Chapter 156: Three on the Road

The scene of Taro defeating Duan was, if one must compare, not much different from his victory over Jiam. Perhaps the only distinction was that Duan didn't act as impulsively as Jiam.

The match lasted about one minute.

For the first thirty seconds, Duan remained motionless, observing Taro. And Taro, consistent with his approach in previous matches, also chose not to make the first move. Duan watched him, and Taro, in turn, watched Duan.

Their gazes were eerily similar: Why isn't he making a move?

Yet, the underlying intent differed greatly. Duan resembled a cautious predator, cold and restless, his unease growing the longer Taro stayed still. Taro, on the other hand, merely hoped Duan would strike first so the match could conclude sooner.

While the two stood silently on the stage, the defeated contestants below watched them with bated breath. One was the reigning champion for years, an unmatched force, while the other was a mysterious human contender, carving his way to the finals with an aura of invincibility.

If Duan were to win, it wouldn't surprise anyone. After all, he had done so countless times. Yet, if Taro emerged victorious, it wouldn't seem impossible either.

This hesitation among the spectators stemmed from Taro's previous victories. All his matches had ended in a single decisive strike. It was undoubtedly impressive, but how strong was he truly? None of them could be certain.

At the thirty-first second, Duan finally released his full power.

In that instant, the entire stage was engulfed in a raging storm, clouds spiraling, winds howling violently.

Duan let out a low, thunderous growl. Instantly, his surroundings became a vortex of swirling winds, sharp as blades, radiating a suffocating aura.

The intense pressure spread outward, encompassing everyone in the audience. Even though Duan wasn't directly targeting them, they all felt as if they were being stalked by a cold, merciless predator. The weaker contestants felt paralyzed with fear, unable to move. The sheer energy disparity instilled a primal terror deep within them.

Jiam, standing amidst the crowd, paled and muttered in disbelief, "He's grown even stronger more than twice as powerful as when I last faced him. How, how is this possible?"

Based on Jiam's assessment, Duan's energy now exceeded 20 million, possibly even surpassing 30 million. To the defeated contestants below, whose power levels averaged around 1 or 2 million, Duan's strength was nothing short of godlike.

His long white hair danced wildly in the storm of energy flames surrounding him, his figure transformed into a towering beacon of light. His features were entirely obscured by the blinding white aura.

Under such overwhelming pressure, one would expect the crowd's faith to shift entirely in Duan's favor.

Yet, surprisingly, it didn't.

Why? Because even amidst the suffocating power, Taro stood unmoved.

He neither flinched nor wavered. His expression remained calm, his breathing steady. He hadn't even shifted his stance or blinked an eye.

This resilience didn't escape Duan. From within his burning aura, he could clearly see Taro's composure. But instead of frustration or rage, Duan remained calm. He had resolved to give it his all, regardless of his opponent's strength or weakness.

At the fifty-second second, Duan made his move. He vanished from the stage.

Almost simultaneously, a shockwave erupted from where Taro stood, rippling outward in a perfect circle. Some of the weaker spectators stumbled back in shock. Squinting, they realized Taro had raised an arm—he had seemingly blocked Duan's attack.

At that moment, a thunderous sound finally reached their ears, delayed as though distorted by the sheer intensity of the battle.

And it wasn't just one sound.

A cacophony of blows, rapid and relentless, echoed like a torrential downpour. The stage quaked under the repeated impacts, each strike unleashing a barrage of shockwaves that swept across the arena.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Below the stage, some of the weaker contestants covered their ears, grimacing in pain, yet they refused to look away from the arena. On the stage, electromagnetic waves surged as the air itself twisted and warped. An invisible, oppressive aura loomed over everything. At Taro's position, his arms and legs occasionally moved, and with every subtle motion, a shockwave radiated outward, causing over a hundred spectators intense discomfort.

For a full eight seconds.

