A massive explosion of debris and shattered remnants of demolished buildings erupted as the relentless battle between the S-Class heroes and Melzargard's clones raged on. The ground shook with each resounding impact.
Though the heroes seemed capable of holding their own against the regenerating alien clones, the frustration of their relentless regeneration wore on them.
"How about another one, you fucking bastard!" Metal Bat roared.
He swung his bat with brutal force, the impact so powerful that it sent one clone's head rocketing into the distance. Without missing a beat, he followed through, smashing the creature's body into the crumbling remains of a building, scattering debris far and wide.
Not far from him, Atomic Samurai made his move. His sword was a blur, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle.
The alien clones didn't even have time to react as its body was dissected into dozens of pieces with a single swing. The samurai stared down at the wriggling, dismembered parts and spat in disgust, "What a persistent creature..."
"Everyone!" Iaian's voice broke through the chaos. "Physical attacks won't work on these things! They keep regenerating no matter what we do. We need to regroup, maybe retreat, and find a new strategy!"
Puri-Puri Prisoner, Bang, and Superalloy Darkshine were engaged in their own battles, crushing the clones into pulp over and over again, yet it seemed futile. Every time they destroyed a clone, the pieces would start to pull themselves back together.
It was an endless cycle of destruction and regeneration.
"Retreat?" Metal Bat scoffed. He slammed his bat into the clone's body, sending it flying through a pile of rubble yet again. "All I do is swing this fucking bat! What's the point of retreating? I can keep smashing these freaks to pieces all day!"
Iaian glanced anxiously at the other heroes, as Bang spoke to him, "Teaching an old dog like me a new trick won't work, lad. This is all I know how to do."
"I'm sorry, my sweet Iaian." Puri-Puri Prisoner's punches echoed in the air, reducing the clone into a pile of mangled flesh that began to squirm back together almost immediately, "But retreating isn't in my dictionary!"
"Look at my muscles!"
Superalloy Darkshine declared while flexing his massive biceps, the sheen of his indestructible body reflecting the dim light amidst the dust and debris. He threw himself back into the fray, crushing yet another clone, only for it to start regenerating once again.
Iaian felt a surge of helplessness rising inside him. His hands clenched into fists as he turned to Atomic Samurai, "M-Master...?"
"Iaian, are you doubting your master? There's nothing I can't cut!"
"This is pointless. These guys are not the type to listen," Iaian whispered, feeling his legs tremble beneath him.
His eyes darted from one hero to the next, each one battling the aliens as if they were invincible, but Iaian knew better. Their stamina wouldn't last forever, and the clones didn't seem to tire. Worse yet, he knew that no matter how powerful they were, a single mistake—just one hit—could mean their end.
He glanced at his severed arm, the pain a dull throb beneath his rising fear. Iaian's voice barely a whisper, he mumbled, "We're... gonna die."
Meanwhile, Melzargard seethed with frustration. His patience had worn thin—he wanted this over with, so he could return to the battleship. The silence from Geryuganshoop only made him more anxious.
"I can't keep fighting like this," he muttered under his breath.
The remnants of his shattered clones, pieces of flesh and bone scattered across the battlefield, began to stir.
Slowly, they slithered through the debris of demolished buildings, pulling together and reforming into his true body. With a sickening squelch, Melzargard's grotesque figure stood tall once more, his many heads twisting and writhing in fury. His bloodshot eyes glared down at the heroes, now gathered against him.
"You pathetic monkeys," he snarled, his voice dripping with contempt. "You truly know nothing of fear."
"You're the dumb one. Couldn't handle us one-on-one, now it's five against one. This should be easy." Metal Bat slung his bat over his shoulder with a cocky grin.
"Hmm?"
Melzargard barely acknowledged the taunt.
He felt it—an ominous fluctuation of energy from above, stirring in the sky. His bloodied eyes gleamed with wicked excitement, a grin splitting his monstrous face as he threw his head back in laughter. "It's far too late! Every single one of you monkeys is going to die!"
"I might be old, but I'm not old enough to die yet."
Bang shook his head calmly.
But just as the heroes prepared to strike, something shifted in the atmosphere.
All of them froze, instinctively glancing up at the battleship overhead. The sky was bathed in a menacing glow as purple lights flickered to life, illuminating the ruins of the city below. The sheer scale of the energy above sent a shiver down their spines, and Melzargard's laughter echoed across the battlefield, dark and triumphant.
"Shit, what the hell is that?"
The heroes' eyes widened in shock.
Iaian, feeling his heart race in his chest, stumbled backward and fell to the ground. His voice was barely a whisper as he muttered, "Is that… what destroyed the city?"
As the energy fluctuation reached its peak, a deafening blast echoed through the air. Massive, bullet-like missiles hurtled down toward the ground, aimed directly at the heroes.
However...
Just as the missiles seemed moments away from impact, they froze in midair, suspended by a shimmering green aura followed by an annoyed scoff cut through the chaos, "Hmph! This is why I'm here... cleaning up after you people."
"Tatsumaki!" Superalloy shouted in relief.
Everyone's eyes shot upward to spot the petite figure of the esper, floating in the air, her arms outstretched as she effortlessly stopped the missiles in their tracks. She rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by the danger.
With a dismissive wave of her hand, the missiles twisted in midair and shot back upward, sharply veering away from the battlefield.
But before anyone could catch their breath, another blast erupted, this time from the center of the alien battleship.
The shockwave rippled through the sky, and all eyes widened in disbelief as they saw a figure—Tsuna—thrown violently from the ship, tumbling through the air alongside the alien he might had been fighting.
"Tsuna?" Bang mumbled.
Melzargard's heads snapped toward the sky, and his expression twisted in confusion. "Geryuganshoop? What's going on?"
Up in the air, Tatsumaki floated with her arms crossed, watching the spectacle with narrowed eyes.
"What's that idiot doing now?" she muttered. Though Tatsumaki could sense the missiles still careening toward the ship, her expression remained indifferent. With a pout, she scoffed, "Hmph, just some puny missiles. He can handle it... probably."
Meanwhile...
"Perfect timing!"
Tsuna grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he glanced down. Below, a swarm of missiles surged toward him.
Without a hint of fear, Tsuna began channeling his chi, feeling the familiar warmth surge through his veins, energizing every fiber of his body. He narrowed his eyes, as he went deep into a state of immersion as his senses sharpened, and the world around him seemed to slow down.
High above, Geryuganshoop floated, his hollow eyes seemed to burn with fury. He had underestimated Tsuna, and now, seeing the human standing confidently against a storm of missiles, his frustration boiled over.
"You're dead!"
Geryuganshoop bellowed, his voice distorted by his alien form, trembling with venomous hatred.
Tsuna merely laughed, "We'll see about that."