Ninja or not ninja: Two readers contradicted me about ninja and the origin of the word. Having only very limited notions of Japanese, I only repeated what people who are able to write in ideograms taught me. That said whether I am right or wrong, remember that the word ninja only appears in the 21st century and was never used in medieval Japan.
Reaper200851: It seems that you did not understand that Gate of Babylon contains only objects considered 'treasures'. A nuclear bomb, a stealth bomber or a battle cruiser are 'weapons'. A weapon can be considered a treasure (the sword of a king or a great warrior, for example), but not all weapons are treasures.
Since when Salvatore Doni knows about Shirou's Tracing? The magi associations of the Campioneverse (like the History Compilation Committee) share the information they receive with the Campiones (at least when it comes to possible danger). In addition, Salvatore Doni is the Devil King of Italy, the magical Italian organizations are supposed to be at his service. And the Copper-Black Cross (Erica chivalric order) and the Bronze-Black Cross (Liliana) are both based in Milano and the girls regularly write reports to their leaders about the situation in Japan and everything related to Ishtar, Ereshikal... and Shirou. Last reason that may explain that Doni learned about Shirou's Tracing: the Italian Campione is a member of the Copper-Black Cross and the Bronze-Black Cross orders of chivalry (as an Associate). Actually, there's only one surprising thing... is it took Doni two weeks to hear about Tracing... Have I ever had the opportunity to say that Doni was an idiot who would rather fish than read some boring reports?
Admiral Yin Sun-Sin's sword is from FGO or it's your own concept? It's my own concept (Yin Sun-Sin sword: A++ Anti-navy Noble Phantasm... Shirou version is B++). A Reviewer was surprised by the precedent chapter and asks the question "is Shirou equal to Godou?" No, Shirou is not equal to a Campione, but such a powerful Noble Phantasm greatly changes the balance of power.
If Doni makes a sword invincible, or whatever his authority does, and Shirou looks at that sword, would he be able to Trace it? Short answer: no. Long answer: first, even if Doni uses an incantation with the words 'make my sword invincible', the swords created by Doni with Nuada's Authority were not invincible (the Devil King would not have lost 15 of them against the Sword of Mars if they were 'invincible'). Second, Nuada's sword is a Divine Authority and Shirou (canonically) cannot Trace a Divine weapon.
A Divine Authority is a power, not a material object. Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi (Grasscutter) is a Divine Authority and a material sword which can be held in hand by any ordinary human... uh.. no, 'any suicidal human stupid enough to offend Susanoo' would be more accurate.
Eä is a Noble Phantasm, not a Divine Authority. Eä is a Noble phantasm and a Divine Authority. I have already explained this at least once... The system of invocation of the Grail Wars invokes the Heroic Spirits in 'molds', the 7 classes of Servants (Archer, Saber, Berserker, etc...) because invoking a whole hero is beyond the possibilities of the different invocations systems that we see in the Fate series (FGO 'Fate' system or Grails). For the very same reason, the Divine Authorities held by certain heroes are degraded in Skill and Noble Phantasm to be accepted in the system.
As said in the Sumerian myth known today as "Gilgamesh and the Netherworld" the Sword of Rupture (Eä) is the sword held by the Sumerian god of wind and king of gods Enlil at the beginning of time to separate the primordial waters of Heaven. It's indeed a Divine Authority. "Bring the old Copper Spear that was used to separate the Earth from Heaven," said an ancient Sumerian hymn. This 'Copper Spear' is Eä (note the word 'Eä' appear only in Fate, the Sword/ spear had no name in Sumerians myths, it's also one of the names of the god Enki).
Eä is a unique object. Yes, there is only one real Sword of Rupture... and Enlil has it.
But legends attributed to a hero sometimes show him using an object attributed to another hero or even a god. When this hero dies and finds himself in the Throne of Heroes, it is not the physical character that is immortalized out of the axis of time, but his legend. He receives the Noble Phantasm that allowed him to enter the legend. Also, several heroes have the same Noble Phantasm (Caliburn was used both by Uther and Artoria). And some heroes find themselves with Divine Noble Phantasms, like Perseus who has Hades's Helmet of Invisibility. Perseus did not take this Divine Authority from Hades... The Throne of Heroes duplicated it for the usage of the hero.
