Chapter 208: Clouds Leave No Trace 『 Part Seven 』
「 "Dan Heng, you will never escape the Imbibitor Lunae. He is your origin, and the sins he committed shall walk beside you always, like a shadow clinging to form, until the moment of your final extinction."
"Blade…" Jingliu slowly averted her gaze, her voice colder than falling snow. "A fitting name. In the endless remainder of your life, you can only wander between killing and being killed, seeking a place to bury your bones. Were it not so, you would never be able to dissolve Yingxing's regret."
"In the end, it is me." Jingliu walked slowly past Jing Yuan. "I will face the Alliance's decree and bear eternal punishment. And after that… a far more grievous price awaits me."
Jingliu gazed silently at the rosy clouds in the distance. The afterglow of the setting sun spilled across her profile, yet brought not a single trace of warmth.
"High-Cloud Quintet… it is time we bid each other farewell."
Jingliu allowed Jing Yuan to escort her to the Xuling, but the destination was changed abruptly to the 'Yuque' Xianzhou. After Jing Yuan reported this to the Marshal, the General of the Yuque, Yao Guang—renowned for her military strategy—took a keen interest. She intercepted them halfway, deploying the 'Deca-Light Reflection Barrier,' intending to meet Jingliu and Luocha first.
To this, Jingliu was indeed dismissive, letting out a cold scoff: "…Jing Yuan, you haven't changed. You always struggle to break the layouts set by others. But in the end, whether it be you, me, the Cloud Knights, or the generals of the Reignbow Arbiter... We are all just pawns in a game of the gods. I am sick and tired of treading on a predetermined path."
She did not mind walking a bit further with Jing Yuan, but just as they were about to depart, Blade suddenly rushed out from the side, blocking their path.
"Wait! Jingliu, before you leave, you still owe me a payment."
Jingliu turned to look at him, shaking her head calmly. "I have tried. Apart from leaving more wounds on your body, I cannot help you further. Your undying body is not something that can be dispatched so simply. A mortal sword cannot kill the flesh of an Emanator—surely Destiny's Slave has told you this?"
"Furthermore, I told you when I taught you the sword. I do not raise my hand against those with no will to live, those who stretch out their necks for the slaughter—"
"Only an opponent can make you draw your sword."
Blade's fingers unconsciously caressed the hilt of the Shard Sword. The icy touch calmed his restless blood slightly. He had waited a long time for this moment.
"Jingliu, allow me to repay you for your teachings." 」
「 .....」
〜Record of Ragnarok World〜
"Oh? It is finally starting."
In Humanity's waiting room, Brunhilde exhaled a long breath. Allowing humanity's two great swordsmen to witness this battle between Jingliu and Blade was an unexpected boon before the official matches began.
She knew little of swordsmanship and could not discern the deeper intricacies, but Sasaki Kojiro and Okita Souji would surely gain something from it.
However, when she approached Sasaki Kojiro, she discovered the silent swordsman was sweating like rain, trembling all over. He stared deathly hard at Jingliu, his breathing ragged and anxious.
She tilted her head, asking with interest,
"What is it? Why the sudden nervousness?"
"Because I have already died 76 times."
Sasaki Kojiro exhaled slowly, supporting himself with his scabbard as he sank to the floor.
"Just now, in my mind, I fought her at least 76 times. Every single one ended with me being cut down."
"Huh?"
Brunhilde felt a bit dazed, frowning in confusion.
"She hasn't even drawn her sword yet…"
.....
Meanwhile, in the Gods' VIP lounge.
"Hey, hey, is that really okay? Not even flashing her blade? That Blade guy is about to shove his Shard Sword up her nose, you know?"
Shiva, sitting in a luxurious seat, watched the screen in boredom with the other gods. As the God of Destruction and Creation, he opened all five eyes wide, yet still could observe no change in Jingliu.
"I recall that swordsmen are supposed to assume a 'stance' when facing an enemy, aren't they?"
Shiva dug at his ear, puzzled.
"Could it be she's that confident in her speed?"
"For an ordinary swordsman, certainly,"
Came Susano'o's voice from behind. He stood with arms crossed, staring excitedly at Jingliu on the screen.
"But a stance can be discarded. By abandoning form, one embraces the 'Formless,' a means to counter all incoming attacks."
"Formless… making it sound so mystical? You didn't just make that up, did you, Little Sus?"
Buddha popped a cola-flavored lollipop into his mouth.
Two veins popped on Susano'o's forehead, and he decided to ignore them.
"Hmph, just watch and you'll see."
—
「 "Seven hundred years ago, we were just like this here…"
"Talking, sparring… full of spirit, dreaming of the future."
The dark-red Shard Sword was smeared with a streak of crimson blood by Blade, but in the next instant, a line of cold light had already crossed his throat—Clang!!
Neither dodged. A blue and a red figure collided, kicking up billowing dust. A sharp clang rang out as blades crossed, exploding into countless sparks amidst the smoke.
After this single exchange, their figures crossed dozens of times in a split second. Thousands of sharp sounds rang out in succession, like popping beans. Their weapons clashed an unknown number of times in the blink of an eye, the humming tremor between the blades sounding like a steel wire drilling into one's ears.
Her sword sliced through the dust, stabbing straight for Blade's throat.
—Seven hundred years ago, the same sword strike stopped half an inch from his neck.
"The way you all looked back then still lingers before my eyes, as if it were a dream from last night."
"I thought such happy days would be as long as the lifespan of the Xianzhou natives, day after day, in an endless cycle."
"But… dreams…"
In reality, the Shard Sword slashed upward, knocking away the black blindfold covering Jingliu's eyes. Amidst the flying, turbulent sword qi, Jingliu finally saw clearly—the sword qi slashing towards her also reflected the remnants of the past.
"…eventually wake up, scattering like clouds."
The final sword crossed. In the instant it pierced Blade's chest, and blood dripped down, time seemed to freeze.
—It was as if the sea breeze from seven hundred years ago brushed against her face.
She saw Baiheng standing under the High Elder's statue, laughing and talking with everyone, her fox ears twitching gently with her laughter. As if sensing something, she looked back at her, eyes curving into crescents. 」
「 .....」
〜Zenless Zone Zero World〜.
"This Fox Thiren sister is way too pretty… oh wait, there are no Fox Thirens on the Xianzhou."
In the Section 6 office, Asaba Harumasa stared with a stunned expression at the Foxian woman flashing across the screen.
That smile was just too gentle; completely different from Chief Miyabi's type.
Harumasa muttered softly,
"Sigh, if I could team up with the High-Cloud Quintet for a lifetime, I'd be willing even if I had to request leave every day…"
"Harumasa, what are you saying!?"
In the distance, Tsukishiro Yanagi, sitting before a mountain of documents, suddenly looked up and adjusted her glasses.
"N-Nothing! I was saying… uh, if the High-Cloud Quintet turned into Ethereals, I'd request leave every day just to go clean them up…"
Asaba Harumasa scratched his face awkwardly.
"Yanagi-nee, why are your ears so sharp? You could hear me from there?"
—