I bleed it out, diggin' deeper just to throw it away

I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away

I bleed it out, diggin' deeper just to throw it away

Just to throw it away, just to throw it away

I bleed it out

„Bleed It Out" – by Linkin Park

Disclaimer: Beelzebub is not mine.

Chapter 16: A bigger Creature

Why was he fighting anyway?

Whom was he fighting?

Or whom was he fighting for?

"THE VICTOR ISSS… THE WILD TIGERRRR!"

Oga Tatsumi wasn't a man who would fight for money. He wasn't the one who would fight to prove something. He wouldn't fight to show that he is the strongest around.

He would only fight real men, who are worth to fight! In addition, who enjoy it the same way as he does.

It was hard to describe and maybe it was something only men would understand. Like Toujo, for example. He could fight him anywhere and anytime because it also seemed to be the best way to communicate with him at the same time. No wonder, that beefcake doesn't know anything else – except for Shizuka – than picking a fight with anyone and anything crossing his way. At least, Oga's life included other important stuff like video games, reading manga and raising a child…

As Toujo had incidentally found out about the expensive latter, he'd been the one telling Oga about ways to earn money by fighting. "Two birds with one fist!" were his words: let off steam and get paid for it during street fights.

Somehow, Himekawa had gotten wind of those 'puny street fights' – to cite his words – and commented: „Small fry isn't your league!" He'd led those two to San Marx Academy almost half a year ago and made them acquainted to the battles in a cage. What was in it for him? Anything else but money! May it be his reputation, demonstrating his power, supplying his hosting lover a good show or simply personal entertainment. Perhaps, all of them.

„AND AFTER A SHORT BREAAAAK, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE CLAAAASH OF THE TITAAAAANS!"

Fighting for a higher purpose made you stronger. Or at least, that was how it ended up in any anime or manga. It had been either that or his opponents were mostly low cards. Nonetheless, it hadn't taken long until the Rampaging Ogre made a name for himself and grabbed interest of a certain school.

The Akumano Academy.

Many students from that ominous school were fighters in that event. Many had challenged Oga countless times and hadn't stood a chance against him, which brought him the current appellation 'Demon Hunter'.

Many failed except for Jabberwock.

That man a.k.a. the Crazy Dragon lived up to his name. His fighting style was brute that he wasn't satisfied and didn't finish a battle until his opponent lost consciousness or broke several limbs. He was a sadist who got stronger and more remorseless after each fight. The Crazy Dragon had been known as the reigning champion of that event for a long time.

Then, Oga came into play.

Their rivalry existed since then but the recent incidence added fuel to the flames. Jabberwock's relation to a certain Blonde vastly duplicated Oga's hatred.

"You're next." A crew member called out dryly and briefly. Even if the 'Rampaging Ogre' had been known to be energetic and bold, the 'Demon Hunter' was calmness itself and fought without any emotion. Neither a sign of joy nor aggression, as if he lost his determination for the past few performances.

On his way to the ring, he could have sworn that he heard Toujo's voice around. After winning his own match, that idiot probably still protested that he wanted to beat the shit out of that Jabbawuss!

"Next time, Toujo…" Oga muttered and went out on the ring. He had to settle too many scores with that son of a bastard so far!

The audience was all fired up. It wasn't for losing or winning, the just wanted to see a bloody fight. And contrary to his expectation, it wasn't Jabberwock who would yield that fight.

"The fuck…!?" Oga cursed under his breath. Although it was their first encounter, he knew the fighter Basilisk of Akumano too well. He also knew that combatants using a weapon normally fought in a different category whereas Oga only relied on his fists and kicks.

"Oi, Oga! We're not playing along that crap! Get out of there!" he heard Himekawa shouting.

Basilisk grinned knowingly and gestured chopping his head off with his axe.

Assuming that Jabberwock was watching the fight from some place, Oga scowled back and took a fighting position. "Bring it on, bitch!"

The bell rang and the battle started. The enthusiastic shouts of the audience drowned even the voice of his opponent. Basilisk didn't hesitate to launch the first attack. The blade of that weapon was as big as Oga's upper body. A single blow was enough to end not only the fight but also his life.

Basilisk made a vertical stroke which Oga could dodge easily by jumping to the side. The axe got stuck on the ground and Oga didn't lose a second to make use of his biggest advantage: he was definitely the faster one and made a backflip, landing a fierce kick on his opponents wrist. The impact was strong enough to make him lose his hold of his weapon.

