Bare-Handed Carnage

I twisted mid-charge, spinning Senkoku with me—then slammed him down with all the momentum.

CRACK!

The ground shattered like glass beneath him. Dust burst into the air as stone split apart in a web of deep fractures. The impact echoed through the field like a thunderclap.

Seraphine stood still, wide-eyed, one hand over her mouth. "What... power..." she breathed, almost in awe.

Yuna let out a sharp bark from the sidelines, her tails flicking high, pacing with restless energy, golden eyes locked on me like I was a different beast now.

Sunny cackled, hopping on her toes with excitement. "Now that's what I call a slam dunk!"

I stood over the broken earth, my muscles still rock-hard from Colossus Form, chest rising with each breath. Senkoku groaned beneath the crater, coughing blood, his armor cracked.

I cracked my neck, eyes locked on him.

"You said power can't beat speed," I said low.

"Maybe. But if you've got timing—"

My fist clenched, the tension humming through my veins like a storm about to break.

"—you only need one hit."

Senkoku groaned, pushing himself up from the rubble with a wince. "Oh yeah? You think you one-hit me or something?"

I scratched the back of my neck, glancing down at him. "Bro, chill. It was just the explanation," I said, half-grinning.

He let out a rough exhale, coughing once. "Tch. Show-off."

I shrugged. "You asked for it."

His eyes narrowed, but a faint smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Next time, I'm not holding back."

"Good," I said, cracking my knuckles. "Neither am I."

Senkoku exhaled sharply, then muttered, "Inventory."

A crimson glow shimmered around him as his worn gear dissolved into a sleek, blood-red samurai armor. The plating was sharp-edged, layered like a predator's hide—intimidating, but refined.

"You know," he said, tightening his grip on the hilt, "even with insane HP, you'll still get shredded without defense. This one's passive? It cuts incoming damage down hard."

I watched the transformation, the way the blood-colored armor seemed to pulse with killing intent.

I grinned, fists already tightening.

"Then bring it on. Let's see how far that armor gets you."

Senkoku shifted his footing, turning side-on with perfect precision. One hand rested on the hilt of his katana, the other extended toward me—steady, sharp, daring me to move.

The air around him grew still.

"Let me show you," he said, his voice low but cutting, "the skill I earned… from a god."

I narrowed my eyes, watching his stance.

"I'm curious," I said, cracking my knuckles. "This skill you mentioned… mind telling me which god taught it to you?"

Senkoku's lips curled into a cold grin.

"God?" he repeated, almost amused. Then, with a tilt of his head, he corrected—

"Not god. Gods."

I blinked.

"…Huh?"

Senkoku's grin remained, and the air around us seemed to thicken with tension. He stood with his body angled sideways, his left hand gripping the katana hilt, while his right hand rested on the sheath, poised to unsheath at a moment's notice. His posture was sharp and controlled, a perfect balance of readiness and restraint.

"I only learned two skills from one god," Senkoku said, his voice calm but filled with quiet power. "But those two... are more effective than all my other skills combined. All I need now is a buff."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I could feel the weight of his confidence, and it fueled my own resolve.

I wasn't backing down. My muscles flexed, and with Colossus Form still active, my body surged with power. I planted my feet firmly, ready for the next move.

"Bring it on," I said, voice steady despite the growing pressure. "Let's see what your god's blessing really does."

Senkoku closed his eyes for a brief moment, allowing the calm of his mind to settle. Inside, his thoughts rang with a deep, quiet confidence.

"Skill: Accelerate." He felt the surge of speed coursing through him, his body already ready to move faster than the eye could follow.

"Skill: Keen Eye." The world around him became sharper, each movement and every possible strike clearer than ever before.

"Skill: Critical Mastery." A slight grin tugged at his lips in his mind as he envisioned how this would play out. The precision of his strikes, the deadly accuracy, all enhanced beyond the ordinary.

With his eyes still closed, he stood there, ready to unleash his power.

Senkoku gritted his teeth, a fierce growl escaping him as he broke through my defense with a single, powerful blow. I was sent flying through the air, crashing into the ground in a heap.

"Heh... it's just a level 20 difference," I muttered through gritted teeth, struggling to regain my composure.

I blinked up at the sky, the world spinning slightly. And then, in the blink of an eye, Senkoku was above me, towering like a storm ready to strike. His katana was gripped tightly in both hands, raised high, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

"Thunderfall," Senkoku uttered calmly, his voice low but full of intent.

In that moment, I saw it—a flash of deadly speed. He descended in an instant, his katana cleaving through the air with a force that could split mountains. The blade struck, and the pain that followed was excruciating.

