章 24: All Out Part II

'Ding... stored experience + 35000.'

"Fight me!" Riku held nothing back. His hate for Ace for who stole his place on the rankings was right in front of him so how could he keep himself calm.

Thud!

A two-meter long halberd appeared on Riku's left hand, he lifted the halberd with ease and pointed the pointed tip to Ace's throat then said;

"I don't know what kind of underhanded method you use but I will take back what is rightfully mine, I have never experienced this kind of humiliation before and to cleanse this shame I will beat you and take back what's supposed to be mine."

Riku's anger had been incensed for a while now. He held the one-hundredthh sit in the Demon Rankings for two years and since then he had faced a wall that kept him from breaking through the next level but even so Riku was confident in his skills as he had shown in the two straight years of successfully protecting his position in the rankings.

He had fought hundreds of his fellow brother disciples in honest and fair combat just so he can protect his own place and all this time he had been proud of his own achievements. But, as when he was in the meditative state a sudden announcement of a change in the Demon rankings was made and as he checked the new name on the list after the sun rose from the east, Riku was stupefied and was lost for a word.

His name was replaced by someone he had never ever fought before, filled with rage from what just happened Riku rushed out of his place to find this person named Ace but after looking for five hours Riku came up with nothing, there was simply no sign of Ace in the whole Central Plains.

He was about to enter a fit of rage that is until Molat stepped forward the location where Ace could be found. After hearing Molat speak of a location Riku didn't doubt him a bit, even with his history with Molat some time ago he still followed Molat's instruction and went to the said place.

Just like what Molat said, he found someone in that place with some ninth level disciples who were lying unconscious on the ground. He confirmed who he was and knowing that it was truly Ace, Riku didn't hold any of his pent up intent and directly challenged him.

'I have no right to turn him down just yet… I should've finished the three-bout rule before going around fighting others.' Ace scolded himself deep inside for acting too impulsive.

Standing up Ace exchanged glances with Riku. His own gaze exuded strength but it was clear that he was feeling some nervousness. With his own will, Ace suppressed his own fears conquering what's deep inside him.

"I will accept your challenge, but let's change location first. We should move at least a couple hundred of meters away here before we fight or the other disciples who are still unconscious will surely be swept up by our fight." Ace stated.

Riku didn't have any objections and with a nod, Riku agreed to Ace's terms and without saying anything back he just looked at Ace and followed him when he started moving away.

The two of them change their locations and naturally, the people who had been watching this fight all followed closely behind. Jako and Laius obviously followed them and not far from them were three people who had just arrived.

'He's here, huh? Well, he did set up this show for himself so it's not that weird.' Laius only gave the other party a look on the corner of his eyes before moving to follow Ace and Riku.

…

Rock Valley

The surrounding area had no trees for hundreds of meters only rocks and boulders were around. Disciples who were both at the Core Formation stage and at the Minor Saint stage silently watched in the shadows as they tried their best to look at the two youths who stood opposite of each other from afar.

News of Riku fighting with Ace was unknowingly scattered by someone around the Central Plains and around the areas nearby resulting for this scene to unfold. No one knew who scattered this information but they were happy that he did because this kind of fight was something that happened so fast.

"Hey is that really the one who replaced Riku at the Rankings? Doesn't he look kind of weak? It seems like he really did enter the rankings through some unknown underhanded methods."

A Mino Saint in the shadows whispered to his companion who was looking intently at two people in front of them.

"I don't know what's true or not, but the only thing I know for sure is that the observers know what they are doing for placing that kid in the Rankings. Well, we will know the answer to these questions after this fight is done."

"You're right… will a monster be discovered in the Lower Demon Plateau or are the observers just made a mistake? This will be interesting."

This particular conversation was not the only thing that was going around the Rock Valley but a few conversations had been going around if Ace was truly fitting for his position or will Riku take back his place in the Demon Rankings?

Then, as they were talking to one another Riku finally move from where he stood as he once again pointed his halberd on Ace's nose and declared.

"I will let you have the first move. I do not want you to say that I am being unfair if you were to lose in my first attack."

Riku said confidently. Ace heard him speak and said back to Riku.

"Thank you senior brother, then, without any more unwanted talks… let's begin already, <<Flame Serpent>>!" Ace was serious in this fight and he was not planning on holding anything back.

Shoooosh!!

The <<Flame Serpent>> that Ace he had been using all this time pop up from underneath his feet carrying him up to the never-ending skies as the <<Flamer Serpent>> looked at Riku with blazing eyes while slithering around like a true snake.

Ace delved deep into his own system and into his own self as the <<Core Flames>> that lay deep inside him was set ablaze.

Swoosh!!

The <<Flame Serpent>> started moving and circled around Riku making the blazing heat scatter all over the Rock Valley. The temperature was quickly and steadily rising as the <<Core Flames>> was started up by Ace.

Then, as Ace started feeling the <<Flame Serpent>> had reached its fullest potential in terms of heat, Ace started directing it to dive down on Riku from a high vantage point.

