> Under the wind, beneath the surface. The great fire of might, growing strong and proud.
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With strains and struggles Probacon attempted to escape, all but to no avail. As though nearly static, confined to that position by something unnatural.
Purogu looked on, and though mildly disappointed, she foresaw this likelihood, and simply sighed out.
“Did I not divulge my sword’s release state? What else is there to note?" She asked. "Wha-?,” asked a perplexed Probacon with a single jolt, still processing whatever was taking.
She followed to close her eyes, dropping her shoulders and sighing yet again..
"Are you just sharp in noticing but unable to widen your view…?".
"Urk…that was harsh…and where the heck did it come from anyway?"
"Forget it. I won't bother anymore.” She said as she turned away, leaving him more confused than before.
She sure is strange…she was nicer like, a moment ago…, thought Probacon with a face twisted in puzzlement, contemplating the unorthodox shift he had witnessed
She still sorta is, but...no, let’s not dwell on that for now…
The train of mentation he had begun continued to flow, in search of answers to his situation and beyond. So, she said I paid little attention to her power…but how!?
It was “the power of biology”, right? What would that have to do with...
OOHH!! So that’s it, huh?!
Probacon raised his head, widely grinning.
Purogu turned to him in confusion as he spoke triumphantly. "So…this is it, huh?"
“Y’know, when you said your power was that of biology, I expected the usual stuff like summoning animal spirits and floral blasts, but this…”
"Fossilized resin and excessive bioadhesives, both of spiritual nature added to that? That makes it even cooler than I envisioned."
Purogu smiled a little, more pleased to see that that wit did not have the limits she had initially seen.
So he’s as apt as ever, meaning… She thought, as she walked towards him.
"Certainly.”
Probacon stared in intrigue and questioning, with his left brow raised.
Purogu stopped walking, keeping a cautious distance from her immobilized opponent still.
"In any case, as long as I don't remove those elements, this moment is quite perilous for you regardless.” She declared authoritatively and with reverb with the tip of her blade pointed at him.
But Probacon’s was then a simple smirk.
A smirk which caused David to peer forward, detecting the Djin’s sudden outward shift.
"Welp…” Probacon spoke to Purogu as his head rose slightly, gaining a stare of inquiry from the Shinigami herself.
”Maybe!" Of course, further perplexions of the majority who currently partook of this gala were formed, primarily as the words made little sense.
What…?, thought a deeply confused Purogu, though her outward self kept a calmer demeanor.
"Huhhh!??" Many of his fellow combatants would exclaim in unison.
Whilst Tōmii and Dgiag simply chuckled in unison.
"What…do you mean?" Purogu asked hesitantly, desiring to cure her confusion.
Probacon tweeted out a loud whistle from the depths of his self.
He then turned his head to hidden parts of the platform almost none could see and called out, with Purogu immediately following suit with hurry. "Alright! Hop on out now."
A figure jumped from all the depths of those corners, leaving Purogu absolutely dumbfounded.
"Sheesh. Why so long, dude? Any longer and I'd be a fossil right now,” said another Djin who stretched his body, and appeared just like Probacon in all ways.
"Wait…it's–!” Purogu exclaimed in realization.
"Got me,” jested the second Probacon upon raising his arms, who could be easily assumed to be the original.
The crowds roared in cheers, once again amazed by the ingenuity.
"AMAZING!!!" Wok shouted in enthusiasm. "That stuff never gets old…whatever it is…"
"One thing we can align in belief in, Wok,” noted Noot, with Wok immediately proceeding to faintly question Noot’s identity.
"I agree. It's a common move, but when well-executed. classic misdirection. Wouldn't you agree…,” said Fighter, looking over to his side with the corner of his eye.
"Young heir." And there was David, gleaming onto with deep pride a display he and others deemed fantastic.
"But…how?" Purogu asked in an ever-growing confusion. "I barely noticed."
"...Remember when you seemingly "cut" me a few times earlier on?” Probacon responded.
Purogu was once again hit with realization, noting that she had been outsmarted in this instance. So that was it…
"Then…your spirit energy…no matter its form, a Shinigami can sense it…”
Initially, Probacon was a bit dispositioned by the inquiry as he didn’t know what specifically she meant, so he scratched his head slightly for a short while as his initial reply.
