This was the first serious injury that Takao Itsuki had suffered since she was summoned to the new world. The experience was so fresh and novel that it shook her to her core. Worse still was the realization that Yomibito had an invisible blade. It was one of these sudden, unknown attacks that had caught her unaware.
Itsuki didn’t have the mental fortitude that her sister did. She was still just a young and innocent teen, compared to her older sister. She could not help but feel panicked and confused, even terrified by what was happening around her.
But unconscious or no, the fact that she didn’t stop moving was what saved her life.
✦ ✦ ✦
Aneki would… She’d never give in like this! Nh… Damn it!
Calm down… Calm down, Itsuki!
Why am I getting so panicked about a little cut to my left eye?!
Calm down. Calm down… Calm down, calm down!
I-it hurts… The inside of my eye hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It really hurts… It hurts!
“Haah… Haah, haah… Haah…”
Finally, Itsuki stopped running. The fierce stabbing pain and the terror stopped her in her tracks. She couldn’t help it.
Huh? Eh? No way? Wait… Move, damn it! Move! Move!
“Yomibito!”
Hijiri called out to the disciple as he lunged mercilessly toward Itsuki.
She’s concentrating her air pressure around Yomibito… Drawing him backward?
It looked as if Yomibito was being dragged into a black hole, as the wind slowly pulled him back in Hijiri’s direction.
“It seems like you’ve misunderstood something.”
“… ?”
“Haven’t you realized? Perhaps you think this fight is two against one…but ever since I arrived, this has been a one-on-one battle.”
“…!”
One-on-one… A battle between Takao Hijiri and Yomibito. She’s trying to draw his attention to her? I’m no good. I’m just getting in Onee-chan’s way… Dragging her down.
“The two of us are as one. That’s why this a one-on-one battle, you see. Nothing has changed. And we…are going to defeat you together.”
“…”
Itsuki’s right eye began to overflow with tears. The pain in her left was forgotten, along with her fear.
“…Aneki!”
She always does this… Always chases the bad away and makes me feel better. Like a cool, refreshing breeze.
“Itsuki, can you keep going?”
“…Sob… Sniff… O-of course! Hey, Aneki!”
Itsuki jerked the muscles in her face up into a smile.
“Thanks. That helped.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re the one who’s helping me right now.”
You’re wrong. It’s always you who comes to save me at times like these—my one and only Aneki.
Itsuki wasn’t shaking any longer. Hearing her sister’s words, she somehow managed to steel herself again an turned her body just a little to the side as she faced off against Yomibito. She wasn’t sure, but it she felt like it might improve her depth perfection just a little.
I could be wrong, though…
Just as it seemed that Yomibito had stopped moving, he began to mumble to himself.
“…Joy, kill, how much brighter do you intend on shining, sun sisters, kill, joy…”
“Haaah… —Lightning—”
Seven minutes left…
So began seven minutes of hell for the sisters. The reach of Yomibito’s four raging blades was long. The main problem was the invisible part of his blades and the fact that each of the four were of a different length. Itsuki had to watch which arm was swinging to judge the reach. Yomibito tried to shuffle his katanas during his attacks, but Hijiri took the opportunity to launch a pressurized wind attack on him to interfere, and he seemed to give that up on that.
The lengths of his katanas all being different keeps me constantly on edge. I wouldn’t be able to keep up if he shuffled them now. I knew Aneki could do it! But…damn it! Now he’s focusing all of his attacks on her!
Yomibito was clearly concentrating on Hijiri, likely determining that she was the key to their battle.
Does he think that I won’t be able to function without her? That if he crushes her, he wins? That bastard, underestimating us…
Itsuki sped herself up, launching a concentrated Unlock Two at the disciple to try and distract him.
But those invisible blades… They’re tough to handle!
Yomibito was mainly attacking Hijiri, but hadn’t let up on Itsuki either. He didn’t use his pillar attack, perhaps because he was using them to block the doors—but their exchanges were slowly wearing away at Itsuki, fraying at her nerves. Beginning to think even breathing might present him with an opportunity, she started to hold her breath as she moved. It was suffocating to have to do so in the midst of a high-speed battle. She felt like she was fighting underwater.
