Skyfire Avenue

The sizzling arc of light spat from the Asura Blade cut in to Hua Li’s vortex. What was moments before a deep blue ripple became pure white – but the whirlpool remained. The deadly attack was swallowed in to it.

“Brine Mires,” Lan Jue reminded them cryptically from a distance.

The words echoed through the arena. Hua Li stood unmoved but not unchanged. That coy smile common to his handsome face was gone. His body spun around, and his hands shot out in a flurry. Like before, each strike of his palm birthed a spinning cobalt blue vortex.

As they blasted outward the Asura Blade strike was deflected. Lin Guoguo’s golden doppelganger, too, was pushed violently away. The powerful force was clearly a conglomeration of the ocean’s powers and Hua Li’s own mental force. He was no psychic like Guoguo was, but once a power was cultivated to the ninth rank, one’s control was nearly absolute.

The Brine Mire eddies surrounded Hua Li like moving armor. Slowly they gathered inward, melding in to one, until they swallowed Poseidon and left a massive tidal vortex in his stead.

Mika viciously swiped the Asura Blade, sending wave after wave of deadly surges against the vortex. But no matter how sharp they were, none could penetrate the water’s defense. Each were swallowed in to the roiling depths.

It was no wonder he was called Poseidon! His power was indeed strong.

“My turn!” Ke’er’s voice called out, and is it did a great beam of dazzling blue light exploded from the giant energy canon she had become. It’s destructive volley fired directly in to the heart of the whirlpool.

In response a powerful, almost regal sensation issued from the ocean depths. Soon after, it was joined by a massive, cobalt blue figure. It was seen only faintly at first, a dark blue figure in rough seas. Humanoid, but larger than Hua Li – holding itself with a majestic posture.

“Destroy!” The rumbling voice roared through the entire arena. The indistinct image extended a finger towards the energy shell Ke’er had launched it’s way. A slender, slithering blue light shot out. It collided precisely in the center of the attack.

The beam of power stopped as it was struck. The area around it suddenly grew bright as the sun, waves of energy blasting out in all directions. As it faded, amidst the ripples of heat and energy, a hollow space remained where the two opposing powers had met. The beam was gone.

ζ

Planet Skyfire. The Azure Sea.

Boom–!

A great, deafening blast filled the air. In the seconds following a terrific column of water fired in to the sky, towering hundreds of meters. The corpses of myriad sea creatures tumbled out from the spout in all directions. A staggering pulse of energy swept over the ocean’s surface. It continued for a good ten seconds before finally dissipating.

ζ

The Four Amazons froze, stunned that such a powerful force was simply commanded to cease. The massive vortex began to expand, growing larger still.

Frightful waves of energy blasted out like ominous tides, crashing over them. Mika, with the transformed Asura Blade in hand, were cast away. The whirlpool continued to expand at an alarming rate.

“Be careful. Guoguo’s his target,” Lan Jue interjected.

Lin Guoguo jumped with a start, the gold in her eyes flickering. The golden doppelganger had returned to her side. As her eyes flashed she lifted her right hand and pointed. The golden light around her flared, coming under assault from Poseidon’s crushing wave. Neither budged.

“Good.” Hua Li’s clear voice spoke out in praise as his figure appeared. But as the four women looked on in confusion, his body melted away like water. He disappeared in to the tidal waves.

Lin Guoguo expelled a psychic pulse, searching for her enemy’s presence. But how could she find him, as water in an ocean?

Her head shot up as though she’d found her target. She looked up just as a blue figure was crashing down on her – a bubble, which quickly swallowed her up.

A flash of blue light, and Lin Guoguo was gone. When she reappeared she was several hundred meters away, in the belly of the spinning bubble. Her mental powers were rendered useless.

“Alright, that’s enough.” Lan Jue called for them to cease. As he did, the waters settled, vanishing. Poseidon’s regal figure was revealed as they did.

Mika lay down the Asura Blade, and Ke’er reverted to her adorable and unthreatening appearance. The bubble around Lin Guoguo burst. The soaked amazon trotted over to meet them.

Lan Jue looked over his warrior maidens. “You’ve already lost. If A’li had wanted to, at least two of you would already be gravely injured – or worse.”

“In respect to individual power you each are at a disadvantage. However, together you shouldn’t have lost this quickly. Guoguo, you’re problem is exactly as I just outlined; persistence. Your psychic powers didn’t reach the level they could have. Through the whole fight, you were far too gentle. Had you pushed yourself, your ninth ranked powers would have caused him real trouble.”

“Yes, boss.” Lin Guoguo’s face grew red, and she inadvertently stuck out her tongue in shame.

