◆
"Big Sister…"
Nagisa's worried voice pulled Fuuka back to reality.
The events felt almost like a dream, but the blade in her hand quietly proved that none of it had been imaginary.
"Are you okay…?"
Fuuka exhaled deeply once, then nodded slowly.
"Yeah. I'm fine. Thank you, Nagisa."
After offering those words of gratitude, Fuuka turned her back on Nagisa and began to walk away.
"W-Wait!"
Nagisa called out to stop her.
"—[Heal]!"
She cast a recovery spell on Fuuka.
"I'm sorry. This is all I can do with my magic right now…"
"That's not true. It helped a lot. I don't feel like I'd lose to anyone anymore."
Fuuka smiled at Nagisa, then continued forward once more.
When she reached the hole in the wall created by Kiryu's kick, she looked down at the front garden from there.
In the center of the garden, Kiryu stood in exactly the same posture as when she had first seen him. There was no sign he had attempted a follow-up attack, nor any trace that he had moved at all. It was as if he had never intended to leave that spot from the very beginning.
Noticing her presence, Kiryu quietly opened his eyes.
The moment his gaze captured Fuuka, his eyes widened slightly.
"…I see. So that is your resolve, Princess."
The Fuuka standing in his line of sight was no longer the same as before.
The blade in her hand had transformed into a soft, pale cherry-blossom color. A faint glow rose from the shimmering edge, seeping into the air like a haze of cherry blossoms.
But the greatest change was in her eyes.
Within the black, a pale cherry-blossom hue had taken root, and petal-like iridescence bloomed quietly.
The name of the demon blade Fuuka wielded was—White Cherry Blossom.
The way she existed now was truly worthy of that name.
"—I'm coming, Master."
"Yes. This time, show me everything. All that you are!"
Just like the first exchange, Fuuka closed the distance using contracted ground movement.
Kiryu responded by subtly shifting his center of gravity.
Once again, [Future Sight] bombarded Fuuka with countless futures.
Their blades never crossed even once.
Each tiny action from either of them triggered the next future and rewrote it.
The one-tenth of one percent gap that Fuuka had been unable to close still existed.
In skill and experience, Kiryu remained superior.
The number of possible sword paths Kiryu could choose was far greater than hers.
To respond accurately to every single one—her own skill was still insufficient.
Even so, Fuuka was no longer alone.
She possessed a "power" that could make up for the unbridgeable difference.
(I'll cut them all down!)
With her own blade, she overlaid strikes onto the futures she saw.
She anticipated and sealed off Kiryu's stepping movements.
Yet there were still futures beyond her reach.
In those moments, the cherry-blossom haze rising from the demon blade's edge wove slashing attacks that dissolved into the wind.
As if filling the gaps in the futures she could not reach, that slashing light stole away Kiryu's options one by one.
The youkai power existing alongside Fuuka was certainly supporting her.
Kiryu chose a new future.
Fuuka cut it down, and when it still fell short, the youkai power supplemented the missing move.
Within their reading of each other, Kiryu's choices were steadily whittled away, until finally the futures converged.
And then—
Reality caught up to the future scene.
The final sword path Kiryu had chosen.
Fuuka's single strike deflected it head-on.
"—Ngh!?"
A tiny but definite opening appeared.
Fuuka would never miss it.
"—Zero Sakura."
The returning blade drew a soft, unhesitating arc.
The pale cherry-blossom blade reached her master.
"To think you could produce such swordwork…"
As if savoring the growth of his disciple,
"—Magnificent."
Kiryu's lips curved into a faint smile as he dropped weakly to one knee.
In his collapsing form there was no sense of defeat—only a quiet pride.
◇
"Fuuka Big Sister! Master Kiryu!"
Nagisa came running from deeper inside the estate, still in her torn shrine maiden outfit, staggering yet moving with desperate effort.
Fuuka turned at the sound of her voice.
By then, her eyes had returned to normal, just like the blade of her demon sword.
"Nagisa, thank you for earlier. Thanks to you, I didn't lose anything."
"No, thank you. Because you came for me, I was able to get out like this."
The two exchanged glances once more, their eyes meeting gently.
"…So it is a slash that cuts only youma—only youkai power and magic power."
Even while kneeling on the ground, Kiryu quietly lifted his face.
His gaze held no shame over his defeat. Instead, it carried the calm resignation of someone who had fulfilled his role.
"Yeah. You were under [Recognition Alteration], right, Master? I think you were resisting it with [Demon Break]… but this way is more certain."
As she spoke, Fuuka glanced once at the hilt of her demon blade.
"Special abilities are composed of magic power. This demon blade can cut only magic power. So I severed only the [Recognition Alteration]."
Kiryu had reached the pinnacle of ki known as [Demon Break]. With his ability to shatter magic power, he should never have been easily manipulated. That was precisely why Filly had slowly and deeply soaked the curse into him over time.
On the surface, Kiryu had obeyed Filly, but all along he had been resisting with everything he had, right at the very edge.
"…You have truly mastered the demon blade in the fullest sense."
"It was because of your teachings, Master."
"Hahaha… To hear you say that brings me more joy than anything else as your teacher."
Kiryu's expression was one of genuine happiness from the bottom of his heart, but the next moment it shifted into one of firm resolve.
"My remaining duty has been fulfilled. —All that is left is to settle accounts as a retainer. I turned my blade against the princess. As a loyal subject, there is no greater disloyalty than this."
With those words, he drew a short blade from his breast and placed his hand on the hilt.
"Therefore, allow me to apologize here."
The short blade moved toward him.
Before it could reach him,
"Wait."
Fuuka grabbed his arm and stopped the blade.
Then, looking straight into Kiryu's eyes, she spoke.
"I won't allow you to die."
"But, Princess—"
"If you still consider me your lord, then as your lord I will not permit you to use your life that way. I want you to use that life to protect this country."
Her voice carried quiet but unmistakable anger, along with a strong will close to a plea.
Kiryu lowered his eyes. After a brief silence, he sheathed the short blade.
"…As you wish. Then I shall fight for this country with this body until the day it crumbles to dust."
"Master Kiryu… I'm so glad…"
Nagisa watched the exchange with tears in her eyes.
"Lady Nagisa, I am truly sorry for causing you such pain."
"Please don't worry about it. It was certainly painful and hard, but I was able to reunite with Fuuka Big Sister like this! All's well that ends well!"
There was not a trace of blame in Nagisa's voice. Her words were straightforward, free of reproach for the past, and filled with the kindness of someone who chose to accept the present.
"Big Sister, I want to fight alongside you too. I don't want anyone else to feel sad. I want to use my ability for the future of this country!"
"Thank you, Nagisa."
Fuuka gently stroked her little sister's head.
Watching them, Kiryu quietly rose to his feet.
"Then shall we go and eliminate the scoundrels who are trampling this country underfoot?"
"Yeah."
"Yes! …Wait, but what about the sacred mountain?"
"No need to worry about that. My reliable comrades will take care of it. We'll prioritize securing the safety of the people."
"If that's the case, then I understand!"
Fuuka set their course for the immediate future and began walking once more.
Together with the comrades she had reclaimed, she headed toward Hanemiya, where the dark rain still continued to fall.