Utsurui’s technique known as “Holy Devouring” is a sword skill that imbues the blade with the effects of Gerō, a spell that seals Kei.

Originally designed as a barrier that emanates from the caster to affect a wide area, in this variant, the weapon serves as the focal point, limiting the barrier’s influence to the immediate surroundings of the blade. It’s a sort of magical sword, in essence.

Using this technique allows one to easily slice through Kei-based attacks or break Kei-generated shields. While its effect is limited, it has the advantage of being activated quicker than Gerō.

Of course, it’s not an easy technique to master.

Learning Gerō itself takes over a decade and is considered a secret technique within the Fangxiang Clan. As Holy Devouring requires an even more intricate and unconventional application of this secret, the difficulty in mastering it is higher than that of Gerō.

Moreover, its utility is debatable. After all, instead of going through the roundabout process of imbuing your weapon with Gerō, you could simply deploy Gerō and neutralize the enemy’s Kei-based attacks and defenses.

Even though Holy Devouring can be activated more quickly, when considering its range of effectiveness, it’s quite clear which is more useful in combat.

What is demanded of a Nanashiki practitioner is first to master Gerō. Only then does Holy Devouring become meaningful—when confronted with enemies against whom Gerō is ineffective or when facing opponents who give you no opening to deploy Gerō.

For Utsurui, Ursula was precisely the kind of enemy that met these conditions. There was no need to hesitate in using his trump card.

Utsurui’s Holy Devouring, deployed without even a hint of drawing his blade, accurately caught Ursula’s left shoulder. It sliced through the Kei-based shield, cleaved her shoulder muscle, shattered her collarbone, and continued to gouge toward her heart.

It was a decisive blow that made the battle-hardened Utsurui believe he had won.

However, Utsurui, although confident of his victory, was not careless. Therefore, he was able to react immediately to Ursula’s movements, which had been invigorated by her Void Armor.

Ursula’s crimson blade swung toward Utsurui. Despite her severe injury, her counterattack executed with only her right arm was sharper than one would expect. Still, Utsurui had enough composure to leap backward, allowing the enemy’s attack to cut through empty air.

Or so he thought.

Immediately afterward, a burning heat surged from Utsurui’s left shoulder to his right hip.

“Wha–ugh!?”

Before he could even suspect anything, a burst of intense pain erupted, and fresh blood spewed from Utsurui’s mouth.

Realizing he had been cut, Utsurui internally lamented, Impossible. He was certain he had dodged the enemy’s counterattack.

Phantom Blade Style does possess techniques like “Flying Strike,” which send slashing attacks soaring through the air. However, what just occurred could definitively be stated as not being of that category.

The reason for such a claim is that the armor and clothing remained entirely undamaged. Ursula’s attack had passed through both armor and clothing, slashing only at the body from outside the weapon’s range.

Utsurui felt another internal groan; effectively, it was an unavoidable slash he had just endured.

“Void Armor” is the ultimate secret technique for Soul Equipment users, drawing out the power of their Anima to its limits. Having fought many Soul Equipment users up to this day, Utsurui knew this. He had even confronted enemies who had invoked Void Armor.

Some had obliterated mountains, some had reduced entire cities to ashes, and others had gouged everlasting pits into the earth.

In terms of sheer power, Ursula’s technique didn’t compare.

However, that didn’t mean it was not a threat. On the contrary, Ursula’s technique, which specialized only in slashing with the immense power of Void Armor, transforming it into an unerring strike, was even more dangerous than any Void Armor Utsurui had faced before. Had he not been injured by the previous attack, the last slash might have severed his heart.

Beneath his demonic visage, Utsurui twisted his face in thought.

Considering she did not immediately follow up with another strike, it was probably not a technique she could use without limitations. Among those who had invoked Void Armor in the past, some had died right after releasing their technique, without Utsurui having to slash them down.

Ursula appeared young, probably not even twenty yet. It was hard to believe that a swordsman of her age could perfectly control Anima. The strike she had just unleashed must have been quite a strain.

In other words, as Ursula ages and grows stronger, this attack will become more perfect.

A fatal sword that could slash from outside the weapon’s range, ignoring the enemy’s defense to accurately cut the body—or rather, the heart. It was the ultimate blade that even Sword Saints would yearn for.

Utsurui felt a shudder run down his back. Whether it was awe for the young talent before him or joy at encountering such an enemy to fight, he couldn’t tell.

However, one thing was clear: he had to defeat this flag-bearer here and now. Otherwise, this foe would undoubtedly become an obstacle hindering the great vow of the Underworld.

With that single resolve, Utgarza suppressed the acute pain coursing through his body and swallowed back the blood surging in his throat. He took a step forward towards Ursula.