Zhang Yong steadied himself after the powerful blow he had received, carving his way through the ice wall that had formed behind him.
He felt as though every bone in his body had been shaken by the force of the impact, but he quickly regained his balance thanks to the Grand Chariot armor, which had shielded him from the brunt of the damage.
Had he taken Murasame's strike without his armor, it would have been his end.
He raised his glowing blue eyes to see Akame standing a few meters away, the Murasame sword glinting in her hand. He saw Murasame's deadly marks in Akame's pupils, where the whites of her eyes had turned black.
'She activated Murasame's trump card, enhancing her physical abilities at the cost of her humanity,' Zhang Yong realized in a glance.
Akame moved with lightning speed, her sword strikes forming a web of sparks in the air.
Zhang Yong blocked them with his blue spear, but each strike increased the cracks spreading across his armor.
Just as he was occupied with Akame, Esdeath attacked from behind as waves of ice surged toward him, rushing at him swiftly.
Crack!
The Grand Chariot armor finally shattered under the double blow, breaking into flying pieces in the air. Zhang Yong was sent flying again, this time unprotected.
He crashed to the ground, rolling, black blood trickling from the corners of his mouth.
'There's still one more attempt with the Grand Chariot. I won't use it. Not yet.' Zhang Yong wiped the blood with the back of his hand and summoned the Millennium Tree of Life as his Ten Thousand Year Spirit Ring gleamed.
Black smoke erupted, surrounding his body. At his command, it completely enveloped him, transforming into black second skin on his body, and he created a sword from ice.
'I must be careful. If Akame scratches me even once, it's over for me. If I'm forced, I will kill her.' Zhang Yong thought quickly as he surveyed his surroundings.
Akame moved first, the Murasame sword gleaming with a sinister light as she dashed toward him with blinding speed.
Zhang Yong evaded the first strike with a sideways flip, then intercepted the second with his ice sword.
Shing!
The two swords clashed with force, but Zhang Yong used the momentum to spin around and kick Akame in her back, sending her crashing into a nearby wall.
But before he could capitalize on the situation, three ice knights attacked him with their spears. Zhang Yong used Earth Fold to evade them, appearing behind one and decapitating it with his sword before leaping high to avoid the strikes of the others.
In the air, he felt a cold draft approaching. Esdeath had launched a volley of ice spikes at him.
Zhang Yong twisted his body in the air with agility, avoiding most of them, but one scratched his arm, leaving a wound that bled black blood.
'I won't wait for you to attack me again,' said Zhang Yong as he released a flurry of ice needles from his fingers toward Esdeath.
Esdeath raised an ice wall to block the attack, but Zhang Yong vanished from his spot, appearing directly above her, his ice sword aimed at her head.
Crack!
Esdeath managed to duck at the last moment, but the strike cut off part of her robe. She swiftly spun her body and kicked him hard, sending him slamming violently to the ground.
Zhang Yong rose quickly, feeling as though his ribs had been shattered by the impact. But he had no time to rest.
Akame resumed her assault, this time faster and more ferocious.
Her strikes came in rapid succession, each one stronger than the last. Zhang Yong blocked most of them, but he began to feel the exhaustion. His wounds were bleeding, his power waning.
'I can't keep this up,' he thought as he evaded another strike. 'I need to end this quickly. My only option is to kill her.'
After his level had increased, some of his spiritual energy had returned, but it was already on the verge of depletion.
He decided to focus on Akame first. He seized a momentary pause between her strikes and leaped toward her, his ice sword gleaming with the golden light of the Qi Sword.
Thwack!
His sword struck her right arm, inflicting a deep wound. But Akame didn't seem to feel the pain. Instead, she grabbed her sword with her left hand and struck him hard toward his chest.
Ice immediately formed over the point of impact, blocking the blow before it was pushed back, the ice shattering. With his strength waning, he found it difficult to stand.
'Damn...' he whispered as he tried to get up.
But before he could, Esdeath appeared behind him, her sword aimed at his back.
