On a battlefield where flames and fighting spirit intertwined, the violent shockwaves threatened to tear the Infinity Castle below apart.
Three figures, each with a distinctly different yet equally powerful aura, were relentlessly pursuing and tangling with the bare-chested, tattooed blue figure at the center of the battlefield.
Upper Moon Three—Akaza!
"Flame Breathing, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!"
Rengoku Kyojuro roared, his Nichirin Blade transforming into a colossal, incinerating tiger that charged head-on toward Akaza with unstoppable momentum!
This strike contained all of his spirit and will, and the heat of the flames was so intense that it even caused the space of the surrounding Infinity Castle to warp slightly.
"Love Breathing, Fifth Form: Wavering Attachment, Messy Claws!"
Kanroji Mitsuri's pink blade swept in from the side like a blooming storm of cherry blossoms.
Her unique, ribbon-like Nichirin Blade carved out countless peculiar trajectories, each pink arc containing a terrifying, monstrous strength capable of splitting mountains and cracking stone, sealing off all of Akaza's escape routes.
"Serpent Breathing, Sixth Form: Serpentine Gaze Pierce!"
Iguro Obanai's figure appeared like a ghostly, venomous snake from Akaza's blind spot.
His serpentine, curved Nichirin Blade stabbed silently toward the vital point on the back of Akaza's neck. T
he angle was cunning, the timing perfect, carrying a chilling killing intent meant to end it all in one blow!
The combined attack of the three Hashira was a truly fatal strike.
Even for Upper Moon Three, taking it head-on without injury was absolutely impossible.
However, Akaza's face showed not a hint of fear or retreat, only a near-maniacal excitement and joy!
His golden pupils reflected the three figures as the fighting spirit within his body erupted like an ignited volcano!
"Excellent! This is the battle I've longed for!"
He didn't dodge or evade, even opening his arms as if to embrace the deadly assault.
With a ferocious stomp, the ground cracked beneath him! Icy-blue patterns spread out, forming a magnificent ice-flower design.
"Technique Development!"
"Destructive Death: Annihilation Type!"
"Destructive Death, Leg Type: Flowing Light Rush!"
"Destructive Death, Crush Type: Ten Thousand Leaves Flashing Willow!"
In the same instant, he divided his focus three ways.
His right fist launched a devastating shockwave to meet the Flame Tiger, his legs blurred into countless afterimages kicking toward the cherry-blossom storm, and his left arm twisted at a bizarre angle, his elbow smashing like a hammer toward the venomous fang stabbing at him from behind!
Bang! Boom! Clang!
Three distinctly different explosions erupted almost simultaneously!
The Flame Tiger, the pink blade-light, and the chilling serpent shadow violently collided with the blue fighting spirit's fist, leg, and elbow strikes.
A terrifying, ring-shaped shockwave spread wildly in all directions, pulverizing all building debris within a radius of dozens of meters.
The wooden floorboards below were completely ripped up.
Amidst the billowing dust, three figures were sent flying backward.
Rengoku Kyojuro staggered for several steps after landing, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
The flames coiling around his Nichirin Blade had dimmed considerably, and the web of his thumb was completely torn open, staining the hilt red with blood.
Kanroji Mitsuri let out a muffled grunt, her chest heaving and her arms trembling slightly, feeling her blood roil within her.
Iguro Obanai landed silently on a piece of rubble, his already pale face growing even paler.
A tiny chip had actually appeared on his curved Nichirin Blade; the force of that elbow strike had far exceeded his estimation.
Meanwhile, at the center of the battlefield, Akaza was bathed in blood, covered in over a dozen cuts of varying depths.
The wound on his back from Obanai's Serpent Breathing had nearly pierced through his body.
Yet, as if feeling no pain, Akaza let out a deafening laugh.
"Hahahaha! Exhilarating! This is too exhilarating! You three are even stronger than I imagined! Wonderful! It's been a long, long time since I've been this excited! Compared to you, all the Hashira I've killed before were just a bunch of idiots who could only swing their swords wildly. You are excellent!"
As he spoke, the demonic aura around Akaza, far from weakening, began to churn violently like boiling water, stimulated by the battle.
The sword wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The rate of recovery was simply unimaginable.
"This guy!" Kyojuro wiped the blood from his mouth, his gaze fixed gravely on Akaza.
'He's so strong! But Rengoku-san and Iguro-san aren't scared, so I can't be scared either!' Mitsuri endured her injuries, cheering herself on in her heart.
Obanai glanced imperceptibly at Mitsuri before his gaze returned to Akaza, contemplating where to attack next.
