We Sing Praises

The blood-red sunset sank heavily to the ground. The half-sun on the horizon was like a child peeking through a window, and the moon was already clearly visible. No matter how perfect Sakura's defenses were, the Law-Ruler's frenzied, no-holds-barred fighting style exposed many flaws.

This was Sakura's first mistake, and it would be her last. The Law-Ruler flashed from her lower right to behind Sakura.

"You lost," the Law-Ruler whispered by Sakura's ear. Then, her back received a heavy blow, and her body plummeted straight towards the ground. She rolled several times before stabilizing in a half-kneeling posture. Most of the blade was buried in the dirt, leaving a long black trail on the grass. She knelt on one knee, using the embedded sword to push herself up.

Sakura wiped the mud from her face, spun her sword in a beautiful flourish, and the grass and dirt clinging to it were flung away. The ice-blue longsword once again glowed. Stomping her right foot down, she charged towards the sky, issuing a new challenge to the Law-Ruler high above.

The white-haired Law-Ruler fearlessly plunged towards the blade of Cold Prison Ice Sky.

This time, the death wish in Sakura's heart completely vanished. It wasn't that she was afraid; it was that her gamble had paid off.

"Dancing on the tip of a blade again..." Sakura murmured softly, gazing at the sword's point.

In the sky, red as a burning inferno, their figures clashed. This time, Sakura held nothing back. Her exquisite swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat skills turned the Law-Ruler's attacks into a series of evasions. But the Law-Ruler of Restraint didn't notice that Sakura was gradually closing the distance.

The Law-Ruler's hurried evasions made it impossible for her to clearly see Sakura's movements. Seizing an opening during the Law-Ruler's evasion, Sakura drew the stun grenade from her waist. She pulled the pin and threw it in front of the Law-Ruler.

A cold light appeared – Sakura's Flicker. Sakura instantly appeared behind the Law-Ruler, followed by a white flash and a bang. The special stun grenade caused the Law-Ruler to suffer temporary blindness and deafness, but Sakura fared no better. While it affected the Law-Ruler, the impact on her was magnified tenfold.

"Disappear!" Sakura said coldly, her eyes closed.

Skill and speed reached a near-perfect synergy at this moment, and she named this intricate move "Fierce Dance of the Cold Sky."

Several blue cold lights appeared.

Slash!

The blade flashed, striking the Law-Ruler squarely. Numerous bloody wounds appeared on her body simultaneously, her clothes becoming tattered. The final, strongest slash landed on her right hand, severing most of the flesh and revealing stark white bone.

The Law-Ruler of Restraint's expression finally showed a hint of change – an expression of pain, but she buried it deep within herself once more.

The next scene caused even Sakura, a seasoned Fusion Warrior, to show surprise. The Law-Ruler's pristine left hand gripped her bloody right hand. The sounds of twisting flesh and cracking bone filled the air as she forcefully broke her own right hand. The golden break was exposed to the air, and golden blood dripped onto the ground.

The Law-Ruler threw her severed hand at Sakura. Sakura lightly blocked it with her sword, and the severed hand thrown by the Law-Ruler of Restraint was knocked away by Cold Prison Ice Sky.

"I do not fear death."

"Because death is liberation," she said softly to Sakura, as if murmuring to herself.

She spread her arms, and a golden, cross-shaped barrier materialized around her, covering an area of ten thousand kilometers.

The Law-Ruler of Restraint ascended into the sky. The golden runes and crosses surrounding her began to spin rapidly, their trajectories too fast for the Fusion Warrior's eyes to follow.

Sakura instantly felt excruciating pain all over her body. Her control over her body weakened as her bodily functions became chaotic, and she fell from the sky, crashing into a tree that snapped in half.

Sakura lay on the ground, blood flowing uncontrollably from her facial features, her vision turning red. She pushed aside the leaves obstructing her view, and the first thing that appeared in her sight was the silver wheel hanging high above.

In ancient times, poets often entrusted their longing for their homeland to the moon. Sakura couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for her sister. What was her sister doing at this moment?

In the medical field, there was an unwritten rule: doctors could not perform surgery on their own friends and family, especially for serious illnesses. Doctors had various concerns when performing surgery, and operating on a loved one would likely crush their mental state under immense psychological pressure.

Among the Fusion Warriors of Fire Moth, a similar unwritten rule existed: a Fusion Warrior's defense zone could not overlap with their hometown. Due to her duty and this unwritten rule, she hadn't seen her sister for several months.

Sakura shook her head slightly, casting these fleeting thoughts of longing deep into the recesses of her memory. She picked up Cold Prison Ice Sky, which had fallen nearby, and managed to stand up with the help of the broken tree and her sword. Under the Law-Ruler's ability, the spirit blade's cold energy was gone, reducing it to a mere ordinary weapon with a sharp edge. Sakura's condition was no different from that of an ordinary person, her long pink ears drooping limply.

This was one of the Eleventh Law-Ruler's abilities: within her barrier, weapons powered by Honkai energy could not be used. Fusion Warriors implanted with Honkai Beast DNA would experience chaotic bodily functions and die within a minute.

Sakura had less than a minute left until death. The Law-Ruler of Restraint stepped onto invisible stairs, descending towards Sakura from the sky.

Sakura's gaze returned to the Law-Ruler, her expression calm. The countdown to death was insignificant in her eyes. She was a seasoned Fusion Warrior, having hovered on the brink of death countless times. Such a calm demeanor, however, sparked a hint of curiosity in the Law-Ruler.

"Is everything you've done truly meaningful?" For the first time, the Law-Ruler felt something she couldn't crush or dominate. While her abilities could easily overwhelm human civilization, she sensed something more abstract gazing down upon her from on high.

That was the human spirit, and the embodiment of humanity's fearless spirit was the warrior.

Why were warriors called warriors? Was it the blade in their hand, the armor on their body, or the steed beneath them? A great writer once said: "A true warrior dares to face life's bleakness and confront its gushing blood."

Therefore, warriors weren't necessarily fully armed, but they were always those who dared to charge towards death.

Sakura pointed the tip of Cold Prison Ice Sky at the Law-Ruler, meeting her gaze. The flame of determination flickered in her azure eyes: "A person can be destroyed, but they cannot be defeated. You seem to have conceded, but I haven't."