What defines the ultimate Karate master?
First, height-185 centimeters or more.
Weight-between 96 kilograms and no more than 115, with a slight layer of fat.
Physical ability-able to sprint 100 meters in under ten seconds, bench press 300 kilograms, and possess a natural gift for strength that far surpasses ordinary people.
And standing before him now was a man who met all of those conditions perfectly.
185 centimeters tall.
96 kilograms.
Fast.
Extremely strong.
A practitioner of the Strange Arm Style-Indestructible combined with extreme tempering of the body's extremities.
Gensai Kuroki.
A man like him-
-Was practically the conclusion of Karate itself.
Therefore.
There was no obvious weakness to exploit.
Gensai Kuroki closed the distance in an instant, stepped into range, set his Indestructible stance, and drove a straight punch into the very top of Jaden's left upper arm.
If a normal person were hit there, lifting that arm afterward would be difficult.
But Jaden lifted it anyway.
And then he threw a punch straight at Gensai Kuroki's head.
Gensai Kuroki's Pre-Initiative blurred again.
He didn't block.
He slipped to the side.
Then-
Snap!
A sharp sound, one that hadn't echoed in the arena for a long time, exploded.
Jaden's left punch had been a feint.
As Gensai Kuroki dodged, Jaden's right fist fired a Mach Punch-Onsoku-ken-one he hadn't used in quite some time.
But Gensai Kuroki had already anticipated it.
His Devil Spear stabbed straight into empty space.
At the moment his Spear Hand should have struck nothing-
Jaden extended his arm into it.
The Devil Spear pierced directly into the inner joint of Jaden's arm.
Gensai Kuroki believed that would be enough to stop the attack.
But-
Whoosh-
The Mach Punch didn't stop.
Its trajectory didn't change.
It smashed into Gensai Kuroki's barely raised arm, sending him sliding across the ground.
As he slid, Gensai Kuroki stared at Jaden, who had already turned to face him.
His frown deepened.
Because-
The sensation was wrong.
Gensai Kuroki had lived in the underground world since youth.
His combat experience was vast.
Using a Spear Hand to strike a joint wasn't something he did often, but he knew exactly what it should feel like.
He had trained the Strange Arm Style from an early age.
Before his Spear Hand reached its current level, he had accidentally done similar things during practice.
He knew which joints could not be penetrated.
Yet all of that experience had just been overturned.
When his Spear Hand struck Jaden's joint, it felt like hitting rock.
Or iron.
Something with overwhelming integrity.
Not a human joint.
That should have been impossible.
Even with Indestructible, forcing a joint into rigidity shouldn't produce that sensation.
Unless-
Gensai Kuroki had once assisted Tokita Niko in refining the Niko Style.
He understood it.
And this sensation reminded him of one thing.
Adamantine Kata: Indestructible.
But Jaden's technique felt far more refined.
It wasn't just hardening.
It was reinforcing the muscles around the joint's weak point itself.
Blocking the Spear Hand with pure structure.
If that were the case-
Then dealing with it in his current state would be taxing.
And that state...
He hadn't used it in a very long time.
Whether his body could still recall it was uncertain.
With that thought, Gensai Kuroki advanced again.
He had no choice.
Because of the constant threat of Jaden's Air Blade, he had to stay close.
Jaden's physique was already terrifying.
Allowing him space to generate force was unacceptable.
To prevent the Air Blade, the distance had to be close.
As close as possible.
After all-
Avoiding the Air Blade itself was one thing.
But being struck directly by the leg that could generate it was far worse.
So Gensai Kuroki closed in, stepped out to block Jaden's leg, adopted his Strange Arm Style stance, and threw a straight punch.
Jaden didn't block.
He countered with a punch to the head.
Gensai Kuroki landed his strike on Jaden's heart.
The sensation was wrong again.
That confirmed his speculation.
He dodged past Jaden's punch.
Now, he had a rough understanding of this opponent.
Defense-
An absurd physique.
A defensive method superior even to Adamantine Kata: Indestructible.
Attack-
At mid-range, given enough space, punches that erupted with thunderous force.
Likely Mach Punch.
At mid-to-long range, his punches themselves were lethal.
At long range, his leg strength was a massive threat.
At very long range, the Air Blade.
