I'll kill you after I finish this game!

She couldn't afford to lose either, in order to get what she wanted.

But, but why is that? Why is my sword so powerless?

Not enough longing? Too little understanding?

No—Hotaru Sakurai absolutely refuses to admit it!

I have discarded all sorts of things and done all sorts of things, but a firm determination to never back down remains in my heart.

The past, where paths diverged, the world that will never intersect again, the life I so longed for as a student—I no longer need it. Give it all back to me!

Rumble rumble rumble ————!

Suddenly, filled with boundless rage and murderous intent, Sakurai Hotaru raised her hand and conjured a blindingly hot orb of light, pressing it fiercely against Valyria's smiling face.

A straight pillar of fire pierced through Suwahara City, broke through the entire Japanese penetrating zone, breached Earth's atmosphere, and plunged out of the solar system into the deep, dark universe, easily piercing through countless stars and constellations along its path.

but......

“Your desire is fervent, and so is your love; I understand that very well.”

As if it had been blown by a hot wind, the Holy Communion Cup, without a single scratch on its body, still smiled calmly, its long golden hair flowing, and its golden eyes looking down at Sakurai Hotaru, who was trembling with gritted teeth in front of it.

Why? What is the reason for this? Where exactly is the difference between her and the other person?

Both are at the Creation Rank, so why can't I touch the other?

Moreover, since we're talking about similarities, isn't the person in front of us also someone who roams this land in pursuit of something that has fallen?

If that's the case, why aren't they evenly matched? Clearly, they both share the same desire.

Where exactly is it that I am inferior to Valyria in front of me?

"Don't understand? Feeling lost? What's the difference between you and me? Ha—"

Valyria easily read the meaning in Sakurai Hotaru's eyes, then casually caught the flaming sword that had attacked countless times, and looked at the innocent brat with a cold and mocking gaze, saying:

"The difference is that I won't indulge in any ridiculous daydreams about finding salvation on my own!"

"------!"

Her whole being trembled. The words of the Holy Communion pierced through Sakurai Hotaru's well-pretended strength, causing it to collapse and vanish completely.

That statement was a denial of all salvation for the world.

They also refused to pray.

He, Valeria Tolifa, wouldn't even allow himself a moment's peace.

"The past has lost those you long for... Praying for the happiness of that time, that feeling is wonderful! That's what humanity is all about! But—why don't you just think purely about them? Is it because you know you can't receive blessings from self-love? If so... Lionheart Sword, you're just chasing after what it was like to be happy when you were with them."

Looking coldly and indifferently at the wavering Sakurai Hotaru, Valyria's every word was like a sharp spear, piercing through Sakurai Hotaru's defenses. At the end, he looked at the girl with a puzzled expression and said:

"If that's the case, why don't you just hold the mirror yourself?"

"—Shut up!!!"

Roaring, screaming, and shouting, Sakurai Hotaru was driven mad by the other party's denial of everything she had done so far!

The explosive flames struck the opponent again, and the flame-wrapped foot kicked hard at the belly of the Holy Communion.

But the other person didn't move an inch, and I was bounced back by the reaction force. The good news is... I successfully maintained the distance and wasn't injured.

Valyria cast a pained and sorrowful gaze at Sakurai Hotaru, and continued with a sigh:

"If you want me to love you and only want to be happy, that's definitely narcissistic, but there's no way to deny it."

Because she herself had been like that before, Valyria knew very well that Sakurai Hotaru couldn't hide anything from her.

"—That's not how it is!!"

Loudly rejecting the other party's criticism, unable to tolerate the other party tarnishing their feelings, and tarnishing their feelings for them.

"me......"

It's definitely not what the Holy Grail described, it's definitely not... I'm just...

"That's not meant to be particularly blaming you, because that's just how people are."

Father Valyria remained calm and indifferent, offering no mockery for Sakurai Hotaru's silence, simply stating that this was the norm for human beings.

The sense of resonance was felt even by the silent viewers.

Anyone who invests their emotions or does something probably hopes to receive a response or a reward, right?

I like the person who is smiling, and seeing myself like that makes me happy.

The motive is nothing more than this; if you really want to get to the bottom of it, you could say it's all for oneself.

I love her, so I hope she loves me too. Isn't that just human nature?

Is this a bad thing?

Even if you say you won't do it, will you still be looked down upon like that?

"Ah, you crossed mountains of corpses and seas of blood to save yourself. Look at your face, your body is covered in blood and despair."

Father Valyria, with a compassionate expression, looked at Sakurai Hotaru before him and said, "You who love yourself can only obtain the reflection of yourself there. What returns is only a war monster exactly like you now, a war slave forever running on the horizon of slaughter."

As she spoke, the Holy Grail, which held the power of all the golden souls within, resonated with Sakurai Hotaru, who was also inscribed with a stigmata.

