Names and Spears

Lupa's gun stopped in mid-air.

Sweat trickled down her forehead, leaving a damp, glistening trail on her cheek, which was quickly wiped away by the rising steam. She was slightly out of breath, her chest rising and falling with each breath, but her five fingers gripping the Flame Banner Spear remained clenched tightly, motionless.

Opposite her, the "Hero of the South" maintained a defensive stance with her swords crossed. On her resolute face, befitting a middle-aged warrior, a playful smile, incongruous with her appearance, appeared—a smile that belonged to a young girl.

How many moves have you made?

Ten moves? Twenty moves?

Lupa didn't count. Her entire attention was focused on the tip of his sword, his footsteps, every slight movement of his shoulder, and the glint in the depths of his eyes. The clash of spear and swords echoed through the ancient Arena, striking the crumbling stone walls and creating brief, indistinct echoes.

She was at a disadvantage.

It was a slight disadvantage, but it was real. Her opponent's strength was greater than she had anticipated, and his use of dual swords was far more experienced and skillful than that of the gloomy young man Roy from before. Every time she parried, the recoil from the impact made her arm muscles ache slightly. Every time she tried to change her move, her opponent could shift his center of gravity half a step ahead, as if her intention had already been transmitted through the air before it even took shape.

But this only made Lupa's lips curl into an excited smile.

"The Hero of the South..."

She spoke, her voice ringing out in the pause between another clash of metal, clear, steady, and with a hint of contemplation.

The spear tip grazed the sword blade, sending sparks flying. She used the momentum to step back half a step, the spear tracing a semicircle beside her, before she regained her stance.

"Speaking of which, you just asked for my name, right?"

"The Hero of the South"—or rather, Rui, who occupies this body—tilted his head. The gesture, made by that resolute, bearded face, looked particularly strange.

No.

Rui's voice remained clear and crisp, with a softness unique to young girls, creating a jarring incongruity with her appearance.

"I am Rui Anev, the younger sister. The one asking for the older sister's name is Rui's older brother."

As she spoke, her two swords clashed lightly in front of her, producing a soft "clang." Dark red pupils—the color of "Gluttony"—saw through the deep sockets of the Hero of the South's eyes and land on Lupa.

"But, sister, you actually know about the 'Hero of the South'? That's quite surprising. In this era, there shouldn't be many people who remember him."

Lupa didn't respond to the topic of "remembering." Her gaze swept over the pair of longswords in Rui's hands, over every subtle flaw in his stance—or rather, those seemingly flawed but actually trap baits. Her mind raced, piecing together the conversation, his abilities, and certain fragments of distant memories.

It doesn't matter.

She said it very softly, as if she were talking to herself.

"Speaking of which, this is the Hero of the South, right? The Hero of the South, the Hero of the South..."

She repeated the title several times, a thoughtful glint in her heterochromatic eyes.

Then, she raised her eyes and looked at Rui again.

"Indeed, I find it a little strange."

Rui raised an eyebrow—an expression that looked somewhat comical on the Hero of the South's face.

"Oh?"

"Heroes from the Southern Lands are called 'Hero of the South,' which isn't surprising," Lupa said slowly, her pace unhurried. "But it seems everyone has forgotten the Hero of the South's real name. Historical records don't mention it, legends only mention the title, and even in folk tales, they're simply referred to as 'Hero of the South.'"

The spear tip drooped slightly, its blade pressing against the sand, creating a small dent.

"If it were due to the passage of time and hazy memories, that would be one thing. But—"

Her gaze sharpened, like the tip of a gleaming gun.

"My master has met the Hero of the South. He said himself that he had met that hero once. But even he has forgotten the Hero of the South's name."

The wind whistled mournfully through the ruined vaulted ceiling of the Arena. Dust from the sand swirled and drifted between the two men.

Rui's smile faded slightly. His dark red eyes narrowed slightly, the playful glint within them diminishing, replaced by something else entirely.

Lupa didn't wait for her response and continued talking.

"Considering your current appearance, and the clue that your so-called brother was so eager to ask us for our names just now..."

"You possess magic similar to 'devouring names' and then 'using their abilities.' However, the condition for activation is knowing the other party's true name."

"Right?"

Silence.

