"E... Everyone, run!"
"Just us... We absolutely can't defeat it!"
After the Black-Robed Swordsman's threatening words fell, Mem could feel an aura more "Death," more "Destruction," and more "Hatred" than even the Black Tide.
An opponent of this caliber was not someone the current group could handle.
Even with the Reason Titan present, Mem was certain that the Black-Robed Swordsman would utterly dominate everyone here.
Under these circumstances, accepting the Black-Robed Swordsman's threat and retreating was the best course of action.
"Run? Heh." Hearing Mem's words, Stelle found them rather amusing.
A mere little swordsman in a black robe dared to threaten the legendary Galactic Baseballer?
What a joke. Originally, Stelle had only planned to drive it away, obtain the Coreflame of [Reason], and check on Anaxa's condition.
But now, Stelle had changed her mind.
She would use the baseball bat in her hand to teach this insolent "country bumpkin swordsman" a harsh lesson.
You think you're worthy of being compared to the Galactic Baseballer?
Stelle thought to herself.
And that was just one thing. Not to mention, Sister Lumina and Herta were right by her side.
Whenever Stelle couldn't win, she'd immediately call for backup... Hmm, since they're right here, it probably doesn't count as calling for backup, right?
It should be called...
A matter of convenience.
"We can't leave. She... has already spotted us." Castorice didn't overthink it as much as Stelle. Regarding Mem's suggestion, Castorice gently shook her head.
If they had tried to leave before arriving, there might have been a chance.
But now, their only option was to face it.
Given the aura emanating from the Black-Robed Swordsman, Castorice doubted he would truly let them leave...
"Let's try to buy Calypso as much time as we can."
Castorice knew full well that she, Stelle, and the others couldn't possibly fight the Black-Robed Swordsman alone.
But if it was just about holding out for a while, buying some time, it should be manageable, right?
That's what Castorice thought, but recalling Calypso's earlier words, she still felt somewhat uncertain.
If it were just her and Stelle, they might be able to hold their own against the Black-Robed Swordsman for a while.
But on the field now were also Trianne, Lumina, and Herta... Castorice knew Trianne's situation all too well.
But as for Lumina and Herta, Castorice didn't know their situation.
Judging by Lumina's earlier claim of being just an "ordinary little physician and an ordinary little researcher," they probably weren't lying...
In that case, even against an enemy of equal strength, they would be forced into a passive position just to protect the three of them.
Let alone now, when the enemy they faced wasn't of equal strength... but far surpassed their own.
Castorice didn't question Lumina's self-introduction earlier; after all, throughout their journey, she hadn't seen Lumina use any unimaginable power.
What she said... was probably all true...
"Is this little girlfriend of yours a bit too naive?" Although Castorice's thoughts flashed by in an instant, Herta could roughly guess what she was thinking from the way she positioned herself at the very front.
Herta couldn't help but doubt Castorice's intelligence for actually believing Lumina's... unique self-introduction.
How could someone treated as an honored guest by Aglaea possibly be just an ordinary little physician?
Or perhaps she did understand, but due to her ignorance of Lumina's true strength, she could only temporarily treat her as a helpless little weakling.
After all, when life and death were on the line, one had to plan for the worst-case scenario.
Thinking about it that way... Lumina's new little girlfriend was the gentle and easily flustered type.
Through her observations over this period, Herta had formed a complete assessment of Castorice's personality.
Simply put, Castorice posed no threat to Herta whatsoever.
Herta had a million ways to handle a beautiful girl with such a gentle and easily flustered personality.
"I already told you, Madam Herta is my only little girlfriend," Lumina said, detecting the doubt and faint disdain in Herta's tone toward Castorice.
But Lumina didn't mind, instead using Herta's words "little girlfriend" to launch into a deeply affectionate declaration.
An outsider might have thought Lumina and Herta were a couple who had spent a lifetime together.
"Hmph." Hearing this, Herta said nothing.
