SHK CH 553: MY NAME IS SETSUNA (Patreon)

[Back to the Present]

Kun Peng stayed paralyzed at the moment when Setsuna used her domain. The only reason he could even think and speak was because of his own speed. They were back to the moment.

He remembered clearly how high and mighty he had been when he came. But now…Was he truly about to lose? Like this? Without even being to show the slightest skill?

He refused this. He rejected this reality. He would not go down without a fight.

‘Kuh~!’

His aura rose as he tried to move forward, even if to take a little step in this world where time itself was frozen.

His fingers started to wriggle a little and he was sure that if he was given more time, just a little more he might have broken free.

Sadly for him, the one controlling time in this place was Setsuna.

『 A Step into the Past :—: Temporal Clones 』[1]

“Ah…”

A sigh of despair leaked from his mouth when he saw two clones appear next to Setsuna.

Kun Peng was no stranger to such a sight. After all, Wukong was also an expert at using the clone technique. But this…This was something different.

All of Wukong’s clones were inherently weaker than him. Furthermore, they even weakened him slightly. The more clones he brought, the weaker they were and the weaker he himself became.

But…

“How?”

He asked in disbelief. Unable to comprehend the sight that was in front of him.

All of Setsuna’s clones…Were as strong as her.

More than that. Setsuna herself did not grow weaker in the slightest.

How could such a thing even be possible?

Was it what it means to be a Blessed?

To be able to break all reasonable rules as they wished simply because they were favored by Destiny?

Setsuna, watching the despair cloud Kun Peng's face, did not bother answering. Once again had clearly told her that only stupid people went into exposition to explain how all their skills worked to their enemies. This was simply asking to be smacked by Fate itself.

The three Setsuna surrounded Kun Peng, all of them raising their swords high in the sky.

Whooomm!!

A vibration-like sound started to spread, followed by the sound of Lightning flashing.

Setsuna's body itself was surrounded by bellowing streams at high temperatures. She had spread the domain as far as she could to cover the entire battlefield and as a result, the time she could keep it open was terribly shortened.

Even so. This was more than enough.

“Kun Peng. Let’s fight once again later once this war ends. This time it will be a true fight. For now though…Please be captured quietly.”

No sooner did she finish her phrase than she swung her sword and released her domain. The release itself of her domain was a powerful attack in a way as the contrasting temperature gave birth to an incredibly powerful attack.

“Don’t die.”

As Setsuna released her domain, Kun Peng was allowed a very small fraction of time of freedom.

His mind moved at lightning speed, giving him the impression that everything was coming far slower than it should be.

He thought and thought again. But he realized that no matter how high his perception was…He was not fast enough.

He could not escape.

Bitter thoughts filled his mind as he realized that he only had one survival route.

He immediately released his human form, light covering his body as he started transforming back into his True form. But even that was not fast enough and he knew that.

Sadly this was the only thing he could do if he wished to not die as Setsuna said.

Boom!!

The world trembled as a loud explosion seemed to cover all directions. Had Setsuna not redirected her might toward the sky, more than half the soldiers on both sides would have been slain or terribly wounded at least.

But none of this happened. All they could do was look high at the beautiful sight of a rose of smoke blooming far from them.

This was followed by the mournful smile of a half-transformed Kun Peng as his body was shredded and wounded so much blood seemed to rain down from the sky.

Many generals and soldiers trembled in fear, be it humans or beastmen. Some even lost control over their blabbers while others felt their legs go weak and fell on the ground unable to speak.

They could not understand.

They were unable to understand.

From their perspective, everything happened in just a flash.

— In just an Instant.

They remembered Setsuna approaching Kun Peng while leaving ice lotus steps behind her as she walked in the sky.

Then they saw the two of them discuss lightly.

When it reached that part, all of them squared up. People were already prepared to create barriers to block the shockwaves from the battle that promised to be an epic fight between two powerful Dukes.

