Chapter 86 The Owl's Illusion Shattered by Chun Hei
The Young Father's difficulty surpassed that of Ashina Castle. In the first phase, his only dangerous attack was a low sweep, which could be countered by jumping and stomping on his head. If the stomp missed, he would raise his sword; this was an opportunity to inflict damage and then dodge with a step. The timing was precise; if one didn't attack and simply dodged, he would immediately counter with a sweeping cut that was hard to block. This method allowed for a stable two hits.
However, entering the second phase, the Father not only employed low sweeps but also wove tricky, lethal techniques into his illusions, making him extremely formidable. At this point, only the Loaded Umbrella could withstand this storm of attacks. He deployed the Loaded Umbrella, a weapon upgraded from the Sculptor before coming to this map, rarely used. Coupled with the Phoenix Flower, the Father in his Owl form was exposed. His lightning-fast attacks were all parried, and the Father stared thoughtfully at Wolf's left hand.
"Hmm—"
"A prosthetic arm. It's the Sculptor's weapon."
"Wondrous things always happen in this world..."
At this moment, the Owl was greatly perplexed as to how his adopted son could possess the Sculptor, also known as the Great Shinobi Owl,’s weapon at this juncture. Yet, Chun Hei offered him no time to ponder. Seizing an opportunity, he cornered the Father and used the Secret Art: Ichimonji to forcefully pin him against the wall! Clang, clang, clang!!! Utilizing the terrain to his advantage, he successfully gained a significant amount of health. But was the Young Father easily defeated?
Taking advantage of a gap in Chun Hei's attack, the Father reached into his robes, and a string of firecrackers exploded in the air. Crackle, crackle!! Smoke billowed, momentarily obscuring Chun Hei's vision. He subtly sidestepped forward to regain his sight.
【Peril】
The scarlet text appeared above his head. Without a second thought, Chun Hei switched to the Loaded Umbrella. Swish! Ding, ding, ding, ding!!! As the umbrella opened, crisp clanging sounds reverberated. After blocking the first wave of fierce attacks, Chun Hei pushed off the ground, rapidly retreating, leaving an afterimage in his wake.
Having created distance, Chun Hei carefully managed the gap between himself and the Father, contemplating how to safely deplete the Father's remaining health. He was at his wit's end; any slight misstep could mean missing the opportunity to end it all, an opportunity earned through nearly a hundred attempts.
The second phase differed from the first in several moves. Firstly, after the Father disappeared, one had to observe the Owl's position. He would pause in one spot and perform furious jumping slashes. Only by continuously running would one avoid being hit. When the Father summoned the Owl to his hand, quickly create distance. Facing the Father, run left or right to dodge the Phantom Eagle's attacks. If one dodged far enough to be out of the Giant Ninja's thrust range, his moves would be ineffective.
Other moves to watch out for included his leaping back kicks, which released five shurikens. Unlike in the first phase, one couldn't pursue; instead, one had to block the shurikens before attacking. With only one bar of health left, the Father could still unleash at least one more illusion, three jumping slashes, and a cunning shuriken skill combo. Additionally, there were firecrackers, forbidden medicine, and other minor tricks. He had to deftly evade these unpredictable skill combinations that could appear at any moment while gradually chipping away at the Father's posture to break it. It was challenging, but not impossible.
"Here it comes!"
The Father initiated with a jumping slash, and Chun Hei skillfully parried. Clang, clang!! "Now!" *Swipe*! Chun Hei seized the moment the Father sheathed his sword, flashing forward and unleashing the Purple Sun Sword with all his might. Sizzle, sizzle!!!
"I dodge!" Having landed two hits, he absolutely did not greedily press his advantage! Chun Hei, exhibiting peak discipline, immediately retreated to dodge the Father's low sweep. Before he could stabilize, a hawk's cry echoed. Screech!! Azure spirit hawks swirled with light. Chun Hei decisively raised his umbrella to defend. Ding, ding, ding, ding!!! With the illusion gone, Chun Hei once again stepped forward, landing two quick hits. The Owl was enraged, and five shurikens flew from his hand.
"Hahaha, Father, your moves are all transparent to me." Chun Hei swung his sword five times, successfully blocking all the shurikens. Essentially, if he couldn't finish off the nearly depleted Chun Hei after this move, it would herald the Father's demise. Clang, clang, clang!! After dealing with these moves, Chun Hei patiently forced the Father into a corner. As his posture reached its limit, a red heart, symbolizing a weak point, appeared at the Father's neck. Chun Hei leaped high, spinning behind the Father.
"I'm sorry, Father! Goodbye!" *Slish!*
"Defeated by your son, eh." The Owl collapsed weakly, a hint of unwillingness in his voice, "This is surprisingly refreshing..."
【Slay】
【Acquired: Divine Dragon's Blossom
A Divine Dragon Blossom that bloomed in distant memory. It was brought back by Juro as a memento of the Divine Realm. A flower cultivated and grafted by the Divine Child. If one wishes to return to mortal form, feed the Dragon Heritage Prince the Dragon's Tears and the Divine Dragon Blossom. Additionally, one matter must be noted:
【The immortality born from Dragon Heritage's blood will bind its master】
Therefore, it must be severed】
Having defeated the Father and acquired the Divine Dragon Blossom, the essential item for the Return to the Mortal World ending was now obtained.
"I am prepared to offer myself!" Chun Hei stared blankly at the description of the Divine Dragon Blossom for a moment, his gaze gradually hardening. He sat before the Sculptor's Idol and, in an instant, returned to the dilapidated temple of the present time. It was worth noting that Emma had not yet left.
"I got it," Chun Hei stated plainly.
"This is the Divine Dragon Blossom..." Emma murmured, gazing at the flower in Chun Hei's hand, her voice filled with awe, "Yes, indeed... it cannot be wrong."
"..."
"...Please, let me have a good look at your face." The sudden request left Chun Hei somewhat flustered.
"..."
"Something must have happened, right?"
"Now the Prince can return to being mortal. I just need to complete what I must do." Chun Hei did not tease Emma as he usually did; his eyes were firm and resolute.
"I understand. I wish you good fortune in battle."
"God/T/..."
"I say, you know, just do your best." Clearly, they were still unwilling to reveal the secrets to Wolf. Helpless, Chun Hei feigned departure and continued to eavesdrop:
The Sculptor: "Emma... is it truly alright to let him go?"
"Even if we tried to stop him, he would leave anyway."
"Hmph, I suppose so."
Emma: "Sculptor, at the very least, I wish to pray for him. I hope he succeeds."
"Yes, let's do that."
...
Caring for each other, yet unwilling to say it face-to-face. People, they are always so peculiar. Chun Hei thought of his own family, who also wove their concern into the details of their lives but were unwilling to utter it in front of their child. Little did they know, sometimes, what they truly longed for were those unspoken words of care.
...