With a roaring blast a wave of crackling purple energy tore through the air. A beam so sudden and powerful there was no sound for a single moment because the air was vaporized around the attack. The sudden boom that followed a mixture of the attack's impact and the air slamming back into the created void.
The people in the stands felt their hairs stand on end with the static power that radiated from the smoking crater in the arena.
Saba had just attacked the aggressor. And his attack had struck home. Right in the chest of his enemy.
And annihilated him.
With a sudden explosion of power, the man who radiated fire was turned into gore as his upper body disintegrated in a single moment. A sudden burst of fire sudden burning up the remainder of his legs. The golden fire flowed from where he had once been in a swirling cloud. The heat around him made it hard to breathe.
Suddenly condensing down, forming into the figure of a human the flame birthed flesh and muscle that coiled around the charred bone. The fire giving form to the figure of Nick now wreathed in flame, his body shimmering as if made out of fire itself. The golden light washed off him casting shadows as he strolled forward.
"That was some attack Sparky. I can tell why you are at the level you are. I honestly am impressed. I didn't expect anyone here to even be able to hurt me… but you two. No, you two have impressed me, warriors. Your strength is simply, invigorating." His tone came out cracked and broken. The fire itself speaks in hisses and pops.
Tensing up Saba and Samson looked at him. They had thought that the attack would at least hinder him but now his physical body seemed to be, gone?
Samson would be the only one that could damage him now, a look between the two warriors sharing the thought. The slow pacing back and forth of their opponent was clear, he was letting them think and plan.
Dashing forward at superhuman speeds an avatar appeared around Saba, the purple energy condensing down into a large wolf that formed from the crackling purple lightning. The form of the beast was made from that lightning-covered energy. Saba floating in its 'core.'
Swiping at Nick with claws large enough to tear apart a car Nick simply raised his arm and blocked. Reinforcing it with every technique he had. The fire condenses and becomes a cover for his carbon skin. Although it was hard to see the carbon skin through the flickering flames and his charred flesh.
As the attack slammed into his arm he felt the force travel through his body and into the glassed ground. The shattering of the stone around his feet imprinted him down into the ground to his ankles. The attack hindered his movement despite being blocked.
Eyes widening in shock at how easily Nick had blocked his attack he didn't hesitate to follow up. He was not an amateur.
Pushing down with the impacted claw to keep Nick in the spot his large maw crashed down biting through the stone around Nick's feet. Tearing it to shreds with ground-crushing canines. The pressure between the two jaws grinds the stone to dust.
Nick between them simply seemed unbothered as he mouthed, 'Bad idea.' Staring directly at the avatar's pilot. A sudden blast of flames launched Saba into the far wall of the arena with a burst of fire intense enough that the avatar that was touching Nick was obliterated into sparks. A wave of pressure from the combined wing quickly threw Samson who was trying to approach back as well.
Turning to see Samson slide to a stop with a swipe of his hand, slicing the air that was pushing him Nick grinned. The boy's face was pale.
"All your zeal and courage is gone with one glance of death? How many times do you think I have seen it. How many times have I died young Samson? Your devotion is lacking if death is something that will slow your movements. Come at me like you did before. Without fear." His words hummed with the fire that radiated once more from his body. His burning skin drifted off him and regenerated at the same time.
The horrid image of the charred corpse that was crawling from the fires of hell made most people get as far back in the stands as they could.
Gritting his teeth Samson steeled his gaze. He was stronger than this, he had been trained, and death was something he would always have to face. Even now and in the future after he WON THIS FIGHT!
Dashing forward he swung his fist down. That simmering white energy sliced the air before him as three giant gashes in space flew towards him aiming to kill him. The ground split in their wake.
Yes, this was what he wanted!
Dashing forward he blasted one of the slices with as much fire as he could but just as he expected it was split and neutralized. These attacks were unblockable. They would slice whatever they hit.
Dodging to the side he close the distance between himself and the boy in an instant and swung his fist at his chest, the other hand grabbing his prepared wrist to stop him from attacking. He would kill him again, and this fist driving towards his stomach was proof of that.
Just before he could hit however there was a sudden blast, and he was halted for just long enough that he was forced to pull back. A purple spear split his arm and forced him to let go of Samson, backing away at the purple force field that got his way Nick watched as Samson completed his swing.
And he felt his body cleave.
He felt it split into two parts directly down the middle. The attack cleaved through his body itself as he could no longer feel the other side, he was not connected, by anything. He was simply cut. Truly and completely.
It was as if there was no space between his two separated halves as if they were in different dimensions. Damn, he was caught off guard. He was relying too much on his air since that wasn't really working when the air around him didn't exist because of his fire intensity.
Letting out a blast of fire at its full intensity he pulled it into himself as he burnt away both halves of his body. The fire was so bright and powerful Saba was forced to pull Samson back and shield them both with purple energy.
