Chapter 85: Adjuchas

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[Level 85: Fifth Level Tyrant Profound Realm Intermediate Greater Hollow. Adjuchas.]

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Yun Che quickly realized that they were facing a formidable adversary, far surpassing his initial expectations. He had originally thought that this hollow was at the First Level of the Tyrant Profound Realm, but it was now apparent that it resided at the fifth level, a significantly more dangerous prospect.

"To think humans have the power to resist us. You should be honored we have decided to invade your world. It's been a while since we've fed on those with nourishment," The Adjuchas spoke with a human tongue, shocking both Little Fairy and Cang Yue. It taunted them, claiming that they should consider themselves honored for the hollows' decision to invade their world, emphasizing their desire for nourishment.

"Impressive indeed," Yun Che mused, feigning ignorance. He inquired, "Who and what are you?"

"Hahaha, I'm impressed. Why don't you resist me a little before I turn you into food for my strength?" Granz taunted.

Yun Che observed the hollow from below, weighing his options. His current strength, with the Evil God and Hollow masks combined, could push him to the Fourth Level of the Tyrant Profound Realm, but this heightened strength would only last for 10 minutes.

Playing it coy, Yun Che decided to engage the hollow in conversation. "Who and what are you?" he asked.

The demon Adjuchas replied with a hoarse male voice, "Hmph, if I were to name myself, you can call me Granz."

The demon Adjuchas introduced itself as Granz, a hoarse male voice resonating from its form. Yun Che began formulating a plan, trying to buy some time as he probed further. "How did you achieve such rapid cultivation? It's almost unheard of for a hollow to reach your level."

Granz explained his unique progression, recounting how he had encountered humans exploring a hidden cave beneath the mountain a few months ago. As he continued his tale, it became clear that the humans had been seeking treasures within the cave. Granz admitted that he had initially intended to consume the humans to absorb their strength, but when he discovered a skeleton within the cave that emitted massive power, his hollow instincts took over. He ambushed and devoured the humans, incorporating the skeleton's power into his own, and rapidly evolving into his current state as an Adjuchas.

Yun Che pieced together the story – the cave likely belonged to an ancient Tyrant Profound Realm expert who had perished within it. Granz had consumed the expert's soul and the power of the skeleton, bypassing the typical promotion process and transforming directly into an evolved hollow.

As Granz laughed with a blend of human and hollow voices, Retsu whispered to Yun Che, "Young master, should we unleash our full power?"

Yun Che nodded and asked, "What is your current full power, Retsu?"

Retsu explained her capabilities, saying, "If I use my Yin and Yang powers and my visored powers, I could directly access the First Level of the Tyrant Profound Realm."

Yun Che then inquired about her bankai, to which she replied, "It won't work on hollows, young master. I've tried it before and didn't gain a single blood point. They don't have blood, and their bodies are spiritual. Otherwise, I could overwhelm it with blood points alone."

Understanding the limitations, Yun Che sighed, realizing they would have to face this formidable foe without the additional power of her bankai. Kon, who had been expressing his concern, also drew their attention.

Kon exclaimed, "EHHH, he's far too strong, man! What are we going to do?!?"

Yun Che reassured him, "Calm down, you dolt. I am working on it." He then turned to Little Fairy and Cang Yue, who were visibly frightened by the stronger opponent they faced.

He instructed them, "You two, when I give the signal, disperse and get those gillians off our backs. We might have to go full strength and have those hollows on our back. We're counting on you to get them off. But whatever happens after this, we'll explain later."

Little Fairy questioned, "What are you going to do?" Yun Che winked at her but didn't provide a direct answer.

As Granz descended upon them, Yun Che shouted, "Now!!!! Bankai!!!!" Both he and Retsu unleashed their bankai simultaneously, enveloping the area in a storm of black and red light. Blinded by the intense radiance, Granz was caught off guard as a powerful strike landed in his stomach, sending him flying.

When the light dissipated, Little Fairy and Cang Yue uncovered their eyes and were astonished by the sight before them. Yun Che and Retsu had transformed into their ultimate forms. Retsu was clad in the shihakusho she had worn during the palace banquet, and her sword had morphed into a small black blade adorned with red linings, exuding a red slaughter aura.

