Chapter 959: Swamp Brawl
[Are you sure it’s necessary for us to maintain human disguises? I feel so limited like this. Thanks for the boost in heat by the way.]
[Anytime, Frosttusk. And yes, it’s important for us to maintain our human looks this time around. We have no idea who or what we’re dealing with, so human disguises are the way to go. That way they’ll keep underestimating us.]
[Ah…]
[Oi!,] Razorstella interjected. [Get ready. Two of that warband is about to make contact with the cart.]
…
Claw and Jaw proceeded to swim over to the abandoned wagon as quietly as possible, using aether to minimize not only their own presence, but to also prevent ripples from forming in the water.
This wasn’t the first time they had to deal with intruders in a sneaky manner, so they had managed to maintain this stealthy approach all the way up to the very edges of the wagon. Once they got close enough, the two of them could finally detect energy signatures coming from the wagon.
[On my mark, we strike. Ready?]
[Ready.]
[Three…two…NOW!]
In the blink of an eye, Claw and Jaw had lived up to their namesakes and released simultaneous attacks against the cart.
To be more precise, Claw had manifested a giant lobster-like claw around his hand and swung it down like a heavy hammer. Meanwhile, Jaw’s face began to resemble more like that of a hammerhead shark’s as he surged forward and was about to use his teeth to the rear the little wagon apart.
It didn’t matter if anyone was actually hiding in the cart for an ambush, because the Strange Blood warriors were definitely not going to fuck around and find out.
Unfortunately, someone else knew this moment would happen too.
Which is why the sound of a mammoth’s call caused Jaw and Claw to temporarily stall, and what happened after was what to took them out of the fight.
As Jaw and Claw were about to make contact, a sudden chill crawled up their skins and spines as a sudden burst of freezing cold air suddenly billowed forth forth from the cart and froze the swamp water surrounding it. Including the legs of the aforementioned warriors.
[My leg!]
[It’s stuck!]
[Chaos Tongue? How do you know the words of madness?,] a deep voice rumbled from cart, catching Jaw and Claw off guard for a brief moment.
[What?!]
[Ah shit.]
The source of the voice was this large, muscular man with a long beard that seemed to radiate cold energy as they exited the cart. To be more precise, cold [Chaos].
Most other warriors in this moment would panic or start to feel that something was wrong with this moment, due to how [Chaos] had this weird effect on most aether based attacks and defenses, as well as the minds of most warriors.
The Strange Bloods however, were not like other warriors.
Once they realized that their opponent was using [Chaos] as well, they began to act significantly more frantic and wild.
So much so, that the disguised Frosttusk sensed that something wasn’t quite right in this moment.
Especially when he felt their [Chaos] spiking to a degree that was definitely higher than their aether levels.
[What are you two-]
[Storm Knight Chaos Art: Hydrothermal Burst!]*2
FWOOSH!
Splash!
[Gah!]
Just as Frosttusk were about to ask what Claw and Jaw were up to, the two Strange Blood warriors went on the attack.
Channeling [Chaos], Claw proceeded to free both himself and his companion by blasting a burst of superheated water at the ice around both of their legs. Meanwhile, and to make sure Claw wasn’t interrupted, Jaw fired off his own burst of superheated water directly at the disguised Frosttusk.
Normally, fire and heat in general was a tonic moreso than a detriment to Frosttusk, given his unusual body composition for being made of Fenrirtite.
But this time, due to the water being infused with [Chaos], hostile [Chaos] no less, he could feel himself getting burned.
A disorienting feeling to say the least, especially when they hadn’t felt the sting of a burn in years.
…
[Well, that’s a painful new feeling!]
[Frosttusk, are you okay?!]
[It stung, but I’ll live.]
[Those hateful swamp freaks! I’ll slice them into sashimi!]
[Huh? Razorstella, wait!]
…
[They can use Chaos, chief! I repeat, they can use Chaos!]
[Meaning this went from a kill mission to a capture one. Quill, Sting. Go and assist.]
[Yes, chieftain!]
…
As Frosttusk reeled from getting blasted with boiling water and actually feeling pain from it for the first time ever, Jaw and Claw proceeded to extract themselves from the ice in preparation to escape.
Unfortunately, they didn’t have that luxury.
