Chapter 490

The Darkness Sword and the Stalker

“The Darkness Sword Genkai…”

This was the new power Ash obtained from the System.

The accompanying Fantasia Drive Book was carelessly tossed aside, while the holy sword [Darkness Sword Genkai], as a Holy Chalice, was embedded in a massive stone before him. Ash held tightly onto the hilt with his eyes closed. It seemed he sensed something.

In the Holy Blade world, he had seen this holy sword before, but due to entering at an earlier timeline, the puzzles of that world were unresolved, and he never had the chance to touch the dark swords used by the enigmatic members.

Now, as he actually wielded it, Ash finally comprehended its true power, and why they produced so many riddling members.

No wonder each King’s Sword is…

Sis, I can’t remember, did I forget or didn’t I remember?

So who is this King’s Sword?

Ash removed his hand from the deep and intricate holy sword marked with dark runes, gazing at it silently for a long time.

“It seems that gentle methods lead to destruction.” Ash sighed softly, not mentioning it further.

What is this? Is this sword forcing me to be overly cautious?

“Explosive means also lead to bad endings…..tsk!” A very displeased sound came from Ash, but this time it wasn’t aimed at himself. He was clearly directing his resentment at some existence.

The antagonistic forces in this world had an amazing compatibility with this sword…

It’s just too good, or too poor?

Even Ash, burdened with an infinite darkness echo, couldn’t quite answer this question. Some events can’t have answers even if you can foresee the future.

“Can the human heart withstand the power to steer the course of the future?”

Pulling out the sword from the stone, Ash headed in some direction.

Ash’s current state is uncertain.

This guy looks like he still isn’t happy.

Miyuki Hoshizora was extremely happy.

As a girl who’s incompetent at everything, except having boundless imagination which delves deeply into fairy tales, no event could be more thrilling than encountering a real fairy from the land of fairy tales, calling herself “Sugar”.

That fateful encounter when a comet struck the Earth led to meeting a fairy who called herself “Sugar”. Everything that happened afterward fascinated the lover of the fantastical greatly! From the “Tragedy Kingdom” officers who wished to plunge the entire world into a tragic ending to being miraculously chosen as a legendary warrior Pretty Cure after aiding Sugar against attackers!

Essentially, it all unfolded that way. This wasn’t anything found in my favorite fairy tale books! Though battles were dangerous and terrifying, they were also thrilling. Yayoi said it was a trope from tokusatsu shows, though she didn’t know exactly what that meant.

But the thing that brought her the most happiness was that Pretty Cure wasn’t a lone warrior. Her four fellow classmates had also acquired the powers of a Pretty Cure as the situation developed, and as a transfer student, she got five indispensable friends!

Presently, Miyuki Hoshizora was walking after school with her Pretty Cure companions, chatting happily.

For someone simple-minded and not athletic like Miyuki, there wasn’t anything more pleasing than this.

Miyuki Hoshizora felt greatly worried.

The cause of this worry wasn’t a pressing issue, primarily because after defeating the enemies of Tragedy Kingdom, she started to feel the sharp and piercing gaze on her, like being stabbed.

Just then! Miyuki whipped her head around sharply and glimpsed a deep black shadow disappearing instantly around a distant corner.

Speechless and bewildered, with her cheeks quivering, Miyuki half-opened her mouth to speak.

“Wa-wa— Could it be an illusion?”

“What’s wrong, Miyuki?”

Noticing her companion’s odd behavior, Yayoi asked in concern while playing with her light yellow hair.

“Miyoshi-sensei… maybe I have been studying too hard, and I’m starting to hallucinate…”

Trying to comfort herself before, Miyuki was immediately contradicted by the true genius behind her.

“Miyuki, your test scores this week didn’t pass even one,” the water blue light elegant and mysterious presence appeared suddenly.

As class leader, Li Hua saw Miyuki acting high and mighty despite being a poor student, and she couldn’t help but feel angry, even if they were friends.

