xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Near Shirotsume Town, 3:01 p.m. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Stepping outside of Alfana's caravan was Warwick with a smug look on his face as he held his dark green sword over his shoulder as the disgruntled group of fellow wizards followed behind him, Anatoli hopping on top of his Stellanium ball, Marlene checking her utility belt for vials and elixirs and Pietro was stretching his arms and legs. Joining them, Camilla glowed with a yellow aura as she moved her arms through the air, a large yellow barrier box appearing around them to give them a place to fight without hitting the caravan that Alfana, Bernard and his beastly allies were inside.
"This should be good..." Camilla thought as she looked at her barrier box around herself and the other members of Psycho Circus as Warwick turned to face Anatoli, Marlene and Pietro.
"This almost seems unfair." Warwick said with a cocky voice. "One of you isn't a fighter, the other has trouble with his magic when he isn't sitting on a ball and one of you is a bit on the "old" side. I feel like I should be wearing a blindfold or putting one of my arms around my back but if you all insist, I'm always game for a tussle." He continued as the trio looked on with offended expressions.
"The attitude isn't getting you anywhere, you obnoxious skirt chaser." Pietro said as his magic wrestling championship belt started to activate, expanding his body to the point his upper and bottom clothing ripped and revealing his strongman's singlet underneath with knee pads and black boots as he stood between Marlene and Anatoli with bulging muscles.
"Like anyone here is letting you become the guild master!" Anatoli shouted as his arms begun to generate wind, tornados forming around his forearms. "...I just gotta stay on my ball and this little runt is all mine." He thought as Marlene looked at her teammates.
"Hate to admit it but he's right, I'm not good at combat. What's the plan?" Marlene questioned with a worried tone and serious look on her face. "Even if I turn invisible with my Camouflage Magic, he can probably track me down easily inside this barrier... He probably also has been smelling me since I came here so he knows my scent so I can't hide at all! Uggghh!" She thought, mentally groaning.
"You stay back for support." Anatoli said as he turned towards Marlene. "Throw those weird toxins or whatever you've been making if you need to defend yourself." He said.
"Leave the frontline to us." Pietro said as he started to crack his knuckles, Marlene nodding in agreement.
"Sound strategy... Good luck you guys." Camilla thought a few feet behind the trio as she listened to their plan before Anatoli flew into the air on his ball.
"Blah-blah-blah." Warwick said as he was picking his right ear with his right pinkie. "Take all the time you need to plan. Long as the fight is entertaining." He said with a nonchalant tone before beginning to remove his black leather jacket, revealing his small yet muscular arms as he tossed it onto the ground.
"When in doubt, strike first!" Anatoli exclaimed as he extended his arms forward, the pair of tornados around his arms launching in the direction of Warwick.
With one swing of his sword in his left hand, the tornado attacks dissipated on contact with Warwick's blade. Jumping into the air, the S-rank swordsman extended his blade in an attempt to stab the chimp-like wizard as Anatoli shifted to the side for a dodge.
"Guh!" Anatoli grunted as Warwick smiled in excitement in midair.
"Hah!" Warwick muttered as he swung his sword, causing Anatoli to lose his balance on his ball and fall off it, plummeting towards the ground.
"Tornado!" Anatoli said as he spun his arms, using his Wind Magic to slow his descent and landing on his feet. "Damn it!" He thought as he looked up as Warwick sat on Anatoli's ball as it hit the ground.
"Comfy thing you got here. Better than that old rubber thing you used to sit on." Warwick said as he looked at Anatoli before backflipping off the ball and landing on his feet.
Raising his leg, Warwick proceeded to kick the soft metal ball of Anatoli in his direction, hurling towards the chimp-like wizard with immense force and speed. As Anatoli put his arms up defensively, Pietro shifted in front of the shirtless young man as he caught the ball with his arms.
"Th-thanks..." Anatoli said as Pietro put his ball down.
"Thank me after we beat this jerk." Pietro said as he looked at Warwick, who was now holding his sword in both hands.
Running at Pietro with Anatoli floating up into the air, Pietro made a fighting stance with his fists raised as Warwick swung his sword with the flat end of the blade hitting the muscular wizards left forearm.
