With the city gradually becoming submerged in the endless flood, battles moved to the rooftops, turning the upper levels of Telo Martius into a deadly game of hopscotch. Nowhere was this more evident than the battle waging against Commander Nemesis.

The irate Charizard soared above the flooding city in pursuit of the Toxicroak and Cramorant that dared to challenge him in a test of wills. Flaming slashing attacks rained from his maces, cutting into buildings as Ursula hopped between rooftops. Altair took to the safety of the water, mindlessly bobbing around with the waves.

"Conqueror's Breath of Blades!" Nemesis called down another waved of superheated blades, slicing up the surface of rooftops with mad swings of his maces.

Ursula bounced over the rent buildings and hurtled herself at the airborne dragon. "Xiled Revolt!" She coated her arms in the indigo-glowing toxin and swung for the commander's neck.

Nemesis beat his wings, casting a Tailwind that threw her off balance. He rode along his own wind, circling around and striking from behind. Ursula managed to block, using her armor to endure the impact, and sailed back down into the water. Nemesis followed it up with another round of heated slash attacks.

Altair jumped out of the water and raised his wings. "Unseen Ocean's Roar!" A twister of water rose from the flood, standing before the slashing attacks like an impenetrable wall. They extinguished against the twister's surface, leading Altair to let out a triumphant honk and commanding the twister forward.

Nemesis scowled. "Conqueror's War Cry of Defiance!" Sucking in a deep breath, the Charizard let loose a powerful roar that carried a beam of concentrated heat. It impacted the center of the twister, rapidly heating up the water within until it ruptured into an explosion of steam.

"HONK!" Altair went flying back in the blast, hurtling into the water right as Ursula reemerged. She grabbed Altair by the hood and lifted him back over the water's surface.

She yelped and pulled her hand away. "Agh! Al, your armor's hot!"

"HONK! HONK! HONK!" Altair dove back under the water, causing the water to boil around him as the armor cooled.

A deep laughter echoed above them. Ursula sneered as Nemesis hovered above the two, panting softly as he collected himself from the powerful attack. "Insolent creatures. You think I would be hampered by a mere flood? All you've accomplished is giving me a battlefield to turn against you. I'll have this manmade sea boiling along with your blood!"

Altair pulled his head out of the water and sighed. "Much better. Hmm, what's happening again?"

Nemesis took a deep breath. "Prepare to be eliminated!"

"Crap!" Ursula grabbed Altair and swam for a nearby building.

"You can't escape! I'll cook you alive! Conqueror's—"

"Domain of Space-Time."

Nemesis stopped as the surrounding area became encased inside a massive cube of purple light. It deployed so fast that it took him a second to process its appearance. "What the—"

"Ineluctabilis Gladius."

Nemesis recoiled as a psionic slash exploded across his back from seemingly nowhere. The Charizard howled in pain, nearly losing his aerial balance. He stretched out his wings, keeping himself afloat, and rose higher into the air. He scanned the probable direction the attack was fired.

"Who dares strike at the Great Commander Nemesis?!"

Stepping elegantly along the rooftops, a figure emerged from the previously made steam. Casting aside his cape, the king of Umbra Clock brandished his claymore and aimed it toward the sky. "I dare," he stated proudly.

Nemesis snarled. "You…?"

The king rested his claymore over his shoulder and glared. "Commander Nemesis Ignius. I, King Tadhg Foirbeis, stand before you to reclaim the honor of former King Gregor Foirbeis of the Umbra Clock Kingdom." He tightened his grip. "You slayed my father and paraded his severed head in an act of disrespect that shall go unforgiven. As the only son of Gregor Foirbeis, I shall take your life in his name!"

Fabrice and Enora raced hurriedly through the drowned streets of Telo Martius. Enora held her breath as the couple traveled below the water with their pursuer hunting them from the sky. Blazing rock fired down after them, piercing the water with little impact on their movement. Through Enora's guidance, Fabrice kept his eyes ahead as he swam around the exploding rock.

"Fatal Wind: Cleave!" Terminus ignited his axe hand in a fierce blue aura and fired a visible slash into the water. The force of impact split the water in two, pushing up the waves over the rooftops.

The force carried down to the street and reached the fleeing couple. While they managed to avoid a direct hit, the water pulled away from around them, causing them to tumble through the soaked street. They rolled to their feet, gawking at the walls of water rising around them, hanging in the air for several seconds.

Terminus dove onto the soaked street and rushed them down. "Fatal Current."

"Deep Freeze!" Enora exhaled a harsh cold, rapidly freezing the moisture in the street, and caught Terminus' legs. "Deep Freeze: Arctic Gatling!" She exhaled the cold mist again, turning it into a cluster of rapid-fire ice spears.

