Chapter 1074 - The Bloom of the Moonflower
The three of us were gathered, our resolve at its peak.
Before us was a powerful enemy that could only be called a monster or a demon.
And the stage we had reached was easily recognizable as the step before the finale.
If so... it's a bit embarrassing to keep saying this consciously, but...
"Alright, let's do this then! I'm planning to go all out from the very start. Any objections?!"
"Hehe... none!"
"None at all!"
I knew they'd join in, so I shouted it out with all my heart!
"Ashe!"
"Mm...!"
Sora was already on the battlefield, her [Trance] having activated before she even arrived, her 'ears' and 'tail' swaying. There was no need for words to decide our roles in the vanguard and rearguard.
And so, I stepped forward along with the Princess.
"[Regulus Regalia]."
A glass crown that emitted a faint light. I wouldn't forget my own crown either.
The key-word activation for the additional feature added after my title change. I chanted the name, and the crown, which snatched its price without troubling its master, appeared above my head. The gilded brilliance that had once been split in half was now a magnificent whole.
It was divided into four parts, each holding a glowing stone of 'White,' 'Red,' 'Blue,' or 'Green.' It showed my rank, which had progressed while I remained in that strangely tilted position.
Alright then, full power as promised. I had the light of the [Anima] from my partner behind me, and I was perfectly used to my avatar's state. On top of that, I activated Crimson Desperation.
Furthermore, I released the special title enhancement effect, [Tsumugareshi Hoshiboshi]. Along with my own buffs, I took the entire status bonus I'd received from the God (Nia).
I threw away all my Agility (AGI) and Mind (MID). In exchange, I took a massive amount of Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), and Vitality (VIT), along with ten percent of my Luck (LUC), and distributed them across my comrades' stats.
Even so, the boost was far greater than what we'd used in training. But I believed Ashe could handle it...
"[Rocket]!"
One step at top speed.
Leaving behind both sound and hesitation, I ran with the confidence of a lightning strike. I stamped my steel boot [Shinuchi Gekka] onto the very face of the howling 'Dragon' as a foothold.
I didn't just step into the hollow of its eye; I slammed the sole of my boot into it with enough force to pierce it. At the same time...
I directed the pulse of excess energy that was still raging inside my avatar after the instant transition from zero to a hundred.
"...Here we go!"
I swung my right hand. And what I swung was...
"...Now!"
The hand I had been holding, and the Sword Queen I had brought with me. In other words... an instant delivery of the strongest blade in the virtual world.
Ashe didn't falter under the power, just as I expected. I swung her, and she mastered the output which was several times higher than usual. She bundled it all together and swung her 'blade.'
In an instant.
...!
A sound like a massive collision echoed through the space, rather than a slash. The strange resistance was still there... no, it seemed even harder than before.
I could blow it back by bundling our lawless strength against its massive frame, but it looked like it would be difficult to actually cut it and deal a fatal wound. If that's the case...
"...Okay, then we'll just keep at it until it's cut."
"...We'll keep striking until it breaks."
That's the only way, isn't it?!
Both of us reached out at the same time. Our hands inevitably met again. We didn't need to wait for our bodies to land on a foothold after being thrown into the air by the impact.
I reignited [Rocket], channeling the output and transmitting it...
"I'll catch up in seven seconds!"
"Ngh...!"
I spun and launched her like a human cannon. As I sent my other half toward the 'Dragon' we'd just blown away, I didn't hesitate.
"Connect, [Kurikara]."
I took a step with my battle intent peaking, finally reaching for my weapon.
My Anima, which was deeply tied to the [Colored], remained silent, as if it found no interest in the 'Black' thing before us. The rabbit dagger, a copy of the 'Red' servant, also showed no sign of trembling.
If so, there was only one blade suited for this place.
The blade I should draw was the green one born from the 'Gift' my master had given me... no.
"Unsheathe."
Now, on this perfect stage.
I would call out its new name from within the 'Sheath' that burned with white flame.
"[Shinuchi Gekka]."
The flames cleared, and from them emerged the 'Sword' that had swallowed the 'Sheath.' Its blade alone was over five feet long, and including the hilt, it was a great tachi over two meters in length.
The faint hint of jade was a remnant of the [Shinuchi Gekka] before its transition. However, most of the blade reflected the 'Ash' of scattered petals, and the white flame at the base of the blade slowly moved toward the edge.
The second special ability of [Kurikara]: the sword-and-sheath unification form, [Himorogi].
The noteworthy points... well, there were many, but basically...
"Four minutes."
It was an absurd 'Sword' that I could finish things with in that time.
Right hand normal grip, left hand reverse grip. Target locked, distance set, path fixed, external rotation output [Kai] converged and released to the limit...
First Strike.
"[Sō]."
The first strike, the ultimate speed. Just by walking and slashing, it was my own ultimate move that even the [Sword Saint] had called 'impossible to handle.' I rushed through, and the blade of the Shinuchi Gekka, which carved a trail of ash into the void... seven seconds.
...!
It slashed through the strange resistance as if burning it away. I cut off the right arm of the 'Dragon' as it tried to strike Ashe, whom I had just launched.
And then...
Next, without end.
I activated [Nine Tail], sending out 'shadow threads' and seeing them land perfectly on the target. I immediately followed up with [Shinuchi Gekka] and [Rocket] to construct a pseudo-'Ground Shrink.'
Ashe was already following up with her own attack. I passed behind her like a literal gale. From a position that sandwiched the dragon's massive frame, I went all out. I pulled the tethered threads...
To be precise, two people with insane strength pulled each other.
The 'threads' connecting us called to each other, using the prey as the meeting point.
Less than a tenth of a second until we crossed paths... I'll borrow this again, you invincible samurai.
"Kashiki Nito, mimicked single strike...!"
If it can't be cut, I'll just swing it until it can. Ashe, who always led with logic and found the correct answer, swung her 'blade' not at the 'Dragon,' but toward me.
Thus... the intersection, the roar, the reception.
And then, the transition.
The ash-colored blade swallowed and consumed the sword-power of the Sword Queen entirely. It flashed and surged.
"[Hakuou]!!!"
Whether it was a counterattack or a reflection, I swung it through the remaining left arm.
And then, I sliced the long neck of the twisted, black 'Dragon' right through the center.