Chapter 481: Falling Cherry Blossoms Like Blood (I)

Zhou Huai quietly closed his eyes.

Although the vision of the Information Bug had long been swallowed by that boundless darkness, making it impossible to see the surrounding environment clearly,

he could still clearly perceive Akiyama's current position through the Parasite, as well as the chaotic and violent energy fluctuations around him.

Zhou Huai slowly opened his eyes, his deep pupils completely clear.

He looked at Polina beside him, his voice calm.

"Soma Kosuke has made a move."

"He probably set an ambush ahead of time."

A trace of understanding flashed through Polina's charming eyes.

"As expected."

"Karuizawa is the Kujo Family's territory and is heavily guarded. They've probably deployed a lot of Kujo Family forces there already."

"Rather than starting a war once we get there, intercepting them halfway is indeed the wisest choice."

She paused and added,

"As long as Kujo Koji can be killed here, the Omiya Family's plan will be more than half completed."

"What about us?"

In the passenger seat, the consistently silent Kalen poked his head over, a hint of eagerness on his face.

"Should we go in and help?"

Zhou Huai shook his head, a trace of an inexplicable smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"No rush."

"Wait and see how things develop, let them fight first."

…

Meanwhile, inside the battlefield of the World Within the Painting,

as several light-type mages in the Kujo Family team acted simultaneously,

several dazzling light spheres soared into the sky, suspended in mid-air like a few artificial suns.

The holy light instantly tore through the darkness, illuminating the surrounding environment as bright as day.

Only then did everyone realize that the Kujo Family's forces had not scattered in the darkness; most of the vehicles and personnel were concentrated nearby.

However, the situation could not be considered good.

Many vehicles had crashed together, blazing with raging fires. Many Professionals were injured with panicked expressions, having clearly been ambushed in the recent darkness.

Before they could regroup,

"Kill!"

in the distance, the battle cries shook the heavens!

A large group of pre-ambushed Professionals surged from all directions like a black tide.

Icy murderous intent flashed in their eyes, and the weapons in their hands gleamed with a bloodthirsty cold light.

There was not a shred of unnecessary nonsense.

The moment they appeared, the lights of countless skills already lit up.

Fireballs, icicles, wind blades, lightning…

The rain-dense ranged attacks converged into a gorgeous and fatal torrent of death, crazily pouring toward the Kujo Family's fleet!

"Enemy attack! Everyone on guard!"

"Protect Lord Koji!"

The various major guild forces under the Kujo Family were no pushovers either.

After a brief panic, the presidents of each guild immediately roared out orders.

The surviving Professionals acted quickly.

Taking the vehicle where Kujo Koji was located as the center, they rapidly organized a defensive formation.

The tank Professionals pushed to the very front, holding up thick energy shields.

Healing Professionals chanted incantations as streams of soft green light fell upon the wounded.

Ranged Professionals stood in the rear, launching fierce counterattacks in kind.

For a time, energy roared across the battlefield, and explosions rose one after another.

Two powerful forces unfolded the most direct and tragic collision within this independent space isolated by the scroll.

Battle cries, screams, and the clanging of weapons intertwined into a bloody symphony of war.

As soon as the battle started, it directly entered a white-hot stage.

However, the Kujo Family was fighting hastily after all, and their formation was scattered.

Meanwhile, the Omiya Family's side came prepared with tacit coordination.

Coupled with the fact that this World Within the Painting was inherently Soma Kosuke's home turf,

the seemingly solid ink-colored ground beneath their feet constantly wriggled like a living creature.

From time to time, ferocious-looking ink monsters would burst out of the ground, ambushing the Kujo Family's Professionals from behind.

Or the ground would suddenly turn into a quagmire, trapping people tightly and rendering them unable to move.

In just a few minutes of engagement,

the Kujo Family side had suffered heavy casualties, and their defense line was torn open with several gaps, on the verge of collapse.

Right at this moment, Wada Hirayama slaughtered his way into the Omiya Family's Ranks like a mad dragon.

There was no earth-shattering energy explosion, nor any flashy skill light effects.

He simply leaped down from the roof of the car, like a falling meteorite smashing into the densest crowd.

Then, he drew his Katana.

"Swish!"

A silver streak flashed and disappeared in the dark night.

Fast to the extreme, so fast that the naked eye simply couldn't catch it.

When the blade light receded,

Wada Hirayama's figure had already appeared ten meters away.

With his back to that area behind him, he slowly sheathed his Katana, making a soft "click" sound.

Behind him, time seemed to freeze for a split second.

Immediately following that,

"Puff! Puff! Puff!"

More than a dozen heads soared into the sky, their faces still frozen with astonishment and bewilderment.

Warm blood gushed like a fountain from the severed necks, dyeing the night sky a bizarre scarlet.

Only then did dozens of headless corpses crash to the ground.

"It's Wada Hirayama!!"

"Quick! Scatter quickly!"

Within the Omiya Family crowd, someone quickly gave orders.

However, Wada Hirayama did not give them any breathing room.

His figure disappeared from the spot once more.

The next second, he appeared in front of a tank Professional holding a giant shield.

That Professional didn't even have time to react, only feeling a blur before his eyes.

"Clang!"

A harsh clashing of metal rang out.

The alloy giant shield in his hand, which was enough to withstand artillery bombardment, along with the body behind it, was neatly sliced in half by a single blade.

The cut was as smooth as a mirror.

Wada Hirayama's figure did not pause at all as he shuttled through the crowd.

Every time he swung his blade, it was simple, direct, and fatal.

There were no redundant movements, nor did he waste a shred of energy.

Wherever the blade light passed, there were broken limbs and rivers of blood.

He didn't look like he was fighting; he looked more like a ruthless butcher harvesting a flock of lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

"Archers! Mages! Focus fire on him!"

An Omiya Family commander roared at the top of his lungs.

The ranged Professionals in the rear snapped out of it and hurriedly smashed all their skills toward Wada Hirayama's direction in one go.

Fireballs, ice arrows, lightning…

Dense attacks covered that area.

However, Wada Hirayama merely tapped his toes lightly on the ground.

His entire person transformed into a blurry afterimage, easily weaving through the gaps in the barrage with an eerie footwork that defied physical common sense.

A high-Rank SS-Rank Professional was, after all, simply too overwhelming for them.

They didn't have the slightest power to fight back.

He could sway the battlefield situation in an instant.

In a flash, the roles of offense and defense were reversed.

"Protect the backline!"

"We can't stop him! We simply can't stop him!"

Under the assault of Wada Hirayama alone, the Omiya Family's front line completely collapsed.

Right at this moment,

three figures went against the current from the Kujo Family crowd, actively welcoming that rampaging "mad dragon".

They were three white-bearded and white-haired elders.

Each of them emitted a powerful aura as heavy and solid as a mountain.

Every single one of them was a legendary Professional whose Rank exceeded Level 70!

They were the true foundation of the Omiya Family.

"Yamada-kun!"

"Nakamura-kun!"

One of the elders holding a staff spoke to the other two in a deep voice.

"The time has come to give our lives in loyalty to the Family!"

The other two elders did not speak, merely nodding heavily with a resolute expression ready to face death.

They were well aware that facing an expert like Wada Hirayama, even if the three of them joined forces, it would still be a narrow escape with nine deaths and one life.

But at this moment, there was no retreat to speak of.

"Kill!"

The three looked at each other and let out a simultaneous explosive shout, rushing toward Wada Hirayama from three different directions.