“Waaahhh!!!”
Cheering citizens in the audience.
And the other Climbers watching couldn’t help but be impressed by the fierce battle.
It was a real struggle where neither side would back down, fighting genuinely to kill.
Wakamou, who was only watching, felt like he was going insane.
No matter what means she had, there was no way out!!
Even heading to the 1st floor as Wakamou or using [My Worlds]—─even the connection with the entity was completely cut off!!
It was to the point where you could feel the Coliseum’s determination to allow no interference.
He tried letting the Man-eater of the 2nd generation run wild, but even she couldn’t do anything.
This space was repeating infinitely.
The floor doesn’t break, and if you keep going forward, it suddenly appears from behind, and the ceiling is oppressively low.
It was truly a special District meant for isolation.
The [Pirate] said it himself that it was a Skill he got as a reward for the “70th floor.”
While it’s unclear how far the rules of the [Unfair Contract] apply, it certainly could interfere with the “Tower’s rules.”
From the victim’s standpoint, it was naturally impressive for a Pirate to play such dirty tricks!
But on the flip side, where could that [Skill] be effectively used?
The prerequisite was a mutual agreement between both parties for a contract.
Is there even a place for such a thing other than this Coliseum?
Unless it’s a conversation with a Tower, transactions or bets usually aren’t established.
Perhaps if Wakamou had bet everything she’d gained from the China Tower, that [Skill] might have been valid.
“Sigh…”
Hence, she was completely bested.
There was no option for Wakamou but to watch helplessly.
Her opponent had chosen the option of not fighting, completely excluding Wakamou.
For Wakamou, it was just a match with only the 【Mystery Tower】 at stake.
Perhaps….you can’t even use the [Skill] unless the value is equivalent.
Thinking about it, the Pirate firmly exclaimed.
Given how much Wakamou had been played in this domain, she understood how much the Pirate must have racked his brains upon acquiring this Skill.
“He means business.”
The “will to win” in the Pirate’s eyes was something even Wakamou couldn’t take lightly.
Still, Wakamou had no choice but to believe.
That the VTubers she trained herself would win.
※
“This is something else.”
The [Unfair Contract] earned as a reward for the 70th floor.
Honestly, Pirate Nagato Yukiyoshi had no idea where to use such a Skill.
Where on earth do you use a Skill that can modify the effects of only mutually agreed contracts?
No special compulsion is granted on the contract, and signing such a rare contract provides little benefit.
Then, in the 【Coliseum】, as it was fixed by contract to the rules of fair play, he quickly realized he could use the Skill.
Could all the efforts he made floating on the sea and the desperate struggles of his life not be in vain?
Just winning here is enough.
He might be chased by Wakamou Inarizushi for the rest of his life and never be able to set foot on land—
──But as the 2nd generation Pirate, almost 8 years living as a 【Pirate】, he was ready to even risk his life.
“If this Class only gives [Skills] like this trash, I wouldn’t have changed!!”
“Heh, everyone says the same thing after all.”
The [Swordsman] chuckled and sneered at the Pirate, saying he had no such [Skill].
Among the remaining members were the [Three Armies Naval Commander] and [Bear Spirit], totaling only four.
Only one person had been reduced from the opposing party, leaving just four.
There was no underestimation.
As expected, they seemed to possess the strength befitting the strongest Climber team in existence.
“I wanted to fight them!! Those heroes I read about only in books!!!”
Dragging his old body, the Swordsman drew his sword and ran across the arena.
How many people in Asia wouldn’t know the names of Yubi, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei?
Any well-read person would have seen these heroes of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and now they were alive and moving.
Though merely spirit entities, their pressure was vivid. And what about that surging Mana and immense combat aura?
It was hard to believe they were fellow Asians, wielding massive weapons and starting a fierce struggle, one against three.
Wakamou, with arms folded, also watched the battle in silence.
“──I could imitate that, huh?”
The Pirate knew that this was a fight where, without Wakamou, no prospects of victory would have existed.
The bloodied Wanda Haye began charging with a scream.
