ZAWARUDO, worthy of his [Divine Universal Hardware] Skill, transformed into a perfect system mechanically design to tune the consecrate cores presented before them.

Ehto still missing an eye and arm began typing on the hardware.

“Okay, to sum what we are doing concisely; see this plate here,” Ehto pointed to a metal plate connected to a monitor which connected to sophisticate table scanner. “The is the change plate. The marble you both hold is extremely advance piece of Paracausal quantum artifact. It takes information scan from a weapon model, male some alteration and codes it into the core. According to Satholia, some core could take multiple coding, granting it multiple functions depending on how advance its internal processor is.”

“So, we just have to pick a weapon from this shelf and shove it into the computer,” Hikma skimmed through the sword section and selected sickly green blade.

“Click the label for informations. The holographic notepad will give you the detail.”

Hikma read the information and made a face. The sword resulted from Cytortia’s initial attempt at Absolute Extract. She extracted the essence of Cyano toxin and a paralytic then combined those with metal treated in Mana-dense solution. Melody got an idea and worked on this blade. The process was done with in full protective gea. [Anima Enchanting] magnified the sword poisonous property toward the pinnacle. It was a high-grade masterpiece capable of overcoming majority of poison resistant.

But for a pacifist like Hikma, it was totally not his style.

What about the Hight frequency Katana made of Aria steel? Nope. He wasn’t a weeb. A flaming sword? No. Too gaudy.

In the end, Hikma came upon a hilt of a blade. A bulky, unrefined machine, albeit a sophisticate one. A connoisseur of weapon would realize the intricate machine would be a start of something great, but the technology deficiency held it back.

“Oh, isn’t that the one I help made?” Rem said. “The attempt at making a [Tenshou] compatible light-saber.”

“Mental-resonator-based psychic cutting weapon,” Ehto confirmed. “It is quite an experiment to funnel Paracausal energy into sword using [Tenshou] as a medium. We need to invent a sophisticate Cybertium crystal to make it work. How many weeks did it take? I remember Melody still on her 5th cup when the first prototype blew up.”

Hikma flipped the switch, producing a thin, glowing blue energy blade. It was perfect. It complimented Hikma's very nature across its length and balance. The grip felt awkward, but he believed that is easily fixed.

“Be careful, we haven’t perfected the Cybertium crystal lens yet. The sword is pretty volatile.”

“But can you program it into this,” Hikma tossed them his consecrated core. “And change the grip into the one I normally used.”

Ehto’s android eye widened with surprise.

“Yes, theoretically, the paracausal quantum material can perfect this technology,” Ehto placed the core on the plate. “And I need the prototype.”

Hikma graciously placed the metal hilt on the table and watched in shock as it disintegrated. Meanwhile, the core sat on that mysterious plate let out an eerie glowed.

“Is that supposed to happen?”

“Well, Paracausal or not, matter creation isn’t some shtick anyone can just do,” Ehto replied, glancing at Hikma’s core that glowed with surreal light. “The process takes apart the mold and transmogrifies it into your weapon. It obviously going to break things.”

Finally, the glowed fade revealing a slim ornate hilt wouldn’t be strange on a wooden cane.

“May I,” Hikma asked.

“Feel free,” Ehto watched as Hikma took the weapon and ignited it, revealing a surreal blue blade. “But I must tell you, this core have…”

“I know,” Hikma replied. “Satholia told me about the core true ability. That is why the psychic blade is perfect.”

Clang!

Rem piled an anti-material sniper on the table, then his CHORUS next to it.

“I want to start by assimilating these two,” Rem said.

Ehto silently put Rem core on the plate.

“Well, congratulation, mate. You get a lot of slots to spare.”

…

Luxinna already lost count of time.

How long had she fought? Days? Week? Years? In midst of desert and howling wind, the meaning of time bled to nothingness. The only constant that mattered was the next blow. Never stopped moving. A pause would lead to defeat. A stuttered in a swing always ended in a punishment. That was Luxinna's training. To survive and thrive amongst the uncountable amount of weapon impaled upon the vast expanse of the sandy dune.

Amongst all Horizon Dawn, your path required the most dedication.

Luxinna lifted [Historia] to deflect the strike.

For that is the nature of the third Legend.

It was what Satholia told her. Transcendent perfected one path beyond pinnacle, Meanwhile, Trinity and Noblesse gathered Legend to build their road.

One such Legend was the very weapon your soul resided.

“This is damn unfair!” Luxinna blocked a blow from the Naginata.

“Don’t blame me, dear,” Satholia placated with sincerity as she expertly cut apart Luxinna’s movement space in a swipe, interrupted the elf’s riposte then punted her across the sandy dune. “Ouch, I know you will be automatically healed upon receiving the killing blow, but are you hurt dear!?”

