[World of Revelry: Beast! Lament of the Fallen Castle Princesses]
[Objective: Strike! Control! Dominate!]
[Plot Background: As the last three princesses of an elven royal citadel that has never fallen, you find yourselves, at the twilight of the Golden Age's final battle, surrounded by an army of beasts within the breached urn city. You resolve to challenge their mighty chieftain to a duel of life and death!]
[Rules: The host, playing the role of the Beast Chieftain, gains a single-target compulsory command ability once per minute within this script (limited). The target must obey the command, or it counts as a violation!]
[Note 1: The host possesses full authority over the current scenario.]
[Note 2: As this is a 'duel-type instance,' sustaining three or more strikes to vital areas will result in the target's reiatsu being deemed extinguished!]
The childish gleeful voice of the chipped blade echoed simultaneously in the ears of all four present.
The moment its words ceased...
A black-skinned beastmen encircling them as if claiming the clearing to form a miniature arena unleashed a deafening chorus of roars. The sound surged skyward like a tidal wave.
The once gray-white statues 'sprang to life' in that instant.
Mera and the others upon hearing these absurd rules couldn't help but widen their eyes in disbelief.
What did it mean? A single-target compulsory command? A script… capable of such a thing?
They had never heard of a Zanpakuto in the Soul Society with abilities that could shift entirely with each activation!
This was beyond outrageous!
"Wait, calm down."
At that moment, it was the typically reserved Tsumiko who first spotted the flaw in the rules. Her voice, muffled beneath her mask, came swift and sharp, "That guy just said it, didn't he? Each of us has three chances to violate the rules."
"His command can only affect one person at a time, but there are three of us."
"Which means..."
"We don't have to follow his orders at all. We just need to take him down within nine minutes."
At her words, realization dawned on everyone present. The loopholes in the rules were meant to be exploited.
That was what made the 'rules' themselves truly absolute.
In an instant, the three spirits across from him adopted wary expressions.
A man wielding such a potent Shikai couldn't possibly be a mere novice.
Yet Makoto's gaze flickered as he regarded them, a slow smile curling across his lips.
These blade spirits' grasp of the rules was still far too shallow.
They weren't the only ones who could exploit loopholes.
"Are you ready?" Makoto asked, his tone mild and his smile almost a prompt as he looked at the trio before him. "If you've finished strategizing, I'm coming in."
"Bring it!" Mera sneered utterly oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
The moment her words fell, Makoto took a single, deliberate step forward.
His form exploded from its spot, upper body low to the ground as he charged, tracing a jagged Z-shaped path.
Blade light flashed carving two crisp breakpoints through the air.
"Don't underestimate me bastard!"
Mera roared, puffing out her unremarkable chest. With a ferocious exhale, she unleashed a massive wall of roaring flames, engulfing a dozen meters ahead in an instant.
But a fire of this caliber? It was laughable.
"Second Form - Silent Stream!"
From the heart of the blaze came Makoto's clear steady voice.
His flame-wreathed figure burst forth, the blade's surface shimmering as if cloaked in searing light. A scorching arc sliced through the air, aimed straight at the red-haired girl.
"Steel Hammer!"
From behind, Tsumiko hurled her jet-black short hammer, targeting Makoto's chest in an attempt to force him back.
Yet without hesitation, he invoked his first compulsory command, shouting, "Hasuka! Stop her!"
"I'm not listening to you!"
Hasuka giggled playfully, her golden locks snapping toward Makoto like a living snare.
But in the next breath, the blonde matron's eyes widened in shock. Her hair, suspended midair, collapsed in a chaotic cascade. Her entire body shuddered, her reiatsu plummeting sharply.
[Character: Elven Princess Hasuka Hashihara]
[One Rule Violation!]
[Hasuka Hashihara: [3] → [2]
[Makoto Fujimiya: [3] → [4]
She clutched her chest with effort, reeling from the sudden weakness in her reiatsu.
Then, uncontrollably, her golden tresses lashed out toward Tsumiko and Mera, ensnaring them both. With a fierce yank, she hoisted them into the air.
"Hey! Hasuka!" Mera, ever the hothead, bellowed in outrage. "Didn't we agree not to listen? What are you doing?!"
She shouted while flames erupted across her body, incinerating the strands binding her.
"I-I don't know!" Hasuka protested, her body moving of its own accord despite her frantic explanations.
By contrast, Tsumiko whose power lay solely in crafting supremely durable hammers had no such escape. The moment the hair coiled around her, resistance crumbled. She was flung skyward by the writhing locks, only to crash back to the ground with a resounding thud. Blood stained her mask a vivid crimson.
"Hasuka!"
