Seeing this, Ah Xian's entire body broke out in goosebumps.
"Ever since I played Honkai Impact 3rd, the moment I see the word 'salvation' I get PTSD."
"My personal take is, the moment someone resembles you even three points, I completely lose it."
"People will die."
"Absolutely tons of people will die!"
"In the worst case, Leon and Mei… both might have to die."
"You're asking about Raiden Ryoma? Do you even need to ask—of course he's doomed!"
"With my understanding of Mihoyo, Raiden Ryoma will definitely die in front of Mei, and in the most tragic way possible!"
[Poor Ah Xian, trained by Mihoyo into a startled bird.]
[You're all still at startled-bird level, but I've already entered the cup-bow snake-shadow state; getting hit with a huge knife at any moment wouldn't even be surprising.]
Stelle discovered that she was gradually losing control over her body.
The critical turning point in the memory was about to arrive.
As an outsider who did not belong to this segment of memory, she would often repel the important figures within the memory.
("What's going to happen next…")
Stelle kept Sparkle's instructions firmly in mind, continuing to play the role she was supposed to play.
Half a li away from Raiden Ryoma's residence, Leon built a bamboo hut and settled down, becoming an ordinary doctor.
At first, basically no one came to him for treatment.
As time passed, his reputation for miraculous hands spread, and more and more people came seeking his care.
Ah Xian folded her arms across her chest, quietly watching the plot unfold, just like someone binge-watching an anime.
"The experience of running through the story is really great—tons of content, super filling—just a little nerve-wracking. Sigh, I miss the happy plots from before."
"Didn't expect Leon to start practicing medicine so early. Could the poison studies have begun during this period too?"
This time she guessed wrong; Leon did not diligently study the path of poisons.
He made house calls when needed and followed the queue when required.
Recently, the frequency of his house calls had been increasing.
"Leon, I brought the batch of medicinal herbs you asked me to pick up from Tenkyo City."
Raiden Mei carefully set down the special storage box containing the herbs.
"Thanks for making the trip, Mei. This is your father's medicine for next week."
Leon picked up several pre-prepared packets of medicine and handed them to the young woman.
Raiden Mei accepted them but did not turn to leave; her face was filled with hesitation.
Seeing her expression, Leon let out a soft sigh.
Having stayed in Izumo for some time, he had long since thoroughly understood the life settings of the different races here.
The Oni race possessed physical constitution and lifespan far superior to humans, though their comprehension was slightly inferior.
Furthermore, the Oni of Izumo were not immortal; their average lifespan was only around four hundred years.
The level of technological civilization was also not high.
The technological civilization level of Izumo was destined to never break through this sky.
Leon knew the reason all too well.
With civilization stagnated, the evolution of life naturally could not step into the next tier.
And this was precisely the reason for Raiden Mei's hesitation.
The intelligent her had already sensed something.
"You want to confirm your father's true condition, right?"
"Yes…"
Her inner thoughts seen through, Raiden Mei silently nodded, tension in her purple eyes.
Leon: "In your understanding, how old is Ryoma?"
"281."
She answered.
Leon's gaze was calm, as if piercing straight through the unease deep in her heart.
"Ryoma is actually 394 years old. He probably has less than two years left."
"Don't blame him for hiding his real age from you. Your mother passed early, and Ryoma only wanted you to learn the Hokushin Itto-ryu without distractions and pass it down."
"…Thank you for telling Mei the truth."
Though Raiden Mei's emotions appeared somewhat low, she did not lose her composure.
"Don't let Ryoma worry. The only thing he can't let go of is you." Leon waved his hand dismissively.
If he were truly suffering from illness, he would definitely cure Raiden Ryoma.
But—
A life that had normally gone through the cycle of reincarnation did not need salvation.
Natural aging and passing was the blessing of intelligent life.
Breaking the rules required paying an equivalent price.
Originally, Raiden Ryoma could have peacefully stepped into the long night.
It was only a pity that fate was unpredictable; the child's mother left before him, and with little time left, he could only strictly teach his daughter from a young age.
"Huh?"
"Even the cipher blade Leon is one thing, but they're knifing Mei too!"
"She looks only a teenager right now; even for an Oni, losing both parents so young…"
Before Ah Xian could finish, the scene shifted.
…
Drizzling rain.
Two oil-paper umbrellas opened, sheltering them within the tears the world wept.
Raiden Mei slightly bent at the waist, gently placing the bouquet in her hands before two gravestones.
"Father, Mother, Mei has come to see you."
A simple scene, a simple mood.
Simple actions, simple words.
Yet these instantly switched one's mood to pain, unconsciously twisting the face into a grimace.
No need to think—two years had definitely passed.
Bad news: blue and thin.
Good news: thinking positively, natural passing can't really be called a knife.
"Mei is useless; I couldn't master the Hokushin Itto-ryu before Father left."
"Don't think like that."
Leon lightly patted Raiden Mei's head, his tone gentle.
"You have already worked hard enough. They would be proud of you."
"But… the three years are almost up, right?"
Three years was the amount of time Leon had been in this world.
"Quiet your heart and listen to the sounds the world makes, Mei."
Leon said softly, "Close your eyes."
Raiden Mei slowly closed her eyes.
The fine rain drifted lightly, bypassing the oil-paper umbrella, leaving a thin layer of moisture on her smooth, long hair.
Leon did the same; it was just harder to notice on his half-white long hair.
"The earth… is trembling."
Raiden Mei murmured.
"Life is passing away…"
She finally understood why Leon said today's fine rain represented the entire world beginning to weep.
"Let's go, Mei."
"But I haven't mastered it yet."
"With me here, you won't die."
"…Mm…"
The two stepped onto the Path of Divine Harvest, their figures gradually vanishing into the curtain of rain.
Leon's voice-over narration slowly sounded amid constantly switching battle backgrounds.
"Year 0101 of the Divine Harvest Era, the second of the eight million gods descended upon Izumo."
"The Izumo Shogunate named it 'Tenjo Tatokami-dono' and mobilized the entire nation to subjugate it."
Whether human or Oni, in the eyes of the mountain-like colossal beast, they were no different from ants.
Life was passing away every moment.
"The first divine-slaying decree blade was not yet forged; Izumo paid an enormous price."
In the end, with Leon's reckless assistance, Raiden Mei spread her wings and soared, severing the wicked beast's head with a single slash.
The pair of wings behind Raiden Mei left countless players' eyes stinging.
He was using the cruelest method to make Mei grow rapidly…
As the divine body of Tenjo Tatokami-dono crashed to the ground, not a single person cheered on the tragic battlefield.
"Izumo broke 10,774 swords; with this price, the first decree blade was forged—[Truth]"
"However—"
"The path of salvation will eventually reach that end…"
Leon's narration abruptly stopped.
…