“Just my pride.”

That was all Luxinna could manage as she dug herself out from a mountain of sand.

She had been here ever since she underwent the procedure to augment her body with [Bioglass]. This prolonged timeless training pretty much confirmed Satholia had an ability to produce a combat functional clone — the technique she perfected with her mentor who was the strongest witch-queen in all of reality. Seriously, what was Satholia’s True Magic? How many mentors did she get and where did they come from? Their boss never claimed to be the best at a subject, but she pretty much could do everything to a ridiculous degree. Luxinna experienced her unparalleled martial art first-hand.

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Genius level intellect. Control over life. Insurmountable strength. Almost limitless Elemental Control.

The most terrifying question was: If Satholia wasn’t the best across all fields, who qualified?

“Hey boss, can you teach me how to produce a clone,” Luxinna gasped.

“Oh, this is advance ritual magic involving mirror base formation,” Luxinna sneakily smiled. “Maybe later. As much as I would love to see Nu Wa undergoing a state of mental breakdown at the thought formation that could create a thinking combat capable clone. I believe understanding Mo-chan papers on magecraft is still too much for you.”

“Mo-chan?”

“It is a bit complicate. Back to our session. Your parrying is certainly improving. I can say without a doubt your basic have surpassed Scathach. The main problem you have is hesitation.”

Hesitation? Luxinna wanted to complain. She was trying to do her best here. She never hesitated about anything.

“Luxinna,” Satholia softly said. The queen of center lift the Naginata and spun it causally, grabbing the pole weapon by both hands and transformed it into a dual sword. “You remember why we are doing this.”

She did.

The third Legend wasn’t something the Noblesse and Trinity gained from WORLD's trail, it something they elevated and assimilated through their patience and dedication. Namely, it is the weapon they favored elevated into a Paracausal treasure. In Luxinna’s case, her third Legend was simple.

It was [Historia].

But to even blossomed it into a Legend, Luxinna must master the blade. As a divine weapon forged by Ebony Solarmaria and blessed by the Queen of Center Force, the strongest Holy sword ever existed wasn’t cheap to master.

[Historia] was the sacred blade. It is the first True Magic compatible weapon and the most powerful. A living, indestructible sword with powered to amplify energy. Even after all this time, Luxinna hadn’t mastered how to use it.

“Again? How?” The girl lost count of how many times she asked the goddess.

“Well, we are doing, aren’t we?” Satholia said. “You need to learn to enjoy it.”

“Enjoy getting beat up by you?” Luxinna was tee bit annoyed.

It was then Satholia understood what was dragging Luxinna’s progress.

“I see. So that is the problem. You still don’t understand your nature.”

Luxinna suddenly felt naked.

Satholia continued.

“Again, I must apologize. Teaching is pretty new to me. So, I will put this bluntly. Luxinna, your darker halves in alternate possibility don’t butcher the entire Lightwell just using extra mutation added by the Paracis. Throughout all this time, you are rejecting your most powerful asset — your killer instinct.”

Luxinna froze over.

“My what?”

“Dear, you amputated Illma Zoldia Road’s hand with no hesitation. Utterly destroyed the 33 Stars with extreme prejudice. And in your first conflict, you automatically default to attempting to kill Rem. You might hate bloodshed and senseless killing, but parts of your subconscious crave blood. You enjoy the feeling of dishing out retribution and the taste of conflict. You lack the same brake that stops Hikma and Cytortia. You got slice of Rem's ruthlessness and possessed Melody's level of competitiveness under your cool.”

“That is ridiculous,” the elf tried to bat away the revelation

“Luxinna, what would you do if all the bad guy disappears tomorrow?”

The elf stayed silent.

It was the question she never asked herself. She could imagine it. Melody would likely continue her career as a researcher. Satholia most likely started a clinic. Hikma probably began a career in teaching. But she and Rem? World without evil would see them lost. Both of them were chained to perpetual conflict. Violence and battle governed their existence.

Luxinna glanced at her reflection in [Historia]. For a second, she saw a reflection of a malicious monster with the horn where her eyes were. Fear crept in her mind.

“I know what you are thinking. Fear perhaps. Or self-disgust. However, it is my duty as a teacher to point your fault. It isn’t your instinct is wrong, but it is the fact you subconsciously reject the truth. Self-acceptance is the first step to control. It is fine to let that monster out.”

“You talk like it is easy,” Luxinna thought back to her recent beating. “I don’t want to be that thing.”

“I believe Rem said this once, but shepherd don’t get a poodle to guard the sheep. They get the biggest hound possible. You are not doing anyone any favor locking your bloodlust inside a mental basement. Don’t worry about it. I have a solution.”