In the center of the Arena, only the sound of the wind and the faint clanging of metal against metal from the distance, coming from Linié and Lai's side, could be heard.

Rui stared at Lupa for several seconds.

Then, she suddenly burst out laughing. The laughter was crisp and sweet, like that of a young girl, but coming from the throat of the Hero of the South, it created a bizarre feeling that sent chills down one's spine.

"Laugh..."

Her shoulders trembled slightly as she laughed, and her twin swords quivered gently in response.

"You're very clever, my perceptive older sister."

She tilted her head, her dark red pupils gleaming with admiration—and something deeper, a greedy light.

"So--"

She drew out her words, slowly raising her twin swords, their tips drawing two cold arcs in the air, pointing at Lupa.

"So what if you guessed right?"

Her smile widened, revealing the neat teeth befitting Hero of the South.

"I am now the 'Hero of the South,' hailed as the 'Strongest of Humanity.' Even if you know our secret, even if you see through the rules—"

Her voice suddenly rose, shedding its feigned sweetness and revealing undisguised provocation and the excitement of battle.

"--Sister, can you win?"

Lupa did not answer.

Instead, the corners of her mouth turned upwards into an almost unrestrained, carefree smile befitting a warrior.

Instead of being afraid, they were even more excited.

"That's great."

She spoke softly, her voice carrying the joy of a warrior who has discovered a precious prey.

She released her right hand from the gun, holding the Flame Banner Spear with only her left hand, the tip still pointing diagonally at the ground. Her free right hand rose to grasp the buckle of her light armor.

"Click. Click. Click."

A few soft sounds.

She removed the seemingly lightweight white breastplate and tossed it aside casually.

Thump!

The breastplate landed on the ground with a surprisingly dull thud, kicking up a small cloud of dust. Clearly, its weight far exceeded its apparent size.

Next are the shoulder armor, arm armor, and leg armor.

One by one, she removed the white armor and tossed it haphazardly at her feet. Each piece landed with a heavy thud, leaving shallow craters in the sand. When the last leg armor detached from her body and slammed into the sand with a "clang," the sand around Lupa's feet noticeably sank a little deeper.

She moved her shoulders, neck, and wrists; her joints made a soft, reassuring cracking sound.

Freed from the constraints of armor, she was clad only in a close-fitting white outfit. The fabric clung to her body, outlining her lean and muscular physique, every inch brimming with honed, explosive power. Her high, peach-pink twin ponytails swayed gently behind her head with her movements, while her crimson cloak billowed in the rising wind.

Speaking of 'Strongest of Humanity'...

She gripped the gun with both hands again, the heavy Flame Banner Spear feeling as light as a feather in her grasp. Her gaze was intense, fixed on Rui opposite her, like a hunter eyeing a mountain he longed to climb, a mountain he had to climb.

"People always say he's the Hero of the South. Some even say that Himmel has surpassed the Hero of the South and become the new Strongest of Humanity."

She lowered her center of gravity slightly, stomped her forefoot on the sand, and adjusted to the perfect stance for exerting force, her muscles tightening like a bowstring.

"Now that the Demon King is dead, the only formidable enemy I've encountered recently... is my master, who was out of control at the time, and whom I couldn't truly fight to the death with."

She raised her head, exhaling a hot breath, her heterochromatic eyes shining with an astonishing light.

"I've never believed that the Hero of the South is an 'insurmountable peak.' The Hero of the South is dead. He was great, but even if he was great, he had stagnated. If I consider even a stagnant being insurmountable, how can I reach the 'strongest' level? What is the purpose of my daily training?"

Her smile revealed a sharp confidence.

"Come on. I really should thank you. You've given me the chance to face the so-called 'Strongest of Humanity' --"

The sand beneath her feet exploded with a deafening roar! Her body transformed into a crimson afterimage, tearing through the air as she hurtled towards Rui! Her speed was more than twice as fast as before! Almost instantly, before she could finish speaking, the spear tip was already upon her!

"--A chance to fight to the death!"

The spear was in front, its tip tearing through the air with a sharp, piercing screech!

Rui's pupils suddenly contracted.

Wow, so fast!

