Gregory landed a blow with his staff on the glass dome at the top, but it violently rebounded sending the boy hurdling towards the ground, he flipped quickly, landing on his feet. He showed signs of agility that might be a match for Mario's.

"I guess this hunk of junk ain't as useless as before..." Greg muttered. He moved his gaze to a metalic claw that was poised to smash his skull, leaping back from the attack as part of the bridge broke off. For a human, it was amazing to see him jump so quickly, and high with such heavy armor on, even though he didn't have his boomerang with him, which also appears to be something that would hinder any regular human's mobility. A hatch opened in the middle of the Magnus Von Grapple, releasing four small missles which flew towards Gregory, their flight pattern eratic, but focused on their target. The first came and was struck by his staff and hurdled down into the pool of lava, the next was ripped to shreds and made useless by the claws of his gauntlets, the third came from high up, and he lept back at the last second letting it strike the bridge, he looked to the fourth and spat out fire, blowing it up before it reached him. Now, this was another strange thing, a young human teen, breathing fire. But we've already established that his abilities were out of the norm.

"Old tricks won't work on me!" Gregory gloated up at Crump, whom merely snickered and pressed another button in the cockpit. Mechanical cranking and grinding could be heard as hatches in the middle of the cockpit opened, and the "X" ensignia on the front and back of the 'bot fell from their positions and spun like helecopter blades, flying towards Gregory. Their rotation grew more and more rapid until they appeared as two translucent circles. Gregory planted his feet firmly and held out his staff with both hands as the blades struck, grinding against his staff and slowly pushing him back, but his body would not change, it kept its stance and finally he pushed with all his might as the blade slid off course and went flying in different directions, one landing in the lava, and the other hitting a nearby wall of the rocky surface that surrounded Bowser's Castle. Gregory stared up at Crump, giving him the evil eye.

"Buh buh huh huh huh! What's the matter boy? Don't get frustrated! We've only just begun!" Crump laughed. The boy chuckled a bit, having thought of an idea. Now, this idea was a reckless one, but Gregory was cocky, he slid to the side and hopped off the bridge and out of sight. He plummeled towards the red hot lava below, he grabbed onto a stone pillar that held the bridge up, digging his "claws" into the surface, until finally he stopped in the middle of the pillar.

"Hmph. Has he given up already?" Asked Crump, scratching his head. Soon, the part of the bridge he was standing on began to rumble a bit, and he looked down to see Gregory on the pillar under him, which already had substantial damage, the boy drew his fist back one last time, and struck the pillar hard, making it collapse and tumble. Gregory left from the doomed pillar and onto one in good condition, leaping back onto the bridge, to see that the Magnus Von Grapple was gone. He walked over to the gap in the bridge to see the M.V.G in a different shape, it was hovering in the air above the firey pit below. He growled and stomped his feet like Bowser would when angered. Crump flew his machine up and above the bridge.

"Buh buh, you think you're clever don't you? Pure physical force won't destroy me! You haven't used you're head once in our battles! Buh buh huh huh! You're just like that ignorant brute, Bowser. This is why Sir Grodus and the X-nauts will prevail!" shouted the X-naut general with a laugh. Gregory looked up at the top of the castle where some catapults were, and pointed up there. X-naut grunts in nets were being loaded in and shot away, and to regions unknown.

"Looks like the Koopa Clan has you there," Gregory stated blankly. Crump looked up and growled a bit, then punched the panel in his cockpit angrily. Then he looked down on Gregory. Bowser appeared on the balcony pointing at Crump and laughing.

"Wha ha ha! I don't want to see you or your puny men here again! Gregory! Give him the boot m'boy! Take this so you can hurry back to eat!" the Koopa King cackled proudly, throwing Gregory a Metal Block. The boy caught it with a single, raised hand, and crushed it between his finger. Time appeared to stand still for a second, and as fast as lightning, a hard metal coating devoured Gregory's figure, and everything he held or woar. He examined his now, metalic body with complete admiration, not only could he feel his strength and endurance rising, but it felt like he could leap over a building now with all of this power. He looked up at Crump and laughed, though it was barely audible.

"Hmph! You can forget defeating me, that new paint job won't help you now you stupid boy! Now, to your knees or meet a premature demise!" Demanded Crump in anger.

Gregory just laughed silently again. Crump growled and mashed a fist on a big red button, and a hatch door under the M.V.G slid open, and a cannon, which appeared somehow larger than the M.V.G itself, popped out of the tight space, pointed at Gregory. Glowing eyes appeared in the dark mouth of the cannon, and a giant, golden Bullet Bill appeared, it's head sticking slightly out of the mouth of the cannon.

"FIRE!" shouted the X-naut general. A loud "clunk" could be heard as the lock on the Bullet Bill was released, and all at once, the massive war head with an attitude came firing out of the Cannon in blistering speeds, and straight at Gregory, whom stood there. The Bullet Bill was inches from him, and then...