Chapter 160: Inverse God: Your Ritual, Huh?
The scene in the miko's eyes overlapped with that of five hundred years ago.
After being tormented by the nightmare samsara for hundreds of years, what did Yae Sakura feel towards Higokumaru, the culprit?
The miko herself wasn't sure.
Perhaps it was hatred?
Facing a shared time that transcended five hundred years, the entanglement of their grievances had long surpassed mere love and hatred.
In countless cycles, besides pain and despair, Yae Sakura hadn't been completely without gains; she had vaguely noticed certain things.
For instance, the other side of Higokumaru's soul, buried by hatred—the girl who felt like her younger sister.
Higokumaru didn't always play the role of the Yae Shrine Master to revel in Sakura's pain in every cycle. Whenever Yae Sakura couldn't bear it, Higokumaru would assume the role of Yae Rin in the plot, seemingly wanting to appreciate the drama from a different angle.
Even though it was only revealed subconsciously, Yae Sakura, being thoroughly entangled with Higokumaru, could perceive it.
It was like a little girl tugging at a maiden's sleeve, smiling and saying, 'Big sister, I'm done playing, let's rest now.'
It was precisely by perceiving this side that Yae Sakura's feelings towards Higokumaru completely changed.
However, this ineffable emotion was only present when facing 'Higokumaru' herself.
As for the Herrscher aggregate that remained after separating from the girl deep within her soul, leaving only murderous intent, destructive desire, and what was called pure malice.
Yae Sakura couldn't help but smile.
She smiled very happily, incredibly happily.
It was a smile she had never shown in five hundred years of occasional awakenings.
To Kiana's eyes, however, it made Kiana-kitty's fur instinctively bristle, caused her to slightly gasp, and she couldn't help but pull Mei and Bronya back half a step.
Single-celled organisms have the strongest intuition for danger~!
"Sakura Blossom — Scatter!"
A strangely mad voice echoed around the shrine. The next second, the miko's graceful figure vanished from her spot.
As if gaining terrifying propulsion, her figure, like a sharp blade, broke through atmospheric resistance. Countless flashes of blades and swords glinted upon the Corrupted Fox Demon, which was being suppressed by Rin and Silver Wing.
A streak of cherry-colored light galloped through the world of scattering sakura blossoms. Yae Sakura, with lightning-fast divine speed, slashed and cut the fox demon's body, leaving a nearly vacuumed trail in the air.
That fierce and terrifying onslaught, like a violent storm, left both Rin and Silver Wing stunned.
'Big sister / How is this 'Whiny Monster' so fierce?'
Streaks of cherry-colored light crisscrossed, complementing the pink and white petals floating in mid-air, as if performing some aesthetic ritual, a sacrifice.
A miko's ritual to a deity.
More precisely, it was the Inverse God Miko's ritual to a deity's apostle.
Yes, the Inverse God Miko!
'Didn't you want a ritual?'
'This old lady will give you a ritual!'
'Ritual!'
'Ritual!'
'Ritual!'
'Die!'
'Die!'
'Aren't you an aggregate of resentment?'
'Then receive my resentment?'
With her ultimate initiated, Yae Sakura went berserk with her slashes!
One flash, six flashes, twelve flashes, twenty-four flashes…
Seeing the continuously flashing cherry-colored light streams, Silver Wing's expression gradually grew strange.
'This Inverse God Miko of yours is something else. Are you flashing a bit too much with your ultimate?'
'Oh, she's saved up five hundred years of SP. Then it's fine.'
'Roar~~! Why! Why!'
The fox demon howled towards the sky, its body covered in gashes. Sakura Blossom was almost stained crimson by the demon's blood, turning into 'Crimson Sakura'.
Higokumaru, as the purely corrupted Herrscher personality, knew what was happening: Rin had awakened Yae Sakura. Yet, it still didn't understand why Rin had separated.
