Chapter 100

"Great, great! As expected, fighting a spear user is fun!"

"Is that so?"

While brushing off Kao's words with a cold response, Junyeop skillfully wielded three water spears. Although her skill was far inferior, the attacks that she couldn't block were stopped by Mai's barrier, allowing her to continue the evenly matched battle.

"Hey, hey, aren't you going to use yesterday's technique? You can't beat me without it, you know?"

"I have no intention of using it. I've decided not to engage in actions that disregard my own well-being... Water, Cannon, Intense, 'Raging Water Bullet.'"

While using the water spears to keep Kao at bay, Junyeop fired a scatter of water bullets, but Kao dodged them all with ease and countered.

"Thrusting with a spear, firing water bullets, and then thrusting again. You've been doing that over and over, but no matter how many times you do it, you won't hit me. Why don't you use yesterday's technique already?"

"Indeed, if I keep doing this, I won't hit you no matter how many times I try... I think we've connected enough. Let's start, shall we?"

As she muttered these words, Junyeop discarded two of her water spears and adopted the same stance as Kao with the remaining one.

"What? Trying to provoke me?"

"You'll see if you try it."

"Hmm, okay!"

Kao's feint and horizontal sweep were perfectly blocked by Junyeop with the same movements. The thrusts that followed were also countered with identical thrusts, their spear tips meeting to block each other.

"Huh? Why can you use the same techniques as me?"

"Who knows? Why do you think?"

Junyeop deflected all of Kao's techniques—thrusts, sweeps, and leg sweeps—with the same precision and different techniques. In the midst of this, Kao recalled a certain mage she had faced in a battle ten years ago.

"I've seen that technique before. You've connected with me using the 'Binding' technique, haven't you?"

"...It seems you've seen my mother's technique in the battle ten years ago."

While responding, Junyeop continued to use the same level of spear skills as Kao. Junyeop's ability to use the same spear skills as Kao was due to the secret technique of the Kikuchi family, 'Binding.' This technique not only connects objects but also allows the user to share a portion of the opponent's skills through the connection.

"You've connected with me and copied my techniques, just like that hateful mage!"

"My mother suffered a great deal from her."

Indeed, her mother's battle had cornered the Thousand Chess. Realizing this, Junyeop felt a slight sense of pride while continuing the fight.

"I see. You can use the same technique because you're the daughter of that mage. But, you can't perfectly copy the technique, right? That was the case ten years ago, too."

"Under normal circumstances, that's true. This technique is less effective with someone you're not closely connected to."

The effectiveness of the 'Binding' technique changes based on the depth of the connection with the opponent. Therefore, it has a significant drawback: it is less effective with someone you have no connection to.

"However, my 'Binding' is more effective against you than my mother's. The deep connection of hatred I've harbored for the Thousand Chess over the past ten years is deeper than anyone else's!"

"Grgh!"

Junyeop's sharp thrust grazed Kao's clothing. The 'Binding' connected by the deep hatred for the Thousand Chess had granted Junyeop the same level of skill as Kao.

"Water, Flow, Blade, 'Raging Water Blade!'"

"Ugh!"

Furthermore, Junyeop used a water blade that appeared in her left hand to sever Kao's right arm with a masterful strike.

"This blade... Could it be, you've connected with Katsura as well!?"

"That's right. No matter how deep the connection, it's still just imitation. So, I've shared the techniques of both of you. It took a bit of time, though."

The 'Binding' technique of the Kikuchi family requires delicate manipulation of spiritual energy, making it a highly difficult technique to execute. Therefore, at the beginning of the battle, Junyeop deliberately held back to buy time to activate the 'Binding.'

"This is the real deal."

With a water spear in her right hand and a water blade in her left, Junyeop exuded a powerful aura at Kao, whose right arm had already regenerated.

"Grgh..."

Pressed by this aura, Kao took a step back while desperately trying to come up with a strategy. She calmly selected a demon from the vast number stored within her body, one that could turn the tide of the situation.

"Junyeop, I'm ready!"

In the midst of this, Mai informed Junyeop that a certain technique was complete. After activating the 'Binding,' Mai had focused all her attention on constructing a certain technique to support Junyeop.

"However, if you move, it might fail. Can you stay still for about three seconds?"

"It's fine."

"Wh-What, you're underestimating me!!"

Kao, enraged by Junyeop's calm response, attacked with a powerful thrust. However, Junyeop easily dodged it and, in the same motion, severed Kao's leg.

"Ugh!"

"Actions driven by anger are so easy to predict."

Reflecting on her impulsive attack from the previous day, Junyeop muttered this observation.

"Nice, Junyeop, just three seconds. 'Replica of the Twentieth Day,' activate!"

As Mai shouted, a black pillar appeared behind Kao and began to envelop her body.

"I didn't think you could use the Twentieth Day..."

"Unfortunately, this is a far inferior imitation. The Twentieth Day has many similarities with sealing techniques and barrier techniques, so I practiced hard, but I could only manage this imitation."

