Truth be told, Morpheus was somewhat surprised that Silkwat Junazard survived Oda Nobunaga's Noble Phantasm.
But he quickly grasped why.
Three Line Formation was designed to decimate armies, not individuals.
Coupled with Junazard's strength and the protective power of his ki, his survival wasn't shocking.
Had it been Artoria's Excalibur, Karna's Brahmastra, or Cú Chulainn's Gáe Bolg, Junazard's chances would've been slim.
But Three Line Formation dispersed its power too widely, giving him an opening.
Even so, Junazard paid a steep price, his body riddled with wounds.
He stared at the girl hovering above, claiming to be Oda Nobunaga—a name he knew well, even as a foreigner.
Yet this girl hardly resembled the legendary Demon King of the Sixth Heaven.
She was boastful, though.
Junazard recognized that, historical or not, she was a formidable opponent.
In his current state, defeating her was no small feat.
Continuing the fight could turn against him.
But conceding? Unacceptable.
He'd never suffered such a loss in all his years of martial training.
To be beaten without landing a blow was too humiliating.
His eyes burned with killing intent, itching to crush her.
Yet his injuries reminded him that persisting was unwise.
Nobunaga, sensing his indecision, smirked. "If you're going to back off, now's the time."
Her taunt ignited Junazard's pride. As a martial artist, he couldn't slink away from a challenge.
"Damn you, die!"
Resolved to fight, even to death, he refused to be mocked for fleeing.
He doubted this self-proclaimed Nobunaga was unscathed after her attack. She might be bluffing, exhausted.
Boom!
His ki aura erupted again, and he shot forward like an arrow, charging Nobunaga.
Void Flash!
A technique surpassing mere speed, executed effortlessly, he reached her in an instant.
But a hexagonal energy shield materialized between them, blocking his path.
The defensive magic severed his hope of turning the tide.
Bang!
His murderous strike was repelled.
Nobunaga raised her hand, unleashing Decomposition Magic—a spell far crueler and more terrifying than Slash Magic.
A beam shot from her palm, striking the unprepared Junazard.
His body stiffened.
Red lines crisscrossed his form, dense and intricate.
Then, under horrified gazes, his body disintegrated into fingernail-sized fragments, scattering across the ground like rain.
The One Shadow Nine Fists' Demon God Fist, Silkwat Junazard, was dead.
To Nobunaga, who'd slaughtered countless in her quest for conquest, Junazard was no more significant than an insect.
Killing him required no thought.
Even Morpheus was struck by her ruthless decisiveness—worthy of the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven.
Unsated, Nobunaga eyed the One Shadow Nine Fists, as if selecting her next target.
The group fell silent.
They were confident, but Junazard had been among their top three.
Only the Shadow or Mikumo Kushinada, the Demon God Fist Maiden, could match him.
Others would be fodder.
After deliberation, Mikumo Kushinada rose and strode calmly into the arena to face Nobunaga.
Nobunaga didn't care about gender when killing. She unleashed Decomposition Magic, a beam shooting from her palm toward Mikumo.
Having seen Junazard's fate, Mikumo dared not meet the spell head-on.
Her body flickered, splitting into two, then four.
Afterimage Fist.
The technique held no secrets for her—she mastered it instantly.
Multiple Mikumos appeared, charging Nobunaga from all directions.
"Interesting. This is how a fight should be!" Nobunaga declared.
Raising her right hand, a beam shot skyward, exploding into countless rays of light that rained down, engulfing the arena.
Anything touched—ground, walls—disintegrated into tiny fragments.
Mikumo's illusions were casually erased.
Only the real Mikumo, ghostlike, evaded the light rain, appearing silently behind Nobunaga.
Nobunaga seemed oblivious, unaware of the threat at her back.
Mikumo reached out, but as she touched Nobunaga, the latter spun around, a sly grin on her face. "Got you."
A beam burst from her palm, striking Mikumo in an instant.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
If you want to read up to 50 chapters ahead, don't hesitate to visit our patron: pat reon . com / XElenea (removespace)