Chapter 389: Sisters, One

On July 21st (Sunday) from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, a special broadcast titled "10th Anniversary Memorial Fest! Overlap Bunko All-Star Gathering SP Vol. 4" will be aired on ABEMA (ABEMA Anime Channel).

This broadcast will feature a special focus on "I Became the Strongest With The Failure Frame[Abnormal State Skill]As I Devastated Everything", so if you have some free time, please check it out.

The program will have live studio appearances by Suzuki Ryouta-san, who voices Touka Mimori, Miyashita Saki-san, who voices Seras Ashrain, Tsukui Ayami-san, who voices Pigimaru, and Koshimizu Ami, who voices Vysis. They will discuss highlights and recommended scenes from the anime. (Additionally, Koshimizu Ami-san will also co-host the program with Tenshin Hantaro-san (aka Mukai Tenshin). Also, though it isn't for "Failure Frame," Yamashita Daiki-san, who voices Yasu Tomohiro, will also make an appearance via video letter.) The program promises a variety of luxurious information, so I hope you'll watch it as well.

Below is the URL for the program (searching for terms like "Overlap," "Special Program," "Vol. 4," and "ABEMA" should also lead you to the site).

https://abema.tv/channels/abema-anime/slots/8qeh3YfcgDG79Z

Additionally, there will be a free recap broadcast of episodes 1 and 2 of "Failure Frame" from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm right before the special program, so if you're interested, please check that out as well.

https://abema.tv/channels/abema-anime/slots/8qeh6GEMrWJ6pF

<Takao Itsuki POV>

According to Elder Sis' explanation, <Gungnir> has a cooldown of 10 minutes.

(My sister said 20 minutes earlier to make Yomibito think there's a 20-minute wait before it can be reused. When we fought before, Vysis probably couldn't accurately track when <Gungnir> would be available again———- That's what Elder Sis said. And she knows I'm aware it's 10 minutes......)

My cheeks relax.

(Elder Sis sure is meticulous about these details.)

So, I can feel at ease.

While moving......

[Status Open.]

I display the window.

Generally, this window is visible only to me.

With her skill, Kashima Kobato is an exception———- and there's one more exception.

That's Vysis.

Divine Servants have Vysis's essence.

So, there's a possibility that they could see my Status.

That's why I've been avoiding displaying my Status as much as possible.

However———- this is something I need to check.

(......Alright.)

There's still enough MP to use <End> two more times.

It's too early to give up———— if Elder Sis says it's too early, then it is.

Even though we're fighting such a terrifying enemy, I'm not afraid.

Because Elder Sis is fighting alongside me.

(My role is to create openings for Elder Sis...... to draw Yomibito's attention my way.)

I closed the window and fired <Two> at Yomibito.

[ ! ]

(The lightning strike———-)

......was just slashed with a katana.

(Tsk...... Why the heck did that Divine Servant transform and become so strong? Not only that, it looks like <End>'s paralysis effect has worn off too———- D*mn it. I used to only need to be careful of two swords...... now there are two more, and I have to bring the earlier situation back...... but———)

I'll do it.

I accelerated with <One>.

Seemingly matching my timing, Yomibito also moves.

During this time, Yomibito has received Elder Sis's wind blades on its back and shoulders.

However, they're not fazed.

In fact, they're completely ignoring them.

Yomibito's slash comes my way.

However, adjusting my movement direction, I evaded their attack.

Meanwhile, my mind continues to run.

Should I keep running until <Gungnir>'s cooldown ends?

Or, should I attack based on the principle that offense is the best defense?

"These sisters are helpless for 20 minutes. Therefore, I must deal with them quickly."

Is this what Yomibito thinks?

Or perhaps......

"Since there's a 20-minute leeway, let's take it slowly."

Was it the other way around?

Elder Sis is currently pursuing both me and Yomibito.

(———-For Elder Sis's sake, I have to do this properly!)

Elder Sis may be an S-rank, but she's not a pure combat type like Ayaka Sogou.

Her skill application is outstanding.

She's extremely adept at seeing through lies and using wind for support.

However, her only single-target attack skill that can be called a decisive move is <Gungnir>.

This is also a fact.

While she can compress elements like before to increase the power of wind and lightning, it's probably not very reliable.

In fact, Elder Sis isn't using wind blades or wind lightning as her main attacks right now.

The most effective use is probably as a wide-area attack.

It's likely the way she used it when fighting the Great Demon Emperor Army in the Eastern Army.

Still, against the Demon Emperor Army's golden-eyed monsters, the power was sufficient.

So, it's not that her attack power is weak.

Therefore, her skills other than <Gungnir> also have considerable offensive power.

However......

As for how many of her attack methods does she have that are effective against Yomibito——-

"The crystal used for Kirihara-kun's appraisal shattered, while Sogou-san's was disintegrated. But in my case, it emitted a strong light, but the crystal didn't break."

"Therefore, maybe only those two were beyond S-rank."

Previously, Elder Sis analyzed this.

I have a desire to deny it, but the one who analyzed that was Elder Sis.

I don't want to argue with Elder Sis's analysis.

