The result left Han utterly stunned.
After all, that had been his full strength.
This guy could actually withstand a full-power blow head-on.
He was truly shocked; the opponent didn't have steam armor, so he shouldn't have been able to sustain such endurance.
Han's own power didn't just come from his steam armor, but also from his rigorously trained physique.
For the rest of the fight, he planned to turn it into a war of attrition.
"You're quite something. Now, let's settle this with hand-to-hand combat."
The two of them fought in close quarters for over half an hour.
The surrounding landscape was left in a state of utter ruin.
Those were the scars left by the Five-Tails Jinchūriki, Han, being thrown back, combined with the shockwaves from their direct clashes.
Ryōsuke possessed the Sharingan. Even though Han was incredibly fast, the dōjutsu saw through every attack clearly, allowing Ryōsuke to meet him with direct force every time.
Furthermore, he exploited Han's lack of agility, finding openings to send the man flying with powerful kicks.
Even in his heavy armor, Han was repeatedly sent tumbling to the ground.
However, the man could use his steam to spring back to his feet instantly, which genuinely surprised Ryōsuke.
He had assumed a man in such heavy gear would lose his combat effectiveness once knocked down.
Han was extremely frustrated. Although he hadn't been overpowered in terms of raw strength while at full tilt, he simply couldn't land a single hit. Instead, his opponent kept seizing every opening he left.
After another exchange, Han used the recoil from their impact to put some distance between them.
His body had reached its limit, and he was beginning to feel the strain.
Boil Style: Unrivaled Strength put a severe burden on him; he wouldn't have lasted this long without his extraordinary physical strength.
This was his unique signature technique.
But in this contest of taijutsu, he had undeniably lost.
Ryōsuke watched Han struggle and didn't rush to pursue him. Instead, he teased him.
"Your strength is certainly immense, but your flexibility is pathetic. Your defense is quite impressive, though—you'd make an excellent punching bag."
Han's face darkened at those words.
His agility was indeed a weak point.
After all, he wore such heavy armor.
Even with the boost from his steam, he couldn't fix his inherent clunkiness.
Yet his speed was anything but slow; he had thought his raw velocity would compensate for his stiffness when facing an enemy.
His defeat came from the fact that the opponent had the Sharingan to track him, combined with the guy's own immense speed.
As for being called a punching bag, although he was displeased and even a bit angry, there was no denying the truth of it.
Fortunately, his defense was strong enough to prevent any fatal injuries.
In reality, the opponent's punches had already penetrated through his armor, causing significant internal damage.
Han was shocked that the opponent's fists were tougher than his own armor. After such a violent assault, didn't the guy feel any pain in his hands?
Most importantly, why did this man show no signs of exhaustion after fighting for so long?
He wasn't even breathing heavily, which shook Han to his core.
He couldn't help but wonder: with such a build and stamina, was this man even human?
Compared to his opponent, Han's body was starting to give out under the strain of fighting at full power.
He didn't know if the man was bluffing or not, but there was another figure in the distance who hadn't even joined the fray yet. Although that person didn't seem as powerful as the one before him, the current situation was still exceptionally grim for Han.
"I admit it. You've earned the right to talk big."
"I'm going to get serious now. If I use the Tailed Beast's power, I might not be able to hold back from killing you."
The Tailed Beast's power would be far more terrifying than his current state.
Ryōsuke almost laughed. Years ago, he could already tear Tailed Beasts apart with his bare hands; did this guy really think he could intimidate him with that now?
Seeing his reaction, Han's expression soured.
"What are you laughing at?"
Ryōsuke composed himself and looked at him.
"Has all that physical training rotted your brain? I'm here specifically for the Tailed Beast. Why would I be afraid of it?"
Han's expression grew grim again. The man was right; anyone who could capture the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, a perfect host, had to have the strength to back it up.
He had been careless and felt a wave of regret. Perhaps he should have fled earlier.
But he couldn't afford to lose his momentum now.
"Talk is cheap. Only a battle will show the truth."
Just as he was preparing to manifest his full Tailed Beast form, Ryōsuke waved his hand to stop him.
"Stop. If you get serious, I'll have to get serious too, and you'll likely just cease to exist."
"Before that, tell me the whereabouts of the other Jinchūriki, Rōshi."
"Maybe then I'll spare your life."
Not that he actually intended to kill him in the first place.
Han frowned, dismissing the offer with disdain.
This guy's target wasn't just him, but also the Stone Village's other Jinchūriki, Rōshi.
Though Rōshi had left the village, it didn't mean Han would betray a fellow shinobi of his home.
"Don't underestimate me. Even if I knew, I'd never tell you."
Ryōsuke felt a bit of regret.
'I suppose so. A man like him wouldn't talk.'
Since the man had pushed his body to such limits, his will was naturally unbreakable.
'Asking was a waste of breath.'
Then, he focused his ocular power. His three-tomoe Sharingan transformed into an eight-pointed star—the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Since Han wanted to go all out, Ryōsuke saw no reason to keep playing around.
His eyes glowed red as he unleashed a genjutsu, targeting both Han and the Tailed Beast within him.
Han was momentarily stunned by the pattern in the man's eyes. Just as he was confirming that they were indeed the Mangekyō Sharingan, he suddenly found himself unable to move.
Panic surged through him. The man had actually trapped him in a genjutsu.
How was this possible? He had only made eye contact for a split second. This was beyond ridiculous.
He scrambled to contact the Tailed Beast within him.
But he quickly realized the Tailed Beast wasn't responding at all.
A powerful sense of dread washed over him.
---------------
Want more chapters? 50+ extra chapters are available on my Patreon:
patreon.com/Hard_Worker