Hearing my bold declaration, his eyes widened in shock. "...But—"
He wants to do something, but I ignore him. Once I've made up my mind, I'm fully committed.
"Numbers aren't a problem."
Then, using my footwork, I vanished from his sight. I don't know what expression he's wearing, but if someone who treats me kindly is in trouble, I won't hesitate to return the favor. I retrieved my zanpakuto from my personal space and unsheathed it as I ran. I then spread my magic to detect everything within a 1000-kilometer radius.
"I see, so that's where you guys are hiding? I didn't expect for you all to gather in a single place."
I muttered. I halted my movements and slid along the ground, leaving a trail of dust behind me. Then, I shifted my attention toward the mountain's base. The surroundings were filled with trees.
"There's probably a cave in there?"
I mused. "There were too many of them, but 30 is only a small number."
Although there are "a lot" of them, they're nothing more than a bunch of small fries—I don't have to worry about them. The strongest among them is only mid-tier, about 4 stars.
This is no different from killing a bug to me. But I don't want any more trouble, so I run at full throttle until I reach their hideout.
Swoosh—BAM!!
I kick the door open and charge in at a rapid pace, inadvertently killing someone in the process.
"What?"
"What's going on?"
I scan the room and observe them. My gaze locks onto the person with the highest magic power. Judging by the bulge on her chest, she is likely a woman.
"It's time for you to die!"
Our eyes meet, and seizing the opportunity, she taps into my capabilities and demands to know my purpose.
"Are you a commission mage?" she asked.
"Does that even matter? You are all going to die."
"Bastard! Don't be too arrogant!"
"Arrogant? You aren't even qualified to fight me."
I replied, taking the opportunity, I decided to show off my sword.
"Hey, lady, would you take a look at my Kyoka Suigetsu?"
I said, flexing my weapon. Naturally, everyone turned to look at it, which only fueled my amusement. I couldn't suppress my excitement.
The idea of using Aizen Kanzen Saimin flashed through my mind, and I activated it immediately. Instead of creating a complex illusion, I simply disabled their senses entirely. Then, without discrimination, I began hacking at everyone, reveling in their screams of agony.
"ORA!!! ORA!! ORA!!"
Slash—Clang! Drip—Thud! Bang!
Some even use their own magic to kill their teammates for efficiency—so how could I refuse such an advantage? This is exactly what happens when I use 100% of my brain: it's over within a minute. No exaggerated theatrics or elaborate schemes—I'll simply hypnotize them and slash them to death. No drama, no complications.
"I thought it would at least take an hour."
"Well, that should do it."
I wave my hand, and every corpse and item is instantly transferred to my space inventory. I had thought I wouldn't be able to erase the trail of blood, but does it even matter now?
Then I rushed back to the village to deliver the news.
"Worried about the dark guilds, I just exterminated them."
The biggest problem is the disappearance of the victim. I suspected that they might become slaves or be transported as laborers in the Tower of Heaven.
On my way, I suddenly halted.
"Come to think of it, I don't even have a name yet."
I had been so absorbed by my magic that I completely forgot about it. The system didn't tell me anything either—so I guess I'll have to figure it out myself. I hadn't received any guidance from my mother, and speaking of her...
"Well, who cares about her?"
It's not like I can do anything now. She probably doesn't even know I exist. And even if she does, I still don't care.
How cold-hearted... How cruel... Can you imagine the pain of watching your child vanish into the abyss—never knowing whether they're alive or dead, caught in the cruel, unforgiving grip of the unknown?
"Well, unfortunately, I don't... And does it even matter now?"
I muttered. I have more important things to do than worry about these trivialities.
"What name should I use?" I pondered. I wanted to bring terror and become infamous.
"Then... Black Calamity?"
"Black Plague?"
"Kuroki Saiyaku?"
"Kuro Wazawai?"
"Yami?"
There were so many options, but none of them felt right.
As I deliberated, I suddenly felt a small vibration in my hand. It caught my attention, drawing my gaze to the sword resting at my waist. Looking at its scabbard, I felt an odd yet familiar sensation—as if my mind were being stimulated.
"Kyoka Suigetsu..."
What does it mean? The name can be translated as "Mirror Flower, Water Moon." In poetry, it symbolizes illusion, beauty, and the unattainable.
I felt a heavy weight in my chest, as if a sword were piercing it—like Excalibur, waiting for the right person to pull it out.
"Am I waiting to be saved by someone?"
"Heh..." I chuckled mockingly at myself. A deep disgust and hatred welled up inside me just at the thought. Unknowingly, I gritted my teeth and unleashed a terrifying burst of magic power. Even from a distance, the residents could sense that something was happening in the forest. Over time, I slowly calmed down.
"...Kyoka Suigetsu, was it?"
I murmured, staring expressionlessly at the sword.
