Bengtie, I'm really not a villain!

His chest heaved violently, as if suppressing a torrent of anger and helplessness.

Kiana's eyelashes trembled violently, and large, warm tears dripped onto Mei's trembling hand. The scalding heat burned their hearts, and also burned the once unbreakable bond between them.

Jing Ye's lips curled into a mocking smile, and he raised an eyebrow slightly in acknowledgment.

Raiden Mei's body trembled violently, her nails almost digging into Himeko's skin, but at the last moment she turned into a gentle lift.

She slowly raised Himeko's arm, the hand that had once wielded a greatsword to cleave through countless enemies, but now it was powerless to resist under Jingye's oppressive aura.

The moment Himeko's fingers touched the hilt of the sword, a chill spread from her fingertips throughout her body. Her pupils contracted sharply, and her eyes burned with raging anger, but she was suppressed by the oppressive aura emanating from Jingye and could not unleash it.

Mei was already in tears, her tears dripping onto Himeko's arm, like a silent accusation, accusing all this cruelty.

As Mei trembled as she adjusted Himeko's posture, before she could straighten up, Jingye appeared behind Kiana.

The girl's already pale face was devoid of color, her dry lips were cracked with tiny bloodstains, and her weak, drooping eyelids could barely conceal the anger in her eyes.

Jing Ye's fingertips brushed against her hair, tucking a stray strand behind her ear. This gentle gesture made the air freeze instantly.

Immediately afterwards, he pressed his palm heavily on Kiana's beautiful nape, forcing her into a standard iaido starting stance.

“Teach her how to strike the knife more cleanly.”

Kiana tried to struggle, but her limbs felt as heavy as lead, and she could only let out weak whimpers.

Mei's nails dug deeply into her palms, and the stigmata throbbed restlessly beneath her skin.

She held Kiana's shoulders, clearly feeling the protruding shoulder blades beneath Kiana's body; the taut muscles trembled as she strained to maintain her posture.

That was a posture of trying to resist even in extreme weakness.

As she twisted Kiana's wrist into a sword-gripping position, the girl suddenly tightened her grip, her old, wounded fingers clamping down on Kiana's wrist, hot tears dripping onto the overlapping skin.

But this feeble resistance was quickly suppressed by the pressure Jing Ye applied to the back of her neck.

Himeko's condition was also not optimistic; her legs were too weak to support her knees, which were bruised from grinding against the metal floor.

Although her eyes were filled with anger as she stared intently at Jing Ye, her breathing was rapid and disordered, revealing her physical weakness.

The instant Jingye adjusted her grip on the sword, she gritted her teeth and gathered her strength, attempting to use her right arm, which had once slain countless Honkai Beasts, to strike Jingye's throat.

However, his arm trembled uncontrollably as soon as he raised it halfway up.

Jingye's lips curled into a mocking smile. Without even drawing the sword from his waist, he casually turned to the side and gently pinched Himeko's slow and weak hand with two fingers.

Then, she gripped her sword tightly.

Himeko's offensive was instantly thwarted. With a slight exertion, Jingye caused Himeko to fall forward uncontrollably.

Jing Ye's other hand shot out like lightning, grabbing her neck and leaving her suspended in mid-air, swaying helplessly.

Himeko struggled and swayed a few times, but then she had no strength left. The feeling of suffocation made her face turn bright red.

Jingye sneered contemptuously, released his grip, and Ji Zi collapsed to the ground, coughing violently. Her body curled up into a ball, unable to get up for a long time.

As he leaned down, his fingertips gently stroked the girl's pale cheek, as if he were touching a rare treasure. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a tender gesture that instantly made the air tense.

"This time, you'd better strike the perfect iaido pose." His voice was deep and carried an undeniable air as he gently placed his palm on Kiana's nape.

Kiana lowered her eyes, her parched lips trembling slightly.

Mei, standing to the side, gasped, her nails digging deep into her palms, the stigmata burning slightly beneath her skin. She stepped forward and supported Kiana's shoulder.

