Rank 7. It had a fancy name to it, but at this point, that didn't really matter. What did was that it was a level where an individual could begin to enforce their will upon the world. When one's 'path' began to manifest as a tangible law of existence.
This was what allowed 'Domains' to exist.
Now, I was just a fake Rank 7. I had the raw power from
...Normally.
But Rob had said it, hadn't he? That SP... story points were essentially a representation of the Authority I had over this reality as the Author. And one that superseded the gods and divine beings here.
So in short...
"Screw off!"
I swung my sword again. Flames and water spiraled together along the Tyrannical Mana Blade and fused into a contradictory wave of energy.
It crashed against the hand reaching out towards us. And the moment it did...
===
> [CANNOT BE READ] is temporarily pushed back!
> Success! Rank down is applied!
> Your opponent has temporarily fallen from Transcendent Status!
> You have gained partial insight into your opponent!
> D*m*n G** Um*** is furious and bewildered!
===
...A flurry of messages emerged and the hand was shoved back through the crack in space.
Alright. Good. One problem temporarily solved. But...
*BADUMP*
I coughed, letting out a spurt of blood.
"Alex?!" Betty's eyes widened in shock and she started to shake, sobbing. "Don't die. Don't die too...! Please!"
I held her tight and smiled. "Don't worry, Betty. Your big brother will handle things here. I'll make sure you're safe."
Was it because I had completely accepted the role? Or because I was resolved to protect his sister now?
For whatever reason, I couldn't feel [Alex] anymore. It was just me now. Completely. Still, that was fine.
Even if Betty wasn't my real sister...
*
"If you choose to take someone's hand, then hold it until the end!" Marisa screamed as Roland jumped through the crack in space. "Don't you dare leave me behind like this, Roland!"
*
...Yeah.
I had written those words in my own story.
So I couldn't very well contradict them now, could I?
Especially if I was going to do my best to save Evelyn too.
Betty sniffed and then clung to my chest. "You'd better keep that promise, Alex. If... if you disappear, then I...!"
I patted her back and smiled. "It'll be fine. I promise."
The feeling of liquid steel coursing through my veins. Electricity nipping all over my skin. Pain that was so much I could no longer properly comprehend it.
Using
'Eve is definitely going to scold me when she sees me.'
But that was later.
Right now...
Shadows distorted and nine slithering forms burst through the ground, toppling buildings and sending debris flying everywhere.
Betty screamed and clung close to me.
I clicked my tongue and glanced off in the distance.
Golden and white light were flashing, piercing through an ominous dark shroud. At the same time, emerald vortexes continued to emerge.
'The distance is... a mile or two?'
It wasn't far. But...
'I'll have to get through all of that first.'
A towering and scaled figure with nine heads, looming over us. Below it, a horde of obsidian skeletal warriors.
And the moment it appeared, a flurry of messages did as well.
> WARNING! LV. 8 Darkness Hydra appears!
> Darkness Hydra possesses the Domain 'Immortality'!
> WARNING! LV. 6 Hydra Tooth Warriors x 100 appear!
I let out a wry chuckle and muttered, "The power-balancing is all kinds of screwed up now, isn't it?"
It was starting to get to the point where the ranks were seeming arbitrary...
Well, to me they might as well be. Still...
"Hey Betty."
"Y-Yes, Alex?"
"Close your eyes, alright? This is going to be really bright."
"O-Okay." Betty took a deep breath to calm herself and then pressed her face against my chest.
I focused.
Rob had said it. Granted, that bastard had dropped in the fact as a casual landmine near the end of me jumping into this Gate... but he had been explicit about it.
These Gates weren't part of my creation... Meaning that whatever I did here wouldn't directly impact what I had created.
Or in other words...
'I can cut loose for a bit.'
Betty was trembling in fear.
...If this was how I thought it was. Then in 3D-ED she would have suffered a horrific fate of being taken and used as an Apostle for that Demon God.
But I was here now.
And... even if this was just a reproduction. Even if this event had already come to pass since
Rob was right.
I hated tragedies.
So...
I held Betty close and then held out my left hand. As I did, I focused.
> SP is being used in accordance with the User's will...
> NOTICE: Since User is outside of the scope of creation, SP will not be depleted.
> NOTICE: Any usage of SP will be reverted once the Trial is completed.
...Yeah. It was like I thought. Then this is a good trial run.
I raised the Tyrannical Mana Blade and pointed it at the sky. At the same time, I summoned Artio from my inventory.
The Darkness Hydra roared, raising all nine of its heads. Space began to distort as enough energy to blow up a continent was condensed into each of its heads' mouths.
At the same time, the horde of Hydra Tooth Warriors surged forward, each one wreathed in ominous violet light.
But I wasn't worried.
Instead, I smiled and said, "The words guide the mind and paint a picture in the soul. Come, Goddess of the Moon. Soar, the might of mankind. Meld together and forge a miracle."
