Chapter 57 - Final Boss

Unmoving. Eyes locked.

I wouldn't- no- I COULDN'T make the first move.

Or any.

He said it himself.

He's invincible.

He takes a step forward. My foot digs into the ground, primed to turn tail and run. Every time I think I have him bested, he just pulls something else out.

Tamajutsu at almost mastered levels, and now fucking invincibility- or something along those lines. He wipes the blood from his blade. "Do you now realize, Okoramo?" He says, locking eyes.

"H-huh?"

"I am the perfect being. One carved from youth by science. One engineered for battle. My very blood runs with the intent of victory. I was made to win."

I manage to ground myself, keeping my body from urging me further away. "Well I can't exactly afford to lose right now. If I don't win, I'll never see my friends again- and god knows what they'll experience in my absence. I have to keep living. To protect them."

He takes another step.

"You've lasted long. Evolved during battle, and superseded my expectations by a margin untouched by any I've seen before. You have done well, Okoramo Kubihige- but stand knowing this: This is your final battle."

A downpour of sweat runs down my face. "You're probably right."

He lunges forth, blade cocked to strike. Recoiling, I weave out of the way of the slash- one followed by a barrage of others. Flipping out of his range, I level myself on even ground, perched on a pillar of concrete. 

I have to buy time to figure out a way past his invincibility-

From the front-

A beam of red energy slices through the air- scathing my forehead as I lean backward, narrowly avoiding it. 

Jigoku was nowhere to be seen- but I could feel his soul all around.

More are coming.

Jumping into the air, I take to the sky, wings beating to avoid the volley of flying slashes....

That are made of pure Tamajutsu. I swallow my terror, and ascend higher. I can only run for so long.

I'm fucked, aren't I? 

I have no time to think, however, as HE is close on my tail. I can't keep up this pace much longer. I can feel my muscles tearing and ripping from exertion, old cuts reopening. 

Higher and higher.

I need more time to think.

A warm, wet sensation spreads through my back- quickly followed by a surge of pain. Screaming out in rage, I turn my head to see Jigoku planted on my back, blade lodged through my spine. 

Thinking on what's probably just adrenaline, I hurl myself back toward the earth, tumbling through the air, spinning clockwise. 

This doesn't deter Jigoku, however, as he drives the blade deeper and deeper. My regeneration can't keep up with this- and if I crash into the ground as I am right now, it would surely be my undoing. 

I have to think fast.

Alright. I can do this.

In a flash of black sparks, my wings disperse into nothingness, sending a surge of Calamity point-blank into Jigoku's face.

He lets out a surprised cry, releasing his grip, and kicking off my back. Flipping in midair, I regain my composure, wings screaming back to life as I dart away in the opposite direction.

Weaving through wreckage, moving as fast as my wings will carry me, I only grow more terrified. No matter how long I run-

"Homura: Pull!!"

A gravitational pull of cataclysmic force sends me hurtling backward through the air. As I flip and flail under the vicious strain, my face slams into the palm of Jigoku- before that very same palm ignites in Tamajutsu.

I scream out in pain, the pungent smell of burning flesh filling the air. 

Wait.

I'm TOUCHING him right now.

I'm not being stopped by whatever invincibility he was using before.

I spin in his hand, wrenching myself free, before lunging backward, but not running away.

I hold my ground this time.

How had I not figured it out before?! He had explained the weakness of his technique straight to my face without realizing it. That invincibility combines the forces of attraction and repulsion to create an unbreakable barrier. But it made perfect sense if while using this form of Homura, he couldn't use the others. And the same likewise. So at any given point that he's using push, pull, or even his warping abilities which grants his speed and flight...

...He wasn't invincible.

I dodge out of the way of a flurry of slashes, continuing to jump further and further back. Flipping backward, I land on the apex of a pile of debris, before shooting upward, wings flapping vigorously.

I hear a sharp zipping sound as Jigoku is close to follow. Turing in a complete 360, I position myself, staring straight at the oncoming Jigoku, and hurl myself down toward him.

I can feel it.

The call from beyond.

"Underworld..."

His face goes white with terror.

It's now or never.

This is my one chance.

My palm grasps clean around his face, energy swirling and immolating- awaiting a final eruption.

"DISCHARGE!!"

In a resounding explosion of otherworldly energy, a beam of black light tears through the night sky, carving a fissure into the earth- a gaping chasm into the ocean.

Battle Of Tenma Shore,

Victor: Okoramo Kubihige.

---------

A drab, bland scene lies before Shinimaru. A few haphazardly placed tables pushed to a side of the room adjacent to a long, wooden bar stand with a few chairs perched in front. 

There were a handful of people milling around, mainly minding their own buisness. There was nothing of note here, but it wouldn't be detrimental to just sit and relax for a minute.

Seating himself on an old, rickety barstool, he found himself simply looking around. There wasn't much to do. He found solace in stillness. 

The seat to his right shifts.

Shinimaru quickly snaps on guard. 

"Is this seat taken?" A man stood before him. He had light, brown skin and long white hair set in dreadlocks. He had almost hypnotic red eyes, and shaggy, black punk clothes. His grin was devoid of care.

Shin shakes off his animosity. He didn't seem hostile. "Nah."

The man's grin widens. Now that he looked closer, the man couldn't have been older than twenty.

"So-uh..." Shin stumbled over his words. He wasn't great at this type of stuff. "What brings you here?"

Shit. That was stupid-

"Just on a job." The man said, leaning back on his stool, feet kicked up onto the bar. "Looking for this kid. Boring as shit."

Shinimaru looks inquisitively. "A boy?"

"Yeah. Hear about the terrorist attacks at Neo City?"

Shin clenches his jaw. That was a BIT far.

"Yeah, I think so."

"This kid was the dude that took down Queen Andonius. Kidnapped her brother too. Wild shit. Name's Okoramo or something"

How do I deal with this...

Shin's mind spins with possibilities. He could be a lieutenant, in which case it would be beneficial to stay away. that or he could be as he seems- a wandering bounty hunter.

But either way, he could have information.

As Shin looks back to the man, his gaze is fixed on him. Shin nearly jumps, but regains his composure. He was looking him down. Studying him. In a desperate attempt to derail whatever train of thought he was on, Shin speaks.

"So-"

"I never asked you." The man interjects. "But what brings YOU here?"

FUCK.

He can't take too long, or the man would surely know something was up.

"Come to think of it," Shin says. "I'm looking for the same kid."

He's not gonna believe this, is he...

"Is that so?" The man narrows his gaze. He stares for a moment, before standing up. 

"Then you'd surely be intrigued by what I have to show you."