Chapter 204: Starburst Stream
Every era gives rise to stars. Some shine with unmatched brilliance. Others flicker briefly, only to vanish into silence.
In her time, Chiyo was one of the brightest. A prodigy, a genius blessed by the heavens. No one in Inazuma doubted her potential—until everything fell apart.
Her downfall was nothing short of catastrophic.
It didn't just end her legacy. It stained the name of the Mikoshi clan. It left behind her two son—one by blood, one by choice—each forced to bear the weight of her disgrace.
But fate wasn't entirely cruel.
Her son, Mikoshi Michihiro, refused to be crushed by that burden. With the guidance of the tengu maiden, he founded a new sword style: the Iwakura Art. He would eventually take the name Iwakura Michihiro, rising to become the Kujou clan's official blade instructor—a swordsman respected across Inazuma.
Her adopted son, Nagamasa, chose a different path. Through relentless effort and unwavering honor, he climbed the ranks of the Shogunate. Slowly but surely, his reputation helped restore the family's name. Today, the Mikoshi legacy still endures through Mikoshi Genjirou, a loyal retainer of the Shogun.
And yet, even with all that effort… some fates cannot be escaped.
As the tengu girl once said, long ago:
"That which is not human shall never know a human's end."
Because soon, a certain blonde traveler—dragging along his floating emergency food—would arrive by chance, and in one wild twist of fate, accidentally dismantle an entire school of swordsmanship. The final school tied to Chiyo's bloodline.
Ironically, it was not her direct descendant that shaped Inazuma's future—but her adopted line.
In this new age, Bai Luo stood at the center of it all.
A prodigy among prodigies. A star so dazzling it could blind those around him. Or perhaps… a disaster just waiting to happen.
Right now, that "disaster" was getting pushed to the brink.
The battle between Bai Luo and Chiyo was completely one-sided.
Chiyo wasn't just winning. She was dominating.
This wasn't like when Bai Luo had faced the Raiden Shogun. Back then, he still had the option to Quantumize—he could also shift classes and adapt on the fly. Here? No such luck. His class was locked. His abilities restricted. His versatility gone.
The only reason he was still alive at all… was because Chiyo was fighting with one arm.
If she were at her peak, Bai Luo knew—he wouldn't just be struggling. He'd be dead. He'd have to triple-class just to survive a few minutes against her full strength.
The air around her had changed, too.
That ominous black aura had thickened. It clung to her like a cloak—heavy, suffocating. It looked almost like the robe of an immortal. But if it was divine in form, it was demonic in presence. Malice rolled off her in waves.
Every swipe of her claws sliced through the air with a sonic crack. Even if Bai Luo dodged, the shockwaves stung his skin.
Once, one of her claws passed close by his ear. The wind alone was sharp enough to leave it ringing. For a moment, he thought he'd gone deaf.
All around them, the terrain bore the scars of her power. The walls of the cliff were gouged and torn. Craters dotted the earth. Every mark was Chiyo's doing.
Eventually, she cornered him. Back to the cliff wall, nowhere left to run.
From her claws shimmered a cruel, metallic light.
She struck.
Fast. Precise. Lethal.
But just as her claws came down, she missed one critical detail: the glint in Bai Luo's eyes.
He ducked low, her attack grazing past his shoulder—and in one fluid motion, he appeared behind her.
"Dark Sword Assault!"
His blade, gripped in one hand, carved across her back in a powerful arc.
But it did nothing.
The black aura absorbed the blow. Or maybe her outfit was a divine relic. Whatever the case, she didn't even flinch. The strike only knocked her slightly off balance—closer to the cliffside.
He didn't stop.
"Sonic Impact!"
His sword pulsed, still glowing with energy from the previous skill. He lunged forward, driving his full momentum into the attack.
It hit like a cannon.
Chiyo was smashed into the cliff wall, the rocks cracking behind her. The impact sent a shockwave through the trees. Dust and debris exploded outward.
At least this time, the skill didn't bug out—no sudden teleport glitches or high-speed accidents.
She was dazed. Finally.
Bai Luo didn't waste the opportunity.
"Fourfold Slash!"
Three spectral blades shot forward, surrounding her.
A fourth appeared an instant later—this one striking her directly, etching a glowing brand into her chest.
Then, Bai Luo vanished.
He reappeared beside one of the shadow blades, teleporting through its energy trail.
His hand gripped the second sword strapped to his back.
His expression hardened.
Focused. Calm. Sharp.
And then—light.
A flash brighter than lightning. So bright it turned night into day, lighting the entire forest like midday sun.
He moved with both swords in hand.
"Starburst Stream!"