"Grh!" Pietro muttered from the force of the hit.
Cocking back his right arm, Pietro attempted to punch the shorter opponent as Warwick rolled out of the way, Pietro punching the ground with a heavy impact. On Pietro's side, Warwick swung his sword once again with the flat end as he slammed it into the back of his left knee.
"Argh!" Pietro grunted in pain as he took a knee. "What's that sword made of!?" He thought as Warwick shifted in front of Pietro.
"You're wide open!" Warwick exclaimed with intent in his voice as he pulled back his sword for another strike. "Huh?" He muttered when he felt like something was heading for him, prompting him to jump backwards, away from Pietro.
Shattering on the ground was a glass vial containing a purple liquid of some kind that was generating smoke, Warwick and Pietro looked over to notice Marlene.
"Darn... I missed..." Marlene said with sweat on her face.
"Love me a feisty lady." Warwick said as he scratched his chin as he looked at Marlene, pulling out another vial of mysterious fluids and chucking it in his direction.
Ducking, Warwick rushed at her as he proceeded to slide on the ground, going directly between Marlene's legs to her shock. Looking up her skirt, Marlene made an embarrassed expression as she tried to cover herself as Warwick got to his feet behind her.
"Blue stripes, niiiiice." Warwick said with a smirk as Marlene glared at him with fury in her eyes.
"I knew I shouldn't have worn a skirt before I came here!" Marlene thought with tears in her eyes as Anatoli rushed at Warwick from the air, using the distraction in an attempt to gain an advantage.
Riding on his ball, Anatoli attempted to strike Warwick with it as Warwick saw the incoming shirtless young man. Putting his sword up to block, Warwick's blade collided against the ball as Anatoli tried to bash into S-rank swordsman. Jumping off his ball, Anatoli proceeded to downward stomp Warwick on the head, managing to finally get a hit in as he hopped over him.
"Ow!" Warwick exclaimed as he clutched his head with his hand.
"Ha!" Anatoli said with a boastful tone as Warwick looked at the shirtless wizard with annoyance. "That's the first time I've ever managed to kick him!" He thought, impressed with himself.
"Lucky shot." Warwick commented as Anatoli rushed at him, jumping over him and standing on his ball before flying back up into the air on it.
"Heads up!" Marlene said as she threw another vial containing fluid at Warwick, the midget swordsman casually taking his sword and swatting it away with it shattering on the ground.
Looking on, Camilla stood against the wall with her arms folded as she watched her friends battle her fellow S-class wizard in Psycho Circus with a serious expression on her face. Putting his hand on his head where Anatoli stomped him, Warwick checked to see if his head was bleeding.
"He's not taking us seriously..." Marlene said quietly as Pietro rubbed the back of his knee where he was struck earlier.
"That's normal for him..." Pietro replied. "That blade..." He thought as he looked at his sword.
"Yaaaah!" Anatoli screamed as he spun his arms to generate tornados around them again as he lunged at Warwick once more.
Noticing his incoming attack, Warwick put his sword up as he slashed at Anatoli's arm, the shirtless wizard's tornados blocking the hit. Shifting his arms left and right for wind enhanced strikes, Warwick and Anatoli proceeded to clash with one another with the combatants having a back and forth between Anatoli's tornado arms and Warwick's dark green blade, Marlene and Pietro watching on.
"He sure is excited..." Marlene said next to Pietro.
"...Glass..." Pietro said as Marlene looked up at him.
"Huh?" Marlene replied in confusion.
"The blade he's using. It's not metal or steel... It's made of glass." Pietro said as Anatoli fell down onto the ground, off his ball.
"Grugh!" Anatoli muttered in pain; his body now covered in superficial cuts from his back and forth with Warwick.
"Hiyah!" Warwick said as he swatted away his ball with his sword.
"Anatoli!" Marlene exclaimed as Pietro rushed at Warwick, extending his foot for a front kick as Warwick spotted the muscular wizard approaching, backflipping into the air for a dodge.
"Prgh..." Pietro grunted as he was unable to hit Warwick as Marlene reached into her utility belt, pulling out a salve and cloth and started to patch him up.
