Chapter 59: The Battle of Kawit
The dark highway of Cavite remained shrouded in thick smoke and dust as the battle between Romeo and Martin reached its fever pitch. Every clash of their blows created thunderous explosions, like lightning splitting the concrete pavement. The earth trembled under the weight of their assault, and the air grew so heavy with tension that onlookers found it difficult to breathe.
Though Romeo skillfully matched Martin's strikes, he knew in his heart that he could not win through raw strength alone. Martin's artificial body, fed by the endless energy of the Ursarion, was nearly indestructible. Every gash from Romeo's balisongs healed instantly, as if Martin were composed of something immortal. Despite this, the fire in Romeo's eyes never wavered; he was determined to stop Martin before it was too late.
Romeo leaped back, his body enveloped in shimmering energy. "Second Blade of Peace: Akatsuki!" he roared. Thousands of balisongs swirled around him, coalescing into four giant shurikens, each five meters wide. They spun with the ferocity of steel tornadoes, glowing with a brilliance that illuminated the entire highway.
Romeo grabbed one of the shurikens, his grip tightening on its center. With a powerful shout, he hurled it at Martin. "Prepare yourself, Martin!"
The shuriken tore through the air like a blade of death. Martin, showing no fear, raised his arms to block the projectile. However, he gasped in shock when the blade sliced clean through his guard, severing his arm and causing black energy to spill out like blood.
"What is this?" Martin whispered, stunned. He realized the shuriken was imbued with an intensity of energy that gave it supernatural sharpness. He's using massive amounts of energy to harden his weapons, he thought, his arrogant smirk fading. He hadn't expected Romeo to possess a power source that could rival the Ursarion.
The leak of energy didn't last long. Black mist swirled around Martin's stump, and his arm regrew instantly as if nothing had happened. He let out a mocking laugh. "Have you forgotten, Romeo? As long as the Ursarion provides me energy, my body is effectively immortal!"
Above him, the Ursarion let out a low rumble, the heads of the children protruding from its skin continuing their terrified wailing. Romeo's heart broke at the sound, but his resolve hardened. "I know," Romeo replied calmly. "But I also know that every time you regenerate, you drain a massive amount of energy. I don't mind cutting you down ten, or even a hundred times!"
The shurikens returned to Romeo's hands as if they were alive. He caught the remaining three and launched them in rapid succession. They streaked across the sky like falling stars. Martin lunged forward, moving like a shadow to weave through the projectiles. With terrifying speed, he appeared directly in front of Romeo, his fist cocked back for a devastating blow.
But before Martin could strike, a giant balisong six meters long slammed into his back from behind, pinning him to the ground.
"You think this can stop me?" Martin roared. Suddenly, he was surrounded by hundreds of smaller blades that rained down like a storm of steel, piercing every inch of his form. Black energy leaked from a hundred wounds, yet he continued to surge with dark electricity. "I told you, these attacks are useless!" Martin shouted as his flesh began to pulsate, literally swallowing the balisongs into his body.
"Surprised?" Martin bragged. "One of the sugo in my ranks has the power to devour anything that touches their body—even people. It has its limits in combat, but it makes for an excellent defense."
Romeo closed his eyes and sighed in disappointment. "You really are an expert at using people, Martin," he said, his voice heavy. "You blind them with promises of freedom, but you know this rebellion will bring no peace. Is there even a shred of conscience left in you for those you manipulate?"
Martin laughed dismissively. "I use them, yes, but I never lie to them. I am serious about fulfilling their dreams—to free this land from the Spaniards!"
The balisongs gathered at Romeo's side to form another shuriken, but Martin didn't give him the chance. "Enough games, General!" Martin unleashed a massive black aura, shaping it into a gargantuan spear which he hurled with all his might. The balisongs swarmed to form a shield, but the spear shattered the defense and pierced through.
Romeo caught the spear with his bare hands, the force nearly pushing him off his feet as he redirected it toward the sky. But it was a distraction. A portal flickered behind him, and Martin's arm reached out, gripping Romeo's throat in a crushing chokehold.
