(This is a robbery! Give me your Power Stones, now!)
Merkana Battle | North Wing | 5 Minutes Ago!
It was easy, far easier than she could remember.
It was fun… just as fun as she remembered. The thrill, the acrobatics, the sensation of being an enhanced version of her species, all thanks to a power drawn directly from her soul.
It took longer than expected to defeat them all, mostly because she wanted to play around. She'd never admit it, but she missed the excitement of battle. Even so, something felt off—she was slower, weaker somehow.
(This feels strange…) - She thought, dodging a kick from one of the Voltajin. - (But I can still have a little fun.)
Standing in place, she effortlessly dodged a barrage of punches from the electric monsters as though they were nothing.
One punch smashed into a pillar, and immediately after, the same monster attempted a spinning kick to her face. What it didn't anticipate was its leg shattering and exploding on contact, leaving Merkana untouched.
The minion humorously hopped away on one leg, holding its injured limb. A cluster of other minions gathered around it, making exaggerated gestures of concern while darting around chaotically.
"KRALA! KRALA!" one of them cried out, seemingly calling for help.
Merkana's visor flashed playful expressions: (0 0), (- -), (0 0).
*(Heh, they're so funny... it's almost nostalgic.)* she thought before charging forward.
She dashed with her arms behind her back and spun like a tornado, striking each opponent and sending them flying as their forms dissipated into electricity.
With her arms still behind her back, she ignored the attacks of a new wave of creatures, dispatching them all with headbutts alone.
*(Ah, it feels great to pretend to be overpowered,)* she thought, clearing the wave in under a minute without breaking a sweat.
Then she noticed something approaching—not a minion but something else entirely.
*(Kaijin? Hmm…)* Merkana wondered but dismissed it. *(Let's see if this weakened state can handle a low-level Kaijin like this guy.)*
The creature resembled a fusion of a mole and a drill. Its robust body was covered in brown and gray skin, with glowing eyes and a short snout. A rotating drill replaced its nose, flanked by wiry "whiskers." Its forelimbs sported sharp claws, and its muscular hind legs provided stability. Exposed machinery at its core emitted steam and blinking lights, and it wore a yellow protective helmet adorned with tiny headlights beneath its eyes.
"Academy student?" the monster muttered. "Hmph, I didn't expect one of you here, but no matter… if it's necessary, I'll crush you to get what I want."
Merkana assumed a fighting stance, a grin forming on her visor: 0‿0.
The mole advanced at high speed, its drill spinning like a blade. Merkana deflected the drill with a single hand, redirecting its trajectory to her left. With a fluid spin, she delivered a precise kick to the creature's right arm, causing a fracture and sending it flying.
(Okay, that should—huh?!) She froze, noticing the arm was only fractured. (It should've exploded!)
"Grr… is that all you've got, girl?" the creature taunted, grinning mockingly. "You hit like a woman."
"…" Merkana stood still, her visor blinking (0 0) → (- -) → (0 0). "Hmm… you've got a point."
"What? You're supposed to get mad!" the Kaijin yelled in comical frustration.
"Another point, great argument," she replied, her visor displaying (> <).
"This makes no sense!"
"Three to zero? You can request a song now," Merkana teased, her visor returning to 0‿0.
"I'LL KILL YOU!!!" The mole lunged at her, blinded by irrational anger.
As Merkana prepared to defend herself, the monster vanished and reappeared behind her.
*(Don't fail me now!)* she commanded her own body.
Hypnotizing her physical form into defensive action, her body automatically blocked the incoming attack. When the Kaijin tried a left hook, her body sidestepped to the right. A follow-up jab was dodged with a low duck, countered by a punch straight to its chest, knocking the wind out of the creature.
Before she could continue, the Kaijin teleported to a distance, breathing heavily before spewing a fiery breath attack.
"Seriously?" Merkana deadpanned, her visor displaying (0_0). Engulfed by flames, she calmly walked forward, unfazed.
The mole grinned, but its expression shifted as Merkana emerged unscathed, the blazing inferno behind her only adding to her imposing presence.
"I see how you got in here," she deduced, her tone unnervingly calm. "You teleported everyone inside. Clever. Another point—four to zero now."
The Kaijin clicked its tongue but couldn't react as Merkana raised her hand.
"Air…" she began reciting, closing her eyes (- -). "Believe you are scissors," she continued, her eyes reopening (0 0). "Cut."
Suddenly, deep slashes appeared all over the mole's body, white foam spraying in every direction—its lifeblood.
"Kaaaargh!" it screamed, retaliating by launching its nose-drill like a projectile.
