Atomic Rex: Challenge of Gurral

by Matthew Dennion

  Gurral stepped in to wrestle Hagan to the ground when the tri-horned horror brought his claws crashing down into the Smasher’s head. Hagan’s mighty blow bounced off Gurral’s Impervium-encased skull with little effect on the gladiator.

  Gurral shifted his head up and at the same time launched an uppercut with his right fist into Hagan’s jaw that snapped it shut. He bellowed at the hairy beast as he delivered a left hook to Hagan’s ribs. “If you wanna slug this out...”

  Gurral followed up the body blow with a right hook to Hagan’s face that staggered the beast. “Then trust me…”

  The Smasher continued to speak as he struck Hagan with another vicious blow to the face. “... You’re gonna lose.”

  Gurral was stepping forward to strike Hagan again when the armored kaiju swiped his claw across the arena champion’s face, rocking his head back. The blow stopped Gurral in mid punch and left his body exposed. Hagan took advantage of the opening and once more drove his horns into Gurral’s chest, this time driving them all the way to his ribcage. While the blow knocked the Smasher backwards and left impressive new wounds, Gurral was more braced this time, and was able to maintain his footing and prevent himself from falling over.

  Once he had regained his balance, Gurral looked at Hagan with a growing anger in his eyes. “Let’s finish this!” The two monsters then charged each other, colliding with a resounding crash. They then locked their arms around each other, pushing each other back and forth in the surf as they each tried to out-muscle their opponent.

  Chris and Kate were watching the battle below them in silence when Chris finally glanced over at his wife. “I’m not crazy, right? The tan monster with the spikes all over him he is talking, right?”

  Kate nodded. “Yes, he’s talking in English too.”

  Chris looked back at the sight of Hagan and Gurral matching brawn with brawn, neither gaining an edge. “What does that mean? Was he a man that was turned into a monster like Yokozuna but unlike that tub of lard he was able to keep his intelligence?”

  Kate shrugged. “I can’t say for sure.” She pointed to the cameras still flying circles around the grappling forms of Gurral and Hagan. “All that we do know is we have found the most intelligent kaiju we have ever come across and he is accompanied by some form of technology.” She looked at Chris. “This monster could change everything. If there are numerous kaiju with human level intelligence walking around the planet, we, and by we, I mean what’s left of the human race, could be in big trouble.”

  Chris shrugged. “So, do we want Hagan to win this fight then? Or if the spiked monster wins, do we use the sword to run him through as soon as he kills Hagan and end him? But then we wouldn’t know anything else about him like how he can talk and where that tech came from.”

  Kate was still staring at the battle below her as Gurral momentarily broke free of Hagan’s hold, punched the monster in the face, only to have the hairy creature push through the blow and force the Smasher back into a grappling contest. Kate leaned forward. “I don’t know. I mean, if he was a man and he became a kaiju, why is he different from Yokozuna? We know that Yokozuna was a human but when the radiation changed him into a monster, he lost most of his ability to reason. If this creature was a human and still has the ability to reason, can we just kill him before we know he’s a threat to us?”

  Chris nodded, “He’s a freaking monster and hell yes we can initiate what’s known as a preemptive strike if we think it will save the lives of our people.”

  The thought of protecting her loved ones from this monster was weighing heavily on her mind when a communication came in over the HAM radio. “Mom, Dad, it’s Emily, you won’t believe what happened!”

  Below Steel Samurai 2.0, Hagan and Gurral continued to struggle. Gurral tried again to throw the armored creature to the ground but the Japanese kaiju’s strength was equal to Gurral’s own, and it had good fighting instincts. Gurral pulled backward a step in order to free himself from Hagan’s grip and continue pummeling his massive opponent. Taking advantage of this, Hagan lowered his stance and drove his horned head towards Gurral’s torso. Gurral quickly responded with a wild roundhouse right to the side of Hagan’s head, halting the charge. He followed it up with several more punishing blows to the head and neck, but failed once more to knock down the sturdy contender.

