"What... does this mean?" Zhu Yuan asked.
"Ah, please don't worry. I am not doubting your intentions in the slightest, Miss Zhu Yuan. However, matters concerning the Hoshimi Family are a... special case. It is a rule of our clan not to reveal such things easily to outsiders."
"Especially since there is a guest here whom I do not recognize... Would you mind proving your relationship with my daughter?"
Souichirou Hoshimi shifted the conversation toward Wise.
Wise was not surprised in the slightest and immediately spoke up.
"Miyabi's sword is a treasured heirloom of the Hoshimi Family, passed down through generations of family heads to subdue demons and eradicate evil. Only members of the Hoshimi Family's main branch can touch it! Also, Mr. Souichirou, whenever you attend social events, you secretly replace your alcohol with fruit juice!"
"Hm?! She... she even told you something like that?"
Souichirou sounded both shocked and slightly embarrassed, as though his childish habit had been exposed by his own daughter.
Wise had not intended to mention that, but earning the man's trust was necessary. After revealing those details, he quickly moved to the main point.
"Please listen to me, Uncle Souichirou. Earlier today, the sword went out of control! It released a massive blaze! We barely managed to force it back into its scabbard!"
"What...?"
Souichirou was visibly shaken by the revelation, his composure faltering almost instantly.
At the same time, he instructed Lycaon, who stood beside him, to inform the mayor that he would be leaving the event early tonight.
"Both of you, what I am about to say is extremely important and absolutely must not spread! If some scoundrels are plotting against the Hoshimi Family, then their target must be the sword!"
"That blade is not only a treasured heirloom passed down through generations of the Hoshimi Family, but also the source of the immense power wielded by each successive head of the family."
He began revealing the truth behind it.
"But the power sealed within it is a... taboo. Only the head of the Hoshimi Family is qualified to inherit and wield it, and the process itself is extraordinarily dangerous! However, my daughter is different."
"Aside from that accident during her childhood, she has never relied on the sword's power. Her strength is entirely her own! She is the true genius of the Hoshimi Family!"
Souichirou's tone grew increasingly grave, carrying even a faint trace of pleading.
"You must... you must ensure the integrity of the scabbard! Under no circumstances can my daughter come into contact with the sword's true body if the scabbard fails!"
<<>>
Meanwhile, an escort vehicle was driving toward Bringer's speech venue near Dead End Hollow, and Miyabi sat quietly inside the compartment.
"Hey! Drive carefully! If you jostle Miyabi, she'll throw you in jail!"
The man in the passenger seat spoke to the driver beside him in an exaggerated tone.
Hearing this, she said, "No need to pretend. You turned back toward Janus Quarter starting from the seventh intersection. This vehicle isn't heading to the Public Security office at all."
Miyabi's blunt observation left the two henchmen in front visibly awkward, while Sarah, seated across from her, let out a soft chuckle.
"Heh~ So you knew all along? Are you really fine with letting us manipulate you so calmly?"
"Villains' plans are always unconventional. It's better to stay close and understand your objective clearly. Besides, you alone are no threat to me."
"...Even while unarmed?"
"I don't need a weapon to deal with you."
Miyabi's tone remained calm, yet it carried absolute confidence in her own strength.
Seeing this, Sarah merely nodded without arguing further. Holding Tailless in her hands, she slowly approached Miyabi.
"Hmm~ Of course we're not worthy. After all, this is a treasure passed down through generations of the Hoshimi Family... It has slain extremely dangerous Ethereals, rare powerhouses, remnants of ancient civilizations, and evils of the new era... the demonic sword, Tailless."
"You...?"
For the first time, Miyabi's calm expression shifted slightly. Her crimson eyes locked onto the woman holding the sword before her.
"Seven generations of sword masters forged the Hoshimi Family's current prestige. Ordinary people believe the Hoshimi bloodline possesses unique talent, but in reality, the power of this sword is the true source of their strength."
Sarah revealed the truth with clear amusement in her voice.
"Except for you, Miyabi... You are the heaven-sent prodigy the Hoshimi Family has produced in recent years, a true darling blessed by swordsmanship itself."
"Why do you know so much about the Hoshimi Family...?"
Miyabi stared at Sarah, who continued casually toying with Tailless without the slightest hint of tension.
"Hahaha, because the objective of us villains... is you. Although Null_Face botched the mission, he still managed to obtain your deep synchronization modeling data."
"What...?"
"Hm, thanks to that, I can finally witness the true form of Tailless..."
Ignoring Miyabi's shocked expression, Sarah slowly drew the sword from its scabbard right in front of her.
"Indeed, it's beautiful~! This terrifying energy... is exactly what we need!"
Unlocking the scabbard of Tailless required Miyabi's fingerprint data, which Null_Face had already collected as part of the plan.
The moment she saw Tailless being unsheathed, Miyabi lost her composure. She instantly shattered the handcuffs restraining her and lunged forward at full speed, intent on reclaiming her sword.
But little did she know, this was exactly what the enemy wanted.
"You're right. No one can threaten you, so we're going to turn you into a threat!"
"Put down Tailless!" Miyabi shouted as she rushed forward and grabbed the sword.
Sarah offered no resistance. Instead, she willingly handed it over.
Immediately afterward, the vehicle screeched to a halt and its doors burst open, throwing Miyabi out of the escort vehicle and directly into the speech venue below.
"Ah, what an honor! Executive Miyabi has personally graced my speech. Citizens and friends, please give her a warm round of applause!"
Bringer showed no surprise at the sight. Instead, he encouraged the crowd to approach Miyabi, completely unaware that she was no longer conscious.
Her crimson eyes glowed blood-red, her disheveled hair carried a trace of madness, and the sharp sword overflowed with dangerous crimson flames.
The scarlet flames intensified. Realizing something was terribly wrong, Wise, who had arrived at that very moment, immediately abandoned all hesitation and rushed forward, dragging Miyabi into a nearby Hollow.
At that moment, Miyabi, temporarily pulled into a strange mental space by Tailless, suddenly sensed a familiar scent along with the overwhelming emotions emanating from the sword itself.
Even so, the burning flames did not cease. Combined with the enemies appearing within the illusion, she instinctively swung her sword.
As the blade's light cut down the enemy before her, a fraction of her strength returned, driving her to continue swinging.
In reality, Miyabi repeated the same actions.
Wise narrowly dodged each strike, fortunate that they were inside a Hollow surrounded by unconscious Ethereals.
Drawn by the disturbance, the creatures rushed toward them fearlessly, becoming nourishment for the sword one after another.
Tailless's power continuously influenced Miyabi. Sweat dripped from her body, signaling both the rapid depletion of her stamina and the increasing speed of her attacks.
Yet within the illusion, countless monsters surged forward like an endless tide.
Miyabi continued swinging relentlessly, slaughtering Ethereals until the very last of her strength was exhausted.
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Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street
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