Only twenty minutes have gone by since Girisia started his offense. And in these twenty minutes, most of the players were dead and all of Yoshikov's companions faced even worse deaths. Though with some small twists in the way, Girisia's plan still worked perfectly. His kills were fast, efficient, and calculated. Leaving Yoshikov to be the only living member of his group left.
Looking at Yoshikov's face, Girisia knew it was the face of a man ready to die.
Girisia had learned to never corner an injured beast. But at this point, he had no choice left. Like what happened before, with the sniper. Something worse but similar may happen again if Girisia remained intent on hunting Yoshikov.
He also prayed for Yoshikov, he doesn't want Yoshikov to feel so defeated that he ends his own life before Girisia obtains some answers.
So the fight started again after a small pause.
The tumor on Girisia's back was his only method of offense against Yoshikov. But he didn't plan to kill him on his own from the start. Tarkov was on his side, all he needed to do was provide support and distraction.
And in the next thirty seconds, the intensity of the battle increased by a huge margin.
Sparks blossomed in the air as metal clashed against metal. The bombs bloomed like mushrooms as Girisia started to use pull his weight and did his best to keep up with the two individuals having grade three power.
Pieces of his flesh fell on the ground as countless javelins were stabbed into his body. But none of it fazed Girisia.
He was virtually immortal at this point. Yoshikov was never someone adept at direct combat. So facing Girisia, who had overlapped countless passive mutations on top of each other, there was nothing he could do.
The same was true for Tarkov, with the support of Girisia, he moved in toward Yoshikov at a much faster pace. His shoulder cannons released radiation beams from time to time, melting Yoshikov's tentacles.
There was no need to defend anymore, his eight magnetic swords also kept backing Yoshikov in a corner.
And then it came, Tarkov's chain sword heated under the radiation released from his body.
*Bam
First was a small explosion, then the sound of chain cutting at metal filled the battlefield.
The armor on Yoshikov's body was barely able to resist the attack and Yoshikov was going to back away when Girisia arrived at the scene.
Seeing his opportunity, ignoring the heat and radiation of Tarkov's sword, Girisia used his tentacles to bind Yoshikov.
"An eye for an eye." He was fed up with Yoshikov's tentacles, and now it was his time to let Yoshikov experience his tentacles.
His tail was the first to arrive, coiling around Yoshikov's leg, then came his other tentacles, then the rest of his body.
Still being half the size of Yoshikov, Girisia didn't mind it. Like before he had done to his android. Girisia will do the same with the real Yoshikov.
"Don't struggle, just let the sword do its work," Girisia whispered in a mischievous tone.
And then, it happened. The chain sword directly cut apart Yoshikov's hand, cutting Girisia's tentacles in the process. But Girisia didn't lose his grip even when his flesh was burning under the heat and radiation of Tarkov's attacks. The smell of burnt flesh was spreading in the air.
Girisia knew his trait would find a way to keep him alive. And if all else fails, he still has some of the vitality infusion left in his body.
Another slice and one of Yoshikov's legs were cut off and seeing his opportunity, Girisia snuck in some of his bombs inside the armor places of Yoshikov's armor and set them off.
*Boom
Another blast as Tarkov created some distance between them. But Girisia didn't leave Yoshikov's side, who was completely defenseless.
"Oh, so it's done." Girisia slowly loosened his grip on Yoshikov's body but found most of his tentacles were already just a mass of burning cells.
'Guess, that's the limit.' Girisia threw the rest of the Buloid tumor on his back to the side. The radiation in them had already killed a lot of cells in his body. While he started Vitality infusion again. Feeling the radiation poisoning in his body die down slowly.
'I should look for a permanent mutation that defends me against radiation.' This was an apocalyptic world, radiation like this was a lot more common. 'And maybe, actual regeneration.'
"So Yoshikov, how does it feel?" Tarkov asked as the helmet of his armor lifted, exposing his face to Yoshikov for the first time. No more radiation was leaking out of his skin. Instead, his cheeks were sunken in due to a lack of vitality. Even if he only maintained this form for five minutes during combat. It still placed a huge strain on his body.
"Oh… so it was Captain Tarkov," Yoshikov said as he spits out some black blood from his mouth. Most of the armor plates on his body were already cracked, while the remaining organic parts of his body were badly poisoned by the radiation.
"So you were the survivor…" Yoshikov recalled the horrific day, the greatest mistake that Utena made, a mistake that caused Yoshikov most of his body. "Ah! I remember now, you were that kid… who ran away after looking at me." A memory that Yoshikov had long suppressed came back to him.
