"Hmm?"
Bankotsu's expression changed.
"You can actually take a hit like that?"
"Interesting."
He swung his sword again.
This time, it was faster and more vicious.
Banryu carved a black arc through the air like a bolt of black lightning.
This time, Kanbe Hikaru didn't take it head-on; he dodged to the side.
The blade grazed his shoulder, and at the same time, Muramasa slashed toward Bankotsu's waist with extreme speed.
*Clang!*
Bankotsu blocked the strike with the hilt of Banryu.
The metallic ring echoed; strength met strength in a perfect stalemate.
Their faces were inches apart.
"Not bad."
Bankotsu grinned. "You're much stronger than those fodder soldiers."
Kanbe Hikaru didn't speak.
He raised his left hand, and from his palm—
A white Bone Spike emerged.
"!"
Bankotsu's pupils constricted suddenly.
He instinctively retreated, but he was a step too slow.
The Bone Spike grazed his face, leaving a trail of blood.
Bankotsu wiped the blood with his hand, looked at it, then looked up with a more serious gaze.
"So you're a tough customer."
"Brothers—"
He shouted.
"Attack together!"
The Band of Seven's siege unfolded instantly.
Jakotsu's long blade snaked forward, Ginkotsu's mechanical body fired hidden weapons simultaneously, Mukotsu's poisonous fog began to spread, and Renkotsu spat flames from his mouth.
Killing intent surrounded him from all directions.
"Kikyo."
Kanbe Hikaru's voice was calm. "Stand back."
He didn't look back, only tightening his grip on Muramasa.
"I'm enough on my own."
Kikyo paused, didn't argue, and simply retreated ten steps. With her longbow in hand, she stood ready to provide support at any moment.
She knew Kanbe Hikaru's strength and his current condition.
Although the figures before her were heinous, they were still humans, not the type of enemies she specialized in dealing with—though she certainly could if needed.
"Ha! On your own?"
Bankotsu laughed. "What do you think our Band of Seven is?"
"Trash?"
The corners of Kanbe Hikaru's mouth curled up.
In the next second, Bone Spikes burst from his back—over a dozen of them, blooming like sudden white flowers.
The hidden weapons were all blocked by the Bone Spikes, creating a series of metallic clinks.
"What!?"
Surprise leaked through Ginkotsu's mechanical voice.
But Kanbe Hikaru had already moved.
[Phantom Step] activated. His figure moved like a phantom, instantly appearing in front of Mukotsu.
"You..."
Before Mukotsu could finish, Muramasa had already slashed down.
The blade-light was like a bolt of white silk, cutting him in two from left shoulder to right waist.
"Hmm?"
Kanbe Hikaru frowned.
There was no blood on the blade. Mukotsu's body began to ooze green poison, corroding the edge.
"Hehe... want to kill me?"
Mukotsu's upper half could actually still speak. "My body is entirely made of poison. If you touch me—"
He didn't get to finish.
In an instant, Kanbe Hikaru saw through his true nature. The man looked short and fat, but it was all an illusion; the bulk under his clothes consisted of nothing but poison sacs.
It was indeed eerie and difficult to guard against.
But before Mukotsu could gloat, Kanbe Hikaru's left hand had already seized his head.
Five Bone Spikes erupted from his palm, piercing Mukotsu's skull directly. No matter how many poison sacs filled his clothes, this strike ensured he was as dead as could be.
One killed.
"So noisy."
He tossed the corpse aside with a flick of his hand.
[Bloodthirsty Immortality] activated.
Although Mukotsu was full of poison, he still had blood.
The blood flowed into Kanbe Hikaru's body through the Bone Spikes, quickly converted into nutrients to heal his wounds.
Although poison entered as well, it was nothing to the constitution of an Oni Samurai.
"Mukotsu—!"
Bankotsu roared, swinging Banryu and whipping up a black gale.
Kanbe Hikaru still didn't dodge; he met the attack head-on.
Muramasa clashed with Banryu, sending sparks flying.
They stood in a deadlock, evenly matched.
But—
"Is that all?"
Five Bone Spikes emerged from his right arm like blades of bone.
Before Bankotsu could react, the Bone Spikes swept across his chest, leaving five bloody gashes deep enough to see bone!
"Damn it!"
Bankotsu retreated just as Kyokotsu, behind him, swung a morning star.
The two coordinated perfectly, launching a pincer attack from front and back.
But Kanbe Hikaru smiled.
Bone Spikes burst from his back, directly stopping Kyokotsu's morning star.
"Even from his back..."
Kyokotsu was stunned.
Kanbe Hikaru gave him no time to react, simply turning and slashing Muramasa in one fluid motion.
A flash of blade-light.
Kyokotsu's massive head went flying.
Blood gushed like a fountain.
Another one killed.
[Bloodthirsty Immortality] activated once more.
The blood seemed to come alive, seeping through Kanbe Hikaru's skin into his body; his slightly depleted stamina was instantly restored.
"Damn it!"
On the other side, Renkotsu violently spat flames, a sea of fire enveloping Kanbe Hikaru.
But as the flames dissipated...
Kanbe Hikaru stood in place, his entire body covered in a layer of white Bone Armor. Wisps of flame still licked at the bone, yet inside, he was clearly unscathed.
[Bone Soul Transformation] fully active.
"It's your turn."
He looked at Renkotsu.
Bone Spikes emerged from his feet, catapulting him forward.
His speed was more than twice as fast as before.
Renkotsu tried to dodge but couldn't. Fortunately, in the next second, Jakotsu's long blade blocked the path.
"Don't even think—"
But Jakotsu didn't finish.
Kanbe Hikaru's left hand grabbed the Jakotsu Blade.
Five Bone Spikes erupted from his palm, pinning the blade directly to the ground and slamming Jakotsu, who was still holding it, down with it.
"Let go!"
Jakotsu tried to pull the sword away but found the Bone Spikes seemed fused to it; it wouldn't budge.
With Kanbe Hikaru's right hand, Muramasa slashed toward Renkotsu.
"Ginkotsu, save me!"
Renkotsu shouted.
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