Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh. I do own Temarocia though, and everything that happens there.
Song of Temarocia
Chapter 25: The Heaviest Body
"Whether or not you're surrounded by your greed, it doesn't make a difference in the end." The Grafter's heavy tail slammed into the ground at his feet, creating a little earthquake throughout the surrounding area. "I'll still crush your dreams."
Don Karot started his cheerful laughing again, a flash of gold matching the color of his suit coming from his arms as his Carrier appeared there. "Your confidence is still a mystery to me. Why do you still think you can win when I have already proven that I can defeat you in a single strike?"
Somewhere above them an explosion sounded, signaling the beginning of the battle between Kim and Bronzo. If either of them heard it though, they took no notice.
"You won because I took that hit on purpose," As Jason said this, his hands closed into fists, both appendages cracking unison twice as the knuckles and finger-joints bent into each other. "I'm going to be fighting seriously now, since I've got a real reason to kick your ass."
A series of gunshots sounded off in the background, making it seem like the two were a pair of generals speaking to each other in the middle of a great battle.
The silence stretched on for another few minutes until the Warlord sighed sadly. "How much do you know about Temarocia, Jason-kun?"
"Next to nothing!" The Grafter declared triumphantly, thumbing at his chest.
("Why are you proud of that?") Don Karot sighed again. "Then listen closely and let me tell you about this country, the country of magic. In it there are the seven Warlords and the Five Guardians of Mudeia. Those people are the true superpowers. I am one of those twelve superpowers, and yet here you stand declaring that you will defeat me. Do you understand how foolish that sounds to one such as I, who has been through countless battles in my forty long years of life?"
(300/700) Don Karot- 8000/10000
(1500/3000) Jason- 8000/5000
Jason willed his Carrier onto his arm, eyes narrowed as he tapped his deck five times. "I think the one who sounds foolish here is you, Don Karot. Are you repeating your rank for your sake, because I already know who you are?" He pounded his right hand, curled into a fist, into his left. "I said I would crush your dreams and I swear I'll accomplish that."
"So you don't understand the difference in level that a Warlord is when compared to one such as yourself?" Don Karot touched his deck and it was bathed in a golden light. "Regardless of the fact that you're a Legendary Class not seen in this world for over 400 years, you will still lose to me. I will show you the powers of a Warlord who stood at the side of one of the greatest men in all of Temarocia."
His eyes narrowed in a similar fashion to how the Grafter's had. "I will show you the first Trial of a War Merchant, and then we will see how long you last. You, who seems to value his physical strength above all else, will most likely enjoy this." His body started to give off a golden light similar to the one that had come from his deck.
"Trial?" Jason growled, his tail wagging back and forth in irritation. "Where's the Jury?"
"You're thinking of the wrong kind of Trial." Don Karot stood up to his full height, revealing that he was quite tall and quite fearsome-looking. "Trials are powers that are achieved when an Adventurer reaches a certain level of skill. They are secret abilities which have powers normally unattainable through mere training and skill. Now behold the first of my Trials!" The golden glow around his body grew brighter and he lunged at the Grafter.
"I activate Spike Aura, allowing me to double my defense when you attack!" Jason's long green-gray head-fur lengthened, falling around his ankles and suddenly becoming a solid wall of hardened spikes. (1500/6000)
The two connected and then Jason was hurled backwards, his Spike Aura catching on the ground and slowing him to a halt. ("It felt like I was trying to stop a freaking train…") Groaning, his hair retracted to normal length and he sat up while rubbing the back of his head sorely.
"It's a shame," Don Karot said as he flexed his arm. "That you cannot pierce this shell."
Jason looked up at the Warlord and his jaw dropped instantly in surprise. "What the heck?"
"I see you're surprised." The Warlord seemed to be covered from head to toe in a layer of gold, giving him the appearance of a moving statue of the rock. His shining lips curled back to reveal a mouth filled with precious rare stones instead of teeth. "All Merchants should know the importance of a clean shop and a good appearance, lest the buyer think you're a swindler and not wish to have anything to do with you. Even War Merchants know this, hence why this Trial exists. It is called Priceless Body, and that is because while it is on all damage I would take is instead deducted from the amount of Tem in possessions I am surrounded by."
