Chapter 457: Come, Let's Act!
Jin scowled as Keshia's attacks rained down on him. The fight had dragged on far too long for his liking.
He wasn't interested in her—his focus was on Ryuunosuke. Instead of wasting time trading blows with Keshia, he'd rather find a way to slip past her and face the one opponent who could actually excite him.
Keshia's eyes narrowed, her stance tightening as she blocked his next strike. "Why are you really here, Evictor? What's your purpose?"
Jin deflected another flash of light, his lips curling into a mocking grin. "Purpose? Don't tell me this is coming from a Guardian."
Keshia's expression hardened. "So you know who I am."
"Guardian?" Jin repeated, his tone dripping with derision. "Don't make me laugh. You people love to pretend you're protectors of the world, but all you're really doing is hiding your selfishness behind fancy ideals. Protection? Please." He spat to the side, his voice turning sharp as steel. "You're just another cog in the same rotten machine.".
"Enough talk!" Keshia's eyes flashed. "If that's what you think, then you can stay here forever!"
Dozens of radiant blades formed around her in a halo of light, shooting toward Jin like divine spears. At the same time, a massive weapon materialized in her hand—a colossal hammer wrapped in runes of ancient design, glowing with holy power.
Jin raised an eyebrow. "Golth's Hammer? Hah, so you've managed to awaken it." He grinned. "But a fake is still a fake. You can control its body, but not its soul."
Sliding a pair of gloves over his hands, Jin disappeared in a flash of gold.
"Boom!"
A thunderous shockwave erupted as Jin's fist collided with Keshia's hammer, shaking the sea and sky. Waves exploded outward, towering higher than ships.
"Kun, back off a little!"
The voice came from above. Shirahoshi, perched safely atop Kun's massive head, shouted orders while gripping the creature's scales.
That's right—Shirahoshi had been traveling with them, though she had stayed hidden in Kun's mouth until now. As the Sea King Princess, she was the only one who could command the creature perfectly.
If danger arose, she could flee through the ocean depths faster than anyone could follow. That was also why Ryuunosuke allowed her to accompany them.
Akame and Kuina couldn't communicate with Kun—but Shirahoshi could.
…
Meanwhile, high above the raging sea, Ryuunosuke and Feng Yue clashed in a blur of steel and wind.
"Feng Yue," Ryuunosuke said calmly as their blades sparked together, "how about we just pretend to fight? There's no killing intent behind your strikes."
Feng Yue frowned. "Pretend? You think this is a game?"
"As a swordsman," Ryuunosuke continued, smirking slightly, "I have no desire to kill someone I respect. Fighting for the sake of appearances will do just fine. Let's put on a good show, shall we?"
"You—!" Feng Yue's composure wavered. "Ryuunosuke, what are you planning? Why attack me out of nowhere? And why are you with Keshia of all people? Do you two have some kind of pact?"
Three questions in a row, each sharper than the last.
Ryuunosuke laughed. "You're overthinking it. I didn't plan any of this. Keshia was heading toward Krulu Busulud, and I happened to be going the same way. We teamed up, simple as that. As for attacking you—well, I didn't want to deal with that idiot partner of yours. He doesn't know when to quit."
Even as he spoke, his sword moved with precision, clashing against Feng Yue's dual blades in bursts of light.
"I'd rather fight someone who can talk while swinging their sword."
"Talk while fighting…?" Feng Yue's brows furrowed. "You really are a strange one."
Ryuunosuke chuckled. "You're only realizing that now?"
He kept up the rhythm of the duel—each strike deliberate, each parry just short of lethal. It wasn't a real battle; it was theater.
After all, Keshia was still nearby. If she realized Ryuunosuke was cooperating with Feng Yue instead of fighting him, things could get complicated.
Feng Yue understood this too. The more they clashed, the more his initial confusion turned into intrigue.
"So… she hasn't told you the truth about the Guardians, has she?" he asked between strikes. "You don't intend to join them?"
Ryuunosuke smiled faintly. "Not particularly. But if you want to tell me about them, I'm all ears. I've been curious for a while now."
His tone was calm, but his eyes were sharp. He wanted answers—about the Guardians, about the Evictors, about the strange powers that both sides possessed.
According to Garp, Feng Yue had once been regarded as a legend—someone far older and more dangerous than his youthful appearance suggested.
Could it be that he, too, was connected to that ancient power?
Feng Yue hesitated. "Now's hardly the time for a history lesson. Even Jin would notice if we started talking mid-fight."
He paused, glancing at the flashes of golden light in the distance. "And Keshia's not stupid. If she catches on, this entire act will fall apart."
"This is easy to handle," Ryuunosuke said, lowering his blade slightly. "Don't resist."
"What are you—"
"Twilight Veil."
A pulse of energy radiated outward from Ryuunosuke's hand. The world shimmered for an instant, then fell eerily still. The battlefield was cloaked in a translucent dome of twilight.
Feng Yue blinked, feeling the shift immediately. He could still sense Jin and Keshia's battle, the clash of power echoing faintly through the barrier—but from the outside, their own fight had vanished completely.
"This…" he whispered, eyes widening. "What kind of ability is this?"
"Relax," Ryuunosuke said casually. "From inside, you can see and sense everything. But from the outside, we're invisible. Think of it as… selective perception."
He smirked. "The Twilight Veil isn't just for show."
Without missing a beat, he reached into his system space and pulled out two chairs. Tossing one toward Feng Yue, he sat down as if nothing in the world were wrong.
Feng Yue stared blankly, the sword still in his hand. "You're serious?"
Ryuunosuke gestured toward the seat. "Might as well get comfortable. We can talk properly now."
The absurdity of the situation left Feng Yue speechless. A moment ago, they had been locked in what looked like a world-shattering duel—and now Ryuunosuke was offering him a chair inside a magic barrier like it was tea time.
"…You really are something else," Feng Yue muttered, sitting down reluctantly.
"Thanks," Ryuunosuke said with a grin. "I get that a lot."
As he leaned back, watching the faint ripples of their barrier shimmer in the air, Feng Yue couldn't help but reevaluate everything he thought he knew about him.
When he'd first heard of Ryuunosuke, he had dismissed him as another overconfident upstart—strong, yes, but still green. Someone who didn't understand the weight of the world.
But seeing him now—so composed, cunning, and effortlessly unpredictable—Feng Yue began to realize something unsettling.
Ryuunosuke wasn't just strong. He was dangerous.
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