As previously stated.
From the very beginning, Kanbe Hikaru never intended to fight the Thunder Beast one-on-one in a fair, head-on clash.
Before entering the Imagawa Clan's main castle, he had already begun laying out his plan.
[Blood Transformation] and [Bone Soul Transformation] were operating simultaneously.
Blood Mist seeped from his pores, spreading bit by bit with his footsteps, while Bone Spikes burrowed into the ground from under his feet, spreading along the gaps in the soil, masonry, and walls.
This was a slow process.
It was also a process that required immense patience.
It took him a full half-hour to cover the entire castle.
The Blood Mist was his eyes—as long as an area was stained with Blood Mist, he could clearly perceive every movement.
The Bone Spikes were his weapons—whenever he wished, those Bone Spikes buried underground could burst through the soil at any moment, forming a forest of death.
This was his confidence in overcoming the strong while being weak.
Not a head-on collision, but a pre-laid strategy.
Not tanking damage, but controlling the battlefield.
As a Six Transformations Oni Samurai, even though he had already fused one transformation and was theoretically stronger than an ordinary Six Transformations yokai, he knew that his chances of winning in a head-on clash against a Materialization-level Thunder Beast were still not high.
However, what if it were like this?
If the entire castle were his battlefield.
If the entire castle were his trap.
The result would also be vastly different.
...
Imagawa Yoshimoto stood by the gap blasted open in the Tenshukaku, watching the figure in the center of the castle.
Her legs were weak.
Not because of fear.
It was because of—shock.
The Thunder Beast.
The giant beast that had burst out from underground; she finally saw its full appearance.
Its white fur looked like solidified lightning, glowing blindingly under the moonlight; its limbs were as thick as the pillars in the hall, and every claw tip was sizzling, with purple electric arcs leaping between them.
Its size was breathtaking—the shoulder height alone was over three zhang.
That beast face was hideous and terrifying, with fangs exposed, and its eyes glowing with a ghostly blue light, like two burning will-o'-the-wisps.
This was the yokai that had been lurking under her castle for three days.
This was the culprit that had given her nightmares every night.
"It's too big..."
Imagawa Yoshimoto murmured.
The most elite samurai under her command probably couldn't withstand even a single moment in front of this thing.
The mages she had hired with heavy gold probably wouldn't even have a chance to run away in front of this thing.
But—
Her gaze turned to the top of the Tenshukaku.
That gray figure was standing there, looking down at the giant beast below.
Blood Mist churned around him, and the forest of bones grew beneath his feet.
The entire castle was being used by him.
Is this the method of that 'yokai'?
His so-called borrowing of the castle, it turns out, meant this as well.
He was not borrowing the castle.
He had turned the entire castle into a massive cage.
Fortunately, she had agreed to it.
Fortunately, he had coordinated things, having all the soldiers and residents in the city evacuate as quickly as possible in advance.
This was truly—
"Wonderful."
A monster that specifically came to slay monsters.
Imagawa Yoshimoto, too, had truly and unavoidably become interested.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side.
"Kanbe Hikaru..."
The Thunder Beast's voice sounded like thunder, echoing in the night sky.
"You are courting death!"
Lightning surged wildly around its body, the purple radiance illuminating the night sky like broad daylight.
Then it moved.
Kicking off with all four limbs, its massive body shot towards the top of the Tenshukaku like a bolt of purple lightning.
The speed was astonishing.
It was so fast that Imagawa Yoshimoto only saw a purple afterimage.
So fast that those Bone Spikes had no time to intercept it at all.
But—
Kanbe Hikaru also moved.
He did not dodge.
He even met the Thunder Beast head-on.
Muramasa in his right hand, Sōza Samonji in his left.
Both swords were drawn simultaneously.
One black, one silver, the blade lights intertwined.
[Sharp Body Transformation] fully activated, every muscle in his body was burning.
[Spear-Waist Transformation] engaged, his waist twisted, driving the strength of his entire body.
[Bone Soul Transformation] operating, bone armor surged from beneath his skin, covering his entire body.
[Blood Transformation] sustained, blood mist condensed around him, forming a thin shield.
A crimson oni mask formed on his face; that hideous oni mask created an eerie contrast with his long, pale hair.
Dual-wielding.
This was Kanbe Hikaru's first time attempting dual-sword combat.
Muramasa was his old partner; having used it for several months, they were already perfectly in sync.
Sōza Samonji had just been acquired, so he was still a bit unfamiliar with it.
But it didn't matter.
He didn't need them to be perfectly coordinated.
He only needed—attacks and slashes that were fast enough.
Boom—!
Two figures collided in mid-air.
In that instant, the air seemed to be torn apart.
A shockwave spread in all directions, blowing away nearby rooftops and shaking bricks off the city walls.
Imagawa Yoshimoto was forced to retreat repeatedly by this wave of air, gripping the door frame tightly to avoid being blown away.
She saw it.
The Thunder Beast's giant claws collided with Kanbe Hikaru's dual swords.
Purple lightning and the light of the blades intertwined, sparks flying everywhere.
That gray-clad figure was suppressed by the Thunder Beast's strength, his body sent flying backward through the air.
But his dual swords did not stop.
Muramasa slashed towards the Thunder Beast's left eye, but it dodged by tilting its head.
Sōza Samonji stabbed towards its throat, but was deflected by its claw.
Kanbe Hikaru's body was still flying backward, but his Bone Spikes had already emerged from his back, stabbing into the city wall behind him to stabilize his position.
"Is that all?"
The Thunder Beast grinned.
The expression on that beast's face looked like mockery.
"I thought you were stronger—"
It hadn't finished speaking.
Its body suddenly stiffened.
It looked down.
A white Bone Spike emerged from the ground, piercing its hind leg.
"What—"
It wanted to dodge.
But more Bone Spikes surged up.
From the ground, from the city walls, from the rooftops.
Those Bone Forests it thought were just decorations had all come alive.
Like countless white hands, reaching out to grab it.
Just as he had said before.
This was his layout.
Although he couldn't directly control the movements of these Bone Spikes remotely, Kanbe Hikaru could still make them grow.
"I said it before."
Kanbe Hikaru's voice came from the blood mist: "This city is my battlefield."
He had already rushed up again.
Dual swords intertwined, the blade light like a streak of silk.
Muramasa slashed towards the Thunder Beast's abdomen, and Sōza Samonji stabbed towards its flank.
The Thunder Beast swung its claws to block, but found its movements much slower—the Bone Spikes that had pierced its hind leg were constantly growing, entangling, and restricting its actions.
Clang!
Muramasa was blocked by the giant claw.
But Sōza Samonji was not.
The silver blade sliced across the Thunder Beast's ribs, drawing a trail of blood.
"Damn it—"
The Thunder Beast roared, lightning surging violently around its body.
The Bone Spikes wrapped around its body were shattered by the lightning, turning into fly ash.
But Kanbe Hikaru had already retreated.
He stood in the blood mist, his dual swords hanging down.
There were several scorched marks on his bone armor, left by the lightning that had grazed him just now.
But his eyes remained calm.
"The speed is indeed fast."
He said: "And the strength is indeed great."
"But do you know?"
He raised his head, looking at those beast eyes glowing with a ghostly blue light.
"In this city, you cannot run away."
The blood mist surged again.
The Bone Forest grew once more.
This was a struggle of a trapped beast.
The battle had only just begun.
[Sōza Samonji: Affinity + 5]
[Current Affinity: 5 (Sprouting)]
[It is very excited. It has been a long time since it had such a battle.]
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Rexlent
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"