"Hahaha! It's over, General!"
Romeo's blades stabbed into Martin's monstrous form, but Martin felt no pain. Romeo even drove a blade into Martin's head, but the rebel leader didn't budge. He simply mocked the General as Romeo's breath began to fail.
Just as Romeo was about to lose consciousness, a car suddenly came flying through the air, slamming into Martin and throwing them both apart. The impact forced Martin to let go, and Romeo tumbled across the ground, gasping for air and clutching his bruised neck.
"Tch... that was close," Romeo coughed. "I got careless."
Martin stood up, livid. "Who did that?!"
Suddenly, a crushing presence descended upon the area—a gravitational weight so heavy it forced soldiers and rebels alike to their knees.
"This presence..." Romeo's eyes widened. "It feels like the Viceroy. Has Magellan arrived?"
Through the silence, a figure plummeted from the sky, causing a localized earthquake upon impact. When the dust settled, a woman with short white hair stood before them. She wore a cyberpunk jacket and trousers, with chains half a meter long hanging from her arms.
"You have a lot of nerve causing trouble in my territory," she said, her voice dripping with authority and annoyance. Her eyes glowed with a terrifying light.
Romeo had no idea who she was, but her aura screamed that she was a sugo of diwata of a different caliber. Martin, however, smiled.
"Finally, we meet," Martin said. "The sugo of Kawit, the 'Wild Daisy'—Indang."
Before Martin could say another word, Indang vanished and reappeared in front of him. With a single punch to the gut, she sent Martin flying twenty meters down the road like a ragdoll.
Even Von, the Manila envoy, was stunned. "So fast... I couldn't even follow her movement."
Indang? The sugo of Kawit? Romeo thought. He remembered what Laguna (who is a girl) had told him—that Indang was her strongest student.
Indang cracked her knuckles, looking bored. "Do you have any idea how much of a nuisance you're being? I just want to go home, but the traffic is backed up for miles because of this mess!"
Martin stood up, admiring her strength. "The rumors are true—you are bold. I don't want to waste time either, so why not join us and talk?"
"Talk?" Indang scoffed. "Why would I join you? I have no interest in anyone! Get out of my territory!"
Martin smirked. "I'm here to invite you to the Katipunan. We need your power!"
"Wait!" Romeo shouted, trying to intervene. "Don't let him poison your mind, Indang!"
Before Romeo could finish, Indang blurred toward him and kicked him in the ribs, sending him rolling across the asphalt.
"General Romeo!" Peter rushed to help him.
Indang kept her leg raised, looking irritated. "I said I have no interest in talking—especially to a piece of trash Spanish soldier!"
Romeo remembered Laguna's warning: Indang hated soldiers. "Indang, if you join the rebels, you become an enemy of the state," Romeo said sincerely.
"Tch, like I care about the government," she spat. "Enemy? When was I ever their ally? I'd tear down the Spanish government myself if it were up to me!"
Martin laughed. "See? We have the same goal! Join the Katipunan!"
Indang paused, touching her chin. "Toppling the government? I do hate the Viceroy's face..."
Sensing the danger, Romeo launched his giant balisongs at Martin. Martin swatted them away, but five blades still managed to sink into his chest. "You pest!" Martin roared. "Stay out of this!"
Romeo lunged at Martin, but Indang intercepted him again. She kicked him back, and Romeo barely managed to block it.
"It's rude to interrupt a conversation," Indang mocked. "Didn't your parents teach you manners?"
Romeo noticed Indang's eyes glowing with a floral pattern. Suddenly, his body froze. He couldn't move a muscle. What's happening to my body?
Indang stood over him, grabbed his own balisong from his hand, and punched him in the stomach before slamming him into the dirt.
"Your energy is fading, General," she said. "Just stay down if you don't want to die."
Peter, enraged, lunged at Indang with his sand armor. Indang simply turned and raised a hand. "Silence!"
Peter's sand armor collapsed instantly. He lost all control of his element. "My sand... why?"
