Chapter 295 Cut
I lost my jobs and skills, and my strike only managed to shallowly cut the kid's body.
Even so, the kid took a step back, then another──yet, just before falling, he stopped himself.
With a blank expression that showed no pain, he opened his mouth.
"...Foolish. At this rate, neither of us will survive. Plus, humanity will perish too, you know? So, there should be only one selection option to take."
"Shut up!! I don't care about humanity, you idiot!!"
Honestly, I never intended to fight for the grand cause of humanity's survival.
I was just fighting to save Fiona, who was targeted by the [Evil God].
And if I can't save Fiona, then this kid's suggestion has no value.
"Don't you have any intention of sacrificing yourself to save humanity?"
"Not a chance!"
If it were me a little while ago, I would have probably accepted the kid's suggestion. But now, I have no intention of doing that at all.
"Is it because of Fiona?"
"Yeah, you got it. We're newlyweds! I'm not dying, and I'm saving Fiona! I don't need any other Selection options!!"
"...Don't you understand? Either way, you're going to die. You have no jobs, can't use skills, and your body is cut in half. What do you plan to do? What can you do? You don't seriously think you can win against the [Evil God] from here, do you?"
"──I can win."
I declared confidently.
The kid's blank expression finally broke. He looked at me with wide eyes.
I readied my sword once more.
And then I channeled magical energy into it.
"It's useless."
"Not at all, it's not useless."
I lost my jobs and skills. But, the magical energy is still here, and I can control it.
I realized this when I calmed down.
At that moment, when I lost my jobs, if I had been calm, the aura of [Chaos Strength] wouldn't have scattered. It only happened because I lost control of the aura due to the sudden change in my senses and strong agitation from losing my jobs.
In other words, even without jobs or skills, I can control the aura just like I can with magical energy.
That ability is mine alone, regardless of jobs or skills.
I just can't create a new aura because I don't have skills.
My physical abilities drop significantly because I don't have jobs.
But──if that's all, I can still fight.
As long as I can convert magical energy into aura.
"You said it, right?"
I confirm with the kid.
"I can't use my own power, but if I control your body and bring out its abilities, I can defeat the [Evil God]."
"...That's only if you can convert magical energy into aura."
"That's right. But... converting magical energy into aura is not your power."
I don't really get it, but if it's this kid's power, he could probably easily wipe out the [Evil God]. But using his own power is a problem.
So, he plans to control my body and defeat the [Evil God] within the range of the powers and techniques I can handle.
What he was explaining earlier in a complicated way was basically that.
Then.
"I should be able to convert magical energy into aura too."
In the beginning, there were no Jobs or Skills.
Jobs and Skills are just simplified versions of the abilities of some geniuses.
So, if that's the case, I should be able to convert magical energy into aura without relying on Jobs or Skills.
"You're misunderstanding. It is possible, but those who did it in the past had the support of a Brain Support Device. You don't have that."
"So what? I can do it."
I didn't hesitate.
This guy intends to kill [Evil God] along with Fiona. If that's the case, I can't trust him with my body.
Convert magical energy into aura.
No matter how impossible it seems, I have to try.
As I poured magical energy into my sword, I focused my mind.
Remember that feeling, the usual one. The feeling when [Slash] activates and magical energy is converted into aura.
I've never used magic before. But I understand what magical energy is. It's not some complicated talk like "Phenomenon Alteration Energy" that Lucia mentioned.
What is needed to manipulate magical energy──
──is to cut.
To pour it in.
To give magical energy a will.
What is necessary to manipulate both magical energy and aura is a clear image and, above all, a strong will. The will to control it, to manipulate it as if it were my own limbs, a strong conviction.
I think magic is just an extension of something else.
The techniques, or whatever you call them, are just there to help.
Both magic and skills have a strong will at their core that says, "It should be this way."
I just believed and kept putting my will into "cutting" with magical energy.
There's no variation in magical energy.
──Cut.
There's no variation in magical energy.
──Cut.
There's no variation in magical energy.
──Cut.
There's no variation in magical energy──
"──Hah."
The kid let out a small sigh.
And in the next moment, his body lost its shape. In an instant, he turned into clear water, fell into the lake at my feet, and mixed with the other water, disappearing.
Did he give up on my persuasion?
Just as I thought that, however, unnatural ripples began to form where the kid had been standing.
Multiple ripples appeared in concentric circles.
From the center of those circles, something started to rise up and reveal itself.
"No matter how different this place is from the physical dimension and the flow of time, it is not stopped. If you take too long, you will completely die."
The voice echoed, but it didn’t belong to the boy who had changed.
It was a girl. About 15 years old.
"I (we) don't want to disappear for no reason either. Even if it means hurting you a bit, I (we)'ll make you nod your head."
With long, shiny black hair tied in a ponytail, her always confident black eyes pierced coldly at me.
──Alicia Gale.
There stood a being that looked like my sister, who was supposed to be dead.
"Sister..."
I couldn't help but let my voice falter.
Being face to face with this was terrifying. Was it the guilt of having run away alone that day, leaving my sister behind? I knew it was just a fake version of her, but the thought of being judged for my past sins made me freeze in fear.
