
She then turned her cursed sword toward Aisha and Snow.
"I won’t let you...!!"
"!?"
I stepped in front of Aisha, Snow, and Licorice, shielding them with my back as I faced Lena.
I blocked her blade and counterattacked.
"Move!"
"I won’t!"
"I’ll hate you, you know!?"
"That’s your problem!"
Our swords clashed multiple times.
If this were the usual Lena, I wouldn’t even stand a chance.
I’d barely be able to block one attack before being taken down.
But now, she was shaken—her sword was dull.
Thanks to that, I managed to hold my ground.
"Let me ask you one thing!"
"What!?"
"Was it really you who did that horrible thing to Snow!?"
"Yeah, it was me! And what’s so bad about it!? We are the ones in the right!"
"That kind of thinking...!!!"
I didn’t know what kind of past Lena had.
I didn’t even know the true nature of Snow.
But still...
To force such an innocent, kind-hearted girl into a rampage...
To spread so much sorrow and fear...
That’s justice?
That’s a righteous cause?
"Like hell I’d ever accept that!!!"
"!?!"
With all my emotions poured into it.
With every bit of my determination.
I swung my sword down with full force.
Clang!!!
"...Ah."
The Snow Crystal Sword... broke.
Unable to withstand the pressure, the blade snapped in half and flew through the air.
The fragments sparkled as they scattered.
But...
"What!?"
Lena's cursed sword didn’t come out unscathed either—cracks had formed along its blade.
It hadn’t broken completely…
But it was no longer usable.
"N-No way... My cursed sword... Tyrfing... got damaged by some ordinary sword...?"
Lena stood there in shock, but as she processed the situation, she quickly snapped back to reality.
She glared at me…
Then, as if wiping away her anger, she suddenly laughed.
It was a laugh full of joy—pure, unfiltered delight.
"Ahaha! Ahahahahahaha!!! Ahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!"
"Lena...?"
"No way. No way, what is this? I can’t do anything but laugh! My cursed sword lost? And to an ordinary sword, no less… Ahaha! Amazing, amazing, amazing! Fate, you’re truly incredible!!!"
Lena’s eyes sparkled like those of an excited child.
She was looking at me as if she were gazing at a hero.
"Ahh… Seriously, this is bad. The whole mission of the Dawn Alliance, our long-held ambitions—none of that matters anymore. More than anything, I just want to make Fate mine."
"…Sorry, but I’m already taken."
"That unwavering resolve of yours… I like that too. It makes it even more fun to make you mine… Fufu."
Lena took a step back.
"Getting to witness something as incredible as Tyrfing being damaged... I’ll let it go this time. See you around, Fate. Someday, I’ll definitely make you mine♪"
With a playful wink…
Lena's figure melted into the air and disappeared.
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