"I couldn't stop the Prophet... Please, help Clara, who's trapped inside the World Tree...!! Stop the Prophet from putting all nine worlds to sleep within the World Tree—!!"
"What do you mean she's trapped inside the World Tree?!"
At that moment, a massive tremor erupted from the distant World Tree.
It was the sound of the world collapsing at an accelerated pace.
Thoom—!!
"...?!"
"...?!"
All the students turned to look at the distant World Tree.
The sky, shrouded in an opaque veil. Sparks flew as ether and the abyss clashed around the faintly glowing World Tree beyond the horizon.
The Prophet was moving the World Tree, a force that no one thought could be moved by anyone other than the power of fate itself.
As the group realized the true divine force that was moving the laws of this universe, a heavy silence fell upon them.
Then, once again, the door was flung open with a crash. The tense group reflexively turned to look.
Thud—!!
A blonde-haired figure came running into the spire, her hair flying wildly. It was Anna, carrying someone in her arms as she sprinted from afar.
Bell stared at her with a look of exasperation and yelled.
"Yaaah?! Why does everyone keep startling us today?!"
But Anna had no time to respond to Bell's irritated words.
"Oww...! That hurt...! Anyway! Everyone, we're in big trouble!! It's like—!"
Before Anna could finish her frantic words, another pink-haired girl poked her head out from Anna's arms.
"...Everyone's here. Is this fate as well?"
It was Verdandi, the spirit of the sword. But this time, instead of her usual innocent expression, she wore a determined look.
"It has begun."
"...!"
The words seemed abrupt, but no one could miss the multiple meanings they held.
Verdandi toddled over to Rota, who was standing in the center of the Sage’s Chamber, and looked at the three students of the Central Prism Academy, who shone with crimson, navy, and orange light.
"...In the end, the [Three Heroes] have gathered, and the apocalypse has begun."
Alvitr was the one to object to those words.
"...The world will not end."
"..."
"Our seniors, we, and all of us... have prepared for this."
"...That's right."
Verdandi gave a sad smile and patted Urd, who was lying on the floor.
"You have defied fate. Thanks to you, I was able to meet 'him'... Thank you."
"...!"
Urd shuddered, lowering her head.
"I, I..."
"You, too, wanted to become a star that watches over these children, didn't you?"
"...!"
"Let's help each other. Awaken the destiny of the last saintess, the Norn, and stop him. So that this land no longer needs a [Sacrificial Saintess]..."
"...Yes!"
Urd, hearing those words, began to cry and clasped a small, childlike hand.
Then, a brilliant rainbow light began to shine.
A divine light, which could only watch others and offer helpless support, shone forth.
Flash—!!
In the midst of that light, Verdandi spoke.
"[Bifrost]... I can feel the power of the guardian."
"Clara...!"
Around the people in the room who had known Clara the longest, rainbow-colored spirals began to form.
Sparkle—!
Eir.
"Whoa, what's going on...?!"
Freyja.
"Really, always making us do everything..."
Astrid.
"Of course, I must help a friend! That's what it means to be a noble of the night—!!"
Anna.
"Haha... So I'm going this way again. Not that I mind..."
And Brynhildr.
She looked longingly at the spiral.
"...Lara."
And then, another massive sound echoed from outside. This time, it was much closer.
Thoom—!!
A heavy voice rumbled.
Something was rising from the depths of the abyss, accompanied by an earthquake.
From where the black waves began.
Where the echoes began to reverberate.
Rumble—!
The dragon that rules over death had awakened.
As it raised its mountainous body, it spoke.
"Do not interfere with the Prophet."
Hearing that voice, the [Nameless Hawk] bristled in shock. Even though he was only a fragment of himself, it was a voice he could never forget.
"You've awakened, dragon...!"
"It's only a partial resurrection. You and I... we're the same."
"..."
"This battle is meaningless. Soon, the world will fall asleep. The stranger who defied fate... will bring us rest..."
The [Nameless Hawk] shouted at the dragon that was rising from the ground.
"Do you truly believe that giving up so powerlessly... is salvation?!"
"For my children, that is salvation, my old foe."
"Piik—!! You've just been made to believe that it's salvation!!"
