Hello again! Now where have I been? Just personal stuff is all. But I'm sorry for leaving y'all hanging for months, and with such a cliffhanger mind you. My bad. Hopefully, this chapter will make up for it with an epic battle for you, the reader, to enjoy.
I've got not much to say so I don't want to spoil anything.
Chapter Eleven:
A X Warrior's X Persistence
Blue eyes, numbed in a stupor, remained locked with an opposing set of lighter ones as time slowed nearly to a halt. A hefty breeze, rife with the scent of the remnants of smoke, swept against the two colliding forces. The pale moon illuminated the dark sky, plumed with clouds highlighted by the light. Sirens wailed from below as flashing red rays towered over the rooftops, where the two figures remained in a standstill clash — three more tensely stood behind the taller figure.
Finally, Killua swopped down, the soles of his sneakers scraping the rough and cold surface. He raised his head with frantic, tensed eyes at the newcomer. He caught on to Batman's remark behind the woman shortly after his fist clashed against her palm. He couldn't bring himself to care about the bat's words.
Seeing her come out of the blue before Killua could know what he was up against was all the more worrying. He attempted to snatch away, only to tense his jaw at the firmness the woman kept secured on the hold. He could feel the woman restraining a massive amount of power behind her grip through contact alone.
Those wise, crystal-blue eyes that held his stare carried a weight Killua knew was hard to comprehend. Something about her made a bead of cold sweat drip from his brow. It felt like when he first discovered Nen, but because he felt no presence of Aura even by touching her, it also felt like she had it. She felt off—almost alien-like!
What was this woman?
The Amazon Princess' brilliant raven hair swiftly danced along the cool waft. Her eyes softened a bit, her assertiveness falling into melancholy as she studied the boy.
The child's eyes lacked any trace of the innocence Diana adored seeing from the lifeful eyes of children; it saddened her. After years of being trained under her mother, hunting for game, and being blessed with Artemis' divine senses, it was hard to miss that loneliness and longing behind his alert and calculative eyes.
Her beloved mother and sisters raised her to become a warrior of love and peace growing up at Themiscyra. What was the purpose of someone training this boy so young? What were the values and merits he was raised on? And most importantly, what was he trying to reach?
Diana could gain the answer to these questions by simply entrapping him to the Lasso of Truth, but she'd rather not force them out of him in this situation. It would only cause his trust to drift further than it already was. Killua could be caging so many pent-up emotions within him and was content to unleash them onto Batman and the others through battle.
That was okay; she could be the one to talk him through this—to bring him light to shed away his gloom.
Diana's sternness returned to the brims of her expression as she caught the boy hopping up and slamming both feet hard against her armored midriff, prompting her to release her grip on his fist. Killua snapped away before finding footing through a short skid. He straightened into a stance, popping the sore joints of his now-free hand.
Now that he got a better look at the woman, he studied her appearance. He noted her gold and red armor with that star-spangled pattern on her tight bottoms contrasted greatly with Batman's get-up. He pulled his gaze to the tiara that masked her forehead, the frame of her pristine black hair curled comfortably around its golden rims. To say she was a beauty was an understatement.
"You…. who are you…?" Killua asked lowly with a heavy accent.
Inwardly, Diana was pleasantly surprised to hear the boy was adjusting his tongue to the nation's common language. Batman described his broken English nearly two weeks ago when he retold his meeting to her; impressive!
"I go by the name Wonder Woman," She spoke gently with a smile. "And I've no desire to rush this forward into needless conflict. If we can talk, I'd like us to come to an understanding."
Killua's eyes narrowed with distrust. "So I could… join Batman's… gang? To have him… order me, right?" He replied, his vehement tone transparent through his accent.
Wonder Woman sighed. Her heart sank at the thought of fighting the boy until he submitted. Sure, he was far more powerful than any boy his age, and she was certain that Batman and the others would have fallen quickly had she not intercepted. However, she couldn't overlook the fact that he was a child.
Her eyes trailed over to the edge as the sirens stopped and the faint calling voices of the city deputies reached her hearing. She couldn't just fight here and risk them getting caught in the battle. She would have to force him out of the area, but how much punishment Killua could take without critically injuring him was unknown. Appearances were sometimes deceitful. Batman speculated the boy had yet to reveal some unseen power.
Wonder Woman looked over her shoulder to meet the Dark Knight's gaze. "Stand back and get to safety, I'll handle this." She called out before looking back at the boy who began rearing for an attack.
Batman nodded before grappling to a building next door, Nightwing and Robin following suit.
When it was clear, she breathed out. Pulling her arms back, Wonder Woman thrust them forward. With a clang, her bracelets lightly collided into a cross-X, sending a spark flying out from the friction.
"Show me what you got." She muttered inaudibly.
Killua silently assessed the woman's stature. 'Something about her isn't right. I can't get a hold of how strong she is. There's no point in fighting her without Nen, it's over before I would throw an attack. Her stance, her position….I can't find an opening.' He thought.
'If I had to guess,' His mind continued its race. 'I'll have to attack with full power from the start! Not sure how long my aura reserves will run out, but I need every last bit of it.' Killua's lips tightened, his fist clenching before a white fire of Aura lit to life around his figure. The two opponents stood across in a silent stare-down as the howling wind of Gotham brushed against them.
Batman, Nightwing, and Robin observed with anticipation from a distant rooftop. Batman, specifically, watched expectingly. 'Let's see what you can do, Killua.'
Unbeknownst to Killua or the vigilantes, Wonder Woman hid her fascination behind her determined expression at the sight of his Aura. 'So he can wield his soul!'
