Chapter 700: Echo Upon the Mirror's Surface, Roar From the Skyscrapers - Part 18

Author's Preface

Show Must Go On !

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Tapping my head lightly, thump thump, I felt like I had finally managed to regain at least a sliver of calm reasoning. But there's no time to hesitate; I have to get out of here as quickly as possible.

Now I was certain. The final piece of the puzzle—because they held the initiative over the world, I couldn't declare it with 100% certainty before...... but if I could be absolutely sure that fleet of Decotoras was genuinely "Sunraku's" ally, then my options could be narrowed down to a single plan.

Leaping off the highway, I plummeted the dozens of meters to the ground, gliding down with Hermes Boots. My destination, naturally, was where Saina stood.

"ContractorMaster."

"Listen up, Saina, I'll make this quick. This is my last order. Whether we laugh or cry, it all ends with this one strike."

A straightforward statement. Saina's eyes widened for a moment, but perhaps sensing something, she offered a graceful bow amidst the brilliance of the spotlight.

".........Your orders, please. This unitI is your doll. An entity that stands by you and exists alongside you. This unitI am───"

"I said I'd make it quick. There's no need to go out of your way to say that out loud...... Listen, whatever 'he' can do, I can do too. Which means whatever 'she' can do, you can do too. Therefore───"

◇

"───And that's the gist of it. A mirror always does the exact same thing. You can definitely do it too."

"............There is no guarantee. Even with this unit'smy computational processing power, it is currently impossible to deduce a complete answer regarding the exact processes involved."

What Sunraku had asked of Saina was akin to telling her to force the impossible without any explanation or reference.

However, after laying out a perfectly logical denial, Saina prefaced her next words with a "but" and turned her gaze toward Sunraku, who stood in front with his back to her.

"───However, using an illogical basis, this unitI will assert the following:"

Leave it to me.

There was no verbal response; only his back, clad in a long coat swaying in the night wind, replied in the form of absolute trust.

According to her contractor: The current Orchestra was pouring every ounce of its power into the highway racing across the world. When Elise Jitterdoll was present, it had been a battle struggling for the world's initiative, but now it was the exact opposite. By conceding almost all of the world's initiative to Saina, Elma Sakishima was forming a highway with incredibly robust interference power.

If that were the case, then naturally Saina could do the exact same thing—even more so if she were a mirror reflection. Sunraku's order was to exercise the exact same power as Elma. To abandon the world and sing out the very symbol she envisioned.

But how? The information possessed by the NPC named Saina couldn't generate enough data to reach certainty on the method. So long as Orchestra remained a black box, clarifying its underlying principles was completely impossible.

However, what the NPC known as Saina had gained up to this point would guide her song to the correct answer.

"............Contractor of this unitMy Master, what kind of scene do you wish for?"

"Let's see...... we went through all the trouble of getting a skyscraper, but I've been doing nothing but looking up at it this whole time."

With his back turned, Sunraku's finger deployed a certain object from Inventoria.

It was a bizarre Oodachi with a distorted box for a scabbard, an assistance from the immortal rabbit that had been slumbering inside Inventoria this entire time.

Neither Sunraku himself nor Sainathe NPC—who wasn't registered in Sub-Server Seven—had any way of knowing this, but it was a boost provided to Sunraku for being forced to fight the secretly revived Canon. To put it another way, it was an event-exclusive weapon—an item of which only one existed in the entire world...... and one that belonged to a framework containing only three blades in existence.

"Alright, Aniki...... I've learned to cut the wind just like I promised. Don't go giving me some outrageous development where I have to use this as a blunt weapon here, alright......?"

Namely, the Great Calamity-Cleansing MasterpieceSaijou Oowazamono. A blade forged by the immortal Vysache for a "certain purpose," housing one of the three calamities that once nearly destroyed the world.

The asphalt road undulating like a dragon. Generating a chaoscircuit so tangled that even a roller coaster track would be more coherent, it seemed to notice its target, Sunraku, standing on the ground, and initiated a steep dive with the rampaging crimson beast riding atop the leading Decotora.

"Saina! I'm counting on you............ To the sky!!!!"

"UnderstoodRoger."

