Anime: Fight Sukuna at the beginning?.

Chapter 404: Flowers bloom and must be broken

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

Within the silent barrier, the sound of a man deliberately controlling his magic to create footsteps could be heard.

Fang Yi, after uttering these words, calmly passed over the barrier, which had become extremely dilapidated but was sufficient to obscure all external perception for a short time.

It appeared on the edge of the desert.

It's as if the final boss of the game appears before the hero even leaves the starting village.

And then he saw Fang Yi appear outside of his planned time.

Such a thought had already arisen in Zhang Yong's mind.

[That's him, the enemy whose kill yields an exceptionally generous reward.]

After sensing his body's instinctive trembling reaction, Zhang Yong had a sudden realization.

Just as he had a premonition, "Today is the only chance I can kill that man."

As expected, the enemy did not remain stagnant.

In just one day, the other person also became stronger, just like me.

This man is an opponent I need to fight with all my might to defeat.
-
After making this judgment in his mind, Zhang Yong instantly became more vigilant and shifted his attention to Fang Yi, but a few doubts arose in his heart.

Why didn't he launch a sneak attack like I did?

For a moment, Zhang Yong hesitated to act rashly due to his body's subconscious reaction.

He didn't immediately draw his sword at Fang Yi, nor did he charge.

Instead, they picked on the "easy target," Yuta Otokotsu, who was already at his limit and clearly could not be "revived" many more times.

She subtly probed the man's intentions.

He swung his stone longsword, named "Remnant Cherry Blossom," on an impromptu swipe.

[Enhanced Magic - Extreme] [Heat Death] are activated.

In the fully activated state of comprehensive self-enhancement, one can feel the exhilarating sensation brought to the body by the increase in entropy.

Sensing the world that has begun to stagnate in my eyes.

Seeing that Fang Yi didn't react, Zhang Yong's lips curled into a smile.

Since you're not making a move, then I'll strike first.

This time, however, he did not charge forward as usual.

Nor did it weave a flame that would destroy everything.

All he did was insidiously condense this powerful strike into a thin, harmless black line that appeared harmless to onlookers.

This highly deceptive blow was delivered to Etogu Yuta, whose attention had been somewhat distracted by Fang Yi's arrival.

And so on, until the blade's energy was about to reach Yuta's body.

Fang Yi, who did not respond and seemed unaware of his attack, remained silent.

Zhang Yongcai 'kindly' uttered words to Fang Yi that would interfere with the enemy's judgment.

"Then let's test your strength with this cut."

"I hope you won't disappoint me!"

As Zhang Yong uttered these words, he looked at Fang Yi, who had only just drawn his sword. Despite his extreme confidence in his swordsmanship, a hint of malice flashed through his mind.

So, how are you going to catch this blow from me?

Even with my swordsmanship surpassing the second-rank limit, I wouldn't dare be so careless as to wait until the attack was almost upon me before making my move!
-
He then saw Fang Yi appear at the edge of the desert and a fine black line suddenly appear in front of him.

Gripping his long sword tightly, Yuta Otsukoshi knew the enemy was powerful and he himself was already at his limit, a look of anxiety flashing in his eyes.

At the same time, the [Domain Extension] ability, which can neutralize [spell-type] attacks, is activated.

He also shouted at Fang Yi in great urgency.

"Mr. Fang Yi! Keep your distance from me!"

"The enemy's current state cannot be maintained for too long."

As he spoke, Yuta Otsuko once again made the gesture of "Domain Expansion".

Despite paying the magic power of Zhao Yun's [EX] rank [Noble Phantasm].

It also performed a [Domain Expansion] and used [Illusion] multiple times under the blessing of [Binding Lv11]. The curse power within its body was much weaker than it had been a few seconds ago.

But Etotsuyuta still resolutely and decisively demonstrated his will.

"I will use my [Domain] again to hold him off and secure victory."

"Mr. Fang Yi, you..."
-
In response to Yi Gu You Tai, Fang Yi drew his sword and spoke calmly yet confidently.

There is no need for that.

"Just as the poem says, 'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, for ye may ye have no flowers left to pluck.'"

Fang Yi, who had already drawn his sword while speaking, did not actually draw it.

He simply walked slowly to Etotsu Yuta's side.

With a single hand raised, he further showcased the [Realm of Self-Reliance], which he had perfected in his previous battle but had not yet reached its full potential.

And through the [Amplification 'Realm'] above [California Clear Light], one can reach the pinnacle.

For the first time, the technique was fully developed, which could [quickly analyze enemy attacks, and after understanding the enemy's techniques and principles, nullify the attacks].

