Chapter 31
For him, this was not merely a physical battle, but also a clash of ideas and intuition—where every step had to be calculated not by strength alone, but through an unspoken synchronization between himself and Ilux.
He had to ensure that every one of their attempts would not collide with one another, preventing any backlash that could prove lethal to either side.
Even so, Theo realized that this cooperation was far from simple.
Ilux arrived with full power, yet without direction or a clear plan, each of his contributions could easily turn into a double-edged sword.
Theo had to guess Ilux's intentions, read motives that were not fully conveyed, and craft instant strategies to maximize their temporary advantage on the battlefield.
Mental and physical pressure merged into one, creating a battleground that challenged not only combat proficiency but also quick thinking and the ability to adapt to an ally whose strength was not entirely predictable.
They stood within an uncertainty they were forced to face together.
'So this is the Ilux Rediona they once wrote in the manuscripts?
I don't even recognize you anymore.
Back then, you were merely a stubborn child who never understood the meaning of true strength.
But now, look at yourself.
Every movement resembles a symphony of destruction conducted by the hand of a god.
Water, air, fire, earth, even poison and dead pulsars—you weave them together, compressing them into a form of destruction no one ever imagined.'
Huuuuuh!
'The Vostraith Legacy may have developed the foundation of your abilities, but what we're seeing now is no longer the result of a company's collaborative script.
This is the result of your own resolve, Ilux.
You've surpassed the boundaries of the scenario that should have limited you.'
The air around the battlefield abruptly trembled, responding to the presence of something far greater than mere human energy.
Ilux, standing before Theo, raised both hands forward, aligning his palms as though preparing to shoot without a weapon.
In an instant, his hands began to change form, transforming into organic machinery that seemed impossible to create in any world.
From between his fingers, layers of air and water-formed light emerged, shaping a funnel that served as the trigger for something far beyond a normal strike.
Theo, observing from the right side, could only hold his breath as he watched Ilux prepare a destructive force that had never appeared even in the wildest scenarios of Flo Viva Mythology.
Missile after missile began to take shape, floating in the air, trembling softly before releasing a whisper-like hiss of death.
Each missile was coated with a poison not only lethal, but capable of melting cells, organs, even atomic and subatomic structures.
The poison appeared as a dense blue-green mist flowing between layers of living metal, making the air around Ilux ripple like water scorched by heat.
Theo, with one hand still gripping his sword and his balance faltering, observed the scene with a mix of awe and caution.
He knew that such an attack could wipe out not only Cru but himself as well if distance and timing were not calculated precisely.
Then, along the missiles suspended in the air, five elemental forces appeared, swirling with a beauty that was dangerously mesmerizing.
At the tips of Ilux's delicate fingers, five elements rose. White ice gleamed like shards of glass, standing beside black fire that devoured light.
Golden wind whispered like an ancient spell, while volcanic obsidian trembled as though alive.
At its peak, a crimson flare was born from the remnants of a long-dead pulsar, now awakened.
The sight presented a fusion of destruction and beauty, of science and myth colliding within the same space.
Theo, though accustomed to the absurdity of Flo Viva Mythology, could not suppress the awe and dread crawling across his body.
Ilux had grown too quickly, surpassing the expectations of anyone—even Theo himself, who believed he understood the entire structure of this game.
And all of it happened in less than a second.
'Calm down, Theo. Take a deep breath, don't let the pain take over.
My left shoulder is numb, my parameters are in chaos, but this mind will stay active.
As long as this consciousness is lit, I can still write my own movements.'
Suuuuaaahh!
'The Technique of Totality—no, that's not the solution this time.
If I force that technique again, my body will collapse before this battle ends.
Which means what must function now is not my sword, but my mind.
So I will try a different approach.
A method never written by anyone in this game.
The art of swordsmanship without using a sword.
A style born from ideas, not muscle.'
Wossssh!
'I have explored thousands of works, delved into dozens of fictional martial arts, digesting every breath penned by writers as mad as myself.
All those movements, all those techniques that dwell in their minds, now dwell in mine.
No grip required, no blade of steel.
Just close my eyes, dive into consciousness, and let my sword be forged there—from the space where imagination collides with will.'
Theo stood among the lingering smoke and ripples of energy created by Ilux's power, witnessing the astonishing evolution displayed by his comrade and former foe.
He could not deny that Ilux had reached a point where every action and ability gained additional value, a feat already evident since the first arc of the game's early episodes.
Yet Theo's nature was not that of someone who allowed himself to fall behind.
Though his left shoulder and arm had gone numb, losing their ability to move, the urge to display power that defied reason only grew stronger within him.
He sheathed his sword, closed his eyes tightly, and in a silence almost devoid of sound, he prepared something that would never appear in any scenario.
Theo's thoughts spun rapidly, piercing the boundary between logic and madness, between awareness and intuition.
The parameters within his body were shaken, his stability on the edge of collapse, yet he could still control part of the swirling chaos through discipline forged by experience and fear of death.
He knew that forcing the Technique of Totality under such conditions would tear his body apart.
Every energy impulse, every vibration in his Lu Core could spiral out of control and erase his existence without leaving a trace.
For that reason, Theo chose another path.
A path never taught, not a technique known within the system of the game, but a route born directly from the deepest instinct of a writer who refused to bow to fate.
Within the most terrifying calm, Theo created a technique never recorded or designed by anyone.
He did not slash, did not leap, did not swing.
Every movement centered solely on his mind.
He channeled his will directly from his brain into the space around him, commanding the world to move according to thought, not action.
His right hand moved slowly, drawing something in the unseen air, while the energy around him danced, obeying every pulse born from his mind.
This technique was not merely a new fighting style, but an original concept that shattered the boundaries of swordsmanship itself.
A movement born from pure consciousness, not bodily reflex.
A technique that surpassed the logic of the game.
'Every step, every turn of my feet, every gentle flick of my wrist—each is a sentence.
And this sentence, Cru, is meant solely to pierce your heart.'
To be continued…