Chapter 12: Closing Date, Fly Pegasus!
They ran for their lives.
Garou takes the lead, sprinting through the rough forest terrain. Emma over his shoulder with Gon and Killua rushing after him. Several bullets were fired from her rifle, as their pursuers screamed viciously in monstrous savagery, avenge-driven by the complete defeat of their fallen ape fellow. The skeletal gorilla-like figures, much more massive than the average gorilla as had been the Undead Yasha Ape, rattled like bone-drums as they rampaged across the areas in a herd.
The skeleton apes braced through her bullets; their bones far tougher than the rotting flesh of the first ape. These opponents will not be any easier than the already tough opponent that was the Undead Yasha Ape, and granted that it was their fellow that they killed, they certainly won't be kind to the humans.
"Gon! The card!" Killua shouted after his friends. To fight such a large number of monsters that may be as strong and reactive as the Undead Yasha Ape, Killua doesn't want to try his or all of their luck, and besides, there's no need to overstay their welcome here now that each of them have their five stars. It was time they leave this place.
"Right!" Gon reaches into his pocket and takes out the card, raising it up high. "Everyone! Stay close!"
Garou side-glances the boy, ears adjusting to the rapid bullet-fire from Emma's rifle. He held her over his shoulder and keeping her there with his broken arm, done so by forced while his other arms swung forward and back as he sprinted a foot away from the boys. He was purposefully keeping to this speed so that he would be close when they do use that card to get them out of here.
He really doesn't think, nor should he, push himself beyond his already injured state, broken arm and having tanked the beating of the Undead Yasha Ape. Fighting all those apes of skeletons at once? Probably equal in strength, likely even stronger than the rotting ape? Now that's just pushing it. He had a worse beating from his own master but that doesn't mean he wasn't gonna push himself this far. "That card better do the trick-"
A sudden sharp drop and Garou with Emma disappeared into the ground. Gon and Killua skidded to a halt and looked over where Garou and Emma went, and discovered a long, long cliff hiding behind the bushes beyond, where they see the silver hair and orange hair fall in a slide down across the steep.
"Emma! Garou!" Gon shouted. Killua's head whipped behind and he ushered urgently.
"Come on! We'll meet them down" Killua started sprinting once more, following down the path that led below where the cliff leads. Gon looks at the closing skeletal apes and quickly catches up to Killua.
Emma yelled as she felt a sudden drop and pulled towards Garou as they fell down the side of a long cliff. His feet drag against gravel until he makes a leap, meters down, he lands easily. Emma was again marveled by his capable feats, even more so after he had just endured that vicious beating, it left her in awe that he could get back up after that and still move as much as he can, but obvious enough that it has taken a toll on him along with his broken arm.
She glances up and saw Gon and Killua racing down the path for her and Garou, and behind the boys, the skeletal apes who gives chase - all four of the competitors, half of the monsters jumping from the cliff for Garou and Emma without pause. A couple of them traveling across the ledge and the cliff down-path, gripping at it and leaping off for each fleeing duo.
With biting teeth, Garou resumed forward with a greater speed, intent to cross with the boys. "Garou! Above you!"
A giant round boulder the size of a full-grown elephant, tossed by the joined effort of a few skeletal Yasha Apes, descended upon them. Garou sprinted to the side, the boulder crashing between him and Emma, and the young Hunters on the other side, and started to roll down the cliff.
"Emma!" Gon yelled out, as another big boulder was tossed his and Killua's way. Killua cursed in his breath, and they sprinted and moved to avoid the falling boulder that smashed on impact against the path.
An aggravated breath, Garou launched himself with a strong push of his feet against the ground, the giant boulder rolling pass behind him and Emma watching it go with wide eyes before glancing at the chasing skeletal apes. She witnessed one ape grabbing hold of another and then-
"Look out!" She warned him as he looked back to see what it was. The skeletal apes spun his fellow monster and tossed it towards them, the monster screeching with terrifying howls as it was thrown for them.
Garou kicked off to the right, narrowly missing its savage grab that would have pummeled him and crushed Emma with ease. Dammit, where did those brats go? He's lost sight of them since that giant boulder came down. Well that wasn't good. Without being near those boys, they won't be able to escape this place together. Better hurry and catch up to those brats!
He speeds up in hopes to intercept those boys. "NOT THAT WAY!"
Emma's sudden screaming had him halt immediately, the tip of his toes barely remaining before the edge, the wind of the valley brisking touching through their forms as they see nothing but darkness below, and the rest of the canyon right before them. "Whoa. That was close," He breathed out with surprised eyes. He craned his head back to see the girl over his shoulder, "How did you-?"
"Gon gave me back the tracker!" Emma showed the device held in her hand and its working map. "I can lead us to Gon and Killua. Hurry! The monsters right behind us!"
Her warning came just as the skeletal apes reemerges, and Garou flee along the edge, he made a daring jump, dropping below the valley wall and landing up a ledge, leaping to the next, the fear of the dark depths long below them unwavering in his and Emma's nerves. To use the device, Emma has to rescind using her rifle in order to guide Garou, which was for the best anyhow, as it seems even with her demon-piercing bullets, the skeletal apes were truly tough creatures.
"Go up!"
Garou heard her and did as she directed, her being his only guide through the wilds. He reaches back upon the valley, returning to the forest area and sprinted ahead. The skeletal apes were giving a fierce chase, actually matching Garou's accomplishment in leaping and climbing alongside the valley wall, but they were not as fast, much to their advantage lead.
"Go left! There's a monster ahead!"
Garou had just heard her when he spotted the white-bone creature who yelled viciously after him, he reacted at once and dodged the apes attempted throttle of both its swung fists and resumed forward. If there were skeletal apes here, then this must be where they chased Gon and Killua, they can't be too far.
"Run to the right! Now left! There's another cliff up ahead but there's a path you can take! Watch out! There's several monsters in this forest!" Emma instructed him diligently, eyes never leaving the map even as she hears the furious wilds of not just the skeletal apes but other existing beasts in the forest. But in thanks to her monster tracker, they could avoid not only difficult terrains easily maneuverable for Garou if he is warned of them beforehand, but also avoiding monsters.
They exited out of the forest and onto an open space of meshed grass and dirt, a wall-side of the cliff in front of them. Garou ran up the cliff-side in a wall-sprint, his feet climbing the steepness without the use of his hands.
"Monsters up ahead!"
Emma's warning had Garou stopped right upon the side of the wall, feet instantly and sharply dug into the exterior as above them, skeletal monsters arrive, passing by them at first for what they knew right away, in search of those two young Hunters. One of the skeletal apes, however, looked down and noticed them, then shouted for his comrade's attention.
