Chapter 33: Not This Time

The Strongest Transcendent In History Is The Strongest

Chapter 32: Not This Time

I find myself suspended in mid-air, arms crossed leisurely across my chest, observing my opponent with a pair of tranquil eyes that betray none of the tension coursing through the atmosphere around us. Below, the vast expanse of the planet rotates leisurely, its surface a mesmerizing tapestry of colors and textures, while the stars extend endlessly in every direction, their twinkling lights glimmering against the infinite canvas of the cosmos. With a voice that carries a sense of calm resolve, I utter the challenge, "Come at me." In the blink of an eye, I erupt upward, surging through the clouds like a bullet. I burst into the cold vacuum of space, where I hover side by side with Kagenoarujinbutsu, the curvature of the world beneath us serving as a dramatic backdrop to our confrontation.

Kagenoarujinbutsu turns to confront me, his expression marked by a wide, sinister grin that speaks of overconfidence and malice. "Your funeral," he retorts, his voice dripping with disdain. Almost instantly, without wasting a single motion, he becomes a blur of calculated aggression. In a heartbeat, his powerful hand clamps down on my shoulder, its grip akin to an iron vice. The sheer force of it sends a shudder of unease through me, and before I can fully brace myself, I'm hurled downwards like a comet disintegrating in the atmosphere. My body slams into the earth below, the ground exploding apart as if it were made of delicate glass. Dust and debris spiral into the air around me, creating a chaotic cloud that swirls violently in the aftermath of my descent.

Yet, despite the ferocity of the impact, I manage to spring back up onto my feet, a grunt escaping my lips as I wipe away the layers of dirt and shattered stone that cling to my hair and clothes. "Interesting," I remark nonchalantly, noticing the taste of blood on my lips as I brush it away. "Not bad."

Kagenoarujinbutsu's eyes glint with amusement as he surveys me, seemingly unfazed by my resilience. "Still standing?" he questions, his swagger unmistakable as he raises one leg in a taunting display. "Let's fix that." In an instant, with a terrifying swiftness, he unleashes a powerful kick aimed directly at my chest.

A resounding BOOM reverberates through the air as the shockwave from the impact ripples outward, distorting the atmosphere around me. I find myself propelled backward through a series of thick concrete walls, which crumble and disintegrate around me as if they were mere paper. I barely manage to skid to a halt, gasping for breath, but before I get the chance to collect my thoughts—

Kagenoarujinbutsu voice floats towards me again, cool, calm, and utterly devoid of emotion. "I'm not finished yet." An unnatural shifting occurs beneath me, as my shadow flickers ominously. It happens too quickly for me to react. Rising from the depths of darkness, Kagenoarujinbutsu emerges, his figure coalescing as though he were a part of the very night itself. One moment there is an empty space where he stood, and the next—he is there, his hand enveloping my face in a vice-like grip. "Ultimate Shadow," he murmurs, breath hot against my ear. With formidable strength, he drives my head into the ground once more. The earth quakes beneath us, cracking like a fragile eggshell under the force of his assault. "I can hide in any shadow—yours, mine, the world's. I can store weapons and strike from any angle. I don't need light. I am the dark." As he speaks, dark tendrils creep along the ground around him, alive and flickering with an ominous energy. His figure begins to distort and darken further, as though he is absorbing the very essence of the night surrounding him. "You're not merely fighting me," he concludes, now fully cloaked in this living shadow. "You're contending against the void itself."

Buried beneath the rubble, smoke and dust cloak my vision, but I refuse to stay down. Slowly, I begin to rise, the remnants of my once-pristine coat torn and tattered, my body bearing bruises and cuts that bleed freely down my skin. Yet my eyes remain unwavering, calm in the face of adversity. Inhale, exhale. My voice is steady, unshaken. "I see now… this form of yours... it feeds on the dark, growing stronger with every shadow it consumes." I lock my gaze with his glowing eyes, defiant and unyielding. "But don't get cocky." An electric spark of power dances around me, a tangible manifestation of my determination. "This isn't over."

Once more, Kagenoarujinbutsu seizes my face, attempting to slam me down again—

But this time, I twist at the last possible moment, my voice filled with determination as I declare, "Not this time." In one smooth motion, I pivot, my elbow driving deeply into his gut with a crushing force, enough to make him recoil mid-slam. This isn't merely an act of brute force; it's a calculated maneuver characterized by precise speed. My feet dig into the ground, and with a deliberate flick of my shoulder, I spin around behind him.

Narration: This isn't instinct alone; this is Ryūketsu Shingan – Keihatsu no Kata — the Form of Insight, a martial sequence meticulously designed to anticipate and disrupt movement through a deeper understanding of rhythm.

Kagenoarujinbutsu stumbles backward, breath momentarily caught off guard, but I don't allow him any respite.

"Try to keep up," I say casually, as my palms extend toward him, energy swirling and condensing between them as I thrust forward. A concentrated shockwave of compressed kinetic force—a force that is invisible yet remarkably powerful—erupts from my hands.

Kagenoarujinbutsuis blasted away, sent spiraling through the clouds above, his body battered and bruised as he is propelled into orbit.

Calmly, I follow in his wake.

In a shocking moment, Kagenoarujinbutsu rebounds, an eerie grin plastered across his face as he lunges forward, seizing my waist in midair. "Let's see how you like the fall," he taunts, flipping us both in a sudden, harrowing motion. The descent is brutal, intensifying as we plummet through the atmosphere, surrounded by a cone of shattered air, the sound barrier breached. BOOM!

My body crashes against the surface of the planet with the force of a meteor strike, the ground erupting in a cacophony of earth and stone splintering beneath my feet—yet I do not fall. I rise, unyielding. With a hint of amusement lacing my voice, I say, "Heh... I guess I need to use that." I take a moment to crack my neck, feeling the tension release from my muscles. "Been training this in secret." As the dust begins to settle, I emerge from the chaos, ready for the next chapter of our battle.

To be continued...