A massive chunk dropped from above, engulfing Raphael and completely swallowing him up.
“How… how could this be…!”
The knights who had been pushed aside were safe, but seeing Raphael swallowed whole turned their faces pale.
“No—everyone! It’s not over yet!”
Ripple raised her voice and pointed to the center of the mass that had engulfed Raphael. Its core was faintly glowing red, with something like steam beginning to rise from it.
“Raphael is trying to burn it from the inside! He’s still alive! We have to get him out!”
Liselotte and Meltina joined in the attack.
“We must save Sir Raphael!”
All the Holy Knights present joined forces to rescue Raphael, launching a coordinated attack. But then, the severed parts of the Mana Essence giant that Raphael had previously cut down began to move again.
They slithered across the floor and merged back with the mass covering Raphael, reuniting into a single entity.
“They’re all coming together again!?”
“It’s only getting bigger…!”
Ripple and Liselotte looked panicked, but they were already attacking with all their might. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t stop the fusion, and the mass engulfing Raphael grew even thicker and larger. As a result, the red glow from within began to fade.
“L-Lady Ripple! Isn’t there anything we can do!? At this rate, Sir Raphael—Rafinha’s brother—will…!”
“Liselotte…! But, we don’t have enough firepower left—”
“No, we do have enough.”
The voice behind them came from none other than Rochefort. He was barely standing, his body swaying unsteadily.
“Instructor Rochefort! You can’t push yourself …!” Meltina rushed to support him, offering her shoulder.
“This is my moment, you see… If there’s something only I can do, then I must do it.”
Ripple immediately realized what he meant.
“Y-You’re going to weaponize me!? In your condition!?”
“Precisely because I’m in this condition. Haven’t you heard from Arles?”
Weaponized Hyrule Menaces drain their wielder’s life. For some reason, Inglis could use them without any visible harm, but she was an extreme exception. For knights with Special-Grade Runes, using a Hyrule Menace would eventually lead to death.
However, there was a loophole. If the wielder was already on the verge of death, the weapon wouldn’t need to drain them any further. Rochefort had done this once before, by chance.1
“Now then. I’d rather not die without doing something. If you could hurry…”
The hand Rochefort extended, marked with a Special-Grade Rune, was trembling. He was speaking clearly, but it was obvious he was nearing his limit.
“…Got it! Please save Raphael and everyone else!”
Ripple placed her hand in Rochefort’s. An explosive brilliance filled the air. So bright, it was impossible to keep one’s eyes open, as Ripple’s body began to transform. When the light subsided, a golden gun rested in Rochefort’s hand.
“Kukukuku… Now then, I’m on death’s door. Let’s get this over with quickly, shall we?”
The golden gun, Ripple’s transformed body, was aimed directly at the center of the Mana Essence mass. Sensing danger, a portion of the mass shifted, forming tentacle-like appendages that lunged at Rochefort.
“Hmph. That won’t stop me!” Without hesitation, Rochefort pulled the trigger. A blinding flash burst forth in a straight line.
The tentacles disintegrated the moment they touched the light, never reaching Rochefort. The beam pierced the main body, blasting a massive hole straight through, and continued out the other side.
The blast, by its position, also tore through the walls and structure of the ship behind it, revealing a starry night sky through the gaping holes.
However, the Mana Essence mass began to stir again, trying to reconstitute itself. Though part of it had been destroyed, most of it remained intact.
The hole would likely seal up soon.
“Hurry up and get out already…! I can’t afford to damage the ship any further, you know?”
Whether by chance or by hearing Rochefort’s words, the nearly sealed opening burst open once more, and a red light burst forth.
It was Raphael, clad in his Dragon Fang armor. The armor was corroded and damaged in several places, but he appeared otherwise unharmed.
The knights ran toward Raphael.
“You seem to be alright!”
Liselotte and Meltina let out sighs of relief.
“Hey now. Glad to see you made it.”
“Sir Rochefort…!? You used Lady Ripple to save me!?”
Raphael’s eyes widened as he saw the golden gun in Rochefort’s hands.
“That’s right. Now step aside, I’ll fire one more shot.”
“W-Wait, Lord Rochefort!”
“Hah… You think I’m the kind of man who waits just because he’s told to—”
Rochefort smirked and tried to pull the trigger again, but his finger never quite made it. The gun fell from his hand.
At the same time, he collapsed, barely caught by Meltina as she fell to her knees to support him.
“Instructor Rochefort!”
Ripple, now back in her original form, rushed to his side.
“Hah… Seems I’ve lost even the strength to pull the trigger. Well, I was a walking corpse to begin with…”
Blood dripped from Rochefort’s mouth as he spoke.
“Yes, I understand! Leave the rest to me!”
Raphael called out to him reassuringly.
“The enemy is reforming again…!”
As the knights said, the Mana Essence mass was once more taking the form of a humanoid giant. The massive face of Echidna reappeared atop the figure.
Only now, it was far larger than the original giant. The extra Mana Essence from before had merged with it. As it rose to its feet, Echidna’s head smashed through the ceiling above.
Tentacles stretched out from all over its body, snaking through the holes created during the battle and reaching outside the ship. Immediately, the ship creaked and began to shake violently. The first to scream was Prime Minister Rigriff, who was crouching and trembling off to the side.
“H-Hiiiiiieee! H-He’s trying to sink the whole ship! S-Sir Raphael, do something! Use the Hyrule Menace!”
“…! Y-Yes—Lady Ripple…!” Read full story at novel{f}ire.net
Raphael looked at Ripple.
“W-Wait, Raphael! You’re healthy, unlike Rochefort! I can’t let you use me that easily…! We can still evacuate as many people as possible—”
“No, doing that would mean abandoning the ship! This ship is essential in the war effort against Venefique…! And not everyone will survive if we evacuate now anyway!”
Ripple and Prime Minister Rigliff’s positions clashed entirely.