Under Enmu's cover, Rokuro's severed head had already regenerated.
Fully aware of his own limits, he did not foolishly challenge opponents beyond his capabilities. Instead, he threw himself back into the endless tide of Manjushiro creatures, slaughtering them wherever he went.
Meanwhile, the battlefield had been completely divided.
Each Upper Moon had found an opponent worthy of their attention.
Gyokko stared at the centipede-like Manjushiro standing before him.
Its lower body resembled a massive centipede, while its upper torso retained a disturbingly human appearance.
The sight made his face twist with disgust.
"How grotesque."
Gyokko narrowed his eyes.
"How dare such an ugly creature stand before me, the great Gyokko?"
Despite his arrogance, he was not careless.
This opponent was genuinely dangerous.
Moments earlier, it had appeared without warning and nearly bitten his head clean off.
While decapitation would not kill him, injuries to the head took significantly longer to regenerate than ordinary wounds.
More importantly, the Manjushiro possessed the troublesome ability to suppress demonic regeneration.
Even Gyokko could not ignore that threat.
For perhaps the first time since the battle began, he grew serious.
The centipede creature suddenly disappeared.
A blur flashed through the darkness.
Its enormous tail lashed out like lightning.
Gyokko barely reacted in time.
Using pure instinct, he vanished into one of his pots.
BOOM!
The pot he had occupied shattered instantly beneath the creature's strike.
Fragments scattered across the battlefield.
For a brief moment, Gyokko felt a chill crawl down his spine.
Then his expression darkened.
Rage consumed him.
"My pot!"
Veins bulged across his forehead.
"You dare destroy my artwork?!"
The centipede creature laughed mockingly.
"My name is Kokori."
Its eyes gleamed with amusement.
"And you're just an asymmetrical pot with delusions of grandeur."
Silence followed.
Then Gyokko's face twisted completely.
His pride had suffered an unforgivable wound.
"Die!"
He raised his hand.
Blood Demon Art: Thousand Needle Fish Kill!
The large goldfish beside him immediately opened its mouth.
Thousands of poisonous needles erupted outward like a storm.
Every needle carried a potent toxin capable of paralyzing muscles and disrupting movement.
Once the poison took hold, the victim would become helpless prey.
However, Kokori was no ordinary opponent.
Numerous tendrils erupted from his body.
The writhing appendages swept through the air, knocking away the poisonous barrage before it could reach him.
Then his expression changed.
Gyokko had vanished.
Blood Demon Art: Octopus Vase Hell!
Without warning, Gyokko emerged from a nearby pot.
A gigantic demonic octopus erupted from the ground.
Its tentacles wrapped around Kokori's body from every direction.
The Manjushiro creature had never encountered such a bizarre form of attack.
At first, he attempted to tear through the tentacles using brute strength.
Yet the more he struggled, the tighter the constriction became.
His movements slowed.
For the first time, Gyokko gained the advantage.
Elsewhere, Hantengu's original body was experiencing a very different battle.
"Terrifying…"
"So terrifying…"
The tiny, frail demon crawled desperately across the battlefield.
Several Manjushiro creatures had already identified him as the weakest target.
Dozens swarmed after him.
Before Hantengu could flee, a giant scorpion-like Manjushiro lunged forward.
Its massive claw snapped shut.
CRACK!
Hantengu's head flew from his shoulders.
The surrounding creatures immediately pounced.
They climbed over his body and severed head, attempting to devour him.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!"
"That hurts!"
The moment those words escaped his mouth, everything changed.
The emaciated body began to split apart.
The severed head and body each produced new forms.
From them emerged two powerful clones.
Sekido.
Karaku.
The manifestations of anger and pleasure.
The surrounding Manjushiro hesitated.
Then they charged.
Sekido's expression darkened.
He raised his khakkhara staff.
Crackling lightning gathered around its rings.
Blood Demon Art: Thunderclap and Flashing Lightning!
A massive bolt of lightning descended.
The battlefield exploded.
Several Manjushiro creatures were instantly reduced to charred remains.
The survivors continued rushing forward without fear.
Karaku merely smiled.
Raising his enormous uchiwa fan, he swung it downward.
