A massive Fist of the Thunder God slammed brutally into Hancock.
First came a sickening crunch, then the immense force drove her into the ground below.
Boom!
The impact struck with colossal force. Hancock's body was sent flying like a stone from a catapult, carving a human-shaped crater into the earth.
"Elder Sister!" Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold shrieked at the sight. Their massive serpent bodies slithered rapidly toward the spot where Hancock had landed.
Elder Nyon gritted her teeth, about to cry out.
Sizzle…
A piercing shriek tore through the air, as if space itself was being ripped apart by lightning.
Ryuuto's form, still cloaked in the giant body of the Thunder God, instantly appeared before the three sisters.
"Fist of the Thunder God!"
Purple lightning flashed. Ryuuto first sent Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold flying with a single punch as they tried to shield Hancock.
Crash!
The two were smashed directly into the rock wall behind them.
"Cough…" Hancock coughed up a mouthful of blood, pushing herself up into a half-crouch with one hand. The previous blow had clearly injured her.
"Come! Let's fight again!" Hancock bit her lip, her silver eyes locked on Ryuuto as she roared.
With a powerful stomp, her long, flawless legs kicked out toward Ryuuto, wreathed in black lightning and creating a sonic boom.
Bang!
Ryuuto crossed his arms to block. The purple energy of his lightning clashed violently with the black bolts, crackling and hissing as shockwaves rippled through the air.
"Is this the extent of your strength, Hancock? Your Conqueror's Coating is too shallow!" Ryuuto said with a faint smile, easily deflecting her attack.
"Shut up!" Hancock snarled, stomping her foot and pressing her attack, but this time she couldn't budge Ryuuto's powerful Thunder God form in the slightest.
Ryuuto then swung his fists out to either side. With a deafening clap of thunder, he shattered the black lightning with overwhelming force, knocking Hancock backward.
"This isn't over!" Ryuuto stomped, and with another thunderous roar, he closed the distance to Hancock again, his fists raining down on her.
"Fist of the Thunder God x3!"
With a sharp cry, Ryuuto put his strength into it, hammering punch after punch into Hancock.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Sizzle…
This time, Hancock was powerless to resist, forced to endure the boundless might of his fists with her body alone.
Under the barrage of the Thunder God's fists, she was tossed about like a rag doll, sent reeling with every blow.
"Ah…"
With each punch that landed, a spray of blood flew from the corner of her lips.
"Fist of the Thunder God x9!" Ryuuto said nothing, simply continuing to swing his fists relentlessly.
Hancock endured blow after blow.
"It hurts so much… Am I going to die?" she thought, her eyes growing vacant as the thought surfaced in her mind.
But as the beating continued, something seemed to snap in her mind. A tingling sensation spread across her scalp, and a shiver of excitement wracked her entire body. Soon, she found herself growing accustomed to the force. A strange thought bloomed in her mind.
"If only he'd hit a little harder!"
Hancock's vision refocused, her gaze now burning with intensity as she stared at Ryuuto.
"Fist of the Thunder God x6!" Ryuuto shouted, intending to end the fight with these last few blows.
"Ah… ah… that feels… good…" Hancock moaned, her eyes glistening as if filled with spring water. She looked at Ryuuto with a silky, hazy gaze, reveling in the feeling of each fist connecting with her flesh.
But as the punches continued to land, she noticed the power behind them was weakening.
Before she knew it…
The massive form of the Thunder God began to turn transparent, as if on the verge of dissipating.
"Go down, Hancock!" Ryuuto yelled, throwing his final punch.
Thwack!
With a soft thud, the Thunder God form vanished completely. Ryuuto's own fist connected with Hancock's face.
"I… win…" An overwhelming wave of weakness washed over Ryuuto. His fist felt limp and powerless, but he managed to remain standing.
"Ugh… so tired!" Darkness clouded his vision. That was his last thought before he began to topple backward.
Hancock, whose strange desire had just been satisfied, suddenly realized the man before her was growing weaker, his punches becoming softer and softer.
"Pfft…" She spat out another mouthful of blood, her watery eyes fixed on Ryuuto.
"What a strange feeling. Why have I become like this?" she wondered. Though she was severely injured, she couldn't bring herself to feel any resentment toward the man before her.
She felt his final punch land on her face.
Hancock had been ready to embrace the heavy blow, but she immediately sensed something was wrong.
There was no force in it at all.
She watched as the warm fist gently touched her cheek, and the man before her closed his eyes and began to fall.
"Don't—" Enduring the pain racking her body, Hancock struggled to reach out and grab Ryuuto's arm.
His collapsing body was caught, held up only by her grip.
"Elder Sister! He's out of strength! I'm going to kill him!" Boa Marigold had rushed over. Seeing the scene, she flicked her tail, preparing to crush Ryuuto in its coils.
"No! Marigold, stop!" Hancock cried out, immediately stopping her.
"This was all my fault!"
"Take him and get him treated!"
Hancock's voice was hoarse. She feared that if she had been a moment slower, Ryuuto's life would have been forfeit.
But after taking so many of Ryuuto's Fists of the Thunder God, her own body was at its absolute limit. After shouting those words, her head spun.
Finally, she could hold on no longer and collapsed into unconsciousness.
"Well… should I kill this brat or not?" Boa Marigold muttered to herself, holding Ryuuto suspended in the air with her tail.
Her own body still ached, and it was all his fault.
But Hancock's words echoed in her ears.
"This is a tough spot…" Marigold grumbled.
"Put the boy down," Boa Sandersonia said, slithering over.
She had also heard Hancock's final words. Furthermore, she felt this battle had started because of her, so she agreed that Ryuuto should be taken for treatment.
"Elder Nyon?"
Marigold was still conflicted. She turned her gaze to the old woman for help. As the second-in-command and strategist of Amazon Lily, her word carried weight.
"Mm…!" Elder Nyon simply nodded.
With no other choice, Marigold reverted to her human form. She held Hancock in one arm and Ryuuto in the other, heading toward the heart of Amazon Lily.
Elder Nyon glanced at Boa Sandersonia, gesturing toward the stone statue beside her, then followed them, leaning on her snake staff.
Boa Sandersonia, in her giant python form, coiled her body around the petrified Ace and followed behind.
"Moo?" Mohmoo watched the scene, utterly bewildered.