Fox Of Greed (Greedy Fox Book 1)

~~ SIXTY SEVEN ~~

A/N: Fair warning, this is long, the chapter is ~2500 words. Honestly, I was caught in the throes of writing (I haven't moved for like 2.5hrs, it's midnight rn). I feel like some of the transitions between action scenes could be a little smoother so lay it all on me, I take all criticism. 

I've also added a song above I used while writing this chapter (on repeat just to finish some of the scenes lol). That and the theme songs from the anime. 

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An arc of fire roared forth, smashing into Hendrickson then curling around the demon, swirling like thrashing waves. Static stung the air. The vortex suddenly burst outwards, sending down rains of molten fire. One of which held a blackened Hendrickson.

He hit the ground hard enough to form an earthquake and Leraj landed in front of me, his hair on end from the static build-up snapping around him. I shielded my face as heat blasted us.

I stared in awe at Leraj's back. Such raw power! He'd been so weak fighting against the new generation demons that I'd made the presumption that he ranked no higher than me by this stage. This exceeded me. He'd give Meliodas a run for his money.

A cloud of dust and he was gone again, hitting Hendrickson hard enough to stumble. He landed opposite, his sword striking the ground. He was gone again just as fast.

What the hell was he doing?

Back and forth, to all sides. When Leraj landed for the fifth time, a little to my right, Hendrickson was a bleeding, snarling mess. Leraj flipped his blade round so the hilt faced down and he slammed it into the ground.

"Ritual Burn!"

The five slash marks on the ground sprouted fire. A roaring inferno whipped round and round, Hendrickson encased in the centre. The tornado put the combo attack by Guila and Howzer to shame.

I could barely hear him over the roar. "I can feel your anger, Estra. If I had the strength, I'd have used this a lot earlier. But since this is the last hurrah, there's no point in holding back. Hendrickson is far stronger than you can imagine in this state, far stronger than what my attacks can do."

Slack-jawed, I watched him dip his blade into the flames and slowly drag the sword overhead in an arch. The flames followed obediently, condensing around his blade, the steel practically melting in the heat.

"Retribution!" The same attack from before, hitting full force on the battered grey demon.

I stood on the sidelines, anxiously waiting. I didn't want to break Leraj's concentration as he switched to physical attacks, flowing effortlessly from one step to the next in an attempt to keep Hendrickson back. It seemed, even though they caused some damage, that all the magic attacks succeeded in doing was pissing him off even more.

They moved so fast I could barely keep track, eyes straining to see through the dust and smoke. My gaze darted about. There! Hendrickson opened up his back, blood bursting from the jagged gashes. Leraj managed to escape the next attack but he collapsed with one knee down shortly after.

Panic made me move first. "Thief!" I clawed a hand in his direction and Hendrickson stumbled now, shock flashing in his eyes as he swung to face me.

I snarled as I held Hendrickson's power by the skin of my teeth. He shuddered then stomped towards me. I narrowed my eyes and let the flames burst from my feet and over my body, burning red with my rage. "Come on, oh great Grandmaster Holy Knight! Show me what the hell you've got!"

I cancelled the Thief and he flew at me. I danced forward, swinging round into a roundhouse kick. "Defuse!" It glanced off him, enough still to send him reeling.