Translator: Haruto.

This is a mass release (Ch19-24).

I put my arms in the sleeves of my new uniform’s blazer.

The middle school entrance ceremony took place some time ago, and things have finally started to settle down as days come and go…  

Today, I’m returning home for the first time in seven long years.

And by that, I obviously don’t mean Shuu-kun’s house. I’m going to visit my family’s home.

It seems my parents aren’t as busy these days, and since my training is about to be over, I was allowed to go pay them a visit.

I’m currently waiting at the edge of my seat for the bell to ring.

“Hehehe!”

“You sure are in a great mood today,” said Asuka-chan.

“I am!! I’ll finally get to see my mom and dad again!!”

“Wow. Sorry, I’ve got no idea what’s so exciting about meeting your parents.”

“That’s okay!”

Once classes were over, Asuka-chan and I walked together for a bit before parting ways in front of my family’s shrine.

I climb the shrine’s ancient stone stairway.

Like in most shrines, you need to climb a lot of steps to reach the main building.

Surrounding the stairway, there are various tall and large trees.

I feel a little envious of Shuu-kun since for some reason his family’s shrine doesn’t have such a long stairway.

Just a few more steps and I’ll see them…

I hope mom and dad will be happy about how much I’ve grown.

With my chest full of enthusiasm and a little anxiety, I begin to run up the stairs.

All of a sudden, the smell of iron reaches my nose.

No, that’s not iron. It’s blood.

A chill runs down my spine.

Wishing to know what’s going on, I hastily sprint to the entrance and barge in.

“Huh…?”

My old home is bathed in a sea of blood.

The walls, the floor, and the ceiling are all tainted in red.

Some of our household members lay here and there.  

The tatami mats under them are soiled with blood, and the doors and partitions of the house have been ripped apart.

I’m overcome by nausea and dread.  

I catch a glimpse of someone moving near the shrine’s pillars.

Holding back the urge to scream, I move toward them.

They’re my parents.

My dad’s arm has been severed and there’s a large hole in his stomach.

As for my mom, she’s missing her legs.

There’s no life in my dad’s eyes. I can tell he’s dead.

Mom lays on top of him as if she were trying to protect him. She’s still breathing.

“Dad… Mom… What…”

“A… Amane… Run.”

“My, you’re still alive!” says a strange and horrible voice. It definitely doesn’t come from a human.   

A calamity resembling a deformed human emerges from the shadows.

There are black spots all over its body, which is exceedingly muscular.

Its arms are adorned by sickles, swinging in the air like tentacles, but for some reason, I understand how sharp they really are.

It’s also wearing clothes: those dark clothes that delinquents tend to wear. Its eyes are slanted and its mouth is so wide that it reaches its ears.

“Why, there’s my little shrine maiden! You know how long I’ve been looking for you? Look at all the trash I had to deal with while searching!”

“S-Stop!” my mom screams as she throws a piece of debris at it.

The debris sours through the air, picking up some dirt in its wake.   

The latter reaches my eyes, forcing me to close them.

I at least saw how incredibly fast the piece of debris flew. She must have poured all the life energy she had left into that throw.

I hear a swoosh as if something is cutting through the air, and then…

Blam!

I open my eyes in a hurry, afraid of what that sound meant.

All I see where my mom was supposed to be is a puddle of blood.

“M-Mom…?”

“Goodness, was that your mommy? She was being loud so I just…”

No! I don’t want to hear it! Don’t!

“Killed her.♡”

“Then that thing over there must have been your daddy? You should have heard him! He was all, ‘I won’t let you put a finger on Amane!’ before dropping dead like a fly.”

“Stop! Stop this!”

“Your mommy was no different though. She started shooting flashes of light at me the moment she saw me. How rude, right?”

“Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stooooooop!”

My body moved before I knew it.

I swung my sword at its neck.

And…

“Sorry, Dear. There’s no way you could ever kill me! You’re not beautiful enough!”

It flicked my forehead.

That’s all it did.

And yet, my body flew through the air as though a spell had been cast on me.

My entire body aches.

I’m bleeding.

I even lose consciousness for a second, but I somehow manage to stand back on my feet.

It seems I was thrown into the garden. Perfect, I’ll be able to fight without holding back here.

“Well, look at that! To think you endured my little greeting! Your shrine maiden title is not just for show, huh?”

“S-Shut… up.”

A second later, I swing my sword at it again.

“Flash Sword!!”

Clink

I’m sent flying again.

It’s just standing there, and yet… Why…?

“You look confused so let me clue you in, okay? We’re just in completely different leagues! Your sword skills are nothing more than child’s play to me!!”

It’s coming my way!

Alright, I’ll just counter it with Light Snowfall and…

“Huh…?”

Cough

It’s blood.

I couldn’t see it. I couldn’t even see its attack.

Before I could react, the calamity pierced my belly with its arm.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I was told to bring the shrine maiden alive so I didn’t hit your vitals.”

My vision gets blurry, and my whole body goes limp.

I feel frustrated, pathetic.

I’m always, always so powerless.

A shrine maiden? Ha!  

A prodigy? Yeah, right!

I couldn’t even avenge my parents…

I don’t need anything…

I’ll throw it all away, I don’t even care what happens to me…

I just want my sword to reach this monster!

I just want the strength to kill it!

Please!!

Thump!

I sense a pulsation coming from my divine arms.

Blue life energy starts flowing into me.  

It’s wild and strong.

My divine arms instructs me on how to use it.

“Long Sword Special Battle Skill: Flash Sword—Phantom!”

I can feel it. My sword can reach it.

I swing my sword toward the calamity’s arm.

My attack will cut it clean.

Realizing that something is wrong, the calamity pulls its arm back.

“Ugh…”

Huh, it dodged my attack.

That’s fine.

I attack it again.

Strength wells up within me.  

I don’t even feel pain anymore.

“Long Sword Special Battle Skill: Cherry Blossom Blizzard.”

More than one thousand attacks fall on the calamity.

***

What’s this kid’s deal?!

She’s bleeding all over! Why hasn’t she lost consciousness?!

I can deal with the attacks she’s directing at me. I’m suffering a little damage but it’s not that bad.

The problem is the girl herself. When I pulled my arm out of her body and when she used her skill, blood spurted out of her, and yet she acted like it was nothing!!

I was ordered to take her alive.

I can’t let this kid kill herself and fail my mission right after I finally made it to rank-one!

***

I see blood all around… Is it mine?

Well, who cares?

It’s fine if I die.

I just… have to kill that thing.

It’s handling my attacks well.

How…?

Am I lacking power?

In that case, I need to…

Huh…?

I can’t move.

My body falls to the ground, completely numb.

“Good grief, you sure are quite the troublemaker.”

The calamity extends its hand toward me.

No… I need to do something.

I need more…

“Hey, you mind waiting while I carry Amane away?”

Before I knew it, Shuu-kun was standing in front of me…

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