Mikoto: Sorry, but I can't just let you walk away.
I hope you don't mind staying in my world for a while?
Mikoto: Yoshino Reiji!
Reiji: ......
She has forcibly invited and trapped Reiji inside of her Robotics;Notes.
So far, everything has gone as she expected things to.
However, the hard part starts here.
Her opponent is the one labeled as the strongest of the Magi - Yoshino Reiji.
Reiji: No friends this time? You plan to take me on by yourself, Mikoto?
Mikoto: I alone will be enough.
Reiji: Is that so. I guess the loss you suffered last time wasn't enough to keep you down.
Mikoto: Ah well. I was able to hold my own against Freya. While running into you was a surprise, I couldn't afford to let this chance slip away.
Mikoto: I can't let myself lose to that girl.
Can't afford to...? That's not it.
Contrary to her words, Mikoto has no time to spare. She has already felt how different his aura is compared to the last time they fought.
The look in his eyes is that of a Magi that is serious... She has to constantly be alert not to let her body begin shaking uncontrollably out of fear.
Reiji: When I fought Freya, I was still being careless for some reason. I realized after that it was because I had known her.
Reiji: Also, I thought that it was impossible to lose to you Holy Knights no matter how strong you might be.
Reiji: It was because of my arrogance that Sakura was stolen by you. And now you're targeting my friends to do the same thing to them...
Reiji: I will never let that happen. I can't afford to lose any more of my friends!
Reiji's spirit increases dramatically with his words. He's like a completely different person from who he was the first time they fought.
Once again, she realizes that she is trying to fight by herself with the belief that she can defeat anyone.
Reiji: ......Are you sure that you don't want to retreat?
She knew from the beginning that doing something so reckless was tantamount to suicide.
If she retreats now, she can leave with her life. She is sure that her friends would forgive her for making that choice.
They would welcome her back kindly.
Because that is the kind of people they are......
Mikoto: No.
There is something that she must protect.
Reiji: I see... Then, there's nothing else to say...
Mikoto's inner world is a massive river of flame.
In the environment around Reiji, flames hot enough to disintegrate a human body in an instant flow like a river.
They crest with prominence, melting a massive chunk of rock before collapsing.
Then, as the chunk of molten rock lands and is sucked into the river of flame, a rolling wave of fire splashes up and over Reiji's head.
If he were an ordinary person... No, there is no one who can fall into the river of flame and survive. Not even Mikoto, even though she is the Master of this world.
...However.
Reiji: I won't hold anything back.
The wave of flame evaporates the instant it reaches Reiji's body.
The raw magical energy leaking from within him completely cancels out the flames and overbearing heat of this world.
Rather than the superheated flame embroiled with magical energy, it is the raw power pulsating from Reiji's body that wins in outright strength.
So much highly dense magical energy cannot be contained and naturally leaks out of his body.
The heat overflowing from the river of flame is so vast that it alone is more than enough to cause severe burns.
It is Mikoto's own natural affinity with fire that allows her to endure such intense heat; if she were an ordinary person without her miracle weapon, she wouldn't last even a few seconds.
There may not be an opponent who can fight her one-on-one evenly in this world.
Even just standing still like this would cause an opponent to develop a high fever and be robbed of their physical strength,
and she believed that bringing the fight to this world would give her a large advantage.
She realizes now that that thought was just wishful thinking.
Reiji: My friends are waiting. I'm going to go full force right from the beginning.
Mikoto: I also have friends that are important to me...
Her mind flashes to Freya and Alicia, the other important members that make up their three-man cell.
Freya has suddenly disappeared for some reason. But, Mikoto is confident that her friend will return.
She will use her strong resolve to protect Alicia until then.
Mikoto: If I retreat from here, I don't know what kind of face that girl will make when she comes back.
Mikoto: I will... Yoshino Reiji!
I will defeat you!!
She does not mind struggling here, or if she becomes frightened or a fool.
As long as the three of them can continue to laugh together afterward.
The Free Finish Orchestra Battle System has been unlocked!
---Free Finish: Mikoto's Weapon Type Switch---
With Mikoto's Free Finish, you can choose which of her three sacred treasures to use.
