[] Take your master's offer to spar with him. It'll be safer and he'll probably be able to actually guide you through combat instead of just trying to *Crush you*.
-[] offer to fight GroundDramon another time so he can know for sure if he would win against you at your best instead.
===
It's a difficult decision to take, forcing you to think on the pros and cons of each choice. So much as you'd enjoy battling Groundramon and punching him in the face, it's sadly not the logical decision here. He won't be interested In helping you refine this new form's combat ability. Sure experiencing a battle against his body type would bring wisdom, but not the type you
need for what's to come. MasterTyrannomon on the other paw will be helping you prepare and adapt for the crucial battle to come,
You suppose that in the end, it comes down to short term satisfaction versus duty… and of the two, duty will
always win.
So it's with a modicum of disappointment that you bow to enormous Dramon and offer him your apologies.
"I cannot accept your offer to do battle presently, but I hope that we may do so in the near future. That is, after my family is rescued and I have grown proficient in using this new form."
Your fellow student bares his teeth at that, and opens his mouth to say something before thinking better of it. A moment later the Ultimate lowers his head in a disappointed sigh and nods. The mon may be a jerk, but at least he's not trying to force a fight.
Of course, you do look forward to punching him in the face later… or maybe kicking. You're still not entirely sure how hard you can even do that, theoretically the wider arcs could carry more power than even a clawing swipe, but you'll have to test it out.
And thankfully your master is here to do just that!
The MasterTyrannomon in question grins at your decision, then beckons with a claw for you to follow along.
Unsurprisingly the dinosaur doesn't intend to spar in the midst of *camp* but instead lumbers off, crushing piles of bones into powder with every forceful step. You immediately set out after him, expecting to fall behind as the MasterTyrannomon accelerates to full speed. Only, as the seconds crawl by you find yourself actually
closing the distance. Indeed, three seconds into the sprint you actually have to slow down a tad lest you overtake him.
Which means… evolving to Grappleomon has left you
faster than him. That knowledge leaves you feeling a bit odd. Sure, theoretically speaking you'd known evolution had left you more powerful than your master, but...actually feeling an aspect of it firstpaw-er firsthand is strange. Shrugging the uncomfortable feeling off, you redirect your attention to his gait itself.
Each loping step moves what has to be several dozen tons worth of weight forward without becoming unbalanced. A task that cannot be easy given his massive extremities. It's fascinating in a way, watching his column-like tail, sway in tandem with his enormous claws and head. They act as a sort of counterbalance to each other, preventing the forward-set mon from being pulled too far forward or back.
The process of examining it leads your mind to mentally comparing it with how you'd moved as Gryzmon. Weight had been concentrated
very different, resting mainly on your *front/upper* half, which meant an entirely different method of sprinting. Instead of swaying in balance, you'd more or less slammed both Kuma Tsume to the ground to pull forward, then let momentum bring your rear-paws to a near parallel point with them to push off as your fore-paws left the ground. It was almost like hopping really.
Now however, you'd have to say running has more in common with what your master's doing, though the balancing method is not as extreme. Sure you both push off one leg at a time, but all you really do is swing an arm to provide the counterbalance needed to stay straight. And what's more, the shorter *arc* of movement and your less *top-heavy* form leaves you able to take smaller strides instead of practically leaping from foot to foot.
For the sake of curiosity you end up looking back, wanting to see how his other students are faring. Unsurprisingly, the two small MasterTyrannomon and their singular MetalTyrannomon comrade have fallen behind. Shorter strides and their lesser speed leaving them simply unable to keep up. Beat meanwhile is fluttering just behind you with ease, having entirely abandoned the ground for flying. His almost horizontal position is at first a surprise, but after a moment you realize its purpose is to minimize air resistance, which is quite logical.
Lastly and most surprising is Groundramon. Your *rival student* is taking an entirely different approach to what you've seen before. Instead of swaying or *almost hopping* the mon is leveraging the unique structure of his legs to… basically just walk faster. Clawing forward using one front and rear-leg at a time while his mace-like sways back and forth behind him to prevent his form from moving too far left or right.
It's all so interesting!
Sadly, you don't get any more time to think over the intricacies of movement as MasterTyrannmon comes to a wide circular area and skids to a stop in its center. Your nose picks up the scent of ash from the tightly packed ground meaning…
Between the scorched ground and…
Pause for a moment, you twist around looking for claw marks or any other signs of battle.
Yes signs of battle, this must have been created as some sort of sparring area. How fortunate!