Terminus scoffed. "Fatal Edge." He swung his axe and fired dozens of blazing stones in retaliation.

The force of his attack shattered through Enora's and nearly struck her down. Fabrice, however, had grabbed her and sunk her under the ground with him to avoid.

The rising water started to rain back down. Terminus kicked off the ground, shattering the ice from his legs, and shot high into the air right before the flood could crash down over him. The violent churning of the fallen water wrecked the surrounding buildings, collapsing them beneath its surface.

His eyes rapidly flickered through the dense water, trying to find any movement through the street. However, with his attention diverted, Fabrice and Enora emerged through a roof instead, the former casting his fishing rod and hooking around Terminus' legs.

Enora bit on the fishing rod and yelled, "Together!" They landed and pulled with their combined strength, yanking Terminus out of the air.

Terminus curled up before slamming into an adjacent roof. Fabrice reeled back his fishing rod while Enora rushed in. Right as the Kleavor picked himself up, she launched into a dropkick, knocking his head back. She kicked off, spinning in the air, and slammed down on his head with an axe kick.

"That's how we brawl in the Gagnon household, jackass!" Enora taunted.

Terminus hardened his stance and pushed back against the Glaceon's kick. "Fatal—" He crossed his axes together, generating a dense wind around them, and slashed into her stomach. "Maelstrom!" With a twist of his arms, he sent the Glaceon flying in a twister of cutting winds.

"AAAAHHHH!"

"Enora!" Fabrice jumped in the way and caught her. He skidded back to the edge of the roof, chips of stone falling into the water. "Enora?"

She sputtered and wheezed, wiping the spit off her mouth. "Ugh. I-I'm fine." She winced at the gash in her armor. "When's Pandora's birthday again? Because I owe her one hell of a thank-you present."

"Fatal—" They snapped their eyes forward before jumping into the water, avoiding the barrage of blazing rock. "Edge!"

The rocks sailed across the city and exploded across distant rooftops, sending both enemy and ally flying in the explosion. Terminus paid his drowning allies no mind as he unleashed a barrage of Fatal Edges while Fabrice and Enora surfed through the water. The rocks curved and flew close to their heads. The couple barely ducked beneath the water in time, leaving the attack to explode against more of the rooftops and the warring armies.

"I'll hunt all of you to the end of the earth if I must," Terminus growled, hopping along buildings and jumping over his injured comrades. "I shall destroy everything that stands before Emperor Nero's ideals. Trash like you doesn't deserve to exist in his new world—"

"Surging Slash!"

A blade of water zigzagged through the air and slashed close to Terminus' face. He narrowly blocked it with his axe hand and deflected it. Spinning through the air, he landed and gazed upon his attacker, who landed on a rooftop of fallen soldiers. At the same time, seeing their escape secured, Fabrice and Enora dove beneath the water and fled.

Terminus scoffed. "Another one…"

Straightening up and brandishing his scalchop, Jet glared daggers at the Kleavor. "So quick to serve your emperor that you would endanger your own men in the crossfire? Show more consideration to your underlings."

As he spoke, the soldiers rose and aimed their spears at the armored Oshawott. However, he barely passed them a glance before blasting them off the roof with Hydro Pump from his shell. Their weapons scattered through the air while they themselves careened into the water.

Terminus glared. "They know the risks of war. They'll only slow me down."

Jet scoffed. "Doesn't impede my handiwork."

Terminus pointed his axe hand toward the Oshawott, igniting it in a blazing orange aura. "And what role do you serve in this war?"

"Your executioner."

"What bold proclamations."

"Merely following orders. My leader…no, my leaders are counting on me to slay your army's dragon." Jet's gaze turned cold. "And it seems his master has left him unchained."

"I sense your own chains have been loosened. Do you possess the strength of will to test my loyalty to the emperor?"

"All that matters is that I carry out their orders. Nothing short of absolute victory."

"Hmph. Spoken like an unquestioning soldier." Terminus ignited his other hand and readied himself. "Then I look forward to presenting your tattered corpse to your rulers as a hunting trophy."

Jet reared his scalchop back, twisting the water blade into a drill. "Pray to your god you don't fall too quickly. I want my victory to be as unquestionable as my loyalty to them."

Eyes blazing with unwavering determination, they lunged at each other, their weapons' auras streaking across the air and meeting halfway in a blinding clash of color. Their gazes were unflinching, the depths of their souls clashing as sharply as their blades. This wasn't just a battle of physical might taking place.

This was a showcase of unwavering loyalty to their respective superiors.

