If Chōjūrō had not ducked his head so quickly, that slash would have taken it clean off.
But that was only the prelude. Gekkō Raito's attacks came without pause, giving his opponent no room to breathe.
The instant he landed, Gekkō Raito flicked his wrist and changed his sword technique.
Fourth Form: Striking Tide!
Like waves rolling in with the rising tide, one surge followed another, successive slashes pouring down like a furious storm.
Chōjūrō was thrown into a frantic scramble. He could only swing the cumbersome Hiramekarei desperately, releasing chakra spheres as shields while retreating as fast as he could to put some distance between them.
Yet just as he leaped into the air to catch his breath, he discovered to his horror that the chakra spheres he had released were detonating in midair.
The smoke cleared, revealing Gekkō Raito in the air like a phantom, both hands gripping his long blade.
As if drawn by an invisible force, all the surrounding water gathered along his blade.
"It's over. Take this final strike!"
Gekkō Raito's cool voice rang throughout the arena!
Tenth Form: Constant Flux!
With a single slash, a lifelike water dragon roared forth. It twisted and wheeled through the air, its power multiplying with every turn.
BOOM!!!
With a deafening crash, the water exploded in midair, blossoming into a huge, dazzling spray!
The entire finals arena instantly became a water festival. Not a single spectator in the front rows escaped; they were all soaked to the skin.
The enormous curtain of water slowly unfurled overhead, refracting the sunlight in a breathtaking display.
The drenched spectators did not even think to wipe their faces. They stared up at the sky, mouths hanging open, utterly stunned.
That figure passed through the drifting mist and slowly descended.
Splash!
Gekkō Raito