Chapter 14: Ultra Beast GR-001

(I hope you guys are all doing well. College has been hitting me hard lately. I even had an emotional collapse at one point. I'm just happy to be writing again honestly. Please enjoy the chapter! ^_^)

{Rui's Point of View}

(Molten Cavern)

The ultra beast cracked several joints in its body, releasing highly pressurized steam. This... thing looked like a hybrid between a human and a groudon, Albeit, that's not possible. It came out of groudon's body like it lived inside it... feeding off it. Groudon's dead body still stayed, with molten lava dripping from it.

Justin came to my side, "What do you think we should do?"

I shrugged, "Kill it?"

Justin shook his head at my suggestion, "I know that, but how?"

I thought to myself, 'What can we do?'

Scott and Mipha ran over to us, hiding Mipha behind all of us. The ultra beast stopped cracking his joints, a large name tag that reads GR-001 appeared over him. He held his shield towards us, extending his claws to the right. I knew that formation from another enemy, it's typically a frontal shield bash combo.

I held my sword defensively, warning the others, "Be careful. He's going to attack from the front."

Mipha gripped her staff tightly, "How do you know?"

The ultra beast ran at us, attacking with a speed groudon could never hope to match. I ran forward, feeling comfort from my friends. I sidestepped the shield bash, moving to its left side. That's when I noticed a distortion in its body. I tried to attack it, but my sword went through him, like he didn't exist. I turned my head around, seeing him behind me. He lunged his claws forward, cutting into my back and thrusting me up.

I used an ability called 'Rebound' to fix myself, as well as, create some distance from the ultra beast, "Guys, it has a special ability that allows attacks to pass through him."

Justin called out, "If our attacks go right through him, then what do we do?"

I smiled to mysef, activating another skill, "We test it."

GR-001 looked at me, seeing my sword glow as I used a special attack known as Mach 2 Cut. It's one of the fastest, and most mana using, attack in the game. Sure enough, it hit him.

Gr-001 growled, using a hiss like voice, "Grrrrah... humans."

Its health bar dropped a little bit as I turned to face him. He glared at me, flexing his claws before engaging me in a one-on-one battle. His claw clashed with my blade as we exchanged blows. GR-001 has an ability most heavy swordsman have called 'Rend'. It allows the user to inflict damage if the defender uses a sword to block. As a shieldless one hander, I was at a huge disadvantage.

Justin flew in, "Poison Slash."

GR-001 turned, midslash, to block his attack with his shield. Then twisted to shield bash me, but I sidestepped and slashed his right arm with a Mach 2 cut. I noticed my attacks started to get faster as it got used to Mach 2 cut. It was so good, his distortion ability got negated.

GR-001 roared, "Heat Wave!"

Justin ad I were forced to jump back, taking major damage from the Heat Wave. GR-001 tried to attack me again, getting blocked by Scott instead. I noticed Scott is in his Flareon form and used Flare Blitz. Mipha used her healing powers quickly pick me and Justin up.

I gave her a thumbs up, "Thanks Mipha!"

Mipha cried out, "Duck!"

I quickly ducked, dodging a fatal attack and kicked GR-001 away. With his attack on me, he was unprepared for Justin's sneak attack. Justin laced his weapon with poison, hitting GR-001 in a flurry of thirty hits before smacking him away with his lance. Toxic activated, injuring GR-001 slowly. I could his health bar ever so slightly go down with 2 bars left.

I taunted him, "You aren't so tough, I've faced stronger magicarps."

GR-001 hung his head, placing the shield on his back. With a sickening snap, the shield began to merge into his back and spread an orange glow along its body. A sword grew out of its hand, bursting into flames as the blade emerged. A circle within the handle allowed GR-001 to twirl it like a kunai knife. Flames began to coat the blade, increasing its base damage. Justin and I attacked him, making it far to easy to dodge as we run into each other. GR-001 stepped forward, slashing both of us up with 4 diagonal uppercuts before stabbing the floor. An eruption of flames blasted us away with extremely low health.

I struggled to my knees, "Man, I really wish we has back up right now."

Justin scoffed, "What, this getting too difficult for you, ya whiny bitch?"

I shook my head, laughing a bit, "Don't make me laugh right now Justin."

GR-001 tried to attack us, but Scott came to our rescue again. Using Flareon, he tanked the boss' fire damage, while blocking the sword with a shield. Mipha tried to heal us as fast as she could, but Scott got overwhelmed by the constant flurry of attacks. With a fatal uppercut, Scott's shield is flung across the room. The ultra beast tried to deliver a follow-up, but Scott withdrawn himself from the fight. He stood in front of us, glancing back to check our health bars. We were barely at 20% when Scott turned his attention back on the boss and sighed.

Scott said, "We'll shit. Looks like I'm going to have to do it."

I looked at him, confused, "Do what?"

Scott smiled, "Justin wasn't the only one that learned a new trick. I learned how to evolve further as well. In fact... I can use all of the eevolutions right now. The only problem is, each one has a level, and I don't have that much spare time to train all of them."

