Assault Fang

"Clang, clang, clang..."

The sounds of iron striking iron rang out incessantly. As blades flashed and shadows danced, Yae Sakura retreated a few steps.

Watching the demon blade in the bandit's hand clash with her own Void Blade for so long without breaking, she realized it was a top-tier weapon indeed.

"Your demon blade is decent. I'll take it!"

Looking at the demon blade in the bandit leader's hand, Yae Sakura spoke with a tone of certainty, as if it already belonged to her.

"How arrogant! I am the master of this [Assault Fang]. Now... I will hold back no longer." Hearing this, the bandit leader seemed truly enraged. He gripped the demon blade with one hand and sliced it directly across his own arm.

The demon blade began to drink the blood from the leader's arm, and in an instant, it turned a deep, vibrant crimson.

"Die!"

The bandit swung his blade with force, sending a blood-colored wave of sword qi toward Yae Sakura.

Yae Sakura did not let her guard down, meeting the attack with a Crimson Cherry Sword Qi of her own.

The two waves of sword qi collided, triggering an immediate airburst.

Just as the two energies clashed, the bandit leader ignored the resulting shockwaves and forcibly charged toward Yae Sakura.

He gripped the demon blade with both hands and thrust it toward her with all his might.

"Ouroboros!"

As the bandit leader closed in, Yae Sakura immediately activated the innate skill of the Void Blade, creating a localized spacetime field around her that moved with her body.

It was essentially a "portable" spacetime rupture.

The bandit leader entered the spacetime field, and his speed slowed to a crawl.

"Sorry! I'm using a cheat code!"

Watching the bandit leader in front of her, who only advanced a tiny bit every second, it was no different from time being frozen.

Yae Sakura walked up to him and drove the Void Blade straight into his heart.

She watched him die, and only then did she deactivate "Ouroboros."

"Big Sister, watch out!"

Suddenly, Higokumaru cried out in alarm.

Just as Yae Sakura deactivated Ouroboros, the bandit, who should have been dead, suddenly continued to thrust the demon blade toward her.

Yae Sakura hurriedly used the Void Blade to block, then retreated...

She looked toward the bandit leader. He was indeed dead... but the demon blade was controlling his corpse.

"I was careless..."

She had known the demon blade was the true threat.

Watching the bandit leader continue to approach, Yae Sakura retracted the Void Blade and drew her Spirit Blade.

Now... the enemy was no longer human.

Flash Step...

"Clang..."

The attack from Flash Step was blocked instantly.

Falling Cherry Five-Strike Slash!

Five waves of sword qi slashed directly at the demon blade, yet... even the sword qi was blocked by the blade.

Just as Yae Sakura prepared for her next wave of attacks, a longsword resembling a blade of flame suddenly decapitated the bandit leader's corpse.

"Big Sister, are you okay?"

Higokumaru exited her "Assassination State" and spat a mouthful of Fox Fire onto the corpse, cremating it on the spot. All that remained was the demon blade, trembling incessantly within the flames.

"I'm fine..."

Yae Sakura opened her mouth to speak, then helplessly sheathed her Spirit Blade.

"Big Sister, do you want this demon blade [Assault Fang]? It seems quite strong." Higokumaru grabbed the demon blade, which was trying to escape, and asked Yae Sakura.

Even after being burned for so long in the intense Fox Fire, the blade showed no signs of damage.

"Can you control it?" Seeing Higokumaru holding the blade without any issues, it was clear the demon blade could not control her.

"Of course, I am Higokumaru. Anything that falls into my hands must behave." Higokumaru was very confident.

That was true. As one of the Twelve Herrschers, the incarnation of the Herrscher of Corruption, her talent was corruption. Whether it was human, beast, or machine, she could control them all.

Only she could control others; there was no such thing as someone else controlling her.

"You keep it for yourself then!"

Yae Sakura shook her head. She already had enough weapons, and this was an unreliable demon blade; keeping it might just lead to her own undoing.

It was better to let Higokumaru keep it.

Yae Sakura had indeed been interested in a blade that could rival the Void Blade, but that didn't mean she had to use it.

"Alright!"

Musashi Province, Tanihara Castle...

For the past few months, Tanihara Castle and the surrounding villages had been gripped by fear. In just a few months, nearly thirty young girls had gone missing.

In Tanihara Castle, the room where Princess Xia Ji resided was guarded by countless samurai and mages.

Having just suffered a defeat in war, the Daimyo of Tanihara had sent most of the experts from his inner castle, save for his top samurai, to guard his "precious" daughter, Tanihara Natsu.

The "precious" here carried a different meaning...

At this moment, in a hidden chamber within Tanihara Castle, a general wearing armor, with three katanas at his waist and a large bow on his back, stood on a tiger skin rug with a gloomy expression.

It was none other than the first samurai of Tanihara Castle, Takekawa Yukuma!

In front of Takekawa Yukuma stood seven or eight officials and samurai, all of whom held real power in Tanihara Castle.

"Lord Takekawa Yukuma, are we truly going to rebel? Isn't it a bit too rushed?"

"What? Do you have an opinion?"

Takekawa Yukuma looked at the official who spoke with a dark face.

"I dare not! This subordinate dares not."

Hearing this, the official immediately knelt down.

"Tanihara Danjo has failed in his recent battles with neighboring lords, and his reputation has plummeted. This is a perfect opportunity. General, when shall we strike?" A confidant of Takekawa Yukuma stepped forward and asked with a servile expression.

If Takekawa Yukuma became the lord of Tanihara Castle, his own status would rise accordingly, and then...

"No rush, the time is not yet right. How is the task I arranged coming along?" Takekawa Yukuma waved his hand calmly.

"The people are prepared, but everyone within the Tanihara territory is on high alert, making it quite difficult to act."

"Then go and capture them from other territories. Do I need to teach you that?" Takekawa Yukuma drew his katana and thrust it into the floor.

"But doing so might invite pressure from other factions... This will be disadvantageous for you, my lord, after you occupy Tanihara Castle!" Seeing Takekawa Yukuma's action, the samurai became even more servile; he knew full well the man's martial prowess and temper.

"Rest assured, by then, all the surrounding factions will no longer be a problem. In fact, the entire Musashi Province—no! The entire Eastern Island will be mine."