It was awkward—extremely awkward.
That feeling of being cared for was far too familiar, something that had surfaced countless times in her dreams.
Unlike the concern shown by the others in Hollow Special Operations Section 6, this was the gentle guidance of a senior.
To her, wasn't the gentlest teacher of all her own mother?
And so, Hoshimi Miyabi had simply blurted it out.
Now she was at a complete loss, unable to face Sol at all.
Her toes curled unconsciously inside her boots—perhaps some sort of human instinct.
And once everything fell quiet, her senses sharpened; the memory of moments ago grew even clearer.
The lingering echoes of that brain-tingling pleasure replayed the earlier, exquisite sensations over and over in her mind.
Miyabi's face flushed red, and as her heart spun into chaos, all sorts of thoughts she would never normally have came tumbling out at once.
It felt like the lock on her heart had cracked open, and the world suddenly became more colorful.
"…"
Although watching Miyabi's shy expression all day wouldn't be bad, letting the fox girl stay embarrassed forever wasn't ideal.
Sol reached out a hand and waved it a few times in front of her eyes, smiling as he said, "Yesterday, it seemed like your cursed blade had some issues."
"Oh—right, the cursed blade issues!"
Miyabi snapped back to herself, speaking blankly.
She took the cursed blade [Tailless] from the nearby rack and laid it flat across her knees.
With solemn respect, she asked Sol, "This is the Hoshimi Family's heirloom blade. It is a man-eating cursed blade. It passes down its power at the cost of their lives, and I want to end that fate. It's resisting me."
"The lingering resentment of our ancestors sealed within its blade keeps throwing my spirit off."
By shifting all her messy emotions onto the cursed blade, she immediately pulled herself out of the chaos in her mind.
The cursed blade was part of her strength—she absolutely could not allow anything to go wrong with it.
Sol nodded. "Can you let me take a look?"
"Of course."
Without a moment of hesitation, Miyabi handed the cursed blade [Tailless] to him.
It was a precious blade—one she would never casually give to someone else.
But after their training discussion just earlier, she felt that Sol could be trusted.
Shing!
Sol casually unsheathed the blade. A streak of cold light flashed across the room, and even the atmosphere seemed to chill.
It was truly an excellent sword—both in craftsmanship and in the record of battles it had seen. A blade worthy of being called a masterpiece.
He held it, quietly feeling its nature.
"How is it?"
Miyabi stared at him, curious.
"It's a fine blade," Sol said as he tossed it back to her. "But—silent. Completely silent."
"Silent?"
Hoshimi Miyabi frowned, puzzled.
That shouldn't be right. The blade might refuse to acknowledge Sol, but it would never be so cold as to give nothing.
It was a blade with a powerful personality—many who had held it had paid dearly for that.
"It doesn't matter. I can still teach you."
Sol didn't mind, simply offering a small smile.
"Hm?"
Miyabi kept staring, still confused.
"Remember what I told you yesterday? I also have blades and swords that bite their wielder."
With a flip of his wrist, a pair of handguns appeared in his hands.
The twin guns shared identical design: black and white bodies, gilded barrels, and crimson-gold gemstones set into the safeties.
"What a beautiful pair of handguns."
Hoshimi Miyabi breathed her admiration, immediately drawn to their aesthetic.
She loved famous blades and swords, but these exquisite handguns were equally praise-worthy.
"But actually, they're one greatsword."
Sol smirked, crossing the two guns against his chest. The gemstones touched.
The gun bodies unfolded and shifted, forming an ornate hilt.
Molten golden flames burst outward, coalescing into a gold-red energy blade radiating waves of heat.
Before Hoshimi Miyabi's eyes, Heavenly Fire—was drawn.
"It's beautiful… and dangerous."
Her ruby-red eyes filled with golden-crimson light, utterly entranced.
It was the most beautiful greatsword she had ever seen—its form perfect, its craftsmanship divine. Even the famed beauty of her treasured blade, the Mikazuki Munechika, dimmed before it.
And at the same time, the blade was unimaginably dangerous. The fire-type energy within it was far more intense and violent than even a supervolcano.
"Yes. Its name is [Judgement of Shamash]—one of the core powers of another world. It governs the principle of entropy. It's said to unleash the radiance of a dying star."
Sol ran a hand along the energy blade, warmth blooming against his palm. "It's strong—extremely strong. But using it comes with a heavy price. A warrior clan called the Kaslanas once eradicated disasters beyond human reach with this sword. And because of the heat it produces, they perished because of it."
"Just like my cursed blade [Tailless]."
Miyabi gently stroked the blade on her lap, murmuring, "The Hoshimi Family has cut down countless evils with this blade… and paid with countless lives."
She looked at Sol, worry flickering in her gaze. "You're unsheathing it like this—are you alright?"
"Of course. Most of the sword's previous wielders were unable to fully control it. But there was once someone who could draw out its full power without suffering backlash."
"He said he held the sword not because it could make him powerful, but because he had the power to destroy the sword."
Sol thought of that man, admiring his resolve. "Right now, I also have that ability."
He gripped the hilt with both hands and gently pulled. The majestic greatsword instantly split back into two handguns—docile as pets.
"You're telling me that if I grow stronger than the blade, it will no longer affect me?"
Miyabi already understood; that line resonated deeply with her.
She had always trained to strengthen her mind, to completely control the cursed blade. She was walking that path.
"Yes. With your current willpower, you can suppress this cursed blade completely."
"But whenever you enter a focused battle state, the blade stirs up trouble and throws you off."
After observing her several times, Sol had already seen through the cursed blade's nature.
Normally it acted obedient, never even giving her a chance to temper herself against it.
But the moment Miyabi faced a battle that required absolute seriousness, the blade jumped out to wreak havoc.
"Exactly! That's exactly what happens!"
Miyabi nodded vigorously.
In normal times, the cursed blade [Tailless] was quiet—borderline indifferent.
But during special fights involving unusual energy, it would leap out to cause trouble.
"So, I'll teach you Taixuan Martial Arts—the [Edge of Taixuan]. If you train in it, suppressing a cursed blade will be effortless."
"It has five essences: heart, form, intent, soul, and spirit. Two internal arts, two sword arts, and one ultimate technique. Once mastered, few in this world can stand against it."
Sol flipped his right hand, forming a golden book.
Dense script covered its surface, expounding principles of cultivation.
Compared to the original [Edge of Taixuan] in the world of Honkai Impact, this version had undergone major modifications.
After all, this world had no omnipotent Honkai energy—only corrosive Ether. And Hoshimi Miyabi did not possess a Herrscher Core or a Divine Key for synergy, so adjustments were necessary.
He had originally planned to give this to Belle, but Belle's brittle bones made her unsuitable. Better to pass it on to Hoshimi Miyabi—an unparalleled genius with extraordinary foundations.
"Edge of Taixuan…"
Hoshimi Miyabi accepted the manual with solemnity, moved by Sol's praise.
One glance, and she was absorbed.
A cursory reading revealed ingenious concepts.
A deeper look revealed grand and righteous doctrine.
Just as Sol said—it was a world-shaking divine art.