However, Kiana suddenly attacked her, trying to seize the blade by surprise, but Yae Sakura caught the hand that came at her in ambush.
"Why did you attack me? I have already told you the truth as promised."
She had cut down countless Kishin. There was no way she had failed to react. She simply could not understand.
She had clearly told Kiana the truth, so why was Kiana attacking her?
Could it be that she didn't believe her?
Kiana continued striking with her other hand, reaching toward Narukami.
Yae Sakura flung Kiana's hand away, shielded the Resonating Blade, and caught the blow, her heart sinking slightly.
What incredible strength.
She had slain countless oni, and during that process, her own body had long since been tainted by the power of the Kishin, turning her into a half-oni.
On the path of slaying Kishin, being a half-oni was not necessarily a bad thing. As long as she kept her corruption in check and did not fall into becoming a mindless oni, the same techniques would be far stronger than they had been when she was human.
Yet when her half-oni body competed with Kiana in strength, she actually found herself at a disadvantage. This was completely beyond Yae Sakura's expectations.
"Whether what you said is true or not, I have to take Narukami back today!"
During their exchange, Kiana could feel that Yae Sakura was only defending herself and had no desire to attack her.
Kiana also believed what she had said, but she had to take Narukami back today and return it to Mei.
"Mei is the current master of the shrine!" Kiana threw another punch at Yae Sakura and said firmly, "If you want to take Narukami, go to the shrine openly and discuss it with Mei! Don't sneak off with the blade. Only Mei can decide who this blade belongs to!"
"You really are..."
Yae Sakura frowned. She had already explained everything very clearly.
"It isn't that I don't want to do that. Mr. Ryoma simply doesn't want Raiden Mei to learn the truth about the world too soon."
"If you're going to involve Mei, then tell her everything as soon as possible!"
Kiana's punches had no technique. Her foundation had been trained under Mei, and aside from brute force, she possessed little skill. After all, she had only just finished practicing the basics and was still learning forms. She had yet to reach the stage of actual combat.
In her fight against Yae Sakura, a battle-hardened swordswoman who had slain countless Kishin, she could not gain the slightest advantage.
"You must have narrowly escaped death countless times while slaying Evil Gods, right?"
But Yae Sakura only dodged and blocked without retaliating, so at first glance, Kiana seemed rather impressive.
"If you don't tell Mei now, are you planning to wait until everyone is dead before telling her the news?"
Yae Sakura fell silent. She did not understand, but she respected Raiden Ryoma's choice.
"Give Narukami back to me!"
"You disappeared without leaving Mei a single word. If you want to take Narukami, let him come back and get it himself!"
Yae Sakura had not expected Kiana's combat experience to improve so quickly. Her words made Yae Sakura lose focus for an instant, and Kiana's hand seized the hilt of Narukami from a tricky angle.
I got it!
Kiana's heart leaped with joy.
"Bang—!"
The instant she grabbed the hilt, Yae Sakura finally stopped merely dodging and blocking. She took the initiative to strike.
Kiana did not even see Yae Sakura's movement clearly. She only felt an agonizing pain shoot through the arm gripping Narukami, followed by a dull impact in her other shoulder. Her entire body was sent flying backward.
Yae Sakura stood unharmed where she was. Looking at Kiana, whom she had pushed away with a single palm, she sighed and bowed. "I'm very sorry. But I cannot give you the Resonating Blade. If I can return alive, I will apologize to you—and to Raiden Mei."
After saying her apology, Yae Sakura turned around and prepared to leave without hesitation.
"Don't go!"
But Kiana was like an unkillable cockroach. Her face was pale as paper, yet she staggered to her feet.
To completely shake off Kiana's pursuit, Yae Sakura had used a little technique just now. It would not cause serious injury, but it would make the victim experience the excruciating sensation of having their limbs torn apart.
"Leave Mei's Narukami... behind!"
Yae Sakura's expression shifted slightly.
"Why?"
"What do you mean, why?"
Kiana's hand hurt as though it were about to break, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead from the unbearable pain.
Even so, she still refused to give up. She could not simply watch Yae Sakura take Narukami away.
"What is she to you?" Yae Sakura could not understand her persistence. "Why would you go this far for her?"
As she spoke, she paused and placed her hand on Frost, drawing it partway from its sheath.
Cold air spread outward from Yae Sakura, and a layer of winter-white frost instantly covered the dry grass.
Although the Frost Blade had not yet slain Amatsuyu, and a blade that had not seized Amatsuyu's power was not a true Edict Blade, she had slain countless Kishin. Her blade and body had both absorbed the remnants of their power.
"I can kill you at any time."
"I know you won't." Kiana first shook her head, then said firmly, "Besides, even if you really intend to kill me, I'll still stand here and stop you from taking Narukami! Because—because Mei has always been searching for her father's whereabouts."
"...Why would you go this far for her?" Yae Sakura was silent for a moment before continuing, "You're putting your life on the line and betting that I'm a good person who won't kill you. You clearly have nothing to do with this matter. You could simply go back and repeat what I told you to Raiden Mei. That choice is entirely yours."
Raiden Ryoma had only told her not to reveal the truth to Mei. He had never said that someone else could not tell Raiden Mei the truth.
So Yae Sakura felt no burden saying this.
"Because she's important to me." Kiana took a deep breath. "So I absolutely won't let her chance to see her father slip away right before my eyes!"
Whether Raiden Ryoma would die during the campaign against Takemikazuchi or not, she was unwilling to entrust the possibility to uncertainty.
What if Raiden Ryoma really does die while fighting Takemikazuchi?
Then Mei... would not even be able to see her father one last time.
For someone who had always searched for her father's whereabouts, how cruel and regretful would that be?
"A very important friend?"
