Let's reach 250 Power Stones for an extra chapter
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Chapter 168 - Scene 1
The scorpion's mechanical tail whipped toward me, a blur of green metal and pure malice. I barely managed to dodge it, feeling the rush of air as it grazed my pink wig. My heart pounded in my chest. This was way too close.
"Get back!" Luke yelled, his voice a low growl.
He stepped in front of me, taking the full brunt of a follow-up strike. The tail slammed against his chest, making a loud clang that echoed through the warehouse. A shockwave went through the floor. Luke didn't even flinch. He just stood there, a solid wall of defiance.
"You really think you can stop me?" Gargan sneered, his voice distorted through the helmet. "I'm just getting started!"
He pressed his attack, his tail lashing out with surprising speed. I tried to land a punch, but my fist just glanced off his armored shoulder. It felt like hitting a brick wall. He retaliated with a brutal backhand that sent me skidding across the concrete floor. My feet scrambled to find purchase, but I just kept sliding.
Luke caught me before I could crash into a stack of crates, his grip firm on my arm.
"Stay behind me, Jewel," he said, his voice low and urgent. "I told you this wasn't your fight."
"But—" I started, trying to protest.
"No buts," he cut me off, pushing me gently behind him. "You need to stay safe."
He stepped forward again, putting himself between me and Gargan. I watched, feeling a mixture of frustration and awe. He was so incredibly strong, so incredibly tough. And he was trying to protect me.
"You're making a mistake, pal," Luke said, his voice calm despite the danger. "You should just walk away."
"Walk away?" Gargan scoffed, his tail whipping menacingly. "I just got this new armor. I'm not walking anywhere. I'm going to finish this."
Gargan lunged, his tail striking again. Luke braced himself, taking the hit with a grunt. He pushed back, trying to get inside Gargan's guard, but the scorpion-themed villain was surprisingly agile despite his bulk. He kept his distance, using the reach of his tail to keep Luke at bay.
I needed to do something. I couldn't just stand here and watch him get hurt. I tried to see an opening, a weakness in Gargan's armor, anything. But he was completely covered, a walking tank. This wasn't like fighting a regular thug. This was different. This was scary.
"You're not going to win this, tough guy," Gargan taunted, his tail lashing out again, forcing Luke to step back. "You and your little friend are out of your league."
"She's not my friend," Luke retorted, his voice tight with effort. "She's just... in the way."
That stung a little. I knew he was probably trying to keep me safe by pretending I wasn't important, but it still hurt. I was trying to help. I was trying to be a hero. And he was treating me like a liability.
I watched as Gargan landed another hit, sending Luke staggering. He was getting tired. I could see it in the way his shoulders tensed, the way his breathing became a little heavier. I had to do something. I just didn't know what. My powers felt so inadequate against this guy. My punches barely made a dent.
"Come on, give up," Gargan growled, advancing on Luke. "It'll be quicker if you just surrender."
"Never," Luke said, his voice firm, unyielding. "Not a chance."
He was incredible. Even when he was clearly struggling, he refused to back down. That was what a hero did. That was what I wanted to be. I took a deep breath, pushing past my fear. I had to help him. I had to.
The warehouse lights flickered, casting dancing shadows. I watched as Luke took another hit, a direct strike from the Scorpion's tail that sent him stumbling back. My breath hitched. He was powerful, but even he could not take this kind of abuse forever.
"You're done, pal," Gargan snarled, a vicious laugh rumbling in his armored chest. "Time to finish this."
He turned his attention from Luke, his mechanical tail whipping with impossible speed. My eyes widened as the tail snaked out, not toward Luke or me, but toward Big Donovan. Donovan had been trying to slink away, melting into the shadows with his terrified gang members. He was always a coward.
The metallic coil wrapped around Donovan's torso, squeezing him tightly. Donovan let out a strangled cry as he was yanked off his feet, dangling in the air. His face, usually so commanding, was now ashen, his eyes wide with pure, unadulterated terror. He struggled against the unyielding metal, his hands clawing at the thick tail, but it was useless. He was caught.
"Look at this," Gargan taunted, his voice loud enough to carry over the screams of the remaining gang members. "The great Big Donovan, reduced to a squirming worm."
He tightened his grip, and Donovan gasped, his face turning a purplish shade.
"I'm going to squeeze the life out of you, piece by piece," Gargan promised, his voice chillingly calm. "Let's see how tough you are then."
Panic flared in my chest. Donovan might have been a criminal, but he was still a person. I could not just stand there and watch him die. Luke was struggling, but he was still fighting. I had to do something, anything, to help.
Luke moved first, a blur of motion despite his injuries. He charged forward, a roar tearing from his throat, his eyes locked on Gargan. He tackled the armored villain with all his might, slamming into him like a human battering ram. The impact shook the entire warehouse, causing more debris to rain down from the ceiling.
[CRASH]
Gargan grunted, momentarily stunned by the force of Luke's tackle. His grip on Donovan loosened, just enough. This was my chance. I did not hesitate. I sprinted forward, my legs burning with effort. I reached Donovan, grabbing him around the waist. His body was limp with terror, heavy in my arms.
