kscans

Chapter 227 - Connecting and Weaving

"—…Excuse me, I need to confirm this… Are you serious?"

While advancing toward the base, lagging behind her two juniors, Hinayo received an order from the commander, who had apparently just escaped a crisis. The order was so outrageous that she couldn't help but question it.

In response, the same unwavering 'Yes' was conveyed—and understanding that this was no joke, she let out a heavy sigh.

"You know, Goldow… If that was your plan from the start, I would have appreciated a heads-up."

A slightly accusatory tone slipped into her voice, but she felt she had the right. As a team united to win, if they were going to make a 'gamble' mid-battle… especially a high-stakes one that could decide the outcome, sharing that information should have been mandatory.

"Honestly…—Understood, Commander. You take care of things on your end, too."

Even if—it was a meaningful… and more importantly, a fun-looking scheme that no one would have objected to.

He must have been swamped after just returning to his command duties, as the telepathy line cut off right after she confirmed her 'Roger'—and at that very moment.

"…Alright, then. Now that I have something to look forward to later…"

Glancing at the pillar of light in the distance that signified the defeat of a ranker, Hinayo muttered to herself and turned on her heel without hesitation.

Her feet, which had been hurrying to reinforce the besieged base, were now pointed in a different direction. On the face of the lady whose elegant dress was reflected in the water's surface—

"I think I'll go on a rampage—over here in the maze."

—a playful smile, truly befitting a ranker of Istia, appeared.

◇◆◇◆◇

"—Wait a minute, are you serious?"

After a 'fierce battle' that made him grimace at the memory of his own confident boasts, Tetra had just managed to defeat Full Auto and was catching his breath. Leaning against a wall in hiding, he questioned the outrageous order from his commander with a tone of disbelief.

In response, the same unwavering 'Yes' was conveyed—and understanding that this was no joke, the boy offered a silent prayer for the fate of his 'senior.'

"Well, yeah, okay… Understood. You've already earned more than enough to silence any complaints, so I guess it's fine. No matter how it turns out."

He couldn't hide his exasperation at such a massive 'gamble,' but… such an interesting proposal would have been carried out whether he was told in advance or not.

Considering his responsibility as a commander, it should have been grounds for reprimand—but the kind of people who came to the Four Pillar War from the East were the type to kick responsibility to the curb and delight in a surprise.

And fortunately, Tetra, who usually couldn't quite get into the East's vibe—

"Well, good luck on your end—I'll look forward to the after-party."

—especially today, having been influenced by a certain someone… could smile and think it wasn't so bad after all.

◇◆◇◆◇

"—I see. Understood."

"Dammit…! This guy's so confident he's started taking calls!"

"Hang in there, Ricky…! Just holding your own against Twin Fists is a huge achievement…!"

Genkotsu, who had been causing a stir in a corner of the battlefield against two rankers from the Northern Faction, Nortalia, simply replied with a single 'Roger' to the order from his commander that had just come in after a long silence…

"[Truth Dream]."

"Hey!? He just went into serious mode without any warning!?"

"H-hang in there, Ricky…! If we can hold him here, we'll be the heroes!"

Delighting in the performance of the newcomer he had high hopes for, he cracked an awkward smile—

"Let's go."

—and with a hard expression that belied his good mood, he began his 'trampling.'

◇◆◇◆◇

"—Are you stupid!? You have to be stupid! Idiot, idiot, idiot!"

"Left, quickly."

"I'm trying!"

In the middle of an endless magical firefight that left her breathless, wondering when it would ever end, an outrageous order came from the commander who had apparently been successfully rescued. Mi-na, in her anger, had lost her vocabulary.

A prompt from the ever-composed Ri-na came flying, but… even her face was now showing signs of unconcealable fatigue.

"I mean, it's getting tough to 'maintain' this, but…! Huh? Are you serious? Are you seriously telling us to do that!?"

She kicked aside the loose rule of "no questioning orders unless it's an emergency," and because this was indeed an emergency, she questioned the validity of the order presented.

In response, the same unwavering 'Yes' was conveyed—and understanding that this was no joke,

"Mi-na."

"…Oh, for crying out loud."

Before she could complain further—she saw her partner's outstretched left hand and, with resignation, let out a deep, deep sigh.

"Looks like Ri-na-chan is all fired up now…—I'm not stopping you anymore, so get all the defenders out of here quick… Huh? They're already gone? I'm going to sentence every single one of those guys to expulsion from the Mi-na and Ri-na fan club…!"

Muttering curses at the foolish men, she continued to shoot down the countless spells that rained down even as she conversed via telepathy—

Small hands joined, slender fingers intertwined… and,

"—[Mi-Helnaria, Brush of Manifestation]."

"—[Ri-Zelnataku, Brush of Dream-Drawing]."

A single, massive crown, formed from two parts, manifested above the girls' heads.

And that, was—

"'One.'"

"'Two.'"

"'Three.'"

"'Four.'"

"'Lined up,'"

"'Layered,'"

""'The truth that is woven.'""

—the brilliant light that announced the activation of the virtual world's highest-power artillery.

"'The offering of the first fire.'"

"'The embrace of the wind.'"

""'The kindling that is fed spins and turns, passing through black.'""

""'Through and through, transparent is the diamond bridge.'""

Their identical voices sometimes split, sometimes merged, melting together so perfectly that perhaps even the system could not tell them apart—

"'You who swallows light, sees heat, and hears time are the king of jewels.'"

"'Eternity has arrived, gathering all longing upon itself.'"

""'Now, let your first cry be heard—shine.'""

"'Shine brightly.'"

"'Shine brilliantly!'"

"'Shine crimsonly!'"

""'Far, far, far away, to the unseen beyond'—!""

And so, the poem was woven.

At some point, the feathers they held in their hands had transformed into great wings of crimson and azure… and in the center of a raging torrent of magical power that violently stirred the water—

The 'two little mages' summoned a 'magic' befitting their name.

"With twin wings—"

"Here, we draw—Are you ready, Goldow?!!"

There was no need for restraint, no use for it, no possibility of it.

—Following the order to 'do it, even if it hits yourselves,' what was unleashed was indiscriminate devastation.

As if eagerly awaiting the declaration of activation, from before the girls to the distant maze entrance… and even to the passage beyond.

Seeing the surface of the water begin to glow with a dazzling light—the desperate barrage of spells that had been fired to stop their 'chant' came to a sudden halt.

Straight ahead, the nearly hundred players all wore expressions of despair and resignation… and also, a certain kind of 'excitement.' Acknowledging this,

""Ready, set!""

A defiant grin and a small smile. With different expressions, the twin wings were swung in unison—

""[Clearevales Diamond Road]—!!""

—and an unparalleled 'grand magic' was drawn upon the virtual world.