The pounding continued relentlessly. I had already moved beyond the Wraithlord's range, and torrents of overpowering ghost energy clashed violently, directly interfering with my use of Buddhist power. I stared quietly at the Wraithlord, who had reformed himself, glaring at me in utter fury. Glancing at the Starshard Radiance in my hand, I saw only a small fragment left near the hilt—the surge of power injected in that instant surpassed the limits of the world. The Starshard Radiance could no longer withstand it.
"You were too hasty, Ethan. If you could have waited just a bit longer, maybe you would have succeeded."
I glanced up at Hayden Orion, who sat perched atop the wall. I rose to my feet.
"It's not a matter of patience. That thing's power is abnormally strong."
The Nine-Tailed Fox muttered, her own power drained far too much. It would take considerable time to restore herself to her earlier, robust state. Just now, I had unleashed the primal force of Slaughter, letting my strength briefly surpass the Wraithlord's and cleaving him in two. Such a chance would not come again.
Using the primal force of Slaughter to boost my power beyond my opponent's required more than just personal endurance—it demanded a vessel capable of bearing that force. Fortunately, my body was strong enough now to serve as such a vessel.
"Hahaha, I think you'd be better off keeping your head clear. Just use the power of Hell—won't that settle him for good?"
A voice echoed inside my head. I shook it off immediately; sure enough, after that reckless surge, the power within me had weakened dramatically. The Infernal Will began to surface, and I rushed to recover my strength.
Two swords, one black and one white, formed in my hands. In an instant, I became a swirling stream of black and white energy, tearing through the sky. I crossed my blades and slashed down at the Wraithlord.
With a thunderous crash, the Wraithlord blocked my twin swords with a single finger. My eyes widened, but I quickly adjusted my stance, continuing to swing the blades in rapid succession. The Wraithlord simply held up one finger, deflecting every strike I brought down.
The ground kept sinking and then rising again. The Wraithlord blocked every attack without haste, his defense utterly impenetrable. He wielded ghost energy with absolute mastery—these powerful currents seemed almost sentient, impossible to overcome by sheer force.
It wasn't the right moment yet—I had to wait for a perfect opportunity. There would only be one. Just now, when I tried to use Starwatcher, I saw in the countless threads of karma that there was no chance to defeat the Wraithlord, so I abandoned the attempt.
With a metallic clang, the Wraithlord suddenly grabbed my black and white swords with both hands. I poured more strength into my attack, trying to force him back, but he floated motionless a few centimeters above the ground. I roared, golden light surging through my body, yet the Wraithlord didn’t budge at all.
"Do you have any other plans, or some kind of trump card? If so, you'd better use it now."
I stopped channeling my power. With a sharp crack, my twin swords snapped in half. I drifted gently to the ground. The Wraithlord, having seen through me, laughed heartily and sat cross-legged on the earth.
"Let's pause for a moment, Ethan."
"I don't have time to waste on you."
I spoke, ready to attack again, but just as I moved, the Wraithlord vanished. When I saw him next, he was seated behind me.
"You have no hope of victory against the World, Ethan. I’ve discussed this with you many times before, not just once or twice. Unfortunately, every time, your stance has been clear. Now, let me ask you again."
I stopped, landing on the ground and staring at the Wraithlord. He raised both hands, speaking excitedly.
"What do you think the World truly is?"
I shook my head.
"At the very least, the World I know is not the same as yours."
The Wraithlord slapped his leg, laughing and shaking his head.
"What I see and know is far more than what you ever will."
"Maybe so. But the World I see exists only in my eyes, engraved deep in my heart."
I pressed a hand to my chest. I had to destroy the Wraithlord, no matter the method. If I failed, he would personally annihilate everything.
"Time is actually fleeting. What seems long passes in a blink. In the past, my attitude toward this world was not like this. I once thought the world Mother and the gods created was good enough, but now it’s different. What do you see?"
"Ugly."
I replied with just two words. The Wraithlord nodded.
"It really is ugly. This world is no longer beautiful as it once was. That's why I want to destroy everything and rebuild a world so beautiful that even Mother would smile to live in it."
I shook my head and summoned the black and white swords again. There was no point in continuing this conversation.
"Let me ask you another way. Now that I've destroyed everything, even if you win in the end, all that's left will be scorched earth. What will you do then? After all, your time here is running out."
With a rush of air, I was already in front of the Wraithlord, slashing down with both swords. The instant he vanished, I moved to where he reappeared, my blades aiming precisely for his head.
With two metallic clangs, the Wraithlord deflected my swords.
"Precisely because time is short, I’ll settle this with you while I still exist in this world."
I attacked relentlessly. The Wraithlord stood up, blocking my swords blow after blow with his fists.
At that moment, I noticed an aura nearby. Instantly, I moved toward it, thrusting my black and white swords at the source—a member of the Immortality Society.
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"What’s the matter, Ethan? I only came to say hello, and this is how you greet me?"