The audience cheered crazily and even louder than before. Oga used to full capacity his agility and launched a direct punch. Basilisk managed to block it with his hand and countered with his free hand. "He's fast…!" Oga thought surprisedly but couldn't parry the punch on his chin on time, which sent him flying a few meters away.

His vision became blurry for a moment but Oga got up quickly just in time to notice that Basilisk grabbed already the axe and swung it sidewise at his smaller figure. Oga crouched down and had to dodge one blow after the other. He never anticipated that the hulk in front of him would keep up with his pace. He was just considering that Basilisk could even get ahead of his speed when he felt something sharp and cold grazing his chest.

The raging yells of the audience reached their climax as Oga felt the red liquid flowing down his body. He suppressed the pain with clenched teeth and could have sworn that he distinguished Toujo's voice for a moment.

Oga jumped high and landed a dropkick on Basilisk's neck. If it had been a person with a plain figure, he shouldn't be breathing after that attack. Nevertheless, the impact seemed to affect him because the giant made a step back and flinched. The next second, he hit Oga's head with the stump side of his weapon. That strike made Oga spit blood and land on one knee.

"NO MER-CY!" was the crowd bawling repeatedly in unison. Basilisk didn't wait longer and hauled off for his final blow. Suddenly, he stopped in the middle of his attack and held his weapon over his head.

He was smirking.

The emotionless Demon Hunter was smirking whereas he wasn't showing any facial features for a while.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" Basilisk asked while the crowd was booing at him.

"Tell me fatso…" Oga straightened up with shaky legs. "Which is your fave ice cream…?"

Basilisk twitched an eye and couldn't follow him. "Seeing that you'll die here and now, you don't know what you're babbling anymore…" He struck out and shouted angrily. "If you still have strength to talk, THEN SAY YOUR LAST PRAYER!"

Just when Basilisk was too confident of victory, something unbelievable happened. Oga managed to catch the blade with both hands and stopped the attack. He took a deep breath and grinned evilly. "Wrong answer…!"

Basilisk couldn't believe his eyes. What was going on? How the fuck could that half serving of a man stop that attack?! He pushed his axe with his full strength and couldn't move any further.

"What now, asshole!?" Oga seemed to gain more strength. "You kept up with my speed but not to my strength…"

Basilisk busted out laughing. "You think you're Hercules, you wimp?! You tryin' to break my axe?!"

"Hell no…" Oga's arms trembled but he slowly but surely push him back. "Just need to outmatch you…" He made a step back so that Basilisk lost his balance. Oga used that opportunity to steal his weapon and shove it aside.

"YOU-…!" Basilisk angrily started an attack. Oga smartly profited from the difference in height and ducked his head. He gathered all his power to a final punch in his opponent's abdomen. Basilisk couldn't understand what just happened. Before he lost his consciousness, he received one last message from Oga:

"Tell Jabberwock, he needs a bigger creature to beat me…!"

Basilisk collapsed and the audience was muted for a while. The only thing audible was Oga panting and last one standing.

"He won…" Toujo grinned in excitement whereas Himekawa still couldn't believe what just happened. Oga slowly raised one arm as the clear victor which made Toujo yell full-throated: "HE WONNN!"

It was then that the crowd cheered as loudly as before and celebrated that they'd never see such a spectacle ever again.

Oga sank his arm again and answered to his own question from earlier. "… it's vanilla…" He looked at the direction where Toujo's voice came from. Just then, he noticed a familiar person with blonde hair.

"No way…" he still panted and felt dizzy. He wiped sweat off his eyes and tried to look closer. Was it really her…?

Toujo and Himekawa ran towards him to congratulate or whatever. But Oga's eyes were fixated on the woman behind. "No…" he muttered silently but no one could hear him. The woman behind…

She was being kidnapped.

Whether it was her or not… something was wrong there. He needed to help that woman. He needed to help her…

Oga made a few steps but tripped and fell on the ground. He was oblivious of how much blood he had already lost. Toujo reached him while Himekawa ordered a stretcher.

What were those fools doing? They should worry about the woman he was craving for…! He was going to pass out. He was losing her again…

HILDA…!

A/N: Thanks for patiently waiting and I'm incredibly sorry, dear Readers!