Capítulo 96: A Thief against a Shrine Maiden
Atlas, the floating fortress, was under siege.
The relentless onslaught of Grimm had thrown the city into disarray.
The skies were filled with Atlesian airships firing energy blasts at the swarming creatures, while the Kingdom below was a chaotic battlefield of soldiers and civilians desperately fighting for survival.
But amidst the chaos, one man moved with purpose.
He had aged silver hair slicked back, eyes sharp and calculating.
He used the cover of the Grimm attack to slip unnoticed through the pandemonium.
This was the perfect distraction— exactly what he needed to execute his mission.
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The streets of the city of Atlas were in turmoil.
Beowolves and Ursai, who shouldn't have been present at all, tore through buildings, while the terrifying screeches of Griffons echoed through the air.
The Atlesian Knights fought valiantly, but the sheer number of Grimm threatened to overwhelm even the city's formidable defenses.
Mercury Black darted through the chaos, using his speed and agility to stay out of sight.
The city's defenders were too busy fighting off the Grimm to notice a lone figure moving toward Atlas Academy.
Mercury smirked to himself; everything was going according to plan.
He reached the Academy's outer perimeter, where the security forces were thin, spread too far trying to contain the Grimm.
With the alarms blaring and all eyes on the invaders, He easily bypassed the entrance, slipping inside without raising suspicion.
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Inside the Academy, the atmosphere was tense.
The few soldiers stationed within were on high alert, but they were focused on securing key locations rather than checking for intruders.
Mercury made his way through the halls, silent as a shadow, heading straight for the vault that housed the Relic of Creation.
The path to the Vault was heavily fortified, but the ongoing Grimm attack had forced most of the security to be diverted.
He grinned, knowing this would be his best—and perhaps only—chance to steal the Relic.
As he approached the Vault's entrance, he saw the massive, reinforced door standing before him, its surface gleaming with advanced Atlesian technology.
But Mercury wasn't deterred.
He pulled out the stolen access code, quickly hacking into the security system.
The door hissed as it slowly slid open, revealing the inner sanctum of the Vault.
The Vault of Creation was a sight to behold, even for someone like him who had seen his share of wonders.
The circular chamber glowed with an ethereal light, the air thick with ancient power.
At the center of the room, suspended in mid-air, was the Staff of Creation—an artifact of unimaginable power, radiating a soft, golden glow.
Mercury stepped forward, his heart pounding with anticipation.
He could feel the weight of the moment; this was what he had been commissioned to retrieve by the Queen of Grimm, the object that could tilt the scales in the war for Remnant.
He reached out, his fingers almost brushing against the smooth surface of the Staff when he felt a sudden, icy chill run down his spine.
"You won't take another step."
The voice was soft but filled with authority, cutting through the air like a blade.
Mercury turned sharply, his eyes narrowing as he saw a figure emerge from the shadows.
The figure stepped into the light, her light purple eyes locked onto Mercury.
She moved with a grace and fluidity that spoke of immense skill and discipline
Her long pink hair flowed behind her like a cape, and with weird fox-like animal ears that were present on her head
Clad in a traditional battle attire that was oddly similar to shrine maiden clothes, she was the embodiment of elegance and lethality.
'A Faunus?'
Mercury hadn't expected this.
He knew Atlas had its secrets, but this woman was an enigma he hadn't planned for.
He quickly assessed her, his mind racing as he tried to figure out who—or what—she was.
"You've chosen the wrong moment to interfere," Mercury said, his voice laced with mock confidence as he prepared for a fight.
"Interference?" The pink-haired warrior's voice was calm, almost serene, but with an edge of steel. "I'm here to protect what you seek to steal."
The ground shook violently as another wave of Grimm bombarded the city, causing dust and debris to fall from the ceiling.
Outside the Vault, the sounds of battle raged on, but within this chamber, there was only silence and tension between the two warriors.
Without another word, Mercury lunged forward, his speed blurring as he closed the distance between them.
The opponent responded instantly, unsheathing her katana with a fluid motion that sent a shockwave through the air.
Their blades clashed with a resounding impact, the force of it sending sparks flying.
Mercury was fast—one of the fastest—but the shrine maiden was faster.
She moved with a precision and speed that left him on the defensive, her strikes aimed to incapacitate rather than kill.
Her katana flashed like lightning, each swing calculated to push Mercury back, away from the Relic.
Mercury gritted his teeth, his smirk long gone.
He unleashed a flurry of kicks, each one powerful enough to crack stone-
But she deftly evaded or blocked them, her movements almost ethereal.
She was not of this world- her methods, her fighting style, and her clothing were so utterly foreign and unheard of that it showed
As their battle raged on, a loud crash reverberated through the Vault.
The Grimm, drawn by the power of the Relic, had breached the Academy's defenses.
A massive Beringel, its eyes glowing with malice, smashed through the walls, roaring as it charged toward the two combatants.
The shrine maiden and Mercury paused, both recognizing the immediate threat.
The Beringel's massive fists swung toward them with terrifying speed.
The pink-haired woman moved first, her katana slicing through the air as she leapt to intercept the Grimm.
With a graceful twist, she dodged the creature's strike and delivered a precise, powerful slash across its chest, causing it to stagger back.
Mercury saw his chance and lunged for the Relic, hoping to seize it while the opposing woman was occupied with the Grimm.
As his hand reached for the Staff, a strange sensation rippled through the air—an unsettling, almost corrosive energy that seemed to seep into the very fabric of the room.
