Chapter 155: The Envoy of Hell

William frowned, his longsword trembling slightly as it emitted a crisp, clear sound. He spoke coldly, "Tetsu, this guy is not easy to handle. Focus."

Elder Kasamaki—Kasamaki Tetsu—nodded, and with a wave of his hand, the surrounding air turned violent. Sand and rocks gathered around him, forming a swirling vortex that looked like an impending hurricane.

Boom!

Watcher 09 struck first, swinging his scythe in a sweeping arc of black light aimed directly at William and Elder Kasamaki. Simultaneously, thousands of death masks rained down like arrows, each exuding a chilling aura of death, as if intent on tearing them apart.

Without hesitation, William swung his sword, unleashing a radiant beam of light that collided with the dark arc from the scythe. Light and shadow clashed, producing a deafening explosion.

"Tetsu! Cover me!" William shouted as his figure streaked toward Watcher 09 like a meteor.

Elder Kasamaki roared, and the stones around him exploded outward. A surge of flying sand and rocks engulfed the area, shredding the death masks into fragments. Yet the masks, unnervingly durable, remained unscathed.

Watcher 09 chuckled coldly, his scythe slicing through the air again, unleashing another wave of devastating black energy. His voice, dripping with mockery, came through the cracks of his mask: "You dare challenge death itself?"

William's sword clashed against the black energy, his arms trembling from the impact. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but his eyes burned with resolve. "Death? Just another monster of the mortal world!"

The night sky was heavy with ominous clouds, shrouding the city in suffocating gloom. High above, Watcher 09 floated silently, his death mask gleaming under the faint moonlight. The grotesque cracks on the mask seemed to mock the fragility of all living beings.

Boom!

Watcher 09 raised his scythe. A sharp sound split the air as countless death masks surged forth from behind him like a tide, their twisted faces emitting bone-chilling screams. Each mask bore the mark of death and descended with a crushing, destructive force.

Standing beside William, Elder Kasamaki's expression remained as steady as stone, but his eyes betrayed a hint of unease. He slowly raised his palm, and a molten glow emanated from it. The ground beneath them trembled as countless stones rose and encased him in an earthen armor. His voice was deep, like rumbling rocks: "William, beware those bloodthirsty masks—they kill indiscriminately."

William gripped his sword tightly, its blade flashing with a frosty gleam. His voice carried a trace of anger: "Masks, gods, or monsters—so long as we stand, we will never lose!"

Before his words had fully faded, Watcher 09 swung his scythe again. A deafening roar echoed as a crescent-shaped wave of black light descended, carving a deep fissure into the ground and reducing nearby structures to rubble. William leapt into the air, meeting the wave with his sword. The collision unleashed a blinding explosion, forcing him to retreat several steps, the ground cracking beneath his feet.

Meanwhile, the death masks screeched as they swarmed toward Elder Kasamaki, their numbers so overwhelming they blotted out the sky. Elder Kasamaki stomped the ground with a forceful roar, causing the earth to quake violently. Raising his arms, he summoned a massive wall of stone that shielded him from the masks. They struck the wall with explosive force, yet the barrier remained unbroken.

"Haaargh!" Elder Kasamaki's shout reverberated as he clapped his hands together. The stone wall shattered into countless jagged shards that shot outward like a storm, targeting the masks. The shards collided with the masks, producing sharp, metallic clangs. However, the masks seemed infinite, with hundreds more emerging from the darkness to replace those destroyed.

"What is this thing?" Elder Kasamaki gritted his teeth, his brow furrowed. He felt his strength draining rapidly, while his opponent showed no signs of weakening.

From above, William descended, his sword blazing with golden light like a falling star aimed at Watcher 09. Yet the scythe intercepted it effortlessly, producing a deafening metallic clang. Sparks scattered across the night sky. Behind his mask, Watcher 09's voice was cold and unfeeling: "Your struggle is meaningless."

With a sudden sweep of his scythe, Watcher 09 unleashed a surge of power that sent William flying back. William skidded across the ground, leaving a long trail as he steadied himself, his chest heaving and his brow drenched in sweat.

"Tetsu, we have to work together to take him down," William said firmly, determination glinting in his eyes.

Elder Kasamaki nodded, and the two charged at Watcher 09 in unison. Golden light blazed from William's sword, while Kasamaki's rocky armor radiated a rugged strength. Their combined assault surged toward Watcher 09 with an intensity that shook the air.

Yet Watcher 09 remained unperturbed. With a sweeping motion of his scythe, he unleashed a massive wave of dark energy that instantly nullified their combined attack, forcing them back once more.

The air grew thick with murderous intent as William and Elder Kasamaki found themselves increasingly cornered. Watcher 09, an unyielding force of death, pressed forward relentlessly, giving them no quarter.