Tavor crossed his arms in front of him as the rabbit-demon continued to push him back with relentless blows, his teeth grinding together from the strain under the onslaught.
POW!
POW!
POW!
BANG!
"AAHHHHH!" Tavor cried out in agony as the final kick struck his side, propelling him through the air.
Before he could travel far, the rabbit-demon materialized before him, its expression fierce and unyielding.
With precise force, it delivered a powerful kick to Tavor's abdomen, causing his body to fold sharply like a collapsing chair before hurling him in the opposite direction, his small, compact body hurtling away like a living cannonball.
STOMP!
STOMP!
Behind Tavor, the horse-demon stomped its feet into the ground in a wide stance, the impacts causing cracks to spiderweb from the points of impact.
The horse-demon reared back its head and opened its mouth, revealing sharp, vicious teeth which no horse should possess.
In the horse-demon's mouth, a mass of black and red energy formed into a dense ball, its size akin to a marble, but almost immediately the ball swelled to the size of a basketball.
The horse-demon's jaws began to distend, accompanied by the disquieting cacophony of bones splintering and reforming, intertwined with the grotesque sound of ligaments tearing under unbearable strain.
Deep within the expanding maw, it struggled to contain the sphere of malevolent energy, roughly the size of a basketball, its sinister radiance projecting warped shadows across the creature's already contorted visage.
"DIE FOR ME AND BECOME MY NEXT MEAL!" bellowed the horse-demon, its voice echoing with unholy fury as it hurled a swirling orb of malefic energy toward Tavor.
The young Saiyan, skidding to a halt with a spray of dirt and grit, carved shallow trenches in the ground beneath his boots as he fought for balance, the air crackling with the impending impact of dark energy.
Tavor closed his eyes; his remaining senses surged with intensity, and every muscle tensed, ready for sudden, explosive movement.
I can feel it, this cold, dark energy. I need to move!
Tavor delved deep into the very essence of his being, seeking to harness the furious, chaotic maelstrom of energy that glowed like miniature suns within every cell of his body.
With focused intent, he strove to draw a portion of that radiant power into his right hand.
His hand began to glow a soft, milky white with the occasional flash of blue; the aura enveloped his hand before forming into the shape of a katar.
"I cannot use Roshi's technique yet, so this will have to do!" Tavor twisted on his heel and slashed down at the incoming ball of demonic energy.
KATCHAAAA!!!
The ki blade sank into the surface of the orb, slicing through the dark, undulating mass as though it were soft butter, cleanly splitting it into two halves, which passed harmlessly past Tavor's head and continued towards the rabbit-demon, who suddenly had a fearful expression on its face.
"Oh shi—" The rabbit-demon's exclamation was cut short as half of the orb smashed into his abdomen, the tremendous force launching him like a projectile.
He hurtled across the battlefield at blistering speed before colliding with the cliff face, the impact detonating in a deafening explosion that shook the ground around it for miles.
BOOOM!
A dense, shadowy dust cloud billowed outward from the point of impact, its depths illuminated by crackling arcs of black and crimson lightning.
The violent flashes tore into the ground and cliff face, gouging deep, smoldering trenches wherever they struck, leaving a landscape marred by fire and destruction.
The dust gradually began to settle, revealing what little remained of the once formidable cliff face, now scarcely recognizable.
Jagged fragments of stone continued to cascade from the smoldering impact site, while tendrils of black and crimson energy slithered menacingly across the fractured surface.
Tavor's gaze lingered on the devastation for only a brief moment before his ears twitched, catching the faint sound of movement.
He turned sharply.
To his left, several yards away, stood the dog-demon; to his right, at an equal distance, the pig-demon.
Without a word, the two had subtly maneuvered into position, flanking the young Saiyan from opposite sides.
Tavor's eyes narrowed, his focus sharpening in a mix of anticipation and excitement.
They're surrounding me.
The dog-demon crouched low, its claws unsheathing as its weight settled onto the balls of its feet, muscles coiled with lethal intent.
Opposite, the pig-demon rolled its massive shoulders, ivory tusks catching the blood-red light of the sky above.
Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, a silent exchange heavy with anticipation and malice, and in the next instant, they lunged forward in a simultaneous, ferocious assault.
FWOOSH!
The dog-demon was the first to move, his claws radiating a violent, dark ki, and Tavor's Ki Perception instantly registered the change.
Reacting without hesitation, he dropped into a low crouch just as a claw swept through the space where his head had been moments before.
