Episode 13- The Reason Why We Fight
"For the life of General Yin Gonjo, for the brutal beating of Senju Nakamura, and for the assault on Grandoria", says Mash. He then charges forward with his water clones following a short distance behind him. Zero roars as a large dragon claw forms from his right hand. Zero leaps into the air towards Mash. Mash leaps towards Zero with a left kick. The air around the leg of Mash quickly vibrates with small water molecules, then creates a small boom, enhancing the strength of the kick. The kick collides with the dragon claw, shattering the scales and dissipating the dark light underneath. Zero teleports to the ground and immediately receives a left kick from a water clone on his left side and a right kick from the second water clone on his right side. The kick hits Zero in the helmet, but does no damage due to the immense strength of Zero, and only blinds Zero for a moment as heavy splashes of water hit his eyes. A powerful kick from Mash hits Zero in the back, sending him rolling forward. Mash then jumps in the air, tucks his body into a ball, then continues to flip towards Zero. The air around Mash vibrates and forms small traces of water as he rolls faster toward Zero. Zero gets to his feet and leaps away from the point of impact. The rolling ball that is Mash, collides with the ground with such forcefulness that Zero is still sent flying from the impact. Two water clones run towards Zero as Zero gets to his feet.
Both clones dive wildly at Zero. Zero teleports behind the clones as they splash on the ground. "Undisciplined", hears Zero. Mash had already charged toward Zero with a powerful right hand uppercut punch. The punch collides with the stomach of Zero, then a large violent surge of water explodes from the point of impact. The force of the water is so powerful that several dragon scales on Zero's armor fly off in the sky along with a piece of the helmet, revealing one eye and a part of Zero's hair. Zero is then launched at lightning speed in the air, far above the highest buildings in Granndoria. "My beloved Morgiana has prepared a fine dish tonight, so I'll end this now", says Mash. The water clones reanimate, then run towards Mash. Mash reaches out his left hand, then his right hand, making both water clones warp into balls of water on each side of Mash. Mash extends both of his arms out, opens his palms outward, then does a short hop spin backwards as both balls of water follow his movements. He then stomps the ground and thrusts his right hand fist at Zero, who is still being propelled through the air. "Crescendo!", yells Mash.
Both balls of water pierce upward through the air, followed by a thin, sharp burst of water from the right fist of Mash. Three sharp blasts of water dart at high speed toward Zero.
One closed eye can be seen on the barely conscious Zero as he reaches the height of being repelled back. The mind of Zero drifts into the darkness within him.
"Annnd sooo, yooouuu diiee. A huumannooiiid foool innn looove", echoes the voice, very reminiscent of Noir Drew. "Faaaamillly gooone. Bodyyyy gooone. Wissssdomm innncapablllle. Heeaaart fulll, but strengttthh obliterrrated".
"Oh, yea?", thinks Zero, "and what is strength to you?", he further responds.
"Thhee voooiiiid. Thhee blaaack. Notthhingnesss. Fooor cennnturiees, mmyyy kiind aand yoouuurrs haaave creeaaated thee unthinnkabbllle basssed on waaant aaand neeed. Liiike thhee jackaaal baacked intoo a cooorner. Frooom thhhee voooiiiid caaaame prooofoouuund streeengthh. Neeeed creeaaates pooowerrr. Huuunger creeaaates thhe willpoweerrr to huuunt for fooood. Bliiiindnesss creaaatess thhee willllpoweeerr to maaake siiight. Diseeeaaase creeeaaatesss the willllpoweeeerr too fiind a cuuure.".
"How am I supposed to access that strength?", asks Zero.
"Looove, liiiike, aaand thhhee feeelingssss aliiiike aaarre forrr thooose toooo scarrred offf nothingnesssss. Let gooooo. Let gooo offf humannityyy aaand thhheee liike functionsss. Weeaaar thhee voooiiiid assss arrrmorrr agaaiiinst thhhee wickeeeed aaand thoooosssse ignorrrrant of miiiiind. Leeeet goooo annnnd becoooome Judgemeeeeent. Leeeet gooooo. Leeeeet iiiiit gooooooo.".
Zero drifts deeper into his own madness. His thoughts wander and connect at a deep, dark, corner in his mind.
"Let go. Let go of love. Let go of like. No more being comfortable. This is the same world that already killed me. The same people that watched me die. The same lawlessness. Now I've gotten a second chance, and you've come to kill me again. If my only place is death, let me become it. Let death be my armor. Let death be my home. Let the void create whatever it wants.".
"Rampage".
Suddenly a black ball of void and dark light surrounds Zero. The three blasts of water blast into the dark light, then turn into nothingness. Nearby stands, huts, homes, and debris break off and fly into the ball of dark light, then into nothingness. Mash slowly starts to forcefully get sucked into the ball.
Mash quickly gives a mighty punch to the ground, inserting his arm all the way up to the elbow as things around him start to slowly move towards the ball. "Parlor tricks", says Mash. The ball of dark light dissipates and a lifeless figure falls towards the ground. The lifeless figure hits the ground hard causing dust and dirt to fly through the air.
Mash removes his wedged arm then comes closer, unable to see anything within the cloud of dust.
An eerie silence fills the air as Mash takes his familiar fighting stance. "Even a dog knows when to flee", says Mash.