Luxinna looked at Satholia’s sweet smile and felt she would hate that solution.

Stab!

Luxinna felt a sword in her chest.

“Wha—”

“True nature will manifest in the fire of desperation! My solution is simple. I am going in for the kill. For every death you experience, it will be a screw out of your inhibition. Do not let fear or rage pull joystick! I will kill you as many as it takes until your get a hang on your warrior instinct.”

Luxinna got beheaded.

Like time has rewinded, Luxinna found herself standing in one piece with a nauseating feeling of her death fresh in her brain. The blade cutting her neck, slicing her wet bone, windpipe and muscle. Satholia must have tuned the gore factor and killing-blow heal, because unlike the previous times, this death felt awful.

Luxinna got a minute of reprieve before Satholia bisected her.

…

The only thing Luxinna knew for real after losing count of how many deaths she suffered was playing by the rule were for suckers.

Thousand times. Maybe it already trickled past nine-thousand. But Luxinna finally got done trying to fight orthodoxically. Anything close to telegraphing and Satholia would exploit it. She discovered that sportsmanship didn't work when Satholia dropped at her own weapon at close-quarter to punch out her eyes.

Luxinna blocked with [Historia], while aiming a kick at her mentor's knee. It failed as expected. The elf powered through the blade lock, and dove below the thrust arriving at her stomach. She twisted and hurled her sword right at Satholia’s face.

Screw holding your weapon. That was a fact learned after her inertia awarded her a stab in the gut. Survival came first.

Not letting a sword to the face interrupted her stride, the Queen of Center Force evaded the attack and closed the distance with her Katana. Luxinna grabbed a nearby sword embedded into the sand and used it to parry a flashing Katana. And without hesitation, she launched her counterstrike, pulling everything to subdue her mentor, caring nothing about the coming follow-up attack. Interrupting Satholia’s combo was everything that mattered, because once the chain connected, her death cemented.

Satholia repeated her slashes, but Luxinna didn’t dally. She leapt back, throwing her temporary blade at Satholia who grabbed that blade from the air and vanished. Luxinna, through countless death, ran on full instinct the moment rose. [Historia] teleported into her hand—a function she learned after being forced to threw it regularly like a boomerang. Luxinna splited the blade into a dual sword—another function she was forced to learn after Satholia started activating the raining sword.

And speaking of flying sword, here they came.

Swords, spears and various weapons stuck on the desert dune like gravestone began floating, and shot at Luxinna. The elf recalled how the attack killed her numerous times and gritted her teeth. Yes, Satholia insisted that this was the training of raw skill, and that she was equally vulnerable to the sword rain. Sadly, Luxinna knew that falling weapon won’t stop Satholia one bit. Hell, in fact, she loved it.

Satholia’s slashes were the work of a refine killer. Artistically refined but insidious in movement and timing. However, Luxinna already died too many times to fall for it. The swirling steel and the acrobatic motion that accompanied the life reaping act. Luxinna — through countless death — had inscribed that fear into her soul. No matter what happened the pattern of damnation won’t escape her muscle memory.

Powered by fear and sharpened survival instinct, the dual blade in both her hand flashed in rapid stochastic song of motion purely governed by the trickling feeling of dread. Luxinna parried the monsoon of bladework with her two arms, while her feet nimbly followed Satholia’s in their dance around the raining blades. Swords arrived at such speed only enabled by Satholia’s proficiency of optimizing every muscle. Through blood and pain, Luxinna’s body mimicked that high-speed dance of death.

The student and teacher locked their swords as weapon rain around them.

Not being a one for dallying, Satholia broke the blade lock by slipping past the standoff, heel-kicked Luxinna in the abdomen, dropped her weapons at point blank and grabbed a nearby halberd to swing at Luxinna. However, Luxinna didn’t suffer all those deaths for nothing. She leapt the moment the Satholia broke the contest. [Historia] merged back into a bow in a weapon-changing maneuver which cost Luxinna two of her lives to master.

Luxinna fired eight shots. The halberd flashed and four glowing energy arrows sailing across the air shattered. Three more deflected. And the last arrow got hooked and threw back at Luxinna. The elf quickly transformed [Historia] into a polearm to block the final blow.

Sadly, for Luxinna, Satholia sent her attack back with extra strength. The arrow knocked Luxinna from the sky and sent her crashing down into the dune.

Satholia grinned ear-to-ear.

“Well done, that is an impressive display. My clone just finished consolidating Cytortia’s origin. Hah, just in time to round the last training curve. For a moment, I fear we might not make it, but good gracious, I underestimate myself sometimes. In a nice timing too…”

Satholia counted the deadline.

“One week left before New Year’s Eve.”