But she was, after all, the "Hero of the South." Her battle instincts, honed through countless trials, were etched into every muscle and marrow of her body. At the critical moment, she crossed her swords in a parry, precisely positioning them at the most vulnerable point of the spear tip—

"Clang--!"

A deafening explosion! A blinding cloud of sparks erupted at the point of impact! Rui's feet slid uncontrollably half a meter backward, carving two clear tracks in the sand. She felt a tingling numbness in her arms; the force emanating from the sword was far heavier than she had anticipated.

Lupa gave her no time to adjust. With her spear blocked, she twisted her waist, using the recoil to draw a full arc with her spear, a fierce upward thrust aimed straight at Rui's chin!

Rui leaned back, pressing down with the tip of his sword to parry.

"Clang!"

The spear and sword clashed again! Rui was lifted slightly into the air by the force of the thrust, and although it was only for a moment, he had already lost his balance.

Lupa stepped forward, her third step! Her spear unleashed a furious barrage of attacks! Thrust, sweep, smash, thrust, point! Each strike was as fast as lightning, as heavy as a mountain, with cunning and ruthless angles, carrying a desperate and tragic momentum, without the slightest frill or hesitation, only the most concise and deadly intent to kill!

Rui's twin swords danced, creating an impenetrable curtain of light. The clanging sounds of their strikes blended into a rapid storm of metal, almost without any gaps. She retreated continuously, parrying relentlessly, and finally, a hint of forced seriousness flashed in her dark red pupils.

This opponent... became a completely different person after removing his armor.

No, it hasn't changed.

It meant the last constraint had been broken.

The seemingly light white armor she wore just now probably had an astonishing weight, enhanced by magic. Now, freed from that burden, her speed, explosiveness, and even the fluidity and variation of her moves have all risen to another level, making her a completely different person from when they fought before.

More importantly—her fighting spirit.

It was a pure, intense fighting spirit, as if it would Burning itself out. It wasn't about winning or losing, or about survival, but simply about the ultimate pleasure that came from the very act of "fighting against the strong."

Madman.

Rui cursed inwardly, but a smile involuntarily crept onto his face.

This "seasoning" is really good... strong, scalding hot, with the smell of gunpowder and rust.

"Ha!"

With a low shout, Lupa suddenly changed direction midway through her spear thrust, the shaft sweeping horizontally like a large club, striking Rui's waist and abdomen with the force of wind and thunder! Rui parried with his sword, but was still knocked two steps to the side by the heavy sweep, inevitably leaving his center open.

Lupa seized the fleeting opening, her spear lashing out like a venomous dragon, aiming straight for Rui's heart!

Rui parried with her left-hand sword, the blade grazing the spear at a subtle angle, the spear tip grazing her ribs and taking a piece of cloth with it. Taking advantage of the moment, she swiftly thrust her right-hand sword at Lupa's throat, attempting to use offense as defense and force her to retreat.

Without dodging or evading, and unable to withdraw her spear in time, Lupa simply released her left hand, gripped the spear's end with her right hand, and used the spear as a club to deliver a swift horizontal sweeping blow to Rui's right wrist, which was holding a sword!

Trading injury for injury! Risking life for chance!

Rui's pupils contracted, and she had no choice but to sheathe her sword and retreat. Lupa's spear tip grazed her wrist, leaving a bloody mark, while her sword, which was aimed at Lupa's throat, also missed its mark, grazing her neck.

The two separated by several steps again.

Lupa gripped the gun with both hands again, the tip pointing steadily at her opponent. Her breathing was slightly rapid, but her eyes shone brighter.

Rui glanced at the new wound on his wrist, then licked his lips. In his dark red pupils, excitement and greed surged like a tidal wave.

"Not bad, sister... then, let's have another one!"

She lunged forward again, her twin swords unfurled. This time, in addition to the original techniques, her swordplay possessed a new dimension—the weight and precision honed through countless battles and life-or-death struggles—that belonged to the "Hero of the South." It was no longer a simple parry, but a methodical counterattack, the sword light weaving like an interwoven net, enveloping Lupa.

Lupa brandished her spear, the crimson spear shadow and the silver sword light clashing and intertwining wildly in the center of the Arena, sparks flying and air currents churning. The sand was plowed into a mess by their footsteps, with pebbles and dust constantly rising, blurring the figures of the warriors.