Waaaaaahh ...

The girl's slender human form manifested at this moment as countless densely packed skeletons of the dead, making a chilling sound as they rubbed and collided with each other's teeth.

Behold, this is the true nature of the demons, beings who feed on and fuel the dead, driving a distorted world with supernatural power.

Sakurai Hotaru's eyes trembled as she looked down at her trembling hands, in which countless undead were churning and jostling.

If you said this wasn't a monster, probably no one would believe you, and you yourself wouldn't believe it either.

"Are you now the Grim Reaper?"

Valyria looked at Sakurai Hotaru with pity and sorrow, recounting the true nature of her and Hotaru's lord, saying, "Lord Heydrich believed this was salvation, driving his beloved knights to participate in an endless war, only to be swallowed by Lord Heydrich's demon castle and connected to hell... In short, that's how it is. If you ask me, we are completely beyond saving."

They are all devils, vicious death gods who devour human souls. How could such beings create things as happiness, hope, beauty, and redemption?

Be aware of your ugly, unworthy nature as a monster, little brat.

"I......"

Sakurai Hotaru seemed to understand something. But her seemingly strong heart refused to comprehend it.

The Holy Grail speaks ominous and cruel words, and is very difficult to deal with, but ignoring it would be too dangerous.

"But I'm different. I won't let [Hell] flow out."

Valyria stared at his hands with a fanatical and crazed look, and said with a light laugh, "With this Holy Grail, let us continue to draw upon the golden miracles created by the immortals, for eternal redemption!"

Yes, as long as we draw upon the single miracle of the dead's resurrection, everything can be redeemed and changed. We must never let Heydrich's hell return to reality!

So, at this moment...

"Farewell, sleep peacefully, Lionheart Sword."

Raising her hands slightly towards Sakurai Hotaru, a terrifying feeling of being targeted appeared in the girl's heart, making her tremble. Valyria smiled and said, "I promise you, I will definitely save you next time or the time after that."

Buzz————!

The wind whistled and rang under the cover of night, emitting an ominous whisper.

The evil saint, who has not launched an offensive until now, now wants to draw that [sword] here.

"------!"

The terrifying feeling made one want to run away, but Sakurai Hotaru, who wanted to do so, stared wide-eyed, her body unable to move at that moment.

There was no physical damage, and although there was some mental confusion, it was not to the point of being unable to move.

However, the soul—her very essence—realized that resistance was futile.

The immense divine power emanating from the Holy Communion Chalice made Sakurai Hotaru feel as if she were being pierced by some kind of ferocious force, so much so that she couldn't even blink.

The Cang Tui Death Face, which was trembling wildly on its own body, could completely block the movements of the Death Eater Corpse Soldiers if it dared to be summoned.

But... perhaps you can use that relic to replace the situation where you're targeted and unable to move, thus freeing yourself.

But—it's too late!

Just looking at the Holy Communion Chalice, I already knew that it would be too late to do anything next.

The solemn and sacred Word of Power resounded once more! Valyria murmured and sang like a singer-poet.

“【MeinlieberSchwan.diesHorn,diesSchwert,denRingsollstduihmgeben.（Dear white bird, please give this horn, sword, and ring to that person.）”

Click-clack—

Like the sharp sound of worlds rubbing against each other and then shattering, a dazzling golden holy cross-shaped spell barrier, or rather... passage, unfolded in Valyria's slightly raised hands before his chest.

That was a phase from another world, another dimension.

Within it, a supreme and sacred golden spear gradually revealed its tip, slowly emerging from the golden passage and aiming at Sakurai Hotaru.

Die die ...

Sakurai Hotaru's mind, soul, and heart were filled with images of her own death after being pierced through.

There's no escaping it, no hiding from it; it's just a matter of dying first or last, and we'll all die eventually anyway.

From the moment the golden spearhead was aimed at the girl, she had no way to dodge, and what would happen next was...

"--don't want!!"

The rooftop door was pushed open, and a sudden, earnest shout shattered the frozen atmosphere with its powerless sound.

Bang————

"cough......"

Sakurai Hotaru, whose immobilization spell had been broken, was immediately thrown back and retreated, keeping a distance from Valyria, who had suddenly stopped holding the Azure Death Mask.

It's too dangerous. If I just stand there like before, I'll definitely get killed.

You could say that what happened just now was an absolute lock-on, and a feeling of imminent death.

Sakurai Hotaru, who had narrowly escaped death, gasped for breath, suppressing her heart pounding as she looked at the person who had just spoken to save her.

With her short, snow-silver hair, pale purple eyes, and a face etched with weakness and sorrow, Himuro Reia gazed at the priest, who now displayed a demeanor she never remembered, and pleaded with him: