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The punch came in like a cannonball.
Ryo Sakazaki's Kōho (Tiger Roar) carried all the momentum he had accumulated-body, ki, and will unified into a single strike. The air cracked under his fist as it tore through the last fragments of ice.
Riveria's eyes narrowed.
She did not retreat.
At the instant Ryo's punch was about to land, a thin layer of Nen surged across Riveria's body. Her staff struck the ground lightly, and a transparent barrier flickered into existence in front of her.
Bang!
Ryo's fist smashed into the barrier.
A violent shockwave erupted, blasting outward and shaking the entire stage. Cracks spread beneath Ryo's feet, and the barrier shattered like glass.
But Riveria was already gone.
She had stepped sideways at the moment of impact, her movements calm and precise, like flowing water. The punch passed by her shoulder, missing its target by mere centimeters.
Ryo's pupils shrank.
Too close!
Before he could retract his arm, Riveria lifted her staff and brought it down.
Not with magic-
But with Nen.
The staff glowed faintly as she struck Ryo squarely on the shoulder.
Thud!
Ryo staggered backward several steps, feeling a heavy shock travel through his bones. It wasn't pain so much as a deep, numbing force that disrupted his breathing and ki flow.
So this is Nen...
He realized instantly.
This woman isn't just hiding behind tricks.
Riveria did not press the advantage recklessly.
She raised her staff again, and the air around the stage shifted.
Wind gathered.
Invisible pressure descended from all directions, like a deep sea current pressing against Ryo's body. His movements became heavier, his steps slower, as if the air itself had turned into liquid.
"Wind...?" Ryo muttered.
Riveria spoke softly, her voice calm and composed.
"Earth binds. Fire burns. Water erodes. Wind restrains."
"This is control-not destruction."
With a gentle motion, she swept her staff sideways.
The wind pressure surged.
Ryo was pushed backward, sliding across the stage until his heels reached the edge. One more step, and he would be out.
But Ryo Sakazaki grinned.
"Good."
"That's exactly how it should be."
He inhaled deeply, planting his feet.
His ki erupted.
The oppressive wind was forcibly pushed aside as his aura flared, red and violent, like a roaring tiger breaking free from chains.
"Kyokugenryu Karate-doesn't fall that easily!"
He roared and stepped forward again.
Riveria's expression finally changed-just a little.
Not fear.
Interest.
She raised her staff one final time.
The wind vanished.
The heat dissipated.
The stage grew unnaturally quiet.
Ryo felt it immediately.
This silence was dangerous.
But before either of them could move-
"I concede."
Riveria lowered her staff and stepped back.
The pressure vanished instantly.
Ryo froze mid-step, completely caught off guard.
"...What?"
Riveria turned slightly and smiled.
"You've already proven your strength," she said calmly. "Continuing would only result in unnecessary injury-for both of us."
She glanced at the shattered stage, then at Ryo's steady stance.
"My purpose was to test you. That has been accomplished."
With that, she turned and walked off the stage, her steps elegant and unhurried.
Ryo Sakazaki stood there, stunned.
The referee hesitated for a moment before finally shouting:
"Winner-Ryo Sakazaki!"
The crowd erupted.
Cheers, applause, and excited chatter filled the arena.
Ryo slowly exhaled, clenching his fists.
He had won.
But somehow... it didn't feel like a true victory.
Back in the stands, Loki laughed loudly.
"Ahahaha! Riveria, you're still as calm as ever."
Emiya nodded with satisfaction.
"That was the right call," he said quietly. "If she pushed further, Ryo might have broken through again."
"And Riveria wouldn't have held back."
Illya tilted her head. "But she was strong."
"She was," Emiya agreed. "And so was Ryo."
The Kyokugenryu name had been preserved.
And the KOF tournament-
Was only getting more interesting.
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