To think that successfully contracting with a sacred beastkin actually made someone become prettier⌠This is certainly a far cry compared to those darknesses we fought in the desert.
Roxy herself was initially amazed by the changes.
But she soon tried to flap her wings.
[Fai, look, I can fly]
[Ooooh! Amazing!]
This was way too cool to be true.
While watching her flit around in the air, I wondered.
[How come she turned into that kind of form?]
ăThat is called a valkyrie. That is the result of when a holy knight forges a contract and successfully a.s.similates with a sacred beastkin. Sheâll probably have to adjust as this form opens up new ways of fighting. But reallyâŚ.. Valkyries were enemies in the past, but who wouldâve thought that we gained one as an ally now.ă
Greed did tell me that the Sacred Beastkin and Mortal Sin skill holders were enemies.
However, time has changed since then. Kairos and the others had to fight the valkyries in the past, but now one became our ally thanks to Snowâs help.
I quickly informed Roxy about what Greed had taught me just now.
After practising for a bit, she seemed to understand something.
[Fai, come here.]
She beckoned me to approach.
[Could it be, this?]
[Yes, there is no other method.]
She circled her arms around me as I approached, then flapped her wings with all her might.
Even while carrying me, she took to the sky with seemingly no problem.
ăItâs not exactly flying with wings as normal. Sheâs using magic power to propel herself into the air. Letâs just say that the wings are what allows her to do so.ă
[Is it the same reason as to how Tenryu could fly in the sky despite its huge body?]
ăExactly.ă
I see. Still so much more to learn. As I listened to Greed, we flew higher and higher.
[Roxy!]
[I think I am getting used to this. You know, when I was little, there was a timeâŚwhen I wished that I could fly. I have always wondered how good it will feel like to be able to fly freely in the sky like a bird. Now that dream has come true.]
[Roxy, you are truly strong.]
In the past, there was a time when I was filled with fear that one day Gluttony skill would devour me and turn me into a monster.
[Knowing the risks, itâs certainly not an easy decision. But you couldnât just stand still when the fate of the people in Hausen is in line, so you strode forward without hesitation. If it was me, I donât think I can make such a heavy decision instantlyâŚ]
[Not really. All I did was emulate Fai.]
Roxy increased in alt.i.tude even faster. It seemed that sheâs having fun.
[Now who was the person that tended to act recklessly and crazily, making me worried sick whenever he was not around me? Moreover, I do not want to be left behind anymore!]
[RoxyâŚ..]
[And I also want to be able to help Fai more⌠I have had enough always becoming a burden!!]
Her momentum never diminished. She was getting faster instead.
But can we break through, what did Greed call it again, the atmosphere as is?
Keeping that doubt to myself, we soared to heaven.
=====
[Almost there.]
[Huge. what a size.]
There was still some distance left, but what we saw was at least as huge as the entire Hausen.
Itâs not an exaggeration to say that itâs a flying fortress.
Greed roared in my mind as it became clear what we are up against.
ăI was wondering about this earlier, but isnât that the sacred beast zodiac Aquarius!? How come that itâs still here?ă
[That is a living thing?]
ăOf course. That thing was originally a sacred beastkin just like Snow. itâs in its transformed state nowâŚ..but staying in that state for too long will cause it to not be able to transform back to its original form. I doubt that it can still retain a clear mind by now. He put out something interestingâŚ..that Libra b.a.s.t.a.r.dă
As long as it stayed beyond the atmosphere, the sacred beast zodiac Aquarius was able to absorb the sunlight and weaponize it. People of old called it Arrow of Indra.
Out of curiosity, I thought about using appraisal on it, but Greed was quick to warn me off.
ăStupid idiot! Who the h.e.l.l stupid enough to use appraisal from the front? Youâll just lose your eyesight from the appraisal countermeasure. Rather than that, itâs finished charging its attack.ă
We are still way too far from it.
With the black shield⌠Is there really no other choice than using the 3rd formâs secret ăReflection Fortressă !?
