Theodore looked upon Daymond's stance. He and everyone recognized it as the stance Simon had taken during his fight with Hamadeen, yet what Theodore saw around Daymond was far more than just the stance. A dark aura, one that truly felt overwhelming. The king smiled, raising his left gauntlet.
Theodore's thoughts: Let's see what your skill is like, Daymond.
Daymond shot off the ground, throwing forward a quick spear hand. Theodore knocked the attack away, moving his head back as an uppercut followed quickly after. Daymond suddenly shifted his uppercut into a downward elbow, bringing it down towards Theodore with great force. Theodore just nearly dodged the attack, striking Daymond's left leg with a low kick as he moved. Daymond swung a right hook at Theodore, only for Theodore to dodge once more and land another low kick.
Theodore's thoughts: Roses of Sorrow.
Each of Theodore's kicks landed with a heavy thud. The power and weight of his shin guards would be devastating to most opponents, yet Daymond seemed to be unfazed. Theodore shifted around Daymond once more, finally standing directly behind the head. Throwing out a right straight to the back of Daymond's head for only a strong back kick to send Theodore sliding back.
Daymond's thoughts: I had a feeling you'd do that.
Zenzo: This is unbelievable!
Zachary: Despite the heavy kicks to the leg, Daymond was able to avoid a strike with a kick!
Daymond turned to face Theodore, entering the zenkutsu dachi stance. His upper body shifted forward, his right leg stretching back. Theodore prepared his defense. Daymond shooting forward at quick speeds.
Theodore's thoughts: He's using the Raijin Style again!
Theodore brought back his right fist, preparing for the moment Daymond would come to strike. As Daymond entered his range, he immediately shifted his center of gravity. Theodore's arm shot out, yet only managed to strike at the air as Daymond moved around him, his speed hardly letting up. Jason stood at an entrance of the audience, Nicholas standing behind him. He let out a laugh.
Jason: He's actually using the Bellthorne Style now?
One of the principles just used by Daymond within the Bellthorne Style is known as Savestep. The Savestep is a type of footwork that allows the user to constantly shift their center of gravity and minimize wasted movements. Usage of this principle would allow one to stay at their top speed when changing directions.
Nicholas: He learned it by…
Jason: Back when I was hired to kill him. He was a lot harder to kill than I thought, so I used the Bellthorne Style to make it easier on myself. But it looks like he was even able to copy that.
Nicholas: He fought you once yet mastered one of your principles. He must be a prodigy.
Jason: No, he's something else entirely. Let's just say there is a reason that the old head would much rather have his kind dead.
Theodore stood at the center. His eyes darted between each new direction that Daymond moved with Savestep. The audience stared at the fight, unable to keep up with Daymond's constantly alternating movements. Theodore let out a heavy breath before closing his eyes. He focused, paying attention to everything around him. Daymond drew a knife from his back pocket, clutching it tightly. He dashed at Theodore using Flash, aiming the knife at the king's side. He swung at Theodore, the blade mere centimeters from piercing the king's flesh. Theodore's eyes shot open, the blade seemingly going through him. The sound of metal breaking echoed as the shards of the blade hit the ground. Daymond jumped back, throwing away the hilt of the knife.
Theodore's thoughts: Impenetrable Abyss.
Daymond's thoughts: So that's what he did…
Impenetrable Abyss is a masterful technique of Theodore's Imperium Rule. By closing his eyes, Theodore relies on all his other senses to find what his eyes might not be capable of catching. His ability to react increases, allowing him to respond to nearly undetectable attacks. The technique gives him a higher ability to counter nearly anything that may come his way, including the breaking of weapons.
Carrie: He actually decided to show that off?!
Arthur: Well, duh. The boss was moving in a way that could easily throw fighters like Theodore off. And when you're against the extended reach of a knife, you wanna make the most of your reaction.
Veronica: Do you know of the move he used?
Arthur: Not at all, just a guess. Theodore's shining aspect is his ability to react and counter, isn't it?
Theresa: He isn't wrong. Impenetrable Abyss had allowed him to counter Daymond's attack. Far better than any other technique could have.
Mike: You telling me that knife attack was unavoidable otherwise?
Shizu: No. Rather, anything less than a perfect counter would've let Daymond respond and end the match. Simply moving out of the way or deflecting while Daymond has access to footwork like Flash and Savestep means that Theodore would've been struck unless he shattered the blade perfectly.
Yussuf: Aw man, was he holding back against me?!
Simon: He totally was.
Yussuf's head dropped in defeat, Simon patting him on the back. Daymond and Theodore both faced the other. Their glares clashing between them.
Theodore: You're just as much of a threat as I expected. Taking you lightly would certainly mean defeat.
Daymond: I must concur. Your skills are just as powerful as they are said to be. I truly am glad I get to experience them firsthand.
Both fighters stared deep into the eyes of the other, neither moving an inch. In an instant, they entered their beginning stances. The air tightened between them, each second feeling like an eternity. The tension broke as both sides ran at the other, their forearms connecting.
Kuro: He's an idiot! He's really slamming his forearm against a gauntlet?!
Hamadeen: Even I can't tell what the reason behind that is.
