Chapter 285: Sakura

Chapter 285: Chapter 285: Sakura

Kalpas’s roar came through the screen, filled with frustration.

However, Aglaea didn’t even turn her head.

The wheelchair carved elegant, pale gold trails across the sea surface, precisely avoiding all of Kalpas’s long-range flame bombardments and shockwaves, as composed as if she were taking a stroll in her own backyard rather than engaging in a life-and-death pursuit.

What raised the Black Herta’s blood pressure even more was the status bar displayed at the top of the screen: Aglaea’s health bar was almost full, only missing a negligible sliver from when Kalpas’s initial Artificial Collapse area-of-effect attack grazed her.

Meanwhile, Kalpas’s health bar was decreasing at a steady and concerning rate, slowly but surely, due to his violent burning of power for the pursuit and the massive consumption required to maintain flames in seawater.

"...Who knew this Aglaea could actually ’drift on a wheelchair at sea’?"

The Black Herta couldn’t help but raise a hand to her forehead, feeling her maintenance progress bar throb with pain (this time out of anger). "This speed, this mobility... while Kalpas’s power and burst are terrifying, his endurance and environmental adaptability are completely countered in this situation. The speed he gained by burning blood can’t even catch up..."

She even considered whether to throw Belobog’s Creation Engine in there to deliver a dose of ’Heavenly Justice’ to that slippery wheelchair girl.

But on second thought, given the ghostly speed and predictive ability Aglaea was currently displaying, the engine’s fist probably wouldn’t even have time to manifest before she drifted miles away, wheelchair and all, perhaps even giving the engine a ’full-body acupuncture’ session with her Golden Threads while she was at it.

(As expected, to deal with such a high-speed and high-mobility opponent, one must either use a wide-range AOE or... use even greater speed to land a killing blow before she can react.)

Elysian Realm · Central Hall

The atmosphere in the hall had become quite subtle ever since Kalpas started running a ’marathon’ across the sea while chasing the wheelchair.

At first, there was tension and anticipation. Watching Kalpas trigger his Artificial Collapse with earth-shattering power, everyone thought the outcome was about to be decided.

Then came bewilderment, watching Aglaea sit in her wheelchair and start ’riding the waves’ on the sea, easily and leisurely dodging every attack.

Next was silence, watching Kalpas like a mocked and angry lion, possessing the power to tear everything apart yet unable to even catch the opponent’s exhaust, while his health bar steadily declined.

Finally... [Pardofelis:...Brother Kalpas, how about... taking a break? Swimming in the sea is quite exhausting... (whispering)]

[Mobius: Interesting... this mode of movement, is it pure speed or the utilization of some specific trait? Worth researching... (licks lips)]

[Su: Kalpas’s emotional fluctuations are extreme, further accelerating his consumption. His combat rhythm is being completely controlled by the opponent.]

[Elysia: Oh my~ this is a bit of a problem. Kalpas seems to be completely countered. Miss Aglaea is truly... hiding her light under a bushel~♪]

[Kosma:...Can’t catch up.]

[Griseo: Red fire cannot catch the golden line... I can’t draw it.]

[Fu Hua: Poor tactical choice. He shouldn’t have been drawn into the opponent’s rhythm from the start.]

[Aponia: This is... the karma of’speed’. Kalpas, the defeat is already set.]

[Vill-V: Data recording complete! ’Example of High-Mobility Unit Countering Power-Specialized Unit,’ typical case +1! Next time I build equipment for Kalpas, I’ll have to consider environmental adaptation modules!]

[Kevin:...Mm.]

Even Cyrene and Big Tribbie from the Golden Descendants’ side were watching in stunned silence.

Cyrene covered her mouth and whispered, "Was Miss Aglaea... always this good at running?"

Big Tribbie blinked blankly: "Can a wheelchair... really be used as a speedboat?"

Anaxa fell into deep thought: "The perception and prediction of the Golden Threads, combined with the extreme mobility of the wheelchair... turning a defect into a unique tactical system... as expected of that woman."