'Higokumaru, don't say I didn't give you a chance to surrender at the start. Rin, let's go!'
Silver Wing smiled, adjusted her position to activate the Kiana's Exam Permit emblem effect, and charged forward like a silver grinding cone. Plasma Shadow slashed across the fox demon's foreleg.
The greatsword, imbued with ice elements, released bone-chilling coldness from its icicles, freezing the lower limb wreathed in dark red flames, temporarily disabling its movement.
'Okay, big sister!'
Rin understood the state of the Herrscher personality; there was nothing to communicate, so she wouldn't hold back.
The girl threw streaks of flowing fire, shaped like magatama, which spun and fell onto the ground around Higokumaru. At the same time, Rin shouted a warning to Yae Sakura:
'Big sister!'
The ground beneath Higokumaru's feet and around it melted into magma-like imprints due to the magatama.
Her cherry hair fluttering, Yae Sakura moved away from Higokumaru's side.
In the next breath, blazing pillars of fire swept upwards, engulfing the entire area near the fox demon. This was an attack without reservation.
Two crimson flame magatama condensed and were thrown by Rin into Silver Wing's and Yae Sakura's bodies respectively—these were enhancement buffs for the two.
Having suffered a heavy blow from Rin, Higokumaru appeared somewhat disheveled.
'Higokumaru, watch closely, this is the ritual you like!'
Wielding Sakura Blossom, with its sharpest blade, Yae Sakura cut through the fox demon's ribs, forcefully piercing its abdomen.
She was using the method of a ritual sacrifice.
'Tsk, tsk, tsk.'
Silver Wing was speechless. Yae Sakura truly had the potential of a yandere.
Wielding Plasma Shadow, she tore through the superficial fur along the fox demon's left shoulder, piercing through the internal scapula.
And then, there was nothing more to say.
'Awoo~!'
The fox demon howled in agonizing pain, its face contorted, accompanied by a rain of blood. The remaining flowing flames on the ground evaporated the blood rain.
Battles within the Stigmata Space are very particular about home and away advantage.
Previously, Higokumaru controlled eighty percent of the Stigmata Space, with only twenty percent under Yae Sakura's control. This level of control would have been quite difficult for Silver Wing alone to manage.
However, after being divided by the [Tiger Talisman], Rin and Higokumaru each controlled forty percent. With Yae Sakura awakened, the two, Sakura and Rin, cooperated to directly overwhelm Higokumaru.
Its current external injuries were a manifestation of its gradually losing control of the Stigmata Space. Previously, the control ratio for Higokumaru was six to four (vs. others), now it was seven to three (others vs. Higokumaru).
Silver Wing and Rin were helping Yae Sakura reclaim her Stigmata Space. This ratio would continue to advance as the three continuously attacked Higokumaru.
The observing Trio went from initial concern to, by mutual consent, feeling a tiny bit of pity for the Herrscher of Corruption.
Truly, only a tiny bit. The rest was all excitement at witnessing the fox demon about to be mercilessly thrashed.
'So you're the Herrscher of Corruption, huh?'
'Let everything end here!'
With Higokumaru's complete defeat, Yae Sakura gazed at its beast eyes, filled with hatred, malice, and devoid of humanity, preparing to deliver the final blow with Sakura Blossom.
'Wait.'
Plasma Shadow blocked Sakura Blossom, eliciting a questioning gaze from Yae Sakura.
As her control over the Stigmata Space grew, Yae Sakura gradually understood the situation. Although she still didn't know the identities of these people dragged in by Higokumaru, they were undoubtedly allies.
'The method I used to separate Rin and the Herrscher of Corruption is very special. If I kill Higokumaru directly, I'm not sure if it will affect Rin.'
Higokumaru is the evil aspect separated by the Tiger Talisman. Silver Wing wasn't sure if directly eliminating it would cause an imbalance of yin and yang in Rin.
'I think it's better not to take that risk.'
