Tsubaki-senpai's attack is absorbed, amplified, and reflected by the mirror of Mirror Alice: Mirror of Recollection, while Tsubasa-san's radiant shield, Twinkle Aegis: Shield of Spirits and Glory blocks and deflects the enemy's long-range attacks like beams of light fired from their guns.
In the midst of that clash, the enemy's close-combat fighters close the distance to less than half.
[Then we shall meet them with attackers of our own.]
Hearing that, roughly half of the remaining Sitri peerage excluding Kusaka-san along with Irina-san and the Brave Saints, charge forward. On top of that, Yuuto and I join the assault.
For now, we're fighting barehanded without Sacred Gears. Yuuto has dulled the blade of his demonic-saint sword, and the others are placing certain limits on themselves as well… Meanwhile, the enemy warriors haven't blunted their weapons, but it's not like they'd be carrying practice swords in a situation like this. That part can't be helped.
Meanwhile, Kusaka-san's Scouting Persona sends its masks raining down from above, each one dropping items imbued with binding formations… It's basically like throwing landmines directly at the enemy, but they're activating properly, so no complaints there.
Ah… still, being attacked from all directions like this really brings back memories of Kyoto during summer vacation.
Yeah… this chaos feels familiar.
As I drift through those memories, I pick off opponents one by one with counterattacks—until Tsubaki-senpai's voice rings out.
"President! The conditions have been met!"
[Yes, Tsubaki. Proceed.]
"Yes! Balance Break!!"
With Sona-senpai's approval, Tsubaki-senpai releases the power beyond her Sacred Gear.
Three distorted, mysterious mirrors appear in the air—so warped that you can't even see through to the other side.
"Come forth—Dormouse, March Rabbit, Mad Hatter!!"
From within those mirrors, three monstrous figures emerge in response to her call.
[That is Tsubaki's Balance Breaker: Nostalgia Mad Tea Party. Unlike ordinary Sacred Gears, activating it requires her to reflect a certain number of attacks using Mirror Alice.]
Hmm? Why the restriction?
Maybe it's a variant Balance Break—stronger in exchange for conditions?
I should ask Azazel-sensei later. That guy lives for Sacred Gear trivia.
While I'm thinking that, the three creatures leap past us frontline fighters and charge straight toward the enemy's rear.
Then one of them—the giant mouse, Dormouse—breathes out a cloud of smoke. The warriors caught in it begin collapsing into sleep one after another.
[Dormouse's ability forces anyone exposed to its smoke into slumber.]
Next, a rabbit in clothing hops energetically among the enemy ranks.
"Uwaaahhhhhhh!!"
"Gehahahahahaha!!"
Ripples spread across the ground where the March Rabbit lands, and anyone touched by them starts screaming wildly—attacking even their own allies indiscriminately.
[March Rabbit's ability drives those touched by its ripples into a violent frenzy.]
Finally, I turn my gaze to the slender creature wearing a hat. Its eyes glow beneath the brim, and those who meet its gaze suddenly begin thrashing wildly, as if terrified by something unseen.
[Mad Hatter's ability induces terrifying hallucinations in those who meet its gaze. With these three abilities combined, any opponent can be removed from the battlefield. One does not need brute force to reduce an enemy's strength.]
As Sona-senpai explains, I notice Yuuto off to the side, giving a wry smile.
The Gremory peerage tends to lean toward power-based fighting. Sure, they train technique—but for guys like Issei, gaining ten points in technique somehow turns into thirty points of raw power. They're power-types down to the bone.
Yeah… I get why Yuuto struggles sometimes.
Just as I feel a flicker of sympathy, Sona-senpai issues another command.
[Arima-kun, you alone will enter the affected area.]
What!?
"Sona-senpai!? Did I do something to make you hate me!?"
You literally just said anyone hit by those abilities gets taken out of the fight—and now I'm supposed to jump in there!? Is this bullying!?
