kscans

Chapter 546 - A Hero's Tale for You, A Hero's Tale for Someone Else - Part Two

"—Haru!"

One realization, one question, but this battlefield allows for not a single moment of stagnation.

I pushed the faint shattering sound to the very back of my mind, and immediately distanced myself from [Rep=La Nobody], which I had certainly bisected, both by feel and by sight—and flew towards the source of the voice, to Arshe.

As I landed, I gouged out the magic circle at my landing spot with the [Alv Stella, True White Star Sword], and made eye contact, a silent communication... well, that's still a bit difficult, so,

"Okay, from here on out, it's improv."

"One element outside of our information."

"The 'sound,' right? I don't know about that either."

"Let's put aside any unexpected analysis for later—as planned, protect me."

"Got it, leave it to me!"

We've already planned out what to do more than enough. So all that's needed is a confirmation of whether to go straight or turn, and a few quick words exchanged hastily were enough to communicate our intentions.

The princess wishes to go straight, which means my job is—

"'The roaring heavenly fox dragon cries.'"

...to simply brush away the unceasing rain until she finishes her 'song.'

"'The embodiment of fear, the symbol of invincibility, none have ever touched it.'"

With Arshe's chanting as my backup, who had stopped moving and plunged her symbolic 'sword' into the ground, I returned my Anima to its ring form and lit the light of [Mistlurade] at my fingertips.

I reactivated [Water Enchant].

The target weapon is my Rabbit Short Sword, which just finished a job and is resting in its sheath.

I've never had a chance to use it before, but the Rabbit Short Sword has a peculiar property: 'both the main body, the Rabbit Short Sword, and its separated parts, the Small Rabbit Swords, are a single collective.'

It's a property that makes you think, 'So what?' and doesn't really have any practical application, just a bit of flavor text—until a while ago, when I acquired the attribute magic [Water Enchant].

This 'Attribute Enchant' magic has a fundamental rule: 'one caster can only affect one weapon.'

However, when the property of the [Parabellum, the Rabbit Short Sword], which is one and yet many, comes into play and provides a little 'mischief'...

"[Parabellum Bullet]!"

And lo and behold, an enchanted dagger machine gun is born. Oh, and it's presented by [Mistlurade], of course. Now, fly!!

"'A single breath in the crimson darkness, looking up at the end of the echoing sea of clouds.'"

Listening to the clear, bell-like voice, I shot down every single magic orb that approached Arshe with the scattered crimson blades of water. It would be great if the magic circles in the line of fire were also destroyed, but it seems their power isn't enough for that—but,

"'Ten roars, a hundred howls, a thousand intertwined tempests.'"

The role I was asked to play was, after all, just a temporary guard.

"'None shall touch it, the dragon cries, looking down even on the gods.'"

One 'song' concluded. When I turned around—in the midst of a roaring vortex of magical power, two garnet eyes shone with a brilliant light.

And then she, with a faint, proud smile,

"—[Thunderbolt]."

unleashed a high-end spell that truly deserved the title of the highest rank of the lightning attribute, as if whispering.

—A good ten seconds later, to be exact.

The light faded, and my sight and hearing returned.

Having instinctively taken a full defensive posture against the excessively violent waterfall of explosive light and thunderous sound, I found myself lying on the floor in a state of slight disorientation.

"........................Hey, Princess, I didn't hear it was this crazy."

"...I'm sure I told you."

My first words after opening my eyes, I couldn't help but complain to Arshe, who had been shielding me by covering me with her body. I'm not to blame.

What was that? I seriously thought I was going to die???

I remember countless... literally countless, bundles of lightning overflowing from somewhere. I saw a scene where they rampaged through space, devouring not only the magic orbs but also the walls, floor, and ceiling, along with the magic circles—but, well, I guess.

"............You got a perfect result, so I can't complain."

"Mhm. Praise me properly."

As I sat up, I checked my surroundings. The magic circles were all silent, emitting smoke as if to say, "No good."

It was a magnificent, complete sweep.

