Chapter 244: 244 "Six Consecutive
The tide of the battle shifted swiftly.
As one of the Lees brothers was struck by a bolt of lightning, blood sprayed across the sky, and he was sent flying backward, eliciting gasps from the spectators.
Just a second before, Reiger had been unilaterally suppressed and at a clear disadvantage, yet in the blink of an eye, he suddenly erupted with power and cut down one opponent, a drastic change that had many onlookers widening their eyes in shock.
But before their exclamations had subsided, the situation changed again.
"It’s..."
"...now!"
As the Thunder Light Flash cut down one of the Lees brothers, the remaining two, disregarding their fallen comrade, surged forth just like Reiger, unleashing all their Magic Power. They infused it into their sword blades, creating a sonic boom loud enough to drown out thunder, and aimed a strike at the lightning bolt.
It almost looked as though they had been prepared all along, just waiting for Reiger to make his move, to fall right into their trap.
And indeed, that was the case.
The Lees brothers had already figured out that if they were to face Reiger, they wouldn’t be able to withstand a slash as swift as the Thunder Light Flash.
After observing two battles amongst the crowd, the three brothers noticed something.
That was, when Reiger drew his sword and unleashed a lightning-fast strike, perhaps because of the intense power he burst with instantly and his rapid forward momentum, he could only thrust in a straight line.
The lightning bolt could only travel in a straight path, unable to change direction or switch techniques midway.
Having realized this, the Lees brothers had strategized before entering the fray, agreeing not to spread out too much and to stick close to one another.
That way, when Reiger drew his sword to become lightning, no matter who got struck, the other two could pinpoint the trajectory of the lightning based on the position of the stricken brother and Reiger’s initial stance, and launch a counterattack in an instant.
At that moment, having just slashed down one brother, Reiger’s old momentum had not faded, and new strength had not yet arisen. Coupled with his inability to change direction or technique mid-assault, he was sure to be unable to withstand the encirclement.
If that happened, they would win.
It must be said that the Lees brothers’ judgment was astoundingly accurate and their eyesight exceptionally keen.
"Thunder Light Flash" really was an ultimate strike, the fastest and most explosive among the six types of thunder breathing swordsmanship, but its flaw was that once a move was made, it could not change direction or technique, and once its nature and trajectory were discerned, it would be easy to counter.
That’s why it was only the first form.
Such a weakness existed in "Blossom" too.
"Secret Technique: Blossom," like "Thunder Light Flash," was a draw-and-strike technique in a straight line. Once seen through, it could be fatal.
But "Blossom’s" power far surpassed "Thunder Light Flash," enabling the wielder to multiply their strength several times before striking. Normally even if it were seen through, it would still be hard for someone to react in time. Plus, with the dazzle of heat haze, it also confuses the enemy’s sight and senses. The difficulty of discerning the trajectory of "Blossom" and responding to it is very high.
The evidence lies in Tsukiguni Yoriichi, a genius who had mastered the world on his own since childhood and ultimately couldn’t see through a single slash of "Blossom."
By comparison, "Thunder Light Flash" was very simple and straightforward, with a high probability of being seen through.
The Lees brothers saw through this weakness after watching two battles.
However, they were doomed to disappointment.
Not only had they seen through Reiger’s weakness, but Reiger, with his acute perception of the world, also sensed their next move.
In other words, he knew what the Lees brothers were planning.
So, he prepared another surprise for his opponents.
"Boom!"
As the remaining two Lees brothers swung their strongest, final swords, one from the front and one from the back, and were about to hit the lightning bolt, it fiercely shot forward untouched, striking a flying stone and bursting with a sound like a thunderstrike.
Then, the lightning bolt seemed to be refracted, turning back.
Yes.
It changed direction.
"What...!?"
The Lees brothers’ expressions changed drastically.
"Boom—Boom—Boom—Boom—"
The lightning bolt moved like a flash of lightning, striking stone after stone in the midst of the brothers’ shock. Each impact caused a thunderous roar to echo and the bolt to abruptly change direction again.
This was an enhanced version of "Thunder Light Flash," capable of multiple changes in direction using the surrounding terrain to compensate for the original move’s weaknesses. It was a technique invented by Agatsuma Zenitsu in the original series of Demon Slayer.
During the development of "Divine Speed" and "Fire Thunder God," Reiger had already devised this move.
Its name was—
"Thunder Light Flash: Sixfold."
Six changes in direction brought the lightning back in front of the Lees brothers, darting past them.
"Spurt!"
