Mikey's expression darkened, the realization hitting him immediately. "This is bad for us," he said, his voice tinged with worry. "We don't know the extent of his powers, but he knows ours."
I steadied myself, forcing a calm I did not entirely feel. "Don't worry," I said firmly, trying to inject confidence into both of us. "We can handle this."
Tobari struck first. His attack came like a blur, a fist aimed straight at me. The sheer force of it sent a shockwave through the air. I felt the impact reverberate through my body, a reminder of his strength. His speed was extraordinary; even a glimpse of him moving made the ground tremble beneath his feet. He lunged again, faster this time, but Mikey intervened, raising his hands in a protective barrier. The air around Mikey sizzled, and I saw the skin on his hands burn from the intensity of Tobari's attack. Mikey stumbled backward, his face grim. "His power… it's fire," he muttered. "Be careful. That was only one of his abilities. We don't know how many more he has."
Before I could respond, a sudden stream of acid shot toward us. Tobari's blood—corrosive, deadly—spattered across the battlefield. Mikey's reflexes were incredible; he dodged with ease, moving faster than the eye could follow. I was not as fortunate. The acidic liquid hit me, burning across my body, but I absorbed it. Instinctively, I transformed it into a blade of concentrated acid and hurled it back at him. Yet, as I reminded Tobari was immune to his own acid. It was harmless to him, a deadly weapon only to others.
Tobari advanced, his presence closing the distance between us. "You are dangerous," he said, his voice calm but laced with an unsettling intensity. "Even though you could kill King Akumu with all your friends, without you, your friends cannot defeat him." He struck again, punching me relentlessly. Pain exploded across my face with each hit. I struggled to maintain consciousness, feeling my strength drain, my vision blurred with heat and pain.
Mikey noticed me, moving to intervene, but it was too late. Tobari had already turned his attention toward me, and Mikey was forced to engage alone. The battlefield shook as Mikey and Tobari clashed. Mikey's lightning crackled, illuminating his determined face, but Tobari's power was overwhelming. Mikey had assumed Tobari, as a recent commander, had only two powers—but that assumption was deadly wrong. Tobari had more hidden abilities, and the truth would reveal itself in the most brutal way possible.
At that critical moment, Tobari unleashed his trap magic. A sinister power that allowed him to immobilize any opponent just by locking eyes with them. The magic consumed vast amounts of his energy—almost thirty percent—but it was devastating. It did not kill, but it shattered bones, crippling opponents strategically. The bones broken depended on his precise judgment of the opponent's weak points. He targeted five critical bones, and the pain threatened to render Mikey unconscious. Tobari had never used this power recklessly before, but now he did so against Mikey, intent on ending the fight as swiftly as possible.
The battlefield itself seemed to react to the intensity of the combat. Dust and debris swirled around, lightning illuminated the jagged terrain, and the air shimmered with heat from the ongoing attacks. Every movement, every strike, every dodge carried weight. The battle was more than physical; it was mental, a test of endurance, strategy, and sheer willpower. Mikey fought valiantly, but Tobari's unpredictability made him a relentless opponent. He struck with precision, exploiting every opening, every misstep. Even Mikey's incredible speed and lightning powers were met with calculated resistance and counterattacks that pushed him to his absolute limit.