Reincarnation I

[Larfleeze]

Well, wasn't that unusual? 
 
In retrospect, he shouldn't have given up so early, or at least waited until he had finished disassembling before he brought down the cave. But there was always next year, should he decide to participate again.
 
He had a feeling it would go differently, once he pulled together some actual power. If anything, the game had made it clear to him that he was barely a medium-sized fish in a very large pond. He had his ass handed to him, more than once. 
 
It had taken... hours, before his mind was coherent enough to even put these few facts together. His memories, millions of years of information, had been hazy and just out of reach for quite a while, and it was only now that he felt whole again. 
 
The white void of the nexus was all around him, but Chakravartin Wu Kong himself was not truly there. His body was immaterial, unable to interact with the fountain, unable to see another soul. 
 
He wasn't unfamiliar with being immaterial, in fact, for most of his long life he hadn't had substance to his body. Simply a mind, a shape, a concept, and unfathomable, pure, energy. He had been a god for quite a long time, and while that overwhelming power was no longer here, and there was no connection to a host to be found- not even with the blood he spilled in the Danteverse and the hand he had lost in Camelot. 
 
He floated, free, through the Nexus for some time. He watched the people pass by, and pondered his current state of being, as well as what he should do next. He had a goal: Find, and punish the human who had hurt him and his own before the Omniverse. However, he wasn't sure as of a method to hunt her down. He didn't know where she was, but he supposed he could use the Dataverse to find out where she had been. Ozo Mat may have some idea, and there was a chance that the Ghost Pokemon Doc might search for her, should he ask. He was owed a favor, and who knows what methods one could use in the afterlife to track your enemies. 
 
Finally, he decided to try returning to the realm of the living. He willed himself to the ground, to physical form, and dropped. The Death Shroud was gone, and he sucked in a breath of air. 
 
“Death… was more painful than I remember.” he muttered to himself. 
 
He sat on the edge of the fountain, and splashed water onto his face, taking a deep drink from the waters. He contemplated his vengeance, deciding where, exactly, he should go. 
 
However, all these questions resolved themselves when he beheld someone that he had never expected to see. 
 
Another human who he recognized. Someone he hated just as much, if not more, than the Essention girl. 
 
A human with purple hair. 
 
Cirrus Neon. The boy simply… appeared, in a flash of rainbow light, summoned to the Fountain of Infinity. Chakravartin ducked behind it, moving an eye- oh how he had missed having two! -to the tip of his finger, and holding it out over the side of the fountain. 
 
The boy seemed understandably confused, murmuring to himself- likely talking to that traitor, Vampire. For a brief moment, he felt a warmth in his soul, knowing that in this new universe there existed at least one being like him. At least one god as he knew gods. A being who has existed almost as long as him. 
 
And then that warmth shriveled and died as he contemplated her betrayal. Betrayal for the sake of a host. For the sake of a hybrid, at that. 
 
The Essention girl could wait. For now, he would avenge himself upon Cirrus. The boy had come from the Fountain only moments ago- if he struck now, it would be as the more experienced fighter in this world, he knew.
 
He waited there, for a few moments, drawing out Palace Hand after Palace Hand. With all four ready, he reached for his swords- only to find he would have to make new ones. Ah well. 
 
The four golden hands snapped out, ready to attack, and they snapped onto the boy’s shoulders. 
 
And then, all four were gone. Cirrus shot forward, moving faster than anything Chakravartin had yet seen in the Omniverse. He had moved dozens of meters in a moment, and dragged all four of the hands out of Chakravartin’s range of control. 
 
“What the- Kong?! Sun Wu Kong?!” Cirrus asked, confused, “What the hell do you think you’re doing here? Did you create everything here? You lose on Earth, so you decide to create your own world, only to bring me back here in this weak, slow, state?”
 
“I wish.” Chakravartin said, “Vampire, if I had my way, I would have left you and your world alone for as long as possible.”
 
Cirrus narrowed his eyes, before they drifted off to the side. As he listened to words no one else could hear, he let out a sigh of relief, “So you’re not in control? You’re just as weak as me?”
 
“...”
 
The human smiled wider, his yellow eyes flashing with amusement, “You’re not even a god any more, Kong. Why-” he reached down, and with a single finger, scraped the golden goop from the floor. He raised the blood-covered finger to his lips, and licked, “-You’re far less delicious than you were before.”
 
He had to suppress a shudder. Vampire spit on their species revulsion for meat. She existed to drain the Chi from other life forms. Whenever she took a part of you, that part wouldn’t hit the ground and someday reincarnate. Whatever she consumed, was gone. Saru had been annihilated from history, that way, denied reincarnation due to their fates as food for the traitor. 
 
“Disgusting, abominable hybrid.” Chakravartin hissed, he raised a hand, and a Palace Taihou formed, beginning to charge, “I’ll end your life here! I’ll make you suffer, for betraying me, Vampire!”
 
“Hmph.” Cirrus narrowed his eyes, before the violet skeletal claw of the Fist of the Vampire formed around his hand. He dipped a finger into one of the Palace Hands that had lost cohesion, and Chakravartin shuddered as the gold was drawn into the skeletal hand. 
 
The Fist of the Vampire changed shape, becoming a Taihou similar to his own. 
 
“Come on now, God.” Cirrus said with a grin, “You can’t really expect to beat me in this sorry state, can you? I mean, just from the taste of your blood, I can tell you’re barely even a shadow of your old host! You’re slow, you’re weak, you’re unskilled, you have so little Chi that merely by pulling away, I’ve laid waste to so much of your body.” he began to walk forward, slowly at first, before gaining speed. 
 
Faster, faster. 
 
