Dual Souls, The Other Half is Bronya

!!!

An indescribable, even more terrifying aura seemed to awaken from its slumber.

Winged Sword, from extreme stillness to extreme motion, ignored acceleration, almost defying the laws of physics.

Her swordsmanship alone had reached a superhuman level. However, the truly powerful one... was Edelweiss herself! Only she could wield the true Winged Sword!

"Little Ai, can you wait a moment?"

A voice, somewhat expressionless and carrying a hint of milkiness. Deep blue lightning struck down (black isn't pretty), and Bronya placed a sword horizontally in the middle of the battlefield.

This is ridiculous... Just standing here made her skin tingle slightly, Bronya mused inwardly.

But she still had business to attend to. Bronya's silvery-pink eyes looked at Edelweiss, "Little Ai, please give me a little time, after all, we..."

"No, it should be I."

A strange physical sensation surged through her, and Bronya changed her address accordingly, "I haven't gone all out yet. After all, a battle between Blade Dancers..."

Just then, Byakuya walked up from behind, finishing Bronya's sentence, "How can we do without our abilities~"

"..., what is going on?"

Edelweiss fell silent for a moment, then finally asked. Although she had a vague guess, she still couldn't be sure, as it was too outrageous!

Byakuya and Bronya stood side by side. Though they were two people, even of different genders, they felt like a single entity, appearing remarkably harmonious.

"Little Ai should have guessed already." As she spoke, Bronya extended a hand towards Byakuya.

◆ Previously, the connection was semi-severed. After all, sharing physical sensations had an impact on daily life. (Most importantly, it was too much of a test for Byakuya's composure.)

Conversely, when physical sensations were truly shared, it meant the synchronization rate between the two bodies had reached its peak, and verbal communication was no longer necessary.

Byakuya didn't speak, merely extended his hand and lightly touched Bronya's fingertips.

A surge of Magic Power was transmitted, healing Byakuya's injuries and rejuvenating him entirely. He could even repair his clothes if he wished.

But there was no need; they would be ruined sooner or later anyway. Byakuya tore off his tattered clothes, revealing his solid chest, "Sorry, this is kind of my secret, after all."

"If possible, I hope Little Ai doesn't mind." Bronya twirled her sword, holding the blade level in front of her.

Byakuya lowered his stance, his left hand moving his fingers slowly along the blade, "Abilities of a Blade Dancer, they always come in all sorts of forms."

"I learned this move as soon as I awakened; it's not like Bronya... it's not something I specifically developed~"

"..."

Edelweiss was speechless. After all, something like this... was a bit too much to comprehend. She unconsciously tightened her grip on the Platinum Twin Swords, her state of mind gradually calming down.

"Then, Byakuya..."

Her sword pointed directly at Byakuya, Edelweiss looked at the two, or rather, at Bronya.

"Bronya, that's my name." Bronya reminded her at the opportune moment.

Edelweiss nodded slightly, her light voice ringing out, continuing her previous sentence, "Then, Byakuya, Bronya, let us exchange blows like swordsmen."

"Of course."

A flat tone. Bronya charged forward first, her silvery-white spiral long hair flying wildly behind her.

In an instant, she had closed in on Edelweiss, the Winged Sword fully integrated into her footwork. A deep blue sword light flashed past, emitting a crisp clashing sound.

"Ding—"

Without any surprise, a platinum sword blocked, like an insurmountable peak, deflecting the deep blue blade.

At this moment, Bronya was very close to Edelweiss, able to clearly see those beautiful eyes, "As expected, Little Ai, you are truly beautiful."

Edelweiss remained silent. She wasn't some little girl to be easily distracted. Silently, another sword slashed down at Bronya.

The blade approached, but Bronya made no move. Unconsciously, Edelweiss hesitated for a moment.

"That's why I say, Little Ai is truly kind."

emmm...

Seeing that the other party still had the mood to tease her, the slightly slowed sword finally fell. Immediately after, the blade cut through Bronya's body...

!!!

The feeling was wrong.

Edelweiss realized it instantly and saw Bronya's figure gradually fade—it was an afterimage! Whether it was "Blending with Light" or something else, it was impossible to avoid some initial movements.

But "Yin-Yang" didn't require it; Byakuya's will alone was sufficient.

"Clang—!"

A flash of saber light streaked past. Within the gradually ethereal afterimage, a Tang Saber gleamed with cold light and slashed fiercely, "Little Ai, you can be a little more serious."

After saying this, Byakuya took a slight step back and disappeared from Edelweiss's sight—Blending with Light.

"After all, I also want to see..."

Then, he was behind Edelweiss instead. Bronya's unique, milky voice rang out, and a deep blue blade attacked, colliding with the platinum sword.

"Clang—!"

Then, from Bronya's rear-left, Byakuya, representing "Yang," materialized and launched a surprise attack on Edelweiss. "How much further am I from a true powerhouse?"

After all, they were essentially the same person. When the synchronization rate reached 100%, the word "chemistry" alone was no longer enough to describe them.

40. Strategic Alliances

For the first time, Edelweiss retreated.

In that instant, Byakuya seized the opportunity perfectly. He had absolutely no idea he would emerge from there.

