kscans

Chapter 554 - A Hero's Tale for You, A Hero's Tale for Another, Part X

The moment I landed like a thunderbolt between the demonic fox's eyes, the 'azure' that erupted from the touch of my toes thundered like a true lightning strike, piercing and coursing through the giant shadow's body.

From its convulsing reaction, it was clear that it was working. I wasn't going to wait for a scream to confirm an effective hit!

I thrust my left hand unceremoniously into the demonic fox's forehead, and the azure lightning flared again. With each touch, a thunderous roar shook the world, and my right hand flashed.

The sacred cherry blossom, a single stroke. The blade of the Sakura Memento, which drew a trail of scattering petals, split the giant beast's head—which could easily swallow a person whole—vertically in two. But…

'…I see, a paper tiger, huh.'

Despite receiving what would be an undeniable fatal wound for any normal creature, the shattering sound I had heard so many times before did not reach my ears. This meant that the swollen shadow body was not connected to the life of [Rep-la Nobody, The Black Stain That Slays All].

In that case, I'll do this.

Slice it up and drag it out.

Its own reaction speed couldn't keep up with mine in the slightest, but its absurdly fast regeneration ability was still intact. Even when viewed with a thinking speed that was likely dozens of times faster, its head reconnected in a flash—I grabbed its snout and—

Flash, thunder, and the ground cracked.

Using my holding left hand as a pivot, I spun, twisted my body, and slammed a knee into it, knocking the demonic fox's body to the ground. A colossal body that was likely a hundred times my own size. I let out a faint, wry smile at the absurd power of this stupid magic that allowed me to treat it like a ball—

'`Ouka Ryoran (Chaos Bloom)`'.

I declared the key word. Releasing the awakened 'cherry blossom' memory, the authority of the great tree, which manifests the life (mana) it has consumed as its own, blossomed.

The 'sword', shining with a translucent cherry blossom pink, scattered an exceptionally large 'petal'—and the countless others that served the user were all avatars of the sacred cherry blossom, meant to destroy the enemy.

In truth, like Sora's demon sword, each one can be controlled freely, but unfortunately, I don't possess the same exceptional swarm control skills as my partner…

'—Here I go.'

…so the only way I can use them is to basically clad myself in them and charge.

My avatar, clad in the Star Magic [Lightning Gale], has acquired 'virtual flight' as a result of possessing the nature of a sky-coursing 'thunder'.

I say 'virtual' because it's not actually 'walking' or 'running', but rather setting a 'falling' coordinate and sending my lightning-fused body to an arbitrary location.

Well, anyway, as long as my thought control can keep up, I can now run around on the ground and in the air without restriction—in other words, for a few short seconds…

No one can catch up to me now.

And no one can escape from me now.

Set coordinates, lightning strike charge. I brought my body, which had descended from the heavens carrying the Sakura Sword, clad in petal-blades, and accompanied by a storm and thunder, crashing down on the master of shadow.

The conflicting authorities of extraordinary destruction and exceptional regeneration clashed.

—, …—————!

I burrowed through,削り散らすように, and from the depths of its shadow cloak, the nine-tailed demon fox let out a scream mixed with a roar—in the next moment, a myriad of magic circles deployed around it, their countless muzzles taking aim at us both, and without a moment's delay, they glowed.

'—Sorry, but…'

Again, a single flash of the sacred cherry blossom.

The countless black-purple giant flashes, the moment they manifested, dissipated along with their muzzles—and the remnants of magic that scattered to fill the space were headed for one place.

'…that magic is a snack for this Sakura Sword.'

Into the 'stomach' of the law-defying sword, which grew more brilliant with every meal.

[Chaos Bloom] deployed once more. The vast amount of mana it had swallowed was spat out, and the countless petals riding the storm formed a cherry blossom tempest—three seconds left, this is the climax.

As the raging cherry blossom blades nullified the regeneration of its shadow cloak, I grabbed the neck of [Rep-la Nobody, The Black Stain That Slays All] with my left lightning hand and dragged it out. The lightning strike from the umpteenth contact shot through its body, but… it seems it's just barely not enough to break it.

Having reached what seems to be its final form, the durability of its main body also appears to have increased.

Hah, as expected of a monster tailored to me and Alicia. You've got guts—most welcome. In that case, I'll gratefully make this a flashy one!

