Dragonball M, Chapter 3: In Blood, Bone, and Ash! The Way Forward Unlocked!

[Tami]

“Yeah, ships ready, just need people to clear the way. Hop on the guns and be ready to offer assistance.”

A wry smile was followed by a slight groan as she pushed herself off the Scanner chair and moved slowly to the nearby Weapons station. Taking a seat, she quickly looked over the controls before calling to Jinzi, "Ah'm ready to fire."

Using the controls, she set the weapon to a narrow bean and aimed it high, head level of the attacking Golems. Once the other are in the clear, she knew how ot quickly switch to a wide beam.

[Yun Lao]

“Charco is a friend of mine. Sadly, I think I failed him and....I fear he is gone now.”

———

It’s skewered, but doesn’t slow down and instead punches Rex.

The four-armed golems don’t have the forehead weakness either.

"I... I see..."

So this timeline wasn't immune from the same fate she had just escaped.

"I will ensure that his loss will be the last one to come from the beast," Shōchū stated.

--------

Struck, Rex skidded back several feet but did not break the hold of the beams still running through the golem. Drawing back the same hand, he filled his palm with a handful of ghost hakai energy before firing it. Guided by the beams like a cart on rails, the blast of poisonous ki was sure to hit, but would it be enough?

It didn't matter much to him, in the end. Rex was drawing things out for a reason; he was seeking out any signs of energy he could consume from the golem.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Your observational focus tells you nothing. In this puddle inert form, you get not a single trace of anything.

This... was... not possible. Parsley got nothing from it. No trace, not even a hint of what the process used to create it. Absolutely nothing.

She frowned and rose to her feet. Whatever these creatures were made of, it was all beyond her ability to comprehend.

The pale white golems all suddenly retreat into the walls. Instead, coming from the walls are the larger four-armed golems without the forehead weakness. One is currently floating in space with Sasheem and another is fighting Rex.

Ten more emerge in the docking bay as Jinzi's voice comms to them all.

“Let’s go folks! Time’s a ticking!”

And she had no time to figure out what or how. They had precious few moments before everything was engulfed in a ball of fire, and she would rather not have been caught in that. She flicked the remnants of the puddle from her finger and turned to board the ship. "Perhaps we'll have to craft them on our own," she told Ishtar. "I could get nothing from it. And now the golems are gone, and the ones that replaced them are not so easily defeated."

It was equally frustrating and curious. Frustrating for obvious reason, but curious as it implied that the First Race possessed a means of creation that was well beyond anything Parsley had ever seen before. Intriguing. She knew she would see more, and looked forward to it. Hopefully, these next ones provided an actual challenge.

[KingofPie]

This works, and the four armed golem giant floats gently into space, unable to stop Sasheem.

"Oh, no you don't!" Sasheem muttered, stretching his arm back into the asteroid and drawing out...a crate. One of the one's from the battle against Baric. "When Sasheem finishes a fight he finishes it with a boom and an execution!" the Majin flies out, behind the golem.

He zapped the crate, to morph it into...some taffy. Sasheem flew around the golem, wrapping the rope of taffy around his body before dragging him back through the asteroid, speeding up with his Mamba Boost to prevent the golem from reacting quickly once inside. His aim, this time was to return to the world within the walls where the army of golems lay.

Once there he'd stick the large golem to the wall via the taffy.

[KingofPie]

Mostly ruined, the room Blizzar checks eventually does bare fruit. What appears to be a surveillance room is found shins some rubble. It’s mostly ruined but one computer is still active. You can download the files therein.

"Ohoho...information is valuable too," Blizzar spoke smugly as he quickly uploaded the files to an empty drive and made his exit.

The pale white golems all suddenly retreat into the walls. Instead, coming from the walls are the larger four-armed golems without the forehead weakness. One is currently floating in space with Sasheem and another is fighting Rex.

Ten more emerge in the docking bay as Jinzi's voice comms to them all.

“Let’s go folks! Time’s a ticking!”

Blizzar rushes back towards the Coldlight, deeming it best to avoid these odd creatures and focus on making a quick escape again.

[grampagen]

The pale white golems all suddenly retreat into the walls. Instead, coming from the walls are the larger four-armed golems without the forehead weakness. One is currently floating in space with Sasheem and another is fighting Rex.

Ten more emerge in the docking bay as Jinzi's voice comms to them all.

“Let’s go folks! Time’s a ticking!”

