Mirror, Stigmata

The twelfth Divine Key, Jizo Mitama.

In the real world, this was a power that Su Qing'an should never have been able to use.

Even ignoring basic Honkai Energy literacy, the adaptability of the Divine Key is an inherent constraint.

Su Qing'an still held the [Calming the Tempest], which had only briefly transformed into the same form as the Jizo Mitama.

The hilt of the sword, covered in a ukiyo-e print of cherry blossoms, was something the boy was all too familiar with.

He held the knife, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Yae Sakura did not die.

Just as Rin had hoped, she chose a different path and a different life, and was resurrected in this world, instead of guarding that dream that would never come within the Stigmata Space.

The anomaly that occurred in [Calming the Tempest] was a parting gift that Yae Sakura and Rin gave to Su Qing'an.

One-time permission to link to Jizo Mitama.

In this brief period of time, the [Calming the Tempest] in the boy's hand will become a vessel for a portion of the power of the Divine Key, thereby unleashing the power possessed by the Herrscher of Corruption.

Even a portion of the power of the Divine Key was far too much for Su Qing'an.

His poor Honkai Energy resistance and lack of Divine Key adaptability meant he wasn't qualified to bear this power for long.

Otherwise, perhaps the Miko would have chosen to hand over the Divine Key to Su Qing'an.

At this moment, in order to allow the others to escape and to deal with the blessing Chi You bestowed upon Ji Xuanyuan, Su Qing'an touched this forbidden power.

Without fear or hesitation, Su Qing'an has never regretted it since the day he received the Artificial Stigmata.

For him, the power to change shackles by paying a price was an extremely gentle thing.

The young man deftly drew his blade, and the demon behind him roared as it slashed out with its twin swords, unleashing jet-black flames that burned away a section of the Honkai Energy barrier.

The ever-burning flames contained an corrosive power, and even if the Honkai Energy on the other side was as endless as the ocean, it could not repair this void in a short time.

Bronya gritted her teeth and ordered the Heavy Cannon Rabbit to lead everyone through the gap and disappear into the distance.

The communicator had been out of service ever since they were near the altar, but Bronya still hadn't given up hope of helping Su Qing'an.

She needed to get out of the area without signal as soon as possible and sent a distress signal to the headmaster on the Hyperion.

Only Theresa, a former S-rank Valkyrie, possesses the strength to help in this battle.

At the same time.

Chi You's ability to actively support the organisms within his body indicates that his seal is weakening.

We must find the specific pattern and source of its Honkai Energy transmission as soon as possible. Destroying the source directly with the Hyperion's main guns would also be of great help to the battle.

Even under extreme circumstances, the little girl's mind remained remarkably clear. She frantically considered the possibility of turning the tide of battle in the shortest time, only to sadly discover that no matter what the plan was, it could not escape the cost of Su Qing'an constantly burning his lifespan and the most likely tragedy.

The passageway outside was originally formed from the crystallization of Honkai Energy, but it was already on the verge of collapse when all the Honkai Energy was concentrated and flowed to the center of the altar.

Almost the instant the girl burst out of the vehicle mode in her Heavy Cannon Rabbit, the walls behind her began to collapse one after another, like dominoes falling in a chain reaction.

Kiana put the underwater breathing apparatus on Satou Yunona, who remains unconscious; the excessive use of her powers has clearly had a significant impact on her.

They now have to face the constant possibility of Seawater flooding in, while the signal remains lost even as they travel at high speed.

Ji Xuanyuan sat Warhorse, showing no intention of continuing to obstruct her.

"Many interesting juniors have run away, but it's okay, they won't go very far."

The girl's dark golden eyes were filled with indifferent killing intent as she said:

"Because you won't live much longer."

As he spoke, thousands of Xuanyuan Swords, shaped from Honkai Energy, surged toward Su Qing'an in an orderly and dense array.

Like missiles, each Xuanyuan Sword, carrying immense kinetic energy, was powerful enough to pierce through Su Qing'an's armored defenses.

Clearly, the armor Su Qing'an was wearing was far inferior to the true God-Slaying Armor.

It only replicates some abilities; the actual performance is less than two-thirds of the real thing.

But the armor he's been able to fight this far has played a crucial role in that.

