Chapter 19: What Kind of Sound Is This?
[Cause of Death: Pierced Through the Chest]
[Executed a spectacular tactical performance with a highly impactful penetrating wound, successfully transforming Phrolova's symphony of slaughter into your own overture of escape. While achieving strategic objectives, composed a perfect prelude for the curtain call.]
[Overall Evaluation: S]
[Congratulations!]
"Then stop beating around the bush and serve up the rewards already. I'm in a hurry, understand?"
Facing the system pop-up before him, Aeron was still basking in self-satisfaction over the suicide act he'd just performed.
Honestly, even he hadn't expected to possess such talent in this niche, unconventional field.
He glanced sideways at his own corpse pierced clean through, then at the still-panting Phrolova in the distance, already formulating his next move in his mind.
Since she came looking for trouble herself, Aeron wouldn't hold back.
"Do you have anything that could, if not pin Hecate to the ground, at least help me capture Capollo?"
[Filtering rewards for you... Filtering complete]
[Settlement Reward: Exclusive Echo]
[The system will attune a unique Echo exclusively for you based on host characteristics]
"Huh?"
Seeing the reward provided by the system, Aeron froze completely.
"Wait, did you actually understand what I meant? What good is giving me Echoes?"
This wasn't some Pokémon battle, and besides, what kind of Echoes could possibly stand against Phrolova's Hecate?
[These Echoes are not ordinary Echoes... Though they're referred to as such here. If the host requires, this system can provide a simpler explanation.]
"Speak."
[Stand]
"Send it over!"
...
Thud!
A dull sound echoed through the auction hall as the Heterogeneous Armament that killed Aeron was sent flying by Zani's heavy blow, leaving his corpse behind in its original position.
Standing beside Aeron's body, Zani's Blazing Form generated intense heat that caused faint white mist to steam around her.
Her perpetually weary crimson pupils trembled slightly as they gazed at the blood pooling on the floor and Aeron's lifeless face.
She reached out to touch Aeron's neck, where residual warmth from recent death still lingered, but no pulse remained.
Even with the outcome confirmed, her gloved fingertips continued to tremble faintly.
"Priest Aeron..." Zani turned to Carlotta, her voice parched as she struggled to maintain composure.
"...has stopped breathing."
Less than twenty minutes earlier, Aeron had been standing beside her with his familiar tone, and she had been gripping his arm tightly.
Then he had thrown her behind him, facing alone the danger Zani should have confronted for him, using the same phrase to block Zani twice.
Suddenly, a mixture of rage and helpless gratitude seized Zani's heart, nearly draining her strength.
But she knew this wouldn't do—not now, at least.
Zani rose, forcing herself to look away from Aeron's pallid face and turning toward the distant Phrolova. The flames on her sword and shield surged violently as she channeled her turbulent emotions into her weapons.
Carlotta had now approached Zani's side. Her pale blue eyes swept over Aeron's corpse on the floor, emotions warring within her.
As a lesson from the past, Carlotta knew that Aeron likely wouldn't die, but knowing was one thing—witnessing him perish in such a brutal manner was entirely another.
"Zani... calm down."
Seeing Zani's state, Carlotta felt concerned too, but at this moment, she could only offer such words.
"..."
The ever-silent Rover let out a faint inhale. She still held her sword steadily pointed at Phrolova, but her usually clear and resolute eyes were now trembling violently.
A cold thought slithered through her mind like a venomous snake. In her long, loss-filled memories, similar scenes seemed to perpetually replay.
Words were superfluous—only action, only making the perpetrator pay for this, could slightly fill the sudden, gaping void named "loss."
"Unforgivable..."
Facing the three hostile figures before her, Phrolova felt no satisfaction after just killing Rover, finally snapping out of her rage.
Earlier, the command she'd given her Heterogeneous Armament should have been "capture the target," not "kill."
After having killed Aeron several times before, Phrolova had realized he grew stronger with each battle, which was why she'd deliberately avoided lethal force.
"..."
Though her expression remained unchanged, Phrolova gradually realized something.
She seemed to have messed things up.
Just as Phrolova sensed the situation turning sour and prepared to retreat, an indescribable pressure abruptly seized her.
"...What is that?"
Phrolova saw invisible ripples undulating in the air, dust eerily suspending above the ground, and something dark red slowly coalescing over Aeron's corpse.
[I am thou, thou art I]
A demon adorned in a top hat and ornate attire, its face contorted in a savage grin, emerged from Aeron's body, spreading massive wings to flaunt its presence.
This form bore no resemblance to any known Echoes in Rinascita, radiating a threat that pierced straight to the soul.
"Another... what is this?!"
Carlotta glanced back. Though she'd been prepared, she'd never heard it would be like this!
"Be careful—its frequency is abnormal."
Rover swiftly positioned herself between them and Aeron's corpse. Though she didn't know what this entity was, she could directly sense the danger it emanated.
But for Zani, the sudden appearance behind her didn't trigger defensiveness—instead, it felt somewhat... familiar?
"Whatever it is... destroy it."
Phrolova immediately commanded the nearest Heterogeneous Armament, which adjusted its stance and lunged at the bizarre entity.
Facing the assault, the shadow's ferocious grin seemed to widen. It didn't evade, instead charging head-on toward the Heterogeneous Armament.
What happened next left everyone present stunned.
Screech—Tear—!
Amidst the grating sound of tearing metal, the incredibly sturdy Heterogeneous Armament was brutally ripped apart from the outside by the shadow's claws. Shattered components and flickering arcs of electricity scattered in all directions.
Like a predator, the Heterogeneous Armament's body was torn apart, even its frequency as Echoes gradually being devoured.
"Devouring the frequency of Echoes... is that an afterimage...?"
Phrolova took half a step back as she watched from a short distance away.
Even within Fractsidus, she had never encountered something like this.
Thus, the Overseer summoned her Lycoris, attempting to control the frequency of the entity before her.
Whether it was Echoes or an afterimage, with her tuning ability, it shouldn't be a problem.
"...!"
But Phrolova failed.
She tried to touch the frequency of this shadow before her, but received no feedback.
No fluctuations in frequency, no structural response—nothing at all.
"This is...!"
Before Phrolova could regain her composure, that grinning face had already appeared right in front of her.
Phrolova's vision blurred as an irresistible force seized her throat, lifting her entire body off the ground. Even Hecate beside her couldn't react in time.
"Ugh..."
She struggled to resist, but remained powerless against the demon before her.
"...No way?"
Witnessing the scene, Carlotta was completely baffled... Weren't they here to catch the family mole?
Just as everyone was stunned by what they saw, a voice suddenly echoed through the hall.
"Sigh... what kind of damn stand is this supposed to be."
Aeron, who should have been a corpse, was slowly getting up from the ground while rotating his neck. The wound on his chest had completely vanished, with only his torn clothes serving as evidence of the earlier brutality.
Aeron had thought he would need to use Star Platinum to exchange three hundred blows with Phrolova, never expecting the System would simply explain it as a "stand," which ultimately wasn't what manifested.
Nevertheless, Aeron was quite satisfied with the reward from the System—his Persona, Arsène.
Watching Aeron stand up completely unharmed, the blazing flames around Zani gradually extinguished.
When Aeron approached Zani, she raised her hand as if to confirm something, but stopped mid-air.
Instead, Aeron placed his hand on her shoulder and added:
"Don't worry, Zani. I'll make up your overtime pay later."
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