The Shrine Maiden figure merely took a step. Before Himeko could even see her gather strength, a bleakly beautiful blade flashed across her armor, carving a bloody gash through the plating at her side.
That spot... her kidney had probably been sliced open, right?
Compared to Himeko, who needed Valkyrie armor to perform a spacetime rupture just to keep up with the Shrine Maiden's movements, the latter had practically learned the technique from Himeko shortly after meeting her, sealing Himeko's defeat.
Yes, she was still growing stronger. That was only natural.
The imaginary spacetime rupture developed using the Second Herrscher's base body was indeed easiest for a Herrscher herself to master—especially one who was "Corruption."
With that, she had completely suppressed Himeko, continually opening wounds across her body no matter how many times Himeko fell and forced herself back up.
Fang Jie's head was about to explode. Whatever he wanted to do, he couldn't keep up... He had to make Higokumaru stop!
Easier said than done.
He wasn't in great shape himself. The earlier wind and snow had worn down his stamina; beating Sato Yuno while playing mind games had drained his focus; healing Himeko had consumed energy too. Though that energy had increased rather than decreased because of her... But even if he were in good condition, could he fight?
In short, he was exhausted.
You're over here fighting Sukuna, and I'm just a sturdy passerby!
"You're slowing down, my lady. We need not cross blades like this. My target is that evil spirit. Are you not here to slay her as well? Why must you press me so relentlessly?"
Compared to Himeko, who did not dare let her attention slip for even an instant, and Fang Jie, who was mentally drained and unable to follow the rhythm of the battle, "Yae Sakura" appeared utterly at ease.
She possessed a kind of practical, cruel elegance.
She had been sealed for fifty thousand years, then sealed again for five hundred more. Now, at last, she had regained the ability to act with the abundant energy of the Third Great Eruption, and had even suppressed that incomprehensible anti-god Shrine Maiden.
A good era had arrived!
As a bit of entertainment, there was nothing wrong with playing with them properly. Loosening up her body was truly delightful.
Her blade light came in an endless stream without pause, battering Himeko into a miserable state. Himeko could only defend with difficulty, blood spraying from all over her body, yet "Yae Sakura" still had the leisure to prattle on. "To be honest, there is also a demon within me. In order to seal that demon, I sometimes lose control of my body. But please believe me—I bear you no ill will. I came only to slay demons."
The mockery and anticipation buried deep in her voice were obvious even to Fang Jie, who was not good with words, let alone the seasoned Himeko.
He could even understand Higokumaru's true intent. Himeko, him, even the purple-haired female passerby—they were all merely background props. The person she truly wanted to speak to was the withdrawn Shrine Maiden inside her, waiting to see what expression she would wear after Higokumaru used her face, her sword, and her manner of speech to "slaughter innocents."
This was the fate of a traitor!
Yae Sakura, this was what you got for betraying me for that woman!!
Hahahaha, I'm having the time of my life...
Her tone seemed earnest. "That demon often leaves me muddled and confused. I have few moments of clarity, and I cannot control my body well. Please step aside quickly, so I may slay the evil spirit and leave."
Move aside already. You want to protect her, don't you? Let her go, don't you? A Herrscher—why? Move aside, let me eat her, and then kill all of you!
Her malice was chilling.
"Shut up. Didn't your parents teach you that your lies are really pathetic? Stupid beyond belief."
Himeko had nowhere left to retreat. Behind her were the weakling Fang Jie and the even weaker Sato Yuno. If she failed to hold the line...
"Kid, don't you have that disappearing trick? Hurry up!"
With her back to Fang Jie, Himeko truly felt there was something wrong with this teammate. Run already! Don't you understand that you're getting in the way of my performance? She wanted to curse, even if that was inelegant.
Fang Jie said nothing. He only stared fixedly at "Yae Sakura."
Of course he could run. He could even... remove Sato Yuno's core, strip away Himeko's Valkyrie armor and weapon, and probably use the energy inside him to take them away alive.
But they would only be alive. The energy contained within their bodies far exceeded his own, and they would inevitably be struck by the dimensional slash to some extent—especially since he had no time to replenish his energy and come back to save anyone. That meant he could only take one person.
