The Dreamer's POV

"Uraaaaahhhhhh!!!"

Endo, gripped by a mixture of rage and desperation, felt the weight of his responsibility heavy on his shoulders.

The lives of his subordinates were on the line, their survival hinging on his performance. It was a burden he bore willingly, for he was not just a captain but a warrior, and his pride would not allow him to falter.

Each strike he delivered was fueled by his determination to protect his men.

With a savage growl, Endo launched himself at his adversary, his butcher knife slicing through the air with lethal precision.

~FWISH!~

~SWOOOSSHHH!!~

~WHOOOOOOOOOOSSSHHHHH!!!~

His movements were a flurry of calculated attacks, his body moving in tandem with the weapon he wielded.

Endo was not just relying on close combat. Every now and then, he channeled his energy into the blade, releasing powerful energy slashes that ripped through the air towards his opponent.

Each attack was meant to incapacitate, to weaken, but the young man before him didn't seem to budge.

To Endo's disbelief, the young man didn't try to dodge any of his attacks. He met them head-on, taking the hits and blocking the energy slashes with an unnatural ease.

As Endo's attacks grew more ferocious, his opponent's grin only widened, adding to Endo's growing frustration.

"Why... Why aren't you taking any damage?" Endo roared, his voice echoing around the cavern.

The young man didn't reply, his grin remaining firmly in place.

Driven by desperation, Endo gathered all his energy, intending to deliver a decisive blow.

"Try blocking this!" He struck, his butcher knife aimed directly at the young man.

~FWOOOOOOOOSSSHHHH!~

But instead of the satisfying impact of blade meeting flesh, there was a horrific sound of shattering metal.

"E-eh…?"

His butcher knife, his trusted weapon, shattered into a thousand pieces, fragments of metal scattering around them.

Endo stumbled back, the force of his swing unmet, throwing him off balance.

"N-no way…" The realization hit him hard - his opponent was still standing, unscathed and grinning widely, seemingly enjoying the fight.

Endo felt a cold chill run down his spine.

His heart pounded in his chest, not in anticipation now, but in dread. His butcher knife, his source of strength, was destroyed, and his opponent seemed invincible.

Despite this, Endo gritted his teeth, preparing himself for the next onslaught.

He wasn't done. Not yet.

Even without a blade… he was still a warrior!

"I'm not done yet! Uooooaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!"

Endo could hear his subordinates cheer for him as he charged at the enemy, feeling their support strengthen his entire being.

There was no way he could let them down now.

Endo, deprived of his butcher knife, his tried-and-true weapon, was now at a distinct disadvantage. He already knew that much.

But the fury that welled within him didn't wane; instead, it stoked the fires of his resolve, propelling him forward into a brawl he refused to concede.

His fists became his weapon, each punch thrown with the entirety of his desperation and unyielding will.

They were raw, powerful, fueled by years of rigorous training, and bolstered by the [Body Reinforcement Technique].

Each hit echoed in the cavern, reverberating off the walls and meeting the young man with a relentless assault.

He twisted, spun, and dodged, meeting each of the young man's advances with his own.

His boots gave him the agility and speed to dart around his opponent, allowing him to flank, parry, and counter-attack swiftly.

He leapt, his body airborne as he kicked powerfully towards his opponent, his hardened form slicing through the air like a missile.

But each attack was met with an effortless block or a casual sidestep, the young man's grin never faltering.

Endo felt his heart pounding against his chest, the strain of the battle beginning to wear on him.

"Haa… haa…" His breaths came in ragged, heaving gasps, the adrenaline and exertion taxing his body.

Sweat poured down his face, dripping into his eyes and staining his clothes.

His fists were bruised and bloody, the impact of each hit against his opponent's body sending jolts of pain coursing through his arms.

But he didn't falter. He couldn't afford to. The lives of his men hung in the balance, and he would not let them down.

His body, strengthened by his technique, kept pushing him forward, refusing to bow down to exhaustion or fear.

"I can still hold out," he thought to himself, his gritted teeth bared in a stubborn grimace.

He was far from done.

Each failed attack only steeled his resolve further. No matter how fruitless his attempts seemed, he would keep fighting until his very last breath.

Endo's hands were balled into fists, his heart pounding within his chest like a war drum.

"Well, this is pointless…" Endo heard the young man's bored tone suddenly echo across the room.

'W-what?!' His inner thoughts stuttered in disbelief as he stared at his opponent.

"I'm done with my test. There's no need to take this any further," the young man said, his casual tone and dismissive words stinging like a slap.

"I just wanted to test the extent of my power with <Carnage>. You were just my training dummy. But I think I've seen the extent of what you can do."

A chill ran down Endo's spine, the implications of the young man's statement sinking in.

"Let's stop now, okay?" The man added.

Endo fought to grasp what the man was telling him.

He had been nothing but a tool in this battle, an object to measure the young man's abilities. He wasn't the adversary; he was merely the yardstick.

"Training dummy?" Endo's voice echoed through the cavern, tinged with disbelief and rage. His eyes narrowed into slits, his fury bubbling beneath the surface. "Is that all I am to you? A mere training dummy?"

"I'm afraid so," the young man replied, a wide grin playing on his lips. "And now, I must say, I've grown bored of you."

The words struck Endo like a physical blow, igniting his rage. He felt his strength surge, his [Body Reinforcement Technique] kicking in with full force.

His muscles bulged under the strain, his body trembling with pent-up energy.

He was a coiled spring, ready to unleash.

"Then let's see if you can still stay bored," Endo growled, his voice laced with venom. He charged, all his remaining strength focused on one goal – to wipe that smug grin off the young man's face.

"I'll give you everything I have!"

Whether or not he could surpass his previous attacks was a question Endo could not answer. However… he had to try!

~WHOOOOOSSSSHHH!~

Endo charged towards the young man, every muscle in his body strained to its limit, his face twisted in a mask of rage. But as he drew closer, he heard the young man's voice carrying across the vast hall.

"I've tested my defenses, and my agility, Endo," the young man began, his voice eerily calm despite the impending clash.

"But there's one thing I haven't fully tested yet... my Strength."

Endo barely had time to register the words before his punch was met mid-air. The impact of their fists colliding shook the very foundation of the cavern, causing a shockwave that reverberated throughout the massive space.

~BOOOOOOMMM!!!~

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[A/N]

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Cheers!