Yae Sakura drew the Frost Blade back into its sheath. Only then did the land and dry grass, which had been on the verge of freezing, stop changing. The frost did not vanish when she sheathed Frost.
She suddenly felt a little envious of Raiden Mei.
Regardless of whether Raiden Ryoma's actions were right or wrong, Mei had a father who bore everything alone, slew oni to protect the world, yet wished for his daughter to live like an ordinary person.
She also had a friend who was unafraid of death, who would not give up the opportunity even after being injured, and who had stood in front of this dangerous person to fulfill her wish.
"I acknowledge your conviction."
Kiana's face brightened. "Will you give Narukami back to me?"
Yae Sakura shook her head.
No matter what, she would not leave the Resonating Blade behind. The campaign against Takemikazuchi was imminent, and there was no more time to waste retrieving the blade.
Kiana's face darkened as she said realistically, "Then don't say things that make people misunderstand. Besides, no matter what you say, I'm taking Narukami back. This is the answer I owe Mei!"
If Yae Sakura refused and insisted on taking Narukami away, Kiana could only use her trump card.
After all, Izumo was already beyond saving.
"Don't be in such a hurry. I wanted to tell you that I'm willing to relay your thoughts and convictions, as well as Raiden Mei's, to Mr. Ryoma and persuade him to meet with Raiden Mei."
"Really?"
Kiana's eyes widened. If that was the case, then it was not unacceptable.
The odds of taking Narukami back from Yae Sakura were simply too low. Even if she activated a cheat on the spot, she might not necessarily be a match for this woman.
The system could not possibly give her the password to a maxed-out account from the beginning and turn her into her complete form.
And Yae Sakura was no ordinary person.
"I'm willing to convey your words, and I'll do my best to persuade Mr. Ryoma and help you change his mind."
Kiana nodded, then remembered something and hesitantly asked, "Mei said that her father has been missing for two years. I want to know, why hasn't he come back to see Mei during those two years? Two whole years—more than seven hundred days. Could he really not have found a chance to come home and see her even once?"
"Mr. Ryoma did return to Changkong City." Yae Sakura's answer was completely unexpected to Kiana.
"But..."
"As for why he did not meet her..."
Yae Sakura hesitated, then slowly lifted the brim of her hat, revealing her face.
Her long cherry-pink hair complemented her beautiful features, but atop her head was a pair of long fox ears.
"Those who slay Kishin will suffer the curse of the Kishin. The more Kishin they slay, the deeper the curse becomes. A cursed body will irreversibly transform toward becoming an oni, turning into a half-oni, until it finally falls completely and becomes an oni—a monster indistinguishable from the Kishin we have slain."
Yae Sakura's voice held little emotion as she explained this, but Kiana could sense the sorrow within it.
A slayer of oni ultimately becomes an oni.
How absurd.
But for Izumo's continuation, they had to exterminate every oni in the world. Even if they were destined to fall and become oni, they would slay as many of the more dangerous Kishin as possible before that day arrived, contributing another measure of strength to saving Izumo.
The gods of Takama-ga-hara had not come to rule or plunder. They had come only to kill.
Therefore, Takama-ga-hara's gods and Izumo...
Were destined for only one of them to survive.
"I've been fairly lucky. I have decent resistance to the corruption. You've already seen the parts that have undergone Oniification."
Yae Sakura covered her ears with her hood again and explained, "Mr. Ryoma began showing symptoms of Oniification two years ago, but his resistance to the corruption is not as strong as mine."
"He came back but didn't meet her... He probably didn't want his daughter to see him looking neither human nor oni."
Seeing the gloom on Yae Sakura's face, Kiana suddenly said, "It's not scary at all. You look beautiful!"
"...Thank you."
Yae Sakura was slightly stunned by Kiana's praise, then revealed a faint smile.
She knew Kiana meant well.
After looking at the white-haired girl for a while, she followed her heart and said, "I'm taking the Resonating Blade with me. I'll keep my promise to you. If—just if—we successfully defeat Takemikazuchi and I return alive... could I become friends with you?"
"Of course!" Kiana shuddered and hurriedly said, "I believe you'll definitely come back alive, and that you'll all successfully defeat Takemikazuchi! But you should avoid making flags like that beforehand. It's bad luck!"
Yae Sakura did not quite understand what she meant, but she guessed it was some kind of taboo and committed the matter to memory.
"I'll remember that." She glanced at the horizon. No longer lingering, Yae Sakura waved to Kiana and disappeared into the forest. "Then this is goodbye, Kiana. See you."
Defeating a god was not easy.
Even though Izumo had successfully slain Tsumugari no Kami and Amatsukami, those victories had been built upon lives and money, achieved by staking every resource Izumo could use.
This campaign against Takemikazuchi had the assistance of a Blade Master whose blade was acknowledged by Heaven, so they should be able to reduce the price they paid somewhat. But the inevitable brutality would not be lessened by much.
This was still a war that would exhaust all of Izumo's strength. Even she could not guarantee that she would return alive.
Mei: So You're Yae Sakura? I'll Remember You!
She's gone.
Kiana was not particularly worried that Yae Sakura would die in this campaign against Takemikazuchi. As one of miHoYo's famous female actors, even if she was going to die, she would not die at the beginning of the story.
"Ouch..."
Both her hands hurt terribly.
After Yae Sakura left, Kiana, who had been forcing herself to stay upright, scrunched her face into a ball. "That fox really didn't hold back."
It hurt so much that she wanted to cut her arms off.
She did not know how Yae Sakura had exerted her strength. Not only could she not use any strength now, but the continuous pain was truly difficult to endure.
One arm hurt so badly that she wanted to cut it off, while her shoulder throbbed terribly. Yae Sakura had effectively crippled both her arms.
She really had been ruthless.
"Brute force alone really isn't enough."
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