"..."
The dragon, which had been swaying its massive body, replied quietly.
"...Perhaps. Even so, I must fulfill their wishes."
Rumble—!!
The long, massive body struck the ground and rose.
A straight path of darkness.
From beneath it, countless tendrils extended.
The tendrils moved, emerging from a body so vast it could not be distinguished in shape due to the darkness. They rose from the abyss, stirring the souls of the dead and sapping the energy of the living.
"...I must stop you."
Boom—!!
As the massive form moved, all the surrounding abyss roared and surged upwards.
Thousands upon thousands of chaos insects rose in response to the call.
Shhh—!!
Roaaar—!!
The dragon, crouching in the abyss, let out a roar with a mouth at the end of its pitch-black body.
"……!!!"
Then the darkness churned, the sky shattered, and the call was answered.
The very fabric of space was being stained with death.
An overwhelming sight.
"..."
Even with a radiant spiral in one hand, Brynhildr hesitated to respond.
Let's protect this place together—☆ 'Lara, should I stay here?'
Right now, I want to go to you...
Would I be of any help if I, not the strongest, went there?
I don't know if that's what you would want.
"..."
It was Alvitr who ended Brynhildr's hesitation.
"Go ahead, Hil... Hildr... Senior."
"Alvitr."
Brynhildr looked at Alvitr, who had spoken to her.
It was still awkward for her to be called by a nickname.
But...
Alvitr looked at Brynhildr, who had taught her everything as the student council president, and spoke.
"We can't just keep receiving help from our seniors forever."
"..."
She spoke not only to Hilde but also to everyone gathered in the room, as if encouraging them.
"We've worked so hard until now. Even though things turned out to be much bigger than we expected, even though we felt a little discouraged and made a few mistakes... even though it got much harder than we thought."
Her words were directed at those who were disheartened by the overwhelming presence of the dragon. Her words were slowly transmitted through the magic of the beastmen girls to the minds of the students on the giants and the airship.
"Still, we did our best, and we were able to gather so many people."
Alvitr smiled and raised her holy sword.
"I don't know about prophecies or fate... but the juniors taught by our seniors won't be taken down so easily."
"..."
Brynhildr smiled in response to those words.
"...Thank you."
Then, the radiant rainbow spiral shone brightly and took her to where she needed to go.
The rest of the five colors also disappeared into the light, each offering words of encouragement.
"Hmph, those cheeky juniors! But if they beat me, they better do that much!"
"Th-Then... I'll be back... If it's a mess when I get there, you're dead meat for real..."
"Oh~hohoho!! The nobles of the night shall answer the call of friendship!!"
"Everyone... stay safe!!"
Flash—!!
The five colors vanished one by one, but even with the academy city's strongest gone, hope remained.
"Phew..."
Alvitr was still there.
The [Nameless Hawk] approached with Urd and Verdandi on its back, wearing a determined expression unlike any seen before.
"Hero...! These two goddesses will aid you!"
"I-I don't know how much help I can be—☆"
"L-Let's do our best—☆"
Kara and Rota also spoke to Alvitr.
"Well, the enemy is grand, but... isn't it the same as usual? I'll lead our comrades and draw their attention."
"I'll scatter them with magic?"
"And then, Alvitr, you'll finish them off with the Flashing Sword. The others will do what they need to do from their positions."
"What... It really is."
Just like always.
Everyone smiled at those words.
Had the education that the pink airhead subtly instilled been for this day?
Alvitr looked back.
There was a dragon far in the distance beyond a single window.
For some reason, seeing it reminded her of what her senior had said so many times.
"…"
Everything had been for this moment.
"...Everyone, listen to me."
Alvitr kept her eyes on the dragon and issued instructions through the communication magic that reached the ears of the beastmen girls.
"...Help us in your own way. That's all I want to ask."
It was probably the first order she'd ever given as the one who led the academy city.
A foolish command.
An order that left them to judge on their own.
But...
Yaaah—!! Of course!! Let's gooo!! Really, you're so reckless. Then we'll move as we see fit. Justice!! I'll fight for justice!! It was the best command for the academy city's headstrong students.
Alvitr drew her two swords and dashed outside. Crimson wings flared up like flames on her back.