At that very moment, the pig-demon lunged from the opposite flank, its enormous bulk surging across the battlefield with astonishing velocity.
Reacting in a split second, Tavor pivoted sharply, narrowly evading the deadly sweep of its tusks, which sliced through the air mere inches from his body.
WHAM!
The dog-demon struck the pig-demon's shoulder from behind, using the brute's massive frame as a springboard to propel itself upward.
In a fluid motion, it soared into the air, its trajectory sharp and deliberate.
Tavor's eyes tracked the arc of the creature's leap, his expression unreadable.
With both claws extended in lethal intent, the dog-demon descended toward its target.
Tavor, calm and composed, crossed his arms in silent anticipation.
BANG!
The claws struck his forearms, forcing him backward and leaving four wounds in his arms.
Before he could regain his footing, the pig-demon was upon him, its massive fist arcing toward his ribs with brutal force.
In a swift, instinctive motion, Tavor's tail lashed out as he pivoted sharply to the side.
The blow narrowly missed its mark, grazing his flank and rending part of the last scraps of fabric clinging to his frame.
BOOM!
The force of the blow sent him skidding several yards across the dirt.
In an instant, the dog-demon was upon him once more, claw, punch, kick, each strike executed with relentless precision.
Tavor evaded each attack, slipping beneath the sweeping arcs of razor-sharp claws.
The dog-demon's movements flowed together in a seamless, predatory rhythm, while the pig-demon pressed in from the opposite side, delivering heavy, sweeping strikes intended to trap Tavor between them.
Ducking under another slashing claw, Tavor saw the pig-demon's massive swing coming.
Planting one hand firmly against the ground, he launched his leg upward in a powerful counterstrike.
POW!
His heel struck the pig-demon squarely beneath the jaw, sending its massive head snapping backward with a violent jolt.
Without hesitation, Tavor rolled smoothly beneath the sweeping claw of the lunging dog-demon, evading the deadly strike by mere inches.
Rising swiftly to his feet, he positioned himself directly behind the beast, ready to press his advantage.
CRACK!
Tavor's elbow drove forcefully into the dog-demon's ribs, drawing a guttural grunt as the creature twisted in pain.
In a sudden, ferocious counterattack, its claws slashed through the air with lethal precision, aimed squarely at Tavor's face.
Reacting on instinct, Tavor arched backward, narrowly evading the strike as the razor-like talons tore through the space just above his nose.
Before he could regain his full stance, a crushing grip clamped around his shins, halting his movement.
"What th—" he began, but his words were abruptly silenced as the world inverted, and in that disorienting moment, he glimpsed a brutal kick from the horse-demon hurtling toward him.
POW!
Tavor was propelled backward with tremendous force, his eyes glazed and his vision awash with a cascade of stars; his body hurtled through the air like a projectile before colliding violently with the unyielding trunk of a tree.
CRASH!
WHOOM!
The tree crashed into the ground; sickly purple leaves fell in thick piles over Tavor's body.
The battlefield descended into an eerie, unnatural silence, the stillness stretching on for several tense seconds.
Then, at last, the lingering dust began to stir.
One by one, the demons turned their attention toward the fallen tree, the horse-demon, the pig-demon, the dog-demon, and, emerging from the smoking crater carved into the cliffside, the rabbit-demon.
The four stood united, blood streaking their battered forms, their wounds still raw and visible.
Yet their gazes did not waver from Tavor's resting place.
The horse-demon shifted its eyes toward the pig, the pig toward the dog, the dog narrowing its gaze at the rabbit, and the rabbit's eyes moved deliberately from one companion to the next.
There was no trust among them, for each had already witnessed the extent of the others' capabilities.
In Limbo, cooperation was rarely more than a fleeting convenience, a fragile truce that could shatter with a single misstep, turning alliance into slaughter.
The horse-demon's nostrils flared as it spoke in a measured tone,
"No one attacks until we are ready."
The pig-demon's fingers tightened subtly.
"I wasn't planning to," it replied.
The rabbit-demon, blood staining the corner of its mouth, sneered with disdain.
"Just make sure none of you fools hit me." A low growl rumbled from the dog-demon's throat.
"Then stay out of my path."
Silence fell over them, heavy and tense, until at last, all four began to draw upon their energy in unison.
WHOOOOOOM!
An oppressive, suffocating weight descended upon the battlefield, relentless and inexorable.
