＜Infinite Dendrogram＞

□ [Saint Knight] Ray Sterling

In a nutshell, the sight in front of me was hell (...).

It could have been delightful with countless ice statues lining up on the cobblestone roads of the city, if only like the snow festival I went to as a kid.

But if that was all a human ice statue.

If the living human was frozen.

And suppose there was a crest on the back of the people's left hand that showed them to be < master > just like me... I just think it would be scariest sooner.

No, it's a little different.

I saw the same thing (...) yesterday that the human body was frozen, and for me, I had other emotions than horror.

…………

There was one standing sign in front of me.

"'Ahead, it won't come through', huh? Is this... a warning? '

I guess so.

That's a warning sentence, and I'm guessing the end of the path that I tried to get through is this ice statue.

Or maybe it's not a warning.

Yes, 'I can't get through, I won't let you through - so don't come here'... I felt that wish from that standing sign.

I guess that's what you think, because you know the guy I made this and the hell in front of you.

The significance of this placard may contradict what you called me here (...).

But... maybe he understands and has this contradiction too.

Hey......

"You, you wanted me to come? Or didn't you want me to come? Which is it? - Hugo."

'... I wonder which one it is, Ray'

It was in the heart of hell.

A fuselage of machines approaching five metres, covered with pale ice armor. Both arms are fitted with ice blades mimicking the cross.

It's like I anthropomorphized the ice church. It's - TYPE: Maiden with Chariots, Coquitos.

And that < master > is... Hugo Receps, the man who crushed the Gozmaids Bandits with me.

I was a friend who laughed and broke up at noon today.

But the voice... was too different from that of him yesterday or today.

Terrible, it looks like you're coming up with something.

"Franklin...... who owns your clan?

"Beyond this gate. Now... fighting the Kingsguard Knights'

"Huh..."

Kingsguard Knights, is Liliana and the others fighting him?

That's natural, too.

Franklin grabbed the princess.

Then Liliana and the others would risk their lives to challenge Franklin to fight.

She steps out, no matter how dangerous, to protect what is important.

That's the kind of woman I know the day I stepped into this < Infinite Dendrogram >.

"Then we'll let you through here, too."

'I don't mind you. But I can't even go through with your people. That's my... role.'

Hugo's Maggie referred to Luke and Xia Da three who were behind me.

But "you don't mind," do you?

"How can I go through?

'I didn't decide. That guy... the owner wants to fight you directly'

Franklin... with me?

The only way I can get in contact with him is yesterday, when he served me some Inumimi pills.

Besides, I'm just a rookie, and there must have been some stronger guys.

Why would he care about me like that?

"Why?

…………

Hugo does not answer.

Or maybe you don't even know Hugo.

"... Hoops, horns on ravens, you can go through. If you want to stop that guy, if you want to save the princess... you just have to go through '

That said Hugo left the fuselage and opened the way.

…………

Can I come through?

But that leaves only Luke and the others here, and at the same time...

"Mr. Ray, please go first"

Luke uttered words, as if he'd figured out what I was thinking.

No, it's about Luke.

Understand what I'm thinking, I guess I'm telling you.

"Here and there, you care about Mr. Ray, don't you? Then Mr. Ray must hurry across the gate. I'll do it here."

"Luke......"

"Instead of Mr. Ray, I'll fight him."

That was the word I would be saying after I understood both of the concerns I had in mind.

Can I just leave Luke and the others here?

And in front of me...... can I put down some dangerous Hugo and move on?

Those two concerns.

"I understand that that man was the" friend you fought with yesterday ”in Mr. Ray's story. I also know you care how that guy is involved in this. I also know there's a lot I want to talk about. But after figuring them out (...) I say. Mr. Ray should move on now."

Luke looked me in the eye with a zip... like pushing my back, I said.

"If I don't make it I'm sure... Mr. Ray will regret it for a long time. So, Mr. Ray, go after Franklin."

"... thanks, Luke"

I thank Luke and keep my words coming.

"... I left it to you"

"I've been entrusted!

That's how I squeeze Silver's reins and head back to the West Gate.

The moment I stepped into the frozen hell in front of me, I had a moment of anxiety that I would freeze myself... but if I stepped out, there was nothing.

I never even feel the ghostly cold air.

I'll let Silver run straight through the frozen hell.

…………

But halfway down that road, when I approached Hugo's fuselage... that fuselage, which had retreated sideways until then, came forward to block the road.

"Hugo."

".................. Ray"

That voice, heard over the speaker, was like squeezing out after badly bothering something.

I guess I was deeply troubled to say it or not. After a silence, Hugo... offers to have it against me.

'I'm sorry I seem to flip the word I said I'd make it bare... but just one integration... can you do everything you can against me?

I don't know what to think, what to decide, and what Hugo uttered that word.

However, the answer to that came right away.

"Fine."

I admit, I set up the Nemesis of the Black Sword.

"You have a lot to ask and say... but now we shoot each other one at a time"

"... thanks (Merci)"

That's how me and Hugo's fuselage go across the street.

