Fighting in the dream world was different from fighting in the real world.

For Seiji’s entire group, everyone was much stronger in the dream world compared to the real world. The specifics of how much stronger each person was differed from person to person, and neither was the power increase stable, as everything was rather hazy.

Even so, Mai’s barrage of long-range sniper shots had exceeded her normal power level when she destroyed Yakushi’s clone! Being able to reach this level wasn’t due to her own power. It was also thanks to Seiji’s support and the White Sakura Goddess’s support.

At this moment, the maid felt like she was more powerful than ever before. Even if she acted as bait, she was fully confident that she would be able to protect herself.

Perhaps her confidence was actually arrogance, but she felt that it wouldn’t matter. If the worst happened, she was sure that Seiji would step in to protect her.

Snipers were high-priority targets to take out first in any battle.

Even though Yakushi knew it might be a trap, he had no other choice. Now that he knew an enemy sniper was around, he absolutely couldn’t let the sniper roam freely.

…Unless he could somehow defeat the entire enemy group in one attack.

Judging from the enemy group’s power shown so far, this was not likely to succeed. However, Yakushi decided to give it a try.

And so, he gave a command to Snake #9 to release its power.

“Gaaaaahhhiiiisssssssssssss!!!!”

The seven-headed snake monster made an ear-piercing screech that sounded like it was in agony. Its body sent out an explosive amount of dense black mist that forced everyone backwards. The snake’s giant body swiftly became much smaller, but an eighth snake head emerged from its body in return!

Although the snake monster had become smaller, it gave off an even more powerful aura than before. All its eyes started glowing bright red and giving off an ominous impression.

Destruction curse, “Snake Corrosion Blood”!

All eight snake heads simultaneously spat out destructive red beams of light! This light also had a disgusting stench of corrosion.

“Get behind me!” Seiji shouted towards all his companions while simultaneously activating his [Tremendous Light] spell formation to flash with a golden light that blocked the snake monster’s attack!

The bright red beams and the golden light viciously clashed, causing something that resembled liquid to be sent flying everywhere!!

Just this splashing caused some damage to Hisashi and several others. Everyone swiftly retreated behind Seiji.

Yakushi took this opportunity to circle around the enemy group to get behind them!

Natsuya and the others attacked, but were unable to stop him.

Seiji glanced over at Shika. She instantly understood what he wanted, so she chased after Yakushi.

Mai saw the enemy heading straight for her. She tried to camouflage herself, but Yakushi still locked onto her.

Since she was unable to hide, she would fight.

Mai raised the silver flashing sniper rifle in her hands, aimed, and fired!

More spiritual bullets arced towards the enemy.

Dodge spell, “Bee Dance”!

Yakushi’s body started glowing yellow as he swiftly flitted around in midair, leaving many afterimages behind while dodging the spiritual bullets.

None of Mai’s shots landed.

And then, seeing the enemy shoot a large number of spiritual needles at her, she ducked and dodged while still holding onto her sniper rifle, transforming into a high-speed silver flash.

However, Yakushi had already expected this. He waved his hand slightly, controlling his magic needles to follow his target!

Mai fiddled with her gun, changing it with a flash into an assault rifle form. She then turned around and shot at all the spiritual needles!

All the magic needles were destroyed by the assault rifle fire. Yakushi then created even more needles, but at this time, a girl wearing a blue skirt jumped into the air and shot out a large number of ice spikes at him!

*Bam!* Yakushi used his barrier to block this powerful spell. However, the impact from the ice spikes knocked him back more than ten meters.

The next instant, Yakushi’s beehive-shaped spell formations started glowing black. Two “Night Corrosion Claws” came out and swiftly grabbed at the blue skirt girl!

The blue skirt girl, or Shika Kagura, dodged one black claw by changing her direction in midair. At the same time, she used her Demon Blade Muramasa to slice through the other claw!

His “Night Corrosion Claw” was actually sliced cleanly through… Yakushi’s eyebrows went up at this scene.

He instantly decided to change his main target as he shot out a large number of needles at the blue skirt girl!

Destruction curse, [Devil Piercing Drill]!

Shika was prepared for an attack, and cast a spell which created a giant golden flashing ice drill. The ice drill crashed into the needles and destroyed all of them. Not only that, the ice drill’s momentum carried it onward, piercing right through Yakushi’s beehive barrier and slamming into his body!

Seeing this beautiful hit land, Mai who was still on the ground changed her gun back into a sniper rifle form. She aimed for Yakushi who was sent flying backward and shot out another round of spiritual bullets while he was still in midair!

