Miko had unleashed a higher form of Vita, proving that he was now a master. This meant Nen, who had yet to reach this stage was at a great disadvantage. And yet, he wore a grin on his face.

“This is just a normal Tuesday for me!”

He kicked off the ground and rushed towards Miko. He threw a punch. Miko lifted his hand in front of him. Nen’s fist hit his hand with a muffled sound.

(He cancel out my punch?!)

Nen aimed a kick at his head. Miko blocked it with his forearm. Nen went for his throat with a chop. Miko’s body faded away and appeared behind him.

“Enlightened Vita is on a different level from based Vita. It has all the abilities of normal Vita multiplied many times over.”

Nen spun around with a kick. It hit Miko on the side of the head.

“Because it’s on a different level, it’s almost impossible to penetrate using based Vita.”

(No effect?!)

“In other words, you can’t hurt me.”

Miko slammed his palm on Nen’s torso. A yin and yang circle appeared on it. The circle spun with Miko’s hand. Nen was blasted away with a thunderclap. His body twisted in the air and he landed on the ground. The chains covering his torso were shattered.

“Also, my physical prowess is greater than before.”

Miko appeared in front of him. He slammed his leg in Nen’s chest and forced him to the ground. His body bounced a bit before being kicked away. Nen bounced on the ground but still managed to land on his feet. Miko once again cut the distance between them. A yin and yang circle appeared underneath them. Miko hit Nen with a barrage of finger strikes. The strikes chipped away the chains surrounding him and left his body bare. Miko clenched his fist and slammed it into Nen’s stomach.

*Bam!*

A crater opened up underneath them. Nen’s avatar disappeared and he returned to his normal appearance. He fell to his knees and hit the ground.

“Well, that’s a wrap.”

“Miko was too much, even for Nen.”

“I mean, Miko achieved Enlightenment. There’s nothing he could do to beat that.”

Such mutters could be heard in the crowd.

“Do you guys agree?”

Alec faced the rest of his generation.

“I’m not that good with Vita, so I can’t tell if they’re right or not.”

“They’re not entirely wrong, but they’re blinded by Miko achieving enlightenment.”

Kirika answered.

“Miko can’t control his Vita.”

Karim added.

“He reached enlightenment but he’s leaking more Vita than he did before, even though it should be the opposite. My bet is that he only reached enlightenment recently and this is the first time he fought using it.”

“If he was up against someone who picked up on that, they could’ve defeated him even using based Vita if they went about it the right way.”

Christensen added.

“Miko took a great risk using something he can’t control. I’m sure once he cancels his vita he won’t be able to use it for a long time.”

“He meaninglessly put himself at risk. Why? It can’t be to show off. If so, I’ll smack him after this.”

Kouta grumbled.

“……..”

Miko looked down at Nen who laid out on the ground.

“Is that the limit of your strength, Nen? If so, I’ll be disappointed. We may have walked on different paths but our view on fate and evolution is similar.”

He stooped down.

“I wanted you to show me, everyone here, and the world that fate doesn’t decide our limits.”

He slammed his fist over his heart.

“We do.”

“What the? Is he encouraging his opponent?”

“Maybe he’s mocking?”

“Oh?”

The top members of the clans reached a different conclusion than the rest of the audience.

“So that’s his game.”

Nen’s body started to move. Miko moved back and watched as he struggled to get to his feet. Nen stood up but his body swayed from side to sides. His knees trembled and he occasionally stumbled back and forth.

“Let me ask you again, Nen? Is this the limit of your strength?”

He showed a bloody smile.

“Limit? Limits are for pussies!”

A grin slowly appeared on Miko’s expressionless face.

“Good answer.”

Nen grinned and threw a punch. Miko blocked it with his palm and countered with a palm strike to the chin. Nen stumbled back and clenched his teeth. He rushed at Miko again, this time with a kick. Miko ducked under it. He rose and hit Nen with a lariat. Nen’s body flipped in the air and hit the ground. Miko watched as he struggled to his feet with a deadpan expression.

“Are you done?”

“Far..Far from it!”

Nen pounced at Miko and rained swift attacks on him. Miko blocked and countered every one of them. Nen stumbled and Miko lifted his leg overhead and swing down his heel.

(If this axe kick hits it’s all over.)

The world came to a halt. Sound and color faded and Nen found himself watching Miko’s heel inch closer to him.

(Move! Move! Move!)

Nen screamed in his head but his body refused to listen.

(Don’t fuck with me you stinking lump of flesh!)

All his muscles tensed up and his vita disappeared. This didn’t escape Miko who started grinning.

(You’ve been against me my whole life and I’ve I had enough! It’s time I leave you behind!)

The heel was mere centimeters from his face.

