“Skill Prism V . . . Shooting Star Cannon!” the Staff Hero shouted. A reflecting gemstone rose up into the air and started to fire in all directions, targeting everything other than the Staff Hero’s own allies. They were playing it safe after learning I could reflect magic.
“Shooting Star Shot X!” the Projectile Hero shouted. He tossed out what looked like countless grenades across the vicinity and then stars scattered out from those in every direction. I was taking heavy damage. My field of view slowly was turning red, but I could still tell what these were—the shooting star skills from the Staff and Projectile weapons.
“I’m not backing off!” S’yne yelled, taking damage but sticking to the Projectile Hero.
“She’s willing to give her life for this!” the Projectile Hero exclaimed. “Of course she is! I have to fight back at full strength!” He was still under the influence of the illusions, but the Projectile Hero at least managed to respond to S’yne’s attacks. He was taking a lot of hits, but there was no sign of defeating him yet.
Then the fox demi-human used some kind of spray across the general area.
“Thanks! That’s a useful item that removes illusions!” the Projectile Hero said. “Sorry, but I’m not losing to you,” he shouted at S’yne.
“And I’m not losing to you either!” S’yne shouted back.
With a growl, Keel clamped onto one of the tails of the fox demi-human and started to shake it in her jaws.
“That burns!” the fox cried with a scream. “Get off me!” Keel took the incoming blows from the fox, but her teeth remained locked in place. The fox was being burned by her fiery bite.
“Don’t forget about me!” the eagle therianthrope said, dropping down in front of S’yne to protect the Projectile Hero without a moment’s hesitation. These two might not be the best of friends, but they still had to fight together.
With a shout, Raphtalia rushed in, smashing everything down with her katana while Ruft and the two Shadows came up the rear.
“I can’t hold anything back!” Raphtalia shouted. “Please, let us defeat you!” She swung her katana down at the Staff Hero, but the puma therianthrope circled in between them, catching the blade on what looked like a piece of cloth. Raphtalia’s sword slid off to the side and I heard a weird sound.
“This feels like—” Raphtalia started. Then her own blade appeared from the air behind her and stabbed her in the back. Some kind of twisting of space was going on there! Exactly like the special defensive walls we had seen the ones who assume the name of god use and the force that S’yne’s sister belonged to.
“Wow! This is the real thing,” the puma exclaimed. “I didn’t actually expect to catch such a powerful attack with something so flimsy. It doesn’t matter how strong their attacks are! We can still win!”
“No, you can’t! Not like that!” Raphtalia replied. She grabbed her katana for another attack but changed it to Katana 0 first. The cloth was cut to shreds with a single strike. The puma grunted.
“The illusions have ended! You can fall back!” the Staff Hero shouted, stepping bravely in front of the puma alongside the Projectile Hero. “This is our chance! While the Shield Hero can’t move!”
“Time to drop the hammer! Mjolnir X!” the Projectile Hero exclaimed.
“Jormungandr X!” the Staff Hero added. A massive hammer flickering with lightning was joined by the staff that was glowing with purple light. Then both were readied to throw at Raphtalia and S’yne.
I’d heard the name of the projectile skill before—the famous weapon of the god of thunder. I could see how that would become a skill. For the staff skill, Jormungandr was an interesting counterpoint to Fenrir Force, which I had used with the staff myself. Jormungandr was the name of one of the older siblings of the god-eating wolf Fenrir. Those were the kinds of skills found in the staff.
Raphtalia imbued life force into the katana in her hands, instantly expanded a magic circle on the ground, and then sliced downward.
“You will not hurt Mr. Naofumi any more than this!” Raphtalia shouted. “Divine Clash of the Five Practices!” I could tell she was pushing herself hard, because blood erupted from her shoulder. It stained her jacket red, finally giving her the “red jacket” I had also been contemplating for her.
“The magic is binding me . . . I can’t move!” the Staff Hero complained.
“I’ll help, Raphtalia!” S’yne shouted. She caught up the incoming lightning hammer with a bundle of threads as she turned her scissors back into one weapon and slashed at the Projectile Hero. Out of the two of them . . . the Staff Hero was a bigger threat than the Projectile Hero in this situation.
“Divine Clash of the Five Practices, and then . . .” Raphtalia said, cancelling out the incoming attack with big techniques of her own. Then she drew the second katana at her hip, going into her accelerated state and unleashing another skill.
“Bubba! Things might get hot, but just hang in there!” Keel exclaimed. She tossed the fox demi-human away, still using just her mouth, and then it opened wide and expelled a torrent of black fire. It did look really hot, but I didn’t feel any heat at all. Maybe because the source of her current power was a link to my own rage. The fire Keel was blowing all around me wiped away the countless flying swords. I knew they would be back quickly, but I needed to use this moment to help Raphtalia.
“Attack . . . Support,” I managed to get out, launching some spikes at the Staff Hero. They weaved between the countless deadly weapons and struck the Staff Hero full-on. I saw Raphtalia glance my way, just for a moment. There were tears in her eyes. I’d probably get in trouble again later.