Let the earth shatter pt.1

In the morning, training together with Hylia.

In the afternoon, performing his duties as a commander while overseeing the progress of the ship girls who were part of his Demi-System experiment.

And in the evening up till morning, wandering all over the place to increase his world exploration progress.

That's roughly how Sakura Zeimachi planned to spent the next few days from there on. A plan and a series of activities he pursued to provide a "Spectacular Happiness" to the ship girls.

Even though he knew that he would later meet ship girls like Arizona, Leipzig, Perseus, and Akagi with whom he had to engage in one-on-one conversations.

He also acknowledged his lack of confidence in calming the wild girls like Roon, Taihou, Trieste, and others. However, unsure as he might be, he would do it because it was necessary to regain their trust amid their fragile emotions.

And despite knowing that it would eventually drain his physical and mental energy even more than when he faced "The Dream Eater" Gurathnaka, he proceeded nonetheless.

In fact, he didn't resent it at all.

Spending time being a punching bag, listening to their complaints, embodying the role of a leader, fulfilling his duty as a guardian of Hylia, and at the same time not forgetting his initial purpose in that world is undeniably exhausting.

However, if those girls can heal from their wounds and choose not to discard their dreams and hopes, while also being able to display their most beautiful smiles, then it's worth every damn penny, that's how he sees it.

...

When the guiding light for the fool fades, he briefly mourns the extinguishing of that source of illumination, which is nothing more than the flicker of a candle.

Despite not being the brightest light among others, it is that candle which persistently accompanies him amid the darkness and madness that unfold around him.

After enduring for so long and adventuring alongside it, without him realizing, he is reminded of how desolate the darkness was when he's alone. Since unfortunately, now that source of light has ceased to exist

She extinguished her own flame to ignite a larger one for the fool who always believed that the candle's flame would endure. An attempt that she had made to endure the longest night.

From the extinguished flame emerged a small wildflower, a remnant left by that light.

A lone blossom nurtured by the gentle glow of the candle. Ignorant, naive, devoid of color, yet its petals had already bloomed.

...

Hopefully...

May that flower can discover her own meaning before the time comes.

—————————————

「Exercise area」

Today is the second day of Hylia undertaking something that's called as training by Sakura Zeimachi. However unlike before, this time it's just Hylia alone at the training spot.

Hovering above the ocean's surface like a cloud, Hylia appeared to be waiting for the man, who was taking longer to arrive than she had expected, while reminiscing on what she had done the previous day.

"Watashi wa namba wan, hey! Itsudemo namba wan, hey! Nanana~ nanana~" (Hylia)

Yesterday, she experienced one of the most enjoyable moments of her life, enough to turn it into a cherished core memory.

She went to the city with her new friends, met both old and new acquaintances, discovered many places not found in Orario, marveled at the hidden technologies, played games with them, experiencing numerous victories and defeats, and then sang and danced together, laughing wholeheartedly.

She even acquired a new pair of clothes that she still wears to this day.

The happiness from that day seems to still resonate in the girl's heart.

As she spent her time reminiscing about the funny and enjoyable events, unexpectedly, the person she had been waiting for finally arrived.

"Zei~"

The girl waved her hand when she spotted the man from a distance.

The breeze coming from the open sea carries a salty scent, making her hands feel like they're being guided by threads of wind.

With her new attire that was easy to spot, Sakura Zeimachi effortlessly noticed Hylia, even from their considerable distance on the open sea.

"Yahoo~ Sorry to make you waitiiing so long. Thankfully you're so easy to spot in here." (Zei)

Walking upon the ocean's surface as if it were a sidewalk, Sakura Zeimachi leisurely arrived in front of Hylia. Astonishingly, each step he took hardly caused a ripple on the water's surface.

His gentle stride resembled a lightweight feather or the tranquil drip of water.

Nonetheless, despite his outward calmness, Hylia could easily discern fatigue etched across his face. It was quite evident, especially considering how frequently he had been yawning throughout this time.