As she bent Kiana's wrist into a sword-wielding arc, their intertwined fingers gently clasped together.

Kiana's fingers, bearing old wounds, gripped hers tightly. A drop of warm liquid fell onto the back of her hand; it was hard to tell whether it was sweat or a tear.

Himeko knelt on the ground, her knees bruised from supporting her body for so long, her breathing rapid yet rhythmic.

The moment Jing Ye reached out to adjust her grip on the knife, she feigned exertion, deliberately swinging her arm with a trembling motion. Jing Ye deftly pinched her hand with two fingers, applying slight pressure.

"Mei, demonstrate it to them."

Jing Ye turned around, his sword already drawn three inches from its sheath, its cold light reflecting the mockery in his eyes.

Mei almost reflexively assumed the iaido stance, but the moment she drew her sword, she discovered that the tip of Jingye's sword was already pressed against Kiana's lower back.

The girl's terrified gaze pierced her pupils, freezing her in place instantly.

Cold sweat dripped down Mei's pale chin, gathering into a small stream at her collarbone, soaking the collar of her combat uniform.

Her trembling fingertips gripped Kiana's knees tightly, her nails almost digging into the girl's cold skin, her knuckles turning white from the excessive force.

Behind her came the ear-piercing sound of Jingye's sword sheath scraping against the ground, like the whisper of death. Each sound was like a heavy hammer striking her heart, making her chest ache.

Kiana's damp eyelashes brushed lightly against Mei's wrist, as soft as a feather yet carrying a burning heat.

Warm tears trickled down the lines of their palms, intertwining with the frosty strands of hair stained by the cold white light, weaving a fine net between their intertwined limbs.

"I'm sorry..." Mei pressed her forehead against Kiana's cold collarbone, the sob escaping her throat being mercilessly crushed by the metallic roar.

When Jingye's blade, gleaming coldly, pressed against her waist, she trembled all over. Finally, biting her lower lip, she slowly parted Kiana's long, slender legs, which were trembling slightly with tension.

The cold, white light slanted across the girl's taut waistline, casting a twisted, blood-red shadow on the ground, as if freezing the oppression and struggle of this scene within the light and shadow.

Mei's trembling fingertips carefully touched the edge of the girl's combat uniform. Even through the rough fabric, she could clearly feel the other girl's taut muscles twitching slightly.

As Jingye leaned down, the black cuff of his sleeve brushed against Kiana's burning cheek, creating a faint breeze.

"Press harder, she needs a more precise curve."

Jing Ye's voice was cold and hard, carrying an undeniable sense of oppression.

These words made Mei's fingertips tremble violently. She struggled to adjust her posture, every tiny movement felt like it was tearing her heart apart, resulting in the girl's eyelashes trembling violently like a startled butterfly.

Himeko leaned against the control panel, her breath coming in short gasps as she was suppressed by Jingye's invisible pressure, her pale face covered in fine beads of sweat.

She stared intently at the scene before her, her sharp gaze a mixture of heartache and restraint.

When she saw Kiana's back arched under the weight, her hair falling messily and obscuring her reddened eyes, her fingers gripping the knife tightened and loosened uncontrollably, leaving a deep mark on her palm from the metal hilt.

"Stop." Jing Ye suddenly pressed down on Kiana's trembling shoulders. The metal floor groaned softly under his boots, as if sighing at the oppressive atmosphere.

"Mei, take her hand." This command struck like a thunderbolt, causing all three of them to simultaneously contract their pupils.

Jingye's blade gleamed with a chilling light as it slowly grazed their clasped hands, the sensation contrasting sharply with the intense heat of their palms.

The air inside the medical pod seemed to freeze into ice. In the instant the sharp blade ripped through the air, Himeko's blood-stained combat uniform moved without wind, and the blood scabs that had congealed on the fabric fell off in a flurry.

Jing Ye's knife tip hovered at her throat, the sharp edge reflecting her eyes, red with rage.

