Anime: Fight Sukuna at the beginning?.

Chapter 403 The Last Cherry Blossoms Finally Bloom in Full Bloom
A hoarse sound came from the flames.

The [Technique: Rika] that had been protecting Yuta Etsuku like a cradle turned into a charred shell.

It plummeted to the ground engulfed in flames, shattering into several pieces of charred, easily crumbled ash.

From the flames that sprouted from the heat death, two hands emerged, making gestures.

As the power of the incantation surged, the barrier began to form.

In an instant, the church, which had been reduced to ruins, was gone.

All that remained was a desolate wasteland studded with countless samurai swords, and filled with broken walls and ruins that made it impossible to find a place to step.

The state of [Infinite Spell Power] after linking with [Spell: Rika].

This bought him some time to activate the newly acquired [spell].

This saved his life and gave him the opportunity to turn the tide of the battle.

At this moment, standing atop a pile of ruins, Yuta Otsuko sensed that the [Spell: Rika] would not be usable again for some time.

After saying in my heart, "Rika, thank you," and "Mr. Fangyi, thank you for your guidance and support," I expressed my gratitude.

Having 'come back to life' from the flames, he stood up straight despite his body still burning.

As a large amount of cursed power was extracted from the body, the [True and False Love] technique, which was ineffective against enemies, was activated.

Having been split in two and turned into charred remains, Yuta Etsukotsu was completely unharmed and returned to the boy he was three seconds earlier.

It was through the arm of François that Fang Yi gave him, which was then devoured by the [Spell: Rika], that the [Illusion] was created, capable of 'deceiving the world'.

Only after realizing that he had made a strict "binding" in exchange for the "enhanced illusion effect"—that the number of uses in the current world is limited, the consumption of magical power is greatly increased, and it can only be used on himself—could such an illusion have such an effect.

With limited attack methods and a limited number of uses for [Illusion], Otsukotsu Yuuta reached out his hand towards Zhao Yun, who possessed [EX] [Noble Phantasm] not far away.

At the same time, he uttered words of agreement with the contract.

"In the name of Yigu Youtai, I accept your contract, Rider Zhao Yun."
-
Looking at the enemy before him, who had 'come back to life' and formed a contract with a Servant he perceived as having considerable strength.

Zhang Yong's pupils suddenly contracted.

[Time travel?]

[Is it a resurrection ability that can be used multiple times?]

Surprised, Zhang Yong quickly adjusted his mindset upon seeing the extremely costly off-field resurrection [relic] in his hand.

No, judging from the analogy of "Remnant Cherry Blossom" and "Relic," it's absolutely impossible for someone of this rank to possess such powerful resurrection abilities.

It's more like François's illusion.

After assessing the enemy's capabilities, Zhang Yong frowned.

It's a bit troublesome, but only a bit troublesome.

He glanced at Zhao Yun beside Yigu Yuta, who had tightened the reins and was poised to unleash his [Noble Phantasm].

Impressed by François's illusion magic, Zhang Yong quickly made a decision.

[We can ignore that Servant; we need to deal with him first, since he can use [Illusion Magic] to cause trouble!]

I must prevent this battle from becoming a protracted conflict.

[First, test the limits of his abilities, and whether it can be used on that Servant.]

As Yiguyutai's right hand appeared three unusually bright red "Command Seals".

Without a moment's hesitation, Yi Gu You Tai immediately began to recite.

"Command it with a Command Spell."

Before Yi Guyou could finish speaking, Zhang Yong swung his long sword down.

A black beam of light slashed towards Yuta's body once more, about to cleave him in two.

It is precisely [desolate and lonely].

This time, however, it was a vertical split, aimed at completely dissecting Ekiku Uta from head to toe.

Clearly, Zhang Yong had learned his lesson from failing to kill the enemy by cutting him in half.
-
Meanwhile, Yuta Otsukoku, who was activating the Command Seals, did not stop using them, nor did he choose to dodge the attack.

He simply adjusted his posture in a straightforward manner.

After being struck, he chose to use the lowest possible spell power to activate [Illusion] to restore his body's angle, thus taking the blow head-on.

After the domain expands, he is unable to use [Domain Expansion], which can neutralize the effects of [Spell-type] skills, to protect himself.

The only spells he imitated that were ineffective against powerful individuals in good condition were incantations.

All that remained was the [Illusion] spell that Fang Yi had given to François from his arm.

This kind of illusion is deeply embedded in the blood, rather than being imprinted on the cerebral cortex like a spell.

This allowed him to be fearless of enemy attacks, expending massive amounts of magical power to activate [Illusion] to repair his body, while simultaneously continuously issuing the command to go all in with [Command Seals].

"By command of the Command Seal, Rider Zhao Yun's next Noble Phantasm will be greatly enhanced."

"By the Command Spell, Rider Zhao Yun, defeat the enemy before you!"