"Ow! Watch where you place that crap!" Anatoli said as he sat up.
"Don't whine about me helping you!" Marlene shouted in the shirtless wizard's ear.
While the reptilian-like girl treated her friends' wounds, Pietro raised his leg into the air and stomped the ground, the resulting shockwave causing the earth below his feet make the rocks to stick out of the ground as Warwick pivoted to the side to dodge the incoming attack before rushing at the muscular wizard. Jumping up into the air, Warwick stuck his left leg out for a kick as Pietro put his arms up, blocking him.
"Urgh!" Pietro muttered in response to the hit.
"Come on big guy! You can do better than that!" Warwick said with a smirk as he shifted in midair and attempted a kick again with the right leg.
Kicking Pietro's arms, the force causing him to drop his guard from the impact, Pietro was then struck in the right side of the head with the broad side of Warwick's sword. Direct hit, Pietro put his hand against his ear from the ringing he was experiencing before turning back towards Warwick as he landed back on the ground.
"Argh!" Pietro grunted as he tried to punch Warwick once more, the short swordsman ducking out of the way as the punch left a crater in the ground.
"Temper! Temper!" Warwick said with a cocky tone as Pietro tried to punch him a second time, once again striking the ground. "Hah!" He exclaimed as he swung his sword and hit Pietro directly in the nose with broad side of the blade.
"Furgh!" Pietro shouted from the hit, his nose beginning to bleed profusely. "Rugh! That really hurt!" He thought as he put his hand on his nose before Warwick stabbed his sword into the ground, using it in the same manner as a pole for a pole vault and struck Pietro directly in the chin with his left foot. "Garh!" Pietro muttered in pain as he fell backward, landing on his back.
'"Pietro!"' Marlene and Anatoli exclaimed in surprise as Camilla looked on, shocked by the amount of damage against one of her fellow wizards.
"You sonuva!" Anatoli shouted as he got back to his feet, running at Warwick for a punch as a tornado attempted to form around his right arm again.
"Wait, Anatoli! You don't have your ball!" Marlene exclaimed.
Ducking under the punch, Warwick jumped and headbutted Anatoli directly in the face with the top of his skull, causing Anatoli to stumble back slightly. Using his right hand, Warwick then proceeded to punch Anatoli directly in the sternum, causing him to fall to his knees before Warwick made fists with both hands and begun to punch Anatoli in the face in alternating strikes.
"Blargh! Gah! Gur! Trug!" Anatoli sputtered.
"Ah!" Marlene exclaimed as Camilla stood up straight, becoming more and more worried for her friends.
"Prguh!" Anatoli said as he fell back, joining Pietro on the ground as the pair of male wizards were now struggling to get to their feet.
"Shit! I have to do something!" Marlene thought as she reached for her belt to try and help Pietro and Anatoli.
Before she could grab another vial, Marlene froze in place as she suddenly noticed something was thrown directly at her, landing in front of her. Turning her attention forward, she spotted Warwick had thrown his glass sword at her and it had landed in front of her with the blade stuck in the ground.
"Got your attention?" Warwick said with a smug look on his face. "Now that the old man and the weakling with no shirt is out. I can finally ask you something." He said as he folded his arms as Camilla looked on.
"I-I got nothing to say to a freak like you!" Marlene said with a scared tone.
"Before we walked out here, I noticed Alfana's beanie wearing son stop Cami over there from heading outside for this little brawl. Seemed like he was pretty concerned about her." Warwick said as he scratched his chin as Marlene looked over at Camilla, the two girls looking at each other. "You'd think for a guy seeing two girls at once and the two of them being completely okay with it, you'd think he'd give you the same kind of encouragement." He continued with a raised eyebrow.
"Th-that's not-" Marlene said until getting cut off by Warwick.
"That beanie wearing punk, such a liar." Warwick said with a headshake as Marlene's mouth dropped. "Only Cami is taken, you're actually single." He said while pointing at her.
"No..." Marlene said in horror as she backed up slightly.
