kscans

Chapter 827 - Because You Think of Me, I Am. Because I Wish It, the World Endures. Part Two.

"—My memories are carved into my soul."

That wasn't a song to be spun, but an invocation to be called forth.

"—My shining crown resides within my body."

My Transformed body meant I had no hat to match, but a crimson light—the embodiment of a will, or perhaps a last testament—dwelt within and coiled around me… turning my long white hair into “ears.”

This was the second ability, following Recall.

A unique ability, not quite a skill, that now resided in my avatar. Its name was—

"《My Name is Rega=Lielta, the King Clad in Red》"

Alright. It's time to go— Time to go— Time to go—.

Even if all my skills save for a few exceptions were sealed, I couldn't call myself the [Sword Saint]'s disciple if I let that render me completely useless.

And so… if it was just a matter of taking one step, then another.

Kesshiki Itto—

Whether through sheer grit or something else, I would make it happen.

《Flying Water》

I called forth a single strike, unleashing my jade blade. A flash of light shot toward the distant beyond.

In an instant that left even a blink behind, I swung my sword at the giant single eye on the black mass's torso—what was obviously its weak point—and a strange sensation met my blade as my body was sent flying into the air.

I clicked my tongue. But of course. It was impossible to properly handle the Three Claddings without the protection of my skills, so I'd have to swallow a bit of gracelessness.

Right then, time for a follow-up.

I stretched to my limit. As I landed the slash, the thread from my [Ninefold Shadow-Woven Gauntlet (Nine Tail)] connected to my right arm. I pulled with all my might, and the shadow thread contracted at immense speed, like a rubber band.

"—!!"

Furthermore, the over-stacked excess stats exploded with their full power. Compensating for the disadvantage of having no miraculous skills, my body was launched like a rocket by the absurd output, and I delivered a second strike.

I ran my [Samidorizuki] along its back without missing my mark, but the feedback was just as strangely thin and peculiar as the first strike, like cutting through mud… and damn it, this is a mess, my head's going crazy, it's so loud, shut up, I can't focus at all—

Ah, crap.

"—Haru?!"

For a moment, I froze—on top of a monster being bombarded by a thousand swords, a kill zone that was dangerous not just on two levels, but two hundred. A “thread” slipped through the gaps between the magic swords and pulled me back.

And just like that, the stacked external stimulus jolted my consciousness, successfully rebooting me.

Forcing my body, which couldn't keep up with the jumble of thoughts, to move, I instantly picked a gap in the sandstorm and dodged with pure reflex—and in that moment, far below…

I saw the black mass I had been using as a foothold swell up as if to explode, releasing countless “fragments” from its grotesque body in complete defiance of the law of conservation of mass.

I saw it— Ah, I see it— I'm watching too, clear as day—.

Once again thrown around by excessive output near the ceiling of the vast space, my consciousness, which filled my head like a torrent due to parallel processing rather than thought acceleration, clamored wildly in a short span of time.

What is that thing—it's a complete monster—did that last attack even work?—The feedback from the eye and the back was the same—Let's try a physical blow—Shouldn't we deal with the split fragments first?—Hey, I recognize some of those—The bird-thing with the slithery tail—That's the first one we beat—What, is this how it's gonna be?—Like the vengeful spirits of those we've defeated?—It's a horror movie incarnation—Whatever, for now…

"All this noise is pissing me off, I'm just gonna blow them all away…!"

I told the noisy me in my head to shut up. To move my body as I willed, I saw the path I laid out, and I, I, and I all gave the GO sign, approving the action.

Alright, let's go, me! Time to divide and conquer— I'll handle the initial move, I'll control the output, and I'll take care of whatever happens after impact— Divergent Output: 'Kai' Critical Convergence—

Time to charge.

At this point, breaking my limits was a given. Taking advantage of the fact that the absolute number of thoughts I could split had increased, I kicked the future to the curb, not giving a damn about the backlash, and threw my entire being into the now.

And so, the very instant I saw the change below, I did a high-speed flip back into the dead center of the cluster of black fragments just before they could split and scatter—and from there, the Fourth Wind, First Sword.

