Chapter 186: Alien Soul of the Transparent Flame

Yahageshii charged forward like a ferocious beast, his entire being exuding waves of scorching, transparent heat. His fist, blazing with a molten fury, struck straight towards Watcher 20.

With a cold snort, Watcher 20 raised his longsword in defense. As blade met fiery fist, a burst of dazzling sparks erupted, the impact sending shockwaves rippling through the air.

The force swept outward like an avalanche, trembling the atmosphere itself. Watcher 20's arm sank under the pressure, a numbing pain radiating through his body. Gritting his teeth, he steadied himself, though he was driven back by Yahageshii's overwhelming power. The ground beneath his feet carved out deep trenches as he skidded, dust flying into the air.

Quickly regaining his composure, Watcher 20 growled and unfurled his domain of darkness. Instantly, the space plunged into shadow, the dense gloom swallowing the surrounding light. A sly smirk crept onto his lips—darkness was his battlefield, and Yahageshii's weaknesses would soon resurface.

However, just as he began to think he'd regained control, something caught his eye: a strange distortion in the air. It shimmered like heat waves rising from scorching metal, invisible yet intensely palpable.

Alarm bells rang in his mind. Yahageshii's figure had vanished from sight, leaving only these unnerving distortions dancing in the air. Anxiety clawed at him as he muttered under his breath, "Where is he? Why can't I sense him?"

The heat intensified, and his instincts screamed danger, yet the threat remained elusive. Fear crept in like a venomous serpent, coiling tightly around his heart.

Suddenly, a thunderous crash shattered the silence. Reacting instinctively, Watcher 20 raised his sword to block, but the blow sent him flying backward. Reeling, he soared into the air, dismissing his dark domain in a desperate bid to steady himself. His eyes locked onto the undulating heat waves below, realization dawning: Yahageshii was using the ambient heat to track him!

"He's…" Watcher 20 muttered, his face pale, "He's no longer the reckless brute I thought he was…"

Drawing a deep breath, he forced his panic into submission. A cold smile curled his lips as he spread his dark wings and ascended higher. Looking down at the shimmering heat, he sneered, "You may have changed your tactics, but a fist's reach remains its limit. Distance will be your undoing."

Even as he taunted, the ground erupted with a fiery surge. An invisible force roared upwards, rending the air with relentless heat. Watcher 20's eyes sharpened as he spun and dodged midair, his wings propelling him out of harm's way. Yet the heat waves, like sentient predators, clung to his trail, unrelenting in their pursuit.

Sweat dripped from his brow as realization struck. In a split second, his pupils constricted—he finally saw it. Yahageshii's figure was advancing, stepping through the air itself. Each step left a burning trace in the atmosphere, the temperature climbing with every move. Encased in transparent flames, Yahageshii loomed like a silent predator, cornering his prey.

"So you can turn invisible," Watcher 20 roared, his dark wings flaring wide. Feathers sharpened like blades and shot outward in a deadly barrage, slicing through the air. But as they neared Yahageshii, a wave of searing heat reduced them to ash.

"Damn it!" Watcher 20 growled, as more of his feathers disintegrated. "The points where my feathers burn… that's where you're hiding!"

Determination lit his gaze, and he channeled his fear into rage. He clenched his left hand, summoning a core of dark energy that coalesced into a singularity of utter blackness. The ground cracked and shuddered under its oppressive weight. "This is your end!" he snarled, launching his feathers and the concentrated orb of destruction toward Yahageshii.

Encased in tranquil, transparent flames, Yahageshii stood unwavering. The fire around him emitted no glaring light or deafening roar, yet the pressure it radiated was enough to make the air itself tremble. His calm gaze locked onto Watcher 20, serene yet unyielding.

"I understand everything... old man," Yahageshii murmured, his voice low but resounding like thunder.

Raising his hand, the flames around him surged forth like sentient waves, meeting Watcher 20's feather barrage and the dark sphere head-on. To Watcher 20's horror, the flames effortlessly dissolved the dark energy and obliterated the feathers without a trace.

"No… it's impossible!" Watcher 20 stammered, disbelief etched onto his face. His strongest attack, negated as if it were nothing. Transparent flames flowed gently forward, their soft appearance belying an unstoppable destructive force.

Before he could react, Yahageshii advanced, step by step, his presence overwhelming. The undulating heat waves grew closer, consuming everything in their path. Watcher 20's once-confident smirk faded, replaced by sheer terror as Yahageshii closed in.

The battle's outcome was no longer in doubt. Yahageshii was no longer a reckless fighter. He was a force of nature, an unstoppable flame, and Watcher 20's defeat was only a matter of time.