Battle Against a (Fake) Dragon

9:00 am on Sunday. Once again, she is in an arcade playing. Her friends would be busy for a few hours before joining her today, so for now she is stuck playing alone. Not that it matters much. She is using her casual attire. A simple gray jacket, hoodie and red t-shirt below them. Simple pants and sports shoes.

Someone to play on her level would be good but few people there at this hour would be on her level. Her heads swing slowly, each one staring at different things, the middle head resting its chin on her shoulder, staring at the screen with her, her left head staring at a child eating a bag of chips, while the right head just fools around, totally spaced out.

People would be overwhelmed, probably, with the input of three more heads on their body and mind, but she has long gotten used to it— she was born this way. Although sometimes she wouldn’t be able to keep up with some of her heads fooling around.

A peaceful day, indeed. Up until she heard something heavy breaking through a wall of the arcade with loud sounds of breaks being broken. A feeling of urgency spikes in her chest, a dust cloud forming, made of the debris of the wall. Orochi raises her t-shirt to nose level, putting her arms before her eyes, to protect from the dust cloud. With a heavy intake of air, she holds her breath as she walks towards the entrance of the Arcade. On the way, she sees a heavy metal garbage atop of the shattered wall. ”What?” A knot forms in her stomach, something bad is on the way. She could feel it.

Making her way to the entrance, the sound of screaming becomes louder, as if a catastrophe had hit the area.. “Shit.” One doesn’t need to piece one and two together to get what was happening. A villain attack. She walks carefully, trying to see what is below her feet while she walks, to not trip over or step on someone wounded

From the entrance of the arcade she sees a visage of chaos. A car turned over, with smoke coming out of it, as well as fire on the sidewalk on the other side of the street, a bunch of things burning.

Stepping outside, her feet steps on something slippery. Looking down, there is a blood stain. Looking just a little to her right she sees a hero. A gray and yellow outfit, ruined by combat, having an entire section missing on the right side. The hero is unresponsive. Her mouth dries out, without wasting time she approaches the man with worry. “Sir, are you okay?”

With a better view of his body, the right side of his chest being mutilated by what she thinks is a type of saw-wound. Almost torn open with gore parts showing as fresh blood gushes from the wound. Her head becomes dizzy as a ringing starts inside of her ears, deafening the screams. Although she does want to admit it, disgust shows up in her face by the exposed wound. Despite the damage, his chest still raises up and down, albeit erratic.

Although acquainted with wounds, most of the time they are her own wounds, not someone else’s wound. Her stomach tries to spill its contents but she is able to hold it back. Kneeling before the man. Her vision spins and waves a little by the scene, a struggle to keep her vision focused. Despite this, Orochi tries her best to search for any identification, doing her best to ignore the exposed wound.

On the ground near the bloodstain, she sees an identification sullied in blood. Swallowing dry, she raises her left hand towards the ID, taking with care a shiver of aversion sparks through her hand. The blood is cold and stains her fingers with ease. Someone else’s blood, of a Hero who fought a villain.

In the backs of her mind, her instincts scream of danger but she ignores them. There is a wounded man on the ground, she should help him first, run away later. She wouldn't forgive herself if she ran away and left a hero to die. With her other hand, she rubs the blood off the ID, revealing the name of the Hero: Sturdy Hero: Stoneman.

She rubs her right hand on her pants, trying to clean it enough to be able to write without issues on her phone. Pulling out her cell phone out of her pocket, she dials the emergency. As the call ringtone echoes through the burning street she is taken back from her daze, screams still echo in the streets. The villain may be around. Standing up, she looks around. Anxiety and nervousness are starting to catch up with her. A Hero already fell by this Villain, what she, as a student could do?

The ringtone goes on for a few seconds, cold sweat starting to run down her back, paranoia filling in. Without realizing, by instinct her head moves menacingly, moving around her in almost mcoil-like position, to defend Orochi. Someone answers her calls. She licks her lips, trying to hydrate them.