Skyscraper was Elma's song, Elma's aspiration, Elma's feelings. That being said, the miracle of Saina suddenly composing her very own original song from scratch right now wasn't going to happen.

If so,

Close, so close, 「───Far, far away, I always watch I dreamed of the figure that sprinting back. from days gone by.」

The flowing melody was Elma Sakishima's "Skyscraper," but the words being spun carried feelings different from the original lyrics.

An indomitable gaze, 「A past glory, a passion that will never break. a majestic figure scraping the heavens. Journeying by your side, Seeing off your departure, your figure carving the figure that remained open the world. in our hometown.」

What she wanted wasn't a vast world or anything of the sort. It was a foothold for her beloved master, who was challenging Elma and his own reflection—a foothold higher than anyone else's, one where his hand could reach the heavens.

The "N" Patch, officially named the "NamidaTear" Patch. Saina was already a singular entity possessing emotions; in that case, even if it were a mere parody, the feelings poured into it were undeniably genuine.

Please, right now, 「That figure now gone, to the sky, I send you off. even now, I dream of it. Into this heartfelt voice, Within this yearning, I pour it all, please reach... my deeply rooted...───」

What welled up in Saina's eyes were unmistakable tears—born of neither sorrow nor joy. InformationEmotions exceeding the capacity of a Conquista Doll caused those warm, transparent drops to spill.

Fissures ran through the world. Because the two "Divas" sang exclusively for the warriors wielding their swords, the world, abandoned by both of them, began to collapse.

The night sky shattered with cracking sounds like glass, but amidst that dying world, two things emitted an unwavering brilliance.

The roadhighway that pulled far back, aiming to carve out the fastest straight line, and the "StarSunraku".

And one more thing. Built up with trust and affection as its central pillars, it rose high, high, carrying the warrior high! Into the sky!!

The DivaSaina didn't even wipe the tears streaming down her cheeks, gazing dazedly at the warrior who was pulling further and further away. Her feelings bore fruit, and as she smiled and quietly whispered that name which scraped even the heavens───

"───Skyscraper."

The vanguard"Sunraku" and the summitSunraku—the final battle began.

◆

A windless sky. With the light of the cracked moon at my back, I stood at the peak of the oversized tower. I see? The view from heaven in ShanFro looked awfully end-of-the-century. A scene of the world breaking apart, huh.

"Height is good, distance is good, time is good."

I had taken off my armor a long time ago. After all, as long as I had Lycaon's Scars, I couldn't just ruin my only good set of clothes. Damn you, Lycaon.

"Phew............"

In the time it took to get here, I had quickly checked over this katana's information. The beast that nearly destroyed the world...... No, that expression wasn't strictly correct.

"A disaster that nearly destroyed the world, an annihilating storm typhoon that was degraded into a beast, yet enshrined as the spirit dwelling within this blade......!"

The name of that enshrined spirit beast, the inscription on this Oodachi, was!

"Raging Storm of the Hegemonic NationAgatleo!!"

By calling out its name, the release condition was met. The twisted box...... the casketseal that had bound the sword along with its original scabbard shattered into wooden splinters and scattered away.

At the same time, an intense wind erupted from the true black scabbard that was revealed, beginning to swirl in a vortex centered around me.

Glancing over, I noticed that the Vestige of the Raging Storm EmperorIdea=Gatleo・ExtremeSuperior had begun spinning fiercely, even though I hadn't activated it. Considering this accessory was based on the amber sealing Agatleo's flesh and blood, I suppose this sword was its very origin.

"........."

The weight itself should be far lighter than the Centipede Type 8-0.5 or Remember Death Without Parting, yet it felt heavy. It was as if some massive presence was weighing down on my shoulders...... Nice. I don't dislike games that push realism all the way down to these insanely detailed descriptions.

Looking down, there was a cluster of lights rushing straight toward this building through the collapsing world. Since they're Decotoras, they stand out a lot...... especially the red figure of that beastly bastard riding on the lead Decotora!!

"The casket-scabbard of the Raging Storm of the Hegemonic NationAgatleo is shattered. All that's left is this guythe black scabbard."

This sword was a temperamental one, requiring several conditions to be met in order to unsheathe the blade from its two scabbards. The casket-scabbard required "Permission from the Owner," so that was fine, but I had to do something about the black scabbard myself.

