Chapter 131: The Core of the Seal

Watcher 13 showed no panic even as he was forced to retreat. Extending a hand, the light chains dissolved instantly, replaced by a complex rune array appearing in the void.

"The art of sealing isn't just about restricting movement," he said in a low voice, a cold smile playing on his lips.

As the runes shimmered, the space around Shingen abruptly constricted. His Void Sword grew heavy, its swings suddenly sluggish.

Shingen could feel the oppressive forces tightening around him, as if the sealing chains were clawing to drag him step by step into a corner. He took a deep breath, his eyes flickering with determination as he swung his Void Sword with force. Sword energy surged forward like a tidal wave, crashing against the sealing chains conjured by Watcher 13.

The chains surged back to meet the attack, producing sharp, grating noises as they collided with the sword energy. Shingen's strikes repeatedly tore at the chains, shredding them into fragments, but they reformed almost instantly, as though imbued with a life of their own, wrapping around him once more.

Watcher 13 stood firm at the center of the sealing array, as steady as a towering mountain. His cold eyes followed every movement Shingen made, and with every blow Shingen dealt, the seal's complexity grew. More chains manifested, thickening into a dense web that enclosed Shingen entirely.

Shingen shifted his tactics abruptly, his Void Sword tracing intricate arcs in the air, probing different angles to break free of the seal. Each swing distorted the surrounding space, disrupting Watcher 13's intricate configurations. Yet, every rune and chain responded swiftly, countering Shingen's attacks with chilling precision.

Suddenly, an exceptionally large chain lunged at Shingen. He sidestepped deftly, his sword cutting into the chain's source with a flash of brilliance. The chain snapped apart, but the seal remained unbroken, with even more chains emerging to take its place.

Shingen could feel the walls closing in on him, each breath becoming heavier. Strength alone wouldn't suffice to shatter this binding force; he needed to find its core. Closing his eyes, he sharpened his senses to detect the faint fluctuations in the surrounding space, searching for the tiniest chink in the seal's armor.

Watcher 13 noticed the shift in Shingen's demeanor and pressed his advantage. The chains began infiltrating Shingen's Void Sword technique, each one radiating potent binding energy that sought to immobilize him entirely. His movements slowed, and his strikes grew labored under the relentless onslaught.

But then, the Void Sword emitted a fierce burst of energy, ripping through the chains with sheer force. The surrounding space fractured like shattered glass, splintering into countless fine cracks that rippled outward. These fissures disrupted the stability of the seal, throwing the chains into disarray.

Watcher 13 frowned, adjusting the rhythm of his seal. Yet, the cracks spread faster than he could respond. Sensing an opening, Shingen's silhouette blurred into a phantom as he darted through the gaps, each motion accompanied by a deadly slash of his sword aimed at Watcher 13's heart.

In response, Watcher 13 unleashed a powerful countermeasure—a surge of energy blasted outward, attempting to push Shingen back into the sealed zone. Yet Shingen's agile Void Sword techniques allowed him to evade the energy wave gracefully, while his sword continued tearing through the chains.

Amid the chaos of clashing forces and contorting space, Shingen pinpointed a subtle flaw within the sealing array—a minute gap at its core, the source of Watcher 13's power. If he could land a precise strike there, the entire seal would collapse.

Focusing all his strength, Shingen imbued his Void Sword with a radiant surge of power. The blade transformed into a piercing light that seemed to cut through space itself, zeroing in on the array's core. Each swing carried the weight of distorted space, battering the seal's defenses relentlessly. Chains snapped one after another, yet Watcher 13 remained steadfast at the array's center, his expression as cold as ice.

Watcher 13 said nothing further, but his narrowed eyes gleamed with frost. The sealing array began trembling violently as it strained to contain Shingen. Yet, Shingen's sword energy was unstoppable, cleaving a direct path toward the seal's vulnerable point.

"Boom!" A massive energy explosion erupted as Shingen's strike found its mark, obliterating the sealing array entirely. Chains scattered like broken threads, and the space around them returned to its natural state. Shingen stood in the remnants of the shattered seal, Void Sword in hand, his breaths heavy but his gaze resolute.

Watcher 13 staggered back slightly, his expression briefly betraying a flicker of pain before regaining its composure. He stared at Shingen with a frigid glare, his voice low and edged with menace. "Impressive, Shingen. Truly impressive."

Shingen offered no response, his grip tightening on the Void Sword, ready for the next strike. He knew the battle was far from over. The real contest had only just begun.