The strike of the lightning bolt slashed across the bodies of the staggered brothers, and they followed in the footsteps of their sibling, splattering blood across the sky.
"Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!"
It wasn’t long before all three Lees brothers fell from the sky, crashing heavily onto the ground, causing a heavy thud and a cloud of dust to rise.
The zipping lightning bolt finally stopped, settling between the three brothers and revealing Reiger’s true form.
"Bang!"
The sword in Reiger’s hand exploded into fragments at the same time, signaling to everyone the extent of power Reiger had just unleashed, so much that even the sword couldn’t withstand it.
"————"
Silence revisited the entire arena, leaving everyone speechless.
"Cough cough..."
The three Lees brothers lay on the ground, coughing while clutching their wounds, their hands already stained red with blood, looking as miserable as one could imagine.
Of course...
"It’s just some superficial injuries, I didn’t hit hard."
Reiger said this after the phenomenon of lightning flashing and thunder rumbling on his body had disappeared, relieving many people in secret.
It was not until that moment that people realized the swordsmen who challenged Reiger, though they looked miserable, didn’t seem to have any serious injuries.
Marco and Old had already been taken aside by the knights of the Franzer family for treatment and had now regained consciousness, though their faces were still pale.
The three Lees brothers even managed, after a while, to struggle to their feet, swaying unsteadily.
The fact that all the challengers seemed to be alright changed how many looked at Reiger, with much of their horror dissipating.
The three Lees brothers exchanged glances and, upon seeing that they were all unhurt, finally relaxed their expressions and looked towards Reiger.
"It is us..."
"... who have lost."
"We concede defeat."
The brothers bowed slightly to Reiger and then began to support each other, ready to leave the scene.
Seeing this, Reiger suddenly spoke out.
"Your combined sword technique seems to allow your Magic Power to blend, even enabling communication of minds, right?"
Reiger’s sudden interjection made everyone at the scene pause for a moment.
The Lees brothers also stopped in their tracks.
"That’s correct."
"The essence of the combined sword technique lies precisely in that."
"It allows our strength to blend and balance out."
The Lees brothers did not hide anything, responding openly.
The combined sword technique is a very magical swordsmanship skill, which allows practitioners to exchange Magic Power, strengthen each other, and become indistinguishably one.
Thus, it can achieve effects like mind-linking, spiritual resonance, mutual support, and perfect understanding. The more people who perform it together, the stronger the force they exhibit.
It is an exclusive skill, quite rare and precious.
However, the requirements for learning this technique are also very high. Practitioners must have a certain degree of understanding and connection, whether by blood, spirit, or trust. Even a trace of distrust in one another’s hearts could prevent practicing this technique together.
Being triplets, the bond between the Lees brothers was undoubtedly strong. They had supported each other from a young age, never lacking in understanding and trust, and thus they were able to master this technique.
Reiger nodded, then shared his thoughts.
"If Magic Power and strength can be exchanged and blended, why do you choose to divide it equally, aiming for this so-called balance?"
This comment by Reiger made the Lees brothers pause to think.
Isn’t balance good?
Wouldn’t it be better for cooperation and combined attacks if their strengths were exactly the same?
The triplet swordsmen had only considered cooperation in this matter and saw no issue with their approach.
But Reiger was suggesting...
"You could actually concentrate all the Magic Power and strength in one of you, stacking the power of three on one to achieve a massive surge in force."
Reiger said this to the Lees brothers.
"If that were the case, perhaps the one with the combined force of the three could really possess power on par with a Sword Saint?"
These words shocked the Lees brothers.
This was a possibility they had never considered.
They had always been used to sharing with each other, acting together, even dividing a loaf of bread into three pieces to eat, and never thought of concentrating everything onto one person.
Reiger’s advice was a real eye-opener for them.
"Thank you..."
"For your..."
"... advice."
The Lees brothers bowed respectfully to Reiger.
Reiger did not respond but turned to look at the other swordsmen. He saw the fear in their eyes turn to delight, and they seemed eager to try again, which made him smile.
The reason he had offered advice to the Lees brothers was precisely for this effect.
Letting these swordsmen know that a good performance could earn them the guidance of a Sword Saint would surely surprise and rekindle their desire to challenge, wouldn’t it?
Especially now that Reiger had fully demonstrated his power, no one doubted that he was a Sword Saint anymore.
In this way, perhaps many more would be drawn to him in the future, becoming Reiger’s... experience fodder.
"All right then."
Reiger produced another sheathed blade, smiling at the swordsmen gathered as if he were a farmer expecting a bountiful harvest.
"Next."