"Oh! Now that was the hard part. The nature and origin of this plan are easy to see. But since I can’t create illusions, I used instead a little trick I just learnt in energy suppression, especially to prevent detection. And to a level so low, it would be funny if it weren’t so possibly deadly!"
To the greater others, his words would bring a wave of both great understanding alongside further confusions. For it was quite the strategy, and the measures taken for its success were nothing short of extramundane.
Purogu simply kept an eye on the original, thinking through the steps he presented in her mind
That's insane! Many of his allies thought in a more general sense, while the Nafiman prince just chuckled.
"I mean…others have done it, but…most times nowhere near the bare minimum…” He continued to explain.
"But…with the vague info on your powers I got, I just had to use the mental ‘gift’ I have, and come up with solutions for whatever came ahead."
"Eh!?" Purogu exclaimed with a jump and a half, and her perplexion grew even more. “Oh yeah…well, this was kinda from Fighter.”
He then bent forward to whisper, loud enough she could hear but that most outsiders couldn’t. "He said, apparently, it seemed my “cranium” could sorta…prep up ideas and the likes of sorts for possible situations based on current data on a whim. He did say I've yet to truly grapple it for now though, so it may be sorta shoddy at times.” At the same time, he recalled a prior meeting with Fighter after his battle with Cheftic.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
She looked at him, no longer perplexed, but with a different feeling of confusion altogether
"Still, pretty impressive, am I right?”
Purogu smiled, in a deep-rooted approval. So he is capable of even doing that, formulating plans and contingencies…
"Hm. Quite impressive, Djin Pro.” She said, making the Djin react in bashfulness.
"Still…
"Is it not foolish to present yourself to me at this very time?"
Probacon chuckled at her statement, and of course, her confusion was nothing short of apparent.
"Ha Haa. Haaa…no way you thought I'd create only one clone." He said with a frivolous voice, as from the areas behind him did other clones appear as well.
Purogu beheld the sight with indifference, since she had previously perceived this likelihood.
"Also, the middle guy isn't the main me.” All said in a united echo.
"Try and find out which!"
"Ready when you are!" Purogu exclaimed boldly, rushing at the small armada of Djins.
What came next was an engaging five versus one, though there was no particular change in the measures the two possesed, still possessing relativity in comparison. It was a match made in heaven, as Purogu’s biotic acuity allowed her keep the Probacons in check via means of bioelemental, bioenergetic, biodynamic, biochemical, bioelastic, biomechanic, bioadhesive and biomass elements to push against the Djin, primarily to force them back or restrain them, though some of these were not all to effective due to their strange biological nature. The Djin acted in wisdom as well, consistently replacing their fallen selves at the last second, and focusing on ki for offense and the reflection power for defense.
It was a prolonged timeframe of happenings, and with each wave of biomechanic slashes, each blast of ki, each measure of defense, it seemed that the end was nowhere in sight for the time being.
Then Purogu shifted the tides, employing a move bolstered by a Lock Spell, which caused all the Djin to gather in one spot.
She followed up by charging up another ball of the biotic element, aiming it in the path of the Djin.
But then her weapon seemed to “ingest” the ball, absorbing it into itself.
It released it as a powerful blast of bioenergetic elements, which completely engulfed each of the Djin.
The blast had no real “killing” effect, so she now believed the contest concluded.
"Don't count the rest of us out just yet!," exclaimed an echoing of a familiar voice behind her, prompting her quick shifting of attention to its source
And to her astonishment, from all around her, ranging from the sky and beneath the ground, and even a few rifts in space, more Djin resembling Probacon reared their heads, all ready to attack.
"RAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
But Purogu raised her sword skywards, charging up another ball yet again.
She induced for its size to reach greater extents than before, to the point one could call it “astronomic”.
And with a grunt, she triggered its implosive detonation.
A detonation which completely swept away great lengths of her surrounding area, including the Djin that surrounded her.
Her relief was great, and thus she sighed, sensing likely victory and the survival of her opponent via his regenerative capacity.
But her relief was extremely short-lived. "I'm still here!!!" "Again!?"
And now Probacon, who looked without a doubt to be the original, was preparing energy in his hand as he came towards the surface.
"The high ground is mine now!!" He raced down with unfathomable haste, making his way to the position of the Shinigami.
