128 127. Dear you.txt (1/2)

Remember.

Remember everything from the day you met Rowen to today.

His conversations, his expressions.

His gestures and habits.

His thoughts and wishes.

If you can recreate them all, the chanting will succeed.

I can pay for that magic.

I'm not going to be able to get rid of it.

I can't help it.

”-- 'You were the first to refuse, so I'll live with the sword' --!

But the magic does not succeed.

It's not the same as it was with Arti (・・・・・・・) (・・・・).

This is not my (・・・・・) 'chanting (...)' (・・・・).

Hence, I couldn't get close to the true (Shin).

I have no idea how to build magic at all.

We know that the magic 《Ghosts' Flash (Von a Wraith)》 is a flash from out of recognition.

But is Form and Connection the only magic to replace it? Dimensional magic is a must. I've thought of dozens of alternative and combination patterns. But no matter how I try, I don't think I can get out of this world's 'logic', the premise of magic construction.

In the first place, it's doubtful that this magic can even be reproduced using magic power.

''Kukk--!

As a result, I fail to construct magic and lose my magic power for nothing.

Then, when I was unable to complete the 'chanting', Rowen attacks me.

It's a rush while chanting magic.

''--[Quartz,--Larax]!

The crystal sword dodged effortlessly.

However, as soon as I dodged, half of the eight swords explode.

The crystal pops and attacks me like a scattershot.

Thanks to the 《Dimension》, I was able to predict the effect of the magic before it burst. I increase the width of my sword with 'Magic Freezing'. I use the sword as a shield to deflect the scattered bullets.

The ice shield shattered in an instant.

However, although I couldn't deflect them all, I was able to minimize the damage. While I check the injured area, I also 'display' the status.

[Status]

HP262/293 MP189/751-100

There's still room to spare.

As long as they have some magic power left, they won't take so much damage. To be able to say that, the current Rowen lacks a decisive strike.

However, Rowen's strength that she got instead is immense.

That strength will bring me a slow defeat, like a slowly spinning poison.

I have to complete the 'chanting' quickly.

I must prove that I can be the heir to the Sword of Rowen (The Vine) and protect the Reapers.

However, the more impatient he is, the further away the answer is.

All the while, Rowen continued to attack with abandonment, wielding her messy sword and casting one magic after another.

''--Ohts, Grint, Earthwave, Quo--, Ouden--''

Rowen unleashes a multitude of earth magic.

The crystal captures light and reflects it diffusely inside. Its light is clumped together by magic and emitted from a single location. I generated a film of ice grains, dampening its magical rays and dodging the leap.

The feet that landed on the ground shake as if a great earthquake had occurred.

The ground within the ward was moving due to the magic power of the earth attribute. The crystal sand underneath the snow writhed as if it had a will.

Rowen dives into it.

Thinking that slashing at each other will only wear me out, I try to keep my distance. But the soft ground has taken my foot off the ground. I have no choice but to focus my magic power on the soles of my feet. I solidify my sand flow movement with 《Midwinter of the Overcrowded Dimension (Di Overwinter)》 and then take a big leap.

Rowen throws the crystal sword at me as I flee.

I duck and avoid the sword. I flicked the one I couldn't avoid with my sword.

The fight turned into a chase with Rowen chasing after the fleeing me.

However, I couldn't escape forever. Rowen's skill was lost, but her speed was still there.

While maintaining maximum speed, Rowen wields her sword and unleashes one great magic after another.

Magic that manipulates sand like a tsunami.

Magic that shoots stone bullets.

Magic that binds your opponent's movements with a vortex of sand.

The magic to create crystal monsters.

Magic that makes crystal swords fall like rain from the sky above.

If I hadn't deployed the Winter's Other World (Wintry Dimension) within the ward, I would have fallen long ago.

I knew the effects of the magic before it occurred, read its aim with my ”senses” and continued to flee to the least dangerous place. I use Dimension to understand the flow of power and offset it with the least amount of magic I can muster.

But even if you repeat them, you cannot stop the attrition.

Their physical and magical power is being drained away.

In contrast, Rowen's physical and magical power does not appear to be declining.

Always at full strength. Magic power seems to be gushing out of her body endlessly.

Even though it was a promise that the boss character wouldn't run out of breath, it was too unusual.

