Chapter 120 - Guardian's Frost Blade, Endless Sky Dash - Part Four
"This is straight out of a manga, you bastard!!"
"This is a game, you fool!!"
We roared at each other from the stage and the sky above it, a fifty-meter gap separating us.
One of us was frantic, the other thrilled. With a strained face and a beaming smile, we were a study in contrasts, locked in a game of aerial tag—or rather, target practice.
Using a combination of Switch Jumps and Bullet Jumps, I scrambled through the air, racking up my count while trying to evade. Meanwhile, just like something out of a manga or anime, the [Sword Protector] was trying to shoot me down with a barrage of flying slashes. That wasn't in his file!!
"Hahaha! You really are fascinating! This is the best!"
"I'm sure it's a blast when you're the one playing target practice!"
This is bad. He's even more of a battle junkie than I thought…!
And how long can you keep firing those things?! Isn't that a skill?! Unlimited ammo?! No time limit?! Don't you dare be bugged, Arcadia!!
Carefree hopping was out of the question; I was forced to zip around the sky in every direction, my cognitive controls screaming in protest…!!
"Gah—dammit!!"
At this rate, the ground would be safer than the sky—
"What, are you done already?"
"Don't look so disappointed—whoa, that was close!!"
The moment I landed back on the stage, the blonde shadow closed in instantly.
I dropped to the floor, practically plastered to it, as a sword thrust pierced the air right where my floating hair and hood had been a moment before.
"…[Bullet]!!"
My movement faltered for a second in the awkward position—but the daggers I desperately flung with one hand were all blocked by the barrier of fine ice.
"Enka—"
"You've got to be kid—"
"—Senjin!!"
"Gghhzaa!!"
From a crouch supported by both legs and one arm, I forced myself to activate Tremble Slide, which saved me by a hair's breadth from the sweeping arc of Frostblade that seemed to reap the very circumference of the stage.
My body a mess, I couldn't control the ridiculously strong inertia and went rolling across the floor with enough force to bounce—and out of the corner of my eye, I saw the [Sword Protector] move in for a follow-up.
No mercy, huh…? I'm honored, you Titled Ranker!!
"Come, [White-Flawed Straight Sword]!!"
I activated [Blink Switch] and [Floating Leaf] in parallel.
Seizing the forward vector generated by the swing of my arm, I met the second strike with a sudden stop that kicked physics to the curb.
The samurai's eyes widened at the acrobatic moves I was pulling one after another, and my slash met his—
"Guuh…oaah!!"
I was overwhelmingly out-specced. The blade of [Frostblade Shirosou], a weapon that stood at the pinnacle of all Anima, sent my [White-Flawed Straight Sword]—a mere infant's tool in comparison—flying, taking me with it.
I knew it, but I still can't even scratch him…! Sorry, partner, you're sitting this one out…!
Apologizing for the combat-ineffective notice, I sent my Anima to my inventory—and right on time, cooldown's over, activating [Flip Stroke]!!
"It's a ten-second-long acrobatics show… Try and keep up."
I pulled the trigger on [Panga Fool]. My HP, which had been chipped away throughout our exchange, finally entered the red zone—
"Now, keep up…!!"
A wild dance of [Bullets]—the stage, too, became buried under a swarm of crimson.
Thanks to the skill's all-or-nothing effect, the scarlet daggers were launched at a speed equivalent to a full-power throw—and my avatar, having outrun the crimson lightning, raced across the sea of footholds it had created.
"—…This is…"
I threw, I ran, I leaped, I stomped, I tossed, I sprinted.
Putting my prized legs to full use, I circled the [Sword Protector] at ultra-high speed as he stood there, seemingly dumbfounded.
It wasn't a simple, linear rotation. I jumped up and down irregularly, drawing not a line but a spiral ring—he must have given up on chasing me. The samurai stood still with his sword lowered, yet his confident smile never faltered.
"So? And what can you do with this?"
I had no words to counter his taunt.
I'm in the middle of preparing 'that' right now. Just stand there and wait, you bastard!!
In a high-speed world where I was no longer being pursued, I used my free hand to switch through weapons, accumulating my count.
Before I knew it, a faint, pale blue light effect enveloped my right arm—and then, ten seconds.
[Flip Stroke]'s effect wore off, and the barrage that had constantly formed my footholds ceased.
"…Is it over?"
As I came to a dead stop, the [Sword Protector] smiled as if to say, "That was a good show."
"—Not a chance."
