A familiar voice, and... a system sound I've never heard before.
——Is this... the state of clarity...?
The "transparent world" that he had seen many times suddenly spread out before his eyes, as well as the words of "Ogata Issei" that just sounded in his mind and the system sound that stated something he had never heard before, made Ogata, who was too shocked, forget the pain and fatigue in various parts of his body for a moment.
(Ogata Issei...are you willing to believe me?)
In my mind, the voice of "Ogata Issei" sounded again.
(If you want to believe me... please close your eyes.)
(Listen and follow the voice's call and guidance.)
--etc……!
In his heart, Ogata called out to "Ogata Issei" who suddenly appeared in his mind, and then loudly asked the question that had been lingering in his mind ever since this "unknown existence" appeared.
——What are you?
(…One is all, and all is one.)
Ogata heard "Ogata Yosei" speak softly with a smile in his voice.
(I am you.)
(I am also the world.)
Finally, the voice of "Ogata Issey" stopped abruptly in Ogata's mind, and no matter how Ogata called out in his heart, it never appeared again.
The demon's frantic shout interrupted Ogata's thoughts at this moment:
"Since you can still stand up... then let's continue! I want to see how many times you can stand up!"
With madness rekindled on his cheeks, Toyotomi quickened his pace towards Ogata! The tip of Yoshimitsu Boneshoku's knife dragged on the deck, making a series of piercing sounds.
Ogata saw this and his eyes froze.
"The voice's...call...?"
He repeated in a low voice the ambiguous words that Ogata Issey had just said.
The trajectory of the wind and rain sliding, the way every muscle in Toyotomi's body moved... everything in his eyes seemed to be transparent, and nothing could escape Ogata's eyes.
The world that Ogata sees now, compared with the world he saw when he entered the "transparent state" before, has only one difference...!
Since a while ago, he had vaguely heard a "sound" coming from above his head... or to be more precise, from above the clouds above his head.
Ogata slowly raised his head——
Boom boom boom——!!
Just as Ogata raised his head, a bolt of lightning, as if in response to his gaze, burst out above his head, split the clouds, and then shattered into millions of pieces.
The shattered lightning illuminated Ogata's eyes!
Toyotomi, who was rushing straight towards Ogata, saw a scene that made him uncontrollably show surprise.
After standing up, Ogata, who had been standing motionless, suddenly closed his eyes slowly, then turned around and ran away with the knife in his hand.
Looking at Ogata who suddenly turned and ran away, Toyotomi shouted loudly with a tone of confusion and ridicule:
"Hey! Ogata Ittosai! Where are you going?!"
A pursuit suddenly broke out on the sinking wreckage of the ship.
Ogata fled and Toyotomi chased him.
The two men, whose bodies were already in tatters, were running at the same speed, and Toyotomi was unable to catch up with Ogata for a while.
Ogata suddenly closed his eyes, turned around and ran away, running straight towards... the main mast not far away that was pointing at the sky at an angle of about 60 degrees.
The huge Hikari Maru was blown into two pieces by the huge explosion just now, but the main mast miraculously remained basically intact.
The "surviving" mainmast happened to be on the wreckage where Ogata and Toyotomi fought the final battle.
Although the main mast was not destroyed by the huge explosion, the wreckage was sinking continuously, and the main mast was also sinking into the sea bit by bit.
Ogata ran towards the mainmast, and when he was only a few steps away from the mainmast, he suddenly jumped up and jumped onto the shaft of the mainmast.
Then, Ogata pressed his body center of gravity, stuck close to the pole, and ran towards the top of the main mast!
——What is he going to do? !
Looking at Ogata who had been doing some things that he found incomprehensible since just now, Toyotomi frowned uncontrollably.
For some reason, looking at Ogata who suddenly jumped onto the mainmast, Toyotomi felt a strong sense of foreboding lingering in his heart.
Driven by this ominous premonition, Toyotomi did not jump onto the mainmast with Ogata, but stopped under the mainmast, stood still, and looked up at Ogata who was heading towards the top of the mast.
The more than 40-meter-long main mast points obliquely toward the sky, and its top is nearly 30 meters above the sea.
From Toyotomi's perspective, he could see Ogata's back.
Boom boom boom——!!
At this time, another ray of lightning shattered above Ogata's head. Looking at Ogata's figure illuminated by the lightning and getting farther and farther away from him, Toyotomi's eyes widened slightly in astonishment.
He only saw Ogata running towards the top of the pole pointing to the sky with an indomitable momentum...it really seemed as if he was going to rush into the blue sky!
The pole was over 40 meters long, and Ogata flew over it in just a blink of an eye.
After stepping onto the top of the main mast, Ogata's movements...didn't stop at all!
I saw him taking advantage of the forward momentum, using the top of the pole as a foothold, and leaping hard towards the clouds above his head and towards the sky!
Boom boom boom boom——!!
Another bolt of lightning exploded above Ogata's head!
However, this time the thunder did not just streak across the clouds and then shattered rapidly.
Instead, it attacked Ogata from top to bottom as if it had consciousness!
