Kate looked through her disheveled bed hair over at her husband. “Babe, we’ve got to move, now! If he gets much closer, we’ll be in the blast radius of his Atomic Wave!”
Chris reached out and tapped the wall next to him. “This old girl can take a few more blasts from that demon. Plus, we need him to follow us to Gurral. Once he gets close enough to see who we are, that won’t be a problem. That bastard never forgets a fight and while we haven’t been able to beat him, the fact that we’ve survived numerous bouts with him really pisses him off.”
Kate rolled her eyes as she looked over at her husband. “How can you possibly know that it pisses him off that we’ve escaped fights with him in the past?”
Chris gritted his teeth. “Because it pisses me off, and I’ve fought that living fossil enough times to know that he’s as stubborn as I am. He won’t be satisfied until we’re a pile of scrap metal at his feet.”
Atomic Rex was fuming with anger as he swam in the direction of the shore and of the monster that had dared to invade his territory. As he was closing on the beach, the saurian kaiju saw a shape resting in the water ahead of him. The nuclear theropod could make out the form of some manner of creature but he was perplexed by the fact that the thing he saw gave off no scent, nor did it register from any of his other senses excluding sight.
As he drew closer to the object in the water and was able to clearly make out the strange shape ahead of him, the monster's anger swelled to an uncontrollable rage. The thing in front of him was the seemingly lifeless metal creature that had attacked him on countless occasions and then flew away! The mechanical monster was a constant source of pain and annoyance to the kaiju.
Atomic Rex growled as he aimed his body at Steel Samurai 2.0. The saurian creature’s heart was racing at the thought of destroying the robot that had irritated him for so long and then destroying the other monster that he could sense on the shore ahead.
Kate’s eyes went wide when she saw Atomic Rex increase his speed and swim directly for Steel Samurai 2.0. She turned and screamed at her husband, “Chris, he definitely sees us! We need to get moving now!”
Chris grabbed the controls to the mech and pulled them hard to the side. A moment later, Steel Samurai 2.0 was moving through the water away from Atomic Rex and toward the shoreline.
Kate kept her eyes fixed on the radar as Atomic Rex continued to close in on them. She yelled to Chris, “He’s gaining on us quickly! We need to get out of the water and into the air now!”
Chris shook his head. “I had to fill the storage tanks with water to keep us on the ocean floor. I’m dumping it as fast as I can but it's going to take another forty-five seconds before we’re light enough to fly.”
Kate looked first at the radar and then through the eyes of the mech. “That’s going to be cutting it close to keeping us out of his blast radius and for us to not bottom out in the shallows without changing to a walking stance.”
Chris nodded. “Don’t worry. I got this.” He then pushed forward a little harder on the mech’s controls as the sand below them continued to get closer and closer to the mech.
Atomic Rex could see the robot fleeing for the shore ahead of him. The monster had encountered the mech enough times to know that if it reached land, the metal giant would take to the sky and avoid a direct battle. In addition to the robot trying to escape, the nuclear theropod could sense the invading kaiju moving toward the water as well. The saurian kaiju decided to strike at both his foes with a single attack to prevent one from escaping and to make the other aware of his strength.
Atomic Rex reached deep into his cells and started to gather the nuclear energy trapped within them. As he moved through the water like a living rocket, his body took on a light blue glow.
Steel Samurai was in a horizontal position as it continued to move through the quickly shallowing water. When Kate heard the mech’s chest scrape against sand, she grabbed Chris’ shoulder. “You have to switch us to a standing position or else the sand will tear us apart before Atomic Rex even reaches us!”
Chris shook his head. “If we switch positions now, we’ll slow down to the point where Atomic Rex will slam into us and smash us to pieces!” He started to slowly pull back on the mech’s controls. “Just a few more seconds.”
Gurral was moving toward the ocean when he saw a swell of water heading quickly toward the beach. The Smasher placed his hand over his eyes to shield it from the sun and better see the oncoming swell when Steel Samurai 2.0 suddenly exploded from the water and flew over his head. Gurral watched as the mech passed over him, and the Arena Lord’s drones quickly followed it.
The Smasher smiled as the robot flew past him and yelled, “I was wondering where you…” Gurral’s thought was stopped mid-sentence when a flash of blue light coming out of the water caught his eye. Before the arena champion could react, he was knocked onto his back by the blue dome of energy known as the Atomic Wave.
