Translator: Haruto.
This is a mass release (Ch19-24).
Crap, that was close.
I never imagined that the Shrine Maiden Attack event would take place one year earlier.
I’ve been preparing for this event for a while now.
After all, this will be one of the most important moments of my life…
I’m so glad I came to hang out at Amane’s place on a whim today.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t have noticed what was going on here since the calamity put up a second barrier outside the shrine to prevent interruptions.
Okay, let’s see, that thing’s… a rank-one, huh.
In the game, it was a rank-two.
Haha, I’m screwed.
Not even the mouse of the country of dreams could make it out of this one alive.
I could have fared well against a rank-two, but a rank-one…
Someone tell me this is a joke.
“Who are you?”
“Amane’s future husband.”
“Ha, fine. I suppose I can play with you a little.”
“Amane, use this to heal your wounds,” I say and give her the Talisman of Regeneration.
“Don’t get distracted,” the calamity warns.
It’s fast.
In an instant, the somewhat effeminate one-rank closes the distance between us.
Had I moved a little slower, it would have killed me with its sharp sickles.
I speed up my thoughts, and then I use Acceleration
The ground shakes.
The rustling trees accentuate the tension in the air.
Tsk.
I can’t match its raw strength, even though I’m using Divine-Blood Strengthening and Demon Dance at full power.
My speed is what’s keeping me alive.
“Shikiryuu Dual Blades Style: Rapid Strokes.”
My blades sway in the air creating a strong and fast slash directed at the calamity.
The calamity, however, has no problem parrying it with its disgusting sickles.
It’s its turn to attack.
I use Dimensional Transfer to teleport the calamity’s slash and make it appear behind it.
“Huh, not bad.”
“Thanks.”
“I suppose I should try a little harder. Boost Gear.”
“This is a nightmare.”
The calamity’s gotten twice as fast.
It’s taking everything in me to parry its attacks.
A few of them have even made it past my defenses.
I’m also consuming too much life energy.
I’m reaching my limit.
“I’m not done!!”
I make a cut on my thumb.
“Familiar Summoning!”
“Kyuu! Kyuu!”
My dragon is too young to fight the calamity head-on.
But I can at least use…
“Possession!”
“My, you’re still raring to go! You sure know how to get me all excited! Okay then, I’ll boost myself a little more.”
“Blooming Flower.”
Huh?
“Ghaa!!”
Clack!!!
I-It’s so fast… I couldn’t even see its movements…
Damn it. It hasn’t even shown its true strength yet!
I cancel all my strengthening techniques for a brief moment.
“Hm? Are you giving up already, honey?”
“Shikiryuu Dual Blades… Style… Cough… Equal Force.”
This technique allows me to artificially match the current strength of my enemy’s attacks. The condition for its activation is simple: I need to take one clean hit. Afterward, the skill alters my body via my divine arms in a way that enables me to properly wield the strength I’m given and fight with my enemy—at their current level—on equal terms.
It has a long cooldown, but at least the toll it takes on my body isn’t that bad when the gap I must close isn’t that large.
With that being said, the skill can only level the playing field.
I need to surpass the calamity, even after it reaches its strongest state.
I have to boost myself further.
I reactivate all the strengthening techniques I was using earlier.
My entire body is in excruciating pain.
I don’t care.
I must use everything at my disposal to defeat this calamity.
“Here we go.”
The calamity runs toward me.
I spin my body around and land a kick on it.
“That actually hurt.”
The real fight begins.
Chaotic Dance, Ethereal Beauty, and Dimensional Slash…
I use every single technique I’ve learned.
The shockwaves of our blows destroy the surroundings.
The battle seems to last an eternity.
My legs begin to shake.
I finally reached my limit.
But I need to keep going, at least until Amane recovers.
The calamity sees that I’ve lost my stance and takes the opportunity to try and finish me with its sickles.
I manage to block them with my divine arms.
They’re too heavy.
I’m blasted away.
I’ve got a few broken ribs, but I can still stand.
“My, your body is quite sturdy, I give you that. Still, guys who don’t know when to give up are not popular with the ladies, you know? I think it’s time I kill you, Dear.”
“S-Shut up…”
My body is a mess, and yet my enemy is still in top form. It’s not even taking me seriously.
