"Argh, I'm so tired and sleepy," Riku mumbled, running his fingers through Fiya Hatsuse's soft hair.
After everything they had been through, Riku was completely drained. Both of them had pushed their physical limits well past the breaking point, yet somehow, they kept going, neither one willing to give up. It was a 'battle' like no other, one where he nearly lost something more important than pride—his dignity as a man. Despite all his strength and skill, Fiya Hatsuse was a different beast, literally and figuratively. Even when he was at his peak, her sheer physical prowess easily outclassed him, at least four or five times over. It was no small feat that he even managed to hold his own.
Finally, in a desperate attempt to avoid humiliation, Riku had to rely on his trump card—the Eight Inner Gates. He cracked open the Third Gate, just enough to edge out a victory over Fiya. Sure, he could've opened the Fourth Gate or beyond, but starting from the Fourth, the cost would be too much. His stamina would drain rapidly, leaving him completely spent, and he didn't want to risk that, especially since the Third Gate was manageable without any side effects.
Fiya, of course, wasn't one to back down either. She could've easily activated her BloodBreak, and then things would've gotten really wild. Riku had no doubt that if she had done that, their 'battlefield' would've been torn apart, house and all. But thankfully, they both knew this wasn't about winning or losing. This was something more... enjoyable. Neither of them wanted to demolish their home—at least not today.
Still, Riku couldn't help but feel a bit concerned. If things kept going like this, there was no way he could let it happen again. He'd have to improve his own strength. There was no escaping it—his wife's "combat power" was just too overwhelming. The fact that they hadn't destroyed the bed yet was a miracle in itself. Riku chuckled, realizing the old Beast leader must have anticipated this. He probably prepared this bed specifically for these kinds of "battles," knowing exactly what would go down.
"Wait... I totally forgot," Riku said, suddenly snapping out of his thoughts. "What happened to my platinum treasure chest?"
In the heat of the moment, he had completely forgotten the entire reason he had come to the Beast Tribe in the first place.
"System, what's up with that platinum treasure chest?" he asked, shifting his position slightly to get more comfortable while keeping Fiya close in his arms.
The familiar ding echoed in his mind, followed by the system's reply.
[Ding, congratulations on opening the platinum treasure chest. You have received: Life-and-Death Elixir.]
[Life-and-Death Elixir: Originating from the world of gods and demons, this elixir can bring back someone who has recently died. For those who are still alive, no matter how severe their injuries, they will recover perfectly. If you're lucky, your power may even increase significantly.]
Riku's eyes widened in disbelief. His breath hitched as he processed the system's words. This elixir... it was essentially another life! The implications were staggering. He had no idea what the limits of the platinum treasure chests were, but judging by what he had gotten from the golden ones, this was likely one of the best rewards possible.
Riku grinned, excitement bubbling up inside him. "System, I have to know—if I open the Eight Inner Gates Formation, can I recover perfectly?"
The Eight Inner Gates Formation was no joke. He had seen what happened when Guy opened it during his final battle—it was like the ultimate power-up, enough to challenge someone as strong as Uchiha Madara, who was using the Sage of Six Paths powers. But the price was steep: whoever opened the Eight Gates Formation would inevitably die. Although Naruto had saved Guy, he was left permanently disabled. That kind of power came at a huge cost.
The system's response was quick.
[Yes. Even more serious injuries can be fully recovered. However, be warned: if the soul is destroyed, no recovery is possible. At most, the body can be restored, but the soul will be lost.]
Riku nodded to himself, a sly smile creeping across his face. "Good to know. Even so, that's insanely powerful."
He wasn't planning to use the Eight Inner Gates Formation unless he absolutely had to. But now, with the Life-and-Death Elixir in hand, he had a trump card like no other. He could push himself beyond his limits and still have a shot at survival. It was the ultimate last resort.
"If I ever need to, I'll use it. And when I do... even the God of War won't be able to take me down in an instant."
Riku had no illusions. The God of War could destroy an entire planet with ease. Guy, for all his strength, couldn't do something on that level. But Riku wasn't Guy. He was different. He believed that with the Eight Inner Gates Formation, he could go even further. And this was only the beginning—he was getting stronger every day. Who knew how powerful he would become in the future?
"Whew... I'll think about all that later. For now, it's time to sleep." Riku stored the Life-and-Death Elixir in the system's storage space, then kissed Fiya softly on the forehead. Her rosy cheeks puffed out slightly as she muttered something in her sleep, clearly annoyed.
Riku chuckled and kissed her again before closing his eyes, feeling the warmth of her body next to him. Soon, the room was filled with the sound of their slow, steady breathing as they both drifted off to sleep.
It wasn't until the sun began to set that Riku and Fiya finally woke up. While Fiya had been fearless the night before, she was now deeply embarrassed, pulling the sheets up over her face as she blushed furiously.
Riku rolled his eyes. "Seriously? After everything we did, now you're shy?"
Fiya didn't respond, instead burying herself even deeper in the blankets, her face bright red.
Riku smirked, leaning back against the bedpost. "Yeah, right. You were bold enough last night."
Fiya peeked out from under the sheets, her ears twitching slightly, but she quickly covered herself again, refusing to meet his gaze.
Riku laughed softly, shaking his head. He'd never understand why she got so embarrassed after the fact, but that was just part of who she was. And honestly, it made moments like this even more special.
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