After the collision, countless fish floated to the surface of the sea.
The colossal serpent was slashed back into the water, only to reemerge moments later from another part of the sea, lunging at Ei with a ferocious roar.
Ei's expression grew grave as she evaded the serpent's attacks. Glancing back toward Narukami Island, she felt a surge of anxiety.
With a wave of her right hand, a colossal Electro Eye materialized above her head, and Engulfing Lightning vanished into thin air.
"Mindless Severance!"
-
Grand Narukami Shrine.
Before the Sacred Sakura Tree, Lumine and Paimon explained the outcome of their mission to Yae Miko: they had failed to secure reinforcements.
Yae Miko seemed to have anticipated this:
"It's alright, little ones. The safety of Inazuma must ultimately rely on its own people."
With a wave of her Gohei staff, streams of pink energy radiated outward, erecting a protective shield that enveloped the entire Grand Narukami Shrine.
Lumine noticed Itto and the others tensing in alertness, and she drew her longsword as well.
Suddenly, a spatial rift tore open in the Sacred Sakura Tree.
"Everyone, be careful!" Lumine shouted, recognizing this method of entry all too well.
Yae Miko reacted instantly, having been prepared for this. A fox-shaped bolt of heavenly lightning slammed into the rift.
The black-robed figure had barely emerged when he received this fiery welcome. He extended the crescent-shaped blade in his right hand to parry the lightning, ultimately absorbing the energy into the blade.
Standing before the Sacred Sakura Tree, the black-robed figure wielded a Crescent Blade in his right hand and a massive black sword in his left. With a dramatic flourish, he flung back his tattered cape—ragged yet undeniably imposing.
"Excellent. You're right here."
The black-robed figure pointed his massive black sword at Yuna, who instinctively took a step back.
Itto, Kuki Shinobu, Chu Xi, and Lumine immediately stepped in front of Yuna, with Itto brandishing his greatsword.
"You're the one who hurt Yuna, aren't you, bastard!"
The black-robed figure didn't reply, poised as if ready to strike.
Yae Miko lowered her Gohei, causing the protective barrier enveloping the Grand Narukami Shrine to shrink rapidly, encasing the black-robed figure directly.
"Futile resistance."
With a flick of its blade, the black-robed figure tore through space and emerged unscathed.
Yae Miko was momentarily taken aback, but quickly regained her composure. She moved with blinding speed, leaving dozens of Sesshou Sakura blossoms in her wake around the figure.
The Sesshou Sakura were deployed in an instant, yet when she looked again, the black-robed figure had already retreated beyond their range.
Lumine and the others joined the fray, brandishing their weapons as they charged toward the black-robed figure.
Unfazed, the black-robed figure raised its longsword.
"One Slash."
A gray doppelganger split from the black-robed figure's body, attacking Itto and Kuki Shinobu, who were leading the charge.
The doppelganger's attack was impossibly swift. The two barely managed to raise their weapons in time to block.
A deafening crash echoed as Itto and Kuki Shinobu were sent flying, crashing heavily into the structures of the Grand Narukami Shrine. Itto tried to rise, but the searing pain forced him back down.
"Itto, Shinobu, are you alright?"
Paimon, who hadn't participated in the attack, quickly rushed over to check on them.
Thank goodness, they were still conscious!
"Two Slashes."
The black-robed figure split into another clone and charged at Yae Miko.
Yae Miko swiftly dodged, only to realize in shock that the clone's attack was aimed at the very direction she had evaded.
Yae Miko was no weakling. Leveraging the natural advantages of the Sacred Sakura Tree at Grand Narukami Shrine, she could handle opponents stronger than the black-robed figure—or at least stall them.
But alas, the black-robed figure was a mechanical monster, impervious to conventional countermeasures.
And it had no intention of wasting time.
With a single slash, Yae Miko was sent flying.
