''Counter cladding''!

    BAM— THUNK!

    "Gahack…!?"

    ''Counter Cladding'' is the moment of attack in response to the opponent''s attack by receiving a blow. This is just a purely physical attack, unlike ''Offensive Cladding'', which could affect even their phasing body.

    Receiving the blow, I thrust her head simultaneously with the sheathed Black Sword. It broke the black ice helm on her, causing her to stagger from the surprise attack.

    …It''s not enough.

    But that''s okay— I''ve reached my goal.

    THUNK!

    At that moment, an ice spear went through her head.

    I immediately relaxed as soon as I witnessed how she crumbled and turned to ashes.

    The pain and damage she caused to me made me kneel.

    … It''s the first time I''d accept Kuroyuki''s attack so directly.

    Not even Nightmare received such an amount of damage during the mock battle.

    Spurt.

    My mouth was filled with a thick taste of blood.

    What''s with that kick…? My body is much studier than Nightmare, yet I''m taking the same amount of damage. It''s as if I was getting run through by a spear.

    But still, I don''t have breathing problem.

    "Luc…! Are you okay…!?" August said to me as he lifted me with his shoulder.

    "Y-Yeah… (Coughs)— I''m fine…"

    CLAP. CLAP.

    "!?"

    Suddenly, I heard the sound of a person clapping as it echoed throughout the entire basement.

    I thought I was having delusions, but then I realized it wasn''t my problem when I saw August''s worried expression as he told me to look.

    It was a silhouette of a woman. A woman with her long hair down to her waist, wearing a summer dress— is clapping her hands.

    BAM—!

    That was… a terrifying reaction speed, just about as good as Kuroyuki.

    I know Kronos and his group— which just finished reinforcing the pillar at his side, is ready to restrict her movements at any time…

    …I hurriedly shook my head when Kronos asked me whether he was good to go with his finger gesture.

    However, the woman silhouette paid no attention to us.

    It looks like she had her eyes completely set on Kuroyuki, who was standing on top of Kronos''s wall.

    "…How heartless of you."

    "…!?"

    The woman… she can speak…!?

    It sounded like a m?tur? woman in her thirties.

    "………………………"

    But that doesn''t matter, I could immediately tell— this woman is extremely dangerous.

    But… unlike their copies silhouettes… she does not have a weapon with her.

    …Or so I thought.

    "What the…!?"

    The woman suddenly extended her hand towards my direction, as if she was trying to pull something.

    It was my sheathed black sword.

    As if I would let you…!

    SHING!

    The black blade itself.

    It unsheathed from my scabbard, landing on her extended hand.

    "Kuh…!"

    Witnessing that moment, the uneasy feeling that I had inside me felt even worse than it already was.

    …It''s as if— she could kill all of us easily… if she wants.

    "W-WAIT!!! S-STOP— PLEASE…!!!" I screamed.

    It was a desperate scream— the sound of a coward, the cries of a prey, crying out to its predator.

    I know it was foolish of me to wish for that, but it was to hope that she wouldn''t attack any of us.

    Suddenly, the silhouette woman disappeared like haze, with the black sword in her hand.

    "…!?"

    And when the woman reappeared before I could react— she was already behind Kuroyuki, with her hand grabbing her waist as she placed the blade on her neck.

    "KUROYUKI…!!!" Persia screamed.

    She was distraught, terrified.

    ...Because Kuroyuki Shiroha was held hostage.

    If Kuroyuki wasn''t exhausted from the recoil, she could''ve reacted and even countered her.

    "… Don''t try to move." The woman warned us when we tried to rush to her. "My blade… is very sharp."

    "…!"

    Kuroyuki frowned her brows and shook her head— telling us not to move. She obediently let herself be held hostage without resisting.

    Even at a time like this, Kuroyuki is still able to keep her calm.

    That woman doesn''t have any intent to kill Kuroyuki for now... we shouldn''t stimulate her any further.

    "My name is Lucifer Nightwalker von Nightmare…!" I shout to her. "Who are you…!?"

    But first things first… who on earth is she…?

    "Hehehe~ I will let you guess~" She said to me in a playful tone. "One wrong answer… her head would fall off."

    "…Her posture really means it, Luc," August told me. "Think wisely before you answer."

    It''s just as August said— she really means it.

    If I don''t want anything to happen to Kuroyuki… I should really give a hard thought about it.

    However, there are only two answers I could get so far.

    She told us, ''my blade is very sharp. So it''s either she''s the last owner of the Black Sword, or… she''s the Black Sword itself.

    If either one of them is wrong… Kuroyuki''s done for.

    "L-Let her go…! I could be the hostage instead…! So— please…!" Persia said to her. "I''m from the Silverlight family…!"

    Usually, it would be wise not to say unnecessary words to stimulate the abductor, but… what Persia did wasn''t an act of outburst. Instead, she carefully observed her body language and decided to offer herself— her value as a world noble.

