The atmosphere within the ruined marble chamber froze in an instant. Two high-tier aura pressures collided in midair—on one side, the terrifying, mutated black-and-gold aura of Gin'iro; on the other, the silver, pristine majesty radiating from the Nine-Tailed Fox Ancestor, Xuánhú.
Kazan clutched his tight chest, wincing. "This aura... it makes no sense."
"He isn't just an ally," Leon whispered, his eyes locked on the graceful figure standing before them. "He is a living legend."
Gin'iro, now twice his original size and encased in the fused armor of the Hydra life spheres, let out a deafening roar. The sound shook the very foundations of the ruins. Without warning, Gin'iro tore through the air, sweeping his colossal axe—enveloped in black-gold flames and frost—straight toward Leon and the others.
The force of the strike was enough to flatten the entire corridor.
"Fall back!" Leon shouted.
Yet, Xuánhú did not budge an inch. His wrist, adorned with a silver-white jade bracelet—the Jiǔ Bàn Yù Huán—rose unhurriedly. The bracelet pulsed with a soft glow before unraveling into strands of silver light that solidified instantly.
"Second Tail Form: Fang Fan!"
SWOOSH!
An elegant fan forged from nine sacred fox tings unfurled in Xuánhú's grip. With a fluid spin of his body akin to a dance, Xuánhú swept the fan in a circular arc.
"Nǐn: Sakura Shield!"
The rapid rotation of the fang blades formed a dome of silvery energy. The impact of Gin'iro's axe slammed hard against the barrier—BOOM!—yet the destructive force was completely neutralized and repelled, forcing Gin'iro back several steps!
Kin'iro, watching from behind, narrowed his eyes. His relaxed smile had vanished entirely.
"Gin'iro, give him no room to breathe! The Multiplier: Heavy Pressure!"
Kin'iro waved his hand, unleashing a wave of gravity-multiplying magic that pressed down on Xuánhú while simultaneously doubling the speed of Gin'iro's attacks. Gin'iro charged once more with a barrage of relentless cleaves.
Xuánhú exhaled a long breath. His face remained serene, though a bead of cold sweat trickled down his temple—a subtle sign that his energy had not fully recovered after being unsealed.
"Making me move this much right after waking... how utterly rude," Xuánhú murmured softly.
The jade rings upon his hand transformed once more.
"Seventh Tail Form: Ring of Karma!"
Nine slender rings floated around his nine tails, spinning at varying speeds. Instantly, the aura of probability shifted. The arc of Gin'iro's axe, meant to land a decisive blow, suddenly veered off by a few inches as a small piece of falling rubble miraculously caused his footing to stumble.
Giving no reprieve, Xuánhú called upon his next form without delay.
"First Tail Form: Dusk Ribbon!"
A ten-meter strand of lunar thread shot forth like lightning from behind the shadows of his tails. The living thread split into nine distinct ends, coiling around Gin'iro's neck, arms, and colossal axe from unpredictable angles!
"Leon! Kazan!" Nix shouted from the rear, watching with a proud smirk. "Don't just stand there watching! Xuánhú is dismantling their movements!"
"Now, Leon!" Kazan lunged forward, his white katana ablaze.
Leon understood completely. Xuánhú's Ring of Karma had disrupted Gin'iro's rhythm, while the Dusk Ribbon locked his physical movements. However, the root problem remained Kin'iro, who continuously supported Gin'iro with his Wall of Mirrors.
Kin'iro attempted to sever the coiling ribbons with his reflection magic. "Don't think you can—"
CLANG!
Xuánhú's jade bracelet shifted forms once more in midair with a flash of green-blue light.
"Sixth Tail Form: Sword of Wisdom!"
The jade blade of the Jiǔhuán Huìjiàn swung with absolute precision. Resonance from the nine silver rings on its hilt released a frequency wave that forcibly shattered Kin'iro's mirror barrier instantly!
"What?!" Kin'iro flinched, his reflection magic severed by force!
"The opening is clear!" Kazan barked.
Kazan closed the distance, unleashing Shunpū: Renji to lock Kin'iro's attention. Simultaneously, Leon vaulted over Gin'iro's massive, ribbon-bound frame.
Leon activated the lingering Void energy within Lokantaka. His gaze sharpened as he spotted a hairline energy crack on Gin'iro's chest—the precise point where the fused Hydra life spheres had failed to mesh completely.
"Thanks for the setup, Xuánhú!" Leon roared.
Leon drove Lokantaka straight into the core of the crack in Gin'iro's chest!
"Void Core Piercer!"
KABOOM!
An explosion of Void energy ruptured the interior of Gin'iro's fused form. The giant howled in agony as the energy of the Hydra life spheres began leaking uncontrollably from his body.
Gin'iro was blasted backward, crashing through the fortress walls and reducing them to rubble. Kin'iro was forced to leap back toward his giant ally, blood dripping from his shoulder as his absolute defense lay completely broken for the very first time.
Xuánhú landed gracefully beside Leon and Kazan. The Fang Fan hovered near his hand once more, while his nine white tails unfurled magnificently—beautiful, yet teeming with danger.
"You move quite fast for youngsters," Xuánhú praised lazy yet commanding tone.
Kin'iro wiped the blood from the corner of his lips, glaring at Xuánhú, Leon, Kazan, and Zenless, who now stood side-by-side, forming an absolute wall of defense.
"Incredible..." Kin'iro whispered, his eyes burning with intense malice. "But this battle is far from over."
=== CHAPTER 52 END ===