Chapter 76

As if the time stopped, everyone was still frozen in their place. Everyone experienced the same level of fear and heaviness except for the monster who got more and… Mai, who is surprisingly, able to at least function. There was some heaviness in her body and she's sweating bullets. However, she can also move her body. The only thing preventing her was the intense fear for both the monster and Hisashi who is now slowly walking to the monster.

Seeing this unusual sight, she starts to panic, not knowing what to do. And just like the others, she was frozen on the spot. Not because of fear or bloodlust, but because she doesn't know what to do.

'What's happening? Why is everyone paralyzed on the spot? Why is Gozu's chi feeling different? Is he okay? Why is he the only one moving? I- We should get away from the monster. Huh? It's also frozen. What- wha- what is happening here? What is that heaviness?' These questions and more appear on her mind as she watches Hisashi walk up to the monster. In the end, the only thing she was able to do is…

"Gozu!" To call out for him. She tries her best to stand up, but as she does, the heaviness disappeared. Jin and the others also start to move again except for the monster, who was still feeling the full brunt of Hisashi's killing intent. If it can and has feelings, it would've melted like a goo on the spot from the pressure.

Unfortunately, his body manipulation powers seemed to have disappeared after fully transforming into flesh. But its lack of ability to have feelings doesn't prevent it to succumb to the natural order and feel like prey being caught by its predator.

Jin on the other hand, as soon as able to move, didn't hesitate to back away from Hisashi immediately. The same was true for the old man who has the same level of keen sense.

"Nobody gets close to him!" He orders everyone. Old Man Kai readies himself too as he replies. "Master Jin, only you and Master Ren have the guts to get near them." He said, with a slight tremble in his voice. Even in his old age, the old man still knew what fear is.

"And even then, I won't. The last time that I ventured to the unknown carelessly, we almost died. You even became blind." Jin said as the old man frowns.

"I told you before. Don't blame yourself for that, Master Jin." He said.

"It doesn't matter. Get away as far as possible here. Take the soldiers, Ren, and-" He was about to say Mai's name when he felt something making him turn his head. It was Mai running in Hisashi's direction.

"Mai! I said to not get near them! Don't be so stubborn!" Jin said as he sends a shield her way, and transforming it into a spherical cage like the one he did for the monster before. However, before it can reach her, it seemed like Mai already knew what he was about to do as a tree appears from below.

Her body then fuses into it, as Jin feels her chi instantly teleport to a tree farther from him. He bites his lips as she wasn't on his shield's summoning range. He puts more power on his legs to catch up to her. Another shield appears on her way but she simply fuses to another tree and reappears to another. But with Jin being faster than her, it wasn't hard to close the distance.

This forces her to shoot something out of her hand which Jin dodges. He frowns upon seeing this but he calms down as he gathers his chi and summons a giant hand from above her made of his chi which turns into a spherical cage and caught her.

He pulls her far away from Hisashi as she figures out the shield. "Master Jin! Let me out of here!" Jin hears her plead and asks.

"I said don't go near them! Why are you doing the opposite?" He asks as they reach their previous position.

"He's not okay! I need to help him! You need to help me too. We need to help him, Master. Can't you feel it?" She said to him. "I CAN feel it. That's why I know that he's dangerous. That's why you can't get near him." He said, trying to remain his composure.

"No! That's why he needs help! He's not being himself!"

"Here you are again! Endangering yourself just to save another! What if he attacks you? What if he injures you or even kills you? I can't let that happen!"

"That's not going to happen because he's not a bad guy! You even told me how to know that! I know he isn't."

"Just because he's not a bad guy doesn't mean that he's good nor would he not hurt you. You even said it yourself. He's not being himself! Why don't you listen to me?" The atmosphere between the two intensifies as a tree starts to grow from the ground, slightly near Hisashi.

"Because I know it. Do you know what he told me, Master Jin? He told me to not repeat the same move if it's not working. The fact that you caught me when I'm running should've been a sign."

"I don't have time for that. And I know that you misunderstood what he's saying if you're applying it to that."

"No, master. But it is a good distraction." Mai said as she takes out her scroll. She then puts her hand and she was sucked into it. Jin was surprised when he saw this and felt her chi disappear from the inside. Her scroll also starts to turn into wood, as he turns his head to where she is now.

'It's where her projectile went!' He thought to himself as she came out of the newly grown tree. He launches himself as fast as possible to reach her but it was too late, as she is now just a few steps away from Hisashi, who walked to the area where the tree grew.

She runs to him as she grabs his right arm and pulls it, making him face her direction. Simultaneously, the monster that was paralyzed by fear felt the heavy pressure disappear, it didn't waste any more time and took off to the ice wall.

It covers its arm with dark mana as it punches and cracks open the wall allowing the monster to go through. Mai on the other hand smiles, as she feels Hisashi's chi come back to normal and a tear just comes out of his now normal eyes.

Hisashi snaps out of the trance too, but he wasn't happy. She pushes Mai, making her fall to the ground.

"You… Leave me alone!" Hisashi just shouts as his mind finally took over his body, leaking out intense and dense. It was so dense that it almost looks like the space around him is bending on the mana's will.

"AAARGGGHHHHHH!" He roars loud as he grips his swords tighter, and instantly disappears, probably flashing to the way that the monster escaped.