"Hey! It's too late to run now. Just stand there and take it!"
"In your dreams!"
The spike of danger hit Angel like a hammer. Her instincts screamed at her to retreat. One step back and her body was ready to bolt… but her pride stopped her cold. She'd shown up to challenge Ryuuto. She'd talked big. Running now would crush whatever dignity she had left.
"I'll see for myself just how 'amazing' you think you are!"
Grinding her heel into the floor, Angel forced down the panic, threw her wings wide, and launched herself at him with everything she had.
Ryuuto didn't budge. His hands blurred through seals, afterimages snapping like sparks around him as his chakra surged.
Angel didn't slow. Her wings gleamed, metal-hard, sharp enough to split steel. She slashed down with both like twin executioner blades.
"Victory's mine!"
She blurred, a streak of light crossing the distance in an instant. She could already taste the triumph, already see Ryuuto falling before her. Her lips curled into a grin—
—and then froze.
Her wings carved straight through Ryuuto's body… only for him to burst apart into a splash of water, scattering across the ground.
A clone.
Angel's heart stopped.
"It's over," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Behind her came Ryuuto's voice, dripping with mockery. "Took you long enough to notice. Shame you figured it out right before losing."
Two splashes rose up beside her as the real Ryuuto and his water clone materialized in formation, both hands already locked in prepared jutsu.
"Water Style: Water Prison."
Before Angel could flap her wings or even inhale, a column of swirling water wrapped around her like a living cage, trapping her mid-air and slamming her wings limp. She crashed to the floor helplessly, soaked and humiliated.
Ryuuto leapt skyward, only the clone remaining to hold the prison steady.
"Time for a lesson you'll remember forever."
"No! No—dammit—!"
Her scream cracked with desperation, but it didn't matter.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Ryuuto exhaled a roaring torrent that twisted into the shape of a massive dragon. The impact hit Angel like a meteor. She shot across the floor, rolling again and again until she crashed flat, eyes closed, completely defeated.
Thud.
The dust settled. Angel lay unconscious. Ryuuto stood victorious.
[Ding! Mission complete. Reward issued: 1x Lucky Spin. Additional reward: 10 Life Potions. System Experience: +10,000]
"Oh? Nice. Shion, bring the button out. I'm feeling a full sweep coming. Let's make your stingy system cry today."
Ryuuto cracked his knuckles and grinned like a menace.
[Heh… fine, fine. I'll cheer for you, Master. Don't disappoint me.]
"Come on then—Pikachu, I choose you!"
He slammed the button. Inside his mind, a massive turntable burst to life in vivid colors, spinning fast enough to rattle his heartbeat. The excitement hit him embarrassingly hard.
[Ding! Congratulations, Master. You obtained: Optional S-Rank Mission.]
"Huh? Seriously? A task again? My luck is criminal."
He sighed long and loud. Then curiosity won.
"So? What's the mission this time? I'm not punching another supervillain in the teeth, am I?"
[If only it were that simple. Your mission is to locate a Mutant codenamed Armor. Your goal: obtain his gloves within one hour.]
"…That's it? That's suspicious. Sounds like a trap."
[Maybe. Maybe not. You accepting or not? Timer starts the moment you say yes.]
"One hour? What's the reward?"
[Successful completion grants 40,000 System EXP. You may also convert it entirely into Life Potions.]
"Fine! I'll take the mission. The potions are pointless anyway. I'm built different."
Ryuuto shot a confident glance skyward as if Shion were floating overhead.
His aura flared.
Gwen slipped beside him, fingers sliding around his hand. "Ryuuto, I'll come with you. We've got time… and we're still technically on our honeymoon."
"Then let's go together. No splitting up."
Ryuuto wrapped an arm around her waist and blasted forward with high-speed movement, vanishing in a burst of wind. Behind them, Angel lay on the ground, weakly pounding her fist in frustration.
With little info to go on, Ryuuto did the obvious: bother Professor X. Sure enough, the data came instantly. Being well-connected in New York had its perks.
"Got him. A boxing gym. Of course he'd be hanging out somewhere like that."
Before long, Ryuuto and Gwen stood before a grand boxing hall. His target was inside.
Gwen held his hand tighter.
Ryuuto pushed the doors open without hesitation.
Time was burning. And he intended to finish this mission fast.
...
Read up to 100 chapters ahead and access exclusive novels by joining my Patreon!
patreon.com/Zyxxar