Shutola was busy adapting some of her threads for durability and some for slashing resistance in preparation for their opponents’ next moves, but they still needed to deal with the oncoming wall of fire and wave of boiling red water. Kelvin swung his scythe, attempting to intercept the attacks.
“Hah!”
An enormous slash was produced. At the same time as it was released, Shutola used her magic threads to clear the path in front of it. Even against Rank S magic, a slash from Boreas Death Scythe would not be deterred unless the counterspell had some serious resistance stats against it. The gigantic slash slipped through a gap in the nest, taking the fire and water that threatened to swallow its caster and slicing them both in half. The two spells, which were supposed to be offensive options to cover a wide area, completely lost their momentum, able to do no more than slightly singe or moisten the threads in their way before dissipating.
Kelvin’s and Shutola’s movements were in perfect sync; they embodied the teamwork of a married couple. However, they still barely managed to deal with their enemy’s attack; this definitely wouldn’t be their final act of teamwork. The clash from earlier had only been a prelude. Their final team task was just about to be revealed.
“They’re coming, Shutola. Are you ready?” Kelvin asked.
“Always.”
Even after getting rid of the two threats, Kelvin’s slash continued ever onward. Its blade was now pointed, of course, at Sylvia and Ema. However, he was already sure that even a slash that was technically powerful enough to defeat those two spells would not do so to them. Was that because Sylvia was immune to magic? Of course, that was part of it. But also, they were still hiding something big. At least, that was the impression he got from the way they’d appeared in the aftermath of the spell.
“Felicitations!” Sylvia and Ema announced in unison.
With the flames and water gone, the spray receded to reveal the pair jointly wielding a blade even larger than Boreas Death Scythe. Sylvia was in front while Ema brought up the rear, both holding on to the sword. Their stances made it hard to think that they were going to swing it; in fact, it was doubtful they would even be able to commit a full swing.
Kelvin and Shutola turned to look at their stance, seeing exactly what they’d expected: a large sword with flames and heat mixing together with ice and water. As noted already, this blade was enormous, clad in both fire and ice—an appearance that truly engendered misconceptions. Both of them were bad at dealing with each other, normally making teamwork like this impossible. However, there definitely was teamwork happening with them now, one waiting fiercely and quietly for the time to come.
“Mm, this is something special Ema and I created for today,” said Sylvia.
“This is our final surprise,” said Ema. “Will you two be able to take it?!”
“Of course!” both Kelvin and Shutola replied in unison.
At the same time, the huge sword spewed fire. This was the very flame Ema had been using with Perusus all throughout the fight—or rather, it was of the same type of magic, but this was leagues more powerful. The jet of flames flung the pair into the air at terrifying speed, straight toward Kelvin and Shutola.
“As always, this is in the way,” said Sylvia.
The first thing that met them was a slash from Boreas Death Scythe, a famously undefendable attack that had just before eaten both their spells. However, as always, it barely had any effect on Sylvia. Its blade might as well have been powerless. The moment it touched her, it broke into pieces.
✦ ✦ ✦
✦ ✦ ✦
::That formation looks like a joke, but it’s really annoying!:: Kelvin remarked to Shutola.
Sylvia’s and Ema’s stances were unchanging, even as they flew through the air on a jet of fire. As long as Sylvia was in front, she would be a shield that nullified all magic.
::But that only applies if you attack from the front. If we attack from all angles, at the very least, we can get Ashley...::
Shutola trailed off and drew her arms in, causing many threads to respond. The complicated web contracted in toward Sylvia and Ema from all angles, like a thrown net where each individual piece was unimaginably powerful. The threads that were tough and threads that were resistant to slashing crisscrossed, combining both offense and defense.
Jwhssss!
But it was no good. No matter what angle the threads came from, they all melted before coming into contact with the pair. It seemed Ema and Sylvia’s sword was a dangerous thing, able to melt anything nearby without even needing to be swung. Like a small sun.
“Mm, that’s not enough to break us. We won’t lose,” said Sylvia.
“That can’t be your final act of teamwork, can it?!” Ema taunted them.
“Of course not!” Kelvin shot back. “Shutola!”
“Celsius’s Caritas!” Shutola called out.
The magic threads that had been aiming for Sylvia and Ema inexplicably turned toward Kelvin. The couple was confused, wondering if this was friendly fire, but it only took a moment for them to realize it wasn’t. Kelvin basked in the attacks coming from all over as they cut him apart— Actually, the threads wove into his equipment as they arrived, seeming to melt into him. There were also some that attached themselves to his limbs and anything else that could be moved like a puppet.
Celsius’s Caritas was a super special Rank S Blue Magic spell that Shutola and Kelvin had come up with just for this fight. By combining threads with special properties on them into equipment, those objects were strengthened. And by controlling the target with string, that target could exhibit power past their limits. In essence, it was a type of support magic. However, using this spell was extraordinarily difficult. The caster and target had to be completely in sync or the spell would turn into shackles binding the target. This magic was only usable by Shutola, who could maintain a wider view of the battlefield than anyone and read Kelvin’s desires and intentions ahead of time. This was their ultimate teamwork—a final form with which to accept the surprise present.
“The spell is complete. How does it feel?” Shutola asked.
“It’s perfect!” Kelvin replied. Even the black staff part of his scythe had a thread attached to it, but his smile was unsettlingly wide.
Behind him, Shutola’s expression strangely mirrored his.
“Now then!”one team started.
“Come!” the other finished.
One side had a strange sword that could only be jointly wielded by the two of them, while the other sported a combination spell that could only be used simultaneously by the two of them. And now, both teams clashed head-on. The instant they met was like every kind of disaster all at once. Immediately, there was an explosion of steam, a freezing effect that could stop even time, and gale-force winds that could level all of it, everything spreading out from the epicenter at the same time. It had a massive effect on the battlefield around the combatants, destroying the spider threads in all sorts of ways while the Adamantite Arachnids and Adamantite Edges gathered in front of Shutola to shield her. Despite Shutola and her shields being a fair distance away, almost all of these constructs stopped functioning afterward. If not for Colette’s barrier, the audience would have been affected as well.
“What...? What’s happening?! It’s so bright, General Dan!” Ronove shouted. “I can’t see! It’s too bright! The announcing skills I’ve worked so hard to cultivate are totally useless!”
“It’s the climax. Shutola-sama has gotten so much stronger,” said Dan.
“What? You can see?!” Ronove exclaimed in surprise. “Well... Hey... I mean...don’t just sit there, basking in your feelings! Explain it to everyone!”
Dan didn’t reply right away. “No, there’s no need. The sky is clearing up. We should praise both sides, regardless of who won.”
“Whaaat?!” Ronove screamed.
His voice reverberated throughout the coliseum as the first objection event came to an end.