"What a rare sight, so many Heroic Spirits appearing on this battlefield simultaneously," Shiki Ryougi stated calmly, gripping her dagger, as if unimpressed by the spectral demoness, Youmu Konpaku, facing her. "Words are useless; I'll cut you down first!" Though her Human Treasure was shattered in a single blow, Youmu had, after all, fought against Celestial Tier experts. Even with her strength currently restrained, she harbored no fear toward Shiki Ryougi. She was no longer the one who was attacked by dreams; she was the one who attacked dreams now! As her words faded, she brandished her twin swords and lunged at Shiki Ryougi like lightning.

A Nitoryu style?

Shiki Ryougi narrowed her eyes as the opponent closed the distance, wielding dual blades. Just as Youmu brought one sword slicing toward her, Shiki flicked her dagger, meeting the diagonally descending Hakurou sword with a sharp clang. But immediately after, the Rouran sword in Youmu’s right hand cleaved in from another direction.

The Rouran sword's blade was significantly longer than the Hakurou sword. As the saying goes, an inch longer means an inch stronger. At such close range, attacks delivered by the Rouran sword, regardless of angle, were incredibly difficult to evade. Moreover, Shiki Ryougi was not a dual-wielding swordsman. To dodge this strike now, she could only retreat or preempt the attack with superior speed to block it.

However, although Shiki Ryougi hailed from one of the Four Great Demon-Hunting Families and excelled in physical techniques (taijutsu), she was still far inferior to Youmu, a half-human, half-spirit being. Even if Shiki successfully evaded this blow, Youmu held far more potent follow-ups in reserve... The so-called Life Nitoryu was not merely a sequence of sword techniques; the swordsmanship capable of fighting Youkai, once fully unleashed, became a veritable tempest.

To Youmu’s surprise, Shiki Ryougi neither retreated nor attempted to parry her attack. Facing the downward slash of the Rouran sword, Shiki advanced instead. Her dagger scraped along the edge of the Hakurou sword, forcibly deflecting it into the Rouran sword. The two swords collided with a clang, and Shiki seized the opportunity. Her dagger abruptly flipped, and she—blade first—shot like an arrow across Youmu’s neck.

On the surface, Shiki Ryougi indeed seemed unconcerned with Youmu, but the reality was the exact opposite. After all, Youmu possessed the status of a Heroic Spirit, a supreme tier of power in this world. Not just her, but anyone would hesitate to underestimate such a foe. Having instantaneously recognized Youmu as a dual-wielding swordsman and noticing the difference in blade lengths, Shiki immediately deduced the opponent's likely combat strategy. Using conventional methods, she doubted she could win. But... the shorter weapon demands a more dangerous approach; while she needed greater speed and had to endure greater risk due to the limited attack range, this life-risking style could also swiftly end the enemy’s life.

The result matched her prediction: this style granted her the initiative. The only slight imperfection was that she failed to inflict a fatal wound.

Yes, while Shiki Ryougi’s maneuver had indeed surpassed Youmu’s expectations, as one of Gensokyo’s foremost swordswomen, her on-the-spot reaction capability in close quarters was second to none. The moment Shiki’s dagger swept toward her neck, the spirit half behind Youmu manifested a defense, narrowly escaping the potentially fatal strike.

Then, the two figures flashed past each other.

Shiki Ryougi knew that having missed her one chance, repeating the same approach would be impossible; she needed to regroup. Youmu, having witnessed Shiki’s desperate gambit, realized this enemy was not to be trifled with. Maintaining distance was crucial... her own reach far surpassed the opponent's, placing her in an invincible position as long as she wasn't cornered.

However, having just suffered a setback, Youmu clearly wasn't going to let it slide. The instant they broke apart, Youmu whipped around like a helix and charged toward Shiki Ryougi.

"Life Nitoryu... Dual Flood Dragons Slash!"

The twin swords whirled in the air with Youmu's rotation, slicing through the atmosphere with sharp tearing sounds. Their speed completely surpassed visual capture, dazzling the eye, resembling a windmill spinning mid-air... This was not a Mystic Code but Youmu’s inherent swordsmanship, yet as a Heroic Spirit, even ordinary attacks could not be taken lightly.