Indang stepped in and delivered a knee to his stomach, dropping him. Then, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Paralyze." Peter froze like a statue.
"I hate this, it feels like bullying kids," Indang muttered. "You people can't even defend against basic spells." She explained she was holding back because she was forbidden from abusing her power, but she would put them to sleep if she had to.
She raised her foot over Peter's head. "This might hurt a bit!"
Romeo suddenly lunged, tackling Indang away from Peter. He was gasping, but he had broken through her spell.
"Oh? You broke my paralyze spell," Indang said, impressed. "Maybe I shouldn't underestimate a General."
Romeo realized her power involved various magical "debuffs." He tried to reason with her again, but Indang's patience had run out. "I gave you a warning to stay down. Now I'm going to kill you."
She raised her hand. Romeo tried to summon his spectral peacock, but Indang shouted, "Silence!" The light of the peacock vanished, and the blades fell to the ground like dead birds.
Indang engaged Romeo in hand-to-hand combat. Despite his fatigue, Romeo began to dodge. Maybe her spells have a cooldown? he wondered. He admired her technique—she fought like a seasoned warrior.
"You're good, General, but your style is ancient."
Indang finally landed a kick that sent Romeo crashing into a parked car. Romeo jumped back up, knowing he couldn't just defend.
Indang raised her hand again. "Slow!"
Romeo felt as if he were moving through molasses. He saw Indang's punch coming but couldn't move his arms fast enough. It landed square on his jaw, floorning him.
"This is hard," Indang complained. "I want to knock you out, but I have to be careful not to kill you."
Romeo tried to stand, but Indang cast three spells in succession: "Gravity. Fear. Weak."
A massive weight crushed Romeo to the earth. A primal, supernatural terror seized his heart, making it race uncontrollably. His knees shook and his strength vanished.
"I've never felt fear like this," he gasped.
Indang approached, holding Romeo's own balisong to his throat. She grabbed him by the hair. "My ability allows me to apply buffs and debuffs for ten seconds to a minute. My energy is higher than yours, so you have no chance. I am a warrior trained in the harshest ways."
Before she could strike, General Apyong shouted from his floating wheelchair. "Indang, stop! If you want to live in peace in Cavite, you cannot murder a government official!"
Indang sighed and lowered the blade. "I respect you, old man Apyong, because of the favors you did for me. But if you interfere, I'll have to deal with you too."
"You promised not to cause trouble," Apyong reminded her.
"They brought the trouble to my town!" she snapped. Apyong explained they were only there to stop the rebels.
Indang turned to Martin. "Is it true? You plan to cause chaos here?"
Martin answered confidently. "We only want to destroy the city hall—the nest of Spanish corruption. We want to save your people!"
In response, Indang threw a balisong that thudded into Martin's forehead. It didn't hurt his fake body, but it insulted him. "What are you doing?!"
Indang unleashed a terrifying aura. "Weak. Paralyze. Sleep."
Rebels and soldiers began to collapse. Even Jana and Von fell to their knees, fighting to stay awake. Martin, however, seemed resistant.
"You have a lot of nerve entering my territory," Indang growled. She walked toward Martin. "I don't care about your justifications. Stay out of Kawit!"
For the first time, Martin felt true fear. He wasn't sure he could beat this woman. "Fine," he stammered. "We will call off the attack on the town. But will you join the Katipunan?"
"Don't do it!" Romeo pleaded. "Laguna wouldn't want this!"
Indang froze. "You know Master Laguna?"
"Yes, she is my friend. She's worried about you."
Indang's face twisted with bitterness. "She kicked me out. If she cared, she would have come herself. I'm free to choose my own path now."
Martin cheered. "Excellent! Let's show the Spaniards what we can do!" He reached out to touch her shoulder, but she slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch me! I'm not against freeing the country—I've trained my whole life for it. I was furious when Master Laguna told me not to fight the government."
Martin smiled. "Then join us!"
Indang thought for a moment. "Joining isn't a bad idea... but I have one condition. I want to be the leader of the Katipunan."
