The nuclear core in his chest suddenly lit up.
Scorching cursed energy surged from his body.
This time, he charged straight at Todo.
Todo activated Boogie Woogie.
His body vanished from where he stood and appeared three meters beside Huojin.
But the instant he appeared, Huojin had already turned in that direction.
A ball of nuclear light, compressed to its absolute limit, gathered in his palm.
Damn!
Aoi Todo was secretly alarmed!
The instant Todo landed, Huojin pressed it straight against his chest.
"Got you."
Boom!
A shock wave mixed with searing blasts of hot air exploded from the center of their clash.
Todo hurtled backward and slammed into the outer wall of a half-collapsed house.
His entire body sank into the wall, shattering bricks and sending dust everywhere.
He coughed, pulled himself out of the wall, and dropped to one knee.
A large section of the clothing over his chest had burned through, leaving obvious burns and bruises from the impact on his skin.
His breathing grew much heavier, and a fine sheen of sweat formed on his forehead.
"Ha."
He raised his head and looked at Huojin walking toward him, his mouth still stretched in a grin.
But that smile held less of his earlier composure and more stubborn bravado.
"You bastard."
"You really are..."
Before he could finish, Huojin had already come within five meters of him.
"You're strong."
Huojin looked down at him, some of the flippancy leaving his tone, replaced by a trace of genuine acknowledgment.
"Much stronger than those humans I met along the way."
"So I'll take this a little more seriously."
Just as that mass of nuclear light was about to be released.
"Todo! Duck!"
A woman's voice rang out from nearby.
Aoi Todo quickly ducked his head.
At the same time,