Litmus Test (CONQUEST)

Before Marrow could so much more than drip honey into their words for the demon, a familiar face appeared. Though, like what the prince was doing currently, hidden from the sense of detection, he made himself known very quickly—hopping up from the lower island and onto the scene. Sesame. it felt like it was just yesterday he met the vagabond demon mercenary, but there was a kindred spirit the two shared after their experience together cleansing some malignant light.

The idea this was her doing initially though? While a shit-stirrer, and flattering as the suggestion was, Usumi isn't one to take credit for something he didn't very deliberately do. The shortie laughs with their open hand hovering over their chuckle, dramatic to the tee-

"Not quite! Come to join the fun anyways? Or watch?"
The tricolored lady was about to give her an excuse anyways. Well, not that Usumi needed one, but context was nice. It seemed a little petty for someone of her stature to also go after weak earthlings to 'kill off competition' as it were. Usumi was't above carnage though. As long as there was a hearty meaty lad to fight while doing this, it'd suffice.

"Is that... Really it? That's a little lame, I'm going to be honest. All this, to cut some weaklings out of the pool before you have a chance to fight them? Whatever.-"
The girl's head swivels to Kombu, who looked to be getting extra peeved and extra strong. Dwarfing pretty much everything else. It even sent a little tingle down their own spine!

"So long as I get a good fight out of the chaos. Mortal squabbles I couldn't care less-"
The red flags shot off the rails once she felt a spike in energy coming from that sneaky little Earthling trying to talk before. Once no bigger than a mortal infant in strength, was now rocketing towards Marrow. Of course, it was some human waiting for the last moment to strike out in surprise. Wasn't he also just running a moment ago? Those red eyes widen as a wide smirk appears on the punk goth girl's face moments before her body vanishes from where she stood. Reappearing to intercept the guy's wild ki-infused punch with her blade. Drawn in an upper guard, and with its paired black sheath now visible in her off-hand.

"Hello! You should probably reconsider your life choices after making such a bold move, human. Can't you see, I was talking with them? I'll give you a second to think on it."
As the guard held and dissipated the blow's energy, it coalesced around her blade in a thin sheen of red energy. Her own piercing eyes obtained a spark of their own as she would savor striking out at some uppity human with swears on the mouth.

"Time's up!"
With a quick lower jab at his stomach with the offhand sheath, the demon would wind out of the block and deliver a telegraphed but powerful swipe at his midsection. Uses his own energy against him as the red of the blade enhances her strike. With that out of the way, she'd step back and flourish the blade in her hand, looking at both sides of it in a casual stride atop this here battle island. What he didn't realize was devoting this time took away from the main power candy in Kombu.

And... others were already beating on him. Well, mostly that other saiyan. Marrow was about to have to deal with some Super Tsunami Cannon. Looked strong, she could deal with it. And there was some other thing with the heran running around - It could drive someone a little insane.

"You think on that one, alright little guy? I've got bigger people to go bully."
Bully she will. Alongside the other two, he'd jump up and take a swing at Kombu himself. Waiting for the other two to clear before piling on with his own empowered flurry of swipes at his back. There were nowhere near as dedicated as the other two's, the demon figuring it would be over far too soon if he went all out immediately.

---

Usumi intercepts Yogu's Ki Focus! (15,000) with their Royal Release (2KP 20% Reflective (54,000). The Reflective remains with 39,000. +20% PL is added into an attack of 93,000 headed back @ Yogu!

Usumi gives a more solid Deft Blow (1KP 20% | 54,000) @ Kombu!

PL: 270,000 (Usumi x5, Antisense ACTIVE)
KP: 2/6 (-3)
MP: 4/6 (+2)
DAM: 0/250% (+0)
CDN: ANTISENSE

WC: 766
TWC:  1458

"I'm open to negotiations. More specifically for him. Starting at six digits." Kombu was the biggest threat to her here, sporting nearly double her battle power and a burning desire to see her plans thwarted. Trying to get the extraneously motivated Demon to actually do something would be frustrating at best, and what was at first a boon was slowly morphing into doubt. There was a chance Sesame would either take too long to decide or simply decline the job, leaving an empowered Kombu to clean up the rest before going after Marrow. "Ah, mercenaries. Unreliable and annoying as always. This is why we typically avoid using them!" Not much she could do about it now.

Despite his previously feisty and unwavering attitude, Yogu was quick to turn craven. His unfunny and unoriginal attempts at jokes elicited little more than passing recognition behind the girl's eyes. Just the sheer scale of the destruction and bloodshed around them was enough to send the Earthling into what Marrow presumed to be some sort of shock-induced daze. "If I had wanted to kill you, Yogu, I would have done so already." Her tone was clipped, cold, and deadly serious. While it made sense that he would've had reservations after their first bout, this whole situation was nothing like it. A few cuts, bruises, and cracked asphalt couldn't hold a candle to the purposeful mass-murder the multicolored hybrid was currently committing.

