"Because they desire to soar in the sky."
Shi Tian did not wait for the Flame Reaver's response. The latter was already ready to fight, giving a few seconds to listen to his "folly".
Clearly, he saw Shi Tian's words as meaningless.
'Talk-no-jutsu doesn't work in real life… then so be it.'
If he couldn't yap his way through, then he would just fight while he yaps!
Clang-!
Crack-!
The two daggers crossed to block one of the Flame Reaver's mirror phantoms. Its force sent cracks to the otherwise sturdy city wall.
"I am the bone of my sword."
Shi Tian wasn't pushed back. He bolted straight towards the Flame Reaver's position. Another phantom appeared in his way to hinder his path.
"Steel is my body and fire is my blood."
He threw the two daggers straight to him.
Shiing-!
Shatter-!
Three flashes emerged midair. The mirror phantom shattered like glass.
"I have created ten thousand swords, unknown to death, nor known to life."
Kanshou and Byakuya returned to his grasp.
Hum-!
Hum-!
Mid-air, Noble Phantasms were created. These weapons are aplenty—Longinus, Excalibur, Arondight, amidst the few.
"I withstood the pain to create many weapons…"
Sou-!
Boom-!
As these Noble Phantasms descended, Shi Tian controlled their self-destructions. The narrow city wall was instantly filled with a cloud of dust. Stones and bricks flew from all over the place.
"...Yet these hands will never hold anything."
"There! An explosion!"
The soldiers finally noticed the red-robed man as well as the black-robed man. The crumbling top portion of the city walls revealed their figures to them.
With every explosion, the Flame Reaver's phantom was destroyed.
"So as I pray…"
He raised the flat edge of his sword, readying to launch an attack towards Shi Tian.
It is destined to be futile.
"Unlimited Blade Works."
Hum-!
To the outside world, they only saw a flash of white light before the two robed men disappeared.
To the Flame Reaver, however, he was welcomed by the world of cogs and swords.
The wind blew parts of the sand in their feet.
"There was once a man who asked that question. A Deliverer, just like you."
"Deliverer…"
"His world was fraught with an unstoppable calamity. He could do nothing but watch it fall to Finality."
He only stopped for a few seconds. His sword still raised, a dozen mirror phantoms appeared out of thin air.
Shi Tian wasn't to be outdone. The speed at which new Noble Phantasms appeared greatly increased inside Archer's Reality Marble (i.e., Domain). A round of "volley fire" destroyed most of his phantoms.
Seeing him weakened, Shi Tian continued telling the story.
"They barely succeeded against Finality's envoy. Barely, because nearly all intelligent life was wiped off the face of his planet."
"..."
"With the surviving 30,000 humans, they underwent a new cycle."
Shi Tian treated the Flame Reaver like a beating up an unwilling audience. Every time he wanted to stir up trouble, he was shot with projected swords. Their frequency decreased, as per the 'limits' of the Archer [Memoria], but it was still enough to maintain superiority over him.
Shi Tian told him the summarized version of Kevin's struggles. He could see that the Flame Reaver lessened his attacks as time went by. It was nine parts powerlessness and one part of being convinced.
Kevin's struggles are a mirror of Phainon's. Kevin's saving grace was the existence of Fu Hua and Su by his side. Phainon has none of them, making his mental deterioration much worse.
Upon reaching the part where Kevin sacrificed himself for humanity's victory, Shi Tian concluded:
"It was not because of helplessness nor foolishness did birds fly. Despite knowing their impending end, they flew as proof they had reached the skies. Their struggles are not meaningless, for they showed everyone else that it can be done."
Right after these words, lines of words appeared in his sight.
[Memoria recorded successfully. The entry "Deliverance" has been added.]
'Good. I can use this for later...'
Shi Tian dispersed the Reality Marble. The Flame Reaver, who only had a pint of strength remaining, disappeared out of thin air. His actions reminded Shi Tian of an unkillable Boss who returned time and time again.
This time, he felt the Flame Reaver's reduced hostility.
"Halt! Who goes there!"
Clang-!
The speaking soldier was struck unconscious by Byakuya's handle. Shi Tian ran to the undestroyed city walls before jumping down. Kanshou tore through the wall's cement, decreasing the force behind his fall. He scaled the ten meter wall like this.
Whenever he met enemy soldiers, he used Caladbolg to create dust clouds. Shi Tian used this method until he strayed from Janusopolis.
"Goldie!"
Seeing Tribbie approach from the sky, Shi Tian undid his transformation. He returned to his child form as he jumped onto Tribbie's ship.
"I saw it from above. You cut off their generals."
"Yes. Janusopolis will fall without a leader. Even if someone tries to stand up as one, they won't be as authoritative as the previous leaders. I believe the Imperator knows it is time to strike."
True to his words, Okhema's army that was stationed outside moved forth. The lack of generals led to the city-state's chaos, in turn their surrender.
In the fifth month of the year 3069, Okhemian forces conquered the religious city-state.
*****
Three years passed.
The 'events' that occurred within this timeframe were far more chaotic than the peaceful years.
One, Cerydra's conquest of city-states under the banner of Flame-Chase never stopped. She formed an alliance with the Castrum Kremnos. She also ordered for the border between the mountain valley to be breached, starting Hyperborea's mass migration. More than half of available resources and manpower went to this endeavor.
The other half went to quell the chaos made by other Chrysos Heirs. Cerydra wasn't the sole leader of 'coalitions'. There are ambitious people amidst other Chrysos Heirs who waged war amongst each other.
It was during this time that Tribios' avatars suffered another decrease. My presence decreased her losses, but it was still there. The times I can act was limited to once every six months.
Out of her one thousand avatars, only three hundred remained. It is a far-cry from the three that remained after the conclusion of the Second Chrysos War.
The gentle sea breeze wafted to my nose.
I looked beside me. Hysilens stared at the shore with a complex look. Black Tide creatures rose on the ocean one after another, filling the sea shore with an endless expanse of black.
What was once her home turned into a den of monsters. Behind them is the Ocean Titan, Phagousa.
In the original story, the first instance of Flame-Chase was Seliose's grand slaying of the Sky Titan, Aquila. Only after her did Terravox slay the Earth Titan, and then Hysilens' ascent as the Ocean Demigod after Phagousa's death. It was also the time Cerydra died.
"Don't think much about it. We… will grant them eternal rest."
"Mhm."
My sight spanned through the army Cerydra brought today. The cliff we stood on has a high vantage point, capable of viewing both the Black Tide's monster wave and the Imperator's troops.
There are exactly five hundred of her finest and most trusted troops—all with the identity of a Chrysos Heir. I almost let out my guilt when I looked at Hysilens.
Our impending plan excluded her. Though Cerydra is not to be outdone. I also left her out on something else.
Today's grand execution must play out as I have written...