He's far too fast now!!! Purogu thought.
In an instant, Probacon released a greenish beam of energy towards his fellow contestant.
To protect herself, she cast another soul spell which procured a barrier of hexagonal shapes at her front.
"Already saw that one coming!” And little by little he charged power into the beam, eventually transforming it into a grand ball at its point of collision with the barrier.
"TOR-PE-DO!!!" Probacon yelled.
The ball exploded vigorously, blasting away Purogu and her barrier, and inflicting severe damage onto her.
There was much anticipation for the next happening, with the masses peering their eyes onto the scene.
The next action was that of Probacon picking up his fallen opponent and propping her arm over his shoulders, displaying both his respect, and his gratitude.
And they cheered greatly for this, with applause sourced from them as well, as Dgiag announced: "BEINGS OF THE OMNIVERSE, THIS BATTLE'S VICTOR IS…DJIN PRO!!!"
《Victor: Djin Pro.》
Purogu then raised an unexpecting Probacon's hand in the air, showing to him a measure of her own mutual appraisal.
"You did well, Probacon...” She spoke rather faintly, almost slumping but with Probacon proceeding to catch her without delay.
"Hey, now! Don't push yourself over my win…" He admonished in concern, but she couldn’t help but chuckle ever so lighlty.
Hm. How thoughtful…Purified One… She thought as she closed her eyes, losing consciousness at a steady pace.
Meanwhile, David applauded from the seating.
Time and time again…you really are–.
"David!,” called someone to him, and he turned to see them. The trio of Drizzled, Hether and Galax, carrying less than gleeful expressions on themselves.
"What is it?"
"Something good…and something bad…", Hether stated with little fire.
And to the prince that was a sign that there were more problems rising.
***
Long after his bout, Probacon rushed down some halls, in an erratic hurry to get somewhere.
He stumbled on occasion due to his still not completely revitalized body, but lost not a spring in his step as he made his way.
Eventually, he reached that place of interest, a place of a sober mood. Standing amongst David, Fighter, Hether, Huo, Galax, Adashu and Kai, who all gathered at a particular area.
"...It’s true, isn’t it? They-They got…" He question in a mood of quiet erraticness. "Yes, Pro." Hether answered, calmer but not less emotional. "Wells is…"
"Gone.” David interjected, rising from his previous squat.
"And we could have prevented it…”
Probacon looked down in sadness and frustration.
A frustration that turned to burning anger.
And an anger that in turn, became desire. He began walking away from the rest of the group, determination all over his face. This evil…whatever it is…
He recalled all that had been lost as a result of these “shadow happenings”. Especially the persons, capable of remembering the face of each and every person whose face he had seen, and who had lost their lives as a result of this malevolence. And it drafted in him a feeling like never before.
Probacon swiftly returned to the current, completing his thoughts.
…I will snuff it, for the sake of all that is right!!!
Meanwhile his allies looked around, keeping up a search that Wells himself had undertaken, to honor him, and put things into perspective.
Suddenly David noticed something from the corner of his eye.
"What is that?" He said to Fighter as he pointed at something like a paper, who turned and noticed it as well.
He quickly went to grab it, but then it revealed a message ingrained onto the walls.
"Is that–!?" Adashu exclaimed, as the group gathered to see what it was.
It was written in strange text far unknown to many amongst them.
"This is…" Kai questioned with a puzzled look. "LŒckkurr text. An ancient language from a civilization far lost in many timelines…” David said, noticing and interpreting it.
"You recognize, Fighter?" He turned to Fighter and asked. "Yes. It's incredible really. Perhaps knowledge gained from his abilities at some point.”
"So? What does it say?” Galax asked whose impatience rose with every moment.
David looked at the words thoroughly, while also feeling the text, for this language was one that one not only understood, but also "felt" by those who knew of it.
He then came to his final interpretation.
"It says…" He began to speak, drawing the undivided attention of the most that were with him.
"’The Word speaketh of the beautiful ones, descended into impurity…corrupted henceforth by the entropic smears.’”
However, his translation was one of a confusing statement to a great number of their lot. "And…that means?" Huo asked, even more impatient than Galax, which stunned even the Kujijin. “Precisely as it says…”
"...And that our search has either easened, or gained more stress.” David quoted sternly…
《We draw nearer, or even further…》
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