Yomibito directed one of his blades—the one he hadn’t swung at Hijiri—behind him, but the swing went straight over Itsuki’s head and found only air.
“—Shifter—Lock End.”
Two pillars appeared in the air behind Yomibito, quickly clamping shut. Their aim didn’t seem to be to crush his enemies, but to defend him instead.
So he can use them like that too…
The deafening sound of the massive, highly concentrated lightning strike tore through the pillars like they were puff pastry, making contact with the white warrior.
“…”
It was the first time that Hijiri had seen Yomibito look something like surprised by an attack that made contact.
I expect he thought Lock End would be an area of effect type of attack, just like it was when we fought Vicius. A wide net of lightning to cover a large area. But back then, our aim was to slow Vicius down—that’s why Itsuki used her Lock End skill to try and paralyze her. What Yomibito doesn’t know is that Itsuki can concentrate her Lock End skill’s power into a single concentrated attack too.
“…”
The disciple’s armor had cracked on one side, but the inside wasn’t visible yet.
Still, we chipped off a piece.
Hijiri directed another fiery wind at Yomibito’s face.
I can only hit him because I’m so close. Even if this attack won’t deal damage, it will interfere with his vision a little.
She used the force of her wind to dodge another of Yomibito’s katana strikes and prepared to launch into a series of powerful attacks—to charge up Gungnir.
“—Lock End—”
“…!”
Yomibito looked completely stunned by Itsuki’s attack.
That’s right… She can activate Lock End over and over again, with no cooldown. With the second use, she also doesn’t need to say “Lightning Shifter” before activation.
There were two finishing thunder tigers.
The hand signal, two fingers earlier, had been a signal to Itsuki for two attacks. Her sister had only gained the ability to use her Lock End skill multiple times in quick succession after leveling up in the Land of the Golden-eyed Monsters, following the sisters’ fight with Vicius.
Meaning that there’s no way that the Goddess knows this about Lock End.
After the first attack, Yomibito had been wary of Hijiri, knowing that Gungnir might be coming. This meant the disciple was taken unaware by the second Lock End.
Crack… Boom!
His armor!
As Yomibito’s armor cracked, Hijiri finally saw a lump of white flesh poking from inside.
It looks like he’s really packed in there…
The flesh inside Yomibito’s armor bulged out—and on its surface appeared a pair of golden eyes and a small mouth. The little mouth screamed—a wail of terror.
“…Gyeeeh!”
Itsuki created an opening! Yomibito’s arms are both paralyzed right now by Lock End’s effects. He won’t be able to defend against my attack in time. I won’t let him!
This is our one chance…
—Crack—
The spear of wind that she had once directed at the Goddess in an attempt to destroy her…
It’s name…
“—Gungnir—”
“…”
The strike should have been powerful enough to run Yomibito through.
But it just wasn’t fast enough. I should have considered that there might be things that we don’t know about Yomibito. No…I really don’t know if I was capable of predicting this.
Yomibito’s last-minute transformation had come with no warning. He stood with his back to the wall in retreat.
His armor is starting to heal… His arms too. He has four of them now. Four katanas too.
“Haah… Haah…”
Hijiri looked over to Itsuki.
We can’t keep this up any longer. I can’t use Gungnir again and Itsuki looks exhausted… Using Lock End twice in such quick succession must have taken a real toll on her. We need to try to escape, get back on our feet and…
Yomibito divided his pillars, warping them in the air as he sent them to block all three exits of the white room, as if he were filling the passages up with putty.
Did he sense that I was looking to escape? The moment I started to consider it, he blocked off our exits. I see. He’s not letting us go, then…
Yomibito radiated murderous intent. He wasn’t just obliged to kill the two of them—he wanted to. The substance that blocked the exits to the room turned a sinister black.
Is that another new power that the transformation has given him?
Hijiri tried to slice her way through the blocked passage with one of her wind blades, but it was no use.
It’s so tough. I think only Gungnir could get through it…
The moment I struck him, I saw it happen. The arms shot from his body in the instant before Gungnir hit, both moving to protect his insides. Striking them would have been a fatal injury. He didn’t want to die. I felt his desperation I felt. Lokiella was right. That’s his core in there… The heart…
Gungnir had destroyed the two new arms that had moved in to guard Yomibito’s heart. They hadn’t been tough enough to withstand such an attack—though they had almost completely regenerated now. It seemed as if some damage had been dealt to Yomibito’s heart, however. Hijiri had seen red blood dripping from inside the wound before it had been sealed up by the disciple’s regenerating outer shell. There was a red puddle on the ground, too, from where he had bled. Hijiri watched Yomibito closely as he stood motionless.
From his reaction, it almost looks as if even he didn’t expect himself to transform like this. So it’s not some secret weapon of his? Is it a sort of sudden evolution in response to the threat to his life? That would explain why I didn’t see it coming. Not even Yomibito expected it to happen.
Hijiri composed herself, breathing steady once more. Next time… I’ll finish this for good.
“Itsuki.”
“Haah… Haah… —Yeah!”
“It’s okay.”
“…!”
All trace of concern vanished from Itsuki’s eyes.
“It’s too soon to give up. Don’t think about anything that comes after this, though. I won’t either. We’re going to defeat this disciple. Right here. Together.” Hijiri paused, then asked Itsuki a question. “Can you buy us twenty minutes until my next attack?”
“Haah… Haah… Heh heh, if you insist, Aneki. I’ll do it… We’re sisters, after all…”
“Thank you.”