Plan Thwarted: Ryujin Has to Descend Back into Darkness

Amanda's heart raced as she pushed through the thick foliage, each step echoing with urgency. When she broke through the tree line, the sight that greeted her was nothing short of nightmarish.

Ryujin stood facing Gouka, but what truly caught her attention was the Golem figure beside them. A massive Golem of dark, gleaming iron towered over the battleground. Its body was forged with intricate patterns that seemed to move and shift, giving the impression of a pulsating, living being of metal. Fiery eyes, like molten lava, stared out from a face sculpted with an expression of pure rage. Its immense fists clenched and unclenched, anticipating the impending confrontation.

"Ryujin-sama, are you okay?"

Without waiting for a response, Amanda began to pat him down, her hands moving in exaggerated frantically. She swiped imaginary dust off his shoulders, adjusted a non-existent wrinkle on his sleeve, and even fluffed up his hair for some inexplicable reason.

"Uhm, Amanda?" Ryujin tried to interject, a bemused expression on his face.

"I need to ensure you're completely unharmed!" She continued her 'examination' by poking his cheeks and tugging gently on his earlobes.

"I'm fine, Amanda, really," Ryujin said, attempting to regain dignity.

"I was so worried." Amanda's voice wavered, tears brimming. "I thought I'd lost you."

"There's no need for any tears," Ryujin said gently, reassuringly touching her shoulder. "But right now, we need to be focused. The battle isn't over."

He swiftly transitioned into an attacking stance, signaling the continuation of their intense confrontation.

"Yes, Ryujin-sama!" Amanda shifted into her attacking stance, mirroring Ryujin's posture.

"How endearing, Amanda. It'll be even more satisfying to claim Ryujin before you."

"You wish!"

With that cue, Ryujin nodded and lunged forward, his muscular frame coiling like a spring. Just as he was about to reach Yumi, he stopped and pivoted, using his powerful arms to grab Amanda by the waist. Using his immense strength, he catapulted her forward with incredible speed.

Amanda shot through the air, a human missile aimed straight at Yumi. The succubus barely had time to register the surprise attack. Amanda extended her leg with a battle cry, her heel aimed directly at Yumi's face.

Just as Amanda's attack was about to land, Gouka, seeing an opportunity, lunged at the momentarily defenseless Ryujin. But Ryujin was already a step ahead. He had anticipated Gouka's move. Instead of retreating, he moved forward, closing the gap between them. As Gouka raised his arm for a strike, Ryujin ducked and then, using his superior strength, lifted his leg in a swift, arc-like motion, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick that landed squarely on Gouka's jaw.

The force of the kick sent Gouka sprawling backward, crashing into a heap of boulders. Dust and debris flew up from the impact, momentarily obscuring the battlefield.

The golem's fist descended from above, the massive shadow cast by its gigantic hand growing more extensive as it approached Ryujin. 

"Holy noodles, this thing's heavy!"

Ryujin barely managed to hold back the crushing punch using both his arms. His feet sank into the ground from the sheer force, creating mini-craters beneath them.

Seeing Ryujin's struggle, Amanda, with her unwavering determination, lunged toward the golem, her hands sparkling with icy blue energy. 

"Frost Impact!" she yelled, releasing a cascade of icy spikes that rocketed toward the golem. They struck it repeatedly, causing cracks to spiderweb across its massive form. But it wasn't enough. The golem, barely fazed, swung its other arm and smacked Amanda, sending her spiraling through the air.

 As Amanda attempted to regain her balance, Yumi sped toward her with a wicked grin, delivering a sharp punch to her abdomen. Amanda barely had a moment to process the pain before Gouka swooped in, hitting her with a forceful, mana-charged blow that sent her crashing.

Ryujin's eyes widened in horror and fury. The silver ring on his finger, a limiter placed to contain his overflowing mana, began to quiver. His suppressed emotions and mana welled up as he witnessed his dear friend getting attacked. A chilling wind swept through the battlefield, causing shivers to run down the spine of anyone nearby. The ground beneath Ryujin frosted over, and the surrounding air grew colder and denser. The ring, unable to handle the surge of raw power, cracked and then shattered, its fragments scattering like tiny diamonds.

