After the ephemeral brilliance and radiance, dreams and life burned away together.

Only dust and ashes fell from the sky.

The world before me gradually crumbled and shattered, disappearing without a trace.

Everything swiftly drifted away, waving goodbye.

Too late to confirm the outcome of that sword strike, yet such matters no longer concerned him. Perhaps he once harbored immense unease and fear towards everything in this world, but with this single sword thrust, he had no doubts.

Because it was already over.

Either for the opponent or for himself.

In the swiftly darkening world, countless fleeting glimpses flashed before Kusaki's eyes.

The minute essence accumulated over a long life flew past before his eyes, bringing not unease or fear, but indescribable fulfillment and gratitude.

As if returning to the past once more, in the former laughter, words, cups, moonlight, and flowers, everything became so real.

The phantoms of the past emerged from the dust, quietly standing by the roadside, silently bidding him farewell.

Those familiar faces continually emerged, their gazes warm.

Lord Dou Zhen, teacher, Miss Amber, Zaotou Shi... Professor, Principal, and Mr. Huai Shi...

At the end of the darkness, Kusaki turned back, bowing gratefully, offering his final thanks to those who accompanied, encouraged, and helped him all the way.

Thank you for all your care all along.

"Thank you all..."

Kiyoshi Kusaki contentedly closed his eyes, departing with a beautiful dream.

.

In the deathly silence, Jiu Jing heard the sound of cracking.

Fragments of sound echoed from within his own shell, spreading outward... until at last, even the sword blade in his hand splintered, turning to flying ash.

Unbelievable, that in this world such a resplendent and brilliant sword light existed, as if bestowing a lifetime upon this single strike.

With mere void-like spirit, it outlined the incarnation of a Kui King, descending a thunderbolt akin to heavenly punishment.

Then, it was all over.

He stood stiffly in place, lowered his head, and saw cracks rapidly spreading over his hands and shell.

In that moment, his life, will, and soul were shattered by this radiant sword, mercilessly, with no compassion, imposing destruction.

No room or possibility for any reprieve.

It was over.

So abrupt.

But the heart of the Agleam Murder Demon Takeshi Riken was immeasurably calm.

No feeling of absurdity, nor disbelief about dying here. Even if hatred was unvented, plans unfinished...

Like a wild dog dying in an alley, he calmly and frankly accepted this reality.

Even leisurely pondering into what kind of hell his sinful self would fall.

But where in this world would there be a hell that would accommodate him?

When a person dies, the source substance dissipates, the clear source substance ascends, washing away painful memories, returning to the vast Sea of ​​Silver. The world after death does not exist, there's no Hell, no Heavenly Kingdom, only a void.

Death is ugly, just like himself.

This is the fate he deserves.

In the bewilderment brought by dissolution, he heard voices from the past.

It was the words heard when he first held a sword.

"You must be Jiu Jing?"

The unkempt young swordsman with a stubbly beard squatted down, examining the child before him, "Nice to meet you, I'm your swordsmanship teacher, just call me Kusaki."

He tried to smile kindly, but his toothy grin looked like a monkey's, hilariously ridiculous.

"Don't be afraid." He said, "Swordsmanship is actually quite fun!"

"Really?"

The child looked up at the man before him, half-doubting: "Father said swordsmanship is very hard and also very dangerous."

"Though it is a bit, it's okay."

The somewhat absent-minded man held a wooden sword, swinging it twice with effort, looking back as if exhibiting a treasure: "See? It's not hard at all."

"Sword Dao is magical; it will listen to you. As long as you make a wish, persistently advancing forward, it will definitely come true!"

The samurai, hands on his hips, suddenly asked, "Do you have any dreams, Jiu Jing?"

"I... don't know."

"Eh? Not becoming a scientist or astronaut? That's rare... So, any job you want to do?"

The child shook his head: "Can't think of anything."

"Then, something you must do?"

The teacher leaned forward, seriously asking: "There must be that sort of thing, everyone has thought about it, right?"

Jiu Jing stood bewildered, lost for quite a while, before finally summoning the courage: "I want to protect everyone, is that considered a dream?"

Father, Father, brother, Ryuunosuke who's always bullied, the crying Flying Bird, favorite Maki and Yoshiko, and… and Miss Amber!"

Never thought of being invincible in the world, or becoming an impressive figure.

Just wanted to protect them, so they would no longer be afraid.

Wanted that lonely princess not to worry anymore, to smile.

Wished for them to find happiness…

"Is such naive thinking considered a dream?"

In the prolonged silence, the child anxiously watched his future teacher, finding no expected ridicule or disdain, but rather a stern and serious face.

"For such a kid, your dream is the same as mine, Jiu Jing, you're no ordinary guy."

The samurai suddenly burst into proud laughter, reaching out to ruffle his hair, telling him: "From now on, you're my rival! Let's work hard together!"

"Mm!"

The child nodded vigorously.

In the wide open eyes, something is shimmering.

