"Since you're so powerful, I'll be counting on you to protect me in the days to come."
Erni supported Cyan, her full chest brushing against her arm either intentionally or not. She didn't believe this blunt, pure-hearted youth could remain unmoved by such blatant temptation.
What Erni didn't know was that the "pure-hearted youth" she imagined was actually a girl.
It couldn't be helped; everyone's first impression was that Cyan was a "boy," largely due to her appearance. Though beautiful and pretty, Cyan was flat-chested and wore her hair in a long, shaggy cut that only reached her neck. Coupled with her cold, neutral voice, it led everyone to assume she was male.
Feeling the softness rubbing back and forth against her arm, Cyan frowned slightly. She didn't think much of it; she simply found the sensation annoying.
If not for Erni's support, it would have been difficult for her to stand on her own, so she didn't push Erni away.
Thus, a subtle misunderstanding formed between them. Erni thought Cyan was falling for her, which restored her confidence in her figure and charm.
Erni glanced at Cyan's lower body and gave her a hug. Just as she was about to make a more intimate move, the sharp Red Steel Grudge-Alms was pressed against her chin.
"Don't... move... around..."
Cyan's silver-white eyes gazed coldly at Erni. The chill in that look caused the last trace of Erni's flirtatious mood to vanish, replaced instantly by terror.
"So... sorry... I got ahead of myself."
Erni's heart was filled with anger and resentment, but she backed down on the surface. When had she ever been treated like this? Whether at family banquets or in bars, many men vied for her attention, and she usually couldn't be bothered to acknowledge them.
But now, this pretty boy ignored her beauty entirely, making her wonder if the 10 points of Charm in her info bar were a lie.
Impotent! Virgin! Stay single for life! You won't even eat meat that's handed to you!
Erni cursed Cyan in her mind.
Cyan keenly sensed the resentment radiating from Erni and caught her with a sidelong glance. As long as Erni didn't harbor actual malice toward her, she wouldn't initiate an attack.
Ultra-Perception granted Cyan the ability to sense good and evil, which was why she had accepted Erni's help earlier—she had sensed goodwill in Erni's actions.
"Let's go back to the village. We can't let everyone go without peace."
Having gathered Basara's remains, Kagaribi stood up and took a deep breath. She had seen Erni's antics, and Cyan's reaction was exactly what she had expected.
For a boy who lacked basic common sense and didn't know how to express emotions, trying to seduce him was an impossible task. On the path of seduction, one was more likely to trigger his sense of danger; by then, you wouldn't even know how you died.
Before leaving, at Kagaribi's suggestion, they dug a pit and buried Minazuki Zankuro's body. Leaving a butcher like him exposed in the wilderness risked him becoming a ghost far more terrifying than Basara.
In the early morning, a white mist lingered in the deep mountains. Kagaribi, carrying the bundle containing Basara's remains on her back, walked at the front.
Even with the mist's interference, it was no trouble for Kagaribi, who lived in these mountains. She could return to the village relying solely on the markings on the trees.
Since her outer garment was being used to hold Basara's remains, she was left wearing only her inner clothing. It looked like a bath towel wrapped around her body, held in place by several pale purple ropes. Beyond adding a touch of unintended charm, the ropes were there to prevent the clothes from falling off.
Originally, last night was to be her and Basara's wedding night. The clothes she wore were for their union. Who could have guessed that the "Demon" who had slaughtered countless villages would arrive on their wedding night to carry out such a brutal and senseless massacre?
After Cyan recovered some strength, she stopped letting Erni support her. She walked behind Kagaribi and Erni, the Red Steel Grudge-Alms at her waist—nearly as long as she was tall—giving the impression of a child playing with a giant blade.
Erni watched the expressionless Cyan following behind from the corner of her eye and sighed. After witnessing the harshness of the Survival Space, she wanted to live; she didn't want her second life to end easily.
The stupidest thing she had ever done was going to a bar in revealing clothes for excitement. When she was harassed, she slapped the man, and he stabbed her to death.
"Using Golden Card. Obtained 2000 Survival Points, Mugenryu, Zankuro's Amulet."
[Mugenryuu (Infinity Style)]
[Type: Skill Book]
[Function: Learn Mugenryu at LV1.]
[Prerequisite: Strength 10, Agility 10, Constitution 10.]
[Note: My Mugenryu is the strongest!]
[Zankuro's Amulet]
[Type: Accessory]
[Attribute: All Attributes +1]
[Requirement: None]
[Note: An amulet handmade by Minazuki Misato. On the back, several crooked words seem to have been dampened by tears: Misato, forgive me, I can no longer turn back...]
