Chapter 32: Fist Breathing Style, First Form: Fist Bone
He hadn't expected the guy to actually want a one-on-one duel.
Ryuji stopped wasting words. It was nothing more than using a Blood Demon Art to transform the terrain into something advantageous for itself.
As long as I can close the distance... I'll show you what happens when a marksman tries to provoke a top-lane bruiser!
He glanced up at Kohakugawa Osamu.
A shockwave of Qi exploded beneath Ryuji's feet. His body shot forward like an arrow from a bow, and Little Purple in his hand sliced through the air, aiming straight for Kohakugawa Osamu's neck!
"How impatient."
Kohakugawa Osamu's right toe tapped the ground three times, as elegantly and lightly as before.
Ryuji's pupils constricted slightly. That starting stance again!
His charge subconsciously faltered for a split second, and his muscles tensed as he prepared to deal with earth spikes or stone fists that could strike from any angle.
This time, it definitely wouldn't be that weak!
"Heh."
A very faint sneer.
It was in this very instant!
The gentle smile on Kohakugawa Osamu's face peeled away like a mask, replaced by a hideous grin that mixed ecstasy and cruelty.
His right foot, which had been tapping the ground, suddenly stomped down with heavy force!
Thump!
Unlike the previous silent actions, this dull thud was like the heartbeat of a giant beast, causing the ground of the entire valley to tremble violently!
"You took the bait! You idiot!"
Along with his low growl, a sudden transformation occurred!
Kohakugawa Osamu's originally slender and well-proportioned body expanded drastically, as if being inflated!
The beautiful gradient haori was suddenly pushed up, and granite-like gray-black muscles bulged until they tore the fabric inch by inch!
The elegant Young Master vanished, replaced by a three-meter-tall rock giant with knotted muscles!
Even more heart-stopping was that the surrounding valley walls, and even the ground, seemed to resonate with his expanding body, faintly glowing with the same gray-black luster.
It was as if all of this were an extension of his body!
"Setting the stage until now..."
The transformed Kohakugawa Osamu's voice rumbled like grinding stones. He bent his knees, gathering power, and the ground beneath him cracked: "...was all for this one punch!"
His massive frame exploded with terrifying speed that belied its size. A giant stone fist tore through the air, creating a visible milky-white shockwave as it smashed toward Ryuji with the momentum to crush everything!
This punch was meant to completely grind both man and blade into dust!
Seeing this rock giant, Ryuji wasn't surprised; instead, he became somewhat excited!
He quickly threw Little Purple, lodging it into the rocky torso. Then he leapt high, pulling his right hand back to its limit as a beam of red light ignited in his eyes.
"Fist Breathing Style, First Form: Fist Bone!"
Looking at Ryuji's movements, Kohakugawa Osamu's expression became even more hideous. This bug actually dared to clash fists with him?
Truly seeking death. Let me hammer you to pieces bit by bit, and then eat you!
"Blood Demon Art: Hidden Force Circulation!"
Boom!
Two fists, one large and one small, collided.
However, the expected sound of shattering bones didn't come; instead, his massive rock arm began to crumble piece by piece!
The hideous grin on Kohakugawa Osamu's face froze, replaced by deep shock and disbelief.
How is this possible?
His punch, which was enough to split mountains and shatter rocks, was actually... blocked?
Blocked head-on with a fist by a human who looked so weak?!
Is this some kind of joke!
Man and demon stood in a standoff within this rock-enclosed arena.
Ryuji shook his right hand and glanced at the abrasions on his fingers. Before Armament Haki could be hardened, it was still a bit taxing... But wait, this guy is actually a power-type demon?!
Damn it, and he was still playing schemes?
No wonder he's only a Lower Rank. If it were Upper Rank Three Akaza, he definitely wouldn't use schemes; he'd definitely charge in excitedly for a fist-to-fist brawl.
As Ryuji thought this, a fanatical Battle Intent surged from the depths of his heart once more.
Fantastic!
Real men should settle things with their fists!
"You... what kind of monster are you!"
Kohakugawa Osamu roared in shock, unable to accept this reality.
"Blood Demon Art: Rock Armor!"
He stomped the ground again, and the shattered earth and stone gathered back onto him, becoming his armor once more.
"I don't believe a mere bug can't be crushed to death!"
Kohakugawa Osamu bellowed, swinging his massive rock-encased fist as he charged again.
