To Become a King and a Magician 776-770

Title: Don’t Think About Dying So Easily

Flames burning in the darkness.

Freezing air enveloping in the light.

Around Tomoe and Naoki, two utterly opposing elements clashed.

(Lord ■■ wants to kill me.)

Tomoe realized this fact clearly at that moment.

(But why?)

Though her sanity had crumbled, Tomoe was still utterly convinced that this time, she had to fight by Lord ■■’s side until the end, burning away all who stood in his path.

Thus, only Lord ■■ would never betray her. Only Lord ■■ would always be with her!

So why?

*SWISH!* *SWISH!* *SWISH!*

A flash of icy blue streaked through her vision. Naoki, standing in the light, charged straight at Tomoe. The daylight-like radiance expanded in sync, its beams illuminating her once more.

Then—

*KRAK!*

The naginata in Tomoe’s hands froze instantly. The piercing cold abruptly calmed her madness toward Lord ■■. She immediately leaped back.

But that was an impossible feat.

*KRAK!*

Along with the frozen naginata, the Absolute Zero air unleashed by Naoki encased Tomoe’s hands and feet. At that moment, she was an ice statue, unable to move.

Naoki had no intention of wasting time with Tomoe. If he was to free her, he couldn’t let her linger in this state even for a second.

*PU-CHI!*

His arm pierced through her chest. Blood and flames mingled, gushing from Tomoe’s back.

Aiming for her Spirit Core, Naoki delivered a fatal strike.

*KRAK!*

Shattering the frozen Spirit Core, Naoki withdrew his hand from Tomoe’s body. He supported her limp, collapsing form: “That’s enough, isn’t it, Gozen?”

The key to a Servant’s existence is the Spirit Core. The same held true for Heroic Spirit Swordsmen. Though they possessed immortality that allowed recovery even from decapitation, if the Spirit Core sustaining their existence was destroyed, no immortality could save them.

And the karma of Slaughtering All Things embedded in Tomoe’s Spirit Core was destroyed by Naoki along with it.

The blood-red hue in her eyes receded like a tide. Leaning helplessly in Naoki’s arms, Tomoe gazed at the Lord ■■ holding her: “You... you are... Naoki... Naoki-sama?”

“Huh?” Naoki was startled. “You... you remember me, Gozen?”

“Yes... because... I... am... Ugh... Uruk...”

“Wait a second! Don’t talk yet!”

Hearing Tomoe’s voice growing fainter, Naoki hurriedly stopped her. Supporting the back of her head, he pressed his lips to hers. Through their mucous membrane contact, a vast amount of Mana flowed from him into Tomoe’s body. Simultaneously, the same Fairy Protection he’d given Musashi entered her as well.

Under the immense Mana and Fairy Protection, the hole in Tomoe’s chest where Naoki had struck began healing at a visible rate. Even her shattered Spirit Core miraculously started reforming, bit by bit.

“Ugh... Haah...”

After injecting Mana equivalent to half his reserves into Tomoe, Naoki stopped the flow and lifted his head: “That should do it, Gozen. Feeling better?”

“Ah... Ugh... Hmm...”

Tomoe, her face now completely flushed, could only nod. Clearly, she was in a state of confusion from the massive mental shock—though Naoki was the Lord she’d sworn to dedicate her life to in this summoning, she was, after all, another man’s wife. Being forcibly kissed like this was truly...

(No, don’t think strange thoughts, Gozen! Naoki-sama only did this out of necessity! It was to save your life! Don’t ever measure Naoki-sama’s good intentions with petty thoughts!)

Yes, that’s right, it had to be.

Quickly calming and reassuring herself, Tomoe stood from Naoki’s embrace: “I’m sorry, Naoki-sama, for making you expend so much Mana for Gozen.”

“Mana’s not an issue for me. What matters is that you’re safe.” Naoki waved his hand. “So... you’re really the Tomoe Gozen I knew from the Seventh Singularity?”

Tomoe nodded: “Yes, Naoki-sama.”

Servants don’t carry memories from previous summonings, but if they don’t return to the Throne of Heroes and maintain their existence in the world, that’s a different story. Like Morgan, Mordred, Atalanta, and Artoria.

They were all Servants who remained in the world after the Holy Grail War ended.

However, Tomoe’s situation wasn’t entirely the same.

“After the Seventh Singularity collapsed, I didn’t return to the Throne of Heroes... Or rather, I thought I would, but for some reason, when I came to, I was already in this somewhat unfamiliar Japan.”