  Gurral took several steps back and he glared at Hagan. “You’re just as strong, and just as tough as me.” Gurral shook his head. “But you’re gonna lose, and you know why?”

  Hagan roared in response to Gurral. He then lowered his head and charged the Smasher.

  Just before Hagan reached him, Gurral sidestepped the monster, pulled the taser the Newcomer had given to him from the strap on his chest, and drove it into the kaiju’s side. The hair that covered Hagan’s body all stood on end as streaks of electricity danced around his frame and his legs gave out from under him, causing the beast to fall face first into the water. Before Hagan recovered from the shock he had taken, Gurral tossed his taser to the beach, sat on the monster’s neck, and wrapped his powerful hands around the horns on the sides of the kaiju’s head.

  Gurral leaned in close to Hagan and growled, “I’m smarter than you.” Gurral then twisted Hagan’s head to the side. Hagan roared in defiance and tried to shift his head back to its normal position but the beast’s neck muscles were no match for Gurral’s hands and arms. Hagan’s head was forced to twist further and further, and then with one last brutal tug, Gurral heard a harsh snap. Hagan’s head was suddenly turned all the way around looking at Gurral with vacant eyes and a slack jaw.

  The Smasher was breathing heavily as he looked at the dead beast. “I’m sick of all these opening bouts, but with this big freak as bait, I’m lined up for the main event.” The Smasher then walked ashore toward the hovering form of Steel Samurai.

  Chris and Kate had finished listening to Emily’s story about how Ramrod had saved them when Gurral finished off Hagan and started walking back to shore.

  Emily’s story was running through Kate’s mind as she quickly replied to her daughter, “That’s great! We have an incoming kaiju, we’ll re-establish contact after we address the threat.” She then turned off the radio and stared at Gurral.

  Chris kept his eyes fixed on the spiked creature as he addressed his wife. “So, do we take this thing out now?”

  Prior to talking to Emily, Kate was ready to slay the beast she saw before her. The monster reminded her so much of Ogre that she feared what it could do to her and her family, especially with the level of intelligence the creature seemed to possess. The thought of Emily being held as a captive like she had been was a thought Kate couldn’t bear. Regardless of what this monster meant, Kate had been about to kill it, then her daughter reached out to her. Emily told her and Chris about how all the work she had put into forming a relationship with Ramrod had paid off. How a monster with the intelligence of a farm animal had saved her, Sean, and likely the entire settlement from a giant rat attack while she and Chris were out with Steel Samurai 2.0.

  Were it not for Emily’s work with Ramrod, Kate’s children and the entire settlement would have been wiped out. Kate took a deep breath and looked over at Chris. “We have to come to terms with the fact that this won’t always be our world. Emily, Kyle, Sean and the generation following us are coming into their own. Today Emily relayed proof to us that there are certain kaiju that people can live in conjunction with and that can help to protect us from greater threats.” She pointed to Gurral, “Maybe this monster can be a link to helping protect us, not only now but in the generations to come.”

  Chris’ face grew red with anger. “He’s a monster! A smart monster that could kill us all! Ramrod is a different story! For one, he’s a dumb animal that Emily was able to feed, and because of that he protected the hand that feeds him! That’s all! We don’t know if the attack had come from another direction or had Emily not been right there that he would have come running in to save the day!”

  He pointed
toward Gurral. “Our entire settlement was nearly taken out by giant rats today! Stupid giant rats! Did you see that monster use a weapon! Aside from being able to talk, he can use advanced weapons, not just rocks and trees! If we don’t kill him now when we might catch him by surprise, he’ll represent an ongoing threat to us and everyone we love.”

  Kate began to cry as she screamed back at her husband. “Like how everyone we love was almost killed today? Like how they would have been killed if not for Emily’s work with Ramrod because we weren’t there with our mech to save them?” She gestured to the interior of Steel Samurai 2.0. “Like how when this mech is damaged beyond repair and we can’t fight off giant mutants and kaiju anymore?”

