Teasing was one thing, but the excellent conditions of the Fuli Well still ignited Bianka's burning passion for training.
She quickly assumed a stance and began practicing the various moves of the Durandal-style Gun-Kata.
Meanwhile, with Fuli—
"Hey, little bro, that girl is something else!"
Kallen cheekily hid behind him, studying Bianka's heroic form as she swung her lance under the artificial sun.
"Of course she is. She's only the third S-rank Valkyrie in five hundred years, after you and that Lady Cecilia, to be recognized as Schicksal's strongest."
Fuli looked quite proud, as if he were the one being praised.
"Cecilia?"
Kallen keenly noticed a fleeting, unnatural expression on her little brother's handsome face when he mentioned the name Cecilia.
Though he quickly returned to his usual self, it still piqued her curiosity.
"Cecilia schariac," Fuli explained. "Kiana's mother, the previous Schicksal Saintess, and the perfect wielder of the Black Abyss White Flower. I don't know much about her; she died in the battle against the Second Herrscher back in 2000."
The boy wasn't lying. He really didn't know much about the great Lady Cecilia herself.
He was only two years old in 2000 and hadn't gone to Europe with his parents, so he naturally never had the chance to meet her.
However, from another perspective, there was probably no one in the world who understood the physical structure of "Cecilia Schariac" better than Fuli.
He could just close his eyes, and the feel of her every inch of skin, her supple and tight waist, her every smile and frown, her seductive gaze... all of it, inside and out, would be laid bare before him.
In a twisted, nauseating way.
"The title of Saintess has returned to the Schariacs?"
Kallen, oblivious to this, clicked her tongue in wonder. "It seems that family has always followed Otto's lead."
High EQ: Following his lead.
Low EQ: Being his dogs.
"Forget about Schicksal's business."
Not wanting to relive that terrible experience, Fuli suppressed the swirling images in his mind, took a deep breath of the energy-infused fresh air, and changed the subject. "Big sis, didn't you say you were going to teach me a new move for the Setsuna Blade? Let's have it. I can't wait."
"It's 'Kallen' on a normal day, but the moment you need something, it's a sweet 'big sis,' huh? You're so opportunistic, little bro!"
Kallen formed a hand out of energy and affectionately pinched the boy's cheek.
"Ow."
Fuli nodded, then said meekly, "So, about the Setsuna Blade?"
He was completely unfazed.
"It's Yae-style swordsmanship!" Kallen said, exasperated. "At least in my memories, that's what Miss Yae Sakura called it."
Fuli raised his hand. "But wasn't Yae-style swordsmanship created by Yae Sakura by tapping into the memories of her Stigmata?"
"I'm not too familiar with that part. After all, Sakura herself was just a shrine maiden from the mountains of Shinano five hundred years ago. Her understanding of Stigmata genes wasn't as good as 'mine' back then."
Kallen flicked her magnificent, pure-white braid. "Getting back to the Setsuna Blade, how many forms of this systematic swordsmanship do you know, little bro?"
Fuli estimated, "The Wind Form: Yaksha. The Void Form: Avici. The Thunder Form: Tsukimi-zake. The Mind Form: Ino-Shika-Cho... Hmm, just those four for now."
Kurikara, which was wreathed in the Ideal Fluid, and the super-fast draw-and-sheathe Avici were self-explanatory. Tsukimi-zake was something he had developed after obtaining the Stigma of Thunder; it unleashed a long slash of sword qi containing lightning and a powerful EMP effect, designed to counter mechanical enemies like Titans.
"What about the Mind Form?" Kallen asked curiously. "How did you invent the Setsuna Blade: Ino-Shika-Cho?"
"Well, I was possessed by Cousin Hua for a while, wasn't I?" the boy said, scratching his head. "I saw her use that incredibly cool Divine Sword of Taixuan, so I tried to imitate it."
"And you just figured it out?"
"Yep."
Fuli, so well-behaved.
Kallen's mouth twitched, and she screamed "Monster!" in her head. "And the effect?"
"It severs the enemy's will, making them lose the desire to fight for a short time."
"Huh? That's terrifying."
The voice belonged to Bianka, who had wandered over at some point.
She had just finished a set of Starfire Fist training. Her beautiful cheeks were flushed a healthy red, and beads of sweat dotted her forehead, clear signs of a good workout.
With a thought from Fuli, the Shadow Blade in his hand transformed into a palm and retrieved a bottle of water from the cup holder in the rest area.
"Thanks, Little Li."
The knight princess eagerly twisted off the cap, tilted her head back, and poured the cool water into her mouth.
She closed her eyes, her tongue savoring the refreshing satisfaction of the water. Crystalline drops trickled down from the corners of her elegant mouth, leaving dark patches on the front of her sports shirt.
Kallen whispered in Fuli's ear, "Are your eyes about to fall out and stick to her?"
"This is just appreciation for beautiful things," the boy whispered back righteously. "If you did that, big sis, I guarantee my eyeballs would be all over you."
"Pah, smooth talker," Kallen spat, though she was secretly pleased.
Praise from an attractive member of the opposite sex was always a delight.
