Yamato just stood there.
Completely silent.
So did I.
The wind moved between us.
Dust drifted across the ruined battlefield.
For a few seconds, neither of us moved.
I stared at the man who had once trained me.
My teacher.
The person who had helped turn me into the fighter I was today.
And now...
He was standing in front of me as my enemy.
Yamato finally looked at me.
"So..."
He cracked his knuckles.
"Wanna kill me?"
I stared at him.
"Sure."
I paused.
"Why not, Yamato?"
His expression changed slightly.
"You know..."
He laughed nervously.
"I'm actually a little scared of you now."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Bro, you're thirty."
He frowned.
"I'm twenty-nine, thank you very much."
"Close enough."
"Not even close!"
For a moment...
It almost felt like the old days.
Then Yamato's expression became serious.
"You're now a monster." He said.
"Then let me remind you, that monsters never run."
He raised his hand.
Green energy gathered around his palm.
"Poison Technique."
A massive green blast shot toward me.
I jumped sideways.
The attack smashed into the ground.
BOOM!
Poisonous energy spread across the pavement.
I landed on a wall.
I looked back at Yamato.
He was gone.
"...Where?"
A voice came from behind me.
"Looking for me?"
I turned.
Nothing.
Then—
"Poison Technique!"
A green blast came from above.
I jumped.
The attack narrowly missed me and exploded against the ground.
I landed.
Yamato appeared in front of me.
His fist was already coming toward my face.
I blocked it.
BAM!
The shockwave sent dust flying.
I pushed him away.
He slid backward.
I charged.
BOOM!
Our fists collided.
The force cracked the ground beneath us.
Yamato swung again.
I ducked.
He kicked.
I blocked.
I punched.
He dodged.
He punched.
I dodged.
We moved so quickly that the battlefield became a blur.
"You're faster!" Yamato shouted.
"I'm stronger!"
I punched.
He blocked.
The impact sent him sliding several metres.
He dug his feet into the ground.
"Let's test that."
He raised both hands.
"Air Technique!"
A massive tornado erupted.
I planted my feet.
The wind tried to throw me backward.
I pushed forward.
One step.
Then another.
Then I punched straight through the tornado.
BOOM!
The technique shattered.
Yamato's eyes widened.
"Since when could you do that?!"
"Since I got stronger!"
He slammed his hands together.
"Earth Technique!"
The ground beneath me erupted.
Huge pillars of stone shot upward.
I jumped from one to another.
Yamato launched another technique.
"Fire Technique!"
A wave of flames came toward me.
I punched straight through it.
The flames split around my fist.
"Lightning Technique!"
Lightning struck.
I jumped.
It passed beneath me.
I landed.
"Water Technique!"
A massive wave formed.
I charged directly into it.
The water exploded around me.
I emerged from the other side.
My clothes were soaked.
I wiped the water from my face.
"That's everything?"
Yamato smiled.
"No."
He raised both hands.
Air.
Fire.
Earth.
Lightning.
Water.
All five techniques appeared around him.
My eyes widened.
"You're kidding."
Yamato launched them all at once.
The battlefield disappeared beneath a storm of destruction.
Fire exploded.
Lightning struck.
Earth shattered.
Water crashed down.
Wind tore through everything.
I couldn't see him.
I couldn't see anything.
I just kept moving.
Dodging.
Blocking.
Running.
Surviving.
Then I saw an opening.
I charged through the storm.
BAM!
I punched Yamato straight in the stomach.
He flew backward.
He smashed through a wall.
I stood there breathing heavily.
"I told you."
I clenched my fist.
"I'm stronger than before."
Yamato slowly stood up.
Blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
But he smiled.
"Yeah."
He wiped his mouth.
"You are."
He raised his hands again.
I prepared myself.
"Let's see..."
His energy began gathering.
"...if something will save you from this again."
My eyes widened.
I recognized that stance.
"Water Formation Technique."
My heart dropped.
"Oh shit."
The entire battlefield suddenly began filling with water.
And Yamato...
Was already coming straight toward me.