Chapter 488: King vs. King
Streaks of blue light shot across the sky like meteors, converging into a powerful stream of energy that flowed endlessly into Yhwach’s body.
His entire form was engulfed in blue light, as though he were standing at the heart of a mysterious energy vortex. With each surge of light, the power within him continued to rise, radiating an aura so intense it made the heart race.
Sensing the explosive surge of power within Yhwach, Masatsuki Aozaki couldn’t help but feel a flicker of emotion.
No wonder people once claimed Yhwach was one of the strongest contenders for MVP of the Thousand-Year Blood War.
From the start of the war until now, Yhwach had slain more Sternritters than anyone else, making him the deadliest force on the battlefield.
Not a single fighter among the allied forces of the two worlds could match him.
As Captain-Commander, Masatsuki Aozaki couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps Yhwach’s achievements deserved some praise.
When Yhwach fired off another spirit arrow, Masatsuki casually waved his hand and shattered it with ease. A confident smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Still not strong enough!
Even after he absorbed so much power from his subordinates, Masatsuki remained confident he could hold him back.
In both raw physical strength and the near-limitless Reiatsu drawn from the depths of his soul, Masatsuki Aozaki far surpassed Yhwach.
And now, things were about to get very simple.
Masatsuki stepped forward, his overwhelming presence surging higher with every move, like a star on the verge of supernova.
With fist and blade, he would show Yhwach the edge of life and death—and open his eyes to reality!
...
At that moment, Yhwach suddenly sensed an enormous spike in Reiatsu.
He focused his gaze—and sure enough, it was Masatsuki Aozaki.
The aura radiating from him was staggering, as if he had already broken through his own limits.
Yhwach’s heart skipped a beat. How had this man become so powerful?
Could he also possess the ability to absorb others’ power?
No, impossible. He must have been hiding his true strength all along.
Yhwach found himself lost in thought. Just what was Masatsuki Aozaki’s deal?
But before he could make sense of it, a sudden chill ran down his spine.
He instinctively turned around—only to see Haschwalth collapsed on the ground, his fate uncertain.
Yhwach’s face darkened instantly. Though he wasn’t exactly surprised that Haschwalth had fallen so quickly, it still unsettled him.
After all, his opponents were a dozen or so madmen. Even he would find it troublesome without activating his Third Eye.
Without hesitation, Yhwach triggered Auswählen, draining Haschwalth’s life and power.
As Haschwalth’s soul was absorbed, Yhwach’s strength surged once more.
Yet despite this dramatic increase, unease crept into Yhwach’s heart.
He began to consider reclaiming The Almighty.
According to prophecy, he required ninety years to reclaim his consciousness and nine more to reclaim his power. But just as he had awakened earlier than foretold, perhaps he could also reclaim The Almighty ahead of schedule.
However, doing so prematurely would cause his power to spiral out of control. Auswählen would begin absorbing the lives and strength of every Quincy without restraint.
What alarmed him even more was the discovery that three members of the Sternritter were exhibiting the same condition seen years ago when external Quincies were absorbed—only fragments of their souls returned, while their power and essence yielded little.
It now seemed that the failed Auswählen back then had been caused by those Shinigami.
A sharp sense of crisis flooded Yhwach’s mind.
As time passed, the pool of viable targets for Auswählen might only shrink further.
These thoughts weighed heavily on him, and his expression grew even more grave.
"At a time like this, you dare lose focus?"
Just as Yhwach sank into contemplation, Masatsuki Aozaki appeared before him in a flash.
He raised his katana high, and a wave of intense danger surged in Yhwach’s chest.
Swish!!!
Blood suddenly burst from Yhwach’s body.
In the instant Masatsuki struck, Yhwach instinctively raised his Quincy Cross Blade to block.
But the weapon that had once been indestructible crumbled like brittle tofu. Masatsuki’s blade sliced clean through it without resistance!
Had Yhwach not leaned back at the last second, that strike might have cleaved him in two.
Masatsuki’s mouth curled into a faint smirk as his blade twisted and reversed direction for another cut.
Yhwach let out a cold snort. The moment their blades clashed, he had already grasped the nature of Masatsuki’s weapon.
It was similar to Lille Barro’s "X-Axis"—a blade that ignored any obstacle and could sever anything.
To counter such a power, he only needed to avoid getting hit—just like he had done with Yamamoto.
The blade was no longer than a standard tachi, with limited reach.
In that case, keeping distance was enough!
Never forget—a Quincy’s true strength lies in their bow!
Crimson markings spread across Yhwach’s body.
Blut Arterie activated!
Reishi surged through his veins, amplifying his physical strength in an instant. In the blink of an eye, he retreated thousands of meters away from Masatsuki.
He pressed a hand to his chest, and a deep blue light flashed as his wound healed instantly.
"Self-Power Restoration: Flesh!"
At the same time, the Quincy Cross Blade in his hand transformed once more, turning into a massive longbow.
"Sklaverei! Heilig Pfeil!!"
Yhwach gave a low shout as countless Reishi gathered from all directions, forming a massive orb of light at the tip of his spear.
With a sweeping motion, a colossal beam—over ten meters in diameter—shot toward Masatsuki Aozaki like a falling meteor.
Faced with such a terrifying attack, Masatsuki Aozaki didn’t retreat in the slightest.
He gripped the hilt of his katana with one hand and swung it forward with force.
A black crescent-shaped wave of sword energy howled out, crashing directly into Yhwach’s beam.
Boom!
The impact was thunderous, shaking the very air.
Violent waves of energy rippled outward in every direction.
Buildings around them crumbled, and deep cracks tore across the ground.
Yhwach frowned slightly—he hadn’t expected Masatsuki Aozaki to block his attack.
Still, he wasn’t discouraged.
His gaze grew even colder. The longbow in his hands suddenly expanded in size, and he drew the string again.
"Sankt Bogen!"
Several more massive beams of light shot forth, their power far greater than before.
Masatsuki Aozaki remained calm, swinging his blade once more.
Boom!
Another fierce collision followed, this time with even more intense energy ripples.
The shockwave sent Yhwach flying backward.
He steadied himself midair, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Masatsuki Aozaki’s strength was far beyond what he’d anticipated—this still wasn’t enough to draw out his true power...