"Come on, my dear brother!"
Kazama Ruri's tongue lightly touched his dry, cracked lips, and a bloodthirsty, violent light gleamed in his eyes.
As he spoke, Kazama Ruri pushed off the ground with force. His hybrid strength slammed into the hard concrete, cracking the surface beneath him.
The crimson blade sliced through the air, leaving a trail of brutal, enchanting threads. The fierce wind rushed along with it, aiming straight for Gen Chisei's neck.
Gen Chisei reacted quickly, raising his sword to block.
Clang!
The sharp blades collided, sparking bright flashes.
In the briefly illuminated night, Kazama Ruri and Gen Chisei struggled against each other. The blades met, burning like molten iron, their golden eyes filled with intense light, revealing different emotions.
In that fleeting exchange of glances, two very different states of mind were reflected.
This was a battle between brothers!
"Chime, I'll ask you again—do you really want to sit on the throne?"
Gen Chisei gripped his sword tightly, pressing the red blade hard against Kazama Ruri's, his voice soft and nearly inaudible. But he knew his brother could read his lips: "Do you remember the story I told you?"
"The monkey king who jumped out of a rock—he was a natural-born warrior, and later he destroyed the heavenly palace, fighting the gods."
"I told you how powerful and mighty that monkey king was, but you said he must have been so lonely. He was a born hero, but there was no one like him in the world. A king... isn't that a lonely thing? I remember when you were little, you were always afraid of being alone."
"Brother, what are you talking about?"
Kazama Ruri laughed madly, his movements wild as he swung his crimson blade faster with each strike. "What monkey king? I've already forgotten!"
As he spoke, he shoved Gen Chisei away, revealing a proud, arrogant smile.
"Brother, we've grown up. The blade has been stained with many people's blood."
He took out a purple-red vial from his chest and grinned. "We're no longer pure. What right do we have to come together and talk about fairy tales?"
"Is that... Molotov cocktail?!"
Gen Chisei stared at the vial, his heart suddenly racing, an overwhelming sense of unease filling him.
"Yes, this is the last one."
Kazama Ruri no longer hesitated. He tilted his head back and drank the dangerous potion.
"Don't!"
Gen Chisei tried to stop him, but it was too late.
As he rushed forward, Kazama Ruri pushed him back with his blade, forcing him to watch as the last drop of the potion was consumed.
Gulp!
His already noble bloodline, under the violent influence of the potion, surged, pushing him further into the abyss of becoming a 'demon.'
"Come, brother, this is the last time."
Kazama Ruri's veins bulged on his forehead, his skin turning red, as if emitting high heat. The air around him began to steam.
Transparent scales covered his skin, and with every movement, they emitted a rising blood aura. His muscles bulged, and his bones protruded, while his once delicate, feminine face was now encased in a grotesque exoskeleton, resembling a vicious dragon. His piercing golden eyes scanned everyone around him.
Now, Kazama Ruri had completely transcended the realm of 'human,' plunging into the depths of 'demonhood.'
"Since that's the case, then let's go on a journey together," Gen Chisei exhaled a deep breath, his expression as indifferent as stone, tightening his grip on the ancient blade, Spider Cutter. "To the depths of hell!"
Boom!
At almost the same time, the ground shook violently.
Then, two figures, like speeding trains, collided with each other, creating a violent gust of wind, as the onlookers watched in awe.
The deafening roar, accompanied by the piercing sound of sonic booms, sent visible shockwaves through the air.
Gen Chisei was knocked back, his blade sinking into the ground, sliding for several meters before finally coming to a halt. Two deep grooves were left behind, and his hands, still gripping the hilt, were trembling uncontrollably. His palms were cracked, showing how powerful the impact had been.
Kazama Ruri attacked like a fierce tiger, bringing a savage and intense wind, not giving Gen Chisei any chance to breathe.
Left slashes, right slashes, reverse cuts, upward strikes, diagonal slashes—the essence of Japanese swordsmanship was unleashed as if painting with wild strokes in a narrow space of just a few meters.