Her throat is dry, due to the smoke she has been ignoring, due to the feeling of vomit and anxiety spreading through her. Taking a heavy gasp for air, she tries to answer. Avoiding looking directly at Stoneman, to not trip over her words. “A-Atsushi Orochi. Hero Student of Shiketsu High. I think the area I am in is under attack by a villain. Hero Stoneman is hurt. I think it is grave— I don’t know how long he has, or any type of medical aid capable of helping him.”

The words exits her mouth flawlessly, the set of training children receive to know how to act in a dangerous situation or in a catastrophe, the discipline and training of her middle-school snaps her into a calm mindset. Make no mistake, she still is scared and jumpy, but a part of her is in enough control to know what to do, the right thing to do. “Alright, Atsushi-dono. We are dispatching heroes to your position. Focus on evacuating from the area.” The man answered her in an almost blasé tone, as if he had done it many times already. A traitorous and cynic corner of her mind thinks: ”He probably has.” Yet she refuses to believe someone would lose empathy to that point.
Pumping blood faster through her blood, her body starts to produce adrenaline, to trigger a fight or flight response at any sign of danger. She doesn't think herself to be a coward, yet the anticipation in her core couldn’t be denied. It isn’t for the thirst for a fight, but to RUN away. Get to safety as soon as possible
Running away would be the best option, she had seen how hurt the man is. Looking towards his chest, she could see it faintly rising and lowering. Despite the aversion to the brutal wound in his chest, this time she doesn't turn her vision away, as if to reaffirm to her that staying is the right choice. To not abandon him. He is breathing. He still has a chance! She wouldn’t let him die alone, even if she couldn’t do anything to help him. Gazing at her hands, she sees the ID still in her left hand— she didn’t drop it. She puts the identification on the man’s uniform, it is his,she shouldn’t be holding his ID, especially when help comes and identification becomes a priority.

Recalling moments earlier there were a bunch of people inside of the Arcade too. She needs to alert them. Most buildings nowadays have a safe-room in case of a Villain Attack. The staff probably is getting other kids and teenagers there already. Yet there could be people hiding or standing in the entrance, in a state of shock or just lost. She needs to help them too and warn them. Orochi runs back into the arcade, to see if anyone else is there. Who does she want to fool? Of course there will be people there! It is an arcade! Making her way in, a bunch of teenagers more or less in her age, and a bunch of kids, are there near the entrance, confused, scared. “W-who is there?” one of the kids asks in a scared tone, as she makes her way in. “Worry not… It's me, Atsushi Orochi.”

Some of the kids and teenagers that use the arcade as a hang out recognize her, while some of the new kids only recognize her name by the “fame” of it. “I’m a hero student, so hear me out! Go to the staff and ask for them to let you guys in the safe-room. This place has one so you guys just need to ask! Gather everyone you guys can and take them away from the entrance! This place is a very bad spot to be. I already called for help, but you guys should call for the emergency too! Alert your parents, tell them where you guys are! Now, move out!”

A meek and shy voice calls for her, focusing on the source of the voice, she sees a girl, more or less her age. She is sweating bullets, she would be too if she hadn’t been trained for this kind of stuff. ”And even then, I’m scared.” “A-and you, Atsushi-San?”

“There is a wounded Hero on the entrance's wall. He was roughed up. I’ll keep him company until help comes. You guys, focus on keeping yourselves and everyone there safe, okay?” Although some are lost on what to do, they nod. Like she said and thought, someone on the staff calls for the kids and teenagers there, as well as other staff members who may be dazed by the situation. She nods back, running towards the entrance once more.

Being outside once again, the scream of a man cuts through the streets. She only sees the rough shape of his silhouette flying, being thrown against a building. Even from there, the sound of a wall breaking can be heard. Standing there is a figure, bathed in blood, with giant, menacing chainsaws.

