Forge a path to success.

Chapter 89 Silent Deathmatch
"Force field...object displacement!! Dodge! Dodge!!"

The sound of wind. The sound of collision. A jumble of noises. Van der's scream. Blood flowed from the void, and a part of himself dissipated with it. It was a strange feeling, like hiding inside and watching death, watching life flow away from the blood, like a thin ribbon of blood flying into the distance.

Then came the excruciating pain. Pain unlike anything I'd ever experienced. It felt like my brain had been ripped open, my nerves torn apart by brute force. The urge to scream echoed within me, a suffocating feeling gripping my neck. If I didn't speak, I would die. I needed to breathe. Stop. Stop—

"Get away!!"

Chu Hengkong forcefully shut his lips, almost grinding his teeth to powder. He used the momentum from the slash to retreat, crossing the trench carved by the disintegrating ray. He successfully avoided the attack; the Immortal Machine's next strike hadn't arrived yet. There was no foothold on the ravaged ground, and the enemy needed time to close the distance. But he couldn't see any details. He couldn't see anything. He barely managed to assume a fighting stance. How many seconds were left? How much time did he have?
There are 4.87 seconds remaining until the event ends.

The Immortal Machine's computational circuits provided the conclusion, freeing it from the interference of the Ghostly Body's tampering attack, arriving at a flawless and infallible argument. Singularity Z-3000-3… Chu Hengkong's posture was full of flaws; even his direction of attack was misjudged. However, for this enemy, the preparation time for the full-power splitting ray was too long, and the current energy reserves did not allow for another misjudgment.

Therefore, the Immortal Machine adjusted its nozzles, and colorless flames shot out from behind its needle-like feet. It was still the shortest and most efficient attack; it crashed directly forward, and its crossed pincer-like limbs released a force field, turning the most ordinary collision into an attack that obliterated both body and soul.

*Clang.* The rock blade barely blocked an attack, then the needle-like appendages erupted, piercing the assassin's left lung. The assassin and the blade flew backward together. The assassin tumbled awkwardly, crashing into a rock—a calculated move. The pincer-like appendages spun and smashed out, followed by a cross-shaped slash from the needle-like appendages. The lightning-fast, unstoppable combo formed a golden cross, each strike enhanced by the Ghostly Body Annihilation Field to increase its range.

Chu Hengkong parried with his tattered longsword, their three exchanges were incredibly difficult, pushing him to the very limits of his survival once more. The blade emitted a noise as if it were on the verge of collapse.

Clang. Clang. 4 seconds. 3 seconds. Neither side made a sound; only the clashing of their swords and halberds testified to their resolve.

The hidden weapon, Fallen Leaves, was no longer usable. His right gauntlet had been completely destroyed before the third exchange of blows, and the blade of his rock sword was riddled with cracks. Two lines of blood ran from the corner of the swordsman's eyes; he no longer resembled a warrior or an assassin, but merely a still-moving corpse. He struggled to parry, dodged awkwardly, and clung to life.

Then he swung his sword again.

He swung his sword once more.

He swung his sword once more—!
The enemy's appearance was completely invisible. Frankly, the attack patterns were imperceptible. Whether one was parrying a normal attack or a force field impact, dodging a slash that could be withstood or a deadly technique, was entirely unknown, just like the battle itself. The only tangible sensation was pain. The pain of broken limbs. The pain of a pierced lung. The pain of a stiffening heart. And the constant, ethereal pain that flashed before my eyes.

It's truly an eyesore. At this rate, they're bound to die. Having reached this point, life and death are no longer in doubt. This battle, refusing to end like a zombie's rage, is a true symbol of nothingness.

But he had no intention of ending it. He wanted to continue. If he were to simply admit defeat because he was going to die, or give up the fight because he couldn't win, then what difference was there between him and the machine before him?

If I fall here, what will all that I've accumulated so far mean?

Death is permissible, defeat is acceptable.

