The tension thickened.
Breaths tightened.
Blades gleamed.
The storm outside… was nothing compared to the one about to erupt inside.
Kaoru Hibuko grinned — a twisted, widening smile.
Then he whispered:
"Crimson Gale."
His sword swept through the air faster than eyes could follow.
A tornado of red energy exploded outward — ZNGH! — devouring the entire building in a single flash.
Ashura shouted, "DODGE IT!"
But it was too late.
The guards closest to Kaoru were consumed instantly, erased by the storm.
Walls shattered like cardboard, the shockwave tearing the house apart from the inside.
Ashura leapt outside just in time as lightning from the storm struck, vaporizing a nearby home.
"ATTACK HIM!" he roared.
Ashura pointed his sword forward.
"Ashura Fang!"
He dashed toward Kaoru, thrust aimed directly at his heart.
Eruma Sansa followed, blade slicing downward.
"Grain Breaker!"
Taren Touka burst in from the side, a burning arc of red energy trailing behind his slash.
"Crimson Dragon Strike!"
Three attacks — three elite warriors — all charging Kaoru at once.
But Kaoru only grinned wider.
"I'm going insane… look how the slaves rebel against their owner."
With a single spin, he unleashed a raging cyclone of blades around him.
"Bloodstorm Tempest!"
Their attacks slammed into Kaoru's spinning defense — and bounced off.
Not even a scratch.
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
Kaoru laughed, voice cracking with fury.
"Now I'm getting angry…"
He bent his knees… and disappeared.
"Eternal Blade Dance."
Kaoru flashed forward faster than sight —
SWISH!
SWISH!
SWISH!
A flurry of slashes carved through the battlefield.
Seven hundred samurai — including the clan leaders — were cut down in a storm of invisible strikes.
Bodies dropped.
Silence followed.
Kaoru lowered his blade, breath steady.
"Look," he said coldly.
"Seven hundred samurai… easily defeated."