Chapter : 98 Clash of Abominations
The air was thick with tension, the stench of sewage and blood mingling in the damp, oppressive atmosphere of the sewer.
'Just what kind of abominations are we witnessing?' was the collective thought of the agape imperial soldiers.
They stood frozen, their weapons trembling in their hands as they watched the two titans. The muddy ground beneath them shook violently, and the walls of the sewer groaned under the bone chilling pressure.
Lying against the crumpled sewer wall, Tatsumi's body trembled, his breathing ragged and shallow. His vision blurred, the edges of his world darkening from blood loss and exhaustion.
His mouth opened, or at least tried to.
A muffled, broken sound escaped his throat, but nothing coherent.
His tongue had been cut, the pain radiating through his skull, a dull but ever-present agony. The rough gag stuffed in his mouth, meant to stem the bleeding, absorbed the last remnants of his attempted words.
Yet, his eyes spoke louder than his voice ever could.
Widening, a mixture of shock, recognition, and disbelief.
Bane.
Even through his blurred vision, he saw him.
His wide, bloodshot eyes locked onto the towering figure before him, the obsidian monster that seemed to radiate an aura of primal fury.
The creature paused, its massive, hulking form tilting its head ever so slightly. Its aquamarine eyes, glowing like twin beacons in the dim light, flickered as they turned toward Tatsumi.
For a fleeting moment, the beast seemed to hesitate, its gaze softening as if a flicker of recognition passed through its feral mind.
Tatsumi's breath hitched as he thought. 'You really are—'
But the fragile calm shattered like glass.
"Grrrrah!!" Kuro's guttural roar erupted like a thunderclap, its massive form writhing free from the obsidian monster's grip. With a feral snarl, it lunged at its adversary, claws extended and teeth bared in a whirlwind of rage.
The obsidian beast's eyes narrowed, its aquamarine irises contracting into raven-like slits as it bared its jagged, feral teeth in response.
**BOOOMMM!!!**
In an instant, the two titans' hulking fists collided with a force that shook the very foundations of the sewer.
**CRACK!!**
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the chamber, cracking the walls and splintering the floor beneath them. Sewer water erupted in geysers, drenching everything in a foul, murky spray.
After the initial clash, Kuro didn't retreat. Its steely claws slashed through the air, aiming to rip apart its foe, but the obsidian monster moved with a speed that defied its massive frame.
*Swooosh*
It twisted, dodging the strike with unnatural agility, and countered with a devastating punch to Kuro's gut.
*BOOMM*
The blow landed with a sickening crunch, sending the beast hurtling across the chamber.
Kuro's body smashed into the wall, leaving a gaping crater in its wake. Chunks of stone rained down, crashing into the water below.
The soldiers stared in stunned silence, their faces pale and eyes wide with terror.
Mez's voice snapped them out of their daze. "Open fire!" she barked, her tone sharp and commanding.
The soldiers hesitated for only a moment before obeying, their hands trembling as they raised their weapons.
*RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT*
The crackle of gunfire filled the air, bullets ricocheting off the obsidian monster's impenetrable hide. Sparks flew in the dim sewer, but the beast barely flinched.
Its aquamarine eyes glowed brighter as it turned its gaze toward the soldiers, its growl low and menacing.
Then, its eyes fell on the unconscious and battered purple haired woman, who was being held by two imperial soldiers.
"Grrr!" The obsidian monster's growl deepened, and it began to step toward them, its massive form casting a shadow over the terrified soldiers.
Kuro, however, was not done. With a bone-rattling roar, it reemerged from the rubble, its body already regenerating from the devastating blow.
The obsidian monster turned its attention back to Kuro as the biological Teigu charged with renewed ferocity.
"GRROWLL!!!"
"GRRRRAH!!!"
The two titans roared as they clashed again, their movements raw and primal, devoid of any grace.
They fought like wild beasts, teeth bared and claws slashing, their roars echoing through the sewer.
Kuro's claws raked across the obsidian monster's chest, but the wounds healed almost instantly, the flesh knitting itself back together with horrifying speed.
The obsidian monster retaliated with a brutal swipe of its own, tearing through Kuro's side, but the biological Teigu's regeneration kicked in just as quickly, the damage vanishing in moments.
The battle continued with a chaotic frenzy of violence, each blow landing with earth-shaking force. The ceiling above groaned, then gave way, chunks of concrete and metal crashing down, cutting off any hope of retreat.
The air was thick with dust and debris, the battlefield reduced to a nightmarish landscape of destruction.
Tatsumi, slumped against the wall, could only watch as the carnage unfolded. His body was broken, his strength spent. Blood trickled from countless wounds, pooling beneath him as his vision blurred. His chest heaved with shallow, labored breaths, each one a struggle. He tried to speak, to call out, but due to his wounds, he couldn't.
