kscans

Chapter 744 - Right Before the Finals

"—You really did a number on us, you little squirts..."

"My condolences, but I'm sure they're thinking the same thing."

And with that, the camera turned to us.

It feels wrong to say it, but we had snatched victory through sheer luck. As the winners of the second semifinal match, we were whisked away from the stage as usual... The baton was passed from the boisterous trio of retired and active idols, and for the first time before the final match, the broadcast showed the players' waiting room.

What echoed were two high-pitched voices. The beautiful blonde priestess offered a sympathetic retort to me (in my forced transformed body) as I muttered in a daze.

This was Irori, in his transformed body, which was being publicly revealed for the first time today.

I could easily guess that he, like me, was being forced into this form from the sullen look on his face that he didn't even try to hide. It was probably the staff's doing.

The customary pre-finals interaction between the finalists was to be done between these two forms. It was painfully obvious we were being treated as toys, and I found it extremely displeasing.

Therefore, I'll do as I please, without any consideration for the flow of the program or how we look on screen.

"It's all your fault... now I'm caught up in this too."

"Don't blame everything on me. It's not like I'm enjoying being a pretty girl."

"I wonder about that. You seem to be having fun, one way or another."

"I'm enjoying the dual stat application in combat, sure, but I've never once enjoyed being fawned over for some reason!"

"............You, after dressing up like that, are saying this now?"

"Most of that isn't my will or taste either!"

I won't deny the sense of the culprits who dressed me up, nor the fact that it suits me frighteningly well! Besides, if you're going to say that—

"You were just your usual self before, but now you've gone and grown your hair out and all that, haven't you?"

"...Precisely because it was the same, I made a difference, albeit reluctantly."

As it happened, when we all transformed together after the [White Throne] subjugation battle, he was the only one with almost no change. That is, his body had certainly become female, but his face was his own.

It wasn't exactly the same; his features had become slightly finer, his eyes softer, and so on. But even so, he embodied the perfect midpoint between a beautiful woman and a pretty girl, so I was astounded, thinking, 'Damn you, handsome bastard.'

His silky hair was the same, but his style had changed from a refreshing, handsome look to a graceful single ponytail, significantly altering his impression.

The length of the hair tied at the nape of his neck was slightly shorter than Sora's. The blonde hair swaying on his back might have clashed with his traditional Japanese attire, but he covered for it with his face and demeanor, as usual.

He seemed displeased about being made a spectacle, but fundamentally, he was composed. It seems his heart is made of steel, and his pride of black dragon scale rock.

"What are you staring at? It's creepy."

"That statement is creepy. Don't assume everyone swoons over a handsome face."

We sat facing each other across a table on long sofas. While we were tirelessly exchanging遠慮のない light-hearted jabs, what were the ladies up to...?

"Ah, um... Hinayo-san?"

"Hmm... hehe, it's no use. It seems this is too much for me."

To the side of the large table, on the bed that was, as usual, floating gently. Hinayo-san, who had been tending to the 'Sleeping Princess' sinking into the pile of cushions, returned my gaze with a smile.

I knew it, but it seems waking up the [Castle Lord]-chan is impossible. If even the older sister can't manage it, there's nothing two guys can do.

Since Irori and I are ignoring the camera and doing as we please, I'll let them serve as the gentle flower and backdrop on the side.

...But man, her hair is long.

It's on a whole other level from my transformed body. It looks like even standing and walking would be a struggle.

"...Anyway, let's get the bare minimum of our job done. Haru."

"Hm? Oh, right."

Irori, who is quite serious despite himself, brought the topic up, and since I was planning to talk about it anyway, I responded obediently without any extra banter.

That being said, unfortunately, I can't answer all the questions either.

"It's about the end, right? First, 'what I did' was simple. The [Hellgread Ignis]—ah, this is the thing. Well, to put it simply, it's an item that can transfer the magic properties of a single target to the user's avatar, meaning me."

"...I'd like to question your definition of 'simple,' but fine. Continue."

