The roar of the Karnok Behemoths echoed through the shattered streets as they charged forward, their massive horns gleaming with glitch energy. Each step they took left deep cracks in the ground, and the rubble of Akihabara trembled under their weight. Kuro's grin widened as he felt the ground shake beneath him, his blood pumping with excitement.
"Man, these things are massive!" Kuro exclaimed, the thrill evident in his voice. "Exactly the kind of challenge I've been waiting for."
Ryo stood beside him, his fists clenched and ready, the spikes on his gloves glinting in the flickering light of the ruined city. "You take one, I'll take the other?" he asked, a smirk playing on his lips.
Kuro gave him a sideways glance, matching his grin. "Let's have some fun. Fang, you're with me!" Kuro called to his tamed glitch-beast, who growled in response, its glowing blue eyes locked onto the nearest behemoth. Fang's fur crackled with static energy, and Kuro could feel the bond between them tighten as they prepared to strike.
Without another word, Kuro sprinted toward the first Karnok Behemoth, his body coursing with glitch energy. He could feel the raw power of the rift flowing through him, pushing him forward as he moved with inhuman speed. The behemoth roared in fury as it noticed him, lowering its massive head and charging straight at him, its glowing horns cutting through the air like blades.
Kuro smirked, leaping to the side just as the behemoth's horns sliced through the spot where he had been standing. The sheer force of the behemoth's charge sent debris flying into the air, but Kuro wasn't fazed. He had fought these creatures countless times in Reality Rift, and he knew their weaknesses.
"Nice try, big guy!" Kuro taunted, summoning a burst of glitch energy in his hands. He unleashed a concentrated blast aimed at the behemoth's legs, the energy crackling through the air as it slammed into the creature's thick, armored joints. The beast let out a deafening roar, stumbling slightly as the blast disrupted its movement.
"Fang, hit it now!" Kuro shouted.
Fang leaped into action, darting toward the behemoth with lightning speed. The wolf-like beast lunged at the creature's exposed flank, sinking its sharp teeth into the behemoth's leg. The behemoth bellowed in pain, thrashing wildly as it tried to shake Fang off, but the smaller glitch-beast held on with ferocity, its claws tearing into the behemoth's thick hide.
Kuro didn't waste the opportunity. While Fang kept the behemoth distracted, Kuro charged forward again, channeling more glitch energy into his hands. He jumped onto the behemoth's back, his fingers digging into the creature's armor as he climbed toward its head. The beast bucked and thrashed beneath him, trying to throw him off, but Kuro held firm.
"Time to end this!" Kuro shouted, summoning a massive surge of energy into his fists. He slammed both hands into the base of the behemoth's neck, releasing the energy in a violent explosion that ripped through the creature's body. The behemoth let out one final, ear-splitting roar before collapsing to the ground, its massive form dissolving into a cloud of blue static.
While Kuro was dealing with his target, Ryo squared off with the second Karnok Behemoth. The creature charged at him with terrifying speed, its massive horns glowing as they tore through the air. But Ryo stood his ground, his sharp eyes focused on the behemoth's every movement.
As the behemoth barreled toward him, Ryo sidestepped at the last moment, dodging the attack with expert precision. The beast's horns smashed into the ground, sending up a cloud of dust and debris. Ryo wasted no time, rushing toward the creature's side, his spiked gloves ready to strike.
With a powerful punch, Ryo slammed his fist into the behemoth's side, the spikes on his gloves tearing into the creature's armor with a sickening crunch. The behemoth howled in pain, rearing up on its hind legs as it tried to shake off the blow. But Ryo wasn't finished. He moved with the agility of a seasoned fighter, delivering rapid punches to the creature's legs and underbelly, each strike aimed at its weak points.
"Come on, you overgrown bull!" Ryo shouted, his voice filled with determination. He dodged another wild swing from the behemoth, rolling under its legs and delivering another devastating punch to its exposed underbelly.
The behemoth staggered, its massive form swaying as it tried to keep its balance. Ryo seized the moment, jumping onto its back and driving both fists into the creature's spine with all his strength. The spikes on his gloves sank deep into the behemoth's body, and with a final, powerful punch, Ryo shattered the creature's spine.
The Karnok Behemoth let out one last, pitiful roar before collapsing to the ground in a heap. Ryo jumped clear as the beast hit the pavement, its body flickering with static before dissolving into blue energy, much like the first.
Kuro stood atop the ruins of his fallen behemoth, watching as the blue static dissolved into the air. He glanced over at Ryo, who had just taken down his own beast, and a grin spread across his face. The two fighters locked eyes, and for a moment, there was nothing but the sound of the dying glitch energy crackling in the air around them.
"That was some solid work," Kuro called out, hopping down from the remnants of his behemoth. "Not many people can take down one of these things on their own."
