The Four Soul Gems, capable of slaying evil spirits—truly a miraculous feat...
"Why did you run into the forest?"
Lo Shu smiled calmly, exuding confidence as if holding a precious secret. He turned to the black-haired girl with the flushed cheeks, curiosity evident in his voice.
"There are agents from the Disaster Response Bureau in the city. If we can buy some time, the exorcists will arrive. They may not be able to kill the evil spirit, but your safety will definitely be assured."
"Absolutely not!"
The girl, suddenly awakened from her daydream, clenched her fists and spoke earnestly.
"I don't know why, but that thing is coming straight for me. It only wants me. If I stay in the city to save myself, I'll put many innocent lives at risk."
"Even if it means you'll be cruelly killed by the monster?"
"So what if that happens!"
Gowei's expression was resolute, her eyes filled with determination.
Then her demeanor softened, and she bit her lip, hesitating. Taking a deep breath, she made up her mind and spoke solemnly to the boy:
"Mr. Lo, if you can't deal with that creature, just let me go and escape on your own. Please don't feel guilty about it!"
"I, Nishimura Gowei, don't want to endanger innocent people."
"Don't worry, I'm confident I can handle this big guy."
Lo Shu smiled, feeling an increase in his fondness for Gowei. It was rare to encounter someone with such a strong sense of justice in a world where order had collapsed.
With divine power at his disposal, what harm was there in saving her?
Acting freely yet within bounds was Lo's principle.
"...Thank you, Mr. Lo, for saving my life!"
The weight on her heart lifted, and Gowei immediately brightened, her pretty face alight with pure excitement, as if she wanted to leap into his arms.
Lo Shu smiled lightly, not bothering to be modest.
"Do you know why that evil spirit is so intent on attacking you?"
"...Why?"
Gowei's excitement faded, her expression turning puzzled.
"That brings us to the Four Soul Gems your family has inherited."
Lo Shu explained with a smile, "It's currently inside you."
"Inside me?!"
Gowei exclaimed, feeling no foreign presence within her.
Then the boy reached out his fair hand and gently pressed it against her abdomen. Amid her surprised and blushing expression, he effortlessly extracted a round gem from her body, its faint purple glow illuminating the darkness.
"This is the Four Soul Gem. You must have heard stories about it from your grandfather."
"During the Warring States period, the powerful priestess, Tsuiko, sacrificed herself to slay a monstrous beast that was ravaging the world. Their souls merged upon their deaths, ultimately forming the Four Soul Gem."
"It is said that the Four Soul Gem can fulfill any wish, a treasure coveted by all beings."
"With the Four Soul Gem, you are a prize to every demon and spirit."
"However, your gem has been sealed, so its presence generally goes unnoticed by monsters... I'm not sure how that creature managed to sense it."
As the boy spoke with a calm smile, all mysteries unraveled.
Gowei was momentarily stunned.
Wait, so the legends her grandfather told her were real?
This thing really is a treasure?
No wonder that giant spider was nearly driven mad by her presence, as if it had spotted a delicacy.
While the girl was lost in optimistic musings, the boy casually tossed the Four Soul Gem back to her.
"Mr. Lo, don't you need it?"
Gowei looked down at her palm, surprised to see the gem safely returned.
"I'm not in such dire straits that I need to steal a little girl's heirloom."
Lo Shu chuckled nonchalantly.
To him, it was like a cheap imitation of something far greater.
Gowei hesitated, wanting to say something but was interrupted.
"Boom...!!"
The ground shook violently, almost knocking her off balance.
Dust filled the air as the massive creature, in a rage, charged forward, the sea-spider-like evil spirit roaring as it closed in on them, its four hairy claws poised to strike.
"Here it comes."
Lo Shu smiled calmly, drawing his katana with a fluid motion, each step elegant and precise.
Every action exuded an indescribable grace.
"Slice... slice..."
He walked toward the monster with a tranquil demeanor, the blade's tip scraping against the ground with a crisp sound, his retreating figure steady as a mountain, offering an undeniable sense of security.
Unfazed by praise or insult, he simply watched the flowers bloom and wither in the courtyard.
Indifferent to his surroundings, he drifted like clouds across the sky.
Gowei was entranced, her beautiful eyes shimmering with admiration as she gazed at the boy.
Suddenly, he turned, smiling at her with a hint of playful mischief in his tone.
"Miss Nishimura, keep your eyes on me~."
"Huh?"
"This strike will be quite spectacular!"
"...Okay!!"
---
As the scene continued, the boy positioned himself in front of the enraged beast, tilting his head slightly, a grin spreading across his face...
A sinister aura surged as dark magic was unleashed. The blade of the katana shimmered under the moonlight, creating beautiful arcs, while a powerful pressure stirred the air, causing his hair to sway in the wind. Though he wore a smile, his eyes were as cold as death itself.
With a firm grip on the hilt, he rested the sword on his shoulder, readying his stance.
The young man chuckled mockingly, as hundreds of sacred jewels burned fiercely at this moment.
"Consider yourself honored; you will be the first monster to witness the birth of the secret sword."
"SSSS!!"
The sea spider screeched, fear flashing in its eyes, sensing the threat to its life. Its instinct warned of impending doom!
Yet, the creature's greed for the Four Soul Jewel overwhelmed its instincts, driving it into a frenzied rage. It roared in anger as its four clawed limbs, like destructive tentacles, came crashing down, resisting the instinctual urge to flee.
"Mr. Luo…!!"
In the distance, the onlooking Gobei tightened her fists, her heart racing in her throat.
In this tense moment, as everyone held their breath...
---
A world detached from earthly ties,
Where the living sing of desire,
And swordsmen pursue the infinity.
Years have passed without my notice,
And my visage is no longer what it was.
Training is our daily routine,
Persevering day after day without weariness...
Until the end, I will slowly exhale my last breath upon this mountain.
---
—The Final Strike of the Ultimate Sword, a flash of sword light disappearing into the shadow of the moon.
"Secret Sword: Swallow's Return."
He pronounced the words calmly, his grip on the hilt tightening as he swung the blade at the colossal beast.
The blade moved with a speed akin to a ghost, a white lightning bolt in motion. In that instant of the strike, the trajectories of the blade in parallel dimensions manifested.
One strike…
Two strikes…
Three strikes…
He managed to slash in three different directions simultaneously. The three strikes overlapped, unavoidable, causing the multiple dimensions to twist and seal off all escape routes for the sea spider.
"Boom…!!"
The creature couldn't even let out a cry; its massive body collapsed with a thunderous crash, sending dust flying, and then it shattered into countless pieces, dissolving into faint light particles that scattered in the wind.
As the gentle breeze blew, it carried away the astonished gaze of the distant girl.
The A-rank evil spirit was dead!
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