Chapter 460: The Miracle He Caused

Chapter 460: Chapter 460: The Miracle He Caused

Chapter 460: The Miracle He Caused

After tens of thousands of soul bodies emerged onto the battlefield, Miwa Ashikaga noticed Asagiri looking toward her.

She immediately understood.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and spoke in a deep voice.

"You all go ahead."

"I’ll lead the remaining Players and buy you as much time as possible."

"Then I’ll leave it to you, Ashikaga-sensei."

Asagiri turned away.

Yuuki Asuna and the others followed him onto the platform of Black Particles created by Iwanaga Kotoko.

The platform rapidly rose toward the top of the towering black structure.

Watching them disappear higher and higher into the darkness, relief and hope appeared in Miwa Ashikaga’s eyes.

She murmured softly,

"You have to win..."

There was only so much ordinary Players could do.

To confront an enemy like Nyx, an existence capable of destroying an entire world, courage alone was not enough.

One needed the will to face death directly.

To overcome the fear of death itself.

And on top of that...

One needed power standing at the absolute pinnacle of all Players.

At this point, the ordinary Players could no longer meaningfully participate in the battle ahead.

Their role was simple.

Guard the tower.

Hold back everything Nyx sent against them.

And ensure that nothing interfered with the final battle between Asagiri’s group and Nyx.

...

Upon reaching the top of the tower, Asagiri and the others were greeted by an enormous black platform.

It was vast enough to cover several football fields.

At the very center stood seven objects resembling enormous black embryos.

Through their thin membranes, vague humanoid figures could be seen curled inside them in fetal positions.

Above the platform floated the giant eyeball that represented Nyx.

Seven thick blood vessels extended from the enormous eye, each connecting to one of the embryos below.

A viscous black liquid continuously flowed through those vessels and into the forms inside.

"Screech..."

The moment Asagiri and the others stepped onto the platform, the membranes of all seven embryos split open from within.

Seven pale humanoid figures slowly emerged.

Each was nearly two meters tall.

They possessed no facial features.

Their bodies were pure white.

And across that white flesh spread eerie dark red patterns.

"Those things..."

Yuuki Asuna, Kaguya Shinomiya, and the others immediately had the same thought.

They looked almost exactly like Human Asura.

Aside from their pale coloration and Human Asura’s larger physique, the seven creatures were nearly identical in appearance.

Even the dark red patterns covering their bodies were remarkably similar.

"Oh?"

Asagiri watched the seven humanoids slowly approach.

He could clearly feel the power surrounding them.

Pure death aura.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Copying me?"

He took out the black gun shaped summoning device.

Without hesitation, he raised it to his temple.

"Then let me show you what the original looks like."

His finger pulled the trigger.

"Come out."

"Human Asura!"

The instant Human Asura appeared, Asagiri and the others launched their assault.

"Domain: Damage Doubled!"

"Link."

Fujiwara Chika and Sakurakawa Rikka immediately activated their support abilities.

Sakurakawa Rikka naturally chose Asagiri, the strongest combatant present, as the target of her Link, allowing her to share the damage he received.

As for Fujiwara Chika’s Domain...

The choice of effect made their intention obvious.

Damage Doubled.

There was only one objective.

End this battle as quickly as possible.

However...

"So fast!"

Yuuki Asuna accelerated to full speed and thrust Shining Starlight toward one of the white humanoids.

Yet the creature simply stepped sideways.

Her sword missed.

Shock flashed through Asuna’s eyes.

It could keep up with her?

She did not hesitate.

Instead of stopping after the failed strike, she immediately retreated.

An instant later, the white humanoid’s fist smashed into the exact spot where she had been standing.

Its movement speed was, if anything, slightly faster than her attack.

At the same time, two white humanoids attacked Asagiri from opposite directions.

Nyx’s target was obvious.

Eliminate the greatest threat on the battlefield.

Shadow.

The one who also wielded the power of death.

"So their speed is comparable to mine and Violet’s..."

Asagiri watched the two white figures close in from the left and right.

He did not hesitate.

He completely ignored the one approaching from his right.

Instead, he turned toward the creature rushing from the left and raised the Shura Fan as if preparing to block.

But the instant the white humanoid reached him...

Asagiri lowered the fan.

Dark red patterns had already spread through the surrounding area.

"Supreme Magic Bullet."

BOOM!

A black pillar of light erupted.

It swept across the battlefield toward all seven white humanoids.

Nyx, suspended above them, naturally did not remain idle.

Scarlet light burst from its enormous pupil.

Just like before, that crimson force collided directly with Supreme Magic Bullet.

The two powers locked against one another.

If the clash continued like this, the result would be no different from last time.

Neither side would be able to fully unleash the origin power of death while the other interfered.

But when Asagiri saw that stalemate...

He smiled.

"March."

Yamauchi Sakura immediately understood.

This was the exact moment they had planned for.

She raised her hands.

"Flower of the Tree!"

A powerful life force spread across the battlefield.

Flower of the Tree did more than enhance the physical abilities and defenses of allies.

It could also directly restore physical and mental energy.

Which meant...

Asagiri returned the Shura Fan to his inventory.

Then he raised his right hand toward the giant eye above.

His voice remained calm.

"So what are you going to do about the second shot?"

His fingers extended.

"Supreme Magic Bullet."

The giant crimson pupil abruptly contracted.

Nyx clearly had not expected it.

A second Supreme Magic Bullet.

Immediately after the first.

This was beyond mere instant casting.

