Chapter 261: Multitask Prestissimo
Honestly, how many times does this Goldhuneenay plan on making me happy? You sure know how to please a guy.
Sunraku: "Too slow, too slow! Not flexible enough, self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay-san!"
Self-Proclaimed Goldhuneenay: "Die…!"
Sunraku: "This is how you use twin blades!"
Its skin got tougher? Yeah, and in exchange, it lost the flexibility it had back when it was soft (though it still felt like compressed rubber). The poison-fluid curved swords doubled to two? Yeah, and in exchange, its movements got easier to read.
Dual-wielding isn't just about flailing two swords around wildly to be strong. Your right and left blades share the offensive load, so quirks emerge from the interplay of timing, attack range, and coordination. There's something romantic about dual-wielding two longswords, but in terms of handling, shorter blades are definitely easier for dual-wielding. Not that I have any real-life dual-swordsmanship knowledge anyway.
The paired blades are designed around their combined performance, so their base shapes are pretty unique. The old Togetsu type, where the pommels connected, or that scissor-type one of the Vorpal Bunnies uses, are still relatively normal. But the combined form of the Whalelore Moonblade I tested just once—Pale Sheen—was so bizarrely specialized I couldn't help but laugh.
A spinning slash, launched from a straining, torque-filled twist of its hips. I deliberately turn my back to the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay and evade with a backflip using the slope, activating Flit Float in midair. I use the aerial foothold to land a backflip double combo, touching down behind the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay.
Sunraku: "Still, a thrust is a bit, uh…"
A lot of things hold me back, so I land my slash just a little below the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay's rear. Dammit, taking mental damage from ethical-code-level concerns is rough.
Sunraku: "Gauge is almost there…"
Just like a creature fresh out of molting is soft, it gradually regains its true hardness over time. The longer this goes on, the higher the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay's stats climb. The one saving grace is that the poison fluid doesn't harden, I guess? Since it's liquid.
Sunraku: "Gotta rethink my positioning. From above to below, reliability dropped…"
A simultaneous downward smash from both swords. I judge dodging left or right as too dangerous and leap forward instead. Slipping between the twin blades, I use the jumping power boosted by Possessed by the Great Asura King to land on the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay's arms as footholds, then leap again and stomp on its head for one more tier. I activate Flit Float and Gravity Zero, now off cooldown, kick off a foothold formed in the void while upside-down, and accelerate downward.
Sunraku: "With this… Gauge MAX!"
My top-to-bottom slash traces from the nape of Goldhuneenay's neck down to its waist. Whatever effect Netherlight triggered is rejected by the scars carved into its body. Right then. The prep work is mostly done, but I can't just jump into action immediately.
The self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay seems to grow stronger over time. From the moment it first shed its skin until now—the jet-black, giant humanoid figure glares at me, its eyes blazing with hatred. The twin poison-fluid swords have started bubbling violently, whether from sheer boiling or some other principle. I can't tell, but it glares at me with those weapons in hand.
Sunraku: "What's next? Planning a ranged attack or something?"
Self-Proclaimed Goldhuneenay: "Burst…"
Sunraku: "Nwaah?!"
If it hadn't warned me in advance, I'd definitely be dead. I retreat at full force—call it a backstep, or really a back-dash—and a few seconds later, the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay leaps up with enough leg strength to lift its massive body and slams both poison-fluid swords into the ground. In that instant, they literally explode. The fact that the poison fluid didn't hit me is pure coincidence.
Bubbling poison-fluid swords are generated anew. I narrow my eyes at the sight while running my brain at full throttle, figuring out how to slip past poison attacks now packing an explosive bonus, all while keeping my body moving.
Sunraku: "I keep changing the plan… but I guess I'll use it after all?"
I glance at the amber-studded glove equipped on my right hand while reconstructing a battle flowchart that I've been assembling and scrapping over and over since this started.
The ideal strategy was probably to finish this with a blitz right after it shed its skin. But what's done is done. Let's re-confirm the plan. First: use Goldsheen's crystallization effect to collect the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay's curse poison. Then: chain into Gilta Brille and brute-force my way to the finish. The first half is personal; the second half is the Unique Scenario clear condition. Since I triggered this solo, I can only pray the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay's HP is scaled for solo play… Can I pull this off?
