Chaos—ever-deepening chaos. From every entrance around the venue, members of the Worm poured in. The fighters had no choice but to step forward to block them, protecting the important figures inside the arena.
"Damn it, what the hell is going on? How did these people even get onto the island?"
The Fierce Tiger, Wakatsuki Takeshi, frowned. He had already beaten back several Worm members, yet the attackers seemed endless.
"This is bad. They're all armed,"
the Thai God of Fighting said as he fought, back to back with Wakatsuki.
Though the Worm members all carried weapons, the fighters were no pushovers either. Working together, they barely managed to hold the entrances of the venue.
Still, an uneasy feeling lingered. Those paying close attention noticed that the Worm's attacking force wasn't particularly strong—nothing like the level of the few who had been instantly killed earlier by Metsudo Katahara's Fang, Kurosaki Rei.
It felt as if the Worm had dispatched nothing but expendable grunts, simply to trap everyone inside the venue.
Inside the VIP room, Katahara Metsudo's brow was tightly knit.
"I'm afraid the Worm's objective isn't the guests inside the arena. They're just tying down the fighters, so they can eliminate their real target elsewhere."
Worry flickered in his eyes. Hui-liang… don't die.
...
Boom—
In a corridor outside the arena, a figure was blasted into the wall, embedded deep within it—one of the Wu Clan's elites, the Kid Crying Demon.
Standing calmly at the center of the corridor, surrounded by attackers, was a man utterly at ease. His short golden hair was slicked back, sunglasses perched on his face, an unlit cigar clenched between his teeth.
Facing the encirclement of Japan's most terrifying assassination clan, the man wore a contemptuous smile. He even leisurely lit his cigar.
He glanced at the Kid Crying Demon and the Diamond Demon, both smashed into the wall with their fates unknown, then casually swept his gaze over the badly injured Wu Hui-liang and Wu Raian.
"Really can't take a hint, can you?" he said lightly. "Just a bunch of backward trash. Who gave you the guts to gang up on me?"
"Huh? I didn't ask them to help!"
Wu Raian roared. In Removal, he was ferociously狂暴, blood flowing all over his body, yet his fighting spirit and killing intent were undiminished.
"I alone am enough to slaughter you!"
"Edward, you really are strong—almost as strong as I was in my youth,"
Wu Hui-liang said. His withered, short frame stood in stark contrast to Edward's towering build. A katana was clenched in his gaunt hand, yet even with a weapon, he had failed to gain the upper hand in their exchange.
Only now did he truly feel it—time spared no one.
"Still don't understand?"
Edward Wu slowly exhaled cigar smoke.
"You've sealed yourselves off here, stagnant and complacent. We of the Wu Clan's Westward Faction are the ones who move forward. A thousand years have passed—we've evolved to an entirely different level than you."
"Now get out of my way. I'll spare you, as long as you don't delay my real business."
"The Worm and the Westward Faction coming to this island… planning to wipe out the Kengan Association?"
Hui-liang sneered. "Ambitious."
"The Kengan Association?"
Edward scoffed. "Ah… destroying it is just a side objective. You people don't really matter. What I want now is to kill Kurosaki Rei—to protect this world."
Hui-liang and Raian's eyes both sharpened. Then Raian burst into laughter.
"Protect the world?!"
He laughed until his voice turned cold and cruel.
"That's rich. Hearing Edward Wu talk about protecting the world?"
His laughter faded, replaced by icy savagery.
"Don't joke around. We're an assassination clan."
With that, he charged. The Wu Clan's killing techniques were unleashed in full, yet Edward dodged with casual ease. Catching an opening, he drove a single punch straight into Raian, sending him flying to the far end of the corridor.
Wu Hui-liang's blade stabbed in from behind—but Edward seemed to have eyes on his back. He shifted slightly, the katana slipping into the gap between arm and torso. With a twist of force, the blade snapped in two.
Using the momentum of his turn, Edward chopped Hui-liang's neck with a knife-hand. The aged clan head was sent flying, his fate unknown.
"That's enough. Fodder should act like fodder. Don't interfere with my work,"
Edward said coldly.
"If you want to die, I'll give you another chance next time."
He turned to head toward the arena. He could tell that White Tiger Niko's disciples were unreliable—they might not manage to kill Kurosaki Rei. In the end, he would have to finish things himself.
When he said he was protecting the world, it wasn't a joke. The Tiger's Vessel had been killed. Though the Connector hadn't made a move yet, Edward believed his rage was inevitable.
And when the Connector was angry, the world became dangerous.
At least, that was how Xia Yan saw it. Edward himself didn't particularly care—he just didn't want to be caught in the fallout of the Connector's bad mood.
