Episode 21: “A Vessel Breaking”
Souma and Touka are defeated by Konbaku inside the gymnasium.
Both of them suffer fatal injuries, and Konbaku moves in to finish them off.
However, Touka transforms into something no longer human—and begins a deadly battle against Konbaku.
Touka’s poison reaches even the soul. It is effective against Konbaku.
But Konbaku gradually begins to neutralize it.
“Fun! I’m starting to get addicted to this! Come on, keep injecting more poison!”
“Even better than that wind swordsman earlier…! Show me more of that beautiful technique!”
Konbaku laughs like a demon, fully enjoying the fight.
Meanwhile, Touka suffers within her mental world.
The more her wounds are stitched, the more her mind is worn down.
Overwhelmed by the damage, Touka lets out a scream.
At that moment, Kei and Shikanosuke return after defeating Konbaku’s clone outside.
Shikanosuke panics at the sight of Touka’s monstrous form.
But Kei reacts differently.
The description of his lover Momoka’s killer matches Touka’s transformed appearance perfectly.
“…You… I will never forgive you!”
Kei shouts and charges at Touka with his blade.
His sword pierces her—but her overwhelming presence sends him flying.
The difference in strength crushes him.
No matter how much he tried, there were limits he could never reach.
Despair consumes him.
Shikanosuke tries to stop him—
but is suddenly blown away by a blue burst of energy from the man with glasses, unable to move.
Meanwhile, Konbaku interrupts Touka as she attempts to finish Kei.
She knocks Touka away and heals Kei instead.
“…Konbaku! What are you trying to do?!”
“Why so angry? I just fixed you up.
You want revenge, right?
—Go on. Do whatever you want.”
“…I don’t care what your goal is.
I’ll take my revenge. That’s all.”
Kei grips his sword once more.
Souma, however, can do nothing but watch.
Once again, he becomes “the boy who cannot fight.”
With a heavy, echoing step—
Touka slowly approaches Kei.
(From the start… full power… push everything into it…!)
Kei grips his sword tightly.
“Gale… Iai Slash!”
His blade cuts through the air like a beast, sparks flying—
his strongest attack, a strike fueled by his life itself.
Dust fills the air.
“…Did it work?”
—But it doesn’t reach Touka at all.
“…Damn it… what do I do…?!”
At that moment, Konbaku appears again.
“You seem troubled, Himuro Kei.”
“Don’t talk to me right now!”
“Don’t be like that~ It’s lonely, you know?
By the way… was that your strongest attack?
If so… isn’t that kind of weak?”
Kei snaps back in anger.
“Shut up! You don’t know anything! Stay out of this!”
Konbaku simply shrugs it off.
“Don’t spit while you’re yelling. It’s dirty.”
Meanwhile, Touka closes in.
“So, Kei. What are you going to do?”
Her blade swings toward him.
(Shit… defend…!)
He blocks—but his sword shatters.
Her blade moves toward his neck.
“…Ah…”
He is certain of his death.
—but Touka’s arm is suddenly blown away.
Konbaku did it.
“Hey, I said don’t kill him yet.
If he dies now, it won’t be interesting.”
Touka moves to retrieve her arm to stitch it back.
In that moment, Konbaku speaks again.
“I’ve been watching.
Honestly, you can’t win against that thing as you are.”
“…Shut up!”
“Calm down. I’m offering to help you.”
“…Help?”
“My technique—Soul Alteration.
It rewrites the soul.
I carve away parts of it and insert another blade.
The stronger you become… the more you break.”
“…Is that true?”
“Yes. But it’s not limitless.
The more I strengthen you, the greater the risk.
Too much, and you might die.”
“…Then why don’t you defeat it yourself?”
Konbaku laughs.
“No thanks. That wouldn’t be fun.”
“…What?”
“Weak people are cute.
Watching them struggle desperately—
that’s what makes them beautiful.”
Kei realizes—this being cannot be reasoned with.
There is only one choice left.
“…Fine. Do it.
Rewrite my soul.”
Konbaku smiles.
“Good.
The stronger you become, the more beautifully you’ll break.
—Soul Alteration.”
Power surges through Kei.
(What is this…? My energy… it’s increasing…!)
He attacks Touka.
“Winter Wind—Sever!”
The strike is far stronger than before—
but Touka continues advancing, stitching her wounds as she moves.
Her fist strikes Kei.
A burst of orange energy explodes.
(…Damn it… everyone else… they’re all surpassing me…)
At nineteen, Kei still cannot achieve the technique known as “Gourin.”
It has always been his weakness.
“…Then make me stronger…!”
“That’s not possible anymore.
Your vessel is already cracking.”
“…Then what am I supposed to do?!”
At that moment—
a voice speaks from behind.
“Can’t you use Gourin?”
Kei turns.
The man with glasses—Yakushiin.
“…You… when did you get behind me…?”
“I’ll help you. Here.”
He produces something unnatural.
“This is an S-rank artifact—
‘Thirteen Soul Mochi.’”
“…S-rank…?!”
“It contains the compressed souls of thirteen S-rank sorcerers.
Eat it, and their knowledge and skills become yours.”
“…Will I become something else…?”
“I can’t guarantee you won’t.”
Kei hesitates.
(Revenge… or remaining human…?)
Touka approaches.
Time runs out.
“Souma… wake up…!”
But Souma cannot move.
Then—
he hears Momoka’s voice.
“Kei… destroy everything.”
“…Got it.”
He swallows it.
At once—
thirteen voices flood his mind.
His consciousness shatters—
until one voice remains.
“…Tch. What a terrible awakening.”
Kei stands.
But—
that is no longer Kei.
(…That’s not him…)
Souma realizes.
Only a red presence remains—
filling the gymnasium.