Zaofan continued to take his measure of the First Race Golems from this distance, when suddenly their swelling ranks had dissipated from wherever they came.

Only to be replaced by a series of others that came from all sides.

"...well that's a problem," Zaofan said, his bright features glowing red as the Optic Blast reached its full charge. Slowly, the glow shrank, from filling the frames of his face to a pinpoint focal point that shone within his pupils.

"Hmm?"

The Nevadian turned his senses to the area Zaofan was focused on, picking up the exponentially increasing signatures in a moment, hidden within the darkness of the corridor. The Chef seemed poised to attack them, before suddenly addressing Held.

Held starred at his friend for a moment, confused. He still seemed poised to attack, but the angle---

Belatedly, understanding dawned upon the Nevadian as he mad sense of Zaofan's ambition.

"I think if my arm was split from my body, it'd be doing spear throws for a month through rigor mortis alone..." Held replied with a smirk, ki gently flowing into the body of the spear.

"I think I'll manage a bit longer..."

Ten four-armed gargantuas surrounded the Coldlight in the hangar bay. If they had their way, these would be the end of the line. Yet, back to back with the Nevadian beneath the wings of the wounded Space Cruiser, Zaofan simply shifted his gaze from the hallway to the rounded corners and domed roof of this landing area. Mechanical cranes. Depot carriages. Whole bunch of stuff on the ground...

"I'm glad to hear it, because seems like we got no choice-" pushing his gathered ki before his face, Zaofan's eyes lit up, "-but to work together and stop them all at once!"

Sinking his footing, a narrow Optic Blast shot, a column of sustained concussive force lighting up the area, toward the nearest golem...and missed its massive torso completely.

From the core of the hangar, it would be an indefensible position, even factoring what firepower the GP vessel had left. He'd made its measure already. And in all honesty, they had to take account of what they could bring to this effort.

The Ninth Philosophy of Cooking--

Glancing off the curved wall, off the edge of a discaded box, and the ceiling, the Optic Blast returned, striking and bouncing a path of a Ruby Ricochet that weaved deftly around the hulk of a spaceship as Zaofan continued to pour on the power. The only way to accomplish this goal was with absolute precision!

--Now we understand flavour!

OOC: Dual-tech lead-in initiated

[grampagen]

When he struck upon the Golem, Ochazuke felt how the blow landed with a surety that went beyond countless hours spent cultivating skill. Even set upon this twisted alien shape, there came to him in a fractured moment the scent of lacquered cedar planks, echoing their solid foundation under footfalls. Wreathed in the flexible guards of Zxu'ro, for a moment the weight of the combat left him as he felt his hands, in a fashion, guided towards their targets, as if led by a silent hand that felt potential.

The refinement of such an elementary thing as a straight lead to a nostalgic feeling he had not felt since...

Chahan.

The death sputters of the artificial being wicked away as its being melt into a puddle. Still more emerged from the walls.

But none of them were his target, and Ochazuke was determined to push through them.

With successive blows, the stances of these hollow, artificial forms were broken, and like their kindred so were they demolished by skull-shattering blows.



Yet even now, he could sense that cold sickly presence, prowling in the shadows. Where are you?

A golem approached and lashed out. He flipped it contemptuously over his shoulder, slamming it onto its back, and ground his heel into its crown.

He had yet a moment's energy to spare, and once again he drew upon his meditational field to resonate within the dying facility itself, tracking Rex and this other presence with Kyokushin Keihatsu.

Below.

Tracing the path of Charco's destroyer, Ochazuke drew back his fist and struck the ground with the Iron Wind of Zanshin Touki.

OOC: Ochazuke base PL: 1.45 mill; Zanshin Touki strikes twice = 2.9 mill ^ (Zxu'ro's Relics)

OOC: Perhaps a man might punch through the floor to hunt a stalking Dinosaur?

[Miburo]

Zaofan continued to take his measure of the First Race Golems from this distance, when suddenly their swelling ranks had dissipated from wherever they came.

Only to be replaced by a series of others that came from all sides.

"...well that's a problem," Zaofan said, his bright features glowing red as the Optic Blast reached its full charge. Slowly, the glow shrank, from filling the frames of his face to a pinpoint focal point that shone within his pupils.



Ten four-armed gargantuas surrounded the Coldlight in the hangar bay. If they had their way, these would be the end of the line. Yet, back to back with the Nevadian beneath the wings of the wounded Space Cruiser, Zaofan simply shifted his gaze from the hallway to the rounded corners and domed roof of this landing area. Mechanical cranes. Depot carriages. Whole bunch of stuff on the ground...