The longer the fight went on, and the more she got hurt, the bulkier and wilder she became, eventually resembling [the embodiment of a bear] rather than a climber.
Eyes burning like flames, a mouth emitting mist, hair spitting lightning, and shining claws emitting radiant light.
“──Uwooohh!!!!”
If the [Bear Spirit] had properly conquered even one Tower, could she have imposed stronger commands?
Honestly, it was a miracle that she managed to sway a little the command, thanks to the Class affinity.
“My bears!! Go and fight!! [Commanding Totem]!!”
At the call of the Bear Spirit, three massive bears made of pure white souls charged at Wanda Haye.
To compare, it seemed like elementary schoolers rushing toward a sumo wrestler.
A swipe of her forepaw unleashed a fierce wind that carved through the arena floor, effortlessly cutting the bears to pieces.
A remaining bear made a brave charge, but Wanda Haye’s mouth emitted a beam that sliced it in half.
“Roaaaarrr!!!!”
In the scene of a beastly bear appearing to breathe up from hell into the sky, even the audience held their breath in fear.
“Why won’t [Transformation] cancel…?!”
“Try boosting us. For such a monstrous [Shifter] like that, your level of constraint won’t work.”
At her level of transformation, it’s probably close to the realm of unity with the divine bear.
With a transformation that rivals Monsters, her [Resistance] would be extraordinarily high, so ordinary [Magic] wouldn’t work.
At the Captain’s command, the Bear Spirit erected a Totem, granting an area-wide buff to allies and reducing the stats of the enemy.
Targeted directly within an inescapable range, Liu Ying grimaced as her stats plummeted.
‘It’s lethal only to those with stats.’
Watching her Agility dropping from 350 to 200, Liu Ying clicked her tongue.
Conversely, for Wakamou with no stats, this Skill is meaningless.
The more she thought about it, the more she understood how intricately prepared the Pirate was for this moment.
“[Impressive skills!!]”
“[Aren’t you getting weaker, elder brothers?]”
“[Hmm─!! Do not blame the descendants, Zhang Fei!]”
The summoned beings, as Summoned by Liu Wei, were embarrassingly weaker than before. Plus, after receiving the Bear Spirit’s debuff, the struggling Swordsman was instead driving back the three, fighting on equal footing.
This is a battle against time.
If it doesn’t end quickly, there’s really no chance of victory.
“Let’s go─!!!”
“Before making it a sea──”
“【Qi Cannon】!!”
As arrows flew in, Sadako pushed Liu Ying out of the way, taking a direct hit and being blown backward.
Activating [Shield] magic at the nick of time to take it on, Sadako checked the increasingly dimly visible state of the [Kamimusubi Tattoo] due to the massive Mana consumed.
Using the [Reality Marble] Skill to trap and bind all together within the space was endured by the Pirate with his cape, unaffected.
‘──This means there’s an astounding gap.’
Though hardly believable, the Pirate struggling even 1:1 against Liu Ying. Sadako having a chance to win against that Pirate is perplexing.
She had thoughts on whether it was a problem with his stats because he wasn’t particularly strong in swordsmanship.
While poison might have been deadly, unfortunately, it would not work on Liu Ying.
Hence Sadako concluded that the [Pirate] probably reserved the [Skill] for this moment, with countless spectators watching.
──Reputed as 【2nd Generation】.
A legendary Climbers class recognized during her father’s time. A man known to drift across all seas.
Called unbeatable at sea, he was a fearsome Pirate without parallel.
His companions were not the strong ones.
There was something special about him.
‘There is a peculiar [Skill] isolating the leader who can’t do anything. It implies even more outrageous things!’
“Fire the cannons!!”
In line with the command of [Three Armies Naval Commander] General Wonyou, hundreds of cannons fired into the void suddenly.
Following that, as a sword was brandished, concealed rockets by Divine Mechanism came into view, launching arrows and creating a shadow by blocking the sun.
The already unfavorable situation was exacerbated by the opponent being buffed and them being debuffed.
