Nepalo was simultaneously aggravated and overjoyed by
what had just happened. Just as he reached to blast Exo Drazz’ skull to pieces
with his hand, he heard the sound of someone fighting beyond the remains of the
big central field in ‘Nebula’. What he saw when he turned around to follow that
sound with his eyes was Tokura Braveheart clashing with the still active
Martians. He quickly used his Flexoid to spread the attacks they had all sent
at him between them, teleporting away the moment they were hit by his
counter-barrage.
Next up, he appeared in front of the Crimson God of
War, pushing him back with his invisible shield and teleporting him amid the
battlefield where the defeated members of the Hera Trio now lied. That was only
going to delay Nepalo, of course, but the Earthlings’ ‘small’ battering ram
certainly knew that. He probably wanted to ensure no one would interfere with
him sending all his classmates away from the big central field.
Thus, the strongest Martian was denied the opportunity
to finish the prey he had just crushed, but at the same time was offered the
chance to fight against the member of Earthling Class #1 he wanted to face in
battle the most. Given the two combatants’ power levels, it was actually better
that the other weaklings were moved out of their way in Nepalo’s mind, so they
could have a proper fight. Plus, he could always find and finish them off once
he was done with Tokura. Overall, this was the better version of a
compromise-type situation.
After making sure Mia, Kia and Lara were going to live
at least until he was done with the business at hand , their classmate returned
to where his prime target was with a couple of short-range teleportations. As
expected, the field was emptied from all Earthlings upon his arrival.
It was just him and the azure warrior, standing at the
opposite ends of their arena, the energy they exuded filling up the air with
heat, the pressure from it cracking the already ruined ground. The final stage
of the ground’s destruction came with the blast of crimson energy Nepalo used
to cross the whole field with one jump, roaring with the mad joy of a
battle-hungry maniac at his adversary.
(Nepalo) ‘-NICE JOB CLEARING THE FIELD, BRAVEHEART!!!
WE’RE FREE TO START OUR SLAUGHTERFEST NOW!!!!’
The Martian’s own classmates could and were probably
going to get caught up in this, but it didn’t matter at this point. Tokura had
probably only wounded them a little during their short clash, so even if they suffered
a bit more damage, they’d still be fine. Their suffering was a small price to
pay for the red-skinned monster to finally have what he had always wanted – to
go all-out against a truly worthy opponent.
Entire clouds of crimson energy were smashed in the
pseudoknight from all sides, Nepalo landing right on top of him, having already
prepared to crush at least a few bones with both his fists. Those fists stopped
mid-air, however, something invisible keeping them from reaching their target
as well as preventing the contact of any of the energy clouds with the boy.
Tokura had activated his shield with a glare more deadly than probably anything
his opponent had ever seen.
(Tokura) ‘-Don’t be so eager for slaughter, Nepalo.
(he narrowed his eyes) First, I’m going to have you tell me why you broke the
rules of the Class Battle to try and kill my classmates. You don’t have the
right to lose consciousness until then.’
The shield repelled the Crimson God of War back with
the same power he had put in the attack of his fists, the same thing happening
with his energy clouds, the Earthling having already teleported behind the
creator of those clouds. The shield was now removed so he could sent a wide
Flexoid roar from his mouth, Nepalo needing to put up his close-fitting
protective layer of energy fast to counter that.
Although the attack blasted him some distance away
through the rubble and all the way to a couple of pine trees that were brought
down by his crash, the Martian hadn’t suffered any damage. The really important
part of what had just happened was that Tokura had aimed to strike at the
moment after the big attack and before the reforming of the protective layer of
energy around his adversary. That was the moment the villain was at his most
vulnerable.
As he wondered if that was a coincidence, he noticed a
small cut just above the wrist of his right arm. He hadn’t even realized he had
a scratch on him up to this point, but after seeing it, Nepalo quickly understood
the reason behind his enemy’s actions. The azure warrior wasn’t even aiming for
the red-skinned monster’s arm just now and he had already raised the defensive
layer around him, so he couldn’t have got that cut then. It was from before
that. From the only moment during which he had removed the layer – when he used
the ‘Crimson 100-Horned Stampede’.
