Chapter 23 ~ Boom.
The silver crescent of the moon hung like a scythe against the diamond-dusted tapestry of the night sky. A fresh gust of wind swept across the plains, sending a shiver through the tall grass and rustling Hikari's golden hair, its vibrant hue somewhat muted, rendered almost platinum under the ethereal lunar glow. He stared directly at the blond man, Arujo, his green eyes glinting with a predatory light.
Positioned back-to-back with Hikari, Rentarou, his own light grey hair stirring in the breeze, kept his wide, anxious grey eyes fixed on the other adversary – Yuta, the youth with the long, dark hair.
A fleeting moment of profound silence descended, a palpable stillness where even the faint, ambient soundtrack seemed to hold its breath, leaving only the whisper of the wind. Hikari and Rentarou's shoulders brushed, a brief point of contact in the surrounding tension.
"We have no means to replenish our HP," Hikari stated, his voice low and devoid of inflection. "I can assert with 99% certainty that you will perish if you remain here for the next ten seconds. Run, and while you do, familiarize yourself with the properties of your new weapon."
Terror was starkly etched on Rentarou's face as he stared at the smirking Yuta. "Go!" Hikari added, his voice suddenly sharp, urgent. "Towards the forest, now!"
Strands of Rentarou's light grey hair whipped across his face as he bolted, spurred by Hikari's command and his own desperate fear. His expression was a mask of dread, beads of sweat, born from sheer anxiety, already dotting his brow as he sprinted for his life.
Yuta watched him go, his dark eyes widening, a predatory grin stretching across his face, revealing a flash of white teeth. His palms ignited with that familiar, baleful yellow glow. "As if I'd permit your escape!" he roared, launching himself into a sprint, intent on running Rentarou down.
In that precise instant, Hikari's blue eyes shifted, a single, fleeting glance. With a motion so fluid it seemed almost an illusion, he executed a single, elegant slash with the Water Fox Fang in his right hand. It was an upward arc, originating low and sweeping high, like a sideways somersault compressed into a single, swift movement. The sound of the slash was accompanied by the distinct, almost musical shussh of parting water.
A fantastical wave of cutting water, seemingly defying the very laws of physics, erupted from the blade. It sliced a path through the tall grass, then, impossibly, it began to ascend, curving upwards into the air, its trajectory shifting from horizontal to a near-vertical plane, aimed directly at the pursuing Yuta.
Yuta, mid-stride, sensed the imminent danger, a primal instinct screaming at him. He skidded to a halt at the very last microsecond, throwing his weight back. The shimmering water arc sliced through the air just inches in front of his face, so close he could feel the displaced air and the cool mist of its passage. His eyes were wide with shock, reflecting the near-fatal gleam of the attack that had almost bisected him.
The immediate danger passed. Yuta slowly turned his head, his gaze tracking back to the origin of the devastating water wave. He caught sight of Hikari, who was subtly readjusting his stance, the after-effects of the complex, powerful maneuver visible in the slight tension of his frame. Two simple white sashes, integral parts of his beginner adventurer's outfit, trailed from his shoulders, fluttering like pale ribbons in the gentle night breeze. The same wind rustled his golden hair.
Damn it, Yuta thought, a grudging respect mixed with animosity in his mind. That obnoxious brat… he's a genuine problem. Well, he did manage to become a Player Killer at such a novice level. There's no doubt he's concealing something more up his sleeve.
The momentary pause was shattered. Arujo, the blond swordsman, his green eyes narrowed with serious intent, exploded into motion, dashing forward with incredible speed. Hikari's head snapped towards him, his attention instantly refocusing.
Arujo ran, his movements swift and economical. As he closed the distance, a slim vial containing a vibrant purple elixir materialized in his left hand in a shower of blue digital sparks, his sword held ready in his right. The glass vial was delicate, sealed with a simple wooden cork. With a deft flick of his thumb, even while sprinting, Arujo popped the cork free, tilted his head back, and downed the violet liquid in a single, quick gulp. He tossed the now-empty vial carelessly into the air behind him.
Hikari tightened his grip on the Water Fox Fang, its azure glow intensifying in response to his focus. What kind of abilities, he wondered, bracing himself, will emerge now?