Gilgamesh possesses a copy of the Sword of Rupture because the Sumerian myth of the creation of the world is included in the Epic of Gilgamesh, confusing the two myths after millennia of cumulative reading.
Author's note: during the fight between Luo Hao and Ishtar, I completely forgot how the Daoist magic worked. To cast a spell, the Chinese Campione needs talismans (Fu)... which I completely forgot to mention... in addition to the mentioned incantations (Zhou).
The Fan Dance
Gaeun-Eup, South Korea.
Korea was slowly sinking into the night, the shadows were spreading and in this mountainous region, only the top of the mountains was still lit by the setting sun.
We heard screams, rumors of fighting, and the shock of steel against steel.
Dressed in black, wearing white masks with red markings, nine individuals had ambushed Shirou, Godou, and the 'harem' of the Japanese Campione.
Using Grasscutter, Godou blocked a hard whip (1). As he went to counter-attack, another ninja armed with a Lian (2) in each hand rushed towards him. He slipped back, but his first opponent had taken advantage of the diversion to attack him again.
The Campione blocked again the hard whip and then backed away. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that all his allies had been isolated. Each of them had to face one or two assailants. Liliana even had to protect Yuri from three ninjas and was in trouble. The young Hime-Miko had often been a valuable asset thanks to her Spirit Vision power and her healing magic. Nevertheless, she was not a fighter and the tactics adopted by the aggressors put her in danger.
"Our enemies have managed to isolate us and they fight better as a group!"
"I had noticed," Shirou simply replied.
Holding his pair of Chinese Dao representing Yin and Yang, the redhead had just jumped to repel the opponents surrounding Liliana. Nevertheless, the ninjas dispersed immediately, each departing in a separate direction. Pursuing them would have been a mistake. They mastered the 'flying step' technique (3) and were faster than their pursuers. While a ninja was luring a defender, the others would have come back to strengthen their fellow human beings.
"I'll take care of it," said Ena Sheishuuin.
The young woman plunged her hand under her skirt... she had a small bag attached to her thigh and pulled out a black ball which she threw on the ground.
It was a Kemuridama (a smoke ball, a traditional ninja weapon). The shock made it detonate. The noise and thick smoke that spread ensured an effective diversion.
Each member of the small troop (with the exception of Liliana, who took Yuri with her) took this opportunity to flee in a different direction.
Goudou ran after Ena. As he passed by her, he threw Susanoo's sword at the warrior Hime-Miko.
"It's best you keep it for now."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. But how will you fight?"
Goudou smiled with excitement.
"Don't worry about me."
He stopped running and turned around, looking at three pursuers converging towards him. In a space that existed only within his soul, a circle of medallions representing Verethragna's Ten Incarnations began to revolve around a metal disc as Godou Kusanagi recited an incantation.
"Those that are evil, and those that are strong, fear me, for I have wings. For my wings will punish you for your curse. And those that are evil will not be able to touch me!"
The medallion depicting a bird of prey came to rest in the up position, activating the Raptor.
It was his turn to harass the enemy with superior reflexes, agility, and speed.
Unlike the ninjas, Liliana Kranjcar was really capable of flying. Enveloped in an aura of blue light, she hovered over the hills. Normally, the Croatian knight would have had no trouble escaping her pursuers. However, she carried Yuri in her arms and that weight slowed her down.
The three assailants with white masks were zigzagging, pounding on a branch, and bouncing against a trunk. A ninja would now run on either side of Liliana, to prevent her from changing direction while the third one caught up with her.
To avoid the attack, she climbed, passing over them.
As she retraced her steps, Liliana smiled, realizing that that reinforcement had just arrived.
The first ninja stopped to block the attack of a black sword wrapped in dark purple flames. Dressed in a Japanese school uniform, a beautiful teen with blue hair and red eyes had just entered the battle.
"You'll have to excuse me if I break some of your bones, but when I hold Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, I have a hard time holding back."
The three ninjas mechanically receded, while exchanging worried gleams. It must be said that the beautiful smile of Ena Sheishuuin had something... terrifying.
