Their fists met again—no explosion, no flashy aura.
Just impact.
So deep it echoed across planes.
Riku's left arm locked with Akuma's right. They each pushed forward, bodies locked, muscles tensing, legs digging into the fractured stone beneath them.
The entire realm quaked—not from techniques, but from balance.
Celestial Nexus against Absolute Dominion.
They disengaged.
And clashed again.
This time—Riku struck first, feinting low with a jab, then twisting into a side-kick that would've shattered a battleship.
Akuma caught it with one hand.
Spun.
Flipped Riku over his shoulder like a ragdoll.
Riku landed mid-air—no stumble—and launched back with a spinning heel kick that grazed Akuma's cheek.
A clean hit.
Akuma didn't flinch.
He grinned.
Then stepped forward, unleashing a barrage of punches—each faster than the last. Riku parried every single one, sliding his hands along Akuma's arms, absorbing momentum before retaliating with an uppercut that sent shockwaves skyward.
Their feet never stopped moving.
Their breath stayed steady.
Each exchange was perfectly timed. Every blow answered by one of equal precision.
They weren't fighting anymore.
They were testing.
Proving.
Riku dodged a brutal elbow by a millimeter and returned with a shoulder check that launched Akuma backward into a spire.
It cracked—but didn't collapse.
Akuma stepped out of the dust, unfazed.
"You've adapted," he said, flexing his fingers.
Riku rolled his neck. "So have you."
They charged again.
No buildup. No theatrics.
Just fists.
The battle raged across floating platforms, debris, and broken fragments of the void realm. They fought while falling. They fought while rising. They fought while gravity bent and spun and collapsed around them.
Still no powers.
Still no techniques.
Just combat.
At one point—they both landed a punch at the same time.
Both jaws cracked.
Both staggered.
Both smiled.
Their breaths now came slower. Not from exhaustion—but from focus. Every second mattered. Every twitch of a muscle could spell victory or defeat.
Riku narrowed his glowing eyes. "You're not just the strongest. You're the most disciplined."
Akuma nodded. "And you're not just a Divine Avatar. You're a warrior."
They charged again—no hesitation.
Two perfect fighters.
Locked in a dance the world wasn't meant to witness.
And still…
The fight wasn't over.