Chapter 64: Ultimate Swampfire vs Red Margwa

"Not again," Saya remarked as she looked in horror. 

Rei looked angry. She lost her childhood friend because of them. 

"Again?" Yuriko questioned. 

"What is that black smoke?" Souichiro asked. He sensed some ominous coming towards them, 

 As the smoke slowly cleared, six yellow lights and three red lights could be seen. They heard a terrifying roar that sent chills down their spines.

"That does not sound good," Shizuka said. 

Lois opened the suitcase and took out her gun. She unlocked her M4W and looked down the sight. 

The black smoke cleared further to reveal a grotesque three creatures with three heads each and several tentacles. It had three mouths each which were glowing. The middle creature was different. It was emitting an orange glow. The tips of its tentacles were red. There was a flame on its back. 

"A Red Margwa," James observed. 

"Red?" Jasmine asked. 

At that moment, the Red Margwa opened its mouth and fired a flame beam from each mouth at the fence. The fence got incinerated by the flame. 

"It destroyed the gate even more," Jasmine added.

Saeko took her robe off to reveal she was wearing her school uniform. She put the robe in the suitcase and looked at the zombies. "This is getting bad," Saeko said. She looked at James, her danna-sama who looked calm. 

"Everyone, prepare to leave," James commanded with a steely resolve. "I'll hold them off and join you," he added. 

"No!" both Saya and Rei protested in unison.

Jasmine looked at James. "I don't know, I can't leave you alone," Jasmine added. 

Lois did not like this either. There seems to be much more than they have encountered so far and those creatures as well.

"I won't leave you," Shizuka said, wailing her arms. 

Yuriko, observing the interaction, noted the deep concern in the eyes of the girls. There was something about this man, something compelling. She inhaled subtly, catching a whiff of his unique scent. She turned to Souichiro.

"I am not asking you to leave me," James reaffirmed, his voice firm and unwavering. "I want everyone to start heading to the Humvee, provide me with covering fire. I suspect the road will be blocked and with those things, it will be difficult to leave," James explained.

"Yes, Danna-sama," Saeko responded. Her eyes met Yuriko's for a moment. Yuriko thought that she was with him as well. 

"Okay," Rei replied. It was a plan but she still wanted to be with him. Her grip tightening on her weapon.

Saeko stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on Rei's shoulder. "We need to trust him," she said softly, her voice steady. "He knows what he's doing," she added.

Yuriko watched, her mind racing. Who was this man that commanded such loyalty and trust? And what kind of power did he wield that made him willing to face danger alone for their sake? She glanced back at James, who was already moving towards the threat.

"Let's go!" James shouted. Souichiro looked at his daughter. He went along with them. He smiled, at least this man can protect her. Lois, Saeko, Rei, Saya, Shizuka and Jasmine ran over to the garage. 

James opened the faceplate of the Ultimatrix. He saw the silhouette of a humanoid, plant-like alien with a patterned head and root-like feet. James slammed it down. His body was engulfed in a brilliant, pulsating light. The air crackled with energy. James' body distorted, his body turned green. In a surge of radiant energy, James` features reshaped. His shoulders and head have petals and his elbows and legs had frills sticking out. "Swampfire," Swapfire shouted. 

`

Yuriko and Souichiro saw him change into an alien. "What is that?" Yuriko asked.

He pressed the Ultimatrix symbol. A bright green light engulfed his transformation into the ultimate form. He changed into a tall and imposing figure, combining plant-like and rock-like features. His primary color is dark brown, which looked like a tree bark. However there were bright blue sections in his face, chest, arms, shoulders, and knees. His face was like a smooth, semi-transparent blue helmet-like structure extending from his chest. He had green, glowing eyes. His chest had the Ultimatrix symbol. There was a large, curved leaf-like extension from his shoulders. His thick, branch-like arms were equipped with several blue pods. His legs were sturdy and powerful, akin to tree trunks. He also had broad feet. 

"Ultimate Swampfire," Ultimate Swampfire shouted. 

"He changed again," Yuriko observed, eyes widening as she took in the massive, formidable creature before her. She couldn't help but feel a strange comfort knowing her daughter had chosen well.

Ultimate Swampfire's voice boomed through the chaos. "Cluster Bombs," he declared, thrusting his arms forward. Blue, glowing pods shot out from his outstretched hands, hurtling towards the advancing zombies and the towering Margwa. The pods detonated upon impact, sending a wave of fire and force through the horde. Zombies were flung into the air, their numbers decimated in a heartbeat.

Souichiro's eyes narrowed, taking in the raw, destructive power. He saw this as their moment to reclaim the upper hand. "Charge and support him!" he commanded. His men started shooting the zombies around them. 

Ultimate Swampfire charged towards the three Margwa. "Flamestreak," he shouted, igniting a kerosene-like gel that coated his arms. He unleashed a torrent of blue flames, sending the massive creatures staggering backwards.

He then drove his fists into the ground. "Seed Spawning," he intoned, and from the earth, giant root-like plants erupted, spreading rapidly. The thick vines shot out, entwining around the legs of the Margwa, holding them fast.

