Chapter 308 - The Heroic Tale of Two, Part Four
"Are they… merging?"
"Not quite, I don't think…"
While I disagreed with Sora's murmur, I tilted my head with a similar expression, unable to figure out what it was.
Their actions, and what those actions meant… if I had to describe the former, I'd say it was like—a parts exchange?
Abruptly, the white knight shattered its own greatsword. The weapon dissolved into particles of light, which then instantly formed a new right arm for the damaged blue knight.
In return, the blue knight handed its twin swords to the white knight and resumed the bare-fisted stance it had shown me before—
"Um, Haru…"
"Yeah, I get it. This can't be just a simple…"
…color swap—as if to confirm our fears, the pair of [Angalta] underwent another change.
The four floating magic swords dissolved into light, only to reform as a golden chain.
Its ends wrapped around the white knight's right arm and the blue knight's left. Was it a shackle, or something else? Whatever it was, the mysterious chain then vanished, melting into thin air.
""………………""
Nope, no idea. I have no clue what's going on… but one thing was certain.
"…I'll be the one to push in."
"…Okay, I'll hold them off."
It was a gut feeling, even stronger than before—letting them coordinate now would be disastrous.
"We go on 'go.'"
"Count me down, please."
Our roles were reversed from the start of the battle.
I would be the one to hold the line, and Sora would be the one to split the battlefield.
"—3,"
`Whirlwind`, activate.
"—2,"
I clenched and unclenched my left armored fist.
"—1,"
Our eyes met. There was no fear.
"—GO!"
On that keyword, we kicked off the ground in unison. I took two steps forward and reached my left hand back.
"Rea—"
"—dy!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Sora took my hand. There was absolutely no lag before I launched into my 'throw.'
My left arm, boasting strength beyond my stats thanks to the enhancement of [An=Ru Galta], combined with the gale of wind acting as a tailwind—
—and like a cannonball, the girl shot through the air. Then,
"Tch—`Dreißig`!"
It was a bizarre maneuver that not even the armored knights could have predicted. The true master of magic swords closed the distance in an instant, pressed her hand against the white knight's chest, and unleashed…
…a point-blank barrage of her giant sand sword, a weapon that dwarfed her own small frame.
As the white knight was swept away like a log caught in a torrent, the blue knight naturally tried to follow—only to notice a shadow fall over it. It raised its helmeted head to see another white figure.
Hey there, bluey. You got your arm back, but you're down a couple of 'hands,' aren't you?
In that case—
"—Think you can handle this!?"
`Fatal Leak`, activate—and in my mind, I slammed my fist on an ignition switch.
I summoned the crimson Bullet knives to both hands and launched into a full-power…
"`Rocket`!"
If I can't hold back, then I just won't. It's as simple as that.
By focusing my plan solely on maximum output from the start and combining my precognitive eye, now capable of seeing over thirty seconds into the future, with the gift of 'memory'—if I just try hard enough to nearly kill myself, it'll work out!
…Or so my master said.
So, anyone got a problem with the invincible Sword Saint's logic? Anyone? Didn't think so.
Then allow me to demonstrate—a modified Kesshiki Ittoryu, Seventh Strike.
My own original version, named `Infinite Seven Stars`, also known as—
"—`Kiraboshi`!"
The moment I kicked off, all sight and sound vanished.
Seven flashes in an instant, countless in a second.
The only things guiding my technique were the sensation of crimson striking the enemy, transmitted through my arms, and the path etched into my virtual brain's memory.
I no longer knew how my own arms and legs were moving—but our school's motto is 'if you can do it, you can do it, so just do it!'
Am I swinging after I leap, or leaping after I swing? I haven't the faintest idea, but as long as it's effective, that's all that matters.
No matter how meaningless my vision became, the UI would never betray its player.
The sight of its ten-layered HP bar being shredded was the ultimate proof that this superhuman maneuver was functioning as a 'technique'—
"Tch————"
Even as noise ran through my mind, which was fully committed to the high-speed maneuver, my rampaging avatar couldn't stop on a dime. My numb head screamed warnings at the sudden sense of wrongness, but—
『—』
A white mist spread across my blurred vision, obscuring the blue knight.
Layered over it, a new, crimson 'attack prediction line' filled my sight, and—
—Ah, I'm really not looking cool at all.
Just as all the unknown 'dangers' flashing before my eyes were about to overwhelm me, a final flash of gold overwrote everything—so I activated `Floating Leaf`.
My top speed, which might have been approaching the speed of sound, was thrown to the floor, logic and all, by the absurd vector manipulation.
Sparks flew as the soles of my studded [Stake Boots of the Meteor Serpent] gouged the field—and the one who finally caught me was my partner, who slammed her sword into the ground, brilliantly dispersing the remaining inertia.
And then, my vision returned.
Beyond Sora, I saw the white knight, in the middle of swinging the twin swords.
I didn't understand the situation or what it meant at all, but once again, one thing was certain.
Oh crap, we're in a huge pinch—
"Shine."
But of course, this was my partner I was proud of.
Unlike me, whose style is always 'jump in first, think later,'
"—[Ectulus Aurum, the Woven Robe of Golden Brilliance]!"
…her every move is always the best possible one, born from careful consideration.
◇A Daily Conversation Between a Certain Master and Disciple◇
"If you cannot control the output and end up crashing into walls or the ground, then…"
"Yes?"
"…you simply need to keep changing direction before that happens, wouldn't you say?"
"Huh?"
"If you cannot hold back, then from the very beginning, you just shouldn't."
"Is, that, how…"
"Let us run with all your might, from one to ten."
"If, I could, do that, then sure, but…"
"Then let us try—until you can."
"…………………………………………Yes, ma'am."