Lava Release Chakra Mode

In theory, a full-power strike from the Heavenly Tyrant wielding a Cursed Tool should have been lethal, yet Yue Liusi did not plunge straight into the sea. Instead, he adjusted his posture in midair and landed on its surface.

He panted heavily, bent at the waist, with one hand pressed to his abdomen.

That was precisely where Playful Cloud had struck him.

Beneath his palm, a mass of flowing lava clung to his body, gradually spreading outward.

"It worked..."

Using a crisis to push himself had truly been a close call.

Had he failed, he could have simply used the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape.

Fortunately, though, he had succeeded.

Yue Liusi straightened, and as he poured chakra into it, the lava surged in an instant.

He stood quietly on the calm sea. The lava around his feet touched the seawater without causing the slightest disturbance.

He looked toward Toji Fushiguro.

The other man seemed to have realized something as well, finally adopting a fighting stance meant for a formidable opponent.

Although a thin layer of lava covered his entire body, Yue Liusi's clothes, figure, and features remained perfectly clear. His upright figure possessed an unusual beauty.

His tousled hair swayed in the wind, coated in brilliant white with streaks of red interspersed throughout.

Tiny traces of lava drifted backward through the air from his hair and the hem of his clothes.

The terrifying heat warped the air around him.

Since he had begun fighting Toji Fushiguro, it had been...

Thirty-seven seconds.

Lava Release Chakra Mode was born!

Yue Liusi's talent revealed itself at this moment!

"What... is that?"

Watching that strange figure on the sea, Naobito Zenin's eyes widened like brass bells. Beside him, Maki gritted her teeth, her gaze moving between Yue Liusi and Toji Fushiguro.

Both were terrifyingly strong!

"Did he... get stronger again?"

Megumi Fushiguro muttered uncertainly.

Looks like I'll have to call him my senior from now on. Getting beaten up wouldn't be good...

Out on the sea, Yue Liusi beckoned with one hand. The Ame-no-Murakumo Sword burst out of the water and flew straight back into his grasp.

Then a strand of red-and-white lava coiled around it, swiftly transforming the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword into a blazing-white blade wreathed in faint flames.

The next instant, Yue Liusi took the offensive!

What Lava Release Chakra Mode granted was simple.

Close-combat ability pushed to the extreme!

This was a signature ability of the Jinchūriki. Though its track record was poor, it still provided Kage Level strength.

Playful Cloud and the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword clashed again!

Only this time, Playful Cloud was blocking the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword!

There was no sound, no sparks, nothing at all. A second after the two made contact, the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword silently severed Playful Cloud and went straight for Toji Fushiguro!

Toji Fushiguro instantly abandoned Playful Cloud and dodged aside. The broken faces of the falling Playful Cloud were pitch-black, looking nothing like they had been cut.

Indeed, Playful Cloud had not been cut.

The result looked the same, but this ability was entirely different from cutting.

The essence of cutting was for something hard to force something less hard apart from the middle toward either side.

This, however, was Yue Liusi pouring vast amounts of chakra into the lava on his blade, raising its temperature to a terrifying degree.

Then, with that thin line of intensely concentrated heat, he instantly incinerated everything it touched!

A layer had vanished from the point of contact, rather than being forced to either side!

Yue Liusi raised his hand and gently lowered the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword. As the descending tip touched the seawater, a stone pedestal rapidly formed.

The Ame-no-Murakumo Sword stood firmly in place.

Then Yue Liusi once again became a blur and lunged toward Toji Fushiguro!

Boom!!!

Seawater surged outward with the two at its center, creating an empty zone.

Their fists collided. Because of the protective lava, slight burns appeared on Toji Fushiguro's fist, but he felt no pain whatsoever. Instead, a smile curled his lips.

Then the two figures crisscrossed furiously!

Afterimages lingered. Both men's speed and reactions reached their limits at that moment, and the others could not track their movements at all.

Rather than flowing back together, the surrounding seawater continued surging outward under the repeated impacts. The empty zone grew larger and larger!

With the enhancement of Lava Release Chakra Mode, Yue Liusi could trade blows head-on with Toji Fushiguro, the Heavenly Tyrant!

While Toji Fushiguro familiarized himself with Yue Liusi's transformation, Yue Liusi was adapting as well. He had been somewhat awkward at first, but as time passed, his Lava Release Chakra Mode grew ever more refined!

Just as they were about to take their exchange further, their surroundings abruptly changed!

The domain had been dispelled!

Seeing Megumi Fushiguro and the others open a passage again, Dagon simply dispelled its domain itself. It glanced at Yue Liusi and Toji Fushiguro, then swiftly retreated toward the passage behind it that led deeper underground.

You two carry on. I won't disturb you.

Dagon's action caused the two combatants to pause instinctively, and Toji Fushiguro actually broke away first.

For some reason, he walked straight toward Megumi Fushiguro, grabbed the "black hedgehog" by the scruff of his neck, and flung him out.

Glass shattered, and Toji Fushiguro left after him.

Glancing at the two who had left the battlefield, Yue Liusi still felt somewhat unsatisfied, but he clearly could not chase after them.

After all, Dagon was about to escape. If that happened, he would be unable to complete the mission.

At that thought, Yue Liusi turned his gaze toward Dagon.

And another figure.

Jogo.

"Looks like I still wasted some time..."

Yue Liusi muttered to himself, then walked toward Jogo.

What timing. He just had to butt in now, not earlier or later.

"Stop!"

Jogo was exchanging information with Dagon and immediately understood what had happened. The look it directed at Yue Liusi grew somewhat more grave.

"You certainly have courage!"

Seeing that Yue Liusi remained unmoved, Jogo snorted coldly and held nothing back.

The next second, two volcano-like structures appeared directly on the wall. Searing flames, so dense they were almost liquid, instantly erupted from them!

The two intersecting pillars of fire engulfed Yue Liusi's entire figure.

Landing a hit should have been a good thing, yet Jogo's expression abruptly changed.

Yue Liusi strolled out of the flames, having suffered little damage at all. Only the lava covering his body rippled slightly.

Hey, he's bathing in my volcanoes!

Jogo knew that Yue Liusi's strength had not yet reached a terrifying level. His ability to ignore its attacks now came from a Cursed Technique matchup advantage.

But a Cursed Technique matchup advantage was part of strength too!

Yue Liusi, however, had no intention of getting entangled with Jogo.

He could not kill Jogo, and Jogo would find it extremely difficult to do much damage to him while he was in Lava Release Chakra Mode.

Unless it used a Maximum Technique or a domain.

But he would have retreated long before then.

Besides, Jogo was not his target.

Yue Liusi vanished instantly. When he reappeared, he was already behind Dagon.