This is the last one.
In this crucial final battle, I am still lending my body to someone else.
Therefore, it seems like I am the one fighting, but in reality, I am merely connecting.
“—’I have been forgotten by the world.’ ‘I have lied by igniting flames.’ ‘I love someone.’—”
But that is fine.
I knew that this was my best fighting style and my ultimate strike.
“—Magic (Cinderella’s Lost Flame)—”
Flames engulf my black twin swords.
With that attribute change, the icy jaws that were about to swallow the darkness instantly melt and evaporate.
At first glance, it appeared to be a basic flame sword magic.
However, Cristo noticed immediately that its essence was completely different.
“Arti…!? Impossible…! Because *we* are the ones who have her…!”
He spoke a name I didn’t know and placed one of his hands, stripped of ice swords and jaws, on his chest.
However, ‘Black Threads’ were also stretched out there, continuing to pulsate powerfully.
—We are connected.
My own body’s ‘Black Threads’ trembled as if speaking.
Realizing that their power was not solely from the amplifiers shaped like ‘Lines’ or the circulation of poison, I turned my suspicion towards myself.
“Could it be… is it me? Am I using magic myself…!? On Rainer!?”
The Magic Construction and declaration were performed with the distinctive wing vein vibrations of insect monsters.
In other words, the third effect of Magic (Crimson Dragon Slayer Undefeated) was the automatic and forced explosion of magic through the ‘Black Threads.’
I deepened the red of my twin swords’ flames, accompanied by a smile.
Joyfully and enthusiastically, I wielded those borrowed powers with all my might.
“Burn it all away! ‘Oblivion’s’ ‘Blessing’! Make Cristo truly remember what he must not forget!!”
“…! B-Burn it away! ‘Oblivion’s’ ‘Curse’! Steal the memory of me from Rainer and end this battle!!”
Instantly, Cristo also created a flame sword and shouted back.
Eight ‘Flame Flamberge’ without incantation extended from his eight arms, clashing with my twin swords.
Both raging fires far surpassed the ordinary.
My twin swords and his eight flame swords were in a stalemate, forming a cross-guard.
Our fiery blades were just shy of reaching each other, an agonizingly dangerous situation. From my throat, something was automatically spun—
“—’I leave the world behind’—”
That was the ‘Incantation’ of a certain swordsman who, after wishing to reach it, finally attained it.
“—’The world rejected me first.’ ‘Therefore, I shall live with my sword.’—”
Realizing whose vibration it was, my lips curved even further.
Cristo also realized who it was and likely anticipated what was next.
He opened his mouth wide, letting out a sob from deep within his throat.
“Ah… Ro, Rowen…?”
Following ‘The One Who Steals the Logic of Fire.’
One after another, true ‘Magic’ connected.
Along with the vibrations of that intimate friend.
—’I won’t let you make a mistake. This is the path a ‘best friend’ taught me.’
Hearing that, Cristo’s eyes welled up.
However, I showed no mercy and moved to the next.
“—Magic (Wraith’s Flash)—”
Our flame swords, with the divine skill of the Sword Saint, were swung.
The flash, the result of relentless training, pierced through time and space, ignoring the wall of flames before us.
As if the cross-guard had never happened, it slipped through and sliced at what lay beyond.
Six of Cristo’s ‘Ferocious Beast Arms’ were severed at the base and soared through the air.
“————!”
Cristo, back to having two arms like me, gasped.
It wasn’t because of the pain, surely. He detests facing someone head-on at close range unless he has absolute superiority. Cristo retreated fearfully, attempting to flee.
But he didn’t want to see himself like this—
“—’I am a soul, unique, with no name, a mere child’—”
That was the ‘Incantation’ of a certain child who, after wishing to return, finally attained it.
“—’The lost child was guided by the world.’ ‘I ran until the end of the counter-light.’—”
Following ‘The One Who Steals Earthly Principles.’
One after another, true ‘Magic’ connected.
Along with the gentle vibrations tinged with nostalgia.
“—Magic (King Falls to Earth)—”
This was the ultimate return magic, activating the return to ‘here and now.’
Cristo leaped back with a great jump, landing on the ground. However, the distance between us remained unchanged.
Due to a special spatial fixation magic, Cristo’s movement failed.
And, naturally, there was a continuation to that magic and ‘Incantation.’
No, these siblings moved to the next step, not in sequence, but simultaneously.
“—’This body traverses the hellish path as a soul’—”
That was the ‘Incantation’ of a certain child who, after wishing to return, finally attained it.
