Chapter 59: Riyugi’s Awakening

A tempest of raw power erupted without warning.

Destructive energy surged like an unrelenting tidal wave, obliterating everything in its path. In an instant, the towering forest was reduced to splinters, ancient trees collapsing into clouds of dust. The earth upheaved violently, stones shattering and scattering like a barrage of arrows, striking every surface with devastating force. The ground fractured, jagged fissures tearing outward as if the entire world were crying out in anguish.

The storm roared toward Yahageshii, Ryuosho, and Shingin. They braced against the onslaught, their robes whipping wildly in the maelstrom. The sheer force of the shockwave pressed on their chests, threatening to suffocate them—yet miraculously, their bodies emerged unscathed.

"What's happening?" Ryuosho narrowed his eyes, peering through the swirling debris. His gaze finally settled on the source of their protection.

Suspended before them was a flawless, crystalline mirror. Smooth as ice, its surface absorbed the destructive energy without so much as a ripple. On either side of the mirror lay utter devastation—splintered earth, scorched remnants of trees, and shattered boulders littered the wasteland.

"What… is this power?" Shingin murmured, his voice low with awe and disbelief.

Far across the battlefield, Watchers 23 and 25 stared in stunned silence. Their ultimate attack had been utterly nullified by this mysterious barrier.

"This is impossible!" Watcher 25 clenched his fists, his voice trembling with rage. "Who could withstand the power of Master 17?!"

Even Watcher 17 frowned, his expression darkening. "A mere parlor trick," he sneered coldly. "Do you think this will stop me?"

He raised his right hand, an intense radiance forming in his palm. The air around him warped under the heat, trembling as though in fear. The ground beneath him quivered, small rocks vibrating with the sheer intensity of his gathering energy. With a swift motion, he hurled the luminous orb at Shingin and his comrades, its trajectory cutting through the air like a blazing meteor.

"Enough!" Riyugi's voice rang out, raw with anguish. "I said no!!!"

Her cry tore through the battlefield, shaking the very air. In the same moment, a brilliant teal-blue wave of energy erupted from her chest. The epicenter was her six-pointed crystal pendant, which pulsed with a fierce light as the wave surged outward. The surrounding space warped and twisted under its might, swallowing everything in its wake.

The energy coalesced into a second mirror, this one glowing with an ethereal teal hue. It stood in harmony with the first, both radiating an unyielding strength. As Watcher 17's deadly orb collided with the new barrier, it disintegrated into countless particles of light, fading harmlessly into the air.

"This…" Shingin stared at Riyugi, his pupils narrowing in shock. "Her power… it's beyond anything I imagined."

Watcher 17's expression darkened further. His gaze bore into Riyugi, his killing intent palpable. "It's not Shingin who needs to die," he hissed. "It's her."

With a flick of his finger, he released a razor-thin beam of concentrated energy, aimed directly at Riyugi's throat.

But as the beam neared its target, an invisible force rippled through the air. A shockwave burst forth, sending Watcher 17 hurtling backward like a ragdoll. He crashed into a distant rock face with a deafening crack, debris and dust billowing from the impact.

Seizing the moment, Shingin darted forward, catching Riyugi as she faltered. Exhaustion etched lines into her face, sweat glistening on her brow as her breath came in ragged gasps.

"Are you alright?" Shingin asked quietly, his voice tinged with rare concern.

Riyugi nodded weakly, though the strain was evident in her trembling frame. Her strength was nearly spent.

Before they could regroup, the rubble shifted. Watcher 17 emerged from the wreckage, his expression a mask of seething fury. Energy surged between his hands, forming an even larger sphere of destructive power. The sheer magnitude of his aura twisted the air, shaking the battlefield to its core.

"This time," he growled, his voice dripping with malice, "none of you will leave here alive."

Before he could unleash his attack, the earth trembled violently. A deep rumble echoed from the distance, growing steadily louder.

"Iron blossoms bloom!"

The ground beneath them erupted in a cacophony of chaos. Jagged iron branches tore through the soil, shooting upward with ruthless precision. Their metallic sheen glinted menacingly as they surged toward Watcher 17, weaving an impenetrable storm of thorns.

Watcher 17 leapt into the air, dodging the initial wave. But the branches pursued relentlessly, twisting and turning with an eerie sentience. His movements grew increasingly frantic as he tried to evade the unyielding assault.

With a roar of defiance, he channeled his power into a massive energy sphere, hurling it toward the advancing branches. The collision unleashed an earth-shattering explosion, the resulting shockwave carving deep chasms into the ground. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the battlefield in a dense, suffocating fog.

For a moment, the combatants stood at an uneasy impasse, the clash of power leaving the battlefield in ruins.