Gathering Beneath the Storm. (Part 2)

*clang*

*Boooooooooooooooooom*

It was just a normal day like any other just moments ago. A time where I wish to share my joy soon turns to mortal combat. Our blade clash and a giant shockwave reverberate through the whole place. Sending all the soldiers below except the four behind him to stay. Taking the initiative, I swing my blade. Pushing him back and flinging him far back as he crashes upon a large cloud of dust.

*bang* *bang*

Seeing two bullets launched from the little boy's rifle, I see the projectile being slower than the bullets in my previous battle. I easily adjust my halberd to block it since it's symmetrical. As he shows a surprised face, he soon smiles when I felt a strong intent from behind me. Raising his arm high as he prepared for a downward strike.

(Another surprise attack... Why am I not even surprised anymore?)

The red hair soldier with his naked upper half tattoos glow bright and his entire body engulfs in blue light as I see the mage enchanting behind him.

(Oh boy...)

Usually, I would slash his body in half as per what Sis thought me every time I do the same thing. But this time, when he swings his blade down, I spin around parrying his blade away with my left backhand with strength and precision. As his wooden blade breaks in half, I quickly use the monkey technique to control the centre of my gravity and use my right hand that's holding my halberd to deliver a very heavy straight punch thinking,

[Unstoppable ox charging break: The grand straight!]

My fist sinks into his solar plexus making his pupil go up, turning his eyes white as his body fling away into the upper floors with lightning speed.

*crash*

His subsequent defeat makes a loud impact as he leaves behind a giant hole the shape of his body on the wall. I twirl my halberd as I hear the heavy deafening sound of my hammer and axe slicing through the air while a streak of purple light follows my edge while I land where I started. I place my left foot forward and take a stance I somehow remember. Halberd at my back and my left palm slowly forward...

(Woah, that's a sweet transition... Epic stance too, I wonder why Sis never teach me this? I wonder if this is also Mary's doing?)

As I finish my stance, I could see the other three in shock as if I just did something crazy. Even General Tan, the floating soldier and the new recruits who got blown away is shocked as well.

(Um, what's with this silence? Oh, wait, what is the lines Saya taught me when we're learning to be intimidating? Oh right!)

"I'm still holding back you know."

The blonde soldier enters the scene one again. Walking forth with his sword in hand accompanied by a smile as he tries to calm the kid and mage who's looking at me with hate. The spear holder removes his helmet and brushes his bangs back revealing a large blade scar on his forehead as his golden eyes glow brightly saying:

"Hey, it seems he really is the real deal. It seems to subdue him is no longer an option huh?"

With a large grin that's somehow bewitching thanks to his handsome face, the blonde soldier soon takes a different stance than before, raising his sword high replying:

"Yeah, no more holding back!"

Both of their expression becomes serious as their smiles turn to grim glares. The guy with golden eyes raises his shield and holds his spear in an overgrip handle like a javelin, exuding black aura while his golden eyes left behind a trail of golden light, his spear transform into something much sinister. The blonde soldier grabs one of the swords drop by the soldiers and transform it into a shorter sword than his first one and with a blue feather on the grip. Now holding two blades he takes a stance that makes him looks like playing around but he exudes a red and blue aura from each hand respectively.

(I think things just got a bit too serious).

"Hey! Don't forget about me! I'm not dead yet you dumbasses!"

A loud scream comes from the hole where the red hair soldier fall.

*crash*

When I look to the side, I could see him cracking his neck around and moving his hand around as well as he's warming up. His whole body is now covered fully by those glowing red tattoos, so much so I could see a face or something forming in his chest while a fractured circle appear in the middle of his face while his muscles expand.

"Hmph, since this will be the fight of our life..."

The mage starts to speak and takes out a blue crystal and soon the crystal swallows inside his hand and his whole body mutates. His pyjamas rip and tear, becoming some sort of demon trying to look human similar to Aoi's demon form. With horns growing out of his head and body, two blue crystals dangling from his ears. The long mace he holds soon becomes a mythical looking mallet with a blue sphere on the tip...