But the slight curve of her lips betrayed many of her inner thoughts.
Although she knew Lumina was just teasing her, Herta's heart still fluttered with a hint of happiness at those words.
She couldn't help it; these were words spoken by Lumina.
These were also the words Herta had always longed to hear.
Even if these words weren't Lumina's true feelings...
But Herta firmly believed that one day, she could make Lumina say "little girlfriend" from the bottom of her heart.
"Little boyfriend" or... "husband" wouldn't be out of the question either.
If it was "Big Sister Herta," Herta could accept that too.
As she thought, Herta drifted into a daydream.
"Tr-Trianne will protect everyone too! Trianne is very brave!"
Trianne sensed the group's solemn, worried, and tense emotions. As the only Demigod and the only "elder" present, she stepped forward to encourage them, despite feeling a little intimidated by the Black-Robed Swordsman herself.
Trianne placed her hands on her hips, her extremely serious expression visible to all.
But it failed to bring a smile to the faces of Castorice, Stelle, or Mem.
Castorice's expression was complex. She lowered her head in thought for a moment, offering Trianne no response or words.
Then, turning to Stelle with a grave look, she offered a blessing: "Miss Stelle, for this time only... May [Death] protect us!"
After saying this blessing, Castorice, Stelle, and Mem once again fixed their gazes on the Black-Robed Swordsman's back.
And after understanding their resolve, the Black-Robed Swordsman single-handedly lifted his black cloak and turned to face the group.
Beneath the black cloak was a metal claw mask that sent a chill down one's spine.
"..."
After turning to face the group, the Black-Robed Swordsman's first gaze fell upon Castorice and the others.
But after looking for a moment, the Black-Robed Swordsman noticed two other figures behind them.
One with a pointy hat, the other a Holy Maiden in a white dress... These were figures the Black-Robed Swordsman found familiar yet strange.
Familiar because he had recently suffered at their hands, stripped of his black robe and mask, and forcibly restrained in place for several days.
Strange because, aside from that one time, the Black-Robed Swordsman had no other memories of them...
Similarly, there was also the gray-haired one and that pink flying creature... Although the Black-Robed Swordsman's memories were chaotic, he could confirm that his mind held no memories of them whatsoever.
Where on earth did these people come from?
Hmm... Gray?
The Black-Robed Swordsman seemed to have thought of something, his gaze falling back onto Stelle.
But after just a single glance, he averted his gaze.
Clearly, Stelle had failed to stir even the slightest ripple in the Black-Robed Swordsman's heart.
The Black-Robed Swordsman knew he might not be a match for Lumina and Herta, but he would not give up on the Coreflame.
Since that was the case...
The Black-Robed Swordsman slowly raised a finger, pointing it at Castorice, who was currently condensing a weapon from black matter.
Lowering his head slightly, a surge of power gathered beside him.
"First Slash."
The next moment, a phantom image appeared from the void, and before anyone could react, it slashed down at Castorice.
"Ugh..."
Castorice was completely caught off guard by the sheer speed of the Black-Robed Swordsman's attack.
With almost no defense, the action of condensing her weapon was interrupted, and the force of the impact sent her stumbling backward.
Perhaps because the Black-Robed Swordsman only intended it as a warning, Castorice suffered only minor injuries from the slash, not instantly falling into a critical, non-combat state.
"Castorice!" Seeing this, Stelle rushed forward from behind, wanting to support Castorice.
Just as Stelle made this decision, the Black-Robed Swordsman made another move.
"Second Slash!"
The phantom image reappeared, this time targeting Trianne.
Perhaps because Trianne was rather short, the Black-Robed Swordsman's slash was aimed extremely low. Trianne hastily leaped up, dodging the Skill.
But the aftershock from the slash still sent Trianne flying.
Seeing this, Stelle felt helpless. She first helped Castorice steady herself before turning her gaze to Trianne.
She checked to see if Trianne had been injured by the attack.
Fortunately, Trianne had only been hit by the aftershock and was unharmed.
