Climax Arising

“Wait…” Shinku muttered, the realization dawning on him. “If that’s the golf stadium… then…”

A memory flashed in his mind—Gemu’s rally.

“That’s nearby!” Shinku said aloud, a glimmer of confidence breaking through his exhaustion. His smirked. “I’ll force him there!”

With renewed determination, Shinku shifted his tactics, each step now purposeful as he began maneuvering Binar toward the stadium.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the district, the battle between Johe, Bontly, and Gork raged on amidst the chaos of the train tracks. The metallic screech of trains hurtling past filled the air as passengers inside watched in terror. Gork, spinning at breakneck speed like a massive spiked ball, relentlessly pursued his targets.

Joye leaped into the air to avoid a devastating strike, narrowly missing the blur of Gork’s attack. “Bont!” he shouted. “I’m telling you, I’m not getting through that guy’s body!”

Bontly clenched his fists. “I’ll try!”

Gork shifted out of his ball form, catching his speed as he rushed toward Johe. “You’ll be the easy kill!” he bellowed.

Johe turned, his heart sinking as he noticed a train hurtling toward him on the tracks. “Perfect timing!” Gork growled, his spiked ball form reactivating as he aimed to crush Johe between himself and the train.

“Damn it!” Johe cursed, desperation setting in. “I need a cigarette after this!”

Just as the train closed in, Bontly sprang into action. His detachable arm shot out, wrapping around the railroad. With a mighty swing, he yanked Joye away from the tracks, the two of them dropping below and hanging off the edge.

Gork screeched to a halt, unfurling from his ball form. “Damn!” he spat. “I was gonna crush him between the train. A head-on collision will do me no good.”

Bontly reeled Johe back up, his expression apologetic. “I’m sorry!” he shouted. “I’ll be ruining your trip! I’m so sorry!”

Without hesitation, Bontly crushed the side of the railroad with his massive hand. The train, unable to maintain traction, veered off course and launched toward Gork like a missile.

The impact was catastrophic. The train collided with Gork, sending him flying into the rubble.

“WHAT THE HELL, BONT?!” Johe screamed, his voice echoing in disbelief. “THOSE PEOPLE WERE STILL ON THE TRAIN!”

Bontly, dropping down to the lower tracks, shot out another arm, grabbing the airborne train mid-flight. With a careful swing, he placed it onto a parallel railroad where it continued its journey in the same direction.

“That train should end up at the same destination,” Bontly said calmly, though his tone betrayed a hint of nervousness.

Johe’s jaw dropped. “Damn, Bont, you knocked him out!”

Bontly stood atop another railroad, surveying the aftermath. “Yes, Gork should be out of commission,”

“Go find him and finish him!” Johe shouted, his enthusiasm returning. “I wanna see you pummel that guy, Bont!”

Bontly pointed skyward. “No, see.”

A loud alert blared through the air as a massive blimp-like drone circled overhead, projecting a message:

ALERT. ALERT. HEAVY RAIN INCOMING.

Gork was heavily battered and buried in rubble. Hearing the alert, he activated his jet-powered wings, lifting himself unsteadily into the air. Despite his injuries, a comical grin spread across his face as tears streamed from his eyes.

“Finally,” Gork sobbed. “I don’t have to fight those big scary people anymore.”

Back on the tracks, Johe tilted his head back. “Looks like the fight’s over,” he said with a sigh of relief. “Let’s head home.”

Bontly, hoisted Johe onto his shoulder and began sprinting along the tracks. “But shouldn’t I collect Tackle and Shinku?” he asked, worriedly.

Johe waved him off dismissively. “Come on, man! We don’t even know how far we are from them. We’re on the other side of the district!”

With a resigned nod, Bontly swung from building to building, as civilians ran inside. “Yes, sir,”.

The walls of the abandoned hotel echoed with the brutal sounds of Tackle being thrown, slammed, and beaten relentlessly. Epongi’s laughter reverberated through the empty halls, twisted and full of sadistic glee. His strikes came faster, more viciously with each passing second, his movements a blur as he shouted, “Jeez, this is fun as shit!”