  She shook her head. “Chris, me, you and Steel Samurai, we’re just a band-aid when it comes to protecting what’s left of our species. Neither the two of us nor this mech will last forever. Hell, every fight we go into could be our mech’s last battle. Then what happens to Emily, Kyle and everyone else? We need to find a new method to protect ourselves, Chris. We need to adapt as a species if we are going to survive.”

  Chris was silent as what Kate said was sinking in. Seeing that she was getting to him, she reached over and grabbed his hand. “You said that this monster reminded you of Yokozuna. Do you remember what you once told me about why you hated that giant so much? You said that only if his mind was able to handle the strain of being turned into a monster, that if it had maintained his human intelligence, that maybe he could have helped you in defending humanity from the monsters.”

  Kate looked back at Gurral. “What if that monster is what you wanted Yokozuna to be? What if he’s a monster with human intelligence that can help protect us? What if he’s the first in a group of kaiju that we can live with? What if he’s not what people from our generation see when we look at kaiju? What if he’s not an engine of pure destruction and death? What if he’s what Emily, Sean and Kyle see when they look at some of the kaiju? What if he’s hope for the future? A way for them to survive?”

  She pleaded with her husband. “Chris, stay in the air. Keep us at a safe distance, but try to reach out to that creature. I know it’s hard for you.” Her body shook again. “With my past with Ogre it’s hard for me too, but for our children, for our future grandchildren, we have to be open to finding new ways to protect them. You saved this generation of humanity from extinction when you first drew the kaiju into each other’s territory. If you want to save those that come after us from going extinct, this could be our best chance.”

  Chris sighed. “Okay, you’ve convinced me.” He reached for the exterior speakers. “You do the talking though. Obviously, you’re way better at that type of thing than I am.”

  Kate nodded as Chris turned on the exterior speakers with Gurral standing directly below the hovering mech.

  Chapter 15

  Mexican Coast fifty Kilometers South of Gurral and Steel Samurai 2.0

  Atomic Rex growled as he exited the ocean and headed toward shore. He was sure that the two other alpha monsters he could sense within his territory had battled and that one of them had fallen. As he drew closer to the creature who was left standing, the nuclear theropod could sense more about the invading monster. Atomic Rex was certain that the monster was not of this world. The nuclear theropod had encountered creatures that he could tell were not of his world before. He knew that creatures from other worlds held certain powers that the organisms of his Earth did not possess.

  The saurian beast recalled when he was somehow placed on another world. He battled several strange creatures on that planet, including the Phoenix. Even Atomic Rex’s primitive mind understood that it was absorbing the power of the Phoenix that had cured him of dependency on absorbing radiation. Taking the power of the Phoenix had given Atomic Rex a seemingly inexhaustible supply of power. He was now able to utilize his deadly Atomic Wave attack as often as he wanted without having to fear expelling too much of the radiation that he depended on to sustain him. Defeating and devouring the Phoenix had dramatically increased Atomic Rex’s power and his ability to defend and dominate his territory.

  The kaiju realized that if this invading monster was from another world, that it too could possess power he had never seen before, power that he could potentially absorb into himself. Aside from his desire to drive this creature from his territory, Atomic Rex now had additional motivation to slay the beast who was killing prey in his domain.

  Atomic Rex knew that he was close to the invader. He also knew that he had used a good deal of energy swimming up from South America and battling that pod. While the nuclear energy required to power the monster’s cells was now energized by the perpetual power of the Phoenix, Atomic Rex still needed to eat. It was this drive that caused Atomic Rex to come ashore just south of the location of the invader. The nuclear theropod knew that if it was to attack the invader on an empty stomach and without rest, that he would be fighting the creature at a disadvantage.

  The kaiju had every intention of slaying the invader and taking whatever power the monster possessed.

  To maximize his chances of success, the kaiju knew that he needed food and then rest. He also knew he could find both of those things in this stretch of land. The kaiju was standing in the harbor of what had at one point been a small town in Mexico. When the monster moved ashore, the sun was at its apex as it hung in the sky over him and silhouetted his body in its blinding glow.

