The black mist dispersed. The branch shrine and small courtyard vanished completely, and Bai Luo realized he had arrived within a mountain forest.
This forest was even more lush than the Chinju Forest Bai Luo had seen; it was comparable to a primeval forest.
Stepping on the dead leaves, one could even smell the scent of decay.
However, compared to Chinju Forest, this place lacked the sounds of insects and birds.
Perhaps the System hadn't simulated them.
After all, this thing always acted sickly; the last time it sent a Trial Card, it nearly got him killed.
"Hi, challenger."
A maiden with pitch-black wings sat atop a tall tree, swinging her small feet clad in wooden clogs casually. Though wearing stark white socks, they remained unstained by any dust in this forest.
As if the forest itself dared not defile the whiteness of her legs.
The Tengu named Teruyo wasn't dressed in combat gear like Kujou Sara, but in casual clothes.
The Tengu mask worn askew on her head didn't make her look terrifying; instead, it gave her a quirky and mischievous air.
Though her outfit was dark in color, the small flower in her hair was perhaps her last resistance against the mundane world.
Who said a Tengu couldn't be beautiful?
"Ready to start?"
The Tengu maiden drew a katana from her waist and tossed it to the black-clad Bai Luo.
This katana had no special functions; it was just a standard blade commonly used by Tengu.
It was merely sharper than human weapons.
However, this Tengu maiden didn't seem fond of using swords. This katana hadn't been maintained at all; the blade was full of rust, making one doubt if it could still be used.
"Wait for me to change forms."
Greeting her politely, Bai Luo stuck the katana into the dirt beside him and switched to the Battousai class.
He had seen the trial requirements. Since merely touching Teruyo would complete the trial, it implied this Tengu maiden's speed was absolutely terrifying.
In that case, Battousai was a very suitable class to counter her.
Even if he couldn't kill her, he could injure her using the Nine-HeadedDragonFlash (Kuzu-ryūsen) to get the guaranteed reward.
The binding effect of Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki (Heaven's Soaring Dragon Flash) was a powerful ability that even the Raiden Shogun and Rex Lapis had suffered from; naturally, it would be more than enough to deal with a Tengu.
In an instant, a splash of bright red appeared in the dark-toned forest.
The black that had blended into the mountain woods was replaced by red holding an oil-paper umbrella.
A faint scent of plum blossoms drifted out, suppressing the smell of decaying leaves in the forest and lighting up the eyes of Teruyo on the opposite tree branch.
"Interesting."
Collapsing the oil-paper umbrella and securing it at his waist, he picked up the [Rusty Katana] the Tengu maiden had thrown on the ground.
The trial's requirement was for him to use this "Blade of Tetanus" to cut down the Tengu.
Preparation complete. The System prompt arrived.
[Challenge Start!]
Instantly, the invisible wall between them vanished. Spreading her wings, the Tengu maiden darted into the forest like a bolt of black lightning.
Several rays of sword light landed on the spot where she had just been sitting.
Flipping in mid-air, a longbow appeared in the Tengu maiden's hands.
Drawing the bow and nocking an arrow—it was done in one smooth motion.
The arrow turned into a streak of light, heading straight for Bai Luo's face.
"You're allowed to fight back?"
After knocking the arrow away, Bai Luo protested somewhat helplessly.
There were only five minutes. If she fought back, the difficulty increased further.
"You're much trickier to deal with than that stone-like fellow, Douin, was back then."
The Tengu maiden made a playful face. With a flap of her wings, she fired several more arrows.
She retreated while shooting, giving Bai Luo almost no chance to get close.
Bai Luo finally understood why Mikoshi Douin, a guy with such a broad and open fighting style, created a move like TenguSweeper that resembled the Nine-Headed Dragon Flash.
Faced with such a cheeky opponent, even Bai Luo couldn't help but want to hit her with a Nine-Headed Dragon Flash.
But there was still plenty of time left in the trial. Bai Luo had to suppress the urge to fire one off immediately and maximize his benefits.
Under the moonlight, the maiden's bell-like laughter echoed through the forests of Mt. Yougou, accompanied by the twang of her bowstring.
As for Bai Luo...
Although he was familiar with Mt. Yougou, he was only familiar with the damaged version from centuries later.
In this lush forest, he couldn't compare to the bird-like agility of the Tengu maiden.
Despite her speed, she was intimately familiar with every branch, every hollow, and every structure.
She could soar freely through these woods even with her eyes closed.
Because she was the guardian of Mt. Yougou's forests, Teruyo of the Tengu clan!
And this place was also the beginning of her ill-fated relationship with that man.
Your sword has now surpassed even the speed of a Tengu.
I will never forget every day of dueling with you over these thirteen years.
Thinking back now, I gave you a new name in hopes that you could break free from the curse of the Oni blood.
The non-human bloodline has become increasingly thin following that war.
After all, we non-human beings should not covet a human's peaceful end, but you are different.
The current you is "Iwakura," no longer the "Mikoshi" who bears the Oni blood.
So, farewell, Douin.
Forget me.
Then, with your sword, forge a path that belongs solely to the Iwakura bloodline!
Releasing an arrow, the Tengu maiden skillfully dodged the sword light slashed out by Bai Luo.
Just like in those years, when she dodged Mikoshi Douin's sword lights.
But in the next instant, while soaring with spread wings, she was fixed in mid-air by a special force.
Looking at Bai Luo, he had already sheathed his sword and assumed a Battou (draw) stance.
"This is..."
In her eyes, Bai Luo's blood-red figure seemed to overlap with that stoic young man.
"Iwakura Art: Secret Sword: Tengu Sweeper!"
Actually, Bai Luo never needed to shout the names of his skills.
He shouted them purely to act cool.
So even though the name he called out was TenguSweeper, the skill he released was undeniably the Nine-Headed Dragon Flash.
Watching that lightning-fast red figure.
The Tengu maiden sighed slightly, seeming to lament being defeated by this move once again.
But the curve of her lips showed she had enjoyed herself thoroughly.
To relive this memory in this way.
It was truly wonderful.
The sword light flashed past. The longbow in the Tengu maiden's hand shattered, but she didn't feel the expected pain.
The red figure caught the powerless Tengu maiden falling from the sky and landed steadily on the ground.
"Sorry about that. This move is easy to miss with; I used to hit minions with it all the time."
The red figure removed the cat-face mask, revealing a face that still carried a hint of youthfulness and a shy smile.
This made that slightly hideous cross-shaped scar look less terrifying.
[Detected that you have fulfilled the condition "Cut Down". Do you wish to complete the trial?]
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