Reborn- Apocalypse 2 Page 4
He would partially transform, gaining several aspects of his Type Ability, while still maintaining a humanoid form. By doing so, he would grow much stronger, his Endurance and Strength skyrocketing, while the drain on his soul was greatly lessened.
This usage wasn't as powerful as his Full Transformation, but still gave him considerable benefits.
"Swing round! We can't just force them off the ship, we have to crush each one!" Simon's voice came out as a snarl as another Abnormal jumped in front of him, punching him in the gut. The blow sent his bulky body sliding backwards with a solid grunt, hunched slightly over in pain.
Around him, around 5 other warriors could be seen, wielding a variety of melee weapons as they directly fought against the Abnormals. 4 of them were C Rankers, using heavy hitting maces or axes to bash at the Abnormals while wearing metallic, impact reducing armor.
The fifth figure was the other B Ranker sent by the Saru Group, a lean, black skinned woman known as the Flaming Axe Maurice. She was one of the weaker and newer B Rankers, but her Flaming Fist Type Ability made each of her attacks searingly powerful, able to wipe out regular Morenkai and deal substantial damage to Abnormals.
"Captain! There's too many of them!" A panicked yell from one of the C Rankers rang out as he was knocked backwards, a red-skinned Abnormal sending him flying back several meters. Simon grunted as he saw this, taking a step forward.
Gunshots rang out from above as the 10 present C Rankers of the Sharpshooter Alliance shot at the Abnormals, knocking some of them backwards. The crew of snipers was perched on the highest roof of the cruise-liner, taking shots from the top.
Only a few of their bullets managed to pierce any skin and damage the Abnormals, however. While all of them had special enhanced bullets, guns, or Abilities that could take down regular Morenkai, Abnormals were a completely different topic altogether. They were able to injure them, but they would need to hit the joints of the Abnormals to have any chance of stopping them in a small number of shots.
Abruptly, a loud thud echoed out.
Another Abnormal had appeared, one that caught everyone's attention.
"A Monster Class?!" A sniper from the rooftop yelled out loud, his voice tinged with horror.
A huge, obese Morenkai had landed on deck, drawn to the ongoing battle. This Morenkai was pale and large, around half a meter taller than the other Morenkai. Its arms and legs were thick, a mix of fat and muscle that combined with its odd coloring and faceless head to look repulsive.
"No." Simon instantly made the judgement call, his voice booming.
"It's not that easy to encounter a Monster Class Morenkai." Despite his proclamation, his voice was grim as he stared at it,
"But it's at the limit between a regular Abnormal and a Monster Class Morenkai."
Simon had never seen a Monster Class Morenkai before, but he'd gotten information on what they looked like from General Raymen. According to the leader of the Saru Group, they were ferocious beings that gave off a visible Aura of light or some type of tangible feeling. You could instantly tell if a Monster Class Morenkai was before you because of that.
This fat Abnormal here… it definitely had a presence it gave off. But it didn't come off anywhere near as strong as a full Monster Class Morenkai would.
"Maurice! Men! Hold it back while I deal with these others! Reinforcements will be here soon!" Simon's voice echoed out as he jumped to his left, bashing into a green-skinned Abnormal. They had managed to kill 3 Abnormals already, if they could take out a few more, the battle would become much easier.
A few more seconds passed, gunfire continuing to sound off. The battle was ongoing, the clashes of axes or maces on Morenkai skin echoing. His men went with Maurice to engage the fat Abnormal while he took on a group of three Abnormals all on his own.
He managed to kill one more Abnormal, taking a few bruising punches in the process, when a pair of yells sounded off.
"We can't hold it back, Captain!" Maurice was thrown backwards, her voice echoing in a scream as she landed down hard. Not a moment later, the C Rankers from the Saru Group were forced back, retreating towards the internal wall of the cruise ship.
"A couple of Abnormals went to the roof! The Sharpshooters are retreating!" One of his C Rankers yelled out loud as he retreated.
