"Retreat…"
Though Kazekage, Fūjin, Raijin, Bishamon, Jigoku Benten, and Daikoku were no match for Lancelot, they were, without a doubt, seasoned veterans.
Their reactions were swift, and their experience was exceptional.
Almost simultaneously, they moved as if sharing one mind, dashing off in completely different directions.
Had they been facing any other opponent, it would have been difficult to decide whom to pursue first.
But the one they were up against was no ordinary foe.
Lancelot's expression turned cold as frost, his right hand silently resting on the hilt of Shusui at his waist.
'Swish…'
In the blink of an eye, a crisp, sharp sound of a blade being drawn rang through the air.
The next moment, Shusui shot out like lightning, tracing a breathtaking yet chilling arc mid-air.
Simultaneously, its razor-sharp edge gleamed with a terrifying cold light.
Immediately after, a unique crescent-shaped slash erupted with thunderous force.
Even more astonishingly, this crescent slash visibly expanded at an alarming rate during its flight, transforming in an instant into a wide, fan-shaped area of attack.
Kazekage, Fūjin, Raijin, Bishamon, Jigoku Benten, Daikoku, and the others had not even a moment to resist or evade before they were all cleanly severed at the waist by the horrifying slash.
Then, their mutilated bodies, accompanied by piercing screams, crashed heavily to the ground one after another.
Blood splattered everywhere, creating a gruesome scene.
"ARGGHHH..." Screams tore through the sky.
Yet, despite lying on the ground, they had not lost their lives.
They writhed and rolled in pools of blood, their twisted faces contorted with extreme agony and despair.
The wounds that had cleaved them in two were truly horrifying.
Like a breached dam, blood gushed forth incessantly.
The blood surged out like a broken water pipe, showing no sign of stopping.
In mere moments, crimson blood had stained the ground around each of them, rapidly spreading and merging into a single expanse.
From a distance, this blood-soaked area resembled a raging river of blood, exuding a spine-chilling aura.
The gruesome sight was unbearable to behold.
"Kekekekeke..."
Just then, a sinister, eerie laugh suddenly arose.
Following the sound, Lancelot's once-handsome face now bore a wicked expression.
The corners of his lips curled upward, revealing a row of pale white teeth as he chuckled.
It was as if the hellish slaughter before him was not his doing.
This created a stark contrast.
And it was precisely this stark contrast that made it all the more chilling.
Without hesitation, he then turned and strode swiftly in the direction Daikoku had indicated earlier.
...
Meanwhile, on a nearby elevated area, a petite kunoichi stood silently.
Her round, yellow eyes were wide open, her face filled with terror.
She wore a short pink kimono tied with a white obi, and a sharp katana was strapped to her back.
This girl was Chome, the sole surviving member of the Orochi Oniwabanshu.
She had known their enemy was strong, but she never imagined he would be this powerful.
In the blink of an eye, the entire Orochi Oniwabanshu, save for her, had been slaughtered by this man.
"Gulp…" She unconsciously swallowed hard.
"Hmm…" Lancelot let out a soft sound of surprise.
His keen perception had picked up on something unusual.
Slowly, he turned his head, and his gaze met Chome's.
Chome felt as if struck by lightning, her entire body stiffening instantly.
Her mind went completely blank, losing all capacity for thought.
It took a long while before she regained her senses, yet her body seemed to move on its own, instinctively pushing off with her legs as she rapidly retreated backward.
In the blink of an eye, Chome's figure shot back like a bolt of lightning, putting over ten meters between her and her assailant.
Gasping for air, only one thought echoed in her mind: she had to get as far away from that terrifying figure as possible!
Only by doing so could she grasp even a sliver of security.
But just as she began to relax, an icy chill abruptly crept up her neck.
Chome's eyes widened in horror, but before she could react, the world before her began to spin wildly.
Amid the dizzying whirl, she saw the terrifying figure's blade aimed directly at her.
At the same time, she caught sight of her own body—now headless—gushing blood like a fountain.
Behind her, a sharp, bone-chilling sword aura howled past, piercing straight through a tall building.
With an earth-shattering roar, the entire structure was cleaved in two before collapsing in a thunderous crash.
A massive cloud of dust billowed out, engulfing everything in the vicinity.
Finally, Chome felt her head slam hard against the ground.
Strangely, her head rolled from the front to the back at an unnatural angle, coming to rest against her own heels.
Yes, her head was leaning against her heels—could you believe it?
In that moment, she understood.
She had been decapitated by a single sword strike.
That terrifying sword aura had struck her first before slicing through the building.
The realization drew a bitter smile from her… because she knew.
Her life was about to end.
Gradually, her consciousness faded, sinking into an endless darkness…
"Bastard…"
The commotion he caused was far from subtle, and it certainly didn't escape Kurozumi Orochi's notice.
Standing at a distance, he watched the scene unfold from afar.
His expression was twisted with fury.
His eyes brimmed with murderous intent, tinged with a hint of madness.
If not for knowing he was no match for Lancelot, he would have charged out long ago to tear him to pieces.
Only then could he vent the hatred burning in his heart.
Yet, at the same time, fear gripped him, for the power Lancelot had displayed was undoubtedly far beyond his own.
He instinctively glanced at Kurozumi Semimaru standing beside him, and only then did he breathe a slight sigh of relief.
As long as Kurozumi Semimaru was by his side, he would be safe.
In this world, no one could break through Kurozumi Semimaru's barrier.
Kurozumi Semimaru stood beside Kurozumi Orochi, his face etched with grave seriousness.
True, his defensive ability was unparalleled.
Even Kaido back in the day couldn't shatter his barrier, but…
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