"Holy crap!"
The entire Floor dropped into chaos as Adara's declaration echoed across the 21st Floor. Rankers who'd stuck around after the selection scattered like frightened rabbits, their fear of getting caught in the impending war written all over their faces as they scrambled for their Flying Carriers.
Whispers of panic echoed thought the Floor.
"What the fuck? This is a fight between Irregulars! We need to get out of here!"
"I didn't sign up for this shit!" A younger Ranker, looking like he'd barely made it out of bed, stumbled and nearly faceplanted as he gasped for breath.
"Hey kid, what's got you in such a hurry?" the Senior Brother from earlier called out with amusement.
The younger Ranker panted, trying to catch his breath. "D-Didn't you hear? The Yeon Family… they're gathering their troops on this Floor! I don't want any part of it!"
The Senior Brother laughed, clapping him on the back. "Well, we better keep moving then. Last thing you want is to be caught in the crossfire."
As the Rankers kept fleeing, the sky above the 21st Floor turned into a scene of chaos. Floating Ships, Warships, even Floating Castles warped in—so many that the light dimmed under their mass.
The Shinsu in the surroundings trembled. The Yeon Family has a tradition of despising men, not to mention some guy insulted their 'Mother.'
ZWOOP!
Cannons roared. Shinsu shields hummed to life, locking down the Space. Rankers who'd already bailed out watched from afar through their Lighthouses, eyes wide with fear and curiosity.
The Floating Castles drifted in like giants—massive, elegant, bristling with firepower. Their sleek warships wove between them like sharks, elegant but lethal. Down below, as tiny as dust by comparison, Indrah's lips twitched.
'It's like they knew I'd walk into their net… and I did.'
The Yeon Army disembarked, forming squadrons behind the Ten Corps Commanders. Every Corps. had Four Division Commanders. Each of the Ten Corps Commander is a High Ranker, not counting the Field Commander, Yeon Adara the Women who is Ranked in the Top 100 in the High Ranking.
It felt like history repeating itself.
A Great Family vs an Irregular.
"This is as far as you go." Yeon Adara floated in the sky, flames coating her body, eyes locked onto Indrah.
Indrah felt goosebumps ripple across his skin. But it wasn't fear.
"Since I started climbing this tower, I never had the chance to go all out. It seems today won't be that day either" he said, nodding towards the burning Adara.
"You expect me to believe this is the full power of a Great Family? Where are the Branch Families? The Princesses or even your top High Rankers?" Indrah asked, brows furrowing.
Surprisingly, it was Yeon Ilarde who answered, having just regrouped with Adara. "Ara ara~, only this much? You're delusional, cutie. Our branch families have their own business. Don't worry… this big sister is more than enough to fold you~"
A shiver ran down Indrah's spine.
'Don't tell me—'
"Why're you sweating? Hehehe~ Just you wait… you'll have to marry me after saying something that mean," Ilarde teased, lounging on a suspended throne.
"Charge!" Adara cut in, her flames crackling. She wasn't about to let Ilarde pull back now. She wanted blood. She wanted to go all out.
BOOM!
A fireball exploded inches from Indrah's face.
'Why did I get involved with these crazy women?'
"Aren't you gonna summon your Divine Sea Creatures, Kid?" one of the Division Commanders taunted, flinging another massive fireball at him.
Swoosh!
BANG!
This one landed. Fire engulfed the area, blasting Indrah into the sky. He flew out through the smoke and fire as attack after attack followed.
Floating mid-air, warping space around him using Shinsu, Indrah replied, "Oh, them? I haven't finished that skill of mine, So you wouldn't see me using them any time soon."
"Quite the cocky one, aren't you?" the Division Commander sneered, falling back into Wave Controller formation. Her job was done—he was now fully airborne, right where they wanted him.
Indrah's eyes scanned the field. They'd spread out into classic Position roles and completely surrounded him. Hundreds of Rankers in the air, with 11 High Rankers. And that still wasn't their whole army. It's just the Troops stationed on this Floor.
The legacy of a Great Family… wasn't something to scoff at.
Still…
"There's no need for fodder in a battle between High Rankers," he said with a grin, bringing both palms near his chest with a gap between them.
Rinnegan Style - Yin and Yang
Whoos
Silence.
Absolute, suffocating silence. The Yeon army tensed. They braced for a massive attack. Defensive barriers flared… but nothing happened. Except for the glow in Indrah's both the Rinnegan.
"Is this guy screwing with us?"
"Wait… look at the Rankers."
One of the Corps Commanders finally noticed.
Their troops weren't charging. They were… pointing their weapons at each other.
"An illusion?" Adara narrowed her eyes.
"You're correct … I don't want to waste my time," Indrah scratched his head awkwardly.
⸻
[Inverse] was his third Tomoe's ability—meant to invert anything. Making left to right, Good to Bad. Hot to Cold.
Turning enemies into allies permanently isn't possible. So, instead, he made a technique by fusing [Inverse] and [Genjutsu]—[Yin and Yang]. It only inverted the perception by using Genjutsu within the Shinsu of his opponents.
Even though it isn't easy to break out off, if a High Ranker used a Reverse Flow control it could be broken immediately.
⸻
"I'm a genius. No doubt!"
SWOOSH!
A wall of fire slammed into him mid-laugh. The heat was no joke—he had to coat himself in Shinsu. Within the flames, he could still see Adara—glowing like a sun, grinning like a maniac.
"You've got some tricks but, let me show you what real flames look like."
[Adara Style: Wrathful Embrace]
Giant chains—five stories tall—sprouted from the flames and lunged for Indrah. With a flick of his wrist, he shattered them, then casually punched forward using Shinsu Reinforcement,
BOOM!
A shockwave sent the High Ranker flying.
Adara froze for a second but recovered instantly.
She funneled her flames into one single, elegant flower.
[Adara Style: Crimson Zigena]
BOOOOOOOOM!
A small bloom, no bigger than her palm, detonated above Indrah. Wrathful Flames cascaded outward, covering everything in a blazing hellscape.
The Sea of Flames roared. Ilarde had to throw up barriers to protect the dazed Rankers and Floating Carriers from the damage.
Whoosh!
Then, a part of the fire… just disappeared.
Out of it walked Indrah. Calm. Smiling. Striding through the sky like it was just another walk.
Black Flames curled around him.
Sinister, Otherworldly, they devoured Adara's fire like it was nothing. Everyone who saw it; The army, Lighthouses from distance or Ilarde, just froze.
Black Flames.
They couldn't believe it.
"Of course, You wouldn't have seen something like this." Indrah played with the black fire in his hand.
"And did you say… normal flames?"
"Ignite… Amaterasu."