The door slid open, revealing a stunning young girl seated on the grass-green tatami mat. She appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, her long, "hime"-style hair cascading down her back like black silk, with strands spilling onto the tatami like a blooming water lily—pure, yet seductive.
People often say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but the girl's gaze was deep, like an abyss—completely unreadable.
She wore a luxurious Jūnihitoe robe in red and black, the red as vivid as blood, the black as dark as night, with no other adornments.
Combined with her smooth, fair skin and exquisite features, she resembled a divine masterpiece sculpted by the hands of a god.
Ryou had to admit that even among the most beautiful female heroic spirits under his command, few could match her sheer beauty.
Yet, he was no longer a naive boy. While the girl's appearance was dazzling, it didn't affect him much.
There was something else that concerned him more.
Next to the girl was a set of Japanese tea utensils, and about a meter in front of her were three low tables arranged in a triangular formation, each holding delicate tea snacks.
As the door opened, the girl had just finished placing three cups of freshly brewed tea onto a gilded tray in front of her.
It was clear that not only had she anticipated their visit, but she had timed it down to the second.
The three exchanged glances. This situation was completely unexpected—they hadn't imagined the other party would be so well-prepared.
An ominous feeling suddenly rose in his heart. He had a strange sense that all of his actions were being controlled by someone else.
This feeling filled him with an intense sense of danger.
And soon enough, their following exchange confirmed his suspicion.
"Are you Shingu Sakura?"
Ryou asked.
"I am," Sakura replied, smiling and nodding.
"Good, then die!"
Ryou immediately fired a laser beam, aiming straight at Sakura's face.
The saying villains die from talking too much holds true everywhere. If there was going to be a conversation, it should only happen after disabling the opponent.
Almost simultaneously, Jeanne and Ais acted without needing Ryou's command, rushing toward the girl from both sides.
"What rude enemies," Sakura muttered, frowning slightly at their sudden aggression.
Without making any visible movements, a pitch-black shield of light appeared in front of her. The blazing sunlight that hit the shield caused ripples as if a stone had been thrown into a calm lake.
The shield flickered, seemingly fragile enough to shatter with a light blow, but in the end, the sunlight dissipated without breaking through the barrier.
Jeanne and Ais, charging from both sides, were also halted.
Sakura's long hair suddenly extended, turning metallic and sharp like countless steel needles, enveloping Jeanne and Ais.
With their abilities similarly restricted to a C-rank, they try not to take the attack head-on and retreat.
The four were back in a standoff.
Ryou and his companions exchanged glances, each noticing the seriousness in the others' eyes.
Though they hadn't gone all out, Sakura managed to fend off the three of them with ease, making it clear that this battle wouldn't be easy.
To their surprise, even after being attacked, Sakura remained calm, leisurely picking up her teacup and taking a slow sip.
"Hmm~ As expected, when it comes to tea, the best still comes from Asia. Once we conquer them, we should have them all plant tea trees," she said casually as if no one else were present.
"You might need to rethink that plan. Your three subordinates have already been taken care of."
"Are you finally willing to have a proper conversation? Why not sit down and enjoy some tea?"
Despite the news, Sakura showed no sign of surprise.
"I'll pass," Ryou rejected without hesitation.
Sitting down and drinking tea prepared by the enemy without caution would be the height of stupidity.
"What a pity. Such good tea, and I'll have to enjoy it alone," Sakura said nonchalantly, taking another sip without pressing further.
"As for those three, yes, it's a shame they're dead. But as long as I live, I can always create more of them."
Ryou's expression darkened. He hadn't expected this.
Her words revealed a stark truth: unless they killed her, she could continuously revive the deceased, like Wu Zetian and Ivan the Terrible, using them as her puppets.
More importantly, the entire conversation had been led by her from the start, which made him feel increasingly irritated and uneasy.
He couldn't let her continue to dictate the situation.
Ryou made up his mind.