"Hup!" Captain Simon smashed aside a blue-skinned Abnormal, sending the creature flying a dozen meters before he swore out loud as he heard the cries of his allies.
"Damn it! Transform! Help the Sharpshooters Alliance, I'll handle it down here!"
Simon activated his Full Transformation powers. Immediately, his body expanded, the clothes he wore becoming stored in a Spatial Ring he had looped into a necklace, a special necklace that would become securely attached to his transformed figure.
In just a scant second, a huge, hulking Dark Rhinoceros appeared. It was massive, almost 3 meters tall, covered in a thick, black hide with a huge, meter long horn.
"SNORT!" Without waiting, Simon immediately charged at the fat Abnormal, knowing time was of the essence. He could only use this form for a brief period of time.
His footsteps put dents in the deck of the ship as he charged, roaring out loud. He bashed aside two Abnormals as he ran, sending them flying. One of them died directly, giving him around 200 Points, while the other was blasted off of the cruise ship.
A couple of seconds later, the huge, hulking Abnormal, one that was nearing Monster Class, collided with his enormous Dark Rhino body in an impact that shook the entire ship.
The floor of the cruise ship's deck twisted and cracked, wooden shards of shrapnel shooting into the air. The metal underpinnings that held it all together screeched and warbled, popping sounds ringing out at the blow. Two huge indents appeared in the ground beneath the fat Abnormal as it stretched, its arms and legs bulging.
'It… it stopped my charge?' Captain Simon thought, dazed as he felt this. His huge body had come to an abrupt halt, forcibly stopped.
This was the first time an Abnormal had ever successfully managed to take his full powered attack head-on.
Some of the creatures that inhabited the Great Bridge and in the Main Cluster… they were a step up from the ones that could be found in the outside Clusters.
"GRRRR!" The hulking, fat Abnormal let out a growl as it heaved at Simon's Dark Rhinoceros body, picking him up by the horn. It then twisted in mid-air and threw the Captain, sending him crashing against, into, and through one of the interior walls.
A small explosion of metal and wood shook the air as the hulking rhino collided and smashed through several rooms on the deck, flipping over a half dozen times before coming to a halt. He obliterated half a dozen beds and nightstands, sending a flurry of feathers scattering into the air. The successive blows stunned Simon for a brief moment before he recovered, his chest heaving.
"Arrrgh!" Simon switched back to his Partial Transformation state, blood streaming down his face as he barged back onto the deck, smashing through a wood and metal lined wall, all the while barking out orders.
"Reinforcements will get here soon! Surround the fat one and aim for its legs! If we can't take it out with brute force we can jus…" His voice trailed off as he blinked, his heart dropping.
The fat Abnormal was standing just a few meters from him, its body jiggling.
'It must have chased after me right after it threw me. Damn…' Before Simon could react, the Abnormal reached out with a palm strike, aimed directly at his chest. The attack took the Captain by surprise, slamming right into him.
"Ulp!" He was sent flying back several meters, tumbling onto the ground till he came to a halt. His breath was knocked out of him, leaving him in a stunned state from the abrupt attack.
'It's… it's too much.' His thoughts were delirious for a moment as he lay there, trying to stand up.
"Oh? A Pseudo-Monster Class. We got lucky to find you." A voice spoke aloud, its tone emotionless. Simon wheezed as he looked up, seeing a masked figure wearing a sharp black s
uit appear in front of him.
"Emissary Heron?!" Simon stuttered out, blinking furiously as he tried to clear his mind.
The fat Abnormal didn't wait for them to continue their discussion. Instead, it directly charged forward, its obese body shaking as it lowered its shoulder to ram Micheal.
"Watch ou-" Before Simon could finish his warning, the Abnormal arrived.
Micheal's eyes flicked to the side.
Smoothly, with almost unnaturally good timing, he sidestepped the fat Abnormal's lowered shoulder. In the same moment, he rested his palm right on the Abnormal's chest, speaking quietly to himself,
"Impact Release: Monster Truck."
