The Demon Meets His Wall

Chapter 88: The Demon Meets His Wall

🔥 Aether Academy – World Combat Tournament, Round 1

💀 Rei had already proven himself. His fight ended in an instant.

But now—Kozuki Renjou was facing something he had never encountered before.

💥 A man who wouldn't fall. 💥

The Battlefield – A Stage Built for War

📢 "Kozuki Renjou vs. Darius Volk – Fighters, Step Forward!"

🔥 The battlefield was revealed. 🔥

✔ A wide-open canyon, filled with jagged cliffs and shattered terrain.✔ No barriers. No cover. No tricks.✔ Just two fighters standing under the open sky.

💀 This wasn't a fight of speed or deception. 💀

🔥 This was raw, brutal power. 🔥

Darius Volk – The Titan Who Never Falls

🔥 Darius Volk wasn't just strong—he was unbreakable.

✔ A fighter who had never been knocked down.✔ A human wall of pure durability.✔ A man who could take full-powered strikes without flinching.

Darius (grinning, cracking his knuckles): "So you're the one everyone keeps talking about."

Kozuki smirked, rolling his shoulders.

Kozuki: "And you're the guy who thinks he can't be knocked down."

🔥 Their eyes locked. 🔥

📢 "FIGHT!"

💥 BOOM! 💥

🔥 The battle began. 🔥

The First Clash – Kozuki's Power is Denied

💥 WHOOSH! 💥

🔥 Kozuki moved first.

✔ A lightning-fast step forward.✔ A full-powered punch aimed at Darius's chest.✔ A blow that had crushed countless fighters before.

💀 A direct hit. 💀

💥 BOOM! 💥

🔥 But Darius didn't move. 🔥

✔ Not even an inch.

Kozuki's eyes narrowed.

Kozuki (thinking, serious): Tch… What?

Darius smirked.

Darius: "That all you got?"

💥 BAM! 💥

🔥 Darius swung back.

✔ A monstrous punch.✔ No technique, just raw force.✔ A strike aimed straight at Kozuki's ribs.

💥 CRACK! 💥

🔥 Kozuki was sent flying.

💀 For the first time—Kozuki was the one getting knocked back. 💀

The Realization – Kozuki is at a Disadvantage

🔥 Kozuki landed hard, rolling across the rocky ground.

✔ His ribs ached.✔ His breathing was unsteady.✔ He felt something he hadn't in a long time—pain.

He stood up, wiping his mouth, eyes burning.

Kozuki (thinking, frustrated): No one's ever taken a direct hit from me like that… and just stood there.

🔥 This wasn't going to be easy. 🔥

Darius cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders.

Darius (grinning): "Come on, Demon of Aether. Show me something worth breaking."

💀 Kozuki wasn't just fighting another opponent. 💀

🔥 He was fighting a living wall. 🔥

The Second Exchange – Kozuki Tries Everything

💥 BOOM! 💥

🔥 Kozuki went all in.

✔ Blazing-fast footwork.✔ Unpredictable movement.✔ Devastating punches—each one strong enough to break bones.

💀 And yet—Darius absorbed every single hit. 💀

✔ No staggering.✔ No hesitation.✔ No damage.

🔥 For the first time, Kozuki's strength wasn't enough. 🔥

Darius smirked, stepping forward.

Darius: "You done?"

💥 BOOM! 💥

🔥 He attacked.

✔ A brutal right hook—Kozuki barely dodged.✔ A crushing knee—Kozuki blocked, but his arms shook.✔ A final stomp—Kozuki jumped back just in time.

🔥 But he was getting pushed back. 🔥

Kozuki (thinking, gritting his teeth): Tch… I can't break him. I can't overpower him. What the hell do I do?!

The Turning Point – Kozuki's Breaking Limit

🔥 Kozuki had never struggled like this before.

✔ Every fight ended quickly.✔ Every opponent crumbled under his strength.✔ No one had ever forced him to think.

💥 BOOM! 💥

🔥 Darius rushed forward.

✔ A final attack to end the fight.✔ A devastating punch aimed straight at Kozuki's skull.✔ The same punch that had ended every other match instantly.

💀 If it landed—Kozuki would lose. 💀

💥 WHOOSH! 💥

🔥 But Kozuki moved.

✔ Not running.✔ Not dodging.✔ But shifting—just slightly.

💀 Just enough to survive. 💀

Kozuki's Answer – Adaptation Over Power

🔥 Kozuki finally understood.

✔ Darius was stronger.✔ Darius was tougher.✔ Darius could take everything he had.

💀 But no one was faster than him. 💀

🔥 Kozuki stopped trying to overpower Darius.

✔ Instead, he used Darius's own strength against him.✔ Instead of attacking directly—he redirected.✔ Instead of clashing head-on—he let Darius wear himself out.

Darius threw another punch—Kozuki twisted around it.

Darius tried to grab him—Kozuki slipped through his grip.

🔥 For the first time—Kozuki wasn't just fighting. 🔥

💀 He was hunting. 💀

The Final Exchange – The Demon Breaks the Titan

Darius (grinning, out of breath): "You finally figured it out, huh?"

Kozuki smirked.

Kozuki: "Took me long enough."

💥 BOOM! 💥

🔥 Darius threw his strongest punch.

✔ All of his weight.✔ All of his power.✔ A finishing blow that should have ended everything.

💀 But Kozuki had already won. 💀

💥 WHOOSH! 💥

🔥 He dodged—perfectly.

✔ His footwork was flawless.✔ His counter was immediate.✔ And his next move—brutal.

💥 BANG! 💥

🔥 A devastating elbow to Darius's temple.

✔ His balance broke.✔ His vision blurred.✔ For the first time—he staggered.

💀 And Kozuki didn't stop. 💀

💥 BOOM! 💥

🔥 A final, crushing knee to the jaw.

💥 BANG! 💥

🔥 Darius collapsed.

📢 "Winner – Kozuki Renjou!"

The Aftermath – Kozuki's First True Battle

🔥 Kozuki stood over Darius, breathing heavily.

✔ His body ached.✔ His mind was exhausted.✔ But he had won.

Darius, still on the ground, grinned.

Darius: "Heh… guess I finally fell."

🔥 Kozuki had learned something new today. 🔥

💀 Strength alone wasn't enough. 💀

🔥 But if he combined his instincts with strategy…? 🔥

No one would ever stop him.