# 649
Chapter 649: 「Black Rope」 Sword Spirit
The black blade collided with the water dragon in mid-air, sending forth a violent gust of wind. The full power of the two Magatsu Blades was unleashed at this moment, the torrential rain almost completely obscuring their forms.
Clang—!!
Sengawa Tsukasa and Amemiya Haruki's bodies simultaneously recoiled, retreating to the edge of the dying fire field.
Sengawa Tsukasa's brow furrowed tightly. Just as he was about to act, a figure in a black and red patterned浴衣 (casual kimono) materialized ghost-like behind him in the rain.
Two Straight Blades whistled through the air, slicing toward his neck at astonishing speed.
「Black Rope」 deflected behind him like lightning, but the force contained within those two Straight Blades was overwhelming, directly sending Sengawa Tsukasa flying backward. It felt as if a speeding truck had struck him head-on, numbing both his arms!
How is this guy so strong?
Sengawa Tsukasa stared at Lin Qiye wielding twin blades, this thought instantly flashing through his mind. The next moment, the ground beneath his feet exploded. Several thick tree branches burst forth like tentacles, wrapping around his body in an instant, fixing him in the air like a cross.
Sengawa Tsukasa's pupils constricted sharply!
What are these things?
Branches erupting from underground, new Magatsu Blades?
Before he could figure it out, atop Lin Qiye's back standing in the rain, large quantities of bandages loosened and unwound. Two silver-glowing mounted missiles hung suspended in mid-air, aimed directly at Sengawa Tsukasa, who had been pinned in the air by the ancient tree demon. Their tails erupted with blinding flames!
Swoosh, swoosh—!!
The two missiles tore through the air, directly charging toward Sengawa Tsukasa's face!
In an instant, a massive shadow appeared before Sengawa Tsukasa!
Boom—!!!
Both missiles detonated simultaneously. A scorching fireball rapidly expanded through mid-air, engulfing several buildings below. Like a second sun rising over Osaka's night, a heat wave swept through countless skyscrapers.
Amemiya Haruki dissolved his form into the rain, reappearing in the distance. Had he remained in his original position, the blast from these two missiles would have caught him as well.
He looked up at the sky, brow slightly furrowed.
The tree branches that had been wrapping around Sengawa Tsukasa had been severed. Within the raging flames, a hundred-meter-tall black stone statue floated silently in the air. It gripped a massive black blade with both hands, arms encircling, the blade held vertically before its chest, like a statue that had guarded an ancient secret vault for a thousand years.
It was this very statue that had taken the direct hit from both missiles for Sengawa Tsukasa.
「Black Rope」's sword spirit, then..." Amemiya Haruki murmured to himself.
It was the first time he had witnessed 「Black Rope」's sword spirit. Unlike the sword spirits of other Magatsu Blades he had seen before, this blade's spirit did not resemble a living being, yet it radiated terrifying waves of power.
Lin Qiye gazed at this stone statue as well, deep in thought.
The black statue gradually faded into a phantom and dissipated. Having narrowly escaped death, Sengawa Tsukasa had completely lost his will to fight. One Amemiya Haruki alone was already giving him a headache; now there was Lin Qiye, whose frontal combat power was astonishing, who could casually deploy missiles, and who could manipulate plants. There was no way he could be their opponent.
But he didn't understand—how had Amemiya Haruki ended up teamed up with Asaba Nanaya?
Sengawa Tsukasa stamped hard on the building's edge with both feet, his body nimbly leaping into the chaotic gang battlefield. He quickly mounted a motorcycle with its keys still in the ignition, twisted the handle, and amidst the deafening roar, sped toward the city center!
As long as he could reach a crowded area, Asaba Nanaya wouldn't dare use missiles and other large-scale destructive weapons. His chances of escaping would increase dramatically.
Seeing Sengawa Tsukasa attempting to flee on the motorcycle, Amemiya Haruki's brow creased. He dissolved into the rain and swiftly gave chase!
The motorcycle tore across the streets, blazing past the vehicle blockade the Black Murder Group had set up. Through the dazzling headlights, it plunged into the distant darkness!
"Hm?"
The instant Sengawa Tsukasa streaked past Shen Qingzhu, the latter raised an eyebrow. He turned to look back, his gaze falling on the fleeing Sengawa Tsukasa on the motorcycle, his eyes narrowing.
He casually opened the car door beside him, retrieved a sniper rifle from under the seat, loaded a single bullet, and slowly raised the barrel into the rain...
Shen Qingzhu spat out the cigarette from his mouth, pressed his eye to the scope. After a moment, he pulled the trigger!
Bang—!!
The bullet gleamed with a cold, sinister light as it burst forth from the pitch-black muzzle. In the blink of an eye, it pierced through the curtain of rain and directly struck the motorcycle's fuel tank!
A burst of flames erupted at the end of the dark road!
After the motorcycle exploded, the terrifying kinetic force sent Sengawa Tsukasa flying. Scorching flames swept across his body, burning large patches of skin. After rolling twice on the ground, he collapsed miserably in the rain.
"THE BOSS IS F*CKING AWESOME!!"
"THE BOSS IS THE GREATEST!!!!"
"..."
This single shot left the other Black Murder Group members absolutely stunned. After a moment of stunned silence, they erupted into frenzied cheering. The admiration and reverence in their eyes toward Shen Qingzhu were practically overflowing!
What amazing marksmanship!
Amemiya Haruki witnessed this shot with his own eyes and couldn't help but inwardly exclaim.
An invader from Great Xia—with skills like that!
Taking advantage of Sengawa Tsukasa's severe injury, Amemiya Haruki materialized from the rain. Just as Sengawa Tsukasa was about to grit his teeth and draw his blade, a kick struck his wrist, sending 「Black Rope」 flying from his grasp!
Sengawa Tsukasa cried out in pain, struggling to stand up from the ground. The next moment, a figure silently appeared behind him. A Straight Blade had already been placed against his neck.
Lin Qiye gripped the blade, its edge mere millimeters from slicing open his throat. He spoke calmly:
"At this distance, even if you summon the sword spirit, it won't be able to save you in time."
Sengawa Tsukasa felt the pain on his neck, his teeth clenched tight. After a moment of struggle in his eyes, he finally gave up resisting.
"What are your conditions?" Sengawa Tsukasa said coldly. "Giving up the pursuit of Yuzuri Kurotetsu's daughter? I can agree—the entire Sengawa clan will have no further contact with her from now on..."
Amemiya Haruki and Lin Qiye exchanged a glance. The former asked:
"How did you learn about the King's Blood?"
Hearing this question, Sengawa Tsukasa froze. He hesitated before saying: "If I tell you, will you let me go?"
Amemiya Haruki's brow furrowed. Before he could respond, Lin Qiye nodded: "Deal."
Sengawa Tsukasa exhaled slightly in relief.
"It was a secret letter from the old patriarch... The previous head of the Sengawa clan, my grandfather, sent me a letter detailing information about Yuzuri Kurotetsu's King's Blood, as well as news that Yuzuri Kurotetsu had recently been slain in Osaka. He instructed me to mobilize our forces to retrieve the King's Blood and locate his Magatsu Blade."
"Your grandfather?" Amemiya Haruki's brow creased even deeper. "Sengawa Matsuri was a generation of commoners. If he were still alive, he should be around a hundred years old by now, right?"