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Seeing this, the shogun quickly channeled his power to control the weather, intensifying the rain.

Sizz… Sizz… Sizz… Sizz… Sizz… Sizz…

The sizzling sound of water evaporating resonated as the rain touched the thin line of heated invisible laser. This time, the thickness of the rainfall made it possible to see a thin line connecting the two cylinders.

"Is that… a laser? But… Why can\'t we see it? It has enough power to even cut people, why?" One of the shogun\'s men uttered after witnessing such a scene.

An interesting fact about lasers is that some operate at wavelengths outside the visible spectrum, such as infrared or ultraviolet light. While these lasers can still cut or burn objects, they are invisible because they emit light outside the range detectable by the human eye.

Atlanteus had crafted this weapon for himself as a trump card against adversaries, as it could only operate within a certain range around him.

"Now that you see it, you can avoid it. The old man only has this little toy!" The shogun said, attempting to reignite the morale of his troops.

"Capture him! Anyone who succeeds will receive a noble title and a rich reward from me!" The shogun roared, commanding everyone to attack the old man.

Hearing this, numerous soldiers and warriors rushed towards Atlanteus, eager to capture him and claim their rewards.

Atlanteus didn\'t say anything. He tapped his cane on the ground twice, and the laser cylinders quickly spun around him in a clockwise motion, changing angles constantly and cutting through all the samurais and warriors who tried to capture him.

The courtyard fell into a deathly silence; the remaining samurais and warriors didn\'t dare to move. Only the sound of rain and the sizzling of evaporated water could be heard within the courtyard.

They had all witnessed firsthand the severe consequences of attempting to capture the old man.

"Be aware, you damn brats. Even if you see it, it doesn\'t mean you have the ability or skill to avoid it," Atlanteus warned the surrounding warriors and soldiers.

Now, the shogun began weighing his options. Should he use Koyuki\'s life as leverage to make the old man listen to him? Or should he follow the old man\'s wish to trade Koyuki\'s safety for his own? But if he chose the latter, the blame he would receive for the wrong decision would be severe. Even though he could quell it, the long-lasting resentment would still affect his rule.

He also coveted both Atlanteus\' knowledge and Koyuki\'s power to control weather and nature. Imagine if he were able to manipulate weather worldwide. All countries and even hidden societies such as the Curtained World would submit to him! The Hojo clan, always under the thumb of the Tokugawa clan for more than three centuries, would finally rise as lords of this world! And this achievement would be under his rule!

Furthermore, with the technological marvels from Atlanteus\' knowledge, nothing would be impossible!

While Nobunari pondered his next move, he noticed that the line between the two laser cylinders would disappear and reappear. It was as if their power was unstable or their batteries were short-lived.

This was his chance!

"Listen, warriors! The old man\'s toy battery power is dwindling. Retreat far enough so his weapon cannot reach you, and keep a safe distance while constantly harassing him! The power within his weapon cannot hold out for long!" The Shogun declared loudly.

The warriors and soldiers heard this and quickly obeyed the command, retreating to a safe distance while continually firing arrows at the old man, harassing him.

"Tch! Now that this damn brat is using his head, this is a little bit annoying," Atlanteus swore under his breath while trying to fend off the harassing attacks from arrows and kill some unsuspecting warriors who dared to get too close. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Witnessing Atlanteus\' face in a pinch, the Shogun\'s confidence returned. It seemed that he didn\'t need to resort to using the hostage after all.

— Meanwhile - On Maria Side —

Deep within the castle\'s shadowed underbelly, chaos reigned. Alarm bells clanged, and most of the castle\'s defenders had rushed to aid Atlanteus, who valiantly fended off an assault by the Shogun\'s soldiers.

Seizing the opportune moment when Atlanteus shattered the castle\'s main gate, ripping open a temporary breach in its spiritual barrier, Maria slipped through, vanishing like a phantom into the heart of the enemy stronghold.

Amidst the clamor, a wisp of mist materialized in a desolate corner. Slowly, the mist coalesced into the slender form of a woman clad in dark, clinging garments. It was Maria, utilizing her power to transform and capitalizing on Atlanteus\'s distraction to infiltrate the besieged castle.

