kscans

Chapter 837 - Because I Think of You, I Exist—

The [Crimson Moon]—a scarlet katana forged by the [Sword Saint] using her own authority. Its origins were not of ordinary steel; in fact, it was not made of mineral at all.

It was a mysterious object discovered somewhere by a lost child on a rambling, aimless journey.

Burning ice, whose f(・)r(・)e(・)e(・)z(・)i(・)n(・)g(・) p(・)o(・)i(・)n(・)t(・) a(・)n(・)d(・) i(・)g(・)n(・)i(・)t(・)i(・)o(・)n(・) p(・)o(・)i(・)n(・)t(・) w(・)e(・)r(・)e(・) i(・)d(・)e(・)n(・)t(・)i(・)c(・)a(・)l(・). A phantom that kicked common sense to the curb and laughed in the face of logic. Seeing it stubbornly maintain its form with such passionate intensity, a smile unknowingly escaped her lips.

She hoped that one day, she could gift it to the ‘student’ whose face appeared in her mind, their images overlapping… Without a moment’s hesitation, the “katana” was given form, and after a time both brief and long…

“《Twilight Dreamfrost》.”

From the hands of its rightful owner, its hidden flames were unleashed.

The power of the scarlet katana, [Crimson Moon], was known as ‘Scarlet Flame Absolute Zero’—its effect was utterly simple and clear. It a(・)d(・)d(・)e(・)d(・) t(・)h(・)e(・) p(・)r(・)o(・)p(・)e(・)r(・)t(・)i(・)e(・)s(・) o(・)f(・) t(・)h(・)e(・) f(・)i(・)r(・)e(・) e(・)l(・)e(・)m(・)e(・)n(・)t(・) t(・)o(・) a(・)n(・)y(・) i(・)c(・)e(・)-e(・)l(・)e(・)m(・)e(・)n(・)t(・) a(・)b(・)i(・)l(・)i(・)t(・)y(・) u(・)s(・)e(・)d(・) s(・)i(・)m(・)u(・)l(・)t(・)a(・)n(・)e(・)o(・)u(・)s(・)l(・)y(・).

The properties of fire. Namely, the fluidity of a non-solid, non-fixed mass, and the phenomenon of ‘burning’.

In other words, the ice created by the Magia known as [Frostblade Shirosou], its nature altered by the duet with [Crimson Moon], would c(・)o(・)n(・)t(・)i(・)n(・)u(・)e(・) t(・)o(・) s(・)p(・)r(・)e(・)a(・)d(・) l(・)i(・)k(・)e(・) w(・)i(・)l(・)d(・)f(・)i(・)r(・)e(・) a(・)s(・) l(・)o(・)n(・)g(・) a(・)s(・) i(・)t(・)s(・) m(・)a(・)s(・)t(・)e(・)r(・)’s(・) M(・)a(・)n(・)a(・) h(・)e(・)l(・)d(・) o(・)u(・)t(・).

The moment the tower opened and the target was set, the freezing, blazing ice-flame reached out to consume everything in its circumference.

A flame at absolute zero. That was why, without burning or melting the countless demonic ice swords dancing in the air… it swallowed them whole, endlessly, boundlessly.

The same was true for the horde of demons, their movements already slowed by the blizzard. The ice-flame, its momentum unwavering, swallowed the swarm of monsters that had grown beyond one hundred, two hundred, and was now approaching three hundred.

Again, a flame at absolute zero. Therefore, it was still “ice.”

And so, even if it lost its solid form, even if it transformed into a fluid state—

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There was no reason a being trapped within it should be able to move.

…And so, at the epicenter of the pandemonium, where demons appeared only to be turned into ice statues within the vortex of flame.

“…Well now, is the rest just standing around? Not really my style.”

A transfigured body in prayer robes, its long blond hair swaying, let out a grumbling mutter.

◇◆◇◆◇

“Whoa, that combo is nasty…”

The one who let out a repulsed voice was, as usual, the kitten.

“A status debuff, into movement impairment, then topped with total paralysis… That’s just demonic,” added the tiger, his voice tinged with exasperation.