"Let's begin!!"
Following her were Bell, Zieklynde, and Erda.
"Seriously, what is going on—!"
"It's time to fight!"
"Focus."
Kara waved her banner and leaped down from the spire. Navy blue waves flowed out like a tide.
"Hahaha!! Let's go, comrades!!"
The one who carried Kara on her shoulder was a steel giant wearing a bread hat.
"Yes! Kara! I'm so glad I can help!!"
Thoom!
From the spire, orange light also began to flow, merging numerous ether skills into one.
Even with the strongest of the five colors gone somewhere, the academy city still had not lost hope.
Flash—!!
Alvitr soared into the sky, her wings glowing brilliantly. Behind her, the [Nameless Hawk] followed, carrying the blessings of the two goddesses.
The centipede elder trembled as it danced, absorbing the abyss from the ground to create new chaos insects.
Numerous mature chaos insects gathered and crawled forward. Each of them carried the power to drain ether.
Grafvolrud shouted in a passionate voice.
"Do not underestimate the power of erosion—!"
"I never did—☆"
Honestly...
You're the only one who's ever made things so mentally exhausting for me.
'This damn centipede elder.'
I wish you would disappear from my nightmares.
As I ran, a silver-haired girl caught up with me. She slid forward, wrapped in a blue-white lightning bolt.
"Lara!!"
"Yes!"
We don’t need words between us—♪
"[Bifrost]—!"
I pointed at Hilde with my hand, and a rainbow-colored flash sparkled.
**Sparkle☆
"Freyja!! I'm borrowing this!"
"Take it, I'm too busy to care—!!"
Hilde slid effortlessly, pulling out a spear from among countless purple weapons. Then, wrapping it in lightning, she quickly hurled it.
Thoom—!!
A loud thunderclap shook the ground.
In the flashing thunderlight, countless chaos insects disappeared.
In an instant, the small fry were cleared away, opening a path to the centipede elder.
Seeing that, I called out to Anna, who was summoning a large ether tree from afar.
"Anna~☆ Borrowing this—♪ [Bifrost]—!"
"Wha—?!"
A massive longbow appeared in my hand, and the suddenly empty-handed Anna quickly darted between the oak trees she had already summoned.
I lifted the longbow and aimed.
The centipede elder's head.
And its tender-looking leg joints.
I delayed the ether skill as I fired.
Thwaang—!!
With the sound of air tearing, two giant arrows were launched.
Then the longbow returned to Anna's hands.
Thud! Thud!
The pink ether arrows struck the centipede's head and one of its many leg joints.
Grafvolrud then wriggled its jaws, pulling out the arrow lodged in its head. The arrow that had dug into its carapace was easily removed.
"Ugh...! Of all places, the joint...!"
"And you’ve got so many legs, but you're scared of a joint—☆"
I snapped my fingers.
"[Víðarr]☆"
Then, the ether arrow lodged in the leg joint began to glow and turned into a tree. Grafvolrud was flustered by the sudden tree growing from its knee.
Eir didn't miss the opportunity and charged, shouting. A ring of flames endlessly spun in her hand.
"[Laevateinn]!!"
Boom—!!
A fiery trail charged forward like an explosion. The white flames engulfed the ether tree that had pierced Grafvolrud and began to burn it away.
Flames imbued with the power of purification.
The centipede writhed in pain.
"Aaaaargh...?!"
And similar screams echoed from far away. The green mantis was flailing helplessly in the yellow mist.
"Curse it! I can't see anything?!"
In the endlessly sparkling mist, yellow greatswords and numerous purple weapons attacked. And whenever a gap appeared, white flames swapped places and charged.
"Oh~hohoho!! How do you like the taste of my mist!!"
"You filthy insect! You tore up my school...!"
"Hiyaaah—!! [Laevateinn]!!"
Seeing that made me smile.
The five friends who had come running at my call.
With them by my side... I had nothing to fear.
Clench...!
I poured that feeling into my fist, creating a pink spiral.
Countless hearts intertwined and melted into the giant spiral.
Rumble—!!
And then I launched it at Grafvolrud.
"[Pink Lemon Sorbet]—!!"