Marine Avenger's Rising

Sector 51, Street 18, Block 1

Kira and Decibolt faced off against a summon known as Mercury Knight. Her silver armor gleamed even in the dim light of the street, and a long silver sword rested in her hand.

"Haaaa!" Mercury Knight roared, slamming her sword into the ground. A ripple ran through the asphalt, and molten mercury began to rise from the cracks, spreading across the street.

"Now watch as my mercury consumes you," she declared, the liquid metal climbing higher until it threatened to engulf them completely.

"Feel the power of my liquid metal!" she shouted.

Suddenly, a pink light erupted from inside the mercury. Kira acted instantly, unleashing a full-body repulsion that blasted the liquid away.

"You can't escape my mercury," Mercury Knight snarled.

"Who said I was trying to escape?" Kira retorted, racing forward. Her fists pounded against the armor.

"Your pitiful punches can't penetrate my armor," Mercury Knight sneered.

Kira ignored her, continuing the relentless assault.

"Since you won't listen, you must be taught the hard way," Mercury Knight hissed, raising her hand to strike.

Kira grabbed her arm mid-swing and flipped her expertly. "Molecular Fusion!" she commanded, fusing Mercury Knight to the ground.

"Molecular Force!" Kira's power blasted the mercury off Decibolt.

"Deci Cannon!" Decibolt leaped, blasting Mercury Knight, who vanished in a swirl of yellow smoke.

"You know the drill—hand over the shards," Kira demanded.

"Urgh!" The summoner obeyed, offering the shards.

"The police will be here soon. Have a nice slumber!" Decibolt added, knocking him out before opening a portal and stepping through.

Guardian's Chamber

Hakim shook his head. "Theo has some serious problems. Who spends their time creating things like that?"

Kira glanced at him. "He seems very lonely. No friends. Maybe those 'heroes' were his only company."

Hakim tapped his fingers impatiently. "It's almost time for that tech competition I entered. Nothing revolutionary—I need to keep my identity hidden—but it should still win first place."

"From behind, you mean?" Kira teased.

"If you're so sure, why don't you just come and watch?"

"I would love to see your failure but there's something I have to finish working on."

40 Minutes Later – Tech Competition Venue

"Welcome to Singapore's annual tech exhibition!" the MC announced, his voice booming across the hall. The crowd erupted in applause, a sea of excited faces turning toward the stage. "Today, you will witness the innovation and ingenuity of young minds from across the nation. These bright inventors have spent countless hours perfecting their creations, and now it's time to see the future in action!"

He gestured dramatically toward the first contestant. "Let's begin with our first presenter: Lee Johnson!"

Lee stepped forward, a nervous but determined smile on his face. "Hi everyone. My invention is designed to increase protection against food poisoning—tenfold."

"Impressive!" the MC exclaimed. "Can you show us how it works?"

"Absolutely," Lee replied, wheeling in a small cart with three covered dishes. "One of these has been exposed to contaminants, the others are safe. My device can detect the unsafe dish instantly."

The MC leaned in, curious. "And how does it do that?"

Lee pressed a few buttons on the device. "It analyzes microbial content in real time. It's accurate, fast, and portable—perfect for restaurants, schools, and even home use."

"Very well, let's test it," the MC said. He picked up the device and scanned the three dishes. Lights flashed and a beep indicated the contaminated dish. "Ah! Number two!" He sniffed carefully. "Hmm... that doesn't smell right at all. Incredible!"

The audience erupted into applause, some whistling and cheering.

"Thank you," Lee said, bowing. "With this device, anyone handling food can quickly prevent contamination and outbreaks."

"Truly impressive," the MC added. "Young innovators like Lee are exactly what make our future bright. Let's give him another round of applause!" The hall thundered with clapping.

"Next up, Alex Mintar!" the MC announced, turning to the next contestant. Alex, a confident young woman with a bright smile, stepped onto the stage holding what appeared to be a small, sleek device.

"My invention is an ultra-fast electronic charger," she said, holding up the device. "Unlike traditional chargers that take hours, this one fully charges any phone or laptop in seconds."

The MC raised an eyebrow. "Seconds? That sounds impossible!"

"Watch this," Alex said. She placed a dead phone on the stage and pressed a button. Immediately, the screen lit up as the phone powered on. "Fully charged in under ten seconds. It works for laptops and computers too."

The crowd murmured in astonishment. "But... how does it do that?" the MC asked.

Alex smiled. "It harnesses ambient static electricity from the surroundings—completely renewable and clean. No need to plug it into a wall."

The audience erupted into applause again, many standing to cheer. "Remarkable!" the MC said. "A brilliant demonstration of technology meeting sustainability. Let's give Alex a round of applause!"

The MC cleared his throat, stepping forward with a flourish. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, our next contestant: Luke Tan!"

The audience turned, curious. A tall, confident young man strode onto the stage, carrying a sleek, metallic device that gleamed under the exhibition lights. His dark hair caught the spotlight as he gave a small bow.

"Hello everyone," Luke began, his voice calm but commanding. "What I'm presenting today is the Electro-Grid Stabilizer, a system designed to prevent power surges in urban grids while simultaneously capturing wasted energy and redirecting it for everyday use."