Darkness crept into the edges of his vision. His head lolled to the side, his body finally giving in to the overwhelming exhaustion and pain.
As unconsciousness claimed him, the last thing he saw was the obsidian monster, its beastial azure eyes blazing like twin stars in the chaos, clashing with the biological beast amidst the ruins of the Sewer.
The soldiers, meanwhile, could only watch in horror as the two titans tore into each other with unrelenting fury.
The sewer trembled as the obsidian monster and Kuro tore into each other, their roars shaking the foundations of the underground tunnels.
Mez stood amidst the chaos, examining the scene with clinical detachment. The beast was unlike anything she had seen before. It moved with primitive wrath, each attack was savage and unrelenting.
Her gaze shifted to the unconscious woman nearby, who was still held and restricted.
She considered using the rebel assassin to threaten the beast, but she quickly rejected the notion of it.
'Judging from the way this massive bastard is battling, I don't think he has any rationality left inside him, for the time being, he is just a savage beast.' She came to an immediate conclusion.
'Has to be a trump card his teigu offers.'
'I can try to kill this thing, but I'm getting a bad feeling…' Mez's instincts sparked and she opted not to engage in the conflict personally. For in her area of work, she had always attempted to follow it.
She turned her attention to Seryu Ubiquitous, who lay frozen, covered in blood and mud, fists clenched as she watched her teigu struggle against the monster.
'This can't go on.' with that thought, she chose to address Seryu.
"Seryu," Mez snapped, her voice like a whip. "Your mutt's Berserker mode. What's the limit? How much more can it handle that monster?"
Mez already knew Kuro's trump card as she directly operated under Honest.
Seryu hesitated, her eyes darting between Mez and the raging battle. She knew her upcoming trial would be more harsh if she dared to defy Mez again, so she hastily replied "I… Kuro can sustain it for a while, but if we push too hard—"
"No time for excuses." Mez's tone was ice. She grabbed Seryu by the arm and yanked her close. "Command it to pin that thing down. We need to neutralize it now—or I will personally cut your head and make your mutt gnaw on it, do you understand?"
Seryu paled as she gritted her teeth, then finally relented. "Kuro! Hold the bastard back!"
In between ensuing the mayhem, Kuro let out a bone-chilling roar as its body bulked up, its eyes glowing a wild, bloodthirsty red.
The monstrous Teigu lunged, tackling the obsidian beast with explosive force. Their collision sent debris flying, walls cracking under their sheer strength.
Mez turned sharply to the nearest squad leader, her emerald eyes narrowed with icy intensity.
"Bring in the heavy artillery!" she commanded, her voice slicing through the din. "Now!"
The soldiers, already rattled by the titanic battle unfolding before them, nodded frantically. They scrambled through the winding tunnels, the echo of their frantic footsteps mingling with the monstrous roars.
Moments later, four men returned, each carrying segments of a portable anti-danger beast cannon, its dark steel frame glinting ominously under the dim torchlight.
The weapon was designed for quick assembly, meant for infantry use against armored threats—like large danger beasts or, in this case, a living juggernaut.
They quickly pieced the weapon together, metal parts clicking into place with practiced efficiency. One soldier set up the tripod, another secured the barrel, while a third loaded a high-explosive anti-danger beast round into the breech.
Sweat glistened on their brows as they hoisted the weapon into firing position, aiming it directly at the obsidian creature's broad chest, where its dark scales appeared slightly thinner, perhaps a vulnerable point.
Mez watched, her gaze cold and calculating. This has to work, she thought. "Fire!"
The cannon roared to life, a deafening shockwave reverberating through the tunnels.
The recoil sent the soldiers stumbling backward, while the heat round screamed through the air, leaving a trail of smoke in its wake.
The shell struck the obsidian beast dead center, detonating on impact with a fiery explosion.
KA-BOOOOM!!
The force of the blast was immense, a scorching wave that lit up the darkened sewer like a hellish sunrise. Shards of flesh and splintered scales flew in every direction, the shockwave flattening smaller debris and sending ripples through the murky water below.
—
A/N:
Yeah, yeah, I know. I posted the chapters late. But what can I do? Life sucks, and by life, I mean the never-ending hellhole called studies. And guess what? My exams are coming again. Damn you, you dirty, relentless bastard. If only I could instantly transcribe all the chapters floating around in my head, I'd be living the dream. But no, reality demands suffering.
Anyway, enough of my whining. I've mostly written another chapter, so if the academic overlords grant me a moment of mercy, I'll post it today or tomorrow. Stay tuned, and pray I don't lose my last few brain cells before then.
Also I will post Bane's current looks in the comment section.