“Luluraa♪”
After several exchanges, Clione’s tactics had changed.
The barrage of light orbs remained, but instead of ice thorns, it now manipulated hollowed-out ice blocks.
There were four ice blocks being controlled.
Each one was about my size, and they flew in to block my escape routes.
“(〖Replicant Form〗!)”
In response, I mimicked about eight White Weasel’s Ice Chain Scythes. It was the nostalgic eight-legged style from back in the day.
By hooking the long-reaching Ice Chain Scythes onto the ice blocks, I avoided direct collisions and achieved irregular aerial maneuvers.
I was almost caught in a pincer attack, but I barely dodged it, and then changed course by using the recoil from hitting the ice blocks with the Ice Chain Scythes.
The sudden change in trajectory slightly delayed the aiming of the light orbs, and I used that opening to launch an attack.
“(〖Throwing〗, 〖Thousand Blades Burst〗, 〖L(Lock-on) AIM〗!)”
What I threw was a fragment of an ice block. It was something I had chipped off during the previous contact.
I detonated steel blades along with it, aiming to overwhelm Clione’s processing capacity.
“Ririrerele♪”
Well, as expected, it was easily dealt with.
Two ice blocks that were closing in on me from above and below shattered into pieces, and then the fragments were fired like bullets, canceling out my attack.
The consumed ice blocks were immediately replenished from the icy ground.
Then, the light orbs caught up to me, reversing the offense and defense.
I took evasive action.
“(For now, that ‘Freeze’ won’t come at this distance. If it hasn’t been used after all this, is it out of range after all?)”
The distance between me and Clione was about half of what it was when I was initially running away.
This was to gather information about ‘Freeze’.
So far, ‘Freeze’ had been used when I approached within about ten meters.
I was exploring whether that was the limit of its range, or if there was another factor.
There was also the possibility that it wouldn’t use it because the 〖Mana〗 consumption increased exponentially as the distance increased.
The verification was still insufficient, but for now, let’s assume it can’t be used at this distance.
“(Well, fighting at this distance is pretty tough though!)”
Half the distance means half the time until impact.
In my case, I have 〖Trajectory Prediction〗, so I have a little more leeway, but even so, I’ve been grazed a few times.
Also, my attacks still aren’t reaching, so I need to change the situation somehow.
“(Should I just charge in… no, wait, wait, don’t rush, me. It’s not too late to try a little more.)”
I restrained myself from relying on an easy solution.
‘Freeze’ has a pretty heavy 〖Mana〗 consumption. Even Clione’s 〖Mana〗 would run out if it used it thirty times.
But it wouldn’t just keep using ‘Freeze’ like a broken record.
It’s still playing around now, but if it was serious about killing me, it would probably use ‘Freeze’ in rapid succession at close range while unleashing powerful attacks.
Also, with Clione’s 〖Mana〗 recovery speed, even if I did deplete it, it would recover after a short time.
I need some kind of breakthrough.
“(Well, I can’t start if I don’t move! 〖Compact Shot〗, 〖S(Sparkle) U(Aproot)〗!)”
I fired a barrage in all directions, taking advantage of an opening. I didn’t forget to boost with 〖Weapon Skill〗.
However, I won’t make them track right now.
After that, I fired magic bullets from my whole body several times, and when the number exceeded five, the preparations were complete.
Clione stiffened for a moment as if it had noticed something, and I made my move at that timing.
“(〖Heavy Shot〗, 〖S(Sparkle) U(Aproot)〗! 〖L(Lock-on) AIM〗!)”
The sixth barrage from my whole body. But this time, every magic bullet was heading towards Clione.
Clione finely shattered two ice blocks, turning them into ice swords to defend against the magic bullets from the front. And the remaining two ice blocks were sent to the sky.
It was the same as with the White Weasel. The magic bullets I had fired earlier were falling from the sky with a time lag.
Since it was the “Polar King,” who was more adept at 〖Mana〗 sensing than the White Weasel, it noticed it early, but thanks to that, I was able to time it with the ‘main event’.
“(Will I make it in time?)”
While dodging the light orbs by flying sideways, I poured 〖Mana〗 into two types of Artifacts. They were things I had secretly mimicked while firing magic bullets.
One was Crimson Wings. I prepared three pairs, six in total, just like before.
The other one I only mimicked one of. I narrowed it down to one because using two of these would probably make it impossible to keep up with the 〖Mana〗 supply.
Also, because the amount of 〖Mana〗 required was large, the Crimson Wings were ready first.
“(〖Shoot〗, 〖L(Lock-on) AIM〗!)”
From the embers-colored wings, I pushed out a swarm of cannonballs that looked like a condensed sunset with 〖Weapon Skill〗.
Clione, knowing that I still had a plan, immediately activated a defensive 〖Skill〗.
“(Lararu♪)”
Hexagonal ice crystals, like those seen through a microscope in science experiments.
Three of them appeared, large enough to cover Clione’s entire body.
The ice crystal shields received the crimson magic bullets, but they cracked in an instant.
Probably because of their poor compatibility with heat attacks.
“Lulu!?”
Clione let out a surprised sound.
But the time-lagged magic bullets were raining down, and it was preoccupied with controlling the ice swords. Its reaction was slightly delayed.
Still, being able to produce three more ice crystal shields on top of that, it really is worthy of being a 〖King Beast〗.
The last ice crystal shield blocked the crimson magic bullets, and then—,
“(The ‘main event’ is this one! Heat Ray Demon Eye, activate!)”
—It was burned through like tissue paper by a blinding white light.
“Lulurea!”
The white light caught the center of Clione’s body, burning through its membrane-like skin.
It let out a tormented cry and struggled to escape from the spot.
Its speed was so fast that it was hard to believe it was the same as before. My aiming skills couldn’t keep up, but the duration of the white light was about to end, so it didn’t matter.
“(Finally got one hit in, this is going to be a long road! Lightning Strike!)”
“Lululu…”
I released a Lightning Strike, spurred on by my elated mood, but it was, of course, defended by an ice crystal shield.
The way it used its defensive 〖Skill〗 without hesitation showed a change in its state of mind.
The pressure emanating from the “Polar King” intensified by a notch.