Chakravartin couldn’t even dodge as the human slammed the glowing orb into Chakravartin’s own. Cirrus kept going, pulling his hand away from his attack, and continuing past the fountain, charging at a hundred miles per hour. Chakravartin didn’t have time to follow the human, however, because he had to deal with the two Palace Taihou going off against his body.

[Oleander]

Nothing. That is all Takezo knew for the longest time. He did not dream of anything, he was not fully conscious, only aware that he was drifting through the nothing like some deep, weightless ocean of… nothing. It was peaceful, it felt almost relaxing to have all the weight of the world off his shoulders. No pain. No worries. If this was what he would expect from every death in the Omniverse, then he would never fear it. Timelessness in a place without stress might have been boring for others, but for the Ronin, it was a pleasantry.
 
The world snapped open like the blink of an eye. After seeing the Rage Mage with his heart, Takezo’s world had snapped shut just as fast. Was that all death meant? Winking out of existence for a brief moment where all pain is absolved? Was it like this for everyone, or did each Prime experience their own personal transition between lives?
 
So many questions to fill the void and so many were unanswered as the world turns to white. Takezo blinked away the surreal first impression of the Nexus as he once again looked upon the fountain. The world was silent, as it had been before. Upon looking around the pool he noticed the corpses had been moved and the blood was gone. Whether cleaned or evaporated or simply faded, there was no stagnant memory left upon this world of the pitiful secondaries.
 
Takezo smirked. They were mortal and feared death. He did not. It meant if any Secondary were to dare face him, they knew the consequences and believed they could take him on. The ronin chuckled to himself, his left hand resting lazily upon his sword.
 
It took a moment to realize something was… off. His reflection in the water was washed out and the longer he looked at it the more he noticed it. He looked upon his hand and through it he could faintly see the lines of the fountain. For the first time, he felt panic. A swipe of his hand phased through the fountain harmlessly.
 
Awareness crept on him. First it was his new life, then his ghostly state. The next thing was the true situation going on around him. There was a man in golden attire – a very familiar attire at that. It was that Wu Kong fellow from the Abyss. Correction, from Dante’s Abyss, that was hanging with Abyss. He was the only member of the Golden Alliance that he has not gotten to cut to bits yet.
 
Someone else was there. She was unfamiliar to him, but she appeared very powerful. The way the female raced across the battle field, soaking up the golden-boy’s ichor… it was a thrilling display. By instinct and will, the death shroud flickered. The swordsman appeared before the two Fist users, grinning.
 
Chakravartin and Cirrus hesitate only slightly when they notice his presence. Cirrus’ eyes flick to the sword, then up to meet the man’s gaze. For a moment she was about to say something, then the Prime steps towards her. Something made her flinch. It was just a moment before she regained her composure.
 
The golden robed god watched as his former enemy stepped past him, apparently wanting to try his hand at the speedster. “First day reborn, and I get to meet the enemy of my enemy.”
“Does that mean you want to help me kill the god?”
 
“No.” Cirrus dared again to meet the man’s gaze. “It means I will kill you first.” He stopped, standing square with the distant Fist user. To the untrained eye, it did not seem like he was poised to attack. He was.
 
Cirrus pushed aside the sense of dread without much difficulty. “So you just show up in the middle of a confrontation and steal the spotlight? That’s just rude!”
 
“You two could work together to fight me…” Takezo offered, glancing over his shoulder at Chakravartin. The two primes both felt ill. The sickness left over from their revival was harsh, perhaps more so for Takezo who had literally only just reincarnated.
 
The swordsman’s appearance mocked his previous death. His clothing was in tatters, scorched and cut and ripped till anything that remained was clinging by threads. There was a long scar upon his chest, over his heart. It might be obvious that this was his mortal wound. Chakravartin may not share the remnants of his death, this was just the swordsman’s little trophy; a sign of his immortality and his fearless stance towards death.
 
“As if I would side with him!” Cirrus responds. “You can barely stand anyway!”
 
The ronin’s smirk widened to a full grin. His head tilts as he looks at the violet-handed Saru. “I think you will like being dead. It’s quite pleasant, like drifting in a cool pond with no light.” At least, that is how his death was.
 
“Are you going to attack?” Those cold eyes, malice poured from them. The Vampire, who’s life revolved around the ichor of life, may not even have that much blood lust in her gaze. The swordsman’s aura of death showed clearly his intent. Cirrus may think Chakravartin evil, but this man did not even try to hide the wickedness of his soul.

[Larfleeze]

Chakravartin looked to the swordsman, and then to the traitor. Work together? Feh. It was bad enough that both Taihou went off against him without any method of defense- if he wasn't so hardy, he might already have died. 

"Fine, fine." Chakravartin said, "I was going to put all the Dante's Abyss nonsense behind me, but if you wish to fight, I have no problem putting down the both of you." 

Cirrus shifted his weight, eyes gliding over the swordsman, he smiled, "Whatever, I'm down for a three-way." The violet skeletal hand shifted around, shrinking, before splitting into four. Two of the purple Palace Hands then began to elongate, growing out a sword. "Fist of the Vampire: Fist of God: Spinning Death Palace Hand!"

"Your attack names are so long." Shinmen said, smirking, before rushing forward with his own blade. Cirrus' movements were like lightning, darting towards the swordsman, who seemed to be ignoring Chakravartin for the moment. Shinmen swung, only to find his blade clashing against the glowing violet broadsword, Cirrus still on the move. The stolen Palace Hands orbited the hybrid in a blur, becoming almost a solid purple ring around him.

Takezo took a step back, furiously trying to keep his eye on the two blades mixed in among the four hands, and deflecting them when it came for him. 

"Hyaa!" Takezo swung the blade down in a sudden strike, and grinned savagely as one of the purple swords was simply shattered under his superior strength. 

