Chapter 30: Destruction Over Nothing
Kirbo held his ground, watching as Pixel blurred forward, his movements precise and merciless. Within seconds, Pixel's needle arm glinted in the light as he jabbed toward Ducko. Ducko barely dodged, eyes widening in surprise as he brushed against the strike, turning to Kirbo with a mocking grin.
"A feisty disciple you've got there," Ducko sneered. "Not bad."
Pixel's face remained impassive. "Focus, Kirbo," he muttered, his tone flat. He didn't care for Ducko's comments and was already looking for the fastest way to finish this fight.
"Take Laugh," Kirbo directed, feeling Pixel's energy blend with his own in perfect harmony. "You're more in his league."
With a curt nod, Pixel shot toward Laugh, stabbing his needle arm into him, the sharp end sinking deep. Laugh let out a choked gasp as he felt his blood begin to drain, an unsettling sensation creeping through him. He struggled, confused and slightly horrified.
"W-what did you...?" Laugh stammered, a flicker of fear passing over his face.
Without a word, Pixel tightened his grip, his arm muscles flexing as he casually picked up half of a building—one Kirbo had sliced through in his earlier attack—and hurled it toward Laugh. Though his enhanced strength saved him from being flattened, Laugh's guard was down for a critical second.
"I bet I'll hit you," Pixel muttered, a hint of satisfaction crossing his usually stoic face. The attack landed perfectly, sending Laugh reeling as the sound of shattering ribs echoed through the street.
"What—what the hell?" Laugh coughed, grimacing in pain. He looked at Pixel, a mix of frustration and confusion. "How do you know my magic?"
Pixel shrugged, disdain evident in his eyes. "I never fight without knowing my opponent," he replied coolly. "Moron."
Laugh's expression darkened as he steadied himself, realizing he was not only up against his own power but an opponent using it against him. The two continued, Pixel closing in relentlessly while Laugh dodged and struck back, their attacks escalating in intensity. Laugh's luck wasn't saving him this time, with Pixel countering him nearly blow for blow.
Meanwhile, Kirbo squared off against Ducko, who seemed far more amused than worried. Ducko waved his hands, creating a massive, frothing monster made entirely of cake. Kirbo's blade flashed as he cleaved the creature in half with ease, the confection crumbling to the ground.
Ducko laughed as he clapped his hands, turning an entire building into layers of cake and reshaping it into a gigantic croissant-shaped raven. The raven's wings spread wide as it dove for Kirbo.
Kirbo grinned, shifting his stance. "Kinetic Skip!" he called out, channeling his energy into his blade. In a blink, he activated Time Hop to pause the world around him. With fluid precision, he sliced through the raven, bisecting it cleanly before time resumed, leaving the creature's two halves to fall apart.
Ducko only chuckled, clapping his hands slowly. "Impressive," he admitted, his voice dripping with feigned admiration. "But I've got more in store."
With a snap, Ducko sent a barrage of small cake missiles homing in on Kirbo. Kirbo shook his head, dodging each one, frustration building as the battle stretched on. "How much magic could one person have?" he muttered, annoyed.
Suddenly, a massive cake frog formed beneath his feet, its wide mouth opening to swallow him whole. Kirbo disappeared within the sugary creature, only for him to explode out seconds later, cake bits flying everywhere.
Kirbo's face hardened as he raised his blade. "This is getting old, Ducko," he warned. "This ends now."
He surged forward in a flash of light, aiming a strike that would surely finish Ducko. His blade cut clean through—but as the figure fell, it disintegrated into nothing but crumbs. Kirbo sighed, rolling his eyes in exasperation. Ducko's ability to create clones was proving to be an endless annoyance.
Meanwhile, Pixel continued his assault on Laugh, wearing him down blow by blow. Laugh stumbled, breath coming in shallow gasps, clearly on the verge of defeat. But as Pixel prepared to finish him off, a sudden rumble filled the air, followed by an icy chill.
A massive iceberg, larger than two city blocks, erupted in the center of the battlefield, towering high above them and effectively splitting the area. Laugh took advantage of the distraction, staggering to his feet and stumbling off, vanishing into the shadows before Pixel or Kirbo could intercept him.
Pixel narrowed his eyes, scanning the chaos, while Kirbo turned to see JLC crashing through a building, propelled by a powerful blow. A split second later, D.Y.L.A.N. appeared, his metallic form glinting as he closed in, relentless in his pursuit.
Kirbo frowned, realizing the futility of continuing this fight with so much chaos erupting around them. "Pixel, go help JLC," he commanded. "This isn't over," he muttered, watching the direction Laugh and Ducko had escaped.
Pixel nodded, his form blurring as he darted off toward JLC and D.Y.L.A.N. Kirbo exhaled slowly, sheathing his blade. "Another day," he murmured, feeling the weight of unfinished business hanging in the air. He turned, heading back into the city, ready to regroup and plot his next move.