Ryuji didn't retreat; he advanced, charging forward with his fist raised!
Once again, man and demon went fist-to-fist, head-on!
The sound of sonic booms from the collision of fists was constant!
At first, Ryuji was indeed a bit unaccustomed to Kohakugawa Osamu's fighting style.
But soon, under the superb perception provided by Paper Arts and the prototype of Observation Haki, he gradually figured out Kohakugawa Osamu's attack rhythm.
Combined with the resonance between Fist Breathing and his body, his strength, speed, and reactions all climbed steadily during the battle.
As one side waxed, the other waned.
Ryuji gradually gained the upper hand.
"Impossible! This is impossible!"
Kohakugawa Osamu felt an unprecedented shock, even greater than when his attack was first blocked.
His strength and his Blood Demon Art were actually starting to become powerless before this human.
"Why! How can a mere human contend with me!"
He had clearly eaten so many people, clearly met that lord, so why was he still so weak!
He didn't believe it, he wouldn't believe it!
Relying on a demon's powerful regenerative abilities, he frantically traded blows with Ryuji, adopting a style of exchanging injuries for injuries.
"I still have two demons under me! By now, they should have reached the Kochou family! You know, the doctor's family that gave you the medicine!"
Kohakugawa Osamu tried to distract Ryuji with words while his fists continued to strike incessantly.
"I wonder if that doctor is enough to fill the gaps between my subordinates' teeth! Hahahaha!"
Hearing this, Ryuji's heart tightened. A flaw appeared in his breathing, his entire body stiffened, and he paused for a split second.
Seeing the massive fist coming his way, his pupils shrank. Oh no!
I can't react in time!
Bang!
Kohakugawa Osamu's heavy punch slammed hard into Ryuji's chest.
He was struck as if by a battering ram. Blood sprayed from his mouth, and he was sent flying like a cannonball, embedding deep into the rock wall behind him and creating a human-shaped crater!
"Die! You bug!"
Kohakugawa Osamu laughed maniacally and stomped the ground. The rock walls of the entire valley seemed to come alive as countless massive stone spikes closed in from all directions like a cage, intending to crush Ryuji completely!
Boom!
Dust settled.
There was only a large amount of rock debris on the ground. Kohakugawa Osamu curled his lip and looked at Ryuji, who was walking out of the dust.
The clothes on his chest were shredded and blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were as sharp as blades.
He had mobilized all the Haki protecting his internal organs and concentrated it in his arms. If he hadn't used Haki to protect his vitals in advance, he wouldn't be able to stand up now.
The demon rankings really do have issues.
He spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm and shook his aching arms: "Your strength isn't much worse than Enmu's. Which of you has a higher Rank?"
Kohakugawa Osamu's pupils narrowed: "Do I have to answer just because you asked?! Die!"
"Fist Breathing Style, First Form: Fist Bone! Total Concentration!"
Ryuji charged toward the massive fist, still leading with a heavy punch!
A mechanical voice suddenly rang in his mind, but he didn't have time to care because Kohakugawa Osamu's heavy punch was already crashing down!
After shattering the rocks on Kohakugawa Osamu's body again, the demon looked at Ryuji and laughed loudly: "It's useless! I'm a demon; my recovery is incredibly strong. You can't kill me!"
Ryuji looked at his blackened right fist and said softly, "Is that so? Haven't you noticed your recovery speed is slowing down?"
Kohakugawa Osamu froze and looked at his arm. His pupils shrank—it was true!
He discovered that his regeneration seemed to be... slowing?
Every time a wound healed, it seemed to be a fraction slower than the last? Why was this?
Why couldn't his recovery keep up?
"Don't get distracted during a fight!"
Kohakugawa Osamu heard a roar as his vision was covered by a human-shaped black shadow, with red light drifting from its eyes.
Oh n— Boom!
A loud explosion followed.
Ryuji grabbed the clothes that had fallen to the ground and hadn't yet disintegrated, wiping the blood from his hands: "You were the one who taught me that."
He thought for a moment, then spoke to the vanishing corpse:
"Fist Breathing Style, First Form: Fist Bone. Although you can't hear me anymore, it just doesn't feel right if I don't shout it out."
[Ding! Detected that the host has killed an extremely evil pirate. Reward obtained: 500 military merit points!]
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