Ishida watched carefully as Kyōki continued his movement pattern. The demon's power wasn't just about speed - it was about continuous motion and building force. Each step, each bounce added to his momentum, making his attacks progressively stronger.
'There's a pattern here,' Ishida thought, forcing himself to focus despite his injuries. 'He needs to keep moving to maintain his power. And after that big release attack, he has to start building momentum again from zero.'
Kyōki launched forward again, his movements fluid and powerful. "Momentum Chain!" The demon's first punch was relatively weak, but Ishida knew better than to underestimate it now. He sidestepped instead of blocking, letting the attack pass by.
"Learning already?" Kyōki smirked, immediately transitioning into his bouncing pattern. "But dodging won't save you forever!"
The demon ricocheted off three surfaces in quick succession, his speed increasing with each bounce. Ishida tracked his movement carefully, noting how Kyōki's red veins pulsed brighter with each impact.
"Moon Breathing, Third Form: Loathsome Moon, Chains!" Ishida created interconnected crescent slashes, not to hit Kyōki directly, but to force him to change his bouncing pattern.
[HP: 1250/1520]
[Fatigue: 57/100]
The strategy worked - partially. Kyōki had to alter his trajectory to avoid the chain of slashes, disrupting his momentum build-up. But the demon quickly adapted, finding new angles to bounce from.
"Clever," Kyōki acknowledged, "but not clever enough!" He suddenly changed direction mid-bounce, catching Ishida off guard with a powerful strike to his side.
[HP: 1220/1520]
[Fatigue: 60/100]
As Ishida staggered from the blow, something clicked in his mind. During that last attack, when Kyōki changed direction suddenly, his veins had pulsed noticeably brighter. 'That's it! The veins... they're not just for show. They're storing his momentum!'
Kyōki was already moving again, bouncing between surfaces to build up force. But this time, Ishida watched his veins carefully. They glowed brighter with each impact, like blood rushing through them faster and faster.
"Moon Breathing, Eighth Form: Moon-Dragon Ringtail!" Ishida's attack curved unpredictably, forcing Kyōki to expend some stored momentum to dodge.
'The veins dimmed slightly when he dodged,' Ishida noted. 'He uses stored momentum not just for attacks, but for defensive movements too!'
"You're starting to understand," Kyōki grinned, his veins pulsing rhythmically as he built up speed again. "But understanding won't help you if you can't do anything about it!"
The demon launched into another Ricochet Rush, but Ishida was ready this time. He watched the veins carefully - they grew brightest just before Kyōki released his stored power.
"Impact Release!" Kyōki announced, unleashing all his stored momentum in one devastating attack.
"Moon Breathing, Fifteenth Form: Wane of Solitude!" Ishida created a perfect circle of moonlight around himself. The timing had to be perfect - he'd noticed that Kyōki was most vulnerable right after releasing all his stored momentum.
The Impact Release slammed into the moonlight barrier with tremendous force. Cracks appeared immediately, but the defense held just long enough. As soon as the attack ended, Ishida saw what he was waiting for - Kyōki's veins dimmed completely, indicating his stored momentum was depleted.
[HP: 1200/1520]
[Fatigue: 65/100]
"Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace!" Ishida launched a precise counter-attack while Kyōki was momentarily weakened. The crescent-shaped slash caught the demon across the chest, drawing first blood.
Kyōki leaped back, touching the wound with an expression of surprise. "Well, well... you've figured out more than I expected." His veins began pulsing again as he started building momentum. "But knowing my weakness doesn't mean you can exploit it!"
The demon's movements became more erratic, mixing short bursts of stored momentum with longer build-ups. He was trying to be unpredictable, but Ishida could now read the patterns in his veins' pulsing glow.
'There's more to it,' Ishida realized as he defended against another series of attacks. 'He can store momentum for up to 30 seconds before needing to release it. And the brighter his veins glow, the closer he is to his limit!'
