Chapter 25.
"Ah. My son, you're here as well." Kokabiel looked down at him with a massive smile.
Immediately, everyone's head snapped towards Ryu's direction all with different expressions of course.
"'Son?'" Xenovia muttered to herself, "...But you're human." She then added.
Irina was so shocked that her mouth was hanging open. A fly could probably go in and out.
Issei's and Koneko's eyes widened, recognizing him because they had seen his picture before.
"Dad, I asked you a question." Ryu spoke again, his eyes narrowing.
"Isn't this an interesting development, Lord Kokabiel's son..." Valper smiled widely, "No wonder he has such extraordinary power!"
"...Is that how you speak to your father?" Kokabiel's tone changed and the smile disappeared along with it. "Perhaps... I ought to discipline you, It's been a while since our last father-son bonding session."
"Why don't you try?" Ryu said, "It's been a while since I chewed up your wings"
"Oho... it seems you've gotten very disrespectful since coming here..." Kokabiel said and slowly descended.
The moment Kokabiel's feet touched the ground, the tense atmosphere changed into one of dread.
Absolute fear snaked itself into everyone's very souls. The people who have had near-death experiences could somewhat fight it. Kiba, Irina, Xenovia, Issei and Koneko.
But for Saji it was hell, he could barely breath. He was too terrified to do anything, and the worst of it was... no one could help him in this scenario.
Those who could at least move went on alert, they already were tense and ready for a confrontation, but now that it was actually right around the edge. They were getting cold feet.
No matter what Sacred Gear they had, no matter what fancy trick they could pull. This was an Ultimate-class Fallen Angel, bordering on Satan-class.
And to make matters worse, it was Kokabiel. A man who had infinitely more experience in combat than his peers.
For some... no-name brats to try and fight against him, what good could possibly come out of this?!
The outcome of the fight was practically decided, someone with some sense of self-preservation and half a brain could see the odds and back off.
But Ryu Ogami wouldn't back down against anyone.
It doesn't matter if the opponent was stronger, doesn't matter if he had a 0% chance of winning.
That was the promise he made to his father.
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*FLASHBACK*
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Ryu hit the ground hard, and groaned in pain he was trying to catch his breath and trying to get up.
But his body was failing fast, even though his mind and soul wanted him to get up. His body which had completely exhausted itself couldn't fulfill that desire.
"That's enough for today." A voice came from beside him.
Ryu turned his head, and saw Kokabiel sitting next to him with a soft expression and a gentle smile.
"You did good today." He complimented him and pat his head.
"...Stop... lying." Ryu said struggling to get a word out, brushing his hand of with great difficulty.
"I'm not lying at all." Kokabiel denied the accusation.
"You are..." Ryu said, "I'm... still the same... no improvements even after... a month of training."
"...Ryu, getting stronger takes time. Right now, you're still just a child. When you grow up, you'll become stronger and stronger."
"BUT I DON'T WANT TO WAIT!" Ryu gathered just enough energy to scream. "THAT GUY VALI! HE'S MAKING SO MUCH PROGRESS HE'S ABOUT TO CATCH UP TO ME!"
"Vali has a Sacred Gear, he's going to progress faster. That is the harsh truth." Kokabiel said, letting out a sigh.
He knew exactly what Ryu was feeling.
"But, Ryu." Kokabiel spoke, "Does that mean you're gonna give up?" Kokabiel questioned seriously.
"...I just might." Ryu managed to change his position into a sated one, he brought his knees closer to his chest and hugged them. "It's useless, why should I continue this? If those born with some toys are gonna be stronger than me anyway?" Ryu said, his voice shaking at that last part.
"I'm just... some regular kid who can't even use mana, or any other energy that exists."
His eyes were wet, tears threatening to overflow.
Kokabiel sighed, he put his arm around Ryu and brought him close into a hug.
"Listen... Ryu. You're not a regular kid at all, your power and fighting abilities are phenomenal for someone your age." Kokabiel said, rubbing his son's head.
"But what good is that... if I can't ever reach the same level as you?" Ryu's voice trembled even more.
"...You can, and not just that... you will become stronger than me eventually." Kokabiel smiled at his son.
"...Stop lying to me just to make me feel better..."
"Once again, I'm not lying Ryu. I wholeheartedly believe what I say. I've been alive ever since the creation of mankind, and I've fought a lot of people. Humans, devils, angels, other fallen angels, dragons. etc. and I can tell when someone has hit their hard limit, when someone truly has no room left to grow," Kokabiel explained, then paused for a second looking at his son once more. "But my intuition... all of my experience... all of it is telling me, that you aren't even close to your full potential."
Ryu sniffled, looking up at his dad with teary eyes and lunged towards him and hugged him.
"Really?" Ryu asked, a light of hope returning in his eyes.
"Yeah! Trust me, you just have to fight, fight and fight some more.
Ryu buried his face in his father's chest again, "I promise I'll... never stop fighting... even if my oponent is stronger... even if I die... Dad." he muttered that promise part, though it was more of a promise to his own self rather than Kokabiel.
Kokabiel's eyes widened in surprise, he too wrapped his hands around his son.
