Bro, I'm not an Undead!-Chapter 1613: My Role

After cutting the path she’d been forced to run over within Godspeed Highway, Pherdanta had kept falling into the depths of the Territory. The Primary assault function of the Territory kept pulling her to other pathways so that she could get crushed by the counter force from behind or be pulverised by the Trigger Racers, but she kept cutting them with her glare or by reaching for a strand of her hair, which would promptly turn into a powerful sword that she used to slice anything in her path.

Her body was still slashed through at points, but with her perks as the Infinite Sword God, she had escaped being completely de-limbed and decapitated.

That said, the loss – against her own powers no less – hit Pherdanta hard. Even now, her sword, Dance of the Necrotic Butcher, was resisting her. It would not yield to even the most direct inclination Pherdanta forced onto it.

Thus, with each league she fell, she couldn’t help but think...

Why did she lose?

Why did she did lose against Ashema?

Why did she lose her sword to the masked man of all people?

After her ordeal during the Impossible Task, Pherdanta no longer wholly believed that a difference in strength alone was the sole reason, the sole deciding factor, in a contest between enemies.

She believed in roles instead.

At their core, battles were contests of roles, and Pherdanta believed her new role as the Commander of the Stark-Soul Order was so overwhelming that it allowed her to crush her opponents.

So why did it fail her twice?

No. How did she diminish it to the point where it was not effective against Ashema and Rias? What did she lack?

By the tenth time Godspeed Highway forced her onto another of the pathways, she felt like she had finally grasped at an answer.

’I interpreted my role wrong,’ she thought. ’Ashema is an extremist, a cultic follower of Boron, the very thing master rejected. He took away my previous role as his shadow and declared me a leader. The masked man is a master of souls, but the souls of the living and those of inanimate objects mean nothing to him. He have equally vain value in his eyes.’

’I fought these two – the masked man and Ashema – on their own terms and I lost. Kintar would be a better match-up against those two in their roles, since she’s similar to them. But I’m different. My role is different. It’s broad. My role isn’t to fight and die for master Skullius recklessly. Not yet. I’ve been entrusted with the souls of everyone in the Order, as well as master’s will. I’m supposed to defend the living souls of my peers and subordinates.’

Indeed, that was it.

That must have been it.

But even as she branded this very belief on her soul, Pherdanta still felt it was inadequate.

This role still wouldn’t allow her to beat her enemies. It was missing something. It could grow.

If there was anything the Impossible Task had taught her, it was that she had enormous potential. This was not to mention those dreadful words Skullius had said right after she killed more than 8,000 of herself in the Timemould Mirror Box:

Above all else, there is another reason why you’ll surpass me in swordsmanship. You are whole. I am missing some part of my soul, so even if I wanted to, I can’t give my entirety to any craft. I have been, and I will be incomplete for a while. I am doubly lacking even now. You are whole in soul and in resolve. You’ve burned all ties to anything else you held dear right in front of me... You serve me better inspiring everyone in our little Faction.

Pherdanta’s fist clenched.

She hated that Skullius spoke of himself that way, but she figured this was the key to one of the ways she could grow as a leader.

She was his devout follower indeed, but her understanding of souls was subpar.

’I can’t be concerned with the souls of the living alone. Perhaps... Perhaps the only way to enhance my understanding of the souls – including those of the living – is to learn to understand the souls of objects as well. Like the masked man,’ Pherdanta thought.

But how would she do that?

Well, it was simple.

How could a swordswoman who had cut down souls before fail to perceive even more hidden and abstract souls with a little push?

Did she not possess a slashing technique that specifically allowed her to cut things that had no business being cut in the first place – the [Universal Error]?

How could she not work in reverse, figuring out the mechanic behind how that slash worked? She was the one who made it after all.

Sure enough, it didn’t take long.

Pherdanta wasn’t a Lich, but as a swordswoman, she was quickly becoming a match for one in understanding alone. Normally, the knowledge to cut was preceded by the knowledge to understand for those who wielded the power to cut all things. Geniuses often found themselves skipping the latter and revisiting it in the future.

Pherdanta was one such genius. Even COLMUUN had realised it.

...

Pherdanta landed on one of the platforms. This time, she didn’t immediately cut it. She closed her eyes and drew a breath right as one of the Trigger Racers blasted towards her like a streaking star. A moment later, she would be dust.

...But that wouldn’t happen.

When the Commander of the Stark Troops opened her eyes, she gripped her sword as tightly as she could. She felt the neck of its soul constrict in her solid grip.

"Damn you. The next time you turn yourself against me, I will have Kintar melt you into useless hot sludge."

Dance of the Necrotic Butcher... shuddered and surrendered. Only the slightest inch of it resisted, but Pherdanta was already seizing the moment.

She finally had access to [Infinite Sword God, Sardonic Latitude] – a combination of her slashing techniques, Dance of the Necrotic Butcher, and her Territory – again, and immediately, she used it to... slice apart the effect of the Primary assault function of Godspeed Highway around her!

The pathway she was standing on ruptured, as did the beautiful atmosphere (the GeoScape) peppered around it. It was like watching sand getting blown back by a ferocious, controlled gust. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

...And then Pherdanta expelled her Territory!

It surged out aggressively, clashing with Godspeed Highway.

If Pherdanta had been fresh and uninjured, this would not have been a contest. Cogent Stark Order would have easily crushed Godspeed Highway since it was no longer a mere Majestic Territory, what with the boost from Fundamental Barter.

But because [Infinite Sword God, Sardonic Latitude] operated using Pherdanta’s stamina, Cogent Stark Order (which now didn’t require Creeds to cast), was feeding off her stamina to activate and sustain itself. As Pherdanta grew weaker, so did her powers.

As a result, Godspeed Highway and Cogent Stark Order clashed evenly, pushing back and forth against one another.

Nigerra momentarily turned her focus away from Kintar and stabbed a cutting look at the tired Pherdanta.

"It’s too late. You can’t hold a candle to my Territory now," she said, raising her head pompously.

Her Territory grew stronger... again.

Cogent Stark Order shrank back ever so slightly.

...But then the dozens of Aggrante firing continuously from the outside whittled away at its growing strength little by little.

Nigerra ignored them. Soon, her Territory would be too strong for them, and even better, her Secondary assault function would be ready. She would wipe out her enemies easily.

Pherdanta had this in mind, however.

She wouldn’t watch silently as her Territory was defeated.

With one burst of her will, her Territory fattened like dough, lunging forth.

Nigerra was prepared. She met the attack... and that which Kintar seized the chance to enact from behind her.

"It will be an honour crushing the wills of such formidable women like simultaneously!" she cried. "If I can’t have you, I’ll take the glory of killing you!"