It's still a work in progress, but here's a martial arts combo series taught directly by the top-tier unarmed combat players, [Twin Fists] and [Sound Armor]…!

'`Iron Breaker`!—'

A flowing single-arm combo from a punch to an elbow strike, taught to me by the napping warrior, or rather, the taciturn warrior, Genkotsu-san, aka Gen-san—and then—

'`RINNE SPECIAL`!

—a lightning-fast spin into a sky-piercing kick, taught to me by the sole female of the tiger master-disciple duo and the Northern Faction's idol (self-proclaimed), Rinne—and then a further spin, a split-second double strike.

A four-hit combo of instantaneous grand magic punches and kicks. I have no way of knowing how tough it's become, but with the lightning that pierced its body in quick succession… a single shattering sound.

Now, the tables have completely turned in a desperate struggle. A 'claw' swung like a cross-counter sliced through my cheek or shoulder—

Too bad, it's a physical attack.

A flawless human, and a beast launched into the air while losing one of its lives.

The human (me) looking up, and the beast looking down. As for our positions—

'`Heavenly Storm, Release`'.

—they reversed faster than a blink of an eye with a single疾脚 that soared through the heavens.

Key word declared. The approved words stirred the might of 'star' magic, and the blessings of 'wind' and 'thunder' residing in my avatar roared, shaking the world.

Forced Release Final Form, [Heavenly Storm Infinite] activated. With this, [Lightning Gale] will immediately end its effect upon completing the subsequent 'final step', and in the next moment, I will be rendered truly unable to continue combat by a foolish price befitting a foolish magic.

But, it doesn't matter. This final step—a god-like speed that doubles the previous lightning speed—will ensure that the last attack undoubtedly lands.

Now, one second left.

'`Phantom Cherry Blossom Fragment`'.

[αtiomart -Sakura=Memento-] Over-Excite Form activated. The pulsing Sakura Sword swallowed all of its attendant petals once more, sublimating them—and what blossomed was a single sword.

The embodiment of a sacred cherry blossom that once existed in the world, emitting a brilliance that rivaled even the fierce lightning.

The greatest masterpiece and most wicked failure in the history of the virtual world, stamped with the approval of the greatest magic crafter, who stated without exaggeration that it rivaled the `Extra` held by the [Sword Queen]—

A forward grip on the hilt.

A reverse grip on the pommel.

The foundation I chose for my own path was the second strike inherited from my master.

A sword of power that, by fixing the blade with both hands and using body mechanics to become the sword itself, can shatter even steel. In other words, the sword that only I have found is—

—a sword that walks and cuts with a blade, with a 'speed' that cannot even be swung.

My body is magic, my hand holds a magic sword. This time it's a special version full of cheats, but what I'm doing is the same. The 'technique' that broke the [Sword Saint]'s blade head-on the night before has already been given a 'name' by her and has become my own.

Then, let's go.

'`Trial Sword`—'

Let's take a single step that is truly mine and mine alone.

'`Hayate`'.

A single flash that no one could capture.

The moment I stepped forward, my avatar, having already finished its movement, landed silently on the ground—in the next instant, a roar comparable to myriad thunderbolts echoed, and two faint shattering sounds reached my ears.

Eighth, and ninth.

At the same time as the conviction that I had finally shattered all its tails, the price for my repeated law-breaking came crashing down.

Feeling every last bit of power being drained from my body, my seven seconds of invincibility ended, and I, returned to my human form, collapsed onto the floor—

"…Well, zero lives doesn't mean game over, right?"

What I saw above me was the one true life remaining after its nine stocks had been killed. The shadow of a distortedly massive body, which had expanded as if to explode, holding its final, burning-with-rage life, covered me.

My last attack was thrown with the intent of wiping out three at once, including the main body, but it seems I was just one step short. Furthermore, my body, ensnared by the price, wouldn't move properly. At this rate, I'd be crushed to a pulp in less than a second.

So, well… I guess all I can do is quietly admit defeat.

Having been beaten to a pulp, it was crystal clear that it was in an unprecedented state of rage. As if nothing else was in its sight, the swollen [Rep-la Nobody] lunged at a god-like speed that belied its massive size.

Just before it did,

I thrust a single 'blade' with my barely-moving hand into the giant shadow that covered me.

For [Rep-la Nobody], which could in a sense be called 'shadow' itself, it was the greatest meta-existence—a small blade gifted to me by a boy who was both my senior and junior.