Killua visibly vanished from everyone's sight with a sprout of dust left behind on the spot. Wonder Woman's eyes darted from side to side before her arm shot up, blocking a thunderous punch from her right side. The impact spawned an explosive shockwave and split cracks behind her, causing bits of debris to rise above.
Wonder Woman quietly hummed. 'So wielding his soul grants him strength…'
The two combatants soon dashed out of sight from the vigilantes. In their dash, Killua popped before Wonder Woman, his claws on each hand at the ready, and a barrage of swift swipes shot toward the Amazon. Killua's glare hardened when he noticed her weaving through the piercing attacks and occasionally parrying them with her golden bracelets, each claw generating fading images from their immense speed.
Killua halted his barrage and proceeded to fly a kick for her head. Wonder Woman blurred out of reach when his kick was within her vicinity. Killua's cool eyes tracked her blitzing figure before chasing after her.
His eyes widened once the woman appeared before him, her arms crossed, eyes reflecting a gleam as if beckoning him to pick up the pace. Killua growled at her wordless taunt before speeding forward. His heavy foot met her sturdy bracelet with the ripple caving in fissures and cracks on the surface. They both soon resumed their unseeable movements.
Back to the group, they continued to watch the seemingly invisible clashes from a distant rooftop. Nightwing casually whistled at the unseeable movements. Robin, however, was struggling to follow the exchange with a dumbstruck expression. All he could see was shockwaves rapidly shaking the air across the battlefield. Every collision resulted in a boom that sent waves that blew his cape and hair.
He knew how fast metahumans could be, but to see them in action was unbelievable. "So fast…" Robin muttered, his gaping jaw shaking at the sight. His head snapped to his right, where a bang erupted above another building. "They're over there now! They're going to level the buildings at this rate."
"Hmm…Nah. Wonder Woman knows what she's doing." Nightwing replied casually to Tim's comment.
"He's right," Batman quickly chimed in. "How she's moving shows this is nothing more than a spar. She's testing his capabilities."
Robin shot a questionable look at his mentor. "You can keep up with their movements?"
"I'm speaking from experience from watching her through countless battles," Batman replied.
The combatants soon halted at the center of a higher rooftop. Killua stared down at the woman with serious determination. Hand-to-hand, Wonder Woman's defenses were impenetrable, even after he scoured for weaknesses around her stance. Those bracelets on her wrists were hard enough to deflect his claw attacks without a scratch. He used Gyo to find traces of aura on them, but it seemed wherever this woman came from had nothing to do with Nen.
'Well, if fast attacks don't go through to her, maybe this way will.'
Wonder Woman calmly but vigilantly anticipated the action the boy would take. The art the boy used; she knew it. Some legends surrounding martial arts culture in Man's World spoke of a forbidden art with the same attributes as this. One tap using one's life force was fatal enough to kill, which made such techniques forbidden. But to see it come from this child, of all beings, fully mastered was quite the discovery.
How come Batman didn't know of this? Her eyes subtly glanced his way to see him calmly but impatiently observing the standoff from the slight tinges she caught on his exposed lower face. Could he not see the boy's aura? That would make sense—he was a mortal man, after all. The thought pained her heart, but she shoved it away and refocused on her opponent.
Killua slowly walked towards the armored woman, virtual copies of himself spread around him; Rhythm Echo.
Each clone sped towards Wonder Woman as she prepared for the onslaught. She raised her wrist defensively for an oncoming attack only for one of the figures to go through her before fading into nothing behind her.
'Afterimages,'
Wonder Woman fortified her stance as Killua's image clones continuously passed through her with false attacks. She realized these afterimages weren't typically created from sheer speed—it's a technique. Her eyes scanned the vicinity for the real one.
Killua silently blurred behind Wonder Woman with crackling electricity dancing in his palms. He's got her! This would stun her for a few seconds, but it was sufficient time for him to land the finishing blow. His arms shot forward only for them to pass through vacant space, allowing his Lightning Palm to aimlessly zap the air.
Deactivating his attack, Killua looked at the space in disbelief. 'How did she…?' He froze as a presence behind cut off his thoughts.
"Behind you," The woman's taunting voice immediately set off all alarms. An instant later, every chain holding him back tore off, unrestrained his bloodlust.
Wonder Woman uncharacteristically frowned under the atmosphere, 'This darkness he's emanating…'
Before her thoughts could wander further, time halting its counting seconds, she quietly gasped when her attention found the boy's clawed, veiny hand flying at her, encased in a violent fire of aura. A fast weave was enough for the swipe to pass before her as it was a tip away from her nose. Aura particles strayed from the attack, its hazardous touch winding across her face. She caught his wrist with a clutch before catching his opposite arm into a tight standstill.
Wonder Woman had felt the prickling. Of course, someone like her withstood the aura's damage without a scratch. An attack like this would shred Bruce apart; she was glad she was the one to receive it.
She upraised him high up overhead. Killua furiously widened his darkened eyes, turning his head toward the ground as he was suspended upside-down above her. She brought him down, intending to slam him, but the ex-assassin quickly maneuvered his legs for his feet to hit flat on the surface, caving two webbed fissures under his feet.
Teeth grinding each other hard, Killua twisted his body to face her, his arms tightly tangled together in the struggle. He and the Amazon locked eyes and a worrying thought began to loom over Killua. He detected no sign of wear and waver in Wonder Woman's features.
'Nothing I do is fazing this hag. No one should be this strong without aura to take Nen attacks like nothing!' Killua thought.
