The monster was pinned to the ground, but it wasn't actually dead; Kanbe Hikaru could see the wounds on its bone-pierced face slowly healing.
Although the speed was much slower than before, it was indeed healing.
This guy...
"It's not a demon."
By now, the priestess Tsubaki had also calmed down and saw the creature's full form—though she wasn't as powerful as the Dark Priestess in Kanbe Hikaru's memory, that was something fifty years in the future; currently, she was even less a match for Kikyo.
But she was still a highly gifted priestess of this era; she had simply been startled by something beyond her common knowledge, so it was only natural that she could react now.
She could see that there was no Demonic Qi on this fellow, nor any of the Oni Power found among demons.
Although it looked very much like an Evil Ogre among demons, it truly did not belong to the demon race!
No wonder her Barrier was useless.
No wonder.
Her shikigami were so easily defeated.
A priestess's shikigami are, in essence, just paper; they can only fight demons because they possess a special Anti-Demon property.
A priestess's Barrier is meant for dealing with demons.
And not every priestess could be like Kikyo, unleashing unprecedented destructive power with pure spiritual energy.
Against non-demonic entities, a priestess's combat strength would diminish sharply, plummeting.
However.
"Regardless of whether this guy is a demon or not, he's troublesome."
He said in a low voice.
This thing's recovery ability is too strong; ordinary attacks can't kill it at all.
But if ordinary attacks don't work—
"Then I'll use an extraordinary one!"
Kanbe Hikaru took a deep breath, and the demon power within his body began to boil.
Six Transformations, activated simultaneously.
Sharp Body, Sharp Eye Transformation, Archer, Spear Waist, Bone Soul, Blood Transformation!
Six types of power intertwined within his body.
Colliding and merging.
Kanbe Hikaru felt as if his body were a volcano on the verge of erupting.
Scalding power flowed through every meridian.
It was very hot.
But this heat made him feel excited.
The monster struggled and finally broke free from its restraints.
The Bone Spikes pinning its lower jaw began to crack.
Its recovery ability was too strong; even the Bone Spikes were being dismantled bit by bit by its regenerative power.
Sensing the strange change, the priestess Tsubaki retreated repeatedly.
In the distance, Kikyo also lowered her bow, seeing that Kanbe Hikaru was starting to "get serious."
"Don't be in a hurry."
The corners of Kanbe Hikaru's mouth curled up; rather than being alarmed, he became excitedly jubilant: "I'll send you on your way right now."
He raised his right hand.
His five fingers spread open, and Bone Spikes emerged from each fingertip, each three feet long, like five slender Bone Swords.
Kanbe Hikaru gripped those Bone Swords.
Then he charged out.
The monster finally broke free from its restraints and was about to counterattack—
Clang!
Five Bone Swords thrust out simultaneously, piercing its shoulders, legs, and chest.
Five points were pinned at once.
"Awooh—!"
It screamed in agony.
But this was only the beginning.
Kanbe Hikaru did not stop.
Five Bone Swords also grew from his left hand.
Another thrust.
This time it was the abdomen, back, and neck; even more Bone Spikes emerged from his body.
From his arms, his shoulders, his back... every single one turned into a sharp blade.
Every blade stabbed into the monster's body.
Like a rainstorm, and also like a—dance.
The Spiritual Perception came from Kaguya Kimimaro.
But it wasn't exactly the same.
Kaguya Kimimaro's Dance of Bones was elegant, like art, while Kanbe Hikaru's Thousand-Link Dance was brutal, a pure massacre.
There was no beauty to speak of.
Only pure killing intent.
Only an unstoppable slaughter.
...
Tsubaki had already gone from being stunned to pleasantly surprised.
Standing over a dozen zhang away, she watched the figure covered in Bone Spikes dancing under the moon.
She watched as every wave of his hand sent Bone Spikes thrusting out, and every turn sent flesh and blood flying.
The monster's screams grew weaker and weaker.
Its regenerative ability could no longer keep up with the speed of its injuries.
Too many wounds, too many Bone Spikes.
Its body had been pierced by those white Bone Spikes until it looked like a hedgehog.
No, it was more wretched than a hedgehog.
Because those Bone Spikes were still growing inside its body, curving, branching, and intertwining like countless white vines spreading within it.
Churning its internal organs into a mess.
"Ugh... ugh..."
It could no longer even scream, only able to make a raspy sound like a broken bellows.
In this situation, no matter how strong its recovery power was, it seemed to have nowhere to apply it.
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