Maniacal Mission 1

Cave 3, Heath Hart and Laura Crescent

Entering the room was Ri. From his arm, came forth a beast. It looked like a headless gorilla on steroids. Its arms and legs were bigger than Laura's body. Yellowish pale skin, six foot tall. No neck, no head, just several eyes. Ri then left the room in a flash.

"A level 5 maniacal beast." Heath pressumed silently

Heath casts an "Infernal Card", he holds the card with his right index and thumb. He throws the card at the beast. The card exploded on impact. The beast just took the explosion. Not a slither of damage was inflicted.

"Tch." Heath annoyed

Heath then casts "Infernal Cards: Four of a kind". Four cards of the same variety of different suits. He got four of eights. The four cards are projectiles that were pulled from the deck. He sends the four cards directly at the beast. The four cards ignited on impact. The smoke from the explosion hid the beast's presence.

Emerging from the smoke in a blink of an eye was the beast landing a punch at Heath. Heath was far too late to defend. He was about to draw "Heart Ace" a card that can extend its overall size and acts as a shield. He got smashed into the far wall behind him.

"Was that a spell or was that its sheer strength?" He wondered, as he plummets to the wall

"Laura! Why aren't you doing anything?" He yelled angrily

"Fuck! I have to do something. Why wont I draw my sword?" Laura frustrated as she trembles

"Laura! I know I'm not Dan, but you really need to draw your sword and fight!" He yelled again

Laura grips her sword. She tries to pull it out. She was shaking so much she couldn't focus. Heath walks slowly forward. He stretches his back.

"Hey, whoever's controlling this stupid beast, I'm just getting started!" Heath yelled aloud, with the assumption that they were listening

He draws "Diamond Ace" from his deck. A card he used against Hiro in their orientation fight—the first day. An extendable card that acts like a saber. He then starts running at the beast and the beast started running at him too. The beast took the first swing from Heath's left. He drops to the ground and slides on the ground passing the beast. His card slashes the beast's leg but it barely leaves a mark. Heath stands back up and lands two consecutive slashes to its back.

The beast then turned around and punches him. Heath removes his "Diamond Ace" and draw "Heart Ace" to block the punch. The punch was strong enough to send him flying to the other wall, but he manage to stop himself from getting smashed into the wall by casting "Feet Thrusters". He made his feet turn into rocket thrusters, repelling him against the beast. From the ground, he lifts his legs. He leveled his body even with the middle of the big card. Pushing back the beast ever so slightly.

From the beast's arm, it lights up and the beast's strength increases. Heath was being pushed back a lot more.

"ERUPT!" Heath yelled. Casting a spell. From his shield/card, released a straight line explosion that blew away the beast half across the room. Heath then draws "Spade Ace" and throws the card at the beast. A homing projectile that goes at subsonic speed that acts either as a bullet or a missile—in terms of effects. Bullet pierces, missiles explodes. Heath specifically chose for it to be a bullet. He had the card home on its head.

The beast had quite the fast reflexes. It moved its head quick enough to dodge it but not fully. Heath made a scratch on its face. The card flew past the beast and was automatically dispelled. The beast stood up. Then the beast started to glow.

"Fuck."

The beast jumps toward Heath and he jumps out of the way. The beast slams its fists to the wall. Shaking the room. The beast then was occupied on the wall, because its hands were stuck on it.

Heath then took the opportunity to use another "Spade Ace" and throws it directly at the beast. Because the beast was fidgeting so much with its hands, the card hits the shoulder of the beast and made a deep cut.

The beast pulls its fists out of the wall and turned to Heath. The beast puts its hand in the ground, grabbing the rocks that broke off and threw it at Heath.

Heath premptively drew "Heart Ace" and blocks the rock. But his footing was loose so he was pushed back pretty far. He deflects the rock as he stopped. The beast then dashed at Laura with its fist aiming at her. Heath runs in front of her quickly and blocks it with "Heart Ace". It was a full on punch backed with an amp spell, the beast knocked the two back adjacent the wall behind them.

Heath drew a "Royal Flush". Five cards—King, Queen, Jack, Ace, and a Ten of any suit or color. He snaps his fingers and the five cards appeared in every direction of the beast. Surrounding it. The cards' size grew to the beast's size. Then Heath snaps his finger again, igniting the five cards like a claymore. The beast was engulfed in flames, burning slowly, but barely.

"Laura! Get your fucking head out of the gutter! Fight!" He yells at her

"I-I can't..." Her voice at the verge of cracking up

"What the fuck do you mean by 'can't'?" He asks

"Uhh..."

Heath grabs her by her shoulders, pulls her close to him, and slaps her in the face.

"You're scared, right?" He asked. His voice got calmer

She nodded.

"That's... That's fine. But, listen. Your spells combined with your sword can cut this fucking beast in half. I know you're scared, but I really need your help. Dan's probably fighting for his life too. Just like all of us."

"I'm... I'm sorry."

"Yeah, apology accepted. Now, we'll fight 'em together."

The beast then rose up and the fire gave out. It then dashed all the way to them. Heath can only cast one ace card at a time. So, he decided to use "Heart Ace" on Laura to protect her from the punch. While Heath casts "Burning Amplification" on himself—his amp spell is quite inferior to Laura's. But, it should be enough to tank the hit.

Laura was hit to the wall, while Heath was being crushed into it. Laura runs away from the wall and to the side of the beast. She draws her sword but the beast caught her sword. She needs to pull it from its grasp. She channels "Light Amplification" to her sword and pulls her sword with all her strength. Her blade cuts its way out of the beast's grasp. She then rushes away from the beast. She faces the beast and holds her sword with both her hands.

She lifts her sword up high and swings down as fast as she can. Unleashing "Crescent Slash" at the beast. Her attack made a deep cut to the beast's left arm.

While Heath, still pinned up against a wall, started screaming. He set himself ablaze. The small fire became a raging inferno.

"ERUPT!!!!" Heath yelled louder. He blows the beast away from him and sent it smashing the wall across the room. As it hit the wall, on the ground, trying to get up, Laura took her opportunity to attack. She gently grips her blade. Having the tip touching the ground behind her right foot. The blade facing up. She casts "Light Amplification" to her and channels it to her sword. Overflowing her mana to her blade.

She swings counterclockwise. From the blade behind her to the highest point, and all the way down and stops right before it hits the ground. She unleashes "Full Moon Slash". A circle wave of cutting-edge mana that cuts anything in its path.

Her attack lands directly at the beast. Slashing the beast away. The cuts were deep but it couldn't cut off any of its limbs. But, the beast was nearly dead. It can no longer use a spell, without suffering heavy repercussions.

Heath walks toward the beast. He draws a "Straight Flush". Thirteen cards of the same suit in sequential order—from Ace to King. The cards were connected like a chain. He plays around with his cards while walking toward the beast.

As he reached the beast, he stood over it. Looking down on the beast.

"I'll be killing you now."

Heath then swings his cards in a diagonal motion. Cutting the beast. He swings, over and over and over. Following the cuts that Laura gave it, he cut the beast to pieces.

"Congratulations!!! You've beaten your obstacle! Now good luck getting to the next room!" Shujin screams from somewhere

"Fuck this guy." Heath slurred

Laura then jogs to Heath. "Is... Is it dead?" She asks

"Yeah, thanks to you." Heath said.

"Sorry, I... I couldn't do anything earlier."

"I already accepted your apology. It's okay. You pulled through in the end, right? That's what matters."

Laura then looks at Heath, then blood drips from his head slowly.

"Y-y-you're bleeding!"

Heath holds his head and realizes that he is.

"Well, what can I do about that?"

"S-should we call Kai?"