"What are you relying on? Is it the useless title of an Imperial Princess or your nominal status as a British royal heir?"
Indeed, according to Ryou's investigation, Sakura's background was incredibly complex. She wasn't just the younger sister of the Japanese Emperor; she was also the illegitimate daughter of the former King of Britain.
Fifteen years ago, Japan had been courting Britain diplomatically to introduce the most advanced McRucky Engine technology. The former Prince of Britain had even visited Japan.
Shortly after his departure, the Emperor's younger sister, who had yet to marry, became pregnant.
Infuriated, the Emperor had planned to secretly execute her and announce that she had died from illness to cover up the scandal.
In desperation, Sakura's mother revealed the truth: the child was the Prince's.
How the two had gotten involved was undoubtedly a scandalous story of its own.
In any case, Sakura was born under these unfortunate circumstances.
As the Emperor's sister and an unwed mother, while the Emperor didn't follow through with her execution, he certainly didn't treat her well.
When Sakura was ten, her mother passed away from depression.
Her father in Britain, feeling somewhat responsible, acknowledged her existence when he ascended to the throne. He even issued a formal letter to Japan recognizing her as his daughter and granting her a place in the line of succession.
Though, with so many direct descendants and cousins ahead of her, her position was over a hundredth in line—little more than a consolation prize.
Still, it officially proved that Sakura wasn't just some illegitimate child.
Even so, her position remained fraught with rejection, both from the Japanese and British royal families.
Yet, despite this, Sakura had climbed to her current position of power step by step. Not only did the Emperor rely on her, but she also held significant military authority.
If one were to evaluate her, she was undoubtedly a heroine, akin to Japan's version of Cleopatra.
To Ryou's surprise, instead of being angered by his revelation of her background, Shingū Sakura simply smiled mysteriously.
"You're wrong about one thing. While my succession rank may be far down the list, I just need to eliminate everyone ahead of me, don't I? That's why I'm now the supreme ruler of the Empire. So, please address me as Her Majesty."
At that moment, Sakura exuded overwhelming dominance.
But Ryou felt only a chill run down his spine.
To inherit the throne of Britain, this woman—no, this girl who could barely be called a woman—had slaughtered her blood relatives without hesitation.
Ryou no longer had any doubts: the girl before him was the mastermind behind the global disaster that had wiped out over 80% of the world's population—the Kabane outbreak!
"Did you release the Kabane?"
Ryou didn't bother with pleasantries. He could tell from Sakura's confidence that she wouldn't lie about something like this.
"Indeed, I did," Sakura admitted openly.
As her words fell, a system notification sounded:
[Ding!]
[The mastermind behind the Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress world has been confirmed.]
[The mission has entered its final phase: Eliminate the Demon-Fused Entity—Shingu Sakura!]
[Completion reward: You may select any one skill to upgrade to EX level!]
This wasn't just a game. Any skill at EX level becomes a god-like ability, powerful enough to disrupt the balance, second only to EX-rank Noble Phantasms.
Though the gap between EX and A rank might seem like a single level, the difference was as vast as heaven and earth, existing in entirely different dimensions.
Ryou's eyes gleamed dangerously. Whether it was for clearing the mission or for the chance to upgrade a skill to EX level, this girl—no matter how beautiful—had to die.
Noticing his killing intent, Sakura looked up and smiled radiantly.
"Is it a good idea to target me?"
"What do you mean?"
Ryou frowned at her cryptic words.
"By now, Amatori Biba should have already snuck into Yokosuka, right?"
"That joke... isn't funny at all..."
Ryou began, but something dawned on him, and his expression changed drastically.
Meanwhile, Sakura's smile only deepened.
"That's right~ just as you thought. With my help, Amatori Biba infiltrated Kongoukaku long ago and assassinated his father. The front-line army hasn't received the news yet and is still fighting."
Her smile was so radiant that even the meticulously arranged garden seemed to pale in comparison. Yet, Ryou felt an immense weight settling on his heart.
