Mushoku Impact

With few enemies standing between them and the Great Hall preceding Kishirika's former throne room, it only took a few minutes for Paul and Party to arrive outside a black barrier covered in esoteric, glowing blue runes.
Recognizing the barrier at a glance, Kishirika preempted Paul's inevitable question, explaining, "This is the result of someone using Demon Eyes of the Absolute Void. They stockpile Mana over time and allow a person to create a nigh-impenetrable barrier."
Though he was well aware of the Demon Eyes of the Absolute Void, Paul couldn't help frowning when Kishirika said it was nigh-impenetrable. She enjoyed exaggerating things, but she was usually pretty straightforward concerning Demon Eyes and their effects.
Preempting Paul's follow-up question, Kishirika adopted a toothy grin as she added, "You might not be able to break it instantly, but the duration of the barrier decreases as it accumulates damage. There is also a hard limit to the amount of magic power the eyes can store. The record is around 39 hours, held by yours truly."
Hearing everything he needed to hear, Paul shifted his attention to Ei and said, "Tear it down." in a firm tone.&nbsp;
Without needing to be told twice, Ei struck her iconic pose, pulling a tachi formed of pure Electro Elemental energy from between her breasts before spinning in a graceful, clockwise motion and unleashing a terrifying sword slash that seemed to rend the very fabric of space and time. It was easily a God-Tier sword slash, but while it left a large, Electro-purple scar on the barrier, it failed to cut through it.
Adopting a visibly annoyed expression, sparks began to emanate from the depths of Ei's eyes. She had yet to replenish the energy she expended in her fight against Atofe, but it hurt her pride to be unable to perform when her Master needed her.
Before anyone could think to stop her, an aura of Electro Energy burst out of Ei's body, violet-purple lightning crackling around her before her form morphed into a series of afterimages. If one strike didn't work, Ei decided she would just keep hitting it.
As it was pretty rare to see Ei so 'emotional,' even Paul had to take a step back as the aura exuding from the purple-haired Archon's body settled in him like a sheer cold. It wasn't his first time enduring Ei's sword intent, but he still felt he was being cut apart just observing her in action.
Making things much easier for everyone present, Zhongli waved her hand to generate a rectangular stele of Geo Energy in the middle of the group. The moment it was fully formed, it began to release pulses of golden light that washed over everyone present, shrouding them in an amber-colored barrier that mitigated the effects of Ei's sword intent.
Inspecting the malleable barrier covering her entire body, Kishirika was about to ask how durable it was when a frighteningly loud sound, similar to all the glass on a skyscraper shattering, echoed through the area. Ei's onslaught was akin to a Sword God unleashing numerous Longswords of Light in concert, so the infamously indestructible barrier didn't even last six seconds before shattering like expensive porcelain.
Seeing the barrier shatter into countless pieces, Ei turned around with a rare, self-gratified smile as she stared at Paul in a manner that expressed, 'Look at what I did. Feel free to praise me.'
Though he intended to do precisely that, Paul wasn't even able to get out the first syllable before a bright white laser left white hot trails across the barriers of nearly everyone present. The only exception was Paul, as both Ei and Zhongli reacted to shield him with their weapons and bodies. Even then, visible lines were left on both their weapons and bodies, clear proof they had failed to deflect the surprise attack.
Before Paul could fully process what had just happened, Zhongli erected a wall of Geo before exhaling a rare sigh of relief and asking, "Is everyone okay?"
Thanks to the barriers Zhongli had created for them, the only person to sustain even a minor injury was Ei, or, more accurately, her kimono. The back was unaffected, but the nigh-instantaneous white light had burned through the fabric of her obi, kimono, and bodysuit. It also left a burn on her skin, but it was nothing life-threatening.
Recovering from his momentary stupor, Paul's complexion was several shades lighter as he asked, "What the fuck was that?"
Before Zhongli could offer her speculation, Kishirika answered, "That, my beloved fiance, was the Longsword of Light..."
Looking toward Kishirika, Paul made no effort to conceal his incredulity as he retorted, "Bullshit. The Longsword of Light is a close-range technique, not something that can be utilized at long distances..."
Crossing her arms, Kishirika gave Paul an, 'Are you seriously arguing with me?' kind of look before reiterating, "It is the Longsword of Light. Just not the technique."