Himeko?
If Higokumaru received a refill of Honkai energy, the Herrscher of Corruption's power would be further unleashed. Then everyone could stop playing around. Su would immediately awaken Kevin, and all humanity would embark on the original Stigmata Project—awakening or dying.
Then Sato Yuno?
He might as well take Himeko. Cold as it sounded, what did ordinary people in this world have to do with him? If he had to sacrifice one side, choosing between someone he "knew" and strangers was hardly difficult.
Wasn't the most important part of the trolley problem being on the trolley rather than on the tracks?
I didn't come to this world so you could teach me one final lesson!
Besides... Sato Yuno, now free again, had already fled. That fox clearly wanted to eat people!
In a sense, she was more sensible than Fang Jie—at least, that was how Himeko saw it.
Fang Jie ignored Himeko and continued staring intently at "Yae Sakura." He took a deep breath and used the ability he had learned earlier.
"Himeko, you shouldn't have said that. She really did lose her parents when she was very young. They never had the chance to teach her. Am I right, Rin?"
Fang Jie loved telling the truth.
The continuous blade light stalled for an instant. The Synesthesia Beacon's function was powerful enough to accurately convey that he had said "Rin," not "Yae Sakura."
Himeko had no idea what was going on, but the rare chance to catch her breath was enough. The other party seemed to have drawn aggro. With an angry roar, Himeko raised her greatsword and prepared to cleave down at the frozen figure.
Come on, Herrscher. It's you or me!
Unfortunately...
Behind her, Fang Jie, who could not keep up with "Yae Sakura" at all, made his decision. He reached out, wagering this hand on the future, utterly without fear, and grabbed her greatsword.
Honkai Killer, power output increased.
No longer was he using only part of his body as a medium each time, with the power hidden deep inside him. This time, black effects curled around him, making that hand seem... impossible to see clearly. Even light was captured, leaving only a "pitch-black" outline.
The greatsword, capable of producing a slash comparable to a small nuclear explosion, stopped dead in midair.
Himeko had already injured her kidney, and the sudden displacement wrenched her waist with agonizing pain. But more painful than those injuries was Fang Jie's action.
You were supposed to lend a hand, not stab me in the back, understand?
"What are you doing, brat? Have you betrayed us?"
Her voice was full of grief and disbelief. Why were you hitting me instead of her? We were supposed to be on the same side, fighting the Herrscher together. You hit her...
"Please be quiet."
Fang Jie understood that she was anxious, but Himeko, please don't be anxious. If they kept fighting... once she had been Corrupted, she would turn around and attack him. He was merely disarming her in advance.
The Nuclear Fusion Greatsword was cooling down. Its scorching heat was fading, and even the Honkai energy contained within its material was dissipating amid the collapse. The increased power output was making it unable to withstand the drain.
After testing it on Sato Yuno, Fang Jie had gained a new understanding of the output of "Honkai Killer." At the very least, if he did not push harder, he had no way of participating in this high-level match.
Disappointed, Himeko said nothing. She twisted around and drove an elbow back. Fang Jie, whose kidney had been injured, gritted his teeth and endured it, while his other hand injected her with pioneering divine power.
Take it. This is my final ripple.
Take this energy... If things go wrong afterward, you'll be able to survive longer.
Then, off you go!
He kicked Himeko in the place with the most flesh behind her, where she had elbowed him, sending her as far away as possible without holding a grudge.
"Himeko, live!"
You...
Himeko, confused amid her disappointment, twitched at the corner of her mouth. The curse she wanted to shout while flying through the air was ultimately swallowed back. Fang Jie had clearly not betrayed them, so then he...
She warily watched the Herrscher, who for some reason had not launched another attack either.
Come to think of it, which Herrscher was this now?
Was Chang Kong City cursed or something?
And "Yae Sakura," who had not moved, stood perfectly still, merely spacing out as she sank into a memory—distant, distant, so distant that even she could no longer remember how long ago it had been. Like a nightmare: waking up did not make it any less terrifying.
The betrayal scene she had wanted to see had not appeared. Instead, there was another kind of betrayal. Betraying this woman to side with me? But you are...