The silver-white lightning did not dissipate after hitting Ogata who was leaping into the sky along the top of the pole.
Instead, it was wrapped around the sword in Ogata's right hand!
Lightning flashes! Electric arcs flicker!
Under the mast, Toyotomi seemed stunned, staring blankly at Ogata who was holding the "Thunder Sword" in the sky.
The lightning seemed to have a consciousness of its own and was entwined around the man's sword - a scene very similar to this, which he had just seen in his battle with Genichi!
Because the scene before his eyes was so shocking, Toyotomi's brain went into a brief blank, so Toyotomi finally came back to his senses until now - Ogata, holding the "Thunder Sword", was now falling towards him!
After Ogata fell towards him, Toyotomi clearly saw that although Ogata was hit directly by the thunder, his body did not suffer any damage, and there was not even a trace of burnt black on his clothes.
If it weren't for the constantly jumping arc of the "Thunder Sword" in Ogata's hand, Toyotomi would have doubted for a moment whether he was dreaming.
Ogata's eyes, which had been closed just now, suddenly opened.
Under the eyelids, there are still those eyes that have never changed, as if there are flames burning inside!
Ogata followed the instructions of "Ogata Issei" and closed his eyes just now.
The moment he closed his eyes, he suddenly heard the strange "sounds" disappear from the clouds and appear behind him.
Ogata knew clearly in his heart that with his body now at the limit, he was afraid that he could no longer defeat Toyotomi on his own.
So - he decided to believe in "Ogata Yoshisei"! Believe in this "voice"!
Having decided to believe in "Ogata Yoshisei", he followed the guidance of the "voice", turned around and fled, stepped onto the main mast, leaped into the sky, and was entangled by lightning!
What exactly was this "sound"? Why did the lightning wrap around his sword as if it had consciousness? Why was his body completely unharmed after the lightning hit him... Too many questions filled Ogata's mind.
At this moment, Ogata only knew that the next blow would be the last blow he could make against Toyotomi. It would also be the blow that would determine the outcome of his battle with Toyotomi and the future of the world!
With a determined light burning in his eyes, Ogata called out the system in his mind.
——Shui Luo and Yun Jin each increase by 1 level!
[Ding! Consume 4 skill points, Sakakibara Ittoryu: Waterfall is promoted to "Master Level" skill]
[Currently remaining skill points: 3 points]
[Ding! Consume 2 skill points, Iga-ryu forbidden technique: Energy Conversion upgraded to "Advanced" skill]
[Currently remaining skill points: 1 point]
This is Ogata's last effort for the next attack, and it is also his last resort in this unprecedented decisive battle!
Ogata, who was falling continuously in the strong wind, held the sword with both hands, slowly raised the "Thunder Sword" above his head, assumed a "Water Falling" posture, and began to accumulate strength, squeezing out all the remaining strength in his body and concentrating it on his right arm!
Water Falling - This was the move that Ogata was most proficient with when he first traveled to this strange era.
And now, he was going to use this move, which had extraordinary significance to him, to launch a final attack on the evil demon in front of him!
Toyotomi finally came to his senses at this moment, and the crazy smile no longer appeared on his face.
There was only solemnity and panic on his face.
Ogata was falling too fast, and his body was so broken that he had no strength to dodge!
In the end - he could only grit his teeth, hold the sword in his hand horizontally in front of him, and then watch Ogata approaching and raising the "Thunder Sword" high!
He watched helplessly as the light of the "Thunder Sword" in Ogata's hand... enveloped his body!
Boom boom boom boom boom boom————!!!
Lightning exploded!
The exploding thunder broke the violent wind and scattered the rain curtain, as if it had shattered the surrounding space! The dazzling lightning enveloped Ogata and Toyotomi!
Obviously, the lightning was only fleeting, but the roar of thunder seemed to be solidified between heaven and earth, lasting for a long time in the wreckage of the ship, above the vast ocean, and under the sky!
The lightning gradually dissipated, allowing the broken and scattered strong wind and rain curtain to reconnect, bringing peace back to the space.
As the lightning faded away, Ogata kept his sword ready and landed steadily back on the deck of the wreckage.
The clothes on his right arm were gone.
Not even a single piece of debris was left as it was directly torn apart and "evaporated" by the thunder that exploded just now.
The Daishakuten in Ogata's right palm and the skin of his entire right arm turned coal-black.
One could even vaguely see some heat and heat waves rising from his right arm.
And behind him is a piece of...human-shaped "charcoal".
This human-shaped piece of "charcoal" is Toyotomi.
At this moment, he was lying on his back.
Every piece of skin on his body from head to toe was now burned into a strange "charcoal".
Needless to say, clothes and other things have turned into countless pieces.
The face has also been carbonized, making it impossible to distinguish the facial features.
Even if someone who was most familiar with Toyotomi were to come here now, he probably would not be able to recognize that this piece of "coal" was Toyotomi Nobuhide.
His right hand was still holding the Ji Guang bone food.