Knowing Paul was going to demand answers, Kishirika averted her eyes, staring at the wall created by Zhongli as she asked, "You've heard of the legend surrounding the Sword Sanctum's creation, right? About how the first generation Sword God utilized his Longsword of Light to slice off the top of a mountain?"
Seeing Paul nod out of the corner of her eye, Kishirika explained, "The original Sword God didn't utilize any techniques. He was just a guy that swung his sword faster than anyone else. What made him such a pain to deal with was the sword he wielded. That's what you just witnessed, the original Longsword of Light, a weapon so absurd it could even leave scars on the Moon..."
Opening his mouth, Paul wanted to refute Kishirika's words, but the look on her face was as serious as they came. She clearly had some personal experience with the Longsword of Light.
Verifying Paul's thoughts, Kishirika met his gaze and said, "The original Sword God was not the first to wield the Longsword of Light. Before him, it was wielded by that annoying vixen that became Saint Milis, the King of Heroes, Ars Anemoi Asura, and the Holy Dragon of Light, Lucielle..."
With an expression that was equal parts pain and fury, Kishirika balled her hands into fists as she added, "No other weapon in history has slain more Demons than the Longsword of Light. Those chicken bastards concealing themselves in the Heaven Continent forged it with the intent of wiping us out completely, but humanity used it as an instrument to persecute us..."
Slamming her fist against the wall, Kishirika's expression revealed a trace of madness as she growled, "That bastard, Laplace! We went through hell to steal that blade from the humans and seal it away! What could he have possibly been thinking!?"
Raising his hands in a placating gesture, Paul attempted to calm Kishirika down by assuring her, "It's going to be okay. Once we defeat whoever has the sword, we'll seal it away so that no one can ever use it again..."
Reacting to Paul's words, Kishirika stared at him with one of the most intense expressions he had ever seen, her voice filled with venom as she retorted, "Oh? Do you mean to tell me you would give up the opportunity to wield one of the most powerful weapons in the world? With your Mana reserves, the Longsword of Light would easily elevate you to the status of a God. Can you resist such a temptation?"
Catching the frenzied Demoness by surprise, Paul didn't hesitate for a single moment before answering, "Without question. I already have more cheats than I know what to do with. At this point, I wouldn't accept such a weapon even if you tried to force me..."
"..."
Though she wouldn't have believed any other human making such a claim, Kishirika felt the tension in her body relax when she noticed the sincerity and visible frustration in Paul's eyes. She had momentarily forgotten due to her anger and frustration, but Paul really did have an overabundance of gifts and blessings. So much so that he pushed himself beyond his natural limits just to feel worthy of them...
Feeling a lot calmer, Kishirika inhaled a deep breath before exhaling a long and exasperated sigh. Then, as if her prior anger had been nothing but an illusion, she regained her customary shark-toothed smile and replied, "Oh, yeah. I got so caught up in the moment that I nearly forgot how ridiculous your existence is. You don't need a weapon like the Longsword of Light to leave a path of destruction wherever you go..."
Furrowing his brows, Paul was about to insist he would never do such a thing, but, as per usual, Kishirika interrupted him. This time, however, she didn't use her words. Instead, she threw her arms around his neck, locked them in place, and planted a kiss on his lips.
As surprised as he was by Kishirika's sudden 'assault,' Paul instinctually lowered his hands to grasp the shapely Demoness's ass. Fortunately, her armor left her two pliant mounds completely uncovered, so he was able to enjoy the texture of her springy bottom through the remarkably thin fabric of her plugsuit.
Eager to reclaim both the Longsword of Light and her throne, Kishirika retracted her lips from Paul's immediately following his first squeeze. She also knew he wanted to save the little girl wearing an animal costume, so before he could lean forward to steal her lips, she stared into his eyes and stated, "If we don't hurry, that girl you sent ahead to scout will die..."
Though he felt like a brick hit him in the face due to how quickly Kishirika changed the subject, Paul quickly recovered, releasing the violet-haired Demoness from his embrace as he turned to Party and asked, "Zhongli, Ei, can you handle it...?"
Without needing to consider her response, Zhongli nodded her head and replied, "As fast as the attack was, it didn't deal a substantial amount of damage to my barrier. If Lady Baal and I combine our powers, defeating the enemy shouldn't be an issue."
Eager to get back at the person who had damaged her outfit, a gift Paul had invested a small fortune to acquire, Ei narrowed her eyes and added, "Leave it to us. I'll show you that not even light cannot escape the bounds of Eternity..."
