Watcher 13 felt the mounting pressure emanating from Rayl, but the smile on his face only deepened. Clapping his hands softly, he seemed genuinely excited for the impending battle. "Not bad, not bad! This is what makes a fight interesting! Come on, show me what you're truly capable of!"
Rayl didn't respond. His figure moved again—this time, twice as fast as before. He was like a streak of blue lightning tearing through the air, heading straight for Watcher 13.
Watcher 13 sneered and raised his hand. Twisting light reformed into a barrier, his sharp eyes tracking Rayl's every move, ready to counterattack the moment he drew close.
Yet, just as Rayl was about to crash into the barrier, his figure vanished.
"What—?" Watcher 13's pupils contracted, but before he could react, a massive force struck him from the side.
Bang! Rayl's fist landed squarely on Watcher 13's ribs, sending him flying several meters into a tree, which shook violently on impact.
Slowly standing up while clutching his side, Watcher 13's face still held that same amused smile. Licking his lips, he chuckled, "Interesting. You hid your speed... It seems I underestimated you."
Rayl glared at him coldly, his eyes filled with unyielding resolve. "Your abilities are indeed troublesome, but as long as I don't give you the chance to use them, I'll still beat you into the ground."
Watcher 13 threw his head back in laughter. "Hahaha! Empty words! But do you really think this is all I've got?"
As his words fell, a strange force erupted around him. The distorted light radiated outward, warping the space around them.
"Haiz Shingen, let me show you my true power!"
With a wave of his hand, the light transformed into countless fine chains, hurtling toward Rayl. Each chain screeched as it tore through the air, aiming to shred anything in its path.
Rayl's eyes narrowed as he dodged quickly. However, the chains were too fast; a few grazed his shoulders and thighs, ripping his clothes and leaving bloody gashes.
Watcher 13 sneered, "This is specially prepared for you. Escape? Dream on!"
Rayl leaped onto a large boulder, looking down at Watcher 13. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to stay calm. Though the enemy's attacks were swift, they weren't invincible.
With a low, firm voice, Rayl declared, "Today, no matter what, I won't let you hurt anyone else."
Watcher 13 scoffed. "Oh? Then come and try!"
Rayl clenched his fists tightly, and the blue glow around him surged again like crashing waves. His aura grew more intense, bending the air around him as a low rumble resonated from his chest. His eyes burned fiercely, like a star on the brink of exploding, brimming with destructive energy.
Slowly raising his head, he locked his steely gaze on Watcher 13 and said in a thunderous voice, "Let's end this charade!"
At that moment, Rayl's fury erupted. The battlefield seemed suffocated by his oppressive aura. In an instant, he launched into the air like a meteor streaking across the sky, charging at Watcher 13 with the ferocity of a war god.
Watcher 13's eyes flashed with surprise but quickly hardened into a sneer. "You think such trivial tricks can defeat me?" His gaze sharpened, and he extended a hand without moving from his spot.
The air twisted violently. Rayl suddenly felt a crushing pressure from the radiant chains, which closed in on him. Not only were they blindingly bright, but they carried an unyielding sense of imprisonment. His movements froze as though an invisible net had ensnared him entirely.
"What is this?" Rayl's heart tightened as he struggled to break free, but the chains seemed alive, binding him even tighter.
Watcher 13 sneered. "A child's body dreams of defeating me?"
Grinding his teeth, Rayl's anger only burned hotter. He refused to yield to the restraints. Blue light flared around him again as he fought desperately to tear through the binding chains. But the radiant prison held firm, sapping his strength and limiting his movement.
"Such futile resistance." Watcher 13's tone dripped with mockery as he raised his hand again, the surrounding light intensifying into an impenetrable wall of energy that pressed down on Rayl. Despite the overwhelming force, Rayl's eyes blazed with iron determination, the flames of fury roaring within him.
"I won't let you win!" Rayl roared, his fists clenching tighter. The blue energy around him swelled in a deafening surge. Every fiber of his being was alight with power as he sought to shatter the oppressive chains.
Suddenly, Rayl stomped the ground with all his might, creating a powerful shockwave. Blue light surged explosively from his body, weakening the restraints momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, he lunged forward.
"Die!" Rayl bellowed, slashing through the air with a blue energy blade aimed directly at Watcher 13's chest.
But Watcher 13 sneered, his form blurring slightly as a radiant shield materialized around him, absorbing the impact. The clash sent shockwaves rippling through the air.
"Such arrogance!" Watcher 13 taunted. "But since you're so eager, I'll grant you the 'honor' of experiencing my full power!"
He snapped his fingers. Light twisted violently around Rayl, wrapping him in a cocoon of shifting energy. Rayl's body convulsed as his form underwent a shocking transformation.
Muscles swelled with explosive force. His bones cracked and stretched, reshaping into a sturdier frame. His youthful features sharpened into a chiselled visage, brimming with power.
As the cocoon dissipated, a tall and commanding figure stood where Rayl once was. His sharp gaze locked onto Watcher 13, a new intensity radiating from him.
It was no longer Rayl. Shingen had returned.
Taking a steady breath, Shingen clenched his fists, flames of anger dancing in his eyes. His voice, low and thunderous, echoed across the battlefield: "You will regret this!!!!!"
Watcher 13 clapped mockingly. "Impressive. But I enjoy crushing overconfident fools like you. Come, show me how long you can last!"