Nothing short of absolute victory.

Martius Palace

"Alright, alright! Please, everyone settle down!" Gemini exclaimed over the endless chatter. He gave instructions to the few guards on standby, issuing them to thin out the crowds across the palace space for accessible breathing room. He eventually made his way to the front doors where Saturn kept watch. Gemini smoothed out his robes and huffed. "Pray we don't resort to the emergency service tunnels."

Saturn nodded, his arms crossed and his gaze focused on the flooding city. "How long until they breach the palace?"

"I rather not estimate those chances. Just do your job as palace guard and make sure they can't get in. You're our best line of defense for the emperor's subjects." Gemini scratched his chin. "Though, I doubt they're aiming to bring harm to innocent bystanders. From the few spare glances I've made, they've mostly ignored putting his subjects in jeopardy. They clearly seek Nero himself."

Saturn grimaced. "That's concerning."

"Indeed. Any updates I should be made aware of?"

"If you haven't been informed yet, the new recruits were wheeled in a while ago."

"From the training hall? What happened?"

"Awful business. Apparently someone snuck in and administered a poison into their food that left them incapacitated. Fortunately, one of the servant girls informed us of this by accident."

Gemini raised his brow. "By accident?"

"There was a mix-up with some armor that got left behind, and she informed a guard to have it return."

"…But none of the recruits set foot in the palace in recent weeks. What do you mean a mix-up? That sounds like a flimsy excuse—" Gemini paused, then started to massage his chin in thought. "Saturn, do you remember which servant girl posed this little request?"

"I believe it was a Heliolisk."

"…" Gemini narrowed his eyes. "If you happen to see her roaming the halls, do keep an eye on her." He stepped around the Hariyama and made his way outside.

Saturn raised his brow. "Where are you off to?"

"Following up on a hunch I should've acted on sooner." Steam hissed from both of his arms as he folded them behind his back. "Procedure and justice do get in the way of the uncertain, but damning facts. I think it's time I had a proper interrogation with the sweetheart of the recruits: Miss Vibiana."

"Conqueror's Breath of Blades!" Without hesitation, Nemesis fired down on the blue cat with a barrage of heated blade projectiles, their combined cluster scorching the air around them.

Tadhg jumped back and waved his hand. "Tempus Destruitur." The domain shimmered, causing the world to shift ahead in time. Nemesis' attack had sliced up the roof, and Tadhg had appeared two rooftops away in an instant.

Nemesis blinked twice in bewilderment. Did my attacks just…teleport? I didn't see when they impacted. He scowled in the Meowstic's direction. This technique of his. It's dangerous.

Tadhg narrowed his eyes. I've been purposefully avoiding fights until I found him. Domain of Space-Time can only alter up to five minutes. I've used up a few seconds already. Plenty of ammunition left, but I need to be mindful of my movements.

"In that case…!" Nemesis exhaled over his maces and transmuted flaming shells around them. "Conqueror's Weapon of Justice!" He sailed down and swung his maces at the king.

Tadhg rushed forward, rearing his claymore back. He flicked his wrist. "Nondum Tempore."

Nemesis' maces froze in place, causing his body to jerk back and his grip to break. "Wha—"

Within two seconds, Tadhg slid past the Charizard and cut across his armor with a psychically charged slash. "Now time shall flow again!"

The maces unfroze and carried over their previous momentum, slamming across their wielder's side. "AGH!" Nemesis tumbled over himself, spreading his wings to bounce himself back onto his feet. He picked up his maces and clanged them together, using the sparks to reactivate his technique.

"Ineluctabilis Gladius!" Spinning around, Tadhg slashed the air, projecting a slashing attack across the dazed dragon's chest.

"AGH!" Nemesis skidded back, his heels touching the edge of the roof. He sneered at the psychic burn across his armor. I definitely didn't see an attack. Is he teleporting? Can Meowstic even learn Teleport? No, this is clearly something beyond my understanding. It has to do with this barrier he encased over the area, too.

Tadhg kept his guard up and paced himself across his limited ground, his gaze staying solely on the Charizard. I've been perfecting this technique to make sure no one could best me in single combat. You possess no means to perceive my movements like Melissa. As it stands, I am the one in control here.

Nemesis ran his hand across his scorched armor, then smirked. "Alright. A challenge, then." He twirled his maces. "Tell me, Your Majesty, would this happen to be your first time on the battlefield?"

Tadhg kept his gaze cool and leveled, ignoring the Charizard's prodding. Best not to engage with his banter. This man couldn't have defeated my father without possessing great military experience.