The boy held the woman's lithe body in his arms, his breathing growing heavier. The brilliance of [Thousand Stars] had faded, leaving only the Holy Spear, still stubbornly attached to [Calming the Tempest], displaying an ominous black-red glow.

The armor on his hand had been burned away at some point, and most of the flesh of his hand had turned into charcoal. Only the bones stubbornly held onto all the [Ashes] and remains, pressing them together against the hilt of the knife.

The moment Su Qing'an was able to use the power of the Jizo Mitama, she chose to erode a part of her own body in the opposite direction.

Now his arms no longer move by relying on his physical nerves, but have been corrupted by power and become like a puppet on strings, a mere prop.

This was a decision made out of necessity. The Honkai Energy patterns on his arm had begun to spread and would soon extend to the rest of his torso. Sacrificing an arm was the only acceptable price to pay in order to maintain his fighting ability.

Faced with the rain of sword blades, he simply swung his knife with one hand.

And so, the demon behind him silently replicated the boy's movements.

The warrior seemed to have absorbed all of Su Qing'an's martial arts. The way he wielded his twin swords was completely different from the ferocity he had displayed in battle. His elegant and natural swordsmanship was impenetrable, and the Xuanyuan Sword was completely swallowed up by the circle drawn by the black flames.

This seemingly powerful attack was like a pebble dropped into the deep sea, leaving no trace.

The boy looked up at the woman's peaceful sleeping face, coughing up blood as he asked:

"How much longer can I fight?"

[His entire skeleton is torn to varying degrees, his heart rate has reached a critical level, the Honkai Energy erosion is severe, and his right arm is determined to be battle-damaged.]

You have a maximum of five minutes left, sir.

[Meets the core formula criteria. Enable now?]

A flood of data floated past my eyes, finally settling on a bright red option.

Five minutes is enough.

Just like that day in the Stigmata Space Tenshukaku.

The boy's battered and bloodied appearance symbolized the approaching end, but his fear had long been crushed beneath his feet by something far more resilient.

When exactly was it?

Su Qing'an was no longer afraid—not of physical pain, not of an ending future, not of a hopeless fate, and...

The answer that could not be known.

He cast these thoughts aside, but they accumulated in his soul.

Today's teenagers don't want to think about anything.

Simply because he still had things he needed to do, and before that, he had to be free of distractions.

He gripped his sword, looked at the evil spirit atop the Warhorse, and whispered:

"Activate."

[As you wish, sir.]

The jet-black armor automatically detached, transforming into a magnificent band of light that surged into the Holy Spear.

Based on all the Gamma Particles and Honkai Energy within multiple power reactors, it is an extreme mode that abandons all defense in favor of attack.

The large number of Gamma Particles made the Holy Spear no longer unstable. The outer shell of the Holy Spear, the Divine Key, has become a stable spiral rhythm. The Honkai Energy reserves, enough to sink mountains and sever seas, have been gathered into the fine chain shape at the tip of the spear.

Like a vortex with immense attraction, massive amounts of Honkai Energy continuously surged into the Holy Spear, creating a breathtaking spectacle of countless sparks from burning fireworks, floating and converging like an ocean.

In stark contrast to this magnificent scene is the owner of the Holy Spear.

The only decoration was the dripping, mottled blood; the patterns eroded by Honkai Energy faintly revealed a purple glow; the tattered body was utterly wretched.

The boy's face still had some armor remaining, like a goggle, which prevented the blood from seeping into his eyes.

The last intelligent module only has a countdown function left.

4:59.

Let's end it all before the time comes.

The power of erosion shaped and molded the rocks of the ground into sturdy shackles and defenses. He placed Himeko inside this hollow rock and then sealed the entrance.

A smile appeared on Su Qing'an's lips as he recalled that afternoon in the sunlight, the woman's room a mess, filled with beer Canned Food.

I said I would protect you, Himeko- nee.

Even if it's in a way you don't like...

The wind whipped up his blood-stained hair, and the sea of light gathered by the Holy Spear was torn apart and dispersed by the sudden surge of wind.

The boy enshrined in the center stands behind a silent, demonic warrior with his head bowed.

This scene resembles the throne before a king in an ancient era, where the king and his warriors gaze at each other in silence, yet exude a chilling and awe-inspiring atmosphere.