(Current Wealth: 599,990,500) (300/700) Don Karot- 8000/9000
(1500/3000) Jason- 8000/5000
"So as long as you're a rich bastard then I can't beat you, huh?" Jason brushed off his pant legs and stood up, tapping the top of his deck. ("Its fine, Stonequill can do this. I figured out how he works, so beating this guy isn't impossible.") Then he launched forward with a roar.
"So even though you know it won't hurt me you still intend to take away some of my personal bankroll, do you?" Don Karot threw his arms up in front of him defensively.
"Heavy Piston!" (Heavy attack effect: Treat it as if your opponent attacked you when you attack them. You may attack while in defense mode.) Jason threw his entire body into a right cross that hit the arms of the Warlord and sent him flying into a statue a dozen feet away. ("Wing was right, there's more to Stonequill than just his spikes. If it were spikes alone then I wouldn't be able to take as much punishment as I do with it.")
Alita opened her giant tome and flipped to a certain page in it. "They can do stuff like that because they weigh over fifty tons. See, aren't they cute little tanks of destruction?"
("While I might not agree with the cute part I have to admit that weight was what I didn't realize these guys have in spades.") He kicked a nearby piece of debris and it flew into the space where Don Karot had landed. "Get out here and let's keep this fight moving. I don't like the idea of wasting time that could be better spent kicking your ass!"
(Current Wealth: 599,987,800) (300/700) Don Karot- 8000/9000
(1500/3000) Jason- 8000/5000
The Warlord stood up and copied Jason's earlier action, brushing a layer of finely ground powder from his now gold-plated suit. "That was a rather nice hit, Jason-kun. However I wonder if you can get past my immeasurable wealth. After all as long as I have my money no amount of damage you could create will touch me."
The Grafter sneered and held up his right middle finger. "Are you gonna keep saying you're invincible or are you going to start fighting? While punching you was pretty satisfying for me I'm sure Saika wants to see your cue ball head buried in the tile."
Don Karot laughed cheerfully again, touching the top of his deck. "You are a truly crude individual, Jason-kun. That is one of the things I find so endearing about you. After all, you're the only person to physically wish to fight me in the longest time."
"Stop blabbing and let's get this fight going already!" The Grafter kneeled slightly and his head-fur bristled outwards barely, ready to activate his Spike Aura at a moments notice.
"As you wish." Four bright diamonds erupted from the Warlord's right hand in place of his knuckles. "I activate the item Diamond Buster. While equipped I deal the opponent 1000 points of damage when I attack a defense mode monster." He launched in and punched right through the spikes that erupted around the Grafter's body.
(Current Wealth: 599,982,100) (300/700) Don Karot- 8000/8700
(1500/3000) Jason- 7000/5000
Jason gasped because the shock from the pain was enough to break his ordinary immunity to such a trivial thing. ("He's fearless because of that stupid Priceless Body thing…he doesn't care how much money I cost him as long as he beats me.") Even though he had figured out Stonequill's word and abilities, it wasn't going to make a lick of difference if the opponent wasn't afraid of taking damage in the first place. ("I can't break his defense, and amassing enough damage to wipe out his money supply isn't going to be possible.")
Don Karot shined the diamonds coming from his knuckles carefully with a silk handkerchief he had taken out of his pocket, quickly bringing the gems to a glittering sheen. "So tell me Jason-kun, have you figured out yet that winning against me is impossible with your level of power?"
"I'm not done yet!" Jason touched the top of his deck and charged in towards the Warlord at full speed. "Heavy…" He leapt off of his feet and curled into a ball, his head-fur lengthening and turning him into a rolling spiked weapon. "Wrecking Ball!"
"I activate Diamond Booster!" The Warlord's foot launched up and kicked right through the hardened body of Jason, connecting with the young man's spine and sending him back the way he had come. "This technique can only activate when I've got my Diamond Buster on. It allows me to negate an attack and deal the attack the damage they would have dealt me to themselves."
