As the final crack echoed through the cave, the ground trembled, and the summoning circle blazed with a dark, unnatural light. The air grew heavier, thick with the oppressive weight of an ancient and powerful force. Rikuya could feel it—something was rising. Slowly, inexorably, like the tide creeping up a shore, it began to take shape in the center of the circle.
A form, dark and massive, began to emerge from the deep cracks in the ground. The shadows seemed to gather around it, thick and viscous, wrapping the figure like a cloak. At first, it was only a faint outline—an indistinct silhouette, rising from the depths with a slow and deliberate power that shook the very foundation of the cave.
Then, the shape became clearer.
The devil was a fighter, no mere demon or creature of the night. His body was an imposing figure—muscular and toned, with every movement displaying the raw power of a battle-hardened warrior. The armor he wore was no ornate decoration, but a piece forged from the darkest materials, thick and sturdy, covering his body like a second skin. It was a dark, metallic black, and etched with runes that seemed to glow faintly, pulsing with energy.
The devil's chest was broad, his shoulders wide and powerful, rippling with muscles that seemed to flex and move under the weight of his armor. His arms were thick, veins bulging like cables beneath his skin, each movement a display of strength and lethal intent. His legs, sturdy and built for brutal force, were lined with armor that resembled jagged plate, perfectly designed for both mobility and defense.
His head was crowned with a helmet—black and angular, with sharp lines that seemed to draw the eye toward his intimidating presence. The helmet had two glowing red slits where his eyes would be, piercing and burning with an intensity that seemed to burn the very air around him. It was as if the helmet itself was alive, breathing in sync with the devil's movements.
The figure stood tall—unreasonably so, towering over Rikuya. His posture was a perfect mix of casual dominance and readiness, as though he had fought countless battles and stood victorious in each one. The air itself seemed to bend around him, warping with the sheer weight of his presence. His armor, dark and unyielding, reflected the faint light of the summoning circle, casting sharp shadows that made him appear even larger, even more dangerous.
As he fully rose from the ground, the earth beneath his feet cracked and splintered, unable to contain his power. With each movement, his armor groaned, metal clanging against itself, as if it had seen the test of time—aged but far from weakened. He was no mere devil; he was a warrior, a fighter, forged through countless battles, each scar on his body a testament to his survival.
The air around him crackled with dark energy, and Rikuya could feel the heat radiating from his form, as though the devil's very presence was burning through the fabric of reality itself. His tone was regal, commanding, but with an edge of violence in his voice. He was ready for battle.
Rikuya could now see the true scope of the threat before him. This was no typical demon or summoned beast. This was a fighter—a warrior from another realm, forged in the fires of countless wars, now unleashed upon this world.
The devil slowly raised a gauntleted fist, flexing his fingers as if testing the weight of the atmosphere. Then, his head tilted slightly, as if sizing Rikuya up. His lips parted, revealing sharp teeth that glinted with a menacing gleam.
"You... are not ready for what I am," he growled, his voice deep and resonant, vibrating the very walls of the cave.
Rikuya's stance was firm, his gaze unwavering. The battle was about to begin, but it was clear: this enemy was unlike any he had faced before.
Rikuya narrowed his eyes at the towering armored devil. The summoning circle still pulsed with dark power behind it, the air thick with sulfur and dread. Dust swirled from the cracks beneath their feet.
He exhaled, calm… then whispered to himself:
"Even giants fall… if you strike the right nerve."
In a flash, Rikuya vanished from his stance—charging forward like lightning. He twisted mid-air, unleashing a blinding hook kick, aimed straight for the devil's temple.
Clang!
The devil caught the kick effortlessly with one massive, clawed hand. The moment of contact cracked the earth beneath them, the ground webbing with deep fissures. Then—without warning—
SLAM!
The devil swung Rikuya like a ragdoll, smashing him into the ground with bone-crushing force.
SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!
Each impact shook the cavern. Stones fell. The summoning circle flared. Rikuya's body rebounded with every brutal hit, pain flashing white in his skull—but his spirit didn't break.
The devil's gauntleted hand surged with demonic flame. He drew his fist back, chanting with a voice like a furnace:
"By the flames of the damned... I strike!"
Dark energy gathered in his fist like a storm. With a hellish roar, he punched the ground—
BOOOOM!
A shockwave erupted outward, splitting the stone beneath them. Fire and shadow tore through the cave in a burst of infernal wrath. The impact left a rift, a momentary glimpse into the underworld—screaming souls and cursed chains reaching up like claws. A crimson pulse spread across the battlefield, searing and corrupting everything it touched.
Rikuya's body was flung back, smoke trailing from his skin, his breath caught between pain and fury. Burn marks spread like dark veins across his arms and chest—life-force slowly leaking away as the devil's curse took hold.
And yet, as the dust settled… Rikuya stood again. Blood dripping from his mouth. His glare fierce. Alive.