Tendrils of black and crimson energy entwined around their figures, twisting and writhing through the air like serpents spun from smoke and blood.
The horse-demon methodically parted its colossal jaws, revealing a gaping void as a concentrated sphere of malevolent energy began to form deep within the shadowed recesses of its throat.
The orb, pitch-black with vivid crimson accents as before, now bore an ominous addition, a violent lattice of lightning crackling and dancing across its surface.
Its size expanded rapidly until the sphere's eerie radiance cast an unsettling glow upon the demon's jagged teeth from within.
Beside it, the dog-demon lowered its head and opened its jaws, allowing a second orb to materialize.
Its energy was denser, more compact, and the very air surrounding it warped under the immense pressure.
The rabbit-demon extended both hands, crimson-black energy surging between its palms, coalescing into a rapidly spinning sphere that crackled with jagged arcs of dark power.
Mirroring the action, the pig-demon brought its massive hands together, conjuring a colossal orb of black-red energy that pulsed with ominous intensity.
The four attacks continued to swell in intensity, their power mounting with every passing moment, causing the surrounding ground to quake violently, sending tremors through Limbo as small stones rose into the air.
The flames consuming the ruined camp bent unnaturally away from the demons, as though driven by an instinct to flee.
Even the nearby demonic beasts sensed the impending catastrophe and scattered in panic.
Those unable to escape quickly enough burrowed desperately beneath rocks and tangled roots, while farther afield, winged creatures abandoned the treetops in frantic flight.
A foreboding sense of doom hung heavy in the air. Behind the shelter of a fallen tree, Tavor stirred.
His fingers twitched, his tail shifting under the blanket of purple leaves.
Slowly, his hand emerged, pressing against the shattered trunk.
The massive weight shifted slightly.
Teeth clenched, arms trembling, he fought against his battered body's desperate pleas to remain still.
Yet, driven by the unyielding pride of a Saiyan, he refused to surrender to the pain.
He refused to yield to the agony consuming him.
With a guttural growl, he willed his body upward, first one knee, then the other, each movement a battle in itself.
Tavor managed to rise halfway before faltering, his balance failing him.
His vision swam in a haze, crimson drops trailing from the wound on his forehead.
Breath came in harsh, uneven gasps as he steadied himself and fixed his gaze upon the four demons before him.
Tavor's fists tightened with unyielding resolve, his teeth clenched in silent defiance.
With deliberate control, he straightened his back, each movement a testament to his determination.
His legs trembled violently under the strain, yet he remained steadfast, enduring the physical toll.
Despite the pain coursing through him, he stood firm, unbroken in the face of adversity.
The four demons fixed their gazes upon him.
The rabbit-demon's eyes narrowed to slits.
"He's still standing… this human meat is tough!"
The dog-demon snarled, baring its teeth in a vicious display.
The pig-demon's face contorted with sheer disbelief, while the horse-demon remained motionless, its stare unbroken.
Tavor dragged the back of his hand across his mouth, smearing away the blood.
A fierce grin carved itself across his face as his tail rose high behind him.
"BRING IT ON THEN!"
The young Saiyan let out a valiant cry before he thrust his arms outward, and Tavor's internal energy erupted from within.
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold its breath, then, with a deafening screech of displaced air.
FWOOSH!
A pale white aura, threaded with flickering blue motes, erupted from his body.
Tavor clenched his right hand, summoning the energy, gathering it, compressing it, and shaping it with precision.
From his forearm, a blade of luminous Ki extended, sharp and radiant.
His left hand followed, forging another weapon, until two curved blades of condensed blue-white energy projected from either arm, their edges vibrating with restrained, lethal power.
Lowering his stance, his wounded frame shuddered under the strain, yet his eyes blazed with unyielding determination, even as blood filled them.
Time seemed to stall, and the wind halted, leaving only the sound of his heartbeat and the hum of ki in its wake.
Four demons.
Four devastating attacks.
And one battered Saiyan!
Tavor has been pushed to the brink, but he refuses to surrender!
With two blades of shimmering Ki in hand, the young Saiyan prepares to face an attack unlike anything he has encountered before!
But can his newly awakened Ki withstand the combined power of four demons?!
Will Tavor survive the coming assault?!
And what will Roshi do when he realizes just how far this mysterious Saiyan child's potential can truly go?!
The answer...
WILL BE REVEALED IN THE NEXT EPISODE OF REBORN AS A SAIYAN IN MARVEL!
DON'T MISS IT!