Chapter 463 462: The Rebellious Samsara!

When Fenric released the state of the Indestructible Demon Body, his face instantly turned pale.

This wasn't an act.

He had truly fallen into a state of extreme weakness.

The Indestructible Demon Body consumed far too much. Even before twenty minutes had passed, Fenric felt his strength drained as though every drop of power had been emptied from his body, leaving him hollow.

Now, he finally understood why the technique required twenty-four hours before it could be used again.

The price was simply too great—at least a full day was needed to recover.

At this moment, Fenric's vision blurred, his mind dizzy, and his body swayed in mid-air, struggling to maintain balance.

He wasn't used to this fragile, powerless state.

Fortunately, anti-gravity flight demanded little energy.

If he had been relying purely on his mind power to fly, Fenric would have collapsed already.

"Shura, are you all right?"

Vivienne's concerned voice reached him.

Fenric shook his head, gritting his teeth. "I can endure."

Though weak, he remained calm.

He still had his Purification skill, which could instantly dispel his weakened state.

But he wasn't in a hurry.

Better to play the part of being spent… to see Adam's next move.

Perhaps, he could bait him.

Fenric's exhaustion was written plainly across his face. Adam, of course, noticed.

"Shura, your expression is dreadful. Do you still have the strength to fight?" Adam sneered.

"Enough to kill you," Fenric shot back.

But his stern façade only reinforced Adam's suspicions.

Though Adam smiled, his eyes stayed sharp, studying Fenric closely. He was cautious, unwilling to be deceived without proof.

"Adam," Fenric said evenly, "your grand scheme has already failed. What's the matter? Afraid to fight? If you don't dare face me, then we'll meet again.

"Next time, I'll take your life."

He turned his back without hesitation. "Aurora, we're leaving."

Vivienne hurried after him, still wary of Adam launching a sneak attack.

Her mission tonight had been simple: prevent Adam from killing Uvall. With Uvall forced back into Hell by Fenric, her task was complete, and the million Samsara point reward secure. Leaving now was safe.

Adam, however, stood frowning as he watched Fenric's retreating figure.

From his observations, he was eighty percent certain that Shura truly was weakened.

That wasn't something one could fake.

But…

Adam's nature was cautious. Without absolute certainty, he wouldn't commit.

Yet in his heart, he knew—Shura was a mortal threat. Their positions were irreconcilable. Eventually, one of them had to die.

And right now might be his best chance.

Would it not be a waste to let such an opportunity slip by?

After deliberating, Adam's decision hardened.

He had invested so much tonight—teaming with Uvall to set this elaborate trap—and in the end, gained nothing?

Unacceptable!

Cold light flashed in his eyes.

"Shura, watch out!"

Vivienne suddenly shouted. The green ring on her finger flared, releasing a dazzling light.

She had been wary of Adam from the start. The moment he moved, she raised a green energy barrier to shield Fenric.

"Boom—!"

Adam's palm slammed against the barrier. Though the shield blocked the strike, his palm force seeped through unnaturally and struck Fenric directly.

Clearly, Adam had mastered an ability with a penetrating effect.

"Pft!"

The impact made Fenric stagger back, coughing blood. He steadied himself quickly, his self-healing kicking in. He wasn't gravely hurt.

But the strike had confirmed it.

Adam's eyes gleamed with certainty—Shura truly was weakened!

"Joseph!" Adam barked. "Are you just going to sit there!? Shura is at his weakest! Kill him now, and my promise to you still stands!

"As for that woman—leave her to me!"

At his words, the Samsaras he had summoned exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up.

They could all see it: Shura wasn't faking.

The chance to strike down the mighty Shura was real.

And with Adam's promises dangling before them, many began advancing toward Fenric.

Vivienne grew frantic. "Stern River! Dimitrescu! Get Shura out of here, quickly! I'll hold them back!"

She could see it clearly—Fenric truly was exhausted. If they stayed here, surrounded by so many enemies, he would surely die.

Adam sneered coldly. "Aurora, give it up. You can't save him!"

He lunged at her with a flurry of ferocious strikes, forcing Vivienne into defense, leaving her no chance to aid Fenric's escape.

Meanwhile, the Samsaras Adam had gathered began circling Fenric like wolves.

Even the Samsaras of Jadeveil Nation moved.

To everyone's surprise, the most decisive among them was One Leaf Knows Autumn!

He rushed to Fenric's side and shouted, "Shura! I'll hold them off! Let our past grievances be settled here!"

Fenric blinked in mild surprise—then chuckled softly and nodded.

Though he didn't need saving, he respected the man's sincerity. If One Leaf Knows Autumn wished to redeem himself, Fenric would give him the chance.

With newfound resolve, One Leaf Knows Autumn stood tall before Fenric, drawing a sharp blade from his personal warehouse. The sword shimmered with a faint blue glow, chilling to the bone—clearly no ordinary weapon.

"Who dares come forward and die?"

The icy aura of his blade radiated out as he swept his gaze across the Samsaras.