"End," Esdeath said in a cold voice.
At that moment, they heard a colossal explosion from within the palace. The ground trembled, and the walls began to crack.
Zhang Yong's eyes shrank to pinpricks as he saw it.
It was a Teigu, a massive 150-meter-tall mechanical giant that resembled a skyscraper.
The suit itself was immense and tall enough to overlook the entire empire.
It was Shikoutazer!
"Damn, damn, damn!" Zhang Yong cursed as he stared at the colossal machine before him.
He used Earth Fold to instantly move away from the area before it was too late.
"You won't escape!" Esdeath declared as she relentlessly pursued Zhang Yong.
Zhang Yong didn't look back. He knew every second counted now. The giant Shikoutazer began to move, its metallic feet crushing the buildings beneath it like dry leaves.
But Esdeath was faster than he anticipated. She suddenly appeared before him, creating a massive ice arm that lunged like a hungry serpent.
Crash!
It struck him hard, sending him smashing into one of the palace towers, black blood filling his mouth as he tried to get up from the rubble.
"Mine..." he whispered, staring at the distant Shikoutazer. His original plan had been to kill the Emperor before the Teigu was activated, but now...
A small figure stood on Shikoutazer's shoulder. Seeing it up close, it was Arthur!
"Zhang Yong! You won't die easily, right? I have another surprise for you!" Arthur shouted loudly as he gestured with his hand.
From the city, the soldiers of the Path of Peace in their uniforms, alongside men in black whose emblem was... the Revolutionary Army!
'I recently took control of them. Thanks to the Night Raid leader for showing their prowess!' Arthur smiled viciously.
Suddenly, a beam of pink energy shot from the ground toward Shikoutazer, but it was deflected by an energy shield.
'That's... Mine. She's still alive!' Zhang Yong looked into the distance, and she stood beside his men, who were still carving their way forward.
The Thousand-Year Spirit Ring rose, and wings emerged from Zhang Yong's back.
It was time to turn the tide.
Zhang Yong flew far away, leaving both Akame and Esdeath behind, and landed above his men in the sky.
"Zank! Are all the men present?" Zhang Yong shouted toward his soldiers before Zank emerged from the midst of the crowds.
"Your men are ready, my lord!" Zank replied, his voice full of loyalty.
Zhang Yong extended his hand, and the Scream Teigu emerged. He placed it gently to his lips and began to play.
The special ability of this Teigu was something he needed. At this moment, the approaching army numbered over a million soldiers. In contrast, Zhang Yong had about a thousand, each of whom was as strong as ten ordinary men.
With the special ability of Zhang Yong's Teigu, their capabilities would be further enhanced!
The resonance of the playing echoed across the battlefield. Zhang Yong pushed the flute to its maximum capacity, and it began to crumble after being filled with sufficient pressure, but the effect had already taken hold.
"Shout, my soldiers! Give your hearts For your homeland!" Zhang Yong commanded as his battle intent and fighting spirit rose toward his men.
The shout of Zhang Yong's soldiers filled the place as they surged toward the army before them.
Zhang Yong dived through the air, grabbed Mine's arm, and began flying toward the walls surrounding the Central Capital.
"What's the plan, Zhang Yong?" Mine said as she still clutched her Teigu pumpkin.
He placed her on top of the wall before descending. "Fire upon Shikoutazer. I'll increase the pressure on the other fronts and eliminate the enemies."
Mine nodded quickly, her pink eyes reflecting an unyielding determination. She raised her Teigu, and pink energy began to gather at its muzzle, charged with destructive power.
"Don't let them kill you, or I'll personally drag you back from hell!" she declared as she prepared to fire.
Zhang Yong leaped from the top of the wall and used Earth Fold to stand atop one of the towers, the highest tower in the empire.
His arms were behind his back as he stared down below. 'Stone upon stone, I will build my path to the heavens. Whether it is over the corpses of my enemies or my allies, I will stand at the peak of all living beings'
He had known from the beginning. His soldiers would not win this battle. At this moment, all he could do was use them to cultivate his own strength.
