Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

Being attacked by ghosts, fighting with the ghost-possessed, and witnessing those who surrendered end up dying pitifully…

The Bloodwar Alliance and its subordinates were quite shaken and afraid. At this exact moment, their enemy arrived—the Revenge Alliance!

With Rota leading them, the numerous Revenge Alliance members all had black mist twirling around them just like the ghost-possessed. However, they still had their intelligence. This allowed them to wield great power.

Although the Bloodwar Alliance had made some defensive preparations, they were suddenly attacked by a faction that was far more powerful than expected in a moment when morale was low and everyone was shaken. The Bloodwar Alliance’s defenses were shattered in just a moment!

Some of the tournament participants were directly killed. Others were seriously injured to the point of having their Lifesaving Talismans activated, which meant that the Bloodwine Spirit judged them to have lost in the tournament. These people were then devoured by black mist that suddenly swarmed them, dying pitifully.

Surrendering equaled death. Being defeated in the tournament equaled death. And of course, being directly killed equaled death… The Bloodwar Alliance members became even more afraid and shaken than earlier. Yet, they didn’t have the time to feel despair. Under the threat of death, they instinctively counterattacked and fought to their fullest!

Both sides entered a fierce battle. The scene became highly chaotic.

All sorts of spiritual guns were violently spraying bullets everywhere. All sorts of flashy spells, runes, and spell formations were lighting up and exploding. Numerous figures were clashing against each other while instantaneously teleporting or moving. Slashing, bashing, slicing, crushing, explosions, screams, and all sorts of other sounds could be heard in unison. Cracks spread throughout the ground, houses exploded, the road itself was shattered into little pieces…

The destruction of the environment far succeeded the damage that a battle between tanks could have wrought. If ordinary people had still lived here, a huge number of casualties would have definitely occurred.

‘It’s impossible to win!’

Natsuki Shuurin reached a mortifying conclusion.

The enemy was far too strong. Or, more accurately, the power of the black mist that the enemy possessed was far too strong. They were incredibly difficult to defeat.

If the tournament had still been going on like normal, she would have surrendered already. However…

She couldn’t win, but she also couldn’t surrender as that would lead to certain death. In that case, she could only escape.

It was quite humiliating for her to be forced into escaping. But, the more humiliating part was that she wasn’t even able to escape.

She and her Spirit-branded Retainer Yuuki Sekine kept retreating as they fought, trying their best to break free from the enemies and run away. They were unable to help or care about any other Bloodwar Alliance member right now. Natsuki could only hope that some still remained alive as a distraction for the enemy forces.

However, the worst-case scenario for her happened instead. More and more enemies were surrounding her.

At this rate, she would be completely surrounded soon. There was only one final method left to them… Natsuki looked at her Spirit-branded Retainer.

At this moment, Sekine also looked at her. They exchanged knowing glances.

“Go and escape, Milady.” Her tall Spirit-branded Retainer sent her a mental message through a communication spell.

“I’m sorry, Sekine…”

“Protecting Milady is my responsibility… Still, please listen to my final request. If you’re able to survive this incident, please stop acting so willfully in the future.”

Natsuki recalled various scenes from the past of her times together with this loyal and reliable albeit somewhat dull Spirit-branded Retainer of hers. She almost cried out loud.

‘Why are things like this… Why did such a thing happen to me… Why did such a thing happen to Sekine…’

Pain, anger, despair, helplessness…

“RAGHHH!” As if he was venting, Sekine shouted out as loudly as he could.

Demon form, “Ocean’s Wrath Demon”!!

The loyal Sekine overloaded his limits and used up the final bits of his energy. A dark-blue glow surrounded his body as he transformed into a giant blue monster. He used a glowing battle hammer to sweep away several enemies in one go!

Natsuki withstood the pain in her heart and took the opportunity to escape at top speed.

She didn’t have the time to think about anything else. She didn’t have any time for sadness at all. She could only escape, running for her very life!

She achieved the fastest speed she had ever sprinted in her life with tears in her eyes.

However, an even faster figure soon reached her! This person released a large amount of black mist in an AOE attack that stopped her in her tracks.

Killing curse, “Vicious Bite”!

Natsuki used one of her few remaining talismans to help her speedcast a powerful spell. She created a gigantic distorted demon head, which opened up its mouth filled with sharp fangs and bit down viciously on the enemy!

Natsuki then didn’t even stop to watch the results to see if the attack was effective or not as she continued running. However, another enemy caught up to her, followed by a second and a third…

Natsuki did her very best to resist, but was unable to defeat so many enemies. Her personal protective barrier was shattered, and then she was roughly beaten down into the ground.

Terror regarding her imminent death and despair filled her heart. She felt like she was sinking into an abyss.

At this moment, a tall figure appeared and rushed the enemy facing her—this tall figure sliced at the Revenge Alliance man who wore armor as his combat outfit!