Shiki Ryougi sensed immense danger immediately. At such speed, evasion was impossible. As the storm of twin swords approached, she could only rely on pure physical instinct to defend. At this moment, Shiki’s hand speed exploded. The dagger in her hand shone brilliantly, her hand's trajectory completely obscured. In mere seconds, clang, clang, clang—the dagger and the twin swords clashed dozens of times, showering sparks everywhere.

Such impact caused no pressure for Youmu, who was known as the fastest legend on the ground in Gensokyo and naturally favored swift attacks. But for Shiki Ryougi, the pressure was enormous. Although she possessed a divine skill like the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, her physical body's durability was quite ordinary. Her fragile physique had always prevented her from unleashing the true power of the Mystic Eyes. Under Youmu’s relentless, storm-like flurry of attacks, her right arm began to go numb within seconds. She was under immense pressure, both mentally and physically.

Damn, I'm being suppressed!

Shiki Ryougi frowned, her heart growing heavy. Though Youmu was fully focused on displaying her speed, she did not ignore Shiki’s condition. Noticing the subtle change in the opponent's expression, she instantly knew Shiki’s resistance was reaching its limit. She increased her speed again, unleashing several dozen more rapid slashes. Shiki Ryougi’s defense finally collapsed.

By this time, Youmu's Dual Flood Dragons Slash was also reaching its limit; the body's rotation suddenly slowed. But having secured the advantage, she would not stop just because the technique ended. The moment her body stabilized, the Rouran sword cleaved down fiercely.

Clang!

Shiki Ryougi gathered every last vestige of her strength to parry the Rouran sword with her dagger. A crushing force shot through her entire body, instinctively forcing her down onto one knee.

"That’s the end!"

Youmu had no intention of showing mercy, driving the Hakurou sword straight towards Shiki’s chest. However, at that moment, Shiki Ryougi, seemingly exhausted, suddenly lifted her head. Her previously black pupils instantly shifted to a deep, profound green, not only emitting a terrifying green light but also subtly spiraling, threatening to draw one into confusion.

Then came a sharp crack. The Rouran sword, held fast by the dagger, bizarrely shattered into countless metal fragments. Then, under Youmu’s shocked gaze, Shiki Ryougi used the momentum of the dagger to block in front of her chest. In the nick of time, she deflected the direct thrust of the Hakurou sword. Under the shockwave of Youmu's technique, Shiki slid backward on the ground, leaving a long drag mark where she stood, gasping for breath.

Through the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, Shiki Ryougi had finally managed to break free from Youmu’s swift assault. She crouched down, steadying her nearly paralyzed right hand. Across from her, Youmu stared dumbfounded at the Rouran sword in her hand, which was now just a hilt, an expression of pure disbelief etched on her face.

"My Rouran sword... how could this be..."

Shiki rose slowly. "As a Heroic Spirit, you are indeed powerful. Beings like you, neither human nor god, cannot be opposed by ordinary people. But... I am no ordinary person either. As an anomaly... these eyes of mine can see the lines of death on anything. With these eyes, let alone a Heroic Spirit, I could kill even a god for you to see!"

Hearing this, Youmu instinctively glanced at Shiki’s eyes. After a moment, realization dawned: "I see. This must be the legendary Mystic Eyes of Death Perception. It resembles someone else's ability quite closely. No wonder you could shatter my Rouran sword."

"Resembles someone else's ability"—this was not the first time Shiki Ryougi had heard this, but she paid it little mind. She continued, "Once something is killed by my Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, it can never be restored. Now, with only one sword left, you cannot use Nitoryu, and your speed will be greatly impacted. You have lost."

"Indeed, as you say. Against your eyes, even if I used my Mystic Code, you could easily destroy it. If I cannot counter the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, it will be difficult for me to win against you. But..."

