"Arrogant woman, you've succeeded in angering this king. Since that's the case, allow me to send you straight to hell." The two-headed demonic wolf's massive body shifted and warped in the wind, transforming into a man with a wicked, dangerous face. His lips were a deep shade of violet, and earrings gleamed from both his ears.
"Arrogant woman, you should feel honored to behold this king's noble visage before you die... What's with that disgusting expression on your face!" The self-satisfied Wolf King, full of his own grandeur, was instantly thrown off by the dark lines running down Kurumi Tokisaki's face.
"Sorry, your style just isn't high enough," Kurumi replied, her tone filled with pity as she looked at him. It was fine for a man to show off—so long as he was truly handsome, Kurumi wouldn't withhold her praise. For instance, Gai Tsutsugami!
But this—this wolf cub turning into some so-called 'wickedly handsome guy'? Not wicked at all. Instead, it gave off the ridiculous feeling of a tiger poorly imitated by a dog, downright laughable.
As an aside, the only man Kurumi truly considered to embody wicked charm was the gentleman from D.Gray-man—a member of the Noah Clan.
One side white, befriending Exorcists. The other black, mercilessly slaying them. Whether the gentle, kind white self or the cruel, ruthless black one—it was all fascinating. Because it was interesting, she would perform both sides perfectly. Ah... accidentally being chuunibyou again.
Awooo! Kurumi's dismissive attitude completely enraged the Wolf King. Throwing his head back, he howled furiously, then leapt high into the air, crashing through the Crystal Guild's defensive line. At the same moment, the mutated wild wolves began attacking both guilds again. The battle resumed in full.
"Even with a human form, you can't shed your animal instincts. You really are just a puppy!" Kurumi pointed her finger lazily, her natural air of disdain only fueling her allure. Yet that same attitude pushed the Wolf King's rage to the max.
"I'll tear you apart!" The Wolf King's eyes glowed blood-red as he charged at Kurumi. Thanks to her, he ignored everyone else, temporarily stabilizing the defensive line.
Whoosh! The Wolf King's speed was terrifying—his movements left trails of afterimages behind, swift as the wind itself. He was faster than any player alive. Not even Futayo Honda could match his pace. For every player present, this kind of speed was pure death.
"So fast!" In the heat of battle, Asuna still kept part of her focus on Kurumi. The Wolf King's speed was so overwhelming it drove her to despair. Yet Kurumi's reaction shocked her even more.
She dodged. Kimi-nee actually dodged the Wolf King's attack in an instant. His speed, fatal to everyone else, was useless against her. How did she do it? Asuna would never believe Kurumi's speed surpassed his.
"Impossible! You should've been torn in half! Reality can't lie to me!" the Wolf King roared, spinning around, his claws curved menacingly as he stared in disbelief at Kurumi's back.
"Hmm~ That's something you'll have to guess on your own," she said, her alluring figure swaying slightly as she turned her head with a proud smile.
"Unforgivable!" The Wolf King charged again, claws slashing toward her back—but the figure before him flickered and vanished. Another miss.
Awooo! With another furious roar, the Wolf King's body suddenly split into two. Two identical Wolf Kings now rushed at Kurumi simultaneously—the twin-headed demon wolf's innate skill, Twinborn Body.
Clang! The sharp claws collided with the pure white High Ridge Flower Shields of divine music, sparks flying in all directions. Around Kurumi, layers of white petal-like shields bloomed like a halo of flowers, surrounding her completely. This was Kimi Aoi's divine musical technique—High Ridge Flower Shield.
"I see now. Your evasion skill only works on single-target attacks. You can't dodge multiple strikes at once," the Wolf King said smugly, as if he'd seen through everything.
"Oh my~ I've found a little puppy full of himself. Who told you I can't dodge multiple attacks? Simply evading over and over isn't elegant. That's why I usually dodge only twice. It's called style!" Kurumi shot him a look of sheer disdain. "Don't try to measure my whims with your pitiful IQ."
"What's this? Kimi-nee doesn't use sword attacks?" Asuna exclaimed in surprise during the battle. Ever since the Crystal Guild was formed, Kurumi had always fought with a sword, never once using Divine Music. As such, no one really knew what her Divine Music abilities were.
"Oh my~ So none of you realized because I was busy training everyone else? Kimi-nee's hidden class is Divine Priestess! This is her exclusive skill—High Ridge Flower Shield." Placing her hands on one of the pure white shields, Kurumi smiled with delight. Finally, she could show off her elegance to her heart's content.