"Do you see? Do you feel it? My aura is growing! This is 'growth'! An evolution that transcends limits in battle!" His wounds fully healed, Akaza spread his arms wide, the veins on his forehead writhing like earthworms.
The tattoos on his body seemed to come alive, and his golden pupils radiated an even more dangerous light.
"Come on! Let me see your limits! Then, submit, become demons! Join me in the eternal hall of battle!"
The expressions of the three Hashira became extremely grim.
They could feel that Akaza's aura was indeed more than a notch stronger than when the fight had begun.
This guy was truly a monster who grew stronger the more he fought!
"We can't give him any more chances to breathe and grow!" Rengoku Kyojuro said in a low voice, flames once again rising from his Nichirin Blade, his eyes resolute.
"We must settle this in one blow!"
"Understood! I'll give it my all!" Kanroji Mitsuri took a deep breath, the pink light of her blade condensing once more, her cute and pretty face filled with determination.
"His weak point is his neck, but that blue fighting spirit's predictive defense is extremely strong. I need an opportunity for a single, fatal strike!" Iguro Obanai analyzed calmly, his narrow, mismatched eyes locked onto Akaza.
The three exchanged glances, instantly reaching a tacit understanding. Kyojuro and Mitsuri would lead the attack to create an opportunity for Obanai.
However, just as they unleashed their full power and prepared to launch another assault!
A sudden change occurred.
A heavy, tyrannical, and destructive demonic aura erupted without warning from the shadows of the ruins to the side of the battlefield.
A towering, iron-pagoda-like figure tore through the dust and smoke.
Like a charging war chariot, it savagely crashed into Rengoku Kyojuro, who had the strongest presence and was positioned at the very front.
The figure was too sudden, too fast, and its power was too immense.
Kyojuro's entire focus was locked on Akaza; he never expected such a deadly sneak attack from the side.
"Rengoku-san! Watch out!" Kanroji Mitsuri screamed a warning.
Iguro Obanai's pupils contracted, his Nichirin Blade thrusting out abruptly, but it was too late to rescue him!
Thud!
A sickening, muffled sound!
The fist, covered in a bloody light, solidly smashed into the blade of the Nichirin Sword that Rengoku Kyojuro had hastily raised to block.
Crack!
A piercing snap rang out as Rengoku's Nichirin Blade, which had accompanied him in slaying countless demons, couldn't withstand the savage, unparalleled force and broke in two.
Fragments of the broken blade scattered.
The immense power passed through the broken sword and slammed unreservedly into Kyojuro's chest.
"Pfft!"
Rengoku Kyojuro spat out a mouthful of blood, a heart-stopping cracking sound coming from his sternum.
His entire body was thrown backward like a broken kite, crashing violently through several ruined walls before being buried under a pile of rubble, his condition unknown....
"Rengoku-san!" Kanroji Mitsuri's eyes widened, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing, and in that moment of distraction...
"Destructive Death, Leg Type: Cap-Tip Split!"
Akaza's cold, merciless voice sounded in her ear.
A blue leg-shadow, like the scythe of the God of Death, viciously kicked her in the side before she could react at all.
Mitsuri let out a pained cry, her delicate body sent flying sideways like a broken doll.
She crashed into a stone pillar and slid down limply, blood instantly staining the front of her uniform.
In the span of two seconds, the situation had taken a drastic turn.
The Flame Hashira was severely injured, the Love Hashira was severely injured.
Only Iguro Obanai was left, standing alone against the two demons in front of him who radiated terrifying auras—Akaza, and the imposing figure who had just completed the sneak attack and was slowly turning around.
It was a figure covered in thick, blood-colored battle armor.
"It's him? Wasn't he killed by Shinichi?!" Iguro Obanai recognized the demon before him.
Akaza looked at the newly arrived companion, his brow furrowing noticeably.
"Who told you to interfere? Get lost! This is my fight!"
"Hngh..." The blood-armored martial demon let out an unintelligible sound.
Its golden eyes looked not at Akaza or Obanai, but in an unfamiliar direction.
"My battle... is also here..."
"Am I late? It seems that fellow, pulled a lot of things out of the underworld. No matter, I'll just stuff them all back into the underworld. For instance, you..."
The sound of steady, firm footsteps came from the direction the martial demon was looking.
Amidst the dust and ruins, a tall, straight figure slowly walked out.
"Sorry I'm late, I was held up a bit by an old guy," Shinichi's voice clearly reached Obanai's ears.
"The next battle... count me in!"
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