[Thousand Stars] Exceeding power limits.

He coughed up blood and whispered:

"I'm so sorry for using your things to do this kind of thing again."

"But... this is the last time."

Su Qing'an took a step forward, already standing a thousand meters away in front of Ji Xuanyuan. He swung his Holy Spear, annihilating the earth under Ji Xuanyuan's shocked yet ironic gaze.

Just as the words suggest, the earth melted away.

It was like a stick figure comic strip that had been erased from thin air. The extremely refined Holy Spear and the power of the Herrscher of Corruption combined in Su Qing'an's hands to create terrifying destructive power.

Seawater began to spread from beneath the erased rock layers. Ji Xuanyuan was spared from the aftershock of the slash by her Warhorse in that instant, but in the brief moment of the heat wave, her body had already melted into a charred and unsightly mess.

The Warhorse let out a terrible howl. The black and red Honkai Energy extended along the attack, destroying most of its organs. The energy disordered the original Honkai Energy link, and the corrosive power interrupted the smooth recovery.

This was also true for Ji Xuanyuan herself; she murmured in confusion:

"He's clearly a useless piece of trash who has no talent and can only fight people using this kind of method."

"Why do they possess the powers of a Honkai Executor?"

"The Divine Key? No, you're not qualified."

The demonic creature was ever-present behind him, wielding both swords simultaneously to unleash attacks with an extremely wide range. Its presence directly interrupted Ji Xuanyuan's contemplation.

Each strike possessed the entanglement effect of Herrscher of Corruption's Honkai Energy, making Ji Xuanyuan, who had already suffered greatly, no longer appear calm and collected.

This was someone Su Qing'an had killed before, but now it has strangely become his temporary ally.

Ji Xuanyuan is not weak; possessing the Key of Domination, she shouldn't be such an easy opponent to kill.

It was only because Chi You's help made her completely neglect defense that her defenses appeared so fragile.

But now, even in order not to appear too embarrassed, she had to take Su Qing'an's offensive seriously.

The Xuanyuan Sword in her hand is itself a bridge grafted onto Chi You's heart. For a Divine Key, the girl has enough to do many things with it.

The Xuanyuan Sword is a weapon made from the core of the Tenth Herrscher of the previous generation, the Herrscher of Domination.

In terms of ability, it has the power to convert Honkai Energy into natural forces such as fire, ice, and lightning.

Honkai Energy is precisely what Ji Xuanyuan has no shortage of, she said to the Judgment-class Honkai Beast:

"Come on, help me get rid of this annoying bug."

As soon as she finished speaking, the Xuanyuan Sword in her hand unleashed a dense barrage of plasma-like lightning to block the Jizo Mitama.

Frost thick enough to freeze lakes spread across the land, and blazing flames roared and twisted into a ferocious dragon head, lunging at the sword-wielding youth.

The Xuanyuan Sword has become a converter of Honkai Energy. As long as Honkai Energy is continuously injected into it, endless attacks will rain down without ceasing.

And this was just the beginning. The elemental attacks generated by his half-baked Herrscher power were far inferior to the true power of the Herrscher of Corruption on the other side.

That's why Ji Xuanyuan chose to say those words to Chi You.

Even though she is no longer the revered Yellow Emperor she once was, she cannot help but harbor resentment towards one of the culprits who imprisoned her here.

If it weren't for the need to quickly escape this dark, endless abyss, she certainly wouldn't have chosen to help Chi You eliminate these external enemies.

However, the more important reason is that the Xuanyuan Sword has become inextricably linked with Chi You, entering into a relationship where they are almost mutually dependent, sharing both prosperity and adversity.

This left her with no choice but to leave alone.

"Thump-thump-thump."

A long and heavy roar came from all directions. Honkai Energy was like the regular notes on a piano key, responding to the tapping of the fingers. It pounded along with these violent sounds, and countless cracks spread across the entire earth's crust. Seawater began to seep into the ruins completely.

The black Xuanyuan Sword had already condensed Honkai Energy far greater than that of the Holy Spear. Compared to the Honkai Energy Su Qing'an had plundered from the power reactor and the Void Sword Qi, this level was on a completely different scale.