“Were you re-summoned?” Naoki speculated. “But re-summoning only targets the Heroic Spirit itself. Your situation... it’s like you were accidentally transported here. Then what happened?”

“I was attacked.”

Tomoe said: “Not long after arriving here, I was ambushed by a Heroic Spirit Swordsman. He was truly an extraordinary swordsman. I lost and fell. Just when I thought I’d be killed, a Magus appeared before me, implanted something into my Spirit Origin, and then...”

“You became Archer Inferno, right?”

“Yes.”

Tomoe looked slightly remorseful. Though she’d been implanted with karma, turning her into an evil Oni, she remembered—the crimes she’d committed, how she herself had turned all of Hitachi Province into a land of death.

“Naoki-sama, could you... could you let Gozen die?” Tomoe pleaded. “I’ve committed unforgivable sins, carried out unforgivable slaughter. These are no longer sins Gozen can atone for, so—”

“You want to die to atone for your sins?”

Naoki frowned.

“Logically, yes, you should be killed to atone for the crimes you’ve committed—but how much is one life worth? The hundreds of thousands of lives in Hitachi Province—do you think your single life can make up for them?”

“T-That’s... not what I meant...”

“Then don’t think about dying. Your death here would be utterly meaningless. The dead won’t come back because of it, and the future won’t change because of it. Instead of wasting time on suicide, use your time in this world to save as many people as possible.”

Naoki didn’t believe that those who kill must die.

If it was a crime of killing without remorse, sure, they should be shot dead to prevent further harm to others and the world.

But if it was Tomoe...

She didn’t kill intentionally but committed great crimes under someone or something’s control. She shouldn’t be allowed to die so easily. She must live, bearing her sins, guilt, and regret, and atone through her actions.

“Besides, even if we take a step back—Archer Inferno, not you, destroyed Hitachi Province. And I just killed her.”

“That’s just your sophistry.” Tomoe shook her head. “But... what you said makes sense. If I die like this, it’d look like I’m running away.”

This was common in the military. Soldiers who committed grave mistakes weren’t executed but were allowed to atone through meritorious deeds.

Tomoe understood Naoki’s intent in letting her live.

“I understand, Naoki-sama.”

“Just like in Uruk, or the vow I made to you back then—it still holds now. Until this summoning of Gozen ends, I will do my utmost for you and for the many who died due to my negligence, powerlessness, and weakness.”

-

Title: This Is an Artifact from a Shounen Manga!

As Naoki and Tomoe reached a cooperative agreement on their side.

On Musashi’s side.

*CLANG!*

Accompanied by a swift and powerful thrust, though blocked by both swords, Musashi was still pushed back by Inshun’s spear strike. She skidded across the ground before coming to a stop.

“Huh... So strong... Truly worthy of being that Houzouin Inshun.”

During her travels through many worlds, Musashi had heard of Houzouin Inshun’s name.

The second-generation successor of the Houzouin-ryū spear style. Though he left no record of battling others, honing his spear technique solely to surpass humanity’s limits, he refined it to the realm of gods and Buddhas.

In the path of martial arts, his opponent’s mastery far exceeded Musashi’s current level.

“Even after using Naoki’s swords, I should be stronger...”

The two swords Naoki reinforced for Musashi were essentially equivalent to Noble Phantasms. Just by holding them, she gained Fairy Protection, capable of cutting anything she desired and killing anything that defied common sense.

With these swords as her weapons, the duel between Musashi and Inshun was no longer one-sided. The Heroic Spirit Swordsman’s immortality would vanish. Both would die from a single fatal blow, returning to the purest form of combat.

Naoki had given Musashi such a massive advantage, yet despite this overwhelming edge in weaponry, she was still losing.

(I’m the one holding back...)

Precisely because Inshun’s spear techniques dominated her swordsmanship, she couldn’t win.

(How pathetic of me!)

*CLANG!*

Seeing a vertical strike descend from the sky, Musashi quickly crossed her swords to meet it. Deflecting the spear’s thrust with a clashing slash, she swiftly closed in on Inshun, swinging both swords upward from below!

*PU-CHI!*

A gash appeared on Inshun’s side—too shallow.

Musashi had aimed to pierce his stomach.

Her skill wasn’t on par with Inshun’s. If she fought the true Inshun, Musashi would undoubtedly lose.