After downing three whole bottles of water, Bianka took the white towel from around her neck and began wiping her lips and body.
Her ample chest rose and fell with her breathing. Bianka tugged at the hem of her shirt in frustration. "The chest of this outfit is a little tight, and so is the back of the skirt."
She had changed in the locker room. Mei, who ran the Hyper Electric Club, was usually too lazy to work out, so the only sportswear there belonged to Kiana and Bronya: a miniskirt and a white t-shirt.
The girl had chosen the largest size available, but she still managed to turn it into a crop top.
The artificial sunlight peeked through the gap in the fabric and landed on her pearl-like navel. The moment a crystalline bead of sweat trickled down the small of her back, that little vortex twitched, like a mischievous dimple peeking out from behind a cotton cloud.
"I can see that," Fuli said bluntly, his eyes in auto-scan mode. He was immediately met with two pairs of equally blunt eye-rolls.
"Well, want to try mine?" he suggested kindly. "For people our age, a guy's chest is usually bigger than a girl's. Mine would probably be more comfortable."
"Worth a try, but before that," Bianka said, eager for a challenge, "try that Setsuna Blade: Ino-Shika-Cho of yours on me! The one that can sever an enemy's will to fight!"
The Dominance of the Durandal-style Gun-Kata was a game-changer against enemies of the same level; any physical or elemental attack would be completely halted the moment before it touched her skin.
But she had never had a chance to test it against a mind-based attack, let alone a special technique involving the mysterious "Shen Yun" technique.
"Alright."
Fuli didn't waste any words. He was about to draw his sword when he remembered that his Black Swan, just like his March 7th, had been broken from overuse. The remains were on display on the Luminous Memory stand in his bedroom.
Mulling over a name for his new weapon, he re-formed a Shadow Blade and brought it down in a light slash.
Bianka braced herself. But as the long blade descended, even though the edge was blocked by the Dominance covering her body, a wave of weariness suddenly washed over her.
It wasn't tied to any specific event, like "writing is so tiring," "I want to slack off," or "I hope my boss dies." It was a baseless, pure, and utter unwillingness to fight or train any longer.
"So sleepy," the girl mumbled, her footing giving way as she leaned forward and fell straight into Fuli's arms.
"Whoa! Isn't this effect a little too good?" Kallen exclaimed in surprise, catching a glimpse of the stunned look on Fuli's face.
In truth, to give Bianka a big surprise, the boy had deliberately cranked the power of Ino-Shika-Cho to its maximum.
Conversely, to test the effect of Dominance, the girl hadn't activated any other defenses against mental attacks, taking the hit completely unprotected.
With one side amplified and the other weakened, it was only natural that she would feel lazy.
The only small problem was, she was too lazy.
"Little Li, Little Li!"
The girl, curled up in Fuli's arms, nuzzled him like a big cat. After finding the most comfortable position, she let out a lazy yawn. "Bianka's thirsty. Wants fruit!"
"Huh?"
"Wants fruit, wants fruit, wants fruit, wants fruit!"
"Alright, alright, you'll get your fruit."
The storm of clingy whining left Fuli at a complete loss. He quickly patted the blonde Persian cat's back to soothe her. "What kind of fruit does Bianka want?"
"Li!"
"A pear? I don't think we have any—" [T/N: "Li" is both Fuli's name and sounds like "lí" (梨), the word for pear.]
"Yes, we do."
Kallen, who had been enjoying the show, quickly interjected. "I've already arranged for the Cat Cakes to bring some over. See, they're right there."
She gave a playful wink, as if to say, Aren't I the best big sis?
Fuli followed her gaze and, sure enough, saw several Cat Cakes hopping toward them with a fruit basket.
"Moyomo!"
The little creatures obediently placed the basket in front of Fuli, nuzzled his leg affectionately, and then hopped away.
"Whoa! What are those!"
Watching them leave, Bianka's eyes lit up.
"Little Li, Little Li!"
She grabbed the front of Fuli's shirt, her face so close to his it was as if she were about to kiss him, and shouted, "I want one of those! I want to raise one too!"
Tch, almost forgot this girl is a cat person.
"Alright, alright, you can have one."
Fuli snapped his fingers, and six Shadow butter knives blurred into motion, slicing the pear into six pieces.
He took a slice and held it to the girl's lips. "Still want some?"
OM NOM!
She swallowed it in one bite.
Without even answering, she opened her cherry lips again, revealing the tip of her tongue, ready for more.
Her other hand was still pointing directly at the Cat Cakes, who were watching them curiously from a distance, as if to say, I want Little Li and the kitties!
Damn it, did I just adopt a new parent to serve?
Fuli, regretting his prank, was on the verge of tears.
Little did he know, in a corner of Mount Taixuan that neither he nor Kallen could sense...
'Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit!'
A stubborn white ahoge poked out. The azure eyes staring at Fuli and Bianka were filled with rage.
That's right, this was the world-famous painting: Kiana at Mount Taixuan.
Indeed, after causing trouble earlier, Kiana the cat had run off with the excuse "Mei needs me!"