《Trickle》

With my unleashed spinning blade, I chopped every last one of their forms, all familiar from 'memory,' into pieces.

The feedback was like mud, same as the main body. Their combat strength in a straight fight was unknown, but at the very least, their durability seemed to be significantly degraded—

Okay, time out— Okay, time out— Okay, time out—.

"Guhh…!!! Can't…! I'm gonna die…!!!!!"

"Wha-?! H-Hey…?!"

It was the obvious result of playing a trump card that's ridiculously draining even at peak condition while battered and bruised, but only my partner and I knew that.

Five seconds after activation. After rampaging at breakneck speed, returning at breakneck speed, and collapsing at her feet at breakneck speed, it was no wonder my senior let out a half-furious cry at the sight of me.

This is bad. Using the Three Claddings is just too much. I have to gear down…

What am I, an idiot—? More like a moron, right?— I'll take both. Alright, you're up—.

"—…Alright, I'm good, I can still go!"

"What is wrong with you?! What's happening?! This is creeping me out!"

Natsume-senpai is being her usual energetic self beside me, but with one of me gone, the 'crosstalk' in my head continues, and my brain's various capacities remain overloaded.

And since the black mass shows no sign of stopping its advance, there's no time to chat.

"Natsume-senpai, keep it up just like that!"

"Just like what?!"

"Just give me a shove if I freeze up and we're golden!"

"My heart is not golden right now!"

"Hell yeah!"

"Don't 'hell yeah' me!"

Now then, let's see how long my consciousness holds out…!

The unique ability separated from the skill 《King of the Brilliant Rabbit (Rega=Lielta)》—《My Name is Rega=Lielta, the King Clad in Red》.

It was a vestige of 'infinity,' a power left to me by the great Rielta Helia of the Crimson Circle, the very incarnation of 'cladding power,' on some whim of its own.

To multiply oneself and house those selves within oneself. To put its essence into words is nonsensical, but its in-game effect is quite simple—a four-fold cap. Everything related to my avatar is multiplied in proportion to the number of selves I layer upon myself.

For example, my status values.

And the effects of any and all actions.

This wasn't limited to positive things for me, like the number of attacks and their power; it also included negative things, like damage taken, without exception. It even extended to the number of my thoughts.

It's been a little under three months since I acquired it, and I'm still diligently researching it.

I never feel like I'm getting anywhere close to 'handling it without issue,' and the simple horror of my thoughts multiplying has made me hesitant to use it regularly, but… well, it lets me wield absurd power even without skills, so it's undeniably a top-tier ability.

"Alright, let's do this!"

"I'm definitely smacking this guy later…!!!"

It would be a crime to let it go to waste. A super-class trump card truly befitting the name 'Anomalous Power'—in other words, one of my many 'aces in the hole.'

---

Confused? Don't worry, the protagonist, myself, and all of you are in the same boat.

For reference, here's a comparison of his total stats in the Three Claddings (triple) mode.

With Sora co-op [Perdia Eternity (Star Sworn to Dream of the Azure Sky)] boost & Transformed Desperate Crimson ver.
────────────────
◇Status / Trance◇
Title：Acrobat
Name：Haru
Lv：110
STR (Strength)：100
AGI (Agility)：1025
DEX (Dexterity)：775
VIT (Vitality)：100
MID (Mind)：1550
LUC (Luck)：0
────────────────

+《My Name is Rega=Lielta, the King Clad in Red》 Three Claddings ver.
────────────────
◇Status / Trance◇
Title：Acrobat
Name：Haru
Lv：110
STR (Strength)：300
AGI (Agility)：3075
DEX (Dexterity)：2325
VIT (Vitality)：300
MID (Mind)：4650
LUC (Luck)：0
────────────────

While he looks like a complete monster, in reality, a limiter caused by a certain reason is in effect, essentially capping his stats, so it's not as simple as him being able to wield this power directly. As explained in the main text, the specification that negative effects are also multiplied is included, so it's not like he becomes a completely lawless, invincible being, as seen when he was defeated using this during the Four Pillar War.