Chapter 19- Water and Fire I
Emerging from the fire and water respectively, were the marlin-humanoid Marli- the White Sea-Life King, and the red-haired fire elemental, Ignis the White Elemental King along with their ten commanders.
"Hubris!," both declared as the hallway turned bright white.
Leone opened her eyes as she and most of the others were being restrained by coral-based restraints. They were now in a paradoxical location- half was a tropical beach environment that had a forest of palm trees on one side of the shore and an ocean on the other side, stretching into the distance. In the distance of the forest were Maori-inspired temples for Marli. On the left side, was a fire-covered hellscape with Chinese-inspired totems based on Ignis with random fire spouts.
Leone would've struggled to aid her captured colleagues, but she then calmed down.
Yomihime and Wave were the only ones who managed to escape, able to fight on their behalf.
"Don't know what this space is, but it's gonna go away once these Freaks are dealt with.," the leonine woman remarked.
Marli glanced around, his eyes searching for the missing piece of their party. "I must admit, I was rather hoping to snatch that cute little Wave as well," he said, his voice carrying a hint of disappointment. "He's quite the charmer, don't you think?"
Ignis' fiery gaze shot towards Marli, his expression a mix of disgust and anger. "You're one to talk," he snarled, the flames around his body flickering in sync with his mood. "What's wrong with you? He's barely more than a boy!"
Marli's smile never wavered, his eyes gleaming with a disturbing light. "Ah, but there's something so alluring about innocence, wouldn't you agree?" He tilted his head, his fin sail brushing against the coral restraints of Najasho looked in disgust. "It's a trait that seems to be in short supply these days."
"Well, that's your deal even if it makes you unpopular unlike Solar-Flor, since you're an ugly fish. I prefer silent women, ones are good for breeding, and disposable when I get bored with them.," Ignis remarked.
Marli's eyes narrowed and his skin turned a deeper shade of blue as his anger bubbled to the surface. The veins on his forehead and neck bulged out, a stark contrast to his otherwise serene underwater-kingly demeanor. He walked away from the coral, his teeth clenched so hard it seemed like they might shatter. "You dare to insult me, you... you... little ember!"
Ignis's smug smile grew wider, the flames around his body crackling with amusement. "Oh, so the sea creature has a temper," he taunted, taking a step closer to Marli. "What's the matter? Can't handle a little heat?"
"Mad if you get a little wet?!," asked Marli.
They barely noticed that Wave in his Mastema-enhanced Grand Chariot form and Yomihime readied to attack them when their attacks were blocked by a solar flare and a conch shell respectively.
"Isn't that the brat that Necron wants to fight?," asked Ignis.
"Well too bad. Finders keepers.," Marli remarked.
The solar flare and the conch shell revealed themselves to a gray-skinned humanoid with orange hair dressed in a white tank top, white baggy pants with no shoes, pointy ears, and black sclera eyes with orange irises.
Sol- 10th Commander of the White Elemental King.
And a white conch shell with two yellow dots for eyes in the blackness of the inside of the shell with stubby arms and tiny legs.
Conch- 10th Commander of the White Sea Life King.
"I would like to get back at the wench, but Lord Ignis' mistake is better for me.," Sol remarked as he immediately went into his Gula form- a solar-based elemental as he generated a solar orb to fling at Yomihime, which she dodged.
Wave was then rammed by the conch shell.
Ignis and Marli stood confidently as they whispered to two of their commanders, who vanished.
Library
Murasaki continued to read-
"The purpose of the Teigu was to find people with a light heart, a dark heart, and a heart in the middle. This would form a holy trinity as the Teigu and their users would become the 16 perfect protectors of mankind. However, people did not like this and will kill me and the scientists who suggested this. Their assistants were talking about going freelance with their Wriggler project. Eventually, others will find the truth and-"
"Hubris!" yelled dual voices as the area darkened.
Unknown Space
Murasaki opens her eyes to see an underwater space with the outside being covered by tornadoes. She blinks rapidly, trying to adjust to the sudden change in her surroundings. The library walls are gone, replaced by a vast, inky blackness that's pierced by the occasional flash of light from the whirling water formations outside. Fish of all shapes and sizes swim frantically past the transparent barrier, their scales glinting in the erratic illumination. The air is thick with the scent of brine, and the pressure seems to push in from all sides.