The Sandals of Hermes was a spell that made appear a magic circle of red light adorned with incantations in Latin. It was a solid platform on which Erica Blandelli bounced to advance above the ground. She could create several of them like a kind of staircase or aerial road... Alas, this was not a method of moving fast enough to escape her attackers.
The two ninjas in pursuit were going to catch her.
Plus...
The she-knight jumped to the side, falling elegantly to the ground as several rays of magical energy disintegrated the disc of red light on which she had stood.
Plus, one of the ninjas was a Daoist wizard.
Without hesitation, Erica leaped forward with a brief war cry. She attacked the second ninja... she couldn't run away and couldn't hold out much longer against the wizard. However, the latter could not use his magic while the knight was fighting his ally.
Knight Erica Blandelli would certainly last longer in this way and might even defeat the second ninja. Nevertheless, she couldn't lie to herself... she was in trouble.
Unlike Godou and his female friends, Shirou Emiya had remained close to the Imugi's cave. While the other ninjas had gone after them, only one opponent was facing him. Since the ninja outfit was pretty tight, it was obvious that the redhead's opponent was a woman who had some... revealing curves... the kind of curves that would have made many women jealous.
Shirou looked at the woman's white mask, noting that the red marks evoked the head of a tiger.
"I want to ask you the question though I'd rather hear the answer from you, I already have my own idea... Why did you attack us Devil King Luo Hao?"
The Campione didn't really seem surprised that he knew her identity.
"Structural Grasp?"
"Structural Grasp" confirmed Shirou. He had understood that the attackers were members of the Holy Cult of the Five Mountains by analyzing their weapons.
The Advocate of Ultimate Brute Force sighed.
"This Luo Hao wanted to judge your progress under pressure. In front of real opponents, when your life is at stake, you do not fight in the same way as during training. I also wanted to fight you after you are already exhausted by the fight against Imugi to push you to exceed your limits."
Shirou had no one to bet on Luo Haos' motives. Otherwise, the redhead would have made a nice profit. He sighed, refraining from shouting that her little test could go very badly. There could be injuries, maybe even deaths... because the Faker had no trouble imagining the reaction of the Ruler of the Martial Realm... she would have shrugged her shoulders and answered some philosophical phrase involving fate and the inability of some to reach the top of the martial arts...
Luo Hao was sometimes like a natural disaster endowed with intelligence.
The young woman held a San (4) in each hand. When he used Structural Grasp, Shirou learned that Luo Hao was a master of Imperial boxing, so she knew how to use her San perfectly. The redhead smiled. He also learned that each fan had a hidden weapon...
"Well then, let's see how far you can push my limits, Devil King Luo Hao."
The two opponents jumped at the same moment, leaving a whirlwind of dust where they stood. They had disappeared... yet one could hear the metallic sound of their weapons colliding as prana discharges appeared here and there... no ordinary human could have followed their rapid movements with naked eyes.
In a clearing, a ninja stood between the lying bodies of two of his comrades. He turned his head with a worried look hearing a noise and saw only a blurred form disappear between two trees.
The so-called 'ninja' was actually one of the best members of the Holy Cult of the Five Mountains. He had been personally trained by Luo Hao. As the 'ninja' knew how to strengthen his body to be stronger, faster, and have better reflexes, few human beings would have been able to fight equally with him.
Hearing a noise again, he turned around and threw three diamond-shaped daggers.
But the opponent had already disappeared and the daggers were planted in the trunk of a tree.
At that moment the blurred shadow reappeared behind him. The 'ninja' quickly turned around but... Goudou's fist hit him in the stomach. The young Chinese curled up in front and Godou finished him by banging the side of his head... just enough force to knock him out but not kill him.
Godou stopped, dispelling the effect of the Raptor. Immediately, the Japanese Devil King collapsed against a tree, a bad sweat dripping on his face while pain deformed his mouth. With one hand massaging his heart, he had the impression that his chest was going to explode.
There were always side effects when Goudou used one of the Ten Avatars for too long. And it was probably the Raptor that had the worst.
