Asuna's recoverable health was slowly dropping, but she had become incredibly calm.
After shoving Asuna away, the Grafted Scion leaped high into the air again, its greatsword chopping down with a howling gale.
"Now—"
Asuna took a deep breath, seizing the moment in a flash.
She turned sideways and angled her blade to block, using the force to knock the enemy's sword aside.
"Parry—!"
She did it! The greatsword was knocked off course, exposing an opening in its chest. Asuna immediately thrust forward three times, each strike like lightning as it hit the Grafted Scion in the chest.
"HP... recovered?!"
Asuna had already been at zero health, on the verge of dying before her eyes.
Yet at that very moment, two-thirds of Asuna's HP bar was filled again. The remaining one-third of recoverable health could no longer be restored, and at the start of the battle, players had no supplies to heal themselves.
"I... I've compromised enough... I don't want to compromise... I don't want to retreat...!!!"
Asuna raised her sword and faced death head-on.
In an instant, even the scenery around her seemed to change.
The world that had once been faded seemed to gradually regain its color, while the sounds around her became more pleasant.
That terrifying, indescribable thing like an ancient god seemed to have turned into a more ordinary monster as well.
She raised her sword and stared at the monster before her.
"Come on!"
Author's Note:
Third update. Five bonus chapters added; 25 chapters still owed?
The End of Despair
Asuna moved with light steps, like a dancer on a fencing field, and thrust her rapier forward.
Weiss Schnee's techniques in RWBY were just this elegant. White's Sword Skills were certainly gorgeous enough.
The sword tip aimed at the Grafted Scion's left arm joint.