All things return to nothingness.

The exhibition features the "realm" that carries everything "nothingness".

That sinister black line, heading straight for Etotsu Yuta, seemed like a top athlete sprinting at full speed on the track, having just finished preparing for the race.

The next second, he looked like a fat guy who had suddenly gained 700 kilograms and needed a crane to get around.

Fang Yi 'intercepted' them with great ease.

Seeing that there was no further progress, because the method of condensing power was very similar to his own [Mirror Moon], the black line that he had directly seen through and manipulated.

Fang Yi's face broke into a perfectly standard smile.

He raised his hand and made a pinching motion in the air.

As if swatting away flies, the attack was extinguished remotely.

He then uttered the second half of his sentence to Zhang Yong, who had a solemn expression.

"Flowers should be appreciated when they are at their most vibrant."

"The same applies to the enemies that need to be killed."

"What do you think? An enemy whose name is unknown."

"Although I didn't draw my sword, I don't think my move disappointed you."

As Fang Yi spoke, he began to undermine the arrogance of this enemy who was afraid to harm him, thus drawing the enemy's hatred.

He leisurely walked past Etotsu Yuta and gestured for the discomfiture of the high-ranking mage.

The other party has not yet entered the [Death and Annihilation Journey].

Not only is the quality of the [Imitation] [Spell] too low, but the [Spell: Rika] cannot be used in the short term.

Strictly speaking, aside from having a lot of magical power in his body, he is a complete 'blank' mage who can only hit people with a staff.

Considering that at least three enemy reincarnators are still alive in the arena.

Having already lost Zhao Yun, a top-tier Servant who could have been a valuable asset.

He naturally didn't want to lose this person with great potential, and he was exceptionally generous with his offer.

Teammates who can provide a lot of help in this [assessment task].
-
Yi Gu You Tai looked past himself and came to Fang Yi, who was confronting the enemy head-on.

My heart overflows with indescribable gratitude, and I am filled with a profound sense of respect for my own shortcomings.

[Mr. Fang Yi, instead of avoiding the monster's period of strength, are you going to fight it head-on?]

[This is a kind of strength I've never seen before; it embodies the confidence of 'I am the strongest' from head to toe.]

Although he didn't quite agree with Fang Yi's strategy, Yi Gu You Tai's body didn't hesitate for a moment to implement the opponent's tactics.

[Regardless of the circumstances, we must not cause trouble or hold Mr. Fang Yi back.]

Meanwhile, Yuta Otsukoshi watched as Otsukoshi, having understood his command, made the gesture of 'protecting his teammates in front of him,' and slowly retreated.

Fang Yi tilted his head and spoke very calmly to Zhang Yong, who was standing with a knife in his hand and staring at him warily.

He issued a duel invitation that was half-serious and half-joking.

"Moreover, if one wants to break through one's limits and achieve victory, one must..."

"Sometimes you can't avoid a powerful enemy; you have to face the challenge head-on and kill him."

At that moment, Fang Yi sensed a humming sound coming from the enemy.

Since acquiring the [Blade Light Swift Shadow] trait, which greatly increases the speed of sword strikes.

Along the way, he accumulated a lot of sword skills through his talents and traits.

During this assessment mission, he gained various buffs in swordsmanship skills that he could not normally obtain at an incredible speed.

Fang Yi, having sensed that his traits were approaching the limits of evolution, had already understood one thing.

If one can observe the opponent's swordsmanship firsthand and defeat them.

Finally, solidify and acquire the trait that the opponent must possess swordsmanship skills.

Your own traits will undergo a transformative 'evolution'.
-
Zhang Yong, without even drawing his sword, simply waved his hand and unleashed his 'Realm' to break through Fang Yi's attack.

In an instant, the previous hostility vanished without a trace, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity on his face.

And a sense of unease and self-doubt.

[Is that the 'realm' within that martial arts enhancement system, known as 'Stupid people stay away, poor people don't bother', where only a very small number of martial artists can cultivate to amplify the power of their own skills?]

Why is it completely different from what I know and understand?

He stared intently at the 'realm' surrounding the other person, comparing it to his own 'realm' that he had 'perfected' through the [Book of Time].

A look of disbelief flashed in Zhang Yong's eyes.

How can that be a 'realm'?

[How could he possibly achieve what I, having reached a state of 'perfection' that others cannot attain, have reached?]

Zhang Yong, who claimed to have glimpsed the limits of the 'realm', made a very decisive judgment!

The conclusion that had sent shivers down my spine was ruled out.

That's definitely not a 'realm'!!

[That must be mixed with something like psychic energy, trying to undermine my confidence!!!]

