kscans

Chapter 381 - The White Journey Unburdened, Part Five

The moment the towering, endless white walls appeared, several things happened at once.

The effect of [Scareless] that had been residing in my avatar vanished.

Sora's presence, which had been linked to me through the golden chains of [Twaibolt Mirari], was lost, and the STR stat-sharing effect disappeared along with it.

Furthermore, the status bars of my party members in the corner of my vision lost their color, turning an unfamiliar shade of gray and freezing in place…

It didn't take a genius to figure out what the grotesquely transformed [White Throne] had done.

"We've been had…!"

First 'Forced Teleportation,' now 'Spatial Isolation'… most likely, the players around the ten avatars were pulled in and separated—no, that's not right. The numbers are down.

There should have been a considerable number of players around the last two clones, yet when I look around this space, I can count the number of people on two hands.

Eleven… exactly one-tenth of the one hundred and ten raid members. The game has graciously provided all the clues needed to imagine the full scope of this gimmick.

Basically, we were probably sorted by proximity or something like that.

We've fallen into a trap—that much is certain. Which means there's only one thing to do. I have to crush this thing as fast as possible and open a path back to my allies.

"[Construction]."

Stowing away the now-unconnected shields, I summoned a gleaming jade blade to my right hand. With white in my left and green in my right, I kicked off the ground and charged forward, a single shadow joining me in stride.

It was a strange feeling. Not only was this the first time we'd fought side-by-side, but we had never even practiced coordinating our attacks—

Yet without a word or even a glance, we understood each other's movements as if we were holding them in our hands.

The 'white' avatar, now clad in 'red' and swollen in size, trembled and let out a furious roar without even opening its mouth. The eerie cry was clearly different from the strangely serene one it had before.

Its agility, judging by its increased mass and sluggish movements as it took a thunderous step forward… has probably dropped to somewhere between that of the main body and the split avatars.

From the way it cracked the ground just by stepping, it was safe to assume its physical strength had skyrocketed.

And as the monster clearly took a charging stance, a fresh wave of crimson tentacles erupted from the 'hole' on its back—the gaping black void from which the 'red' had first poured out—

Alright then, so that's how we're dividing the roles.

[Rocket] activated. With twin blades in hand, I soared through the air, systematically severing the countless tentacles at their roots as they emerged.

The translucent 'red' that failed to become a barrage writhed unnervingly before dissipating into mist.

"[Forte Rouge]."

In the instant before the 'white' one could take its second step, a small shadow leaped before it—and just as curiously, changed its color from white to red. She swung down a 'sword' of mythic proportions.

『——————————』

A roar and a shockwave tore through the earth, and a distorted scream echoed from the massive body as it was slammed to the ground.

Controlling my body as it was buffeted by the blast of wind with a mid-air touch from [Hare Real]… another [Rocket]. I cut down the bundle of tentacles that were sprouting endlessly once more on my way back.

I then swooped in and hooked my arm around the 'Princess's' body as she hung in the air—just as a volley of layered magic spells rained down on the prone 'white' one.

It seemed there was no need to worry about morale. Excellent.

"How's it feel?"

"It hit. But it's incomparably tougher than before."

"I see. In that case—"

"Yes, I agree—"

Releasing Ashe as I landed, we stood side-by-side again, facing the enemy.

Scorched by explosions and struck by lightning, yet still showing no visible wounds. The massive body rose sluggishly, trembling with rage.

""—We'll slice it to ribbons.""

As we both took a step forward, our shared fighting spirit held not a single shred of fear.

Leaving the role of damage dealer to Ashe, I raced ahead, my task being to handle the barrage of projectiles, just as I had in the second phase.

Fortunately, unlike the first stage, it didn't seem to be creating any turrets. The rain of tentacles it unleashed from its own body was, in terms of sheer numbers, just barely manageable.

No, I'm exaggerating. To be precise… it was a massive barrage that was right at my absolute limit. Something I could just barely pretend to see through.

Cutting them at the root was one thing, but trying to knock them down one by one after they spread out was too much. With my link to Tetra severed, my [Foresight] had long since clocked out.

What to do… No choice. I can't think of anything else.

I sheathed [Alv Stella], which for some reason had lost its light and seemed to have lost all motivation. While fending off the swarm of tentacles that rushed me as I pushed forward, I switched [Samidorizuki] to my empty left hand—if you're going with 'red,' then I'll meet you with 'crimson'!

I drew [Parabellum Bullet] with my right hand and drove it straight into my own heart. A faint shattering sound echoed. My unbound hair tickled my neck.

I carelessly played my one-time death-avoidance card… activating [Desperate Crimson].

Through my widened vision, I instantly 'memorized' everything I saw. I'd think about it later—the post-mortem analysis could wait until after I'd made my run!

"Heeeeeeere………… I GO!"

Scattering crimson phosphorescence, I charged.

I kicked away one that grazed my side and cleaved a volley coming straight at me in two with the jade blade in my left. Activating [Flip Stroke], I used a single pinky finger, freed from the crimson sword in my right, to return a rain of blades to the barrage approaching from below. Then, after a backflip and a septuple axel, I sliced through the 'red' that was closing in from all directions.

Escaping up or down wouldn't change the density of enemy fire. So, I just had to push forward—I had a reliable blade in each hand, and as long as I moved my right or left according to instinct and memory, I could intercept them.

Forward.

Forward, forward.

Forward, forward, forward… straight ahead.

If you keep moving forward without fear—this is how you can reach your destination.

Kesshiki Ittoryu, Tenth Strike, revised.

"————[Reaping Lightning]!"

On the back I had reached with my two legs, I unleashed a blade of lightning that streaked sideways. The flashing jade sword roared, and with a blade that should have been far too short,

I mowed down the bundle of innumerable rising 'red' tentacles in a single slash.

"Ashe!"

From white to red, red to white, and now… from white to blue.

"[Ventus Bluea]."

The next moment, a flash of blue and silver shot through the path I had cleared.

Her blue (speed) was different from mine, which focused on omnidirectional mobility. Her steps were solely for one purpose—to run straight ahead and deliver a single, god-speed strike.

"Wake up."

It was both a call and a key phrase. A voice that roused the 'proof' that had been forced upon her, whether she liked it or not.

And yet, the 'sword' which conveyed a faint, whisper-like tremor to her hand,

"————Hmph…!"

Obeying its one and only master, it carved its blade deep into the great wall that stood in its way.