Chapter 264 Separate
Over 3 hundred fake goddesses appeared, surrounding us, along with 5 Cains.
If the goal of Chronosphere is to wipe us out, then this alone is enough power. But I was sure they wouldn't kill us all here.
If they let Fiona die, there would be no point in luring us here. They would have to wait a long time until someone with a new backdoor, Jobs, shows up.
And to wipe us out while keeping Fiona alive would be difficult with this level of power. They can't launch a large-scale, high-power attack because it would involve Fiona.
So then──Chronosphere must be thinking one thing.
"Lucia! Noah! Prevent the teleportation!!"
They must be planning to separate Fiona and us with teleportation.
As proof, countless beams of magical energy rained down from the fake goddesses. It wasn't an attack. It was meant to teleport us.
"Ugh!"
"I know!"
Lucia and Noah seemed to have realized this possibility too. Right after I shouted, they activated counter magic.
Space magic──[Space Control]
Both of them used the same magic.
This magic is meant to block other Space magic within the activated Space. It seems to be a higher-level magic than [Space Suppression], and its blocking effect is powerful. It immediately canceled out the magical energy beams from the fake goddesses.
But──
"Ugh...!!"
"We can't hold on for long!!"
Lucia and Noah, the top-tier Space magicians, grimaced.
Of course. The opponent has over 3 hundred bodies, while Lucia and the others are just 2. No matter how skilled they are as magicians, with this many enemies, it's clear they will be overwhelmed eventually.
And, they can't get any help.
My [Black Seal Domain] is weaker than their [Space Control]. Plus, if I activate [Black Seal Domain] now, it would weaken their magic too. If I could hit the fake goddesses with [Black Seal Sword] one after another, I could seal off their use of Space magic, but──there's no time for that.
I have to leave the response to the teleportation magic to them.
The problem is──
God Technique────[God's Body]
Five Cains, transformed into bodies glowing with a pale blue aura, are readying their swords.
I thought they might be about to unleash [Dragon-Slaying Flash: Invisible Ruin], and I quickly realized that was exactly what they were planning.
If a massive explosion like the one that happened on the 50th floor bridge occurs here, Fiona will get caught up in it too. But, thinking about it, that explosion is a special phenomenon that happens when [Dragon-Slayer Flash] is combined with another [Dragon-Slayer Flash].
Originally, the sword technique called [Dragon-Slayer Flash] is meant to permeate all the aura into the target, causing it to crumble away like a decaying leaf, turning into dust, and it doesn't create an explosion.
If that's the case, even if they unleash it in this crowded place, there won't be an explosion; only those hit will die. In fact, I might say that the scale of damage is smaller than other sword techniques.
However, that doesn't mean we can just take it silently.
The moment the Cain appeared, I stored "Black-White" in my storage ring and swapped it for "Black Radiance."
Then, I poured my aura into it──clang!──and transformed it into the "Platinum Sword," almost at the same time Cain finished activating [God's Body].
I'm in time──!!
Faster than my thoughts, I swung my sword, guided by instinct.
My ultimate technique────[Slash]
The Cain surrounded us, 5 of them evenly spaced. They weren't in the place I could cut with a single slash. But as long as I can recognize them, that's enough for me. This slash doesn't take a physical form. And it doesn't matter who is in between.
An invisible slash surged forth.
It rushed toward the 5 Cain, following my will.
Boom──!!
The Cain all lost their form at once, turning into a shining mist instead of blood and exploded in all directions.
Right after, I shouted.
"You guys! Eliminate the ones around us! Don't go outside Lucia's magic range!!"
"""──Understood!!"""
Without needing to be told, my teammates launched their attacks.
Auras and magic created flashy explosions, and the false goddesses defended against them with [Space Barrier].
However, it seems they prioritize teleporting us, so they don't focus solely on defense.
The attacks from my teammates wielding the "Black Moon" shattered the barrier of the fake goddesses, and without saying a word, the other members focused their attacks there.
The speed of elimination wasn't fast. But still, they were definitely reducing the number of fake goddesses.
However, the Chronospheres present here weren't watching the scene of the fake goddesses being reduced. They were just wide-eyed, staring at me.
"I can't believe you can control the Third Materia this well...!!"
"You monster."
"I was right not to come here."
"Well, even so..."
"——It's useless, you know?"
Around us, the surface of the lake rippled again.
