「——! Oi stop it, Ripple! It’s too soon to give up, you know!? Besides, he’s still young!」
Leon noticed the light emanating from Ripple’s body and impatiently stopped her.
「I-, I can’t! It’s not by my will! I’m being dragged by him!」
This was the first experience even for Ripple. For Hyrule Menaces to turn into a weapon, the unification of will between them and their user, the Holy Knights, was essential. There was the need to first unite their hearts into one. Therefore, if Ripple didn’t want it, the weaponization shouldn’t happen——or so everyone thought.
So, how could this happen?
Was it because Silva was still ignorant, and thus he could genuinely wish for Ripple’s strength?
Was it because Silva respected Ripple so deeply, and Ripple found his admiration delightful, and thus the distance between their hearts was shortened?
Was it because, deep down, Ripple wished to liberate her father who had become a Prisma as soon as possible?
Perhaps, it was due to a combination of many things at once that pulled Ripple by Silva’s will.
「AAaaaaahhh——!」
I can no longer stop it!
Ripple’s body grew more and more radiant, and as the illumination reached its peak, her body was no longer that of a girl——she had transformed into a double-barrelled rifle, wrapped in golden glimmer.
「I can feel it……what tremendous power this is! Anything can be defeated with this! Even a Prisma!」
With a look of excitement on his face, Silva tightly gripped the Golden Rifle that Ripple had transformed into.
「Oh s̲h̲i̲t̲! Oi, stop it! Release her now!」
「Mister Silva! Please think carefully! You mustn’t give in to the power!」
Leon and Principal Miliera seemed to be very tense by the turn of the event.
But Leone, who was watching it unfold from the side, couldn’t understand why. If Prisma could be defeated by Ripple turning into a weapon, then wouldn’t that be fine?
As Silva had argued, it would be difficult to lead Prisma out of the capital. There would be a huge deal of damage if that were to be done.
They might be able to control human casualties if they took time to evacuate the people. However, the houses, the stores, and many other buildings in the path leading there wouldn’t exactly be safe. Protecting them also fell to the duty of the Knights.
In that sense, Leone mostly agreed with Silva’s point of view for the bigger part.
「……What a beautiful light. So this is the true power of our guardian deities, the Hyrule Menace!」
While Liselotte was genuinely transfixed by the sight before her…
「Y-, yeah! But, somehow……」
As for Leone, she could feel a strange sense of unease. That light was supposed to be divine and beautiful, and yet it felt terrifying for her. She couldn’t explain why, but she knew what she felt.
「Don’t get carried away! You’re not ready for that!」
Leon tried to take away the Golden Rifle from Silva’s hand.
「Lady Ripple had complied with my will! I’ll take care of it! Out of the way!」
Silva shook Leon off. The strength he displayed was much greater than usual, easily bouncing Leon off of him.
「A-, amazing! As expected of a Hyrule Menace, the goddess who protects us all! This power stands leagues apart!」
He nodded with conviction and pointed the muzzle of the gun at Prisma.
「Lady Ripple’s Father! While I sympathize with you……I, along with Lady Ripple, shall take you down!」
「God damn it……! I told you to stop!」
Standing up, Leon stood in the line of fire towards the Prisma.
「Impossible!? Don’t get in my way! Lest I shoot you along with the Prisma!」
「Nope! You put your gun down!」
「What a tall order! Fine, I’ll take you out altogether!」
A colossal, intense, sun-like light converged on the muzzle of the Golden Rifle.
「! You mustn’t, Mister Silva!」
「Why not !? If this takes care of the traitor Leon and as well, isn’t this basically killing two birds with one stone!?」
「P-, please wait, senior!」
Leone couldn’t help but exclaim, too.
「Leone, you too!? What’s wrong with any of you!?」
「I-, I don’t know! I know my brother being executed someday is something he can’t avoid……Even so, something tells me, that day is not today!」
There must be a reason why Leon, the one person who was essentially hostile to them, was so forceful in trying to stop Silva. There was also an intuitive feeling of uneasiness that drove Leone to act.
Guooooo!
Countless dots of light appeared for the third time across the Prisma’s body as the situation unfolds. The large-scale destructive beams would be incoming again!
「Oh no! Miss Leone, retreat!」
「Y-, yes!」
The moment Leone answered, a high-pitched sound as if something shattered, was heard. The barrier that Miliera deployed was destroyed. At the same time, a warped silhouette slipped into Silva’s bosom.
BAM!!
「Guohk……!?」
Silva fell to the ground, his eyes white. The Golden Rifle that Ripple had transformed into also slipped away from his hand, then…
Ripple returned to her original, Beastman girl form. Her eyes widened in surprise. Her gaze turned to the culprit who had knocked Silva unconscious. In other words, Inglis, who was still in the posture of a beautiful elbow strike.
「I-, Inglis!?」
「……It seems that I made it in time.」
Inglis showed a wide smile.
「N-, no, which part of it did you make in time!? How!? All I can see is you attacking an ally and forcefully rob the limelight for yourself though!?」
Rafinha, who remained on the Flygear floating above, stuttered, her eyes wide open. It seemed that Inglis’ action was unexpected even for her.
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