It was at this moment that Chakravartin grew tired of being ignored, he created a Taihou, before launching it into the battle. Cirrus simply backed off, and Takezo batted the beach-ball sized explosive away harmlessly with the side of his blade. The roiling orb of energy didn't go off, simply rolling away from the battle.

"Tell me, swordsman, what is your name? I never caught it. Me and my comrades in the game simply called you the demon." Chakravartin asked, "You're content killing Vampire first, correct? And you have a code of honor?" Chakravartin eyed the two of them, "I'll let you murder them if you wish, I can wait a week for the traitors to come back. But before we begin our battle, would you permit me the chance to summon my swords? I'd prefer to go into this battle armed."

"Hah! It's adorable that either of you think you can kill me." Cirrus said, smiling, "But swords, Kong? You didn't use them when you were attacking Earth. Where are the fifteen-story tall hands? The massive statues the size of meteors? The city-leveling energy waves?" Cirrus smirked, "You can't even fly any more."

Chakravartin sneered, "Well, swordsman?"

Cirrus shrugged, backing off at speed, before making a wide turn to end up behind Chakravartin. "You're scared, aren't you God? Vampire thinks we can kill you for good like this." he said quietly, the remaining Spinning Death Palace Hand began to turn, blindingly fast, far faster than Chakravartin's own version, and the golden-robed Saru quickly began to melt, hurriedly moving back away from the blade as he did so. The golden puddle began to move away, and Cirrus formed a violet Taihou, dropping it on the puddle and watching it splatter apart. It was just kinetic energy, but it was satisfying for the sadist all the same, "Nuh-uh, God. You're not getting away from me." the purple-haired young man grinned evilly and returned the Palace Hands into the Fist of the Vampire's skeletal true form. 

"Thank you for the meal!" he announced, before driving the claws into the puddle.

[Oleander]

The moment Chakravartin fell into a puddle, distracting the Vampire Fist with his abundant ichor, the swordsman moved in. The moment Cirrus decided to dip his grisly hands into the ichor, the swordsman's sandals stepped into it as well. The ronin struck with an upwards cut, two handed with a powerful blow. Fast as he may be, Takezo's burst movement and superior technique had caught the Saru off guard.

The slash struck the violet handed man's shoulder and threw him upwards into the air. Turning with the motion of his cut, he unleashes yet another upwards attack, just as Cirrus was falling, to spiral the Saru's descent. One half of a spin had his head crashing into the golden stained white of the ground before a solid kick from the swordsman sent him skidding across the ground, streaking the ichor.

"I accept your terms, Chakravartin. Summon your swords. I owe the last member of the Golden Alliance a proper duel." With a flick of his sword, the vampire's blood stained the white ground a few feet from them. "I am Shinmen Takezo... I figured you would know. That glass slate had so much information on everyone."

Takezo sheathed his sword and steps free of the puddle. Chakravartin's golden mass slowly swells, reforming the young god in solid form. "I was a bit preoccupied." Chakravartin did not know whether or not to trust Takezo. True enough, he had made a very loyal teammate to Dust, if he had asked Abyss. Taking blows for his ally, just as Dust took blows for him, to create openings for the other to exploit.

"So what, the two monsters are going to hold hands?"

"I would not be making jokes," Takezo informed Cirrus. "I promised this man a duel." The ronin rolls his shoulders, as if limbering up for the upcoming fight. "You have until Chakravartin readies himself to decide whether or not you want to die. This fight will end no other way." Takezo was not grinning now. He was serious. A deal had been struck and he was abiding by it.

"It doesn't matter what you two do! You are both too slow, neither of you can stop me!" To show off just what he meant, Cirrus bursts into full speed. Almost before Takezo could blink, his left arm was gashed by a deep cut. Two mimiced Palace Hands had gripped a single blade, mimicking Takezo's combat style, but the effect was not as grand as the Swordsmans' own.

On the other hand, the fool Cirrus had not taken the time to think this through. While Takezo's left arm, the side which had been resting on the sword, was now greately wounded, his right had struck out at the same time, drawing and cutting in the swiftest instance. It was the epitomy of anime, the dashing past one another, each landing a crucial blow.

Realization hit the Vampire Fist. As he reads all that is to be known about the swordsman, he sees exactly what had been used on him. A strike perfected over many years. One hundred cuts a day, Takezo practiced this technique. First Strike.

The massive gash from right hip to left shoulder cut deep, even with Takezo's weakened state. Chakravartin had to rewind the scene in his head to realize what happened, and why Cirrus suddenly had a gash across his chest.

The swordsman casually turns, a stony face with cruel eyes locked on Cirrus. "Each breath hurts, doesn't it? Be glad that death has weakened me..." With as much blood Cirrus was losing, it was difficult to think about what would have happened if the Prime was at full power. Takezo would know this scar as one that Abyss had sustained during Dante's Abyss.

Takezo's back was to Chakravartin. The Saru had his hands, his swords, and was primed to fight - just as he had requested. It seemed the swordsman accepted the temporary alliance, just as hoped. This warrior's code looked to be a weakness of his if properly appealed to. Chakravartin was just lucky enough to know the right words to use.

[Larfleeze]

Chakravartin Wu Kong

Chakravartin grinned, and closed his eyes, focusing on the Omnilium inside himself. The two humans would take care of each other, or at the very least keep each other busy. 

The rainbow light spilled forth, and, true, he did think of swords, there was something else far more important to take care of in his mind. 

His feet were still on the ground. 

The light expanded outwards, covering the Saru. Takezo looked on, not trusting. It seemed like more Omnilium than would be needed for just remaking a weapon, but the Ronin wouldn't break his word yet- he would wait for the god to break his first. 

Chakravartin closed his eyes, trusting the Ronin at his word- and began to think of floating. 