Resisting the urge to ask how Ei's concept of Eternity had anything to do with their present situation, Paul nodded his head and expressed, "Good. I entrust this matter to the two of you. And if it turns out Sayu has already fallen...show them no mercy..."
After nodding in concert with one another, Zhongli manifested a second Geo Stele, providing everyone present with a barrier. At the same time, Ei took a stance for the second time since her summoning. What left Paul at a loss for words was the fact it was clearly the stance for the Longsword of Light. He had never once seen Ei perform the technique, but he could easily guess what was going through her mind...he didn't know if it was due to her pride or something else entirely, but she evidently intended to surpass the 'original' Longsword of Light with her own...
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After failing to eliminate her targets the moment they broke through her barrier, the Black Knight began to feel nervous for the first time in her life. The power of the Longsword of Light diminished with range, but the Great Hall was only 200m in length. Even if she was severely weakened due to her internal injuries, she should still be able to slice through a Saint's touki at five hundred...
While moving around her sword to prevent it from melting the castle floor and walls, the Black Knight shifted her gaze to the severely injured figure on the floor, Sayu. She had lost an arm and a leg, but a quick application of Healing Magic had prevented her from bleeding out. The Black Knight had initially intended to question her once she woke up, but she was now starting to look like perfect hostage material...
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(A/N: No actual lolis were harmed in the making of this chapter.)

Instead of allowing her Geo-formed wall to dissipate and crumble to dust, Zhongli thrust her hand forward and caused it to skid across the floor like a bulldozer on nitrous.&nbsp;
Though they were far from indestructible, constructs formed from Geo Energy were comparable to Anti-Magic Bricks in terms of durability and magic resistance. With the wall constructed by Zhongli being more than 3m thick, trying to stop it was like an ordinary person attempting to stop a semi from rolling down a steep incline.
Realizing she couldn't slice through Zhongli's wall, even at a much closer distance, the Black Knight had no choice but to evade. In the same series of movements, black tendrils shot out from her armor to pick up Sayu's body, holding it up like a shield as she exclaimed, "Drop your weapons, or your friend-!?"
Before she could conclude her threat, the Black Knight felt an intense chill permeate her entire body as a brilliant purple 'meteor' passed by her in an instant. In its wake, her right arm could be seen spinning through the air, but the more pressing issue was that every nerve in her body was tensing due to the 'electricity' flowing through it.
As the purple meteor burst apart to reveal Ei, the Black Knight's tendrils hurriedly brought Sayu closer to her body, seemingly moving of their own accord.&nbsp;
Dodging under the blade of light that attempted to cut off her head, Ei charged toward the Black Knight as if she was oblivious to the fact Sayu was being used as a human shield. Paul could always resurrect her come nightfall, and, more importantly, Ei knew that Sayu wouldn't allow herself to be used as leverage if she were conscious.
Realizing she was up against someone ostensibly cold-blooded, the Black Knight's tendrils hurled Sayu's body toward Ei, following it with a veritable volley of highly penetrative tendrils.
Though she felt a pang of guilt as she did so, Ei's body appeared to flicker as she evaded both Sayu's body and the tendrils. Her highest priority was eliminating the enemy before her, so she accelerated like a radiant purple beam of light the moment she had an unobstructed path between her and the Black Knight.
Feeling any icy chill suffuse through her body, the peculiar pupils of the Black Knight's eyes started to contract. Before they could even finish, a ring of rainbow-colored light seemed to overtake her, robbing the world of its color as her perception of the world abruptly split in two.
Appearing behind the Black Knight, seemingly in an instant, Ei exhaled a visible breath before rising to her full height. As she did, the two halves of the Black Knight's body began to fall away from each other, perfectly split from crown to crotch.
Just as the tendrils covering the Black Knight's body attempted to pull her back together, two hexagonal columns formed from Geo Energy erupted from the ground, seemingly crushing her as they came together to form a triangular arch.&nbsp;
Looking over to the smiling Archon, Ei's brows briefly furrowed as she felt Zhongli had robbed her of her triumph. The Black Knight wasn't nearly as powerful as she had anticipated, roughly the same level as Reida, so she was confident in securing a solo victory.
Unbothered by Ei's glower, Zhongli shifted her attention to the entrance of the Great Hall, informing, "Our young kunoichi friend is still alive. Ganyu, if you would be so kind..."