"…"
WHOOOOSH
Micheal's Impact Release: Bulldozer technique was powerful, but it had a downside. Every time he used it, it cost him several thousand Points.
It was very strong, but also extremely expensive. As a result, Micheal had scoured the Shop, looking for a replacement. Eventually, after a good deal of searching, he'd found something.
From the same Miscellaneous Earth Objects section, Micheal could purchase a broken down Heavy Duty Transport Truck for 1,440 Points. This was almost 1/3rd the price of a broken down bulldozer, a huge save.
The downside was that the Heavy Duty Transport Truck only weighed roughly ~33% of what the bulldozer had weighed, at around 76,000 pounds or 38 tons.
Still, even that was an absurdly heavy weight, more than sufficient when it was dropped from a height dozens and dozens of meters in the air.
For, thanks to his Cloud Stepping Shoes, Micheal was able to fly to an even higher point above the skyscraper, reaching almost 200 meters high. As a result of all his testing, he was gradually getting better at handling the repeated suicidal drop, something that might've driven a normal person insane. The experience was still horrifying, but it was becoming easier to accept. He wasn't sure if he should feel worried or pleased about that.
Micheal felt the energy stored in his soul quiver and then blast into his body, shooting along his arm all the way into his resting palm.
A moment later…
The fat Abnormal that had caused the Captain so much trouble, throwing his Dark Rhinoceros form more than a dozen meters and injuring him, a creature that took his fully charged attack…
An enormous hole formed in its chest, acidic black blood sprayed out behind its body as its entire stomach, heart, lungs, or whatever organs a Morenkai had were completely obliterated.
Killed instantly.
.
—-Points Obtained—-
871
.
Its body collapsed backwards in a heap, falling to the ground. The deck immediately behind the fat Abnormal was stained black for several meters, the acidic blood starting to melt into the wood and metal.
Micheal nonchalantly wiped his hands on a handkerchief he pulled from his suit pocket, looking down at the dead Morenkai with distaste. It might be called ‘Pseudo-Monster Class’ but it was nowhere near a Monster Class Morenkai’s power. He then turned to look at the downed Captain, holding out a hand.
"You alright?"
Captain Simon nodded mutely, staring at Micheal with wide eyes as he took his hand.
"Good. We have a dozen more Abnormals to deal with." Micheal helped him up, waving a hand behind him.
Immediately, dozens of members of the coalition rushed forward, C Rankers and B Rankers alike all headed towards the main scene of the battle.
"Let's take 'em out!"
.
Chapter 6
Micheal leapt up into the air, using his Cloud Stepping Shoes to clear the area stained by the fat Morenkai's blood. The sharp scent spread a pungent odor, causing him to wrinkle his nose slightly.
His movements were strong and sure. Everything he did or said gave off an air of absolute confidence as he rushed forward, leading the way.
In just a split second, he arrived at the front side of the cruise ship, ahead of everyone else.
A half dozen Abnormal Morenkai were lying on the ground, dead, crushed by powerful impacts or cut by sharp blades. Several others were shambling forward, attacking the remaining warriors of the Saru Group. The Abnormals had all seemed to be power focused, with thicker arms and legs than regular ones.
The defenders were, not surprisingly, on the defensive. The warriors had formed a tight perimeter and were slowly retreating, obviously waiting for reinforcements rather than risk injury. Even if a swarm of Abnormals were attacking, if a group of C Rankers, led by a B Ranker, focused purely on defense, they would be able to last for at least some amount of time.
Out of the corner of his eye, Micheal saw several of the other members of the Stardust Coalition take to the rooftop, attacking the Abnormals up there and saving the snipers.
The rest of the Coalition members were charging forward just a few meters behind him. Many of the C and B Rankers, as well as Sophia, moved in one big group. They reached the scene of the battle just a scant moment after him. Micheal's eyes flicked at them for a brief moment, noting that fact.
He immediately charged at the Abnormals, his hand drifting to his waist, where his Ashari Blade lay sheathed.