After the lightning strike just now, there was no way that Ji Guang Gu Shi could have escaped unscathed.
Of the Yoshimitsu Bonesuke held in Toyotomi's right hand, only the handle remained.
The blade had broken into countless pieces and was scattered everywhere.
Ogata slowly stood up, turned his head, and looked expressionlessly at the Toyotomi who had turned into charcoal behind him.
“Cough, cough, cough…”
When Ogata's gaze swept over "Coke", "Coke"'s chest suddenly rose and fell slightly.
Then, faint breathing and low coughing sounds came out from where the mouth used to be.
"Ogata...Ittosai..."
Two slightly turbid white lights suddenly appeared on the "charcoal" cheeks - it turned out that Toyotomi slowly opened his eyes.
Toyotomi struggled to raise his eyelids, pulled his eyeballs back, and cast his cloudy gaze at Ogata who was looking at him expressionlessly.
“Haha…hahahahaha…”
Ogata saw that Toyotomi's mouth corners were slightly raised.
At this moment, some flesh threads can be seen emerging from every corner of Toyotomi's body, trying to repair this broken body.
However - these strips of meat seemed to be powerless against the body that had been roasted into charcoal by the thunder.
They were just twisting there, but they didn't seem to help Toyotomi's body recover even a little bit.
"It's really... yours..."
“Hahahahahaha…even the thunder in the sky…can be used by you…”
Ogata ignored Toyotomi's compliments.
"...You finally...fell." He said, "Thinking back carefully, it seems like we have been fighting against each other for a long time."
"Whether in Choushima, Kyoto, Edo, or Osaka, you can always find your Toyotomi."
"Even in Ezo, you can see the firearms you gave to the Red Moon Fortress for unknown reasons, as well as the pirates who have received your kindness."
"Hahahaha... Red Moon Fortress... I miss it so much..." Toyotomi laughed so hard that his shoulders were shaking, shaking off a lot of burnt black powder. "Although... a long time has passed... but I still remember... the Ezo in that fortress..."
"Hahahahahaha... I know the Edo Shogunate... will definitely not tolerate... the existence of such a... force in Ezo... Sooner or later, they will take action against the Ezo in this fortress..."
"So I gave them a batch of...firearms...at...almost free price...and taught them...how to use them..."
"So that... when a war breaks out with the Edo Shogunate in the future... they can shed as much blood as possible from the Edo Shogunate..."
"As a result, some people in that fortress thought I was a kind person and gave them so many powerful weapons..."
“Hahahahaha… barbarians as expected… they are barbarians…”
"Yes... I remember now..."
“When I learned that you had defeated the shogunate’s army in Ezo, I praised you in front of my subordinates. I praised you for helping us greatly weaken the shogunate’s power. Hahahahahahahaha!”
"Toyotomi and Tokugawa... were both defeated... by a mere ronin... hahahahaha...! Your sword... can be considered genuine... a sword unrivaled in the world..."
"I can't help but become curious..."
"Will there be a chance that... another swordsman will appear in the future... who can surpass you...?"
"Even if it appears...you won't have the chance to see it again." Ogata said lightly.
After saying this, he raised his right arm, which had both turned black, and Da Shitian above his head again.
"Toyotomi Nobuhide, please give us this...long struggle to an end."
“Hehehahahahahaha…”
Toyotomi... smiled again.
"Is there no chance for me to see a swordsman who surpasses you appear again? Is there no chance for me to see the world become more interesting again?"
“What a pity…!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Toyotomi, who had been lying on his back, suddenly raised his right arm and stabbed Ogata's leg with the Yoshimitsu Boneshiko knife, which was only the handle left!
The body that had been burnt to charcoal and the sword that had no blade could naturally not cause any injuries to Ogata, not even to break his skin.
However... after Toyotomi swung the handle of the sword and "chopped" Ogata's leg, he was seen letting out a low laugh.
“Hahahahahaha…”
Even though his body was in this state, Ogata could still see a hint of a crazy smile on Toyotomi's face.
"Ah... I hit you again..." Toyotomi laughed so hard that a lot of black fragments fell off his body.
Buzz——!
The Great Buddha waved his sword down heavily.
The head, with a smile that seemed like it would never fade away, rolled down.
call……
At this time, a breeze blew.
A piece of cloth slowly fell from the clouds as the breeze blew.
It was the haori embroidered with "Taikoku Paulownia leaves" on his body that Toyotomi had just torn off and thrown away.
The haori embroidered with "Taikoku Paulownia leaves" fluttered slowly in the breeze, and in just a moment, it fell back onto the broken wreckage.
Fell into...some flame still burning on the wreckage.
In just a blink of an eye, the ferocious flames wrapped and licked the falling "Taiko Paulownia Leaves". In just a blink of an eye, the fire waves tightly wrapped the "Taiko Paulownia Leaves".
The "Taikoku Paulownia Leaf" was swallowed by the waves of fire and slowly shrank. Finally, it turned into a handful of tiny ashes, which were blown away by the breeze and fell into the inky sea water.
No longer seen.