For several days in a row, Higokumaru seemed to be addicted to aburaage, always clamoring to go find aburaage to eat, but there was no more tofu.
Helpless, Inaba Tsukiyo and Yae Sakura could only embark on a journey to find aburaage, which made both Inaba Tsukiyo and Yae Sakura laugh and cry.
"You don't need to eat, yet you make us go find aburaage for you. Are you too hard to satisfy? Or were you a girl who liked to overeat in the past?"
"As for being a girl, I haven't felt that way since I was sealed. I don't even know how many years I was sealed, and then just when I was about to escape, I was sealed again by Kallen for five hundred years…"
"Oh? Is that so? Then why do you hate her so much? For you, aren't five hundred years just the time it takes to sleep?"
According to the settings of the monsters in the stories, the concept of time should be very unfamiliar to them.
"I always feel like you're thinking something strange. Even before Kallen sealed me, I was sealed for an unknown number of years. But do you know what it feels like to be sealed again when you're on the verge of freedom?"
Higokumaru was very angry. It was almost free, but Kallen messed things up, making it turn out this way.
If it weren't for Yae Sakura as a vessel, it would probably have to sleep for another few decades.
Inaba Tsukiyo glanced at Higokumaru. Because of its anger, its Honkai Energy had been continuously increasing since just now.
According to the saying about Herrscher's birth, each Honkai outbreak would produce a Herrscher. The Herrscher born in Changkong City should be Raiden Mei.
Then Higokumaru should be a Herrscher born in the very distant past… According to the usual candidates for Herrscher, this fellow should have been a girl before it became like this.
In Kallen's memory, Yae Sakura was infected by the Honkai crystal Kallen carried, and coupled with the brutal murder of her sister, she wished to kill everyone.
Higokumaru, sealed within the Honkai crystal, fulfilled Yae Sakura's wish, making her a Pseudo-Herrscher.
A monster of resentment—that was Inaba Tsukiyo's first impression of Higokumaru, and Kallen's impression of Higokumaru was the same.
But… did Higokumaru wish to destroy the world from the very beginning?
Inaba Tsukiyo fell into deep thought. What exactly was a Herrscher? A god of this world? Then what was that consciousness that appeared in her dream last time, wanting to reset the world?
Inaba Tsukiyo and Yae Sakura arrived near Senba Academy in Changkong City.
This massive academy's main gate had collapsed due to the Honkai, and there was a lot of blood on the ground.
"Hmm? Are there other survivors in the academy?"
Passing by the academy gate, Inaba Tsukiyo heard faint sounds from inside the academy, which made her curious. Were there still so-called survivors in this academy?
This was very strange. How lucky must a person be to survive this level of Honkai Beast?
"Sakura… there are people here. Let's go take a look."
"What's there to see? They're just some folks struggling on the edge of the Honkai. If they're lucky, they haven't been infected yet. They might even be turning into Death Soldiers soon."
Higokumaru let out a big yawn. It wasn't very interested in survivors; it just wanted Inaba Tsukiyo and Yae Sakura to find aburaage.
Yae Sakura, who had been silent, suddenly noticed something and turned to quickly run into the academy.
Inaba Tsukiyo followed behind Kallen. Although there were a few Death Soldiers inside the academy, they could easily be dealt with.
[CRASH!]
The sound of breaking glass. On the top floor of the teaching building, a figure crashed through the glass and fell out. Yae Sakura leaped up and easily caught the person.
It was a Little Loli similar to Inaba Tsukiyo, dressed in a nun's habit and covered in blood.
Along with her, a giant golden cross also fell.
Yae Sakura held the Little Girl, while Inaba Tsukiyo came to the cross and gently touched it.
"Judah…"
Inaba Tsukiyo involuntarily uttered the name of the cross, 'oath of judah', which was Kallen Kaslana's former exclusive weapon.
Why could this Little Girl use the oath of judah? What was her relationship with Kallen? Kallen shouldn't have any descendants.
"Miss Inaba, she's poisoned! We must get her to a safe place quickly."
"…I understand."
The situation was urgent; there was no time to ponder the identity of this Little Girl who had suddenly appeared. Inaba Tsukiyo and Yae Sakura quickly carried her away from there.
Yae Sakura stayed by the Little Girl's side to care for her, while Inaba Tsukiyo prepared some thin porridge for her to drink.
However, despite Yae Sakura dedicating all her attention to caring for her, the other party showed no signs of recovery, and even became increasingly critical.