"Emissi-" Before the strongest defender, Flaming Axe Maurice, could finish her grateful greeting, Micheal had already arrived and entered the fray.
.
—-Points Obtained—-
Points: 138
.
—-Points Obtained—-
Points: 123
.
—-Points Obtained—-
Points: 101
.
In a single motion, Micheal withdrew his Ashari Blade, coating it in a layer of Intermediate Sword Energy, and lashed out. He pulled the blade out extremely quickly, in a well-practiced maneuver. The energy swarmed from his soul as he activated his Sword Mastery by instinct, almost instantaneously.
Like a knife cutting through butter, Micheal instantly killed 3 of the attacking Abnormals, splitting them in half horizontally. Their bodies fell to the floor, literally falling apart as he jumped, leaping over the acidic pool of blood that sprayed out.
Creatures that, not too long ago, would cause him a huge amount of trouble were now dealt with as if they were an afterthought. While the Abnormals were both stronger and tougher, and some of them faster, none of them could hold a candle to his concentrated focus and vast experience. When he combined that with his ultra sharp Ashari Blade and near endless Intermediate Sword Energy… it was like taking candy from a baby.
As he leapt, Micheal's left foot slammed into the head of one of the now 3 remaining Abnormals, a green-skinned one with freakishly long arms. The blow sent the Abnormal tumbling backward, knocking it off balance.
In the instant that it was falling, the green-skinned Abnormal whipped one of its sinewy arms at Micheal, the attack causing its arm to blur as it slammed through the air towards his chest.
The muscles in Micheal's right leg flexed as he slammed down with it and then jumped off the air itself, flipping forward. His right arm flicked down, his Ashari Blade stabbing directly below him…
Right into the skull of the still-falling green skinned Anomaly.
.
—-Points Obtained—-
Points: 109
.
Micheal landed on the ground, coming to an abrupt halt as he turned, facing the last few Abnormals. He jerked his blade up, pulling it from the corpse of the now dead Abnormal as he smiled. He shook his blade ever so slightly, flicking off the Abnormal's blood.
His attack had occupied a span of a couple of seconds. In that time, all of the Coalition members had just barely managed to reach the front side of the deck, just in time to witness his decimation of the Abnormals.
"My god… Emissary Heron is incredible…"
"Did he just solo 4 Abnormals in a single second?!"
"Is he… he's got to be A Rank, right?!"
"Did you guys not see his palm strike against the fat Abnormal?!"
He had seen Micheal's ingenuity and planning, as well as watched him take out several powerful humans, but instantly killing a large number of Abnormal Morenkai in a single strike… even some A Rankers weren't capable of that.
Behind his mask, Micheal hid a slight smile.
In terms of raw stats… Micheal's body was barely at the level to be considered B Rank. If anything, he was much closer to C Rank in terms of physique. There were even some C Rankers here that were stronger than him.
'But skill and Abilities often matter far more, down here on the First.' His eyes flashed as he began to move forward, tossing the thought to the side as he sprinted towards the last two Morenkai.
The two Morenkai turned to face him, abandoning their attack on the Saru Group defenders. One had brown skin while the other had dark grey skin. Each one had tree-stump like legs and lanky arms, somewhat similar to the green-skinned Morenkai he had just killed. They seemed to sense the threat he posed, deciding to take Micheal down first.
The sounds of their feet shambling forward, echoing as they clomped on the metallic deck and sprinted right back at him. They led their charge with a pair of long, lanky fists slamming towards Micheal's head.
'That makes it easy.' He mentally shrugged.
In a single, almost unnaturally smooth motion, Micheal ducked down so low he was almost face-planting the ground. He then stepped forward, his body tensing up at the extremely slim angle he was pushing.
The muscles in his leg bulged once more as he then leapt forward in an incredibly low strike.
The angle he had picked completely circumvented the attacking Morenkai's blows as he slipped under them. His right arm blurred as he spun around twice, his blade seeming to vanish and then reappear in an instant.
.