Chapter 356: Kouhei Vs. Yuzuha, Part 2
Kouhei steadied himself, every muscle in his body pulled tight, like a bowstring drawn to its very limit. His chest rose and fell with slow, steady breaths, his eyes locked on Yuzuha, waiting to see what her first move would be. The air around them felt heavier with every passing second, so thick it was almost hard to breathe, like even the atmosphere was straining in anticipation of the clash about to happen.
Even though deep down Kouhei believed he could win, there was no denying the risk. If he miscalculated even once, if he let his guard down for a single heartbeat, he might very well lose his life. That thought, as grim as it was, kept his senses razor-sharp.
Yuzuha, on the other hand, stood trembling slightly, her fists clenched so hard her knuckles whitened. She wasn’t just nervous—she was fighting a battle inside her own chest. She already knew how this fight would end. No—knew wasn’t the right word. She was absolutely certain. Certain that Kouhei would tear her apart and leave her broken.
And yet, her certainty and her heart were at war.
She had to save Nagisa.
Her jaw clenched, her eyes burning with that single thought.
But she was wrong. So, so wrong. Her thinking was misguided.
Kouhei had no intention of hurting anyone. Not Nagisa—never Nagisa. She was the one of the people he loved more than anything, and the very idea of harming her was unthinkable. The only ones who ever deserved his wrath were those who disturbed the fragile peace he protected, those who threatened the people he held close. That was the only reason he’d ever raise his hand against anyone.
And yet—here they were.
The tension between them was suffocating, heavy enough to crush anyone who dared step between them. Every second stretched out endlessly until finally—
Thud!
Yuzuha struck first.
Her arm swung back, muscles coiling like a spring, before she launched her fist at Kouhei with all her weight behind it.
But Kouhei didn’t wait to be hit. He ducked low, her fist whistling past his head.
Whoooosh!
The air cracked as her punch missed, but she didn’t waste a second. Yuzuha snapped her arm back, twisting her body with a speed that made her form blur, and slammed another punch downward toward where Kouhei had just moved.
Kouhei’s reflexes flared. He threw himself back just as her fist crashed down.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The impact thundered across the field, the ground splitting apart as a crater exploded beneath her knuckles. Dust and shattered stone burst into the air like shrapnel.
Kouhei narrowed his eyes. If that connected… I’d be halfway to Tuesday.
He reset his stance, barely a moment to breathe before Yuzuha dashed at him again.
Thwip! Thwip!
She was fast. Too fast.
The distance between them vanished in the blink of an eye, her figure flickering into place beside him before he could even process it.
Her leg whipped toward him in a brutal arc.
WHAM!!!
There was no chance to evade. Kouhei snapped his arms up, blocking just in time.
BAM!!!
The collision rattled through him like a lightning strike, the shockwave surging down his arms and shaking him to the core. He grit his teeth against the pain, every muscle screaming as he dug his feet into the ground. The dirt cracked under his stance, but he held firm.
Her strength was overwhelming—insane even—but he could still endure it. Barely.
His solid footing kept him from being sent flying across the battlefield, but Yuzuha wasn’t letting up. She was already pushing in, her fist cocked back and slamming forward.
CRACK!
She was faster now—far faster. Her movements blurred, her body straining as she pushed herself beyond her natural limits. Kouhei could see it. He could feel it.
She’s burning herself out. This speed… she can’t keep it up. She’ll collapse in seconds.
And he was right.
Yuzuha was tearing herself apart inside, forcing her muscles and lungs to perform far beyond what her body could handle. Every step, every strike drained her, but she ignored it, burning through her stamina like kindling on a fire.
She knew it wouldn’t last.
And that truth only made her angrier.
Her teeth ground together, rage boiling in her chest.
What are you telling me? That you don’t even have to fight back? That you can just wait me out until I break?
The realization made her blood burn.
And yes—that was exactly Kouhei’s plan.
He intended to let her wear herself down, not strike her down.
And that made her snap.
RIIIIIIIPPPP!!!
Her body tore open as her true form emerged.
Her skin burned crimson, her muscles swelling grotesquely as her maid uniform shredded apart, cloth splitting against the pressure of her growing body.
Her oni form took over, and unlike most oni who twisted into raw monstrosity, Yuzuha remained… stunning. Terrifying, but stunning. A majestic monster, her beauty somehow magnified even in this monstrous state.
Her lips curled.
“Now… I’ll make sure you take me seriously…”
Her voice rumbled, heavy and feral.
BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM!
Her fists rained down like a storm, every strike exploding like thunder, the ground shattering and trembling under her fury.
