"You're a real pain in the ass," Reine grunted as her right leg barely holding her weight. Jörmungandr's fangs had gouged her leg, his poison eating her alive.
While confident his opponent had lost, Simensen wouldn't take any chances. She gasped in surprise as he leaped behind her at astonishing speed, raising his weapon to deliver the killing blow. But the former idol proved luckier than he'd expected, a lucky wild shot making him stumble. It stung, but nothing Jörmungandr couldn't handle.
"What the hell are you?" Reine said, voice rising in panic.
"A snake that refuses to let go when he strikes." The results of his limit inhibitors being released impressed him. Fifty percent, and Simensen's opponent had difficulty keeping up. His blood sang with victory as he crushed his former employee under his boot.
Ilma's screams interrupted his reverie, reminding him time was short. Simensen needed to defeat Hel quickly and rescue this ally. How foolish—he shouldn't have allowed the excitement of battle to distract him.
"Stay still so I can poison your heart." Simensen had little pity for creatures like Reina Beaufort.
"I refuse to die here!" Hel snarled. Simensen leaped back as a boulder almost struck him from behind.
"I'm not finished yet." Monsters emerged from the shadows, ready to please their master. Reine gestured, and her zombie servants obediently surrounded her. "I am the mistress of the dead. My armies are indomitable."
Simensen's heart sped as each zombie produced an Angra Armlet, attaching it in eerie unison.
"Terrorize!" Together, they transformed and charged.
Fifteen to one—not the most favorable odds. Simensen staggered as the fox monster slashed across the back of his knee, destabilizing him. Like the savage predators whose faces they wore, the others pounced on their seemingly helpless prey.
The serrated jaw of the shark monster snapped at Simensen's exposed neck, only to gasp in astonishment as Jörmungandr's blade pierced it through the mouth. It gave a muffled howl as poison ate the creature from within.
Yet they kept coming, refusing to relent no matter how many he destroyed. Sparks flew as the fox's claws dug into his armor, his situation worsening as a serpent monster wrapped itself around his legs. Struggle as he might, Simensen couldn't free himself. Liquid pain howled in his shoulder as the snake monster dug its fangs in deep.
"So much for that." Reine casually pulled out her Uhyre key and reinserted it. "Goodbye. You've proved a useful tool. Grave Bolter."
Simensen cursed, realizing Reine would happily sacrifice her minions to spell his doom. The snake monster's grip weakened as he struggled harder, but not quickly enough. The sound of sizzling flesh filled his ears as the blast consumed the snake and fox monsters. Blinding pain lanced through him as Hel's attack connected, hurling him through several walls.
"Damn." He grimaced, his legs struggling to give him the strength to stand. Much to his astonishment, his transformation had held. Smoke and dust made it difficult to discern where he'd landed, finding only rubble around him. As it cleared, he realized the blast had blown him into a nearby abandoned building—an unused warehouse for paper goods.
"What does it take to kill you?" Reine said, a new horde of monsters following behind her. Some weren't using Angra Armlets, just distorted humans brought back cruelly by Hel's power. He recognized some as former S.W.A.T. members, still holding their enhanced laser weapons. Simensen cursed again as his knees wobbled when he stepped forward.
But he refused to show weakness, maintaining his usual nonchalant air. "More than you. How are you holding up against my bite, Ms. Beaufort? I'm surprised you can still stand."
Behind her helmet, Simensen sensed his opponent's scowl. The metal around the gash his sword had cut had rusted and blackened. Hel couldn't even stand anymore, using a zombie for support.
"You can barely stand yourself," Reine said, snarling. Her anger turned to self-satisfaction. "I might be half-dead, but you'll soon be all dead."
Simensen had hoped he wouldn't need to resort to his secret ace already, but few alternatives remained. From a distance, he perceived the dire nature of Fenrir and Valkyrie's battle with Surtur. Without his help, they'd never win. While risky, it'd be a worthy one.
Reine jolted in surprise as Jörmungandr pulled off his Ragnadriver, deactivating his transformation. "Are you giving up?"
From a back panel, Simensen adjusted some settings. He figured seventy-five percent should be enough to manage this particular issue. With a click, he reapplied his belt around his waist. "No. It's about time I show you why Ophion Industries is the world's leader in technological advancement. Henshin!"
His armor pulsed with energy, a purple glow emitting from its surface. Cracks formed on the cement floor as he stepped forward. Simensen couldn't believe the change in power, delighting in his majesty. Reine's monster army fidgeted with uncertainty as Jörmungandr withdrew his sword. Holes sizzled in the pavement as his blade dripped a viscous liquid, each drop deadly to the touch.
"Shall we begin round two, Hel?"
///
Glass shattered from the pressure wave of Surtur's sword as it swung. In short order, the battle had ruined what had been a mostly abandoned district. Dino panted as he landed a few meters away, just dodging the blow.
Metal clanged as two combatants' weapons clashed, each an equal match. Gungnir lost ground as his opponent's greater strength pushed him back. Dino howled in pain as a sudden gut punch hurled him across the battlefield. He hissed, the wound a sizzling, scorched mark of melted metal where he'd been struck.