The death of Tokita Ohma meant Shen Wulong's plan would be delayed by at least twenty years. Even after five thousand years of life, in this incarnation Shen Wulong was growing impatient to face "himself."
That was precisely why they cooperated with that bizarre man. If he truly could split Shen Wulong—separating the personalities of "Dragon" and "Tiger" into two bodies—then what they were doing now had meaning.
"Don't run…"
Raian staggered to his feet, drenched in blood but burning with fierce intent. He refused to accept repeated defeats.
He had once been the invincible genius of the Wu Clan. Yet he had never beaten Kurosaki Rei. Now, the enemy of his clan stood right before him—and was going to kill Kurosaki Rei, acting as if Raian didn't even matter.
"Kurosaki Rei, Kurosaki Rei, Kurosaki Rei… everyone keeps talking about Kurosaki Rei…"
In Removal, Raian spread his hands and assumed his stance, madness etched across his face.
"That guy—he's mine to kill!"
Edward stopped. Veins bulged on his forehead.
"You said I'm running?"
He spun around violently, activating Removal for the first time in this fight. Until now, he had suppressed the Wu Clan elites without even using it—proof of his fury at this moment.
Anger twisted his features. As his foot slammed into the floor, the ground caved in.
"Kid—who do you think is running!?"
Edward Wu's massive frame shot forward at terrifying speed. A spinning kick descended like a battle-axe, cleaving toward Raian's head.
The madness on Raian's face didn't fade. He raised both arms to block, already preparing to lift his leg for a counterattack straight at Edward Wu's groin.
Boom—
To the surprise of both fighters, Edward's killing kick never landed on Raian. A sudden figure appeared in the midst of battle, cutting off Raian's attack path and preventing his counter.
With a dull explosion, the floor cracked, debris flying. In the violent gust, a man's loose hair danced, and a pair of violet-black eyes gleamed with the ecstasy of a hunter finding prey.
Borrowing the recoil, Edward flipped backward and landed steadily, his expression grave as he stared at the intruder.
"Yo, Raian,"
that annoying voice rang out.
"Got beaten up pretty badly, huh?"
Raian exploded in rage.
"Who told you to butt in?! I was about to kick his balls off!"
Kurosaki Rei glanced at the faint dark sheen on Raian's arm, momentarily surprised, then smiled.
"Using my secret technique won't kill you—but it won't feel good either."
Without giving Raian a chance to retort, he stepped forward and blocked him.
"Take your clan head and your people and leave. His head is mine."
Raian's fury surged, but he knew his injuries had crippled his fighting strength. And if that old man wasn't treated soon, he really might die.
Clenching his teeth, Raian moved at top speed, hoisting the others onto his shoulders and disappearing down a side staircase.
"Hahaha! I never thought you'd deliver yourself to me,"
Edward laughed loudly.
"That guy's disciples really are useless."
He could tell Kurosaki Rei wasn't injured at all—meaning Hiō Kagefusa and the others hadn't even managed to scratch him.
Kurosaki Rei held Qiu Mo, calmly sizing Edward Wu up and down.
"I was holding back for Raian's sake, but just now I could've at least broken one of your legs. Are you really not going to use a weapon?"
Edward Wu lowered his stance, hands extending like a tiger pouncing on prey.
"I am the strongest weapon."
Kurosaki Rei shook his head with a sigh.
"I'd like to praise that line, but you really don't have the strength to back it up. Did Second Tiger Niko come? What about Xia Yan?"
Veins bulged on Edward Wu's forehead.
"Kid, don't get cocky just because you blocked one hit. I'm nothing like the trash you've faced before. I'll tear off your limbs—besides, that guy never said your corpse had to be intact."
"Oh?"
Kurosaki Rei bared a grin of chilling white teeth.
"Sounds like someone's been thinking about me. Care to tell me who he is?"
"No need. You'll meet him soon enough—
as a corpse."
Edward lunged forward. At 100% Removal, he far surpassed the current Wu Raian—the absolute pinnacle of Wu Clan power and technique.
But in the instant they crossed paths, Edward's fist only stirred Kurosaki Rei's hair—
—and one of Edward's arms flew into the air.
Kurosaki Rei turned, looking at the geyser of blood spraying out.
"Not that tough after all. This is the body you call a weapon?"
⭐ Want more? Read chapters early on Patreon ⭐
https://www.patreon.com/VoidInk08
Advance chapters are finished-all that's left is to unlock them.
BONUS CHAPTER SYSTEM 10 reviews → Bonus Chapter
100 Power Stones → Bonus Chapter
🔥The stronger your support, the faster the story moves.