---
The wind howled violently, swirling around the battlefield like a tornado that had come to watch a spectacle. Hakishi and Lee stood side by side, their bodies still aching from the previous fights, but their resolve was stronger than ever.
"This is it," Lee said, his voice filled with both determination and the tiniest hint of doubt. "We've been training for this moment. We've got the moves. We've got the power. This time, we'll make him feel something."
Hakishi grinned, tightening his grip on his Phantom Edge. "It's now or never. No backing down." His fists crackled with energy as he adjusted his stance. The plan was simple: keep Aduru distracted long enough for Lee to land the first blow. And then, when Aduru was just a little bit off guard, Hakishi would strike.
Aduru stood at the far end of the battlefield, leaning casually against a rock, watching them with that same bored expression that had made them question their life choices more than once. His hair, as usual, looked like it had been styled by the gods themselves—perfect and untouchable.
"You're still here?" Aduru said, his tone more of an afterthought than a challenge. "I thought you'd given up by now."
Lee clenched his fists, his aura flaring. "You're about to regret underestimating us, Aduru. Prepare yourself!"
Hakishi nodded, adrenaline pumping. They'd spent months refining their techniques, pushing their limits. No more mistakes. No more holding back.
"We'll finally do it," Hakishi muttered under his breath.
With a shared glance, they charged simultaneously.
---
The Clash Begins
Lee led the way, his body moving like a whirlwind as he summoned the wind around him, lightning crackling in his hands. He formed a massive vortex of energy, pulling the wind and storm clouds together in a chaotic display of power. The ground beneath him cracked, and the trees bent under the pressure of his attack. With a yell, he hurled the storm directly toward Aduru, lightning flashing in every direction.
"Feel the fury of the Storm King!" Lee roared, his eyes blazing.
Aduru didn't move an inch. He simply raised a hand and effortlessly swatted the storm aside, causing it to dissipate in a burst of sparks and wind. Lee's attack, though powerful, had been reduced to nothing.
"You really think I'll be affected by that?" Aduru said with a scoff. His voice was so calm, so detached, it was as if he wasn't even facing an enemy.
"Get him, Hakishi!" Lee shouted, barely managing to avoid being sent flying from the impact.
Hakishi leapt forward, his Phantom Edge blades glowing with an otherworldly energy. He had trained for this moment, for this exact strike. His movements were a blur as he aimed at Aduru's chest, his blades slicing through the air like a storm of deadly tendrils. The precision of his attacks was terrifying, each one aiming for a vital point.
For a brief moment, Hakishi thought he saw Aduru's expression flicker, just a bit. Maybe he was slightly impressed. Maybe.
But Aduru was quick. In an instant, he sidestepped Hakishi's attack, grabbing one of the Phantom Edge blades with his bare hand and crushing it into dust. He moved faster than the eye could follow, a blur of motion as he appeared behind Hakishi, delivering a punishing kick to his back. Hakishi flew forward, crashing into the ground with a deafening thud.
"You really are persistent," Aduru remarked, watching him struggle to rise. "But persistence alone doesn't win battles."
Hakishi gritted his teeth. His body was battered, but his spirit was unbroken. "You're not... you're not unbeatable..." he gasped, struggling to stand.
Lee, not willing to let his partner fall, called out. "Hakishi, we've still got one more move! Let's go!"
---
The Final Strike
Hakishi nodded, wiping the blood from his lips. They had one more technique—one they'd only perfected after months of training. It was their trump card, their last hope.
Lee summoned all of his remaining energy, the air around him crackling as he created a vortex of lightning and wind so intense it created a deafening roar. "This is it! The Tempest Fury!"
Hakishi, meanwhile, tapped into his Phantom Edge, releasing a burst of concentrated energy that charged into the vortex Lee had created. The air around them crackled with so much raw power it felt as if the very ground was about to split open.
Together, they hurled the combined force of their power at Aduru, a storm of energy so overwhelming it seemed impossible for anyone to survive. It was the culmination of everything they had—every ounce of strength, every bit of will.
For a moment, time seemed to slow. Aduru stared at the oncoming attack, his expression as calm as ever.
And then, with the swiftness that only Aduru could muster, he simply moved.
In a blur of motion, he sidestepped the tempest as if it were a mere nuisance, his body twisting effortlessly out of the way. The combined attack flew past him, crashing into the landscape, ripping up the earth and sending massive shockwaves across the battlefield.
Hakishi and Lee stood there, breathless, eyes wide. They had missed.
Aduru turned his gaze toward them, his expression still unreadable. "You're getting better, I'll give you that. But you're not even close."
---
The Moment of Touch
Lee and Hakishi, both panting and desperate, knew they were running out of time. Aduru was toying with them. It was clear he could end this at any moment, but he was enjoying their struggle far too much.
Then, Hakishi had an idea. It was a crazy, reckless idea, but it was all they had left.
"Lee," he panted, "On my mark, you distract him. I've got a plan."
Lee blinked. "Wait—what plan? What do you—"
Hakishi didn't wait for a response. He immediately launched himself forward, using every ounce of his remaining strength to rush Aduru.
"Now!" Hakishi shouted.
Lee, realizing what Hakishi was doing, immediately leapt into action. He summoned a windstorm around Aduru, his body moving as quickly as the wind itself. He struck, using all the tricks he had learned to disorient and confuse Aduru. For the first time, Aduru was forced to focus on the fast-moving wind and lightning.
While Aduru was distracted, Hakishi closed the distance. His Phantom Edge blades glowed fiercely as he dived toward Aduru's back, his hands outstretched for the final strike.
And then—it happened.
Hakishi's hand brushed against Aduru's shoulder. Just a touch.
---
The Aftermath
For a long, stunned moment, there was silence.
Lee, panting and covered in sweat, looked at Hakishi. His voice trembled. "Did you… did you actually touch him?"
Hakishi stood there, his hand still hovering in the air, as if he couldn't quite believe what had just happened. "I— I touched him," he whispered, a huge grin spreading across his face. "I finally touched him!"
Lee's eyes widened. "You really did! Dude, you touched the world's strongest fighter! That's a victory in itself!"
And then, in an instant, everything changed.
Aduru, who had been standing perfectly still the entire time, suddenly spun around. His eyes locked onto them with an intensity that could have shattered mountains. He smiled—and it wasn't a nice smile.
"I'll give you credit," he said, his voice colder than ice. "You finally touched me. But now it's over."
Without warning, he moved faster than either of them could react. His fist slammed into Lee's stomach, sending him flying through the air like a ragdoll. He barely had time to scream before crashing into the earth with an explosion of dirt.
Hakishi barely had time to register what had happened before Aduru was in front of him. A single punch to his chest sent him skidding across the ground, the air knocked out of him in an instant.
As Hakishi lay on the ground, gasping for breath, Aduru looked down at him, his expression still calm, but with the slightest trace of respect.
"You've come a long way," Aduru said, "but this is where it ends."
Hakishi's eyes were wide, his body aching, but his grin never faded. He had touched him. That was all that mattered.
"I touched him…" Hakishi whispered, a sense of satisfaction slowly filling him. "I finally touched him."
Aduru, for the first time, looked slightly amused. "Yeah. You did. But I'm still going to beat you senseless."
And with that, the battle, while not yet over, shifted into its next absurd phase.