Demon Hunter and His Cabin
Chapter 833 - 648: Start Your Performance_2

Chapter 833: Chapter 648: Start Your Performance_2

"Although I’m not sure what method you used, as long as I proceed steadily, the final victory will definitely be mine!"

"It was the same last time. If only I had held on a little longer, I might have won!"

Black flames ignited along the blade. Yatagarasu Akiryu’s body trembled, and the clothes on his upper body shredded, revealing a physique as sturdy as steel.

Crisscrossing scars covered his skin, and from those healed wounds seeped threads of power.

The image of the Three-legged Crow flashed past. Yatagarasu Akiryu’s pupils turned frosty, his movements were not quick, but his gaze locked firmly onto Roger.

Then that strange sensation resurfaced again.

Roger knew this was Yatagarasu Akiryu’s peculiar ability. He had experienced its terrifying strength in their last encounter.

But right now, faced with an enemy whose defense seemed unbreakable, all techniques and power seemed utterly meaningless.

[Rush]

Yatagarasu Akiryu’s body suddenly lunged forward. His movements almost imperceptible, the next moment, the piercing flash of his blade was already before Roger’s eyes.

Roger’s body swayed slightly. He initially aimed to evade Yatagarasu Akiryu’s strike, but his motion was interrupted, slowing him just slightly. His palm swatted away the incoming Great Tachi, but he couldn’t completely avoid the incoming damage.

Yatagarasu Akiryu’s expression remained unchanged. His wrist flicked, dragging the blade across Roger’s palm in a horizontal cut.

Instantly, his stance shifted. The immense weapon pulled back, now gripped with both hands as his arms and blade seemed to merge like the flapping wings of a bird.

The surrounding snow was swept up, shrouding both combatants in a blizzard of white.

[Snow Moon Flower]

It’s hard to imagine, with his massive physique and such a domineering weapon like the Great Tachi, that Yatagarasu Akiryu could perform moves so precise and swift.

Though still daylight, under the snow’s cover, Yatagarasu Akiryu’s blade gleamed as coldly as moonlight. Amidst the dazzling flashes, Roger felt his consciousness slowing even further.

His mind seemed captivated by the swirling snow before him, entirely ignoring the lurking dangers within.

Swish, swish, swish!

Elegant yet cruel, imbued with a peculiar beauty.

Witnessing this scene, the distant Tengu Divine Master’s face revealed a slight admiration.

"I must admit, in pursuit of swordsmanship, Shuntsuki has already surpassed everyone. He stands at the peak of this era."

"What a pity. Techniques are, after all, just skills. After entering the Extreme Path Realm, aspiring for higher levels is what we should truly pursue."

The energy locked on. Yatagarasu Akiryu knew every strike of his had landed on Roger. At the critical moment, he calmed himself and exceeded his limits, seamlessly integrating techniques that had not yet been perfected.

And then unleashed them with unprecedented brilliance.

This strike, Yatagarasu Akiryu believed, carried hints of the Extreme Path’s essence.

"Perhaps I still have a chance!" He felt exhilaration in his heart.

"Father has resolved the limitation of lifespan. If I continue refining my methods, given enough time, using this attack as a starting point, I might take another step forward in the future!"

Splurt!

Roger’s defenses crumbled. His shoulder, chest, and abdomen were slashed with large wounds, blood gushing out, dyeing the swirling snow crimson.

The stark red against the pure white was exceptionally striking in the monotonous landscape.

"You’re much stronger than I imagined."

Even Roger couldn’t help but comment admiringly. Before his words fully fell, the wounds on his body sealed shut, blood reversed its course, restoring him to his uninjured state.

Seeing this, Yatagarasu Akiryu was utterly stunned.

"This..."

"At the level of a Sword Master, no one could withstand that strike. I calculated it. By unleashing Snow Moon Flower, I had at least tripled my power. Even an Extreme Path Sword Master..."