"I got you," I gasped, pulling him away from the still-struggling Gargan.
I dragged him to a safer spot, away from the immediate fight. Donovan scrambled to his feet, his eyes darting around frantically. He looked completely broken, his bravado shattered.
"I need to get out of here!" he babbled, his voice high-pitched and frantic. "I need to get out! This is insane!"
He stumbled away, tripping over his own feet, desperate to escape the madness. I watched him go, feeling a strange mix of disgust and pity. He was supposed to be a tough gang leader, but he was just a scared man. I turned back to the fight. Luke was still holding his own, but Gargan was relentless. I had to get back in there. I could not let Luke fight alone.
I needed to help Luke. I couldn't just stand there. My punches were not doing anything, and I knew I couldn't trade blows with Gargan like Luke could. He was too strong, too armored. I needed a new strategy.
"Luke, try to keep him busy!" I shouted, hoping he would hear me over the clangs and thuds of the fight. "I have an idea!"
He grunted in response, dodging a tail whip that tore a chunk out of the concrete floor. He was a distraction, a heavy-hitting wall that Gargan had to contend with. That was my opening.
I started moving, not toward Gargan, but around him. My enhanced agility was my only real advantage here. I weaved through the debris, my pink hair a blur as I darted past fallen crates and scattered gang members. The Scorpion's tail lashed out, trying to snag me, but I was too fast. I flowed around the attacks, never directly blocking, always redirecting my momentum.
I found a gap, a small window of opportunity when Gargan overextended a swing. I darted in, a quick, superhuman strike aimed at his armored side. My fist connected with a sharp thwack. I felt a jolt run up my arm, but this time, it felt like it actually did something. A small dent appeared in his plating.
"What was that?" Gargan roared, his head snapping toward me.
I was already gone, leaping away before his tail could even begin to retaliate. I landed lightly on my feet, already moving again, circling him like a hawk.
"You're going to have to do better than that, tin can!" I yelled, trying to sound confident. My voice, even to my own ears, had a slight tremor.
Luke pressed his attack, landing a solid punch to Garg Gargan's chest. The armored villain staggered back, momentarily losing his focus on me.
"She's just annoying," Luke said, his voice a low growl. "Focus on me, big guy."
That was my cue. While Luke delivered another heavy blow, keeping Gargan occupied, I exploited the distraction. I launched myself forward again, a quick burst of speed, aiming for another unarmored joint. This time, I hit the back of his knee. The metal crunched slightly.
"Get off me, you little pest!" Gargan screamed, his tail whipping wildly, trying to hit me, but I was already out of range.
This was working. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't a knockout punch, but it was working. Luke was the immovable object, and I was the irritating, buzzing fly. I kept moving, a whirlwind of white and pink, constantly shifting, constantly striking. Each hit was a small dent, a small chip in his seemingly impenetrable armor.
The rhythm of the fight changed. It was a dance of brute force and nimble evasion. Luke kept Gargan focused on him, drawing his attention with powerful, relentless blows. He absorbed the hits, his body a bulwark against the Scorpion's fury. Meanwhile, I became a phantom, appearing and disappearing, landing quick, jarring strikes before Gargan could even react. My speed was my main weapon, a constant, irritating barrage.
I sprinted toward a stack of heavy-duty crates, pushing off them with a burst of strength. My body flew upward, defying gravity, as I ran along the warehouse wall. I used my enhanced grip to change direction mid-air, launching myself from the vertical surface. My momentum carried me directly toward Gargan's back.
"Get ready, Luke!" I yelled, my voice strained with effort.
I landed squarely on Gargan's armored shoulders, wrapping my legs around his torso. He thrashed violently, roaring in anger, trying to throw me off like a bothersome insect. His armored plates dug into my thighs, but I held on, gripping him with all my strength.
"I got you!" Luke shouted, his muscles straining.
He grabbed the Scorpion's mechanical tail with both hands, his body a testament to pure, raw power. He held it steady, preventing it from whipping around and dislodging me. The tail throbbed, trying to break free, but Luke held it in an iron grip.
I saw my chance. His head was exposed, just a sliver of unarmored neck where the helmet met the plating. It was a small target, but it was there. This was it.
Luke and I locked eyes, a silent agreement passing between us. He understood. This was it. I slid down Gargan's back, my gloved hands finding the thick, articulated joint where the mechanical tail connected to his armor. The metal felt cold and unforgiving under my touch.
"Now, Luke!" I yelled, my voice raw with effort.
He pulled on the tail with all his strength, twisting it against the grain. I dug my heels in, gritting my teeth, and pushed against the joint, twisting with every ounce of my superhuman might. The metal groaned, a sickening screech of tortured alloys.
[RIP]
A sharp clang filled the air as the connection finally severed. Gargan shrieked, a high-pitched, agonized cry that sounded almost inhuman. The massive mechanical tail clattered to the ground, a grotesque, severed limb. Gargan collapsed, his armor sparking, utterly defeated. I stared at the advanced machinery, wondering what kind of twisted genius—or monster—could create something so lethal. My chest still heaved from the exertion, but he was down. He was actually down.
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