33 Rise, Stand and Fight! (2/2)

A text box appeared upon his UI before him which caused him to release a breath of relief. ”For now I have some time, but...” His eyes shifted back to see that Iris weapon had completely shattered and she was about to take the full force of the blast. Meanwhile, the other two attacks did not seem to show any sign of dying down their power output. ”What can I? I can't use blink without release one of these to take Iris with me. Shadow Step? No... I wouldn't have enough time either. Is there anything I can do?” He seemed full of despair.

[There is. Accept my deal. Allow me to unlock your limiters and in return, you get out of this predicament.] Harvester stated with a sneer. 'Don't listen to him Riyku. There is a way out of this. Where both you and Iris can live!' Seraphina shouted. [Oh? Do tell him then. Even I would like to know.] Harvester responded. 'I... I can take them both into the shadow. Since they are linked together, I can do it.' Seraphina would respond. ”That's good!” Riyku shouted as if filled with hope. [True, you can. However... you will be out of commission afterward.] Harvester replied. ”What? What is he talking about?” Riyku inquired with a concerned look which caused Seraphina to sigh heavily. 'It's nothing serious. I just can't freely take more than one person into the shadows without expending Diabolical Energy relative to the extra person. And since Iris and you possess around the same amount of life essence, one of you will consume the entirety of my energy to do so. That's all.' Seraphina replied, though the way she responded made it seem like she was hiding something. ”So it's a one-way ticket?” Riyku inquired. 'Yes. Afterward, I will need to rest. But... If it keeps you from accepting Harvester's deal. I will do so.' Seraphina stated firmly. For a moment, Riyku seemed reluctant to accept her suggestion, but after a moment he gave in. ”Fine. Do it. Just make sure you wake up! Understood!” Riyku exclaimed and Seraphina would accept with a cute noise. It was then then that Riyku's shadow would expand to connect with Iris which caused time to resume and both of them fell into the pool of shadow which left the three power attacks to collide with one another.

”Iris!” Both girls of Team IVS shouted. ”Riyku!” Everyone of Riyku's friends that were watching the battle seemed to call out. ”Riyku...” Racheal who was watching the battle aboard some cruise-ship would cover her mouth as she bore witness to what had happened as well. ”Yo, did they get them?” One of the guys from Team Reaper inquire. ”Not sure. I can't tell because of the smoke that was kicked up from the attack.” The other replied.

”Impossible!” The young male shouted. ”No way...” The archer would remark. A whistle came from Naomi. ”Damn... he's tough.” She stated though even her body seemed as exhausted as her teammates did. The smoke had cleared out enough to make out that Riyku and Iris were okay. ”They're okay!” Mina shouted. ”Incredible...” Nora would state.

”F-Father?” Iris who was in Riyku's arms would look up at him weakly. ”Seraphina is with you? Isn't she... Haha... She knows that using that skill consumes your life force... So why would she...” Iris coughed out blood which held the same color at Riyku's blood. ”She what!?” Riyku's eyes went wide. ”She didn't tell you? Silly... girl. She'll do anything to... make you happy. Father... I...” Riyku would shake his head to Iris. ”Rest,” Riyku stated which caused Iris to nod softly. ”Just... be sure... to win...” She seemed to go unconscious after that. Iris's teammates would rush up to the both of them. ”I-is she okay?” One of them asked. ”She is resting. Please... take to the far ends of the field.” Riyku stated and even though his eyes were masked by the bangs of his raven color hair one could tell that his crimson orbs were filled with rage. ”O-okay. Come on. Lasha.” One of the girls told the other as crouched down so that she could carry Iris. Alice would take Iris from Riyku's arms and place her against Lasha's back who would stand up. The three of them would then make their way away from the battle. ”Oh hell no, where do you think you are--” One of Team Reaper's members had stood in their path; however, his head went flying before anyone knew what had happened. Riyku would be standing between the corpse that was falling to the ground and Team IVS. ”Go,” Riyku stated, as he rested the tip of the blade against the ground, holding it in reverse grip once again. ”Okay!” Alice exclaimed before they raced off.

”Team Reaper, Team Phantom...” Riyku would tear off his black shirt which was covered in dust and tatters, revealing his well-built body which was also covered in a magnitude of scars. ”I will be your opponent.” He would declare, his bangs still covering his eyes as he tossed his shirt aside. ”Wait.. wait.. wait...” The last member of Team Reaper seemed stunned. ”Y-you... you haven't taken any damage!?” He shouted having noticed that the man was indeed unscathed through all of that. ”Impossible!” The Archer shouted. ”What is this madness?” The young male rhetorically stated. ”I'll be damned, he isn't only tough, but extremely hot too. That settles it, he's mine.” Naomi stated before dashing towards Riyku with some kind of blinding speed. ”Wait, Naomi! It's dangerous!” The archer shouted, yet the woman did no slowdown. Instead, she picked up speed, her body taking over with a green aura during the process. ”Hehe, keep up!” Naomi teased, her body seemed to leave after images as she raced around Riyku before eventually dashing towards him.