Hikari watched, his composure unwavering, as his opponent surged towards him with lethal intent. He hasn't revealed his ability, despite closing the distance, Hikari analyzed, his mind a razor. This implies it's likely a short-range skill, perhaps even requiring physical contact. My critically low HP will not permit him to draw any nearer.
With a practiced flick of his wrist, he sent the Water Fox Fang whistling through the air, carving an arc of cutting water that hissed towards Arujo. The blond highwayman tightened his right hand on his sword's hilt, then, with a single, contemptuous slash—SWISH!—he cleaved through the oncoming aqueous crescent.
Arujo skidded to a halt, his clothes, his tousled blond hair, his face, and even his sword now slick with glistening droplets. Water dripped from the tip of his blade onto the darkened grass. "Is this sputtering water sprinkler all you have in your arsenal?" he sneered, his green eyes glinting with disdain.
Hikari's blue eyes remained preternaturally calm. He could clearly perceive the inherent limitations of his current weapon; its attacks, though imbued with elemental force, could indeed be parried by a mere common sword if wielded with sufficient skill.
Arujo fixed his gaze intently on Hikari. "Allow me to demonstrate a little elixir-fueled fantasy for you, boy..."
A peculiar sensation prickled through Hikari's body. He felt himself tilting forward, almost imperceptibly at first. He tried to resist, to plant his feet, but it was as if the very ground beneath him had become frictionless; he began to slide, slowly but inexorably, across the grass as though being reeled in by an invisible chain.
His blue eyes widened as his body was suddenly yanked forward with irresistible force, hurtling towards Arujo, who was already a blur of motion, his sword arcing in a deadly downward swing. Reacting on pure instinct, Hikari brought his own blade up in a wide, desperate defensive block.
CLANG!
The impact of steel against his enchanted blade was jarring, the force of the blow sending Hikari flying sideways. He was about to crash ignominiously to the ground, but with a supreme effort, he twisted in mid-air, planting a hand on the grass and using the momentum to flip himself back onto his feet. He landed in a low crouch, one leg extended for balance, the other bent beneath him, his left hand still touching the earth, his right clutching the Water Fox Fang.
Strands of his golden hair, usually so responsive to the night breeze, began to stir in a strange, unnatural way. It's happening again, he realized with a sinking feeling. My body… it's going to be pulled once more…
As if yanked by an unseen puppeteer, his body was torn from the ground, flying helplessly towards Arujo. The blond highwayman, seeing his chance, hurled his sword end-over-end through the air, yelling, "Goodbye, Rising Star!"
With lightning speed, Hikari whipped his blade in a tight arc, unleashing another crescent of cutting water. The thrown sword collided with the aqueous projectile—SPLOOSH!—and clattered uselessly to the ground, water spraying in all directions. Arujo's confident smirk faltered, replaced by a flash of genuine shock.
Hikari had anticipated continuing his unwilling flight towards Arujo, but suddenly, the strange attractive force vanished. He dropped, landing heavily on the grass. Arujo, recovering quickly, thrust out his open palm towards his fallen sword. The weapon trembled on the ground, then, as if imbued with life, it leaped into the air and flew back towards Arujo's outstretched hand.
Hikari's eyes widened fractionally. He reacted instantly, his blade a blur as he carved an 'X' in the air before him. Two intersecting arcs of water rocketed towards Arujo. The sheer velocity of the attack meant it reached its target before Arujo's sword could settle back into his grip. "Damn it—" the blond man cursed, his green eyes wide with alarm.
SPLASH!!!
[ Double Damage! ]
[ Damage Dealt: 500 x 2 ]
[ Total Damage: 1000 ]
The system notification flared in Hikari's vision. Arujo's remaining HP flashed red before him: 400 / 1400.
A faint, confident smile touched Hikari's lips. Arujo was now thoroughly soaked, his clothes slashed and torn by the cutting force of the water, looking considerably less composed. His errant sword finally slapped back into his waiting palm. He coughed violently, as if he might retch from the internal shock of the damage, and visibly struggled to remain standing, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
From a distance, Yuta's dark eyes narrowed. His palms began to glow with that intense yellow light again. All around Arujo—and by extension, Hikari—countless tiny, luminous yellow particles began to materialize, coalescing from the very air and grass, filling a twenty-meter radius. Yuta's expression was now one of grim, annoyed determination. Arujo, seeing the ominous golden motes swirling around him, looked momentarily stunned.