Upon obtaining his exclusive weapon, [Elucidator], Bai Luo's Elemental Burst had undergone a complete transformation.
====
[Elucidator]
+10% Cooldown Reduction
Unique Passive: Alters the user's skill effects. Starburst Stream is now divided into: First Form / Second Form / Third Form / Final Form.
Equipping this weapon replaces the previous Elemental Burst.
This is a one-of-a-kind item. No duplicates may be crafted or obtained by any means.
First Form: Unleashes five consecutive slashes, each dealing 40% of normal attack damage to enemies in front and to both flanks (non-critical). If at least one enemy is hit, the user gains 30% Damage Reduction for 3 seconds.
Second and Third Forms: Identical in structure to the First Form.
Final Form: A lunge toward the marked enemy, dealing 40% of normal attack damage and an additional 10% of the target's Max HP as true damage.
====
Bai Luo disappeared—reappearing behind Chiyo at the exact moment the skill took effect. No delay. No casting animation. The Elemental Burst started immediately, activated mid-teleport.
From that first instant, everything moved at breakneck speed.
From that first instant, everything moved at breakneck speed.
Blade light exploded across the cliffside.
Each strike from the First Form landed with precision. Five clean slashes—sweeping forward, then outward—cut into her from all angles. Wounds opened on her shoulders, her flanks, her back. They weren't deep, but they were clean and sharp.
Chiyo's body jolted. Her stunned expression cracked into something primal.
"ROAR!!"
With a guttural snarl, she snapped out of the stun just as the First Form ended. Her right claw swung violently.
Bai Luo crossed both swords in front of him.
The blow landed like a falling boulder.
His knees buckled. Dust exploded beneath his feet. Even with both blades blocking, the shock ran straight through his arms and into his spine. His breath caught in his throat.
But he didn't fall.
He gritted his teeth, eyes focused. "I'm not done yet!"
Instead of resisting the full force, he let the strike land—absorbing the softened impact against his torso. The earlier damage reduction from the First Form had kicked in. Without it, that claw would've caved his ribs in. As it was, it still hurt like hell—but he could take it.
Pain surged through his side. A reminder that he was still alive.
He twisted, both blades rotating smoothly back into his grip.
"Second Form!"
Another wave of five slashes shot out—relentless and punishing. The speed and rhythm of the attack pushed Chiyo back, her footing faltering as she raised an arm to block. Even she couldn't ignore the raw momentum behind those strikes.
Then—without pause—came the next.
"Third Form!"
The third flurry came even faster.
But Chiyo had adjusted.
As the third set of slashes swept in, her eyes locked onto Bai Luo's movement. In a moment of brutal instinct, she lunged—not with her claws, but her teeth.
Her jaws clamped down on [Elucidator].
The sudden resistance nearly ripped the sword from his hands.
Bai Luo's eyes widened. "She bit the blade?"
This was the same woman who once shattered the Raiden Shogun's naginata with a single bite. Her jaw strength was absurd. If she had caught [Dark Repulser] instead, it might not have survived.
He tugged the weapon—no response. She wasn't letting go.
Without hesitation, Bai Luo did what he always did best—adapt.
He vanished.
Teleporting to one of the spectral swords left behind by Fourfold Slash, he and [Elucidator] disappeared in the same instant. Chiyo bit down on empty air.
A burst of sparks flickered from her teeth as they clacked shut.
Absolutely terrifying.
Landing a short distance away, Bai Luo crouched low.
Both blades were in his hands again. [Elucidator] in the right. [Dark Repulser] in the left. He took a deep breath.
The ground behind him cracked as he launched forward.
"Final Form—Activated."
He became a streak of light, trailing shockwaves through the forest. The entire cliffside echoed with the sonic boom of his acceleration.
In a blink, he was there.
Shiiing!
Both swords plunged into her chest.
The impact was absolute. One blade through the heart. The other directly into her solar plexus. It was clean. Brutal. Final.
Chiyo staggered once.
Then stilled.
Her mouth hung open, her eyes wide and bloodshot. Her remaining claw trembled slightly… then dropped, limp.
For the first time since the fight began, silence fell.
She didn't scream. She didn't roar. She simply collapsed.
Bai Luo stood there, panting, hands still gripping the hilts embedded in her chest. Then, slowly, he pulled them free. Blood spilled out in waves, soaking into the earth.
He winced as he rotated his shoulder. The one that had taken her earlier claw swipe still throbbed.
But the fight was over.
He turned away from her body, preparing to walk off.
Then stopped.
He frowned.
"…Why hasn't the system declared the trial complete?"
That was when the unease settled in.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
. . . . .
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