Almost as tall as her mother, but with muscles and figure that could’ve been more in line with a wrestler. Her eyes lock on hers. Rather than eyes, her eye sockets shine with a scarlet tint, like a predator atop the food chain. Behind the woman, she could only see the red paste… and bloody chunks of what used to be people. Without warning or rhyme, her heart beats faster. Faster than ever in her life, so strong she can hear and feel the blood pumping and the beating in her ears. The need to vomit arises once again, stronger than before yet unable to go further as the knot in her throat tightens. She had never seen carnage before. She never saw what a wicked villain could do to people.

Tears formed in her eyes, genuine tears borne of fear. Staring at that thing’s eyes being like staring at a red and tempestuous storm of rampage. A feeling she never knew in her life, always so sure of her own resilience and regeneration sparks inside of her brain. No, it screams at her, its voice almost deafening. YOU WILL DIE. There is no way to face this creature, there is no way she will survive if she fights it. Even while she stared into the Villain’s eyes, it failed to recognize her. Better, it hadn’t even processed her existence yet— just another prey in her concrete jungle.

Rather, the villain is looking at the wounded Hero, as one looks at a job left unfinished. A throbbin grows in her body, prompting her to run away from the figure covered in gore, to run and not look back. “I should do it— there is no way I will win, I must get help…”. Without her input, her legs shake, almost making her fall on her knees. Yet she stands, almost turning on her heels and running away. Her mind trailing back at a casual talk she had with her cousin. A villain with giant chainsaws. A creature in human form. She is-

Feeding Frenzy

No one would blame her for running away. No one would chastise her for not fighting this battle. It is the right thing to do, isn’t it? Who would be insane and strong enough to fight this monster? She isn’t. Her parents, older sister and cousin can be strong enough but she isn’t. The primal fear, the fear for one’s own survival, speaks loud to her. She turns away, to run away.

However, before she can start, maybe the righteous and moral side of her made her do it. Maybe her pride or stubbornness. She doesn’t know. She looks towards Stoneman. For a split of a second, seeing his eyes wide open, as if judging her. Mocking her. He stood and fought this monster, even with his life on the line. He paid the price, but he fought.

Is she a spineless girl, like the ones she despises so much? Is her will to become a hero so weak? Would she break before this villain, without trying to do ANYTHING AT ALL? Leaving this hero, the people inside the arcade to be butchered? No safe room would keep this creature out. Her head stares at the creature, she will move soon. How much time she wasted just standing there, being a coward? Where did her confidence go? Biting her lower lip with all of her strength, she makes a decision. The most stupid, selfless and moronic decision of her life, short as it will become.

Using the adrenaline in her blood, she takes a stranded brick on the ground, probably part of the wall before it was broken. She takes it. Mustering all of her strength, she throws the brick as if it was a baseball. Without realizing, or simply ignoring it, she aims at Feral’s forehead, making the brick fly like a cannon towards her face. The brick hits home in a loud impact, breaking apart against Feral’s forehead.

Even with all of her might, and using a “projectile”, Orochi could only stare with dumbfounded horror at the scene before her. The villain is unfazed by it, worse, not even a single scratch on her head. Air escaped her lungs as Feral’s eyes stared deep into hers, finally being able to “see” her.

A voice fitting of a banshee or demon escapes the villain’s lips, as she breathes deeply the air infused with blood around her. “I know this smell. I know this scent- IS IT YOU, YOU BASTARD?” A roaring voice explodes from her mouth, making faint shockwaves spread through the air.

This time, she isn’t in control, without any input of her mind, she turns away and runs. She doesn’t need to see more, she doesn’t need to even think more about her situation: Feral setted her sights on her. All she can do is run. Once again, her own body surprises her, pushing far away its limits as she explodes forwards in a dash, pumping as much adrenaline in her bloodstream as it can. She is running as fast as she could, at a speed she never reached before, even after “pushing” her limits.

Like overprotective guardians, her head turns back, to keep tabs on the villain’s movements and feed her mind information. A throbbing born of adrenaline, fear and determination echoes inside of her, down to her flesh and bones. A feeling of dread, fear of death.

