Chapter 219: Instantly Killing Gouketsu
Golden light swept across the ruined street.
Gouketsu frowned and stomped down with one foot.
The pavement shattered, sending countless stones into the air.
With a flick of his fingers, the fragments shot forward like a storm of deadly projectiles.
Satoru Suzuki did not slow down.
His sword flashed repeatedly.
Every stone approaching him was cut apart before it could touch his body.
Gouketsu clicked his tongue.
Speed based fighters were always troublesome.
Watching Satoru advance through the golden light reminded him of another figure.
Sonic.
Yet the feeling these two gave him was completely different.
Sonic was cold, ruthless, and filled with killing intent.
Mumen Rider carried a strange warmth, even while standing before an enemy with his sword drawn.
For some reason, that warmth irritated Gouketsu even more.
He raised both fists.
"Gouketsu Style, Crushing Fist!"
His massive body moved with astonishing flexibility.
As Satoru's sword approached, Gouketsu struck from multiple angles, accurately targeting the weakest points along the sword and disrupting the rhythm of every slash.
For a moment, Satoru felt as though he had stepped into a swamp.
Every movement was being dragged into Gouketsu's pace.
But he was not overwhelmed.
Satoru adjusted immediately.
Drawing upon his understanding of martial arts, he redirected Gouketsu's blows and launched counterattacks of his own.
Sword and fist collided dozens of times.
Then the two separated.
Several cuts had appeared across Gouketsu's hands.
Even his mechanical fist was covered in dense scratches.
He examined the damage, then looked at Satoru with growing curiosity.
"I have only encountered swordsmanship like this from Sonic."
His four eyes narrowed.
"And the way you redirect my strength resembles Bang's Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist."
Since his techniques had already been recognised, Satoru saw no reason to hide them.
"Master Bang taught me the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist."
He flexed his slightly numb fingers around the hilt.
"As for Sonic, I have only encountered him a few times. We are not close."
Gouketsu did not fully believe him.
His attention shifted toward the sword in Satoru's hand.
"I see."
"What interests me more is how that sword endured my attacks."
He raised his mechanical arm.
"These arms and my fist techniques were specifically prepared to counter swordsmen."
"After taking so many direct blows, an ordinary sword should already be broken."
His crimson eyes gleamed.
"Could yours also be some legendary sword?"
Gouketsu paused, then dismissed the question with a shake of his head.
"It does not matter."
"Young man, set the sword aside."
His posture changed.
"Let us settle this through martial arts."
"I want to see how well you inherited Bang's Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist."
The accuracy of Gouketsu's instincts made Satoru frown.
He did not want to waste any more time here.
"Asuramaru, can you lend me your strength?"
Asuramaru laughed softly inside the sword.
"You want to silence him before he discovers too much?"
"That does not sound like you."
Before Satoru could answer, Asuramaru continued.
"But it does not matter."
Demonization activated.
Ittō Shura followed.
Dark power surged through Satoru's body.
His muscles tightened, his senses sharpened, and his aura rose rapidly until it reached peak Dragon level.
Satoru slowly returned his sword to its sheath.
Then he assumed a martial arts stance.
"Please enlighten me."
Gouketsu grinned.
"Come!"
He lowered his enormous body and raised both fists.
As martial artists, both could clearly feel the power gathering within the other.
The next instant, they moved.
The ground beneath Satoru exploded.
His body shot forward like an arrow, appearing directly in front of Gouketsu before the surrounding rubble had even begun to fall.
So fast!
Gouketsu's eyes widened.
He reacted immediately and drove both fists forward.
"Gouketsu Style, Crushing Wave!"
The force behind the attack distorted the air.
Satoru raised both arms.
His movements became soft and fluid, like water flowing around stone.
"Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist!"
Their fists collided.
Instead of meeting Gouketsu's power directly, Satoru guided it aside.
Gouketsu's arms were forced away from their original path.
Satoru stepped down and launched himself into the air.
He adjusted his breathing.
The Profound Breathing Style activated.
His strength surged again.
Extreme Power!
Satoru's fists descended like flowing rain.
Every strike carried the graceful redirection of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.
But hidden within each impact was Dismantle.
Blood erupted.
Flesh split apart.
Gouketsu's eyes widened as invisible cuts spread wherever Satoru's fists landed.
What is happening?
This is clearly the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.
Why does every punch feel like a sword cutting through my body?
The barrage never stopped.
Gouketsu tried to counterattack, but Satoru redirected every movement before it could gather power.
Then Satoru changed his stance.
His right hand formed a cutting motion.
"Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist!"
Unlike the flowing defence of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, this technique concentrated destructive power into razor sharp strikes.
Satoru wielded it with the same skill.
Another fist technique?
Gouketsu's vision began to blur.
This was only the second time in his life that he had felt death approaching.
Before him, Satoru drew both hands together.
His arms moved in a circular pattern, forming the shape of a Tai Chi symbol.
Water and wind.
Softness and sharpness.
The two martial arts merged perfectly.
"Roaring Aura Sky Ripping Fist!"
Both fists struck Gouketsu's blood covered chest.
The flowing force of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist carried the cutting power of the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist deep into his body.
The combined force spread through every bone, organ, and muscle.
Cracks appeared across Gouketsu's entire body.
His life was ending.
Yet even as death approached, Gouketsu remained composed.
His ruined face looked toward Satoru.
"Young man..."
His lips moved with difficulty.
"You are the most talented martial artist I have ever seen."
A trace of respect entered his fading eyes.
"In my judgment... you are worthy."
The final word left his mouth.
Then his entire body shattered.
Countless pieces of flesh and bone scattered across the ruined street.
Inside the sword, the system notification sounded in Asuramaru's mind.
[Ding! Intense negative emotions detected from Dragon level Monster Gouketsu before death. Gained 200,000 emotion points!]
[This kill obtained 100,000 Demon Power. Fifty percent will be fed back to the Sword Master!]
As the notification ended, Asuramaru released the enhancements.
Satoru returned to his normal state.
He looked briefly at Gouketsu's remains while the Demon Power feedback flowed into his body.
Then he turned away.
There were still more Monsters to hunt.
Before he could leave, the communicator at his waist rang.
Satoru answered it.
"Mumen Rider, all Monsters across the affected cities completed their retreat within the last thirty minutes."
The Hero Association operator sounded exhausted.
"Please report to Hero Association Headquarters in City A tomorrow. A meeting will be held to discuss the operation against the Monster Association."
"I understand."
Satoru agreed without hesitation.
After ending the call, he put the communicator away.
Rather than pursue the retreating Monsters, he decided to help the injured first.
The first person who came to mind was Suiryu, who should still be inside the Super Fight Tournament arena.
Before leaving, Satoru spoke silently.
"Thank you, Asuramaru."
Then he turned and headed straight back toward the stadium.
When Satoru entered the ruined arena, he saw unconscious contestants scattered across the floor.
Suiryu was still lying where he had been left, tears lingering in his eyes.
The moment Suiryu saw Satoru return, he froze.
....
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