Maria glided through the castle\'s labyrinthine corridors, her prey\'s powerful presence beckoning from the depths. Unlike patrolling soldiers, experience told her this guardian, likely guarding Koyuki, wouldn\'t budge. But despite her focused hunt, Koyuki\'s scent remained frustratingly elusive.

Time pressed. From a hidden pocket, she retrieved a vial containing a single drop of Koyuki\'s blood. With a sharp bite, she shattered the vial. The intoxicating aroma exploded – the finest liquor, divine elixirs, the juiciest fruits, all in one. Euphoria threatened to engulf her, but she reigned it in, focusing instead on the lingering sweetness, a beacon guiding her.

Crimson eyes snapped open, scanning the ground below. Her vampiric senses honed in on a faint, steady heartbeat – a beacon in the darkness. Koyuki\'s signature. Primal instinct took over. Maria dissolved into mist, evading patrols and melting into the shadows. Her predatory senses, attuned to the castle\'s rhythm, propelled her ever closer to her objective.

The dark mist quickly encroaches to the target, level by level through the wooden hallway that mixed with modernity and traditionalist, she passes through many oblivious guards and patrols down to the last level before she enters into the chamber where the Shogun imprison Koyuki.

Suddenly, a feeling of dread and instinctual danger warned her, prompting a swift retreat from the door leading to the final level. A clean cut separated the railing leading to the downstairs, the wooden rail dropping to the floor.

Transforming back from mist into her human form, Maria crouched on the ground, examining the lock of hair cut by the blade. It should have been an impossible feat, as no ordinary weapon could touch her in mist form—unless it was specifically built to harm the immaterial.

The source of the cut burned with malice. Maria rose, her gaze locking onto a figure emerging from the shadows – a man in his mid-twenties, clad in a suit that seemed out of place in the castle\'s depths. His eyes, a mix of amusement and surprise, held the glint of a predator, and the sword resting on his shoulder spoke less of samurai discipline and more of a gangster\'s swagger.

A flicker of recognition crossed Maria\'s face. This was no ordinary guard; this was Kazuto Genzai, a rising star in the Japanese underworld, notorious for his bloodlust and hedonism. Her gaze then shifted to the katana in his hand, its polished surface humming with an unsettling darkness, the accumulated suffering of countless souls who had fallen victim to its edge.

"That katana," Maria\'s voice held a dangerous edge, "is no ordinary weapon. Where did you acquire it?" She unsheathed her dagger, her eyes narrowed as she assessed the threat before her.

The man, seemingly unfazed, offered a nonchalant shrug. "Oh, this? Found it in some forgotten shrine." His gaze flickered briefly towards Maria, but his dismissive tone betrayed his feigned disinterest.

In a heartbeat, Maria was upon him, her vampiric speed a blur as she launched into an attack.

Clank!

Steel erupted in a deafening clang as blades met in the dim hallway. The man, seemingly anticipating her move, parried with effortless grace, using only one hand. He spun, surprise briefly flickering in his eyes before dissolving into a confident smirk.

"Rough move, dollface," he drawled, his voice smooth as oiled silk. "Sneak attacks ain\'t cha." He launched his counteroffensive, his blade a blur of deadly intent.

Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!

Steel shrieked in a desperate tango as their blades clashed, the discordant rhythm echoing through the oppressive silence of the hallway. Each blow, unpredictable and vicious, landed where Maria least anticipated, forcing her into a frantic dance of defense. Minutes bled into what felt like an eternity, every clang ringing in her ears like a death knell.

Slash!

Then, a searing kiss of pain. His blade found its mark, slicing through the soft Atlantean steel armor as if it were mere silk. Her dagger clattered away, a hollow echo in the vastness of her own despair. With a gasp, she stumbled back, blood blossoming across her pale skin like a macabre rose.

Panic clawed at her throat. The familiar warmth of her healing of her vampiric nature, a constant companion for centuries, remained stubbornly absent. A chilling wave of weakness washed over her, stripping away her supernatural edge and dragging her back to the suffocating reality of mortality – a sensation long relegated to the dusty corners of her memory.