Yujiro Hanma froze at the question, unsure how to respond.
If it were anyone else, he might have confidently declared a guaranteed victory.
But his opponent was Karna. This white-haired man exuded a terrifying, overwhelming, boundless pressure, even without stepping into the arena.
So, Yujiro genuinely didn't know if Doppo Orochi, in his State of Selflessness, could win.
"I don't know," Yujiro Hanma shook his head, speaking honestly. "We'll only find out by fighting."
Swish!
Midway through their conversation, Doppo Orochi moved, stepping forward lightly and vanishing from the spectators' view.
Instant Movement.
Compared to others' use of the technique, Doppo's was flawless, with perfect timing and power allocation.
In the State of Selflessness, not a single ounce of his strength was wasted.
Karna remained expressionless. As Doppo closed in, he thrust his God-Slaying Spear with a casual flick.
The strike seemed haphazard, yet it gave Doppo the inescapable feeling that advancing even a step would mean being pierced by the spear.
Defying logic, Doppo halted mid-motion, evading Karna's attack.
It was as if a speeding car had stopped without warning, defying the law of inertia.
Only someone in the State of Selflessness, with absolute control over every fiber of their body, could achieve such a feat.
Then, Doppo split into two, two into four, four into eight…
In an instant, the arena was filled with Doppo Orochi's afterimages.
Afterimage Fist.
A technique once used by King Kaioken, effortlessly replicated by Doppo.
This, too, was a feat possible only in the State of Selflessness.
Dozens of Doppo's afterimages surrounded Karna, launching a simultaneous assault.
Each Doppo moved without a single flaw, indistinguishable to the naked eye as real or fake.
Facing this tidal wave of attacks, Karna remained stoic, swinging his God-Slaying Spear in a wide arc.
Pfft, pfft, pfft…
One afterimage after another shattered, but the real Doppo seized the moment to close in, thrusting a palm with spiraling energy rotating from within.
Hitomi, watching from the stands, gasped.
It was the Jacob's Limbs.
She had used this move in combat, never expecting Doppo to replicate it.
How had he done it?
But just as Doppo's hand was about to strike, Karna's spear swung back at an impossible angle, intercepting the attack.
Mana Burst!
In an instant, surging flames erupted from the spear, a terrifying shockwave crashing into Doppo like a tsunami. Doppo was sent flying.
At the last moment, he enveloped himself in ki, forming a sturdy defense.
Yet, he was still gravely injured, unable to continue fighting.
Karna didn't pursue, as Doppo hadn't pressed his advantage when Hitomi conceded earlier.
Baki Hanma slowly stood, preparing to take the stage.
But a hand pressed down on his shoulder, forcing him back.
Baki looked up to see his father, Yujiro Hanma.
"What are you doing?" Baki roared.
Yujiro said calmly, "You're no match for him. Let me handle this. If I lose, you all concede."
Baki's fury erupted. "You want me to back down? Are you kidding me, you bastard? Do you know why I joined this Dark Tournament?"
His life's goal was to defeat the man before him. How could he retreat from a strong opponent?
A faint, satisfied smile curled Yujiro's lips. This was the spirit of the Hanma family—never backing down from a challenge. "Fine, then. I'll go first."
His eyes gleamed with unprecedented focus. "It's been a long time since I faced an opponent this strong."
Ignoring Baki's protests, he leaped from the stands.
Stepping onto the arena, Yujiro first ensured Doppo was taken for treatment, then turned to Karna.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"No matter," Karna replied, expressionless.
Yujiro tore off his shirt, revealing his chiseled torso. "Now, let's begin the slaughter."
The moment the words left his mouth, Yujiro erupted.
His overwhelming ki surged like a volcanic explosion, radiating a ferocious, terrifying, and domineering aura.
It surpassed even Ōganosuke Yogi's earlier display.
Morpheus raised an eyebrow. No wonder fans jokingly called him the "Hanma Starman." He truly had some tricks up his sleeve.
To reach such power in this stitched-together crossover world was rare indeed.
Unfortunately, he'd chosen the wrong opponent. Karna's strength was beyond what Yujiro could challenge.
Especially since Morpheus had enhanced Karna with the Power of Light, making him even more formidable.
Boom!
The next second, the two collided, a massive shockwave rippling outward, kicking up dust across the arena.
Yujiro unleashed a barrage of punches, hammering Karna with relentless force.
Each fist was wrapped in intense ki, capable of shattering steel and concrete, each blow rivaling an ancient cannonball.
In mere seconds, Yujiro landed hundreds of punches, equivalent to hundreds of cannonballs detonating at once.
The power was staggering.
Against such a terrifying onslaught, most yokai would be reduced to dust, not a trace remaining.
Yet Karna effortlessly deflected the attacks, handling them with ease.
Realizing his assault was ineffective, Yujiro exhaled sharply, spitting a breath like an arrow aimed at Karna's eyes.
A sinister, deadly move, invisible and lethal.
As a former mercenary, Yujiro never fought with martial virtue. To him, only the victor claimed everything, and any means to win was justified.
He had always scoffed at the notion of pure martial combat.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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