Justin is just as confused as I am, "So... what are you going to do."

Scott made a silver bracelet appear and pressed, "Simple, fusion evolution!"

Scott suddenly bursts into flames as several rings of water circle around him in mid air. Purple electricity forced the fire and water to collide, releasing a giant blast of steam. The hot steam burned my eyes a bit, making it hard to see. However, when I did, I saw a much different Scott. He wore the head of a Flareon with Vaporeon scaled armor covering his chest and lower body. Flareon fur covered his shoulders, elbows, and knees. Orange flareon skin covered the area between his shoulders and elbows, as well as, his upper legs to his knees. The rest revealed his skin with a dense steam cloud circling his body from his feet coiling up to his chest. He looked back at us, his eyes going from a dark blue on the outer rim, to a blazing red as it got closer to his pupil.

He smiled, revealing a fang, "What do you guys think of steameon?"

I shook my head, getting out of shock, "It looks cool dude!"

Scott looked ahead, "I was hoping you'd say that."

Scott pointed his palm at the ultra beast, shooting a thin jet of water that could cut through steel. GR-001 attacked him, trying to use its speed to overpower Scott's new fusion. Scott never moved, he took the attack, making it pass right through him. GR-001 looked shocked, until Scott grabbed his throat and punched him in the gut with a Ice punch.

Scott whispered, "Shall I tell you where you miscalculated?"

GR-001 looked at him, "Miscalculated?"

Scott punched GR-001 in the stomach repeatedly, yelling, "You stupidly try to kill my friends!" Scott punched his across his face before kicking him in the chest.

GR-001 flung back, rolling and bouncing on the ground, taking tremendous amounts of damage. When it stopped rolling, the ultra beast struggled to its knees. Scott used his steam to grab the ultra beast's leg and picked him up. It slammed him on the hardened molten rock repeatedly, before dragging him back to Scoot. Scott held him as eye level, gripping him by his head.

GR-001 asked, "How... how come there's such a difference in strength?"

Scott glared at him, "You're nothing but a pathetic group of ones and zeroes." Scott headbutt him and kicked him away, "While I'm the greatest eevolution expert in the world, Grandmaster Scott! That's why!"

Scott exploded as steam erupted from him body. GR-001 is down to the last ten percent of his final health bar. It stood across from Scott, glaring at him. Justin and I got back to 60% hp, allowing us to get back into the fight for the final blow. Mipha stayed behind us, making a line of defense with her healing aura to protect us.

Scott smiled, "Looks like we win."

GR-001 hung its head before falling forward, it's hp went to zero from the poison inflicted earlier. All of us began to cheer until we fell the room temperature fall. Hot air from the rocks, and Groudon's molten blood went to GR-001's body, reviving it and all of its hp. Except, this time, it had armor covering its arms and chest to increase its defense.

GR-001 roared, "I will kill you!"

It slashed horizontally, sending a Shockwave of flames towards us. Scott used his steam to block it, but that killed our vision. We knew it was going to attack, but from where? Scott must have known since he moved first, going towards Mipha to protect her. I couldn't move fast enough to help, so I watched as GR-001 ran at them with metal claws instead of his sword. I still kept running towards them as Scott tried to stop it with a jet of water and steam. The ultra beast ducked, dodging the attack and stabbed Scott through his stomach. Without stopping, GR-001 pushed forward, stabbing into Mipha as well.

GR-001 reached around and grabbed Mipha's face, "Cripple!"

Mipha screamed, a cripple status appearing over her hud. That status is extremely rare. It cuts attack, movement and regeneration by 80% and silences all magic as well as auras. That means Mipha is completely helpess, but luckily I was able to force the boss away from them. Scott held his stomach, his hp down to 5% from that one attack.

I looked at the boss, standing up with Justin beside me now, "What do we do Justin? We have thirty minutes before the cripple effect goes away."

Justin shook his head, "I've got nothing other than to fight."

I nodded in agreement, "yeah, it looks like it. Please don't die Justin."

Justin sighed, "Don't worry about me Rui. Don't forget, you're the heart and soul of the front lines. We need you more than me."

I shook my head, "Don't say that Justin, all my comrades are important to me. I can't watch another good friend die."

Justin didn't get to answer me as we were forced into the fight of our lives. The boss has much faster, and heavier, attacks with his metal claws instead. It took all of my strength just to block the attacks. The follow-up is crazy, the fire just explodes for bonus damage off each attack. I couldn't believe it, this thing just kept getting stronger. Sure, it doesn't have the most amount of speed, but it was still extremely difficult. Justin needed to back off as I began to go all in, matching its speed eith my own. Our attacks canceled each other out as we assaulted each other viciously. The onslaught is ferocious, eventually I got a few good hits in, but the explosive bonus damage made me lose most of my hp.

Justin yelled, "Rui, get back!"

I tried to, only to get grabbed by the boss, so I yelled in shock, "Oh no!"

The boss screamed, "Cripple!"

