The spears of fire Renshi was not strong enough,the shurikens spun downward,pure Renshi slashing from the side.
SHHHHRRIIIP!
They tore into the assassin's torso, slicing him open across the chest and ribs.
But he didn't flinch. Not a grunt, not a drop of hesitation. His body regenerated instantly, black Renshi knitting torn flesh together as if the wounds had never existed. His strikes only grew heavier, faster, more crushing with every blow.
Sasaki grit his teeth, forced back on the defensive. His arms shook under the weight of each impact, his blade ringing louder with every clash.
TCH! He's adapting. Each punch is sharper than the last…
He exhaled sharply and pushed his energy downward. Tiny tornadoes of wind red Renshi spun under his feet, lifting him higher and higher. His body shot into the sky, hovering just above the battlefield.
But the assassin leaped after him, spreading his arms wide like a black eagle.
SWITCH MODE!
He vanished, appearing right in front of Sasaki's face midair, his knee slamming forward.
Sasaki barely blocked in time, his arms rattling with pain.
The assassin's body blurred as he switched repeatedly in the air, attacking from impossible angles, fists and kicks raining down. Their clash lit up the sky above the Front gate of the kingdom of Ashura.
Then—
BAM!
A devastating kick hammered Sasaki's stomach, launching him backward. His massive body smashed against the kingdom's wall, stone and dust raining down.
But there was no pause.
SWITCH MODE!
The assassin appeared above, dropping both heels downward like an executioner's axe.
Sasaki twisted away just in time, the stone wall cracking into a massive crater as the assassin's feet slammed into it.
The assassin ran along the wall effortlessly with high speed, switching continuously, his attacks flowing sharper and sharper, battering Sasaki who's fighting back flying close to the wall as if he's a prey cornered in a cage.
"Damn it… this is getting worse. There's only one way out now."
With a roar, Sasaki rocketed away from the wall and aimed directly at the formation itself.
But the assassin anticipated it.
SWITCH MODE!
The two collided in midair, fists pounding into each other again and again, each blow sending shockwaves that shredded the air.
Suddenly, the assassin's aura twisted. Two massive black curved swords formed in his hands, jagged and unnatural. He stopped attacking altogether, descending toward the ground with terrifying calm.
Sasaki's instincts screamed.
The assassin landed without a sound and spread his arms. A glowing Renshi circle flared beneath his feet.
Then—
THOOOOOM!
Four gigantic black doors erupted from the ground, one from each direction. They slammed into place around Sasaki, sealing him within a prison. The top sealed shut with a glowing barrier.
Sasaki's eyes widened.
"Tch"
Without hesitation, he charged at the assassin's still form. His blade cut deep— SHRIIIP!—splitting the body in half.
But the figure dissolved into smoke.
Dozens. Hundreds. The same assassin materialized all around him, surrounding him in every direction.
Sasaki's smirk vanished.
"Damn it. An illusion trap… He's planning to eliminate me first. Once I'm gone, Alfie and Jackson are next."
He clenched his fists, deactivating his blade while fighting with fist. Energy flowed to his elbows, Renshi forming into twin arm-blades that extended down like hand-forged weapons.
"Fine. Let's see if these fake bodies can bleed."
He spun violently, transforming himself into a living tornado, blades and Renshi tearing apart every clone in sight.
FWOOOSH! CRASH! SLASH!
Bodies shredded and dissolved one after another. But each time they shattered, more returned, reforming in endless waves.
"SCREW ALL OF YOU!!" Sasaki bellowed, his voice echoing through the sealed space. He spun faster, a storm of bloodlust and fury.
But his mind was sharper than his rage.
"There's only one way out. If I want to help Lucy…"
He slammed his palm into the ground. The energy rippled outward.
Outside the barrier, Alfie and Jackson froze as Sasaki's domain dissolved, vanishing around them.
"Wait… why would he deactivate his domain?" Alfie muttered, tightening his grip on his blade.
Jackson's eyes darted toward the ominous gates. "Look at them. Four doors forming a square… and that pressure. Heavy, suffocating. Don't you think Mr. Sasaki is trapped inside?"
Alfie paused, silent for a moment. Then his eyes hardened. "I get it. He's relying on us. He wants us to destroy the formation."
"I thought the same," Jackson said, nodding. "But if Mr Sasaki's struggling, then the opponent must be… terrifying."
"No time for doubts," Alfie snapped. He sprinted forward, sword in hand. "Let's break it!"
The moment they approached—
VRRROOOOM!
A portal tore open in front of them, black and swirling. From it, forty shadow assassins poured out, their silent forms sprinting forward like beasts unleashed.
Alfie smirked, resting his sword casually over his shoulder. "Tch. I never expected it to be easy."
Jackson clenched his teeth, already sprinting forward. "I'll be the decoy. Go for the formation, Alfie. Break it no matter what!"
The shadows met them in a wave.
CLAAANG! CLASH! CLANG!
Jackson's blade clashed against theirs in a storm of sparks. He spun and parried, barely dodging blows from every angle.
Two shadows lunged from behind—
SHING!
Alfie intercepted in the nick of time, his blade cutting through them with precision and style. He spun smoothly, striking down another.
"Oi, Jackson! You think I'm gonna let you fight alone?!" Alfie shouted, his grin wild. "We're doing this together!"
Their blades danced side by side, cutting through shadows one by one. The air filled with dissolving fragments as they struck down the forty assassins after a brutal contest.
Alfie exhaled, lowering his sword. "Hah… done already?"
But the air shifted.
Behind them, another portal tore open.
This time, eighty shadows poured out—larger, darker, stronger.
Alfie's grin vanished.
"What the hell is this…?" Jackson's voice trembled in shock.
Alfie's jaw clenched. "This is bad. Really bad. And we still don't know how Mr. Sasaki is holding up inside…"
The shadows stepped forward in perfect unison, their eyes glowing faintly red.