"Then allow me to introduce you to the hellish torment you're in for!" Nemesis reared his maces over his shoulder and twisted, casting forth a whirlwind of heat. "Conqueror's Field of Oppression!"

Tadhg recoiled as the heat passed over him. He winced and staggered as parts of his skin started to burn as if hot pieces of metal were being directly pressed against him. "W-What the…?"

Nemesis breathed in the hot air and laughed while the water around them began to boil and evaporate. "Something tells me that technique of yours won't be as useful against area of effect techniques like this. After all, if you could pull all these shenanigans and kill me whenever you want, why not just go for the kill? Unless there's something restricting you from doing it when I can't even perceive your actions."

Tadhg grimaced. I can't just freeze him in place. Altered time becomes a fixed point, meaning all damage is nullified. I just need to make him lower his guard. I've been practicing my timing. The very millisecond before I strike him, I'll undo altered time and kill him before he has a chance to react.

Nemesis smirked. "Try and overcome this, Your Majesty!" He swung his maces, causing the air to distort.

Tadhg swiped his hand. "Tempus Destruitur!" A purple sheen encompassed the atmosphere and slowed reality down. He jumped back, visualizing the future path of the wind. His eyes widened as the spot he had originally been standing foretold its utter laceration and incineration. That's way stronger than his other attack.

He skipped off the water's surface like it was solid ground and landed on another building. Time resumed at the end of his forecast, watching as the scorched rumble fell in the water.

"Take this!" Nemesis didn't let up, firing off another distortion of air through the heated atmosphere.

I can't risk spamming my tricks, or he might catch on. "Ineluctabilis Gladius!" He sliced ahead and instantly severed a chunk of roof on Nemesis' battleground. "Now, Semper Primus!" He and the roof chunk instantly swapped places with each other, leaving it the target for Nemesis' attack.

Nemesis spun around. So, he can manipulate space, too. I wonder how far he can alter it. "You can't escape that easily!"

"Semper Primus!" Tadhg teleported with another piece of building, this one among the scorched remains of Nemesis' attacks. Space manipulation under my domain doesn't require me using up my time limited, but I can't dodge his attacks forever.

Having witnessed the Meowstic's escape and the destruction of his substitution, Nemesis glared over his shoulder. He's faster than he looks. However, because he had to slice up the building first, there's definitely a size limit to what he can trade places with. I wonder…

"Try dodging this!" Nemesis attacked again, this time twisting his body to distort the air around him. His battleground was shredded and incinerated to pieces, and the destructive wave carried out across all nearby buildings.

Tadhg jumped back, feeling the heat of the rushing shockwave. He's catching on!

Nemesis smirked. You're not teleporting. Is it possible you can't switch places with just anything? Rather, you need to make sure the object your trading places with doesn't overlap with your environment. Most teleporters have to take into account those calculations, but they can freely appear in any open space. You're limited to what you can see and trade places with. In other words, this technique of yours requires a lot of mental power to maintain and utilize! What a troublesome opponent!

Tadhg sliced a building further behind him and glanced over his shoulder. "Semper Primus!" He switched places just in time, exiting the range of the lacerating storm. "Tch. This guy…"

"Got you!"

Tadhg's eyes widened at the blinding ray of light bursting from the Charizard's open maw. Taking a deep breath, he steadied his stance and fired a laser of concentrated heat straight at the king.

"Conqueror's War Cry of Defiance!"

Tadhg's eyes rapidly flickered, taking in the size, shape, and speed of the laser in half of a second. "Nondum Tempore!" He stalled the entire beam midflight for half a second, giving him ample time to adjust his position in the air. He dove out of the way in time, letting the laser sail past him. He recoiled at the blazing heat it emitted, no doubt capable of giving him third degree burns.

His gaze fell back on the Charizard, who appeared to be winded from the attack. Tadhg determined one of the components for the technique was Hyper Beam, granting its incredible power the disastrous drawback of temporarily depleting the use of his energy.

Got you!

Grabbing a rock, he tossed it past the Charizard and switched places with it. "Tempus Destruitur!" Next, he caused the moment in time to be erased. He observed the Charizard's forecast and determined he will not make any sudden movements by the end of the technique. A perfect shot was lined up for a one-hit kill.

Landing on the water, he rushed the time-displaced dragon with his claymore aimed for the heart. Psionic energy channeled into the tip of the blade, guaranteeing he'll pierce through the armor.

For my father!

Tadhg got in close, the tip of his blade a mere millimeter from connecting. The forecast ended, and time had officially skipped ahead. The sudden jolt through time will leave Nemesis woefully unprepared until it was too—

"Nice try, brat."

