The Grandmaster (Pt 1)

~Harbingers, also known as Monsters or Netherbeasts, are mysterious creatures who randomly appear and cause deaths and destruction, varying according to their levels. Harbingers are classified from the least Grade 1 to the most powerful Grade 10~

YEAR: UNKNOWN

LOCATION: UNKNOWN

Two choices lay before Tenny, only one to be made. Life and death were set, and he was given the chance to pick. The options weighed heavily in his mind.

Michael himself had said it would get even more dangerous than anything they had previously encountered, and that he might not be able to look out for his safety. If he decided to go, he was most guaranteed to die. However, if he did stay, he was confident in, if nothing else, his ability to escape, pending the time Michael returned.

"Will he return though?" Tenny questioned in his mind. He had seen Michael perform many unbelievable feats but even he had to have a limit.

Tenny, however, knew what his answer would be, what he had already resolved to do since a while ago. He had sworn to himself to stay by Michael's side and aid him in any way. He was his comrade, and his brother. The fact that Michael had brought him along to this world was because he trusted him, and he might need him.

He wasn't going to disappoint!

"I'm coming!" Tenny said with his strongest resolve yet.

"Good," Michael said with a proud smile, as though he had passed a hidden test. "Now let's go."

The two boys walked down the path ahead of them, headed toward the depths of oblivion.

They walked for a few more minutes before they finally saw the exit of the path, which meant it was the entrance to the Grand Hall, abode of the Grandmaster. They kept moving till they were a few feet away from the entrance. Michael stopped, and so did Tenny.

"This is it, be careful. There are plenty of them here, and the biggest threat of all, the Grandmaster... it's a Grade 7." Michael said as he slowly entered through the wide space and Tenny followed, reflexively, knowing this might be his end.

Unlike the previous tunnel and path, the room was massive. It was bigger than any large hall Tenny had ever seen. The ceiling was at least over 200 feet from the ground, and it was littered with Diamantite-like crystals.

The walls were too far apart from one another and the shiny minerals were also scattered there, illuminating the room, making it just bright enough to see.

The ground was rough, and there were no other accessories in the large hall, except one. A huge boulder, which had been carved into a throne, and a massive shadow loomed over it, although it couldn't be seen as the rays of light seemed to avoid that area.

There was no time for sightseeing, however, as in front of them were exactly 501 VampCyclops who by their countenance were out for blood. These creatures were different from the others whom they had previously encountered. They were at least an extra foot tall, some were taller and had a huger build. Their eyes also seemed to glow even brighter crimson. Their body looked rough and scaly, and they possessed tails.

"These ones are different from the others, as you have seen."

Tenny looked at his brother as he heard him speak.

"They've evolved, and so they serve directly under the Grandmaster as Its guards. They are about 4 times more powerful than the average soldier... However, these aren't a problem for me." Michael smiled wickedly.

In a flash, Michael faded from Tenny's sight and rose above all of them. He hovered about 60 feet from the ground and looked down on the elite army smiling.

"Irrelevant" He spoke, as he raised his left hand high above his head.

"DARK NEBULUM," He said as suddenly a pressure formed, and purple sparks of electricity began appearing around him and started concentrating above the palm of his left hand. The purple energies started swirling around his palm and an orb began forming. The orb started getting bigger as it sucked more of the purple energy and it glowed dark purple.

In response to Michael's first move, the elite guards withdrew attention from Tenny, sensing the danger that awaited them and their glowing crimson eyes glowed even brighter, signaling their light beams.

All 501 of them shot their light beam toward Michael, and Tenny could feel the intensity of the heat from his distance. The beams were definitely exponentially more powerful than the one he had experienced. As the light beams approached Michael, the trajectory shifted and it slowly changed course to the orb.

The orbs sucked all the beams and began growing in size. The beams lasted for seconds, some taking breaks and firing at intervals, while others kept a constant discharge, but none reached him. Soon, the creatures grew exhausted and ceased their meaningless attacks.

At this point, the glowing dark purple orb, with a touch of crimson had grown so large in mass, it was bigger than fifty feet, and was nearly touching the ceiling. The pressure caused Tenny to quake from where he stood.

"Done already?" The floating boy's voice echoed in the large hall.

"Fine then, let me end your suffering by returning your little gift!" He grinned sadistically.

"DWARF COMPRESSION"

The now 50 feet growing orb suddenly began spinning rapidly and shrinking in size. It was compressing as it was spinning and before Tenny knew it, the sphere was as tiny as a grape. The tiny orb hovered above Michael's palm as he let it down and casually stretched it forward. The orb then began gravitating toward the confused and exhausted creatures. One of them reached to probe the orb, which seemed like a tiny floating balloon at this point. As its sharp claw made an impact with the orb, a large explosion was triggered.

Lightning crackled around the large dark purple and crimson explosion. The entire hall shook and vibrated. The walls surrounding the hall started cracking and even the air pressure reached Tenny, who was at the entrance area of the hall, causing him to wince and cover his face from the impact. The loud explosion even reached the ceiling as rocky fragments dropped and the ceiling began to vibrate violently.

Michael, who had even risen higher looked down at the crater formed by his power, smiling. Tenny marveled at all this, looking at his brother in astonishment.

"This is him... at one percent?" Tenny asked himself.

The vibrations finally stopped as the explosion subsided, leaving not even the dust of the creatures behind. They were completely disintegrated. Michael descended to Tenny's location.

He was smiling and said, "Now... all that's left is the boss."

Tenny was too stunned to speak. "Just how powerful is he?" His mind questioned.

Michael, who was looking calm and triumphant was not feeling that way. He had expended a large amount of energy on that attack. He had also used three abilities in succession, Levitation, Nebulum, and Compression. He had wanted to eliminate the small fry and move to the main event as quickly as possible, and so he spared no expense. He however was not expecting this much energy drain from himself.

'I've really gotten weak!'

Interrupting Michael's thoughts and Tenny's look of awe was a loud boom that caused the entire room to shake.

>CRASH!!!<

"So it's finally making its move... The Grandmaster..." Michael said smiling nervously.