Training Yard — Evening
BOOM!
The wall exploded outward.
The Slayer's body smashed through it like a wrecking ball. Dust and wood splinters flew as he crashed through, finally skidding out into the open forest. Trees bent, some cracked. A massive dent tore across the outer ground.
The Slayer had blocked it — barely. But Kratos's punch still sent him flying like a missile.
Kratos stepped through the broken wall, fists clenched, rage simmering under his skin.
"You stand there. Say nothing. And people DIE?" he growled, eyes locked on the crater the Slayer left.
The Slayer stood up slowly, brushing debris off his shoulder plate.
No words.
Just a roll of the neck. Metal groaned as he cracked his joints.
Power gauntlet clicked.
Armor reset.
He took a stance.
Still no weapons. But that armor? That gauntlet? More than enough.
Kratos exhaled, heavy, storm-like.
He stepped forward.
Then?
Commotion behind.
"HEY!!" Tengen's voice boomed as he ran toward the busted wall. "What the HELL is going on?!"
Sanemi followed right behind, snarling. "Are you two trying to kill each other?!"
Mitsuri gasped. "No no no—are they seriously fighting?!"
"Too late," Giyu muttered, eyes already locked on the clearing.
Even Kokushibo emerged from the shadows, one hand resting casually on his sword, but his expression said it all: interested.
Rengoku pointed. "They've already begun. We stop them, we get caught in it."
Muichiro floated in beside him, eyes blank. "This is… dangerous."
Upper Moons gathered. Akaza tilted his head, watching. "That guy… really just decked the Slayer."
Doma smiled nervously. "He threw him like a toy."
And behind them all, Muzan stepped forward from the shadows, coat drifting behind him.
He watched.
Silent.
As always.
Clearing Outside the Wall
Kratos stomped toward the Slayer, eyes locked.
He spotted a massive fallen tree nearby — thick, old, easily the width of a cart.
He grabbed it by the trunk with both hands.
Lifted it like it weighed nothing.
The others watching gasped.
"Oh no," Zenitsu whispered. "He's gonna throw the ENTIRE TREE?!"
"NO—LOOK!" Inosuke was losing his mind. "HE'S RAMMING IT!"
Kratos charged with the tree like a massive battering ram.
With a grunt, he drove it forward — tip-first — like a spear.
The Slayer planted his feet. Brought both arms up.
BOOM.
The tree exploded into splinters on contact, the sheer force pushing the Slayer backward across the forest floor until his back SLAMMED into a giant boulder. The boulder cracked, split in half from the impact.
Tanjiro flinched. "They're going to bring down the whole mountain at this rate..."
Before the dust even cleared—
The Slayer moved.
He lunged forward, grabbed Kratos by the arm mid-charge, and spun.
Kratos flew over the Slayer's shoulder like a sack of bricks and got planted straight into the same boulder, shattering what remained.
The ground shook.
Sanemi stepped back. "Okay... I think we just let them kill each other."
Tengen let out a low whistle. "Never seen anyone bent slayer like that."
Rengoku grinned wide. "MAGNIFICENT! TRUE WARRIOR SPIRIT!"
Shinobu muttered, "This isn't spirit, this is pure testosterone."
Mitsuri was gripping her haori. "They're going to die! Or kill us by accident!"
Back in the clearing—
Kratos rose from the wreckage, blood on his forehead, lip cut.
He wiped it with his thumb and smirked.
"You hit harder than I expected."
The Slayer, still silent, just adjusted his gauntlet again.
Then charged.
They clashed in the center of the clearing — two titans colliding.
Fists met fists. The sound of it? Like thunder cracking inches away.
Shockwaves knocked leaves off trees. Craters formed beneath their feet.
Kratos landed a gut punch — deep, hard.
Slayer took it. Replied with a shoulder bash that launched Kratos back into another tree. It cracked, nearly fell.
Kratos recovered fast, sprinted again.
Slayer rolled low, uppercutted him with the powered gauntlet.
Kratos staggered, blood spitting from his mouth.
Then slammed his own fist down onto Slayer's shoulder, causing sparks to fly from a dent in the armor.
They broke apart, circled each other.
Chest rising.
Breath heavy.
Still standing.
Still wanting more.
Atreus ran out, yelling. "FATHER! STOP!"
Kratos didn't look back. "If he's the reason for this world's pain... I need to know how far he'll go."
The Slayer remained still.
Then raised his fists again.
Muzan's eyes narrowed, arms crossed. "These two… if they wanted, they could level this country."
Akaza chuckled darkly. "Would love to join in."
Doma? Still hiding behind a tree. "No thanks."
Giyu stood calm. "They'll stop. Eventually."
Sanemi cracked his knuckles. "Yeah? Or they'll tear each other to pieces."
Back in the clearing?
The next round was coming.
No words.
No mercy.
Just gods in mortal flesh.
Beating the truth out of each other.