He raised his hands to his sides as if to embrace the world, but his intentions were clear.
Asura Path – Hellish Heavens.
The bodies of Zhang Yong's soldiers began to explode amidst the enemy armies, and infinite experience points began to flow through his body.
Simply put, his soldiers were weak, and this was a backup plan. He earned points from the soldiers who exploded and points from those the explosion killed.
Hellish Heavens was a unique technique. It granted the body power that pushed it to the utmost human limits, but that power was like a ticking time bomb. It consisted of two parts: one part that controlled the explosion and one part that exploded. Once activated, regardless of the level of the person who learned the explosive part, they could not resist. All they could do was explode!
[Host has broken through level 63]
[Host has broken through level 64]
...
[Host has broken through to level 71]
[The Structure of Life and Death has advanced to the eighth level]
[New ability unlocked: 'Curse Killer']
[Curse Killer: Your soul has become so immersed between life and death that curses cannot compare to your characteristics. Your very existence has become hateful to curses. Consumption: 100%]
[The host has been granted the choice to obtain the core path for one of the three Dantians]
[Path options: Food | Emotions and Desires | Arrays | Ice]
"I will choose the Formation Path for the lower Dantian!" Zhang Yong pressed the button and quietly closed his eyes.
Then he opened his eyes with a terrifying gleam. A fearsome killing intent rose, reaching the corners of the sky.
A bright golden light gleamed in the middle of the sky as a silhouette appeared in its center. That silhouette was majestic, and an aura of dignity and reverence emanated from it that made those before it abandon all malice, not because it was peaceful, but because it gave a glimpse that it could not be defeated.
He had reached it. From the beginning of his cultivation in this world until now, over the corpses of victims and enemies, he had achieved the King Realm
And this was not the end. Even if a thousand people exploded, they were not enough to grind down a million people.
He raised his hand and stared at the empire with a cold gleam, pointing his finger downward.
Star Path – Star Collapse.
The sky of the empire suddenly burst into a blaze of searing white light, where luminous bodies appeared and began to fall.
This was the ultimate Star Path technique, one he could only use after reaching the King Stage. He had sacrificed his soldiers, all those lives, just to reach this level and obliterate the remaining million people, who in turn were experience points for him.
The luminous bodies fell like meteor showers, each carrying immense destructive power. Buildings shattered, the earth split, and the soldiers, both from the Path of Peace and the Revolutionary Army, their bodies vaporized under the weight of the stars.
The soldiers' screams were choked off in moments as they vaporized, and the great buildings of the capital collapsed like children's playthings.
Zhang Yong stood atop the tower, his cold blue eyes watching the destruction expressionlessly. His white hair flew in the wind of the explosions, and his exhausted body refused to collapse.
Since reaching the King Stage, flying using his own energy was no longer a problem, so even without his wings, he could float.
The difference between the King Stage and the Venerable Stage was like the difference between heaven and earth. In the early stages, fighting across significant level differences was possible, which was normal. But after stepping into the King Stage, everything changed.
The peak of the Venerable Stage could erase an entire mountain, while the King Stage could erase an entire vast province with a single attack. As for the Emperor Stage, there was no need to speak of it, for it was at the level of a natural disaster. They were like Gods of the human world.
"Hmph. Don't act like you're a God!" Arthur snorted coldly.
Shikoutazer responded immediately. Its metal armor plates moved smoothly as hatches opened along its back and lower torso.
But Zhang Yong did not move. His cold blue eyes tracked the trajectory of the missiles with intense focus. Then, with a raise of his hand, a massive golden shield bearing a Yin-Yang symbol appeared.
'Defense of Zen.'
As the missiles struck it, they were reflected back toward Shikoutazer!
The reflected missiles exploded against Shikoutazer's armor, causing a series of colossal explosions that shook the giant machine. But as Zhang Yong expected, it wasn't enough to bring it down.
