The first thing Hinata knew he had to do at that moment was close the distance between them.
The problem was that he wasn't like those ultra-sensitive fighters in the novels back on Earth. If he wanted to win this fight, then he needed Goku's eyes to guide him.
The little dragon didn't need Hinata to say anything to understand. As Hinata lunged forward, he flew swiftly by his side, telling him when to step aside and when to stop.
Within a few seconds, he closed in on Albedo, who was ready for his attacks. Seeing his eyes shut, she couldn't help but smirk, though she didn't say a word.
Hinata stretched his hand forward, turning the sword into a spear. The weapon tore a long gash across Albedo's face, forcing her to retreat several steps, but Hinata didn't give her any breathing room.
He surged forward again, sand kicking up beneath his feet. With a twist of his body, he thrust the spear forward, then leapt off one foot, turning midair as the weapon shifted back into a sword.
The blade cut through the air toward Albedo, yet before it could connect, she stepped aside and shot her foot forward.
With Goku's help, Hinata could discern what was happening. He immediately turned the sword into a staff. The black rod struck against a tree root with a sharp clang. Using it for leverage, Hinata launched himself into the air, narrowly avoiding Albedo's attack.
The moment he landed, he surged forward again. This time, instead of a weapon, he formed spiky gauntlets around both hands.
"You sure are enthusiastic now, aren't you, my husband?"
Hinata ignored her and kept charging. Albedo didn't wait either. She switched the bullets in her gun in an instant and fired several poison needles toward him.
Hinata raised one hand, forming a layer of slime armor over it. The projectiles glanced off on impact, and he launched himself into the air in a single leap.
Albedo glanced up at his airborne figure.
The wind rushed around him while the moon bathed his skin in an almost ethereal glow.
Hinata's gaze sharpened. The idea had been on his mind for quite some time, but if not for Albedo, he wouldn't have experimented with it—at least not now.
He grinned. Then his figure blurred.
In an instant, thousands of identical figures appeared around Albedo. Before she could compose herself or hide the shock on her face, they all began shifting positions at once.
A deep frown soon formed on her face as she looked around. Slowly, a different kind of smirk appeared. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and for the first time since the fight began, her guard rose fully.
'Can't believe I never thought of it.'
For him, Deception was an ability that didn't require mana to activate. However, for others, mana was a crucial component, which made it unreliable and easier to distinguish real from fake.
Then what would happen if someone who didn't use mana created clones?
It would be impossible to tell what was real.
Albedo shifted her stance. "What the hell, Hinata? Did you just copy my ability?"
All the Hinatas smirked at once. "What? Don't tell me you're scared."
Her eyes turned dangerous, a faint vertical slit appearing within them. When she opened her mouth, two fangs were visible on the upper row of her teeth. "Never knew you would force my hand like this."
All the Hinatas lunged at her simultaneously. With practiced grace, she shot each one, occasionally kicking or striking with her elbows when they got too close.
One by one, the clones faded. However, each time one disappeared, another took its place.
Albedo's face grew paler by the second. Her movements slowed, and her already hazy eyes worsened.
Hinata knew this strategy wouldn't work if she were using mana. A single burst could destroy his fragile clones. But without mana, he was certain of victory.
As the relentless assault continued, the real Hinata—hidden within a tree—merged with the swarm and slipped into Albedo's blind spot.
She couldn't react in time before he slammed his gauntlet-covered fist into her side and vanished back into the crowd.
A string of saliva and vomit dribbled from her lips as she struggled to breathe. She had no time to steady herself or stop her knees from buckling before Hinata struck again, this time from her other side.
She turned immediately, but the target she hit wasn't the real Hinata.
Panic flared in her eyes as she shot, kicked, and elbowed one clone after another. Her movements became frantic, her rhythm losing its usual elegance.
With a single thought, Hinata conjured bats for each clone and sent them charging toward her.
The beautiful young woman, now battered by the relentless assault, dropped her guns and raised both hands in defense.
Hinata didn't relent. Blow after blow, strike after strike, he targeted her weak points until her vision blurred. She staggered with each hit, yet the grin on her lips never once faded.
Her porcelain skin was now marred with deep purple bruises. Her hands were swollen, her breathing ragged, and her legs trembled violently.
Seeing this, Hinata sent his clones in for one final assault. This time, he didn't attack from the sides.
Albedo, unaware of the shift, snapped her head to the side, ready to intercept him.
As several clones rushed her, the real Hinata charged straight ahead and instantly dispelled all of them.
Her eyes widened. She turned, but that single moment of vulnerability—when her guard dropped—was all he needed.
Hinata swung his bat straight into her abdomen.
Blood burst from her lips as she was hurled backward with tremendous force. Hinata panted heavily as she crashed through one tree after another before finally slamming into the twisted tree from earlier with a resounding boom.
Even then, the tree remained unscathed. Her spine, however, was another matter.
Slowly, Hinata made his way toward her, nearly stumbling over loose roots. His vision darkened, but he forced himself to stay conscious.
After a long walk, he reached the base of the tree and stood over the unconscious Albedo.
Mana was already flowing through her body, slowly healing her injuries.
He let out a long sigh and looked up at the sky. "I actually won."
Goku immediately rushed into him. "We won! Hehehe."
Hinata patted him as the little dragon cuddled against him like they had just won the lottery—though, in a sense, they had.
Hinata dropped to his knees and searched through Albedo's belongings. On her finger was a glistening ring, accompanied by a system description hovering above it.
He didn't hesitate before snatching it. It wasn't nearly enough payment for what she had done to him, but it would do.
He turned away and began walking off. After a few steps, he tilted his head back and cast one final glance at her. "I hope we never meet again, you crazy psycho."
As he walked farther away, a soft smile appeared on Albedo's face, and a masked man emerged behind her.
"Should I go after him, my lady?"
Albedo shook her head. "Not yet. Once he grows strong enough, he'll naturally find his way back to me…" She paused, lifting her gaze toward the direction Hinata had gone. "After all, he took the saintess's ring meant for only her partner."