[No. Tsubaki's abilities will collapse the enemy's formation, but March Rabbit and Mad Hatter may cause friendly casualties through indiscriminate attacks. I want you to intercept any dangerous strikes. With your 'Divine Dividing,' you should be able to nullify such trick-based abilities… Honestly, you're a terrible match for our kind of tactics.]
…She's not wrong. Against tricky, status-effect-heavy tactics, I'm practically immune.
Still—
Why does this feel so unfair!?
As I prepare to leap into the fray, something taps my shoulder—tap, tap. Turning, I see a black tentacle patting me.
Following it back, I find Saji giving me a thumbs-up.
Shut up! Don't encourage me!!
The moment I jump, my vision blurs slightly. I'm sure it's just my imagination.
When the number of Church warriors drops below half, a deep, heavy voice echoes across the battlefield.
"Fall back."
At Cristaldi's single command, the warriors who had been roaring moments ago fall silent and part instantly, clearing a path.
That's… overwhelming charisma.
Yeah, no way I can pull that off yet.
…Well, maybe against those Kyoto underling youkai?
Wait, that sounds like a future problem I don't want to deal with.
Shaking off that unsettling thought, I focus on the man approaching us.
Dulio-san, who had been waiting in the rear, spreads his angelic wings and descends beside us.
"Ikki-kun, Yuuto-kun. You've heard already, but Sensei here is a former Excalibur wielder. The one he's holding is just a replica—but even so, be prepared for something four levels beyond the strongest Excalibur user you're imagining."
[Dulio-san, Irina-san, Sister Griselda, Arima-kun, and Kiba-kun—you will handle him. The remaining warriors will be dealt with by the Sitri peerage and the rest of the Brave Saints.]
At that, I abandon the idea of fighting barehanded and summon my Balance Break greatsword.
The others ready their holy swords, demonic-saint blades, and constructs of light as well.
The strongest Excalibur wielder approaches slowly—then suddenly splits into countless copies without any warning.
Griselda-san scatters spheres of light like buckshot to find the real body, but the true one deflects the attack and instantly relocates using illusions. A tangible clone swaps places with the original and charges forward.
Mistaking it for the real one, Irina-san and Yuuto move to intercept—only for Dulio to stop them, resetting the situation.
"Even I only caught the inconsistency at the last second… Ikki-kun, could you see through Sensei's movement?"
"I'm a Senjutsu user, so yes—I could. My partner specializes in illusions too… He's pouring massive power into that replica Excalibur to create highly refined illusions, but because they're brute-forced, they still carry a slight unnaturalness. If that were the real Excalibur… I'm not sure even I could see through it."
Even at less than one-fifth of its original power, Excalibur's versatility is absurd.
Longinus Sacred Gears are said to possess multiple abilities—but this holy sword, with its seven distinct powers, rivals even those.
Honestly… it's just broken.
I step forward, positioning myself in front of Yuuto and Irina, who had fallen back.
"For now, I'll test him. You two watch carefully."
They hesitate for a moment, but my "just a test" seems to convince them.
"Ikki Arima… You matched blades with His Eminence Strada. I cannot afford to hold back."
"Haha… please go easy on me."
Seriously. You can hold back. I won't complain.
We kick off the ground at the same time.
Ignoring the countless clones created by Excalibur Nightmare, I swing my blade at empty space and it's blocked.
"Hmm. As expected, a Senjutsu user can see through it. I have little experience fighting such opponents, but they are troublesome."
Cristaldi's figure emerges, revealed from invisibility by Excalibur Transparency.
"Even for someone as experienced as you, it's that rare?"
"Of course. Our usual enemies—devils, vampires, fallen angels—do not use Senjutsu. And true practitioners are few. It is simply that you are surrounded by an unusually high number of them."
Fair point.
Between D×D and the top figures of the supernatural world, I've been exposed to more than usual—fox spirits, Sun Wukong-level beings… enemies the Church can't easily oppose.
Then I might as well make full use of it.
From our locked blades, I stomp the ground twice with my heel and the earth around us erupts into spikes, surging upward to strike.
…..
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