Alex and Kazuki moved at insane levels of speed cautiously through the forest, eyes locked on Shouya who's tentacles was chasing them and tearing through the trees around them.
"Be careful, Alex," Kazuki warned, while he and alex were running and dodging for their lives.
Shouya let out a feral scream. "Get out of my way!!" he roared, launching more barrage of massive, razor-sharp spikes at incredible speed.
Without hesitation, Alex swung between the trees and began flash-stepping in every direction, dodging the rain of spikes with fluid precision and skill. Shouya, growing frustrated, increased the speed and density of his attacks—but Alex kept weaving through them like a ghost, undeterred.
Appearing suddenly above Shouya, Alex glared down with anger in his eyes. "Call me whatever the hell you want," he snarled, "but never call me weak!"
He slammed his fist down, punching Shouya so hard he flew through dozens of trees. As Shouya hit the ground, Alex activated Energy Fist: Plus 20, his fists glowing fiercely with green energy. He began flash-stepping around Shouya, throwing an overwhelming barrage of powerful blows that sent the rampaging boy crashing all over the forest. Alex was extremely relentless with his blows and kicks, he was almost as strong as when he fought Mori with his demonic energy(Controlled state)
Before Shouya could retaliate, Kazuki leaped out of nowhere. "Alex, get back!" he shouted.
Alex quickly dodged away as Kazuki launched a rapid-fire storm of spiritual explosions. Each blast sent shockwaves through the forest, burning through trees and lighting up the sky the ground "This rapid fire attacks should keep that bastard down for a while!"
Realizing he couldn't keep up, Shouya staggered, ge screamed in pain and anger while being scorched by kazuki's spiritual explosions. Alex swooped in and landed a devastating kick that shattered the ground beneath them and send shouya flying.
Both Alex and Kazuki looked winded, dirt and bruises covering their bodies. Alex turned, panting. "You alright?"
"I'm fine," Kazuki replied.
Alex stepped forward toward Shouya's crumpled body—but Kazuki's eyes widened in sudden alarm.
"Alex, wait! Something's wrong—!"
Before he could finish, a massive tail erupted from the ground and slapped Kazuki across the forest, sending him crashing into trees.
"Kazuki!!" Alex yelled, horrified.
Turning back, he gasped as Shouya's body began mutating again—his arms enlarging grotesquely, spikes protruding from every angle, and four massive spikes growing from his back.
Alex's expression darkened. "If I'm not careful… I'll be turned into a human pulp."
Charging forward, Alex was blown back by a guttural scream from Shouya, the force alone toppling trees. Shouya groaned in pain, writhing as his mutation continued.
"You're hurting," Alex said softly, climbing back to his feet. "You need help. Seriously, i dont feel the need to even fight you. I just want to help you at this point"
Through his gritted teeth, Shouya cried out, "Help me…!"
Alex nodded. "Don't worry. I will."
But just then, from Shouya's back, sharp tentacles burst out and lashed at Alex. Dodging rapidly, Alex countered with a flurry of Flash Fists, clashing against the incoming tentacles in explosive collisions. Smoke billowed through the forest.
From the smoke, the tentacles lunged again, sharper than ever.
"Oh no… I'm doomed," Alex muttered comically, eyes widening as he started zipping from tree to tree, desperately trying to evade them. But one caught him by the leg and slammed him around before flinging him away and firing a powerful wind blast at Alex.
Before it could connect, Kazuki launched himself from a high branch, kicking the wind attack aside. "We need to work together if we want to beat him!" he said as he landed beside Alex
Alex nodded. "Yeah, no shit sherlock. Like that's not what we have been doing" Kazuki replied while annoyed "Hey! I'm trying to get ourselves out kf this place alive, you know?" Alex replied with a deep sigh "Yeah yeah..I've got a plan!" He whispered his plan to Kazuki. "I'll charge forward while you back me up with spiritual shurikens and explosions. Don't set me on fire tho, coz I'll launch myself at you and kick you!" Alex explained. Kazuki replied "Now I feel the need to set you on fire for what you just said at the last sentence."
Kazuki smirked. "Either way, sounds like a plan."
Alex smiled back. "Just don't drop your guard."
As Alex charged a tremendous amount of energy through his entire body, a violent wind surged around him, blowing away leaves and snapping branches. This was a terrifying amount of energy Alex was building up.
Kazuki's eyes widened. "What the... how did he get this strong? In a matter of seconds? This doesn't make sense."
Alex activated Energy Fist: Plus 50—his fists turning from green to a blazing red. The energy was overwhelming, radiating the power of a thousand men.
Kazuki stood stunned. "Does he even need my help at this point?" He asked himself."
"Don't forget the plan!" Alex reminded him, snapping him out of it.
Kazuki began launching spiritual shuriken nonstop "Don't tell me what to do!" He exclaimed with annoyance while Alex flash-stepped faster than ever before. Shouya, now under heavy pressure, used his mutated arms to form a shield. The frustrated shouya fired spikes at rapid speed to clash with Kazuki's attacks, causing a huge explosion of energy. Shouya was showing difficulty trying to keep up.
Bursting through the smoke, Alex leapt toward Shouya—but Shouya transformed his arm into an axe and swung. In a flash, Alex vanished and reappeared behind him.
"Sorry buddy, but this is going to hurt!" Alex said calmly.
With a massive uppercut, he sent Shouya flying into the sky. He followed, flash-stepping mid-air, delivering a devastating combo of high-speed punches and kicks all over the place. Finally, he slammed Shouya down with such force that the earth split beneath them. "AAHHAJAAHAH" Shouya screamed in pain.
As the dust cleared, Shouya groaned and tried to rise—only for Alex to appear, wielding the Blade of Death, glowing red, then shifting to orange with intense power.
With a single mighty slash, Alex struck, triggering a shockwave that leveled trees in every direction and left the forest around them shattered.
When the smoke faded, Shouya was finally back to normal, his body injured but stable.
Kazuki stared in awe. "He actually did it… no way!"
Alex turned to him with a triumphant smile and a thumbs up. "We did it…"
Then, with his energy drained, Alex collapsed. Kazuki rushed over quickly "AEI! ALEX!". He looked at the unconscious alex and shouya "Tch! What a pain. The idiot collapsed and now i have to carry him." He looked at alex once again but with a smile "Well whatever." He carried both Alex and Shouya on his back. Kazuki then walked away while looking at the battered forest around them "Damn. We really went all out huh?"
In the shadows, a mysterious figure—Shinki—watched from a distance, abit surprised, he smirked "You've gotten stronger, Kazuki.", shinki said to himself. Kazuki looked back in shock.But by the time Kazuki looked back, Shinki had vanished.
Meanwhile…
At the top of the arena, Kenji and Tomoa clashed in a violent showdown. Kenji fired relentless blasts of lightning and fire, while Tomoa countered with destructive energy bombs.
Their duel tore apart the stadium, explosions rocking the ceiling as their powers collided.
TO BE CONTINUED…