Gonzo slowly stepped away from the massive block of steel, brushing the dirt from his hands as he turned his full attention toward Ryu…
The casual atmosphere from moments ago had disappeared entirely; there was now a quiet seriousness in his expression, as if he already understood exactly why Ryu had come.
“However…
You wish to spar immediately?” Gonzo asked for clarification.
Ryu nodded, rolling his shoulders as he stepped into the open space: “Yeah.
I want to see just how much stronger I’ve gotten since the last time.”
Gonzo studied him for a moment before settling into his stance: “Very well…
I shall not hold back unnecessarily.”
Ryu grinned: “Good!
Because I need ya’ to push me.”
The moment those words left his mouth, Gonzo moved!
His enormous frame suddenly accelerated forward, closing the distance far faster than someone of his size should have been able to.
Ryu’s eyes widened slightly, but his body reacted almost on its own.
He shifted his footing, slipping past Gonzo’s first attempt to grab him before immediately countering with a strike toward his ribs.
Gonzo twisted away, but Ryu followed.
THUD!
His fist connected against Gonzo’s side, forcing the giant to take a step back.
“…”
Gonzo looked down at the point of impact…
Then back at Ryu.
‘That strength…’ Gonzo now realized it…
The difference between their previous encounter and this one was immediately obvious.
Last time, Ryu’s attacks had been troublesome, but Gonzo could still casually overpower him whenever he wanted.
Now, that same certainty was gone.
‘Oh no ya’ don’t!’ Ryu didn’t give him time to think.
He stepped forward again, throwing a combination of punches and kicks before suddenly changing his rhythm and attempting to close the distance.
Gonzo immediately recognized what Ryu was doing and reached out to seize him.
But Ryu was already prepared.
He slipped underneath Gonzo’s arm, hooked one of his legs around Gonzo’s and twisted his hips, attempting to throw him off balance.
Gonzo’s eyes widened: ‘His grappling…
has improved?’
He planted his foot firmly into the ground, preventing himself from being thrown, but Ryu immediately transitioned into another technique.
His hands shifted position, attempting to control Gonzo’s arm while his body rotated into a different angle.
There was no hesitation.
No wasted movement.
Ryu was adapting to Gonzo’s resistance as it happened: ‘He’s learning even more as we fight…’
Gonzo forcibly broke the hold and stepped backward, his expression becoming increasingly interested.
Ryu breathed steadily, his eyes never leaving him.
“You’re much stronger than before…” Gonzo admitted.
Ryu smiled: “I know.”
He clenched his fists, feeling the immense difference within his body.
The Ryu who had fought Gonzo before had struggled just to withstand his attacks.
Now, he could actually somewhat contest him physically…
‘So this is what my recovery did to me…’ Ryu thought, before suddenly rushing forwards again.
Gonzo met him head-on.
The two collided, exchanging blows before Ryu once again attempted to grapple.
This time, Gonzo caught him around the waist, but Ryu immediately fought for position rather than simply trying to overpower him.
He shifted his weight, hooked his leg behind Gonzo’s and twisted, forcing Gonzo to adjust his footing.
The giant’s eyes narrowed…
‘His technique is still unrefined…
but, he’s becoming considerably better at using his body.’
Ryu finally broke away, sliding several meters across the dirt before stopping himself…
He looked up at Gonzo with an excited grin: “Haahh…
Haha…!
This is exactly what I wanted…”
Gonzo raised an eyebrow.
Ryu wiped the sweat from his forehead: “…I need someone stronger than me.
His expression became more determined as he settled back into his stance, adding: “So don’t go easy on me, Gonzo.”
Gonzo stared at him silently before a faint smile appeared across his face.
“I understand.” He lowered his center of gravity: “…Then, I shall push you.”
Ryu’s grin widened: “That’s all I wanted to hear.” And once again, the two charged toward each other…
However, Ryu barely had time to recover his footing before Gonzo’s entire demeanor suddenly changed.
The relaxed expression disappeared from his face, replaced by something far more serious.
His posture lowered, and for a brief moment, the enormous man simply stood there.
Then-
BOOM!
Gonzo vanished from Ryu’s vision: ‘What-?!’
Ryu’s eyes widened as his enhanced senses struggled to keep up.
One moment Gonzo had been several meters away; the next, he was already in front of him: ‘He’s…
way faster!’
Ryu barely managed to raise his arms before Gonzo’s hand seized him.
The sheer force behind the movement completely overwhelmed Ryu’s resistance.
Gonzo lifted him from the ground as if he weighed almost nothing, then pivoted with terrifying efficiency.
“You have shown me that you are worthy of seeing it…” Gonzo said calmly.
Ryu’s expression tightened.
“My full strength.”
Gonzo slammed him downwards-
BOOM!
Ryu hit the floor with tremendous force, the impact cracking the surface beneath him as several fractures spread outward from where his body landed.
For a moment, everything went silent.
Ryu laid utterly motionless in the center of the fractured floor, his breath knocked out of him.
‘…That was his full strength?’ His fingers slowly twitched.
Despite the pain coursing through his body, a grin began forming across his face: ‘Oh yeah…’
Ryu slowly pushed one hand against the ground: ‘Now this…’ He forced himself upright: ‘This is what I came here for!!!!’
.
.
.
Ryu remained sprawled across the fractured floor, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to draw in a proper breath.
It felt as though Gonzo had knocked every ounce of air from his lungs, leaving his chest desperately trying to catch up.
