A gentle breeze swept past, stirring her long hair and the hem of her clothes.
Her entire being radiated an ethereal, almost divine aura, as if she had become one with the heaven and earth surrounding her.
Haohmaru and Ukyo noticed and instinctively stopped their conversation, standing quietly to the side. They both knew this was the sacred ritual of an Ainu priestess communing with nature—not something to be disturbed.
Cloud watched with great interest. He could sense Nakoruru's spiritual power spreading outward like an invisible net, with her at its center, extending in all directions.
The whisper of wind, the sway of grass, the breath of trees, even the pulse of the earth itself—all transformed into information flowing into her mind.
This ability is basically a walking "life-form detector" plus environmental monitoring satellite—and it's all-natural, pollution-free, with a built-in beautifying filter.
After a long while, Nakoruru slowly opened her eyes. A layer of fine perspiration glistened on her forehead, and her face had grown somewhat pale.
"What did you learn?" Cloud asked with concern.
Nakoruru took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly with sorrow. "I heard the earth weeping. Countless lives fading, countless souls crying out in anguish. A massive, evil force filled with hatred and the desire for destruction is spreading from the south, and its core... is in Shimabara."
She raised her head, gazing southward, those clear eyes reflecting visions invisible to ordinary people.
"I see... a massive castle floating in the sky. Surrounding the castle are endless monsters and vengeful spirits. In the castle's deepest chamber sits a man. He radiates an aura that doesn't belong to this world—half a mask of holiness, half pure evil from the depths of hell. Through a great ritual, he continuously draws power from a place called the Demon Realm, scattering it across the entire world."
Haohmaru and Ukyo felt their hearts clench.
A floating castle? The Demon Realm? This was already beyond their understanding as warriors.
"Amakusa Shiro Tokisada..." Nakoruru bit her lip as she spoke the name. "His power is growing stronger by the moment. Nature tells me we must stop him as soon as possible. Otherwise, when his ritual is complete, the will of the demon god Ambrosia will descend upon the mortal realm. By then, it will be too late!"
Nakoruru's description was like a key turning in a lock, revealing the severity of the crisis while providing the most crucial intelligence.
At that moment, the system's notification chimed in Cloud's mind right on schedule.
[Ding! Key plot character Nakoruru has used Voice of Nature to lock onto the enemy's core target. Cross-referencing information...]
[Cross-reference complete. Target: Amakusa Shiro Tokisada. Status: Abnormal resurrection (product of Demon Realm power combined with human resentment). Behavior: Attempting to destabilize the world by opening the Demon Realm gate, meeting the definition of "anomaly point" under the Dimensional Correction Protocol.]
[Main Quest officially released—Dimensional Correction: Samurai Shodown Arc: Requiem for the Son of God!]
[Quest Objective: Travel to Shimabara, halt Amakusa Shiro Tokisada's ritual, destroy the source of his resurrection, and repair the damage to this world's space-time barriers.]
[Quest Rewards: Large amount of Source Points, lottery tickets, and the opportunity to plunder target Amakusa Shiro Tokisada's core abilities.]
[Additional Note: Given the target's powerful magical abilities and soul manipulation powers, Host is advised to prepare countermeasures against "spiritual corruption" and "sorcery attacks." The System Shop has now stocked Holy Light Talismans, Demon-Breaking Sacred Salt, and other items—currently 20% off! Care to browse, Host?]
Cloud completely ignored the system's final bit of product placement.
"Excellent. Intel confirmed, target locked." Cloud spoke with the casual air of someone who'd just received a takeout order rather than a life-or-death mission. "Both Nakoruru's nature-GPS and my official certification point to the same place—Shimabara, Amakusa Castle."
"Your official certification?" Haohmaru looked utterly confused.
"Don't ask. The answer is 'classified cosmic secrets.'" Cloud waved his hand dismissively, then swept his gaze over the group, his eyes sharpening. "So then, ladies and gentlemen, our objective is crystal clear. We storm the enemy stronghold, charge into Amakusa Castle, and beat Amakusa Shiro Tokisada all the way back to his fertilized egg state. Any questions?"
"None!" Haohmaru slammed his fist into his palm excitedly. "Should've done this ages ago! Just do it—let's go!"
"...I await your command." Though puzzled by Cloud's phrasing, Ukyo made his determination clear. With his illness now curable, this was the time to repay that kindness.
Nakoruru fixed Cloud with a steady gaze. "Wherever you go, I go with you."
"Perfect." Cloud nodded with satisfaction. "But before we set off, we need to make some preparations."
He surveyed their surroundings, observing the occasional travelers on the road—gaunt, hollow-eyed, their expressions numb—and the barren fields in the distance. He sighed.
"This era is too harsh."
In the KOF world, despite all the fighting and killing, it took place against a modern urban backdrop where most ordinary people still enjoyed peaceful, comfortable lives.
But here, war, famine, and demons pressed down on everyone like three great mountains, leaving them barely able to breathe. The bone-deep bleakness and despair were things Cloud had never experienced in the KOF world.
He wasn't a saint. He couldn't save everyone. But since he'd come here and seen all of this, he felt he should do something.
System, open the shop. Exchange for a batch of food and clean water.
[Ding! Exchanging 100 tons of high-compression nutritional biscuits and 100 tons of purified drinking water. 50,000 Source Points deducted. Confirm deployment?]
Confirmed. Deploy to all accessible villages in the vicinity. Anonymous delivery—just say it's from a passing masked rider.
[...Host, please refrain from adding strange settings to the System. Anonymous deployment executed.]
Having done this, Cloud felt considerably lighter. Though his core system revolved around "plundering," he had his own principles and bottom lines.
He plundered the power of the strong—he didn't bully the weak or steal their means of survival. An occasional cameo as the world's savior wasn't a bad feeling.
...
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