She got out of the water as two figures emerged to attempt to jump her, but she generated snow wings in addition to her summoned draconic wings to fly faster than they could react. Murasaki discovered she could summon/de-summon the wings during her travel to the Capital.
"Tch, I was hoping to finish her off.," said a codfish humanoid generating a Limbo/Luxuria combination.
Cod- 9th Commander of the White Sea Life King.
"Don't bother with that notion. She killed Solar-Flor. It's better to be as underhanded as possible.," said a grey-haired man with pointy ears, a dispassionate look, and green lipstick. His skin had a subtle green tone to it and wore a loose-cut tube top with baggy pants.
Maelstrom- 9th Commander of the White Elemental King.
"Huh? I'm not sensing her-," said Cod as he instinctively entered into his bulkier Gula form, only to be skewered by translucent ice to Maelstrom's shock. The underwater area dissipated as it became just the eye of the torrents.
"Thank you, Tatsumi.," Murasaki said as she became visible to the Evil Being's horror. He entered into his Gula form of a tornado with a lamprey-like mouth with fangs before he was sliced and generated the death marks of the Murasame.
She then felt things going back to normal, but then she felt another Hubris activate.
Marli/Ignis' Hubris
Wave continued to dodge Conch's strikes while Yomihime used her Meihou's power of white flames to deflect the corona flames Sol was generating.
"When are you going to stop pretending?" asked Sol.
"What are you getting at, don't waste my time.," she said before seeing Sol speed-blitz her and grab her from the right side.
"We're experiencing a system alteration so we're going to need you to be a great asset for us.," Sol said.
"I don't think I'd like human flesh over sweets.," she mocked before he kicked her.
"You were bred for one purpose. Be our tool.," Sol told her as Ignis nodded.
"Yomi!," Wave yelled before Conch rammed into him again.
Yomihime Past
Yomihime sat by her dying mother's side as she cried. It was a dusted-up shack that was on the outskirts of the village. Punished for the evil demon that raped her and gave her a child she refused to give up. Forced to live in destitution as she struggled to raise Yomihime at the cost of her own life.
"It doesn't look like he cares about us. Work with people. To show them that the Anima can get along with people...," the woman- a dark-haired beauty died.
Yomihime then cried.
Present
"I can kill her right?" asked Sol.
"It'll make up for your failure in Wakoku.," Ignis said before seeing Yomihime generating flames.
"What do you see Humans as?," she asked Sol.
"As rations to eat.," he replied candidly as he charged a supernova combined with Haeresis and Proditio to both paralyze and freeze her, but he was sliced faster than he could react.
She now had crimson hair flickering with flames as the being imploded in on himself.
"You're not the ones to change how they perceive us.," she said as her hair changed back.
Ignis' eye twitched in frustration.
"Looks like she inherited some of your traits.," Marli remarked.
That is a problem. I'll have her killed in case she kills Ignis., the Fishman thought.
Wave continued to dodge the attack of Conch.
Conch's yellow dots for eyes narrowed as he observed Wave's evasive maneuvers. The young human's face was a mask of determination, yet the lack of lethal intent in his movements was as clear as the waters from which he came. The conch creature took note of this, his tiny legs gripping the coral restraints as he calculated his next move. If Wave wouldn't attack with the ferocity needed to win, perhaps he could exploit this weakness.
Leone noted as well.
He's got a good set of foundations, but this isn't like before. It's just an animal, you can kill it since it's gonna kill you., thought the woman.
Wave then stopped to Conch's puzzlement.
"I'm aware of your schemes, but let yourself be arrested and you can stop your misguided sense of justice. We kill Danger Beasts and you're the divine punishment for our overhunting.," he said as Kurome nodded awkwardly to please him.
Conch and Marli paused for a moment, then laughed, much his confusion.
"They can kill and drive the populace to extinction for all I care. What we want is the freedom to violate women regardless of species, especially helpless one!," Conch remarked as he entered into his spikier Gula form.
He began to spin at blinding speeds while Wave paused.
"What're you doing idiot!," Leone shouted.
He thought of what Wild Hunt had done to the original wife and daughter of Bols, a man who had done horrible things, but was a good parent/husband. Their punishment for being associated with him being too severe and a memory that-
He kicked Conch upwards, flew into the sky, and kicked him down so hard that Conch's innard spewed out.
