The entire arena—aside from Cloud, who had been standing on the stage watching like it was a 3D movie, and the divine miko Maki Kagura—had no one left standing.
The world seemed to fall into death's silence.
"Now then, who's left to disturb me?" Goenitz descended slowly, looking down at these "mortals" who were no different from corpses in his eyes. His gaze was full of contempt.
Kyo Kusanagi struggled to rise, but the movement aggravated his internal injuries, and he spat out another mouthful of blood.
Looking at this demon-god-like man before him, his eyes showed despair for the first time.
The gap was just too vast.
This wasn't even a battle in the same dimension.
Just as Goenitz was savoring this absolute silence and despair he had personally crafted, an earth-shaking howl came from the distance, growing rapidly closer!
"KILL—!!!"
That voice was filled with the most primal madness and battle-lust!
Goenitz's brow furrowed slightly.
Following the sound, he saw a purple "meteor" trailing a long tail of flames, moving at speeds that defied physics, smashing through the stadium's outer wall, tearing through countless obstacles, charging straight at him!
"Hmm? This aura is... Iori Yagami?" Goenitz was somewhat surprised, but then snorted dismissively. "Just a stray dog. He actually dares come back to—"
The word "die" never left his mouth before his pupils contracted sharply.
Because he realized that purple "meteor" was far more terrifying in speed and momentum than he'd anticipated!
BOOM—!!!
Before he could react, that figure crashed into him with the force of ten thousand pounds!
For the first time, Goenitz was knocked backward head-on!
His feet carved two deep furrows in the ground, and he skidded back several meters before barely stabilizing.
He looked down to see a charred hole torn through his priest's robe by the impact!
He raised his head to look at the figure slowly straightening up in the smoke and dust—wreathed in ominous purple flames.
The current Iori Yagami had eyes red as blood, a manic grin on his face, and an aura so terrifying it could make gods and demons tremble.
Absolute Domain 90%?! Shock appeared on Goenitz's face once more.
He couldn't understand! How could a dying mortal's power explode to the point of rivaling his own in such a short time?!
This made no sense!
But Iori Yagami clearly had no interest in explaining concepts like "protagonist halo" or "lock-HP power-up" to him.
To him, this man radiating such powerful energy was simply his most interesting "toy" at the moment!
"遊は終わり!" (Playtime's over!)
That classic line—a hundred times more hoarse and manic than ever—rang out! Iori's figure vanished instantly!
"Forbidden Style 1211: Ya Otome!"
Fast! Impossibly fast!
Goenitz only saw a flash of purple before Iori's claws had transformed into a sky full of afterimages, engulfing him completely!
Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!
Even someone as powerful as Goenitz couldn't avoid taking hits when faced with this sudden, blindingly fast assault!
Several deep, bone-exposing wounds were carved across his body in an instant. His sacred priest's robe was torn to shreds, blood spraying everywhere!
Roar!
Iori let out a bestial howl, and his final heavy claw slammed viciously into Goenitz's chest!
Goenitz grunted, his entire body flying backward, tumbling several times across the ground before stopping.
He looked down at the vicious bloody gashes across his chest, his face full of disbelief.
He was... wounded!
By a "mortal" in his eyes—wounded by that mortal's signature ultimate technique!
"Interesting... how very interesting!" Goenitz rose slowly, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. Far from anger, his face showed excitement.
"Corrupted divine blood, fused with some unknown demonic power... to create a fascinating monster like you!"
"Iori Yagami—let me show you... the true way to use this technique!"
He spread his arms wide as power more pure, more sacred (though still evil) than Iori's erupted from within him!
"Final Ultimate: True Ya Otome!"
Goenitz's figure also transformed into a streak of light, colliding head-on with Iori's purple lightning!
In an instant, the entire arena was filled with two different colors of "Ya Otome" afterimages—both brimming with destructive energy!
This wasn't fighting anymore—this was two prehistoric beasts engaging in the most primitive, most bloody savagery!
Finally, accompanied by an earth-shaking explosion, the two figures separated.
Iori Yagami vomited blood, his body flying backward like a kite with cut strings, crashing heavily to the ground.
His body was barely recognizable as human—bones shattered, flesh torn—even worse than when An'un had impaled him.
Clearly, the "bootleg" version was still outclassed by the "original."
But Goenitz wasn't having a good time either.
His body was covered in wounds, and his aura showed hints of instability.
Mad Iori's all-or-nothing fighting style had caused him no small amount of trouble.
Just as he was about to finish off Iori Yagami—this "thorn in his side"—once and for all, a sensation that made every hair on his body stand on end struck from behind!
He whipped around to find that man who had been standing on the stage watching the show this entire time—Cloud—had somehow appeared right behind him.
...
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