Indestructible, Unstoppable

The location was the CP series' South Sea Training Camp. On the training grounds, the two stood facing each other, while the Instructor holding a folder stood to one side and the other trainees gathered on the other to watch.

"What did Wade say to you just now?"

Frank stood very close to Louis, a wild grin spreading across his face as he said quietly, "Did he tell you to kneel and beg for mercy the moment the fight starts, and ask me to spare you?"

"He told me not to kill you."

Louis answered honestly. "After all, you know, private fights between trainees are forbidden, and killing is even more forbidden."

"Heh heh, Brat, now you want to use the rules to protect yourself? Where did all that arrogance from before go?"

Frank took Louis's words as weakness, and his voice grew darker. "Don't think I'll let you off just because of that. You dared provoke me, so I'll make sure you enjoy the consequences. Don't worry, even the Instructor won't be able to find fault with it. After all, it's normal to lose control during a fight."

"You want to kill me?"

Louis raised his head and looked into the man's eyes. "Don't worry. I don't want to kill you. I'll spare your life, just as Wade said."

"Brat!!!"

Only then did Frank realize Louis was serious. "That arrogant look of yours really is exactly like that bastard Wade's! I just wonder whether you have the strength to be as fearless as he is!"

"Against you, I think I have enough."

Louis smiled.

"Heh heh hahahahaha!!"

Frank laughed in rage. "Good. Very good."

"Are you done whispering? If you are, then begin."

The Instructor at the side spoke casually.

"We can begin."

Louis nodded to the Instructor.

"No problem. Or rather, I've been waiting impatiently."

Frank cracked his knuckles. Just as Louis had said, private fights were forbidden in the CP series. That meant even if he killed Louis here, Wade would not be able to cause him trouble afterward.

"Then,"

the Instructor looked at the two of them. "Begin."

"Rankyaku!!!"

Without the slightest pause, Frank leaped into the air. His right leg flashed like an afterimage, and a slash had already formed, descending toward Louis.

As the trainee with the second-highest Doriki Value in the entire camp, Frank was merely so-so in Louis's eyes. If nothing unexpected happened, by the time Louis turned eighteen, he could beat dozens of people like him with one hand. But there was no doubt that Frank was an outstanding trainee, and he had naturally learned one of the Six Powers. He had chosen Rankyaku, one of only two offensive skills among the Six Powers, and the only move capable of ranged attacks at the foundational stage.

"Pfft!"

With a dull sound, the sharp slash carved a deep fissure into the ground, but it did not touch Louis at all.

"He dodged?"

Frank, who had landed some distance away, froze slightly.

"An attack that obvious—there was no reason I couldn't dodge it."

Louis had merely tilted his body slightly to evade the narrow slash. The little cheat he had gained after transmigrating had made him exceptionally perceptive.

"Then how about this!!"

Frank's body suddenly blurred. In an instant, he had rushed in front of Louis. Rankyaku trained the legs and unleashed slashes through explosive leg muscle power. Naturally, it also greatly enhanced one's speed.

His body nearly folded in half, his right leg almost stretching over his head. The astonishing angle brought tremendous power as Frank unleashed the strength of his entire body. "Rankyaku!!!"

At nearly zero distance, the slash did not even have time to form. It merely wrapped around Frank's leg, creating a somewhat dazzling coating as it aimed straight for Louis's neck.

Without question, such a blow could easily shatter a boulder. An ordinary person struck by it would likely have their head kicked clean off. Just as Frank had said, he truly intended to kill Louis by claiming he had failed to hold back.

The terrifying attack came hurtling in, but Louis did not move. In terms of speed, he certainly could not match Frank, who specialized in Rankyaku, but—

"Iron Body Empty Wood!"

Louis's body swelled slightly.

"Clang!!!"

Louis was sent flying, tracing an arc through the air before landing steadily on the ground.

"It hit?"

Among the watching crowd, Dylan looked incredulous. "Why didn't that bastard Louis dodge? Even if he knows Tekkai, he shouldn't take it head-on like that!"

"Don't worry,"

Wade said with a smile. "Louis isn't the unlucky one."

"Urgh!!"

Just as Wade had said, the moment Frank kicked Louis away, he staggered and dropped to one knee. His right leg could not support him at all.

"Looks like having a Doriki Value a hundred points higher than mine doesn't make you all that impressive."

Louis patted dust from his clothes that did not exist, rolled his neck, and spoke softly. Frank's strength was still insufficient to injure him.

Limited by his age, no matter how much Louis trained his body, this was as far as he could go. Before his body developed further, he could not become much stronger, so he could only work on his techniques. He needed a stronger Tekkai, and thus the Tekkai Style was born. It allowed him to harden any part of his body at will, making it useful for both offense and defense—a Tekkai comparable to a low-grade version of Armament Haki. That had also led to Iron Body Empty Wood, which swelled the body to create elasticity in an instant and directly rebounded the force imposed by an opponent, a move comparable to Thorn Aura.

"Damn it!"

Frank struggled to stand. His right leg was in agonizing pain. The instant he had kicked Louis, his first sensation had been like kicking an iron plate. Then his own force seemed to rebound at him in an instant. A bone fracture was only natural. "You Brat!!"

"Your arrogance is completely unfounded, Frank. You need to understand,"

Louis said softly, "Doriki does not decide everything."

Doriki did not decide everything. Besides, the Doriki had been tested three months ago. Was the gap between Frank and Louis really still that great now?

The Instructor beside them nodded in satisfaction. Louis's Doriki could increase with age, which did not matter. True talent lay in one's understanding of the Six Powers. The gap between their physiques was not that large, but the difference in their techniques was enormous. Advanced Six Powers techniques naturally crushed basic moves.

"Alright, let's continue."

Louis undid his collar button, loosened his tie slightly, and beckoned to Frank.

Frank subconsciously took a step back. His right leg was still completely numb.

"Too afraid to attack? Then I'm coming to you!"

Louis stomped down fiercely. The essence of Tekkai was hardening the body through explosive force, which similarly involved explosive techniques. Though it could not compare to Rankyaku, Geppo, or Soru, it still provided a boost. His body was clearly slender, yet as he charged, he resembled a heavy bomber, tearing through the air as he thundered straight toward Frank.

"You arrogant Brat!!!"

Frank gritted his teeth and leaped up, bringing down his uninjured left leg. "Rankyaku!!"

Louis slammed his right foot into the ground and shot into the sky like a rocket. His right fist clenched and swelled slightly. "Iron Body—Empty Wood—Style!"

The two advanced Tekkai techniques merged as his fist blasted out.

"Boom!!"

A thunderclap exploded from the clear sky, booming like a bolt of lightning.

"Aah!!"

Frank screamed as his body fell from the sky like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily into the ground.

"Thud!"

Louis was also driven back to the ground by Frank's tremendous force, but he was in far better shape. His feet hit the ground, leaving two deep footprints as he dispersed the force.

"Is that all you've got?"

Louis grinned faintly as he watched Frank roll on the ground while clutching his left leg.

Tekkai was both the strongest shield, indestructible, and the invincible spear that could pierce anything—at least, that was how it was for Frank.