Garou clicked his tongue behind his teeth. With a stomp against the ground, he launched himself down to the side and ran with all of his might, his legs and working on rushing back and forth while his broken one remained holding onto Emma. A sight of the skeletal apes coming out from the forests on each side, but her focus remained determinedly on the tracker, and for a near instant moment, Garou had taken a lead ahead, the skeletal apes left far behind. They might just escape them.
Her eyes widened at the screen of the tracker, "We're heading for a dead-end!"
Startled eyes, Garou abruptly stopped in his tracks as soon as he heard that, but he had already arrived just as her warning was delivered. He figured another wall-run would do, but looking at the issue up front, it would not be that simple.
It was much more than a dead end, it was the entire mountainside. Blocked by nothing but it's wall of stones, and up above where a mist of clouds actually formed, flesh-eating monsters with wings fought over the half-eaten body of another creature - even among monsters, there was always the need to compete.
A sharp jolt attacked his stomach that numbed throughout his body again and he fought the urge to clutch it.
"This ain't good," he looked back where the skeletal apes are sure to arrive soon, hearing their ravaged howls. They stood in between valleys as well, where the tip of it is certainly possible for him to reach for, but he will have to face those winged man-consuming birds, and there were a lot of them. In front of the valley to his left though, was a small forest, was there something that might lead them through the valley? Or would they only corner themselves further?
"There might be something in that forest," Emma held the same idea as Garou, looking at the screen of her tracker with calm intensity, "I don't see anything right now, no monsters except for the one above us and the one far behind us, but there might be a path or a cave."
The forest might also serve as a decent hiding spot, but that was risky, for if the skeletal apes were intelligent and in great numbers, the forest will be searched and swarmed, and if there is no path, they will be forced to face the army of skeletal apes.
Garou had the same understanding. Turn back, and all they will meet were those angry family of gorilla skeletons, wall-running up and the issue is just the same but with flying enemies, try the in between and he might just risk getting both parties attention and that would be the worst thing to happen. He was already in a bad state, and if he were to suffer another gut-aneurysm, he'll be at the skeletal ape's biting end.
There was also the fact that their only guide through this canyon was the girl and her tracker. If the case was that they don't find Gon and Killua, then her tracker is their next bet of finding their way of escape from this place, even if he could fight his way against those beasts, he needed that guidance to get out of Beast Valley. And if she and that tracker were to be crushed by the fists of those skeletal apes, or picked off like that Nevermore had done, then kill her and break the device, they'll be completely screwed.
"Go check it out then."
A startled yelp from Emma as he easily heaved her from his shoulder, and tossed her to the forest. She tumbled briefly before quickly getting to her knees, looking up at Garou who turned away, facing the path where they have run from, where the crowded howls of the skeletal beasts reach closer. "You only got a minute, that's as long as I can keep them busy."
She stared up at him, wordless and comprehension in her amazed eyes. Seeing that gaze at the corner of his own, he sharply turned his head for her with an affirmed look and pointed, "I'm not doing this for you. I'm just making sure you don't die while you still have that tracker. It's the only thing we have that can help us find your friends, or get us out of this mountain. One minute is all you're getting, so you better hurry. Either we find a path, climb that wall and fight those giant birds, or go through these skeletons head-on."
She regarded him in stunned silence for a brief few seconds, a new sort of impression in her widened green eyes. If she thinks to refute, he'll just toss her in the forest, he doesn't due well with distractions even if he would allow her to grant him distant support. However, she closed her mouth and her eyes became firm. An understanding of their situation and the little time they have now quickly picked herself up, and she sprinted into the forest.
Garou watched her run between the trees until she was out of sight, and then he faced the arriving flesh-less beasts. A deep breath intake as he could not close the fingers of his broken limb, he exhales and his body relaxes of all tensions, and entering a hands with flowing hands, and the brute fierceness that streamed from his gilded eyes, as the group of skeleton apes arrived in a growl and heated rumble of the ground they stood upon.
/.\
A leap over a small boulder with the push of her hands at its top, Emma hurries through the forest with all her efforts. One minute was all he could give, it was too much for someone who is hurt beyond her own understanding to deal with all those beasts by himself. And yet, he had endured that hit from the Nevermore the first it had arrived at that secret garden, endured the pummeling of the Undead Yasha Ape, and yet came back to twist and rip its head off with his hands - with a broken arm at that.
Emma had already figured him strong, but he was really strong! It was incredible just how tough other participants of this competition could really be, and for that, she truly believed in his strength. But she has to hurry, for him to give a time limit, he really didn't want to fight while in that state, so she has to investigate and find something, then get back to him. If there was nothing here, then they will have no choice but to fight through those monsters and either go up the valley wall, or through the skeletal apes.
She could hear and detected the presence of the skeletal apes, but quickly detected as they were at the corner of the tracking map until they retreated back out, towards something that had their attention.
I'll look for it. I'll be quick. Just hang in there! Were her thoughts to Garou.
She has to hurry and confirm, to find any escape path to separate themselves from the skeletal apes. Stopping at the valley wall, she looked to her screen and moved her tracker all around, examining the area the map could reach. Something... Something! She has to find-!
A reveal of a line through the valley wall. As soon as she sees it, her heart jumped with hope and she runs to it, rummaging through bushes until she finds a cave, not particularly large one, but it was enough for her and Garou to fit through. "I found it!"
Glancing up where bird monster was flying overhead, but high enough that they weren't even aware of the girl, Emma then enters the cave for further examination. No monsters detected in her tracker, and it seems to extend all the way through the valley.
This was it. A way through! Whether it might lead them back on track to find Gon and Killua, or a way out of Beast Valley, it was a path to take and flee from the monsters neither of them were well-equipped or prepared to face against in this merciless terrain of thousands of other powerful beasts. She then goes back out of the cave, and sprinted for Garou. Taking his word to heart, that he will grant her the time enough to remain alive until she reaches him.
He had entrusted her to find a path, not implying if she would leave him, and threatened to go after her, perhaps that was the intention of his time-limit. If she took too long, he would look for her. He even stated that he wasn't keeping her safe, it was a motive of uses they provided each other, himself the muscles, and herself the guide.
She knew this exchange of uses between two complying people, it had been done so with Krone, and yet Emma knew to suspect the woman, for Krone was a worker of the farms - a Sister, in line to be the next potential Mama that will raise children to be slaughtered, she had been in it for herself. But...
Although it was obvious that Garou had insinuated his own self-interests, he had broken his arm that kept the Undead Yasha Ape's strike from reaching her. Even Krone was likely to never go that far, unless of course, it was to protect the "products." But allowing himself to be the main target that will distract the skeletal apes from entering the forest and finding her, to do that much even when it held purpose, it left him be at the bitter end of the deal that he was the one who offered it.
Even if he acts, shows, and tells her otherwise, not even putting up a facade that would feign kindness to lower her guard. A crass young man that made her feel no intentional threat from.