Seeing his stance, Zen Zendaruth and several others gathered as well, forming a protective wall around Fenric.

They understood—after tonight, Shura's importance to Jadeveil Nation was beyond measure.

If he survived this ordeal, the rise of Jadeveil as the world's greatest power would only be a matter of time.

Upon seeing this, Fenric said politely, "Thank you for your effort."

"It's nothing," One Leaf Knows Autumn whispered back. "But Shura… I fear we won't be able to hold them off for long. If you see a chance, you must escape first!"

Fenric, watching the desperate expressions of One Leaf Knows Autumn, froze for a moment.

Had he misjudged him all this time?

Was One Leaf Knows Autumn actually loyal?

As the thought crossed his mind, a furious shout erupted from the enemy lines:

"One Leaf Knows Autumn? You dare betray us, you worthless cur?!"

The words were like a spark to dry tinder.

In an instant, both sides clashed!

Fenric remained still, his eyes drifting back to One Leaf Knows Autumn.

Among the fighters, it was indeed he who looked the most determined.

With his sword in hand, he unleashed a martial technique—Thirteen Swords!

For a moment, the sky was filled with dazzling arcs of blade light.

But though this technique was among the finest in martial arts, it was lacking against the elite Samsaras of A-rank caliber.

Only a few weaker Samsaras flinched away, unwilling to take the strike head-on. The rest neutralized the move with ease.

One brute with skin like iron charged straight through the sword light, hammering a heavy blow into One Leaf Knows Autumn's chest.

"Pft!"

Blood spurted as he was hurled backward, crashing to the ground at Fenric's side.

Fenric, seeing his battered state, couldn't help but ask, "Are you all right?"

Despite their past grudges, despite the hatred, he couldn't ignore someone who risked everything to shield him.

"I'm fine!" One Leaf Knows Autumn wiped the blood from his lips and forced a smile. "Shura, the enemy is too strong. You must leave! I'll hold them off as long as I can."

Fenric was about to say he didn't need saving when—

Suddenly, his Death's Sense screamed a violent warning!

A flash of light.

Too fast.

Fenric managed only a slight shift.

"Pft!"

A sword pierced through his chest.

Had he not reacted, it would have pierced his heart.

The blade shimmered with blue light.

It was One Leaf Knows Autumn's sword.

At that moment, his face twisted into a feral grin.

"Haha! Shura, you're truly a fool! Die in peace!"

He struck again, sending Fenric crashing backward.

Blood poured from the wound near Fenric's heart. In his weakened state, his body no longer had the strength to heal such a grave injury.

His face turned deathly pale.

The battlefield fell into chaos.

Gasps erupted on all sides.

The Samsaras of Jadeveil Nation—Zen Zendaruth, Dimitrescu, and others—were horrified.

Even the Western Samsaras stared in disbelief.

Why would Jadeveil Nation's warriors turn their blades against their own? What kind of treachery was this?

Only Adam remained calm, as if everything had gone exactly as planned.

Before tonight's operation, he had investigated the grudge between Fenric and One Leaf Knows Autumn and made his move.

Adam was not one to gamble without certainty.

One Leaf Knows Autumn was his hidden ace.

Even Uvall hadn't been aware of it.

"Sardo, well done!" Adam called out. "Shura's self-healing won't save him from that wound. Finish him now!"

Hearing this, One Leaf Knows Autumn laughed with wild triumph.

"Hahaha! Shura, so clever, so untouchable—and yet today, you bleed like the rest of us! Your end is here!"

"You've lost your mind!"

From afar, Vivienne's voice rang out, filled with disbelief and fury. "You actually colluded with Adam!? You dare betray Jadeveil Nation?!"

One Leaf Knows Autumn sneered. "Commander Song, don't make it sound so ugly. This was all Shura's doing. He forced my hand!"

"Silence!" Vivienne roared. "Touch a single hair on his head, and there will be no place for you in Jadeveil Nation! You'll be a hunted traitor until you die!"

But he only curled his lip in disdain.

Adam's mocking laugh cut through the air. "Aurora, you should know—we in the Cindralock Dominion have already promised Mr. Sardo a seat in our Congress. He's one of us now!"

"!!!"

Vivienne's delicate face turned crimson with rage.

She finally understood—One Leaf Knows Autumn's betrayal had been part of Adam's scheme all along!

—---

Jadeveil Nation, Power Center.

Inside a vast conference hall, the highest officials watched the betrayal unfold on the live feed.

"Traitor!!"

"Shame on the Armand Family for raising such a beast!"

"Unforgivable!"

The supreme official slammed the table, his voice shaking with fury.

"Guards! Move on the Armand Family immediately! Arrest every last one—none must escape!"

But it was too late.

The Armand Family had already fled, boarding a plane bound for the Cindralock Dominion.

—---

Back in mid-air, over the sea of Thousand Lanterns Island Nation.

One Leaf Knows Autumn, brimming with triumph, slowly advanced on the bleeding Fenric.

