[That Was Only an Outward Appearance]
After that, Panel-kun offered no further explanation. The neither-up-nor-down feeling made Jiu Ming's brows knit. "You'd better explain it clearly to me later. Otherwise... I might just let this thing develop however it wants for once!"
[...That would do you no good.]
For some reason, there was a faint chill hidden within Panel-kun's words.
"A threat?" Jiu Ming snorted and put force into his hand, knocking the masked freak before him away. "Do you think I'm scared of that? Actually, I'd already had my suspicions. These things must be tied to the Mysterious Shop, right?"
[Correct.]
"Can you explain?"
[Aren't you afraid of being distracted?]
For some reason, after laying everything out in the open, Panel-kun seemed to have triggered some kind of switch. Its writing actually became much livelier.
???[If you want to know, you need at least a stable respite.]
"True enough."
Jiu Ming nodded. After tossing something into the air, he gripped Laevateinn's hilt with both hands. As the thrown mirror fell, Jiu Ming glanced at it, and its surface reflected the bird pattern in his eyes!
Double Burst!
Wrapped in immense pressure, Jiu Ming swung his sword and knocked the masked freak away. The instant he sent him flying, Jiu Ming moved in tandem, darting before him. The two identical weapons collided once more. This time, several deep cracks were carved into the weapon in the masked freak's hand. The moment those cracks appeared, countless black tentacles emerged from them, swiftly repairing the damaged blade.
"Just as I thought—a knockoff." Jiu Ming narrowed his eyes and muttered. Although the sword's displayed power was indeed no different from the Laevateinn in his hand, it had been damaged after merely two clashes. Clearly, this imitation had yet to surpass the genuine article.