"I'm glad to hear it, because seems like we got no choice-" pushing his gathered ki before his face, Zaofan's eyes lit up, "-but to work together and stop them all at once!"

Sinking his footing, a narrow Optic Blast shot, a column of sustained concussive force lighting up the area, toward the nearest golem...and missed its massive torso completely.

From the core of the hangar, it would be an indefensible position, even factoring what firepower the GP vessel had left. He'd made its measure already. And in all honesty, they had to take account of what they could bring to this effort.

The Ninth Philosophy of Cooking--

Glancing off the curved wall, off the edge of a discaded box, and the ceiling, the Optic Blast returned, striking and bouncing a path of a Ruby Ricochet that weaved deftly around the hulk of a spaceship as Zaofan continued to pour on the power. The only way to accomplish this goal was with absolute precision!

--Now we understand flavour!

OOC: Dual-tech lead-in initiated

The Nevadian drew air slowly into his lungs, matching his breathing with his brother in arms. The Shingan had always lent itself to cooperation; Interpreting, matching, and predicting on an unparalleled level. It would allow the Nevadian to perhaps understand an opponent perhaps better than they understood themselves, to say nothing of a partner.

But, the Shingan was entirely unnecessary in this moment. The two warriors had fought side by side for what seemed like an eternity, forging a friendship and understanding in that time. Even if his eyes did not deign to show him the path, he would have instinctively felt it from the cooperation the two had engaged in endlessly.

"Good Grief....Talking about putting me under a lot of pressure...." Held replied dryly, feeling the energy of the attack humming all around him. "You might as well have expected me to pierce the sun while drunk..."

He opened his eyes, adjusting his grip his golden weapon, raising it as he prepared his throw.

"Still, I'd hate to disappoint."

Energy pulsed from the Nevadians arm, flowing wildly into the Spear as he channeled his ki, into the weapon, emptying his mind as the crimson beams zipped around the two warriors.

If I'm off by a centimeter...This might be awkward...

The Nevadian stood motionless, stock still like a statue as Zao-Fan increased the intensity of his attack.

There!

The spear flew from the Nevadians grasp, hurtling towards the ceiling, poised to collide with the the Ruby Ricochet at an angle. A burst of wind attempted to herald the gambit in vain; The spear had been long gone by the time the force was generated.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

OOC: Perhaps a man might punch through the floor to hunt a stalking Dinosaur?

Have at it!

IC:

You see Rex blasting one as you arrive on the same level as he.

[grampagen]

The Nevadian drew air slowly into his lungs, matching his breathing with his brother in arms. The Shingan had always lent itself to cooperation; Interpreting, matching, and predicting on an unparalleled level. It would allow the Nevadian to perhaps understand an opponent perhaps better than they understood themselves, to say nothing of a partner.

But, the Shingan was entirely unnecessary in this moment. The two warriors had fought side by side for what seemed like an eternity, forging a friendship and understanding in that time. Even if his eyes did not deign to show him the path, he would have instinctively felt it from the cooperation the two had engaged in endlessly.

"Good Grief....Talking about putting me under a lot of pressure...." Held replied dryly, feeling the energy of the attack humming all around him. "You might as well have expected me to pierce the sun while drunk..."

He opened his eyes, adjusting his grip his golden weapon, raising it as he prepared his throw.

"Still, I'd hate to disappoint."

Energy pulsed from the Nevadians arm, flowing wildly into the Spear as he channeled his ki, into the weapon, emptying his mind as the crimson beams zipped around the two warriors.

If I'm off by a centimeter...This might be awkward...

The Nevadian stood motionless, stock still like a statue as Zao-Fan increased the intensity of his attack.

There!

The spear flew from the Nevadians grasp, hurtling towards the ceiling, poised to collide with the the Ruby Ricochet at an angle. A burst of wind attempted to herald the gambit in vain; The spear had been long gone by the time the force was generated.

Sometimes, the things you expect to pair the least are surprisingly complementary. Nobody remembered the first chef who added salt to sugar as a mistake, the combination thereafter only seemed natural. Ever since Zaofan happened upon Held, on the Capsule of the World, they had a tendency to just play things by ear. Some way, some how, things just had a way of working out for them this way.

