Chapter 599 - The Inciter of the Silver Screen
"—Ugh, oh…!"
The visual effect was extremely subtle.
But for a moment, a violet effect certainly streaked across the surface of my body (avatar), and at the same time… the change that occurred within was so immense that it warranted an involuntary cry.
I pride myself on being far more accustomed than others to sudden fluctuations in my status values for various reasons. In turn, that means the fact that even I couldn't hide my surprise proves that the degree of this 'fluctuation' was truly 'off the charts.'
"...Well, as expected of the [Sword Saint]'s disciple. This 'march' doesn't seem to affect you much."
"No, um, it's totally affecting me…!"
The degree to which my 'status' instantly swelled… feels like it's soared to a level far beyond double. Lord [Screen], seeing my reaction, says something absurd in a somewhat bored tone, but honestly, I'm afraid to move.
Of course, if it were simply my stats getting a massive boost, I could handle it out of familiarity, not only because of my partner's [Scareless], but also because I have various means of boosting them myself.
However.
"This is… definitely impossible to deal with on a first encounter…!"
If other changes are simultaneously robbing my avatar of its 'power,' then it's a different story.
[Invertia (Tongue of the Inciter)]—an ultra-rare category among the already scarce body-integrated types… a bizarre Fourth Tier Anima colloquially known as the 'Magic Tongue.'
Its enshrined power is the establishment of rules.
The effective range includes all who recognize the existence of its user, [Screen].
The effect targets everyone indiscriminately and forcibly, regardless of whether they are friend or foe.
—In other words, it's a strategic-level map weapon that affects the entire battlefield where Yurayura-shi is present.
This is, without a doubt, the reason they have consistently abstained from participating in the 'Four Pillar War'… or rather, have been exercising self-restraint. It is an extremely bizarre and lawless power.
The rule-setting applies to the three types of 'power' granted to players by the system: 'Status,' 'Skills,' and 'Magic.' While 'Magic' could broadly be classified as a type of skill, it would be tactless to point that out, as I can somehow grasp the nuance of it being a separate category.
The power of [Invertia] is to seal two of these three and strengthen the remaining one. While simple to express in words, the impact of this change, including its 'entire battlefield' effective range, can only be described as catastrophic.
For example, what would happen with [Zel Celeste Zeatese], which is currently active—lawlessness part one, which more than doubles 'Status' values in exchange for sealing the other two, 'Skills' and 'Magic'?
The answer is simple.
Mages, whose entire arsenal would be wiped out, would be rendered effectively combat-incapable, as would the vast majority of players, when deprived of the miraculous power (skills) that are fundamentally ingrained in combat in this game.
Furthermore, even for the handful of players like the [Sword Saint] who can achieve monstrous combat movements with stats alone, the super-enhancement would assault their bodies in the form of a drastic change. One can only imagine how difficult it would be to react instantaneously.
And the same applies to me.
[Rega-Lielta], which I've managed to incorporate into my control, wild as it is; [Goma Soten], the cornerstone for mastering my superhuman high-speed movements; and [Trickster of Zenith], which has been a pillar in the shadows with its subtly excellent passive effects—
If all of those were sealed and only my status values were forcibly boosted to explosive levels, there's no way I could possibly control that on the fly.
...And so.
"W-wait a sec, senpai. This is tougher than I imagined, seriously, this is bad, wait, time, time out, I can't move, this is scary, scary, scary…!"
"I see. Get used to it—Alright, I'm switching. Next up is skills."
"I'm telling you to wait!"
And there are two more patterns of this. The difficulty of dealing with them is only going to skyrocket.
And so, a few seconds later.
It goes without saying that I completely lost control of my avatar due to [Rega-Lielta], which had all its powers super-enhanced and went on a暴走爆走大激走.
Since my stats were sealed, I didn't go flying off at the speed of sound, but… that was a tragedy in its own right.
My figure, writhing and struggling endlessly on the floor, was undoubtedly a 'pathetic sight that should not be seen by others.'
I was so glad I didn't bring Sora-san with me.
◇◆◇◆◇
"—This is just too lawless…"
"Yeah, it's a boring power, isn't it?"
And so, thirty minutes later.
My body is dead tired after desperately working to 'memorize' while experiencing the three types of 'rules' one after another. As I lie on the training room floor and mutter my impression, Lord [Screen], who spat out the words with an expression as bored as death itself, gave a casual laugh.
It's glaringly obvious that it wasn't directed at me.
However, in Yurayura-shi's case, it didn't seem to be disappointment or anything of the sort towards an unwanted power, but rather a judgment of something they simply had no interest in as 'boring,' as if it were someone else's problem.
The prior information that they had no interest in fighting seems to have been completely true.
I won't say, 'Even though they're in the combat-focused Eastern Faction…'. If I start saying that, Tetra, another ranker, is much the same, and my master, the [Sword Saint]-sama, is also indifferent to fighting itself—and most of all, there's my partner.
Sora-san may be dashing across battlefields with vigor now, but she doesn't 'want to fight'; she's just 'enjoying moving her body to the fullest.'
As a result, she's been eager to fight since we met, and what's more, she's probably just being pulled along to battlefields by me, the one she happened to meet.
The 'Blessing of Conflict' granted by choosing Istia… in reality, the main benefit it encompasses is not the 'upward correction of combat skill effects.'
What's considered important is the 'Early Blooming' that aids in endless growth.
In conventional games, especially those that involve pursuing strength, this type of skill is destined to be shunned or deemed unnecessary by hardcore players.
Why? Because it eventually becomes a useless placeholder.
In many… or rather, most games, there is a limit to a character's growth. There's a line for levels, stats, and so on, where the gods (the system) declare, "You can't grow any further."
So that's what it comes down to. If it's something that will become unnecessary in the not-too-distant future… especially if it's something you can't re-select, players won't willingly reach for it.
But what about in this world, Arcadia?
In a dream world where there is likely no limit to personal growth, and where you can endlessly push towards the sky as long as you don't stop… —that benefit will never become 'unnecessary.'
It's something I've belatedly realized after being immersed in Arcadia for nearly half a year.
The contradictory blessing that Istia prides itself on, 'Endless Early Blooming,' is, in a sense, arguably the most broken ability among the four factions.
For players like Yurayura-shi and Tetra, who want to travel the virtual world solo and at their own pace, it could even be said to be a human-rights-level benefit.
Increased growth speed is often a cheat skill in isekai stories, after all.
"Huh? What is it?"
"Oh, it's nothing."
So, if anything, they are very Istian-like. It seems that there are quite a few Istians who are not battle junkies and have little interest in fighting.
"Well then, I'm off. Do your best to think of countermeasures—… though, from the looks of it, you seem like you could come up with something right now."
"You're overestimating me."
"Hah, everyone in the East is a monster."
'You're one to talk'—I resist the urge to say it, having declared thirty minutes ago that I wouldn't be cheeky anymore. Pestering this type of person too much is a recipe for being disliked.
The skill to maneuver so perfectly on the stage of [Invertia], where even the user is inevitably caught up in the rules, was truly on par with a 'monster.'
"See ya."
"Yep. See you later."
My parting greeting and the hand I waved casually were met with the same dead-serious silent treatment… —or so I thought, but as they operated the system window to initiate teleportation.
They unnaturally shook the hand they had raised, gave an awkward response, and left without a word. Watching Lord [Screen] go… I had one final thought, not about their ability, but about them as a person.
"Hmm, a tsundere."
Again and again, they seemed like someone who would be fun to get along with.