"You..."
Before Akaza could finish speaking, his eyes suddenly widened.
His Compass Needle had suddenly lost the ability to detect Kanzaki Kumo's presence.
He was standing right before him, yet the Compass Needle sensed nothing ahead.
Kanzaki Kumo had deactivated the Transparent World precisely to lure Akaza here.
Now that his target had appeared, there was no need to keep pretending.
"The supreme realm! How is that possible?!"
Shock at Kanzaki Kumo's rapid growth, resentment at his own failure to enter this realm in over a hundred years, and an anger that might have been directed at Kanzaki Kumo, himself, or the world itself all rose in Akaza's heart at once.
But Kanzaki Kumo had no interest in Akaza's emotions. He simply raised his blade and attacked.
At the same time, beyond that tangle of emotions, another feeling rose within Akaza-fear, something he had not felt in over a hundred years.
Though his Compass Needle showed no response, the instinct for danger he had honed through countless deadly battles was screaming a warning.
It was as though death were right before him.
Akaza: Guys, will I win?
Kanzaki Kumo: You're definitely dying.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash."
A flash of lightning streaked past, almost too fast for Akaza to see.
Kanzaki Kumo appeared behind Akaza, the Nichirin Blade in his hand glowing red.
Relying on his instinct for mortal danger, Akaza barely managed to prevent Kanzaki Kumo's blade from severing his neck completely at the last instant, at the cost of nearly twisting his own neck and spine apart.
Blood gushed out as Akaza's nearly severed neck rapidly healed, but an intensely searing pain came from the wound.
With Akaza's willpower, even the pain of being burned by flames would not have bothered him.
But the sensation coming