Ye stood there, panting heavily, as the dust from the pulverized Kurogane began to settle.
The final battle was about to begin, and Ye transformed into his new Celestial Ivory Ascendant Form.
The Form granted incredible power, but it came at a steep price. Most of Ye’s Qi was gone, and his body struggled to deal with the taxing weight of the transformation.
Ye’s chest heaved as caught his breath, sweat pouring down his face. The intense energy coursing through his veins felt like fire, threatening to consume him from within. He knew he couldn't keep this form up for much longer, but he had to be ready for whatever Taro had in store.
As Ye attempted to steady his breathing, he glanced over at Taro, who was watching with an intrigued expression. His eyes seemed to pierce right through Ye, as if trying to analyze every move and exploit every weakness. Ye did not feel ready to face him in his current state.
Despite the exhaustion and the dwindling reserves of Qi, Ye knew he couldn't let his guard down. He had come this far and couldn't afford to falter now. With a deep breath, he prepared for the battle ahead, knowing it would take every ounce of strength, skill, and determination he possessed to overcome Taro.
As he prepared, Ye wondered if he truly had what it took to defeat Taro. His body was battered and weary, and the Celestial Ivory Ascendant Form was a double-edged sword, granting immense power but threatening to leave him defenseless when it was gone.
But in that moment, as he faced the daunting figure of Taro, Ye knew there was no turning back. It was now or never, and he had to give it his all to defeat Taro and avenge the people who had suffered at the hands of the Dragon's Claw. With a fierce determination burning in his eyes, he readied for the battle that would decide their fates.
As the fight began, Taro wasted no time in unleashing his Vortex of Annihilation. The powerful attack came at Ye like a whirlwind of destruction, and he barely managed to dodge it, feeling the force of the attack as it grazed past him.
They continued to parry, with Ye doing his best to keep Taro at bay. He knew he couldn't afford to let Taro land a single hit, as it could spell the end for him.
Taro seemed to understand this as well, and he relentlessly threw Vortex of Annihilations at Ye, each one more powerful and more difficult to evade than the last.
Ye’s heart raced as he leaped, spun, and twisted around Taro's attacks. His body was pushed to its limits, but he knew he couldn't give in to exhaustion.
As he dodged yet another Vortex of Annihilation, Ye could feel the air around vibrating from the sheer force of the attack. His body screamed in protest as he pushed it even harder, evading each powerful blow by mere inches. The energy of the battle was palpable, and Ye had to find an opening soon or risk being overwhelmed by Taro's relentless onslaught.
Despite the odds, Ye held on, his determination to overcome driving him forward. He knew he had to find a way to turn the tide, even as Taro continued his barrage of devastating attacks.
As Ye continued to dodge Taro's barrage of Vortex of Annihilations, he realized Taro was relying heavily on this powerful move. It occurred to Ye that perhaps Taro was overusing the maneuver, and he began to think of how to use this to his advantage.
Ye realized he could exploit Taro's over-reliance on the Vortex of Annihilation. If Ye could bait him into using the move predictably, he might be able to find an opening to counterattack.
He focused on evading Taro's attacks while also trying to bait him into a pattern. Ye intentionally moved in a way that would tempt Taro to use his Vortex of Annihilation, hoping that Taro’s pride and confidence in the move would blind him to Ye’s true intentions.
As Ye anticipated, Taro took the bait, and the pattern of his attacks began to grow more predictable. Ye could feel the exhaustion weighing heavily on him, but he knew that this was the only chance to turn the tide of the battle. Ye pushed his body to its limits, readying for the crucial moment when he would strike back.
Finally, the opportunity came. As Taro unleashed yet another Vortex of Annihilation, Ye predicted the attack's trajectory and, with a burst of speed, moved into position to counter.
In that split second, Ye found the opening he had been waiting for and launched a devastating attack, catching Taro off guard and exploiting the very weakness he had unknowingly revealed.
Though still exhausted and battered, Ye knew that the strategy had paid off. He had managed to turn the tables on Taro, using his own overconfidence against him, and now held the upper hand in the fierce battle.
As he stood there, panting and gasping for air, Taro's gaze locked onto his.
Taro’s eyes narrowed, and a smile crept across his face. "I didn't think I'd need to do this," he said, an edge of amusement in his voice. "But you're proving to be more than I expected, Ye."
Taro's body began to tremble, and Ye could feel an overwhelming energy surging around him. Ye braced, eyes widening as he watched Taro transform. His muscles swelled, and his hair, once a deep black, shifted to a vibrant crimson, flowing wildly around him as if it had a life of its own.
The air around Taro crackled and burned, and a fiery red aura enveloped him. Ye could feel the intense heat radiating from his form, and the pressure of his power level was like a weight upon his chest. In that moment, Ye knew Taro had achieved the Crimson Tempest form, a transformation that was both legendary and terrifying.
A cold dread crept up Ye’s spine. This was not what he had anticipated, and he was already exhausted from the battle with Kurogane.
But Ye wouldn't back down. The lives of his friends and loved ones were on the line, and he would face this overwhelming power head-on.
As the Crimson Tempest form continued to burn brightly around Taro, Ye took a deep breath. He knew he had to give everything he had to defeat him, even if it meant pushing his body beyond its limits.
