kscans

Chapter 721 - The Selfish White Who Smiles on the Silver Screen, Part Five

Leaving behind the remnants of Lord [The Disperser]—the death effects scattered by the blades of the water rings—in mid-air, my body, though the damage was frozen, couldn't escape the impact of the hits and was sent into a fall.

And in a matter of seconds, I was swallowed by the still-uncleared dust—

"Oof...!"

I landed on my back, unable to break my fall. An intense numbness took over my avatar, and as expected, a forced stun icon flashed at the bottom of my status bar.

This is it. The function hidden within Nia's masterpiece, the [El-Gran Stasia: White Cloud], is certainly a wickedly broken spec, but of course, it's not some absolutely invincible, ultimate feature.

The reason is simple. My build is fundamentally a flawed construction lacking in vitality (VIT), so my resistance to debilitating effects like flinching from hits is extremely low.

Because of that, I can't just ignore enemy attacks and go on the offensive even during the effect's duration when I'm practically immortal, and that thing that happens when the effect ends requires some ingenuity to utilize effectively.

If this were, for example, party play, I could activate it as a last-ditch survival measure, endure while waiting for my allies' support, and then turn it into a counterattack... but well, in solo play or in small-scale battles like this one, it's honestly hard to rely on.

In fact, right now, I'm exposing a massive opening, spread-eagled—and furthermore,

"Ggh...!"

Twelve seconds passed. And since I couldn't touch anyone during the few seconds of grace period that followed, the frozen damage, with nowhere to go, detonated inside my body as a purely self-inflicted bomb.

An impact even greater than the earlier fall coursed through my avatar... but thankfully, compared to the brutal grinding stomping I received from the mole sometime ago, the accumulated power was worlds apart. My body wasn't sent flying, and I managed to avoid an accidental death by wall-slam (solo) or floor-slam (solo).

—Well, that's fine and all.

Unfortunately, the situation is bad. The result was a 1-for-1 trade between us, but the one taken out on our side was Hinayo-san, who had used a grand magic technique.

On their side, however, the one remaining was the one who had used not just a grand magic, but an extreme magic... in other words, [Screen]-dono, who, due to the effect of the 'Decadent Song' laid upon the field, now has the 'Chant Invalidation' for her grand technique activated. Needless to say, we are at a distinct disadvantage.

Of course, if she were to spam something like that, I literally wouldn't last. It really hurt that I misread her decisiveness.

To think she'd abandon her partner's support and immediately go for a total annihilation of us both...

............

..................

....................................

—And so. What on earth is the person who just committed such an atrocity doing?

"Care for a chat?"

All the way over here, next to an enemy who is exposing an all-too-obvious opening. The silver beauty, whose form materialized from within the dust, narrowed her eyes and glared at me.

Well, maybe that's just her expression from avoiding the dust—

""............""

I waited, but no words came. After a mysterious period of time where I lay on the ground and she stood, staring at each other, the after-effects of the immense atrocity gradually began to clear.

And then, along with the murmurs of the audience who had caught sight of the incomprehensible situation,

""—Hah."

We both looked up at the things we had prepared, hidden by the smokescreen—at the barrages of well over a hundred projectiles each of us had amassed behind ourselves—and laughed with similar expressions.

My, my, 'Chant Invalidation'... or rather, 'No-Chant Magic,' is ridiculously convenient. The ability to continue combat even when you can't move your body is simply brilliant.

And so, I too was continuing the fight even while my freedom was limited, but that's beside the point. The master of this authority couldn't have failed to read this.

That's probably why she brought a swarm of spears for self-defense... but there was no reason for her to approach like this in the first place, and in the end, she could just spam that other thing.

It's not like I planned on being crushed so easily, but still, I couldn't read her inten—

"Hey."

"Yes."

I answered reflexively to the sudden call. Then, she, with a deadpan expression as if her earlier smile was just a figment of my imagination,

"Don't move."

...issued an impossible demand to an opponent in the middle of a battle, and in that instant. Over a hundred great rock stakes were unleashed without warning, striking their target with a thunderous roar.

◇◆◇◆◇

"[Veil Down]."

In conjunction with the stone pillars that had struck the stage and formed a circle, I released my reserved chant and layered the spell.

The barrier of the earth prison brings about a severance between the outside and the inside. To put it simply, it's a robust all-around defensive magic—and as a bonus, it comes with a little soundproofing function.

And so, on the inside.

"............Um... what are you... planning."

"—I can't do thirty minutes this time, so I'll give you three."

I cut off and sealed the [Acrobat]'s question, who was still lying on the floor, perfectly fine but swept up in the situation with wide eyes, having followed my order to not move.

I'm not looking for a question. I'm the only one demanding an answer.

"You said you wouldn't leave me alone, you even made a grand declaration. Why do you care about me?"

"That's—"

"Don't get it wrong, junior. I know I'm a pain in the ass, but I don't want to be a piece of shit. So if it's necessary, I'll listen, even if it's a hassle."

"............"

"Convince me. Why do I have to play with you and smile?"

I'm aware that I'm spewing childish words, like I'm a 'pain in the ass' myself. But that's precisely why I have a duty to drive away those who approach me carelessly.

Especially an opponent like the one before me.

Especially an innocent idiot who, even when faced with such ridiculously unreasonable hands, doesn't show frustration, exasperation, or complaint—but just scatters a pure smile.

"I'm fine with how things are now. I don't like it, but it can't be helped. Things don't go your way, in reality or here... in any world."

I hammer my words into the eyes that just stare back at me, without a nod or an interruption.

"It's just the way it is. I haven't given up, I've accepted it."

It's a common sense that even children know these days, that the world is full of things that don't go as planned. I've become used to compromising with them as I've walked a fair bit through life.

"My personality and behavior aren't a pose. Sorry if I gave you the wrong idea—this is just my roleplay of being honest with everyone without putting on a fake face."

As part of that, I don't swallow my complaints or dissatisfaction... which is why I feel bad for causing misunderstandings and making an over-the-top 'nice person' like someone else worry.

But that, too.

"You don't need to. Leave me alone—I always accept the 'now.'"

I don't swallow a single thing and state my 'no' with my true feelings.

By doing so, everyone... even the Eastern rankers who had tried to approach me in a similar way in the past, all eventually understood, 'I guess that's just how it is,' and withdrew their meddling.

With the few enthusiasts who still bothered me even after that, I became acquaintances, if not friends. That's fine, that's enough. It's more kindness than a pain in the ass like me deserves.

So,

"Now, answer me, junior."

[Screen] said, having listed the facts so far flatly, lightly, with just words.

"I'm not some princess trapped in solitude."

She said it with pure goodwill. As a way of telling her junior to stop this uselessness, in her own crooked way, as a senpai—and so, as she finished speaking,

"—Hah."

The 'guy' still lying on the floor let out a laugh that was almost insolent, and,

"I'm not doing you a favor out of concern for you."

...he threw out the words as if spitting them, and slowly got to his feet.