Kratos barely got to his feet before the Slayer rushed him — a blur of speed, metal, and fury.
THOOM.
The Slayer slammed into him like a truck, grabbed Kratos by the ribs, and drove him straight into the debris of the collapsed wall.
Dust exploded.
Wood splinters and stone shattered.
Before Kratos could react, the Slayer reached down, grabbed him by the ankle — and swung.
CRASH.
Kratos's body hit the ground like a meteor, the earth cracking from the impact.
Again.
SLAM.
And again.
SLAM.
Then—
The Slayer dropped him, got on top, and started pounding.
One fist after another.
THUNK.THUNK.THUNK.
Kratos's head snapped back from each hit, dirt flying up in bursts. His lip split again, blood spattered. The watching crowd tensed.
"Shit—he's actually beating him down," Sanemi muttered.
Rengoku nodded, barely breathing. "He's not holding back anymore."
"He's gonna kill him," Inosuke said, eyes wide. "This is it!"
Then—
A hand.
Kratos's hand caught the next punch.
The Slayer's fist trembled, locked in place.
Kratos stared up, blood dripping, breath steadying.
"Enough."
With a growl, he drove his boot into the Slayer's chest — BOOM — kicking him clean off and sending him flying backward into a tree, bark and branches exploding on contact.
Kratos sat up.
The wounds on his face? Already gone. The blood? Vanished. Skin clean.
"God powers," Tengen muttered. "Guy's got regeneration."
Kratos stood, rolled his neck, then spotted the boulder pieces from earlier.
He lifted one chunk the size of a wagon wheel — and hurled it.
Slayer moved — barely.
The rock clipped his shoulder, spinning him into a skid.
Another one came.
Slayer ducked, rolled, but the third one — direct hit.
It broke apart on impact, sending the Slayer sprawling back into the clearing.
Kratos came in again, fast.
Slayer got up just in time, gauntlet sparking.
CLASH.
They met mid-charge.
Another shockwave.
Grass flattened. Air pressure burst outward like a bomb.
Watching from the treeline, everyone braced themselves.
Mitsuri grabbed Tanjiro's sleeve. "He's not stopping…"
"He can't," Tanjiro said quietly. "Neither of them can."
Muichiro blinked slowly. "They're burning through the forest."
Akaza laughed. "Now this is entertainment."
Even Kokushibo looked slightly impressed.
Shinobu crossed her arms. "Let them keep going. Maybe they'll finally settle whatever this is."
Atreus didn't move.
He just stood there, fists clenched, torn between stepping in or watching it end.
"Father…"
The Slayer wiped dirt from his visor. Looked up.
Kratos cracked his knuckles.
Then they ran again.