Because he was suspicious, Shinji didn't hurry forward. He first looked around, confirming that the mysterious, eerie "Yoriichi Tsugikuni" from earlier wasn't nearby. Only then did he slowly descend in front of Ryuhei Ubuyashiki and ask, "Who was that just now?"
"Cough, cough."
After a fit of violent coughing, Ryuhei Ubuyashiki struggled to open his eyes.
There was no trace of the Demon King left in him now. He was as fragile as an ordinary person, as if even coughing a little too hard might injure his lungs.
Shinji didn't press him. Instead, he warily scanned the surroundings.
Through the pair of Ketsuryūgan wielded by the Susanoo Lamp, he could already sense that the life force inside Ryuhei Ubuyashiki had dried up. Even his blood was nearly gone.
Death was only a matter of time.
A moment later, Ryuhei Ubuyashiki rasped, "So this is where it ends. How ridiculous. I never thought I'd die in such a wretched state!"
Shinji demanded, "Answer me! Who was that guy just now?"
"Heh."
Ryuhei Ubuyashiki stared at Shinji and laughed.
"You know I can make you tell the truth. If you insist on suffering that before you die, I can make it happen!"
As he spoke, Shinji reached toward Ryuhei Ubuyashiki.
Ryuhei Ubuyashiki kept sneering as he watched him.
Shinji's outstretched hand stopped in midair, and his expression darkened.
When Ryuhei Ubuyashiki saw him stop, the smile on his face froze. He said regretfully, "Looks like you've already figured it out!"
Shinji said nothing.
When Ryuhei Ubuyashiki had cried out that the other one wasn't "Yoriichi Tsugikuni," Shinji had already begun to suspect the truth.
Now, seeing Ryuhei Ubuyashiki in this state and watching him show no fear of having his soul extracted, Shinji was certain of his guess. He quickly withdrew his