"You remember me?" Tarkov asked. Surprised by the revelation.
"Don't fall for his words, he just wants to act esoteric before he dies…" Girisia knew this play, he was wary of the current Yoshikov the most. The moment has arrived. Any moment now and Yoshikov may play a dangerous hand.
"I knew, I shouldn't have flinched, I should have shot you then and there… But a moment of weakness caused me my defeat today." Yoshikov laughed at the fate.
"Don't believe him, he is lying." Girisia understood what Yoshikov was trying to do.
Yoshikov may truly remember who Tarkov was, but he sure as hell didn't let him escape out of a moment of weakness. Yoshikov is a zealot. He has killed countless young people of various tribes and he won't treat Tarkov any differently.
And after much deliberation, Tarkov calmed down and calmed down. "Then just ask him whatever you want from him."
"Are you sure?... High chance he will die." Girisia then turned to look at Yoshikov and thought. 'Well, he will die under those sorts of injuries anyway.'
"Just do whatever you want with him."
At this prompt Yoshikov turned his attention to Girisia. He had too many things he wanted to say to the man responsible for tonight's tragedy. He didn't even respect the bodies of his soldiers and sullied their memory by eating them up.
"And you… You disgust me the most."
'I disgust me the most too..' Girisia didn't mind the taunt. In the previous fight, he had done some horrible things.
There was no need to give out any retort to the accusations and neither the need for emotional drama between the winner and defeated.
The talk about righteousness, truth, and how they are the same were also nothing more than empty talks and time wastes.
No one knew who Girisia was beside himself.
"I will speak some names and you need to tell me if you know any of them," Girisia explained how his questions would work but what he got was Yoshikov spitting some of the black blood in his direction.
"Then let's begin." He found Yoshikov's actions childish at the moment. 'What are you planning old man, You want to extend the time as well… are there more tentacles underground?... or something more powerful hidden below?.. Or have you called for backup?"
'No, none of them are valid, if he had something so powerful or efficient, he would have used it before losing so badly. As for backup, it was impossible. Sending out a signal for help will expose Utena. He can't take chances and expose his people so easily.'
'So the only thing that was left is.' Girisia understood what was going on in Yoshikov's mind. There was only one possible thing he can do at the moment. And it will require the help of Tarkov.
And even if Yoshikov acted injured and defenseless, Girisia can't take any chances.
"So the names are as follows."
"I won't say a thing you disgusting bastard."
"Gabriel."
"You all will die."
"Voltus."
"Every single one of you."
"Hiyram."
"We will even hunt your remaining tribe members, Korus."
"Dilworth."
"We will kill them all like we killed the Alwa."
"Yakub."
"..."
"So it's Yakub…" Girisia paused a bit, then said. "The fruit of machine cave."
The moment Girisia said the term, something clicked in Yoshikov's head, and then a blast.
A small blast. But not a normal one.
"Move away." Girisia felt a serious threat to his life. He had felt it the moment he spoke the term. Pushing Tarkov first, Girisia moved away from Yoshikov's body as the swarm of gray dust started to eat away at everything around Yoshikov.
A cloud of dust that spread wider and faster. It even went as far as to keep up with Girisia and Tarkov's running speed.
But after running for two hundred meters, the speed of the dust stagnated and slowly died off.
Leaving a circular scar on the forest where no life existed as everything was turned to dust.
'Grade five means.' Girisia was directly able to identify the strength of the user who placed this bomb inside Yoshikov's head.
"What… what did you ask." Tarkov was not stupid, he knew what Girisia asked was super sensitive information as the mere utter of the term had caused the death of Yoshikov.
"I needed to confirm something and I succeeded at it." Girisai didn't intend to speak about the details as of yet. Instead, his mind was on something else. "I will answer you when the time is right. But for now, our priority is to look for any drones that Yoshikov hid either in the sky or underground for the Utena to recover."
Looking at Girisia deflecting the question, Tarkov didn't become nosy. He had already heard the terms and names Girisis uttered and from his understanding, this Yakub person must have close relations to Utena and this "Fruit of machine cave'' may be something even more mysterious and dangerous than he expected.
"Then let's go." Tarkov nodded in approval of Girisia's suggestion. Yoshikov truly acted out of character when his death was close, he became too talkative and Girisia's suspicions may be right after all.
"Wait for me, I am alive too." And then after everything was over, came running Tara.