Yun Che donned a different outfit from what he had previously worn at the banquet. While Cang Yue was unfamiliar with it, Little Fairy recognized the attire as the one he had worn during their initial encounter three months ago. She also identified the chained sword he held.

The revelation of their bankai forms left them in awe, ready to confront Granz with their newfound power.

The most shocking revelation was that both Yun Che and Retsu had transformed into their bankai states. Yun Che's face was concealed by a skull white mask with red markings on its left side, while Retsu wore a different white mask with distinct red linings, resembling a fox's mask. Above her head, they spotted black fox-like ears, and she had three massive black fox tails behind her.

Their bankai transformations were complete, and they were prepared to use their full strength to push the hollow away from the center. This decision was made to prevent Granz from using Little Fairy and Cang Yue as leverage, emphasizing the disadvantages of bringing weaker party members into a dangerous situation.

Observing their visored forms and recognizing their mastery of haki, unique kido arts, and their eccentric summoned beast Kon, a shocked Little Fairy inquired, "Who are you both exactly?" She couldn't fathom how many more secrets they were harboring. Their aura now closely resembled that of a hollow.

Yun Che lifted his mask slightly and replied with his hollowfied voice, "I know you have questions, but we'll explain later. We don't have much time, and that Adjuchas might recover anytime. Right now, we need both of your help. Little Fairy, Cang Yue, now that we've unleashed our bankai, all those low-level hollows will swarm our back. We will engage that hollow, while you two keep those things from our back."

Still bewildered and stunned, the girls snapped back to reality when Yun Che tapped their shoulders and urged, "Stop staring. We're counting on you, girls."

Yun Che then turned to Kon, who was still hugging his arm, and said, "Kon, I need you to watch their back. Kill as many low-level hollows as you can."

Kon saluted and responded, "Aye, aye, sir," before transforming into his winged lion form.

Yun Che nodded to the group before adjusting his mask and addressing Retsu. "Let's go, Retsu. It's been a while since we fought together."

Retsu, still in her hollowfied state, replied, "Hai, I missed our bonding time, young master." Together, they disappeared into the horizon, following the path Granz had been sent flying.

Meanwhile, the girls gradually regained their composure, facing the approaching army of gillians. Although Cang Yue was still in shock, she couldn't help but voice her curiosity, "Sister YueChan, their aura was more like them."

Little Fairy shook her head, saying, "I don't know. Only when those masks appeared did their aura change. Before this, they were human."

Cang Yue gazed at the horizon and pondered, "So, they can assume forms of those things?"

"Like I said, I don't know, Sister Yue. Whatever it is, let's ask them when this is all over. Kon, watch our back." With a heavy sigh, Little Fairy refocused on the task at hand. She had a multitude of questions she wanted answers to after this battle.

"Hai, hai... If the boing nee-chans are counting on me, there's no way I could say no." Kon nodded to himself before flying back to Little Fairy and Cang Yue.

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Yun Che and Retsu had successfully sent Granz quite far from the original position. The power of their combined punches was enough to shatter its armored skin but not enough to destroy it entirely, given their current levels of cultivation.

The Adjuchas regained its composure and was attempting to fly back towards Yun Che and Retsu. As its reaitsu rose in anger, it couldn't believe that mortals could pose such a challenge. While they shared its aura, they retained their humanity, a rare occurrence.

Yun Che swung his sword towards Granz and replied, "Who knows? We're not even sure ourselves."

Granz realized that humans in this world could cultivate and grow this strong after consuming one of their kind. It was a display of brazenness, mortals thinking themselves superior just because they could cultivate.

Yun Che and Retsu proceeded to attack the Adjuchas with full force, engaging in rapid and precise sword clashes. Despite the difference in strength, they had the advantage in speed, kido arts, and evasion. Their tactics and teamwork were far from typical, avoiding head-on confrontations and exploiting their strengths. Their clashes caused multiple explosions in the sky, and the speed of their exchange was so quick that it appeared as a blur.