And Byakuya was no weakling; to a certain extent, he could injure Edelweiss.

"Zheng—"

Sword energy tore through the ground, landing in empty space... Under the immense force, a relatively intact section of the road rose, its sharp edge pointing straight towards the sky.

At this moment, the pure white Valkyrie unfurled a pair of wings and gracefully landed on that sharp edge.

"A good tactic," Edelweiss's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile.

Edelweiss didn't mind fighting two on one, after all... Byakuya's abilities were just like that. However...

An extremely terrifying aura began to reawaken. It had been interrupted by Bronya earlier and now continued, "Next, don't die."

Having just stood on the sharp edge, Edelweiss vanished in an instant.

!!!

A prickling sensation on his back. Byakuya followed his instincts and immediately retreated... Blending with the dust, he shifted positions in an instant.

Without a sound, the spot where he had been moments before was suddenly torn open by a smooth sword mark.

Just then, Bronya switched positions to Byakuya's back, holding the Deep Blue Blade, also known as "Silver Wing," horizontally in front of her.

"Ding—"

The edge of the Platinum Sword thrust forward, striking the narrow blade with a crisp sound.

Without any communication, Byakuya immediately turned around, Myriad Phenomena swinging violently! As the blade touched Bronya... her form became illusory once more.

The resistance from the blade vanished, and Edelweiss's thrust continued. But...

The angle was off!

This angle couldn't possibly reach Byakuya. Since that was the case, Edelweiss abruptly stopped, completely disregarding the laws of physics, and the Winged Sword reappeared.

emmm...

Hey, hey? Newton, or someone else? Do something, someone's dancing on your coffin! Wait, I am too? Never mind then.

Byakuya also knew the Winged Sword.

Although, it was merely a crude imitation, far inferior to Edelweiss's. But at this moment, having the initiative, Byakuya was still a step faster!

A cold sword light flashed past. Caught off guard, Edelweiss managed to block it.

Without a sound, focusing on stealth, Bronya quietly materialized and launched a surprise attack from behind.

At the same time, Byakuya launched a fierce assault from the front, Myriad Phenomena's blade descending with the force of thunder!

"Boom—!"

Blinding white lightning shot up to the heavens. And under the cover of this grand momentum, Bronya also made her move... a silent sword strike.

"Ding ding—"

Two sword lights, almost too fast to see, one in front and one behind, neutralized both of their attacks.

Immediately after, Edelweiss counterattacked. It was an unparalleled sharpness, the air... no, space itself was torn apart!

As the dust settled, the figures within were revealed, still as pure white and flawless as before.

"This is just ridiculous."

At this point, force-dispelling techniques were useless. The gap was too large; no technique mattered, it all came down to pure raw power. "Let's try this..."

The already cracked road was further pulverized by Byakuya's forceful stomp, and a figure shot out.

Meanwhile, Bronya's form gradually turned into Magic Power and merged into Byakuya.

"Clang—!"

Swords clashed fiercely.

The next moment, Bronya appeared to the rear-left, filling the empty space on the left flank.

She crossed paths with Byakuya, the Deep Blue Blade swinging down, blocking Edelweiss's other sword.

Without needing to communicate, Byakuya quickly retreated, shifting positions behind his opponent, the angle incredibly tricky.

He swung his sword towards Edelweiss's unsuspecting (?) back. As expected... it was a complete ruse.

Sparks flew as a Platinum Sword snaked around to his back, precisely blocking Byakuya's attack.

Then, a slender, fair arm erupted with power disproportionate to its appearance, sending both of them flying back. And then... only two streaks of light were visible.

A massive force struck them, repelling them from different directions. Byakuya and Bronya's arms trembled slightly.

Edelweiss pursued, and a flash of sword light streaked past, piercing Byakuya's body.

—Another afterimage!

Turning back, Bronya had already closed in. Magic Power coalesced behind her flank... Byakuya manifested, launching a joint attack with Bronya.

This time, no fancy tricks, just a direct assault! Myriad Phenomena and Silver Wing intertwined, unleashing a sky full of sword shadows.

"Clang, clang, clang—"

An ultimate rapid assault, each sword strike faster than the last, with no, and no possibility of, overlapping sword paths.

But gradually, Byakuya's side felt increasing pressure. As expected of the "World's Strongest Swordsman"!

"..."

Edelweiss remained silent. She could sense the opponent constantly improving, or rather... evolving?

The deep foundations Byakuya had accumulated in The Legend of Qin, Hitori no Shita, and even the original world were now being realized bit by bit, integrating into their being like silent nourishment.

In the high-speed offense-defense battle, Byakuya and Bronya were covered in fine wounds.

Finally...

"Zing—"

A sword light as if divinely aided. The cold blade broke through Edelweiss's defense, leaving a bloody gash on her fair shoulder.

Bronya's form faded, evading the counterattack; but Byakuya Elementalized, taking the sword's brilliance head-on.

There was no other way; one of them had to remain as their anchor in the surface world.

A bolt of Lightning struck in the distance. Byakuya knelt on one knee, a ferocious sword mark carved into his chest, blood pouring out. "Tch, this spot again..."

"Even Elementalization couldn't block it." Bronya manifested, replacing Byakuya's position.