The self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay has shifted tactics—instead of slamming directly into me, it slams the ground to create poison explosions to whittle me down. I turn my back to it, opening distance, and wait for that moment to arrive.
Three conditions must be met to execute my assembled flowchart.
Self-Proclaimed Goldhuneenay: "Flee… wander… dance… the death dance…!"
Sunraku: "Strategic retreat! Your perspective's too narrow, snake woman!"
First: Make Goldhuneenay use a big attack and create an opening. Surely even an offshoot like this won't pull out some bullshit technique on par with Wethermon's Clear Sky Grand Conquest. The problem is that the poison-fluid swords gaining explosive properties means I can no longer exploit the gap after its attacks. Which means I have to time my move to match its attacks… Yeah, I have to use it.
Self-Proclaimed Goldhuneenay: "Scurrying, around…!"
Sunraku: "Hey, hey, hey, that's one hell of a sluggish predator! No way you could catch a flower swaying in the breeze like that?!"
My mouth handles taunts, my brain handles the flowchart, my body handles reacting. Using the parallel-processing skills I honed in PvP, my verbal attacks—not physical ones—work surprisingly well on the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay, which behaves more like an NPC than a true enemy. Now that I think about it, this is one seriously impressive AI. As expected from military-grade tech.
Refocus. Second condition: secure the ideal coordinates. Originally, I planned to take position at the center of the bowl-shaped hole and intercept the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay from above. But the real sticking point is those exploding poison-fluid swords. Even if I successfully intercept, a careless move could get me killed before I can collect the crystallized result. The strike I need is something that combines an attack and a swift withdrawal—like a bomber's run. A linear movement capable of executing both attack and retreat simultaneously. To pull that off, I have to be the one moving.
Sunraku: "Control the big attack's behavior and guide it… repurpose the original interception plan… reference: pitfall traps… Alright."
Self-Proclaimed Goldhuneenay: "Ssssss!!"
Attacks with explosive bonuses? I've seen those more times than I can count in all the trash games I've waded through. Touching the blast radius equals death—it's pretty funky for a game that's gained mainstream recognition, but compared to homing explosions or cases where the blast somehow keeps going for nearly a whole minute, this is merciful beyond words.
I measure the explosion's duration. Assuming the damage hitbox disappears after three seconds, I move forward at four seconds. The combination gauge is already maxed, so I don't strictly need to attack—but from what I've seen of Lycagon and Emul, the AI's judgment might see right through my plan. I know it takes a bit of time for the poison-fluid swords to regenerate after being detonated. Meaning, if it blows up just one, it temporarily becomes a single-sword wielder. If it blows up both, it's briefly unarmed.
In terms of the size of the opening, I should aim for the latter. But what I actually need is the weapon itself, which makes this tricky. So the target is a compromise between the two: the moment the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay slams both poison-fluid swords down simultaneously in its maximum-power explosive attack, I'll turn the tables—seizing the initiative and striking its weapon.
Self-Proclaimed Goldhuneenay: "Giiiiiiiih! Burst, diiiie!"
Sunraku: "Golden opportunityyyy!!"
Because it's an NPC, I'm not just reading its motion tells—I can read the "emotional" tells, too. The poison-fluid swords raised overhead to snuff out the life of an impudent human are more than enough to signal a major attack is coming. A full-speed backward sprint using Formula Drift. With the center of the massive pit between us, the self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay and I form a perfectly straight line.
Sunraku: "Alright, let's go—Pale Sheen!!"
Combination function: release! Let's slam this evolved power straight into a Unique Monster! The paired blades I once saw a Vorpal Bunny wield crossed in an "X" shape, forming a scissor-like form. The previous Togetsu, Sougengetsu, connected pommels to become a single-edged greatsword. So what form does the Whalelore Moonblade take?
With Goldsheen as the axis, I bring Netherlight alongside it—but slightly offset—aligning the two blades in parallel. Then Netherlight's crystal blade begins to grow with a series of sharp cracks, wrapping around Goldsheen and absorbing it, expanding into a larger blade. The completed form: a greatsword with two grips and a single blade, a golden core clad in a deep navy body. But that's just its outward appearance. Its true nature lies elsewhere.
Sunraku: "Bring it on, self-proclaimed Goldhuneenay. I'm coming straight at you to blast you away."
I'll make you taste the power of Pale Sheen… and not just that. I'll show you the true essence of the Clear Sky style!