I immediately felt the effects and fell to the floor. I could barely move now. The boss stood over me until Justin desperately tackled him away. I could only watch as the two fought, but Justin wasn't going to win. I was useless... I hate being useless! I hate it! Why can't someone give me power?

Then I heard its voice, the demon within my sword, "I can give you power Rui." It mimicked Silvia's voice, but I knew it wasn't her... it just can't be her.

I whispered, "Please... I need to save my friend."

It giggled, "I know, but what will you give me?"

I clenched my sword angrily, 'I'm taking your power, whether you like it or not! I'm not letting another one of my friends die!'

Just then, the boss glanced at me, knowing I'm completely helpess. Without a second thought, it ran towards me, eager to kill as panic began to rise in my body.

(Inside my Mind)

{Third Person Point of View}

The demon within Rui's sword circled him, grinning at his anger, his exhaustion, his waning will to try. The monster sheds its facade, revealing itself to be a female succubus like creature.

It whispers in his ear, "Do not fret Rui. I will give you the power you need."

Without warning, a skeleton hand grabbed her by the throat, with a distorted, threatening voice, "You're not Silvia. I have no need for you."

The female demon is pulled into Rui's back against her will, merging their souls together. Hers being overtaken and forgotten instantly.

I couldn't move in time as GR-001 ran towards me. With my health bar in the red, cripple status in effect, and no health potions, I was ready to die. A look of shock must have been plastered on my face as it got closer. A grin spread across its face as it lunged its claws towards me. That look... was overshadowed when Justin threw me away. I fell back, watching in slow motion as Justin was stabbed through his back by GR-001's claws.

I held a hand towards him, screaming, "Justin!"

Justin grabbed at the claws, screeching it pain as GR-001 picked him up. When he was overhead, I watched in horror as the ultra beast stabbed his other set of claws into him. With a defying rip, it tore Justin in half.

Mipha screamed in fear as Scott exclaimed, "Oh my god..."

I cried as I screamed his name again, "Justiiiiiin!"

GR-001 snorted at me, tossing his upper half towards me. The last look I saw on Justin's face was a look of pain and sadness. Then, he exploded into green pixilated shards. Justin was a top player from the beginning, someone that rallied everyone together... he died... for me..? Why would he do that!?

I gripped my sword tighter, feeling anger flow through me, "No... no..! NOOOOO!"

A red exclamation appeared over me, with a female voice stating, "Warning, temporary level increase detected, forbidden skill unlocked."

No one was prepared for my outburst as I suddenly pulled out a second sword. The ultra beast wasn't even paying attention to me until I slashed it across its left cheek. It swiped its arm, looking for me, but I wasn't there. I jumped off the ceiling, spinning like a top with both swords. I cut down its back, disappearing again.

GR-001 roared, "Where are you!"

I appeared in front of him, stabbing him in the stomach, "Shut up."

I could tell he saw my level was 148, "Impossible."

I pulled out my sword, "Heeyah!" I slashed it across his chest.

This... monster could not dodge or block my blows. Every attack, every cut, I kept screaming. Pixilated blood started spewing out of GR-001 as I continued to assault it. There was nothing it could do as I cut all over its body mercilessly. My screaming getting louder as its own screaming did as well.

With an upward slash, I yelled, "Hrrraahhhh!"

I cut his head clean off, sending it straight into the air. It landed near me, bouncing firca few moments as its body fell to the ground. I hung my head, crying softly until I collapsed onto the ground and wailed out loud. Scott and Mipha ran over to me, trying to comfort me, until Mipha started crying as well. This was the first time she's seen another player die... and it was in such a cruel way. My level began to drop until it returned to my original level, the second sword disappearing from my hand, and Silvia was gone from my mind.

- 30 Minutes Later -

We finally calmed down, making a small grave for Justin as to remember him. He was my friend... a good friend... and he believed in me. It was his dream to save as many players as he can from this game. Now... did he pass that dream onto me? Is that why he sacrificed himself?

These thoughts ran themselves through my head as I began to wonder what he wanted. There were many moments when he said he was... tired. Tired of being in the game, tired of having to work everyday, and... tired of living. He never gave up though... he kept at it... working with his clan to make them better... now what will they do?

Mipha asked, "Is... is death always like that?"

Scott looked down, "I want to lie... but I can't. More or less, it can be like that."

I hugged my knees, suddenly hearing footsteps as the other top players and guilds found a way into the room. They looked surprised to see us, even more so when I got up and walked towards them.

Vulthurin asked, "Rui, what happened?"

I hung my head, hiding my eyes after putting on a cloak, "..."

They all watched me leave, no one trying to stop me as Scott and Mipha met with them. After that day, everyone knew who I was, the Swordsman of Death. Everyone was amazed that I defeated the boss using two swords, a feature that's prohibited in this game. In all honesty, I don't know where it came from. The demon inside me has been quiet, and that's when I decided to go visit the gardevoir hometown.

(I'm sorry this took so long to come out, I hope the bad ass rage moment will ease that pain slightly. Please follow, favorite, or review to support the story. ^_^)