As the poison took hold, the spiders didn't simply vanish into puffs of smoke. They dissolved into a cloud of glowing butterflies, their pixelated forms scattering into the dark oak forest.

Shinobu sheathed her blade, the "64x" resolution of her world making the lingering particles look like a soft, violet mist. "Rest well," she smiled, her eyes as calm as the still water of a nearby lake. "The night is far too beautiful for such ugly sounds."

The spiders hissed, lunging forward. Shinobu didn't swing a heavy broadsword. Her blade was thin, a needle-like rapier crafted from shimmering amethyst and starmetal. With a series of rapid clicks, she struck. She didn't need to break their hearts; she only needed to deliver the sting.