Tilting my head just in time, I allowed the momentum of my charge to carry me, spinning on my right foot. I poured every ounce of rotational energy into a devastating counter-slash, driving it directly toward Vals' clone.
As if he had anticipated the strike, Vals' clone manifested a blade of pure ice using magic, effortlessly blocking the swing.
Wielding dual blades, the clone engaged us in a hyper-velocity clash across the battlefield, weapons colliding in a frantic storm of sparks. Occasionally, mass-produced Evil Dragons tried to draw near, but they were instantly caught in the crossfire of our three blades, shredded into fine ribbons of meat.
Parrying a downward strike from the ice sword, I manifested a dagger-type Holy-Demonic Sword and hurled it at point-blank range.
"I won't fall for the same trick twice."
Vals' clone casually swatted the dagger aside. He was referring to the trick I used earlier to teleport Xenovia—except he was dead wrong.
Shadowing directly behind the parried dagger, a second Holy-Demonic Sword was flying along the exact same trajectory, closing in on him. It was a technique Issei-kun had used against Cao Cao back in Kyoto. The rear blade remained completely hidden from the opponent's line of sight behind the lead weapon, landing as a blind ambush. Even Cao Cao hadn't been able to dodge it, yet Vals' clone simply let out a smirk.
"Have you forgotten? My power allows me to see a moment into the future."
With a subtle twist of his torso, he effortlessly evaded the incoming blade, turning to effortlessly block the heavy horizontal slash I threw immediately after!
It really didn't work...!
At this rate, Irina and I wouldn't last much longer!
I glanced back for a fraction of a second. Xenovia stood there with her eyes closed, deep in concentration before Excalibur and Durandal.
Hurry, Xenovia...!
Whether I tried to shatter the ground with a blow packed with Gram's destructive force, or Irina attempted a wide-area attack using Hauteclere's purification light, Vals' clone brushed it all aside with ease. No matter what we tried, our blades simply couldn't reach him...!
After knocking Gram off course, Vals' clone sliced through a volley of light spears launched from the opposite direction.
Pointing his sword tip toward Irina, he deployed a magic circle directly before her. The array emitted a dull, ominous glow, and a barrage of light arrows erupted from its center!
Irina let out a shocked cry. "Wait, isn't that... my power?!"
"Indeed. Though I merely mimicked it through magic, making it a rather crude knockoff."
He reproduced Irina's purification power through magic alone?!
Even if it was a knockoff, if it carried purifying attributes, getting hit by those arrows would be disastrous!
Irina manifested another volley of her own light arrows, slamming them directly into the incoming magic projectiles. Every single arrow collided, neutralizing the attack. But just as it seemed the threat was contained—
Vals' clone was already standing right inside Irina's guard!
"Impossible...! He was just clashing blades with me a second ago...! When did he...?!"
It was true. Up until a millisecond ago, he had been locking swords with me. Yet I hadn't even perceived his movement...!
"It is quite simple. My abilities lie far beyond your current realm of understanding. That is all."
Vals' clone grabbed Irina by the arm, tossed her into the air, and delivered a single, blinding flash of his blade—slashing through her torso in one fluid horizontal stroke.
"Damn it!"
I immediately switched my Sacred Gear, summoning multiple crimson Dragon Knights. Moving at high speeds, these Knights were exact copies of my fighting style, loaded with all the combat data I had gathered on Vals' clone up to this moment.
Together with the crimson Dragon Knights, I lunged forward to strike. But one by one, the Knights were sliced apart in single, effortless strokes—
As he swung his blade, Vals' clone spoke coldly.
"These crimson Dragon Knights will keep rising no matter how many times they are shattered. In that case..."
The moment he bisected the final Knight, he materialized directly in front of my eyes.
"...it is far more efficient to cut down the creator before the Knights can reform."
Simultaneously with his words, the sword of the evil god's minion easily tore through my flesh.
A deep, agonizing gash was carved from my shoulder down to my flank. A horrific spray of blood erupted from the wound, spattering all over the man who had just cut me down.
Strength instantly drained from my limbs, and my body threatened to collapse forward. But I didn't fall. I thrust Gram deep into the earth, barely propping myself up on the hilt.
Vals' clone looked down at me, his expression unreadable.
"Still standing?"
"I can't... afford to fall...! I'm going to... defeat you right here...!"
Reverting to my Knight King form, I gripped a Holy-Demonic Sword tightly in my hand. Then, I unleashed the technique I had used against the clone of myself created by Belle!
Godspeed—the fastest nine-consecutive-strike combination I was capable of executing! At this point-blank range, it had to—!
However—
Vals' clone executed the exact same nine-strike sequence, following the identical trajectory as mine!
My strikes were completely overwhelmed, parried, and shattered. In the end, his blade carved through my body instead!
I launched the attack first... yet he completely crushed it head-on...?
As I stood dazed from the sheer pain and the complete shutdown of my absolute best technique, Vals placed a hand heavily on my shoulder.
"Is this... your limit?"
His blade sank deep into my abdomen.
▽
The cold sensation of the dirt pressed against my face. A raw, metallic stench spread across the ground.
Is that... my blood...?
"Now, only Lady Xenovia remains in the rear... Oh? It seems she is preparing to attempt something quite reckless."
Did Vals' clone realize what Xenovia is trying to do...? From down here, I couldn't see any visible change in her, but perhaps his eyes could perceive something I couldn't.
"Oops, I almost forgot the most important person. He should also be—"
Just as the clone began to speak—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The earth exploded violently nearby!
The ground shook furiously, hurling up a massive rain of dirt and debris that showered down like hail!
As the tremors subsided, what remained before my eyes was a deeply gouged crater—and...
"Cough...! Nnngh...!"
A blood-soaked, battered Vals.
Gashes covered his arms, legs, and face. He looked barely any better than I did right now.
"Wha...?!"
The clone of Vals stood frozen in absolute disbelief at the sight.
And then—
"Hmm? What's this, Yuto? You got taken down? Man, even Irina's out cold. And Xenovia is... ho, she's actually trying to pull that off here? Though looks like it's gonna take her a bit of time."
Crisp, heavy footsteps echoed through the dust, accompanied by a relaxed, casual voice.
I managed to lift my head just enough to see a single figure standing before me.
"Now then, clone-guy over there. Your main body seems to be in quite a bind over there. Mind if I tag into this fight too?"
Maurice declared with a fearless, dangerous grin—
Without anyone noticing, the main body of Vals got utterly pulverized. As expected, Maurice really is a cheat character...
~ Afterword Mini-Episode ~
Diarmuid: "Big sis, hey, big sis!"
Miu: "What's wrong, Diarmuid-chan?"
Diarmuid: "I... I love you so much, Big Sis...!"
Miu: "Ghah...!"
CRITICAL HIT! Miu takes 50,000 Bro-Con Points! Miu vomited blood.
Diarmuid gained 1,000,000 Little Sister Points! Little Sister Level Up!
~ End of Afterword Mini-Episode ~
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