Previously On Unknown: Matsumoto and Hisashi reached Yuji's Gomi Palace, where they observed chaos and a fight inside. They saw a boy battling the hulking Commander Daiki, showcasing remarkable agility and strength, ultimately delivering a powerful punch that sent Daiki crashing into a wall. This development left Hisashi astonished, as he realized Matsumoto had trained the boy for this extraordinary battle.
(Continuing)
The boy pushed to his limits and hovering on the brink of collapse, couldn't evade the next impending strike. The commander, brimming with dark energy and malice, leaped forward again, his club poised to deliver a final, devastating blow.
In a frantic plea, Hisashi shouted, "Hey! What are you doing? Get outta there! He's gonna kill you!" Hisashi's desperate concern filled the air as the boy remained immobilized, his battered body seemingly unable to move.
In that critical moment, the boy's gaze met Matsumoto's, a silent exchange that ignited a fiery determination deep within him. He couldn't afford to disappoint his master. With sheer willpower, he rallied his remaining strength, determined to hold on a little longer.
Summoning the last of his energy, the boy executed a series of acrobatic backflips, narrowly evading the commander's descending club. The weapon struck the ground with bone-shattering force, creating a small crater in its wake.
The commander's response was an incredulous chuckle, impressed by the boy's resilience even in the face of overwhelming odds. "I didn't expect you to still have any strength left," he admitted, his tone a mix of amusement and respect.
The commander then delved into an introspective moment. "You know, you remind me of myself. Stubborn and determined," he mused, his eyes taking on a yellowish-orange glow as an ethereal aura enveloped him.
Watching the unfolding spectacle, Hisashi and Matsumoto noticed the strange glowing light surrounding the commander, they both had a shocked expression.
"Wait? Isn't that...?" Hisashi began, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Matsumoto clarified the situation. "Yes, that's right. That aura you see – it's called Manki." But right after stating this Matsumoto pondered, "Well, yeah, it's manki but I'm still not sure. It makes no sense for these weaklings to have manki, which is an advanced and very rare ability only possessed by a few. So how, how? How can he use it? There doesn't seem to be any sort of trick being played. What's going on?"
Returning to the battle, the commander adopted a battle stance, his eyes and mouth now shining brightly in an eerie reddish glow against his shadowed face. His body outlined with the same yellowish-orange aura.
"Mana Circulation: External Flow: Manki: Gekido… Hokori!!! (Wrathful… Pride!!!) " he shouts with a commanding, maniac and terrifying voice. His yellowish-orange aura intensifies his words reflecting his self-assured demeanor.
Matsumoto was yet again hit with another shocking revelation. It was so surprising he said it out loud. "Wait? What the hell!?"
As the commander stood in his menacing stance, a smirk crossed his face. His eyes and mouth emanated a bright reddish glow, to the point where only these features were visible, while the rest of his face remained shrouded in an ominous black aura.
With a final, menacing charge, the commander readied himself for an ultimate assault as he shattered the ground behind him with his foot due to the sheer force behind his charge. His laughter resonated with an unsettling mania as he declared, "This is the end, boy!"
Hisashi, unable to bear the impending tragedy, shouted, "We have to help him! He's going to die!" Panic gripped him, and he started to dash toward the boy to intervene. But Matsumoto's firm hand stopped him in his tracks.
"Stay where you are," Matsumoto ordered, his voice unyielding.
Hisashi protested, his concern for the boy overriding his fear. "What?! We have to help him or else he's going to die!"
Amid their struggle, the room suddenly bathed in a mysterious greenish light, and time itself seemed to freeze, leaving only Matsumoto, Hisashi, and the boy unaffected.
Matsumoto seized the moment to impart a valuable lesson. "The greatest defeat of a warrior is their pride," he began, his words laden with wisdom. "They would rather die than live a shameful life."
As the suspended moment continued, Matsumoto concluded, "So, boy, remember this – if you were to save him, that would be his greatest injury."
Hisashi understood his master's words so he stood down. Then the battered boy surprisingly spoke, "H-hey M-ma-ster…" he struggled to get a few words out. His voice was distorted, and he coughed up blood, it's as if with every word he spoke, you could hear his crushed bones and his messed up internal organs. The sound itself is horrific.
"I-I p-promise... I'll win..." Despite his condition, the boy managed a bright smile and a thumbs-up.
"Of course, you will. I know you will," Matsumoto assured him. Suddenly, a greenish glow emanated from Matsumoto's hands, swirling toward the boy.
"Returnment Of The Past: Reverse Healing," Matsumoto chanted, and the boy's severe wounds began to heal, though not the minor injuries. Broken bones and internal injuries improved, but the rest remained.
"You're all set now," Matsumoto announced as he finished his healing, though he was unsure if the boy would survive the next attack.
The boy, feeling much better, reassured his master with renewed energy, "Don't worry, I'll be fine." The greenish tint in the room faded as he assumed a determined stance and declared, "I'll win." his eyes flickered with a reddish-orange hue.
As the greenish glow disappeared, the commander unfroze and continued his relentless pursuit, his aura growing stronger.
In an instant, he loomed over the boy, casting a massive shadow, his reddish eyes radiating bloodlust as he prepared to strike. His maniac laughter is ever loud and echoing through the air.
Simultaneously, the boy readied his final attack. A intense, glowing aura enveloped him, and energy coursed through his body. His hair rose and his eyes flickered in and out of a crimson color. His body became transparent as his veins looked like streams of light that appeared all over his body. His right fist glowed brightly, his body returned to normal but his veins still bulged and he became so heavy that a small crater formed beneath his feet. He grits his teeth, his eyes filled with determination and rage.
This scene unfolded before Hisashi and Matsumoto. Hisashi marveled at the boy's determination. "This guy keeps on surprising me," he said with a smile.
He continued, holding half of his face with his right hand and smiling in disbelief, a little sweat dripping from his face, realizing what the boy unlocked. "To think, unlocking manki during a fight. It may not be the complete technique but this is still insane." he chuckled nervously realizing that this guy might be on his level or probably surpassed.
The boy's reddish-orange aura intensified as he glared at his opponent. "You know, you're really starting to piss me off!" he exclaimed. However, the boy's aura was unstable and he kept going in and out of it.
The boy declared, "Mana Circulation: External Flow: Manki: Hateshinaku Nai Ketsui!! (Endless Determination!!)" his unstable reddish-orange aura intensified. His veins bulging, the pain evident, but his determination refused to back down.
In mere seconds, they both launched their attacks. The boy's arm was coated in a stone-like material as he shouted, "Now, Turn Your Imagination Into Reality, Shattering The Physical Properties Of The World! Earth Magic Transfiguration! Mana Manipulation! Phase 1! Level 1! Limb Coat! Stone…"
The commander swung his club, "Ahhh! Commander…" he says, about to collide with the boy's attack. Both screamed, "HAMMER!!! BELLOW!!!" Their attacks clashed, causing a shockwave that shook the castle and cracked its walls.
Sparks of electricity erupted from the collision and cracks spread throughout the floor, and even Hisashi struggled to maintain balance. "What a crazy fight," he remarked, covering his eyes.
Matsumoto, however, remained unfazed. "I'm a Martial God, and even without that, this is nothing compared to what's out there," he explained, thinking about Tokyo.
Hisashi was left wondering about the mysteries of Tokyo.
(To be Continued)