Chapter 384: Musashi's Sword of the Heavenly Center
A chess fanatic plays even blind chess to satisfy their soul; a martial arts fanatic yearns for the path of combat, casting life and death aside.
Musashi's life was dedicated to her sword. To achieve the realm she envisioned, she paid a heavy price: she gave up the home she knew, becoming a drifter continuously crossing parallel worlds. Due to the nature of a drifter, she could never stay long in one world. Whenever a trial was completed, she would be sent to the next, never to return to the places she had visited.
Though she remained a young woman, she had already experienced dozens of worlds, each filled with bloodshed, living the life of an outlaw. Every time she forged friendships, she was transferred away, never to meet those people again. Yet, Musashi never regretted it. From the start, she had decided to spend her life reaching the pinnacle of her own sword path: the realm of "Emptiness" (Kū).
In this world, everyone has something more important than anything else—wealth, status, lovers, family, friends, or even things they must do, even if it means abandoning it all. While such thinking defies common sense, such things do exist. There are fanatic impulses of the heart that not even benevolence or righteousness can bind—things one must do, even if it means sacrificing life itself.
Looking back, people throughout history, everywhere, have always done all sorts of foolish things that cost more than they gained. Wilderness explorers, challengers of fatal extreme sports—like climbing Mount Everest or cycling to Tibet—they take risks just to challenge their limits and experience the stimulation and emotion it brings. On a smaller scale, people have been obsessed with things, forgetting to eat and sleep just to achieve a goal, indifferent to all other treatment.
"Sorry, everyone. You go on ahead. No matter what, I must accept this duel. Even if the world is ending, even if many people are weeping, suffering, or dying because of it... even so, I will place this fight above all else. This is my dignity as a swordsman."
"Hmph! I'm going first. Enough of this. Martial artists and swordsmen really are hopeless guys, even for a fanatic, there should be a limit," Shirou said with dissatisfaction. At this moment, Musashi reminded him of Master Li, the Black Mud Heroic Spirit he had fought on the mountain.
"If you're going to go to such lengths for a duel, don't you dare lose!" Shirou moved immediately, walking upstairs alone without looking back.
"Ah, thanks, Shirou!" Musashi smiled, her eyes squinting, responding with full energy.
"Then, Gudako, you follow as well."
Gudako shook her head firmly. "No, I won't leave you alone!"
Musashi was surprised by the girl's reply; she blushed, then grinned happily. "You won't leave me alone, huh..."
Gudako looked at the female samurai with a resolute gaze, everything unspoken, indicating she would absolutely not change her mind.
Seeing Gudako like this, Musashi smiled helplessly. "But indeed, even if it's a demonic sword, the opponent stands at a realm higher than mine. As I am now, alone, I am truly no match for Old Master Yagyu. You saw right through me, Gudako."
"Then let's fight together!" Gudako clenched her fists.
"Ah, I no longer have the right to talk about fighting alone. My back is in your hands!"
"Shirou-senpai! That's alright, isn't it?"
"Do as you like. If you want to stay, stay. I can handle things upstairs by myself," Shirou answered casually as he stepped onto the stairs. He understood the bond between Gudako and Musashi—an affection forged in life-and-death stakes. Furthermore... at the final moment, facing an enemy powerful to the point of near-invincibility, the desire to fight to the end with those you trust most was a feeling Shirou had experienced himself.
He never intended to take Gudako away anyway. In this state, nowhere was truly safe. Only by resolving this "Detest the Defiled World" demon castle could everyone be safe. If they failed to prevent the castle from taking root, they couldn't escape no matter where they hid.
"Oh! I know Shirou-senpai will definitely be fine! Like a hero, super cool!" Gudako gave a thumbs up.
"You're so talkative! Well, I'll handle things upstairs beautifully. You two just win and meet up with me later," Shirou laughed, rubbing his nose as he walked up.
"We know!" Gudako answered spiritedly, then said to Musashi, "Musashi-chan, I'm ready!"
"Then..." Musashi steadied her mind, turning to the old samurai standing silently nearby with his eyes closed. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Old Master Yagyu."
Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing. "No matter. What I wanted was to fight you at your best. Come! Shinmen Musashi!"
Musashi's fighting spirit ignited. With momentum not a bit inferior to Yagyu's, she shouted, "Let's settle this!!!"
The atmosphere in the attic shifted. The blood moon of the Heroic Spirit Saber rose high, and in an instant, a stage of a life-or-death battle—built from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of skeletons—manifested here. The duel between the Sword-Demon Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami and Musashi officially began.
Saber, the Sword-Demon known as "Supreme Heaven," possessed a sword technique of certain death. Every time his blade was unsheathed, the soul toward which the edge pointed
was bound to depart. Though called "Supreme Heaven," his sword was of the Demonic Path—cold, ruthless, unaffected by emotion, empty of thought. Thus, every strike was the most rational choice, never erring due to tension or excitement. He understood human anatomy and dismantled bodies with maximum efficiency. Every strike was fatal; to be hit was to end.
"Hah!" Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami swung another fatal strike.
"Ugh!" Musashi managed to block with her sword, jumping back to regain distance. She watched her powerful opponent, not daring to relax for a second. Simply blocking his attacks was her limit. It wasn't a matter of strength or sharpness, but the suppression of realms. As long as her path of the sword remained incomplete, she could not escape being pressured.
