In the Laybirth Kingdom, near the city's outer wall, a fierce standoff had begun. Hiro faced off against Judo, their battle echoing through the ruined landscape.
"Since I can catch your punches now, it's over," Judo declared with confidence.
It had to be a fluke, Hiro thought.
In a blur, Hiro vanished and reappeared above Judo, his hands spread open and crackling with energy.
"Lightning Cloak: Lightning Blast!"
A surge of lightning rained down, detonating on contact.
Boom!
Smoke erupted, covering the battlefield.
He couldn't have dodged that. I knew it was a fluke, Hiro reassured himself.
Suddenly, his instincts flared.
"Huh?" Hiro muttered, jumping back.
Judo's leg came crashing down where Hiro had stood.
Boom!
The impact shattered the ground, stirring more debris and smoke.
So he did dodge it... it wasn't a fluke, Hiro admitted.
Judo hovered mid-air, eyes fixed.
"Looks like he's surprised," Judo muttered.
The only one who can counter my attacks is Jinko. He moves at light speed and wields more spiritual force than me. None of the other Four Generals can touch me. I'm the strongest... and this barely B-rank punk is catching my attacks? Impossible. I have to kill him.
Landing softly, Judo scanned the area. "Damn it. Too much smoke."
A sudden blue spark lit the haze.
Hiro blitzed through the cloud, but Judo managed to lean aside, the lightning grazing his cheek.
If I hadn't moved, I'd be headless, Judo realized.
He can track lightning-speed attacks, Hiro noted. So he wasn't lying*...*
Hiro charged again.
I see it! Judo thought.
He grabbed Hiro's arm mid-strike, slamming him into the ground. Without pause, he lifted a leg that expanded in size and slammed it down. Hiro escaped, lightning cloaking his legs.
"Charge!"
Hiro vanished.
Judo looked around. Where the hell is he?
A flash. Judo leaned back instinctively. Hiro swept by in a blinding kick.
He dodged me again? Hiro thought.
They clashed. Hiro touched the ground and vanished, only to punch Judo across the face. Blood sprayed as Judo landed, sliding.
Hiro appeared behind him, fists crackling.
"Huh?" Judo muttered.
He backflipped over Hiro's slash. Hiro spun into a kick, but Judo ducked, countering with a punch. Hiro blocked the second, gut-punched Judo, then lifted and slammed him on his neck.
Boom!
Judo locked his legs around Hiro's neck mid-fall.
Got you, Judo thought.
"Huh?" Hiro grunted.
Judo twisted, flipping away and enlarging his arm before smashing the ground where Hiro had been. Smoke burst outward.
Hiro lay there, groaning.
"I thought I said keep collateral damage to a minimum," he muttered.
Crack!
A punch flew out from the smoke, sending Hiro tumbling.
How did I not dodge that?
Hiro hit the ground but recovered quickly.
From above, Judo descended, arms massive.
"Smash!"
Hiro vanished and reappeared at Judo's side.
"Dodge this, buddy."
He struck with a lightning-infused blow, sending Judo crashing into the dirt.
"I couldn't dodge that one," Judo admitted.
Before he could recover, Hiro landed another gut-punch.
"Damn it," Judo groaned.
A follow-up kick launched him sideways, crashing through buildings.
I need to get up, he urged himself.
As he rose, Hiro flew in, foot colliding with Judo's stomach. Blood erupted from his mouth.
The impact sent him flying again.
Then Hiro came down from above, drilling a lightning-charged heel into Judo's gut.
More blood. More pain.
Hiro stepped on his face, over and over.
When he stopped, Judo's face was a wreck—swollen, bloodied, teeth missing.
"I... must... keep... fighting..."
Hiro lifted him. Judo threw a punch, weak and slow.
My body... I can't move. This is it. The damage... it caught up to me.
Still holding Judo by the neck, Hiro looked him in the eyes.
"I paralyzed you. So you won't feel the pain."
Judo's eyes widened.
"You were a good warrior. You adapted fast. You even held me back for a moment. I respect that. So I'll give you a painless death. I wish I could've gone all out. I really wanted to."
Despite his broken face, Judo smiled as tears ran down.
"Thank... you."
Hiro let go.
Man, I promised my brother I'd make it back from this mission. Please, stay out of trouble.
And now I realize Lara died.
Being a ninja wasn't so bad—it was serving the Jinkawa Village.
Goodbye.
Judo thought.
Before Judo touched the ground, a flash of light sliced clean through his neck.
"Rest in peace, strong fighter," Hiro murmured.
Even though I love killing... sometimes, it gets sad, he thought.
He vanished.
Reappearing in front of Jinko.
"Hiro," Jinko said.
"Mission complete. I'm going back to my spot."
"Okay."
Hiro walked away.
Kenshiro watched him go. Why does he look sad?
He vanished again.
Rei glanced over. "I wonder what's wrong with him."
Kaji grumbled, "Man, this is taking too long..."
Why do people have to kill? Ryju wondered.
Yeah, I say I'm gonna kill someone... but I never follow through. How do they do it so easily?
Far off...
"Oh, show me what you got, shifty one!" Que shouted.
Karo grinned. "Oh, I'll show you."
Karo sensed it. Two spiritual forces vanished. Lara and Judo... both dead, he realized.
To be continued...