"H-how could this happen..."
Inside the Abandoned Factory, rain poured down in torrents.
Jakes lay flat on his back in the murky sludge formed from metal fragments and rainwater. His lower body was fused to the decapitated head of the Giant Mechanical Rat, his face filled with utter disbelief.
Reflected in his constricted pupils was a silver-armored girl standing amidst the curtain of rain—Vivian.
The Gear Church's latest combat mech, Silverlight II, gleamed with cold mechanical luster beneath the acid rain, perfectly fitted to Vivian's slender frame.
As if it were proclaiming its immense power to Jakes.
But more than that, what truly made Jakes' heart tremble...
was the Minute Hand Longsword in Vivian's hand, continuously giving off the ticking sound of a clock.
Staring at the longsword, Jakes, already hanging by a thread, said weakly, "Is this the true power of the Black Iron Clock?"
"It seems William really did give me a chance to turn over a new leaf, just as he said. I simply failed to seize it..."
Hearing this, Vivian calmly said, "My father hadn't unlocked these two abilities back then. He spent all his abilities on the Hour Hand Greatsword known as 'Guardianship.'"
"Is that so?"
"Mm."
Black Iron Clock · Minute Hand Longsword Effect: Increases the user's time flow rate by 200%. Note: Compared to the Hour Hand Greatsword's 'Time Reversal' and the Seconds Hand Rapier's 'Extreme Cutting,' this is an art of slaughter born purely for battle.
Unlike the Hour Hand Greatsword, which reversed the time around its wielder and focused on defense,
or the Seconds Hand Rapier, which greatly enhanced cutting ability and focused on offense,
the Minute Hand Longsword was a balanced fusion of the two.
And this amplification effect could be applied not only to Vivian's body.
It