Fire Fist Ace's methods of attack were brutal and direct. There were no flashy, complex hand signs or deceptive ninjutsu; it was a relentless, three-beat rhythmic assault that left Hyuga Hizashi struggling to draw breath.
As the scorching flames swept across the battlefield, Hizashi was forced to repeatedly employ the Hyuga clan's Kaiten.
Yet, every time the centrifugal force pushed back the fire, the Sand Navy Admiral—this man called Ace—seemed utterly tireless, lunging forward with yet another explosive punch.
Every strike from Ace tore through the air with a rhythmic, whip-like crack. His movements were fierce and manic, resembling a blizzard of fire.
As the battle reached its crescendo, each blow grew more terrifying—a roaring torrent of heat that sought to drown everything in its path.
For Ace, the battle felt remarkably liberating. His opponent was a high-quality "sandbag," allowing him to test the full range of his Fire Fist techniques in this new world.
While Armament Haki could only be used in a rudimentary form here, when combined with his Fire Style Sage Body, Ace's destructive power was no less potent than when he possessed the Flame-Flame Fruit.
This, paired with his monstrous physical strength and innate battle intuition, allowed him to suppress Hizashi completely.
Inside the Star Village, the situation was equally grim for the defenders. Facing the Sand's overwhelming invasion, the majority of the Star Ninjas surrendered without a fight.
With Konoha's main forces tied down in the Land of Steam, the defenses in the Land of Bears were dangerously thin.
As the remaining Konoha ninjas attempted to regroup toward Hizashi, Ace's eyes flashed. He slammed his palms onto the ground, and a wall of domineering flames erupted, cutting off the Leaf's retreat.
Fire Style: Flame Fence (Enjoukai)!
Though he no longer had his Devil Fruit, Ace's affinity for fire remained. Through his recent cultivation and recovery, he had begun to systematically recreate his signature moves within the framework of this world's laws.
As a man who once was fire, Ace possessed a natural advantage over any Fire Style ninja. The moment the Flame Fence appeared, the Leaf's formation fell into total chaos.
Ace's hands ignited into brilliant flares—the Sunlight Blades—as he dove back toward Hizashi.
In close-quarters combat, the Hyuga's Gentle Fist was renowned for its defensive prowess. However, Hizashi made a harrowing discovery: the clan's signature chakra-point sealing had little effect on this man.
With his Byakugan active, Hizashi could see that Ace's entire network of meridians was not filled with traditional chakra, but was instead circulating volatile "Natural Fire Energy."
The small amount of chakra he did possess was secondary. Every time Hizashi managed to strike a tenketsu to block the flow, the internal flames would simply incinerate the invading qi and reopen the pathway.
Furthermore, Ace's physical density was like bedrock. To drive a finger into his pressure points required ten times the effort needed for a normal ninja.
The sheer physical constitution of a powerhouse from the Great Pirate Era acted as a hard counter to the technical, precision-based style of the Hyuga.
A violent shockwave rippled through the clearing. Under Ace's savage offensive, Hizashi finally buckled, retreating several steps while coughing up blood.
"Lord Hizashi!"
Seeing their leader in peril, several Hyuga clansmen grew desperate. They braved the heat of the fire wall to intervene, only to see Ace toss a handful of glowing green embers into the air.
What is this...?
Firefly: Fiery Doll (Hotarubi: Hidaruma)!
The green luminescent "fireflies" drifted onto the Leaf ninjas. Ace clapped his hands together, and the embers instantly detonated into a series of localized explosions.
While the individual blasts weren't lethal, they were perfect for crowd control, scattering the reinforcements in a haze of smoke and screams.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Ace moved like a streak of lightning. His punches were a blur, feinting with a heavy right before connecting with a high-speed left. The two strikes worked in perfect tandem, weaving a net of inescapable pressure.
"Damn it, don't look down on me!" Hizashi roared.
As they clashed again, Ace's strength surged. His body acted like a compressed spring; as he recoiled from a strike, he drew in the surrounding heat and launched himself forward like a meteor.
Hizashi dropped his shoulder and braced his left arm to intercept the blow. However, each of Ace's punches was more explosive than the last. This final strike shattered Hizashi's threshold of endurance.
CRACK!
Hizashi was sent flying as if hit by a cannonball. Every joint, muscle, and inch of skin vibrated with the aftershock, leaving him momentarily paralyzed.
The lingering flames began to consume his stamina, weakening him further with every second.
"Surrender," Ace said, his voice calm amidst the roaring fire. "You have no chance of winning."
"Are you... trying to humiliate us?" Hizashi wheezed.
With a final burst of willpower, Hizashi ignited his remaining chakra. His hands blurred into the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, meeting Ace's fist head-on.
The collision of palm and fist produced a staggering force that sent even Ace stumbling backward, his center of gravity momentarily broken.
Seeing his opening, Hizashi lunged forward, putting his entire body weight into a final, desperate strike.
I won't lose here!
Ace's fighting spirit soared. His Armament Haki flared as he forced his muscles to tighten. Using the reactive force of his Fire Style Sage Body, he triggered a localized burst of flame that propelled him sideways by two steps.
Hizashi's strike hit nothing but air. Before the Hyuga could reset, Ace planted his feet, straightened his right arm, and delivered a devastating side-swipe that connected squarely with the side of Hizashi's head.
BOOM!
A flash of light signaled the impact. Hizashi's face was a mask of blood as the force of the blow rattled his brain. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious before he even hit the dirt.
Close-quarters combat was always the most dangerous, and Ace's explosive finish had ended the duel decisively.
With the prostrate Hizashi as a backdrop, Ace raised his hands, and the wall of fire surged to its peak, forcing the remaining Konoha forces into a full retreat.
Hizashi, suffering from a severe concussion and chaotic consciousness, was taken prisoner by the Sand and transported to a secure Navy base. As the brother of the Hyuga Clan Head, he would prove to be a captive of immense strategic value.
Elsewhere in the village, the cleanup was well underway. Kashi, Tomoko, and Karin stood amidst the smoldering ruins of the Star Village's defenses.
Karin adjusted her glasses, her sensory abilities scanning the perimeter. "The Leaf is in total retreat. We've secured the core of the village."
Kashi nodded, his Magnet Release iron sand slowly receding into its container. "Then let's secure the meteorite. The Kazekage is waiting."
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