Poking her head out from the relative safety of the Great Hall's massive doors, Ganyu immediately located Sayu's unconscious body and rushed over. She would ordinarily wait for Paul's orders, but she already knew he would give her permission to treat Sayu's injuries.
Interpreting Zhongli's words to mean it was safe, Paul, Kishirika, and Yae also poked their heads out. When Paul noticed Sayu's body collapsed on the ground, his expression immediately darkened. He was happy that she was still alive, but the loss of an arm and a leg wasn't something a girl her age should be forced to endure...
Turning his attention to the triangular structure formed by Zhongli, Paul's voice was several bars deeper as he questioned, "Did you kill the asshole responsible for this?"
Earning a disproving look from Ei, Zhongli shook her head and replied, "I attempted to crush them, but I can sense they're still alive. The odds of them being immortal are quite high."
As immortality was becoming an increasingly common gimmick, Paul was unsurprised by Zhongli's response. In response, he narrowed his eyes at the two conjoined pillars and remarked, "I recall you using your powers to seal your pet dragon, Azi-something. Can you do the same thing with the person trapped between the pillars...?"
Though she showed a rare expression of surprise, Zhongli didn't hesitate to reply, "It's not impossible. However, it requires a tremendous amount of energy. I'm not exactly running low, but..."
Understanding what Zhongli was trying to say, Paul nodded his head and said, "Leave it to me. Hell, I'll do you here and now if it means this assbag pays the price for harming Sayu..."
Adopting a narrow-eyed smile, Zhongli playfully replied, "I'm feeling more motivated already. But first..."
Vanishing from view, Zhongli appeared behind Paul just as a trio of black tendrils attempted to impale him through the back. The Black Knight's arm had managed to avoid the fate of being crushed, and the tendrils covering it were still active.
With Geo Energy condensed in her hand and body, Zhongli backhanded the tendrils, causing them to fracture like broken glass. Geo Energy could be used to petrify opponents in its pure form, so Zhongli decided to test if it would be an effective countermeasure against the tendrils. Seeing the tendrils shatter into crystalline fragments upon contact with the ground, it was fairly safe to assume it was.
Shifting her attention to the tendril's origin, Zhongli was about to crush the Black Knight's arm into pulp when Kishirika abruptly exclaimed, "Wait! Don't destroy it...!"
As she didn't take orders from Kishirika, Zhongli made a chopping motion with her left hand that caused a hexagonal pillar to emerge out of thin air before smashing down on the arm like a hammer. The moment she did so, Kishirika shouted, "You stupid fucking moron...!" before stomping the floor in frustration.
Though she was initially unperturbed by Kishirika's insult, Zhongli blinked in surprise when she could no longer sense the Black Knight's life force. It hadn't simply faded away like when an ordinary living creature lost its life; it had disappeared entirely...
Without waiting for Paul's command, Zhongli dispersed the pillar she used to crush the Black Knight's arm. The mangled armor was still present, but the interior was filled with what appeared to be rainbow-hued ash...
Witnessing the unusual sight alongside Zhongli, Paul felt a palpable chill as pure, undiluted fury rose from within him. He wasn't angry at Zhongli for crushing the Black Knight's arm; he was pissed off at the realization that the Black Knight had likely escaped.
Unable to contain himself, Paul shouted, "Fuck...!" at the top of his lungs before punting the remnants of the Black Knight's arm. He knew that the entity was likely only doing as it was programmed, but he couldn't stand letting something that had harmed his allies escape.
In a reversal of their previous conversation, Kishirika was the voice of reason as she said, "Calm down. We managed to get our hands on the Longsword of Light and save your companion. I also have a pretty good idea of who, or, more precisely, what attacked her..."
Though he continued breathing heavily through his nose, Paul did his best to calm down when he heard Kishirika's words. He knew anger was one of the least-useful emotions on the battlefield, sans when you had given up on survival, so he took several deep breaths before saying, "Tell me what you know..."
Nodding her head, Kishirika explained, "Those black tendrils you just saw were a trademark of Laplace. He was unable to wield Touki, so he tried to compensate for his weakness by recreating the material used to construct the Golden Armor. Fortunately, at least for his enemies, he wasn't the type of person that could focus on a single project at a time..."
Realizing she was getting a little side-tracked, Kishirika shook her head before staring into Paul's eyes and stating, "One of the subjects Laplace was most interested in were the various forms of immortality. He wanted to find a way to make himself unkillable while developing methods to kill every other immortal. One of his more successful experiments concerned the production of living dolls, vessels in which his soul could transfer to in the event of his untimely death..."