    "If you are willing to risk your life for her… then all the more reason I should keep her with me~" She replied.

    I''m not sure whether Persia intentionally did it to find the answer, but thanks to that— I got my answer.

    "You are the Black Sword, aren''t you!?" I shout to her. "You are the Black Sword''s spirit…!"

    "L-Luc…!?" August was surprised by my answer. "No, she''s—"

    "Correct~ As expected of my new master~" She chuckled. "How did you know I''m not the owner of the sword instead~?"

    "…!?"

    August stared at her with a dumbfounded look after he heard her reply.

    It seems August knew the answer earlier, but… he''s doubting himself now. Perhaps, he made a mistake…? But it didn''t seem like it.

    No matter… I better give her an answer first.

    "Two reasons," I said. "The first is… this girl next to me had a much higher value to the world in reality… And second, you did not have any particular reaction towards my name."

    Although I don''t know how old this black sword is… but the World Noble existed for more than a millennium— unless it is older than that, I doubt it because of the temple''s structure design and construction method used.

    While the term ''Lucifer'' is well-known— even if it was several thousand years ago. I believe if it''s someone from a thousand years ago… they would rather not say or hear this name.

    "My~ How clever of you~" She replied.

    "Now let her go…!" Persia demanded.

    "I know you were worried, Persia. But she didn''t say anything about releasing her." I said to Persia.

    "Fufu~ Correct~" The woman chuckled.

    "But still… can you release her, please…?" I asked nicely. "…She could b?r?ly even stand now."

    Please— spare Kuroyuki.

    "………………….."

    I could feel her penetrating gaze for some reason— even if she doesn''t have eyes.

    However, I could tell that she''s not hostile for now.

    "Since you asked kindly… then I will respond to your wish..."

    PAK!

    "…!"

    White-coloured magic circles appeared above everyone''s head when she snapped her fingers.

    Everyone except Kuroyuki and me.

    Those are… a one-way teleportation magic circle…!

    The moment I wanted to stop August''s magic circle from sending him away— it was already too late.

    A brilliant white flash made me unable to open my eyes.

    And when I opened them after the flash— everyone had already disappeared, including August next to me.

    …I bet the receiver magic circle for this teleportation magic isn''t too far away. But, even if it is, there''s no way she had enough mana to send that many people that far away in one go.

    If she''s sending them to a dangerous place, I''m sure they could handle it if there are no magic restrictions and electromagnetic pulses.

    "…You aren''t going to ask where I''ve sent them?" The woman asked.

    It seems she''s curious that I didn''t particularly react much towards her sudden actions.

    "I''m sure they could deal with it on their own," I replied.

    "Eh……"

    I couldn''t tell her intentions by that murmur… It felt like she was testing me, or annoyed…?

    "…Huff—"

    Suddenly, Kuroyuki lost the strength to stand. She slipped from the woman''s guard and fell from the wall with her head facing down.

    "Kuroyuki…!"

    I immediately ran and cladded myself in ''Soft-Defensive Cladding''.

    "N? Ah—!"

    The woman tried to catch her, but she didn''t make it.

    It''s dangerous when she''s falling with her head down… I must make it…!

    Without putting an ounce of concern towards my speed, I caught Kuroyuki while ramming my body on the metal wall.

    "Gah—!?"

    Even though most of the damage was dispersed by the ''Soft-Defensive Cladding'' during the heavy slam— but I didn''t end up unscathed.

    I felt like I was going to puke, but I endured it.

    Kuroyuki was in my hands.

    Thank goodness…!

    Suddenly, I completely lost my vision.

    No, it''s not my vision— the entire basement became pitch black.

    "W-Wha—!?"

    I was completely surprised by it.

    …Crap. Persia''s light is completely gone now.

    That woman jumped down from the wall, circling us.

    …Not good. It seems she could see where we are.

    I carefully placed Kuroyuki near the wall so she could lean on it.

    "…Lu……"

    I wondered why, Kuroyuki tried to reach out her weak hand to search for me. It seems she couldn''t use ''Presence Sensing'' anymore.

    "…I''m here."

    I took her hand while grabbing it firmly to tell her that I was here.

    "… I''m… sorry." She told me with her seeming weak voice.

    …She''s no longer in any condition to fight anymore.

    "…Don''t say that," I replied while squeezing her hand for one last time. "Please, just take your rest."

    To be honest, I have been ignoring that woman for quite a while now.

    She''s checking on us carefully, but she''s still not attacking.

    It was true that I couldn''t see where she was, but I could sense her thanks to ''Presence Sensing''. I also sensed where the scabbard is.

    I just need to continue acting blind while getting the scabbard.

    "Fufufufu~" The woman chuckled. "Hmm… what should I do with you, then~? You can''t see me now~"