“Extreme?”
“Lord God…”
“Does that mean Tsukuyo’s talent is poor?”
Hearing Heimer’s meaningful evaluation, Inaba Tsukuyo, who had been lying on the bed, felt her sensitive ears tremble slightly.
Although her expression could not be seen at that moment, her body clearly stiffened for an instant.
After all…
This body of hers had been treated as a ruined vessel sentenced to death by doctors since childhood.
Blind in both eyes, frail, and sickly.
Aside from swordsmanship, she had nothing.
If even her only talent in the sword was denied by a god, then she would truly lose the value of her existence.
“No, Tsukuyo.”
“You misunderstood.”
Heimer shook his head and gently placed his hand on the girl’s still-trembling shoulder.
“It is precisely the opposite.”
“One could even say…”
“Your talent is absurdly strong.”
After saying this, Heimer stood up from the bed.
He casually pulled up the robe that had slipped down and covered the girl’s pale, slender back.
Inaba Tsukuyo hurriedly put it back on, clumsily tightening the collar around herself.
The blush on her cheeks had yet to fade, and her unfocused red eyes turned toward Heimer’s direction, her face full of disbelief.
“When I say extreme, I am not belittling you.”
“In a battle between life and death…”
“What decides victory is often not your shortest plank, but your longest blade.”
“As long as your blade is fast enough…”
“Fast enough to cut the enemy’s throat before they can strike your weakness…”
“Then your weakness is no longer a flaw.”
“It becomes a forbidden zone the enemy can never touch.”
“For example, your Skill, 『Magatsu Child』, gives you extraordinary perception and the ability to seize initiative.”
“This means that before the battle even begins, you have already won half of it.”
“As for 『Ephemeral Bloom』…”
“It gives you the possibility of instantly erupting with power beyond the limits of your level.”
“In other words…”
“Even if you are currently a fragile Lv.1…”
“As long as you are given one opportunity…”
“Even a fleeting opening…”
“You may be able to cut off the head of an enemy several levels above you.”
“That possibility of weak overcoming the strong…”
“Is the shortest path toward a great feat.”
In Orario, challenging someone above one’s level was the most efficient way to obtain a great feat.
Inaba Tsukuyo’s one-hit-kill trait was practically born for harvesting great feats.
It was like playing a game.
While others were still chipping away at the enemy’s health bar with normal attacks…
She directly unleashed an ultimate move and killed in one strike.
Although she only had the power for that one strike…
As long as it landed…
Even gods would fall before her blade.
“The so-called One-Blade Shura probably refers to someone like you.”
“So…”
“Be more confident.”
“There is no need to belittle yourself.”
“You are the sharpest and most extreme sword.”
“You were born to cut through fate.”
“If your body is frail, then simply do not let the enemy touch you.”
“That is the Shura path of killing with one strike.”
After saying this, Heimer reached out and gently rubbed Inaba Tsukuyo’s silver-white hair.
“Mm…”
“Is… is that so…?”
Feeling the warmth of Heimer’s fingers on her head, along with those words filled with affirmation, Inaba Tsukuyo let out a soft sound like a small cat.
Her originally tense body immediately relaxed.
Her cheeks also turned even redder.
She looked like a boiled shrimp.
It was not only because of Heimer’s praise, which had struck directly into her heart.
It was also because of the warmth on top of her head.
That kind of head pat, as though she were being treated like a child…
For Inaba Tsukuyo, who had been forced to grow mature far too early, it was an experience she had never had before.
She did not dislike it.
In fact…
She felt a little reluctant to let it end.
“Y-yes, Lord God!”
“Tsukuyo understands.”
Inaba Tsukuyo’s voice was as thin as a mosquito’s buzz.
She lowered her head slightly and gently nuzzled Heimer’s palm like a pampered kitten.
After that…
She hurriedly retreated to the corner of the bed like a startled rabbit, her face still red.
After all…
Although being praised made her happy, having just gone through the ritual under everyone’s gaze was still far too stimulating for this sheltered young girl.
…
At the same time…
With Inaba Tsukuyo’s example before them, the atmosphere in the room became subtle once again.
After all…
For martial artists…
What could make their blood surge more than personally seeing a quantified future full of endless possibilities?
