Kagerōza Inaba completely ignored the fact that the head of the Ryōdoji Family behind him had already been shattered into pieces.
He knew that if he didn’t escape quickly, he would be next.
His steps quickened—using Shunpo, he rapidly advanced several times in a row.
Rushing through the spatial passage, he felt a fierce wind howl from behind. He turned and quickly waved his hand, sealing the passage shut.
He didn’t follow me!
Kagerōza Inaba let out a sigh of relief.
Glancing around, he found himself in a long, pitch-black realm and couldn’t help exhaling softly.
The air was thick with miasma, and through the haze, he could make out a faintly glowing black sphere in the distance, slowly approaching.
Behind it, a massive space bubble hovered in midair, almost as if it were about to pierce the fabric of this world.
"As expected, I’m stronger than those losers. I actually managed to escape from a monster like that..."
Kagerōza Inaba spat out a mouthful of blood, then casually tore off his tattered clothes and tossed them aside.
Though his body was riddled with ghastly wounds, none were fatal. To him, they were insignificant.
After all, he was a Reigai.
If this body stopped working, he could just replace it.
Fixing his gaze on the distant space bubble, he began gathering his Reiatsu.
A green glow shimmered in his palm as he pushed his speed to the limit and dashed toward the Valley of Screams.
While healing his injuries, he began to plan his next move.
About three minutes later, Kagerōza Inaba successfully entered the spatial bubble.
The sight that greeted him was unsettling.
Aside from the occasional Blank drifting about aimlessly, not a single soul could be seen.
The eerie silence, strangely enough, filled him with delight.
After all, the Ryōdoji Family—from the head to the lowest vassal—was gone.
Which meant the Ryōdoji legacy now belonged entirely to him.
If luck was on his side, he might even find a way to control the Blanks.
That thought made Kagerōza Inaba quietly thankful to still be alive.
He didn’t mourn the loss of the Ryōdoji Family as a partner.
On the contrary, his heart burned with hatred and resentment toward Masatsuki Aozaki.
"Masatsuki Aozaki, just you wait! Once I create an even more powerful Reigai, I’ll make you pay!"
Kagerōza Inaba growled through clenched teeth.
And so, he passed through the desolate forest and wasteland of Blanks, finally leaving the bloody battlefield behind.
When he returned to that familiar laboratory, he finally began to calm down.
It was the only place that still gave him even a shred of security.
Letting out a long breath, Kagerōza Inaba made his way toward the chair.
Suddenly, a voice rang out behind him.
"Oh... so this is your lab for studying Reigai?"
"Not as hidden as I expected. I thought it’d be underground."
The moment he heard that familiar voice, Kagerōza Inaba froze. Cold sweat instantly poured down his forehead, his legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed on the spot.
"Who—!?"
Though he already knew the answer, he still turned around in terror.
And there stood Masatsuki Aozaki, somehow behind him, casually inspecting the surrounding lab equipment with great interest.
"Ma... Masatsuki Aozaki?!!"
Kagerōza Inaba’s face turned deathly pale, his eyes widened to the brink of bursting, and he let out a sharp, panicked scream.
"Why are you here!?"
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