kscans

Chapter 717 - The Selfish White Who Smiles on the Silver Screen, Part One

In that instant, I clearly felt the air shift.

After receiving the sharp words of her incredibly impudent junior, [Screen] shot me a look of exasperation, as if to say, What's with this guy?—but still, she showed no signs of getting serious.

"Whatever, but let me tell you one thing. Pissing me off is one thing, but—"

With her hands tucked into the pockets of her robe, the beautiful woman clad in battle attire underneath peeked her bright red tongue out from beneath listless silver eyes.

"If you can actually make me snap, you'll really be something."

She said it without a laugh or a sneer, just a bored mutter.

"Hell Hecalitu HeistioMadly Drunken Song of Decadence."

And then, a flash of violet light. An authority that affected all who recognized her activated, and the rules of the silver screen took equal dominion over the battlefield.

Thus, two changes befell the players whose avatars' miracles had been seized.

Namely, "Sealing" and "Rampage"... Of [Status], [Skill], and [Magic], only one would remain. The one left behind would be violently enhanced to a degree that would be impossible to adapt to at first glance, and it would be assigned through one of three corresponding programs.

One, the "March," which governs [Status].

Two, the "Blood Dance," which governs [Skill].

And three, the "Decadent Song," which governs [Magic]—which is what we got... Haha, seriously, what a cruel joke. My body feels unbelievably heavy all of a sudden.

With my [Status] values sealed, my superhuman physical abilities have vanished. With all my [Skills] sealed, the supernatural power dwelling in my body has fallen silent.

All that's left is [Magic]... that, and as a small mercy, my HP and MP remain on the status bar. As for the question of whether my crucial Mind (MID) stat was also wiped out... the noise filling the space is the answer.

Fine, silver particles, like the film grain of an old movie, wavered across the battlefield. That was the form of our temporarily sealed "miracles," and it was what constituted the domain that had [Screen] as its conductor.

It was the life force—the Od—of the virtual humans, reflecting the grace of Arcadia.

...Well, I didn't quite get it just from hearing about it, but basically, those particles become the medium for activating [Skills] and [Magic] instead of our stats. Our physical abilities are at rock bottom, but we can use the permitted supernatural powers without a problem.

Actually, it's not that we can use them without a problem, but that we can use them while they are a huge problem—

I've already thought about how I'm going to play this, so I'll just jump right in without fear.

Come now, shall we sing together? Ready, set!

"—'Piercing water nails, hooked wings that halt might'!"

"—'Raging dust wind, swift stride forward'!"

First, Tonic-shi and I, the vanguards who stepped forward simultaneously, opened fire.

"—'The guardian flame is in my heart, I offer love and burn away sorrow.'"

"—'Rend, earth's roar, pierce, pebbles, the eyes desire a needle doll.'"

Next came the rearguard; my partner and his followed suit.

Fortunately, all the songs they sang were of magic that existed within my limited knowledge. However, whether that meant the future would remain within the confines of the "existing" was another story entirely.

"[Current Haken]."

"[Sonic]."

"[Melty Breath]."

"[Penetrator]."

The miracles that appeared were all extraordinary. They manifested with an outrageous output that defied common sense and kicked fantasy to the curb, filling the stage with a rampant overflow of magical might.

My summoned water "nails" were nothing so gentle as 'nails'; each one possessed the imposing presence of a great spear. Their number wasn't limited to the usual four, either—the volley I unleashed numbered over twenty... It was a grand spell on a scale that made me question the very definition of 'restraining magic.'

So, what would happen to something that was an attack spell to begin with? The answer was the countless great stone pillars floating behind Yurayura-shi, about ten meters away.

They were truly like the "great towers" my partner wields.

The seconds were counting down before the massive projectiles, which couldn't even be called 'spears', would charge forward, spewing killing intent—but there was a more immediate fatal threat to deal with first.

It was none other than [The Disperser], who had leaped into my range with wind-enhanced speed.