[Come on! We gotta get-]
[You’re going nowhere, cyka! Star Cutting Wheel!]
[FUCK!]
[Where’d she come from?!]
From a spot beyond their field of view, a blonde woman with incredibly sharp features appeared from out of nowhere and proceeded to spin like a wild throwing disk directly towards Jaw’s and Claw’s necks.
The shadow of death began to loom over them, as they feel the shadow of death loom over them.
The [Chaos] art from earlier had their abilities on cool down, as it were, meaning they couldn’t muster a defense up in time.
(Un)Fortunately, they didn’t have to.
Moments before her legs could slice through her target’s undefended necks, a sudden impact knocked Razorstella off her intended path.
[What the fuck?!]
In the moment that she was sent flying, she could see what appeared to be a pufferfish quill and a long white stinger needle suddenly impacting her leg.
Unlike Frosttusk though, Razorstella made sure to amp up her defensive coating before attacking, so she didn’t take any damage from the attacks.
[Oof!]
However, she was still sent bouncing away into the frozen swamp water because of the sudden input of force.
[Jaw, Claw! Are you two okay?]
[Stinger!]
[Quill!]
Entering from the side that Jaw and Claw had arrived from, a warrior with a strange looking tail and a warrior covered in spikes had appeared.
From a quick glance, these two newcomers appeared to be Bloodliners, one from a scorpion descent while the other of a pufferfish.
In reality, they were just like Claw and Jaw.
[Change of plans. We’re capturing this old guy, and I guess that sharp woman, for interrogation. We have to figure out why they can-]
[You missed one spike boy!]
[-OOF!]*2
[How are there more of them?!]
[I could say the same thing!]
Just as Quill and Stinger finished sharing their new orders with Jaw and Claw, a pair of metallic fists attached to springs had punched them both in the gut and sent them flying.
A partially disguised Spring Brawler had appeared shortly after Razorstella did in order to make sure he didn’t do anything reckless. Unfortunately, he couldn’t prevent that from happening.
Fortunately, he could follow up.
[Alright, bring it the fuck on!,] Spring Brawler challenged Jaw and Claw as he slammed his fists together in an intimidating manner, moments before charging forward.
Understanding that stealth and cleverness had essentially been thrown out the window, Jaw and Claw opted to go with the flow.
[Let’s see how sturdy those fists of yours are!,] they shouted as Jaw’s mouth began to look more like that of a predatory beast’s, while Claw’s hands had completely turned into lobster claws.
…
[Well, shit…looks like I’ll have to get involved,] Nepherage concluded, seeing how their clever ambush had gone out the window.
“Alicia, Bellona. Stay here and make sure nobody tries to use you two as hostages or attempt to use Tiny and Mini for their purposes.”
“Of course.”
“Good luck.”
…
[Well, shit. There’s even more of them…alright, I need to get involved. Shell with me.]
[Aye.]
[Huh? What about me?]
[Scale, I need you check the perimeters. See if there are anymore surprises.]
[Right on.]
…
[Why am I still bouncing?!]
[Because you’re spinning!]
[Somebody stop me then!]
[Right.]
After being knocked away, Razorstella had been sent bouncing away much in the same way a runaway wagon wheel bounces despite being made of rigid materials.
On her current trajectory, she would’ve bounced straight into the water.
Thankfully, that didn’t happen.
Before Razorstella even had a chance to touch the water, Frosttusk managed to intercept and catch the bladed ballerina, taking care not to get himself impaled and slashed.
[Wow, your waist is razor thin.]
[Thanks for the save and-wait, was that a pun?!]
[Maybe.]
[You son of-LOOK OUT!]
[Huh? Oh shit!]
Before Razorstella and Frosttusk could indulge in the light levity of the moment, a sudden attack forced the latter to toss the former high into the air before dropping to the ground.
An energetic construct in the form of some prehistoric sea creature, sailed right pass the kaijin duo before impacting the swamp water beyond the frozen platform.
Once the attack had passed, Razorstella was caught by Frosttusk once more.
[Who the hell-]
[You seem to have high battle instincts. That’s good,] an aggressive voice commented. [Then it wasn’t a fluke how you managed to detect Claw and Jaw.]
[Never mind…wait, that were their names?]