Merkana dodged effortlessly, catching the drill midair with precise hand movements before hurling it back. The Kaijin kicked it aside and counterattacked with a spinning kick, which Merkana dodged, retaliating with an upward punch to its jaw.
The drill returned to its nose, and the monster teleported again. Merkana clicked her tongue in annoyance, but something caught her attention: the Kaijin was teleporting erratically, leaving cracks in the ground wherever it landed.
(What is he doing?) she wondered, then noticed something odd. The cracks weren't natural; they only appeared where he teleported, not where he moved normally.
(His teleportation is accumulating the velocity of the distances traveled… which means…) Something clicked in her mind. (He's weaponizing speed as force!)
Before she could react, the Kaijin appeared in front of her, driving its drill into her arm.
Her attempt to block failed, and the attack tore through her limb, ripping it off entirely.
A loud crash echoed through the area, and despite hearing it, the Kaijin dismissed it as irrelevant.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Merkana screamed in agony, collapsing to her knees as tears welled up, reflected on her visor: (〒﹏〒).
"Heh," the monster sneered. "In the end, just a little girl, not a true man."
It grabbed her by the hair, slamming her face into the concrete before teleporting while dragging her along. With every teleport, her face was smashed into the ground repeatedly until it was unrecognizable.
"I don't usually enjoy this sort of thing, but…" the Kaijin chuckled, "you were a nuisance."
But then… applause.
"Well done!" a familiar, confident voice called out.
The Kaijin froze, recognizing it instantly.
It was Merkana—completely unharmed.
And then, the monster hears a sound again, as if countless shards of porcelain were coming back together.
He turns slowly, his eyes wide with an expression of pure terror.
"How d-did you...?" he stammers, his voice trembling.
"Follow the blood trail, darling," she replies, her voice dripping with pure mockery.
When he looks at the supposed blood trail, he's shocked to see not blood, but his own foam.
"W-what?!" His confusion deepens. "B-but then…?!" As he glances at the Merkana in his hands, his terror mounts upon seeing a leg dripping with foam, matching the color of his own skin, nearly unrecognizable.
It was his own leg.
"!!!!" He suddenly realizes something.
He wasn't properly controlling the direction of his own teleportation, but that still didn't explain how he mistook a person for his own leg.
"You thought you were in control of your teleportation," she begins, then continues, "But the moment I touched your drill, I didn't just put you under an illusion, oh no." Removing her helmet, she smiles. "I was controlling your own trajectory under hypnosis, sweetheart. And now? Now you're at the center of all the places you've teleported to. Fun fact…" She raises her left hand.
"Hypnosis is a form of control. And because of that, by interpreting the word 'movement'..." Her smile widens. "I can also control movements you've already made." She clasps her hands together, interlocking her fingers and pressing her palms, and the mole's face slams into the ground, his drill/nose bending under Merkana's force, which was somehow far greater than his own.
Before he can scream, he's dragged in circles through the teleportation points where he had already dragged his leg, mistaking it for the heroine.
Foam splatters everywhere as his upper body becomes unrecognizable, his suit shredded, leaving only the drill intact.
Yet he rises, trying to move toward the Mercurian, only to freeze in place.
Before he can react, Merkana seems to shift speed in an instant, appearing to land a punch on what remains of his face.
The feeling is strange—very strange. As the blow connects, he begins to feel that punch in the very essence of the action, as if experiencing a common strike in an entirely new way.
And then… a barrage of punches with the same magnitude rains down.
A storm of physical blows rains upon his body as the girl starts to scream.
"LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LUUUUUU!" She continues, breaking every bone in his body. "LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU LU!" Each punch grows stronger, glowing with a purple energy that radiates power. In the end, all of the mole's joints explode one by one.
"LU LUUUUUUUUU! LULLABY ENCHANTMENT!" Ending her barrage with the name of her projection, the girl lands one final blow, ripping the monster's head off while his limp body falls far away.
However, unlike what she expected, the remains do not dissolve into foam.
In the distance, what's left of the monster's drill glows yellow.
With a surprise attack, Merkana is kicked back several meters, giving the monster enough time for his head to reattach to his body.
(How... how did I even do this?) the creature wonders. (... Well, I won't complain, because I… I can't die here!) The Kaijin thinks.
He stands, attempting to move, surprised to find himself faster and noticing the girl is completely still.
"Haha! You only made me stronger, little girl!!" He charges with everything he has, but when he tries to touch her, his attacks pass straight through her body. "W-what?!"