Two of the bullets hit Yakushi directly. He barely managed to dodge the rest with his “Bee Dance” dodge skill. He was now heavily furrowing his eyebrows.

The blue skirt girl’s attacks seemed rather abnormal to him… Not only were they more powerful than the others’ attacks, her attacks seemed to contain a special killing power… could this be the “answer” that he was looking for?

When he thought of how this girl was likely the person who had truly succeeded in killing his Orochi experimental subjects, Yakushi’s expression actually became far more relaxed.

He waved his right hand, instantly creating a large amount of dense black mist around himself. The black mist swirled into his hand and formed a black sword.

Spirit sword, “Amane”!

With this sword in hand, Yakushi suddenly gave off an aura that he had just increased his power level significantly!

He then immediately pointed with his sword, shooting a black beam in Mai’s direction.

Mai’s expression flickered as the beam approached, giving her a tremendous sense of danger. She attempted to dodge at full speed!

*Boom!* After an explosion of light, a large patch of black mist arose and devoured her!

Shika worried about Mai after seeing this, but she knew that she couldn’t show any sign of distraction or weakness in front of such a powerful enemy. She could only continue attacking with her sword at full strength!

Yakushi used his black sword to casually block the gigantic blade of ice that Shika had created. Once again, he felt that her attack contained a special power.

“You were the one who killed those Orochi experimental subjects, am I right?” Yakushi asked this question.

Shika didn’t reply as she attacked yet again!

Yakushi blocked and counterattacked. Every time he swung his sword, more dense black mist was produced!

The two of them exchanged sword blows as ice and black mist violently clashed in midair. Several dozen blows were exchanged in just a short period of time.

In terms of technique, Shika was superior. However, Yakushi was more powerful now that he’d brought out his spirit sword. He managed to forcefully suppress Shika, and finally sent her falling down to the ground with a mighty blow!

Shika heavily crashed into the ground and rolled for a great distance before she finally managed to steady herself.

Still in midair, Yakushi pointed his sword at Shika and shot out another beam of black light!

Shika got up in time to dodge this beam as well as the black mist formed by the ensuing explosion.

Yet, this was all within Yakushi’s expectations.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Yakushi kept blasting black beams and intentionally missing her by slight margin each time. He did this until a large amount of black mist was on the ground, and then he created a hand seal…

Sealing curse, “Demon Chain”!

A giant black spell formation appeared in midair. All the mist swiftly gathered together, forming thick chains that surrounded the blue skirt girl! The chains then started contracting, forming a barrier of pitch-black chains that were about to seal her inside!

At this moment, spiritual bullets shot directly at Yakushi. He didn’t even look as he blocked them all with his sword, and then he swiftly counterattacked with a sword beam aiming at the ambusher, the maid Mai!

The maid was unable to dodge this attack. At the last moment, she vanished, replaced by a small paper figure that was torn apart by the sword beam.

Shika gritted her teeth and resisted against the imprisonment. While sealed away inside these chains, she was unable to activate Seiji’s “Paper Substitution” spell to escape.

A golden Seiji clone appeared and swung its White Lotus spirit sword against the chain barrier.

Yakushi flashed in front of the Seiji clone and blocked the White Lotus sword attack with his black sword. Yakushi then counterattacked with a sword swing that sent out a tremendous amount of black mist, crushing Seiji’s telekinesis clone!

Yakushi intended to capture this blue skirt girl. He would not allow anyone to interfere.

He powered up his “Demon Chain” sealing spell to its utmost capability, then tossed out his black “Amane” sword directly at the chains. The sword transformed into a black snake that opened its jaws wide, about to devour Shika together with the entire chain sealing spell!!

A powerful glint appeared in Shika’s eyes as she sensed critical danger approaching her.

A special aura slowly started emanating from her body.

At this moment, Seiji, who was still on the frontline, once again activated his “Tremendous Light” spell formation and cooperated with his companions to fully suppress the now eight-headed snake monster!

Seiji created eight blinding golden swords above the snake monster, and pierced through each one of the snake monster’s heads!!

Snake #9 wasn’t even able to scream anymore as he felt tremendous pain.

However, Snake #9 still hadn’t died from this. Even after everything that Seiji and his companions had done to Snake #9, that still wasn’t enough to destroy this troublesome monster.

Still, it was enough for Seiji to finally have some free time to deal with Yakushi.

Seiji left the snake monster to Natsuya and the others. He swiftly went to the rear, where Shika was.

If anything happened to Shika, he would absolutely crush Yakushi and tear him apart to pieces!!!