The dark red wound contracted and healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the broken ribs rejoined with a faint clicking sound.

Himeko gritted her teeth and groaned, veins bulging on her forehead. She hated Jingye's domineering ways, yet was also amazed by the strange recovery of her body under such cruel training.

She glanced down at her trembling hands, her knuckles white from gripping the knife so tightly, yet she also felt a long-lost strength surging through her muscles.

Himeko couldn't believe that the Honkai damage that Destiny hadn't been able to repair for so many years could leave scars on her body, and the aftereffects of surgery performed at an advanced age, were beginning to heal under Keiya's intense training.

Her breathing gradually became steady, and her back, which had been hunched over due to the pain, slowly straightened as her bodily functions recovered.

Kiana knelt on the ground, her skin, which had been pale from overexertion, regained a healthy flush, like a flower on the verge of withering and being nourished again.

But the hatred in her eyes did not diminish in the slightest. She stared intently at Jing Ye's back, wishing she could tear him to pieces.

When Jing Ye's oppressive aura swept over her body again, she instinctively flinched, yet stubbornly straightened her back.

Although Himeko and Kiana were seething with hatred as they were being crushed by the Iaijutsu of the Night, their bodies were indeed recovering internally.

Those old wounds left on the battlefield, and the meridians damaged by the rampage of the Herrscher's power, are now being repaired at an astonishing speed under this high-intensity pressure and training.

Mei stood to the side, watching all this with a complicated expression, the bandage she was clutching tightly in her hand was soaked with sweat.

This seemingly cruel training was indeed effective for the two of them, but witnessing their best friend and mentor suffer in this way caused them no less torment than the two who were enduring pain themselves.

Raiden Mei's nails dug deeply into her palms as she watched Jingye's blade graz Himeko's blood-stained armor, the metallic scraping sound almost piercing her eardrums. In the cold light of the medical pod, Kiana's kneeling figure gradually overlapped with scenes from her memories.

Deep within the courtyard of Izumo Province, they too were subjected to the same humiliating posture, becoming live targets for Kageya's blade.

Chapter 159 The Crimson Iris Immortal

At that time, Jing Ye used the same sword technique to immobilize the three of them, as if an invisible hand was gripping their throats.

Mei clearly remembers being dragged outside like a dog along with her relatives and friends when the cold chains were put around her ankles.

Furibas's desperate screams echoed, his mother's pale face flickering in and out of focus amidst the red light of the barrier.

He could only watch helplessly as his companions were used as puppets to practice Iaijutsu, the blades grazing their skin time and again, leaving bloodstains and fear.

At that moment, the metal floor of the medical pod vibrated, echoing the sound of chains being dragged in my memory.

Jingye's blade flashed again, and Himeko was forced to kneel on one knee. Blood beads seeped from under her combat uniform and dripped onto the ground, spreading into dark red flowers.

During those countless nights in Izumo, she watched her mother, Himeko, and Furibas fall, their warm blood splattering on her face, unable to distinguish whether it was rain or tears.

"It was me... I brought you here."

Broken murmurs escaped Mei's throat, her fingernails digging deep holes in her palms. From the moment she took the initiative to seek out Jingye's door, she pushed her trusted companions into an even deeper abyss.

Every time I bowed my head and compromised, every order I was forced to carry out felt like personally stabbing a blade into the chest of a loved one.

Regret gnawed at her heart like a venomous snake, and tears streamed down her face silently. She dared not utter a single sob, for fear of disturbing Jingye and causing Himeko and Kiana even greater harm.

With each swing of Jing Ye's sword, the blood-red shackles bound the three of them tighter and tighter, offering no hope of escape.

Raiden Mei's fingernails dug deeply into her palms, and the blood seeping from under her nails spread dark marks on her pristine white uniform.

She huddled under Jingye's oppressive presence, practicing iaido alongside Himeko and Kiana.

The warmth emanating from the two individuals did not dispel the chill; instead, it made her feel as if she were leaning against a cold metal wall.

