Ōtsutsuki Hi gave a soft shout, and fireballs shot up from the magma on the ground.
Standing atop the magma, Ōtsutsuki Hi grinned.
"The hunting game has begun. Don't disappoint me!"
Before his words had even faded, he vanished from where he stood.
Massive magma fireballs arced through the sky.
They all had one target: Kitahara Kaede.
Unfortunately, Kitahara Kaede had his domain.
While it could not directly contend with the magma below,
it was more than enough to deal with these fireballs.
But Kitahara Kaede did not dare let down his guard in the slightest.
Because there was still a madman beside him.
And now, that madman had already vanished from his sight.
The instant after Ōtsutsuki Hi disappeared,
Kitahara Kaede's domain shattered.
Kitahara Kaede's pupils suddenly contracted.
Because Ōtsutsuki Hi had somehow already appeared in front of him.
And Ōtsutsuki Hi's fist had already reached his forehead.
It was an arm wrapped in magma.
Flame-colored patterns covered the entire arm.
Scorching heat howled against Kitahara Kaede's face.
He couldn't dodge it!
Kitahara Kaede's mind went blank, his instincts telling him that escape was utterly impossible.
Yet at that moment, Kitahara Kaede's body moved on its own.
Facing Ōtsutsuki Hi's punch, brimming with violent and destructive force,
Kitahara Kaede casually extended one hand.
He caught it with an open palm.
Plain and unadorned!
Even Kitahara Kaede was stunned.
Because he had no idea how he had caught it.
It seemed... to have been his body's instinctive reaction.
"What exactly did I experience?"
That question suddenly flashed through Kitahara Kaede's mind.
Then Ōtsutsuki Hi's next punch arrived before him.
This punch was even more powerful than the last.
Ōtsutsuki Hi's fist even stirred a resonance throughout this world of flames and magma,
adding to its power.
Yet Kitahara Kaede's body