Blood splattered. Divine blood splattered. Splattered, splattered, splattered. Since the “Wait a moment” began, Dorothy was experiencing pain for the first time. It was a supreme pain, as if her entire body were being flayed.
“Gah…!”
Countless slashes rained down from all directions, tearing her body to shreds. All these attacks bypassed Dorothy’s defenses, which were bolstered by her divine body, and inflicted real, tangible damage. Considering that even Rion’s fierce assault in the early stages couldn’t inflict so much as a scratch on Dorothy, one can understand how astonishing this was.
In truth, Dorothy was genuinely enjoying this moment of surprise. Ah, Rion was indeed a wonderful friend, a great person who easily surpassed her expectations, and she even felt moved. Thus, she decided to respond to this great feat and attempt her first counterattack since the battle began. However, it was all too late. Dorothy’s last chance lasted only until Rion unleashed “Gale Gale” and “Thunder Thunder.”
(Th-this… I can’t get out…!?)
The cage of slashes surrounding Dorothy was pure despair, relentless and without any gaps. Even trying to physically deflect them, the slashes possessed overwhelming destructive power. No matter how many she blocked, there was no end in sight, and her own fists became wounded in the process. Furthermore, the slashes seemed to be electrified, searing her flesh and numbing her senses with every contact. Even Dorothy, who boasted of her invincibility, was affected. Her equipment, her staff and books, were naturally not spared. They were the first to be torn apart and reduced to cinders by S-Rank worthy electricity.
(Cough, then ‘Time Magic’— GAH!?)
If physical evasion was not feasible, she would simply make the threat disappear by accelerating time. With this thought, Dorothy attempted her next move, but at this point, a change occurred in her body.
(I can’t see anything!? And it’s not just my vision! I can’t hear anything, and I have no sense of touch either…! I don’t even feel my clothes touching me!?)
The next threat, after the never-ending slashes, was the deprivation of her senses, including sight, hearing, and touch. Essentially, her five senses were completely non-functional.
Dorothy must have been terribly confused by the sudden descent into a world of nothingness. Even as a goddess, she had never experienced her sensory organs being completely shut down. And once trapped, investigating the cause was practically impossible, let alone mounting any proper defense.
The ‘Time Magic’ she had been about to use moments before could not be carelessly employed in such a state of delirium. While time-manipulating magic was powerful, it required delicate control precisely because of its power. A mistake, a random outburst, and it might hit Rion, who was likely moving around her. That was something Dorothy absolutely had to avoid.
(This is… rough…)
Kelvin, who was observing Rion and Dorothy’s battle from the outside by deploying his ‘Parallel Thought’, had a vague idea of what caused Dorothy to lose her senses. He still couldn’t see her. However, there was one more presence surrounding Dorothy. He surmised, with a nine-tenths probability, that this added presence belonged to Alex.
(Dorothy’s sudden reaction, she’s probably had her five senses stolen. Alex is likely wielding the ‘Lethal Play Sword’— that weapon, which steals all of a target’s five senses with five attacks, must be the cause.)
When damage can be inflicted, the effects of the accompanying weapon also become valid. Even for a goddess like Dorothy, this was no exception. Kelvin concluded this. However, the question that arose was that Alex, like Rion, possessed otherworldly speed and power. According to Rami, only Rion was granted these two powers this time, and Alex was not supposed to be among the recipients. Yet, Alex was matching Rion’s speed and maintaining the cage of slashes with a masterful combination. This made no logical sense.
(…No, that’s not quite right.)
Kelvin pondered. If Alex could use ‘Simulate Taken’, it might be possible to imitate Rami’s Unique Skill. ‘Simulate Taken’ was a copy ability that mimicked the shape of objects reflected on shadows and even their characteristics. While it was ineffective against living beings, it had previously been capable of fully imitating Serge’s sacred sword. Therefore, imitating Rami’s Unique Skill might not be impossible. In fact, Alex’s current movements could not be explained by anything else.
(In the early stages, Alex was sent into the shadows to ensure Alex’s safety until Rami-chan’s power was activated. When the time came, ‘Simulate Taken’ would imitate Gale and Thunder, which was bestowed upon Rion. By doing so, Alex would also enter a quasi-Gale and Thunder mode. Then, Alex would emerge from the shadows and begin a concentrated bombardment with Rion— Ha ha, with that, they’d be invincible. Dorothy, caught in the trap, wouldn’t stand a chance. So that’s why it was a 2-on-1 battle with Alex included…!)
Kelvin realized. It was all calculated by Rion from the beginning. For whatever reason, if Rion presented plausible reasons and asked, Dorothy would always agree to Rion’s terms. Furthermore, Dorothy, who was always lenient with Rion, would indulge in a “play-to-win” attitude due to the difference in strength. The difference in skill was so obvious that such foolish behavior was permitted. However, no matter how strong and superior Dorothy was, if she was trapped in a ploy, her true power would be completely suppressed. Displaying her full strength? No, that wouldn’t be allowed. Rion never intended to have a good match. The goal was a swift victory, a victory that exploited every circumstance— Yes, this battle had been unfolding in Rion’s palm from the very beginning.
“Ororo? Dorothy-ara-chan’s figure has disappeared.”
“Hmm, a new ability at this point?”
Dorothy, having lost her senses and with no means to fight back, tried to use the power of the divine spirit Dea Toth to become an ethereal body and escape this situation, perhaps out of desperation or to aim for a comeback. She believed that in an ethereal state, the slashes and electric currents would pass through her. But alas.
“Gah…!”
“It’s no use, Shi-chan. For me, an ethereal body is nothing more than a perfect target.”
In conclusion, the spiritualization of her body was a complete failure. Rion, who possessed the Unique Skill ‘Absolute Purification’, was currently streaking around Dorothy at the speed of light. The more Rion moved, the more the battlefield was purified and transitioned into a sacred space. If a ghost were to appear, it would be instantly sent to nirvana, a sanctuary. Although, given Dorothy’s strong individual presence, she quickly dispelled the ethereal form and only suffered significant damage.
(However…)
Dorothy realized. To overturn the situation now, there was no other way but to launch a large-scale counterattack. But doing so would involve Rion. With the current lack of fine control, it was possible that even Pars City would be caught in the crossfire. This battle had originated from jealousy towards Kelvin, and that was not what she wanted. Besides, “Wait a moment” for her didn’t hold that much meaning. Essentially—
“Congratulations on your marriage, Rion-san.”
—Dorothy admitted defeat and threw herself into the storm of slashes.
