Yae Sakura's mind buzzed, then went blank.
Why! There was no contact!
Anger, regret, and the helplessness of being unable to protect someone important when facing a Herrscher, instantly engulfed her like a tide.
Without any hesitation.
"Setsuna—"
The world, in Yae Sakura's perception, solidified.
Sounds disappeared, light stagnated, and even the dust particles floating in the air were frozen in place.
This was the unique domain of "Setsuna"; extreme speed transcended common sense, transforming into absolute time freezing.
In this static world, only Yae Sakura and the blade in her hand could still move.
She had used this move to cut down countless powerful enemies, whether Honkai Beasts, Herrschers, or other threats.
This was her strongest ultimate skill, a crystallization of her will to protect and her ultimate martial arts.
However, at this moment, in this frozen time and space, Yae Sakura looked at the black shadow still maintaining its calm posture in front of her, then at Pardo behind her, who had been mostly corrupted and seemed to have been paused... a chill colder than the Paradise gripped her heart.
Even if time was frozen... what good would it do?
the corruption seemed to be happening in another dimension, already destined before "Setsuna" was activated.
She couldn't save Pardo, at least, not here, not now; she was powerless to reverse the situation.
Yae Sakura's knuckles, gripping the blade, turned white from excessive force.
But it had to be now!
No hesitation, no retreat.
Even if her body cried out from the transcendent "Setsuna," even if her soul trembled, Yae Sakura still swung her blade with all her strength and will—no, countless blades!
Cold air enveloped the sword light, like blooming ice lotuses, or a bursting galaxy, instantly engulfing the figure in the wide-brimmed hat in front.
This strike, she poured everything into it.
With a hint of determination that she herself couldn't understand, as if in some forgotten time and space, she had also wielded her blade like this, for someone, for an irreversible outcome.
The goal of the sword light was not merely to destroy the enemy, but to forcefully engrave indelible "traces" in this frozen time and space—evidence of the enemy's existence, precise information about "the corruption"!
She knew her chances of winning were slim, but at least she had to tell Kevin, tell Su, tell all her comrades still fighting... the enemy was here!
However—
The myriad sword lights, unleashed across the sky, suddenly stagnated as if hitting an invisible wall, solidifying in mid-air.
Along with Yae Sakura's sword-wielding motion, the resolute expression on her face, the surging power within her body... everything completely froze.
Time was still frozen, but it seemed only she and her swinging blade were frozen.
She could even "see" her crystalline sword gleams suspended less than an inch from the black shadow, unable to advance another millimeter.
(How is this possible... within my "Setsuna"...)
Yae Sakura's mind was still working, but she couldn't command even a single finger of her body.
An unprecedented chill, not from her ice blade, but surged wildly from the depths of her heart.
That black shadow moved in the absolutely static time and space.
She raised her hand as if merely brushing dust from her shoulder.
Then, she raised her head.
Beneath the wide brim of her hat, a delicate but lifeless face was revealed, with long, greyish-white hair falling down.
Most chilling were her eyes—purplish-black pupils, like the deepest night sky, without a hint of highlight.
And in the depths of those pupils, a pattern representing the corruption flickered faintly with an ominous glow.
(Herrscher of Corruption...!)
Even if the data entity in the Paradise hadn't personally experienced that battle, the instinct belonging to a Flame-Chaser, the deep-seated memory of fighting Honkai, still made Yae Sakura instantly recognize that symbol.
Her heart felt as if it was tightly gripped by a cold hand.
Black Herta's lips curved into an extremely faint arc.
She ignored the blade tips almost touching her, gliding past all the frozen sword lights as if strolling through her own garden, walking behind Yae Sakura, and then in front of Pardo, who still maintained a terrified expression, half her body already covered in purplish-red data.
Yae Sakura couldn't see behind her, but her senses could "feel" Black Herta's movement.
Anxiety, anger, and a bottomless sense of powerlessness almost devoured her consciousness.
Black Herta stood before Pardo, tilting her head slightly, examining the little cat frozen in a moment of fear.
She extended a finger, gently stroking Pardo's face, which hadn't yet been corrupted and still held warmth, with an almost cruel "pity."
"What a pitiful little cat..."
Black Herta's voice echoed clearly in the static time and space, directly entering Yae Sakura's consciousness, "I can feel it... that intense desire for 'life' deep within her soul, so strong it's almost overflowing."
Her tone was calm, showing no hint of mockery or emotion, yet these bland words pierced Yae Sakura's heart like the sharpest needles.
(Pardo...)
Yae Sakura's rage burned fiercely in her chest, almost breaking through this absolute confinement!
She felt Black Herta raise her hand, her black-gloved fingertip gently caressing the half of Pardofelis's face that was already covered in purplish-red data.
In Pardo's remaining eye, which still retained its original color, an unmelting fear and terror were frozen, like a small animal caught in a trap, awaiting its fate.
Even with time stopped, that instinctive tremor pierced through everything, deeply stinging Yae Sakura's senses.
"What a pity..."
Black Herta's voice carried a hint of feigned sigh.
Immediately after, Yae Sakura heard a clear, crisp sound from behind her, like shattering glass—"CRACK!"
It was Pardo...!
NO—!!!
Immense panic and rage erupted like a volcano, instantly breaching the dam of reason!
Yae Sakura felt an unprecedented power burst forth from the depths of her soul; the chill that froze time was actually dispelled by her even more biting killing intent!
The seal of "Setsuna" was forcibly broken by her own will!
The moment time resumed its flow, Yae Sakura's figure transformed into an uncatchable bolt of lightning, abruptly turning around!
The Spirit Blade, Ice Prison Hells, tore through the air, unleashing sword light denser than ever before, pouring down like a blizzard onto the hateful figure behind her!
She didn't even clearly see her target, wielding her blade purely out of a desire to tear the enemy to shreds!
"Pfft—"
A dull, real sensation of a sharp blade cutting into flesh was clearly transmitted back to Yae Sakura's hand through the hilt.
Did she succeed...?
As this thought arose, the resolute expression on Yae Sakura's face instantly froze, turning into complete stupefaction.
The time-freezing effect completely dissipated.
She saw the scene before her clearly—
There was no Black Herta's face with a mocking smile.
Only Pardo.
Her katana was precisely and deeply plunged into Pardo's chest.
There, the part previously corrupted by purplish-red data flickered violently, while the intact part was rapidly stained with crimson blood.
That shattering sound... was a misleading sound simulated by this person using some unknown means!
Pardo's body trembled slightly from the intense pain.
She lowered her head, looking incredulously at the blade piercing through her body, then slowly raised her head, her uncorrupted eye gazing at Yae Sakura, filled with bewilderment, and a trace of... finally relieved exhaustion.
"Sister Yae Sakura...?"
The voice was soft, yet it was like a heavy hammer, fiercely shattering Yae Sakura's last support.
"No... Pardo... I..."
Yae Sakura wanted to explain, wanted to let go, but her body felt as if all strength had been drained, unable to move even a fingertip.
She could only watch helplessly as Pardo's body, starting from where the blade pierced, developed countless fine cracks, like shattered glass.
"Crack... crack..."
The cracks spread rapidly, instantly covering Pardo's entire body.
Then, under Yae Sakura's desperate gaze, Pardo's body, along with the frozen surprise on her face, shattered into countless shimmering fragments, like fireflies scattering in the wind, finally dissipating completely into the air.
Not a single trace was left behind.
"Clang—"
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