In response, Gungnir's weapon almost impaled itself through Surtur's chest as Dino launched it from his hands, hitting his opponent dead center like a human bullseye. Dino charged forward, metal grinding as fist struck metal. While inflicting minor damage, it distracted Surtur enough for Gungnir to free his weapon. Sparks flew as Dino's spear left his opponent's chest, leaving a gaping hole of exposed circuitry. Dino launched himself into the air, stabbing from above, but Surtur anticipated this, grabbing Gungnir from the air with one hand.
Pavement shattered as Dino's body struck against it, howling in pain as his own spear embedded itself into his chest. While not impaling him, it still left a deep gash. His breathing was pained as he forced himself to stand.
"You fight well, human. But you've reached your limit." Dino's heart quickened in terror as Surtur pulled out his Uhyre key, recognizing Surtur's next attack. It'd been the one that had left a molten scar across the earth. This was bad, Dino eyeing the hundreds of suburban houses that stretched out a couple meters away. Dear God, if he squinted, he could see children playing in their front yards. It'd be another massacre. "You won't live the next 5.2 seconds."
"No!" But wolf girl refused to allow this to happen, jumping into action like the damn amazing hero she was.
"Henshin!" Yareli darted toward her fallen weapon several meters away, but her injuries slowed her—it'd be impossible to reach it in time.
"I've got it!" a familiar voice cried, and Johan emerged from behind some rubble and grabbed hold of her weapon. With a mighty heft, Johan hurled it a decent distance into the air.
"Nice!" Dino said, giving a thumbs up.
"Johan, you idiot! You shouldn't be here! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" She caught the weapon in midair with the grace of a dancer.
"Complain later! Kill this bastard already!" Johan said.
As she turned, Yareli inserted her Uhyre key into the device. Its blade opened to expose wiring crackling with energy as it gathered power. This altercation hadn't gone unnoticed by Surtur, who switched his target toward Yareli instead.
"Oh no, you don't, I'm your opponent!" Dino took advantage of the distraction, launching his spear at Surtur's sword. If they were lucky, maybe he could avert…
"Fang Cleaver!"
Score! Dino's spear drove right through Surtur's hand, driving his attack away from the city and into the air. But the fire titan won't be deterred, his blade a blazing inferno that suffocated Dino's lungs. Even without a direct hit, his attack was enough to incinerate them all. "The End."
The two blasts collided, and whiteness consumed Dino's vision as the shockwave of colliding mighty energy struck him.
///
"Damn." Yareli groaned, struggling to pull herself up. The reason soon became apparent—a steel beam had landed on her. Besides her torn biker suit, she otherwise appeared unharmed. Not even a single bone seemed broken.
Yareli waved the dust away, searching for Surtur's remains. With him, she assumed nothing until she saw his body. As she searched, Yareli struggled to remove the beam pinning her. Dear God, she hoped Johan was okay.
"I need my Ragnadriver." It was still on her waist, but her key was nowhere to be found.
In the smoke, a shape emerged as it cleared. Surtur. While his suit had received some damage, he barely seemed ruffled by the explosion. She cursed, her gloves struggling to find adequate purchase on the beam holding her.
"You are a curious creature." Surtur bent down and retrieved something from a nearby entrapment of rubble. It was Yareli's wolf Uhyre Key.
"I see. You are an artificial construct created by this Uhyre Key. In a sense, you are nothing but a monster created by an Angra Armlet—except you have your own intelligence rather than requiring a host."
"What of it?! I'm still human, regardless!"
"Incorrect. You are a construct, but you might serve some use to me." Surtur opened her Uhyre Key and started fiddling inside.
Much to her horror, she realized what the monster was attempting. Panic gave her strength as she struggled against the beam pinning her. "No! My name is Ilma Halvorsen! I am a human! I am not a monster!"
"Incorrect. You will become a tool to enable Ragnarök."
"No! No! You can't! Please!"
"I will rid you of these false memories, then—" Surtur grunted in pain as a blade stabbed into the opening Gungnir's spear had created earlier.
"I cannot allow that." It was ID-01, miraculously coming to Yareli's rescue. She twisted her blade, further damaging their foe's internal circuits.
"Remarkable. I didn't predict your sudden appearance." Impassive, Surtur leaped back, dislodging Valkyrie's blade. Through the gap in his chest, Yareli saw sizzling circuits and wires that sparked and cracked at irregular intervals.
"I have prediction algorithms, too." ID-01 dropped Yareli's Uhyre Key within arm's reach. "Stand. This one won't fall easily."
"Yeah, yeah. I hear you." Yareli reached for her Uhyre Key but stopped.
A chill went down her spine, panic bubbling to the surface. A gaping crack had formed across the surface of her wolf key. It must have gotten damaged in the explosion.
"It doesn't matter. Destroy Surtur first. Everyone is counting on you!" Yareli thought, closing her key's lid and inserting it into her Ragnadriver. While sluggish, Fenrir pushed the steel beam away with ease.
Immediately, she recognized something was wrong. Black spots filled her vision, and she felt discombobulated as she wielded her armor. Damn—the damage was worse than she feared. She was certain Valkyrie was saying something, but her words were indecipherable.
