kscans

Chapter 120 - Guardian's Frost Blade, Endless Sky Dash - Part Four

"This is a manga, you bastard!!"

"It's a game, you moron!!"

We shouted at each other across the fifty-meter gap between the stage and the sky above.

One of us was frantic, the other thrilled. With a strained face and a massive grin, we began a game of tag—or rather, a target-shooting game of ground-to-air combat.

I was darting around the sky, racking up a count by combining Switch Jumps and Bullet Jumps.

And the [Sword Protector] was trying to shoot me down with a super-fast barrage of flying slashes, just like you'd see in a manga or anime. That wasn't in his data!!

"Hahaha! You really are an interesting one!! This is the best!!"

"It must be fun to be the one shooting!!"

This guy's no good, he's more of a battle junkie than I thought...!

And how long can you keep firing those things?! Isn't that a skill?! Unlimited ammo?! No time limit?! This has gotta be a bug, Arcadia!!

I couldn't afford to leisurely hop up and down anymore. I was forced to zip around the sky in every direction, and my various thought processes were overloadinggggg...!!

"Dah—Damn it!!"

The ground is better than the sky at this rate—

"What, are you done already?"

"Don't look so disappointed—Whoa, that was close!!"

Unable to take it anymore, I returned to the stage, only to be instantly closed in on by a blonde shadow.

I dropped flat to the floor, practically sticking to it, and a sword strike pierced the air, just grazing the ends of my floating hair and hood.

"Tch... Bullet!!"

My movement stopped for a moment in the awkward position—but the daggers I desperately threw with one hand were all blocked by the shield of fine ice.

"Enka—"

"Tch... you bastard!"

"—Senjin!!"

"Ggh-Dzaaah!!"

I activated Tremble Slide from a contorted position on my two legs and one hand, and it saved me in the nick of time from the slash of the Frostblade Shirosou as it swept in a full circle.

My body was a mess, and I couldn't control the ridiculously intense inertia. I rolled across the floor with enough force to bounce—and in the corner of my eye, I saw the [Sword Protector] moving in for a follow-up attack.

You don't hold back, do you... It's an honor, Title Holder!!

"Come, [White-Flawed Straight Sword]!!"

I activated Blink Switch and Floating Leaf in parallel.

I grabbed the forward vector created by the swing of my arm and kicked the laws of physics aside with a sudden brake to meet the second strike head-on.

The samurai's eyes widened at the series of acrobatic maneuvers, and my swing clashed with his—

"Guuh... Oah!!"

An overwhelming difference in specs. The blade of [Frostblade Shirosou], one of the top-ranking Anima, sent both me and my [White-Flawed Straight Sword], which was nothing more than a baby's toy in comparison, flying.

I knew it, but I don't stand a chance...! Sorry, partner, you're on standby for this one...!

Apologizing for the benching, I sent my own Anima to my inventory—Alright, the cooldown's up, activating Flip Stroke!!

"It's a ten-second acrobatics show... if you think you can keep up."

I pulled the trigger on [Panga Fool]. My HP, which had been chipped away throughout our exchange, finally entered the red zone—

"Then come and get me...!"

A dance of Bullets—the stage was once again filled with a swarm of crimson.

The skill's effect was uncontrollable, launching the crimson daggers at a speed equivalent to a full-power throw—and my avatar, having outrun the crimson lightning, raced across that sea of footholds.

"—...This is..."

Throw, run, jump, stomp, hurl, dash.

With my prized legs at full throttle, I began a super-high-speed circular motion around the [Sword Protector], who had stopped in his tracks as if taken aback.

It wasn't just a simple, linear rotation. It was a spiral ring, bouncing up and down irregularly, drawing a surface rather than a line—he must have given up on chasing me. The samurai stood still with his sword lowered, but a confident smile remained on his face.

"And? What can you do with that?"

I had no words to offer in response to his provocative taunt.

I'm in the middle of preparing that right now. Just stand there and wait!!

In a high-speed world where I was no longer being chased, I used my free hand to switch weapons one after another, accumulating a count.

Before long, a faint, pale blue light effect began to glow on my right arm—ten seconds.

The effect of Flip Stroke wore off, and the barrage of daggers that had constantly formed my footholds ceased.

"...Is that the end?"

As I came to a dead stop, the [Sword Protector] smiled as if to say, "That was a good show."

"—Not a chance."

In response, I, who he probably thought was out of options, gave him a deliberately fearless smile... and gripped the hilt of the short sword at my waist.