But she wasn’t facing Inshun now. By his own admission, he was a Heroic Spirit Swordsman, Lancer Purgatorio, a demon bearing the karma of Piercing All Things.

Though he wielded the same spear techniques as Inshun, he wasn’t the real him. His skill was diminished by his crazed mental state—a flaw that raw power and speed couldn’t compensate for, especially in a duel like this.

Musashi’s swords weren’t incapable of touching Inshun.

*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*

Spear and swords clashed again. Sparks flew. The chaotic dance of swords and spears gradually filled the space around them. Sword light and spear shadows raged like a storm, relentlessly tearing and shattering everything nearby.

*PUCHI!*

*PU-CHI!*

The sounds of flesh being wounded echoed. Musashi and Inshun kept sustaining injuries. Both had the ability to kill the other with a single strike, but both were equally wary of a fatal blow from their opponent.

To avoid that certain death, to guard against that fatal strike, minor wounds were no concern.

They exchanged injuries with that mindset.

But—

(If this keeps up... I’ll die!)

Having accumulated countless small wounds, Musashi realized this.

Though for various reasons they were now evenly matched, Musashi was human—a human with limits. She couldn’t fight endlessly like Inshun.

If she kept taking wounds like this, she’d die from blood loss!

*PU-CHI!*

The spear’s tip flashed before Musashi’s eyes. A sharp pain struck her forehead. Her right eye gradually stained red.

(A wound on my forehead! My vision’s blocked by blood... Damn, I didn’t dodge completely!)

Retreating from the rapid exchange of attack and defense, Musashi panted—her vision obstructed, the worst possible situation. She couldn’t judge distance accurately, and attacks from beyond her sight would be hard to track.

Moreover...

(The blood loss is significant. My consciousness is starting to...)

Clutching her dizzy head, Musashi took a deep breath and bit her tongue to force herself to stay alert.

She couldn’t delay any longer. She had to end this fight as quickly as possible!

She had to truly kill Inshun!

*BUZZ!*

Golden light suddenly flared on Musashi’s twin swords. Like a swarm of asteroids orbiting a planet, they swirled and floated around her, then surged into the blades.

(This... My swords are responding to my will? No, this... Naoki?)

For no reason, Musashi felt as if Naoki were holding the swords with her from behind.

Naoki’s Fairy Protection didn’t just boost Musashi’s raw power. It granted strength proportional to her resolve. The stronger her will, the greater the power bestowed.

Mana Burst was merely its minimum threshold.

*SHUAAA!*

Light swirled around the twin swords. Musashi crossed them and swung instinctively!

The light sliced through space like a meteor!

*WHOOSH!*

With the boost from the Protection, Musashi’s speed doubled. She stabbed Inshun’s chest with the most straightforward strike and slashed!

The sensation of cleaving something reached her palms. At the same moment, Inshun’s bisected body turned into specks of light, floating toward the sky.

“Did I... win?”

Musashi was dazed. Blood loss dulled her judgment.

Naoki approached from nearby, having watched until now, and supported her swaying body: “Yeah, not bad. You did great, Musashi. I’m done on my side too.”

Green light, brimming with vitality, glowed in Naoki’s palm, gently covering Musashi’s wounds, healing them.

(Even with her swords reinforced, she’s still this battered. She’s got a long way to go to become the Musashi I know... Oh well. She fought hard. That’s good for her.)

“Naoki-sama.”

Tomoe approached: “Shall I assist her?”

“Yeah, I’ll leave her to you. I’m a bit awkward helping her—my hands might touch places they shouldn’t.” Naoki handed Musashi to Tomoe, summoning a fierce wind that lifted all three into the sky.

“Let’s head back, then.”

“Understood.”

In one night, two Heroic Spirit Swordsmen had been vanquished. Five remained.

(If I’m not mistaken, there should be a few at Tsuchiura Castle... I’ll check the situation tomorrow. For tonight, that’s enough.)

-

Title: So You’re a Cao Cao?

Musashi was awakened by the aroma of cooking.

As she opened her eyes, her nose immediately caught the scent of rice and meat being prepared.

Was someone cooking?

Looking at the familiar wooden ceiling, Musashi knew she must be lying in the wooden house in the jōkamachi. And if it was about who would cook for her here—

“Naoki?”

Turning her head toward the source of the aroma, Musashi saw Naoki and a white-haired woman in white standing by a stove that clearly didn’t belong to this era, busy preparing food like a married couple.

