Knuckle's Maximum Break is the 197th episode of the Katekyo Hitman Reborn! anime.
Synopsis[]
At the camp site, a huge explosion catches everyone's attention. Reborn deduces that they were Lightning Flames. Reborn realizes that Ryohei Sasagawa used the backup plan that he had told Ryohei about the night before. Tsunayoshi Sawada remembers that Reborn had mentioned a switch earlier, and questions him about it. Reborn merely says that what they saw was Lambo's true power. Tsuna still seemed uncomfortable about letting Lambo participate in the battle. Futa smiles at this and mentions that Tsuna hasn't changed. He goes on to say that even his future self was reluctant to let Lambo fight. Shoichi Irie mentions how hesitant Future Tsuna was about the plan made between them, especially the part about Lambo. Reborn goes onto say that even Lambo wants to do what he can to go back to the past. Tsuna remembers a time, when they were back in their hideout, and Lambo cried out for Tsuna's Mum in his sleep. Tsuna decides to have faith in Lambo, and the rest of the group.
At the battlefield, everyone stares in shock at the what had transpired moments ago. Around Lambo lay an army of dead Nuvola Velociraptors. The power of Lambo's Cambio Forma had been such, that it had single handedly taken out these prehistoric beasts. However, Lambo having exhausted all of his energy on the previous attack, collapses, once again calling out "Mama".
Kikyo stares at his defeated Velociraptors in shock, he seemed lost for words. When he recovers, he commends the power of the Vongola Box Weapons. Kikyo now realizes that he can't play around with the Vongola Guardian like he thought he could. Now, looking a bit more serious, Kikyo lights his Mare Ring, opens the top part of his cloak revealing his Spinosauro Nuvola, and opens it.
Bright, spherical Cloud Flames envelop Kikyo as the Vongola group stare with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. The very wind from Kikyo opening his box seemed to be overwhelming. Suddenly, something emerges at high speed from the lake and grazes Basil's shoulder. More of these things emerge from the lake as Ryohei tackles his group to the ground. They all stare ahead, wondering what on earth hit them. From the lake more beasts emerge. What connected all these beasts was a mass of green heading upwards.. It was coming from Kikyo's very hair. Kikyo has been released.
Kikyo had merged with the once deadly dinosaur, the Spinosaurus. His hair had grown much longer, and through the Cloud Flame's Propagation]] characteristic, they were the starting point of this army of prehistoric beasts. His cheeks had purple markings on them, and his forehead had two tiny horn like objects attached to them. Kikyo, then tells the Vongola group a deadly fact. He says that he is, the strongest of the Funeral Wreaths.
Ryohei, who hadn't lost his cool throughout this deadly situation, hands Lambo over to Basil, says that Kikyo is a fitting opponent and calls out to Kikyo, saying that it'll be him, the Vongola Guardian of the Sun Ring that'll be his opponent. Saying this he activates his Fiamma Shoes and heads to face Kikyo. Basil, Nosaru and Tazaru all offer their support to Ryohei, but he turns them down. As the group looked like they were going to protest, Ryohei explains that with his style of fighting, it would be easier to fight one-on-one rather than with a group. He points out that it doesn't help that they were badly injured either.
Basil points out that Ryohei too, was injured. Ryohei asks them not to worry and makes a confident statement. He says that'll he'll defeat Kikyo in three minutes. Kikyo seems amused rather than worried at this proclamation. Saying this, Ryohei calls out to Canguro del Sereno ver. Vongola, shouting out "Break". Upon hearing this Garyu prepares his shoulder cannons, points them at Ryohei and fires. High intensity Sun Flames hit Ryohei's body, shredding his shirt in the process. Upon being hit, Ryohei's body starts glowing with the Sun Flames color. Next Ryohei shouts out "Cambio Forma." Garyu flies out to meet Ryohei, and starts to merge with him.
The Vongola Group stare at this sequence of events in awe, and even Kikyo seems fixated at this transformation. As the bright yellow light envelops the surroundings, Ryohei had released his Cambio Forma, the 1st Generation Guardian of the Sun Ring, Knuckle's weapon, Knuckle's Maximum Break.
Kikyo doesn't seem impressed. He comments on the purity of the flames, and states that he would expect no less from a chosen Guardian and his weapon, but still, quite cockily states, that against his Asura Box, Ryohei wouldn't be able to put a scratch on him.
However, no sooner had he said this, than Ryohei approaches Kikyo with amazing speed, and immediately connects with a vicious uppercut. Kikyo was in absolute shock as he was sent flying. He regains his balance, and tries to call the shot a fluke, but before he could even finish the sentence, Ryohei had caught up to him and launched a vicious barrage of punches, a technique he called Maximum Combination. Kikyo, while getting punched from every conceivable direction, was shocked beyond belief. Not only was every one of Ryohei's attacks connecting, Ryohei was able to keep up with Kikyo, and on top of that, giving him absolutely no time to react.
Kikyo wonders how on earth a human could be this powerful. He declares to himself, that Ryohei is the most powerful human he had ever fought against.