Immediately turning to fog to close the distance Sadako began to run fiercely.
Meanwhile, Liu Ying downed a strength potion and just started blindly running pulling as well.
Boom─! Boom─!!
And in the face of coming gunfire, her body absorbing some of the ship’s physical hits from falling gunpowder-filled shells as Wanda Haye took a big swing with her foot, resulting in a scream from the Bear Spirit.
“[Set sail]!!”
With the Pirate Skill declared again, spawning warships charged fiercely, ramming into Wanda Haye.
Slightly pushed, but lifting the enormous ship with sheer force, her monstrous strength made them momentarily marvel, yet a swing of the Commander’s sword revealed what it was.
“[It’s Pillage Time]─!! “
With his command, an overwhelming number of ghost pirates on the deck threw ropes with hooks, charging at Wanda Haye.
From ghost pirates running with bombs strapped to them to those simply counted, there were easily over several dozen pirates pouring over the deck.
Like an anthill being disturbed and having ants swarm out, Wanda Haye thrashed wildly but it seemed never-ending.
Rushing in several single-handedly pulling with rope, appearing like an immovable breakwater, she stood on her hind legs while using her back as a springboard to leap toward the Captain, Liu Ying and Sadako leapt.
From her hand, Liu Ying’s gun spewed flames, unloading dozens of bullets into the Bear Spirit.
Caught off guard by Liu Ying, who jumped while having the sun at her back, she vomited blood, staggering while falling forward.
To destroy the Totem, Liu Ying forcefully threw the empty gun like a boomerang, which was deflected mid-air by the General’s sword.
“How long can your ally hold out!!”
In Wanda Haye’body, riddled with arrows and pockmarked from being struck by shells, she grew slower being attacked even more sluggish by ghost pirates wildly swinging poisoned swords.
Exemplifying merciless hammering aimlessly without care whether it broke it with no sensitivity even demanding nothing precise intent, a pirate ship churned through the void not destined for self-destruction but smashing down row after row.
“[Naval Battle’s First Area]!!”
Casting the Skill yet again, ocean water flooded the arena.
Concurrently, with the plateasm emerged a warship’s deck, with Liu Ying and Sadako advancing together in storm to face the Captain and the General.
“You fancy a [Pirate Roulette]?”
“Kyaaa!!”
Amidst the Pirate’s seemingly whimsical question, while Liu Ying puzzled, Sadako behind her was abruptly thrown into an [Ork Barrel], tumbling as she ran.
Seeing the familiar barrel with holes from somewhere, Liu Ying thought of aiding her, but before she could turn her head, a self-moving cutlass impaled Sadako encased within faster.
“Well…. it doesn’t hurt?”
“Black Beard’s Close Shave!! Quite famous back in Japan, no?”
As he recited the name of the well-known toy, Sadako, the only other Japanese there who understood it, was startled, but soon after, was launched with a “Tou-Kwang!” propelling herself to the opposite side of the arena.
Propelled like a canned pirate being pricked with a sword, Sadako vanished into a speck of distance in no time. Liu Ying swung her sword at the Pirate.
Barricaded by a casual intercept with his cutlass, followed by gunfire from his spare hand, Liu Ying avoided the attack, keeping her distance, General swung his sword from behind.
Matching the roiling sea’s movements and swaying platform, Liu Ying compensated steadfast, engaging in a grim struggle.
Her stats downgraded sharply, whereas her two opponents noticeably empowered with buffs, sustaining against them revealed the [Alchemist] resolute thread of strength.
“Die, Chinese!!”
Conveniently, whenever the General mentioned lightly he seemed to burst out racial slurs.
Liu Ying deftly parried the General’s thrust with her sleeves and swung her coat, sharply cutting his abdomen.
“Hng…!!”
“You, weakling moron!!!”
Utilizing her [Alchemy] Skil, she transformed the metallic coat into a weapon, blithely cutting through and bisecting the General’s waist, Liu Ying staggered dodging the cutlass grazing her cheek.
“Go easy on them. Just climbed a mere up to the 39th floor. Lowest in our whole pirate gang you see.”