I need to deplete his psionic energy.

He stared intently at Fang Yi, gripping the knife in his hand.

Not to be outdone, it used the blessing of "Full Bloom" to showcase its own "Realm - Reaching the Pinnacle".
-
Seeing Zhang Yong gripping the long sword, Fang Yi also became serious. He changed his posture from holding the sword with one hand to holding it with both hands.

The skill branch [Absolute Blade], which grants a buff when wielding a sword, is activated.

The aura that had been floating around him suddenly intensified under the enhancement of [Peak of Perfection] and [Invincible Crown].

They converged to form a great river that exudes an air of 'uniqueness'.

It was swallowed up by Zhang Yong's aura of "looking down on all the mountains" that permeated every corner of the space.

Before long, they had moved from a situation of equal footing to one of slight advantage.

After flexing his muscles briefly, Fang Yi wore a perfectly standard smile.

He recalled the information he had gathered beforehand regarding the deceased Servant and the swordswoman.

Fang Yi was no longer going to drag things out with this enemy who, like him, lacked martial ethics and preferred ambushes.

Even enemies can become novel.

If he cannot defeat the enemy when they are at their strongest.

It becomes difficult to get enough pressure to complete the "breakthrough" and continue to perfect one's terrifyingly endless skills.

Therefore, he directly launched a textbook provocation.

If I'm not mistaken.

"You actually intended to send your Servant here from the very beginning, didn't you?"

"That swordsman with slightly disheveled hair."

Fang Yi was met with a cold snort from Zhang Yong's nose.
-
I could vaguely sense that the other person's lips were pursed tightly, and a hint of anger was showing in their eyes.

Realizing that the other party clearly valued the swordsman who was killed by the swordswoman, he then...

Fang Yi then uttered a sentence that drew the other party's hatred, a sentence that sounded like something a villain would say.

"It's a pity that he doesn't seem to have learned anything from you."

"Therefore, he was killed 'easily' by the swordsmen I sent."

After noticing that the other person's hand holding the knife was trembling slightly, and that the person was like a volcano about to erupt, he realized that the other person was already trembling.

Fang Yi revealed a very wicked smile and uttered words that would completely ignite the volcano and further interfere with the other party's judgment.

"That's why you came here, filled with anger."

"It was very disadvantageous to talk a lot of nonsense in front of an enemy who was far weaker than you, and vented your emotions."

"I've regained some confidence, am I right?"
-
He listened to Fang Yi's words that were stirring up his anger.

Even though they knew the other person was only trying to buy time for their companion to move.

But at this moment, Zhang Yong had to admit that he had fallen into a trap.

Fang Yi was the only person he could see.

And the 300 merit points that can be obtained after killing the opponent are something that ordinary reincarnators would have to go through dozens of worlds to get.

There are also three precious opportunities to enter the [Derivative World] to carry out missions.

Having experienced several ups and downs and boasting of his profound understanding of life, he realized that the enemy was exceptionally powerful and the reward for killing him was unusually high.

For the first time in my life, I felt a long-lost feeling in my chest that I couldn't shake off.

The emotions that needed to be released immediately.

He knew the name of this emotion all too well.

That was a blazing blade called "Hatred," a force that constantly spurred people onward.

Zhang Yong gripped the stone longsword named "Remnant Cherry Blossom" tightly in his hand.

His chest heaved violently, as if a thousand words were about to burst forth from his throat.

The broken tendons under his arm suddenly surfaced beneath his skin, as if some ferocious beast was trying to raise its head and roar from beneath the skin.

He did not continue to probe.

They didn't choose the strongest one, which comes with a negation effect, like the [Blade of Reversal] that killed Zhao Yun earlier.

It also lacked the very cold and desolate feeling of "coldness and loneliness".

He was simply driven by hatred, pushing every muscle in his body to its limits.

He condensed all his emotions toward the enemy into a single slash, forging his fury into this terrifying blade of energy.

The intense heat, burning everything away, reflects the inner rage, like the "heat death" of a blazing sun rising into the sky.

All of this was condensed into a single, furious strike aimed at Fang Yi, a reflection of his rage.

This strike signifies that Zhang Yong has completely abandoned reason.

Rather, it was the most primitive and violent response to what Fang Yi had said.

I'm going to kill you!
-
This sword energy, which severs cause and effect and cuts off all paths to survival, was unleashed from Zhang Yong's hand.

It was like a dormant volcano that had been dormant for thousands of years finally erupting, smashing down on Fang Yi without any fancy moves.