As the intense seconds went by, Killua's eyelids gradually popped open under pressure, his cheeks puffing before an exasperated growl hissed through his teeth as he pulled against her arms with all his might. Killua could hear the throbbing veins in his arms under his sleeves. His aura flared with unbelievable intensity to muster as much strength as possible, but the stalemate remained too tight.
Killua's pale skin glistened with sweat, and angry veins were visible from his neck. His arms vibrated, his muscles pulsing. His aura sperged maniacally, and electricity surged from his aura in crackling fervor and shocked Wonder Woman in turn. She jolted as spasmodic prickling stung her palms and released her vise hold.
Bending his knees, Killua lunged upwards and rocketed a left kick toward her seemingly vulnerable chin, pouring over seventy percent of his aura output onto his kick in these eternal seconds. Her sharp eyes caught the attack, and the Amazon swiftly ducked the kick, allowing his leg to hook over her shoulder. Killua's teeth clenched with desperation as she hoisted him up. His body flexed backward to slip his way off, and that was when he felt a sharp spasm of pain from his leg.
Grasping his ankle with one arm, Wonder Woman crushingly levered down on it as the rest of his shin painfully buckled across the base of her shoulders, her knees widely crouched with a slight shift to accommodate Killua's shorter stature. Breathing against the ground, he rolled onto his cheek against the cold surface and mustered a side-eye glare at Wonder Woman.
Killua rose with a bit of strain before flexibly rolling onto his back. A new stabbing sensation shook his nerves, and he shot a foot pumped with aura, pistoning a desperate stomp against her abdomen. Panic invaded him when she caught it with her free hand, twisted it, and entrapped it into an ankle lock, forcing him back onto his stomach.
Killua's face was about to contort under the searing pressure on his legs. He was used to pain and grew up under it, but he hadn't been put under this pressure since leaving his family's mansion. His mind raced under this cloudy affliction to escape this tall hag's hold. With a grunt of effort, Killua snatched a stray piece of debris within reach, his other arm elevating his body, and chucked it between his legs at Wonder Woman's head.
She weaved her head to the side as the rock shot past her. Killua scrunched his face as he twisted the bottom half of his body with all his might, his fingers digging into the pavement and bones crackling. Wonder Woman hummed when she realized his effort and steeled her hold.
Realizing powering through wasn't working, Killua looked under, catching the narrow space between Wonder Woman's red boots. Arms shaking as he lifted himself, he invertedly rolled under with a snap, his back sliding through, a small electric ball sparking over his palms. Wonder Woman's eyes slit before she released the deathlock and hopped off the ground and narrowly missed the shock.
Killua immediately rolled back, springing backward with his hand, and regained footing, his shoulders lightly heaving. He stood high and ignored the numbness in his legs. 'I missed her again!'
Rushing in for another head-on exchange against her was out of the question. He never landed a single attack throughout this exchange. Letting his killer's instinct unleashed didn't do anything, and lastly, a Rhythm Echo sneak attack didn't work, meaning how she evaded his attack from behind was something he couldn't ignore.
She'd have to have sharper hearing than Melody to hear his footsteps, but that was running on assumptions. So she must've sensed him, a sixth sense of sorts. Her awareness must be on insane levels to evade attacks from all angles. Studying how she held herself in this fight so far told him she was trained and born for combat. Whatever she went through in her past made her into the fighting machine he was facing.
Killua breathed out, coming to a deep epiphany against this woman. 'Maybe it's time I resort to Godspeed….'
Wonder Woman turned around with a grin, causing Killua to stiffen his stance.
"Impressive. Much better than I expected after a first glance at you." Wonder Woman's eyes burned through him. "Tell me, how much longer until you explain this art of using your soul as a weapon?" She asked in a low enough voice to reach him.
Killua paused as he took a moment to comprehend her words, and his mouth parted when they finally registered. Baffleness sunk in. Had he heard her words correctly?
After a pregnant silence, Killua finally found the words to respond. "C-come… again?" He asked in a dangerous monotone.
Woman Woman's lips formed a thin line. "You summon an aura of your soul around your body. It looks like you use it to increase your physical capabilities greatly." She pointedly explained. Diana raised a brow, curiously placing a finger on her bottom lip. "Am I not supposed to notice?"
The stillness surrounding the air answered her question. Killua's eyes gradually sunk with both disbelief and panic. She could see his aura? How? Only those with awakened aura could see his! Even enhancing his sight with Gyo, he failed to find traces of aura from this woman. This woman was single-handedly defying everything in the art of Nen!
He refocused on Wonder Woman, too speechless for a retort. 'What the hell is she?'
Killua jolted with a gasp, eyes widening further when the armored woman was suddenly absent from across until she materialized before him, her arm cocked back. Her palm was a breath's way from his astonished face, the motions too instantaneous for him to attempt a swift retaliation.
'No way…!' That was the only thought Killua could mentally muster.
A blinding force of wind blasted his face like it was propelled by an all-powerful fan, spiraling him upwards at rocketing speeds. A white flash overtook his vision before dark spots sprinkled about.
Wonder Woman stood at the spot with her arm remaining forward, carefully eyeing the gradually disappearing speck of Killua. A pillar of dust streamed upwards from her former position behind her.
'There. I hope I held back enough from mortally wounding him.' She thought before darting ahead in a streak.
Batman hummed as he watched Wonder Woman fly away. The sonic boom tearing across the air crashed against him, Robin, and Nightwing with a bang, thrashing out the former two's capes. Batman looked down to see the entire block beneath the buildings surrounded by deputies.
