kscans

Chapter 308 - The Heroic Tale of Two, Part Four

"A fusion...?"

"Not quite, I think...?"

Even as I refuted Sora's murmur, I tilted my head with a similar expression, unable to come up with an answer for what that was.

Its actions, what they signified... If I had to describe the former, then—yeah, a parts swap?

The white one suddenly snapped its greatsword as if to break it, and the weapon dissolved into particles of light, instantly forming a new right arm for the now-whole blue one.

In return, the blue one handed its twin swords to the white one and resumed the unarmed stance it had shown me before—

"Um, Haru..."

"Yeah, I get it. This isn't just a simple case of their colors mixing..."

—it couldn't be. As if to affirm our fears, the pair of [Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King] underwent yet another change.

The four magic swords floating in the air dissolved into light, only to reform into a golden chain.

Its ends coiled around the white one's right arm and the blue one's left... Was it a shackle? Or something else entirely? Whatever it was, the mysterious object vanished as if melting into the empty air.

""...""

I have no idea. I have absolutely no idea what's going on... but one thing is certain.

"...I'll push it back."

"...Okay, I'll hold it down."

More so than before—I had a bad feeling about letting them coordinate.

"We go on 'go.'"

"Please give the countdown."

Our roles were reversed from the start of the battle.

I would pin it down, and Sora would split the battlefield.

"—3,"

Activating [Whirlwind].

"—2,"

I clenched and opened my left armored fist.

"—1,"

Our eyes met, devoid of any fear.

"—GO!"

At the key word, we kicked off the ground in unison—I took two steps ahead and reached my left hand back.

"Rea—"

"—dy!"

Sora grabbed my hand without hesitation. There was absolutely no lag between us until I committed to the throw.

My left arm, enhanced by [An=Ru Galta (Hypothesis: Armor Singing of the King's Road)], exerted strength beyond my stats, and the raging storm blew at our backs—

The girl shot through the air like a cannonball. And then,

"—[Dreißig]!"

It was an unorthodox maneuver that likely even the armored knight couldn't have predicted. The true master of the magic sword closed the distance in an instant, pressed her hand against the white knight's breastplate, and unleashed—

—a point-blank barrage of massive sand swords that dwarfed her small frame.

Swept away like driftwood in a torrent, the white knight was naturally pursued by the blue one—but it noticed the shadow falling over it. It looked up to see a different white figure.

Yo, blue guy. You got your arm back, but now you're short a hand, huh?

In that case—

"—Think you can take this?!"

I activated [Fatal Leak]—and slammed my fist on the ignition switch in my mind.

I summoned crimson [Parabellum Bullets] to both hands and launched myself with everything I had.

"[Rocket]!"

If you can't hold back, then you just don't have to. That's all there is to it.

I focused on going full-power from the very start. Combining my predictive eye, which could now see over thirty seconds into the future, with the gift of 'Memory'—if I just try hard enough to die, I'll manage somehow!

...Or so my master said.

Now, anyone got a problem with the invincible Sword Saint's logic? Speak up. No one? Didn't think so.

Then allow me to demonstrate—Kesshiki Ittoryu, Seventh Strike - Modified.

My original technique, also known as Infinite [Seven Stars], provisionally named—

"—[Kiraboshi]!"

The moment I pushed off, all sight and sound vanished.

Seven flashes in an instant, countless in a second.

My only guides were the sensation of the crimson blades striking the enemy and the path of memory etched into my virtual brain.

I could no longer tell how my own arms and legs were moving—but 'if you can do it, you can do it, so do it' is our style's motto!

I don't know if I'm swinging after I jump or jumping after I swing, but as long as it's effective, that's all that matters.

No matter how meaningless my vision became, the UI would never betray a player.

The sight of its ten-layered HP bar being brutally shaved down was all the proof I needed that this inhuman maneuver was working as a 'technique'—

"Tch—"

Even as static ran through my mind, which was fully committed to the high-speed maneuver, my rampaging avatar couldn't stop on a dime. My head, numb from the all-out exertion, screamed warnings at the sudden sense of wrongness—

'—'

A white haze spread out, obscuring the blue figure in my fading vision.

And as if to paint over it, a new, crimson 'attack prediction line' filled my sight.

—Ah, I really can't look cool, can I?

A golden light overwrote all the unknown 'dangers' that had just flashed before my eyes—so I activated [Floating Leaf].

With my top speed possibly approaching the sound barrier, I used the ridiculously cheap vector manipulation to throw all logic and momentum onto the floor.

The soles of my studded [Stake Boots of the Meteor Serpent] slid across the field, gouging it and sending sparks flying—and my partner, who caught me at the end, thrust her sword into the floor, brilliantly dispersing the remaining inertia.

And then, my vision returned.

Beyond Sora, I could see the white knight, having just swung its twin swords.

I didn't understand the situation or what it meant, but once again, only one thing was certain.

Damn it, we're in a huge pinch right off the bat—

"Shine."

But well, that's my partner for you.

Unlike me, who always has a 'jump in first, think later' style,

"—[Arcturus Aurum, Woven Garment of Golden Brilliance]!"

Her every move is always the best possible one, born from careful consideration.

---

◇ A Daily Conversation Between a Certain Master and Disciple ◇

"If you cannot control your output and end up crashing into walls or the ground,"

"Yes."

"Then perhaps you should simply keep changing direction before that happens."

"Pardon?"

"If you cannot hold back, then you simply shouldn't from the start."

"I-If that's... I mean..."

"Let's just run at full power, from one to ten."

"If... if I could do that, then sure, I guess..."

"Then let's try it—until you can."

".................................................Yes, ma'am."