In the end, the result was without suspense.

When Kalpas’s health bar finally hit bottom after countless futile charges and burning rage, he let out an unwilling roar. His massive frame slowly sank to one knee in the scalding seawater, the glow of the crimson crystals gradually dimming.

Aglaea’s wheelchair stopped quietly in the distance. She didn’t even turn to ’look’ at her defeated opponent, merely gently smoothing the hem of her skirt ruffled by the sea breeze.

[System Prompt: Kalpas’s ’Persuasion’ failed. Status resetting.]

Kalpas’s figure vanished from the beach scene, teleported back to his private room in the Paradise to rest (and engage in impotent rage).

The hall was silent, except for the sound of Vill-V tapping on a virtual keyboard to record data.

Anaxa was the first to break the silence, starting a tactical review: "The key point is speed. Aglaea’s own speed is extremely fast, and when combined with the all-around perception and prediction of the Golden Threads, it creates an advantage of nearly absolute evasion. While Kalpas’s power and burst are enough to win in one hit, they are meaningless if they can’t land. Especially in a maritime environment, which further weakened Kalpas’s fire advantage and magnified his consumption."

Elysia clapped her hands, her pink eyes sparkling: "So~ we need a ’Persuader’ who doesn’t lose to her in’speed’ and can even surpass the prediction of the Golden Threads!"

Everyone’s gaze, as if by prior agreement, turned toward a figure sitting quietly in a corner.

Cherry-blossom colored long hair, calm gray eyes, and a pair of soft, long fox ears atop her head.

Her posture was upright yet reserved, like a famous blade held within its sheath.

Sakura.

Feeling everyone’s gaze, Sakura raised her gray eyes and nodded calmly.

She didn’t say much, but that calm and steady aura already made her stance clear.

"If it’s Miss Sakura... she can definitely do it!" Cyrene clenched her small fists, full of confidence.

"The Signet of Setsuna represents extreme speed and the decisiveness of a flash," Kevin stated his approval succinctly.

"Miss Sakura, watch out for her Golden Threads; they are her eyes and ears."

Anaxa reminded her, "Don’t let your movement trajectory be captured."

"I’m leaving it to you, Sakura~!" Elysia offered an encouraging smile.

Sakura nodded again and stood up.

In her hand, at some unknown point, she had already grasped that tachi as thin and translucent as ice—’Spirit Blade: Frozen Naraka’.

The blade was not yet unsheathed, but a chilling frost had already begun to quietly permeate the air.

Golden Descendants Confinement Domain—Gloomy Beach

The scene returned to its original state.

A leaden sky, dark and churning seawater, and cold black sand.

Sakura stood quietly on the beach, her bare feet feeling the damp cold of the sand grains.

Her gaze locked onto the pale gold figure sitting in a wheelchair, back turned to her and facing the sea.

Aglaea.

Sakura took a deep breath. The salty, cold air filled her lungs, sharpening her focus even further.

In her gray eyes, all stray thoughts faded away, leaving only the single ’target’ ahead and the single ’blade’ in her hand.

The bullet-chat light screen from the Elysian Realm Hall expanded in a corner of her vision, lines of encouraging text sliding past quickly:

[Elysia: Sakura, good luck! Let that elegant lady witness the extreme speed of ’Setsuna’!]

[Fu Hua: Make good use of the environment, Sakura.]

[Vill-V: A duel between blade and thread! The speed sensor readings are definitely going to go off the charts!]

[Cyrene: Miss Sakura, please be careful!] [Big Tribbie: Good luck!]

Sakura’s gaze swept quickly over the text, and she gave a slight nod as a response. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

The cold system prompt sounded:

[Second round of the program, preparing to begin. Target: Aglaea. ’Persuader’: Sakura (Setsuna).]

The moment the voice fell—

Clang—!

------------------------

I’ve posted 70+ Chapters in advance on Patreon.

Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.

It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?

[email protected]/SolyuraMT

"And If you’re enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"