Not a detective

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Seeing Asakawa Riku approaching from afar, the demon sword's crimson eyes seemed to have found their target, staring intently at him.

"Asakawa... why can't you just look at me properly... am I really worse than that girl... is it not enough for me to keep you here?"

Despite her resentful words, two lines of clear tears streamed down her face beneath her fierce gaze, as if it were Kirisame Aoi's last resistance and struggle.

Then, the controlled, berserk sword demon charged forward like a shooting star, gripping the tip of its blade and striking out—

Asakawa Riku looked at the black blade light that was devouring the moonlight and suddenly smiled.

He simply extended his right hand, aiming it at the tip of the knife.

"It's no use! You can't stop them!!"

Ignoring the tapir's roar, and without its reminder, Asakawa Riku himself knew that his invulnerable body couldn't withstand damage of the level of Ama no Kusanagi.

"That's exactly how it should be...!"

Charging head-on! No dodging, just charging straight ahead!

Asakawa Riku gritted his teeth frantically, facing the blade with his palm... letting the blade pierce his skin and cut inward.

He pierced through death with his right hand, took a deep breath, and gripped the back of the Kusanagi sword with his five fingers.

The demonic blade trembled violently, tearing at his tiger's mouth, but he charged forward with the momentum of the blade, letting the blade slice through the flesh of his forearm.

Pain! Pain...pain! But I keep going!

Amidst the excruciating pain of his flesh being torn apart, until finally his shattered body and chunks of flesh flew everywhere, he heard the crisp sound of his ulna getting stuck in the hilt of a knife.

Even if a mortal body cannot withstand the sharpness of a divine blade, at least to this extent... he can do it!

"Let me be your sheath."

The boy's blood flowed upwards along the blood groove, and the Ama no Kusanagi let out a mournful cry. Asakawa Riku used his arm to forcibly lock the blade of the sword, making it unable to move.

With her left arm wrapped around Wu Yu Kui's trembling waist, she struggled to back away, but was pressed even more forcefully into the blood-stained embrace.

"Are you... insane... why are you doing this...?"

As Wu Yu Kui's face softened and her brows furrowed, the blood-red lines in her pupils crumbled inch by inch.

Riku Asakawa's severed right arm was bare of white bone, yet he remained in an embracing posture, silent and unyielding.

"Idiot...doesn't it hurt...your hand..."

Kiri Aoi's tears, mixed with blood, dripped onto his shoulder, trembling as she dared not touch the wounds.

Asakawa Riku used his undamaged left hand to stroke her neck, wiping away the blood with his fingertips: "I won't abandon you, Aoi, let's go together."

"Together...?"

"Yes, do you remember the promise we made three years ago? That temporary investigation team, let's complete that plan together and uncover the truth."

"You're so gentle..."

“I’m not just going to her for the sake of poetry, or for my own sake, but also for your sake, to fulfill our past wishes.”

"Um……"

A silent embrace, the two whispering and talking.

Their voices slowly merged into one, transforming into a sharp and piercing duet amidst a radiant glow:

"【【True Martial God】】"

Orochi's Autumn: Orochi's Autumn CUT (Bonus Chapter for Donations)

The light dissipated.

Kirisame Aoi's body has disappeared, or more accurately, her soul has been divided and returned to her external body, or rather, it has merged into Asakawa Riku.

The "Ama-no-Murakumo" is no longer seen; in its place is Asakawa Riku, wielding a new sword.

Unlike the other transformations, Asakawa Riku's appearance didn't change much at this time; he didn't grow bigger or smaller, nor did he have any dazzling special effects.

He was still that handsome young man with sharp eyes and a strong physique. Although his injuries and scars had faded, he seemed different from the "Nirvana One".

The true "True Martial God" is probably his strongest form.

Previously, whether it was "Snow Child", "Magara", "Nirvana One" or "Great Tengu", they were actually all incarnations of superpowers or monsters. Their abilities were somewhat different from Asakawa Riku's. It's not that they were inappropriate, but they did not benefit his own cultivation and martial arts. They were merely supplements and amplifications.

...But this time, the [True Martial God] is different.

Kirisame Aoi herself is a martial arts practitioner and a master swordsman. What she can bring to Asakawa Riku is pure strength, speed, and physical enhancement.

It may seem insignificant, lacking exaggerated transformations and flashy moves, but for Riku Asakawa, this is the most important treasure.

This is the result of one plus one being far greater than two. Their compatibility achieved an astonishing escalating effect, allowing this combination to gradually accumulate and become a terrifying entity.

Asakawa Riku could clearly feel that he was several times stronger than he had estimated before, and he could feel the difference even in just a short time.

Moreover, by taking advantage of the threshold of the "ghost and god" realm, he saw scenery that he could not see before in this field and gained many insights in an instant.

Even after escaping this state, he has many directions to move forward, and he will probably make great strides in the future.

The thought of it fills me with excitement.

But the True Martial God brings more than just that.

He raised his hand and looked at the sword he was holding.

This sword is a traditional Han-style sword, seven feet two inches long, weighing twenty-four pounds, and four inches and eight fen wide. It is elegant and dignified, clear and bright, without the eerie and ominous aura of a demon sword.

Although Asakawa Riku did not yet know the true name of the sword, he felt a sense of closeness and familiarity. Just by holding it, he felt that the sword's status was no less than that of "Ama-no-Murakumo".

Even above that... it's definitely a god-level sword.

"too exaggerated……"

Even with his current composure, Asakawa Riku couldn't help but murmur in disbelief. If this were a novel, the power levels would probably be completely disrupted by now.