Luo Hao came to rest in a graceful pose, a fan near her face, another at the height of her thigh. Then, unpredictably, began to swirl on herself, like a dancer...
Once again prana discharges and sprigs of sparks appeared when the vortex formed by the war fans struck the defensive wall formed by the Married Blades' rapid movements.
Despite his virtuoso defense, Shirou stepped back to avoid being cut into pieces.
His eyes narrowed and he crossed his blades in front of him blocking the kick of the Ruler of the Martial Realm.
The shock was so violent that his heels dug the ground a good two meters before Shirou managed to stop.
In front of him, Luo Hao was in the 'crane stance' style with a bent leg, raised in front of her, arms half bent, imitating the wings of a bird.
"Remember, Shirou Emiya, my fans, your sabers... they're just tools... the real weapon is you. No sword is more dangerous than the hand that holds it."
A voice strangely resembling that of Archer whispered to him that there were politicians who had their finger on a big red button capable of giving birth to more than ten thousand suns... but he could not use this ironic line... he had too much trouble breathing.
"Luo... Hao... you... you start... when... to really fight?"
Under her mask, China's Freakishly Strong Girl smiled.
"Taunt? Without even stopping for a breath, this is interesting Shirou Emiya. But do you really think you can face this Luo Hao if this Luo Hao stop to hold back?"
Shirou spoke again with Archer-patented ironic smirk on his lips.
"You haven't been able to touch me yet, have you?"
"That's right... maybe this Luo Hao should reward you for your progress, Shirou Emiya."
The Campione suddenly unfolded one of her fans and... There was a click... Shirou jumped to avoid several darts.
The Ruler of Martial Realm did not seem surprised by the quick dodge of the redhead teen.
"Structural Grasp?"
This time the voice of Luo Hao seemed slightly reproachful as if she accused the Faker of cheating.
"Structural Grasp" replied Shirou with a smile of apology, sometime, this Magecraft seemed to be a very unfair advantage.
"I see..."
She suddenly folded her second fan and - in a click- a long blade almost doubled the length of the fan, turning it into a strange short sword.
The two warriors jumped and disappeared again. After-images appeared in several places near the cave as they clashed, amid prana explosions and electric arcs.
The shockwaves generated by the clash of their weapons were enough to raise clouds of dust and shake the trees as would have done the gusts of a tropical storm.
Goudou still had a sore chest but he had set off towards a place where he heard rumors of combat. Without worrying about his shortness of breath and the burning sweat on his eyes, he clenched his teeth to endure the pain.
A kind of explosion sounded before him, and Godou raised his hand to protect his eyes as a shock wave threw twigs, dust, and wood chips in all directions.
In a plaintive crack, a tree fell... but was held by the crossed branches of the other trees of the forest before reaching the ground.
Hearing a recognizable voice, the Japanese Godslayer smiled.
"... I told them I couldn't hold back my attacks. Did they listen? No! So it's their fault!"
Ena Sheishuuin released the ninja she was holding with one hand, and the man collapsed to the ground with as much grace as a sack of potatoes. A new clearing was born in the forest... with several smoking craters... and three ninjas lying down more or less alive but unconscious.
Seeing Godou arrival, Liliana and Yuri turned toward him. The Hime-Miko uttered a small cry when she saw his pallor and the fact that he was massaging his heart to alleviate the pain.
She ran towards him.
"Did you use the Raptor?"
He merely nodded in the affirmative. The young woman hesitated a little and then blushed...
"I'll fix you up."
Being smaller than Godou, she had to stand on tiptoe to kiss him... A Campione had powerful protection against magic that formed like a protective cocoon on the surface of his skin. The only way to use a healing spell was to inject it inside the body of a Campione... and the easiest way was a kiss... Since it was with the pretty Yuri Mariya, Godou probably had no reason to complain.
With her heart beating a little too fast, the cutie Hime-Miko turned to hide her embarrassment.
"I will take care of the men in black and heal their wounds."
The pain went away, Godou went towards the knight dressed in black and blue.
"Liliana, do you know where Erica is?"
"I saw her go in that direction," she said, showing the east.
"All right, let's go get her. She probably needs help. Ena, you stay with Yuri and look after her."