In an instant, the world seemed to be filled only with that warm, radiant light of the [Heat Death] sword and the 'meaning' of 'viewing all mountains as small' contained within it.

However, this strike did not produce the roar that cut through the atmosphere; there was no warning, not even a single howl.

There was only a suffocating, bone-chilling murderous intent.

And the intense heat, as if a drought demon had been born, had drained the moisture from every piece of land and the air, creating a devastating natural disaster that scorched the land for thousands of miles.

Before the blade even arrived, the ground, stripped of its moisture, already showed signs of cracking.

The land that had been transformed into a desert by the clash between the Noble Phantasm and the longsword felt like pressing the "skip x years" button in a strategy game.

As the water was drawn away, the area suddenly collapsed, turning into fine gravel containing nothing but yellow sand.

It flew and swirled along both sides of the incoming blade energy, forming a terrifying wave of sand.

The ground beneath Fang Yi's feet sank slightly under the pressure of the opponent's strike.

The air behind them seemed to distort slightly, as if the space was being scorched by the blazing sun and then folded over.
-
And then came the blade that burned everything, carrying sand and gravel as it came like a tidal wave.

Fang Yi simply widened his eyes in excitement, a carefree smile playing on his lips.

[Did you feel the blazing sun wasn't enough, so you mixed sand and gravel to create a slash that resembled a wave?]

[Did they sense something and want to deplete my 'realm'?]

With unprecedented confidence, his overall state had reached its peak and could not be improved any further.

Fang Yi, however, did not waste his precious [Realm - Who Else But Me] and continued to take the attack head-on.

Instead, he put away his 'Realm' and activated the [Skill Branch] [Slay Me], which can be used to specifically enhance swordsmanship.

He poured a massive amount of mental energy, enough to make his head slightly dizzy, into the longsword in his hand.

【Kukai Kiyomitsu】also let out a joyful chirp, as if to say, 【Cut it off!!】

The [Yin Yang Interplay] skill, which consumes weapon durability to gain attack power, is activated.

With his heart, sword, and body united, Fang Yi slashed forward in response.

The altitude could no longer be verified; all that could be seen was the flash of light that connected the boundless sky with the vast earth.

This perfectly reflects my inner self: unstoppable, and supremely self-important.

It once severed the enemy's overwhelming force of punches.

[My One and Only Blade]

"But I've already cut off the waves."

"Your attack is a bit unoriginal."

Fang Yi, who had just swung the knife, calmly uttered a few words of regret to Zhang Yong.
-
Zhang Yong almost forgot to breathe the moment he drew his sword.

He originally thought that his strike was the ultimate expression of his anger and hatred.

It is the ultimate strike capable of destroying everything and pulverizing the enemy.

But the moment Fang Yi drew his sword, the world seemed to suddenly turn upside down for a moment.

Space was torn apart as the opponent swung their blade.

The scorching sand waves formed from the heat of death crashed in, only to be cleanly and decisively split in two in that instant.

It was as if the concept of time itself froze for that instant, as if it had never existed.

Zhang Yong's pupils suddenly contracted. What came to mind was not a solution, but a tremor and unease stemming from biological instinct.

He blocked it.

No, merely blocking it is not enough to describe the essence of the opponent's attack.

He severed the sea of ​​sand that resembled a calamity.

He severed his anger and hatred.

He even shattered his own illusion that he was "in control of the situation."

"What kind of skill is this...?"

Zhang Yong felt a tightness in his throat, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He could sense that the opponent's strike contained more than just a combination of skill, weapon, technique, and ability.

Rather, it is a kind of "absolute will" and self-confidence that unites everything and cuts off everything.

He even felt a sense of unease about his previously prized [Blade of Reversal], [Heat Death], and all his trump cards.

Before the other party's "One Strike That Reflects Myself," everything seemed like child's play, becoming as light as a feather.

Fang Yi's casual comment, however, pierced his nerves like a poisoned arrow.

It brought excruciating pain, like flesh being torn apart and bone-deep.

"But I've already cut off the waves."

"Your attack is a bit unoriginal."

His strongest attack at the moment was unhesitatingly described by his opponent as "repetitive" and "clichéd".

Zhang Yong even knew that this was not an insult, but rather a superior perspective.

Fang Yi, standing there at that moment, seemed to be saying something.

"I have already walked ahead of you and seen a world you have never seen before."

At this moment, there are still five minutes and thirty-two seconds until sunset.

Zhang Yong looked up and saw only the increasingly dark sky.

And that sword technique that connected the sky and the earth, swallowing his own swordsmanship, was heading towards him with an unstoppable [Solely My Sword].

Just like that dull afternoon.

(End of this chapter)