Though to her surprise, her thrust did not clash with flesh, but instead steel. She felt her weapon being tossed aside by another and then the sight of black leather consumed her vision. ”Wha?” BOOM! An explosion parted from Riyku's gloved hand which sent Naomi flying away and bouncing against the ground. ”Sister!” The Archer shouted as she raced towards Naomi. ”Bastard!” The young male would kick-off of his feet and charge at Riyku, thrusting his with great speed and precision. Riyku would side-step the thrust only to bring his free hand to the young man's face and slam him so hard into the ground that it would crater him. He would then slam the sole of his foot against the male's chest and fling him back to his teammates as if he kicking him towards them. ”T-That's... Not possible...” The final member of Team Reaper would gulp heavily. ”No one can withstand such a powerful attack and come out unscathed. Not even my boss.” The guy stated which caused Riyku to shift his hidden crimson orbs towards the man. ”Is that so? I don't think it's impossible.” He would steady approach the guy, dragging the blade against the ground with him. ”It's a matter of one's strength, one's power...” Riyku would continue as the guy steadily began to back away from him.

”After all... You are all nothing more than filthy human trash.” Riyku would flash his dim glowing crimson orbs to the guy which caused him to lose feeling in his legs and fell to the ground.

'Intimidation: Father's Wrath Activated.'

Bringing the blade around he would cut off the head of the male who seemed unable to do anything, but watch as his life was taken. He would turn away from the lifeless limp body which fell to the ground and set his eyes upon Team Phantom who seemed to have finished recovering. ”There... I used the last of my mana, but you two are good to go.” The archer said as Naomi sat up and the young male did. ”Thanks, Sis,” Naomi replied as she pushed herself onto her feet. ”Thanks, Aima.” The young male stated as he got up himself. ”Just, don't rush in there again.” Aima would reply with a heavy breath. ”Yeah, I know. I won't lose composure again.” The young male replied. ”Same. It seems like he has powered up.” Naomi would remark. ”Yeah, I know. Something tells me, this is not even his full power either. It's like he is holding back.” The young man would remark which caused the girls to sigh heavily. ”Do you think we can win, your highness?” Aima inquired and the male would shake his head. ”I am not so sure anymore. Our combi-skill can only work once since you used up the last of your mana. Even if I did do it with Naomi, he will be sure to have a countermeasure.” The male explained.

”Are you three done?” Riyku called out to them which caught their attention, they had not realized how close he had gotten to them. ”Damn... is their really no way to beat him?” The male muttered to himself. ”Naomi, Aima... let's give this all we have left even if it means we fall here!” The young male shouted and the two girls would nod. Naomi would charge forward, while Aima seemed to prepare an arrow. The young male would take his position as well and follow up shortly after Naomi. ”Good. Come.” Riyku would narrow his eyes as he waited for Naomi to approach. His iris' shifting toward his status bar. His fatigue was dangerously low, his shield points nearly empty and his mana had been fully consumed when it came to stopping the spear attack earlier. This was the worst possible situation to be in and yet... he was fairly confident that he could come out on top without having to rely on any of his forms or Harvester for that matter. Bringing his blade around he would deflect the first slash Naomi through his way, using the momentum of his swing he would spin underneath the second slash that came his way using his foot to sweep the woman's feet from under her before slamming the palm of his free hand against the woman which sent her away. Next came the young male who had begun to thrust several strikes his way. Effortless, Riyku would dodge each one. That was until Aima released a barrage of arrows that flew over the young male and would rain down upon. The young man would pivot backward while Riyku brought up his Soluna Blade, spun it around rapidly to tear down the arrows before slamming the weapon the ground and dashing after the young male. ”Shit!” The male shouted as he saw Riyku prepare to bring up his weapon, so the man would defend with his own; however, the blade seemed to cut the pole in two and gripping the hilt with both hands now, Riyku would bring the Soluna Blade downward. ”This is it,” Riyku stated. ”Noah!” Both girls of Team Phantom shouted simultaneously.

”RIYKU VON ROSARIO!” A rage-filled voice called out from the other side of the battlefield which stopped Riyku from cutting the man down. His eyes hastily shifted towards the voice and his eyes shot wide open. ”STOP!” Riyku shouted as he quickly pivoted on his heel to charge towards the Team Leader of Reaper who was holding Iris off the ground by the neck. Lasha and Alice seemed to have been taken out by this man since they were laying on the ground beside him. ”DONT!” Riyku shouted as he tried to reach them in time, but... the distance was too far. The man would release Iris and bring his weapon around to pierce the curved blade of his sick through the woman's body. ”NOOOOO!” Riyku shouted out, his pace slowed down before he dropped his blade and fell to his knees. The man falling into a fit of laughter. ”That was payback for killing my men.” The man would fling Iris from his blade and steadily approach Riyku. ”Team Phantom, let's finish this up. Let's kill this fool and we settle this. Though, I am no fool myself. I'll settle for being knocked out and you can take the win.” The man called out which caused Noah, Naomi, and Aima to look at him with a disgusted gare.

”Why... why couldn't I protect her....” Riyku muttered, looking at his hands. ”Was I not strong enough...” He continued. ”Why can't I save anyone!?” He shouted through grit teeth. Tears dropping from his cheeks rapidly.

[I told you. You are too weak to protect anyone. Everything will slip through your fingers. Everything will be taken from you. Now, you are on the brink of death. You have no strength left to fight. Will you accept defeat?] Harvester's voice called out.

[What will you do? You are going to be killed and it is all your fault for being completely weak. That is why you lose everything.] Harvester would add which caused Riyku to growl.

[You know what to do. Accept it, accept me. Unleash it, now.... call out my name.] Harvester edged him on.

A growl would erupt from Riyku's body and release in the form of a beastly roar as he shouted, ”HARVESTER!”