Oni roared as he swung his massive club with unstoppable force, aiming to crush Kenjo in a single strike. The air trembled with the sheer power of his attack.
Kenjo remained calm, his eyes locked onto Oni's movements. With Serpent Sense, he could feel the shift in the air, the weight of the strike before it even landed.
"Kamuri—The Wandering Slashes."
In an instant, Kenjo disappeared from sight, his movements fluid and unpredictable. As Oni's club crashed into the ground, Kenjo reappeared behind him, his katana flashing like a streak of light.
A deep slash appeared across Oni's back. Blood sprayed into the air as the giant staggered forward, growling in pain.
Oni gritted his teeth. "You… dodged it?!"
Kenjo flicked the blood off his blade. "Strength means nothing if you can't hit your opponent."
Oni growled, gripping his massive club tighter. "Enough of your nonsense! I'll crush you right here!"
Kenjo exhaled calmly, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his katana. "A blade is strong when you are connected to it."
Oni groaned, shaking his head. "I said, stop spouting nonsense! My head hurts!!"
Kenjo smirked. "You wouldn't understand."
Oni roared in frustration and charged again, his club tearing through the ground as he swung with raw, brute force. But Kenjo, with his Serpent Sense, already knew where the attack was coming from.
With a swift step, he vanished from Oni's sight.
SLASH!
A deep cut formed on Oni's side before he even realized Kenjo had moved. Blood dripped onto the battlefield.
Oni gritted his teeth. "You damn turtle…!"
Kenjo pointed his blade at him. "Let's see how long you can last."
Suddenly Oni roared and roared, his voice shaking the battlefield. With each roar, his body grew redder, pulsing with an eerie glow.
Kenjo narrowed his eyes, observing the deep wounds he had inflicted. Slowly, before his very eyes, the gashes on Oni's back and body began to close.
Kenjo's grip on his katana tightened. "What? He healed? Impossible…"
Oni grinned, his sharp teeth gleaming. "You thought you could cut down Oni so easily?"
Kenjo remained silent, his mind racing. "This isn't normal regeneration... Something is fueling him."
Oni slammed his club into the ground, cracking the earth beneath him. "Now it's my turn, swordsman!!"
Kenjo looked at the Beastfolk and the Eldoan, then shouted, "What are you looking at? Go! I'll handle this!!"
The warriors hesitated for a moment, their lingering hatred for one another still present. But as they faced a common enemy, they exchanged nods of understanding. Without another word, they turned and charged toward Athos' monstrous army, fighting side by side.
Oni scoffed.
"Are you sure you don't want them to fight alongside you? I, Oni, am strong, you know."
Kenjo smirked.
"My blade is enough to cut you down, monster."
Oni growled, his eyes burning with fury.
"I am Oni, you arrogant sword wielder!!"
Kenjo tightened his grip on Kamuri.
"Then I am Kenjo, not just a sword wielder... You monster!!"
Oni swung his massive club again, the force behind the strike sending shockwaves through the battlefield. Kenjo evaded with his Serpent Sense, but something felt different—Oni's strength had grown even more.
Kenjo narrowed his eyes. "That roar… it's not just for show. It's making him stronger and more durable. No wonder his wounds are healing. But there must be a limit. Every power has a weakness."
Oni roared again, his massive body trembling with raw energy. He swung faster this time, his club a blur of destruction.
Kenjo barely dodged—if not for his Serpent Sense, he would have been crushed.
Kenjo landed a few feet away, gripping his katana tightly. He observed Oni's body carefully, analyzing every movement. Then, he noticed something—subtle but crucial.
"Now he's faster too… but why? His body… there's something different about it."
Kenjo's sharp gaze scanned Oni's skin—it had begun to crack slightly around the joints, glowing faintly with an ember-like light.
"There must be a weakness… I just have to find it."
Determined, Kenjo tightened his stance, ready to uncover the secret behind Oni's power.
Oni shouted, "Stop evading, you bastard!"
Kenjo smirked and said, "Very well, it seems like I need to use my full power to defeat you!!"
Kenjo focused, his eyes locked onto Oni's massive frame. "I will uncover your weakness."
Kenjo took a deep breath and then roared, "Kamuri—Thirteen Slashes!!!"
His blade moved in a blur, slicing through the air with incredible speed. In a flash, thirteen precise slashes landed on Oni's massive body.
Oni screamed, "Aurg!!!!!!"
But despite the pain, Oni swung his club violently, forcing Kenjo to evade and counter with more slashes.
Kenjo observed every movement, every reaction. "Even if I use my full power, I can't defeat him unless I find his weakness."
With that thought, Kenjo prepared himself for the decisive moment—his final strike would only come when he uncovered the fatal flaw in Oni's overwhelming strength.
.........
An Eldoan Mage watched Kenjo with awe and whispered, "So this is the power of a vassal Beastfolk…"
Another Eldoan Mage shouted, "Focus on the battlefield, Ron!"
Ron snapped back to reality and said, "Yes sir, yes sir!"
Even so, he stole one last glance at Kenjo before turning his attention to the monstrous foe before him. He raised his staff, magic surging through his veins.
Ron chanted, "Take this, monster!!!"
As he unleashed his spell, a fleeting thought crossed his mind. "I wonder how my baby son is doing…"
Meanwhile, the battlefield raged on. The Eldoan warriors and Beastfolk fought side by side, holding the line against Athos' monstrous minions.
Among them, a Tiger Beastfolk stood tall. His name was Ash.
Ash activated his Fok Ability: Far Cry.
With a mighty roar, his speed surged, his body moving faster than ever before.
Ash glanced at Kenjo and muttered, "As expected of Lord Kenjo… Worthy to be called one of the strongest vassals."
