kscans

Chapter 772 - The Usual

"—I see. Well, if you're saying it wasn't half bad, then that's great."

"Nah, it was perfect. I think long weapons might actually suit me."

Inside the usual sparse, cavernous room, two voices broke the silence.

So, my first destination was, as expected and as is tradition, the workshop of my personal magitech artisan, Kagura-san. It's the place you show your face whenever anything comes up.

Actually, the trip was decided on right after the Triangle Duo ended, and I left the next day, so I had to ask her to reschedule. I was originally supposed to have her adjust my equipment the day after the event, so I felt bad for canceling on such a busy person at the last minute.

"I wonder how the public would react if they heard that. You do use a variety of weapons, but your signature image is either a 'dagger' or a 'katana,' isn't it?"

Fortunately, however, the red-haired beauty in the kimono seemed to be in a good mood as she inspected the only 'long weapon' I owned. Her usual casual, big-sisterly way of speaking was music to my ears.

"…Is that right? This Rabbit Short Sword is categorized as a 'dagger,' huh?"

"What are you playing dumb for? I told you it was a 'Rabbit Short-katana,' didn't I?"

"Well, to call it a 'katana,' it has such a… peculiar shape, you know? I'm used to it now, though. And its detached form, the Bullets, are just regular knives."

Now that she mentioned it, right. With the [Parabellum Rabbit Short Sword] and the [Samidorizuki] side-by-side, my main weapons were dominated by the katana category—ah, crap.

"Hey, wait, calm dow—Gah…!"

In that instant, the ring on my right hand flashed, and I sensed the danger, trying to offer an excuse, but it was too late. The pommel of my Anima, which had manifested faster than my words could form, slammed squarely into my solar plexus.

A sharp thwack echoed.

Kagura-san flinched.

I doubled over and spectacularly fell backward, chair and all.

Kagura-san burst into hearty laughter.

And then, as if to say, 'Serves you right, idiot,' my beloved sword spun triumphantly above my head before returning to its ring form, mission accomplished.

"………………Should I take the fact that it wasn't the blade side as a sign of affection?"

"Hah, khh…! …Yeah, I'm sure it loves you very much…!"

"Aren't you laughing a little too hard…?"

Damn you, [Alv Stella]… Just when I thought its rebellious phase was over, this is what happens the moment I let my guard down. Is my love not getting through?

What's your problem? Are you saying you don't get enough screen time? When things get really tough, or when it really counts, you're pretty much the first one I rely on…

"Isn't it just upset that it barely got used in the Triangle Duo?"

"Hm? Ah, no, that's not it. This thing doesn't seem to care about PvP."

"…Oh?"

Did I not mention that…? No, the fact that she'd think that must mean I haven't. Was Sora-san the only one I'd shared this with?

"It gets super motivated against enemies, though. But when I use it in PvP, it's just not into it, or when I let it move on its own, it lacks its usual sharpness…"

"Is that so."

"It won't even activate its special abilities like [Alv Call] or its ultimate move, El Solas… It just ignores me when I ask. Isn't that terrible?"

"Well, well…"

She was grinning with great interest, but as its owner, this was a serious problem. In other words, 'Of course it's like that.'

It's just too quirky, making it a real pain to use as a main weapon… Hey, hey, don't get any ideas, I'm not complaining, okay? You of all people know I have a soft spot for weirdos, and I really mean it, I'm not complaining. I respect its individuality and its opinions, and as I was just thinking, I rely on it as a special trump card—

"Well, let's set aside the comedy routine between two weirdos for now."

"You're saying Stella is the straight man, right? Does that make me the funny one?"

"It's done. Should be finished just as you ordered."

"Ignoring me again… Fine, fine, I am eternally grateful."

Her usual brusque attitude. She must have finished her magitech work while we were talking, because Kagura-san casually tossed a long spear my way, and I caught it.

[Demon Horn Spear: Crimson Valor]—or rather, the fusion of 'Rabbit' and 'Whale' that I debuted in the fight against Mi-na and Ri-na, the [Laparice Raphane (Demon Crimson-Azure Spear: Whale-Rabbit)].

Although it's a reinforced remake, there are no noticeable visual changes. It retains its simple design, utilizing the Demon Horn from the original [Ruby Bullet Rabbit] material, with the same stylish, non-physical cloth fluttering at the boundary between the blade and the shaft.

The only change is to the butt end of the spear, opposite the tip. Where there was once a small shard of the same Demon Horn as the blade, there is now a diamond-shaped crystal where crimson and azure swirl together.

This is a rare material dropped from the Great Water Spirit Raphane, none other than the [Alsterite Raphane], an upgrade part… or rather, a complete overhaul part.

Simply put, this modification has turned the 'Crimson Spear' into the 'Crimson-Azure Spear,' where the spear part has become a bonus. Not that the spear itself isn't a high-grade, practical weapon, but the components on the butt end have become monstrously powerful.

That's because…

"Oh. Nice, nice, this is just right."

With a little bit of MP—no, it's more than a little bit—I feed it magic, and just like that, the great scythe of water and light that manifests is terrifyingly powerful.

It's a souped-up version of the Red Air function I showed off in the last Four Pillar War… but this one can be summoned at my own cost, can smash through magic, and can also deal physical damage, making it a complete upgrade. Its power will undoubtedly far exceed that of the spear.

Furthermore, it has the demonic ability to drain not only HP but also MP from anything it damages or touches. On top of that, the MP drain ability scales with my MID stat, so it'll rip out an absurd amount whether I'm using my main or sub class.

Against enemies, whose HP and MP pools are said to be orders of magnitude greater than ours, it can't be used for resource pressure, but it goes without saying that it's unbelievably broken in PvP.

Even a graze will mercilessly shave off a chunk of MP, and what's more, just as it ate Mi-na and Ri-na's MP from over their 'wall,' it has the horrible feature of registering a hit on anything nearby and connected, be it armor, magic, or an ability.

And to top it all off, just like the pre-remake version, the stolen magic can be used to power the Raphane's abilities, so with skillful use, it even solves its own fuel efficiency problem.

Overall assessment: it is, quite simply, broken. If I were on the development team, I'd slap a ban on this weapon in a heartbeat—but that's beside the point.

"You can handle it, right?"

"No problem. I'm used to big weapons."

The part of this new toy I had her adjust was none other than the size of the scythe.

"…………A size adjustment for a scythe—"

"I'm gonna deck you."

"I'm sorry."

Shoving aside the terrible pun that had just sprung to mind, it felt good.

I had her make it two sizes larger based on my experience using it against Mi-na and Ri-na, and just a light swing sent a feeling of 'this is it' through my hands.

Two meters… no, probably not quite that long. Still, if I held it straight, the massive, thick, non-physical blade would probably reach my height, and it had a presence that belied its translucence.

Nice, very nice. I'm really looking forward to using it in a real fight.

I probably shouldn't mention that the front and back have been reversed, and the tip has basically become the butt end. I can already envision using both ends effectively, so I'll be sure to put it to good use.

"Well, anything else?"

"Nothing!"

"Alright. Then get going."

And with that, the business was concluded. I didn't give Kagura-san a bitter smile and say, 'So cold,' as she tried to shoo me away with her usual briskness.

Why? Because if I turned on my heel and headed for the door just as briskly—

"—I really enjoyed the show. I'll be expecting more next time."

"You bet, you can count on it!"

See? An encouraging voice pushed me forward.

All I had to do was give a thumbs-up and reply with gusto, and everything would be just fine.