"Actually... As a matter of fact, you're worse than that." Warwick said as he looked at her and then at Camilla. "You're just a simp for another girl's man!" He screamed as his words echoed throughout the barrier covered battlefield whilst pointing at Marlene.
Her body twitching profusely, Marlene looked on in shock from his words as they cut threw her like a knife. Emotionally damaged, Marlene fell backwards with her head colliding with a stone on the ground.
"Mar-Marlene!" Camilla said before she ran over to check on her downed friend, Marlene's hat falling off her head as the S-class wizard picked up her friend to a seated position. "Speak to me! Wake up!" She said as noticed Marlene was unconscious with her eyes open.
"I'm not a simp... I'm not a simp..." Marlene muttered mindlessly as Camilla looked at her friend.
"And that makes three." Warwick said with a shrug as he walked over. "Looks like you and me are still the only S-class wizards in the guild." He said as he leaned against his sword that was still in the ground.
"You..." Camilla said with anger slowly rising in her voice as she begun to glow with yellow energy while looking at her friend. "Rest... I got this..." She continued as she turned her attention towards Warwick.
"Oh?" Warwick muttered as he noticed Camilla stood up, now eyeing him an angry glare. "Someone's pissy and smooth legged." He thought as he locked eyes with his fellow S-class wizard.
"I am going to rip your head off and shove it so far up your ass, you'll look normal..." Camilla said as she stepped forward, putting her hands up and barrier orbs forming around her fists.
"Sounds sexy. Sadly, Alfana doesn't let me get much action around the caravan, so I guess you'll just have to settle for my "other" blade." Warwick said, joking before lifting up his sword and holding it in his left hand.
"Grrrrr..." Camilla grumbled in response. "Every single time I fought him, I tried to put him in a box to try and stop him quickly, but it never worked... The only way I was able to win was to go all in on a hand-to-hand fight." She thought as she mentally prepared himself.
Rushing at Camilla with his sword in his left hand, Warwick jumped into the air to try and slash her with Camilla shifting herself left and right to dodge before swinging her right fist to attack him as he ducked. Twisting his left leg on the ground, Warwick tried to leg sweep Camilla, but Camilla countered by doing a spinning jump and extending her right leg for a back kick.
"Nrgh!" Camilla grunted as both her and Warwick missed their respective kicks as Camilla landed back on her feet.
"Hiyah!" Warwick said as he also jumped with a spin into the air and tried to back swipe Camilla with his sword.
Countering with her forearm, Camilla struck Warwick in the elbow, knocking him back to his feet and blocking his attack. Attempting to hit him, Camilla raised her left leg for a roundhouse kick until Warwick dodged by sliding on the ground between Camilla's legs.
"Tch..." Camilla muttered in response to the dodge.
"Would've preferred a skirt like the other one." Warwick thought as he looked up at Camilla's shorts as he got behind her.
Bending backwards, Warwick attempted to hit Camilla with his sword once more by sticking his sword outward as Camilla spotted his action. Dispelling the barrier orbs around her hands and forming a magical layer around them to act as a shield, Camilla caught the blade by grabbing an area around the tip with both of her palms, using the momentum to pull Warwick back and catching him off-guard.
"Whoa!" Warwick muttered in surprise.
"Got him!" Camilla thought as she swung her leg back for another attempt at a kick as Warwick pivoted to Camilla's left side to dodge another attempt to hit him.
Swinging his own left leg for a kick, Warwick attempt to strike Camilla in the knee until she blocked it with her left shin, also covered in a layer of yellow shielded energy. Putting her left leg down, Camilla swung her right leg for another roundhouse kick, but Warwick dodged by arching his back slightly, the bottom of Camilla's boot narrowly missing connecting with his face.
"Woop!" Warwick exclaimed as he jumped a few feet back to a standing position as Camilla put her barrier orbs back around her fists.
"Grugh!" Camilla grunted as she put her fists up again in a combat pose.
"Hehe... Hahahahah!" Warwick chuckled as he looked at Camilla, a wide grin forming on his face. "Now this is a real fight!" He exclaimed loudly as he held his glass blade in his left hand.
