The moment she was blasted away by Tohsaka Rin, even the usually composed Slayer could no longer remain calm. Her detection was absolutely infallible; the opponent’s strength was merely Quasi-Heavenly Rank, a full tier below her. Under the established reality, she shouldn't have been able to withstand her attack, so what was happening now?

Because half of her face was covered in steel, the Slayer's expression didn't show much change, but she was genuinely shocked internally. Her sharp gaze fixed on Tohsaka Rin, and she scanned her again—the data was drastically different from before.

Victory Probability: 50%. Solo Kill Rate: 0%. Defeat Probability: 50%.

Looking at this bizarre set of data, even the Slayer was slightly bewildered. The Victory Probability referred to her chances of winning, so a 50/50 split with the Defeat Probability wasn't strange, but the Solo Kill Rate being 0% was absurd. Did that mean it was impossible for her to kill Tohsaka Rin?

Yet, if Tohsaka Rin truly possessed the strength to match her, how could her Victory Probability only be 50%? No matter how weak the others were, they couldn't possibly be completely useless!

The Slayer was momentarily lost, and at the same time, Tohsaka Rin was also significantly shocked. She looked at her own hand, then at the Slayer across from her, frowning. I used Armor Break, but it only managed to repel her, not penetrate her defense. Does that mean my strongest power still can't break her defense? Damn it, if that’s the case, I’ll have to use a Transcendence Skill, but... I haven't grasped a Transcendence Skill yet. Others probably haven't either, unless it’s that guy... Never mind, I'll try again!

Tohsaka Rin refused to believe it and reactivated Magecraft Phantasm, instantly closing the distance to the Slayer, launching another punch.

Having experienced the unexpected just moments ago, the Slayer was already on guard this time. She glared, raised her sword, and swung down hard. But Tohsaka Rin was prepared. Her body shimmered again, shifting sideways. Then, the trajectory of her fist changed, and with a sharp clang, Tohsaka Rin’s punch struck directly against the blade of the sword.

The immense force almost ripped the sword from the Slayer’s grasp, but she reacted quickly enough, immediately pulling back to neutralize the crushing power.

She seems to be aiming for me, but she’s actually aiming for my sword?

Through this exchange, the Slayer vaguely grasped Tohsaka Rin's attack intent, but what about that speed? For some reason, she felt Tohsaka Rin’s speed completely surpassed the realm of mere velocity. Otherwise, no matter how fast teleportation was, it couldn't be faster than her!

There were no fluctuations in time. There were no changes in space. It even surpassed her own perception, as if... the world itself had actively adjusted her coordinates at that moment... Could it be?!

Suddenly, the Slayer grasped a possibility.

If that was the case, this opponent was indeed incredibly troublesome.

Although the Slayer had never underestimated the enemy before her, failing to gain any advantage in two successive exchanges made her realize she hadn't been sufficiently cautious. Thus, she decisively changed her tactic, ceasing any aggressive moves. Instead, she stood poised in the void, sword held ready, waiting for Tohsaka Rin to advance.

She believed that with one more try, she could unravel the secret behind that speed.

However, Tohsaka Rin, having repelled the Slayer twice, did not press the attack this time. She stood still, just like her opponent, then turned to look at the others, spreading her hands in a gesture of helplessness. "This is troublesome. Without activating that, it’s simply impossible."

"I knew it the moment I saw it, but you should probably stand down. Three strikes and you're out, you'll expose everything if you keep fighting," Shana stated calmly, her gaze fixed on the Slayer. She brushed her hand across the blade of Nietono no Shana, the bright surface reflecting her fierce expression. "I really didn't want to use this, but since it’s come to this, let’s try a different approach... World Heart Activated—Flame Shadow!"

As the words fell, torrents of crimson lotus fire flashed, and Shana’s body instantly transformed into a ball of flame. Then, almost simultaneously, Shana, wielding Nietono no Shana, materialized behind the Slayer. The sharp sword gleam, emanating a cold, clear light, heavily cleaved downward.

"Power Activated—Hunt Kill!"

This sword strike was utterly ordinary. There were no flashy effects of lightning or fire, no earth-shattering sounds, and the speed showed no discernible highlight. It was so plain that not only sword masters but even beginners could execute it. But! As that single strike descended, the entire world seemed to lose sound, lose color. Heaven and earth felt vast, as if only this one sword... was the ultimate reality!

When Shana spoke, the Slayer had directed most of her attention toward her, remaining vigilant. But she had absolutely not anticipated that her opponent could appear silently behind her. By the time she realized it, it was too late. Although instinct compelled her to dodge, the edge of the blade still grazed her shoulder.

With a shrieking tear, the supposedly impenetrable steel armor instantly showed a clear gash.

Not only is reality lying, but now my very perception is inaccurate? Watching this, the Slayer was filled with shock and confusion. However, this was not the time for contemplation, nor would her opponent grant her the chance. She instantly composed herself, her eyes blazing with fierce intent, and swung her sword wildly.

