Accompanied by Andrew, who had already fully recovered, and Hoshimi Miyabi, the two walked at a unhurried pace on the road back to the battle line deployed by the Defense Force.
Having already reported via the dedicated communicator in Hoshimi Miyabi's hand that Andrew's condition was very good and that no mishaps had occurred, the two no longer needed to rush with the same urgency as when Hoshimi Miyabi had first arrived.
Regarding this sudden battle, the dust had finally settled on everything.
Although there were still some mysteries regarding Nineveh's sudden rampage that hadn't been completely unraveled, there was no doubt that this was a complete victory belonging to the human side.
One had to realize that ever since Ethereals first appeared until now... to completely exterminate an Ethereal that was about to become Level 7 and possessed extremely tenacious vitality, without suffering any personnel sacrifices or losses... This could already be said to be a major event sufficient to make everyone in New Eridu unable to resist clapping their hands in celebration.
A victory without sacrifice. This term was too distant; for the people of New Eridu, it was something that could only be said to appear in dreams.
Although there were still quite a few Ethereals left surrounded at the end, under the protection of Section 6 and Obols Squad, the Defense Force's active and continuous division and subsequent complete annihilation of the Ethereal swarm was already a future visible to the naked eye.
Casualties could already be said to be impossible to occur.
The Defense Force had even begun arranging for some new recruits to come here, preparing to let them make contact in advance and actually take action to exterminate these Ethereals as their first practical combat drill. After all, even if the HIA Club's recently upgraded virtual dive looked very realistic, allowing recruits to make contact in advance without danger, fake things are, in the final analysis, still fake.
Because they know everything around them is virtual, it is still difficult for recruits to form a true sense of urgency in the bottom of their hearts. If they can truly face it inside a Hollow, that would be completely different.
And unlike the bustling activity of the Defense Force soldiers on that defensive line, as the two greatest contributors to this battle line, Andrew and Hoshimi Miyabi were much quieter as they strolled on their return journey.
Under Isolde's arrangement, the two currently had no missions or tasks; the only requirement was to rest well as the heroes of this battle. This allowed the two to walk leisurely on the return path with relaxed expressions, just as they were doing now, without needing to continue rushing around to provide support.
It was unclear if it was because some changes had occurred in her mindset compared to when she arrived, but Hoshimi Miyabi, whose heart had settled down, found that the street she had previously felt was only a stretch of desolation now possessed a different kind of flavor.
Sunlight reflected through the glass fragments and shone upon the walls of the street-side shops. Compared to the desolation she had originally felt, there was now a hint of tranquility.
Walking slowly through it, the sentimentality caused by the similarity of the situation was no longer there; now, Hoshimi Miyabi felt only a stretch of peace in her heart. Looking toward the sole variable that had caused such a change to appear, Hoshimi Miyabi still couldn't resist confirming with some worry:
"Andrew, are you really okay?"
After hesitating slightly for an instant, Hoshimi Miyabi continued to speak:
"If you haven't fully healed yet, you definitely must not force yourself. Do you need to continue rubbing my ears to accelerate your injury recovery speed? We are companions, no need to be polite."
While speaking, her mind subconsciously recalled the tactile sensation she felt when her ears were rubbed by Andrew earlier. That subtle feeling made Hoshimi Miyabi's ears subconsciously twitch uncontrollably.
Hearing Hoshimi Miyabi's question, Andrew spoke with some helplessness:
"Miyabi... this is already the third time you've asked. Although I know you are caring about me, there's really no need. I am really, really okay now."
However, regarding Andrew's answer, Hoshimi Miyabi corrected something else immediately.
"Miyabi."
Regarding these words that came out of nowhere, Andrew didn't react for a moment. He asked back subconsciously:
"What?"
Hoshimi Miyabi turned her head and said very seriously:
"We are companions now, so don't call me Miss Miyabi. Just call me directly by my name, Miyabi."
Hearing Hoshimi Miyabi take the initiative to mention this, Andrew also realized that continuing to address Hoshimi Miyabi as 'Miss Miyabi' after experiencing the situation just now together did indeed seem a bit too distant.
So Andrew nodded directly, obeying respectfully rather than declining, and said:
"Okay, then... Miyabi?"
Hearing that Andrew did not refuse but changed his form of address according to her wish, Hoshimi Miyabi also immediately nodded with satisfaction. Although her face remained consistently cold and clear with not much expression, the ears gently twitching unconsciously atop her head indicated that her mood was actually very good.
