Although Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki and Ryun were both deities at the God Realm, the disparity in their power was still quite evident. Whether it was explosive strength or bodily regeneration, Ryun was clearly superior to Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki by a margin.
Adhering to the combat principle of 'strike when the enemy is weak, take his life,' Ryun lifted the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword and launched another fierce assault towards Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki.
Even missing an arm, Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki remained formidable, managing to barely withstand more than a dozen rounds of Ryun's fierce attacks. This time, he altered the form of his 'Killing Ash Bones' once more.
The bone spikes lost their projectile function. He applied the offensively-oriented Killing Ash Bones to defense instead. The sharp bone spikes could even extend longer than the combined length of Ryun's arm and the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword.
However, this approach did not guarantee his safety from the divine weapon's threat, because Ryun's Ame-no-Murakumo Sword could freely extend and retract, while the Killing Ash Bones had a certain limit to their extension.
Of course, even though the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword's attack range could increase, the increased distance between them inevitably granted Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki a tiny bit more reaction time and space.
Yet, this extra breathing room seemed largely ineffective. The key was for Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki to find a method to break the deadlock and achieve victory. Otherwise, in a battle of attrition against Ryun, he would only meet a more gruesome end.
Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki's situation was perilous now. To secure victory, he could only stake everything in a desperate fight.
Conventional physical attacks were useless. Even a soul-targeting ocular technique like the one used by Meishiki had no effect on this man. A war of attrition offered no chance of winning. Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki truly had very few means that could guarantee victory.
"At this point, I have no choice but to gamble everything."
With this thought flashing through his mind, Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki next plunged the black sword into the ground, and then, quite unusually, formed a single hand seal.
Instantly, the Karma印记 on his body turned from black to red, and strands of dazzling yet extremely dangerous energy flames erupted from him.
Through Ryun's Nine Tomoe Rinnegan vision, Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki's vast internal chakra was now burning fiercely.
"He ignited all of his chakra."
Ryun's pupils contracted sharply. He knew his opponent was about to fight with his life on the line.
The rate at which Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki's chakra burned was extremely fast. Based on the current situation, Ryun was certain his opponent could launch at most two or three attacks.
If he could withstand Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki's desperate killing moves, then, even without Ryun having to do much, his opponent would cripple himself.
"You are the second opponent to force me to this point. Next, I will kill you within three strikes."
As Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki spoke, he pulled the divine black sword from the ground.
Thousands of years ago, he had once used this forbidden secret technique to kill a supreme powerhouse at the God Realm.
Today, he intended to replicate that past glory.
"Hah. Kill me within three strikes." Hearing Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki's arrogant claim, Ryun couldn't help but laugh.
The next moment, his eyes focused, and he pointed the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword directly at Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki. "Come at me then. I want to see exactly how you plan to kill me within three strikes."
Seeing this, Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki wasted no more words. With a single step, the ground beneath his feet instantly collapsed and exploded. By burning his divine power, he had exchanged for an extreme burst of strength.
Almost the instant his foot landed, his entire person abruptly teleported right in front of Ryun. The black sword in his hand slashed out with a deceptively simple, unadorned motion.
Space itself was forcibly split open at this moment. Following the ultimate reaction of his body's instincts, Ryun raised the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword in his hand without a second thought.
Unfortunately, a force capable of slicing through space was not so easy to block. The moment the immense power struck, the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword tightly gripped in Ryun's hand was directly knocked away. His entire body was also uncontrollably sent flying backward at high speed.
At the critical moment, Ryun forcibly swallowed the bloody, metallic taste rushing up his throat. His right eye widened sharply, staring at Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki, who stood motionless in his original spot.
"Kamui."
The space where Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki stood immediately underwent severe distortion. A spatial vortex abruptly materialized in an instant.
Yet, even though the spatial vortex struck Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki, it was useless. At this moment, his every movement could shatter time and space. No matter how Kamui twisted and tore, it could not harm his body, nor could it stop his next attack.
"What."
Witnessing Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki standing unaffected at the center of the spatial vortex, Ryun ultimately couldn't suppress a cry of astonishment.
However, before his shock could linger, Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki within the spatial vortex moved again.
As the divine power within his body completely detonated, the spatial vortex beneath his feet halted under his forceful stomp. His figure vanished once more, instantly teleporting in front of Ryun again in the blink of an eye.
"Flying Thunder God Technique."
Ryun instinctively used the Flying Thunder God Technique in an attempt to evade Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki's second terrifying assault. His figure directly disappeared from the spot, abruptly reappearing beside the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword.
The attacks and evasion of both men occurred in a fleeting instant. The Ame-no-Murakumo Sword that Ryun had just lost grip of had not even hit the ground yet.
Originally, Ryun thought relying on the Flying Thunder God Technique would allow him to dodge one attack. Unfortunately, he still underestimated Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki's desperate second strike.
Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki did not move to pursue Ryun, because even with a considerable distance between them, Ryun remained within his attack range.
"Burning Karma. God-Slaying Strike."
Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki unleashed another terrifying black slash towards the distant Ryun.
The slash appeared black not because of the black sword in Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki's hand, but because he had once again split the void, revealing the black essence of nothingness within.
Ryun had long been locked onto by Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki's killing intent. Combined with the slash arriving instantly, he was left with no room to avoid it.
The annihilating black slash instantly cleaved Ryun's entire body at the waist. Even hiding his body within the Kamui dimension proved utterly useless.
This was an attack capable of severing the void itself. Kamui was as good as non-existent before this slash.
When a physical attack reaches the level of shattering the void, spatial intangibility is completely neutralized.
His immortal body severed, blood sprayed across the sky. Ryun's expression gradually turned ferocious. As he opened his mouth and let out a roar of unwilling defiance, numerous dense white rootlets sprouted from both the upper and lower halves of his severed body.
The white rootlets ignored the void that had been torn open, attempting to forcibly reconnect Ryun's severed immortal body.
Unfortunately, Ōtsutsuki Zeroshiki gave him no chance to merge his body. An even more powerful third strike was decisively unleashed. The black blade light instantly swallowed Ryun's two body segments and completely split the massive planet beneath their feet in two.
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