Cirrus Neon

Cirrus, on the other hand, knew nothing of Omnilium at all. He simply saw a Fist User begin to glow, and knew that he needed to stop it. The User of Fist of the Vampire shambled forward, breathing hard, as he tried to hold his chest closed. The skeletal hand dipped forward, and sank into the white floor of the Nexus. 

Chi poured into him- but it wasn't healing him. Cirrus didn't understand, didn't comprehend why he continued to bleed, even as he tried to turn Chi to his own body. All that happened was that his Vampire Fist changed in hue- from violet to a blinding white, transforming into the same substance as the Nexus. The swordsmanship he had stolen from Takezo had prepared him for the previous attack- but his opponent was too skilled. 

What was the deal with him, and samurai obsessed with leaving scars? That bastard Tengurou, a dozen years back, and now this guy. 

"So you're working together now?" Cirrus asked, shifting from foot to foot, "My, how the mighty have fallen." he taunted the God, "And as for you, Mister Samurai-"

"Ronin." Takezo corrected. 

"I don't give a crap. You should know this: that bastard behind you held the entire planet Earth hostage, and enslaved my family into working for him, all for the sake of some sick game. He promised the world that if humanity found anyone who could beat him at the game, he would leave the Earth... when we did beat him? Threw a huge bratty tantrum and shouted to the heavens that we cheated! That golden brat has no honor. As soon as he finishes charging whatever he's charging with that rainbow aura, he's going to stab you in the back."

"Hm." Takezo raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with a deep, cold, bloodlust that unnerved Cirrus, and excited the Goddess inside his mindscape, "Well, I wouldn't know. But if he's relying on my honor, I can't exactly betray that." the ronin sneered, just a little, "Besides, I know he's creating something he's going to try and use to kill me. The only way he could double-cross me is if he was creating something to help him flee."

Let me fight him! I want to fight him! the Goddess in his head cried.

You like him, huh?

Oh yes. He's no Hitsome, of course, but that attitude is nice! I want to know him more, Little Brother. Drink more.

He's weak now... but he'll be stronger if we give him a chance to heal. He's already managed a pretty good strike all on his own. At full strength, there's a good chance he could kill us. 

Not if we're together, Little Brother. Let me guide our hands, you may not know how to handle a sword, but I've been cutting up fools for longer than humanity has existed. I want to show him how to REALLY use that sword~!

Cirrus grinned, and Vampire grinned. 

"Fist of the Vampire! Bloody Transformation!"

Cirrus arched his back, two more skeletal Vampire Fists emerging from his spine, stretching wider and wider, until the middle fingers were longer than he was tall. His skin darkened, his ears sharpened, his teeth became needle sharp. 

They opened their eyes, and felt their scalp burn as hair grew further. Inside their body, Chi churned. 

With two minds, melting into one, Stratus Neon gripped the Nexus-White Katana they had stolen from Takezo's blood.

[Oleander]

Takezo has seen a transformation like this. Jak had used it in Dante's Abyss to take on a much darker appearance, and to gain great power. The swordsman laughed at Cirrus. He laughed at Jak in retrospect. "You are silly." The nearly lighthearted words spoken by the swordsman shock Cirrus more than his gaze had.

Silly? I am a god compared to you! "Why?" If Cirrus had noticed anything, it was that this warrior had purpose to every action. He would not laugh at Cirrus just to demoralize him, though it was definitely possible that was part of it. The Ronin was nothing if not precise.

"You are not the first person to use a demonic transformation against me. I find it silly." Takezo bares his sword. Single handed, he smirked at the grisly looking prime before him. "You may look more frightening on the outside, but the fact remains. My demon is stronger than yours. It does not need... validation." With a flick of the katana, more of Cirrus' blood slips free from the blade to stain the ground.

A combination of rage and eager anticipation boiled in Cirrus. The swordsman stood so proud in the face of such power. The man's cold eyes seemed to glare right through the Vampire Fist. Cirrus expected Takezo to flinch, to cower at the nightmare that was the skeletal hands. This was not the case. If anything, the transformation seems to have bored him. His eyes were blood soaked daggers.

Takezo steps forward.

Stratus Neon steps back.

Within this form of Stratus Neon was abundant chi to draw from. Within Takezo was a limited pool. He was weak. The swordsman was weak, but he still had such presence. Suddenly it hit him. Stratus realized what was going on. That look in the ronin's eyes, that insane sharpness to the dark gaze... the demon swordsman was using a powered up state as well. From the blood, he knew what was coming.

"Woe to he ... who stands in the rain..." The phrase echoed in his head. The moment he verbalized it, Takezo smiles. The Vampire Fist user's insight into Takezo's blood showed him everything the swordsman could do. This situation was growing more and more unbalanced. Even as Stratus Neon, the gash to his chest slowed him down, and now Takezo was faster and more focused than before. The only difference is Cirrus could run faster.

Taking a few shallow, pained breaths, Stratus goes for it. He tries to outpace the swordsman, dashing in at superspeed, trying to ignore the pain of his chest. The massive hands reach out, seeking blood, but even as they do, Takezo steps in. He moves into the attack, in a blur of speed to match the Vampire's own, and sank his sword into the gut of the Fist user. The long digits curl around to impale Takezo's back, but their impact had slowed after the swordsman's nearly disemboweling strike.

"Your demon is weak." Even as blood trickled down his back, Takezo found the strength to inform his foe about his downfalls. "My demon is HUNGRY!" The tables turned. The Fist of the Vampire user was the victim of a vicious bite. Takezo may not suck blood, but the teeth embedding themselves in Neon's neck tear a chunk of flesh free.

The claws yank from his back, and with a strong shoulder, Takezo shoves the Fist of the Vampire user off of his sword. He unleashed a few quick cuts at high speeds while Neon was in shock.

