Sword Demon Battle Ballad: Act 6

Sword Demon Battle Ballad: Act 6 (剣鬼戦歌――六幕) is a side story featured in Monthly Comic Alive. It is the sixth of nine total acts in Sword Demon Battle Ballad and a sequel to Re:Zero Ex Light Novel Volume 3.

Summary
The subjugation force's dragon carriage convoy was obliterated by the dragon fire, killing and wounding about half of the force they had assembled. Wilhelm managed to pick up Roswaal J. Mathers, and escape the attack. They, along with the rest of the survivors then gazed up at the sky, looking at the black dragon that hovered above the city of Picoutatte.

As their injuries had been many, Bordeaux was about to give the order to retreat, but a combination of Wilhelm, Grimm, Roswaal and the surviving forces persuaded him not to, and to continue the attack with their remaining forces.

Bordeaux agreed to continue with the attack, and after putting the injured in some dragon carriages that avoided the dragon fire, he sent them to the nearest city asking for reinforcements. After having done that, he took the remaining forces and started to slowly proceed towards the city.

As soon as they entered the city, the earth dragon's divine protection was torn away. It was quickly confirmed that it wasn't just the earth dragon's divine protection that was gone, but everyone's.

They are then besieged by a mob of the townspeople which are possessed under the influence of Melinda's Evil Eye. They are all unarmed, but as they moved as a crowd, their aim was to trample the subjugation force under their feet. Bordeaux quickly established a defence perimeter which pushed the crowd back.

As the subjugation force was being pushed from the front, one of the Shinobi started to cut down members of the force whilst they had their back turned, causing Wilhelm to be enraged. After a brief fight against the Shinobi, it disappeared into the shadows, before reappearing and trying to seize Wilhelm's foot. Grimm however, pushed Wilhelm away and was taken instead. The Shinobi quickly used its shadow art to also seize Roswaal's foot, and dragged them both into the shadows.

After a split second, the Shinobi reappeared without Grimm or Roswaal present anymore. They had been taken to Stride. Wilhelm was about to fight the Shinobi again, but was interrupted by Pivot's illusion speaking to him again. The reason being, was because Kurgan the Eight Arms was approaching the battlefield. Wilhelm resolved he would defeat Kurgan, whilst Bordeaux would defeat the Shinobi.

Roswaal and Grimm found themselves cast down onto the rooftop where Stride had summoned the dragon. It was then which Stride revealed himself as being a blood relative to the current Vollachian Emperor. Stride was completely unconcerned by the repercussions of revealing this fact to Roswaal and Grimm. Instead, he continued to speak to Roswaal directly, saying he intended to show what he was doing here to Roswaal herself due to an oath with a deranged criminal.

After having realised that Grimm was the wrong person he had invited up to this stage, Stride commanded Carol to kill him. Carol tried to resist, but ultimately could not resist Stride's direct command, and she and Grimm started to duel on the rooftop. Roughly at the same time as this, Roswaal who had been disgusted by what Stride was forcing Carol to do, threw a stone at him to try and injure him. The stone was deflected by Shasuke, and a duel started in parallel to Carol and Grimm's between Roswaal and Shasuke.

Meanwhile, while this was happening, Theresia who had been sent back to the room below was being guarded by Melinda. A brief conversation took place where Theresia tried to find out why Melinda followed Stride so passionately. After it ending with no progress, Theresia tried to escape. However, Melinda confronted her outraged that she would put her unborn child at risk, and used her Evil Eyes on her.

Back at the rooftop, Stride was thoroughly enjoying the duel between two lovers, Grimm and Carol. Grimm fought using just his great shield, whilst Carol wielded her blood-stained blade. Stride eventually took notice that Carol was not giving it her all, and resisting the curse. Thus he reinforced his curse so that she would have no leeway to resist, binding her completely. Grimm however, still managed to parry her blows, even catching her own sword with his bare hands at one point.

Unsatisfied with the display, Stride commanded Shasuke to kill Carol. But just before Shasuke could deliver the finishing blow, Roswaal placed herself in front of the kunai knife, and was stabbed instead, saving Carol's life.

Characters

 * Grimm Fauzen
 * Wilhelm van Astrea
 * Valgren
 * Miklotov McMahon
 * Bordeaux Zellgef
 * Stride Vollachia
 * Kurgan
 * Theresia van Astrea
 * Carol Remendis
 * Conwood Melahau
 * Roswaal J Mathers
 * Clind
 * Orphe
 * Cragrell Dawson
 * Garitch Fabless
 * Veltol Astrea
 * Tishua Astrea
 * Pivot Arnancy
 * Gionis Lugunica
 * Shasuke
 * Raizo
 * Melinda
 * Volcanica
 * Roswaal K Mathers
 * Valga Cromwell
 * Razak Gildark