Vilgax's feet seemed rooted to the highway, his massive frame barely shifting despite XLR8's strike. His head moved slightly, just a fraction of an inch, from the impact.
But that was all.
His facial tentacles whipped back and forth from the force, but his expression showed nothing except cold fury. The attack had done minimal damage, yet the insult cut deep.
Low harm, maximum humiliation.
His massive palms slammed forward toward XLR8's position, grasping only empty air and a fading afterimage. He couldn't even touch the Kineceleran's body!
One hundred meters away, XLR8 stood on the balls of his feet, examining his own legs with visible surprise.
"His face is like a steel plate," XLR8 muttered, flexing his clawed toes. "I can't even make a dent without using Wind God Leg..."
Without the martial arts enhancement, breaking through Vilgax's natural defenses seemed impossible!
"What's the point of running if you can't hurt me?!"
Vilgax extended both hands. Instantly, enormous slabs of concrete ripped free from the ground, each piece several times his own considerable height. With terrifying ease, he hurled them toward XLR8 like massive projectiles!
Whoosh!
XLR8 vanished from his position. The next instant, his body appeared on top of one of the flying concrete slabs mid-air. He kicked off hard from its surface, launching himself even higher into the sky!
Vilgax's head snapped upward, tracking the ascending figure. But the sun's rays struck his eyes directly, creating searing pain and blinding spots in his vision!
"Cheap tricks," Vilgax growled, narrowing his eyes against the glare. "It seems your reputation is built on nothing but parlor games, Asher Tennyson!"
He couldn't see XLR8's silhouette against the blazing sun, couldn't track his target at all.
"Wind God Leg, Third Form: Torrential Rain and Wind!!"
The shout came from directly above!
XLR8's body twisted mid-descent, becoming a spinning blue blur. Both legs moved with impossible speed, enhanced by the Wind God Leg technique. The assault came down like a meteor storm, hundreds, thousands of kicks in rapid succession, each one striking with devastating precision!
Crack-crack-crack-crack-crack!!
The collision sounds echoed like steel hammers striking anvils in rapid-fire sequence! Even XLR8 himself couldn't count how many times his legs connected, the speed exceeded his own perception!
"What kind of technique is this?!" Genuine surprise flashed across Vilgax's features for the first time. "It's even more powerful than your previous attacks!"
He closed his eyes instinctively, relying on his other senses. His monstrous body actually retreated step by step under the frantic offensive, feet leaving deep gouges in the concrete!
Pain erupted across every part of his body!
The strikes weren't individually devastating, each kick alone caused minimal damage.
But there were so many.
Everywhere at once!
XLR8's transformation of the Kineceleran, combined with Wind God Leg enhancement, had surpassed even the natural abilities of his own species using standard Omnitrix transformations!
Vilgax's internal analysis ran cold calculations even as his body weathered the storm.
This isn't the gang of Earth villains I've encountered, those were pathetic. This boy is genuinely skilled.
And there was another critical factor...
Vilgax had only confronted Asher after undergoing his special enhancement training!
If he'd fought this battle before his cybernetic improvements, the gap in power would be much narrower. Asher might have actually inflicted serious harm!
Like a true challenging opponent. A hard-fought battle requiring everything he had!
Fortunately...
He'd received those enhancements.
The storm of kicks finally subsided.
Though bruises covered Vilgax's skin, there was no effective damage whatsoever. His reinforced physiology remained intact, his breathing steady. He didn't even feel particularly winded, just a dull ache across his body.
"Is that all you have?!"
XLR8 withdrew his assault, exhaustion finally catching up to him. He flipped backward with practiced grace, landing on the cracked highway twenty meters away. One knee dropped to the ground, both hands braced against the pavement as he gasped for air. The physical toll was enormous!
"Finished already?"
Vilgax opened his eyes, fixing them on the winded Kineceleran. His expression morphed into something truly terrifying, a predatory grin that showed too many teeth. "Then it's my turn!!"
BOOM!
A plume of dust erupted from where he'd stood!
His body launched forward like a ballistic missile, closing the distance with shocking speed for something so massive. The movement looked less like running and more like a rampaging beast charging prey!
"Not good!"
XLR8's pupils contracted to pinpoints. His body became a blur again, leaving behind only a fading afterimage on the spot!
He sprinted away with everything he had.
Not even a second later,
BOOM!!
Vilgax's fist obliterated XLR8's former position. The shockwave alone was devastating, sweeping through the area like a tsunami of compressed air. XLR8 felt the pressure wave buffet him even from this distance!
Crack-crack-crack!!
Whenever XLR8 found solid ground to stand on, Vilgax immediately leaped after him and struck with devastating force. Each failed attempt left another massive crater on the highway, sinkholes that looked like meteorite impacts!
The attacks missed again and again. Vilgax's expression darkened with each failure, his glowing eyes narrowing dangerously as he tracked XLR8's afterimages across the battlefield.
"Asher Tennyson." Vilgax's voice cut through the chaos like a blade, sharp and calculating. "You can dodge my attacks all day. But what happens when I kill those weak Earthlings instead?"
He wasn't some mindless brute like Zombozo, shouting for XLR8 to stop running. No, Vilgax used strategy. Blackmail. Hostages.
This was the most troublesome tactic for a hero.
And Vilgax knew it.
"Actually..." A hundred meters away, XLR8 slowly straightened from his defensive crouch. He took a deep, controlled breath, centering himself. His right leg tensed like a coiled spring. "I've rested enough now."
His exhaustion from the third form had faded. The brief respite had restored his energy completely.
"You so-called heroes..." Vilgax walked toward him with methodical confidence, his tone dripping with contempt. "Your greatest weakness is always useless emotion."
Even seeing XLR8 recover didn't concern him. He'd weathered that storm of attacks already, knew he could endure it again!
With techniques like those, the attack speed simply got a bit faster. He could handle faster.
"Wind God Leg, Fourth Form: Vigorous and Resolute!"
But this time...
XLR8 wasn't using the same move.
The calf muscles of his right leg stretched and hardened like steel cables. His clawed toes hooked against the ground lightly, tearing long grooves in the asphalt as he gathered power.
The moment Vilgax came within range,
BOOM!!
That single kick was like a lightning bolt made flesh. A brilliant blue arc traced through mid-air as if XLR8's leg had become light itself, striking Vilgax's chest with explosive force!
This time...
Different!
Vilgax's eyes widened. His entire expression contorted. His body bent outward like a bow being drawn backward, and then,
He was kicked down!!
Vilgax's massive frame slammed into the ground!
Meanwhile, XLR8's right leg snapped back from the enormous counter-force, the entire limb going completely numb from the impact. The recoil alone felt like it might shatter bone!
"You actually have an even stronger technique?!"
Vilgax braced both palms against the cracked highway and pushed himself upward. But as he rose, a tearing pain erupted in his chest,
It hurts!!
His face twitched involuntarily from the sensation!
"It worked!!"
XLR8's expression lit up with fierce excitement. His hands clenched into tight fists, claws digging into his palms.
The fourth form of Wind God Leg...
It finally broke through Vilgax's defense!
And if the fourth form worked, then the remaining two techniques would be even more devastating!
Maybe...
Maybe he could actually win this fight!!