The rising smoke revealed Shikoutazer's armor, which only showed minor scratches.
'Its armor is still intact...' Zhang Yong whispered as he quickly analyzed the situation.
But before Zhang Yong could pounce on him, Esdeath suddenly appeared mid-air. She created a platform under her feet and controlled it to enable herself to float, then sent a massive ice pillar toward Zhang Yong.
Zhang Yong raised his hand and struck the ice with force.
Five Elements Path – Five Elements Substitution.
Instantly, the ice pillar transformed into pieces of rotting wood and fell to the ground.
"I've let you play for too long, Esdeath," Zhang Yong spoke coldly as he floated through the air toward Esdeath.
Esdeath did not retreat. She leaped from atop her platform and prepared to unleash all her power in a single strike.
But Zhang Yong, by any measure, had reached enough power to deal with anything now.
At this moment, Zhang Yong stood at the top of the world. It didn't matter now – whether Arthur, Esdeath, or even Budo – at this moment, they were just lambs waiting for slaughter.
He moved swiftly using Earth Fold and appeared behind her. An ice spike pierced from her back through her stomach, emerging from the other side.
He used this method specifically to make her repay for what she did to him before
This was her end.
"You... coward," Esdeath cursed. In the end, even this powerful general died a dog's death at this moment.
[The absorbed soul 'Esdeath' has been successfully absorbed. Number of absorbed souls (8/16)]
He placed his hand on her body and forcibly extracted the Ice Seed from her body. While she was still drenched in blood, he raised the seed and immediately swallowed it.
(Seed of Ice successfully absorbed. Yggdrasil Puzzle Pieces currently {3/7})
Then he turned his gaze to Akame and the rest of Night Raid. He had calculated it before using the Library of mysteries from wisdom path , They were hopeless cases.
Upon reaching the King Stage, something inside him had changed. There was this cold aura around him, as if he no longer cared about life at all.
He descended quietly toward the ground, but when he did, Akame pounced on him.
Metal Path – Unshakable Body.
Zhang Yong's skin immediately turned to metal, and the Murasame sword clashed against his body, its edge breaking.
He hadn't dared to block in this manner before. This was because the Unshakable Body technique, like all techniques, was affected by the user's level. At the Venerable Stage, there was a high chance his defense would fail against it. But at the King Stage, which made him the strongest, there was nothing left to fear.
Zhang Yong grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him as an ice blade pierced her stomach. When he stared into her eyes, consciousness had returned to her.
He felt something strange. Her gaze was not what he expected. He thought she would bear hatred, but she seemed lost and sad. "Zhang... Yong..." she whispered in a broken voice as blood began to flow from her mouth.
But there was no time to hesitate. Zhang Yong ruthlessly pulled the ice sword from her body, picked up her corpse, and gently laid it on the ground.
[The summoned soul 'Akame' has been successfully absorbed. Number of absorbed souls (9/16)]
He turned toward the rest of the Night Raid members, who had already regained consciousness. He now had to kill those... with whom he had spent time.
This posed no problem for Zhang Yong. He had prepared himself from the beginning to kill them. Showing mercy at this moment was foolishness.
Zhang Yong moved to them one by one, swiftly eliminating them and absorbing their souls.
[The summoned soul 'Tatsumi' has been successfully absorbed. Number of absorbed souls (10/16)]
[The summoned soul 'Leone' has been successfully absorbed. Number of absorbed souls (11/16)]
[The summoned soul 'Lubbock' has been successfully absorbed. Number of absorbed souls (12/16)]
This world was already destined for annihilation. It no longer mattered that Tatsumi had the ability to face Shikoutazer. At this moment, he had lost the ability to help.
Zhang Yong pulled Incursio from Tatsumi's body and plunged it into the ground.
"Incursio!"
Instantly, Zhang Yong was enveloped in Incursio's gleaming, silvery-white armor. His eyes stared at Shikoutazer with malice. "It's time to end this battle."