That was all this was: shock. As Takezo stepped back to regain his breath and spit blood from his mouth, the Saru would realize what had happened. This was just a mind game... a bluff. The swordsman was gravely wounded, but he was clearly ready to go down swinging. "I see through your games! You are about to die just standing there!"

"You're right. I just stepped from one grave into another." There was a rasp to his voice. Had one of his lungs suffered from the Saru's claws? "I don't mind. If you put me down, it just means I will have to hunt you until I repay the debt. With interest, of course." His words were no bluff. If the Vampire killed him here, it would be signing his own death warrant. Not to mention, the swordsman's addition of interest did not sound pleasant in the least. "Are you ready to die?"

[Larfleeze]

Cirrus Neon

Stratus reached up to their neck, and winced as they felt the wound there. This... wasn't good. They had let the charming samurai into their head, and he had ruined them even more. He had known that the Ronin had more power to spare- but it took effort to drag out that strength.

The man was weakened by his apparent recent death, that much was obvious. If he wasn't, that powerful slash might have been the end of Cirrus. Stratus could feel the weakness in the man's blood. The sluggishness. It was foolish for them to have been taken for a fool like that.

But this insult?

"You think your demon is hungry?" Stratus asked, in disbelief, "My demon is Hunger!"

They had the swordsman's blood. They knew his Chi. Their own combined state was running out of Chi, slowly, and they didn't have much time. Luckily, with their speed, time was something they always had plenty of.

Takezo stood at ready, katana held before him, when Stratus shot forward, building up speed as they approached, the white Nexus-integrated katana at the ready.

Stratus swung, and Takezo found it was all he could do to block. The Vampire rang out, a flurry of blows. They were slowing down as the fight raged, the wisps of their combined state drifting away as they slowly lost the Chi needed to support it, but for now, they had the instinct of someone who had been using a sword for millions of years, the stolen skill of their opponent, and a burning resentment for the insult he paid them.

Takezo’s eyes widened as he furiously attempted to avoid the incoming bright white slashes and the massive reaching violet fingers. A giant skeletal finger, moving almost faster than he could see, slipped past his guard, knocking into his chest and lifting him into the air. Bloodying his gut in the process. Stratus grinned, and the other fingers closed around him. Takezo, struggling, attempted to cut off the finger holding him, but as his blood soaked into the violet energy, the bone seemed to get tougher and tougher.

Stratus raised the white katana, lifting Takezo into the air above them. The ronin pushed against the fingers finding their way into his flesh, blood began to drip like rain, droplets landing on Stratus and on the pure-white ground.

“It’s really… such a shame. Insult or not...” Stratus purred, their voice a bit more feminine than before, “Your bloodlust is something I haven’t seen in a long time. Tell me, would you like to be a Neon?”

“...A what?” the man coughed.

“A partner. Of ours. You’re hardy enough, even half-dead. You definitely have an attitude we like, and you’re strong. If you weren’t half-dead, we’d say you’d be a lot stronger than us. We’d like it, quite a bit. Who knows, it could even blossom into something more.”

“...Absolutely not. For starters, I only like women.”

“Boring.”

“I’m more concerned with you.” Takezo grunted out a single laugh, still in quite a bit of pain, but blood loss and people asking him bizarre questions did strange things. Amused, he asked “Do you proposition all your lovers by impaling them?”

Stratus simply grinned, “My last interest still has a great big ‘x’ etched in his chest.”

The skeletal fingers shifted, and Takezo realized that they were smaller than before. Whatever had changed in his opponent, it was wearing off. Unfortunately, Stratus was aware of that as well. The skeletal claws pulled inwards, piercing the ronin in several other areas, as Stratus extended the katata upwards.

Stratus dropped the ronin to the ground, red staining the white floors of the Nexus.

Stratus became undone, the claws shrinking and vanishing into Cirrus’ body, the color of his skin changing from an alien purple back to a healthy brown. His neck still bled, his chest still carried a huge gash, but he was standing, while Takezo was not.

Cirrus walked closer, before squatting down next to the ronin and grabbing his hair with one hand, and running the Fist of the Vampire down the man’s wounds with the other. Takezo felt the wetness on his skin simply lift away as the skeleton greedily drunk more and more, but leaving his wounds as they were. Cirrus lifted the man’s head up to make eye contact, “Are you sure you wouldn’t join me? Hell- I’ll even let you chop up King Kong if you want, so long as I get to do the finishing blow. Everybody with even a few drops of human blood have reason enough to want to kill the bastard, after what he tried to do to Planet Earth.”

“Not even if you kill me. I don’t break my promises. If you kill me, I’ll simply come back again. And I will find you. I don’t know or care what he presumably did- we simply have unfinished business.”

Cirrus frowned, “...Come back again?”

“It’s the curse of this place. You heard Omni, didn’t you? Anyone brought to this place doesn’t fear death.”

“...So if you kill Kong, he’ll just come back? And if I kill Kong-”

“I’ll kill you before you can.”

“-he’d just come back anyway?”

“Yes.”

“Well shit.” Cirrus smirked, “Fine then. But only ‘cuz I like you.”

“Fine what?”

Cirrus created two violet Palace Hands, lifting the assassin up to his feet. “If you can kill Wu Kong in your current state, you’re welcome to it. I can tell he’s weaker- half dead like you, and wounded by me throwing his own attack back at him. And you’re even stronger than he is. Who knows, there’s a chance you might even win.”

“...”

Cirrus idly put a hand to his neck, feeling his own flesh with a wince, the violet skeletal hand wreathing his real one glowing slightly as he absorbed his own blood.  “And besides… I think I’ve more-or-less gotten you back. If you don’t think fair’s fair, come find me again, when you’re at full strength. We’ll see who’d win then.”