In response, I, who he probably thought was out of options, shot back a deliberately defiant grin… and gripped the hilt of the short sword at my waist.
He had seen me shatter it from the halfway point—he'd seen me do it myself. He must have been wondering what I could possibly do with a broken weapon.
"—…!"
His eyes widened at the flawless scarlet blade that I drew.
"This is where the finale begins."
[Exploding Bullet]—triggered by the shattering sound of [Rabbit Dagger: Parabellum], now broken for a second time, the hundred-plus Bullets scattered across the stage detonated.
Partly because he'd done the same thing to me at the start, his reaction was likely pure reflex. The samurai instinctively took a defensive stance, but the crimson fragments wouldn't have reached him anyway.
Though they were technically masses of high-density magic, the weapons derived from materialized Demon Horns unfortunately dealt physical damage.
They couldn't break through [Frostblade Shirosou]'s barrier—I was well aware of that.
That's why this was just a smokescreen. A simple diversion to buy time for me to escape back into the sky.
I got caught in the aftermath of my own [Exploding Bullet]s, of course… but the [El-Gran Series] set, custom-made by my blue-haired friend, certainly saved my life.
Looking down from far above, I saw the [Sword Protector] confirm my disappearance from in front of him and immediately look up. My avatar's super-vision caught him muttering something.
I was about two hundred meters up. Having sprinted up the staircase I'd laid for myself, I unfortunately couldn't hear his words… but no more discussion was necessary.
The count was maxed out. Win or lose, the preparations for a final blow worthy of a finale were complete—which meant there was only one weapon I should summon.
Isn't that right? This was supposed to be its grand debut on a huge stage—you can't end this by just getting whiffed and being underestimated, right?!!
"[Prologue: Wedge Fragment Singing of Eternity (An-ri Galta)]!!"
What I summoned to my right hand was the monstrous greatsword—
When I think about it, this all started when she talked me into it.
She was the one who entrusted me, its wielder, with this Terror Armament.
She was the great benefactor who picked me up when I was a nobody causing trouble.
And that exclusive magic artisan—my one and only master weaver—she had a request.
To blow away all the rabble!!!
"[Manifestation Release]—!!"
It was the Second Phase, a transition permitted only to the five Terror Armaments in the world.
The key phrase I shouted as I began my descent was acknowledged by the system, and by [Prologue: Wedge Fragment Singing of Eternity (An-ri Galta)]—and its misshapen, lump-of-iron form shattered with a roar-like crash.
As I squinted against the fragments grazing my cheek, what appeared in my vision was a withered husk of a sword, so flimsy it was hard to believe it came from the weapon's original majestic form.
I recognized the white scar.
From the remnant of a past battle to the death left on the blade—light overflowed.
Its form was different.
Its brilliance was different.
But the figure that displayed its majesty—
The greatsword of glittering golden light was, without a doubt, the martial might of the legendary [Sword-King]—!!
…Alright, I can see your face clearly now—what'll you do, Lord [Sword Protector]?
Will you dodge it, receive it, or shoot it down? I held aloft the golden greatsword that far exceeded my own height, and as I pressed him for a choice—
"—…!!"
He let out a grin so vicious it sent a shiver down my spine.
He readied the blade gripped in both hands, and a dazzling silver light dwelled within its steel.
Ah, I really… I knew I could count on you, you Eastern battle junkie!!
"I accept your challenge—show me what you've got, rookie!!!"
"—You're on, Sword Protector!!"
Activating [Exchange Voltate]!!
The count, accumulated to its absolute limit, became a pale blue torrent that mingled with gold—and a raging platinum phosphorescence drew a single contrail across the sky.
On top of my falling speed from high above, I added the weight of [Prologue: Wedge Fragment Singing of Eternity (An-ri Galta)], which still pressed down on my entire body even after shattering.
My body, scattering light as it accelerated, descended upon the stage like a meteor.
And then—
"Rinka—"
"Overturn it—"
The counter was a single silver slash.
The challenge was a giant golden flash.
"—Ittou!!"
"—[Angalta, God-Wedge Spirit Sword]!!!"
The intersection of brilliance lasted but an instant.
The gold, upon touching the silver, devoured the [Sword Protector]'s strike as if melting snow.
The fine ice protecting his body evaporated like water before scorching heat.
And so the spirit sword, housing the last light of the king, along with the frost blade that scattered its silver light—cleaved the samurai's avatar in two with a single blow as a satisfied smile graced his lips.
Q. Why didn't he dodge?
A. Pride.