"Hey, Golgano! What is the meaning of this?! Is it even possible for a Parasitic Sword to be stolen by someone else?!"
Holy Knight Kanaria was screaming in a total frenzy.
"No... that’s impossible..."
Warrior Golgano was just as shaken.
It was a natural reaction, given what they didn't know. There was a special bond between me and Puppeteer. Even if she didn't possess the memories of our past timelines yet, the connection was engraved upon her very soul.
"Puppeteer, we’re going all out from the start."
『You say that, but... I haven't quite grasped what my Master's "all out" actually looks like yet,』 Puppeteer’s voice echoed directly in my mind.
"Then just move exactly as I tell you."
『Sure thing—』
Her reply was listless, but it would have to do.
"<Pulsating Greatsword>."
In an instant, Puppeteer expanded, transforming into a massive blade that stood taller than I did. As I suspected, my intuition was right. The Puppeteer skills I had acquired in previous timelines hadn't been reset. With this, I could fight at full strength.
『Wait, Master. By any chance, do you have a skill that applies a debuff when you wield a greatsword?』
"Ah, right. I have the <Thief> skill."
The <Thief> skill was notoriously incompatible with heavy weapons. Because of that, the <Pulsating Greatsword> felt unnervingly heavier than it had back when I was unskilled. Even considering the raw power of the weapon, the weight was a problem.
『If that's the case, I'll swap forms to something optimized for a Thief.』
"What? You can do that?"
『Hmph, didn't you know? I’m actually quite excellent.』
"Yeah, I know that better than anyone!"
『Aha! Is that so? Well then, let’s unveil the new form.』
In that moment, the name of Puppeteer's new form surfaced in my mind. I spoke the word aloud.
"<Pulsating Sasuga>."
In a flash, the <Pulsating Greatsword> shifted. Being designed for a Thief, the blade was short—a lethal dagger. Its color remained the same obsidian black as the greatsword form. However, the hilt was shaped like a set of jaws that clamped down on my right hand, fixing itself in place. My arm and the blade were now one; I didn't even need to grip it.
『So, do you need a lecture on how to use it?』
"It would be a help."
『Ah, but what a shame, Master. It looks like your opponent isn't going to wait.』
Indeed, Holy Knight Kanaria had drawn a spare sword and was already lunging at me.
"Give it back! That belongs to meeeee!" she screamed, swinging her blade down with desperate force.
"I’ll just have to learn on the fly, then!"
I threw up the <Pulsating Sasuga> to parry. She was stronger, and the weight of her strike threatened to crush me. But then, multiple shadowy arms sprouted from the <Pulsating Sasuga>, lashing out to seize Kanaria's sword.
So this was the ability of the <Pulsating Sasuga>. It was an evolution of the <Pulsating Greatsword>'s <Autonomous Function>.
Immediately, the arms growing from the weapon yanked me forward. My body was pulled into the air, spinning me into a vertical mid-air rotation. The centrifugal force multiplied my momentum. Utilizing that sudden, violent power, I delivered a punishing blow.
"Puppeteer-Style Sword Technique: Wheel Slash!"
Kanaria’s armor split clean in two. She collapsed instantly, her defense shattered.
"Why... can you use Puppeteer... better than me...?" she wheezed, her voice thick with disbelief and regret.
"Sorry. Puppeteer belongs to me."
The moment the words left my lips, the last of the strength left her body and she slipped into unconsciousness.
『Not bad, Master. I never imagined you’d be able to handle me this well.』
"I told you. I know you."
『Aha. I guess I’ll believe that story about you coming from the future—just a little bit.』
"You still didn't believe me?"
As we talked, I turned my attention to the remaining enemy.
『Master, that guy is the real deal.』
"Yeah, I know."
I knew it better than anyone. After all, I had been killed by this man more times than I cared to count.
"Well, I'm impressed. Honestly, I still don't quite get what's going on here," Warrior Golgano said, eyeing me with deep suspicion. "This is why I hate your kind. We’re out here drinking muddy water and scraping by just to survive, while people like you perform miracles on a whim and trample us like bugs."
He spat the words with venom. His eyes burned with a raw, ugly resentment.
"Shut up. Stop acting like the victim. I've suffered plenty at your hands, too."
"Oh? Is that right?"
"Tell you what. If you give up and run away now, I might just let you live."
"Don't get cocky, you little shit."
Golgano barked a command to his own weapon, the Parasitic Scythe: Kyogenmawashi.
"<Tough Triple Jaws: Azi Dahaka>!"
In an explosion of dark energy, the scythe transformed into a monstrous, three-headed horror.
"Master! What, what? What should we do?"
"Kill him! Now!"
"Kill him? If we kill him, can we eat him?"
"Yeah, do it!"
"Eat him?! Yay! I was just getting hungry!"
"I wonder what he tastes like!"
The three heads of <Azi Dahaka> chattered amongst themselves as they loomed over me. It was a massive beast, covered in impenetrable scales and armed with bone-crushing fangs.
『Master, I’m so scared I might actually pee myself,』 Puppeteer remarked.
Even now, she couldn't resist making a joke. "You don't even have organs for that."
"You're a girl, you know. Use more refined language."
『Ehh... treating me like a girl? Master, you’re a real weirdo. I'm genuinely repulsed.』
"Grossed out or not, it's the truth. You’re a cute girl."
