In the middle of the battlefield, the fight between Verde Oz-borne and Goblin Slayer's party continued, the hunter and paladin locking blades with each other.
"You are strong, I will admit." Verde admitted, before he shoved Goblin Slayer back. "But I've grown beyond any of my kind within our world!"
"You're still just a goblin to me." Goblin Slayer said.
"Then try to slay me, human!" Verde taunted as he raised his sword into the air. "Ziz Strike!"
He swung the sword down, creating a ranged strike that the group dodged out of the way of, glancing back to see it cutting across the battlefield, striking all in its path.
"(He has new techniques, and that sword looks strong. It's obvious he won't fall for the same trick back then twice either.)" Goblin Slayer thought. "(In that case…)"
Goblin Slayer then raised his shield as he took a defensive stance.
"Hah! You really think I will fall for that same trick twice?! This time, I'll shatter your entire body with one strike, before you can even think to outwit me!" Verde declared, raising his sword once more.
Just then, however, Goblin Slayer dropped his shield, having held onto it with only one hand instead of having it strapped to his arm, revealing that he was holding his Machine Hook, which he stabbed straight into Verdes face, right in the center of his helmet as he screamed in pain. Goblin Slayer walked back a bit, allowing the chain connected to the hook to extend.
"You're right. You won't fall for the same trick twice." Goblin Slayer replied. "...Good thing I had a new one."
"No…! You… tricked me once more?! Impossible!" Verde said. "I've died at your hands once already… I've studied you, learned how you fought, prepared for your every tactic. With all my knowledge, my kind would finally prevail over the bane of our existence, but even still! Why…. why can't we defeat you?!"
"Because…I continue to adapt. I change." Goblin Slayer said. "I'm not the same person I was before. For better and for worse…I'm different."
"Different?" Verde remarked. "Ah…so was I. If I had beaten you…how different would my kind have become? Would we have elevated beyond vermin and become true warriors? I wonder…" he thought aloud as he collapsed to one knee. "I wonder…"
"...Maybe." Goblin Slayer shrugged. "But I don't intend to die yet."
He then gave the chain of his machine hook a good hard pull, ripping Verde's head right off his shoulders. The paladin's body then flopped to the ground as Goblin Slayer dropped Verde's head to the floor. Upon his death, all the Goblins under Verde's command that witnessed the battle got so scared of Goblin Slayer that they turned tail and ran, causing a chain reaction that caused the rest of them to flee as well.
"Nice finisher, G-Man!" Mayday said, as she knocked a Federation soldier unconscious with the flat of her guitar. "But uh, next time, you might wanna shout 'Get over here'! When you do that."
"Why would I do that?" Goblin Slayer asked.
"Eh, it'll make you sound cool." Zuke said.
"...I can't help but think this is another one of those references that we don't understand…" Gimilor remarked.
"There is much more that we have to learn about other worlds, it seems." Necroapache added.
Meanwhile, in another area of Tigenhoff…
Reformed Society and the 502nd Vs. Eraser Kaiser…
Eraser Kaiser was pushed back as he stumbled, having cuts all over his body and arms as he was facing down his difficult opposition. Reformed Society was giving him a run for his money, and the 502nd was making sure nothing was interfering from the Federation, including the fighter planes and bombers flying in the skies.
"You're all pretty strong, for a bunch of beasts mixed with mortal humans." Eraser said. "You've actually made me bleed!"
"Surprised? I would be." Cheetah said.
"This is nothing. I haven't even gotten serious yet." Eraser Kaiser said. "I've slain plenty of chosen heroes even before they reached Lord Zenos, but none have ever made me use an Augmentation Skill. But today…that changes! Release!"
Before the group's eyes, Eraser Kaiser bulked up considerably, becoming much bigger in the process, now roughly the size of a redwood tree.
"Damn, he's huge!" Zenji said.
"I must admit, I'm rather happy that I've been pushed this far. The experience from this fight will serve me well as I continue to serve Lord Zenos." Kaiser said. "For that…I will grant you all a swift death! Demonic Hexa-Slash: Six Fold Fury!"
Kaiser swung all six of his weapons at once, creating six slashes that merged into one giant wave of demonic energy that surged its way towards the society.
