The battlefield stood still, reeling from Zhui's swift decapitation of the siren's mage. Even Zhui herself stared at the lifeless body, awestruck by her feat. She knew defeating the mage alone should have been impossible—his shadow magic absorbed her attacks into another dimension—but Sei's power made it possible.
"Her ability is extraordinary," Zhui thought. "She kept rewinding my body to its previous position, aligning it perfectly with the moment I struck, leaving him no time to cast a spell to save himself."
"Remarkable," she whispered, marveling at Sei's precision.
Her moment of awe shattered as Sei pointed urgently behind her. Zhui spun, barely blocking a Slardar's razor-sharp claws that lunged at her. "Damn it, I forgot about them!" she cursed.
Violet flames erupted around her, enveloping her sword, Rabaikasyu. Without hesitation, she slashed the Slardar, felling it instantly. But a chilling presence surrounded her. "No!" she gasped, as ten Slardars charged simultaneously, their speed overwhelming. She blocked one's crushing blow, her feet sinking into the ground from the force, but the others closed in. "I can't block them all," she thought, bracing for impact.
In a flash, she vanished, reappearing beside Agane. Sei's Crimson Eye had rewound her again, saving her from the onslaught. Gasping, heart pounding with fear, Zhui exhaled to steady herself.
"Are you alright?" Sei asked softly.
Zhui descended from Serphia's head, approaching Sei to thank her and apologize for her carelessness. Sei nodded, understanding. "These aren't ordinary monsters. I'm impressed you defeated one with your sword alone."
Zhui introduced Rabaikasyu, a sacred treasure of her clan, capable of shattering any magical barrier except natural abilities. "Their armor relies on magic spells, so my violet flames can break them given a few seconds of contact," she explained. "But the mage's shadows absorbed my flames into his dimension without touching anything, rendering them useless."
Agane, stepping forward, added, "Unlike the mage, the Slardars' magic isn't as advanced, giving you an advantage. Your Class A Crimson Item should break their spells with enough time, but the mage's high-grade magic resisted it earlier."
Sei approached Zhui, locking eyes with her, making Zhui uneasy. "W-What?" she stammered.
Without warning, Sei touched Zhui's cheek, startling her. "What are you doing? I told you, you can't touch me!" Zhui snapped. "My condition makes me absorb the spiritual energy of anything I touch, and I can't control it!"
Agane interjected, explaining that Sei's Crimson Curse required physical contact to bind their agreement. Sei clarified, "I can't keep using Crimson Eye to save you every five seconds. If I misjudge the timing, you could be rewound to the wrong moment and be in danger."
Within her territory, Sei could manipulate time, but it had limits, draining immense energy. "Another power of my Crimson Curse lets me swap my state with another's. I can briefly take your place, absorbing the damage meant for you."
Zhui, shocked, questioned why Sei would risk herself. Sei explained she had no desire to kill or fight directly, finding greater value in supporting those around her. "You're my sword in this battle, Zhui. It's vital you stay alive to keep fighting."
"Why such faith in me?" Zhui protested. "Your power is immense. If you take my damage and get hurt, we could lose this fight!"
Sei silenced her, touching her lips. "I'm the Time Keeper, a divine Espada. Do you think I'd die here?" Zhui froze, struck by Sei's confidence. "Taking your damage won't kill me. I control time in this territory—wounds are trivial."
Sei gently smoothed Zhui's hair, like calming a child, sparking another outburst. "Enough! Stop treating me like that!" Zhui snapped, but Sei's serious tone cut through. "If you have more power to unleash, do it now. The real battle begins."
Zhui glanced skyward, where Katshira hovered on her stingray, summoning a colossal magic circle spawning flying water sharks. "Such a powerful presence—what kind of creature is she?" Zhui muttered.
She admitted her violet flames couldn't break magic circles stronger than her sword's energy, leaving her powerless against Katshira's spell. "It doesn't matter what she is," Sei said firmly. "This ends when you defeat her. Do everything you can."
