"Extreme?"
"My lord… does that mean Tsukuyo's talent is poor?"
Hearing Haimer's meaningful remark, Tsukuyo, still lying on the bed, had her sensitive ears twitch slightly. Though her expression could not be seen, her body stiffened for a brief moment.
"No, Tsukuyo. You misunderstood."
Haimer shook his head and gently rested a hand on her trembling shoulder.
"On the contrary, your talent is absurdly strong."
With that, he rose from the bedside and casually lifted the robe that had slipped down, covering her pale, slender back once more.
Tsukuyo hurried to put it on properly, fumbling as she gathered the collar close. The blush on her cheeks had yet to fade, and though her unfocused crimson eyes could not see him, they still turned toward his direction, filled with disbelief.
"When I say extreme, it isn't an insult. In a life-and-death battle, victory is rarely decided by your weakest flaw. It's decided by your sharpest blade. If your blade is fast enough, fast enough to cut your enemy's throat before they can strike at your weakness, then that weakness ceases to matter. It becomes something they will never reach."
"For example, your skill Magatsu-ko grants you perception and preemptive awareness far beyond ordinary people. That means you've already won half the battle before it even begins. And Momentary Bloom allows you to unleash power that surpasses your level in a single instant. Even if you're just a fragile Lv.1 right now, as long as you seize one opportunity, one fleeting opening, you could cut down an enemy several levels above you."
"That possibility of defeating the strong with the weak is the shortest path to achieving great feats."
In Orario, challenging opponents beyond one's level was the most efficient way to accomplish such feats. Tsukuyo's style, built around a single decisive strike, seemed born for that very purpose.
It was like a game. While others chipped away at their opponent's health bit by bit, she would unleash everything in one strike. It might be only a single blow, but if it landed, even gods would fall.
"You're what one might call a one-strike asura. So be confident. Don't belittle yourself. You're the sharpest, most extreme blade, born to cut through fate itself. If your body is weak, then make sure your enemy never touches you. That is the path of the one-strike executioner."
As he finished speaking, Haimer reached out and gently ruffled Tsukuyo's silver hair.
"Mm… is… is that so…"
Feeling the warmth of his hand and hearing his sincere affirmation, Tsukuyo let out a soft sound like a kitten. The tension in her body melted away, and the blush on her face deepened further.
It wasn't only his praise that moved her. It was the simple warmth of being treated gently, of being patted on the head like a child. For someone forced to mature too quickly, it was an unfamiliar sensation, one she didn't dislike. In fact, she found herself wanting more.
"Y-yes, my lord. Tsukuyo understands."
...
Meanwhile, with Tsukuyo's example set, the atmosphere in the room grew subtly charged once more.
For warriors, there was nothing more thrilling than seeing their future quantified into visible potential. The girls' gazes shifted between one another, sparks practically flashing in their eyes.
"Well, since everyone's being considerate , Little Satori won't hold back~ I'd like to go second."
Satori said cheerfully as she stepped toward the bed.
Before she could take more than a step, however, a gust of wind swept past her. A tall figure moved ahead and blocked her path like a wall.
It was Amou.
"Huh?" Satori tilted her head, her playful smile freezing for a second. "Amou, cutting in line isn't very polite, you know."
"Cutting in line? This isn't about first come, first served. If you don't even have that much resolve, how can you talk about pursuing power?"
With that, Amou turned toward Haimer without hesitation. Unlike Tsukuyo, she did not take time to steady herself or prepare mentally.
Instead, she grabbed her collar and pulled sharply.
The loose robe fell away and was tossed aside onto a nearby chair.
"Ah!"
"W-what are you doing?!"
"Th-that's too shameless!"
Mary cried out and quickly covered her eyes while Rin stood frozen in place. Even Tsukuyo, curled in the corner, lifted her head slightly. Though she could not see, her heightened senses told her exactly what had happened.
"Honestly… I even raised my hand earlier."
Satori puffed her cheeks in mild protest and stepped back.
What stood before Haimer now was a body that could only be described as flawless.
If Tsukuyo was a delicate porcelain sculpture, then Amou was refined steel forged through a thousand hammerings. Her skin carried a faint ivory tone, and every line of muscle was tight and fluid, filled with explosive strength and a wild, disciplined beauty. It was the physique born of long years of martial training, a body honed to its limits.
Compared to the astonished gazes around them, Haimer merely looked at her with a hint of helplessness. The sight was certainly impressive, but her approach was undeniably bold.
"I know you're eager," he said, "but could you at least consider the surroundings?"
He gestured toward Warabi, who was hiding in the corner behind a black bear plush, face half-covered.
"There are still children here. Don't corrupt them."
"Hah?!" Warabi immediately exploded, jumping out from behind the bear. "W-who are you calling a child?! I'm already an adult, okay? I even have a motorcycle license!"
She protested furiously, trying to defend her unfortunately small stature.
No one paid attention.
Amou didn't even spare her a glance. She simply raised her chin slightly.
"That doesn't matter. Sooner or later, we'll all be part of your Familia. If I've already decided to dedicate both body and soul to you, then this level of honesty is inevitable."
With that, she placed her hands on the edge of the bed and climbed up in one smooth motion before lying down. Her long black hair flowed like ink across the white sheets. Resting her chin on her arms, she turned her head and looked at Haimer with a confident smile.
"Come on, god. Let's see whether the body I forged to reach the summit can impress you."
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A/N:
As everyone knows, the chapters are quite short and the story's pacing is a bit slow(kinda off too). Because of that, I will be changing the update schedule. The releases will alternate between 1 and 2 chapters per day, for example 1 chapter today, 2 chapters tomorrow, then 1 chapter the day after. (I will start applying this after 2 - 3 days from now)
Unfortunately, I cannot consistently release 2 chapters every day because the raw chapters are quite difficult to translate and edit. There is a lot of unnecessary padding, and you probably know how hard to remove the c thing. Because of that, the best I can do is alternate between 1 and 2 chapters per day.
There is also a very accurate review of the story in the Reviews/Ratings section. I recommend checking out the review written by "yuumeno", as it describes quite well what is happening in the story.
Also, please support my other translated work
~ A Certain Magical Index: Keyaru Template
I will start uploading it again after putting it on hold for a long time.