The strongest opposition was quick to up the ante, undergoing a subtle yet distinct shift that Marrow was swift to pin as his wrathful state. Had he accrued enough anger from her 'villainy' that it was enough to power a form like that? The girl was torn between laughing at the absurdity of that hypothesis, and genuinely investigating WHY someone would care so damn much about nameless strangers. Not even a city's worth! In some attempt to regain control of the situation, the man claimed that Marrow's bomb would destroy everything here if they didn't stop her. "Incorrect." There was no quip, no jab, no smarmy assertion of Kombu's inferior intelligence. "The weapon below deck is specially calibrated. Even he-" She'd pause to point at Dosu, who was still the weakest out of everyone present. "-Would only sustain minor injuries. It was mostly meant to save me the hassle of doing the destructive part manually."

It'd still atomize all the sub-four-digit people present, of course, but that didn't need to be explicitly stated. "I can always extend the timer for those wishing to fight longer." Marrow needed to be reasonable, play to the desires of those less morally pure, and stray from being overt. Her goal would be accomplished, no matter the hoops she'd have to jump through to get there. Kombu's following vicious rebuttal about innocent was met with a blank stare. It was clear such a philosophy was his anathema, but Marrow was only making an argument using it to appeal to Matoto. She held no belief one way or another regarding the justification of murder. It was a tool that could be used as any other tool could, and Eris was very specific with the instructions. "Sure. Let's go with that." Her motives were murky at best, and nobody here would be able to grasp it by her words and actions alone.

Many victims were still milling about haplessly, too stubborn to leave for their own safety or entrapped by the inky tentacles surrounding the ship. Some couldn't even fly, which made potential escapes even less likely, and the detonation of her bomb all the more lethal. None seemed to intercept the lobbed acid shot either, the garbed martial artist gurgling as the acrid energy made quick work melting his face. Only two of the original five that challenged her remained, with a slew keeping to the outskirts of their fight in frustrated confusion. Attacking them would be an excellent way to rile up the powerful Saiyan again, maybe even prompt him to move in to defend against any further attacks. Marrow nodded to herself before flinging a storm of knives at the two closest unlucky souls, both unable to protect themselves against the sheer number and might. Without proper aid from someone more substantial, they'd soon be skewered with puncture wounds, collapsing as vital lifeblood drained from their veins.

There was some sort of multi-way scuffle centered on the heroic Saiyan, 'Dosu' deciding to leap into the action aimlessly after getting brushed off before. Her attention briefly drifted as Ruby surged in power, intent on actually getting Kombu to acknowledge her fully, while Yogu finally gained the courage to act. She saw him coming from a mile away, making no move to stop the boy's advance - a ghost of a frown flickering across her lips for a split second. As soon as his fist came to strike her down, Marrow reached out to grasp his extended hand... only to whiff as unexpected aid appeared. Marrow's eyes widened slightly, the hybrid surprised that any one of the objectively morally bankrupt people fighting with her would bother to do such a thing. "You blew your one chance." The words were directed at Yogu, Marrow's eyes locking on to his dispassionately as Usumi delivered their own counter-attack. There'd be no further mercy extended to him from this point forward.

And then, Kombu. He had seemingly poured most if not all of his immediate rage and available energy into a massive attack, intending to end her then and there. The impossibly bright deluge of teal engulfed Marrow's upper body and free arm, the girl disappearing for a moment beneath the onslaught as the distinct sizzle of burning flesh would reach any attentive listener's ears. "Well," She said placidly. "I took it." Despite her nonchalant reaction, Marrow looked much worse for wear, her sweatshirt and accompanying blood stains were entirely vaporized as only a thankfully modest sports bra was left behind. The exposed flesh was reddened from the searing heat, a not insignificant trickle of blood trailing down the criminal's lips. She may be verifiably and severely injured, but if anything, it seemed to INVIGORATE her more. It might become clear soon from the golden eyes and her otherworldly stamina that Marrow, despite appearances, was clearly beyond even regular enhanced humans. Despite Kombu being the one responsible for her current state, she seemed to pay him no need, turning back to Yogu for a moment.

She had PLANNED to snuff out the boy's meager attack and punish him in return herself, but some of the wind in that sail had petered out thanks to Griselda. Still, she wouldn't be letting him off the hook THAT easily. "I was serious about amnesty, you know." If Yogu had simply taken his ticket to freedom, he wouldn't have had to endure what was coming. Marrow found no joy or pleasure in killing him. Yogu was an oddball, one of the few that she had formed a faint but present emotional attachment in some capacity - sure, it was a relationship built on toxicity and misunderstandings, but it was hers. Marrow said nothing further, knowing any words that spilled from her lips would be taken as a sign of weakness when it came to executing her mission. And then she was interrupted. Again. This time it was Sesame who had deigned to not attack Kombu but instead bat around the already weakened Yogu without any real force behind it. "Oh great! They're just toying with them now. Bet it's something like 'grr, I don't want this fight to end just yet!'" Neither of the heavy hitters seemed to be taking Kombu seriously. Usumi's attack was lazy at best, and Sesame had turned his attention towards interrogating Yogu.