"Thank you for reminding me of that feeling. It's been thousands, perhaps millions, of years since I completely forgot it."
Time has a way of soothing rage, and eventually, it will fade away. Yet, to ensure I never forget, I continue to dwell on it again and again.
"I guess I'll be called Kyoka Suigetsu from now on... I hope Aizen and Kubo don't mind. Since what I truly desire is that unattainable beauty—even if it means living my life in illusion—I must have it. Isn't this like casting infinite Tsukuyomi on myself? Whatever."
I dismissed these unnecessary thoughts and continued on my way. Once I arrived at the village, I was in for some surprises.
"Hmmmm...?"
I observed as a small crowd gathered, and at the center, I spotted the village chief. I slowly approached him to inquire about what was happening.
"What's going on?" I asked.
Noticing my presence, he shifted his gaze—visibly shocked. To make sure he was really seeing a person, he rubbed his eyes and looked at me again.
"Sir... you're back already?" he stammered. Although reluctant, he still believed that I could accomplish it—but the fact I did so in less than 30 minutes was still unbelievable.
I didn't bother replying to the obvious rhetorical question. Instead, I gestured toward the empty space where several corpses lay neatly arranged.
"I just finished cleaning up the dark guilds here," I declared.
Everyone watching the scene unfold remained speechless.
A kid, barely nine years old, had killed a number of powerful opponents—and he did it as if it were nothing.
Seeing their reaction made me sigh... I shook my head inwardly.
"What do they expect? Just because I'm a kid, they assume I'm incapable of killing people?"
Once you realize that life comes and goes, taking it is as easy as breathing. Even gods don't take human life seriously.
"D-did you really take care of the dark guild?" asked a woman in her thirties, her voice trembling.
"Yes," I replied firmly and briefly.
"Then—"
"About the hostages? I'm sorry, madam, but there are no hostages. The children were probably taken somewhere. I suspected that they were going to be used as laborers. It's also impossible to locate them since the transportation and abduction were being managed by a different person."
"Quite insensitive, huh?"
At that, listening to my explanation, she fell to her knees and began crying loudly. It wasn't just her—others reacted in the same way.
Watching the devastating scene unfold. Despite their sorrow, I don't feel the slightest amount of pity. Did I change? No, I simply became who I am supposed to be.
While we were talking, I sensed a presence approaching us. I subconsciously looked and noticed two figures—a middle-aged lady and a kid. The lady had long silver-blue hair that reached her waist, a busty chest, and black eyes, and she was wearing a dress and heels, which seemed a bit odd. However, on her collarbone there was a guild emblem: a curved "M" with a hovering "X."
"I recognize that guild—Mermaid Heel, perhaps?"
Then I shifted my gaze toward her companion. The kid was slim but had a well-developed chest covered by long purple hair. She was dressed in a blazer, a collared shirt, and a red tie, along with black tights tucked into knee-high boots and a short white frilled skirt.
Our eyes met, and her hazel eyes glared through me as if she were sizing up a powerful opponent.
"Kagura Mikazuchi, huh?"
Her character left a deep impression on me. Although I haven't watched all of Fairy Tail, I've seen enough short clips and gathered information about its characters. Judging by the way she looked at me, there was no doubt that this fellow swordmaster would soon issue a challenge.
Everyone turned their gaze as the two figures approached.
"Hello there, my name is Hanabi, and this is Kagura. We are from Mermaid Heel."
The lady introduced herself, gesturing toward her companion.
"We are just passing by and happened to hear rumors about abduction." Then she shifted her gaze to the neatly arranged corpses.
"Did you take care of them all?"
I simply offered a firm nod.
"My name is Kyoka Suigetsu."
I introduced myself and said nothing more.
Then she shifted her gaze to me and looked at my face with a smirk.
"You seem quite powerful. Judging by your appearance, you haven't joined any guild yet. How about joining our Mermaid Heel?"
I gave her a sidelong glance.
"I might not be fully aware of the inner workings of your guild, but I'm pretty sure only female members are allowed to join."
She smirked and looked at me with interest.
"You look female enough."
....
I'm speechless. This is one of the reasons I wanted to wear a mask. People often mistake me for a female. Sometimes they even ask if I'm a tomboy, which is really annoying.
Seeing my serious and unhappy expression, she apologized.
"Oh, I'm sorry—I was just kidding. Anyway, thank you for helping clean up after this village," she said, bowing her head slightly in gratitude.
I simply dismissed her words.
"No need to thank me. There's no need to hide that snake personality of yours. If I had failed, it could have led to disaster," I said bluntly.
She didn't say another word—and simply looked at me with a serious expression.
"Although I had received a commission to hunt them down, what I said was correct. It's not a proper commission." She knew this yet chose not to pursue the matter since I had succeeded.
However, the annoying brat wouldn't let it slide.
"It's good that you know—and you seem confident in your strength, too. How about fighting me?"