Volume 4, Chapter 23: Combat Under Moonlight

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To Yae Sakura, Xia Chen was undoubtedly a stranger, and whether he was trustworthy remained uncertain. Yet, despite her reservations, she followed his advice.

Belief or disbelief was one matter; taking action was another.

The events of today had already indicated that the so-called fox spirit was not benevolent. Kallen also mentioned similar instances in Europe, where those in power orchestrated disasters for personal gain.

At this moment, Yae Sakura had no clear direction to find the fox spirit; it was her first time witnessing its presence.

Xia Chen suggested that the Honkai-infused Sakura Petal Fall would attract the fox spirit's attention, and thus, it could be worth trying.

Coincidentally, due to today's incident, demonic beasts were roaming near Yae Village, requiring Yae Sakura to eliminate them.

"Well then, I won't disturb you further."

With these words, Yae Sakura rose and prepared to leave.

However, as she approached the exit of the sky fortress, she spotted Kallen waiting there with her fairy bow.

"Sakura, didn't we agree? From now on, we face these challenges together. You're not alone anymore."

Yae Sakura looked at Kallen, slightly taken aback by her gesture.

"Let's go, together," Kallen said with a smile. "After all, I can't just sit here doing nothing, right?"

"Yes, let's."

As night fell, the two ventured out from the sky fortress.

In truth, Yae Sakura didn't fully believe what Xia Chen had told her about the fox spirit. The reason being that the Yae Clan possessed unique powers to combat Honkai beasts, which they attributed to the might bestowed upon their bloodline by the fox spirit. She was unaware that this ability was actually called Stigmata.

Yae Sakura believed the fox spirit encountered wasn't the true fox deity but rather an imposter stealing its name.

The genuine fox spirit, she thought, might still be hidden somewhere else.

However, regardless of her beliefs, she kept them to herself.

Soon, Yae Sakura located a Honkai beast.

These so-called Honkai beasts were ancient animals infected by the Honkai energy. Like others affected, they lacked intelligence. Strangely, these creatures never entered Yae Village for slaughter, which is why the villagers once believed they were under the protection of the fox spirit.

The beasts refrained from entering the village.

What Yae Sakura didn't know was that the real reason behind the beasts' avoidance of the village was due to the frequent offerings of Sakura Petal Fall at the sky fortress.

Sakura Petal Fall contained Rin's consciousness; although she couldn't directly communicate with the successive Divine Masters of the sky fortress, she could manipulate the Honkai Beasts simply, altering their memory programs.

However, this was the extent of Rin's influence.

As a result, legends about the fox spirit gradually spread in Yae Village, giving rise to their belief system.

One could only attribute it to fate; blame cannot be placed on anyone.

The duo encountered a demonic bear, and Kallen swiftly fired her arrow while Yae Sakura delivered the finishing blow.

Before the beast could react, it departed from this world.

Kallen smiled, "Looks like we have great synergy, Sakura. From now on, you should call me for these hunts."

"Sure."

Yae Sakura also felt quite pleased, although dealing with such creatures alone wouldn't have been challenging for her.

Following Xia Chen's instructions, they inserted Sakura Petal Fall into the monster's core and observed the blade closely.

Just as Xia Chen had described, Sakura Petal Fall began to change, resembling a voracious beast devouring its prey, quickly consuming the Core.

Excitedly, Kallen said, "Sakura, let's continue."

Yae Sakura nodded.

While she didn't fully trust Xia Chen, based on current evidence, following his method seemed like a wise choice.

The duo continued their hunt against the demonic beasts.

Soon, numerous corpses littered the outskirts of Yae Village, and the Sakura Petal Fall in her hand underwent further changes.

Kallen observed, "Sakura, have you noticed that this blade seems brighter than before?"

"Yes, and..." The miko's eyes narrowed slightly as she held the sword. "I can feel a voice calling out to me from within."

At that moment, they heard another sound:

"Help! Save me!"

A childlike voice echoed through the moonlit night, filled with an eerie quality.

Kallen promptly responded, "Let's go see what it is."

"Kallen, wait," Yae Sakura hastily interjected. "Demonic beasts frequently appear near Yae Village, so the villagers strictly adhere to the habit of not venturing outside at night. Even children are constantly reminded by adults not to leave on their own. This voice feels too strange; we should proceed with caution."

Thoughtfully, Kallen agreed, "I trust your judgment."

Having lived here for many years, Yae Sakura had a deep understanding of the village and its people.

Cautiously, they approached the source of the sound. They soon spotted a stumbling girl running while pleading, "Don't eat me, don't eat me, I'm really not tasty."

Despite her small stature, behind the girl lurked a fox. It appeared to be merely playing, akin to a cat teasing a mouse, watching its prey flee.

As the fox noticed Yae Sakura and Kallen, a mix of vigilance and hatred flashed in its eyes.

Yae Sakura and Kallen also readied themselves for battle, recognizing the fox as the same fox spirit they encountered earlier in the day.

Just as they were about to engage, the girl suddenly rushed towards them.

In an instant, she collided with Yae Sakura.

Yae Sakura's body tensed slightly, and under Kallen's astonished gaze, she swung her blade.

"Oh no, I should have known this would happen."

However, Yae Sakura's strike did not land.

Xia Chen blocked it with the Lance of Antiquity.

He anticipated that Hiyoshimaru wouldn't give up on finding Sakura Petal Fall, since only by merging Rin's other consciousness could it become a complete Herrscher of Corruption.

The most terrifying aspect of the Erosion ability is its power to control information carriers. Xia Chen knew better than to assume Yae Sakura or Kallen alone could handle such a Herrscher naively.

Thus, he decided to follow them discreetly.

Upon seeing the girl, Xia Chen immediately recognized her as a fake. Her appearance closely resembled Rin from the previous civilization era.

Only Hiyoshimaru would attempt this, likely trying to coax Rin's consciousness out from Sakura Petal Fall.

Using his authority, Xia Chen restrained Yae Sakura.

Meanwhile, after regaining her composure, Kallen launched a direct attack on Hiyoshimaru. As Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie, Kallen's assaults left Hiyoshimaru struggling immensely.

With its Authority impaired, it was forced into this desperate situation.

Hiyoshimaru attempted to flee.

However, a layer of frost instantly immobilized its body.

"The Herrscher's Authority can only be unleashed when becoming an informational entity; perhaps this is self-inflicted entrapment."

Xia Chen swiftly captured Hiyoshimaru.

At that moment, Hiyoshimaru's eyes dimmed as the Herrscher tried to directly seize Xia Chen's body.

But upon invading Xia Chen's consciousness, it triggered the mark left by Finality on him.

Instantly, Hiyoshimaru vanished.

[Honkai World experience concluded. You may permanently retain the following items and extract them to the real world. Congratulations! You have obtained 10 Honkai Fragments. Extract now?]