"Foolish mortals, Kurumi-chan herself was struck speechless by Kimi Aoi's charm. Now, you too shall taste the strike of Kimi Aoi's beauty!" Though her smile was graceful, noble, and naturally captivating, her dark, mischievous heart remained ever-alive. After all, without her scheming side, she wouldn't be Kurumi-chan.
"High Ridge Flower Shield? What's that?" The Wolf King actually asked sincerely—he was truly asking his enemy to reveal her secret! Even with intelligence, his IQ clearly remained in the single digits.
"Hah! Are you stupid? Who tells their enemy their own secrets?" Kurumi pressed both hands on her shield, her expression filled with smug pride.
Beep, beep... A crystal suddenly floated above her head—it was Heathcliff's recording crystal, still faithfully at work since the beginning of the battle. The glowing green light clearly focused its lens directly on Kurumi.
Ah! This was a live broadcast—a full-game broadcast! The treatment of a star! How could she not show off a little?
So Kurumi raised the white shield high and declared with a domineering smile, "Fine then! I'll tell you! I was just thinking I wanted to brag a little!"
"Uh..." Asuna broke out in a cold sweat. Just moments ago, Kimi-nee had said only idiots reveal their secrets to the enemy. And now—she had become that very idiot herself.
...
"But why use the word 'withered'? Does Kimi-nee see herself as a flower?" Asuna's mind trembled. As always, while Kimi-nee's domineering charm was captivating, it was also exasperating. Ordinary people really didn't deserve to like her. Ah, why was she even thinking about that right now!
"A defensive skill, huh? Then allow me to shatter your defense!" The Wolf King's claws gleamed purple as they extended into sharp blades. Both of his forms lunged, twenty slashing arcs cutting toward Kurumi at once.
"How tasteless. Flowers are meant to be admired, not cut down," Kurumi said, her steps light and her figure swaying as she danced within the High Ridge Flower Shield.
There was no music, no lighting, and her movements were not truly dance steps—but even so, her simple white-robe performance radiated an undeniable beauty. Her graceful motions were mesmerizing, captivating all who watched.
Clang, clang, clang... The white shields shattered one after another, only to regenerate immediately. The pure white flower shields formed a glowing sphere, encasing Kurumi completely. No matter how violently the Wolf King attacked, not a single blow could reach her.
Everyone was stunned. Their minds went blank. This battle had surpassed the limits of player comprehension. The boss was monstrous—but Kimi-nee was even more absurd. Were they really playing the same game?
"Damn it! If I can't kill you, then I'll slaughter all your subordinates!" The Wolf King's furious gaze shifted toward the Crystal Guild's members. This was pure rage—humiliated fury turned to blind revenge.
Whoosh! A gallant figure suddenly appeared before him—a sharp face, swift and precise movements, not an ounce of wasted motion. It was Futayo Honda.
"Foolish! You think you can keep up with this king's spee—"
Before he could finish, a Divine Music sigil bloomed between Futayo's brows, and two characters appeared beneath her feet—Acceleration. In that instant, her speed became lightning itself. Before anyone could even react, Tonbokiri had already pierced through the Wolf King's chest, striking directly at his heart. His body shattered into fragments, and one of the two Wolf Kings vanished instantly.
A one-hit kill. Unmatched speed always came with a price—but the Wolf King's weakness was low defense and limited HP. Against absolute speed, such flaws were meaningless. Or rather—they should have been.
Watching the remaining Wolf King's bewildered expression, Kurumi spoke proudly, "Hmm~ Foolish little mutt. Every one of Kimi-nee's companions has unique skills. Futayo's class is Temple Knight, so she also possesses a unique ability—Divine Music: Divine Speed. Theoretically, as long as the body can withstand it, acceleration is limitless. There was once a man named Tachibana Muneshige who achieved seventeen thousand times acceleration."
Whoosh! A blue flash of light streaked like lightning—the tip of Tonbokiri once again pierced through the remaining Wolf King's back. No hesitation, no pause—Futayo finished the second boss cleanly, without wasting a word or a motion.
"I curse you with the soul of the Demon Wolf... you shall follow me into hell!" The Wolf King's dying roar split the air. A purple light burst forth, forming a demonic wolf's phantom that tore through the High Ridge Flower Shield, striking directly into Kurumi's heart.
"Defense ignored. Recovery prohibited. Forced HP deduction—one hundred fifty percent. You're doomed. It's a shame I can't watch you die with my own eyes..." As the Demon Wolf's body shattered, the vast prairie dissolved away, transforming back into the crystalline boss chamber.
At that same moment, Kurumi's pupils constricted sharply. Her elegant body wavered—and fell backward, collapsing in silence.