Ena Sheishuuin bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Liliana Kranjcar approached her king and passed an arm around his hip before concentrating. A moment later, they left the ground, surrounded by a blue aura.
"You've made a lot of progress, Shirou Emiya, maybe this Luo Hao had to use some of my real strength."
Shirou blinked... at anyone else's it could have been a provocation, a bravado... but this remark of quiet arrogance was a simple observation. Since the beginning of the fight, Luo Hao had only used her knowledge of martial arts. Now, she was also a magician (the most powerful one in all Asia)... and a Campione.
In spite of everything, he had a smirk. He too had not yet used all his resources.
"All right, then, I'll start."
He turned to China's Campione and began his incantation.
"Spirit and technique, flawless and firm"
Shirou launched Kanshou and Bakuya, aiming at Luo Hao's throat. The latter reacts with the vivacity of a master of martial arts blocking the attack without difficulty. The two swords ricocheted on Luo Hao's war fans.
"Our strength rips the mountains"
"Our swords split the water"
Shirou leaped forward, Tracing a second set of Married Blades; the magnetic force uniting the Dao sabers was also exerted on their doubles. Ceasing to move away, the first pair returned like boomerangs, aiming at the back of the Ruler of Martial Realm.
But the Campione let go of one of her fans and make a circular movement with her left hand. A circle of blue light appeared... and the first pair of Dao disappeared into prana particles when hurting this strange shield.
But already the redhead teen was launching Kanshou forcing Luo Hao again to create another shield of blue light breaking the Dao in particles. As the Campione's guard had slightly lowered, Shirou took advantage of this loophole and threw Bakuya...
This time she didn't react fast enough, the blade scratched her shoulder.
"Our names reach the imperial villa"
"The two of us cannot hold the heavens together."
Shirou Traced a third pair of Dao just before ending up in close contact with Luo Hao and he struck, forming an X with his swords...
But The Ruler of Martial Realm had dropped her fan and grabbed the swords with bare hands and... The weapons disappeared in particles of blue prana!
As the redhead watched the scene frozen in amazement, Luo Hao punched him in the face twice before kicking him in the stomach.
Shirou found himself thrown away, half stunned and his lungs emptied by the shock.
"Your weapons are made of magical energy. A Campione is protected from magic. Any spell disappears in contact with a Godslayer... of course, a magical creation like Tracing is more stable than a simple spell. However, if a Campione concentrates, it can even destroy a complex magical creation."
The Chinesse Campione leaned over and picked up the second Bakuya who had fallen to the ground after injuring her. She concentrated for a moment and the Dao exploded into blue prana particles.
"See?"
Erica Blandelli had managed to knock out the second ninja, but the first was still fit... and most dangerous than his comrade.
The magician Daoist took out a yellow paper with a red sinogram.
"Fù zhì," he announced.
Immediately the ninja split into two men dressed in black, identical to the original, and then again one of them split in two. It only takes a few seconds for a circle of identical opponents to surround the Italian knight.
Of course, only one was real... but which one?
Cuore di Leone in hand, the beautiful blonde woman held out her other hand forward, concentrating briefly.
"Magia, diventa il pugno di fuoco di Vulcin. Fuoco, fuoco!"
A fireball formed in her hand. Erica threw it in the direction where she knew her opponent was not. Leaping to the opposite side of the circle, enjoying the smoke of the blast, the knight attempted a surprise attack.
She heard an astonishingly melodious sound when her sword struck the Jian (sort of Chinese sword) of her opponent.
Erica allowed herself to smile; she had well guessed the real position of her opponent... at the other end of the circle compared to his original position. After all, only the original opponent could create a double again and move around... the others were just 3D pictures.
Now, she had to stay at short range to prevent her opponent from using Daoist magic.
Using the magic formulas that the magician Ge Hong had fixed in his book Baopuzi neipian, Luo Hao took out a Fu from under her clothes. On the paper talisman was written an archaic ideogram meaning 'Transformation'.
She said it in a clear voice.
"Jiā gōng!"