The other Jadeveil Samsaras were pinned down, unable to come to his aid.

"Shura, you can't blame me for this. Blame yourself for being too clever. NOW, DIE!"

He raised his glowing sword, aiming straight for Fenric's forehead.

"No!!!"

Vivienne's anguished cry pierced the battlefield. She struggled against Adam, desperate to reach Fenric, but his relentless attacks gave her no opening.

The blade gleamed.

The sword tip was less than half a centimeter from Fenric's brow when—

Suddenly.

A massive, obsidian-black hand, hardened with Armament Haki, closed around the blade.

The edge stopped dead, unable to advance even an inch.

"!!?"

One Leaf Knows Autumn's eyes went wide.

That hand… was unscathed.

At the same time, One Leaf Knows Autumn noticed that the wound near Shura's heart had stopped bleeding. Not only that—it was healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In an instant, cold sweat drenched his body, his hands and feet numb with fear.

Because within Shura's body… he could no longer see the slightest weakness.

What stood before him now was not a wounded man, but a warrior restored to his prime, exuding an overwhelming aura.

"You—"

One Leaf Knows Autumn tugged desperately at his sword, only to realize it wouldn't budge at all. His face turned ashen, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

Fenric had indeed returned to his peak state. A moment ago, he had activated the skill: Purification.

With it, he had instantly dispelled his weakened condition, regaining the full strength he possessed at his most destructive peak.

Seeing One Leaf Knows Autumn's horrified expression, Fenric didn't bother asking questions.

In his eyes, One Leaf Knows Autumn was already a dead man.

Fenric then turned his gaze toward Adam.

"Adam, was this your trump card?" Fenric sighed. "To think I waited all this time, only to be disappointed."

Puff!

Adam shoved Vivienne aside, his eyes fixed on Fenric with disbelief.

"Shura… were you pretending all along!?"

Before Fenric could respond, Adam shook his head sharply. "No… impossible. The technique you used against Uvall must have drained enormous energy. How can you possibly be in this state now?"

"The dying don't need to know so much."

Fenric's voice was flat, but death loomed within it. He raised his fist to strike.

Suddenly—

One Leaf Knows Autumn collapsed to his knees before Fenric, though not touching the ground. His trembling, half-kneeling posture in midair was more humiliating than groveling on the floor.

At this point, pride was worthless.

He knew—if he waited for Fenric to act, he wouldn't even have the chance to beg for mercy. He had seen Fenric's terrifying power before and knew that once Shura struck, death was certain.

"Shura, don't kill me!" he cried, voice trembling. "I—I was confused, I shouldn't have listened to those foreign devils! Please, spare me! I'll give you all my rare items as an offering, just let me go!"

Fenric looked down at him coldly, condescending.

He didn't even bother to reply. To exchange words with someone so spineless would only stain his dignity.

The next moment, Fenric clenched his fist.

All the Samsaras around the battlefield immediately stopped fighting and turned their eyes toward him.

Not a single member of Jadeveil Nation spoke up in One Leaf Knows Autumn's defense, not even Vivienne.

They had all witnessed his disgraceful betrayal.

To associate with such a man was already shameful. To plead for him was unthinkable.

Besides, who would dare risk offending Shura to save someone like that? Only a fool.

An oppressive force surged outward like a tidal wave.

Seeing Fenric about to strike, One Leaf Knows Autumn's pleading expression twisted into ferocity.

"FLYING FAIRY OUT OF THE SKY!"

With a roar, he unleashed his strongest technique, his sword cleaving through the air toward Fenric.

Fenric's face showed no emotion. He simply coated his body in Armament Haki, not even bothering to dodge.

To him, One Leaf Knows Autumn's desperate strike wasn't a threat—it was nothing more than an itch.

"Flying Fairy Out of the Sky" was indeed considered one of the most powerful sword techniques. But the power of a technique depended on the wielder.

If someone like Uvall had unleashed it, perhaps Fenric might have taken it seriously.

But One Leaf Knows Autumn? He was far from enough.

Fenric met the blade with a single punch.

Just a simple, straight punch—

"Boom—!"

The void shattered.

The rain of sword shadows collapsed instantly under Fenric's fist.

One Leaf Knows Autumn's body burst apart in despair, scattering into fragments that rained into the sea below.

Soon, he would become nothing more than food for the fish.

Thus ended the life of One Leaf Knows Autumn, ranked eighty-seventh on the world's master list.

Struck down by the S-class powerhouse Shura—without even a corpse left behind.

The Samsaras of Jadeveil Nation looked on, their expressions complicated.

They knew well: his downfall was entirely his own doing.

The foreign Samsaras, however, were horrified.

From that one punch, it was clear—Shura was back at full strength. Unbroken. Unmatched.

Fenric flicked his fingers lightly, as if brushing away dust, and looked at Adam.

It was as though the man he had just obliterated was nothing more than an insect.

"Adam," Fenric's voice rang like a death knell, "it's your turn."

His killing intent rolled across the battlefield like a storm.