Aggression [2/2]

She honestly would have been surprised if she didn’t know that this was just how Saiyans operated - She had more than attributed her own lack of wisdom when it came to fighting to her more blood thirsty half. Still, seeing him turn to her with that insane smile after being on the receiving end of her blades didn’t fail to send a shiver down her spine. He was already dead and she wasn’t so, even if he lost, did he have anything else to lose? A question for later since she was clearly not in her right mind to think logically about the consequences of a loss in Hell.

Besides, by the sound of Imugi’s little gamble (courtesy of Zerori’s rather large ears that were capable of hearing most things nearby) at least someone believed she had a fighting chance here!

Lottus, on the other hand, seemed merely amused. Amused enough give her a backhanded compliment! I don’t give a FUCK! Zerori snarled to herself, clearly giving at least one fuck as the Saiyan successfully goaded her on. The eerie glow of his attack as he stepped forward again had the cocky Demon give a ‘tch’ before she held up both swords in front of her - prepared to block the attack. A sudden hesitation had her pause for a fraction of a second as an idea (as stupid one, of course) came to mind and she grinned. Just before the beam would hit her swords, Zerori would throw her arms out wide and give a pained roar as the beam made a direct and PAINFUL impact against her chest. The force of the attack sent her body screeching backwards and slamming into a wall before it thankfully dissipated.

It gave her an opening, even if she now sported a rather nasty burn against her collarbones that would smart for a while. From the plume of smoke and debris, a ball of red energy would come YEETING out, haphazardly screaming across the expanse between them on the crash course with Lottus’ face. Should it hit the damage would be minor, if that, but that wasn’t what she gave a shit about anyway.

Not when she was pulling out a potion, grinning all the while, and waiting for Lottus’ next move.

“Excuse me, pardon, let me by,” Imugi grumbled to the oni they passed, repeating themself with increasing urgency before Lottus blasted a gap into the crowd. As far back as they had gotten, the demon still toppled from the shock and bodies striking their back. Okay. They couldn’t say that wasn’t deserved, but did he need to be so curt about it? Still clutching their sword, Imugi stuck it beneath them and lifted themself back up, with some resistance from the belligerent and panicked masses.

Hissing as they ducked around stray blows and fleeing spectators, they tried to push their way back to the front without having to hurt anyone. Though they afforded themself some allowance. Spilled milk and all. With only a moderate amount of blood on their blade, they found their way back to a good place to view the fight. Just in time, it seemed, for the good part. “Hell’s bells…”

Watching the display of raw might and magic, Imugi winced as it prickled at their face like a cold wind. Their hair, already a mess from the rowdiness they’d been subject to, fell out of its bun while they stood at the sidelines. If the two fighters weren’t clashing to a standstill, Imugi doubted they could even follow.

Looking over to Zerori’s castaway swords, Imugi found another demon eying them with easily recognized greed. With no sound but a quiet tut, they glided over and held their own blade aloft, bringing the pommel down onto the back of the imp’s head. Recognizing that they weren’t much of a hand directly, Imugi leaned on the edge of the ring with a smile. Safeguarding the discarded blades until the young half-demon potentially needed them again.

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It had been a long time since someone - anyone - had really gotten under Zerori’s skin like this. Yangcong could do it easily by hypocrisy alone, her sister was a master at bringing her up before letting her down with crushing devastation but Lottus… Lottus was able to elicit just rage within her that resonated with not just her Saiyan blood but her Demon side as well. So when he roared with abandon his challenge after forming rather impressive blades of energy to combat her gnarled Shadow Claws, the woman didn’t hesitate to respond in kind. “With PLEASURE you cocky BITCH!”

If she weren’t so distracted with the fight in front of her, Zerori would have noticed Imugi’s rather chivalric actions to keep her swords protected from other Demons who only saw opportunity. Not that was much of a risk of a loss, given her ability to call the swords from literally anywhere in the galaxy. Possibly farther than the galaxy! Unfortunately, her focus would remain on the battle as Lottus would jump into the air and stop ABOVE her to blast at from his mouth from afar. That one hit. Painfully. It was exactly the kind of pain she needed, however, to throw her fists forward from the initiated clash.