''Hah, hah, hah ......!

I let out a wild breath and fend off Rowen's onslaught.

If possible, I want to fight from a greater distance. I want to get out of the ship, escape to the sea, and fight my way through a lot of terrain.

But if I keep too much distance, Rowen's attention will be taken away from me. If that happens, the unreasonable Rowen will go after the other humans. That won't work.

A large amount of sweat flows and I can smell blood on my breath.

I can tell that I'm also approaching the limit of my physical strength, which doesn't appear in the 【Indication】.

[Status]

HP260/293 MP79/751-100

If he reached 0 MP, he would have to use magic at the cost of his life.

If I'm pushed to that point, I'm sure Rustyala in the audience won't be silent. The reason why she still watches over me patiently is because she knows my condition with her skills.

At this rate, I won't be able to get past the 'trial'.

I won't get beyond anything, and Rowen will be dealt with by the people of the Confederacy as a monster.

Realistically, I could see that end approaching.

Little by little, a feeling of resignation is eating away at me.

It would make Rowen sadder if I were to push myself too hard here and someone else got hurt. I know that much.

It's definitely safer for us all to fight Rowen as soon as possible. We won't get the best ending, but we can get the next best thing.

The 'test' of me surpassing Rowen is a one-sided expectation of his.

There is no guarantee that I will surpass it.

Even if I don't surpass the ordeal, Rowen will still say, ”Haha, that was a bit excessive. I'm sure Rowen will say, ”Haha, that was a bit too much,” and laugh it off. I can understand that too.

If you calm down and think rationally, it's reasonable to give up without pushing it too hard here.

So.

That's a reasonable decision--

”Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!　Don't be silly!

Eight swords that attack.

Swearing and popping them.

Tiredness sets in, and both arms are becoming heavy as lead.

My concentration has decreased and I can no longer handle Rowen's eight arms.

Fair?

I don't really mean it.

I don't want to compromise.

I want to live up to Rowen's expectations.

I want to survive my 30th test and get rid of Rowen's unfinished business once and for all.

It's not far off.

I'm sure of it.

I'm sure that magic can cut through Rowen's body.

But I'm so close, I can't recreate the ”chanting”.

As I bite my teeth, Rowen continues to attack me without mercy.

I strengthen my Dimension and shrug off the rampant dancing of her sword.

However, the three battles of ”Arms Drop,” ”Deathmatch” and ”The 30th Trial” have caused my recovering health to collapse.

And after a long battle, the end (time limit) has finally come.

【Status】

HP260/293 MP2/751-100

Ugh. ......!

It's going to run out of magic.

My strength is running out.

My frayed legs cause me to lose my stance.

Then Rowen's crystal sword attacks.

I can't hold dimensional magic well, and I can't read the trajectory of that crystal sword. The ”sensation” is also complaining that it's difficult to avoid it unharmed.

I'm wounded.

The Thirty-Third Tribulation will come to an end.

I can't help but feel frustrated.

That was the moment--

”-- 'I (Attah) am leaving the world (you) behind' --

--Darkness, crossing over.

A black blade extended from the mass of darkness and flicked the crystal sword.

While wielding the scythe, she chanted, without a doubt, Rowen's 'Chanting'.

And that 'chanting' was more true than mine.

By clothed in darkness, the Reaper has escaped the 'perception' of her surroundings.

Moving his charred left arm and red swollen right arm, he swings his scythe and blocks Rowen's attack.

The Reaper speaks to me over his back.

'I won't allow you to give up. ......!

He shouted and dispatched the scythe with force.

Rowen was blown away, and the distance between them.

Then the Reaper took off his dark robe and turned around.

Her cheeks and nose were red and covered in tears.

''Li, Reaper.......''

He was covered in tears, but I could see the extraordinary resolve in his eyes.

I could see that he was beyond ready to accept his own death, even to the point of being ready to accept the death of someone he cared about.

The Reaper sniffed and exclaimed.

''--If it's Lowen, I know him well. That's why I'll do that 'chanting'!　Swing the sword, big brother!　To the end, fight Rowen with the sword!

At the same time, the heat lights up in my neck.

It refluxes (・・・・).

The pattern on the neck attached to the reaper emits light. Through the 'connection', various things flow into me.

Rather than taking away the magic power from me, the magic power was flowing into me from the Reaper.