Yareli rushed to fight alongside ID-01, but her legs refused to function. In horror, she watched as a sudden blow to Valkyrie's head made the robot lose her transformation. Yareli cursed, realizing ID-01 must have used her last reserves for that sudden sneak attack on Surtur.
"Please, not like this." Yareli despaired, her body refusing to cooperate.
A shape caught her attention, crashing nearby. While hazy, the suit's design was familiar. It was Hel.
"You won't escape that easily." Then Jörmungandr appeared from nowhere. When he caught sight of Surtur, Simensen changed direction to intercept. "But you can wait. I see you nearly have this one dead. Nice work."
"Don't underestimate him, you idiot," Yareli cursed again, leaning against some nearby rubble.
"Are you all right?" Simensen said. "You look like you're a foot in the grave, so to speak."
"Just get him." Yareli's words slurred as speech became difficult.
"Stand back, Ilma," Simensen said, his voice containing surprising gentleness. "I'll handle everything from here."
"Okay." Yareli slumped away, searching for any sign of Johan. Surtur ignored her, keeping his attention on Jörmungandr, the most immediate threat.
"Damn," Reine said, struggling from the rubble pile.
"You've been injured," Surtur said.
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine," Reine said with more forcefulness than was necessary. Yareli detected genuine anger in her reply, but wasn't sure why. "I owe this bastard for almost making me lose my leg!" Said leg was a blackened husk, a dead thing. It was a miracle Hel could stand.
"I'm so scared. And Surtur, you seem half-dead already, too. Please don't disappoint me as I tear you limb from limb!" Simensen's tone was eager for bloodshed, charging with reckless abandon toward his foe.
What? What happened to Simensen's unflappable swagger?
"Has he hit his head or something?" Johan said.
"Johan!" Without preamble, Yareli embraced him in a huge hug.
"I'm fine," Johan said, embarrassed. Other than being filthy with dust and ash, he seemed unharmed. "This isn't like Simensen at all. What the hell is wrong with him?"
Jörmungandr's sword was a blur as it whipped toward Surtur's neck, like a cobra's snapping bite. Only Surtur's quick reflexes and prediction algorithm saved him from the blow, but he hadn't been Simensen's real target. Reine yelped in pain and fear as she received a sudden kick to the chin, flying into a nearby wall.
Hel howled in outrage, retaliating with her gun. However, Jörmungandr's sword intercepted each shot with ease. Unleashing a primal cry of victory, he slashed at the vulnerable Hel. Metal clashed as Surtur's blade intercepted the blow, driving Jörmungandr back.
"You saved me? Why didn't you attack him when he'd been distracted?" For reasons Yareli couldn't understand, Reine's words were accusatory, like she was angry at Surtur for saving her life.
"You are an ally," Surtur said, his flat, emotionless words containing a surprising amount of conviction.
Their swords clashed again as Surtur steered Jörmungandr away from his ally. Simensen put his opponent on the defensive with his sudden jabs and thrusts. Yareli was glad there weren't enemies— even Surtur had difficulty keeping up with Jörmungandr's attacks. But wait, was Surtur really on the losing end? While Simensen's speed made him an indistinct blur, Surtur intercepted or dodged each thrust or strike.
"Simensen, get your head back in the game, you idiot! You can't win if you don't fight with your head! He'll just predict everything you try."
Simensen laughed, charging blindly back at Surtur again. "Hardly! I can't lose. Nothing can beat me!"
"What now?" Johan stared at his phone's clock in despair. Barely half an hour had passed since they'd begun the fight. Unless Surtur's injuries had leaked a significant amount of power, they weren't even close to his hour energy limit.
Yareli flinched as the worst happened—Jörmungandr received a sudden punch to the gut after a wild swing. This sent Simensen into a wild rage, attacking with even greater recklessness. Without any coherent battle strategy, Surtur took advantage of each mistake tenfold.
"We retreat, now," Yareli said, making a split decision.
"Are you sure?" Johan gave her a questioning glance.
"Positive." She flinched as static flickered through her head. "I'm in terrible shape. Besides, Father can do something for ID-01. She's our greatest asset. Simensen can manage by himself." With luck, maybe he'd wear out Surtur's last energy reserves.
"I agree," ID-01 said, pulling herself up. Underneath her tattered clothes were pieces of exposed circuitry where her artificial skin had torn. Despite her injuries, she lifted Yareli like a child as she carted her away. Yareli cried out in protest, but soon accepted the indignity as they fled the battle scene.
"I hope Dino is okay," Yareli said. "He's around here somewhere."
"He'll be fine," Johan said as they climbed over the rubble. "Dino's too stupid to die. Besides, Samuel still owes him."
"No." Yareli watched in horror as Surtur grabbed Jörmungandr by the neck and slammed him into the ground. Simensen's transformation failed as Surtur tossed him into a nearby wall, his body slumped over. The last thing she saw before they smashed through a broken set of double doors was Surtur grabbing Simensen's Ragnadriver and examining it.
"Yareli?" Johan repeated, but she'd hardly heard him. Her vision refused to focus, and words refused to register. She lost consciousness as a sudden blackness consumed her.