Hearing her voice from behind, Naoki turned: “Awake, Musashi? Sleeping all day— are you a pig?”

“Sleeping all day... Wait, I remember I...”

The last memory in her mind was the scene of her slashing Houzouin Inshun.

“I managed to cut down Inshun?”

“Yeah. After that, you passed out from blood loss. Slept until now. It took some effort to drag you back from outside.” Naoki said, approaching Musashi. “You’re really bold. I didn’t expect you to defeat Houzouin Inshun without getting hurt, but injuring yourself that badly—are you some muscle-bound woman who only thinks about attacking? Is all of Musashi’s swordsmanship just about striking and trading wounds?”

“Ugh... Uh... Well...”

Naoki’s aggressive tone made Musashi instinctively shrink back, her eyes drifting to the side: “I... guess I got carried away, or maybe I overestimated myself... Inshun’s spear techniques were so beautiful, I couldn’t help but want to fight him longer.”

“So you got yourself hurt that badly?”

“Mhm...”

“Are you an idiot?”

“I’m really sorry...”

Musashi’s head drooped so low it nearly buried itself in her chest.

Meanwhile, the white-haired woman—Tomoe—turned around: “Enough, Naoki-sama, don’t make things hard for Musashi-dono. To fight Inshun-dono to that extent and even land the final blow—that’s already a rare and commendable achievement.”

“If I praise her, she’ll get smug as hell.”

“Not smug! If anything, it’s my nose—wait, you’re...”

After instinctively retorting, Musashi suddenly realized who was speaking. She hurriedly rolled to the side, grabbing the two swords leaning against the wall: “Archer Inferno!? Why are you here!?”

“She’s no longer a Heroic Spirit Swordsman.” Naoki said. “It’s a bit complicated to explain. Musashi, calm down. I’ll explain slowly—Gozen, is lunch ready?”

“Yes, Naoki-sama. Everything’s prepared.”

“Then let’s eat while we talk.”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

A few minutes later.

“Nom nom... So you mean... nom... Lady Tomoe Gozen... nom... is back to normal?”

After listening to Naoki’s explanation, starting from the Seventh Singularity, Musashi spoke while devouring rice.

Naoki nodded: “After destroying the karma embedded in her Spirit Origin, Gozen returned to normal. The reason she’s still here is because I gave her a new Spirit Core—and, Musashi, finish the food in your mouth before talking.”

“Nom... Got it!”

After swallowing everything in her mouth, Musashi took a sip of water: “Alright, I understand. Nice to meet you, Tomoe-dono. I’ve long heard of your fame. I’m Miyamoto Musashi, currently staying with Naoki as his guest in this house. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“The pleasure is mine, Musashi-dono. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask Gozen for help. It’s the least Gozen, who remains in this world with a body burdened by grave sins, can do.”

“Yeah!” Musashi nodded with a smile. “But... Naoki, you’re really incredible.”

“What do you mean?”

“A Servant disappears once their Spirit Core is destroyed. I heard you say that before, but you managed to give Tomoe-dono a new Spirit Core, letting her stay in this world. What amazing method did you use?”

“Well...”

“Ugh...”

Hearing Musashi bring up this topic, Naoki immediately fell silent. Tomoe’s face flushed, her hands and feet fidgeting as if unsure where to place them.

Unaware of the shift in their demeanor, Musashi continued: “With such an incredible method, if you’d been there when I killed Inshun-dono, maybe he could’ve—”

“I’d never do that even if I died!”

Naoki abruptly cut off Musashi’s daydream.

Give Houzouin Inshun a new Spirit Core? Logically, it wasn’t an issue. He was a top-tier spear master whose skills reached the realm of gods and Buddhas. If restored, he’d be a great asset.

But Naoki couldn’t accept it physically. It might be a double standard, but he’d rather die than make mucous membrane contact with a man!

Seeing Naoki’s sudden strong reaction, Musashi was startled: “What’s with you? Why are you so against it...”

“Musashi-dono.” Tomoe, still blushing, whispered in her ear, “The method Naoki-sama used on me was...”

“Oh, oh... EH!?”

Hearing the method whispered in her ear, Musashi instantly turned as red as Tomoe: “T-That method?”

“What did you think it was?” Naoki said irritably. “That was the only way at the time, okay?”

“But still... I remember Tomoe-dono is Minamoto no Yoshinaka’s wife...”