But I absolutely cannot allow my life to lose its meaning!
Four slashes, aimed at vital points—upper right, lower left, middle, and ankle—were unleashed simultaneously. The serpentine strikes parried the diagonal attack, while a sidestep evaded a middle thrust, culminating in a minimally forceful side kick that stomped on the blade aimed at the foot. Chu Hengkong hooked the needle-like foot with his tentacles, his right fist, gripping the hilt of his sword, lashed out. The straight punch struck the gaping hole in the armor, sparks illuminating the man's vicious smile.

2 seconds. 1 second. 0 seconds. The countdown stopped, and the assassin, exceeding the limits of prediction, continued to fight at an astonishing speed. Chu Hengkong's speed doubled, and after another clash, the rock blade deflected the incoming needle-like attack. What blocked the Immortal Machine was no longer a clumsy slash. It was a slash that transcended prediction, a slash that could be described as perfect. The existing energy utilization rate was increased to the limit, yet Chu Hengkong easily parried its slash!
The alarm from the computational circuit arrived belatedly. The Immortal Machine realized it had made a second mistake. It shouldn't have robbed the enemy of their sight; any non-lethal attack would only escalate the enemy's threat. That injury had brought Chu Heng Kong Kong extremely close to death, which was why the intensity of his inner energy had surged so rapidly.

Because of the fatal blow that deprived the enemy of sight, their strength leaped forward again in just five seconds!

Then it came to understand reality. The enemy's attacks would not cease. Driven by secret techniques, coincidences, and a mad obsession, Chu Hengkong transcended life and death and common sense; even death could not stop his actions. Even if his body was shattered, even if his thoughts were interrupted, his excessively inflated spirit would engulf his ghostly form, transforming it into a battle-crazed undead!

Another second passed. The Immortal Machine couldn't accurately track the enemy's movements. Even within its crimson vision, all it could see were afterimages. Enemies surrounding it from all sides unleashed a variety of techniques, their lightning-fast combos breaking through the True Machine's defenses. There was no time to heal its wounds, its energy reserves dwindled further, and its dying frenzy created an invisible deathmatch arena, where only the wind of fists and the shadows of swords filled the air.

"Use your spirit to capture...unleash your inner power!!"

Chu Hengkong felt a faint sound from his pocket, a voice that was still supporting his friend's advice. He did as he was told, and those excessively inflated emotions and fleeting fantasies pierced his eyes like tangible horns.

Therefore, Chu Hengkong was able to "see"—to see the form composed of sound, smell, and intuition; to see its injuries, its weaknesses, and the other ghostly entity roaring within that form. The white iron worm stared back at him, its crimson eyes churning with a similar killing intent. That thing also possessed the confidence to fight to the death. Very good. This is what a true enemy should be.

That's more like the kind of opponent I should have!

He swung his sword relentlessly, countless blades flashing into a dense, seemingly overwhelming barrage from all directions, yet in reality, it was a refined swordsmanship technique focused on a single point. The frenzied blades formed a net, and shattering any one of them would trigger a counterattack from all the remaining strikes.

The interference range of the force field was insufficient, and the activation time of the ray was inadequate, so the Immortal Machine resorted to an outdated method. One of its pincer-like limbs temporarily transformed into an opening resembling a small cauldron, from which an extremely strong gravitational force was generated. Instantly, a hole appeared in Chu Hengkong's net of blades, and a pale golden iron pincer pierced out, smashing towards his head with an opposing repulsive force.

A standard gravity generator, a standard feature of soul containers. It was this power that destroyed Chu Hengkong's eyesight, and it was this power that took away all the strange beasts in the mountains. The lower-level module, which should have been completely replaced by the matter-disintegrating ray, became a game-changer in the desperate battle!
Unavoidable. Unstoppable. Even without seeing the attack's form, intuition can lead to a conclusion in an instant. The rock blade cannot withstand the enemy's iron fist; even if it evades the dissipating force field, it will still obliterate the ghostly body.

