The rocks and dust crumbled around the massive figure as he slowly rose from the wreckage. With a growl of pain and fury, Rhyver dug his clawed hand into a chunk of debris to steady himself.
"Agh...! That little slave..." he spat, breath ragged.
As the dust settled, his glowing predator eyes flared, and his face came into full view distorted by pain, twisted by rage.
He staggered into the open street, jaw clenched. One hand lifted to his mouth, gripping it tightly as he pressed and adjusted his bones back into place.
"I didn't know he hit that hard," he muttered, voice laced with bitter amusement. "He has gotten stronger since the last time I saw him."
The frustration in his gaze slowly melted away replaced with something darker. A crooked, manic smile stretched across his lips.
"This is what I had been looking for..." he whispered, eyes blazing with anticipation.
"A true battle!" he shouted, voice echoing through the ruined street.
Suddenly, his ears twitched.
Footsteps heavy and approaching fast.
He slowly turned, gaze narrowing.
"Whoever you may be... you surely seek a death wish..." Rhyver said with playful menace, his voice low and taunting as he faced the intruder.
The footsteps came to a halt.
Before Rhyver stood a figure cloaked in black, completely covered in blood, head to toe. The crimson soaked fabric clung to him, dripping onto the stone.
Rhyver's nose flared.
"Blood..?" he muttered, confused. The scent was thick, fresh, unmistakable. He narrowed his eyes at the figure.
"Just who is this person..." he thought, unease slipping into his curiosity.
"Well well well," he finally spoke, a smirk curling across his lips.
"May I ask, who is standing in front of me?"
The figure remained silent for a heartbeat.
Then, in a swift motion, he threw the coat aside.
Rhyver's eyes widened slightly.
"With pleasure!" came the voice, asharp and proud, cutting clean through the tension.
"I'm James! The Tank of the Rush Party from the Royal Resistance!" he declared, pride surging in every syllable.
Rhyver blinked, momentarily thrown.
"Holy Resistance?" he repeated inwardly, confused.
"Are these humans, aligned with that brat?"
His eyes narrowed in thought.
"Well..." his smile returned, slow and sinister.
"Either way, he is going to be a quick snack for what's to come."
A dark chuckle rumbled from his chest.
"Holy Resistance huh?" he said aloud, stepping forward.
"You guys are really a pain in the butt, you know?" Rhyver remarked, voice casual but laced with danger.
"Always interfering with our plans somehow, like now."
He fixed James with a sharp, lingering stare.
"But, y'all are very smart, I got to give you that."
James raised a brow, amused. He couldn't help but chuckle.
"Y'all are so funny sometimes," he replied.
"But you're right." He gave a small nod.
"We really like to interfere in y'all's dirty works... like now," he added, his gaze sharpening.
Rhyver cracked a grin.
"So... for you to fight Kajin..." James continued, reaching behind him and grabbing a handle.
"You have to go through me."
In an instant, magic burst from the hilt. A massive energy blade materialized, glowing white and humming with raw power, its light cutting through the dusk like a torch.
Rhyver chuckled softly… then burst into laughter.
"Ohh..." He exhaled, catching his breath.
"Not going to lie, you left me a nice impression there," he admitted.
"But—" his eyes gleamed, a savage glint returning
"I'm afraid that you have just entered the final chapter of your lowly and meaningless life."
He leaned forward, his voice dipping into a growl.
"And I will make sure... to write a deserving ending with your blood..."
With a wild lunge, Rhyver hurled himself toward James, claws poised like spears.
James's expression darkened as he raised his blade, catching the strike with a metallic clash. Sparks flew as claws dug into the energized edge of the sword.
Rhyver giggled in excitement, pressing forward with brutal strength.
James grit his teeth and deflected the attack, pushing off and leaping backward to create space.
"He is strong... like a beast..." James admitted silently, stance guarded.
Rhyver charged again, claw attacks raining down like lightning strikes. James met every blow, blade flashing, but the sheer speed forced him to retreat step by step toward a corner.
"It's too late to run away from this, human!" Rhyver roared, speeding up his slashes.
James's body tensed. His feet scraped back, eyes darting for an opening.
"Not going to happen..!" he thought.
With a sudden burst of energy, James jumped into the air, blade raised for a counterstrike. Rhyver twisted his body, evading the descending slash just in time. The sword missed by inches and slammed into the ground, shattering the stone below.
Rhyver lunged again this time with fangs bared. He leaned in, ready to rip James apart.
James yanked the blade from the earth and spun it to block. Rhyver bit down, hard.
But in the next moment—
BOOM!
A sharp explosion rocked the space, smoke billowing from Rhyver's face as he shrieked and fell back, clutching his scorched mouth.
"AGHH! You little shit!" he screamed in rage.
James stepped forward, calm and composed. He reached down and picked up his handle with a smirk.
"This is an energy sword," he explained, reigniting the weapon. The massive white blade shimmered back to life.
"The trick is not to know how to wield it... the trick is to not make it go boom. You need to control the energy used to maintain its form. Feed it too little mana, it dies. Feed it too much..."
He grinned.
"It goes boom."
Rhyver glared, his face twisted with fury.
"You humans are really a pain in the ass..."
And then, with another roar, he charged.
James's grip tightened.
The second round had just begun.