[Note: This accessory provides its attributes and effects simply by being held in the Inventory.]
Cyan placed Zankuro's Amulet in her inventory. She could feel the change in her body as the +1 effect to all attributes took effect. She took the skill book to learn Mugenryu, but the Survival Brand reminded her that she didn't meet the prerequisites.
Was it because her Constitution wasn't at 10?
Cyan realized her Constitution was at 9 before the attribute enhancement. Counting the bonuses from the amulet and the demonic blade, it should have been enough.
Perhaps... the prerequisites required base attributes without equipment enhancements.
Thinking of this, Cyan added the 1 attribute point she had gained from the hidden mission to her Constitution.
Once her Constitution reached 10, Cyan learned Mugenryu successfully.
"Survivor No. 11766, using skill book. Learned special skill: Mugenryu."
"Mugenryu (Special), Skill Level: LV1. Unlocked skills: Immovable, Heaven-Shattering Slash."
"Mugenryu (Special), Skill Level: LV2. Unlocked skill: Gale Slash."
Mugenryu (Special), Skill Level: LV2.
Note: Mugenryu exclusive skills require a Japanese katana as a weapon. Skill power increases as the Mugenryu (Special) skill level rises.
Mugenryu · Immovable (Active): Consumes 5 Mental Energy to parry a non-skill attack and deal 85% of the enemy's attack power as counter-damage.
Mugenryu · Heaven-Shattering Slash (Active): Consumes 10 Mental Energy. Strikes the enemy with an elbow to cause 0.5 seconds of stagger, followed by an upward slash. Elbow damage is 85% of Attack Power plus Strength; upward slash damage is 120% of Attack Power.
Mugenryu · Gale Slash (Active): Consumes 10 Mental Energy. Fires a long-range slash forward using sword qi. Slash damage is 150% of Attack Power.
Note: The attack distance of this skill increases with the level of Mugenryu (Special).
Upon learning Mugenryu, Cyan's mind was instantly flooded with an understanding of the style. She went from being a novice who merely imitated Zankuro's movements to a swordsman with minor mastery.
With the level bonus from the demonic blade, her LV1 Mugenryu was boosted to LV2, unlocking Gale Slash.
However, she still needed to practice the Mugenryu techniques. For now, she could only release Immovable and Gale Slash; the remaining secret techniques required higher levels of the special skill.
Touching Red Steel Grudge-Alms, Cyan felt a strange sensation. After learning Mugenryu, this demonic blade that once belonged to Minazuki Zankuro felt like an old friend she had used for years, giving her a sense of familiarity.
Kagaribi and Erni stopped in their tracks. Both felt the change in Cyan's aura.
If the previous Cyan gave them a cold impression of someone who didn't know how to express emotions, the current Cyan felt like a sharp, ruthless sword. It was a change in temperament; she was still herself, yet no longer the same.
Did the golden card grant Cyan something?
Erni looked at Cyan with shock and curiosity. While wanting to cling to Cyan's "thigh" for protection, she felt an urgent need to improve her own strength.
After walking through the forest for an unknown amount of time, the mist cleared. The three emerged from the forest and saw the village not far away.
Upon entering Cloud Hunt Village, Cyan quickened her pace. She stepped silently ahead of the other two and stopped them.
"Cyan, what did you find?" Kagaribi asked, looking at Cyan blocking the path.
"There is... danger..."
Cyan placed her hand on Red Steel Grudge-Alms. Kagaribi and Erni followed slowly behind.
The low growl of a bear and the defiant howls of wolves drifted over. These were beasts attracted by the scent of blood in the village. A strong brown bear was competing for food with a small pack of about a dozen wolves. The "food" they were fighting over appeared to be the corpses of the villagers.
"Shh, don't make a sound. Back away slowly."
Kagaribi saw a villager's corpse on the ground that had been gnawed until only a few bones remained. Her pupils shrank. Suppressing her discomfort and rage, she backed away cautiously, intending to retrieve a weapon before dealing with these beasts.
As for the Sinners-Slayer on her wrist, which had shrunk to the size of an accessory, she had no intention of using it.
*Crack!*
Hearing Kagaribi's words, Erni took a step back and stepped on a piece of wood. The sound of the snapping wood caught the attention of both the bear and the wolf pack.
*Awoo!*
The alpha wolf, stronger than the others, tilted its head back and let out a howl. Following the alpha's command, the pack quickly surrounded the three.
Seeing this, the brown bear bashed through a house door, walked inside, and emerged with a piece of meat in its mouth. It then ran toward the outskirts of the village. It hadn't intended to eat the villagers' corpses; the food inside the homes was its real target.