Ryo wiped the blood and static off his gloves, his smirk returning. "Same to you. I've fought a lot of things today, but these big bastards… they were something else."
Kuro approached, extending his hand once more. "Ryo, right? I like your style. We make a pretty good team."
Ryo hesitated for a moment before taking Kuro's hand, shaking it firmly. "Yeah, we do. I've been on my own since this whole thing started, but… maybe teaming up wouldn't be so bad."
Kuro's grin widened. "Glad to hear it. This city's full of monsters just waiting to be smashed, and something tells me we're just getting started."
Kuro and Ryo stood amidst the ruins of Akihabara, the blue static of the dissolved behemoths fading into the air. The ground was littered with debris, the remnants of their brutal fight still fresh around them. The sense of victory hung heavy between the two fighters, their bodies humming with the adrenaline that came from taking down such formidable creatures.
Kuro stretched his arms, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Now that was fun," he said, his voice dripping with excitement. "These glitches just keep getting better and better."
Ryo cracked his knuckles, his smirk still in place. "Yeah, I'll admit, it's not every day you get to punch something like that into the ground."
Kuro could tell Ryo was warming up to the chaos just like he was. It wasn't often he met someone who could handle themselves in a fight, let alone enjoy it. But before their conversation could go any further, Kuro noticed Sayuri standing a few feet away, her eyes glued to her phone, her expression tight with concern.
Her phone buzzed again, and she answered, her voice low and urgent. "I understand. I'll head there immediately." She hung up, turning to Kuro and Ryo.
"I've been called back to HQ," Sayuri said, her tone more serious than before. "The rift situation is getting worse, there are more of them opening up across northern Japan. It's spreading faster than we expected, and the creatures coming through are only getting stronger."
Kuro raised an eyebrow, clearly not sharing her concern. "Sounds like more fun to me," he said with a casual shrug. "Bring on the big guys. We'll take them all down."
Sayuri's gaze was stern, her voice lowering as she stepped closer. "This isn't a game, Kuro. You may enjoy fighting these things, but it's getting out of control. The government is barely holding on, and we've got reports of other factions, groups we haven't even identified yet, trying to exploit the chaos. This isn't just about monsters anymore. There are people out there who will come for you."
Kuro's grin didn't falter. He loved every word she was saying. More chaos, more enemies, more power to gain, it all sounded like exactly what he wanted. "Let 'em come," he said, his voice brimming with confidence. "Anyone who wants a piece of me is welcome to try."
Sayuri shook her head, clearly not convinced, but she didn't argue further. She understood by now that Kuro wasn't the type to take things seriously, not in the way she wanted him to. But he was powerful, and she needed him on her side, at least for now.
"I'm heading north," Sayuri continued. "I'll keep you updated, but don't underestimate what's coming. There are things beyond just these glitch-beasts. The rift isn't done yet."
Kuro gave her a mock salute. "You take care of your little government business. I've got things under control here."
Sayuri shot him one last, pointed look before turning on her heel and walking toward her vehicle. "Stay alive, Kuro. You too, Ryo." And with that, she was gone, leaving Kuro and Ryo standing amidst the wreckage of the city.
As Sayuri's car disappeared into the distance, Kuro turned back to Ryo, his excitement still palpable. "Looks like it's just you, me, and a city full of monsters. You ready for round two?"
Ryo smirked, adjusting his spiked gloves. "I could use a warm-up."
Kuro chuckled, glancing around as more glitch energy flickered in the distance. The rift wasn't done, not by a long shot, and Kuro knew this was only the beginning. The realization that these creatures were coming from Reality Rift still thrilled him to the core, and he couldn't wait to see what else the game would throw at them.
But there was something else on his mind too. Sayuri's warning about other factions, the idea that there were people out there trying to use the chaos for their own gain, only fueled his desire to push further. He didn't care who they were or what they wanted. If they came for him, he'd take them down just like he had taken down the behemoths.
"Hey," Ryo said, snapping Kuro out of his thoughts. "You think there's more of those big guys out there?"
Kuro grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Oh, I'm counting on it. And when they show up, we'll be ready."
The ground rumbled again, a faint roar echoing from somewhere deeper in the city. Kuro's pulse quickened, his eyes scanning the horizon as he felt the familiar surge of glitch energy on the move. The chaos wasn't stopping, and Kuro was more than ready for whatever came next.
He glanced at Ryo, his grin never fading. "Let's go find something else to break."
Ryo nodded, returning the grin. "Lead the way."
Together, they headed deeper into the city, ready to face whatever new monsters or threats emerged from the rift. Kuro could feel it, the world was shifting, becoming something darker, more dangerous, and infinitely more exciting. And for the first time in his life, he felt like he was exactly where he belonged.