Collapse, Traveling from the Moonlit Oath

"..."

"What's the rush? It's not like we're losing days,"

Looking at Ai-chan before her, Miss Moonlit appeared completely unconcerned. If she wasn't worried, why should Ai-chan be?

She was sure she could reach SS-rank.

[Ai-chan is doing this for the boss's own good! Doesn't the boss want SSS-rank? Doesn't she want to graduate? Besides, by passing through three worlds sooner, she can also master the powers of the Star Rail characters.]

[Any extra Crystals can be exchanged for Stardust, so earning more Crystals definitely won't be a loss for the boss!]

Looking at the lazy vampire girl in front of her, Ai-chan earnestly persuaded her. As for whether she was genuinely looking out for the girl or had other motives, only she herself knew.

"Stardust..."

Upon hearing this, Miss Moonlit sat up from the snow. After Ai-chan mentioned it, she suddenly felt a flicker of motivation.

Compared to the Valkyries in Honkai Impact 3rd, the powers in Star Rail attracted her more. She wondered what it would be like to become a Pathstrider or a Herald.

[That's right, accumulating more Crystals can be directly exchanged for Stardust. The boss is motivated now, aren't you?]

[Coincidentally, there's a bounty that's perfect for the boss right now. You might be interested. Want to take a look?]

"?"

Hearing these words, Miss Moonlit became somewhat interested.

Following Ai-chan's prompt, the girl found a bounty in the bounty interface. And within it... she saw a rather familiar name and Divine Artifact.

"It's actually him..."

After a moment of thought, perhaps she should make a trip. She might even get to meet that certain female protagonist early.

Speaking of which, Miss Moonlit was also quite interested in that particular demoness. She had no other ulterior motives; she just wanted to see her in person.

However, until her strength was sufficient for self-preservation, she was unwilling to venture too deep into that place, as it would directly put her in the sights of the major powers.

As long as she wasn't in that specific location, meeting elsewhere was fine.

What's more, if everything went smoothly, she could also earn a considerable amount of Crystals.

"Then let's go take a look!"

Standing up from the snow, Miss Moonlit took out her phone and sent a message to Valerie. Immediately, a swarm of bats appeared out of thin air, and at the same time, the girl's figure vanished from her spot.

The moonlight was hazy.

"Hoo... Hoo-hoo..."

In the snow-covered forest, a golden-haired boy was desperately fleeing.

Stumbling, falling, and getting up again and again, the boy's body had long since reached its limit. Yet, his eyes held a soul-stirring determination and persistence.

Live. He had to live!

"Even if it's just you, hurry and escape."

The voices of his companions seemed to echo in his ears. Ever since they pushed away those demons to let him escape alone, his life no longer belonged only to him. Therefore... he had to live!

Thump!

Poisoned and having reached his limit, the boy once again collapsed in the snow.

Feeling a sharp pain in every cell of his body, unable to muster even a shred of strength, the boy lay quietly in the snow, gasping for breath.

Sensing his life force rapidly fading, the boy knew he had reached his end. It was an opportunity that everyone had fought to the death to secure for him, yet he...

His consciousness began to blur, but scenes of his time with his companions replayed endlessly in his mind.

They were all children with no one to rely on, possessing special abilities. Those people had gathered them, trained them relentlessly day after day, and instilled in them the belief that "you will one day become special beings chosen by the gods."

Despite the immense hardship and pain, the companions supported and encouraged each other. Everyone believed that as long as they worked hard, they would eventually become special beings chosen by the gods.

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But they were betrayed, deceived!

Those people claimed to be apostles of the gods, yet they committed acts only demons would perform. No, they were even more disgusting than demons.

All along, those people had been deceiving them. The notion of being chosen by the gods was merely a fabrication to use them as materials for what they called the Holy Sword Project.

Upon realizing they were no longer useful, those individuals, with inhuman cruelty... like devils, chose to poison them all.

Endless irony and self-mockery filled the boy's eyes, erupting in astonishing hatred.

Even if he were to become a vengeful spirit, he would curse them!

It's just...

The boy felt his consciousness growing dimmer, his body weaker. He might disappoint everyone, and he was so unwilling!

As he felt his life ebbing away, faintly... he seemed to hear a voice, a very pleasant voice.

"Strange, at this point, why hasn't that demoness appeared? Why?"

Hearing the voice, the boy used his last ounce of strength to lift his head with difficulty. Through his blurry vision, he saw a beautiful figure appear before him.

Beneath the soft moonlight, a beautiful girl with white hair and red eyes stood in the night like an elf.

Her white hair was like snow, smooth and radiant, shining brightly under the moon like a snowman in winter. Her eyes, however, were crimson, like autumn leaves or the rising sun, full of passion and vitality.

Her face was exquisitely painted, with elegant contours and skin as smooth as porcelain, exuding a cool beauty. Her nose was high, her chin slightly lifted, carrying an indescribable pride and grace. The girl's lips were like a rosebud, tender and soft.

Her figure was graceful and upright, her arms slender and fair, like a beautiful piece of music that evoked imagination. What drew the eye were her legs, long and strong, like works of art.

Her white hair gleamed under the moonlight, and her eyes were like two brilliant gems, deeply captivating the boy's gaze.

Undoubtedly, the beauty of the girl before him was breathtaking, making it impossible to look away. Even in this silent night, her presence was like a brilliant fireworks display, illuminating everything around her.