The Kusanagi Blade is a large greatsword that can attack with the power of flame that is held within it.
The Yata Mirror can both be used to reflect an opponent's magical-based attacks, or create a strong barrier.
With the Jeweled Bead, she can change her magical energy into flame and create fireballs to attack an opponent,
or she can convert the flames around her into magical energy and take it inside herself to strengthen her physical abilities for close combat.
However, this puts a considerable strain on her body.
Depending on the location and battle situation, choose the appropriate sacred treasure in accordance to the enemy's method of attack, and turn the tide of battle in your favor!
Reiji: Here I go......!
Manifesting his magical energy in an aura around his body, Reiji jumps forward. His daring rush declares that he's going in for a close quarters combat fight at the very start.
His self-taught battle style has its own unique stance that cannot be applied to any known martial arts style.
Holding onto his belief in his own power and that of his friends, his fist tightens further as he swiftly approaches.
Reiji: Dorrrraaaaahhhhhhhh!!
Mikoto: He destroyed the ground just by using his fist...!
She can feel his intense fighting spirit on her very skin.
Although it looked somewhat stingy at first, he did say that he was going all out at the start.
If Reiji is going to go full force, than she must also counter with her full power.
Reiji: Haaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!
Mikoto: Shift! Three Sacred Treasures - Yasakani no Magatama (Jeweled Bead!)
Mikoto: In case you were wondering, I have no intention of losing!
She steps back a great distance from Reiji.
Reiji: If you're just going to avoid me, than I've got a solution for that.
Mikoto: I know. With a Magi of the strongest class as my opponent, I figured that I wouldn't be able to continue fighting in such a way.
Mikoto: That is why I chose to fight in this location.
Mikoto: I'm not fond of constantly evading either. No matter how strong you are, I'm the one who will win.
Reiji: Heh... Tough talk, but it's too early to be saying something like that...!
Reiji leaps after her, thickening the aura of magical energy around him in the process.
He closes the distance in just a few steps, and the moment he enters melee range, he throws out a punch with all of his strength without sacrificing his speed.
......But.
Mikoto has disappeared from his view.
Mikoto: Over here!
Reiji hears Mikoto's voice coming from behind him.
Reiji: Uurrrgghhh!!
He bears his fangs before he can grasp the current situation, following up immediately with another punch thrown behind him this time.
However, Mikoto has already disappeared from that location as well. The only sign that she was there is a faint trace of spark-like magical ether as it turns crimson and burns up.
Mikoto: Haaaaaahhhhhhh...!!
She swings a fiery fist down together with a roaring battle cry.
Her blow shatters the earth beneath the point of impact, opening a large crater-like hole.
Reiji: Wh...at?
Although he was just barely able to respond to the threat from the sky and successfully avoid her attack,
a slight shiver goes up Reiji's spine as he sees Mikoto smiling in the center of the upheaved rock and dust.
Mikoto: Just staying on the defensive...
...would be fairly boring, wouldn't it?!
Yasakani no Magatama (Jeweled Bead)
The Jeweled Bead shares the name of one of the Three Sacred Treasures, and its original function is to convert magical energy into flame.
Utilizing this function, she can create balls of flame to attack opponents from a distance.
However, that is not the only ability of the Jeweled Bead.
By using its ability to convert magical energy into flames in a reversed way, she can turn thermal energy (heat) and flames into magical energy and pour it into another object in her immediate area.
Utilizing this function, she can assimilate the flame-based magical energy created by the Jeweled Bead into herself.
In this world full of flame and heat, the amount of magical energy that the Jeweled Bead can create is limitless.
Although she can only maintain this state for a short amount of time, Mikoto can push her physical abilities as a fighter far beyond their limits.
Mikoto: Dorryaaaahhhhhhhh!!
Reiji: Nugh...! Apparently, I'm not the only one that prefers to fight on my own.
Mikoto: Naturally...!!
Reiji: Ughhh!!
While gliding along the ground toward Reiji, she connects with another fierce and flame-encased fist.
Mikoto: I'm not done yet!!
