Yamato brought his hands together.
A technique was forming—
—but before he could finish—
I flicked the banana peel straight at him.
"Fire Technique!"
A burst of flame shot forward—
—and burned the peel to ash.
I smirked.
"Nice."
"You know…" Yamato said calmly, lowering his hands,
"I'm not just some messenger anymore."
A pause.
"I'm the strongest now."
"Oh," I laughed lightly.
"You scared me."
His eyes narrowed.
No more talking.
His hands came together again—
Fire shot toward me.
I dodged.
Barely.
I raised my hands, trying to recreate what I did in the maze.
Nothing.
No energy.
No reaction.
"Hey…" I muttered under my breath.
"Do that thing again."
Silence.
Then—
a voice.
Cold. Mocking.
"You think I'll obey you, idiot?" it said.
"Do it yourself. Baka."
"What?!"
Before I could react—
"Water Technique!"
A wave rushed at me.
I punched through it—
barely holding my ground.
Then I realized.
He's keeping distance.
Of course.
I don't use techniques.
I fight up close.
So I moved.
Fast.
He raised the ground—
"Earth Technique!"
But I was already moving.
I leaped onto a second-floor balcony—
then launched myself forward.
I smashed through the earth attack—
dust exploded everywhere.
A cloud.
A blind spot.
"Damn it…" Yamato thought.
"He's hiding… and I can't sense him—"
A pause.
"—because he has no destructive energy."
He closed his eyes.
Focused.
Listening.
Breathing.
I moved behind him—
silent.
I swung—
aiming for his head—
—but he reacted.
At the last second—
his fist struck my leg, powered by destructive energy.
I crashed down.
But got up instantly.
So that's it…
I moved again.
Faster.
Smarter.
I grabbed mud—
rubbed it over myself.
No scent.
No trace.
Now—
he could barely sense me.
I struck.
Punch.
Kick.
Strike.
Again.
Again.
Again.
He staggered.
Dodging, barely keeping up.
Then—
he jumped back.
And this time—
his stance changed.
Both hands came together.
Fingers aligned.
Perfect.
Precise.
Like a jal mudr
"Destructive Energy…" he said quietly.
"Water Formation."
He was the only living person who had enough energy and strength to do a formation alone.
The air shifted.
A massive domain of clear blue water surrounded us.
Flowing.
Endless.
Alive.
Inside it—
everything moved with him.
Every attack—
perfect.
Unavoidable.
Water shot at me from every direction.
Above.
Below.
Behind.
I blocked.
Dodged.
Countered.
Only fists.
Only kicks.
No energy.
No technique.
Just survival.
And inside that endless water—
I realized something.
This fight…
was far from over.