Winter's Reap

With a swift motion and a smile on his face, the Eternal Frozen Scythe appeared on his hand, which exuded a bone-chilling aura that sent a shiver through the enemies' spines.

"Scared?"

The Shattering Sea Realm cultivator mocked in disdain, "How is that weapon going to help when you're merely in the Natal Realm?"

Ash chuckled and pointed the scythe at him, "Why don't you come and find out?"

Wielding a gleaming blade, the enemy launched himself towards Ash and made the first move.

*Clang*

The clash of their weapons reverberated through the hall. The enemy instantly felt the difference between their weapons. His hand felt slightly numb from the impact and his blade vibrated with fear.

Ash, meanwhile, felt the scythe's cool weight reassuringly in his grasp and his confidence ever so increased. He noticed the result of the first impact between them and knew, with the scythe in his hand, anything would be possible.

As the clash continued, Ash's movement were a harmonious blend of grace and ferocity. He swiftly stepped forward, his footwork nimble and precise with the help of Mirage Flow and quickly closed the distance between him and the enemy.

With a quick motion, he brought the scythe up and swung it down with immense force. The enemy's blade lashed out in retaliation, its sharp edges slicing through the air with deadly intent.

*CLANG*

Ash met the attack head on, his scythe intercepting the sword with a resounding clang. The collision sent sparks flying, igniting the air with a shower of fiery fragments. Although, Ash had the advantage in his weapon, it was still no easy feat to fight against a Shattering Sea Real cultivator one on one.

The force of the impact reverberated through Ash's arms, but he held his ground, his grip on the scythe unyielding.

"Not holding back, are you?" Ash had a cool smile plastered on his face.

Ash's movement were fluid yet controlled, his strikes guided by an instinctive reaction. He felt the scythe hum in his hands as he proceeded to unleash a series of precise slashes at the enemy.

The enemy met Ash's attack with skillful parries and he counterattacked with equal ferocity. This put Ash in the defensive side because he knew he couldn't underestimate the power of a Shattering Sea Realm cultivator.

Ash mainly relied on his agility and quick attacks. But the enemy was experienced and responded with calculated precision strikes.

The scythe's icy aura seemed to intensify each swing, casting an ethereal glow that contrasted with the enemy's sword.

"Savage Rending Strike!"

The enemy focused his energy and concentration, channeling it into a single devastating attack. His blade gleamed with a powerful energy as he aimed his technique directly at Ash with ferocious speed and power.

Ash assessed the situation and knew he couldn't dodge the attack in time. He wielded his scythe, and braced himself for the incoming attack.

*BOOM*

The clash resounded with an ear-shattering boom, sending shockwaves of energy rippling outward. The sheer force behind the enemy's strike proved to be overwhelming for Ash.

"F-Fuck…"

Ash clenched his teeth, feeling the immense pressure of the enemy's powerful strike bearing down on him. His muscles strained as he fought to hold his ground, resisting the force that threatened to overwhelm him. The ground beneath him rumbled, cracks spiderwebbing outwards from the point of impact.

The powerful force of the enemy's strike pressed Ash closer to the ground, threatening to break his stance. Sweat trickled down his forehead, mingling with the dirt and grime of battle.

Determination burned fiercely in his eyes; his gaze fixed on the cold smile plastered on the enemy's face.

"Just die already!" The enemy reveled in the domination as he applied more force.

Despite his strong efforts, Ash was unable to fully withstand the relentless and heavy force of the enemy's strike. The resulting impact caused his grip to falter, and the sheer power behind the attack managed to break through his defense, resulting in a bloody gash on his chest.

"Urgh!" Ash hissed in pain, as he backed away a few metres to create some breathing space.

-In another part of the battlefield-

Bryan and Ray intensified their efforts, their focus set on eliminating the remaining clansmen as soon as possible. The clansmen were down to a mere 4 in number.

*Crackle*

A streak of purple light shot across the scene as Ray seized one of the clansmen and hurled him into his companion. The impact was bone-jarring, sending shockwaves through their bodies.

Before they could recover, Bryan capitalized on the opening, summoning a tremendous Phantasmal Fist that smashed down upon them, crushing them into the hard ground.

The two clansmen writhed in agony, their bodies battered and riddled with bloody wounds.

Now, there were only 2 left.

With a powerful flap of his Lightning Wings, Ray glided his way towards the remaining terrified and helpless clansmen. With a swift motion, he grabbed them and propelled them towards Bryan, who was ready to deliver them pain.

Bryan channeled his energy and intercepted the airborne clansmen with another Phantasmal Fist. Their bodies collided with the unforgiving earth, smashing them deep into the ground.

"Easy does it!" Ray nodded at Bryan.

"Now that we've taken care of these fools," Bryan said while shaking his fist, "let's help the others. We're not done yet!"

"Let's go help Luna and Selene." Ray suggested.

Bryan was confused and asked, "Why not help Ash?"

