Now there is only one sailor left in the wheelhouse.

"Wait a minute, don't. Here it is—"

The pale navigator shouted. He didn't know the true identity of the invaders, but with the sailor's instincts, he knew that the alchemist standing in front of him was no ordinary ship robber. This man is something far more evil and terrifying than a ship hijacker-

"I know, there's a lot of electronics to control the ship, right?"

Amazuka said with a smile. By this time, the last navigator had also turned to metal.

"That's why I'm here to sabotage!"

Amatsuka waved his right hand, which had turned into a blade, and laughed rudely. Sparks flew in all directions, and the autopilot was blown away. Then the radios, radar, and thruster controllers were all wreckage, and at a glance it was clear that it was impossible to repair.

Probably the safety device was activated, and the working propulsion device stopped. As a result, the Phaethon lost thrust and became a drifting ship that could only wander at sea.

After confirming this, Amatsuka snickered with satisfaction. However, when Amatsuka withdrew his outstretched right hand, his expression became gloomy. Fingertips that have been turned into blades cannot be transformed back into human form. The blade cracked as if it had been curled, and it peeled off with a crack. The liquid metal cells that make up his ** have reached their limit.

"The deterioration has come to this point...... Damn it. What a sage who uses people roughly."

Tenzuka pressed the "pseudo-refining core" buried in his chest and gasped for breath. His expression showed a look of anxiety that could not be concealed.

"Forget it, it's a little bit closer. Keep your promise and give me back the rest of my body, 'Sage'! ”

Amazuka smiled like a ghost and looked out at the sea from the wheelhouse window. The ship is far away from the Isle of the String God, and the Fourth True Ancestor and the Witch who can pose a threat to him are gone.

After that, just prepare the "offerings". What came from Amazuka's ears was "click...... Strange laughter.

……

"-Yukina-chan, where are you going?"

Nagisa called out in surprise to Yukina who was about to quietly return to the cabin. The trainees of Saikai School Park are walking towards the lobby inside the ferry. According to the scheduled schedule, they will all watch textbook movies there before lunch. It's a boring activity for the students, but because they have to report their feelings, you have to be quite brave if you want to be lazy.

But

"I forgot something. You go first."

After Yukina quickly left such a sentence, she ran out without listening to Nagisa's answer. Yukina returned to the empty cabin and pulled out a slender cloth bag from the bottom of her travel bag. Inside the cloth bag was a dagger. The blade is twenty-five centimeters long, and the handle is partially wrapped with a parachute cord, making it a rough practical piece. Only the temperament of the blade that shimmers with silver light is somewhat similar to that of the "Snow Wolf".

Yukina inserts the two daggers into the back of her uniform, and in order not to be obtrusive, she puts another coat on top of it. Yukina walked out of the cabin and headed straight for the bridge.

She didn't feel anything unusual either. But, for some reason, she had a very ominous feeling. Inspiration as a sword witch is telling her that she is in danger. It's like the whole ship is surrounded by malice.

“…… Huh!? ”

Yukina, who ran up the stairs, was stunned when she noticed a figure walking in front of her. The one who looked around uneasily towards the forbidden bridge was a schoolgirl with shiny silver hair and a uniform.

"Hase-san?"

"Ah......h

Natsune, who was suddenly stopped by Yukina, turned back timidly. This reaction is more like worrying about getting Yukina involved in it than being caught doing something bad. Seeing Natsune's attitude, Yukina understood her purpose.

"Do you mean?"

Yukina's question was vague, but Natsune seemed to understand her clearly.

She nodded timidly, her blue eyes staring straight at Yukina.

"It feels like the ship is entangled in something bad, so-"

Natsune was about to say that she was going to find a way to solve it, but Yukina stopped her with a smile.

"It's fine. I'll go ahead, so can you help me inform Sasazaki-sensei? ”

Natsune blinked in surprise when she saw Yukina pull out the dagger from behind her back, and soon a look of understanding spread in her pupils.

Because of the simulated angel incident in mid-October, she witnessed Yukina fighting as a sword witch. Even though she doesn't know the detailed reason, she seems to understand that she should leave the matter to Yukina in this case.

"Then you take this with you, it's a talisman"

With that, Yukina reached out to Natsune, and on her palm was a wolf-shaped silver origami. Xia Yin accepted the origami with a surprised expression.

"Ah, wait a minute"

Natsune shouted from behind at Yukina, who was about to run away. She looked up at Yukina who was standing with a worried look on her face, and continued quietly. Her hands clenched in front of her chest trembled.

"I felt a familiar feeling, probably somewhere before"

“…… Hase-san, do you know that alchemist? ”

Yukina asked back suspiciously. Xia Yin was the subject of an accident at the Adilad Monastery five years ago. So it's not surprising that she's been in contact with Amazuka. If that were the case, she might know Amazuka's purpose.

"Alchemist......"

However, Xia Yin shook his head slowly.

