The evil god from Takamagahara descended once more, attacking the city and beginning an endless slaughter. A bustling commercial street was instantly reduced to rubble; crowds fled in every direction, and the air was filled with the sounds of families being torn apart.
By the time Acheron received the news and rushed to the scene, this was the devastation she found.
She looked up, her eyes locking onto the monstrous god wreaking havoc in the sky, and a cold fury ignited within her. Raising her hand, she summoned her Protector Blade, "Kaminari," and launched herself forward.
A dazzling bolt of lightning tore across the sky as her petite frame shot towards the evil god like a cannonball. In the blink of an eye, the thunderous light split the creature in two. Its massive body fell heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. With a single strike, she had decapitated the god. Acheron glanced at her own scorched right arm, unable to see the girl's collection sword. On this day, she earned the name "Kaminari." As she became a Blade Wielder, absorbing the power of the blade, she was also tainted by an unknown substance from the god's corpse. A large portion of it dissipated into the air, a small amount clung to her, and another portion entered her body.
Ye Ming understood.
[You have already confirmed that this unknown substance is very likely the source of the contamination.]
[You have seen it many times: after a contaminated person transforms into a monster, their corpse will leave behind this same substance, which then dissipates into the air.]
[You suspect that only you can see this substance; that others, even fellow Blade Wielders, are blind to it.]
[Without a way to even perceive this unknown substance, Izumo's forces are helpless against the gradual pollution. A great number of researchers have been assigned to study it, but they have found nothing.]
[Over the past year, Izumo has all but given up on researching the substance. The official consensus is that it's merely a side effect of the residual power of IX, the Aeon of Nihility—nothing more than a visual hallucination.]
[There are many examples of Nihility's influence, and you have witnessed them many times.]
[It has always been this way: in your vision, most of the substance dissipates, but whenever you are present, a small amount of it inevitably pours into your body. It is unstoppable. Unavoidable.]
[When you use your dream-like power, your body's attraction to the substance reaches its peak. Every time you use the secret art of One Heart, One Sword, your body becomes like a black hole, greedily absorbing the substance.]
[You have found that the more of this substance you absorb, the stronger you become. But you can also sense that as it accumulates, your mind and will are quietly undergoing some unknown change.]
[In the two years you and Acheron have been slaying evil gods, walking the path of saving the world, your will has become ever more determined.]
[This determined will has resisted the erosion, slowing down the changes to your mind and body. But you were never blessed with the innate talent to bear the backlash of a Blade. And neither was Acheron.]
[You have realized this. As the gods from Takamagahara descend with increasing frequency and growing power, more humans are transformed into monsters, and the amount of the dissipating unknown substance grows ever larger.]
[Though your will has been strengthened, the sheer mass of the unknown substance you've absorbed has already exceeded the limits of what your will can bear.]
[You refuse to accept defeat, refuse to become a monster. Your only choice is to use your dream-like power as sparingly as possible to minimize your intake of the substance.]
[Seeing Acheron's body being tainted by the substance, yet facing the evil god's ferocious assault without a single hair out of place, you feel a profound sense of dread.]
At this moment, your mentality changed.
The clear sky was suddenly blotted out by thunderclouds as even more evil gods descended from Takamagahara. You gripped the hilt of your sword tightly.
"Miss Raiden, let me handle this."
You stepped in front of Acheron and drew your blade.
"Gathering ten thousand true words, exhausting the power of a hundred eyes, I will cut out a dream with a single sword."
For the first time, you actively chose to use the secret art of One Heart, One Dream. A scorching heat like molten gold erupted and shot toward the sky. The god from Takamagahara let out a piercing shriek of resistance before it was incinerated into ash. The dense concentration of the unknown substance in the god's remnant was drawn to you like a tide, pouring into your body.
Under the impact of this massive influx, a faint, burning image flashed through your mind: on a cloud-covered land, aboard a pitch-black warship, you saw countless human figures, but their forms were indistinct, lost amidst a scene of utter ruin.
The vision vanished as quickly as it came. The special department's personnel began to arrive, cleaning up the debris and rescuing the wounded. Survivors of the disaster clung to their loved ones, their bitter cries echoing through the ruins.
"So, this is the power of One Heart, One Dream?" Acheron asked softly from behind you, looking at the familiar devastation.
"Mmm." You returned to your senses, sheathed your sword, and turned to her with a smile.
"Miss Raiden, weren't you curious about what this art was like?" she asked, her expression unreadable. "Now that you've seen it, what do you think? Isn't it terrifying?"
"It is a terrifying and inhuman swordsmanship," you agree.
She studied your face carefully, searching for any sign of abnormality. "I've told you before that this art is dangerous and should not be used lightly. In two years, you have never once used it. Why today...?"
"Because I was worried, too," you admit. "Just as you said, Miss Raiden, using this power risks being eroded by the energy of Nihility, losing one's consciousness, and becoming a demon. It was because of that fear that I was so reluctant to use this powerful sword. But after fighting evil gods for over two years, I still have confidence in my own will, even if the art is risky."
Noticing the lingering worry in her eyes, you offer a reassuring smile.
"Miss Raiden, rest assured, I am very strong. I won't be so easily contaminated and turned into a demon. I promise, I will stand with you and live to see the day all the evil gods are slain!"
Slaying the gods of Takamagahara, freeing Izumo from their shackles, and restoring peace and freedom—this is the wish of every person in Izumo. Hearing your promise and seeing your flawless smile, Acheron finally let out a small, secret sigh of relief.
"Was it just my imagination?" she wondered.
A moment ago, at the instant you drew your sword, as she stood behind you looking at your back, she could have sworn she saw it: the very color on your body seemed to fade, growing fainter and lighter.
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