The girls’ gazes began sweeping back and forth between one another.
Their eyes were filled with sparks they could not hide.
“Since everyone is being so polite…”
“Then Satori won’t hold back~”
“Satori wants to be second.”
As Tamaba Satori spoke, she began walking toward the bed where Heimer was.
However…
Before she could take even one step…
“Whoosh—”
A burst of wind suddenly swept past in front of her.
A tall figure crossed ahead of her and stood between Tamaba Satori and Heimer like a wall.
It was Amou Kirukiru.
“Eh?”
Tamaba Satori stopped and tilted her head.
The fake smile on her face stiffened for an instant.
“Amou-san, cutting in line is not a good habit, you know?”
“Cutting in line?”
“This is not about who came first.”
“If you do not even have this much resolve, how can you speak of pursuing strength?”
After saying this, Amou directly turned around and faced Heimer, who was sitting by the bed.
She did not waste a single word.
Nor did she need to mentally prepare herself like Inaba Tsukuyo had.
“Rustle—”
Amou raised her hand and decisively loosened her robe for the ceremony.
The fabric shifted with a soft sound.
She prepared herself with the same directness she used in battle, exposing her back without hesitation and setting the robe aside.
“Eek—!”
“W-what are you doing?!”
“Y-you’re way too shameless!”
This scene directly startled Kikakujou Mary into screaming as she hurriedly covered her eyes.
Onigawara Rin’s mouth fell open, and she turned to stone on the spot.
Even Inaba Tsukuyo, who had retreated into the corner of the bed, could not help raising her head slightly.
Although she could not see, her sharp senses still made her realize what had happened.
“Honestly…”
“Satori clearly raised her hand first.”
Seeing this, Tamaba Satori puffed out her cheeks and could only retreat.
…
Now, what appeared before Heimer was a physique that could be called the result of perfect tempering.
If Inaba Tsukuyo was a delicate and fragile piece of porcelain…
Then Amou Kirukiru was refined steel forged through countless hammer strikes.
Every line of her muscles was smooth, firm, and full of explosive power, revealing a fierce beauty born from training.
It was the body of someone who had practiced ancient martial arts for years and developed herself to the limit.
She was like a famous blade polished until it shone with cold brilliance.
Even simply standing there, she released an oppressive sharpness.
This was the blade incarnate.
A human body, originally fragile flesh…
Had been forged through day after day of near-brutal training into a weapon harder than steel.
…
However…
Compared to the shocked gazes around him, Heimer looked at this exceptionally straightforward girl with some helplessness.
Her physique was indeed remarkable, but her style was far too wild.
“I say…”
“I know you’re eager.”
“But can you pay a little attention to the atmosphere?”
Heimer pointed toward Hanasaka Warabi, who was hiding in the corner while hugging the black bear and covering her face.
“There’s still a child here.”
“Don’t teach the child bad habits.”
“Hah?!”
Hearing this, Hanasaka Warabi, who had been secretly peeking through her fingers, instantly bristled.
She jumped out from behind the bear’s belly.
“W-who are you calling a child?!”
“I’m already an adult, okay!”
“I have a motorcycle license! A motorcycle license!”
Hanasaka Warabi shouted in frustration, desperately trying to defend her hard-to-explain height.
However…
No one paid attention to her protest.
Amou Kirukiru did not even give her the corner of her eye.
She merely raised her chin slightly.
“Those trivial things do not matter.”
“Sooner or later, we will all be your Familia.”
“Since I have already decided to offer my body and soul to you as my god…”
“Then this level of honesty is merely something that would happen sooner or later.”
After saying this, Amou showed not the slightest hesitation.
She placed both hands on the edge of the bed, moved with practiced ease, and lay down in the proper position for the ritual.
Her long, straight black hair slid down with her movements and spread across the white sheets.
Then she rested her chin on her arm, turned her head slightly, and looked at Heimer with a smile.
“Come, god.”
“Let me see…”
“Whether this body I forged to climb toward the summit is enough to amaze you.”
This was a lion.
It did not need comfort.
It did not need encouragement.
As long as it was given a direction, it would pounce forward without hesitation.