DXD: The Awakening Of Phenex

Elsewhere in the city, hidden behind a ruined building, Aži Dahāka and Apophis watched Riser's battle from a distance. Aži Dahāka, with his eyes full of fury, could barely contain his impatience.

"Let's go," Apophis said calmly, his voice low and cold as he walked away, his eyes analyzing the situation with calculated calm.

"We have to take advantage and kill the Maou," Aži Dahāka replied, his voice loaded with aggression as he glared at Apophis. The desire to fight burned within him, and he wanted to seize the opportunity.

"Let's meet with Crom Cruach. Our work here is already done," Apophis said, shaking his head.

He knew that their mission was not to face the Maou directly, but to cause as much chaos as possible before retreating.

The name Crom Cruach seemed to penetrate Aži Dahāka's mind like a sharp blade. He hesitated for a moment, his determination to fight Riser weakening.

Without further protests, Aži Dahāka gave up on his intention to attack the Maou and followed Apophis, disappearing silently among the shadows of the ruined city.

...

Riser, still focused on the hybrid in front of him, felt two presences moving away. He recognized the strength of the presences but decided to focus on the immediate enemy.

"ROOOARR!"

The hybrid roared with fury, its claws digging into the ground as it prepared to attack again.

Its flaming eyes were fixed on Riser, full of hatred and a desire for destruction. Without wasting time, the creature inhaled deeply, its chest expanding as it accumulated an immense amount of energy.

With a sudden movement, the hybrid opened its jaws and unleashed a powerful fire breath.

The flames, tinged with a dark and bright red, cut through the air towards Riser, creating a trail of destruction wherever they passed. The heat was so intense that the air around it began to ripple, and the ground beneath the fire's path melted instantly.

"You really think that will work?" Riser said, his voice cold and disdainful as he remained calm in the face of the imminent attack.

Riser raised his arm as if it were a simple reflex, and an invisible magical barrier formed in front of him. The flames hit the barrier, but instead of exploding or dissipating, the fire was immediately absorbed. The barrier seemed to swallow the flames, sucking all the energy from the attack and rendering it useless.

"Who are you?" the hybrid growled, its voice deep and distorted, its flaming eyes fixed on Riser while the surprise still reflected in its grotesque expression. It couldn't understand how someone could neutralize its power so easily.

"Riser Asmodeus," Riser replied, his voice filled with authority as he lowered his hand, dissipating the magical barrier as easily as he had created it. "One of the four Maous who rule the underworld."

The hybrid hesitated, its eyes widening slightly at the mention of Riser's name. The mention of a Maou brought a new dimension of fear to the creature, but its hatred and arrogance still prevented it from backing down.

Riser reached into the empty space that had opened in the air in front of him. When his fingers touched the sword's hilt, an intense glow spread across the area, forcing the hybrid to take a step back, its eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Let me introduce you to Ascalon," Riser said.

He pulled the sword from the inventory, and as soon as the blade emerged, the air around it seemed to vibrate with a powerful and ancient energy. The dragon-slaying sword, Ascalon, gleamed with an intense silver light, and the aura emanating from it was sharp and deadly, like a cutting blade slicing through the air.

The hybrid felt a chill run down its spine, a sensation it hadn't experienced in a long time: genuine fear. Ascalon, a legendary sword created to destroy dragons, emanated a power that the hybrid couldn't ignore. The creature instinctively took another step back, its eyes fixed on the blade now shining in Riser's hands.

"You feel it, don't you?" Riser said, slowly advancing towards the hybrid, each step loaded with lethal intent. "This sword was made to destroy creatures like you. And I'll use it to end your miserable existence."

The hybrid growled, but the sound no longer carried the same confidence. It tried to gather its strength, preparing for a final attack, but fear began to weaken its determination. It knew that with Ascalon in Riser's hands, its chances of survival had become nearly zero.