Tadhg staggered amidst his attack. His eyes widened at the hand reaching around and catching the sword right as it punched through the armor. Nemesis, defying the king's expectations, had reacted far quicker to the unperceivable maneuver than any other. Though the armor had been breached, Tadhg felt he only got through a few layers of skin before the sword was caught.

Blood dripped from Nemesis' hand as he tightened his grip over the blade. "I may not understand exactly how your technique works, but that confirms you can't kill me so long as those flashy moves of yours are active." A large, menacing grin stretched over his maw. "We soldiers of the New Chariot Empire…are a battle-hardened people. Our instincts for survival have been beaten into us since the day we entered basic training. Do you really think we'd be defeated by sneak attacks?"

Nemesis brazenly pulled the sword from his back unfazed by his own blood spraying out and spun around. With a flap of his wing, he sent Tadhg hurtling away in a gust of Heat Wave. He psychically guided his sword amidst his flailing and stabbed into an incoming rooftop, catching himself.

"You're clearly a genius—" Tadhg recoiled from the mace flying at his face. "But you're still inexperienced in the ways of war!"

Tadhg barely activated Semper Primus, trading places with a nearby chunk of building which was pulverized against Nemesis' attack. Tadhg staggered, clutching around his throat and catching his breath.

I'm not sure if it was Arceus or a panic-induced hallucination, but I saw my own death for a split second. He clenched his teeth. Keep your nerve, Tadhg. You understood the risks. This isn't like training within the castle walls. Every action carried out from here…is real.

Nemesis shook the dust off his mace and grinned callously at the king. "You marched all the way here to avenge your father? Do you want to continue the tradition of death? Your old man was far more experienced on the battlefield, yet he still fell to my mace. What can you do that he couldn't?"

Again, Tadhg withheld his tongue and focused on his stance. This is a real fight, Tadhg, but don't forget your training. I've mastered my Domain of Space-Time and continued to push it toward its theoretical limit. That's why I've dedicated my life to understanding the nature of elemental energy and the creation of techniques. I will surpass the notion of gods and take hold of a future molded by my design.

"A brat like you should remember his place!" Nemesis ignited his maces once again. "Conqueror's Weapon of Justice!" Spreading his wings, he took flight and rushed the Meowstic down. "You and that arrogant emperor! Mere zygotes who disrespect their elders! Our age…is a badge of honor in the throes of war!"

Tadhg clenched his teeth. This isn't a battle to falter with, Tadhg. This is for Father's honor!

"Ex Oblivione!"

Nemesis' eyes widened as Tadhg released a wave of distortion from his hand. He immediately darted out of the way, feeling the intense pressure clipping his wing. "Agh…" He flew higher into the air to collect himself. "I was right. Space manipulation techniques. Annoying, but not impossible—"

"Cancel."

Nemesis' eyes widened as the domain suddenly disappeared. "What the—" He cancelled his own technique.

Tadhg reformed the psionic cube in his hand. "I'm inexperienced with war, you said?" He pressed the cube against his sword. "Perhaps you're correct, but you fail to understand one important aspect about my lack of experience: I'm always adapting."

Nemesis growled. "What are you—"

"Tempus Rerum Imperator." Tadhg slid the cube across his blade, coating it in a crystal-like sheen of purple. Once the entire blade was coated, he aimed the weapon toward the sky. "You wish I come at you like a warrior? Live to regret your choices."

Nemesis scowled. All he did was place that domain over his sword? What the hell's that going to—

"Terra Nova."

Nemesis barely had time to blink as the sword suddenly extended from its hilt, piercing through the air like a thin laser. Nemesis twisted his body and watched the blade elongate past his face. He physically stretched out the blade of his sword?!

"You didn't dodge anything yet."

At the king's warning, the blade suddenly made a sharp turn and continued on course with the Charizard. Nemesis pumped his wings and took off flying through the flooded city. He weaved in and out around both ally and foe, watching as the blade pierced through anything that got in its way or bent around the king's allies. It flowed like a snake with a body that never ceased, taking up space across every way it passed through. Shields, armor, and even the buildings themselves couldn't stop the blade's pathing.

However, he noticed it was slowing down the further it stretched out. Was there a limit to how far it could go, or perhaps a limit to how far the king could extend it?

Either way, Nemesis made one last burst of flight and took off into the air until the sword finally stopped chasing him. He watched it snap back twice as fast towards its wielder, who looked a bit winded from the technique.

Nemesis growled. "You've left yourself wide open! Now, Conqueror's War Cry of Fury!" Inhaling until his chest was fully expanded, he fired a barrage of flaming shower of arrows down on the king's battleground.

