บท 133: I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [133]
For them, moving at supersonic speed was second nature. This was undeniably a battle between Servants.
Even from a hundred meters away, the residual force of their blows was enough to rip an ordinary human to shreds.
Blades gleamed like auroras spilling across the night sky—beautiful but deadly, capable of slicing through steel with ease.
Kiichi Hougen's steps seemed deceptively light, as if she were walking on lotus petals. Each movement appeared slow, yet every step left an afterimage behind.
But this didn't faze her opponent.
Kiichi Hougen quickly realized that while her speed was beyond her opponent's ability to match, the armored figure somehow always managed to block her attacks at the perfect moment, as though anticipating her every move.
Even when she attacked from blind spots.
It was as if… her opponent also possessed Mind's Eye.
"Of course, having Mind's Eye alone wouldn't be nearly enough," Kiichi muttered.
This armored figure was an ordinary human—or at least, judging by the lack of a Vision or any elemental powers, they appeared to be.
Yet, they had managed to fight her evenly for so long. Even though she was holding back by using only her swordsmanship, it was still an extraordinary feat.
Even among the countless Heroic Spirits on the Throne, few could match Kiichi Hougen in a pure duel of blades.
There was no doubt—the skill of this armored figure had reached the very pinnacle of human potential, touching upon the realm of the divine. Their mastery was unparalleled, enough to define an entire era.
To put it into terms Servants might understand, if this figure were written into a Servant template, they would be a Berserker with the Eternal Arms Mastery skill.
Much like Sir Lancelot, whose peerless swordsmanship endured even when transformed into a mindless Berserker.
As for the armored figure's true identity… Kiichi Hougen had a fair guess.
And she now understood what the "Corruption" truly was.
"So that's it… The so-called 'Corruption'... what a sorrowful existence."
As the armored figure charged at her again, Kiichi Hougen's gaze softened, a tinge of melancholy flickering in her eyes.
The one feeling this sorrow wasn't Kiichi Hougen, but rather the essence of her being—Fenhuan Yu.
"You… no, you all are true heroes."
Her expression shifted. Gone was the carefree indifference, replaced by solemn respect.
"If I could, I'd prefer to end this with pure swordsmanship. But… I'm sorry. I think it's better to end your suffering quickly."
"May you find peace and ascend. Spirits who still linger in this world, guarding humanity…"
With those words, Kiichi Hougen swung her blade.
It appeared to be an ordinary horizontal slash, and the armored figure raised its katana to block.
However, sensing something was amiss, the figure hastily withdrew, abandoning its defensive stance in an attempt to retreat—but it was too late.
The blade's light descended like a meteor streaking across the sky. Even after cutting through the figure, the light extended for over a hundred meters behind it.
The ground beneath the path of the strike glowed a searing red before erupting into molten lava.
A crimson scar appeared on the armored figure's body before it was swallowed by the wave of lava erupting beneath its feet.
The battlefield, already razed to the ground, was now a scene of pure hellfire.
Under normal circumstances, Kiichi Hougen might have chuckled at her own apparent overkill. But now, knowing the truth behind such cruel circumstances, she felt no mood for humor.
She turned to face the direction of the village.
It seemed Sara had formed a deep bond with Chika. No doubt, Sara was eager to bring Chika with her to the outside world.
"…Sigh."
Her myriad emotions condensed into a single sigh.
Kiichi Hougen glanced back at the scorched earth where the armored figure had once stood.
Then she turned away and swiftly entered the cavern's depths.
She had initially planned to take her time—enjoy life a little while gradually undoing the seal.
But this broken world…
It was better to end it sooner rather than later.
---
"The Angel Sister still isn't back…"
At Chika's house, the two girls sat obediently at the dining table, waiting for lunch.
The dishes had already been served, and they could have started eating at any moment. But because of Kiichi Hougen's earlier remark—"I'll probably be back before lunch"—the two children insisted on waiting until everyone was present.
"But… is this okay?" Sara suddenly asked.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Chika rested her chin on her hands, question marks almost visibly floating above her head.
"I mean… your schedule is usually really strict, right?" Sara tilted her head. "You always eat meals exactly on time, sleep exactly on time—no earlier, no later. Isn't that how it works?"
"Oh… that!" Chika smiled brightly, brushing off the concern. "That was a rule my parents set before they left. A super important rule that Chika has to follow."
"If it's that important…"
"But," Chika interrupted, her smile softening, "my dad said that the most important rule in this village, the rule everyone must follow, is this: Be true to yourself."
Closing her eyes, Chika pressed her hands together over her chest, as if offering a prayer to an unseen deity.
"Like now, waiting for someone important to return… No matter how many breaths it takes, how many times I blink, or how many dreams I drift through… still, I wait with hope in my heart. That's what Chika would do."
"Anticipating every meeting, cherishing every reunion… finding tiny joys like opening a gift box and finding candy inside—that's what Chika should do."
"So, it's fine… nothing bad will happen."
And so, they continued to wait.
On the table, alongside the meal, sat a basket of lavender melons—undoubtedly the ones Sara and Chika had gathered earlier. Or more precisely, the ones Sara had gathered.
Sara noticed Chika's gaze lingering on the basket, her drooling mouth and twitching hands betraying her overwhelming temptation to reach out and grab a melon.
When Chika finally tore her eyes away from the melons, summoning what must have been a day's worth of willpower, she noticed Sara watching her.
Without even wiping her mouth, Chika pointed accusingly at Sara and declared with righteous indignation:
"Sister Sara! Those lavender melons are for Angel Sister! No stealing!"
Sara: "?_?"
---
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