“…..Train a little bit more, didn’t you?”
On hearing Liu Ying’s rebuke, the Pirate admitted begrudgingly to the reality of her plain observation.
Even though Bear Spirit had collapsed, [Totem] beneath the sea remained intact—─[Three Armies Naval Commander] also fell, however, his [Naval Battle’s First Area] persisted stable and unswayed.
Only the momentarily emerged warship slammed in stark opposition, gracefully replaced from the deep sea’s stealth to an emergent pirate ship, emphatically colliding while in reverse creating upheaval through its force.
With a midflight turning executed in full pirouette, he swung his hook-rope, aiming at Liu Ying’s neck looping a grand arc on the pirate ship’s deck, finally slamming her violently.
Still, amid the descent, she spun herself, performing a breakfall, severing the rope, as dynamite showered like rainfall.
Encircling herself in half-dome shield utilizing alchemical power, the sound of fireworks-like dazzling chain explosions mingled, when a pinache had crashed mingling with pirate warships oppressively buried downward.
Thud──
Finding no chance to recover before Liu Ying sank into to gush a collision in the sea.
She realized that strangely unfathomed depths engulfed, without sighting the arena’s floor differentiating it wasn’t the same [Skill].
The Pirate moved like a harpooning fish copiously through water, with his cutting-edge efficiently inflicting on her ankle as he glided beneath.
Unprotected by her coat underwater, and straight sealing down her hallmark agile movement at once, she suffered the mortal wound.
Knowing her ankle’s tendon snapped, Liu Ying scattered a vial under the water.
Amid explosive potion brewing, she swerved directions, graze the pirate hastily echoingly along current upward heading surface.
A violent chain onward exuded shooting grumbling vault providing convulsions, ejecting on the sea curtain ripe towards parental pirate warships meant anticipatedly to welcome them ashore.
Hop.
Adverse force in one leg without strength, tremors shook Liu Ying’s eyes.
With several more minutes until her Skill’s [Cool Down], could she endure? Would repeated attempts hostile her adequately?
The fell pirate radiated entirely different valor standing forthright before her.
He couldn’t come to be overwhelmed by palpable charisma emitting extensively from his gaze.
Unclear where swept, the other companions might have led even dreadfully becoming a one-on-one confrontation.
“─Even if you win, our extremely angry boss will smash your head open.”
“Hahaha!!! Like I wouldn’t know that!!!”
The pirate merely exploded with laughter as Liu Ying’s threat provoked him, his craze-illuminated glance bulged clangorously gripping more intensely his sword.
“World says it all!! Crazy enough I am!! That dare against that supreme idol!! To put it straight atop of a tower challenger no less!! You know what? 5 Towers I’ve conquered!!”
“What…?”
Second Generation Pirate Nagato Yukiyoshi.
With scant reasoning behind his leadership at best being who climbed most towers. Among companions only Sith among swords sharper traversed close to death beyond mortal escape.
Never defeated at sea, the nightmare of the sea, modern-day reigning sole pirate!!
“Through [Unfair Contract] obtained as landmarking reward for the 70th floor….haha…. Have you heard…[Alchemist]? Within the world, all are divided into combat and non-combat worlds based occupation. Yet, there’s no label for somebody neither this nor that like me.”
Ironically, [Pirate] stood as neither combat nor non-combat defining as an indeterminate occupant.
The doer indulged comprehensively out in breadth his mastery spanning much grander in mesh shape almost like hexagon imbalanceself.
Irony concerning classes somehow veering more perplexedly end up becoming mystically confused something..annulus??…he mused confoundedly.
“When I conquered Maldives Male 30th floor Tower. A Skill named [Store Transaction] as class-exclusive, unfolded outdated…around 9 years ago….”
“…….”,
“Back then, presumed comprehensible using a so-called 【Tower Coins】 issued, though when attempted using Skill deciding utterance garnered? [No store exists] ringing true, suffice.”
Ptig affront hearing Pirate’s honest disclosure, Jackson in the crowd couldn’t resist heartstring tears trailing uncontrollably opined.