Little Fairy and Cang Yue continued to dispatch Menos and gillians with speed and precision. Little Fairy took on the higher-stage gillians, while Cang Yue dealt with the lower-level Menos. Kon was focused on keeping the low-level hollows from reaching them. Little Fairy watched the sky filled with explosions, her fists clenched and teeth gritted as she yearned to help Yun Che and Retsu. While she might have superior cultivation, their abilities exceeded hers significantly, and her power was constrained by her current level. She lacked the boosted abilities that they had.

Yun Che and Retsu's combined Sonido and Flash Step movements were faster than the eye could follow. They utilized their speed, teamwork, and tactical skills to maintain a relentless assault on the Adjuchas. Their attacks were meticulously coordinated and executed, resulting in a breathtaking and powerful battle.

"Getsuga Tenshou!!!" Yun Che unleashed a powerful Getsuga Tenshou towards Granz, forcing the Adjuchas to evade regardless of the situation. With Retsu's mastery of Observation Haki, she immediately used future prediction to foresee Granz's next move. Locking on to her target, she executed Sonido and arrived at the designated point before coating her leg with Haki.

"HOW?!?" Granz reached the spot but, instead of finding a moment of respite, he was struck by a powerful roundhouse kick from Retsu directly to his torso, causing him to stumble back. Retsu's visored mode enabled her to gain an additional six realms of strength once she had broken through the Sky Profound Realm. Each tail granted her an increase in strength by two realms, making her a deadly force, even without the use of her blood points, thanks to her Haki abilities.

Granz, floating in the sky, observed Yun Che and Retsu's teamwork and asked in bewilderment, "How do you know where I'm going to appear?"

Retsu simply replied, "We just predicted your movements."

Granz responded with confidence, "So that's it. You may be powerful, but I am still stronger." He channeled his reaitsu toward the cracks in his armor, healing the damage as if nothing had happened.

"Damn, high-speed regeneration. I only have another three minutes left before the mask runs out," Yun Che muttered. Hollows in the intermediate stage had the ability to use high-speed regeneration to heal quickly. Unfortunately, Retsu's bankai was not effective against hollows as they didn't bleed, and Minazuki couldn't absorb any blood.

"Is there any way for you to use it again, young master?" Retsu inquired, noting the differences in their hollow masks. She could maintain her mask for a longer duration, but if it shattered in the heat of battle, it required time to reconstruct it.

Yun Che explained, "Yes, there's a five-minute interval before I can activate it again. It's now or never." He channeled his Spirit Force into a red energy ball, a rare utilization of this energy. The system's HUD displayed a deduction of 10,000 Spirit Force to form this formidable attack.

Recognizing the threat, Granz quickly formed a protective shield around his body to block the energy ball. Yun Che executed Broken Shadow Flash and coordinated his attacks with Retsu. She used her signature red sword waves to continuously harass Granz and create an opportunity for Yun Che to strike.

Under Retsu's relentless assault, the shield's integrity slowly deteriorated, visible cracks forming. Yun Che pressed Tensa Zangetsu and Minazuki against the shield. Granz sneered, "Hmph, as long as I'm under this shield, you can't hit me with that powerful attack of yours. Your sword wave only works if you swing your sword."

Yun Che retorted, "Oh really, what about now?" Both he and Retsu pressed their swords against the shield. Yun Che then sent the compressed energy ball into Tensa Zangetsu. Retsu followed suit, concentrating blue and red energy and compressing it into a tiny energy ball before sending it into her sword. Their swords glowed with red and pulsed with power, shocking Granz.

But it was too late when he heard Yun Che and Retsu's next action.

Then, they muttered slowly, "Bijuu Dama Getsuga Tenshou." A sudden surge of energy enveloped their swords, creating a massive dome of black and red energy that decimated anything beneath their blades. The energy continued to expand and grow, building in intensity.

BOOMMM!!!!!

The explosion was so colossal that it created a towering mushroom cloud, billowing high into the sky. Swiftly, they both executed Flash Step, retreating to a safe distance to avoid being caught in the explosion. Little Fairy and Cang Yue paused their battles, turning their eyes toward the source of the explosion.

