The supposed deep pit was nonexistent; she was standing on solid concrete.
She realized she was still clutching Toya's hand, having never let go.
A slight blush rose on Yukinoshita Yukino's cool, refined face. She quickly released Toya's hand and changed the subject.
"This is the Fūzetsu, then?"
"It's impressive."
Everything she saw was bathed in a blood-red hue.
The dilapidated residential area was lifeless, and even time had stopped.
Falling leaves were suspended in mid-air, a blatant defiance of physics.
Toya rubbed his hand. "While I'm curious why you, Yukino, can move freely in a Fūzetsu,"
"Your strength is even more surprising."
The seemingly frail and cool Yukinoshita Yukino possessed unexpected strength. Compared to an average street thug, three or four thugs wouldn't be able to handle her.
"Ahem, don't we have more important things to do?" Yukinoshita Yukino pointed towards the rooftop where the Power of Existence was flowing. "We should recover the Power of Existence first."
"You're right!" A cold glint flashed in Toya's eyes as he drew Murasame.
"We need to act fast. What if the Power of Existence is consumed?"
Toya then turned to Yukinoshita Yukino with an apologetic expression. "To save time, forgive my rudeness!"
"Eh?" Before Yukinoshita Yukino could react, Toya had wrapped an arm around her waist.
Before she could feel either shame or anger at Toya for taking liberties, the sensation of leaping into the air hit her.
I'm flying? No, 'jumping' is a better word. Yukinoshita Yukino looked down from the sky, astonished.
Toya had jumped at least seven stories high!
"Are you even human?" Yukinoshita Yukino instinctively clung to Toya, terrified of falling.
"Relax, I am definitely human." Toya smiled gently. "My physical strength is just amplified... by a lot."
Boom!
With a loud crash, Toya landed smoothly on the residential building's rooftop.
The immense force of his landing cracked the rooftop, creating a spiderweb of fissures.
Toya released Yukinoshita Yukino and smiled softly. "You weren't too scared, were you?"
"That wasn't 'a little amplified' strength." Yukinoshita Yukino looked back at their starting point and the cracks on the rooftop, her beautiful eyes filled with complex shock.
From every perspective, Toya's abilities far exceeded the human realm.
The thought that she had once dared to physically confront Toya made Yukinoshita Yukino feel immensely lucky.
Toya's personality was surprisingly gentle.
"Alright, chat time is over. We have work to do!" Toya's calm, serene voice drew Yukinoshita Yukino's attention.
She looked toward the center of the rooftop, where a figure draped in a kesa (Buddhist robe), looking like a monk, was enjoying the influx of Power of Existence with a look of rapture.
"Is that a monk?" Yukinoshita Yukino looked confused. "He feels strange—very evil and ominous."
"Just standing here, I feel like my existence is being drained."
Toya smiled faintly. "I don't care if he's a monk or a bald guy; once I cut him down, he'll just be a pile of dust."
As he spoke, Toya drew Murasame, preparing to charge forward.
The monk, who had been enjoying the flow of Power of Existence, slowly opened his eyes. His gaze, like a black hole, fixed on Toya and Yukinoshita Yukino.
"Two patrons, I am the monk Wujue."
"Have the patrons come to enjoy the Power of Existence, too?"
"This power is exquisite, far more unforgettable than the power of life itself."
"If combined with the power of an Evil God, it becomes a hundred times more wonderful."
Monk Wujue's seemingly gentle words contained a potent power of temptation, designed to strip away self-control.
"..." Toya looked unperturbed. "Don't bother with these cheap tricks."
"They won't work."
Toya wasn't afraid of an Evil God's mental corruption; small tricks like this had zero effect on him.
"Wait, Yukino!" Toya quickly looked at Yukinoshita Yukino, but found her completely unaffected, showing no signs of influence.
Yukinoshita Yukino's beautiful eyes were clear and cold. "Is something wrong?"
"Looks like I underestimated you. I'll go deal with Wujue first!"
Toya instantly charged toward Monk Wujue, intent on a swift kill.
[Name: Monk Wujue]
[Strength: Strong-Class Upper Tier]
[Description: A Buddhist monk of high status. He once killed a Flame Haze and accidentally obtained a Jizai Hō (Unrestricted Method). He originally scoffed at the method's mediocrity, but upon tasting a wisp of Power of Existence, he became addicted. Host is advised to eliminate Wujue in a single blow.]
Strong-Class? That's manageable. Toya thought.
He felt Monk Wujue posed no real threat. Killing him would be easy.
Compared to Monk Wujue's threat level, his identity as a high-status Buddhist monk was far more intriguing.
"There shouldn't be supernatural beings in this world. Why is there a Buddhist monk?" Toya had heard of such figures.
It seemed impossible that one would appear in this era where Mystery had supposedly faded entirely.
Wujue looked slightly startled as Toya charged, drawing his sword. "You are completely immune to my influence?"
"In that case, let's fight directly!"
"Underestimating this poor monk will be fatal!"
Wujue feigned panic, trying to lure Toya in.
"Pathetic acting." Toya's speed suddenly spiked. He reached Wujue in a blink and brought his sword down.
Wujue saw the flash of the blade and sneered. "This poor monk practices more than just Buddhism."
"Please, patron, feel my strength!"
"A mere small blade? You underestimate this poor monk!"
Wujue's right arm suddenly hardened and swelled like rock. He confidently reached out to grab Murasame.
Too bad you don't recognize the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception!
Otherwise, you'd regret this decision for the rest of your life.
A flicker of mockery crossed Toya's azure eyes. He swiftly slashed toward Wujue's seemingly unbreakable arm.
Slish!
Wujue's severed arm flew into the air, dark blood splattering.
Wujue felt an intense pain in his mind, slightly stunned. He couldn't understand how a knife that looked insignificant, even fragile, had cut his decades of rigorous body training.
"You won't get a chance to react!" Toya's expression was icy. He immediately followed up, capitalizing on Wujue's shock.
Swish!—
Several flashes of the sword later, Wujue's remaining arm and both legs were severed.
The supposedly indestructible body was reduced to a torso.
Wujue felt an indescribable terror. He screamed, "No..."
The only reply was a clear, swift flash of the blade that cut him down.
Monk Wujue, a Strong-Class Upper Tier, died so easily due to a crucial lack of information, falling swiftly to Toya's blade.
Toya had struck the Line of Death with every blow.