Chapter 1098: Weng Faluos 3.1 (144)

"Vanity... firewood of self-destruction."

"Under that strange mask, a hoarse, low voice emanated."

""It's merely... the sinking of a single dynasty.""

"The sky suddenly fell silent."

"The originally bustling arena seemed to be choked by an invisible giant hand; wind noises, weapon clashes... all were sucked out of this space. The fire-stealer slowly lifted that twisted heavy sword, as if a silence capable of devouring all light descended."

"It did not roar, did not bellow; no one could imagine the expression beneath that mask. It stared fixedly at Wandi ahead, then——"

"Swinging the sword."

"There was no trace of a slash, and no one could see the fire-stealer's movement."

"Bai'e stared up in shock; he clearly saw the opponent raise the heavy sword just a second ago, but the next second twelve superimposed slashes erupted at the battlefield's center, piercing the battlefield with an unavoidable trajectory, sweeping toward everyone!"

""Watch out——!"

"As if the void shattered, the arena's center erupted in a violent explosion, like a sheet of purgatory."

"Those red crystals mixed with smoke and dust fluttered down like red snow. Wandi stood at the center of the "great snow", countless wounds deep enough to see bone crisscrossing his body, as if he had just single-handedly fought against ten thousand troops."

"Yet he did not fall."

"Scorching golden blood slid down his wound-ridden body; his golden hair soaked with sweat and blood clung messily to his forehead. Yet when he lifted his head, the corner of his mouth curled upward."

""Excellent skill! More than enough to kick off the festivities... Continue! Let us feast on the fallen gods with our slaughter!"

"——"

"Death God."

"This guy... is very strong."

"Ye Yi narrowed her eyes; as the twenty-second generation head of the Four Maple Institute and former captain of the Second Division, she was confident she hadn't missed any of the fire-stealer's movements."

"But in reality, the opponent seemed to halt time the instant he raised his sword; the attack, swift as a sudden storm, was too fast, leaving almost no time to react."

"Yet Wandi still managed it."

"At the critical moment he used those red crystals to protect Bai'e and the others, preventing them from suffering grave injury, but he himself was left completely exposed to the opponent's blade, resulting in wounds all over his body."

"Yet Wandi's wounds seemed not to hinder him; instead they heightened his fighting spirit, even increasing the speed of his strikes...... truly a monster that grows stronger the more he fights."

""Miss Ye Yi, how do you think we should take down this monster?" Urahara Kisuke's paper fan snapped shut with a "pa", he lightly tapped his chin with the rib, and curled his lips into a meaningful smile: "... This guy may be strong, but he doesn't seem 'invincible'."

""With human strength alone, it's impossible to kill this guy." Ye Yi's pupils contracted slightly, "Do you remember the earlier attack of the Heaven's Punishment Spear? He summoned from the heavens a giant sword capable of sweeping away myriad states; that blow that cleaves heaven and earth...... might be able to kill it."

"——"

""I grant you and the spirits of the Blade's Edge the right to share the corpse bed——""

"Watching Wandi fight on, bloodied, the fire-stealer seemed not intending to entangle further; this time he soared into the sky, instantly summoning seven or eight phantoms that all rushed toward everyone."

"Wandi consecutively repelled two phantoms, but his whole body was also shoved back several steps; just as he adjusted his stance, intending to fight again, the fire-stealer's true form flashed behind him, like a bone-attached maggot, and thrust a sword at his back!"

"But in that flash of lightning, Bai'e, who had rushed in close, flipped his greatsword, the blade clearly reflecting the spear aimed at Wandi's back."

"This extremely tricky thrust was aimed low..."

"But Bai'e had already arrived; he shook his greatsword, and it had already wound its way in."

"This unexpected strike rang with a "clang——", and in an instant it completely blocked the fire-stealer's backstab!"

"——"

"Sword Art Online."

""Just now the fire-stealer's sword, how did it seem......"

"Kirito rubbed his eyes, momentarily doubting he had seen wrong."

"But he clearly saw the fire-stealer's body split into three, three blades aimed at Wandi's most vital weak points. If not for Bai'e's crucial rescue, Wandi might have been done for......"

"Kirito momentarily felt utterly strange; instantly a terribly frightening thought surfaced in his mind unconsciously:"

""Could it be that the fire-stealer knows Wandi's weak point?"

"Strange."

"It's really too strange."

""Kirito, how could this be? Did you see wrong?" Asuna walked over holding a cup of hot tea, "Have you been too nervous lately over the upper-level strategy? Wandi's weak point is known only to Bai'e; this intel probably isn't even clear to Aglaea."

""Hmm... you're right, Asuna." Kirito furrowed his brow, then pressed his temples with his index finger, "The fire-stealer couldn't possibly know his weak point; I must be over-sensitive......"

"No matter how you look at it, the fire-stealer couldn't possibly know Wandi's weak point. Unless Heichi itself also had informants, even infiltrating the Primordial Vortex to monitor the Golden Lineage's every move."

"But such a thing is hardly different from Arabian Nights; if Heichi could infiltrate to that extent, even bypass Aglaea's golden threads, the Fire Pursuit Journey would have long been ended by it—why go through all this trouble?"

"But that speculation just now was truly terrifying; Kirito only felt a cold sweat break out on his back. If the fire-stealer truly knew Wandi's weak point, it would also mean Aohema had been infiltrated by Heichi into a sieve, every action occurring under the fire-stealer's eyelids."

""All right, Kirito, don't think about the impossible." Asuna gently gripped Kirito's hand and whispered, "This battle ought to be the final showdown with the fire-stealer; if we can utterly slay him here, then the Fire Pursuit Journey ahead should be smooth sailing."

"——"

""Wandi instantly reacted, turning to throw a punch straight at the fire-stealer's chest!"

""This sudden blow sent the fire-stealer flying backward. Wandi pressed on, his hands never stopping, he leapt and unleashed two consecutive heavy punches; two fire lions exploded simultaneously on the fire-stealer's body, making him like a fired cannonball continually striking the rear city walls—first wall, second wall, third wall——"

"The walls behind him collapsed like dominoes one after another, until the fire-stealer was smashed into a bunker, halting his retreat. Countless red crystals locked his limbs fast, rendering him immobile."