Chapter 87 Child Fighting A Grown-Up
Gaia disappeared into the grass, and I focused forward, and the grass shot me towards Firaga. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I dropped a seed that started to grow immediately.
Suddenly, I could see the wall ahead of me start to get bright in a seven-foot section of the metal wall. I slowed down to a stop as I watched the metal start to melt and a girl walking through it.
"Hero… I am Firaga… I must kill you," The girl said to me the moment we locked eyes, but her tone was monotonous and strange.
"Do we have to?" I asked, and Firaga stopped.
"What? You are a Hero. I am a Villain. What else is there for us to do?" Firaga asked me.
"Lots of things! We could go for a walk, maybe read a book together, or even defeat some Villains together?" I asked.
"What purpose would that make me? I need to kill you and the rest of them, or I will continue to be hunted," Firaga explained without expression.
"You need to kill me? Do you win a prize?" I asked, and the glowing girl blinked at me.
"I don't know why I need to kill you, but something tells me I do," Firaga explained, and I nodded.
"I can see your reasoning, but it seems a bit hollow to be making choices like life and death. I have an idea. What if you don't kill me for now? At least until you figure out why you are supposed to do it?" I asked, and Firaga blinked at me again.
"Not kill? Why do you not speak of killing me? I am a Villain."
"Meh, just a title. I have no desire to kill you or any of the Villains if I don't have to. All I am asking is that you figure out if that is really what you want to do before you try. I would like to get to know you better," I explained, but Firaga took a step back.
"Know me better? There is nothing to know. I woke up with no memories. I am no one. It would be best for you to want to kill me," Firaga explained.
"Sorry, already decided. Not killing you, but the Villain that is coming might not feel the same as me. I am sure that you can feel them getting closer. They are going to try to kill me first, so just stay back, and I will protect you," I replied, and Firaga's eyes opened wide with the first impression I had seen, surprise.
"Protect? I don't understand; I want to kill you. Why would you say something like that to me?" Firaga asked, but I could feel the stress leaking into her voice.
"Because I'm a Hero, and that is what I do, but I also kill, just like you want to. I make those choices, and so can you, if you really want to," I said but then turned to the sound of destruction coming my way.
Uh-oh. What the hell was this goddamn thing?!
There was a massive monster that looked like a cross between a T-rex and slug, but it looked to be about fifty feet tall. It was eating every that was near it and absorbing everything he touched, or she; there was no way to tell.
"I am confused. I will go back and think."
I ignored Firaga as the Sluggasuar got closer, but I was confused why it hadn't slowed yet. It had to be close enough for Gaia to lock him down, but there seemed to be no change in the behavior.
"This human is cooperating with the AI, and I can tell that he has killed many so far. The AI also sounds belligerent, so I suggest that you kill the host. Once the host is dead, I can completely seal off the AI, and it will be like it never existed," Gaia explained as she grew from the ground, and I nodded as I watched the creature approach.
"I get that same feeling, so I won't hold back. This one seems like he is pretty strong, so it will be better to kill him rather than try to stop him," I said.
"How do you plan on dealing with it?" Gaia asked.
"I don't! I am going to run away now!" I yelled and jumped into the air, wings bursting from my back.
"Be safe!" Gaia called as she disappeared into the grass.
I was already flying away, but I was headed from the city. This thing was moving fast, and it was leaving nothing but a melted path behind it, the oozy trail chewing through everything it touched that wasn't dirt.
"Puny Hero! So this is who he was talking about! What have you done to my God, Flying Rat?" The T-rex head roared at me.
"Ugly slug! Yeah, I am what that crazy voice head was talking about, but you will never talk to him again. Come play me," I called, but the Sluggasuar stopped.
"Oh? Then I think that I am going to eat this city," The monster said plainly and turned for the center of the city.
That was not expected, nor what I wanted, dammit!
"Hey! Get back here, you sack of shit!" I yelled and circled around to fly at the gigantic creature.
I flew straight at the back of the creature, but it didn't turn to face me. I pulled back my fist, and roots grew out to make my arm huge, and I slammed it into the creature as hard as I could.
"Haha! That tickles!" The monster roared but still didn't stop moving.
I retracted my wings and ran up the creature's back, growing my other arm, and leaped at the back of the T-rex head. I punched into the side of it, but it was like a child fighting a grown-up.
"Wow, this is the power of a Hero! Not too bad, but I am Rex Lord, and I am stronger!" the creature roared and then whipped its head around to bite off one of my wooden arms, just barely missing the real one.
I jumped back but then tried to stab my roots into the creature's back. They rolled off it, and no matter how sharp of points I made, none of them could pierce the tough rubber-like skin, but then I remembered something.
I reached my hands out to the side, and I concentrated on summoning blades like Marley did. Instantly, Marley's short swords appeared in my hands, and I flipped both of them to point down.
I then drove them into Rex Lord's back, making the massive slug scream, but I didn't stop there. I dragged myself down the back, caving out a v-strip of flesh that was pumping blood out fast.
"You annoy creatures! I will consume you!" Rex Lord screamed, and then suddenly, I was catapulted off the creature's back by its tail.
Before I could react, the massive tail slapped me, and I smashed into the side of a building.
Instantly, I could feel my skin start to burn where ooze from his tail had gotten on me.
[Sensing High PH values causing damage. Neutralizing with lower PH values.]
I suddenly started to sweat, but it was different than expected. My now golden sweat stopped the burning right away, but now I was covered with golden droplets.
I got up, still holding the two blades, and jumped out of the building, wings bursting from my back as I flew straight back at the creature. Unfortunately, he was wary of me now and immediately slapped me away when I got within thirty feet.
I hit another build, smashing right through it and down onto the ground. One of my mice ran over to me, and it looked worried.
"Are you okay? We are trying to move people out of the way as fast as we can, but many are in really bad shape!" the mouse cried, and I nodded, getting back up.
"Just do your best, and I will try to hold him back," I said as a root grabbed me from the ground and then hucked me at the closet Great Tree; I needed a recharge, but I also needed more power.
I hit the side of the Great Tree and was absorbed, but I was trying to think of a solution. My vision had changed again like it had before, and I had a view of this tree and the others in the area.
The slug was staying out of range from the trees, but I was finally able to sense something bigger coming my way. I could feel the girls as well, or more specifically, I could feel a group of four of me coming with whatever the big thing was.
Unlike the Villain that had filled me with uneasiness, the giant that was coming my way now filled me with something else. Pure excitement and a burning need to kick some slimy ass!