Tanktop Master's consciousness was akin to a candle flame that seemed like it would die out at any moment. However, that was before he heard the mournful cries from his precious Tank Topper Army members.
I-I can't pass out now! Have I forgotten what I'm wearing?
He gritted his teeth, rolling onto his stomach, and with trembling arms, he picked himself up off the ground.
An aura, invisible to the naked eye, started streaming off his body. His 'Tanktop Spirit…' had been set alight.
Without this second tank top, I'm not sure if I would've pulled through.
Tanktop Master's eyes landed on Garou and without wasting a moment, he reached down and dug his fingers into the concrete and picked up a huge chunk.
Without words, he wound up and pitched the concrete chunk at Garou's back with all his might.
Garou pivoted on instinct, but not fast enough. The blow smashed into his shoulder, hurling him forward, spinning, bouncing, and smashing across the paved pathway, splatters of blood marking each of his impact points.
"I'm done with you, Garou." Tanktop Master limped forward until he stood before his brutalized comrades and lowered his head. "I'm sorry friends…"
¤ ¤ ¤
Genus' eyes locked onto the scene. Caspian's strength is beyond comprehension. There is no way to truly measure his full power.
Boros, however, provides clear visual data. The list of beings capable of defeating him must be fairly short.
This much, I am certain. Now begins the main event.
Boros clenched his fists as a blazing violet energy exploded out of him. The raging power screamed upward, generating fierce winds before a dome of the same energy surrounded him.
His 'Released Form' seemed insignificant compared to the raw power now erupting before Genus. Another heartbeat passed, ushering in thick arcs of dark energy that snaked out of the dome.
The flame-like energy enveloping Boros peaked as he faced away from the secured room and lowered himself into a sprinter's pose.
Boros launched forward, vanishing from sight. He reappeared at the far end of the room — the floor, walls, and ceiling melting away as he passed. Kicking off the far right wall, he vanished again, only to materialize at the room's center. Where he froze in the air, unable to move, unable to prevent the darkness from consuming him and everything around him.
Repairs and upgrades for the combat experimentation room require substantial funding... a negligible concern. Money will become trivial after I perfect the new serum.
Despite that, once I sell the first serum, I know the 'Masses' will come to claim my head. Without Caspian's protection, I would never dare release a serum of immortality. Had I done so, no amount of Carnage Kabutos could have saved me from that culling group.
Genus's gaze shifted from where his holographic display had been and onto the three vials of red blood resting on his desk. "An alien lifeform achieving such a grand height on the evolutionary ladder. I cannot wait to see how high you can climb through my research."
¤ ¤ ¤
Did he win? Gunner's hope sparked when Tanktop Master rose and struck Garou with a powerful throw. If he didn't, then I'm afraid…
Tanktop Master collapsed to his knees before the defeated Tank Topper Army members, mumbling incoherently.
"Kombu, what should we do now?"
"Man, boring!" Kombu's tentacles danced about. "And here I expected the New Dark Matter Thieves to gain another ally. Let's leave."
Yes! Gunner restrained himself from jumping in joy.
"Kyahaha! Incredible! How did you do it, Tanktop Master? How did you stand once again?"
Kombu jumped in joy. "Yes!"
No!
¤ ¤ ¤
"It seems whatever method you used has flickered out." A blood-soaked Garou stood over Tanktop Master. "I give you my thanks. An experience like this has allowed me to grow further."
Garou twisted his body back, preparing to deliver a finishing blow, when a flash of movement appeared at the forest's edge. He leapt backward, but his speed wasn't quite fast enough. As three deep claw marks tore across his chest, fresh blood spilling down.
"Suppon!" The seaweed monster cried.
"Another learning experience arrives. Come on, then." Garou studied the caveman-like monster and grinned.
Suppon tilted his head before rushing toward him, with claws raised. "Shaaah!"
A deluge of slashes rained down.
He deflected and dodged each and everyone Suppon's attacks. Unbothered by the stream of strikes, he drove his fist into the monster's gut.
