Meanwhile upstairs, the immense attack could also be felt by Johnny, who was stumbling to make his way to the bathroom on an injured leg. He couldn't help but look toward the staircase, wondering just what the heck was going on downstairs.
However, he didn't have the luxury to investigate or even waste time trying to think of a proper plan right now. His intent was simply to get his daughter and get out. How he would do so, he didn't even know, but that was a priority.
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Back downstairs, Riddick, was in a crouched position while breathing slowly.
However, the mutated Phil gave him no time to rest as it let out another roar, turned in his direction, and charged once again.
Riddick remained unfazed because, as fast and powerful as the monster was, Riddick was equally fast as well, and so long as he focused and got his timing right, dodging the attacks wasn't a problem.
As he was about to dodge once more with a roll, he found that when he did so, the mutated Phil raised its leg with the intent of crushing Riddick as he rolled into a spot that he felt was safe.
Riddick was surprised by this speedy action, thinking that his attacker wasn't using his brain and had just gone insane, fighting without technique.
When one looked at Phil, you’d think such a difference didn't really matter, but it did.
Someone trained in the way Riddick was, knew there was an incredibly large difference between a trained combatant and just someone who depended on their physical strength, which he had thought Phil was doing, only to be shocked to see Phil anticipate that Riddick would dodge again and beat him into doing so before aiming to crush him in a single step.
Riddick was surprised by this turn of events, but his realization came too late, and he had to pay the price, gritting his teeth and crossing his arms over his chest. Riddick confirmed in that split second that there was no dodging for him, and he instead braced himself for the attack.
*Boom!* The attack hit with tremendous force and caused Riddick's figure to be sent through the floorboards and under the house.
Riddick collided with the hard floor of the basement under the house, feeling an immense surge of pain hit him as numerous bones creaked and organs got damaged.
At this time, Zoe’s warning grew more urgent. "Riddick, I feel I should remind you that supracell also increases mental acuity. You cannot hope to outmaneuver your opponent as right now his body is working to the fullest of its potential."
Riddick coughed out a huge mouthful of blood as he looked up into the hole where Phil was now peeping out of, with his huge hand breaking through the floorboards aiming to come into the basement for Riddick.
Despite having received such an attack, Riddick gazed up at Phil without looking the least bit fazed as he responded, "So? If that's the best his full potential can bring out, then I'm not worried."
As with all drugs that pushed people beyond their limits, people's potential came into play as others would benefit more from the drugs than certain people. Considering just how much supracell Phil looked like he had in him, Riddick couldn't complain that this was the end result.
It was dangerous, yes, but he had to consider the fact that it could've been more dangerous. With that in mind, he kept an open view of the situation as his eyes quickly darted around the basement that was filled with all sorts of junk and dusty boxes.
As he did so, Phil needed only two punches before he broke through the floorboards, and his large towering figure came thumping down into the basement.
Now, the situation had grown incredibly unfavorable for Riddick because, for one, the basement clearly looked like something Johnny prepared like a bunker, with its concrete-lined walls looking incredibly firm.
Being in such an enclosed space with someone as big and strong as Phil seemed like a death sentence.
Riddick didn't even have enough time to ponder what he had to his advantage before Phil charged at him again, grunting inaudible words and roaring out like a madman. “RAH!”
Knowing that Phil could now predict his actions, Riddick knew he had to settle for a fighting style that was unpredictable. So, as Phil's figure emerged from the dust he caused to rise upon arriving in the basement.
Riddick stood ready, and watched as Phil came charging at him once again. This time, though, Riddick moved his left foot slightly to the left and lowered his body in a motion that seemed like he was about to dodge.
Phil showed no indication of reading this movement as his eyes didn't really have any pupils for Riddick to follow.
However, he banked on this working, and… it did.
Because as Phil looked ready to slam his hands on the ground, rather than dodge, Riddick used the foot he had moved to the left to give himself a firm pivot, which he then used to spring up and launch a kick with his right leg before Phil's hand could descend.
The kick struck Phil right on the jaw with all the force traveling upward, a technique seen in numerous fighting styles in which the aim was to knock out the opponent by causing his brain to rattle against his skull.
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But Riddick knew this was wishful thinking for someone in Phil's state, so he had to intensify his approach.
Right after his kick hit, Phil stumbled back as even that small attack from someone as strong as Riddick caused his head to feel some pain. The drug surging in his body caused his brain to function still, feeling something akin to a static ringing, only for a moment before he shook it off and looked more angry, casting his gaze toward Riddick.
However, the only thing he saw when he did this was the sole of Riddick's foot as another kick hit him right on the jaw. It caused him to raise his head back, suffering from yet another static moment as the supracell surged in his body to keep up his mental performance.
However, in that moment, Riddick launched another attack and aimed for Phil's crotch, delivering a powerful kick which caused him to let out a pained groan as he lowered his entire body in pain, bringing both hands toward his crotch for a moment.
Riddick only needed that one moment to spring up toward Phil and launch his knee yet again into Phil's jaw, causing him to fall back and hit the ground with a large thump.