Wonder Woman separating herself and Killua from the rest of the team was not part of the stratagem. It was a wise move, considering a large crowd of Gotham's police force was present. However, she was supposed to restrain him before anything could escalate. But Diana, with her soft heart, decided to hold back and treat Killua to a spar. She had always been one to wear her emotions on her sleeves—he knew her well enough to read her like a book.
"I don't know about you, but it looks like Wonder Woman has this in the bag," Robin commented, which earned him a look from his mentor.
Batman remained wordless. By the looks of it, Robin was right, but to assume victory before the finish was a mistake that could cost anyone. A mistake Wonder Woman was well aware to avoid.
'He could still be hiding something.' He internally concluded.
Batman had scanned Killua's body with detective vision during the fight; his muscle density remained the same with no visible physical enhancements, but visually, he moved much faster and threw attacks far more devastating than his scans had suggested. The shocks Killua generated in his clashes with Wonder Woman caused a mess of debris across rooftops, which could have totaled the buildings to the ground if Wonder Woman had not been careful. His physical body should not be capable of generating such damage. He vividly remembered the night he found Robin sitting across from a mass of rubble that was formerly an abandoned factory.
Batman's eyes squinted as he battled with contemplation, his gloved fingers circling his chin. 'What power is he using?'
What bothered him was seeing Wonder Woman speaking to Killua, too quiet for any of them to eavesdrop. Whatever she said had a haunting effect on him. Wonder Woman noticed something he and the others couldn't see; that was the most logical explanation Batman could think of.
Batman pressed a button on his gauntlet, which lit a blue hue, on cue for the Batmobile. "We're following them." He announced.
"Took you long enough," Nightwing remarked light-heartedly earning, no reaction.
The three hopped down the roof when they saw the familiar headlights appear from the corner down the alleyway.
Killua winced when he felt his body continue to hurl aimlessly in the air. Through his daze, he felt the chilly nightly winds brushing against him as he continued to fly, blustering his ears. He shook away the blurriness from his vision before uprighting midair. His face fell in horror after a glance downwards from his trajectory. From his view, he saw the streets like a bird's eye, dimly illuminated by the street lamps. The rooftops were like realized layout sketches by architects. He could see almost everything.
So high up. Killua could do nothing but wait out the momentum for gravity to plummet him ways down. 'She pushed me this far without touching me…'
Killua looked over his shoulder to see a towering skyscraper blocking his aerial path. He shrouded his body in an armor-like aura, Ken, and waited for the inevitable crash. A hand grasped the scruff of his hoodie, ending his flight as he dangled and prevented the people occupying the building from suffering a fatal accident.
His eyes rose for a surprise discovery of the armored woman. She elevated above the scraper and took off in a steady flight. Killua gazed at her in dumbfounded awe, studying her and the situation.
She was flying, Killua noted. He did a double-take at her accessories; she had no wings, and her armor and boots lacked any mechanisms to assist her flight. His mind was too boggled to dig up logical reasons. He dealt against Shaiapouf and other winged chimera ants because of the traits of flying animals they took after. This woman was defying physics!
They hovered away from the metropolitan. Killua looked down at the forest and decided to bring the fight down beneath that canopy of overhanging woods. He sharpened his nails and tore out the part of his hoodie Wonder Woman kept a hold on, halting her flight before she found him freefalling towards the forest.
Killua dove into the mass of leaves, snapping every limb in his descent. He extended his arm and caught himself on a strong enough bough. Swinging upwards, he perched on the branch before springing off. He bounced off a tree and landed on the ground.
His sharp gaze scanned the surroundings. It appeared that she had brought the fight away from the city. Even if she brought him to this forest to prevent chaos in the town, she only gave him more options to use the environment to his advantage. Killua was an elite assassin who specialized in hiding in the shadows. A faint glow from beyond the woods caught the corner of his eye.
"Perfect," Killua muttered to himself in his original language. An active light meant there was a street lamp with live cables powered with electricity to charge himself with. He hated to admit it, but he had to treat this as if he were fighting the equivalent of the most elite of the Chimera Ants. This woman was a threat likely equal or greater to the Royal Guards of the chimera ants.
The possibility of Wonder Woman being as powerful as the King, Meruem, planted a deep seed of worry and fear in his mind. It was frustrating to be unable to measure the depths of her power.
Leaves crunching from behind snapped Killua out of his thoughts. He turned to see Wonder Woman settled on the opposite end of the section, arms crossed under her bust. The reality of his aura being visible to her didn't escape him.
Killua stepped back, eyes briefly flipping toward the street light. He could rush over there, but she was faster and stronger than him. He needs that boost; the amount of electric reserves stored within his aura escaped his knowledge. Godspeed at Whirlwind mode was his best bet, and he needed as much lightning charge to make it last, so he couldn't use Speed of Lighting to just run over there.
His calculative eyes returned to Wonder Woman, morphing into morbid curiosity. "Why…are you able to see my aura?" he asked. Killua had to know from this woman; he couldn't just shake off that thought.
"Hm?" Wonder Woman was about to ask him to elaborate before she perked in realization. "Ah. I suppose I may share a revelation with you in return…" She stated with a chuckle. "As you know, Wonder Woman is the name I use when I work, but I also go by another name. I am Diana of Themyscrya, Princess of the Amazons."
Killua registered her words, although it took moments to rack them up. So she had two identities and was a princess? That means wherever she's from, she has a high status there among some people. The word 'Amazons' reeked of familiarity.
