Chapter 1154 - Three Girls in Full Sprint
Although it was the [Fun Castle of Sweets], which suited the word "high-calorie" in various senses, sweets that were truly zero-calorie in a virtual world could not become a weight on a maiden.
Therefore, there was no need to rest after eating. After exchanging a promise to visit again with the troublesome King Sweet who threw a tantrum, endlessly going '—! —!'... probably meaning 'One more time! One more time!', the three girls who left the sweets buffet were—
"I miss Haru."
"I understand."
"......Right now, you two are saying that as a means of transportation, aren't you?"
Continuing westward from the Fun Castle located in the western part of the Divine Creation Garden Central First Base [Safe Area]. Setting their second destination as [Key Tree City], they were running endlessly across the ground.
Of course, approximately one person (Nia) was performing her role as baggage while being carried princess-style...—perhaps because the "Princess" playing the role of the prince had recently acquired a human-carrying skill, which improved comfort, but more than anything, it was likely a manifestation of the experience points she had been forced to accumulate.
"If only we could at least do a business-trip rental of Sapphire-chan."
"Right. Being able to fly is, after all, cheating."
"The prerequisite for challenging the subjugation of a flying [Stardust Beast (Lim)] being 'being able to fly', I guess the basic stance is that flight is a no-go for the player side after all~"
"No doubt about it. And the reason for that is likely Haru themselves."
"Ahaha, would it break the game?"
Although it was far from top speed, that was strictly a comfortable run (running) for the [Sword Queen (Iris)]. In reality, if they were walking leisurely, there was no way they could traverse a distance of about five hundred kilometers with the feeling of 'let's go play for a bit'.
Therefore, Iris was normally running at about three hundred kilometers per hour, and on a plain with no undulations or obstacles, at a speed close to five hundred kilometers—and yet, here she was.
Whether to pity or praise her, the indigo-colored girl was accustomed to placing herself under ultra-high-speed mobility. Her manner of calmly enjoying a chat was as if to say, 'As long as it's below the speed of sound, it's easy.'
"—Still, it has become much... much easier than before."
Leaving aside the mysterious smug fairy who, that said, was merely being carried.
"That... in Iris-san's case, I think it's a very special case, though."
"I don't want to hear that from Sora."
"I... y-yes. Um, I am quite special too, but..."
Although it was a speed far inferior to a certain someone, the current fastest, and the former fastest cartographer, maintaining a sprint of three hundred to five hundred kilometers per hour... namely, about 300 to 500 in simple AGI conversion.
The fact that the [Sword Queen], who once judged that as 'impossible', had already been running for nearly thirty minutes without falling or getting tired was indeed a manifestation of the virtual world's new era (innovation).
—Just as Iris snapped back. Putting aside the exception among exceptions who was running alongside her without falling behind, scattering lightning, running in the blink of an eye...
"Iris-san, what level were you again...?"
"157."
"...How many 'Extense' Senses have you taken?"
"A lot."
That was the whole answer. Because the current Arcadia was a place where 'being able to do what couldn't be done' overflowed all at once and wouldn't stop.
"I also wondered about things that clearly involve the body control system at first, but... this, [Revolving Run] in the 'AGI' tree is recommended. I can't say it well, but I don't feel any annoying sense of assistance at all. Even though I don't feel it, I can run. It's purely convenient."
"Y-Yeah... by the way, what tier of Sense is it?"
"Hmm........................ Thirteenth, tier?"
"That is a long way off for me..."
Indeed, although the level 157-san (Iris) who was said to be the estimated top among all players was a special case. It was a fact that before and after the conquest of 'Green Connect'... the environment of the virtual world had changed drastically, to an extent where the word dramatic was not enough.
The greatest example of such a drastic change was the raising of the speed standard.
With the introduction of thought-assist or body-control-assist Senses, almost all players were said to have significantly raised their respective 'speed ranges'.
In other words, although it was an extreme example, many people were like this.
To a greater or lesser extent... no, without exception, the current situation was that their specs had greatly increased.
—And yet, if we pick up what was left behind.
"Hmm............ No, really, yeah. Sora, you're fine as you are."
It was only natural that Iris, glancing sideways, let out a sigh.
"Eh, ah, w-well..."
Senses or whatever had almost nothing to do with it.
It was indeed herself who had enthusiastically put all her effort and full power into it, but she didn't think it would turn out to be this strange. With a spirit vessel that reached the limits of abnormality and the talent to fully command it, she made a ten-step leap forward that was utterly shocking...
Indeed, to the girl who continued to show off a growth rate that suited a certain someone's partner so well it made one feel frustrated—no, not just growth, but evolution.
"Sora."
"Yes...?"
"Would you like to have a serious match with me next time?"
"Hehae?!"
When she proposed a 'spar' out of half-seriousness, half-joking, and pure curiosity, there was a snap.
Perhaps her concentration was disrupted by the unexpected surprise attack. The lightning clad around her body...—with the combination of its minuscule size and dazzling light, countless magic swords that were difficult to see lost control.
In short, the body of the girl, who had achieved ultra-high-speed mobility by riding the waves of lightning, flew into the air with its inertia intact and toward the ground... without plunging into it.
"...Tch, ......fufu, just kidding. It seems I still can't do it like Haru."
In a flash, a movement like lightning that was by no means inferior to Sora's "thunder". Iris's single hand, reached out as she drew close, caught the small hand without letting it go—
"J-Jo, bi...! S-Sorry, wait, hold on, stop, sto-aaaaah!!?"
"Wait, wait, wait, what are you doing, one hand is scary, a one-handed hug is too much, Princess, wait, stupid, stupid!!!"
In other words, flowers in both hands.
"Hmm... this is a bit of a challenge."
Thus, the sudden crisis continued.
Even if told to stop, to brake properly while holding people in both hands at this speed range... well, what kind of body movement would allow her to do so safely?
She thought that she, too, still couldn't do it like a certain someone. While Iris held the two like carp streamers, she tilted her head with a serene, expressionless face for a while.
"Hyaaaaaaaaah!!?!?"
"Ngyaaaaaaaaah!?!?"
The lovely screams of a maiden and a barely-maiden (?) reportedly colored the lonely wilderness.
Furthermore, after temporarily tossing Sora-san into the sky with a "heave-ho", she stopped with a sudden brake, threw Nia-chan aside, and then dashed at full speed to catch Sora-san, thereby resolving the situation without further incident.
Without further incident?
Yes, without further incident.