While fighting amidst the Primeval Graveyard's filth wouldn't have been a dealbreaker, a sterilized area to spar is still very appreciated.
"Roroho! Like Groundramon's work huh?" You master chuffles before rolling his shoulders.
He made this?
"I'm glad even he can appreciate a fine ring." The dramon in question agrees, straightening his neck out in what's supposed to be a regal fashion. "I learned from the best after all."
"Interesting… my thanks for the platform."
*Glower*
Did I… say something wrong?
"Alright, get ready student, your master's gonna make the first move." The Mayor states with a grin. "Roho, don't worry I'll take it slow at first."
You don't bother thanking him again, there'd be no point. All that's left for you to do is bring your right foot forward and flow into a combat stance. He takes a moment to examine your pose, starting from your slightly bent knees before moving up to where your hands are held out in front of your chest, curled halfway between a fist and a claw.
After giving it an approving nod, your master cracks his neck, then springs forward… at a pace that's almost painfully
slow. Tracking the incoming Ultimate's swipe is a simple matter, as is finding a way to counter it.
In one smooth motion you simply take a step to the right, parry the claw away with the back of your trailing hand, then twist into an overhand punch with your right. The MasterTyrannomon's eyes widen in surprise at the sudden motion, but at this point dodging isn't an option. Your knuckle spikes dig into the side of his turning head, puncturing straight through his jaw's flesh with little resistance a millisecond before the actual fist hits home.
A faint shock runs up your arm as the blow makes contact, snapping the Ultimate's entire body around in a half circle. That was
just a glancing blow, not a true hit.
Amazing! He turned with the impact's force to minimize damage taken-
Your thoughts are interrupted as he suddenly reverses direction, lashing out with a backhand that come
much faster this time around. Acting on pure reflex, you duck under the attack's arc, then sway left just in time to avoid the opposite claw's uppercut. A warning tugs at your mind, the memory of many a punctured shin.
Gryzmon would be forced to step back in order to avoid damage. Now however, you simply twist on your toes and lash out with a short and low sweep, knocking his right leg wide. Your master stumbles, momentarily pulled off balance, but even
then he still manages to raise a guard.
One tenth of a second passes in pure amazement over how crazily your reflexes striking and speed have improved. It also makes you curious just how well you'll do on the
offensive side of things. Again relying on the new form's instinct, you swing your right leg back around, pivot on its toes and twist up into a snapping
Vortex Kick.
Your foot effortlessly batters his arms aside with a mighty *crack*, leaving him open as you try to reverse the blow's momentum and strike his jaw with your heel-
*Thud*
The impact of which barely fazes him, leaving you standing awkwardly on one leg while your master opens his maw.
… huh.
Sudden pressure snaps you out of the surprise, but alas, by the time you finally react it's too late. The colossal dinosaur tugs you up off the ground and begins to
swing, turning the world into a blur. Your flailing form smashes into the ground and… the world does not go dark like you expected. Indeed, as MasterTyrannomon repeats the motion again, this time crashing your face into the ash, you find that there isn't actually much pain at
all.
Which is interesting, but doesn't help your situation overmuch.
Trying to kick with your other leg doesn't work, not when you're lacking without leverage. On a whim you try to form a pair of handholds with Void-Step, which works momentarily.
But then your master changed grip, wrapping his arms around your torso and simply pulling another direction. Now with even less control, you're completely helpless as he arches backwards and shoves your head towards the ground.
Suplexing you neck-deep finally proves to be enough for your master, as he lets go and backs off. Which leaves you to place both palms against the tightly packed ash and
push, plucking your head from the ground with an audible *pop*.
"Two mistakes." Your teacher's voice rumbles out, before he spits out a pair of broken teeth
. "Those kicks of yours need windup to hurt. First one was good, but the return barely hurt. You should've gone for a full spin, or tried something else." You nod along with his statement, it makes sense.
Hmm, maybe if I turned more, then… tried to stomp back? Mayhaps… he said two mistakes.
"And my second error?"
"Roho I think you can figure that one out."
… what other mistake did I make? Ah.
"I left my leg up to be grabbed."
"Mhrm, that's part of it." MasterTyrannomon agrees.
"But don't forget what came afterwards. When being thrown around like that try to curl towards them and bite the mon swinging you."
"Understood."
"That's my student! Now get ready, won't be holding back so much this time." You barely have time to register the older mon's words before he lunges forward again in a mirror of his very first attack. Again you manage to parry his claw and move to counter, only this time his tail slaps heavily into your midsection, the weight of which throws you back through the air.
