The young tannin collapsed onto the ground, right beside the fissure Susanoo had carved earlier.

  He’s incredibly strong… and fast, Rodrigo thought as he forced himself back to his feet. His wounds began to heal once more, though noticeably slower than before.

  Asclepius only managed to awaken two of my chakras… but if I can open the third, I can fight him on equal footing.

  “The next strike shall be thy last, Rodrigo-san,”

  Susanoo declared as his wooden sandals touched the ground once more.

  “I shall endeavor to make thy passing as painless as honor allows.”

  Rodrigo and the god of Yamato stood separated only by the great chasm Susanoo had opened earlier.

  Asclepius said that in adversity, the body can perform miracles, Rodrigo thought, closing his eyes and trying to calm his breathing.

  I have to focus… I must awaken the third chakra.

  Within his mind, he envisioned the serpent Kundalini, already coiled around his first two chakras, rising upward toward the third—located in his abdomen.

  Come on… come on… rise! Rise to my stomach!

  But his nerves betrayed him, and his concentration wavered.

  “Sayonara, Rodrigo-san,”

  Susanoo cried as he lunged forward, gripping his sword with both hands, aiming to sever the young tannin’s neck.

  At that instant, Rodrigo’s eyes snapped open.

  A white energy erupted around his body, blasting Susanoo backward. Sacred flames enveloped the tannin, shimmering like divine fire.

  I did it! Rodrigo thought in disbelief and exhilaration.

  “Remarkable…”

  Susanoo said, visibly surprised—then smiling.

  “Even without thine ofuda, thy power is most formidable.

  Verily… the Ryujin are wondrous beings.”

  Rodrigo leapt toward Susanoo and struck him with his left fist, blazing with white energy—then with his right. He continued striking relentlessly, blow after blow, while the god of Yamato was unable to defend himself.

  Susanoo was hurled into a pile of rubble left behind by the earlier earthquake and vanished within it.

  Yet he was far from defeated.

  With an explosive force, the debris scattered in all directions as Susanoo emerged once more, resuming his battle stance.

  “Raios de luz (Beams of light)!” Rodrigo shouted again, unleashing a rapid barrage of white energy blasts.

  Susanoo cut through them at first—but soon realized they were coming faster and faster. Several struck his body, and before he could recover, hundreds hit him head-on, launching him far beyond Rodrigo’s sight.

  Just as Rodrigo felt he had finally inflicted serious damage, a colossal blue-white beam of light tore through the land, racing straight toward him.

  Rodrigo raised his scaled arms and barely managed to deflect the attack skyward. But more beams followed. He couldn’t evade them all—several struck him directly, carving deep wounds across his body.

  Susanoo reappeared above him, sword glowing with intense blue light.

  “Mizu no Kiru (Water Slice)!”

  A crescent of energy surged forth—but Rodrigo caught it with both hands and hurled it outward, slicing several distant mountains clean in half.

  “Shimatta!”

  Susanoo exclaimed, realizing he had left himself open.

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  Rodrigo roared with all his might:

  “My strongest technique—Esfera de Venus (Venus Sphere)!”

  A massive orb of energy formed in his left hand and was hurled straight at Susanoo. It struck him directly, forcing a cry of agony from the god of Yamato as he was blasted skyward.

  The sphere collided with the dimensional barrier surrounding Mars and detonated in a blinding white explosion.

  Susanoo’s body fell back to the ground, seemingly unconscious.

  Rodrigo stood there, breathing heavily. The attack had drained most of his mana—but it had been a direct hit.

  “How do you like my secret technique?” Rodrigo laughed weakly as he forced himself upright.

  “Subarashii!”

  Susanoo replied, rising once more as his wounds healed.

  “Truly magnificent, Rodrigo-san.”

  Rodrigo stared at him in horror.

  That was my strongest attack… and he endured it as though it were nothing.

  “Rodrigo-san,”

  Susanoo said calmly as he began walking toward him.

  “Among the Keres of Ares, I am ranked twelfth.

  Dost thou know the reason why?”

  Rodrigo remained silent.

  “Because I never revealed my true strength to those belligerent fools,”

  Susanoo continued serenely.

  “My true dominion lies in water.

  Though I was born a Suisei—a Mercury—my command over water surpasseth even that of the Tsuki, the Lunar gods I have known.”

  Susanoo raised his katana and pointed it at Rodrigo.

  “Mizu no Hari (Water Needles)!”

  Raindrops clinging to the blade reshaped themselves into countless tiny needles and fired forward at terrifying speed. They were too small and too fast for Rodrigo to fully evade.

  He fell to his knees, drenched in blood—only to look up in terror as Susanoo formed a massive spear of water using the rain and his blade.

  “Mizu no Yari (Water Spear)!”

  With a swift motion, Susanoo hurled the spear. It pierced straight through Rodrigo’s chest.

  Rodrigo tried to break it—but it was water. Every strike passed through it like a puddle.

  “Gomen ne… soshite, sayonara, Rodrigo-san,”

  Susanoo said softly as he swung his katana upward.

  Five spears of water erupted from the rain-soaked ground, impaling Rodrigo’s body from all sides.

  Immobilized, he felt his ichor draining away as darkness crept into his vision.

  Did I lose again?

  Is this how you intend to protect Ana and Epona… even Tania?

  Is this how you plan to save Anpiel?

  Susanoo raised his sword to deliver the final blow.

  But Rodrigo’s spirit had not yielded.

  With a furious roar, his energy surged once more. White flames engulfed his body, evaporating the water spears instantly.

  “No… not yet!” Rodrigo screamed, foam spilling from his mouth.

  “Masaka!”

  Susanoo gasped as Rodrigo launched himself forward, fists overflowing with white energy, pummeling the god’s face and body.

  He is becoming a beast…

  His blood must soon turn to venom, Susanoo realized.

  Reacting instantly, Susanoo planted his foot against Rodrigo’s body and leapt away, escaping the relentless assault.

  “Even as thou losest consciousness, remember this, Rodrigo-san,”

  Susanoo said, driving his katana into the ground.

  “Within this rain, I yet hold the winning hand.”

  He spoke calmly:

  “Shi no Ame (Rain of Death).”

  At once, the rain transformed into countless razor-sharp spears, raining down upon Rodrigo and tearing mercilessly through his body.

  “I wished not to employ this art,”

  Susanoo said solemnly.

  “Yet thou hast compelled me.

  I shall remember thee as an honorable warrior.”

  Suddenly, the rain ceased.

  The sky cleared.

  Susanoo frowned, sensing something amiss.

  He looked down and saw Rodrigo’s battered body on the ground—and something hovering above him.

  It was a small stone, reddish in color. Upon closer inspection, it bore a human face with an exaggerated jaw, adorned with a headdress of brilliant blue feathers.

  The stone generated a protective field around Rodrigo—an energy akin to wind itself.

  “Ah…”

  Susanoo smiled gently.

  “So this is thy ofuda, Rodrigo-san.”

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  The next part will be released Tomorrow.