◇ Nagasaki Prefecture, a certain beach.

 

TV Announcer: “Can you see it… Right now, the guardians of this country are engaged in a fierce battle with the approaching hordes of dragons. The time is now 9 o’clock, and the battle has been ongoing for over an hour.”

 

The same TV announcer who was broadcasting nearby during the God-Destruction Cult’s invasion is now relaying to the entire country from a helicopter.

The cameraman, the same easily frightened man as before, despite everything, shows his professional tenacity by showing up again today.

 

Cameraman: “This is scary… Mom…”

 

Even while voicing his fears, he never said he wanted to run away, not today.

 

TV Announcer: “You’ve gotten braver.”

Cameraman: “It’s scary. I feel like I’m going to wet myself… But we have to report this. We absolutely must tell everyone! We have to report the battle of those who are risking their lives for this country!!”

 

Crying, he keeps the camera rolling.

Hearing this, the announcer chuckles.

 

TV Announcer: “That’s right, they are literally risking their lives to protect this country. Please, everyone, watch until the end. They must win.”

 

Through the television, the citizens of the nation prayed.

They watched the battle, hoping for Japan’s victory.

Now, all hope was entrusted to these conquerors of the country.

People all over Japan were watching.

At home, with their beloved families, holding each other tight.

Outside, with friends, drinking to ease the anxiety.

At the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, on the giant screen, strangers knelt on the ground, simply wishing.

 

Bystanders: 『Please win.』

 

They entrusted their wishes to them.

 

Reina: “Haa… Haa…”

 

Reina was on her knees.

Even though she had reached true awakening, the opponent was the strongest-Rank, S-Rank dragons.

The strongest of the magical beasts, even surpassing Ryunosuke Tendou.

And they were advancing in large numbers.

The sea was dyed red with blood, and here and there on the sandy beach, the fallen could be seen.

The frontline was being pushed back, but just before the beachhead could be overrun, it was due solely to Reina’s solo valiant efforts, her one-woman army strength.

 

Reina: “I can do this… as it is now… I will protect… I must…”

 

Once again, she activates the power of true awakening, Valkyrie, and soars to the heavens.

 

Reina: “I will protect everyone!!”

 

Even as she bleeds everywhere, the silver armor does not cease to shine, slaying dragons.

Like a hero from a dragon-slaying epic, with every swing of her sword, she beheads a dragon.

She fights in a trance, with a strong resolve to protect.

Reina fights with the intention of giving her all.

 

Tendou: “Reina… just how far will you go…”

 

Tendou, who was also fighting desperately, saw her.

He had spent a lot of time with Reina since they were young.

He had always doted on her like a real little sister, and still does.

He knows she’s seemingly unreliable, but actually has a kind heart.

Her magic was sealed, her heart was sealed, and she hadn’t shown her emotions for a long time.

He remembers trying to make her laugh by doing things out of character.

But she never laughed.

 

Not until she met that boy.

 

Tendou: “Huh… Baldy… Your passion is getting through…”

 

Tendou couldn’t help but laugh.

 

Now Reina is fighting for this country, inspiring others with her loud voice.

Reina, who had lost the ability to even smile or show emotion, is now fighting with all her feelings out in the open.

 

She must have gotten that heat from the boy, naive, good-natured, kind.

She must have received it from the boy who holds dearly the things that the adult Tendou has thrown away.

From him, who wouldn’t abandon anyone, who tried to save everything, Reina must have received it.

 

Kai will never let them down.

 

He will surely protect them.

 

Because he makes them believe with all their heart.

 

Tendou: “Phew… Raaah! Haja Issen!!”

 

So I will also try a little harder.

Tendou, feeling his limit, grips his black sword again, ready to give his all now.

 

Yumiichi Amano: “Next… Haa… Haa… Please, next. Everyone, keep it up! This is the crucial moment!”

 

Yumiichi Amano, too, continues to shoot arrows while exhausted.

The B-Rank awakened ones around him are already fainting.

They passed out from giving too much of their magic power, from magic depletion.

 

Yumiichi’s fingers are dyed with blood from using his skills too much, and his consciousness is fading.