Normally, her Niten Ichi-ryū excelled in free, flexible change, not limited by forms, using dual blades to create winning opportunities. Against different opponents, she would unleash the style that could defeat them. Before a battle, she would simulate the fight in her mind, searching for that single line of opportunity to win. But against this opponent, even calculating the initiative wasn't enough to break his moves. Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami Munenori's sword had reached the Divine Realm; in the act of seeing through moves, she had already lost.
'But it's not entirely without a chance!' Musashi thought. In the clash of blades, she had begun to perceive something. The trials she had experienced in dozens of worlds were being awakened. What was once muddled now, under the immense pressure of this moment, sparked inspiration bit by bit. By continuously blocking sword techniques that had reached the Divine Realm, she drew nourishment and gained enlightenment. The "Emptiness" (Kū) she had painstakingly sought was drawing near—she was only steps away.
Ding!!
Sparks flew where the blades crossed.
"Miyamoto Musashi!! Is this all you are capable of?! Then die under my blade!" Yagyu struck, his voice cold.
"You're the one, Old Man! I've fully adapted to the strength of your blade. Come again!" Musashi gritted her teeth, blocking, chanting in her heart: 'Just a little more! Just a little more!'
"Hmph, talking tough—the sword doesn't rely on the mouth!" Yagyu said coldly. His heart was as cold as an iceberg; no words could shake him. The expressionless Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami was like a tireless machine that never erred, continuously launching the most fatal attacks.
"This is bad!" Musashi panicked. She made a mistake—she used too much force in a strike and was a step slow in recovering. It was a minor slip, but Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami would never let it slide. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he swung at Musashi's neck.
"Don't even think about it!!!" Gudako shouted from behind.
A golden barrier of sand enveloped Musashi's front, blocking Yagyu's killing blow. Seeing his winning strike blocked, Yagyu withdrew his blade and looked at Gudako behind. "Hmph, to
react in an instant and provide support to block my blade—as expected of the Savior of Chaldea."
"Are you okay, Musashi-chan!" Gudako asked.
"Oh! Gudako! I won't waste this brilliant assist of yours!" Musashi shouted. She adjusted her stance and charged at Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami with unstoppable momentum.
In this instant, she achieved total realization. Her supreme sword path—the realm of "Emptiness"—had reached causality. Whether it was a Heroic Spirit Saber or any existence with healing power or vitality, if struck, they could not withstand this fatal blow. This time, it wasn't borrowing the power of a cursed blade; it was Musashi herself reaching the realm of the gods.
"The only sword that can surpass the Divine Realm is another sword of the Divine Realm! Sever the unreachable Heaven's Center! Namu, Tenman Dai-Jizai Tenjin, Niō Kurikara, Chōten-zō! Here I go, Sword-Roaring Draw-Slash! ———Ishanā Dai-tengu!"
"What!" For the first time, surprise appeared on Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami's cold face.
Like a flower of the Heavenly Center, the pink-haired female samurai unleashed the ultimate strike she had pursued all her life. Empty as the void—all non-karma, past karma, curses, and destiny were severed by this one blade. When the blade fell, everything seemed to still. Blocking had become meaningless; the moment it was swung, this sword was destined to strike exactly where she intended.
The next moment, Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami's hands hung down, and he stopped in place.
Musashi put away her stance, shouldered her sword, and gazed at her terrifying and respectable opponent. "Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami, thank you for your guidance. I have attained the ultimate mystery; my sword path is complete."
Standing in place, Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami smiled self-deprecatingly. "Hmph... a lapse in vigilance. My sword... was not strong enough."
Musashi shook her head sincerely. "No! If it were just me alone, it certainly wouldn't have been enough. You are worthy of being called a Sword-God who reached the Divine Realm."
"Ah, ah... how pleasant. So, a duel of swords is this pleasant." The unsmiling old man laughed heartily. "I can now understand why that guy San-gen (Yagyu Jūbei) progressed so rapidly. It is truly enviable... Miyamoto Musashi! Master of Chaldea, this outcome was truly a pleasure, hahahaha!"
Swoosh.
A large amount of blood sprayed out like a gushing mountain spring, splashing the entire floor. Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami's body lost its strength and fell to the ground. Musashi's previous strike had severed him in two.
The Heroic Spirit Saber duel is decided!
Winner — Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Genshin!!!
High above the building, Shirou climbed up the stairs, his eyes meeting those of the man standing in the center of the attic. Inside the tenshukaku at the highest point of the castle, all four sides were wide open, offering a vast view. In later generations, it would certainly be a fantastic tourist spot for mountain climbing. The blood moon in the sky shone through the railings, staining the wooden floorboards of the attic a deep crimson.
To one side, a man with long white hair wearing an ancient kimono and overcoat toyed with a samurai sword, laughing as he spoke:
"So, Yagyu, that Sword-Demon, was defeated too. Should I say that the Chaldean Master, whom Lord Satan fears, is strong, or that Musashi, the female samurai who drifts through worlds like me, is truly remarkable? However, there is no need for me to take any action now. In a few minutes, this castle will fully transform into 'Detest the Defiled World.' No one can stop my revenge anymore. This is my victory!"
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