Musashi looked at Tomoe: “Are you okay with this?”

“Gozen thinks it’s fine. After all, it was an emergency. Though I apologize to Yoshinaka-sama, I believe he’d understand given the situation.” Tomoe explained. “Moreover, for this summoning, Gozen has resolved to fight for Naoki-sama and live for Naoki-sama.”

“Wow... Such a mature response... That’s an adult for you...”

Hearing Tomoe’s heartfelt words, Musashi couldn’t help but lean toward Naoki and lower her voice.

“Naoki, I’ve got one question. Answer honestly.”

“What?”

“You... don’t tell me you’re into widows?”

Naoki: “??”

What was this idiot swordmaster saying?

-

Title: Run or Fight, Pick One

Musashi had asked a question that was genuinely hard for Naoki to answer.

Judging by the situation, what Musashi wanted to know was likely Naoki’s stance and feelings toward Tomoe.

After a moment’s thought, Naoki lowered his voice and replied, “I don’t have a thing for widows—it’s just that the person I like happens to be one.”

“!”

As if struck by lightning, Musashi’s body trembled violently. Her eyes widened slightly, staring at Naoki in utter disbelief, as if she’d just witnessed something indescribable.

Then, she gave Naoki’s shoulder a firm pat.

“Good luck…”

“Good luck with what?”

Naoki feigned ignorance and returned his voice to normal volume. “Back to the main topic. Since Musashi’s awake and lunch is done, it’s time to talk about serious matters.”

“About the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen.”

Hearing this, Musashi snapped out of her shock. “Any new information gathered?”

“More or less.” Naoki turned to Tomoe. “Gozen, since you were once a Heroic Spirit Swordsman, you must know some secrets. Any leads on the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen themselves or the mastermind behind your summoning?”

“Of course. Even without Naoki-sama’s reminder, Gozen intended to share everything I know with both of you.”

Tomoe gathered her thoughts. “There are seven Heroic Spirit Swordsmen in total. Since Gozen and Inshun-dono were defeated last night, there should be five left. Their taboo names are—Paraíso, Saṃghāta Hell, Kālasūtra Hell, Limbo, and Empireo.”

The five remaining Heroic Spirit Swordsmen weren’t much different from what Naoki knew. Though one or two were fuzzy in his memory, since this came from Tomoe, it should be reliable.

“As for their True Names… I’m sorry, Gozen was mad at the time and doesn’t know. We addressed each other by our taboo names.”

“I know this part.” Naoki interjected. “Based on the order Gozen mentioned, the True Names of the five Heroic Spirit Swordsmen should be Mochizuki Chiyome, Minamoto no Raikō, Shuten Dōji, Ashiya Dōman, and Yagyū Munenori.”

“Wait—”

Naoki’s explanation stunned Musashi and Tomoe. Not because he knew their True Names—both were used to Naoki seemingly knowing everything from time to time.

What shocked them were the True Names of the five Heroic Spirit Swordsmen.

Except for the first, the other four were legendary figures in Japanese history!

“Naoki, you… you’re sure you’re not mistaken?” Musashi’s face paled slightly. “The commander of the Minamoto clan, the Oni King of Mount Ōe, an Onmyōji as renowned as Abe no Seimei in the Heian era, and the grandmaster of Shinkage-ryū… What kind of monsters are these Heroic Spirit Swordsmen!?”

By comparison, Tomoe and Inshun seemed ordinary.

And Mochizuki Chiyome, on par with them as a Heroic Spirit Swordsman, was…

“Speaking of which, Mochizuki Chiyome was a ninja serving the Takeda family of Kai in the late Sengoku period. Due to family reasons, she was actually a Jinchūriki (vessel of power) for one of the Daimyōjin (Great Deities)… or rather, a vessel for part of its power.”

“One of the Daimyōjin?”

“Ibuki Daimyōjin from Mount Ibuki—or in other words, Orochi, the most famous Serpent God in Japanese mythology.”

“!!”

Musashi and Tomoe, shocked, gasped in unison.

Mochizuki Chiyome was a Heroic Spirit Swordsman linked to Orochi!?

“Isn’t this lineup of enemies a bit too extravagant?” Musashi couldn’t help but complain. “Naoki, let me confirm one more time—our goal is to fight the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen. That means we have to… take down all these ridiculously strong enemies you just listed?”

“Maybe.”

