Chapter 237: The Elegy of the Scorched Bloodflame
In the sky, a falling star streaked across the heavens, its glow reflecting on Usagi's determined face.
Suddenly, a series of metallic collisions and mechanical assembly sounds erupted behind her, piercing and thunderous, like the charge of a thousand armies. Crimson and black lights intertwined, gradually forming an enormous device that blotted out the sky. The deafening noise grew louder and louder, shaking the heavens, painting the entire sky in a terrifying crimson hue.
As this ominous phenomenon unfolded, an enormous cannon, the size of a city, completed its assembly behind Usagi. Its barrel was engraved with intricate patterns, pulsing with a dreadful blood-red glow. Its presence seemed to consume all light, plunging the battlefield into an abyss of despair. The remnants of the Leo Corps and the surviving soldiers gazed up at the colossal cannon, their faces draining of color. Some trembled in terror, collapsing to the ground, struggling even to breathe.
Then, a thunderous voice layered with multiple tones resounded through the sky, shaking the heavens with its apocalyptic decree:
"Crimson Rabbit—Super Cosmic Black Cannon!!!!!!!"
Before the words even faded, the massive cannon erupted with a blinding blood-red glow, igniting the sky into a sea of scarlet flames. In the next instant, an energy beam of cataclysmic proportions burst forth from the cannon's mouth, moving faster than human perception could register. The moment it was fired, the world was engulfed in red.
The beam engulfed the battlefield, annihilating everything in its path. The Leo Corps soldiers had no chance to resist; they were reduced to ash in an instant. The beam continued forward, stretching beyond the horizon, erasing city after city, wiping them from existence. One city, two, three… until dozens had vanished in a blinding inferno. Mountains crumbled, forests turned to cinders, and the earth was scarred with deep, grotesque fissures.
Usagi hovered in the air, her entire body shrouded in the crimson glow, the blood-red hue in her eyes intensifying, as if her very soul had been set ablaze. She did not stop—dissatisfied with the destruction before her, she commanded the cannon to continue its relentless barrage. The energy beams rained down ceaselessly, their violent radiance refusing to fade. The sky was forever marked with crimson streaks, a proclamation of annihilation and despair.
She bent forward, gasping for air. Every breath she took felt like knives slicing through her lungs, her voice hoarse and trembling with exhaustion. Her body had long since reached its limit, her heart pounding violently, as if it would burst from her chest at any moment. A strange flush spread across her cheeks, sweat trickled down her forehead, and her legs, heavy as lead, could barely hold up her frail yet unyielding frame.
The boiling blood within her had long since been depleted, and the flames of her life force flickered at their end. Dizziness overtook her senses, and ringing filled her ears. Her vision blurred, the world before her swaying into a haze of dim red light. Still, she gritted her teeth, forcing herself to remain standing, refusing to succumb.
Raising her head, she glimpsed the figures of the Leo Corps through her failing sight. She had thought that the Super Cosmic Black Cannon would have obliterated them all, yet several hundred Death Servants still remained. Their eyes were cold and resolute, devoid of emotion, like puppets marching to their grim fate. Behind them stood Leo himself, his sharp gaze unwavering, a sinister smile tugging at his lips.
"Looks like you've entered 'Dry Blood State' completely." Leo sneered. "Well, no matter. The cost of victory was high, but it was worth it."
There was a hint of satisfaction in his voice. He swept his gaze over the remaining Death Servants and coldly issued a single command: "Kill."
Without hesitation, the Death Servants charged toward Usagi, their weapons gleaming with a chilling light, their killing intent unrelenting.
Usagi stood motionless, her body refusing to move another inch. As she faced the incoming storm of blades, her lips trembled, and tears welled in her eyes. She bit her lip, her stubborn face finally cracking, revealing a sliver of loneliness and helplessness.
At that moment of utter despair, she lowered her head, her voice trembling, as if whispering her last prayer to the world: "Onii-sama… why haven't you come for me…? Usagi is all alone… so lonely… so scared…"
Tears slipped down her cheeks, but no answer came. The hundred Death Servants lunged forward, their weapons cutting through the air, bringing an inescapable tide of death toward Usagi, enveloping her entirely in their deadly intent. The battlefield was drenched in the scent of destruction, and in the next moment, she would be erased from existence.
Usagi slowly closed her eyes, surrendering to the cruel judgment of fate.
But in that very instant—
A terrifying, invisible pressure suddenly descended upon the battlefield. A suffocating wave of bloodlust surged forth, freezing everything in place.
The Death Servants charging at Usagi halted in midair. A split second later, their major arteries violently ruptured, and fountains of blood sprayed into the sky. Their final moments were frozen on their faces—fear, confusion, despair… all perished with unseeing eyes, their lifeless bodies collapsing to the ground.
Leo and his forces stared in shock, unable to comprehend what had just transpired. It was as if their souls had been wrenched from their bodies. A chill ran down their spines, and for the first time, they felt the true terror of the unknown.
A soft chuckle echoed near Usagi's ear. She opened her eyes and felt warm hands gently supporting her weakened body. In the next instant, she was pulled into a firm embrace, a comforting warmth enveloping her entirely. Then—a pair of lips pressed against hers, carrying the faint taste of iron.
Usagi's pupils dilated in shock, her breath catching in her throat. The one holding her—was none other than Hayato. He kissed her without hesitation, biting his own lips and forcing his blood into her mouth.
Usagi's mind went blank, her heart pounding like a war drum. A deep, unfamiliar blush spread across her face, completely different from the sickly flush of before. Her first kiss—stolen, in the midst of blood and chaos, by this man!?
Hayato's gaze was cold and unyielding, an aura of dominance radiating from him. His voice, low and resolute, thundered across the battlefield like the decree of a god of death:
"Anyone who dares to lay a hand on my beloved Usagi—shall suffer a fate worse than death!"