Clang!

The two blades met again. Shana gritted her teeth, holding firm, but in terms of raw power, the Slayer still held the advantage. She could only hold on for a moment before being violently thrown back.

The Slayer pressed her advantage, unleashing hundreds of slashes in the blink of an eye.

Amidst the dazzling flurry of sword shadows, Shana’s body dissolved into crimson lotus fire, vanishing instantly.

But the Slayer was not pleased; instead, she was alarmed. The moment the crimson lotus vanished, she jerked her head up, and just as she expected, she saw Shana descending from the sky, sword aimed at her.

Swish! Swish!

Two wings suddenly unfurled from the Slayer’s back, stretching hundreds of meters, shooting upward like a pair of sharp daggers.

The Flame Shadow was seen through?!

Shana gasped internally, daring not to advance further. Her plummeting body halted abruptly, and she veered sharply to the side. However, those two dagger-like wings moved like spiritual snakes, making an abrupt turn mid-flight to pursue her closely.

"Hunt Kill!"

Helpless, Shana retaliated with a counter-slash. Clang, clang! She finally repelled the two wings, but before she could feel relief, the wings instantly accelerated, catching up to her once more. In an instant, thousands of light-shadows converged, slashing toward her.

"Damn it!" Shana’s teeth were clenched tight as she retreated while blocking the barrage of attacks. The speed now completely exceeded the limits of naked-eye capture. Forget the sword stance; she couldn't even see a silhouette—only the incessant clang-clang-clang of metal striking metal echoed through the air.

The confrontation between Shana and the Slayer seemed slow when described in writing, but in reality, less than a single breath had passed since they engaged, precisely because their speeds were too immense. Anyone with slightly lesser strength wouldn't even know what had happened, let alone witness the exchange.

However, among those present, finding someone of that caliber who could perceive it was exceedingly difficult. Just because they could see didn't mean they could intervene effectively. Against the current Slayer, only those possessing "Special Abilities" could truly step in without becoming a hindrance—for example...

"World Heart Activated—Aurora!"

Sakagami Tomoyo and the others had been observing the battle. Just as the Slayer sought to uncover the secrets of their abilities, they too were trying to find the Slayer's weakness. Therefore, up until this point, only three people had made a move to maintain an air of mystery. Now, seeing Shana cornered, Sakagami Tomoyo finally stepped in again.

The moment the word escaped her lips, her entire form transformed into a streak of flowing light, shooting rapidly toward the Slayer.

The Slayer was attacking Shana relentlessly, intending to finish her, but she hadn't let down her guard against the others. Sakagami Tomoyo's attack was already within her expectation.

Seeing the attack coming, she unhesitatingly swung her sword.

A crescent-shaped beam of light whistled through the air, about to collide with Sakagami Tomoyo. At that critical moment, Sakagami Tomoyo made an unexpected move. She leaped into the air, narrowly dodging the sword light, and then sharply tapped her toe downward.

"Power Activated—Armor Break!"

Carrying the same Armor Break power as Tohsaka Rin, her toe connected with the beam of sword light. With a loud crash, the seemingly indestructible sword light shattered completely. Using that minimal recoil, she propelled herself toward the Slayer with even greater speed, landing an immediate side kick.

Bang!

Sakagami Tomoyo’s sudden acceleration exceeded the Slayer’s expectations. However, she was a Heavenly Rank powerhouse, and having suffered two blows relying on speed, she naturally wouldn't repeat that mistake. She placed her sword-wielding right hand forward, effectively blocking Sakagami Tomoyo’s attack.

Then, with her other hand shaped into a five-clawed hook, she lunged directly for Sakagami Tomoyo's face.

"Armor Break!"

However, the Slayer's attack failed because, at that precise moment, Tohsaka Rin had re-entered the fray, forcefully disrupting the offensive.

Although the Slayer could manage multiple tasks, the simultaneous intervention of Tohsaka Rin and Sakagami Tomoyo put significant pressure on her. The degree of control over her two wings naturally decreased, finally relieving Shana’s pressure and allowing her to counterattack.

In an instant, the four had become locked in fierce combat.

Tohsaka Rin and the other two possessed special abilities the Slayer did not understand. Even as a Heavenly Rank powerhouse, she couldn't achieve an overwhelming advantage in a short time. While it seemed they were evenly matched, to the keen observer, the Slayer's advantage was subtly growing.

"It seems our abilities have been seen through by the opponent. We can't just stand by either," Isayama Yomi said at this moment, having remained inactive until now.

Tsuchimiya Kagura nodded gravely.

Then, the two exchanged a look, hands clasping together.

"World Heart Power Activated—Fusion!"

In a flash, the two figures merged into one.

PS: It's almost the end of the month already. Although the updates haven't been frequent, I'm weakly requesting monthly votes. I’ve been asking for this for over a year; suddenly stopping feels quite strange... Well, I don't know how many people will still give them.