Chapter 739 - Mi-na and Ri-na
As I suspected, that sword wasn't some unstoppable force with absolutely no openings. It was obvious, but I let out a breath, having safely confirmed it… or so I thought.
"More… coming!"
"Heeeyaaah!!"
I didn't even have a moment for that, not behind the deadpan expression I forced myself to wear.
The effect was merely less potent than against others; it was still a special counter. To prevent the [Acrobat]—who wielded what was currently Arcadia's absolute solution to anything magical—from getting close, I had to dedicate far more mental resources than before.
And this was a tag match. There was another opponent I couldn't take my eyes off of.
"Whoa, that's bad—nice one, Ri-na-chaaan!!!"
The draft was finished in time. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, the final version was layered over it without a hint of lag. The wind she drew forth swept away and deflected the fiery explosions that had erupted in every direction.
Hinayo's Anima, [Nova Rescellerate, Mirror Illuminating Six Stars], could produce two phenomena. The first was igniting an arbitrary space. The second was a grand technique that simultaneously functioned as a finisher and a buff, using that ability to radiate the heat stored in her guns and elevate her stage. The latter's threat was immense, capable of easily felling the average raid boss. And the former—this—was far too powerful to be called a minor move, making it utterly terrifying in its own right.
As its name implied, the ignition coordinates were designated by her gaze and were limited to spaces with a certain amount of room. In other words, directly making a target go boom was impossible; she had to catch them in the blast, leaving a chance to defend… but that was it. The wind-up was a single movement of her eyes, the tell was subtle, and there were no openings in its activation speed, firepower, or frequency. It was a power that could prove fatal to any and all enemies.
And she could do all this, all on her own. Honestly, even now, I don't think that crown has truly been passed down—
"Focus!"
"Tch…!"
It's a bad habit I can't seem to shake. My processing speed is nothing special compared to my partner's, and on top of that, I can't filter out extraneous thoughts. I was on the verge of slowing my response time when she called me back.
It's always like this. So frustrating.
We've been together since we were born. At this point, I don't really think about comparing myself to the person who's like the other half of my soul… but still.
Five hundred additional magic barrages to draw. Split them fifty-fifty.
"Whoa, you're really going for it! As expected!"
At the very least, I'll try my best to maintain the outward appearance of being her equal.
◇◆◇◆◇
She's thinking about all sorts of things again, even at a time like this. It was plain as day.
The partner next to her, who prided herself on being the only person in the world who could accurately read the thoughts behind that languid, expressionless face, allowed a faint smile to touch her lips as she stole a glance at Ri-na's profile.
They'd been together since birth. At this point, she didn't feel the need to say anything to the person who was like the other half of her soul… but still, the day Ri-na became self-aware of her own talents seemed frustratingly distant.
It wasn't a matter of how fast her mind worked. It was that she was always, always, always overthinking things—and that, right there, was none other than her greatest strength.
She could line up a jumble of disjointed thoughts. In other words, it wasn't processing speed, but a different kind of parallel capacity. That was a magnificent talent in its own right—one that she, Mi-na, didn't possess.
By extension, it was an imagination and spontaneity that allowed her to draw all sorts of illusions. She was confident she wouldn't lose in the latter department, but the former was a point of complete superiority for Ri-na.
That's why all she could do was laugh. It was anyone's guess when the two of them would finally be able to place true trust in themselves, even if one of them was currently showing signs of improvement.
Ah, wait. Not two of them, but three. It was strange how their self-evaluations were all over the place. Ri-na-chan, that guy, and Yurayura-san.
It wasn't so much that they got along… but it was only natural that Ri-na, consciously or not, would gravitate toward them. She must feel at ease, since they were kindred spirits at their core.
That was fine. It wasn't a bad thing. Neither of them were bad people in the slightest, so she could get as attached to them as she wanted. They didn't seem like the type to look at her with improper intentions, either, so it was perfectly safe.
…But still, that was that, and this was this.
"—H-Huh? Wha…"
She's mine. She pulled her partner—her other half, so identical it was almost absurd—into an embrace. Her partner’s confused voice was understandable. If she were to ask what I was doing in the middle of a battle, she'd be absolutely right.
But behold, world! Isn't Ri-na-chan adorable, trying so hard to maintain her downer, expressionless persona while being all surprised and confused, all while desperately trying to focus on the fight?
And while we're at it, I'll show you that she's not just cute, but amazing too.
"Ri-na-chan, think you can do… that?"
"——… …………"
I'm not confident.
The words and feelings that echoed into her connected mind were exactly what she'd expected.
"Aww, and I'm right here with you?"
Letting another smile slip, she tossed out what seemed like nonsense to any onlookers… but was, in fact, a taunt that perfectly poked at her partner's weak spot.
There was no way it wouldn't resonate, no way she wouldn't respond. For them, who had built a bond of trust and affection so deep it was almost sinful, a bond that could never be broken—
"…………………………I'll… try."
"Heehee! That's what I like to hear!"
One person's will…
"One." "…Two." "Three." "Four."
"Linking."
"Layering."
""—Weaving a reality.""
…was the will of two.
And so, a figure armed with a single sakura blossom and a swarm of pursuing magic bullets. A tempest of continuous explosions and a roaring wind that deflected them. The stage had descended into a chaotic entanglement of these two poles… and at its center.
"—Huh?"
"—Eh?"
It was, without a doubt, a desperate struggle. Yet, the [Acrobat] and [Heat Gaze], chief among all onlookers, couldn't help but be captivated for a moment, letting out dumbfounded questions.
There, a form known to every Arcadia player appeared… a misshapen lump of stone.