Fate: Hero Simulator

[3rd POV]

Killing.

Musashi had long come to terms with this, but when the moment arrived, she still couldn't help feeling nervous.

In these past days, she had seen Kyouya kill one person after another who came to take the blade.

She had seen ways of dying and with her talent, she had already glimpsed the secret to Kyouya's method of slaying.

She knew exactly where to strike with the greatest ease and which stance would get the best results.

Even the feather of a falling bird, she could cut it in two with a single stroke.

Today, this strength was finally going to be unleashed.

She couldn't hesitate.

She understood what she wanted. Her love for the way of the swordmanship was real, but proving herself, fulfilling her own value—this was the task she had set for herself.

In this era, reaching the top as a woman was bound to be a difficult path, and she couldn't top it.

Kill.

Once she made up her mind, she drew her sword and struck.

The life slipped away under her blade, and the power and skill she wielded made her momentarily lost.

Is life truly such a worthless thing?

"The demonic nature awakens to kill; the god will stop killing, both the gods and the demons are me, yet neither the gods nor the demons are me."

Kyouya's voice sounded like a cold bucket of water poured over Musashi's heart.

These words helped her lost thoughts return to their original place.

The urge to kill arose when a sharp weapon was in hand.

When a person holds the power to control another's life, it is the easiest time to lose themselves especially for a genius like Musashi.

"I just..."

A huge sense of disparity hit her, causing her to begin hating her previous self. She inadvertently exposed a fatal opening without realizing it.

But that didn't matter.

"Clang~"

Kyouya arrived in front of him and blocked the strike, then swiftly turned and cut down the enemies surrounding her.

It was only then that Musashi realized what had just happened.

"Sorry."

"No need to apologize. Focus on how you feel right now. You must remember this feeling. Even when the time comes to kill, never forget the weight of life."

"Yes, Master."

This time, there was no joking involved.

If Musashi were to lose herself in power in the future, Kyouya would not hesitate to kill her, regardless of her status as a historical figure.

"Now, rest for a bit. Stay behind me, and I'll take you out of here."

"Leave? But there are so many people here."

Musashi looked around, surrounded by enemies, clearly facing thousands. Given the situation, it seemed almost impossible to take one person out.

"There are three thousand, right?"

He glanced over at the watching Hideyoshi. The number had been estimated through his "Divine Eye".

"About that. Master, are you planning to hand over Murasame?"

"No, I just think a thousand kills a day might be something worth trying."

Silence.

A silence so deep that it almost made them forget to breathe. They couldn't believe the words coming from the person before them.

Even in the history of this country, no one had ever dared to make such a bold claim—three thousand kills in one day.

Was this really something a monk should say?

"Master, aren't you afraid of karma?"

Hideyoshi suppressed his usual carefree attitude, with now his expression was serious.

He could clearly see the karmic burden wrapped around Kyouya, gradually transforming him into something inhuman.

Kyouya's current state could still suppress this change, but if he were to execute such a feat as "three thousand kills in one day," it would be like declaring that he was no longer human.

"Whether I fear it or not, what does it matter? Every step I take is a sin, and every step brings a lotus flower."

What does it matter if I become a Buddha?

What does it matter if I don't?

To become a Buddha is but a solitary escape from the sea of suffering, but escaping from suffering doesn't make suffering go away.

Since that is the case, why worry about whether someone becomes a Buddha?

[You have Miyamoto Musashi follow your steps closely, and your killing begins.]

[There is no need for mercy. For these soldiers on the battlefield, there is no such thing as innocence. This weapon of slaughter should never fall into the hands of the warlords.]

[Your blade does not stop. As the number of kills increases, Murasame not only remains sharp but grows even sharper.]

...

Karma is accumulating.

This is something that cannot be seen.

However, when it builds up to a certain extent, even an ordinary person can faintly feel the ominous aura emanating from Kyouya.

"This is... getting a bit out of hand."

Hideyoshi broke out in a cold sweat on his face.

This clean and efficient way of killing was something he had never seen before. He then glanced at Shibata Katsuie, who, at the same time, looked back at him.

Monster.

That's the word both of them read in each other's eyes.

Hideyoshi was not a reckless man like Shibata Katsuie. He wasn't the main commander in this situation, and staying alive was his top priority.

"Damn it, I've been spreading rumors about the 'Demon Blade Monk' for days, but why hasn't the accumulated karma weakened that guy's strength?"

He quickly left the battlefield, and once he reached a secluded spot, his expression gradually turned dark.

It was a mood completely different from his usual golden-haired appearance.

"Tch... I originally planned to use the karma to drain his spiritual power, turning him into a killing machine to feed the Muramasa sword. However, I didn't expect things to go this far."

The reason the rumors of the "Demon Blade Monk" spread so quickly was not only due to Kyouya's own strength but also because Hideyoshi had subtly fueled the flames behind the scenes.

He wanted to confuse Kyouya's mind and push him to slaughter the forces of the warlord and those who tried to take the cursed blade.

In the end, when both sides were mutually weakened, Hideyoshi planned to reap the benefits and seize the cursed blade for himself.

But now, everything's falling apart.

Kyouya not only suppressed the cursed blade, but it seemed that the accumulated karma wasn't making him weaker either.

What on earth is going on?

"Damn it, if I can't get the cursed sword in its complete form, how am I supposed to fight for this world?"

Hideyoshi had once earned Oda Nobunaga's trust by doing something as strange as using his chest to warm Nobunaga's shoes in the snow.

It couldn't be because he had a foot fetish, right? That would be a bit too embarrassing.

Oda Nobunaga was indeed just a step away from unifying the country, but could a woman really rule this land?

There would definitely be huge conflicts when that time came, and Hideyoshi needed to be ready.

Shibata Katsuie, Niwa Nagahide, Akechi Mitsuhide...

Each one was full of ambition, and then there was Tokugawa Ieyasu, who had always kept a low profile.

To seize the country from the hands of these powerful enemies, Hideyoshi had a long way to go.

To be continued...

...

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