Chapter 211: Battle Against Esdeath

Standing at the doorway, Akame and her sister tightened their grips on their blades simultaneously. Years of assassination experience told them that the woman standing at the door was an extremely dangerous figure.

When Esdeath pushed open the doors of the villa, the first person she saw was Lingyun, followed by the two sisters, Akame and Kurome, standing beside him.

Seeing the two girls who had suddenly appeared by Lingyun's side, looking just as she had back then, a feeling of extreme displeasure rose sharply in Esdeath's heart, as if her most beloved toy had been snatched away.

With a "Clang," Esdeath suddenly drew the long sword at her waist and charged toward the sisters.

"Hostile intent!" Akame and Kurome exchanged a glance, then stepped forward in unison. Relying on the unspoken rapport between sisters, their two Samurai Swords struck in an interlaced pattern, managing to forcefully block Esdeath's offensive.

The three of them became a blur of motion in the courtyard, appearing evenly matched. However, Akame and her sister grew more alarmed the longer they fought; ever since they became Lingyun's disciples, they had never encountered such a powerful opponent. By relying solely on swordsmanship, she suppressed their combined attacks, making it feel as if they were facing their master.

"Master?" Akame and her sister looked at each other, their eyes full of astonishment. Could it be that this woman had some connection to their master?

Suddenly, both Akame and her sister felt an unknown sense of crisis descend upon them. The moment this feeling emerged, they did not hesitate, simultaneously abandoning their attack and retreating backward.

The instant they pulled away, countless ice spears erupted from the ground where they had been standing. If they hadn't retreated quickly, they would likely have been reduced to a pile of minced meat in that very moment.

Having repelled the two, Esdeath waved her hand, and countless ice spears appeared out of thin air, shooting toward Lingyun like a rainstorm. Lingyun sighed slightly and slowly traced a circle in the Void with his right hand. The moment the circle appeared, the ice spears in the sky seemed to be drawn by some force, changing their trajectory and gathering into a massive Ice Ball in front of Lingyun, before dissolving into fragments and vanishing.

"Long time no see, Esdeath!" Lingyun said leisurely, having neutralized Esdeath's attack with one hand.

"Esdeath? Could it be General Esdeath?" The two sisters looked at the woman before them with faces full of shock.

"Indeed, it has been a long time, Lingyun!" Esdeath pointed her long sword at Lingyun. "I said that one day I would catch up to your footsteps! Now, I possess that very strength!"

"The strongest ice Teigu, Demon God Manifestation—Demon's Extract, is it?" Lingyun slowly stood up. "Very well, let me see how much you have grown over these years!"

Seeing Lingyun stand up, a glimmer of excitement flashed in Esdeath's eyes, and she couldn't help but tighten her grip on her long sword.

But Lingyun suddenly turned and dashed out of the villa.

"Trying to run?" Esdeath waved her hand, and an ice pillar shot from her palm, booming toward Lingyun's direction.

"Do you intend to fight here? I have no desire to see the house I just moved into destroyed in our exchange." Lingyun did not look back, his Source Power vibrating to shatter the ice pillar as it neared him.

"Then let us fight outside the city. I believe you will not disappoint me!" Watching Lingyun's rapidly receding figure, she withdrew her long sword and gave chase at high speed.

Akame and Kurome exchanged a glance and followed after them. It seemed their master had an unusual relationship with General Esdeath, but given Esdeath's notorious reputation, who knew what might happen!

In a quiet, dense forest outside the Imperial Capital, four figures appeared. Lingyun and Esdeath stood facing each other, an invisible aura swirling constantly around them. Not far away, Akame and Kurome watched the two with worried expressions.

"Hmph!" Esdeath let out a soft cry, and her long sword instantly manifested layers of afterimages, assaulting Lingyun's direction.

Lingyun stood motionless, holding his fingers together like a sword, and swept them toward Esdeath's blade.

"Ding, ding, ding"—fingers collided with the long sword, sparks flew, and the sound of clashing metal rang out. Esdeath frowned slightly, increasing the speed of her sword; the blade tore through the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound. Esdeath and her sword transformed into a Phantom, enveloping Lingyun. Facing Esdeath's frantic assault, Lingyun's fingers also traced layers of afterimages, catching every single one of her attacks without a single miss.

Akame and Kurome looked at each other in disbelief. Although they had overestimated Esdeath as much as possible, seeing her now, it was clear she hadn't used her full strength when fighting the two of them!

"Use your Teigu, Esdeath. Your swordsmanship alone will never be enough to deal with me!" Lingyun waved his right hand, forcing Esdeath back, and spoke.

"Truly powerful. You are worthy of being the opponent I have kept in my heart to surpass." A burning light flashed in Esdeath's eyes. "Lingyun, I still remember clearly the scene where you froze this lake with a single strike! Now that I have mastered the same power as you, let me see whose power is greater!"

As soon as Esdeath finished speaking, countless ice spears surged from her side like a rainstorm toward Lingyun, while she herself moved rapidly toward him under the cover of the spears.

"These mere ice spears cannot hurt me!" Lingyun waved his hand, and layers upon layers of Ice Walls rose before him, not only blocking the ice spears but also halting Esdeath's advance.

Esdeath pressed a hand against the Ice Wall, unleashing the full power of the Demon's Extract. The thick wall shattered instantly, transforming into a sky full of Ice Spears that pierced toward Lingyun. These were no ordinary Ice Spears; each one contained a portion of Esdeath's power, capable of piercing even the sturdiest armor.

Lingyun extended his right hand and grabbed at the Void; a massive palm appeared out of thin air, crushing all the incoming Ice Spears. After shattering the spears, the giant hand loomed toward Esdeath. Esdeath pressed her left hand against the Void, and a massive ice pillar extended from her palm, breaking the giant palm in mid-air.

Esdeath pointed her long sword toward Lingyun, and countless ice blades erupted from the ground, stabbing at him from all directions, each blade gleaming with a terrifying light.

"Void Strike!" Lingyun clenched his right fist and slammed it heavily into the ice blades attacking him. With Lingyun as the center, the space within several meters rippled simultaneously, and the numerous ice blades were torn into fragments.

"Esdeath, stop these little tricks! Show me your true ability!" Lingyun clapped his hands and said.

"As you wish! Ice Cavalry!" Seeming to realize that the methods she had displayed were useless against Lingyun, Esdeath's expression turned serious, and she plunged her sword into the ground.

Countless frigid currents diffused from Esdeath, forming a small ice domain around her. From within the domain, ice cavalrymen formed of frozen ice emerged rapidly. Each cavalryman exuded waves of cold air, aiming their weapons directly at Lingyun.