And at any range-
An ultra-high-speed dash that could be used at will.
If one had to choose-
As absurd as it sounded-
The optimal distance against this monster was close or mid-close.
But even close range wasn't safe.
There was no guarantee Jaden didn't know grappling.
And if he did-
Even imperfectly-
It wouldn't matter.
Once locked in a hold, nothing would work.
Strikes to vital points would be useless.
Joints couldn't be broken.
And with that strength, being choked out would be inevitable.
So close range wasn't safe.
Then-
The only option left was mid-close.
A short-range power exchange.
Even so, Gensai Kuroki recalled the slow, crushing punches Jaden used against Tokita Ohma.
Those couldn't be ignored.
But at least at this distance-
He could see the force generation.
Instantaneous release.
Complete relaxation to extreme tension.
It sounded impossible.
Yet it was the most plausible explanation.
So Gensai Kuroki forced Jaden into mid-close range, even blocking his legs to drag him into a compact exchange.
Jaden saw his posture and smiled.
With both of their arms constrained and space minimized, Jaden punched.
Gensai Kuroki slapped the fist aside, sensed the muscle change, clamped Jaden's legs, and leaned back slightly.
Jaden shouldn't have been able to relax his muscles in that position.
But-
He extended a finger.
Logically-
At a distance of one finger-length, no damage should be possible.
You could only touch.
But-
Jaden could.
His finger curled.
Like a gun firing.
At absurd speed, it stabbed into the palm that had just struck him.
Puff!
The finger pierced straight through Gensai Kuroki's palm.
-Shigan. Finger Pistol.
Gensai Kuroki tensed his hand instantly, expression unchanged, trying to clamp it.
But Finger Pistol had violent outward force-and equally violent retraction.
He couldn't catch it.
Jaden's finger withdrew.
The leg Gensai Kuroki had blocked snapped back, disrupting his balance.
Jaden's other hand reached for Gensai Kuroki's head.
Balance broken.
The plan was clear-
Grab the head.
Combine weight, leverage, and strength.
Drive it into the ground.
If it landed-
The fight would end.
But-
A heavy blow slammed into Jaden's lower jaw.
He hadn't had time to tense Iron Mass.
He hadn't even noticed the attack.
No defense.
A perfectly timed strike.
Jaden's motion stalled.
Gensai Kuroki withdrew his legs, stomped the ground to stabilize, and unleashed another series of strikes.
Jaden counterpunched instinctively.
He always did.
Relax.
Then tense Iron Mass at the moment of impact.
But-
Gensai Kuroki saw through it.
Another strike landed.
Then another.
Six consecutive hits.
Abdomen.
Heart.
Lower jaw.
Then three rapid blows along the centerline of the face.
Jaden was smashed into the ground.
Gensai Kuroki stepped forward-
Then stopped.
The iron gate appeared again.
That feeling.
-One more step, and he would die.
The sensation severed his momentum instantly.
He didn't rush.
Because he knew.
He had found it again.
He had entered-
Void.
Kyo.
Below the arena, Gaolang Wongsawat spoke.
"That's the Void..."
"The ideal state fighters dream of."
"Executing the most appropriate action at the most appropriate moment."
"Landing attacks that seem to appear from nowhere."
He stared at Gensai Kuroki.
"That man is terrifying..."
"To endure six consecutive vital strikes from him..."
"Anyone else would already be dead."
"That Jaden..."
Gaolang didn't finish.
But everyone understood.
Ohma Tokita.
Takeshi Wakatsuki.
Raian Kure.
All frowned.
Rei Mikazuchi clenched his fist.
They believed it was over.
But-
In the arena, Jaden slowly stood up.
Blood stained the corner of his mouth and nose.
For the first time.
He wiped his mouth.
Sniffed once.
The blood disappeared.
He looked-
Almost uninjured.
After taking six undefended strikes that could kill any man-
He was still standing.
He wasn't unharmed.
But he smiled at Gensai Kuroki.
"I underestimated you..."
"But next time..."
"I won't give you that chance again."
Find Advance chapters
And for More Fan fiction
👇
👇
[Support link: pat reon.com/RioRaRyu]
------------
More Bonus Chapters!!!!
Every 250 power stones = Bonus Chapter
Give me more Power Stones
------------