Age 1991
"Go on... Power up. I'll wait." Zero said calmly.
Jackson frowned as he stared at the man. "You'll regret giving me this chance."
"Oh... Will I?"
"You will..."
"What is he planning now..." Kitsune asked taking a step back. Every hair on his body was standing up, as he felt nothing but tremendous waves of power coming off of the new, monster, that Zero had become.
"Jackson is getting ready to power up!" Cloud said slowly. "I didn't know he had more power..."
"Oh come on! He can get even stronger!" Ken hissed out throwing her hands in the air. "At this rate, we'll never catch up! Why are these guys so much stronger than us!" She complained.
Irene ignored the three recruits, as she stared over to the unconscious body of Hero that, was on the other side of the cave. Maudite was by Hero's side as a blue light came off of her enveloping Hero in her energy as she did her best to try and heal him. A small amount of Steam slowly rose from the unconscious boy's body, as color began to come back to his pale cheeks.
"Hey," Kitsune said reaching out and placing a hand on Irene's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm sure Hero will be fine. He wouldn't let himself get killed by some simple stab through the gut. That's way to boring for his taste."
"Thanks..." Irene said smiling slightly. Kitsune smiled back at her causing her to look away out of embarrassment.
"Did... Did I do something wrong?" Kitsune asked sheepishly to Cloud. Cloud just gave a shrug while Ken stared at Irene with mild suspicion.
"Kids!" Jackson barked out. "Step back... This is gonna get messy." He hissed out.
"What exactly are you planning!" Kitsune questioned hesitantly.
"I'm powering up to 100%" Jackson stated calmly as a small amount of electricity slowly trickled off of him in small amounts of waves. "I highly suggest that you all don't get in my way. This is gonna be messy..." He said slowly. "And I have trouble controlling this much power..."
Zero smirked as he pointed his sword arm up towards Jackson. He lightly waved his other normal arm out as his calm face began to twist into a cruel and arrogant smile showing off that he was still being altered by the Corruption. "Well... Go on. Get on with it! I don't have all day... This body is craving to battle you... It really is a strange feeling. In a way, I guess you can say that I have become the true Zero. I am now the strongest Samurai."
Jackson gave a slight smirk as he stabbed his sword into the ground. Slowly he brought his hands up clasping them both together. "I've only ever had to do this twice now, so I'm a bit rusty at it..." He said slowly. He closed his eyes as he began to steady his breathing. Blue electricity began to crackle off of him slowly, as a white aura surrounded him. This aura was massive though. Big enough to cloak the surrounding area in a white light. His lightning crackled around the aura as it seemed to rapidly get smaller, then bigger as if it was breathing. A warm feeling spread throughout the cave, heating everyone up and brightening the entire cave.
There was something else too though... Something more?
"Wh-What is this feeling..." Kitsune questioned placing a hand on his heart.
"This is..." Cloud went quiet as he shook his head.
"This feels weird," Ken said also shaking her head. She felt a weird happiness running through her body, and a jolt, like she had just gotten shocked. But at the same time, she was still feeling her own emotions...
"I don't understand..." Irene muttered out.
"It's his emotions." Zero commented as he gave another smirk. "What you are all feeling is Jackson Storm's emotions, and Equation Of Pure Life. You are feeling the very essence of the man known as Jackson Storm..." He stated. 'So... This is how you feel about this.' Zero thought as he let out another small laugh.
Jackson still held his eyes closed, as his hands were still placed together. Then slowly the aura around him began to actually shrink down and go around him.
A massive white light suddenly exploded around him as a tremendous force, of pure power, and energy shot through the roof of the cave, shaking the entire cave.
A massive build-up of pressure fired out pushing everyone, but Zero back, as all the recruits let out loud yelps of panic.
"It! It's too much!" Kitsune gasped out as he was thrown back.
"How can anyone be this strong..." Cloud muttered out doing his best to stand his ground, but he was still being pushed back by the sheer overwhelming might that came from it.
"So... So this is the kind of power I'm going to surpass!" Ken said with determination.
"Those two are completely out of our league." Irene hissed out.
Jackson still stood as a massive white pillar of light was enveloping him.
It went from a simple plain white color, to a smooth and calming silver. Electricity crackled around in it as Jackson's body expanded by a small extent, and his muscles seemed to perk up, and grow by a small amount. When it was all said and done he now stood cloaked in a silver aura, with white electricity crackling off of him. His hair stood up and fell down as he let out a breath he had been holding.
