Episode 62: From Those Who Survive, With Love.
"No matter how much scrap metal you gather, it can never beat orichalcum."
With her focus still fixed on Asuna, she casually swung a saber of a clearly different caliber in a horizontal sweep, aiming to clear out the "trinkets" before her—Scarlet and the others.
"Blues, Yellow!"
".....!"
"Reflective Shroud: Parry Coat!"
The incoming mass of murderous intent was halted by Blues’s Rejection, just as the bullets had been before. However, the high-concentration Soul-scar attribute of an S-class Slayer would normally erase such a thing in a heartbeat. And yet...
"Nice follow-up!"
Yellow unleashed a summersault kick from a posture so forced it lacked even a hint of stability. Her surging voltage sliced through the mire of the Soul-scar attribute and struck the flat of the blade.
"Did you do something?"
"You little brat."
Next came a plain, unadorned front kick aimed squarely at taking a life. It was delivered at a speed several times beyond the limits of human dynamic vision, but Scarlet was the one who reacted.
"Oh?"
"What?"
Scarlet moved as if tracing the path of the right leg that should have struck from outside her awareness, leaping back to evade it with ease. In response, Yellow unleashed a high kick on the return after a quick recovery.
"I’m borrowing this for a second!"
"I’ll charge you interest!"
In the ensuing rush, they were lightly evaded, but the surprise attack—shifting suddenly from Yellow’s instinctive fighting style to a lethal strategy woven in by Scarlet—would be effective even against a superior foe.
However, against an overwhelming powerhouse, such tricks could only last a few minutes. Yellow was soon caught by both arms, her body restrained.
"Got... you!"
".....!"
"Scarlet, release!"
From there, Yellow regained control of her body and executed a scorpion kick. The heel hammer, utilizing every bit of centrifugal force, rattled the spine of the Enraged and allowed her to escape the restraint.
"Oh, so you’re on Phantasm Girl Asuna’s side too!"
"Just noticing now? You shameless hussy."
Yellow stuck out her tongue in a mocking taunt.
"Don’t get cocky. I could have snapped your arms if I’d wanted to."
The moment those words were spoken, a sickening sound echoed from both of Yellow’s arms.
"Yellow—"
"Eyes on me!"
"Freeze."
"Thunderbolt!"
Scarlet’s Mind Jack saved a cornered Blues, and Noise, from outside the immediate range, fired a suppressing shot to force the enemy back.
Yellow’s face turned pale as she retreated, while Scarlet gripped her head, having overextended by interfering with an S-class Slayer.
"Uuugh...!"
"Scarlet, Yellow!"
"Stopping an S-class was... a bit too much to ask...!"
"I’m... fine! I neutralized it... with my image...!"
"An alteration ability can be countered with a stronger image and excess energy... honestly, who taught you a trick like that?"
But even so, it looked like they had been cracked.
That was it; Yellow wouldn't be able to fight for a while.
"Well done. You two, fall back for now."
".....Understood."
"Commander, I can still go!"
"I can't afford to burn out my heavy hitters at the very start. It’s okay."
"But the brat was the one holding the front line, wasn't she? What are you going to do now?"
"Checkmate: Royal Cluster!!!"
".....!"
King’s finishing blow pierced through the Enraged!!
"Ha! Action speaks louder than words! A worthy subject is one raised by watching the back of a King who fights on the front lines harder than anyone else!"
"How's that? Our King is the best, isn't she!?"
"This is for what you did to Yellow!!"
"So many noisy ones have arrived..."
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