Breaking forth uncomfortable trauma strained intimidating beekeepers stifled breath, Tongues lashed in innocent derision dropping cocksure prevails shift perceiving..fully……he divulged silly visage.
Even Wakamou, compromising [Everything] gained over unlike Wakamou yielding 100th floor conquering 【Tower Coins Store】 started lamenting stargazing resolution plotting likely inevitable bottle soliloquizing banishment dreaded Sundown.
He just smiled.
“No matter if everyone thinks I’ve gone mad. There is an ambition I cannot concede! Even if my opponent is truly a god. As a man born into this once-in-a-lifetime life, living as a pirate doomed to hell since birth, I’ll enjoy it with my beloved ship and die fighting joyously!”
The pirate had a resolution. Liu Ying’s complexion grew darker as she heard his words.
Her opponent was fiercely determined and full of a strong will to win, even at the cost of his life.
Moreover, the opponent was a Climber who had conquered and reset five Towers, having experienced all sorts of challenges.
How could he be so weak?
Because he wanted to feign weakness and keep his [Skill] hidden until the very last moment.
And now, his fighting Liu Ying with his true intentions revealed to everyone was no different.
“Because I’m a Pirate, I stake my life on treasure!! A man’s life!! How can you sail the seas fearing death!! Even if everyone in the world calls me a fool!! Facing the trials given to oneself is what a Climber does, and sailing against storms is what a Pirate does!!”
Liu Ying quickly threw a potion from her waist.
But the pirate swung a rope with a hook attached towards the flying potion, catching them all in mid-air and lifting them above his head.
An unbelievable sight, even with her own eyes.
Just as she drew out a spare gun from inside her coat and fired rapidly, the pirate used his cutlass to deflect the oncoming bullets.
“[Absolute Counter]!!”
The cutlass, emitting light, multiplied into dozens, reflecting the flying bullets back.
As the bullets and potions all returned to her, Liu Ying executed her [Ethereal Taiji Divine Fist (虛靈太極神拳)] to deflect them, while the pirate dashed across the deck.
“Uggh…!”
“Even if toxins don’t affect you, liquor will get you intoxicated!!”
With the pirate’s debuff inflicting [Drunkenness], everything she saw multiplied before her eyes, and Liu Ying, too weak to stand due to nausea, slammed against the deck.
Her vision twirling and her body weakening, she hurled her sword, guided solely by instinct.
Wielding movements akin to those of a drunken master, Liu Ying swung and dodged while the pirate brought out a staff against her.
“[Nine Ghost Style] Half-Staff Technique!!”
The pirate, performing martial arts with a staff instead of a cutlass, demonstrated consummate skill, striking Liu Ying’s head and vital points relentlessly.
As if replicating the circular movements of Taiji, he pressed with waves akin to an encroaching storm until Liu Ying, floundering, was beaten mercilessly.
The waves grew fiercer, and the ship rocked violently.
The deck danced and swayed as objects on it rolled off in the rapid currents.
“[Barrage]!”
With the fluttering of the pirate’s coat, six cannon barrels emerged.
Liu Ying couldn’t avoid nor endure the rain of cannonballs, closing her eyes tight.
“Rooaaarrr!!!”
Just then, from the depths of the sea, Wanda Haye surged up, grabbing hold of the ship’s underside and flipping it completely upside down.
Thanks to that, the cannonballs fired into the air and Liu Ying, almost plunging back into the sea, drank a potion, quickly neutralizing the drunkenness effect and maintained her balance on the overturned ship.
‘She could open a shop for dealings anytime but didn’t buy anything’
Seeing the pirate standing on the opposite side, Liu Ying surmised he had more hidden means.
Swoooosh──
The rain poured down. A deluge swept through.
Boom──
Lightning struck in the stormy sky, creating a whirlpool that absorbed seawater at the center of the duel stage, pulling the ships in.
“Peach Brothers!!”
Once again retrieving an artifact, Liu Ying summoned heroes.
