A muscular girl is presented to the passionate world of crossover anime.

"Is that a straight punch?" The audience was puzzled. "We've used it before, and it's ineffective against Shibukawa's fighting spirit!"

Even the fighters backstage were full of questions, except...

"It was definitely a straight punch." Although Kaoru Hanayama lost to Retsu Kaioh, the brave and fierce Kaoru is now standing and watching the match. Judging from the surface, he seems to be completely unaffected by his previous injuries.

Hua Shan and "Joaquin" fought each other, and it was a very intense battle. He is also the only person so far to have withstood "that move"—which move? The supersonic punch!

Shibukawa's ultimate form of Aikido is almost the ultimate form of energy dissipation. If we consider it as a game, energy dissipation is like adding a magic shield that burns MP to the character. Going a step further, with Kanon's "Hosen," it's like adding a thorny aura to the magic shield for damage reflection. As for Shibukawa's Aikido, it's like stacking the character's evasion and counterattack rate to the maximum. The problem is that it's hard to hit, not that the damage is insufficient if it does hit.

Therefore, to break through Shibukawa's Aikido, it is nothing more than starting from three aspects: power, speed, and technique. Technically, Kanon can neither hit nor catch him, and her power is not strong enough to overpower Shibukawa, so speed is the best choice.

Supersonic punch! That's the supersonic weapon that Kanon possesses. At this speed, even Shibukawa Goki wouldn't be able to react in time, not to mention the massive damage it would inflict. Kanon is genuinely worried that she might kill the old man Shibukawa...

"You really won't admit defeat?"

"I thought being long-winded was a privilege of the elderly, but I didn't expect young people to be so long-winded as well."

Hanon didn't say anything more; she threw that punch.

This was the long-awaited uncut version of Supersonic Fist. Everyone watching lost focus for a moment, no longer able to see Hanon's arm. There was only a blur, which, under the light, almost turned into a faintly glowing shooting star.

The "meteor" rushed towards Shibukawa Takeki, and because Shibukawa Takeki was sitting cross-legged, Kanon's attack was aimed directly at his head!

At this rate, the old Martial Saint is really going to ascend to heaven and become a star...

In reality, it was an extremely fast punch. Everything happened in an instant. Before people could react, they had just seen Joaquin throw a punch, and the next moment, about half a second later, they heard the sound of a fist tearing through the air.

"Ah!" Many people closed their eyes and covered their ears; the sound was really shrill.

When everyone came to their senses, they saw that Joaquin's arm, from which he had thrown his punch, was covered in wounds and dripping blood, yet he stood tall and proud. Shibukawa Goki lay far away from Joaquin, unconscious, blood still gushing from his mouth.

Strangely, Shibukawa Goki didn't die... Furthermore, he wasn't lying directly in front of Kanon, but diagonally in front of her, his cheeks were swollen and red, but his nose wasn't broken.

The outcome is decided!

The battle is over, but what exactly happened is beyond the understanding of most people.

Fortunately, there was a slow-motion replay of the scene, which was quickly shown on the big screen. People discovered that even in normal slow motion, Kanon's fist was still just a blur and couldn't be seen clearly at all.

"Wow, that's amazing! Just how fast was that punch?!"

"But the fact that Shibukawa-sensei wasn't killed after all that, Aikido is truly amazing!"

"Wait, look! That punch didn't land!"

Although only a blurry image could be seen in the replay, Kanon's punching style was finally clearly displayed in front of everyone.

Such a fast attack left Shibukawa no time to react, let alone raise his hand to grab Kanon's arm and use Aikido. But Kanon's punch wasn't aimed at the old martial saint's head either; it just grazed past his cheek.

The incredibly fast punch generated immense wind pressure, tearing through the air and causing a sonic boom. Even the spectators dozens of meters away had to cover their ears, let alone Shibukawa Takeki, who was directly impacted—he was stunned!

Taking advantage of Shibukawa's momentary mental confusion, Kanon's other hand followed closely, grabbing Shibukawa's collar!

When a character with low defense and depleted health is defeated by their only reliance on evasion, their fate is sealed. It makes no difference whether their opponent chooses to unleash a full-force punch or flick them on the head.

Hanon directly lifted Shibukawa Takeki off the ground, and a fatal blow awaited him! Of course, the old martial saint's reaction was also astonishing. In a fraction of a second, he actually managed to forcefully reach out and grab Hanon's arm, trying to turn the tide... but it was useless. He had neither the strength nor the time.