"Themyscrya is the island where I was born, isolated from the rest of the world where my mother and the rest of my sisters reside." She began, fondness leaking through her words. "The Gods looked down upon me in favor after my birth. And so, they blessed me with their divine gifts as the child of destiny to spread the Amazon's way of peace and love across the world." Wonder Woman explained, her voice gentle and straight to the point.
'Gods? Divine gifts?' Killua thought, undecided on what to do with that knowledge. A chilling realization reared its hideous face. Could he be facing…?
That would make sense. Nen, in itself, is an art that specializes in supernatural techniques—aura. Aura was his life force, invisible to unawakened eyes; if it were to deplete to nearly zero, he could suffer severe exhaustion or, in critical cases, stand on the verge of death.
"Are you….a god?" Killua asked with a hiss of hesitance.
"Partially, but I'm also an amazon." Wonder Woman answered truthfully. Her expression softened. "Please, child, it's still not too late. I just want to come to an understanding."
Killua gritted his teeth as more beads of sweat trickled down his hairline. Yes, he could detect her honesty, but he'd go down before he willingly allowed himself to follow Batman's orders. She had yet to attempt a direct attack; she was far too merciful to him. He knew she could easily beat him into submission and even forcefully restrain him, but she chose the opposite. As shallow as this was, her kindness had been an advantage for him to last this long. Long enough to hatch a plan.
His slanted eyes glanced toward the glow through the trees. He already knew how to beat his way there. Killua carefully stepped toward the taller fighter, his feet light and silent as a feather, and replicated afterimage copies of himself.
Wonder Woman sighed sadly and resettled into her guarded stance. "This technique again?" she muttered. It was unique, but she didn't take Killua as one who would attempt a technique twice and expect a different result. He was surely taking a different approach, but what was he aiming for?
Killua, concealing himself in the row of afterimages, spread out and bounded toward his 'copies' as the others mimicked his movements. The Killuas speedily fazed and rapidly hopped over each other so fast he soon morphed into a whirling cloud of blurs.
Wonder Woman's expression hardened, her trained eyes evaluating and tracking each figure within the chaotic spurt. Her boot stepped forward, dust and leaves rising and circulating off the surface, and she sped forward and past them, powering out shockwaves to instantly sweep out the intangible copies.
Wonder Woman halted and the following gusts stirred violently against the lush masses, birds flapping out from their resting places. She faced the direction of the light, toward the nearby road. 'That way!' She confirmed mentally and sped off.
As Killua raced towards the light through the trees, he nearly fell over after the sudden sonic crash that intensely swayed the branches. Thinking fast, Killua crept up a towering limb, Zetsu suppressing his aura. His eye peeked over the branch, and Wonder Woman was in sight with trees confining where she stood, scanning the vicinity.
Killua briefly eyed the stick that he made sure to collect when escaping. Calming his heart, he aimed and flicked the stick at a bush, snapping Wonder Woman's attention toward the spot. Killua stealthily bounded from his position and resumed his path out of these woods. He briefly craned his neck and fazed ahead, staying silent. His body shifted through the boughs and occasionally swinging from overhanging branches. Signs of the deciduous leaves shedding off the trees indicated the approaching autumn.
The hopeful view of the light illuminating the remaining forest fueled Killua's determination as he drew closer. To his horror, Wonder Woman whizzed up to him and hovered at his pace from his side with a glare, her arms spread out.
Killua frantically hissed through his teeth, realizing she was about to grapple him down and pin him in one of her submission holds. He'd be done for if she caught him again. Electricity surged across his skin, coursing through his white hair as it defied gravity with jagged ridges.
'Godspeed: Speed of Lightning!'
Wonder Woman lunged for a quick grab, only for her arms to wrap around thin air. She snapped at his retreating electric figure with a look of mild surprise. It appeared he was hiding an ability after all, and it was speedster-like, very similar to her trusted friend from Central City.
Wonder Woman shot forward to tail behind, gaining ground toward Killua exceptionally fast. Killua turned a side eye over his shoulder, his expression a mix of panic and annoyance. He shouldn't be surprised that she was already gaining on him in his state of Speed of Lightning, but shaking her off his trail was tiring.
He looked forward, and his once-stressed eyes brightened with hope and determination; the electric wires connecting the street poles were practically above him. He leaped at the arching cables, missing Wonder Woman's fingers as they grazed the soles of his sneakers. Killua's nails seamlessly cut the wire in half, and the painful but relieving shocks already met his touch. He then attached both ends of the wire to his neck and electricity coursed through him.
Wonder Woman froze in place, greatly disturbed at the sight of Killua willingly submerging himself in electrocution. "Great Hera!" She exclaimed.
Killua touched down on the ground. He released the wires and offhandedly dropped them. A refreshing sigh flowed out of him before the bright blue hues switched off, and his hair reverted to normality. He tightly tilted his neck for a pop. Yes, this recharge was what he needed. Killua turned an icy stare over his shoulder toward Wonder Woman, who fought back with a fiery glare of her own.
'Time to finish this!' Killua internally declared with determination.
An intense electric spiral surged throughout his aura with sharp sputters. With a zap, his hair returned to its cragged, gravity-defying bright hue. Killua clenched his fist and buzzed an electrical current across his body, seismic shocks overtaking his nervous system.
"Whirlwind!"
Wonder Woman's eyes gleamed with interest at his shining appearance. She glanced down at the wires forgotten near his feet. Watching him take a serene step forward immediately notified her observant eyes of the anomaly in his motion. 'Something in him changed. I can sense his confidence and morale from his spirit.' Wonder Woman discerned.
