Baki had encountered countless types of fighters in his life. In fact, up until moments ago, he would have confidently claimed there wasn't a single type of fighter he had yet to face.
There were the powerful ones, with their strong bodies and devastating blows.
Then there were the swift ones, those with blinding speed, capable of striking without even being noticed.
There were also the resilient ones, true warriors who wouldn't give up, even if every limb had been severed.
Baki fought them all, understanding why they excelled in their respective areas.
Because of this, he believed there was only one unique type of fighter…
And these were the ones Baki liked to call "Targets," because, in his life, Baki had only encountered one person he could consider of this type.
His father.
A force of nature, with a body unmatched in power, speed like lightning, and resilience so immense that Baki doubted his father even understood the meaning of "giving up."
Baki felt he was nearing this level, and facing Pickle would confirm that he could finally stand alongside his father as an equal.
But watching the battle before him, seeing how the aura of the boy, who didn't seem much older than him, exploded in all directions and reached everyone, Baki realized with an unsteady but intrigued gaze:
Yuji Shinakawa was also someone close to becoming a "Target."
"…"
In the arena, Pickle observed those dark eyes, lost in how they seemed to study every secret of his body, a sensation that unsettled him, as if the creature before him was discovering more and more ways to subdue him with each passing second.
It was different from a hungry T-Rex, who, despite its hunger, observed its prey cautiously to find the right moment to strike.
But it was also unlike the gaze of a velociraptor, analyzing its opponent to decide if its prey was worth the effort to capture.
It was a new look, one Pickle had never seen in any creature, but he knew what it meant.
It was the gaze of a beast, a creature meticulously studying him, finding ways to tear off his arms, his legs—anything he could use to defend himself—before finally devouring him.
This gaze was in this small creature, who could punch with a force that surpassed the mightiest dinosaurs.
Pickle's eyes, fixed on his opponent's dark ones, suddenly moved upward as sweat began to gather on his forehead, his face shifting to an expression of shock, as if he were witnessing something utterly unbelievable.
Realizing this, Pickle understood that this creature wasn't so small.
In fact, it was so immense that Pickle felt as though he were gazing at an Argentinosaurus in all its glory—a beast of monstrous power, dangerous even to prehistoric man.
But unlike Pickle's imagination, the adversary before him was far from that size, which meant one simple thing…
Boom!
Pickle choked as a fist struck his stomach with such force that it made him want to collapse, his teeth gritting as he was pushed back, immediately regaining his stance with his fangs bared.
He wouldn't move so slowly.
!
Yuji narrowed his eyes as Pickle surged forward, the air screaming as he launched his fist mercilessly, aiming to strike with all the strength he could muster.
'He's taking this seriously…' But ducking under the blow, Yuji immediately met the prehistoric man's jaw with his own fist. 'But I can see it all now.'
Pickle staggered as the punch connected, and just as he was about to retaliate with a furious expression, he was surprised when two more strikes hit the tip of his jaw. His eyes widened in shock as he didn't feel the usual impact and pain that followed being struck.
'You're not in your era anymore, Pickle.'
The prehistoric man blinked for a moment, and realizing there was no apparent damage, spun swiftly to face his opponent, who observed him silently with those strange, emotionless dark eyes.
'You're in an era where humans are addicted to learning.'
Pickle scowled at seeing his enemy just watching him and stepped forward, only to widen his eyes when the world before him spun, his vision finding the ground shortly after.
'And we've learned how to take down monsters like you in the most effective ways possible.'
Boom!
Pickle's face collided forcefully with the ground, confusion filling his expression as he quickly placed his hands to try to rise, only to have his face planted into the ground again as the world spun once more.
What kind of magic was this? What had his opponent done to his body? He wondered in fear—something normal in these circumstances, after all, this was the first time he had seen the world distort before his eyes.
He still had strength, and he didn't feel tired enough to want to sleep, so why?
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
Why couldn't he stand up?!
"You've got a thick skull, so blunt force is practically ineffective at knocking you down."
"?!" Pickle lifted his head at the sound of the young creature's voice, his wavering vision catching the distorted figure sitting casually before him.