“So every member of the Eastern Faction’s top ten has a wide-area annihilation move now…? Maybe I should think up a new move too…” mumbled… ah, the cloud.

“Irori-senpai’s isn’t really an annihilation move, though.”

“Same with Sora’s ice-only whatever-it-is. I heard it’s originally a restraining move for large targets. Though against a player, it’s pretty much instant death.”

And to cap it off, Tetra, who had naturally s(・)e(・)n(・)t(・) a(・) s(・)h(・)a(・)d(・)o(・)w(・) to the two on the front line, added his retort, followed by my supplementary explanation. …Well, the fact that all of us, myself included, could talk so calmly was solely because the plan was proceeding at a full-blown gallop.

A double-sealed prison formed by Sora’s ice-sword barrier and Irori’s ice-flame barrier.

With this frozen hell established right on top of the boss’s spawn point, and with Tetra supplying them with magic power, we had a perfect loop of instantly restraining the monsters as they appeared, keeping them alive but incapacitated.

With the spirit wolves, who could move freely through both the ice swords and ice flames, on watch, our setup was perfect. Even if a monster with resistance managed to escape, we were ready to deal with it instantly.

In that case, all that was left—

“Is to sit and wait for fate to decide, I suppose.”

“Yeah. …………Lux.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Please don’t try to say smart things. It’s messing with my brain.”

“Wh-whaaat! How rude, so incredibly rude! What do you take me for, Har-kun?!”

Just as some traveler had wisely proclaimed.

All we could do was leave it to the will of the heavens, which included the two sword-wielding champions who so effortlessly transcended the realm of mortals.

◇◆◇◆◇

The world of ice burned, the black mass writhed; two fronts of a battle connected as one in the same space.

Thus, the second hand ticked onward, the resounding clash of two blades echoing hundreds of times over. Five minutes, then ten, the battlefield filled with an intentional stalemate as time advanced. And then.

“—It’s time.”

The moment the [Princess], who had been relentlessly scattering the blackness with her blade, counted down to the appointed time without a second’s delay, a torrent of power coalesced and rose up behind her.

A raging blizzard. A burning ice-flame. A racing gale. And countless other demonic cannons firing—c(・)o(・)n(・)s(・)u(・)m(・)i(・)n(・)g(・) t(・)h(・)e(・)m(・) a(・)l(・)l(・), a giant dragon of black flame bloomed with a deafening roar.

The desperate, final power of a battered kitten. The flame of darkness soared high, its jaws aimed at… the swarm of monsters, now numbering over seven hundred and reaching the ‘quota’, still trapped in the prison of ice.

And so, lawlessness was piled upon lawlessness, and then even more lawlessness was poured on top.

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Reaching their backs was the layered, serene scream of death.

And at the same time.

“—Fourteen seconds! I’m counting on you, Top Two!!!”

Echoing through the air was the battle cry of the master artisan.

“Right.”

“Understood.”

With their resources full, the final process began. What dashed forward were a sword and a katana.

The immense loss of life was instantly converted, causing the black monstrosity before them to undergo immense growth—but their objective remained unchanged.

“[Little Braver]…!”

They would push through to a raid clear without letting it do a thing.

Full power, fully unleashed, saved up for this very moment. Donning her crown and dyeing her clothes blue, she took a single step.

And as she closed the distance—

“[Forte Rouge]!”

She shifted to red, then unleashed an all-out slash.

A direct hit…—but it was heavy.

The black mass had, in an instant, literally doubled in volume. Next to it, the ‘sword’ was now as small as a needle. It was all she could do to make it tremble; she could not possibly move it on her own.

“—Second Strike.”

But she had a friend by her side.

“[Striking Iron]!”

And so, in truth, she was invincible.

The sword made it waver, and the katana swept it away. The two-stage attack lifted the massive body, sending the monster flying—a beast whose sheer mass shook space itself just by soaring through the air.

And then,

—“The raging celestial fox-dragon cries!”

Without pause, the queen, wielding her sword, began to sing her chant.

“Embodiment of fear, symbol of the undefeated, never has it been touched.”

As she and her partner exchanged a flurry of blows,

“Beyond the sea of resonating clouds, a single breath in the crimson darkness above.”

