In the Super Arena, no one had expected the battle to reverse so many times. The audience was roaring with excitement, proclaiming the trip well worth it.
In the ring, Garou, who had activated his Breathing Style, had stunned Suiryu.
The thought that he might still lose, even after using his full strength, surged uncontrollably in Suiryu's mind: "Am I going to lose this match?"
"Impossible!"
Suiryu, who had never been defeated before, gathered his strength again and rushed forward, throwing a punch that broke the sound barrier.
But Garou simply raised his hand and lightly caught the fist.
"Don't lump me in with you. I'm not a genius, and I don't seek pleasure. My life will be spent alongside despair."
"..." Suiryu's expression slowly turned blank.
Garou's hand came up, and his fist came down.
Suiryu spat out a large mouthful of blood, his body curling up like a boiled shrimp, before collapsing heavily onto the ground.
When he didn't rise after a long silence, the referee, standing far off to the side, gathered his courage, walked over to Suiryu, and began the count.
"Ten, nine, eight... two, one, zero! The winner is Competitor Garou!"
"Garou! Garou! Garou!" This match earned the ascetic-looking Garou quite a few fans.
"You've never tasted defeat, have you? I hope you find it interesting," Garou said before walking off the stage, his hands tucked into his pockets.
"Congratulations to Competitor Garou for advancing to the finals! We also want to thank Competitor Garou and Competitor Suiryu for delivering such a spectacular match! Next up is Competitor Aomori versus Competitor Bearman! Please welcome them to the stage!"
"Aomori! Aomori! Aomori!"
Aomori, receiving the notification, walked up to the ring. Learning the result of the previous match, he smiled: "It looks like Garou, who has mastered both the Breathing Style and Fist Intent, has the edge. I can't wait to fight him."
With this eagerness in mind, Aomori had no desire to exchange pleasantries with his opponent from the Old Tree Root Style. He ended the match quickly and happily with a single blow, sending Bearman straight to the infirmary.
"Ah, Competitor Aomori took out Competitor Bearman in one move. It seems the gap between them is quite large. We hope Competitor Bearman won't lose heart and will challenge the Martial Arts Tournament again next time."
Bearman was weeping himself unconscious in the infirmary bathroom.
"Everyone will now take a 20-minute break before the next match, which will be..." The host suddenly froze. "Huh? Competitor Garou has just climbed straight into the ring! Does he want to start the match now? That would not be a wise choice for Garou, who must be heavily fatigued."
"You don't need a break?" Aomori asked, looking at Garou, whose bloodstains hadn't even dried yet.
"Hmph. Won't I have plenty of time to rest after I'm done with you?" Garou's fighting spirit was already soaring.
"Alright then. Let's start the fight immediately."
Ignoring the referee, the audience, and the rules of the Martial Arts Tournament, they simply began the fight that belonged only to them.
"Is that... okay, Competitor Garou? Bang-sensei?"
"Don't worry about it. A wounded wolf only becomes more ferocious," Bang said. He then stood up and walked to the edge of the railing. He wanted to watch the decisive battle between his two disciples up close.
"Aomori, use your fists to make Garou understand. I'm counting on you."
…
There was no probing, no warm-up. The two, who had fought each other hundreds of times before, immediately went all-out.
"Second Stage of the Monster Breathing Style activated!"
"Second Stage of the Thunder Light Breathing Style activated!"
Darkness clashed with purple light!
Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist clashed with Exploding Heart Release Fist!
It was not just a collision of techniques, but a confrontation of Fist Intents. Giving their all and holding nothing back, the two showcased the brutal aesthetics of martial arts to the audience with their fist-to-fist exchange.
"The youngsters nowadays are truly something else," Bomb said, arriving beside Bang and sighing with admiration.
"Yes. Our era has ended. Their era is only just beginning," Bang replied, his face reflecting the pride of a teacher.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
On the ruined ring, Aomori and Garou, moving at lightning speed, flickered like phantoms. The impact from their colliding fists constantly shattered the floor, sending fragments of stone flying like exploding popcorn, raining down on the stands.
"What level of superhuman martial arts is this! They're too fast and too strong! I can't even clearly see their movements! This truly is a worthy championship fight!" Having said this, the commentator fell completely silent.
Commentary was no longer important. The two equally matched fighters slowly became immersed in their martial arts during the battle. They forgot the audience, the match, and even themselves, entering a mystical state.
They were no longer constrained by the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist and Exploding Heart Release Fist.
Fang of the Tiger Severing Fist, Flame Dance Trajectory Fist, Empty Abyss Fist...
One after another, the martial arts they had previously learned were reproduced through their hands.
"No, it's not the Lake Cutting Ice Lake Fist, not the Foolish Mountain Range Fist, not the Eight-Shaku Bird Ultimate Fist..."
"Nor is it the Oppressive Face-Slayer Fist, not the Empty Demon Untainted Fist, nor the Arc Drawing Prosperity Fist..."
"...It is a completely new martial art, integrating them all through the comprehension of Fist Intent."
"Imbued with my will of the evils of this world, a martial art that even Monsters fear and can slay gods, it shall be called..."
"Removing the need for slaughter, using the dual energies of lightning and light as its foundation, one thought for life, one thought for death, embodying the balance of the Taiji and Two Forms, it is..."
Aomori and Garou simultaneously retreated from that state. They exchanged a look, seemingly understanding something, and slowly raised their hands, each unleashing the newly comprehended technique at the other.
"Monster-Slaying God-Killer Fist!"
"Thunder-Light Duality Fist!"
"What is this?!" Bang and Bomb, who witnessed this moment, widened their eyes and showed expressions of utter shock.
"That's right! This is a completely new martial art! They have created their own schools of technique!"
"Watch out! Everyone get down!"
The next second, a world-shattering force erupted from the point where their fists collided, giving birth to an incredibly powerful impact storm that instantly swept through the entire arena.
Walls cracked, glass shattered, and debris flew wildly, as if a large batch of explosives had been detonated, or a hurricane had passed through.
Even the clouds in the sky were dispersed significantly.
After the impact subsided, Bang and Bomb immediately checked the audience seats. They found that only a few unlucky spectators were hit by stones; most were just covered in dust and soot.
The two exchanged a look, both showing relief in their eyes.
In a dark corner, Darkrai withdrew its hand. At the moment the impact spread, it had cast a Reflect over the entire ring, which significantly reduced the force reaching the audience.
After carefully checking the Portable Camcorder in its hand to ensure there was no damage, Darkrai breathed a sigh of relief and continued its work as a cameraman.
When everything finally settled down, the shaken audience looked toward the center of the arena.
The ring had completely vanished. On the gray-black dirt ground, only one person was left standing straight.
The referee, having narrowly escaped, steadied his trembling legs and moved onto the field. After careful confirmation, he directly announced the result: "The winner is Aomori!"
"Aomori! Aomori! Aomori!"
…
At the same time, deep underground, Gyoro Gyoro learned the news that Elder Centipede and the Golden, Silver, Bronze, and Iron Brothers had all been killed.
"What happened?"
"I heard Tatsumaki interfered."
"Tatsumaki? She truly is the most troublesome stumbling block on our path forward," Gyoro Gyoro sighed. "We cannot declare war on them yet. This matter ends here for now. Also, we must accelerate the recruitment of Monsters."
"Yes!"