by Tôwa
♦Current Status♦
> SERAPHINA activated PROVOKE ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON’s hostility toward SERAPHINA increased
> SERAPHINA activated READY COUNTER Probability of counter success increased
> SERAPHINA activated IMMOVABLE MASS Knockback effects nullified
> SERAPHINA activated SUPPRESSING MARCH ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON’s movement range was impeded
“I won’t let it pass me. I’ll stop it here in the front!” shouted Seraphina.
“Everyone, Seraphina’s going to take the attack like the first time. When she does, concentrate your fire on it! Igarashi, Theresia, Misaki, use your Morale Discharges!”
“Okay! Let’s do this, everyone… Soul Mirage!”
“…!”
“Thanks for not forgetting me… Fortune Roll!”
♦Current Status♦
> KYOUKA activated SOUL MIRAGE All party members gained a MIRAGE WARRIOR
> THERESIA activated TRIPLE STEAL All party members received TRIPLE STEAL effects
> MISAKI activated FORTUNE ROLL Next action will succeed automatically
A mirage warrior appeared for each member, and our total number of attacks doubled. Seraphina was surprised but seemed to understand what was going on right after. I was watching the enemy for the moment it started to move… Seraphina would stop the attack, and we’d counter with everything we had. We couldn’t miss our chance.
Part V: Reversal
Eight party members and eight mirage warriors totaled sixteen people. If we all attacked at once, we’d have incredible firepower, even if only the set damage made it through the enemy’s defenses.
“I will stop you!” cried Seraphina, having used a skill to instigate the enemy’s hostility. Almost as if it were responding to her words, the sword turned its edge toward her and started rotating violently, like the wheel of a speeding car.
“Seraphina, use your mirage warrior! It’ll act according to your will!” instructed Igarashi.
“Mirage warrior…? Is this like my clone…? If so…” I realized then that I could’ve improved our tactical abilities if I’d taken Cooperation Support… But we could win this fight with what we had available now.
♦Current Status♦
> SERAPHINA activated AURA SHIELD
> SERAPHINA’s MIRAGE WARRIOR activated a halved AURA SHIELD
> AURA SHIELD’s effects were strengthened
The mirage warrior’s skills were half as strong as the original. Even so, it was a significant increase to the strength of the shield of light emanating from Seraphina’s riot shield as it joined the light from the mirage warrior’s shield.
♦Current Status♦
> ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON activated WHEEL SLASH
“Wha—?!”
It wasn’t just a weapon. It was intelligent, and it could use skills. Our skills seemed to ignore the laws of physics, and this sword’s skills were, in the same way, far beyond anything we could have imagined.
Full-body…no, multiple attacks!
The spinning blade unleashed attack after attack like an automatic rifle, and it wasn’t just Seraphina it was aiming for. Elitia and Igarashi were behind her and within the arching path of the blade, but—
“I said I will stop you here!” roared Seraphina.
“Ariadne, help us!” I called.
♦Current Status♦
> SERAPHINA activated DEFENSE FORCE
> SERAPHINA’s defense scope widened
> ARIHITO requested temporary support from ARIADNE Target: SERAPHINA
> ARIADNE activated TWIN GUARD ARMS
> ARIHITO activated DEFENSE SUPPORT 1 Target: SERAPHINA
> Stage 1 hit SERAPHINA
No damage
> Stage 2 hit SERAPHINA
No damage
> Stage 3 hit SERAPHINA
No damage
> Stage 4 hit SERAPHINA
No damage
It was like an immobile shield, a wall that no one could pass. The surface area of her shield expanded and defended against each of the attacks from the spinning blade. The two Guard Arms grabbed one each, stopping them in place. Two remaining strikes crashed into Seraphina’s shield, but—
“Seraphina!” cried Elitia. The attacks didn’t stop at the fourth stage. The final attack landed, and Seraphina shook violently, but she did not fall. She cried out, her hair in disarray.
“I’m not going down! Haaaaah!”
♦Current Status♦
> Stage 5 hit SERAPHINA
> SERAPHINA activated FANATIC Abilities improved
> SERAPHINA activated SHIELD SLAM Hit ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON
11 support damage
> ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON was STUNNED
> SERAPHINA recovered vitality and magic
Failed to steal loot
The attack from Seraphina’s full-body shield stopped the sword’s rotation. Seraphina hadn’t missed her opportunity to counterattack in the short moment the sword slowed after finishing its attack. Her body glowed slightly as she recovered the portion of damage she did with the counter.
She made an opening for us. We intentionally staggered our attacks to hit it with a continuous stream. First up was Elitia, sped up with her Sonic Raid, along with her mirage warrior. Next came Igarashi with her spear, followed by Cion, who was in the third rank.
“—I’ll cut you down!”
“Hyaa!”
“Awooo!”
