Chapter 214: Unfathomable Thoughts

Suddenly, countless dark shadows darted through the forest like vengeful spirits emerging from the abyss, slicing the night sky into fragments. On edge, Rinro instantly tensed, mistaking the ambush for Hayato's attack. With a cold sneer, he hurled his dagger, followed immediately by an ice bullet aimed directly at the shadows, intending to counter and kill.

"So, you finally decided to throw your dagger?" Rinro muttered, his movements precise and unwavering.

The ice bullet struck the shadows, instantly freezing them into crystalline shards. But as the frozen debris fell to the ground, Rinro realized with shock—they were merely ordinary stones.

"Damn it!" Rinro cursed, his expression changing as he recognized the trap. However, the frozen stones weren't just ordinary rocks—interspersed among them were sharp daggers.

Shiji saw the daggers glint in the moonlight, their frosty gleam multiplying to an overwhelming number, like a rain of blades cascading from the heavens. Taking a deep breath, he gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. Within him, the power of wind awakened like a slumbering beast, spiraling into a ferocious gale that encased him. The air howled violently, blending the biting cold with the fury of the wind, a harbinger of destruction.

Suddenly, Shiji leapt into the air. His blade, imbued with the raging wind, carved a brilliant arc in the sky. His movements were swift and razor-sharp, resembling a furious weasel tearing through the icy forest, leaving behind a trail of shattered frost and crimson.

The surrounding frozen trees snapped under his assault, their trunks severed cleanly. Shards of ice and withered leaves swirled in the storm, creating a grand spectacle of icy devastation. The fractured light reflecting off the ice shards painted the destruction with an eerie beauty, haunting yet magnificent.

"Neutralize all threats!" Shiji roared, his power surging even stronger. Just then, a companion cried out, "Shiji! Calm down! It's a trap!"

His eyes narrowed as he froze mid-action, turning his gaze to the daggers on the ground. The seemingly endless array of daggers was an illusion, crafted by the perfect angles of the ice shards' reflections. In reality, the actual number of blades was far fewer, exaggerated by their heightened alertness.

"What?!" Shiji's heart sank as he realized Hayato had been toying with them.

At that moment, a deranged laugh erupted behind him. Hayato's figure emerged like a ghost, his crazed eyes alight with fervor, and the dagger in his hand gleaming with a chilling aura under the moonlight. His movements were impossibly swift, slipping through the cracks in their defenses like frost spreading unnoticed.

"Idiots! You dare fight for my precious Usagi with such pitiful skills?!" Hayato cackled madly, his dagger striking straight for Shiji's throat.

Shiji's pupils constricted, but his body couldn't react in time. The suffocating presence of death closed in. Just as the dagger was about to pierce his throat, a burst of fiery sparks erupted mid-air—a massive scythe intercepted Hayato's strike.

The sparks illuminated the scene, and two figures stood in standoff. Hayato froze, lifting his gaze to the man before him. The newcomer's long bangs swayed lightly in the breeze, his icy crimson eyes blazing with intense killing intent. Unlike Hayato's manic madness, his gaze was pure, devoid of emotion, focused solely on the act of slaughter.

"Eh?" Hayato licked his lips, his tone brimming with a twisted excitement.

The man remained silent, his movements light yet forceful as he wielded his scythe. Its blade shimmered with a chilling metallic gleam under the faint light. This was no ordinary weapon—a pair of scythes connected by a chain, as agile as if they were extensions of his body.

One scythe blocked Hayato's dagger with precision, while the other swung upward with a deadly arc, aiming unerringly for Hayato's head. The attack was swift and decisive, carrying a palpable intent to kill.

Hayato's eyes narrowed, then lit up with a gleeful glint as if the attack had ignited his thrill for combat. Adjusting his posture mid-air, he clamped the incoming scythe between his legs, halting the lethal strike just inches from his skull. The blade's wind sliced through the air, leaving a suffocating chill.

Hayato's agility and precision were beyond ordinary, honed through countless life-or-death battles. His every movement was calculated, his reflexes surpassing human limits. Like a cunning beast, he exploited openings with uncanny accuracy, turning deadly attacks into opportunities. The clanging of chains echoed as metal collided, a grim symphony of death.

"Not bad! Another strong fool to kill, huh?" Hayato jeered, tightening his grip on the scythe to seize it. But the man remained expressionless. With a sharp pull on the chain, the second scythe twisted like a viper, striking upward toward Hayato's chest.

The blade whistled through the air, exuding an overwhelming killing aura as it neared Hayato. Yet, he remained composed, his body tilting slightly forward. At the critical moment, he flipped his wrist, using the shackles on his wrists as a weapon. With an almost impossible angle, he deflected the blade's edge. Sparks scattered like fleeting stars, brief but brilliant.

The scythe's trajectory veered just enough to miss Hayato, slicing only a piece of his rabbit-patterned jacket. He stood slightly turned, his shoulder dipping as if savoring the life-and-death dance.

In this fleeting moment, Hayato used his restraints—symbols of captivity—as tools of defiance, showcasing unparalleled adaptability. His movements seemed to declare: "Even bound, I'll wield my chains as blades to rewrite my fate."

"Tch, that was close." Hayato chuckled, though his gaze betrayed no ease. He leaped back, landing firmly, and locked eyes with the man.

This guy—strong. In just one exchange, Hayato understood the depth of his opponent's power.

Meanwhile, Shiji turned to Aizawa, his concern overriding everything else, even Usagi's safety. "Aizawa! Your scythe almost split Usagi in two!"

Unfazed, Aizawa retorted coldly, "This hesitation of yours is why you're always at a disadvantage." His frosty gaze shifted to Hayato. "Relax. He's more protective of Usagi than you are."

Hayato's grin twisted further, his manic laughter filling the air. Glancing at Usagi's flushed face and her conflicted look of pity, his amusement deepened.

"Hahaha!" Hayato laughed hysterically, his voice tinged with madness and mockery. Fixing his wild eyes on Aizawa, he spoke with a sinister glee, "Let's see what makes you so different, you fool!"

Tension hung thick in the frostbitten forest as the night seemed to freeze, awaiting their clash.