kscans

Chapter 584 - The Peerless Ice Blade and the Eternal Warbler, Part 2

I switch the Rabbit Dagger to my left hand and extend my now-empty right arm straight out to the side.

On it rests the bracelet formed of nine layers of 'black.' The matching pair, gifted by the world (system) only to me and Ashe, the conquerors of the [Shadow-Infested Arena].

The purplish-blue jewel flickers, and seeping from its body is—a tangible 'shadow' of black, wavering like smoke, flowing like water.

"…………"

Across from me, Irori, sensing another unfamiliar phenomenon, quietly readjusts his grip on his sword. His heightened vigilance is most welcome… Now then, let's see you dodge this, Lord [Peerless].

If, by some chance, you misjudge how to handle this—

"—'Sen.'"

—it could very well be game over in a single blow.

"Tch…!"

An immediate change, on an immense scale. Following my keyword, the 'shadow' I unleashed explodes, fanning out in a torrent of countless intertwined threads.

Its destination: straight ahead. The action taken by the [Peerless] in response is—

"Run, Shirosou!"

—the optimal solution, as expected.

The blade of the [Frostblade Shirosou], swung as if to sweep the ground, shines brilliantly. At the same time, a massive pillar of ice instantly erects itself, standing against the torrent of shadow—not merely stopping it, but as the ice spreads from the tips of the threads it touched, it rapidly advances towards me, its source.

Okay, just as I thought.

"[Rocket]."

Just as I sever the shadow from the bracelet, I leap upwards, narrowly escaping being engulfed by the ice. This leap into the air isn't to escape danger, but—

"'Senten'—…!"

—a step to advance to my next attack.

I forcibly rein in the 'shadow'—a wild horse that barely listens to its master's commands—and weave the threads over my right arm, forming a solid black gauntlet.

And then,

"[Hypothesis: The Wedge-Armor that Sings of the Royal Road (An=Ru Galta)]!"

As I summon the left gauntlet, my gaze meets his azure eyes, which are looking up at me—no, it's not just our gazes that meet.

"Le—t's go!!"

"Bring it on—!"

We exchange a pair of vicious smiles, the kind you probably shouldn't show to other people.

A re-ignition of [Rocket], a strike from above—he dodges again, my left arm smashing the floor spectacularly, but this time it's not a retreat, but an evasion.

After dodging, parrying, and weathering even the flying debris of all sizes, a fatal sword strike naturally flies for my neck. I meet his hand with my right arm—ah, this guy is really…!!

"How the hell is your battle sense this good?!"

"It's obvious just by looking!!"

The instant he saw my right guard, he diverted his arm's trajectory, avoiding contact with my shadow-clad right arm. A 'genius' indeed. We shout at each other in the second act of our ultra-close-quarters combat.

Touch it and it's over. Even if you notice it, you normally can't react in time…!!

A left punch—feinting, I pull the half-extended fist back and use the momentum for a spinning hook kick—followed by a right fist crashing down as my body falls with it. I plant both hands on the ground for a capoeira-like spinning double kick… followed by a springing backfist combo as I leap back up.

This unorthodox martial arts style, taught to me by Rinne herself in the [Berumail] boot camp over the past two months, should be difficult enough to deal with as it is—and yet…!

"What kind of kinetic vision do you have?!"

"Don't underestimate a former kendo competitor, you idiot…!"

"This is beyond that kind of dimension!!"

He's dodging everything without even needing to block. I seriously don't get it.

Of course, it's partly because I'm intentionally holding back my speed. Except for the moments I decide to fire off [Rocket], I'm not even using thirty percent of my full speed.

But that 'holding back' is precisely why I can even have a tactical exchange with this guy.

Going full throttle is out of the question. The moment I rely on pure, skill-less speed, my movements become simple, and Irori will read them and finish the match with a counter.

That's from my own experience. Against a Ranker who can handle super-high-speed combat, I can't carelessly go full throttle—but at this rate, we'll get nowhere.

So—!!

"Manifest—"

"Tch…!"

No holding back. I'm forcing this through whether you like it or not…!!

"—Release!"

"Th, this…!"

I instantly crush the Rabbit Dagger I summoned in my hand, activating the phase shift of my gauntlet weapon.

The form of Ver. [Parabellum Bullet] is—

"[Angalta (Soul-Stealing Sword)]!!"

—a barrage of giant, crimson-glowing swords.

Following my straight-left punch, the ring of radiant swords behind me homes in on Irori, who had instantly distanced himself with [Enpo], and rushes him.

It's not the insane, right-angle-turning tracking of a high-level homing spell like the ones that made me cry in the Four Pillar War. But for a diversion, the power and pressure are more than enough.

I use the time I've bought to make my next move.

While the 'bullets,' their numbers dwindling by the second as they are dodged or struck down, play tag with the invincible samurai—I give a command to the stirring shadow.

Long, sharp, and swift. The image is a spear… no, an unerring arrow nocked on a bow.

"'Sen—"

"—…!"

I raise my right arm. At my target, Irori, noticing my movement as he cuts down the last radiant sword, reveals a flicker of anxiety.

Seriously, what is with your 'intuition'?

He probably understood it instantly again—that I won't miss this.

"—Rai'…!!"

With the declaration of the keyword, the 'shadow' overflowing from the [Nine Tail] swells like a bud, draws taut—and explodes. The jet-black arrowhead shoots forth in a straight line, faster than an ice wall can block it.

And it hits the left shoulder of the figure in the hakama.