“GET OVER HERE!” The villain rushes her. Like a rhinoceros, the villain gives chase with frightening speed, ignoring Stonemen entirely. She cannot face Feral head on, she needs help. Any help. Despite the arcade being close to Shiketsu, there was no Hero Office nearby. ”Where can I run to?” Her fear ridden mind tries to think of somewhere, anywhere with someone able to help. Then, like an epiphany, she remembers the perfect place: Shiketsu. Maybe a teacher would be near or in the school to help them. She keeps track of her surroundings while she runs, scared to death over the prospect of tripping and being made another prey of the Apex Predator.

The villain slowly catches up to her, reaching frightening speed despite Orochi’s headstart and her own body pushing itself to the limits to get away.. “I got YOOU!” The villain jumps like a cat towards her, pointing her menacing chainsaws in her direction. Her world freezes, as her eyes try to see anything able to be used as a cover against the villain’s onslaught. A few meters ahead, an electric power pole. She could jump and roll besides it, making the chainsaw hit the power pole instead of her. It isn’t a guaranteed chance of succeeding, but is the best she has.

The muscles of her thighs ripping themselves due to the careless use of her strength, her ankles cracking, being overpowered by the strength exerted. Using all the strength of her legs, she jumps forward, making the ground below her feet break on the surface by the force of her jump.

She goes past the power pole, on the opposite side of her chainsaws. Her heads were able to see a confused frown bloom on Feral’s face. Too drunk with bloodlust, she hits the power pole with one of her chainsaws, making it stuck between her blades, as the other one goes past it, hitting the ground with strength, piercing and tearing through it. “GET OUT OF MY WAY!” She swings the blade stuck on the concrete, tearing chunks of it, without realizing her mistake. As her blades manage the impossible task of somehow rending through concrete, the metal blades hit the cable in the middle of it, tearing it and forcing in an instant an impossible large energy discharge to go through the villain’s body.

As if by instinct, she released the chainsaw before the discharge would hit her through it. Yet it wasn’t enough as a powerful voltage “jumps” towards her body like a lightning bolt. Feral screams with an uncharacteristic and out of place girly tone. Her flesh and the blood covering her starting to heat up and burn, making the blood dry on her clothes and skin, as lightning shaped scars burn across all of her body. Shaking like an earthquake, blood jumps out of Feral’s mouth as her eyes roll to the back of her school. Using this short moment, Orochi puts some distance between her and the villain. Had she died? She doesn’t want to know. The plan stays the same, go for Shiketsu. If she died, it was by her own actions and not her. This much she is sure. She turns back, to run away. As she stands back to run away, her instincts notice a peak of violent intent, as the roar of a chainsaw starts.

“Hey. Who said you can run away?” A feeling of dread runs through her whole body. She jumps forwards, putting all of her weight forward. The chain blade swings, hitting her at the upper arm and her left tail’s head, ripping out both. Bone and flesh are sawed off as flesh is torn with spurts of blood, spraying out like a faucet for a few seconds. A great pain bursts through her arm, and then to her shoulder. A burning yet cold pain spreading, as she feels the blood exit her blood through the new wounds. “AAAAAAAAaaaaaah” a bloody scream escapes her mouth as she barely dodges the chainsaw from ripping her in two. The burning pain shakes her blood and muddles her vision— greater than the pain she felt in the first fight of the tournament. Her vision once again becomes dizzy, as her body threatens to faint. She holds her stump, trying her best to stay awake and not faint by the pain. Biting her own tongue to take her focus away from her arm, Orochi stands up clumsily, assuming the best fight position she can in her condition. Her stump not stopping bleeding, coating herself in her ichor, making standing up hard by making the ground and her clothes slippery.