From the center of the newly formed waves, more fake goddesses appeared, instantly replacing the ones that had been defeated.
And it wasn't just the fake goddesses being replaced.
The 5 'Sword Saints Cain' that we had just defeated reappeared.
"Tch──!!"
I clicked my tongue and stopped pulling out "Black-White" to take out "Black Radiance" instead.
While Cain and the others activated [God's Body], I created a "platinum sword" and immediately swung it.
My ultimate technique──[Slash].
An invisible slash flew, and with a boom──!! their bodies exploded into light again, but...
"Damn it...!!"
Another ripple formed, and from its center, Cain and the others appeared again.
I had to eliminate Cain and the others immediately every time they reappeared. Consuming the newly drawn "Black Radiance," I unleashed slashes with the "platinum sword."
Seeing me, the Chronospheres opened their mouths with smug smiles.
"I'm hesitant to create too many of this level of Cain because it's costly,"
"But still, the magical energy that 'Terrafomer007' can handle is enormous."
"Plus, your slashes using the third materia aren't exactly low in magical energy consumption either."
"It's obvious which will run out of magical energy first, right?"
"And even if you can keep up, it doesn't mean others can too..."
Lucia and Noah's [Space Control] was already on the brink of being broken by countless fake goddesses.
It was balanced on a razor's edge.
Then, a strike that would shatter that balance came crashing down.
An incredibly vast and solidly crafted magical energy.
It was shot from somewhere far away, piercing through Lucia and Noah's [Space Control].
"———'Guardian of the Children'!!?"
The "Boob Alien" cried out in despair.
The "Guardian of the Children" suddenly descended, and the magical energy that pierced through [Space Control] made its appearance disappear.
And the magical energy beams raining down were not just one.
One after another, comrades were caught by the magical energy and forcibly transported away from this place.
"Calum!!"
"Glen!?"
"Claire!!"
"Chloe-dono!!"
Moreover, now that [Space Control] was broken, the magical energy beams released by the fake goddesses began to pour down as well.
Those who possess the "Black Moon" can break through the false goddess's magical energy attacks with their heavy attribute aura, but that's only considering the number 3 hundred.
My friends are being forcibly teleported one after another.
I have to deal with the repopping Cain, and I couldn't stop it.
"Lucia!?"
"What the──!?"
Amidst the false goddess's attacks, a powerful magical energy beam, likely from Chronosphere himself, rains down, and eventually even Lucia and Noah are teleported away.
Soon, only me, Fiona, and Logan are left in this place.
I repel the teleportations with my [Chaos Strength: God of Calamity] heavy attribute aura, while Fiona and Logan swing the "Black Moon" to cut through the magical energy beams.
Only the 3 of us can handle Chronosphere's magical energy attacks.
"Logan!!"
I unleash a [Slash] at the reappearing Cains, scattering them, and shout to Logan.
"Take care of Lucia!!"
If, by any chance, Lucia gets defeated, we won't be able to do anything.
And if she gets teleported to Chronosphere's place, considering Noah is still bound by the contract, it's better for Logan to go there.
"──Understood!"
Logan nods and accepts the incoming magical energy transfer.
In the next moment, Logan's figure also disappears from this place.
Right after that, the magical energy beam that had been so persistent――――stopped.
And before I knew it, the 5 Chronospheres that had been here also disappeared.
It seems that their goal was to separate me from Fiona.
For a moment, the false goddesses distanced themselves from us, and Cain no longer reappeared. The false goddesses surrounded us, watching carefully.
Were they smirking, thinking everything was going according to plan?
But we were also separated. If I think about it, we no longer had to face both the Chronospheres and the [Evil God] at the same time, so it wasn't all bad.
"Fiona, it's coming."
"Yeah, I know."
Since the [Evil God]'s target is Fiona, and Fiona herself can't be forcibly teleported, it has no choice but to come here.
Just as I imagined, a powerful magical energy beam rained down from a distance――――and in the next moment, it appeared.
"――――."
Her appearance was completely the same as the surrounding false goddesses.
However, the magical energy I felt from it was on a whole different level.
It was already enormous magical energy, and it was probably dozens of times greater than that of the other false goddesses.
"That's... the [Evil God], right?"
"Yeah, probably."
The appeared [Evil God] smiled with a look of compassion and opened her mouth.
"Now, Fiona... shall we become one?"
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