If their destructive onslaught through the - now - very much blown apart fighting ring was bad before then the clash of their super-fast-melee onslaught was the icing on the cake that would REALLY bring the literal roof down around them all. For every meeting of knuckles, there was a metallic sonic-boom clang that would follow suit after. Mechanical Gauntlets meeting the strength of well honed energy blades made from Lottus’ Ki. And behind every strike an actual EXPLOSIVE ignition of power while Zerori roared with exertion and emptied her reserves to zero, “ORAORAORAORAORAORA!!!” It felt the most sound to come out of her mouth.

He couldn’t have just taken that attack and gone on to keep fighting. Dead or not, men were not made to bide after facing such force. And yet. After Zerori’s torrent of strikes stopped ringing in the ears of Imugi and those just as foolish enough to remain watching, the Saiyan’s laugh filled the air before he stood from where he’d been laid out. Imugi’s knuckles paled from gripping their sword, dropping back to the ground where they could cautiously look on. Lottus seemed impressed at the very least, but what did he have to show that was better? Seemed he was generous and cruel enough to show them.

The golden light reflected in Imugi’s eye, stretched wide as they stood witness to the transformation for the first time. Saiyans could empower themselves, this they knew, but only under the light of a moon and only into giant primates! What was this?!

Imugi would have liked answers to their million questions, but Lottus didn’t seem interested in answering, and if Zerori knew them, she was probably about to be in an unfit state to do so either. It was doubtful anyone present who couldn’t detect energy needed the ability to beware what was coming. Their self-preservative instinct already had the demon backing off, but the younger hybrid’s call grounded — and annoyed — them slightly. Given the present danger, they probably shouldn’t bother to adhere to her request. But…

“Damnit, you use these?” Imugi hissed beneath their breath, having sheathed their own sword so that they could lift Zerori’s with one in hand and the other captured in their aura. For what strength they apparently wielded, they did struggle with such large blades. Eventually gathering their bearings, Imugi took off with that evil red glow at their back, most of the other spectators wise enough to do so as well. Deciding that making their own exit was a safer alternative to being trampled through the proper doorways, they managed to cleave through the walls with their borrowed broadsword, deciding with one swing that they never wanted to use it again.

Just in time, too. Imugi’s pointed ears twitched as the explosion sundered the air and sent them into a tailspin. Narrowly avoiding some heavy debris, Imugi rebalanced and soared above the hail of shattered arena, breathlessly looking down at where it had once been. Naught but a smoking crater now, the only evidence of what it had been now lay in memories and the bodies scattered about. Picking out Lottus’ golden light from above, their gaze travelled the ground in search of his opponent.

“Ah, that’s a shame,” Imugi muttered to themself, locating the half-demon sprawled in the destruction. She was at least intact, but not looking very lively from here. Then again, if she were dead, she’d probably be right back to collect her swords anyhow, just with a new halo. Pulling a stick of incense inexplicably from behind their ear, Imugi cracked it between their thumb and the sword, summoning forth a red smog. “Yenneca, it’s been some time. I don’t need to go anywhere, just hang onto these swords for the young lady down there, once she wakes up.”

The smoky substance hovered in front of Imugi, churning and not offering as much as a signal. Groaning, they pushed the swords into the crimson mass and brushed a hand through it. “Fine, you may have one year, don’t be greedy.”

Presumably satisfying the demonic entity, he vanished with Zerori’s weapons with the intent to return them later. Which left only Imugi and… They shouldn’t even chance it with him, but surely he knew there was no fight to be had now. Floating down into the wreckage, Imugi fixed their eye on Lottus, not even bothering to reach for their sword.

“Loathe I am to admit it, but that was well done. To the victor go the spoils, hm? Not that there are any left, but you looked like you were enjoying yourself,” Imugi crooned, chancing a few steps to move past Lottus. Hard to say for certain, but Zerori’s injuries looked livable. She was very strong, and Imugi themself was a testament to demon durability. Their eye found the Saiyan again. “She put up a more impressive showing than that Rhapsody you two were crowing about, I hope. I rather think she could give you a better fight yet, if you’ll let her. Food for thought... I’ll be making myself scarce before someone of authority comes to see what in Hell that explosion was.”

Imugi chuckled faintly to themself, proceeding to wander past Lottus. Truthfully, their mere proximity to the man set their nerves ablaze. Hopefully the prospect of a better battle tempted him away from finishing Zerori. Why they’d even bothered to put in a good word for her, they weren’t sure. Nevertheless, should the Saiyan allow them, Imugi would slink away somewhere in the Hideaway and return to Vynh City with much to think about.

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