Chapter 28:
Changing Jobs in Another World, But Everything's Too Specific, Vol. 1
The prisms seemed to vibrate and sing. That was the only word Haruto could find for the sound. Thin, crystalline hums reverberated against his teeth and made the air itself buzz. Each note came from a different beam of light, shifting pitch as it ricocheted from stone to prism, prism to wall, and wall to Haruto.
He ducked and ran. He knew that Sprinter wasn't fast enough to outrun beams of light. The beams chased him, just close enough, yet never found their mark. The king was merely playing, hitting the floor beside him, never hitting directly. Haruto screamed as they chased him around the room.
Haruto jumped back, a pale blue ray whipping past his head and leaving a trail of frost against his cheek. Avalda pointed lazily at him, zapping him with a ray before his feet could touch the ground. This yellow ray was nowhere near as powerful as the others. He could feel the static numbness of electricity flowing through him.
"Can you feel it in your fingertips?" Avalda laughed and kicked his feet. "I shall only strike you with Electric Yellow. Should you take a hit from any others, well, that would be your fault."
Haruto dove behind the pillar, hoping for some reprieve. A prism rounded the pillar, following him, and fired a beam of red right over his head. The beam missed him but set fire to the red carpet that it had hit.
Haruto coughed hard as heat rushed against his face. He changed to Breather as he swatted at the burning edge of his sleeve. He could barely put out the fire before another prism bobbed into view, firing an orange beam that filled the room with a pleasant citrus scent.
"Is that seriously what that one does?!" Haruto yelled as he ran, changing back to Sprinter.
“Everyone likes the smell of oranges!” Avalda called, pointing his finger at him to fire his yellow ray.
Haruto’s eyes darted back to the burning carpet. He yanked hard as he ran past, pulling up a smoking length and hurling it toward the incoming yellow ray. The heavy cloth caught a beam mid-air, absorbing the strike and giving him a second’s reprieve to hide behind the next pillar.
“Dance for me, little shadow.” Avalda mused, tapping his chin.
Three prisms angled at once. The hum built until it rattled in Haruto’s ribs. He rolled left just as a green beam lanced down, striking the pillar. The stone cracked as plant life sprouted from the ground, years of growth forced in seconds. Thorny vines curled outward, trying to ensnare him.
Haruto kicked out, swapping to Wall Stepper just as his foot hit to activate it. He changed back to Sprinter, hoping that the timing would carry him up the wall without losing speed. He alternated between the two in time, carrying him up and sideways before gravity took hold. He rolled back across the floor, screaming like a loon as the beams followed him.
"Your light fluctuated there." Avalda clapped. "Whatever you were doing there, you may need more practice."
Haruto had nothing to counter this. He wished that he had his faithful stick. Yggdrasil had come in clutch more times than he could count. Maybe in the future he could do something without it, but until he could gain more useful jobs, he was hopelessly dependent on it.
His arm began to burn as he thought of Yggdrasil. It pulsed as vines erupted, wrapping tight in a living bracer of ivy. At the same time, the throne room doors exploded inward. Turn reached out to grab at a blur entering the throne room. Yggdrasil soared into the chamber, spinning into Haruto's grasp.
He jumped into the air and into the open, making himself a target. The yellow ray fired from his finger, and Haruto changed to Stick Hero. As the ray hit Haruto in the chest, he swung Yggdrasil, sending the lightning back at Avalda and cutting the throne in two.
“This light! Where have you been hiding it?” Avalda said excitedly, standing at last. His prisms flew to him, merging into a blade of perfectly edged crystal in his left hand. “A blade so resplendent deserves to be met with its equal.”
He vanished. At the speed of light, Avalda was upon Haruto, sword colliding against Yggdrasil. The impact shook the chamber, rainbow sparks flying in every direction. Avalda leaned in, pressing down with impossible force, his crooked grin splitting wider.
“Do you feel it?” he asked softly, and then the prism sword filled with a deep crimson glow. Heat shimmered across its edge, scalding Haruto’s skin and burning Yggdrasil black.
Gritting his teeth, Haruto twisted and threw his fist up, smacking Avalda square in the face, halting him in surprise. He was no longer pressing in on Haruto, and Yggdrasil was saved from an ashen fate. The king stared at the ceiling, unmoving.
“I will admit... I wasn't expecting such a mundane attack from this light.” Avalda switched hands, lifting his sword high above his head. The blade flared into a pure, searing white light as his anger grew. "Am I not worthy of your best?!"
The light extended beyond the ceiling, punching through stone and sky alike. The palace roof exploded outward as if erased from existence. Haruto felt his knees buckle. He felt that he would die of fright if not for his Imaginary Bravery skill from the sheer scope of the power before him.
"Perhaps my Void White can convince you!" The king said quietly.
Then the throne room shuddered. The air grew heavy. A new presence filled the room, older, deeper, and overwhelming.
“King Avalda Solis!” Daddy stepped into the chamber, his voice ringing like a scolding father. “I will not abide my children fighting.”
Avalda froze, sword still raised, but his light fading. His eyes shimmered, and his face changed to that of a boy who was caught doing something naughty. "B-but Sir..."
Daddy shot him a look from behind his square frames. Haruto could only look between the two of them. His hair was wild, and he was stuck on his knees, still unable to comprehend the situation.
“Now apologize to your brother.” Daddy said, dripping with authority.
Avalda lowered his blade. He fidgeted and scoffed, kicking at the ground like a bratty kid. "I'm sorry."
"Like you mean it." Daddy snapped.
"Ugh... Man!" Avalda reached out a hand and pulled Haruto to his feet. “…Forgive me, Haruto Ishikawa."
Haruto stared at Avalda’s hand in his own, still trembling from the crushing weight of insignificance. The apology was stiff, but the weight of it hung strangely heavy. Avalda’s eyes dimmed to a soft amber, and for a moment he almost looked like just another tired young man. Just like Haruto.
Daddy brushed the dust from Haruto's shoulders. “Good. Brothers should not mar their bond with violence.”
"W-we're not related..." Haruto squeaked, confused.
"Sure you are. You're my son, and so is he." Daddy said with a smile.
"But... W-we're not related..." Haruto repeated, even more confused.
"His is the light of a father. He views all as his children and thus is Daddy." Avalda said, releasing Haruto's hand. "It's one of those facts best accepted."
He looked between them, then reached out and gently tugged Haruto closer with one hand on his shoulder. “Are you ready to go?”
Haruto, still gripping Yggdrasil, swallowed hard. “Go? Where am I going now? The gallows? The mines?”
"What? No. You're coming home." Daddy’s hand squeezed, silencing him with gentle certainty. “Come on. Aki's waiting.”
Daddy turned, already walking toward the ruined doorway. Haruto ran after him, stopping at the door. He made a sharp turn, scooping up the System before returning to the doorway. He turned to the king and bowed quickly before running away.
Haruto stumbled after Daddy, just wanting to leave as quickly as he could. The king watched him, his lips curling faintly as though amused. He sat down in what was left of his throne, and a chuckle escaped his throat.
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