Chapter 149: Explosive Assault
The black flames of Amaterasu ignited instantly, centered directly on
Bonolenov's position. In the blink of an eye, the inextinguishable fire began
to crawl across his conjured armor.
Simultaneously, two spell cards appeared in Ronin's hands.
The first was [Gate], activated to nullify any defensive or movement spells
Phinks might try to use. The second was [Transfer], and its target was the
burning Bonolenov.
Bonolenov had survived Amaterasu once before, but he never expected Ronin to
lead with it a second time. The psychological trauma of his skin being flayed in
Yorknew flashed through his mind, causing a split-second hesitation that proved
fatal.
Before he could react or dispel his armor, the effect of the [Transfer] card hit
him.
Bonolenov was enveloped in a pillar of light, the black flames still clinging to
his aura as he was launched through the roof of the shop and vanished toward the
city of Antokiba.
In his place, the red skeletal ribs of the Susanoo flared into existence around
Ronin!
Feitan's rapier struck the Susanoo's torso, but the thin blade couldn't even
scratch the aura-construct, let alone reach Ronin within.
Ronin's crimson gaze swept toward Feitan. The sheer intensity of the Mangekyō
sent a spike of primal dread through the Spider, forcing him to leap backward in
a frantic retreat.
But the window for escape was closing. Streaks of light began to rain down
outside the shop.
The Player Subjugation Squad had arrived.
The shop collapsed under the pressure of the Susanoo's massive frame, and as
Feitan skidded to a halt, his body suddenly locked up.
It wasn't Amenotokotachi this time. It was the Sharingan's basic hypnotic power.
Genjutsu: Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes.
Rusted iron spikes materialized in the void, driving through Feitan's limbs and
drawing a guttural, inverted curse from his throat.
But Ronin knew it was a hollow victory. Feitan hadn't taken physical damage yet,
which meant his Pain Packer hadn't been triggered.
Ronin dispelled the Susanoo. The chirping of a thousand birds filled the air.
But the moment the Susanoo vanished, Ronin sensed a presence behind him. A heavy
fist was descending toward the back of his skull.
Phinks.
Phinks had realized the situation was dire the moment the other two engaged.
Bonolenov being teleported away while burning meant their card collection for
the Archangel was likely lost or compromised.
He couldn't use [Leave] because Ronin's [Gate] had locked down the local space.
Retreat was impossible.
So he did what an Enhancer does best: he wound his arm. Ripper Cyclotron.
The flames of Amaterasu had forced Phinks to open the distance from Bonolenov,
but they had also placed him closer to Ronin. He had been rotating his shoulder
since the first second of the fight, building a massive amount of kinetic aura.
He swung his fist, intending to shatter both the Susanoo and the boy inside.
But just as his knuckles were about to connect, the Susanoo vanished.
Phinks' fist didn't hit Ronin. It hit a wall of frozen space.
Amenotokotachi: Celestial Stasis.
Ronin didn't even turn around. He simply locked the coordinates of Phinks'
swinging arm.
The veteran Spider froze mid-motion, his arm suspended in the air. Phinks had
concentrated his entire AOP into that right fist—a massive buildup of Ko. Even
though he wasn't moving, Ronin could feel the heat and pressure radiating from
the limb.
The threat was neutralized, but only temporarily. The drain on Ronin's left eye
was immense because of the raw power contained in Phinks' punch.
"Too slow," Ronin muttered.
He lunged at the paralyzed Feitan, Chidori screaming in his palm, aiming for the
heart.
But he missed.
Feitan was a high-level master. His mental fortitude was elite. He broke through
the Genjutsu far faster than Ronin anticipated, twisting his body in mid-air to
dodge the lethal lightning strike.
The combination of Phinks' interference and Feitan's rapid recovery had ruined
the execution.
Ronin prepared for a follow-up, but the battlefield suddenly became a chaotic
mess of lights.
The arriving players didn't care about the duel. They were vultures. They began
spamming Spell Cards indiscriminately.
"[Rob]!" "[Strip]!" "[Levy]!"
They weren't using movement cards; they were using theft and restriction spells.
They wanted the Spiders' loot.
The Phantom Troupe had dominated Masadora for too long. Now that Ronin had
stepped out to tank the Spiders' physical might, the "Sheep" had turned into a
pack of hyenas, eager to pick the Spiders' Binders clean.
Phinks felt the stasis break as Ronin shifted his focus. His arm was free, but
the built-up energy in his shoulder had "muffled"—the momentum was gone, leaving
him with a throbbing ache and a surge of frustration.
Feitan pulled his collar up, hiding the lower half of his face. His narrow eyes
were filled with a cold, murderous insanity.
He had learned. Shalnark's theory was right: eye contact with those red eyes led
to the void.
Fine. I just won't look at your face.
Feitan lowered his gaze, focusing only on Ronin's feet and the floor. He could
still fight using the floor's vibrations and the boy's shadow.
The situation was messy, but manageable.
The only real loss was Bonolenov.
The Spider had been teleported away while still carrying the "Infection" of the
black flames.
Unless Bonolenov could find a way to douse the fire in Antokiba, he wouldn't
just be flayed this time—he would be incinerated. And with him gone, the hope of
obtaining [Breath of Archangel] through the Masadora exchange had vanished into
the wind.
☆☆☆
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Inkshaper
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you