Chapter 42: 1 + 8 = ?
The scimitar-wielding girl moved swiftly through the gray fog.
She was fast because she knew she couldn't last long—the flickering white light on her body was unstable, and she didn't even know if she would survive the next second.
But still, she charged forward without hesitation, toward an enemy she could never hope to defeat.
No, it would be more accurate to say that even touching her opponent was a luxury.
This enemy was the most renowned hero in Celtic mythology, a being who had entered the divine domain as a mortal. Almost every Celt had grown up hearing her legends—and she was no exception.
In fact, if you were to ask Artoria, she would answer without hesitation, "Scáthach is my idol."
After thousands of years, the image of this hero was deeply ingrained in the heart of every Celt, becoming a spiritual totem of Celtic culture.
In the face of such a "spiritual totem," most people lacked the courage to even meet her gaze, let alone fight.
Even Bedivere—the knight praised by Artoria as the "perfect model"—was stunned by Scáthach's presence, completely forgetting to draw his sword.
But this girl with a pair of azure eyes was an exception.
The moment she saw Scáthach holding her own against two opponents, she immediately drew her weapon and leaped into the domain filled with the aura of death.
"The enemy is invincible. Yes, I know that."
"But I can't just do nothing... I would rather make a mistake than do nothing at all!"
The girl named Vena launched an attack against the god she could never defeat.
It was, of course, a futile attack.
Even if she overcame all difficulties and, with unparalleled willpower, passed through the layers of fog to reach Scáthach's side—faced with an enemy of this caliber, the battle-hardened master of heroes needed only a light kick to send her flying hundreds of meters away.
She didn't die. Scáthach had shown mercy.
Or perhaps, Scáthach had been holding back all along. Even when fighting Bailong and Artoria single-handedly, she had never used her full strength... What seemed to others like an attack capable of destroying a city was, in her eyes, merely "sparring a few rounds with two children."
After all, she was an "adult" who had already graduated from this world. There was no way she would get serious with children, right?
But... wait a minute?
"Hmm?"
"What's going on? His power suddenly increased so much!"
Looking at the white dragon in the sky, whose body had suddenly begun to glow with a translucent light, the master of heroes narrowed her eyes.
...
Vena lay on the ground.
She struggled to get up but found she had no strength left. Every bone in her body ached as if it had been dismantled.
—Scáthach had actually saved her.
In a domain where only the dead were permitted to exist, every breath a living person took consumed a massive amount of life force. By the time she had gotten close to Scáthach, her life force was nearly depleted, and she was only a step away from death.
But she had no regrets.
Even if her life was now as precarious as a candle in the wind, she would never regret her decision.
"Oh, God."
Unable to stand, she managed to turn over, facing the white dragon god in the sky, a smile of relief on her face.
—She had been atoning all this time.
Atoning for the sin of the girl who had hesitated at a critical moment, who had only known to kneel on the ground and pray.
She had paid a heavy price for her mistake—her hands were already stained with the blood of her kinsmen.
But it wasn't enough. It was far from enough.
Countless times she had woken from nightmares, reliving the moment she had hesitated. Countless times she had sworn that if she had another chance, she would not make the same mistake.
And this time, had she fulfilled her oath?
Did her actions please the god?
"Oh, God."
"Have I pleased you?"
The girl's voice was soft, as if she were merely murmuring to herself.
Yet, that very voice traveled clearly to the heavens, reaching Bailong's ears.
—Because it was a voice that came from the depths of her soul, filled with the most sincere emotion.
"Ah, Vena,"
"You have indeed, brought me joy!"
...
Bailong's body trembled.
It trembled with excitement.
In that moment, he finally understood why King Berlinah had charged at him so recklessly.
"To please a god!"
To outsiders, this phrase might sound like a religious activity, like a sacrifice or a prayer. But only a god knew how vast the difference was between the two.
"Satisfied, satisfied, so very satisfied!"
—That had been Scáthach's thought earlier.
Because King Berlinah's act of drawing his spear against a god had satisfied her appreciation for a "hero," she was able to break the boundary between life and death and forcibly descend into the world of the living.
And now, it was the same.
Looking at the girl lying on the ground, her will—"I would rather make a mistake than do nothing at all"—had also satisfied Bailong's innate fighting spirit.
The girl's soul and the god's will had resonated completely.
[Ding, your Concept: Fairy, has been activated.]
"To challenge the strong, to raise your blade against the mighty."
"Fear not, for this brilliant white light will surely bring you absolute victory!"
"Witness it, Vena, this is the new form I have unlocked for you!"
"Concept Sublimation, [Fairy] Mode, activate."
"Descend, glorious dragon who buries death—Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon!!!"
PS: It's basically 1-star [Maiden with Eyes of Blue] + 8-star [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] = 9-star [Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon].
Also, about the transmigration. The main reason I added this setting was to let the protagonist know the plot. As for the protagonist not acting human... I already mentioned it in the previous chapters. He chose [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] over [King] and [Light Novel Protagonist]. In this life, he has decided not to be human!
mat 200 Chapter (Final)
Honkai 150 Chapter
Lobotomy 110 Chapter
MushokuTensei 40 Chapter
'Pure Evil' Simulator 78 Chapter
Crossover Fic Blue-Eyes 130 Chapter