The atmosphere was thick with tension, with a palpable sense of dread in the air. Ryujin's usually calm eyes now burned with an icy fury. 

"You'll regret this."

"It seems playtime's over. Muscle guy, they're all yours." 

Yumi, sensing the imminent danger, chuckled.

The cold intensity in Ryujin's eyes was mirrored in the sharp edge of his voice as he shouted, "Frost Impact!" Channels of icy blue mana erupted from his core, swirling and spiraling as they coursed through his outstretched hands.

The wave of frost first reached Gouka, encasing his feet in ice and quickly ascending to imprison his entire body. The sheer cold was so intense that you could see a crystalline shimmer in the air around him. Gouka tried to summon his mana to counteract it, but the rapid encroachment of the frost overwhelmed him. As the ice inched its way up, his movements slowed, facial expressions frozen in shock and determination.

Beside him, the golem, massive and daunting, began to stiffen. The ice spread across its form, the creeping chill turning its once formidable iron exterior into a fragile, crystal-like structure. Parts of it began to creak and groan under the weight of the encasing ice.

Amanda, from a safe distance, could see the stress fractures appearing on the surface of the ice-encased golem. She seized the opportunity, directing a concentrated burst of her icy magic at these weak points. The result was immediate. Cracks propagated across the golem's form, and with a loud crash, large chunks began to shatter, sending shards of frozen iron flying in all directions.

As the dust settled, all that remained of the formidable golem were chunks of broken ice mixed with iron fragments. Gouka, trapped in his frosty prison, was momentarily incapacitated, his face still displaying the shock of the rapid turn of events.

(Yumi POV.)

Hiding behind a rock formation, I took a moment to regulate my breathing, ensuring that no trace of my presence lingered in the vicinity. Brushing away the stray strands of hair that clung to my face, I glanced back toward the battlefield. The surge of cold mana from Ryujin had turned the landscape into a glacial wonderland. And to think, I was almost caught in that icy explosion.

Strategically, leaving was the best decision. While I could have possibly survived the attack, why risk it? My objective was clear, and while it would've been a feather in my cap to secure Ryujin, things don't always go as planned. Flexibility is a crucial aspect of survival, after all.

It's a pity about that guy, though. Despite his overwhelming brawn and seemingly limited intellect, he had his uses. However, the idea of him understanding the subtle intricacies of strategy? A laughable notion. Muscles can't think, after all.

I sighed, adjusting the folds of my garment. The main priority now was to report back and regroup.

Score! I snagged the exact thing on my checklist. "Reveal." 

In a flash, a scroll materialized in my hands. This had "boss-approved" written all over it.

Speaking of the boss, I had no clue about his real identity. But from the vibes, he seemed like some god.

Yeah.

If I would bet, he's a god for sure.

Or a man powerful enough to go against Alexia Wan.

Anyway, I'm sure he has money enough to pay me.

 It's time to hand this scroll over and snag that fat paycheck.

Zooming into our rendezvous, an eerie, formless figure came into view. He looked human... if humans were featureless and glowing all white.

"Got what you wanted, boss," I said, handing over the scroll.

"Excellent."

"Mind if I ask... what's the big deal with this scroll?" I tried my best, innocent look. Nope, he wasn't buying it.

"Some secrets are better kept," he replied cryptically.

"Sheesh, always the mysterious type. Oh, did you hear? Mr. Muscles met an icy end. Courtesy of Ryujin."

I call him Mr. Muscles because he never said his real name.

Yeah…

Never

We worked together for like… A week, and he never said his real name.

Now he died, I'll never know his real name.

(A|N: Mr. Muscles is Gouka, since Ryujin is the one who put that name on him, it'll be weird if Yumi calls him like that.)

"Ryujin-wan? Thought he was just a rookie."

"Yeah, same. But he put up a heck of a fight, even without mana."

"Seems like someone's messing with my plans. Yumi, change of plans. You're on Ryujin duty. Make sure he gets his old self back."

 "Consider it done, boss-man!"