Reno's breath came sharp and uneven, Sweat clung to his skin, sticking his shirt to his back, his fingers twitched slightly as adrenaline surged through his veins.
His heart hammered against his ribs as if trying to escape, slowly, he lowered his stance, kept his feet apart with his knees bent and hands raised. It was a posture born from years of street fights, back-alley brawls, and desperate struggles for survival. He had learned it not in any dojo, but in dark alleys, behind abandoned buildings, and in places where losing meant waking up in a hospital… or not waking up at all.
Memories of death suddenly flooded his mind unbidden, death of his mother and brother by the hands of a demon.
'And now you shall become my punching bag asshole!' Reno thought with a grin. Kuroda Rei on a nearby rooftop crouched low to observe the fight.
" Is he a sorcerer too?" Rei murmured softly. The two fighters clashed immediately with Reno immediately going on the offensive, he landed blows almost everywhere on the demon but it felt like trying to punch through brick wall.
However a single punch from the demon sank into Reno's gut so fast he never even saw him move. Reno felt his body lift off the ground and curve around the fist before blasting off into a wall.
.Reno slid to the ground, coughing violently, blood splattered onto the pavement and nearby pedestrians screamed."Did you see that?!". "He just flew!". "Is he drunk?!". "Call an ambulance!".
To them, it looked like a man had randomly slammed himself into a wall.They couldn't see the monster.Only Reno could.And it was smiling.
The demon grinned, the effect only served to enhance the hideousness of it's face while it watched it's prey struggle to his feet still spurting blood from his mouth.
Reno's POV…
My gut hurt but that pain paled next to what I'm currently feeling in my back. 'who knew demons could actually be this strong?'
That was when I noticed it's grin. 'Hell no! I'm not going to let this one get away from me anymore. I will kill you and get the evidence I need to show the world even if I die trying!'
After a brief struggle to compose my facial expression I snickered. " Is that the best you can do? Women would hit better". It was probably suicidal to further antagonize your potential killer but hey I'm depressed here and I've got a big mouth, never a good combination.
But the statement had the desired effect when I noticed the grin fall off the demons abominable face. " Round two" I murmured.
This time it went on full bloodlust and charged at me like a cannonball. I am an expert in street fighting and have gotten into a couple scuffles than I can count so I'm no amateur when it comes to the art but with anger, dizziness and depression clouding my movements I inadvertently became a sitting duck to it.
I took several hits to the face, gut and chest yet for some reason, I refused to back down and kept rising up but the damages to my body kept piling. ' C'mon gimme a chance will you' I grumbled inwardly.
And eventually I saw one and managed to get a good hook with all the strength I had to spare. My fistconnected and then birthed agony.
It felt like my bones shattered.White-hot pain exploded through my arm, I screamed. My hand hung limp while the demon barely moved.Its head tilted slightly.Annoyed."…You've gotta be kidding me
Kuroda Rei Pov…
This guy's no sorcerer that much is certain. I probably should go help him right now but I guess I've got more faith in him than I thought.
Either way I admired each time he stood up again and again, like he was deliberately trying to annoy the demon. I'm still trying to figure out if I should call this bravery or stupidity.
Nah outright madness would be a better word for him right now… Hmm I think I'll just have him play with it till it could knock him out then.
Just then the guy's punched impact the demon's face with enough force to tilt it's head back. I didn't need to hear the shriek the demon made before I knowing that that hit hurt but also sure to bring retribution.
Immediately the demon delivered an uppercut to Reno's body, momentarily lifting it into the air then what the demon did next would kill a normal human three times over…
End Of POV
While suspended in air, the demon fired punches at Reno in a fast stream then clutching his hands together and hammering Reno to the ground.
The scene soon started generating attention as passers by started coalescing at where Reno's mangled form now bled on the pavement.
People screamed."Oh my God!""Call an ambulance!""Dude, are you alive?!""Go away…" Reno wheezed weakly.The demon grabbed his neck.Lifted him.Reno's feet dangled helplessly.Air vanished from his lungs.It roared in his face.Hot, rancid breath washed over him."Damn…" Reno croaked. "Ever heard of toothpaste…?"
With Reno's neck in it's grip, the demon raised its other hand to smash his head between them, that was when Kuroda readied entering the fight to save him before something changed.
To Reno his rapidly growing tunnel vision of darkness grew smaller and smaller and he kept choking on his own blood. Breathing hurt and even an amateur would deduce that Reno had probably broken every rib in his diaphragm and possibly one of them had pierced his lungs.
" I'm also gonna get killed by a demon, this was unexpected' he thought. A myriad of emotions flooded his mind but he deliberately chose to focus on just one: defiant rage. That was went he saw an interface pop up in front of him.
[Bloodline Protocol Activated]
[Heir Identified: Reno Enma]
[System Initialization…]
[Sync Complete]
Welcome, Hell's Heir…
Power surged through his veins. Dark. Ancient. Hungry. His blood burned like molten iron and his senses sharpened. The world slowed. Every sound, every movement became painfully clear.The night trembled.
Kuroda froze a massive wave of unfamiliar energy exploded outward."…That's impossible," he whispered, human bodies
weren't supposed to produce that."The real fight… is just beginning."