In the next second, the bloodied blade held by Lance pierced through, shattering the enemy's defenses, splitting Amatsu-Mikaboshi's dark sword, and breaking through to the demon's waist.
Swish!!!
The flesh and armor of the demon split apart, separating like torn fabric in a storm. The hulking, evil body was cut in two.
Thick, sticky black smoke—almost liquid—spurted from the wound, hissing with the foul stench of sulfur and emptiness.
"You deserve to die! You deserve to die!!" roared Amatsu-Mikaboshi, his voice cracking and filled with ancient rage. A wave of black air immediately surrounded Amatsu-Mikaboshi's body, like a fog of consciousness with a will of its own, forcing the two pieces of his body to rejoin.
However, the wound remained gaping. Even though regeneration was occurring, the cracks did not disappear—it was as if the gap was tearing at his ego. Anyone could see it: this recovery was not perfect.
Lance grinned, his breath still heavy but his gaze filled with triumph. "…This is even more annoying than Amenadiel."
"Heh, even though this is just a projection of Amatsu-Mikaboshi, it's still impressive to hit a demon god like that." A light, calm voice echoed amidst the chaotic battlefield.
From the distorted dimensional rift, the Sorcerer Supreme stepped out—calm, authoritative, like a deep yet tranquil ocean. The Sorcerer Supreme's cloak billowed without wind, and his gaze was sharp yet peaceful.
Mind barriers? Completely useless. The Sorcerer Supreme pierced through them as if they were mere thin mist.
Lance nearly jumped for joy. "Sorcerer Supreme!"
No more doubts. An enemy like this was no match for Lance at this moment. As far as Lance knew, even if he could hold his ground, it was only because the demon had not yet taken him seriously or had not fully recovered. In a duel of exhaustion like this, it was most likely that Amatsu-Mikaboshi would be the first to be destroyed—but that was not a guarantee.
Better... leave all of this to the boss!
The Sorcerer Supreme smiled faintly—a smile that was calming yet held immeasurable danger. The Sorcerer Supreme slowly raised his hand... then suddenly spread it wide.
Swish!
"Magic: Images of Ikonn!"
The dimensional curtain was drawn back, and instantly dozens of magical images of the Sorcerer Supreme shot out one by one, surrounding Amatsu-Mikaboshi like a flock of eagles targeting their prey.
"Magic: Emerald Bands of Exador!"
From each clone, emerald green beams were fired simultaneously. The energy wrapped around the demon's body like living chains of light, coiling layer upon layer until Amatsu-Mikaboshi's form resembled a magical mummy.
No explosions. No excessive dramatic effects. Everything flowed like a high-level dimensional dance. So clean and precise that the magic barely made a sound—only the echo of silence affirming its might.
"Wait..." Amatsu-Mikaboshi shouted, his voice suddenly changing—pleading, angry, panicked.
But it was too late.
The Sorcerer Supreme brought his palms together as if to clap the small world.
CRAASHHH!!!
The green beams were pulled together. At the same time, Amatsu-Mikaboshi's body began to disintegrate from within—rotting, melting, peeling away like dead skin shedding from reality.
In a painful second, the creature's voice faded, then disappeared completely... leaving only the scent of despair and decay in the air.
...
...
...
"The Sorcerer Supreme is still too powerful..." Lance murmured softly, his lips moving almost soundlessly, but his heart sank with feelings of inadequacy. Just moments ago, he had witnessed the Sorcerer Supreme destroy Amatsu-Mikaboshi with a single motion—there wasn't even a shadow left behind.
Meanwhile, the Sorcerer Supreme clapped his hands, and hundreds of clones that had filled the space vanished like smoke blown by the wind. The Sorcerer Supreme glanced half-heartedly at Lance, his gaze calm yet piercing. "I heard you just mutter something disrespectful?"
Lance's forehead immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He swallowed hard, pretending to chuckle lightly, though his voice sounded stiff. Inside, Lance cursed his own mouth: How could I let that slip out?!
Trying to shift the mood, Lance scratched the back of his neck, put on a thin smile, and quickly asked, "Master, you said earlier... that wasn't Amatsu-Mikaboshi's real body? So what exactly did we just fight?"
The Sorcerer Supreme sighed softly, his voice remaining flat, but his eyes stared far beyond the dimensional fog. "Centuries ago, Amatsu-Mikaboshi had long left the Earth dimension. What we just faced was merely a fragment of desire left behind here. It is said that this demon god once lost part of his arm while fighting against the gods of Takama-ga-hara. The flesh and blood of Amatsu-Mikaboshi fell into the hands of a painter—a madman who mixed that flesh into paint. The painting was then possessed by an evil spirit, infusing the paint and canvas, and eventually manifesting as a demon. This demon roamed causing chaos during the shogunate era until it was sealed by a powerful monk who crossed the sea from west to east."
Lance gaped at the story. "Wait, the one who claimed to be Tamamonomae, or Yang Guifei... isn't she a fox demon? Why is she called a painter demon?"
The Sorcerer Supreme merely shot him a sidelong glance, his eyes seeming to say that he was rather slow. "If you saw that fox woman wielding the Kusanagi sword in her hand, then yes, she is indeed a legacy of the same curse."
Lance nodded quickly, recalling the details of the battle. "There was a Kusanagi sword, but it felt... like a cheap sword."
The Sorcerer Supreme chuckled softly, his laughter ringing like metal in the empty room. "Of course, it was cheap. That was just a replica. What you saw was once the bone of Amatsu-Mikaboshi's hand carved into a fake Kusanagi sword. The real Kusanagi sword was taken away by Amatsu-Mikaboshi to somewhere beyond Earth, to whatever dimension he is hiding in."
Lance sighed in relief, as if a burden on his shoulders had lightened. "No wonder it felt strange. So that sword was just a cheap imitation. In that case, trading this replica for the Unlimited Sword System seems like a good deal."
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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