He never really fought us like he wanted to kill us, she remembered Gon's words and experience against that vicious fighter. For him to tell that much about him as well, then her own suspicions have been confirmed. To have spared her from a strike he did not connect, that look he had after her statement that bemused him, the affection those little critters showed him and one he had shown to that grey wolf-pup, the very same critters he told her to lead away from the danger of the invading Nevermore, and various other little things she took notice of.
Those qualities carried by the young man that had terrified her into frozen, shivering silence, and sacrificed the arm that protected her.
He's a nice person.
She held onto these thoughts as she rushes back for where the sounds of brawling, intensity and savagery, can be heard.
/.\
A crowd of skeletal apes, maybe twenty, maybe more, together as they tried grasping for the fleeting dark figure. He threw a sharp left punch straight into the bone face of one of the apes, it instantly cracked under his fists, and he backed away in time before the ape lunged for him in retaliation, screaming through it's practically crushed face and broken teeth.
He backed away until his back hits a tree, and as soon as he felt it, he twists his body around, grabbed the tree with his one unbroken arm, and throwing a kick at the end of the log, an instant sever strike and he breaks the tree from its stump, then swung it like a bat, slamming a couple of skeletal apes and knocking them back. He jumped then, with the tree still held in his arm and supported barely by his injured limb that forced its grip, and swung it down to the ground, hitting one ape directly and causing the others to be forced away by the powerful slam.
The tree broke in half from the impact, and he lost his grip of it. Landing easily, but a sudden exhaust of his stamina as he tries to keep his focus clear.
"Damn..." He huffed, hand over his complaining stomach. The skeletal apes began to slowly approach him. These were especially tough customers, might be tougher than that zombie ape, and there are a numerous of these monsters. If he keeps himself at this distance though, he should be able to handle them-
A sudden loud tear of the ground as he saw another tree be lifted in his peripherals. One of the skeletal apes that came to his side had performed the same move as Garou, with its tremendous strength, it swung its own tree for the wide-eyed Garou. He quickly reacted and jumped high, avoiding the swing.
So much for keeping a distance, he thinks to himself, Fine, then I'll just hit it before it comes at me again!
As soon as he came back down, he launches himself for the ape skeleton.
-!
However, facing him was a second ape skeleton behind its tree-swinging brethren, and as soon as Garou came, it threw a punch with a howling screech. Garou, instinctively, and knowing the better end of it - no matter the pain it will promise - he blocked the punch with his injured arm, the bones in his arm suffering further fracturing, and he was forced back by over a dozen feet and slamming against outline of the forest, crashing through the wood that it has, and trees falling over.
The pain of his broken arm was intense, but he was visibly unfazed, refusing to grant these creatures the pleasure of seeing his agony, but a cringe escaped his twitching eye as he felt the need to double-over - hiding it with a vicious glare. He forced in a deep breath and exhales as he stands up and watches as the group of skeletal apes begin to surround him, steadily, as they acknowledge the human before him was no weakling - they held much intelligence to understand this.
Garou looked down at his completely crooked looking arm. He grabs it, clenches it tight in his palm and fingers, and with a sharp sound of a few snaps from his mere movements and a lack of reaction, he adjusts the bone back into place, though it was still shattered, it was much straighter now.
"Hear that? That's the kind of sounds you piles of bones are gonna make," he grinned widely, wildly and deranged, "and I'm going to make every one of you break for me."
The skeletal Yasha Apes growled at his threat, and together, they charged for him. Garou prepares himself for all of them, ready to retaliate, strike, do all that he can, until time runs out, and he might hope that the little girl would find something of an escape.
He probably should have been more thoughtful of his decision to let her off on her own, if she did find a path, it wouldn't be surprising if she left him here on his own, but it was either that he risked getting that tracker destroyed. They might be able to get out of beast valley with a couple of bruises and broken bones, and to do so alive would be the best thing.
Plus, he could always catch up to her if she does decide to bail. If it turns out that there was no path to escape, then they really will have to fight through all these skeleton beasts, else, they'll have to climb up the valley wall where the same threat awaits but with winged monsters instead.
"Garou!"
He heard the call shouted behind him and his wild eagerness drops. He whipped his head around and found the sight of the orange hair girl running towards him.
She stopped abruptly and showed the pointed pistol in her hand. "Cover your eyes!"
Reacting, he moved to the side and she pulled the trigger. At the single firing of the bullet, Garou briefly observed it flew by until it reached over the heads of the skeletal apes.
The bullet broke apart, and at the instant of a white spark escaping, Garou's hand picks up in front of his eyes, and nothing but white blindness covered the area. He hears the bellowing roar and screams of confusion from the skeletal apes. This flash of light that which he was able to block most of and prevent himself from total blindness, there was something familiar about it, like...
Like the lightning that distracted that man with the deadly touch, and granted Garou the chance to escape and recuperate. Taken aback in realization, he glances back at the girl, Was she the one who-?
"Hurry!" He heard Emma, and could see that she was covering her own eyes with her arm, "I found a cave! It might be a way out!"
Hearing that bit of good news, his back against the light, Garou dashed for her. Reaching her in an instant, he briskly picked Emma up, carrying her over his shoulder once more and ran into the forest as the wild rampage behind them sounded loudly, looking for the sole opponent who had already begun to flee, but could not tell, nor recognize their own as they began to pummel each other out of instinct and furious uncertainty.
Emma wordily guides Garou to the cave, their eyes adjust for having saved their vision from the direct impact of her Flash bullet. They then came upon the cave, and without a moment to lose, Garou enters it, holding the girl against his shoulder, the glow of the screen from Emma's tracker their only source through the immediate darkness of the long cavern tunnel.
"Just keep going straight!" Emma said, eyes on the screen, "We're coming to an exit!"
He carried on with unrelenting fast steps, and they spotted a light ahead. They exited the other end of the cave, arriving at the other side of the valley wall, resumed a new forest. It was evident enough, however, that they were still in Beast Valley, with all the unique creatures still around, and Emma confirming this by looking at her map. "Monsters all around us. I hope Gon and Killua are okay..."
Garou stopped suddenly, looking at their surroundings, and then up to the tall trees. "Let's get a better view. Maybe we might see those brats somewhere."
"You can call them by their names you know..."
He ignored her and went up to one of the trees, jumping one to the next and back and forth, as leverage to kick off until he reached the top. Rummaging through the leaves, a clear view of the area around them and they looked. "You see anything kid?"
"No... Wait! Over there!" Emma pointed up to the valley wall where they had just left. A few distance away, they spotted two familiar short figures sprinting and leaping down the wall as a group of skeletal apes gives chase, as fluent and quick in their movements among the rough jagged terrain as they screech for Gon and Killua.
Garou immediately started his way over to the boys location, tree to tree, and watched as the distant boys reached the bottom. He saw, however, Gon turn abruptly, and from what he can see as he drew closer, the boy's fist was revved to his side, a faint glow of his power-
"Whoa hold on, is he-?!"