The impact felt like a massive shockwave, and the last thing I saw was the ground beneath me cracking as his cleave tore through my defense, sending me flying.

"Grrrhh!!" I cried out, the shock of the blow shooting through my entire body. The force of the cleave was too much to handle, and it felt as though my very soul was being torn apart.

"Arghhh…" I groaned, struggling to stay conscious as I crashed to the ground, my vision blurring and the world spinning wildly.

Just then, I heard the system notification: Colossus Form duration is over.

The pain was unbearable, and my strength was fading fast. Senkoku stood over me, calm and unbothered, waiting for my next move. I had to find a way to fight back before it was too late.

As I slowly sat up, Senkoku grinned slightly. "You know what's amazing about this skill?" he said, his voice calm but filled with pride. "It has one more feature, and that's why I love it."

He paused for a brief moment, lips curling into a grin as his eyes locked onto mine. "Cleave."

Before I could react, a powerful strike surged through me, knocking me back with explosive force. The shockwave of the strike left me breathless as I flew through the air, crashing to the ground with an impact that rattled my bones. My vision blurred, and the pain coursed through my body.

Senkoku stood there, calm and collected, as I struggled to recover. "That's Thunderfall Cleave," he said, his tone almost admiring. "And it's just one of the many things that set me apart."

He gripped his katana with both hands, raising it high above his head. "This," he said, his voice calm yet intense, "is the second skill I learned."

Heh," I muttered, faking a wobble as if I was struggling to stay upright. But inside, I was already calculating my next move, my body primed for what came next. I dashed forward with lightning speed, grabbing his face and slamming it into the wall with bone-crushing force. The stone cracked under the pressure, but I wasn't finished.

I yanked him back and threw him straight into another wall, the impact echoing through the room. He barely had time to react before I slammed him once more, this time against the third wall, his body crumpling under the force. The sound of his body slamming into the stone rang in my ears, but there was no satisfaction in it yet.

I spun him around, slamming him down hard onto the ground with a sickening thud, the earth beneath him shattering on impact.

As the lariat landed, his body twisted in midair, spinning like a ragdoll caught in a tornado. But I wasn't done yet. With his momentum still in the air, I followed up with a bone-shattering straight blow to his stomach. The impact sent him hurtling backward, his body slamming hard into the wall with a sickening thud.

Before he could even process the hit, I closed the distance between us. My knee shot up, crashing into his stomach with a brutal, bone-crushing strike. The force of the blow had him gasping for air, his body crumpling as he recoiled from the pain.

Every move felt like the world was crumbling beneath us, but I wasn't about to let up. The fight wasn't over until I decided it was.

I inhaled sharply, the tension in my muscles tightening like a coil ready to snap. With a burst of speed, I surged toward him, my body moving like a bullet fired from a gun. Without hesitation, I drove my knee into his stomach, the sickening thud of impact ringing through the air.

Blood exploded from his mouth, a dark spray staining the air as he doubled over in pain, gasping for breath. His body buckled under the force, but I didn't give him the chance to recover.

I bounced back just a step, the adrenaline coursing through me as I refocused. In a flash, I closed the distance again, unleashing a brutal series of punches. Each strike landed with a thunderous crack, the walls around us shaking with every blow. My fists slammed into his chest, his ribs—each punch landing with deadly precision, sending shockwaves through his body. The impact was so intense, the stone walls around us cracked and crumbled, pieces falling as if the very foundation of the arena was giving way to the force of my assault.

Senkoku's body jerked with each hit, his breath ragged, struggling to keep up with my relentless barrage. I wasn't giving him a chance to recover. Every blow was a message—one he couldn't ignore.

As the walls crumbled, Senkoku's back slammed into the rubble, and he staggered, slowly sinking to the ground. I could see the exhaustion in his eyes, but I wasn't done yet. I smirked, watching him struggle to stay upright.

"As if that'll stop me," I muttered, my body already coiling with tension as I prepared for the next strike.

I stepped forward, my muscles tightening. "Ragnarok Reel!" I shouted, my voice carrying the weight of the attack. With a powerful rotation, I grabbed him by the collar, spun him around with intense force, and hurled him toward the nearest wall.

The impact was brutal. He slammed into the stone with such force that the entire structure cracked, dust flying in every direction as the wall gave way under the sheer power of my throw.

I closed the distance in an instant, grabbing Senkoku by the neck with a firm grip. His eyes widened, and I could feel the struggle in his body, but he couldn't break free.