(Don't tell me...)

I look at the short boy and seeing him already transformed into some sort of divine being. With wings of sand on his back and a glowing halo on his head as he throws his rifle away for controlling hundreds of spheres of sand around him. He continues the mage' word saying:

"Let's give it our all!"

(Ah kay, aren't anybody going to stop this!?)

When I focused my hearing on General Tan, I could hear him whispering:

"Oh shit, I know they're hiding they're strength. But this is bat-shit insane. Even I can't stop this now since they're all True Martial Artist... Welp! Good luck, Lord Silencer!"

"Yeah, beat em up, Lord Silencer!"

General Tan screams at the end and Libing chimes in cheering me up.

(I'm gonna scallop you all later!)

But before I could retort back to Libing and the General, the spearman starts to throw his spear at me but with my palm forward, I dodge to the right and in quick reflex grab it. Since I need a weapon to throw at the flying kid. But instead, I found myself being dragged to him the moment I grab his spear. Being pulled towards him, I somehow manage to dodge the tattooed soldier attack as he decimates the ground where I stand while barrages of sand sphere fire my way. The spearman raises his shield as he was about to bash me with the sharp bottom, the mages enchants him as a blight blue glow engulfs him too. Delivering a straight attack, I parry his shield by moving my hand under his shield to push it away and then continue to hold his chest before spinning my hand and redirect the qi his body around thinking:

[Reversal turtle reflection and almighty monkey technique combine, revenger road: reverse and crumble]

I instinctively reverse the flow of his qi for a second and return the flow he dishes out back inside. Blood spurts from his mouth, his eyes lose colour, veins popped from all over his body as he is sent flying away.

(Oh, schnitzel! What technique was that, and did I went too far there!? Did he die? What do I do? And you can combine your technique like that!?)

"H-Hey let's stop and-"

My words were cut short when I found the red-haired soldier now beside me. With his hair now in flames, he is already raising his giant burning double-headed axe with both hands for a downswing.

*clang* *crack* *quake*

I raise my halberd in time and block his attack. With a single swing, his axe burst forth a huge wave of flames that swallows us in a firestorm. Feeling the heat embracing me, we're now stuck in the centre of it all when he continues to attack with a front kick. Seeing the signs, I move back and disengage as his axe continue to swing down hitting the cracked floor. His axe plunge deep as orange light shines from the cracks and the ground bloats up and fire pillars emerge as I leap past the walls of flame and escape.

Maybe because this is not the first time I experience this, the flames don't seem so scary until... The moment I got out, I found the Blonde soldier swinging his two blades at me. I block one of his swords when he swings the other and I was forced to redirect his sword. Not stopping there, I sweep his leg with my right leg, seeing his feet off the ground, I grab his pants and shirt before his second sword hits me and throw him inside the firestorm-

(Ah, schnitzel! Again! I'm sorry!)

*bang* *bang* *bang*

Feeling something hitting me from my sides, I look at the sand sphere coming my way when I'm forced again to dodge away. I ready my halberd and this time, the mage starts to make his move and ready his long mallet. When I got close in range, the mage shoots out the blue sphere at the tip of his mallet in return I slash upward cutting his sphere in two but to my surprise, the sphere still floats around beside me.

Feeling my danger senses tingling, I jump up barely dodging the barrage of water needles that shoots out from the water sphere. But the two ranged attackers now redirect their attacks and target the air-born me.

(Now I think I understand when they say always keep your feet on the ground).

Pressured by both attacks as my armour is blocking the damage, sands start to gather around me a huge sphere on top of the boy appear while I'm busy blocking when I realize,

(Wait, this is my chance).

I gather the unknown power in my halberd and shoots down the little boy with a weaken strike thinking,

[Immortal calamity dragon technique, chaos path: triple Apocalypse Roar]

3 mutated dragons soon appear from where I swing my halberd. Catching the little boy by surprise as he shoots out the sand sphere he gathered and the mage supports him by summoning a giant blue shield while I was being pushed back by my technique I unleash. With the help of lowering my weight with the monkey technique. The dragons broke through his sand sphere and the mage's shield until one dragon is left engulfing the little boy and exploding in bright purple light.

