Chapter 26.
Ryu glanced down at his fist, bleeding from the knuckles. He waved his arm casually and splattered the blood on the ground, he took a deep breath feeling his newly acquired Strength coursing through his entire body.
"Oh yeah... I can get used to this." He muttered to himself, a satisfied smile crawling up his face.
"I wonder... if I can push through more Thresholds... after all, there's no better wall than my own dad." He muttered to himself, his eyes locking onto Kokabiel.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Kokabiel shouted, beginning to walk towards him with a wide smile, "TELL ME! TELL ME!"
"Threshold of Strength," Ryu answered.
"OH?! SO AZAZEL WAS RIGHT!" Kokabiel was very obviously surprised. "GOOD!"
"NOW! LET'S CONTINUE! SHOW ME MORE!" Kokabiel leaned forward and burst into a sprint, covering the distance between Ryu and him in just a second, maybe even less.
He appeared right in front of Ryu, his arm blurring in Ryu's sight as it clamped on his arm.
"LET'S GO FOR A FLIGHT!" Kokabiel yelled, spinning Ryu around and throwing him into the air.
"YOU CRAZY FUCK!" Ryu yelled as he was flying through the air.
"HAHAHAH!" The sound of Kokabiel's laughter came, he unfurled his wings and flew up.
Kokabiel caught up to Ryu, he drove his fist into his stomach which made Ryu go up even higher into the sky.
Ryu soared into the sky, he was in deep trouble right now.
Ryu didn't have wings, so he was unable to fly. Right now, the only thing he could do was try to minimize the damage and find a way to safely hit the ground.
Kokabiel flew up again, this time Ryu was ready.
Kokabiel unleashed a flurry of attacks, with kicks, punches and even wings.
Ryu managed to block all of them, obviously with great difficulty.
He then grabbed onto Kokabiel, an locked his legs around his torse as well.
Securing his position.
"Not a bad strategy!" Kokabiel said.
Ryu punched him in the face, Kokabiel's face snapped to the side.
He returned the punch, landing it in Ryu's stomach.
The two started falling down, Kokabiel stopped flying. the two were fully committed to punching each other.
Each of their blows caused shockwaves across the sky.
Ryu's Endurance and stamina were being tested here, if he let up even for a single second... he would loose.
Kokabiel was having the time of his life, the thrill of life and death was here.
"Get ready for landing Ryu!" Kokabiel said, just as he finished saying that he was decked in the face.
"Crazy fucker." Ryu said, Kokabiel drove his elbow in his gut for that.
The two were nearing the ground now, about 100 meters left before impact.
They were still punching each other, Ryu would probably turn into meat paste if he kept going at this rate, but he had a plan of his own.
Ryu looked back for a tiny second, noticing that the ground was close.
He quickly maneuvered his body in such a way that he came out on top, and Kokabiel on the bottom.
He planned on using Kokabiel's body to cushion the impact.
Of course, Kokabiel knew.
He let him do it.
*BOOM*
A massive cloud of smoke erupted.
"Hehe... that was a good show, Ryu," Kokabiel said, getting up and wiping his bloodied face.
He then looked down at Ryu.
Ryu lay there unconscious, his shirt completely torn apart. His body also bruised heavily, his internal organs were no doubt in complete agony.
There was blood on his face as well, but there were absolutely no bruises on his face. Only on his body.
*COUGH COUGH* Kokabiel coughed up some more blood.
"Didn't think you'd push me so far..." He muttered, looking down at the blood on his hand, "You did well, Ryu. Now, rest for a bit. I'll take a look at your friends... and when you wake up, I'll continue playing with you."
Kokabiel crouched down, wiped the blood from his face and with a gentle touch, patted his head.
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A few minutes earlier, with Kiba and the others.
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Kiba, Xenovia and Irina were currently engaged with Freed.
Issei and Koneko were in the back, protecting Saji who was still out of it.
"SAJI! YOU GOTTA WAKE UP MAN!" Issei was yelling at him and shaking him, but to no avail.
[BOOST!] Issei boosted, his Sacred Gear was switched on.
Koneko stepped forward, and punched Saji in the stomach.
Saji immediately fell on his knees and started coughing.
"Great! You've come back to us Saji!" Issei said with a smile.
"Y-Yeah... sorry." Saji muttered, a bit ashamed to look up. He wiped his face and got on his feet.
"YAHOO!" A shout came from behind Issei, he turned to look and he saw Yuto flying towards him.
Issei's eyes widened in complete shock, he reacted quickly and caught him, both of them fell to the ground.
"Yuto!" Koneko raised her voice.
"YUTO! YOU OKAY?!" Issei shouted as well.