Youmu nodded, then pivoted, holding the hilt of the Rouran sword toward Shiki Ryougi. "This Rouran sword was forged by the wisest Youkai. Its original prototype was the Soul-Slaying Sword, specifically targeting the enemy's soul. It was later remodeled by a Great Youkai, and its boundary was reconstructed, becoming what it is now... Almost nothing can withstand the Rouran sword's cut. Similarly, as long as the boundary that constitutes it remains unbroken, nothing can destroy the Rouran sword... I regret to say, your Mystic Eyes of Death Perception cannot yet reach the level of destroying a boundary, or rather, the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception itself is established upon the realm of life and death."

As Youmu finished speaking, Shiki Ryougi was shocked to find that the blade, which had been shattered into countless fragments, was miraculously flying up. In mere moments, the pieces reformed onto the hilt... The cold edge, the sword as white as snow, showed no trace of damage.

"This...?!" Even Shiki Ryougi could not remain calm upon witnessing this. While her Mystic Eyes of Death Perception might not be absolute, they were certainly absolute killers. Anything she cleaved—be it person, object, or energy—could never be restored. Yet here... the sword she had clearly shattered was reconstructing itself before her eyes.

How could this be possible?!

Shiki Ryougi found it unbelievable... Boundaries! Was this the power of Boundaries? Shiki Ryougi certainly knew what Boundaries represented, but with her current strength, let alone killing a Boundary, she couldn't even touch one. In other words, the Rouran sword was her singular natural predator so far!

Unkillable!

Despite this, Shiki Ryougi would not give up. Even if she couldn't kill the Rouran sword, Youmu herself lacked the ability to regenerate. As long as she could pierce Youmu’s body, she could send her back to the netherworld.

Simultaneously, Youmu had already assumed an attacking stance. Their gazes met, sparks of intensity subtly flying between them. The battle was about to ignite anew.

Then, as dust lifted from the ground, both initiated their attacks at the same moment, clashing once more, presenting an appearance of rough equality.

In reality, based on their original strengths, factoring out surprise attacks and holding back, when both fought at full capacity, only a handful of individuals could directly confront a Servant: the 27 Ancestors, Kiriho Izumo, and Aoko Aozaki... Of course, UO and the like were beyond discussion; perhaps most Servants could be instantly dispatched by UO, save for the loli version of Gilgamesh.

However, Shiki Ryougi did not possess such power. While her Mystic Eyes of Death Perception were terrifying, they were severely limited by her physical body. If an opponent maintained sufficient distance or dominated her physically in all aspects, Shiki Ryougi would be rendered useless... Of course, if she could evolve into the Root self, the outcome would be different.

And this was only against Servants from the Nasuverse. Against Servants from the Bright World, these girls of Gensokyo would be even less of a match for her. Therefore, originally, she should not have been able to fight Youmu Konpaku.

But Shiki Ryougi had an even greater reliance besides the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception—the Host! Although her strength as a Host had not yet been fully developed, she had been a Host for several years. The power of the World's Core lay dormant within her. Even if she hadn't actively sought it out, this highest form of mystery was enough to guarantee her strength had progressed substantially.

Thus, even against Youmu, a high-tier Heroic Spirit whose power was not significantly inferior to Remilia’s, she could manage a bare fifty-fifty stalemate. In fact, had it not been for the Rouran sword possessing attributes that countered the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, she might even have held a slight edge.

Of course, victory in battle depends not only on inherent strength but also decisively on external environment and psychological state. Therefore, it would be difficult for these two to settle the score quickly.

Meanwhile, as the fight continued, Touhou Akiba’s demonic nature gradually erupted within her. Facing the combined assault of Aoko Aozaki and her familiars, she showed no sign of defeat; instead, she was starting to gain the upper hand. This result was not surprising, as Aoko Aozaki’s greatest strength lay not in combat power, but in her knowledge—she was an almost omniscient magus, leaning more toward a researcher than a warrior. Therefore, her performance against a formidable opponent like Touhou Akiba, who possessed Ancestor-level potential, was hardly shameful.