Roxy, sensing my movement, shook her head.
[Please do not do that. Using the secret will cost Fai a lot of stat. If you use it now, you will run out of methods to stop that sacred beast.]
[Then, what should we do to defend ourselves?]
[Leave it to me!]
She said so without a shred of hesitation. Apparently Snow who was dwelling inside Roxy acknowledged that itâs possible to do so.
[Snow is also very excited inside! Fai, you should just focus on what lies beyond this.]
[Alright.]
A searing flash!
A lump of light was projected from beyond the atmosphere. Anything that was caught in it would evaporate without leaving a trace.
But Roxy went toward the sacred beastâs attack without even trying to evade..
Because if she does, Hausen and the underground city below will turn to nothingness.
[Please hold on to me tightly.]
As we were about to be hit by the lump of light, a circular invisible wall unfolded around Roxy, diffusing and refracting the light.
After a while, the refracted light dissolved into motes of light before disappearing one by one.
[That was, could that be the holy blessing!?]
[Yes, Snow-chan said so.]
It was the same holy blessing that the sacred beast Scorpion used. Actually, this one is way more powerful.
ăThis, nothing less from the so called Divine Guardian Shield.ă
Roxy managed to defend against the attack. It should take quite a while before the beast can launch another one.
[We are getting closer. But the air is growing thinner as we go. I can hold on a little thanks to the holy blessing, but I do not think I can reach where the sacred beast is.]
[That should be enough. Greed, surely we can reach it from this distance?]
ăWhy of course, who do you think I am? Letâs go, itâs time for b.l.o.o.d.y Ptarmigan.ă
But that alone wonât be enough. Our opponent is a sacred beast after all.
On top of crossing, I need to aim for a greater height.
[Greed, Crossing.]
ăSure thingsďźă
[And then, take 80% of my stats!]
Iâm not done yet!
I added the Gluttony skill mutating effect on top of the already horrible looking black bow.
And then, the b.l.o.o.d.y Ptarmigan Cross was released!
Back in the capital, I did it by myself. But right now, Iâm in the state of Crossing with Greed. The degree of perfection in using the secret is a lot higher than ever before.
[Letâs gooooooooo!]
The spiraling two bolts of black lightning raced toward the sacred beast.
It was a bullâs eye, cleanly piercing the sacred beast at the center, right where its core was supposed to be.
[We did it, did we not?]
Roxy opened her wings widely in joy.
The sacred beast was emitting smokes, its body started leaning to one side as itâs slowly losing alt.i.tude.
I was happy at first. But then, I realized⌠What will happen if a sacred beast that large fell to the ground?
[Greed. If it keeps falling like this⌠donât tell meâŚ]
ăNothing good will come from it. You should know that as well, Fateă
The sacred beast was falling along the direction from where we came from.
Are you kidding me? Tell me itâs a lie.
I had put a considerable amount of power into that last shot. My current stat is only at the bare minimum of Area E.
In other words, if I were to give more stats to Greed, I would lose my Area E, which means I wonât be able to deal any damage to the sacred beast.
I gave Roxy a look, but she could only look back at me regrettably.
Sheâs in a similar state. Using holy blessing to completely disperse the giant blazing light took most of her power.
ăCould that Libra guy has predicted even this far ahead?ă
[Dammit! EveryoneâŚat this rate everyone willâŚ]
The sacred beast started to fall faster. The friction with the atmosphere wreathed it with flames. It looked like a giant meteor now.
If it hit the ground, a huge area of the land would cave in, creating a huge crater in its wake.
ăHow preposterous. Weâve gone this far, there is no way I could accept this kind of ending!ă
[Greed!?]
ăLuna also believes us till the end. And yet this meâŚ.this me could only watch. How patheticâŚ..you think so too, donât youâŚ..Kairos.ă
The black bow shone as it began to change its shape.
ăFate, forgive meâŚ..forgive me for doing this. I cannot simply stay here and just watch. I just canât!ă
[What are you trying to do!]
