Riyaal's jaw dropped in awe. The only person more surprised than him was Thalia, who was at a loss for words. She recognized that gray skin and immense size; that power was unmistakably the same power from that day years ago.
"Time's up! I see you want me to choose. Then I choose front hand!" Theo shouted. He raised his ridiculously large left arm, casting a shadow over Riyaal and the lackeys who stood in front of Kindred. Theo's dark grey hand completely consumed the cave's dim light.
"So what? Who cares how large your arm has grown? Am I supposed to cower in fear because my opponent is a bit bigger than me?" Riyaal scoffed in disgust. The muscular man smashed his fists together, producing a jarring sound from his brass knuckles. A strong green aura swirled around his fists, creating two powerful mini-cyclones around both of his arms.
"I want you to remember that I tried not to kill you. However, you chose not to surrender after I gave you multiple chances." Riyaal pulled both arms back to his sides, the cyclones still swirling around each arm.
"TWIN CYCLONE!" Riyaal shouted, thrusting both arms forward at an incredible speed, merging the two cyclones into one devastatingly powerful twister of wind and raw aura. The force of the blast extinguished all the lanterns and lamps in the subway tunnel. It was so powerful that Thalia had to cover her face to keep her eyes open.
While Dante stood still, his hand rested calmly on the hilt of his katana. Thalia could have sworn that his long black coat was moving on its own, wrapping around him to shield him from the rocks and rubble being tossed about. A massive cyclone of wind was heading straight toward Theo, who was still standing there calmly. His black hair stood up, making him look slightly cooler than usual.
"Theo, dodge! If that hits you, not even you will be able to walk away unscathed. I will redirect the wind; just focus on yourself," Thalia urged, reaching for her skirt's waistband. She pulled out her storm fan, Sensi, and opened it to reveal its intricate pattern.
Theo smiled as the green cyclone came barreling towards his chest.
"FRONT HAND!" Theo yelled out before his arm slammed down toward Riyaal and his men.
The sheer force alone was enough to disperse the turbulent cyclone of wind. It Stopped just short of his chest. The wind blew his shirt up as the force of Theo's arm split the blast of wind in half, leaving deep gashes in the walls beside them. Riyaal and his men were now crushed underneath the force of Theo's downward slap. Thalia was shocked by her brother's control over that devil's power, but honestly, she was more relieved that he was all right more than anything else.
"This can't be! How can a boy who looks like he has spent his entire life in a library—who barely seems old enough to drink—wield such monstrous power?" Kindred began pacing back and forth, rubbing his small, grubby hands through his slick black hair.
"Who are you people? Why are such powerful contractors trying to enter Hell's mouth anyway?" Kindred stopped pacing and glared at Dante with an intense curiosity.
His eyes lit up as he examined Dante's long black coat and the blade beside him, which cast a faint purple glow on the ground. He quickly scanned the rest of the group, and a sudden realization dawned on him.
"Wait a minute. Aww, I've been cheated. I know who you are. How could I have been so foolish? I should have noticed sooner," Kindred exclaimed, smacking his forehead hard before rubbing his hand across his face and covering his mouth.
"What do I owe the pleasure of a visit from none other than the Apex Institute's famed Blood Hound?" Kindred asked in a shaky voice as he leaned down and bowed nervously.
Dante flinched at the mention of that name. "Hmph, this guy isn't very bright if it took him that long to figure it out," he muttered, irritation evident in his voice.
Thalia was honestly surprised that Dante had waited this long; he was not a patient man by any means. Ironically, neither was she, but her version of impatience usually resulted in only a mild shock, while his often led to the loss of life.
"I see now. I lost this wager before it even began. The people behind you must be your Predator squad," Kindred realized.
Dante remained silent; he didn't want to answer a hundred questions. Thalia stepped forward, walking past the sword to embrace Theo. "Wow, little bro! When did you get so cool?" she exclaimed, letting out a sigh of relief. Theo smiled as if he had been waiting for this moment to show off.
Tyler ran up behind them and playfully smacked Theo on the back. "Save some fun for me next time! I have a few new tricks I want to show off," Tyler said with a laugh.
"ENOUGH." Dante's aura, now murderous, shifted the air in the tunnel as his royal purple aura seeped off him and into the air. "Open the door, little man. Or I will kill you and knock the damn thing down!"
Theo's eyebrow tensed as he began to concentrate. "Get back! Both of you were not done just yet. It seems he still has some fight left," Theo yelled. At that moment, Theo's hand began to rise slowly, his dark grey skin still emitting steam. A faint voice could be heard beneath his hand.