I need the strength to protect.
The strength to protect Amane.
I’ll beat this monster and protect her!
Thump!
My divine arms pulsate.
It’s different from last time.
A sort of wild, yet soothing, life energy flows into me.
It’s the life energy I need to protect her.
For some reason, I know that it won’t last long…
“Dual Blades Special Battle Skill: Divine Dance.”
I swing my blades.
I hit the sickles.
I cut through.
It’s not enough.
“The Divine Dragon of Water’s Frenzy: 100%.”
I cut down all the sickles coming after me.
The sound of metal creaking is heard all over the place.
My vision blurs.
Not yet…
“What’s your problem?! You’re starting to freak me out! But, it’s fine. I know your weakness!”
“My weakness?”
“Yup! You can’t dodge this, can you?”
“Sickle Madness,” yelled the calamity before unleashing its strongest attack yet—if it hits me, I’m dead.
However, I can definitely dodge it at my current level.
I prepare myself but…
It passes right by me.
Don’t tell me…!!
—From Amane’s Perspective—
My whole body is in pain.
The talisman that Shuu-kun gave me is healing me little by little but I still haven’t fully recovered.
The only thing I can do right now is to watch their fight.
They’re in a completely different league.
I can’t even see their attacks clearly.
That’s how fast they are.
It feels like an eternity has passed but in reality, it’s only been a few minutes.
The intensity of the fight increases, and Shuu-kun continues to suffer more and more injuries…
Out of nowhere, sickles rain down on me.
I end up closing my eyes without thinking.
Shluck!
The sound of flesh being pierced is heard.
“Huh…?”
I see Shuu-kun.
Sickles are coming out of his chest.
The sickles are pulled away.
Blood spurts out of the wound.
“You’ve been trying to protect that girl while fighting!! In other words, she’s your weakness, sweetheart!”
“I-I am…?”
“Yup, perhaps he would have survived if you were stronger. I guess you can say it’s all your fault.”
“My…”
“Shut… the hell up. Cough. Amane… you didn’t do anything wrong. This is just how we guys are—we like to show off in front of the girl we like. This is not your fault.”
“Shikiryuu Dual Blades Style—Secret Skill: Final Stroke.”
Huh? No, stop… I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
I feel like I’m about to lose him.
“Bye, Amane…”
Life energy overflows out of his body.
He should have consumed most of his life energy by now, which means…
He’s sacrificing his own life.
His life energy gushes out like a storm.
It’s beautiful…
It takes the form of two great dragon heads, intertwining with each other.
They open their fangs and engulf the calamity whole before soaring up into the sky and disappearing.
I run to Shuu-kun as fast as I can.
The bleeding won’t stop.
Rain falls.
Ever so soothing rain.
—From the Protagonist’s Perspective—
I defeated it.
My body collapses to the ground.
I can’t feel anything anymore.
I used my own life to unleash that skill.
It’s not the type of skill that you should use when you’re already at death’s doorstep.
I’m going to die…
I wish I could have created four dragon heads like my master.
“No! You can’t die!” Amane yells in anguish.
Man, she’s as cute as ever.
I’m so glad I managed to protect her.
I wish I could pat her head, but unfortunately, I can’t even lift a finger.
Amane’s voice fades away.
So, I still died in the end, huh.
Why the hell was it a rank-one?!
It was a rank-two in the game!
Aagh! Damn it!
At this rate, the game’s protagonist will steal Amane from me.
I haven’t even kissed her yet…
Maybe I should have stolen a kiss from her when I still had the chance.
Nah, no way.
Ah, crap, I’m feeling sleepy.
Little by little, I fall into a deep slumber…
Shuu-kun stops breathing.
Amane presses the amulet he’s given her to his chest.
“Heal! Heal! Please heal him!” she cries.
“Why isn’t it working?”
No matter how much life energy she pours into it, Shuu-kun’s wounds don’t heal.
Of course, they don’t.
The Talisman of Regeneration is extraordinary, but…
It can’t revive people.
“Aah… Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!”
“It’s all my fault! It’s all my fault! If only I was stronger!” she thinks to herself, over and over again.
A girl is crying.
A calamity has taken everything from her.
One day, she’ll be known as “The Ruthless Ice Princess.”
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