Lan Jue turned then to Mika. “your powers weren’t employed at all. Even controlling the power of your blood, you’re still a ninth ranked Talent. Fire and water are mortal enemies, both in competition with one another. Your manipulation of the fire element wasn’t nearly sufficient. Are you avoiding disrupting his water attacks because of your cultivation training?”

“Xiuxiu. You were correct in assuming the Asura Blade during the fight. But, you picked the wrong time. You have to pick the most beneficial moment to use it – and certainly not when no opportunity presents itself. Doesn’t this reveal your hand too early to the enemy?”

“Last, Ke’er. Ke’er, your energy manipulation shouldn’t be as you used it. Whether strength, density or timing, none were enough. We saw none of your energy tempest.”

“But for all of you, your greatest failing was cooperation. Think, as you continue to improve how will you employ your powers symbiotically for mutual benefit. In this way, your final result would be better than if you did so alone. In the future I’ll ask A-Li to train with you all every day. Use what you learn from him in the ring to improve.”

“Yes, boss,” the four women responded in unison.

Hua Li and Lan Jue left the secret arena, leaving the women behind to continue their training. Once alone, Lan Jue turned on his friend. “You don’t have any shame?”

Hua Li lifted his head and blinked. “What are you talking about?”

Lan Jue grunted. “I’m not in the mood. Using the power taught to you by your ancestors, against a few girls. Poseidon’s Mark! Aren’t you just the greatest ever.”

Hua Li’s face reddened. “Four against one and you’re still telling me to hold back? You do it next time!”

“If it weren’t for the fact I couldn’t use my discipline I wouldn’t need you! I’m already much stronger than you are. Do you think differently?”

Hua LI sniffed. “Three years ago, no. But some people have been moping around for the last three years, so now who knows. Who’s to say I wouldn’t kick your ass in to the dirt?”

“You wanna give it a shot?”Lan Jue fixed him with an angry glare.

“Let’s go then! If you think you can in the state you’re in.”

“They got DreamNet, don’t they?”

“That’s right!” Hua Li’s face broke in to a sinister smile. “DreamNet would work. There’s nothing to fear there, and no restrictions. Let’s go, it’s been a long time. Loser’s gotta bark like a dog.”

“Grow up,” Lan Jue spat, shooting him a sideways glance.

Hua Li chuckled. “Well there’s gotta be some fun in it.”

“Fine. Snort like a pig then. Best two out of three. If I lose, I gotta snort like a pig in front of the ladies. But if you do, you gotta call Mo Xing and snort at her over the phone.”

“Well shit, that cruel?” Just the mention of her name caused Hua Li to shiver.

Lan Jue chortled darkly. “What do you say?”

Hua Li hesitation, but eventually replied. “It’s a bet! Where’s the machine.”

“The Underground’s Jewelry Store should have everything we need.”

“Let’s go!” Hua Li threw an arm over Lan Jue’s shoulder as they walked. Cocky grins spread across both of their faces, and for a while it was like it was before; young, brash times.

Zeus Jewelry Store had a metal door situated in the back. Opened, it revealed an expansive warehouse within – larger even than the warehouse that housed Zeus’ three airships.

As they entered Hua Li swept his eyes around the expansive chamber until they settled on a flickering electric spark in the center. A small team of robots were at work with various tools, repairing something several dozens of times larger than themselves.

“Looks like Thor took quite a beating as well.” Hua Li paused to look over the enormous mecha.

Lan Jue nodded. “Michael wasn’t an easy one to put down. His mecha control isn’t as good as ours was in our prime, but his Angel of War is still top of the line after all. That attack of his, like a tactic that kills one thousand of the enemy and eight hundred of his own. I wasn’t careful and got tangled up. He almost turned me in to toast. I was lucky to get away. If it wasn’t for him underestimating me, going one on one in the mechas, I’m not sure I’d have come out of it. Come on, the simulator’s over there.”

Beep beep beep! Just then, his communicator rang out. He lifted his hand to look, and couldn’t help but smile. He swung his arm towards Hua Li to give him a look, then answered.

“So when?” A lazy voice immediately arose from his wrist.

“When what?” Lan Jue said, smirking.

“When are we going to the Holy City! Call The big guy and A-Li, the four of us haven’t gone out together in a long time, right?” Even through the communicator Lan Jue felt the excitement in that voice.

“He told you, huh?”

Chu Cheng answered. “Yup. So pick a date. I’m stoked. Say the word and I’ll let A-Li know.”

“Pfft, not an ounce of sincerity,” Hua Li shouted at Lan Jue’s wrist.