Mera's voice grew more incensed. Another burst of flame flared from her, freeing Tsumiko from the ground as well. She leaped back glaring at the seemingly innocent Hasuka, veins pulsing at her temples.
"W-Wait, Mera." Tsumiko rasped weakly. "T-This must be a hidden rule in the Script… Once a command is given, it has to be followed."
"That's why Hasuka couldn't control her body…"
"Hm?"
Mera froze, then snapped to attention as the truth hit her.
She whirled around, her glare venomous as it fixed on Makoto, who stood serene and unshaken. She gritted her teeth.
"That despicable bastard!"
But Makoto merely remained in place, meeting her furious stare with a tranquil smile. "Is that really how it works?"
"The rules didn't say that, so please don't jump to wild conclusions."
"Could it be… you three already had some tension to begin with?"
This time, Mera didn't even need Tsumiko's nudge. She burst into scornful laughter, her tone dripping with condescension. "You think I'd fall for such an obvious ploy?"
"Don't treat me like fools!"
Makoto chuckled, intrigue glinting in his eyes. "Really?"
"Think again."
"Mera! Hit him!" Tsumiko barked.
"Don't listen to him!"
Tsumiko knew full well how straightforward Mera could be. The moment she heard Makoto's words, she realized what he was aiming for and worst of all, he might actually pull it off.
"Leave it to me!" Mera roared, fury blazing in her voice.
This guy had the gall to use her trusted comrades against her, treating her like an idiot to manipulate!
Unforgivable!
At the same time, Tsumiko shouted, "Hasuka, create an opening for me!"
"Got it!"
After that last exchange, even the usually flippant Hasuka now regarded Makoto with a spark of anger in her eyes.
Yet Makoto merely smiled leisurely, his gaze drifting between the three with quiet calculation.
He was choosing his next target.
"Blazing Burst!"
Mera bellowed as she charged toward Makoto, though this time she maintained a calculated distance. Raising both hands, she pointed her index fingers like crossbow bolts, unleashing a rapid flurry of sparking embers toward him.
The rocket-like bolts rained down upon the ground where Makoto leaped, tracking his every step with relentless precision. Each shot narrowly missed his body, grazing the edge of his movements.
With Shunpo propelling him in a mad dash, Makoto traced a long, sweeping arc around half the arena. Then, abruptly, he pivoted low to the ground, skidding at a near-drifting angle as he surged toward Mera, his blade gleaming with icy menace.
"Hey!"
The instant his trajectory shifted, a grin flashed across Mera's face. Her arms snapped into a fierce cross before her chest.
Boom!
The barrage of bolts streaming from the red-haired girl's hands detonated in unison.
A thick ring of black smoke erupted along the arena's edge, billowing outward and swallowing Makoto's form in an instant.
As the blast roared, golden tendrils of hair lashed through the smoke like whips, their tips cracking with a shrill, supersonic screech.
Caught amid the haze and flames, Makoto seemed to falter, momentarily thrown by the sudden shift.
The next second...
Tsumiko wielding her long hammer charged forward. She swung the weapon downward in a brutal arc, aiming straight for Makoto.
But in the fleeting exchanges prior, the 'one-minute' restriction had already elapsed.
Makoto snapped his head aside, barking an order at Tsumiko mid-charge, "Tsumiko, strike Mera with full force!"
The moment the command rang out, Tsumiko's momentum faltered.
From the earlier ordeal, she had already deduced one truth.
Whether they obeyed his commands or not, Makoto's orders would be enforced. Clearly, then, if they feigned compliance with his demands, they could turn the tide without breaking the rules.
With that in mind, Tsumiko whirled toward Mera, shouting, "Mera!"
"Got it!"
Mera wasn't truly dim-witted, she was just a bit fiery-tempered.
She knew exactly what to do in a moment like this.
Surely, if it was Tsumiko, she'd swap the heavy hammer for a lighter one.
No problem at all!
The red-haired girl reassured herself, raising her arms in a firm defensive stance.
But in the next heartbeat, a hammerhead of unimaginable weight crashed down, delivering a blow that surpassed even the sharpest blade's limit.
Boom!
Her petite frame was hurled backward by the colossal force, blood streaming from her nose and mouth as the sheer impact overwhelmed her.
Both Mera and Tsumiko froze in unison.
"Huh?"
"M-Mera…?"
Tsumiko stared blankly at her hands, then at Mera sprawled on the ground, utterly dazed.
For reasons unknown, she had lost control moments ago. The hammer's weight had inexplicably surged to its maximum, swinging toward Mera beyond her command.
Thankfully, they were Zanpakuto.
Had a mere human taken that hit, death or at least grievous injury would have been certain.
"Hey… Tsumiko!"
Mera struggled to rise from the rubble, blood still trickling from her mouth as she rasped, "You… you're not serious, are you?"
