SWNOVELXO Chapter 71 - Shining Brighter Than Gold☆ (4)
The roar created by the bombardment of golden cats.
The head of the ‘snake’ unable to move, perhaps due to the shock.
Amidst that chaotic scene, Ofnir raised his forelegs that looked like those of a praying mantis, threatening.
“You dare call yourself a god? How arrogant, arrogant…! An inferior species that will only fade away in the movement of stars dares to speak of gods? Kukuk…! Those who don’t even know who they should worship…!”
Under the hazy sky, the shadow cast by a massive blade stretches out.
Two forelegs raised towards the sky, like followers praying.
The [Priest of Strife] truly enraged.
Unlike his usual self always full of mockery, the killing intent dripping from his blade was thicker than ever. And matching those movements, thousands and tens of thousands of armaments appeared, embroidering the hazy sky. That authority of the ‘snake’ made of black ether was created in countless numbers.
Rumble—!!
At the same time.
The ground undulates, churning with black ether.
Ominous voices and presences undulate, stimulating all five senses.
An environment created as if about to explode at any moment.
“…!”
“…!”
Hilde and Freya, sensing the unusual change, hurriedly entered combat stances. And they were about to charge towards Ofnir’s main body that was still exposed now.
“B-Be careful…!”
“Lara, the ground is…!”
“Yeah☆ I know—♪ That guy seems to be trying to call lots of clones this time☆ Now that he’s been seen through once, he seems to be in a hurry—☆ But if we go in now, we’ll definitely be ambushed~ Just wait a moment♪”
“What…?!”
The two who were about to charge out stopped in their tracks.
Ofnir’s displeased breath could be heard as he watched them. The sound was so faint that Hilde and Freya didn’t seem to hear it, but…
“…Tch.”
Right.
That guy is always like this.
No matter how much his movements differed from the game, this tendency remained the same. And my perception ability could detect and find every single one of those signs.
‘As expected of a guy who uses counter patterns that come in when the player flinches from background music and graphics, pretending to be buggy by moving absentmindedly…’
A veteran’s strategy spoiler.
I carefully gripped the golden cat dagger while closely observing such signs from him. Rota’s voice seemed to faintly echo from my palm.
“H-How did you…?”
“…”
But Freya seemed puzzled by my confident attitude. Hilde also seemed to have many things she wanted to ask, but she was keeping her promise to trust me.
‘Well, I was always at the center of that ill-fated battle with
We couldn’t keep living with misunderstandings about [Faded Spiral] and whatnot forever. Hadn’t Hilde been worried thinking the golden flower petals flowing from my wounds had some grand meaning?
“…”
This battle is not the end, but an opportunity.
Let’s use it as an excuse to truly move forward.
When this fight ends, it seemed I would have to open up about many stories.
‘I don’t know how much they’ll believe, but.’
My memories.
My recollections.
My heart… my still wavering heart.
‘My feelings towards you too. Though I’m still not certain… including all of that.’
I looked at Hilde beside me.
The two silver eyes that met mine still showed no wavering.
Rumble—!!
Surging lightning flashes, illuminating the silver-white girl.
Hilde quietly looked at me while drawing up blue-white ether, holding her massive lance. Though she had much she wanted to say, she only conveyed a single word to me.
“I’m happy to be able to fight together with Lara again.”
“…”
My chest swelled with that pure sentiment, so I playfully answered to hide my embarrassment.
“This time we’re facing the same opponent though—☆”
“…That too, makes me happy.”
“Me too—☆”
“That too… makes me happy.”
“…”
Really… when will I ever be able to win against this girl again?
Rather than the path to a realm beyond wuji, perhaps I needed to learn how to win in human relationships.
While thinking such thoughts inwardly, I blurted out an answer.
“…I’m happy to be able to fight with Hilde too.”
“…Mm!”
Finally seeming satisfied with my answer, Hilde nodded with a faint smile. A subtle mint scent wafted from her flowing silver hair.
A smile without a hint of hesitation.
Somehow feeling shy seeing that smile, I turned my head forward again.
“…”
Twitch
The now familiar purple cat ears twitched.
Woong—!!
Freya slowly activated [Eternal Spinning Wheel] behind her back and spoke in an exasperated voice. That voice no longer contained any trace of the hostility that had been raised like thorns before.
“Y-You two are really something… in this kind of situation…”
“I’ll tell the alley cat lots too~♪ Oh right, while we’re at it, let’s have some girls talk…!”
“N-No thanks… And how long are you going to keep calling me alley cat… My name is…!”
Rumble—!!
“…!”
“…!”
“…It seems to have begun.”
Black ether slowly boiling up.
The ground we were standing on… black ether surged from the ‘snake’s’ head. Various presences were slowly emerging from the turbid floor that looked like it was mixed with multiple paint colors.
Ofnir’s clone creation pattern preparation was complete. But he didn’t seem to have the air of someone who had succeeded.
“…”
The purple wheel starting to turn. Azure lightning constantly flashing and blinking. And the cat weapons firmly guarding my back.
We too had fully entered combat stances and completed our preparations.
‘Mobs just need to be cut down, but that guy’s counter attacks hurt like hell. This is actually more advantageous.’
Ofnir, who had been preparing a counter while pretending to show an opening, lowered his blade-like forelegs in vain.
“…”
But he didn’t seem shaken at all despite his specialty counter-inducing pattern failing. Rather, he seemed to have an air of understanding something.
“…You’re a dangerous one. Perhaps… even more than [Azure Lightning Lance] who is said to have killed the old man… The traces of the ‘prophet’ are always like this…”
“…Old man?”
