Resonance

Kaito gasped, coughing out a little blood. In the next moment, his body was impaled by 5 rods, and he slowly fell backward to the ground.

Kenshiro grinned wildly as Kaito hit the ground with a heavy thud.

"Huh... Kaito!" Mizuki's voice rang out in a mix of shock, and disbelief.

Kenshiro's wound slowly began to close up, the skin pulling together. He turned around, facing his opponent.

"You thought you won, but left yourself open," he remarked, his voice low and intense.

"He got him!" Toru exclaimed, his voice shaking with trepidation.

"We're doomed..."

"At the end of the day, you were good enough but couldn't fill me with the taste I needed," Kenshiro said, his eyes piercing as he turned his attention to Mizuki.

He began to walk slowly towards the shimmering water bubble.

"He's coming here," Toru said, fear creeping into his voice. "Kaito..." Mizuki's eyes remained locked on Kaito.

Suddenly, a loud thud reverberated through the air as a rod struck the water bubble, causing it to shudder.

"Mizuki!" Toru shouted, desperation evident in his voice.

"Get yourself in the game," Toru urged. Mizuki remained frozen

"You're kidding me," Toru muttered, struggling to rise to his feet.

"Can I...?"

Another rod struck the bubble, sending Toru crashing to the ground.

"We can't win," he gasped, his strength waning.

"We're going to..." Toru trailed off, his breath labored.

Mizuki's lips curved into a slow, enigmatic smile.

"Thunder...," Kaito's voice trailed off, a sense of deadly seriousness filling the air.

In the next instant, he materialized behind Kenshiro, his hand coiled back and sparkling blue lightning. "...Clap Fist!" he declared, delivering a devastating blow that enveloped the entire scene.

"Kaito..." Mizuki said with tears and smiled in relief, "That idiot shouldn't worry me like that",

"He's standing after being impaled by..." Toru said but when saw the rods on the floor, "he pulled them out regardless of the pain..." 

"And he's bleeding out of the holes, he's going to die from blood loss..."

As the smoke cleared up, Kaito's punch was caught by Kenshiro. "You thought you could attack me just like that," Kenshiro sneered ominously.

"Pathetic," he added, his voice dripping with disdain.

Kenshiro let out a bellow "Metallic Plating", and his body slowly began to transform.

A metallic plating gradually covered his entire body.

"Hmm?" Kaito pondered. His face became a mask of confusion. "So you're racist?!"

"What? No!" Kenshiro replied in annoyance.

"But word of advice..." Kenshiro continued.

"You'll find a wife soon?" Kaito blurted out.

"You're annoying me now," Kenshiro responded sternly, his patience wearing thin.

"But... get ready," Kenshiro continued, 

Kaito gasped, leaping back. However, before he could even land, Kenshiro was already in front of him.

"What?!" Kaito exclaimed in shock, quickly crossing his arms in a defensive stance. But Kenshiro's punch connected with him, sending him hurtling through the air.

Dust covered him as his body crashed through a nearby wall.

"He covered his entire body in a layer of metallic plating, enhancing his physical capabilities," Toru said,

"And now he's surpassed Kaito in every aspect... "

"Even speed..."

"What will Kaito do...?"

"Kaito..." Mizuki whispered, 

Kaito lay in the rubble, 'How can I beat that thing?' He thought

His eyes blur, 'Lemme start with a.....'

'Lightning Dash!' He dashed at lightning speed, leaving a trail of lightning behind him. immediately closing the gap between himself and Kenshiro

'I have to at least try!' Kaito thought again, 

"No, you idiot!" Toru shouted, "Get away!"

"Thunderclap Fist!", The air boomed as his fist connected with Kenshiro's chest, sending a shockwave through his body.

Kenshiro smiled in excitement, "Idiot!" he snarled, grabbing Kaito's hand and twisting it with a jerk.

Kaito's eyes went wide, his face contorting in agony, "Agh!"

Mizuki rushed forward, "Kaito!" she cried, but Toru blocked her path.

"You'll be killed!" he warned, his eyes fixed on the battle.

Kenshiro slammed Kaito into the ground, his iron-covered body crackling with lightning.

"You attacked me with Lightning when I'm covered in iron! Idiot!" he sneered, kicking Kaito into the air.

Toru yelled, 'Kaito, dodge!'

Rods materialized, piercing the air. Kaito dodged four, but the fifth struck his arm with a sickening thud. He landed hard on the ground, gasping for breath.