But Mei didn't actually need her, so the bored girl had come to Mount Taixuan to get an early start on her daily training, trying to forget the evil scene she had just witnessed.
However, the more she tried not to think about it, the more deeply the image was etched into her memory.
Left with no choice, she had climbed to the shooting range behind Mount Taixuan and vented her frustration by imagining the targets were Fuli and Durandal and shooting them to bits.
And you know what? Spurred on by this, Kiana actually invented a little trick where her bullets would disappear after leaving the barrel and only reappear right before hitting the enemy.
"Hmph, this young lady is a genius!"
She put her hands on her hips, her foul mood finally starting to improve.
But just as the white-haired furball was feeling pleased with herself...
The sound of Fuli and Bianka's cheerful chatter came from the entrance of Mount Taixuan.
Kiana subconsciously held her breath. She stopped shooting, stopped stretching, and just crouched down behind cover to observe them in secret.
The now-expanded Mount Taixuan was a complex environment, with mountains, water, and trees everywhere. Unless you were specifically looking for her, it would be impossible to find a hiding Kiana the cat.
And then—
'That Durandal woman... Wearing my clothes and using my training ground is one thing, but she's even! She's even snuggling in my fia-fia-fian... snuggling in that idiot Fuli's arms!'
'Aaaaaah! Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit!'
Kiana the cat stomped her foot, the ends of her silver-white hair flying up and down. She was so wronged she was about to cry.
That's my spot! I was here first! Durandal has only met Fuli twice!
"Mere human!!!"
Molten gold once again flowed in the girl's eyes.
Majestic, tyrannical, cold, profound—it was as if the god dwelling within her was about to awaken.
[Heh heh.]
And the true messenger of God—the Herrscher of the Void, seated on her throne in the void—let out another soft chuckle that only she could hear.
[Yes, that's it. Keep getting angry, human.]
In the sea of consciousness, she opened her black-stockinged hands and then slowly closed them, using her authority to perfectly contain the spatial energy that was unintentionally leaking from Kiana's body.
...
As a well-rounded, hexagonal, S-rank Valkyrie with no weaknesses, Bianka's mental resistance was definitely not to be underestimated.
Even though she had taken Fuli's full-power Setsuna Blade: Ino-Shika-Cho completely off guard, she returned to normal after a minute or two, no longer the clingy, golden Persian cat snuggling in the boy's arms.
"I am so sorry!!!"
Her first instinct was to apologize, which was very much in line with Durandal's usual character.
[Take off all your unnecessary accessories! Strip naked and prostrate yourself! Only then will our Host even consider forgiving you!]
Dr. MEI tried to fan the flames with great enthusiasm.
[Get lost! I didn't say that!]
After cursing the troublemaker in his head, Fuli quickly helped up the blushing and ashamed Bianka.
"It's okay. The testing process for new moves always comes with a few accidents. What you need to do now isn't apologize to me, but to reflect on what you just felt and patch up the weaknesses in your Dominance."
"Reflect on what I just felt..."
Bianka thought back.
She thought back to the lazy relaxation of snuggling in Fuli's arms, the doting and gentle look in his eyes that seemed to drip with affection as he fed her, the way her greedy tongue had accidentally wrapped around his fingertip before he could pull it back...
'Waaaaaaah!!!'
She turned into a steam engine.
Covering her face, she turned and ran.
"Uh..."
Fuli was left standing there awkwardly.
"Let her cool off for a bit, you idiot," Kallen said, sitting cross-legged in mid-air and stuffing a handful of chips into her mouth.
Seeing him look over, she raised her hand in a friendly gesture. "Want some?"
"No, thanks. What's so good about tomato-flavored chips? They stink and they're too salty!"
Fuli looked disgusted, then quickly urged her, "Stop eating, big sis, and teach me the next forms of the Setsuna Blade."
Kallen licked her fingers after finishing the last chip. "I thought you'd be lost in the beauty of the blonde knight princess for a while."
"Not that much."
Appreciating beautiful things is human nature. It's fine to indulge when it doesn't matter, but getting completely lost in it would be embarrassing.
"Very well. I'll teach you a sword technique that Yae Sakura often used first."
Kallen clapped her hands. "She called this move Yae-style Swordsmanship: Demon Dance. According to your translation method, you can call it—"
She paused. "Setsuna Blade: Rain of Four Lights."
Rain of Four Lights, the Constraint Form of the Setsuna Blade. A target struck by it will have their internal energy activity temporarily suppressed. The effect can be stacked up to four times.
"If a wielder of the Kaslana Stigmata is assisting nearby, the suppression limit of Rain of Four Lights becomes infinite."
Kallen held up a finger, her tone nostalgic. "The 'Kallen' of that time and Sakura discovered this unconsciously. Looking back now, it seems the Setsuna Blade is essentially a set of sword techniques that imitate the authorities of the fourteen Herrschers. Only by pairing them with the corresponding Stigmata can their power be maximized."
"I see."
Fuli, who was determined to obtain all the Herrscher Stigmata, nodded. "It's tailor-made for me."
"You've got some nerve!"
"Owwwww!"
His cheek was being pinched again.
...