The bloody Culling Game was thrown into complete, unprecedented turmoil as Tokyo Colony No. 1 came crashing down!
The dark crimson light barrier across the sky dissolved into countless streams of light, allowing long-absent sunlight to wash over the battered streets of Tokyo once more.
Yet before the joy of reclaimed freedom could linger, an oppressive, suffocating dread blanketed the ruins like a heavy storm cloud!
Beneath Tokyo Tower.
Having just sworn his allegiance, Hajime Kashimo snapped his head up, the eyes of lightning that had dimmed after his defeat instantly flaring with razor-sharp brilliance.
"What a disgusting cursed energy fluctuation..."
Hajime Kashimo stared fixedly toward the edge of the barrier, every muscle in his body instinctively tensing.
"Lord, something is approaching at high speed!"
"And... this presence feels like a monster forcibly stitched together from the grudges of hundreds or thousands of dead people. The stench alone makes me want to vomit!"
Yoru stood quietly where he was, the patterns of the Transparent World already turning slowly within his deep crimson pupils.
Within his field of vision,
a colossus massive as a hill, exuding foul black-purple cursed energy, was barreling straight toward him in a savage rush, pulverizing every building in its path!
"Looks like our thousand-year-old rat hiding in the sewer finally couldn't sit still after all."
A cold smirk tugged at the corner of Yoru's mouth. Far from showing even a trace of fear, his eyes ignited with the thrill of a hunter spotting its prey.
"I originally planned to settle the old score from Shibuya after calming the chaos here."
"Since he stuck his neck out on his own, we have no reason not to cut it."
Yoru slowly rested his hand on Shiranui at his waist.
He had just fought a peak duel against Hajime Kashimo and forcefully unleashed the complete form of the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, consuming a massive amount of his stamina.
However, with his muscles largely repaired by the system and his Synchronization Rate having just broken through to 69%, his current state remained at a terrifying peak!
"Musashi, Attorney Higuruma, Itadori."
Yoru's voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly to the three who were reorganizing ancient sorcerers in the distance.
"Everyone, pull back a thousand meters immediately."
"No matter what happens next, no one is permitted to interfere."
Hearing Yoru's command, Yuji Itadori and the others felt a degree of concern, but out of absolute trust in Yoru's strength, they executed the order without hesitation.
"Yes! Senior!"
As the crowd rapidly withdrew, only Yoru and the newly submitted Hajime Kashimo remained beneath Tokyo Tower.
"Lord, let me test the caliber of this monster!"
Hajime Kashimo licked his lips, fervent battle intent gleaming in his eyes.
Even though he could no longer use Mythical Beast Amber, handling an ordinary Special Grade Cursed Spirit was still child's play given his foundation as the strongest God of Thunder from four hundred years ago.
"No."
Yoru shook his head, his gaze locked unblinkingly onto the massive dark silhouette becoming faintly visible in the distance.
"That thing isn't something you can handle right now."
"It carries a dense aura of rules."
"It is a killing weapon tailored specifically to target me by that old fox, Kenjaku."
Rumble—!
The moment Yoru finished speaking, the colossal dark silhouette breached the final line of defense and crashed heavily onto the ruins before them!
The ground shook violently, and once the billowing dust settled,
a deformed, hideous stitched monster entered the sight of Yoru and Hajime Kashimo.
The monster stood over a dozen meters tall, its body pieced together forcibly from countless severed limbs of different humans.
Some arms were covered with eyes, some thighs bristled with razor-sharp fangs, and human faces contorted in sheer agony were embedded across its chest!
What inspired even greater despair
was that cursed energy fluctuations of dozens of distinctly different ancient cursed techniques emanated from this beast all at once!
"What on earth is this damn thing?!"
The moment he saw the monstrosity, even the widely experienced Hajime Kashimo couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath.
"Forcibly stitching together the bodies and techniques of dozens of ancient reincarnated sorcerers? This is an outright desecration of life!"
"A desecration of life?"
A chilling voice dripping with mockery suddenly issued from within the monster.
It was Kenjaku's voice!
He had not shown up in person, instead attaching his consciousness to this ultimate killing machine via a specialized technique.