Tadhg's claymore eventually returned to normal size. He glared up at the raining fire arrows and scoffed at their numbers. "Is this intended to scare me?" He reared his claymore back. "Terra—"

Gripping the weapon tightly, Tadhg swiped across the air. Rather than extending the sword's length, it rapidly expanded in width toward the sky. A solid sheet of crystalline-coated metal fired skyward resembling a guillotine blade.

"Firma!"

Nemesis bent his entire body back and froze as the attack came in much faster than the previous. The sheer pressure upon its release obliterated his fire arrows. No sooner had the attack been released did it return to normal size back in Tadhg's hand.

The Meowstic staggered, panting softly as the weapon shook in his grasp. I'm putting a lot of pressure on my mind, but I aim to test the full extent of my domain.

Nemesis collected himself once again, still processing the bizarre technique's applications. He felt something warm dripping down his chin. Wiping his claw across it, he found a piece of flayed skin with his blood dripping off it. If he had been a second slower, his head would've been ripped off.

This brat isn't playing around. He clenched his teeth before igniting his maces. Guess that means it's time to sound the drums of war. You want to reclaim your father's honor, brat? You can join him in death after I've placed the fear of Nemesis Ignius into your soul!

Two powerful auras clashed back and forth, their battle raging across the flooded down with no drop in rhythm of momentum. Battles that waged over Telo Martius paused briefly at the two forces clashing in their private conflict. The force of their strikes splashed out, rippling and rattling the innards of those unfortunate enough to be in range of witnessing.

Despite his shorter stature, Jet held up against Terminus' unending flow of strikes. He coated himself in Aqua Jet and skimmed across the water's surface while combating the axe strikes. His Razor Shell held up tremendously against the Kleavor's attacks. He wielded it with such flowing mastery that he could overcome the stone mantis' brutality.

Terminus slammed his axe against Jet's guard with greater force and sent the otter flying across the water. Jet broke from his Aqua Jet and drove his scalchop through a roof to catch himself.

"Fatal Edge!" With his axe blazing in a fierce orange aura, he swung and fired a barrage of exploding rock.

Jet assumed a defensive stance and jolted toward the incoming rock. With adept swings, he parried and sliced through the projectile stones, carving them around his form. He moved with such grace and skill that one would assume he was just cutting the air. The halved stones flew wildly off course and exploded into the water.

"Endless Ocean—" Jet took off with Aqua Jet and dragged his scalchop through the water. "Wrathful Wave Cleave!" He swung and fired off a rising blade of water at the Kleavor.

"Fatal Wind—" Igniting his axe hand in a blue aura, Terminus lunged forward and sliced downward, striking back with an even larger wave of distorting air. "Cleave!"

Sharpened water and sharpened air ignited off each other before breaking apart. Sharp droplets rained over Terminus and grazed his armored shell while Jet floated within his Aqua Jet and only grimaced at the wind needles piercing through and slicing against his exposing face.

"Tch." Terminus leapt into the air and gathered wind around his hands. "Fatal Maelstrom!" Swinging down both his hands and twisting them, he called down a lacerating twister.

Jet took off with Aqua Jet, watching the tail end of it getting diced up in the twister. He growled and climbed higher into the air. "Taunt!" His eyes glowed red. "You think you're tough?! Let's see how tough you are without your enhancements!"

Terminus' eyes reflected the same red glow, but his calm demeanor remained unchanged. "Shutting down my techniques? Fool. Fatal Edge!" He swung both arms and fired a barrage of explosive rock.

Jet weaved and cut his way through the attack, climbing higher and higher. He reared his scalchop back and swung for the throat, but Terminus dropped out of the air and avoided the attack. The air ripped apart against the force of the otter's flowing slash.

"You possess a peculiar technique," Terminus commented as he fell out of the air. "Not just your shell there. You can sharpen any water it has passed over, creating millions of tiny blades at your leisure. Tch. Yet I can see it's the unrefined tool of a lowly soldier."

Jet growled. "This is all I need to win." He increased his Aqua Jet and dove after the Kleavor. "What do you know about anything?!"

"If you're so determined to slay me, what drives you to win?!" Terminus swung and clashed with Jet's dive attack. "What gives you strength to fight?!"

"What else?! They're counting on me to win, and I never disobey an order!"

Terminus growled. "Then you understand that I can't lose either! Emperor Nero expects me to carry out his will to the bitter end!"

"Surging Slash!"

"Fatal Edge!"

Their auras blared against each other before throwing them apart. Terminus spun himself around and crashed onto a roof while Jet plunged beneath the water. Recovering almost immediately, the Oshawott rushed toward the commander's perch and drove his scalchop against the submerged walls.

