Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Fake Knowledge, Fake Sage☆ (6)
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Lotha hid in the darkness of the checkpoint, her heart pounding in her chest.
Cold sweat dripped from the hands covering her ears as the nightmare of that night replayed vividly in her mind.
“Senior…!”
Lotha instinctively tried to step out of the checkpoint. The image of Clara, pale and collapsed, with blood pouring from every orifice on her face, was still seared into her memory.
And so.
The moment she tried to step forward.
『You can’t come out, no matter what—☆』
*Halt—!*
“…!”
What stopped her in her tracks…
Was the smile of the second trustworthy older sister she had met in her life, after enduring the sad, lonely days following the death of her own sister from illness.
A warm embrace.
Gentle eyes.
Fragrant hair.
*I…!*
In that instant, a shockwave powerful enough to turn the world upside down struck.
*Ruuuumble—!*
“…?!”
The shockwave spread, strong enough to make the ground heave.
The heat was palpable even from dozens of meters away.
Caught off guard, Lotha was swept up by the impact and fell forward.
The force made her sensitive cat ears throb and her stomach churn.
“Kyaa…?!”
Still sprawled on the floor.
Lotha clutched her cat ears, tearfully recalling the memory of ‘that time.’
A burning city, beneath the bright moonlight.
Four wings that seemed to blanket the sky.
The black ether that had washed over her like a wave, squeezing her heart.
A massive eye she had seen only once, yet it often appeared in her nightmares.
Lotha, her face pale, recalled the name of their group.
*Ra… … Why in the world are they in the Golden District…*
The ill-fated encounters she’d had since the beginning of the semester.
Outside the checkpoint, a horde from was running rampant, exuding the same power as the ‘Priests.’ The mere remnants of black ether spewing from the truck they had torn to shreds made her skin tremble.
“…”
There was nothing she, in her incompetence, could do here.
Because she was just a fool who had been kicked out of her previous school.
And because she was just a kid, belatedly trying to follow the path others walked.
*Last time, it was just Alvitt and Kara who fought… I’m… always… such a burden…*
It was laughable.
To think she had boasted so confidently to Alvitt.
In the end, she was useless, just hiding like this.
*Clara… why are you fighting so hard… when you’re so covered in wounds…?*
How long.
How much longer…
How much longer must I hide and be a burden?
*Dreaming such foolish dreams… useless and stupid, unable to help at all… That’s why my sister, and my senior…*
Lotha endlessly berated herself, her head hung low.
“…”
The battle was still raging on.
She could hear the voices of her two seniors from a distance.
-Localized area, precision strike, standby… Activate—!
-Stray kitty~♡ I’m just gonna borrow a few of these—☆
-Standby, standby, standby—!
Freyja hastily halted her skill’s activation and shrieked.
-Y-You… crazy pink filly—!! Y-You’re interfering with my calculations, just take one and use it—!!
-Sorry, sorry—♪ But dual-wielding is every girl’s dream—☆
-Th-Throw that kind of dream away!! Wh-Where did you learn such a stupid thing that only thugs who pick up other people's weapons do—!!
-Yup♪ I always wanted to try it—☆
-Th-This is actually more of a hindrance, you know—!!
For a moment, the seniors’ bickering voices filled the air.
But soon, they were back to fighting, moving busily.
Just from the sounds, Lotha could tell they were moving at a speed beyond her comprehension.
However, she could also hear discordant noises, suggesting they weren't perfectly in sync.
*Clara… how… how can she fight like that…?*
Lotha thought of the pink-haired senior fighting somewhere out there.
After being hurt so much.
After losing so much.
After being so broken.
Why did she get back up and try to fight again?
*Why on earth…?*
Lotha dragged her trembling legs and managed to peek outside through a crack in the checkpoint door.
There, she saw a dancing, light pink girl.
The tremendous pink storm she had witnessed that night was gone.
But she was there, wielding a pair of violet weapons, swaying as if in a dance.
She scraped together her faint ether, fighting to protect everyone.
“Sister.”
It was like the dance her sister had shown her once.
Clumsy and unrefined, but filled with a pure heart.
『Sister, you’re sick, so how can you dance like that?』
『Because there’s a feeling I want to convey!』
Conveying… a feeling.
Lotha, too, had a feeling she needed to convey to them.
『Just watch! The path the [Spiral] forges…!』
“No. I won’t just watch anymore.”
She knew it was a foolish thing to do.
But she couldn't let them dance alone any longer.
Dancing with them wouldn't make all their pain disappear, but…
*If I’ve received it… there’s a feeling I must convey…!*
Because there is a feeling.
Born from you and I meeting.
*Click—!*
To finally answer their love.
Lotha’s trembling hand grasped the checkpoint’s doorknob.
***
To be honest… it was kind of fun.