(I... I really should just leave here. I'm sorry!).

Landing on the ground, I look at the Mage who seems to be drained and out of breath. I try to use this chance to flee and run to the General. I wave my hand at him shouting:

"General-"

But nothing seems to go my way. A giant black shadow, huge and disfigured, lands in front of me. When the dust settles, the black figure in front of me takes form. Unlike the blue mutant the mage has become, this one looks more like if a cubical lump of steel merges to form something demonic with golden aura around him. I wonder who this was when I see a spiralling golden line on his chest with a hand shape at its centre.

(Ah, the spear guy with gold eyes. I'm glad he's okay).

As I thought to myself he is already pulling his sinister black spear back for thrust. His shining golden eyes connect to the golden scar that extends to his head as glares at me shouting.

"[Dark spear God destroyer technique, slayer path: A million world burst!]"

He delivers one thrust and soon another and another, he jabs his spear so fast it leaves many after images of black and golden silhouettes. As his figure grows more menacing that seems to terrify even the soldiers around.

(Seriously, each of them is probably as strong if not stronger than the commandant! Or maybe back then, if the commandant continues, I would've been toast as well).

I dodge a part of his strikes as some made it through scratching the wings on my helmet and shoulders, leaving black marks to where they touch. Thanks to my long weapon mastery, I was able to exploit a weakness in the interval of his attack when his spear went pass me, I went past his attack range. I counter back by swinging the hammer part of my halberd to his chest with both my arms for maximum damage. Before he could block with his hands, my attacked reach him, cracking his chest at the part where my first attack lands.

Just like before golden liquid spurts from his mouth as he is pushed back but not too far as his feet seem to dig in the ground. His shattered chest bleeds golden liquid as the golden fluid keeps dripping as the wounds before reopen.

"ThAT hUuUuuURtS!!!!"

He opens his arms wide as he shouts his corrupting voice. While his voice still echoing in my ears, countless black spikes appear on his back and extend forth to attack me.

(Are you kidding me!? When will this all end!?)

I dodge parts of it when it suddenly changes direction and surprises me as I cut it off in desperation. Seeing that cutting it is doing nothing since more will just appear in its place, I try to get closer to him and deliver the finishing blow-

"Hey, you haven't forgotten about me have you!?"

The red-haired soldier intercepts me from my side, his burning axe burns ever brighter and hotter as he makes a sweeping strike while the black spikes still come at me. Having no time to reacts for both, I took a chance and decides to parry red hair's attack up so that he doesn't release any of those flaming vortexes. I push him at where the black spear is coming. But the black spear just ignores him and continues to attack me instead.

More black mark appears from his attacks as I was starting to get cornered as well. Not wanting to know what it does, I started to disengage and run away. I may have been able to avoid any major damage, but thanks to that, my movement becomes sluggish as I've been fighting this whole time in full throttle. The red-hair soldier soon joins in again and gold eyes dash for close combat as well when he stops spewing liquid. Forced to take in the defensive since their attack patterns are all new to me, their attacks slowly creep in closer as I try to find an opening from both of them.

(Yeah, I won't make it out if I don't take a gamble).

I quickly dodge their attacks by using red hair's body to divert gold eye's attack in a different direction. Fighting a defensive battle and evasive manoeuvres, I soon end up in the middle of a still-burning giant crater where the red-hair makes. They both jump in to deliver a major attack but I raise my halberd in time and block red-hair along with blonde soldier's attack. I decided to play a little trick Sis teach me when fighting in craters like this.

In normal cases for us Owlians, when our opponents have the higher ground, we're fudged. Since gravity can be a bit of a bap. But not anymore if you can use explosive moves, since all you have to do is simply dig the ground beneath their feet and cause them to lose balance. That's what Sis told me which doesn't sound believable but I have to try. I deliver a feint to both of them and slash at the ground thinking,

[Almighty roaring tiger technique, Fury Path: Wrathful Tiger Claw!]