"Damn it... That bastard is too strong." Yuto said, struggling to get up on his feet.
They looked in front, and there they were.
Xenovia and Irina were the ones who were currently fighting Freed.
They were putting up a much better fight, this was because Freed had an advantage over Yuto because he was a devil. Xenovia and Irina were humans, so against Freed these two were a better match up.
"They're doing good." Koneko said.
"Yeah, best you three don't get involved." Yuto said, "Freed's speed is too much for you to handle, and just a graze from his blade would be fatal." Yuto said, charging forward again.
Issei clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, "I don't like this," he spoke.
"Me neither," Koneko agreed, "But Yuto's right. We'd just be deadweight."
"So... what do we do?" Saji asked. "We can't just stay here and do nothing!" He shouted.
"I KNOW!" Issei shouted back, "But we can't do anything!"
The fight was getting intense, Freed was being slowly overwhelmed by the combined efforts of the three swordsmen.
Freed was a prodigy, a man who posessed top-tier talent. His descent into madness was great loss for the church.
But even though Freed went mad, and was completely unhinged... his talent in combat didn't just fade away. In fact, you could say that his madness amplified his combat prowess.
"Looks like you guys are having some trouble here." A deep voice came from above.
Immediately, all the fighting stopped.
Kiba, Xenovia and Irina retreated and looked up.
There, up in the air hovered the owner of said dreadful voice.
It was Kokabiel.
"Shall I help you two? Freed? Valper?"
"KOKABIEL!" Xenovia shouted, raising her sword in front of her.
"Ah! Lord Kokabiel." Valper answered. "Indeed, some assistance would be greatly appreciated."
"Alright then." He then began to descend, he landed right next to Valper.
Valper's eyes widened when he looked at Kokabiel from up close.
"Lord Kokabiel-"
"Woah boss! You're really roughed up!" Freed interrupted him.
"Ah," Kokabiel let out a sound, "Indeed... Ryu was strong, even I didn't come out of it unscathed." He then paused and a smirk came back, "Though... that problem is solved, he's sleeping so he shouldn't bother us for a while."
The implication of his words sent a chill down the spines of Issei and the others.
"Ryu? No way..." Yuto was shocked, his eyes widening.
"...He lost huh?" Xenovia muttered as well, her grip tightening on her sword.
"That very macho man?" Irina gasped.
"IMPOSSIBLE! RYU LOST?!" Issei shouted as well.
Koneko's lips trembled as well, but she didn't say anything, but her clenched fists spoke for her.
To him, Ryu was the personification of strength, never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined Ryu to loose.
Never.
"We are doomed..." Saji fell back into despair.
Valper hummed, "A human who didn't possess any kind of energy... to push a being such as yourself so far..." Valper rubbed his chin.
His researcher's mind began to work, "I'd love to dissect that body."
Kokabiel's neck snapped to the side, his eyes narrowing.
"Don't even think about it, Valper," Kokabiel growled, "Don't even touch a hair on my son's body, or there will be hell to pay."
Valper shrunk back, "M-My sincerest apologies Lord Kokabiel..."
Xenovia's eyes narrowed, "What kind of a father are you?! To beat his own son..." She was seething.
"Hmph, don't question me. Little girl." Kokabiel said with a sneer, he then took a look around. "Now, little devils... where are your kings? Rias Gremory? And that other one... Sona Sitri."
"None of your business," Issei answered for everyone.
Kokabiel's eyes turned to him, "Oh? The Red Dragon Emperor huh?" he was intrigued, "Well... how about it? Should we play a bit? Me and you?" Kokabiel offered, as he began walking forwards.
[BOOST!] Issei was at his peak.
He smirked, "Sure, old timer." He stepped up as well.
"Issei! Don't be stupid! If Ryu couldn't-" Yuto began to say.
"Shut up Yuto." Issei shut him up, "Ryu may have lost, but he tenderized the meat for us. Look at him, he didn't come out of that battle unscathed." Issei said to him, this was one of the rare times that his brain decided to turn gears and work properly.
Yuto was silenced, "Alright... If you die, I'll drag you from the pits of purgatory and have Ryu smash your face in." He threatened.
Issei's smirk widened a bit, he gave a thumbs up to him.
Issei and Kokabiel stood about two meters apart from each other, just as they were about to clash...
*CRACK*
The barrier above them shattered like glass.
And a new one was erected.
"Sorry, we're late." A gentle voice resounded.
Hair as red as the color of blood, eyes as green as emeralds.
Magical aura that seemed to be hungry for destruction.
Rias Gremory had finally arrived at the scene, and standing next to her were Asia Argento and Akeno Himejima.
Author's note: Oh my days, we've got 200k views... thanks a lot, unc here is very happy.