Chapter 249: A Foxian Tale of the Haunted 『 Part Twenty-Four 』
"Resonance?!"
Shinpachi gasped in shock.
"Gin-chan, you aren't actually thinking of picking a fight with it -aru?"
Kagura blinked her large eyes innocently.
"Hah? Who in their right mind fights a cloud of smoke?"
Gin-san rolled his eyes.
"Besides, if it really came down to a brawl, I'd definitely send the Shinsengumi in first. Their brains are made of muscle, after all."
"So you're completely chicken then!?"
Shinpachi sighed heavily.
"You… don't tell me you actually admire a villain like Phantylia?"
"Admire, my ass. I just think that compared to boring conspiracies, a lunatic who comes at you straight on is actually less of a headache."
"Oh! I get it!"
Kagura grinned mischievously.
"Gin-chan just likes simple-minded idiots -aru!"
"Shut up! Go eat your pickled seaweed!"
—
「 With the aid of these wisp-fires, Cirrus's confidence in engaging the group grew significantly. Reigniting the flames of war, the Heliobus fought Stelle and her companions to a standstill.
Just as Huohuo began to worry about Cirrus's seemingly inexhaustible regeneration, Tail spoke with a cool detachment: "Relax. Although Heliobi lack physical form, that doesn't mean they cannot be defeated by tangible things. Cirrus is merely holding on by a thread."
"Once it believes it has lost on a spiritual level, even the most powerful Heliobus will struggle to maintain its cohesion like this."
And at this moment, the only one capable of making it feel spiritually defeated was the General.
As they spoke, Jing Yuan was already strolling into the Fyxestroll Garden.
On the verge of the battle it had long anticipated, Cirrus suddenly grew excited: "You have finally come, General of the Luofu. Are you finally willing to play this game against me?"
Jing Yuan, a man whose word is worth gold, did not renege. However, before the battle commenced, he offered a kindly reminder: "However, just as I said before, when the Flint Emperor and Teng Xiao fought, they were evenly matched. But for you, Cirrus, this chess match has lacked the principle of fairness from the very start—my strength is entirely above yours."
"Abiding by rules and being evenly matched are illusions often held by chess players. Allow me to teach you the endgame."
Accompanied by a savage laugh from Cirrus, the spirit warden boy it possessed suddenly expanded exponentially, rising like a mountain piercing the clouds. Wearing a smile of assured victory, Cirrus's shadow completely engulfed Jing Yuan. 」
「 .....」
〜Gintama World〜
"Oi, oi… this is way too exaggerated!"
Gintoki's eyes went wide.
"Suddenly becoming taller than the pile of unpaid bills in Kabukicho—what is this nonsense, oi!?"
Shinpachi's glasses reflected the light frantically, his voice trembling.
"Th-this isn't a duel between warriors anymore, is it?! It's basically a kaiju movie!"
In the sky-screen, Jing Yuan's silhouette appeared as insignificant as an ant beneath Cirrus's colossal shadow, yet the corner of his mouth still held a smile of effortless composure.
Gin-san suddenly fell silent for two seconds, digging a finger into his ear.
"Although… that sleepy-eyed General does remind me of a certain idiot."
"Eh? Who?"
Shinpachi asked, confused.
"You know, that guy… the natural perm who goes 'ah-haha' all day, but is scarier than anyone when he gets serious."
Gin-san pointed at the sky-screen.
"Even when the enemy is blocking out the moon, he's as relaxed as if he's queuing up for sweets."
"Are you talking about Sakamoto-san?"
Shinpachi was shocked.
"That's not right! General Jing Yuan is clearly more dignified… Wait, Gin-san, are you secretly referring to yourself?!"
"Hah?! Who wants to be compared to a guy like Sakamoto! When I'm nervous, I run away properly!"
Kagura suddenly pulled out a piece of pickled seaweed to use as a telescope.
"But Gin-chan, when you fought the Night King that one time, didn't you also…"
"Shut it! Is that the same thing? That was to protect the serialization of JUMP!"
—
「 "Human victory and defeat mean nothing to me. We have our own rules."
The colossal Cirrus extended a single finger, intending to crush Jing Yuan—who appeared infinitesimally small in its eyes—like an ant.
The instant the knuckle pressed down, bursts of golden lightning suddenly erupted from the rolling dust and smoke. A gigantic palm of the Lightning Lord caught Cirrus's strike with steady precision.
The lightning swelled rapidly alongside the Lightning Lord's massive form, resembling a deity supporting the heavens and the earth, raising the edge of its thunder against the foe.
The originally burly Cirrus was now merely a struggling wisp under the Lightning Lord's blade, capable of nothing but staring in shock and bewilderment.
Cirrus closed its eyes. Faced with the blade of the Lightning Lord that could sever oceans and mountains, it could only instinctively raise its hands to block. But in the end, what awaited it was not a slash, but a feather-light tap on the forehead, and Jing Yuan's understated voice.
"Checkmate." 」
「 .....」
〜One Punch Man World〜
Genos's mechanical pupils constricted slightly, his core processor emitting a low hum from over-analysis. The pressure of the Lightning Lord's descending blade caused his mind to go blank for an instant… his vision completely occupied by a mass of blinding golden thunder.
—Death.
This was the sole, lingering thought in his mind.
(The despair Sensei's Serious Punch once gave me… can it now be transmitted through a sky-screen?)
(It seems the threat level of an Emanator requires re-evaluation.)
"Sensei…"
He turned to Saitama, who was picking his ear, his voice carrying a rare tremor.
"Did you see the power of that strike?"
Saitama yawned.
"Ah? Oh… yeah, it was pretty big. If that was on Earth, it'd probably take out quite a few monsters, huh?"
"Sensei! Please treat an Emanator-level combatant seriously!"
Genos raised his volume, a rare occurrence.
"A powerhouse of this level, if one day—"
"Genos."
Saitama patted his disciple on the shoulder.
"You're over-analyzing again. Those scenarios of yours are things only an Emanator of Destruction would do. Besides, with Jing Yuan's personality, deciding what to eat tomorrow probably gives him more of a headache than dealing with an opponent like Cirrus."
"I see."
Once Saitama-sensei returned to the living room, Genos pulled up his data panel and secretly performed another update:
「 Commonalities of the Strongest — Additional Observation Items 」
1. Maintains composure in battle (Saitama-sensei: 100% | General Jing Yuan: 100%)
2. Daily dietary preferences (General Jing Yuan: Scalegorge Spring Tea and Cloud Cakes, Permanence's Delight | Saitama-sensei: Premium Beef Hotpot
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