'I understand,' Yae Sakura nodded, indicating her comprehension.
'So, you mean just leave it on its last breath, right?'
A terrifying, inhuman shriek echoed through the sky.
'Kiana, Mei, and you, Bronya—don't just watch, come over here.'
Silver Wing turned her head to look at The Trio, who had turned into a cheerleading squad and audience, and waved them over.
'Silver Wing, Silver Wing, what's going on with this child?'
The white-haired girl, whose injuries had long recovered, bounced over, leaping onto Silver Wing, wrapping her arms around her slender arm.
'She's Rin. I'll introduce her to you later. For now, it's time for you to start fighting,' Silver Wing said, pointing at the Herrscher of Corruption, who was badly injured with less than half its 'fountain' (HP/resources) remaining.
'Use Higokumaru to practice fighting Honkai.'
'The Third Eruption hasn't erupted, and they haven't fought many Honkai Beasts. So, let's just grind some experience off the Herrscher of Corruption from the Previous Era.'
This was also the reason Silver Wing brought the three down to the Sakura Samsara instance.
Besides being arson tools, she also wanted to train the trio's strength.
'Oh, oh!'
They couldn't defeat Higokumaru at full power, but surely they could defeat a weakened Herrscher?
Kiana and Mei enthusiastically charged with their weapons towards the battered Higokumaru, lying on the ground like a dead dog. Little Bronya, after a slight hesitation, followed closely behind.
'Rin, help Higokumaru recover a little bit of its condition,' Silver Wing said with a light chuckle to the cherry-haired girl with a single ponytail, who had already stopped fighting.
'(○○○)...…'
Rin blinked, her expression slightly subtle.
'Why are there four canines here?'
'Okay, big sister.'
Feeling strange, Rin still obediently used the Stigmata Space to replenish a little energy for Higokumaru.
Being beaten by the combined force of Rin, Yae Sakura, and Silver Wing was one thing, but even those three frail ants dared to treat a deity this way. Higokumaru felt utterly offended.
Then, propping itself up, it spat flames and wolf fangs at the three.
Having vented enough, Yae Sakura stopped slashing the Herrscher of Corruption, fearing she might accidentally kill it if she couldn't control herself.
'Rin… you look so much like her.'
It was an incomparably gentle smile. Though the miko's appearance hadn't changed at all, and the fox ears on her head were still present, her aura had undergone a drastic transformation.
Like clear mountain spring water warmed by the sun, Yae Sakura walked up to Rin and caressed her face.
'You truly look so much like her.'
'Big sister…'
Watched by such gentle eyes, Rin remembered her own sister, and the girl lowered her head.
In fact, the twin fox ears on Yae Sakura's head were specifically created by Higokumaru out of longing for her sister. A very small number of fusion warriors would retain certain characteristics.
'I'm sorry!'
Although it was a mistake made when she was Higokumaru, she was Rin now. Thinking about what she had done to Yae Sakura, Rin felt such guilt that she wanted to cry.
Yae Sakura raised a hand and gently wiped away the tears from Rin's eyes, smiling faintly and softly, shaking her head.
'That wasn't your fault.'
'But…' Rin's voice became tinged with a sob.
Yae Sakura didn't let Rin finish her sentence, simply embracing her gently, just as she used to hold her sister Rin.
With gentle caresses, that familiar and unreserved warmth, and the guilt over the harm 'Higokumaru' had caused Yae Sakura over five hundred years, made Rin unable to stop herself from burying her head in her big sister's embrace and crying aloud.
Yae Sakura, as always, gently caressed the girl.
Silver Wing watched with a smile as the two sisters embraced.
'My lady, could you perhaps resolve some of my confusion?'
Much later, Yae Sakura released Rin, wiped away the girl's tears, and turned her gaze towards Silver Wing.
'Of course,' Silver Wing replied, 'but before that, would you two please send me out for a moment?'
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