His sharp eyes then darted across the battlefield, scanning the seemingly endless horde of Athos' creatures.
Ash growled, "These monsters… there are so many of them."
...........
Kenjo fought Oni, his mind racing with thoughts of the giant's weakness.
"If that crack is what I think it is, then perhaps that will be the way to kill him..." Kenjo thought, narrowing his gaze as he observed Oni's movements closely.
"Time to test the theory."
Oni, roaring in fury, noticed Kenjo's watchful eyes.
"What are you looking at, you turtle?!" Oni bellowed.
"ONI SPECIAL WHIRLWIND!!!"
With that, Oni spun violently, his massive club moving in a wide arc.
Kenjo clicked his tongue, "Tsk, this could be a long day…"
Kenjo's Serpent Sense flared, helping him evade the majority of the deadly whirlwind, but the gust of wind still flung him slightly, making it harder to stay grounded.
Despite the pressure of the wind, Kenjo rose to his feet, his focus unyielding.
He glared at Oni, thinking, "Monster…"
Oni let out another deafening roar, seemingly growing even more enraged.
Kenjo was briefly thrown off balance again, but he quickly regained his composure. "Kamuri—Single Point!"
In that instant, Kenjo lunged forward, his katana aimed directly at the weak spot he had been studying—the crack on Oni's body. The tension in the air was palpable as Kenjo tested his theory.
Kenjo's blade was inches from striking Oni's weak spot when the monstrous creature roared, his body shifting in a frenzy. Oni growled deeply, his form suddenly radiating with an overwhelming energy as his body glowed near the cracked area.
Kenjo was flung back once again, barely managing to keep his footing after the force of Oni's movement. Oni shouted, "I'll show you why I, Oni, am one of the commanders of Lord Athos!!!"
Kenjo quickly regained his stance, his mind racing as he analyzed Oni's behavior. "That crack... it's glowing now. What is it?" Kenjo thought, narrowing his eyes.
As he observed Oni's movements, Kenjo's heart skipped a beat. "It's not just a crack... there's something inside his body. Some source of his power. Maybe that's what's making him heal and grow stronger!"
The glowing fissure revealed a small, pulsing orb-like object embedded deep within Oni's chest, hidden beneath his thick skin. Kenjo understood in that moment—the stone or orb wasn't just a part of Oni's anatomy. It was the source of his incredible strength, and perhaps the key to defeating him.
Kenjo's mind raced further as he realized the implications of this discovery. "If I destroy that orb, what will happen to Oni?"
Unbeknownst to Kenjo, this "Core" wasn't just a source of power. It was Oni's heart, a vital, irreplaceable part of his being. Each commander under Athos's control had their own core, granting them strength and resilience. If Kenjo were to destroy this core, only Oni would be taken down—his death would sever the source of his power. The other commanders, each with their own unique cores, would remain unaffected.
Kenjo's resolve hardened as he prepared for the next move. "If by any chance my assumption is true then one strike could bring down this monster... but will I be able to defeat him before he kills me?"
Kenjo's grip tightened on his katana, his entire body focused. Every muscle was locked in place as he took a deep breath. The battlefield seemed to slow down in his mind, each movement of Oni's massive form felt like it was unfolding in slow motion. Kenjo knew this would be the final strike—the one that could decide everything.
Oni bellowed, his roar shaking the ground beneath them. His body was a whirlwind of rage and power, and the very air felt thick with his anger. He slammed his club down with brutal force, the ground cracking under its weight. "This is my full power!" Oni's voice echoed, full of monstrous confidence. "This will be your end, turtle!"
Kenjo's eyes were narrowed, his expression unwavering. "I said I am Kenjo."
The two warriors locked eyes, the tension thickening. Oni sneered, mocking him. "Kenjo, huh? You talk too much!"
But Kenjo remained focused, his mind razor-sharp. "Let's finish this, Oni. I'll show you what true resolve is."
Oni's bloodshot eyes burned with fury. "I'll show you why I was called Oni!!!" He lifted his club high again, preparing to strike with devastating force.
Kenjo's stance shifted, his breathing steady as he focused everything into his final attack. His mind raced, his heart pounded, but there was no fear. Only the certainty of his decision.
He poured every ounce of his strength into his blade, his energy fueling the katana as it pulsed with power. "Kamuri – Final Cut!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the air like a whip.
The katana sliced through the air with such speed and precision that it seemed to blur. The energy built up in his sword crackled with tension, each inch of the blade filled with the determination to end this battle. The ground trembled beneath him as Kenjo moved with fluid grace, evading Oni's brutal club swing with ease.
Oni roared in defiance, but before he could react, the blade of Kenjo's katana slashed across his body. The strike was so fast, so precise, that it was almost as if the air itself had split in two.
The Core, glowing beneath Oni's cracked skin, flared with a brilliant light. Kenjo's katana cut through the air and made contact with the crack. The moment it struck, a sharp, crackling sound filled the battlefield, as if the very fabric of Oni's power was being unraveled.
Oni let out a guttural scream, his body jerking in pain. The light around the crack grew brighter, almost blinding, before it exploded in a burst of raw energy. The force sent shockwaves across the battlefield, knocking everything in its vicinity to the ground. The ground beneath Oni cracked and splintered, as if his very existence was being undone.
The battlefield fell silent. Kenjo's breath was heavy, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. The final cut had been made. The monster that threatened them all had fallen.
Kenjo stood victorious, his katana still glowing from the power of the strike that had brought Oni down.
"You have my respect, Commander of Athos Oni. For your strength, for your valor, and for embodying the true essence of a warrior. But sadly, your path ends here. You met my katana, and my katana cuts through evil."
To be continue