“So if we ignore that aspect, we can deduce what miracles the archangel Uriel performed. I didn’t give #distortion.err the ability to rapidly close the gap if swung from out of range. That’s because too much agitation of the surrounding air will disrupt the ultrasonic waves… Which means you’re not just speeding yourself up. What’s changing is the surrounding space. Effectively, you’re shrinking down the world around you so that a single step can move you a whole kilometer.”
It was like a bad joke or a cheap trick. From right beside where Kaname was lying, dashed against the wall, a completely ordinary emergency exit swung open, and a familiar face walked through.
“Yo, Kaname. I wanted to see for myself the kind of ending you’d write. I hope you don’t mind the little intrusion.”
“Taka…masa…?”
How was he here?
Kaname had watched him Fall. Takamasa had given up his own parachute and disappeared into the night. Nobody could have survived a drop like that. The twenty-four-hour penalty wouldn’t wear off until later tonight. He should still be locked out until then.
But his old friend casually strolled up to him as though nothing had happened. Then he raised a finger and spoke.
“…Personally, I’m amazed you can still fight, Kaname. Is that because Uriel’s been fiddling with space? Assuming you didn’t actually just fight toe to toe with an angel for six whole hours, I’d guess the angel’s meddling has affected space-time as well.”
“…”
The underground tunnels were completely enclosed, with no view of the sky. But could an angel really distort space-time to that extent? Were Tselika, Meiki, or Cindy also capable of this when fully powered? Back when they lived in the real world and not just this virtual one?
Like gods.
Perhaps they were gods, once upon a time. Until humans decided otherwise.
Uriel narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, and space spread out in all directions. The underground tunnels had been large but were still only meters across, and yet now it seemed like Kaname was gazing at the archangel from the very bounds of the universe.
This was not a glitch or game exploit. Kaname had no doubt that had they been in the real world, the angel would be capable of performing exactly the same miracle.
“I see. By increasing the distance, he’s put himself far beyond the range of our guns. That’s certainly a solid defense, but I wonder if he understands that it disadvantages him as well. He can’t possibly attack us without first getting close.”
“I am eternal. Waiting ten thousand years is nothing to me.”
“If you could do all this, then why bother keeping it a secret? In fact, why not just have it switched on all the time?”
Takamasa was still making deductions, and they were no longer about the Legacy. Now he was making inferences and crafting theories even as his foe dismantled the laws of physics before his very eyes. There was no more powerful ally at a time like this.
“As a mere mortal I can’t possibly imagine what it feels like to keep your power active. Is it similar to holding your breath, I wonder? Concentrating really hard? Or perhaps trying not to blink? Whatever it is, the point remains that you can’t keep it active forever. If you could, you would have done so all along, instead of weaving it in and out throughout the battle. I’d almost be inclined to say you were taking breaks. Am I wrong?”
“It is futile…”
“What is?”
“To kill a nonhuman in this space results only in a Down. At best, you can halt me for a single hour. And that is assuming you can defeat an angel at all. If you had the power to do so, you would have pursued me all along instead of choosing to fight against the Mind.”
“Oh, in that case, you’re right. It is futile. For me.”
Takamasa reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a single silver bullet, which he handed to Kaname.
“But not for him.”
“…”
“A Zodiac Child armed with Magic and the knowledge of how to use it can tear apart this world in an instant. I wonder what will happen to you then?”
“………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………”
The angel said no more. The great mouthpiece of the gods had been rendered completely speechless.
“This is a new Overtrick I recently developed. As for its name…well, I suppose it doesn’t need one. This silver bullet is the true End Magic, Kaname. That is to say, you don’t need it to complete your list. It’s yours to use as you see fit, to forge your path ahead. I trust you’ll know when it’s time?”
Kaname suddenly felt as though the air itself was bursting at the seams.
He knew what sign he was looking for. The Lion’s Nose. Even if Uriel only gave him a moment to react, Kaname would not let that chance slip. All he had to do was stay focused. He couldn’t let the angel’s Legacy and its power to always deliver the optimal strike distract him.
“Y-you know not what effect slaying me will have on Midori…”
“I thought you said she was just an empty shell. Besides, if her mind is damaged here, there might be ways to fix it from within the game, just like how you can restore a corrupted video or audio file.”
“None but me have the power to do that!!”
“If that’s really true, why are you getting so flustered? If it’s someone with power over the game world we need, we don’t need to look any further than the Magistelli.”
Takamasa was calm, and icy cold. His was the voice of a man who had allowed his most precious existence to be hurt.
“Listen to me, Kaname.”
Takamasa could not possibly win this fight alone. All his knowledge meant nothing without someone who had the strength to execute his plan. He may have known the solution, but he lacked the power to make it happen.
“I know everything there is to know about #distortion.err. It utilizes ultrasonic waves to automatically correct the course of the blade to the optimum angle. In other words, it all conforms to the laws of physics we know and love. All that in the hands of an angel, a supernatural being. This creates an opportunity. He’s made a mistake and picked the wrong Magic. It’s counter-productive, like burning petrol to dig up coal.”
This conclusion was made possible only because Kaname and Criminal AO were working together. Standing side by side, come what may.
Now that an ultimatum had been set, Uriel couldn’t simply wait them out. Sooner or later, he had to strike.