But subsequently, she asked again with lingering unease:
"Do you really not need to rub my ears again to recover a bit?"
Despite Andrew emphasizing it again and again, looking at Hoshimi Miyabi who still didn't completely believe him, Andrew instantly felt a trace of something bad. He didn't know why, but Andrew's sixth sense was constantly reminding him...
If other people discovered this operation of his, it might be fine. But if that woman named Tsukishiro Yanagi, who wore glasses and had pink long hair tied in a braid, discovered that he had hoodwinked their Section Chief... Something very terrifying would absolutely happen afterwards. Absolutely.
Things having reached this point, in order to make Hoshimi Miyabi certain that he was truly okay, Andrew had no choice but to start working hard to move his limbs to demonstrate that his condition was already very healthy. At the same time, he said incomparably seriously:
"Miyabi, believe me. If I had an issue, I definitely wouldn't hide it from you."
Seeing Andrew speak so seriously, plus seeing that Andrew was lively and jumping around and indeed didn't look like he had problems, Hoshimi Miyabi finally no longer persisted, but still confirmed with a bit of suspicion:
"Really?"
"Correct! Truer than real gold!"
Seeing that Hoshimi Miyabi finally believed him, Andrew also finally breathed a sigh of relief involuntarily. He really wasn't clear why she could believe such a thing as 'rubbing ears accelerates injury recovery' so casually, yet showed such worry when he said he had completely recovered.
But in the end, Andrew was tactful enough not to say such words out loud. After all, even a dense guy like Andrew knew that the reason the other party kept asking continuously was entirely out of concern for him. To be honest, this feeling of being cared for was actually quite nice.
And once Hoshimi Miyabi's attention was no longer focused on whether there were problems with Andrew's body, she couldn't resist asking the question she had already discovered during the battle earlier, but which the situation at the time was completely unsuitable for asking.
"Andrew, where exactly did you learn your combat techniques? Why have I never seen them before?"
"Uh..."
Hearing Hoshimi Miyabi ask this, Andrew was at a loss for how to explain for a moment. After all, things like traversing from another world after learning... normally speaking, if one told the truth, others would conversely not believe it, right...
So Andrew directly glossed over it, saying:
"This style of mine... is from a small sect in a remote area of New Eridu. Currently, I'm the only one left. It's very normal that you haven't seen it."
But regarding Andrew's explanation, which was completely made up, Hoshimi Miyabi showed absolutely no intention of directly believing him this time. She frowned slightly, then spoke in confusion:
"But, I have gone to ask for instruction from all sword sects in New Eridu currently, regardless of size. Even if I didn't study there, I have witnessed and sparred with them; there are no omissions."
Saying this, Hoshimi Miyabi lowered her head to ponder slightly, then shook her head firmly and said:
"No, Andrew, your move's objective is simply too unique. Not just sword sects, even among all the sword manuals I've been able to collect, nothing similar has ever appeared."
Hearing this, Andrew felt a bit numb in his heart for a moment. Although he knew that given the Hoshimi family's volume and position in New Eridu, plus Hoshimi Miyabi being a renowned Kendo genius of the Hoshimi family, she must have seen many sword sects... But Andrew didn't expect there to be this many.
Judging by Hoshimi Miyabi's confident appearance, she probably feared she hadn't learned every single sword move remaining in the entire New Eridu once over.
Knowing that his fabrication had been directly exposed by Hoshimi Miyabi this time, Andrew simply couldn't be bothered to continue finding excuses and said frankly:
"Alright, actually I learned the move techniques from another world."
After all, regarding the companions around him whom he had already acknowledged, Andrew had never had any desire to hide the identity of a transmigrator. The reason he didn't say it proactively was just that he felt saying such an identity out loud would not only require a lot of explanation, but it would also be difficult for the other party to believe.
But what Andrew didn't expect was that when Hoshimi Miyabi heard Andrew's second explanation, she nodded decisively after pondering for a brief moment.
She exclaimed: "So that's how it is, I understand."
Now it was the turn of Andrew, who had prepared himself mentally to be denied, to start feeling disbelief. He immediately spoke up, incomparably puzzled:
"Wait! This situation isn't right, is it?! Where is there someone who believes others saying they are transmigrators right from the start?! Shouldn't you first suspect I'm joking, then question that I'm making things up, and finally barely choose to believe only under my constant explanation and hands-on demonstration?!"