Naoki said, “It depends on the situation—honestly, for us, the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen aren’t enemies we always have to fight.”

Tomoe: “Eh?”

Musashi: “Huh?”

“Hard to understand? Think about it, and you’ll get it.” Naoki pointed to himself.

“Let’s start with my situation. Personally, I have no grudges or conflicts with the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen. I have no reason to fight them. As long as they don’t attack me, I’m too lazy to deal with them. Plus, I’m someone who ended up in this world by mistake. I don’t know when I’ll leave, and what happens here doesn’t really concern me.”

That was Naoki’s case.

“Then Musashi. Like me, you’re also someone who ended up in this world by mistake. You don’t know when you’ll leave for another world either. You have no personal vendetta against the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen. In theory, there’s no need to actively oppose them.”

That was Musashi’s case.

Among the three, only Tomoe might want revenge against the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen due to her past.

And the most critical point—

“Moreover, this world is a Lostbelt. A Lostbelt is a pruned world, stripped of its potential for growth, a world abandoned from the start, one that doesn’t matter if it’s destroyed. Even if we defeat all the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen, this world will still fall into stagnation equivalent to death for various reasons.”

“If that’s the case, why fight the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen?” Naoki’s voice sounded a bit cruel. “Musashi, if you think the enemy is unbeatable, running away is also an option. Even if all of Japan is slaughtered by the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen, I’ll ensure your safety until we leave. That way—”

*SLAP!*

Musashi suddenly slapped Naoki! Her eyes, filled with fury, glared at him sharply!

“Are those… your true feelings, Naoki?”

“Just giving you another option.” Naoki grabbed Musashi’s arm aimed at his face. “You have no blood ties to the people here. No need to risk your life for those destined to perish in this world—that’s all I’m saying.”

“Even though I’m in that situation myself, I’ll still fight the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen.”

“Huh?”

Musashi was confused by what Naoki was trying to say. “What are you getting at, Naoki? One moment you say we don’t need to fight, the next you say you will.”

“The reasons to fight and the reasons to run—I’m just analyzing both for you and want you to choose. Because if you get scared halfway through, I’m the one who’ll be in trouble.”

Naoki held up two fingers.

“Make your choice, Musashi.”

“Will you fight for the justice in your heart, to protect people you don’t know, to stop the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen’s slaughter, facing enemies you feel you can’t defeat?”

“Or will you prioritize your own safety, ignore these strangers, and wait for the time to leave this world?”

“Pick one, as you wish.”

Only then did Musashi understand.

Naoki was giving her a reason.

Emotionally, she couldn’t bear to see the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen continue their slaughter and wanted to protect those people. But these enemies were undoubtedly formidable—none she could face confidently. If she opposed them, she’d likely die.

A future where she’d definitely live, or one where she’d likely die.

Whatever she chose, Naoki had given her a reason, and he’d support her choice—whether protecting her or fighting alongside her.

“Something like this… you still need to ask?”

Musashi gripped the first finger Naoki extended. “If I run away here, I’ll live with guilt for the rest of my life!”

“Good.”

Dropping his cold expression, Naoki withdrew his hand. “That’s settled. Since you’ve chosen this, don’t ever think again that you might not win. Believe in your strength and the power I’ve given you.”

“Got it.”

-

Title: I’ve Really Been Holding Back My Strength

After that, Naoki, Musashi, and Tomoe began discussing how to deal with the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen.

Although in the storyline Naoki knew, Musashi ultimately defeated all the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen, the current situation wasn’t fixed and wouldn’t always unfold as he expected.

Thus, even with her swords reinforced by Naoki, Musashi could still lose.

To win in the end and defeat all the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen wreaking havoc on the world, what Musashi needed most now was—

*SLAP!*

Swatting away Musashi’s incoming fist, Naoki shook his hand, looking at her as she got back up from a distance with slight frustration. “That was completely useless. Are you seriously using the power of my Protection?”

The Protection Naoki had placed on Musashi’s weapons, and through them, on Musashi herself—Fairy Protection.

To boost Musashi’s strength in the most direct way, this was the only thing he could think of.

To help Musashi wield this Protection’s power more skillfully, Naoki was training her now. But the results…

“Of course I’m serious about using it! But I can’t do it like last night!” Musashi said with an innocent expression.

The Fairy Protection could grant Musashi a physical enhancement equivalent to Mana Burst. That was its most basic ability, its lower limit. And based on Musashi’s thoughts, it would also respond by granting new power.

