Chapter 89: Collision!

"Watanabe! Pay for your sins!"

Sakujiro's form streaked across the sky like a meteor as his vengeance fueled his whole being.

BOOM!

His figure hurtled toward Watanabe's base as a deafening roar reverberated through the city.

The structure crumbled under the impact, reduced to a mere shadow of its former self amid the billowing dust.

As the dust settled, Sakujiro emerged from the chaos, encased in ice and wielding a lethal dagger forged with his Hatsu.

Frost crept along the ground at his feet, a testament to his chilling presence.

Across the rubble-strewn landscape, Watanabe stood firm, his grin undeterred by the destruction and the chilling temperature.

"It'll be a hassle to fix all this," Watanabe sighed, shaking his head.

He turned to Sakujiro with a taunting smile, "Couldn't you have been more civil, Jiro?"

"Shut your mouth!"

"Why don't you shut it then?"

Sakujiro's chilling voice echoed through the air, but Watanabe merely smirked in response.

"You motherfucker!"

Sakujiro's eyes narrowed into icy slits as he launched himself forward, his form a blur of motion as he closed the distance with alarming speed.

The air crackled with intensity as his dagger, guided by his burning desire for vengeance, sliced through the air with deadly precision and aimed directly at Watanabe's heart.

However, it wasn't enough to touch him as Watanabe's agility saved him.

"Hahaha! That's it! Show me more!"

He swiftly dodged Sakujiro's incoming attack as he laughed heartily.

With a quick sidestep, he narrowly evaded the blow, but his surprise was evident when he saw Sakujiro's weapon morph before his eyes.

"Hmm?"

The ice dagger extended, its form elongating into a sword as Sakujiro's Nen surged fiercely into it, visibly transforming before Watanabe's startled gaze.

Reacting quickly, Watanabe retreated, putting some distance between himself and the now-threatening sword-wielding Sakujiro.

Yet, Sakujiro's onslaught persisted...

With a deafening impact, the sword crashed into the ground, sending a wave of freezing energy hurtling toward Watanabe.

"Hahahaha! You think that will be enough?"

Watanabe's laughter echoed, a display of his unwavering confidence.

Gripping his sword tightly, he prepared for the imminent confrontation, "Come at me with all you've got! It'll take more than that to defeat me!"

With a burst of energy, he swung his sword, meeting Sakujiro's freezing wave head-on.

The clash sent shockwaves rippling through the air, creating a deafening boom that echoed in the surroundings.

As dust filled the air, obscuring their vision, both fighters stood their ground as the dust slowly settled down.

On the other side of the battlefield...

"...!"

Sajin stood at a safe distance, his eyes wide as he watched the devastating clash between Sakujiro and Watanabe unfold.

The sheer power unleashed by their battle sent a shiver down his spine, and he couldn't help but swallow nervously.

Their base lay in ruins, a testament to the ferocity of their confrontation.

They were expecting this at some point, which was why they had evacuated beforehand to give Watanabe the space to face Sakujiro alone.

However...

The intense clash between Sakujiro and Watanabe still left everyone in shock.

Their faces filled with fear and disbelief as they took in the destruction around them.

"I never imagined that old guy had that much strength in him..."

"Those fools who went to share the news with the old man should be dead by now."

"...Considering the old man's angered expression, probably yeah."

Sakujiro's unexpected strength had caught them off guard, and whispers of amazement and fear circulated among the onlookers.

Sajin, too, was stunned by the spectacle before him, watching in awe as the dust settled to reveal the two fighters standing amidst the chaos.

"Do we go as planned?"

One of his subordinates approached, questioning their next move.

"Stick to the plan. Send one team to the old man's hideout and another to the new restaurant."

Sajin nodded, his expression grim as he issued orders.

His voice turned cold as he addressed the rest of the group, "The rest of you, stay here and intercept anyone who dares to approach the battlefield. No mercy."

Back on the battlefield...

Despite the chaos, both Sakujiro and Watanabe stood firm as they looked at each other in silence.

"Why? Why... Why would you go that far?"

Sakujiro's voice trembled with emotion, his eyes reflecting the pain of loss and betrayal as memories of his fallen comrades flooded his mind.

The dusty battlefield seemed to echo with their final moments, each breath stirring the lingering scent of blood and sorrow.

In response, Watanabe shook his head, his expression hardened with resolve.

"Two tigers cannot share the same mountain," he declared

"..."

Sakujiro's gaze bore into Watanabe, a mixture of emotions flickering across his face like shadows dancing in the firelight.

A deep sigh escaped his lips, heavy with the weight of his memories and the burden of his grief.

But then, a sudden surge of anger transformed his features, twisting them into a mask of fury.

In his mind's eye, he saw the innocent face of a little girl, Sarasa, her laughter echoing like distant bells.

Blood-red tears welled up in his eyes, trailing down his cheeks like crimson rivers.

"Why?" he demanded, his voice raw with emotion.

"I can understand your vendetta against me, but why involve Sarasa? What did she ever do to deserve this?"

"..."

A heavy silence settled between them, broken only by the soft rustle of the wind and the distant echoes of their earlier clash.

Watanabe racked his mind, trying to make sense of the situation. He had never put Sarasa's name on the list in his past trades.

He could understand the pain of losing comrades, but the loss of a beloved daughter figure was something he couldn't fully grasp.

As he watched, the anguish etched upon Sakujiro's features.

"I might not be able to understand how you felt losing your daughter..." Watanabe's voice remained steady, his gaze unwavering as he observed Sakujiro's tear-streaked face.

"...I don't know what kept you going, but it was thanks to her that I could force you to live in isolation, feeling depressed..."

The words cut through the air, devoid of sympathy or regret.

Watanabe's expression remained stoic, his eyes sharp and calculating.

"If Jiro had decided to enact his vengeance upon his group," Watanabe continued silently in his mind, "I knew it would take longer to recover from the aftermath."

Thankfully...

...Sarasa's body was found right after...

And the discovery shattered Sakujiro's resolve, leaving him a mere shell of his former self.

Still...

Sarasa's unfortunate accident had unwittingly played into Watanabe's hands, allowing him to isolate Sakujiro to fight him one-on-one.

With a dismissive shake of his head, Watanabe remarked, "...She's just an unlucky child."

There was no softening in his demeanor, no hint of remorse in his words.

Only the cold reality of their situation hung between them.