He was unarmed, but his hands were a lethal weapon to me now. With my stats nullified and my avatar's specs forced down to a level only slightly better than a real human's, Tonic-shi had no need to play games with me.

Thus, my prediction was correct, and my counter was as well.

"—Whoa...!?"

My bluff must have worked. I had summoned [Samidorizuki] before the battle and made a show of sheathing it at my waist. Unaware that my avatar's `Recall` wasn't a [Skill], he was taken by surprise when a massive battle axe suddenly materialized before him, blocking his path.

Which means, you have an opening—Haken salvo.

"Whoa, that was close!!?"

He dodged the point-blank, full-barrage assault with a backstep, his body control truly superhuman, but... it's not over.

This is where the stage of the silver screen gets really fun.

Memory Transcription, Image Construction, Output Setting—Reload.

"Huh? Wai—...!!!?"

"No holding back, Lord Disperser!!"

Fifty Haken, a full volley. I unleashed a rain of water spears that completely obscured even my own vision, firing a lethal barrage with enough force to not just restrain but utterly crush Tonic-shi, who let out a shriek that went beyond surprise to sheer shock.

Furthermore, I activated [Water Enchant] on my [Bullet].

The 'water' color tracing the blade didn't just outline it in the middle of [Screen]'s stage; the sharpened edge extended without sacrificing swing speed, making it like a greatsword even at rest.

And so, I play my hand without hesitation—full throttle!

"Manifestation Release."

Left Arm Mastery—Ver. [Parabellum Bullet] + Maximum Enchant.

Now, fly.

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

A barrage of giant swords, imbued with the light of water, soared through the air. They were met by the great stone pillars that flew through the high waves and water vapor created by the Haken barrage. The collision... was a perfect cancellation.

And so, the massive forces collided mid-air, scattering a hellish cacophony. But there was no time to catch my breath, and certainly no time to feel frustrated seeing Lord Disperser emerge from the surprise attack completely unscathed.

The lawlessness brought forth by her [Invertia]'s Hell Hecalitu HeistioMadly Drunken Song of Decadence is threefold. First, 'Extreme Output Enhancement.' Second, 'Extreme MP Cost Reduction.'

And third, 'Chant Invalidation.' Once a spell has been chanted and cast, it can be fired as many times as desired without casting again—a truly broken feature.

In other words, just as I had demonstrated by spamming [Current Haken], Yurayura-shi could casually spam that. The proof was the deadly onslaught that reappeared behind her with but a single word.

It was utterly absurd. So absurd it was beyond a joke...

—Hah...! What damned fun "power" this is.

I really think it's a waste, Senpai. If you have something like that—

"Hinayo-san!"

"Leave it to me!"

Wouldn't it be more fun to just give up and try to enjoy it?

A massive heat ray shot past me from behind, incinerating the newly arrived great stone pillars and tearing through the sky. To compensate for the sealed MID, she had supplemented the power with her own super-enhanced enhancement magic, and this was the result of firing her first shot in high spirits.

Loophole number one on the silver screen conductor's stage: brute-forcing with equipment specs.

The seal brought by that Anima's authority is limited to the 'power' dwelling within the player themselves. Thus, add-on equipment, and of course, unique items like Anima and Terror Armaments that exist alongside a person by sharing their soul, can become extremely effective breakthroughs.

An eye for an eye, lawlessness for lawlessness, it's the way of the world. And in conjunction with that—

"'Swirl, water vortex, gather, waves, the formless shield dwells in the will, the shapeless blade sways in reality.'"

I'll gladly ride the wave of lawlessness you've presented and fight back on the same stage.

"[Maelstrom]."

Amidst the dancing remnants of rock that had been turned to charcoal by the great heat ray, a new manifestation appeared: a ring of water—a great, circular blade of raging current, roaring and churning like a whirlpool.

I casually summoned about five of them into the air.

"Not bad, Senpai. As expected—now for the next one."

"...Tch, you damn cheeky junior."

She approached, but still without a smile.

Bracing myself for what was sure to be a long battle, I took another step forward.

---

The great magic war begins.