The chamber trembled as Yomi's feet met the cold, damp ground, his breath steady, yet his heart pulsing with the rhythm of battle. The immense leviathan, a manifestation of aquatic fury, loomed over the battlefield, its glowing golden eyes narrowing in predatory anticipation. Yomi could feel the compelling energy crawling under his skin, the remnants of Raiven's desperate command compelling him to attack recklessly.
But then, his Ki surged—a resolute force that repelled the invasive presence. Yomi's body straightened as the system's detached voice echoed in his mind.
"[Host is not bound by the slave contract.]"
The words were delivered with mechanical detachment, but they carried profound weight. The system continued:
"[Host is advised to remove the slave collar to minimize energy wastage.]"
Yomi smirked grimly, his sharp canines glinting under the chamber's dim light. 'I was going to do that anyway, you meddlesome thing.'
Reaching up, he gripped the metallic collar encircling his neck, his fingers curling tightly around it. A surge of his Ki coursed through his hands, and with a guttural roar, Yomi tore the artifact apart as if it were made of paper. Sparks of energy crackled violently, dissipating into the air.
The shattered remains of the collar clattered to the stone floor, sending shockwaves through the room—not just physically, but mentally. Raiven and Lirien stared, mouths agape.
"No being in Nythraxis…" Lirien whispered, her voice trembling. "Not even dragons… can defy an enslavement artifact."
Raiven's shock morphed into horror as Yomi turned to him, eyes blazing with restrained fury. Yomi flicked the broken collar in Raiven's direction. It landed at his feet just as the leviathan descended, its massive jaws crashing down on Raiven in a brutal, unforgiving motion. The impact shattered the stone floor and sent violent ripples through the surrounding water.
When the creature lifted its head, Raiven was gone. Blood coated its jagged teeth, and the remains of Raiven's body were a mangled mush dripping from the beast's maw.
Yomi exhaled slowly, steadying his breathing as the leviathan roared, the sound shaking the very bones of the chamber. He turned toward the beast girl hiding in the shadows and called to her, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.
"Come here," Yomi instructed, his gaze softening briefly. When she approached hesitantly, he placed his hand on her trembling shoulder. "Stay with Lirien. Both of you stay out of my way."
Before Lirien could protest, Yomi reached out and ripped the slave collar from her neck as well. Energy crackled once more, and the chains binding her freedom disintegrated into nothingness. Lirien looked at Yomi, astonished, but there was no time for words.
"Take care of her," he ordered curtly before turning his back to them and facing the monstrous leviathan once more.
Yomi began with a light jog, his bare feet padding against the wet stone as he circled the pool where the leviathan stirred. The creature's titanic body coiled beneath the water, creating powerful currents that churned and splashed against the edges.
The leviathan roared again, its movements sluggish in the shallow water but no less threatening. Its golden eyes tracked Yomi, its jagged horns slicing through the air as it twisted to follow his movements.
Yomi's jog quickened, his form blurring as he transitioned into a full sprint. His mind sharpened, and he took a deep breath, centering himself amidst the chaos. With each step, his hands began to move—graceful, fluid, precise.
The first hand seal: Rat. His fingers crossed, creating a spark of Ki that danced in the air around him.
Without missing a step, he transitioned to the second seal: Ox. His interlocked fingers sent a ripple of power through the stone beneath his feet.
Tiger. Rabbit. Dragon. Snake. The seals flowed like water, each one amplifying the next. The energy in the chamber grew thick and oppressive, bending to his will. The air crackled as he channeled his Ki, his movements a harmonious dance of grace and ferocity.
As Yomi neared the edge of the pool, the leviathan lunged, its massive body breaching the water with terrifying speed. Waves crashed violently against the stone as the creature pursued him, but Yomi remained calm, his feet barely skimming the ground as he continued his circular path.
The final seal: Boar.
A surge of Ki erupted from Yomi's body, enveloping him in a radiant aura. His eyes burned with an inner fire, storm-like irises gleaming with anticipation. For a brief moment, the battlefield fell silent, the leviathan's movements slowing as if in reverence of the power radiating from the human before it.
Yomi jumped, his powerful legs propelling him into the air. He landed at the center of the pool, the turbulent waters surging around him as he steadied his footing. His hands moved one final time, palms cupped together as a concentrated orb of Ki began to form between them. The energy crackled and shimmered, growing in intensity as residual Ki from Lirien and Aeloria amplified his own.
"Fist Form…" Yomi's voice echoed, calm yet filled with authority. The massive orb of Ki pulsed in his hands, its fiery glow illuminating the chamber.
"…Sen no Kakera no Mangekyō."
With a flick of his hand, Yomi's aura shimmered and expanded, warping the air around him as his Ki surged into an intricate, disorienting display. The energy fractured reality itself, creating a powerful illusion that enveloped the battlefield. To the leviathan, Yomi's form distorted and multiplied, each fragment of his image spiraling like shards of a kaleidoscope.
The monster's golden eyes narrowed in confusion as Yomi's figure split into countless shifting replicas, each one mirroring his movements but twisting unpredictably. His every step sent splintered projections swirling around him, making it impossible to discern his true location. The battlefield became a chaotic dance of fractured light and motion, as Yomi's illusory forms darted and swirled around the leviathan, encircling it in a mesmerizing storm of shifting images.
The leviathan lashed out, its massive jaws snapping at one projection only for it to dissolve into a swirl of luminous shards. Another strike swept through several of Yomi's illusions, which scattered like broken glass, only to reform moments later in new, unpredictable patterns. The titanic beast roared in frustration, its movements growing more erratic as it failed to pinpoint its prey.
Yomi's real form moved with calculated precision, his steely gaze locked on the leviathan as he navigated through his own swirling mirage. His mind was a razor's edge of focus, the chaotic battlefield a playground for his Ki-infused trickery.
The leviathan, disoriented and enraged, whipped its colossal body through the water, creating whirlpools and sending geysers skyward. Yet, every attempt to crush Yomi seemed to strike only shadows and illusions.its golden eyes blazing with a mixture of fury and confusion as the kaleidoscopic mirage continued to fracture its perception.
Yomi smirked, his calm demeanor a sharp contrast to the chaos he had unleashed. 'If you can't see me, you can't kill me.'
The beast's frustration mounted, but Yomi remained poised, ready to deliver his next move amidst the fractured storm.