The path of Held's Shingan became apparent, and the chef had the utmost confidence in him. It was as if they had practiced this maneuver a thousand times; The spear flew true, its gleaming surface like a prism, and as it neared the beam the glow seemed to radiate from the Optic Blast, as if the impact would cut a white light into a spectrum of colours.

But through it all, Zaofan only saw red. And Despite all appearances, this was not light. Sculpt though ki, this was a magnification of force, effort intensified by will and put forward by intention

And when the Golden Spear intersected with the path of the Ruby Ricochet, with a flash it altered its trajectory, picking up greater speed as it ricocheted off of the ricochet. As it struck, something in the technique, from the arc to the spin bent the path of the red beam for continual, successive collisions erupting in repeated impacts over the hangar, until they at last found mutual impact point: dead centre upon one of the Golems.

The effect was concussive force, magnified several times over.

Over and over the Spear and the Blast seemed to find each other, again and again as they repeatedly smashed into one of the ten golems before rocketing to another of each assembly. Every time one shot threatened to clip the walls, it was shot back into the fray; if one ever neared the Coldlight, its counterpart would quickly intercept and send it back to the true targets.

Through it all, Zaofan never budged an inch.

[grampagen]

Have at it!

IC:

You see Rex blasting one as you arrive on the same level as he.

In the aftermath of his strike through the metal, the skin over Ochazuke's hand frayed and his calloused knuckled bled. Yet the force of the refined strike had allowed him to strike through the facility floor; that was all that mattered as he saw the myriad of shadowed walkways beneath his feet.

Was this another one of his deceptions? Some primal wisdom in the hunter. How many ages had this creature chased after those of the Ogatan lineage until they were nothing more but prey? A feeding, possessed of the blood and the flesh. Lured away from others, an isolation from within.

Ochazuke imagined how Rex must have delighted when Charco at last had no choice.

It’s skewered, but doesn’t slow down and instead punches Rex.

The four armed golems don’t have the forehead weakness either.

Struck, Rex skidded back several feet but did not break the hold of the beams still running through the golem. Drawing back the same hand, he filled his palm with a handful of ghost hakai energy before firing it. Guided by the beams like a cart on rails, the blast of poisonous ki was sure to hit, but would it be enough?

It didn't matter much to him, in the end. Rex was drawing things out for a reason; he was seeking out any signs of energy he could consume from the golem.

While the Saurian's claws wrenched through the Golem, a looming shadow darkened above the two. Falling straight from above, Ochazuke fell the edge of his hand upon the Golem's crown with Kongosho, following that bust of grey poisonous ki with nullification to snuff out the remainder of its energy as he landed.

By all appearances, it seemed the predator had become the prey. How ironic.

Wheeling about, Ochazuke kicked the metallic giant in the back, and sent it falling forward upon Rex.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"I... I see..."

So this timeline wasn't immune from the same fate she had just escaped.

"I will ensure that his loss will be the last one to come from the beast," Shōchū stated.

--------

Struck, Rex skidded back several feet but did not break the hold of the beams still running through the golem. Drawing back the same hand, he filled his palm with a handful of ghost hakai energy before firing it. Guided by the beams like a cart on rails, the blast of poisonous ki was sure to hit, but would it be enough?

It didn't matter much to him, in the end. Rex was drawing things out for a reason; he was seeking out any signs of energy he could consume from the golem.

There is nothing, and the ghost Hakai eats it away until it turns into a puddle that fall onto of Rex as Ochazuke kicks it, forcing it to fall on him while it still has rigidity.

Now Rex is covered in golem goo.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Oh, no you don't!" Sasheem muttered, stretching his arm back into the asteroid and drawing out...a crate. One of the one's from the battle against Baric. "When Sasheem finishes a fight he finishes it with a boom and an execution!" the Majin flies out, behind the golem.

He zapped the crate, to morph it into...some taffy. Sasheem flew around the golem, wrapping the rope of taffy around his body before dragging him back through the asteroid, speeding up with his Mamba Boost to prevent the golem from reacting quickly once inside. His aim, this time was to return to the world within the walls where the army of golems lay.

Once there he'd stick the large golem to the wall via the taffy.

And does so, seeing more and more getting of them in that pocket dimension.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

OT:

Beautifully done.

IC:

With ruby light and flashes of gold, one by one the heart and head were both pierced on each of the golems, until all ten have been silenced and turned into puddles.

And silence reigns within the docking bay.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"If you two are done styling on worthless mooks, can we please go now?" Sarada called out from the ship.