Takezo smiled viciously, “I might just take you up on that.”

Cirrus looked to Chakravartin, still glowing with rainbow light. “...I know he’s not charging a Taihou, but I’m not sure what he could be doing that would require gathering so much Chi and putting out so much focus.” Cirrus shuddered, “So… I’m going to get out of the blast radius. How long will it be before… one of you come back?”

“...I’m not sure, truly.”

“Hm.” Cirrus held out a Palace Hand, and inside it began forming a Taihou. Takezo tensed, inching away, but he couldn’t detect any bloodlust directed at him in particular any more- or rather, he could detect literal lust for the fresh blood beginning to bubble from his wounds, but no malice.

When over half a minute passed, Cirrus dropped the ball of violet energy to the floor. “...When Kong inevitably betrays you, use your sword to throw this at him. It’s not a real bomb- it won’t get set off by touching steel unless you’re hitting it as if you wished to crack it. It will only explode once it touches something alive, or is broken.”

Leaving behind the present, the Vampire sent one last look at Chakravartin, before walking away.

Chakravartin wu Kong

So far, so good. The Omnilium was reaching into his veins, changing him. He didn’t waste time trying to heal, or regain his strength. In the end, those were temporary. Even should he die, it wasn’t a big deal. He was a Prime! He was immortal, truly, he knew. And in truth- the Death Shroud felt like home. It felt like he was back in the mindscape he had spent the majority of his millions of years living in.

But this was important. He wasn’t himself, if he couldn’t fly. He briefly thought of Aang and his bison- and the fleeting thought that the Airbender would be happy to see him in the air made Kong smile himself.

Those thoughts of flying happily were added to the overall concept of ‘Flight’ he was trying to make real within himself.

No one on the island could fly. In Camelot, only those who rode beasts could fly. Ozo Mat had not been able to fly.

If Chakravartin could fly, it would finally put him on a level above those mere mortals. What would that swordsman possibly do to harm him once he had taken to the sky! Throw his sword? Hah!

His only fear was that Cirrus would prevail- interrupt his concentration and send him back to the veil, wandering without memories another… how long had he been like that, anyway? Whatever, it didn’t matter. All that mattered is that he would fly again. His silk-covered feet would not have to walk the same ground as everyone else. He would be a step closer to being a god.

[Oleander]

It was surprising how both relieved and cheated he felt. As the Fist of the Vampire left with a sense of superiority, the swordsman grunted. Then again... he warded off a fight at half strength. That was a better way to think about it. With a flick of his sword, more of the Saru's blood stained the floor, before he sheathed his weapon once again.

His breath was labored. Pain wracked his body. Death would have been assured if he continued fighting. His footing failed, dropping him to one knee. The ronin laughed. It had been a good fight, at least. Even if he did not fight Chakravartin right away, he was welcomed back properly by this other Prime.

Takezo looked over his shoulder at Chakravartin. The man was still charging up something. There was no blood lust to the action, no malice, it just was. Takezo went on a limb and assumed the man was not preparing an attack. Maybe armor, or something bigger.

The wounded man rolled over to sit upon the ground. After a moment, sitting turned to laying. "I kept my word." The swordsman seemed to be in pain. The new wounds would heal sooner or later, but he was in no condition for another fight. Even he knew that. For the moment, Chakravartin was in the clear.

"Indeed you did. I assume we'll be resting before we have our little match?" Chakravartin questioned, dividing his attention slightly, so the swordsman does not grow too suspicious of his activities.

A sigh escaped the grounded warrior. "For now..." Takezo was almost ready to sleep, but he dared not do such a thing with Chakravartin looming over him. He did not trust the members of the Golden Alliance, simply because of who claimed leadership of them. That squid was not a true warrior. The coward built a small army in fear.

"Why did you follow the squid?" He asked. "It only started the alliance in fear of me. Were you three planning on hunting me down in the game, had I been alone?"

[Larfleeze]

Chakravartin raised a bushy eyebrow, nearly losing focus on his Summoning. 

"Kekekeke... Why did I follow Abyss? Well there are two questions wrapped up in that. The reason I followed her, was because she liked to be in charge, and as it was just a game, I saw no harm in letting her take the lead." Chakravartin said, "As for why the three of us formed an army- it wasn't in fear of you. Not really. At least not on my end, nor Bendys. Abyss offered, it seemed amusing, and so I agreed... although I will admit a bit of bigotry on my part. I walked into the bar and saw nothing but humans. Then someone who clearly wasn't one walked in. I knew which I'd rather sit with."

"...What did humans do to you?"

"Almost end a grand destiny for the universe, prevent a salvation that I had been planning for far longer than your species has even existed, and attempt to kill me for the crime of wanting to make humanity more powerful. I sought a union of our species- and they rejected that. Chose to remain weak as a people... it disgusted me. I was driven off, forced to start everything over from the beginning... millions of years down the drain." he sighed, "But that's not your fault. I don't think you were from the Earth I tried to improve. So as I said- bigotry."

"My teammates beat you, didn't they? I wish I could have seen the squid's death for myself."

Chakravartin blushed slightly, "Ah, she was knocked into lava and burnt up. I'm a bit embarrassed about that really. I brought the cave down in the hope of mutually assured destruction, but they simply... left me there and got out. I was crushed and burned and that was it. I thought that in my disassembled form the rocks wouldn't actually kill me- but the lava and... well. Perhaps I should have just fought as hard as I could... but it was still just a game. If I went all-out for nothing, it'd be even more embarrassing."

Takezo let out a pained breath, "Hmph."