Standing alone in the moonlight, she seemed to maintain a subtle distance from the world.

Her beauty was an ineffable charm, making one feel both close and distant.

Thinking it was someone sent to capture him, the boy looked at the girl before him and subconsciously dismissed the thought; these weren't those people.

A hint of confusion arose in his heart, wondering who this girl was, what her purpose was for being here, and if she was connected to those people.

The girl, unaware of his thoughts, merely surveyed the surroundings with a puzzled gaze. Still not detecting anyone else, she noticed the boy's life force about to fade and walked up to him.

"This bad? The poison has attacked your heart and spread throughout your internal organs! Human."

Crouching beside the boy, Miss Moonlit examined his body and found his condition to be extremely dire.

It was almost beyond saving.

After a moment's thought, the girl raised her hand into the void and used the Sacred Gear, the Holy Grail, to treat him, at least to save his life. Otherwise, if he died... her trip would have been in vain.

Fortunately, the "Sephiroths Cup," as a Sacred Gear, did not disappoint the girl. Although the boy was poisoned and not suffering from ordinary injuries, it still saved his life.

"Human, what is your name?"

Seeing that the boy's condition had stabilized considerably, Miss Moonlit finally spoke. Although she had already guessed his identity, confirmation was still necessary.

"I... Isaiah."

The boy's aura was still weak at this moment, but he answered very seriously.

"Isaiah?"

Upon hearing this, Miss Moonlit was slightly taken aback. Shouldn't he be called Kiba Yuto?

Could it be that she was mistaken?

But that shouldn't be the case. Both the clues in the bounty and the boy's appearance pointed to Kiba Yuto.

Yes, Miss Moonlit's target this time was a rather famous supporting character in the DxD world, Kiba Yuto. Although he did not possess a Sacred Gear, the Divine Artifact within him was already quite powerful.

The Divine Artifact, 『Demon Sword Creation』.

A Divine Artifact that could freely create various demon swords, each with different attributes to deal with different enemies.

Sensing the Divine Artifact within him and the bounty's clue, "Holy Sword Project Survivor," the boy before her was indeed Kiba Yuto, the future knight of that devilish young lady Rias Gremory's peerage.

"I have some recollection. Kiba Yuto was the name he took after becoming a devil; before that, he was called Isaiah."

Suddenly, the girl had a flash of memory. Kiba Yuto's former name was Isaiah. It had been too long, and since the anime primarily referred to him as Kiba Yuto, the girl hadn't recalled it immediately.

However, the girl still had some doubts. Logically, that devil princess Rias should have appeared here by now. If she hadn't shown up, Kiba Yuto should have already died.

It was Rias who appeared in time and resurrected him as a devil using a devil chess piece after Isaiah's death.

Miss Moonlit had originally intended to meet that devil princess here, but she was nowhere to be seen, forcing Miss Moonlit to step in and save the day.

Perhaps the plot had changed...

But if that were the case, the devil princess would be without her knight.

And Gasper here was also originally part of Rias's peerage, but in this situation, it was unlikely he would be connected to her anymore.

What a sin.

This wasn't her intentionally poaching from Rias; the situation had arisen purely by chance.

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Of course, even though she felt a little sorry for Rias, Miss Moonlit had no intention of letting go of what she had obtained. The Divine Artifact before her, even though she liked that Rias very much, she wouldn't give it up.

At most, she would do something about it later if it was within her capabilities...

Since Rias hadn't appeared, Miss Moonlit was not being polite about the Divine Artifact within Kiba Yuto.

Whether she used it herself for overuse or exchanged it for Crystals, it would be a very valuable transaction. Even though it wasn't a Sacred Gear, it could still fetch a good amount of Crystals.

"Can you walk, human?"

Without rushing to take Kiba Yuto's Divine Artifact, Miss Moonlit preferred to make a consensual transaction when they weren't enemies.

There was no need to forcibly take it; that would make her a bandit, wouldn't it?

Unless the other party refused.

"Yes."

The boy gritted his teeth and struggled to get up from the ground.

After being treated by Miss Moonlit using the Holy Grail, he temporarily regained his ability to move.

Although Isaiah wasn't sure of the young girl's intentions, he was grateful. She had saved his life, and he couldn't die...

He was alive not for himself, but for his comrades who had died for him in the Holy Sword Project. He had to live and avenge them all.

"Then let's go. Let's get out of here first."

Miss Moonlit nodded. After observing their surroundings again and seeing no one approaching, she prepared to lead him away.

This was no good place. The wind was biting cold, and there wasn't even a place to shelter from the cold and make a fire.

While the young girl might not be affected, Isaiah's body certainly was. Even with the Sacred Gear Holy Grail, he couldn't endure this much.

"..."

Isaiah walked unsteadily, following the young girl in front of him. Despite his extreme weakness, he gritted his teeth and endured, remaining silent.

Chapter 16 has ended!

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Chapter 38: Holy Sword Project Survivor

The night was as dark as ink, and all was silent.

Heavy snow covered the mountains. Beneath a wind-sheltered rock, a bonfire blazed brightly.

At this moment, the beautiful Vampire lady was adding wood to the fire, while the young boy beside her sat quietly, his face serene, lost in thought. The firelight cast an orange glow on both their faces.

Noticing the boy's weakness, Miss Moonlit thought for a moment, then took out some ingredients, skewered them, and began roasting them over the fire.