"Confirmation complete!"
Holding the black feather plucked from the Tengu maiden's wing, Bai Luo chose to complete the trial.
Actually, relying on Fire of the Earth Core and *Glory of the Fairies*, he could have attempted to kill her.
But after recalling the story of Mikoshi Douin and Teruyo, he had a bold idea.
He planned to try and simulate the scenario where Mikoshi Douin cut down the Tengu maiden back then.
If he did so... would he unlock an achievement?
Or fulfill a hidden requirement?
This was also why he called out "Mikoshi Douin's Tengu Sweeper" while using the Nine-Headed Dragon Flash.
Regardless, after meeting the requirement of "cutting her down," the reward from the System shouldn't be bad.
Even if it gave him another useless item, with the exclusive equipment for the "Black Swordsman" already in hand, plus the Class Change Tome from the third trial, this run wouldn't be a loss.
As it turned out... Bai Luo's gamble paid off.
[Second Trial Completed (Surpassed)]
[Since you perfectly recreated the process of Mikoshi Douin cutting down Teruyo, your reward has been upgraded to the highest tier.]
[The original High-Grade Item reward has been changed to a Random Card.]
[Drawing Reward...]
[Skill Card Drawn: Journey to Get Off at the Abandoned Station]
[Reward distributed successfully. You have ten minutes of rest time. Please use these ten minutes wisely to arrange your class for the next round.]
[Note: Class cannot be changed during the trial.]
As the System's voice faded, a refreshing breeze swept through the mountain forest.
The Tengu maiden caught by Bai Luo also gradually lost her weight.
However, Bai Luo focused more on the new item he had obtained.
Skill Card?
Bai Luo was stunned for a moment. He thought the System would draw him a piece of ordinary equipment, but it turned out to be a skill.
But what is a Skill Card? It seems this is the first time he's received such a reward.
Out of curiosity, Bai Luo examined the so-called Skill Card.
[Journey to Get Off at the Abandoned Station]
With the power of a certain seventeen-year-old maiden who wishes to remain anonymous, summon a high-speed abandoned train that deals massive damage to all units in a straight line and knocks them airborne.
Note: The maiden's name is a mystery, just like her age. Remember never to call her by her name directly, and definitely do not use *that* certain title, otherwise that old h—maiden will smash your face into the keyboard byhgunt67ji8tbg6vrf5.
Uses: 3
At first, Bai Luo had a strange expression because he hadn't expected to draw the skill of that Youkai Sage.
If it could be used without limit...
But when he saw the usage limit at the end, he felt relieved.
Indeed, such a powerful skill wasn't just handed to him for free.
In any case, it was a pleasant surprise, certainly better than getting an ordinary weapon that boosted elemental damage. It might come in handy at a critical moment.
After exiting the card interface, he found the Tengu maiden, Teruyo, hanging playfully upside down from a tree branch, holding a pitch-black feather as if teasing him.
Her jet-black wings formed a stark contrast with her pure white socks.
"You're awake?"
Showing no self-awareness of having been caught pulling a prank, Teruyo grinned. This personality reminded Bai Luo of Hu Tao.
Perhaps she wasn't as quirky as Hu Tao, but she was definitely more lively than Diluc.
Probably... somewhere in between the two.
"Thanks for indulging my craziness. It's been a loooong time since I flew properly in the forest like this."
Teruyo stretched, her wings spreading out behind her. Then, completely unguarded, she fell backward, crashing into the dry grass and withered leaves.
Honestly, the smell of rotting leaves wasn't that pleasant, but compared to the scent of gunpowder within her clan, being here gave her a sense of nostalgia.
"If you want to fly, you can keep flying. We can stay here for another ten minutes."
Regarding his next opponent, Bai Luo already had a rough guess.
He had fought Mikoshi Douin himself, and he had flirted with his "ill-fated relationship."
Next... it would probably be the Maguu Kenki itself, right?
Speaking of which, Bai Luo was reminded of someone else.
The Raiden Shogun.
The supreme existence currently sitting in Tenshukaku is herself a puppet.
And the little brother currently causing trouble for her in Inazuma City is also a puppet.
So... is this Maguu Kenki, wandering in the land of severed fate, related to the Raiden Shogun?
Or perhaps, could this thing be a prototype created by the Raiden Shogun before she made the Shogun puppet or Scaramouche?
Unfortunately, all data regarding the Maguu Kenki is unverifiable. People only know it possesses the memories of the first master of a certain sword school, but not whose hand it came from.
And that so-called first master of the sword school was Mikoshi Douin, whom Bai Luo had just fought.
This was one of the reasons why Bai Luo encountered Mikoshi Douin and Teruyo in the Maguu Kenki's trial.
"Challenger, take this."
A few minutes later, perhaps tired of flying.
Or perhaps this fake forest simply wasn't enough for her to soar freely, she landed back beside Bai Luo.
And what she gave Bai Luo was the very Tengu feather he had cut off.
"Can I take this out?"
Looking at the feather in his hand, Bai Luo asked tentatively.
This was just a trial, and both Teruyo and Mikoshi Douin were merely recreated from the scenes within the Maguu Kenki's memories.
So this feather... would it also be fake?
"That I don't know. I'm just responsible for giving it; you just keep it."
Teruyo giggled, offering no logical explanation.
"To be honest, I'm not sure if I'm the real Teruyo either. I'm mostly reproduced from a certain memory. Simply put... the current me is actually the me from Douin's memories."
Just as she said.
The maiden's longing for the forest, her worries about clan matters, her resistance against worldly prejudice, and even her flawlessness untouched by the clamor of the world—all were composed of Mikoshi Douin's memories.
The "her" in his memories loved to sit on the branches like that, playfully swinging her little feet, bestowing upon him a new clan name and a new life, like clearing away thunderclouds.
Life is but a dream of thirteen years,
Like crimson snow dancing in the mist at the mountain pass,
Looking back, you are already far away.
At that time, the Sacred Sakura petals fell like vast white snow.
Though the branch shrine beneath their feet had lost its worshiped deity, it was still intact.
Laughter as clear as spring water echoed through the mountains.
And neither of them ever set foot in that small courtyard again, which has since fallen into ruin.
The mountain forest is where fate began; the branch shrine is where fate ended.
With just this one slash, their fate was severed.
If Mikoshi Douin knew that by cutting down the Tengu, he also severed the bond between them...
Would he regret making that slash?
Perhaps this is one of the reasons he named his sword "Thin Edge" (Amenoma/Hakuen - imply thin affinity/fate).
[Rest time over. Start the Final Trial - Blood Relation?]
"Start."
[Final Trial started successfully. Please survive for three minutes under the target's attacks.]
[Warning! Warning! Warning!]
[Although death in the trial space will not affect reality, irreversible events will occur. Challenger, please value your life.]
_______________________________________
Hey guys, A little support will be appreciated. As you know, we don't earn on fanfiction.
Check my P@treon for advance chapters:-
Their are 10+ advance chapters available on P@treon
[email protected]/AnimeDarcx