On the other side.

Linié's sword remained as steady as a clock mechanism. Her Mimicry Magic had undergone countless refinements, and the swordsmanship of the hero Himmel was almost instinctive in her hands, indistinguishable from the original.

Her pale purple eyes were calm and still, reflecting Lai's face, which held a playful smile but was now slightly disheveled. Her attacks were not as fierce and violent as Lupa's, but they were more precise, more energy-efficient, and more... difficult to deal with.

Every sword strike landed at the most unpleasant angle. With each parry, the vibration from the magic sword perfectly disrupted Lai's rhythm. She was like a silent, supple, yet exceptionally resilient net, tightening little by little, compressing Lai's space and nipping his counterattack in the bud.

Lai's wounds are multiplying.

A cut on his left shoulder, a cut on his right leg, and a small bloodstain on his cheek. Not deep, but annoying. His movements were still agile, and the trajectory of his short sword was still tricky and unpredictable, but it was clear that he was being suppressed, and his range of movement was getting smaller and smaller.

"Bingeating... Gluttony..."

He parried a diagonal slash, then slid backward, still muttering to himself, but his smile was already somewhat forced. His dark red eyes quickly swept over Rui, who was locked in fierce combat with Lupa not far away, before returning to the pink-haired, expressionless, emotionless girl in front of him.

"This is really troublesome... Miss, could you tell me your name?"

"No, Ruby Lily from saying her name. Lily must obey," Linié replied expressionlessly.

"..." Lai paused for a moment, then immediately smiled, "Oh, I see, your name is Lei..."

Five minutes later.

"Ptooey! This tastes awful! That's not your real name! You cunning woman!" Lai said, as he received another shallow stab to his ribs.

Linié remained unfazed. "We Demons are naturally very good at deceiving people."

She thrust her magical longsword forward again, aiming straight for Lai's throat. Simple, direct, without any unnecessary movements, yet it sealed off his space to dodge to the sides.

Lai sidestepped, raising his short sword to parry the attack. But Linié's wrist trembled almost imperceptibly, the tip of her sword drawing a small, delicate arc, dodging the parry like a fish, still steadily pointing at his throat.

Lai had to retreat again, his steps faltering.

He gritted his teeth, twirled the short sword in his hand, and suddenly ducked forward, attempting to break through from below Linié's sword stance and attack her lower body.

Linié simply took a half-step back at just the right moment, and then slashed down with her longsword.

Lai scrambled to avoid the attack, his breath ragged as he got up, the playful smile on his face finally faltering. He looked at Linié, then at the new wounds on his body, a clear hint of annoyance flashing in his dark red pupils.

"Tsk... this can't go on..."

He muttered to himself, his gaze darting eagerly towards Rui's direction once more.

The battle between Rui and Lupa had reached a fever pitch. Gunfire and sword flashes nearly engulfed the area, accompanied by continuous explosions. It seemed that Rui did not have a clear advantage.

No, even... a little suppressed?

Lai's pupils contracted slightly.

He understood his sister. When Rui transformed using "Solar Eclipse," she could perfectly inherit the target's appearance, abilities, and even some combat experience and muscle memory. But the "Hero of the South" was, after all, a legendary powerhouse. Her combat instincts honed through countless life-and-death experiences and her swordsmanship, which had reached a state of perfection, could not be fully mastered simply by Imitation. Facing an opponent like Lupa, who unleashed her full power after removing her armor and whose fighting spirit was boiling wildly, Rui probably... wouldn't be able to win easily, and might even be showing signs of fatigue.

As for myself...

Lai looked at Linié. The pink-haired girl remained calm, her longsword pointing diagonally, awaiting his next attack. In her pale purple eyes, there was no underestimation of his opponent, nor any impatience, only a bottomless, machine-like focus.

We can't beat them.

This judgment clearly appeared in Lai's mind. He might be able to hold on for a while longer, but defeat was only a matter of time. And once he fell, if Linié joined the battle and formed an encirclement, Rui would have no chance of survival.

So...

Suddenly, the corners of Lai's mouth stretched upwards into an even wider, almost splitting arc.

A cold and resolute light flashed in his dark red pupils.