Jumping at Camilla, Warwick attempted to extend his sword for a stabbing attack on the young woman, however, she was prepared for his attack as she pivoted to the left and struck him in the elbow of the arm holding the sword with her right fist.
"Gaurhg- prugh!" Warwick grunted in pain as he grabbed his arm after landing on his feet until Camilla cocked back her left fist and struck him straight in the eye, sending him back a few feet and onto his butt.
"Finally got something substantial..." Camilla thought with sweat dripping on her face as Warwick got back to his feet.
"Urgh... Nice shot." Warwick said, giving Camilla a compliment as Pietro and Anatoli managed to tilt their heads up to look at the fight. "Looks like I gotta dig deep..." He thought before turning his attention to his sword, staring at the blade.
"...She's doing well..." Pietro commented as Anatoli didn't say a word. "However, something doesn't seem right..." He said as Anatoli looked at his fellow downed wizard.
"What does..." Anatoli thought as he shifted his attention back to the two battling S-rank wizards.
"I might have to go on the offensive here... Or else he- huh?" Camilla thought until she, Anatoli and Pietro saw a peculiar sight that they were not expecting.
Holding his sword up to his face, Warwick opened his mouth and proceeded to bite down on the glass that the blade was made from, shocking and confusing his fellow S-class wizard. Munching on the broken shards, Warwick swallowed the mouthful as everyone looked on with bewilderment as they noticed his mouth wasn't bleeding from such a bizarre action.
"Why did you-" Camilla said in response to Warwick's action until stopping to notice he was giving off an unusual amount of magical energy.
"What the hell?!" Anatoli thought as Warwick suddenly begun to glow with a dark green aura.
Removing his shirt, revealing his muscular definition and Psycho Circus guild logo on his right pec, Warwick's glowing body started to change in front of everyone as markings begun to appear on him. His body formed dark green diamond-like symbols all over his right side that went all the up to his face and a tribal tattoo-like design appeared on his right arm.
"Time for the big guns!" Warwick exclaimed as he breathed in, his cheeks swelling up as Camilla put her hands up, preparing for the attack.
"I-I need all the power I can muster to block!" Camilla thought as she made a barrier panel in front of her to block the attack.
"Glass Devil's Rage!" Warwick screamed out.
Emerging from deep within him and shooting out of his mouth was a gigantic torrent of green glass shards heading directly for Camilla. Bracing for impact, the young woman put up her arms as the barrier she placed in front of her shattered into pieces as she was sent flying backwards, slamming against the wall of the barrier box that encompassed the battlefield.
"Argh!" Camilla screamed in pain from the impact as the glass shards managed to cut her in multiple places, tearing into her clothes and leaving superficial slice marks all over her body as she hit the ground.
"Phew..." Warwick muttered as he wiped his mouth.
"Wha-..." Anatoli said in shock as he looked at Warwick.
"Wa-Warwick!" Pietro said from the ground. "What... What was that?!" He said in surprise as he managed to get on all fours.
"That was a little spell technique courtesy of my recent years." Warwick said with a smug tone as he turned towards the injured strongman.
"What do you mean?" Pietro questioned. "He's never been able to perform a move like that!" He thought as Anatoli looked on.
"He's so strong..." Anatoli thought with a nervous expression forming on his face.
"Eh, I'll explain in a second. First, I'll get rid of Cami's little barrier." Warwick said with a nonchalant tone as he picked up his old sword hilt. "Glass Devil's Blade Restoration!" He said while sticking his mouth on the end of the hilt.
"Huh?!" Pietro said in surprise.
Suddenly, the blade that was eaten by Warwick begun to reform as Warwick pulled his head slowly away from the hilt handle, in a manner similar to a sword eating routine. Looking at it for a moment to admire its shape, Warwick jumped into the air at full speed and proceeded to slash at the roof of Camilla's barrier box, cutting an X-like mark into it that caused the ceiling to collapse and fade away as it fell down towards everyone.
"My-my barrier- urgh..." Camilla said as she tried to get back to her feet but struggled due to her injuries, Warwick noticing this and walking over to her as she fell to her knees.
