Arc II: “Universal Threat”
Chapter I: “Cosmic Tournament”
Episode X: “The Alien Seekers & Stealers Gang”
“Your power’s not that bad. But I hope you can do better than that. You’ll need more strength if you wanna take me on!” Sikira boasted.
“I’m sure you’re right. But that won’t stop me from putting up a fight!”
Lian’s aura flared, silver light crackling across his grayish-blue skin as he surged forward, his strikes raining down like a storm.
Using this sudden burst of power, he was able to overpower Sikira.
“Now, Flash Spiral!”
“Hmph, Negative Blast!”
Her attack countered his art, hurling their merged energy back at him.
“I see,” he said as he jumped into the air to dodge, “so energy attacks won’t work so easily on you, will they?
That’s fine. I’ll simply rely on hand-to-hand combat.”
Lian slid a foot back, shoulders settling— then snapped forward, each strike cracking the air like split bamboo.
He used an old fighting style that caught Sikira off guard.
These moves!?
She created space between them with a step back, then smiled.
“You… you’re an Elandarian, aren’t you?”
Shock flashed across his face before he steadied his voice.
“Yes, I am. I’m surprised you were able to tell.”
“Yeah, there are only a few members of your race left here and there, but after all the time I spent in space, I’ve seen quite a bit.”
“In space, huh?” Lian peered at her with a skeptical look.
“Don’t let your guard down now! Spray Cannon!”
She launched a volley of aether blasts at Lian.
He managed to dodge them, but it left him wide open for her next attack.
Sikira chained together her melee attacks, then knocked Lian into the air.
“Big Soaker!” She shouted as she launched a large energy beam at him.
“Ahh!”
Lian tried to block the attack, but one of his arms was severed in the process.
“Oh no! It looks like Lian was seriously hurt by that attack! Is this the end for him!?”
“Ha, he’s an Elandarian, he’ll be fine. Right, Lian?”
Lian grimaced as he held his arm. He closed his eyes as he focused his energy.
Aetherous Hymn: Canticle of the Returning Bough…
“Verdant Requiem!”
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A majestic array of runes formed in a circle around his feet, the entire arena reflecting the glowing green light.
Sikira clapped her hands as she watched the miracle that unfolded before her.
“Impressive! I can’t believe Elandarians are capable of such a feat.”
As the light continued to glow, Lian’s arm slowly restored itself. Each pulse tightened the rune-circle; sap-green motes threaded tendon to bone as his art knit each part back piece by piece.
His aether drained rapidly in waves with each pulse of restoration.
By the final stitch of light, his breath was ragged—half his reserves siphoned into the hymn.
“Alright, enough games!”
I should end this before it’s too late! He smiled.
“It’s over.”
Puzzled, Sikira watched him in silence.
“I know how your technique works… I’ve found a flaw in your negative energy.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes. You only use them as counters! And that’s because they feed off the energy of your opponent’s attacks! So, if I can keep fighting you without the use of my aether-based arts, your greatest weapon will be rendered useless!”
“Hahaha!”
“What’s so funny?”
“Well, you’re right, but… not completely. Anyways, don’t worry about it. I’ll show you soon enough…” Sikira said, wiping a tear from her eye, “How wrong you are!”
Sikira took her stance again.
Lian took his as well, ready to anticipate her next attack. The two of them were locked in a standoff for several minutes.
“Things are getting tense in this battle between Lian and Kira. I wonder what will happen! Will it be Lian, with his cunning and regenerative abilities? Or will it be Kira, with her negative powers!?”
Sikira’s lips curved in a sly grin, eyes glinting with amusement.
What!? Lian blinked.
She Aether-Skipped in front of Lian, catching him off guard. He attempted to throw the first punch, but she vanished again.
She blurred in and out of sight with rapid Aether-Skips, each reappearance punctuated by a bone-rattling strike, her movements so fast the air itself cracked like whips.
She continued with a barrage of hits. Lian was pushed back by the pressure, barely able to keep up with her attacks.
“Heh, are you sure you can handle this?”
“Argh!”
Lian backed away when Sikira’s attacks stopped.
“Okay, that’s enough time wasting. Let me show you why you’re wrong about my technique.”
A cool pressure bled across the arena as Sikira’s aura inverted, white mist tinting to shadow at the edges
“W-what!?”
Sikira cast an art.
“Big Soaker!”
To everyone’s surprise, she launched the attack straight into the air.
“What!? What are you trying to do!?”
“Watch this!”
Mid-flight, the beam arced like a hooked comet, wheeling back toward its caster.
N-no way!
