CRACK!
"Whoa! Close call!"
This time it was Cu Chulainn's turn to fight while retreating.
Facing Rikuo after activating [Matoi], he didn't recklessly engage.
That frigid aura wrapping around his opponent's entire body—if Cu Chulainn got surrounded by it, he'd undoubtedly become an ice sculpture.
'Heh, didn't expect him to be this tricky.'
Watching Rikuo's bewitching figure, Cu Chulainn's interest surged.
His signature [Gae Bolg] could be fooled by that [Kyouka Suigetsu], rendering it unusable.
As for close combat, his opponent had suddenly grown stronger, now with freezing attacks added to the mix—making it difficult to find an opening.
"Hmm..."
But he couldn't use [Gae Bolg: Soaring Spear that Strikes with Death] either. That thing would drain all his mana.
If it didn't finish off his opponent, he'd be the one in trouble.
So now wasn't the right time.
'His movements are too fast—I can't catch him.'
Rikuo looked up at Cu Chulainn leaping away, equally aware of the difficulty.
He'd finally regained the initiative using [Matoi], but the opponent's swift speed put him in a situation where he couldn't land a hit.
'I need to match his speed.'
'I need to find his openings.'
The two locked eyes, then readied their stances, each with their own calculations.
Under everyone's watchful gaze, they charged at each other simultaneously.
CRACK!!
Sidestepping the diagonal slash, Cu Chulainn thrust his spear forward.
Rikuo twisted his blade toward his opponent's waist.
'Too bad! I'm faster!'
Whether in weapon length or speed, Cu Chulainn had the advantage.
"!"
But just as he thought that, his keen instincts made him twist away from his position.
'He dodged it!!'
The strike that should have connected was anticipated by his opponent and evaded.
"Using ice to extend the blade length... That was dangerous."
Glancing at Rikuo's demon blade, now a section longer, Cu Chulainn remarked with surprise.
Had he confidently thrust forward, he'd have been hit by the blade first.
"You noticed even that."
He'd used himself as bait, yet at the critical moment, the opponent had still seen through it.
"Heh, landing a hit on me won't be that easy."
"True. Then let me fight you in a different form."
"Oh?"
Hearing Rikuo's words, Cu Chulainn gripped his spear and watched with interest.
Dark energy coiled around Rikuo's body. His previously neat kimono now hung loosely, revealing a solid upper body.
'Each transformation causes different patterns to appear?'
'[Matoi]... feels just like being possessed by a demon.'
Watching Rikuo's change, Cu Chulainn analyzed.
"This..."
"It's almost like..."
But seeing the weapons extending from Rikuo's back left him stunned.
"What is that?!"
"So many weapons just appeared from Rikuo's back!"
"It looks so scary!"
Shippo's eyes went wide, unable to comprehend what kind of sorcery this was.
"There's even a rifle... Spears, halberds, scythes..."
"He's got everything. That [Matoi] technique seems to appropriate different youkai's powers for himself."
"Inuyasha, you're a half-youkai too—can you use [Matoi]?"
"How could I?!"
"As expected, even half-youkai have differences."
While they exchanged observations, Rikuo had already advanced toward Cu Chulainn.
"Bring it on! Let me see what you've got!"
With no intention of backing down, Cu Chulainn charged forward with his spear.
CLANG!
Deflecting the incoming Nenekirimaru with his spear tip, Cu Chulainn seized the moment and swung the butt of his spear toward Rikuo's face.
"What?!"
CRACK!
But the spear butt was caught mid-swing by blades extending from Rikuo's body, unable to move.
CLANG CLANG!!
Then rifle barrels suddenly emerged from behind Rikuo's shoulders, leaving Cu Chulainn stunned.
BANG BANG!!
Just as he expected, bullets fired from the muzzles.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!!
"Too bad—that won't work on me."
Without any panic, Cu Chulainn easily pulled away and dodged.
His innate Protection from Arrows was specifically effective against projectiles.
Firearms posed no threat to him whatsoever.
'Ranged weapons don't work either?'
Rikuo watched this scene with a frown, surprised that Cu Chulainn had such an ability.
"Tch... What should I do now?"
Seeing his opponent closing in, Cu Chulainn also began thinking of countermeasures.
Through skill and strength, he could suppress the Lord of Pandemonium. But with weapons hidden all over that body, close combat was extremely difficult.
SWISH!
WHOOSH!
CLANG!
Rising to clash with Rikuo, his slashing blade was repeatedly deflected by Cu Chulainn.
Yet Cu Chulainn's wide, sweeping counterattacks yielded nothing.
CLACK CLACK!!
Every time his spear got close enough to threaten Rikuo's body, it was blocked by weapons suddenly emerging from various places.
BANG BANG!!
"Like a hedgehog."
Rolling on the ground to dodge the swords and halberds, Cu Chulainn looked at Rikuo's fully-armed state and found it even harder to approach.
Before, they could at least have close-quarters combat. But now, with the opponent covered in weapons, Cu Chulainn would be countered no matter from what angle he attacked.
As the saying goes, two fists can't beat four hands...
Having to use one spear against countless weapons was simply too much.
This form of Rikuo's left him with no openings to exploit.
And his heart-piercing Noble Phantasm was also countered...
"Aah... So this is the only option left?"
Creating distance, Cu Chulainn looked at Rikuo as he readied his stance, surging mana coiling around the spear shaft.
"Is he going to release that heart-piercing Noble Phantasm again?"
"No, it looks different from before."
"That so-called mana—its flow has changed this time."
"It's the technique he used at Naraku's place..."
"Using that Noble Phantasm means Lancer is getting serious."
That billowing mana spread outward. Everyone could feel the terrifying impact.
Wind pressure scattered in all directions. Standing before it, even Rikuo could sense that astonishing concentration of power.
"Neither of us can truly overcome the other. Since that's the case—let's settle this with our strongest attacks."
"Exactly what I was thinking."
Releasing this state of [Matoi], Rikuo had no intention of backing down from Cu Chulainn's proposal.
"!"
Under everyone's astonished gazes, both Rikuo and Cu Chulainn vanished.
"That's..."
...
"Oh, something new! Not bad! I'm getting chills here."
The aura kept rising. Before him lay streets teeming with demons and monsters. Cu Chulainn maintained his stance, glancing at the transformed surroundings.
A Reality Marble.
Rider had been hiding this all along!
"Welcome to witness my domain. This is my..."
"[Hyakki Yako]!"
"Heh! Then let's see whether I annihilate your Hundred Demons, or you defeat me!"
Leaping into the air, Cu Chulainn hurled the demonic spear in his hand.
"[Gae Bolg]!!"