His hastily imitated Twin Lions Fist was clearly weaker than Yangdou Ryoma's. He had almost been sent flying, only managing to stagger to a stop near the edge of the field. His legs shook as he struggled to remain upright.
Yangdou Ryoma was still standing at the center, but his face had also gone pale. He stared at his trembling palms, now covered in fine cuts drawn by the Land of Wind Release Chakra-infused Chakra. Thin lines of blood seeped out across his skin.
"You!"
Yangdou Ryoma's voice trembled with Wrath as he looked up at Takao Hyuga Ryoma, eyes blazing with fury and shock. "You dared to steal a Hyuga Main Family secret technique, and even dared to alter it?!"
In truth, several of the Hyuga Main Family's secret techniques were not that hard for Branch Family Members members who had mastered Gentle Fist. The claim that only the Hyuga Main Family could learn them was meant to serve a different purpose. It was to forbid the Branch Family Members from stealing and using them.
Yangdou Ryoma had not expected Takao Hyuga Ryoma to be so reckless as to openly use a Gentle Fist secret technique reserved for the Hyuga Main Family. Even more, the Twin Lions Fist he used was clearly a crude imitation, far inferior to Yangdou Ryoma's own mastery. Yet that desperate, opportunistic defense had still blocked his sure-kill strike.
"Ryoma once said."
Takao Hyuga Ryoma lifted his head and wiped the blood from his mouth, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Do not demand beauty in combat, do not demand that Ryoma follow virtue, and do not fight only to preserve your own life. It is your Hyuga Main Family that is rotten and rigid, trapped within the so-called orthodoxy of the Main Family."
Hearing this, veins bulged on Yangdou Ryoma's forehead. His Wrath flared as he snarled, "You are courting death."
He stopped fighting at close range and leapt backward to open distance. Every muscle in his body tensed, veins standing out on his arms, his back drawn tight like a fully pulled bow. Compressed Chakra gathered in his palm, dense and heavy, before he thrust it forward.
The strike was terrifyingly fast. The wind pressed his robes tightly against his arm, outlining his muscles as a piercing screech ripped through the air. The force surged straight ahead.
Gentle Fist·Eight Trigrams Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!
A highly compressed Chakra shockwave became visible, like an invisible cannon, shrieking as it tore through the air toward the kneeling Takao Hyuga Ryoma. The power far exceeded his earlier attacks and was enough to pulverize solid stone.
Yet facing this devastating strike, there was no fear in Takao Hyuga Ryoma's eyes. He took a deep breath, enduring the pain in his arms, and formed seals before his chest. His movements were still clumsy, but they carried a resolve that would not retreat.
At the same time, the nature of Chakra within his body changed sharply. A sharp, light, cutting Chakra blended into the energy he was imitating and gathering. The pressure around him shifted.
With another hum, Takao Hyuga Ryoma thrust his palms forward. The compressed attack infused with Land of Wind Release Chakra Chakra surged to meet the oncoming blow. The collision was unavoidable.
Land of Wind Release Chakra·Eight Trigrams Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!
The two terrifying shockwaves slammed together at the center of the field, erupting with an even louder explosion than before. The ground was torn open into a deep furrow as dust swallowed everyone's view. Only violent sound and motion remained.
Within the dust, two figures closed in again. Heavy, penetrating impacts echoed, mixed with the dull bursts of Chakra. Each collision stirred another violent wave of air, whipping the dust into chaos.
From the edge of the field, the spectators could only see two vague shadows chasing, colliding, separating, and colliding again. Their speed left afterimages, and every move carried lethal force. No one dared breathe too loudly.
Suddenly, an exceptionally powerful shockwave burst outward, ripping the dust apart. As the cloud dispersed, the scene at the center became clear. The outcome hung on a single exchange.
The two were pressed close together. Takao Hyuga Ryoma moved like lightning, his right hand formed into a blade, slashing horizontally toward Yangdou Ryoma's throat. The strike was fast, precise, and ruthless, meant to kill in one blow.
A sharp hiss sounded.
By pure instinct, Yangdou Ryoma bent backward at a dangerous angle. The hand blade skimmed past his neck, barely grazing the skin. The margin was razor-thin.
At the instant Takao Hyuga Ryoma's strike missed, the recoiling Yangdou Ryoma twisted his waist and abdomen with force. His right fist clenched as extremely condensed Chakra gathered in his palm. The air screamed under the pressure.
Gentle Fist·Eight Trigrams Mountain-Breaking Strike!
"Break for me!" Yangdou Ryoma roared with Wrath.
The palm, packed with terrifying power, slammed toward Takao Hyuga Ryoma's body, which was leaning forward and unable to fully withdraw in time. The strike tore through the air with lethal force. There was no room to evade.
Takao Hyuga Ryoma could only raise his left arm to block, pouring all his remaining Chakra into it. The impact landed solidly. The sound was deep and heavy.
Crack.
A faint but clear sound of bone breaking rang out. Takao Hyuga Ryoma spat a mouthful of blood as his body flew backward like a snapped kite. His feet scraped across the ground, carving two long trenches before he finally stabilized several meters away.
Coughing violently, he dropped to one knee again. His face was as pale as paper. His left arm hung limply at his side, the sleeve torn beyond repair, revealing dark swelling and bruising.
Blood dripped steadily from his mouth, staining his chest. His breathing was ragged, yet his eyes remained steady. He did not look away.
"Again!"
Seeing this, Yangdou Ryoma's twisted rage mixed with cruel satisfaction as he shouted hoarsely. His posture leaned forward, eager to continue. The field seemed to shrink under his presence.
However, the kneeling Takao Hyuga Ryoma slowly raised his head. With his still-mobile right hand, he wiped the blood from his mouth. He looked at the aggressive Yangdou Ryoma and slowly shook his head.
"It is already… over."
His voice was slightly Crimson giant weak, but it was clear and steady. There was no doubt in his tone. The words carried weight.
"What are you talking about?" Yangdou Ryoma's face darkened before curling into a cold sneer. "What, are you planning to surrender…"
His voice cut off abruptly. He noticed the murmurs around him and the gazes directed at his neck. A cool, damp sensation slowly spread there.
Following their stares, Yangdou Ryoma raised a hand to his throat. His fingers came away warm and sticky. When he looked down, bright red blood stained his fingertips.
A wound so thin it was almost invisible was seeping fine beads of blood. The drops gathered and trickled down his neck. Earlier, Takao Hyuga Ryoma's passing hand blade had been wrapped in sharp Land of Wind Release Chakra Chakra.
If Takao Hyuga Ryoma had wanted to, he could have cut his throat cleanly. On a real battlefield, Yangdou Ryoma would already be dead. The truth was undeniable.
"So."
Takao Hyuga Ryoma forced himself to stand, his voice still weak but firm. "Yangdou Ryoma, you lost."
After saying that, he gave Yangdou Ryoma one last calm look, as if staring at a stranger. He did not wait for him to kneel as promised. Holding his injured left arm, he turned and limped toward the exit of the training field.