"Don't get too arrogant, Kamikawa Naoki."
Even though the reason her Nullification had failed remained a mystery, Ren's pride refused to accept that reality. She felt humiliated for failing to defeat her opponent after having unilaterally declared her own victory.
*WHOOSH!*
With speed that split the air, she plummeted downward like a meteor toward Naoki.
*BAM!* *CRACK!*
Unfortunately, Ren had underestimated the amplification effect of «Crazy Sheep». The right leg she swung into a kick was instead caught by Naoki's hand in an iron grip. Ren's shin snapped with a crisp sound.
Had this been an ordinary woman, the pain from a broken bone might have triggered a hysterical scream. But Ren was different. Her face only twitched briefly, her brow creasing as she forced down the pain, before she pushed her body backward to maintain a safe distance.
"Commander Yamashiro is injured!" Konomi cried out in shock, her hands reflexively flying to cover her mouth.
The other Chiefs were equally startled. The first exchange had ended with damage dealt to Ren—something none of them had anticipated.
Kyouka glanced at Tenka, who stood calmly nearby, as though she had foreseen exactly this outcome.
*(It seems Tenka wasn't exaggerating about her boyfriend. That man is genuinely strong. So far, he's demonstrated two different Peach Blossom Blessings without showing any clear weakness. That's unlike Himari, who has obvious limitations.)*
Curious about what else Naoki had in his arsenal, Kyouka turned her attention back to the arena.
*SHING!*
Eight golden cards representing the abilities of «Vairocana» appeared and began orbiting Ren's body. She cancelled her levitation, landed on the ground, then touched one of the cards containing the Healing Factor ability.
In the blink of an eye, the broken bone—which would normally require months of hospital treatment—knit back together. The bruised skin returned to smooth perfection.
Without stopping there, Ren immediately switched her active card from Healing Factor to Physical Enhancement.
As for the Nullification?
Ren was certain her ability hadn't failed—it had simply succeeded in neutralizing «Night Storm». That was evidenced by her opponent no longer attempting to use Air Manipulation to asphyxiate her. To prevent that vacuum strategy from recurring, she needed to maintain Nullification in a constantly active state.
It should be noted that Ren could only activate two abilities simultaneously. With Nullification occupying one permanent slot, she was forced to diligently swap her second ability to match each situation as it demanded.
"Want to go hand to hand?" Ren took a boxer's stance, her breathing steadied once more. "By all means. Fight your way. I can't wait to see how far your abilities go."
*WHOOSH!*
Naoki didn't waste a moment. He shot toward Ren. Every second was precious. He could only sustain «Crazy Sheep» mode for one minute. After that, a three-minute cooldown was required before it could be used again. Time was his greatest enemy right now.
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
The bare-handed fight erupted.
Naoki's fists flew—not ordinary punches, but blows that carried the weight of thousands of tons. The air around him compressed with each movement, creating small shockwaves every time his hands struck.
Ren met those punches with her own.
*BAM!*
Two forces collided, producing a concussive impact that shook the ground beneath them. Cracks began appearing across the surface of the circle, even as Ginna's barrier strained to hold.
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
They moved at subsonic speed—too fast for normal eyes to follow. For the Chiefs watching from outside, all that was visible were flashes of movement, shadows chasing each other, and small detonations every time their fists met.
But their eyes were trained. They could keep up.
Naoki attacked with rapid combinations—a straight jab, a sideward hook, an uppercut as Ren stepped back. His movements were efficient, without embellishment, but lethal.
On the opposing side, Ren responded with an entirely different fighting style. She was more fluid, more reliant on experience. Her body twisted to evade attacks, then countered with low kicks targeting Naoki's knees. When Naoki blocked, she had already shifted sideways to drive her elbow into his ribs.
*BAM!* *CRACK!*
They traded blows in the span of milliseconds. Naoki's fist landed on Ren's shoulder—the sound of impacting bone rang out clearly. Ren returned with a palm strike to Naoki's jaw, snapping his head to the side.
But neither fell.
Both stepped back half a pace, then immediately launched forward again.
This was not merely a contest of raw strength. It was a demonstration of martial mastery. Ren displayed command of multiple disciplines—boxing, karate, Muay Thai—switching between them fluidly. Her elbows were sharp, her knees devastating, her kicks precise.
On the other side, Naoki fought with a style that was more... pragmatic. No excess movement, no flourish. Every punch had purpose, every block was efficient. He read Ren's movements in an instant and responded before her attacks could fully form.
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
The detonations continued to echo. The ground beneath them began to give—not merely cracking, but genuinely cratering in small hollows. The barrier shimmered intensely, straining to contain the impact of two forces worthy of mythological titans.
Naoki caught Ren's wrist, twisted, attempted to throw her. Ren used that momentum to spin and kick at Naoki's head. Naoki ducked, the kick whipping over his white hair. Then he surged forward, his shoulder driving into Ren's stomach.
*BAM!*
Ren staggered back, but recovered immediately. Her hands seized Naoki's collar, pulling him forward as her knee drove up toward his solar plexus. Naoki blocked with his forearm, enough to reduce the impact.
They separated briefly.
The air between them trembled.
Then, without warning, they crashed into each other again.
"..."