"If we were in his place, do you think we'd appreciate help after making a declaration of handling the enemy solo?" Ray asked back.

"…" Bryan merely nodded as he didn't have anything to reply to that.

-Back with Ash-

"Haha…"

"That was a good one, I can't lie…" Ash said between breaths.

As Ash's grip tightened around the Eternal Frozen Scythe, a resonating charm was shared between the two. The white ancient scythe in his hands pulsated with a surge of power, its ancient essence awakening to aid its wielder.

Empowered with the surge of power, he lunged forward, launching a relentless barrage of slashes on the enemy. The enemy retaliated with equal ferocity as their weapons clashed with a thunderous force.

Every movement became a dance of life and death as Ash and his opponent maneuvered with remarkable agility. Close shaves became a common occurrence, with each narrowly avoiding the other's lethal attacks.

Ash's reflexes were pushed to the limits and with every clash, sparks ignited, illuminating the intense battle.

"Enough is ENOUGH!"

The enemy shouted in vicious anger as he decided to unleash another technique to finally end this battle. It was quite humiliating for him since he is one cultivation realm above his opponent and the battle, so far, doesn't have a clear winner.

The enemy quickly channeled their energy into the blade, which pulsated with power. If he wanted to finish off Ash, he had to use his most powerful technique.

"Blade Burst!"

With a ruthless grin, the enemy's blade erupted with a dazzling display of energy. A focused burst of energy was released from the weapon in the form of razor-sharp blades, launching them at Ash with explosive force.

The air crackled with the raw energy of each blade, leaving little room for Ash to maneuver and the means to defend himself from the torrential rain of energy blades.

As he was fending off the energy blades, a moment of clarity struck Ash. His eyes locked onto the Eternal Frozen Scythe, its ethereal glow resonating with his own determination.

He could sense the icy whispers of the scythe's ancient power as a moment of inspiration filled his mind. With a surge of creativity, he instinctively thought of a move, one that would encompass the chilling essence of the Eternal Frozen Scythe.

"Give up! Your life and weapon are soon going to be mine!" The enemy's eyes were filled with greed as he continued to send energy blades at Ash who continued to dodge in a trance.

A name emerged in Ash's mind as if whispered by the very scythe he held. It resonated with the frosty energy that soon surrounded him.

"Winter's Reap!"

A frigid aura soon erupted from Ash and icy energy radiated from the scythe, forming ethereal frost that clung to the air. Ash swung the scythe in a wide arc, releasing a chilling wave of icy energy.

The chilling wave passed through the incoming energy blades and made its way towards the enemy, leaving behind a trail of icy mist. The energy blades slowed down to a stop before they shattered into numerous little pieces.

The enemy's desperate attempt to defend against the oncoming wave proved to be futile, as the bone-chilling energy wave closed in on him with an icy determination.

Upon contact, the enemy could immediately feel a bone-numbing sensation spreading throughout his body. A shiver coursed through his body, heralding the onset of an intense cold that pierced deep into his bones. Frostbite gripped his leg, slowing his movements to a sluggish crawl.

Tremors wracked his body, teeth clattering uncontrollably as he futilely tried to withstand the onslaught of the biting cold. He tried to summon his energy reserve, but the realization quickly dawned upon that it was too late. The ice-cold wave numbed his senses and his energy flow slowed down to a snail's pace. The icy grip of Winter's Reap had already taken hold, rendering his efforts useless.

Horror filled his widened eyes as a layer of ice began to spread from his legs, encasing him in an icy prison. Every passing second brought the relentless advance of the frost, creeping up his body with cruel inevitability.

"I-"

His attempts to utter a plea for mercy were silenced as his mouth was frozen shut, leaving only a muffled gasp of desperation.

Time seemed to stand still as the encroaching ice reached his face, freezing his expression of terror in perpetuity. His body, now transformed into a haunting ice sculpture, stood as a testament to the overwhelming power of Winter's Reap.

The enemy was killed, and Ash had won.

Ash stood at the side, his grip still tight on the scythe, the symbol of his triumph. Without the scythe, he knew he didn't stand a chance against a Shattering Sea Realm cultivator.

Though his body bore the evidence of a close battle, a deep gash on his chest still oozing blood, his stance remained resolute and his eyes now reflected a frigid calmness, as if his very soul has been touched by the icy power stimulated by the Eternal Frozen Scythe.

"Just to be sure…" Ash spoke in a calm and measured tone, his voice carrying an air of finality.

Stepping purposefully toward the ice sculpture, he closed the distance between himself and the frozen figure. He raised the scythe high above his head, its blade poised to deliver a decisive strike.

*Swish*

The scythe sliced through the ice sculpture holding the enemy, cleaving it in half with a single swift motion. The top portion of the enemy's frozen form slid away from the bottom, crashing into the ground below, shattering into countless shards.

His calm demeanour betrayed no hint of remorse or hesitation. In that moment, he reaffirmed his unwavering resolve to ensure the enemy was completely dead.

"Now, that's more like it."