Strength, speed, and reaction time, all improved by 30%.
Although not enough to bridge the gap with the Kamaitachi, at least—
it was enough for him to block a few more blades.
"Come on."
Kobe Hikaru said.
There was no fear in his eyes.
Only fighting spirit.
In that moment, [Sharp Body Transformation], [Sharp Eye Transformation], [Archer Transformation], [Spear-Waist Transformation], [Shield Bone Transformation].
[Blood Transformation].
Six Transformations added to his body.
Demonic Qi surged—
Oni Aura, spreading!
Then,
with a crunching sound, the armor covering Kobe Hikaru expanded as if it had suddenly grown, becoming larger, thicker, and heavier.
The armor was jagged, protruding on all sides, with a crimson Oni mask and pale hair rising up, making him look like an Asura.
Like a god, and even more like a demon!
This is...
"To think you could possess Oni Aura of this quality—!?"
The Kamaitachi's hollow voice revealed surprise for the first time.
Volume 1: Chapter 26 Oni Aura, the disadvantage? Kobe Hikaru's call
Oni Aura is a branch of Demonic Qi.
There are many kinds of turbid energy between heaven and earth.
There is Beast Aura formed after beasts absorb it, cold and fierce; there is Wood Aura formed after plants absorb it, deep and heavy; and there is Weapon Aura formed after objects absorb it, sharp and condensed, carrying obsession.
And Oni Aura is a special existence produced after the resentment of the dead combines with Demonic Qi.
It possesses both the turbidity of Demonic Qi and the coldness of the undead, and it also carries the lingering obsessions and will of humans.
This kind of aura is rare among demons.
Because the resentment of most dead people is too weak to merge with Demonic Qi, and will only dissipate between heaven and earth.
Only those warriors who were highly skilled in martial arts during their lifetime and had deep obsessions after death have the possibility of becoming an Oni Samurai.
And Kobe Hikaru's Oni Aura is even more special.
As mentioned before,
the transformations of ordinary demons, even those of Oni Samurai, are all achieved by absorbing Demonic Qi from heaven and earth.
And the so-called Demonic Qi is essentially a mixture of the resentment of countless living beings, countless decaying auras, and countless filthy factors; it is the sinking side opposite to the spiritual energy generated by nature.
Even demons themselves cannot fully utilize such turbid energy freely.
It is like kneading dough with muddy water; the resulting dough will always contain impurities.
But Kobe Hikaru is different.
Every one of his transformations is completed by conquering weapons and integrating the weapons' abilities into himself.
Although those weapons were also tainted with Demonic Qi, after being transformed by the favorability system, they became much purer.
It is dough made with distilled water; clean, firm, and without impurities.
Therefore—
At this moment, when Kobe Hikaru exploded with full power, the Oni Aura surging from his body was actually denser than the Qualitative Transformation level Demonic Qi of the Kamaitachi.
Even more solid.
Even sharper.
For a moment.
Although his Demonic Qi and Oni Aura were far inferior in quantity to the Kamaitachi before him, he could even achieve the feat of breaking through the constraints and suppression of the Kamaitachi's wind!
"Awoo!"
The Kamaitachi let out a confused hiss.
It felt the oppression of that Oni Aura, a feeling it had never experienced before.
A lower-level demon could actually make it feel threatened?
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
In the Kamaitachi's hollow eye sockets, the airflow began to rotate faster.
It no longer tested him.
"Since that's the case—"
Its voice was like a howling gale.
"Then let me see where your limit is."
The Kamaitachi opened its mouth, and gray-white airflow spewed out from the depths of its throat.
It did not look like wind, but rather like blades condensed to the extreme.
It was countless wind blades as thin as hair, woven into an airtight net, covering Kobe Hikaru.
This was also the characteristic displayed by a high-level demon at the 'Qualitative Transformation' level.
It was the extreme compression of the quality of wind!
Wherever it passed, even hard rock would be cut into powder.
Kobe Hikaru's pupils contracted.
He could see those wind blades.
Through the blood mist scattered in the air by [Resonance with Blood], he could clearly see the trajectory of every wind blade.
But seeing them did not mean he could dodge them.
Those wind blades were too dense.
So dense that there were almost no gaps.
He raised his sword to block.
Oni Aura erupted, condensing into a black protective shield on the blade.
Clang, clang, clang, clang—the sound of metal clashing connected into one.
Those wind blades constantly struck the protective shield, and each strike made the shield thinner.
Kobe Hikaru kept retreating.
Blue bricks shattered, leaving two deep grooves.
But he still blocked it.
In the Kamaitachi's eye sockets, the airflow rotated faster.
"Interesting."
It said.
Then, its body began to change.
That three-zhang tall body was shrinking.
But Kobe Hikaru knew it wasn't really shrinking.
It was condensing, the core ability of a Qualitative Transformation demon—Density Manipulation.
Compressing the originally dispersed mass into a smaller volume.
The volume became smaller, but the weight did not change.
Only the speed would become faster, and the power would become stronger!
The attacks would be sharper.
This was the terrifying part of a Qualitative Transformation demon.
They could change their form at will, switching freely between speed and power.
The Kamaitachi's body shrank from three zhang to one zhang.
Then—it disappeared.
It was not invisibility, just that the movement speed was too fast.
So fast that the naked eye could not capture it.
Kobe Hikaru's [Sharp Eye Transformation] operated crazily, coordinating with [Blood Transformation], trying his best to capture the afterimage in the air.
Left!
He blocked horizontally.
"Clang—"
A huge force came, and his body flew to the right, hitting a corridor pillar.
Before he could stand firm, the sound of breaking air came from behind again.
He lunged forward, narrowly dodging that strike.
The pillar behind him was cut in half.
Too fast.
Even if he could see it, he couldn't react in time.
Not to mention that this Kamaitachi seemed to still be hiding its strength.
The gap between Qualitative Transformation and Physical Transformation was indeed not so easy to bridge.
Even if his Oni Aura was pure, he was only at the perfection of Physical Transformation.
The Kamaitachi's attacks were getting faster and faster, and Kobe Hikaru could no longer block them completely.
A wind blade grazed his arm, leaving a wound deep enough to see the bone.
Another one grazed his thigh, and blood gushed out.
Fortunately.
[Bloodthirsty Immortality] began to take effect, and the wounds were slowly healing.
Even if the speed of healing could not keep up with the speed of injury.
He could still hold on!
Kobe Hikaru was forced into a corner.
Behind him was Kikyo, who was suppressing Magatsuhi with all her might.
He could not retreat, nor could he retreat.
"Is this your limit?"
The Kamaitachi's voice carried mockery: "I thought you could bring me more surprises, little devil!"
Its body condensed again, but it had shrunk from one zhang to half a zhang.
This meant that its next attack would double in both speed and power.
Kobe Hikaru would most likely not be able to take it.
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