--- Alexia ---
In the past, I always thought I had to follow the steps of the obviously stronger one.
Like a fledgling bird mimicking the flight patterns of its elders.
At first, such a role was filled by my sister.
After her, then... Fray.
You can't easily get rid of your previous self, no matter how wrong you know it is.
Treasuring the sword.
That was the first thing I noticed from him, and put it in practice.
I started treating my sword differently, even though nothing ever really changed.
Because you don't do something like this expecting for something in return.
Rather, it's a way of living in itself.
I often found myself pondering what kind of swordsman I wanted to become whenever I looked at my sword.
However, the truth was that I didn't share the same special connection he felt with his own weapon.
According to him, he was actually 'banned' from using any other weapon besides his sword, which naturally fostered a deep bond between them.
This bond developed so naturally for him that he couldn't offer much insight to help me understand it better.
Even if he could, I likely would have refused any guidance offered.
I yearned to forge my own path, to understand it without the influence of others shaping my journey.
Becoming a mere imitation of him was not an option I could accept.
I refuse to repeat the same mistakes of the past.
Yet, no matter how much I pondered, wielding a single sword never felt right for me.
In my subconscious, it seemed inevitable for a sword to fail in my hands—whether breaking, bending, or simply unable to cut through its target.
Changing my mindset would require too much time.
But if I aimed to reach his level, to envision the day we could stand as equals, then my current approach wouldn't suffice.
Therefore, I had no choice but to embrace this apparent weakness and transform it into a new source of strength.
If one sword failed, I could rely on two, or even three.
Each blade, even if individually limited, could contribute to an overall impact when combined.
However, I recognized the danger in such thinking.
Practically, wielding multiple swords simultaneously was impossible.
I'm not like a certain fantasy character Fray told me about.
The initial concept felt crude and rushed.
But then, it dawned on me—I didn't necessarily require physical swords to achieve my goal.
Slime jelly.
With it, I could create numerous swords and manipulate them simultaneously.
As long as I can find a way to do this, then it might actually be possible.
My instincts are screaming at me.
This is it.
It's just an idea for now, but I couldn't help but feel compelled to give it a name.
"...[Thousand Swords Art]"
---
Returning to the present...
Jormungandr's massive axe came crashing down, and since I had already obtained the information I needed, there was no need for me to stop hiding my powers.
'[Thousand Swords Art: Defensive Formation I]'
With a surge of concentrated slime jelly, I manifested a dense defensive barrier to intercept the blow.
The axe struck the shadowy blades, but they held firm, deflecting the attack.
I couldn't help but let my lips arch up.
Jormungandr roared in frustration, raining down a flurry of powerful swings. But each time, my swords sprang forth to meet his strikes, parrying and redirecting his relentless onslaught.
The more he tried, the more I understood.
I've never attempted to counter Authority directly before, especially since Fray's power was too risky for such experiments. A miscalculation could result in instant death, so I understand why he refrained from using it.
How were they able to withstand something absolute like Authority, you may ask?
Well, the secret lies in my ability to compress immense amounts of slime jelly into a single sword.
I had to undergo extensive training to achieve this outcome. This is because compressing a large amount of slime jelly into a small object like a sword requires a significant amount of Magical Power to maintain its form and control it effectively.
Unlike Fray, I don't possess Magical Power comparable to an expansive ocean.
Mine is more akin to a small sea at the moment. Despite various experiments aimed at increasing it, I couldn't collect the Possessed's Magical Power like he could.
That's just how it is.
But none of that matters to me, since I can fill in for the lack of quantity with quality.
Just as I thought I had weathered Jormungandr's assault, I sensed Hel's dark energy building up.
She swung her scythe, unleashing a lethal wave of death-infused power. Without hesitation, I changed my strategy.
'[Thousand Swords Art: Offensive Formation I]'
...I'm not that good with names.
As a result of my formation, a swarm of swords was conjured to intercept Hel's attack. The blades clashed with the attack, their unyielding edges carving through the dark energy and shielding me from harm.
'...It's better to take her out first.'
As I fought off both Jormungandr and Hel, I couldn't help but feel a growing sense of annoyance towards the latter.
While Jormungandr swung his axe with the pure intent to have a fight, Hel was a different kind of opponent altogether.
She was smart, calculating, and strategic - the kind of opponent that could drag out a fight unnecessarily.
I knew I had to act fast and take her out of the equation before she could come up with a plan to exploit the limits of my Thousand Swords Art.
For someone like her, it wouldn't take long to realize them.
With a surge of energy, I conjured a sword in my hand, its blade infused with the essence of 300 slime jelly swords.
The weapon felt formidable, radiating a tangible aura of power.
Despite the draining sensation of expending a significant portion of my Magical Power, I steeled myself against the fatigue, knowing I couldn't afford to falter.
As Jormungandr's blade neared my neck with deadly intent, I acted swiftly, utilizing slime jelly beneath my feet to launch myself into the air.
Mid-flight, I twisted my waist, redirecting my body in Hel's direction with calculated precision. With another burst of slime jelly, I closed the distance between us in the blink of an eye.
It felt like I was being punched all over my body, but I could easily endure this kind of pain. My body was trained enough for such a feat.
Nullifying the impact with the ground using slime jelly, I didn't pause for a single instant. Hel's eyes widened in shock as she realized what was happening, and in a desperate bid to protect herself, she instinctively raised her scythe still filled with power.
Useless.
My blade sliced through it like it was nothing, destroying the weapon and carving a deep gash across her chest. The sight of her own weapon being rendered useless filled Hel with horror, and her cries of pain echoed through the air.
I could see the fear and disbelief in her eyes as I continued my assault, my sword moving with lightning speed.
She tried to evade, use her Magic Power. Anything, but...
I severed her arms with ease, the sharp blade cutting through flesh and bone like it was butter.
Deep gashes covered most of her body, blood spurting out from the wounds and staining the ground beneath her as her cries grew more desperate.
Her eyes were full of despair
She must have known.
No one would be able to save her.
I knew this kind of feeling all too well, for I have felt this kind of despair for a long, long time.
Unlucky for her, though, there's no way I'd stop simply because we can share one emotion.
With a final, decisive strike, I brought my blade down on Hel's neck, severing her head from her body in one clean motion.
The force of the blow sent her head flying through the air, but I quickly caught it before it could go far.
Holding it firmly by the hair, I coldly smashed it against the ground, feeling the sickening crunch of bone and cartilage as it exploded in a mess of brain matter and blood. The gory mess smeared my hand, but I didn't care.
The possibility of her regenerating from this kind of blow was lower than 1%, but you can never be too sure.
At the same time, Hel's headless body slumped to the ground, creating a shower of blood that splashed all over me. My clothes were already stained with blood from my previous fight with the pinky bitch, but the fresh gore only added to the mess.
I want to have a shower, seriously.
---
Author's Note:
The certain fantasy character is obviously Zoro.
Alexia's Sword Art will mainly all have such names, simply because she's bad at naming, and because I am also bad at naming, if you didn't get it from the previous Patreon Polls for Akira's skill names