"What is going on?!?" Kon, too, was disoriented by the shockwaves.

Cang Yue stumbled and stared at the mushroom cloud. "What kind of battle are they fighting over there?"

Little Fairy managed to maintain her footing and avoid the hollows attempting to overwhelm her. "I don't know, but it's not a battle we can join."

Yun Che and Retsu floated high in the sky as Yun Che's mask slowly dissipated. "Looks like my mask's time is up. The cooldown is five minutes. That was a powerful attack, huh?" He sensed the Great Way of the Buddha slowly restoring 20% of his stamina, HP, and spirit force. He had just unleashed a concentrated energy technique, the Evil God's third art, the Destroying Sky Decimating Earth, and channeled it into a ball of energy instead of directly attacking his foe. In collaboration with Retsu, they executed a dome-shaped Getsuga Tenshou they had learned from Hoyuu.

Retsu chimed in with a weary tone, "But, young master, it's quite tiring to use. Let's go help Sister YueChan and Sister Yue."

Yun Che agreed, "Yeah, but it finally got the job done, right? Wait, something's not right..." His eyes widened as he realized he hadn't heard the familiar sound that typically accompanied victory in his fights.

Retsu tilted her head and asked, "Ehh, what is it?"

"There's no notification. Be on your guard. It might be..." Yun Che's warning was cut short as a colossal surge of reiatsu emanated from the mushroom cloud.

"SHOOO"

A gigantic red energy beam suddenly shot out from the cloud toward them. Reacting swiftly, Yun Che stood in front of Retsu and invoked the Evil God's Second Art.

"Sealing Cloud Locking Sun!" A blood-red spherical barrier instantly formed around them, shielding them from the incoming energy beam. The red beam struck the barrier directly, slowly cracking it under the immense force. The barrier was pushed into the ground before being shattered in one blow, causing both Yun Che and Retsu to grunt in pain.

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[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Experience points +500000]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Experience points +500000]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Experience points +500000]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Experience points +500000]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Experience points +500000]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Experience points +500000]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Body Cultivation State Leveled Up]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Body Cultivation State Leveled Up]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Body Cultivation State Leveled Up]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Body Cultivation State Leveled Up]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Body Cultivation State Leveled Up]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Body Cultivation State Leveled Up]

[Ding…Great Way of the Buddha Body Cultivation State: Grand Perfection Level of the Sky Profound Realm]

[Ding…. Host HP is in critical limit.]

[Ding…. Host HP is in critical limit.]

[Ding…. Host HP is in critical limit.]

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Notifications rang inside Yun Che's head as he opened his eyes and attempted to move his hand. "Damn, that really stings. Are you all right, Retsu?" He slowly got up, feeling sore and shaking all over his body. He had just absorbed a full-powered attack from the Tyrant Profound Realm hollow. He immediately consumed a health and mana potion to restore his body to full health. Without these potions, he might have been exposed to Hollow Possession Mode, which would have been disastrous. The cero had destroyed his Bankai outfit, leaving him only in his ragged shihakushou hakama and his left sleeve. The rest of his clothing was obliterated by the cero.

"Hnn, young master. It really hurts." Retsu was still lying on the ground, her whole body shaking from the pain. Even though Yun Che had shielded her from the damage, she still felt the pain of the attack. She remained in her fox mode, but her mask had shattered, leaving her with a vulnerable appearance. Their wounds weren't life-threatening, but the impact had caused her haori to be stained with some of their blood. Her clothing was now in tatters.

"Here, drink this. You might feel better." Yun Che poured a bottle of health potion into Retsu's mouth, and she gulped it down in one go. The pain gradually receded. The cero's impact had raised Retsu's body to the Seventh Level of the Sky Profound Realm. Yun Che helped her stand, taking her arm and supporting her. He couldn't bear to see her injured because of him; he had shielded her from the attack and shared the pain with her. Even though their wounds weren't severe, they had felt the pain together, sharing the burden. It was a testament to their bond.