【Status】

HP260/293 MP582/751-100

My body fills with magical power.

It's different from my cold magical power.

The Reaper's hot magical power was pouring into my body.

That magic power is mixed with the Reaper's emotions and memories.

''Even I'm Rowen's 'best friend' ......!　So, I'm going to make Rowen's wish come true with my brother!　That's my real, true, true wish!

With a shout, the very life of the Reaper flows in.

It's the days the Reaper spent with Rowen. The memories.

The emotions the Reaper has held to this day. And a new determination.

Everything is flowing into me.

I understand the mind of the Leaper.

That heart is about to be torn apart with grief.

It was enough to bring tears to my eyes just to sympathize with it.

Nevertheless, the Reaper listened to Rowen's words and took up his weapon, tears streaming down his face.

The Reaper, like Rowen and Snow, had stood up for himself after a long period of suffering.

I realize my mistake and apologize to the Reaper.

'...... Sorry, Reaper. I almost made a mistake again. The Reaper always reminds me that I'm not the only one.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had given up on cooperating with the Reapers.

He was conceited to try to beat Rowen on his own.

--That's not true.

There's no reason why you shouldn't get the cooperation of the Reapers to protect the Reapers.

Rather, if we don't work together, we can't protect the Reapers.

'You're right, ....... I don't have to understand Rowen on my own. There are three of us in the finals. Then me and the Reaper, together--!

The will to fight, which had been on the verge of fading, is rekindled, fueled by the Reaper's emotions.

Defeated, he stands next to the Reaper and regrips his sword.

''Rowen!　Not only does your brother protect you!　Even I can fight!

The darkness of the magic ”Di Night” overflows from the Reaper's body.

My winter world.

Rowen's crystal world.

And then the Reaper's dark world invades it.

Without words, I know what the Reaper is trying to do.

And I believe that the Reaper will understand me.

The connection between the Reaper and the Grim Reaper has turned us into partners in a long history of war.

I dive in from the front, and the Reaper disappears into the darkness.

The moment Rowen and I connect with each other, the Reaper's scythe strikes from behind.

Rowen is unable to respond to the surprise attack from the opposite direction. There's a heavy cracking sound, and Rowen stumbles back. Then my sword flashes rush in.

I smash the Ice Flamberge, which is laden with generous amounts of magical power.

Under the onslaught, Rowen howls as she attacks her new foe.

However, it's useless before the ”I think” partnership between me and the Reaper.

The Reaper is always lurking in the blind spot, continuing to exploit Rowen's vulnerability. In order to take full advantage of the Leaper's strengths, I would go head-to-head with him.

If I was in danger, the Reaper would follow, and if the Reaper was in danger, I would follow.

'The one who steals the reason of the earth' had to be overwhelmed by Rowen's best friends.

'Rowen!　This is me!　Grim Lim Lim Reaper!　I'm so strong! I'm not going to get bent out of shape!　So you don't have to worry about me anymore!

In the past few days, the Reapers have become really strong.

Having stolen technology from me, he's on par with Rustyala in terms of fighting ability alone. Of course, I'm not just talking about his body. My mind has become strong as well.

The Reaper is now able to accept the painful reality that he couldn't accept before yesterday.

It's not like the flimsy growth he got from The Connection. It's the real growth that came from the Leeper's own struggles with the Leeper.

Rowen takes the attacks of me and the Reaper all over his body.

But that's not enough to defeat Rowen. The body (crystal) of the ”Stealer of Earth's Reason” cannot be shattered.

With a full-body blow from behind the Reaper, Rowen is blown wide open.

In the meantime, Reaper confirms to me.

''Brother ......!''

I nod back.

I know, even without words.

And we can do it now.

I can't do it alone, but with the two of us--!

'Oh, that's the only one: ......!　But my own Rowen isn't enough!　And tell me about Rowen the Reaper!

'Yeah!　--Hey!

The Reaper nodded.

But I won't put it into words.

We don't have to.

We have more certainty than words.

Through the Connection, I can tell you what the Leaper knows about Rowen.

The Reaper's memories.

Scenes from the past will be running through my mind.

Rowen, a swordsman feared by friends and foes alike. He had fought alone in the war. The fact that he was worthy of an army even if he was alone was the beginning of his misfortune.