The power of the universe was unstoppable; with a single strike, Lin Luo and the Shadow King were both blasted away by the Evil King. An attack entirely unexpected, one they had never before experienced, nearly ripped their very consciousness from their bodies. In that moment, they truly felt as though they faced the cosmos itself… feeling utterly minuscule!

"Hmph, two pieces of trash. Even if you join forces, it’s still ten thousand years too soon to kill me!" The Evil King snorted coldly, then swept his steps forward, cloaked in the Cosmic Chart, charging toward Lin Luo… Though emotionally he preferred to kill the Shadow King first, tactically, eliminating Lin Luo was the priority.

Seeing the opponent rush in, Lin Luo’s expression shifted. He immediately activated Instant Movement to flee the spot, simultaneously unleashing the full power of his Destruction Black Flame, forming two intertwined, swirling vortexes that attacked the Evil King.

While he desired to eliminate the Evil King quickly, the sheer terror of the Evil King's current power made a direct confrontation impossible; a senseless battle would only lead to self-destruction.

"Useless! Your strength is utterly insignificant before the universe!" The Evil King roared with laughter, then waved a massive hand. The Cosmic Chart behind him surged toward the Destruction Black Flame, moving silently, creating no ripple. The supposedly all-consuming Destruction Black Flame was actually swallowed whole.

"This is?!" Witnessing this, Lin Luo could hardly believe his eyes. The Destruction Black Flame possessed the power to annihilate all things, even influencing space and time. Although his Black Flame was incomplete—susceptible to forces like Yakumo Yukari’s Boundary power, Kazami Yuuka’s Haki, or even the Evil King’s full-power Space Storm—swallowing the Destruction Black Flame was something he had never encountered before.

"Be careful! Here, he can unleash power beyond his limits. That cosmic force is his true trump card!" At that moment, the Shadow King charged in from the other side, shouting loudly.

Unlike before, two spectral images now clung to his back: the White Tiger and the Black Tortoise. Both phantoms appeared almost solid, radiating immense pressure. As he charged, the White Tiger phantom suddenly roared, instantly transforming into a massive blade—the Tiger Soul Blade—its edge shrouded in terrifying killing intent.

"Form Soul Derivation, Tiger Soul Blade, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate!"

The Shadow King gripped the Tiger Soul Blade with both hands, and the blade's terrifying murderous aura immediately transferred to him, as if donning armor forged of malice. He became like a god of war, a god of slaughter. That intangible aura of slaughter condensed into substance, its momentum piercing the dark clouds to reach the heavens, and then he brought the blade down… Crack!

The already enormous blade instantly extended, stretching tens of meters long. Before the edge even landed, space itself was sliced open, and even the earth was cleft with a vast chasm. But that was merely the edge of the power; the true focus of the Tiger Soul Blade’s might was directed solely at the Evil King.

"Petty tricks! Die!" Feeling the force striking from behind, the Evil King sneered, immediately turning back and swinging the Cosmic Chart toward the blade’s light. Although his tone suggested disdain, this strike utilized his full power, proving that he dared not take the Shadow King’s move lightly—it was merely feigned contempt.

Although the Evil King had absorbed the power of the universe, making him stronger than even when his chaotic rules were at one hundred percent, he too was a King of Worlds. If he possessed such a mysterious power, others might possess similar abilities… Though he had consistently called them trash, it was purely to dominate them psychologically.

Without absolute faith in one's own strength, one cannot exert one hundred percent or more in combat, nor can one gain the upper hand in momentum. Therefore… the unconfident cannot win!

Clang!

The brilliant, terrifying massive blade light collided with the mysterious Cosmic Chart, resulting in an earth-shattering explosion. The two forces were deadlocked. Initially, the blade light seemed to have the advantage, but with a cold laugh from the Evil King, the Cosmic Chart suddenly exerted its might, spinning rapidly—just as it had against Lin Luo earlier—and the towering blade light was instantaneously swallowed by the Chart.

"This is for you!" The instant it absorbed the energy, the Cosmic Chart stopped spinning, and countless streams of black seawater surged out toward the Shadow King.

