Here in the infinite multiverse, the viewers outside the light curtain immediately began to discuss what they had seen.
Tawara Touta! The Dragonslayer of the Far East, a warrior of incredible tales who had once slain a dragon.
Although this was just a legend, and the dragons of Nihon leaned more towards being serpentine—quite different from the dragons of Shenzhou and the West—in the world of Type-Moon, bearing the title of "Dragonslayer" likely granted Tawara Touta himself a faint anti-dragon attribute.
Of course, Tawara Touta's appearance, while unexpected, wasn't a total shock.
What truly stunned the audience of the infinite multiverse was Tawara Touta's description of the mysterious altar and the idol that had nearly granted him a physical body.
---o---
[Light Curtain Commentary]
All Riejuu Should Explode: "Just an idol was able to do something only the Holy Grail should be capable of. The god behind this… what kind of existence is it?"
Detective Conan: "A deity that surpasses Amaterasu and Zeus? How is that possible? Amaterasu might not be much, with her fame limited to Nihon and its vicinity, but Zeus is different. In a sense, he should be the most famous chief god on Earth. Could this be an alien god?"
L: "An alien god… Hmph, that's certainly a possibility. No, I should say this is an alien god. Or, to use a more familiar name, it would be better to call her… an Aeon from the Honkai: Star Rail universe."
Kurumi Tokisaki: "What? An Aeon!? Are you saying that idol is an Aeon? Don't tell me that just like the Aeon of Propagation, the Type-Moon world is under attack by an unknown Aeon?"
Herta: "Life, mercy, strange and alluring. Combined with Agravain's earlier mention of the Abundance Abominations, there's no mistake. This crisis originates from the Aeon of Abundance… Yaoshi."
Jing Yuan, General of the Luofu: "Hmph, the Voracity of Longevity and Plague… Is even its idol this bizarre? If its true form were to appear, what kind of scene would that be? Heh, to think I would find traces of it within the light curtain's footage."
---o---
[On the light curtain, as the rescue mission proceeded, the group ventured deeper into the dungeon.]
Just then, Dr. Romani's urgent report sounded in their ears. "Everyone, bad news! A large-scale dynamic object has been detected on the surface!"
"Hassan of the Hundred Personas has probably started engaging the enemy! In other words, Lancelot has made his move!"
"Lancelot…" Hearing the knight's name, Hassan of the Cursed Arm's eyes darkened.
Although Hundred Personas' task was merely to create a diversion, her opponent was the strongest knight of the Round Table. One couldn't help but worry.
"Biological reading detected! Master, it's right behind this door."
Mash and Fou, perched on her shoulder, detected the life signs behind the door. Without a second thought, she smashed the door down and entered!
Then, a shocking scene unfolded before them.
Bloodstains on the floor, and instruments hanging on the walls…
"Miss Guinaifen!" Seeing this brutal scene, Mash couldn't help but cry out. The thought that Miss Guinaifen might have been tortured filled her heart with self-blame and a dull ache of pain.
"Ritsuka! Mash!" Seeing the newcomers, Guinaifen was both surprised and overjoyed. She never thought Ritsuka and the others would actually come for them.
Although she couldn't sense the specific passage of time in the dungeon, she knew it was still a long way from the three-day limit. She hadn't expected them to be so quick, which was completely beyond her expectations.
The cell door was easily smashed open by Mash's large shield. While the cell had a powerful restraining ability, it was only effective against those trapped inside; it had no effect on people outside the cage.
After successfully rescuing her, Mash said with a tense expression, "Miss Guinaifen, are you alright? Lancelot, he didn't do anything to you, did he?!"
Seeing the bloodstains on the floor, Mash's heart was tormented. The thought that this might be Lancelot's doing made the pain even worse.
Guinaifen shook her head and looked towards the weakened Hassan of Serenity. "I'm fine, but Serenity, she…"
The bloodstains on the floor were the work of the knight who had been interrogating Hassan of Serenity before Guinaifen arrived. However… even after using every torture method, they couldn't get Serenity to open her mouth.
