To counter Reflector, one must never think of resisting.
This was the truth Ryoji had grasped.
By simply coating his body with a reflective layer, Reflector could deflect any form of force, even gravity. No physical technique could ever break through it.
Even if one could redirect the reflected force back at the opponent, the reflective layer would simply bounce it back again, resulting in an endless cycle of "I reflect your reflected force, which you reflect back at me." In such a scenario, a manual technique would inevitably lose to a mechanical one.
Thus, Ryoji understood: 'Just don't resist.'
As the saying goes, survival is success. As long as you're alive, you haven't truly failed.
Building upon the foundation of Tai Chi Sword, he created the Harmonizing Light with Dust technique. Achieving a perfect balance of hardness and softness, he could completely dissipate any force directed at his body!
Now, under the crushing weight of Kurogane Ikki's Monstrous Strength, which likely exceeded his own by ten times or more, Ryoji merely took two steps back, channeling the entire force through his legs and into the ground.
He emerged completely unscathed!
The reason he had been sent flying earlier was that Ittou Shura had been activated so suddenly, launching him into the air and disrupting his stance. He had no choice but to slam into the ground to dissipate the force.
Now, with his feet firmly planted, he needed only to take two steps back.
"Haaaah!!"
Kurogane Ikki gritted his teeth.
He still refused to give up, as if determined to unleash every ounce of strength in his body. Veins bulged on his forehead, muscles coiled tightly, transforming his entire being into a ferocious figure.
Boom!
Boom!
Terrifying power, accompanied by deafening roars, surged toward Ryoji in relentless waves.
"What an overwhelming assault! Contestant Kurogane Ikki's attacks come in relentless waves, moving so fast the naked eye can barely track him! Thankfully, the studio's high-magnification cameras are keeping up, though Contestant Nangou is clearly struggling to defend!"
The aerial screen displayed the battle footage in slow motion, slowed down tenfold. Even at this speed, the action was still breathtakingly rapid, blurring the vision before abruptly cutting to the next scene.
"Amazing... truly amazing..."
"Kurogane... who knew he could be this strong when he goes all out?"
The audience erupted in gasps of astonishment.
In past battles, Kurogane Ikki had always swiftly defeated his opponents after activating Ittou Shura, leaving casual observers unable to truly grasp the terrifying power of this state.
But now, as Kurogane Ikki unleashed a relentless, ferocious assault on Ryoji in his Ittou Shura state, the sheer, overwhelming power of his transformation finally became undeniable to everyone in the arena.
"Though contestant Kurogane's attacks are relentless, Contestant Nangou remains as solid as a rock, blocking every strike... Only half a minute remains until contestant Kurogane reaches his limit!"
"If this continues... cough cough, honestly, Kurogane Contestant... will likely lose..."
The sheer visual impact of the two combatants clashing had electrified the entire arena.
Toudou Touka and Totokubara Kanata, Stella and Kurogane Shizuku, even Kirihara Shizuya, who harbored strong resentment toward Kurogane Ikki, and the misinformed crowd, all were now watching the battle with bated breath.
Inside the arena, Ryoji remained utterly calm, his mind as still as a placid lake.
Like a steadfast boulder amidst turbulent waters, he was repeatedly driven back by Kurogane Ikki's ferocious onslaught, yet his stance never wavered.
Spiderweb-like cracks splintered across the ground.
Ryoji continuously dissipated the force behind each strike using his Harmonizing Light with Dust technique.
In a mere ten seconds, Kurogane Ikki had unleashed dozens of full-powered attacks: Lightning Ray, Shinkirou (Mirage Wolf), Rhino Strike, Dokuga no Tachi (Poisonous Moth Long Sword)... Every secret sword technique was unleashed without reservation.
Yet none could defeat Ryoji.
He stood firm as a reef in the sea, unyielding against the relentless onslaught.
"Hah!!"
In another desperate charge, Kurogane Ikki unleashed his most dazzling Lightning Ray yet!
The blade moved with unprecedented speed, embodying the culmination of all the evolution he had achieved in this battle.
"Ha!"
Ryoji grunted softly.
The violent clash of blades sent him hurtling backward over ten meters, his feet skidding across the ground.
Kurogane Ikki prepared to press his advantage.
But suddenly, an immense force surged from Ryoji's body, sending him flying backward in an unexpected shockwave.
"Counterattack! Contestant Nangou has launched his first counterattack! How did he manage that?"
"I don't know..."
"Yuri-chan..."
It's hard to blame her.
After all, even world-class masters couldn't fully comprehend their sword techniques.
"Is this my 'Circle'?" Kurogane Ikki asked, utterly bewildered.
He had previously used this technique to deflect the force of Ryoji's Ten'i Muhou, but it wasn't primarily a deflection technique. Its true purpose was to reflect an opponent's force back at them.
However, to properly reflect an attack, one had to perform a full rotation on the spot.
If he remembered correctly, this was the first time he had used this technique in Ryoji's presence.
But…
"I've been secretly memorizing it every time I saw you use it," Ryoji said, shaking his slightly trembling wrist. Despite his efforts, he couldn't fully neutralize the relentless barrage of attacks.
"I thought it would pair well with my Harmonizing Light with Dust, so I practiced it and tried it out."
In other words, in just a few minutes of intense combat, Ryoji had plagiarized Ikki's sword skill.
Moreover, he had clearly skipped the rotation movement, yet he had still managed to reflect Ikki's force back at him with a backhand strike.
In other words, he had even improved upon it.
In truth, the "Circle" technique itself bore traces of Tai Chi principles. Kurogane Ikki had drawn inspiration from this very concept when he created the move, which is why Ryoji found it to be such a perfect complement to his Harmonizing Light with Dust.
Precisely because they shared a common origin, Ryoji had been able to refine the technique with remarkable ease. Tai Chi, after all, excels at borrowing momentum to redirect force.
But this also meant...
"I've already lost."
Kurogane Ikki's heart sank completely.
No matter how he attacked, Ryoji could effortlessly block every strike, even redirecting his own force back at him. The physical advantage granted by Ittou Shura seemed utterly meaningless against him.
There was only one explanation:
Ryoji's mastery of swordsmanship overwhelmingly surpassed his own.
The sword technique Kurogane Ikki had prided himself on was now utterly insignificant before Ryoji, who could effortlessly learn and refine it with a mere flick of his wrist. None of the Seven Secret Swords proved effective; he couldn't even break through Ryoji's Harmonizing Light with Dust.
Imitation Sword Skill and Perfect Vision were completely sealed.
"Victory and defeat have already been determined," Saikyou Nene declared from her elevated position, her voice filled with unwavering certainty.
"The gap between these two has widened dramatically. Little Brother Kurogane couldn't even force Little Junior Brother to use his special ability."
Shinguuji Kurono nodded silently.
Nangou Torajirou also gave a slight nod.
"Hahahaha! Serves him right! Now I'm definitely getting promoted!" Mamoru Akaza finally tossed aside his cane and erupted into maniacal laughter.
"Kurogane Ikki, get off the stage already! You have absolutely no chance of defeating Ryoji-sama! Be smart and concede now! Hahahaha!"
(End Of This Chapter)
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