“Jupi!” As soon as Jupiter returned to our side, Haruka threw her arms around her. “You did so good! So good!”
“I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help. Thank you.”
“Oh, Jupiii!”
The two cute girls’ happy reunion almost moved me to tears. Unfortunately, I felt irresistibly compelled to interrupt them with a corny one-liner.
“Hey, save the lovefest for later! We’ve still got a fight to win!”
I don’t want to leave it all up to Szilard now that he’s actually trying. But damn it, I want to join in! A guy can’t just interrupt a yuri love sesh, though. According to the Code of Hammurabi, they’re to be dragged through the streets and publicly beheaded. Gotta reign myself in here.
“Hah-hah-hah! What a delightfully intimate moment! I wouldn’t mind getting in on that, myself!”
“Clan master or not, talking like that will get you a death sentence, Sir.”
“Very well! Then I’ll have to make do with you, Kyouichirou. What do you say? How about we have dinner together sometime?”
“Wha—? Y-yes! Absolutely!”
“Uh, Kyou…?” Haruka stared at me.
“That’s too much,” added Jupiter.
What?! Why?! How’s this any different from what you two are doing?!
“Hah-hah-hah! You certainly are a funny lot. Nothing like this brutish beast over…HERE!”
The firepower of Szilard’s thermal assault seemed to increase along with his volume.
A moment later, a swirling fire vortex engulfed the beast’s body. It was like watching the very flames of hell scorch the space our enemy stood.
I don’t care how I die. As long as it’s not like that. That damn dog’s having its skin, innards, and everything in between burnt to a crisp. Szilard didn’t even leave it any oxygen.
“……”
But the beast remained perfectly silent, simply standing in the middle of the inferno. It didn’t cry out in pain or fly into a rage. It didn’t do anything.
“This feels like the calm before the storm. I must say, I am in awe at its fortitude. To think it would keep preparing its attack despite my reign of fire.”
As Szilard had guessed, Keraunos was charging up something big.
It charged, and charged, and charged some more. I figured it was planning on releasing all the spiritual power it built up in one final attack.
It didn’t matter how badly we burned it or sliced it now—the beast could take it. The Keraunos standing before us had assumed its true form, freed from its connection to Jupiter.
Jupiter had flipped her lid during the renegotiation of their pact. Now, with their parent-child relationship dissolved, the pitiable lightning beast was no longer bound by the effects of Jupiter’s accessories.
The slate had been wiped clean, and we were in the interim period before a new pact was forged. Then again, maybe this was also part of the spirit’s trial. Perhaps it was challenging us to beat it in the real world, too, and not just the mental one.
…Well, whatever. I’ll leave the thinking for when I’ve got more time. Our main concern now is handling Keraunos.
“Let’s stick to the plan. Mr. Szilard, keep up your thermal attacks and make your way back to the rear. Haruka and Jupiter, you two get behind him.”
All three gave a short nod before quickly taking up their positions.
“Judging from its impulsive personality and the fact we can’t see a discharge point for its next attack, this last blow will probably come at us in a straight line.”
I couldn’t exactly tell them “hey, I played this game, so I’m a hundred percent sure about what’s coming next.” Trying to think up plausible explanations for why I knew everything was starting to become like a second job.
“I can’t predict how powerful the attack will be, but if it comes at us in a straight line, I should be able to protect us with Fourth Field. That’s step one. Then, Mr. Szilard, I’d like you to—”
“Create a thermal barrier, right? That was the plan.”
“Right. If you would.”
“Understood.” And with a wink that could only be pulled off by a handsome guy like him, he used thermolurgy to set up a barrier around us.
He’s just like in the game—summoning a flame vortex with a breezy wink while he keeps us all safe with a barrier. What a guy!
“Okay, Haruka. Your role is—”
“If a discharge point shows up, I intercept it and help hold the defensive line. No prob!”
“Thanks. I’m counting on you, partner.”
We lightly bumped fists in a passionate display of friendship.
But, in a change to our usual routine, a tiny third fist hesitantly came up and pressed against ours.
“I want to…fight, too.” There was hesitation in her voice, but I could tell Jupiter was determined. “I don’t care how small it is. I want to do something to help.”
“But aren’t you worn out from your one-on-one battle…?”
Jupiter looked positively exhausted. Her lips were a deep blue from lack of oxygen, and her limbs kept trembling.
She might have been in the mental realm, but I wasn’t surprised she was exhausted. She’d just faced the very embodiment of her trauma in a life-defining showdown. It was a lot to go through.
Objectively speaking, it was a miracle she could even stand. I wasn’t about to ask her to put her life on the line again. Besides, Keraunos wasn’t going to lend her its power to fight the beast itself. I was hoping she’d be content sitting on the sidelines and resting, but…
“I don’t…care,” she shot back, shaking her head with enough force to send her pigtails swinging. “I’m so happy everyone is fighting for me. But I’m the one who planted these seeds. It’s my responsibility to see this fight through to the end. I’m not going to leave it all to you and go hide in the corner. No way. I’m going to keep fighting, together with all of you.” Her face was as expressionless as ever. But her eyes were full of passion.
I take my eyes off you for one second, and now look at you, spouting off kickass lines.
I pulled out a Life Potion and passed it to her.
“There. You drink that. And, while you’re at it, keep your senses sharp and try to find any spiritual power flowing in the area. If you think Keraunos is about to do something, let us know right away. How’s that? Think you can handle it without wearing yourself out?”
“No problem,” she said, shooting me a thumbs up.
Even though her arms and legs were trembling, she still managed to look heroic as hell.