Anywhere on the front of Gurral’s body that was not covered in Impervium laced bone was singed as the Atomic Wave washed over him. After the blast had passed, Gurral sat up and looked over back at the ocean to see the horrifying form of Atomic Rex rising out of it. He stared into the reptilian beast’s eyes as the kaiju lifted its head into the sky and unleashed an earth-shaking roar while glaring at Gurral.
Gurral’s skin had a strange tingling sensation running over it from the blast as he nodded and stood. “Okay, Rexy. First hit’s yours, but the last one’s gonna be mine.”
As Gurral ran toward Atomic Rex, the Arena Lords’ drones flew into the air and began to surround the two monsters while Steel Samurai 2.0 circled around and took up a position in the air behind Gurral.
Back on Arena World, the crowd and Arena Lords who were watching the images cheered with excitement and anticipation. The Arena Lords were particularly pleased with the betting being done on both fighters.
One of the Arena Lords approached the Newcomer. “You were correct about sending Gurral after Atomic Rex! After our patrons saw that blast and were able to behold the monster, they went crazy! Bets both for and against Gurral are being cast like we have never seen before! Truly, your plan is to be commended!”
The Newcomer simply nodded. “The game is still early. Let’s see how the rest of my plan plays out and then we can discuss how much I should be commended.”
The Arena Lord’s face took on a confused look. “Yes. Yes of course.” He then turned and directed his attention back to the battle.
As the Arena Lord turned away, the Newcomer kept his eyes fixed on the images of the battle, while the thoughts of future battles with far greater consequences flashed through his manipulative mind.
Gurral sprinted forward with a speed that belied his size. The Smasher landed a straight right punch to Atomic Rex’s jaw that rocked the reptilian horror’s face. Gurral then caught Atomic Rex with an uppercut that knocked the saurian monster onto his back.
Gurral stood over his foe and bellowed, “Come on, Rexy! You’re supposed to be tough. Show me what you’ve got!”
Gurral took a step closer to his downed foe with his fist ready to strike the monster once more when Atomic Rex suddenly sprang up and latched his jaws around the Smasher’s left bicep.
Gurral roared in pain as Atomic Rex’s teeth sank deep into his arm while the mutant theropod pulled him around half a turn. With his foe caught in his grip, Atomic Rex then used his left claw to deliver several strikes to Gurral’s face. This would normally have torn flesh from bone, but Gurral’s skull held no flesh to tear. Even so, the impacts from the blows themselves were still rattling the gladiator’s brain and blurring his vision.
Atomic Rex knew he would have the advantage in the ocean, and so began to drive Gurral backwards toward the crashing waves. Gurral absorbed another blow to the face when he felt himself stepping backwards into the deeper water of the sea.
He scowled in anger and then struck the radioactive leviathan with a left uppercut to the ribs, driving the spikes on his k
nuckles through the kaiju’s scales and into the bones beneath it, causing the apex predator to wince in pain. The Smasher delivered several more strikes to the same area to the point that Atomic Rex’s side was covered in blood and torn to pieces.
Gurral’s relentless pounding of the nuclear theropod’s ribs finally caused Atomic Rex to release his jaws from the Smasher’s bicep. With his blood-soaked right arm free, Gurral once again struck Atomic Rex to the face and then in a display of his incalculable strength, Gurral scooped up Atomic Rex, hefting the kaiju across his shoulder with its head and arms over his back.
With the saurian horror laying across his shoulder, Gurral sprinted towards the shore with a grin. “Let’s get this fight back on dry land.” The arena champion reached the shoreline, then power slammed Atomic Rex into the sand, first driving the monster into the beach and then plowing his shoulder into the reptilian creature with his immense weight.
The impact of the two-part slam rocked Atomic Rex’s entire body and sent a spurt of blood shooting out of the injured area on his ribs.
Gurral pressed his knees into Atomic Rex's chest as he lifted his fists into the air. The Smasher’s right fist struck Atomic Rex in the jaw. The impact of the blow knocked the reptile’s head into the sand while at the same time Gurral’s spikes sliced open a new wound across the kaiju’s jaw. Gurral quickly followed with a blow with his left fist to similar effect.