Because of this, the knight eventually gave up on the harsh interrogation, intending to let Serenity slowly die here.
"A knight of the Holy City? Using torture? They truly anger this young lady."
Hearing about Serenity's ordeal, everyone was filled with indignation. Li Sushang, a daughter of the Jianghu, could barely contain the anger in her heart.
It was at this moment that Guinaifen looked towards the back of the group, at the figure partially obscured by Hassan of the Cursed Arm, a figure much shorter in stature—Li Sushang.
"Shang… Shangshang?"
Almost as if she couldn't control her own emotions, the name escaped Guinaifen's lips uncontrollably. Her eyes were even filled with a hint of tears.
Seeing this, Li Sushang was completely dumbfounded.
"Huh?"
Shangshang? What kind of name is that? Is she calling me?
Puzzled, she touched her own head, feeling like her brain wasn't quite working.
"Miss, may I ask… have we met before?"
"..."
Li Sushang's words brought Guinaifen back to reality. Although she looked identical, this was not the Li Sushang she knew.
The "Big Pillow Li" she knew was a goofy, clumsy girl who took half a day just to lift her sword. How could she possibly be the same person as this powerful-looking woman who radiated the air of an immortal?
But… even so, seeing a familiar face again in this completely foreign world, especially after being captured for two days, was enough to make Guinaifen's emotions crumble.
"Hah… S-sorry about that, miss. You just look a lot like a friend of mine, so I made a mistake."
Guinaifen took a deep breath, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions as she spoke to Li Sushang.]
---o---
Throughout the infinite multiverse, countless viewers fell silent as they watched the change in Guinaifen's emotions.
In a sense, Guinaifen's situation was truly tragic.
She had been inexplicably transported from the Xianzhou Luofu, the safest place in the entire cosmos, to this land on the brink of doomsday. She met a group of people who shared the same names as her brothers and sisters, only to find out they were villains who massacred civilians. When she finally saw a familiar face, it was just a counterpart from another world, a similar flower.
Anyone in this situation would probably have an emotional breakdown.
Yet, Guinaifen was able to suppress her own feelings. How could one not feel heartache for her?
Sushang (Cloud Knight): "Little Gui…"
On the Xianzhou Luofu, seeing Guinaifen's expression, Sushang's heart ached so much it was about to break. But the usually inarticulate girl could only watch the Guinaifen on screen, resolving herself to train hard with her sword to protect Little Gui.
Bone King: "A sense of loneliness, is it? All familiar names, familiar faces, yet not a single one is real. If it were me, I would definitely break down."
Himeko: "Sigh, I wonder what this child went through in her past. This kind of resilience is something even a forty- or fifty-year-old adult couldn't handle."
Wants to Drink Mei's Sister Juice: "Little Gui is so pitiful! Damn it, it's all the fault of those damn Knights of the Round Table! They're all bad guys!"
---o---
[On the light curtain, Guinaifen's attitude towards Li Sushang filled many of those present with suspicion.]
Ritsuka exchanged a glance with Da Vinci, her curiosity about the secrets surrounding Guinaifen growing even stronger. However, they were still in a dungeon. Although Ritsuka was dying to ask, now was clearly not the time.
"As long as Little Gui is okay. What about Serenity? How is she?"
With the help of Hassan of the Cursed Arm, the chains on Hassan of Serenity's body were slowly being removed.
It was at this moment that Ritsuka noticed Serenity's condition.
She had short purple hair, and her small, delicate body gave the impression of long-term malnutrition. She wore a black bodysuit and was fast asleep with her eyes closed.
Her appearance alone gave off a feeling of having suffered greatly, making one's heart ache for her and stirring a sense of pity in Ritsuka's heart.
Soon, Serenity was awakened by Cursed Arm's calls. The young woman opened her purple eyes and looked around in a daze, a cute and confused look on her face.
At the same time, the last chain on her body was broken by Cursed Arm's sharp blade.
Freed from her restraints, Serenity's body uncontrollably stumbled forward.