"Endless Ocean—" Jet spun faster and faster around the building, building up power inside his scalchop as more water clung to its surface. He came to a dead stop and threw his momentum through his arms, sending up a massive slash of razor-sharp water. "Wrathful Wave Cleave!"

The entire building was split in two and forced apart. Terminus leapt off the collapsing building and landed on some floating debris. As he did, Jet emerged from the water and took Terminus by surprise with a strike to the chest.

"Rapid Wave Passion!" Jet circled his scalchop around Terminus and caught him in a steam of serrated water that grinded across his stone carapace.

Terminus growled in pain, but endured. Despite having the type disadvantage, his armor didn't break against the Oshawott's strike. Jet noticed this as he dove back into the water with a perplexed scowl.

Unbroken? I've cut through stone plenty of times. What gives?

Terminus sputtered and coughed before shaking off the pain. He glared over his shoulder, spotting Jet bobbing his head over the water's surface. "Surprised, little Oshawott? Though I can still feel your strikes, my armor will not be stripped so easily." He swung his axe hand and cut away the metal armor from his body, leaving him only in his black greaves. "For I possess a sturdy carapace beyond that of the strongest armor crafted in the mightiest forge."

Jet glared. His species branches off from Scyther, I'm sure of that. They can obtain the form of Scizor through a special metal coating that's applied over the body, and the rarity of it can determine its toughness. Does that same principle apply this form?

"Emperor Nero gave me renewed valor. For that, I owe him a debt that can never be repaid." He ignited his axes and lunged over the water's surface. "That is why I'll fight for his legacy! I shall be his soldier! A soldier that never falls!"

Jet burst from the water and clashed halfway with the Kleavor. "Then I'll be the one to crush his legacy!"

"You won't get the chance! Fatal Edge!" Terminus put more force behind his swing and sent Jet flying in a hail of explosive stone.

Jet held up against the attack and deflected the brunt of it away from himself. As he skidded along the water's surface, his eyes shot up at Terminus who lunged across the water again. The blaze igniting off his axe hand became more concentrated and brighter.

"Fatal Laceration!"

Jet immediately burst into the air with Aqua Jet and watched Terminus soar over a building. With a swipe of his arms, the whole became littered with slashes in an instant and torn apart in an explosive burst. Terminus landed on some floating debris and cast a glare at the floating Oshawott.

The Taunt had just worn off.

"Fatal Wind: Cleave!" He swung his hand skyward and split the air with a wave of distortion.

"Endless Ocean—" Jet dove toward the incoming slash and twisted the water around his scalchop. "Typhoon Drill!" He hammered the spiraling edged water against the distorting slash, the two forces rippling the atmosphere between them. Jet roared and pushed everything into his Aqua Jet to keep up, but it lacked the speed and power to contend. His drill started to waver, thus he was forced to dodge out of the way.

A portion of his Aqua Jet was sliced away, along with part of his armor.

"AAAAGH!" Jet growled through clenched teeth. His armored sleeve was ripped from his arm, which itself was torn up with cuts. The armor shielded his arm from being torn from his shoulder, thankfully.

"Fatal Edge!" Terminus fired another barrage of blazing rock at the falling Oshawott.

Jet snapped back into focus and swung his scalchop. "Rapid Wave Passion!" He slashed the air until the sharp ribbon of water formed a misshapen barrier, blocking and slicing up the projectiles. He flipped through the air on his way down and dove beneath the water.

Terminus hopped along rooftops with his Tailwind pushing him along. "Of all the scum that fell into his clutches, he chose me to uphold his ideals. Nothing in this world is earned by the weak. Only the strong have the right to live, and I was but a weakling in the eyes of my family. But Emperor Nero took me in and allowed me to flourish! He gave me life again. You wouldn't understand what his kindness means to me!"

Jet floated just beneath the water, close enough to hear the Kleavor's rant. It gave the Oshawott pause. I wouldn't understand? No. I understand perfectly.

"That is why Emperor Nero will be the one to change the fate of Virdis! From the flames of war, all conquered under his banner shall never known suffering again!" Terminus spun around and fired another barrage of Fatal Edge.

Jet dove deeper beneath the water and swam around the raining rock. Even against the water's resistance, the projectiles pierced down like bullets. He twirled and weaved around their seemingly endless stream, casting a glance upward to see the Kleavor racing above and repeatedly firing down.

"Endless Ocean—" Jet stopped fleeing and charged for the surface, building up water around his scalchop. "Rain of Savagery!"