It felt as though all his actions and thoughts had been laid bare to Sakura like he was just a puppet in her hands.
As she continued to reveal more, his ominous premonition became reality.
"The person who helped Amatori Biba fool the guards and enter Kongoukaku was none other than your dear father-in-law, Makino Masamune~"
"It's been three days since Amatori Biba killed his father. By now, he's probably leading his elite squad into Yokosuka."
"Oh, and I heard that your daughter is in Yokosuka. She's such a sweet child. I only gave a few hints, but it seems Lord Biba misunderstood something."
Clang!
A deafening crash echoed as Ryou, unable to hold back, slashed at Sakura's head. But his blade was stopped by a pitch-black shield of light, producing a loud sound.
Sakura's face showed slight puzzlement.
"Why are you so angry, Purifier? Isn't this world just an amusement park for you? Aren't the lives here all fake?"
"I just really don't like your face," Ryou responded coldly, pressing his blade harder. Sparks flew where his katana met the shield.
The shield wobbled but held, while Sakura remained calm and composed.
"Yet your eyes tell me that's not how you feel."
"You're right. This is a matter of principle. Even though Ayame is a native of this world, she's my daughter. No one else has the right to touch her. If anyone dares, they'll die!"
As the word "die" left his mouth, the shield shattered into countless black fragments, dissipating into the air.
Without hesitation, Ryou poured all of his strength into his katana, ruthlessly slashing down. However, Sakura's hair suddenly extended behind her, wrapping around the blade layer by layer.
Though the katana was sharp, Sakura's hair, reinforced by some unknown power, was tougher than steel wire and too abundant for Ryou to cut through quickly.
"Not fighting for justice or evil, but simply acting on your desires? Purifier, I'm starting to like you a little," Sakura giggled, covering her mouth.
Ryou didn't believe her. Her eyes gave her away—they were cold, emotionless, like a child examining a new toy.
Abandoning his katana, Ryou clenched his fist, infusing it with magical energy, and aimed a punch straight at Sakura's face.
Pop!
It was as if an invisible wall appeared in front of her. His fist collided with it, sending transparent ripples outward.
"If you keep wasting time with me like this, your precious daughter will be taken away~!" Sakura teased.
Ryou responded by intensifying his attacks. Ais and Jeanne, without needing a signal, also launched their assaults.
For the first time, Sakura's expression showed a hint of confusion as the pressure on her increased.
Ryou suddenly laughed.
"I admit, when it comes to strategy and cunning, I'm no match for you. But who says I have to fight you on those terms? I only need to know one thing—my goal is to kill you. Once you're dead, all the problems will be solved!"
With that, he poured more magical energy into his attacks, and cracks appeared in the invisible shield in front of Sakura.
Crack!
A sharp shattering sound echoed as the barrier protecting her broke apart completely.
Sakura's hair was still busy defending against Ais and Jeanne's attacks, leaving her with no way to block Ryou's strike.
As the shield shattered, she instinctively tried to dodge.
She was fast, but Ryou was faster. Grabbing his katana, still lodged in the tatami mat, he swung with deadly precision.
A flash of silver reflected Sakura's shocked expression.
Blood splattered, and an arm flew into the air.
Sakura instinctively clutched her wound with her remaining hand.
Ryou was surprised to see purple light emanating from the injury.
Sakura did not attempt to treat the wound, yet it was healing visibly.
"So it's true…"
"There's nothing to be done. The human body is too fragile. A bullet, a blade, or even a cold could end a life. And the talents Heaven granted me can't be confined to a hundred-year lifespan. So, when I found her, I willingly fused with her."
"Now, not only do I possess my intellect, but I also have a body capable of using that intellect to its fullest. Why cling to a weak human form?"
Though disheveled, Sakura still exuded dominance, like an empress reigning over the world.
"My only miscalculation," she continued, "was that you'd choose to fight me rather than rush back to save your daughter. Purifier, you truly are a cold-hearted man."