Mizuki's figure became elusive, like a wisp of white smoke, flashing between the crescent moons filling the sky.
Even with such agile movement and speed, the devastating area attack of Moon Breathing was difficult to evade.
This time, it wasn't just a few minor scratches; Mizuki's arm was severed by a crescent blade, her legs were split in two, and her body constantly cycled between regeneration and destruction.
Kokushibou couldn't understand the meaning of fighting like this.
In Kokushibou's eyes, the outcome of this battle could no longer be determined.
Mizuki's Nichirin Blade, which posed the greatest threat to him, was broken. Relying only on her demon blade, she couldn't even make him wary.
This wasn't the weak defeating the strong; it was a meaningless charge.
No matter how severe the damage they sustained, they could recover instantly.
Kokushibou did not have a habit of standing still to be cut. Facing Mizuki, who charged forward relying on her regeneration ability, he chose to attack even more fiercely.
"Moon Breathing, Tenth Form: Face-Piercing Slash - Luo Yue!"
Two giant, revolving crescent blades crushed their way toward Mizuki, their form bearing nearly ninety percent resemblance to Mizuki's Eleventh Form.
This was the first time Mizuki had seen this move from Kokushibou.
Mizuki's eyes showed neither sorrow nor joy as she exhaled: "Snow Breathing, Twelfth Form: Great Avalanche!"
The tip of her sword pointed downward near her feet, and as she flipped the blade, she suddenly thrust it upwards.
It was as if a blood-red barrier had risen from the ground, not only blocking the crescent blades but also obscuring Kokushibou's vision.
The Transparent World functions similarly to an X-ray; although it allows for the viewing of the human body, it cannot completely see through all other objects.
It is essentially the pinnacle of martial arts mastery, a skill that predicts the opponent's next move through experience and combat technique, manifesting as the ability to see through the human body.
This obstruction proved effective against the Transparent World.
Kokushibou lost sight of Mizuki and pondered silently.
This form... is it a Stone Breathing form?
No, he had observed Mizuki's breathing rhythm just now—it was pure Snow Breathing.
In other words... after using forms from Sun Breathing and Moon Breathing, did she choose to return to the forms of Snow Breathing?
It was almost laughable; although it was called Snow Breathing, most of its forms were combinations with other Breathing Techniques, and truly pure forms were the minority.
"Snow Breathing, Thirteenth Form: Face Peak Silver Slash!"
Mizuki peered out from behind the barrier, and sword energy, sharp and flat like a cutting edge, struck Kokushibou one after another. Unexpectedly, it was another pure Snow Breathing Sword Form.
It was a very straightforward Sword Form, without any messy elements.
It was conventional.
It was simply a long-range attack method.
Only due to the enhancement of her Blood Demon Art did its range acquire some of the presence of Moon Breathing.
At this moment, Kokushibou's previous strength had just faded and new strength had not yet emerged, forcing him to dodge sideways.
Mizuki seized the opportunity to advance, her blood-red Nichirin Blade heading straight for his neck.
"Snow Breathing, Eighth Form: Endless Snow!"
The Nichirin Blade drew a blood-red arc in mid-air, and the icy chill stung Kokushibou's bare upper body.
It was a coldness even more troublesome than Douma's Blood Demon Art.
Kokushibou slashed forward, attempting to intercept Mizuki.
But Mizuki shifted her body slightly, choosing not to clash blades with Kokushibou. Instead, she avoided his strike and was cut in the shoulder by his blade.
The cry of emptiness sank in, her delicate collarbone snapped instantly, and blood immediately soaked her kimono.
Mizuki's blade, however, aimed unerringly for Kokushibou's neck.
She's willing to trade injuries?
Kokushibou frowned slightly, wondering what her intention was... He suddenly noticed Mizuki's resolute gaze, and his heart clenched.
A sense of crisis, unlike anything he had felt before, surged into his mind.
What is going on?
His body was afraid... No, that shouldn't be right... This blade... Although its aura wasn't very obvious, it was clearly of the same origin as Mizuki, a demon blade formed from her own flesh and blood.
But... what was the source of this sudden, baseless fear?
In that instant, Kokushibou chose to trust his intuition.
Whether it was the unpleasant memory of being decapitated by Mizuki before, or his trust in his vast battle experience.
In short, he couldn't take the blow head-on.
However, it was too late to pull away now, and his blade was embedded in Mizuki's shoulder, making it impossible to withdraw quickly.
Kokushibou could only raise his hand and grab for Mizuki's blade.
He couldn't block it. Although his body was trained to be incredibly hard—so much so that even a Hashira couldn't easily wound him.
But Mizuki was different from a Hashira.
However, the chilling aura emanating from the blade caused Kokushibou's fingers to stiffen slightly, making him miss the chance to grab Mizuki's blade, and his arm was severed by the slash.
As Kokushibou reached out, he pulled his blade out and fell backward, choosing not to fight Mizuki to the death.
But Mizuki was relentless, closing the distance and giving him no chance to retreat. The Shura in her hand, after severing Kokushibou's arm, slashed toward his neck without the slightest pause.
He couldn't evade it!
As Kokushibou focused his energy, the icy blade cut into his neck, and a coldness so intense it caused pain drilled into his mind.
Regeneration. He had to complete regeneration quickly; he couldn't allow his head to be completely severed.
This was Kokushibou's first reaction after being struck in the neck.
It wasn't a Nichirin Blade, so even if he was decapitated, he would be fine. But for Kokushibou, being beheaded was unforgivable, regardless of the reason.
Being decapitated meant his skill was inferior.
Mizuki had an element of trickery involved, because in his view, the battle between them was meaningless.
Since they could both infinitely regen—Kokushibou's relatively calm expression suddenly changed. The feedback from his neck indicated that the speed of regeneration... had slowed down!
Furthermore, the speed of regeneration was much slower than he had imagined. Although it wasn't as potent as the scorching effect of the scarlet blade, it wasn't far off.
What is happening?
Isn't this a demon blade?
Kokushibou was horrified.
Unlike the scarlet blade, which scorched the body, the bone-chilling cold was a different kind of painful experience.
Kokushibou couldn't worry about anything else now. He swung the cry of emptiness, which he had just pulled from Mizuki's shoulder, between the two of them, attempting to separate them.
Mizuki pressed forward, using her body to block the strike again.
Blood splattered everywhere, but Mizuki paid no attention. She was exerting all her strength with both hands, and the veins on the back of her hands bulged one by one, looking incredibly fierce.
Kokushibou finally panicked. This girl... she was serious!
This blade is wrong!
He ignored attacking, released his tight grip on the cry of emptiness, and grabbed the blade of Shura.
The moment he touched it, an icy coldness that penetrated to the bone assaulted him.
What in the world is going on with this blade?!
Kokushibou clenched his jaw tightly, not daring to relax even though the cold had stiffened his palms.
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 70 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!