Asakawa Riku is a master of unarmed combat, a martial artist specializing in physical strength and fist techniques. As for the use of weapons, he can only be said to have a general understanding of them, but not an expert.

However, in the [True Martial God] state, he inexplicably comprehended many sword techniques and methods, just like the knowledge of Misty Rain Sunflower was instilled into his mind.

Not only the "Mist Rain Style" and Japanese swordsmanship, but also swordsmanship from his homeland and swords from all over the world, he mastered them in an instant, integrating them into his own style and turning them into gold.

...But having mastered this level of power, is there really a need in this world to have an opponent of this caliber?

Could it be that the next chapter after "Invincible Under Heaven" will be "An Enemy from the Sky"? Or is it that old-fashioned map change coming?

Perhaps because he was too tense just now, Asakawa Riku, now relaxed, even started to daydream and make jokes.

He looked up at the sky:

"tapir?"

I greeted it, but after a while there was no response. The tapir's body disappeared, perhaps it had fallen into a deep sleep.

It's possible that the destruction caused by the demonic sword and the impact of the birth of the True Martial God made this dream precarious, resulting in the tapir's serious injury. It may not be able to wake up for a while.

To put it bluntly, it deserved it. Who told this old monster to be so curious and insist on joining in the fun?

After thinking about it, Asakawa Riku felt that Baku had ultimately helped him, so he couldn't say that.

At least this dream hasn't collapsed, which means the tapir's injuries aren't fatal. It might wake up after sleeping for a while, since it is a monster from a dream after all.

Moreover, observing these fierce battles and understanding the final fight might greatly benefit this old monster, and he might even gain some insights.

Let this guy get the better deal, so we're even.

Asakawa Riku stood there for a while. The destroyed scene around him was beyond repair, remaining a messy ruin and a desolate wasteland.

This is the best we can do for now; he knows there won't be another opponent coming.

The Orochi Trial ends here; there will be no eighth stage. This is not only because of the Baku's slumber, but also largely because it was never expected to summon "Asuka-i Uta".

That's enough... After all, Asakawa Riku has now found his way forward.

He gripped the sword in his hand and slowly drew a line in front of his eyes, tearing open a crack... The door to the space was forcibly opened, something only the [True Martial God] could do.

Before him lay a void, yet he resolutely stepped inside.

...

Towards the world where Asukai Shi is hidden.

She is not invincible, because Asakawa Riku has witnessed her power.

Now, Asakawa Riku has finally gathered enough trump cards to meet her.

And at the end of time, in the cracks of space.

In a world of nothingness.

He finally saw Asukai Shi's back; her long hair was loose. The girl slowly turned her head.

"You're going to follow me everywhere? Ashen, you're really stubborn."

A smile tinged with tears.

She was still wearing her school uniform, exactly the same as when she left, as if the past season had never existed. The two of them were still looking at each other across the table in the activity room.

Asakawa Riku slowly approached: "I'm here... Come back with me, we can talk about it when we get back."

Asukai Shi shook her head and backed away, trying to avoid his pursuit:

“No… I can’t go back. You shouldn’t have come here. I deliberately hid myself. You shouldn’t have come near me. You’ll die. They’re right.”

Will you kill me?

“You should go back. Forget about me. As long as you forget ‘Asuka-i Uta,’ you can live the life you dream of as an ordinary high school student and continue to walk towards the future with them.”

"I can't go back alone; I have to take you with me at least."

Asakawa Riku appeared before her in the blink of an eye: "I remember now... I can forget 'Asukai Uta,' but I can't forget you. Not three years ago... but even earlier..."

Asukai Shi's pupils trembled violently, but it wasn't an expression of emotion; rather, it was one of despair.

"Why, why did you push me to this point? I didn't want to. You shouldn't have thought of this..."

"poetry……"

Asakawa Riku lowered his sword and gently embraced her.

But the girl placed her hand on his chest and whispered softly, "Go to hell."

The next second, Asakawa Riku felt no pain, but felt his body slowly float up, as if his limbs were no longer under his control.

This isn't a metaphor; his head really did become dislocated, and he started to lose his grip on the girl in front of him, falling towards the ground...

Cut apart by an invisible force... left hand... right hand... left leg... right leg... torso, the powerful strength of the [True Martial God] was utterly ineffective before those words.

What was originally thought to be an invincible force, a territory sufficient for negotiation, and the idea of ​​forcibly taking her back if all else failed... all turned into empty talk in an instant.

It crumbled instantly upon the words in red, utterly powerless to resist.

"I……"

Asakawa Riku only had time to utter a single call.

But his body had been cut open, and he could only fall, fall, and fall further and further away, unable to convey anything.

The last thing I saw was a lonely girl in the starry sky, sitting there with her head down, sobbing loudly...

The Autumn of Yagi: The Final Volume

Starting tomorrow, we will enter the final volume of this book, "Winter of Man".

To provide readers with a better reading experience, we will temporarily return to a daily update schedule of two chapters and continue refining the content.

"The Autumn of the Eight-Headed Serpent" barely touches on reasoning or mystery-solving; it's all about exhilarating battles. It also serves as a setup for the final volume, saving all the reasoning elements for the very end. I can guarantee that the final volume's unraveling of the core plot will not disappoint.

I'm saving something big to share with everyone, so look forward to a surprise.

Thank you all for your support along the way. This is the last volume, and I hope you will continue to support me.

Winter of Man: Chapter One - Not Yet Dead

My consciousness is like a faulty radio, switching back and forth between darkness and light spots, intermittent and unable to connect...

The first sound to enter the ear canal was the sharp sound of metal scraping against the ground, followed by a high-frequency alarm sound that grew louder as it approached.