Chakravartin closed his eyes once more, directing his full attention back to flying, but something buzzed in his mind, "...Now that I've answered your question, what about yours... why target us? Abyss, in particular. Did you form a group specifically to counter our own, or was it just out of amusement and being social?"

[Oleander]

Takezo still laid upon the ground. His breathing had evened out and despite his serious wounds, he appeared to be a bit more relaxed. "I wanted to show the squid what a true team of warriors looked like. She gathered followers in fear, but my followers were for the thrill. Dust specifically." The swordsman's lips curled into a smirk. "We made a decent team. His instincts and mine. The animal and the demon. There is a reason your Bendy did not survive more than one round with us."

"I just assumed you two ganged up on him." Chakravartin shrugged.

"Tactics. We planned better, and we fought better. Took hits to create openings for the other. Dust was stuck in place, your squid took advantage, but so did I. Then when I was the focus of their attention, Dust took out your friend. Tit for tat. You would do well to think more about this and less about what team names and matching uniforms." Takezo chuckled. The sound turned into a groan as he held his side.

He sighed. "And if we all survived to the end, we were going to settle it with an honorable duel. Heh... I was considering bowing out. Dust wanted to win, I just wanted to fight. The little trinkets did not interest me."

Chakravartin was a bit interested at this. "You would give up winning a tournament, just for the fun of participating? Why not try to win the whole thing?"

Takezo lifts his head to peer at the shimmering, golden robed lad. "If I reached that point, I would have already won, and everyone would see that. Maybe not the game, but surviving to be one of the three finalists meant I outlasted or killed some of the Omniverse's greatest warriors." That was a new way to think on it. in that light, coming in second did not sound bad, because it meant he beat out so many others to get that spot. "And since Dust honored his agreement to the letter, I would have no hard feelings if he won."

It would seem that Takezo's team was built on an entirely different premise than the Golden Alliance. The man was not lying, he had no intention of using or betraying his ally, and from what he said Dust had no such intentions either. Sadly, he did not get to fight alongside Dawn in the Abyss, but maybe he will hunt her down afterwards and they would take on something in the real world to make up for lost time.

Chakravartin was nearing completion, with only a few minutes left before his feet never had to touch the ground again. "I'm afraid I missed your death. How did you lose, exactly?" With a whimper or a bang, he wondered.

"Two on one. A clown with clubs and a very angry, foul mouthed man decided to try and take the drop I had found. In the end, the wrathful one slayed me by gutting my chest with an ax, then reached right in to rip my heart out. It was a fantastic way to go." The swordsman was grinning. Only a monster could enjoy the memory of his own death.

[Larfleeze]

Chakravartin smiled, "Grey skin, white facepaint, cute golden horns?"

"Yes."

"I fought the clown in the arena, then. We shared a drink, fought your Erika together, and each other. Though I will say that she was most aggressive there. Good kid, I think. Amusing at least, I wouldn't mind meeting him again."

Takezo shrugged. Waiting for Chakravartin to finish whatever it was the god had been planning. They waited in silence, and soon enough the rainbow light faded away. 

Takezo's eyes narrowed. He had been expecting this, honestly. No friend of the squid would have an honorable drop of blood in their system. Chakravartin was still unarmed. "What happened to your swords?" Takezo asked sarcastically, "...Lose focus, perhaps?"

"Something like that. I couldn't help but think about something I wanted more." he raised his foot, as if taking the first step of a stair. He then lifted his other foot to be level with it. 

He was above the ground!

It... took effort, more than he'd like. But it'd be worth it. He had stamina to spare. He reached down, and pulled free his silk socks, letting the dirtied things fall to the ground. He would make new ones, when he had the time. 

Chakravartin rose higher and higher, beginning to cackle, as he looked below him to the Ronin, "Kekeke, tell me, swordsman, have you any way of attacking me from the air?"

Takezo stared, wide-eyed, at the magic in front of him. He had seen bizarre and wondrous things since coming to the Omniverse, but something about seeing a human figure supsended in the air affected an animal brain part of him. Something instinctual, that looked at a human floating free, and found itself in at least a little bit of awe. 

His eyes shifted over to the roiling purple marble that his previous opponent- a more honorable man that Chakravartin, at least, had left him. Had he known something like this would happen?

Chakravartin rose even higher, before lifting a finger. The Palace Taihou appeared on its end, and the Saru caught it, forcing it to compress, to concentrate. "Human, for me... that whole affair was a game. Not even a proper tournament in the end. Inconsequential." Chakravartin announced, "I hold no quarrel with you, and in fact, for punishing the abominable hybrid as you have, I might be inclined to reward you... knowing this, do you still wish to duel me?"

Takezo grinned.

[Oleander]

Though it would be grand to fight a flying man, if only for the sheer thrill of slaying one unbound by natural order, Takezo knew his limits. He flicked the little sphere in his hand away. "For now, we'll call it a draw." The awe that had appeared was only momentary. After it passed, he was back to his usual elf. He wobbled to his feet, before stretching his back. "I doubt either of us have it in us to fight a full duel." Chakravartin smirked at the audacity of the man. It was clear who had the upper hand here, yet Takezo really wanted to call it a draw? "Even if I do fight you... I doubt you would accept a loss anyway. You strike me as a child. Petty, unstable and whimsical. You have no honor and your word is meaningless, because you don't know the value of a true warrior."

Those words hurt. "HAH! I know how to fight! I was a god--"

"I did not say how to fight. You don't know how to be a warrior." Confusion was Chakravartin's initial response. The swordsman saw it on his face. "I will cut down an enemy without mercy, because they would do the same to me. I keep a promise, because it means I have to work harder, to be stronger. I never lie because that would be an easy way to overcome a challenge."

"So you're a goody-goody? Where are you going with this?"