As soon as the momentum of Hanon's super-fast punch subsided, she endured the pain and slapped the old martial saint to the side!

Using a slap that neutralizes force is not an insulting move; on the contrary, its destructive power is enough to twist an ordinary person's head off! As a martial arts master who has honed his body for many years, Shibukawa Goki, although thin, has a good level of muscle mass and flexibility, so he was not killed by the slap. Only half of his face was swollen high, and he was sent flying while spitting blood.

Hanon's punch, lift, and slap all took less than a second. Even the "smack" of Shibukawa's cheek being slapped was masked by the explosive sound of the supersonic punch. Many people, including most fighters, were still bewildered after watching the slow-motion replay: "That's too fast! Is that even a human speed?"

But this is only the first level; some people think even deeper.

"Boring brat, womanly sentimentality," Yujiro Hanma said, but a strange feeling lingered in his heart. Joaquin had many things he disliked, yet occasionally he displayed qualities that Yujiro greatly admired. Coupled with his formidable strength, Yujiro even considered challenging him to a duel! However, having learned his lesson from before, he needed to be mindful of the "tranquilizer gun warning" before the tournament ended, so he didn't want to cause any trouble.

In short, feeling conflicted, Yujiro simply shook his head, left the stands, and went for a stroll.

Compared to Yujiro, Doppo Guji only had pure admiration for Joaquin. The old martial god was explaining to his disciples: "Shibukawa Goki is completely unable to react to a supersonic punch. Joaquin could have killed him instantly with a headshot, but he deliberately missed and then used a follow-up move to win. That was out of compassion; he didn't want to actually kill anyone. In fact, if he had missed the first punch and failed to use the sonic boom to stun Shibukawa, Joaquin would have essentially destroyed his own arm. Not only would the outcome of this battle have become much more uncertain, but his upcoming semi-final against Jack Vanma, and his final against Hanane or Retsu Kaioh, would also have been greatly affected..."

The old martial god's countless words could be summed up in one sentence: "Joaquin, you are so gentle!"

Author's Note: Whew, what a tragedy, I'm late again today because I read a post this morning...

Section 570, Chapter 564: The Way of the Dragon

Shibukawa was carried off the field. Even though Kanon's supersonic punch didn't land, the subsequent pursuit was still very heavy. It seems the old martial saint will need to rest for a while.

Hanon also left the arena. He needed to quickly change his costume to prepare for the semi-final against Retsu Kaioh, and also stop the bleeding from his arm.

Including the match that just ended, Kanon will have to fight three battles in a row. Perhaps the biggest test of tonight's tournament is not Kanon's martial arts skills, but her physical fitness...

Fortunately, there are only four fighters left now, so there's no need for a group appearance anymore. Hanon can take her time changing clothes.

During the break, the commentator was still diligently maintaining the atmosphere of the match. This job wasn't difficult, since it was already the semi-finals, and the audience was looking forward to the results of the next three fierce battles. Someone started it, and gradually the sound of many people stomping their feet came from the stands. It gradually changed from chaos to order, and finally resounded throughout the stadium, like the drums beating before the start of a war.

"Ladies and gentlemen, at tonight's conference, four of the strongest fighters have emerged from over thirty official, reserve, and even random contestants! They will face off in the final three battles!"

The commentator reports: "In the first semi-final match, the world's strongest woman, Ye Hanon, faces off against the master of four thousand years of Chinese martial arts, the Demon Fist, the Fist Hero, Retsu Kaioh! In the second semi-final match, the mysterious, powerful, and ferocious street fighter, Jack Vanma, who has crushed his opponents all the way, faces off against the man among men, the strongest man in the underworld, Joaquin! I must note that although our tournament is held in the basement of the Tokyo Dome, none of the four semi-finalists are Japanese! This is truly a pity..."

"Indeed..." Tokugawa Mitsunari wasn't too concerned about the result, but he was somewhat surprised: "I thought that someone from Baki, the Doppo father and son, or Shibukawa-sensei would definitely make it into the top four, but I didn't expect them all to be defeated. Heh, it seems I've found the world's strongest fighters. This tournament is quite prestigious, isn't it?"

While Tokugawa Mitsunari may have been a bit of a scoundrel, his magnanimity is still commendable. After all, he was a wealthy 13th-generation heir who had seen many grand occasions and was devoted to martial arts, so he didn't have strong prejudices against different schools or countries. As for the ordinary spectators at the tournament, they weren't so open-minded. Some emotionally charged people even shed tears, unable to accept the result that Japanese martial arts were inferior to others.