Her breath is ragged, eyes sunken in due to blood loss. Looking towards the villain, even with her flesh burned and scarred by the voltage of a power pole, it had done nothing but set her back. Once again, her instincts scream at her, to run away, to escape. Yet, just a glance at her stump is enough to make her realize the predicament before her. She cannot run away anymore. Her own heart is still beating hard and fast, a spark of defiance but deep down, there is no escape, and she knows it. “Wow. Good thinking in making me hit a fucking electric pole. What a way to cut my fun short. Hey Kid, why do you smell like that asshole? Seiryu.” The villain takes a few moments to remember the hero’s name, remember him only by his smell and fighting prowess. Despite being hurt, bleeding, and her whole body feeling like one big heartbeat, she could still find in herself the will for an act of defiance. She spits on the villain’s face. “Go fuck yourself.”

“Rude.” She swings her chainsaw again, but this time Orochi is ready…. as ready as her state allows her to be. Using the blood on her hands— her own blood, she throws it at Feral’s face, aiming at her eyes. Blood hits her face, directly in the eyes. Poisonous blood. For a solid second, Feral’s vision is blinded and hampered. “MY EYES!” Her movement falters as the villain starts to swing her chainsaw wildly.

Never too Late

Orochi runs equally as wild, barely avoiding the chainsaw swings. Seeing a garbage can, she runs to it, going behind it to use as a cover. She needs help, any help. Pulling her cell phone from her pocket once again, opening the GPS to see exactly where she is. This simple action becomes the mother of all struggles as her vision blurs due to a mix of stump bleeding, the adrenaline in her body finally fading, her own fear as the damning realization comes: She can’t escape anymore. Typing hastily as her fingers intertwined with her blood “hrlp mmw” in the SMS, posting it without thinking, marking all of her contacts, pasting the information of the area she is on. Someone has to appear. A faint heartbeat, the realization of what is going to happen clear her vision for a moment. She is going to die. Her mouth becomes drier than a desert as her eyelids weight increases. Once again, she starts to type on her cellphone. In a moment that felt like an eternity, she marks her parents. The times they were strict but meant well, how her father taught her kickboxing, his lame puns and good spirits, always loving her despite her bad grades in middle school, her many brawls inside class, her expulsion from some of the most well known middle schools of Kyoto.

Despite it all, he still loved her, he still tried to set her on a good path. Even when she was almost barred from attending Shiketsu due to her past record, he still managed to get her in. No matter how much she wanted to deny it saying “It is all my skill!” Deep down she still knows that she got in because of her dad. Her mother always tried to drill into her head how to be a “proper lady”, she never liked these lessons, she always preferred to be with her older sister and with her father. Despite her most rebellious days when she thought that smoking was a good idea to be cool, her mother went to the deep end to get her back, kicking and screaming. She never had a sterner lecture from anyone else. She regrets it. She always hated how many limits her mother tried to impose on her, how she wanted to chain her down with “being a proper lady”, she regrets not spending time with her, not hearing, looking away when she tried to explain. Does her mother still think of her as a rebel who would do anything to stray from “proper manners”? Will her mother think she still hated her?
Her sisters… Akane promised to take her in office when she graduated, to get her started with a bang in the Hero Community. Akane had promised many things, to get her the “best drinks to start” in the future when she reaches the age to drink. She promised many things, didn’t she? Yet, she would break all of her promises. The promises of a caring older sister that stood by her, even when she was in the wrong, the sister that always spoiled her.
What Kyoko will think? How will she grow with a dead sister? Her small and sweet little sister… Will she break? Would she be able to move on? She wouldn’t be able to see dear sister grow.
Yuusei. He would blame himself endlessly, the guilt will eat him from within, this is the type of person he is. All she wants now, mis to say that he is not to blame for this monster’s actions. Chris. Yui… She wouldn’t be able to help them. Make Yui and Chris open up, help them with their problems, and be a good friend. She will never play with them again, she will never see them again.

Tears fell from her eyes onto the screen of her phone. Breathing being hard, using all of her concentration amidst her blood loss and weakening strength to type her last words for her family, for her friends. “I love you. I’m sorry.” she posts the SMS.