Like this, in the morning light, holding the teacher's hand, step by step, they walked away and disappeared.

Only the lonely murderer was left in place, staring blankly as they went far away, for a long time, bitterly smiling, lowering his gaze.

"Truly, foolish..."

In the silence, Jiu Jiujing fell back on the ground, no sound anymore.

Welcoming death.

.

.

Outside the mountain, Old Monkey Kurakawa drinking wine no longer spoke.

Seemed still savoring the moment the sword light shone solemnly like gods.

For a long time, he tilted his head and drank the wine in the gourd in one gulp, took one last look at the deceased's mouth with the lingering smile, sighed deeply, turned and left.

Never looking back.

And above the clouds, Hattori still kept his head down, overlooking, smelling the remaining burnt stench lingering in the air after the thunder roared through, his brow slowly furrowed.

After the news of Ashikaga's death leaked, Deer's Sing Hall indeed could not wait any longer. Otherwise, it wouldn't have thrown its trump card out so hastily.

The lightning that just emerged from the sky was not some natural phenomenon... On the contrary, such a brazen and indulgent transformation into lightning, crossing Current Circumstances, disregarding the prohibitions to strike at the Satomi clan, is likely only one person.

Among the Wind and Thunder Duo, holding two engraved Miracles of the Fourth Stage Sublimator—Kanda Soramakoto!

He possesses Heaven Drum and Lament Hammer, a single person's force claimed to be enough to crush an entire border, has even earned renown in Hell as the 'God of Thunder'!

Through the mystic ritual, he transformed his entire body into towering lightning, breaking through the membrane of self-transformation, storming into the Li Jian family. He's likely already eagerly starting to kill and silence, creating evidence for the next steps of partitioning?

When superficial efforts were useless, he tore off the grandiose mask and started impatiently devouring corpses...

That group of decaying old things indeed already became an obstruction to the Former Emperor's great undertaking.

Amidst the contemplation, a firefly broke through the air, landing in his hand.

That was an order from the 'Seat'.

But when the fragmented firelight unfolded, the order inside was not for him to act secretly, but to continue watching from the sidelines.

Difficult to understand this reasoning.

But had to comply.

Then, when he lowered his gaze again, he found... the originally wild, arrogant lightning descending from the sky had disappeared.

Silent.

As if it never existed.

Even unable to sense any aura belonging to Kanda Soramakoto...

Hattori stood stunned in place.

What, in the world, happened?

Below his feet, the dazzling self-transformed emitted a strange halo, like a grim smile, silently swallowing all intruders.

.

.

Only, a momentary stupor.

When Kanda Soramakoto came to his senses, he had already penetrated the membrane of self-transformation, entered the Demon Realm.

Yet before him was only darkness, no sky above, no ground below, endlessly vast on all sides... Just the pitch-black liquid beneath his feet rippling viscously, converging into an endless sea.

Where is this, in the world?

Amidst the dissipating lightning, Heaven Drum and Lament Hammer's traces emerged, the last residue of thunder intertwined to reveal Kanda Soramakoto's visage, looking around.

Even with magnetic field vision, couldn't make out the true form in the darkness.

Seemed to have ventured into a world long destroyed.

Aside from the foul-smelling ocean below, utterly empty, no existence to upgrade.

No—

This isn't even within Current Circumstances!

It's not at all the effect formed by Eight Rooms' engraved Miracle! Whether it be the Royal Paradise or Self-Transformation, he had personally experienced such domains, even had encounters with the Satomi clan's head.

This desolate and bizarre scene, definitely not created by the Eight Virtues or Eight Vices!

Lament Hammer fell, Heaven Drum thundered, raising mighty echoes.

A terrifying air wave akin to missile blasts, spreading with scorching thunder, suddenly lashing in the silent void.

But here, nothing was available for destruction.

Only the sticky dark ocean beneath was writhing, being torn to a slit, revealing countless tiny floating teeth in the sea, then closed slowly again.

Water is constant.

Kanda was taken aback for a moment, immediately beating the drum again, thunder roaring forth, sweeping, firepower enough to destroy an entire building spreading in all directions.

Immediately, the whole person became again a pillar of thunder, at near-light speed flying wildly in this boundless dark world.

No matter how long he flew, unable to see its edge.

Instead, the soundless dark ocean below began to slowly writhe, apparently as if slowly awakening, rippling with layers of waves.

The air was increasingly stifling.

Until the first bubble slowly rose from the dark ocean, Kanda Soramakoto suddenly realized.

As if he were... trapped in a high-pressure pot!

Now, the ocean is boiling.

"Ha-ha, finally noticed..."

An aged face appeared from the cracked sky above, towering as if the sky itself, lips moving, issuing a mocking voice: "How does it feel in the urn, uninvited wretched guest?"

Before Guo ShouQue, a fragment of lightning continuously jumped like a snake within the basket above charcoal.

Difficult to escape the cage.

This place, was already beneath the Chef Demon's knife and board!