Chapter 158: An Old Acquaintance Gao Jizhai, Weakness

"Hahaha, heaven truly aids me! Though I know not why Hong Meiling vanished, it is an undeniable fact that the most threatening existence is gone." Laughing uproariously, the young emperor fired another massive pillar of light, sweeping across the horizon.

Prepared, Qi dodged out of the way, but the Revolutionary Army far in the distance had no means of evasion. Their faces bore no trace of terror, for they had no time to react at all.

Just as a bird remains oblivious to the impending danger before a hunter pulls the trigger, they knew nothing of what had happened until death claimed them. Only the surrounding birds, witnessing this spectacle, fled in panic in all directions.

The surviving revolutionary soldiers fell into utter chaos. Until the ultimate power was brought down, the Revolutionary Army was essentially stripped of any capacity to fight on.

"Leave the enemy to our Child of Miracle! Now, everyone follow me into the city to rescue the innocent civilians of the imperial capital!" Najenda shouted from a vantage point, charging into the city ahead of the rest.

Enduring passive beatings was not Qi's style. Despite the colossal disparity in size between him and the ultimate power, he harbored not the slightest intention of surrendering without a fight. "Taste this first—piercing the heavens and the earth, the Super Electromagnetic Cannon!"

This was Mikoto's ultimate move, which Qi had recently found extremely handy to use. For long-range combat, its power far exceeded that of his diamond throwing daggers.

"To think it's Lord Railgun's ultimate move! You damned winner in life, you cursed normie! After having Kuroneko, Reimu, Esdeath, and Akame, you still dare to lay your hands on my great Lord Railgun. The last time we met, the gap between us was vast, but now I have caught up to you.

Even if I only possess the strength of this world, I will strike you down here and now, lest you go on to ruin my other goddesses!"

The young emperor's expression twisted viciously, his face contorted with jealousy. His mind had been warped by envy.

The railgun struck the ultimate power, flashing only a blinding shower of sparks without inflicting any substantial damage.

"So it was you, the one who knew of Kuroneko and Reimu's existence. You must be Gao Jizhai, the one who hid in Manami's house, right? Instead of thanking me for sparing your life, you actually dared to come out and oppose me! Is it because you rely on your familiarity with this world and the existence of the ultimate power?" Qi asked with sudden realization, his voice dripping with contempt.

"Humph, the plot of this world has already been ruined by you beyond recognition. Even Queen Esdeath didn't fall in love with Tatsumi, replaced by you instead. Or rather, the moment you appeared, the world began to revolve around you. Even without knowing the plot, you could change their fate at critical moments.

Yet why? Why is it you and not me, in this damned world that judges by appearance? Turn into dust, all of you! As long as I can go back... and continue to grow stronger, one day, I too shall hold the authority of the realm in a waking state and rest my head on the laps of beauties while drunk."

"The ranting of a petty man. Taste my double heaven of ice and fire once more."

......

"You cannot hit me. Using the ultimate power must consume vastly more energy than it does for me. Once you can no longer sustain it, that will be your doom." Moving at blinding speed, Qi effortlessly evaded the opponent's attacks, occasionally launching counterattacks that inflicted superficial, harmless wounds.

"Do you care nothing for the civilians of the imperial capital?"

"I am merely a passing traveler; I have no compelling reason to save the indigenous commoners. You need only concern yourself with figuring out how to beg for mercy once you fall into my hands."

"Do you truly believe I am alone? I am not fighting by myself!" Gao Jizhai shouted at the top of his lungs. "Tatsumi, Wave, come out and lend me a hand!"

"Hahaha, do you truly believe you are not alone? You are fighting entirely by yourself. The virtuous find much support, while the wicked find little. Tatsumi, Wave, Susanoo, help me defeat this final enemy. Victory is right before our eyes."

Qi laughed heartily as he hung suspended in the air, his gaze level with the eyes of the ultimate power.

"What? Tatsumi and Wave are my men! Have you lost your mind?" A surge of unease welled up in Gao Jizhai's heart.

"Incursio!"

"I was never your man. Not before Big Brother died, and equally not after leaving Night Raid." Tatsumi flew up from below, clad in his armored form.

"How can this be? Didn't Night Raid cast you out? Why would you still work for them, even coming to my side as an undercover agent? No wonder the governors of the southern provinces all opened their gates unconditionally. You never delivered my imperial edicts and confidential letters, did you?"

Gao Jizhai gnashed his teeth in hatred. He had originally thought he could drive a wedge between the members of Night Raid and Tatsumi, and then use some petty tricks to make Tatsumi obey his orders. He never expected that his attempt to steal a chicken would end up losing the bait, instead inviting a spy right into his ranks.

"When Akame escorted me down, Brother Qi secretly informed me of several matters. He knew I had a device hidden on me that you used to track locations. General Esdeath's nocturnal surprise attack was something you sent men to report. Otherwise, Big Brother would also have... After learning the truth, I followed Brother Qi's arrangements to act as a spy at your side, winning your trust and leaving you to fight in isolation."

Every word from Tatsumi struck like a hammer against Gao Jizhai's psyche. All his plans had been executed right under the enemy's noses; no wonder he had suffered such a crushing defeat.

"Grand Chariot"

"Magatama Manifestation"

Wave and Susanoo also appeared in the sky above.

*Oh no, with Susanoo's obsessive meticulousness, won't he spot a flaw in the ultimate power?*

"Mr. Qi, everything in this world has its weakness, and so does this colossal ultimate power. Look at how asymmetrical his chest is from left to right; it looks deeply uncomfortable. There is definitely something wrong with it."

True to expectations, Susanoo spoke up. Anxiety gripped Gao Jizhai's heart as he frantically pondered how to resolve this mortal crisis and pull off a desperate counterattack.

"That's just because it hurts your eyes... Damn, he actually flinched!" Seeing the ultimate power shudder after Susanoo finished speaking, Qi knew it was no optical illusion.

The probability was extremely high. Since Gao Jizhai knew about events in this world, this world remained one depicted within two-dimensional works. Given the strength of the ultimate power, how on earth had Night Raid dealt with it if he had not existed?

Therefore, a weakness must exist.

"Taste this—piercing the heavens and the earth, the Super Electromagnetic Cannon!" Acting on the thought, Qi fired another dazzling red-orange beam of light, targeting precisely the asymmetrical chest area.

The ultimate power moved, intercepting Qi's railgun with its own beam of energy. This action undoubtedly confirmed the validity of Susanoo's observation.

"Everyone, aim your attacks at that spot and assist me in destroying him!"

Just as Qi finished speaking, Gao Jizhai burst into wild laughter. "If I cannot be the protagonist, then I shall be a qualified final boss! I have found your weakness. Since I cannot have it, let everything I cannot possess vanish from this world!"

Operating at maximum output, the ultimate power directed its destructive beams not at the four of them, but at the other members of Night Raid who were rescuing civilians and battling the imperial capital's guards and police forces.

"No!" As a protective Teigu, Susanoo could only watch helplessly as that beam of light surged toward Najenda.

"Ah—stop right there!"