Chapter 643: Gathering the Fragments of a Miracle (2/2)
If she was being physically overwhelmed by Life, she would evolve into a being physically capable of overcoming her. This is her ultimate power that allows her to easily step into the domains of the Gods, and continue to infinitely evolve……
Chronois and Life, who had managed to overhear Iris' words, also had despairing expressions on their faces.
(……Well, this ability has various restrictions like if all of my abilities outperform my enemy, my growth rate will slow down, or how this ability has strict activation conditions buuuuuut~~ I don't really need to bother telling them this, do I?)
Alice's abilities have grown to the point where not a single strike can wound her body anymore, even if all the Gods attacked her at the same time. The Gods don't have any chance anymore…… However, there is still a light in the eyes of the Gods.
Seeing them act like this, which made Alice know that ”it still went just as she had expected”…… ”She quickly released Ἑκατόγχειρες's ultimate battle form”.
As meteor-like lights began dancing around Alice's body again, she spoke, touching one of those lights.
[……Now then, I've met all the ”requirements” now. However, looking at this again, I really feel like it would take me some time to get used to this.]
[……What are you talking about?]
Neither Chronois nor Life could understand Alice's intentions. After all, right after they thought that Alice would begin one-sidedly overrun them from here on out, she deactivated that ultimate power of hers.
Even though they knew that she would still retain the growths she gained, they felt that there was no advantage to releasing it.
[No, I just thought I'd play one more of my ”trump cards”. Ἑκατόγχειρες's ultimate battle form is indeed powerful but…… it's more convenient to use this in its normal form. You're wondering what this is? What do you think? Well, I'm just going to end this quickly, so I'll just tell everyone the answer…… It's ”Kaito-san's Heart Tool”.]
[ [ ! ? ] ]
Chronois and Life know that the Heart Tool was the mysterious ability that Alice was using. That's why, when they heard that it is Kaito's Heart Tool, they became even more vigilant.
Their decision may have been right…… but whether they can handle it with their vigilance is another matter……
[The heart treads upon the definite path——– Smiling together——– Crying together——– Accumulating footprints of memories together——– The bonds I weave are the fragments of a miracle——– My heart, burst forth! Together, become one! ”Αναμνήσεις”!] (T/N: Memories)
The moment she said those words, a dazzling light was released that covered the space. And when it cleared up…… looking as if she was about to start crying, Alice muttered.
[……I just need a little time. That's why, please lend me your strength.]
As her voice gently trembled, with an expression that doesn't fit the battlefield she was currently in, her words were answered with the sound of footsteps.
[……Unnn. I'll help you, “Big Sister Alicia” is saving…… someone important to Big Sister after all.]
[Of course. Master…… The flames of my loyalty aren't so fragile that it can be extinguished by ”dying once”.]
[Good grief, just when I thought I'd been summoned to the Lord's service, I found myself in additional manual labor. Well, fine. I owe you a debt after all…… a debt so great that I couldn't repay it when I'm alive.]
A tall, blonde beauty with a face similar to Alice's, a girl with knight's armor with fiery red hair, and a dour-looking priest in a vestment with black upside-down crosses on them…… stood next to Alice.
It wasn't just them. Before they knew it, a large number of people began appearing behind Alice that it's too many to count.
These are the bonds that the girl who was once called a Hero has spun. The irreplaceable friends she had fought together and lived together.
Now, those people are gathered again. Passing through the great wall of the death, to the Hero's side————-
<Afterword>
~~ Extra : Explanation to Heart Tools ~~
① Ἑκατόγχειρες / Hekatonkheires
In the past, it was only the ability to use the ”Heart Tool” of the person with whom you had weaved a bond with (becoming in a relationship where you cherish each other), but it evolved as the user grew.
By changing your appearance itself to that of the person with whom you have weaved a bond with, you can use their true abilities to the fullest. It is not possible to activate multiple Heart Tool abilities at the same time.
Ἑκατόγχειρες itself has no combat power. It only allows its user to feel how strong her bonds with someone were, and can tell the approximate location of the person with whom they had weaved a bond with.
If the person with whom they have formed a bond dies, they can take a part of their body into Ἑκατόγχειρες as an ”eternal bond”, allowing the user to use their abilities even after the original user's death.
When the person with whom the user has weaved a bond with dies, the user recognizes their death with a pain that pierces their heart, and they can ”never forget the person”. No matter how many years go by, the sadness will remain within their heart, as if the person had died only a short time ago.
② Ἑκατόγχειρες Ultimate Battle Form ”Alicia : Hero of Hope”
An ability born as a result of weaving the bonds of the people around the world in order to defeat the Evil God. She takes the bonds she has built up so far into her own body, and adds them into her own power.
Just like the never-ending hope, the user continues to infinitely grow in battle. As a side effect, the user will not grow in any physical ability or magic power except when activating Ἑκατόγχειρες Ultimate Battle Form.
”Physical abilities and magic powers that have gained during activations will return to normal after release.”
The condition for activation is that ”the user uses it to protect something that they care about”, but the core of the ability is the emotion of hope, and thus, unless the user has hope in their heart, the ability will not activate.
This ability once disappeared when Alicia became Shalltear.
③ Ἑκατόγχειρες Ultimate Battle Form ”Alice : Hope, All For One Person”
Alice's love for Kaito, and the reappearance of hope within her heart again, has resulted in the rebirth of a new Ultimate Battle Form.
The condition for activation is that ”the user fights to protect Kaito”…… The ability itself is almost the same as ”Alicia : Hero of Hope”, but the speed at which it grows has increased to an abnormal degree.
Moreover, the abnormally strong special characteristic ”The physical abilities and magic power that have gained during activations remain after release” have been gained.
④ Αναμνήσεις / Memories
Kaito's Heart Tool. It's a very unusual ”Heart Tool that holds no substance of its own”, making it unable to be used to increase the number of Heart Tool Users.
It has two abilities:
Serious-senpai : [Oi, cheat b*stard…… Why the heck does this look like some protagonist's hidden ability that would awaken on the decisive battle…… This level of a cheat looks like it's only allowed because it's the final chapter or something……]
? ? ? : [Well, if one is to describe Alice-chan, she would be like ”the protagonist you'd meet after defeating the last boss”…….]