"Incredible! They're both incredible!" Konomi couldn't tear her eyes from the fight. As a martial arts enthusiast, her eyes shone with awe at a speed that exceeded the limits of ordinary human comprehension.
"That boy is more capable than I expected. He can match Yamashiro Ren in hand-to-hand combat." Remarked Riu, the Anti-Demon Corps' martial arts instructor, folding her arms across her chest. Her tone carried genuine approval. "But the boy still falls short. He is like an unpolished diamond. His movements still waste too much energy."
Mira snorted in disagreement. "To me, that man is already tremendously impressive." Her hand jabbed toward Riu. "Old woman, name me a man who could compare to him! In all of the Corps' history, has there ever been one?"
"..."
Riu did not answer. Her silence was the answer.
"I underestimated him. Even I would struggle to last a full minute against Commander Yamashiro." Kyouka watched the arena with a complicated expression.
"This is like a battle scene from a shounen manga!" Yuuki clenched his fist, swept up in the adrenaline of the fight.
Varvara and Fubuki remained silent, observing with their own respective intensity, without uttering a single word.
"Fufufu... It's too soon to be surprised." Tenka let out a small laugh.
Inside the barrier, the fight grew fiercer with every exchange.
In terms of raw power, Naoki was marginally below Ren. He had taken dozens of hits from the woman, leaving his body covered in deep purple bruises and even a few hairline fractures. But in this one-minute mode, he was blocking out every pain signal his nerves were sending.
On the other side, Ren was in slightly better condition. Perhaps Naoki was deliberately avoiding her face—every retaliatory blow had landed on her shoulders, abdomen, and other non-vital areas.
*BAM!*
Naoki was sent flying backward by a direct hit from Ren's punch to his chest. He performed a backflip in mid-air to stabilize himself, landing on the ground just before the edge of the barrier.
His Physical Enhancement dissolved like sand blown by wind. The body that had felt light and powerful moments ago returned to its base statistics. The pain he had been suppressing rushed in all at once—his ribs ached, his shoulders throbbed, his entire body cried out.
*SHING!*
Eight golden cards appeared surrounding Ren. She selected one—Healing Factor. In an instant, every injury she had sustained healed. Bruises faded, pain vanished, her breathing returned to normal.
She fixed her gaze on Naoki from across the circle.
"Not bad. I, Yamashiro Ren, acknowledge you as the strongest man." Ren straightened her slightly rumpled uniform. Her gaze now carried a measure of respect, though her tone remained as haughty as ever. "Still want to continue? Kamikawa Naoki?"
Seeing Ren's attitude still suggesting she stood at the superior position—how could Naoki possibly admit defeat?
"Hmph. These injuries are nothing. You're not the only one with a healing ability."
*SHING!*
The Thagirion slot in the Qliphoth Tree diagram within Naoki's mind blazed with bright light. «Canopus» activated!
«Canopus» was one of the most broken Peach Blossom Blessings within «Pandemonium». Simply put, it was the Manipulation of Life and Death.
Through its protection mode, «Canopus» safeguarded the user's life, enabling recovery even from fatal wounds. Just like Ren, all of Naoki's injuries healed in the blink of an eye, his skin returning to its unblemished state without a trace.
"Try to withstand this if you can, Yamashiro Ren."
Having said that, Naoki raised both hands toward Ren.
"What are you—"
*ZING!*
The smile on Ren's face froze as a small orb of light appeared, floating in front of her chest. Her pupils shrank drastically as she recognized the phenomenon.
"That is... my Peach Blossom Blessing!"
Outside the barrier, Bell stared at the scene before her in stunned silence. Her hands instinctively moved to her own chest, feeling a strange resonance from her own power being wielded by someone else.
"Sensei, should this sparring match be stopped? This has already crossed a line." Kyouka asked Riu with a note of urgency in her voice.
"Let's watch a little longer. If Yamashiro Ren truly has no way of handling this situation, it won't be too late to stop it then." Riu declined after a moment of thought, her eyes sharp as she analyzed the situation.
"But—"
Before Kyouka could say anything further, Mira cut her off with a sharp tone.
"Enough, Kyouka! Do you think the Commander would be grateful if we intervened? She wouldn't! If anything, she'd be furious! That would be the same as saying she's lost!"
Tenka also spoke up, calming the atmosphere. "Mira-chin is right. Relax, Kyouka-chin—Naoki-kun knows when to stop."
Since they had both said as much, Kyouka closed her mouth, though the concern remained evident on her face.
"Kyouka-san, why does everyone look so grave? What exactly does the Peach Blossom Blessing Naoki is using actually do?" asked Yuuki, who had lost the thread of the tense conversation going on around him.
"That is the Peach Blossom Blessing of Tsukiyono Bell, the Third Unit's Chief." Kyouka gestured toward Bell, who was still standing in stunned silence, then explained to Yuuki in a low voice. "When she uses her Peach Blossom Blessing, the target begins to glow. That light, so to speak, is the life force of the target. And if Bell extracts that light, the target is reduced to ash. It is the ability to destroy anything that has physical form."
Having now learned the nature of «Canopus», Yuuki understood why everyone was so alarmed. Cold sweat ran down his temple.
"The ability to destroy anything that has physical form... Incredible..." He realized that this fight had just entered a far more dangerous phase.
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