"I-I didn't mean to!"
Tsumiko herself had no idea what had happened.
Yet, in that split-second of their stunned distraction...
A sharp snap cut through the air, crisp and unmistakable.
Both turned their heads in unison.
Then, they saw it... Hasuka's golden strands hair scattered across the ground and sky.
At some unnoticed moment, Makoto had closed the distance to her.
His blade, shimmering with a thin film of spiritual light, had plunged fully into Hasuka's chest.
"Y-You… save me…" Hasuka's voice came strained and faint, a bitter smile twisting her lovely features.
Mera and Tsumiko stood rooted in shock.
Makoto slowly withdrew his blade from her heart, a spray of scarlet blooming in its wake.
Noticing the expressions of the two women, Makoto offered a gentle smile, his tone as calm as ever.
"Rest easy."
"No matter what happens, you won't die until this Script reaches its conclusion."
"However…"
As his words trailed off, Hasuka's form began to mend itself amidst a flurry of shimmering spiritual light, swiftly returning to her original state.
[Pact: Once I strike your vitals, you must learn to obey my commands.]
The matronly Hasuka straightened her back with a faint crackle of joints, a hint of fatigue in her posture. Yet her face bore the same cheerful grin as before, only now, it was directed at her former allies.
"Oh my~"
"Sorry about this, Mera, Tsumiko."
Hasuka sighed with an air of helplessness. "It seems I'll be your enemy this time around."
Mera and Tsumiko stared at her.
Their expressions froze.
Neither had imagined they'd face their comrade in opposition under such bizarre circumstances.
Makoto tilted his head, feigning confusion as he pressed, "What's this?"
"Even after taking such a heavy blow, you still insist I'm the one spouting nonsense?"
"You… you bastard…"
Mera might have been a fiery, impulsive hothead, but her one redeeming trait was unshakable loyalty. Once she fully trusted someone, this passionate girl would place her complete faith in them.
She was certain of it!
This man was up to something!
Struggling to her feet, Mera puffed out her chest toward Makoto and roared, "Great Blazing Inferno!"
A wall of scorching flames surged forward.
Fueled by rage, the girl pushed her power to the pinnacle of her existence. Her entire body blazed as if cloaked in fire, intent on purging every impurity in her sight.
Yet when the flames dissipated...
A barrier of golden hair stood before her, woven into an impenetrable wall.
Its outermost layer had charred to ash.
In the faint whisper of the wind, it crumbled away.
Only a thin final veil remained shielding Makoto.
"Hasuka…"
Mera murmured under her breath.
Unbeknownst to her, during that brief clash of fire and hair, another minute had slipped by.
Makoto stepped atop a small mound of ashen hair, gazing down at Mera below. His signature gentle smile never wavered as he spoke, "Since you refuse to believe me no matter what…"
"Why don't you test it yourself?"
Tsumiko who sensing danger shouted urgently, "Mera! Don't fall for his trick!"
Mera froze in place, her eyes widening instinctively.
Then Makoto's voice rang out with a command, "Mera."
"Unleash your full flames on Tsumiko."
His words settled.
Yet Mera did nothing, standing rigid with defiance as if to prove a point.
The next instant, a familiar chime echoed in everyone's ears.
[Character: Elven Princess Mera]
[One Rule Violation]
At once, the number above the red-haired girl's head shifted from [3] to [2].
Meanwhile, the number above Makoto's head climbed from [4] to [5].
Silence gripped the scene.
Tsumiko stood utterly dumbfounded.
Mera remained before the ash-wrought wall, her head tilted upward, locked in a stare with Makoto.
But after standing there, dazed, for what felt like an eternity...
She felt none of the compulsion Tsumiko and Hasuka had described.
The red-haired girl lingered in stunned silence, her face paling as she turned trembling toward Tsumiko, who mirrored her shock. Her voice quivered, "…Tsumiko."
"Nothing happened."
"…"
At that moment, Tsumiko's masked face usually so composed cracked with an expression of raw disbelief.
...
Makoto watched the scene unfold in silence.
The last time he emerged from his Jinzen, he had received two wooden plaques.
The first stemmed from that insolent brat who'd been thoroughly trounced.
It bore the inscription: [Living Idly and Dying As If Dreaming - Yuseiboushi]
The second came from that wretched girl who, within the confines of her own rules, had brought about his violent demise.
It bore the inscription: [Binding Truth, Fixing Falsehood - Sokushinteigi]
[Binding Truth: Within a certain limit of reiatsu user can transform reality into illusion]
[Fixing Falsehood: Within a certain limit of reiatsu user can turn illusion into reality]
What a truly… exquisite ability for toying with the hearts of others.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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