-The fundamental rule of magic was the image that the caster had in their heart. And words served as a means to mold that image. That was why prayers and incantations existed.
Now, since I had written that rule, it didn't really apply to me. After all, I knew that everything was 'fake.'
But just because something was 'fake' didn't mean it couldn't surpass something real. And so...
I tightened my grip on my sword as the moon suddenly appeared above me, shining a beam of white light on my blade.
The Darkness Hydra roared and loosed nine beams of pure energy, shattering space and creating partial tears in reality.
A few of the Hydra Teeth Warriors were even sucked into the beams due to the gaping voids left behind.
But I simply swung my sword and said three words with a cheeky smile on my face. "Deus Ex Machina."
===
Evelyn flew through the air and crashed against the ground. Even so, she forced herself back to her feet and grit her teeth. "This damned snake...!"
They had been fighting the black dragon for a while now, and while they were able to push it back... it didn't seem to be injured at all.
In contrast...
Evelyn spat on the ground, ignoring the red flecks dripping from her mouth.
At that time, a faint white light shone.
Evelyn felt the pain dim a bit and let out a sigh. "Thank you, Roland."
Roland moved to Evelyn's right side and winced as a large cut on his back slowly mended. "Thank me when we win, Evelyn. This thing is... pretty tough."
Evelyn nodded and pursed her lips.
The black dragon was unscathed. Not for lack of effort, but because this Domain seemed to keep restoring it.
Evelyn wasn't sure of the mechanics... but she was fairly certain that unless they landed a decisive blow, the dragon would not fall. But... "It seems that your Grandfather's legacy is lacking, Roland."
Roland let out a wry chuckle and said, "Well. It's meant to be used by someone like you or Mari, Princess. Not a lowly Rank 4 like me." Even as he said that, blood dripped from his hands, staining the floor.
Evelyn noticed, but didn't point it out.
Roland was correct.
Evelyn did not know what miraculous Art he had inherited, but she did know that it was beyond Roland's means to use. It was only possible at the moment because his Talent was in Healing Magic, allowing him to force his body to sustain itself while the Art ripped it to shreds. But...
'This is not enough.'
Marisa was in the back, continuously chanting to provide support through various enhancement spells and defensive barriers.
But the times between those were growing longer and longer as they all began to tire.
Meanwhile, that dragon...
'It is taunting us.'
The black dragon was simply standing there. As if secure in its victory, it wasn't even moving now, just watching with gleaming crimson eyes.
It was playing. It didn't even feel threatened at all.
And that annoyed Evelyn.
'If Alex was here...'
No. She could not keep relying on Alex.
In the first place, she was stronger. For someone stronger to rely on someone weaker to protect them went against the grain of commonsense.
Furthermore...
'He would undoubtedly do something reckless again.'
...There was Alex's nature to consider.
If Alex were here, he would no doubt put his life and body on the line again to resolve it.
So Evelyn had to sort this herself. She was the Imperial Princess. She was to one day rule the entire Eternal Empire. So at the least, she had to resolve this situation. Defeat this damned snake.
But how?
'Use me.'
Evelyn froze.
A voice she didn't know. A sinister and slippery voice that seemed to brush against her very heart.
Evelyn shuddered and wondered if she imagined it. But then the voice whispered again.
'Give yourself to me, and I will give you all the power you desire.'
"No." Evelyn quickly shook her head. "I will not."
"Princess?" Roland looked over. "What are you saying?"
Evelyn let out a nervous laugh. "Nothing. I must... it seems I am more fatigued than I thought."
"Well." Roland stared at the dragon who still hadn't moved. "...At least that guy is giving us time to breathe."
Evelyn nodded.
Roland was right. They had a moment to recover. Even if it was only by their opponent's amusement, it was still opportunity.
Even so...
It annoyed her.
She was the Imperial Princess. She was the one who would rule the Eternal Empire. She was the one who everyone had placed their burdens. So she should be able to resolve this herself.
And yet... she was so... weak.
So helpless.
'So then reach out your hand. Let me take it."
Evelyn shook her head and grit her teeth. She pointed her rapier at the dragon and then said, "Roland. We go again."
Roland took a deep breath. "Not sure if anything will change... but nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? Then, on three?"
Evelyn nodded. "On three. One... two... three-"
A beam of pure light suddenly pierced through the darkness, striking directly on the dragon's head.
Evelyn froze.
The black dragon dissolved. The darkness shrouding the surroundings faded.
And then a familiar male voice called out. Alex's.
"Here we are. These are Big Brother's friends, Betty."
Evelyn blinked and looked towards the voice, not daring to believe her eyes. And then she let out a relieved laugh, unable to stop the tears running down her cheeks. She dropped her rapier and ran over, hugging Alex. "You foolish, idiotic, heroic man. Why must you always come in just when we give up hope?"
Alex laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, Eve. Bad habit."
Evelyn shook her head and pulled him in for a tight hug.