A fist backed with a sea of strength behind it sailed his way like an incoming cannon, yet he stood in the same spot, patiently waiting before–
[Heavenly Daigo Style: Bane of Strength.]
CRACK.
As the two met in the center of the arena, the crowd and even the announcer had fallen silent at the result of the two combatants meeting.
Touma was standing strong, not having moved a step from his position as Samuel was now behind him, having dashed by. However, the punch clearly didn't land instead–the Crucifier's right arm was completely mangled.
"Graaagh…!" Samuel yelled out in agony.
It was shattered in seemingly every spot; bones contorted and jabbed against his flesh, making his burly arm zigzag in shape as it hung limp.
A brutal counter; one that surprised the onlookers.
"What was…" Ishikawa said quietly in disbelief.
"Well, that's one way to handle it…" Chimon muttered.
It was a technique executed so swiftly and with utmost precision that only a few within the entire stadium had perceived what had happened.
"Ha-ha! That's what I'm talking about!" Yusei laughed, clapping his hands, "That's the Touma Daigo I know!"
"...Indifferent, please," Myung-Hwan sighed, "Still…I have to agree; that was a superb move."
Overseer Adamas nodded, "I see why he was the chosen sponsor of the boss, Yusei. His mastery over the flow of power is impeccable."
–
Still, the two classmates of Touma were still unaware of what happened, along with most of the audience, who seemed ingrained in the belief that the Crucifier would win their clash.
[What…has happened, folks?! The Cruficier's arm is absolutely destroyed!? There's no way he can continue fighting like this!!!]
"What was that?!" Tadashi asked.
Chimon breathed out, "It was hard to see, even for myself, but at the exact moment Samuel got within his proximity…he redirected all of that guy's power right back through his arm; all of that "aura", weight, and strength–sent straight back into his limb. I've never seen redirection that precise, though. He completely focused the force through his bones."
–
"...Ghh!" Samuel held his mangled arm.
Touma slowly exhaled, still facing away from his opponent as he stared down the arena, meeting eye-to-eye directly with the snow-haired, scarlet-eyed rival of his.
Did you see that, Gento? I'm coming for you, he thought.
[...Is the match over?! Samuel Robinson, can you continue–?!]
Though it seemed there was little point in the shade-wearing announcer from echoing such a question as the British heavyweight gritted his teeth and launched towards the young man like a rabid beast.
Samuel went for a takedown, but Touma answered for it as he was grabbed in the powerful grip of the man.
[Heavenly Daigo Style: Overflowing River.]
Using the momentum to redirect the force into a spin, he used that newly gathered strength to connect into his next attack–
[Heavenly Daigo Style: Heavenly Fang!]
It was a spinning elbow, backed by the momentum of Overflowing River, sent straight into the side of Samuel's head, causing him to completely lose his balance.
I'm starting to feel it, he thought.
Suddenly, it began to birth itself around him; it was a light veil, but it was there. Even though it was meager at best in that split-second, the three Overseers tasked with ruling the qualifiers saw it.
Oh, Yusei thought with a surprised smile.
He's reached it. Or perhaps he already had it? Myung-Hwan thought.
There it is–Touma Daigo, show me your 'spirit', Adamas thought.
It was a light coating of aura, sprouting only around his forearms with a platinum glow. This feeling was recognized by the Crucifier as he looked down in horror as his wild haymaker missed.
Below him, Touma Daigo had stomped down, squatting down as he reared both of his fists back for a massive anchorage of power.
"You were awesome, Samuel," Touma told him before unleashing it.
[Heavenly Daigo Style: Cloud Dispersing Hammer!]
As he sprung up straight, launching both of his fists directly upward towards Samuel's massive frame, the platinum aura enhanced the blow to a new level as a shock wave shot outward across the arena, producing a howling wind.
Ah, that technique? I remember it, Yusei thought, spectating, Though that one is unmistakably sharper than before.
Such power produced from the lightweight was jaw dropping to witness to the nationwide audience as it caused Samuel to be launched high into the air as if being hit by a railgun. After the British MMA fighter fell down–out cold, the announcement came.
[Winner!!! Touma Daigo!!!]
The crowd exploded in roars and cheers, filling the victorious fighter's ears with applause as he smiled, holding his fist up with a surge of triumph flowing through his veins.
With that settled, he returned to the observer's side of the arena, sharing a high-five with LaRusso, who congratulated him.
"Nice work out there," the karateka said with a smile, "Can't say I didn't doubt you there for a second."
He raised an eyebrow towards the middle-aged man, who only laughed as if joking around with him.
"What? It was like watching a gerbil fight a bear! Still, you blew everyone away for sure," LaRusso told him, glancing back into the room.
The man was right; eyes were on him now as most fighters seemed to acknowledge him as a proper threat.
As the matches continued without stoppage, he sat back down again alongside LaRusso, who continued doing fundamental karate moves to stay warmed up as it seemed he'd be fighting soon enough.
"Shi! Shi! Shi!"
Michaell LaRusso exhaled sharply with each straight punch he used, practicing them with robotic precision.
He looked down at his own fists, squeezing them shut as he could still feel glimpses of that mysterious force within him; it was a light tingle within the fibers of his muscles.
Looks like it's back. I haven't used it in so long that I'd forgotten how to summon it in the first place–my 'Chi'--not that I know all that much about it, he thought, I only picked it up initially from Gramps, but he…left before teaching me about it.