Jaden couldn't fully comprehend the Void.
But at this moment, he saw a faint shadow of Baki Hanma in Gensai Kuroki.
Baki Hanma's signature attack was the so-called Sucker Punch.
By exploiting the 0.5 to 0.1 second delay between the start of a movement and the brain's feedback, he could land an attack that was fundamentally impossible to defend against.
Gensai Kuroki's previous strike had given Jaden that exact sensation.
The reason that attack worked wasn't just because Jaden hadn't activated Iron Mass.
It was because his brain hadn't even registered the attack yet.
The blow had landed before his muscles could tense.
That was why it was effective.
Jaden remembered that, to counter Baki Hanma's technique, Oliva once used a move called Turning into a Ball.
As the name suggested, it involved contracting the entire body into a sphere.
A ridiculous Pac-Man-like form that was "too early for humanity."
Jaden couldn't do something like that.
So, he chose another method.
He lowered his guard.
Spread his hands.
And walked toward Gensai Kuroki-slowly-just like he had done against Ohma.
"I underestimated you just now."
Jaden spoke calmly as he advanced.
"That's right. Facing a strong opponent like you, it would be rude not to adopt the posture of a strong person."
"So..."
"Come on~"
He continued walking.
Gensai Kuroki frowned.
He stared at Jaden's posture-no guard, no defense, moving forward as if taking a leisurely stroll, completely exposed.
And yet-
He couldn't find a single opening.
In all the futures he could pre-initiate, Jaden was simply walking toward him.
If Jaden had even the slightest intention to attack, at this distance, there should have been some instinctive reaction.
Some sign.
Some warning.
But-
There was nothing.
Nothing at all.
It was as if the opponent had abandoned the match and was simply walking over to surrender.
And yet, this Jaden-utterly devoid of hostility-made Gensai Kuroki feel the same pressure he once felt before a massive iron gate.
His instincts screamed at him.
His instincts told him to surrender.
Now.
But-
How could that be possible?
Gensai Kuroki forced his mind back into stillness.
He waited until Jaden entered a certain range.
Then he leaned forward and struck.
A punch in the Void state.
A strike that Jaden's brain should have completely failed to perceive.
But-
That strange sensation again.
The blow missed.
Gensai Kuroki immediately retracted his hand and looked at Jaden.
Jaden was still walking toward him.
He had even deliberately left a small opening while retracting his arm.
But Jaden didn't attack.
This-
Why was this happening?
As Gensai Kuroki struggled to understand, the fighters watching from the stands-after hearing Gaolang's explanation of the Void-were equally confused.
"The Black Arm clearly entered the Void state, but his attack still didn't work?!"
Some exclaimed in disbelief.
Others, including Gaolang, were completely puzzled.
Only Raian Kure had already figured it out.
Gaolang understood technique.
But like Gensai Kuroki, he was someone who grew stronger through talent and refinement.
They couldn't fully grasp true strength.
Raian was different.
As someone born strong, he could understand-at least partially-what Jaden was doing now.
And because he understood, he couldn't even smile.
Because-
In his eyes, Jaden's current state was far more terrifying than Gensai Kuroki's.
What Void?
What ultimate state?
In the end, those were tools the weak created to fantasize about countering the strong.
But Jaden-
This was the posture a truly strong person should have.
Raian could see it clearly.
Jaden hadn't reacted to Gensai Kuroki's Void attack.
But-
He was maintaining a continuous state of muscle tension.
Preserving his special defensive technique at all times.
Against someone like that-
The Void was meaningless.
Raian understood.
But Gensai Kuroki hadn't yet.
He pre-initiated countless futures.
Again and again.
Attacking based on each one.
-Under this future, this strike should be unnoticed.
-Under this future, this is the opening.
Shoulder.
Elbow.
Jaw.
Chest.
Ribs.
Temple.
Philtrum.
Navel.
Gensai Kuroki's attacks rained down nonstop.
Throughout the barrage, he didn't dare let Jaden get close.
Not even for a moment.
So to the audience-
It looked as if Gensai Kuroki was constantly attacking, while Jaden casually ignored everything and kept pushing forward.
Attack after attack landed.
None worked.
At first, there were tens of thousands of possible futures.
Gensai Kuroki's Pre-Initiative could foresee them all.
When one failed, he changed targets.
Changed methods.
Tens of thousands became thousands.
Thousands became hundreds.
Hundreds became dozens.
Finally-
He exhausted them all.
Every possibility failed.
Jaden's body was only slightly reddened.
And even those red marks faded almost as soon as they appeared.
Because Iron Mass was different from Indestructible.
Indestructible had a durability limit.
Iron Mass, under certain conditions, used muscle replacement to block attacks.
Unless the attack exceeded a certain threshold-
There was no limit.
The level of Iron Mass Jaden was maintaining now wouldn't work against Julius.
Or Takeshi Wakatsuki.
