Chapter 238: The Princess of Pojun’s Protection

A thunderous voice exploded in everyone's ears like a raging storm, sending a shiver through Leo and his companions. The air thickened with the scent of blood, and each word carried a bone-chilling menace, like the scythe of the Grim Reaper pressing against their throats.

Hayato held Usagi in his arms with a gentleness that was heartbreakingly tender, an eerie contrast to the murderous aura radiating from him. The battlefield fell into a dead silence, broken only by Usagi's ragged breathing and Hayato's chilling fury.

Usagi's face flushed with an unprecedented mix of shyness and helplessness. Her thoughts were a chaotic mess, rendering her speechless. Hayato's actions were too sudden, leaving her utterly at a loss. She wanted to push him away, yet felt that her strength was insignificant. She wanted to scold him, but she couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

However, within moments, her rationality took hold. The priority now was either to escape or eliminate the enemies before them. Deep down, she understood there was no way to retreat unscathed—fighting with all they had was the only viable option.

She glanced up at Hayato, her mind filled with confusion and shock—how had he managed to reach her in midair? For an ordinary person, such a feat was impossible. But now was not the time for questions. She quickly realized that Hayato's abrupt actions, though overbearing, had given her a crucial lifeline—he had fed her a drop of his blood. It was barely anything, yet in her weakened state, it was a lifeline, giving her just enough energy to fight.

With that strength, Usagi used her ability to manipulate a small black sphere, allowing Hayato to float midair. Initially, she intended to help him retreat with her, but—

Hayato's reaction shattered her expectations. A madman was a madman; retreating wasn't even an option in his mind. Especially when someone dared to harm his 'precious little bunny.' The mere thought of running away was an insult to his very existence.

A wicked grin spread across Hayato's face, his expression both crazed and bloodthirsty, void of all reason. With Usagi's ability supporting him, he released her without hesitation and charged straight toward Leo and his team. His speed was so fast that he became nothing but a blur, storming at them like a relentless hurricane.

Leo's heart sank as he saw Hayato approaching like a vengeful ghost. Something was wrong. He bellowed, "Stop!!!"

But Hayato paid no heed. Instead, his grin widened, and his eyes gleamed with unfiltered killing intent.

Leo's mind raced with questions—Who the hell is this guy? How does he have this power? Why isn't he listening to me? Is he insane?!

Watching from afar, Usagi first froze, then let out a soft chuckle, lips curving into an amused smirk.

"Of course," she murmured. "A lunatic like Hayato would never bother understanding Leo's 'orders.' Even if he heard them, he wouldn't give a damn."

There was a strange comfort in knowing that Hayato's madness was utterly predictable.

With a dagger in hand, Hayato moved like a demon from hell, dancing across the battlefield. His movements were as swift as the wind and as fierce as a raging storm, each slash carrying lethal precision and unstoppable force. Gemini barely reacted in time, teleporting in front of Leo to block Hayato's blade. However, with Usagi's floating ability at his disposal, Hayato defied gravity itself, twisting through the air like a serpent. In an impossible maneuver, he flipped midair and launched a counterattack from an unexpected angle.

Bam! A powerful spinning kick landed squarely on Gemini's abdomen. The sheer force turned his face pale, and the sound of ribs cracking was unmistakable. He shot through the air like a broken kite, crashing into the ruins of Sonia's collapsed fortress.

Suspended in midair, Hayato's eyes burned with the frenzy of a wild beast, his chest heaving as he suppressed his overflowing rage. His lips twitched as he muttered under his breath, "Kill them, kill them, kill them all—!!!"

The chilling whisper sent shivers down the spines of the remaining death guards. But they were not weaklings. Exchanging glances, they lunged at him without hesitation.

Yet, Hayato showed not the slightest fear. His movements were electric, his body twisting in ways that defied human logic, making the speed-dependent death guards his prey instead. His combat style abandoned human limitations altogether—he was a beast, unshackled by rational thought.

Shhk! The first death guard's eye was slashed open, blood spurting as his eyeball burst gruesomely. He let out a bloodcurdling scream, only for Hayato to drive his dagger straight through the top of his skull, skewering him all the way down to his groin. The force was so overwhelming that the guard became nothing more than a lifeless husk.

"Ahahahahahaha—!!!" Hayato licked his lips, his gaze turning to the next target with eerie delight.

A death guard attempted a sneak attack from behind, but Hayato moved as if he had eyes in the back of his head. In a flash, he spun, slashing open the man's chest. Flesh peeled away, exposing stark white ribs beneath. Blood sprayed as one of the ribs snapped off, flying through the air. Hayato caught it mid-flight and examined it with a crazed grin.

"Not bad for a toy! Too bad it's not very sturdy!!!" he sneered before hurling the rib like a spear.

"Rib, stop moving!" Leo shouted, activating his ability to control objects. But his command was useless. The ribbone tore through the battlefield, striking enemies with deadly precision, piercing through their hearts like bullets fired from a machine gun.

Silence fell over the battlefield. Those still alive were left dumbfounded. Leo's jaw clenched, a singular thought pounding in his head: Is this guy even human?!

Pisces narrowed her eyes, unleashing a mesmerizing wave of violet energy. She brandished her whip, twirling it in the air. As it moved, it multiplied into thousands of phantom-like shadows, forming a monstrous tidal wave of attacks. Her voice was calm yet chilling: "Dance, Pisces Tide!"

The overwhelming flurry of whip shadows surged toward Hayato. There was no escape; every possible path was sealed off. Pisces smirked, already picturing his body being torn to shreds.

But just as the whips were about to strike, Hayato suddenly came to a halt, tilting his head as if distracted by something. He mumbled, "Huh? A woodpecker?"

Everyone froze in confusion. A second later, the whipstorm slashed through a passing crow, tearing it apart in a bloody mist. However, in an inexplicable twist, Hayato had somehow evaded the attack entirely, dodging each strike with an unnatural fluidity.

Pisces' expression darkened. She turned to Leo, furious. "Did you order him to stop again?!"

Leo looked baffled. "I didn't!!!"

Finally, Hayato seemed to snap back to reality, glancing at the crow's remains. He muttered, "Huh? No woodpecker? Must've been my mistake."

Usagi, watching from a distance, sighed, feeling torn between admiration for his skill and frustration at his insanity.

Taking advantage of the momentary pause, Leo commanded, "Stab your own heart with your dagger!!!"

Hayato stilled for a second before slowly turning to Leo, his face contorting into a wild grin. Without hesitation, he barked out, "Stab your mother!!!"

Then, with a mighty leap, he launched himself straight at Leo, laughing maniacally. "You're the loudest one in the sky—time to shut you up!!!"