Wilhelmina and Merihim's illusions stood on either side of Agris like the most loyal guardians, causing Shana to grit her teeth in fury at the sight.
Agris didn't rush to attack, instead leisurely chatting with Alastor as though they were old friends reunited after many years, casually rambling on.
"To think that this old man would actually run into you in this tiny country, Tenjōkekkai. It seems the Treasure Tool born recently in this little nation is even more attractive than I imagined, capable of drawing such a mighty existence as yourself."
"You mentioned…a Treasure Tool?" Alastor spoke in confusion, unsure what Agris was talking about.
"Don't play dumb with this old man, God of Retribution. If not for that rumor and the treasure from it, why would someone as noble as yourself appear at this remote place at such a time?" Agris's expression darkened. Though he said "noble God of Retribution," there wasn't an ounce of politeness in his tone. "Or perhaps you've already found clues? Pretending ignorance in front of me just so you can monopolize it yourself?"
"A rumor, I see…"
In the awareness of Flame Haze and Crimson Denizens, this island country was just a remote little nation. Their main activities usually centered around Huaxia or Europe, places where ancient Crimson Denizens had left numerous footprints and myths.
After all, Crimson Denizens had to feed on humans—how many humans could be consumed if they stayed in a small place like Japan?
Since Crimson Denizens rarely visited Japan, Flame Haze, who targeted them, naturally seldom came here either.
Precisely because Japan was so remote, Friagne had chosen it for his "City Devourer" experiment. The previous Crimson Lord who'd attempted that Unrestricted Spell had caused great damage to the Flame Haze; even the first Flame-Haired Burning-Eyed Hunter, Mathilde, had died in that battle. If he'd dared to do such a thing in Europe, he'd have faced righteous assault from every Flame Haze around.
However, Shana and Alastor had learned from Nitocris recently that an increasing number of Crimson Denizens were gathering in Japan.
Nitocris didn't particularly care about why the Denizens were coming, but Shana and Alastor had seriously investigated, discovering the cause behind it—the so-called "rumor."
Nitocris, despite being an Avenger, excelled at assassination, leaving no survivors or witnesses. Targets she set eyes on never had a chance to spread word—they simply vanished. Thus, other Crimson Denizens had no idea of Nitocris's existence, only noticing their comrades mysteriously dying after arriving in Japan. Gradually, a rumor spread among Denizens that Japan harbored some incredible treasure, attracting them like bees to nectar.
"That absurd rumor... It's understandable that young Denizens would fall for it, but to think even you would deliberately come to this country."
"Absurd? This old man doesn't think so." Agris smiled contemptuously. "Even Tenjōkekkai was drawn here. Perhaps the rumor holds more truth than this old man expected."
"What a pity. We didn't come to Japan because of that rumor."
"Is that so? But this old man doesn't believe it."
What Alastor didn't know was that, until recently, quite a few Crimson Denizens—including Agris himself—had dismissed the rumor with disdain. That was until word spread about Sydonay, "Thousand Changes," being repelled, and the two Denizens he'd been hired to protect getting killed.
This was "Thousand Changes" Sydonay! In a world where the three Demon Gods couldn't manifest fully, he was at the absolute pinnacle—the fiercest, most powerful Crimson Lord around.
Such an overwhelmingly powerful existence had actually been forced to retreat?! Couldn't even save his clients?!
The news sent shockwaves through the Crimson Denizens, particularly within Bal Masqué, Sydonay's own organization. To them, he was second only to their leader, yet he'd been reduced to such a miserable state. They doubted their own ears upon hearing it.
Furthermore, since Sydonay's battle took place in Japan, Denizens naturally connected it with the rumor.
A Treasure Tool! Born in Japan! Possessing enough strength even to repel Sydonay!
Thus, even Denizens who'd previously laughed at the rumor gradually began to believe it, traveling thousands of miles to this remote country, all in pursuit of the legendary Treasure Tool.