“Now, for my ultimate attack! Negative Destroyer!”
She launched a negative energy beam at her original attack, absorbing the energy. Then the attack went straight at Lian.
The negation beam drank color from the world as it advanced, swallowing the last shreds of Big Soaker and howling into Lian’s guard.
“Woah, isn’t that the same energy form as your attack, Akira?” Asuka asked.
“Yeah… guess she must’ve taken inspiration.”
Lian barely managed to block the attack.
“Oh, hey, you blocked that one this time! Good job!” Sikira teased cheerfully.
I knew she was up to something, so I unleashed all my power. It’s a good thing I did. That attack might have actually killed me.
“What’s wrong, Akira? You have such a serious look on your face.”
“Well… there’s just something strange about Sikira.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know… how to describe it… I can kinda feel people’s emotions and intentions thanks to the Spirit of Utopia. And I’m not getting good vibes from her. I’m just not sure I want to see her win this match right now…”
“I don’t know about all of that… but it looks like Lian was hiding a lot of power, right?”
“No… this match is over.”
“How do you know?”
“Look closer. Sikira’s had Lian on the ropes this whole match.”
“And? He’s using his full power now.”
“Yeah. His full power. Sikira hasn’t even used Spirit Resonance yet!”
With that statement, Asuka realized why Akira was so upset.
“Now, it’s over,” Sikira revealed her Spirit Resonance, white aether pouring off her like a steamy mist.
Oh no!
Lian panicked before her strength.
“F-flash Spiral!”
“Hehe, what happened to not using energy attacks?”
Shit!
Dirge of Reversal: Grand Chorus of Inversion!
“Negative Destroyer!” Sikira demolished Lian’s attack and blasted him into the stands.
The crowd shrieked as shards of energy tore through the stands, splintering stone seats and forcing people to dive for cover.
“Oh no! Everyone look out!” The announcer panicked, then ran away.
Panic rippled through the stands—metal seats screeched, vendors dropped trays, and the announcer’s mic cut to static.
Before they knew it, there was a massive spaceship casting its shadow over the island.
The vessel’s hull groaned as it eclipsed the moonlight, washing the island in a sick, metallic dusk.
“What is that!?” Akira yelled.
“Hmph,” Sikira flew into the air above the arena.
“This island… now belongs to the Alien Seekers & Stealers Gang!” She said as she threw her arms into the air.
Thousands of criminals flew out of the ship and started attacking people. There was chaos everywhere.
“Sikira!” Akira yelled.
He and the other competitors who were still here (Asuka, Rikito, Draig, Malek, and Rayon) flew into the air in front of her.
“Tell me! What is the meaning of this!”
“It’s just as I said. This island, and everyone on it. They all belong to the A.S.S. Gang now.”
“What!?”
“Now, now. Settle down, savage bloods,” A mysterious individual said as he flew down from the ship.
Kyte descended behind him, the sigils on his aether-suppressing collar pulsing faintly.
“You’re— that man that took Kyte away earlier! Where’s Riella! She should have been following you guys!”
“Oh, that poor guardswoman? She’s locked up on my ship.
She was foolish enough to try and challenge us, but it’s okay, we haven’t hurt her. I’m going to have lots of fun with her later…” He said as he licked his lips.
“Why you-!” Akira tried to attack him.
“Wait,” Rikito held him back, “We don’t know who these guys are yet. We’ve got to figure out what’s going on first.”
Akira sighed, taking a deep breath.
“Right.”
He turned back to the man.
“So, who are you people? And why are you working with them, Sikira!?”
She looked hurt to see them looking at her that way. But she didn’t answer.
“Come now, don’t take it out on her. It’s not her fault this had to happen.”
The man flew up next to Sikira, putting his hands on her as if he owned her.
“Sikira works for me because she must. To fulfill her goals, of course.”
“That’s it!” Akira charged in.
[Next Time on Lyte of Utopia]: “Fall of a God”
[Yield Levels]:
Sikira: 1b
- SR: 100b (Physical)
- Spray Cannon: x5
- Big Soaker: x10
- Negative Blast: x1.1 (Counter)
- Negative Destroyer: x100 (Counter)
Lian: 40b
- Suppressed: 2b, 10b
- Defeated: 5
- Ancient Elandarian Combat Style: x2
- Flash Spiral: x20
- Verdant Requiem: x1000 (Regeneration)
A.S.S Gang criminals: 100,000-100m
Akira: 2b
- Rage: 4b
Rikito: 3b
Asuka: 50m
Rayon: 1b
Draig: 10b
Malek: 800m