In a bid to arrest the momentum, you reach back and make use of Void-Step. However that moment of lost velocity leaves you stuck place as a fireball careens towards your face. Reflexively your eye shuts to avoid being burnt, and by the time you feel out the exact outline of his energy, the dinosaur is already driving a claw into your unarmored belly.
The sheer force of it sees you doubling over as pain flares from where the claw has dug in to skin, but with gritted teeth you push through it and prepare a counter. A counter that never lands, because he pulls your face down into a rising knee.
Head ringing from the impact, you stumble back and raise both arms into a guard-
-that proves useless as his tail sweeps out both feet from under you. For a moment your dazed form is left hanging. Then a kick crashes into your torso, slightly denting the metal and sending you tumbling back across the thick ash.
Several cheers rise up from your fellow students at the display of dominance, but are ignored as you drive a hand into the earth and roll back up. With the dizziness having fallen away, you're able to take note of the damage… which turns out to be minimal.
The incision was shallow, the fire barely singed my face, and my torso does not ache. Interesting.
Your teacher's combo would have deleted or heavily wounded most Ultimate's to think it left so little damage on your body… it must be quite tough indeed.
The Mayor rears his head back, his mouth trailing with flame, then rocks forward to unleashes a wide arc of flame. Since dodging to either side is flat out, you instead leap up into the sky… right into the path of another lunging swipe.
Unable to dodge or parry, you hastily shift to put the studded surface of your left pauldron into its path. Simultaneously your right hand turns about and reinforces the air beneath it, keeping you from being knocked away as his claws bounce off your armor.
As he recoils you seize the opportunity to counterattack by pivoting on the temporary platform and unleashing another snapping kick towards his guard.
Naturally your master intercepts the move with an outstretched claw, keeping it from reaching full velocity.
Just as you'd expected.
Instead of struggling against the block, you hook his arm with your foot, then push off with your hand, leveraging the point of contact to wheel up and around just in time to avoid a stabbing claw. In one fluid motion you twirl and
stomp with the other leg, catching the top of your master's head.
His body rocks down whilst your own is launched upwards, but that isn't where you let things end. Instead of recovering, you flip back around and
kick at the air, throwing yourself back down at the reeling Ultimate's head.
Your right arm pulls back as a
howling battlecry rips its way free from your chest.
"Doryah!"
The Mayor's topmost green plate
shatters under your wind-wreathed fist, which is followed by a deafening *
crackathoom* as the back of his skull
shatters. Electown's ruler is driven into the ash with a manic grin, only relenting when the world's surface no longer wishes to relent.
Still smiling, you push away from the crater and reaffirm your stance, waiting for your master to get back up and attack again.
…
To get back up and attack again.
… he is not moving.
What had once been elation instantly turns to concern and worry as you eye the Ultimate's unmoving form.
This… did I just… knock master out? By the Ten I did!... is he okay? Alright his data isn't dispersing! He's okay… I think… by the spirits I heard a crack from that punch!
Behind you a deafening roar sounds out as Groundramon begins to move forward, but Beat lands in front of him and levels his spear. You panickedly look between them and the still form of *MayorTyrannomon* struggling not to panic.
"Verge possess healing spells. That injury means nothing."
I do? Spirits above I do!
Reminded of that particular bit of knowledge, you whirl about and hasten to perform the area of effect spell. Considering your master's size, it'll be the most effective.
That said, you still have to perform it twice before he comes to with a groan.
"Errrgh. What uggh... happened." The Ultimate questions, gingerly rubbing the back of his head.
"I… punched you." You admit after several moments. "I did not expect it to carry such force."
"Punched me? Rororo-ow." The Mayor winces, before pushing himself to lay on a side
. "Guess you're… stronger than I thought. Hope you don't mind if this old dinosaur takes a break."
"No it… it is fine." You murmur guiltily before turning to look away from him.
I… must be more careful in future spars. I still lack full control over this body's strength...
=== Choose One:
[] While you're taking a break from sparring, see if you can find our more about this zone. It's certainly an odd place.
[] Try to interact with your teacher's other students, Groundramon aside they seem to like you just fine. Maybe you could find out how they met him?
[] Go out to find Sparks and MarineDevimon. They should hopefully be done with… whatever conversation they were having.
===
AN: Yeah, MayorTyrannmon got knocked the fug out. He wasn't showing everything he had mind you, but this was him using 95%'ish percent of his kit. Verge's new evolution is strong.