HI3: I Don't Want to Be a Valkyrie

"Let's split up and search for survivors. When you encounter those black-robed figures, kill them all," Liliya instructed the group behind her, noticing they hadn't found any living beings yet.

"Yes..."

Cellinia, Platinum, and the others headed off in different directions.

"Rozaliya, let's split up as well!"

"Agreed," Rozaliya didn't hesitate, parting ways with Liliya.

Alone, Liliya continued to swiftly move forward.

After walking a short distance, she spotted several figures in black robes holding torches. They resembled members of the KKK, but Liliya knew better; these were followers of the Witch Cult.

Seeing the witch cultists ahead, Liliya gripped her great sword with her right hand and tail, locking onto her opponents.

At that moment, the witch cultists also noticed Liliya and charged towards her, torches held aloft.

Whoosh!

In a flash, Liliya's sword arced through the air, decapitating the first three cultists in one fell swoop.

How weak... she mused. How could they possibly destroy the Oni Clan? The Oni are supposed to be incredibly powerful.

Liliya couldn't help but wonder at this discrepancy.

Nevertheless, she remained vigilant, adopting a defensive stance as she eyed her enemies.

Suddenly, two cultists drew black daggers and charged Liliya with expressions of crazed determination. Behind them... the remaining three cultists produced peculiar devices, aiming them at Liliya. They resembled crossbows, yet seemed far more menacing.

As the first Cultists approached Liliya, the three behind them loosed their crossbow bolts without hesitation, seemingly indifferent to their comrades' fate.

The charging duo, for their part, were willing to sacrifice themselves to clear a path for Liliya's escape.

Yet, Liliya showed not a whisper of intent to flee. As she watched the bolts hurtling towards her, it was as if the character "Danger" materialized above her head.

In the split second before the bolts reached her, a metallic clang rang out as Liliya's great sword intercepted them.

In a flash, Liliya vanished from the charging Cultists' line of sight, reappearing beside the crossbowmen. With a blur of blade and body, the heads of the three Cultists separated from their bodies, collapsing lifeless to the ground.

Liliya then returned to her starting point, tail flicking her great sword to bisect the remaining two Cultists at the waist.

With all the enemies slain, Liliya's form shimmered once more as she leapt dozens of meters ahead, continuing her search for the two survivors.

-

"Rem, don't be afraid... I'll protect you, no matter what." Inside a slowly burning warehouse, a pink-haired girl looked reassuringly at the blue-haired young girl beside her.

The two looked very similar, except for their hair color, but at this moment, they both seemed to be only a few years old.

"Rem isn't scared..."

Rem looked at her elder sister Ram, noticing the wound on her head. The beautiful white horn that should have been there...

Finally... it's broken...

As soon as this thought crossed Rem's mind, an overwhelming sense of self-reproach, guilt, and intense feelings of remorse flooded her heart.

For the Oni Clan, their power and source of magic mainly relied on the horns on their heads. These horns could be said to be the most important part of their bodies.

Originally, having only one horn was considered a disability or an incomplete existence among the Oni Clan.

However, during childhood, Ram had changed this perspective with her remarkable abilities. From a young age, Ram was seen as a "prodigy," possessing far greater strength and magical power than others.

Even as a child, Ram had surpassed ordinary adult members of the double-horned Oni clan.

The oni held Ram in extremely high regard, hailing her as a "prodigy" and showering her with endless praise.

In contrast to her sister Ram's confidence, Rem appeared utterly self-conscious. She kept to the shadows of her sibling, trying to imitate Ram's movements as if she were but a mere silhouette.

Due to Ram's prowess, everyone—from their parents to each and every clansman who hoped for Rem to follow her example—constantly shoved her in that direction. To young Rem, these expectations felt like a knife slicing into her very being.

Unrelenting in her pursuit, Rem tried her best to mimic her older sister, striving to replicate both Ram's appearance and personality.

Yet no matter how hard she tried to match her outward appearance, her innate abilities paled in comparison. Ram was a prodigy in everything she did, while Rem was merely ordinary.

Despite her tireless efforts, the gap between them widened further with each day. Yet, she didn't resent her sister; rather, she held Ram in the highest esteem and love. However, year after year, the mounting anticipation from others only weighed more heavily on the young Rem's shoulders.

Until now... as Rem gazed at her beautiful, now broken, white horn lying beside her.

It was... finally over.

Watching her beloved sister bear the brunt of their cruelty to protect Rem, her horns snapped, and listening to her anguished screams as those beautiful white horns she had always envied soared through the air...

At last... they broke.

Gazing upon her sister before her, now stripped of her former glory, Rem felt an unprecedented sense of superiority...

Yet what immediately took root and grew within Rem's heart was an obsessive thought that far surpassed her previous feelings of inferiority: the humiliating guilt of being indirectly responsible for shattering the world's beloved idol, her sister.

-

"There are still two left."

"Surprisingly, there are survivors..."

"Kill them."

Just then, a witch cultist suddenly spotted Rem and Ram hiding in the warehouse and swiftly gathered a large group of fellow cultists to surround them.

"Damn it..." Ram glanced at the witch cultists outside, her expression changing. Even now... was there truly no escape?

"Rem, get ready to flee! I'll buy you some time," Ram said, looking at Rem. The young girl gritted her teeth, attempting to painfully stand up.

"No, this time... it's Rem who will protect Ram." Rem held onto Ram, making her sit down while she stood up herself.

"Rem..." Ram's voice carried urgency.

"..."

But Rem could only manage a forced smile as she stood up, shielding Ram behind her.

Rem changed how she addressed Ram, shedding the cowardice she had been hiding behind. She had caused her sister to be demoted to the mortal realm, so now it was time for her to take on what her sister should have done, herself.

But... as she gazed upon the horde of witch cultists before her, Rem felt lost. Could she truly accomplish what only her sister could before?

As the cultists charged towards her, Rem picked up a wooden club, only to realize... that her body seemed frozen.

Move! Move!

"Rem!!"

Watching the cultist raising a knife towards Rem, Ram's face on the ground twisted with anger. With a roar, she tried to crawl up...

However, without her horns, both her physical strength and magic power were rapidly draining away. It wouldn't be long before her body completely collapsed...

Just as the knife was about to strike Rem...

"Turn to dust!"

An unfamiliar yet melodious girl's voice suddenly rang out. A blue crescent-shaped sword flashed with a figure, instantly decapitating all the cultists in front of Rem.