Yujiro Hanma lunged forward with terrifying speed, his right fist cutting through the air toward Lahan's head.
Bang.
Lahan crossed his forearms in a desperate block, but Yujiro's punch still drove him backward with such force that he smashed into the arena's stone wall. Dust and fragments showered around him as he staggered back to his feet, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.
"Second move," Retsu Kaioh said softly, his expression grave with concern.
Lahan drew a steady breath and exploded forward, launching a powerful kick toward Yujiro's face. Calm and unhurried, Yujiro took a step back.
Swish.
Lahan's kick tore a rip in Yujiro's black training top, but it didn't faze him in the slightest.
"Boring," Yujiro said casually, then launched his own counterattack. His right leg shot out like a cannonball toward Lahan's chin.
Bang.
The impact snapped Lahan's head back violently. His vision spun as ringing buzzed in his ears, and his legs gave out beneath him. He fell to the arena floor, unable to lift a hand to strike back.
"The match is over!" the host's trembling voice echoed throughout the venue, disbelief in every syllable.
"It's unbelievable! Lahan, known as the God of Combat, was defeated in three moves by Yujiro Hanma!" the host continued, the audience stunned into silence.
Lahan's sudden defeat in such a crushing manner left everyone speechless. Just how strong was Yujiro Hanma truly?
Could anyone possibly stand against this monster? Could someone like Kaioh Kaku's disciple accomplish it?
"Three… three moves…" Retsu Kaioh murmured, his gaze fixed on the fallen Lahan. Sweat dotted his brow.
He and Baki turned their eyes toward Sol Mirek, who stood leaned against the passage wall, arms crossed and expression calm.
Sol watched Lahan on the arena floor, and then spoke in a steady, quiet voice, "Three moves."
Yujiro Hanma's raw strength certainly lived up to his reputation as the strongest creature on Earth.
Baki's pupils narrowed violently. He hadn't expected Sol's prediction to be so precise. Could what Sol said earlier actually be true?
Retsu Kaioh was equally stunned. He had thought Sol underestimated Lahan. No one expected that the God of Combat could be taken down so quickly.
Quickly, the host moved on.
"Next, we announce the lineup for the second match!"
Once again, monks carried a giant scroll forward.
"Martial artist, Sol Mirek, versus the giant known as King Jikai!"
A wave of cheers erupted throughout the audience. They were eager to see how strong the one known as the pinnacle of strength and technique truly was, and whether he could follow Yujiro's devastating performance.
"It's my turn next," Sol said, stretching his wrists as he walked into the arena.
At that moment, medical personnel were lifting Lahan onto a stretcher, urgency in their movements.
Yujiro Hanma brushed blood from his hand and paused as his gaze briefly met Sol's.
"Interesting kid," Yujiro said with a grin, then turned and left the arena.
Sol stood alone in the center, watching his next opponent slowly approach from the other side.
King Jikai was a giant of a man, towering roughly three meters tall. With each step he took, the ground beneath him seemed to quiver, his massive body resembling a walking monument of muscle.
"You there," King Jikai's voice boomed like distant thunder, "are you Kaioh Kaku's disciple?"
He looked down at Sol with clear disdain, "I'll show you how wide the gap is between you and Old Guo. Strength over technique every time."
Sol didn't respond with words; he simply nodded to the host to begin the match.
The audience buzzed with speculation. A contest between two drastically different body types was rare, and everyone held their breath.
A gong sounded with a deep, resonant note.
"The match begins!"
King Jikai roared and unleashed a devastating punch toward Sol.
Bang! Boom!
The fist struck with earth-shaking force, sending a powerful wind sweeping through the center of the arena, making it hard for spectators to even open their eyes.
When the gust settled, King Jikai was driven deep into the stone wall on the far side of the arena, unconscious from the impact.
Sol dusted his shoulders as he looked back with casual appraisal and said, "Good strength, though your technique needs sharpening."
Then, with that statement made, he walked straight toward the passage and exited the arena.
For a moment the entire venue was silent. So fast, so decisive — the match was already over!
"The match is over! The winner, Sol Mirek!" the host finally announced, his voice trembling with awe.
The audience erupted into deafening cheers. While this match pitted their own fighters against a foreign challenger, Sol's dominant win raised hopes that their side might still retain prestige.
Kaioh Kaku watched from his seat, nodding with quiet satisfaction. As expected of someone who had trained for months under his guidance, Sol's performance did not surprise him as much as it might have surprised the crowd.
Although the audience hadn't seen the full exchange, the fighters watching had witnessed everything.
Sol walked back down the arena passageway. As he passed, fellow competitors cleared a path, wary that an unhappy Sol might punch them through the wall. Their eyes were wide with shock and respect.
King Jikai leaned against the wall nearby, trembling slightly. After witnessing Lahan's earlier defeat, he had convinced himself that the overseas champion was stronger, but Sol's single punch shattered that arrogance.
"Too… too fast," King Jikai muttered, "I couldn't even see his movement."
Retsu Kaioh swallowed hard, voice hushed with disbelief, "Has Sol Mirek's strength really become this terrifying?"
Baki, sweat forming on his forehead, found himself considering Sol's earlier claim seriously. Could his words truly be accurate?
One punch. A single, perfectly executed blow was enough to send a massive opponent flying unconscious. Sol had done it casually, without drama.
Now, Sol stood at the arena exit, looking out toward the bright sunlight, as if what he had just done was nothing remarkable.
The passageway was silent around him, marked only by the heavy breathing of the crowd.
These fighters — revered, celebrated, and seen as legends — were here at this Great Raitai Tournament not as equals to Sol Mirek, but simply as numbers in the lineup.
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