Episode 112: Twin Stars Solciera
Miuye contemplates.
What should she do in this situation?
Solciera, who appeared as if to shield her, the Nameless and the Doctor standing opposite.
She wonders if there’s anything at all she can do.
With that thought, she doesn’t stop thinking.
However, the scene before her eyes seemed to mock her determination.
“I don’t get it! I don’t know about that!”
Nameless screams and releases a black flame.
An immensely powerful strike that burns away concepts.
In its face, the two merely swung their large scythes lightly.
Just that much.
No deployment of a magic barrier, no avoidance.
A graceful movement released a strike that dispersed the black flame into mist.
“Hmm, aren’t you making cute sounds? You’re more delightful than I expected.”
“Quite mean things you say. What will you do if she really starts crying?”
Another Solciera leans in casually next to Solciera, peering closely.
Seeing the identical girls, Nameless said with genuine irritation.
“That one is Zero, isn’t she… How troublesome.”
“We knew Solciera was snooping around the Deep Dream Plan, but I didn’t expect it was for this.”
The Doctor nods in understanding.
Upon hearing those words, Miuye also realizes.
The girl who resembles the red-eyed Solciera.
Her body is constructed as a dataloid.
The reason why Solciera, who should have been unrelated, contacted Kanon.
It must have been for this.
“Hmm, it’s disappointing that you steal the punchline before the big reveal like that. This is the greatest stage where I fight alongside my Master. Please don’t interfere.”
Zero says this, pressing her body close to Solciera’s and tenderly combing through her hair with her fingers.
“Ah, my beloved Master. If you wish it, I’ll make everything you desire come true. I’ll slaughter anything that stands in our way. Please command me.”
“Indeed… As always, Zero,”
Solciera sighs, directing a cold glance at Zero, looking exasperated.
This must be their norm.
“Ugh, showing off so much. …I’ve heard Zero is like this, but seeing it in person is quite irritating.”
“Ooh, is it jealousy? How ugly, when Master belongs to me.”
Saying this, Zero smiles blissfully and kisses the silver hair she had gathered in her hand.
Instantly, Nameless lets out a scream and spreads black flames.
“Stop it! Solciera is mine!”
“Not really, she belongs to neither of you.”
Answering calmly, Solciera doesn’t move against the flames.
Instead, Zero deploys an artillery formation and intercepts the flames.
The converging artillery attack, flashing forward, directly confronts the flames and causes an explosion nearby.
“Ooh, maybe we got a little too excited?”
“You went too far, really.”
“Ahhahaha! Occasionally, something flashy like this isn’t bad, right?”
Smiling, Zero says this and gently lifts Solciera’s chin.
While Solciera brushes it off with an extremely bored expression, she mutters.
“Without playing around, let’s go.”
Saying only that, she takes up her emerald scythe and dashes forward.
Watching her run, Zero dramatically shrugs her shoulders and creates a teleportation magic circle on the spot, disappearing.
“Since it’s such a grand debut, you should at least hold on a bit longer.”
Emerald lightning tears through the smoke stirred up by the explosion, and Solciera appears before Nameless.
A terrifying direct breakthrough without any strategy or planning.
Uncharacteristic behavior from her usual self surprises Nameless, but she quickly activates her Ex Gear.
“Act 4!”
The slash functions as an aggressive defense.
A shield of slashes placed against the advancing Solciera.
However, Solciera simply smiles upon seeing this and doesn’t stop her advance.
(She’s setting something up!)
Realizing this, Nameless further deploys a convergence artillery magic array above her head.
Above her, a black feather flutters down.
“Zero”
“Yes, I understand.”
Directly above Nameless.
Zero, having teleported, holds a scythe ready after completing its convergence.
Moreover, not the typical artillery type.
A blade infused with magical power, achieving maximum firepower in a single-point breakthrough.
“Let’s call it Convergence Slash, perhaps?”
Speaking in a detached tone, Zero mercilessly swings her scythe down towards Nameless.
Tracing a silver trajectory like a star falling to the ground, the scythe strikes directly from the undefended space above her head.
“Ugh… Aaah!”
Right before impact, Nameless tries to evade, but her back gets severely slashed diagonally.
Bathed in spurting blood, Zero gazes at Nameless with mechanical eyes and launches another scythe strike.
“Human weakness truly is ugly. You’re screaming just from this.”
“Grr, don’t talk down to me!”
Turning around, Nameless fires artillery.
Seeing this, Zero elegantly sidesteps the attack and disappears again using the teleportation magic array.
Looking at the black feathers floating around where she stood, Nameless exhales angrily and turns back, startled.
But it’s already too late.