He had never used this power in such rapid succession before.

But today, for the sake of this country, he fully commits to his archery.

He can’t show weakness when the person he loves is fighting with such strong feelings.

 

Yumiichi: “Phew… Haa!!”

 

And then he releases another arrow, bringing down a dragon.

Now, there are nearly 100 dragons in the flock, but it seems possible to win as it is.

 

If everyone can give 120%, they will surely win.

 

There is hope.

 

They all fight with the strong wish that they are the last bastion defending this country.

Their feelings even suppress the strongest species and can grasp victory.

 

This country is still so strong.

This country, once considered weak, is strong enough to fight against the world’s strongest S-Rank dragons.

 

But behind that hope lies something else.

Just as light begets darkness, a despair that extinguishes hope exists.

 

Yumiichi Amano: “…What is that?”

 

It was when Yumiichi was about to draw his next arrow.

 

There it was.

 

Yumiichi, with his job’s ability to see clearly into the distance, saw something that looked like a person.

A person? No, it stood behind the dragons, and the dragons did not attack this humanoid thing at all.

Rather, they seemed to keep their distance, as if in reverence.

 

Yumiichi Amano: “…A dragonoid? What is that… But what is this chill? I don’t understand, but that thing is dangerous.”

 

Yumiichi channels all the magical power he has into his bow.

A bow powerful enough to damage even large S-Rank creatures.

Now is his chance, while it’s still unaware of us.

 

Yumiichi Amano: “…I don’t know what it is, but if it’s with the dragons… then die!!”

 

The arrow is released, but at that moment, the dragonoid looks towards Yumiichi with a ghastly stare.

 

Yumiichi Amano: “──!?”

 

Malice? Fear? In that moment, Yumiichi felt an unbearable nausea and fell to the ground.

It was as if a certain death had been thrust upon him, a chill and fear so intense he could not stand.

His heart wouldn’t stop racing, as if he had just woken from a nightmare about his own death.

 

Yet with a strong heart, he managed to keep his gaze in that direction.

 

But as if confirming his bad premonition, Yumiichi’s most powerful arrow was caught and extinguished by just two fingers of the dragonoid.

Understanding instantly what that meant, Yumiichi’s trembling hands reach out to communicate.

 

Yumiichi Amano: “Tendou-san! Run──!!”

 

Almost at the same time, it happened.

 

Dragonoid: “Gyaaaaaa!!!!”

 

The dragonoid’s scream caused everyone on the battlefield to look its way.

And they felt only fear.

Just like Yumiichi, they trembled with fear, some even foaming at the mouth as they fainted.

 

This was not an entity they could fight against.

Not an enemy they could face even if the world turned upside down.

 

It was over.

 

This country, no, the world was finished here.

 

The warriors, who had fought with unyielding hearts, felt the despair in an instant, as it harbored the magical power of destruction.

Most of the warriors lost their will to fight just by looking at it.

Even those who were B-Rank, near A-Rank, felt pressure that made it impossible not to abandon the fight.

 

Tendou: “What… is that… Don’t mess with me.”

 

Ryunosuke Tendou still endures the fear, looking straight ahead.

His legs and hands shake, refusing to fight.

He feels the same feeling.

There’s no chance of winning, its strength is so extraordinary that it makes him feel so.

 

Reina also saw the enemy while exhausted.

 

Fear took over her entire body.

Yet, she widened her eyes and swung her sword.

 

Reina: “I won’t run away anymore!!”

 

Reina alone, on this battlefield, overcame the waves of fear emanating from the dragonoid.

She tried to look straight ahead, sword in hand.

Her body froze for a moment with fear, but knowing she couldn’t run away, she gripped her sword tightly and tried to open her eyes again.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

Reina: “──Eh?”

 

The dragonoid had vanished from Reina’s view.

No, it was just too fast.

Perhaps it had moved in the instant she had closed her eyes in fear.

 

Reina: “──!?!”

 

Before she realized, it was right in front of her.

Her armor was pierced, and Valkyrie’s silver armor of resolve was shattered by the dragonoid.