“Sure, but I was close. I’ve been trying too…” Miyuki murmured, hesitating to look directly at her, only to find herself precisely pointed out.

“Close enough to pass… Does Miyuki think she’s just a point away from failing the whole test?” Li Hua’s forehead pulsed, clearly agitated yet trying to remain patient. She lightly tapped Miyuki’s pink pigtails.

“You think your effort was staying out to play with Sugar the day before the exam?” Li Hua silenced Miyuki in a heartbeat. “If taking things easy counts as being tired out from effort, then hard-working students would just be a joke, wouldn’t they?”

“Ughhhh…” Miyuki’s cheeks puffed out, and she let out an air of annoyance, barely able to keep her spirits up. Just then, the feeling of being watched reappeared!

Turning around, the black shadow followed her shadow.

It’s not an illusion! This sensation isn’t new!

An unpleasant shadow fell across Miyuki’s forehead, her face tensing in fear as if she would cry out any moment.

“Ah—?!”

Indeed, she screamed aloud.

The sudden appearance of some unknown entity that appeared to be stalking her… Do you know how frightening that is? Do you know the psychological impact it has on a Pretty Cure!?

“What’s going on?!”

The other four were startled by Miyuki’s sudden scream. Especially Yayoi who was timid, almost shedding tears. Miyuki waved her hands indicating where she saw something.

“There’s something there…right there—” Miyuki pointed, her face freezing in place.

The others looked where she was pointing and found only confusion. The wall corner under the gentle breeze of autumn wind, empty.

“What’s the matter, Miyuki, did you eat something dirty?”

Akane Hino leaned forward and tried to sense by touching her forehead, then shook her head, brushing her orange hair, tickling Miyuki’s nose.

“No fever…Hmm. It must be because Miyuki has been lazy recently, causing her body’s health to decline.”

It’s not true! Why do I suddenly get branded as a lazy and careless person!?

The kinder everyone became, the more aggrieved Miyuki felt.

“A-achoo—There really is something, something is watching us!”

Why does it always happen when I get everyone’s attention that it vanishes again… Maybe it’s an…impurity?

At this thought, Miyuki’s expression crumbled, palms sweaty, feet twitching, and shivers ran through her entire body.

In stories we read about, ghosts would steal misbehaving children who did bad deeds…

“Oh—!”

Miyuki burst into tears right there, tears streaming down her face, bowed repeatedly so much that she nearly fell to her knees.

“Sir Ghost, I’m truly sorry, I didn’t mean to steal Sugar’s snacks, I just love sweets too much!”

“Oh, it was Miyuki who ate Sugar’s snacks!”

Upon Miyuki’s confession, the sheephorn fairy ‘Sugar’, hiding inside her small backpack, flew out angrily, pulling Miyuki’s two pink horns, her head bobbing up and down.

“I’ve never done anything bad except not paying attention in class and not doing well enough in exams so my mom is unhappy…please, I’ll be a good child, please don’t eat me!”

Watching the desperate Miyuki in front of them, the other four girls exchanged glances, finally wearing the same helpless expression.

“Miyuki, there’s no such thing as a ghost, you’re scaring yourself.”

“R-really?”

“Of course, we live in a scientific world.”

“But we are Pretty Cures, there are fairies like Sugar here, surely ghosts exist?”

“Maybe there aren’t…?”

From his position behind a wall, observing the girls, Ash emerged from the shadows like a ghost.

Following the movement of the man, the slender, sharp object strapped to the outer side of his thigh swung alongside.

“N-None noticed, only she couldn’t detect but felt it, her intuition rivals a sixth sense…”

Looking at the pair of pink pigtails, Miyuki felt goosebumps stand up. When she turned back, no one was there.

“Brain not working well… She doesn’t seem smart.”

No wonder… It was like she urged me to “Go ahead and trick me.”

Ash squinted subtly.