"Command it with a Command Spell."

With the three-stroke Command Spell, Zhao Yun, having overcome his mana shortage, began to accumulate mana around him like a surging river, almost materializing.

The Jade Lion beneath him let out a joyful roar, its four hooves faintly glowing with flames.

Zhao Yun thrust his spear forward.

In an instant, the surging celestial energy and magical power gathered around him spontaneously intertwined and transformed into a white dragon roaring across the sky.

The enormous dragon's body resembled a rainbow spanning the heavens and the earth.

The subtle aura emanating from it seemed to crush all hostility in the world.

The awe-inspiring aura of having nothing to oppose him and no enemy to stand in his way.

And with the activation of the [Noble Phantasm].

The figures of the man and his horse seemed to conjure up phantom images of hundreds of riders galloping and banners bearing the character "Cao" fluttering around them.

This clearly reflects the legend that he "led the young emperor Liu Shan through a million-strong army, making seven incursions and seven retreats, and was invincible."

It is also a Noble Phantasm that reaches the EX level: "Single-handedly breaking through the enemy lines at Changban Slope".

The next moment, the dragon, the man, and the horse transformed into a streak of light.

With the courage to single-handedly confront the army of an entire nation, he pressed down on Zhang Yong, who stood with his sword in hand.

The sky created by the "Domain of True and False Love" also emitted a cracking sound due to the unbearable weight.

It is showing signs of disintegration.
-
As he activated his [Noble Phantasm], his magical energy transformed into a dragon, becoming a white light that swept across the world and charged towards him.

Only the phrase "Even ghosts and gods cannot conceal its form, and wind and frost cannot alter its color" can describe it.

Zhao Yun, who clearly possesses the effect of [Nullifying Enemy Attacks], exudes an oppressive aura that seems to freeze the air itself.

Zhang Yong narrowed his eyes.

In an instant, a complex mix of emotions—irritability, unease, fighting spirit, and murderous intent—surged deep within his soul.

He couldn't help but sigh.

[What a formidable opponent.]

But no one can stop me!

He vaguely sensed that although most of the cursed power surging around Yuta Etsukotsu had disappeared, it was still quite considerable.

Knowing that the enemy's [Illusion] has a limited number of uses, but clearly I can't deplete their mana bar in a short time right now.

After realizing that unless they could completely destroy the opponent's body in an instant, the battle would become a protracted war.

Zhang Yong did not hesitate to go all in.

[There is also most of a body and [relics] used for resurrection.]

So, just like before, let's bet the chips again and utterly destroy them.

Zhang Yong took a deep breath and gently rubbed the hilt of the knife with his thumb.

The [Resurrection] and [Relic] are consumed to complete the [Recharge] of the [Book of Time].

The familiar notification sound rang in Zhang Yong's ears once again.

['Solidation' complete; 'Fully Activated' skill upgraded to 'lv9'.]

He sensed the knowledge about this A-level skill flooding into his mind.

He took a deep breath and uttered two words.

"—Full bloom."
-
In an instant, the world seemed to be turned upside down.

There is no more wind.

There is no more heat.

There was no more sound.

Only a suffocating silence remained.

For a moment, even Zhao Yun, who was activating his [Noble Phantasm], and Otsuku Yuta, whose domains were on the verge of shattering, seemed to become unreachable.

As Zhang Yong's face appeared as if it were covered with terrifying centipedes, several blood-red curse marks emerged.

Using the soul as fuel to pay for the body, the oath to exchange power with a certain being was activated. Black flames spread from Zhang Yong's feet, then condensed into a huge blade shadow floating behind the man.

The sword shadow soared into the clouds, faintly carrying an unparalleled aura.

The man's muscles tensed instantly, like a straightened rope, and the blood vessels under his skin bulged out like intertwined earthworms.

The character's basic stats are already approaching the limit of Rank 2.

Even though every corner of the body was groaning, and every wisp of the soul was screaming.

But he and the knife in his hand remained incredibly calm.

In his eyes, there were no enemies, only the line between killing and not killing.

That is the ultimate release of all swordsmanship and all will, condensed into a single strike.

Zhang Yong slowly raised his knife.

A nearly invisible black light suddenly rose from the black blade, exuding the aura of "standing on the summit, looking down on all the mountains below".

"This cut"

His voice was deep, yet it resonated in everyone's souls like a morning bell or evening drum.

"Using human limitations, I defy the dragon and slay it!"

"then.

"To bury everything."

The next moment, he stepped forward and slashed down with his sword in the direction where Zhao Yun and Yigu Youtai were!

The heavens and earth seemed to darken in response.

The [domain] shattered instantly.

This is not a simple attack.

This is a strike forged from my own past experiences.
-
A single, devastating strike cleaved the white dragon that was descending from the heavens.

The dragon and the sword have not yet clashed.

The void shattered instantly, and all things trembled.