Takezo chuckled. "Your word is weak. Physically you may be strong, but you are no true warrior." With that, Takezo turns his back to Chakravartin. The child-god could easily attack him from behind, kill him where he stood for his bold accusations, but it would only prove Takezo's statement true. "You have already lost to me. After all, I fought your battle for you." The swordsman began walking. He had said his peace. Inside Dante's Abyss, he would not have hesitated to slay Chakravartin, but this was no longer a game. He had a name to build for himself. Chakravartin was left behind him, to contemplate the man's words. Defeated? By mere words? He had been belittled in the span of a few seconds to the point flight felt less impressive. He may be airborne, but Takezo looked down on him more than before. And his Taihou was at the second stage, ready to throw to devestating effect... the question was, should he?

[Larfleeze]

...

The energy in his palm was compressing further by the second, becoming more and more dangerous. 

....

If he didn't throw it soon, it would likely take his own arm off. 

...

He wished Han was here. 

Damn the samurai, damn him. Damn humans, and their words, and their tenacity, and their... warriors. 

He sighed, and lowered himself to the ground. He looked at the violet Taihou that Cirrus had left behind- nearly at full power, and created while Cirrus had far more strength than Chakravartin had. If the ronin had thrown it... well, it wouldn't have killed Chakravartin, but it most assuredly would have hurt. Possibly even enough to put the ronin at equal-ish footing. 

He prided himself on creating a culture of warriors. They had their own codes of honor, they fought to the death with a smile, they made deals, and tournaments, and bet on each other and themselves. Games like Dante's Abyss had been the norm on the world he had created...

But how often did he participate? 

He handed down Divine Law from his private realm, speaking through the lips of one Saru King or another. His hosts would come and go, some more powerful than others, some more attractive, more charismatic, more merciful, more ruthless. 

He handed down laws, and the kings put them into effect. 

He declared festivals, arranged tournaments, and watched with merriment as the controlled chaos unfolded. He watched his warriors, with their lives filled with death and honor and bloodshed, and thought "Yes."

But those few times he took control of his host...

What had he done?

He passed out more laws, wiped out those unnecessary with a display of overwhelming and effortless power, and then would end the life of his host, spilling enough blood to ensure plenty of descendants to reincarnate from. 

Often, he spent less than a day among them, held in mortal flesh, before he killed that mortal flesh and returned to being a god. A few hours... every few thousand years. And in none of that time was he a warrior like he wished his subjects to be. Takezo...

Would have been a good Saru. 

He dropped the Taihou into Cirrus' own. The two spheres detonated off of each other, two fully-charged Taihou exploding simultaneously. Takezo whipped around, hand on the hilt of his blade, eyes wide, filled with dissatisfaction that the child had still dared to attack- "So you really are a fool-" and then looked in confusion at the newly-formed crater, and the childish golden god lowering down into it, "Eh?"

He did not touch the ground- it would have been a waste, to squander his new abilities like this. 

"You are wrong about me, swordsman." Chakravartin announced, "I can accept a loss! You humans defeated me before, and I left them their world as a prize! I could have turned back as I fled, and destroyed the planet Earth from high above, where they never would have seen it coming..." He looked at the crater below, "...As I could have done now. I am not honorable, swordsman, I defined honor! For millions of years, subjects looked up to me and asked- my brother stole fruit from my garden, tell me, should I kill his wives and children? And I said no! Kill the thief and the thief alone, and the quarrel shall be done. Questions upon questions, of right and wrong, of good and evil, and I answered!"

Takezo was staring at him, trying to decide whether this was the selfrighteous mumbling of a priest, the tantrum of an insulted child, or something else. 

"...But I never was a warrior myself. Among gods, there were no competitions. You were either the greatest, or you were not. For the longest time, I was the greatest. And then I was not." Chakravartin let out a long-suffering sigh, "And then came the Omniverse, and I'm a god no longer..."

"Words are cheap. Are you going to leave this a draw, or are you going to throw a fit and try to 'smite' me?"

"...It is not a draw, because we did not duel. As you said, I'm not a warrior. But I think I can respect you as one. You're a masterless samurai, correct? Would you like a master?"

Takezo sneered, "You?"

"I think it was my calling to lead warriors."

"Find someone else."

"Fine, fine. Thank you for your kind words, swordsman." Chakravartin lifted away, looking towards the gate where Cirrus had gone... He would not get revenge on the hybrids for beating him. 

But he would get revenge on the hybrids for killing one of his most ancient friends and for turning traitor on him after millions of years. 

"I wish you luck." Chakravartin announced, before passing overhead, aiming for the Vasty Deeps' Gate.

Shinmen, if you need me to make any changes, lemme know.

[Oleander]

If anything, the speech left Chakravartin at a far lesser standing than before. For now, the ronin held his tongue. A man that made rules but did not abide them was scum. Pathetic, with the wrong kind of power - often that he did not deserve, or even earn perhaps. Takezo often made his fun by cutting down such pathetic excuse for men. Perhaps one day, Chakravartin would be one of the many to fall by his sword.

For now though, this was the end of their meeting. Chakravartin, the far fallen god, and the 'lowly' human picked their paths and continued on. The ronin would hunt him down later, Chakravartin was well aware of this. Their battle was postponed for now, but it was not over. Now Takezo had more than just an unfinished game as his reasoning, but a rivalry that the Fist of God had unwillingly created.

Who was he to try and recruit Takezo? Chakravartin was not the Strongest Prime, so he could not offer training. No, he simply wanted to use Takezo as a tool. The swordsman's features sour at the very thought. He would get nothing from such a fealty. Even if he were promised something, the child-god had said he did not follow his own code of honor. It was laughable.

Actually, it was quite funny. As Takezo stride towards a random gate, he chuckled. "Fealty to a false god... I think not..."