Madara, is Nyanko-sensei's youkai name. Uchiha Ryo once curiously asked about Nyanko-sensei's past.
Although the other party mumbled a few casual words, both Uchiha Ryo and Takashi roughly guessed part of Nyanko-sensei's experience.
Nyanko-sensei claimed that in his prime, he was also a youkai surpassing the Great Youkai level and had already touched the realm of gods.
But fifty years ago, he was sealed into this Maneki-neko body, and it was only recently that he was accidentally rescued by Takashi.
However, only half of the seal was lifted. Although Nyanko-sensei regained his freedom, his youki could not maintain his original form at all times, so he could only continue to use the appearance of this calico Maneki-neko.
Uchiha Ryo quietly watched the two youkai. Nurarihyon and Nyanko-sensei seemed to know each other. It might be better to ask this Nurarihyon about Nyanko-sensei's matters.
Nurarihyon: "Hahaha, you really are something. The Demon Fox Madara back then was actually sealed by humans for so many years, and your strength has become so weak... I told you to join the Nura Clan back then but you wouldn't listen! If you had joined, you wouldn't have so much trouble!"
Nyanko-sensei bristled: "You slippery bastard, what right do you have to talk about me? After having your heart ripped out by Hagoromo Gitsune, your lifespan and strength dropped by more than half, right! Just five or six hundred years and you've aged like this... Does the Nura Clan still have anyone who can fight now?"
Nurarihyon snorted lightly. "This old man is enjoying his retirement in Tokyo, and my grandson is almost grown up enough to inherit the family business. Unlike a certain Madara Fox, not to mention being sealed as a cat, what are you doing now? You haven't become someone else's shikigami, have you?"
Nyanko-sensei frowned. Uchiha Ryo didn't care, but he didn't intend to expose Takashi's matter. After all, Takashi was just an ordinary person, and he didn't want him to get involved with the Nura Clan.
"Hey! Uchiha brat, you guys continue fighting. Hurry up and teach this old man a lesson for me!"
Nyanko-sensei ran to Enyun-chan's side and sat down properly, waiting to watch the show together.
Seeing that the two stopped chatting, Uchiha Ryo took out a kunai from his pocket.
"Supreme Commander of Yokai, shall we continue?"
Nurarihyon also turned his head to continue looking at Uchiha Ryo. "I couldn't ask for more!"
The kunai in his hand slowly rose, and Nurarihyon also raised his short sword.
In an instant, the kunai in Uchiha Ryo's hand had shot out, directly piercing through Nurarihyon's throat.
But in everyone's sight, Nurarihyon dissipated from the spot like a black mist with an ink texture.
Enyun-chan: "How did that guy disappear?"
Nyanko-sensei glanced at Enyun-chan and suddenly laughed and said.
"Right, the cultivation system you and this Uchiha brat practice is not the system we know, so it's normal not to know about youkai's [Fear]."
Enyun-chan: "Fear... what is that?"
Nyanko-sensei said unhurriedly.
In this world, any powerful youkai is born with [Fear], which represents people's fear or awe of them. This is an ability inherent to youkai.
After all, as a youkai, making people feel fear, majesty, or respect is the sense of existence as a youkai.
For example, those youkai born from human belief, once the people who believe in them disappear, the existence of the youkai itself will also disappear.
The principle of Fear is similar. Those youkai who are born to be remembered and feared are Great Youkai like Nurarihyon.
Enyun-chan nodded. "Oh... so the competition between you youkai is a contest of [Fear]? Not a contest of youki?"
Nyanko-sensei rolled his eyes. "Idiot, youki and [Fear] are indispensable. Both are the power of the youkai itself, and both abilities can affect the battle situation."
Enyun-chan: "I understand... (I'd better go back and ask Master.)"
Nyanko-sensei: "Hmph, like Nurarihyon's [Fear], it is Mirror Flower, Water Moon (Kyōka Suigetsu). The body and attacks are both false and seem real, making it impossible to distinguish. Like the moon reflected in water, the truth and falsehood make you unable to react effectively."
Uchiha Ryo stood in the center of the deck. Nurarihyon's attacks and figure seemed like flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water. But in front of the Sharingan that can see through all illusions and truth... it seems useless.
Uchiha Ryo blocked Nurarihyon's first slash and began to ponder Nyanko-sensei's explanation of [Fear] just now.
Youkai's youki and [Fear]... actually can be compared to Haki and Devil Fruit abilities in One Piece.
Youki is the most basic thing for every youkai, all youkai have it, just like Haki.
[Fear] is special. Youkai possessing their own [Fear] is like fruit abilities.
However, there are also differences. For example, Nurarihyon's Fear can be inherited through bloodlines, so this is just a rough explanation.
Nurarihyon's Fear is very strong. If someone encounters it for the first time or cannot see through the reality, standing here might be severely injured by this cunning assassin, Nurarihyon.
But! [Fear] is also like a fruit ability, with the possibility of being countered.
To borrow a sentence from Kaido-sensei, only Haki (one's own hard power) can transcend everything in this world.
However, even if his eyes could capture the opponent's figure, Uchiha Ryo didn't guarantee that his body could keep up with the youkai's speed.
Nurarihyon flashed in mid-air in front of Uchiha Ryo, the blade flashing, slashing mercilessly at the boy's neck. Meikyō Shisui · Slash!
Solely in terms of speed and combat experience, Uchiha Ryo indeed could not match this Great Youkai who had lived for hundreds of years.
But facing the killer move about to hit, Uchiha Ryo snorted coldly and stood there without dodging.
Amidst splashing blood, deep bone-visible wounds were simultaneously cut on Nurarihyon's chest and thigh.
How is it possible? Why was it me who got hit just now? A look of horror suddenly appeared on Nurarihyon's face, not because of the two wounds cut on him, but because of the black skeletal frame wrapped around Uchiha Ryo.
And... chakra arms extending from both sides of the frame, with an ink-colored long sword on each arm.
Since the youkai's speed is something the human body can't catch up with, then just prepare full-body defense and counterattack the moment the opponent attacks, isn't that fine? After all, this was the Shinomiya family's cruise ship. Uchiha Ryo didn't use area-of-effect ninjutsu but adopted close-quarters combat. Otherwise, this ship would probably sink directly with just one Fire Release.
The second round of battle was about to begin. Nurarihyon looked at the black skeleton frame enveloping Uchiha Ryo's whole body, but smiled and sheathed his short sword.
"Yah, this old man really can't do it anymore. I'm sorry I couldn't make you go all out."
Uchiha Ryo did not withdraw Susanoo but said with some surprise.
"Mr. Nura, no need to be polite. It's my first time seeing someone use an ordinary weapon to cut open Susanoo."
Unlike a certain idiot who stabbed Susanoo with a kunai, just now Nurarihyon's slash cut a gap even though Uchiha Ryo released Susanoo instantly.
Although the gap was less than half a meter and Uchiha Ryo's pupil power would restore it in a short time, this old slippery ghost might not have used his full strength either.
But... so what if he didn't use full strength! If you can cut open half a meter or even a meter of Susanoo, then what about ten meters or a hundred meters!
Uchiha Ryo withdrew the black skeletal frame. "Since the spar is over, please tell me the information and location of Isobu, Mr. Nura."