What's needed now is a way to defeat the enemy. A counterattack after surviving a fatal blow. A decisive move that transcends life's limits. Ji Qiufeng hadn't taught such a fist technique. None of the martial arts he'd ever learned contained such a miracle. Yet, inexplicably, a strange confidence resided within him. That technique truly existed, appearing in similar situations, etched upon the blade of the same weapon—

Memories flashed by in an indescribable instant, the deadly battle in the fire suddenly appearing before my eyes. The rock-like man and his deadly blade, the samurai's figure instantly overlapping with the enemy at this moment. He had crossed that deadly barrier before, using his own unique swordsmanship, wielding the same blade.

"—!"

Chu Heng stepped forward, bracing himself for the inevitable annihilation. The essence of immovability flowed within him, and his crumbling longsword traced a graceful, swallow-like trajectory. But that alone wasn't enough; a fragile bird would be slain by machinery. Therefore, he added the true essence of rock. In the instant of deflection, he absorbed the enemy's attack, transforming it into a thunderous counterforce…

If the enemy's strength is too great to overcome, then use their brutality to hone your blade and unleash a doubled, righteous strike!

He laughed silently, closed his eyes, and swung his sword. The clashing blades deflected, but instead of flying far, they plunged straight in. The blade light bypassed the steel pincers and then suddenly exploded, carrying a power and determination far greater than before, like thunder breaking in the silence!

Steel Edge Flow - Returning Strike!

At that moment, the rock blade pierced the white phantom, the mortal's longsword cutting through metal and severing the immortal machine. A deep crack ran through the blade, and the rock blade shattered upon completion of the strike, taking with it the original owner's relieved mission. The assassin was now unarmed, and the machine's energy was nearly exhausted. A nearly exposed heart, unrepaired armor—fatal weaknesses laid bare before each other—and they simultaneously unleashed their final blows.

The Heavenly Spear struck first, its burning silver blade piercing the crack, nearly piercing through the Immortal Machine's body. Chu Hengkong used the retracting tentacles to lunge forward, his powerful punch striking the crimson single eye. The armor protecting the pupil cracked, but his movements abruptly halted. The True Machine's attack had arrived; the Immortal Machine's two forelimbs collided, unleashing a blinding golden light. That light swept across the battlefield like a ring, passing over Chu Hengkong's body. Blood flowed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, his impending attack unable to stop.

The Ghostly Body Annihilation Field delivers a wide-area attack!
The Immortal Machine's crimson eyes flashed wildly, and warnings from its calculation program popped up repeatedly, indicating that it was excessively abusing its resources. It manually shut down the program; purely rational simulation would only lead to defeat in the face of the enemy. This was the most energy-intensive attack; after three more impacts, it would temporarily lose its mobility. But to kill Chu Hengkong, this was the only way.

If you can't even make the decision to abandon energy, how can you fight to the death against an enemy who has abandoned life?

The verification process has been completely shut down, leaving no weaknesses in its countermeasures. The Immortal Machine's armor has ceased repairs; even if it perishes here, it will end the enemy's life. At this moment, Chu Hengkong has not yet regained consciousness. The Immortal Machine's pincers separate and then clash again.

The second wide-area attack was launched, this time extinguishing the flames of ambition and completely shattering the protective aura surrounding the ghost's body. Then, in less than a breath, the third wide-area attack overloaded, the annihilating light striking the assassin at close range... Yet Chu Hengkong did not fall! Another will blocked his way, the Eye Demon leaping into the light, silver tears of blood streaming from its eyes!
"Go! Chu Hengkong!!"

A roar roused his dormant consciousness, and he saw the Eye Demon's body engulfed in golden light. His consciousness transformed into ablaze with blue flames, and the raging fire of ambition destroyed the interior of the Immortal Machine. In the instant the wide-area attack paused, he clenched his fist, using all the strength within his body, and the man's furious expression was reflected in the Immortal Machine's crimson eyes!

"kill!!"

A heavy punch shattered the crimson eyes, completely destroying the true machine's computational core. Amidst the roar that shook the mountains, the silent battle came to an end.

The warrior stood atop the wrecked machine, battered and bruised, yet his fighting spirit soared!

Outer Path Point 2, Ultimate True Machine - Immortal Machine, completely destroyed.

(End of this chapter)