Suppon keeled forward. "Gaaah!"
Garou's hand shot up and grasped the right side of Suppon's head. Mercilessly rushing to his left before smashing Suppon's head into the stone wall. Over, and over, and over. The monster made gurgling sounds as blood pooled from its mouth.
He planned to smash Suppon's head into the stone wall again, but the blood covering his hand made his grip on the monster's hair to slip.
Garou raised his chin as he glanced down at the motionless Suppon. "Your technique was as primitive as your appearance. Now it's time to deal with your two friends."
"You monster! How could you do that to him!" yelled the pink, blue-spotted monster.
Is that thing crying? His words though…
"Kyahaha! A monster calling me a monster." Garou strode toward the duo. "This is too great! Show me what you're capable of!"
The seaweed monster jumped in front of his friend and said, "You, you don't deserve to be part of our group."
"What gr—"
Garou darted right just before a seaweed tentacle could pierce his chest. Dangerous! His eyes darted over to the shredded concrete pathway and then onto the deep cut on his shoulder. I'm racking up too many wounds. Going to need an enormous meal after this.
The monster's myriad seaweed tentacles threshed in the air. Two more shot toward him.
Garou stood firm and used 'Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist,' deflecting the two tentacles leftward into the stone wall.
Seriously? Even though I repelled them with that old geezer's moves I can feel a little tingle in my bones. He shook his hands. I need to close the distance and end this quick!
His muscles coiled like springs as he prepared to race forward.
Its bloodshot eyes widened as it unleashed eight more razor-edged tendrils that sliced through the air.
The net of tendrils closed in. His pupils dilated as he calculated trajectories, weak points, counters.
At the last possible instant, Garou's body flowed into the Water Stream stance. His arms became liquid motion, redirecting seven incoming tendrils in a single circular sweep — their razor edges whistling past as they tangled together.
The sixth tendril grazed his thigh. Hot pain flashed, but Garou's left hand was already moving. He caught the rebounding tendril just as it straightened, the blade-edge biting deep into his palm. Blood ribboning through his fingers.
"Got you!"
With a brutal yank, he hauled it off-balance. The monster lurched forward, its remaining tendrils flailing wildly.
Garou blitzed the monster before it could react and guided his fist upward like a piston, knuckles crashing into its face.
A sickening crack echoed.
The monster reeled, its seaweed-like body shuddering from the impact. Garou didn't give it a second to recover and grabbed a fistful of the monster's dark rubbery flesh and hauled the monster downward.
One slam fractured the concrete. The second created a crater. The third impact sent rubble into the air. Its tendrils thrashed weakly against his body and all around. Garou ignored them as he raised the dazed monster's head one last time and brought its face down like a hammer.
When he released his grip, the monster slumped still in the wreckage, dark fluid seeping down into the caved-in concrete.
Garou stood panting heavily, the blood loss creeping through his system. My progress is accelerating... but now's the time to fall back and recover.
"K-Kombu… please don't be dead." Tears teemed down the pink, blue-spotted alien as it crawled beside Kombu and shook its still body. "I'm s-sorry that I doubted you. My best friend… please live…"
"Tch." He kicked the monster backward. It screamed as it skidded to a stop, sprawled on its back. "Damn. You're annoying."
It struggled to sit up. "What did we do to you? He never wished to fight you. No, he wished to recruit and befriend you. W-Why…" The monster sobbed.
Garou glanced behind him and scoffed. Tanktop Master couldn't even remain conscious.
"Befriend? Enough of this pitiful act." He ambled toward the tear-soaked monster.
The pink monster's voice drifted through the night air. "Humans and monsters. From what I've seen in my short time here… is that the line dividing the two is faint."
Garou arrived at the monster's side and frowned. Is this not an act? Why do I feel like I'm bullying it? I don't wish to be such a pathetic form of evil.
Surprisingly, the monster's teary face turned radiant. Then came its uttered words: "Y-You were right, Kombu. I should've shared your faith."
"Gunner, leave him to me."
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