The moment those words left his mouth, Ryo moved!
His speed wasn't blinding, but every step seemed to sync with the earth's pulse, carrying tremendous weight!
"Kyokugenryu Combo Fist!"
With a low growl, Ryo closed the distance instantly. A hurricane of combination punches rained down like a monsoon!
Fist after fist, shadows layering upon shadows, blanketing every inch of space around Cloud!
[System Alert! High-energy attack detected! Evasion probability below 10%! Recommend: Tank it!]
Tank it? Are you kidding me?!
Cloud's brain worked in overdrive. [Mind's Eye] fed him the trajectory of every incoming punch with perfect clarity.
But to his dismay, even though he could see everything—his body couldn't keep up!
Fast! Way too fast!
He could only rely on combat instinct, throwing his arms up to guard desperately.
THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD—!
A rapid-fire drumroll of impacts echoed through the dojo.
Cloud felt like a tiny boat caught in a typhoon, battered by countless heavy blows.
He was driven back step after step, his arm bones screaming in protest, threatening to shatter.
"Too weak!" Ryo's rebuke struck like a hammer to Cloud's heart.
"Your foundation is unstable! Your power is hollow! All flash, no substance!"
On the final punch, a faint orange glow ignited around Ryo's fist!
"Ko'ou Ken!"
BOOM!
A concentrated blast of fighting spirit exploded!
Cloud couldn't hold on any longer. He flew backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing hard onto the floor over twenty feet away.
A metallic sweetness rose in his throat—he barely kept the blood from spraying out.
Outside the training area, Terry and Mai watched with grim expressions.
"Ryo's not holding back much," Terry muttered.
"Is Cloud... going to be okay?" Worry flickered in Mai's eyes.
Cloud lay on the ground, feeling like every bone in his body was about to fall apart.
He struggled to rise, but his body refused to cooperate.
The gap... is too huge.
So this is what a top-tier fighter looks like?
Compared to them, I'm like a baby who just learned to walk.
[Host, don't give up! Data analysis indicates: While Ryo Sakazaki's attacks are fierce, he's holding back. He's not trying to kill you. Your body can still take more!]
The system's voice was like a shot of adrenaline.
Yeah... how can I... fall here...
Images flashed through Cloud's mind: Terry's sunny grin, Mai's tsundere pout.
The vow he'd made—to survive in this city, and to live better than anyone else.
He clenched his teeth, palms pressed to the floor, and with every ounce of strength he had, he staggered back to his feet!
His eyes held no fear. Instead, they burned with an even fiercer fighting spirit—like wildfire sweeping across a prairie!
"Oh?"
A glint of surprise and approval flashed in Ryo's eyes.
What incredible willpower!
"We're not done yet!" Cloud roared and launched his own attack!
He knew that playing defense would only get him beaten to death! He had to attack!
"Battle God Fist: Rush!"
He channeled the explosive techniques from Shiranui Style, combined it with his own strength, and threw everything into one punch!
But Ryo merely raised a hand, effortlessly catching Cloud's fist.
"Good power. But... not enough!"
Ryo twisted his wrist. A subtle redirecting force threw Cloud completely off-balance, sending him flying.
In the next instant, Ryo followed like a shadow. A knife-hand strike, fast as lightning, descended!
It engulfed Cloud completely!
No room to dodge—Cloud had to take it head-on again.
This time, he fought smarter. Instead of rigid blocking, he used Shiranui-style movement, swaying like a punching bag to continuously dissipate the incoming force.
Even so, a dozen shallow cuts appeared across his body in an instant, his clothes sliced to ribbons.
Time ticked by, second by agonizing second.
Cloud was like a reef battered by crashing waves—knocked down again and again by Ryo's relentless assault, yet rising again and again through sheer willpower and system support.
He was beaten black and blue, battered and bloody, utterly wretched—yet his eyes never stopped burning.
Under the dual effects of [Mind's Eye] and [Deep Analysis], he was learning and adapting to Ryo's attack patterns at a terrifying rate!
He started being able to barely keep up with Ryo's movements.
He started managing feeble counterattacks in the gaps between strikes.
He started... actually enjoying this beatdown!
Because he could feel it clearly—he was getting stronger! Every second, stronger!
Ryo noticed it too.
The surprise in his eyes had transformed into genuine admiration.
This kid... is a born warrior!
There's an indomitable beast living inside him!
Finally, the clock hit nine minutes and fifty seconds.
Ryo decided to end this "lesson" with one final blow.
He inhaled deeply, feet rooting into the ground. All of his qi began converging into his right fist.
A visible vortex of powerful air currents swirled around him. The very atmosphere of the dojo grew thick and heavy!
"Kid—if you can take this one hit, you win!"
Ryo's eyes blazed with brilliant light!
"Haoh Shoukou Ken!!"
This wasn't just a punch. It was the manifestation of Kyokugenryu's martial will! The roar of the Invincible Dragon!
Facing this apocalyptic strike, Cloud knew evasion and blocking were both futile.
His mind went completely still.
[System Alert! Host's life under severe threat! Calculating optimal solution... Calculation failed! Recommendation... Host should close eyes and await death?]
"Shut up!" Cloud roared internally.
He abandoned all unnecessary movement, channeling every ounce of strength, will, and spirit into his right fist!
He mimicked Ryo's stance. Mimicked that unstoppable momentum!
"Battle God Style Ultimate—Thug... wait, no! Dragon Slayer Fist!!"
Cloud bellowed like a raging tiger and threw out a punch that staked his very life!
One massive fist, one smaller—they collided at the center of the dojo.