"Well, I've got an idea......"

After this, whatever happens, happens. Hell, just blow everything away and show me a beautiful horizon and the rising morning sun from it......!!

"Roar, AgatleoRaging Storm of the Hegemonic Nation! Devour this world to your heart's content!!"

Like hell I could lose after getting things set up this perfectly for me! Performance restrictions? Locks on viewing information? Who cares! Hand over everything I can use right now, I'll wring it out down to the marrow!! Burn, caffeine! Reignite those leftover dregs one more time!! My hype is at MAX!!!

Forcibly holding the black-scabbarded Oodachi in an Iai stance, I threw myself off the peak of the building. I possess no wings, no pinions...... meaning if I fly, I'll fall. But that freefall was exactly what's important! If I don't have Critical Speed, I have my own ways of accelerating without it!!

Space ChargeGrace of Zero Gravity activated! Defining the building's wall as the ground, I activated every usable skill while sprinting down the building's wall from top to bottom!!

"Devour the wind! Inhale! Emperor of the Storm, the twisted infinite wind! Come to my aid!!"

Vestige of the Raging Storm EmperorIdea=Gatleo activated! Riding the vortex to accelerate!!

The ground was close. If I kept going like this, I'd end up as a stain on the asphalt, something far worse than a smashed pomegranate. But, but, but! I'm not gonna let that happen, Hermes Boots! Drawing a slope in the sky, I sprinted right through!!

I felt like I could hear the noisy roarhonking of the Decotoras and the scream of the beast. Wind. The air of the collapsing world converged on a single point at my hip.

Not yet, not yet, not yet, not yet. Coming, closing in, stepping into it, just a little bit more──────

"Let's fucking do thiiiiiiiiis!!!"

Levin Trigger!! The simultaneous use of wind and lightning, the only way to rein in the uncontrollable rotation, the brilliant method, the best answer was this!!!

With both feet together, I leaped from a forward-bent posture using the technique of a rabbit hop! The shockwave of the atmosphere pushed against my body, which had launched upward like a bullet due to the Overflow effect. It felt exactly like being propelled by the roar of some massive beast. The only power I was permitted to use was one: immense acceleration...... A scolding encouragement from the Emperor of Storms!!

"【Scolding of the Storm EmperorJet Strike】!"

Gou, the sound of the wind, akin to a beast's roar, drowned out all other noise. A massive force, not born of my own legs, blew my body forward. The presence of a massive beast was left behind me, and amidst the raging gale, I felt as if only the katana at my left hip whispered to me, "Draw." As you wish!!

"Se, verSlash......!"

『───────』

The left foot I planted at the very end. The clockwise whirlwind granted my body its final acceleration. A fraction of the storm was amplified by the black lightning, and the moment the world stretched sideways, the black scabbard trembled violently.

As if there had been nothing but air there from the very beginning, the scabbard melted and vanished...... Within a hyper-speed world spanning less than a single second, even with Quantum Gaze active, a pale green blade emitting a truly beautiful radiance flashed with a sliding motion.

Borrowing the divine majesty of the enshrined spirit of the storm, the Seiten Style cleaves the wind and severs the enemy. In that case, upon this single stroke......

"KazeWind!!!!!"

Nothing it cannot sever.

My body was blown diagonally upward and forward, accompanied by an uncontrollable propulsion and rotational force.

But even so, from my tightly clenched hand and the tightly gripped Raging Storm of the Hegemonic NationAgatleo, there remained the certain, absolute feedback of having flawlessly severed the enemy.

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Author's Afterword

Managed to somehow sync this up for chapter 700.

・Raging Storm of the Hegemonic NationAgatleo

Also known as one of the Great Calamity-Cleansing Masterpieces.

Also known as the name of the beast sealed within the katana.

Or...... during the dawn of the Antiquity era, the name of a continent-class, non-standard typhoon that grew massive enough to wipe out the entire Old Continent.

The Emperor of Storms, degraded from a natural phenomenon into a living organism by Vysache's "Concept SlashKotokiri," was subjugated at the end of a mortal struggle and sealed within the katana as an enshrined spirit.