Chapter 273: The Beast of Lightning and Fire Confronts the Sword Wolf, Part 3

Tremendously rude words were echoing from behind her, but despite their short acquaintance, Kyougoku completely understood that this was simply how those three operated.
To be treated like major pieces on a Shogi board by that Arthur Pencilgon meant they had to be an incredibly quirky bunch.

The "Bird-head" she had heard rumors about was someone far more difficult to describe than the rumors suggested, and the one whose only real claim to fame was the title for defeating Wethermon... Honestly, OiKatzo, who she had originally assumed just got carried as leftovers, seemed like he might actually be the strongest of the three if she wasn't careful.

(Could it be that I joined a genuinely incredible clan?)

Though she had only caught a brief glimpse of them at the port in Fifticia, Kyogoku had heard from Pencilgon that the players aside from those three were also just as capable. On top of that, Psyger-0's transfer... The fact that "Library" and "Team 10PM" responded wasn't solely due to Pencilgon's silver tongue.

(Hmm... It might be okay to talk to them about 'that'... Oops, need to focus on the fun right in front of me first.)

Unique Monsters aren't the only exciting things in ShanFro.
Even Kyogoku, who had won the title of the Sixth among the Nine Blades guarding a certain noble in a distant new land, was keeping a certain Unique a secret.

"Now then... You're next, Kyo-Ultimate."

"Is this our first time actually facing off? Or... did we meet sometime last year?"

"............I don't know whether to call you brave or reckless."

It seemed the other side had realized Kyougoku's true identity. They likely never imagined she'd create a new character using the exact same name just because "it's read differently."
That being said, Kyogoku hadn't expected them to use such a cheap naming convention like "just changing the spelling of our full names" across both sisters, either.

"Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever had a serious match against Momo... Momo-san, right?"

"That way of calling me... Haa, well, whatever. I'll have you know, if you think this is going to go the same way as in reality, you're dead wrong, Kyougoku."

The four flying swords vanished, and Psyger-100 readied a single Holy Sword. In response, Kyogoku readied her Black Katana, a blade forged entirely of pitch-black steel from the hilt to the tip.
There was no referee. They simply silently gauged who would take the initiative...

"Tch!"

"Kuh!?"

The next instant, as if to pin Kyogoku's feet to the floor as she stepped forward, the re-deployed Servant Sword plunged into the ground, barely grazing her toes.

"I too have an understanding of the Ryuguin Style. I know perfectly well that your style is weak if the initial step-in is suppressed... Hah!"

"Guh... In that case!"

Kyogoku checked her surroundings, confirmed that only one Servant Sword had been deployed, and unleashed her skills while remaining wary of the embedded "Super Cat Teaser Lv.100" and Psyger-100.
Top Slasher, Blood Battle Principle, Wind-Lightning Surge. The so-called "Triple-Digit Skills" she had newly acquired and evolved by removing the level cap granted the system's blessing to Kyogoku's body, heightening her agility.

"And further... 【Nine-Tails Six (Hazy Fire of the Nine-Tails)】!"

"Hoh... I don't recognize that one. A Unique Magic, I presume."

Like a fully drawn arrow being loosed, the swordswoman dashed forward, cutting through the wind with her beast ears and a black blade wreathed in purple flames.
In response, Psyger-100 floated the Holy Sword she had been wielding as her fifth blade, and grasped a different straight sword instead.

"The Magic Sword Wrath Pegasius... It isn't a Unique, but surely you've at least heard the name?"

She knew it. It was a magic sword crafted from the horn of the rare enemy "Eatival Pegasus" that spawns extremely rarely in the Forest of Mythology. Its effect is a Weapon Breaker ability that deals damage directly to a weapon's durability value.

That ability is an absolute nightmare matchup for weapons with low total durability like Kyogoku's "Katana" category.
The fact that she drew a weapon capable of snapping an opponent's blade just by crossing swords—unless they possessed the rare "Durability Consumption Nullification" effect—meant Kyogoku couldn't carelessly engage in the head-on, brawling-style sword clashes she excelled at.

"Then... I'll just slash my way through!"

"I won't let you. Highest Dexterity."

The floating Servant Sword locked in mid-air, its tip aimed directly at Kyogoku. Functioning not as a weapon, but as an obstacle, the two blades restricted Kyogoku's movements, forcing her to clash her katana against Psyger-100's magic sword in a lock.

"Fuh!"

"Hah!"

As if trying to push each other back, but actually pushing the opponent in order to retreat themselves, they separated using the "Pulling Wave Form" of the Ryuguin Style Swordplay.
And just as a new wave surges after one recedes, both shifted into the offensive stance perfectly paired with the Pulling Wave Form.

"【Servant · Trio...!"

"Tch!?"

Naturally, the Ryuguin Style doesn't possess any absurd secret technique like "remotely controlling swords." However, she could recreate it.

"Synchronicity】!"

Two blades moved in perfect sync with the sword the caster wielded, tracing the exact same trajectory. It created a pseudo three-on-one situation, as if unseen copies were mimicking the Sword Saint's movements—something even a PvP master couldn't possibly ignore.

"Kuh... Haaah!"

Just as its name implied, she deflected the three blades using the attack skill "Raging Wave Katana," which unleashes shockwaves in a wave-like trajectory. However, she had to deal with three swords simultaneously, and one of them was a magic sword imbued with a weapon-breaking effect.

Mishiri, the black katana let out a very unpleasant groan.

"This isn't a Kendo match, you know...!"

"Then I'll just use... corresponding methods too!"

Kyogoku's left hand blurred, and she threw something at Psyger-100.
Was it some kind of debuff item like Pencilgon used earlier, or a throwing weapon like a shuriken? Before she could identify it, Psyger-100 had no choice but to deal with it, opting to catch it with a Servant Sword to save herself the trouble of dodging.