This piqued her curiosity because even though he had emerged victorious against Hylia and Enterprise META, who had showcased their full abilities, Sakura Zeimachi showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever.

"Zei, are you tired? Was your work really exhausting?"

"Uhh, my work is NOT really a big hassle, but, it's what comes after it that is."

"Hmm? After you work?"

Seeing the perplexed girl, Sakura Zeimachi patted her head as if he's comforting a child. The man felt that sharing a little of his experiences with this girl would be quite interesting.

Moreover, he might have become accustomed to travelling from one world to another, but Hylia hadn't. From what he knew, this is her initial journey, the time when she left her hometown alongside Cera.

This made him feel a bit sorry for the little girl in front of him.

"Hmm? What's wrong Zei? Enjoying patting my head?"

For a moment, he pondered what would happen if she were to learn about the tragedy that had befallen those girls. He didn't know everything about Hylia, but there's no way she would simply stand idly by once the truth was revealed.

That's why he intended not to reveal the truth about the "Three nights of hell" to Hylia. That event was his own concern, and Hylia who had no ties to it didn't need to be involved or exposed to the disturbing details of that incident.

"Then can you hear me out a little bit? At the same time, you can also tell me about your journey yesterday."

"Really!? Then I'll tell you first, okay!"

And so, they continued to share stories, standing and floating on the sea's surface, temporarily forgetting about their training time.

Hylia's story was clear, given her journey to The City of Rite, but what story did Sakura Zeimachi share?

For now, it seemed that the fool was recounting the events after he escorted U-101 who had previously fallen asleep, to the Iron Blood's dormitories, where a tale filled with incidents that made every hair on his body stand on end begin.

...

....

.....

"...Apparently, most of the decorations were designed and placed by those girls themselves, well, at least that's what Eugen told me."

"Ohh! So that's how Iron Blood's dormitories are. I can't wait to see it in person!"

"Haha, for you, this sounds like another adventure story, doesn't it? If there's a chance, sure, but where was I again?"

Up to now, Sakura Zeimachi and Hylia were still in the exercise area. However, instead of training, they were engrossed in conversation with each other.

Throughout their conversation, he had been recounting how eerie some of the ship girls in the Iron Blood dormitory could be. He wanted to ensure that she was aware of some of them and could watch out for any potential encounters.

"After you carried that girl, U-101, into her room, you sounded like a newbie adventurer who had just entered a Monster House, Zei, haha~"

"Monster house is an understatement... and then I met this girl, Emden. Hyaaaa~ she really sent a shiver down my spine, I mean literally. And then after I left because I had finished my business in the Iron Blood dorm, I got caught in a sudden deathmatch with Roon-kun. Thankfully, I got some help from Leipzig. (Sigh)."

In contrast to the man who appeared as if he might die of shock, Hylia seemed to grow even more excited.

In fact, listening to his tales had awakened her inner child that're still hungry for the warmth of childhood memories.

Like a young girl enthralled by her adventurous spirit, she tugged at the man's arm who seemed like he wanted to continue his story.

Her mood had shifted, transforming from a little child delighted by bedtime stories, to an explorer who had conquered several floors within the Babel Tower.

"But you safely escaped here, right? Then what's the problem with that! More importantly, training! Let's begin already, Zei. I'm pumped up when I heard about your Iron Blood's exploration."

"Ehhh, I'm not done yet, you know. There's still-"

"Stories for later, right now, training is the most important. Now, what shall we do!"

Seeing Hylia now ready with Alastor held firmly in both of her hands, Sakura Zeimachi could only chuckle softly and then began to create a safe distance between them.

He was now reminded of a memory from his past when he was a student under a Guardian named Hua, whom he used to proudly talk about to those close to him. He used to ask Hua to teach him various kempo techniques.

"Domain Expansion : Zekkai (Absolute boundary). Let's begin with light spar, enter your Devil Trigger Hylia-san."

A brilliant blaze of fire engulfed her vision, momentarily connecting her subconscious realm with a crimson-hued domain veiled in red fire and lightning.