A split second later, she knocks Reiji back and into the air with an uppercut.
After pushing him into the air, she does not relent even a little... She becomes a crimson flash as she drives to deliver a continuous flurry of blows!
The damage of these punches can't be compared to the ones before it, and Reiji's mind is unable to catch up to Mikoto's explosively flame-filled fists as she delivers blow after blow after blow.
While being struck with an unceasing barrage of attacks, Reiji tries to recover his stance and squints to focus his eyes.
...Their eyes meet.
At that moment, a shiver runs down Reiji's spine.
Mikoto's right fist contains a massive amount of crimson flame that won't even leave ashes as a sign of its passing.
Mikoto: Haaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh...!!!
Her unleashed blow of explosive flame knocks Reiji straight toward the ground!
Reiji: Guhaaa...!
While it is her trump card, it places a considerable strain on her body when she does.
It is only possible for her to embody this explosive magical energy because of her natural compatibility with heat and flame.
But even so, she cannot use it continuously in a prolonged battle.
Her close-ranged style of fighting becomes immensely powerful while controlling such strength.
It is without a doubt her trump card, and her last resort to fall back on.
Reiji crashes to the ground after being forced to endure Mikoto's continuous attacks from beyond her normal range of strength......
Yet he still finds room to smile even in this situation, and he slowly rises to his feet.
Mikoto: Heheheh... Although I meant to decide the battle with that, it doesn't seem that it worked.
Reiji: No. It worked. The only other person that's managed to hit me with such a heavy blow is 'that guy'.
Reiji: I'll acknowledge your strength... However, I'm not going to just stand around and let you do as you wish.
He faces Mikoto as he returns to his usual stance.
Although she certainly inflicted some damage, Mikoto's body is also crying out from the strain of her maneuver. Their positions remain unchanged.
Mikoto: Alright, I understand. Then I'll knock you to the ground as many times as it takes.
Until you can no longer stand back up.
Both of them glare at each other again. They are both pondering their next move while maintaining a certain distance from each other.
Reiji's intention was to end the battle at the very beginning by overwhelming Mikoto with a furious frenzy of blows.
However, rather than charging in eagerly, he is now forced to stay vigilant against Mikoto's hand-to-hand combat skills.
That is, Reiji has recognized Mikoto as an 'enemy' rather than an 'obstacle' in his path.
Mikoto: ......?!
At that time, the footing beneath them starts to shake tremendously.
Mikoto: If we continue to stay here and fight like this, we'll end up going over the lavafall.
Before they had realized it, the ground that they had been standing on had started to drift downstream and gradually picked up speed. Now, a lavafall looms just a few meters ahead of them.
EXS System: Change Location
By using the EXS trigger, you can relocate the battlefield to a different section of the river of flame.
If you continue to fight in the same area for too long, the molten rock you are standing upon will eventually reach and go over the lavafall at the end of the river of flame.
Against a formidable opponent such as Reiji, expect him to utilize several different strategies that will change in accordance to the ground you are fighting upon.
Sometimes, it is also a good idea to reset the battlefield by moving to a different location.
Assess the current battlefield situation and utilize Mikoto's Three Sacred Treasures and the ground you are fighting upon to turn the battle in your favor!
Mikoto: It isn't a good idea to keep fighting here. Let's move this to another location.
Saying so, she jumps a great distance away from her current location.
Reiji: Alright. No matter where we fight, the result will still be the same.
Reiji: Da Capo: Curtain Call!!
Reiji: Arcadia Jinx!
Reiji wastes no time in using one of his techniques.
The second that he lands near where Mikoto has stopped, he summons forth Jin's magical weapon, Gjallarhorn.
Gjallarhorn utilizes concept magic to make its operator's words into reality.
But Mikoto cannot be affected by any magical weapon's ability. The ability of her Barrier Jacket makes them null and void.
Having already fought the Holy Knights previously, Reiji should of course be aware of this fact...
Reiji: "All flames shall move according to my instructions."
Mikoto: ?!
That is why Reiji's words are targeted not at Mikoto, but at the world around her.
Balls of flame arise from the great river around them, rotating slowly around Reiji as if he were a pole.