"Yae Sakura" stared deeply at Fang Jie, searching through memories she did not wish to recall, memories like nightmares...
She couldn't find anything at all.
Those dark days clung to her like a shadow. Pain and hatred gnawed at her body and mind. Hearing her true name again, and seeing the utterly changed... herself.
Everything from the past had ended only in failure.
Everything she had wanted to protect had also... vanished!
All that remained was bone-deep pain, loneliness, and madness.
And now, someone knew her, recognized her. Though she looked like "Yae Sakura"—had you been watching me all this time?
Then why? Why imprison me for so long? Why make me suffer? Why deny me release?
"Heh, hahahaha, hahahahaha..."
She could not hold it in. She burst into laughter, laughing wildly to the verge of hysteria. On that uncontrollable face, her scarlet eyes stared fixedly at Fang Jie, shedding... blood.
Blood flowed like tears, pouring down in a torrent.
"Hahahaha..."
That laughter was so shrill it sounded like wailing.
All because the name "Rin" had been called again.
That drew far more hatred than anything about not having parents.
"I'll kill you!!"
She was angry?
Fine.
The blood-weeping figure who roared out appeared before Fang Jie in an instant, even faster than when she had ambushed Himeko earlier. Naturally, he still could not keep up. With one strike, she pierced him straight through the middle with such force that her arm nearly went all the way in, recreating the scene of his earlier ambush on Sato Yuno.
In a way, it was fair.
Fang Jie, struck through the organs, still reacted. After all, this really hurt.
"Kill kill kill kill kill kill kill!!"
Only then did the venomous screaming reach his ears, accepted along with the suffering, hatred, grudges, love, and loathing contained within it... an immense emotional impact.
Himeko had not reacted at all before she was sent flying with a slap.
Oh, she got slapped too.
Fang Jie did not even see it clearly... But with such a powerful hand, why had she only pierced his body?
Fang Jie was merely held aloft, a blade protruding from his back, a hand buried inside his body, raised high, heavily...
Not moving.
"Should I say something like, 'Got you,' at a time like this?"
As long as he could keep up and react in time, Fang Jie had a way to break the deadlock. This was one such moment.
As for his pierced body...
It was no longer just one hand. Both hands, both legs, even his chest—his body had been pierced and torn apart... Yet all of it radiated blackness. Not only internally; it could no longer be concealed externally. It was like blackness connected to hell itself. Even light was swallowed here, leaving only a dark outline.
Not daring to hold back in the slightest, Fang Jie... finally activated the state he had never used at full force, the state he had always avoided.
His entire body seemed to consist of nothing but darkness. Of course, that was only from an external perspective. He himself could not see anything or feel anything. Everything, including light, had been completely devoured. In that frozen moment where even energy no longer flowed, he could see nothing and feel nothing.
But the world—or at least the area around Chiyu Academy—suddenly began flowing like a galaxy, as if frames had been skipped. Everything that had been still or violently turbulent began to move, including the Hyperion making an emergency descent from the skies, and the figures one after another being dragged down by the storm.
Yes, a storm.
Or rather, Fang Jie's location had collapsed into a powerful force field that sucked everything toward it.
Everything nearby churned. The closer it came to the edge of that darkness, the more violently it fluctuated, as though the world itself were being chewed and bitten, producing a terrifying grinding sound.
Yet when anything truly approached the outline of that darkness, it became strangely quiet, vanishing in silence.
Countless energies were drawn in like this, dragging along countless substances. Everything seemed to evaporate, disappearing into the darkness and never returning.
Suddenly, another hurricane drawn in released a tragic wail, as if the world itself were sounding a warning.
Fang Jie recklessly absorbed the energy Higokumaru—no, Rin—was using to continuously unleash her brutality, restraining her in reverse as he activated teleportation.
This was the third choice, beyond taking Himeko away or taking Sato Yuno away.
Take you away!
In an instant, without any warning, the great vanishing act played out before Himeko once more.
But it was difficult to see clearly.
Just as Fang Jie had only been able to watch her fight before, she could not see what happened within that darkness either. By the time she came back to her senses, many things had disappeared from where they had stood, leaving behind only a deep pit.
Before you continue