*Even if I can’t spam my ultimate arts, if the operational power is the same, I can strike more efficiently. It’s common sense that a weapon is stronger than a fist, but…*
I guess that just shows how little I’ve followed common sense until now…
It wasn’t about mindlessly pushing through with raw power.
It was about truly seeing through the enemy’s attacks and striking.
It was more subtle than the brutish methods I had used before, but far more efficient.
“Hyaa—☆”
I swung the violet dual swords, smashing them against the head of an Apostle still in the middle of its transformation. The clash of two different colored ethers produced a chilling sound.
*K-k-k-k-k-k-k—!*
The vibrating hum of pale red and violet colliding.
It sounded like a running chainsaw.
“Puhak…?!”
*Gr-r-r-r-r-rind—!*
The head of the still-transforming Apostle was shattered.
It turned into a sight straight out of a B-grade horror film.
Facing the now-unconscious foe, I declared the name of the martial art I had used. It was proper etiquette to reveal the art one used, even to an enemy.
“This is the Pretty☆Hamburg☆Sword Style—♪ The master of this art was a passing delinquent… a reclusive master who dual-wielded junk longswords—♪”
“…”
“He’s currently serving time in a detention facility for stealing bread…”
“…”
But the creature remained silent, not answering my words.
The two clashing ethers imbued in the dual swords had let out a menacing whir as they shattered its skull. The massive body then fell limply, tumbling off the building with a thud.
*Thump—!*
“Huhu—☆ Is that number four—♪”
I had successfully replicated the delinquent’s dual-sword helmet splitter.
*Truthfully, that kid was just a run-of-the-mill, unremarkable delinquent, but his sword style was so unique that it left a lasting impression.*
Dual Dagger Charge.
Dual Greatsword Whirlwind.
Dual Sword Helmet Splitter.
Among all the techniques used by the small fry of , I was trying out pretty much every dual-wielding skill I could remember. I figured if I used them with the same habit of pummeling with both fists, I could probably pull them off.
But after trying them, my impression was…
*Dual-wielding sucks. No wonder no one but the small fry uses it… Does this mean Liu Bei, who blocked Lu Bu’s attacks with these, was a true master of martial arts?*
Liu Bei, who used dual swords.
Was he able to use such a threatening dual-sword style because he was an elven master unconstrained by a mortal lifespan? He must have been the last elven high school girl of the Central Plains, with his long ears and suspicious popularity.
*Swoooooosh—!*
An impatient Apostle finally completed its transformation, its upper body covered in dragon scales. It let out a roar and charged toward me.
*It’s going to use the Sub-adult Chaos Fiend summoning pattern again.*
But today, I was Clara, a match for ten thousand foes.
Tonight, I felt confident I could swing all day and not get tired.
Anyway.
The conclusion is that dual-wielding is not worth it.
With that thought, I activated my ether and stomped on the rooftop floor.
*Ruuuumble—!*
A shockwave erupted from my foot.
Along with a massive tremor, the rooftop floor began to crack. I could almost see the building owner’s tears, but I hoped all damages would be billed to the fur-beasts later.
*Sorry, Mr. Landlord. I didn’t want to use this technique.*
I thrust the two violet longswords in my hands into the floor. As I drew upon my ether once more, the two different colors of ether repelled each other and clashed.
*K-k-k-k-k-k-k—!*
Using that force.
I shattered the rooftop floor I was standing on.
Debris flew up and scattered from where the dual swords were embedded.
*Cruuuumble—!*
Dozens of fragments hovered in the air.
I struck each piece of debris with my dual swords, sending them flying. They shot toward the dragon-faced Apostle with a menacing sound.
It looked like a shotgun fired by hand.
The fierce sound of bullets tearing through the air.
*Whoosh—!*
*Whoosh—!*
*Whoosh—!*
As I swung the dual swords, sending dozens of fragments flying, I shouted.
“Pretty☆Biscuit—♪”
“Kyaaaak?! You inferior species—?!”
“Your flank is wide open—♪”
And as it raised both hands to protect its face, I stabbed its side.
*C-c-c-c-c-c-c-rack—!*
Freyja’s violet ether let out a threatening sound. It easily pierced through the stone-like skin, and the creature shrieked.
“Kuaaaaargh—?!”
*K-k-k-k-k-k-k—!*
Due to the numerous ether resonances, its flank exploded as if it were being ground by a chainsaw. The creature then fell off the building, carried by its own forward momentum.
I let out a hollow laugh watching it fall.
*It should be a pretty strong enemy at this point in time, but it had the misfortune of running into me.*
It was still impossible for me to draw out my own [Unique Ether].
For now, I fought using Freyja’s ether that remained in the violet weapons. A violet weapon imbued with [Unique Ether] was, by itself, a very formidable weapon.
*But using it like this is more inconvenient than I expected.*
*Vuuuuum—*
The dual swords vibrated every time they came into contact with my ether.
I felt a repulsive force, like trying to hold two magnets of the same pole together. I had to grip them forcefully, like a hand dynamometer, to keep them from flying apart.