“Ugh…” Ryu coughed, slowly pushing himself onto one knee.
“It feels like my brain’s rattling around in my skull…”
Gonzo stared down at him, genuinely impressed: “It is ridiculous that you can take something like that with all of my weight behind it and still smile.”
Ryu wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, forcing himself upright despite the trembling in his legs: “Yeah…
Well…” He raised his guard again.
“You told me you’d push me, didn’t you?”
His grin returned: “So come on!”
Gonzo’s eyes sharpened.
Then he moved.
Ryu barely saw the first attack.
THUD!
He was struck and sent stumbling backward, but before Gonzo could follow up, Ryu had already adjusted his stance.
Another attack came from the opposite side, forcing Ryu to twist away before a third nearly caught him…
‘Too fast…’ Ryu internally scrambled.
Gonzo’s attacks were still overwhelmingly superior to anything Ryu had experienced before.
His strength, speed, balance, and technique were all on another level, leaving Ryu struggling simply to keep himself standing.
But something strange began happening…
The longer they fought, the less Ryu was reacting after Gonzo moved.
He started moving just before Gonzo did: ‘Left…!’
Ryu shifted before Gonzo’s hand reached him: ‘He’s going to change directions.’ He ducked beneath another strike: ‘Now the leg.’
Ryu stepped away just before Gonzo’s sweeping kick passed through the space he’d occupied.
Gonzo’s eyes widened slightly: ‘Interesting…’ Ryu wasn’t merely reacting to his strikes anymore.
His instincts were beginning to anticipate his own movements, allowing his body to naturally select the most efficient response before he had consciously processed the attack…
And Gonzo loved it: ‘What terrifying battle awareness and instincts!!’ A smile slowly spread across his face: ‘How far will you go?’ He thought, quickly increasing the pace.
Ryu was immediately subjected to an overwhelming sequence of strikes, grabs, and throws.
Whenever Ryu managed to adapt to one pattern, Gonzo changed it, forcing him to constantly adjust.
He got back up…
Thrown again.
He stood once more…
Each time, his movements became slightly cleaner, his responses slightly faster, and his ability to withstand Gonzo’s attacks more impressive.
Gonzo began to wonder how long this could possibly continue: ‘Just how is it possible that he is still standing…?’ He had thrown Ryu countless times by now.
His body should have been begging him to stop, yet Ryu continued dragging himself back into the fight.
And that expression never disappeared…
That damn smile…
Gonzo’s expression became increasingly fascinated: “No…
Ryu…
Could you somehow be…
one of them…?”
There were certain people Gonzo had heard of throughout his life time, people who possessed an almost absurd level of endurance.
People who simply refused to stay down no matter how thoroughly they were beaten…
Ryu reminded him of them…
But there was something different: ‘His endurance is extraordinary…
but it’s not just that.’ Gonzo watched as Ryu slowly regained his footing: ‘It’s that willpower of his…’
Ryu’s breathing had become heavier, his body trembling from the accumulated strain, but his eyes remained focused.
Gonzo knew had already pushed Ryu considerably further than during their previous encounter.
Yet somehow.
The gap between them was beginning to shrink again.
Gonzo’s smile widened: ‘He’s catching up, and it’s even faster this time!’
It wasn’t enough to threaten him yet, but the change was undeniable.
Ryu’s physical strength was steadily creeping upward, his movements becoming more efficient with every exchange: ‘Just how much stronger will you become before this is over?’ Gonzo couldn’t help but imagine it.
Ryu only raised his fists once more, despite everything his body was telling him: shouting: “Again…!!” His voice was strained, but determined: “Come on, Gonzo!!!”
Gonzo’s grin widened: “Heh…
Gladly!” He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this pumped in a battle!
Fwish~
Gonzo surged forward once more, his enormous frame accelerating across the training floor with enough force to make the ground tremble beneath his steps.
Ryu’s eyes remained fixed on him, his battered body instinctively preparing to respond despite the exhaustion weighing down every muscle…
“Here I come.” Gonzo shouted, closing the distance in an instant.
But just before his next attack could land, he stopped…
“…?”
Ryu hadn’t moved.
Which is strange.
For the past few hours=s, Ryu had attempted to do just that, but he hasn’t, not a single hint of anything…
Gonzo’s eyes narrowed as he looked closer: ‘Could it be he is trying to surprise me like last time…?’ Gonzo wasn’t going to fall for the same trick twice…
However, something seemed a little odd this time…
Ryu was still standing upright, his fists loosely raised and his posture barely holding together.
His head had tilted slightly downward, his eyes completely shut…
And yet…
He was smiling.
Gonzo stared in silence, asking: “Ryu?”
“…”
However, no response…
He stepped closer, carefully observing him before finally realizing the truth: ‘He’s…
unconscious.’
Ryu had somehow managed to remain standing even after his consciousness had already left him.
Gonzo’s expression slowly changed from surprise into something resembling awe: ‘He’s passed out…
while standing…?’ What rediculous tenacity.
He looked at Ryu for several seconds, remembering everything he’d witnessed during their fight.
Every time he’d thrown him down, every time Ryu had gotten back up, every time his body had adapted and continued pushing forward despite the punishment it had received.
Gonzo slowly shook his head: “Kisame…”
A faint smile appeared on his face: ‘You were more than right.’
His eyes remained fixed on the unconscious Ryu, thinking: ‘What we have here…’ Gonzo’s expression became serious: ‘Is a monster this world has never laid eyes on before…’
.
.
.
End