Influenced by this sentiment, when they remembered that both Kanon and Jack were half Japanese, they transferred their home crowd mentality to the two of them, especially Kanon. Her beautiful appearance and neat fighting style were much more likable than the fierce and crude Jack, and she was about to enter the game. So, for a moment, the shouts were deafening, and the Tokyo Dome was filled with cheers for "Yo Kanon". Whether they had watched the final elimination match or not, at this moment, the audience regarded Kanon as the strongest in their hearts!

"Kanaon! Kanon!"

"Miss Kanon is the best!"

"Ye Huayin! Go for it!"

……

The shouts continued until Hanon walked out of the entrance passage, reaching their peak the moment she appeared.

The sound was so loud it almost overturned the arena and reached the Tokyo Dome on the ground.

"Huanyin..." Even someone as weathered as an eagle, with her own sharp edges, couldn't help but be filled with countless thoughts at this moment: "Has she gained such widespread support through her own strength?"

The feeling of a fledgling bird growing into a mighty eagle and flying away from the nest was something that Takakaze Kirito had experienced several times in the past, but this time it was undoubtedly the most intense, and his attitude towards Kanon's martial arts training had truly changed.

If even she felt this way, one can only imagine how much more so the others in Kanon's group of friends and family felt. Miho and Garuda's eyes were filled with pride and admiration; the old butler Ito was deeply moved and was wiping away tears with a handkerchief; Mishima Hitomi was witnessing such a scene for the first time, and she was so excited that she even trembled a little...

As for Adam, he went backstage to visit Shibukawa Takeo and hasn't returned yet.

"Ye Haiwang, you're really popular..." After Lie Haiwang came on stage, the audience was still chanting Hanon's name, ignoring him and even booing.

Hanon was embarrassed. She scratched her head and said, "This is really an unexpected home advantage. With so many people's expectations on my shoulders, the psychological pressure is actually quite high."

"No, neither of us needs to be bothered by such things." King Liehai raised his head and looked around the arena: "Such scenes are not uncommon in the history of Chinese martial arts. Whether it is the cheers or the boos from the audience, we have been used to it for more than two thousand years."

Hanon scratched her head even harder, thinking, "How can this be linked to the four thousand years of Chinese martial arts history?"

“After all, Ye Haiwang has only been involved in martial arts for a short time and hasn’t received systematic historical education from the Martial Arts Province, so I can understand.” Lie Haiwang raised an eyebrow: “Do you know why I kept saying similar things at the conference tonight?”

"I'd love to hear the details!" Hanon was really eager to know. Although Retsukai was a bit rigid when they last met, he was clearly a cheerful man. Tonight, however, he was acting rather talkative and carried away.

"This isn't said to Dakrov, nor to Katsumi Guji or Kaoru Hanayama, but to all the warriors and spectators tonight." Retsukai began his story: "The Silk Road—a historical concept, and the common name many people, both Chinese and foreign, use for that road. It stretches from Chang'an in the east to Rome in the west, connecting the East and the West, the two greatest nations in the world..."

"In ancient Rome, the people loved and supported the gladiatorial games, where skilled gladiators fought lions and tigers, and top warriors competed in duels. But after hundreds of years, the Roman gladiatorial games gradually declined. History books offer various explanations: some say the games were too intense and caused too many deaths, others say the nobles were corrupt and turned them into a tool for amusement... But the truth is not so simple. There is only one reason: the victors of the gladiatorial games were no longer Romans, but Chinese!"

Lie Haiwang recounted the history of this new world: "The earliest was Li Haiwang, the foremost martial artist of China during the late Qin and early Han dynasties. He went alone to the Roman Colosseum to fight against Dresden, the greatest warrior of Rome at the time, and won decisively! This sparked a full-scale clash between Chinese and Roman martial arts. After that, Chinese martial artists traveled to Rome via the Silk Road in an endless stream to showcase their skills in the Colosseum. Although some less skilled martial artists were defeated and suffered the bitter consequences, the Chinese people's pursuit and development of human potential was unmatched by any other nation. Through years of dedicated study and practice, Chinese martial arts finally far surpassed Roman martial arts, establishing an unshakeable and invincible position!"

"The proud Romans closed the arena and refused to fight Chinese martial artists again. They feared us, calling our kung fu the Eastern Dragon, and the Silk Road was revered as the 'Way of the Dragon'!"