"Oh man, this guy is pulling out all the stops." Luke said.
"O tune of unyielding protection…" Tear said as she began singing. "~Croix Ryo Tsuae Twei Ryo Rei Nevu Ryo Tsuae~..." she sang as a hexagonal barrier formed over the group as it protected them from the attack.
"That won't protect you forever!" Eraser Kaiser said as he continued his assault, banging his weapons against the barrier.
"This ain't looking good, guys." Matthew admitted as he noticed cracks starting to form around the shield. "Can anyone think of a plan in about five seconds?"
"I've got an idea. But every single step will have to be executed perfectly." Glacius said.
"We'll follow your lead, Glacius." Koren said.
"Cold, coordinate with Esmeralda and freeze his lower arms!" Glacius said.
"Got it. Come on!" Captain Cold said as he used his Cold Gun at Eraser's lower left arm while Esmeralda used ice magic on his lower right.
"I still have four arms!" Eraser Kaiser said, continuing to attack with his other arms.
"Kareem, Bassam, do your thing!" Glacius said. The two Anubisians charged up dark energies on their spears before firing it at Eraser Kaiser.
The demon made to swipe the two spears aside with his upper arms, but was taken aback when, upon contact, they dissipated into energy that washed over the arms, causing them to wither.
"A curse… I see." Eraser remarked as he stepped back. "Only two arms left. It seems I'm losing this fight, aren't I?"
"Quite, but you're still holding out well, all things considered." Glacius said.
"Indeed…but I can do better." Kaiser said, letting go of his weapons. "You must understand, my loyalty to Zenos is…unusual amongst demons in the Adventure Universe. More often than not, our kind is always looking to ascend to higher power to honor the Evil Gods. But I…I am content to serve under Lord Zenos. I have served him for as long as I have lived. Thus…!"
Eraser Kaiser pulled his fist back…and then jammed it into his chest, punching through it and grasping his heart!
"My own life…is yet another weapon to him!" Kaiser declared. "Demonic Curse: Ascension!"
With that, Kaiser crushed his own heart within his chest, before he fell down onto the ground.
For a moment, all was still. Then, Kaiser's corpse began to bubble as something huge burst its way out of it and created a huge pressure from its presence, forcing Reformed Society to brace themselves. The group then looked upon the form of the transformed demon.
Where as Released Kaiser was as tall as a tree, what could only be described as a mountain with legs stood before them, glaring down at them. His size was only one part of his intimidation, however; where before the demon only had six arms, now one hundred of them were at the ready.
"Holy crap! Did he just become a…?!" Agito asked.
"A Hecatoncheires, yes. The hundred armed monsters who are the jailers of the Titans." Cheetah said.
"Glacius, we're gonna need a different plan for this thing. Because I don't think the frozen limb treatment is going to be enough here." Captain Cold said.
"Leonard's right. Disarming him one limb at a time won't work now. Now that he has a hundred arms, and massive size, we need a new strategy." Jessica said. "So what shall we do?"
"I have your plan right here and now…DIE!" Eraser Kaiser called as his arms went into a fist flurry as they rained down on the group.
"That's a lot of fists. It would take a miracle just to avoid them all." Valfor said.
"Not exactly a miracle." Cheetah said.
"Ah, right. You'd be fast enough to avoid them, but the rest of us will have to take it." Toya said.
"Wait a second. Maybe we can use this fact to our advantage. Cheetah, I think it's about time for you to do what you do best." Glacius said.
"I see what you're saying, Glacius. I've never had a Hecatoncheires as my quarry yet… but there is, as Ishihara and his friends say, a first time for everything." Cheetah said.
"Got that right. We'll take the heat, you pick the best spot to catch him off guard." Glacius said.
"Alright guys… let's show this oversized demon how we roll!" Captain Cold said.
(Cue: Together We Ride- Melee Arrangement)
With that, Reformed Society got in front of Cheetah as they continued to attack Eraser Kaiser.
"You honestly believe you can defeat me with your numbers now?! In this form, I'm unstoppable!" Eraser Kaiser said, continuing to punch, but missing. "One punch is all I need to crush any of you into paste!"
