The dream began to shake violently, and the surrounding void cracked under the strain.
Rokuya took a deep breath, his gaze turning cold and resolute once more. He could feel that only one final iteration remained in the vicious loop Enmu had constructed. Once this last loop collapsed, Shinobu's mental core would shatter completely, leaving her a living corpse.
"I will never let that happen!" Arcana power erupted from Rokuya like a volcano as he strode toward the dream vortex that was about to re-form.
Meanwhile, in the real world, atop the Mugen Train.
"Serpent Breathing, Third Form: Nest Choke!"
Obanai wove through the tangled mass of tentacles like a nimble snake. Enduring the mental agony of being repeatedly hypnotized and repeatedly slitting his own throat, he charged with near-mad abandon toward the immensely thick neck bone hidden deep within the flesh!
"Right here!"
Obanai's eyes widened, veins bulging along his arms as all his strength converged on his blade.
"Break!"
Clang-!!!
A teeth-grating clash of metal rang out.
Obanai's pupils abruptly contracted. His supposedly unstoppable Nichirin Blade had become firmly lodged halfway through that thick neck bone!
"How is that possible?!" Obanai was deeply shaken.
"Hehehehe... it's useless..." Enmu's arrogant yet feeble laughter echoed through the carriage. "This train is my body. This neck has fused with the despair and hardness of hundreds of people. You could never sever it with a single slash!"
"Shut up!" Obanai roared, trying to wrench his blade free for another strike. But the surrounding tentacles surged toward him like a tsunami, forcing him to abandon the attempt and retreat at speed.
His chest heaved, cold sweat rolling down his forehead. He had only cut halfway through... if he couldn't deliver a killing blow before it healed, all his efforts would be wasted!
Within