As soon as a wave of energy came up from the bottom of her legs to her head... her black outfit disintegrated in light before being reassembled in the form of a beautiful red and blue-green feminine Hanfu and a green gauze shawl wrapped carelessly around her hips, held by her arms. Her hair was combed in a complex bun with jade needles and a piece of chrysanthemum-shaped jewelry.
The Chinese Campione took another Fu on which was written the archaic sinogram 'Fly Away'.
"Fēi zņu!"
And Luo Hao took off, hovering over the forest, her long shawl floating around her.
The Devil King made an arm gesture and several Fu adorned with the ideogram 'Fire' appeared floating around her.
" Huǒ!"
Shirou leaped as the Fu turned into fireballs rushing towards him. While dodging the attack, Shirou Traced Archer's large black bow and responded with a volley of arrows made of translucent prana.
Against an ordinary spell caster, the counter-attack would have succeeded. But Luo Hao was above all a master of several martial arts. She used a technique called 'Tiger's Paw' to grab arrows in flight. Each projectile scatters in a shower of blue particles as she grabs it.
Luo Hao then changed tactics after seeing the little effect of fireballs. This time, the Fu that appeared in the air around her wore the 'Lightning' sinogram.
"Shźn diàn!"
The attacks were fortunately not as fast as real lightning, it was just a magical construction resembling lightning coming out of the Daoists talismans. Shirou dodged the first salvo... to see that the lightning was changing direction pursuing him, like homing missiles.
After running in zigzags between the trees, and having managed to get rid of several lightning bolts by striking obstacles, he Traced Kanshou and Bakuya to block the latest attacks. The magical protection provided by the two ceremonial blades increases Shirou's resistance to magic.
But Luo Hao continued to load the talismans with magical energy and a new burst of lightning headed for the redhead.
It was a conflict of attrition, magical energy versus endurance... and the Campiones were known for their vast supply of magical energy.
Erica was gasping for air.
She had been wounded facing the Imugi and backed away, unable to fight any longer against her opponent. Not only was he an excellent magician, but he was also a master in the art of the sword, at least as strong as Saint Raffaello, her own teacher.
Forced to stay on the defensive because of her state of exhaustion, she stepped back one step after another...
But suddenly, the ninja jumped back and went on guard.
Surprised, Erica Blandelli saw Godou come down from the sky, supported by Liliana. She smiled and fell to her knees.
"Well Godou, it's not very nice to keep me waiting so long, women appreciate that their love arrives on time when they give a date."
Accustomed to the comportment of his 'first wife', the Japanese Campione smiled quickly without leaving the last ninja's eyes.
"Sorry..."
Next to him, Liliana was visibly furious. Although she and Erica spend their time arguing, they were childhood friends...
"Godou, I claim this fight."
The request of the Croatian knight caught the young man by surprise.
"He defeated Erica."
"That's why I want to avenge her."
"Um..." Godou refrained from saying that Erica was a better swordsman than her. Liliana did not accept this reality. "All right, I'll help you."
He grabbed Liliana in his arms and she could not hold back a small cry...
"I come for victory. I come for the sake of support, for the sake of healing, for the sake of justice, for the sake of good life. Welcome my coming with adoration! O my retainers, I disapprove of death without my approval. The divine protection of the sacred god of war won't recognize even the tranquility of death. Savor the special privilege and suffering of the chosen, together with me…!"
In the inner universe of Godou, the medallion of Youth took the place of the Raptor.
Godou embraced Liliana transferring the power of Youth to the young woman. She groaned and blushed; her body was on fire... the power of Youth was such intense pleasure that its effects were closer to pain.
When the Japanese Campione released Liliana, her aura lit up with a blue fire even if she wavered on her legs. A surprise expression on her face, the silver-headed Knight felt the energy running through her body, entirely at her disposal.
She smiles and leaps forward.
Erica and Godou watched the fight on the ground and in the air. Both opponents were incredibly agile and fast. They both knew how to fly and use magic. Only the ninja had already faced Erica... and Liliana was boosted by the Youth Avatar.
When a skillful attack tore his sword from his hand, the ninja hesitated for a moment and then knelt before the knight.
"I acknowledge my defeat, Knight Liliana Kranjcar."