Gon slammed his fist into the valley wall. An enormous crater built from his punch that cracked, and cracked the section of the valley wall, a tremor in the earth, and the fall of debris, and then more.
"That crazy little-!" Garou looked on in disbelief with the awe-struck Emma in his arm, locking over his head between his spiky hair. They watched as several broke lines that cracked the wall traveled up to the top in sharp instances, and an enormous part of the wall fell, raining down in a slide over the numerous skeletal apes and sweeping them along the gravel and dirt avalanche as Gon quickly resumed running into the forest.
Garou immediately stopped, clutching the tree as the avalanche reaches them, large trees being toppled over by the descent of huge rocks broken free from the valley exterior, viciously overcoming the edge of the forest and continuing. He jumped back to the previous tree, and the previous one and so on. The avalanche seemingly pursuing them in relentless intention.
Emma watched with a despairing feeling in her gut at the avalanche behind them, hearing the incessant cussing in Garou's breath. His arm held around her waist in a secure tightness to keep from losing his grip of her as he jumped to every tree, with a forceful strain to his body she could feel tense. He's hurt badly. We have to find a way out of here fast!
"I'm going to hit that kid so damn hard if he's alive after that." She was able to make out Garou's hushed words of anger and desperation to keep ahead, and that left her feeling even more worried. Would Gon and Killua be able to flee from that? Would Garou?
She clutched the tracker to her chest. Think. Think! What can we do?
The avalanche extended throughout the entire slope of the valley wall, like the picture of Niagara Falls, flowing and flowing down chunks and chunks of pieces of the inner mountains, and gradually drowning the forest behind them. What can they do? What can they-?
And suddenly, she remembered. Reaching one of the pockets of her vest, she felt the edge of the Support Card. Please. Please anything.
She takes it out in a tight grip as Garou traversed the forest at its top, remembering the cues to activate said card. Anything that can get us out of this. No wait. We have to make sure if Gon and Killua are okay. Please. If they're in trouble, I want to help them!
"Mystery Card! On!"
Garou looked at her when he heard her yell, and saw the card in her hand. Before he could question, the square image of the card suddenly flickered, it made a sound as if it was a dice roll, and several instances of images flickered through the image as the words and descriptions of the card suddenly vanished.
Ding!
The roll stopped at once. A new image of a black silhouette shouting for three other black silhouettes, and a new description of the card appeared.
Support Card: Contact.
Card Type: Communication. (Universal).
Description: As a Universal Type Card, this card can establish a connection to more than one person at a long distance. The targeted people of communication do not require a Contact Card and will hear the voice of the caller distinctly. Contacted people at separate locations can still be reached from their individual places or in the same room, and communication will be established at the same time.
A communication card. Not one that may help them out of this situation, and yet it was perfect.
"Contact anyone within range!" She demanded. Please. Please respond. Gon. Killua.
A sound of a beep within the card. [Communication Established].
"-diot! Idiot! IDIOT! Why did you make that avalanche!?"
"I didn't think it'd go that well! Besides! It got rid of those monsters!"
"And now it's coming for us STUPID!"
"I KNOW THAT! I CAN HEAR IT BEHIND US KILLUA!"
Emma and Garou were surprised at the voices, the background noises of the unmistakable crumbling waves of the valley stones. Emma called through it, "Gon! Killua!"
"Huh what?! E-Emma?"
"Yes!" She explained with utter happy relief, but remaining fathom of the urgency, "I'm talking through a Support Card! I used the Mystery Box Card and it gave me a way to contact you guys! Are you both alright?!"
"Y-yeah! Well, I mean, k-kind of?" Gon sputtered, "After we got separated from you and those skeleton monsters chased us, we led them over a valley and-!"
"And Gon thought it was smart to hit the Valley and cause a collapse to deal with those monsters," Killua cuts in, his mood obvious with his annoyed and dumbfounded tone, "and now we're trying to stay ahead of the avalanche he caused!"
"I SAID I WAS SORRY!"
Emma looked ahead, her eyes widened, recognizing another imminent problem they are approaching. From the height of Garou's leaping from the tree-tops, she sees a distant ledge, the vastness of the canyon.
"Uh oh," Garou sees it as well, and he cursed at their luck.
Emma yells into the Contact Card, "Gon! Killua! There's a cliff coming up ahead!"
"How far?" Killua asked. "If it's not too far, we can probably make it."
"I-" She strained her eyes, her face agitated, "I can't tell exactly! If we get close enough, I might be able to judge its distance. But it's too far for anyone to jump!"
"At this point, it's all we got," Garou muttered out, and it hit Emma with a reminder. These weren't normal people of normal human capabilities, but it's unknown if they would be able to reach it.
But it really was their only option, unless they were strong and agile enough to swim through that avalanche.
"Put that card and tracker away."
Emma looked back in startle at Garou's order, the sight of his eyes that held a set idea in fierce resilience towards the path ahead. There was much to ask what he had in mind, one that Emma already suspected, and they were on depleting time before she could first think more of his intentions, and what other options they could have. So, putting trust in his judgment, she did as he said, inserting the card back into her vest pocket.
"Hold on tight," Garou abruptly adjust his hold of her against his shoulder and she reactively latched on, arms around his neck and the deathly terrifying sight of the avalanche that chased them, tearing through the trees.
Garou drops from the trees, holding Emma in a quick embrace. He rolled quickly across the ground, defending the girl from the impact and sprinted forward with all his might. Emma felt the rushing wind at her back, the rumble of the avalanche that was growing closer, then suddenly further. Was it slowing down to a settle? No, it was Garou, he's moving faster! But wasn't he too injured-?
"Emma?!" She heard Gon called through the card, but she was bracing through the increasing rush of Garou's building speed.
The cliff was in sight. The canyon before them, the gorge reaching for several meters and the abyss that waits below.
"Don't let go or your dead," Garou growled, and at the reaching the very edge, he jumped. Emma's face huddled against his neck with sealed-tight eyes, holding her breath as she felt the fall, almost too long, as they reach pass the distance that reached in several meters.
He clawed onto the surface of the other side of the canyon, smashing his undamaged fist and dragging with his other hand into the concrete, stomping both his feet into the surface as they fell slower and slower, until coming to a complete stop. Emma opened her eyes, a quick observance to their surroundings.
He made it. He was clinging onto the wall, having jumped over the gorge of several meters, a jump that looked to reach over half a mile, maybe more. Awestruck once more at the amazing feat of the dark hunter, hearing his hefty breathing and the rise and fall of his body after such a tremendous run. He was sweating immensly, gasping for air as he took this moment to recuperate.
Although she wanted to remain in awe for a little longer, Emma realized their opportunity, and grabs the communication card from her vest pocket again, "Gon! Killua! We made it beyond the cliff and to the other ledge. It's about twenty to thirty meters apart!"
