Chapter 784: December 14th: From "Hurricane" to "Storm"

The fastest and most straightforward method to enhance the specs of a living creature capable of feeling joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure. Whether it's a dinosaur, a monkey, a human, or a centaur, this remains absolutely universal.

Just get angry.

Anger is a fundamental mechanism possessed by living organisms to eliminate external threats. Anger paints over fear and removes the stoppers of reason...... all for the sake of eliminating the discomfort tormenting oneself by one's own hands.

In other words, while firmly planting his four legs on the earth, the Centaur Horse Sashimi-kun, who possessed two arms just like a human...... snapped.

"Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Whoa, amazing, not only is his horse half turning red, but his human half is too. His hair is standing on end with a sinister aura, which looks really cool, but...... yeah, since Horse Sashimi-kun's face resembles Guan Yu from the Three Kingdoms, his long beard is also clad in aura, making it look kind of stupid...... No, it's a unique enhanced form.

That being said, Horse Sashimi-kun, whose entire body was steaming red, was glaring at me with an expression so furious it made me want to ask what the hell anyone could do to make a single living creature lose its mind in rage this much.

"Looks like fire's about to burst from your face."

"You're the one who literally has fire bursting from your face."

The violent criminal who had unleashed a murderous high kick with zero hesitation was acting like he'd just said something clever, but since I was about to say the exact same thing, I'll let it slide this time.

It's probably some kind of skill or a racial trait. Horse Sashimi-kun's muscles were visibly swelling and expanding, and he had already grown to about 1.2 times his normal size...... What's happening to his bones?

Writing "1.2 times" might make it seem unimpressive, but do you have any idea how many gamers around the world have cried over sub-decimal numbers? 1.2 times is amazing! If this were an RNGGacha multiplier, people would weep tears of joy.

"Bring it on, Horse Sashimi-kun! Next, I'll show you the footwork of the Tornado Boxer I saw on a TV special."

"Tornado Boxer......? Wait, do you mean 'Hurricane' Campbell?"

"Henry Campbell! He's the greatest boxer. Especially his final showdown with Hauser Smith eighteen years ago—I still rewatch the recording to this day."

"Ah, that's right, Overwerke. Let's fill our brains with happy memories......!"

This isn't rehab for a veteran suffering from PTSD, you know...... Setting that aside, the current Horse Sashimi-kun is in a state of rage. Across all times and places in gaming history, it's a given that an enraged enemy mob's attack patterns will change. Horse Sashimi-kun is the straightforward type; if I take a direct hit, with my durability, it's almost certainly an instant kill.

Hurricane-san's boxing style relied heavily on footwork to slip the opponent's attacks, while stepping inside to deliver deep, piercing blows. Once he switched to the offensive, the opposing boxer would be continuously blown backward against Hurricane's relentless advance...... The sight of it was truly like a pitiful cow caught in a tornado. Or something like that.

Since it was quite a while ago when I watched that special program, my memory of it is a bit fuzzy, but there are things I remember clearly. The thing that left the biggest impression on me while watching Hurricane-san's boxing wasn't his surging offensive, but rather.........

His instinct that absolutely never missed the starting point of an attack, and the lack of hesitation with which he drove his fists into that opening. He didn't think the moment he saw even the slightest chance to attack; his godspeed opening punches, which could only be described as thinking while moving, earned him enough respect from me that even if I barely remembered his name, I clearly remembered his face.

Horse Sashimi-kun was charging in like a raging bull, or literally a wild horse. The moment I saw an opening to attack there, I had already taken a step forward.

I can't use Tidal Rush because it's on cooldown, but I have the sure-kill "WarphanWar-Shattering Amber Display." Just by landing a light jab, it enables a knockback greater than Tidal Rush. Now, where to strike...... The time limit is two seconds, and the answer I calculated is straight ahead—right in front of the Centaur, where a human's crotch would be!!

Now all I have to do is match the timing. Timing attacks during high-speed maneuvers is my specialty...... Yes, now! Fly through the sky once more and become a Pegasus!!