The arena champion looked down at Atomic Rex’s bloody face and growled. “I thought you were tougher than this, Rexy. This isn’t even…” Gurral stopped talking when he saw a light blue glow coming off the saurian’s body. The Smasher recalled seeing the same blue glow just before he was struck by the blast that came out of the ocean. Gurral barely had enough time to shield his eyes with his arm before an Atomic Wave burst out of the nuclear theropod’s body and sent the Smasher flying backwards.
Gurral’s body slammed into the beach and skidded through the sand, causing a mountain of displaced beach to form behind him that eventually stopped his motion. Once more the exposed areas of the Smasher’s skin were burnt and smoking. Gurral’s whole body was tingling as he sat up and saw Atomic Rex regaining his feet.
Gurral’s eyes widened in surprise when he saw the wounds on Atomic Rex’s side and jaws healing over and closing shut as the monster stood up. Gurral ran his hand across his jaws to wipe off some of the saliva that the Atomic Wave had knocked out of him. “Damn. I heal pretty quick, but that’s just nuts.” The Smasher both nodded and smiled as he started to regain his feet. “Looks like you’re the real deal.”
Gurral had nearly reached an upright position when Atomic Rex ran toward him and then leapt forward. Atomic Rex brought his body crashing into Gurral, the impact causing the spiked brawler to fall onto his back with the radioactive leviathan on top of him.
Atomic Rex’s clawed toes dug deep into Gurral’s chest, and the Smasher winced in pain for a moment, then his eyes went wide as he saw Atomic Rex’s jaws coming toward his face. The teeth on the nuclear theropod’s upper jaw clamped down on the top of the Smasher’s head, scraping against it to no effect, but its lower jaw ripped into the bottom of Gurral’s jaw, snapping it shut and sending new levels of pain through the arena champion’s nervous system.
Blood from Gurral’s lower jaw flowed into Atomic Rex’s mouth as the alien gladiator’s arms spasmed in pain. The taste of the crimson liquid pushed Atomic Rex to attempt a killing strike. The kaiju bit down as hard as he could on Gurral’s skull and then he began shaking his head from side to side in an effort to break Gurral’s neck.
Chris and Kate were watching the battle intently as Steel Samurai 2.0 floated in the sky. Kate shook her head when she saw Atomic Rex trying to tear Gurral’s head off. She grabbed Chris’ arm. “We’ve got to help Gurral or Atomic Rex is going to kill him!”
Chris shook his head. “We can’t help him yet. Gurral has to get out of that demon’s jaws himself right now. Given Atomic Rex’s bite strength and weight, anything we try to get that bastard to release his grip would likely shift his weight to the point that it would break Gurral’s neck.”
Kate shifted her view to the strap across Gurral’s body. Her eyes went wide as she turned on the external speakers. “The taser weapon! You need to use the taser weapon to shock Atomic Rex off you.”
Kate saw Gurral pull his right hand close to his body. For a moment, she thought that Gurral was going to heed her advice. To her surprise, rather than reaching for the taser, Gurral balled his meaty hand into a fist. The Smasher then drove the spikes on his right knuckles into Atomic Rex’s stomach in a powerful strike. Gurral then pushed his spikes deeper into the kaiju’s stomach while at the same time dragging his fist up Atomic Rex’s stomach. Blood gushed out from the Earth monster’s stomach and onto the arena champion as Gurral sliced open Atomic Rex from his lower gut to his ribs. The severe injury forced Atomic Rex to release his grip on Gurral’s head and back away from the Smasher.
Blood spurted out of the wounds on Gurral’s lower jaw as he opened his mouth and drew in a breath of life-giving air. The Smasher shifted his head from side to side, snapping the vertebrate in his neck back into place.
The enraged giant rose to his feet, growling as he charged at Atomic Rex. “You bite my face, I break yours!” When Gurral reached Atomic Rex, he grabbed his head with both hands and then pulled down hard while driving his knee upward into the kaiju’s jaw. The blow staggered Atomic Rex, causing him to rear back, catching himself with his tail before falling backwards.
With his opponent wide open in front of him, Gurral crouched low, and windmilled his arms forward, slamming his palms into the sand and then exerting all of his powerful limbs at once to hurl himself forward head-first at an impressive speed directly into the ribcage of Atomic Rex with a crash, knocking the wind from the terrible lizard.