"No, that's something much more terrifying. A lot of important friends have passed away. So. I don't want that to happen again...... Yukina-san, please ...... too"

Listening to the clumsy Natsune's words, Yukina felt that her heart gradually became warmer. Natsune is worried about Yukina and tells her that she hopes she doesn't disappear because Yukina is a very important friend. She's going to be just Yukina who came to the "Demon Special Zone" because of the mission-

"Thank you. Hase-san-no, Natsuon-chan, you have to be more careful."

After nodding vigorously to each other, Yukina and Natsune each ran in different directions.

Yukina crossed the rope that indicated that entry was forbidden and walked into the bridge, where the walkway leading to the wheelhouse was empty. The crew and the guards who were supposed to be there were nowhere to be seen. However, the biting unhappiness grew stronger.

Yukina arrives at the driver's door, which is still locked.

However, Yukina exhaled softly, flipped up her skirt and whirled in place. Kicked the door with a full upper kick.

Then she looked over the door that had been knocked away, and what she saw made Yukina's expression freeze.

"It's ......"

All that remained in the cab was despair and silence. Statues of the crew reduced to metal fell to the floor, and sparks erupted from the nautical device. Even to Yukina, who is not good at machines, knows that it is a fatal state of affairs.

I have to inform someone else about this situation.,Just as Yukina walked back,A creepy malice struck from behind.。

Then, with a dagger, Yukina knocked down the whip-like liquid metal blade.

"Ah, it's you, Sword Witch. Where is the gun you're so proud of? ”

The alchemist in a white coat reveals his melted upper body from the air conditioning vents. With a faint smile on his face, he fell to the floor with a sticky flow.

"Amazuka mercury ......!? Why...... You should be dead......!? ”

"yes. You killed them."

When Amatsuka saw the stunned Yukina, he laughed happily. However, when Yukina noticed that his body did not remain intact in human form, she immediately returned to her feet in surprise.

"Amazuka mercury...... You are ......"

"It's really you, your intuition is good. Yes, it's my doppelganger here. After all, if you want to walk in a boat, it is more convenient for this body——! ”

Tenzuka's body collapsed limply, and a new tentacle that burst out of his torso wrapped around Yukina's dagger, and just fused with the dagger, probably trying to take away Yukina's weapon.

However, Amazuka's expression was distorted. His tentacles were unable to erode the dagger, and instead were shot down by Yukina.

"This dagger...... Is it made from mana-inflicting meteoric iron? You're really armed with a troublesome weapon! ”

After Amazuka dropped such a sentence with a regretful face, he fell behind him. There are gaps for drainage. His whole body turned into a viscous metallic liquid, and disappeared as if he had been sucked into it.

"I'm sorry, but I'll be your opponent later. After all, even if it's a clone, I don't want them to be destroyed all the time."

"Amazuka mercury ——!"

Yukina watched in a daze as Amatsuka disappeared. With her current equipment, there was no way to stop the alchemist. To kill Amazuka, you must use the "Snow Wolf" that can neutralize all magical power.

However, the Demon Breaker Spear is no longer in Yukina's hand now. However, Amazuka, who should have understood this, did not give Yukina a fatal blow. This fact puzzled Yukina, why did he let himself go......?

"Isn't it ......!"

Yukina ran out of the cab with a dagger in her hand. This ship carries a spirit medium with a spiritual power that is more powerful than that of Yukina, who is a sword witch.

Yes, Amazuka has been eyeing Haze Natsune from the very beginning. Maybe you won't be able to protect your important people, but Yuri's back froze with the fear he felt for the first time.

At this time, the teenager who had always helped her was not here.

The strongest vampire in the world, the fourth true ancestor 'Flame Night Bo' - Xiao Gucheng!

……

"It is said that the meeting place has changed."

The class leader and Cindy stood in front of the entrance to the hall inside the boat waiting for Nagisha, and the other students began to move in a steady stream.

"So, why?"

"I don't know, but it looks like something happened. The crew was panicking."

Cindy said with a shrug. Nagisa tilted her head with a hum.

"What's going on? Is it a fire or something? ”

"No, that can't be. The siren didn't go off."

"So, hit an iceberg?"

"No, no, no. Where are the icebergs? I'd like to see it."

Nagisa felt like she was asking seriously, but for some reason Cindy laughed with a slight tremor in her shoulders as if she had poked a laugh. Hmm, Nagisa pressed her hand to her lips.

"Still, it's bothering. I have to talk to Yukina-chan."

"Yes. It's so rare, that kid can drop things too."

The squad leader said, her tone as calm as ever. Well, Nagisa thought about it for a moment.

"Can you two go and take a seat first? I'll stay here waiting for the pickle-chan."

"Got it, see you later"

The squad leader took Cindy's hand and ran away. Nagisa waved at them, then looked around the aisle that had suddenly become empty. After the rest of the students left, there was no longer half a figure around. The shops and service desks that were supposed to have flight attendants were also empty.