Sea? Was that the sea?

The Shadow King was startled. Why was there a sea inside the Cosmic Chart? It seemed incredible, but he quickly understood: it wasn't a sea, it was… the universe!

The universe, after being compressed to extreme density, had taken the shape of seawater, resembling an ocean. Instinctively, one lowers their guard against the sea, but doing so here would mean certain death… The power of the endless universe formed into this 'sea' was immense, beyond simple calculation.

The speed of the Sea of the Universe was terrifyingly fast. By the time the Shadow King reacted, he was already enveloped. Escape was impossible. With no other choice, he withdrew the Tiger Soul Blade, roaring: "Northern Black Tortoise, Taiyin Incarnation, Ghost Snake Manifestation, Govern All Spirits!"

As his voice echoed, the Black Tortoise phantom behind him instantly transformed into deep green armor, vaguely taking the shape of a shell, with a snake coiled around its back. As he donned this armor, the Sea of the Universe had already submerged him. From the outside, the Shadow King vanished, leaving only infinite darkness. But then!

"Nothing can stop this..., Break for me!"

From within the darkness came the Shadow King’s thunderous roar, followed by a boom as the Sea of the Universe was forcibly shaken apart. Though it didn't vanish, it reformed and surged toward the Shadow King even faster. However, in that brief window, the Shadow King broke free, now holding a green, dragon-shaped longsword.

"Nine Heavens Thunder Roar, Clouds and Rain Turn Over… Azure Dragon Heaven and Earth Sword!"

This supreme treasure sword was manifested from the essence of the Azure Dragon, the divine beast ruling the East. The moment the word "sword" left his lips, the Shadow King hurled the Azure Dragon Heaven and Earth Sword. A streak of azure light flashed through the void, its speed surpassing light and electricity, striking the Evil King’s face the instant it was thrown.

"Sea of the Universe!" The Evil King dared not be careless. He was well aware of the power of the Four Sacred Beasts. Now, the Shadow King was invoking their essential power in this manner. If he let his guard down, even with the cosmic power, he could capsize in a ditch.

The Cosmic Chart trembled, and the chart, originally only the size of a person, instantly magnified countless times at the Evil King's command, surging toward the Heaven and Earth Sword, seemingly intending to devour it as well.

"Invert Heaven and Earth!"

Among the Four Sacred Beasts, the White Tiger possessed the greatest offensive power. Since even the Tiger Soul Blade could not overcome the Cosmic Chart, the Shadow King knew that a direct confrontation would result in the Heaven and Earth Sword being consumed instantly. But… the Azure Dragon’s greatest strength lay not in attack, but in transformation.

The Dragon Soars Across the Four Seas, All Things Are Illusion," the Divine Dragon reveals its head, but hides its tail!

Just before the two forces could collide, the Heaven and Earth Sword vanished from the front of the Cosmic Chart and reappeared almost simultaneously behind the Evil King. The blade transformed into a massive azure dragon, opening its maw to bite at the Evil King.

"First, I’ll destroy your Azure Dragon!" The Evil King’s face shifted slightly. He waved his hand, and another Sea of the Universe surged from the Cosmic Chart, crashing down like a tsunami toward the Azure Dragon. But before the cosmic sea could strike, the Azure Dragon vanished, this time appearing above the Evil King.

"Always hiding and dodging…" The Evil King felt annoyed as the Sea of the Universe chased upward.

"Hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate!" Just then, the Evil King heard a heavy, resentful voice rising from below, laced with infinite anger and hatred. He instantly sensed danger and retreated to the side with maximum speed.

Swish!

A white light shot up from where the Evil King had been standing—it was the Tiger Soul Blade! Had the Evil King not moved in time, he would have been cut in half.

Of course, even avoiding the Tiger Soul Blade, the Evil King faced another attack: a fiery red feather fan, soaring in the sky. With a mere gentle wave, it unleashed crimson flames that covered heaven and earth. This was no ordinary flame; it was the legendary Three Absolute Fires of Heaven and Earth, said to be capable of burning a hole through the sky, its power derived from the Vermilion Bird, one of the Four Divine Beasts!

