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[Crossover] Ch 227: There’s always a higher peak called Yagami
🕑 Added 2025-08-31 16:55:47 +0000 UTC— — — — — —
"Uu…!"
Crouched on the ground, Erica clutched at her torn dress, trying desperately to pull the shredded fabric back together as she sobbed quietly.
Shame. Pain. Shame. Utter, crushing shame.
She was a noblewoman of one of Italy's great houses, yet she had been wielded like a weapon.
If he hadn't been an evil Campione... Erica bit down on her teeth until they nearly cracked, glaring furiously at Ryo.
But just then, Ryo turned his head. His eyes settled on her, discarded after being "used," and he asked lightly: "So, how was it?"
The fierce scowl on Erica's face froze, melted, and then transformed into a gentle, graceful smile.
"It… it was wonderful. With your help, my lord, truly a rare and precious experience."
She hated him to her bones, but she couldn't say it. Instead, she had to shower him with praise, even if it made her feel like the lowest of the low.
Erica wanted to strangle herself for how pitiful she sounded.
"Ooh?" Ryo looked genuinely surprised at her answer, then chuckled.
"Want to do it again?"
"No, thank you. My back… couldn't handle it."
Her smile trembled, but she forced it to stay elegant. If she let him use her like a sword again, she was sure her waist would snap in two.
"What a shame. Yours really is such a fun body to play with."
'Play with?' Erica's eyes widened.
So it wasn't about attraction? All this time she thought Ryo had been taken with her figure—but no. He only "liked" her body for how well it served as a blade.
Where was justice in this? Where was the law?
As if nothing had happened, Ryo glanced at the giant boar's corpse still wrapped in storm winds, then turned toward the luxury car in the distance. Liliana stood there, holding clothes in her arms.
"Hey. Maid. Bring the outfit over."
Liliana bit her lip but hurried forward, handing the spare clothes to Erica.
Taking them, Erica's cheeks burned with humiliation, but she still dressed quickly—ignoring the ruined underwear beneath.
Ryo gave her a once-over and nodded. "Looks like your injuries are fine."
"…Eh?" Erica instinctively touched her waist. That was when she realized her wounds—injuries that should have killed her—were gone. Not even a scar remained.
Impossible. She had been run through by at least three pieces of shrapnel. She looked back at Ryo in disbelief.
Had… had he healed her? Saved her without a word? Maybe he wasn't entirely heartless after all.
Then she heard him mutter under his breath: "So the Cosmo really does have a healing function. Atomic-level regeneration… impressive. Shame I don't have enough test subjects."
'Test subjects…' Erica's heart skipped a beat. Her smile stiffened.
She was wrong. Completely wrong. This man had no kindness. He really was the Devil. Compared to him, Satan wasn't even worthy of the title.
She wanted to cry.
Then Ryo narrowed his eyes, smiling like a cat playing with prey. "So? Still want to slay gods?"
At the sound of his voice, Erica shuddered violently. She dropped to one knee at once.
"My earlier arrogance was unforgivable. Please forgive my offense, my lord."
God-slaying? Forget it. She finally understood. Only those who had faced such beings firsthand could grasp just how terrifying gods—and Campiones —really were.
She remembered vividly how he had wielded her like a sword. For just a fleeting instant, her body and Ryo's intent had fused—human and blade as one.
In that instant, she felt the power to tear the sky apart. No human could stand against a monster like that.
And when she glimpsed the world through Ryo's eyes, she saw something higher still:
'All things are atoms. All things can be broken.'
A thousand years… no, a ten thousand. If she trained for ten thousand years, maybe—maybe—she could beat this Ryo Yagami.
"I hope you learned the lesson."
Erica: "Yes, my lord. I'll train hard from now on."
Ryo looked confused. "Train? Sure, but the lesson was: No matter how high you climb, there's always a higher peak called Yagami."
Erica: "..."
But was this how a Campione saw the world?
The thought chilled her, but she couldn't stop herself from yearning for it, from wanting to understand. It wasn't just a knight's path. It was something beyond even the rank of Great Knight.
At sixteen, a Great Knight who had already mastered a Godslayer's spell—of course she had been proud. That pride was her identity.
But now, Ryo had shattered it. She couldn't even perceive atoms, let alone split them with a blade. In his eyes, she was a child just learning to walk.
No wonder the King of Swords cared only for battle. Would you bother paying attention to the daily life of ants? Look a few times, and you'd already be bored.
How many Everests did she still have to climb before she reached the height of true strength?
Her arrogance fell away. What replaced it was something steadier, sharper, more focused.
Ryo patted her shoulder.
"Think carefully about that strike just now."
Erica raised her head, meeting his gaze, and nodded silently. She understood—this wasn't mockery. It was advice,
Yes, it had been humiliating to be wielded as a sword. But in that moment, she had peeked at a higher realm. And the taste of it… was addictive.
'If I had the chance again…' the thought slipped in before she quickly shook it away when she noticed Liliana approaching. Too shameful, especially in front of her rival.
But maybe, in private… her lips curved into the faintest smile.
"Lord Yagami!"
Liliana bowed to Ryo before sparing Erica only the briefest glance. Erica had survived, but Liliana's eyes said clearly: "That fox doesn't matter."
"The boar has been retrieved by Verethragna. According to reports, his incarnations on the island are almost completely gathered."
"Oh?"
Ryo arched a brow at the god's speed. Then he noticed the flicker of worry in Liliana's eyes and chuckled.
"Find me somewhere remote."
"Yes!" Liliana's face lit up. She bowed deeply. "Please, follow me."
She turned toward the car.
But Ryo didn't move. He looked back at Erica instead. "Want to keep trying?"
"No." Erica's face drained of color, and she shook her head quickly. But after a beat, she hesitated and asked carefully: "…But if I only watched… would you allow it?"
She knew. This campione wasn't anyone she recognized, but one thing was clear: like Salvatore Doni and Luo Hao, he was a Campione who relied on martial skill.
But splitting atoms with martial arts—was that really a realm humans could reach?
She didn't understand. But her body… almost longed to stay near him. It sounded indecent, but she wanted to witness it again.
Of course, if she could be accepted as his disciple—even an unofficial one—she wouldn't hesitate.
Even if he rejected her, just one glimpse of that sword had been worth calling him "teacher."
Her eyes shone as she looked at him.
"I see." Ryo gave her a casual glance. "Then follow."
"Yes!" Erica's voice rang bright as she hurried after him.
...
Inside Sardinia, far from the city.
"This will do."
Liliana stepped out first, inspecting the area. "Civilians have been cleared. The island's secret societies are setting up wards three kilometers out."
Erica sighed as she exited. "Lily, none of that will matter."
Liliana shot her a glare, the kind that said: "Uninvited fox, you don't get a say here."
Ryo glanced around casually. "Good enough."
But then his eyes shifted to a nearby hill. At the top stood a boy in a tattered white robe, smiling down at him.
"War God," Ryo called out, grinning, "how do you like this place as your grave?"
Across the hill, Verethragna's lips twisted into a wild, manic smile.
.
.
.