Merkana smiles, pointing a finger behind him, and when the monster looks, he is shocked to see his own body.
"How?!" The Kaijin yells, startled and frightened.
"You see, just a few punches are enough to make your mind accelerate. And as you probably already know, the mind is the bridge between the body and the soul." Her smile widens. "You've basically lost all control over your senses, both physical and spiritual. Your soul is acting before your body because, right now, the bridge is disconnecting due to the speed. In other words," her smile turns sinister, "you're going to die either way."
"One more thing, you know what's interesting?" Surprising the creature, she grabs him by the 'neck.' "You can't touch me, but I can touch you!"
She begins to pummel the monster's soul with her bare hands, causing his body to suffer damage again. Before the Mole can react, she pins him to the ground and hypnotizes the floor.
In that moment, the ground binds itself to the monster's soul, trapping him like quicksand and then solidifying.
She calmly walks toward the monster's body, cracking her knuckles.
"You know, you're going to die anyway, and honestly, I'm getting really tired." She stretches. "But I don't want to risk too much. I've already noticed the drill is what lets you keep coming back and teleporting, probably drilling the distance between where you are and where you want to go, so."
She grabs the drill with one hand and crushes it with sheer brute strength, reducing it to dust as if it were sugar granules.
"I think I literally just stole your nose, huh?" She mocks with a sweet tone and an innocent smile, then bursts into laughter. "Oh man! Finally! Two points for me!!" She raises her arms. "I'm so close to winning this! As soon as he dies, it's a victory by default!"
The creature's body crumbles along with the drill, and its soul begins to fade away, no longer able to remain stable without its body and mind.
---
Explanation of Soul, Mind, and Body: #1
The Soul, Mind, and Body are interconnected and need to be in harmony to survive.
The Mind acts as the bridge between the Soul and the Body, establishing rules and limitations.
If the Mind desynchronizes from the Soul and Body, the bridge collapses, resulting in the eventual death of the living being.
---
At that moment, the monster is just two minutes away from falling in battle, sinking into his thoughts as he slowly fades away.
(No...) he affirms. (No, I won't be another monster who falls in battle. I… I need to see it, I need to see what I want!!) He starts to think. (I need to survive! I can't die here!) The Mole remembers something. (That's it, I... I must make a pact, just like the boss taught me!)
At this moment, the monster was almost completely extinguished, but it could still think long enough to utter the following phrase:
("Every time I am on the brink of death, if I so desire, something of mine will be burned away so I may be reborn stronger and access this power as a transformation. However, I will never be able to use that thing at its original potential again, only in ways different from its original use!")
It hears the sound of chains, and something wraps around it.
At that moment, an explosion of fire erupts where its soul was, the sound echoing throughout the mall, and Merkana nearly flies backward.
"Huh?!" - She turns, surprised, to see what is happening.
She then notices a humanoid figure walking through the flames, a phoenix mark on its face, energy veins covering its body, and flames forming six drill-like appendages floating behind it as if they were wings.
---
Merkana Battle | North Wing | Now!
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The girl widens her eyes, sensing the power emanating from that being, realizing that the once-dying monster had now become even more powerful, despite having faced certain death just moments ago.
(To recover its body and mind like that, it must have made a pact. But… how? It shouldn't be capable of—) - She pauses to think for a moment - (It used the remnants of its mind, etched into its soul, huh? Clever, but it only proves how irrelevant it is.)
---
Explanation of Pacts, Number 1:
Pacts can be made with anything, not just with evil entities as some myths suggest. They are incredibly useful, though some uses are still considered dishonorable.
Merkana deemed both the action and the one who carried it out as irrelevant for a reason—she had seen many enemies, whether human, alien, demon, or kaijin, resort to something similar.
When facing death, a pact with oneself is always the best option for survival, though it is considered a cowardly choice.
---
(Oh, I see. It sacrificed its ability to use flames as it once did, huh? Then that probably played a vital role in its body's functioning.) - The Mercurian stretches, thinking - "I like the look. Did your hubby give you the makeover, huh?~"
"You're definitely terrifying. I must reiterate my words: you are a man of respect." - The mole responds with an imposing voice.
(Does this idiot still not realize I'm a woman?) - The mix of surprise and disappointment almost made a drop of sweat escape her suit. - (Ah, let the fool have his fantasies, right?)
Both assume fighting stances, staring each other down, and then the mole speaks again.
"You're certainly a man of few words. I admire that." - The monster smiles, the contradiction in its words almost suggesting it has Alzheimer's. - "They're the best to silence. They accept it easily." - It pauses to think - "I've never killed men of few words. Actually, this is my first fight, but… I imagine what it's like!"
