"Clang—"
Another collision of blades occurred, and "Xu Mude" seemed to have an increasingly deft control over the Salted Fish Sword. In the instant that swords met, he flicked his wrist, and the razor-sharp fin on the sword swiveled and slashed, with a clank severing Otogirusu's long sword in his hand.
The Salted Fish Sword continued towards his head, but Otogirusu's expression remained unchanged, intending to use the "Undying Smoke" again to neutralize this strike.
However, this time was different. In the moment his body turned into a stream of impalpable smoke, the Salted Fish Sword also seemed to become intangible momentarily.
"Zzt—"
Several strands of lustrous black hair and a broken black ribbon fell to the ground.
Otogirusu's high ponytail, which had always been tied up, naturally fell loose.
"Wha...!?"
His pupils shrank to pinpoints in an instant, his expression drastically changing, shaken to the core.
