Hearing these words, battle fire ignited in Diana's eyes as well!
She sheathed the God Killer Sword and set aside her shield.
"Very well!" she declared, assuming the unique fighting stance of the Amazon tribe.
"I accept your challenge!"
BOOM!
The next instant, Diana's figure vanished again!
This time, she used no weapons.
Instead, she channeled all her terrifying power as a daughter of Zeus into her fists!
A simple, direct punch—yet pushed to the absolute extreme of speed—tore through the air with a sonic boom, hurtling toward Cloud's face!
This punch carried enough force to easily pierce through an aircraft carrier!
Yet Cloud's face showed a smile that said "Now we're talking."
He didn't dodge. He assumed his own stance.
It appeared simple, yet contained the ultimate truths of heaven and earth—the unique opening form of Kyokugenryu Karate!
Facing Diana's divine, prison-crushing punch, he didn't take it head-on.
Instead, he shifted his body slightly, his feet moving in a strange pattern, narrowly evading the punch's edge.
Simultaneously, his hand shot out like a serpent from its hole, cutting toward Diana's wrist joint at an extremely tricky angle!
The ferocity of Tiger Gleam fused perfectly with the footwork of Flying Swallow Kick!
Diana's heart lurched!
She hadn't expected his combat technique to be so exquisite!
She immediately changed tactics, flipping her wrist at an impossible angle, reaching back to grab Cloud's arm!
A battle of offense and defense—so fast that ordinary eyes could only see afterimages—instantly erupted!
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
Fist against palm, elbow against knee, leg against foot...
Each collision produced a thunderous boom in the air!
The sand beneath their feet churned and exploded like boiling water under their violent power!
Diana's fighting style embodied the classical Greek ideal of power and beauty!
Each punch, each kick contained the might of the gods, filled with destructive force!
She was like an elegant yet deadly leopardess—wild and overwhelmingly dominant!
Cloud's fighting style was more comprehensive and profound!
He had fused the martial essence of a hundred schools from the KOF world!
Sometimes he met Diana head-on with Kyokugenryu's ferocity, fist against fist, flesh against flesh!
Other times he used the Yagami style's ghostly footwork, engaging in mobile combat, his form flickering unpredictably!
He even threw in some of Chang Koehan's unorthodox moves, or Choi Bounge's sneaky attacks, leaving the usually honorable Diana flustered—both embarrassed and furious!
"Your... your fighting style... why is it so mixed?!"
Diana, catching a brief pause after an intense exchange, asked breathlessly in amazement.
"Mixed?" Cloud smiled. "Where I come from, we call it 'embracing all rivers, achieving greatness'!"
"Every martial art under heaven can be used as my own!"
"Again!"
They clashed once more!
As the battle continued, the atmosphere between them began to subtly shift.
At first, it was pure hostility and competition.
But gradually, it transformed into the mutual appreciation of worthy rivals.
And later... tinged with something indefinably ambiguous.
During one close-quarters grapple—
Cloud seized an opportunity, using a technique similar to judo to trip Diana.
Normally, he should have immediately pressed the advantage to subdue his opponent.
But he didn't. Instead, he caught Diana in an intimate princess carry, holding her steadily in his arms.
Their eyes met.
Noses almost touching.
Each could clearly feel the other's breath, hot from exertion, and the thundering heartbeat beneath.
For the first time, a captivating blush appeared on Diana's face—that visage always filled with divine sanctity and authority.
This feeling was foreign to her... but not unpleasant.
"You... you've lost."
Cloud looked down at the stunning war goddess in his arms, who shyly turned her head away, and whispered with a laugh.
"I... I have not!"
Diana, both embarrassed and angry, struggled free and leaped from his embrace, her face red as blood.
"Again!"
The battle continued.
But the flavor had completely changed.
Diana's strikes remained fierce.
But they carried less killing intent and more of a maiden's petulance.
And Cloud's moves became increasingly shameless.
He kept "accidentally" touching places he shouldn't during blocks and attacks.
Sometimes that slender waist he could grip with one hand.
Sometimes that firm, perky rear.
Sometimes those powerful, elastic long legs.
Each "inadvertent" touch made Diana's body tremble slightly, her blush deepening.
"You... you scoundrel!"
After Cloud "accidentally" patted her backside yet again, Diana finally couldn't help but scold him, her voice a mixture of shame and indignation.
"All's fair in love and war." Cloud spread his hands innocently. "This is part of martial arts too."
"You...!"
Just as Diana was about to charge and go all-out against this "scoundrel"—
She suddenly stopped.
She decided to stop playing cat and mouse with this man.
It was time to get serious!
"Very well, man."
Diana's gaze sharpened again, filled with divine might.
"Your martial arts are truly strong. Strong enough to earn my highest respect!"
She slowly raised both arms, crossing them before her chest.
The Guardian Bracelets on her wrists began radiating brilliant, blinding divine light!
A terrifying divine power—vast enough to make all of Themyscira tremble—surged from within her!
"Take this strike!"
"If you can withstand it, I'll acknowledge your right to stand on this land!"
She thrust her crossed arms outward!
"Divine Power Shockwave!"
BOOM—!
A wave of pure golden divine energy, like a bursting dam, like the wrath of a god, carrying the terrifying force to destroy and purify all things, swept toward Cloud!
This was her full-powered strike as a demigod!
Facing this terrifying attack capable of easily annihilating a city—
...
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