Blood Demon Art: Great Hurricane!
A devastating blast of compressed wind erupted.
The charging horde was crushed instantly.
Bodies exploded into clouds of blood and shattered flesh.
"Wonderful!"
Karaku laughed happily.
Unfortunately, his celebration lasted only a moment.
A blur flashed past.
His head suddenly separated from his shoulders.
At the same time, Sekido's body was sliced apart.
The two clones were annihilated almost instantly.
Watching this scene, Kokori turned toward Gyokko.
"So that's why you tried to lure me here."
His voice carried obvious disdain.
"You wanted your allies to attack me."
"As expected of a demon."
Gyokko merely snorted.
"Idiot."
Kokori frowned.
Then he sensed something.
A chilling presence emerged behind him.
He turned around.
Four pairs of crimson eyes stared back.
The severed clones had already regenerated.
Not only that
Additional emotions had emerged.
Aizetsu.
Urogi.
Sekido.
Karaku.
All four stood behind him.
CRACK.
The sound of lightning echoed.
Before Kokori could react
The assault began.
Karaku swung his fan.
Blood Demon Art: Great Hurricane!
Sekido raised his staff.
Blood Demon Art: Lightning Strike!
Aizetsu thrust forward with his spear.
Blood Demon Art: Piercing Sorrow!
Urogi unleashed a deafening sonic scream.
Blood Demon Art: Resonant Cry!
The combined assault struck Kokori head-on.
The battlefield exploded.
His body was torn apart into countless fragments.
For a moment, it seemed victory had been achieved.
Even Gyokko smirked.
"Serves you right."
Yet before he could celebrate
The flesh began moving.
Countless wriggling fragments reassembled themselves.
Kokori regenerated.
Though heavily injured, he was still alive.
Sekido clicked his tongue.
"You're persistent."
He raised his staff once more.
"If killing you isn't enough…"
"Then we'll consume you."
Lightning crackled again.
Kokori immediately lunged forward.
His speed exploded.
In an instant, he crossed the distance between them.
Yet someone moved even faster.
Gyokko emerged.
The pot surrounding his body shattered.
He had entered his true form.
His scaled body glistened beneath the moonlight.
He appeared directly beside Sekido.
Not to save him.
But to exploit Kokori's opening.
Gyokko's hands possessed terrifying power.
Anything they touched could be transformed into fish.
Realizing the danger, Kokori abruptly changed direction.
He seized a nearby Manjushiro and threw it forward.
The creature touched Gyokko's hand.
Instantly
Its body transformed into a pile of grotesque fish.
Kokori narrowed his eyes.
He finally understood Gyokko's ability.
"Then die."
His body suddenly split apart.
Four massive centipede bodies emerged from his back.
Their jaws opened wide.
Countless limbs writhed violently.
The transformation continued.
His entire body divided.
Five gigantic centipedes surged across the battlefield.
They charged directly toward Gyokko and Hantengu's clones.
Gyokko sneered.
"Pathetic."
Blood Demon Art: Ten Thousand Gliding Slime Fish!
An enormous school of grotesque fish burst forth.
The battlefield became a sea of ravenous monsters.
The centipedes crashed into them.
Flesh tore apart.
Blood splattered everywhere.
Kokori moved swiftly between the attacks.
To him, the fish were just as disgusting as their creator.
Then
Pain exploded throughout his body.
Thousands of poisonous needles pierced every centipede form simultaneously.
The giant goldfish beside Gyokko swayed proudly.
Its eyes seemed almost mocking.
Kokori roared in fury.
"Damn you!"
The battle intensified once more.
Elsewhere, another clash shook the battlefield.
Akaza stepped backward before settling into his familiar martial stance.
A smile spread across his face.
His eyes shone with excitement.
"Excellent."
"Fighting you is truly enjoyable."
His battle spirit surged.
"Tell me your name."
The Manjushiro warrior opposite him paused.
Then he slowly assumed a combat stance of his own.
"My name…"
His eyes locked onto Akaza.
"Is Meng Siyu."
The ground beneath them cracked.
Neither moved.
Yet the pressure radiating from both fighters was already enough to make the surrounding battlefield tremble.
The true battle was about to begin.
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