"Better stay down, Cami." Warwick said with a smug look on his face. "Remember, I'm one of you guys." He said as he pointed at his guild logo on his chest. "Wanna touch it?" Warwick continued as Camilla panted in exhaustion with Warwick directly in front of her.
"The heck was that about?" The voice of Corvus said as everyone, minus the still unconscious Marlene, turned towards the caravan, spotting Bernard and beastly allies stepping outside.
"Beats me." Bernard said as he, Corvus and Vulp turned their heads to see the damage that was done outside. "Guys?!" He said in shock as he looked at everyone.
"What the hell?!" Corvus exclaimed as Vulp turned his head left and right, bewildered by the sight of the carnage.
"Fight's over." Warwick said as the green marks on the sides of his body began to disappear as he walked over to his shirt, picking it up and putting it back on after sheathing his sword before Camilla fell forward onto her chest.
"Orugh..." Camilla moaned in pain as Bernard saw this.
"Ca-Camilla!" Bernard exclaimed as he ran over to his downed girlfriend, moving her over onto her backside.
"Brughsf..." Camilla continued to groan as Bernard noticed all of the cuts on her body.
"Jeez, look at her... Look at them!" Corvus said as he flew over Bernard's shoulder in the direction of Anatoli, Pietro and Marlene.
"Rugh..." Pietro grunted in as he could barely move as Anatoli just stared up at the sky before Bernard and Vulp looked over at Marlene's unconscious state.
"What happened to her?!" Bernard questioned as Warwick looked at the beanie wearing wizard.
"Would you believe me if I told you she took the least amount of damage?" Warwick said with a grin as Bernard's face twitched.
"You crazy son of a..." Bernard said as he got up and walked over to confront Warwick. "What is wrong with you?!" He shouted.
"First mistake they made; they challenged me to a fight knowing I don't hold back for anyone." Warwick said with a casual tone.
"Doesn't give you the right, dickweed!" Corvus angrily shouted as he begun to spark up with electricity and Vulp started to growl at the midget swordsman, his fur starting to move on his own.
"I'm not going to let this-" Bernard said as he reached into his shirt towards his pacemaker, preparing to summon the demon slime Formosa, until someone spoke up.
"No!" The voice of Alfana said as she emerged from the caravan, catching everyone's attention.
"Mom?!" Bernard said in surprise as Alfana walked over to where Warwick and Bernard were.
"...Couldn't hold back in the slightest, could you?" Alfana said with a disgruntled tone towards the S-rank wizard who only shrugged in response.
"Never do. Not part of my code of ethics." Warwick replied.
"You don't have one, you crazy jerk!" Bernard screamed.
"Bernard." Alfana said with a stern tone as her son looked at her. "Don't fight Warwick..." She said towards him.
"Don't worry, he's not the one fighting!" Corvus said with an angry tone directed at Warwick as Vulp nodded in agreeance.
"I mean you both too." Alfana said with her arms folded. "Inside, next to the cupboard by the fridge. First aid kit." She said as Bernard looked at his mom with wide eyes before rushing back inside, Corvus and Vulp proceeding to go to where the downed members of Psycho Circus were to check on them. "As for you..." Alfana said as she directed her attention at Warwick.
"Oh?" Warwick said with a raised eyebrow as she motioned for him to follow her.
"We need to talk..." Alfana said with a serious tone.
Jeeeez... Who knew a sex obsessed shrimp with a sword could be such a curbstomper? In an attempt to become S-rank for one and in an attempt to get some much-desired payback for his behavior for the rest, the guild wizards of Psycho Circus fought their strongest member but one by one, they all fell. Anatoli and Pietro couldn't handle the swordsmanship and outright strength on display by Warwick, emotional damage struck Marlene like a ton of bricks and Camilla, the only one to handle most of Warwick's offense, was brought down by the shocking reveal of Warwick's "other" set of skills. No board games outside to play with, just his friends on the ground and a guy who can't hold back very well towering over them in spite of his size, Bernard and his pets were ready to clash with them before Alfana stepped in because she has some words to say to the S-class womanizer. What will she say to him and will the others be okay? You can only find out by waiting for the next chapter of Menagerie II!
Author's Note: (Pretty such someone speculated this awhile back.)