Then there was the match between Remilia and Mokou. Although Remilia had suffered some prior attrition, her inherent strength was slightly superior to Mokou’s. They were evenly matched in their combat. More importantly, both were the type to lose themselves completely in a fight, rarely stopping until utterly exhausted. Consequently, their battlefield was a chaotic storm of danmaku and Mystic Codes, a place where ordinary people couldn't even get close, let alone interfere.

Finally, the pairing of Marisa and Reisen Udongein Inaba was largely settled. Originally, after continuous battles against Cú Chulainn, Remilia, and Touhou Akiba, Reisen’s magical energy and stamina were already severely depleted, and she hadn't received adequate replenishment; she could exert at most thirty percent of her full combat strength. Facing an opponent like Marisa at her peak in such a state, it was impossible for her to gain any advantage.

Furthermore, the sheer martial spirit Marisa exuded once a fight started could rival Youmu Kazami’s, and she would attack even Reimu Hakurei viciously. Since Reisen was not Marisa’s close friend, in a battle where killing the enemy was inconsequential, would she possibly hold back? The answer, naturally, was no.

So, after the initial sweeping attack that Reisen managed to evade, the black-and-white magician began aggressively throwing out Mystic Codes—flinging everything from the stars in the sky to the moon on the ground... As for magical energy expenditure, if she worried about that, she wouldn't be Marisa. At this point, mad 'Evil Eyes' or 'Eyes of Illusion' were utterly useless.

With broad, map-clearing attacks, Reisen had absolutely no room to evade. The result was inevitable. After Marisa finished raining down her abilities, Reisen, who hadn't even managed a counter-strike, collapsed, lying motionless in a massive crater.

Seeing this, Kuroto Azaka froze completely. After only a second of shock, she disregarded her own danger and rushed over, jumping into the pit to support Reisen’s limp body. But the moment she touched her, she knew... Reisen was finished.

"Hehe, I lost," Reisen said with a pale face, noticing Azaka’s helpless smile. "I'm so sorry. I truly intended to help you achieve your wish of winning over your brother, but... I'm afraid I won't be around to see that moment..."

"Stop talking..." Azaka cried, clutching Reisen’s body, tears streaming down her face.

"Don't be sad, don't regret it. I'm just finishing this journey a bit early... But you are different; you still have a long path ahead. So... Azaka, please take my regret with you and move forward relentlessly. I believe you will fulfill your wish someday..."

"Reisen..." Azaka burst into painful sobs. Even as she herself was fading away, she was still concerned for her. What a kind soul! But why do good people not get good rewards? Why?!

Azaka was overcome with grief.

Reisen, clinging to her last breath, gently wiped the tears from Azaka's face and smiled. "Even if I'm gone, you still have the strength to move forward... In this war, many Heroic Spirits are sitting on the sidelines. As long as you still possess your Command Spells, you can continue to fight... Azaka! You must not give up! As a devoted 'brother-con,' you must achieve that noble ideal of yours... Ah."

As soon as she finished speaking, Reisen’s head tilted, and she slumped over. Feeling the hands slowly slip away from her face, Azaka let out a piercing wail, "Reisen! Don't die!!!"

In that moment, Kuroto Azaka understood true sorrow. In that moment, she resolved that no matter the cost, she would win this Holy Grail War—if not for herself, then for Reisen, who had sacrificed herself for her.

"Don't worry, Reisen, I will absolutely not give up. This time... I will fight for you!" Kuroto Azaka gently laid Reisen’s body down, wiped the tears from her eyes, and stated solemnly.

However, just then, Reisen abruptly opened her eyes and quickly said, "Oh, right. That $998 you owe me, absolutely do not forget it."

After saying this, Reisen closed her eyes again, this time truly gone, her body instantly dissolving into sparks and vanishing. Azaka stared dumbfounded. She couldn't even forget money in death; what persistence!

PS: I had planned a massive release for the sealing of the story, but thinking it over, the world supposedly ends on the 21st. If that happens, the release would be pointless, so I’ll wait. If there's no apocalypse, I’ll explode with content... Well, the end of the world is a great excuse for procrastination. (To be continued) RQ