Tendou Kikunojou, with his negative emotions at a peak and murderous intent raging, seized the chance while Tendou Kisara was caught off guard.
He flicked her blade aside and, twisting his wrist, swung his sword at her head.
"!!!"
Caught unable to dodge, Kisara's eyes went wide as she watched the cold gleam of steel close in.
But in the instant that blade sped toward her, it abruptly slowed to a near standstill.
In her eyes, it felt as if it had simply…frozen in place.
Her senses weren't mistaken. Everything around them had slowed, almost to a halt.
Rei Ao, who had interfered with time, appeared at her side. He asked:
"Would you like to kill him right now, just like this, or do you want to defeat him head on?"
"Th-this… What's going on?"
Only then did Kisara notice she could move freely, whereas Kikunojou remained frozen.
"That's not something you need to worry about."
Rei Ao gestured toward Kikunojou.
"If you want to kill him now, you can."
"…"
Kisara quickly reined in her shock.
"I'd rather know how to truly slay him in direct combat."
"Heh, I figured you'd choose that."
Rei Ao withdrew his hand.
"I'll give you new power. You can defeat him yourself."
"I choose that," Kisara said at once. No matter the method of gaining strength, it was precisely what she wanted.
"Then the trade's conditions will change."
"Whatever you want, I can give it, if it's something I have."
"Great. Then I want you."
"…Me?"
Kisara looked puzzled. "Wasn't the content of our trade—?"
"No, I mean I want you, your entire being."
She understood. Not just the right to use her body, but ownership of it.
"I don't mind." Kisara's attitude was offhand.
"But you should know, I don't have long to live."
Her delight did not escape Rei Ao's notice.
"If I'm taking you, rest assured I'll have you intact, including that injured kidney of yours."
So saying, he leaned closer. Noticing what was about to happen, Kisara didn't avoid it.
Warmth brushed across her lips, power flooding into her body. She received his protection.
[Name]: Tendou Kisara
[Level]: 12
[Abilities]: "Dragon Force", "Necro-Magic", "Sword Aura Mastery", "Rei Ao's Protection", "Inherent Device: Shura Blade"
The touch on her lips vanished. Rei Ao had already returned to stand by Seitenshi.
"Ha!"
Time resumed its flow.
Kikunojou's blade cut empty air.
"Huh?"
Kisara, back to herself, exclaimed:
"Tendou Kikunojou—I'm over here!"
As her will stirred, her arm was suddenly overlaid with layers of dragon scales, a crimson aura surging forth to wrap around the katana in her hands.
In an instant, it turned into a new sword – a blood-hued, Shura-like blade radiating danger.
But Kikunojou, as though deranged, didn't care. He swung back around, attacking her once more.
Kisara's eyes narrowed. This time, she clearly caught every motion he made. Taking a deep breath, she seized upon his vulnerability. With a single horizontal slash, she met his blade head-on.
Clang!
Kikunojou's sword shattered on impact.
Moreover, a slash of blood-colored energy burst from the Shura Blade, ripping right through him.
Shhk!
In one stroke, Kikunojou was cut clean in half at the waist. Blood and viscera spilled out everywhere. In an instant, the conference hall became ghastly and reeked of gore. Even Kisara herself hadn't anticipated that she would kill him with a single blow.
"Have I…finally avenged them?"
She stood there, staring blankly at the blood-red katana in her hand.
"Urk!!!"
The most extreme reaction came from Yukinoshita Haruno, who stood behind Enju and the others.
The gruesome, horrific scene assaulted her senses; she couldn't help but double over, retching. Had she eaten breakfast, she might have thrown it up.
It was her first time in her entire life seeing a corpse—and not just any corpse, but one cut in half, the gore shockingly vivid.
"…"
Seitenshi's expression was bleak. Seeing someone she had once trusted meet this end was a terrible sorrow.
Clap, clap.
Rei Ao applauded lightly.
"Show's over."
He patted Kisara's shoulder.
"Congratulations on avenging your parents. We'll settle the rest of the reward and the benefits afterward."
He then addressed everyone else:
"Before we get down to business, do anything you like to take your mind off things."
Walking past the expanse of bloody remains, he headed for Haruno, whose face was deathly pale.
"First time seeing a dead body? Must be rough."
"…"
Haruno was uncharacteristically silent. Not just "rough." Earlier, during the two-person fight, it felt like watching an action movie.
But the moment she saw the gushing mix of flesh and guts, her mind went blank, body shaking with fear. Even now, she trembled, unable to stop.
Noticing her state, Rei Ao sighed:
"Let's go out and get you some air."
Whoosh!
Both figures vanished into thin air—a sight so commonplace by now that no one was surprised.
…
High on a rooftop:
"Haruno-san, how do you feel now?"
"…Better."
A gust of cold wind whipped by, blowing off the stench of blood. Though the air in this world wasn't exactly pleasant, it was far better than that gore-filled room.
The urge to throw up calmed down. But the memory of what she had just witnessed wouldn't simply vanish; she could recall it vividly. Her face remained chalk-white.
"Rei Ao…that person…did he really die?"
She asked in a shaken tone, seemingly unable to believe it. She couldn't understand how Rei Ao and the others could remain so calm.
After all, that was how an actual human life ended! For Haruno, who'd only just encountered the group's worldview, this response was quite natural.
Rei Ao offered no comfort, only said,
"He is indeed dead. That's reality."
"…"
Too brutal for Haruno—blood-drenched reality. She lapsed into silence, her thoughts a tangled mess.
"I can see how uneasy you are. Care to rest your head on my shoulder, Sister-in-law?"
Rei Ao gently pulled her closer, hinting that she could lean on him.
"…"
After a brief hesitation, she leaned slightly into him.
"Feel calmer?"
"No."
"Oh."
No more words were exchanged.
Unseen by Rei Ao, the fear in Haruno's face slowly faded, and a faint look of relief took its place on her lips.
~~~
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