Chapter 354: A Sky Dyed Crimson
“Ren, Motoyasu, Itsuki! Go all out!” (Naofumi)
“Sure! 「Phoenix Gale Sword X」!” (Ren)
Ren’s skill flies at the reincarnator’s barrier.
It takes the shape of a bird made out of the flames of h.e.l.l.
But as it comes into contact with an invisible wall, the bird cries out as the flames die down. It was no use.
「Brionac X」!
Motoyasu releases Brionac, the skill that’s becoming his signature.
A spear of light shoots off from his own.
But as expected, the barrier intercepts it.
「Full Buster X」!
Itsuki changes his bow to a gun before activating an attack.
The Bow is quite a versatile category, and its repertoire even encompa.s.ses guns… I’m jealous.
The Skill: Full Buster… I’d like to think it’s a skill that fires off a thick beam from the muzzle of the gun.
The skills fired off by the four heroes merge, and try to destroy the barrier, but even so, the result is unfavorable…
These were all powerful skills, you know.
We’re using all of the strengthening methods of the Heroes and Va.s.sals here, you know.
“Gu…”
But even while the wall holds, the person invoking it has gone pale.
Is it hard to stand?
“Oh, I thought they were just pests, but it seems I can’t leave it to you alone!”
“Kya, how cool~!”
To help the one standing at the forefront of the wave, another holds his hand aloft and deploys another barrier.
And for some reason, the skills stray from their path.
“Ku… that was dangerous.”
“It seems their attacks are quite heavy.”
While their side looks a bit impatient, we are unable to destroy their defense.
“Why are you trying to expand the wave!?”
“That’s right. Are you ignorant of what will come to pa.s.s?”
“You can’t just listen to an enemy’s words so easily!”
Witch MKII interrupts us.
She’s ridiculously annoying. If our attacks could get through, she would be the first one to die.
“Be quiet. You, woman, shut up!”
I shout at Witch MKII.
By this woman’s behavior, there’s no doubt about it.
“You, do you know what exactly expanding the wave means?” (Naofumi)
“Of course. It means leading the world down the right path, though this is just something like a side expansion update.”
“Wrong! If you do this, then both your world and ours will become ones where not a single blade of gra.s.s can grow!” (Naofumi)
“There’s no way that’s true. The G.o.ddess granted me power and asked a favor of me. This is something necessary for the world.”
It’s no good. Just like with Tact, words aren’t enough.
There’s no need to hold back. To protect the world, we’ll have to dispose of them.
Anyways, we’ll have to continue our volley of attacks.
“Everyone, have at it!” (Naofumi)
“Yeah!”
「Heaven’s Judgement X」!
「Gungnir X」!
「Thor Hammer X」!
「Spiral Claw Ten」!
「Dragon of Ruin Inferno Fist X」!
Etc…
All the heroes of the va.s.sal weapons release their skills, and from the rear, support fire rains down.
Perhaps because the weapons were made to protect the world, their attacks have good synergy, and they combine to form a large stream of power.
A large explosion surrounds the enemy and drags them in.
“Gu… so you’re not all talk.”
00:49
Someone blows away the resultant smoke cloud with magic. Because we don’t have the time to wait for it to clear.
Cracks are spreading across the barrier.
At this rate, we’ll make it. I’ll have to do what I can too.
「s.h.i.+eld Prison」!
Oh? I succeeded in locking away just the one forming the barrier.
Is it because I can control where it manifests?
“I see!”
Ren approaches the enemy barrier as close as he can.
「Float Sword」!
The sword version of the Float s.h.i.+eld activates.
According to Ren, it’s hard to control, and the output isn’t that great, so he couldn’t master it.
Anyways, he lets the floating sword run rampant within the confines of the barrier.
“As if!”
A reincarnator-ish person locks down Ren’s sword with his own.
“Gugugu…”
It’s not like it’s his strong point, and because of the barrier, it’s hard to control.
I guess he can only bring out about half of its original power.
It’s all of nothing. Let’s try setting up Iron Maiden!
「Change s.h.i.+eld (Attack)」!
Something clinks into place, as thorns sprout from the s.h.i.+elds surrounding the one making the barrier.
I immediately transition to the next skill.
「Iron Maiden X」!
A giant Woman of Iron appears, dealing the finis.h.i.+ng blow.
But the output shouldn’t be more than half the original.
Of course, with the enemies being who they are, there’s a possibility it didn’t work.
We’ll have to move again immediately.
“Hah… hah…”
I take some Spirit Water out of my s.h.i.+eld to restore my SP.
“T-that was dangerous.”
Dammit… I couldn’t inflict anything fatal.
It seems that in order to protect himself, he deployed another small protective wall around himself.
But as his movements are sealed, he is in a bit of a panic.
“Why are you getting beat up so one-sidedly?”
00:38
This time, a man steps forward with a large scythe in hand. From within the barrier, he releases a skill.
Wait a second. Wasn’t the barrier supposed to prevent their side from attacking as well?
“Take this! 「Aerial Grand Swing」!”