Some others were preparing to launch a sneak attack against the other side by making use of the confusion that was sure to spread.

But…

One moment they were about to fight and the next moment something akin to an explosion of apocalyptic proportions rushed and Kun Peng lost.

Kun Peng indeed lost.

The moment this realization actually reached the brain of all those present, a flurry of movements immediately happened.

“Save the Great Sage!”

“Protect the Fiancee of the Crown Prince!”

Two opposite orders were sent from either side and soldiers fought their horrors to act as they were ordered.

“Stop! Are you crazy!”

The Dukes from either were ready to attack as well but Wratharis was forced to stop when a few of them actually remembered who they were facing.

Even if they wished to act…It was impossible for them to attack Setsuna.

The humans also stopped when they realized that it was actually the beastmen who had to somehow protect themselves from Setsuna rather than the opposite.

This created another awkward situation as the two armies were facing each other while Setsuna stood above.

Neither knew if they should attack or not and what would happen if they did.

“Everyone.”

They all stopped.

Floating there was Sestuna, holding in her hand the bloodied and nearly unconscious body of Kun Peng.

“My name is Setsuna.”

An overwhelming aura started to spread from her body as her form started to change. She slowly became bigger. Her fur covered her full body and soon…What stood in front of them was a giant 10-meter-tall Golden Wolf.

The voice of Setsuna changed, becoming cold, almost guttural. Closer to a growl than anything else.

“Remember my name. Remember this day. Never forget this moment.”

The soldiers of Wratharis trembled.

This appearance.

This power.

This was something they could never forget.

This was an appearance oh so similar to that of their King. Be it current or past.

“My name is Setsuna Ira. Rightful heiress of the throne and Future Queen of Wratharis.”

The weather started to change, dark clouds gathered in the sky and soon, snow started to fall.

“My name is Setsuna Ira. Fiancee of Sol Luxuria and Future Queen of Luxuria.”

Two messages seemed to be contradictory but at the same time full of truth. For those two identities indeed belonged to her.

“By the authority bestowed to me by the goddess and my future husband… I hereby declare a ceasefire. No more fights will be allowed in this place. Put down your weapons. Those who refuse…Will be considered as rebelling against me.”

Silence filled the battlefield.

Soldiers gazed at each other, lost about what to do.

If Setsuna had dared to say such things in the past, they would have simply mocked her while laughing at her face.

But after such a display of power and authority…Their mind was so shaken that they were lost about what to do.

Should they listen to her?

They were still hesitant. Thankfully, this very moment was not just something that was thought of on the fly.

“Soldier of Lustburg. Obey our future Queen. Put down your weapon!”

Athena's youthful voice spread. Her authority while technically lower than that of Setsuna was the tipping point that allowed them to make their choices.

“Soldiers of Wratharis. Obey the Blessed chosen by the goddesses. Put down your weapon!”

A Kitsune who was part of the high-ranked soldiers also shouted on Wratharis' side, causing all the soldiers to look at each other before obeying the order.

None of them wished to fight and die in the first place and now they had an excuse since the order was given by their direct higher up.

Looking down on all this…Setsuna smiled bitterly.

Truly— Her mate was becoming more and more terrifying.

On that day…Peace came unexpectedly on the main battlefield.

No one knew how long it would last but…the name of someone began to spread through the world in the way she wished.

Her name was Setsuna.

The one who lived in the moment.

She was not the eight-year-old girl who fled from her country covered in tears and blood.

She was not the slave who acted as the knight of the prince of Lustburg.

She was Setsuna Ira and she would become a Queen.

(AN: Heh. I feel pretty emotional. Setsuna really came far. I will be honest, when I first wrote her character in CH 5 more than Three years ago, I did not think she would come this far as a character. She has grown both as a warrior and a person and I am happy I was able to write her like this. I do not know what your opinion on Setsuna or this whole arc is. But I hope you liked her development.)