Chapter 450: A Chinese Ghost Story: The Nine-Headed Ghost Maiden
"So it really was a trap!"
Smoker reacted first, flames erupting from his back and forming two fiery poison dragons that lashed out like arms toward the grotesque ghostly amalgamation.
The female ghost smirked with disdain and raised an arm.
The severed head in her grip lifted, its eyes wide with crimson tears streaming down its cheeks, forming a ghastly blood shield with a demonic face.
At its center, the shield bore the same features as the head it originated from.
Its cherry-red lips opened wide, peeling back the scalp, and swallowed the incoming flame-poison dragon in one bite.
It ignored the poison and fire, chewing silently and without emotion.
Then—
"Watch out!"
Garp sensed danger. His martial instincts screamed.
He stepped forward in two strides, placing himself in front of the team, bracing his legs and planting his stance before launching a punch.
A shockwave rippled outward.
White air currents twisted violently around his fist, as if space itself had fractured.
What met his strike… was the very same flame-poison dragon that had been consumed.
Its burning red maw clashed with his iron fist, unleashing sonic booms that shattered the air.
Circular shockwaves spread across the entire dead-leaf forest.
"That's your move, Smoker. It came back completely. The power's terrifying!"
Garp stumbled back two steps before stabilizing. His expression darkened.
His lowered fists were blistered red from fire and poison, the skin peeling and cracking.
Luckily, he had consumed the Tree Demon King's heartwood earlier—its boost to his energy resistance had kept the poison from invading his muscles and bones.
"She fully reflected my poison dragon?"
Smoker was shaken.
He had struck swiftly, and the dragon's power hadn't diminished in the slightest—it could've pierced even the Tree Demon King's ironwood hide.
"Akainu, Kizaru—hit her together!"
Smoker furrowed his brow as the ghost maiden smiled sweetly, her expression unchanging, as if her energy was limitless.
"Watch your tone, Smoker."
Sakazuki didn't like being ordered. Back when he was called Admiral Akainu, Smoker was just a low-ranking officer in the weakest sea—East Blue.
Even now, as equals, he still held on to a sense of superiority.
"Understood."
Kizaru was as lazy as ever, but his battle instincts were sharp. In a flash, he understood Smoker's intent.
A golden light shimmered, covering his body like armor.
A radiant golden spear appeared in his hand, blazing like a mythical weapon.
Buzz.
A beam of light shot forth, and Kizaru vanished—reappearing behind the nine-headed ghost.
Earth Dragon – Demon-Sealing Strike!
A golden spear erupted from the ground like a towering spire, pinning the ghost to its peak.
Golden chains slithered out like serpents, wrapping around her layer by layer.
The ghost's raised head twitched as the blood shield expanded downward.
In just one second, it swallowed Kizaru's spear tip whole.
BOOM!
As the blood shield slammed into the ground, the earth quaked violently.
Just like before, the devoured spear was now tainted red and launched toward the others.
"Flame Demon's Wrath!"
Akainu charged in, his entire body engulfed in lava, becoming a torrent of hellfire that clashed with the reflected golden spear and shattered it.
His arm transformed into a Flame Demon's claw, covered in glowing molten scales.
He grabbed the ghost's raised arm—
And, like cracking a crab leg, bent it backward at the joint.
Crack.
The ghost flinched, then swiftly adjusted her posture. Two more arms extended from her ribs.
Shriek!
Each severed head opened its mouth, unleashing a soundless scream.
Though Akainu heard nothing, he could feel the air pulsing. Wave after wave of piercing force slammed into his mind.
His vision blurred, blood streamed from his nose.
It felt like his brain had turned to tofu, being sliced by countless invisible blades.
In that dazed moment—
The ghost slipped from his grasp and floated backward.
"Die!"
Smoker's body twisted, his fire-poison dragons coiling and compressing until they condensed into a palm-sized flame dragon.
With a punch, he drove the mini-dragon straight into the ghost's skull.
It passed through like a hot knife through butter, splitting her in two.
"Did that kill her?"
"Just as I thought—the blood shield can only block one skill at a time."
Watching the ghost's body melt into scorched sludge, Smoker exhaled a stream of fiery, poisonous gas.
Hee hee hee…
The eerie laughter echoed again.
From the sludge emerged a beautiful female head, eyes tightly shut.
Then—suddenly—they opened.
Her pupils were pitch black, like twin rifts in space, emitting a terrifying suction force.
"Crap!"
All five players felt a chill in their shoulders as a gelatinous spiritual essence was pulled from their bodies, drawn toward the ghost's eyes.
Crunch.
The ghost's head chomped down, devouring the soul matter with audible bites.
Her burned body rapidly regenerated, reshaping like a clay doll being remolded.
Hee hee hee… Give you one last chance. Whoever throws their Ghost Tree Hearts into the peach tree, I'll let you live.
The floating ghost resembled a white spider with outstretched limbs.
Nine severed heads hung like lanterns—each one beautiful, yet twisted in horror.
Whoosh.
Kizaru became a streak of golden light, circling the ghost rapidly, forming a glowing cage.
A weaker player trapped in this pocket dimension might've surrendered just to survive.
But these were Samsara Game veterans. Even if they died, they could revive through the Yomi Road.
To surrender to a gold-tier ghost? That would be disgraceful.
"Flame Demon Volley!"
Akainu raised his arms, summoning a summoning circle the size of a millstone between his palms.
Miniature Flame Demons shot forth like musket fire.
Blood Mirror!
The ghost laughed again, summoning her blood shield once more to reflect the barrage.
At that moment—
Orochimaru, who had been silent and missing, reappeared behind her.
A coffin brimming with black mist burst open.
A serpent tail etched with black curse sigils emerged, coiling like a hangman's noose around her neck.
Pull.
The nine-headed ghost was yanked into the coffin, letting out piercing shrieks and deathly howls.
Five seconds later, the coffin cracked open.
She floated out in disarray—four of her nine heads missing, black curse smoke lingering at the severed ends.
"I'll leave the rest to you..."
Orochimaru's lips were stained crimson, his face unnaturally pale as he lovingly caressed the damaged coffin.
It was a gold-tier item with spatial attributes. He hadn't expected it to be unable to contain her.
"Even if it was a sneak attack… cutting off four of her heads alone?"
Even Akainu, who despised Orochimaru, couldn't help but admire his power.
"Kill!"
Garp gave her no time to recover. He charged with a raised fist.
But the ghost dodged swiftly. In her soul form, her speed was overwhelming.
"Cut down the peach tree—see if she can still dodge."
Akainu turned toward the massive peach tree that looked like a bloody arm.
If Ning Laoye's plan was to restore the tree, destroying it might disrupt him.
The five players exchanged glances and nodded.
As the ghost floated away, her expression twisted in panic.
She raised several arms, and her five remaining heads opened their eyes.
"STOP!"
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