It is proof that the flames around them have bent their knee in allegiance to Reiji.
Reiji: Heheh... Unlike you guys, these ones apparently know how to show obedience.
The Holy Knights cannot be affected by any magical weapon's unique ability. However, they cannot disable the ability itself.
Reiji realized this fact the last time that he and his friends fought Mikoto and the other Holy Knights, remembering that the power of Ayane's threads were still effective against the large army of dolls.
That is why he directed the subject of his power toward the world and not Mikoto herself.
The result...... is a great success.
From this point forward, Mikoto's 'world' is under Reiji's control.
Reiji: You're not getting away from me now. Blame the world you've created yourself if you need to.
Reiji: "Dance, vortex of flames. Burn your target Mikoto to ashes!"
Answering Reiji's orders, numerous gouts of flame jump out of the river and attack Mikoto all at once.
She jumps away just before they reach her, barely managing to escape from the fiery cage.
The ground that she had been standing on is melted by the converging, burning vortex, leaving nothing but an empty hole.
Mikoto: I already knew how fearsome this world was... Damnit...
Reiji: You can't change direction while you're in midair!
Reiji: "Devour your target... Fly upwards, snake of flame!!"
Reiji's spoken words immediately become reality.
Coiling around itself like a snake, a large spiral of flame flies up into the air toward Mikoto... To swiftly attack its target!
Mikoto: Don't screw with me!!
She manages to shift her balance enough while in mid-air so that the snaking spiral only lands a glancing blow,
knocking her back toward the ground and avoiding the harshest amount of damage, her blazer both sizzling and smoking as proof of where the attack connected.
Reiji: "Rise, numerous fireballs!!"
Reiji continues to attack without giving her any room to breathe.
The moment she lands back on the ground, several balls of flame rise from the river around them.
Reiji: You don't have any time to rest... "Launch yourselves at your target in rapid succession!!"
The heavy rain of fireballs begins to fall.
Answering Reiji's order, each is individually and accurately aimed at Mikoto.
She frantically looks for an opening while continuing to run around and avoid his fireballs.
She has no chance of winning as long as the initiative remains in his hands.
If she cannot find a chance to strike back, she will eventually be swallowed up by the flames.
With his source of magical energy nearly limitless as he steals the flames from the river around them, the only thing accumulating fatigue is her legs.
Her body was already screaming from fatigue with the previous use of her awakened state.
She doesn't have much time left to make a decision.
Reiji: Tch... You're not getting away!!
Mikoto: Shift! Three Sacred Treasures - Yata Mirror!
She brings the mirror in front of her and expands its barrier outward.
Although its defensive power cannot be utilized well against an opponent who specializes in melee combat, its true value shines against magical-based projectiles.
All of the threatening flames that try to devour Mikoto are caught by her mirror's barrier.
Mikoto: Let me return these flames to you...!!
Reiji: Deryeh!!
Reiji destroys the reflected fireballs with his own fists.
But he is unable to destroy all of them with just his fists alone, and thus jumps away immediately before the rest can crash into him.
Reiji: So you can repel all kinds of magical projectiles. I guess it's going to be difficult to defeat you with long-ranged attacks.
Reiji: ?!
Mikoto: It's too late for you to notice that now!! Haaaaa!
She swings her sword downward with a swift and powerful strike enhanced by her momentum.
However, Reiji is no longer there by the time her swing finishes.
Having perceived the danger approaching him, he has leaped away to create some distance from Mikoto.
Mikoto: The situation has reversed... It's my turn to attack this time. It's my turn to chase you!
Reiji: I'm not giving up the initiative that easily!
Reiji flashes a fearless smile toward Mikoto as she dashes toward him.
Reiji: "Rock, fall down upon Mikoto!"
Reiji says only a few short words this time. Feeling a shadow fall across her body, Mikoto turns her eyes skyward.
What she sees is a meteorite.
An enormous rock clad in flames is falling down toward Mikoto at a tremendously rapid pace.
Mikoto: Wha...
Caught completely off guard, she instantly changes the focus of her attack from Reiji to the falling rock.