"Then why don't you show us what you got? We're ready when you are!" Rayleigh challenged Eraser Kaiser.
"You asked for it!" Eraser said as he increased the multitude of arms coming to strike them, some having weapons, others using all kinds of dark magic, and most just punching at anything they were aimed at.
"Ha. Good to see the armor we got is holding well." Zamazenta said as he barely suffered a scratch from Eraser's attacks.
"Hmm… I think I'm starting to see the flaw in his final stage." Angelo said. "He cannot attack with all of his arms at once. He must retract several in order to prepare new attacks."
"And it is this gap that we will use to give Cheetah the opening she needs." Glacius said.
"You all heard her. As soon as he pulls some of his arms back, that is the point that we will strike." Nesma said.
Eraser Kaiser, due to his large size, was unable to hear what the group was discussing, instead preparing a skill. "When you pass on, tell your angels or your devils…that Eraser Kaiser, servant of Zenos Road, was the one who sent you! Ultimate Demonic Skill: Wrath of the Ten Hells!" he declared, all one hundred of his arms pulling back for one massive combined strike, strong enough to destroy half of the continent.
"NOW!" Glacius instructed, the group unleashing an All-Out Attack on Eraser Kaiser just as he was in his most vulnerable position. Poison Ivy wrapped some vines around him, Nesma ignited those vines to light him up in flames, the physical attackers unleashing their most powerful techniques, and culminating at Esmeralda, Glacius and Captain Cold unleashing their ice attacks, freezing several parts of his body.
These attacks slowed Kaiser down, but his body refused to stop, his attack, though weakened, still bearing down. Cheetah did not back down, however, preparing her strike.
"Tell me, humanoid! What drives you to attempt to overcome me?!" Kaiser bellowed.
"As if the answer wasn't simple already." Cheetah said. "You have shown devotion to your Lord. That is a trait that very few seem to have, along with care for their subjects. With that, you have earned my respect. Do not worry. I will ensure your end is quick and painless."
"If you think you can kill me in this form with one strike, you must be crazy!" Eraser said.
"And doesn't that just scare you to death?" Cheetah asked.
Eraser Kaiser gave off a bloodthirsty smile, saying nothing, which was all the answer Cheetah needed as she lunged towards the demon.
The two met… and a huge explosion went off, robbing the attention of everyone on the battlefield for a moment, before they carried on fighting. One, however, made her way over to the source.
"Hey!" Kat said as she landed at the location. "I saw the explosion, so I thought I'd…come…help." she trailed off, shocked by what she saw:
Cheetah stood, heavily injured and bleeding, but alive. Eraser Kaiser was also alive…but not for much longer, considering his torso was separated from his body, and all his arms were gone.
"What happened here?!" the gravity queen gawked.
"Nothing too special. Just the usual, supposedly." Cheetah said. "Don't be alarmed. My team's battles don't usually end this…bloody."
"If that is rare…then I can at least say I came close." Kaiser spoke. "Failure…it's not something I'm familiar with. I expected to be more enraged, but…I am satisfied. That was a fight that pushed me to the limits of my power."
"Yeah, she has a habit of doing that, even back home. She is one tough bitch." Captain Cold said.
"It is a shame, however…that I could not succeed in the mission given to me by Lord Zenos." Kaiser said. "To be loyal to one considered so cruel may be wrong in your eyes, but…he is worthy of my respect. He took our meager forces and came so close…to achieving the highest honor a demon can achieve. Perhaps…it was not meant to be? A shame…"
"If we had met under different circumstances, perhaps we really could have been allies." Cheetah said.
"Hmm…perhaps." Kaiser said. "Who knows? If my soul reincarnates into a different form, perhaps…we could be allies. For now, however…my story ends." Kaiser said as the rest of his body began crumbling to dust. "I shall await you on the other side…my friends…"
With that, Eraser Kaiser was reduced to dust in the wind, Cheetah watching his remains fly off before she coughed up a little blood and fell to one knee.
"Oh, geeze!" Kat said, before looking to the rest of Reformed Society. "Do any of you have healing spell or something on you?"
"I do." Tear said.
"It's fine. I simply overexerted myself for a moment there." Cheetah said. "Seiya, Tanya… The rest…is all up to you now."