『...Master, you shouldn't say things like that so lightly. It’s creepy.』
"I’m just stating facts—"
"Liar! You probably say the same thing to every girl you meet!"
In the next heartbeat, one of <Azi Dahaka>'s heads lunged at me.
"Watch out!"
I threw myself into a roll, narrowly evading the snap of its jaws. If I had been even a fraction of a second slower, I would have been torn apart.
"He dodged it?!"
"Why did you miss?!"
"You're terrible at this! So bad!"
The heads continued their bickering even as they attacked.
『Don't get distracted, Master.』
"Then stop talking to me!"
『Ehh, maybe I will, maybe I won't.』
I kept moving, dodging the relentless sequence of strikes from the three heads. Between my own <Thief> skills and the <Autonomous Function> of the <Pulsating Sasuga>, I was managing to stay one step ahead of death.
『Master, I don't think you can win just by running away forever...』
"I know that!"
『Then hit back!』
I didn't need her to tell me. I watched for a gap in the monster's movements and drove my blade into its side.
『Master, this is...』
"It didn't do a damn thing."
Despite striking with everything I had, there wasn't a single scratch on the scales. I tried again, slashing at the creature from different angles, but the <Pulsating Sasuga> simply bounced off the hide of <Azi Dahaka>.
"Hey, Puppeteer, what's the trick here?!"
『How should I know?!』
"Dammit, you're useless when it counts!"
『Oh, is that how it is? Fine then, maybe I'll just stop helping you altogether!』
"Wait, wait! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, okay? Don't leave me hanging! I'm begging you!"
『Hmph. Fine.』
Even as we argued, I was sprinting across the battlefield, weaving through the heads that snapped at me from every direction. I couldn't find a single weakness in the beast itself.
"Hey, Kyogenmawashi! Stop playing around! Kill him already!" Golgano barked from the sidelines.
"We're trying, but he’s too slippery!"
"No excuses!"
"Okay, Master."
"We'll do it, just don't be mad."
"If you get mad, your luck will run out!"
Hearing their casual exchange gave me the spark I needed.
"Puppeteer, I’m an idiot. Why didn't I think of this sooner?"
『Hmm? What now, Master? Stop being so dramatic.』
"If I can't hurt Kyogenmawashi, I just have to kill the guy holding the leash."
『Oh! True. Now that you mention it, that’s incredibly obvious.』
If the monster was invulnerable, I would go for the master. It was simple logic. The problem was that Golgano was keeping his distance, with <Azi Dahaka> acting as a living shield between us. Getting to him was going to be the hard part.
"Let's go, Puppeteer."
『Alright, let's get serious!』
I broke into a dead sprint. I ducked and weaved through the heads of <Azi Dahaka> as they rained down from above. Just as I closed the distance, one of the jaws lunged with terrifying speed.
I dodged by a hair's breadth and slammed the <Pulsating Sasuga> into the side of the monster's head. I wasn't trying to cut it. I was using it as an anchor.
Understanding my intent, the shadowy arms burst from the blade, gripping <Azi Dahaka>'s skull. Then, they heaved, launching me forward like a stone from a catapult. I flew through the air, straight at Golgano.
"God damn it! Don't you look down on me!"
Golgano planted his feet, raising his axe to meet my charge. I didn't panic. I parried the heavy axe head with the short blade of the <Pulsating Sasuga>, spinning my body in mid-air to bleed off the impact. Using that momentum, I came around in a savage arc.
A sickening squelch followed. Blood sprayed into the air as my blade found its mark.
"I win."
"Dammit..."
Warrior Golgano slumped to the ground, his eyes wide and burning with hate. The fight had gone out of him; he didn't even try to stand. In sync with his defeat, <Azi Dahaka> dissolved, reverting back to the simple form of the Parasitic Scythe: Kyogenmawashi.
Finally. I had won. I remembered all the times this man had made me suffer in the dark loops of the past. To finally stand over him in victory... it was a strange, heavy feeling.
"I won't accept this! Why do I have to lose to a brat like you?! We worked so hard... we were so close to finishing the plan! Why does some nobody adventurer have to ruin everything?! This is wrong! I won't accept it!"
Golgano began to wail, his voice cracking. It was the pathetic howling of a loser who couldn't face reality.
"You won't accept it? Fine. Then I guess I'll show you the one thing I was saving for last. Right, Puppeteer?"
『A last resort? I don't remember having one of those.』
"Sure you do. <Brutal Predator>."
The Third Form of the Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer. A nightmare of endless hunger.
"W-What is that...?"
The sight of the <Brutal Predator> finally silenced Golgano's screaming. He looked up at the towering, many-jawed horror with pure terror.
"Time to eat!"
The <Brutal Predator> chirped happily, extending its tentacles to coil around Golgano's body, dragging him slowly toward its waiting maws.
"No! Stop! I'm sorry! I was wrong, just please stop—"
It was far too late for apologies. With a wet, bone-crunching sound, the <Brutal Predator> began to feed.
"Hey, Master. Can I have this one too?"
"Yeah. Go ahead."
The weapon made quick work of the unconscious Kanaria as well. I had hoped that consuming these two might bring Puppeteer closer to a human form, but she didn't seem to change.
I had defeated my pursuers, but the real battle was still ahead.
"Puppeteer, we have to move."
I had to believe Nyau was still holding out against Demon King Zoga. I had to get back to her. Now.