Ryohei, thinking about Colonnello, asks him to watch this as he prepares to use yet another technique. He launches a Sun Flame enhanced version of the technique Colonnello had once taught him, the Maximum Cannon. He once again manages to send Kikyo flying, much to the shock and delight of the watching Vongola group.
Although he had hit Kikyo with the Maximum Cannon, Ryohei realizes that he hadn't managed to score a direct hit with it. Kikyo, now gasping for breath, smiles and states that he understands. Kikyo, explains that the Sun Flames Garyu had fired earlier, wasn't meant to heal Ryohei, but to increase his muscles and reflexes exponentially. He goes on to explain that normal humans would collapse from the strain of these flames, but Ryohei on the other hand can bear it, but only for three minutes.
Ryohei frowns as Kikyo's deduction seemed to be dead on. The group realize that what Ryohei had said earlier, was not out of confidence, but was actually a time limit.
Kikyo admits, that if he fought Ryohei head on, he wouldn't have a chance. He issues a challenge to Ryohei. Will his Propagating Cloud Class Flame prevail, or will Ryohei's active Sun Class Flame break through. As he said this, the already large army of Spinosaurus begin to further split and multiply. Ryohei, with a determined look in his eye, accepts the challenge, declares that "It's On", and heads towards the large army of Spinosaurus.
Three sets of people head into the forest. Hibari, Yamamoto and Chrome had just arrived near the battlefield. The three sets stop, as they hear explosions in the distance. Yamamoto realizes that the battle had already begun, he turns to the person behind him, who was carrying someone wearing the Varia's uniform and tells him it's just a bit further.
Back at the battlefield, Ryohei goes head to head with the army of Spinosaurus. He manages to hold his own against these creatures from the past. He uses the technique his future self used during the Merone Base invasion, the Maximum Ingram and manages to take three of these beasts out. But there seems to be no end to them, as more and more keep coming. However, Ryohei still manages to keep his composure during the battle, effectively knocking out every one of the monsters that approach him. But every time he takes one out, the remaining Spinosaurus begin to split and multiply again, giving Ryohei no respite.
Ryohei battles on, but his movement begins to get slower. Kikyo notices this and asks if Ryohei is ready to give up. Ryohei declares "never", and battles on. However as he keeps taking out any of the beasts that came towards him, he notices that his wounds were reopening, and he was beginning to lose his form. But he takes heart in the fact that this would be the last battle. He thinks to himself, that if they were to defeat the Wreaths, they wouldn't have to endure this vicious world any longer. He thinks about his sister, Kyoko Sasagawa, and promises her that her big brother will send them all back to the past.
At he campsite, Kyoko notices something amiss, and starts to get worried. Haru asks Kyoko what's wrong, to which Kyoko replied, that she thought she heard Ryohei's voice. As she says this they hear explosions in the distance, and notice Sun Class flames exploding beyond the trees. Tsuna starts to panic, as these explosions continue. Reborn immediately tells Tsuna to calm down, as if the boss doesn't stand firm, then everyone else will fall apart as well. Tsuna looks back to see Haru trying to comfort Kyoko. Even I-Pin seemed to be fighting to keep her cool.
Tsuna seems nervous, Uni noticing this tells him that she believes that Gamma and everyone else will soon return safely. Just as she says this explosions could be heard at the other side of the forest as well. The Varia's battle with the two Wreaths hadn't ended either.
At the battlefield, Ryohei's once white gear turns black, and the glow around his body diminishes. Ryohei and even Kikyo were so exhausted that they were panting for breath. Kikyo tells Ryohei that if Ryohei hadn't been injured, he would have been in trouble. Ryohei's holds his back and cries out in pain. Kikyo realizes that Ryohei was feeling the side effects from the super active flames. Kikyo, now confident, says that he will ease Ryohei's pain.
He is stopped by a cry from Basil. Basil had now opened his Delfino di Pioggia and had decided to take part in the battle. Kikyo warns Basil, that while Basil was injured, he had suffered virtually no damage thanks to his ability to propagate. Kikyo then looks in the other direction and asks someone to come out of hiding. The group turn to see what Kikyo was referring to, and to their shock, see Kyoya Hibari.
Kikyo smiles, and asks Hibari why he hadn't participated in the battle. Hibari merely states that the school's boxing captain, regularly interrupts student council meetings to complain when people interfere in his match. Kikyo commends their friendship, but says that he follows a different set of rules, one where anything goes.
Suddenly a Spinosaurus emerges from the ground and bites Hibari's left arm. Kikyo bids Hibari farewell as a horde of Spinosaurus heads towards Hibari. Hibari, commands Porcospino Nuvola ver. Vongola to defend. Roll immediately complies, forming a defensive shield in front of Hibari. However more Spinosauruses erupt from the ground, pinning Hibari, while the others break through Roll's barrier. Hibari attempts to defend with his tonfas, but is struck down by these dinosaurs. A bent tonfa emerges from the wreckage as the group scream in concern. At the campsite, Tsuna notices a familiar sensation.