Hilde muttered very softly in response, but Ofnir didn’t answer and glared at me.
“Kukuk… I see. Now I understand… In this [Strife], my true nemesis was… you.”
A voice muttering lowly as if having realized something.
[Priest of Strife] Ofnir spoke in an emotionless voice for the first time.
“Yes, I must… kill you here. Perhaps this too is part of my [Fate]… For the sake of what is to come…”
“Are you saying that to yourself? You really are an incorrigible troublemaker—☆”
“…That’s right, I declare before the center of this universe.”
Rumble—!!
Black ether surges up like waves in a sea of mud.
Black armaments rain down like a downpour towards us.
Whoosh—!!
Swish—!!
Hundreds of clones with solemn expressions.
Ofnir’s clones came rushing towards us. The killing intent contained in the black ether in their outstretched hands gushed out like a storm.
“The traces of another ‘prophet’…!”
“Must…!”
“Be killed…!”
“For the coming chaotic era—!!”
“Must be killed…!!”
“For my true god!! For the cycle of [Fate]!!”
“Must be killed!!”
“Must be shattered to pieces and killed!!”
[Disappear into strife, all of you—!!!]
Black weapons raining down from the sky.
Dozens of clones springing up from the ground.
The priest’s cry creating black wind while swinging a massive blade in the distance. A sticky storm of killing intent sweeping in.
“…”
Amidst all the scenes, I regulated my breathing while moving forward.
I drew up [Spiral]’s perception ability with the help of golden ether.
“Whew…!”
The world of moments.
Whoosh—
Everything flows slowly.
The flow of all existences begins to be seen.
As if everything is flowing underwater.
The sounds and waves of everything approaching while churning are felt. The senses of air and existence that compose this world are felt. Everything in this world is made to flow.
My love, my friendship, my memories…
My anger, my despair, my enemies…
Everything flows.
Everything vibrates.
It resonates endlessly colliding with the world.
All those ‘moments’ are recognized as the ‘world’.
The dagger spinning in my hand.
I gripped the golden dagger in reverse.
Zing—!!
A girl’s memories flowed from the golden dagger. That golden memory seeped into my heart, resonating with the warmth of the evening sunset.
Rota’s dream.
Her sister who passed away early due to illness.
Memories of playing together holding hands in the golden garden.
The golden dream she held after hearing the story left by [Golden Witch].
-You know, sister…! I’ll make wonderful magic that allows everyone to get to know each other! I’ll make the most beautiful magic in the world!
-Yes, how wonderful! I’m sure Rota can do it!
-Really? Right? I’ll have lots of friends like [Golden Witch] too?
-Yes! You’ll have lots of friends who support your dream…!
I couldn’t help but smile.
‘That’s right, it really is a wonderful dream.’
A true dream that only one person believed in. That’s why it was buried somewhere in Rota’s memories.
But now at this moment, that memory was seeping into me as a fairy tale.
Dreams become memories.
Memories become fairy tales.
Fairy tales become hearts and flow.
Everything flows like that.
The world existed as such a beautiful flow.
I stretched my arm back to swing the dagger.
Then dazzling ether shone from the golden dagger, carrying countless memories, lending me strength. I made a vow towards Rota’s sister visible in the golden fairy tale.
‘I’ll support that dream too. Watch over us from there. I will… I will definitely make everyone reach a happy ending!’
She nodded at me from within the memory.
-…Thank you.
“…!”
Was it an illusion?
Was it a misconception?
Even in that inexplicable miracle… everything was flowing.
Everything flows and [vibrates].
And [vibration] gives birth to ‘change’.
The power to ‘change’ the world as ether.
In this world, that is called [Wave Ether].
I swung the dagger while looking at the endlessly swarming enemies. What was contained in the trajectory shining brilliantly golden was heart.
At the very front.
Swing towards the enemies.
I go beyond nothingness towards martial arts.
World, change according to my will.
This is not a mere swinging of power, but a strike of martial arts.
[Spiral] goes beyond wuji towards supreme martial arts.
With that heart, I unleashed my second ultimate technique.
“[Blue Sweet Macaron]—!!”
Fwoosh—!!
The dagger being swung, golden ether begins to shine from the tip of the dagger. The endlessly compressed ether blinks white.
And like a spring uncoiling, the wave of ether advances.
A [wave] of destruction that deafens the ears.
It flowed towards tens and hundreds of enemies.
Boom—!!!
“Kuhak?!”
“Uwaaak!!”
“Kuhek?!”
If [Red Flower Dazzling] was a simple flash of destruction…
[Blue Sweet Macaron] was a wave pursuing the enemies.
The numerous clones were being endlessly shattered and disappearing with each of my strikes. But that alone wasn’t enough to shatter them all.
But there were attacks being fired from behind to help me.
A wave of purple armaments.
A charge of azure lightning.
“Lara!!”
“You ruffian!!”
The cries of [Purple Spinning Wheel] and [Azure Lightning Lance].
Waves flow.
Advance within the flow of power.
“Ofnir—!!!”
I approached Ofnir faster than anyone just like that.
Gaze focused on me.
Ofnir retreated, avoiding the wave of [Blue Sweet Macaron] I had unleashed. An eerie resonance spread from his widely spread wings. His green body nimbly flies up into the air.
“Haaaaah!!”
Tap!
I kicked off and rose to pursue Ofnir.
Ofnir crossed his massive arms and fired black vortex winds towards me as I approached. They came to cut off my neck, carrying sharpness while making sonic booms.
-Meow—!!
Another golden cat nestling into my arms.
Soon it transformed into a dazzling golden spear.
I raised that spear high and cleaved through the oncoming whirlwinds.