Chereads / The Leviathan: Malice's Return / Chapter 24 - An Ignorant Source of Pride

Chapter 24 - An Ignorant Source of Pride

Yurie begins the battle with a brutal flurry of punches and kicks aimed at "all" of Estrea's Nerve points and openings. Yurie with this strange transformation gains a massive speed and strength boost while also trading most of her sanity and emotion. While the two of them trade blows for well over 5 mins which would feel like almost 20 minutes at this level. Ryker is quickly regaining his stamina and coming up with a plan to take care of Yurie, who is very clearly winning the fight as far as Ryker is concerned.

Yurie: Oh come on Estrea, where's all of that power and Pride you showed Hera and I before huh? Did I break you down with that first shot. What a pity that I, a cowardly kid could beat your ass into the ground like this.

Estrea: What was that? Did you just call me Prideful? DID YOU!? Answer me witch! Because I could have sworn that you called me a sinner just now despite your insane look of lust and enjoyment. Why does this fight make you so cocky may I ask. Because you've been landing petty punches on a man who's holding back his true might.

Yurie: That's big talk for somebody who's getting their ass kicked.

Estrea: Then allow me to show you/

???: Move Ryker!

Ryker hearing the voice responds out of pure instinct and backflips up onto the second story of an apartment building. Once he regains his footing he sees a burning crater where he had just stood, In the crater lay a dead officer covered in blood and clearly battered beyond recognition.

Ryker: What the hell. H-how did this happen, I can't even tell if he's human.

Ryker feeling sick to his stomach for a moment, he takes his eyes off of Yurie who he'd been analyzing closely. Wondering what could have happened in the instant he took his eyes off of her, Ryker looks over to see only Estrea with a bloody fist and a cut up face from Yurie's punches.

Ryker: Where's Yu-

Estrea: The Oni girl is resting now, I'll deal with her later once she's ceased.

Ryker: W-what are you holding?

Estrea: Was this important to her. It's a rather nice necklace, shall we see what's inside?

Ryker: W-what did you do to Yurie!

Estrea: I already told you, are you hard of hearing? Well, if you must know she is over there.

Estrea points to a small crater in the road. All Ryker can see is a thick strand of pink hair resting on the edge.

Ryker runs over to the crater where his only sliver of hope lay. She was certainly alive but just barely, with a single slash running from her left collarbone down to her mid stomach. The glowing line above her forehead still remained and her hair still had it's subtle but captivating glow. Although she was no longer conscious.

Ryker: W-what have y-you done.

Estrea: Oh is that you as a young boy. Seeing this almost makes me feel bad for her, she really cherished your friendship didn't she. I'm assuming you were her only friend as well.

Ryker: Don't you dare say another word about her! Bastard!

As Ryker looks around in desperate search for help he sees the hellscape that has become of the apartments around him. The apartments that he ordered people to hide within. Ryker, unable to deal with what he's caused and the monster that he feels responsible for, slowly descends down into the pit of despair as he watches Yurie dying in front of him something within his very soul begins to shuffle it's way to the surface.

Estrea: What a foolish girl, I mean what a pathetic group of "warriors" you all are. You actually came up with this piss poor plan to counter my magnificent power, you can only imagine the slaughter that would ensue if my master was here.

Estrea's voice seems to trigger Ryker more and more as he refuses to look at the source of his rage, trying so desperately to keep his emotions in check.

Estrea: Hmm, what's this presence I'm sensing? I've felt it before, but where?

Ryker: Leave.

Estrea: Excuse me?

Ryker: I said leave. NOW! Unless you wish for death then I suggest you leave now.

Estrea: Is that your idea of a threat? You are too much for me boy, so naive and selfish. Besides, Yasu and the witch put up that convenient little barrier so I'm stuck here until both of them die.

Ryker: in a darkened voice* Is that so? Well then I guess your luck just couldn't hold up, Sir Pride of the Nine Deadly Sins.

Estrea : He's changed. His voice, his stature. He seems so arrogant and yet so calm. Why? He watches someone so dear to him dying and yet he sits there in total contempt.

Estrea: If all you can do is threaten me then I will do you the favor of granting you the release of death.

Ryker: That's funny? I was about to say the same to you.

Estrea: Arrogance! I will not stand for such ignorant Pride, for I am the Duke of Pri- Pwuuuuh

Ryker: The only ignorant one here… is you Estrea.

Ryker lands a critical blow of Estrea effectively silencing him and dropping him to one knee. Now with orange eyes and a strange yet captivating symbol on his left hand, Ryker follows up his brutal punch with 3 cruel punches into Estrea's face and Ribs, devastating him. Ryker continues his assault on the Duke filled with rage and nothing else. Estrea, unable to regain his stature during this assault can only hopelessly attempt to block some of Ryker's furious punches when Ryker spins at blinding speed and releases a devastating kick into Estrea's stomach throwing him far away and grounding him.

Estrea: I've never heard someone getting this much of a power boost from pure anger, even the oni didn't get half of the boost he has. His raw strength almost matches his speed now. Those eyes and that symbol on your hand. There's only one explanation for it. The Light of the Helios Race.

Ryker: Monster!!

Unleashing a Wind Blade Filled with a massive amount of mana, Ryker is able to land yet another critical blow on the Duke.

Estrea responds to this by letting out a demonic battle cry unlike anything Ryker had ever heard.

Estrea: HAAAAAA!

Now bursting with red mana, Estrea has pushed himself to full power and now has a distinct Purple marking on his arm, showing undeniable proof of his demonic heritage.

Estrea: This is my true power my friend, this is the full might of the Duke of Pride, feast your eyes upon my divine greatness as I crush and destroy this town and everything within it.

Ryker: I'd love to see you try.

Ryker/Estrea: HAAAAAAAAAA!

The two fighters dash towards each other with the sole intent to make the other suffer.