World Tree Descent, The Final Sword.

The massive katana cleaved through the fragile ground, and the violent Honkai Energy exploded upon contact with the ground. Centered on the impacted ground, several jet-black flames burst forth in the form of slash waves.

With just one strike, the landscape surrounding the shrine was altered once again.

The area was already chaotic enough, but the flames easily burned away most of the debris, leaving the landscape clean and empty.

The temperature around us was strangely high; even though it was winter, our bodies began to feel unbearably hot.

Strong air convection caused light refraction, making the scenery in front of you look like a distorted, phantom realm.

The black flames filled the field of vision, and [Ashes] remained of the torii gate and the shrine ruins.

The two stood atop the towering ancient tree that Satou Yunona had sculpted in an instant. After dodging the exaggerated attack, they chose to temporarily escape the battlefield in this way.

In hindsight, this was the right decision. Even with Su Qing'an's physical condition, it would be difficult for him to engage in strenuous activity in such an environment. The air, hotter than boiling water, was no longer a place where a normal human being could stand.

They looked down from above at the enormous, demonic creature, which slowly approached, its katana trailing behind it, leaving behind indelible black flames.

In fact, the pitch-black flames were already burning the roots and branches of the ancient tree. Without the help of the Living Doll, it wouldn't be long before the ancient tree collapsed.

The two began a brief tactical exchange.

Su Qing'an concluded, "It can no longer cheat with resurrection coins; the Living Doll that can only complete the game in one life has lost its original mystery."

"Yuno, you should be able to use it one more time, right?"

Upon hearing this, the girl turned and asked, "The World Tree Descent?"

Su Qing'an nodded seriously in agreement, just as he didn't think it was a cringeworthy thing to use the names of anime characters' moves.

Satou Yunona glanced at the boy and said seriously, "My power left a mark in the mountains and forests outside, so it should be able to be used once more. However, for me now, this is my limit."

Su Qing'an understood her implication: after using that move, Satou Yunona would be unable to overuse her powers for a period of time. This meant that if this attack still failed to kill the Living Doll, he would be the only one she could rely on.

"It's alright," he replied with a smile.

If one is a pure Pseudo-Herrscher, one will naturally not suffer from the distress of having limited power output.

However, what Satou Yunona, who severed her Honkai Consciousness with human will and forcibly controlled this power, faced was far more than others could imagine.

But the girl simply nodded in agreement, just as Su Qing'an had been able to disregard the severe side effects of using Artificial Stigmata, Satou Yunona was also unconcerned about not being able to fully utilize her powers for a short period of time.

Perhaps in the girl's eyes, even though she had mastered the power of Pseudo-Herrscher, Su Qing'an was still a very strong and powerful person.

She is far stronger and more powerful than her.

Satou Yunona suddenly realized that Su Qing'an's sword light was already powerful enough, and he might become even stronger in the future.

In her heart, no matter how powerful or dazzling the boy's attacks might become in the future, they would never be as powerful and gentle as the sword strike that severed the girl's despair that day.

The massive Honkai Energy within the Pseudo-Herrscher Core is linked to the power imprint. Satou Yunona's control is now smoother and more skillful. Withered trees in the mountains and forests sprout new branches and leaves, and a strange vitality begins to flourish and spread in the world filled with flames. Ancient trees, towering like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, sprout wildly against the laws of nature.

In the untouched lands, ancient trees grew wildly, their twisted trunks eventually transforming into enormous, thick vines that surged rapidly toward this direction.

Those ancient trees sprouted beneath my feet, trying to entangle my body and turn it into a cage.

It didn't have the time to deal with the two ants on the tree; as Living Doll whose body was shaped by Honkai Energy, it naturally understood subconsciously how dangerous these ancient trees were.

The katana that the Living Doll had been holding above its head suddenly changed direction. Its hands, formed from condensed mist, gripped the katana, and its massive body turned to the side as the katana slashed horizontally.

That was a standard sword-wielding motion, like that of a samurai.

The air was distorted by the high temperature, and the path the knife followed in the air left a transparent trail, with hot winds and flames blowing by.

The scorching heat and the sharp blade easily pierced through the ancient tree's tough outer shell. This single cut severed all the ancient trees that attempted to approach the Living Doll, as easily as slicing through thin paper.

In terms of single-element affinity, Satou Yunona's power is clearly somewhat disadvantageous compared to fire.

But these trees were clearly not going to give up so easily. The ancient trees that had been cut down and burned grew back and intertwined, and the upper parts of the trees that had been broken off twisted in the air into vines, which danced like mad snakes and pounced on the Living Doll relentlessly.

The Living Doll's body is mostly composed of Honkai Energy mist and retains its misty form. Ordinary weapons cannot cause any damage even if they attack it. However, the ancient tree and vines are themselves formed from Honkai Energy, so they can naturally touch and even harm the Living Doll.

The monstrous creature, resembling a demon, had its left arm entangled by deadly vines. The mist within its body surged, corroding the surface of the vines like sulfuric acid, but its terrifying regenerative power prevented the mist from continuing.

A torrent of vines surged in from afar, wrapping around the lower limbs of the Living Doll and intertwining with each other, transforming and fixing it into the shape of a tree.

The massive katana was swung continuously, with scorching flames burning and surging.

Then all of these were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. The domineering power far exceeded the limits that the Living Doll themselves could reach. If the two of them encountered Living Doll like this at the start of the game without expending any energy, the battle would only be easier.

"How dare a mortal blaspheme against the gods!?"

The demon roared defiantly, its sound waves surging and shaking the earth along with the mist within its body. The black flames that should have been confined to the katana burst forth from its entire body, the mist transforming into endless flames, attempting to help it break free from this formidable barrier.