Hamadeen's eyes shot wide open, realizing what this meant. Neither side's forearm moved from the other, their arms trembling.
Hamadeen's thoughts: I see… While Theodore can't feel it through the gauntlet, Daymond can sense each of Theodore's moves better here! Sure Theodore has kicks, but most of the techniques he's shown up until now all involve his arms and gauntlets! He can feel for even the slightest movement in the gauntlets, and his foresight will truly be at its best!
Hamadeen: This is next level…
Kuro: What the fuck do you mean?!
Theodore swung a right hook, Daymond's body feeling fluid. His arm went past Theodore's blow, striking the king in the face. Theodore stepped back, Daymond finally pulling his arm back and unleashing several blows across Theodore's body.
Daymond's thoughts: Thunder Kata, Emperor Siege
Theodore's arms shot out, grabbing both sides of Daymond's head. In a move Daymond had not read, Theodore slammed his forehead into the head's face, shooting his head back. Blood leaked from Daymond's nose. He turned to face Theodore only to feel a punch hit his jaw.
Zachary: TWO CLEAN HITS!
Zenzo: IS THERE ANYWAY FOR DAYMOND TO RECOVER?!
Theodore prepared to step back, only to notice that Daymond's foot was over his own. He looked back up, only to be struck across the face. His eyes were wide as the following shot hit his stomach. He staggered back, his gaze moving downward as he saw blood drip. It wasn't his own, but the man in front of him. He looked up, seeing Daymond freely let the blood from his nose and mouth drip from his chin.
Theodore's thoughts: How was he able to recover from that so quickly? Those strikes should have left him dazed.
Theodore jumped back, avoiding a kick that aimed right for his head. He stared at his opponent, noticing something form next to him. In Theodore's eyes, a being that looked like Kuro stood next to Daymond, wearing the same crazed smile Kuro wore in the first round.
Theodore's thoughts: No way…
Daymond rushed Theodore, his stance wide. Theodore threw out a right straight, only for it to phase through Daymond. Daymond appeared from below, landing both his fists into Theodore's chest, sending the king flying back. Theodore landed on his feet, immediately raising his gauntlet to deflect Daymond's follow-up punch.
Theodore's thoughts: It's almost as if I'm fighting Kuro himself!
Daymond's eye shifted, his leg shooting off the ground and slamming into Theodore's side. Theodore gritted his teeth, tanking the blow the best he could. Daymond continued with an overhead punch, only for Theodore to grab the blow and drag it away. He tensed up his left arm, landing a blow directly to Daymond's stomach. Daymond's eye twitched, his right hand landing a hook across Theodore's face.
Daymond's thoughts: The pain is hardly hindering me. I can't feel it… So this is how he felt.
Daymond tried to pull back his left arm, only to feel the strong grip on it. He looked down at it, seeing that Theodore had not yet let go. He turned to face the king, only to be met with a serious stare. Theodore's eyes flared up, his left arm shooting out and punching Daymond square in the face. Daymond slid back, Theodore releasing his grasp.
Theodore's thoughts: That should…
His eyebrows furrowed as he watched Daymond stand back up, the bruise visible on his face. Despite the visible damage, Daymond's expression hardly acknowledged the blow. He entered a high guard, his feet moving fluidly like that of a boxer.
Zachary: We shouldn't be surprised, folks! He didn't become the Head of the Eclipse by avoiding damage! He's powering through Theodore's attacks like they're nothing!
Midori closed his eyes, standing next to Moll's bed in the infirmary. Moll glanced from the screen to Midori.
Moll: Finally noticed it, huh?
Midori: To think he'd have taken it after only having fought Kuro once…
Moll: Yeah, that's what makes him the most dangerous fighter in the Eclipse.
Midori: The Release is not something one can simply just learn, but here Daymond is.
After his fight in the first round, Daymond's brain had recognized and memorized the Release as Kuro had shown it. In the one day he had free, between his duties as head, he practiced. While he is nowhere as proficient as Kuro or Midori, Daymond had learned the one aspect he believed would assist him the most: pain numbing.
Daymond's thoughts: The biggest flaw of the body is its nature to hesitate as it is overcome with pain. But what if I were capable of ignoring the nature of pain? Then no matter the state, I'll keep fighting at my best.
Daymond charged at Theodore, rubbing his hand against the blood that dripped from his nose. He threw his right hand out, sending the drops of blood flying forward. Theodore blocked the airborne blood with his gauntlet, noticing now that Daymond was within his range. Theodore pushed his gauntlet forward, aiming to pin Daymond down. Daymond quickly let out a strike towards Theodore, his fist flowing around the gauntlet but failing to hit Theodore's face. Theodore continued his push forward to only be then struck by Daymond's elbow. Daymond didn't hesitate to continue, following up with a backhand punch that forced Theodore to stumble back.
Daymond's thoughts: KenShinka Style - Demon Form: Hellbreaker
A red stain formed on Theodore's mask, the king's nose having finally begun to bleed.
Daymond: I've made you bleed. Your fate is sealed.
Theodore clenched his fists, bringing them both up as he entered his battle stance.
Theodore: Yes, my fate is sealed. The fate I'll make for myself.
Daymond: The only one that can move that freely through fate will be me.