Bender - Battle Of The Nexus

Rage

As Chris stepped forward, his yellow aura radiated confidence, lighting up the arena like a beacon. "You think you can take me down so easily? You've got a lot to learn, Rage," he taunted, a smirk dancing across his lips.

Rage felt the words slice through him, igniting the flickering flames of his past. Chris was everything he had fought against—arrogant, self-assured, and utterly dismissive. "You think you're better than me?" Rage spat, his voice low and dangerous. "You're just another obstacle in my way."

Without waiting for a response, Rage lunged at Chris, summoning the dark red energy swirling around him. He aimed a powerful punch, but Chris effortlessly sidestepped, laughing lightly as he did. "Is that the best you've got?" he mocked, his tone dripping with disdain.

The laughter echoed in Rage's mind, a haunting reminder of all those who had laughed at him before. Each chuckle from Chris felt like a wound, reopening the scars of his past. The memories flashed in his mind—the endless training sessions, the scornful remarks, the relentless humiliation at the hands of his own teacher. "You will never escape the truth," the woman's voice echoed, sending a shiver down his spine.

In that moment of vulnerability, Rage's emotions surged, and his aura flared brighter, darkening to a menacing hue. "You don't know what I've been through!" he shouted, his voice reverberating with a mixture of fury and pain. "I won't let you belittle me any longer!"

With renewed determination, Rage unleashed a barrage of punches, each one powered by the memories of his past. Chris struggled to keep up, his cocky demeanor faltering for the first time as he blocked and dodged the onslaught. "Okay, okay! I get it! You've got some anger issues!" Chris yelled, his playful tone cracking under the pressure.

Rage pressed on, each punch fueled by the echoes of his past failures. "I'm done being the weak link! I'm done being the one everyone looks down on!" His fists moved faster, powered by the dark energy swirling around him like a tempest, each strike resonating with his tumultuous emotions.

Chris, now on the defensive, threw up a barrier of yellow energy to absorb the blows, but even he could feel the intensity behind each hit. "You're not the only one with strength, Rage! Let's see if you can handle this!" He released a concentrated blast of yellow energy aimed straight at Rage, but Rage dodged with a swift motion, using the momentum to propel himself forward.

"Nice try!" Rage shouted, his voice booming. "But I've learned from the best, and I won't fall for the same trick twice!" He launched himself into the air, the dark red energy crackling around him, and delivered a powerful kick aimed at Chris's midsection.

Chris barely managed to block it, but the force knocked him back, sending him skidding across the ground. Rage landed gracefully, his breath heavy but triumphant. "You underestimated me. I'm no longer the fool you think I am."

Chris wiped a bit of blood from his lip, finally serious. "Alright, I admit it. You're tougher than you look," he conceded, his cockiness replaced by a hint of respect. "But you still have a long way to go before you can truly call yourself strong."

Rage felt the sting of those words cut deep, but instead of retreating, it fueled his fire. "I'm done listening to anyone but myself!" he roared, energy pulsating around him. "You're going to regret ever stepping against me!"

"You think you're something special, don't you?" Chris taunted, his voice dripping with disdain. "But you're just a puppet for others, a tool used by those who see you as nothing more than a means to an end."

With each word, Rage could feel his anger swelling, transforming into an almost palpable force. He could hear the echo of the woman's laughter in his mind, taunting him about his failures. "You'll never escape this truth, Rage. You're forever bound to your past."

The visions flashed in his mind—the days of training under a merciless master, the relentless criticism that chipped away at his confidence. Each swing of his teacher's fist felt like a reminder of his inadequacies, a reminder that no matter how hard he tried, he could never measure up.

But that was then. This was now.

Rage's aura flared around him, dark red and fierce, pulsating with an energy that spoke of his suppressed rage. He clenched his fists, the weight of his past fueling him, pushing him beyond what he thought possible.

"Do you want to know what I've learned, Chris?" Rage growled, his voice low and dangerous. "I've learned that pain can be a catalyst. Every blow I took, every humiliation—I've turned it into strength."

With a surge of power, Rage lunged forward, launching an energy blast aimed directly at Chris. It was fast, fueled by desperation and the desire to prove that he was more than what others saw.

Chris barely had time to react, his confidence faltering as he raised his arms to shield himself. The impact sent him crashing against the nearby wall, the force of Rage's attack rattling the very foundation of the square.

As Chris struggled to regain his footing, Rage's eyes burned with a fierce determination. This was his moment—not just to fight for victory but to finally confront the shadows of his past. He wasn't just a mercenary; he was a force to be reckoned with.

As Chris staggered back from the impact, Rage seized the opportunity. He charged, moving with an agility that belied his earlier struggles, his dark red aura blazing like wildfire. He unleashed a flurry of punches and energy blasts, each one striking true, each one fueled by the raw emotion that had been pent up for so long.

Chris, once so confident, now found himself on the defensive. He barely managed to block one of Rage's strikes, the force sending him reeling. "What is happening?" he gasped, disbelief etched across his face. "You shouldn't be this strong!"

With a snarl, Rage closed the distance, his fists moving faster than Chris could track. "You've underestimated me for too long!" he roared, launching a powerful uppercut that connected with Chris's jaw, sending him flying backward. The world around them seemed to tremble with the force of Rage's blows, a testament to the culmination of his pain and determination.

Chris hit the ground hard, scrambling to regain his composure. But Rage was relentless. He advanced, energy crackling around him like a storm, eyes alight with fierce resolve. "You think your arrogance makes you invincible? Look where it's gotten you!"

Before Chris could fully rise, Rage summoned an immense ball of dark red energy, its power pulsating with his anger and frustration. "This is for every moment you thought you could look down on me!"

With a roar, he hurled the energy sphere at Chris, the sheer force of it lighting up the night. Chris's eyes widened in horror as he realized he wouldn't have time to evade. The blast connected with a resounding explosion, engulfing him in a blaze of destructive energy.

Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the aftermath of the collision. As the smoke began to clear, Rage stood amidst the chaos, panting but triumphant. The arena fell silent, the tension thick as everyone awaited the outcome of the clash.

Finally, the dust settled, revealing Chris lying on the ground, his form motionless. Rage's heart raced, a mix of exhilaration and disbelief washing over him. He had done it—he had defeated Chris, the embodiment of his past failures.

Finally, Rage's gaze locked onto a shocked Benji, his aura dark and menacing. "The Nexus is now bare to me," he declared, a fierce intensity in his voice. "I will get it."