And when the blaze subsided, she found her body had transformed once again.

"[Done]"

It didn't take long for Hylia to follow what he had said.

"Our aim today is to measure how far the assimilation you and Alastor have undergone has progressed. If I believe you've reached a sufficient level, I will adjust my approach slightly, understand?"

Once again, Sakura Zeimachi emphasized the Heaven and Hell property he wanted to gauge in Hylia. An essential element required to master the blade that banishes Discord and Order, Devasta.

Hylia herself didn't seem to understand Sakura Zeimachi's intentions fully. Nevertheless, what mattered most was that she could sense Alastor's voice now, who was currently encouraging her with the borrowed strength.

Prepared and ready, Hylia assumed her stance and readied herself to attack. A confident smile graced her face.

The blade in her hand surged with a fusion of fire and lightning, combining as if on the verge of overcharging. Soon, a sound of trembling thunder would herald the girl's advance, causing the crimson lightning to cascade around her, distorting her surroundings, but...

"[Right and clear, then can I take the first strike- Ghhuh?!]"

The lightning didn't descend after all.

Without regard for whether Hylia was ready or not, Sakura Zeimachi immediately closed the distance between them, causing Hylia to be sent flying by a fist hurtling toward her.

There's no hesitation nor fooling around within that strike, the man seemed like he wanted to end the battle just as soon as it has began. His fists were once again poised in a six-fist stance, before he immediately pursued Hylia who had been sent flying.

On the other side, Hylia was fortunate because she managed to block the attack with her sword despite experiencing a significant knockback effect. For a moment, she appeared surprised, but it didn't last long as the next attack came her way.

"Sunkei, yama kuzushi (Ki Avalanche)."

An attack capable of shattering and piercing even a mountain came toward her, yet Hylia who wouldn't be fooled by sudden strikes any longer swiftly dodged her body in a reversal, and launched a counterattack while swinging a slash imbued with crimson flames and lightning.

There's no doubt that this strike could tear apart an ordinary human's body and even devastate the seas around them, evaporating them along with the targeted man.

However, neither of them was afraid of the consequences.

"... Iron-blood transformation."

"[Ghak!]"

Right on time, Sakura Zeimachi used the back of his hand to parry the astute attack from Alastor, not forgetting to kick Hylia when the opportunity to counter presented itself.

Hylia couldn't evade this attack and was once again sent flying, but not without reason.

Being at a safe distance due to his counter kick attack, Hylia began launching several projectiles formed from her blade.

Once again, Alastor was ignited by the concentrated burning crimson flame within his metallic form. The vermillion lightning also intensified its fury, creating a scene akin to a living lightning attempting to devour the overloaded flames.

Her blue eyes mirrored the exact same scene when those projectiles had been launched by her.

Unlike arrows shot from a bow, they flew and shot out like lasers emanating from within the blade toward him, capable of melting the flesh and bones of even the sea creatures.

"[He's really fast!]"

However, Sakura Zeimachi was still able to evade them. Even if one or two projectiles were to come near him, he simply needed to deflect them slightly, much like when he parried Hylia's strikes at the beginning.

His movements were too swift for an ordinary human to follow, and even while in the sea, he could move rapidly, calmly and briefly dodging and deflecting all the projectiles aimed at him.

He was like an Iron Blood panther dancing with a Vermillion fairy.

"[Ah!]"

Hylia looked amazed by the display of his light weight step. But...

"Sunkei."

As she snapped back to her senses, he was already in front of her, her previous amazed gaze fixed on Sakura Zeimachi's astonishing speed pose nothing but a carelessness in a battle.

Still adhered to the principle of "Treat practice like the real thing", he delivered another barrage of combos onto the girl. Urging her to be full on defensive or she'll got blasted away again.

"... Are you a turtle or something?"

"[Wha!? Bhuuhgh?!]"

"Careless again, stop accepting every hit from me. Learn how to redirect, parry, or at least caught its feint. Else you'll just keep getting away from our former place."

