On the island where Kirihai and Raquel were fighting, Raquel's crystal eye shone brightly as it fired beams of white light at high speed. Each beam exploded on impact, shaking the island with devastating shockwaves.
Kirihai darted across the battlefield, running as fast as she could while dodging the beams. Her sword cut through the air, deflecting blasts as she moved. She smirked and called out to her opponent:
"You're strong."
As she weaved around the rapid-fire attacks, she thought to herself:
Crystal Eye, huh? That thing can memorize a person's energy. Once it does, the user is granted the speed to dodge their opponent's attacks. As long as my energy signature is memorized, this girl can see through everything I throw at her. Not bad.".
Raquel gathered a massive surge of white energy. Crystalline wings sprouted from her back, glittering brightly. She shot down towards Kirihai, clashing with her as they traded blows at incredible speeds and skill.
As they continued to fight, they shot themselves into the air, their battle tore through the skies, beams and kicks colliding as forests burned and mountains split beneath them. The force of their fight sent violent wind currents spiraling outward, followed by endless explosions of white and dark energy.
With a sudden strike, Raquel punched Kirihai to the ground, creating a massive shockwave. Kirihai blocked just in time, but Raquel was already descending again, fist ready to land another devastating blow.
Kirihai braced, blocking the strike, and the two female fighters launched into a furious fistfight. Their blows struck with such speed and force to the point that the impact of every punch caused the sea to to go out of control. The waves were crashing in every direction as huge tides were going ballistic.
Their clash was so intense that the island beneath them began to sink into the sea.
Raquel noticed the island's collapse. With a sharp kick, she sent Kirihai flying across the battlefield. Raquel landed gracefully and pressed her hand to the ground. A massive surge of crystals erupted outward, crystallizing the water and lifting the sinking island back into place.
Kirihai stood and smirked.
"Wow, you really are strong! Unlike those two I fought before—you're no fodder. Not that they weren't strong, but they couldn't compete with me. But you… you're pretty cool."
Raquel narrowed her eyes, thinking to herself:
"She's blocking and dodging me even though my eye can read her energy signature. Her reaction speed is unbelievable. With the energy I'm sensing, she definitely has regeneration. Which means—the only way to defeat her is to slice her head off or destroy her heart."
Kirihai suddenly snapped at her:
"Quit spacing out! I get you're having an inner monologue, but I don't care! This is a fight, and you were just trying to figure out how to kill me, weren't you? Well, it doesn't matter—'cause you don't have the means to beat me!"
Raquel charged up a massive wave of energy, forming giant crystalline constructs of deadly weapons.
"Well, you don't suppose I'll just give up, do you?!", Raquel said.
Kirihai grinned, raising her sword. Giant blades formed in the air.
"Since you want to use this method… I suppose it wouldn't hurt to do the same!"
The sky rumbled as giant blades and crystalline constructs clashed violently, shaking the island.
Raquel's heart raced. She knew the truth already: Kirihai had won in speed, strength, ability, and power. The only weapon Raquel had left—was her will.
Meanwhile, in the City of Steel in the Iron Country…
Kinto, in his Explosive Mark State, clashed violently with Kenji. They were flying at top speeds while punching each other with powerful explosions of energy.
Kinto fired red beams in rapid succession, each detonation unleashing catastrophic explosions that lit the city ablaze. Kenji flew at high speeds as he slashed through them with his lightning blade while unleashing waves of fire and thunder to counter.
Their duel devastated everything around them, turning the steel metropolis into rubble.
Kenji leapt high into the sky and conjured massive spears of lightning, hurling them down at his opponent.
Kinto dodged with every bit of skill he had, backflipping and counter-firing beams to cancel the incoming spears. Explosions erupted all around.
From a distance, Rin struggled to maintain her footing. The shockwaves blasted outward, pushing her back as the city crumbled before her eyes "No way! So much power! The hell?!".
Kenji suddenly appeared behind Kinto, his voice cold with a smirk on his face
"Checkmate."
He unleashed a devastating surge of fire and lightning, shouting:
"PERFECT INCINERATION!"
The attack erupted into a colossal explosion, erasing the land around them. The forest, the city outskirts, even nearby mountains were annihilated in the blast of lightning and flames.
As the smoke began to fade, Kenji exhaled as he stood on the ground.
"That kid… he can't be older than seventeen, and yet he's pushing me this far. Kids like him shouldn't be underestimated."
But a voice rang out to him from the smoke as a figure walked to him.
"You really think I'm strong? You're the first person I've fought who hasn't called me weak."
Kenji looked up in the air just to see Kinto floating in the air—surrounded by a thousand cross-shaped mechanical devices, each with a glowing orb at its center.
Suddenly, beams rained down from the constructs, tearing apart buildings in rapid-fire explosions.
Kenji was alarmed by the beams falling down to him like rain and dodged swiftly, but as he dodged, one of the devices teleported behind him, unleashing a direct blast that shook the ground and the skies at the same time.
Kinto explained.
"I have the ability to multiply and teleport objects. I originally invented one of these crosses… but with my ability, I can multiply them into a thousand. They are the ultimate explosives!"
The dust cleared, revealing Kenji who had some burns and scratches on his body—smiling, his lightning sword sparking violently.
"Is that so? Well, I've got a bigger trick up my sleeve."
A thunderous roar filled the battlefield as lightning burst from Kenji's sword, enveloping the city. The power shaped itself around him, forming an enormous suit of dragon-shaped armor made of lightning.
Kenji pointed his blade at Kinto.
"Now—let the real battle begin!"
End of Chapter 26