On either side of Agris, flames ignited around the illusions of Wilhelmina and Merihim. Wilhelmina's fire was cherry-blossom pink, with ribbons extending from her back like serpents. Merihim's flame was rainbow-colored, growing more and more intense as he drew the longsword from his waist.
Though these two were illusions and not real, the oppressive pressure bearing down on Shana's heart was genuine. Their chilling auras were real. Facing them directly, Shana grasped the hilt of Nietono no Shana with both hands, raising it in front of her as if to sever her enemy's hostility itself.
"This old man has had enough of your dishonesty. Fine then. After I deal with you, I'll search for the Treasure Tool in this country myself."
Removing his gaze from Shana, Agris seemed to have lost interest in both her and Alastor. With a casual flick of his hand, the two figures beside him shot forward like arrows, charging at Shana with unstoppable momentum, the sheer force splitting the sea beneath them.
"They're coming!" Alastor's warning rang in Shana's ears, prompting her to instinctively tense the muscles in her limbs and waist.
The illusion of Merihim possessed no life in his eyes, no emotion or rationality, yet Shana could clearly feel the sharpness of his gaze. As Merihim raised his longsword, pointing it directly at her, that sharpness peaked.
His sword—entirely golden, seemingly forged of pure gold—became clear and glass-like. Then, the rainbow flames surrounding Merihim gathered upon the sword's blade, coalescing into brilliant light.
If Nitocris had been here, perhaps she would find Merihim's attack familiar, recalling Fergus's rainbow-bladed sword or Attila's Sword of Mars.
This was Merihim's proudest Unrestricted Spell—Kōtenken (Rainbow Heaven Sword).
It was a terrifying attack that elevated destruction and annihilation to their absolute limits, considered the strongest offensive Unrestricted Spell of its era.
An arrow of light. A torrent of light. A blade of light.
Facing that rainbow brilliance, Shana raised her katana high.
"Haaaah—!"
It wasn't the torrent of rainbow light that engulfed Shana—rather, Shana gripped her katana and split the light itself.
The force that cleaved through the rainbow pillar wasn't Shana's own strength, but rather the power of Nietono no Shana.
This blade completely neutralized any force or hostility directed against its wielder—unbreakable and capable of severing any Unrestricted Spell.
Thus, armed with Nietono no Shana, Tenmoku Ikko had slain countless Crimson Denizens, infamous throughout the Crimson Realm.
The divided rainbow streams flowed past Shana, washing over the ground and buildings around her.
First, cracks appeared. Then everything shattered. Finally, it all vanished, utterly annihilated...
It happened in the span of a single breath.
Many innocent residents were still caught inside the small town. Mortal flesh was nowhere near as durable as hardened steel or rock—facing these rainbow blades, even the slightest graze would reduce them instantly to ashes.
Fortunately, as long as they weren't devoured by Crimson Denizens or robbed of their Power of Existence, humans killed within a Fuzetsu could still be restored—resurrected, just like the buildings around them. Flame Haze didn't need to split their attention to protect innocents during battle; the only thing to worry about was ensuring the Fuzetsu was properly set beforehand.
Far away over the sea, Agris watched the battlefield closely. When he saw Shana slice through the phantom Merihim's Kōtenken, he frowned deeply.
"Strange. Why is this illusion's Kōtenken so much weaker than the original?"
Agris was considered quite old even among Crimson Lords. If he'd known Mathilde, naturally he'd also met the real "Rainbow Wings" Merihim.
"The strength of Agris's illusions depends on the opponent's memories," Alastor swiftly explained to Shana, grasping what Agris did not. "Fortunately, the Merihim you knew was likely at his weakest—just a step away from total disappearance. Agris's illusions have around 60 or 70 percent of the originals' strength. If you'd encountered Merihim in his prime, it would've been extremely dangerous. His Kōtenken was the strongest offensive Unrestricted Spell of the medieval era. Countless Flame Haze lost their lives to it."
Shana nodded gravely, vividly recalling her everyday life back in Tendōkyū.
