kscans

Chapter 648 - The Inherited Hundred Steps

"—...Well, it would have been nice if I could have told you this was coming."

"Hey, I'm the one who asked you not to talk to me in the middle of a fight. I'll pay for my own mistakes."

It wasn't quite tunnel vision. Her tendency to become completely absorbed in her 'opponent' during combat was something she actively chose and strived for. It was how she believed she should be.

Therefore, the fact that she hadn't noticed the remaining three pillars being broken and the North and South factions being wiped out, or the fact that she hadn't sensed the approach of a major player—it was fine.

Sorry to her allies, but she had no intention of changing her style. If she did, there would have been no point in pushing herself so hard to climb all the way up here to the rankers.

And to proudly stick to that conviction—

"I'll do the bare minimum, at least. Don't you worry, Queeny."

"...I'd say you've already done more than the bare minimum. Therefore—feel free to enjoy yourself as you please from here on."

A smile crept onto her face at the reply she received after promising to fulfill her duty.

"This is why I love it 'here.' No matter where I look, everyone gets it... and on top of that—"

That smile, which she was self-aware enough to admit was unbecoming of a lady, remained. She glanced down at the boy on the floor, then at the monster in the form of a young girl standing before him.

"—No matter if I look 'ahead' or 'behind,' there are just too many fun people. I can't get enough of it."

Her blue eyes met theirs directly as she took a step back.

She had been in a dominant position, moments from taking the virtual life of her 'prey,' yet she continued to retreat—two steps, three steps—without stopping. It wasn't that she was being considerate and letting him go.

She was simply acknowledging the impossible and retreating to protect herself.

"...Hah—you're a scary one, [Acrobat], for someone with such a cute face."

"Eh? No, I don't recall projecting an aura so intimidating you'd need to back away?"

Kanata, still on the ground, watched Oubai Touri's retreat with a dazed expression. The monster who had casually strolled up beside him offered a vacant-faced reply.

She almost laughed, wondering what right he had to say that... but in the end, the smile just crept back out.

"Well, I'll be. I don't know if it's because I'm seeing you through rose-colored glasses, or because I'm subconsciously intimidated by the public's and the 'Princess's' opinion of you... but I just don't know."

It was a fear she had felt countless times when facing an overwhelmingly powerful foe in this virtual world.

Troublingly, she had a strong premonition that the warning her 'master' had given her before she deployed would come true.

"...Hmm, well, for now..."

And yet, as if oblivious to the enemy's hidden apprehension—

"Forgive my appearance in this transformed body—Haru, fourth-ranked of Istia, the [Acrobat]. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. My apologies for the late introduction, my esteemed predecessor."

He playfully pinched the sash of his battle garment, offering a peculiar greeting with a bow that was a jumbled mix of gentlemanly and ladylike.

Faced with this elusive figure—this latecomer who now walked ahead—

"Oubai Touri, tenth-ranked of Sotalm, the [Heroine]."

—Oubai Touri replied with an unwavering smile.

"You can call me Oume-san, Prince."

"Okay, roger that—but that 'Prince' thing is banned from now on, Oume-san."

As if they had planned it.

The timing with which they each clenched their 'fists' was almost perfectly synchronized.

Gold flashed and white streaked. Less than a tenth of a second passed between Oubai Touri summoning her great maul and shattering the floor with a 'ground-shake,' and the thunderous roar of impact that followed.

One with 'strength,' the other with 'speed,' their perfectly matched point of contact held. And there, the two figures, 'unladylike' in more ways than one, met with vicious smiles.

"—I've been waiting to meet you, [Acrobat]!"

"—The honor's all mine, Lady [Heroine]!"

The moment the battle began, a relentless orchestra of traded and nullified blows filled the stage.

◇◆◇◆◇

[Rocket] & [Ignition] fired up.

I applied a [Water Enchant] to both fists and activated [Nine Tail]. As I stepped forward, I shot out a 'thread' to grab Kanata, tossing him backwards while clenching my fists to open the battle with a furious storm.

Why would I challenge someone who specializes in 'fists' with the same weapon? If someone were to ask, I'm ready to answer them instantly and proudly.

Because if I'm going to be blessed with an inhuman number of cards in my hand—

"I don't mind using a weapon, you know!"

"'These' are perfectly good weapons too, you know!"

—it's only natural to play the card that promises the most fun. Am I sandbagging? Showboating? Don't be ridiculous—this is me going all out, body and soul, full power, full throttle, my true form.

My fundamental movements are modeled after the [Sword Saint]. Into that, I've thrown in the hand-to-hand combat techniques I learned from the [Twin Fists] and the [Bell-Mail] to create a magically modified martial art.

So, there's absolutely no reason to call it a flashy, disrespectful move...

"—Raaagh!"

"Gah...!"

—Not a single one.

'Strength' versus 'speed'—in Arcadia, where inertia boosts can provide over-the-top damage increases, the answer to the eternal infighter's debate of 'power or quickness' has already been settled. At least, when it comes to PvP.

My single strike, which slipped past her intercepting fist and slammed into the [Heroine]'s stomach with more than double the number of attacks, is proof of that. In close-quarters combat, the one with superior agility holds the absolute advantage.

And what's more, on top of that.

"You...! That... is interesting!"

"I thought you'd think so!"

I have the added bonus of the 'Water' enchant extending the range of my punches.

If I can surpass her in reach and speed, and match her in overall power... then overwhelming the [Heroine] on the ground shouldn't be impossible! Probably!

But damn, she's tough!

"What's the deal?! I'm pummeling you, but your health isn't dropping!"

"Hah! All the more reason for us to enjoy this longer...!"

"There's a limit to everything! Are all of you as tough as raid bosses?!"

Tiger, the Knight, and now this Heroine. At this point, I can pretty much guess what's going on. This encounter, and probably all the others, were deliberately set up. In fact, it's almost certain that anyone who couldn't easily avoid being checkmated by the [Acrobat] wasn't even sent to the battlefield.

Haha, I can see it now. Helena-san, a monocle glinting in the background behind all the warriors. In other words, they're the vanguard, the scouts.

They're cannon fodder sent to probe my capabilities in preparation for the decisive battle to come.

Well, maybe not cannon fodder, but more like...—

"Lost in thought, are we? We're two of a kind!"

"Hah—well, we are senpai and kouhai, after all...!"

More like giant missiles that, after a massive explosion, have a pretty high chance of returning to their user's hand with a completely unfazed expression. Haha, I'm one to talk now, but...

...seriously, you rankers are a bunch of game-breakers!