"If that kick had hit me..." Tatsumaki shuddered at the thought.
She raised her hands to attack, but noticed Psycho-Orochi launching a massive beam at her from the side.
The esper was forced to put up a shield to protect herself, but at the same time, Platinum S lunged at her again.
"Enough!" exclaimed Tatsumaki as a massive green aura surrounded her.
She raised both of her hands into the air, and everything around her began rising. The esper poured all her power into one massive feat of strength.
Buildings crumbled, and the ground shook as the entire city was lifted thousands of meters into the air. The sheer force of the move sent Platinum S flying backward and deflected Psycho-Orochi's beam.
The effects of Tatsumaki's outburst were felt even by Sage Centipede and Boros, as the ground in their area was not spared from the number two hero's rampage.
Tatsumaki didn't stop. She continued showing off her strength, lifting the ground higher and higher. The city rose dozens of kilometers into the air, creating a bulge in the Earth visible from space.
"What the hell is going on?" asked Sage Centipede. "Tectonic movements?"
"It's as if a new mountain is forming," he added.
"You shouldn't ponder such things in the heat of battle," Boros replied, punching the centipede in its face and cracking its exoskeleton.
The monster growled in pain but soon regenerated and retaliated with a Centipede Grand March, hitting the alien with its arms hundreds of times in rapid succession.
The attack made Boros feel a slight sting. Finally, he felt something as he exerted a decent amount of power, progress was being made.
Meanwhile, Tatsumaki finally stopped her rage-fueled outburst. In the end, a new mega-mountain had been formed, as wide as a small continent and as tall as dozens of Everests stacked on top of each other.
This new formation reshaped the planet itself.
"Hugh..." the esper sighed, panting as she landed on the ground.
This would make things easier for her moving forward. Now, stray attacks would likely fly harmlessly into space rather than hitting other cities.
However, she didn't let her guard down. Tatsumaki knew her enemies weren't defeated yet and that she would need a more direct attack to kill them.
As she thought to herself, Psycho-Orochi burst out of the newly formed mega-mountain.
"You're really something else, aren't you, Tornado?" she said.
"You certainly live up to the name," the monster added, a bead of sweat rolling down her face.
At the same time, further away, Sage Centipede emerged from the surface, with Boros following closely behind. Finally, Platinum S surfaced between the two battlegrounds.
He looked around, impressed. "What incredible destructive power..."
"I'd be better off letting those two espers fight it out and tire each other. In the meantime, I might as well finish my fight with Boros."
And so, the monster made his way toward the alien, who was still fighting the giant centipede.
Boros kept destroying parts of Sage Centipede, but the creature regenerated each time.
The tide of the battle shifted when Platinum S jumped into the fray, attacking Boros. The two engaged in a fierce exchange of kicks and punches, which was soon interrupted by Sage Centipede charging at them both.
The two warriors jumped onto the massive creature's back, running along it while clashing with each other.
Understandably, Sage Centipede wasn't pleased with having his back used as an arena. He began rotating rapidly, shaking the two humanoids off.
Platinum S and Boros continued their fight on the ground, darting around at faster-than-light speeds, their kicks and punches shaking the entire battlefield.
Sage Centipede watched in awe, struggling to keep track of the two combatants.
Growing frustrated, he roared. "Stop jumping around, you fleas!"
"Centipede Grand March!"
He slammed his entire body down on the battlefield, moving at great speed and pummeling the area with his thousands of legs.
The massive attack reshaped part of the battlefield, launching enormous chunks of rock into the air and carving craters into the ground.
With such a large-scale attack, it was only a matter of time before it hit its targets.
However, Boros and Platinum S managed to avoid the march for the most part, continuing their own fight.
This only served to enrage Sage Centipede further.
At that moment, a stray laser collided with the centipede's back. He turned around, furious, to see Psycho-Orochi clashing with Tatsumaki in the distance.
"What are you doing?!" Sage Centipede bellowed. "We're on the same side, you moron!"
Psycho-Orochi, realizing what had happened, snapped back. "Who are you calling a moron?"
"It's your fault for being such a giant target that even stray blasts can hit you!"
Sage Centipede growled in anger.
"Besides," Psycho-Orochi sneered, "I don't need you to deal with that worm, Boros. Tatsumaki is clearly a bigger issue."
"If you want to be useful, come over here and attack her. You'll make for some good bait."
That was the final straw for Sage Centipede.
"You're dead," he growled, charging at Psycho-Orochi with full force.
The monster prepared to defend herself but was interrupted as Tatsumaki psychically bound her arms.
The green-haired esper laughed. "Seriously? Picking a fight with your own ally?"
"You're just giving me an even bigger advantage."
Sage Centipede reached Psycho-Orochi, wrapping his massive body around hers and pummeling her with thousands of blows.
Psycho-Orochi grunted in pain and rage. "How dare you?!"
"I am a superior life form chosen by God himself!" she shouted, summoning all her psychic power.
She exerted herself to the limit, blasting Sage Centipede off her and launching his entire body into the air.
Nearby, Platinum S and Boros continued to clash. Spotting an opportunity, Platinum S leapt toward the airborne centipede and grabbed its tail.
He gripped it tightly before swinging Sage Centipede's massive body straight at Boros.