Seeing Aiden take Andy down with a single move, the stadium, which had been dead silent, instantly erupted into an uproar. After all, in the previous matches, no matter how strong or weak the fighters were, they at least exchanged a few rounds. But seeing this now, it was indeed a bit shocking.
"Aiden!"
In the audience stands, Mai Shiranui was so excited she nearly jumped up, completely forgetting to wonder why, with strength this strong, Aiden would still go to her dojo to be a student.
And the other women beside her were also full of shock. After all, there are levels even in defeating an opponent. Finishing someone off with one clean punch like this, the visual impact isn't any worse than a fierce, drawn-out battle.
Meanwhile, in the fighters' rest area, the three members of the Psychic Warriors Team were equally stunned.
"This kid…"
Chin Gentsai didn't even know what to say anymore, especially after he had been thinking of taking Aiden as a disciple earlier.
Athena held her hands together, staring blankly at Aiden, murmuring, "Little junior brother… he's really, really strong!"
Sie Kensou glanced at her. "Athena, you should change how you address him. This guy is not going to become Master's disciple."
"I want to call him that. You don't understand." Athena also shot him a sideways look.
"What don't I understand?" Kensou froze for a moment.
Athena pouted and didn't speak, only thinking in her heart that it was a special nickname between the two of them.
———
Speaking of which, Aiden actually didn't use much strength in that punch. Otherwise, Andy would be going straight into a forensic science textbook right now, title, "How to Restore a Dismembered Body"… And of course the janitors would have to work overtime; cleaning that up would definitely be a pain.
So Andy, who had fallen outside the ring, quickly sat up from the ground and stared at Aiden in disbelief. He had actually been defeated by a single move.
"Andy!"
At this moment, Terry and Joe ran over. One on the left, one on the right, they helped him up.
"You alright?" Terry checked Andy up and down, but didn't find any obvious injuries.
"N-no… I'm fine." Andy shook his head, then said bitterly, "Terry, I got defeated by one move."
Hearing this, Terry looked toward Aiden standing on the ring and said heavily, "This guy is strong, stronger than anything we've ever seen. None of the opponents we've met before can compare."
"Then… are we still going up later?" Joe asked in a low voice.
"Go. Why wouldn't we? We came here to challenge stronger opponents, didn't we?" Terry's eyes were full of fighting spirit.
He was someone who never accepted defeat. Even when avenging his father, he had failed countless times, but always got back up again.
"Then I'll go first." Joe was fired up by Terry's words. He tightened the band around his forehead, then leapt onto the ring.
After making a provocative gesture at Aiden, he shouted, "This time let me take you on."
"Good. Admirable courage."
Aiden folded his arms and nodded, also feeling that what he just said sounded like a villain's line, but wow, it felt good to say it.
Then the announcer called for the match to begin. Joe exploded with energy in an instant and punched toward Aiden.
Although he was Japanese, he was actually a Muay Thai expert, and the energy in his body allowed the wind from his punches to form a tornado with tremendous force.
"A Gale Punch, huh."
Aiden murmured the name of the move but still didn't move from his spot. An invisible armor appeared around him.
It was the Sanda buff skill, Super Armor.
BOOM!
The tornado formed by the punch wind slammed into the invisible armor, let out a thunderous noise, and then dissipated. Aiden wasn't harmed at all, and his body hadn't even budged.
"Nice move, very flashy, but the power is too small. Though since it's summer right now, it's perfect for cooling me off." Aiden patted off dust that wasn't actually there and said calmly.
Hearing such arrogant words, a vein bulged on Joe's forehead, but he quickly calmed himself down. Then he slid forward and raised a kick toward Aiden's head.
Smack!
Aiden lifted his hand and casually blocked the kick, one that could break a tree, and smiled. "Continue."
"As you wish." Joe responded calmly, then kept launching attacks.
Whirlwind Punch, Explosive Punch, Lightning Kick, Tiger Break Kick…
Joe used everything he'd ever learned, and because he knew defeat was certain, he held nothing back. His moves were even sharper than in his past battles.
But no matter how Joe attacked, Aiden easily blocked everything, still remaining completely motionless.
"Kyo! Can you do what he's doing?"
Below the ring, Goro Daimon asked Kyo Kusanagi, who also had a serious expression.
Letting out a slight sigh, Kyo shook his head. "If I went all out, I could probably beat that Andy guy in one move too, but only if he seriously underestimated me. As for standing still like that and defending against the full power of a Muay Thai fighter… honestly, I can't do it."
This was the answer Daimon had expected, so he wasn't surprised. He only sighed. "Looks like we won't be getting the championship this time. The title of King of Fighters… it can only belong to him."
"With his strength, that title can only belong to him." Kyo's eyes stayed on the ring. He raised one hand, and flames erupted from his palm. "But it's fine. I'm really looking forward to fighting him. Even if I lose, it doesn't matter. I'll train harder afterward. One day, I'll be able to defeat him."
The Kusanagi family's secret techniques, so far he had only mastered Orochinagi. He still hadn't grasped Mu Shiki, which was even stronger.
'If I learn Mu Shiki, maybe I'd have the strength to fight him…' Kyo thought, then closed his fist, extinguishing the flames.
Whatever people outside the ring thought or said, the two on the ring didn't hear any of it. Joe had now completely let himself go, even using killing moves he normally wouldn't dare to use.
MAX Death Tornado…
After a series of attacks were all blocked, Joe retreated a few steps. Then he drew his right fist to his waist, gathering all the energy in his body. Next, he suddenly punched forward again and again, and an orange-red tornado gradually formed in front of Aiden.
Joe shouted, "I don't believe you can still stand still in front of this move!"
"If my feet move even a little, I lose." Aiden tilted his head and said calmly.
Then he clenched his fist as well and drew it to his waist.
By now, Joe had already driven the tornado toward Aiden. But at this moment, Aiden also swung his fist forward with a sudden punch.
'Shattering Fist!'
In an instant, the more-than-ten-meter-tall tornado was blown apart, and the powerful shock wave hit Joe from a distance.
This time, Aiden didn't hold back nearly as much. Joe coughed up a mouthful of blood and, just like Andy, was blasted off the ring.
Joe...
KO!
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