Five huge qi slashes penetrate the ground below and detonate the entire crater, causing another bright purple flash. Sending both of them high to the sky while leaving them both defenceless. Using this chance I target golden eyes and charged up my halberd for another major attack thinking,

[Immortal Tormentor Crane Technique, pillar path: Piercing the Heavens].

I dash forth plunging my halberd forth at him, only for the red-hair to appear in a moments notice and sacrifice himself to protect blonde soldier by directing my attack up to pierce his chest instead. Avoiding gold eyes behind him as the light soon disperse.

*crack* *shatter*

"Hahaha..."

The red soldier laughs as he falls to his doom, the tattoo in his body slowly disappears as his voice grows softer... The sound of something shattering as a new hole appears above where the General stands, giving him a new light of night... I look down at the unconscious red-haired soldier and think,

(He's not dead right, nor is there any hole in his body since I want to conserve my power and not kill any of them in this, so-called event).

"Say, I think this is enough is it not?"

As I look back seeing only 3 left as they ready themselves for another round. The blonde soldier who's probably been watching the whole thing while doing nothing takes a step back. The spear wielder soon summons one more black spear, sharper and sinister than the rest while the mage surrounds the entire area with a large blue barrier.

(Really? They lost half their members and they still won't stop!?)

I ready my self for one final attack as well. Gathering my qi for my strongest technique. The spear wielder breathes in a golden breathe to his black spear while the mage covers the spear in a blue whirlpool. The blonde soldier seems to stand guard as he becomes hesitant while I look back seeing soldiers moving away.

(Fine, let's end this).

I take a stance while they finish up their attack and as we stare at each other waiting for the other to move. I decided to end it first and launch my might,

[Immortal calamity dragon technique, chaos path: Hex Apocalypse Roar]

Six mutated dragons bigger than the ones I fired off before burst forth with a single swing and they fired off the spear leaving trails of stars and penetrating 2 dragons immediately. Their attack went through as I was engulfed in bright light and a massive force hitting everything in front of me. The pain was short as I could hear something crack near me while a painful scream roars ahead. When the light fades, I saw parts of my helmet fall off and soon I felt my tied up hair unbind itself as the wind blew my hair forward as I see my own blonde hair flutter with the night wind...

(It doesn't hurt like I thought it will but... But...)

Seeing the spear wielder and mage collapses, I walk forth picking up a piece of my helmet and chunks that fall to the floor. Something inside me wells up, like a water balloon being filled with water, it soon burst as power surges from inside me.

"I see... So this feeling is unbridled rage."

My female voice return with the destruction of my helmet. A familiar feeling of heat consumes my heart as a large magic circle soon engulf the entire open space from below and above, sandwiching the entire place in purple light as unknown power seems to be drifting around me. Seeing the situation unfold, I close my eyes thinking,

(I don't really need to go so far do I? I cause enough damage and exhaust my self enough already as I think this fatigue will easily put me to sleep).

As I disperse my halberd and the magic circle soon disappears as well. The blonde soldier looks at me surprised as he shouts something but I turn my back on him and look at General Tan saying:

"I think this is enough, isn't it? General Tan? Any more and I'm afraid I can't really tell what will happen."

Without listening to his reply, I quietly walk away. Wondering if I'm the one who got swept away by my own emotion and excitement. Like a kid who wants to try his new toy and accepting all offers.

"It seems there is so much to learn before I can control myself."

Before I exit the gate where I enter by prying the gate open forcefully, I look back saying:

"Sorry, but I'm leaving first."

The armour Sis Yuwei gave me is broken, just like that... I really don't deserve these things. I can't take care of them nor can I take care of my self or not hurt others.

"I should hurry up and tell Ptelophy. And ask Sis Yuwei for her forgiveness."

I walk away alone in the dead of night, filled with regret and realization of endless guilt. Tears soon fell from my eyes as I wonder why did I even do such things.