“—’I have resented the world that cast the child down.’ ‘I have resented it from the depths of this earth.’—”
Overlapping with ‘Thief of the Laws of Wood.’
The siblings’ true ‘Magic’ had already connected.
Along with the childish vibrations tinged with nostalgia.
“—Magic (■ Path Falls to Earth)—”
Wind blew from behind.
It didn’t just push my back; it also created walls of wind shimmering faintly green on the edges of my vision.
A tunnel created by her extended from me to Cristo, urging me to “Go!”
That magic was no longer about falling, but about moving forward.
From the path leading to the precious treasure of home, vibrations could be heard.
—’Rainer and the others are your last disciples, Kanami. They are formidable.’
—’I taught the child too! The place of truly precious treasures!’
Through the magic of my master siblings, a path was created leading to Cristo.
It was a single, inviting path to conclude this one-on-one battle.
Faced with no possibility of retreat, and nowhere to escape, Cristo groaned.
“…Kuh!”
He knew these magics well; he had used them himself.
He understood more than anyone that this flow was problematic.
He had to do something about it immediately.
He had to sever the root of the flow.
Cristo became increasingly frantic, quickly analyzing who was the cause of everything.
The result was that his mouth, not mine, revealed the names of the people waiting next.
“—Sel, Seldra!! Fafnir too!! It’s you two who have been—!! For a while now! For this battle, it’s been you two!!”
Cristo understands well.
Of course, it’s thanks to those two.
After they finished using their ‘Magic,’ it became a red glow and vibration on the 100th floor.
They said everything they wanted to say and went on ahead.
Therefore, I want to repeat.
I want to intensify the cause of Cristo’s predicament.
So that it reaches further, with an even louder voice, and even further—
“—’Reaching out to the sky, I cannot see the world’—”
That was the ‘Incantation’ of a certain wraith who, after wishing to save, finally attained it.
“—’I walked relying on a beloved voice. Now, in harmony with the soul’s song, I touch the sky.’—Magic (Living, Breathing Red Glow)—”
Following ‘One who steals the logic of the wind.’
One after another, true ‘Magic’ connected.
Along with the vibrations of mutual admiration for each other’s backs.
“—’A killer who kills and spews forth’—”
That was the ‘Incantation’ of a certain Dragon Person who, after wishing to apologize, finally attained it.
“—’My body, continuously poisoned.’ ‘I want to kill myself and the world.’—Magic (God Slayer Evil Dragon)—”
Following ‘Thief of the Law of Blood.’
One after another, true ‘Magic’ connected.
It was a powerful vibration, befitting the junior who had admired me.
Within the shining path of wind, the colors of the red glow and ‘Black Threads’ rapidly intensified and stood out.
I was surprised by the fact that the second activation of the same ‘Magic’ was not in vain, and had become stronger than I imagined.
If only one person repeated it, it wouldn’t become like this.
It was a bit like the inheritance and sublimation of Reaper and Kanami’s ‘Magic’ that I saw at the ‘Dance Battle Tournament.’ It was because different souls inherited it and further sublimated it to the next stage that this layered, dark red and black was created.
The sublimated luminescence and pulsation were so powerful and extremely stable that it seemed they would never stop again.
Fearing a further worsening of the flow, Cristo hastily reached out towards the source of it all.
“Sel, Seldra alone! If I can just detach Seldra! Then this worst chain will stop!!”
He cloaked his right arm in purple magic.
This was familiar. He intended to use ‘Distance Mute’ on himself to remove the ‘Black Threads’ stuck to his skin and the magic stones of ‘Thief of Nothingness.’
Christ can choose and reject only what he deems unnecessary. With that unfair power, he can stop this chain of “magic.”
However, what stopped was the opposite. It was Christ’s right arm, imbued with “Distance Mute.”
It was just a little more before touching his own chest. Frozen and “still,” just before the very last moment.
Currently, Christ’s right arm is activating “Distance Mute.” For this final battle, it’s treated like an intermediate-level magic, but it’s originally a top-tier dimensional magic that ignores all barriers, making defense and interference impossible. If it can be stopped so easily, there’s only one person left in the world.
“…Hi, Hidaki?”
Christ looks at his motionless right arm, and his trembling lips murmur his sister’s name. The verification of the answer is returned from the upturned corners of my lips.
“—’Frozen at the beginning of life, frozen in the stillness of death’—”
This is an “incantation” that a certain foreigner wished to stop, and finally achieved.
“—’I will end alone’ ‘Without touching the world.’ — Magic: Snow Bottom Ice, Flowing Day”
Moving on from “Thief of Nothingness.” True “magic” is connecting one after another. Along with the vibrations of worry for his precious family.
