Intense Combat Scene

A powerful punch struck the man, sending shockwaves through the air as he was hurled backward. Akaya Makoto's strength, the cornerstone of his teachings, had found its mark with devastating precision.

The man's feet dug deep into the lush, root-covered ground, carving two long furrows as he braced himself against the momentum. His body halted, halting the force that threatened to propel him further, and he slowly straightened, brushing aside his disheveled hair. His eyes, lit with an unsettling gleam, locked onto Akaya with a cold, calculated intensity.

Akaya's eyes darted to confirm where his punch had landed. He had aimed for the man's abdomen, but it seemed the blow had been deflected by a well-timed shift of the elbow. What caught Akaya's attention next was even stranger—a shimmering, writhing layer of water clung to the man's abdomen like a living entity, rippling with a life of its own.