Chapter 82: burning hate (Battle royale Part 2)

“WELL, WELL, FOLKS LOOKS LIKE KUSAMURE HAS MET ONE OF HER RIVALS. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW THIS SHOWDO-“

“AAAARGHAAAAA ENOUGH!” Toe-rag yelled as he charged like a stampeding bull towards me. I guess I’m getting thrown into the deep end. I waited until he was a few metres away before summoning a wave of water that shot me off to the side.

“Gaghhaaa, you slippery bitch!”. A loud thunderous boom echoed as he bulldozed into the building behind me. It's good to know he is very predictable. I looked around, scanning the different buildings. There is someone else bothering me. Where is that other one?. I scanned the buildings, looking for anything out of place, something that didn’t look quite…..right. My eyes fell on a window that overlooked the street. Every other window was shut, and the curtains were closed while this one was open.

<Little one, go check that room for me.>

“raaaaghaaaaa!” he roared again from underneath the rubble he was trapped under.

<Go quick->

A loud explosion rocked the ground as he exploded towards me. Instantly summoned water at my feet that sent me moving backwards. At the same time, I forced air out of my mushroom cap. Blanketing the length of the street in a toxic green haze.

“you think those spores will save you mushy!” he yelled as he smashed his warhammer into the ground, sending a wave of air that blew the spores away.

“Fight me like a man!”

“If you want that, you'll have to catch me!” I  sent more mana to my feet. The wave under my feet doubled, and I burst forward with speed.

“WOAH, FOLKS, IT LOOKS WE GOT A CHASE ON OUR HANDS. KUSAMURE IS LEADING THE PACK WITH TORG FOLLOWING. DOESN’T IT JUST GET YOUR BLOOD PUMPING.”

I took several sharp rights and lefts down multiple different streets and alleyways; however, even with my constant changing of direction, toe-rag was always hot on my heels at every step. He was quick for someone of his size.

“STOP RUNNING AWAY FROM ME!” He roared from behind. I'm gonna need to change the strategy. I won't be able to keep this up for much longer.

I sent one large burst of mana, sending me shooting forward and putting a good amount of distance between us before I ducked into a dead alley.

“I won't have long.” I placed my hand on the ground and sent a pulse of my mana into the ground.

“SOFTEN  TERRAIN” A pulse of mana shot across the entire floor. If I can slow him down for a moment, and if this works, I might be able to finish this here and now.

“There you are!”

I leapt backwards, moving further down the alley. The idiot didn’t hesitate to dash towards me and into the softened ground. As soon as his feet made contact, the man started sinking.

“What the hell!” he spat out as he sank into the now quicksand-like ground. I didn’t wait and charged towards the Large brute on a wave of water, with large blades of mana in hand.

“Don’t think it will be that easy mushy. You are not the only one who can use mana!”

I skidded to a stop as a deep, earthy smell hit my nose.

“Don’t tell me. Body enhancement?”

“Surprise, your kind are smart enough to know what that is!”

a brown aura briefly flashed around his body before he suddenly lept up into the air

“Shit!” I summoned a wave of water and shot backwards away from him. But he was fast. So incredibl-

“ABOVE YOU!”

I looked up. There he was, mallet in hand, swinging it down towards my head. I held my hands up, and A sold green bubble of mana ruptured around me just in time for his mallet to collide with. Brilliant white light flashed everywhere as a sudden explosion tore through the surrounding buildings and streets.

Mana Low. Please allow time to recover.

500/3000 MP remaining

“WOAH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. I THINK THEY JUST TOOK OUT AN ENTIRE BLOCK! I HAVENT SEEN THIS MUCH CARNAGE SINCE…..EVER!

My legs shook. That single blow nearly decimated my mana. I looked up towards him. His large mallet swirled with brown earth mana. Weapon enhancement on top of body enhancement. That explains why he hits so hard. It feels like I'm holding up a boulder the size of a building. I can't get hit by one of those again.

“What's wrong, Mushy? Where is all that confidence and attitude you had.” His voice boomed in my ears. Damn, his voice is annoying! It was filled with that infuriating entitlement they’ve all got; I fucking hate them. I let out several deep breaths; why is everything so damn hot all of a sudden?! Whatever, I need to get out of this, I reached down towards my pocket; I need to get to the seeds and-

“DON’T EVEN TRY IT.” the force from his mallet doubled again, making me sink into the ground.

