Banquet Of The Gods (3)

Peter disappeared from view, reappearing just close enough to swing a punch right at Yasushi. But Yasushi had already braced himself, dodging instinctively and ducking low. His eyes locked onto Peter, narrowing with a sharp focus, and he launched his own fist straight into Peter's body.

The blow landed with a solid impact, sending Peter hurtling backward, his feet barely grazing the ground as he flew before slamming down with a rough skid.

Peter's lips twisted back into that same strange grin, bloodthirst and energy radiating from him, wild and intense. He let out a chilling laugh, that same twisted excitement back in his voice. "Hahaha… Yasushi, you're not half bad! Let's keep going!" he shouted, his form lunging forward, ready to clash again.

Yasushi shook out his hand, noting the numbness spreading through his fingers after the punch. Peter's body felt unbreakable, more like striking solid metal than flesh. But there was no pulling back now.

With Hades responsible for orchestrating this whole thing, along with the other Chief Gods, every set of eyes in the divine world was on him, watching every movement. His friends, the gods — all of them waited, expecting him to deliver.

Peter unleashed a flurry of haymakers, each one swinging close enough that Yasushi had to twist and weave to avoid them. The ones he couldn't dodge, he blocked or batted aside, but even that defense was wearing him down, bringing back memories of Mt. Kuruma.

Back then, he'd barely held his ground — and had someone else to pull him out when it came to the worst of it. This time, he'd have no such help. It was just him, his fists, and Peter's brutal strength coming at him without a pause.

Then, as another punch hurtled his way, Yasushi made his move. He feinted low, bending his knees as if about to duck, and Peter took the bait, swinging an uppercut toward thin air.

Wasting no time, Yasushi drove his fist straight into Peter's midsection, catching him off guard and forcing a grunt out of him. Yasushi didn't stop; he slammed a knee into Peter's stomach and then brought his heel down hard onto Peter's foot, squeezing every opportunity he could from the opening.

Peter let out a pained yelp, but Yasushi went in again, hammering his fist into Peter's chest and sending him flying back. But Yasushi's own fists throbbed, his foot stinging from each impact. Hitting Peter felt less like hitting a man and more like pounding against cold, unforgiving metal.

Peter skidded to a halt, somehow landing upright. Dark blood trickled from his mouth, which twisted into a grin as his eyes stayed fixed on Yasushi. Without a word, Peter seemed to dissolve, sinking into the dark shadows pooling beneath him.

Yasushi snapped into focus, his mind racing as he scanned his surroundings. He couldn't match Peter's abilities; he didn't have powers that let him slip into shadows or appear from thin air. So, he held his ground, his senses heightened, eyes darting to every corner and shadow, his whole body tense, waiting for any sign of Peter's next move.

Then Peter struck.

But in that same instant, Yasushi's fist shot forward, smashing straight into Peter's face before Peter could fully emerge from the shadows. The impact sent Peter flying back, and the shock was clear in his eyes. Peter wasn't the only one surprised—Yasushi's own face flashed with disbelief, almost as if he couldn't quite believe he'd pulled it off.

'I didn't think that would actually work… but hell, I'm glad it did! I hope it'll keep him guessing,' he thought, his gaze tracking Peter's landing as Peter's expression morphed from shock to a confused glare.

It was a move Yasushi remembered from some book he'd read long ago, or maybe a scene from an anime he'd watched back in his other life — he couldn't quite recall. All he knew was that, with his senses sharper than ever, he'd managed to turn it to his advantage this time.

Yasushi kept still, every inch of his focus locked onto the subtle shifts in the sand around him. He noted each new shadow stretching across the ground, tracking even the faintest change.

He couldn't see Peter directly, but he used these hints to anticipate Peter's approach. So, when Peter reappeared, Yasushi took a chance and hurled a punch in that direction. By sheer luck or timing, it connected hard.

Peter clicked his tongue in frustration, vanishing back into the shadows. But he tried the move again, and Yasushi, sharp and watchful, managed to land another strike just as Peter emerged. They repeated this strange back-and-forth several times until Peter, dazed and irritated from repeated hits to the face, finally dropped to his knees, visibly shaken.

Meanwhile, Yasushi wasn't without his own bruises — his fist felt numb, almost like he'd been pounding on solid metal rather than flesh. The ache spread with each punch, dulling the feeling in his fingers. But he maintained a blank, unreadable expression, refusing to let any discomfort show.

"I have no idea how you're tracking my moves, but hell, it just makes this even more exciting!" Peter laughed, his grin stretching wider as he cracked his knuckles.

Without warning, Peter's speed ramped up, blurring as he rushed Yasushi, who suddenly found himself hurled into the air from an unseen blow. Yasushi managed to brace, crossing his arms to take the hit, but the force behind it was unforgiving, rattling his bones till they felt like they might snap under the pressure.