This entire set of attacks was something Phil looked completely unready for as, rather than charge forward, his large figure propped up and moved a few inches back, the anger evident on his face.
Riddick met Phil's angry gaze with a calm one as he displayed the stance of the Velisect fighting technique.
“Well? Aren’t you going to attack?”
Riddick’s words caused the already enraged Phil to roar out in anger like he never had before.
“GRAHH!”
It echoed throughout the entire house and caused it to rumble. However, Riddick didn’t look the least bit phased, and kept his gaze firmly locked on Phil's figure.
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Upstairs, Johnny, who had now just reached the bathroom door, let go of the wall he was holding onto for support and covered his ears as the stinging pain Phil's roar brought to his eardrums caused him to grimace.
As he slowly shuffled into the bathroom, his heart and his worry grew more and more over whether or not he would actually make it. Unaware that during this time, the only thing keeping the attention off of him was Riddick, who was now locked in a bout for his life in the basement.
…
Back in the basement, Phil roared for a good few seconds and but didn’t immediately charge at Riddick.
This caused Riddick to smile. And without breaking his stance, he asked, "Zoe, how long can supracell sustain the human body functioning at a high level?"
Thinking perhaps that he could just prolong the fighting until the effects of the supracell waned, Riddick asked that.
However, Zoe provided a disappointing answer. “Though public information on the matter doesn't state anything, black market forums state that the functional life of supracell is anywhere between 12 hours to a full day, depending on the amount taken. As any more beyond that could theoretically lead to more time, however, they state simply taking enough to last for hours comes with fatal risks.”
Riddick inwardly cursed his luck as he heard this information, considering just how many vials were in that bag Phil had. It was impossible for Riddick to accurately predict just how long the state would last or even if it would wane at all.
However, the greater the advantage, the greater the disadvantage. Almost everything we did carried an equal but opposite risk. And thinking along these lines, Riddick asked, "Zoe, I can't imagine his cells and organs will last that long, given just how much he took."
As Riddick asked that, Phil's frown seemed to grow deeper. Riddick was unsure if Phil even still had the intelligence to understand what he was saying or plotting, but he didn't even try to hide his intentions because he wanted to gauge this very thing.
Zoe’s answer came promptly and provided Riddick with some hope. “Yes, theoretically speaking, the more supracell someone has in their body, the more engaged their cells would be. However, there is only so much strain they can take before they collapse, and this is dependent on how initially powerful they were before taking the serum.”
This was an obvious conclusion when someone thought about it.
For superhumans, taking drugs could be seen as equivalent to modding a car. You could make it faster and/or better and reduce its weight to give it numerous advantages over other cars. However, if you modded it too much, it would eventually give out as too much power was being exerted by the vehicle, power the body couldn't handle.
Such cases indeed existed where some superhumans were forced to reconstruct parts of their body due to the misuse of drugs. If Phil was allowed to live, there was no doubt in Riddick's mind that he would be reduced to a sorry state after his current condition wore off.
But Riddick didn't have the luxury to wait because, currently, he was the target of Phil's rage. But having this in mind, he certainly had a good idea of how to get Phil to his breaking point quicker. So, a smile emerged on his face as he stared at the now cautious Phil.
"Do you hear that? It's only a matter of time before your body gives out. At that point, you're going to be a shell of your former self. It will be a miracle if you're still able to walk, let alone fight. But don't worry, because I'm sure you'll be dead before then."
Riddick confidently threatened Phil, not because he actually believed this but because he aimed to incite Phil. If one imagined they were forced into a situation in which the only way out was negative, but the person responsible for the state they were in was right before them, chances were the victim, in this case Phil, would at least aim to punish the cause of his misfortune.
Add into the fact that even Phil's aggression was heightened, this was more so true for him. Because even just hearing Riddick speak, one could see the bulging green veins on Phil’s head pop as he grit his teeth, showing a deeper frown.
Riddick knew no matter how much mental acuity someone had, it was useless if it got clouded by emotion, another strong factor that could lead people. In this case, it led Phil to let out a roar as he finally charged toward Riddick again.
Hearing that his time was limited and he would likely die when the supracell wore off, he wanted nothing more than to see Riddick's smug look fade away. He wanted to crush his bones and hear him scream in misery. He wanted him to suffer for what he had done. Nothing else mattered at that point.
“KILL!” He let out a notable grunt as he charged. This time, Riddick lowered his stance slightly and narrowed his gaze, but he didn't move.
Then, as Phil came, he launched a punch with his right hand, aiming to hit Riddick and send him flying back into the concrete wall. However, Riddick's eyes were focused entirely on Phil's movements
So first, he acted as if he would guard but then inches away getting hit, Riddick jumped from his position and used the hand that came under where he was to propel himself upward and then, while in mid-air, he spun his body in a quick motion to land a vicious kick on Phil's chest, sending him stumbling back, although not enough to drop him.
However, in the next moment, Phil let out a cough with a greenish-red blood mixture, looking at it, he was shocked. Then he raised his gaze toward Riddick, who had a smug look on his face as he brought his hands into a Velisect stance yet again, still having some blood trickle down his lip.
"Now you know how it feels. Brace yourself… there's more coming."