"Blazing Fire of Destruction, Extinguish Heaven and Earth!"

Under the Shadow King’s control, the Vermilion Bird Feather Fan spun furiously, releasing even more terrifying Three Absolute Fires.

At this moment, the Shadow King was utilizing the power of the Four Sacred Beasts to its absolute limit: Black Tortoise for defense, Azure Dragon for misdirection, White Tiger for the main attack, and Vermilion Bird for control… Even the Earth-tier Four Sacred Beasts, by mastering their essence, could unleash power far exceeding their rank. This was his true strength, the true mastery of the Tome of Beasts!

Clearly, the Shadow King was fighting with everything he had, possibly even exceeding his limits. Facing such an opponent, even the Evil King, despite his confidence, dared not treat the situation lightly. His face was grave as he fully displayed the power of the Cosmic Chart.

The Cosmic Chart shuddered in all four directions; the Four Sacred Beasts roared to their utmost. The battle between the two was incredibly fierce.

It had only been a few seconds since the Shadow King began his desperate fight with the Evil King, starting with the Tiger Soul Blade. In that time, Lin Luo had recovered his senses. Although the devouring of the Destruction Black Flame shocked him, seeing the Shadow King’s attacks have an effect confirmed that the Evil King's cosmic power was not unbreakable.

Lin Luo was beginning to understand: the so-called cosmic power was likely the Evil King absorbing the universe's energy through some means, then converting it into the Cosmic Chart—his Little Universe.

But the power a human body could unleash was finite. Just as pain provided an unconscious mechanism to limit attack power as a protective measure, the Little Universe’s power must surely be inferior to the true cosmos. If the Evil King could truly absorb all the universe's energy, he might have surpassed the Heaven tier.

Given the Evil King's current realm, the amount of cosmic energy absorbed couldn't be excessive; too much would cause him to explode. Therefore… the cosmic power could be countered! The Shadow King likely knew this too.

"It seems I have to use that move…" Looking toward the distant battlefield, Lin Luo returned the Mist Rain Sword to his storage space and said heavily. Since the Destruction Black Flame was ineffective, other powers would be too. Whether Illusory Law or Creation Rule, they seemed insignificant against the power of the universe.

If he had any power left that could counter it, it could only be… The Circle.

A straight line is composed of infinite points, with a starting point and an endpoint. Once the endpoint is reached, there is no further progress—this is the tragedy of a straight line, the limit of humanity. But… if that straight line is bent into a circle, reaching the end means arriving at a new beginning. Though Lin Luo lacked the power of the Mind’s Eye to find opportunities for his own realm’s growth, through the power of the Circle, he could also surpass his limits and achieve self-breakthrough.

This was the power he found through his Seventh Sense: the power of the Circle!

Just as Tohsaka Rin said, it was simple for a magician to surpass limits—one just needed to be willing to self-harm. After mastering the power of the Circle, Lin Luo could also undergo limitless transcendence and breakthroughs. Of course, the aftereffects of such transcendence would be greater than for a magician, and after numerous breakthroughs, he risked self-destruction. This was the fundamental reason Lin Luo had always hesitated to use the Circle’s power.

But now, there was no other way!

Snap!

Lin Luo clapped his palms together, an unprecedented determination flashing in his eyes. Then, he slowly and evenly spread his hands outward. Instantly, a 'Circle,' transparent and pure like a water sphere, formed between his hands. Then, Lin Luo pressed this 'Circle' toward his own body…

Even amidst intense combat, the Evil King observed all six directions and listened to all eight sounds, clearly seeing Lin Luo’s actions. When he saw that circle, even he couldn't help but change expression, thinking inwardly: What is that?

For no discernible reason, the Evil King instinctively felt a sense of impending doom. His intuition told him that this seemingly insignificant object posed a significant threat to him.

He really should have eliminated him at the start! The Evil King gritted his teeth internally. He felt a little regret for not using his strongest power to finish Lin Luo earlier… In truth, this couldn't be blamed on him; after all, as long as one remains human, no one can completely control their emotions. If emotions could be controlled, the person would cease to be human and become merely a mechanical existence.

