Breathing Style...
Looking at the white mist dissipating from the black blade, Lexon mused.
'Did he master it just like that?'
'He really is a genius...'
"Ninth Form: Scattering Mist Splash." A faint circular mist slash swept toward Lexon.
'Interesting.'
The corners of Lexon's mouth curled slightly as he raised his Nichirin Sword, preparing to strike back with the same move.
'Let's see whose is stronger, the original or the fake.'
Lexon thought with interest.
"Mist Breathing..."
He adjusted his breathing, and the same white mist appeared on his blade.
"Ninth Form..."
But just as he was about to use the technique, Lexon paused.
He realized that he... could no longer use this form.
The steps to execute the form were deeply engraved in his mind—after all, it was a move he created himself—yet despite knowing exactly how to do it, he couldn't perform it.
Suddenly, Lexon thought of the scene where Blade Demon ignored his attack.
'Was it then? Did he "seize" the form I used?'
'What kind of anomalous ability is this?'
'It's actually quite strong...'
Lexon couldn't help but praise him internally.
As his thoughts raced, Blade Demon's attack was already upon him.
"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance." Since he couldn't use the same form, he would switch to something else. Lexon had an absurdly large repertoire anyway.
Executing the form, Lexon's body danced like a shifting butterfly, trailing flowing water as he moved gracefully.
With his familiarity with his own breathing techniques, he easily evaded Blade Demon's attack.
"Capture," Blade Demon whispered, watching Lexon's dancing figure.
[YES]
That same hollow voice emanated from the black blade.
As the words fell, Lexon's movement suddenly halted, and the flowing water vanished.
He couldn't use it again.
Shifting his gaze to Blade Demon, Lexon pondered.
'So, in the middle of our battle, he's been seizing my abilities to feed himself?'
No wonder Smoker described Blade Demon as a dark horse. Despite not going through many story worlds, his strength had grown incredibly potent.
This ability was likely the primary reason.
'But... is what he can seize limited to the domain of blades and swords... or can he take any other ability?'
Lexon suddenly grew curious.
If any ability could be seized, then this person's power could rival his own Sign-in system.
'Let's test it.'
Lexon decided to stop using breathing styles.
As a master of exploitation who frequently fleeced others, he felt uncomfortable being fleeced himself, even slightly.
[SAGE MODE]
Strange markings appeared over his Slayer Mark, surging across Lexon's body.
He stored his Nichirin Sword back into his spatial ring.
"As I thought, the sword is not your strongest suit," Blade Demon said to Lexon.
"You noticed?" Lexon replied.
"It doesn't matter, as long as you're strong enough," Blade Demon added.
He raised Nightshade and charged at Lexon once more.
"Majestic Attire: Wood Golem." Lexon clapped his hands, his eyes transforming into the blood-red Sharingan.
Visual prowess and Sage Chakra surged wildly.
In an instant, a colossal Wood Golem covered in green armor rose from the ground.
Many nearby buildings were unfortunately crushed under the Wood Golem's feet.
Fortunately, the residents of City A had already been evacuated to shelters, so there were no casualties.
"What... what is that..." On the ground, Child Emperor looked up at the towering, majestic figure, his voice filled with shock.
"This..." Bang was also speechless.
He had seen many grand scenes, but never anything on this scale.
"Could it be... that was just a warm-up? Is this his true strength?!"
Atomic Samurai, whose heart was racing from the pressure of the Wood Golem clad in Susanoo armor, exclaimed in surprise.
A blade.
Lexon used Sage Chakra to condense a long sword in the Wood Golem's hand, identical in shape to a Nichirin Sword, only 'slightly' larger. He coated the long sword in a Susanoo shell and swung it violently.
The mountain-sized body rotated at an incredible speed that defied its massive size, slamming the long sword down toward Blade Demon.
"Capture." Floating in mid-air, Blade Demon once again uttered those two cold words.
As the word fell, the massive Wood Golem suddenly collapsed and vanished, leaving only the fierce hurricane generated by the swing.
'He can even strip away techniques?'
Lexon, now floating in the air, realized he could no longer use Susanoo or the Wood Golem.
"Can your ability strip away anything?" Lexon asked Blade Demon directly.
However, Blade Demon did not respond and charged straight at him.
"Hellish Slasher." Slashes carrying several black traces struck out.
Lexon drew his Nichirin Sword again and blocked Blade Demon's attack with ease.
Lexon was already able to go toe-to-toe with Blade Demon using only his Slayer Mark and Transparent World, let alone now with the boost of Chakra and Sage Mode.
"Could you at least answer me?" Lexon even had the leeway to talk while parrying.
The sound of a sharp clash rang out.
Blade Demon retreated some distance.
"Nightshade... Empower."
Realizing there was a significant gap in their base stats, Blade Demon chose to enter an enhanced state as well.
[YES.]
As the words fell, a pitch-black substance surged from the black blade and violently poured into Blade Demon's body.
At this moment, he seemed to be undergoing a transformation.
Similar to Lexon's Demon Transformation, the aura around him became increasingly gloomy and terrifying, and his appearance gradually began to change.
'A transformation, huh?'
'If you're going to transform... then I will too...'
Realizing this, Lexon acted in the next moment.
[DEMON TRANSFORMATION]
[EIGHT INNER GATES: GATE OF DEATH]
[SIX PATHS MODE]
Valuing reciprocity, he also underwent a transformation.
And then...
"Night Guy."
Amidst the crossing of black and red auras, a hideous dragon head that seemed to warp the very space and change the color of the sky and clouds erupted, surging toward Blade Demon.
'What is that?'
Having just completed his transformation, with his aura elevated to a new level and his arm fused with the black blade, Blade Demon barely had time to register the changes in his body before seeing a terrifying dragon head charging at him. This thought flashed through his mind.
Then, he felt a pain that nearly pierced his soul.
A massive boom echoed.
The dragon head tore into Blade Demon, dragging him through the air before slamming into the ground with a massive explosion, kicking up a thick cloud of dust that completely obscured everyone's vision.
"Hey, Lexon, don't hit people over here..." The dust was fanned away, and Saitama's voice came from the spot where Blade Demon had fallen.
"Didn't notice," Lexon replied.
"Hey... you okay?" Saitama looked at the figure in the crater beside him that seemed to no longer be moving.
Blade Demon gave no response.
"You killed him, Lexon," Saitama said to Lexon, who had landed and was walking over.
"He's not dead yet," Lexon replied.
A cracking sound rang out. Sure enough, the sound of movement came from the pit.
Looking incredibly wretched, with almost no part of his body intact, Blade Demon slowly stood up.
Blood dripped steadily from his wounds.
'So strong...'
'So strong...'
Gripping Nightshade, which was beginning to show cracks on its blade, Blade Demon stared at the ground. Only those two words seemed to echo in his mind.
'He's really so strong...'
'So strong that it makes me excited...'
However, an excited expression appeared on Blade Demon's face once more.
'But I'm severely injured now; I need to replenish.'
'I need to seize energy.'
With that thought, Blade Demon manipulated Nightshade. Just as he had insta-killed many S-Class heroes before, numerous pitch-black ribbons burst from the black blade, shooting toward the nearby Saitama.
"Ah... I suggest you'd better not—" Lexon's warning wasn't even finished before the attack reached Saitama.
"What are you doing? I was worried about you, and yet you hit me?" With a displeased egg-like face, Saitama blurred toward him at a speed Blade Demon couldn't possibly react to and slapped him.
Instantly, all the pitch-black ribbons disintegrated. Blade Demon spun through the air eight times before landing back in the same crater he had just crawled out of.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]