He had put all his strength into that last strike.
Yet his opponent had casually flicked him away with a single finger.
"Stronger or weaker" could no longer begin to describe that gap.
It was... utter domination on the level of life itself.
Just then-
"Iaido: Myriad Blades Formation!"
A powerful voice rang out around the meeting hall.
Led by Mifune, hundreds of samurai from the Land of Iron drew their swords at once.
Clad in heavy armor, they moved in perfect unison, their tachi gleaming coldly in the candlelight and reflected snowlight.
"The samurai of the Land of Iron will never allow anyone to run wild here!"
Mifune gripped his sword with both hands and assumed the opening stance of Iaido.
"Slash!"
Hundreds of tachi swung at once.
Razor-sharp waves of sword energy surged skyward like a torrential downpour, weaving an impenetrable net in the air before descending upon Liuyu and the others.
This was a combined formation passed down in the Land of Iron for a thousand years. Each wave of sword energy could cut through steel; hundreds layered together had enough power to level a small mountain.
At the same time-
Ōnoki had silently floated high into the air directly above Liuyu.
His hands formed a complex seal before his chest. Between his palms, a point of pure white light began to gather and expand.
"Now!"
A vicious gleam flashed in Ōnoki's eyes.
This was the moment he had been waiting for-the instant the Land of Iron's samurai attacked and drew their attention, allowing him to unleash Dust Release's killing blow.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!!!"
Hummm!!!
A pure white, cube-shaped beam erupted from Ōnoki's palms.
The beam was over ten meters across, containing the terrifying power to break all matter down into atoms.