"Don't just lie there like a loser!! Get up and fight, you big IDIOT!?"
Kiana's voice pierced through the air, shaking me from my daze as she stomped her foot against the ground with enough force to make the earth tremble. Without a moment's hesitation, she charged forward. One hand gripped a gun, the other a sword, her figure boldly advancing to meet Chiyou head-on.
Seeing Kiana's heroic figure in my sight, I felt uncomfortable again. I couldn't believe that idiot dared to lecture me. Who did she think she was to act so majestic in front of me!
Does she think she's a fairy tale hero or something! She's clearly just a stupid idiot but she acts so heroic in front of me as if I'm someone who needs to be protected!! So annoying!!
What kind of appearance is that, stop acting like that, you damn thing! You're making me look like a stupid, low-class person who risked his life only to fail miserably and then curl up on the ground waiting to die! What the hell kind of situation is that!? Am I a third-rate supporting character! No, that kind of style is more like a petty villain who argues and tries to show off only to fail miserably. What the hell kind of motif is that, I don't like it at all!
It's really annoying! Aghh!!! So annoying and frustrating!!
I'm pissed! I'm pissed! Just you wait, you damn protagonist!! I'll show you, I'm not a pathetic, cowardly, braggart who only knows how to hide under women's skirts!!! Such a person should only exist in a cheap story that we will throw into a corner after reading the content! Even if I'm a supporting character!! I must be a 'THE TOP OF THE WORLD!!' supporting character who will steal the main character's spotlight for himself.
After those things rushed and surged in my mind, when a feeling of anger and annoyance quickly replaced the fear in my heart, I immediately regained my spirit and had enough determination to stand up and fight no matter how my body screamed in endless pain.
Now I just want to show the smug protagonist in front of me how powerful and formidable I am.
.
_______And yes, for someone like me to stand up and continue fighting despite fear and pain, I need a little courage and an excuse.
An excuse for me to continue the fight that I just want to run away from.
The excuse doesn't need to be noble or ideal like wanting to protect someone or responding to someone's expectations.
An effective excuse must be as naked and ugly as possible to have a greater impact.
For example, wanting to fight for food or for example, a childish and meaningless anger that makes us angry.
Yes, I don't need a noble excuse, my excuse and my motivation is to vent my anger and to throw a tantrum, just that petty excuse.
"Aghhhh!!!"
Summoning all my strength, I let out all the pain and agony from my throat with a scream and stood up.
Picking up the sword that was lying on the ground, I walked over and stood side by side with Kiana.
"What's this? Got your spirit back, huh, coward?"
"Shut up. I was just taking a quick nap."
"Oh, really~"
Her teasing tone grated on my nerves, but she didn't falter. Even as she spoke, she swung her sword with practiced ease, deflecting a hailstorm of icy shards sent flying by Chiyou.
"Still got the strength to fight, crybaby?"
"Do I even need to answer that? Now I'm serious. If you can't keep up, I'll leave you in the dust!"
"Big words for someone who was just on the ground. Show me what you've got, then!"
Without another word, the two of us dove to either side, narrowly avoiding a massive spike of ice that crashed into the ground where we'd been standing.
-BOOM!!
The impact shook the earth, sending clouds of dust into the air. As the debris settled, Kiana and I emerged from the haze, standing tall. Kiana cracked her knuckles, the sharp sound echoing in the tense silence, while I stretched my neck, letting the satisfying pops clear away any lingering stiffness.
"Alright, old hag! You've had your fun long enough! Now, this lady of honor here is going to drag you down to the dirt, you ancient crone!"
"You hit me pretty hard earlier, you third-rate villain. If you're going to be a side character, hurry up and finish your role, then get off the stage! Because now..."
""We're going to tear this place apart! So you'd better get ready to wave that white flag of yours, old lady!!""
Chiyou, the so-called black knight, stood unmoved, watching us with a calm, disdainful gaze. Then, she let out a roar.
"ALL THAT BIG TALK?! LET'S SEE YOU BACK IT UP, YOU BRATS!!!"
-BOOM!!
As our feet hit the ground, the air trembled with the sound of our charge. The world seemed to explode around us, but neither of us hesitated. There was no turning back now.
*******
Mei observed the seamless coordination between Yumeji and Kiana with a sense of admiration she could not hide.
Supporting Miss Himeko, who was only now recovering from her paralysis, Mei turned her gaze to Bronya.
