Chapter 81 - Limiter

The only thing that filled the air was the sound of the audience's cheers. Zachary returned to the announcer desk as the referee took his place.

Referee's thoughts: This is starting to feel a bit claustrophobic here…

Deep into the halls, Daymond sits in Bodin's infirmary, Bodin enjoying a seat right next to him.

Bodin: So, who do you think will win this?

Daymond: Is that even a question? The winner will clearly be Cero.

Bodin: Oh? Having confidence in your enemy?

Daymond: It's not that. I have faced Cero myself, so I can ensure his strength. He is not the type to lose in the first round. His strength is guaranteed.

Bodin: Fascinating. Ryan has the larger build of the two, and his history makes it clear that he has won most of his matches quite easily. Yet there is one opponent they both share losses to.

Daymond: Indeed. But there is no point in mentioning a dead man. This is something these two must deal with themselves.

Bodin: I couldn't have said it any better myself!

The referee stared down both of the men, both standing straight up and fiercely at one another. Masked leaned against the entrance of one of the audience entrances. He stared down at the two, his focus entirely on Ryan.

Masked's thoughts: I know exactly how he is, and he is without a doubt a physical beast. You better beat him, Ryan. He needs to be crushed.

Referee: FIGHTERS! TAKE YOUR STANCES!

Cero brought up his fists, taking one step forward. Ryan responds by taking a Krav Maga fighting stance. Everyone stares down, waiting for the moment either of them make a move. The referee begins to sweat, holding his arm out above his head. His arm slams down with full force.

Referee: BEGIIIIIIIIIN!!!

Both Ryan and Cero immediately charge forward, both pulling back their right fists before launching them forward, ripples being sent through the air, knocking the referee back and shocking the audience. Without a moment of hesitation, both fighters pull back their left fists before unleashing both, their fists colliding. The sound of an explosion fills the ring as these two fighters' fists collide. Thong, Li, and Hugo look down at the ground beneath them before looking all around them.

Thong: Was that an earthquake?!

Li: Look at the monitor!

Cero and Ryan continue their blows, the audience holding onto their seats as the two exchanged blows. Ryan quickly pulled back both fists before slamming both into Cero's chest, sending Cero flying back.

Masked's thoughts: He beat Cero in the first exchange!

Cero brought himself to a halt, looking back up to see Ryan charge at him at full power. Ryan had his right fist brought high into the air. Cero immediately raised both arms in defense, Ryan slamming down his fist like a hammer, a crater forming underneath Cero's feet from the impact.

Zenzo: What the hell is this?!

Zachary: It's like we're watching a monster movie! These men are without a doubt the pinnacle of strength!

Cero pushes Ryan's fist away, immediately swinging with a straight left to Ryan's face. Ryan stumbles back, blood dripping from his mouth as Cero quickly moves in, unleashing a barrage of punches. Ryan puts up a block with his arms, squinting his eyes as Cero unleashed his powerful blows.

Ryan's thoughts: It'll take more than that to defeat me!

Cero threw out another straight right, Ryan's open hand immediately moving out and pushing Cero's punch away. Cero's eyes stayed focused on Ryan, Ryan slamming into Cero with a hammer punch. Cero was knocked off his feet, sent flying back before bringing himself to a halt again with his feet. Cero's face shot up, noticing a giant shoulder moments away from his face. Ryan jumped with such force, he seemed like a truck out of control. Ryan's shoulder slammed into Cero, sending the both of them colliding with the side of the ring wall. Cero was firmly implanted in the ring wall, cracks forming all around him and moving up the ring wall. Audience members quickly ran from their seats, Cero looking up to see Ryan pull back his fist once more. Cero pulled his left arm out of the wall, putting it up as defense before Ryan unleashed a flurry of punches, burrowing Cero further and further into the ring wall.

Zenzo: Is he trying to bring down that entire side of the ring by punching Cero through it?!

Zachary: Hey, that costs a lot of money to maintain!

Ryan refused to let up, only coming to a stop once a kick shot out of the wall, sending him flying back to the center of the ring. Steam came up from the impact, Ryan looking back at the crater to see Cero's left foot fully extended.

Cero's thoughts: Limit Removed - 50%

Daymond watched the screen closely, Bodin and the nurses running around to prevent things from falling off the shelves.

Daymond's thoughts: So he's gone and done it. He's unleashed his Limiter.

…

Cero Ray LaMotta has undeniably one of the strongest bodies in the world. When he was born, a priest that visited his family bore witness to him, saying that he will one day be capable of destroying the world with his strength. His strength was truly the biggest aspect of his form. In the early days of his Eclipse career, he won every match in only a few punches. He had no way to regulate his strength, meaning his power was unbound.

One day, he and another man worked together, giving him something they named Limiter. Limiter is a physical and mental restriction that Cero and the other man placed upon him. This would prevent Cero from destroying everything and from harming himself by constantly unleashing his full power. He was no longer bound by the limits of his own strength, he had truly made it his own. In limiting his strength, Cero had become someone even stronger.

…

Cero pulled himself out of the wall, Ryan picking himself back up. Both got close to one another, staring each other down once more. Ryan quickly pulled back his fist before unleashing a powerful punch.

Masked's thoughts: That punch easily has more power than his previous ones… Is he planning on taking Cero down right here?

Cero's eyes widened, his hands flying out as he grabbed the side of Ryan's right arm, pushing the fist into the ground as Cero quickly made his way around Ryan. As Ryan's fist slammed into the ground, it implanted itself into the ground, cracks forming all around the impact for a few meters. Cero took this opportunity, wrapping his arms around Ryan's waist, pulling back before suplexing Ryan into the ground.

Hamadeen watched the match with wide eyes.

Hamadeen: He definitely used a technique! What did Cero use?!

Cero's thoughts: KenShinka Style: Void Form - North Star

Kammy watched the match from Cero's entrance. He bit his lip, sweat dripping off his face.

Kammy: So he used it… The KenShinka Style.

Ryan picked himself off the ground, immediately met by a soccer ball kick by Cero. Ryan resisted the kick, grabbing onto Cero's leg before picking himself and Cero off the ground. Ryan, with a quick burst of strength, flings Cero into the air before pulling down on his leg, slamming Cero's back into the floor of the ring. A giant crater was left as Cero gasped from the impact. Ryan immediately mounts Cero, pulling both of his fists up before raining down a barrage of blows on Cero. Cero uses his forearms to block, gritting his teeth.

Cero's thoughts: Limit Remove - 30%

With a quick thrust of his hips, Cero flings Ryan off of him, immediately jumping back onto his feet, Ryan turning around and raising his fists once more. Both Cero and Ryan jump towards one another, unleashing their left fists and slamming the other across the face. Blood began to drip from both of their mouths, their faces full of determination.

Masked's thoughts: This might be the first time I've ever seen anyone match either of those two in physical power. Could these two have found their equals?

Someone tapped on Masked's shoulder, Masked turning around to see a man with white hair and a flowing red scarf standing behind him.

Masked's thoughts: Does this really need to happen during this match? I'm interested in seeing what's happening here.

Cero and Ryan jumped back from one another, taking in huffs of air, bruises clearly visible on both of their bodies.

Ryan's thoughts: Cero… you're strong!