Chapter 311 - The Heroic Tale of Two, Part Seven
—I think they were supposed to be a "princess and her knight."
Well, visually, they're both armored knights, no doubt... but looking at their respective roles, their behavior?
When the "Blue" one lost its right arm, the "White" one didn't hesitate to offer one of its own swords. And ever since the "chain" appeared, it's always been the "White" one teleporting in to provide support.
Furthermore, once their five-segment HP bars merged into one, the White knight became immune to damage, clearly protecting the Blue one—acting as its shield and its sword...
They both fight, but their essence is that. The combat-style learning of [Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King] must have seen us that way.
—Good grief. Talk about a complete and utter misinterpretation.
I am not a knight who protects her, and she is not a princess who needs my protection. We've graduated from that. Now, we're equal partners who protect and support each other—which is precisely why we've reached this conclusion.
"You look disappointed."
"—Huh...? Ah, do I...?"
When I spoke, Sora, who had been staring "ahead" with an indescribable expression, turned around in surprise and patted her own face.
"W-Was I making a face like that?"
"Who knows, maybe I imagined it."
Or maybe I just used the wrong word. Not disappointed, but perhaps... lonely. If that's the case, I have some "experience" with that myself, so I can "understand."
There's an inexplicable sense of desolation that comes with it, isn't there—the moment a battle with a powerful boss ends.
We both looked ahead. The "Blue" one, holding the battered and motionless "White" one in its arms, was transitioning into its final struggle—the last phase.
The HP bar displayed above its head was down to its last segment. With more than half of that already gone—the outcome of the battle between a near-death boss enemy and two players with strength to spare was obvious to anyone.
The White knight's body disintegrated, dissolving into light and merging into the armor of the remaining Blue knight. White and blue blended together, their boundaries vanishing—becoming silver, its radiance approaching the platinum color of its former self.
I felt no fear, no awe.
It was all because—
"...We've gotten strong, haven't we?"
"Yeah, no doubt about it."
It was undeniable proof that Sora and I had surpassed our former "wall."
"It's back to a familiar form."
"Yeah... before, it was so huge we had to look up at it."
Having merged and grown in size, the giant armored knight, though already at its limit, crashes to one knee with a tremor that shakes the ground.
But even so—[Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King] did not bow its head.
The golden chain floating in the air glowed and transformed into a greatsword befitting its massive hand,
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The Sword-King desires a fitting end.
"......Haru."
"Are you sure? It might be better if we do it together—"
"It's clearly singling you out, isn't it?"
Sora gestured toward the sword's tip, pointed directly at me, and smiled with a troubled look.
She dismissed the magic sword she was holding as she looked at our unmoving—no, immobile—nemesis.
"It's a little sad, but I'm satisfied and content. Let's move forward."
Her amber eyes looked straight ahead, ready to see this through to the end.
...You really misjudged her, [Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King].
My partner may be as cute as a princess, but—her true nature is that of a "protagonist," far stronger than any knight.
"Okay, in that case... it's this guy's job to handle the finale, isn't it?"
Cloaking the left arm I thrust out to the side is a remnant of a past defeat.
The embodiment of that mysterious day when we were defeated by [Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King], and [Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King] was defeated by the will of the world—the system.
Where are you now? Have you vanished? Or are you here, in this left arm? Or perhaps, have you returned, and are you now standing right before me?
I don't know, but—
"I'll give you a grand send-off, so rest in peace—Manifestation Release."
The keyword is approved, the phase shifts. The gauntlet of light glows brighter, pulsing.
"Sora, can I have a 'sword'?"
"......Would you like a big one?"
Though she tilted her head, she must have come to the conclusion on her own that I was about to pull something again.
When she came closer and I replied, "As big as you can possibly make it," Sora smiled and nodded—
"«Turm Riesig»."
—and bestowed upon me a sword so enormous it looked like it could reach our "opponent" even from here. The magic power infused within it was extraordinary; it was truly...
"...Thank you—I'll gladly take it."
...a mass of power worthy of being devoured by this left arm.
Not the hilt, but the blade itself. I grip it as if sinking my fangs into it, and crush it—in that instant, the magic sword explodes into golden light and is forcefully sucked into the gauntlet of [An-ru Galta].
"Invert—[Tamatori no Kiken (Angalta)]."
What's born is a greatsword of spiritual light.
With a gentle push on my back, I step forward—now, just like last time...
"Sorry to keep you waiting, brother."
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"Today was fun, too—I'll come visit again sometime."
This is the last attack from the two of us.
◇ You have defeated the [God-Wedge Sword-King]. ◇
Maybe that was too easy. Let's just say it's because the two of them have grown so much.
[Tamatori no Kiken (Angalta)] — A spiritual sword of light that devours 'swords' and increases its power according to their might.
It can only devour weapons that one has ownership of or has been given. This time, it used my partner's magic sword as a substitute, but if you were to sacrifice a normal weapon, it would be mercilessly and completely lost. Weapons in categories other than 'sword' are not applicable.