‘-One of the Earthlings must have managed to cut me when
I passed through them. And they’ve probably discovered my secret and have
shared it with Braveheart while I made my way back to the big central field.’ –
the King of the Martians thought.
Tokura of all people knowing about his weakness meant
things could get very ugly if the monstermorph wasn’t careful. He had managed
to block that last attack but with the right timing of his Flexoid, the boy
could eventually find an opening to do serious damage.
Of course, Nepalo didn’t expect to come out of this
whole event completely unscathed, because that would just be boring, but there
was now an actual possibility of him losing. Having an exhilarating battle was
one thing. Losing such a battle, however, was totally unacceptable.
With the knowledge Earthling Class #1’s ‘small’
battering ram had, he also wouldn’t attack unless the Crimson God of War
attacked first since he was waiting to catch him off-guard. The strongest
Martian couldn’t have that, so it was time to prompt the pseudoknight to action
with some provocation.
(Nepalo) ‘-I didn’t try anything, Tokura. I’m only
taking a break from killing your class while I deal with you. Once we’re done
here, I’ll get right back to finishing them off.’
(Tokura) ‘-This is clearly not just because our class
took the spotlight from yours at Sunbird. What is it you’re after with getting
rid of us?’
Nepalo clicked his tongue a couple of times.
(Nepalo) ‘-No, no, no, Mr. Braveheart. It doesn’t work
like that. You don’t get something for nothing. Show me all of your might and
maybe I’ll share some details with you before you die.’
Tokura teleported right in front of him a second
later, having activated his shield again and clashing it with the
monstermorph’s thin defensive energy layer, causing the villain to burst out
laughing.
(Tokura) ‘-Pretty confident you’re gonna win this,
aren’t you?’
Nepalo now stopped laughing, but kept the gigantic
grin on his face.
(Nepalo) ‘-Well, I can see Lara and the twins have
tired you out quite a bit, so maybe that’s why. (he launched a wave of crimson
energy from his whole body at the shield) That shield of yours is becoming more
brittle every time you conjure it up!!’
The shield started cracking, the sphere around the
teleporting hero becoming fully visible now and turning light blue in color the
more it broke apart. The only reaction the teenager with raspberry-colored hair
had to this was a confident smile.
(Tokura) ‘-You make a good point there …’
The shield disappeared completely, the Earthling
himself being hit by the energy wave, suddenly one identical to him appearing
behind Nepalo while the one in front crumbled into Flexoid particles.
(Tokura) ‘- … but maybe that’s because that shield
wasn’t the real one!!!’
The original had switched with a clone. The Martian
guessed that had happened while the opponents were talking before their second
clash.
Tokura’s surprise attack was a bit slower than the
first one, though. That had provided his enemy with the perfect opportunity to
put up his close-fitting protective layer of energy again, but Nepalo didn’t do
that. In fact, he wasn’t planning on putting it up again until the end of this
battle.
What he did instead was attack.
(Nepalo) ‘-You’re still too slow!!!’
He quickly turned and swung with his arm, creating a
curtain of crimson energy that was very thin but high in density at the same
time, having enough power to cut through any defenseless target.
But Tokura Braveheart was far from defenseless, simply
blocking that curtain with his shield. Tri-horns were formed from the crimson
energy particles the curtain broke into after being deflected to its creator by
his opponent’s protective sphere to launch the next attack without delay. Their
stampede wasn’t blocked by the shield as expected. Instead all the animals were
teleported aside amid a burst of Flexoid, the pseudoknight having removed the
protective sphere now with considerable annoyance.
(Nepalo) ‘-What’s the matter, Tokura?! Don’t tell me
you can’t put up that shield anymore!! Your Flexoid alone won’t provide me with
that much entertainment!! (the energy animals that were teleported away came
charging back through the forest and onto the remains of the big central field,
Nepalo adding more creations of the same type to their numbers) You can only
delay the inevitable with that energy compound!! Sending my attacks away won’t
make them disappear and you know it!!!’
The tri-horns were in the process of surrounding
Tokura on all sides now, at the same time the strongest Martian forming a ministorm
of crimson energy in the sky above and switching himself with a clone while the
original hid in one of the wider cracks on the field. From there he made his
way underground to where the Earthling stood, waiting for the moment to strike.
