kscans

Chapter 718 - The Selfish White Who Smiles on the Silver Screen, Part Two

『—Whoaaa!? Water! So many water spears—whoa, as expected of [Screen]-san, the stage conductor is spamming lawlessness with ease—whaaat!? A sudden Terror Armament blast—hyowaaai a huge heat ray and an instant sweep!!?』

『...What are you even saying?』

『Are you okay?』

『I'M COMMENTATING!!!!! For all you quiet, well-behaved people!!!!!!! I'm trying my best even if I don't get it!!!!!!!!!!』

『Ehh...—Okay, okay, just don't bang on the desk.』

『Sorry...?』

『I don't need an apology, I need an explanation! Please explain, for me, a non-combatant!!』

『.........』

『.........』

『Well, go ahead.』

『Mm.』

『ALRIGHT THEN, LADY IRIS! Please give us a quick explanation of the situation, mainly WHY [THE ACROBAT] IS ACTING LIKE A GRAND MAGE ON [SCREEN]'S STAGE AS IF IT'S THE MOST NATURAL THING IN THE WORLD!!』

『So loud...』

『Tet-kun, you're the loud one! Don't bother Nono-nee while she's working!!!』

『Yeah, yeah. I'll be quiet.』

『Lady Iris!』

『O-okay...—Well then, while you enjoy the stage...』

『Please do!!』

『Mm. First, a fundamental point. Magic technique is ultimately all about thought manipulation. This is why in the early days of the service, the population ratio was extremely skewed towards warriors over mages.』

『Ah, the time when most players couldn't use magic properly because they hadn't adapted to the 'thought manipulation' system, which doesn't exist in reality!』

『There were a few exceptions, though. The explosive increase in players switching to mages after a year or two was because players began to adapt to the virtual world.』

『Mm-hm, mm-hm.』

『And from there, we get to why he (Haru) is handling [Screen]'s 'Decadent Song' with such a cool face.—And by extension, to his own aptitude.』

『Ooh, aptitude!』

『It's simple. Magic technique is all about thought manipulation. To put it more clearly, it's all about imagination. It's the 'power of image' theory common in fictional magic.』

『The kind where if you can picture it, it takes form!』

『Yes. So... you understand the rest, don't you?』

『I'm sorry, I'll zip my lips, so please explain to the end...!!』

『Mm. So, just as Nonomi said, in Arcadia, the scope of one's imagination becomes their 'talent'. How clearly one can draw an image, that is what determines their aptitude.』

『...And when you combine that with Senpai's ridiculous situational judgment and thought speed...』

『Indeed. He's been doing similar things as if it were natural since his early days.』

『The [Quick Change] skill...!』

『Correct. Of course, if we get into details, there are many other technical elements like chanting... but he (Haru), with his Gift of 'Memory' specialized in remembering, copying, and reproducing, if we set aside his personality and preferences...』

『...If we consider that...?』

『In terms of his original aptitude and talent, he is without a doubt—fundamentally a mage-type.』

『Ooh... That [Acrobat] is actually a mage type...!!』

『Senpai himself is probably not aware of it in the slightest. But that's also...』

『Yes, it can't be helped. When someone with thought manipulation skills and spatial awareness that rival or even surpass his, and an extraordinary aptitude for controlling groups due to their exceptional parallel processing limit... is right beside him.』

『Ahhh...』

『In this regard, you can't blame him for his mistaken underestimation of himself. ...That's all for the 'why' explanation. Now, let's focus and enjoy the rest.』

◇◆◇◆◇

Come to think of it, this is my first real, full-blown magic battle.

Actually, it's gone beyond full-blown into an out-of-bounds grand magic battle. And now, immersed in it, there's naturally only one cry filling my heart.

—No, this is scaaaaaaaaaaaaaaary!!!!!!!!!!!!

A fatal force grazing my cheek is a daily occurrence, so that's fine. The problem is that I can't dodge it when it really counts.

With my [Status] and [Skills] sealed, all I have are physical specs just a notch above a real human. With what are basically real-world civilian specs, trying to dynamically evade a threat approaching at high speed is a pipe dream.