As the small sun formed in the centre of the arena, the crowd backed away from the melting stands. The heat didn't go far but where it did reach it completely disintegrated.
The purple energy of Saba was barely enough to protect him and Samson, and that was with Samson splitting the heat as often as he could.
Rebuilding his body from the ground beneath him around his thread and brain, a laugh echoed throughout the entire arena as he cackled with mad excitement. Stepping forth from the sun everyone looked at Nick in awe and horror. His body was rebuilt.
As if emerging from the flames of hell Nick let out a small laugh as he finished his chuckle. It was honestly exciting, such powerful quirks, Australia really was the best.
"Now that is impressive Samson… you certainly are impressive. I will give you an option young man. Join me, or die." His voice was sincere as he tilted his head.
He couldn't merge with any more quirks for now, and with how powerful these quirks were it was going to be hard to do so even if he could. The genetic strands must be intensely complicated and complex, hell they were. He had felt them already and taken a sample.
"I would rather die than join a devil's ranks!" Samson spat out as he glared at Nick through the golden flames, the shimmering air just distorting the towering figure of Nick.
"Very well, then I guess you will both die here, you have entertained me enough." His voice was almost sorrowful, as if he didn't want to end this amusement but it was something that he had to do. He had a job to complete after all.
Suddenly appearing before the two with a charged heat ray held in his hand he shot it directly towards Samson who simply split the attack, the remaining heat blocked by the energy field of Saba.
Seeing he was done playing both Samson and Saba felt the intensity of their situation hit them like a truck, they didn't think they could win. It didn't matter how hard they hit him he could just heal and his fire was hot enough to kill them with a single glance. If Saba fell, the heat would kill them. If Samson fell they couldn't neutralize the attacks.
They needed to work together, not as masters and pupils but as friends. They had fought often, they knew each other. They could do this, they just had to try.
Seeing the determination flash in their eyes, the burning fire, the will to live Nick felt his heart start pumping. Yes, this was the fight he wanted.
Sending everything he had in a wave at them Samson once more split it. As soon as it split a purple spear shot from the orb at speeds that split the air as it slammed into Nick's palm, he had caught it just before it hit where his heart would be.
Shattering the spear he dashed forward. His palm was against the orb as he was going to hit it directly but just before he could he felt Samson start to swing, he didn't want to be spit again. It was a pain to build from the ground up.
Dashing to the side he let the attack go past him but couldn't get another one ready before he was impaled by spikes from the orb that held him in place. Feeling his body cleaved in two by Samson he grits his teeth.
Once more burning up and rebuilding in less than a second he backed away and shot three heat rays with everything he had at the orb. They were split flawlessly, but then Nick noticed something.
Samson's attacks also split the orb that they were in, just for the smallest moment they let in some heat.
Flashing back to the ice furnace the ice queen had made he grit his teeth. That made him mad. Really mad.
With a wave of fire growing in intensity he let his body burn he didn't care anymore. He would kill them in their own defence. Attack a few more times he waited for the perfect moment, they were perfectly synchronized in their combined defence. They were planning on wearing him out.
Their defence was almost flawless, it was impressive. If he was using overhaul he could kill them both with the nerves he could spread through the ground but he didn't want to do that. He was having fun with his fire.
Finally, he saw his moment. As he attacked he saw Samson split his attack in two, the fire neutralized but Saba was finding it hard and harder to withstand the constant heat.
Dashing forward he slammed his fist into the barrier and just as he hit, the small moment of delay it took Samson to split him was enough. The orb started to falter, the moment that Samson split him, which he planned on happening. The protective shield's fault didn't heal in time.
And as he healed himself in that split moment, the fire from his healing sun washed into the orb. His eyes held Samson as the boy's eyes widened. And they burnt. With a final heat ray splitting through the small gap in the shield the centre of the sphere was turned into a white-hot furnace that only existed for a single moment.
Because Saba and Samson burnt.
As the fire cleared the people in the stands looked in horror at the burnt crater before them. Looking at the ash Nick was just glad he already had samples because he doubted that there was anything left to heal…
Looking up at the stands and to the Sovereign his smile broadened.
"Now then sovereign, I believe that I have defended my right to address you how I wish," Nick said as he flew into the air slowly, fire coming from his feet. Landing before the raised dais he walked forward before he stood before the throne-like seat that the sovereign sat in.
"I have a few questions, and if you want me to leave this city standing I suggest that you answer them."
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Thanks for all the support! To those wondering when he will get back to Canon it should not take long. After he finds Shigaraki he will be going back to Japan. I do wonder where the story will go once Shigaraki is captured however, after all the main antagonists will be defeated.
Thanks for everyone for reading! Comments and Reviews are always welcome!