I leaned in close, my voice low and mocking. "So, how's the damage reduction of that armor of yours?" I asked, my finger pointing at the armor's reinforced sections. "You've been taking hits all this time—let's see how well it holds up."

I squeezed tighter, feeling the tension in his neck, but not enough to break him yet. I needed him to answer.

Senkoku groaned, his voice strained, but there was a defiant glint in his eyes. "You know, I hate losing more than dying," he hissed, struggling against my grip. "So I'm gonna risk my life here too."

I grinned, tightening my hold on his neck. His breaths were shallow, his body tensing as I felt his resolve start to crack. Without warning, I slammed him down onto the ground with a brutal force that sent shockwaves through the arena, the earth beneath us cracking from the impact.

His body convulsed, and I kept my hand wrapped tightly around his neck, the pressure intense. The ground trembled beneath us, and I could hear his ragged gasps, but I wasn't finished yet. I leaned down, my grip tightening, as I stared into his eyes with a cold, calculated smile.

Senkoku stared back at me, his eyes fierce and unyielding, a quiet intensity that matched mine. Then, in an instant, a thick smoke enveloped his face, transforming it into a mysterious mask, concealing whatever emotions lurked behind it.

Before I could react, the smoke parted for just a moment, and with lightning speed, he flung himself forward. I barely had time to brace myself before he struck. The hilt of his katana slammed into my chest with brutal precision, knocking the air from my lungs and sending me flying back.

I crashed hard into the ground, my body skidding across the rubble. The impact left me breathless, but I pushed through the pain, gritting my teeth. Senkoku's movements were swift, like a predator ready to strike, and I couldn't afford to underestimate him now.

Seraphine's voice rang out, full of concern. "It's dangerous now! Do you want me to help?" Her tone was laced with worry, and I could sense the tension in the air as if she was ready to jump in at any moment.

Yuna, my loyal fox, let out a low bark, her eyes sharp and alert as she stood by seraphine's side. Her fur bristled, and I could tell she was ready to spring into action if needed.

Sunny, too, seemed on edge, her stance firm, ready to strike with her energy crackling at her fingertips.

But I shook my head, taking a deep breath to steady myself. "Stay back," I growled, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. "I've got this."

The fight was far from over, and I was determined to finish it on my own.

Senkoku raised both arms high, his katana gleaming with a fierce red aura. The ground beneath him trembled, cracking under the sheer intensity of the power building within him. The red aura surrounding the blade stretched longer and longer, twisting upward into the sky like the form of a colossal sword.

"Come," I said, the words barely leaving my mouth before a shockwave erupted from above, slamming down between us. The ground cracked under the sheer force, sending tremors through the air. From the cloud of dust and debris, a deep voice rumbled, steady and authoritative.

"You really gonna wreck and add more civilians dead?"

The voice carried the weight of a man in his thirties, his tone serious and filled with experience. He stepped forward, his body built with powerful, toned muscles, radiating strength and resolve.

We both locked eyes, exchanging a brief, silent understanding. It was time for round two. Without hesitation, I dashed toward Senkoku, muscles coiled and ready. But before I could reach him, the mysterious man appeared between us, moving with astonishing speed. His voice rumbled with amusement.

"You naughty youngsters."

In the blink of an eye, his hands shot out, gripping both of our heads with ease. With a powerful motion, he slammed our skulls together, the force rattling my brain and sending a sharp jolt of pain through me.

Seraphine and my familiars stood frozen in shock, wide-eyed and unable to comprehend the strength of the man who had just appeared out of nowhere.

My vision blurred, spinning like the world had tilted sideways. I staggered, blinking hard, trying to focus—but everything was hazy. Across from me, Senkoku lay motionless, sprawled on the cracked ground. His mask… gone. Just vanished. His face now exposed, calm in unconsciousness.

"What… happened…?" I muttered, my voice barely audible.

Before I could piece anything together, a heavy wave of exhaustion crashed over me. My knees buckled. The last thing I saw was the stranger standing over us, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

Then—darkness.

I fell asleep right there, questions left unanswered.

As soon as I woke up, a warm, gentle scent filled my senses—soft, floral, and oddly comforting. I blinked slowly, still groggy, and when my eyes finally focused, I froze.

Seraphine was asleep… on my chest.

Her bare skin pressed against mine, her breath soft and even. Her arms were wrapped around me, holding me like I was something precious. And yes—we were both naked.

I stiffened—mentally and physically—as my eyes widened and a deep crimson rushed to my cheeks.

Her smooth skin, the soft weight of her body, her chest rising and falling against mine… and then—

Oh no.

Something was definitely rising.

And it sure as hell wasn't my stats.