(I have no limits!)

Miko’s heel reached Nen’s face…but it went right through him and hit the ground. Nen’s image faded away like a mirage. Miko turned his head.

*Bam!*

A powerful blow hit his head and flung him to the side. His feet skid on the ground as he tried to stop himself.

“………”

He silently wiped the hot fluid flowing down his head.

(He was able to penetrate my Vita and hurt me?)

Something flashed before Miko’s eyes. An explosive sound erupted and he found himself propelled back. He twisted his body and something shot past him, but not before he grabbed it. He hit it with several lightning-fast strikes and then threw it into the distance. He landed softly on the ground and looked in its direction.

There he saw Nen hunched over. His clothes were torn leaving only half a pair of pants, even his bandages around his arms were gone. He was mostly laid bare. His body was covered with horrifying scars. These scars looked like they were freshly reopened, yet no blood flowed from them. Only red steam was seen.

“What’s happening to Nen? He’s able to fight Miko again.”

“Red steam is come out of his body.”

“It looks so ominous.”

Over at the Leaders section, everyone looked at the monitors with widen eyes.

“What the hell is that?”

Alec’s section was also in an uproar.

“Alec, do you know what’s happening to Nen?”

Sophie asked.

“…..I have an idea but I’m not certain.”

“….That's a first.”

Alec’s eyes were locked on Nen.

(It definitely matches the descriptions I read in books…But if it’s indeed that then, did Miko aim for this?)

He glanced over at Miko’s face. His eyes widen as a smirk appeared on it.

(MIKO!)

His grip broke the railing he was holding. This caught everyone’s eyes. Christensen glimpsed at him and turned back to Miko and Nen.

“…If he’s reacting like this then I guess that’s really…”

Meanwhile, Nen was breathing heavily as he faced Miko.

(Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! It feels like Magma is flowing through my veins!)

He clenched his fists.

“But my body feels light.”

“I take it that you don’t know what’s happening to you. Well, most people here wouldn’t since this is their first time witnessing it.”

Miko slowly walked towards him.

“What you’re experiencing is the hellish technique known as Limit Break.”

“?!”

Gasps could be heard all around the stadium.

“That’s Limit Break!”

“My god, I thought that it was only a legend…”

“Someone was really insane enough to achieve it.”

“Miko aimed for this.”

Rouge mumbled. Everyone around him nodded.

“He did but for Nen to achieve it and at such a young age…”

Ecko smirked.

“Is this clan full of maniacs or something?”

“Limit Break? What’s that?”

Nen confusedly looked at the approaching Miko.

“It’s literally what the name indicates. You break your limits to reach a new stage of power. However, some requirements need to be met to able to obtain this ability.”

Miko pointed at him.

“You need to be put through hell.”

His smile grew twisted.

“For one to use Limit Break, they have to train their bodies past the point that it can handle, over and over again. You must destroy yourself by enduring training that would kill most people and do it numerous times. You can also attain it by fighting unbelievably cruel battles where you suffer traumatic injuries over and over again.”

“Limit Break is a technique anyone can use, but not something anyone is willing to learn.”

Said Kirika.

“Most people lose their lives or have their will shattered before they can attain it. Also, even if you achieve it, there’s a great chance that you’ll be too traumatized by the pain to use it.”

“Pain?”

Kouta asked.

“There’s no small price for breaking your limits, especially in a forceful manner. The user will suffer unbearable pain and injuries with every second they use it.”

She pointed at the steam on Nen’s body.

“That is a sign that the body is destroying itself. The user’s body temperature skyrockets causing the fluids in their body to evaporate. The different color steam indicates the level of strain your body is under. The red steam Nen is releasing means that his blood was being turnt to vapor which is the second-highest level of stress.”

“The hell? That’s basically suicide. What’s the benefit of that?”

“Limit Break isn’t only about self-destruction. Our brains have a mechanism that prevents us from using our full potential because it will destroy our bodies and minds. Limit Break removes this.”

Christensen answered.

“Physically, Mentally, and Magically, Nen will now experience what it feels like to use 100% of these abilities.”

“So that’s basically it. You’ve obtained a technique that will allow you to fight against the world’s strongest if you master it.”

Miko smirked.

“Nen, you’ve officially defied the laws of this universe. You’ve become a true rebel.”

Miko’s body flickered and reappeared in front of Nen. He gathered all of his Vita around his fist and slammed it in Nen’s midsection.

“Ugh?!”

An explosion erupted devouring Nen. When it faded, he laid in a crater with smoke coming off his body.

“Hold your head high.”

Miko held a token with the number two on it.

“You are strong.”

He turned his back and walked away. As the announcement of his victory echoed in the stadium.

“And you’ll only get stronger from here on.”