And because of those memories, she absolutely could not allow her loved ones to be defiled like this!
"I'm going in!"
Shana stood upon a small stone platform—the last island remaining after the previous destructive assault of rainbow light.
She bent her knees slightly, crimson hair fluttering in the breeze, sparks scattering from her flaming locks.
The moment the muscles in her calves tightened, a faint crack echoed as a fracture bloomed in the stone beneath her feet, accompanied by a sharp cracking sound. Spiderweb-like lines rapidly spread outward from the tip of her toes, and fragments burst violently.
Boom!
The entire stone platform shattered to powder beneath her explosive leap. Rock fragments were swept away by flames and swirling rainbow lights. Shana became a crimson blur, dragging a blazing tail several meters long as she charged straight at the phantom Merihim, splitting the air with a piercing roar.
Clang—!
The longsword and Nietono no Shana collided, sparks scattering brilliantly from their brief contact, quickly engulfed by Shana's crimson flames. Like roaring beasts, the flames rushed hungrily toward Merihim's illusion.
Facing the flame of the God of Retribution, rainbow-colored flames equally intense erupted around the phantom Merihim, blocking the destructive crimson inferno. His movements didn't slow in the slightest; after parrying three lightning-quick thrusts from Shana, his golden sword cloaked in rainbow fire lunged cunningly toward Shana's left chest—her heart.
Merihim not only possessed medieval Europe's strongest offensive Unrestricted Spell, but also excelled in close combat—an all-rounder among Crimson Lords.
But his sword met no resistance of pierced flesh; instead, it slipped just beneath Shana's arm. At the same instant, Shana spun and delivered a fierce kick, her foot compressing the air as it lashed out!
She'd aimed for the phantom Merihim's abdomen, but he reacted swiftly, retracting one arm to block. The powerful strike landed on his forearm rather than his stomach, yet the sheer explosive force still drove him backward.
He truly isn't the original… Even losing out in pure strength to a little girl like Shana.
Shana had no intention of giving Merihim's phantom any chance to recover. She leveled her katana's tip, following the blade's path straight toward his heart.
But Shana's enemy wasn't Merihim alone.
"You—!"
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Shana clearly heard the sharp, cutting sounds approaching at high speed. She knew very well what they were.
Wilhelmina's contracted Crimson Lord was Tiamat—"Crown-and-Sash of Fantasies." Her ribbons served as both her weapons and shields, could set traps, stop bleeding, heal wounds, and even carry people swiftly away—a tool of maximum versatility.
The ribbons pierced through the empty air. The flame-haired girl had already dodged, abandoning her pursuit of Merihim's phantom, plunging downward toward the ocean's surface to evade more ribbons coming at her from above.
More and more ribbons rained down from the sky. Shana accelerated, throwing off the first three ribbons, weaving left and right to dodge the next four. When nearly ten more rushed toward her, Shana abruptly halted mid-flight, and once those ribbons descended, swung Nietono no Shana fiercely, burning blade shredding them all in one stroke.
Suddenly, a dazzling rainbow brilliance lit up directly above Shana's head.
Kōtenken! Medieval Europe's strongest offensive Unrestricted Spell shone forth once more!
A towering pillar of radiant destruction erupted, plunging from the heavens with unstoppable force!
Shana tried to repeat her earlier success, intending to slice through this rainbow light again.
But as she raised her katana, her pupils shrank in shock—
Her arms and waist were bound tightly by ribbons!
These ribbons surged up from underwater—the ones she'd previously evaded or shredded had been waiting patiently for this moment!
"—!"
The annihilating rainbow brilliance struck straight down into the sea.
Although Shana swiftly cut through the ribbons binding her, she no longer had time to evade or intercept the Kōtenken.
"Guaaaaaaaaah—!"
The rainbow light that engulfed everything gradually faded, along with Shana's figure. All that remained was a massive fissure sliced open in the sea by the blade of rainbow brilliance, ocean water pouring rapidly into its bottomless depths.
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