The dense blade light filled every gap, as if it wanted to expel the very air, creating terrifying gusts.
Such speed!
Watching the battle between the two, Inuyama Katsu's face showed a trace of shock and surprise.
This was within the domain of "Kingship," after all.
Despite the overwhelming weight, Kazama Ruri's speed didn't slow down at all. Even his swinging movements remained flawless, showing no sign of strain.
More importantly, Kazama Ruri's pressure was clearly greater. His violent attacks, like a storm, were suffocating.
Gen Chisei was forced to retreat step by step, his body accumulating more wounds with every passing moment. Blood bloomed like flowers in the crossed lights of the blades—bright and eerie.
Listen to the tearing air, the screech of the blade—it's the roar of a malevolent demon!
At this moment, the advantage of the super hybrid was fully displayed. No one could lock onto Kazama Ruri with their eyes. His high-speed movements turned him into a blur, and every slash of his blade carried immense force. Gen Chisei had to put everything into his defense to block them.
Sparks flew when the blades clashed, like fireworks bursting in the summer sky.
If they weren't using alchemical weapons, they would have been torn apart by the overwhelming power.
Kazama Ruri swung his sword, his transformation into a different species making him a being whose strength surpassed what a mere mortal could withstand.
Clang!
The force, like a collapsing mountain, sent Gen Chisei reeling, his blood boiling as he was pushed back.
Seizing the opening, Kazama Ruri stomped the ground, using explosive force to propel himself forward like a cannonball, wrapped in a terrifying storm.
"Kingship!"
Gen Chisei's eyes gleamed with blinding gold, the royal blood flowing through his veins, and the aura of a king spreading out.
The gravity that landed on Kazama Ruri suddenly increased by dozens of times, causing a brief disruption in his movements. Gen Chisei quickly seized the opportunity, tightening his grip on the ancient sword, Spider Cutter.
The blade let out a screeching cry, a sound of pure power being poured into it.
In the next moment, Gen Chisei's figure vanished, followed by a thunderous explosion.
As the wind howled and the ground shattered, rocks flew like bullets. The air seemed to break apart. Gen Chisei's burning battle intent turned into molten lava in his eyes. With a roar like a demon, he unleashed his strongest strike.
"Brother! Brother! Brother!"
Kazama Ruri responded in kind, his legs exploding with power, causing the ground to collapse beneath him.
Rocks flew in every direction as his non-human body, filled with brutal and savage killing intent, swung the blood-red blade. The air itself seemed to tear with the sharp screeching of his blade, moving at lightning speed like a violent wave.
Boom!!!
The clash of the two swords was so fierce it cracked the earth around them.
As the bright sparks flew, Gen Chisei suddenly coughed up blood, and his golden eyes dimmed slightly. Kazama Ruri, however, remained unaffected, clenching his fist and striking out.
The punch, strong enough to shatter bronze, landed squarely on Gen Chisei's abdomen.
Bang!
Gen Chisei was sent flying, the ancient sword slipping from his grasp and arcing through the air.
"It's over, brother," Kazama Ruri said with a hint of sadness in his eyes. He gripped the blood-red blade and slowly walked toward Gen Chisei. "This time, I'm the one who won."
"Master!"
"Chisei!"
Sakura and Inuyama Katsu were shocked. Just as they were about to help, they suddenly froze.
A person suddenly barged into this cruel and bloody battlefield, dressed like a ramen chef, which seemed out of place with the current scene.
Kazama Ruri was slightly stunned. Looking at the ramen chef who had appeared out of nowhere, he was confused, but also found it a bit funny. "Hey, old man, did you take the wrong path?"
"I've taken the wrong path my whole life, but this time, I didn't," the ramen chef sighed, as if burdened with an unspeakable sadness. "Thankfully, I made it just in time."
Upon hearing this, Kazama Ruri frowned. He felt an unprecedented pressure from the old man, and a ruthless aura appeared in his eyes. "Who are you really?"
"Me?"
The ramen chef chuckled lightly. "I'm just a passing ramen chef."
********
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