"Huh…?" - The Mercurian is confused. (=~=).
Before Merkana could react, it clasps its arms together, and all the drills disappear, reappearing directly at Merkana's location.
She hadn't anticipated the attacks appearing exactly where they intended to strike, which injured her both internally and externally.
(I was going to throw them, but neat!) - The fiery mole leaps toward Merkana and uses its entire left arm to slam her into the ground.
When the Mercurian hits the ground, the mole somersaults and lands on her torso, causing her to vomit purple blood, characteristic of her species.
Hearing the sound of breaking dishes again, the mole this time reacts quickly, pointing one of its drills toward a specific spot.
"You won't fool me twice." - It teleports one of its drills, piercing the true Merkana in the clavicle, forearm, hand, and cheek, leaving holes and shattering her helmet.
"Grrr…" - Her speed changes, rushing directly toward the mole.
When the mole attempts to strike, she suddenly changes direction and begins a sequence of kicks to vital points.
Strangely, it's clear she isn't putting much force behind the kicks, yet the damage they cause is significant.
The mole spits blood and dodges a spinning kick that cracks the ground.
(I've only got 15 seconds left!) - Merkana tries to hit him again, but the drills position themselves in front of the mole, forming a wall-like barrier.
She doesn't panic when her kick is stopped by the barrier and begins trying to destroy it.
---
"LU LU LU LU LU LU…" - A barrage of glowing purple kicks is directed at the barrier, but nothing happens.
With each kick, everything trembles within a 5-meter radius. After 13 seconds, however, her kicks begin to slow.
(Ah, just as I thought—she's decelerating the effects of inertia in time with her projection, which is clearly a clock.) - The mole smirks.
(Damn it!!) - She uses her acceleration power to try to hasten the flames' burning, which works.
She retreats, preparing to attack again, but the mole grins and says, "Behind you!"
Merkana's eyes widen, and she quickly turns around.
Big mistake.
"Idiot!" - The mole takes advantage of her distraction and drives a hand through her stomach.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" - Before she can retaliate, she's launched with a kick, flying into a Japanese restaurant she knows all too well. She sighs in exasperation, already anticipating what comes next.
"Mercurian!!!" - shouts the man she despises most in the entire mall, likely the human she finds the most annoying on the planet.
Everyone in the establishment had been safe from the Minions, but when they saw the girl crash into the room, they panicked…
Except for one person.
A hooded individual dressed in black was savoring their twenty-fifth bowl of ramen when Merkana came flying in their direction. They calmly moved to an empty table on the other side of the medium-sized establishment, almost supernaturally.
Merkana ignores this, painfully standing up, her clavicle already healed. Now, she looks at the old man behind the counter, scowling at her.
He had a balding head, resembling a priest from period films, with a beard that included sideburns and a connected mustache, shaved beneath. Both his hair and beard were gray. His skin was sagging but still appeared fit. His complexion was a lighter tan, and he had golden canine teeth.
His muscles were well-toned for his age, and he wore regular clerk attire, currently standing with his arms crossed.
"Isn't it enough that those electric punks have been causing me problems? Now you're here too?" he said, clearly irritated and angry.
"Listen here, Vavá, I'm trying to save this damn mall! So seriously, send everyone here away! Or else..." — she didn't finish because the mole finally reached that floor with a leap. When the people saw it, they started running.
Except for the hooded man, who, under the astonished gaze of the Mercurian, kept calmly eating his ramen without a care.
But now wasn't the time to pay attention to others' actions; she did that too much already at work. A damn creature needed to be dealt with now.
She cracked her fingers again, creating sparks, and from those sparks, her arms were enveloped in flames. She smirked wickedly at the mole, which sneered back before they both charged at each other under the old man's astonished gaze.
She dodged a left hook and, spinning, delivered several slaps to the creature's face using the palms and carpi of both hands.
At first, it was somewhat effective until the mole's skin began to harden, now feeling like steel. The elevated temperature wasn't helping her either; her outfit was nearly starting to melt.
The creature used the flames to forge a hammer, which struck Merkana and broke one of her arms, causing her to grunt in pain.
Then it delivered an upward capoeira kick to her face, sending her flying toward the counter. Mid-air, however, she hypnotized herself, floating for just a second to cushion her fall.
In a short span, she used the counter as a springboard to propel herself toward her opponent with a so-called "Superman Punch" aimed at its chin.