He was going to attack Mr. Braveheart in such a quick
succession that he wasn’t going to find any opening to counterattack. The more
he blocked the enemy attacks, the more he would wear himself out and clearly he
didn’t have much more left in the gas tank, so one could say the red-skinned
monster’s victory was already assured.
The original villain could feel the ground above him
shake more and more, which signaled the beginning of the tri-horns’ multi-sided
charge against their target. The ministorm in the sky was sent down to match
the timing of their attack, Nepalo also coming out from under Tokura then.
The pseudoknight disappeared with a flash of Flexoid, however,
having enveloped his foe’s ministorm in his energy compound to change its
nature, making sure it would slam right in the Crimson God of War and his
tri-horns. Martian Class #3’s battering ram didn’t react fast enough this time.
The energy storm that had been turned against him
crushed the creations in their creator, some of the Flexoid transferring to them.
That way the animals’ horns could also damage their master, whose body had
already been smashed hard in the ground. The areas of his skin that had spikes
coming out of them suffered no damage, but the rest was cut and even pierced in
several spots. The teenager with raspberry-colored hair gave no time for
respite, landing atop him with his shield put up again right after all those
attacks dissipated. The sphere’s weight hammered Nepalo even deeper in the
ground, spilling plenty of blood from all the damage he had already suffered.
(Tokura) ‘-Every energy compound is only as strong as
its user, Nepalo, so thinking you know what my Flexoid is capable of is your
biggest mistake!!!’
Tokura teleported away soon enough, his opponent
managing to get back on his feet and spitting more blood aside. He had
definitely been hurt worse before, but Nepalo couldn’t completely put the pain spread
over his whole body at the back of his mind. Even if a little, the wounds he
had received were going to slow him down. But more than that, the blood flowing
from those wounds exited him.
How long had it been? How long since someone had
managed to go toe-to-toe with the strongest Martian? Certainly none of the
participants in his previous Class Battles had even come close to what the
pseudoknight was capable of. Perhaps Ulura’s mother alone had allowed him to go
all-out without worrying about all the destruction he would cause.
She was an ally, though. To find that an enemy can
make you feel that way was much more exhilarating.
Nepalo had been in his monster form for a while now
without switching back, so he wasn’t going to last much longer, especially with
his current injuries. Looking across the field, he saw Tokura was covered in
sweat and breathed heavily, clearly having almost reached his limit as well.
There was no return from the path of ruin now, however. The two combatants
would have to walk together till they reached the end. And whatever that end
was, it was going to be glorious.
The Crimson God of War sighed with a smile on his face
as he slowly moved forward through the rubble, every blood-stained step sending
a wave of pain through his body.
(Nepalo) ‘-It’s really sad, Tokura, you know? That you
have to be working with the enemy. Imagine all the triumphs we would achieve if
we fought side by side.’
Tokura returned his foe’s small smile as the two came
closer to the other.
(Tokura) ‘-I’ve already found the people I want to
achieve my triumphs side by side with. So I’ll have to turn down that offer.’
(Nepalo) ‘-I figured you’d say that. Still a pity,
though.’
(Tokura) ‘-So how about you share some intel? I’ve
shown you what I’ve got and I’m not sure what the condition of either of us is
going to be by the time we end this. If there was ever a time to spill it, it’s
now.’
(Nepalo) ‘-Might as well. I can’t tell you the whole
story, though, because I don’t know it.’
(Tokura) ‘-Whatever you’ve got, I’m all ears.’
(Nepalo) ‘-We’re working with Ulura’s family to
eliminate the Summerbolts and all their allies. Your class is included in that
group, of course. This whole Class Battle was a set-up to get rid of you.’
Tokura didn’t seem all that surprised after Nepalo said
that. Maybe he had already figured some of it out.
(Tokura) ‘-And you’re just going to walk away scot-free
after committing all those murders?’
(Nepalo) ‘-Ulura assured us her parents have the
necessary tools and influence to make everything that’s happened here will look
like an accident. No suspicion will be laid on us whatsoever.’
(Tokura) ‘-That’s it? You’re willing to kill us all
just because there’ll be no consequences to it? Doesn’t sound all that
beneficial.’