An attack that consumes the Honkai Energy mist that forms the body is essentially consuming the life of the Living Doll itself, but it is undoubtedly very effective. Flames have a great restraining effect on Satou Yunona's powers. If everything is burned away at once, no matter how strong the regenerative power is, it will be meaningless.

The ancient trees and vines before her were already the limit of what Satou Yunona could control. If she were to be attacked by the Living Doll, all her offensive efforts would be in vain.

This was a situation that Satou Yunona had foreseen, but still could not avoid.

The best option is to cut your losses and inflict maximum damage on the Living Doll. If the vines and trees are countered by fire, then simply return everything to its original state.

In an instant, Satou Yunona's will caused all the vines and ancient trees to disintegrate into pure Honkai Energy.

Black flames and mist intertwined with emerald green Honkai Energy, erupting into a pillar of light that reached the heavens.

The roar pierced the Clouds, and even standing atop a distant, towering ancient tree, the two men were almost deafened.

The perception granted by Kenshin allowed Su Qing'an to understand that the Living Doll was still alive.

"Leave it to me," Su Qing'an said to Satou Yunona.

The girl didn't understand his meaning at first because of the tinnitus, but the boy's subsequent reckless actions made her understand.

Su Qing'an placed his right hand on the hilt of the sword, his fingertips tracing the three characters before his palm slowly closed and gripped it.

The scenery beneath the tree canopy seemed like another world in the distance.

Then, without hesitation, he sprinted forward and leaped down.

Legend has it that the world's tallest tree is 156 meters tall, but the ancient tree that Satou Yunona casually sculpted is even taller, growing a full 200 meters tall on a mountain. Looking up at the sky, the high clouds seem to be within reach, and the clouds below are also within touch.

Su Qing'an, carrying nothing but a sword, jumped from a height of two hundred meters. This courage and decisiveness were things he had never possessed before.

This constant recklessness is really putting people in a difficult position. The girl gave a complicated, unspoken smile.

Holding his breath and silently reciting the Sword Heart Technique, the Stigmata on the young man's back ignited with a magnificent crimson hue, as beautiful as blood.

A gust of wind blew through her hair, brushing against her cheeks.

His body pierced through the clouds, and the sounds of distant Honkai energy colliding Honkai Energy be heard even high in the sky.

Su Qing'an has never understood what it means to hold back one's strength, because he has never had such an opportunity in any of his battles.

He had become accustomed to a situation where he had to fight for survival at all costs and use every ounce of his strength to fight for a chance to live.

So.

When it's time to burn, it should burn.

The boy laughed happily, as if a furnace had been ignited within his body, filling him with a sense of abundance, and his power was continuously being transformed at some kind of cost.

Stigmata? They're really useful.

Just like last time, the Honkai Energy travel around his body in the form of specks of light.

He wanted it to be faster.

Thus, the Honkai Energy readily accepted the boy's will, the light points transforming into flame-colored streams of air. The surging propulsion made the wind on his face even more fierce, but the boy's eyes were fixed straight ahead, and the corners of his lips naturally curved into a beautiful smile.

The wind whistled past his ears, and the scenery in his eyes changed faster and faster, until the shape of the beam of light was reflected in his pupils.

But that's not enough; it needs to be even faster, he thought.

Thus, the light converged into a magnificent torrent.

A silent roar echoed across the sky.

The boy's sudden and rapid descent was like a shooting star, piercing the night.

The Honkai Energy beams emanating from the ground had not yet extinguished.

Immediately.

A myriad of rays of light, carrying a meteor, fell.

But in a fraction of a second, all that radiance surged into the sword sheath, and the night instantly fell silent.

Then, in that instant, he drew his sword.

All things were silent.

A torrent of light poured out, descending once more frenziedly, annihilating the pillar of light and easily submerging the residual fluctuations of the two intertwined Honkai Energy.

All obstacles were cleaved in two by the magnificent sword light.

The sword cleaved through the mist, and sliced through the body.

At the same time, it severed the five-hundred-year-old destiny of the Kambara Family.

Before the Living Doll could even waile, the sword, accompanied by a dazzling torrent of light, annihilated the mangled demonic body.

The cracked red gauntlets emitted a feeble groan and a mournful wail before finally shattering.

The remaining light stream transformed into the Sword Defense Style within the Void Sword Qi, landing with a final roar, as light and sound gradually faded away.

The young man walked steadily across the ravaged land, and [Calming the Tempest] slowly returned to its sheath.

The night was peacefully enveloped in gentle tranquility, the wind caressed the earth, and the dark flames vanished like a mirage.

The towering ancient tree disintegrated into countless shimmering green specks of light. Satou Yunona landed, the vines around her waist vanishing into nothingness. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and tucked it behind her back, her expression becoming much lighter.

Then the girl walked to Su Qing'an's side and said with some helplessness:

"Don't push yourself."

Even though that Sword Defense Style negated most of the recoil, the terrifying speed at which it fell meant that even if 99% of the force was dissipated, the remaining 1% would still be enough to severely injure the boy's body.

The reason he was still able to walk and sheathe his sword before was simply because the power of the Stigmata had not completely dissipated.

Suddenly, double images appeared before Su Qing'an's eyes. It should have been an unsettling situation, but the night and the breeze calmed her mind. With the girl's words, the only warmth in her body was pulled away, and a sense of powerlessness spread throughout her body.

He fell, and the vines that formed afterward wove a cradle, gently embracing the boy's body.

A vibrant green light illuminated the darkness, flowing into the body and slowly healing the wounds.

They... won.

But there are still things left undone.

His obsession, pulling at his weary and empty body, told him not to fall asleep.

We can't rest yet.

He couldn't stop swinging his sword.

Once the brief healing effect fades, the two will once again step onto the battlefield.