At this moment, her body temperature was frighteningly high, and she was sweating profusely.
"You already know she can't be saved, so why are you still doing this?"
The Little Girl was poisoned by the Herrscher. Trying to cure the poison in the Little Girl's body was completely useless.
"Herrscher's poison… has no antidote. If humans had developed an antidote for Honkai, there wouldn't be so many Death Soldiers on the streets. Give up; her death is only a matter of time."
The purpose of a Herrscher's existence is to eliminate humans. Normal humans who come into contact with Herrscher's venom die immediately.
But this Little Girl could last this long, yet she was in immense pain now. Unless she was completely healed or died, there was no way to relieve the suffering.
"Herrscher's poison… I wonder if it can be 'killed'."
Since humans haven't developed an antidote for Herrscher, it's unknown if Herrscher's poison belongs to the type that can be killed.
Speaking of which, Inaba Tsukiyo opened her eyes, and the blue pupils from that night reappeared.
Although she really wanted to 'kill' the toxins in the other party's body, Inaba Tsukiyo's control over this move had not yet reached that level.
The reason she was able to sever the link between Yae Sakura and Higokumaru before was because there was a clear difference between the two, but the Honkai toxins in this girl's body had already integrated into her blood.
Seeing Inaba Tsukiyo close her eyes again, Yae Sakura was silent for a moment, then went to the bed and silently picked up the Little Girl.
"You want to save her? Impossible. Herrscher's toxins aren't that simple. Are you going to sacrifice yourself? Don't joke around, just because she has Kallen Kaslana's aura?"
"Anyway, I have no more attachments, so what else is there for me to cherish?"
Yae Sakura shook her head. As she was about to kiss her, Inaba Tsukiyo suddenly swung her blade, stopping Yae Sakura.
"...As expected, you were going to stop me in the end, Inaba... no, Tsukiyo."
"I... I don't know why I did this. It's like I couldn't control my hands; I didn't want you to die."
Her actions just now were entirely unconscious, as if her subconscious didn't want Yae Sakura to die.
Yae Sakura looked at Inaba Tsukiyo with some surprise, then, realizing something, a brilliant smile bloomed on her face.
"I understand now. Thank you, Tsukiyo. You allowed me to realize in the end that even after five hundred years, even if Kallen is no longer here, she still cares about me."
"...Is that so? Was it because of Miss Kallen that I couldn't help but intervene? I think I understand this girl's secret now."
No wonder Yae Sakura could feel Kallen's aura on her, and no wonder she herself felt a familiar sensation from the other person.
If she wasn't mistaken, someone must have used Kallen's genes, combined with the blood of some powerful creature, to bring this special human into existence.
Yae Sakura recalled her time with Kallen; though not long, it was the happiest period of her life.
It was just... the memory of her completely losing herself and confronting Kallen on that last night made Yae Sakura feel a bit lost.
"Tsukiyo... if, if you can see Kallen through the Stigmata's memories, then please tell her for me: the maiden named Yae Sakura still loves her. And also... I'm sorry."
Perhaps it was an apology for her own sins, or perhaps an apology for the disaster that resulted from Kallen protecting her; tears streamed down Yae Sakura's face.
Without hesitation, Yae Sakura's cherry lips and the maiden's cherry lips touched.
Immediately after, Yae Sakura's rabbit ears began to dissipate, her body became transparent, and finally, she completely vanished.
"Choosing to sacrifice oneself for the most important person... if there were more humans like this, then perhaps this world could become gentler."
After Yae Sakura disappeared, Higokumaru also couldn't remain for much longer.
"Hey... human, your aburaage was delicious. If possible, I hope you can make aburaage for me next time we meet."
"...I look forward to it."
With that, Higokumaru also vanished into the air, leaving only Inaba Tsukiyo and the Little Girl, whose condition had improved, in the room.
Inaba Tsukiyo went to the Little Girl's side, covered her with a blanket, and reached out to caress her cheek.
At this moment, she no longer felt the discomfort from before, simply lying peacefully on the bed as usual.
"Drip, drip."
Tears fell onto the girl's face. Touching her eyes, she realized she had been crying without knowing when.
"This emotion... it's truly troublesome. But... your identity is also very special."
If she was truly a human born from Kallen's blood, then Inaba Tsukiyo could almost figure out who created her.
A man with golden hair and green eyes appeared in her mind.
"Otto..."
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