Chapter 81
(Early Chappy because I feel like it. Have a great weekend guys, and don't forget to vote with your stones. Appreciate the support as always. The goal is 700. Also, I'll be dropping another chapter on the day we hit 2M reads.)
I switched to Aquila and swung out in two wide, converging arcs. Three sets of light Shuriken raced out from both sides, closing in on the soldiers and forcing them to move.
And move they did. Their speeds would've been ranked in the high 50s if they had statuses, but that didn't matter to Jean. She annihilated the slowest five with a single wave, reducing them to bloody pulps.
It was as grotesque as it was humbling.
The Winter soldier emerged from the mess, charging me fist first, ready to cave my head in when I let him phase through me and Burst in front of another soldier instead.
I swung Arbiter, packed with energy, quadrupling the weapon's weight. The blow had the soldier reeling, but he was still strong enough to snarl and swipe at me. I ducked under the blow and phased through a tackle from a random soldier, delivering a second enhanced strike to the recovering soldier. It cut through his arms, slamming into his chest, flinging him back.
I followed after him with a Burst and slammed my axe head straight into his skull as the Winter soldier's enhanced fist came down. Evasion activated a second before it pulped my head. I turned intangible, denying the supersoldier his kill once more, and behind me, Rin was going wild. Garok's Club sent soldiers flying with each swing, and although he got cut and shot and hit, he seemed to bounce back stronger and stronger when Jean and I killed somebody.
Jean struggled to keep up with the soldiers while maintaining a telekinetic shield and holding back the tide of her limitless power.
The soldiers strafed around, scoring glancing blows on her telekinetic shield. She'd stretch her hand occasionally, and a soldier would be reduced to fine mist.
Kurt seemed to find his spine within the chaos as well. He'd teleport behind a wounded Soldier Rin had dispatched but hadn't properly finished off and help out by opening his neck or stabbing into their hearts.
The kid was a natural-born menace.
Out of the 14 we started with, only five remained, including the Winter Soldier, who looked to be done with me now. He leaped at Kurt, who teleported away just as he arrived. I chased after him, Eryx, packed with a hint of demonic energy, and swung. He twisted, dodging the blow as he pulled his knife and kicked at me. His snap kick whizzed past my nose as I stepped to the side and grabbed hold of his leg, but the Winter Soldier was already mid-air, twisting. His leg slammed into me, pushing me back, and he went on the offensive, this time with his knife.
He slammed into the floor with his knife inches away from me and lunged at me with his metal fist. I stepped to the side, avoiding the blow with quick footwork and the storm of swipes, cuts, kicks, and punches that followed.
He wasn't pressing me exactly, but it was like fighting a competent opponent for the first time. He broke out of our tentative stalemate by reaching for his gun, but I materialized mine faster, rapidly firing into his chest. He stumbled back as my bullets punched through his Kevlar and raised his hand up to shield himself from further damage.
I used Angel Evade to appear beside the supersoldier with Eryx cocked, but he was ready for me, metal hand punching out. Our attacks detonated, creating a small boom that distorted the air, and he shifted styles to match mine.
We started an impromptu boxing match, trading blows, slipping through complicated combos, and beating each other back. He tried to put distance between us when he saw Rin take out the last of the supersoldiers, but I chased after with a Burst and a charged punch.
He barely dodged it, weaving back, but I followed, packing more and more energy, pressing him until he suddenly caught my blow with his non-metallic arm, eating the monstrous damage that shattered the limb, breaking it in multiple places.
The pain didn't seem to slow the fanatic down one bit as he swung at me with his metal hand. I leaned out of the way, mid-swing, and watched in horror as Evasion activated. A metal blade ejected from a gap in his forearm and wrist that I caught almost too late.
I desummoned Eryx to get some space, but I was too late. The knife opened up my neck, sending me stumbling back. Rin looked at me in horror while Jean swung her hand, sending the Winter soldier packing. I grunted as I spiked Angel Regeneration, making my neck mend itself.
"Note to self," I muttered. "Don't play with your food."
