When both names appeared on screen simultaneously, the entire arena's atmosphere detonated!
Ryo Sakazaki walked slowly onto the stage. He removed his upper gi, revealing bronze muscles covered in scars, as if cast from steel.
He said nothing, but his aura—immovable as bedrock, domineering as a tiger—made the entire stage tremble!
On the other side, Kyo Kusanagi maintained his hands-in-pockets, devil-may-care attitude.
But this time, his eyes held no contempt—only unprecedented gravity and excitement!
"Ryo Sakazaki..." He slowly drew his hands from his pockets. "I admit, you're the strongest opponent I've faced in this tournament. You've earned the right to see my full power."
"Likewise." Ryo's voice rang like a bell. "Kyo Kusanagi, show me the legendary power of the Kusanagi flames!"
The instant those words faded, two completely different yet equally suffocating auras erupted!
Around Ryo burned an orange, armor-solid "Dragon-Tiger Spirit"!
That presence was the martial will forged through countless trials—the dominance of the "Invincible Dragon"!
Around Kyo rose crimson "Kusanagi Flames" that seemed capable of incinerating all existence!
That essence was the king's fire inherited through a thousand years—the pride of the "Child of Destiny"!
The two auras collided in midair, producing crackling sounds like arcing electricity!
In the spectator area, Cloud's expression grew deadly serious.
"Is... is this their true power?"
He clearly sensed that both Ryo and Kyo's Absolute Domain breakthrough intensity far exceeded anything he'd witnessed before!
"Here it comes!" Terry growled.
On stage, Ryo moved!
He used no flashy techniques—just took a single step forward.
BOOM!
The entire stage shook as if struck by a meteor!
He had concentrated all his qi into that single step!
[Absolute Domain 27%]!
A visible orange force field distorting the air expanded outward with him at the center!
"Such overwhelming pressure!"
Cloud felt his breathing become labored.
He realized—this was Ryo Sakazaki's true power!
During their sparring sessions, Ryo hadn't even used half his strength!
Facing this terrifying presence that could crumble mountains, Kyo's face broke into a fervent smile.
"Now we're talking!"
He howled toward the sky, the crimson flames on his body surging heavenward!
HUMMMM—!
An even more overwhelming, even more scorching, even more domineering crimson force field erupted, forcibly pushing back Ryo's orange field!
[Absolute Domain 30%]!
"What?!"
This time, even Ryo's face showed shock!
Kyo's realm was... actually above his?!
"The real fight starts now!"
Kyo's figure became a crimson meteor, vanishing from where he stood!
"Style 182!"
His entire body transformed into a blazing fire tornado, crushing toward Ryo with unreasonable force!
"Zanretsu Ken!"
Ryo advanced instead of retreating, both palms striking out to create hundreds of knife-hand afterimages before him, forming an impenetrable defensive net!
RUMBLE—!
Flames and ki collided in the center of the stage, exploding wildly!
From the very start, both had entered the most intense, most unreserved exchange of blows!
"Ko'ou Ken!"
"Oniyaki!"
"Mouko Raijin Setsu!"
"Aragami into Kono Kizu into Yanosabi!"
Both pushed their respective styles' ultimate techniques to the limit! Every collision released energy terrifying enough to shatter alloy!
The energy barrier around the stage—supposedly capable of withstanding a magnitude-10 earthquake—now rippled violently like water disturbed by stones, fine cracks appearing across its surface!
Every watching fighter, including Cloud, Terry, and Heidern, was shaken to their cores!
This... this was what "gods fighting" truly looked like!
Every other battle compared to this was child's play!
Cloud's pride, which had been quietly swelling from his rapid growth, was doused in that moment like ice water poured from head to toe—instantly cooled.
For the first time, he clearly understood just how vast the gap was between himself and this world's true "ceiling"!
On stage, the battle entered its final phase!
Both fighters were covered in wounds, gasping for breath, but their eyes burned brighter than ever!
"Ryo Sakazaki... you're strong!" Kyo wiped blood from his lip, his face showing a smile of genuine respect. "As my greatest tribute to you, let me show you... the strongest secret technique of the Kusanagi clan!"
He slowly raised his right hand. A small, seemingly insignificant crimson-gold flame condensed in his palm.
That flame radiated an aura... terrifying enough to burn space itself!
"Ura Style 108: Orochinagi!"
On the other side, Ryo took a deep breath, slowly bringing his palms together before his chest.
He poured every last drop of his "Dragon-Tiger Spirit" into the space between his palms without reservation!
An orange, highly compressed energy sphere formed—containing what seemed like a roaring tiger!
"Kyokugenryu Final Secret: Haoh Shoukou Ken!"
Both simultaneously unleashed their ultimate attacks at each other, holding nothing back!
A crimson-gold flame whip capable of incinerating all creation!
An orange energy beam capable of splitting mountains!
Under the horrified gazes of tens of thousands, they collided!
In that instant, the world seemed to lose all sound and color.
All that remained was... a blinding white light that swallowed everything!