[The Demon Incarnation, Hundred-Eyed Demon]! The Hero and the Demon Lord, Half a Step from Godhood-Minamoto Shizuka!

A moment later, the sword intent belonging to Minamoto Shinsui dispersed.

Only a wreckage resembling a television remote remained in the cracks between the arena steps.

The sword intent had come swiftly and vanished just as swiftly.

So swiftly that almost everyone present had failed to understand what had happened.

--That strand of sword intent had merely come in place of Minamoto Shinsui, who was far away and might not have arrived in time, to silently shout a word of encouragement.

That was all.

Yet Hotarumaru, who had already been silently devouring Minamoto Shizuka, suddenly found that she could no longer swallow anything.

The disintegration of Minamoto Shizuka's soul, which should have gradually faded into nothingness, had stopped.

Then Hotarumaru clearly sensed Minamoto Shizuka's Willpower begin to grow madly again, reassembling itself at a speed countless times faster than before.

Once more, it charged toward the Sea of Tribulation.

Hotarumaru was forced to spit out the indigestible portion of Minamoto Shizuka's soul, unwillingly and without understanding.

How could a soul and Willpower that had already shattered recover and heal, then launch another assault on godhood?

The greatest "tribulation," the tribulation that had destroyed Minamoto Shizuka, had vanished without a trace.

It was the first time in a thousand years.

--Could it be because of that sword intent, which had landed outside the barrier and gone out in an instant, unable to help with anything or accomplish anything?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

--What was Minamoto Shizuka's greatest "tribulation"?

Perhaps she herself did not know. Or perhaps she knew, but was utterly unwilling to admit it.

Actually, the answer was extremely simple--

It was the one and only "Keep it up" that Minamoto Shinsui had said to her when she was young—the one and only word of encouragement.

It was the only ray