"Well now, that's far enough."

"Goh."

"Ueh."

My body won't move. It's not sleep paralysis or anything like that; it's exactly as if the game was paused midway through—all kinetic energy and skills had completely halted.

"───【Perpetual Stasis】."

Seriously, Aniki? A complete halt of skills, magic, and kinetic energy? There shouldn't be a pause button in an MMO, right?

"L-Leader-Dono......"

"Bazara, it ain't that I don't understand how yer feelin', but...... how 'bout ya do us a solid and let this slide for our sake."

"I-If someone as Great as You says so, then......"

"And as for you, Sunraku."

"Yessir."

"Beatin' it into 'em with yer fists ain't gonna win their hearts...... Charm 'em with yer fists and make 'em acknowledge ya."

The absolutely irrefutable punch of logic pierced deeper than Lycaon's fangs. I'm pretty sure there actually is a proverb like that in the world of ShanFro; I think it went, "True righteousness is sharper than a treasured sword." What an insanely detailed worldview construction.

Perhaps acknowledging that we had both withdrawn our fighting spirit, the paralysis was lifted. What remained were two brats looking incredibly awkward after being scolded by a parent-like teacher, and......... But I am a hard-boiled man. Sometimes you just crave the crumbly, solid yolk of a hard-boiled egg.

"Heh, Horse Sashimi-kun...... Nice bulk."

"Ha?"

I was met with a tremendously deadpan reaction. I think I'm gonna cry a little.

◇

"So That is the 'Storm' that Conceals the Seven Stars, Rumored among the Cait Siths......"

"It Exceeds, the Rumors."

"Making it Rain Blood, Clad in Ancient Lightning, and Supported by the Raging Winds of the Gods, Is this True, Oh Wise Cat King Crowned in Gold... Nyai the Thirteenth?"

"Indeed... It is a fact nya, Haiku-dono. I have heard that he has purredpulled the 'Cursed Name Katana' nya."

"Gigigi, The Black Lightning and the Wind that Tears the Earth... Those are the Powers of a KamuiDivine Being. Is that Human a Kamui?"

"Rono Dor... Greatest of the Goblins. A Kamui is a Terrifying Monster. I have seen the Kamui of the Imperial Clouds... That was, Very, Very Terrifying... One must not Speak the Name of a Kamui Lightly..."

"However, the Leader-sama holds his Reins. If that is the Case, it is Safe, we can rest Easy."

"If he is a 'Storm,' then Perhaps... he might be able to Do Something about that Monster?"

"Astyros. Courageous Queen of the Minotaurs. That is───"

The quiet murmurs of the multi-species leaders did not reach Sunraku's ears.

However, the woman who had been continuously feeding that conversation into her ears by applying a buff to her hearing while looking away from Sunraku......... smirked, the corners of her mouth curling up so far it seemed they might tear.

Her eyes, though, remained firmly averted from Sunraku.

Author's Afterword

【Perpetual Stasis】

Completely halts all actions of the target. Theoretically, it completely stops the activity of mana, which continuously updates at the same speed as time, and by pacifying it, forces the physical body into a default state. To break it down further, it forces the target into a mold and locks them in place.

You know the move Pencilgon used in the Wethermon fight where she stabbed a spear into his steed's shadow to stop its movements? That was an ultra-super-mega degraded version of this.

"Storm"

The information that there's a bunch of insanely dangerous humans hanging out with the Rabituza has already spread throughout the Multi-Species Alliance. Honestly, they're terrified, but if Vash is holding their reins, it should be fine...... was the conclusion reached on the first day of the summit.

The "Storm" who has defeated the Seven Stars of the Land one after another, and who they suspect might eventually turn his blade even against Vash.

The "Primordial ColorsMonochrome" clad in primal hues, wielding the most terrifying power in this world, whom Vysache himself has designated as an "enemy".

The "Black Night FlowerNoir", who guides those with scales loved by drakes and acknowledged by dragons.

And then some human who wants to become Vash's apprentice.