I activated Cloak, increasing the effectiveness of all of my demonic techniques by 50%, and blitzed forward with a Burst. I saw the Winter Soldier's eyes widen. He crossed his arms just as I arrived. The blow didn't make it through his ridiculous Vibranium arm, but it sent his entire body skidding back. I started to pack energy into my left hand as I moved forward with my right, throwing blow after blow.
The Winter Soldier engaged, solely relying on his cybernetic arm to carry the weight of the fight, but each hit sent him stumbling, especially the one with Burst. My left hand was glowing white when the Triple-Burst strike was ready, and I pretended to unload with a slightly telegraphed swing, baiting the Winter Soldier. He slipped under my guard as he dodged my hook and dug into my side with his enhanced fist.
In front of his approaching fist, I had a waiting, ungloved hand packed with Burst that unloaded a fiery charge. It was not enough to stop the fist, but it let me lock it in, holding the Winter soldier down as my glowing hand came in for a backswing. The hit sent him spinning into the back wall, neck shattered and face broken, but somehow, he survived, if only barely.
I was glad of that outcome, but the display had been costly.
400/650
I sighed. The stim injection was just a mental tug away. The moment I redeemed it, it appeared, but after that, I'd be unable to return it to the shop's inventory.
"Nervous?" I asked Jean as she walked up to me.
"Who wouldn't be," she said, then frowned. "You should be careful. This is your what? Third time today?"
I rubbed the back of my head. "I got carried away. He is a living legend."
"Still, it's not like you to play around with your food."
I laughed. "And typically, you're the one on the other end of these stern lectures. Can you scan the room before we head in?"
"Already tried," Jean said. "The same darkness is blocking me."
"Worth the try," I shrugged. "Kurt, take us in."
--
It was a damn demon colony when we stepped in. I saw scores of demons from the DMC game. Giant metal-clad tyrants and dozens of stygians—gaunt demons with metal blades sticking out of their arms.
There was also an entire Squad of dream runners and floating harpies with metal pinions for wings. The demons herded the mutants towards a glowing white circle in the back that was being attended to by a demon that looked like the Mesmer, but different. He was gaunt and tall, with leathery skin and blue glowing eyes.
A particularly large mutant in cuffs bucked, swiping away the Stygian that was supposed to be forcing it down the line but got shoulder-checked by a Tryrant, tossing him to the side. The Tyrant, standing on the other side of the room, swung its meaty fist, crushing his face, sending him sputtering and screaming into the white circle.
More than half of the prison's mutant population was already in the white circle, chained, with panic written on their faces. Some of them lit up when they saw us.
A huge Garok with two sets of arms huffed at the display.
A third demon, who'd been standing in the corner, stepped out of the darkness, startling me and everyone else.
His skin and irises were pitch black instead of the Red I was familiar with, and instantly, I knew he was responsible for the suppression that Jean was dealing with.
And its lips stretched to form a toothy smile that was bone-chilling.
"You cleared out the demons much quicker than we anticipated," he said. "This is good. Very good. Verun will be pleased," he said, looking at Jean and me. Then, his eyes landed on Rin and Kurt, and his smile morphed into something more sadistic.
"A stray Cambion and another Mutant? Two unwelcome but delicious additions."
He came across as a wannabe Hisoka, but I hadn't noticed him until he stepped out of the darkness. If you've seen any anime before, you know that's not a good sign.
I eyed the Dragon Newt and used Devil's Eye.
Dagarr, Lesser Black Newt
Standing at the very top of his low-standing race, Dagarr is a master of Shadow Manipulation and Spear combat. His Speed and attack potency drastically outpaces most Newt in his tier. He hails from the Black Dragon's bloodline, giving him access to a scaled-down version of the Black Dragon's signature Attack, Breath of Desolation. It has manifested itself as Black Dragon's Breath.
My eyes nearly popped out of my skull.
He was the source.
The lanky demon standing in front of me was the source of my Fingers of Orochi. His one-time contribution was why the daggers were so effective. If his technique came anywhere remotely close, we were fucked.
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