It pierces shadow and binds its target. Its name is the [Shadow-Sewing Ritual Dagger].

By the direct words of its creator, [The Undying], it has been confirmed that it exerts a special-effect-like compulsory force on targets that strongly possess the nature of shadow. Believing that the results of Tetra's own verification could be applied to this as well, the binding time, unprecedented against a boss, would be one second flat.

That's more than enough for you, right?

Well now, this is frustrating, but…

"Weave the world—"

The final blow.

I'll concede victory in the last attack scramble to the princess.

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

She, who had not stopped thinking during the few seconds of rest and had been waiting for that moment, swung her sword.

A sword of aurora, rising to the heavens.

The nine-tailed demon fox, its body bound by a trump card beyond trump cards, could not escape the single flash that bore the name of the world, nor could it resist.

The master of the black shadow that seeped into the darkness, its fangs bared at us with fighting spirit and obsession until the very end—after the light faded, vanished without a trace.

"—, —…"

"…"

And then, in the silence, our eyes met without a word, and at the same time as we both let out a weak, drained smile.

"Alright, just wait a sec—"

"I won't wait…!"

I tried to catch Alicia's body as she threw her staggering self at me, but I couldn't… and as I lay on the floor, unceremoniously crushed, a groan escaped my lips—

◇You have conquered the [Shadow-Infested Arena]◇
・First Conqueror reward will be granted --- Acquired [Ninefold Shadow-Woven Gauntlet (Nine Tail)].
・Conqueror reward will be granted --- Acquired skill 《Shadow-Infested Overkill》.

◇Titles Acquired◇
・'One Who Has Conquered the Shadow-Infested Arena'
・'One Who Treads Upon Hallowed Ground'
・'Vessel of a Hero'

◇Skills Acquired◇
・《Elfast Lugar》
・《Current Haken》

◇Skills Have Grown◇
・《Rocket》 + 《Hare Real》 ⇒ 《Rega-Lielta, King of the Radiant Rabbit》
・《Breath Moment》 ⇒ 《Flash Traveler》
・《Land Insulate》 ⇒ 《Talaria Record》

◇In the Eastern Faction Istia, an update to your evaluation value has been recognized◇

◇Reconstructing the hierarchy of the Eastern Faction Istia◇

—……
———……
—————……

A flood of logs from the system, spitting out one notification after another.

However, as I was being attacked by a princess whose tension had completely broken—

"Stop, stop, wait, wait, wait! The recording, at least turn off the recording fir—?!"

"…, …!"

In so, so many ways,

It goes without saying that I was in no position to care about any of that.

---

A hero's tale for you, spun together with the one who was once all alone.

Chapter Four, Second Act, hereby concludes.

――――――――――――――――――
◇Status◇
Title: Acrobat
Name: Haru
Lv: 100
STR: 100
AGI: 200
DEX: 0
VIT: 0(+150)
MID: 550(+400)
LUC: 300

◇Skill◇
・Almighty Arms (Naraka Gandharva)
《Mistlurade》
《Lumina Raygust》
《Elfast Lugar》New!
《Exchange Implode》
《Greed's Precept》

・Water Magic Aptitude
《Aqua》
《Flood》
《Current Haken》New!
《Water Enchant》

・Active
《Reflect Explode》
《Flash Traveler》Up!
《Shadow Leaf》
《Eyes Oculus》

・Passive
《White Dragon's Blessing》
《Rega-Lielta, King of the Radiant Rabbit》Up!
《Attentive Limit》
《Gigant Figure》
《Goma Soten》
《Talaria Record》Up!
《Floating Star》
《Trickster of Zenith》
《Dangerous Light, Fast Recovery》
《Cutting Body, Unyielding Advance》
《Luna Nobody, Guardian of the Shimmering Moon》
《Master of Magic》

《Reject Sentence》
《Shadow-Infested Overkill》New!
《Four-Sided Blessing》

◇Arts◇
【Kesshiki Ittoryu】
《Hisui (Flying Water)》
《Uchigane (Striking Iron)》
《Amayuki (Heavenly Snow)》
《Karehomura (Withered Flame)》
《Nanahoshi (Seven Stars)》
《Hourai (Blade Thunder)》
　Secret Technique: 《Yuikaze (Bound Wind)》
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