Gurral saw a chance, and lifted both of his fists into the air before bringing them crashing down into the alligator-like carapace on Atomic Rex’s back. The force of the blow pushed Atomic Rex down into a crouch. Gurral then wrapped his arms around Atomic Rex’s neck from above, and as the red in his eyes brightened, he roared and heaved upward mightily, lifting Atomic Rex up and over his back before slamming the mutant dinosaur backwards into the ground.
Gurral rolled quickly to a crouch in front of Atomic Rex before the saurian had a chance to recover, then he shook his head in disgust when he saw that the deep gashes he had just cut into Atomic Rex’s stomach had already mostly healed.
The Smasher roared. “I’m gonna end this!” The armored behemoth moved in with his fists raised when Atomic Rex’s right leg slashed across Gurral’s body and ripped open three horrible gashes in his stomach.
Gurral sucked air in pain, and his hands dropped to his fresh wounds. Atomic Rex rose from the beach to grab Gurral by the shoulders. The saurian kaiju roared as he stepped forward and then threw Gurral sideways to the ground.
As Gurral hit the sand, his years of experience as a gladiator kicked in and he rolled with the throw to put some distance between himself and Atomic Rex, avoiding the pinning stomp that came crashing down where he had landed. The Smasher shifted his body to a crouching position at a distance he thought was out of Atomic Rex’s reach. Gurral was beginning to stand when he saw Atomic Rex spin around. The arena champion saw a brief flash of green to his right before the reptilian monster’s thick tail whipped him across the face and knocked him back to the ground in a shower of sand.
Gurral looked up to see the green-scaled monster sprinting toward him with his jaws wide open. Rather than trying to stand, Gurral dove forward at the Atomic Rex’s leg. The Smasher slid under the gaping jaws and wrapped his powerful arms around the nuclear theropod’s legs. Gurral then grunted as he stood up and used Atomic Rex’s own momentum to flip the kaiju over his back.
When Atomic Rex crashed into the sand, he rolled over several times to lessen the blow and distance himself from Gurral, mirroring the move the Smasher had done mere seconds prior.<
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Gurral nodded as blood dripped down his face and leaked out of the wounds on his stomach. “You picked that move up from me. You’re not as dumb as you look, are you?” The gladiator then shook his head. “It doesn’t matter how smart you are, I’m gonna smash you!”
The Smasher lunged forward and struck Atomic Rex across the face. The saurian kaiju replied in kind by slashing Gurral across the chest with his claw. The two monsters traded several more thundering blows as they both refused to fall.
Inside of Steel Samurai, Kate questioned her husband. “Chris, when are we going to engage in this battle and help Gurral?”
Chris kept his eyes fixed on the clash of the titans occurring below him. “Gurral needs to win this fight on his own. He needs to prove he can take Atomic Rex.”
Kate leaned over, placed her hands on her husband’s cheeks, and turned his face toward her. He looked at her with a confused look on his face as she scolded him. “No! He doesn’t, Chris! And neither do you! Proving that Atomic Rex can be defeated by Gurral, by you, or by anyone doesn’t matter! What matters is protecting the ones we love from that damned monster! We need to worry about getting Atomic Rex off world, not about beating him!”
She looked down at Atomic Rex and Gurral to see the two monsters with their arms locked around each other as they each tried to toss their opponent to the ground. She pointed at the struggle as she continued to scream. “Look, even Gurral is lost in this battle! He was supposed to capture Atomic Rex, not kill him. Does he look like capturing Atomic Rex is his priority right now or is he also determined to kill him?”
Chris nodded. “Gurral’s caught up in the battle. He’s lost the focus of his mission.”
Kate grabbed Chris’ hand. “So, have you. Let’s go give him a hand and remind him why he’s here.”
Chris grabbed the controls in front of him. “Thank you, Kate, for reminding me what’s important.” He then had Steel Samurai 2.0 fly directly toward the warring creatures.
As Steel Samurai 2.0 landed, the two monsters released their grips on each other and once again started trading blows. The mech took a step toward the two kaiju and removed its sword from its leg. Chris waited for an opening in the fight and when he saw it, the pilot used the mech’s sword like a club to strike Atomic Rex in the chest and push him away from Gurral.
Atomic Rex: Challenge of Gurral Page 15