Mana critical. Cease the use of MP immediately and recover!

200/3000 MP remaining.

“You're cracking mushy. To think your kind thought you could stand up to a pure spirit. You and your wretched kind don’t belong in this world. So let me do you a favour and put you out of your-“

“SHUT THE HELL UP! GOD, ALL YOU’VE DONE IS RANT AND TALK CRAP TO ME, I CAN'T STAND ANY OF YOU. JUST HEARING YOUR STUPID VOICES PISSES ME OFF TO NO END!”

Dammit, why is everything so hot! Every time I look at this bastard of a pure spirit, everything gets stupidly hot. Is he doing this? Is it some more bullshit I have to deal with from these pure spirits! Is it too much for these fuckers to leave me alone! First, my mother, then they attacked me and almost killed Diva and NOW THIS! WHY! WHAT DID I DO SPECIFICALLY TO THEM HUH! DAMMIT!, I HATE THEM. I HATE THEM. I HATE THEM, I. HATE. THEM. ALL.

New ability added: Burning Hatred.

The hatred and anger you carry is like a flame that-

“GET THE HELL OUT OF MY FACE!”

I quickly reached into my pocket, tore open the vine seed packet and spilt it on the ground. I stomped my feet on the ground, sending a large green pulse of nature mana. The seeds shook rapidly before erupting into a large wall of green tendrils. The tendrils expanded massively, destroying what remained of any building and spreading outwards to make a large wall of vines.

Mana critical. Cease the use of MP immediately and recover!

100/3000 MP remaining.

I dropped down to my knees. I used too much mana growing these vines, but I needed to break the stalemate! I felt the heat increase again. The air around me kept getting hotter and hotter, like I was being roasted in a furnace. Why am I so hot? Is it him? Is it that stupid, pretentious motherfucker. To think I let those stupid pure spirits put me in this position again! I can't keep letting them get away with it!

Sweat poured down my face onto the chipped stone floor. It’s so damn hot! I feel like everything around me is melting.

“WOAH FOLKS. IT LOOKS LIKE KUSAMURE HAS HIT HER LIMIT! IT’S A SHAME, FOLKS, I WAS REALLY ROOTING FOR-“

“SHUT THE HELL UP! YOU ARE JUST AS ANNOYING AS  THIS STUPID PURE SPIRIT. BOTH OF YOU SHOULD JUST…SHOULD JUST…..BURN IN HELL!!”

*FWOOOOSHHHH*

Burning Hatred Stage 1 Reached [Smoldering Resentment]

The heat around me ignited into a green, all-consuming fire that spread around me, igniting the walls and everything they touched.

“LOOK. AT. THAT FOLKS. KUSAMURE IS JUST FULL OF SURPRISES. THAT EMERALD FLAME IS CONSUMING THE PLAYING FIELD LIKE NOTHING ELSE.”

The flame wrapped around my arms like a blanket and spread outwards uncontrollably.

“ARENT YOU FULL OF SURPRISES MUSHY!”  The pure spirit yelled, “But whatever you’re doing behind there, it won't fucking save you!”

I heard him wind up his mallet. Instantly, I put my hands against the wall of vines. Instinctively, the heat surged down my arms like a rampaging bull before shooting out like a jet of flame, carving a charred hole through the vines.

Caution! 200 damage taken

700/900 HP

“GYAGHAAAAAAA!” I screamed. The jet of flame stopped instantly. However, it did not stop before leaving a charred path of destruction into the ground. I went to my knees again as the taste of blood filled my mouth.

“WOAH FOLKS IT LOOKS LIKE KUSAMURE IS HAVING HER SECOND WIND“

The flame ignited around me again as his ear-grating voice assaulted my ear drums. I  swear if I'm ever left alone with him, you won't even find ashes after what I do to him. I tried to stand up, but suddenly, the sound of rubble moving hit my ears.

“MUSHY…”  a deep guttural voice hit my ears. The pile of rubble burst open, revealing toe-rag. How is this bastard still fucking alive?! The heat around me flared up again at just the sigh of him. I'll burn him. I'LL BURN HIM T TILL HE LOOKS LIKE A FUCKING CHARCOAL BRIQUETTE.

“Muussshyyy…” he slurred as he raised his melted against his face. His face was a mix of black charred skin and pale flesh. Blisters formed all over his face as his body tried to ease the damage.