While speaking to Kao, who was being enveloped by the black pillar, Mai was restoring her spiritual energy with a supplementary barrier she had created. Even if it was an imitation, the Twentieth Day required a vast amount of spiritual energy.

"Next... I won't... lose..."

"No, we will win next time. No matter how many times you come back, we will always win."

Staring intensely at Kao, who glared back with a hint of regret, Junyeop declared this. Kao was then completely enveloped by the black pillar.

"I need to maintain this, so can you handle the rest?"

"It's fine. I'm going."

Mai stayed to maintain the Twentieth Day, while Junyeop ran to stop the ritual.

◇

"Damn, what is this thing!"

Katsura shouted, her frustration evident as she struggled to understand the situation. During the battle the previous day, Katsura had accurately gauged Rin's strength. Even with the help of the white crow, she had expected to win. However, the battle began with unexpected results.

"The growth rate is too fast!"

At first, Katsura could handle both Rin and Shiro. However, with each exchange of blades, Rin's strikes became sharper and faster, quickly surpassing Katsura's skill. Now, she couldn't even hold her own against Rin alone.

"Amazing! You can dodge this too? What about this? This?"

"Grgh, this...!!"

Katsura, astonished by Rin's rapid growth, managed to narrowly avoid fatal blows.

"Caw..."

Watching Rin, Shiro wore a relieved expression. Rin had never engaged in combat with anyone other than the Sanboku Castle, which she fought immediately after being born. Even in that battle, the fight ended quickly due to her newly learned flying slash, leaving her with no opportunity to properly develop her sword skills. Despite being summoned as a spirit that governs swordsmanship, Rin had never had the chance to truly improve her skills. However, in this battle, Rin was blossoming, absorbing all the techniques from Katsura and growing rapidly to make up for lost time.

"Caw, caw, caw..."

Shiro, from the bottom of her heart, blessed Rin for finally having the opportunity to grow.

"Damn, demons! Protect me!"

The battle continued, heedless of Shiro's thoughts. A leg sweep followed by a horizontal sweep, and simultaneous thrusts from two swords of different lengths. Katsura, unable to dodge the consecutive attacks, immediately summoned durable demons. However, these demons were quickly shredded into pieces.

"If this continues... Again!"

In the midst of this, countless shockwaves flew through the gaps between the summoned demons. However, some of these shockwaves were not aimed at Katsura but at the demons performing the ritual behind her.

"Damn crows!"

While watching Rin's growth, Shiro continued to launch attacks to disrupt the ritual whenever she found an opening.

"Ughh!!"

Katsura, cutting down the shockwaves Shiro had launched, used her body to block the ones she couldn't reach in time. However, with her stance disrupted, Rin launched an even sharper strike at Katsura.

"Damn, is this it...?"

As Rin's strike approached, Katsura saw the black pillar where Kao had likely been sealed and Junyeop running to disrupt the ritual.

"I didn't want to use this, but there's no choice... Oni! Turn everything into demons!"

While being slashed by Rin, Katsura gave the order to the piece she had summoned. Instantly, a vast amount of spiritual energy dominated the North Electric Park.

"What? Did you just say Oni!?"

Seeing the demons Katsura had summoned, which emitted a vast amount of spiritual energy, Mei quickly realized the gravity of the situation.

"Demons!"

"Rin, no! Touching them, even through your blade, is dangerous!"

Realizing the seriousness of the situation from Mei's stern warning, Rin abandoned her attack and took a large step back. Shortly after, Junyeop, who had been running to disrupt the ritual, also noticed the danger of the summoned demons and immediately adopted a full defensive stance.

"What is that!? It looks much stronger than the demons we defeated earlier!"

"Stronger than the two bodies of the Thousand Chess... It seems to possess a vast amount of spiritual energy..."

In the tense and silent atmosphere, Ul and Nia, riding a golden giant, joined Mei.

"Mei, do you know that demon?"

"I've read about it in literature. The name 'Oni' is derived from a ritual that became the basis for 'Oni Gokko.' The demon called Oni has the ability to turn anyone it touches into a demon. Moreover, anyone touched by a demonized person also becomes a demon, making it the worst possible ability."

"So, if we're touched, it's over?"

"Exactly."

Hearing Mei's explanation that touching them would be the end, tension spread among Ul and the others.

"The completion of the wedge is almost there. Just a little more, Oni... Hm?"

In the midst of this, Katsura, who had finished regenerating her wounds, noticed something amiss. The spiritual energy of the laughing Buddha was greatly disturbed.

"Could it be...!"

The next moment, the space behind the laughing Buddha distorted, and a massive explosion of flames erupted. The laughing Buddha, engulfed in the flames, turned to ashes and vanished.

"...Where is the Thousand Chess?"

Kousuke, who had appeared on the tower with overwhelming spiritual energy, enraged by the use of his friend's memories, demanded.