Shifting her gaze to the ash on the ground, Kishirika narrowed her eyes as she appended, "Though he ultimately decided upon a different method of transference, likely hoping his enemies would die of natural causes before his revival, those tendrils and this ash are a testament to his experiment's success. Once we retake the castle, we need to locate his laboratory and destroy it. If that research found its way into the wrong hands..."
Even without clarification, Paul could guess who Kishirika was referring to when she mentioned the wrong hands. Hitogami was certainly a cause for concern, but his powers and influence were limited thanks to being sealed in the Void. The more significant threat was humanity, or, more accurately, the bags of dick that suppressed others and prioritized the accumulation of wealth and power over the lives of others. If they got their hands on a method to transfer their spirits into vessels of their choosing, they would become even more brazen and corrupt...
Understanding that some technologies should never propagate beyond a highly regulated lab environment, Paul left Kishirika feeling fairly gratified as he nodded his head and affirmed, "I understand. Though I"m sure that Laplace's research notes would shed light on many things, there are ways to advance without relying on the insights gleaned by a madman...if there aren't, maybe society doesn't deserve to prosper..."
Though she felt his final remark bordered on the extreme, Kishirika didn't disapprove of the sentiment Paul was trying to convey. Several thousand years ago, magi-science and technology were much more advanced than the present. Countless airships dominated the skies, fortresses the size of castles guarded the borders of major nations, and issues such as disease and famine only existed in societies that willfully isolated themselves from others. It was an era of relative peace and prosperity, ruined by the desire for even more...
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Located in the depths of a labyrinth that spanned nearly the entire Demon Continent, connecting several key locations, was a warehouse-sized room housing hundreds of crystalline cylinders containing near-identical female forms. Some were distinctly older or younger or possessed features from other races, but every single one of them had violet-purple hair and goat-like horns.
Following the Black Knight's death, one of the containers glowed brighter than the others before the liquid within began to drain rapidly. The tubes and apparatuses supporting her retracted soon after, forcing the naked beauty within to stand on her own two feet as she bent over and coughed up a citrus-smelling, jelly-like substance.&nbsp;
Without waiting for the container to drain completely, the violet-haired woman smashed her hand against the crystalline container, shattering it as she growled, "Those despicable fiends! They dare to steal the sword entrusted to me by my Master!? If I don't kill them all, then my name isn't Kishirika Kishirisu...!"
As the luminescent green liquid finished draining, an inky black substance began rising from the self-proclaimed Kishirika's feet, enveloping her from head to toe before congealing into a set of familiar black armor. This time, however, it had a golden trim and glistened with a faint purple hue...
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Feeling something was off, Paul turned to the most perceptive member of the group, Kishirika, asking, "Do you notice anything unusual with my aura or body? I feel...different..."
"Hmmm~?"
With her left eye defaulting to an amplified version of the Demon Eye of Magic Power, Kishirika gave Paul a quick once over before asking, "What am I supposed to be looking for? You're using more Touki than usual, but that's not unusual on a battlefield. It's your instincts going into overdrive to preserve your life."
Though he felt there was something more to it, Paul responded with his usual, "Right..." before rising to his feet. Yae and Ganyu were dealing with the enemies without issue, but they weren't making any progress toward locating Sayu. Thus, instead of insisting he continue leading the charge, Paul took a steadying breath and stated, "We're pushing through. Zhongli, you're up."
With the corners of her smile curling upward, Zhongli replied, "As you will." before manifesting a spear constructed from pure Geo Energy. She used a 4-Star Polearm known as the Lithic Spear for general purposes but, much like Ei, preferred weapons comprised of the element she governed.
Immediately following her response, Zhongli's body appeared to vanish from her initial position as spears matching the one she had summoned abruptly pierced through the remaining enemies. The spears appeared to manifest instantaneously, but the reality was that Zhongli moved so fast that only Ei could track her movement.
Having reappeared at the far end of the corridor, Zhongli's expression remained stoic as she eyed the enemies coming from around the corner. She didn't want to let Paul out of her sight, so she raised her left hand to produce several spears around her body. Then, in a manner remarkably similar to Gilgamesh from the Fate series, she made a casual gesture that ended the lives of nearly a dozen Magic Armors and three of the feminine automatons. The former still needed to be exorcised, but their armor was so damaged that it would take them hours to recover.