Even if you make such a sour face, if you asked me to explain it in detail, we wouldn't have enough time. If you want to know more specifics, wait for the information to be released later.

"I took the first heat ray at the start of the match, right? I used that to copy the ability of Hinayo-san, the [Heat Gaze]. So, it's like this."

I made a gun shape with my left hand, pointed it at my conversation partner, Irori, and took aim with one eye.

"Bang. It's as simple as that."

"Don't point your finger at people."

"Sorry, this isn't a finger, it's a gun. ...Ah, to all the little kids watching at home. It's a promise with your big brother, you shouldn't point your finger at people."

"...With that appearance, your 'big brother' comment is also questionable for the education of innocent children."

And with that, a bit of unaccustomed playfulness.

Come to think of it, a gun is worse than a finger—no, I'm in a virtual world where punching each other is friendship, so it's fine. Anyway...

"But as for 'what happened,' I'm sorry, but that's a mystery to me too. I thought that even if I hit MinaRina directly, they still had their wall up, so a degraded [Heat Gaze] would definitely be blocked..."

And that 'wall' is none other than the barrier of light that blocked me over and over again.

That wasn't a handmade magic defense by the mages, but a defensive mechanism derived from their two Animas. In exchange for the restriction of not being able to take a single step outside of a very narrow circle called a 'canvas' during combat, it grants them two semi-absolute defenses. It's a cheat ability.

I sensed it from the feedback, but I had actually broken through one layer with my opening [Hayate] barrage. However, I never had the leeway to break through the second layer, which required a similar level of power.

That's why... Hinayo-san instigated them to use their 'ultimate move,' which would silence both their Animas and their own powers if it hit, aiming for a one-shot reversal before the approaching finale.

"So, I thought, if I just made it explode inside the 'wind,' maybe something... something would happen. It was a 100% gut feeling, so I shot it there. And well—"

"That's what happened."

"Yep. To be honest, I didn't have time to think about it calmly either."

This was all entirely the fault of my two great seniors, who had me completely wrapped around their fingers. What the hell is 'magic that makes me imagine things'? How could anyone predict that?

But now that they've said it, the trick and mechanism were so brilliant that it seems like the only possible explanation, so I'm more impressed than anything and can't even muster much of a complaint. It was truly splendid, magnificent even.

Probably not just the appearance and specs, but even the fine details of its actions were based on my 'memory.' Thinking back on it with that knowledge, that 'shadow' had indeed perfectly traced the movements I saw in the battle I challenged with Asche.

In other words, it's possible that it wasn't just made to be drawn, but that I was controlling it in real time. From the joke-like magic name, that possibility seems high.

'Solo Dance,' they call it. They've got some nerve.

"Regarding that, if you'd like to hear my speculation, shall I speak?"

Win or lose, I was completely outplayed. As I accepted that fact and wore a bitter smile, Hinayo-san, sitting on the sleeping princess's bed, raised her hand.

I gestured for her to go ahead with both hands, and my partner nodded once.

"Your accessory copies the exact same quality of magic as the target, right? Then, the 'flame' you shot should have been exactly the same as mine."

"Yes, probably."

"In that case, a much purer 'mutual interference' than what occurs when different people shoot the same attribute magic at each other probably occurred. Not mixing and vaguely canceling each other out, but melting together and amplifying each other."

"...Hmm."

"Pulling at each other from inside and out, increasing their power, they tore through Mi-na-chan and her friends' 'wind'—in other words, a baton pass from me to you, Haru-kun, and from you to me."

"..................Apparently that's what happened, Irori. Got it?"

"At least it was easier to understand than your usual gibberish."

"I don't recall ever specializing in such a thing???"

So, what does that mean?

To summarize it so that even my tired brain after the giant monster war can understand...

"Ah, by the way, the creator of this is the one and only [Milmarinus, Aquamarine Fairy]."

"I figured."

"Of course."

...All hail our exclusive artisan. Is that about right?

---

And in front of the screen, Nia lets out a silent scream.