"Twenty to thirty. We can make it!" She heard Killua affirmed.
"Yosh! Let's do it!" Said Gon.
Oddly enough, even for her, Emma believed them. They could feel the hum of the coming avalanche, and two short figures leapt from the edge at the far right. The avalanche drowned the whole forest, and spills over the edge, with it, its trees, some other monstrous creatures, and even sights of the skeletal apes, falling and screaming furiously all the way into the dark abyss below.
Gon and Killua escaped unscathed, their great powered by their Nen they infused into their feet, and traveled over the gorge, landing upon the next ledge just barely, and rushed forward continuously as the avalanche spills far behind them.
"We made it!" Gon announced, unknowing of her and Garou's witness of their accomplished escape.
"Holy... They really did it," Garou was widely impressed. Those kids really are something else. He was glad too, or else he would have had to force his already burning legs to try and catch those two numbskulls. Emma felt both amazement and happiness at their safe flee, and she whispered a "thank goodness."
Hearing the avalanche fall behind them, overflowing the edge and dripping in great flows to the abyss below them, Garou started his climb. Emma holding onto him securely.
"Alright! Where are you guys?" Gon asked from her card, "We need to get together and use the card to get all of us out of here."
"We're just climbing up. Maybe there's a spot we can all meet?" Emma secured the card in her vest pocket, keeping the pocket open to have her voice be received clearly, and then takes out the Monster Tracker, flipping it open to read through the screen. "There's several monsters in the area. We need to be careful."
If they were to cut through anywhere just to catch up, they could be met with another group of savage monsters.
"Hold on."
She heard Gon, and then some rummaging in the background, movements of quick steps like hopping, leaves and sticks - or branches, being pushed aside. "Hm... Let's see. Maybe there's a landmark we can all meet. Ah! Hey! There's a tall hill with a yellow glowing point! Do you see it Emma?"
"A tall hill with a golden point?" Emma repeated. She and Garou managed back onto the ground, herself being set down and she lets go of Garou.
"Yeah! It's really noticeable, and it doesn't look that far either."
Hearing Gon, Garou looked at one of the trees the same time as Emma. Regarding each other briefly, she offered first, wanting Garou to have another moment to recover, "I can check it out. There are monsters around but they're far enough that, if we be quiet, they won't notice us."
"Mm," Garou responded, glancing the area. "...Alright. Don't take too long."
She nodded, and then goes for the closest tree. His eyes staring at her back as she grasped along the bark into a climb, finding proper footing and grabbed the first branch, then resumed upwards. He then surveyed the surroundings, careful and mindful of any sounds or presence that might come out and ambush them.
Emma reached the top, poking out from the leaves and at a single glance around, she spots it. From a distance, it was like a miniature mountain within the mountain, a sharp point that was glittering gold - a Golden-Peak Hill. The strange magic that resulted in its golden-cap glow that which Emma does not know, was the reaction of the sun stones all cluttered together in glowing light like a beacon.
"I see it!" Exclaimed Emma. "Alright! We'll meet you there! I'll keep this card active until then!"
"Okay! We're heading there now. Be safe!"
"Yeah, you guys be careful too," she hoped for their safety until they may reach the destination, and starts to climb back down the tree. Meeting back with Garou once she came down, she informs him of their next destination.
"There's a landmark Gon and Killua are heading for. We might be able to cross with them once we get there," She looked down on her tracker.
Understanding, he nodded. "Lead the way then, kid."
She smiled. Looking at her tracker, she then proceeds down a path, quick on her feet but also attentive to her surroundings, equipping her rifle should trouble stumbles upon them. Garou follows her behind, keeping with her running pace, and they left into the forest. The sounds of the avalanche long behind them dripping and dripping until it finally ceased and settled, having dwindled its rush of rolling earthly debris.
And from underneath the thin streams of the tall cliff side, about four skeletal apes latched onto it with their fingers jabbed into the stone. Their red eyes glowing for the fleeing competitors, their feelings restless, and full of stubborn intentions.
/.\
Running for the Golden Hills through the forest tensed with monsters they actively avoid, with the tracker to guide them. Allowing Emma to run on her own, Garou kept to her side, attentive to their surroundings as they go, following along her directions as shown in her device that mapped the area they pass through. That Monster Tracker has certainly been a great use to them. Able to know and watch for any dangerous paths to go around, and for him to avoid a fight while he can keep catching his breath and spare his broken limb of further damage. It was smart to have stuck with her and her friends after all.
Emma was also appreciative of Garou's presence, for as harsh and questionably sane as he was, his physical capabilities was an advantage that had the both of them overcome certain obstacles and dire situations she wouldn't have been able to solve with her own human feats. For her cleverness, and immediate expert handle of weaponry, she was coming to a blank of how she could have escaped that avalanche just now. Nor would she have been fast enough to outrun it and jump over that gorge even when she was the most athletic one of her family.
She just could not stop thinking on it. How amazing it was for someone to achieve that kind of power, even Olympic runners, at least from what she read, would never be able to achieve something that incredible - gold medal contestants that defined their human natural ability, and the young man beside her surpassed all of them, the sort of person that could win ALL the gold medals.
Even now, he's carrying on along with his injuries as if they were nothing, but Emma knew to be reasonable. He was hurting, they haven't even wrapped his broken arm in a cast yet and he was still using it. That can't be good. As much as she would also like to force her way to bear through every situation, if he were to collapse, he'd be vulnerable.
The consideration came to her, to encourage Gon and Killua to use the Transport card and leave Beast Valley, save themselves, and Emma and Garou could find their own escape route, so long as she has her tracker. But with Garou injured, if they were to cross a monster on accident, or several of them, it would be too much for them to handle, she hasn't even seen how badly he's managing after his daring confrontation with those groups of skeletal apes, he shouldn't force his body too far.
So they have to leave together, Emma, Garou, Gon, and Killua. They have to leave immediately with the Transport Card. Especially since, it's unknown if there's a place they have to reach to confirm their stars count, and likely won't be inside Beast Valley. So for all their sake, they have to meet together and leave all at once.
"There's another cliff coming up," Emma informs. They slowed their run and came to a stop before the cliff's edge. The next canyon was considerably far, but there were stone paths that stretched and connected to that place, and right around its edge, the golden cap hill with its glimmering top.
"There it is!" Emma said eagerly. "Hopefully, Gon and Killua are already there."
Suddenly, her tracker beeped. A monster, or rather, groups of monsters were approaching through the gorge.
"HOEEEEEEEEEEE!"
They instinctively ducked when a sudden small figure quickly flew by, riding upon her pink staff with wings at the bird-shape head of her staff. A little girl with short light brown hair, wearing a pink, frilly dress, screaming in fright. Clinging onto her pink puffy short sleeves, a small orange creature, with an appearance like a small lion-cub, with cute small wings on his back.
