Chapter 21: Chater 21: THE SCARLET BLAZE
The leviathan roared with primal fury, its massive tail whipping through the air as its jaws lunged and snapped in every direction. Yet Yomi, dashing effortlessly across the surface of the churning water, evaded each attack with the precision of a ghost. His fractured image, courtesy of Sen no Kakera no Mangekyō—the Kaleidoscope of a Thousand Shards—kept the beast bewildered and enraged. But Yomi’s mind raced even faster than his movements.
"This isn’t working," he thought, gritting his teeth as he narrowly avoided another strike. His form flickered and shifted as his skill consumed more and more of his Ki. "This technique is meant for evasion, not offense. If I don’t act soon, I’ll run out of Ki and end up as this thing’s dinner."
A curse escaped his lips. He wished for a weapon—any weapon—but the Abyssal Rift offered no such luxury. Before he could form another plan, the monster dove beneath the surface of the water. For a fleeting moment, the chamber grew eerily silent. Yomi’s sharp eyes scanned the pool, wary of the beast’s next move.
"Did it give up?" he wondered, his body tense.
The water erupted with a deafening roar as the leviathan surged upward with renewed fury, its massive form crashing through the surface. The force hurled Yomi high into the air, leaving him exposed. His fractured illusion shattered like glass as he struggled to regain control. Below him, the monster opened its gaping maw, rows of serrated teeth gleaming hungrily in the dim light.
Before Yomi could react, shimmering mana circles formed above the creature’s mouth, and a concentrated beam of water shot upward like a cannon. The blast struck him with terrifying force, smashing him into the jagged ceiling of the cavern. Pain erupted through his body as he coughed up blood, his limbs limp as he plummeted back toward the monster’s waiting jaws.
But Yomi was not done yet.
"Refined Ki is stable, but raw Ki is chaos itself," he reminded himself, his thoughts razor-sharp despite the pain. "Control it, or it will control you."
As he fell, his hands weaved intricate seals, drawing chaotic energy from the air around him. A blade began to form in his grasp—a katana of swirling grey smoke, shimmering with volatile power. The instant it solidified, Yomi gripped it tightly and twisted his body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the monster’s snapping jaws. Landing on its massive head, he rolled across its scales, using the ridges as footholds to stabilize himself.
Blood seeped from his eyes, the price of manipulating chaotic Ki, but Yomi’s resolve burned brighter than ever. Standing atop the beast’s writhing form, he raised his katana high.
"Heavenly Demon’s Unique Form," he growled through clenched teeth, his voice echoing with raw power.
The leviathan bucked violently, throwing Yomi off as it slithered across the water’s surface with terrifying speed. Its massive tail lashed out, forcing Yomi to meet the blow head-on. He deflected the strike with his katana, but the force numbed his arms, leaving him gasping for breath.