The pink-haired shrine maiden's expression changed, a flicker of concern crossing her usually calm demeanor.
"Too late…." She whispered, more to herself than to Mercury.
From the shadows emerged another figure, small but radiating an ominous aura.
Presumably, the woman's companion, materialized, her human-like form with fox appendages glowing with a dark, corruptive energy.
She moved silently, her eyes locked onto Mercury with an intensity that made the assassin's skin crawl.
Before Mercury could react, the small part-fox creature darted toward him, her form blurring as she closed the distance in an instant.
She touched him, her small hand pressing against his chest, and Mercury felt an overwhelming surge of invading power flooding his body.
"What…what is this?" He gasped, voice trembling as the dark energy coursed through his veins.
His muscles seized up, his body refusing to obey his commands.
He struggled to move, but his limbs were paralyzed, locked in place by the malevolent force now coursing through him.
His opponent watched, her gaze steady but tinged with pity.
"This is the consequence of your choices" She said softly.
"Higokumaru's power is not one to be taken lightly."
Mercury's vision blurred, the world around him darkening as the now-named Higokumaru's corruption spread through his body.
The little fatigue from his battle with the shrine maiden now seemed insignificant compared to the overwhelming weight pressing down on him.
His strength drained away, his consciousness slipping as the darkness claimed him.
Mercury collapsed to the ground, his body limp and unresponsive.
Higokumaru's power had done its work, immobilizing him completely.
The assassin, who had once been so confident in his abilities, now lay unconscious and at the mercy of the warrior and her mysterious companion.
…
..
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Yae Sakura sheathed her katana, her eyes lingering on Mercury for a moment longer.
There was no triumph in her gaze, only the indifferent understanding that this was necessary to protect the Relic.
She approached Higokumaru, who had returned to her side, her corruptive aura fading now that the threat was neutralized.
"As ordered by Asterios- sama, we must ensure the Relic remains safe" Yae Sakura said, her voice quiet but resolute.
She cast one last glance at the unconscious Mercury before turning to the Staff of Creation.
The Relic's light had dimmed, as if responding to the corruption that had seeped into the Vault.
Yae Sakura reached out, her hand hovering just above the golden surface of the Staff.
But instead of taking it, she shook her head and turned away
…
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The 500-year-old warrior turned her attention to the still-roaring Beringel.
It had continued to thrash about, angered and confused by the conflicting energies in the Vault.
But without Mercury to pose a further threat, and with Higokumaru's power still lingering in the air, Yae Sakura made quick work of the Grimm, dispatching it with a series of precise, powerful strikes.
Once the Grimm was defeated, silence settled over the Vault.
Outside, the battle for Atlas still raged, but here, the immediate danger had passed.
The shrine maiden knelt beside Mercury's unconscious form, standing vigil, her gaze fixed upon the glowing Relic
The Vault of Creation had settled into an uneasy calm after the clash.
But Higokumaru, her fox-like companion, paced restlessly in the air beside her.
But the small foxy human broke the silence, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Big Sister, won't you take the Relic?"
The pink-haired shrine maiden shook her head gently. "Asterios-sama has informed me that taking this Relic will cause this city to fall to the ground."
"Eh?" Higokumaru's ears perked up in surprise. "So he told you not to take it and guard it?"
Another gentle shake of the Miko's head. "No."
The good side of RIN tilted her head, confusion evident in her eyes. "Then, Sis...?"
"He told me that his companion might have a way to prevent the city from falling,"
The foxy warrior's gaze revealed a trace of tenderness as she looked at the person who reminded her so much of her sister
"So I am waiting for that companion to arrive."
"Ah... I still don't get why we don't take it." Higokumaru scratched behind her ear, still puzzled. "Big Brother would surely be happy if we delivered it to him right now."
A heavy silence settled between them.
After a moment, Sakura whispered, almost to herself
"I know."
The previous Herscher of Corruption watched her sister, noticing the distant look in her eyes.
"Sister, why do you care about the people here? The Boss' companion might take a long time to end her battle, so wouldn't it be better to take this to him as quickly as possible?"
Sakura remained silent, her thoughts seemingly miles away.
"Maybe so, but... " After a lingering pause, she spoke softly, her voice filled with a mix of nostalgia and regret "It's just that Kallen would be disappointed in me if she knew that I made such a choice."
The small fox's eyes widened slightly. "Kallen Kaslana?!"
"She always believed in protecting the innocent, no matter the cost." Sakura nodded, a faint smile of nostalgia touching her lips. "I won't do the same… But since we have this alternative option, we should take it"
Higokumaru's expression also softened.
"I see. Then we'll wait!"
"Thank you, Higokumaru." Sakura looked gratefully at her companion
"Then…" The fox-like spirit settled beside her, determination shining in her eyes. "We'll guard the Relic together until Big Brother's companion arrives!"
Her smile grew, warmth filling her heart amidst the coldness of the Vault.
But she didn't speak any other words- they were not needed
They stood side by side, silently waiting, as the echoes of battle reverberated faintly from the world above.
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A/N:
For those wondering what happened to Yae Sakura and RIN.... Well, here you go
At some point, there will be a brief mention as to why she obeys Adam so much.... Though to people who are familiar with her, the reason would be obvious
But yeah.... She is a pseudo-Herrscher. Mercury black, a mere thief is no match for her
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
AdamFlores
AdamFlores You see those blue stones of power? Yeah, give them to me, I need them
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