Silence fell. "The leader?" Martin asked. "You mean an official?"
"No. I want to be the Supremo," she said jokingly.
Martin laughed. "You're bold, but you can't just be the leader."
Indang sighed. "If I'm not the Supremo, we have nothing to talk about. I won't follow someone weaker than me."
Martin's anger flared. "I am stronger than you, Indang! I am the rightful leader!"
Indang burst into laughter. "In all of the Philippines, only three people can beat me: my Master, the King of Mindanao, and the mad witch of Capiz. I could defeat your entire Katipunan in thirty minutes. I won't serve someone who can't even reach the Second Level of the sugo state."
"You arrogant brat!" Martin screamed.
"How about this," Indang proposed, her eyes gleaming. "Let's fight. If you win, I'll do whatever you say. I'll even kill the Viceroy for you. But if I win, you never show your face in Kawit again!"
Martin accepted the challenge. He lunged, but Indang met his fist with her own, glowing with energy. The shockwave shattered the nearby pavement. Despite Martin's massive size, Indang matched him blow for blow. Martin hoped she would run out of energy, but her reserves seemed bottomless.
As Martin prepared a giant energy spear, Indang shouted, "Silence!" The spear dissolved. She delivered a kick to his head that nearly shattered his skull. She followed up with a kick to his chest that sent him crashing down.
"Don't hold back," Indang mocked, dusting off her jacket.
Martin began to regenerate. Indang looked intrigued. "Immortal? Interesting."
Martin surged with black electricity. "My body is the perfect warrior!" He claimed even Laguna couldn't beat him. Indang simply yawned.
"You talk too much. I need to get to sleep early."
Indang revealed her secret. "My ability allows me to buff and debuff, but I can only use it on the same person three times, with a three-minute cooldown. But I'm only using ten percent of my energy. Let me show you half."
She unleashed a colossal aura. Her skin became covered in glowing floral tattoos—the Spirit Bound, the second level of the sugo state.
Romeo recognized the energy—it was the same feeling he had when he met his diwata in a dream.
"Speed up," Indang whispered. She appeared before Martin instantly. "Power up." She punched the air, and the sheer pressure erased half of Martin's body. The shockwave leveled the road. When the smoke cleared, Martin's remains began to reform.
"Oh, you can reform? Good," Indang grinned. She waited for him to finish, then obliterated him again. And again. Five times she reduced him to nothing, until his regeneration finally slowed to a crawl.
"I was just starting to enjoy myself," she teased.
Romeo watched in awe. He realized the Spanish government kept the Second Level of the sugo state a secret from Filipinos to keep them weak.
Suddenly, Romeo sensed Martin atop the Ursarion. A new body was forming from the monster's mass.
"So the one down here was just a puppet," Indang noted.
"The real Martin is inside that monster," Romeo explained. "The Ursarion is his power source."
"Then I'll just destroy the monster," Indang said, charging her arm with energy.
"No!" Romeo shouted. "There are thousands of people inside! If you destroy it, they all die!"
Martin laughed from above. "Three thousand people are powering me! To kill me, you have to kill them too!"
Romeo punched the ground in frustration. "You're a monster, Martin!"
Indang sighed. "I don't see the problem. It's not my fault if they die. They're already his victims." She prepared her attack.
"Don't do it!" Romeo screamed.
"Shut up! If I don't kill him, he'll keep bothering me."
Indang cast a new spell. "Stone Curse."
The eyes of the Ursarion began to turn to stone, and the grey crust spread rapidly across its body. Martin panicked. He realized as long as Indang could see the creature, the curse would spread.
Martin opened multiple portals, ordering his men to retreat. He saw many of his followers were still asleep on the ground, but he had no way to save them.
"Curse you, Indang!" Martin roared as the Ursarion began to pull itself into a massive portal to escape.
Indang waved cheerfully. "Goodbye! Remember our deal—stay out of Kawit, or I'll finish you for real!"
Martin vanished into the portal, seething with the humiliation of his defeat at the hands of the Wild Daisy.
End of Chapter.