My distance is around fifteen meters.

For me on silver, for Hugo on Maggie, it's a distance like there isn't.

So as soon as I was relative, I let Silver run.

Run it through the right side of the Magingear so that it jumps in and slips through.

"Motor Slash!!"

Hugo's voice echoed from the speaker and < MaginGear > waved the cross blade on his right hand at high speed.

It is also known as the subdragon class, the force of Magingear, a blow with the full weight of the fuselage.

I felt intimidated to compare to or surpass the [Demi Dragworm] advance I fought for the first time.

If you hit me directly, my body will break.

But...

"Counter Absorption"!

"I have my revenge!!"

The blow of Motor Slash was prevented by Nemesis's unfolded wall of light, and the blade of return I unleashed crushed the icing armor on his right arm, distorting the inner frame.

One duel only, that's it.

After a flash of defense, my position and that of Hugo was reversed - I kept my back on Hugo... and drove Silver out the gate.

To the battlefield, where Franklin waits.

Leave it to your people (Luke).

◆ ◆ ◆

■ Affiliation [High-Level Pilot] Hugo Receps

After a moment of staggering, Ray ran outside the West Gate.

I'm dropping it off.

…………

A one-in-one battle.

As a result, Ray was intact and my [Marshall II modified] took less damage to his right arm.

If that's all, you'll lose my judgment.

But now, I was taking something important away from Ray.

"Used (...) ……?"

Counter Absorption.

I have also heard from Ray himself that one of Nemesis's inherent skills is a powerful defensive skill but the number of times it can be activated is stockable.

If you were running out of stock in yesterday's fight against [Gozmaize], that's the one time you were recovering over time.

I let it be used on offense with myself.

For Ray, who will be fighting that man from now on, that will be a shackle that cannot be ignored.

…………

"Hugo"

I wished Ray all the best.

With that said...... because I thought Ray would really do everything he could.

What I did is like betraying a shoulder-to-shoulder comrade, sending him to a dead place and even turning down a lifeline, albeit for a day.

That was a bitter choice.

But still, I chose it.

Because I didn't want to let that guy's enemies get through.

Because I couldn't send Ray, who was ready to die, with the strange face of "I had nothing to do with it".

Love and a single stick of sin are actions as a result of your decision to bear them.

Oh, really... how could I be so... I...

"That's for Hugo, eh!?"

- Moments, my ideas and Cuco's words were blocked by fierce shock

It was an assault by [Triple Impact Angle Subdragon], taken by Ray's people, and a corrugated attack by < Master > riding on its back.

"- I'm sorry. Because it was full of gaps."

Against me trying to rebuild the attitude of the fuselage, its [Master] and [Triple Punch Angle Subdragon], as well as the Sexy Sex Demon, add pursuit.

The attack was harsh and unforgiving, and the intent to crush this one was clearly visible, so to speak, with this momentum of surprise.

"Higano no."

"It's out of the heart. I told you, I'll take care of this place. That's not what I found out, even if you're lost in thought."

"Huh, sounds like Ray's buddy, but the fur's a lot different."

If Ray is an unreasonable, backless, clumsy man of a way of life, he's full of rationality and mental reckoning.

That face is not what it was directed at Ray... it's cold.

There is no grin or other fine dust in the expression...... even a faint face brings in fear the other way around.

Perhaps you have control of the impression you make them have.

... just like me when I play knight, thicker than that.

"Perhaps so. Maybe that's why I admire Ray. And maybe."

The - Luke looks at [Marshall II Modified] from the back of the subdragon with a cold eye at me.

As if you were my sister that day.

And he speaks out.

"I hate you."

I am surprised by the words.

"It's the first time Luke hated someone and said," and so on, "The Collection of Sounds" was picking up on him.

"... Huh, it's the first time I've met someone who hated me."

"Right. But I really don't like it, you. Too lost, too drunk... like someone else"

"Something I don't understand..."

"Are you sure you don't understand?

…………

His eyes had the power to make him understand that he was saying it with certainty of something.

It's like... that I'm leaving you out of sight...

'Well, yeah. I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't know... Whatever it was, you go freeze in here'

Rebuild the fuselage and hit [Triple Punch Angle Subdragon] with armor before taking the distance.

'... you can't let that man and anything but him through here. As a member of the Clan... let's hang everything about me here as a thorn to protect that man'

"Really? Then I'll beat you with everything I can have, and push through here. As Ray's companion... and myself"

He stands on the back of the subdragon, obeys the succubus, and is relative to me.

That is how a moment of silence comes by staring at each other, … I utter words that shatter that silence.

"- [High-Level Pilot] Hugo Receps and Coquitos, boarding [Marshall II Modified]"

This is a ritual.

Defeat his people.

Crush his intentions.

This is a ritual for it… a "duel”.

"... [Woman] Luke Holmes and Babylon, submissive Marilyn, Audrey"

He also matched my words.

"Ask Always"

And take a breath...

"" - Battle ""

Me and his “duel” started.

To be continued