With an annoyed roar, the Villain gets rid of the poison on her face. “What a nasty bitch you are.” She hears her footsteps, coming closer. “I can smell you. You can’t hide.” She bites her lower lip again, choking down any sobs that as much dares to try and escape her mouth as silent tears fall from her eyes. She can’t run from Feral, she will die here.

She relaxes her back against the trash can, hearing the footsteps getting closer and closer. Silent tears fall from her eyes. She never expected to die so soon— to die so young, even before becoming a hero. “Life sucks…” Orochi whispers. Despite it all, the shining blue sky with few clouds shone brighter than ever, a beautiful view.

If not by the promise of a violent death, she would feel at peace. Giving a glance to the buildings around, she sees a home with two floors. A window on the second floor before the street, a good view for a bedroom. *”Haha, these will be my last thoughts, won’t they?” Behind the curtain, she could see a small figure, hiding behind the window, yet wanting to see what was happening. A petite figure, staring at her with wide and scared eyes. A child, even younger than her small sister.

What Feral would do to them after she is gone? Would help come? Would they be safe? No. They are too close. She saw what Feral is capable of doing, they won’t be safe. Yet what she is able to do in her state? Pathetic, crying, dying? The faint strength of her heartbeats makes her recall the reason she became a hero, to try and protect the innocents. Those who cannot stand for themselves. She is going to die— But not as a pathetic crying mess. Her death will have meaning. She will stall Feral, as much as she can. The decapitated head of her tail regrows.

Once again. For the Last Time. She stands up, with the small flame of her last strength and determination. Though small, shining brighter than ever.

Battle Against a (True) Dragon

“Here you are—” Without thinking or trying to give the villain a chance to think, she rushes forward, jumping towards her shoulder like a rabid dog. Her body moved with the same strength and speed of the moment she tried to run away, taking the Villainby surprise. She is scared. She is scared of her own death, but she will fight! Her jaws wide open as her saliva thickens with poison, assuming a sap-like consistency. She bites on the right jugular of the villain, sinking her powerful teeth deep in her flesh, piercing through to inject poison deep into Feral’s bloodstream, her heads biting both sides of waist as the last one bites the villain’s left shoulder. This time, Feral flinches by the pain of her bites, trying in vain to shake her off. “You little shit!” The villain’s right hand drops her chainsaw, as her entire right arm becomes paralyzed. Feral, using the remaining strength of her left hand, holds Orochi by her neck. “GET OUT!”

With surprising strength for someone poisoned, the villain is able to force her way out, despite her teeth being sunk deep in the flesh of the Apex Predator, flesh is thorn out in a disgusting sound as the villain throws her away, ignoring her jugular and the sides of her waist being forcefully torn out into bloody messes. With overwhelming strength, the villain throws her like a rag doll. Feral’s eyes shine bright with rage and pain as her shoulders and side begin to numb by the poison of Orochi.

“GET FUCKED!” The villain’s feet connected to Orochi's spine, hitting her middle back in the bullseye. She feels her spine cracks and splinters alongside her ribs which fracture, puncturing her lungs with prejudice as some parts of it jumps out, piercing her chest from inside out. Her organs pushed forward in extreme pain. The air literally taken out of her lungs as blood fills it, being punctured by her cracked ribs. She flies a few meters off the ground.

She hits the ground limp. For the first time in her life, she had this type of injury. Her entire being screaming in pain as her body refused to hear her commands. “You bastard…” The villain grumped, like the paralyzed Orochi, she too is in no condition to move due to the venom in her veins. Tears continue to fall down her chicks. This is it, the final nail in her coffin. Yet, she still breathes, even if for a few more seconds, she must shoulder on— stall just a little longer.

Slowly, Orochi’s bones and organs snap back in place. Her spine forcefully reconstructs itself in the little time she has to fight, with powerful tugs, trying to put muscle and bone back together. With bloody cracking, her ribs move themselves to their position, hurting her from inside as her lungs have the ribs piercing them removed with rough, the same to her other organs. Screams mixed with blood to escape her throat. With pain, she gets up to her feet, as the snaps of her bones and the flesh being rearranged inside her.