The black-robed figure took a few steps forward, its long blade pointed at Lumine and Chu Xi. "Three Slashes... are enough."
"Chu Xi, watch out!"
Lumine was also shaken by the black-robed figure's power. Wasn't it supposed to be severely injured?
Lumine and Chu Xi braced themselves, shifting from attack to defense.
But... it was futile.
With a single slash, they collapsed, joining Itto and Shinobu on the ground.
(Spy- Bro Flame reaver truly escaped the cycles)
-
Player World
The streamers were completely stunned. They had expected a closely matched battle, but the gap in power was far greater than anticipated.
"No, no, is this thing really that strong? Wasn't it supposed to be severely wounded?"
Chen Xiyao couldn't understand. If you're this powerful, why did you resort to a sneak attack earlier?!
Chen Xiyao had felt heavy-hearted from the moment she started this quest, deeply reluctant to part with Yuna. Though the quest's title practically spelled it out, she still clung to a sliver of hope. What if Yuna were the exception?
But now...
Waaah...
The chat room erupted into a frenzy.
[As expected, even a dying camel is bigger than a horse. This black-robed figure fought the three Original Archons; even severely wounded, it's still a formidable opponent.]
[Yae Miko got knocked flying with a single strike?!]
[We're done for! Ei, come back quickly!]
[No, not my Yuna!]
[Waaah, everyone, please be safe!]
[Fun fact: Aside from Yuna and Chu Xi, everyone here is a gacha character.]
[This black-robed figure is kind of hot... wait, damn it! Black-robed figure, keep your hands off my waifu!]
[Uh...]
-
Paimon, terrified, hopped in place. "Lumine, Yae Miko, Chu Xi... You, you all..."
Seeing the panicked little Paimon, Yuna pulled her behind her protectively.
"What do we do, Yuna? What do we do?!" Paimon's voice trembled, on the verge of tears. "If even Yae Miko can't beat it, are we going to die?"
Waaah, Paimon doesn't want to die! And she doesn't want anyone else to die either!
While Paimon was still lost in her frantic thoughts, a dozen Thunderbolts slammed into the black-robed figure.
Yae Miko stepped in front of Yuna.
Great Secret Art: Tenko Kenshin!
The dozen Sesshou Sakura detonated instantly, unleashing a dense barrage of Tenko Thunderbolts upon the black-robed figure.
When the Electro light dissipated, the black-robed figure emerged unscathed.
"A truly troublesome opponent."
Yae Miko summoned her Catalyst. The figure's ability was bizarre, making the idea of trapping it unrealistic.
But she couldn't let it run rampant either. If it wanted to kill the little one before her, it would have to step over her corpse first.
Lumine, with her remarkably durable body, was the first to rise.
"Traveler, take them away. Put them in your Serenitea Pot and find Ei. She's on Yashiori Island."
"What about you?" Lumine asked.
"I'll hold it off," Yae Miko replied. "Only I can stall it even for a moment. Go now! If you hesitate any longer, I won't be able to stop it. Don't worry—it can't kill me."
Yuna stepped forward, her eyes red-rimmed. "Isn't it after my soul? Just take it and leave. Miko Sister, move aside!"
Yae Miko channeled the power of the Sacred Sakura, temporarily restraining the black-robed figure.
"Go, you fool! At this point, do you really think it will leave just because it takes your soul?"
"Miko Sister!"
Yuna still wanted to resist, but Lumine had already tossed the others into the Serenitea Pot, leaving only Yuna behind.
"Go, Yuna."
Lumine believed Yae Miko wasn't lying. The Sacred Sakura Tree was miraculous, and the black-robed figure might truly be unable to kill her.
After shoving Yuna into the Serenitea Pot, Lumine raced to the Teleport Waypoint. Half-expecting it to fail, she was astonished when it actually worked!
The black-robed figure watched Lumine vanish, momentarily stunned.
It can really teleport?
No matter. I have Emotional Feedback—I can cheat.