Chapter 17:

Ch. 17: Tougher than ever before

Neo Discadia: Rise of the Sewer Rats


Across the field of broken bodies, blood spatters decorating the path, stood an ominous figure. They've never seen a creature so massive. Muscles like an oxen’s, blood vessels bulging. He was holding one of the contestants by the neck up to his face so he could see the light die out from their eyes. They struggled to set themselves free but its grip was much too powerful… and then… that's when you heard their neck snap. Whatever they had left, there was none of it now. The murderous intent radiated from him like a black smoke only his victims could see. and it filled the sewer rats with dread.

“this… this is unreal…” Johnny said

“Finally! the guests of honor have arrived! It's the moment you've all been waiting for. Give it up fooooooor… THE SEWER RATS!!!” the announcer's voice rang throughout the stadium

“what? what does he mean guests of honor?!” Erika asked

Neo looked around trying to piece together the information. “dammit...” Neo said “what the hell is going on?!”

“it doesn’t matter… all we have to do is win right? no sweat!” Johnny said as he ran out of the elevator waving his arms in the air egging on the crowd to cheer him on.

Neo looked at Erika. She shrugged her shoulders and walked out as well.

Neo let out a sigh “it doesn’t matter, nothing matters, be it 10 or 100, we have to win no matter what.” then he walked out of the elevator as well. No matter the challenge, no matter how daunting or impossible, you can bet your ass the sewer rats will always rise to the occasion.

All three of them stood side by side. and before them stood the 8ft 5’ mountain of muscle.

This would be the greatest challenge the rats have ever faced. Their opponent will push them beyond their limits, beyond what they think they're capable of. This is the make it or break it moment. If they cannot handle what’s before them, they have no hope for the trials that lie yet ahead.

They looked around their surrounding and found weapons scattered all around the ground.

“even with all these weapon’s they still couldn’t take this guy down… he doesn’t even have a scratch on em” Johnny said

“this guy’s tough” Erika said

“but he’s no match for us. we can take him.” Neo said picking a kunai and chain

Johnny looked at Neo then picked up a bow staff “damn straight” he said “you’re not gonna grab a weapon Erika?”

“never needed a weapon before, don't need one now” she said

Neo and Johnny looked at each other impressed by how cool she sounded.

With all of them armed and ready to go, the game was ready to begin. The announcer signaled the start. A buzzer rang throughout the stadium drowning out the crowd, And just like that, the game had begun. The mountain stood firm, legs spread and arms raised in a grapplers pose. “so that's his fighting style…” Neo said

“humph, can’t beat what you can’t grap…ple...” said Johnny.

“mh hm…” Erika said

The field went silent, the audience went quiet, as the anticipation grew, the wait became unbearable. And that's when the Sewer Rats charged all at once. And so did the mountain. He was surprisingly faster than he looked. Closing the distance between them in a matter of moments. he swung his massive arms at the three of them. but he missed. 

Neo and Johnny jumped above while Erika slid underneath just barely grazing her chin as it passed her by. she saw how Neo wrapped the chain around the mountains arm and how him and Johnny were about to pull him back putting him off his balance. So she braced herself to do a double handstand kick. They set him up so that she can knock him down. but As her foot made contact with the mountain's chin, something felt off. The strain on her ankle was more than she had anticipated and she hurt herself as well as the mountain. She back flipped landing back on her feet. 

“what the hell?” She said to herself as jets of pain were firing from her ankle taking her eyes off the mountain. "A possible sprain. Maybe a bruise. But after just one kick?" She thought.

but before she knew it, the mountain was on top of her about to pounce. she didn't have time to get away, in a split second she grabbed his arms and placed both feet on his abdomen and threw him overhead. He slammed on the ground but got up quicker than Erika was expecting. He used his massive body like a wrecking ball. He threw his punches like they were cinder blocks. Erika tried her best to dodge the barrage of fists hoping for an opening where she could make a counter-attack. He jabbed at her but she rolled around it closing the distance between as she wound up her leg to make a split kick. But he grabbed her foot before she could make contact. 

But that didn't stop Erika, as she used his grip on her foot as footing to kick with her other leg. This one did connect causing him to let go of her leg. She landed on the ground. Another jet of pain shot across her foot. Every time she lands a hit, it’s like she’s kicking a tree. She swings her legs like a windmill and gets back on her feet. Then she charged in. She jabs body blow after body blow. And when the mountain swings, she dips around it and continues her barrage. But she got overzealous, the mountain grabbed her and slammed his fist into her stomach knocking the wind out of her only then could she feel how bloody her fists were. And that's when he let her have it with a backhanded smash. Knocking her down. 

that's when Johnny came swinging for the fences slamming the end of his bow staff onto the back of the mountains head, and while he was still reeling stabbed it into the ground and used it as leverage as he kicked with one leg before kicking with the other as he made his way over the mountain getting in between him and Erika. Before the mountain could see what was going on, Johnny started swinging the staff overhead Slamming into the mountain over and over with every rotation, to then wind up and do a downward thrust only to then pierce upwards aiming for the neck. But the mountain wasn't flinching, any other man would be rolling in the ground gasping for air. But this was no mere man. he pinched the staff between his chin and his chest, grabbed Johnny, and threw him clear across the ring into the pile of empty weapon boxes.

“hey asshole!” Neo shouted at the mountain catching his attention. He got in a battle stance and waved him over to say “come at me” this infuriated the mountain and it charged straight for him. Neo let the kunai fly only for the mountain to deflect it “whoa, his reflexes are fast” but then he swung the chain around making the kunai swing back slicing his shoulder. “but I’m faster” he said. the two faced off head to head as the mountain swung his arms, Neo jumped out of the way smacking him with the chain like a whip. Getting behind him while wrapping the chain around his neck and pulling back with all his might. But the mountain wouldn't budge. he turned around swinging at him with his backhand but Neo narrowly avoided it by using his arms his such a way that let him vault over it. but it did nothing to help him as the other arm came barreling towards him. it slammed onto his face sending him careening away from the mountain. and just like that, they were all lying on the ground. The mountain the only one standing victorious.

“I don't believe it people! The Sewer Rats are down! they were no match for the monstrous creature. But we shouldn't be surprised we saw how he decimated the rest of the competitors in record time…wait a minute… what’s this?!?!?!” the announcer's voice exclaimed as he saw all three Sewer Rats rise up. “they may be down but they're certainly not out! you may not like it, but you certainly gotta give it to these guys, they are a tenacious bunch!”