Yahageshii's flames grew fiercer, rapidly forming streaks of fire in the air. His figure darted like a phantom, changing directions at high speed in an attempt to confuse Watcher 20's perception and judgment. However, Watcher 20 remained composed, smirking coldly, his eyes brimming with unshakable confidence.
"You think your fire barrier can trap me? Taste the power of my realm of darkness—" Watcher 20's voice was icy, devoid of any emotion.
With a swift slash of his blade, darkness erupted forth, swallowing the battlefield like the sudden fall of night. The entire area was plunged into an oppressive blackness as if every source of light had been abruptly extinguished. The surroundings transformed into an endless abyss, and Yahageshii's vision was utterly obscured.
His roar echoed in the realm of darkness, but no response came. The scenery around him was akin to a moonless midnight—boundless and oppressive. Even his flames seemed devoured, reduced to faint sparks flickering on his fists, utterly powerless against the engulfing void.
"Watcher! Where are you hiding?!" Yahageshii shouted furiously, punching the air as trails of fire ignited briefly before being consumed by the impenetrable blackness.
Suddenly, he felt the ground shift beneath his feet. Losing his balance, he staggered, realizing with shock that he was somehow standing upside down. No—his sense of direction had been entirely overturned. Every movement he made felt distorted and disoriented, making it impossible to discern up from down or left from right.
"Hahaha..." A low chuckle resounded, emanating from every direction, its source impossible to locate.
"What's wrong? Weren't you so bold just now?" Watcher 20's mocking tone sliced through the darkness. "Aren't your flames supposed to illuminate the world? Now they're nothing more than useless fireflies."
Yahageshii tried to pinpoint the voice's origin, but each fiery punch he threw only hit empty space. The darkness didn't even return an echo. His rage burned hotter, and the flames on his fists flared brighter, yet they could not dissipate the oppressive shroud.
"Coward! Hiding in the shadows like a spineless worm!" Yahageshii's voice trembled with fury as flames surged along his arms, climbing higher as if to break free of the suffocating darkness.
"Coward?" Watcher 20 sneered. "This is the absolute disparity of power. A brute who only knows how to punch could never understand. Come on, swing your fiery fists a bit more. I'm curious how long you'll last."
Yahageshii roared again, his flames erupting into a towering inferno that engulfed him entirely. But even this brilliant blaze failed to penetrate the darkness.
"Come out and fight me! Stop skulking around like a coward!" Yahageshii bellowed, launching a fire-laden punch forward. The flames surged ahead and exploded violently, only to vanish into the void without a trace. Instead, a sharp pain stabbed into his chest. Looking down, he saw a deep, ink-black slash across his torso, blood seeping from the wound.
"Foolish. Attack me? You don't even know where I am," Watcher 20's voice mocked. "Welcome to my domain. This isn't a place where a reckless beast like you can run rampant."
Yahageshii clenched his fists tightly, his chest heaving with anger. Despite the crushing pressure, a memory surfaced—Harutemi holding him tightly, her tear-filled eyes and trembling voice still vivid in his mind.
"I can't fall here!" he growled, the flames within him reigniting. With a thunderous shout, Yahageshii unleashed a torrent of fire, pushing back the encroaching shadows momentarily.
Watcher 20's voice carried a hint of surprise. "Oh? You still have some fight in you? Impressive for a punching bag."
Yahageshii didn't respond. His eyes burned with unyielding determination. Drawing a deep breath, he concentrated all his strength, readying himself to tear through the suffocating dark.
But Watcher 20, like a ghost, drifted through the shadows. His blade gleamed with deadly intent as he chuckled coldly. "It's useless. This domain is mine. Your flames, no matter how bright, are just the futile struggles of a trapped beast."
A sudden flash of a blade from the void forced Yahageshii to strike instinctively. His fiery fist met only empty air, and a searing pain shot through his chest. The oppressive darkness warped his vision, making it impossible to locate his foe.
Slash! Another strike sliced across his side. Blood gushed forth as Yahageshii looked down, unable even to discern the depth of the wound. The pain surged, relentless, draining his strength with each passing moment.
Watcher 20's laughter filled the suffocating space, cold and merciless. "What's the matter? Out of tricks?" he taunted. "Did you think raw power alone could overcome my domain? How laughable!"
Yahageshii bit down hard, his fiery resolve refusing to waver. Though his movements grew sluggish, and each attack met only emptiness, his unyielding spirit flared brighter.
"Come out here! Face me!" His hoarse voice carried through the void, the flickering flames around him dimming with exhaustion.
From the abyss emerged Watcher 20, his silhouette sharp against the consuming black. The blade in his hand glimmered ominously, ready to strike. Yahageshii struggled to rise, his battered body barely responding, yet his eyes still burned with defiance.
"I won't... fall here!" Yahageshii declared, summoning the last vestiges of his power. Flames roared to life around him once more, determined to defy the darkness.
Watcher 20 sneered, raising his blade high. "You truly believe you can stop me? Foolish to the very end."
As the blade descended, the unrelenting clash of fire and darkness continued, each fighting for dominance in a realm devoid of light.