Jackson took a deep breath as his electric blue eyes peered at Zero. "Well... Is this what you were waiting for?" He asked calmly as he placed a hand on the handle of his sword that was still stabbed into the ground.
"Ho, ho!" Zero said giving a sly smile. "I'm impressed... My old self would have surely lost to you easily... I doubt I even would have stood a chance... You've certainly powered up... It is almost unfair how you Nobles get a free powerup just waiting to be tapped into."
"Well nothings changed. You still don't have any chance of beating me now." Jackson spoke as the white lightning around him crackled. "This is my Pure Equation! The Noble Life. The Power granted to us by God!"
"Well... Let's put it to the test shall we..."
There was massive crack as the sound barrier shattered when both men rocketed forward. Jackson tore his sword out of the ground appearing next to Zero who swung his blade arm forward!
The two blades collided as a massive aura of power shot out from the two blowing all of the kids back once again as the ground underneath the two men actually melted from the heat generated from the speed and power of the clash.
The ground was split open by the pure force of it, as Jackson, and Zero glared at each other as both men began to flash around the battlefield at speeds rivaling lightning. They became an invisible blur to the kids as several shock waves exploded around the cave.
Zero jumped back slashing his sword out and sending out a yellow wave of flames! Jackson retaliated by slashing his own blade, and launching out a wave of white lightning! The two attacks met exploding in a hail of heat that melted the nearby stone.
Zero charged forward swinging his sword out, as Jackson began to parry his blows as best as he could.
"Forgot about this arm!" Zero called out slamming his normal arm straight into Jackson's gut hard enough to make the man spit out blood. Jackson slid back as his hand shot out and grabbed ahold of Zero's arm.
"I didn't forget!" Jackson said smirking as he sliced his sword up and slashed Zero's side open spilling out a wave of orange liquid. "You also got a pretty big weak spot!" Jackson called raising his own arm he shoved his finger straight into Zero's third eye!
Zero screamed out as his leg fired out kicking Jackson away as orange blood flowed out of where his third eye used to be. He gritted his teeth as he raised his blade up once more. Then he quickly brought it down sending out yet another wave of flames. Jackson sidestepped the attack slashing his blade out and sending out a massive crow made of electricity that let out a massive kaw as it shot forward!
"Storm's-Herald!" Jackson bellowed out.
The crow slammed straight into the Monster, as its beak opened biting down on the man, and lifted him off the ground. It flew up heading straight into the roof of the cave as it ripped its way all the way through the ground. In mere moments Zero was being carried all the way through the ground and was ripped out back into the surface. The crow still held onto Zero as it flew higher, and higher. Then in a bright blue light it exploded in a bright light so strong it tore down the mountain next to the blast as a blue light, so bright it could be seen for miles, lit up the sky.
"What... Just happened..." Kitsune questioned.
"Did... Did he just blow up a mountain." Irene asked
Jackson took a deep breath as he held onto his side. "That was my strongest attack..." He said slowly as he let out a sigh. "I doubt that it killed him, but it most certainly pissed him off."
Zero's body slammed back down into the cave. Steam rose from his body, and his skin elegant pale skin, had become an almost charred black. Zero let out several hisses, as he slowly pushed himself back up. "That was quite the attack." He muttered out as he stood back up. 'Why am I being affected by these attacks... I'm several times stronger than him, but I still can't force myself to just kill him...' Zero let out a deep sigh as he raised his sword up slashing it down and sending out a massive wave of flames.
Jackson jumped back to avoid it only for the wave to suddenly stop as it rested in the air, suspended by nothing as it just floated there. "What the?"
"My Attribute..." Zero said calmly as he gave a small smirk. "Don't you know what it is?" He questioned. "It's called the Continue. I can keep the effect of something suspended in place allowing it to happen continually. For example, if I slash my sword, you'll notice what appears to be white string coming out. That is not in fact string, and is rather the illusion, of my blade being slashed in that area over and over again as I please. Normally I could only do this once, but now..." He sliced his sword over and over again firing out several more waves that all froze in the air.
Jackson gritted his teeth as he eyed them up with a small amount of worry. "This isn't good... I have to be constantly aware of where those are just in case he-"
"Release!"
