Memories of her fight against Faultless Marionette flashed through her mind. When she and Great Philosopher split up only for their efforts to prove meaningless in the face of such a powerful foe.
Suiko forced away the memory and tucked her chin. I am stronger now. Caspian won't be here to save me today if I fail. This time is different… I am fighting alongside those precious to me.
She rushed through the crowded neighborhood, matching Yuta's stride while unconsciously noting her attire, the same striking outfit from their first meeting. The golden-brown-skinned swordswoman wore that short white cropped top, wide billowing pants of the same hue secured by gem-like hooks, and black arm sleeves stretching from shoulders to knuckles. The familiarity helped anchor Suiko's mind.
A fresh wave of screams erupted ahead as people scattered and fled in panic, making it easy to determine the monster's general location.
"It's past that row of houses. I'll take the right-hand side!" Suiko yelled as she veered off, avoiding the parked cars flanking the sidewalk.
Before Yuta and she could reach the line of houses on the opposite side of the intersecting street, one of the single story homes exploded into pieces as a monster wearing a blue wrestling singlet charged through, stopping in the destroyed house's front yard.
The patter of many footsteps sounded as Fubuki and the Blizzard Group caught up stopped behind Suiko and Yuta.
Fubuki's voice echoed. "Blizzard Group, we will support the two of them as they deal with Rhino Wrestler."
"Yes!"
Rhino Wrestler flexed, swiveling his head to take them all in. "My imposing name's spread out so soon. Stupid heroes. To willingly stand up against me."
Suiko nodded to Yuta before shooting forward like an arrow from a drawn bow. As she appeared at his side, she drove her foot down. "'Void Shaking Tiger Fist!'"
Her punch collided with his side, unleashing a radial gust of wind that shredded grass and sent loose stones skittering.
Rhino Wrestler rolled his shoulder, undaunted. "60 points."
Am I still too weak? I'll need to use 'it' after all.
Suiko backpedaled just as Yuta glided past, her twin blades slashing across Rhino Wrestler's other side.
"61 points. That it heroes? Bring out your strongest attack." Rhino Wrestler arrogantly stood in the torn up lawn, inert, letting them attack him freely.
Fubuki raised her open palm and then clenched it. "'Hell Cluster!'"
The house's shattered remains ripped skyward, hovering for a breathless moment before plunging down like a heat-seeking avalanche. Every splintered beam and broken brick curved unerringly toward Rhino Wrestler's massive frame.
"Enough!" Rhino Wrestler blitzed through the mountain of debris, crossing the distance to Suiko in a single blurred motion.
She evaded at the last instant. Just as she'd evaded that large truck thrown at her in Z-City Ghost Town some time ago.
I'll pierce this monster through.
¤ ¤ ¤
"I haven't encountered a single monster."
Genos calculated he still needed several minutes to reach the hotel housing the prominent Super Fight tournament contestants. C-City's massive scale couldn't be underestimated.
No signs of a monster attack appeared as he raced through bustling streets where people maintained their daily routines. Minutes later, he turned onto a wide road leading directly to the towering hotel.
I don't see any cars or people… strange.
His gaze then snapped upward. Three giant crows circled the hotel. Their feathers glistened in the morning sunlight like oil slicks.
"If they're here, then…" Genos' sensors went wild as he spun his head to the side.
Memories of the last moments of his sparring match against Caspian overlapped with the colossal fist barreling down on him. He knew it was impossible to avoid this strike, relying on his own current reaction speed.
Fortunately, his fight against the Gravitic Maiden had granted him more than a grand willpower. Several of the ports Doctor Kuseno installed in his body served a purpose, activating automatically against lethal threats.
The vertical ports along his spine flared to life. Fire erupted from his back, propelling him forward at inhuman speed. This upgrade received the name: 'Multidirectional Evasive Boosters.'
He barely cleared the attack's range when other ports activated, arresting his momentum with an outcry of reversed thrust, burning away the rest of his upper clothing.
"Oh? You eluded me, Demon Cyborg. Unexpected."
Genos whirled. His gaze climbed the monstrous silhouette past its four bloodshot vertical eyes and onto its thick spiky hair, reminiscent of a sea urchin.
This abnormal presence… I can't get a reading on his energy levels. No wonder master wished for several test tubes of this monster's blood for his hair-regrowth serum.
A seemingly bottomless strength. I'm afraid we underestimated him by an insurmountable margin.
Perhaps, if Master and the rest of the group were here, we might have a hope of defeating him. I'm afraid there is no chance otherwise.
All I can try to do is stall for enough time. As long as 'they' can escape… then the mission will be a half-success.
"Gouketsu."
"You recognized me.…" The giant's fists crashed against his sides. "…I assume you're a fan of the Super Fight tournament. A poor decision you made showing up in this city a day early."
Genos tried to come up with a good way to stall him, but he wouldn't get the chance when Gouketsu attacked without warning. The 'Multidirectional Evasive Boosters' weren't infallible, proven when, a fraction of a second after Genos launched sideways, a colossal foot slammed him into the ground.
"That trick won't save you twice."
His body sunk into the pavement as the road split beneath him in a lattice of fractures.
Gouketsu stared down. "Not dead?" His foot rose, casting a dark shadow over Genos—
Three booms reverberated from the sky behind, surprising not only him, but Gouketsu as well.
Genos pushed his head back as far as he could. At the edge of his vision, he caught sight of a shower of black feathers in place of the three crows.
And then a powerful rush of wind blew over him. "Genos, what are you doing down there?"