Her cold, shining eyes blinked once.
"────!?"
"Aaron, you need to listen to your sister!!"
The fake sister suddenly changed her vibe, raising a sword filled with aura and closing the distance in one breath.
I barely managed to block the downward strike with my sword.
But the moment I stopped moving, I felt a shock in my stomach. I was kicked by the fake sister and flew back several meters, rolling on the ground.
"Ugh... cough!!"
Even though this wasn't real, the pain felt all too real, and I gritted my teeth to endure it as I stood up.
The fake sister looked down at me with arrogance and said,
"──A sister's attack. Those with a brother's attribute will suffer a guaranteed critical hit and a terrifying bad status."
"────!!"
Her confusing words sounded just like my real sister.
However, the shock and pain from the kick eased my trembling and stiffness a bit.
And then I understood.
This fear wasn't about being judged by someone who looked like my sister.
It was something more primal.
In other words──,
"Aaron, just say you'll leave the rest to your sister."
"...N-no way...!!"
I replied with a shaky voice.
Suddenly, the fake sister's expression turned angry, and she called my name in a low, threatening voice, "Aaaaaron...?"
"Hey, it seems you still don't understand that there's no way a little brother can beat his big sister... Did my education fall short...?"
I was sure as I watched my sister slowly approach me.
This fear isn't from guilt.
It's the memory of the cruelty that has been etched into my body and mind since childhood. The trauma makes my body tremble.
But.
But.
But──!!
"I can't believe I'm saying I'm scared of my sister at my age!! I'm not scared of a fake like you, you knowwww!!?"
A shock hits my cheek.
My sister's fist, which had rushed in with a [Dash Step], digs into my cheek!
I was blown away and rolled across the surface of the lake. Yet, I endured the pain and stood up.
"I'm not done yet...!! This is nothing for me...!!"
"Hmph... Seriously, how cheeky for a little brother. ...Fine. I'll teach you a lesson again!!"
Right after that, the fake sister charged at me with great force, swinging a sword wrapped in aura sharply multiple times!
I blocked it with my sword or desperately dodged while looking for a chance to counterattack.
"Come on, come on, come on!! If you just keep defending, you'll never beat me!!"
"Ugh!! Tch!! ...You fake, don't say whatever you want!!"
The fake sister kept swinging wide slashes on purpose, pushing me into a corner.
Using aura means the fake sister has skills. And from her movements, it's clear that she has job bonuses too. Still, the only reason I could defend myself was that she was holding back and playing around.
However, I knew that just defending wouldn't lead to victory.
And I also understood that defeating the fake sister wasn't my true goal.
What should I do then?
This is not reality.
The impact of the sword striking me and the pain from being hit in the face are so vivid that they could be mistaken for reality, but it still shouldn't be real.
In other words, even if I'm slashed by a sword, I won't die.
Then──!!
"──Here!!"
"You're such an idiot!! You're wide open!!"
I raised my sword to deflect my fake sister's attack, ready to take a hit.
Flowing smoothly, I swung my sword down from above.
However, my fake sister's body, enhanced by her job's abilities, moved much faster than I could swing my sword down.
She instantly pulled back her deflected sword and thrust it forward.
If I tried to dodge, I might have been able to avoid a fatal hit.
But I deliberately chose not to dodge.
Her sword pierced through the center of my chest and came out my back.
"──!!"
My fake sister's eyes widened in surprise.
As I endured the intense pain, I focused on the sword piercing my chest. I sensed the aura surrounding the sword.
...Is it because we're siblings?
That aura felt almost identical to the aura I usually use. If I touched my fake sister's aura with my own right now, it might blend together instead of repelling.
"──I see. So that's how it is."
In that moment.
It was as if I remembered how to breathe, something I had forgotten.
Even though it had been automated by a skill and I hadn't consciously thought about it, I had repeated it countless times until now.
──Cut.
I ignited the magical energy I poured into the sword with my will.
Right after.
──Clang!!
A clear sound echoed as if the swords had clashed, and the colorless magical energy turned into a light blue glow.
"──I'm sorry. Thank you, Sister."
I told my fake sister, who was still in shock.
I swung down my sword.
────[Slash]
And then, the false world shattered.
* * *
The starry sky spread across the entire sky was reflected on the surface of the lake, creating a world that felt like being right in the middle of the stars.
In a world where "shape" didn't really exist, built just for one person, countless cracks appeared, breaking apart and scattering.
In the center, the girl looked up at the collapsing starry sky.
The man she had just been fighting disappeared the moment he swung down his sword.
No, it would be better to say he returned.
The girl gazed at a point in the sky as if she were looking at the man who had gone back to the real world, smiling gently.
"...Geez, even if you've grown so big, you're still a handful. ...Do your best, Aaron."
Ripples spread out at the girl's feet.
As if sinking into the water, she slowly returned to the Deep Unconscious Collective Domain.
Just before completely disappearing, the girl looked at someone standing on the lake's surface.
"Thank you, God. For letting me see my brother."
And then the girl completely melted away and vanished.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)