Chương 67: Marks in the Depths

Boom, boom, boom, boom. Continuous sonic booms and the sound of cracking stone rang out. The entire huge space shook, and massive rocks kept vibrating as broken fragments rolled down the rock walls.

"Ahhhhh!" Tengen did his best to swing his chained blades. Explosions, fire, and sword light continued to strike Goliath's ankles, sending blood and flesh flying.

"No, it is no use at all. Even if I blow away this bastard's flesh with everything I have, it recovers in the blink of an eye. It is even faster than a demon!" Projected swords struck Goliath's eyes like a hail of arrows. Explosions burst across Goliath's head like firecrackers, and countless blood pits appeared densely across its face. But it did not help at all. It recovered in less than three seconds. Air spheres larger than a person were continuously fired from Goliath's mouth.

The entire space of Floor 17 had already been torn beyond recognition.

"Ha! This beast does not get tired at all, and its fighting instincts are so strong! It can still judge my position even after its eyes were blown out." Seeing the cannon-like mouth aim at him again, Cael shouted. But he was not worried about being hit. He had completely entrusted his back to his companions.

"Captain Cael!" Mitsuri ran vertically along the rock wall and instantly bounced in front of Goliath's temple, punching down. Stone cracked, and Sanemi followed wherever an opening appeared. Now everyone was injured and covered in blood. Rengoku had been caught off guard and hit by the shock wave of an air cannon while avoiding falling rocks. His internal organs were injured, and blood flowed from the corners of his mouth. Even so, the strength of his Skills had not decreased.

Although Giyu was not injured, his chaotic breathing and the trembling of the hand holding his sword showed that he had reached his limit. Obanai was already half-kneeling on the ground, blood still flowing from his broken forehead. Tengen was covered in bruises from falling rocks, but he still kept swinging his chained blades. The only one who remained intact was the protected Shinobu.

Because she was the weakest and had no means of breaking through against monsters, she had been kept safe, while her light movements allowed her to avoid falling rocks and air cannons. The only one who still had strength left now was the strongest Hashira, Gyomei, standing straight with an axe in one hand and a flail in the other. Muichiro's breathing was disordered, the hand holding his sword was shaking, and blood dripped from his cheek. He had been struck by a falling rock.

If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Even Mitsuri, whose strength was the greatest among them, had fists covered in blood. Cael's breathing was relatively steady, but blood flowed from the corners of his mouth. He had suffered internal injuries after being struck several times by air cannon shock waves, and now he only felt burning pain in his chest. But he did not panic. Soon. Soon. It would be fine soon. He only had to hold on.

At that moment, if he closed his eyes, he could see the final leaf of the Infinite Skill Tree inside his body flashing like a firefly. The final power was also the power that could let them make a clean comeback. As long as this Skill manifested, defeating Goliath would still be possible. If everyone failed here, then what had he said to everyone before setting out? Absolutely no failure. Roar, roar, roar! Air cannon after air cannon kept shooting at everyone.

Cael no longer knew how many times he had been targeted.

"Ah, ah, ah! Squeeze out all the power! Protect your friends and partners!" Gyomei stepped onto the rock wall, leaving footprints one after another. He crushed the stone beneath his feet, rotated the meteor hammer, and squeezed every bit of strength from his body as he struck the giant again and again at the back of the neck.

"Ahhhhh! Stone Breathing, Second Form: Upper Smash!" Boom. Goliath, still firing air cannons, was suddenly struck and forced to bend forward. An air cannon shot out of its mouth and missed. The Stone Hashira roared and kept alternating between axe and meteor hammer, striking the same position. Boom! Boom! Goliath was hit repeatedly and forced to bend over, and the air cannon in its mouth stopped. No. No. Just strength alone was not enough. It was completely impossible to smash through that hard, thick flesh.

If they could not smash through the flesh, they could not hit the Magic Stone. Rengoku had serious internal injuries. Obanai, Giyu, and Tengen were all about to lose their ability to move, and Sanemi was about to lose consciousness from blood loss. Even Captain Cael was vomiting blood. He had to create an opportunity for everyone. Otherwise, everyone would die. They had reached their limit, while the monster was still not in a state of complete defeat.

"Namu Amida Butsu. This monk is now the Angry-Eyed Vajra." Rock-like markings gradually appeared on Gyomei's arms, which kept bombarding with strength beyond his own. At this moment, whether in strength, speed, or explosive power, he had reached a higher level. Goliath kept bending down and was finally knocked to the ground for the first time. Pieces of flesh and blood tore apart at the back of its neck, exposing bone. The bones quickly cracked and shattered.

"Hurry!" At this time, everyone saw the opportunity and rushed forward with all their strength. Everyone squeezed out strength ten times or a hundred times beyond their own. This opportunity might come only once. As long as they broke through the outer flesh and blood like a city wall, they could hit the Magic Stone. All Breathing Techniques and sword forms were unleashed.

"Ahhhhh! Flame Breathing, Ninth Form: Rengoku!" Rengoku's right cheek gradually burned with flames, and red markings gradually formed. In an instant, his whole body burned with red flames and turned into a roaring fire dragon rushing toward Goliath's softest abdomen.

"Ahhhhh! Water Breathing, Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin!" Dark-blue wave-like markings gradually appeared on the left side of Giyu's face. Water flowed around his Nichirin Sword as he slashed down from above toward Goliath's back, accompanied by five thick pillars of water.

"Wind Breathing..."

"Love Breathing..."

"Mist Breathing..."......

"Marks! Hahaha, everyone awakened their Marks at this moment! What an unexpected surprise!" Cael looked at Goliath, knocked to the ground by the Stone Hashira, and at everyone who had awakened their Marks in a desperate moment. His eyes widened, and he burst into laughter.

"But mine is ready too!" Hum. Joy from the soul filled his whole body. At that moment, the pair of swords in his hands, personally forged by the God of the Forge and covered in sacred text, suddenly burst with dazzling light. The backbone of space. Love from the world descended from the sky. The final leaf of the Infinite Skill Tree bloomed with dazzling light. Sword Saint's Blessing.