"Shit!" Jackson held his sword out in front of him as every beam shot forward slamming into him, and pushing him back. He gritted his teeth as the aura around him got even brighter. "Dero!" He announced! And suddenly the aura around him vanished as his body began to light up from the inside. "Silver-Vein." All of his Vein's lit up becoming a bright silver color as his body glowed. He let out a loud and powerful scream as he raised his blade up launching the energy waves skyward causing them to smash into the new entrance of the cave he had caused when he through Zero through the roof. Finally, Jackson dropped to his knees breathing heavily, as his body stopped glowing and his aura reappeared around him. The silver color around it vanished as his aura went back to being a plain white, his muscles dropped back down to normal.
"I'm impressed!" Zero said smirking slightly as he pointed his blade forward. "But clearly your body is giving out... That'll happen when you use too many Mantra techniques."
"He's right..." Kitsune said frowning heavily. "Mr. Storm doesn't look too good..."
"Yeah, but look at Zero!" Ken said nodding her head. "He doesn't look like he is in good shape either..."
Zero was breathing heavily. His side was cut open, and his third eyes was punctured in. He had several scrapes and cuts on him, and his flame was flickering slightly. His wings were burnt off and his flesh was blackend as smoke rolled off of him. Despite this though he still managed to remain standing...
'Damn it...' Jackson thought as his vision began to become a blur. 'My body is beginning to collapse... I can barely keep this aura up... It's do or die time... One final barrage!' The Vice-Captain jumped to his feet, with a fire in his eyes as he pointed his blade forward.
"Oh? You can keep going?" Zero said with a little admiration in his voice. "You truly are amazing..." He said quietly. 'I seem to be slowing down as well...'
"Sero!" Jackson called out, as his aura exploded around his legs lighting them up in a bright white light.
"Another Pledge! Just how much energy do you have-" Jackson shot forward appearing behind Zero before anyone could even react. There was a bright flash as Zero's left arm was torn off by Jackson with a single slash of his sword!
Zero turned to face Jackson but, the Enforcer was just too quick. In another flash, he sliced his sword up, cutting off the horns of Zero as well as a bit of the top of the monsters head.
"You bastard!" Zero shouted swinging his other arm, which was the one that had the sword attached to it, straight down.
"Oh just die already!" Jackson yelled outstanding his sword forward, and straight through Zero's gut. Zero spat up an orange liquid as he glared down at Jackson. "Now! Burn in hell!" Jackson twisted his body and threw his back out, as hard as he could quite literally throwing Zero off of his blade! He threw his sword into the air as he clasped his hands toghter. "Arking-Shot!"
Zero flew back spinning out of control as he slammed into the wall of the cave. He stared up with wide eyes as several beams of lightning slammed into him drilling him into the side of the cave as it exploded in a hail of electricity as the stone around the man was melted.
Jackson let out a loud gasp collapsing down as he dropped his sword. His breathing was heavy, and his vision went in and out as he did his best to remain conscious.
Zero hit the floor, as he began to vomit up that weird orange liquid. His body was torn apart, and ozzing it out of his many holes.
"He's still alive..." Ken said nervously.
"Do-Don't worry..." Jackson said before almost throwing up. "H-He's weakened... Fi-Finish him off..."
"You really are powerful Storm... Then again all your bloodline is..." Zero slowly picked his broken body up as he wobbled around. The magma from the melted stone dripoped down falling on his body as his legs broke off and he face planted into the ground. He stabbed his sword arm into the ground as he tried to pick himself back up. "But... You forgot a massive key factor." He closed his eyes as the stump on his arm, and legs bubbled up. Then suddenly a new arm fired out as well as a pair of new legs. His wings healed, and his third eye came back as his horns began to reform and his skull healed. All the damage he received came completely undone as he opened his smug looking eyes. "Did you really forget that I can regenerate..." He asked as all the burn marks began to slowly fade away. He frowned slightly as he bit his bottom lip. 'I feel like I just ran a mile. I guess healing that much damage all at once tired me out?'
"I... But then why didn't you just heal instantly!" Jackson asked as he stated horrified.
"I did it to test myself... See if I could beat you without healing." Zero smirked as he walked forward. "But don't worry Jackson..." His eyes slowly darted over towards the recruits who stepped back nervously. Finally, they settled on Ken as he frowned. He shook his head slightly as he smirked once more. "I'll kill you last Storm. I'll start by destroying these recruits... I'll erase all of you! I'm Zero! I don't need anyone!" He said letting out a laugh. "I'm the best there is! I am-"
"Eventful-Impact!"