The Honkai Energy surged within their bodies, relentlessly washing away the corrosive force. Ji Xuanyuan and his Emperor-class Warhorse recovered from all their injuries, and the girl said no more nonsense.

She swung her sword, and even Su Qing'an couldn't see how much different kinds of natural power surged from the Xuanyuan Sword in that instant.

What overwhelmed all of these was the purer Honkai Energy sword wave.

The sword wave, stretching for thousands of meters, was almost as large as a mountain or a sea.

Such reckless extravagance resulted in a range so large that the only option was to withstand it head-on. The demon-like samurai knelt before the boy, raising two enormous katanas in a cross pattern to defend himself.

And then, in the next moment...

The katana shattered, and the armor split in two.

The Jizo Mitama was directly and forcefully cleaved in two by the sword wave!

The black and red Honkai Energy flooded the field of vision like dripping blood. The boy used the Holy Spear to cut through the remaining sword waves, but he still couldn't defend against all the attacks.

His left arm was cleanly shredded into a spray of blood and body tissue.

Intense pain pounded against his nerves, and the fact that his limbs were missing was enough to crush an ordinary person, but Su Qing'an remained expressionless. Instead of retreating, he advanced and charged forward.

The intelligent module whispered in my ear:

[Aboutaminuteandthirtysecondstogo, sir]

Only one minute and thirty seconds left.

Is it because my body's functions deteriorated faster after I lost my left hand?

But that's okay, there's still enough time.

The biting wind tore at the skin on his cheeks, and the excessive speed caused his failing organs to emit warning cries of discomfort and pain, but the boy paid no heed.

Finally, the intelligent module began to ask:

[You have less than a minute to live. Do you have any last words?]

These were his last words.

Time seemed to slow down as Su Qing'an pondered the situation. She felt she had so much to say, but it seemed that anything she said would upset someone. So...

Let's just keep quiet.

Suddenly, the boy recalled many things, and countless details of the past unfolded before him like unraveling silk.

It seems I've truly gained a lot in this life.

He made some friends, found someone he liked, experienced the process of striving for it, and encountered many wonderful things he had never experienced before coming into this world.

Xinbing gradually sheds the last traces of filth, moving towards complete clarity.

It seems like it can't be suppressed, so there's no need to suppress it anymore.

The last piece of ice in my heart became clear.

The third realm of Void Sword Qi: Clear Mirror.

Just before death approached, Su Qing'an stepped into a completely new realm.

Golden light ignited the blood-red, bewitching crimson on his back—that was the [Stigmata].

Nearly half a year has passed since its last appearance. It was its appearance that allowed the young man to survive until now, when Su Qing'an was about to be eroded to death by the rejection reaction of the Artificial Stigmata.

The substance within the Soul Essence is essential for constructing [Stigmata], and the four steps of the Void Sword Qi form a massive, interconnected framework for building [Stigmata].

Su Qing'an has now entered the third step, but this is still not enough to qualify him for the [Stigmata] to be fully revealed.

It was the perfection of its realm and the stimulation of life and death that forced it to reveal some of its posture and abilities ahead of schedule.

The original vermilion Artificial Stigmata have all transformed into a mysterious and dazzling golden yellow.

The brain transmits a stream of information that is inscribed with the [Stigmata] instinct.

So that's its effect?

Just as Su Qing'an suddenly realized something, Ji Xuanyuan simultaneously and successfully unleashed his second sword strike.

Even though the boy's reactions and movements were already terrifyingly fast, once he was on guard, it was not difficult for him to respond in time.

The way she swung her sword again was as if she were manipulating wisps of cloud, gentle and casual.

Without any additional force, the Honkai Energy layered upon layer, creating a sword aura that was faster and larger than the previous one.

Chi You not only used his heart to transfer a large amount of Honkai Energy to the Xuanyuan Sword, but also took advantage of his home field to maximize the concentration and output speed of the Honkai Energy.

With the advantage of playing on home turf, Ji Xuanyuan's combat power has surpassed that of the Pseudo-Herrscher.

The sword wave engulfed Su Qing'an.

That's normal.

At that speed, it wouldn't be surprising if it couldn't be avoided.