She shouldn’t get up, but she has to. She will not allow Feral to cause another massacre— not while her body still draws breath. With the bloodlust focused on her, at least the people in their homes and other buildings would be safe.

She gets up, her lungs barely working as blood leaves her mouth and nose. Her legs and arms tremble, even her heads are disorientated, being mostly unresponsive to her commands. As her bones and spine heal themselves, she sees Feral’s movements start to return. She can’t let this be. This is the moment to attack.

Staring at her right hand, blood mixed with saliva falls on it. She clenches her fist. She advances, her legs shaking and refusing to “work”, her spine still not fully healed, her heads half limp and trembling against the wind. Her left arm was unable to muster its full strength. It is okay though, it will be enough. Her burst of strength finally dying out, much like her.

But she has to keep Feral busy, she cannot let her escape or let her attention drift to anything else. She forces her muscles and bones, feeling a pain excruciating her flesh. She needs every ounce of strength inside her body. With a jab she hits Feral’s jaw, Orochi flinches in pain, as if she punched a mountain’s wall with her fist. Just a little bruise appearing on where she had landed the jab.

Forcing her heads back in control, one of them hits feral belly, not with the full strength they could muster, below half of it even, but they hit. One hit the other side of her face, while the last one punched her right ribs. Simple moves, but the only ones she can do in her current state. She doesn’t stop hitting, feeling her first bruise as her heads slowly stop moving, hurting themselves while attacking Feral. Her ungodly resilience appears bigger than before. Her legs refusing to move to allow kicks, her arms too stiff to do anything besides simple punches.

She keeps punching, headbutting her with her tails’ heads last strength. “Let’s cut the bullshit.” Unexpectedly, no… she expected it. Feral gives a punch of her own, hitting Orochi’s fist. It is now a contest of strength, one she cannot win.

A shockwave spreads through Orochi’s fist, then her arm, then through her muscles. Feral’s fist drives her punch back, surpassing her strength as the bones of her fingers and forearm cracks and muscles strains, all but disabling her arm… she lost. There is no way she can hold the villain anymore, she did her best. She will die knowing that. “Your punch is good. I think you are a parent of the dragon bastard. Yet I trained with my brother to face someone as strong as him. I won’t be defeated so easily again.”

With her free hand, the Apex Predator grabbed her by the neck, holding her a few centimeters off the ground. Without warning, her other hand punches go into Orochi’s stomach, piercing her belly and exiting on her lower back. All strength left in body gone in a single moment, to her last attack. “Good figh-” this time, Orochi took Feral by surprise. Using her claws, she stabs into Feral’s chest, glancing at her heart with her claws. Her hand is coated with poisonous blood and venomous saliva getting in contact directly with Feral’s bloodstream through Orochi’s fingers, spreading her venom through her whole body. Her final words to this villain: “Should… have aimed for my heart… we only stop fighting… when we are dead.”

Feral releases the hold on her neck, making Orochi fall to her knees, as blood gushes from Orochi’s belly, her body pushed to the limit in a short time, and to a level she hadn’t done before. Biting her tongue, the villain advances. Her body slightly adapted to the poison of the Hydra already. “This bitch will pay-”

However before she could move to attack the weakened “hydra”, a giant’s fist hits her face, sending her flying for roughly ten meters ahead. “Shit… we are too late.” She sees the figure of Kaylee, as Yui and Chris came too- guess her plea for help managed to reach someone, after all.

“Hey, Orochi! Keep with me, Orochi!” Yui calls for her. Chris stands there, without words. His expression in shock. Heh, she too would be in shock by seeing herself so beaten up. “Thank you, guys… for coming.” Her consciousness started to slowly fade. “I’m sorry.”

(Monday)

With a heavy voice, Rosethorn announced to the class: “Due to the tragic events of Sunday, Atsushi Orochi will be out of the school for a week.”