"Stay calm, Sakura sis! I'm right behind you!" Shouting after the flying girl, a boy with blue hair, tied in a long, braided hair-tail, loose clothing fitting for travel through a desert with a blue vest and white puffy pants. He follows after the flying girl, riding upon a white, blanket-like cloth.
Emma and Garou watched, her in awe and him in curiosity. "They're... They're flying..." Emma said in total wonder. The sight of the girl riding on her winged staff like that of a witch, but dresses so brightly and pretty as if she would be going to a ball, as opposed to Emma's own understanding of the dark clothed magic casters with pointy black hats and black cats for companions. As for the boy, he too reminded Emma of another story, a fairy tale about a young prince with a magic flying carpet.
This place really has all sorts of people, Garou thought idly to himself. The instant that thought of his left, a swarm rises from the gorge after the flying children. Bat-like monstrous creatures, with wide blood-colored fangs that could devour a head at a single bite. They chased after the children who flew up to the sky, circling the area to avoid the vicious bat-winged monsters that were gaining on them. Emma instantly felt the need to help those children, but they were too far in the sky for even her bullets or arrows to reach.
The blue-haired boy turned as his cloth resumed for the girl - Sakura Kinomoto. He takes out a winged-shaped staff of his own, made from what looked to be gold-like wood. Seen by those of magical capabilities, or that close to it, he waved his staff, a swarm of butterfly like energies made from light gathered and circled around himself and his staff, and in its gathering, he launches a ball of light, it latches onto each and every one of the bat-like creatures, trapping them in a glowing orb cage.
"Sakura! Get on Aladdin's cloth now!" The little winged lion cub shouted from her shoulder.
"R-right!" Sakura looked down at the approaching cloth until it was right under her and she drops upon it. As if landing on a sturdy surface, Sakura gain her footing upon the cloth and adjust her hold of her staff readily, retracting its wing features.
"I got it from here Aladdin!" Sakura boldly declared.
Aladdin smiled widely, "Okay, sis! Knock them back!"
With a firm nod, Sakura pulled out a card from her bag by her side, "Windy Card! Push the monster bats into the nearest cave! WINDY!"
The card floated before her, and with the head of her staff, she taps the card by the tip, and a glow envelops from the card. A burst of power in yellow wind like forms from the card, a womanly, beautiful feature emerges, with long light blonde hair like silk, as if it was a stream of wind if it were solidified.
Amazed at the sight of a mystical element personified, Emma and Garou witnessed as Windy rushes for the trapped bat monsters, surrounding the orb cage of light of fluttering magic, and drags them to the bottom, where at the nearest cave, she sends them deep and deep into the darkness.
"Yes! Let's hurry back to the others!" Sakura ushered.
Aladdin nods, "Right! Hang on tight!" He flies the white cloth downward, and over the forest, nearly right above Emma and Garou's heads.
"Was that magic?" Emma asked, her eyes shining with incredible intrigue and wonder. She looked to Garou to see if he thought the same. He gave her a blatant look and shrugs.
"Not like I can tell," he said. He's known and seen tricks of illusion or elemental uses before, the closest thing to consider a sort of "mystical" ability was the concept of Chi Bang taught him about, and the telekinetic powers of the Top Class Hero sisters - S-class Terrible Tornado Tatsumaki, and B-class Hellish Blizzard Fubuki. Funny enough, anything bluntly called "magic" would have been given an odd look by some, unless they knew that it was just a magician's act. Garou didn't care, a power was a power he had to adjust and overcome, if he needs to defeat a person of such abilities.
He felt the hair stand up from the back of his neck. A sudden warning call of something falling. Emma felt it too, an approaching object being hurtled towards them, and they looked behind them.
"Oh shi-!" Garou grabbed Emma once more, and dashed over the cliff's edge. A tree crashed where they had just been standing, and from far behind them, beyond where Emma's tracker could not extend its fifty-meter range, the skeletal Yasha Ape screeched with horrifying vengeance, standing at the top of its own tall, sharp pointed hill within the forest. From the creature's position, its fellow skeleton ape tosses another tree for it. The higher ape grasped it easily, and throws it passionately even without seeing his targets anymore.
"Damn stubborn bag of bones," Garou grumbled, his feet right before the path but his back against the wall was immediate when another tree shadowed over their heads, and they watched as it fell into the abyss below them.
"It must have braced through the avalanche and held on somehow," Emma easily assumed, which leaves to the even more obvious conclusion. These were very strong and very determined monsters.
She hears the warning beep of her tracker, "There's something heading for us from behind. More of them?"
Garou looks at the path that connects to the other cliff-side. An idea came to him at once. As they hear the quick approaching monsters above the ground they were just on, he darted for and across the path, holding Emma around her waist as she, in reaction to his sudden movements, latched onto him again.
Crossing the path with ease. He suddenly sets her down, "Can you climb up this cliff?"
Emma looked at him, looking back the path, and her mind understood, nodding.
Smart kid, Garou mused as Emma answered, "I can. No problem."
"Good. Now get going."
With another nod, she ran up to the cliffside and started her climb, feeling and adjusting the rough hold of the surface familiar and easily doable for the athletic girl who has more than once traveled through many similar obstacles such as this.
Seeing that she wasn't so much of a slow-poke, Garou then turns his attention to the other paths right here. Five in total. He goes to the first. With a deep breath and precision, he punches the end of the path. A sudden crack through, and the path began to crumble and fell apart, bits of itself falling into the darkness of below. The skeletal apes have arrived, and what they saw, they knew at once, what was happening, and they hurried to beat it.
But Garou was fast. One instant strike and the second path crumbled as well, then the third, and then the fourth. The skeletal apes who first tried these paths, stumbled at his quick strike of its ends and immediately they jumped for the next path before they too would fall along with it. The leading ape screaming with baring large teeth for the dark fighter, severity in its red eyes.
Garou punches the final path, and it fell apart quick. The skeletal reaches out for him and his unmoving stature, but the leading monster barely even grazed his chin before falling into the depths, along with the rest of its pals.
"Gotta approve that tenacity," Garou muttered under his breath, rising his fist from the ground. "I'm not in it to hunt monsters, but with how I'm gonna go about my mission, any other monster I meet are competition I got to surpass."
After climbing the short cliff-side, Emma went searching to see if Gon and Killua have arrived yet, and also ensuring that there were no monsters here. She looked throughout the surroundings of this mainly rocky area of small hills, with the one glowing right there at the edge to her far right. "Gon? Killua?"
"Emma?"
She first felt warmed with relief at the voice, but realizing that it was a voice that came from her still active card, she pulls it out. "Gon. Killua. Are you two almost here?"
"Yeah! We'll be there in a few minutes! Don't worry!"