—”Tiara, thank you… I’m so glad I believed in you.”
—”I only believed too! If you want to thank someone, thank the real ‘Saint’-chan.”
Overlapping vibrations of relief and shared emotion. Hearing this, Christ shed tears from his eyes, perhaps out of envy.
Wanting to touch those two enviable people, he tries to bring his right arm to his chest with all his might. He resists with his whole body, determined not to lose. But—
“…It won’t move. No, this much is still… I still have… a family… Magic too…—”
He quickly gives up. Abandoning the breakthrough of his sister’s “stillness,” he moves his still-functional opposite hand. Beyond that lies nothingness. As if reaching into an invisible bag, his hand from the wrist disappears from the 100th floor.
One of Christ’s trusted, unfair trump cards. His “Inventory.” It contains countless items from two worlds after two long years of “adventure.” He fumbles with the “Inventory,” filled with infinite provisions to break through infinite situations—
“………No, how can this be…”
He continues to rummage. In reality, something to break through this situation should have been in the “Inventory.” But there isn’t. Just like when he fumbled with Shiya’s body earlier, the desired item is nowhere to be found.
As his face was drawn with despair at this fact, he saw, behind the standing Christ, a girl on her knees, carrying Shiya’s body on her shoulder. She, who had somehow gotten back up, laughs joyfully at his current mutterings of “how can this be.”
“Fuh, fuhaha… Ahahahahahahaha! Tiara-sama! Teacher—! I did it—!”
It was Noir, who had been gently knocked unconscious after his得意の《グラヴィティ・グリード》 was broken. In the hand not carrying Shiya, he held two magic stones filled with immense magic power.
“N-Noir-chan…!”
“Hero-sama, have you forgotten? Or was I no longer in your sight? However, that ‘Inventory’ is a magic jointly created by Tiara-sama and Apostle Legacy. Its formal name is Curse Technique: Magic Bag—”
Therefore, Noir, who has a deep connection with Tiara-san, can interfere with the Curse Technique: “Magic Bag” just like the previous Curse Technique: “Line,” and thus could snatch it away from a distance whenever possible, he boasted, holding the two magic stones.
Christ was undoubtedly careless. In a situation where the wills of Tiara and Legacy are so strong and passed down to people a thousand years later, he mistakenly assumed that the “Inventory” was his alone. Due to this oversight, two magic stones that should have been carefully stored in the “Inventory” were missing. Nosfy Fuziaze. Rustiara Fuziaze. Christ’s two precious family members had been taken and were about to be pocketed by Noir.
Christ unleashes the greatest rage and scream of the day.
“G-Give them back, Noir-chan…! That is unforgivable! Give them back at once! Give them back, give them back, give them back, NOIR! NOIR—!!”
Calmness is completely gone. Ignoring the “still” arm, he roughly tears it off. Now one-armed, Christ transfers “Distance Mute” to his remaining arm and rushes at Noir, scattering blood.
Christ will no longer show mercy to Noir. Such killing intent emanates from his body, shaking the air. From the mistake of his lenient judgment when he knocked her out earlier, an earnest resolve of “even if I have to kill” can now be felt.
“Ah…”
However, for Noir, this unsparing killing intent is exactly what she longed for. Finally, the hero of the world recognizes her as an equal or superior enemy. At that moment, she places a hand on her chest in ecstasy. Then, with a very satisfied sigh, she begins to chant.
…It seems. The last one, she truly hates me. Using the throat of “Magic Stone Human,” one of my sisters, to connect to the next.
“I wanted to hear that scream. …And, Nosfy-sama. I feel like I can be ‘obedient’ again now. —’Now, I cast aside my banner.'”
This is an “incantation” that a certain girl wished to live, and finally achieved.
“—’I do not need the world’s blessings’ ‘I myself will become the light that celebrates the unborn life.’ — Magic: Unparalleled Light”
Moving on from “Thief of the Principles of Water.” True “magic” is connecting one after another. At the vibration of that precious daughter, Christ—
“—Gah—!!”
He could only stop. He knows the effect of that magic better than anyone. Even if he attacks Noir with magic now, it will all be received by his precious daughter’s body in her stead.
He was just about to pierce Noir’s chest with “Distance Mute,” but he couldn’t go any further. Stopping midway, he growls in frustration.
“G-Guh…!!”
The reason Nosfy temporarily cooperated with Noir was likely because she didn’t want to stain her beloved father’s hands with blood. Christ, as a father, understood this instantly and suffered from his daughter’s kindness and love.