Take last night, for example.

Driven by Musashi’s resolve to land a fatal blow on Inshun, the Protection gave her speed far beyond her norm and pushed the Magecraft inscribed on her swords—targeting spiritual entities and Quasi-Eternal Slaughter—to its limits, allowing her to cut Inshun down with a single slash.

Naoki hoped Musashi could reach a level where she could make the Protection grant her new power at will.

But…

“Deep down, you don’t see me as an enemy.”

“Because this is just training and sparring. I can’t genuinely have killing intent toward you, Naoki~~~”

After all, Naoki was the benefactor who’d let her freeload for a month, fed her for free, and given her new power. Musashi felt that unless Naoki truly hurt her feelings, she couldn’t muster killing intent toward him.

Why should friends kill each other?

“You’re impressive for not falling for it so far.” Naoki sighed in resignation. “Can I only rely on your spur-of-the-moment breakthroughs?”

“Hehehe, maybe I’m just the practical type. Training’s so-so, but on the battlefield, I’ll be super awesome!”

“I’m worried you’ll get killed before you can even activate the Protection’s power.”

Naoki poked Musashi’s forehead. “It’s fine once or twice, but if you keep thinking like this, something’s bound to happen sooner or later. Please value your life a bit more and think from every angle.”

“Naoki, you sound like a nagging mom.” Musashi teased. “Instead of me, what about your own preparations, Naoki? You’re facing that Oni.”

The Oni—Shuten Dōji.

In their pre-assigned battle plan against the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen, Naoki took on three of them alone, one being Shuten Dōji.

According to legend, she was the child of Orochi, the Dragon God’s offspring, also known as Ibuki Dōji—essentially, a different aspect of the same existence as the Servant Ibuki Dōji, but more focused on her Oni nature.

Drunk on wine, drunk on slaughter, drunk on corpses… A cruel demon obsessed with such things. That was Shuten Dōji, leader of many demons on Mount Ōe.

Even so, in terms of Servant class, she was undoubtedly a powerful foe—but only for Musashi and Tomoe.

“I could probably take her down in an instant?” Naoki said casually. “Not that I’m underestimating Shuten Dōji, but to fight me, you’d need to be at least on the level of a Divine Spirit entity. Otherwise, they’re not strong enough to withstand even one of my attacks.”

The first requirement to fight Naoki was to resist his Imaginary Manifestation. It was an authority of creation, equivalent to or even surpassing Divine Authority. If someone couldn’t even put up minimal resistance, the fight would lack any tension.

After that, physical capability was also a crucial factor.

Shuten Dōji had neither.

“Honestly, it’s no big deal for me to take down all five Heroic Spirit Swordsmen alone. It’s just a matter of five attacks.”

“Ugh… If only you were a bit weaker…”

Musashi felt a blow to her pride but quickly bounced back. “Wait, since you say the Heroic Spirit Swordsmen can’t withstand a single hit from you, doesn’t that mean I, who just took your punch—”

*BOOMMMMM!*

Before Musashi could finish, the desert created by Naoki’s Imaginary Manifestation was torn apart by his fist, leaving a massive rift.

A bead of cold sweat rolled down Musashi’s forehead.

“Think before you speak, idiot. Common sense should tell you I wouldn’t use my full strength in training. If I did, the shockwave from my punch alone could kill you seven or eight times over.”

“Don’t just throw punches that can kill people!”

“That’s why I held back. I controlled it to a level just enough to pressure you.” Naoki said, shaking his hand. “By the way, you should be able to do something similar with my Protection. For example, the airflow from your sword swings could cleave everything like a Musou—”

“Really!?”

Musashi’s eyes lit up.

Defeating enemies with the airflow from her sword swings… Musashi could hardly contain herself just imagining it.

“Come on! Naoki! Let’s keep going!”

Leaping from the ground, Musashi gripped her twin swords with excitement and fighting spirit!

Naoki gave a slight smile. “Good. That kind of fighting spirit is great. Keep going, then. Activate the Protection I gave you as much as you can.”

“Got it! Here I come!”

Musashi charged at Naoki, swords in hand. Whether due to a shift in her mindset, golden light began flowing from her blades, enveloping her body.

The Protection had activated!

But the next moment—

*SLAP!*

The overwhelming gap in strength sent Musashi flying again with a single blow.

Naoki: “…”

He was sure he’d held back his strength.