"Now it's your turn."
Fushimi Kyo's words were like a devil's whisper from the depths of the netherworld, sending a chill straight into the hearts of the remaining four.
They were all elite ghouls cultivated by the Tsukiyama family each with A+ level strength.
Yet in front of the man standing opposite them, they were like children facing a grown adult, utterly incapable of resistance.
"One last time," Fushimi Kyo said coldly.
"Tell me who you are, and whose orders you're following to kill me."
"Demon… don't even think about prying any information from us."
"Go to hell!"
Matsumae roared, already fighting with everything she had.
Behind her, kagune transformed into countless sharp thorns, surging toward Fushimi Kyo in an overwhelming tide.
The other three didn't hesitate either
kōkaku and bikaku slammed forward together, pouring everything they had into the attack.
The momentum was terrifying.
"You really do have backbone,"
Fushimi Kyo said calmly.
"In that case
I'll give you a clean death."
Clang.
He sheathed his blade.
Lowering his body, he assumed a classic iaijutsu stance.
"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu Secret Art Netherworld Nine-Headed Heaven-Splitting Slash!"
He stepped forward.
In that instant, his body vanished, leaving behind countless afterimages.
The snow-bright blade reflected the heavens as it swept horizontally at extreme speed.
Shhk
A soft sound rang out.
Fushimi Kyo pierced straight through their ferocious assault, passing by the remaining four in a single cross.
Their bodies jerked violently.
"Uh…"
Matsumae felt a sudden numbness at her waist, as if something had brushed past her.
Then her entire body plunged into an icy abyss
a bone-chilling cold stabbing straight into her heart and lungs.
Drip… drip…
Liquid dripping?
Matsumae lowered her head.
Dark red blood had already soaked through her clothes, dripping down along the hem and splashing onto the ground.
"I… won't accept this…"
"How can I die in a place like this?"
"I still haven't avenged Young Master Tsukiyama…"
"I still wanted to take care of Young Master Tsukiyama for my entire life…"
Her consciousness grew increasingly blurred.
Thud.
The world spun violently.
Her body split cleanly in two at the waist and crashed onto the ground.
"Young Master Tsukiyama… Matsumae…"
At last, her awareness was swallowed by endless darkness.
At the same time
Thud thud thud
The other three bodies were also severed at the waist, collapsing to the floor.
Fushimi Kyo walked over to Matsumae's body and removed both her gas mask and the thin veil covering her face.
The instant the veil came off, his pupils contracted.
"When did this happen?"
Beneath the veil, her face was a mangled mess of blood and flesh, completely ruined
even someone intimately familiar with Matsumae would never be able to recognize her now.
"To reduce the risk of exposing her identity… she went this far?"
Since arriving in this world,
this was the first time Fushimi Kyo truly looked at a woman with newfound respect.
Even though she was an enemy,
he was deeply shaken by her resolve.
"I originally planned to hang your corpses somewhere conspicuous as bait,"
he said calmly, gazing at Matsumae's body.
"But now, it seems completely unnecessary."
"It shouldn't be long before someone contacts you anyway."
"After all, the master who could make you go this far shouldn't be a cold-blooded person."
"As for your kakuhou
I'll be taking those."
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