Demanifesting her remaining spear, Zhongli turned toward Paul and Party before placing a hand over her heart and performing a courteous bow as she reported, "The way is open. Please watch your step."
Resisting the urge to call Zhongli a show-off, Paul turned to his Party and said, "Let's move!" in a commanding tone before taking the initiative to run ahead. The members of his Party readily followed after him, but Kishirika, having never witnessed Zhongli in action, was still stunned by the absurd display of power...
Shaking away her wayward thoughts, Kishirika ran to catch up with Paul's group. She already knew Paul commanded a force capable of conquering or, at the very least, destabilizing most countries. Luckily, he was too self-absorbed and virtuous to make the best use of them...
Noticing that Kishirika had fallen behind, Paul waited for her to catch up before asking, "What's up? Did you notice something...?"
After a brief pause, Kishirika shook her head and answered, "Nah, I was just a little disgusted by your subordinate's display of power. She's a little slower than your purple-haired shadow, but I can imagine her giving Atofe a run for her money."
Nodding his head in affirmation, Paul supported Kishirika's claim, stating, "Yeah. Ei's speed and swordsmanship are in a league of their own, but Zhongli is probably the most knowledgeable and skilled among the Spirits I've summoned. For that reason, she serves as both a representative and advisor to myself and her fellow Spirits."
Furrowing her brows, Kishirika gave Zhongli a sidelong glare. She had suspected that Zhongli was relatively high up in the hierarchy of Spirits that Paul had access to, but his words made it clear she was also one of the decision-makers in the organization he had haphazardly allowed to form.&nbsp;
Voicing her thoughts aloud, Kishirika muttered, "How troublesome..." at a volume the entire group could hear.
As she was still quite a bit shorter than him, Paul bonked Kishirika on her helmeted head and said, "You need to rein in the animosity. Zhongli might come across as a little robotic, but she's one of the most considerate and righteous people I know..."
Shaking his head, Paul added, "Anyway, we don't have time for this right now. I'm more than willing to discuss this further; we just need to locate Sayu and reclaim the castle first."
Though Paul's bonk had barely registered due to her armor, Kishirika rubbed the top of her head and replied, "Yeah, yeah, I know. Lead the way, oh fearless leader. Let this Kishirika witness the greatness of you and your Party."
Adopting a wry smile, Paul replied, "Then you better not blink." before turning to his Party and adding, "We're pushing straight to the throne room." with a markedly more serious expression and tone.
Following Paul's orders, the group began moving forward at a swift yet cautious pace. The batch of enemies slaughtered by Zhongli seemed to be the last of the sentries nearby, but it was better to be safe than sorry. With Laplace upgrading the Anti-Magic Golems to be able to cast Magic, there was no way of knowing what awaited them moving forward...
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Despite the precariousness of her situation, Sayu appeared relatively calm as she evaded and analyzed the attacks of the 'Black Knight' endeavoring to skewer her with its tendrils. She had attempted to flee, but the Bunshin she sent to test the door ended up colliding with a barrier. Since then, she had been conserving her stamina and stalling, confident that it was only a matter of time before her allies arrived to assist her.
Fortunately for Sayu, the Black Knight had held its initial position, relying on its tendrils to attack her from a distance. It appeared to be observing her just as much as she was observing it, concealing the full extent of its abilities as it analyzed her movements.
Having realized she was being observed pretty early, Sayu stopped using Jutsu and focused entirely on evading the Black Knight's attacks. She was a little worried about its apparent ability to discern her from her Bunshins, but panicking wouldn't help her escape.
Catching Sayu a little off guard, the Black Knight unexpectedly retracted its tendrils and questioned, "Who are you? Why have you come here?" in a familiar yet synthetic-sounding tone.
In the brief period where Sayu stopped to consider answering, several black tendrils erupted from the ground in an attempt to skewer her from behind. While they appeared to do exactly that, her body promptly burst into a cloud of smoke, ultimately revealing a tanuki-themed daruma.
Clicking 'her' tongue, the Black Knight surveyed the area for any signs of Sayu, one of her dark purple eyes shifting to a neon shade of green as she said, "You've no hope of escaping. This place has been enclosed by my Absolute Void Eye. Tell me who sent you and for what purpose, and I will consider sparing you."
