kscans

Chapter 220 - On Your Marks, Get Set

Once I got up to full speed, breaking through the upper layers of the containment force wasn't too difficult, so long as I wasn't ambushed by a horde of mages with homing projectiles.

About a hundred seconds after leaving Irori, I completely ignored the scattered skirmishes and flew back to the base—

"What in the world is going on here…?!"

The moment I poked my head out of the maze entrance, the sheer amount of information flooding my vision made me stop in my tracks and let out a bewildered cry.

It was a three-layered structure of different battlefields, all packed together like dumplings.

In the very back, a ridiculously large-scale magic battle was raging, a scene straight out of a textbook definition of 'warfare.' That was probably Mi-na and Ri-na, fighting with all their might.

And if those two were being forced to 'fight with all their might,' I could only assume they were up against an equally massive force. I couldn't tell if there were any allies on their side, but either way, reinforcing that final defensive line was urgent.

…However, blocking the way was the barrier of an [Engage] field, something I myself had experienced twice now. Peeking inside, all I could see was—dust, light, and shockwaves. That was it.

That was it? No, that was insane. What the hell was that… Was there a kaiju rampaging in there or something?

In any case, the source of the 'pressure' I'd been feeling was definitely that. With the maze walls no longer muffling it, the direct force of it was on a completely different level.

My skin was crawling… or it would be. Avatars in Arcadia don't have body hair unless you specifically configure them to, but if this were my real body, I'd probably be experiencing the sensation of every hair standing on end.

—And then, there was this… Um, excuse me… but what in the absolute hell is that even more bizarre scene over there?

"Is this a cult…?"

A lone figure stood tall and defiant, surrounded by many other figures with their heads bowed. From a distance, the scene looked exactly like 'followers prostrating themselves before an absolute being'…

But there was one thing that made it clear that wasn't the case—all the kneeling figures wore expressions of agony as they shouted things like,

"Nngggaaaaah!!"

Or,

"You son of a bitch!!"

Or,

"You bastard, Heavy Tank!!!"

…and other such curses, one after another.

I mean, to put it plainly, it was a scene of utter chaos.

A single 'boy' stood in the center, while a group of what I presumed to be grown men—though they all looked like super handsome fantasy characters—writhed in agony, spewing curses at him. The scene was so hellish it made me want to avert my eyes and turn right back around…

"—Good, you came."

Of course, having rushed here with a purpose, I had no such option—and it seemed my opponent had no intention of letting me go, either.

The boy, who had been staring intently at the combat field in the distance, turned around. His deep, steel-blue eyes, like the ocean depths, pierced straight through me.

His hair was silver—no, the color of dull, shining 'steel.' In contrast to its fluffy, puppy-like texture, his neatly styled hair somehow conveyed a sense of 'weight' to the eye.

He was dressed in leather gear like a light warrior, but his hands and feet were protected by deep green metal armor.

Cradled skillfully in the fingers of his gauntlets, which seemed a bit too large for his small frame, were—a pair of matching twin daggers with heavy, jet-black blades.

"The Heavy Tank…"

"I'm honored you know of me, Haru the Acrobat."

Judging by his charming appearance alone, the boy didn't seem to fit his grandiose title. Uni, the second-ranked member of the Southern Faction, Sotalm, and known as the Heavy Tank, offered a mischievous smile.

I knew about him. I'd done my homework on his general combat style, the abilities of his weapons, and the power of his unique title… which was exactly why this was bad.

That ability… I didn't know about it.

I had no idea what the invisible force was that seemed to be pinning the members of the defense squad to the waterway.

"The info I read didn't mention any magic tricks like this… did it?"

"Well, I'm a player just like everyone else. I grow, and sometimes I even develop a secret trump card or two."

Well, that was a perfectly valid point I couldn't argue with… I suspected it had to do with those daggers.

The Fourth-Tier Anima—[Dual Heavy, Starfall Twin Black Steel].

Either the original abilities of that unique weapon had been kept secret… or it had since become a former Fourth-Tier Anima.

"So, what now?"

As I warily adjusted my footing, the boy, who seemed to be holding down men much larger than himself without any effort, tilted his head as if to ask me what I would do.

"Did you come here to fight me? Or do you have business further inside?"

"You've got some nerve…!!"

His provocative words suited his childlike appearance perfectly, a different kind of 'childishness' than Tetra's…!

I bet there's a certain demand for that type—no, this is no time for stupid thoughts.

"Isn't it obvious? Kindly stay put right there."

My bold declaration to ignore him was met with another mischievous smile… and in addition,

"Don't be so cruel!!"

"Help us, Ninth!!"

"Do you intend to step over our corpses?!"

…and other such overly dramatic, deep-voiced screams.

"Oh, be quiet, you old-timers…! You look like you're having fun, so just stay put and keep him busy for me!"

You guys have to know this is no time for a comedy sketch…!!

"Sorry, but I'm pushing through…!"

[Ignition]—I can't use it. As usual, I'm at full health thanks to the healers I passed on the way here, but still.

Considering what's likely waiting for me up ahead, I need to conserve as much stamina as possible.

In that case… there's no one behind me right now. I'll take this opportunity to get a good running start.

I turned back into the maze and ran straight down the long corridor, then up the wall at the end. I was so used to wall-running now, but if real-world physics were in play, running up a wall so easily, even at high speed, would be impossible.

All hail fantasy, all hail the game engine—and with that, let's go.

The core of my agility-focused build, my passive skills [Rabbit Run] and [Fataless Jumper], activated… and on top of that, I added my own unique ability.

Matoi—just as I was about to take a step that would rival the Sword Saint's own footwork, I saw the boy waiting for me up ahead, a calm smile on his face as he opened his mouth.

If you think you can get through, then give it a try.

His voice didn't reach me, but I could guess what he was saying from his expression.

Bring it on, you bastard. Watch this, Heavy Tank, and while you're at it, so can the rest of the world.

Even if I can't use Shukuchi, even without a bunch of support effects, even without relying on the runaway express train hanging at my waist… it's really a simple matter.

In the end, a full-throttle sprint with the biggest running start I can manage is—the fastest and quickest way to go!!

I've seen the path, I've laid the route, so all that's left is,

"Here—I—GOOOOOOOO!!!"

To take that one, single step.