Seeing that the circle was already more than halfway absorbed into Lin Luo’s body, the feeling of danger within the Evil King intensified. Though he wanted to strike Lin Luo down before the integration completed, the Shadow King's attacks kept him tied down temporarily. He could only grit his teeth in frustration.

When he first met Lin Luo in Gensokyo, the Shadow King had vaguely sensed an extremely mysterious power within Lin Luo, though he couldn't confirm it then. Seeing this scene now, he knew his feeling was correct. If even the Evil King felt threatened, the power, once unleashed, would be terrifying.

Given this, he certainly couldn't allow the Evil King to deal with Lin Luo now. The power of the Four Sacred Beasts was utilized to its peak, completely bogging down the Evil King and preventing him from diverting his focus. To achieve final victory, the Shadow King was clearly fighting desperately. Simultaneously using the power of the Four Sacred Beasts placed a tremendous burden on him, exceeding his own capacity and harming him as much as his opponent. This was why he hadn't used this power initially; after all, a mutually destructive strategy is one no one would employ unless absolutely necessary.

Lin Luo’s integration time wasn't slow; in less than several seconds, the circle was completely inside his body. Instantly, he felt a surging, overwhelming power spinning rapidly within him, cycling from start to end, and from end back to start, breaking past his personal limits. Power was ready to burst forth!

"Now, let’s test it. Where is the limit of your universe?" Lin Luo raised his head, electric coldness flashing in his eyes, his icy gaze piercing the Evil King, making the latter feel instantly scrutinized.

Zing!

The Evil King just registered the danger when a flash of electric light appeared—Lin Luo was already in front of him. This wasn't Instant Movement; it was speed that transcended limits. If previously Lin Luo was shocked by the Evil King's speed and couldn't react, now the tables had completely turned. He threw a punch—no Destruction Black Flame, no Creation Rules, no attached energy—just a simple straight punch delivered with pure physical strength.

Boom!

First, Lin Luo's speed was too fast. Second, the Evil King was preoccupied dealing with the Shadow King's attacks, preventing him from gathering sufficient power to counter Lin Luo. Although he conjured the Sea of the Universe to shield himself, against the current power of Lin Luo, the Sea of the Universe simply couldn't withstand the blow; it was shattered by the single punch and vanished into nothingness.

"This is?!" Not only did this shock the Evil King, but even the Shadow King found it baffling. Although he could block attacks from the Sea of the Universe, that sea was 'universe' compressed to high density; theoretically, it shouldn't be shatterable… Lin Luo’s attack was entirely unexpected.

Of course, in Lin Luo’s view, this was logical. While the universe is boundless and contains infinite power, its essence operates via cycles. Sunrise to sunset forms a circle; time from one point to the next forms a circle; the sun revolves around the earth in a circle; even the entire galaxy can be viewed as a circle. In short, everything in this universe is fundamentally cyclical—a Circle!

And Lin Luo, who possessed the power of the Circle, represented possession of this universe's most fundamental power. Theoretically, he could attack anything; the universe… could no longer stop him!

Shattering the Sea of the Universe with one punch, Lin Luo's attack didn't stop there. Instead, he increased his power and drove straight toward the Evil King. The seemingly powerless fist concealed astonishing destructive force.

The Evil King was formidable; facing the combined assault of Lin Luo and the Shadow King, he didn't retreat but advanced a step. The Cosmic Chart seemed like a collapsing sky, pressing down fiercely from above them, its cosmic pressure engulfing everything.

But!

"The essence of the universe is the Circle!"

Lin Luo roared, driving his right fist toward the Evil King while raising his left hand upward. A massive circle materialized in his palm, spinning rapidly, forcefully blocking the Cosmic Chart. At this moment, he possessed the strength of the heavens!

Bang!

Simultaneously, Lin Luo’s right fist struck the Evil King's chest. The explosive force completely destroyed the Evil King's defensive net, blasting him backward, causing him to plummet thousands of meters into the Dead Sea.

PS: Come on, brothers, give me more monthly votes! My burst chapter writing is hard work too; you guys can't let me down too much…