(Nepalo) ‘-Killing you by itself isn’t beneficial, no.
It’s what your deaths will help achieve.’
(Tokura) ‘-Which is?’
(Nepalo) ‘-A world ruled by our kind once more. (there
was shock on Tokura’s face now) Eliminating all deviants who support the
ordinari’s rule is the first step toward achieving that goal. So I guess you
can understand what we’re doing here. (the Earthling looked like he wanted to
say something, but Nepalo lunged forward a second later) That intel enough for
you?’
Hundreds of tri-horns were created around the
red-skinned monster again, this time the creatures starting to attach
themselves to different parts of their master’s body, their horns growing in
size. Soon enough he started spinning, the combination of his own body’s spikes
and the horns of his pets leading to the formation of the ultimate crimson
energy mincer typhoon. Many energy projectiles were shot from that typhoon,
increasing their size tenfold after crossing a certain distance, further
decimating not just what remained of the big central field, but the whole pinewood
area of Nebula, if not the whole park.
Nepalo aimed to ensure his victory with this tactic:
even if Tokura could conjure his shield again, it was going be significantly
weakened from its overuse, not being able to withstand the might of his enemy’s
typhoon of spikes and horns. With the projectiles causing destruction all
around, teleporting randomly was also not an option and the red-skinned monster
wasn’t going to give the pseudoknight enough time to think. He would either
have to be hit by one of the projectiles or by the mincing mass. Neither
evading, nor stopping both was possible.
As the Earthling’s shield returned, it became clear he
had chosen to clash with the typhoon. Clever choice, as taking out Nepalo would
make his barrage of projectiles cease. But that would only happen if he was
able to destroy the typhoon.
The invisible sphere and the crimson mincer clashed
head-on, causing a blast that shot all the rubble and newly ripped pieces of
the earth in the air for a second before launching them in different directions.
The destruction was sufficient to level pretty much all the coniferous plants
in the vicinity, accompanied by a thunderously loud bang.
Just as the shield was about to break, all the projectiles
shot in different directions were wrapped up in the Flexoid and teleported next
to each other in a cluster of azure and crimson aimed at the monstermorph. The villain’s attention shifted from his enemy to this
new attack, trying to cut through the barrage that now looked like a singular
giant wave. This attempt led to the obliteration of the typhoon.
Even though Nepalo had originally intended to not put
up his thin layer of protective energy again until the end of the battle, the
current situation had left him with no choice. And the moment that layer
started forming, azure flashed behind him.
The pseudoknight had now charged his shield with as
much Flexoid as possible, smashing it with sufficient force in the Crimson God
of War to make it crack after just one hit. One hit that sent the creator of
all the projectiles at them with no chance of evading, the monster’s shock
causing his late response to the whole development.
(Tokura) ‘-FLEXOKNIGHT’S CRIMSON VENGEANCE!!!!!!!!!’
The projectiles hit Nepalo before he could finish
wrapping his body in crimson energy and after whatever remained of that layer
was shattered, each projectile went through a series of teleportations, hitting
him again and again. Every single inch of his body fell victim to this
relentless barrage. And that was it.
Someone had actually surpassed the destruction Ukris
Nightsong had once brought upon him, ripping his nerves apart with endless
waves of agony, his eyes only seeing a blur of azure with some streaks of crimson.
The crimson probably came from his blood. Eventually the azure and the crimson
mixed together and turned to black. That darkness consumed Nepalo, but as he surrendered
to it, the thing he felt the most right after the immense pain was relief.
Although the Earthlings had not been killed, the
condition of pretty much all the ones who had been on the big central field until
recently was critical, so dispatching them would be easy for anyone. Tokura
Braveheart had exhausted the last of powers to bring down his opponent, so he
could no longer be of any use and could also easily be taken care of. The
mission the leader of the Ares Trio was given had been completed successfully
while his foe had only delayed the inevitable.
And more important than that, Nepalo had enjoyed the
sweetest destruction in his life. He hadn’t lost anything, but had gained so
much. So in the Martian’s mind the winner of this clash was him. The ultimate
battering ram.
Points: 154686
Reviews: 1488
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