Chapter Text
Engen strode forward, almost entertained by the display of courage laid out before him.
“You? Destroy me?” Engen stopped in his tracks, before seemingly disappearing. Where did he- Heavy smoker’s thoughts were interrupted by an arm plunged through his chest. Engen looked down at the aged hero with disappointment–disappointment that was short lived as Heavy Smoker’s corpse dissipated into smoke, before reforming into a school of fish.
“Is this the trap you were speaking of?” Engen was slowly getting uninterested, his disappointment returning. The real Heavy Smoker constructed a larger school, burying the Smiling Man in smoky fish. “Those little creatures become stronger the more est they consume. They are far superior to your gift.” Heavy smoker clasped his hands together ordering the entire school to attack. “You won’t get out of this one!”
As the swarm charged towards the figure it surrounded, Engen bowed his head and let out a laugh. The pitiful display before him was almost endearing, how a person views a pet. Almost, endearing. Engen glared up at the desperate man, eager to rip his spirit straight out his spine. The wings constructed of wax and feathers on Engen’s back had begun to burn up, the incandescence was a blinding bellow of superiority from the Smiling Man. Engen spread the constructed wings, clumps of wax–charred by the orange blaze–had begun to erupt in every direction.
Heavy Smoker watched as the swarm was incinerated within seconds, fear bursting into his very depths for the first time in years. W-what was that? I thought his gift was that beam he used to destroy districts and towns in the past–akin to the one he used on the building below us! Don’t tell me..is his gift-
Usurpation
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Engen’s gift–Usurpation–works by stealing the gift of an individual, from any range as long as they are in view. He must understand the gift and be actively witnessing the gift’s usage before he can steal it. Currently, he can use gifts from those he killed permanently, and gifts he stole from people still alive temporarily.
A dark smog enveloped the air behind Engen as the wings faded away. The smog began to reform into a group of sharks, of which began to devour the smoke around him. “I think–” Engen had smiled wickedly at Heavy Smoker, savoring his despair. “-that I’d like to keep this gift.”
Engen threw his hand forward, the smog forming into the upper half of a colossal, humanoid personage. The construct threw a punch towards Heavy Smoker–who countered by constructing his own massive beast. As the beast of smog and the beast of smoke slammed their fists and claws into one another, Heavy Smoker knew he’d have to find a way to overpower Engen–and fast. But he just didn’t have the firepower needed to do so, let alone even scratch Engen.
There is no better way to grow, than to set your life ablaze
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Stone fist had reinforced his face with plates of stone in order to guard from John’s punches, turning his superior gift proficiency into a crucial advantage. “Doesn’t look like Heavy Smoker is surviving this one.” Stone fist flashed a shiny grin towards the building in front of him, his moment of weakness exploited by John, who had launched him into a cafe nearby.
A bolt made from pure est had narrowly missed Rachel’s head, and then another, and another, and, you guessed it, another. Rachel split a bolt in half with her saw, only to be hit with sadness as she realizes her saw is now in half. As another bolt covered the distance towards her, Rachel threw the remains of her saw, hiding behind a piece of debris.
She used the remains of the saw to destroy the bolt midair? Blondies are more precise than I thought.
I can’t seem to get close to her. Her bolts are pretty scary, too.
Those branches don’t seem to be the end of her gift, either. I should kill her before she reveals it.
I would like to get out of this fight in one piece, but it’s going to be hard to pull off acrobatic moves like Ihwa. What to do…
“Hey! Do you mind letting me hit you once?” Rachel leapt from behind the rock, smiling sweetly towards her adversary.
“What if I end up breaking a nail? They cost a fortune.” Sharpshooter checked her nails out, admiring the rather bland craftsmanship.
“Your nails aren’t that special though!” Rachel gleefully chimed in
“What did you say?!” Sharpshooter clenched her fist, taking a step forward.
Rachel continued “You’ve missed every shot so far, maybe you aren’t as special as everyone makes you out to be?”
Sharpshooter paused, a sly smile stretching across her face. Rachel had frozen too. She’s smiling? Sharpshooter cut off her thoughts. “I’m going to make you regret saying that.” She pointed her crossbow in the air, a shining purple bolt loaded.
She’s aiming for the sky? It’s fast, I’ll have to block. Rachel constructed branches to act as cover, only for the bolt to arc away from the covering straight into Rachel’s ankle. Did it change trajectory? What happened?
“My sixth shot is guaranteed to hit. That’s my gift.” Sharpshooter hung her crossbow on her shoulder, sneering towards the confused Rachel.
“Whoops!” exclaimed Rachel, pulling the fizzling bolt out of her ankle. Dang, this is difficult. I should have just taken on Claymore. I guess I can’t ask her to trade with me now, right? Rachel giggled at her own joke. Sharpshooter shot another bolt, whizzing past Rachel and obliterating a piece of debris. I don’t have time. Thought Rachel, dodging 4 more bolts. I need to close the gap somehow!
Sharpshooter pulled a switch from her pocket, clicking the button and detonating a bomb hidden under the rubble just below Rachel. Rachel skid across the street, pulling herself onto her feet. Explosives? When did she–Oh, was it when I was behind cover? I see she still has a lot of opti– Rachel’s thoughts were interrupted by a purple bolt piercing the cloud of smoke and hitting her shoulder.
“What’s wrong, you’re so quiet now.” Sharpshooter loaded another bolt, stepping towards the increasingly annoyed Rachel. My branches are sluggish today, I haven’t been able to even intimidate her, let alone hit her. Her standard shots are her most powerful, but her purple shots seem most dangerous. She cannot aim the purple shots however, otherwise she would have hit my head– A surge of est had shocked Rachel from her analyzation, the same could be said of sharpshooter. It’s coming from that building! Is that…
...smoke?
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“There is no better way to grow, than to set your life ablaze.”
Those are the words Heavy Smoker had lived by. But could I even say I lived by them? I’ve been living too comfortably, If I want to take this man down… I must give myself up as well.
Heavy Smoker covered himself in a cocoon constructed from smoke. I must become someone who can stand with his strength. Someone who can..The cocoon burst open, with dozens of horned serpents constructed of smoke pouring out. Out stepped Heavy Smoker, Horned, covered with a cloak of his cigar smoke. His fangs barring like never before. …prove he’s a hero!
“So, you put your life on the line for higher output. Why didn’t you take risks like this before?”
Engen put a hand in his pocket, as hundreds of arms made of the surrounding smog latched onto the smoke ahead, fighting for territory.
“Quiet, vermin. I will send you to your king.”
Engen choked out a laugh. “Old man, the reason you’ll die here is because you can only see the past!”
I am not the subject of a king. I am the righteous heir to Nera's future... Heavy Smoker constructed a massive squid, rivaling the building it rests on in height.
Grapnel Anchor of the deepest sea
…the light doesn’t shine on the path ahead, pave the way for me in your blood.
Engen clasped his hands together, letting the smog dissipate.
He plans to take on my Kraken alone, how arrogant. Heavy Smoker thought, ordering the massive squid to attack. Engen dodged and weaved each of the squid attacks with terrifying ease. The attacks got faster, eventually ending up with Engen being forced to tear off a tentacle when he couldn’t dodge. “How unfortunate, if this is the maximum of your power, there’s no point in keeping you alive.” Grid formations had appeared over the body of the Smiling Man, before shooting outwards. Splitting the Squid, the smoke around the area, the building, and Heavy Smoker alike into pieces.
W-what just…what just happened? Were the last thoughts before the pieces of Heavy Smoker collapsed, his life among them.