Clang!
Metal rang against metal as Shaka raised a hand to block Shin's sword at point-blank range.
Sparks flew from the Gold Cloth. Fortunately, he was wearing his Cloth—otherwise, his palm would have been severed by now.
At this moment, the two had abandoned cumbersome techniques and ninjutsu. At such close range, fists were the best choice.
As Shin blocked the Yin-Yang Release sword, he lashed out with a kick. Empowered by powerful chakra, it carried the faint rumble of wind and thunder.
But the Gold Saint's speed was simply too fast. He actually managed to pull away in that near nonexistent interval, turning into a streak of light and landing far away.
Gold Saints were said to possess the speed of light. In truth, they merely approached it in the literal sense, but even so, that still far surpassed the strong of most worlds.
Having just retreated, Shaka abruptly pushed off through the air and charged forward again. To outsiders, he seemed not to have moved at all. His fist drew back and shot straight for Shin's abdomen.
Then... his fist silently passed through Shin's body, as though what stood before him was merely an illusion.
A stunned look appeared on Shaka's face, while Shin smiled. With a bang, his sword came slashing down. Amid a burst of sparks, Shaka was sent plummeting toward the ground.
Boom!
Like a cannonball, he was slammed viciously into the earth. A section of the ground suddenly caved in, cracks spreading in every direction.
As the echoes lingered, Shin looked at the rising dust below and smiled. "Quit playing dead. This doesn't even count as a warm-up."
"Six Paths of Reincarnation!"
A shout rose from below. As rubble scattered everywhere, Shaka emerged, Cosmo erupting from his palm. An invisible force instantly locked onto