"Human, die!"
The command rang out as Beast captain Dora barked the order. Without hesitation, one of the Werebeasts rushed forward, his speed a blur as he barreled toward Riku.
His snarling face was twisted with rage, and his clawed fist flew through the air with enough force to rip through steel. The punch aimed squarely at Riku's head, its sheer power meant to crush him instantly. But the Beast was in for a rude awakening.
At the very last moment, just as the claw was about to strike, Riku vanished—moving faster than the Beast could register. In the blink of an eye, Riku had closed the distance, reappearing just beside the charging Werebeast. His golden eyes gleamed with calm intensity as he delivered a single, precise punch to the Beast's throat.
CRACK!
The sound of bone shattering echoed through the mountainside, and the Beast crumpled to the ground, gasping for air. His hands clutched desperately at his throat, blood trickling from his mouth. Although Werebeasts were known for their remarkable vitality, this one would not survive. Riku's blow had been fatal, and the only thing left for the Beast was to die—slowly and painfully.
"Damn it!" Dora's furious roar filled the air as he watched his companion fall. His pupils narrowed to slits, his beastly rage flaring to the surface. "You... Are you really human?!" he snarled, eyes filled with disbelief.
In every corner of the world, humans were seen as weak, feeble creatures. To the other races, they were little more than fragile, insignificant beings. But here was a human, standing over the body of a fallen Werebeast—one of his own—killed in a matter of seconds.
Riku said nothing. He didn't need to. His actions had already spoken louder than words. Instead, energy began to flow from his body, forming two swords in his hands—Kanshou and Bakuya, blades that hummed with power.
The sight of the blades sent ripples of confusion and fear through the rest of the Beasts. Dora, the captain, clenched his teeth in anger. "A human who can wield Elemental power… and that strength… it's not worse than one of our Werebeasts," he muttered, his voice dark with frustration.
Riku's expression remained calm, though his golden eyes sparkled with cold determination. Without warning, he activated his Hermes Boots, vanishing once again in a flash of light. The Beasts barely had time to react before Riku reappeared in their midst, his swords slicing through the air with deadly precision.
"Damn it! Tear him apart!" Dora roared, his voice trembling with fury. The remaining Beasts lunged at Riku, their claws ready to tear him limb from limb.
But Riku's speed was too much for them. He moved like a phantom, dodging their attacks effortlessly. His swords flashed, and within moments, blood sprayed into the air as another Beast collapsed to the ground, his throat slit cleanly.
Each strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless. The wild, unpolished swordsmanship he'd displayed before was now a distant memory. Riku had improved, and thanks to his newly acquired Swordsmanship Proficiency, he moved with the grace and precision of a master. He was no longer just swinging blades—he was controlling the battlefield.
"You forced me to do this!" Dora growled, his voice laced with fury as he watched his men fall one after another. His blood boiled as he saw Riku's effortless slaughter. The bodies of his comrades lay scattered around him, the once proud Werebeasts now nothing more than corpses.
Riku paused, his gaze shifting to Dora. He could sense the shift in the air. Something was coming.
Suddenly, Dora's body began to swell, veins bulging beneath his skin as a red aura enveloped him. Blood Break.
"Blood Break!" Dora roared, his voice echoing through the mountains. Blood-red energy surged from his body, his muscles expanding as raw power coursed through him. His claws grew sharper, his eyes glowed a fierce red, and a palpable aura of death surrounded him.
Riku narrowed his eyes, stepping back cautiously. He'd read about this. The Blood Break was the ultimate technique of the Werebeast race, allowing them to shatter their physical limits, trading endurance for overwhelming power. Even if the Blood Break made them vulnerable to other races, the power it granted in the short term was immense.
Dora roared again, his voice creating a shockwave that made Riku's ears ring. The ground beneath him cracked and crumbled as the Beast lunged forward, moving with blinding speed—far faster than Riku had anticipated.
Riku's pupils shrank in shock. He's faster than I thought!
Before he could fully react, Dora was already in front of him, his massive claws descending on Riku with terrifying force. In an instant, Riku brought up his swords, channeling more energy into them.
CLANG!
The impact was devastating. Riku winced as the sheer power of Dora's strike sent him flying backward. He managed to land on his feet, using the Hermes Boots to stabilize himself in mid-air, but his swords—Kanshou and Bakuya—had been shattered in the process. His hands throbbed with pain as blood dripped from his palms.
"Damn it... This Blood Break is no joke..." Riku thought, his breath ragged. He could feel his blood surging within him, his body straining under the pressure. Dora's strength was beyond what he had expected.
Far below him, Dora sneered. "You think you can escape just because you can fly? You can't run from me, human!"
With a deafening roar, Dora launched himself into the air like a cannonball, the force of his leap leaving a massive crater in the ground below. His claws glinted in the fading light as he rocketed toward Riku, determined to tear him apart.
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