After the two slashes, the Black-Robed Swordsman crossed his hands before his chest and pulled them apart. A great sword, wreathed in a black-purple aura of Destruction and Hatred, materialized in his hands.
"Five Slashes are enough!"
He declared arrogantly, holding the great sword wrapped in the black-purple aura with one hand.
Five Slashes... Excluding Mem, there were exactly five people present.
In other words, this Black-Robed Swordsman before them had included Lumina and Herta in his count as well...
As if he had completely forgotten the scene where Lumina and Herta had stripped off his Black Robe and torn off his mask.
"So arrogant?" Herta's brow twitched, instantly displeased by the Black-Robed Swordsman's arrogant and contemptuous words.
Aside from Lumina, Herta had never felt such arrogance or contempt from anyone else... Clearly, the Black-Robed Swordsman before her was the second.
If Lumina said such things, Herta could forgive it.
But you, a Black-Robed Swordsman who was immobilized by my Curio just a short while ago, what right do you have to speak like that?
Do you really think you're Lumina?
Madam Herta was extremely annoyed. She turned to Lumina and asked, "Can I beat him up?"
"Hmm... Let's go together." Without much thought, Lumina waved her small hand, and an ornate staff, completely useless except for its beauty and decoration, appeared in her hand.
"Little Herta, let's go."
"Just keep our power level slightly below his."
After speaking, without waiting for Herta to say anything, Lumina raised her staff and joined Castorice and the others, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with them to face the Black-Robed Swordsman, this phase boss.
Herta: ?
Upon hearing Lumina's words, a small question mark immediately appeared above Herta's head.
What the hell? Keep our power level slightly below his?
Me, the esteemed Genius Society #83, an Emanator of Erudition, needs to be suppressed by him?
On what grounds?
Herta snorted coldly in her mind.
But in the end, she still followed Lumina's words.
Summoning her Magic Key and briefly observing the arrogant Black-Robed Swordsman before her, Herta strode over to Lumina's side, adopting a lazy, casual combat stance.
Herta knew this scene was purely for Lumina to put on a show for Castorice and the others.
It was just Lumina wanting to play the wolf in sheep's clothing, so Herta wasn't particularly worried.
Couldn't she just beat the Black-Robed Swordsman to a pulp after this was all over?
She just had to put on a good performance before beating him up.
And since Lumina was in such high spirits, Herta didn't mind playing along...
-
"Damn, is this Flame Reaver really that arrogant?"
"Does he even know who those two people standing before him are?"
"That's the Pointy-Hat Lady and the Holy Maiden!"
From the player's perspective, in the live stream, Little Bear watched the Flame Reaver's arrogant and stylish pose in the cutscene and found it utterly ridiculous.
Before Little Bear could say anything, the screen shattered, and the game entered the combat phase.
Coincidentally, because Little Bear had thoroughly enjoyed the interactive story between Lumina and Herta in the Amphoreus plotline...
...his team composition upon entering combat happened to include both Lumina and Herta.
Lumina was in the 1st slot, and Herta was in the 2nd.
The 3rd slot was Little Herta, and the 4th was Tribbie.
The core idea was: 1 + 2 = 3, 4.
In human terms, it meant that Lumina and Herta doing things together ultimately resulted in the birth of Little Herta and Tribbie.
Well... while the explanation for Tribbie was a bit of a stretch, it didn't change Little Bear's original intention when building this team.
"Sigh... when are they going to buff Little Lumina?"
"She's already starting to fall behind in damage."
Controlling his characters in battle, Little Bear sighed helplessly as he looked at Lumina's somewhat "outdated" stats and mechanics.
Even though Lumina's stats were ∞, and her slap hit like a fully blessed Simulated Universe run, it didn't change the fact that she was already falling behind the current meta.
Lumina was a character from the 1.0 era, a relic of the past.
If they didn't buff her soon, were they just going to let her be buried?
Buff Lumina!