I suddenly had a very bad feeling. Before I could ask him to stop, Greed had already a.s.sumed a new form.
ăThis is the fifth form. A pair of gauntlets. With it you will be able to manipulate up to 10 black threads. From now on, nothing shall escape us anymore.ă
The explanation was quite clear. But what happened? Tell me what you just did!
Isnât it strange!? Normally, to unlock a new form, I will have to sacrifice a huge amount of status.
And yet⌠I didnât pay that price. Then if I didnât, who did?
[Greed⌠you, donât tell meâŚ]
ăAlright. March on, Fate. Those are the people you care about down there. In that case, there is no need to hesitate anymore. You should already know what must be done. Wield this Me!ă
[Even though you keep telling me how reckless I can be⌠arenât you the same, you big stupid idiot!]
Entering Crossing state repeatedly would normally render me starving and low on spiritual energy.
However, now that itâs gone to this, how could I not respond in kind!
[Roxy, go to the sacred beat. Take us there.]
[âŚ.Yes.]
She complied without saying anything. Perhaps she couldnât bear to say it.
As we finally caught up near the fire wreathed sacred beast, Roxy let her hold on my body go.
[G.o.dspeed.]
After confirming that Roxy had moved away, I looked at the pair of gauntlets that is Greedâs new form.
[Letâs go.]
The fire burning around the sacred beast couldnât hurt me due to my fire resistance skill.
When ten black threads were released from the black gauntlets, my body was hijacked by Greed.
[Sorry, Fate. Think of it as a gift from this me at least.]
The black threads wrapped around the sacred beast like a coc.o.o.n.
Moreover, the threads were filled with magic power that far outsripped mine.
Soon after a squeaking noise could be heard, as the threads tightened.
[Is it still not enough? Very well, prepare for worse then]
The black gauntlet changed shape. Was it the secret of the fifth form!?
It should cost status to activate it. In addition to that, since itâs the later form, the status cost must be higher than the previous four.
And yet I didnât pay all that cost. I checked myself. It was all coming from Greed.
[Fate, look closely. And remember the feeling well.]
I couldnât reply back because my body was hijacked by Greed. But apparently, my thoughts could still reach him.
[Do not be worried. This me is nothing but a weapon. Unlike Fate and everyone else. Nothing to be sad about. However, even this me⌠has something I do not want to lose at all cost]
I could sense that Greed was happy from the bottom of his heart as he said so.
And then, he activated the secret of the fifth formââDimension Destruction.
The glittering black threads became able to cut through even s.p.a.ce itself. With that absolute cutting power, the sacred beast was shredded into dust.
And those dust quickly burned down under the air friction.
The inorganic voice resounded in my head, announcing the end of that battle.
As for me, I simply fell.
The state of Crossing had suddenly been cut off.
[Fai! Your hand!]
Roxy approached in a hurry, trying to grab my hand.
We managed to protect Hausen from the Sacred Beast. But⌠IâŚ
I took a look at Greed, who had reverted back to black sword form.
[What!? What in the world is happening here?]
I heard a loud noise of the earth.
At first I thought that the horizon had risen up somehow. But overtime, I realized how wrong I was.
The continent was really rising to the sky.
[That direction, is that not Gallia?]
I nodded in response to Roxyâs question. Perhaps Dad had managed to unlock the door to His land.
As a result, Gallia had actually risen to the sky. The balance of the world had finally begun to collapse.
Only the two of us could see clearly that the continent had floated up under the sunset.
[Hey, Greed. What should we do now?]
I was expecting him to explain like usual, but this time there was no answer.
[You said that once we unlocked the fifth form, youâll be able to talk to us all normally. Say something⌠please⌠Greed.]
[FaiâŚ..]
Roxy hugged me. But that only served to make my emotion overflow.
Below, we could see the people important to us waving.
[Greed⌠please come back.]
But today, I lost something⌠I lost⌠an important companion.