“I thought you liked me? That’s no good; you shouldn’t take your eyes off me.”
“What!??”
Solciera has a shield of slashes in front of her and a gun aimed at Nameless.
A convergence artillery attack using Solciera’s scythe, something usually absent due to the short distance.
Even sneaking up carries significant risk.
But now, that risk might as well be nonexistent.
“—Oh, please don’t run away. My Master is graciously gifting you with artillery. Feel it fully with your whole body.”
A voice coming from somewhere.
Simultaneously, countless magic arrays deploy around Nameless, binding her with silver chains.
Bound, she faces the completed form of Solciera.
“Know the brilliance of the stars.”
“Guh—”
The trigger is pulled.
The artillery is slightly reduced by the slash but a star wouldn’t fall from just that.
“Gyah!?”
Chained down, Nameless is not even allowed to be blown away by the artillery.
As Zero predicted, Nameless receives the artillery with her entire body.
(If I lose focus, my awareness will be taken away—)
Exposed to high-density magical power until the chains are destroyed by the artillery, Nameless collapses on the spot as soon as it ends.
That she still retains her form is solely because Solciera hasn’t infused her attacks with lethal intent.
(Solciera is holding back as usual. But the one beside her is different…!)
Looking up at Zero appearing next to Solciera, Nameless frowns.
Through universal love, Solciera cannot genuinely harm or kill Nameless.
Everything is tempered.
In other words, it’s all a farce.
But beside her exists someone who finishes the farce seriously.
Zero laughing amidst blood.
That blood came from slashing her back with intent to kill.
“Act 1!”
Black flames envelop her back, beginning to heal the wound.
Not long after, sharp pain assaults her body.
“Who gave you permission to heal?”
“Gyah!??”
Realizing it, Zero is stepping on the wound while looking down.
Distorting her mouth, Zero moves her foot as if gouging the wound.
“You’ve mocked my Master quite a lot, haven’t you?! Ahahahahahaha! Only I am allowed to torment that child! Only I have the right to hurt her and be hurt by her! It’s not a realm outsiders should enter! Stay out of our world!”
“Guh, ah… Crazy…!”
“……Hmm, being called that by you feels quite offensive.”
Like the passion before was a lie, Zero says this expressionlessly.
Seeing the scene, Solciera calls out with a look of exasperation.
“Hurry up and move on. I’m not interested in opponents who can’t dance.”
“That’s true too.”
Smiling, Zero steps away from Nameless and follows after Solciera.
Nameless feels immense relief deep within her heart.
(Saved…! Solciera’s universal love functioned. Solciera couldn’t overlook the sight of me dying. Therefore, I was spared.)
However, conversely, if it were outside of Solciera’s awareness.
If it were a momentary occurrence, it would imply that Zero’s massacre is possible.
“Hurry. I need to heal… Sorry…”
Wrapping her body in flames with a small voice apologizing to someone, Nameless looks ahead.
There, the Doctor and the two were facing each other.
The Doctor saw the moment Nameless was defeated.
No, they watched from start to finish.
“…Can’t win.”
Analysis is the Doctor’s forte.
Therefore, the Doctor was trying to exploit the weaknesses in the two’s attacks targeting Nameless.
That, however, was a grave mistake.
Because there were no such weaknesses in them.
“Well then, it’s your turn, miss. Would you tell me your name?”
“…Doctor, Zero Two.”
“No good. I asked for your name.”
“Introducing oneself properly shows that the Doctor lacks refinement.”
Bloodied Zero laughs.
Her appearance evokes death, and unconsciously, the Doctor’s body begins to move.
“Divided Death!”
Knowing that victory is impossible, instinct screams that one must act anyway.
No theory, no logic.
The Doctor was simply afraid of the presence before her eyes.
“Again with that? The academy needs more variety, dear.”
Saying this, Zero charges forward.
At the same time, Solciera fires artillery.
The artillery wrapped in emerald lightning successively stops the function of “Divided Death.”
Through the fluttering butterflies falling, Zero runs with a twisted smile.
The Doctor desperately summons “Divided Death,” watching helplessly as its function fails instantly.
“—Ah.”
“Ahahahahaha! This is the punishment for describing my Master with absurd words like ‘universal love’!”
The scythe comes down.
A slash cutting through from the top of the head.
Facing the pitch-black malice approaching—.
“Act 4!”
Nameless appears before the Doctor and takes the attack.
Then immediately fires flames towards Zero.
“It’s because you’re here! Solciera fights! You… If only you demons weren’t here!”
“Tsk, this makes you a wounded beast.”
Daintily performing a backflip, Zero.