Kouhei twisted and weaved through the blows, barely slipping past them. His body moved with sharp precision, honed to react to every flicker of her motion. He had already attuned himself to her speed, but even then, he couldn’t escape untouched.
BAM!
One strike clipped him, the force crashing into his guard. He staggered, arms shaking as he blocked again and again.
Every hit felt like colliding with a boulder at full speed, the bones in his arms screaming in protest.
No matter how much oni power he carried within him because of Nagisa, Yuzuha’s raw physical strength dwarfed his.
CRAAACK! BOOOM!
Every blow left the earth shattered, shockwaves bursting outward with each impact.
And with an oni’s bottomless endurance and stamina fueling her, Kouhei knew this wasn’t going to be over quickly.
There was no avoiding it.
If he wanted to win…
He’d have to fight her seriously.
BOOOOM!
Kouhei slid back as Yuzuha’s fist crashed into the earth again, dirt and stone erupting like a geyser. He dug his heel into the ground, twisting on instinct as her leg whipped up from below.
CRACK!!!
Her kick sliced through the air, so close it tore the sleeve of his clothes. Kouhei spun with it, letting the momentum carry him around as he lashed out with his own strike.
WHAM!
His fist connected with her ribs, but Yuzuha didn’t even flinch. Her crimson skin rippled from the impact, her monstrous endurance soaking it like nothing. She twisted her body, arm already swinging like a hammer.
THOOOM!!!
Kouhei barely crossed his arms before the punch smashed into him, the sheer force hurling him backward. His feet scraped trenches in the dirt as he skidded, sparks flying where his heels cut across stone.
He dropped low—
WHOOOSH!!!
—just in time for her fist to tear through the space where his head had been, the shockwave scattering rubble behind him.
Kouhei shot forward, his body blurring in a burst of speed.
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
He struck with a flurry of blows, fists and elbows hammering at her midsection and chest, each hit echoing with sharp cracks. Yuzuha staggered back slightly, but her grin twisted, and she swung her arm in a wide arc.
SMASH!!!
Her backhand slammed against Kouhei’s guard, the shock sending him flying sideways. His shoulder rammed into a stone pillar, the structure splintering under the force.
Before the dust settled—
THOOM!
Her foot smashed down where he had been a split second earlier, cratering the pillar into chunks of debris.
Kouhei blurred behind her, twisting low, his leg sweeping forward—
WHACK!!!
His kick connected with the back of her knee, forcing her to stagger. He drove upward, fist slamming into her jaw—
CRACK!
Her head snapped back, but almost immediately her massive hand clamped around his arm.
THUD!!!
She hurled him into the ground, the earth buckling and cracking under the impact.
BOOMMMMM!!!
The shockwave rattled across the battlefield.
Kouhei rolled, springing to his feet just as her fist crashed down again, the impact blasting a crater into the spot where his body had been.
BOOOOM!
He darted sideways, weaving through her barrage.
BAM! BAM! BOOM! CRASH!
Her fists and feet were relentless, striking like meteor impacts. Kouhei’s body flickered in and out, slipping through the barrage, but each dodge cut closer and closer.
SWOOSH!
A fist clipped his side. Pain flared sharp and hot, his ribs groaning under the impact. He grit his teeth, twisting with the hit, and lashed back with a spinning kick.
CRACK!!!
His heel slammed into her temple, jerking her head to the side. She reeled for only a second before she came roaring back, fists pounding at him like war drums.
THUD! BOOM! CRASH! BAM!
Every strike rattled his arms, every block numbing his bones. His guard shuddered, his muscles screaming, but he didn’t break.
He slipped under another swing, darting in close.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Three sharp blows landed in quick succession across her abdomen, his fists slamming into the same spot. Yuzuha grunted, her body finally jerking backward under the pressure.
But instead of falling back, she planted her foot and swung a crushing elbow downward.
SMASHHH!!!
Kouhei barely managed to block, the sheer weight of it sending cracks racing across the ground beneath his feet. His knees trembled from the force, but he pushed upward, exploding with energy.
BOOOOM!!!
His uppercut drove into her chin, launching her massive form skyward.
She spun midair, her body twisting unnaturally fast for her size, and came down with a devastating axe kick.
CRAAASHHHH!!!
The ground split open like glass under her foot, the shockwave flattening everything within a wide radius.
Kouhei had darted aside, his body blurring in speed, and was already circling her flank. His fist reeled back, energy crackling faintly around it—
BAMMMM!!!
The punch landed clean in her side, the impact blasting her several meters away. Yuzuha skidded, her feet carving long trenches into the dirt before she halted, her crimson eyes glowing with wild fury.
But then…
She suddenly felt dizzy.