“…”
Due to the unique, independent nature of [Unique Ether], these weapons were heavily influenced by Freyja’s perception and sensibility. That’s why even a little bit of force created such a strong repulsion.
*Is it because the stray kitty can’t even imagine lending me her power on a subconscious level yet…*
*Ruuuumble—!*
Freyja was still fighting.
On the opposite road, the [Eternal Spindle] was unleashing a tide of violet armaments against countless Chaos Fiends and charging Apostles. In sync with that manifestation of power, the violet weapons in my hands trembled.
It felt like the violet dual swords were screaming at me.
-Y-You scar-covered pink bitch…! Wh-What in the world are you doing with me…! S-Send me back to my master at once…!
*Alright, go, go… sheesh…*
Now that most of the Apostles were dealt with.
All that was left was to handle the dozens of Sub-adult Chaos Fiends.
With a regretful sigh, I released the two violet weapons into the air.
*Swoosh—!*
As expected, the dual swords rejoined Freyja’s command without a hint of hesitation.
“…”
It was a shame, but if I was going to use a weapon… it seemed better to just pick one up from somewhere rather than using a magical skill-based armament like this.
*I thought it was a cost-effective choice with an infinite supply…*
There was always a reason why people didn’t use certain methods.
*Screeeech—!*
*Screeeech—!*
Dozens of Sub-adult Chaos Fiends were still screeching nearby.
They were the minions summoned by the Apostles, who were on the level of Adult Chaos Fiends.
As I pondered how to deal with them, I saw something unbelievable. Down below, I saw a pair of cute, orange cat ears approaching me.
*I told her to stay hidden?!*
With a startled heart, I rushed toward her.
I could now cover a distance of several dozen meters without a problem.
*Tap, tap—!*
I quickly swept up the orange cat and moved to a safe place, speaking as I did. She was startled, but soon went limp, looking at me sheepishly.
“Lotha—☆ What’s going on here♪”
“W-Well… I know I did something dangerous…!”
“…”
“B-But… still…! I can’t just leave you alone, Senior!”
“…”
“Th-That is… uh…”
After hesitating for a while.
Lotha finally shrieked, her eyes welling up with tears.
“I don’t care! If I die, I’ll die with you!! I don’t want to be left alone anymore!! I don’t want to watch another precious person die—!!”
“Lotha…”
*Fwump—!*
Lotha threw herself into my arms.
“My sister… and you, Senior… you always go on ahead like that…! I, I also…!”
“…”
Truthfully… the shock was brief.
I found myself accepting the situation with surprising speed.
I couldn’t keep my juniors separated from danger forever.
*Right… if the situation has changed anyway… I need to start teaching them how to fight together.*
And right now.
There was a way for the two of us to fight together.
*Maybe… with Lotha’s weapon…*
With that thought, I turned my back to Lotha.
“Then…☆ Wanna fight together? The weapons the stray kitty made are as picky as she is—♪”
“…!”
Lotha looked surprised for a moment, then realized what I meant and nodded.
“Yeah!”
Lotha got on my back and, without hesitation, created her weapon.
[What use is a longsword, when the days are cold, better to use it as a fire poker.]
A gentle incantation, just like her personality.
A longsword with a goofy-looking cat drawn on it.
But this weapon did not reject my touch.
On the contrary, it accepted my faint ether and slowly began to heat up.
*It feels kind of… ticklish… At this rate… I think I can even use an ultimate art…?*
I gripped the cat longsword with both hands and faced forward.
*Screeeech—!*
*Screeeech—!*
Dozens of Sub-adult Chaos Fiends noticed us and came charging. The sight of dozens of bear-like monsters rushing forward with their gruesome pincers extended was repulsive.
But in the midst of it all, I found myself smiling.
“Hehehe☆”
“Wh-Why…? Is something wrong?”
Lotha asked anxiously.
I shook my head and replied.
“Just—☆ It doesn’t feel like we can lose—♪”
“…!”
I charged toward the oncoming Chaos Fiends.
I wrapped my ether around the cat sword held in both hands.
Countless hearts appeared on the longsword, and they created a resonance.
My first ultimate art.
It was my first time unleashing it with a weapon in a real battle.
But for some reason, I didn’t feel like I could lose at all.
*Tzzzzzt—!*
I thrust the longsword, which had transformed into something like a white bouquet, forward and shouted.
“[Red Flower Dazzling]—!”
A flash of white light erupted in front of the Golden District’s gate.
And within it, countless minions of vanished.
And so, adapting to fighting together, we headed deeper into the Golden District.
***
They were coming.
Those gathering toward this battlefield.
[The Crimson Trajectory]… and [The Azure-White Lightning Spear].
The time for him to make his move was drawing near.
“All of you… disappear in the conflict…!”
The man in the green robe, [The Priest of Conflict], touched the rune in his hand and returned to his main body.