『 Miyabi was happily swinging a wooden sword in the courtyard when she accidentally tripped and fell. The wooden sword slipped from her hand, hitting the ground and snapping into two pieces.
Seeing the broken sword, Miyabi didn't feel sad; instead, she turned around and happily began chasing butterflies.
Miyabi's mother watched this scene silently from behind her. 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: That wooden sword just split like that?
〘Hoshimi Miyabi〙: Perhaps the wooden sword could no longer withstand the strength I possessed back then.
〘Nicole〙: You really were formidable even as a kid.
....
『 "Mother, it's time for training," Miyabi said seriously, tying the sash of her training uniform and looking at her mother.
Many weapons were laid out before Miyabi and her mother.
"Today's training is… eating all the vegetables on your plate!"
Miyabi reached for a katana, but her mother's eyes widened instantly. She hurriedly handed Miyabi a different weapon.
It was a massive hammer. Miyabi's mother mimicked the movements in the air to show her how to use it. 』
『 ....』
〘Nicole〙: She picked up such a huge hammer… now I know why that wooden sword snapped.
〘Yanqing〙: Is this what they call "born with divine strength" in novels?
〘Li Sushang〙: This is probably the talent my mother wished I had. I still have a hard time wielding the sword she gave me even now.
〘Stelle〙: By the way, is that training really that casual? Eating all your vegetables counts as training?
〘Zhu Yuan〙: That was likely her mother's way of stopping Miyabi from touching a blade.
〘Stelle〙: What happens if she touches a blade?
〘March 7th〙: I feel like it would be something very bad…
....
『 "The training only ends once you've slept a full eight hours."
As Miyabi's training continued day by day, the weapons on the wall grew fewer. Yet, every time Miyabi reached for a katana, her mother would appear and hand her one of the remaining weapons instead.
The screen showed Miyabi's mother handing her a spear, then demonstrating its use with empty hands.
"Miyabi, you forgot the names of the uncles and aunts again."
The scene transitioned again. Only a few weapons remained on the wall. Miyabi reached for a katana once more, and her mother again handed her something else—this time, an axe. Before her mother could even demonstrate, Miyabi nodded, indicating she already knew how to use it.
"Then today's training is to memorize the names of everyone in the clan." 』
『 ....』
〘Yanqing〙: Not only does she have immense strength, but she's also a master of all weapons? How impressive.
〘Li Sushang〙: If I had this talent, my mother would wake up laughing from her dreams.
〘Guinaifen〙: I feel like your mother isn't worried about that; she's worried about your literacy level.
....
『 A small bird perched on the branch of a plum tree. A few plum blossoms still clung to the twigs, telling the audience that winter had arrived.
The bird flew away as Miyabi's happy laughter filled the air.
Miyabi and her mother sat kneeling face-to-face in a long corridor. To their right, the branches of a large plum tree reached out, covered in beautiful blossoms that looked like stars.
Miyabi's mother taught her etiquette, and Miyabi slowly mirrored her mother's movements.
"When Miyabi grows as tall as Mother, you can wear this formal dress."
The scene then shifted to her mother teaching Miyabi how to play the guzheng, and Miyabi laughed happily.
Next, Miyabi and her mother were seen galloping down a road on horseback. Miyabi rode a small white pony, while her mother was on a black horse. In the sky, there were rainbows and airplanes—a truly beautiful picture.
"In a few years, Mother will travel with you all across Eridu."
Miyabi's mother leaned over, instructing Miyabi on archery.
"Mm, Miyabi is great at learning everything."
The following scene showed Miyabi practicing calligraphy on large sheets of paper spread across the floor, with her mother watching from the side.
"It would be even better if you could be a bit more patient."
Then came a very warm scene: her mother, wrapped in a quilt, pulled Miyabi into her arms. Miyabi was clicking away at an abacus on the floor, with unfinished oranges and a lantern-like small heater nearby. 』
『 ....』
〘Pela〙: What a heartwarming scene.
〘Li Sushang〙: It is warm, but does she really have to learn so many things at such a young age? If it were me, I definitely wouldn't be able to keep it up.
....
『 Spring arrived. Miyabi was using a paring knife to peel an apple. Her mother walked over, took the knife away, and shook her head with a smile, a drop of cold sweat on her face.
"Today's afternoon snack is Miyabi's favorite—honeydew melon!"
Because her mother was in such a rush to take the knife, the melon fell to the ground and shattered.
Immediately following the image of the shattered melon, a shot of exploding fireworks appeared.
Miyabi and her mother watched the fireworks before them.
"I'm so looking forward to it. What will Miyabi be like when she grows up?"
Miyabi leaned to the left, resting her head on her mother's lap. Her mother gently stroked Miyabi's head.
"Miyabi, listen to Mother. Close your eyes."
Miyabi closed her eyes while resting on her mother's lap, a blissful smile on her face.