Somewhat surprised, the Croatian turned to Godou, like asking for instructions. But the Campione merely nodded.
"I assume that means we passed the test."
The ninja started.
"Did you know, Wakoku King?"
Erica too was just as surprised, she turned towards Godou.
"A test? What test?"
But the Campione just waved to her to calm down, without ceasing to look at the 'ninja'.
"It was just a guess. But King Luo Hao said she'd be waiting for us at the entrance to the cave. And I think Her Excellency always keeps her word. However, when we went out we only see... eight men and a woman dressed in black... there were eight followers of the Holy Cult of the Five Mountains at the temple to welcome us and Her Excellency." He paused briefly before changing the subject; "I assume you're Lu Yinghua."
"That's right, you guessed it perfectly, Devil King Godou Kusanagi. I can only praise your power of deduction."
Godou shrugged his shoulders, if he had been unable to understand something so simple, he would have died a long time ago.
" I am the bone of my sword"
Shirou dodged several lightning bolts and blocked the attack of the most relentless Daoist spells.
"Steel is my body and fire is my blood"
But another rain of spells fell on him, splitting a tree into two of its branches at its roots, setting fire to the carpet of leaves.
"I have created over a thousand blades"
He reached out, extracting a weapon from Unlimited Bladework. It was Chidori, the lightning cutter. The Faker stopped waiting for the new wave of lightning bolts generated by the Talismans of Luo Hao... and blocked all the attacks with a stroke of the legendary katana. The lightning broke into harmless bundles of sparks. With the same ease, he repelled the following attacks and Luo Hao made a gesture of the hand, dispelling the Fu that were floating above her.
"Congratulations, you once again managed to counter my attack."
The Ruler of Martial Realm was about to say something else, but she saw that Liliana was flying towards them, supporting Godou.
The Japanese youth bowed down to Luo Hao.
"Good evening sworn elder sister, we have defeated all the followers of the Holy Cult of the Five Mountains. Have we passed your test?"
The Ruler of Martial Realm smiled.
"Of course, Waikoku King, I'm very pleased with your progress."
Shirou straightened, the throat made painful by the over-oxygenation.
"This... applies... also to me?"
Luo Hao touched her shoulder and brought back her fingertips tinged with a few drops of vermillion.
"You passed this test when you managed to hurt me, few can boast of having seen my blood."
"But then... why did we keep fighting?"
Luo Hao gave him a look of incomprehension.
"You have continually responded to my encouragement by saying that you want me to take you seriously."
So what he took for mockery... was encouragement... good to know, next time he would recognize what she called 'encouragement'. Shirou burst out laughing without realizing that Godou was looking at him as if he doubted his mental health.
It must be said that the redhead's clothes were burned and torn, soaked in blood, and that his hair was smoking. It stood in the middle of a lunar landscape, strewn with craters and burning trees...
"Liliana, go get Yuri, Shirou-san needs care..."
(1) A friend of mine teaches Kung Fu. She explained to me that there are three types of whips used in Wushu and Kung Fu. Hard whips are so-called by contrast with leather or nerve whips or articulated whips. They are made of bamboo.
(2) This weapon is better known by its Japanese name: Kama. It is a sickle that is common throughout Asia. It's used to cut rice into rice fields. Like many agricultural tools, some crafty peoples have turned kama into weapon to circumvent laws prohibiting the entry of armed peoples in certain places, or the possession of weapons by the lowest castes (merchants or peasants).
(3) This technique is known by different names and is often seen in Chinese saber fighting films, where actors seem to no longer feel gravity and run without touching the ground, bouncing off walls and trees.
(4) War Fan. It is a weapon often used by women. These fans may look ordinary but in this case, they are just covered with paper or decorated fabric. War fans are made of steel plates with sharp ends.
Imperial boxing (the martial art formerly used by the bodyguards of the Emperor of China) is to my knowledge the only martial art that learns how to use two San simultaneously.
(5) Chidori or Raikiri: a legendary swordsman named Tachibana Dousetsu sat under a tree for shelter during a storm. Suddenly, lightning struck the tree under which he was sitting. He pulled his blade and cut the lightning in half. Hence the name of his sword, the lightning-cutter.