Mikoto: Haaa!!
Reiji: As I thought, that mirror of yours can prevent magical, but not physical attacks.
Mikoto: Then, that attack just now... No.
Reiji: Yes, that was on purpose.
I guessed that a large rock clad with flames would be able to break through that mirror of yours... and it looks like I was right.
Reiji: "Continue your pursuit. Attack simultaneously with your brethren and crush your target!"
The pieces of crushed rock covered with flames rise back into the air and launch themselves at Mikoto.
As if they were only waiting for Reiji's command to give them life!
Mikoto: ...!!
Mikoto: Fighting here any longer would be really bad...!
Judging that continuing to fight here would be dangerous, Mikoto quickly lifts her weapons and leaps away.
Reiji: You're not getting away from me...!
The footing here is much narrower than that of the previous location.
Reiji: It was a mistake to move to an area with such small and unstable ground...
Reiji: Da Capo: Curtain Call!!
Reiji summons the beautiful and brilliantly shining golden sword.
Nagisa's Svafrlami. The sword of victory that cuts through all to bring its wielder victory. (Pardon the double use of the word, that IS how it is worded.)
Mikoto: Isn't it too early to say that? It's going to be as difficult for you to dodge as it is for me.
Reiji: What are you talking about? Did you think that I was planning on fleeing or hiding and not fighting you?
Reiji: I'm aiming to win... That's all I plan to do!!
Mikoto: Whoa...
Reiji's simple and straight slash shows the immaturity in his sword arm.
Therefore, even with the added weight of her great sword it is easy for her to step back and dodge his attack.
Reiji: I expected you to dodge it!
He pours magical energy into the blade in his hand.
Reiji: Tyrfing!!
While Svafrlami's effect of 'cutting through' its enemy will be nullified by her Barrier Jacket, it will not cancel out the power of its slash. (I do recall this being different with Freya...)
Although Mikoto managed to create some distance by jumping away, with the ground in this area so small she cannot leap carelessly, and the golden wave of light quickly moves to take her neck.
Mikoto: Nngh!
She manages to leap away again just in the nick of time.
In addition to the Western-style longsword's significant reach, she also must deal with the golden wave of light that can be released from that sword.
Combined with the narrow footing in this area, she will always be within range of Svafrlami's blade.
Reiji: Dorryahhh!!
Another golden wave of light strikes just after the first as Reiji releases the ruthless sword technique again.
With such narrow footing it is difficult to rebuild her posture without maintaining a certain distance, and he'll quickly catch up to her if she tries to do just that.
Reiji: Do you see now that it was a bad idea to move to this area with such poor footing? If you thought to buy some time, that was your big mistake!
It is as he says. Defending is not an option, and evasion is just as poor of an idea with how far apart the footing is.
In that case... the option left is to attack!
Mikoto: Shift! Three Sacred Treasures - Yasakani no Magatama! (Jeweled Bead!)
Reiji: Nice dodge. Judging by your movement, you're using that technique again to increase your capabilities.
The flames in the river around Mikoto begin to ripple and be drawn inward toward her.
The next moment, she has assimilated them.
By absorbing an enormous amount of flame using the Jeweled Bead as a medium... she resumes her awakened state.
Mikoto: Here I come...!
Reiji: Heh. You really think it will be that easy to reach me?
He raises Svafrlami and points its tip straight at Mikoto.
Mikoto: It's true, there is a difference in reach... However, it's not a problem since I can make up for it with my speed!
She kicks away from the ground as she finishes speaking, closing the distance to get in range to land a fierce blow with her fist.
Reiji: Urrrehhh!!
Reiji turns his sword sideways and slashes horizontally, its blade a wall that Mikoto is going to crash into at such a short distance.
Mikoto: W-Whoa...! As expected, it's going to be tough to get in range with that blade's reach...
Reiji: Tyrfing!!
Mikoto: ...!!
Reiji does not let up on his attack, fully aware of how much stronger Mikoto is in her awakened form.
Although his skill with a sword is that of an amateur, she is challenging him while unarmed... She is at an overwhelming disadvantage in terms of attack range.
