Chapter 225 - The Ever-Advancing Sword
From takeoff to engagement, the 'single step' that bent reality knew no delay.
As I closed the distance and unleashed a strike—unfortunately, he must have sensed it beforehand. The surprise attack failed. At the point where I landed, our eyes met, and my blade was blocked by the black steel raised by the [Heavy Tank].
Fundamentally, Uni's [Dual Heavy, Starfall Twin Black Steel] is invincible in a direct clash. It ignores the weapon's inherent attack power and the kinetic energy of both combatants, with its 'weight forgery' ability displaying an insane advantage to secure victory.
On top of that, with his new power, the [Regalias, Tree-Calming Royalty] or whatever it was called, which robs those who approach of their freedom, he has become even more untouchable in PvP.
—But,
"Tch…"
As expected of the [Heavy Tank]—despite his appearance, he was sharp and immediately noticed the 'discrepancy'. Effortlessly parrying the slash from [Frostblade Shirosou], the boy narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"[Floating—"
"Ah… dammit."
"—Castle]!!"
With my body's movements slightly dulled, I dissipated the recoil from the katana in my right hand—and my free left hand shot out to grab Uni by the collar.
'Grab' established—skill activated. A light blue effect traveled from my left hand across the [Heavy Tank]'s entire body… leaving no room for resistance. With a technique that ignores the target's weight, I hurled his small frame with all my might towards the entrance of the maze sector.
This was my counter-skill against the [Heavy Tank], the very reason he hadn't become my absolute nemesis despite having been made to suffer so many times.
It was infuriating that I had to acquire it after he handed me three complete shutouts—but I'll use everything I have.
Just as the sound of a tongue-click reached my ear as we separated, Uni has no counter to [Floating Castle]. The more central a component is to a build, the more a player's options are limited when it's sealed away.
Not many are like that certain runaway express train, who has two or three hidden tricks up his sleeve—but if that were all it took to shut him down, the [Heavy Tank] would never have been able to maintain a 100% win rate against the [Sword Protector].
I am well aware that the disadvantage remains unchanged… and that's precisely why.
"[Ekou]!!"
This challenge, where I've decided to use everything, is no metaphor—I'll cast aside all mercy and conservation, and simply attack relentlessly.
I activated a sliver of grace that mimicked technique. It was the same long-range slash I had used to chase down my junior as he soared through the sky, a skill that could, in a way, be called a counterpart to [Extended Step].
—A sword skill modeled after the Kesshiki Ittoryu, Sixth Strike, Ekou.
Honestly, I'm not without a complaint or two for the system… but since what they gave me can't be called a mere downgrade, I'll swallow my pride.
Its effect is a flying slash fueled by MP consumption—what's noteworthy is that as long as my mana holds out, it allows for 'unlimited rapid fire,' something the original Ekou could never achieve.
Thrown over ten meters by the effect of [Floating Castle], a crescent of brilliant blue light rushed towards the [Heavy Tank] as he prepared a counter upon landing in the water.
He was forced to backpedal and switch to defense—[Extended Step] activated.
"I'm telling you…! The cooldown on that thing is way too short!"
"Like I care! We're both using cheats, aren't we?!"
After taking a 'single step' into his guard, we exchanged blades and words. I avoided a direct clash, instead pressing him with a number of attacks that surpassed his twin daggers.
"W-wait a minute! Don't tell me you—!?"
Uni the Heavy Tank is a warrior who prioritizes information, a logician. As such, he struggles against first-time opponents with little data, or with surprise attacks from existing enemies who have revamped their builds.
Right now, his bewildered expression and growing panic as he faced Irori's movements, which defied his existing data, were proof of that.
He probably never dreamed of it—that a ranker would completely overhaul their status build on the very day of the Four Pillar War and head into battle.
Surpassing his knowledge, a 'kick' slipped through his defense. Bypassing the daggers, a right kick caught him in the stomach, accompanied by the light of a skill, and sent the [Heavy Tank] flying.
His body sailed through the air with a grunt, passing through the entrance to the maze sector… I've succeeded in driving him out of the base, for now—I'll push him even further!
Taking another step forward, I jumped off a platform of ice I had instantly created. This too produced a speed that shattered Uni's expectations, breaking the platform and parting the waterway below.
Catching up to the one I'd kicked away, I slammed down a full-power strike with the excessive STR I had poured points into after abandoning my vitality.
"Nngh!"
My target was the [Heavy Tank], who had immediately raised a black steel defense—
"Hah!!"
—no, it was the ground beneath his feet.
Including skill and equipment boosts, my effective value was over 600. Surpassing the [Great Tiger]'s [Cleave Fang]—a brute force that could reach the heights of the [Sword Saint]—it sent a massive pillar of water erupting all the way to the top of the outer wall.
A brute-force push using excessive strength (STR) to achieve movements that exceeded the limits of my agility (AGI). My HP was mercilessly chipped away by the backlash of these repeated reckless moves… but compared to a certain someone's festival of self-harm, this was nothing.
"Tch, this—"
"Freeze!!"
As if to freeze his complaints along with him, the first ability of [Frostblade Shirosou] instantly froze the immense volume of water that had swallowed him.
And,
"—[Rinka Ittou]."
Once I do this, defense and everything else become irrelevant.
As far as I know, the 'weight forgery' of [Dual Heavy, Starfall Twin Black Steel] has several restrictions on the activation of its rule-breaking effect.
One, there is a slight time lag for activation.
Two, it can only intervene in the calculation formula for the dagger itself or a single object it is in contact with.
Three, it can only affect one target at a time.
And four, the intervention must be caused by some action initiated by the dagger.
In other words, if I can stop all of his movements, even for a moment—in the following instant, the defense provided by 'weight' will not activate!!
Clad in a dazzling silver light, the blue blade swung sideways, severing the pillar of ice and striking the [Heavy Tank] trapped within.
The ice wasn't strong enough to completely seal a player's stats, and a ranker would surely manage to put up a hasty defense.
But I wouldn't give him the time to activate his ability.
""—————""
Through the shattering ice, our eyes met, and his held a look of genuine admiration.
And so, the blade of [Frostblade Shirosou] caught the blade of [Dual Heavy, Starfall Twin Black Steel]—and without giving it time to forge its weight, it sent the small body flying with a thunderous roar.