Sonic The Hedgehog: Dark-Bright

[ UNIVERSE CENTRE ARC ] Chapter 84: The Clash of the Night

The battle intensified at last. Both the tiger and the hedgehog's energies surged, their spiritual auras reaching an explosive peak. The air around them buzzed with tension as if the universe itself held its breath.

J's white aura crackled around him, filling him with raw power and a burning resolve. His piercing eyes locked onto Sonic, a predator zeroing in on its prey.
"Ahh... this intensity!" J growled, a manic grin splitting his face. "I feel it—a rush like no other! Let's see how you fare against my invincible knives, you puny hedgehog!"

Sonic stood still for a moment, letting the intensity wash over him. He took a deep breath, his sharp eyes narrowing.
"Playtime's over," he muttered, his voice calm but resolute.

In the blink of an eye, they both burst forward, a collision of speed and ferocity. J moved with calculated precision, his energy-imbued knives slicing through the air. With a flick of his paw, he redirected the trajectory of his blades, aiming for Sonic's head. A strange, blue energy crackled around them, amplifying their speed.

Sonic's eyes widened at the sight but remained steady. He weaved and darted with precision, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectiles.
"Phew!" he exhaled, dodging a particularly close strike.

J sneered, his lips curling into a wicked grin.
"You think that's all these beauties can do?!" he taunted, his pawed arms moving like a conductor commanding chaos. The knives spun and whirled in the air before homing in on Sonic with blinding speed.

Sonic's mind raced.

[ So, these are the floaty knives, huh? They're not just fast—they home in on me, and he controls them with his energy. This guy's no amateur... but maybe—just maybe—this gamble will work.]

Determined, Sonic faced the knives head-on. As they hurtled toward him, he lashed out with his blade, deflecting them in a precise swipe. Sparks flew as the knives were parried. He surged forward, closing the gap between him and J.

"Smart move!" J admitted with a growl. "But I'm way smarter than that!"

The tiger morphed his knives mid-air, redirecting them to clash with Sonic's blade. The metallic screech echoed as their weapons locked. J seized the moment, summoning another knife and pressing the attack. His movements became frantic, his energy unrelenting. He stomped the ground, sending tremors that disrupted Sonic's footing. But Sonic wasn't one to be outmatched. He adapted, his speed and precision proving too much for the tiger's relentless offense.

In a desperate attempt to overwhelm Sonic, J lunged with both knives, aiming for a decisive blow. But as he struck, Sonic vanished in a blur. J froze, his eyes darting around in disbelief.
"Not this trick! Am I... really that weak?!" he bellowed, his voice cracking with frustration.

Sonic's voice came from behind him, calm and teasing.
"I've been using just a fraction of my power, bud."

J's eyes burned with rage as he whipped around.
"THE HELL WITH YOU!" he roared, abandoning all strategy. Fury consumed him as he lashed out wildly.

Sonic anticipated every move, sidestepping J's attacks with ease. Then, with a swift kick to the gut, he sent the tiger reeling.
"You've made this town suffer enough," Sonic declared, his voice firm and resolute. "This ends now!"

Curling into a ball, Sonic unleashed a devastating spin dash, slamming into J with incredible force. The tiger was launched into the air. Sonic quickly followed, landing a powerful stomp that drove J into the ground with a resounding impact. The dust settled, and the fight was over.

"Man, that was easy!" Sonic cheered, flashing a triumphant grin.

J lay on the ground, muttering incoherently, while his gang stared in shock and disbelief. Their leader—the King of Bandits—had been defeated. One of them stepped forward, trembling.
"We... we're sorry! We thought... with our king's power... we could take this town. But we were fools!"