So far, Hylia had been the one continually on the receiving end of the attacks. As a result, she kept getting sent farther and farther away from their initial position.

She herself wondered why their sparring had escalated to such seriousness.

It didn't mean she's upset though, witnessing another hidden strength of her mentor had become a thrilling experience for her, even though it came with its share of pain.

"Once again."

As his combo almost hit Smoking Sexy Style, Hylia who had grown fed up finally used and extended her wings. From those pairs of hellfire, she became even brighter and fiercer than before, at least in appearance only.

"... Finally."

Utilizing those things she once thought of as nothing more than accessories, Hylia managed to hold her ground and not get sent flying, even as she directly blocked Sakura Zeimachi's Ki Avalanche punch.

She herself appeared somewhat surprised, while Sakura Zeimachi who're still observing her, wore an expression that seemed to say, "Really, after all this time?"

"[Chance!]"

Sensing a slight improvement, Sakura Zeimachi stepped back, evading another incoming projectile from above. Naturally, this left Hylia annoyed as her attack once again missed its mark and was evaded.

However, instead of immediately retaliating, the man fell silent instead. His hand resting on his chin as if he's lost in thought

This unexpected pause in the battle momentarily relaxed Hylia's fighting instincts. Furthermore, something else had caught her attention as her adrenaline began to subside.

"[Whooa! Zei, you become red! Look, we're the same!]"

"This is just a transformation spell, yours is much more natural Hylia-san."

Once again, Sakura Zeimachi wore a "Really, after all this time." expression.

He paid little attention to Hylia, who seemed to be comparing their hair colors. However, what he had just said was indeed accurate.

Unlike Hylia, the colors Sakura Zeimachi displayed were merely an imitation he had crafted through various combinations. Hylia's Devil Trigger was something far more authentic than his imitation.

Furthermore...

Hylia's endurance has blossomed into impressive resilience, capable of sustaining her in the face of his close-range onslaught.

Although there is room for improvement, this level of resilience should suffice, especially considering she had only recently managed to hold Alastor a few days ago.

"[What's wrong? If you're not coming then-]"

Additionally, considering Hylia's appearance and the aura she radiates, Sakura Zeimachi is quite satisfied with the outcome. This result indicates that Hylia has formed a close connection, enabling her to swiftly and precisely harness the power of the blade.

A Mastery or increase in bond level if we're using Azur Lane affection level as an example.

"Okay, I think that's enough."

Hylia stumbled and tripped over her own feet as she heard the words spoken by the man who nodded his head.

"[Ghhehhh!? That quick?!]"

"Hmm? For the light spar yes, this much should be fine."

As he uttered those words, Sakura Zeimachi simultaneously dispelled his Iron-blood transformation. Something akin to wisps of smoke or cotton dissipated as he reverted to his commonly-usual state.

Seeing this, Hylia initially wanted to follow suit and deactivate her Devil Trigger, thinking that her training session had come to an end. However before Hylia could act, Sakura Zeimachi restrained her, indicating that the training was far from over.

"Who said our training is over?"

"[Ehhhh... Zei, you're really a demon. Could've said something earlier!]"

"I can hear you, Hylia-san. Besides, you were the one who was so enthusiastic earlier, weren't you? There's no way our training would end with just a light spar. Don't worry, today's session will become a bit livelier."

Hylia appeared visibly sulky, reflecting a mixture of frustration from losing without being able to do much, repeated deception she received, and also from Sakura Zeimachi's scolding because of her own misunderstanding.

Observing her slight sadness and annoyance due to this light-spar, Sakura Zeimachi then deactivated his Domain Expansion.

The entire area around them returned to brightness as the darkness dissipated, bringing back the sunlight and the blue hues of the sea beneath them.

"You're doing well, but next time, don't stand there in awe when your opponent gets close, Hylia-san."

"[A-Ahaha... then can you teach me how to do it? What and how did you move like that, Zei? Was that a Skill?]"

Hylia who're still in her Devil Trigger form, felt a bit embarrassed getting both praise and correction from her trainer.

