Chapter 20: Clash x Limb Flexion

"Could it be that he has awakened his own Nen abilities?"

Irumi wondered in his heart, thinking that this match might become troublesome if that were the case.

"This guy, his seemingly casual posture, is full of flaws."

"But, that's just superficial. I'm not relying on logical deduction but on my innate combat intuition."

"This person is strong!"

Judging from the opponent's confident attitude, it's likely that he is indeed someone who has mastered Nen abilities. Although Irumi is familiar with the basics of Nen techniques, he only knows enough to use them. He hasn't reached the level of awakening his own Nen abilities.

"It seems like I'll have to use some killer moves in this match."

The killing moves that Irumi had in mind were naturally a series of assassination techniques he had trained during his training period.

'He's young. Do I have to fight a kid like him in a battle arena above the 200th floor?'

'But his aura is quite impressive.'

At this moment, Falksey was also observing Irumi, and upon seeing the astonishing amount of aura that burst out of him in an instant, he furrowed his brow slightly.

'Such an astonishing amount of aura; it's no less than mine.'

He thought to himself, judging from the amount of aura Irumi displayed in that moment, this kid might have even more total aura than him.

'An incredibly talented individual, but...'

Falksey's aura started to fluctuate, and within the translucent aura film, faint black streams of aura flowed.

"The match follows a point knockout system with no time limit."

"Both sides, take your positions..."

The referee stood between the two fighters, observing their conditions, raised his right hand, and swiftly swung it down.

"Begin!"

*Bang!*

The sound of shoes forcefully stepping on the stage. At the moment the referee swung his arm, both sides simultaneously took a step forward and charged towards each other. Irumi lowered his centre of gravity, with his arms covered in aura and fingers together. Suddenly his fingernails grew extremely sharp.

Immediately, he thrust a knife-hand strike towards Falksey's right eye.

*Swish!*

The sound of breaking through the air, Falksey pushed off with his right foot and instantly moved to Irumi's right side, throwing a punch towards his head.

'On the right.'

As Irumi's attack missed, he used his peripheral vision to catch Falksey's movement. In a swift motion, he quickly turned around, raising both arms to guard in front of him.

*Bang!*

Falksey first landed a punch on his forehead, then continued to rapidly throw punches, striking Irumi' arms with a "bang, bang, bang."

His shoulders kept shaking, and suddenly, Irumi noticed that his right shoulder was shaking significantly, and he quickly stepped back.

*Swish!*

Just as Irumi took a step back, Falksey's hook punch swept by, his fist grazing Irumi's bangs, taking away a few strands of hair.

'It narrowly missed hitting my temple.'

Irumi was surprised in his heart. He might have been hit by that strike if it were him from two weeks ago. His training in the four major Nen techniques made his current reaction and observation skills significantly stronger.

*Bang!*

While Irumi retreated, his footsteps lightly tapped the ground, allowing him to respond quickly to the opponent's attacks.

*Swish!*

With a sound breaking through the air, Falksey suddenly appeared in front of him, lifting his right leg.

"Ha!"

Falksey loudly shouted and delivered a sidekick sweeping towards Irumi's head.

*Bang!*

At a critical moment, Irumi raised his left arm to block the opponent's sidekick, but due to the force of the attack, he found it difficult to maintain balance and fell towards the ground.

'An opportunity!'

Falksey's attack missed, but seeing Irumi falling towards the ground, a glint flashed in his eyes as he swung his fist downward. However, at the moment Falksey swung his fist, Irumi's falling body suddenly stopped, and his left leg kicked upward in a strange posture.

*Bang!*

A sound of flesh colliding, mixed with a splash of blood. Falksey's chin lifted, his head tilted back, and his body took three steps back.

*Poof!*

Falksey spat out a mouthful of blood and a tooth, looking at the body that supported itself with the right arm while the left leg stood upright, his face darkened.

'He actually used such a move. How flexible is his body?'

Irumi's lips curved slightly, maintaining this posture. His right arm bent on the ground, he bounced up with a "whoosh," performing a handsome side flip and landing far away in the arena.

*Shh...*

His sports shoes scraped against the arena floor, and Irumi, who landed steadily, crouched in place. He stayed for less than a second before rushing forward again, expressionless.

Lowering his centre of gravity, he attacked Falksey's vulnerable areas with punches.

Groin, back of the knees, left and right waist and kidney.

Occasionally freeing himself from the low stance, he suddenly struck with a knife-hand attack aimed at Falksey's throat, eyes, elbows, and armpits.

*Peng, peng, peng...*

While Falksey continued to dodge, he also launched counterattacks against Irumi, with both sides occasionally landing hits or blocking a punch. Their arms turned into multiple afterimages, their footsteps traversing and shifting rapidly on the arena.

The spectators in the arena were dazzled.

"What... an intense exchange of blows!"

"The match is almost evenly matched from the start!"

The enthusiastic voice of the commentator resonated again, igniting the passion in the hearts of the audience and creating an explosive atmosphere.

"No, Falksey has the upper hand."

In an inconspicuous position in the audience stands, Tsubone looked at the two fiercely fighting individuals on the stage, her expression indifferent.

"But how did Master Irumi learn this? Master Silva never taught Master Irumi such techniques."

Tsubone furrowed his brow, remembering Master Silva had never instructed Master Irumi on how to cultivate Nen.

*Bang!*

As soon as she spoke, Falksey's sidekick swept across Irumi's waist, making a "bang" sound.

"Hmph~"

Irumi let out a painful grunt, leapt backwards, creating a five-meter distance, and held his right hand over the hit area on his waist.

*Pfft...*

Squatting on the ground, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

'After all, I still have a disadvantage in terms of physique.'

Irumi crouched on the ground, looked up at Falksey charging towards him, suddenly stood up, and took slow steps to the right.

"Hmm?"

Falksey, who was rushing toward Irumi's position, frowned and stopped his steps.

"What is this?"

He looked at the series of afterimages behind Irumi, standing in place, unsure how to respond.

"What, what, what is happening to Irumi's movement?"

The commentator's voice, filled with excitement and doubt, echoed in the arena once again, arousing curiosity among the audience.

'Rhythm Echo.'

Irumi's expressionless face started moving around in a three-meter radius around Falksey, using the rhythm of his footsteps to create afterimages and confuse the enemy with his movement skills.

"Tsk!"

Falksey clicked his tongue displeasingly and rushed forward, swinging a punch at the head of the series of afterimages behind Irumi.

*Whoosh!*

A sound of breaking air, the fist passed through Irumi's head, clearly hitting an afterimage.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Falksey didn't give up, madly throwing punches at the series of afterimages behind Irumi.

Suddenly turning around, he raised his right leg and swept it with a sidekick, sweeping away all the afterimages in front of him.

*Whoosh!*

His sidekick eliminated a series of afterimages until he was about to kick the real Irumi.