But what happened next was beyond Ji Xuanyuan's comprehension: the sword wave, so powerful that it could Jizo Mitama with a single strike, vanished without a trace in an instant.

The clanging sound of swords clashing was piercing to the eardrums, and the girl's consciousness was already fading the moment she realized something was wrong.

Su Qing'an's Holy Spear pierced her heart, and using that as a base, tore apart her body, effortlessly cleaving open the body of the Emperor-class Honkai Beast as if it were nothing.

The instantaneous kill cannot change the fact that the opponent is still constantly regenerating, even though the power of the Herrscher of Corruption is enough to suppress the continuous accumulation of Honkai Energy.

However, given Su Qing'an's physical condition, continuing the fight would undoubtedly only result in defeat.

"You... how come you're alright?"

The meaningless question came out of Ji Xuanyuan's mouth. Her throat had been melted by the heat, but as a soul that had just passed away, she naturally did not need to rely on human organs to speak.

Su Qing'an did not respond. The Gamma Particles and Honkai Energy on the surface of the Holy Spear continued to emanate fierce destructive power, but it was no longer in its original stable state.

At such close range, not only Ji Xuanyuan himself was tested by the temperature of the Holy Spear, but Su Qing'an, as its master, also suffered the scorching heat almost indiscriminately.

He barely survived by forcibly building a shield of Honkai Energy by eroding his body's surface, but even so, the blood inside his body was being cruelly evaporated.

That kind of pain was even worse than the torment of having his left hand severed.

The boy remained expressionless, though his pain receptors were almost gone. He had heard that hearing was the last thing a person lost before death, and before his eardrums were affected, he decided to use this to determine his own death date with Kenshin.

The girl wailed in agony. Her powerful regenerative abilities prevented her from dying, but the connection that existed between her soul and her body was challenging her relentlessly.

Su Qing'an could barely hear Ji Xuanyuan's voice anymore; to him it sounded like a soft murmur, like a spring breeze. He ignored the other's question.

The reason is simple: Su Qing'an is not qualified to compete with the other party in endurance, so naturally she will not choose to waste time answering such a question.

All he has to do now is completely eradicate the evil spirit residing in the Xuanyuan Sword, and try to rescue Murata Himeko in this way.

The boy coughed, but he could no longer cough up blood.

The Holy Spear in his hand was gradually fading away, and the Divine Key hidden inside was becoming increasingly clear to the outside world.

This is a perfectly normal result.

Putting aside the original formula for the Spear of Longinus, even the final design Otto created for this armor was geared towards a one-hit kill, instantaneous effect.

It was only by using the power of erosion and the frenzied infusion of Honkai Energy by the Void Sword Qi that Su Qing'an managed to keep the Holy Spear, which was originally as fleeting as a shooting star, alive until now.

But now that it's time to say goodbye.

His vision was still barely enough to see, but the outer shell of the Divine Key completely vanished in the next second.

However, the final destructive force of the Holy Spear before its departure prevented Ji Xuanyuan from immediately regaining his mobility.

The fragrance of cherry blossoms filled his nostrils, and a feeling of nostalgia welled up within him. The boy glanced at the beautiful hilt of the sword and murmured:

"Ksitigarbha, return to oneness."

On the ground behind, the remains of demons whose armor and helmets had been cleaved open transformed into a large amount of black and red Honkai Energy surged into the Divine Key.

Only then was the authority that Su Qing'an had borrowed through this connection completely complete.

The Key of Erosion, the Jizo Mitama.

Only with the power of this Herrscher of Corruption can he completely kill Ji Xuanyuan.

The immense Honkai Energy, as vast as a boundless ocean, suddenly poured from the boy's hand into the Divine Key.

In the girl's empty eye sockets, vibrant eyeballs had been reborn, but her eyes were now filled with disbelief.

This aura of Honkai Energy is the same Honkai Energy contained within the sword wave she just unleashed.

The reason why Ji Xuanyuan could not understand it could all be attributed to the existence of the [Stigmata].

Its current ability to leverage Su Qing'an is quite simple.

Absorb Honkai Energy and store it in [Stigmata] for use at any time.

This is the reason for Ji Xuanyuan's defeat.

The phantom of the Divine Key shattered into countless cherry blossoms, engulfing everything in sight.