Seeing that Fire Cloud seemed unconvinced, Fenric shook his head lightly.
"Senior, my next punch might be a little heavy. If you can't take it, don't be shy—just say so."
With that, Fenric strode forward.
When he closed in, he suddenly leaped like a tiger pouncing down a mountain, his fist driving straight toward Fire Cloud's face.
Fire Cloud, wary of Fenric's monstrous strength, tried to dodge—but his expression abruptly changed.
What? I can't move?!
An invisible force pinned his body in place.
It was Fenric's telekinetic power.
Though he didn't understand what it was, Fire Cloud knew that this strange ability came from the young man before him.
This kid… he's not human. He's a monster with ability after ability!
There was no time to dodge!
Cursing under his breath, Fire Cloud crossed his arms to block the incoming strike.
BOOM—!!
The impact sounded like a muffled explosion.
For a moment, Fire Cloud felt as if the weight of a mountain had slammed into him.
The ground beneath his feet cracked, and his knees bent under the overwhelming force—he was barely able to resist kneeling. His arms went numb, no longer feeling like his own.
Fenric, unlike traditional martial artists, relied on raw physical strength and Armament Haki. Though he lacked internal energy, his sheer power was enough to crush through Fire Cloud's defenses.
"Kneel!"
Fenric's voice was cold as he struck again, telekinesis amplifying the weight of his blow and locking down Fire Cloud's movements.
BOOM—!
The punch landed.
Fire Cloud's mind went blank for a moment, his body giving in as his knees slammed into the ground with a resounding thud, cracking the dirt beneath him.
Fenric stepped back, looking down at him with a faint, almost bored smile.
"If the so-called 'Ultimate Killer King' is only capable of this," he said casually, "then this trip was a waste of time."
Fenric wasn't trying to humiliate Fire Cloud—he wanted to provoke him. To draw out his strongest technique, the legendary 'Toad Gong.'
In his normal state, Fire Cloud was strong—far stronger than the Landlord and Landlady of Pig Sty Alley. But compared to Fenric's current level, he wasn't enough to spark Fenric's fighting spirit.
The only aspect where Fire Cloud stood out was speed.
This old man lived by the principle:
"In the world of martial arts, there is no move that cannot be broken—only speed that cannot be surpassed!"
And he wasn't wrong. In terms of pure speed, Fire Cloud was unmatched.
But Fenric had just shattered that belief.
For the first time in his life, Fire Cloud had been forced to his knees.
His eyes burned with rage.
The next moment, instead of standing, he pressed himself flat against the ground.
"Gu-gu-gu—"
A guttural croaking sound erupted from his abdomen, deep and resonant like a toad's cry amplified by thunder.
Whoosh!
A surge of invisible energy blasted outward from him, scattering leaves and dust like a violent gust.
"Gu-gu-gu—"
The croak grew louder as Fire Cloud's body swelled unnaturally. His muscles bulged, his legs thickened, and his chin puffed out like an inflated balloon—
He had taken on the form of a giant toad.
With a sharp glare, Fire Cloud's legs coiled.
BOOM—!
The ground beneath him cratered as he launched himself forward like a cannonball.
CRACK!
The air itself split as a sonic boom tore through the silence. His speed had surpassed the sound barrier!
"Too fast—!" Fenric's eyes narrowed.
For the first time in this fight, he chose to defend. Telekinesis had little effect at such velocity, so he crossed his arms in front of him, Armament Haki spreading like black steel over his entire body.
BOOM—!!!
Fenric's body was blasted off his feet. He flew several hundred meters, crashing through a dirt slope before coming to a stop.
In the original plot, Fire Cloud's Toad Gong could launch someone like Sing into the stratosphere.
The explosive power behind such a feat was beyond imagination.
"Cough! Cough!"
Fenric pulled himself from the rubble, feeling the dull throb of blood circulation disrupted.
If my Armament Haki wasn't at this level, that blow would've seriously hurt me.
BANG!
Another sonic boom cracked through the air.
Fenric barely had time to react. The moment he heard the sound, Fire Cloud was already on top of him.
BOOM—!
Another devastating strike hurled Fenric backward, slamming him into a tree that splintered like kindling.
His arms ached.
For the first time since perfecting his Armament Haki, Fenric had been injured.
Yet lying on the ground, Fenric began to laugh.
This is the power of Toad Gong?
Good. That means Sing's Buddha Palm Technique will be even stronger!
The thought ignited a spark of excitement within him. He couldn't wait to test himself against it.
But Fire Cloud wasn't done.
A shadow loomed overhead, blocking the sunlight.
He had leaped high into the air, descending like a meteor aimed to crush Fenric completely.
He wants to kill me now.
Fenric's expression hardened, a cold light flashing in his eyes.
With a thought, Thor's Hammer appeared in his hand.
"Zzzt—zzzt!"
Electric arcs coiled along the weapon like serpents, crawling up Fenric's arm.
(Author's Note: Fire Cloud's power is rated B+, very close to A. Sing with the Buddha Palm Technique is a solid A tier. Navy Admirals rank at A+, near S rank. While someone like Aurora Morwyn sits at high A. Don't underestimate the power gap between tiers!)