They'll probably regenerate in a few minutes, but... at this timing, when we've broken through the known and are waiting for the unknown, even a slight reprieve is worth its weight in gold.

—Which brings me to my next point.

Neither I nor Arshe were just messing around, ignoring the main body. We had kept a close eye on it, and only because we judged that we could, did we carry out our big plan perfectly.

Yeah, we really went for it. I'll say it again, I seriously thought I was going to die.

In the video that's currently being recorded, I, desperately taking a last-minute defensive posture, must have provided some comedic footage. Laugh if you want.

Anyway, what's important from here on out is—

"What is that... a 'cocoon'?"

"It looks like it."

Just as we had transitioned to the second phase of our plan immediately after bisecting it, it too had begun its transition to the second phase immediately after being bisected.

I'm sorry for my lack of reaction since I was busy with other things, but I was keeping a close eye on the situation, so please forgive my outburst.

I had seen the nine-tailed fox's body, after being split in two, curl up with its other half, and then be enveloped by black, black, black. Countless bands of deep shadow rose from the floor and surrounded the wounded body of [Rep=La Nobody].

It was almost certainly a phase transition cutscene that players couldn't interfere with. Not being stunned and carrying out our own advantage was the perfect answer.

Since these magic circles don't seem to be disappearing, it looks like they're a field gimmick that's independent of the phase.

"...It was about five times the scale I expected, but your MP?"

"I used half. But it's not a problem."

If Arshe says so, then it must not be a problem. I have no idea what's not a problem, but if she says so clearly, then my worries are unnecessary.

"Haru, about that 'sound' from before."

"Ah, that. I remember it—it's the same as this."

We stood side by side at an appropriate distance, each in our stances, and while keeping ninety percent of our attention on the shadow 'cocoon,' which wasn't moving but whose surface was writhing eerily...

As we exchanged words and analyzed, I flicked the accessory in my back hair with my finger to indicate it.

The otherworldly treasure entrusted to me by Nia, the [Aquamarine Rabbit Heart], is now a complete version that can freely switch between three authorities. So I rarely hear it anymore, but that 'sound' was originally like a declaration that echoed when this treasure fulfilled its 'role.'

Before they were separated, the linked authorities were 'negation of death' and 'enhancement of the wearer'—from that, I can infer... well, including a meta-game reading, there's probably only one thing.

"—A reserve... system?"

"I'd be happy if it was a one-time thing like ours, but..."

That is probably the 'weakness' that manifested in [Rep=La Nobody] when Arshe and I challenged it as a pair—no, is that wrong?

Its HP gauge wasn't displayed even when I was fighting it alone. If that's the case, then it's not a reserve system, but... ah, it's exactly as it seems.

The 'weakness' that manifested was, after all, my 'frailty.' Because it had a fragile constitution unbecoming of a boss, we were able to hear that crack this time.

To begin with, extra lives for a boss isn't a weakness at all. The term 'reserve system' only has a negative image when it's applied to a frail player who can be blown away with a single puff of wind—

"Huh, so what? When I'm solo, I have to work hard to hit a guy who's tough and whose HP isn't even visible, and then I get a 'next please' and another helping—"

Again, my attention was only about ten percent on my thoughts. I wasn't letting my guard down, and there was no fear of my movements slowing.

Therefore, we were, in fact, not letting our guard down at all. Both of us were mentally and physically prepared to 'react immediately if anything happens'—

And that is why,

"—...Huh?"

...we, who should have been able to react immediately if anything happened, could not react to the 'something' that was over by the time it happened.

Arshe, who was suddenly sent flying with great force, had her face, filled with confusion and bewilderment, dyed with surprise and regret a moment later—and as for me.

I don't even know why I moved. My legs just kicked off the ground as if they had to, and with a desperately outstretched hand, without even being able to hold back, I pushed her away. As for me.

"Don't mess with me. I'll never forgive you."

I had been pierced by an invisible, super-fast projectile fired from the 'cocoon,' and a large hole had been opened in my body.