[HI3] Protocol Stigmata

Chapter 39 - The End of Corruption

Back to Shin's perspective.

As the corruption crept through my body, I felt a chilling sensation spreading with it. The pain was unbearable, and I couldn't shake off the thought of what I might become.

Would I turn into a mindless zombie, or worse, a monstrous honkai beast?

Despite the dire situation, a bitter chuckle escaped my lips. It was ironic how, even in the face of death, I still found myself longing for something as trivial as a girlfriend.

Damn it... Just once, I wished I could experience love before meeting my end.

"What the hell are you talking about? You're still alive," she said, her voice cutting through my haze of pain.

Suddenly, my surroundings shifted, and I found myself lying in a tranquil garden, the soothing sound of a shishi-odoshi echoing in the background.

[A/N: Shishi-odoshi () (literally, "deer-frightening" or "boar-frightening"), in a wide sense, refers to devices made to frighten away animals that pose a threat to, including kakashi (scarecrows), naruko (clappers) and sōzu. In a narrower sense, it is synonymous with]

"Tsurugi," I muttered, my voice hoarse with exhaustion.

"What happened to you, Shin?" she asked, concern evident in her tone.

Struggling to compose myself, I tried getting up as I explained, "I... absorbed the corruption from Yae... It's... overwhelming."

Tsurugi didn't mince words. "Uhuh... Get your ass up because we're not done here. Unless you want this corruption to take over your body."

With her prompting, I managed to sit up, my head still spinning from the ordeal. Nearby, Jizo-Mitama stood silently.

"It hurts like hell," I admitted, rubbing my temples.

"You let your honkai energy burst through your body when I told you to switch with me," Tsurugi pointed out.

"But if I did, you would take control of my body, and I'd never have it again."

Tsurugi's smile was wry. "Oh? How smart of you to assume that."

Summoning blades from her sides, she prepared to engage Jizo-Mitama. "For now, I won't be able to handle this corruption alone, thanks to you using me as a battery."

"Sorry... I don't know what came over me."

Getting back up to my feet, I summoned the "Void of the Sakura" with a command, then takes a stance as I gripped the handle.

"Good form."

"Well, then Tsurugi... Shall we end this?"

"Of course," Tsurugi replied, her tone resolute. "Seeing him here in this realm of mine is disgusting."

With determination in our hearts, Tsurugi and I surged forward, our movements synchronized as we closed in on Jizo-Mitama. The air crackled with energy as our blades clashed against its formidable defense.

[A/N: Tsurugi and Shin vs Jizo-Mitama Soundtrack (Not really, It's just a good music video for this battle theme) Credits to Yo Kaze]

As the tension in the air crackled, our blades clashed with Jizo-Mitama's, the clash echoing through the serene garden.