It was assuring enough that at least they were alright so far. "Okay. We'll be here waiting-"
A beep from her tracker. Emma looked at it from her other hand, and she gasped. "Emma? What's wrong?"
She looked behind her, there was another tall hill, seeing only its side. So far, this place might work as a hiding spot, but there could be a creature or creatures that might be able to climb over these tall hills. "Guys, watch out, okay? There's some monsters around here, and something might end up coming this way. Garou and I are going to see if we can find a place to hide until you guys can get here."
Garou had hopped to the cliff's edge when he heard her, "What's that about hiding?"
As he approached her, Emma had begun to explain, "I'm getting readings of three monsters in the area..." She looked at her tracker, "...Garou, did you fought off those skeleton monsters just now?"
He looked at her. Before he could answer, a sudden loud huff of fury and determination sound behind Garou, right from the cliff side he just climbed from and they looked. A large hand of bones stretched out and slammed its fingers into piercing the ground, the white head and red eyes coming up from the cliff's edge. It was the leading ape, having grasped the side of the cliff just in the nick of time, and made its agitated climb here.
Guess Garou should have checked and made sure these creatures of bones and rage had actually fell completely.
"Oh for f-" Garou was about to outright curse as Emma, with a baffled but fierce expression, puts away the Contact card and her Monster Tracker, she equips her bow and enchanted arrows.
"It's those skeleton monsters. They've found us!" Emma announced for Gon and Killua to hear through the card.
"We're on our way!" Gon promised. Sounds of his and Killua hurrying through whatever area they were passing into, Emma did not pay it anymore mind as her attention was now on the surviving Skeleton Yasha Apes.
"I'm honestly amazed how stubborn these guys are!" He added with a perturbed face. He almost wanted to applaud for the monster's tenacity - ironic of him that he didn't now.
The skeletal ape suddenly ducked its head down, and with a tremendous heave, he throws another huge body of its same size up for the two competitors. Garou quickly went and pulled Emma back, putting her behind him as the second skeletal ape made its landing, having been saved by the first with a quick grasp to its exposed ribs, and the beast huffed deeply, eyes vehement red.
Two enemies, and one other monster in the area. If they were to make too much noise, they might incidentally draw in that third monster. If they try to flee, who knows what other monster they may run into, and if they may ever return here while Gon and Killua were still on their way. There was no choice, risking exposure from the third monster currently out of sight, they will have to fight and stand their planned meeting ground.
"Keep your distance," Garou advised Emma with a low voice. "Or you'll just be in my way, and I won't hold back my attacks. So for your sake..."
"Right," said Emma, equipping the arrow by the string of her bow, "Maybe with these enchanted arrows, it might be as effective with these monsters as it did for that last one."
"Worth a shot. Just don't hit me on accident, or else it won't just be these monsters you'll have to worry about."
She remained calm and focus as she stares in brave defiance against the skeletal apes. Determine to survive, like a cornered animal looking for the precise fatal weakness to strike. So she's dealt with situations like this before then? It makes Garou wonder the kind of lifestyle she lived for an orphan girl of a loving home and family, who's ignorant of her own world at that.
He supposes some bit of help wasn't unwarranted. Not that he needed it, but it would make this easier. Plus, two on two, they were on equal grounds, so this was basically fair giving. If it means they can survive out of this, then this mutual alliance shall be put to use.
The two skeletal apes lined side by side, and with a brief observance to the prepped competitors before them, they unleashed their mighty roar, and they rushed forward.
Emma ran back, Garou stood his ground. The skeletal apes moved with nice agility, but he moved just as quick. He avoided the first swing of the first ape as the second has his eyes on Emma, her bow and arrow at the ready. Garou went to the side of the first skeletal ape, grabbing the shoulder that was the monster's literal collarbone, and flipping himself around to the next ape and served a powerful kick to the side of the skull.
The second skeletal ape was surprised by the attack and nearly tumbled over, and Garou's feet returned for the first one, but the first skeletal ape was impressively reactive, blocking his kick and reached to grab the calves, but Garou tapped the face of skeleton beast with his foot and he bounced back in time to dodge the grapple.
At the second skeletal ape dazed reaction, Emma sees her chance. At its distraction, this chance will allow this enchanted arrow to pierce. Releasing it, the right eye of the skeletal ape was hit and its head jolted back.
A burst of flames escaped its sockets and filled its head, surrounding its skull in unrelenting fire. It shrieked at the heated damage in-taking, and yanks the arrow out, but the fire continues to burn at its bone. She hurries and launches her next arrow, bringing down her ammunition of the enchanted arrows to six arrows.
Garou readies for his next strike, but at his close proximity, his stomach was yanked by the unknown force once more. Surprised, he staggered, briefly grabbing his gut, distracted for two seconds, long enough for the first skeletal ape to go right to his front with baring teeth.
"Garou!" Emma smoothly reached for her next arrow, quickly aiming at the closing monster before it would chomp at Garou. However, pressing against the ground with his foot that cracked under the pressure, he swung up his knee and slammed the ape right under its jaw.
"Don't think I'm easy prey," with a ferocious grin and sharpened eyes, his face truly vicious as his hands flowed, "I'll bite you right back."
He tossed down a powerful punch, an impact that cracked, and practically shattered the foundation into a massive indent of the area. All in the way immediately lost their balance. The aftershock did not reach Emma, but even she too had nearly lost her footing, able to keep herself from falling with a ground-press of her feet and going on one knee.
"Tanktop Tackle!"
Powerful legs that launched him from where he stood, his arms braced against his chest, crossed, he slammed against the first skeletal ape like a bull. The monster was knocked right into the air, but not the end of his attack. Garou twisted around, and jumped up even higher than the beast, his body spun and he swung down his foot.
The skeletal ape reacted quickly, bracing against his powerful kick by quickly picking up its arms in protection, the bones of his arms cracked under his powerful attack, but still held in one piece. Garou knocked him right into the second flailing, on fire skeletal ape, hurtling the first with another kick from his other foot and knocking the monsters to collide, smashing against the earth and into another new crater under them.
Gasping, Garou landed on his feet, hunched over slightly, but still held his hands with its baring fingers. Emma looked on in amazement, but then returned to her calm focus and realized her opportunity. She fired her next arrow, piercing the first ape and watched as another burst of flames swarmed the two screaming skeleton beasts. We're almost there! We just-
A startling rumble of the ground, enough for her to shake. A massive step behind her, and the huge shadow that fell over her. She saw Garou's notice of the small quake, turned to her, gilded eyes shot upward above her head and widened. Hearing the deep growl as if it came from the sky, with her instincts screaming of danger, Emma turned to look.
From the top of the hill behind her, the familiar size and appearance of the blue-striped, orange color dinosaur with its brown horned helmet - a Greymon oversees the beings below it, and it roared.
"Kid. Move."
