In an instant, a piece of fabric soared through the air.
It was a fragment torn from Amatori Biba's clothes.
Right before Fang Li, Amatori Biba's attire was sliced clean, exposing the skin beneath and baring his chest to the open air.
Amatori Biba's complexion shifted abruptly. Without a moment's hesitation, he took a step back, his hand instinctively covering his heart.
Observing this scene, Fang Li's lips curled into a sarcastic smile as he spoke. "There's no need to conceal it. Do you still think you can hide something that no longer holds any meaning in front of me?"
Upon hearing these words, Amatori Biba fell into silence and, shortly after, slowly released his grip on his chest.
In the next moment, Fang Li's gaze locked onto a pulsating heart.
"I believed I held you in high regard, but it appears I underestimated you, didn't I?" Amatori Biba closed his eyes and spoke softly. "Fang Li-San, you truly are an extraordinary human."
"Do those words hold any significance now?" Fang Li raised the dagger in his hand, pointing it directly at Amatori Biba. His ice-blue Mystic Eyes emanated an intimidating aura.
"There are only two factors to consider at this point."
"One: I kill you."
"Two: You kill me."
"Let's see who meets their end first."
With these words, Fang Li lunged forward in an instant. He transformed into a venomous snake amidst a violent storm, his dagger resembling the fangs of a serpent as it swiftly thrust toward Amatori Biba's head.
"Chī——!"
The sound of space tearing reverberated through the air.
"I have to retreat!" Amatori Biba reacted swiftly, but instead of launching a direct assault as before, he quickly stepped back.
However, in his retreat, Amatori Biba's longsword transformed into a dark blade of light and slashed forth with sudden ferocity.
That blade of light cut through the dimly lit train compartment with remarkable force.
Under the relentless onslaught of Amatori Biba, a Kabaneri, the dark blade of light resembled the claws of a devouring beast as it descended rapidly upon Fang Li, who charged toward him.
One side thrusting.
The other side slashing.
In the next second, the dagger and longsword collided with each other.
"Clang!"
The resounding clash rang out like a tolling bell, echoing throughout the entire train compartment.
In that instant, both Fang Li and Amatori Biba felt the weight of the impact, their bodies trembling as they separated.
In the past, relying on Fang Li's extraordinary attributes, colliding head-on with a Kabaneri individual like Amatori Biba could potentially result in shattered bones.
However, Fang Li's attributes now matched that of an average Kabane, and in terms of speed, he even surpassed them. Retreating a few steps, he swiftly regained his stability.
Naturally, possessing attributes on par with Fang Li, Amatori Biba also steadied himself.
Moreover, while Fang Li retreated a few steps, Amatori Biba only took a single step back, indicating that he still possessed superior physical prowess compared to Fang Li.
"It is truly fitting to call you a Kabaneri, isn't it?" Fang Li tightened his grip on the dagger as he spoke. "In that case, I will overpower you with speed!"
Once again, Fang Li charged forward, akin to an arrow unleashed from a taut bowstring. With astonishing swiftness, he created multiple afterimages as he surged ahead.
However, as Fang Li recognized his advantage, Amatori Biba too acknowledged his own.
"So, that's how it is. Although your physical abilities are potent enough to rival a Kabaneri and your attacks are swift and merciless, your combat skills are lacking."
After all, Fang Li's charge may have seemed bold, but if he relied solely on blind rushes, it would expose his deficiency in combat skills.
"Then I will overpower you with technique!"
As the Chief Head of the Hunters and the son of the Shogunate's Ruling General, Amatori Biba possessed evident combat skills.
Therefore, in the next instant, Amatori Biba raised his hand, causing the dark longsword to surge with power.
Within a heartbeat, countless dark blade lights erupted like a tempest, enveloping Fang Li, who hurtled towards him.
The dazzling Sword Technique blurred Fang Li's vision, and soon, a relentless barrage of lethal slashes besieged him, cutting off all possible avenues of retreat.
Fang Li's body tensed up, his mind and energy focused intently. His ice-blue Mystic Eyes fixated tightly on the lethal path of the longsword's blade, finally managing to discern the trajectories of the blade lights, raising his dagger.
"Clang!"
The clash between the dagger and the longsword erupted abruptly.
"Clang clang clang clang clang!"
The continuous reverberation of collision echoed ceaselessly.
At that moment, Amatori Biba seemed to embody the essence of a War God, unwavering on the spot. Only his longsword in his hand unleashed a relentless torrent of slashes, each strike creating a dazzling array of blade lights that surged forth, stirring up powerful gusts of wind with a terrifying momentum.
On the other hand, Fang Li's figure danced like the wind, perpetually drifting akin to a leaf in a storm. His movements were swift and nimble as he evaded each slash with remarkable agility. When evasion was impossible, his dagger rose to parry the attack, firmly intercepting the onslaught from all directions.
One side launched an aggressive offense.
The other side defended with finesse.
In an instant, it was as if countless blade lights and figures flickered within the confines of the train compartment, painting a breathtaking spectacle.
Amatori Biba's Swordsmanship was undeniably exceptional.
Perhaps even Konochi Kurusu would have to acknowledge defeat in the face of Amatori Biba's prowess?
As Mumei had mentioned, opponents of this skill-based caliber were indeed Fang Li's weakness.
The continuous and unpredictable Sword Technique, at times, launching direct assaults and at others mounting sudden strikes, proved to be exceedingly troublesome.
However, Fang Li, having learned from his previous encounter, now made better use of his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception. Rather than attempting to capture every dazzling slash, he focused on discerning the lightning-fast approach of the Death Lines, doing his utmost to evade them and blocking resolutely when evasion was impossible.
With Fang Li's current attributes, even against a Kabaneri, it wouldn't be a repeat of his previous battle with Konochi Kurusu, where he was incessantly forced to retreat due to the adversary's overwhelming arm strength, ultimately losing his grasp on the dagger.
This clearly shows that Fang Li had undoubtedly grown stronger.
To the extent that even Amatori Biba, Mumei's so call Ani Sama, momentarily found it challenging to easily overpower him.
If the clash persisted in this manner, it would be difficult to determine who would ultimately emerge victorious.
At first glance, Fang Li appeared to be at a disadvantage. However, he possessed the ability to deliver fatal blows, and his weapon of choice, the dagger, demanded precision in every inch of movement. A single misstep would undoubtedly cost Amatori Biba his life on the spot.
Yet, Fang Li had failed to notice something that he had realized only now.
While Amatori Biba unleashed his relentless barrage of slashes, Fang Li's gaze inadvertently flickered toward the direction of the door.
There, a figure stealthily infiltrated the train compartment without making a sound.
…