"Bronya, are you ready?"
Bronya scanned the battlefield, her eyes darting sharply across the chaos before settling on Mei. Her gaze was unwavering as she replied,
"The charging and accumulation process is complete. Bronya can initiate Plan B at any moment."
Mei nodded firmly, her eyes glinting with determination as they shifted to the intense battle where Yumeji and Kiana were pressing Chiyou relentlessly.
"Before we proceed with the plan, we'll need to help those two overly enthusiastic fools cool their heads a bit."
---
The clash between the three combatants could only be described as a storm—a tempest unleashed upon the battlefield.
Yumeji and Kiana worked in perfect tandem, their attacks flowing seamlessly as they overwhelmed Chiyou. The hulking figure of the enemy had forged a massive iron sword composed of pure Honkai energy and was now engaging them in close combat.
Clang! Clang!
The sharp, metallic clangs of blades colliding reverberated through the air as sparks flew wildly. Chiyou wielded her black iron sword with overwhelming force, driving back Yumeji's swift and agile strikes. The sheer weight and power behind Chiyou's attacks seemed to crush any hope of retaliation.
Yet, despite the relentless pressure, Yumeji's sharp instincts allowed him to exploit the tiniest gaps in Chiyou's onslaught. In those fleeting moments, Kiana would surge forward with electrifying precision, her shots imbued with lightning stunning Chiyou momentarily. That brief hesitation was all Kiana needed to swing her massive greatsword upward from below, unleashing a powerful strike.
Though the attack dealt little actual damage, the sparks and disruption it caused blinded Chiyou's vision through her helmet, buying them precious seconds.
Without missing a beat, Kiana fell back, switching places with Yumeji. With a single, devastating horizontal slash, Yumeji drove his blade into Chiyou's midsection, forcing her back before spinning on his heel and hurling a barrage of rubble with the precision of a seasoned baseball player.
Each shard of rock was imbued with Flame Cloud energy, erupting in a series of fiery explosions that engulfed Chiyou in smoke and flames.
But just as the smoke began to clear, two massive chunks of ice shot forth, hurtling toward Yumeji and Kiana.
BOOM!
Both leaped into the air simultaneously, narrowly evading the crushing impact. As they soared through the air, Yumeji twisted his body mid-flight, summoning sharp wind blades with his Xuanyuan Sword.
The slashes weren't elegant, nor were they particularly refined, but they were precise enough to roughen the smooth, slick surfaces of the icy boulders, making them suitable for climbing.
Like nimble monkeys scaling trees, Yumeji and Kiana landed on the jagged ice and immediately anchored themselves to their respective boulders, quickly ascending to their summits.
Standing atop the parallel ice formations, they glared down at Chiyou, who now stood below with arms crossed, her gaze locked onto them. She pointed a finger at the duo, releasing bolts of lightning in their direction.
As the bolts crackled toward them, both Yumeji and Kiana leaped high into the air, their previous perches shattered by the impact of Chiyou's attack.
Now falling freely through the air, it seemed impossible to dodge the incoming lightning strikes. But Yumeji, ever resourceful, hurled his Xuanyuan Sword into the fray.
The spinning blade created a vortex of wind, disrupting the electrical charge in the air and deflecting the lightning strikes, allowing both Yumeji and Kiana to land safely on the ground.
However, the force of the landing tore open Yumeji's previously bandaged wound, causing fresh blood to seep through the white wrappings. The crimson stain spread rapidly, and Yumeji collapsed to one knee, his breath ragged and uneven.
Clutching his neck, he struggled against the growing constriction in his throat. His airways were blocked by a clot, and his body began to tremble violently as he gasped for air.
Yumeji's labored breathing turned to desperate coughing fits as he clawed at his throat. Sensing his vulnerability, Chiyou wasted no time, launching a bolt of lightning directly at him. But before the attack could connect, Kiana intercepted it with a precise shot from her firearm, neutralizing the threat.
Still, Yumeji continued to cough, each heave more violent than the last. Finally, with one last forceful gag, he spat out the blood clot that had lodged in his windpipe.
"Cough, cough! Thought I was a goner there!"
Kiana smirked, her gun still raised as she shot him a sidelong glance.
"Don't go dying on me now, you idiot. We're not done yet."
Yumeji wiped the corner of his mouth, his eyes burning with renewed determination.
"Like hell I'd die and leave you to steal the spotlight. Let's finish this."