Through the open space, a silver artillery shot passes through.
The Doctor uses “Divided Death” for magical absorption, while Nameless deploys flames for defense.
(Solciera’s convergence artillery!? When did…!)
Perfect coordination where even the opportunity to evade becomes part of the attack.
This is why the Doctor couldn’t intervene.
A distorted yet mutually dependent combat style.
Their battle logic built on the premise of each other’s existence is not easily dismantled.
(And what’s most frightening of all—)
The artillery fades, clearing the vision.
There stands Solciera and Zero, their backs to each other.
“Well then, let’s bring this to a close.”
“The grand finale. Offer us your prayers and gratitude.”
Solciera extends her right hand, Zero her left, towards the Doctor and Nameless.
Deployed is a single magic array.
Literally magic beyond the comprehension of current humanity.
A magical formula that interferes with the principles of the world itself begins to construct.
Vast magical power floods the room, causing cracks and groaning sounds throughout it alone.
(Right, this. This is what’s truly terrifying…)
The Doctor understands through observation.
Why Nameless was utterly defeated.
Even with a perfect combination, it wasn’t easy to lose so readily.
So, what brought about that defeat?
(Solciera and Zero’s resonance state, that’s the essence of this form! They supply each other with magical power, enhancing their strength, continuously reinforcing each other…!)
This is only possible because they are Solciera and Zero.
The unique magic belonging to the two of them acting as one entity.
“Fufu, your despaired face suits you well. It’s beautiful.”
“Yes, I wanted to see your terrified face. I feel very good.”
Their magical powers intertwine, entangle, merge, ascending to a greater power.
No trigger is needed for the artillery.
Even without such a signal, they understand each other perfectly.
“Know the brilliance of the twin stars!”
There was no sound.
First was the brilliance, and that was all the Doctor could observe.
“This is… the end of pursuit…”
Before realizing it, the Doctor spread their hands to receive the artillery.
Their consciousness connects to the Academy, where a lively discussion among other Doctors continues.
Predictions and hypotheses vary, but every Doctor is undeniably excited.
“Satisfy us more, Solciera!”
Spurred by emotion, the Doctor attempts to charge forward, but their collar is grabbed.
Looking, Nameless is wearing a desperate expression.
“Are you crazy!? If you die, who will complete the Ex Gear!? Run, quickly!”
Using the Ex Gear, Nameless simultaneously releases flames and slashes.
Then, as if to seal the deal, fires five convergence artillery shots, colliding with the silver light.
(The simultaneous use of abilities… Even this is burning my brain…!)
Sparks fly from the incomplete Ex Gear, and Nameless herself suffers severe headaches and sharp pains throughout her body.
Thus, at the last moment, the reckless attack dissipates entirely in a brief balance within the light but secures a fleeting moment.
“Grab on!”
Nameless extends her hand to the Doctor.
When the Doctor takes it, Nameless activates the teleportation magic array—.
■
“—Hmm, they escaped, huh.”
Observing the large hole melted red, Zero concludes this.
Smiling at these words, Solciera responds.
“In the end, we let them escape.”
“You intentionally did so. Truly kind-hearted and earnest… How about a dance with me next?”
Saying this, Zero directs her scythe towards Solciera.
Seeing her entranced and feverish-like face, Solciera sighs and readies her emerald scythe.
A faint smile graces her face.
“Fufu, would you satisfy me, Miss?”
As both prepare their weapons and are about to charge, suddenly—
“—Wait, please!”
Miuye intervenes between the two.
Having reached the limit of using the Truth Magic Eye, she has reverted to just a girl, waving her hands wildly as she shouts.
“It doesn’t make sense for the two of you to fight here! Besides, why are there two Solcieras!? Are you twins!?”
Has Miuye’s gestures and words dispelled their fighting spirit? Zero throws her scythe aside.
Then, with apparent boredom, she speaks.
“How unrefined. Really, because of you, our time is up.”
“Eh?”
“Alright, Master. Let’s play again sometime.”
“Yeah. If I feel like it.”
Giving a glance at Zero dissolving into particles of light, Solciera nonchalantly declares this.
Despite her cold attitude, Zero remained satisfied until the very end.
“…Phew.”
Miuye slumps to the ground.
The moment she comprehends that it’s truly over, her strength leaves her body.
Approaching such Miuye, Solciera pats her head and smiles faintly.
“Good job. You’ve started to look a little better, haven’t you?”
“Eh, really…?”
Being honestly praised by an entity that had previously engaged in extraordinary battles, a mix of awe, gratitude, relief, and various other emotions arise.
Miuye merely floats a tired smile, forming a peace sign regardless.
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