kscans

Chapter 392 - Dawn Breaks White, a Funeral Song for a New Beginning, Part Six

"—! Haru! Iris-san! Give me twenty seconds!"

The movements of the 'white' one were completely different from the being that existed 'on the surface'—deceptively fast and sharp for its massive size.

As her two party members fought it to a standstill, creating a stalemate that seemed like a joke, Sora yelled her plea. They responded not with words, but with even greater acceleration.

"Area Designation—… Restriction, lifted!"

The two swords flashed, bands of light danced wildly, and the colossal body flew about. With that otherworldly battlefield as a starting point, the sand swords flying through the air began to stab into the great basin one after another, drawing a massive circle.

Just a little more, a little further—and then, the circle was complete.

"[Territory Construction]…! Here I go!"

In that instant, as if they had planned it from the start.

The two, without even looking back, read the girl's intent and charged the 'white' one from the left and right… and above and below the pinned white dragon, a spark ignited.

The area within the circle drawn by the swords was a domain ruled by the 'Master of the Magic Sword'—which meant that right now, all the space within her sight was an extension of her fingertips, from which she could birth her blades.

"—[Riverimento Kieferion]!"

A total of ten colossal azure towers, born from both the earth and the sky, became a veritable 'jaw' that bit down on the white dragon's massive body.

It was a true 'finishing move,' one that would make you scream, "What else could possibly work if this doesn't!?"—but it was precisely because this wasn't the end that it was an Abnormal Existence (Colored).

Therefore,

『—!!!』

"Not yet…!"

Even hearing the dragon's scream, she didn't let up.

"[Explode… Perflam]!"

It wasn't a technique, precisely, but the final destination of a flame sword (flam) that had been released from all control. As the key word echoed, the two who had been holding down the 'white' one instantly distanced themselves.

The ten colossal towers exploded all at once, swallowing the dragon's roar and everything else, shaking the world with fierce destruction and a deafening roar.

"—Ugh… kh…"

She could still move, but she couldn't stop herself from falling to her knees.

Despite this being her first large-scale battle, the girl had continually surpassed every player's expectations, fulfilling her crucial role to the very end.

Her sensory fatigue had reached its peak; she could no longer be expected to perform at a high level.

But this was fine.

The moment they laid eyes on the new… the true 'White Throne,' the wills of the three of them had surely become one.

There was no thinking about what came after. They had no choice but to strike it down with all their might.

Without a doubt, she had accomplished her task.

"It's your turn, you two…!"

She had delivered the opening move that would connect to the 'final blow' in this short, decisive battle she had deemed the end.

◇◆◇◆◇

—I'm jealous.

That word, which ran through my mind at this critical moment, made me smile.

It was a self-deprecating smile, one tinged with astonishment at myself. This was no time for such things, yet here I was, harboring feelings of jealousy.

I struck down the approaching bands of light, batted them away, and leaped aside to evade the massive, tree-trunk-like tail that swung down from above.

Even though I was having so much fun right now… I suppose humans are creatures who, once they obtain something, always want 'more.' It was so hopeless, I could only be amazed.

This 'jealousy' was directed at those two.

At the thought that Haru and Sora had walked the path of adventure to this point as each other's greatest partners. A feeling of envy from the bottom of my heart.

Its wings scorched by the girl's all-out attack, the white dragon turned its golden eyes, which held a strong will—be it anger or something else—toward Iris… and its jaw opened.

I couldn't see the flicker of fire deep in its throat, but I knew what was coming.

When you think of a dragon—it's impossible for it not to possess that.

Evasion was the only option. The spot I had just leaped from was assaulted by something both expected and unexpected. In place of the 'dragon's breath' one might imagine, something invisible carved a deep gouge into the earth.

It was probably a breath of annihilation, one that erased space itself… Here at the end, its abilities were as ridiculously overpowered as ever.

In that case,

"Sword-Glow, release."

I would simply meet one absurdity with another and cut it down head-on.

…It goes without saying, this was a first.

"'In the name of the Sword King—"

To unleash this single strike, a finishing move acknowledged by the virtual world itself,

"'—here and now, I shall reveal my divine might.'"

For someone else, to connect to what comes next.

And that is why—precisely why,

"I shall weave… the world—!"

I couldn't suppress the pounding of my heart at this long-awaited 'adventure alongside someone else.'

"—[Arcadia, Ideal Land Embracing the Old Moon]!"

For the first time, I chanted the name of that technique not for myself, but for someone else.

A tremendous flash of silver ascended to the heavens. The 'sword,' which governed the 'world' and embodied 'power,' closed in on the white dragon, which governed 'boundaries' and made 'space' its own—

It sliced through the tail swung to protect the beast, and furthermore, it shattered the halo floating above the dragon's head and swallowed it whole.

And then,

"—…Haru, it's your turn."

The next move was made, and the link was forged.

"Show me what you've got, my prince."

To the pale blue figure, high in the sky, holding a dazzling, star-like brilliance in his hand.