Before the three spirit forms could even manifest, the pirate’s counterattack was faster.
“Finish it, Kraken!!!”
At the pirate’s summons, a colossal tentacle rose, enveloping the pirate ship and swallowing it into the sea.
At the moment she sank, Liu Ying, accelerated like a cannonball, dropped all her artifacts, kicked away by the pirate.
Spinning so fast, unable to discern up from down, she was swallowed by the rushing torrents, grabbed by Wanda Haye and desperately pulled to the surface, but even she was sinking, ensnared by the Kraken’s tentacles.
“Sadako!!”
However, as if resolved, came her call.
[Potions] in hand, Liu Ying chugged them and finally noticed Sadako clinging to the remains of an oak barrel, floating like a buoy at the edge of the arena.
“Shape-shifting!! Giant Lava Stream!!”
Her tattoos illuminated as she struck her palm fiercely towards the sea, turning it crimson for a moment before steaming into mist from the pouring rain.
The burning Kraken and Wanda Haye were engulfed and sank with the lava.
Even in the lava, Wanda Haye endured with her bear spirit’s thick hide, smashing impotently on the remaining pirate ship.
Though the pirate was underwater, he would’ve burnt up in the lava… or so she hoped.
“Guh…!!”
A massive slash tore through the lava, horizontally striking Wanda Haye and extending to the arena’s end where Sadako was.
Is he a swordsman? No, he’s now airborne above the lava, his legs aflame, aiming to finish off Sadako.
It was the pirate.
He sliced through the lava with Wanda Haye.
“Don’t come out!!!”
Sadako, freezing the lava instantly, was slashed diagonally by the swordsman, grabbing the pirate again.
The swordsman lost his legs, sustaining critical injuries, and Sadako was on the verge of death.
She clasped the two swords at her waist.
Neither divine nor demonic─in her hands were [National Treasures] she summoned with [Ghost Blade Fusion], glaring fiercely at the swordsman.
The swordsman, unable to evade having lost both legs, composed himself for the confrontation.
“Come, Daughter of the King of Authority!”
“[Three-Piece Promise: When a Sword is Sworn on, Mountains and Rivers Tremble]”
With a three-inch sword, I swear, and mountains and rivers tremble─
As the [Sword’s Name] was chanted, the longsword quivered pitifully, roaring. The sight of waves crashing on the sword’s edge sent chills down the swordsman’s spine as he smiled.
Though it was merely a [Skill] embedded in a [Sword], Sadako, entwining it with her deadly intent for mutual destruction, cast a spectral figure of an Asura looming behind her.
In the Coliseum, you cannot truly die.
It meant she could fight without concern for her bodily harm.
The sword energy materializing in Sadako’s hand seemed able to slice through even the Japanese ships spanning over 100 units at the sea’s horizon.
Though reluctant and maintaining possession as she’d received it, when necessary, it was time to use it.
“[With a Single Sweep, Blood-Stained Mountains and Rivers]─!!!”
──With a single stroke, the river turns crimson as blood stains mountains and rivers.
The intersection of two swords swung, directing the [Great·Slash] towards the [Swordsman].
He was exhausted from fighting against three heroes, his will was spent.
Though he pulled up his sword fiercely─upon seeing the [Shape-shifting] sword swaying, his eyes widened.
“Could it be, at the moment of being slashed?!”
Without a chance to swing his sword, the swordsman was split into halves, his upper body soaring skyward, as he met Sadako’s cunning move with a face of frustration.
Sliding on the ice with a beam of light, Sadako, drenched in black blood, lowered her head after dropping the sword.
Even having overexerted herself this much, she didn’t withdraw. Clenching her teeth, drawing on sheer will, she concentrated and gathered mana.
Bang—
The fierce battle continued, relentless, without a moment to catch one’s breath.
With the ice shattering due to a chain reaction explosion triggered by the pirate, destroying the pirate ship, Sadako’s stat reset was complete as the Jangseung was destroyed.
“…How…?”
‘How is he fine…?’