Toru exclaimed, 'Good, he dodged it!' but Kenshiro sneered, 'Rod-strike Manifestation!'

The rods pierced Kaito's body, emerging on the other side with a gruesome squelch. Mizuki and Renji cried out in horror,

"Ugh....",

"Ughh..."

Kaito's eyes fluttered open, his face contorted in agony. With a Herculean effort, he pulled the rods out of his shoulder, stomach, and leg, his body shuddering with pain

Toru's eyes widened in horror, "He's filled with holes!" Kaito's body slumped, his mouth spewing blood, 'I'm dead...' he thought, his eyes fluttering closed. He fell, laid flat on the floor, his eyes flickered open. 

But suddenly, his eyes snapped open, a white flash illuminating his face. He saw a blue skull materialize in front of him, its jaws open wide.

As he opened his eyes again, Kenshiro sneered, "I would have left you to live, but oh well!"

Kaito's gaze locked onto Kenshiro, his expression unreadable. Toru's eyes darted between them, 'What's this...Climax Pressure...?' he thought.

Misuki's voice was barely audible, "Kaito..." 

Kaito's body seemed to emanate a soft, ethereal glow, surrounding him in a gentle, blue light. His eyes shimmered with an otherworldly radiance as he turned his gaze, casting an eerie, captivating aura around him.

Kenshiro's smile faltered, his eyes narrowing as he took a step back, sensing the shift in balance.

Kaito's eyes gleamed with intensity as he yelled "Thunder-step Mirage," his body blurring into a frenzy.

He teleported short distances, leaving behind a trail of afterimages of himself.

Yet, he remained standing at his original position, his presence seemingly fragmented across the battlefield.

Toru's voice rang out, "After-Image!".

Kenshiro snorted, "After-Images?! Lame!" but his smirk faltered as he stepped back, eyes darting between the multiple Kaitos.

His skepticism was short-lived, as a swift punch sent him stumbling back. "Huh?"

Toru seized the opportunity to explain, "The afterimages are not mere illusions, but they can interact with the physical world. They can touch, hold, or attack objects!"

Kenshiro's eyes widened as he attempted to dodge, but the afterimages seemed to be everywhere.

One struck him from behind, sending him spinning. "Tsk!" he growled, attempting to regain his footing. The afterimages continued, jumping off the walls and aiming for him.

He dodged one, only to be hit by another from the side. He dodged another but got hit from the left, each afterimage dashing toward him, all landing hits.

Toru's voice echoed through the chaos, "He's hitting him from every side!"

Kenshiro's frustration mounted as he struggled to keep up with the afterimages.

A swift uppercut sent him stumbling back, then he crashed on the floor.

"That's the real body! I'll take it down!" he snarled, glaring at the only body standing still, only to be struck by another afterimage on the cheek.

The real Kaito remained still, his eyes fixed intently on Kenshiro, as the afterimages continued their barrage.

Kenshiro's eyes narrowed. "What is he about to do?!" he exclaimed, dashing towards Kaito.

Kaito's gaze drifted upward. 'Her attack was perfect, with insane precision...'

'Could I possibly do it?' he wondered, his mind racing,

With a deep breath, Kaito raised his hand, and a thread shot out, ensnaring Kenshiro and slamming him into the ground.

Toru's voice echoed, "Go, Kaito!"

Kaito declared, "Storm-bringer Cataclysm!" The air around him erupted as he released the pent-up power upward, the ground began to shake, creating a swirling vortex of charged particles.

Dark storm clouds gathered, obscuring the area, and Misuki and Toru gasped in unison, "Whoa...."

Kenshiro, undeterred, struggled to his feet and charged towards Kaito. Lightning strikes rained down from the charged clouds, striking indiscriminately within Kenshiro's specified radius.

The bolts created massive craters and burned through Kenshiro's body.

As the attack reached its climax, a colossal lightning bolt descended from the charged storm clouds, striking Kenshiro.

The resulting explosion engulfed the vicinity in blinding light and intense electrical discharge, hitting the shield Misuki had created and making it shutter.

Kenshiro's scream of pain echoed through the air as his body was fried and shocked.

The blast sent him crashing to the ground, motionless. Toru's voice was barely above a whisper, "What... was... that..."

Misuki's eyes were fixed on Kaito, "Kaito..."

Kaito stood tall, his eyes fixed on his hand, now closed into a fist. The storm dissipated, leaving behind an eerie silence.