“Now, now, hero? Won’t you quickly admit defeat and celebrate the victory of my life?”
Noir provocatively grins and leans into Christ’s frustrated, stopped face.
Ah, truly… thank you. She has always been strong. For this battle, she might even rival Palinkron and Tiara. Moreover, on top of that strength, she never tries to fight alone. Like me, she relies on everyone with all her might. That includes not only her family Rouge, but also Hairi-san and Shiya. Noir was clearly seen as “boy and girl” by Palinkron and Teeda, and received their support. And, while the former Aid-sensei watches over her, she relies on Nosfy, who is also a “Magic Stone Human” like herself.
Furthermore, there are probably Rustiara and Ragune-san as well. Right now, within Noir’s grasp, the two are clearly using magic. Even Christ in front of him feels this excessive favoritism towards Noir, who has mobilized her full power.
“Ah, aah…, uguu…!”
Even his own family members are united in their support for Noir, a complete stranger. He continues to shake his head slightly at this fact. He should have known this before the battle. But it was also a fact that Christ had been looking away from. And now, it is thrust before his eyes by Noir’s hands, and Christ feels like crying, like a lost child.
As I turn my back to her, I hear Noir’s continuation of Nosfy’s words.
“Nosfy-sama also says this. —’Father, being together means understanding each other. …So, please. Won’t you be with me one more time?'”
“N-Nosfy… it’s not like that…”
Christ writhed his face to its limit.
Fortunately, Noir was still acting as a decoy with all his might—he cast a fleeting glance at me for just a moment.
Noir’s last resort was me.
I understand. That’s why I’ve already completed the path of “Earthfall” at full speed and am now right behind Christ.
And now, we succeed in the pincer attack that Older Brother and Palinkron couldn’t, and—
No, we are now continuing the pincer attack that Older Brother and Palinkron prepared and passed down to us.
“Christ! Remember Nosfy’s wish. And everyone’s wishes, of course. The magic stones of the ‘Thief of Principles’ here are not all here to torment you…! That couldn’t be! These are the ‘true threads’ left behind by those who wished to help you!”
“……!”
Thanks to the ‘true threads,’ the tide has completely turned.
Reacting to my shout, Christ hastily turned around.
He looked genuinely surprised, wondering when I had gotten so close.
He truly has a narrow field of vision.
However, this is Christ.
After all, the skills ‘Parallel Thinking’ and ‘Divided Thinking’ he currently possesses are borrowed from his sister and he cannot use them effectively at all.
At its root, it’s the opposite.
The power to accomplish only one thing.
Simply put, he is not dexterous.
If he concentrates on one thing, he neglects others, making him susceptible to surprise attacks or betrayal.
Yet, he intends to save the world?
To manage countless souls and bring ‘happiness’ to people all over the world?
The man who is now being attacked from behind by the opponent he was just fighting?
Tell jokes when you have time, I say as I thrust my twin swords forward.
Both thrusts pierced Christ’s defenseless chest as he turned around.
The black twin swords, wreathed in flames, plunged deep.
However, the goal wasn’t just to inflict damage.
By this point, physical damage would be meaningless, not only due to the lack of recovery magic but also the regenerative power of his ‘half-corpse’ state.
Therefore, my aim has been singular from the start.
It’s the same as when I first took Idol-sensei and Titty.
—To dislodge the magic stones with the tip of my sword.
The continuous ‘magic’ up to this point had created more than enough connections for that to be possible.
Even as a ‘magical lifeform,’ Christ’s body was material and fluctuating.
So, the moment the hard tip of my sword touched something.
I took another step forward, declaring this to be the stopping point from everyone, and went in.
“Everyone was saved by your life! That’s why, even in death, they wish to save you! Today, I! Rainer Helvirshine, will connect everyone’s ‘true threads’ on the 100th floor!”
From Christ’s unstable chest, first two.
I pushed and dislodged the magic stones of the ‘Thief of Nothingness’ and the ‘Thief of the Principles of Fire.’
Then, my sword sank into him up to the hilt as if submerged in water, and my slightly loosened hand grabbed two more.
After grasping the magic stones of the ‘Thief of the Principles of Water’ and ‘Ragune Kaikuola,’ I swung my sword—or rather, my fists—to the sides.
Leaving the flames and black mud inside Christ’s body, I passed by his side.
At the same time, the space-locking and wind-path magic were released, and the sky cleared.
“Gah, aaaaah—!”