His energy-charged scythe flies at us like a wheel.
I stand at the front and take the attack.
Mu… it isn’t actually that powerful.
If it’s just this much, then…!
“Tei!”
I knock down the energy-filled scythe.
“Hyuu… he seems quite strong.”
It seems Mr. Scythe is a bit impressed.
Does he not have that many strengthening methods learned?
No, I’m not even sure what he’s holding is a va.s.sal weapon.
“Gla.s.s, is he the Wielder of a Va.s.sal?” (Naofumi)
“Yes… he’s the Va.s.sal of the Scythe.” (Gla.s.s)
I see.
But… for him to bypa.s.s the barrier, what does it mean?
The weapon’s ability… no, that doesn’t seem to be it.
Is it an ability given to him by some G.o.d-ish person like Tact’s?
I mean, he did say something about G.o.ddess-sama, so that’s probably it.
For her to give her pieces the ability to cheat their way to victory, just what is she thinking?
00:18
Time’s running out!
“Ah…”
The enemy’s barrier finally shatters.
All of my comrades don’t let this chance go to waste. We hold up our weapons.
“Hold them off for a bit! I’ll be deploying it again!”
Good! If we want to attack, now’s the chance!
“Anyways, stop the ones behind them!”
On my call, everyone answers by running forward.
“As if I’d let you!”
「Rinbu Mu: Musou」!
(TL: Rinbu means something like Circle Dance of Nothingness. Musou is Blank Mind.)
Gla.s.s releases a skill at the enemies rus.h.i.+ng towards us.
“Quickly! As fast as you can! 「Rinbu Mu: Renge」! 「Rinbu Mu: Reido」! 「Rinbu Mu: Mugetsu」!”
(TL: Renge = Lotus Flower, Reido = Absolute Zero, Mugetsu = Moonless Sky)
Without giving herself a chance to breath, Gla.s.s consecutively fires off her skills.
I believe she’s of a race where the more skills she uses, the weaker she gets.
She’s prepared for that, as she continues to stack skills on top of each other.
Then we’ll have to fully exert ourselves too.
This is the world that’s made a h.e.l.l out of our lives, but it’s still the one we need to protect.
We won’t let it end in a half-a.s.sed way like this.
“Let’s go!”
As I run towards him, the Scythe guy slashes at me.
I take his attack with the s.h.i.+eld and force him back.
“Don’t get in the way! If we clear this mission, then we’ll be granted a new power.”
“Granted?” (Naofumi)
“What, you don’t know? We’ll be able to unlock our new signature moves.”
I don’t know what the h.e.l.l he’s saying, but I have no time to waste on him!
I can’t be anything good. It must be something self-centered.
“Move! You guys have no idea just what it is you’re trying to accomplis.h.!.+” (Naofumi)
“Nah, we all know. In a dream, all of us who had memories of a life past were given our orders. By the G.o.ddess.”
G.o.ddess… so that’s the one behind all of this.
I thought she may have just been a concept they followed, but this settles it. She’s a sentient being.
“If we don’t let the wave be released, the world will fall to ruin. Please help me, she said! Aren’t you the ones trying to destroy our world!?”
“Don’t screw with me! Why would someone with that much power have to rely on the likes of you? Are you guys really worth that much? Unfortunately, you guys are just being used!”
00:10
c.r.a.p! There’s no time left.
Dammit… this isn’t the time to be having a conversation!
“Move!” (Naofumi)
I rush through, fully prepared to take damage.
「s.h.i.+eld Bash」!
“Ugu…”
Good, it seems that was a good hit. His eyes are upturned.
His footing is also unsteady.
00:06
“Everyone! Take them out!”
We approach the reincarnator-esque people in the rear.
And we began releasing our various attacks.
「Meteor Sword X」!
「Meteor Spear X」!
「Meteor Bow X」!
With the Heroes at the forefront, the attacks all hit their mark.
“UWAAAAAAAAAAAH–”
The attacks fall like rain and reduce them to cinders.
00:03
Ku… quickly, we have to quell the wave, or else…
When I look behind, I see Trash and Fitoria, Gaelion and Taniko, and Rat and Mii-kun working together to take down the giant monster that had just appeared from the wave… a Cyclops-like monster.
Good! With this—
“Not yet! In our world, there’s–”
With Gla.s.s’s words, I look inside of the crevice.
On the other side, I see multiple human-like figures.
They’re also on our opponent’s side!
“There’s no time to rest, attack the ones inside the crack as well!”
“Yeah!”
Everyone present comes forward as one and shoots the most powerful attack they can muster.
Various wills, hearts, feelings… They overlap many times and form a great power. They merge and form a single straight beam.
The flash embodying our power hits the wine-red sky and explodes.
Everyone works together. It truly is the strongest attack I’ve ever seen.
But…
00:00
The Wine colored sky changes to the crimson hue of blood, and, like a door, the sky starts to swing open.
“No… the world is…”
So the world will end… in a place like this!?
The earth rumbles before us as the entire world begins to shake.