"...That's the first time you've called me that." Kokabiel muttered.
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Back to present.
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"You guys... take care of those two, I'll handle him." Ryu said, walking up to Kokabiel.
"That's suicide! You can't win against him alone!" Irina shouted from behind.
"We'll see." Ryu responded to her.
Kokabiel and Ryu stood face to face, Kokabiel was completely relaxed while Ryu wasn't.
Suddenly, Ryu threw a right hook from nowhere, Kokabiel casually parried his attack by smacking Ryu's hand away with his own.
Then he delivered a body shot, which struck Ryu directly in the liver.
Ryu's torso bent immediately, then he glanced at his hand which was trembling.
This was a strange feeling. Ryu's right hand hurt a lot more than his side.
"Don't space out now." Kokabiel's voice came just before he was kneed in the stomach and sent flying back.
Kokabiel followed up the attack, raising his hand in the air and conjuring light spears in less than a second, then he brought his arm down and the spears rained on Ryu.
*BOOM* BOOM* BOOM*
The spears struck the ground Ryu was lying on, with terrifying power.
Each one of those spears could definitely obliterate your average High-Class devil.
Ryu managed to barely escape the spears, running to the side before changing course and charging directly at Kokabiel.
Kokabiel also charged forwards, both of them exchanged blows again.
Ryu struck Kokabiel's face, while Kokabiel struck Ryu's solar plexus.
Ryu felt a taste of Iron in his mouth.
"Hm?" Kokabiel let out a sound of surprise, before he was elbowed in the face again.
His head snapped back but then it turned just as quickly, facing Ryu.
"What's this... unfamiliar hardness?" Kokabiel asked curiously while looking down at his hand.
Ryu spat blood out of his mouth, without answering the questions he unleashed a series of devastating elbow strikes.
Kokabiel took all of them without raising his guard, or trying to block.
Ryu's strikes had almost no effect at all.
Kokabiel smiled again, "You certainly can take a hit..." He began to say and then he kicked Ryu's leg with immense speed and power.
Ryu grunted and fell to his knee.
"But you can't dish it," Kokabiel finished before kicking Ryu in the side,
Ryu flew in the air and smashed into a tree, and slumped down.
He spat out blood again,
"...Damn it..." He muttered, he then looked up only to see a light spear heading his way.
He twisted his head to the side, just barely dodging it and quickly got up on his feet.
Kokabiel stood exactly where he was, seemingly waiting for his next move.
"So? What else are you going to show me?" Kokabiel smirked, rubbing his chin.
"...So this is... my new wall?" Ryu muttered to himself, and slowly stood up.
He breathed in, and breathed out.
Ryu narrowed his eyes and then charged towards Kokabiel once more.
He leaped at the last second and drove his elbow downwards towards Kokabiel's skull.
"...Guess nothing at all then." Kokabiel said to himself, and raised his hands to block.
Ryu's elbow strike was halted, but he didn't let up.
Ryu unleashed a powerful punch combinations on Kokabiel, but all of them were parried.
"We're done here, Ryu," Kokabiel said, he then drew his arm back and smashed his fist into Ryu's stomach.
At that moment, Ryu hardened his body to it's utmost and managed to tank the hit.
He gritted his teeth and let out a grunt of pain, his face scrunching up as well.
"No... I say when we're done," Ryu replied, while drawing back his arm and throwing a fist.
"This agai-" Kokabiel smirked and crossed his arms into an x shape to block.
The attack landed.
*BOOM*
Kokabiel's eyes widened in complete and utter shock, his body went flying back a couple meters, but he managed to stop himself by digging his feet into the ground.
"Haha..." Kokabiel started laughing, "HAHAHAHA!" It gradually turned, into laughter that resembled that of a madman.
Ryu stood there, his arm was still in the same position, smoke trailing off of his fist, and the skin from his knuckles was torn off as well.
Kokabiel looked down at his arms, which trembled slightly, and he couldn't help but laugh again.
If you were to describe his mood, it would be like that of a child who found a new toy.
Kokabiel was a Fallen Angel who was most addicted to battle, a junkie who found pleasure and joy in it.
This was one of the reasons he fell, and also why he followed Azazel back then.
During the times of the war against the other races, Kokabiel found true joy.
He could fight as much as he wanted! Slaughter as many as he wanted! Both Devils and Angels.
But the times of peace came, and his joy was crushed.
He could obviously spar with Azazel, and the other high ranking Fallen angels.
But...
The thrill of life and death, wasn't there.
And this... maniac, this masochistic crow... couldn't find anything to satiate his addiction to battle.
But then he met a child...
This child, managed to awaken something in him.
A certain 'Good', an aspect of his being that was erased from his existence when he fell from heaven.
This child... would become the light, in his darkest days.
"...Look at you... how much you've grown, Ryu..." Kokabiel muttered to himself, a flicker of happiness and pride flashing through his eyes, though it was carefully camouflaged by his 'Madness'.
Author's note: Sorry for being gone so long, I was busy. I also apologise for the short chapter. Originally, I planned to cover the entire Kokabiel vs Ryu fight but well, life. The next chapter might not take this much time, but if it does I apologise again in advance.