Christ groaned, having lost four vital organs at once, more important than his lungs, which were attacked by the magical twin swords.
Listening to his cries from behind, I scooped up Noir, who had cleanly caught the two dislodged magic stones.
With that momentum, I ran and put some distance between us.
Immediately, shielding Noir with my back, I turned around.
While embodying the wishes of everyone who had cooperated up to this point, I re-gripped my twin swords and finished my statement.
“Otherwise, everyone will die with lingering regrets…!”
Beyond those words, Christ looked at the magic stones that had separated from him and at us, and stretched out his one remaining arm while shedding tears.
But he quickly brought his outstretched hand to his mouth and knelt down with a pained expression.
He must be feeling nauseous, but there was nothing substantial in his stomach.
So, what came out of his mouth was something else entirely.
“Ugh… aaa, aaaaaah……”
Even with his hand over his mouth, a large amount of dense purple magic power leaked out from the gaps.
The cause was the contraction of his magical vessel due to the rapid decrease in the ‘Thief of Principles’ magic stones—in other words, a decrease in his maximum level.
Only one magic stone, Christ’s own, remained.
His current level cap was probably around 30.
This meant that over 60 levels’ worth of ‘demonic poison’ was being forcibly expelled.
Watching him expel it, I felt relieved.
If he couldn’t control his level here, I would have had to use ‘Level Up’ or ‘Level Down’ on him, but that didn’t seem necessary.
However, speed was crucial.
With the magic power sent from the ground, this expulsion wouldn’t stop, and eventually, Christ would reach his physical limit and become a complete monster.
Before that, I had to make a proposal.
Now that the battle was over, I had earned the right to do so.
“Christ… Your ‘lingering desire’ is for one person, Rustiara Fuziaze… You just want to meet Rustiara.”
I stated the fundamental premise.
At the same time, I presented another fundamental premise to Christ.
“If that’s all, why do you need to save the world? Managing ‘demonic poison’ and eventually going beyond the ‘deepest part’ is too much of a detour. You’re too focused on grandiose, ‘dream-like’ talk and too far removed from practical matters.”
Hearing this, Christ looked up with a pained expression and glared at me.
Even with his hand covering his mouth, his counterarguments couldn’t be suppressed.
“Ah, ah, I… I desperately want to meet ‘Rustiara’… But for that, I need to save the world! It’s not a detour! By becoming a higher-dimensional administrator of ‘demonic poison,’ I have no other way but to become someone who can make the impossible possible!”
I had anticipated Christ’s reply from the beginning.
Therefore, a counter-proposal was necessary.
I presented the new fundamental premise I had prepared.
“No, it’s too early to conclude that there’s no other way.”
“There’s no way! How could anyone else find an answer that I couldn’t!?”
“Ah, it’s true, I couldn’t find it. That’s why this is an answer that you yourself found a thousand years ago.”
I agreed with the truth in Christ’s arrogant yet not entirely incorrect statement.
On top of that, I also conveyed that it had already been found.
In the end, I relied on others until the very end.
I repeat… but that’s for the best.
Instead of trusting myself, I trusted the protagonist Christ before me and made my proposal.
“A thousand years ago, you devised the ‘Labyrinth Plan’ to save your sister and failed. This time, we will succeed in its true sense. I believe that’s the only way to cure both you and Rustiara’s illness and curse, and save you.”
“A thousand years ago… my ‘Labyrinth Plan’…?”
Christ looked confused upon hearing this.
While he was confused, I continued.
“Of course, your old idea conceived alone won’t be enough this time. That plan from a thousand years ago was flawed because Tiara-san and Legacy, who were supposed to be collaborators, betrayed you… So, this time, it’s everyone. Let’s cooperate ‘together.’”
Naturally, the proposal was too sudden.
And it wasn’t just Christ’s gaze that was surprised.
At the goal of the 100th floor, the talk of creating a labyrinth was being repeated, and his gaze became even more confused.
Immediately, I turned my attention to the ‘gap’ in his line of sight.
To you, who are further behind, I am also speaking.
“For that, first, I want you to listen. To our… ‘next Labyrinth Plan.’ Let me talk about a real goal, not some convenient future that’s like a ‘dream.’”
This new fundamental premise largely depends on the world.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the ‘present’ of a thousand years later will change to the extent of the world’s growth, having watched the battles of the past millennium.
In other words, ‘everyone together’ includes the world.
All the ‘incantations’ up to this point were prayers to the world.
—Now, what do you feel, what do you think, and what do you seek?
In the final battle, I reaffirmed the importance of discussion.
I also posed a question with my gaze.