Or Raian with Removal.
Or Ohma with Advance.
Standing still and taking hits from them would be suicide.
But against Gensai Kuroki-
It was enough.
Gensai Kuroki's Void couldn't target eyes or ear canals.
Those would absolutely be perceived.
The only technique that could even slightly injure Jaden was the Spear Hand.
But Jaden had already realized-
Gensai Kuroki couldn't freely use Spear Hand in the Void.
He needed Pre-Initiative to seize the moment.
And that moment wasn't something he could decide.
His Void wasn't as free as Baki's Sucker Punch.
That limitation bound him.
Gensai Kuroki's attack frequency slowed.
And Jaden had already closed the distance.
Gensai Kuroki had tested almost everything.
But he still didn't think he would lose.
Because Spear Hand worked.
If he could land it repeatedly on the same spot-
Even outside the Void-
Jaden's defense could be broken.
He hadn't lost yet.
Gensai Kuroki never relied on a single guaranteed finisher.
Spear Hand was no exception.
And because of that-
He wouldn't collapse just because one method failed.
So-
Snap.
His thoughts ended there.
Because-
Jaden's hands appeared on both sides of his head.
Before Pre-Initiative could even register them.
And then-
Two middle fingers pierced directly into his ear canals.
The remaining fingers slammed into his face.
-The World's Strongest Middle Finger.
The impact echoed.
The entire arena went silent.
Some people instinctively clutched their ears in phantom pain.
Others simply couldn't process what they had seen.
Raian Kure froze.
If Jaden's earlier posture had only prevented him from laughing-
This terrified him.
Not because the move was brutal.
Raian could accept brutality.
He could do worse himself.
What terrified him-
Was the lack of reaction.
Even as a spectator, he hadn't reacted in time.
That feeling-
"Is... is that the Void?"
Gaolang's eyes widened.
But Gensai Kuroki couldn't comprehend it.
Not even the Void should allow a silent, instantaneous attack on the ear canal.
Jaden smiled.
This wasn't the Void.
Nor Baki's Sucker Punch.
It was-
Instinct.
The more skilled a fighter was, the harder it was to react to this.
Because there was no preparatory motion.
Even if Jaden were unconscious, if someone approached with malice-
His hands would snap out like a mousetrap.
This was the instinct Jack Hanma had forged.
Gensai Kuroki screamed as his ears were pierced.
But at the same moment-
He stabilized his stance.
Formed a Spear Hand with both hands.
And stabbed desperately at a single point.
-Jaden's heart.
If it landed, the attack would fully form on contact.
When both Spear Hands met, they would reinforce each other.
This was the instant when the opponent's attack had succeeded.
The instant when his guard should be at its lowest.
When attacking, even a boxer instinctively relaxes the jaw.
This-
Was Jaden's greatest opening.
And the moment his hands couldn't be withdrawn.
Then-
I win-
Just as that thought formed, Jaden's grip tightened.
Using Gensai Kuroki's head as a pivot, Jaden swung his entire body backward.
When he swung back like a pendulum-
The point facing the Spear Hands wasn't his heart.
It was his knee.
Slap.
Iron Mass.
Indestructible.
Weight.
Power.
The Spear Hands rebounded.
Four fingers on each hand shattered.
Only the thumbs remained intact.
Jaden's knee pinned both hands against Gensai Kuroki's own chest.
They couldn't be pulled free.
Then-
Supported by one foot, Jaden threw his head back.
Waist.
Back.
Shoulders.
Neck.
Head.
All the force in his body converged.
And slammed down.
Headbutt.
Gensai Kuroki's eyes were bloodshot with pain.
Still, he reacted.
Thrusting upward.
His crown smashed into Jaden's lower jaw.
The impact sent a tingling shock through his scalp.
But Jaden-
Didn't let go.
As if nothing had happened.
He reset.
And headbutted again.
Gensai Kuroki tried to fall.
Tried to disrupt balance.
But Jaden's foot was like a nail driven into the ground.
He couldn't escape.
He tried to kick.
He couldn't reach the groin.
Both legs hammered at Jaden's planted foot.
Useless.
So he tried again.
Another headbutt.
Twice.
Three times.
Four.
Jaden had no weak jaw.
With Iron Mass active, he smashed Gensai Kuroki again and again.
On the twenty-eighth headbutt-
Gensai Kuroki's eyes rolled back.
He passed out.
Only then did Jaden release him.
He had held back.
The eardrums weren't fully ruptured.
With this world's medical standards, the injuries were treatable.
Gensai Kuroki remained kneeling.
Never fell.
Eyes rolled back.
Jaden panted.
And looked at the referee.
The referee swallowed.
The medical team rushed in.
Checked briefly.
Carried Gensai Kuroki away.
Only then did the referee find his voice.
Louder than he had ever spoken.
"The match is over-"
"The winner-"
"The Devil Spear, Jaden Yuki!"
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