He crashed to the ground, but as he tried to push himself back up, Peter launched another strike that sent him flying again. This sequence repeated, each impact hitting like a sledgehammer, making Yasushi feel like some ragdoll being tossed with ruthless abandon.

Still, he gritted his teeth, blocking where he could, though the relentless strikes weighed on him, each one wearing him down faster than the last.

He hadn't fully recovered from their last brawl in Kyoto — it hadn't been that long ago, and every bruised muscle screamed as Peter kept hammering him down. Finally, after what seemed like a merciless barrage, Peter struck one last blow that sent Yasushi soaring upward.

Peter clasped his hands together, then brought them down with brutal force. Yasushi threw up his right arm in a desperate block, absorbing what he could before Peter's attack slammed him hard into the ground below.

Yasushi spat blood, each breath heavy, feeling the bruising ache spread through him. He might be stronger than most people, but going up against a being like Peter, someone with supernatural strength, highlighted the gulf between them.

But still…

He pushed himself upright, body wavering, never taking his eyes off Peter, who'd landed back on the ground, the smirk wiped off his face and replaced by something sharper, annoyed.

"Why do you keep getting back up?" Peter's voice held a raw edge, the irritation seeping through. "Just stay down already."

Yasushi chuckled, flashing a grin of his own, a defiant glint in his eyes. "What do you want to hear, something cheesy or something short?"

Peter narrowed his eyes but didn't respond, so Yasushi continued. "Because I can. I've got this one shot, and I'm damn well going to use it."

Peter's expression hardened, that last line clearly striking a nerve, but Yasushi only let his grin grow. "So, you ready for me to go Plus Ultra up your ass again?"

Peter's eyes narrowed, irritation flashing as Yasushi's taunt sank in. His anger flared, and without a second thought, he lunged at Yasushi, foot swinging up to strike. But even with his bruised, battered frame, Yasushi dodged, sidestepping with just enough movement to evade the blow.

Surprised, Peter pressed on, launching strike after strike. Each punch, every kick, met only empty space. Yasushi moved like something just out of reach, slipping through each attack as if he'd become untouchable. Peter's frustration grew as he leapt back, finding Yasushi still standing there, gaze fixed, calm. A smirk flickered across Yasushi's face.

In his mind, Yasushi had been toying with an idea, something he'd long dismissed as a half-formed notion. But if he was going to think of himself as "isekai'd" here, the same possibilities should apply. For ages, he hadn't given it much thought, never truly believing it.

The one time he'd attempted, he'd only managed to embarrass himself — and painfully. Yet now, watching Peter's growing frustration, Yasushi wondered if he'd finally figured out his advantage.

Yasushi decided to give it a shot, stripping it down to basics. Ultra Instinct — well, his own sloppy version of it, or maybe whatever Luffy had pulled off against Enel. Gum Gum Boh (Airhead), that ridiculous move.

Yasushi let his body go, releasing control, trusting the rhythm of the fight itself — hoping Peter's attacks would somehow trigger his body to dodge, no thought involved. He didn't even know if it would work again, but to his surprise, his gamble hit.

He exhaled, feeling the deep bruises and pulsing aches flaring up all over. Peter, though, just watched him, almost contemplative, before a look of distaste replaced the twisted enjoyment he'd been wearing.

"Enough," Peter spat, his grin fading. "I've let this drag on too long. I'm ending it here." He stepped closer, the tone colder now. "I don't like you. You caught me off guard earlier, so now… I'm making you pay for that."

In a blink, Peter moved, disappearing from sight. Yasushi sensed him before he saw him—a burst of pain ripping through his arm. Peter had torn a chunk of flesh clean off. Yasushi's eyes darted down, blood pouring from the ragged wound.

Peter's brow furrowed, irritation flashing; he'd aimed to take the entire arm, but that half-baked "state" Yasushi had slipped into had worked, forcing him to pull away before his whole arm could be torn off.

Now, Yasushi stood there, blood soaking his sleeve, pooling at his feet.

Peter closed the distance, charging Yasushi again, going for the same brutal move. Yasushi, barely hanging on, somehow managed to keep mimicking that power, though he knew it wasn't anything close to the real thing.

But it worked, dodging by the skin of his teeth, each evasion fueling Peter's growing frustration. The rage built with each miss, and each time Peter struck, small chunks of Yasushi's flesh tore away, leaving raw wounds that bled openly, draining his strength with each second he stood there. He struggled for breath, barely staying upright, vision blurred from blood loss and sheer exhaustion.

"This is the end of the line, mortal. But, I'll give it to you… it was almost worth it." Peter's earlier grin returned, twisted in mockery as he tossed yet another chunk of Yasushi's flesh aside, his fingers slick with blood.