The more real the temperature felt, the more she realized the absurdity and desolation of her situation.

She once challenged Jingye, and even though she was easily crushed by his fierce Iaijutsu, her eyes still shone with a burning light.

At that time, she firmly believed that with her unremitting efforts, she would be able to protect the most important person in her life in this chaotic world.

However, the harsh reality is far more cruel than imagined.

At this moment, her heart was experiencing a raging tsunami, and all her beliefs and hopes were teetering on the brink of collapse amidst these towering waves.

The lofty ambitions of the past, under one heavy blow after another, shattered like fragile bubbles.

Reality was like a merciless hammer, shattering all her beautiful fantasies and forcing her to confront this despairing truth.

Himeko's gentle smile and Kiana's carefree cheers of the past now folded and tore apart with the humiliation and cries of the two people in front of her, turning into sharp blades piercing their hearts.

Her fingernails dug deep into the sharkskin wrapped around the hilt of the sword, her knuckles turning a sickly pale blue. The cold metal tsuba (handguard) pressed against her palm, and beads of blood mixed with sweat trickled down the lines of her skin, congealing into dark red pendants at the base of her thumb. Jingye's iaido slash cut through the air with increasing ferocity, the blade hissing like a viper's tongue as it sliced ​​through the air. Himeko's blood-stained white hair and Kiana's tattered skirt billowed simultaneously, tracing a desperate arc in the air.

The sob that escaped her throat was shattered by the wind from the blade. She trembled as she tried to twist the angle of the hilt, but Jing Ye grabbed her wrist with his other hand.

Warm blood splattered on her pale cheeks, mixed with someone's tears, leaving stinging marks on her skin.

Himeko's tactical uniform was ripped open with a gruesome tear, revealing a wound that resembled a blooming red plum blossom.

Kiana's bracers shattered and flew everywhere, sharp shards grazing her ears and leaving fine spiderweb-like cracks on the wall behind her.

The bloodstains on the hilt of the knife became increasingly slippery, and her attempts to stop him only fueled Jing Ye's frenzied attacks.

The splattered blood droplets condensed into a crimson mist under the light, enveloping the three of them.

Seeing his loved ones suffer even more because of his weakness, a bitter, metallic taste rose in his throat, and even digging his nails deep into his palms couldn't dispel the agonizing guilt.

At this moment, she is clearly the executioner who pushes the person she cherishes most into the abyss.

The soft rustling sound of her hands rubbing against the scabbard couldn't mask the violent pounding of her heart.

Inside the medical room, the air seemed to have solidified into lead.

Himeko's figure swayed slightly as she leaned against the corner of the wall. The bullet holes and Honkai Beast claw marks left on the battlefield had miraculously disappeared, replaced by long, thin knife wounds all over her body.

Cold sweat streamed down her pale cheeks, leaving dark stains on the ground. She clutched the newly inflicted wound on her side.

The combat uniform there had been slashed open by Jing Ye's blade, and blood was seeping out from between his fingers. The bandages, still bleeding, were clenched and wrinkled, creating a stark contrast with the smooth, disappeared old wounds.

Kiana was tightly bound by the restraints, her neck veins bulging. Her skin, once burned by the Herrscher's rampage, was now smooth as ever, but a fresh bloodstain ran across her forehead—the mark left by Jing Ye's blade striking her.

His bloodshot eyes were fixed on Jing Ye in the distance, burning with resentful anger.

Raiden Mei stood frozen in place, her empty eyes unfocused, her fingers hanging unconsciously at her sides, curling and relaxing involuntarily.

The three were like puppets whose souls had been ripped out, completely powerless to resist.

The medical pod's overhead light emitted a crackling electrical sound, slicing Jing Ye's shadow on the metal wall into fragmented black pieces.

Himeko's blood-stained combat uniform trembled violently under the invisible pressure, and the dark brown scabs that had congealed on the fabric fell off in a rustling sound, revealing the tender pink skin that was newly formed beneath.