"Life is nothing more than raw material meant for evolution."
The largest human face on the monster's chest slowly opened its eyes, glaring fixedly at Yoru with venomous malice.
"Yoru... you anomaly who ruined my thousand-year plan."
"Did you think shattering a mere barrier could halt my pace in merging with Tengen?"
"How naive!"
Kenjaku's voice swelled with madness and triumph.
"This 'stitched beast' is a flawless masterpiece crafted from the remains of all the strongest ancient sorcerers I gathered over the past millennium, combined with the ultimate application of Idle Transfiguration!"
"Not only does it possess dozens of special-grade cursed techniques, but more importantly..."
"An absolute Binding Vow has been engraved inside its body!"
Kenjaku's voice turned piercingly shrill.
"As long as its core remains intact, it possesses infinite regeneration! Furthermore, it is immune to all physical slashing damage!"
"Yoru, that sword of yours is indeed sharp—it can even cleave through lightning."
"But against a monster that cannot be cut down at all, how long can you hold out?"
"Obediently become nourishment for its evolution!"
Roar—!
Accompanied by Kenjaku's manic laughter, the gargantuan stitched monster let out an ear-splitting roar.
Its dozens of arms swept forward simultaneously, unleashing dozens of distinct ancient cursed techniques into a kaleidoscopic yet deadly torrent of energy that crashed down toward Yoru like an overwhelming deluge!
"Lord, look out!"
Hajime Kashimo roared, instinctively stepping forward to shield Yoru.
Yet Yoru raised an arm, stopping him.
"Infinite regeneration? Immune to physical slashing?"
Looking at the deluge of techniques raining from the sky, Yoru did not retreat a single step. Instead, as if he had just heard a ridiculous joke, he chuckled with contempt.
"Kenjaku, in all your thousand years of living, is this self-deceiving trick the only thing you learned?"
Clang—!
Shiranui gave a crisp ring as it was slowly drawn from its scabbard.
Deep crimson radiance spread wildly across the blade once more!
"If physical slashing cannot kill it..."
Yoru gripped the hilt with both hands, pushing the Sun Breathing within him to its absolute limit as an ultimate killing intent capable of terrifying even the gods flashed through his deep crimson eyes!
"Then its soul, its Binding Vows, every trace of its existence..."
"I'll burn it all to ash!"
"Total Concentration, Sun Breathing: Rudimentary Form of the Ultimate Form!"
"Be... extinguished!"
Boom—!
The Bright Red Nichirin Sword in Yoru's grip did not strike out with a slash as before.
Instead, with savage force, he plunged it deep into the ruins beneath his feet!
In the next second,
a horrific heat, as if drawn from the core of a star, surged along the blade and injected itself into the earth!
The ground groaned, and space warped.
A dazzling, colossal pillar of crimson fire erupted toward the sky, centered on Yoru!
The moment those dozens of ancient technique torrents capable of destroying everything struck the pillar of fire, they were like droplets falling into magma—vaporized into nothingness without even producing a bubble!
"Wh-What is this?!"
Kenjaku, possessing the stitched monster, finally let slip an undisguisable note of terror in his voice.
He could feel that terrifying heat coursing through the monster's body, madly incinerating the souls he had forcibly stitched together!
Even the absolute Binding Vow engraved deep within the core began to shake violently and melt under that temperature!
"I already told you."
Yoru drew Shiranui out and advanced step by step toward the colossal beast wailing in agony.
Not a speck of dust clung to his body, yet the crushing aura of an Asura descended upon the mortal realm made this ultimate weapon instinctively want to retreat.
"In this world, there is nothing my blade cannot cut."
"If there is..."
"It only means the heat isn't high enough."
Yoru slowly raised the Bright Red Nichirin Sword.
The crimson light on the blade reached an unprecedented blinding intensity, as though it were about to set the entire world ablaze.
Before this "Sword Saint" descended among mortals, the ultimate killing weapon Kenjaku took such pride in was fated to be reduced to ash in an extreme conflagration.
And Kenjaku, lurking far behind the scenes, would truly experience terror and trembling from the depths of his soul through the total failure of this ambush.
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