Super Fighting Tokyo.

Boom!

The deafening explosion caused onlookers nearby to squint.

Tokugawa broke out in a cold sweat, completely unprepared for the situation to develop this way.

Pike actually did it for real...!

Ignored by Pike, Miyamoto Musashi could find no opportunity to intervene and could only suppress his smile and calmly accept everything.

Musashi seemed to be deep in thought.

Splash splash splash splash...

In that space distorted by the tremors, Baki's figure streaked backward, kicking up large swaths of grass and soil in his wake.

"—!!"

He retreated more than ten meters, his back hitting the brick wall on the other side, before finally coming to a stop.

At this moment, Baki crouched slightly, raising his arms, with wisps of white smoke still clinging to his forearms, and a few drops of cold sweat breaking out on his face.

But he held on.

Recognized by Yujiro Hanma, the strongest creature on earth, the champion boy who inherited the title of "Strongest" blocked Pico's furious charge!

"call……"

Baki gently exhaled a breath of hot air, his expression surprisingly happy.

Pico, thank you.

The ultimate form you displayed in your battle with Brother Shiraki is now being unleashed upon me without reservation.

And look at you, so angry you're almost crying...

I suppose it must be because my interference made you feel a kind of "betrayal"?

I am sorry.

But even so, this is the highest praise for me, and it shows that they consider me a friend, which is why I cannot back out!

Swish...

Baki used his back to lift himself off the broken brick wall and took light steps forward toward the enraged Piko.

Although I had a feeling when I first met Miyamoto Musashi, I was still "fascinated" by Musashi's power.

I failed to see—or rather, I didn't want to see—Miyamoto Musashi's "loneliness" and "danger."

The actions of "Honbu Izo" surprised me, but also made me calm down and re-examine everything.

Of course I can't do what Mr. Motobu did, mastering all kinds of martial arts to understand Miyamoto Musashi.

But I have to do something...

Baki's eyelids twitched upwards, and he thought to himself:

Pike is certainly very powerful, even to the point of being incomprehensible and unimaginable.

However, his "strength" cannot be used to compete with Miyamoto Musashi, nor can it adapt to Miyamoto Musashi's "battle philosophy".

So, I want to stay by your side, Pikachu.

I will return to your attack range, to that distance and that place, and not go anywhere else, as a way of repaying your friendship!

Just like how Mr. Headquarters stopped others, I'll stop you like this!

By the way...

It would be nice to fulfill one of my little dreams and have a little competition with you~~~

"..."

"Hooooooo!"

Pico growled and strode forward to meet Baki. As he got close, he pushed off the ground and twisted his waist, his right fist slicing through the ground from bottom to top.

boom!

Faced with such a fierce attack, Baki pushed off the ground with both feet and leaped into the air with a "whoosh," then kicked off diagonally downwards with both feet to meet Pike's right wrist.

Bang!

A loud, muffled thud erupted.

Despite being knocked away by Pike's powerful punch, Baki did not fall back to his original position and landed steadily on the ground.

sand……

Baki is still standing in the same spot!

"Humph."

Baki smiled faintly and said leisurely, "Pico, you've used all your strength, but you still can't knock this little guy away. Why is that?"

"The reason is very simple..."

"I'm just using a faster speed, from a more oblique angle, and with the same amount of force to meet you."

"This is combat technique!"

Baki said solemnly, "This accumulation of muscle, speed, endurance, and experience is precisely our evolution!"

"Technologies born for survival, honed for the protection of others, grown through hatred, and passed down through sorrow..."

"These inescapable chains have, unknowingly, formed a complete existence and cycle."

Baki looked at Pikachu.

"That's why I'm stopping you from fighting Miyamoto Musashi, because your cycle—Pico's—is different from Miyamoto Musashi's."

"What's going to happen between you won't be a fight!"

"..."

It's unclear whether Pike listened to Baki's words.

Because at this moment, Pike was so angry that tears streamed down her face, and even her medium-length hair was floating and swaying.

He was so furious he was practically bursting with rage!

……Why?

Because of Baki's "betrayal"?

But in that instant, Baki suddenly awoke, for having grasped the essence of his own history, he naturally saw the truth.

Pike's anger was not limited to "being interfered with in the battle," but also stemmed from Baki breaking the "cycle" that was unique to Pike.

The chains that constitute its own existence and cycle?

Me too! I have it too!!

Numerous sharp teeth, many claws, and a multitude of giant horns...

Pi can hunt and fight, then eat it and turn it into its own flesh and blood, sustaining its existence and cycle.

"..."

Oh... I see...!

Baki suddenly woke up.

Although he was determined to stop Pike and prevent him from being slashed by Miyamoto Musashi, his main reason was to protect his friend.

At this moment, Baki Hanma, who had seen through the "cycle of existence" of the skin, found a further reason.

Pike absolutely must not fight Miyamoto Musashi!

Because of Piccolo's "hunting," he eats his prey, turning it into his own flesh and blood, ensuring Piccolo's survival and making him stronger and more robust.

Musashi's "slash" will transform the slain person into fame, fortune, and prestige, making him stand out even more.

These two paths, separated by hundreds of millions of years, are equally complete and outrageously simple!

Therefore, anyone who breaks their "survival cycle" will inevitably face their rage and retaliation.

Baki saw it clearly.

Pico's "survival cycle" has been broken, which is why he is angry and wants to hit himself.

And what about Musashi?

Once the "survival cycle" of this peerless swordsman is broken, what kind of terrifying rage will he unleash with his slaughter-level terrifying combat power?

If these two people face off, regardless of who wins or loses, one of them will always have their cycle of existence broken, leading to a loss of control.

"..."

Having realized this, Baki gained a deeper understanding of Honbu Izo.

But he quickly came to his senses.

Because at this moment, a "raging caveman" stronger than a Tyrannosaurus Rex is standing in front of him!

We must meet them head-on...

Go all out, charge out, break into Pike's attack range, and get into the heart of the battle!

Boom!

Baki stepped forward, facing Pike without flinching, letting Pike's left fist come straight for Baki's head.

Whoosh!

Facing the approaching left fist, Baki pushed off the ground with his right foot and swung his right fist quickly, passing under Pike's armpit and hitting Pike's face first.

Bang!

Pike was hit hard on the left cheek, his face and lips flying off.

"Roar!"

He let out a heavy roar and swung his right fist horizontally again.

Baki stood still, neither defending nor dodging, but instead twisted his waist and abdomen, his right fist already grazing his chin.

Bang!