It did not even need to be said. Emma sprinted for Garou as his frantic hand ushered her over to his side. "Move, move, move!"
The Greymon hopped down from the hill, Garou grabbed her sleeve, pulling her aside and backed several feet away as the Greymon landed with a great quake. Behind its sharp fangs, an intense heat of orange, yellow, and red color.
Fire Wall.
A massive flame spews out from its mouth, yanking the child by her sleeve once more, Garou ran to the side. The fire chased after him, torching the earth with its streams of flames that grew into a massive barrier of fire, blocking their exit to retreat back to the edge of the cliff. At Garou's continuing pursue of avoidance with Emma having the full-front experience of the chasing, terrifying flames.
The flames reached where the already currently on fire apes were upon, the first ape upon the second reacted the quickest, pushing himself out of the crater. The second was not as fortunate, and it was forced to embrace the flames, bellowing a screech until its white-gray bones became charred into ashes.
The fire stream had stopped then, Garou huffed briefly as he moved back to the center, their place surrounded by fire, the heat breaking both him and Emma into sweats. Emma winced from the intense heat all around them.
Crap. We're trapped in a ring of fire. Garou analyzed with a brief observation of their surroundings. He looked down at the girl, who appeared to realize their situation as well. Maybe I should toss her for one of these hills. Hell if I know if it's safe, but it's better than just standing here-
A disturbance behind him, Garou and Emma were stirred in alarmed, he yanked her aside before she would move, and large fanged teeth seeped into his whole shoulder. The skeletal Yasha Ape growled, its bite piercing the flesh of Garou and his left collar bone, the bone hands gripping the top of his silver-haired head, and the other grabbing his left arm.
Emma gasped in horror, "Garou!"
Garou pushed her aside as she quickly readies her next arrow to help. He reached up and grabbed the head of the biting skeletal ape. Leaning forward with a jerk of his body, the ape was lifted right over his shoulder. The skeletal ape and Emma were surprised. The unrelenting sharp teeth of its bite tears the flesh of Garou's shoulder, a growl escaping through his gritted teeth, pulling the ape over with much of his strength, and slamming the skeleton on its back against the ground.
He followed up with a twirling his fist, revved up in a quick flow upward, "Whirlwind Water Stream: Soaring Waterfall!" and then down to a brutal, killing-intent sucker punch. A loud breaking of the skull, bone features smashed under fist as several attacks were performed in an instant of a single arm, and the ape's head was forced into the ground, its head completely under. It's body entirely fractured, and the bones of its ribcage snapped apart.
Emma gaped at the display of power, and rushed to the human-monster. "Garou!"
He looked up. Emma's eyes pointed to another direction and they widened at the approaching Greymon, its head lowered, its knees slightly bend, and the horn at its nose pointed for them.
The telltale sign of a beast ready to charge.
"Run!" Emma yelled. But where can they run with their surroundings blocked by walls of fire?
The Greymon's hind legs pushed its body forth. Its horn demonstrated to impale anything in its way.
Great Horn Attack!
It happened next in a near instant. Garou steps up in front of Emma who has her next enchanted arrow, though it was a wonder if its magic will affect the fire-prone creature, but there was no time to switch, and at the least, she can hit the creature's eye.
The charging opponent drew closer. Only tremendous force could stop it at its tracks. A slight delay or weak power will not do.
I have to hit it with everything I got!
There was no use of excuses, even for his battered body, there was only one way to this, and it was too late to flee now. Garou stood his ground, in a stance and prepped a powerful counter that puts forth all of his strength and being. The horn feature like a dart that was coming for the both of them. Emma readies her arrow. Commitment shone in their eyes; hers full of bravery, his seeing firm resolve. The horn was right before them.
Out of nowhere, an object fell between the opposing forces. The object, a figure, with a mighty kick it delivered to the head of the Greymon before the monster would reach the two competitors and before Garou could touch it with his fullest.
An instant break of the horned helmet from this kick, shimmered from plates of metals, and glimmering with stars it also attached with. The huge monster charge was disrupted, and it fell to the ground on its chin.
Shocked expressions from Emma and Garou at the sudden intervention of this individual. Neither Gon or Killua was who came to their aide, but an entirely new person.
And his grand achievement as a fellow competitor of this event, for on his body, were plates of armor that shines under the light of the flames around them, gold stars stuck onto their individual patches plastered on his arms, legs, shoulders, his chest plates as well.
All fourteen stars he carries on him.
The Greymon's head staggers to rise, opening its glare to the one that intervened, and started to fill its mouth with flames once more.
"Pegasus Meteor Fist!"
A beginning odd dance that was similar to Garou's movements of his martial arts, the armored person jabbed a single fist forward. What came left Emma absolutely speechless and Garou's eyes widened.
From his fist, several beams of light pummeled the face of the Greymon. Several times over in an instant, in a second. The Greymon was thrown back by the powerful force, crashing into the hill behind it.
Emma looked on amazed, Garou stared in bemused.
"I heard your call," The individual then spoke, turning his head to look at the staring competitors. They see the headpiece he wore around his forehead, his wild yet refined brown hair seen, and warm brown eyes that held a great courage to them as he looked to the people behind him, glancing down at the girl whom he offered a kind smile to.
"Looks like I'm not too late. Good work holding up," the armored person, Seiya amended, raising his hand in a smiling greet.
Competitors Introduced:
Sakura Kinomoto (Card Captor Sakura)
Aladdin (Magi: Labyrinth of Magic)
Seiya (Saint Seiya)
So! I have overestimate how much I can write in this chapter once again! I thought I would be able to finish up this arc in this chapter, but I ended up writing more than I planned, so definitely, next chapter will be the chapter that will conclude the Preliminary Arc... or who knows? I might end up writing so much again.
Q/A:
Lord of the Weed: Eventually, they will likely meet a hostile competitor, but that's later down the road. For now, Garou is the closest one we're gonna have as a hostile competitor to face against hero competitors and strong competitors - he's a fighter who fights anyone who claims themselves strong or a fighter as well, like the students of Bang's dojo, and the participants of the fighting tournament he snuck into.
Maxim7: I have an idea of what nen type Garou will be. Believe me, I've been thinking on it constantly. As of now though, he's still pushing it back, but it's starting to break through.
That sound was definitely something happening in some other place. It's to show that everything else is going on while our leading characters are going on their own adventure, but that noise will be referenced, very soon in fact, next chapter likely. However, my intention is to finish this arc, THEN let it settle so that I can resume posting chapters for my other stories, and come back here once I'm done with that. But I might feel inspired and come back here and post new chapters now and then.
With that said, thank you for reading. Lot of crazy things happening in the world, lot of sorrows, so I hope this chapter might be a nice escape, or help us cope until we can all face the issue together, hopefully in harmony, though we may end up getting slap in the face or worse. Stay safe everyone.