[HP: 1180/1520]
[Fatigue: 70/100]
Kyōki continued his assault, but his attacks no longer felt as overwhelming as before. Ishida could now anticipate the timing of his major releases by watching his veins, and he was learning to force the demon to expend momentum defensively.
"You're not just strong," Kyōki observed, his eyes narrowing. "You're dangerous. Time to stop holding back!"
The demon's veins suddenly blazed with brilliant light as he pushed his momentum storage to its absolute limit. "Let's see how you handle my full power!"
Kyōki's veins blazed with crimson light, his stored momentum reaching dangerous levels. The air itself seemed to vibrate around him as he prepared to unleash his full power.
"You've done well to understand my abilities," Kyōki acknowledged, his voice strained from containing so much energy. "But understanding means nothing against overwhelming force!"
The demon launched forward with explosive speed, his body leaving trails of red light in its wake. "Maximum Impact Release!"
But Ishida was ready. He had noticed something crucial - the brighter Kyōki's veins glowed, the more rigid his movement patterns became. At maximum power, he could only move in straight lines.
"Moon Breathing, Sixteenth Form: Moonbow, Half Moon!" Ishida unleashed multiple curved slashes in rapid succession, not aimed at Kyōki directly, but at the points where he would need to land.
[HP: 1180/1520]
[Fatigue: 72/100]
Kyōki was forced to release some of his stored momentum to avoid the slashes, his veins dimming slightly. "Clever, but not enough!" He immediately began bouncing off surfaces again, trying to rebuild his lost momentum.
"Moon Breathing, Tenth Form: Drilling Slashes, Moon Through Bamboo Leaves!" Ishida's three-layered attack struck just as Kyōki landed from a bounce. The demon blocked the first two slashes, but the third caught him in the shoulder.
'His defense is weakest right after landing,' Ishida confirmed, pressing his advantage. 'And he can't change direction mid-bounce without expending stored momentum!'
[HP: 1180/1520]
[Fatigue: 75/100]
Kyōki snarled, his tactical composure cracking. He began building momentum more aggressively, sacrificing control for raw power. "If you're so smart, try reading this pattern!"
The demon started bouncing in a complex, seemingly random sequence. But Ishida had already figured out the key - no matter how chaotic Kyōki's movements appeared, he always needed a solid surface to bounce from.
"Moon Breathing, Fourteenth Form: Catastrophe, Tenman Crescent Moon!" Ishida created a whirlpool of slashes that systematically destroyed the ground and walls around them, limiting Kyōki's bouncing points.
The demon's eyes widened as he realized his movement options were being restricted. He was forced to release another Impact Release prematurely, his veins dimming further.
"Moon Breathing, Eleventh Form: Lunar Crescendo!" Each of Ishida's strikes built upon the last, matching Kyōki's momentum-building style. The demon blocked the first few hits, but each successive strike carried more force.
[HP: 1180/1520]
[Fatigue: 80/100]
"Impossible!" Kyōki growled, his veins pulsing erratically as he tried to maintain his momentum. "How are you matching my power?"
"Because you're predictable now," Ishida replied calmly. "Your technique requires perfect rhythm. Break that rhythm..."
"Moon Breathing, Thirteenth Form: Astral Revival!" Moonlight infused Ishida's blade, purifying the very air around them. The technique's energy disrupted Kyōki's momentum flow, causing his veins to flicker.
The demon staggered, his carefully built-up momentum destabilizing. "No... NO!" He desperately tried to rebuild his power, but Ishida wasn't giving him the chance.
"Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace!" A precise, powerful crescent slash caught Kyōki mid-bounce. The demon crashed to the ground, his momentum completely disrupted.
[HP: 1180/1520]
[Fatigue: 85/100]
"It's over," Ishida declared, raising his sword for the final strike. "Your technique is powerful, but it has too many fixed points. Once those points are understood..."
"ENOUGH!" Kyōki roared, his veins blazing one last time as he poured every ounce of remaining momentum into a desperate attack. "DIE!"