"There's nothing I can do..."

He spoke softly, so softly that only he could hear it, yet it carried a strange sense of relief.

Then, he suddenly moved.

It's not an attack on Linié.

Instead, he charged headlong towards the direction where Rui and Lupa were fighting! His speed instantly reached its limit, leaving a blurry afterimage, and he even tore open his wounds, causing new blood to splatter!

Linié frowned slightly. Without hesitation, she moved swiftly, pursuing him relentlessly.

Lai charged into the fray between Rui and Lupa. Gunshots and sword flashes swept past him, creating a sharp gust of wind. Ignoring everything, he rushed straight to Rui and used his back to take a hard hit from Lupa's cunning side sweep!

"Puff!"

He spat out a mouthful of scalding blood, staggered forward, but didn't stop. Enduring the excruciating pain of shattered bones, he grabbed Rui's sword-wielding arm.

My lovely little sister!

He raised his head, his face covered in blood, yet he smiled brightly, his dark red pupils fixed on Rui's equally dark red eyes.

"Bring it on!"

His voice trembled with excitement and pain, yet it was exceptionally clear, piercing through the metallic shrieks of the fierce battle.

"Looks like my brother's no match for me~ Binge drinking! Gluttony!"

He opened his arms as if to embrace something invisible, or as if performing some kind of sacrificial ritual.

"Eat me, your brother! Let my power become your power!"

Rui's pupils widened in surprise.

A scalding, almost convulsive urge suddenly gripped her throat. The power of Gluttony screamed from the depths of her soul, an uncontrollable greed in the face of the most "delicious" offering. Saliva flowed uncontrollably, and a moist, itchy sensation seemed to emanate from the corner of her mouth—to devour, to assimilate, to swallow everything about her brother—his cunning smile, his frivolous tone, their shared essence, and even this resolute "love" at this moment—to make it all a part of herself.

Almost simultaneously, something deeper and more primal collided violently with this greed. It was "brother." This word, like a red-hot nail, was driven into her chaotic thoughts. The shared Witch Factor wailed, the source of her bloodline trembled. She saw the almost Burning, pure devotion in Lai's eyes, that face smeared with blood yet still smiling at her, overlapping with a vague, warm fragment in her memory... and then a blankness exploded.

"Brother... Master...?"

Her movements became noticeably hesitant. The resolute expression of the "Hero of the South" on her face was replaced by a trace of bewilderment, a genuine shock and helplessness typical of young girls. Her dark red pupils reflected Lai's blood-stained yet brightly smiling face, and behind him—

--That spear tip, like a crimson meteor, imbued with all my mind and strength, was unstoppable.

Lupa's pupils shrank to pinpoints.

Her spear thrust out the instant Lai charged into the fray. This thrust embodied all her momentum, power, and masterful control of the battle's rhythm, targeting the fleeting opening in Lupa as he parried Rui's powerful blow with his twin swords.

She hadn't expected Lai to suddenly shield her with his body.

Even more unexpectedly, Rui would be so fatally distracted at such a critical moment.

It can't be stopped.

There wasn't enough time to change direction.

"Hello--!"

She could only utter a short, warning growl.

But the speed of sound can't keep up with the tip of a gun.

The crimson Flame Banner Spear, accompanied by a piercing whistle, pierced through the air as easily as if it were a thin sheet of paper—

"Laugh."

It pierced through Lai's back.

The spearhead, stained with blood, protruded from the chest.

Then, with its momentum still intact, it continued forward.

It pierced Rui's chest with pinpoint accuracy, as Rui froze in shock.

The spear tip emerged from behind Rui, spraying a cloud of dark red blood mixed with a strange, magical sheen.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

Lai looked down at the gun tip, stained with her warm blood, protruding from her chest. Then she looked up with difficulty at the gun tip protruding from her own chest—that of her sister.

He smiled.

His mouth gaped open, and more blood oozed from between his teeth, but he laughed heartily, even letting out a "hoarse" sound.

"Ah... now..."

His voice grew weak, carrying the distinctive grotesque sounds of flesh and blood breaking.

"Really... Gluttony..."

The light in his dark red pupils quickly dimmed. But he still stubbornly stared at Rui, at the face of his sister, the "Hero of the South," now filled with confusion and helplessness.