In addition, he has the ability to use that slashing technique to make up for his own lack of skill.
While her speed may have risen in this state, no matter how fast she is, it will be difficult to get away with the ground so small and spaced out.
The already small amount of ground she had to maneuver on has shrunk drastically, as his attacks have been destroying them.
Reiji: You're slowly running out of room to run.
Barely able to evade as it is, she's running out of both ground and stamina as her body cannot maintain this awakened state for much longer.
As Reiji prepares to attack again, she leaps away in order to find another location to better fight upon.
Reiji: So now you're thinking that with such a large amount of ground to move on that you can just attack from a distance?
Reiji: If that's so, you're too naive!
Reiji: Da Capo: Curtain Call!!
Reiji: I can't waste any more time. I'll end this in one attack that cannot be defended or dodged and destroy everything here!
Reiji: Even Magi.
The location that Mikoto has jumped to has larger and more stable footing than the other locations they have fought upon.
Reiji's battle style focuses primarily on attacking in melee. She figured that by fighting on as large of a platform as possible,
that she would have the advantage by being able to maintain a medium-to-long distance from him and attack at range.
However, that idea too is a failure.
Mikoto: No way... Mythic-class?!
When she fought him together with the rest of her three-man cell, she managed to fend off the Mythic-class attack that Reiji's magical weapon used.
The fear she felt in the face of that gigantic pink-colored column of destruction starts to creep up her spine once again.
Mikoto: No, this is different. This Mythic-class feels far bigger than that one...!
Reiji: You're right. This isn't just Laevateinn. There are two more coming with it. A magical cannon created by piling a total of three Mythic-class magical attacks together...
Mikoto: WHA......?!
One Mythic-class blast has enough power to destroy the world, and this one is going to combine three of them together into one.
The first to be used is of course Laevateinn.
The other two are Thor's Hammer and Judgment.
With the ground this wide and stable, he can focus on bringing that much magical energy together into one point without having to worry about falling into the river of flame.
Reiji: HAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH...!!
There's no time to waste.
The only way out of this situation for Mikoto is for her to move first.
She must use everything she has in order to stop Reiji from firing that absurdly powerful magic cannon.
Reiji: Now, it's time to end this...!
Mikoto: Shift! Three Sacred Treasures - Yasakani no Magatama! (Jeweled Bead!)
Mikoto: But is it still too far away from here?
Mikoto: Against such a massive and insane attack, it's pointless to try and run away or change locations...
In that case... There's only one logical choice to make.
Mikoto: I don't have any choice but to stop it by force!
Her body is already at its limits. However, she must still run forward regardless.
If she just stands back and lets Reiji fire that thing, she'll die and this fight will be over.
She won't be able to protect her friends that are important to her.
Then, even if her body breaks, she will run forward to shatter her inevitable defeat with the strength embedded in her fist. She is betting everything on that slim chance.
Mikoto: Huph!!
...She moves like a streak of lightning.
One moment she kicks off of the ground, and the next she appears right in front of Reiji. She is going to use her flame-enhanced fist to try and knock Reiji off balance before he can fire.
Reiji: You're going for a suicide attack? ...Even that is pointless!
Reiji: I was ready for you to try something like that from the start!!
Mikoto: ......I know.
Mikoto: That's why I'm doing this!!
She swings her flame-enriched fist as hard as she can...
...and smashes it down not upon Reiji, but the earth beneath them!!
Reiji: W-What?! Wait, you're not...?!
Mikoto: UURRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
She bores in... pierces... and breaks through it!
A massive crack runs through the ground around Mikoto's fist as it begins to rapidly collapse.
Mikoto: It would have been my loss if you were able to fire that...
Since that was the case, I chose to do this!!
Reiji: Fool! If you do something like this...
Their broken platform drifts swiftly toward the lavafall. At this rate, they're both going to be sent tumbling downward.
Did she really manage to overturn her destined defeat?
The answer is easily apparent in her wicked smile.
Mikoto: I just decided to bet on a small chance rather than none at all!!
Their platform quakes heavily.
Any second now, they will begin to fall down the lavafall.
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