Chapter 148

Chapter 148: 

'That beast hurt Meiyo!'

'That beast hurt my friends. Yes even Kaito !"

'Most importantly it hurt my Akari!'

Were the thoughts of Kouki.

Suddenly a deep, primal growl rumbled in Kouki's throat. His crimson-ringed golden eyes locked onto the Hydra, his vision tunneling with nothing but pure, unrelenting fury. The very air around him twisted, warping under the heat of his Omni Energy converted into mana.

The Hydra, however, was unimpressed. Unmoving. His seven heads blinked in perfect sync, his scaled body coiled lazily around the ruined throne room. His golden eyes radiated amusement, as if this was just another tiresome game.

Kouki didn't care.

No, he couldn't care.

Meiyo was down. His prideful, ever-calculating sister—the one who was supposed to be untouchable—was bleeding. Wounded. Vulnerable.

All because he was too weak.

All because he wasn't like that fucking disgrace Noboru

All because he couldn't keep his promise to dad to protect mother and Meiyo.

He won't allow it.

He won't be outclassed by Noboru.

He won't let Meiyo ever be hurt again.

He won't break his prmise to protect the women of the clan ever again.

Because all this.

Everything that happened.

All of it.

Was unacceptable!

"I'LL RIP YOU APART! YOU OVERGROWN 9 HEADED LIZZARD"

Flames ignited around Kouki's body, his Phoenix Aura raging like an inferno, but it was different this time—more wild. More untamed. The lava slit wolf like eyes were piercing as the flames around him flickered with his breathing, twisting into something darker, something unnatural.

He didn't notice. He didn't care.

All he cared about—was destroying this monster.

And then—he moved.

A burst of golden-red mana exploded from his feet, launching him forward like a meteor. The moment his body flickered into motion, his stance changed. Not refined. Not disciplined.

Feral.

Like a wolf pouncing on prey.

His first strike was a downward flaming claw swipe, his fingers curled like talons as the energy around him crackled with pure aggression.

The Hydra didn't move.

Not at first.

Then it did a move a simple move a subtle shift.

A single head lazily tilted to the side, Kouki's flaming claw missing by mere inches.

Before he could react, the Hydra's middle head flicked forward

and slammed into his gut.

A sickening crack echoed as Kouki was sent soaring backwards, crashing through a stone pillar, shattering it into dust. The impact left a deep crater in the ground, smoke and debris rising around him.

PAIN.

White-hot agony pulsed through his ribs, but he didn't care. He refused to care.

He pushed off the ground, his hands digging into the shattered stone, his teeth bared in a snarl. His breath was ragged, his mana surged, but all that filled his mind was one thought.

KILL.

With a feral roar, he lunged again, faster. This time, instead of a single strike, he unleashed a barrage.

He started with a flaming roundhouse kick but the Hydra tanked it without flinching.

"Tell me little wolf is that all." It mocked mid barrage.

"JUST STAY STILL" Kouki yelled followed up by a sharp elbow strike that barely nudged Hydra.

"I STAYED STILL FELT NOTHING" Hydra mocked

Kouki didn't say anything just growled and followed up with a spinning lariat coated in flaming hot lava Mana a few scales cracked.

"OH! look you manage to hurt me. Little pup." Hydra mocked.

Hikari was mad.

Mad at himself.

for being weak.

It wasn't enough.

His best.

It was never enough.

Kouki's mind screamed at him. Faster. Stronger. Hit harder.

He disappeared in a flash of golden light, reappearing at the Hydra's blind spot or at least, where he thought a blind spot should be.

The Hydra was already there.

A massive tail whipped around, catching Kouki mid-strike.

BOOM.

His vision flashed white.

He barely registered the sensation of his body collapsing through the floor, the stone cratering beneath him. His ears rang, his lungs screamed for air, but he forced himself up, coughing golden blood.

The Hydra's middle head tilted, regarding him with mild curiosity.

"You're more instinctual than the girl," he mused. "More… feral. Less refined. A beast pretending to be a king."

Kouki's body shook. Not just from pain—from rage.

"SHUT UP!"

He lunged again, his movements now completely primal.

 He slashed a claw made of fire at the Hydra but the Hydra dodged.

 He punched coating his fist in lava but the Hydra let it hit, a few scales cracking, but nothing more.

He roared, releasing a blast of lava Mana but the attack it barely singed the Hydra's hide.

But Kouki didn't stop.

Even as his knuckles bled, even as his breath came in ragged, animalistic gasps, even as his muscles screamed—

He kept attacking.

Because stopping meant Meiyo lost.

Stopping meant he lost.

Stopping meant that filthy disgrace Noboru was stronger.

Stopping meant anyone can hurt his girl and get away with it.

And that was unacceptable.

The Hydra sighed.

Then—he moved.

Faster than Kouki could react, a massive claw slammed into his chest.

The force sent him flying back, his body ragdolling across the throne room. The world blurred as he smashed into the far wall, the impact cracking the foundation itself.

For the first time in his life—

Kouki couldn't move.

His entire body felt like it was breaking apart. His vision swam, golden blood dripping from his lips, his chest heaving.

I… I can't—

The Hydra let out a slow, satisfied breath.

And then, he grinned.

"You fight like an animal," he mused, stepping forward. "But you lack control."

Kouki's fists clenched.

He tried to push himself up. He tried to ignite his flames again.

But his body refused.

"You have power, little prince. A great deal of it," the Hydra continued, tilting his middle head. "But power without control? That makes you weak."

Weak.

Weak.

Weak.

The word rang in Kouki's skull.

It infuriated him.

It terrified him.

He wasn't weak.

He couldn't be weak.

But right now—

He was.

The Hydra's golden eyes narrowed.

"Disappointing."

Then—he raised his claw again.

Kouki's breath hitched.

He couldn't dodge.

He couldn't stop it.

This was—

"Enough."

A pulse of mana erupted, cutting through the air.

The Hydra's claw stopped.

Meiyo stepped forward, bloodied, but standing.

In her Sky Hawk state which is still unknown to her.

"We do this together," she said, her Sky Hawk eyes burning with determination. "Or we die."

Kouki's breath caught.

The fight wasn't over.

It was just beginning.