Shingin charged forward like a war deity, his strikes unstoppable. Watcher 17 growled deeply as his green energy surged to its peak, condensing into a long guandao. The blade shimmered with a cold, menacing light, exuding an aura that seemed capable of splitting the heavens. Gripping it tightly, he stomped the ground, which cracked beneath him, and launched himself like a streak of green lightning toward his opponent.
The six ice mirrors surrounding Shingin swirled into formation, forming an impenetrable shield that radiated chilling energy. The mirrors stacked and fused into a towering ice wall that stood in the guandao's path.
Boom!
The guandao collided with the ice wall, releasing a shockwave that howled through the battlefield. Shingin stood firm, his gaze icy and unyielding. Two mirrors cracked and shattered under the immense force, scattering into a fine icy mist.
Seizing the moment, Watcher 17 surged forward, but Shingin countered. His fist, blazing with blue fire, swung with devastating force. The inferno blazed like a miniature sun, heading straight for Watcher 17. Forced to block with his guandao, the impact hurled him backward, slamming into a distant rock wall and sending debris flying everywhere.
Watcher 17 staggered to his feet, coughing blood, but his aura only grew fiercer. Wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, he locked eyes with Shingin, his gaze alight with a dangerous excitement.
"Heh…" He chuckled through heavy breaths. "So, the ice mirrors aren't invincible after all. Six mirrors... and I've already broken two. Your so-called absolute defense isn't unbreakable."
As he gripped his guandao tighter, his green energy flared out like creeping vines, spreading across the ground. His sharp gaze remained fixed on Shingin, clearly calculating his next move.
Shingin, standing motionless amid the icy mist, began to reform the shattered mirrors. One, two… the defenses returned to their pristine state. Cold winds swirled around him, carrying his voice like thunder:
"Even if you've seen through it, that doesn't mean you can break all of them—!"
The tension between the two became almost palpable, their auras clashing in an invisible yet ferocious battle of wills. Then, as if on cue, the duel reignited.
Hearing faint voices overhead, Shingin glanced skyward, narrowing his eyes. In a flash, his figure blurred into a streak of blue light, ascending rapidly. Watcher 17 squinted, smirking as he followed in pursuit. He understood well: this wasn't retreat—it was the beginning of a new phase.
High in the sky, Shingin twisted mid-air, dissipating momentum with a flourish. Sparks of soul energy coursed through him, crackling like an untamed storm. With a resonant thunderclap, he extended his hands, materializing a long spear of intertwining blue and yellow lightning. The weapon pulsed with an oppressive energy, its crackling bolts dancing like living entities.
Watcher 17's expression darkened at the sight. "You think this changes anything?" he growled. "Every attack you make exposes your mirrors. No matter how strong the defense, it'll crumble with enough pressure!"
Green energy flowed from his body, coalescing into a constellation of glowing orbs in the sky. The orbs shimmered like stars, forming a brilliant rain of light that surged toward Shingin.
Calmly, Shingin wielded his spear with precision, unleashing several bolts of lightning in response. His projectiles darted through the air like serpents, colliding with the incoming energy blasts in a cacophony of explosions. Unlike Watcher 17's straight-lined attack, Shingin's bolts ricocheted unpredictably, their trajectories erratic and impossible to predict.
Watcher 17's eyes widened. "What is this?!" The lightning bolts, unnervingly fast and deliberate, wove through his defenses with eerie precision. Even as he dodged frantically, a few bolts grazed him, leaving searing wounds on his shoulder and side.
"Damn it!" he cursed, green energy surging again as he unleashed a barrage of explosive energy bursts. Shingin's six mirrors, however, were already in motion. No longer stationary, they danced around him, intercepting each projectile with flawless timing. Not a single blast reached him.
In the distance, Yahageshii glanced up from his duel with Watcher 20, his expression stiffening as he caught sight of the battle above. "That's... Akari's technique?" he muttered, a flicker of disbelief in his eyes.
Watcher 17 gritted his teeth. Each time his blasts were deflected, he studied the shifting pattern of the mirrors, seeking an opening. Yet the coordinated movements of the mirrors, paired with Shingin's spear attacks, left no gap to exploit. A growing unease gnawed at him—this was no ordinary defense. The mirrors weren't merely barriers; they were part of a deliberate strategy to prepare for a decisive strike.
Amid the chaotic clash of green and blue energy, Shingin's figure remained steady, his weapon glowing with an intensifying light. Watcher 17, desperate to reclaim control, roared as his energy surged to its apex. He hurled his guandao high into the air, channeling all his strength into a final, devastating strike.
Shingin, unshaken, whispered coldly:
"You forced my hand—didn't you?"
In an instant, his lightning spear flared brighter, its energy roaring like a storm. The mirrors shifted into an offensive formation, amplifying the spear's power. With a mighty thrust, he launched the spear forward, a streak of blinding brilliance tearing through the sky.
BOOM!!!
The spear pierced through Watcher 17's ultimate barrier with terrifying force, engulfing him in an explosion of lightning and fire. The shockwave shattered the clouds, scattering debris and dust across the battlefield below.
As the smoke cleared, Watcher 17's battered figure fell from the sky, crashing into the ground. His green energy flickered weakly, the once-intense glow now reduced to faint embers. Blood dripped from his lips as he struggled to rise.
He chuckled hoarsely. "As expected… from the heir of the eighth generation… But this isn't… the end…"
Shingin descended, his aura cold and unyielding, his footsteps heavy with finality. Looking down at Watcher 17, his expression revealed a fleeting moment of conflicted emotion.