A ripple of murmurs went through the audience. The MC leaned forward. "That sounds... impressive. Can you demonstrate?"

Luke nodded. "Of course. For today's demo, I've set up a miniature city grid here on stage."

A series of small buildings and LED lights appeared, connected by thin wires and tiny transformers. The audience could see flickering lights simulating a city's power consumption.

Luke pressed a button on his device. Immediately, the lights stabilized, flickering energy arcs balancing across the mini-grid. "As you can see," he explained, "without intervention, power fluctuations can cause blackouts or overload circuits. The Electro-Grid Stabilizer detects these surges instantly and redistributes energy to maintain a stable flow."

The MC turned to the crowd again. "Alright, folks! Let's give Luke another round of applause before we move to our next contestant. Innovation like this is why our city continues to thrive!"

Luke stepped back, smiling slightly, while the applause washed over him. He knew the competition was fierce, but this was just the beginning.

Backstage

Luke walked down proud and confident of his project.

I have this in the bag, don't even bother going I've already won.

Hakim scowled. Just wait until you see mine.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," the MC continued, "our next presenter is someone you've all been waiting for—Hakim Crystanda!"

Hakim stepped onto the stage, adjusting his glasses nervously. "Thank you. Today, I present the S.C.D., or Summon Control Device. This device alerts you whenever a hero summon appears within three blocks of your location. It's designed to protect civilians and improve city safety in real-time."

"Impressive concept," the MC said, leaning forward. "Can you demonstrate?"

Hakim nodded, preparing his device. But before he could continue, a sudden voice echoed inside his mind. Guardian: There's a summon at Siloso Beach.

Hakim muttered under his breath, exasperated. Seriously now?

The MC raised an eyebrow, noticing Hakim's hesitation. "Mr. Crystanda? Are you ready to proceed with the demonstration?"

Hakim shifted awkwardly. "Uh... sorry, folks. My stomach is acting up. I—uh—I need to step out continue without me."

Hakim ran backstage.

Looks like someone got cold feet.

Hakim ignored him as he found a place to open a portal and walk through to the guardian's chamber.

Guardian's Chamber

"I can't believe you pulled me out of the competition," Hakim grumbled.

"You weren't going to win anyway," Kira replied.

"This summoner is going to pay for interrupting!" Hakim muttered, stepping through a portal.

Siloso Beach

The summoner and their summon awaited. Kira and Decibolt arrived through the portal.

"It has come to my attention that if I want to rob all the banks, I must take you two out," the summoner announced. "Marine Avenger here will put you in your place."

A figure stepped forward: blue-skinned, clad in aqua and sky blue, radiating power.

"I'll hunt you like a shark chasing little fish," Marine Avenger said.

You'll have the grace of seeing my new device in action, the SCS, Kira said proudly

She scanned her. Combat power 592, category: Animal Symbiosis.

And what's that supposed to mean, Decibolt questioned.

It's her battle power, she's little over average, this shouldn't be too hard.

Marine Avenger launched herself at Kira with incredible speed, punching her to the ground.

"Well, someone has super strength," Decibolt muttered.

"My marine mode 1 has the proportionate strength of a yellowfin tuna," Marine Avenger explained.

Decibolt smirked. "So, a tiny fish?"

"You don't understand the greatness of fish," she snapped. Then she launched a rapid flurry of attacks. Sharp yellow fins emerged on her arms, slashing him before delivering a heavy kick to the ground.

"Marine Trident!" she shouted. A trident materialized from swirling water bubbles, summoning a massive wave that pulled Kira and Decibolt into the current.

"Now for some fighting in my domain," she declared, diving fully underwater.

Kira activated her Galaxom, visor locking into aqua mode. "You good?" she asked.

"My armor provides oxygen. Let's just get out of here," Decibolt replied.

"Not so fast!" Marine Avenger growled. "If you want out, you'll have to get past me."

"Shouldn't be too hard," Decibolt said confidently.

Marine Avenger's muscles bulged. "Marine Mode 2! Now I possess the power of a black marlin."

Her combat power has increased to 598.

"No matter which fish you are, you're still weaker than me," Decibolt shot a sonic wave, only for the water to slow it. She dodged easily.

"These waters are nothing like the crystal lakes. It's so hard to swim in this," he muttered.

"Pathetic," she sneered, swimming at extreme speed and attacking relentlessly. Her trident slammed him to the sea floor.

"Clearly swimming isn't your strong suit. Let me handle this," Kira said, activating underwater jets. She lunged toward Marine Avenger, only for the trident to block her strike.

"You may be decent, but I am superior," Marine Avenger said.

"Full Body Repulsion!" Kira exploded her power outward, forcing Marine Avenger back.

"Kinetic Punch Barrage!" Kira followed up, but Marine Avenger twisted the currents, redirecting the strikes back at her.

"Now taste my marlin beak!" The summoner's nose elongated into a sharp, pointed beak. She swirled around them, attacking from all directions.

"Whirlpool Current!" she bellowed, creating a vortex that pulled Kira and Decibolt under before flinging them out of the water.

"Yes!" Decibolt shouted, launching sonic discs as she leapt out. She deflected them easily and slammed them back with a water fist formed from her trident, following them relentlessly.

"You're about to be defeated by the queen of the sea, superior even to Poseidon!" she declared.