"Oh, that was annoying," Ashutosh muttered, his voice a low, reptilian growl. [Is he still alive?]
He surveyed the burning remnants of Victor's office, a strange sense of exhilaration coursing through him. The destruction, the raw power… it felt… refreshing. He glanced down at his naked body, the scales shimmering in the flickering flames.
[Damn, he burned my clothes off too. This was risky as fuck. If I didn't have these draconic scales, I would've been reduced to mere ashes. I think I need to leave now; this place is crumbling already.]
He stepped onto the crumbling edge of the destroyed wall and launched himself towards a neighboring building, his powerful legs carrying him across the gap with surprising agility.
Ronny, his vision still blurred by the lingering heat and smoke, stared at the spot where Ashutosh had stood moments before. The figure had vanished, leaving behind only the swirling embers of the burning building. He slammed his fist into the ground, the cobblestones cracking beneath the force of his blow, sending a ripple of fear through the nearby crowd.
"Who the FK was that?" he roared, his voice laced with rage and disbelief. "He infiltrated and killed all 780 men with different skill sets, completely owned Victor in his Beast Will, and left. I will kill that bastard if I get my hands on him."
He glared at the surrounding crowd, his eyes burning with fury. The pedestrians, sensing his volatile mood, quickly dispersed, their footsteps echoing in the sudden silence. He turned back to Victor's mangled remains, the sight fueling his already burning rage. He grabbed the corpse and began to slam it against the ground, the sickening thud echoing through the street. "You asshole, it's because of you that everything is gone—all the important documents, all the keys to the cells, all the slaves…"
With each brutal slam, Victor's corpse left a bloody smear on the cobblestones. The crowd, a mix of morbid curiosity and horrified fascination, watched the gruesome spectacle. With a final, sickening crunch, only a mangled thighbone remained in Ronny's hand, blood dripping freely like a macabre faucet. He surveyed the shattered remnants of Victor's body, his face contorted in disgust, and hurled the thighbone away. He seemed to regain a semblance of control, the raw fury receding, replaced by a cold, calculating anger.
.
Ritso, huddled with Kelly in their cramped hiding place, suddenly tensed. She sensed a presence outside, an unfamiliar energy that sent a shiver down her spine. She instinctively positioned herself between Kelly and the entrance, her body a protective barrier against any potential threat. A red, scaled hand, still smoldering from the recent inferno, pushed through the makeshift curtain, the slightest touch of its skin melting the fabric. Ritso's eyes flashed red, and her muscles began to swell, her Beast Will surging to the surface.
The figure stepped through the melting curtain, and Ritso's tense posture relaxed. It was Ashutosh. "Muda… what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.
Then, her eyes fell on his completely exposed form, and her face flushed crimson. She stammered, her heart pounding like a war drum. "MUDA… you idiot, why are you naked?" She instinctively covered her eyes with her hooves, sneaking peeks through her gaps, her mind reeling.
Ashutosh quickly covered his genitals with his hands, steam rising from his still-smoldering scales. "Oh, I'm sorry… everything is just melting that I'm touching."
The commotion stirred Kelly from her slumber. She stretched and yawned, her eyes blinking sleepily. Ritso, her face still burning, noticed Kelly's awakening and panicked. She frantically tried to shield Kelly's view, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
"Gud… mornin rito," Kelly mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.
Ritso, her thoughts still in disarray, managed a weak smile. "Oh hey, kiddo… You… woke up?"
Kelly smiled brightly and reached out to touch Ritso's large, sensitive temple. "Yes, good morning."
Ritso instinctively leaned into the touch, a soft moan escaping her lips. "aouuu."
Kelly clapped her hands, pleased with Ritso's reaction. She then noticed the faint steam and cracking sounds emanating from behind Ritso. She peeked around Ritso's bulk, but before she could get a clear view, Ritso frantically covered her face. "No, don't look there. It's… it's not safe for you."
Kelly tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean, Rito? Is it Mista Muda?"
"Ah, yeah, but don't look at him yet," Ritso stammered, her face still burning.
Kelly tried to push Ritso's hand away, but her small arms were no match for Ritso's strength. "Eeeee," she whined, giving up in exhaustion. "Fine, you meanie." She crossed her arms and pouted, her feline eyes narrowing.
Ritso's eyes welled with tears, the childish insult stinging more than she expected.
Ashutosh raised an eyebrow, "really? You know she is just a child."
She nodded, "I know I'm… soft," she sniffled.
Mar try to poke her back from behind but his fingers end up melting the cloth in contact touching bare back with still heated finger.
"Don't touch me." She added, her voice rising in exasperation as she felt a hot spot on her dress.
Ashutosh, still attempting to cover his exposed form, buried his face in his knees. "Erm I'm sorry." He paused before adding, "it's all because I didn't find water to cool myself down."
"Because something like water is a luxury," Ritso retorted, her blush still raging, "and why did you come here in this condition? Don't you know there are girls around?"
Ashutosh mumbled, his voice muffled by his knees, "I didn't know where to go, so I came back."
.
Ronny stood in the hallway leading to the arena, the roar of the crowd a distant, hum. He was scheduled to fight soon, but his mind was elsewhere. He needed to find the one who killed Victor.
A deep voice echoed from the shadows of the alleyway behind him. Ronny turned, his eyes narrowing as he made out the metallic glint of armor. "You finally came, huh?"
Ronny took a deep breath, attempting to regain his composure. "I have a task for you."