Chapter 257: Do What You Say
The sound waves, like invisible giant waves, hit Esdeath's body. Esdeath used her left hand to hold her military cap in place, preventing it from being blown away by Miku's sound waves. Her waist-length blue hair, along with the black ornament around her neck, fluttered backward as if being pulled by the waves.
Esdeath, enveloped by her Armament Haki, walked toward Miku, unfazed by the sound waves.
"!" Miku clenched her teeth, her fingers pressing harder on the light keyboard, and even louder sounds came from the Broken Army Songstress. Several silver tubes extended around Esdeath, pointing toward her.
Esdeath's movement halted for a moment, and she furrowed her brows. The sound from Miku's angel, the Broken Army Songstress, was binding her body.
"Oh? Your voice can actually bind me? I underestimated you." Esdeath's gaze grew serious. "Even if you can bind my body, how about this—White Ice Shard!"
Suddenly, hundreds of ice spikes of varying sizes condensed around Esdeath.
"Huh?" Seeing this, Miku slowed her movements.
"The sound weakens, and the binding power diminishes, huh?" Esdeath still wore a cat-and-mouse expression. "Well, it seems you'll be full of holes after being pierced!"
As soon as Esdeath finished Speaking, the ice spikes shot toward Miku as if triggered.
"!" Miku's eyes widened. It was difficult enough to stop Esdeath, so she opened her mouth:
"Ahhhh!"
Unlike the beautiful voice of the Broken Army Songstress, a sharp, piercing scream came from Miku's mouth, and the powerful sound echoed ahead.
The ice spikes headed toward her were stopped by an invisible sound barrier. The spikes vibrated as they tried to push forward, but the sound barrier held them back firmly.
Slowly, the ice spikes lost their momentum and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
"Ha... ha..." After continuously shouting, even an idol's lung capacity couldn't keep up, and Miku bent over, gasping for air. Defending against Esdeath's attacks seemed to have drained all of her energy.
Some strands of hair fell over her face, and the fine sweat on her forehead clung to her messy hair. It made Eric realize that she wasn't a fairy, but rather an ordinary girl with fairy power.
Even though she bent down to catch her breath, Miku didn't dare stop playing the keyboard.
"Well done." Esdeath complimented her, like a teacher praising a student or a stronger person admiring a weaker one. In any case, their positions weren't on the same level.
"..." Miku's lips closed together.
Esdeath didn't hear her clearly and asked, "What did you say?"
"Don't underestimate me!"
"Heh... Is that so?" Esdeath suddenly broke free from the sound barrier's hold, placing her hand on the ground. "Then I'll continue—Gray Ice Giant Horn!"
A giant ice spear shot from Esdeath's hand, covered in Haki and surrounded by a white aura, heading toward Miku with unstoppable force.
Miku's ten fingers, wrapped in white silk gloves, seemed to dance. Her fingertips leapt across the light keyboard, playing a beautiful melody.
Since she couldn't bind Esdeath's body, she decided to intensify her attacks!
"Rondo!"
"Ahhh—!"
Under Miku's control, the sound waves no longer surged outward. Instead, they converged into a shockwave.
The music from the Broken Army Songstress, combined with Miku's voice, formed a powerful soundwave that caused ripples in the air, visible to those present.
The sound wave tore through the air, heading straight for the ice spear coming toward her.
For a moment, the ice wall paused, but under Esdeath's control, it continued to produce more ice behind, pushing the spear tip forward, slowly advancing.
"!" The volume of the music continued to rise.
"Ahhh—!" Miku's voice, as loud as a screeching sky, was accompanied by wave after wave of sound pressure, pushing against the soundwave.
Her throat hurt from raising her pitch. Her beautiful face showed a hint of pain.
"Crack, crack, crack!"
The hardened ice wall made a sharp cracking sound, and cracks began to form, spreading along the wall.
"Ahhh—" Miku's voice lowered, and finally—
"Bang!" The ice spear shattered into pieces of various sizes.
"Didn't expect this," Esdeath clapped her hands. "Even though you only used a bit of Armament Haki, you did manage to shatter my ice spear, which was hardened with Haki. I thought you'd be pierced by that attack, but—"
"—!" Miku's mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Only the faint sound of air passing through her throat could be heard.
"...Hiss! ...Hiss!" Miku desperately tried to scream, but no sound would come out.
Having regained her voice before, Miku now lost it again!
Miku could only stare at the Ice Queen in despair, her eyes wide open.
"What's this? No sound coming out?" Esdeath's excitement dwindled. "If that's the case, you can't defend against my attacks anymore, right?"
"Without your voice, you're just 'trash,' aren't you?"
Hearing those words, Miku trembled and hugged herself. 'No, please, don't take away my voice! I have nothing but singing!'
Esdeath gave a cruel smile and raised her left hand, snapping her fingers.
"Snap!"
Above Esdeath's head, a massive block of ice began to form, slowly growing larger. Esdeath raised her left hand:
"Since you don't want to become a meat skewer, let's turn you into meat paste!"
With a downward motion of her left hand, the ice block came crashing down like a mountain, casting a shadow over Miku. But Miku remained crouched in place, as if silently awaiting her fate...
The three outside couldn't help but want to save the Miku, who had lost everything.
'Hmph!' Kurumi snorted heavily in her mind.
'The Prince Charming should be coming down on a rainbow cloud.'
"Ugh!" The enormous ice block crashed down, accompanied by the sound of wind.
"Bzzzt!"
The sharp crackle of electricity filled the air, and Eric finally flashed back onto the scene, holding his Fire Spike spear, which was spewing purple flames.
"Don't give up hope, Miku!"
"—?!" Miku finally looked up, and in front of her was a man's broad back, with the massive ice block looming in the background.
"—!(Let me die!)" Even though Miku couldn't speak, Eric understood what she meant.
"How could I let you die?" Eric 's voice struck her heart. "Even if I die, I won't let you get hurt!"
"!" Miku stared at Eric 's back, unable to make a sound, but she understood him.
The Fire Spike spear was raised high, piercing the ice block.
"Crack!" The hard ice block shattered like fragile tofu, the purple flames on the Fire Spike suddenly flaring up and spreading along the cracks in the ice.
"Crack, crack, crack!" The sound of the ice breaking echoed.
"Boom!" The giant ice block exploded, and countless crystal-clear ice crystals and fragments began to fall from the sky.
The large ice block seemed to have a will of its own, avoiding the two of them.
"—? (Why are you saving me?)" Miku asked, her mouth opening and closing, making a "hiss" sound, "—(I attacked you, didn't I?)"
Eric turned his head and smiled. "Because you're my summoned companion. I understand your past, so I understand your actions."
He then flashed a sunny smile. "And I always keep my word!"
(END CHAPTER)
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