Chapter 44
Both of them ran up to each other and wound up their punch. A right hook by Yumiko and a left hook by Nao. Equal speed, equal range, and equal power. A punch that connected on their faces and sent both of their bodies in the feeling of numbness as their dopamine and adrenaline rushed up both to their heads.
Yumiko rushed up first as Nao was recovering. A forward lunge kick at the very tip of her toes.
Nao stepped back and grabbed Yumiko's foot as it was extending and kicked off the ground and lifted herself by using her foot as a leverage as she balanced upside down on her. Using the momentum as she fell down, he stretched out her legs and let it fall down like a hammer on Yumiko.
Barely dodging the kick, it fell on Yumiko's shoulders, and instantly felt the pain and numbness.
Nao fell down to the ground and instantly rebounded by pushing her arms off the ground and launching a diagonal kick to Yumiko's sides.
Yumiko braced the impact and grabbed Nao's foot as it was recoiling back. She raised it up, carrying Nao's whole entire body weight, and slammed it behind him.
Nao by sheer strength managed to stretch out her hands on the ground, preventing her whole body to drop down. Yumiko was holding Nao in a pulley position, but soon let go as Nao kicked her to get out of that hold.
A straight punch, enough to feel the wind nearly cut through Yumiko's face as she barely dodged that insanely fast punch.
A right hook, parried, instantly by an elbow block by Nao. Yumiko suddenly did a sweep kick, catching Nao off-guard and losing her sense of balance.
Less than a second of vulnerability and Yumiko saw that to be everything. A lunge kick. As fast as a spear, a lunge that seemingly would penetrate anything, straight to Nao's stomach, sending her flying a couple of meters.
Yumiko curled up her toes as she was in pain after that strong attack.
Nao was grueling in pain on the ground as she held her stomach. She spat out her saliva as if to breathe easier. "YUMIKO!"
Yumiko didn't rush in and took the chance and just put her stance up.
That shout from Nao was enough to stop the battle between the two parties and watched as their fight unfolded. The people that Nao brought went around her and the people that Yumiko had also gone around, creating a small arena.
Nao stood up, still completely in pain. Anger and rage were seen on her face. Almost a sense of frustration and sadness as her eyes seemed to pierce behind Yumiko. One could only ask what she was seeing in that state. Nao pointed at Yumiko, "I'll take everything from you, just like what you did with my life!"
Yumiko then pointed at her, "I'll protect everything I have, just like what we had!"
They both launched at each other. Unable to contain the fuel of regret, malice, and sadness of Yumiko and the rage, frustration, and the feeling of betrayal that Nao felt.
Each punch and kick were enough to send goosebumps to the people that they both brought.
One wanted to apologize and start over a new life. The other one wanted to destroy and conquer in order for one to have no life.
Complete polar opposites, launching at each other. Unfiltered, unbiased fuel between the yin and yang.
The fight was a sight to behold as the spectators began to cheer for their leaders.
They wanted to prove something, and to this day they will.
And that fight was being presented right here.
A dangerous elbow from Nao, parried by Yumiko by redirecting its force to the side and countering with her own elbow right to Nao's chin.
Nao felt the world rock, but her eyes flickered with rage. Seemingly unbothered by that clean hit, a barrage of punches suddenly connected as she sped up.
Three quick punches to Yumiko's stomach, chest, and face. It was almost instantaneous. Yumiko began to step back from the sudden damage.
As if due to instinct, Yumiko instantly ducked as low as she can. She extended her feet as if she was doing a sweep kick, but Nao expected it and grabbed Yumiko's feet before she could hit hers.
"It's over." Nao raised her right hand and clenched it as hard as she could. Like a falling meteorite, it was fast, the strongest punch.
Yumiko began to have flashbacks like a video playing in her head. But one thing she knew, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she lost this fight. Every ideal they both have was being staked in this fight.
Desperation filled Yumiko up, but she wanted to win no matter what, "For Nao..!" She raised her head and took Yumiko's punch before it could even extend, greatly reducing the power behind it.
This caught Nao off-guard and felt her own hand to be in such great pain. Yumiko used this chance and crawled around Nao as she put her legs around Nao's neck and extended her hand.
Nao couldn't speak nor move as she was being choked by Yumiko. It was as if everything were crumbling around her and all her efforts and pain were all for naught. "Ah... Maybe I should take some rest." Nao thought to herself as the bright sun that illuminated her eyes slowly turns dark as her vision disappears; Passing out.
Nao's strength disappeared and Yumiko felt it.
"It was a win, but at what cost," Yumiko asked herself. "Now, everything is really over isn't it? Nao..." She looked at the sky and saw the sun slowly set in the distance.
The people that she brought with her reached out to her in joy and the people that Nao brought accepted their loss.
Yumiko reached out to the setting sun, only for it to disappear as she passes out herself.