Damn it! I need to get Yomibito to focus on me! I need him to consider me a threat.
There were small wounds all over Itsuki’s abdomen, shoulders, arms, and legs. None of the cuts were as deep as the one to her eye, but she was continuing to take hits.
No. I’d rather be the one taking them.
“Over here, Yomibitooo!” she called—but the disciple didn’t even turn to look at her. Yomibito roamed the room in pursuit of Hijiri, dealing wild and dangerous strikes. It was only Hijiri’s ability to read his attacks that allowed her to avoid being fatally injured. Her expression was composed and unconcerned…but she was being hurt more and more as the fight went on. She continued to strike back, threading wind blade attacks with mixtures of different elements—but Yomibito seemed to be aware she couldn’t deal him a finishing blow in her present condition. Itsuki, on the other hand, couldn’t fire off more of her Lock End skill without running out of mana, as it used up much more MP than any of her other abilities.
I only have two uses left. How many minutes have passed?
Itsuki shot a glance down to the pocket watch in her hand.
Damn it… She thought, mentally clicking her tongue.
Five and half minutes to go… I can’t believe only 90 seconds have passed. I feel like we’ve been fighting for six minutes already. This is stretching on so long—every moment is elongated, treading the fine line between death and life. I want to help Aneki more, but I might actually make things more dangerous for her if I leap in without a plan. And if I get injured any worse than just my eye—something that stops me from moving completely—I won’t be able to help Aneki’s Gungnir land when the time comes.
It’s so frustrating! If only I were stronger, more of a threat to Yomibito…I’d be able to lure him toward me. The best that I can do is to support Aneki with bursts of Unlock Two when she’s ready. She’s so amazing. She isn’t flinching, even with all of those injuries! Ah!
Two fingers sprang into the air. The ring and little finger on Hijiri’s right hand had been severed and went flying.
“A-Aneki…”
Hijiri locked eyes with her, sending her a message.
“It’s okay. I can keep going.”
“…Kh.”
I was so terrified when I lost my eye, but she… She’s taking care to make sure I don’t give in to panic again.
“Only… Four minutes… Thirty seconds left?”
Four whole minutes and thirty seconds?
Aneki…! Ah, damn it! Why am I so powerless?!
Suddenly, Itsuki’s heart skipped a beat.
“Ah…”
Yomibito was so much faster after his transformation and was only picking up speed. Itsuki had increased the speed of her own Unlock One skill to compensate. Shehad done it almost unconsciously.
“S-Status…o-open…!”
It’s gone!
I’ve used it up… I don’t have enough MP left for two casts of Unlock Two! But wouldn’t I have gotten hurt even worse if I hadn’t sped myself up? Was I doomed either way? I would have been injured if I’d tried to conserve my MP…but using Unlock One to dodge has made me run out of mana.
No, I’ll be okay…I still have my own natural pool of MP left.
Stats were just modifiers—a hero’s own personal MP pool was different, or so Hijiri had explained to her. All heroes had a black box of unknown reserve mana within them.
But I’ll lose consciousness once that runs out…and your mind can grow clouded when that store of MP gets too low.
Itsuki opened her mouth, flapping it like a goldfish to try and get her message to Hijiri…but no words came out. Her sister seemed to understand at once what had happened, and smiled at her reassuringly.
“Leave it to me,” said Hijiri wordlessly. She then raised her index finger. “Just one is enough.”
Then, using eye contact and the movements of her mouth.
“Just one Lock End is enough. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Ah.”
Itsuki remembered the forest—when Hijiri was on the verge of death in the Land of the Golden-eyed Monsters. She felt something rapidly fading now, just as she did then.
A premonition…like I’m about to lose something. It’s an awful sensation. Just like back then, when Aneki was ready to die. Maybe she’s trying to trade something. Probably in exchange for her own ■■
(I don’t even want to think of that word…)
Is she going to use that to make up the difference? To fill in the gap that my Lock End has left? W-wait—Aneki… You can’t… I mean…
I…
Hijiri smiled, her glance sending Itsuki another message.
“I’m counting on you to handle what comes after this battle—Itsuki.”
Then Itsuki saw her big sister’s lips form these three words.
“I love you.”