Wave felt the weight of his actions hit him like a sledgehammer. The creature's form was nothing but a pulped mess on the ground, its yellow eyes dull and lifeless. He had killed a sentient being for the first time. He had taken a life that could speak, think, and feel. The realization made his stomach churn, and suddenly he was retching over the side of the coral platform, vomit splattering onto the sand below. The taste of bile coated his mouth, and his eyes watered as the gravity of the situation settled in.
Marli took the time to snicker.
"Oh, he's one of those pacifist hippies unwilling to kill. How weak he is. He's a real prejudiced kinda guy," he mocked.
Leone then glared at him to his annoyance.
I won't say if it's right or not, but he was strong enough to not fall into the same trap the rest of us fell for. And it's gonna weigh on him for the rest of his days I bet., she thought.
Wave gritted his teeth, calmed down, and said-
"I honestly wanted to kill a certain man but I wasn't able to. He was a scumbag that got what he deserved like this guy. And if any of you are like him, I'll rest easy at night."
Marli watched Wave's display of power with a mix of admiration and irritation. The way he had taken down Conch with such decisiveness was impressive, but his moral compass was a thorn in the sea king's side. Still, he couldn't help but respect the young human's strength- at the very least, he wanted him. With a snap of his fingers, he sent his next agent into the fray.
"Make sure he's conscious enough for me to rape him. I like spunky men!," Marli said with an effeminate coo.
Wave gave a befuddled look before visualizing Dr. Stylish.
A squid humanoid dressed in a white thong generated tentacles combined with Limbo and Luxuria to strike at Wave, giving him no time to rest.
Ika- 8th Commander of the White Sea-Life King.
Meanwhile, Yomihime was now facing a lanky figure made of acid, which dissolved the area that came into contact.
Acidum- 8th Commander of the White Elemental King.
"I've dissolved 5,000,000 humans in my total island elimination game over the centuries. I tie with Lord Ignis in total lethality! I especially like doing it to women! Getting them naked and then eroding their flesh!" he shouted as he generated into his Gula form a more intimidating greenish-gray look with a skeletal face.
Unfortunately, he was slashed and exploded from her slash, which generated a vacuum before slaying the core.
Ignis was stunned as he summoned his 7th and 6th commanders- a purplish sludge humanoid and a honey-based bear-like one both dressed in loose white, segmented attire.
Slimer- 7th Commander of the White Elemental King
Winpoo- 6th Commander of the White Elemental King
She was caught in their embrace as they ignited Limbo along with Prodito and Luxuria to freeze/shock her, but they were pulled in by a vacuum and then slashed at the same time.
Ika squirted ink as his white form turned red for his Gula enlarged form before Wave knee kicked him so hard his eyes bulged out as he died. Wave was less shaken by this death as he had resolved himself.
"I'm a man of the sea. I know how to deal with sea Danger Beasts all the time.," he explained as he was suddenly flattened
"How about this!" shouted a flounder-humanoid wearing white swim shorts.
Flound- 7th Commander of the White Sea Life King.
"My powers can flatten anything!," he shouted before noticing feathers from Mastema that Wave shot earlier began to rain down, skewering him even as he turned into a more monstrous Gula form.
Suddenly, he was being pulled down by a Northern Stargazer-like fish humanoid that hid in the ground.
Sea Tra- 6th Commander of the White Sea Life King.
Wave then noticed that a crab humanoid with an enlarged right claw rushed towards him and punched him. This being would punch him repeatedly before Wave stomped the ground, flying upwards and flinging Sea-Tra toward him. Both transformed into monstrous shapes, but Wave proceeded to kick them to shreds.
Fiddler Cra- 5th Commander of the White Sea Life King.
He then noticed three remaining fighters that seemed to be on a higher level than the previous ones.
Wait, shouldn't there be four...wait, they came with ten right? We only faced eight..., he thought.
He then saw Yomihime proceeding to dry up her literally-poop-based enemy before reducing him to ashes.
Crap Shit- 5th Commander of the White Elemental King.
She also saw 3 fighters that seemed tougher than the previous contenders coming to the same conclusion as Wave.
Murasaki was facing the 4th members of the respective commanders
Unknown Hubris
Murasaki was at the bottom of the ocean, having generated a water bubble to breathe while dodging the assault of a Leafy sea dragon-based Evil Being with the head and lower torso of the creature while avoiding its spear.