Killua was gone. Wonder Woman blinked, eyes wide, pupils darting side to side. She couldn't even manage a gasp; it was blinding-a thunderbolt! With all the wrath of Zeus, the lightning god himself, she was struck down where she stood.
"Let's see if she's fast enough to dodge that," Killua muttered under his breath before the electric vein dissipated from the tip of his finger.
With his electric aura influencing his body, Killua then zipped down and dispersed the concealing smokescreen with a twist, delivering a kick hard to her cheek, an intense crack breaching across the forest. Wonder Woman's head reeled back as Killua's foot swung away from her cheek.
'Got her!' Killua thought before vanishing.
Slowly facing forward as shocks traveled through her body, Wonder Woman's eyes filled with wide intrigue. She had no time to gather further thoughts before Killua lunged from behind in a lighting phase. Her eyes furrowed over her shoulder at his blurring hand filled with his electric touch.
Killua shot past her, his eyes stirring confusion. They darted to find her standing from his side before he twisted mid-air and sent forth her a knee. It struck her palm, and that was when panic and fear overridden his features. Killua teleported behind for an electric-fused axehandle to the base of her nape, and she blocked the hammering blow with her forearm.
'She can still keep up!'
Killua's breath had suspended as a flying fist was dangerously closing in, his eyes gradually expanding, locked onto those knuckles ready to smash his face in. His spasming muscles saved him, pushing him to phase away thanks to his preprogrammed aura. Killua zigzagged his way and stopped from across her, his heart pounding from the sheer speed of her attack. Electricity frenzied around his aura as he studied her in disbelief, only to see a gleam etched on her expression.
Killua flinchingly gasped once Wonder Woman materialized from sight. Sensing the alarming buzzing in his muscles, he bolted out of the way before her axing heel stamped against the ground. Killua raced around before appearing beside her and attempting to stun her with a shock.
She weaved the maneuver and went for his arm, only to grip air as he darted away. Killua leaped once his feet touched the ground, zipping across; his eyes widened as Wonder Woman teleported ahead of his trajectory, leg raised, and he dodged the well-aimed kick.
'She's finally on the offense!' Killua internally shouted and he phased away.
Wonder Woman's divinely sharp eyes continued following the lightning blurs. Killua's speed was a far cry from what it was before. It was not only his speed but his motions as well, like he was moving without thought or control. However, it didn't take long to point out the obscure flaws in this ability. What good was his speed and spontaneous movements when his attacks were weightless?
Killua flew at her at blinding speeds. Diana's arms shot up in blurs, her bracelets deflecting flurries of claw attacks and blunt strikes. 'These strikes are well aimed and coordinated, going for my vitals with his sharp nails. So that's what that dreadful aura was about; he's trained to kill.'
One fist halted before it struck her bracelet-armored wrist, phased below it, and shot up at her chin, only for her to weave the uppercut. Killua gritted his teeth and dodged an elbow for his forehead. His arm slipped from her proximity, his body twirling midair, and let fly a winding kick, balled with a large portion of his aura, but was blocked.
Killua vanished as a devastating punch plowed through his position. Wonder Woman vanished in turn as a piercing attack swooped across the now vacant space. The opposing forces exchanged back-and-forth attacks that only struck through one's fading images. The rapid-fire precisional motions were relentless, and Killua's confidence gradually drained as these exchanges continued.
Killua's eyes shook as they followed Wonder Woman's figure flashing across the field. Never could he have predicted anyone to move fast enough to send Godspeed in a daze. His muscles alarmingly spasmed from the shocks as she appeared above him, twisting horizontally before swooping down with a thundering stomp that missed. The ground caved into a massive fissure under her boot.
As Killua flew back after avoiding the stomp, and to his horror, Wonder Woman was already hovering over him, her leg raised in a side-kick stance before unleashing a barrage of kicks. Her leg was invisible within the horde of seismic streaks and fading images unloading onto Killua, aiming every single kick swiftly and sharply. Under Godspeed's influence, his body swung around the constant kicks as he tried his hardest to follow her kicks that rocked past his head in awe. The one thing saving him was his spontaneous reactions.
'She's coming in strong!' Killua thought in his frantic haze, eyes darting and trying to keep track of the fading images, unsure which position her foot was shooting from. 'What kind of force does this compare to? A mountain? Dozens? Perhaps thousands? These all come from one leg, yet it looks like there are multiple of them. Her power isn't the issue here; she's purposely keeping up while I'm in this state.'
Killua gulped. 'She could've finished me before I'd know it from the start, maybe even when she came in out of nowhere. What does she want out of this?'
The barrage calmed briefly, only for Wonder Woman to fly several helicopter kicks as her body twisted midair. Killua bent back, hand springing away to avoid it, his shoulders heaving. He didn't know how long these electric reserves would last. He knew he couldn't maintain Whirlwind at this rate; it was practically wasting his energy if he couldn't outpace Wonder Woman to save his life.
Killua looked at her conflictingly. It was over, and he knew he had to try a different approach. His eyes darted around the vicinity, desperately racking up ideas to escape her. Nothing he came up with even fazed her; the power gap was far too wide for him even remotely to gain the upper hand. Wonder Woman deflected all his tactical attacks. He only connected one successful kick under Whirlwind, but thus, she smoothly course-corrected the 'fight' in her favor.
Wonder Woman stepped forward, slightly relaxing her guard at his electrified aura dissipating. Killua lowered his body tensely. "Please," She began softly, her inviting hand held out. "I only wish to help you."
A quiet scoff rasped through his lips. 'As if.' He internally commented.
