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The Strongest Transcendent In History Is The Strongest
Chapter 17: A Truth Too Subtle to Burn
I Secure Him in Restraints
With deliberate precision, I secure Hiruinonai with sturdy ropes. He stirs awake, his eyes fluttering open as confusion washes over his face. "Where am I?" he inquires calmly, scanning his surroundings. He finds himself bound tightly in a dimly lit private room, the air heavy with tension. As he takes stock of his situation, his gaze lands on Katsume and me, both standing in front of him with unwavering expressions.
I maintain a casual demeanor, a slight smirk playing on my lips as I casually remark, "We have some important questions to ask you."
Katsume, with her fierce determination, steps forward, her voice sharp and serious. "Tell us who paid you," she demands, her frustration boiling over as she slams his head forcefully against the cold metal bars of a nearby cell.
Hiruinonai, now visibly shaken, raises his hands defensively in resignation. "Alright, alright! I'll tell you, just stop!" he exclaims, anxiety creeping into his voice.
Suddenly, chaos erupts as a man bursts through the window, shattering glass that sprays across the floor like deadly confetti. He has striking black hair that falls in waves over his forehead, framing his piercing blue eyes. His black uniform prominently displays a distinctive symbol on the symbol, emblazoned on Kyūkyokunodoku's chest was a twisted emblem—a shattered Ouroboros. The ancient serpent, once forming a perfect circle by devouring its own tail, now lay fractured. Jagged breaks split its coiled body, shards of its form suspended in unnatural stillness, as if reality itself had rejected the loop of eternity. Its eyes, still burning with malice, stared in opposite directions, and where its tail should have met its jaws, only a void remained—a symbol of broken cycles and irreversible decay, on the chest, complemented by matching black pants that complete his enigmatic appearance.
With a confident grin, the man introduces himself: "Yo, names Kyūkyokunodoku, but I'm here for Hiruinonai." His calmness contrasts sharply with the tension in the room.
Katsume, visibly annoyed by his intrusion, responds with a fierce, "That's never happening."
I nod in agreement, my tone steady and collected. "Yes, I concur with Katsume's sentiment."
Kyūkyokunodoku's demeanor shifts; his casual smile vanishes, replaced by an aura of seriousness. "Then I guess I'll have to take him by force," he states, determination etched on his face.
"Come at me then," I challenge him, my heart racing in anticipation of the impending confrontation.
"Very well," he replies, and in an instant, he lunges forward, grabbing Katsume's arm in a tight armlock. He then delivers a powerful dropkick to her face, sending her hurtling through the air, crashing through several buildings with a deafening impact.
"It's over," Kyūkyokunodoku declares, turning his attention toward me. He swiftly seizes my neck, twisting to gain leverage before flipping me into the air with forceful momentum, slamming me down onto the ground with enough power to create a small crater beneath me.
With every ounce of willpower, I slowly push myself up from the rubble, muttering defiantly, "No… it's not over."
Kyūkyokunodoku smirks ominously, his eyes glinting with malice. "It is now," he states, raising his foot and bringing it crashing down upon me with brutal force.
The sheer weight of his stomp sends me crashing back into the ground, the world around me spinning in a haze.
From behind, Katsume utters a composed, "You're wide open," as she attempts a sneak attack on him.
"I thought I already said it's over," he retorts, spinning around rapidly and, with incredible precision, he catches her midair by the neck before delivering a fierce roundhouse kick that sends her flying backwards, just as I had been.
Together, we find ourselves momentarily grounded, yet defiance fuels our determination. In perfect unison, we spring back to our feet, declaring, "Let's do this!" as we rush toward him, our combined strength rekindled.
In a fluid motion, I sidestep and grab his side, executing a powerful flip that sends him crashing to the floor. Without missing a beat, Katsume follows up with a fierce barrage of kicks, her agility and grace on full display.
Kyūkyokunodoku grits his teeth in frustration, begrudgingly acknowledging, "You're stronger when you work together; I see that now." The onslaught forces him down, but his expression quickly darkens as he proclaims, "But don't count me out yet—I still have my trump card."
With a surge of energy, he pushes us both back, his hands glowing an ominous shade of green.
"Ultimate Poison," he declares, his voice filled with a foreboding certainty as he explains the formidable ability to generate a toxin capable of annihilating anything in its path.
"It's time to end this." In the blink of an eye, he lunges forward, targeting Katsume.
At first, nothing seems to have happened—until suddenly, she drops to her knees, gasping for breath. I watch in horror as dark veins crawl beneath her skin, an outward manifestation of the poison's vicious grip, marking her descent into unconsciousness.
"Katsume!" I shout, panic gripping my heart. "What did you do?!"
"With any part of my being I touch, the poison infects," Kyūkyokunodoku says evenly. "She has three minutes left. Be grateful I didn't use it on you."
In a desperate rush, I scoop her up and sprint toward the school, adrenaline surging through my veins. "Hold on, Katsume, I'll get you help!" I plead, dread knotting in my stomach.
As I burst through the school doors, I find the principal, breathless and panicked. "My sister has been poisoned! She only has three minutes to live! You have to save her, now!" I implore.
The principal's brow furrows in thought, the weight of my words heavy in the air. "I don't think we have anyone here who can help," he admits, concern evident in his tone.
At that moment, Zettai steps calmly into the room, his presence radiating confidence. "Looks like you forgot about me," he says, his tone unflappable.
I turn to Zettai with an urgent plea. "Do you think you can help her?"
The principal, maintaining a composed demeanor, looked each student in the eye as he spoke clearly and deliberately. "I'll leave this matter in your hands," he stated, his voice steady and reassuring. After delivering his message, he turned gracefully and, with a confident stride, made his way toward the door. As he reached for the handle, the soft click reverberated in the quiet room, signaling his departure. With one last glance over his shoulder, he stepped through the threshold and closed the door gently behind him, leaving the students with a sense of responsibility and the weight of their new task.
Zettai says calmly understood now he approaches, examining Katsume closely. "Let me see her," he states firmly, his hands adeptly assessing her condition.
After a moment of scrutiny, he speaks with a calm intensity: "That's not poison. That's collapse."
Confusion clouds my mind as I question, "What do you mean? Go on."
Zettai explains, "The 'Ultimate Poison' doesn't simply destroy the body. It erodes identity—unraveling the victim's very concept of self. Time, memories, presence… all vanish. That's why no one survives such an attack."
My breathing quickens, panic setting in. "Is there nothing you can do about it?"
Zettai's expression turns serious. "Step back. Magic understands poison—because magic can be poison in the hands of those who misuse it."
Gently, I lay Katsume down on a nearby bed, stepping back as Zettai begins his work.
He activates a glyph spell, a swirl of arcane symbols glowing to life around him as he prepares to enter Katsume's subconscious. The scene unfolds in a surreal manner: Katsume floats in a vast expanse of dark space, pieces of her identity fading away like the delicate petals of a flower caught in the wind.
Zettai speaks a name in an ancient tongue—a name imbued with power that 'binds the soul to memory.' The air thickens with magic, and a bright light begins to pulse around Katsume.
After what feels like an eternity, Katsume's eyes flutter open as she registers her surroundings. "What happened?" she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper.
Relief washes over me as I embrace her gently, pulling her close. "Thank God you're okay," I whisper, emotion choking my voice, grateful that she has returned from the brink.
To be continued...