Marrow suppressed the urge to request that her temporary allies do something useful, instead taking a moment to re-assess her situation. Usumi and Matoto now seemed focused on attacking Kombu. Their efforts were a much-needed distraction from the Saiyan's ire, Marrow's body still painfully reeling from the attack she had been dealt. Whether or not Yogu ended up out of commission or not, her thoughts drifted to the next target besides Kombu... No. He had been tossed through the battleship's innards, Marrow's senses picking up on his signature as it started to distance itself from the battle. Either he had turned craven and was cutting an escape, or the more likely option: he was moving towards the bomb. The girl growled, ignoring the fight surrounding her in favor of bursting through the floor in a fit of self-induced rage: angry at herself for allowing such a vital detail to slip her mind in the heat of combat. Russ had a head start and would undoubtedly be at the engine room's unclogged door by the time Marrow reached him, the hybrid taking the initiative by sending a flying kick his way!

And now, the battlefield had practically descended into utter chaos. Ink-based energy prevented any viable means of escape for civilians and fighters alike. None of the more prominent Martial Artists, save for a few, even wanted to help prevent the destruction of the island. Was everyone here so lustful for battle that they would care not for the lives of others?

It's not that the Saiyan hero wanted to ignore any particular fighter here at Battle Island. On the contrary: Any other day aside from today, he would be thrilled to partake in an all-out melee with anyone and everyone. Battle Island was just the kind of place to encourage it. The battleground welcomed fighters of all backgrounds who could test their mettle against one another with odds both great and small. Any other day, Kombu would relish the challenge.

And yet, even now, with his Saiyan Pride etched into the deepest recesses of his Deoxyribonucleic acid, the building blocks of who he was as a person, Kombu was not in a particular mood to take on all challengers. He knew he had to survive just long enough to stop the explosive device from detonating. Innocent lives or not, the criminals on the island deserved to be brought before a trial and judged by their peers. Not be wiped off of the earth in a terrorist attack. Kombu could not decipher precisely why this island was targeted and by whom. Could an extremist organization be taking matters into their own hands to see the Central City Accords be followed without disobedience?

Thoughts for later. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. Yes, his attack landed a hit on Marrow. But she just took it! And, rather than engage, she decided to head back into the bowels of the metal structure which they fought upon. He would give chase if not for the three different techniques aiming to collide with him.

First came a swift kick between Kombu's legs. While not painful enough to leave lasting damage to the family jewels, there was still a shockwave of pain that would set the pain receptors of the groin ablaze. Never before had Kombu experienced such pain. And from a dirty move of all things! Kombu nearly buckled but still kept his guard up. Expending all of his energy meant it would be a while before he could find proper means to defend himself again.

Next, the wrath-fueled Saiyan found himself being the target of an explosive force of ki from Matoto. Kombu attempted to shield himself by making himself smaller by pulling in his arms and legs to protect vital organs. A searing sensation surrounded him for a moment, leaving him in a cloud of smoke before it quickly passed with the wind. Nevertheless, Kombu's armor remained unscathed, save for some scratches and burn marks.

It would seem that Kombu could not catch a break as yet another attack was heading his way! He felt a sudden sharp pain against his back! Not quite enough to penetrate the armor, but enough to send a sharp bite. He swiftly turned to face his attacker. Usumi, of course. The one who dared to sneak attack him when this battle first began. ALl Kombu could muster was some quick dodges and blocks with his arms. Alas, doing so left nicks and scratches along the fabric. Once the attack was done, Kombu's arms sported red lines. All three techniques had left him with minor bleeding, as well as bruising that remained unseen underneath the battle suit Kombu sported. However, this was far from over.

Now Kombu found himself with a choice. Who was he going to target to break away from the battle? He knew he could not survive assaults from all sides forever.

"That's it," Kombu growled, finally picking his target: The sword-bearing Usumi. "No more attacking me from behind! Face me like a warrior, you coward!"

Kombu shifted out of view for just a moment before he phased back into view with a fist ready to slam hard into Usumi's ribs! He used the afterimage technique with the hope of catching the demon off guard. Maybe, just maybe, he could take her on in mortal combat without any further distractions. But, for now, it was up to someone else to handle the bomb in the Engine Room.

