"How could I mock you?" Riku spoke, his voice calm yet laced with confidence. He temporarily blocked out the system sounds, his focus locked solely on Fiya Hatsuse, the formidable Beast princess before him. Despite the chaotic situation unfolding around them, Riku's tone was unbothered, as if he faced this kind of life-or-death situation daily.
Fiya was not just another opponent. Among the powerful enemies Riku had encountered recently, only Jibril could rival her strength. It wasn't a stretch to say that facing her was a gamble with his life. One wrong move, and he'd end up as nothing more than a cautionary tale.
His gaze scanned the area. "It seems escaping won't be that easy today," he said indifferently, eyeing the incoming wave of reinforcements.
"Princess, are you alright?" A thunderous voice echoed as the doors to the chamber burst open. Several powerful Beasts rushed in, their hulking forms towering as they positioned themselves between Riku and the exit. Each one looked stronger than the last, radiating battle-hardened energy that marked them as elite among their kind. Hundreds more stood outside, ready to swarm in and prevent Riku from slipping through.
The tension in the air thickened. All eyes were now on Riku, the lone human, seemingly cornered and outmatched.
"A human?" one of the stronger Beasts growled in disbelief upon seeing him. "How did he even make it this far?"
Fiya Hatsuse's eyes glinted with a cold determination. "You're right," she said, her voice calm but firm. "You won't be escaping so easily this time. I can feel your strength, but it's still not enough. Surrender now, and I might consider sparing you."
Riku chuckled lightly at her threat. "I can only say sorry... but if I want to leave, it's still easy for me." His tone was calm, almost mocking.
As the words left his lips, Riku's body surged with a sudden burst of power. Activating the Hermes Boots, he rocketed off the ground with such speed that the floor shattered beneath him. The Beasts barely had time to react as Riku shot into the sky like a streak of lightning.
"What the...?" one of the Beasts gasped, eyes widening in shock. The speed and strength Riku displayed were beyond anything they had expected from a human. He was faster, stronger—more dangerous.
But Fiya wasn't about to let him escape that easily.
"Hmph," she snorted, her eyes narrowing as her body tensed. In an instant, Fiya Hatsuse propelled herself into the air, breaking through the sky with even greater speed than Riku. The force of her acceleration caused shockwaves to ripple through the atmosphere, disturbing the very air around her.
"Boom—!"
Fiya's petite fist collided with the air before her, the explosion-like force sending a shockwave that reverberated through the sky. The sheer power behind it caused turbulence, the wind swirling violently around the point of impact.
Riku's eyes narrowed. Not one to back down, he gathered his strength, his fist wrapped in powerful Elemental energy. With a shout, he met Fiya's punch head-on, the two forces clashing with an earth-shaking boom.
For a moment, it was as if the world itself held its breath.
The power unleashed by their clash was nothing short of cataclysmic. The air cracked, folding in on itself as the force of the impact sent shockwaves in every direction. Circles of white smoke expanded outward, marking the area where their fists collided.
Riku let out a grunt as the shockwave forced him back, sending him flying a hundred meters through the air before he could stabilize himself. His arm throbbed, his fist swollen and red from the intense collision.
He had been pushed back by Fiya—a small girl with fox ears and the strength of a monster.
Fiya hovered in the air, her expression calm and unwavering, as if the battle had only just begun. "Your strength is impressive," she admitted, her voice carrying an air of superiority. "You've broken through your human limits, even surpassing some of my strongest warriors. But," she paused, eyes gleaming, "I am not an ordinary WereBeast."
Riku clenched his fist, assessing the damage. His arm ached from the impact, but it was still functional, thanks to the Elemental protection he'd wrapped around his fist before the clash. Without it, his arm might've been shattered.
"You don't need to tell me that," Riku replied, his tone light despite the situation. He glanced at Fiya, taking in her calm demeanor. She had consumed seven fruits—seven! Compared to his single one. Her strength far surpassed his in raw physical power. Even without tapping into BloodBreak, she was several times stronger than any regular Beast.
That last punch? It would've destroyed him if not for his elemental defense.
Fiya smirked, her fox ears twitching. "So, do you see it now? Resistance is futile."
"Maybe..." Riku's eyes narrowed, a dangerous gleam flashing through them. "But I'm not done yet."
With a shout, he activated the Fourth Gate, the Gate of Pain. His body was instantly engulfed in cyan flames, his muscles tensing as an overwhelming surge of power exploded from within him.
"What kind of power is this?!" The Beasts below stared in awe, some visibly shaking as they felt the oppressive energy rolling off of Riku. It was as if the weight of a mountain had pressed down on them, suffocating their very spirits.
It was already a marvel to see a human break through physical boundaries, but this was something else entirely. Riku's power had skyrocketed, surpassing even the limits they thought were impossible to breach.
"He's even stronger now," one of the Beasts muttered, voice trembling. "Is this... even human?"
Despite their fear, some of the Beasts still held onto hope. "Don't worry! Our princess is the strongest. She'll defeat him!"
But doubt lingered in their voices. Their instincts as Beasts were warning them of something. Riku wasn't normal. There was something deeply unsettling about him—something beyond mere power.
Fiya, however, remained calm. She hadn't underestimated him from the start. "Is that all you've got?" she asked, her voice challenging.
The battle wasn't over. Far from it.
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