Well… the author doubled the chapter length…
Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 21 – Sword Saint, Demon Slayer!
The Abandoned District.
This area was once planned to be Yan City’s District Ten, but due to energy supply issues with the “Ember,” the project was abandoned.
What remained were the foundations of half-built buildings, a haven for unregistered refugees.
Yan City turned a blind eye, allowing them to occupy the area.
Hua Qiling and the others weren’t returning to Anomaly Management Bureau headquarters, but to a research facility belonging to the Oversight Department.
Because the devices used to detect demons were somewhat dangerous, with the potential for uncontrollable incidents, they weren’t kept in important areas like the core district.
The Abandoned District was a suitable location. Although the core district’s “Ember” couldn’t support another full district, it could power a research facility.
Luo Yan walked half a step behind Hua Qiling, curiously observing the surroundings.
Besides the half-finished, dilapidated buildings, there was also garbage everywhere, the dust emitting a decaying smell.
She looked further into the distance, spotting numerous unkempt heads peeking out from behind the rubble, their gazes filled with curiosity and fear.
“Is this also Yan City?” Luo Yan asked. “But it’s very different from where I live…”
“Yes, this is the Abandoned District,” Hua Qiling nodded.
“Then, are these people… also citizens of Yan City?” Luo Yan’s gaze swept over the faces, seeing only numbness and despair.
Hua Qiling hesitated for a moment before answering,
“…No, they are refugees from the wasteland.”
“Has Miss Luo Yan never seen refugees before?” an Oversight Department member couldn’t help but ask.
Luo Yan blinked. “What are refugees?”
Just as the member was about to answer, Hua Qiling stopped him with a gesture and turned to Luo Yan.
“It’s a complicated historical issue. I don’t really understand it myself. You can find more information in the library.”
Hua Qiling knew, of course, but she didn’t want to explain.
Most of the refugees in the wasteland were criminals or descendants of criminals, but the definition of “criminal” in this context… was rather nuanced.
It was best for Miss Luo Yan to find her own answers, rather than being influenced by their biased perspectives.
“Oh.”
Luo Yan nodded and didn’t ask any further questions.
The distance from District Nine to the Abandoned District wasn’t far, and since they were all ability users, their walking speed was comparable to an ordinary person running. They quickly approached their destination.
Due to energy constraints, most vehicles in the mega-city operated on fixed schedules and routes. Only in emergencies could private vehicles be used. Otherwise, driving would have been much faster.
As they went deeper into the Abandoned District, the refugees became scarce. Yan City forbade them from loitering near the research facility.
But just then, Luo Yan suddenly stopped, her expression turning serious.
“Luo Yan, what’s wrong?”
Hua Qiling also stopped, the other Oversight Department members looking at Luo Yan questioningly.
“It’s gone,” Luo Yan whispered.
“What?”
“The feeling of being watched… it’s gone.”
Luo Yan touched the pistol at her waist, her “Eagle Eye” vision scanning the surroundings, but she found nothing.
After leaving District Nine, she had expected the feeling of being watched to disappear, but it had only intensified.
She had been paying attention, but she hadn’t seen anything.
Until just now, when the feeling suddenly vanished, replaced by a chilling premonition of danger.
“Several auras are rapidly approaching!”
Hua Qiling paused for a moment, then reacted instantly, shouting,
“Ambush!”
However, the Oversight Department members reacted even faster, scattering and activating their spiritual energy shields.
These protective devices were standard issue for the Oversight Department, capable of withstanding a “Ruin” level ability user’s attack for three minutes.
What happened after three minutes depended on their luck.
Clearly, in this situation, the shields were meant to protect them from the aftershocks of the battle.
As Hua Qiling shouted, the auras Luo Yan had sensed were already closing in on them at an incredible speed, or more precisely, on Luo Yan.
Their target… was Luo Yan!
In the next instant, several beams of light, imbued with sword energy, shot down from the sky, aimed directly at Luo Yan.
“Eagle Eye Vision!”
Without hesitation, Hua Qiling activated “Eagle Eye” at its maximum level.
Just like in Ghost Town, within the domain of Eagle Eye Vision, the user was omniscient and omnipotent.
Luo Yan clearly saw the sword beams streaking down from the sky. And the moment they entered the “Eagle Eye Vision” domain, she instantly calculated the optimal position to avoid the attack.
She casually took a few steps, effortlessly dodging the incoming attacks, not even a speck of dust touching her clothes.
“She dodged so easily? Unexpected…”
A figure in white emerged from the nearby ruins, her eyes closed, six swords of varying designs floating behind her.
The sword beams around Luo Yan dissipated, but the residual sword energy still resonated within the craters on the ground.
“Sword Saint!”
Hua Qiling recognized the combat style instantly, her eyes widening.
“Good eye, but it’s a pity you’re associating with a Devil’s minion,” Qin Wen sneered, opening her eyes and staring intently at Luo Yan. “As expected of a follower of the Witch of Envy, such beauty… no, wait, is this really the time to be saying such things?”
Luo Yan: “…?”
“I’m not a follower of the Witch of Envy,” Luo Yan sighed. “I just happen to possess the power of ‘Envy’.”
“Absurd! Ridiculous!” Qin Wen scoffed. “Do you think I’m a fool? How many people have you killed? Your hands are stained with blood! How many lives have been lost because of you… Don’t you know?”
Luo Yan was silent for a moment, then said,
“…I’m sorry.”
During the Ghost Town incident, which she had inadvertently caused, countless innocent people had died.
“Apologizing? Apologizing while holding a butcher’s knife?” Qin Wen’s anger flared, the six swords behind her humming. “You venomous beauty, your cruel heart and that fake, fragile exterior are disgusting!”
