After she finished speaking, Kasen Ibaraki said no more and just turned around to look coldly at Yukari Yakumo. When she saw Yukari stepping into a gap, she also unconsciously clenched her fists. In her view, the other party likely intended to hide. Undoubtedly, the only remaining method was to force a breakthrough.
Even though she had already lost to the opponent's ability once before, as an Oni, could she possibly fear a challenge?
The silently clenched fists made the atmosphere on the scene explosive. However, to everyone's surprise, Yukari suddenly appeared in a gap in front of her and turned her back to her.
"Follow me."
Watching Yukari walk further and further away, Kasen Ibaraki hesitated for a while before also walking directly into the gap. Although she didn't exactly trust this Youkai Sage, looking at the erupting volcano in the distance, it seemed the only way to get there in time was to rely on her. So, she decided to take a gamble.
When the gap opened on the other side, it wasn't the crater of Mount Fuji, but rather right in the middle of the sky.
"That man used the 'Shikigami' power so that I (referring to herself) cannot approach the mountain, but the sky doesn't count. You can reach the vicinity of the crater by jumping down directly..."
After saying that, Yukari bit her lip before looking at her with a serious face.
"Bring that man back. And... don't die."
Yukari words made Kasen Ibaraki dazed for a moment, but she then let out a laugh and suddenly slapped Yukari back. This sudden attack left Yukari completely unable to react. But before she could speak, she saw a figure beside her leap down.
"Buy me a drink when we get back..."
The voice became weaker and weaker due to the rapid distance, but Yukari, while frowning and rubbing her back, stared straight as Kasen Ibaraki's figure vanished into the pillar of smoke.
What remained... the only thing she could do was wait for that man's "command."
On the other side, feeling the hot wind constantly brushing past her, Kasen Ibaraki's expression also gradually became serious. Because she was still a distance away from the crater, she couldn't even imagine what kind of scene was inside the volcano at this moment.
Bang!!
Accompanied by a massive roar, a pit nearly one meter in diameter was smashed near the summit of Mount Fuji. Then, Kasen Ibaraki climbed out of the pit. After casting a glance at the surrounding lava with a frown, she walked directly toward the crater. But just as she was prepared to go in—
A high-pitched cry, never heard before, suddenly erupted from inside the volcano. Then, she felt a heatwave hit her. She even had to use her hands to shield her eyes, because the brilliant light from inside the volcano made it impossible to even keep one's eyes open.
And after this light gradually vanished, the originally continuously erupting Mount Fuji returned to calm once again.
'Is it already over?'
From the time Yukari notified them to her arrival, only a few minutes had passed. What on earth had happened here?
The only way to know what happened was to go down, so she gripped the rocks with both hands and slowly climbed downward...
A few minutes ago...
The terrifying fire vortex, or rather lava vortex, was continuously taking shape. Lancer was already unable to see the "Phoenix's" body clearly, as that terrifying vortex was constantly expanding outward.
Indeed, Lancer had used the ability bestowed by "Flash" to pierce through the previous "heatwave." But this time, the opponent seemed to have considered this issue. The lava, supplemented from below as if unending, allowed this vortex to expand continuously while also being constantly replenished. This time, it seemed impossible for Lancer to use the same method to break it.
'Interesting human, do you still plan to use that 'toy' to compete with me? Do you plan to use that weapon you're carrying behind your back?'
The opponent's voice appeared in Lancer mind again, and Lancer expression was incredibly grim.
As a user of weapons, how could Lancer not know that the ice spear in his hand was more of a consumable than a weapon? But it was precisely because he was a weapon user that he knew "Zero" simply couldn't withstand the opponent's terrifying flames. It would probably be burned to nothing the moment it made contact, wouldn't it?
After all, the most heat-resistant Quinque among the "Quinques" could only withstand temperatures of a thousand degrees. This was only because the materials used themselves possessed the ability to breathe fire. As for "Zero"... at least Lancer hadn't discovered it had any talent in that regard.
Among all his "collection," the only weapon that might possibly withstand these flames was that one weapon—the Gáe Bolg (Gáe Bolg).
By itself, it didn't have any special abilities; its only characteristic was being "hard." After all, its material came from a terrifying demonic beast of the Land of Shadows, and it was later personally crafted by the Queen of the Land of Shadows. It was absolutely attached with a large number of Rune symbols. However, due to portability issues, ever since he obtained "Zero," he had been using it as his main weapon. Conversely, Gáe Bolg was used much less.
'I must find an opportunity to take the weapon out...'
Seeing a protruding rock in the distance, Lancer hesitated for two seconds before leaping toward it. Jumping into the air recklessly was undoubtedly unwise. However, as that terrifying flame vortex continuously formed, he had no more chance to wait. The only thing he could do now was take a gamble.
When he landed on the rock, his whole person let out a violent breath. Then, without hesitation, he began to summon the box. He didn't know if the opponent was disdaining to attack him, or if it was purely unable to attack due to controlling the lava, but he knew the opponent would definitely regret this!
'I'm counting on you.'
Lancer knew the long spear in his hand was just a dead object, but at this moment, he felt as if he were speaking with an old friend.
Every time he faced the most dangerous enemy, it would always stay by Lancer side. Perhaps its ability wasn't special, but it was his most trustworthy "comrade-in-arms." Therefore, this time he had also decided to entrust his life, his future, and his everything to it.
At the same time, Lancer also activated an ability he had "sealed."
"Weapon Overload"
Due to the infusion of blood vitality, Lancer face and lips appeared somewhat pale. Because of the transfer of mana, the Rune symbols originally used to protect his body also gradually dimmed. Finally, his hair and eyebrows had even begun to scorch...
At this moment, he looked a bit wretched. After all, besides himself and the weapon, everything else was burning.
Lancer didn't care about his burning clothes and hair, but the cry of the long spear held in his hand made him furrow his brows tightly.
The simplest reason why he didn't use "Weapon Overload" was that ordinary weapons simply couldn't withstand too much power. Even after infusion, they weren't as strong as "Gáe Bolg" or "Zero," so using it was completely meaningless. But if used on "Gáe Bolg" or "Zero," it would cause irreversible damage to them. He had always been unable to harden his heart to do it. Coupled with the fact that there hadn't been an opportunity needing this move, it had become something "at the bottom of the chest" (a last resort).
But now it was different. Lancer had never felt death so close to him as he did now. So, just as he had said before—
'I'm counting on you.'