He had seen me shatter it myself—it was broken from the middle. He must have been wondering what I could possibly do with a broken weapon.

"—...!"

His eyes widened at the sight of the flawless crimson blade that I drew.

"This is where the finale begins."

Explosive Rabbit—triggered by the shattering sound of the twice-broken [Rabbit Dagger: Parabellum], the more than one hundred Bullets scattered across the stage detonated.

Partly because of what happened at the start of the match, it must have been a pure reflex action. The samurai instantly took a defensive stance, but the crimson fragments wouldn't have reached him even if he hadn't.

Even if they were described as high-density mana clumps, the weapon derived from materialized Ruby Rabbit Demon Horn unfortunately dealt physical damage.

It couldn't break through the barrier of [Frostblade Shirosou]—I knew that all too well.

That's why this was just a diversion. Nothing more than a way to buy time so I could escape back into the sky.

As expected, I was caught in the aftershock of the Explosive Rabbit myself... but the [El-Gran Series] crafted by the Indigo Girl certainly saved my life.

Looking down from far above, my avatar's superhuman vision caught the [Sword Protector] muttering something as he looked up, having confirmed that I had disappeared from in front of him.

I was about two hundred meters up. Having run up the staircase I laid for myself in a single breath, I couldn't hear his words... but there was no need for any more back-and-forth.

My count accumulation was at its max. Whether I cried or laughed, the preparations for a final blow were complete—then there was only one weapon to call.

Isn't that right? It was supposed to be your grand debut on a big stage—you can't end this with a big swing-and-a-miss, being looked down on!!

"[Prologue: Wedge Fragment Singing of Eternity (An=Re Galta)]!!"

In my right hand, I summoned the monstrous greatsword—

Come to think of it, this all started because I was instigated by 'her'.

The one who entrusted this Narrator's Armament to me, its wielder.

The one who picked me up when I was a no-name causing a ruckus, a true benefactor.

That's what my exclusive magic artisan—my one and only weaver—wants.

To kick all the rabble to the curb!!!

"Manifestation Release—!!"

It was the second phase, a transition permitted only to the five Terror Armaments in the world.

The keyword I shouted as I began to fall was acknowledged by the system, and by the [Prologue: Wedge Fragment Singing of Eternity (An=Re Galta)]—and its massive, iron-lump-like blade shattered with a roar-like crash.

As fragments grazed my cheek, I narrowed my eyes. What appeared in my vision was a withered, shrunken remnant of a sword, so unreliable it was hard to believe it came from the original weapon.

I recognized the white scar.

A remnant of a past life-or-death battle left on the blade—and from it, light overflowed.

Its form was different,

Its brilliance was different,

But the figure that displayed its majesty—

The greatsword of golden, shimmering light was undeniably the martial might of the legendary [Sword King]—!!

...Well, I can see your face clearly now—so what'll you do, Lord [Sword Protector]?

Dodge it, receive it, or shoot it down? As I held the golden greatsword that far exceeded my own height, my gaze pressed him for a choice—

"Tch—...!"

He laughed, a vicious smile that sent shivers down my spine.

He gripped his sword with both hands, and a dazzling silver light dwelled within its blade.

Ah, I really...—I believed in you, Eastern Ranker (Battle Junkie)!!

"I'll take you on—show me what you've got, rookie!!!"

"—You're on, Sword Protector!!"

Activating Exchange Voltate!!

The fully accumulated count became a torrent of pale blue that mixed with gold—and a raging platinum phosphorescence drew a single contrail across the sky.

Added to the velocity of my fall from the sky was the weight of the [Prologue: Wedge Fragment Singing of Eternity (An=Re Galta)], still pressing down on my whole body even after shattering.

My body, scattering light as it accelerated, descended upon the stage like a meteor.

And—

"Rinka—"

"Overturn—"

A single slash of silver met me.

A giant flash of gold challenged it.

"—Ittou!!"

"—[Angalta, God-Wedge Spirit Sword]!!!"

The clash of brilliance was over in an instant.

The gold that touched the silver devoured the [Sword Protector]'s strike as if melting snow.

The fine ice protecting his body evaporated like water before scorching heat.

And so, the spirit sword, dwelling with the lingering light of the king, scattered the silver light and, along with the frost blade, sliced the samurai's avatar in two with a single blow as a satisfied smile crossed his lips.

---

Q. Why didn't he dodge?

A. Pride.