♦Current Status♦
> Elitia activated BLOSSOM BLADE
> 12 stages hit ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON
Additional MIRAGE WARRIOR attack
264 support damage
> KYOUKA activated DOUBLE ATTACK
> 2 stages hit ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON
Additional MIRAGE WARRIOR attack
44 support damage
> CION activated CROSS CLAW
> 2 stages hit ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON
Additional MIRAGE WARRIOR attack
44 support damage
> ELITIA recovered vitality and magic
Successfully stole loot
> KYOUKA recovered vitality and magic
No loot in target’s possession to steal
> CION recovered vitality and magic
No loot in target’s possession to steal
Raging attacks sent sparks raining from the sword, but it still seemed in good condition despite it all. A membrane-like barrier of light appeared to protect it from the blows. The party carved away at the barrier, but it still held intact. I tried to give the order for the remaining four of us to combine our attacks, but there was a vague sense of unease in the back of my mind.
“Suzuna! Misaki!” I shouted.
““Okay!”” they replied. I could have given the order to Theresia as well, but I expected her to act on her own without it. She hadn’t attacked yet, and I couldn’t help feeling there was some significant reason behind this choice.
The three of us will corner it…and push through!
♦Current Status♦
> MISAKI’s attack hit ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON
Additional MIRAGE WARRIOR attack
22 support damage
> SUZUNA activated AUTO-HIT Next two shots will automatically hit
> SUZUNA’s attack hit ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON
Additional MIRAGE WARRIOR attack
22 support damage
> MISAKI recovered vitality and magic
No loot in target’s possession to steal
> SUZUNA recovered vitality and magic
No loot in target’s possession to steal
“I hit it! B-but…it didn’t really do much…,” said Misaki.
“My arrow didn’t land… It only works with your help, Arihito…,” added Suzuna.
My Attack Support should be working. If I shot my slingshot, we’d get in one more set of attacks.
But… What is this terrible feeling…? Wait!
♦Current Status♦
>?INTELLIGENT WEAPON deployed an emergency ev
asion ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON recovered from its status ailments
> ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON activated BIRDCAGE
The sword we’d just been attacking suddenly split into a number of swords and surrounded the entire party.
“Wha—?” I murmured.
“Arihito, run!” cried Elitia. “This thing’s attack will—!”
♦Current Status♦
> ARIHITO activated HAWK EYES Detected real ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON
There I was in the very back, but even farther behind me, I could feel its fierce aggression. That was the weakness of the rearguard job. I was weak if anything attacked me directly. I’d kept thinking about how I needed to find a way to defend against that possibility.
“Atobe!” called Igarashi. I tried to turn around quickly, but I had no remotely decent way of defending. Could I block with my slingshot and prevent a fatal wound? But its attacks were so powerful that even Seraphina with her special defense skills and Ariadne’s help couldn’t completely block it.
But I’d rather die facing it than get stabbed in the back!
“—Haaaaaaaah!”
I looked over my shoulder, holding my slingshot out behind, trying just to avoid death.
“—!”
Theresia had guessed this might happen. She was the only one close enough to protect me. That’s why she didn’t attack and instead pulled backward, but—
Theresia, stay away!
I wasn’t about to let her die a second time. I prayed she wouldn’t approach.
♦Current Status♦
> ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON activated METEOR THRUST
The back of the sword lowered slightly, almost as if there were a person holding it. The next moment, it thrust forward, and I noticed something. It was slower. It had slowed enough that I could likely twist mostly out of the way.
♦Current Status♦
> ARIHITO activated REARGUARD GENERAL Abilities improved based on current number of party members
“Gah!”
The blade slid by me, cutting shallowly into my torso. It burned like fire, but it missed my heart.
“—!!”
♦Current Status♦
> ARIHITO evaded
Reduced damage
> THERESIA activated WIND SLASH
Additional MIRAGE WARRIOR attack
> Hit ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON
Knockback
22 support damage
> THERESIA recovered vitality and magic
No loot in target’s possession to steal
Theresia rushed forward, sped up with Accel Dash, and pushed the sword back. The blast of wind made the sword drop, and I wasn’t about to miss my opportunity. I put everything I had left into a shot from my slingshot.
“—Haaaaaah!”
♦Current Status♦
> ARIHITO activated FORCE SHOT (STUN)
Additional MIRAGE WARRIOR attack
> Hit ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON
> ARIHITO recovered vitality and magic
No loot in target’s possession to steal
> 1 ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON defeated
How was I able to make the attack that powerful? The slingshot creaked from the force of my draw. The magical bullet I shot struck the hilt of the sword with a sound like a bullet from a rifle.
“Pant, pant… Owww…”
“…!!”
Theresia ran up to me. My hardened leather armor had been like paper to the sword. It was slashed clean open, a single gash visible on my skin below.
“Atobe!” cried Igarashi.
“Arihito, use a potion! Suzuna, can you do some sort of first aid?” said Elitia.
“Yes… I have some handmade bandages… But we should take him to a Healer clinic immediately,” replied Suzuna. I was bleeding a fair amount, and it did hurt, but I still felt bad for making everyone worry.
The battle was over; the mirage warriors faded. I looked at the display on my license and double-checked what exactly happened to me. It was Rearguard General. That skill had activated, so I’d been able to keep up with the enemy’s moves. And while I couldn’t say I’d gotten out of it unscathed, I did get out of it alive.