Killua spread out his arms, and electricity intensely flickered to life over his palms before he slammed them together, flashing the entire vicinity. He immediately sprinted the opposite way with Speed of Lightning mode, snatching the slim hope of being enough to impair her vision. A gasp puffed into him when a tightening grip tugged his wrist as he leaped. He snapped his head to see Wonder Woman wielding a lasso linked all the way secured around his wrist; its fabric illuminated a pristine golden shine.
His nails sharpened before piercing them against the rope, and Killua grunted at the surprisingly durable material of the fabric, a tense spark touching off between the friction. The lasso merely bent under his claws as he tried to prod the points of his claws into the strange fabric, and then a throaty grunt broke off from him as his hand skidded off the lasso.
'What's that made of!?' Killua thought.
Wonder Woman twirled her toned leg forward, skillfully intertwining the lengthy fabric around her limb, and stomped down on it, hurling Killua to her position with a yelp. She sidestepped for him to zoom past her and tugged on the lasso, directing him back toward her. His feet found the ground, scraping the surface and skidding to a halt.
Killua froze with astonishment as Wonder Woman's fist halted before his face, the gap so slight it was on the verge of smashing against his nose. A pregnant pause hung in the atmosphere. The bright blue hues around his skin eventually faded, and he dropped his head in defeat, silver bangs masking his eyes. His teeth ground together in frustration. He was done for this time as he sank into the depths of hopelessness.
'I'm still weak…' Killua mentally glowered. 'If I can't beat someone worth a damn in this world, then how can I confront my family like this?'
He felt a hand gently rest on his shoulder, causing him to reveal his tired eyes to the Amazon. Her face was soft, and her eyes shone solace onto him. Why was she giving him that face? She had to be pretending to care; it was the only logical way if he was to convince himself to work for Batman.
"It's all right," she assured. "You fought well."
How could things be right if he was in a place he didn't belong? So far from home. She won the fight, so why wouldn't she tie him up and give him away to the Bat, just as he and himself agreed to the deal? This kindness she was gifting him was peculiar—out of his attunement.
Wonder Woman sadly sighed when given silence as a response. "I understand if you don't want to talk or share your problems. And you don't have to, but I can help you to wherever you wish to go." She knelt before him, her hand inching at the knot of her lasso on his wrist, and gently pried it off. "Will you trust me?"
Killua paused in silence, eyes squinting at the ground near his feet. Deep down, he knew he wanted to trust her. He would go to any source to lead him back to his sister, but would he have to live under the whim of someone? Sure he grew tired of killing, but a large part of leaving his family was to decide his fate. Going back to a life he left behind, a life he vehemently despised.
Despite his icy facade masking his turmoil, it didn't evade Wonder Woman's notice. That was when she remembered his words before their fight. She knew Bruce was specific about Killua's crimes, and practically, he was right about some form of punishment needed for the boy's partaking in illegal activities.
"If you're worried about the deal you agreed with Batman, I'll see if I can talk to him and reach an agreement." She then eyed Killua with a serious expression. "I can understand why you did it, but you caused problems for many civilians."
"I had...no...choice," Killua answered, his voice convincing Wonder Woman he had no indulgence in his actions.
"I know, and I'm sure the people you robbed did not have a choice as well."
Killua inwardly winced at her words. She got him there, he could admit, but she still didn't guarantee his freedom to make his choices. He didn't know how long to deal with this until they clarified the situation. His gaze returned to meet Wonder Woman's patient eyes.
"If I….agree, will you help me…with my troubles?" Killua asked, and a small grin curved on the corners of the amazon's lips.
"Of course, anything that meets your accommodations."
Killua narrowed his eyes, considering his options carefully. He despised the thought of someone telling him what to do. However, this woman seemed genuine, trustworthy, and considerate of him. The fact she even mentioned consulting Batman to convince him of an alternative punishment was unexpected. Any punishment was not desirable, but he would take anything but this 'community service' that Batman attended for him. His mouth parted to utter his answer.
Slamming the car door after stepping out, Black Mask took a deep breath as the anticipation set in motion. It was the night he finally collected the prize he sought for months. Once he found out it was the Penguin who possessed it, he knew he had to work out his budget to a satisfactory degree for that fatso to accept.
Black Mask eyed several sets of headlights from across the alleyway. A furrow creased his eyebrows as his red eyes settled on the tall figures waiting near the trucks and vans, all carrying arms. His head turned to see his crew behind him. Feeling safe with them present, Black Mask stepped forward and approached the other faction. A particular figure emerged from the vehicles, the bright lights obscuring their features. The frame immediately caught his eye, being noticeably shorter and broader than the others. That top hat was unmistakable—Cobblepot.
A thrill of excitement ruffled his feathers as he spotted that giant container shielding his prize from view, tied to a truck guarded by some armed individuals.
That long-nosed bird lover had no idea of the lengths he had to go to make this negotiation possible. Black Mask doubted he could've done it if he couldn't think outside the box. He had to throw the Bat off his tail by spreading false rumors to the low-level losers in the streets. What kind of dumbass was he to have his guys tell stories on him?
Black Mask smirked, glad his tactics had succeeded. He was sure they were enjoying the dead end he had left at Cape Carmine. When Black Mask came close enough to distinguish their features, he noted that the short man's back was facing him. He donned a long leather coat with fur linings.
One thug signaled at Penguin over to the new arrivals, only for the man to turn around to reveal his horrifying beak nose. In his left eye, a glass monocle was deeply embedded in scarring webbing. His open jacket exposed his morning suit, his tophat adding to his elegant wear as a mane-like ponytail trailed down his neck. He carried an umbrella in a cane-like stance.
