[ "Now, it's two against one!"
Seeing Uchiha Hoshi's grim expression, Kazahana Koyuki laughed.
"Azi, go!"
Whoosh—
At Koyuki's command, the companion Honkai Beast she called Azi vanished instantly. In the next heartbeat, the Space Tearer—Azi—appeared directly in front of Uchiha Hoshi, raising its sharp claws and swinging them down with crushing force.
Hoshi raised her greatsword to parry, but the ground beneath her feet shattered, unable to withstand the overwhelming power. Her body was instantly driven deep into the earth.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Immediately after, a barrage of Subspace Lances followed, piercing into the ground and triggering violent explosions. Koyuki showed no mercy, maintaining a continuous bombardment of the landmass where Hoshi had fallen!
For a time, the air was thick with rolling dust and smoke. ]
Tsunade: "Is she dead?"
Jiraiya: "I don't know, but I doubt she'd be killed that easily, right?"
Watching Uchiha Hoshi fall into a disadvantage, the hearts of countless people tightened. It wasn't that they were worried for her safety—well, a small minority were—but the majority were terrified that she wouldn't die!
This was especially true for the people of Konoha. After all, it wasn't long ago that this person had decimated their home and killed their kin. How could they forget so quickly?
Meanwhile, in the real world, Kazahana Koyuki had finished packing her things. Under the cover of Sandayu, she fled the film set. There was no other choice; if she didn't run now, she truly wouldn't escape. Previously, she was just the Princess of the Land of Snow, and only Kazahana Doto wanted to capture her. But now, with the contents of the Sky Screen made public, everyone wanted a piece of her.
Unlike the First Herrscher, who had already awakened and was protected by a companion Honkai Beast, she currently possessed no power at all. There wasn't even a shadow of that powerful companion beast yet. If she were captured now, the abyss awaiting her would be more despair-inducing than death.
"Kazahana Doto..."
As she fled, Koyuki looked up at the Sky Screen, recalling the images displayed on the crystal wall. The fear she once felt for Doto had fully curdled into hatred. If given the chance, she would take revenge with her own hands!
"Doto, you'd better pray I'm really not the Second Herrscher, otherwise..."
[ The bombardment continued, for Koyuki had not sensed the disappearance of Uchiha Hoshi's Honkai Energy signature. This meant Hoshi was still alive!
But right then, a faint, almost imperceptible sound of cracking came from the Infinite Corridor held in Koyuki's palm.
Crack—
The sound was out of place amidst the thunderous roar of explosions. Koyuki instinctively shifted her gaze, looking down slightly at the Infinite Corridor.
In that single glance, she saw the cube fracturing, with light leaking through the fissures.
"Oh no!"
Koyuki instinctively hurled the Infinite Corridor away. A second after it left her hand—
BOOM!
The sound was far louder than the detonating Subspace Lances; it was a massive explosion that drowned out all other noise. Terrifying flares of fire forced Koyuki to raise her arm to shield her eyes, while Azi immediately stepped in front of her like a loyal guardian!
"ROAR!"
The familiar howl echoed. Star Eater had returned!
It had not been contained for long. By focusing its attacks continuously on a single point, it had finally broken free from the Infinite Corridor!
As the flames subsided, Koyuki saw the current state of Star Eater. Its body was still covered in scars from the previous battle. Its mouth, due to the continuous use of its breath attack, had most of its teeth melted away, making it look like a sickly tiger that had lost its fangs.
Boom!
Another terrifying explosion roared. From the depths of the crater where Uchiha Hoshi had fallen, a blue beam of light suddenly erupted, streaking toward Kazahana Koyuki.
Just as the beam was about to strike, Azi blocked the path once more.
"Ugh—"
The destructive beam was split in two by Azi, passing harmlessly to the left and right of Koyuki. Even though she was safe, Koyuki felt her heart skip a beat at the narrow miss.
But in that moment, she sensed another surge of devastating energy. Looking up, she saw that Star Eater had somehow moved above her. Its massive maw, still trailing wisps of white smoke, was open wide, gathering destructive power.
Koyuki's pupils shrank, and her heart skipped a beat.
BOOM!
In the next instant, an identical blue beam was spat out by Star Eater, aimed directly at Koyuki. She only had time to reach out her left hand before the beam arrived.
Boom!
The blue beam was diverted diagonally downward, destroying countless meteorites in its path as it vanished into the depths of the Imaginary Space. ]
Senju Hashirama: "Is that the same breath that destroyed Konoha? I hate to admit it, but an attack of that magnitude... even I couldn't simply take it head-on."
Senju Tobirama: "Elder Brother, there's no need to point out the obvious."
Deidara: "Art! Now this is art! Explosions, explosions everywhere! Hahahahaha!"
Sasori: "Such a terrifying beast... I wonder how powerful it would be if it were turned into a puppet."
[ Koyuki broke out in a cold sweat. It was close—so very close. She had almost died!
Looking at the void she had opened in the upper left and the breath attack exiting the other void in the lower right, Koyuki's heart continued to pound. She glared at the still-venting Star Eater and let out a cold sneer.
"A mere Honkai Beast. If it were your master, it would be one thing, but you are not qualified to strike at me!"
Koyuki's figure vanished instantly, reappearing directly above Star Eater's head. Then, a multitude of Subspace Lances materialized and shot toward the beast.
Seeing Koyuki reappear, Star Eater instinctively halted its attack. Immediately after, the lances arrived.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The lances exploded upon impact. Without Uchiha Hoshi's interference, the Subspace Lances displayed their true power. Every explosion triggered spatial-level tremors, causing massive damage to Star Eater.
Worse yet, Koyuki had locked down the surrounding space. The beast could not use its spatial abilities to escape! Star Eater was suddenly in a desperate situation!
Boom!
Just then, another beam of light shot toward Kazahana Koyuki, forcing her to stop her assault and dodge, finally providing Star Eater with an opening.
"First Herrscher!" ]