Having witnessed the brutal massacre of the mercenary team not long ago, and now this act, Qin Wen was filled with rage.
Luo Yan didn’t speak, unsure what to say.
Hua Qiling, however, sensed a misunderstanding and tried to explain.
“Wait, Sword Saint disciple, is there some kind of misunderstanding…?”
“There is no misunderstanding! There can’t be!” Qin Wen closed her eyes again, her sword intent surging. “I am Qin Wen, bearer of the Sword Saint’s mission, slayer of demons!”
The Sword Saint.
Even among the reclusive, isolated factions, they were one of the most mysterious.
But their presence in the New Era was undeniable.
Simply put, they were incredibly powerful.
The Sword Saint’s sword was the most lethal weapon known to humanity, rivaling even the destructive power of the “Ice Coffin Weapon.”
At its peak, it could easily destroy an entire mega-city.
Its most glorious moment was centuries ago, when the then Sword Saint Sect Master wielded it against the last Primordial Demon.
In that instant, heaven and earth trembled, even space itself fractured, and the Primordial Demon was injured.
A Primordial Demon at its full power was simply too strong. Even “Destruction” level ability users, humanity’s pillars, were like children before their might.
Even just injuring one was a remarkable feat.
However, although called a faction, the Sword Saint sect was incredibly small, with only one or two successors in each generation, sometimes even experiencing periods with no successor at all.
Because the Sword Saint’s sword was too heavy, most couldn’t even lift it.
When the sword was drawn, demons would be slain.
It had been a long time since the sword was last drawn.
—To be precise, the “Sword Saint’s sword” was a special Forbidden Technique.
Forbidden Techniques allowed the user to unleash power far beyond their limits at a considerable cost. The “Sword Saint’s sword” was the pinnacle of destructive power among these techniques.
Qin Wen was the sole successor of the current generation. Even with her exceptional talent and her “Seven Apertures Sword Heart,” at her age, she could only unleash less than ten percent of the “Sword Saint’s sword’s” true power.
However, even that was enough to overwhelm anyone below “Peril” level.
Perhaps due to years of sword training, Qin Wen’s thinking was very straightforward. Once she decided on something, she would stubbornly pursue it.
Like the Devil’s minion she was currently hunting. She would chase him to the ends of the earth.
In other words, Qin Wen was a stubborn powerhouse…
Making an enemy of someone like her was a headache.
The good news was that Qin Wen was only interested in slaying demons. The bad news was that she now considered Luo Yan a demon…
After announcing her name, Qin Wen didn’t hesitate. The six swords behind her unsheathed instantly, three of them transforming into a shower of sword beams.
At the same time, she charged towards Luo Yan at blinding speed, her movements leaving afterimages.
However, even the greatest speed was meaningless within “Eagle Eye Vision.” Luo Yan easily tracked her movements.
She decisively took out the pistol from her pocket and fired at the approaching Qin Wen.
Of course, she didn’t use the power of “Death,” just a simple release of spiritual energy.
Meanwhile, Hua Qiling drew her usual short swords and deflected some of the incoming sword beams.
Although she wasn’t skilled in swordsmanship, she was a “Ruin” level ability user, on the same level as Qin Wen.
After some of the sword beams were deflected, safe zones appeared on the ground.
Luo Yan fired her pistol while moving towards a safe zone.
Although her base strength was only “Difficulty” level, her destructive power with the spiritual energy pistol could reach “Ruin” level.
This forced Qin Wen to use the remaining three swords for defense, preventing her from approaching Luo Yan.
“What’s her ability?”
Luo Yan frowned slightly. Without knowing the opponent’s ability, this defensive battle wouldn’t last.
After all, Hua Qiling wasn’t a combat specialist, and Luo Yan only had a pistol, her body incredibly frail.
“I think I heard it’s called ‘Seven Apertures Sword Heart’… It allows her to control swords at will?”
Hua Qiling racked her brain, searching for information. “I don’t know the details, I never really looked into it…”
“She keeps her eyes closed, is that because of her ability?” Luo Yan asked.
Hua Qiling said helplessly, “My dear sister, how would I know?”
“You beast! You call a demon your sister and betray my information! You deserve to die!”
Qin Wen overheard their conversation, their blatant strategizing during battle infuriating her.
“Miss Luo Yan isn’t a demon…”
“Heh, she admitted it herself. Possessing the power of the ‘Witch of Envy,’ if that’s not a demon, is she a god?”
Qin Wen’s anger turned into laughter, her white clothes fluttering. Three more swords floated up, adding to the previous six, bringing the total to nine.
“I admit I underestimated you… Six swords weren’t enough, so here are three more!”
Freed from defending against the pistol fire, Qin Wen resumed her advance.
With Hua Qiling distracted by the numerous sword beams, and Luo Yan trapped within the limited safe zones, Qin Wen gradually closed in.
“Slay demons, eradicate evil!”
Three swords shot out, transforming into an almost invisible silver light, aimed directly at Luo Yan.
Luo Yan stared at the incoming swords. Within “Eagle Eye Vision,” their movements were incredibly slow, their trajectories clear.
At the same time, Luo Yan felt something humming in her pocket.
“I… I think I know what her ability is…”
Luo Yan whispered, her voice barely audible.
What she held in her pocket… was a “Philosopher’s Stone.”
A product of the New Era’s most advanced alchemy, capable of amplifying esper abilities.
Because of the compatibility between her ability and the Philosopher’s Stone, the Yan City higher-ups had decided to entrust her with three, for emergencies.
Of course, their use required a report.
The Philosopher’s Stone Luo Yan carried was now being affected by her ability, slowly being consumed and leaking energy.
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