Asagiri had released the second attack without even allowing the first one to end.

Previously, he would not have been capable of this.

The Ring of Conversion allowed Asagiri to convert physical energy into mental energy and cast Supreme Magic Bullet a second time within a short period.

But there was still a brief interval.

He needed time to focus on activating the Ring of Conversion.

Flower of the Tree removed that weakness.

With Yamauchi Sakura directly restoring his mental energy, there was no need to interrupt his casting process at all.

Faced with the second Supreme Magic Bullet, Nyx had no choice.

The dark red power contesting Asagiri’s first attack was immediately withdrawn to defend its true body.

And the moment that happened...

The first Supreme Magic Bullet flooded over the seven white humanoids.

Black light swallowed them.

But this time...

They did not disappear.

Instead, their bodies remained locked inside the black radiance, struggling against the force attempting to erase them.

"As expected."

Asagiri showed no surprise.

"They can’t be erased directly."

He had already anticipated that possibility.

The seven creatures were puppets created by Nyx from the concept of death within this world.

Naturally, they possessed a certain resistance to Supreme Magic Bullet, which itself represented death.

But that was enough.

Shining Starlight erupted with brilliant radiance in Yuuki Asuna’s hands.

Kato Megumi’s Hidden Shadow transformed into a longbow, its surface glowing like moonlight.

Iwanaga Kotoko raised both hands as spiritual power condensed around her so densely that it almost became tangible.

Kaguya Shinomiya’s Shinso vanished.

In its place, several weapon phantoms turned into streams of faint light and wrapped around her body.

Behind Hayasaka Ai...

Hundreds of phantom silhouettes appeared.

Each represented an ability she had once copied.

Asagiri’s eyes turned golden.

Dark red markings spread across his body.

Human Asura Mode.

At the same time, he summoned Ruiner Nergigante.

Then Alice appeared in her mature combat form.

Crack.

The space surrounding Asagiri began to fracture.

The power gathering around him was so intense that even the world itself could barely contain it.

An aura of destruction filled the platform.

It felt as though the end of the world had already arrived.

The seven white humanoids were completely engulfed by that pressure.

Then...

"Sky Severing Sword!"

"Oboro Flash!"

"Dawn Arrow!"

"Hundred Skills of Disguise!"

The four girls unleashed their strongest attacks simultaneously.

Asagiri’s eyes became pure dazzling gold.

"Mother Earth’s Dinner."

BOOM!!!

The impact shook heaven and earth.

Far below the tower, the Players battling specters, Special Infected, and Blackwatch units instinctively looked upward.

Then almost immediately, they raised their arms to shield their eyes.

The dark world had turned white.

Blinding light swallowed the sky.

"Did they already win...?"

Miwa Ashikaga had barely spoken when her expression suddenly changed.

An indescribably terrifying pressure descended.

There was no time to resist.

Her body was slammed directly against the ground.

She could not even raise her head.

"This..."

"What is this...?"

At the top of the tower, Yuuki Asuna and the others were suffering the same suppression.

Their strength allowed them to endure slightly better than the ordinary Players below.

But only slightly.

Every one of them had been forced to their knees.

Their hands pressed against the ground.

Even lifting their heads required everything they had.

"This bastard..."

Iwanaga Kotoko gritted her teeth.

Her violet eyes stared at the giant eyeball above.

Nyx’s true body was expanding.

At the same time, countless cracks began spreading across the sky.

Disbelief filled her eyes.

"It plans to destroy itself..."

"And this entire world with it."

"It’s going to drag all of us down together!"

"Looks like there’s no other choice."

The moment Asagiri spoke those words, Yuuki Asuna’s expression changed.

"Asagiri..."

She immediately understood what he meant.

She wanted to reach out.

To stop him.

But Nyx’s pressure was so overwhelming that she could not even raise her arm.

All she could do was watch.

Asagiri had originally been forced down onto one knee.

Now...

Slowly...

He stood.

His body trembled under the crushing force Nyx was releasing at the cost of both itself and the entire world.

But he still forced himself upright.

Then he raised one hand.

A Tarot card slowly descended from the air.

The Universe.

Asagiri caught it.

For once...

He did not immediately crush the card.

His fingers curled around it.

Then stopped.

A hesitation appeared that none of them had ever seen from him before.

Just for a moment.

Then...

As if he had finally made his decision...

His fingers tightened.

Slowly.

Firmly.

Crack.

"Great Seal."

"No..."

Yuuki Asuna’s eyes widened.

"No!"

Light began spreading from Asagiri’s body.

His figure was gradually turning translucent.

That radiance expanded outward, beginning to envelop Nyx’s enormous eye.

Yuuki Asuna understood exactly what was happening.

Great Seal would overturn this destined outcome.

It would guarantee victory.

But the price...

Could be Asagiri himself.

"No..."

She refused.

Absolutely refused.

She would not accept a future bought with his sacrifice.

That determination burned so strongly within her that, for a brief moment, Yuuki Asuna forced herself free from Nyx’s overwhelming suppression.

Her body regained movement.

"What do I do...?"

Her thoughts raced wildly.

There had to be something.

Some way.

Anything.

Then...

Her gaze suddenly landed on something lying across the black platform.

Less than five meters away.

"That is..."

The black gun shaped summoning device.

The one Asagiri had used earlier to summon Human Asura.

Perhaps it was nothing more than coincidence.

Or perhaps...

Yuuki Asuna’s unwavering determination had produced a miracle of its own.

But at that moment...

The summoner was lying directly within her reach.

....

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