The armored man blocked with his longsword, but the ambusher shattered his personal barrier in just a few exchanges of blows. The ambusher then reached out with his right hand that glowed silver-gray, grabbing onto the armored man’s neck, and lifted him off the ground!

“Arghh!!” The armored man made pained sounds as the black mist surrounding his body speedily diminished.

At this moment, the other Revenge Alliance members present were also ambushed. Although they saw the armored man’s condition, they were too busy to help him.

Natsuki saw the armored man struggling helplessly as the black mist surrounding him vanished… No, wait! The ambusher was absorbing the black mist!

This person wore runic armor and heavy armlets. Natsuki recognized this equipment as the Haruta Family’s signature combat outfit, yet the Haruta Family crest wasn’t on his equipment.

“Seiji Haruta…” Natsuki was able to identify the person who this had to be.

Seiji Haruta, the “garbage” of the Haruta Family, the exiled, and Shigure Tendo’s revenge target as the younger brother of the person who killed Shigure Tendo’s older brother.

Previously, when Shigure asked for everyone’s assistance in dealing with Seiji Haruta in exchange for him giving up the leadership right of the Bloodwar Alliance, Shuntou Haruta was the only one who concretely said that he wouldn’t help Shigure at all due to being a Haruta. The other Bloodwar Alliance members hadn’t said anything specific, not refusing nor promising to help.

Shigure had given over the leadership position quite easily, so it was rather awkward to directly refuse. However, Natsuki knew that it would also be a bad idea to directly promise to help with Shigure’s grudge.

The “garbage” Seiji Haruta had an amazingly powerful older sister! Yui Haruta, the single most outstanding talent of the young generation of Yin Yang Masters who had already killed Shigure Tendo’s older brother. Who knew what consequences there might be if someone killed her younger brother? Nobody in the Bloodwar Alliance was idiotic enough to enrage such a person just for the sake of a temporary leadership position.

*Shing!*

After absorbing all the black mist from the armored man, Seiji then tossed him onto the ground and stabbed him!

The armored man was seriously injured by this attack. His Lifesaving Talisman was activated and he was judged to have lost in the tournament.

More dense black mist appeared, which Seiji absorbed with his right hand!

Natsuki widened her eyes at seeing such a scene.

“Why do you have such an ability?” She couldn’t help but ask out loud.

Seiji looked at her, then suddenly rushed over and stabbed her with his sword!

“Wah…!!” Natsuki was stabbed right through by the icy-cold blade.

The next instant, Seiji removed his sword and Natsuki’s Lifesaving Talisman was activated. The Bloodwine Spirit judged her to have lost in the tournament and drained some spiritual blood from her.

More dangerous black mist appeared which Seiji absorbed with his right hand. He then left Natsuki on the ground as he went to fight more Revenge Alliance members.

Natsuki covered her injury with her hand. Although it really hurt, the Lifesaving Talisman was now using a powerful healing magic on her, so it wouldn’t be too much of a hindrance.

She lost in the tournament… but she didn’t die… she had survived!

She wasn’t killed. She wasn’t sucked dry by the black mist. She felt delight at having managed to survive.

“Thank you…” Tears poured out of Natsuki’s eyes.

Seiji was able to easily defeat the Revenge Alliance members powered up by black mist due to his right hand’s power. Shika, Kanna, and Izawa only needed to provide cover fire and backup support for him.

The four of them soon drew much attention after entering the battle.

“Haruta-san, why do you have such a power!?” Daikawa Rota appeared in front of Seiji and loudly asked such a question.

“Why, that’s a business secret, Rota-san.” Seiji rushed right towards Rota.

Killing curse, “Tiger’s Roar”!

*Boom!*

Rota cast a powerful black mist-powered shock wave attack which faintly formed itself into the shape of a roaring tiger. Its might spread everywhere in a wide AOE!

Defense spell, “Turtle Armor”!

Seiji lifted his armlet and cast the overlapping barrier spell contained within. While mitigating the impact, he also swiftly absorbed as much black mist as he could with his right hand.

Rota sensed that something was wrong and speedily retreated.

Seiji continued chasing after Rota.

Rota and the other Revenge Alliance members used spiritual guns and all sorts of spells to gang up on him. However, Seiji blocked every single attack with his “Turtle Armor” barrier spell and his right hand absorbing the black mist. Seiji remained completely uninjured!

This mysterious power was an absolute counter to the black mist. In fact, this battle would have been a lot more difficult for Seiji if Rota and the other Revenge Alliance members were in their normal condition.

“I’ll destroy that screwed up illusion of yours with my right hand!”

Seiji copied a classical quote from the user of Imagine Breaker while he approached Rota and viciously broke through the latter’s personal barrier with a right hook that landed right on Rota’s abdomen.