Sakura Country.
Kyushu Island.
Imperial Palace Ruins.
"Heh..."
"You... what else do you have to say now..."
Jiu Bai, covered in blood, looked at Tanaka Ken-go and Chizuru Gin-shiro before him with disdain.
The two were currently entangled by black vines created by Jiu Bai, barely clinging to life.
They never imagined that Jiu Bai could be so formidable, having annihilated them all and even capturing the two of them.
It could only be said that the purifying wind against mechanical equipment had truly stunned them. Their poor adaptation to attribute shifts without equipment had led to severe losses...
Furthermore, under these circumstances, their life-saving items had become almost meaningless, and with no way to contact their reinforcements, they could only accept their fate.
However, to subdue them, Jiu Bai had also paid a heavy price.
It could be seen that the entire Imperial Palace had been razed on the battlefield, reduced to shattered fragments.
And the Ascetics, represented by Jiu Bai, had all sacrificed their lives, becoming nourishment for the earth.
Apart from himself, not another soul was left standing in the entire arena.
"Destroying the Imperial Palace, killing my compatriots, crushing the nation's foundation..."
"Do you... even know what you are doing!"
Jiu Bai, consumed by extreme rage, had fallen into a frenzy.
His bloodshot eyes gave a rough indication of his mental state.
It could be said that the events of these past few days had dealt him an overwhelming blow...
Especially seeing the Ascetics he had lived and worked with day in and day out fall, and to their own kin's blades, it was no wonder he had lost his composure.
Tanaka Ken-go's face was contorted with agony from the intense pain.
He deeply regretted his decision to come here in person...
He had thought that with thorough preparation, everything would be foolproof.
But the approaching mist, like a wind of purification, had completely disrupted his plan, causing him to lose all initiative and become Jiu Bai's prisoner.
However, on the surface, Tanaka Ken-go showed no fear, spitting at Jiu Bai.
"Now you've won, say whatever you want..."
"I understand the law of the victor and the vanquished! But if you're going to humiliate us, you might as well give us a quick end, befitting your gentlemanly reputation."
After speaking, Tanaka Ken-go sighed deeply, "What a pity, what a pity..."
"I calculated everything, but I never expected you to have this trick up your sleeve..."
"Such a poisonous mist and trickery. To fall victim to something like this, I suppose it's worth it."
Even now, Tanaka Ken-go had not realized that the changes brought about by the mist were a global phenomenon. He still believed it was a desperate last resort from Jiu Bai and his group within the palace.
Jiu Bai glared at him fiercely, not answering directly.
Frankly, he was even more clueless about the origin and whereabouts of the mist than Tanaka Ken-go.
However, he was not so foolish as to reveal this, merely reminding himself to be wary of enemies lurking in the shadows.
Especially now, with his bio-chip damaged.
Those who were accustomed to bio-chips and considered them an extension of themselves relied heavily on them for detection and probing.
After all, not everyone possessed a formidable cheat like Lin Ran's Eternal Kaleidoscope. Therefore, it was natural for them to struggle to adapt after losing this means, requiring extreme caution.
After glaring at Tanaka Ken-go, Jiu Bai shifted his gaze to Chizuru Gin-shiro.
"This fellow harbored ambitions of becoming emperor and instigating rebellion, which is somewhat understandable. But what about you?"
"The Emperor of Sakura, who is he, and what relation does he have to you? You, who are detached from society, have no need to get involved in this mess of rebellion..."
"Do you... really yearn to be a meritorious official in the emperor's rise to power?"
Faced with Jiu Bai's scolding, Chizuru Gin-shiro remained silent.
She could not possibly reveal her true intentions to Jiu Bai, and lying would be pointless, so she chose to remain silent.
Since Jiu Bai would not let her go no matter what she said, she might as well face death with dignity...
She wondered how her master was doing now.
As the one responsible for preparing the formation, she must have discovered the formation's damage long ago. She might have also undergone the mist's cleansing, losing the assistance of mechanical equipment.
It was quite surprising that she hadn't come here herself to witness the events.
Could it be that she was intercepted by someone else along the way?
Seeing that her last hope was not arriving, Chizuru Gin-shiro essentially gave up on that thought and resigned herself to accepting her fate.
Seeing the two silent figures waiting to die, Jiu Bai was so enraged he almost laughed.
"Fine! None of you will speak, will you... Do you really underestimate me that much?"
"Do you think that as the ultimate weapon of the Imperial Palace, I only have so many tricks?"
"If you won't speak, I have ways to make you speak!"
Saying this, Jiu Bai channeled his magic, planting a seed on the withered earth. The seed rapidly grew, sprouted, bloomed, and bore fruit, transforming into a captivating, carnivorous flower that opened its maw towards them.
Jiu Bai's urgency stemmed from his concern for the safety of Kannai Gusai.
After all, the purpose of these two was quite clear – they were here to kill Kannai Gusai!
But they had no idea that Kannai Gusai was not hiding in the Imperial Palace at this moment...
Their certainty that Kannai Gusai would be here must have been due to the belief that Kannai Gusai was in grave danger and needed to seek refuge in the Imperial Palace.
Now that he had lost the palace he guarded and the personnel he commanded, only Kannai Gusai remained as his last concern.
But if he couldn't extract any information from these two, how would he, without his bio-chip, search for Kannai Gusai across Kyushu Island?
Just as Jiu Bai was manipulating his carnivorous flower, a sound of a water droplet falling echoed beside him.