A parallel incantation, which she was not adept at. Her own self, using such a reckless technique at this crucial moment without hesitation,

“A growl becomes ten, a roar a hundred, layered into a thousand chaotic booms—”

On this dream stage that continued to come true, she couldn't hide the smile spreading across her face.

—“Let none dare touch it, so cries the dragon that looks down even upon the gods.”

Thus, she screamed,

“*‘G(・)a(・)t(・)h(・)e(・)r(・), y(・)e(・) c(・)h(・)i(・)l(・)d(・)r(・)e(・)n(・) o(・)f(・) t(・)h(・)e(・) t(・)w(・)i(・)n(・)k(・)l(・)i(・)n(・)g(・) l(・)i(・)g(・)h(・)t(・), f(・)o(・)r(・) m(・)y(・) n(・)a(・)m(・)e(・) i(・)s(・) t(・)h(・)e(・) T(・)h(・)u(・)n(・)d(・)e(・)r(・) E(・)m(・)p(・)e(・)r(・)o(・)r(・)’!”

A dual incantation, layering a verbal chant spoken unconsciously during combat with another cast simultaneously in both mind and body.

Following the highest-tier lightning annihilation magic, `Thunderbolt`, was the extreme lightning convergence magic, `Vortiart`. In the instant—less than a tenth of a second—after the largest-scale grand magic was unleashed, the smallest-scale grand magic followed, gathering the endless bolts of lightning the moment they manifested.

Where to? To her ‘sword’, of course.

“[Ventus Blua].”

Her garments turned blue once more. Ignoring the massive tremor from the giant’s fall that shook the earth, she entrusted the interception of the countless ‘fragments’ scattered like screams entirely to the [Sword Saint].

The [Sword Queen] took a step, then dashed forward. In her hand was a single ‘sword’ that bore the name of the world itself, crowned with a brilliant golden light that could burn the eyes of the world.

She took a thrusting stance. Without hesitation.

“[Licht Stolze].”

What burst forth was a piercing strike of ten thousand thunders. The roaring flash of light p(・)i(・)e(・)r(・)c(・)e(・)d(・) t(・)h(・)e(・) t(・)a(・)r(・)g(・)e(・)t(・) a(・)n(・)d(・) v(・)a(・)n(・)i(・)s(・)h(・)e(・)d(・) i(・)n(・)t(・)o(・) t(・)h(・)e(・) d(・)i(・)s(・)t(・)a(・)n(・)c(・)e(・).

A merciless bullseye. Its only distinct feature—the giant single eye on its torso—was completely obliterated. The black mass shuddered violently and let out a scream—a few seconds before that.

““—!””

Before the monster’s eyes, a sword and a katana crossed.

The queen’s sword, trusting her pursuing friend, swung without a shred of doubt, its momentum redirected by the recoil of her technique…—literally, the sword and katana clashed head-on.

To anyone but them, it was an act of madness. However,

“…Kesshiki, Itto.”

The katana that received the strongest sword, and the supreme body that parried the katana, were naturally unscathed. Blown back violently along the path she came, the small, rapidly r(・)o(・)t(・)a(・)t(・)i(・)n(・)g(・) body gave voice.

“Final Strike—”

And then, she stopped dead, and space itself distorted.

The extraordinary power that had been stored up, within the hands of its master…

“—[Reverse Style: Bound Wind]!”

…cried out its birth and raced across the world.

In the next moment, the monstrosity wasn't even given time to ‘scream’. The single slash tore through it, using the hole opened by the queen as a starting point, bisecting the giant body vertically… and s(・)t(・)i(・)l(・)l(・), it was r(・)i(・)g(・)h(・)t(・) t(・)h(・)e(・)r(・)e(・).

“In the name of the Sword King—”

The sword was still in the Princess’s hand.

“—I now demonstrate my divine authority.”

And so, fourteen seconds.

As promised, she had not let her opponent do a thing.

“Weaving the world—[Arcadia, Ideal Land Embracing the Old Moon]!”

The two sword crowns had shown the world their power.

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Planning another one tonight.