Jumping out from the water, Jet wildly swung at the air and fired a barrage of water blades at Terminus. The Kleavor crossed his arms and stood his ground against the attacks, wincing and grunting as they scraped and burst against his body. The attacks came endlessly in droves, hurting him little by little, but couldn't make a scratch in his carapace.

"Typhoon Drill!" Jet immediately switched up his attacks and rushed Terminus down, slamming his serrated water drill into his stomach. His aura blazed from the tip of the drill, screeching as it attempted to pierce through.

"Many have tried, and many have failed!" Terminus exclaimed. "Your inferior leaders will never see the light of their ideals! Fatal Laceration!"

Jet manipulated the water drill to blast himself back before Terminus attacked. The air became littered in a myriad of amber-colored slashes from just a single swing. Jet winced, feeling a cut appear across his cheek.

"Fatal Current!"

Jet recoiled, feeling the stinging blow of Terminus' subsonic attack reaching his gut. Terminus put more force behind his swing and sent the Oshawott hurtling across the flooded city. His limp body skipped and skidded off the water's edge before crashing against a tall building that was halfway submerged.

Terminus leapt into the air and reared his arm back. "Fatal Wind: Cleave!" He threw his strength behind the swing and launched a blade of distorting air toward the building.

Jet shook his head clear and blasted off with Aqua Jet. The middle of the building was sliced across and gradually slid back. Jet landed on the wall of the falling section and blasted off before it fell beneath the water.

"Surging Slash: Cold Blade!" Jet expelled high volumes of water from his scalchop, turning it icy blue.

"Fatal Edge!" Terminus once again littered the sky in a barrage of blazing rock.

Moving around the attacks with his Aqua Jet, Jet sliced his way through and barreled into Terminus with a heavy slash. A thick cluster of ice erupted across the mantis' chest.

"Aaaagh…" Terminus floated back, briefly dazed, before shattering the ice off himself. "You still can't cut me."

Jet growled as he landed on some debris. Dammit. Jason and Melissa would probably be able to take this guy down faster. I'm so pathetic! What kind of soldier am I if I can't even take down someone like this?

Terminus landed on some floating stone and rolled his shoulders. "I wonder how long it would've taken Emperor Nero to crush you. You think you're worthy to be your leaders' spear? I'll be sure to crush you over and over again until there's nothing left of you to fight with."

Jet scowled. "I won't lose."

"That's why I'm asking you, when the invasion starts, to fight your hardest and never give up. Fight for what you believe in, and promise me you won't fall in battle. I want you, just as much as everyone else, to see the Virdis I wish to create."

"I made a promise to her that I won't fall. That's why I'll keep fighting." Jet reactivated Razor Shell. "She's waiting for me to bring victory in her name."

Terminus huffed. "I admire your loyalty. For that, I'll be sure you and that unachievable promise are taken straight to Hell."

Jet held his scalchop in both hands and exhaled a heavy puff of mist. Sparks of white light crackled through his fur. "I've experienced Hell already. Why should I fear such mere threats when I am the Loyal Soldier of the Foresters?"

Meanwhile...

"AAHH! GAH! ACK!"

Soldiers guarding the back of the royal palace were cast aside by a bombardment of powerful roots, effortlessly throwing down to the flooded streets below. Terrowin and Alfhild rode up the ascending roots and landed in front of the back entrance.

With a flick of his wrist, Terrowin sent a twisted cluster of roots forward and smashed down the wall. The roots untangled and spread across the back of the palace, aiming to act as a form of support for later. Based on the information granted to him by Melissa, he foresaw that this palace would become a warzone soon enough. Best to have something to absorb the shocks and keep Telo Martius' people from being crushed under a collapsing building.

He stepped over the rumble and could already hear the chatter pilling throughout the palace. "They work fast," he mumbled.

Alfhild scoffed. "{You said they're keeping my hammer here?}"

"{I can't guarantee your armor will be here as well, but the Martius family often keeps stolen weapons on display.}"

She scoffed. "{I worked hard on that armor. Ugh. Fine.}" She folded her arms behind her head and started wandering off. "{What are you up to again?}"

Terrowin glared. "{I need to look through their archives on a certain prisoner they kept here years ago. If the stories are true…}" He sighed and shook his head. "Remember what you're doing this for, Terrowin. Your hands aren't clean anymore. Just keep going."

"{What was that?}"

"{Nothing. Stay within earshot in case I need you.}" With that, the two went their separate ways through the palace.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Jason peeked through the hole in the wall, watching the Sceptile turn a corner. Checking once over his shoulder for the Tinkaton soldier, he stealthily made his way after Terrowin.

What are you up to now?