"Work together?" Fiya Hatsuse's pupils flickered as she heard Riku's words, her usually confident expression growing serious. Silence fell between them before she slowly asked, "Are you serious?"
"Do you think I would joke about something like this?" Riku responded, his tone equally serious.
Fiya sighed, her ears twitching slightly, a clear sign of her frustration. "You don't have enough strength right now for me to bet my entire race on you." There was a sharpness to her words, but it was tinged with resignation. The Beast race was in a dire situation.
Their god, the one who had created them, had perished in battle. Slain by none other than Artosh, the God of War, who then devoured their god's essence. It wasn't false to say that they hated him and the Flügels who served him.
But what could hatred accomplish? With their god gone, the Beast race was left scattered, running from place to place like refugees, their situation barely better than that of humanity. They were one of the lower-ranked races, their influence insignificant compared to the top six species.
And it wasn't just the Beast race. The Forest Elves faced similar struggles. While they might have had their own strengths, the truth was undeniable—against the top six, neither of their races stood a chance. The real powerhouses of this world dominated the field, while the rest of them were left to fight for survival.
Except for one—Machina. The Machina had done what no one else had ever managed: they took down one of the Dragon Kings, Aranleif. That feat had left the rest of the world wary of the Machina race, ensuring no one dared to provoke them.
"Strength, huh?" Riku said, breaking the silence between them. "If that's what you're looking for, I'll show you some." His gaze was steady as he stared at Fiya. "Let's end this battle with the next move."
A slow, dangerous smile spread across Fiya's face as her battle lust reignited. "Heh. This princess would never turn down a challenge!" Her tone was filled with anticipation, the fight far from over. In an instant, her hair shifted from its natural color to a deep, blood-red hue, her presence growing even more fearsome as her aura flared to life once again.
The ground beneath them trembled from the sheer intensity of her power.
"The Seventh Gate—Gate of Wonder, open!" Riku roared, his voice filled with determination as his body began to emit blue steam from his sweat evaporating. This was the last gate before the Gate of Death, the surge of power immense. Even though he hadn't yet used his full strength, the air itself seemed to tremble around him.
Fiya's eyes narrowed, her instincts screaming at her that this would be no ordinary fight. She couldn't afford to hold back any longer. Moving with the speed of a phantom, she launched herself at Riku, her entire being focused into one strike. She poured every ounce of her strength into the attack, her movements so fast that she seemed to blur as she closed in on him.
But just as her fist was about to connect, she froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief, shock spreading across her face as an overwhelming sense of dread washed over her. Riku's fist loomed before her, magnified as if it were the very embodiment of death itself.
In that moment, she knew with absolute certainty—if his punch landed, she would die. Her head would explode like a fragile melon. She tried to move, to dodge, but the speed of his attack was far beyond what her body could handle. There was no escaping it.
"Boom!" At the last moment, Riku shifted his fist, smashing it to the side of Fiya's face rather than directly hitting her. The force of the blow sent a shockwave through the air, blue energy erupting from the point of impact. The ground beneath them split apart as a massive gully tore through the landscape, extending into the horizon. Mountains in the distance crumbled, obliterated by the sheer power behind Riku's attack. Rubble was hurled into the air, scattered like pebbles caught in a storm.
The sky itself seemed to tremble, the clouds blown away, leaving nothing but a clear, cloudless expanse.
Fiya stumbled back, her breath caught in her throat. She felt the searing heat of the blue flames licking at her skin, but even through the pain, a smile played at the corners of her lips. "I lost," she admitted with a bitter chuckle, her body returning to its normal state as she stared at Riku.
"Whew… I'm exhausted." Riku exhaled heavily, dropping down onto the shattered ground, his body trembling as the Seventh Gate's strain took its toll. He grinned, despite the pain coursing through his muscles.
The side effects of the Gate of Wonder were no joke. Even with his enhanced physique, his entire body felt like it was on fire, and he knew he'd be paralyzed for a while after this. His mind briefly flashed back to Might Guy, his predecessor in this technique. Riku's body might be stronger than Guy's, but that didn't mean he was immune to the pain.
"That state you were in," Fiya said, her voice filled with wonder. "Was that your full power?"
Riku glanced up at her, still catching his breath. "Of course not," he replied casually. "If I'd used my full strength, the cost would've been too high. I only go that far when it's necessary. Besides, I didn't need it to fight you."
Fiya blinked in surprise. "You still have more hidden power?" Her disbelief slowly morphed into a wry smile. "It seems this princess truly wasn't wrong to lose to you."
Riku just shrugged, sitting back comfortably as if the battle hadn't taken every ounce of his energy.
Fiya's expression softened, curiosity lighting up her features as she asked, "How long did it take you to become this strong?"
Riku paused, calculating the time in his head. "Less than a year," he replied vaguely, deciding it was better than admitting the truth—his strength had skyrocketed in less than a month. That kind of growth was too insane to reveal just yet.
"Less than a year..." Fiya's eyes widened, her lips parting slightly as she processed his words. Then she shook her head in disbelief, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You really do have infinite potential, don't you?"
Riku met her gaze, a knowing grin on his face.
"In that case," Fiya continued, stepping closer to him. "I'll go crazy with you, Riku. Together, we'll put an end to this war. Let's end this twisted game the gods have started."
Riku smiled, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten as he extended his hand toward her. "Then, it's a deal."
Fiya took his hand, her grip firm, and for the first time, her smile wasn't one of mockery or superiority—it was genuine. "A pleasant cooperation," she said softly.
Together, they stood amidst the destruction they had caused, the future of their war-torn world uncertain, but for the first time, a spark of hope lit the path ahead.
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