Emma's conviction was no less than the old Sword Saint's. Bella didn't try to persuade her further. She turned to the third person—Genichiro Ashina, who would inherit the lordship once Isshin departed.
They hadn't interacted much, but Bella could tell this man possessed considerable talent and capability. The problem was his predecessors had been too brilliant. Under the pressure of internal strife and foreign invasion, he'd tried too hard to achieve something great, which only made him appear to have failed.
In reality, Genichiro's martial skills were formidable. He'd mastered techniques from various schools to an impressive degree. Perhaps it was his personality, perhaps his upbringing, but he was too obsessed with perfection. The world didn't have that many perfect outcomes—the more you chased perfection, the worse your results tended to be.
He wasn't a bold pioneer who blazed new trails, but he would make an excellent steward.
None of Ashina's warrior class wanted to go to modern Japan and live some comfortable, prosperous new life.
They possessed no modern skills. All they knew was killing and warfare—that was all they were good for.
They wouldn't go to Japan. Modern Japan wasn't their home. The land beneath their feet was. This was their home.
No need for democratic principles. The commoners' opinions didn't need to be considered, and no one would consult them anyway.
Ashina—including the surrendered Interior Ministry warriors—had reached an agreement: defend this land. Whether this place was Hell or somewhere else entirely, they would hold their ground here, because this was all they had left.
Ashina no longer needed the Sword Saint's sharp edge. It needed a young leader to guide everyone in surviving this entirely new world.
"Outlander, you brought an end to Ashina's war. If you ever need help dealing with the Teai-kai, come find us anytime."
Genichiro made his promise. They wouldn't go live in the modern world, but going there to kill people? No psychological barrier whatsoever.
"Good. If I need help, I'll definitely come find you."
"This blade is useless to me now. Take it—as a memento."
Genichiro handed her a pitch-black tachi, one meter long (3.3 ft), with a hilt shaped like lotus petals. This was the Black Mortal Blade—specifically the one called "Open Gate"—which possessed the terrifying power to sacrifice the living and resurrect the dead.
Only the immortal could wield the Mortal Blade.
Bella guessed Genichiro's intent. He was still testing her, trying to determine whether she'd obtained immortality.
To Bella, this blade was somewhat like the Golden Apple—those without the corresponding bloodline who used it would rapidly lose life force. The Golden Apple could be replenished after use, but the Mortal Blade was far more brutal. Those without sufficient life force simply couldn't use it at all.
But was she worried? The Divine Dragon was right beside her. When she wanted to use it, she'd just have the Divine Dragon spit on her palm a couple of times and she'd be good to go!
"What a fearsome blade..." Bella ultimately didn't draw the sword. She simply smiled and accepted it as a ceremonial gift.
"Then I'm off. My friend is still at Senpou Temple. If you run into trouble, you can seek his help too."
Pyramid Head had remained in the north of Ashina, at Senpou Temple.
He had obtained a physical form and accepted certain gifts from the Corrupted Monk. As payment, he had to undergo some Buddhist training each month. Senpou Temple was a perfect location for this—Pyramid Head would be stationed there long-term.
Previously, Bella had summoned him from the dream realm. Now she'd need to summon him from Hell.
She gave Genichiro one of her jade talismans in return. With the talisman, Ashina could communicate with Pyramid Head to a limited extent. If they encountered an enemy they couldn't handle, Pyramid Head would evaluate the situation and might lend a hand.
"That one's a bit dangerous. Don't trust him too much—he doesn't share our warrior's code of honor."
Genichiro jerked his chin toward the stern of the Flying Dutchman, where a monk in Buddhist robes was studying the ship's triple cannons.
This was the only person in Ashina willing to follow Bella to the real world—Doujun, a monk from Senpou Temple.
Most of Senpou Temple's monks had died after their immortality-related energy was extracted. The handful who survived were warrior monks who couldn't read a single character. After careful selection, Bella had found only Doujun—a research monk.
This guy was a fanatic. He loved conducting all sorts of immortality experiments and had even developed a second personality from his prolonged research.
Bella didn't currently have a Golden Apple. She could only use her psionic power to temporarily seal away his evil personality. She'd handle the rest after returning to the real world.
She wasn't interested in studying the Waters of Rejuvenation. What she wanted was Senpou Temple's specialty: several types of sugar that could enhance the human body but had severe side effects.
These sugars were incredibly potent. Once she figured them out and reduced the side effects, she could prepare a whole stash for Natasha. Popping enhancement candy during combat? What kind of edge would that give her?
"Everyone, take care!" Bella waved farewell to the Ashina group, then leaped gracefully onto the deck. Her movements were elegant, incorporating some techniques from the Floating Passage secret art.
Isshin, Emma, and the others watched with casual disinterest—too showy for their tastes. The survivors on the ship, however, gasped in amazement, allowing Bella to quietly soak up another round of admiration.
"Set sail!" The thirty-meter (100 ft) sailing ship was packed with over a hundred people, making it quite cramped. The Flying Dutchman was a warship, not a merchant vessel, so it was somewhat overloaded. But with magic as its propulsion, they could squeeze everyone aboard.
The Divine Dragon had been perched on Bella's shoulder throughout. Now she turned to gaze back, her vision crossing mountains and ridges to rest upon the Everblossom tree in Fountainhead Palace where she'd dwelt. She'd stayed here far too long. It was time to go home.
The Divine Dragon waved her hand, dispelling the mist that shrouded all of Ashina. The Flying Dutchman broke through the weakened barrier between worlds.
This was the boundary between Hell and the material plane. In that moment of passage, Bella sensed the will of Hell itself. This plane was vast—Ashina occupied only an insignificant corner of it. The lord of Hell who ruled this plane had given it a name: Limbo.
"Limbo? Like in that game?" Bella blocked out Hell's attempt to corrode her consciousness. Absorbing that kind of power would indeed grant a massive boost, but the hidden dangers were endless.
She had no interest in that kind of strength. Instead, she found herself intrigued by Hell's vastness.
In the future, she could use Ashina as a foothold to come here and capture some demons for research!
A mage who didn't study demons wasn't a proper mage!
Limbo was too close to the material plane. The magic concentration was still relatively low, so many powerful demons couldn't cross over. Compared to the entirety of Hell's forces, this place was basically a beginner's zone—quite suitable for someone like her, a novice in magical matters.
BOOM— An invisible explosion echoed through the void. Several creatures resembling fire crows flew over to investigate, but the Flying Dutchman had already pierced through space and returned to the material world.