The seven of them had formed a combined formation from the very start.
Dual-bladed Hiramekarei was primarily used for defense, enhanced by Kisaragi Hozuki's unique talent. He was practically the tank of the group—his repeated saves were precisely why Anya's attacks had failed repeatedly.
Next came Semaken, Kabutowari, and Hishaka—the trio serving as the main attackers. Their offensive techniques varied greatly, unpredictable and designed to both confuse and restrain the enemy effectively. Many would believe their strikes were the most dangerous. Unfortunately, against Anya's relentless waves of attacks, they were severely suppressed, unable to display their true strength.
Then there was the Cleaver Sword—wielded by Biwa Juzo, it was meant to be the true assassin's weapon among them. If paired with extreme speed and agile footwork, it would undoubtedly fall into the category of stealth ambushes. Regrettably, Biwa hadn't fully mastered its role, often charging headfirst into battle. This was also one of the flaws Anya noticed.
Following that was Lightning Blade Kiba—the most elusive and sinister among them. His blade moved faster than any other in the group, crackling with chakra-infused lightning energy. He constantly searched for an opening in Anya's defenses, waiting for the perfect moment to land a piercing strike.
Lastly was Samehada, held by Fuguki Suikazan, the strongest among them. He had been positioned directly behind Anya since the beginning, never shifting his stance. Behind him lay the only exit to this chamber. Clearly, entrusting this defensive spot to him showed the others' confidence—believing his might alone could lock Anya down completely.
Anya quickly reviewed all gathered information about the seven opponents inside his mind, gradually recovering from exhaustion. A new plan had already taken shape—one of them had been marked for elimination.
If so, then let the battle continue, he thought coldly. His Sharingan flared with crimson light. Directly ahead, Biwa Juzo stiffened suddenly, caught in a genjutsu.
His nearby comrades immediately poured chakra into him to dispel the illusion. But in that brief instant, Anya sharply accelerated. An overwhelming killing intent locked onto his target. The piercing gleam of his Sharingan reflected an unshakable resolve carved into time itself. He spoke chillingly, "Die."
"Damn it! He's going all out!" Kisaragi Hozuki shouted loudly, moving to shield Biwa Juzo. The remaining five launched simultaneous attacks on Anya, believing if he dared to keep attacking, he'd certainly be struck down by the other five blades.
At that exact moment, Fuguki Suikazan—who charged forward—suddenly realized something had changed in the world itself, and a shadow of death cloaked his heart.
Right before their eyes, Anya halted abruptly at full speed—an unbelievable maneuver. From behind him, as if possessing eyes on his back, surged forth an endless torrent of pure sword light. The chakra-infused blade carried a chilling aura straight toward Fuguki Suikazan, its cruel, wolf-like tip extending toward him, ready to plunge him into eternal darkness!
[Breaking the Blade]
This was currently the strongest sword technique Anya had mastered. Terrifying swordlight roared with thunderous resonance, howling from all directions. In his hands, the blade had become more than just a killing tool—it was a soul-piercing weapon.
At that moment, the blade light seemed to come alive with a soul of its own. Carrying a chilling, bloodthirsty aura like a tiger choosing its prey, it instantly shredded all the bandages wrapped around Samehada. The terrifying blade even pierced through the sword's body, aiming straight for the heart.
The wounded Samehada cried out like a wounded beast, its blade splitting open to reveal a gaping maw that stuck out a tongue dripping with blood.
In this life-and-death moment, Fuguki Suikazan poured all his Chakra into Samehada. Replenished with Chakra, the sword suddenly enlarged, tightly locking Anya's [Single Blade Strike] in place and preventing it from advancing another inch.
Only then did the remaining few realize—the real target was the person behind Anya. This meant he wanted to escape...
"Old man, hold on! We're coming!"
As the others rushed closer, Anya's eyes flashed sharply. He released the hilt of his blade, pushing forward on the handle, shouting, "Break through!"
The [Single Blade Strike] flew like an arrow past Samehada's body, piercing straight into Fuguki Suikazan. Unfortunately, due to Samehada's sudden growth, the blade veered off course during impact—not hitting the heart directly but instead embedding itself into his shoulder blade. Blood instantly dyed half his body crimson.
Struck by this attack, Fuguki Suikazan crashed down onto the ground, feeling a bone-chilling coldness throughout his entire body. Just a little more, and he would have met Death himself. Hearing him scream wildly, frantically howling: "Kill him! He must die—he absolutely must die!"
"Kiba, don't let him get away."
"Don't worry—he won't escape. Lightning Release: [Ruiga]."
On the only path leading outside, the usually silent Kiba finally unleashed its power. As the twin blades crossed and charged electricity, streaks of lightning fell like rain, striking with blinding speed for full coverage.
Dodging the lightning, Anya was once again forced back into their encirclement—his [Single Blade Strike] now gone from his hands.
Anya sighed helplessly. Is this really as far as I can get?
No—I cannot die! My teacher is still waiting for me to return! The intelligence has already been secured; this final step is all that remains. No matter what, I must not give up.
Gritting his teeth, Anya drew on the last reserves of Chakra inside him, lifting his hand as it glowed with the green light of Scalpel. His eyes burning with fury remained firmly locked onto the group. He was ready to fight to the death—if he had to die, he'd make sure none of them walked away unharmed.
Intimidated by his momentum, the others hesitated momentarily, unable to initiate their attacks.
Just then, thick fog began spreading through the air, growing heavier until eventually, visibility became nearly zero—so dense you couldn't even see your own fingers.
Hozuki Kisaragi angrily shouted: "Damn it—who used the Hiding in Mist Technique (Mizu no Sho)?"
"Not me."
"Nor me."
"Could there be a traitor among us?"
"Oh no—he might be trying to escape!"
Simultaneously, they all chased toward the exit—only to see Fuguki Suikazan staggering after them, still impaled by the [Single Blade Strike].
Hozuki Kisaragi turned to him and asked: "Old man—you were the one keeping him from escaping. Did you catch sight of him?"
"No—but Samehada has memorized his scent. He won't get away."
Fuguki Suikazan, after saying these words, avoided looking at the others. In truth, his injuries weren't serious. At the moment the thick mist arose, he had already noticed Anya's attempt to escape. Yet at that moment, he couldn't summon even a shred of motivation to stop her, helplessly watching as she fled. That fear gnawing at his heart robbed him of his former courage.
"Chase her—do not let her escape."
With that, the seven followed Samehada's guidance and hurried forward in pursuit.
The stone chamber once again fell silent. Master Gen arrived with Terumi Mei. He picked up the Snake-shaped Wooden Staff from the ground and asked Terumi Mei softly, "My dear girl, was it worth it?"
Terumi Mei stood there, eyes hollow and unmoving…
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