The Quest - Ryu's Journey Ch. 7 - Ijen Akuma
By Dragonwriter

The two combatants faced each other, battle-ready. This was it! The final battle!

A blood-red battle aura flashed into appearance around Akuma's body, and he charged Ryu.

Ryu's blue battle aura came into existence. He remembered the words of the mysterious warrior.

Ryu: Wait until you'r opponent attacks first, then counterattack and don't stop hitting.

As Akuma flew towards Ryu, preparing to pound him into a pulp, Ryu slammed his fist into Akuma's stomach. The demon doubled over, and Ryu brought his knee up into Akuma's lowering forehead, causing the demon to snap back up straight.

Ryu brought the rest of his leg forward, hitting Akuma with a low blow. The demon hunched over again.

Ryu: "Shoryuken!"

Akuma went flying back, skidding along the ground for about ten feet before coming to a stop.

Getting to his feet, Akuma wiped the blod off with the back of his hand.

Akuma: "That's it!"

Akuma raised his arms above his head, his battle aura beginning to darken.

Ryu: Oh sh--. What now?

With a flash of darkness, Akuma's body seemed to explode. Out of his body, a man in a gray gi flew, landing with a thud.

Ryu: "Gouki!"

Ryu looked back at Akuma's body, which was now nothing but a black mist. Slowly, the mist began to become a solid form It was Akuma, in a black gi.

The mysterious warrior gaped, open-mouthed.

Ryu, listen to me. That demon just killed Gouki and left his body . . . to form one of it's own! Be careful, his power levels are through the roof, now that Gouki isn't slowing him down.

Ryu nodded, and got ready fight again.

Ryu: Always expect the unexpected...

Akuma stood, staring at Ryu.

Ryu waited. There was no way he was going to be caught off guard by this thing. He waited for Akuma to make the first move.

He didn't have to wait long.

Akuma: "Jigoku Hadouken!"

Ryu lept up and over, landing and giving Akuma a look that clearly stated "Was that the best you've got?"

Akuma jumped into the air, immediately beginning to spin. He flew over Ryu's head, and his foot hit Ryu's back, sending him flying slightly upward. Flames danced across Akuma's shoulders.

Akuma: "Jigoku Hadouken!"

The red fireball hit Ryu as he was falling earthward. Ryu fell to the ground, burning. Picking himself up, he faced Akuma again.

Akuma jumped into the air, flipping end over end over end. Ryu waited until just the right moment.

Ryu: "Shoryuken!"

Akuma hit the ground.

Akuma: His skill has increased greatly since we last met...

Akuma got up. Ryu launched a fireball at the demon, who teleported behind him and delivere4d a kedney punch. Ryu swept his foot around behind him, hitting Akuma in the side of his face.

Ryu: D---, it's a stalemate. We're both equally skilled.

Then, Ryu again rmembered the words of the mysterious warrior.

Ryu: Fight equally with you'r heart and mind...

Ryu closed his eyes and his blue battle aura doubled in brightness.

He spun around to face Akuma, hitting the demon with a spinning backhand. Akuma staggered back, but recovered.

Akuma launched his right fist straight towards Ryu's face. Ryu caught it in his left hand and pulled, jerking Akuma off balance. His right arm came up and slammed into Akuma's elbow, stretching the tendons and causing Akuma to actually cry ut in pain. Ryu quickly ducked under Akuma's other arm, which had struck out at him, and threw the demon over his shoulder.

Akuma recovered in midair and, flipping over, drew his arm back to fire off an aerial hadouken.

Ryu launched himself from the ground, only to get knocked earthward again by Akuma's fireball.

Akuma, hoping to capitalize, landed and charged towards the fallen Ryu.

Ryu saw him coming and kicked himself to his feet, meeting the charging Akuma and deftly grabbing his gi.

