Chapter 122: Embracing the Light of Ambition Part 8 Part 2
Chapter 122: Embracing the Light of Ambition Part 8 Part 2
Translator: Kurehashi Aiko
I mumble that to myself while throwing my fist towards the sky in a threatening manner, all the while checking my status window and trying to focus Luukan’s aggro back on me to give Rei some time to breathe. I even considered generating the crystal pillar to accelerate myself further, but I gave up on that idea in the end. At this speed it would be hard to generate the pillar at the right angle and in the right direction. I would only end up setting myself back instead. And even if I used the pillar for attack, Luukan would have no problem with breaking it to pieces, just like it did not so long ago.
But still, putting aside the issue of moving or attacking, I really needed something that would allow me to divert Luukan’s attention from Rei. Something with a nice punch that would also give me a nice burst of damage.
(Or maybe…… I should use “that”? No, that’s my ultimate trump card, so I should save it until Rei is really in a pinch, not before that……)
If I had to compare the Deadly Sword Art that Yuzuki could use to a card from a deck, it would without a doubt be a Joker. It is a skill that is really difficult to trigger and has many drawbacks and backlashes, but as a result it would offer attack power equal or even greater than the skills Rei has in her arsenal.
What to do, what to do? As I was considering that, the Crystal Pillar became available to use. I also can’t remember how many buffs I have activated recently, and which ones were about to end and which were still good to go…… That’s bad.
However, there was hope. Hope in the shape of a certain weakness. Not Luukan’s weakness, but something more general, a weakness of all “wolf-shaped” creatures…… creature…… And that’s good.
「Rei! Back away a little bit, why don’t you! …… “Firing Up!!!”」
Just for today I think that having to do voice authentification is quite a hassle. The left gauntlet activates and fires a crystal pillar. It was a slow projectile compared to guns and other firearms like that, but still, a projectile flew forward and hit Luukan’s side. I then activated the gauntlet again, but this time around I hit it against the ground, propelling myself in the air thanks to the erected crystal pillar.
Up becomes down and in this reversed world I shout another voice command, and then the world goes back to normal as I feel my insides turning from the force.
「Growing up!!!」
I use the momentum of the growing Crystal Pillar to land safely on the ground without losing my balance. Because of that my body was able to accelerate faster than it would normally do.
Thanks to the improved vision, I was able to draw the most optimal path to take judging on all the factors that were in front of me. I run for about five more steps before I make a jump. Then I jump in mid-air while going diagonally. Reducing the influence of gravity over my body increased my speed even further and I was approaching Luukan at a very high speed.
I believe in this game. For the longest time I was used ot the games screwing me over, being broken as fuck and in some instances even unplayable and bugged beyond belief. But this game is different. Just touching your neck was enough to prove it. The engine imitated the pulse. It is actually amazing with what level of detail they managed to recreate avatars in this game.
It’s not something that is all that necessary for gameplay, but ShangriLa Frontier was taking recreating the players as avatars really seriously. That is why even enemies can have weaknesses in this game that their real-life counterparts could have. For example, since the system recreates the nervous system running under the skin, even the mobs should not be immune to the feeling of pain. And even the mightiest of foes couldn’t be immune to pain.
「If even the great Benkei could cry, then so can you! Now CRY, BITCH!!!」
I swing my fist, use the crystal pillar as leverage and deliver a mighty blow right under the knee of Luukan’s front leg. I then activate Infight and one other skill which was a long awaited melee attack steroid, and then deliver yet another blow right onto its shin.
「GROUUUUAAAAGGGHHHH!?」
「Hahaha!!! You might be a Unique Monster, but that scream right now was just pathetic you little bitch!」
My hand goes numb for a moment. The power of the blow hitting the wolf’s bone was so great that recoil was even greater. But it was enough for Luukan to lose its balance and I used that moment to put some distance in between us. Dashing around like a bunny trying to evade the ferocious wolf, I manage to point Luukan’s attention towards me and force it away from Rei. For now, at least.
Scorpion gauntlets are powerful but slow and heavy to handle. If it is speed and precision you want, Yuzuki would be the weapon of choice here. Good for the defensive playstyle. Switching my equipment I do some quick math in my head and do rough estimates. The trigger here will be…… the moment Rei hits her limit.
Now, if only I could keep it off Rei for long enough…… I estimate that the next fifteen minutes will be critical. But it would be a time where the odds would lean heavily in Luukan’s favor.
The question remains: what to do now……?
The battlefield in the middle of the night. A burning bird in the sky and a jet-black wolf on the ground. And in between them an armored knight and a half-naked birdman, wielding their weapons in unison, their shadows advancing forward as one.