Even though he’d sunk in the lava, he’s unscathed.
Nagato Yukiyoshi, adjusting the pirate hat snugly on his head, cast his fiery gaze at Liu Ying, who took a final breath.
Swiping her hand across her face, the [Plague Doctor’s Mask] clicked into place.
Simultaneously, [Alchemy – Hyper Adrenaline] activated, turning Liu Ying’s hair white.
‘It ends with one strike─!!’
Using every potion at her disposal, risking her ankles breaking from the crushing force, Liu Ying, with the sound of snapping bones, propelled herself like a meteor towards the pirate.
Deftly deploying the [Engineer’s Coat] to forge an iron fortress, she aimed a lethal strike at her adversary.
Even if the blade was blocked, she intended to pierce through with the coat’s thorns and kill.
“Do you think I’ll lose with the finish line in sight!!”
Producing a [Document] from his pocket, the pirate opened it. The paper held a detailed [Roster].
There, the names [Yao Fang] and [Penthesilea] were crossed out.
“──You, don’t tell me you asked if he lost when you raided?!”
From the spectators’ seats, Penthesilea watched the [Moonlight’s Blessing] bestowed upon the pirate, stunned.
Activating his skill, bestowing the divine blessing over his body. Wakamou was equally astonished.
“Liu Ying!”
The cutlass in the pirate’s hand sliced downwards from above.
It was utterly simple─but Wakamou recognized that swordplay.
“Fiendish Five Swords!!”
Encased in a pressure akin to the sky crashing down, Liu Ying displayed a 90-degree right-angle evasion.
She forfeited her legs for that movement. The coat was now her legs.
Sidestepping and simultaneously summoning an [Ice] golem to charge towards the pirate as a sacrificial pawn.
“Saint…!”
“I’m watching.”
Another name was erased from the list: [Gabriel Valentino].
Watching the pirate clad in a divine aura all over his body, he felt shame and humiliation at being exploited after the loss of the Mystery Tower.
Boom—
With a scraping sound, the sliding pirate slipped back across the ice.
Even at full speed, hitting and swinging her sword, she couldn’t break through the [Champion]’s momentary [Invincibility] state.
“──It’s a pity I can’t use Japan’s next strongest [Skill], but!! I’ll show you why I hold the legend of an undefeated record at sea as a 【Pirate】!!!”
Having lost one leg and having failed her lethal attack, Liu Ying no longer had the strength to fight due to the body enhancements she employed.
Towards such Liu Ying, he expressed admiration, raising his cutlass high for exerting her utmost effort as a [Non-Combat Class].
The [Pirate] class had access to the [Tower Coin] collected by the first generation until the brink of death.
He must’ve struggled desperately to decipher what they were for throughout the year of succession.
The second generation, bewildered by “why didn’t he use this?” without finding a place to spend it, wandered for another 10 years collecting [Tower Coin].
Liu Ying too wondered why she doesn’t use the [Shop]? That was her question.
The answer was, because [Shop] couldn’t be utilized now.
The power of [One Strike] rose in proportion to the accumulated [Tower Coin] and [Wealth] he amassed.
The cutlass drew in a radiant golden aura.
The items he acquired climbing and resetting towers, alongside the treasures and loot from traversing the world, melded with the pirate’s pride and greed, forming an apex of uttermost ferocity.
A special move capable of cleaving an aircraft carrier, let alone the sea in a single slash.
“[El Dorado Matar]!!!”
Death was certain.
Liu Ying thought, not even Wakamou could stop this.
Sat there at a loss, only able to gaze at the luminous golden slash, came Sadako’s echoing voice as if to snap her out of it.
“[Elemental Conversion]!!!!”
Condensing the element of [Dark] and [Reversing] it.
Having seen Wakamou perform it, knowing it was possible, Sadako, with a bleeding nose, concentrated the [Light] element to one point.
“[Light]!!”
Before the sword could descend, a quick shot of light severed the pirate’s wrist holding the cutlass.
“Uooohhh!!!!!!”