"So I decided to try something different." Yuji pointed to his knuckles before tapping the tip of his jaw. "I struck your jaw subtly, shaking your brain in a way you've never experienced before."
Yuji offered a small smile, his hand moving to rest gently on Pickle's shoulder. "This must be a new experience for you, Pickle. But know that I'm here with you."
Pickle didn't understand what his adversary was saying, but as soon as he felt the gentle hand on his shoulder, the prehistoric man froze.
"You don't need to be afraid."
!
Pickle didn't understand those words, but thanks to the soft touch on his shoulder, he grasped the implications of the actions.
This man, this small creature…
Wanted to protect him with his kindness.
"…"
Pickle's teeth clenched, his nails digging into the ground as his body began to tremble. His face, once confused, slowly shifted into fury, his fangs baring as he emitted animalistic growls.
Pickle might not understand human customs, much less what they meant or how they acted.
Yet, he was a sentient creature, capable of feeling and expressing emotions.
Even he, from an era where his only companions were murderous creatures constantly trying to devour him, could feel something that brought him closer to humans…
Pride.
Pride in his strength, pride in not depending on anyone, pride in being able to devour any creature that dared attack him.
But at that moment, when that gentle hand rested on his shoulder as if to say it was there to help him overcome his fear, Pickle felt something that brought him even closer to humans.
His pride was tarnished.
And it enraged him to the point he couldn't contain himself.
He wanted to tear apart and devour the small creature that dared disrespect him.
And he would overcome even the strange magic that confused his eyes to do so.
He would achieve this at all costs.
!
Yuji gritted his teeth as Pickle suddenly surged toward him, grabbing him and slamming him to the ground while the prehistoric beast stood over his body, his face filled with fury—an animalistic rage Yuji recognized well from past opponents.
'I guess I hurt his pride!' Yuji smiled nervously, his hand gripping Pickle's foot. 'But—'
Boom!
Just as he was about to reverse the situation and take down Pickle, he raised his guard to block a powerful punch that drove him so hard into the ground that it cracked beneath his back.
'Dangerous!' Yuji exhaled, feeling his arms tremble from the overwhelming force of the attack, a chill coursing through his body. 'It looks like...'
Shifting his gaze upward, he narrowed his eyes as he saw Pickle raising his fists in anticipation.
'I'm in a tight spot.'
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The blows fell like sledgehammers, relentless and unyielding. Pickle was determined not to give Yuji a single chance to escape.
His punches were heavy, and the young fighter felt as if entire buildings were crashing down on his body. The damage seeped through his defenses, even as he fought to protect himself as best as he could.
He was as good as dead. If he didn't escape this situation, he would surely perish under these terrifying blows. Yuji knew this.
Yet, even though he understood the gravity of the situation, enduring strikes that hurt in ways he hadn't thought possible, Yuji wore a calm expression as he blocked and evaded whenever he could.
How could someone remain calm in such a predicament? Many might wonder.
But Yuji wasn't an ordinary person; he was a fighter who had fought countless battles against innumerable opponents.
His mind operated on a different level, and he wouldn't despair over a mere situation of being cornered.
Moreover, in a position like this...
What kind of fighter would he be if he couldn't seize the perfect moment?
Pickle raised his fist, a guttural roar escaping his throat as he launched it toward Yuji's face, his body descending to follow through with the attack.
'Now...' Yuji was the type of opponent who could exploit even the smallest openings, no matter how imperceptible.
Nothing escaped his sharp eyes, and Pickle, who didn't even know what martial arts were, was an open book to him.
Boom!
Pickle choked as a powerful impact struck his abdomen, his eyes dropping to see Yuji's smoking fist pressed firmly against his stomach, while his own punch had missed its mark as Yuji tilted his head aside.
There was no difficult situation Yuji Shinakawa couldn't escape!
With a burst of momentum, Yuji grabbed his disoriented opponent's neck and, with a flawless sweep, slammed him onto his back on the ground.
Pickle's vision, now fixed on the ceiling of the arena, was filled with the imposing figure of his adversary. Those strange, pitch-black eyes bore into his face as Yuji displayed a small, confident smile.
"It's my turn now, Pickle."
Pickle couldn't understand...
But even so, he felt he was in trouble.