Although the soul fire in Ryuma's eye sockets seemed to burn more intensely, Chiga, with his Rinnegan, could clearly see he was nearing his limit.
"Burning your own soul to draw out greater power... it's even harsher than the Eight Inner Gates. I wonder how powerful this will be," Chiga murmured to himself.
Of course, Ryuma had no idea what the Eight Inner Gates were. All he knew was that he needed to unleash every last ounce of strength he had left.
The heart of a swordsman often transcended logic, built upon idealism and conviction. And having faced death twice, Ryuma's swordsmanship seemed to reach yet another realm.
He placed Shusui back at his waist, crouched, and adopted a stance for a swift draw.
Chiga, sensing the threat, immediately activated his ROOM, swapping himself and Ryuma outside the castle. The move contained no malice, so Ryuma didn't resist, his focus solely on the sword in his hand.
Without missing a beat, Ryuma looked up at Chiga, his voice deep and resolute.
"Three Styles: Flying Dragon Slash!"
A dragon's roar echoed as a massive dragon of blue energy surged forward. Wherever it passed, the air warped, leaving rifts in space itself.
Had Dracule Mihawk been present, even he would have recognized this strike as something beyond a mere Flying Slash — it carried the essence of sword intent, a manifestation of the swordsman's will.
Chiga's expression sharpened. The Susanoo Blade in his hand radiated Armament Haki, black patterns coiling along its edge, exuding an aura of pure destruction.
His Rinnegan's purple glow intensified as he raised the blade and brought it down fiercely.
A jagged, violet sword light clashed head-on with the charging dragon. Their collision unleashed a vortex of whirling sword winds, carving deep ravines into the land around them.
Zombies nearby were reduced to dust in the aftermath, their stolen shadows dissolving and fleeing into the earth to return to their rightful owners.
Amidst the storm, Chiga and Ryuma stood motionless, locked in their standoff.
But Ryuma wasn't finished.
With a sharp exhale, he swung his sword again, unleashing his next strike.
"Three Styles: Dragon Sentinel Extreme!"
This time, three massive blue dragons rose, one from above and two from the ground, converging on Chiga.
"Shinra Tensei!"
A deafening hum filled the air as an overwhelming repulsive force erupted from Chiga. The three dragons howled as they were forced back mid-attack, their might unable to breach the barrier.
Chiga watched them struggle against the invisible wall, an impressed look flickering in his eyes.
"To contend with my Shinra Tensei to this extent… even Mihawk wouldn't have managed it. This man's swordsmanship has truly surpassed legend," he thought.
Yet even this would not be enough.
The repulsive force swelled again, fully repelling the dragons, which disintegrated into a shower of radiant blue particles.
But Ryuma was far from discouraged. Instead, he grew even more exhilarated.
"Your strength is unfathomable," Ryuma called out across the battlefield. "In today's world, you are worthy of the title of strongest!"
Chiga offered a faint smile but said nothing. In terms of pure combat power, that title may well be his — but this wasn't the time for boasting.
He could already sense Ryuma's soul fraying at the edges. This next attack would be his final blow.
A solemn calm descended over Ryuma's features. This strike would be his farewell.
The blue flames in his eye sockets flickered before surging higher, igniting his body in roaring azure flames. Above him, a colossal dragon head formed from the blaze, snarling at the heavens.
His physical form began to dissipate under the scorching fire, but Ryuma showed no fear. The God of Swords had faced death before, and he would embrace it again.
Chiga watched silently, respect growing in his heart for the ancient swordsman's unwavering spirit.
Without hesitation, Ryuma poured every remaining drop of power into Shusui and roared,
"Three Styles: Dragon's Song!!!"
In an instant, Ryuma merged with the enormous dragon, becoming one with the manifestation of his will.
The giant dragon coiled in the sky, its ferocious gaze fixed upon Chiga, then dove toward him with unstoppable momentum.
Chiga threw his head back and laughed.
"Hahahahaha! I, Uchiha Chiga, acknowledge your swordsmanship! Of all the swordsmen I've faced, you stand at the very summit!"
He drove the Susanoo Blade into the earth. The sword dissipated into concentric waves of deep purple energy, spreading outward from Chiga's feet.
Moments later, a towering figure of Susanoo manifested around him.
But this wasn't an ordinary Susanoo.
Chiga's body transformed into pure purple lightning, surging into the Susanoo's limbs and bones. The armor gave a metallic groan as segments lifted, revealing sinews of crackling purple lightning beneath.
A pair of jagged lightning wings spread from Susanoo's back, and its weapon morphed into a Lightning Blade, arcs of violet electricity dancing along its edge.
This was the Raijin Susano'o, born from fusing the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit with Susanoo — its debut appearance, and already a force capable of splitting the world itself.
Raijin Susanoo raised its blade as the blue dragon streaked downward. Purple lightning crackled across the battlefield.
Chiga's voice thundered across Thriller Bark.
"All creation, turn to ash… this is the will of Susanoo!"
The massive lightning wings flared, launching Raijin Susanoo into the sky.
The blue dragon let out a final roar as it collided with the electrified titan. Raijin Susanoo gripped its sword with both hands and swung downward with devastating force.
Boom!
An apocalyptic shockwave erupted in the sky. The perpetual storm clouds above Thriller Bark were shredded apart, revealing a brilliant blue sky for the first time in centuries.
As sunlight poured down, a single broken samurai sword fell from the heavens, embedding itself silently into the ground.
The duel was over.
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Have fun with 2 chapters (ب_ب)