"Well, that... Senior..."

"What's wrong, Yukina?"

"What's that trick called?"

"Bolt of thunder."

Although Xiao Jiebing is unable to control the beasts, as the owner of the beasts, he can use some of their abilities, and the 'Bolt of Thunder' is one of the abilities of his beasts.

"Let's go, Yukina, I'm worried about letting you go alone!" Usui said softly to Yukina.

At this sentence, Xue Cailen's eyes widened for a moment, and her cheeks were dyed a touch of crimson.

"You, what are you talking about......!? It's the seniors who are worried, right? If there were a beast rampaging on this street like the last time, do you know what kind of harm would happen? ”

"That's exactly what you said, but it's still weird to put everything on Yukina. I can't see this kind of thing, and this incident is not unrelated to me. ”

Usui looked at Yukina with serious eyes. Yukina was overwhelmed by this momentum and fell silent.

"I ...... I see, and indeed there is some truth in the words of the seniors. ”

"Ahem" Yukina coughed, and then put on a serious expression. Right, Ubiki said and nodded.

"As long as the senior has the possibility of being attacked by the demon hunter, it really doesn't matter."

"You have a point, you mean this......"

Originally, my job was to spy on the seniors, so I couldn't take my eyes off them. Try to stay together. However, if you encounter the annihilation of the teachers—"

"It's okay, Yukina don't underestimate me."

"Then please."

Yukina said in a sigh-like tone, and then looked up at Usui Bing in silence for some reason, and then, after a little hesitation, said in a whisper that she could barely hear,

"That, senior......"

"Huh?"

"Thank you."

"It's okay, didn't you say it, I'll stay in Yukina forever."

Yukina's face was dyed with two blushes again, and she looked at the ancient city and smiled quietly...

Xie ~ Xie, senior...

……

Although it was inevitable, the cordoned off institute facilities were locked. Needless to say, the main entrance made of glass, even the door of the general intersection is blocked by heavy locks and Nanjing ingots.

The bargain Nanjing ingots were rusted red, showing signs that they had not been used for a long time.

From the outside, there is no other entrance to the building. And it's not the kind of building that can be accessed from the ground or from the roof. Leaving aside the artificial lifeform girl for the time being, with Oistah's physique, it is impossible to enter through a vent or something.

If so, then it means that the assumption that they are using this place as a base is wrong. But......

"This level of illusion is also used to deceive people, boring." Reaching out, Usui Ice touched the lock with his hand.

In an instant, a crisp high-pitched sound sounded, and then there was an aura like glass shattering in front of your eyes. The locks that were supposed to bind the vents were gone, and the door slowly opened.

The building was very dark, but Yukina continued to walk as if she didn't want to suffer from it.

It seems that her night vision is stronger than that of Usui as a vampire. This is probably the special skill of the sword witch called Spiritual Vision that Yukina said.

Indeed, as long as you have such a high ability, it is understandable that Yukina will think that the ancient city is in the way.

But it's a pity that the ancient city is a true ancestor after all, and no matter how bad it is, it's not much worse.

But as a swordsman who is only 14 years old, Yukina is too good.

Whether it is combat ability or knowledge reserves, it is really impossible to imagine that a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl can obtain it with normal cultivation.

“……”

While Usui was walking while thinking about this kind of thing, Yukina, who was walking in front, inadvertently stopped. Usui accidentally bumped into her because of this, and was silently glared at by Yukina.

"What's wrong, Yukina?"

"Senior...... This is. ”

Yukina said as she pointed to the scene unfolding in front of her.

It was a large room with a high ceiling like a church church.

In place of the church, stained glass lines the edge of the walls with cylindrical sinks.

Each sink is about one meter in diameter and about two meters in height. There are about twenty of these things in total, and they are neatly arranged.

And in the sink, it was filled with an amber, cloudy liquid.

Although the light coming in through the window shone lightly on the solution, it was far from a beautiful scene.

It was a simple laboratory, an adjustment tank for abandoned artificial lifeforms. But

"This is...... Artificial lifeforms...... Is it? How is this kind of thing possible...... Be!? ”

Looking up at the sink, Usui Moaned. Its voice trembled slightly with anger.

Floating in the amber solution are strange creatures that are close in size to puppies. That figure is not only like a legendary monster, but also like a beautiful goblin. In any case, this posture is not what a creature in nature should have.

"Senior......?"

Looking at Usui Ice, who showed fierce anger, Yukina had a surprised expression. I just want to ask the other party the reason for his anger, but Yukina has her back on the ice. Raising the silver spear lowered his posture.

It was due to the perception of someone's breath emerging from the shadows of the sink.