In short, it's an extreme situation where once I realize, Ah, I'm going to die, I have no choice but to calmly accept it. For a dodge-supremacist like me, that is just—

"—Whoa, that was close!?"

"—Seriously, I don't get how you can brush that off with just a 'that was close'!?!"

...so terrifying, so horrifying, I can't stand it... is the truth, but I don't even have time to say that, which is even more unbearable. I'm constantly countering the carpet bombing of [Screen]-dono's earth-attribute—no, the geological-attribute magic that rains down every second with a barrage of water needles, or rather, water spears (Haken) and water rings (Maelstrom).

And I'm forced into the extremely difficult task of dealing with Tonic-shi's attacks with my normal-person specs. A truly intense, hard-work-enforced drama.

I really don't have a moment to breathe. As I block his approaching hand with the [Giant's Hand Axe] I summoned, just like I did at the start, I simultaneously sweep the air with a reloaded 'ring' to forcefully push back the hero-suited man. A complaint flies from him, but I don't have time to react.

Furthermore,

"Whoa, that's bad—"

Where I just dodged, an explosion fills the space after a momentary premonition...

"—...that was close...!!"

He emerges from the aftershock of the coordinate explosion completely unscathed, with nothing more than a 'That was close.' It's a given, but it's not just [Screen]; he's a top-tier pain in the ass in his own right.

Northern Faction's sixth seat, [The Disperser] Tonic. The 'power' he commands is 'Dissipation' and 'Abundance.'

To put it simply, his power is... ah, look. Even now, as he holds out his bare hand toward the fatal cascade I sent his way, he does it as if it's the most natural thing in the world—and poof, it vanishes. Just like that.

In addition, as light fills various parts of his stylish, hero-like suit,

"Heeeere... we go!!"

The moment he swings his right fist, a blue wave is unleashed, blowing away the subsequent water spears... which then clashes with a counter-counter red flame, scattering an impact that's a bit much for someone with no stats.

That 'payback' is extremely troublesome, but even more so is that suit of his. The Fifth Tier Anima, [Aloness Quality], boasts a fundamental ability called 'State Unmoving (Perfect Personal),' and that's the real problem.

He's repelling the influence of the domain laid by [Screen], turning him into the only wild card on this field who can move freely without any 'restrictions.'

The only saving grace is that his base stats aren't conspicuously focused on agility. I can see the signs of wind-attribute support magic whenever he moves at high speed, so I'm somehow managing to deal with it for now using the rampaging magic and my `Recall` guard and what not—

Honestly, this is tough. And from the gaze and presence I feel at my back, it's not just me; Hinayo-san, who's providing support by intercepting the geological barrage I can't handle and pursuing Tonic-shi, must feel the same way.

Since the total number of cards in our hands is so vastly different, the plan for this, our third dance, is for her to basically match my pace.

In other words, I'm presumptuously taking the lead. And on top of that, we're in a pinch right from the get-go, so this is no time to be leisurely pondering my next move.

It would be utterly pathetic to be crushed so easily after talking such a big game. Therefore...

"—Tch... Hinayo-san! I'm going to try something I'm not used to!"

"...! What kind of thing, I wonder!"

"Something fun!!"

"Then there's no helping it! Leave the support to me!!"

My vision is constantly filled with coming and going rock chunks, stone pillars, and countless pebbles. In addition, a superhuman hand closes in on my neck through the gaps. As we both desperately intercept our respective opponents and exchange words, what comes back is a single, overwhelmingly reliable 'GO' that I can't help but smile at.

Then truly, there's no helping it. It's a first-time performance, I haven't even tried a practice run, but with the combined memory information from last time and this time, I have more than enough.

But I'm no match for the original, playing with just one hand. If I concentrate like my life depends on it, I should be able to manage. Senpai, you'd better be surprised on the other side of that screen by your junior's surprise!

"Alright, here I go...—'Sen'!!"

[Nine Tail] activates. With the 'threads' of shadow that emerge from my right bracelet—now, this is a brand-new, shiny hidden trick.

Let's get down to some 'thread-pulling.'