Among the onlookers, Hakufubuki held a tight grip on Jingliu, her desperation clear as she struggled to break free. She pulled against Hakufubuki's hold, desperate, her voice rising, "Let me go… let me go!" Anger and terror played across her face as she watched Yasushi suffer, tears streaking down her cheeks, helpless to do anything but scream for him, trapped by Hakufubuki's ice, held back even as everything in her pushed to be by Yasushi's side.

Peter's gaze narrowed, eyes filled with a mix of irritation and something that almost seemed like amusement. "Why the hell do you keep struggling? You've known how this would end from the beginning. Even if you somehow managed to get one of those Japanese gods to hand over a Blessing, it wouldn't do much. So, tell me, why didn't you go for it?"

Yasushi barely stayed on his feet, the world teetering on the edge of darkness, but he forced himself to stay conscious, blood slick across his skin, raw wounds exposed to the air. He felt the urge to laugh, but instead, he let a faint smile tug at his lips.

"Maybe I got a body a bit stronger than the average human's," he started, voice strained but unwavering. "But if the stories I remember from my old life are anything to go by, that kind of power always has a price. I'm not that desperate to pay it."

Peter scoffed, his arm being covered by darkness, gathering for what would end it all. "Power is the only thing that matters. Doesn't matter what price you pay."

Yasushi's eyes cleared, his voice steady as he stared Peter down. "That's exactly what it means to be human. I'll live and I'll die as one. To feel pain, to keep going, to laugh even when it hurts like hell… that's what makes us who we are. We're flawed, and we know it. That's what makes life real."

Peter's scowl deepened, his frustration boiling over. In a flash, he reappeared in front of Yasushi, his movements calculated and fierce as he launched his hand straight toward Yasushi's heart, aiming to tear it from his chest in a final, ruthless blow. But in that brief moment, Yasushi shifted just enough, forcing Peter's hand to miss its intended mark.

Instead, Peter's darkness-covered arm punched through Yasushi's chest, bursting out the other side. Blood poured from Yasushi's mouth, staining his chin and dribbling down in streaks. He looked up, a glint of defiance in his eyes, meeting Peter's astonishment head-on.

"Didn't I tell you…" Yasushi rasped, voice low but seething with intent. "I was gonna go Plus Ultra on your ass?"

He cocked his arm back, pulling every ounce of his remaining strength into a final strike. Peter's face twisted in alarm, a flicker of real fear crossing his expression as he tried to wrench his arm free. But it didn't budge. He yanked harder, confusion mingling with panic as he tried again, harder this time, realizing too late that it was stuck.

Yasushi's entire body had locked up, every muscle tense, trapping Peter's arm inside him, an act of sheer, unyielding resolve. It was a move right out of his memories, something he remembered from a story — a final stand, a grip that wouldn't let go until the battle was over, like Rengoku's last act against Akaza.

Before Peter had a chance to pull back, Yasushi hurled that final punch — the swing that held everything he had left. His fist barreled forward, smashing into Peter's face with a force that seemed to ripple through the air itself.

Just as it connected, a flash of black and white sparks flared, a burst of raw energy as Peter's head snapped back. The impact sent him rocketing skyward, his body launching across the arena.

Yasushi's muscles loosened just enough to let Peter's arm slide free, following him as he hurtled across the space and crashed into the far wall with a bone-crunching thud. Peter's body dropped to the ground, motionless.

Yasushi dropped to his knees, breath ragged, blood streaming from the gaping wound in his chest, and every cut and tear that had ripped him apart.

Each heartbeat pumped more blood from the gash, his strength barely holding as the darkness crept closer. His head lolled forward, voice soft. "Didn't think…I'd end up going out like this…" he murmured, words slipping past his bloodstained lips.

From the stands, the announcer's voice rang out, hesitant but clear. "The winner of the bout… Yasushi Futakao!"

Silence filled the arena. There was no applause, just the stunned quiet that lingered in the air. Then, in an instant, Yasushi's friends appeared on the arena floor, the gods placing them beside him.

Jingliu rushed forward without hesitation, her arms wrapping around Yasushi's body, his skin cold against her hands as she held him close, desperate to keep him from slipping any further.

"Wait, please… don't leave me!" Jingliu's voice cracked as she clung to him, her fingers digging in as though she could hold him there by sheer force. Blood streaked her clothes, smudging her face and hands, but she paid it no mind. "Someone… please… help him!" she whispered, her voice lost somewhere between pleading and despair, her tears unrelenting.

Just as hope began slipping away, the faintest tremor in the air caught her attention, a momentary flicker of energy that seemed to draw the world inward. And then, out of thin air, he appeared. A presence solid and undeniable, with a slight, almost playful tilt to his lips. 

A soft, collective intake of breath rippled through those nearby as they recognized the figure. Standing before them, every inch radiating unspoken power, was Shiva, The Lord of the Universe from the Hindu pantheon, a being whispered to be one of the most formidable, if not the most powerful, deities to exist.