(Current Wealth: 599,982,100) (300/700) Don Karot- 8000/8000
(1500/3000) Jason- 4000/5000
("Man…this is pretty bad.") Jason sat up slowly and rubbed the sore part of his back that had just got kicked. "I guess it's your turn."
Don Karot touched the top of his deck and charged at the already guarding Grafter, his Diamond Buster ready to break the best defense that Jason had.
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Wing frowned in frustration and returned to chewing on the toothpick he had snatched from a nearby restaurant while all the commotion had been going on. "That stupid kid's going to get himself killed at this rate. How can he expect to win against Don Karot when he's in the guy's own casino? It's not possible."
Feather nodded, sitting on her armored rump and watching the battle with only mild interest. "A War Merchant when in a place where their wealth is stored is invincible. I thought he would have figured this out by now, but apparently he won't understand that until he gets beaten down again."
"He may not live through another beating, that's the problem." The man brushed back his cloak and grimaced. "I still don't see why the Grafter was thought of as this great being. Jason seems to be the exception, since he has five Grafts, but it doesn't matter because out of all of them the only one that stands a chance is the Epic…"
"Which is too powerful for this situation." The female Paladin curled some of her long black hair around her finger. "I'm sure that there's a way for him to emerge from this the winner, but how?"
"I'd love to know. I thought that his understanding of how Stonequill works might make this easier, but apparently it has just made things harder. Now he stubbornly thinks that as long as he defends and attacks using it he'll win." A low groan came from the man. "What will it take for this kid to start fighting smart?"
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"I'm sure by now that he's already dismantled Don Karot." Alita, still pulling Saika along by the hand, turned another corner and heading towards the crashing sounds in the distance. "Don't you agree?"
"I hope so…" The rainbow-haired girl noticed the lack of patrons around the casino. ("I guess everybody was evacuated right after the fighting began.") She felt extremely uneasy as things were.
Then they turned the corner and Saika realized why she felt uneasy.
"Truly," Don Karot lamented, "You tried your hardest to be a hero for poor Saika. It's such a shame though that the truth of the matter is different from reality."
Jason would have responded, but he was too busy trying to keep those gold-plated hands from choking the life out of him as they gripped his neck. That didn't stop him from swinging his tail repeatedly to try and get a lucky strike in at the Warlord, but Don Karot had enough reach to make that impossible.
"It seems that you are at your limit, Jason-kun." Don Karot squeezed just a bit harder, finding the resistance against his attempts growing weaker. "I won't ask you to surrender again, as that would be extremely insulting to you."
"Thanks…for that…" Jason could smell both Alita and Saika, but at the moment he didn't have any plans to betray their positions by looking at them. ("He'll try and use them like he did before if he knows they're here.") "What did you mean before though, that I'm at my limit?"
"In this world monsters are a way of life, Jason-kun." Don Karot's grip loosened slightly. "Graftborn's, while powerful, are not invincible. If the monster the person is bonded with is weak then the abilities of the Wild Fusion will be weak. It doesn't matter how hard you try, your current Graft is far too weak. Like the last one you used, it doesn't have the power to beat me. Perhaps if you were a different class on top of having the Graft the story would be different."
"Are you saying that one of the monsters chosen by Alita was too weak? I'll kill you, you…" Jason's words were cut off as the Warlord clasped his neck again.
"It is not a matter of will at this point. You do not possess the power to defeat me and my skills in this place." Don Karot turned to look at Alita and Saika. "Those two will now surrender themselves if they want to live."
Alita was too stunned to comprehend the words leaving the mouth of the Warlord. All that she still heard was what he had said before that. ("The Prize Card I chose for Jason was too weak? He's going to die because of me?") Her eyes hardened and the crystal on top of her staff started glowing. "I won't let it end this way. We have to go take down Kyris the Hell, and you can't stop us Don Karot!"
"Is that so…" The Warlord's eyes narrowed in amusement. "Princess Alita…I don't think you understand the situation now." His hand clenched tightly around Jason's neck again to prove his point. "I'll kill this one if you don't surrender along with Saika-chan."
"Kill me?" Jason sneered, somehow speaking despite the crushing pressure to his neck. "You can't kill me, gold freak."