He trailed off, his eyes now fixed intently on Roger.

"Extreme Path?"

"Extreme Path?!"

"I don’t believe it!" The veins on his face bulged. He staggered half a step back, dragging the Great Tachi behind him, then stepped forward again, gathering strength for another swing.

[Draw and Slash]

This was a terrifying saber technique, one that forcibly compressed and released power through charge time. However, taking too long to amass energy revealed significant openings.

At this point, Yatagarasu Akiryu was already teetering on the edge of reason. He only realized mid-charge how vulnerable he had left himself.

But faced with such an enormous flaw, Roger showed no reaction at all. Under Yatagarasu Akiryu’s astonished gaze, he even shifted slightly to position himself perfectly within the ideal attack range.

I not only watch but also help you make the optimal choice.

This was not disregard, but supreme confidence in his own power.

What Roger wanted wasn’t simply to defeat Yatagarasu Akiryu but to make him experience absolute despair and failure.

Blade light tore through the air.

Unlike before—its grace and elegance gone—the strike was filled with nothing but chaos and the wielder’s hysteria.

Finally, at the exact moment when Yatagarasu Akiryu’s strength reached its peak, Roger also unleashed his own strike.

Clang!

The sound of metal shattering rang far into the distance. The swirling snow scattered violently, exposing the two figures.

Yatagarasu Akiryu’s Great Tachi was utterly destroyed, while the wounds on Roger’s hand healed rapidly. With a flick of his wrist—

A fragment of the blade tip landed in the snow.

"Satisfied?"

"Or do you think you can do better?"

Roger asked.

That calm composure instantly shattered Yatagarasu Akiryu’s confidence. Reflecting on all his prior schemes and plans, he suddenly realized that before true power, they were worthless.

And he finally understood why, in the decades since the Sword Pavilion’s founding, Sword Master Cold Crow had never focused fully on growing its influence.

He finally discerned why, when he’d suggested plans for strengthening their forces, he had caught that odd glint in the man’s eyes.

It was disappointment.

He had long known—only one’s own strength truly mattered.

"Is that all your power?" Roger inquired.

"Are you already an Extreme Path Sword Master?" Akiryu asked.

Roger simply clenched his fist. "You’re welcome to find out."

The next moment, overwhelming power completely subdued Yatagarasu Akiryu. Roger’s force struck him head-on.

Meanwhile, in the distant red glow, it seemed the battle between Sword Master Cold Crow and Higurashi Gushan had also reached its climax.

As for the Tengu Divine Master, his attention had shifted to another battlefield.

Yatagarasu Akiryu’s fate was sealed. His expression betrayed no emotion, nor did he have any intention of offering assistance.

Although he had extended an olive branch to Yatagarasu Akiryu not long ago, that did not mean he intended to intervene on his behalf.

Boom!

The ground trembled as Roger’s power spiked. Yatagarasu Akiryu’s weapon shattered. Barely resisting for a few more seconds, he was then engulfed by an unrelenting storm of attacks.

In truth, the moment before Roger struck, Akiryu’s confidence had already unraveled. A broken-spirited samurai is little more than a living target.

"Your son is about to die. If I were you, I’d wrap up your battle quickly."

"Or you could ask me for help. For the sake of our past as master and disciple, I might lend a hand this once."

The Tengu Divine Master’s voice pierced through the red flash of saber light.

But from beginning to end, Sword Master Cold Crow gave no reply.

The ground caved in as Yatagarasu Akiryu’s bones shattered. His body was hurled dozens of meters away, crashing into a low building and sinking deeply into it.

Consciousness fading, spiritual power surged relentlessly into his body, yet he resembled a punctured balloon. No matter how much spiritual power flowed in, it could not mend his injuries.

Blood pooled beneath him as clarity slipped away. In his final moments, he saw Roger, his aura towering, gripping a longsword emanating blood-red light.

"Tengu Divine Master, face the wrath of the earth!"