---

While the shortie demon couldn't really spare the human she nearly downed in one blow much more time, it was always fun to get that last bit of spirit out of them. 'Fuck you' wasn't original in the slightest, but it did always get a short laugh out of her. Quickly dashing away to deal with kombu in his rage. The man was getting scraped left and right by other fighters, and as cheap as it was, Usumi still had some fun casually swinging their sword about.

The saiyan actually managed to turn and catch a good brunt of it! Impressive considering what he was already dealing with. For a moment, she flashes an 'alright, not bad' flick of her eyebrows and light of her eyes before slinging the loose blood he caught with the slash from his blade.

"Aren't you a sturdy one."
The demon teased, keeping her guard low as she didn't really fear an immediate reprisal from Kombu just yet. More interested in the sport of pissing him off. Sesame pulls his attention almost immediately with the mention of the holy warrior though. Fend. He hadn't come out here to juggle interrogating mortals, but with Sesame here they were more than capable of getting more out of this little distraction bomb than they maybe initially thought. She looks at Sesame for a moment, blinks, then grin with a succinct nod in tandem with his. A finger pointing down at one of the other notable power levels trying to just wander off and away.

"Sounds like a good idea to me. You may want to make sure that one's not getting away though. There are some others who ran off further into the island as well. I'll take this saiyan hero and you can play with the rest- OOF"
It was probably a mix of overconfidence and ego that lead a fist into the girl's stomach. A resounding crack caught her wide. With as much force as Kombu put behind it, he might have assumed this hidden figure wouldn't be all that tough. But instead of flying off like a dart to the sidelines, the now somewhat miffed little demon spreads her arms to catch herself mid-flight. A little trickle of blood builds up in the corner of her mouth before a small spray of red comes out in a cough.

There was a slight moment of silence from the girl before she lifted her head to stare up at Kombu, that grin reappearing while she straightened her posture back to neutral.

"Hah... Nice. But, you're going to have to do better than THAT!"
In a sudden flash, her form seems to vanish into a dark void, much like the void she entered the setting in. This darkened circle engulfs her form until it fades, taking her with it. Suddenly, she reappears. Not behind him, but above. Already in motion to strike down at him. The attack is deliberate and telegraphed, almost to just send a message to the others remaining.

"EVERYONE ELSE CAN BEAT IT, THIS ONE IS MINE!"
She warned, mainly Matoto who was still trying to pursue mid-swing. Aiming to cleave at Kombu's head

---

Usumi denies the split request, staying in main with his buddy bud.

PL: 270,000 (Usumi x5, Antisense ACTIVE)
KP: 4/6 (+2)
MP: 5/6 (+1)
DAM: 0/250% (+0)
CDN: ANTISENSE

WC: 565
TWC: 2022

More fighters had decided to split off into multiple groups. As for the Saiyan hero, he found himself in the presence of Matoto, Usumi, and Sesame. Two of whom he knew for sure were aiming to take him down. Sesame? He was still a wild card. And certainly not a person the Saiyan vied to contest with unless it was a last resort. He remembered the last fight against the Assassin. It was one that led to an undesirable end.

Kombu was growing more annoyed that he could not sense the demon combatant's presence. Having that blind spot was not the most desirable of circumstances. However, they would not be the first fighter to hide their power from Kombu. He had his fair share of battling foes that had such an ability. So, at the very least, he could rely on that experience.

The black-haired female disappeared after being submerged in the void sphere. Were they preparing for another sneak attack, perhaps?

"Show yourself!" The wrathful Saiyan demanded while baring his sharpened canines.

Then, a sudden shift in pressure from above. "An aerial attack?" the man sneered, quickly looking up, only to find a blade moving to cleave his head from his neck.

Alas, all would seem lost! The deadly blade made its mark and slashed through the Saiyan's skull! At least, it would appear so to the onlookers of the battle. Yet the body of Kombu shimmered out of existence mere milliseconds after being hit! Only for the Saiyan to be rocketing toward Usumi from on high with a fist reaching back to be wound up!

"Got you now!" he roared, propelling himself toward his target and throwing a potentially-devastating punch toward Usumi's left cheek!

The mention of Fend reached Kombu's ears. It distracted him for a moment.

"Fend?" he asked, glancing at Sesame from the corner of his eye. "I've met them twice. I don't know much about them aside from that."

It was a half-truth at best. There wasn't much that Kombu knew about the masked guardian of Earth. But what little information he held onto, there wasn't a chance in Hell he would willingly give out details to those he perceived as his enemies.

A defiant finger was thrown toward Matoto as a warning. "You! You stay the Hell out of this...I will come for you next. That's a promise...But you will not interfere right now. Got it?!"

Angry yellow eyes once more turned to view Usumi. "Not done with you yet," he growled. The Saiyan then charged her and lashed out with a series of blows that he hoped to slam into her face, gut, and shoulders.

---