Oblivious to the ruckus they were causing, Bahamut and Derek entered a staring showdown to see who would break first, and Derek did.

"I will have you to myself by all means!" He screamed and lunged at Bahamut with the ferocity of a hungry lion. He was really determined to get him, and he realized that, because Derek had let go of all restrictions and restraints. He didn’t care what happened as long as he got Bahamut.

"You are pathetic..." Bahamut spat in disgust, dodging him. Derek was so crazily obsessed with getting him that he was fighting like a warrior in training rather than an almighty Tier 3 Demigod being, which was seriously and painfully unnerving and disgusting beyond disgust.

Derek crashed into the rooftop like a mad beast.

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

The remains of the inn exploded outward from the impact as light and wind spiraled around his body violently. The sheer force behind his movements erased the elegant air he once carried. Now he looked feral, obsessed, and unhinged. Bahamut twisted sideways narrowly as Derek’s hand tore through the spot where his head had been an instant earlier.

KRAAAAAASH!!!

The building behind him exploded apart. Chunks of stone flew across the district like cannonballs while people screamed below.

"STOP RUNNING!" Derek roared.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Bahamut barked back immediately.

Darkness erupted under his feet.

FWOOOSH!!!

His body vanished into the shadows as multiple spears of earth burst upward simultaneously from the rooftop. Derek didn’t dodge... He punched through them. The stone shattered like brittle glass under the force of a Demigod. Bahamut reappeared behind him instantly, water condensing around his arm.

KRAAAAAASH!!!

A compressed water strike slammed directly into Derek’s side hard enough to crack the air itself. The surrounding rooftops shattered from the pressure wave, but Derek only staggered slightly, causing Bahamut’s eyes to narrow.

That attack would have obliterated a Tier 1 instantly, yet Derek endured it with raw physical power alone. That was the gap between tiers. Tier 3 wasn’t simply stronger; it was evolution, a different existence entirely.

Derek turned slowly toward him and smiled.

"I love rough boys~"

Bahamut visibly shuddered in disgust.

"You seriously need help."

Derek lunged again, this time faster. Wind exploded under his feet as his speed multiplied instantly.

BAAAANG!!!

Bahamut crossed his arms just in time as Derek’s kick slammed into him like a siege weapon. The rooftop under him collapsed instantly.

CRAAAAASH!!!

He smashed through two floors of the ruined inn before stopping himself with darkness tendrils. Blood dripped from his mouth now, and his arms trembled slightly.

"Tch..." Pain shot through his bones, but receded as quickly as it came. His pain resistance was working fine. Derek dropped through the collapsing structure immediately after him.

"You can’t beat me," he said softly now, almost lovingly. "You’re beautiful, talented, powerful..."

His eyes glowed with madness.

"I NEED you."

Bahamut’s gaze darkened completely.

"You sound like a corpse trying to flirt."

Darkness exploded outward violently.

SHHHHHK!!!

Clawed hands burst from Bahamut’s fingers as black scales partially spread across his forearms. At the same time, fox tails burst outward behind him, three in number. The tails lashed through the air like living weapons while water spiraled around them.

Derek’s eyes widened slightly and deepened with obsession.

"Oh gods..." He trembled visibly. "Perfect."

"Why are all the crazy people obsessed with me..." Bahamut muttered. Then he attacked first.

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

The entire lower floor exploded apart as Bahamut lunged forward with inhuman speed. His claws slashed toward Derek’s throat, but Derek tilted his head slightly.

SHING!!!

The claws carved through light barriers instantly and ripped across Derek’s shoulder, drawing blood. At the same time, the fox tails struck. Water-enhanced tails smashed Derek through another wall. Bahamut immediately followed, while earth erupted beneath Derek from all directions; massive stone jaws attempted to crush him, followed by darkness spears that pierced downward from above simultaneously.

A perfectly layered attack.

Yet...

BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

Light erupted outward, and everything shattered instantly. The stone exploded, the darkness dispersed, and the water vaporized. Derek walked out slowly from the destruction, bleeding, bruised, and smiling. Wind swirled around him now like a storm while his wounds healed slowly beneath the light element.

Bahamut’s breathing deepened. This was bad. Very bad. Even injured, Derek was still a Tier 3 Demigod. Bahamut was beginning to feel the difference. Every exchange damaged him more than it damaged Derek, and every clash consumed more stamina. His instincts screamed warnings endlessly. He glanced inward instinctively.

"X’Uric!"

Silence. The draconic wolf ignored him completely.

"Traitor."

Nagini was useless here, too. The wyrm was far too massive. If summoned inside the district, hundreds would die instantly. As he was pondering, Derek suddenly appeared directly before him. He barely raised his arms in time.

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

The punch folded his guard inward and blasted him across the street violently. He smashed through a merchant building completely before skidding across stone. Blood splattered the ground while pain exploded through his ribs. Several were definitely cracked now.

Derek descended slowly from above like an angel corrupted by obsession.

"You can stop resisting," he said softly. "I’ll take very good care of you."

Bahamut slowly rose. Blood dripped from his lips while his claws flexed slowly. His golden eyes burned brighter now and switched from draconic to a mix of lupine and feline.

He smiled coldly and savagely.

"If I’m going down..." Darkness began condensing around him again. "...I’m making sure you suffer first."

’System. It’s high time you allowed me to go all out,’ he called to the system in his mind, and it immediately understood his intentions.

[Reviewing Host’s Request...]

[Request Accepted...]

[Removing all Restrictions...]

[Taking off Suppressors...]

[Warning!]

[Be careful. You will feel a sure in power instantly]

[Suppressors Offline!]

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

A suffocating aura instantly engulfed the whole area, while a heavy pressure fell on everyone around. Bahamut was releasing Tier 2 aura, but this was more refined and deeper.

Tier 2, Circle of Element!

He could feel all his elements, those he’d trained and those he hadn’t, all increase in power to match his level. Even without trying, all six of his elements had pushed to the next rank, and all because of the suppressors.

’System, keep the suppressors. I will need them later.’