Without turning back at Sadako’s exit, Liu Ying, employing footwork with her shattered ankle, lunged with all her might, thrusting her sword through the pirate’s heart.
“Dam…n….”
“Haa…haa…”
Underneath the mask Liu Ying wore, blood poured down.
Simultaneously, the pirate’s blood flowed out in waves.
“──You’ve won….but I’m a pirate…. I can’t give you the treasure…”
“What… the…”
Even with his heart pierced, the flames in his eyes blazed fiercely.
Madness to rival Wakamou’s arises─the endless obsession for treasure!!
“【Class-Exclusive Skill Deceitful Plunder】!!”
A skill unique to pirates acquired after conquering the 90th floor.
The ignition conditions for this skill required this:
1. A dispute over treasures must exist.
2. The treasure’s identity must be clearly known.
3. [Unfair Contract] must be initiated.
4. The opponent must be unaware of this skill’s existence.
A [Skill] laden with absurd penalties.
In this moment, once the pirate used it, it was all but a once-only skill, unavailable for the third generation thereafter.
Burning the future to cinders for this solitary moment.
The reason for staging it in the 【Coliseum】 was just that.
Even considering the event of losing while fighting.
[Pirate Nagato Yukiyoshi is stealing the [Mystery Tower] from Idol Wakamou Inarizushi!]
[No rewards exist to be traded from the battle!! The duel is forcibly concluded!]
Everything was reverted to the initial standoff at the duel arena.
All were left teetering, unable to stand from the residual shock of the battle, yet Wakamou stood out otherwise.
Casting [Idol’s Thunder] and with reddened hair blazing, Wakamou swiftly unleashed his maximum output, aiming to kill, towards the pirate.
However, one name on the pirate’s list faded.
With the skill [Emergency Escape] of the Explorer class enveloping the entire pirate crew.
A semi-transparent barrier absorbed the impact, granting complete invincibility.
It was ludicrously high-performance, worthy of a non-combat Legendary Class Explorer, sustaining Wakamou’s strike.
“──Naturally, I even prepared a plan to flee after fighting.”
Enveloped in light, the pirate clutched his chest, coughing up blood.
The hole pierced through his heart remained visible. And so did the severed arm.
“…..This caliber of skill wouldn’t lack risks.”
Unable to receive healing for his duel-inflicted injuries alone.
Receiving treatment from [Bear Spirit], he continued to cough blood.
Forcibly lodging a hook into his severed wrist, he grinned, appearing more pirate-like than ever.
“─My victory, Idol.”
“No, it’s early for declarations. The position of the remaining Mystery Tower is Antarctica, isn’t it?”
The [Saint] seated among the audience rose gently, uttering legend-filled words all could hear with her mystifying voice.
Her actions ruined what was nearly accomplished, causing the pirate’s expression to contort and twist, wiping away his smile.
Yet, irrespective of appearances─
“Though others laugh at unachievable dreams. It’s the Climber’s nature to harbor one or two such dreams within.”
The pirate, now regarding Liu Ying, spoke.
Though her dreams were unknown, he remarked that she shared a hazardous ambition like his own, smiling as he bellowed mightily to the world.
“Anyone desiring the Shard of Babel that fulfills all wishes, come to the end of this world!!! Only the victor takes all the treasure!!!! That’s the creed of a Climber, isn’t it, you lot!!”
“Hmm…”
Given how things turned, it urged them to fight intensely to the bitter end and fight again.
“─I apologize for taunting. It was rude to mock someone else’s cherished dreams. But without such a goading, would you have moved?”
The pirate, unyieldingly burning bright despite the severe trials, flashed a wide grin, conveying his apology, as he glanced up towards Wakamou.
“I’ll be waiting at the Antarctic point, strongest one.”
With those words, the pirate transformed into light, fleeing utilizing the Explorer’s skill.
Wakamou silently scratched the back of his head, gazing at the vanished sky.
“Should I go fetch it?”
No reply came.
If the boss said he was going, all they could do was follow.
“This time, I’ll wish to be able to sing well.”
“Gosh, Master, please!”
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