But regarding these words, Hoshimi Miyabi said quite matter-of-factly:
"But this was said by you, Andrew. Of course I choose to believe you."
For a moment, Andrew couldn't help but be a bit speechless. He probably figured it out.
The reason Hoshimi Miyabi questioned him earlier was entirely because the words he said did not match the objective facts she knew, so even if it was a companion she acknowledged, she would definitely refute. But if it was something she wasn't clear about, regarding a companion's words, she would choose to believe them entirely.
Looking at the serious-faced Hoshimi Miyabi, for a time Andrew didn't even know whether he should say she was easy to deceive or not easy to deceive.
At the same time, although the doubt in her heart had been answered, there was actually another reason why Hoshimi Miyabi was curious about where Andrew learned his moves.
Merely observing was indeed still difficult to experience the true meaning of the opponent's moves. But under circumstances where most sects wouldn't be willing to teach their moves to others casually, over the years Hoshimi Miyabi had found a better method. That was to fight a match directly with the opponent.
She looked at Andrew with eyes shining, the soul of a martial arts fanatic burning ragingly in her heart. Subsequently, she asked him with a serious face:
"Then Andrew, when I can use my full strength after recovering completely later, can you have a sparring match to instruct me?"
"Hmm?"
Although stunned by this sudden invitation, Andrew understood instantly upon hearing these words. Saying it was sparring for instruction, in reality, Hoshimi Miyabi just wanted Andrew to fight a match with her.
And very quickly, Andrew, who had witnessed martial arts fanatics, guessed Hoshimi Miyabi's purpose for sparring. But the problem was, even if it wasn't a real hunt but a spar, Andrew was unwilling to aim the Dragon-hunting weapon in his hands at Hoshimi Miyabi.
Especially when the opponent was a solid good person, Andrew was even less willing. Looking at the opponent's eager gaze, Andrew still refused decisively:
"No, I refuse. Whether it is my weapon or the moves corresponding to these weapons that I learned, their fundamental purpose is undoubtedly to hunt monsters, not to fight with humans."
"Ugh..."
Regarding Andrew's answer, although she felt incomparably regretful in her heart, Hoshimi Miyabi understood perfectly. As someone who had fought together, how could she not distinguish what kind of existences those moves were targeted at.
Silently recalling the interactions during this period in her heart, after Andrew confirmed that although the other party's personality was a bit airheaded, she was absolutely a good person who could be trusted, he turned his head to look at Hoshimi Miyabi without hesitation.
He said:
"Actually, there's no need to spar. If you want to learn, just come find me; I can teach you directly. Also, I remember that when attacking Nineveh earlier, you used a technique that was a bit similar to my Tachi's Blade Opening. Presumably, there are certain commonalities?"
The moment she heard these words, Hoshimi Miyabi instantly couldn't help but widen her eyes. Even her originally cold and clear expression took on an incomparably obvious surprise. Next moment, she nodded and agreed immediately, as if afraid Andrew would go back on his word if she was a bit slower.
"Okay! Then it's a deal!"
Subsequently, regarding the latter sentence of Andrew's, Hoshimi Miyabi said quite frankly:
"Actually, that move you saw, Andrew, was imitated by me referencing the state of your Tachi when it performed the Blade Opening."
"Huh?!"
This time, it was Andrew who hadn't expected it. He seemed to have performed a Blade Opening in front of Hoshimi Miyabi only once, and after that, it had been in the Red Blade state all along... And she... imitated it just like that?
He had originally thought that the way Hoshimi Miyabi accumulated power when severing Nineveh earlier was at most just a slight similarity in appearance between the moves she learned and the Tachi's Blade Opening.
After all, Andrew had already distinguished in that previous move; the method Hoshimi Miyabi used to make the power accumulated in Wuwei undergo a qualitative change was actually not the same thing in essence as Andrew's Tachi Blade Opening.
One was the convergence of powerful and pure strength, subsequently concentrated into a single point. The other was a method of gathering Ether energy within the body onto the blade edge, finally forming a qualitative change through massive energy accumulation.
It seemed, was this caused because purely relying on visual observation wasn't accurate? This was the kind of situation where, if it were a different worldview, one would have to start sucking in a breath of cold air and declaring 'this child is terrifying'.
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