The atmosphere bend as distortion was created from the high temperature, the <<Flame Serpent>> opened its maw and its blazing set of scorching fangs was aimed at Riku's body.

Bang!!

The <<Flame Serpent>> descended from above. Riku watches with unyielding focus and will as the serpent's giant maw was about to swallow him whole but instead of running away Riku stood his ground and instead of faltering he jumped up the sky holding nothing but a halberd on hand.

The heavenly essence of the world gathered around him and into his spear. The main idea of ascending to sainthood was to control the forces of the world more affluent and to mature the soul seed inside their body boosting their body and spirit a substantial amount compared to any peak Core Formation disciple.

His halberd held a distinct hue of red as his own weapon was set ablaze with dark red flames. Towering flames shot up the skies as it slowly condensed in the tip of the blade of the halberd and before long Riku's halberd met with Ace's <<Flame Serpent>>.

"<<Executing the Tiger>>!"

Bang!!!

His halberd's edge met with the <<Flame Serpent>> and red flames started raining everywhere as remnant flames flew out from everywhere, the temperature shot up once again and the boulders that had a diameter of a few meters started to melt from the high temperature.

The hidden spectators had to use a large amount of heavenly essence just so they can protect themselves from the heat, especially those low-level disciples were in need of protection. The two people who are fighting uses flames that can burn their opponents to the ground and both of them have the strength to contend against the monsters of the Demon Rankings.

The <<Flame Serpent>> was Ace's strongest attack and it was his Martial Skill that held the highest level, it held great power but at this moment starting on the single point where Riku hit with his halberd a cut was starting to appear.

Riku's halberd managed to make a deep cut on the serpent and starting from that cut the halberd pierce through the serpent's gigantic head…

"Break!!!" Riku's voice made Ace's ear rang.

'It's being cut in half!' Ace watch in shock as his <<Flame Serpent>> started getting cut in two.

As Ace stood on top of his serpent's head he was able to see Riku's power as he runs through the <<Flame Serpent's>> head. Riku, retracted his halberd from the serpent's head and with a twist of his body he made a half summersault and when his body once again twisted at the direction of the <<Flame Serpent>> he initiated a wide swing with his halberd.

Baaaaannnnggg!!!

The <<Flame Serpent>> was hit right on the head from a full powered strike of a Minor Saint and with such a great force the <<Flame Serpent>> wasn't even able to reach the ground as it dissipated and disappeared into the air leaving Ace without a foothold to step on to.

"This is bad." Ace was shocked to see his <<Flame Serpent>> get overpowered but he didn't have any time to panic as he tried to call for another <<Flame Serpent>>, another was about to form from his body but before a <<Flame Serpent>> could be fully formed Riku had already found himself just right above Ace and right above Riku was a spherical flame being formed.

'What's that?' Ace thought.

Riku saw Ace's surprised face and showed a smile back to him that is filled with satisfaction.

"Take this, <<Fire Demon's Judgement>>!!" under Riku's command the sphere of flames descended on Ace.

Ace lost every thought of retaliating back using force and focused solely on defense.

"<<Lightning Demon Body>>!! <<Core Lightning>>!!"

He didn't shy away on using his trump card on strengthening his own defense by using the <<Lightning Demon Body>> to cover his with terrifying lightning and further enhancing it by utilizing the <<Core Lightning>> in full throttle.

Baaannngg!!

The ground shook and Rock Valley's surrounding melted a little and as for Ace he took the full brunt of Riku's 'judgment' and as of now, his body is still to be seen from behind the black smokes.

"Shi*t I think I killed him." Riku regained his senses and right after he did the first thing that entered his mind was the thought of accidentally killing his fellow sect brothers.

"I knew this is too rush!! Young master I am going to check the results."

Jako saw this happen and in fear of Ace dying he was about to go and end this fight but Laius stopped him from moving forward and when Jako turn to see Laius what he saw was Laius with a smile erased from his face.

"Don't ruin my fun Jako, just watch them until the end." Laius return his gaze on the melted sight and stated, "He still has the strength to fight, and that kind of thing is not something someone who had been defeated can use."

Jako turn his head and what he saw was nothing but lightning that sparked all over the place.

"What is that?"

Ace's clothes were burnt and only a few still clung desperately on his body and at this moment his blue lightning was wildly releasing sparks.

'Ding… <<Lightning Demon Body>> + 100000.'

'Ding… <<Core Lightning>> + 100000.'

'Stored experience: 6300 experience points.'

'Ding… <<Core Lightning>> raised to the maxed level (full control enabled), <<Black Storm Lightning>> unlocked.'

Using everything that is left in his stored experience Ace stood up with his body covered with black colored lightning, his body was already beaten black and blue but he still stood up as he didn't want to lose and with what left of his strength Ace poured everything that he had on this last stand.

He was going all out this time and with his <<Core Lightning>> being raised to the maxed level at desperate times he had also gained new information that flowed like old memories inside his mind.