"Hmm, it's more like muscle memory than a Skill. But if you want to learn it, I'll teach you. It should be easy, given how well you controlled those lightning strikes."

"[Yatta~]"

Delighted by what he had promised, Hylia appeared increasingly joyous. She even hopped around, her swaying tail reflecting her excitement.

Similarly, the man wore a faint smile on his lips as he pull out his Astra Sphere to conjure a light healing spell for Hylia's use.

For the time being, Sakura Zeimachi advised the girl to take a break, but if she still felt energetic or something of the sort, then it was perfectly acceptable for Hylia to try her hand at hunting some Sirens, as long as she didn't stay away for an extended period.

However, it seemed she had her own plans in mind.

"[Hunting? I'll just try your move from before, that's fine as well, right?]"

Sakura Zeimachi nodded in agreement if that is what she want to do.

...

....

.....

After they had rested for a while...

Hylia observed Sakura Zeimachi, who appeared to be talking to himself while gazing out at the sea.

"... Not all of them have assimilated yet? That's fine. Als, can you call them over here? ... Alright, post it as their first mission, okay? ... Reward? Give them EXP Data Packs, Cognitive Chips, Boosted Enchantments, and some skill books. When they reach this location, give them another mission with a different reward."

"[Zei, who are you talking to?]"

"... Stop those two idiots from messing around, and make sure to monitor the reward. I don't want Dust or Lolicon causing any trouble."

"[Hey, Zeeei~]"

"... Wha? What do you mean adding a Constellation element? Do you want to use modifiers like 'Demon Lord of Salvation' or something? ... Dust, is that your idea?! Cancelled! Not approved!"

Whatever he's talking about, Sakura Zeimachi appeared to be like an enraged Italian man after seeing dozens of spaghetti strands being snapped before him.

"[Zei Zei Zei Zei!]"

"... No, don't let that Lolicon add another member within the Demi-system plan! ... Like hell I care about why there's not enough loli!?"

"[Sakura Zeimachi!]"

However, thanks to her persistent and diligent efforts, Hylia finally managed to grab the attention of the foolish man.

"Y-Yes?"

Unbeknownst to him, Hylia had been observing him the whole time, attempting to shows the progress from the movement she had previously tried to imitate.

He was engrossed in conversation with his persona, he only became aware of Hylia when she was already clinging to his feet, tugging at his clothes like a child seeking attention.

"[Zeeeiiii~ who are you talking to~ Don't ignore me~]"

"A-Alright I'm sorry so s-stop it already, Hylia-san..."

After clinging to his feet, for some hard-to-explain reason Hylia seemed to want to be pampered.

She pressed her nose against the man's stomach, wrapping both her arms around him as if trying to capture the attention of the person who had been talking to himself and ignoring her.

Despite Sakura Zeimachi's efforts to gently push the vermillion-haired girl away, Hylia refused to release her embrace. Instead, she seemed to disregard his words altogether and tightened her bear-hug even more.

"U-uhh, I'll teach you something, so please stop, okay? Yes?"

"[No]"

"Ehh... I'll even give you some pocket money, so please release your hold, okay?"

"[... No]"

Hylia seemed slightly tempted, but she buried her face in the fool's clothing once again.

But what could be done? Seeing how Sakura Zeimachi seemed to be ignoring her all this time, Hylia wanted to do the same to him.

Even though she remained unaware that Sakura Zeimachi's weakness lay in an affectionate embrace, she had indeed succeeded in exacting her revenge by slowly but surely tormenting him with her innocence and cuteness.

Hence, whether he liked it or not, he had to wait for the arrival of the six ship girls he had ordered, all while trying to soothe Hylia's long-lasting pout.

"... (Whisper) Just like that, please Als."

"[You're talking to yourself again...]"

"W-Who's the crazy person who talks to themselves, anyway? A-Ahaha! More importantly, can you stop with... this, please?"

"[What's so bad about a hug anyway, hmph!]"

Only a few more moments before the six members arrived and reached the location, hopefully they could arrive in time.