SeaDrake- 4th Commander of the White Sea Life King.
A pair of massive eyes and a grinning mouth.
Sea-Sea- 4th Commander of the White Elemental King.
"Let's make this interesting," SeaDragon said, his seahorse grin widening as he observed Murasaki's nimble movements. His eyes gleamed with the excitement of a predator toying with its prey. "How about a little game? I'll see if I can skewer your human body before the pressure of the deep causes her guts to come out."
Sea-Sea chuckled, his water-based form rippling with mirth. "I do enjoy a good challenge," he replied, his voice echoing through the abyssal silence. The water around them grew colder, the pressure increasing as they descended further. "But remember, I can crush you at any moment," he added, his grin turning more malicious.
Murasaki gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with determination. She knew she couldn't underestimate these creatures, regardless of their arrogance. Focusing her power, she shot a volley of icicles at both SeaDragon and Sea-Sea, aiming for their most vulnerable points. The ice shards pierced the water with a speed that defied the immense pressure around them, glinting in the distant bioluminescence of the deep-sea creatures that had gathered to witness the battle.
"Oops. Almost had me there. I was hoping the wet willy would be killed so I could get the glory for myself.," the seahorse explained as he readied for another attack.
Murasaki felt the pressure around her increase, the icy grip of the deep ocean squeezing her bubble of safety ever tighter. The two adversaries she faced were formidable, each with their own twisted sense of humor.
Sea-Sea's water form swelled, his grin stretching wider as he formed a whirlpool around Murasaki. The sand at the bottom of the sea began to swirl and rise, forming into sharp, crystalline spikes that pointed upwards like the teeth of a monstrous sea creature. The pressure grew intense, the bubble threatening to implode. She knew she had to act fast.
"I already saw one of you interfere with me earlier. Does it have something to do with what I found out?" Murasaki demanded, her voice carrying a mix of subdued anger and defiance through the dense water.
SeaDragon chuckled, his form undulating with the currents. "Ah, the plot thickens. So you dealt with our losers first?" he said, his grin widening. "You've been poking around where you don't belong, little researcher. Your curiosity about the Teigu's true purpose has gotten you into a world of trouble."
Murasaki felt the pressure on her bubble increase. "What do you mean? What's your motive here?" she asked, her voice tight with tension.
Both Evil Beings chuckled at this notion.
"It's simple, really," Sea-Sea began, his voice echoing through the water. "We're gods, aren't we? We're not bound by your petty human laws or morals. We can do as we please, and with the Teigu gone, we can hide our true natures. We can commit atrocities and never be held accountable. That's the beauty of it all."
"Sañjīva."
Suddenly, both were skewered by fiery tridents via their cores repeatedly. Even as they entered their Gula forms, they were skewered.
Ignis and Marli's Hubirs
Wave and Yomihime faced a trio respectively, stronger than the previous fighters.
The spider crab humanoid with dreadlocks and a white thong, had a vacant expression as he lurched towards Wave. His movements were erratic, almost as if he was being controlled by an unseen force. Wave took a defensive stance, his mind racing as he tried to figure out Krabby's intentions.
Spi-cra-man- 3rd Commander of the White Sea-Life King.
Suddenly, a burst of water shot from the right side, revealing a stunning dolphin girl with short aquamarine hair with a sweet smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Her tail glittered in the light, and she had a set of twin tridents that looked more like candy canes than weapons of war.
Dolphy- 2nd Commander of the White Sea Life King.
And a Portuguese man o' war-based humanoid, the final member of the duo, appeared most unexpectedly. The water around Wave began to shimmer and distort, revealing a beautiful, yet eerie, aquatic creature. It was a human-sized, translucent being with the face of a skeletal demon and the trailing tentacles of a man o' war. Its eyes were cold and lifeless, like the depths of the ocean it hailed from.
Lord O'War- 1st Commander of the White Sea Life King.
Yomihime stared down her new adversaries, her expression unreadable. The tar creature oozed menacingly closer, its black form glinting in the light of the surrounding fires. The wax humanoid, on the other hand, remained eerily still, as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And the ashen creature, a stark contrast to the others, was a mere whisper of a figure, seemingly weightless as it drifted closer, leaving trails of dust in its wake.
