Chapter 244: A Foxian Tale of the Haunted 『 Part Nineteen 』
「 "Hahaha! This little girl's fighting spirit is truly a scorching blaze! Since she insists on this dance of death, young man, will you give her an answer?" The Heliobus's malevolent laughter echoed above Yanqing's head.
Yanqing nodded firmly. "Yanqing will not retreat."
"Hmph, this is a matter between Cloud Knight comrades now. There's no shame in a defeat, but to abandon a fellow soldier and bring dishonor upon the Cloud Knights? My sword would never forgive me." Sushang turned back to Huohuo, urgency in her voice. "I reckon I can only hold out for a few exchanges. Go, find the General! Until he arrives, I refuse to fall!"
The group departed the Dragonprayer Terrace immediately, arriving at Fyxestroll Garden. Upon locating the General and recounting the situation in full, Jing Yuan's expression took on a rare, grim solemnity.
"A Heliobus that manipulates the heart under the guise of swordplay instruction? If it truly sought to teach according to a student's needs, it might be a different story. Alas, this monster's obsession with victory is far too great; for a child like Yanqing, this is a treacherous predicament."
Before they departed, the General inquired further regarding this entity known as Apyra. Cirrus revealed that it was the martial soul of Ignamar's former host, the most bellicose of all their fragments. Yet, Cirrus asked with genuine curiosity, "And who is this swordsman named 'Yanqing'?"
"My disciple," Jing Yuan replied calmly.
Cirrus erupted into a delighted, wicked cackle. "Heeheehee! No wonder I catch the scent of sorrow clinging to you. Oh—I see now. To rescue an incompetent disciple, the master must personally take the field? How I envy Apyra."
"You recognize the scent of sorrow, yet you understand nothing of its cause. My disciple has been blinded by an obsession with victory and defeat; in his quest to hone his craft, he sought a shortcut. This is my failure as a master, and that is the source of my grief."
Cirrus said coldly, "I suggest you drop the leisurely act. Apyra's bloodlust is absolute. Once it takes command, it acknowledges no kin—not even a master." 」
「 .....」
〜A Certain Magical Index World〜
"That's not actually going to happen, is it?"
Misaka Mikoto's voice dropped, a flicker of unease crossing her amber eyes.
"A master and disciple forced to kill each other… Jing Yuan has already been through this once, hasn't he? Last time he had to raise his hand against his own master—is he going to have to do it to his disciple now? Please, anything but that!"
"Stay calm, Misaka-san."
Touma stared into the girl's eyes.
"Unless Yanqing actually kills Sushang, there's still a way back. Honestly, as far as possessions go, Yanqing hasn't caused any real destruction yet."
Mikoto's shoulders stiffened visibly.
"But I'm still worried. What if Sushang can't hold him back? If the Heliobus completely consumes Yanqing's mind and body and uses him to go on a rampage through the Cloud Knight barracks…"
Touma turned his teacup thoughtfully.
"…You know, I've been noticing this for a bit, but are you projecting Shokuhou's abilities onto the Heliobus? They both influence the mind, sure, but there's a world of difference."
( Translator-kun: Huh? Did Touma say 'Shokuhou'? Hey! Author-san, there's a plot hole here! )
"Who—who would waste time thinking about that woman?!"
Her voice jumped an octave, drawing stares from nearby tables in the café. Realizing her slip, she immediately lowered her voice.
"I just can't help but associate her powers with this kind of mental hijacking."
"Well, a Heliobus is a sentient fire-spirit. Its precision in possession is high, but the host doesn't lose themselves entirely; they can still fight back. Shokuhou's control, though… that's pure puppetry. It lacks the precision of a Heliobus, but she can manage a whole crowd at once."
"If the General is going to save Yanqing, it'll probably be like when Qingque saved Fu Xuan. He'll have to make Yanqing's own consciousness waver and resist from the inside—but if it really comes down to the General having to strike…"
Kamijou Touma gave a helpless smile.
"Then Yanqing is just going to have to pray for a miracle."
—
「 Arriving at the Dragonprayer Terrace, the group breathed a collective sigh of relief as they saw Sushang still standing, locked in a standoff with Yanqing.
"Lieutenant of the Seat of Divine Foresight... Is that the best you can do? And I was thinking I'd be done for the moment you drew your sword." Sushang panted heavily, using her Greatsword to prop herself up. "I didn't think... I didn't think I would last this long. I... I'm not half as bad as I thought."
Apyra's ethereal voice drifted through the air, tinged with disappointment. "Young man, you hesitated. You have been hesitating this entire time."
"Your opponent is no match for you, yet they have managed to fend you off for this long. As a swordsman, have you not any pride? Do you want to repeat the disaster you suffered at Dragonprayer Terrace?"
"Strike now. Only blood can wash the shame from your steel…"
Yanqing's face froze, his breath hitching. His sword-hand trembled—a sensation he hadn't even felt when facing the likes of Blade or Dan Heng. He gripped the hilt tight, swallowed hard, and whispered, "I…"
"He will not strike." A languid voice drifted from behind Sushang.
At the sight of his master, Yanqing's momentum instantly withered. "General…" 」
「 .....」
〜Baki World〜
Seeing Jing Yuan appear, Hanayama Kaoru's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. In the same moment, Retsu Kaioh seemed to exhale a breath he had been holding, his tensed body relaxing instantly.
Among them, only Tokugawa looked somewhat disappointed. Given Jing Yuan's character, it was unlikely he would actually cut down his own disciple—though, if he were willing to personally educate the boy, that would be a spectacle worth seeing. He had yet to see a formal bout between Yanqing and Jing Yuan.
He had seen enough of the fight with Sushang. It was dull. He wanted to see blood on the floor!
"Little Yanqing is still terrified of his master,"
Miyamoto Musashi chuckled.
"I wonder, though… does he have the courage to draw his blade against his teacher? If he can find his nerve, then including Jing Yuan… he'll have lost to three of the High-Cloud Quintet right here on this spot."
"Miyamoto, have you so little faith in the boy?"
Kaku Kaioh shook his head calmly. He removed his sunglasses, revealing eyes as deep as ink, unreadable.
"After the tribulations the Luofu has endured, young Yanqing has already begun his metamorphosis. Furthermore, having received personal instruction from the Transcendent Flash, Jingliu herself, his gains are not to be underestimated. In a pure contest of swordsmanship, Yanqing might not suffer a total defeat."
"Heh, Kaku, have you finally gone senile in your old age?"
Yujiro Hanma grinned, baring his teeth like a predator.
"The General's Lightning Lord is a force that even his master Jingliu had to respect. With Yanqing's current bag of tricks, surviving that would be no small feat."
"Of course, that's assuming Jing Yuan uses the Lightning Lord. But that power is a weapon reserved for those who threaten the Xianzhou. Would he truly unleash the strength granted by the Hunt upon a disciple whose conscience has yet to be extinguished?"
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