"Wonderful, wonderful!"
"After just one exchange, you found it!"
"You found it—the way to kill me."
"How truly adaptable, how truly—splendid!"
Using the broken half of his cross-shaped spear to prop himself up, Hozoin Inshun—Lancer of Purgatorio—continued smiling and speaking despite the bloody tears streaming from his eyes.
"No."
In response to Lancer of Purgatorio's praise, Miyamoto Musashi merely shook her head.
"I did think about it."
"I thought about how to defeat you in a real fight. During our escape, I simulated battles with you in my head countless times."
"About thirty-two times."
"I died thirty-one times."
"You're strong, but that doesn't mean I had no chance of winning."
"I just needed to seize that chance."
"That said... I never expected the one that gave me a hand in the end would be this blade you called useless."
She raised the sword in her hand—the [Cursed Demon Blade of Great Karma] that the swordsmith had casually stuck into the ground.
"Haha... Then it truly was the decisive move. Just as expected of such a fine-grade blade."
"I truly never expected it. This sword actually managed to sever my Spirit Core, which was located far beyond reach..."
"[Cut in Two with a Single Stroke]."
"Hahaha..."
Inshun's corpse stopped trembling, letting out two somewhat strained laughs.
This was...
what it felt like to be satisfied?
That bizarre Reality Marble, filled with the solemn killing intent of sin and karma, had vanished. Everyone reappeared before Grandpa's thatched hut.
"You're not going to finish him off? He doesn't look dead yet."
The young man who called himself a swordsmith, and whom O-Nui called "Grandpa," asked Musashi.
"I already killed him."
Musashi's answer was exceedingly brief.
"Hm?"
"Grandpa" finally sensed that something was wrong.
"--------I am deeply grateful."
A gleam of light had already