Yahageshii crossed his arms in an attempt to block the attack. However, the darkness crashed down like a massive wave, shattering his defense. The blade grazed his arm, leaving a deep wound as blood splattered into the air.
"Argh!" Yahageshii gritted his teeth through the pain and threw a punch toward Watcher 20's head. But his opponent leaned back gracefully and countered with a sharp kick to Yahageshii's abdomen. The force sent Yahageshii flying into a crumbling wall, scattering dust and debris.
"Brute force like yours is useless against me." Watcher 20 strolled toward Yahageshii, his long blade dragging along the ground, carving a deep groove. "Your fists might be strong, but without a brain, you're just a waste."
Supporting himself against the wall, Yahageshii pulled himself to his feet, a defiant smirk curling his lips. "No brain? I don't have time for your nonsense!"
With a sudden burst of speed, Yahageshii lunged forward, his fists igniting into a whirlwind of searing flames aimed straight at Watcher 20. Yet, a flicker of disdain passed through the Watcher's eyes. He raised his blade, summoning a barrier of darkness.
BOOM!
The collision of flame and shadow unleashed a deafening explosion. The fire was quickly consumed, vanishing into the abyssal darkness. As Yahageshii neared the barrier, an immense counterforce hurled him backward. He stumbled, barely managing to stay upright.
"It's over." Watcher 20's voice was cold and final, as though fate itself had already sealed Yahageshii's end. He strode forward, raising his blade high. The weapon pulsated with dense, malevolent energy, a vortex of the void threatening to devour everything.
"No matter how many years pass, you're still just a reckless fool," Watcher 20 sneered. Before the words faded, he moved like a shadow, accelerating with lightning speed. His blade, exuding an oppressive chill, struck toward Yahageshii with lethal precision.
Taking a deep breath, Yahageshii's fists reignited in defiance. His body, pushed to its very limits, moved sluggishly. The blade's edge loomed closer, its suffocating aura engulfing him. Heart pounding, Yahageshii knew there was only one choice: meet this strike head-on.
Resolve gleamed in his eyes. Despite his nearly depleted strength, his indomitable spirit drove him to clench his fists tighter. Flames surged in his palms, roaring with an intensity that threatened to incinerate everything. He leaped, twisting his body mid-air, and charged with all he had toward Watcher 20.
But the Watcher's speed was overwhelming. The dark blade closed in too fast. Though Yahageshii managed to strike out in the nick of time, he couldn't fully evade the ruthless edge. As the blade neared his chest, his fiery fists collided with it.
BOOM!
The clash of fire and darkness erupted in a blinding explosion. Flames and shockwaves engulfed the battleground, shattering the earth and scattering debris into the air. Yahageshii's fists absorbed part of the blade's energy, but the recoil sent him skidding back, his bones rattling under the strain as blood spurted from his mouth.
"Cough…cough…" Gasping for air, Yahageshii struggled to steady himself. Blood dripped from his wounds, but his unwavering gaze remained locked on his opponent. No matter the toll, he would not falter.
Watcher 20 furrowed his brow, mildly perturbed. Though his attack had failed to crush Yahageshii completely, the man's unyielding resolve forced him to reassess. That raw determination, that unbreakable will—these were threats in their own right.
"You're a nuisance," Watcher 20 muttered, irritation lacing his words. His aura of darkness intensified, the air around him growing heavier with malevolence.
Despite the suffocating presence, Yahageshii stood tall. He had no illusions about the odds, but retreat was not an option. The path forward demanded everything he had.
Gritting his teeth, Yahageshii clenched his fists. Flames erupted anew, spiraling into a blazing vortex that surrounded him. With a roar, he launched himself once more toward Watcher 20, his body a streak of fire cutting through the gloom.
Watcher 20's expression hardened, his blade exuding a more concentrated darkness than ever before. The weapon swung upward, carving through the air like an abyss seeking to consume Yahageshii.
BOOOOOM!
The third and most ferocious collision between fire and shadow obliterated everything around them. The blast's aftermath saw Yahageshii hurled backward, his body battered and nearly lifeless. Even the Watcher staggered slightly, his composure momentarily shaken.
"Persistent, aren't you?" Watcher 20 remarked, a faint trace of respect in his otherwise cold tone. "But persistence alone changes nothing."
Dark energy coalesced around his blade once more, its oppressive aura signaling an inevitable conclusion. Yahageshii, bloodied and barely standing, met the gaze of his enemy with an unyielding glare. No matter the odds, he refused to back down.
"I'll finish you once and for all!" Yahageshii bellowed, his voice reverberating through the ruins. Flames roared back to life, encircling him in a fiery shield.
As the Watcher's blade descended with finality, Yahageshii surged forward one last time, his fists ablaze with the fire of his resolve. Victory or defeat would be decided in this ultimate clash.
"Bring it on!!"