"So that's how it is..." After hearing Retsukai's story, Hanon was also moved. Together with Retsukai, they looked up and around. It was another arena, another battleground for strong fighters from all over the world, and now, a son of China had stepped onto this stage...

Lie Haiwang lowered his head and looked at Huayin: "I'm telling you this not to prove that Chinese martial arts are invincible. During the creation of the 'Dragon Way,' Chinese martial artists also failed countless times. Our true strength lies in our perseverance, courage, diligence, innovation, and continuous evolution! Temporary victories and defeats are not worth being happy or sad about. As long as we can learn from them, we can apply them next time—this was also my answer when I was 'seeking the Way through my heart' during Haiwang's evaluation."

Lie Haiwang struck his signature pose: "Our next battle is an inheritance and development of the spirit of our predecessors. Even if it is just a friendly exchange rather than a life-or-death duel, I will not hold back. Ye Haiwang, you must do the same. Let us push Chinese martial arts to a higher level!"

"Hmm..." A casual sparring match between acquaintances, seemingly without a fight to the death, suddenly transformed into a battle of historical significance, and Hanon's expression became much more solemn. She assumed the "Former Feather" stance: "Please!"

Author's Note: It really is a little late again...

Section 571, Chapter 565: Chinese martial arts are indeed all-encompassing.

Kanon and Retsu Kaioh, a pair of heroes—no, a male and female—are locked in a standoff, and a battle is about to erupt.

Although she didn't unleash the "Cosmic Illusion" attack but instead chose "Front Feather," Kanon still decided to strike first. Just like Shibukawa said in the previous match, it's a sign of respect for a junior to strike first during a confrontation. Although Retsu Kaioh isn't that old, he's still Kanon's senior, both in terms of age and experience as a Kaioh.

So Hanon slowly moved forward, getting closer to Retsu.

But who says that Retsu Kaioh needs Kanon to make the first move?

Suddenly, Retsu Kaioh clenched his arms into a tube shape and placed them in front of his mouth. His already strong and broad chest and back muscles swelled to an unbelievable degree. All of this happened in an instant. Just as Kanon noticed Retsu Kaioh's movement, he blew a "ki blast" right in front of her!

It was a real "air blast," and its power was like that of a real blowgun. The impact was astonishing. Huayin was caught off guard and hit in the face, causing her to lose momentum. When she opened her eyes again, Liehaiwang was already in front of her, with his fist already halfway out!

"Bang!" The punch landed squarely on Hanon's collarbone, sending her staggering back several steps...

It only takes a few steps.

"She's really alright." Lie Haiwang wasn't surprised by the result. The two had sparred before in the Guangdong Martial Arts Province. At that time, Lie Haiwang used a staff while Hua Yin was unarmed. Hua Yin's super strong defense of "indestructible Vajra" left a deep impression on Lie Haiwang. Therefore, he had no intention of finishing this battle quickly.

This punch was enough to repel Kanon, which was the goal of Retsukai-oh. He then pressed forward and launched a series of attacks on Kanon.

King Retsu believed that even the strongest defense would eventually crumble, as the saying goes, "a rope can saw through wood, and water can wear away stone." Before that happened, he would use the patience and determination of the Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains to continuously apply pressure and strike his opponent.

The start was bad... Kanon retreated all the way back, even to the point where her back was against the railing. Retsu Kaioh's attacks were as dense as rain, wave after wave, and Kanon couldn't even find a chance to escape or counterattack, so she could only passively take the hits.

"Sigh, this is really discouraging. We've already encountered several guys in this tournament who we can't beat, with Retsu Kaioh being the worst of them all."

Indeed, Kanon's ability to counter moves is first-rate. However, if top-tier martial artists are further divided into different levels, Kanon's skills can only be considered below average. Guji Doppo, Shibukawa Goki, Hanma Baki, and now Retsu Kaioh, all of these people are more solid in their ability to counter moves than Kanon. That is the product of genius and years of experience. Kanon is undoubtedly a genius, but his experience cannot compare to these people.

However, Retsu Kaioh was secretly praising Hanon: "After several months, Retsu Kaioh's counter-attacks have improved even more than before. After exchanging blows for so long, I only managed to hit him once at the very beginning!"

In their last encounter, Retsu Kaioh used a staff technique and hit Kanon repeatedly right away, but she blocked the damage with her "Indestructible Vajra". In this fight, Retsu Kaioh fought bare-handed. His technique was superb, and he was no less skilled than when he was armed. However, he could only suppress her and could not even hit her.