A massive storm of power formed, centered on Ryūra. In an instant, Ryūra, still in human form, underwent a transformation. His body twisted and expanded, morphing into a ferocious cyan dragon dozens of meters long. With a single casual sweep of his tail, an entire hill was smashed into rubble.
The Wind Blade and Thunder Blade he once wielded fused into two razor-sharp fangs within the dragon's maw. As he roared, arcs of lightning and razor winds burst forth, tearing through the air in violent surges.
Having absorbed the divine power of the Shitōshin, the dragon's massive claws shimmered with multicolored divine light, radiant and chaotic, like flickering neon in a storm of destruction. Each step he took detonated the air with deafening sonic booms.
As Miroku, Miyatsu, and the others came within range, the colossal dragon opened its jaws and unleashed a torrent of flames. The nearly white inferno engulfed their position in an instant. Where the flames passed, even solid stone melted into liquid. Verdant trees were reduced to ash in seconds. The once-lush valley was transformed into a raging sea of fire.
Just as the dragon prepared to strike again, a golden arrow shot out from within the flames, piercing straight toward its eye. Ryūra instinctively shut his massive dragon eyes, but a sharp sound rang out.
Pain exploded through him as one of his eyes was struck. The searing agony ignited his fury. Clutching his injured eye shut, Ryūra let out a furious roar and charged straight into the blazing inferno.
Within the fire-shrouded valley, Kikyō and Tsubaki exchanged a brief glance before darting off in opposite directions. As the flames swallowed them, the devices given by Sebastian activated, shielding them completely from harm.
Talismans began to fly into the air in rapid succession. These were newly crafted paper constructs created using rare materials and enhanced with Tsubaki's own abilities. Their power far surpassed anything she had wielded before. In the past, her paper figures had only offered minor support. Now, with help from Sebastian, they had been imbued with terrifying offensive force.
As Ryūra plunged into the valley, he brought his massive claw crashing down without hesitation. At the same moment, a paper construct wrapped in blue light emerged from the smoke and threw a powerful punch.
The two attacks collided, and a violent explosion erupted, distorting even the surrounding air. Both the dragon and the paper construct were forced to step back. Ryūra stared at the figure before him, surprise flashing through his eyes. It had withstood his full force without sustaining damage, something he found almost unbelievable.
But the surprise lasted only a moment. With four divine powers flowing within him, Ryūra's strength was virtually inexhaustible. As long as he willed it, he could fight endlessly without fatigue. Even recognizing that his opponents were far from ordinary, Ryūra felt no fear.
Without hesitation, he lashed his tail and surged forward once more. In a flash, he wrapped himself around the paper construct, jaws snapping as he began to tear into it with savage force.
"A tough one…" The moment Tsubaki emerged from the valley, she saw her paper construct locked in a brutal struggle. Under Ryūra's relentless biting, the barrier surrounding it began to crack and shatter.
As the construct was gradually torn apart, anger and reluctance flickered in Tsubaki's eyes. This was a creation Sebastian had personally helped her craft, something she rarely used except in the most critical moments.
"Burst!" Seeing its head torn clean off, Tsubaki made her decision without hesitation. She severed her connection and triggered its detonation.
The instant her voice fell, the broken construct erupted in a dazzling golden light, then exploded completely. The blast roared like thunder. Everyone within range was momentarily deafened as flames surged skyward, completely engulfing Ryūra.
"What power…" At the edge of the valley, Miroku and Miyatsu were thrown back by the shockwave. Shielding their eyes, they stared at the rising mushroom cloud in stunned silence. They had seen Tsubaki's constructs before but never imagined they possessed such devastating force.
"Everything made by Sensei is on a monster level…" Clutching his rosary, Miroku let out a breath of awe. The beads had been painstakingly obtained from Sebastian and enhanced by him. Without them, he would have been reduced to ash moments ago.
"Is that all?" Amid the flames, Ryūra reappeared in human form. Though his dragon form greatly enhanced his power, it came at the cost of speed and precision. In his human state, he was far more balanced and far more dangerous.
The five opponents had proven more troublesome than he expected. Yet Ryūra walked calmly through the blazing inferno, completely unfazed. A faint, contemptuous smile curled at the corner of his lips. Despite their fierce assault, not a single attack had truly harmed him. Only the golden arrow had managed to wound him, and even that injury had already healed, thanks to the regenerative power granted by Gōra's divine essence.
"Still not moving?" His gaze locked onto Sebastian in the distance, killing intent flashing in his eyes.
From the beginning of the battle until now, Sebastian had not taken a single step. To him, that stillness was nothing short of provocation. Gripping his blade, Ryūra moved.
"The Wind and Thunder Break!" As he stepped forward, his dual blades transformed into a spiraling cyclone of cyan and violet energy. The vortex spun violently, expanding as it surged toward Sebastian.
In mere moments, it grew into a massive tornado stretching hundreds of meters, filled with raging wind and crackling lightning. Its momentum was overwhelming. It felt as though it could destroy the very world.
"Big brother will be okay… right?" Behind Asagi, a child trembled slightly, staring at Sebastian, who now appeared impossibly small before the towering storm.
Earlier, Sebastian had slain Kyōra and Jūra, giving everyone hope for survival. But now, with Ryūra's overwhelming power laid bare, their combined efforts failing to stop him. That fragile hope began to crumble once more.