"Why? You could have teleported immediately. I shielded you so you could get away," Yun Che said, concerned and puzzled. When they detected the cero, they had tried to use Retsu's teleportation ability to escape, but the cero's immense size had prevented them from escaping in time. Yun Che had deployed the shield to protect Retsu so that she could teleport to safety, but instead, she had chosen to stand behind him and share the damage.

Retsu looked at Yun Che with warmth in her eyes and held his hand. "Young master, I will not let you shoulder that damage on your own. Which woman is cruel enough to watch the man they love endure pain while she remains safe? I am not one of them. I will not let the man I love bear all that damage. If we are together, we face it together."

Yun Che was moved by her love and dedication, unable to speak his thoughts. However, he didn't have a chance to respond before they detected Granz's reiatsu, which was above them. The Tyrant Profound Realm hollow's body was heavily damaged, and it was slowly regenerating. The cero had shattered their masks and badly wounded them.

"Chee, this hollow is persistent." Yun Che took hold of Tensa Zangetsu once more, his matured Sharingan activating as he stood barefoot on the ground, exposed to the world in his ragged hakama and the tattered remains of his shihakushou. He was reminiscent of Kurosaki Ichigo after his intense battles. Retsu was similarly dressed, her ragged hakama, and the white wrappings around her waist and his. The cero had destroyed their Bankai outfits, leaving them exposed. Their bodies, covered in dirt and blood, bore the marks of their struggle.

Yun Che couldn't help but glance at Retsu, who was standing beside him in a similar state. She had only a sarashi covering her ample breasts, as was common for female samurai. Her body, slender and alluring, was exposed, and the cero had narrowly spared her clothes from annihilation. Her hair remained in its braided form. Her mask had shattered, returning her to her human appearance. Although her body was dirty and stained with blood, she still looked incredibly sexy, which didn't escape Yun Che's attention. His face turned red as he couldn't help but steal glances, and Retsu noticed his reaction. She smirked in secret victory, knowing he was conscious of her womanly and sexual charms, even in their current condition. Their connection was strengthened, as they could share their pain and embarrassment.

"BRAZEN MORTALS. YOU HAVE ANGERED ME, AND NOW, SUFFER!!!!!!" The hollow unleashed a barrage of ceros from its hand, but Yun Che and Retsu easily evaded them. However, deep down, Yun Che hoped the hollow would cause some damage to his body so he could level up. The two of them engaged in another clash against Granz. The damage they inflicted on him earlier was beginning to weaken the Adjuchas.

Yun Che swung his sword, and the Adjuchas immediately grabbed it. Unbeknownst to the hollow, Yun Che didn't have a backup plan. Retsu appeared behind him, and both of them pointed their palms at Granz. In unison, they shouted, "Dual Cast Infused Style: Hado #73: Twin Red Fire Crash Down!!!!" Their palms emitted red energy, and they launched a modified version of the Soren Sokatsui towards the Adjuchas. Yun Che channeled the Evil God Destruction energy, while Retsu used her Bankai energy for the Kido spell. The massive energy attack overwhelmed the hollow and sent it flying into the forest. Although it wasn't enough to defeat it, their combined strength, currently around the Emperor Profound Realm, had bought them some time for their masks to recover.

Seeing that their strategy was working, Yun Che turned to Retsu and said, "All right, let's keep it that way until…."

But their conversation was interrupted by two loud roars in the distance, which didn't belong to a hollow. Yun Che recognized the roars from somewhere, and his realization struck him.

"Flood Dragons?" Both Little Fairy and Cang Yue heard the roars in the distance as well. Kon was the first to shout as he saw two massive shadows hovering above them. These dragons were reminiscent of the ones Yun Che had encountered during the fire seed heist a year ago, although they were smaller and had blue bodies this time. Their cultivation aura was at the Fifth Stage of Emperor Profound Realm.

The two Flood Dragons spoke in a human language, demanding the return of their child. Yun Che and Retsu's attention turned towards Little Fairy's group. But Yun Che couldn't help but recall the tales from the novel, and he realized the dire implications of the situation.

"Ohhh, FUCK ME!!!!!"