Tackle’s body crashed through another wall, her blood painting the air as she tumbled into the next room. Gasping, she tried to stand, but her limbs trembled, refusing to obey. Her vision blurred, and her breaths were shallow.

Epongi loomed over her, his grin widening as he mocked, “You humans really are so pathetic.” He raised his leg, kicking her mercilessly, sending her sprawling through a floor to the level below.

The building groaned under the strain of their fight, but Epongi didn’t care. He leaped down after her, landing with a heavy thud. Tackle barely managed to lift her head as he approached, his expression twisted with manic joy. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had!” he shouted, slamming a foot into her side.

Tackle felt the searing pain course through her body as she coughed up blood. She thought, I’m dying…

Epongi laughed again, a wicked sound that seemed to fuel his unrelenting assault. “Overclocking myself to the brink of death while riding the effects of the virus… It’s such a rush!” His voice was laced with exhilaration, his body throbbing with unnatural energy. “And the best part? Killing you is the cherry on top!”

Another brutal kick sent Tackle crashing through a final floor, her broken body landing with a sickening thud in the hotel lobby. The flickering lights above cast a faint glow on her battered figure. She tried to move, but her strength was gone. Blood pooled beneath her, and her vision began to fade.

I’m dying… she thought again, despair settling in her heart.

Epongi descended the staircase leisurely, savoring every moment. His eyes gleamed with malice as he reeled back his leg, ready to deliver the final blow. “Time to smash your face in,” he said with a twisted grin, the cadence of his voice mocking.

As he shot forward, Tackle heard it—a faint, rhythmic tapping. It was distant at first, but it grew louder, sharper, cutting through the haze of her thoughts. Rain…?

Her eyes widened. The sound of raindrops against the window pierced through her despair. Summoning the last remnants of her strength, she clenched her fists and slammed them into the window behind her. Glass shattered around her as she tumbled backward into the downpour outside.

The cold rain hit her skin like a jolt of electricity, her senses coming alive for a brief moment. She stumbled to her feet, swaying unsteadily. The rain soaked her suit, mixing with the blood that dripped from her injuries. She looked back at Epongi, who stood at the shattered window, watching her with a twisted, angry smirk.

“You’re a computer,” Tackle said, her voice hoarse but defiant. “You can’t come outside.”

Epongi’s grin faltered for a moment, but then he laughed, his body shaking with both exhaustion and fury. “You puny little human,” he spat, his breaths heavy and labored. “It’s a shame I couldn’t kill you.”

He reached into his utility belt and pulled out a teleportation ticket. “But don’t worry,” he said with a sinister smirk, activating the ticket. “Next time, I’ll make sure you don’t crawl away.”

The air around him warped as the teleportation device took effect, and Epongi disappeared, his laughter fading into the rain.

Tackle dropped to her knees, the rain masking the tears streaming down her face. She was exhausted, her body barely holding together, but she was alive.

I made it… she thought, her vision darkening as the rain continued to fall.

The sky above the city darkened as rain poured down, washing over the rooftops where Shinku and Binar’s battle raged on. The drizzle acted as a signal and a countdown—their fight was nearing its climax.

Shinku’s eyes darted across the battlefield, the rain plastering his hair to his face. He fired off another EMP web, the glowing strands crackling against the rain-soaked surface of the rooftop. His mind raced. The EMP I planted on my infected arm is starting to wear off… I’ll have to make my move before infection overtakes me completely.

Binar leaped to the next rooftop, his body twisting in midair to avoid the erratic webbing that Shinku continued to fire. His thoughts churned as he landed, one arm hanging limp, its movements stuttered and unnatural. The pattern… He’s deliberately leading me somewhere, Binar thought, his expression darkening. But I don’t have the luxury to care. If I hesitate too long, he’ll box me in.

Just in case, Shinku thought, I’ll cover every escape route. He’ll have no choice but to fall into my trap.