It was a small figure, a blue-haired girl. The pale blue iris looked at Yukina expressionlessly as she posed with a gun against her. It was the maiden of the artificial lifeform known as Astarot.

"That guy is ......"

Aware of Astarut's presence, Usui turned his head as well. But Yukina opened her left palm in front of the ancient city as if she was awakened,

"Can't see it!"

Yukina immediately blocked the eyes of the ancient city with the palm of her hand.

The first thing that comes into view is the milky white of almost transparent skin.

Transparent droplets of water were dripping at Astarout's feet. As an artificial lifeform, this girl seems to have just finished adjusting and came out of the sink.

Astarut spoke suddenly, quietly.

"Warning, please get out of here immediately."

"Huh?"

At the slightly unexpected girl's words, Ubiki came back to her senses in surprise. During this time, Yukina changed her posture with a gun. Changed to a stance that is not alert but capable of attacking first.

But Astarut just repeated the words faintly. In an unguarded posture,

"This island will soon sink to the bottom of the sea. Please run away before then. As far away as possible, the better......"

Crossing Yukina's palm, Usui asked in a cold voice, "This island will... Sink to the bottom of the sea!? What do you want!? ”

Hit by a feeling that his spinal cord was frozen, the ancient city groaned. Probably because of this uninhibited mechanical pronunciation, it was very direct to believe Astarout's words. As an artificial being, she had no reason to lie to them in this form.

"This island is an illusory continent floating at the intersection of dragon veins in the South China Sea, and if you lose the central fulcrum, you can only destroy."

"Huh?"

At the words woven by the artificial lifeform, Yukina let out a voice of surprise. Clearly, Astarout's words shocked her.

Then, behind the astarot, a large figure swayed.

That was a giant man in a solemn vestment and armor-reinforced suit, Ludolul, the annihilator of Rotalingia? Oistaha.

He looked down coldly at the girl of the artificial life form who looked back timidly,

As she said. Our wish is an immortal treasure that is sacrificed as the center. Now, the power to realize this long-cherished wish has been reached. The Sword Witch of the Lion King's Mechanism, thanks to you. ”

He pointed the blade of the half-moon axe at Yukina who was in a posture.

At the words of the general teacher, Yukina showed a confused expression.

But it was not she who answered Oistaha but the ancient city.

"Got the power...... Is it ......? Doesn't that mean something buried in that child's body? ”

"Senior?"

At the words of Ujibing, who was suppressing his anger, Yukina was visibly shaken.

Usui took a step in front of Yukina's eyes and glared at Oistaha with angry eyes. And the annihilation teacher of Rota Ringia looked at such ice with no concern,

"Do you notice? It can be said that he is worthy of the fourth true ancestor. But now even you are no longer our enemy, and you are no longer in front of us. ”

"No kidding—!"

With a sip of Usui Ice, the atmosphere inside the research institute that was contained in the silence shook the atmosphere.

"Uncle, you guy, implanted the beast in that child's body-!"

"Huh......!?"

Yukina, who heard Uji's angry voice, looked at Astarut's slender body in surprise. Then he looked at the strange creatures that were floating in the culture tank to the left and right of Astarut.

A twisted creature that resembles a monster or a goblin that does not exist in this world. Isn't that the product of parasitizing beasts in artificial lifeforms?

"That's right, that's exactly what you said."

Oistaha proudly informs the facts,

"The only thing that can get rid of the beasts in their own bodies is vampires. But I, by parasitizing the captured pre-hatching beasts in their bodies, have succeeded in producing artificial lifeforms that host the beasts—though the only example of success is Astarut before your eyes. ”

"Shut up!"

The voice of the priest roared angrily.

"Why aren't there any demons other than vampires who can use the beasts, you can't be unaware!? Do you still do this when you understand this-!? ”

"Of course. When the Beast materializes, it devours the life of the host with an astonishing momentum. And you think that the only way to raise this kind of thing is a vampire with infinite 'negative' life force, right? ”

"In that case, that kid—"

"As long as you have the fingertips of the rose, you won't have much to live for. I guess I only have two weeks left to live. This is all the result of devouring the defeated demons as long as possible...... But for our purposes, this time is enough. ”

Oistaha said in a tone devoid of distress or guilt.

Ubiki was speechless from extreme anger.

In his place was Yukina. As if terrified of her imagination, she clenched her spear,

"Devouring...... Demon ...... Could it be that it's for this to attack the demons everywhere on this island......"

"Yes. One of the reasons is to make their magic become bait for the beasts. Another reason is to complete the technique engraved on Astarut...... The Sword Witch of the Lion King Mechanism, the battle with that spear is a good reference. (Markor)