Chapter 26: Third Time's the Charm

Romaine's POV

Kronos coated his foot in his iron and kicked me away.

"So his anemia isn't something I can take advantage of anymore, what now?" I said

-"Find something else to exploit."- Cas suggested

"Nothing's coming to mind."

-"How did he get around his anemia anyway?"-

"I don't know. Anemia's generally caused by a lack of iron. So iron tablets I guess?"

-"Then if that's the case, he can only use his ability to a certain extent before his body's supplemented iron is depleted."-

"So you want me to just take all these hits?"

-"Never said that. Just get him to use his ability enough; you should be able to notice when your window is open."-

"Dondre, how are you doing on your side?"

-"His comms' off, but he's currently in pursuit of Crimson around the city."-

My attention was turned back to Kronos when he came charging at me. He headbutted me in the chest, with his head as iron of course.

I got flung back onto the floor. Now I've had enough. Kronos coated his entire body in iron. He's not stupid, he must know his own limitations. So whatever he has in mind, he believes he can get it done before the iron in his body runs out.

"Cas," I called, standing up, "about how dense is iron?"

-"7.87 grams per cubic centimetre. Why?"- She responded

7.87 grams per cc (cubic centimetre), that doesn't sound too bad. Since it's his skin that gets lined with iron, I'd have to multiply its volume by that. The average volume of the human skin can reach up to 2,800 cc's. So 7.87 multiplied by 2,800, that's... woah-- a very big number that I don't have time to calculate. But that's somewhere around 22,000.

"How fast would I have to go in order to phase through something as dense as 22K cc's?"

-"Umm.. you'd have to be vibrating at a frequency that requires you to be going at around mach speed. Whatever you're planning you're not fast enough for that. Just tell me what you have in mind."-

"Mach speed is around 1200 kmph right?"

-"1223, yes. Romaine, I won't ask again, tell me what you're planning."-

I looked up at Kronos. And went into the 'on your marks' position.

"I'm tired of being the one left behind." I stated.

I transitioned into the 'get set' position.

I looked Kronos dead on; he was ready for me, but he wasn't ready for what I had planned.

Before sprinting off, I vibrated on the spot. I charged towards Kronos. I focused all my energy into running and vibrating as fast as possible. He swung his fist forward towards me; which is just what I wanted in order to catch him off guard.

His iron coated fist made impact with my face; hard, impact. That, was not supposed to happen.

-"Oh my god.."- Started Cas, -"Do you have some kind of brain injury that prevents you from listening to me?"-

"That.. wasn't a part of the plan."

-"Jeez. How badly are you hurt?"-

"I think my nose is broken; it's bleeding. And my entire skull feels like it's been impaled."

-"Just what were you hoping to accomplish from that? Surely you couldn't possibly have thought that you'd be able to~"-

"Phase through him? Yeah."

-"I told you that you weren't fast enough for mach speed. Gosh Romaine just listen for once."-

"You make it sound like I generally don't listen."

-"Well when you go and do stuff as dumb as this you might as well just defy me all the time."-

Before Cas could continue to chew me out, Kronos' movements wavered. I take it that this was my window of opportunity. I guess he didn't really know his limits.

"Gotta go" I said to Cas

Temporarily ignoring the immense pain my face was feeling, I sprung up and sped toward Kronos. I delivered him a speed-punch right to the face, same place he hit me, and sent him flying. The loud sound produced from me punching his iron face at superspeed came as a surprise; it sounded like a boom.

"That's 4 for me, and 0 for you." I said to him

-"Three actually."- Cas corrected

"What?"

-"You've only faced him three times so far"-

"Oh."

-"Are you sure he's out and not dead?"-

I went over and checked for a pulse.

"He's out cold. We're good."

-"Alright. Time to converge at the hospital, and hurry; the sun is starting to rise."-

"Got it."