OBSOLETE

Chapter 9

He couldn't mess this up. If Double Claw Screwdriver failed, he was history. He had to wait for the right moment. He had to create the right moment. Pro Special had failed. Just about everything else had failed. This was his last chance at dealing a critical blow to his opponent's seemingly unbreakable chassis.

The whirring of his inner mechanics and the reassuring calls of his Comrade failed to drown out the constant ticking of his internal clock.

15 minutes.

Tactic 08 - Agile Aggression.

Dashing forward and around his opponent, Croe darted around his opponent and backed away whenever Warsmanv2 would come forward. Lord Flash faked a kick towards his enemy's legs and instead sent a claw at his face. Despite the tactful attack, Warsmanv2 immediately registered the fake before it had even been completed and caught the fist. Twisting it painfully, he intended on breaking the appendage. Croe jumped up and dropkicked his face as hard as his chojin strength allowed. Fortunately, Warsmanv2 released his hold and allowed his prey to put some distance between them.

Wringing his hand, Lord Flash noted that although the limb was damaged, it was still useable. He also came to the conclusion that he lacked the necessary speed to pull this tactic off. He would have to conceive of something else to get Warsmanv2 into the vulnerable position he needed.

11 minutes.

The longer he fought, the more strategies he tried and the more he found himself landing shoulders first against the unforgiving canvas, the more hopeless everything felt.

Even at his strongest, he was no matched for the more advanced robot.

He had been thoroughly replaced.

9 minutes.

Is there a life after death?

What happens to someone when his body fails, when his last breaths are taken?

Does his soul drift to a better place?

What of one who has no soul?

Where do they go?

7 minutes.

Time was running out.

Strategy was failing, the liquid oozing from his broken forehead gem and the fingers of his damaged left arm twitching were proof of that. Soon there would be no more room for thought.

He had to act. He had to rely on the instincts other than those he had been programmed with. Technology was predictable. Life was not.

His eyes narrowed as he watched the slow, defensive sidesteps of Warsmanv2, the damaged old robot was filled with renewed hope.

Was that the secret?

Warsmanv2 was like him in every way. He could predict all of his movements before they even occurred. What if...Croe could make himself completely unpredictable?

Banishing all coherent thoughts from his mind, the coach got down on all fours and hissed, scraping his claws against the ground. Amidst the baffled stares of his spectators, he jumped back against the ropes and propelled himself off, sprinting towards Warsman2. The more advanced automaton immediately braced himself for an attack that never came. Instead, Lord Flash jumped over him and outside of the ring, gripping the ring ropes and swinging his legs in between to kick Warsmanv2 in the side.

He then let go of the ropes and fell outside of the ring and landed several feet away from Kevin.

"Lord Flash..?"

Not listening to his protégé, Croe jumped onto the apron and hissed. Warsman2 had already recovered from the attack and was staring at his adversary, ready to predict and defeat the next attack. Lord Flash then leapt onto the turnbuckle and jumped into the air.

"Double Claw Screwdriver!" he cried, turning in the air and holding his claws before him. His more advanced brethren quickly prepared himself for the assault. Croe's body lunged forward. Warsmanv2 raised his claws as he watched the rapid approach. Suddenly, Lord Flash hissed as he arched his back and broke the spin. Flipping in the air, he gripped his own previously injured wrist with his other hand. A loud crack erupted, followed by a gasp from Kevin, as Croe ripped his own arm off at the elbow. The artificial blood and internal mechanisms dripped from the limb, and sparks darted across the exposed wires. While Warsmanv2's mind tried to comprehend the irrational actions, Croe shut off his pain receptors, took careful aim and hurled the appendage, claw-first, as hard as his enhanced strength allowed. The blades pierced the tough armor of Warsmanv2's chest and the blow caused him to stagger back several feet and fall onto one knee.

Quickly grabbing the imbedded arm, Warsmanv2 ripped it from his chest and hurled it into the ground. A thick, metallic liquid oozed from the opening and trickled down his abdomen. Small bits of metal drifted on the liquid and landed on the wrestling mat soundlessly.

Now was his chance. Landing just beside his nemesis, Croe sent a kick into the side of his head. As the robot fell onto his side with a thud and clank of metal, Lord Flash sprung once again onto the ropes and propelled himself off.

"Solo Claw Screwdriver!" Croe held his remaining claw forward and tilted his body into position. As Warsmanv2 pushed himself back onto his feet, his already damaged chest was met by another set of claws. Hissing, Croe grinned sadistically as smoke drifted and sparks shot from the massive wound. Once the maneuver was completed, Lord Flash pushed himself off and landed on his feet. Electric darted across his damaged arm and his shoulders slumped. It was all he could do to stay on his feet and gleefully survey the damage he had successfully dealt.

Warsmanv2 remained where he knelt, staring coldly at his predecessor. The lack of expression was almost disappointing to Lord Flash. After all he had done, and the more advanced robot lacked the mentality to acknowledge his own defeat.

"Predecessor Warsman," the more advanced android stated coldly, his voice revealing none of the weakness his body showed. Croe tilted his head slightly. Warsmanv2 stared straight into the optics of his target. "You are too imperfect to perform that move correctly."

"Wh-what?!" Croe could only watch in shock and horror as his nemesis pushed himself onto his feet. He took a step back. "That...is impossible!"

"Incorrect," Warsmanv2 stated mechanically as he flipped backwards onto the turnbuckle. "You will witness the correct adaptation of the Double Claw Screwdriver."

Croe could only stare up at him, through a reddening gaze. His internal clock chimed. He was out of time.

Author's Notes: I live!! Sorry for the lack of update in such a long time. I had been completely out of the writing groove but starting college again has thrown me right back into it. Expect the conclusion of this story to come much more swiftly now. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I didn't want to force myself to write it if I wasn't in the spirit and risk ruining the story. I am pretty proud of this creation and I want to make sure it remains intriguing and high-quality from start to finish. I hope I didn't butcher the story by not writing out every moment of the fight, I wanted to make time seem to pass extremely fast, especially when Croe only has such a short amount of time to defeat such an impossible enemy. I also hope that I didn't make Warsman2 -too- impossible. That's always a sign of a "mary-sue" character and I am aware that he might come across as that. He is not meant to be one, but if he is considered one it would not surprise me. Either way, I hope you enjoyed the story thus far and shall continue to enjoy it until the last sentence of the final paragraph.