Insect Breathing: Bee Sting Dance - True Lure!
Clang! Sizzle!
A sharp metallic clash rang out. Shinazugawa had drawn his Nichirin Sword at some unknown point. He held his blade horizontally against Su Chen's, and their swords collided, sending sparks flying into the air.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Su Chen, whose first attack had failed, immediately changed tactics. While maintaining the high mobility of his Breathing Style, he instantly unleashed another move.
Insect Breathing: Butterfly Dance - Frolic!
Moving as lightly as a butterfly, Su Chen used a high-speed technique that the naked eye couldn't follow. He rapidly thrust his blade continuously toward Shinazugawa's body.
Shinazugawa dodged while grumbling inwardly. "That brat! One second he's being a good guy, and the next he's aiming for my kidney! And he keeps using these effeminate moves!"
Shinazugawa felt utterly aggrieved. Whenever he saw Insect Breathing, he couldn't help but think of Kocho Shinobu. And when he thought of her, his kidney would always ache faintly.
Now that Su Chen was using Shinobu's moves, Shinazugawa was finally getting provoked.
He roared, "Are you done messing around?!"
The next moment, Shinazugawa seized the instant Su Chen was retracting his strength. He quickly inhaled a huge breath of oxygen into his lungs. Veins bulged on his arms, poised for action.
Not good!
Seeing this, Su Chen cursed inwardly and immediately retreated. But Shinazugawa's speed was faster than he imagined.
The instant Su Chen retreated, the Nichirin Sword in Sanemi's hand had already completed its starting stance.
Wind Breathing: Fifth Form - Cold Mountain Wind!
This was Shinazugawa's fastest starting move in his Breathing Style. Almost instantly, he completed the release of the sword technique. As the Wind Pillar swung his blade, the characteristic rolling wind slash shot forward.
Insect Breathing: Centipede Dance - Hundred-Legged Serpent Abdomen!
One step, a hundred echoes. As Su Chen retreated with high mobility, he gracefully landed. Stepping hard on the ground, he immediately switched to a power-type Breathing Technique.
A massive amount of oxygen rapidly entered Su Chen's lungs. Total Concentration!
Rafflesia Breathing: Sixth Form - Rafflesia Swirling Peach!
Su Chen leaped again, rapidly twisting his body in mid-air. At the same time, he unleashed a spiraling horizontal slash. Wherever the blade passed, Shinazugawa's rolling whirlwind was completely blocked.
Wind and flowers intertwined, and faintly pink petals seemed to drift in the air. The two figures separated.
The probing was over.
The crowd reacted instantly. "Su Chen's speed... it seems just as fast as the Wind Pillar's!" "It seems I misjudged. I didn't expect Su Chen to have such strength!" "Oh no, look! The Wind Pillar's face... it looks like it was grazed just now!"
On the battle stage, Shinazugawa spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. He wiped his mouth and said, "I was careless. You're pretty good, kid!"
Looking at Shinazugawa's indignant yet slightly excited eyes, Su Chen smiled faintly. "Do you remember what I said? A Mark can only awaken at the brink of life and death. Today is the best time for you to awaken yours."
Shinazugawa froze at these words. Veins bulged on his forehead, and he revealed a twisted smile. "You brat! I like you!"
Whoosh!!!
Shinazugawa's figure flashed. A fierce wind swept across the ground. His figure twisted and turned in the air at extreme speed, sending two slashes of sword qi flying out.
Su Chen only heard a blur of sound, and Shinazugawa disappeared from in front of him.
So strong!
This was Su Chen's first reaction. Without activating the Bullet Domain, Su Chen couldn't keep up with the Wind Pillar's speed. By the time he perceived the movement, Shinazugawa's attack was already upon him.
At this moment, Su Chen no longer hesitated. He directly unleashed his amplification skills.
Bullet Domain: Activated!Carefree Movement Technique: Activated!Hearing Reconnaissance: Maximized!
Whoosh—
Under the multiple enhancements of his senses and movement technique, Su Chen finally saw Shinazugawa's movements. Just now, Shinazugawa—like Kyojuro before him—had gathered all his explosive power in his legs and performed a simple dash.
It was just a simple dash, but Shinazugawa directly shattered the floor, rushing toward him like an arrow from a bow.
Total Concentration!
Su Chen used Total Concentration: Hundred Refinements to rapidly temper his cells. At this moment, his body speed suddenly surged.
Whoosh—
Almost at the same instant the opponent's sword qi grazed his ear, Su Chen dodged Shinazugawa's attack to the left.
Total Concentration!
Su Chen did not sit idly by. The moment he dodged, he once again used Total Concentration to accumulate power. He exhaled a turbid breath, then took a sharp inhale from the air.
His sword technique changed. The blade vibrated rapidly. A scorching heat attached to the blade, and physical flames quickly covered it.
Flame Breathing: Sixth Form - Flame Tiger!
Roar!
As if a fierce tiger roared in the mountains, Su Chen's white clothes fluttered. Behind him, a ferocious flaming tiger seemed to appear. The next moment, Su Chen seized the opportunity, gripped the hilt, and unleashed a fiery slash.
Whoosh!
Scalding flames cut through the air, and the young man's blade aimed directly at Shinazugawa's kidney.
As if sensing danger, the Wind Pillar reflexively turned his head.
"Holy crap!" he yelled.
The next moment, Shinazugawa's back seemed to have eyes. With a bizarre twisting motion, he dodged Su Chen's sneak attack. The movement was practiced, almost heartbreakingly so.
The reason was simple. Ever since his kidney was stabbed by Kocho Shinobu last time, Shinazugawa had always been wary of his lower back. Su Chen's attack did not succeed, but it made Shinazugawa even more vigilant.
Their movements changed rapidly in the air. The seemingly frequent exchanges had only lasted a few seconds.
The next moment, as Shinazugawa dodged Su Chen's sword technique, he suddenly gathered power.
Wind Breathing: First Form - Dust Whirlwind Cutter!
As his words fell, a whirlwind emerged. A sharp, piercing sonic boom suddenly erupted. Shinazugawa used the wind blade to advance, leaving a wind trail behind him and instantly blocking all of Su Chen's escape routes.
And that wasn't all.
Immediately after, Shinazugawa forcefully inhaled another breath of air. His lungs rapidly filled, and his powerful physical prowess allowed the Wind Pillar to unleash two sword techniques in quick succession.
Total Concentration!
Wind Breathing: Seventh Form - Gale, Sudden Gusts!
As this move was unleashed, the entire area was instantly covered by a fierce wind. This was Shinazugawa's widest-ranging attack. Coupled with his unique sword qi, this area-of-effect attack was truly terrifying.
And indeed, it was. Su Chen clearly remembered that in the Infinity Castle decisive battle, the Wind Pillar had used this move with the Stone Pillar's attack to completely seal off the retreat of Upper Rank One, Kokushibo.
However, this time, the enemy of the "Gale, Sudden Gusts" was not Kokushibo.
It was Su Chen.