However, this light was not so friendly to Higokumaru. She sensed the aura of the woman who had sealed her for five hundred years, as well as the scent of that little mouse that had been hiding in the Stigmata Space.
"Damn it!!" Higokumaru roared. Whether out of anger or fear, the flames coiling around her body trembled violently. "Why! It's been five hundred years, why are you still haunting me! Kallen!"
Ming Yu, holding the cross, felt something different. The light from the cross was very warm, and from within it, a faint request could be heard.
Soulium was essentially a block of metal composed of nanomachines, but it possessed the ability to sense the user's will. What Ming Yu was sensing from the cross now was a will left behind by its previous owner.
At the same time, he understood why the cross hadn't transformed into Judah. This step required him to respond to that will with his own soul.
If Judah was the treasure stored in the vault of the cross, then he had already obtained the key when he agreed to Kallen's request. What he had to do now was to open this vault and unleash the power within.
In reality, Kallen was a member of the Kaslana family, tasked with protecting the world. But in this space, Kallen existed solely to protect Yae Sakura.
Calming his mind, Ming Yu earnestly felt the lingering thoughts engraved in the cross, thoughts that had not faded one bit after five hundred years.
I accept your request, and I swear upon my soul that I will protect Yae Sakura, rescue her from this cursed space, and grant her freedom. So, please, lend me your power, Kallen!
Hearing Ming Yu's response, the cross emitted an even more brilliant golden light, bathing the entire Stigmata Space in its glow.
"Oh, Oath of Judah, perceive my soul, understand my heart, become my sharp blade, and fulfill this vow of protection!" As Ming Yu shouted, the cross suddenly enlarged and slammed heavily onto the ground with a loud bang.
"Is this... the Oath of Judah?" Theresa's jaw dropped in astonishment as she looked at the suddenly appeared cross. "But... it seems a little different."
Indeed, this Judah was somewhat different from the one Theresa possessed. While its main color was still gold, some of the patterns had turned silver, adding a certain inexplicable charm to the otherwise ostentatious gold.
Weapons made of Soulium had the ability to change their shape according to the user's will. Back in Nagazora, Judah had once transformed into Sakura's Vow due to Yae Sakura's will.
Now, because of Ming Yu's will, it had changed its form again. However, it was clear that Ming Yu's power was far from Yae Sakura's; he couldn't completely alter its shape, only make slight adjustments to better suit himself.
Placing his hand on Judah, Ming Yu could feel the power contained within the cross. It was powerful, yet gentle. This was a power that existed for protection, to fulfill the vow between Ming Yu and Kallen.
"Deploy!" Ming Yu shouted, and with a *click*, the cross unfolded to both sides, revealing fourteen gleaming tachi.
As Ming Yu focused his attention on the tachi, the Kaslana family crest in the center of the cross gradually disappeared, replaced by a triangle formed by three circles. If one looked closely, they could see patterns within the circles, but they were as indistinct as looking at flowers in a fog.
Ming Yu was not surprised by the appearance of the tachi. The moment Judah changed because of him, he understood that this would happen. With a light leap, Ming Yu tapped his feet on the cross, and his body shot toward Higokumaru like an arrow once more.
At the same time, Ming Yu drew one of the tachi into his hand. Following the tachi in his hand, the other thirteen tachi shot out like shadows, the fourteen blades of light connecting to form a long rainbow.
"Damn it! Don't think I'll give up just because of this!" Higokumaru roared, her entire body erupting in flames, engulfing her whole form. At the same time, she opened her great mouth and spat out a large fireball, one meter in diameter.
"Hmph!" Facing the oncoming fireball, Ming Yu snorted coldly, his expression unchanging. With a diagonal slash of the tachi in his hand, he split it in two. The divided fireball exploded in the air, the strong wind making Ming Yu's robes whip about.
Seeing that the fireball was useless, Higokumaru didn't waste any more effort and swiped at Ming Yu with one of her fox paws.
Seeing a paw as large as himself coming at him, Ming Yu's heart panicked. In a pure contest of strength, his small frame was definitely no match. Not everyone was a monster from a certain Kaslana family, able to run around carrying Judah. Hadn't he been unable to even lift the cross since it turned into Judah?
Ming Yu hastily did a side flip, narrowly avoiding the giant paw, but the dust kicked up by the paw's landing still left him in a rather sorry state.
Seeing Ming Yu's predicament, Theresa couldn't help but feel anxious. If she were the one using Judah, she could definitely render this big fox helpless.
Unfortunately, she had already touched Judah when Ming Yu rushed towards Higokumaru. The active Judah clearly did not accept her, which cooled her desire to join the fight. If she went up now, she would only be a hindrance.
"Damn it!" Theresa cursed under her breath, clenching her fists.
Suddenly, a warm hand clasped her small one, gently uncurling her clenched fist. Looking up, she saw Yae Sakura's gentle face.
"Believe in him. He'll be fine," Yae Sakura said with a smile. "Since Kallen chose to believe in him, he will definitely succeed!" Her words were full of conviction.
Although in her impression, Ming Yu was not strong, the fact that he could gain Kallen's acknowledgment meant he must have something extraordinary about him.
Theresa looked at the insignia in the center of Judah, and her tense mood gradually calmed. A gleam flickered in her eyes, her thoughts unknown.
After dodging Higokumaru's swipe, Ming Yu didn't miss the opportunity. He quickly charged toward the fox paw.
Before Higokumaru could react, Ming Yu leaped high, gripped the tachi with both hands, and viciously stabbed it into the outstretched paw. If you're going to stick your paw out, you should be prepared for it to be stabbed.
The bright blade sank completely into the fox paw. The deep pain traveled from the wound along the nerves to Higokumaru's brain, and the restraining power attached to the blade also hindered the flow of Honkai Energy around the wound.
"ROAR~" Goaded by the pain, Higokumaru immediately cried out, "You damn bastard, I'll kill you!"
"Then let's see if you have the ability to!" Ming Yu said gravely, charging at Higokumaru once more.
As he ran, Ming Yu thought, and with an open palm of his empty right hand, a tachi fell into his grasp.