Chapter 477 - The White Star Clad in Red, The Blue Star Clad in Black, Part Three
In that moment, four things happened from my perspective.
First, as a result of spamming various skills, chief among them [Eyes Oculus] with both eyes open, and reloading duplicated copies of the [Ruby Bullet], my Trance body’s MP hit rock bottom.
Second, the authority of Helia, having fulfilled its pre-set fifty-second contract time, left my right arm with an unusable debuff, just as promised.
Third, as if fate had finally decided to smile upon me, I was informed that I had successfully tamed the “dragon” boss that I had just beaten to a pulp so thoroughly it was almost pathetic.
And the fourth and final point, which was honestly the biggest problem—was that upon ‘taming’ it, I was required to give the subjugated [Stardust Beast] a name.
After scattering the starry sky with a star of flashing blades and unleashing a final, rising slash, I soared high into the air on the momentum. My thoughts, now returned to normal after the effects of [Eyes Oculus] wore off, felt about twenty percent slower as payback for the earlier insanity.
My immense inertia, generated by an AGI of over 900 including Desperate Crimson, skills, and footwork, launched my avatar higher and higher, as if it might reach the “land” in the heavens far above—and a few seconds later, the laws of physics firmly took hold.
Once my ascent stopped at its peak, the next phase was accelerated freefall. As I savored the intense feeling of my stomach being pulled up, the ridiculously powerful gale, and all the other familiar sensations with my entire body, only a single phrase escaped my lips.
“—I keep telling you, don't ask me for naming sense.”
I’m glad I swung my twin blades with merciless, lethal intent and achieved the desired result. Successfully taming a boss-class “dragon,” something that showed no signs of happening even after racking up a massive kill score, could also be called a stroke of incredible luck.
All that was missing was a random name generator, a common feature in games. That, or I would have appreciated some time to think it over after the battle.
The fact that the system announcement blinking in the corner of my vision wasn't disappearing meant exactly that, right? —Hurry up and give me a name, now.
I could just ignore it, but in this game, there’s a precedent for things entering a rebellious phase when treated carelessly, and that precedent is currently on my right hand….
At this point, wouldn't something like Dra-kichi be fine?
You know, he’d probably get along with my cheerful friend T, and it’s easy to say… As I was thinking that, the [Alv Stella] on my finger suddenly vibrated.
Think seriously, it says. Alright, I get it, I’ll try. Don't be mad—
By the time I had eaten up half the distance to the ground and my falling speed had reached a rather pleasant velocity, I roughly brushed aside the white hair covering my face, activated [Trance], and then recalled the features of the “dragon” I had been facing just moments ago.
Needless to say, my ‘memory’ was perfect; I could even vividly recall each and every star pattern that adorned its body. The “starry sky” of a [Stardust Beast] varies from individual to individual, and apart from type and size, that could be called its only ‘individuality.’
However, I’m not particularly knowledgeable about constellations or celestial bodies, so… the only thing that caught my eye was the one star that shone the biggest and brightest.
In that case—alright, I’ve decided.
Perhaps because it had decided to be gentle with its junior, or perhaps because it had taken a liking to it due to the “star” connection, my strangely cheerful star sword didn’t seem to have any complaints about the name I had conjured in my mind.
With a wry smile, I sheathed the jade blade in my left hand.
Only a few seconds until I hit the ground. It’s only been a little over a minute since the battle started, but a quick glance around showed that things below were already in a massive uproar.
There was zero sense of a dramatic climax, like a hero arriving late… but in that case, let’s at least pull off a flashy reinforcement move, newbie!
Come forth, then. Your name is—
"[Sapphire]."
Just above the ground, wings of night bloomed in response to their master’s naming and call.
The starry sky that overflowed from the shadows took the form of a “dragon.” It scooped up its master, who had descended from the heavens, onto its back, and its massive frame soared high into the air—
“...Is this really the kind of thing one person should be allowed to control?”
As the massive [Stardust Beast] floated in the sky, flapping its great wings… its master, belatedly struck by its sheer presence, trembled with a mix of exasperation.
Far below, visible only to one who looked down upon the “dragon,” was a gleam—the brightest star on its back shone with a deep, clear blue.