Realizing she couldn't detect Sayu with her Magic Power Eye, the Black Knight's left iris promptly shifted to a peculiar shade of reddish pink. As it did, she gained the ability to discern heat signatures and various forms of radiation.
Failing to find any trace of Sayu, a glower marred the face of the woman beneath the suit of armor. She had never encountered an opponent that could elude her 'Kaleidoscopic Demon Eyes,' so she was beginning to get annoyed.
"Fine. Have it your way..."
With her Absolute Void Eye sealing off the chamber and preventing even air from escaping, the Black Knight raised her hand aloft and produced a massive fireball nearly 5m in diameter. It was common knowledge that Fire Magic should never be used indoors or within confined spaces, as it greedily devoured the oxygen in the environment.
Seeing through the Black Knight's intentions, Sayu appeared a few meters away, seemingly manifesting out of thin air as she performed a series of hand seals. Anemo Energy could produce oxygen even in a vacuum, but its most noteworthy trait was its ability to 'react' with virtually anything. This included the Magic of Mushoku Tensei, so Sayu took a deep breath before exhaling a highly condensed burst of Anemo Energy towards the enlarging fireball.
Though she had never encountered Ninjutsu or Elemental Arts, the Black Knight quickly realized what Sayu was up to the moment she sensed not-so-subtle changes in the room's airflow. She was too slow to discard the fireball before Sayu's 'wind bullet' impacted it, but she was able to direct the explosion toward the ceiling by adjusting the flow of magical energy within.
As modifying a spell mid-cast was virtually impossible below the King Rank, Sayu realized the Black Knight wasn't the warrior she appeared to be. She had a saber strapped to her left hip and an object resembling a gun strapped to her right, but she had yet to draw either.
Interrupting Sayu's observation, the Black Knight raised her left hand. As she did, more than a dozen tendrils exploded from her armor&mdash;this time, much, much faster than before.
Though she hadn't lowered her guard, Sayu barely managed to evade the lightning-fast tendrils. Three ended up piercing directly through her hood as it lagged behind her movements, but, much like the rest of her outfit, it was designed to be discarded in a pinch.&nbsp;
Seeing Sayu evade her surprise attack, the Black Knight coldly remarked, "You're really starting to get on my nerves..."
Instead of responding to the Black Knight's words, Sayu reached into her clothes to pull out a handful of tiny, sand-colored spheres with cute faces drawn on them. They appeared inconspicuous at a glance, but if Paul saw them, his face would have paled as the image of an endearing explosives expert appeared in his mind...
Correctly presuming the spheres were some kind of weapon, the Black Knight sent her tendrils to stab through them in mid-air. What she never expected was for the spheres to immediately explode, each packing the force of an Intermediate Fire Magic Spell despite their small size. What's more, Sayu anticipated her response and sent another condensed burst of Anemo Energy into the resulting explosion.
With the power of the explosives surpassing the Saint Rank, the Black Knight felt her insides stirring as her armor anchored itself in place with several tendrils. It wasn't visible from the outside, but blood flowed from her ears, nose, and mouth as her face distorted in confusion.
Though she wanted nothing more than to retaliate and punish Sayu for her indiscretions, the Black Knight forced herself to remain calm as she stated, "That wasn't Magic...it resembles Magic and is just as destructive, but Magic of that level wouldn't be able to penetrate my barrier..."
Ascertaining that her opponent genuinely wanted to talk this time, Sayu replied, "It's a secret. If you wish to know more, lay down your arms and remove your armor. My Master would probably be willing to explain if you ceased your hostility..."
Without considering her response, the Black Knight shook her head and said, "That isn't an option. I was charged with safeguarding the place until my Master's return. You and your allies can't leave without completing the castle's trials, so we'll have no choice but to fight."
Punctuating her words, the Black Knight placed her hand on the hilt of her sword in a reverse grip. However, instead of drawing it, she hesitated for a brief moment before asking, "How old are you?"
Though she was a little surprised by the woman's query, Sayu eventually answered, "Twelve?" with an inflection that made it sound like a question. She failed to see how her age mattered after everything that had transpired, but it apparently didn't as the Black Knight exhaled an audibly relieved sigh before remarking, "Good...at least I don't have to feel guilty about slaughtering a child..."
Without waiting for Sayu's response, the Black Knight began to draw her sword, revealing a blade of pure white that shone with the radiance of the sun, a stark contrast to the abyssal black armor covering her body...
...
..
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Chapter 175: MI175: Rising Fury