Ryu slid under Akuma, an deftly kicked him hight into the air. Before Akuma could reover, though, Ryu kicked up into the air, sending his body just high enough to land on his feet. Ryu landed in a semi-crouch, and immediately launched himself upward and backward, flipping over backwards before intercepting Akuma in the air.

Ryu grabbed Akuma and, flipping over again, slammed the demon head-first into the ground with the weight of both their bodies.

When they both got back up, Akuma launched himself into the air and hit Ryu with a jump kick. Ryu blocked and Akuma quickly jabbed at his gut, kicked at his knees and started with a whirlwind kick. Ryu managed to block all of that too.

Akuma finished the whirlwind kick and, before Ryu could realize what he was doing, Akuma kicked at Ryu's feet, making his guard drop.

Akuma: "Shoryuken!"

Ryu was sent flying back, landing with a thump. Akuma capitalized.

Akuma: "Jigoku Hadouken!"

Ryu reeled.

Akuma: I must finishe him. Now!

Akuma's body glowed, and he evitated towards Ryu, an evil grin on his face.

Chun-Li: "RYU!!!"

The cry came from Chun-Li's very heart and soul.

Ryu: Chun-Li...

Ryu's vision cleared, and he was Akuma cming towards him. He reacted.

Ryu: "Hadouken!"

Akuma fell to the ground, stunned.

Ryu looked at Chun-Li, and what he was in her eyes told him what she couldn't say herself.

His heart leaped, and he felt his strength renewed. He turned to face Akuma, who was on his feet, trying to regain his senses.

Ryu's aura turned a blazing white color, and he charged Akuma, moving so fast he looked like nothing more than a blur of light.

Ryu: "Shoten Hiryuken!"

Ryu punched Akuma three times, each punch connectin with a flash of light, and uppercutted him straight into the air.

Electricity cackled around Ryu's foot and his fist burst into flame. He followed Akuma up, pounding on him, alternately electrifying him and setting him on fire.

After hitting Akuma about thirty times this way, Ryu brought his hands togethr over his head, and slammed them straight into Akuma's skull. Akuma was sent flying straight down.

Ryu's body erupte into a huge ball of flame, and he followed Akuma down to the ground, slamming into the demon just after he'd impacted with the earth.

When the dust cleared, Akuma was down on the ground, out cold. The mysterious warrior stepped up to Akuma's unconscious body and lifted it into the air.

The mysterious warrior released him, and Akuma floated in midair. The mysterious warrior's gauntlets took on a golden glow.

"Dimensional Fault!"

The mysterious warrior slammed his fist into the ground, and a red rift gat appeared, rising up from the eart.

"Now, back to the realm from which you came!"

Akuma's body was sucked into the rift gate, which closed behind him.

Chun-Li: "Where did you just send him?"

The mysterious warrior stared into her eyes.

"H*ll......."

The mysterious warrior looked at Ryu for a second, and gave him a push towards Chun-Li.

Do I have to do everrything for you, Ryu? I know how you two feel for each other, and don't try to lie about where you got that extra bit of energy needed to defeat Akuma. If you don't get over there right now and kiss her yourself, I'm gonna do it for you....

Ryu stared at him in surprise.

Ryu: How did he know?

But then he realized it didn't matter. He ran to Chun-Li, scooping her up into his arms.

***

The next morning, Ryu and Chun-Li woke up together, to find the mysterious warrior already up, as evidenced by his empty sleeping bag. It had been cold last night and they had zipped their sleeping bags together so they could "preserve body heat." (Don't ask. Just don't ask...)

Getting up, they dressed quickly, and found the mysterious warrior cooking breakfast.

"Good morning."

The mysterious warrior's face never changed, but in his eyes was a knowing twinkle.

"Sleep well?"

Ryu and Chun-Li both turned crimson red, but managed to nod an affirmative.

"Good, you'll be needing it. You'r greatest challenge is yet to come, and you'll need all the help you can get."

Ryu: "My greatest challenge?"

The mysterious warrior only nodded and spoke a singl word:

"Onslaught..."