"Heh…" he muttered, wiping blood from his lip. "You hit hard. Good."
The real fight was just beginning.
Rikuya burst forward again, boots grinding against the scorched ground as he surged through the lingering flames.
The devil snarled, its glowing red eyes locking onto him. With a roar, it swung a massive clawed hand, a blur of black steel and fire.
Rikuya twisted mid-dash, spinning in the air, barely grazing under the monstrous strike. As he came around—WHAM!—his elbow slammed into the devil's jaw.
CRACK.
The sound echoed like thunder. The armored titan's head jerked sideways, a shiver rippling through its frame. For the first time, its balance faltered.
The walls behind them cracked violently, shaped into long clawed impressions, remnants of the devil's wild swing.
Before the monster could recover, Rikuya landed—and his feet exploded into motion.
Left. Right. Left. Right.
A brutal barrage of kicks, each one a piston of fury aimed at the devil's ribs and midsection. Sparks and impact shockwaves burst with every hit. The devil grunted, stumbling backward, momentarily overwhelmed by the speed and rhythm.
Rikuya didn't let up—his eyes locked with deadly focus.
"You're not the only one built for war."
His voice cut through the chaos.
And the devil, for the first time, seemed to recognize a real threat.
The devil's head slowly turned back toward Rikuya, its jaw clicking with unnatural precision. A low growl rumbled from its throat.
"How fancy," it sneered, voice like gravel soaked in blood. "A mere human dares bruise me?"
Its mouth snapped open, revealing rows of jagged, burning teeth—
And then—FOOOOOM!
A torrent of infernal flame erupted out, roaring like a dragon's breath, turning stone to molten slag as it surged forward.
Rikuya's eyes narrowed.
In one smooth motion, he twisted his body into a spinning sidestep, cloak singed but untouched, the heat licking past him.
He landed coolly, brushing his shoulder.
"Damn," he said, smirking, "your breath smells like you gargled lava and sadness."
He gave the devil a once-over.
"What were you—baked in an oven and dressed in medieval regret?"
The devil snarled, and Rikuya rolled his neck, feet planting firmly.
"Come on, Hellboy. Let's see if all that armor's for protection… or just to hide your fragile pride."
Rikuya's silhouette vanished—a blur of motion like light bending.
The devil blinked—too late.
In an instant, Rikuya was behind him.
CRACK! CRACK!
Two vicious knees slammed into the devil's ribs from behind, one after the other. A razor elbow sliced across the side of its jaw with a sickening thud, jerking its head aside.
The devil staggered—
But Rikuya had already slid back a step, shifting weight into his back foot.
"Here's your lullaby."
BOOM!
A devastating hook snapped into the devil's temple, the kind of punch that could shatter a boulder. The monster grunted, body buckling—
And Rikuya was already moving.
He lunged, arms locking around the beast's midsection, hoisting it in a blur of brute power. The world flipped.
SLAAAAM!!
The ground cracked like thunder as the devil's body was driven headfirst into the stone floor, sending tremors echoing through the cavern.
Dust lifted. Silence.
But then—a growl.
The devil stood.
Its jaw hung crooked, a bruise swelling on its temple, blood dripping from a cracked rib plate.
Still grinning.
But not untouched anymore.
The devil's neck cracked with a sickening pop as it rolled its shoulders, eyes glowing molten red.
It growled low, voice echoing like thunder beneath a coffin lid—
"O blood beneath the blackened moon—bind thy wrath to my limbs.
Let their screams etch my sigil in bone."
The ground split.
A dark, snarling aura erupted, circling the demon's body like coiled smoke. Sigils burned crimson along its skin, rising like cursed brands. The heat warped the air—cracks spiderwebbed from beneath its feet.
And then—BOOM!
The devil vanished in a blink—and SLAMMED its palm into Rikuya's chest.
Rikuya's ribs cracked, his body blasted backward, boots skidding across the stone—but somehow, he stayed standing.
Not for long.
CRACK!
An elbow exploded into Rikuya's jaw, snapping his head sideways—
WHUMP!
A knee smashed into his gut, lifting him inches off the ground—
THWACK!
A backhand chopped across his neck like an executioner's blade—
THWUMP!
A spinning kick crashed into his temple, sending him sprawling across the floor like a ragdoll.
But the devil wasn't finished.
"Devil's Break!"
It grabbed Rikuya mid-fall, twisting his arm and shoulder—CRUNCH!—a savage dislocation.
Before Rikuya could cry out, the devil drove its forehead into his nose, shattering bone in a shower of blood.
Silence.
The air reeked of sulfur and scorched stone.
The devil's aura faded, still grinning.
But Rikuya—bleeding, dazed, broken—still breathed.
Still alive.
And deep in his glare, something darker awoke.