It worked… and it made the creature angry. But before the mole could retaliate, Merkana clung to its head and used it as a springboard. She then snapped her fingers, and with a red glow, a golden pistol appeared in her hand.
"Golden Shooter!" she shouted, pulling the trigger as a laser shot at the monster at the speed of sound. Yet, it simply caught the shot with one hand and destroyed it.
A volley of shots followed as Merkana summoned a second pistol, though they had no significant effect. Still, they provided a distraction, allowing her to land and charge her opponent again. She leaped, spinning 360 degrees to deliver a kick with her right leg, then spun again for a left-leg kick. Both strikes left her opponent dazed. She wasn't done yet; upon landing, she ducked to avoid being grabbed and, using alcohol from the bar via her control, unleashed a sea of flames toward her opponent.
It wasn't very large, just enough to cover its body, but it forced the creature out of the store and nearly knocked it back to the floor below.
"MY DRINKS!! MY PRECIOUS DRINKS!!!" Vavá shouted, indignant and comically teary-eyed.
The distance between it and the store gave the girl just enough time to prepare again. However, she was already exhausted. Her body began to tremble, and she groaned in pain as the adrenaline wore off. Now she could feel the wound in her abdomen, sapping her strength to command her cells to regenerate.
Why didn't she try to regenerate abstractly?
She was trying, but something surprised her.
(*Wait, I... can only affect the abstract by using my body as a focus?*) The girl's eyes widened. (*But why?! Damn it!*)
She saw the mole creature rise from where she'd left it, slowly walking toward her.
"You fought well, kid. You're truly a respectable man," it said, and the Mercurian clicked her tongue. The clerk widened his eyes, his mouth curling into a restrained smile, though no one seemed to notice. "But you're quite stupid for using fire against me, I am literally pure flames!."
"..." Merkana didn't know how to respond.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The old man laughed madly, looking up at the ceiling, his torso arched backward. "MY DRINKS WERE WASTED FOR NOTHING!! WHAT A TERRIBLE FEELING! I'M CRYING! HOW SAD! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The mole and Merkana stared at him as if he were insane.
The creature then ignored him, raising all its drills toward Merkana.
"But now it doesn't matter. I think I'll finish the job," it said, a grin forming on its lips.
A chill ran down the girl's spine, but it seemed... there was nothing she could do.
Was this the end? After everything she'd been through? After all of it… would she die because she underestimated her opponent?
Vavá finally stopped laughing, realizing the situation. In a breathless voice from laughing so much, he asked:
"Isn't now the perfect moment for one of your little friends to swoop in and save the day?"
Before Merkana could respond to his earlier laughter, the man eating ramen widened his eyes under his hood. In an impossibly fast motion, he threw his hood at the monster's face, blinding it momentarily.
That was more than enough time for him to leave money on the counter, perform an acrobatic wall run, and then do something incredible.
With a right-leg kick at the air, he released a pressurized air bullet that struck the monster, sending it flying to the floor below.
The two stared wide-eyed at the boy, and Merkana recognized him the moment she saw his hair.
"You...?" she asked, with a mix of bafflement and surprise.
"Sokayo... sorry for the delay, Merkana," he said, flashing a peace sign as he leaned over to look at her.
The boy had messy black hair, Asian features like narrow eyes, light brown pupils, a sleeveless white shirt, and two black wristbands. Around his waist was a faux-fur jacket, and he wore black leather sandals.
He smiled, and it seemed to light up the entire room... so beautiful, so pure.
"Close your mouth; you're blinding me!" the Mercurian grumbled, covering her visor.
At that moment, Sirius came rushing to the scene, taking in all the destruction in the establishment, particularly the presence of the seemingly Japanese youth.
"Uh... who are you?" he asked, panting as he knelt in exhaustion.
The youth dropped his smile, gazing curiously at the gem on Sirius' forehead, lips pursed in thought. But he soon set it aside and smiled again, even more dazzling than before.
"Damn it, you're blinding me, you jerk! My eyes!!" Sirius yelled, covering his face to avoid the radiant smile.
The Asian just laughed irritably, holding back the urge to punch Renovas.
But he quickly composed himself and smiled more calmly this time, without showing teeth.
"I'm Hirofumi Naobito," he said, striking a pose with his palms together before spreading his arms like wings. "And I will be the greatest hero of all!"
... ..- / ... .. -. - --- / ... ..- .. .- / ..-. .- .-.. - .-
To be continued...
(Goal of 20 Power Stones, you lot! You better do it, sailor, or you'll walk the plank! ARGH! Eyepatch, Gold Tooth, Wooden Leg! HAHAHAHAHAHA)