“My…..face……..MY……..FACE!” He let out a pained roar. “How could ….. a stupid….unwashed mushy do this.” He groaned as he stood up. The complete right side of his body was a patchwork of healthy skin, burned meat, and charcoal-black flesh, just like his face. As he moved, the blisters ripped open, leaking pus and fluid onto his exposed wounds. It looked agonisingly painful. But it’s not enough. It will never be enough!

“Annnniieee……Annie! Where the hell! Are you?! You need to fix this!”

I looked around. Annie must have been that other one. She better be fucking alive when I see her. Only I'm allowed to kill these spiteful bastards.

“GYAGHAAAAAA USELESS. To think a mushy like you could do this to me! TELL ME! What foul beast fucked your mother to give birth to you? Huh! Was it one of the many stray animals that parade around that shit hole your people call a ho-

“SHUT THE HELL UP!”

Burning hatred STAGE 2 reached.

[Burning Spite]

Heat exploded from my body as I lunged forward and tackled him to the ground, heat still licking off my body. He was severely burned with charred flesh, and the smell of burnt wood filled the air as I wrestled him to the ground.

Caution! 400 damage taken!

SEEK COVER SOON

300/900

Searing hot flame burned into my muscles, making them feel like they were gonna explode with power.

“DON’T YOU EVER!” *THUD* my fist collided with his face, causing it to smack hard into the concrete.

“EVER! MENTION MY MOTHER AGAIN” punch after punch landed in his face. He tried to swing back, but I easily swatted his fist away as I kept punching and punching. Each blow sent a splurt of blood up and onto my mask and onto the floor. His pained screams filled the arena for everyone to hear, but I didn’t care. He had to suffer. They all have to suffer like how my mother suffered. And even then, it won't be enough! With each blow, every ounce of anger I had was poured into the flame and into the muscles as I replayed all the shit these pure spirits had given me. All the pain, embarrassment, and shame they had caused me. All of that suffering was like fuel for a flame that now burned deep within me, Like dry wood into a pyre; the more these memories replayed, the angrier I became. My punches got heavier, stronger, and MORE Brutal. Until eventually, all that was below me was a burnt, smoldering carcass and a small puddle of blackened blood.

Pure spirit [Toe-rag] killed!

12,000 xp awarded!

“WOAH FOLKS! WHAT A SPECTACULAR AND GRUESOME FINALE TO THE BATTLE. GIVE KUSAMURE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE”

I slowly stood up above his body as a roar of cheers hit my ears, but I ignored it all; the only thing  I could think about was the hatred and anger that coursed through me at the-

<big sis! Move>

My body shot to the side just in time to dodge several arrows that landed in my position.

“REMEMBER FOLKS, THIS A BATTLE ROYALE ENEMIES CAN COME ANYTIME AND AT ANY PLACE!”

“Gyaghhhhhaaaa, you stupid FOOLS! Learn to mind your own!”

The flames Swelled again.

Caution! 200 damage taken!

SEEK COVER AND RECOVER IMMEDIATELY!

100/900

Fuck that! I'm ending this now! I bolted out of cover and quickly scouted the area. The once old and abandoned town now looked like a warzone as charred buildings layered the crater that was the ground.

<Up there! in the destroyed building!> the little one said. Another arrow flew towards me, giving away the position.

“You're dead!”

Using the last bit of my mana, a large wave appeared at my feet, sending me flying through the air towards them. More and more arrows moved towards me, but like all the other contestants, they were again way too slow.

“DID YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE YOU STOOD A CHANCE!” I crashed into his hiding position, sending more and more rubble in the air and putting me right in front of the 2 archers.

“FOUND YOU!”

Before she could notch another arrow, I planted my fist into her stomach. I roared as flame ruptured down my arm into her fragile body before blowing out the other side, taking all her organs with her.

“FREYNA NO MMMPHHH”

My hand wrapped around her mouth, silencing her. The human let out muffled screams as she smacked her hands into mine. I grabbed her arms and watched as she screamed as the burning flame left a black, melted handprint where I held it. I looked her over and noticed several cobalt blue lines running around her body. The more I looked at them, the more I was drawn to their delicious blue colour.

I felt my jaw unhinge and spread wide. For the first time, my new fangs showed themselves.

“Dinner time.”

My fangs clamped down on her neck, and then everything went black.