"Is this the pride of dragons?" Riser mocked, his voice filled with disdain as he stared at the hesitant hybrid. "Is this how you choose to face death? Trembling in fear before your own ruin?"

The hybrid growled in response, its expression contorting in a mix of anger and frustration. The fear it felt was evident, but the pride of dragons, even distorted in its hybrid form, still pulsed in its veins. It couldn't retreat, not in the face of Riser's insult, a Maou who openly despised it.

With a cry of fury, the hybrid launched itself forward, its sharp claws extending toward Riser in a fierce attack.

SHING!

The metallic sound of the claws cutting through the air echoed across the battlefield as the creature charged with all the strength it had left.

Riser, however, remained unmoved. At the moment the hybrid approached, he took a lateral step, moving with impressive speed, dodging the attack with an almost casual ease.

"Pathetic," Riser murmured, his voice icy as he watched the hybrid pass by him, his eyes fixed on the figure of the creature now completely vulnerable.

With a fluid motion, Riser raised Ascalon, the blade gleaming intensely under the light of the flames that still danced around. He swung the sword in a perfect arc, slicing through the air with lethal precision.

SLASH!

The sound of steel tearing through flesh and bone echoed through the air, followed by an ear-piercing scream of pain from the hybrid. The creature's arm was severed the instant Ascalon's blade touched it, the mutilated limb falling heavily to the ground, still twitching reflexively.

The hybrid staggered backward, black blood gushing from the open wound, its eyes wide with pain and shock. It tried to stabilize itself, but the pain was unbearable, and the fear that had threatened to overwhelm it now consumed it entirely.

"Tired so soon?" Riser taunted, his cold, unwavering eyes watching the hybrid writhe in agony.

The hybrid growled, trying to gather the strength for one last attack, but before it could react, Riser moved with lightning speed. With Ascalon in hand, he delivered another deadly blow.

SHING!

The silver blade gleamed as it cut through the air, and the creature's second arm was severed with the same lethal precision. The hybrid let out an even more anguished scream of pain, falling to its knees, unable to bear the suffering and blood loss.

"What did you expect?" Riser said with contempt, watching the mutilated creature in front of him. "That I would show mercy? There is no mercy for the weak."

Without further delay, Riser returned Ascalon to his inventory, the blade disappearing with a soft glow. He no longer needed the sword; the hybrid was completely at his mercy.

With a swift gesture, Riser enveloped his hands in intense flames and took a step forward. He extended his right hand and, with a precise movement, struck the hybrid's neck with enough force to knock it down but not kill it.

THUD!

The hybrid collapsed to the ground, unconscious, its claws now harmless, unable to cause any more destruction. Riser, still maintaining his composure, crouched beside the creature and began to cauterize the severed arms' wounds with his flames. Riser's fire magic was so intense that the wounds sealed instantly, preventing the hybrid from dying from blood loss.

"Cauterizing your wounds... Don't think this is an act of kindness," Riser murmured, his voice cold as he observed the hybrid's motionless body. "I still have use for you."

With the hybrid now incapacitated, Riser stood up and extended his hand, invoking a magical circle in the air. A hologram formed in front of him, revealing the imposing figure of Ajuka Beelzebub.

"Ajuka," Riser said, his voice calm and professional as he looked at the hologram. "I have a prisoner."

Ajuka, with a serious expression, looked at the unconscious hybrid on the ground. "It seems you had a tough battle, Riser," Ajuka commented, his eyes gleaming with interest. "This hybrid may provide us with valuable information."

Some devils began to approach.

Riser observed, his eyes catching the figures in the distance. They were survivors of the attack, drawn by Riser's presence and curious to see what had happened.

"I'll fetch him for interrogation," Ajuka said, nodding in acknowledgment.

The hologram of Ajuka disappeared, ending the connection. Just a few moments later, the air around Riser began to vibrate slightly, and Ajuka materialized next to him, his imposing and calm presence contrasting with the chaos that still reigned around them.

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