The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of fiery red and orange as Hakishi and Lee stood side by side, silently watching the horizon. Their bodies were still aching from weeks of non-stop training, but their spirits were strong. They had made a vow to surpass their limits
"You ready?" Lee asked, his voice steady but filled with anticipation.
Hakishi gave a tight nod. "We've come far since our last battle. This time, we'll make him feel the heat."
Just as the final rays of the sun dipped below the horizon, the wind began to stir. It was subtle at first, but a pressure built up in the air—heavy, suffocating. Hakishi and Lee turned, instinctively readying their stances.
And then he appeared.
Aduru Michi, the strongest person in the world, was standing before them, his presence overwhelming. His dark eyes bored into them like an unyielding storm, and his expression was unreadable.
"You've improved," Aduru said casually, as if he hadn't just appeared from nowhere. "But you still don't have what it takes."
Lee gritted his teeth. "We're not afraid of you, Aduru! This time, we'll show you what we're really capable of."
Hakishi nodded, and without another word, they launched into their coordinated attack. Lee conjured a massive vortex of wind and lightning, directing it toward Aduru with the fury of a storm. At the same time, Hakishi charged, his fists crackling with Phantom Edge, ready to slice through the air with the precision of a master.
Aduru didn't move an inch. The storm crashed against his form, the wind howling and the lightning crackling in the air. But it was as if he were standing behind an invisible shield. The attack made contact, but it didn't even slow him down.
"Is that all?" Aduru's voice was cold and unimpressed.
Without warning, he swatted aside the incoming storm like it was nothing more than a passing breeze. Lee was sent flying by the sheer force of Aduru's swipe, crashing into the ground with a sickening thud.
Hakishi didn't hesitate. He pushed forward, his Phantom Edge cutting through the air with deadly precision, aiming for Aduru's heart. But as his blades neared, Aduru's hand shot out, effortlessly grabbing each tendril of energy in midair. With a twist of his wrist, Hakishi's attack disintegrated into nothingness.
"You've learned a few tricks, but they're meaningless against me," Aduru said, his voice tinged with amusement.
Hakishi, gasping for breath, prepared for another assault. But before he could move, Aduru was upon him, his fist a blur. The punch landed like a sledgehammer, sending Hakishi careening across the battlefield, his body smashing into the ground.
"Pathetic," Aduru muttered, watching Hakishi struggle to rise.
Lee, battered but not broken, slowly stood up, wiping blood from his lips. His body was sore, his energy drained, but his spirit burned with defiance. "We're not done yet!"
Lee gathered every ounce of power he had left, creating an enormous blade of pure energy—a new technique he had been perfecting. With a shout, he hurled it at Aduru with all his might. The blade surged forward, cutting through the air faster than anything they had ever thrown at him before.
But once again, Aduru didn't even flinch. With a single wave of his hand, he effortlessly deflected the attack, sending the blade spiraling harmlessly into the distance.
"You think you can defeat me with such weak techniques?" Aduru asked, his voice devoid of emotion. "You're playing a child's game."
Hakishi struggled to his feet once more, his fists trembling with rage. "Why… why don't you just end this?"
Aduru's gaze softened for the briefest moment, and for a split second, Hakishi thought he saw something—maybe even a flicker of empathy. But then the mask of indifference returned.
"Because, unlike you two, I understand the value of a challenge," Aduru replied. "You may never beat me. But if you survive long enough, maybe one day I'll consider it interesting."
With that, Aduru turned his back to them, his silhouette blending into the darkness.
Hakishi and Lee lay on the ground, exhausted and defeated, but alive. Aduru hadn't killed them—not because he couldn't, but because he simply didn't care.
Lee coughed, struggling to sit up. "He… he's not even trying."
Hakishi clenched his fists, the weight of their failure hanging heavy on his chest. "No. He's waiting for us to get better."
"Then we'll make him wait."
Hakishi and Lee exchanged a look—one of silent understanding. They had not been able to touch Aduru this time, but they would never stop fighting. They would rise again, stronger than before, until the day they were ready to challenge the true meaning of his strength.
It was just a matter of time.