Its true identity was "Binding Birdlime," a makeshift, sticky trap effective in both PvP and PvE.
The auto-controlled Super Cat Teaser Lv.100 writhed in mid-air, attempting to peel off the incredibly sticky birdlime, but the Binding Birdlime wouldn't come off for five seconds.

"If I can stop just one...!"

The Sword Saint's Unique Magic 【Servant】 only allows the user to cast skills corresponding to the number of swords deployed. Meaning, right now, with three swords deployed, disrupting the movement of just one prevents the skill from activating.
And even if she stored the disrupted sword to switch to a Duo skill, Kyogoku could easily pierce through that opening.

"...Right here!"

Secret Sword "Lion Drop," which sounds similar to a Shishi-odoshi (deer scarer) but is entirely unrelated.
The skill granting the highest single-hit firepower Kyogoku could currently muster enveloped her black katana, which was already wreathed in purple flames.

At the extreme close-quarters range that Sword Saints despise, the Holy Sword flying to block her path was one second too slow. Having captured Psyger-100 within her blade's reach, Kyogoku aimed for the flank.
【Nine-Tails Six】, which was likely a Unique Magic, applies a target marking to the location where an attack lands. From that point on, 【Nine-Tails】 magic gains homing properties towards that specific spot.

(It connected!)

There was feedback on the tip of her blade, shattering armor and reaching flesh... No. It didn't reach. No, that wasn't flesh. It felt like she was simply pushing against solid metal—she missed. No, that wasn't it either.

Her thoughts, sparking like scattering embers, made Kyogoku choose to retreat.

"【Servant · Quartet..."

The flying Holy Sword was one second too late to protect its master. However, if she herself grabbed it and pulled, she could close that one-second gap.
A split-second decision. A high-speed main weapon switch executed at the exact same time as her thought process. The Holy Sword grasped in place of the discarded Magic Sword Wrath Pegasius had completely blocked Kyogoku's all-out strike.

"Quad Delta】!"

The Servant Swords formed a perfect equilateral triangle in mid-air. The moment the Holy Sword wielded by Psyger-0 pierced its center, a mass of pure force was fired, much like a soap bubble forming from a film of soapy water.
If there was one single difference between this and a soap bubble, it was that this wasn't a sphere, but a triangular pyramid.

"Make it...!"

She desperately tried to evade the thrust of the triangular pyramid using the forced twist of an evasion skill, but the damage hitbox grazed her left shoulder, shaving off roughly 20% of Kyogoku's HP.

"............I see. As expected of the leader of a top clan."

"Kyo-Ultimate. This is ShanFro. Before you even talk about having no rules, you should remember that this isn't Kendo."

"I've been reminded of that until I'm absolutely sick of it..."

20% shaved off. Looking at the big picture, she could still fight, but from the perspective of motion feedback after taking damage, the situation was incredibly bad.

(Taking massive damage all at once causes that specific body part to go numb... This is bad. Who knows how long it'll take for my left shoulder to recover...)

In ShanFro, pain is converted into numbness. That is why players don't feel agonizing pain even if they are chewed up or crushed. However, in exchange, they experience an indescribable sensation—much like the feeling of stretching when you wake up—spreading throughout their entire body.

In short, it's a sense of lethargy. There is no pain, but the numbness severely restricts movement if you try to run. That was exactly what currently clung to Kyogoku's shoulder.

Especially when facing Psyger-100, having her left shoulder rendered unusable was an exceptionally bad situation.

(Well, what's even worse is...)

She briefly glanced toward her allies' spectator seats.
If she lost like this, it was glaringly obvious that she would be subjected to relentless mocking by the three Wolfgang fiends. Given how boldly she had declared her intentions earlier, the mockery would undoubtedly surpass her imagination.

(I don't know why, but I really, really don't want that!)

An instinctual feeling of rejection. No matter what, she had to avoid losing like this. She had no intention of losing, but she needed to stall for time at least until her left shoulder recovered.

As Kyogoku racked her brain, a sudden thought struck her.

(..................No, this is...)

The devil descended.

Words of the devil that would undeniably shake Psyger-100. However, in terms of manners, it leaned heavily toward taboo territory... After all, it was basically akin to attacking the player's real-life self.

But still...

"By the way, Psyger-100-san."

"What is it?"

Without using her powerless left arm, she gripped her black katana solely in her right hand and stepped forward.
In the exact moment the three blades locked their sights on Kyogoku...

"Is it really that much easier to move without those melons dangling from your chest?"

"Bufuh!!?"

"Openingggg!!"

The Servant Swords were blown in a completely random direction, and the blade Kyogoku swung finally landed a direct hit on Psyger-100.

Author's Afterword
Momo Saiga possesses Di Molto magnificent assets, and Heroine-chan is also above average.
Given that they have specs beloved by God, is it good luck or bad luck that both sisters had their romantic luck completely confiscated?
By the way, the mother and eldest daughter belong to the "If our romantic luck is low, we can just pull a guaranteed gacha through an arranged marriage" faction. Heroine-chan is a heroine who is actively trying her best at love, so the one in the most danger is the middle sister.

• Sixth Blade of the Nine-Tails:
  In a sense, it's an Only-One Job. To be precise, she is the sixth of the "Blades of the Nine-Tails," which exist from one to nine.
  Upon appointment, the player can acquire the Unique Magic & Skill "Nine-Tails," but the moment they lose their qualification as a Blade, those Unique magics and skills vanish.

While the Lion, Elephant, and Fox factions of the Beastmen Race are engaged in a pointless struggle for dominance, for a certain reason, only the "Dog/Wolf-type" Beastmen operate entirely independently.