But, if that's the case———-

(I'll just fill in for the areas she lacks......!)

I'll do it.

I'll draw Yomibito's attention here.

Right now, they're actually targeting me.

(Does it choose its target based on which is easier between Elder Sis and me? Well, I get why, but......!)

Three out of the four hands holding the katanas are targeting me.

However, I feel like today, my senses are unusually sharp.

I can read the distance between us.

Quite clearly, that is.

However......

(......Arehh?)

There's a red line running across Elder Sis's forehead, even though she should have avoided the blade.

The wound seems shallow but———-

(Elder Sis, just now...... she should have avoided the blade properly———-)

[————-Itsuki! Their katana has a blade that isn't visible!]

For once, Elder Sis raised her voice sharply.

[Eh?]

(Ah, shoot———)

—————Kzhhk—————

[———Ah.]

(Eh? My left...... eye? ......Arehh?)

I...... can't see with it?

I snap back to reality.

That's right.

I was slashed.

My left eye is hit.

I can't see.

I feel myself deeply shaken.

[Huh?]

(Why was I———-)

At a time like this, am I actually thinking about what life will be like when we return to our original world?

Thinking about how I'd spend my daily life with one eye missing......?

———Ah, that's scary.

There's a cold, shrinking sensation deep in my chest.

No...... that's not right!

It's not right!

Elder Sis was nearly killed by poison!

It must have been much worse for her!

Compared to that, this is nothing.

No, but———

It's still scary.

The pain———- The pain where my left eye should be.

It's very unpleasant, it's painful.

It's probably going to get worse——— what will?

A more intense pain———-

[Uuuu......]

(With just one eye, my depth perception...... How long...... can I keep on evading......?)

Arehh?

Big Sis?

What is she saying?

[——-tsuki!]

Ah......

My heart......

My heart———-

......is being broken?

□

In reality, this was the first serious injury Takao Itsuki had sustained in this world.

Surprisingly, this first-time experience had shaken Itsuki's spirit profoundly.

Moreover, misfortune compounded the situation.

The unexpected existence of the enemy's "invisible blade."

The unknown attack due to the enemy's mutation.

It was akin to a "sudden attack" that comes with facing something new.

Also, Itsuki's mind isn't as transcendent as her older sister.

Yes, compared to her older sister, she's still just an innocent teenager.

It's understandable that she would be shaken, confused, and terrified.

In fact, the fact that her feet didn't stop———- even unconsciously———- might have saved her life.

▽

(Kuh...... If it's Elder Sis...... she wouldn't be this shaken...... Uuu...... ———-D*mn it!)

Calm down.

Calm down, me!

Why am I so rattled just because I lost one eye!?

Calm down———- calm down!

Calm down, calm down!

However......

[Hahh...... Haahhh......]

Finally.

My feet stopped.

My left eye......

"Hurts so much."

The moment I felt that———-

My feet, along with its trembling, ceased their movement.

I stopped in place.

(Huh? No way...... Wait...... Move...... Move, d*mn it———)

At that moment......

[Yomibito!]

Elder Sis called out to Yomibito, who had been mercilessly attacking me.

(Is she compressing the wind around Yomibito... causing it to flow backwards?)

Yes, almost like a black hole.

Just a little, but Yomibito is being pulled———- towards Elder Sis.

[Yomibito...... it seems you're misunderstanding something.]

[ ............... —————- , ? , —————- ............... ]

[Did you not realize it? Although you think this battle is two against one...... Since I arrived, it has always been one against one.]

[ ! ]

One against one.

In other words, this is......

"Takao Hijiri and Yomibito's battle."

That's what she's saying.

Elder Sis......

(Is she trying to draw Yomibito's attention towards herself?)

......I......

I'm no good.

I'm dragging Elder Sis down———-

[Us sisters have always been two people fighting as one———- so this battle has always been one against one, and nothing has changed. And together...... we will defeat you.]

[——————]

Tears welled up in my right eye.

The pain in my left eye———-

It blew away somewhere.

Along with the fear.

Yes.

She has always......

[......Elder...... Sis.]

She has always blown away such bad feelings.

Like a refreshing, cool breeze.

[Itsuki, can you still go on?]

[————-, ......Sniff...... Fuu...... Yeah, of course! You know, Elder Sis......]

I managed to lift the corners of my mouth into a faint smile.

[Thanks, you saved me.]

[Don't be foolish. It's me who's being saved by you.]

That's not true, Elder Sis.

You're always the one who helps me in times like this.

......The trembling also disappeared.

With just a word from my sister, I somehow managed to regain my composure.

I adjusted my body's stance slightly.

I don't know if it's scientifically valid.

However, it feels like the distortion in my depth perception is somewhat better.

It might be just a matter of feeling though.

On the other hand———-

Yomibito, who seemed to have stopped moving, was muttering strange things.

It was as if they had received some profound inspiration, standing still.

[........... ————, happy, kill, oh Sun sisters, how far will you shine, kill, happy———— ...........]

I took out my pocket watch and glanced at it.

[Fuuuu......, ———-<Lightning———-]

Remaining time left...... ————7 minutes.