"Vine Attack," Ultimate Swampfire commanded, manipulating the roots to immobilize the three Margwa even further. The creatures roared in frustration, their monstrous forms struggling against the living chains that bound them.

Two of the Margwa's mouths gaped open, revealing a growing, yellow glow. They prepared to fire their devastating beams. Ultimate Swampfire acted swiftly. "Cluster Bombs," he cried out again, launching another barrage of explosive pods. The blue orbs streaked through the air, exploding against the first Margwa's head for both of them, obliterating it in a burst of fiery energy.

His gaze snapped to the Red Margwa, which had already burned through the plants trying to ensnare it. The other two Margwa continued to thrash, still bound by the relentless vines but clearly straining to break free.

Ultimate Swampfire's eyes looked at the Margwa. He wasn't done yet. The Red Margwa looked at Ultimate Swampfire. It opened its three mouths and fired red flame beams towards Ultimate Swampfire. Ultimate Swampfire dodged to the side. The red flame beams ignited the ground behind him. 

Ultimate Swampfire got up and aimed his right hand. "Cluster Bombs," he said, launching another barrage of explosive blue pods. The blue orbs streaked through the air, exploding against the first Red Margwa`s mouth. It screamed in pain as its mouth exploded. A red bug appear from its back. Ultimate Swampfire saw this. 

"Root Smash," Ultimate Swampfire said as another root came out from the ground and swiped the bug, killing it in an instant. 

The Red Margwa ran towards Ultimate Swampfire. Each step it took ignited the ground behind him. The Red Margwa swung its tentacle arm at him. Ultimate Swampfire caught his tentacle. "I am still strong," Ultimate Swampfire remarked. Ultimate Swampfire let go of the tentacle and punched the Red Margwa. It stumbled backwards. 

The Red Margwa then used his tentacle arms to slam down on the ground. Ultimate Swampfire felt the ground rock. He could see some flames on the ground. The zombies nearby were knocked to the ground as well as some of the men fighting the zombies. Souichiro felt the shockwave of the powerful monster. He almost fell to the ground. He slashed the zombie head off who was trying to get up. 

Yuriko almost missed her shot due to the shockwave. She looked at James or what he call himself. "Ultimate Swampfire," she whispered. 

Ultimate Swampfire kept steady. "Is that the best you got?" he taunted. The monster roared back. His remaining two mouths opened again. The glow became brighter and it fired the red beams again. 

"Root Wall," Swampfire shouted as she shoved his hand into the ground and roots came up forming a wall. The beams hit the wall and ignited the root, however Ultimate Swampfire was protected. "Flamestreak," he shouted, igniting a kerosene-like gel that coated his arms. He unleashed a torrent of blue flames through the Root Wall. It went through the air and hit the Red Margwa on the mouth. The mouth exploded. 

It stumbled backwards at the loss of his second mouth. The Red Margwa groaned as it spawned another red bug from its back. "Cluster Bombs," Ultimate Swampfire said, thrusting his arms forward. Blue, glowing pods shot out from his outstretched hands, hurtling towards the bug. It hit the bug and there was an explosion. The corpse of the bug hit the ground. 

The Red Margwa looked at Ultimate Swampfire, it only had one mouth. It charged towards Ultimate Swampfire. The ground started shaking as it moved towards him. There was some fire on the ground. It got close and was about to slam down when Ultimate Swampfire punched the Red Margwa in the chest. It stumbled backwards. It opened its mouth again.

"Flamestreak," he shouted, igniting a kerosene-like gel that coated his arms. He unleashed a torrent of blue flames at the final mouth. The blue flames hit the mouth. There was an explosion. The Red Margwa groaned as it went down and collapsed on the ground. All three mouths were gone. A small bug appeared for the final time. Ultimate Swampfire clapped his hand together and squashed the bug. "That was not too bad," he remarked. He wondered where they were coming from and what that black cloud was. He turned around to see the other two Margwa gone. 

"Honey!" Yuriko's voice pierced through the chaos, filled with fear and desperation. Ultimate Swampfire's attention snapped to her, and his eyes widened. He spotted Souichiro in the clutches of a monstrous zombie. This creature was massive, with pallid, lifeless skin stretched over bulging muscles. It wore tattered blue jeans, but its upper body was bare.

"A Tank," Ultimate Swampfire muttered. The Tank's oversized hand was wrapped around Souichiro, gripping him with a crushing force. The older man's face contorted in agony as he let out a piercing scream. Bones audibly creaked under the pressure, on the brink of snapping.

"Ahhhh!" Souichiro's scream echoed, a desperate plea for help.

Yuriko's eyes were wide with horror, tears streaming down her cheeks. She raised her gun, her hands trembling as she fired shot after shot at the Tank. But the bullets seemed useless. They either ricocheted off or did not damage, leaving the monster unfazed.

Ultimate Swampfire surged forward. However as he neared, one of the Margwa blindsided him with a powerful strike. The blow sent him crashing to the ground, his massive form skidding on the ground.

As Ultimate Swampfire struggled to rise, he could see the Tank tightening its grip, Souichiro's cries growing weaker with each passing second.