"I can't?" Don Karot pulled a pistol out of the folds of his gold-plated suit slowly, aiming the shining weapon at the young man's face. "You stood after I pierced your heart, so the next logical thing to do is shoot your brain. Even if you do live, your mind will be done and that will be the end of that."
"Actually," Jason snickered. "Then you'll just get your ass kicked by a retarded version of me. The outcome will be the same, but the cause will be something I'm sure a man of pride like you won't be able to accept." His eyebrows lifted questioningly. "So the real question is, Don Karot, do you want to ruin your reputation by pulling that trigger?"
The Warlord's hand started to close on that trigger, until he met eyes with the Grafter. ("I've seen that look before…in fact, I'm sure I've been looked at like that before by someone similar to this boy.") He couldn't remember for sure, but that look was something to worry about according to his instinct. "It won't have to come to that if those two ladies surrender."
"They won't because then they'll spoil my fun and I'll have to kick their asses too." Jason winked at the two after that, showing he was kidding.
("How can he joke at a time like this?") Alita still didn't understand how Jason thought at all. How could he treat such a potential death sentence like it was nothing to be worried about? ("Doesn't he care about his life at all?")
"How about this then?" The Warlord aimed his pistol at Alita. "I can't kill Saika, and apparently you don't care if I shoot you…but what about the one sane member of your little insolent group? I'm sure as a princess Ms. Meijer values her life more than you do, Jason-kun."
"Pull that trigger and I'll have to up your punishment," Any joking tone left in Jason's voice was gone. His eyes were cold now. "You're welcome to shoot at her, but understand that you'd better kill her with that shot."
"What?" Alita turned white with fear. "What are you…"
"If you don't," The Grafter cut in before she could become hysteric. "Then you'll have sacrificed your ability to walk, eat without the use of a straw, and use the restroom to wound her. Is it really worth wounding her just to give up your precious greed-filled existence, you walking pile of badly-dressed pimp?"
"…" The Warlord looked to be deep in thought. "Yes." He pulled the trigger, though Jason's expression didn't change as the bullet left the barrel of the gun. What he didn't expect though was for the bullet to suddenly ricochet off of his forehead, leaving a small scratch in his gold shell.
Alita looked around for Flair, but the samurai was nowhere to be found. ("What did that?")
Jason smirked calmly. "Yo Sai, you did something stupid didn't you?"
"Huh?" Saika, who had flinched when she had seen the gun fire, opened her eyes slowly and looked at the Grafter. "What are you talking about, Jason?" The amazed looks on the faces of Don Karot and Alita were worrying her too. "What is there something on my face?"
"Saika…" Alita rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't imagining things. After confirming that she was right a concerned gulp came from her throat. "Did you by chance…hide the Prize Card of the Mirror Wildcat on your person?"
"Nope." The girl announced bravely, refusing to give any clues as to the location of the thing Don Karot was being such a meanie for.
"It wasn't a Prize Card, was it…?" The Warlord numbly dropped the pistol to the ground at his feet, sweat glittering off of his plated forehead. "It condensed into a Mirror Eye…didn't it?"
Saika went silent, squaring her chin and refusing to tell.
Jason exploded into laughter. "Hey Saika, this is just a guess so tell me if I'm wrong or not, but you swallowed the Mirror Eye to make sure this gold freak couldn't get it didn't you?"
The silver-crystal furred tail she had just sprouted swinging behind her, Saika kept her jaw squared proudly. "I can't tell you that, Jason." The two cat ears of a similar color scheme coming from her head twitched together as if to help prove that she was serious about keeping the location of the remains of the Mirror Wildcat a secret.
Don Karot's jaw was hanging as close to the floor as it possibly could now. Alita was doing similar. Jason couldn't have found this entire situation funnier unless Rick had been around doing something stupid like he tended to.
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King pocketed his newly-charged Karot's Kingdom card and put his cigarette out in the completely full ash tray sitting next to the slot machine he had used. ("My angel senses are tingling…my dear Angel Alita must need my assistance.") He lit up another cigarette, looking completely cool…until he suddenly broke into a full-speed run in a random direction. "Your white knight of romance is coming, my love! Wait for me, my divine angel of inspiration!"
To be continued…
