kscans

Chapter 132 - Chapter 132

Propelled by the power of his Manipulator, Hayate leaped high into the air, closing in on the Goddess.

"D-Don't come any closer, I said!!"

Naturally, the Goddess tried to keep him at bay. Wooden roots shot up to intercept him, but—

"Rena, shoot that down."

"Okay!"

They were scattered by an arrow fired by Rena.

"Kurosaki-san, please handle that side."

"You got it!!"

The water in the shape of a dragon that was heading for Hayate from the opposite side was being suppressed by Kurosaki Shingo's barrage of bullets.

Realizing that her major techniques couldn't prevent Hayate's approach, Flora (the Goddess) tried to defend herself with both hands, attempting to protect her own core.

"That's not going to be enough to protect you."

"Because we're the strongest team."

"What?"

Nagumo Ryunosuke emerged from Hayate's shadow. Hayate severed Flora's right arm while Ryunosuke cut off her left, her body frozen in place.

"Owww-ieeee! Wh-What do you think you're doing?!"

Flora hastily tried to regenerate her arms, but doing so created the biggest possible opening, leaving her unable to attack or defend.

"Exposing the core is..."

"...our job!"

Takemiya Hazuki, having received support magic from the support mage Hatori Suzuka, was cloaked in an aura so intense it sent a shiver down the Goddess's spine. A close-quarters fist fighter, her style was a perfect match for Aura Release.

"Eek?! B-Bubble Swarm!!"

Countless giant bubbles appeared around Flora. These were dangerous bubbles that would explode and deal massive damage if a player touched them. They weren't very fast, but there were a lot of them, and many raiders had struggled against the mid-boss of the Abyssal Sea dungeon who used this skill.

However, Flora wasn't supposed to be able to use major water-type techniques at all, and on top of that, Bubble Swarm was supposed to require a charge time of about six seconds. The Goddess had completely ignored those settings and forcibly activated the major technique.

This was a trap that higher-ranking players who knew FWO well were more likely to fall into.

"Ah, that might be bad."

Hazuki, who had already entered her attack stance, couldn't evade.

Suzuka's support magic had enhanced her health, but the number of surrounding bubbles was just too great. A chain explosion that would instantly deplete her health was unavoidable.

"Hazuki!!"

Hazuki prepared for death, hearing Suzuka cry her name from behind.

"Hayate-Style Four-Sword Style Secret Technique: Kanade."

Four swords, controlled with superhuman precision, deactivated the bubbles without causing them to burst.

The bubbles, about 30cm in diameter, were not uniform throughout. By identifying the color irregularities in each one and making a 3cm long incision at a specific point, they could be dealt with without detonation.

It was possible to deal with them, but the precision required was the issue, and in reality, only a small number of top-ranked players known for their god-tier character control could nullify Bubble Swarm in this way.

There were very few humans who could perfectly control their own bodies in the real world, under the fear of possibly dying.

Hayate pulled it off. Not with Haze, the technique that deployed an all-encompassing defense through ultra-high-speed Manipulator movements, but with another of the four-sword style secret techniques he had developed.

"H-Hayate-kun? Thank you, you saved me!"

"But I can only keep this up for twelve seconds in my Aura Release state."

It was a technique that could only be used when in a state of extreme concentration, with one's physical abilities pushed to their human limits by Aura Release, and its duration was not long.

"That's more than enough!!"

The surrounding bubbles had vanished. The Goddess was perplexed by this.

"Hey, why aren't they exploding?!"

"Take this! Castle-Breaking Flash Claw!!"

"Hgyuh—"

Hazuki's attack with her claw-equipped hands tore a large gash in Flora's chest, successfully exposing the core.

Having completed her mission, Hazuki put distance between herself and the enemy. The healer Ichinose Kazuma approached her and Hayate.

"Good work! I'll heal you up."

"I'm fine. Please take care of Hayate-kun."

To protect his ally from the Bubble Swarm that had been activated with no warning, Hayate had pushed himself to use his secret technique, Kanade. The sweat beading on his forehead showed that he lacked his usual composure. It was information enough to remind all the S-rank students just how formidable an enemy Flora was.

They had to defeat her while the effects of Aura Release were still active.

The exit was sealed. They couldn't escape.

Either defeat Flora, or be defeated and die.

"Let's press the attack! Everyone, stay sharp!!"

With Hayate kneeling on the ground having his health restored by Kazuma, Ryunosuke took command. Shingo and the others followed his lead.

"Okaay!"

"Right!"

"Hazuki, can you go again?"

"Of course!"

—58 seconds remaining until Aura Release deactivates.