Cyberspace; The Ultimus Collection

Chapter 36, Pest Control

Leech stood back up, face to face with Daniel once more. He stared into his piercing, glowing eyes, his glare a deadly weapon on its own. He then began to stretch. Shaking and moving his arms and legs all around. Cracking all his different joints. All the while a malicious grin creeping across his face. Daniel raised an eyebrow, looking at the possessed virus and fallen god with the upmost confusion. 

"You know, I was thinking. Why should we waste our time with such a drawn out and pointless routine? I mean, you want me dead, I want you dead. So why waste all this breath, all this power on this constant tug of war? I get stronger and pummel you, you get stronger and pummel me, rinse and repeat until one of us, most likely you, drops dead! It's idiotic! So come on, how's about one last final stand! A climatic show down where only one of us can leave alive!" Leech's power suddenly began to skyrocket, higher than ever felt before. "What do you say, guardian?" He snickered. 

"Doesn't really look like I have a choice." Daniel sighed. Daniel tried to loosen himself up, breathing slow and deep, reaching into the depths of his soul to further draw out the power locked inside. Eventually, he succeeded, and his power too began to rise to new heights, although not as high as Leech. 

"Atta boy! That's the spirit!" Leech got himself into his new fighting stance. Legs bent, body lower to the ground. His chin held high while his arm and tail remained relaxed. His feet wide apart, turned to intersect each other at a 90-degree angle. His other arm held back behind him, rigid, as if he were about to bowl a ball. Sparks arched at his palm. Red lines of energy formed at his fingertips, connecting each one in the shape of a pentagram. A red, energetic aura burst forth from the virus, swallowing the open space around it. Lightning jolted across his body. The sheer magnitude of his strength rocked the earth. Daniel too took his stance. Legs spread apart; arms outstretched forward. He brought his wrists together to join his two hands, fingers spread and bent. 

"Anime don't fail me now..." He said nervously. A small swirling ball of blue, green and gold energy started to from at the center of his wrists. It slowly grew larger and larger until it fit comfortably in Daniel's palms. Rock and rubble began to crack as the two beings continued to elevate their power. 

"Daniel..." Catelin whispered. Falling pebbles bonked her head. She looked up to see Derick laying on his stomach, hand extended. 

"Come on, it doesn't take a genius to know this place isn't safe." 

"He's right you know." Vincent agreed, creating a corrupt staircase out of the crater. "We need to get out of here." Catelin didn't say a word, she didn't even nod, she just took Derick's hand. He hoisted her up and out of the crater, and together the three of them backed away from the impending clash. 

"You know, this would be the part where I'd tell you to pray to your god! But let's be honest here, we both know I won't be listening!" Leech mocked. With that, Leech took a giant step forward, swinging his back leg around and planting it firmly into the soil. He thrusted his arm forthwith and a massive beam of energy exploded out from his hand. Daniel followed suit, shooting the charged energy from his palms, the force of the blast knocking him off balance slightly. The two lasers barreled towards each other, before finally colliding with impressive force. The collision created a large shockwave, pushing everyone back and shattering nearby windows. Stray bolts of lightning arched and broke off of the beams, burrowing and drilling into the ground, leaving behind deep trenches. A chaotic whirlwind of energy engulfed the area. Soon, Daniel started to become overpowered, his beam being pushed back by Leech's. Daniel broke his own stance, now just trying to hold back the overwhelming energy produced by his opponent. His stoicism faded, and he gritted his teeth in pain and desperation. He hopelessly tried to push back, to regain ground, some space, but to no avail.