The explosion only arrived belatedly and delayed a moment later.

With a deafening roar that ripped through eardrums.

The black and white interface suddenly exploded with countless colorful lights, tearing the space apart.

Yi Gu You Tai barely managed to use the [New·Yin Flow·Simple Domain] to protect himself before being sent flying far away by the aftershocks.

In an instant, Etoku Yuta felt his eardrums shatter and his vision turn completely red.

He couldn't see it at all.

He couldn't see the trajectory of the black blade, nor could he see Zhao Yun's figure.

In a daze, I only saw a black line flowing upstream, tearing through the dragon's head!

"That means... the [Noble Phantasm] was cut?"
"No... that wasn't physical destruction..."

A sudden chill ran through Yi Gu's heart.

The black lines did not simply tear and destroy the flesh.

Instead, it negates all the courage, loyalty, and glory symbolized by Bai Long and Zhao Yun in an instant!

That strike seemed to deny the existence of the "Heroic Spirit" itself.

Therefore, it is the ultimate in human existence, rejecting everything—the "blade of rebellion."
-
The blade was drawn in one stroke.

The white dragon roared.

Zhao Yun's body trembled violently, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. His hand holding the spear trembled violently in mid-air.

His Noble Phantasm, which possesses the ability to nullify attacks during a dash, failed to complete!
He roared and thrust his spear forward, barely managing to unleash the final strike of his [Noble Phantasm].

But by the time the spearhead fell, Zhang Yong's figure had already forcefully cut in front of him.

The stone longsword had already pierced through the broken surface of the dragon's head and was rapidly approaching Zhao Yun!

"ended."

Zhang Yong murmured, the black flames emanating from his body showing signs of fading, but he still possessed an unparalleled aura.

It was the second cut.

No name.

It's simply a denial of squeezing the last bit of life out of us.

Zhao Yun managed to block the attack with all his might.

But the moment the knife and the gun made contact...

The spear in his hand then shattered with a terrible sound.

The person came at the sound, and the white armor covering their body cracked off!
As Yi Gu watched that scene, a chill ran down his spine.

He wasn't fighting; he was destroying.

The opponent used two strikes to completely destroy the spirit of Zhao Yun.
-
After striking twice, Zhang Yong, whose shoulders began to heave violently, quietly looked at Zhao Yun and said in a low voice.

"...You are very strong."

"This battle took four seconds longer than I planned to finish it."

As Zhang Yong spoke, a hint of regret crept into his voice.

"If you hadn't met me, you should have been able to fight that golden-haired heroic spirit."

"Your Noble Phantasm can even be considered his nemesis."

This is not a compliment, it is the truth.

If I hadn't acted decisively and used the [Resurrection] item to upgrade [Full Activation] to [lv9], and hadn't burned a quarter of my physical body and soul to activate [Full Activation]...

Fighting with their lives on the line, they broke through the defenses provided by this Heroic Spirit's [Noble Phantasm].

I'm afraid I'll be eliminated today.

Having been stabbed twice, Zhao Yun knelt on the ground, the spear shaft shattered and dissipated into the air.

But he remained in a fighting stance, and no fear appeared in his eyes.

A lingering hint of anger still lingered at the corners of his mouth.

But he didn't get up.

Because he is dead.

The Holy Grail War is on its third day, with six minutes and seventeen seconds remaining until sunset.

Rider Zhao Yun, dead.
-
Zhang Yong looked at Zhao Yun, who had already returned to the Throne of Heroes, and then at the church, which had become a desert as the domain collapsed.

And then there's Otsukoshi Yuuta, who has reactivated his [Illusion] to restore his physical body, gripping his long sword but clearly at his last gasp.

Zhang Yong raised the stone longsword in his hand.

"You must be a reincarnator."

"No, that statement is actually somewhat redundant."

Zhang Yong made his judgment with great certainty.

“You must be a reincarnator worthy of being called the [protagonist].

Zhang Yong's face already showed a hint of respect.

"You are really good, both in strategy and ability."

"Your endurance is extraordinary. You are the first person who can endure my [Heat Death] without making a sound."

After praising his opponent, Zhang Yong smiled confidently.

"Although my body and soul have become broken and shattered."

"Unable to return to the genius that once gave people hope, she can be called 'Spring Cherry Blossom'."

"But even this 'withered cherry blossom' will have its day of full bloom."

"Then farewell! Forgivable opponent."

As he was speaking, Zhang Yong was about to swing his long sword.

However, before he could swing his stone sword...

Appearing rather indifferently at the edge of the desert, the words uttered by the man in the haori interrupted his pronouncement.

"You are not bad."

"Although it's a bit late to say this now, you should be qualified to be my opponent."

Upon hearing the man's words, Zhang Yong, who was in a state of "full bloom" confidence that no one could match, became even more aroused.

I felt the hairs on my body suddenly stand on end.

(End of this chapter)