  As Atomic Rex made his way through his territory, he had learned that there were certain spots where he could find abundant food. This town was one of those places. The kaiju stepped ashore, lifted his head into the sky, and unleashed a challenge in the form of a roar that shook the ground for several meters around the monster and could be heard for dozens of kilometers above the seemingly abandoned town.

  The monster’s roar echoed across the abandoned buildings, and as it reached the outskirts of the town, a reply came back in the form of a deep and vicious barking. Atomic Rex growled as he stepped farther onto the land. The reason that the kaiju favored this particular town is because it was one of the few places where prey came to him instead of him needing to hunt it down.

  The saurian monster sniffed the air and then quickly shifted his head to the left to see a thirty meter high and forty meter long pit bull that came to a stop a few hundred meters short of him. Drool flew from the horrific beast’s jaws and blood leaked from various cuts and tears along its body as the beast barked and snarled. In several places, the dog’s skin had been peeled away from the dramatic changes made to its body to reveal the thick muscle hiding beneath it.

  Prior to the dawn of the kaiju, the town Atomic Rex was standing in was steeped in illegal dog fighting. Dozens of dogs killed each other on a daily basis for the entertainment and financial gain of the humans who lived there. When the kaiju first moved through the small town, the radiation given off by the monsters infected the dogs as well as their food supply.

  Within a few weeks of being exposed to radiation, the dogs in the town began to grow into giant mutants. When they attained kaiju sized proportions, the dogs that had once been forced to fight to the death by their masters, turned on the people who trained them. The entire human population of the town had been eaten by the dogs they had once treated so cruelly. Since the death of the humans, the remaining mutant dogs had become feral.

  The giant dogs still fought each other but unlike before, they didn’t fight for the pleasure of humans, rather they fought for dominance. They fought for territory, food, and breeding rights. At any given point, one dog would emerge as the alpha male. This creature would rule over the town and attack any other creature that had wandered into it.

  On three previous occasions, the radioactive leviathan had come to shore in this town only to have the current alpha dog run out and attack him. On all three occasions, Atomic Rex defeated the creature and feasted on its remains. After he returned to the ocean, the remaining dogs would come out of hiding and establish who would be the new alpha in the area.<
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  The current alpha stood before Atomic Rex and the deformed beast was warning the reptilian horror to return to the sea and leave his territory. In reply to the pit bull’s threats, Atomic Rex responded with a roar which indicated to the dog that this was his domain and that he would slay any who challenged his supremacy. With the challenge given and accepted, the two monsters charged each other.

  When the mutant pit bull was only a few steps away from Atomic Rex, the canine leapt at the kaiju and wrapped his front paws around the reptile. In return, Atomic Rex latched his claws onto the mammal’s back. The two creatures were a blur of violence as they clawed and bit one another. A mix of irritated blood and saliva showered the small houses below them as Atomic Rex and the mutant dog tore into each other.

  Despite its thick claws and powerful jaws, the alpha dog was barely able to pierce the thick carapace on Atomic Rex’s back and shoulders. Conversely, Atomic Rex’s claws were able to tear deep gashes into the pit bull’s already damaged hide. The nuclear theropod dug his claws into his prey’s skin and then he used them to slice through the mutant’s body until he was able to latch onto the dog’s ribcage. With the canine firmly in his grip, Atomic Rex used the most powerful jaws on the planet to bite into the mutant’s shoulder and tear out a mouthful of delicious flesh.

  The pit bull ignored the mortal wound and continued to try and find a spot on the reptilian beast that he could attack. The dog moved his mouth from Atomic Rex’s shoulder and went for the saurian monster’s jugular. In order to protect his neck, the radioactive leviathan released his grip on the mutant’s ribs and tossed his opponent to the ground.

  The giant pit bull crashed into several nearby small houses, crushing them under his weight. In a display of incredible tenacity and agility, the mutant immediately sprung up after hitting the ground and threw itself back at Atomic Rex.