Meanwhile, Rentarou, still running, was frantically processing the information on his new Stone Gauntlets. Class-C, Green item, the interface read. "It can create almost anything you imagine in the form of stone," he muttered breathlessly as he ran, "simple geometric shapes, not statues or ornate carvings. These shapes can be used defensively, but they may not be very effective offensively." He finished reading. "It seems I have the ability to protect myself… or my surroundings…"
Just then, a single, glowing golden particle drifted lazily past his face.
His grey eyes snapped wide with dawning horror. He spun around, his heart pounding. He saw Hikari, trapped, surrounded by literally hundreds of the tiny, shimmering golden particles. The entire area around his friend seemed to be breathing a deadly, incandescent dust. Rentarou vividly recalled the devastating explosion from moments before. He realized, with a sickening lurch, that despite Hikari's brave facade and tactical brilliance, he had no escape from this.
Rentarou's eyebrows twitched, a surge of desperate resolve flooding through him. He reversed direction, dashing back towards the unfolding catastrophe with all his speed.
"Yuta, you fool!" Arujo roared, his voice laced with anger and disbelief. "What in the blazes do you think you're doing?! Are you trying to detonate yourself along with me?!"
"That brat managed to inflict a thousand damage on you with a single attack!" Yuta yelled back, his voice strained but resolute. "It's glaringly obvious he'll kill you with his next decent swing! You know I'm serious, Arujo! Run, and use your attraction ability to pull me out of the blast radius before it goes off!"
Arujo gritted his teeth, then, with a curse, he turned and sprinted away from the epicenter, glancing back over his shoulder, his blond hair flying wildly.
Hikari, seeing Arujo flee, also began to move. I don't understand this reckless strategy, he thought, even as he started to run. All I need to do is evacuate the effective radius of these particles…
But Arujo, even as he ran, twisted his torso, his eyes locking onto Hikari. He thrust his left hand out. "Push!!" he bellowed.
Hikari's eyes widened as an invisible force slammed into him, sending his body flying like a swatted fly, directly back into the densest concentration of the shimmering golden particles. Yuta was a good ten meters away, but Hikari was now, undeniably, the unwilling bullseye at the heart of this fantastical, deadly trap.
Hey, hey, are you serious? Hikari thought, a grim understanding dawning. Attraction and Pushing abilities… He can literally keep me pinned here…
He tried to sprint in the opposite direction, to break free from the shimmering cloud, but Arujo, never breaking stride, simply yelled again, "Pull!!!"
Hikari's body was once more dragged, against all his will, back to the exact center of the particle field. It was an invisible, inescapable prison.
"I'm finished setting it!" Yuta screamed triumphantly, just as Arujo cleared the edge of the shimmering golden haze. "Do it now, Arujo!!!"
Arujo skidded to a halt and threw his sword to the ground. His green eyes blazed, his blond hair whipped by the building energy. His right hand remained outstretched, its invisible force continuously pushing and pulling Hikari, locking him in place. With his left hand, he made a sharp, pulling gesture towards Yuta. The dark-haired youth was snatched from the edge of the blast zone as if he were a feather, flying rapidly towards Arujo.
Yuta soared through the air, his hair streaming behind him, a manic, cunning grin plastered across his face as he neared the designated safe zone. "Ignite the world with your golden light and your warm, embracing heat, my precious particles!!" he shrieked, his voice cracking with mad exhilaration.
The countless golden particles began to throb, then blaze with an almost unbearable golden light. The incandescent glow reflected fiercely off Hikari, his blade, his hair. His eyes, caught in the glare, seemed to turn molten gold. His hair was a halo of fire.
It seems, he thought, a strange sense of fatalistic calm settling over him, this is my first defeat…
At that precise moment, Rentarou, having reached a point just outside the deadly radius, slammed his right fist – encased in the light stone gauntlet – onto the earth with every ounce of his strength, roaring:
"[STONE DOME!!]"
The ground beneath the golden haze trembled violently, then…
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!
A cataclysmic golden explosion of unimaginable scale erupted, bathing the entire landscape in a blinding, searing golden light. The shockwave was immense, a physical wall of force that flattened the surrounding grasslands for hundreds of meters, its concussive roar and superheated wind even reaching the distant treeline of the forest, making the ancient trees shudder.
[A/N]
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