The Martial Unity

Ieyasu's eyes intensified gravely.

This was beyond his expectations.

Through the first two stages of the fight, he had inflicted immense damage on Rui across his entire body.

Then he impaled his gut, blasted him away with an attack, and then impaled his heart.

And yet, all of that had disappeared into thin air.

As if it hadn't been there in the first place.

Of course, he knew that this was not truly the case. He sensed a slump in Rui's other performance parameters as a result.

The price of the technique.

And yet, it was worth the price.

In the first place, they both knew that his greatest asset was not his physical prowess.

It was his mind.

As long as his body was healthy and functional, then he would be able to wield the power of thought to the best that he could.

BAM BAM BAM!

A barrage of powerful blows crashed into Ieyasu, flinging him away. A deep darkness within Rui's eyes fixated on him.

Yet another Martial Art had been adapted and evolved.

Rui raced after him. A mighty Flowing Canon surged forward.

And yet;

BOOM!

Rui barely managed to guard against a powerful attack from a new Martial Art, grimacing as it flung him away.

Ieyasu raced forward with a surge of furious determination.

He had already discovered that the transition to a new Martial Art after Rui adapted to the previous caught Rui off-guard, creating an opening that he could exploit. It only worked if Rui adapted to the previous one, growing a little comfortable with all his predictions before Ieyasu made a deep fundamental shift in his mind, in his being, throwing Rui off with a new copy.

It was only in these transitions that he could regain dominance in the battle.

And yet.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!

Without fail, Rui's responses would grow cleaner.

Smoother.

Like a gentle ebbing stream of pure water from a spring.

How many times could this happen?

He didn't have endless Martial Art.

Sooner or later, he would run out.

He knew this.

He knew Rui knew this. He could sense his awareness with his Mind Eye technique.

One thing became clearer as the fight ensued.

No Martial Art was his equal.

Everything fell.

To the VOID in his eyes.

His expression grew severe.

His muscles burned as he exerted himself to the limit.

His bones creaked as he pushed himself to the absolute limit.

He brought out pattern after pattern that he had etched into his mind from countless different Martial Artists.

He brought out technique after technique.

Martial Art after Martial Art.

He unleashed everything he had to offer.

Everything he had ever seen in the sum totality of his time as a Martial Artist.

All of it.

And yet.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!

Rui cleanly weaved through the man's attacks, preparing a powerful combo.

Yet Ieyasu read his mind.

POW POW POW!

The attacks crashed into his guard harmlessly. Ieyasu instead surged forward with a powerful blow.

Yet Rui simply ignored it.

BOOM!

Ieyasu fell backward, grimacing as he glanced at his opponent.

The wound was already gone.

Ieyasu, on the other hand, had already endured a ton of prior damage atop this new wound.

He landed on his feet, hoping for a moment of respite.

Yet his Mind Eye technique already knew Rui would not allow that.

WHOOSH!

He evaded a powerful kick from Rui, swerving to the side.

And yet...

BAM!

A strike had already arrived at him before he himself did, knocking him off balance.

An opening had been created.

One that Rui did not let up.

BAM BAM BAM!!!

He pummeled Ieyasu with incredibly swift and powerful blows. His fists knew exactly where to go, navigating the man's guards and maneuvers and landing cleanly on his vitals.

"Rgh!" The man coughed blood as he leaped back.

Yet he was sluggish.

A beat too slow.

BOOM!

A powerful kick had already surged forward, crashing into the man, and launching him away.

Ieyasu barely caught his breath, yet a chill crawled up his skin as he read Rui's mind.

Rui had already arrived, refusing to give him even a moment of respite.

A wave of emotion stirred through the crowd.

A realization slowly dawned on the various spectators. Not even the despair of having their Martial Art torn apart was enough to obfuscate an emerging truth.

Rui was winning.

No one could feel this more clearly than his opponent.

Ieyasu panted heavily as he struggled to catch his breath.

His body bled, peppered with wounds.

A myriad of wounds covered every inch of his flesh.

His muscles burned.

His flesh screamed.

His bones creaked.

His joints groaned.

And yet...

"RARGH!" A titanically powerful blow surged forward, racing towards Rui's head!

And yet.

CLASP!

Rui cleanly shifted, evading it as he caught it, before rapidly pulling it down over his shoulder with his entire body.

BOOM!

"Rgh!" He coughed blood, grimacing.

Yet Rui wasn't done.

His Mind Eye knew that.

Yet knowledge was not action.

BOOM!

Rui launched him away with an immensely powerful kick.

"Urgh...!" Ieyasu coughed more blood.

He staggered unsteadily.

His body faltered, falling down to one knee.

THUD

The skies darkened with certainty.

The land beneath them shook.

The end was nigh.

It was as certain as day.

And yet...

His eyes steeled.

Every ounce of his mind gathered.

Every shred of focus converged.

Every iota of will surged.

Every cell in his body roared together.

The sum totality of his being worked together.

The void in the depths of Rui's eyes threatened to consume the mirror of his own.

A sight that had brought despair to many a Martial Artist, and yet...

It only strengthened his will.

It broke the limits of his mind.

Of his sanity.

And yet, the powerful Flowing Canon surged forward towards him didn't care.

A finishing blow.

Everyone sensed the arrival of the climax.

Everyone sensed the air.

Everyone sensed dusk.

It was the end.

...

.....

BADUMP!