"Mother will always be with you…"
At this moment, the screen showed a brightly lit skyscraper. It seemed to be Miyabi's perspective. As she slowly closed her eyes, the lights of the building flickered out one by one.
When it went completely dark, miserable screams echoed through the screen. Fire broke out in the building, and the screams grew more frequent until the screen went pitch black. 』
『 ....』
〘Hanabi〙: Here it comes.
〘Stelle〙: I'm ready. I won't let my guard down.
....
『 When the screen lit up again, it showed Miyabi's reflection in a blade. Fire raged all around her.
As Miyabi lowered the blade, she saw her mother before her, gasping for breath.
Her mother looked at Miyabi and said with difficulty, "This is the only way."
Her mother took Miyabi's hand. The perspective then pulled back, allowing everyone to see what was happening.
The room where the Cursed Blade was kept was engulfed in flames. The red cords binding the blade fell to the ground one after another.
Her mother slowly handed the red-glowing Cursed Blade to Miyabi. Pebble-like growths had begun to appear on her arms. 』
『 ....』
〘Zhu Yuan〙: Miyabi's mother has already started showing Ether crystals. She will turn into an Ethereal soon…
〘·HSR· Welt Yang〙: It's very similar to Honkai.
....
『 Miyabi gripped the Cursed Blade her mother handed her, tears streaming down her face. Her mother let out a groan of pain. Miyabi's tears fell onto the blade, and the Cursed Blade ignited with purple-blue flames.
Then, a sorrowful BGM began to play.
Her mother reached out a trembling hand to stroke Miyabi's head, saying shakily, "Miyabi, listen to Mother. Close your eyes."
The Ether crystals on her mother's body were increasing. She looked at Miyabi with a smile.
"This is our… final training."
Miyabi's tears fell even harder. She shook her head and sobbed.
"No…"
"Miyabi, don't be sad, don't be afraid…" her mother comforted her. By now, the Ether crystals on her neck had spread to her cheek.
Her mother grasped Miyabi's hand and pointed the blade toward herself. The silhouettes of three Ethereals were reflected in the Cursed Blade.
"Live on."
With those words, her mother forcefully plunged the Cursed Blade into herself. Miyabi watched this scene in total collapse.
Miyabi's hand holding the blade trembled slowly. The light in her mother's eyes gradually faded. With her last shred of consciousness, she reached out to wipe away Miyabi's tears.
"Mother will always… love you."
After saying this, her mother's hand fell. She had sacrificed herself for her daughter. 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: ????
〘March 7th〙: Is this right? This can't be right, can it?
〘Soukaku〙: Sob sob… Section Chief… sob sob…
〘Lighter〙: That truly is a mother's great love.
....
『 After her mother's death, the Cursed Blade's light grew even more intense. A whisper echoed through the screen.
I am free.
Miyabi looked on, unable to accept what had happened. Then, she let out a cry of utter despair, and the art style shifted.
Miyabi and the Ethereals all turned black; the only other color was a stroke of desperate red.
Miyabi darted back and forth among the Ethereals, slaying these creatures that were once her clansmen. She screamed in despair as she slaughtered them.
She never would have dreamed that the first person she would cut down after touching a blade would be her own mother, followed by her own kin. 』
『 ....』
〘Hanabi〙: I wonder if you remember one of Miyabi's training sessions—to memorize the names of all the clansmen. And these Ethereals…
〘Stelle〙: Dr. Hanabi sure knows how to rub salt in the wound. I feel even worse now.
〘Yanqing〙: The first strike as a swordsman was against her own mother. This is just too…
....
『 The screen then showed a flicker of black flame slowly dying out. Once the flame was completely extinguished, the sound of a blade ringing out was heard.
The adult Miyabi sheathed her sword. Behind her were the Ethereals she had slain. Beside her was an eyeball floating in ghostly fire.
In front of her was a mother protecting her daughter. The little girl looked at Miyabi and said, "Wow… so many Ethereals, all of them…"
To Miyabi's left was a plum tree. One couldn't tell if it was the same one from when she learned etiquette with her mother.
"…Thank you. Thank you," the mother said to Miyabi in gratitude.
Miyabi didn't say a word. She turned to leave.
The little girl looked at Miyabi's retreating back, cupped her hands around her mouth, and shouted, "Big sister, you're so cool! When I grow up, I want to be a hero just like you!"
Hearing this, Miyabi stopped in her tracks. She glanced back. Fallen leaves, just like the ones from when her mother led her away from the corridor, began to drift around her. The climax of the BGM from when her mother stabbed herself played once more.
Miyabi said nothing and walked away. No one knew what she was thinking when she stopped. 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Is this the "irretrievable loss"? You've made me cry, you know?
〘Silver Wolf〙: And there's the explosive final blow.
〘Kevin Kaslana〙: This is the price of becoming a hero. The weight of those two words remains just as heavy.
〘Lighter〙: So, does the Section Chief carry out those nonsensical daily training sessions because she doesn't want to consider that time the "final training"?
....