Duan's assault lasted precisely eight seconds. During that time, his figure vanished from sight entirely, moving at such extreme speed that the distance he covered could likely have circled the Earth countless times. Every millisecond, he launched a barrage of attacks at the stationary Taro — a relentless onslaught of punches, ki blasts, sweeping kicks, hammer strikes, and flying knees. He even targeted vulnerable points: the throat, eyes, armpits, solar plexus, and waist.

It was all in vain.

Taro didn't move. He stood there as if Duan's attacks were nothing more than gentle raindrops or a breeze brushing past his face, casually swept aside.

The pinnacle of movement clashed with the pinnacle of stillness, creating a spectacle so intense that those below the stage felt like they might cough up blood.

"How… how is this possible?!" Duan growled, his voice low and trembling. He was nothing more than a streak of white light, moving too fast for the naked eye to follow, circling the rectangular arena at breakneck speed. His focus locked on Taro, who remained perfectly still.

He felt a strange mix of cold fury and deep calm.

This situation... it was all too similar to Taro's previous fight with Jiam.

Duan's eyes grew colder. More than anyone, he understood the disparity. Taro's calm composure was a testament to his overwhelming strength.

A strength far beyond Duan's. A strength so immense that facing him felt akin to facing the Grand Kai himself.

The thought alone was terrifying.

Duan pushed himself even harder. If not for the ki flames enveloping his body, the friction from his speed would have already turned him into a blazing fireball. His fighting spirit surged, condensing all of his ki into his right fist. Flames roared around his arm, merging with the fiery determination in his heart. He aimed it all at Taro, who stood motionless.

"He's making his move!!" Jiam's heart skipped a beat below the stage. He could barely sense the change in Duan's energy, but it was unmistakable. In that moment, Duan's ki condensed into a blade—sharp, unwavering, and unstoppable. Its sheer intensity made Jiam feel as if his mind was being pierced by its edge.

The blade was drawn, its tip aimed directly at Taro.

And then, time seemed to freeze.

On the stage, Taro reached out with one hand and caught Duan's charging fist. His feet sank deeply into the arena floor, and then—

BOOM!!!

A ferocious storm erupted, sweeping outwards. The arena, painstakingly repaired by the Grand Kai after previous matches, was obliterated once more. This destruction surpassed anything seen before, reducing the stage to ruins. Layer after layer was stripped away by the shockwave until only the ground beneath Taro and Duan's feet remained relatively intact.

Duan gasped for breath. Taro's grip on his right fist was unyielding, his arm trembling uncontrollably. He had given it everything he had. "How, how was it possible that he hadn't even flinched?"

Instinctively, Duan tried to move, but Taro acted first. With a small but forceful motion, he shook Duan's arm.

In that instant, Taro's Muken technique activated on reflex. Unimaginable force rippled through his muscles, cascading through his arm and into Duan's. The energy transferred with such precision that it created a wave, traveling from Duan's arm to his entire body.

Duan's arm convulsed, twisting unnaturally, as the wave of force passed through him. His entire body trembled under the pressure, as if Taro's strength was dismantling him from the inside out.

Crack… crack…

By the fifty-ninth second, every bone in Duan's body had shattered. He collapsed limply onto the ground.

The Grand Kai's voice echoed across the arena. "The match is over. The champion is Mu Taro."

At the sixtieth second, Taro retrieved a Senzu Bean, crouched down, and fed it to Duan.

Below the stage, the spectators were utterly dumbfounded. They remained frozen, even as Taro flew away. Duan, still lying on the ground, stared blankly in the direction Taro had disappeared, silent and unmoving for a long time.

---

The Martial Arts Tournament came to an end. Spectators and contestants alike began to disperse.

For the audience, it was merely an impressive, if incomprehensible, display of skill. But for the competitors, this tournament had shattered their very understanding of the martial world.

Among them, none felt more conflicted than Duan and Jiam.

As they made their way through the exit tunnel alongside the other participants, intending to leave, the Grand Kai's voice suddenly resounded in their minds.

"Duan, Jiam, you two come with Taro as well."

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