The fierce battle had raged for quite so ti.
It was unclear which floor’s facilities had been completely destroyed. Under the onslaught of sword strikes, fist winds, and ninjutsu, even the sturdy floors and ceilings were split with countless fissures, as if they would shutter completely at the slightest touch.
Dodging a heavy punch, Miyu rolled away sharply, slipping out from under the giant’s feet. Her holy sword swept upward in a diagonal arc, carving a crescent of light.
Thwack!
An inhumanly thick arm flew into the air. A petite figure appeared like a ghost, binding the giant with threads of unknown material, rendering it immobile.
"Miss Miyu, now!"
"Haaaaah!"
Mana Burst erupted, power surging from her heart with an unbearable, swelling sensation. All Miyu had to do was channel this pain into a single thrust of her sword!
Like a luminous drill, the strike pierced through Berserker’s hardened skin, destroying his vital point once more. The montum didn’t stop there—it shattered walls and doors in its path, crashing straight into the edge of the Mirror World until the building’s floor-to-ceiling windows were webbed with cracks!
The blow landed. Berserker spat blood, but Miyu didn’t dare hesitate. She leaped back, gasping heavily as she tightened her grip on her sword.
This was the third ti.
First, Rin and Luvia had killed him once with Gáe Bolg. Then, in the instant she transford into Saber, she had slain him again. And now, a third ti.
They say "third ti’s the charm," but her instincts as a swordswoman told her it wouldn’t be that simple.
"Are you alright, Miss Miyu?"
Erging from the shadows, the ninja girl’s arm was completely severed, wooden shavings and chanical parts spilling from it, sparks flying. Yet, the expression on her face—frad by her tight-fitting ninja garb—remained unchanged. Her high ponytail swayed like a crescent moon with her movents.
With Berserker montarily immobilized, the two fighters—who had cooperated flawlessly without a word—finally had a chance to speak.
"Thank you for your help. May I ask who you are?"
"Well, as for ..." Danzou recalled Sakatsuki’s instructions and quickly organized her words. "I am Katou Danzou, a ’maid’ under my master—Father Sakatsuki. I was worried for your safety, so I secretly followed during your teleportation. I apologize for the intrusion."
"Eh?" Miyu blinked in surprise. After processing Danzou’s identity, her gaze lingered on the ninja’s broken arm. Danzou, however, bore her scrutiny without hesitation.
"No need for doubt. I am not human, though I must keep my origins a secret."
Miyu nodded silently. Sakatsuki had ntioned sothing like this at Illya’s house, so she simply asked, "If you’re here, does that an Sakatsuki is nearby too?"
"My apologies, Miss Miyu." Danzou lowered her eyes. "My master hasn’t appeared in a long ti. It’s because I... No, never mind."
The ninja suddenly lifted her head, her gaze locking onto Berserker, whose entire body burned crimson as his wounds regenerated, transforming him into a demonic god.
"More importantly, we must return to battle."
"Right." Miyu tightened her grip on her holy sword. "This may sound presumptuous, but Miss Danzou, could you buy so ti against Berserker?"
Danzou had no objections. Even if she couldn’t defeat Berserker head-on, diverting his attention was well within her skills—it was, after all, a ninja’s duty.
"Then, Miss Miyu, may fortune favor your blade."
The ninja vanished, soon leading Berserker away. The sounds of combat faded into the distance.
Knowing ti was of the essence, Miyu closed her eyes. The sacred sword in her hands grew brighter.
"Lady Miyu!" Sapphire cried out. "No! Activating a Noble Phantasm requires an imnse output! Even with infinite mana, we can’t handle such a sudden surge—you’ll be drained dry!"
"This is the only way to defeat Berserker!" Miyu gritted her teeth as the foreign heart within her chest pounded violently, sapping her life force.
"If we can’t do it today, we can try again next ti!"
"There won’t be a next ti!" For the first ti, her voice was fierce. With Danzou gone, Miyu finally revealed the resolve beneath her calm exterior. "If we don’t end this here and now..."
"If I don’t end this alone..."
"...next ti, Illya will definitely be called in!"
Her organs scread in protest, on the verge of failure.
Even with the protection of her magical staff, unleashing the holy sword would reduce the young girl to a withered husk.
Yet, just as her body teetered on the brink of collapse, tiny motes of light rose from her form. The hopes and blessings of countless souls coalesced into a gentle radiance, enveloping her, stimulating her mana, awakening her strength, and channeling the overwhelming power into the golden blade.
"Illya... I don’t want her to fight anymore. She was the first person to treat as a friend."
Sapphire could never have imagined the joy that had surged through Miyu’s heart when Illya extended her hand—what kind of flowers had blood along the river of her emotions?
It was her brother’s wish. The reason she was willing to give everything.
"So...!"
The light of hope blazed fiercely, as if a new mana source had replaced Miyu herself.
With a roar of agony, the giant—having torn through Danzou’s threads—burst from the lower floors, sending the chanical ninja flying hundreds of ters, unable to rise.
But before he could revel in his violent triumph, an endless radiance condensed into a single beam, reflecting in his crimson-gold eyes as a holy light of certain death.
"Excalibur!"
A golden deluge roared forth, effortlessly obliterating the giant’s body, extinguishing his life three tis over. The torrent didn’t stop there—it shattered the fractured windows and tore a massive breach through the Mirror World itself.
"This is...!" Danzou struggled to her feet, staring at the familiar radiance in disbelief.
"So... you were protecting her too, weren’t you, Saber?"
Her sensors registered warmth. Her damaged tactile systems finally relayed the sensation of touch. With great effort, Danzou lifted her head—and t a pair of gentle golden eyes.
"Master...?"
Thick mana flooded her limbs. Though her core remained unstable, her puppet body began repairing itself at a rapid pace.
"You did well, Danzou." The young man who had stepped forth from the Imaginary Number Domain smiled. Bathed in the fading golden light, he stroked the ninja’s hair, savoring its silken texture between his fingers. "Tonight, as always, you were beautiful."
For a mont, Danzou’s self-diagnostic systems faltered. Her logic circuits stalled fatally, leaving her struggling even to speak.
"Th... thank you, Master."
Sakatsuki smiled and gently set the now-repaired Danzou down before standing. "That soul of yours—willing to act for the sake of others—is the reason you exist."
"But next ti, while protecting others... don’t forget to protect yourself too."
Leaving Danzou to rest, Sakatsuki raised a hand, a card pinched between his fingers.
On it, a heroic spirit drew his bow. But the front was blank—an empty Class Card.
"Now, take the stage... and let thunderous applause ring out!"
Light cocooned the young man. When he erged, his crimson mantle billowed, and the majestic wings of his bow—worthy of a Machine God—spread wide.
Glancing back, he saw Miyu, who had reverted from her transformation due to exhaustion, and Illya, who had just arrived atop the roof, charging forward at the forefront.
With a smirk, the young man—his eyes now veiled by holy shroud—took a step forward.
"This is the final act."
***
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