"My lovely little sister..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

His head was severed from his neck.

Linié appeared beside him. The magic longsword slashed silently, leaving a clean and crisp arc. Not a drop of blood stained the blade.

Lai Badenkatos's head flew off, tracing a brief parabola in the air before rolling onto the sand with a "thud." His face still bore that final, crazed, and satisfied smile. The headless body swayed, then collapsed forward, landing heavily on Rui.

Rui was still standing.

She lowered her head, looking at the cold spear that had pierced through her and her brother's bodies. Then she raised her head, her gaze somewhat unfocused, as she looked at Lupa was still holding the spear shaft in front of her.

The bewilderment in his dark red pupils quickly faded, replaced by an empty, as if something had suddenly shattered inside him, followed by a deathly stillness.

"Brother..."

She spoke softly, her voice so light it was like a wisp of smoke, as if afraid of waking something, or as if she no longer cared about anything.

"It's so warm..."

She murmured, trying to pull the corners of her mouth upwards as if to return a smile to her brother, but she failed, only causing more blood to flow.

"It should be cold..."

Her body began to change.

The appearance of the "Hero of the South" peeled away and vanished like a painting soaked in water. Her height shrank, and her figure returned to that of a petite girl. Her dazzling long golden hair spread out, appearing somewhat dull and lackluster in the dim light of the Arena.

She transformed back into Rui Anev.

That little girl, who looked no more than ten years old.

The spear remained piercing her chest. Dark red blood continued to gush out, staining her golden hair, her simple dress, and the gradually cooling body of Lai in her arms.

She looked up at Lupa. Her red pupils reflected Lupa's silent face, covered in sweat and dust.

"Elder sister..."

She spoke, her voice soft, with a childlike innocence, and a strange, almost liberated calm.

"You... are very strong."

Lupa didn't say anything.

But...

Rui smiled, revealing his small canine teeth, and a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

"My brother and I... and Roy... we actually..."

Her voice grew softer and softer, her pupils began to dilate, and her focus gradually disappeared.

"I just want to... taste... what 'the best life'... tastes like..."

Her head tilted gently against Lai's shoulder. Strands of golden hair slipped down, obscuring half of her face, which was rapidly losing its color.

"It seems... a little... bitter..."

The last few words were as soft as a sigh, Melt in the wind.

Then, she closed her eyes.

She held onto her brother's arm, which then fell limply to her side.

In the center of the Arena, there was utter silence.

Only the whistling of the wind through the gaps in the ruins and the faint chirping of unknown insects in the distance could be heard.

Lupa stood still, gripping the spear that had pierced through them both. The weight of the spear was cold and sticky, so heavy that her arm trembled slightly.

She slowly, very slowly, withdrew her spear.

"Laugh."

The gun blade detached from the flesh, bringing with it more blood and some broken tissue. Rui and Lai's bodies lost their last support, collapsing limply together onto the sand, into the rapidly expanding pool of blood. The dark red blood silently and swiftly seeped into the sand, forming a dark, slowly writhing stain that seemed to possess a life of its own.

Linié walked to her side and silently watched the two intertwined bodies rapidly losing their temperature. Her pale purple eyes were expressionless; she simply watched quietly.

Lupa lowered her head, watching the blood slowly gather and drip from the tip of her spear. Then she raised her head, her gaze sweeping across the ancient, silent Arena. The broken, gray-white stone walls stood like the skeletons of giant beasts all around, silently witnessing the end of yet another battle, as if it had been for thousands of years.

"Strongest of Humanity..."

She repeated the word softly, her lips twitching, but ultimately failing to form a smile, leaving only a complex trace.

She bent down, picked up the white breastplate covered in sand and dust from the ground, patted it twice, and put it back on. One piece at a time, she put on the heavy armor she had taken off. The heavy feeling of each piece of armor clicking back onto her body, the familiar pressure through her clothes, gave her a strange, almost numb sense of security.

Finally, she fastened the crimson cloak belt and gripped the blood-stained Flame Banner Spear once more.

"That's how we defeat the Strongest of Humanity..."

She looked at the two gradually cooling bodies on the sand, her voice hoarse.

"This is really uncomfortable."