…It’s all thanks to Theresia. She suggested I take the skill. Without it, I’d be…
As the skill description had said, your own abilities improve the more allies you have in front of you. It’s likely that the mirage warriors had been counted, too. Including my own mirage warrior, that’d make me the “rearguard general” of a party of sixteen, and my abilities improved accordingly.
Seraphina had taken a hit as well; there was a scratch on the metal plate of her headband, but I didn’t see any open wounds, perhaps because she recovered using the effects of Triple Steal. I had recovered, too, but even though I had, that didn’t mean I stopped bleeding immediately. The edges of the wound were starting to slowly heal, and the pain was beginning to subside.
“Incredible… I’ve never seen a rearguard capable of such damage. I feel like I’m seeing slingshots in a whole new light,” said Seraphina.
“I can’t always do that much; it really depends on the situation… But that was close. And I’m sorry for asking you to put yourself in so much danger.”
Seraphina smiled. It wasn’t the kind of face that implied she’d been forced into a risky situation. It was a genuine smile. I’d had the impression she didn’t smile often, so it was unexpected, in a good way.
“I should actually thank you for allowing me to participate in such an extraordinary experience. I didn’t know that Black Boxes could contain such enemies…,” she said.
Cion was wary of the fallen sword. She came over to stand guard against it. I let the others do some first aid on me, then went to examine the sword.
♦?Intelligent Weapon♦
> SELF-DEFENSE MECHANISM is dormant
I couldn’t learn anything about it without having it appraised—or maybe I could have Ariadne take a look.
…Dormant… So what happens if it activates? I really don’t want to have to fight it again.
The hilt of the sword fit in my hand, implying that I could, even as a rearguard, equip the weapon. But the slingshot was my primary weapon, so I should probably give it to Ariadne. If this was one of her parts, it might give her back a portion of her power.
I looked around at the pile of treasure that came out of the chest and at my companions, relieved to have finished the fight, and finally realized it was over.
Part VI: Gathering Clouds
I realized that I was just casually holding the sword. That was careless, considering it could have been cursed. Though, if this was the armament that Ariadne told me about, she probably would have warned me if it were dangerous to carry. There weren’t any issues in the end, so it was fine.
“Atobe, your knapsack is glowing…,” said Igarashi.
“Hmm… Wh-what?”
I looked at the knapsack I’d thrown aside during the battle and saw that it was emitting a blue light.
“A-Arihito, the sword’s glowing, too! You sure it isn’t dangerous?” cried Misaki.
“It’s not… I don’t sense any dangerous spiritual presence. I don’t think anything bad will happen,” said Suzuna.
“……”
Theresia was incredibly worried, but as Suzuna said, I didn’t feel anything ominous or threatening. I looked closely at the sword and noticed a cavity in its hilt. That’s where the blue light was originating before it ran down the length of the blade. It almost seemed to pulsate.
It’s blue, or I guess closer to aqua… Kind of like the color of Ariadne’s hair… Is this a sign that it’s connected to the Hidden Gods?
Glowing inside my knapsack was the alkaid crystal. Ariadne had said that was a “sacred operation crystal” for a sword. This sword was really more of a katana, but I felt safe assuming that they were treated as the same weapon in the Labyrinth Country.
“You think this stone goes in the hole in the hilt…?” asked Igarashi.
“…Carefu
l, Arihito. I trust Suzuna’s senses, but we don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Elitia.
“Woof!” barked Cion.
All three of them were watching over me. Even Seraphina seemed uneasy about what might happen—her eyes never left me.
“…Mr. Atobe, are you sure it’s all right for me to stay for something so important to your party?” she asked.
“You fought with us; I’m actually grateful that you’d be willing to stay even after the battle is over,” I said.
“I—I see… If that’s how you feel. I promise this will remain a secret. I am interested in seeing this, as a member of the party,” she replied.
The moment I picked up the alkaid crystal, silent, blue sparks began to fly from it, though they didn’t hurt to touch.
“Ah… No, it’s okay. It’s just… I feel like this is a way bigger deal than I’d expected!” I said, placing the alkaid crystal in the recess in the hilt. As I did, blue circuit board–like lines spread across the surface of the sword, and its shape changed. The blade and guard morphed from its current Japanese katana-like shape, greatly transforming its appearance.
♦Current Status♦
> ARIHITO is now the owner of ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON
> ?INTELLIGENT WEAPON’s first Inscription is revealed to be MURAKUMO
My name is Murakumo, the Gathering Clouds. I accept Arihito as my master and hereby fall under the Hidden God Ariadne’s jurisdiction.
“Oh…!”
The voice I heard in my mind was the same mechanical voice I’d heard when the battle started, but this time, I didn’t feel any intent to destroy us coming from it. I released the sword, and it floated in midair, stopping where there was nothing.
“…There’s a spirit in the sword…which is why it was moving like it was alive…,” murmured Suzuna.
I made a guess as to what was really going on. The sword wasn’t moving like it was alive. The only time the sword had really moved on its own was when it used the skill that made it spin like a wheel; all other times, it’d moved as if it were being used by a skilled swordsman. That was because of the spirit inside, Murakumo.