Zhui smirked, amused by Sei's blunt command. Killing Katshira would end the fight, but she had no plan to reach her. Mages like Katshira had the advantage at range, and while Zhui could destroy the sharks, she doubted she could counter the circle's overwhelming attacks. Her sword's ability to break spells required direct contact, and leaping to Katshira while fending off her minions was daunting.
Overwhelmed, Zhui voiced her doubts, fearing she'd exhaust her energy on Slardars before reaching Katshira. Sei, sensing her panic, placed a finger on her lips. "Are you afraid?"
"Tch, I'll fight them no matter what," Zhui replied, her resolve firm.
Sei smiled, seeing Xxv in Zhui's defiance. "You remind me of Xxv during missions that pushed him to the brink. He faced impossible odds, filled with fear and doubt, yet fought on—not just to survive, but to return to the one he loved."
Zhui's eyes widened, her heart stirred by Sei's words about Xxv's love for her. "His love for you is true," Sei continued. "I don't want you to die here. Don't let that happen."
Zhui's spirit reignited, her doubts fading. "That idiot chose to serve you, leaving me alone, and now you say this? That's unfair," she said, half-joking. "You took him from me, keeping him away. I hate you all for it."
Silence fell. "Yet I can't hate him or forget him," Zhui admitted. "I'm still waiting for him to keep his promise. I won't die until he proves it." Her energy surged, violet flames erupting around her.
Serphia glowed, shrinking back to her original form and merging into Zhui, restoring her serpentine tail and scales. With fearless resolve, Zhui charged the hundreds of Slardars. Despite their relentless assaults, she dodged with serpentine agility, her sword slicing through their necks effortlessly. Even when knocked back by their blows, she rose, undeterred, facing their endless numbers with unrelenting ferocity.
The Slardars attacked with savage hunger, but Rabaikasyu's power made quick work of them. Watching, Sei confided to Agane her pity for Zhui and Xxv. "The world hasn't been fair to them. As a hero chosen by the heavens, Xxv shouldn't endure this."
"I understand, Your Majesty," Agane replied, "but their love is impossible for the world to accept. Protecting a Soul Eater would tarnish Eskapa's reputation." She urged Sei to prioritize Galica's welfare, warning that losing Eskapa's support could doom their nation.
Sei remained silent, knowing every decision carried weight, unable to act solely on compassion.
Meanwhile, water sharks descended from the sky. Zhui, unable to reach Katshira, dodged desperately. "She's too high. Even my Flame Slash would be blocked effortlessly," she muttered.
A sudden quake revealed a massive boulder hurtling toward her. Caught off guard, she sliced it in half, only for Juggernaut to emerge, grabbing her and slamming her into the ground. The impact shattered the earth, but when he looked, his hand was empty.
Zhui reappeared behind him, her sword slashing his back. To her shock, it barely scratched him. "How? My attack didn't faze him?" she whispered, fear creeping in.
Juggernaut turned, his terrifying presence overwhelming. "What kind of creature is he?" Despite her fear, Zhui attacked, slashing relentlessly with her speed. Juggernaut endured, landing a kick to her side that sent her sprawling, clutching a broken rib. "Damn it, he's not just tough—his attacks are brutal."
A magic circle glowed beneath her, and the pain vanished. Glancing at Sei, Zhui realized her queen had taken the injury. As Juggernaut charged again, Zhui dodged, but Slardars closed in, their relentless blows landing. She fought to stay upright, evading as best she could.
"Damn it, they won't stop!" Violet flames swirled, forming a fiery vortex that consumed the surrounding Slardars. "Don't underestimate me! I'm Zhui, Khan's noble queen!" she roared. "Flame Spirit Blast!"
With a swing of her sword, a massive fire geyser erupted, incinerating the Slardars to ash, leaving none standing.
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