The men accompanying him wore sleeveless jackets, and their limbs were inked with various tattoos, contrasting with Black Mask's mobsters on the opposite end.
"Aye," Penguin rasped, taking the cigar from his mouth and puffing out a cloud; embers expelled as he tapped the ashes from the cylinder match. "Don't tell me lil ol' Black Mask here has kept his word."
Black Mask scowled at the taunt as he stopped before his bird-like adversary. He towered over the shorter but broader man, having a height advantage of nearly three heads. "Tch. I always keep my word, Cobblepot. You should do the same by showing me the goods you promised for this payment."
Penguin snarled, "I don't think you're in the position to talk back to me like that. I can call off this offer right now if wanted to." An English accent paraded his tongue.
A quiet grumble throttled from Black Mask's throat. His hand rose upwards, signaling his men to bring in the payment. Several mobsters walked forward in a line with metal cases. One came between both leaders and clicked the case open, revealing rows of hundred-dollar bills lined together.
Penguin's eyes snapped at the money, a wicked smile showing off his jagged yellow teeth as the aroma of cold, hard cash flowed into his nose.
"Ah," Penguin enjoyed having money all around.
"We brought you ten cases," Black Mask said. "Each case has ten million bucks, so that's one hundred million. That's the price you put up for the goods." He pointed out.
"Of course, of course!" Penguin excused with a wave of his gloved hand. He approached a tarp concealing the stored contents and snatched it off. Black Mask greedily eyed the stack of caches. "Right here is military-grade weaponry, the best guns in the streets. It's enough to arm an entire bloody army!" The bird-like kingpin explained.
He opened a case to show Black Mask an SMG. "Look at this one. The MP5, 9-millimeter major. 115 grain, roughly fifteen hundred feet per second." Penguin throatily chortled as he craned his head toward the scarred mob boss. "Wicked stuff, mate."
Black Mask nodded as he listened, humming while he inspected the firearm. Its golden textures indicated that it was in pristine condition with a mounted scope for precise aiming. Black Mask had no idea how Cobblepot had acquired such weaponry, but this deal seemed to be turning out more than he had hoped!
"And this… a 12 Gauge Shotty!" Penguin gestured toward his henchman armed with a shotgun. "Steel slugs. Batman's armored costume should be butter to these monster shells!" The thug slipped in a thick red-textured shell into the arm and loaded.
Penguin smirked at his cold-blooded client, "This is only the tip of the iceberg, so enjoy yourself at home. But you and I know only you're here for the main course."
Black Mask tensed soon after Penguin's suggestive words. His sight slowly traveled toward the giant container. He could see windows holed on its sides, the darkness encasing whatever entity from visible view. He saw the guards nervously eye each other. The poor schmucks understood the obvious cue.
"Alright, lads!" Penguin called for them, "Let out the big one! You're going to love this!"
The guards opened the gates, the doors creaking an ear-ringing squeak as the hinges slowly turned. A quiet pause settled upon the gathering. Black Mask squinted at the interior darkness, blood running hot, quicksand sinking in his stomach. Loud bangs erupted from within, like giant boots finding their footing from sitting crouched in that tiny space.
"Here it comes…" A Penguin thug uttered.
Goosebumps rose as the footsteps grew closer to the exit of the containment. A massive silhouette stumbled out of the blanket of darkness, chains clanking with each movement.
"Solomon Grundy….." He spoke in a deep bellow of a voice, enough for everyone present to feel it in their chests. His feet reached down to touch the freedom of concrete with a shaking thud, small fissures caving under each boot. "...Born on a Monday."
Metal cuffs restrained his wrists, each linked with chains dragging heavy, destructive spheres. An oversized collar surrounded his neck. His open shirt, leaving his torso exposed, suffered from age, tearing, and dirtiness, appearing no different from a used rag. His skin was rotting with green.
"Christened on Tuesday…. Married on Wednesday…."
"I found this big son of a bitch just sleeping underneath my lounge when I moved in. It's been years since I've seen this old bloke. Don't know how long he's been down there, but I thought he'd make a good watchdog in case some dafty bat comes swoopin' into my place." Penguin's face scrunched, annoyed. "Then I'd receive guest complaints of a deep rumble below the floors. As you can see, I have a reputation to uphold."
"Took ill on Thursday…"
"So you've met this thing before?" Black Mask asked.
"Aye," Penguin confirmed. "On a Hallow's night, he was already with Dent when I tagged along to invade the old police headquarters, something about killing Falcone. The bastard's bigger than I remember."
"Worse on Friday…
Black Mask looked at the monster under scrutiny and was puzzled by the fact that he seemed to be unaware of everyone present. That stupid poem he was muttering was grinding his gears. 'Where the hell did it come from?'
Nonetheless, he was satisfied enough to own this Frankenstein. He turned to Penguin with a smirk. "I'll take everything at full price. The money's yours."
"Died on Saturday…. Buried on Sunday…."
The Penguin cackled in response before trudging toward the cases presented to him by the mobsters. Black Mask waved a signal, and his mobsters, alongside Penguin's crew, shocked the zombie back into the container using stun batons while the truck roared to life.
"This is the End… of Solomon Grundy."
Now, that sums everything up. This was a challenging chapter to write with such a one-sided fight, but this was freakin' fun. And yes, I did intend for it to be one-sided, very much so, going up against a high-tier character from a vastly larger verse than the one Killua is from. Killua needs a break.
What do you think will be Killua's fate after this chapter?
Thank you for following through and I appreciate any feedback, whether it be praise or criticism. Don't forget to point out any errors. See you next time!