Ritsuka, who was standing in front of her, saw this and, in a moment of haste, instinctively stepped forward, stretching out her hands to catch her.
However, for some reason, upon seeing Ritsuka's action, a look of terror suddenly appeared in Cursed Arm's eyes, and he subconsciously tried to stop her.
The caught Hassan of Serenity also widened her eyes, an expression of disbelief on her face. She was stunned and terrified by Ritsuka's action.
All of this happened in a flash. Before Cursed Arm could stop her, Ritsuka was pushed to the ground by the weak Hassan of Serenity.
And then… perhaps due to the accident, Serenity's lips unintentionally met Ritsuka's. And just like that, in a place like this, Ritsuka lost her very precious first kiss.
Yet, Ritsuka was completely unaware of this. After catching Serenity, she subconsciously asked, "Are you okay? Can you move? Do you need me to carry you on my back?"
Without a doubt, Ritsuka was simply showing pure care and concern. After all, they were in enemy territory. They had to hurry up and escape.
However, her words and reaction left everyone present with an expression of disbelief.
Hassan of the Cursed Arm: "Uh, uh, Lady Ritsuka, are you… are you okay?"
This reaction and these words completely baffled Ritsuka, and a look of confusion appeared on her face. "Huh, me? What could be wrong with me?"
Mash: "Th-that, Senpai, and Serenity-san! Ah, ah…"
How could this be? How could this happen? I was the first one, whether it was meeting Senpai or traveling with her, I was always the first. But why did it turn out like this?
Looking at Ritsuka and Serenity pressed closely together, Mash's brain went into overload, and steam even started coming out of the top of her head.
It was at this moment that Hassan of the Cursed Arm explained to Ritsuka.
"Hassan of Serenity's Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya: Delusional Poison Body, can fatally poison any human who comes into contact with her body. Lady Ritsuka, you are now…"
"I've… killed my own savior." As Cursed Arm's words fell, Serenity, ignoring her current state, shed tears of anguish.
However, Ritsuka, who had touched Serenity, showed no strange reaction at all. She even looked at the crying Serenity with a bewildered expression, "It's… it's fine. It's just poison. Aren't I perfectly fine?"
It was at this time that Dr. Romani explained to everyone, "Don't worry, Ritsuka has a resistance to toxins. This should be an effect from Mash's shield, which protects its contractor from being afflicted by diseases."
Hearing the Doctor's explanation, Serenity stared blankly at Ritsuka. "You're not afraid… of my poison…"
She lowered her head and couldn't help but nuzzle into Ritsuka's embrace. "So… warm…"
As she spoke, a look of peace appeared on her face, as if her body and soul had been healed.
This intimate, needy action instantly made Mash's expression freeze, and her face turned awkward. "Th-that, this is enemy territory, Senpai. We should leave quickly…"
Hearing Mash's words, Ritsuka nodded. "Yes, we should hurry up and retreat now! If any Knights of the Round Table show up, we'll be in trouble…"
With that, Ritsuka picked up Serenity and gave her a piggyback ride, joining the others as they ran towards the dungeon exit. This left Mash feeling an indescribable sense of unease, though she didn't say much.
Hassan of Serenity had no mobility. At this moment, having Ritsuka carry her was undoubtedly the best choice.
And Serenity,趴 on Ritsuka's back, clung tightly to her, her head buried in Ritsuka's back, breathing in her scent with her nose. It seemed this warmth was intoxicating to her.
For Hassan of Serenity, her body was filled with poison, making it impossible for ordinary people to get close. Even the other Hassans, with their high poison resistance, could not touch her body.
This had caused Serenity to yearn for a warm embrace since she was a child, to long to play with friends like a normal person. But the existence of her Delusional Poison Body would only lead to their deaths. Thus, Serenity could only cautiously avoid contact with others, living a life of solitude.
And Ritsuka, who had first saved her like a messiah and was then immune to the poison on her body, had dealt a heavy blow to Serenity's heart.
Her affection for Ritsuka skyrocketed, reaching an extremely intimate level.]
---o---