Fushira wasted no time. Dropping low, he pressed both palms to the ground, his eyes glowing with a sinister light as he activated his bloodline technique—Phase One of the Chronicles: Plant and Man. The forest trembled in response. From beneath the soil, monstrous roots erupted, each one as thick as a tower beam and tipped with jagged, sharpened ends. They surged upward with terrifying speed, aiming to impale Lucy.
Lucy darted between them, her movements sharp and fluid, using switch mode to flash from root to root, balancing on the unstable pillars of wood while dodging the stabbing strikes. Her body moved like water, slipping between death at every turn.
"Not bad, Fushira," she called out with a fearless grin, her five arms spread wide as she landed on a root's twisting spine. "But you'll have to do better than that."
Her blades whirled in a blur, slicing through the air. In a single swing, she diced twelve incoming roots into cubes, their massive forms collapsing like butchered meat. At the same time, she used two of her hands to grab a boulder the size of a small hut from the forest floor. With impossible strength, she hurled it straight at Fushira.
The attack forced him to release his control. He ripped his hands from the soil, switching away just in time to avoid being crushed. The roots froze mid-motion, lifeless without his command. Lucy landed gracefully, sliding down the side of one fallen root.
Onamuchi seized the moment. His arms elongated, twisting unnaturally as he activated his own ability—Phase Two of the Chronicles: Metal Extension. His limbs stretched out like living whips, their metallic sheen cutting through the air. They lashed toward Lucy from below, striking upward like snakes, aiming to bind and crush her.
Lucy spun around them, her expression calm even in the chaos. She ducked, weaved, and parried with her blades, but the relentless combined assault pressed her.
Meanwhile, Voldigo stood in the shadows, his chest heaving as he gathered an immense surge of Renshi into his lungs. His presence alone caused the air to vibrate with pressure.
Lucy noticed immediately. Her smile vanished.
"This is bad…" Her tone hardened as she turned her head toward Sasaki. "Get back, Sasaki! Run as far as you can! Now!"
Sasaki's instincts flared—his veins burned with warning. Without hesitation, he launched forward at full speed, sprinting toward the direction of Lyon and the others.
Voldigo exhaled slowly, his voice rumbling like a thunderstorm. He activated his bloodline—Phase One of the Chronicles: Sonic Destruction.
The forest shuddered. He roared.
The sonic wave exploded outward, a deafening force that split trees and shattered the very earth. Lucy tried to vanish with switch mode—but her eyes widened in shock.
Fushira had already placed a restriction barrier around her, locking her from using switch mode for five whole seconds.
"Got you," Fushira muttered coldly.
The wave slammed into her like the wrath of a god. The forest imploded, trees ripped apart and the ground caved in as Lucy's body was hurled through the destruction. Dust and shockwaves rolled for miles.
"The time is now… or never." Fushira rose, weaving a teleportation circle.
Sasaki stopped in his tracks, trembling. His fists clenched.
She told me to watch out for sneak attacks… and I hesitated. I was too scared to even step closer after seeing such a battle… His teeth grit, his voice low and fierce. But I can't back down now. If I run, she fought for nothing.
With a flash of resolve, Sasaki activated switch mode. He appeared directly behind Fushira and drove his fist into his back with explosive force.
BOOM!
Fushira's body snapped forward, crashing into the dirt.
"What the—!?" Pascal's eyes widened in disbelief. "How did he touch Fushira!?"
Romero scoffed, analyzing in an instant. "Don't get it twisted. Fushira was caught off guard. His body's vulnerable if he doesn't anticipate the attack." His glare sharpened. "He underestimated this fool."
In the blink of an eye, Romero switched to Sasaki's front and slammed his fist straight into Sasaki's stomach. The impact bent Sasaki's body before it hurled him into the sky.
Pascal appeared above him midair, his heel crashing down with devastating force. Sasaki plummeted to the ground, the impact echoing like a war drum.
Fushira, now enraged, reappeared with fury in his eyes. He slammed his hand into Sasaki's gut, roots exploding from his arm and burrowing deep into Sasaki's stomach, crushing him into the earth.
Sasaki coughed blood—yet a crooked smile spread across his face. His voice was unnervingly calm.
"Sorry… my friends. But I think I don't feel this thing you call pain."
Before Fushira could react, spikes of blood-forged Renshi erupted from Sasaki's stomach, piercing straight through Fushira's body.
"W-what…!?"
The others froze in shock as Fushira screamed, blood pouring from dozens of wounds. Sasaki wrenched the spikes free and let Fushira's limp body collapse to the ground, unconscious and bleeding heavily.
"You bastard!!" Romero's roar split the battlefield as he charged, his fists shaking with rage.
He launched into Sasaki, hammering blows with his bare hands. Pascal joined him, activating his Ultimate Wolf Form. His arm and leg morphed into a savage wolf's claw and limb, glowing with primal sand Renshi.
The two attacked in tandem, smashing Sasaki across the battlefield. Every blow shattered bone, every kick crushed muscle. Blood sprayed, but Sasaki's body continued to stitch itself together.
Still, his regeneration lagged behind their assault.
Pascal hurled Sasaki upward with a brutal kick. Onamuchi immediately combined his Phase Two and Phase Three of Metal Chronicles: Metal Expansion. His fist expanded a thousand times in size, transforming into a colossal metal hammer.
CRASH!
The blow struck Sasaki midair, launching him back down like a meteor. Pascal appeared behind him in a blink, kicking him forward again toward the waiting Romero.
Romero clasped both fists together and smashed Sasaki down into the earth, the crater exploding beneath the impact.
Sasaki lay in the debris… smiling.
Slowly, he rose. Two tiny tornadoes of his blood Renshi coiled beneath his feet, lifting him into the air. His wounds sealed instantly, leaving only torn clothes as evidence of the battle. His laughter rang across the ruined forest.
"No matter what you do… I cannot be killed. You think pain frightens me? You think death can touch me?!" He spread his arms wide, his grin monstrous. "Come then! Give me your best shot!"
His eyes gleamed with a mad brilliance. "I was terrified moments ago… but now, I've never felt more alive."
Romero's teeth grit, his fury boiling over. He unleashed his bloodline's Phase Three: Twin Wolf Speed and Strength. His body doubled in size, his movements blurring beyond human limits.
He switched in front of Sasaki in midair, his clawed hand wrapping tightly around Sasaki's neck.
"Then let's test that arrogance," Romero snarled. "Let's see how you regenerate… when I rip your damn head off."
Sasaki thrashed, his neck cracking under Romero's grip as his regeneration struggled to keep up with the relentless squeeze.