Rikuya's body, broken and battered, surged with a dark, crackling aura that seemed to warp reality itself. His hair, once dark, shifted to a brilliant white, flowing like the mane of a lion, and his eyes gleamed silver, sharp as the fangs of a serpent. For a split second, it was as if the very air bent around him, and then—he was gone.
The devil stood, still a towering figure of power and malice, its bruised and bloodied form standing firm despite the assault. It wasn't defeated. Not by a long shot. Blood dripped from its mouth, its body battered, but its eyes burned with defiance. It had been hit hard, but it wasn't finished.
It staggered slightly but didn't fall. Instead, the devil glared at Rikuya, feeling the crackle of raw energy surrounding him.
"What... are you?" the devil hissed, its voice raspy yet filled with a twisted sense of curiosity. It swiped blood from its mouth, still standing strong, though every inch of its body screamed in pain.
Rikuya, his movements almost too fast to follow, appeared before the devil in the blink of an eye. The first strike was fast, a brutal punch straight to the solar plexus. The force of the blow was enough to rattle the devil's frame, knocking the air from its lungs and sending a shockwave through its body.
The devil flinched but remained upright. A growl vibrated in its throat, its hand instinctively reaching for its chest. Rikuya wasn't done. In one smooth motion, he moved again, his hand like a blade, striking the devil's throat with lethal precision. The devil choked, gasping for air, but still, it stood, the veins in its neck bulging as it fought to breathe.
Rikuya wasn't relenting. He stepped forward, bringing his elbow up in a devastating upward arc. It struck the devil's jaw with bone-crushing force. The devil's head snapped back, but its body held strong, refusing to collapse. The creature's teeth rattled, but it gritted its fangs, pushing through the pain.
Without waiting, Rikuya grabbed the devil's head, twisting sharply, but the devil fought back, its hands gripping Rikuya's arms. It wasn't finished yet. It wasn't weak. The battle between them felt like a storm, each force pushing against the other, neither willing to back down.
The devil's glare sharpened, its fury reaching new heights as its body refused to yield. Still bloodied, still battered, but it stood tall, pushing against the overwhelming force of Rikuya's relentless assault. Despite the bruising, the devil was far from defeated. And that question hung in the air, heavy with malice and awe:
"What... are you?"
Rikuya's gaze hardened, silver eyes narrowing with a predatory glint. He took a step forward, the air around him thick with the weight of impending destruction. His body trembled with barely-contained power, the energy of the battle crackling through his very veins.
"You think you understand power, demon?" Rikuya's voice was cold, but the words cut with a deeper, more unyielding certainty. "You're nothing but a shadow of true strength, a broken husk of rage that has no place in this world."
As he spoke, dark energy spiraled around his body like a storm. The ground beneath his feet groaned under the sheer intensity of the aura. And then, the true power of the storm broke free. From his forearm, blue lightning shot out in violent tendrils, wrapping around his limb as if forging a weapon from pure electricity.
The lightning crackled and snarled, blue arcs flickering wildly, wrapping around Rikuya's arm until it became an unholy weapon. The air hummed with the electricity that surged and pulsed, crackling in rhythm with Rikuya's heartbeat. The sheer intensity of the energy made it look as though his arm was made of pure electric fury, a claw of destruction.
With a battle cry that reverberated through the air, Rikuya surged forward, a blur of motion. His speed was beyond comprehension as he closed the distance between himself and the devil. The ground cracked beneath his feet with each step, the air distorting with the sheer force of his presence.
As he neared the devil, Rikuya leaped into the air, his glowing, electric-infused arm stretched forward. In that moment, time seemed to slow—everything around him went still. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, and the energy in the air was so intense that it felt like the very atmosphere was holding its breath.
With a roar, Rikuya shouted, "Tiger Palm!"
His palm slammed into the devil's chest with a thunderous crack. The force of the blow was raw and primal, but it was the electricity that made it so deadly. The moment his palm connected, arcs of violent electric energy exploded across the devil's body. The air itself howled with the crackle of electricity, and the sound of thunder echoed through the battlefield as if the heavens themselves had been torn asunder.
The force of the strike sent shockwaves through the ground beneath them. The devil's body jolted, muscles locking up as the electricity surged through its form. For a moment, the devil stood frozen, paralyzed by the overwhelming power, every nerve in its body screaming in agony.
The energy continued to crackle and pulse violently, its blue tendrils snaking through the devil's body, disrupting its nervous system and leaving it spasming uncontrollably. The ground beneath them trembled with the sheer impact of the strike, as though the very earth was recoiling from the power unleashed.
With a final, deafening crackle of thunder, the devil staggered back, its body trembling and smoking from the blast. It faltered, its legs giving way as it crumpled to the ground, incapacitated by the electric fury that still surged through its form.
The echo of the attack hung in the air, the smell of scorched earth and ozone thick in the atmosphere. Rikuya landed gracefully, his body crackling with the remnants of the strike, his silver eyes cold and unwavering as he watched the fallen demon.