"They used to be more talkative. What did you do?," asked Marli as Ignis smirked.
Ignis' eyes gleamed with sadistic glee. "A little experiment, my dear Marli. You see, I've been studying the brain patterns of that delightful Esdeath, and I found something quite... intriguing," he began, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Their brains are so simple, yet so ripe for manipulation. So, I decided to give them a little lobotomy, just enough to keep them docile, yet capable of fighting," he explained, his tone one of a mad scientist sharing his latest breakthrough.
"And you call me a deviant.," Marli spoke with mild sarcasm.
Ignis' three remaining commanders approached Yomihime in a synchronized fashion, their movements devoid of any emotion or strategy, only cold, calculated efficiency. The tar creature 3rd commander Taru, lurched forward, its sticky tendrils reaching out like the arms of a machine programmed to capture its prey. The wax humanoid, the 2nd Commander Waxu, melted into a liquid state, flowing around the battlefield with the grace of a river and the precision of a scalpel. The ashen figure, Ashile, remained suspended in the air, its form shifting like a mirage in the desert heat, leaving no clear target for Yomihime to attack.
Yomihime felt the weight of her Meihou, Hieihime, growing heavier with each passing moment. The constant use of the Void Slash, a technique borrowed from her rival, Hinowa, was pushing her to the brink. Her eyes narrowed, she knew she couldn't maintain this level of power much longer. The flames that danced around her grew erratic, a clear sign that her control was slipping.
Spi-Cra-Man's legs shot out like lightning, their sharp points aiming to impale Wave. He barely had time to react as the crab's limbs pierced the water around him, leaving a trail of bubbles in their wake. His instincts took over, and he managed to dodge the first few strikes, but the creature's speed was unrelenting. Each miss brought him closer to the brink of exhaustion, and the pressure from the deep was starting to get to him.
Just as he was about to be skewered, Dolphy opened her mouth and released a piercing scream. The sound echoed through the water, resonating in Wave's bones and freezing him in place. It was a paralyzing sonar blast, a power she had honed over centuries of hunting in the deep. The pressure bubble around him trembled, and for a brief moment, Wave felt as if he could move again.
But it was too late. Dolphy had already targeted him. She took a deep breath and aimed her blowhole at the immobilized Wave. With a burst of pressure, a stream of water shot out, powerful enough to split rocks and shred through metal. It was a weapon of mass destruction in the confines of the ocean depths, and it was aimed directly at his heart.
The wings of Mastema managed to deflect them in time- turning ethereal as the Trump Card, God's Wings were used to deflect the attack back on the user.
"Thank you, Run.," Wave said as he with his intense will powering him, grabbed the spider legs and prepared to punch his smaller torso, but in his desperation, Spi-Cra-Man cut them off and hid in the sand.
The Evil Being rose from behind- in a demonic Gula form as he attempted to strike Wave while he was invisible, but the Wings cut the being in half.
At this sight, Dolphy then said-
"What a weakling. Gula: Encantado.," she said as she turned into a more angelic, ethereal dolphin form that had a more streamlined humanoid appearance.
Wave reached to knock her out when she turned into a familiar auburn-haired girl as she said-
"Why didn't you say anything to save me?"
Wave paused as she turned into Bols' wife
"You're a pathetic man who can't protect a woman.," she said.
Wave collapsed to his knees.
"You're no man of the sea, boy.," she said in Bols' daughter's form with a sinister form as she glanced at Lord O'War in his own Gula-Form, even more demonic form of his usual state as he thwacked his tentacles to shock torture his enemy.
Wave's heart was racing as he saw the illusions before him. Memories of his failures flooded his mind, each one stinging like the bite of a jellyfish. But he knew he couldn't let his emotions control him, not here, not now. He took a deep breath and steeled himself. He had to end this, and he knew what he had to do.
"Trump Card: Carnage."
Next Chapter: Water and Fire II- Wave's Trump Card manages to be a great asset, but also a dangerous threat.
Author Notes: Mainly, these guys were just fodder to show off their fighting styles, but also to give Wave the means to be a killer, which may or may not be a good thing. Yomihime's past is explored to a degree.
The Teigu fights resulting in deaths hinted that they needed to work together and thus no in-fighting, which everyone else ignored in the present day.
