The Reality Vortex: Red Reputations

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Lucifer found a spot over the hill. It wasn’t far away from the battlefield, just enough for the angel to make his observations. As his wings folded into his back, his blue eyes softened upon the endless sea of Xy’phers over the horizon. “This should provide us with enough analysis.” He looks up, the red tint in the sky and the lonesome Vortex Moon shining over the shattered landscape.

His shadow morphed young woman and rose behind the angel; Lilith had returned to her original form. Her face hidden behind a short black veil. “While in that Castle, I did not sense any energy that resemblance Naoki. It seems that he’s truly no longer in this world.”

“A pity.” Lucifer answered indifferently. “But I can always try again. I have some willing participants. But for now, let’s enjoy ourselves. Having front row seats to this level of battle is quite exciting, don’t you say, Lilith?”

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Detective Spawn put up his guard to lessen the damage when Atomic Flare swung her axe around. Despite bracing for impact, the hellspawn flung back a few meters, tumbling against the ground. He stabbed his blade against the earth to stop his movements. “No pushover…” Spawn said, leaving a trail of split earth. “Avalon!” Spawn wanted to save him as he was toss in the air, but Atomic Flare went straight to Bernkastel and May, breaking the latter’s barrier. The detective decided: prioritized saving Bernkastel and May.

After a quick recovery, Spawn rushed to their direction. Spinning his handgun a few times, he fired multiple heavy rounds at Xy’pher Atomic, accompanying Berserk’s attempt to trip her. Before he can follow up with his blade, the sudden shift in the land caused him to get caught in the fissure. Gigantic crystals erupted from where they stood, and an army of Xy’phers had rallied themselves for battle.

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Spina landed in the Xy’pher horde on his back. He stared blanky towards the sky, staring at the dreaded Vortex Moon. The psychic powers that held him down had angered the old man. “I will not be bound.” He clenched his fists so hard; it broke the skin on his palms. He let out a mighty roar as horde of Xy’phers jumped in. A upsurge of energy erupted from the Saiyan, flinging away the Xy’phers around himself, Zenta and Nia. A gush of yellow winds swirls around the Saiyan. Blue lightning zapped around him erratically, taking the state of that form he used against Gravita. It seems that this form had completely replaced his original Super Saiyan transformation.

He lifted his hand and turned slightly to the left and launched an energy ball towards the sky until it fell to a specific spot of Xy’phers. A purposeful attack to vanquish the Xy’phers that was dragging Avalon left and right. It was not enough to destroy all the Xy’phers at once, but enough to give Avalon some breathing room. “Rock. Help the others. Dog. Your student is there. Go.” He ordered before arching forward. Without further delay, Spina blasted off from where he stood, leaving behind massive dust clouds, to the direction of the Red King. Cocking his hand back and building up enormous energy, Spina threw a right hook towards the Red King.

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“You’re quick to understand, little one.” Guardian narrowed her eyes upon Bernkastel’s request. “Of course. With Clear Mind, such task is a simple one.” She paused for a moment. “At least, in theory. So many others tried—and failed to do such a thing however, when suppressing their emotions. It’ll be a shame if you’ll become another collection underneath me.” She deadpanned.
 
May was sent flying but thanks to an enchantment on her boots she landed on her feet. May token a quick check as she moved back to protect Bernkastel. May thinks "good thing for cat's grace enchants on my boots."

May says to spawn "I am alive; as far bernkastle outside being out it since this fight has started, she seems fine. So, the status is restively fine." May starts to set up her defenses. May orders the orbs "prod call 3." the defenses this time are stronger with additional effects.
 
Majin Bara on her end raised her right arm into the air and unleashed a torrent of various energy spheres upwards, only for them to vanish in one big portal she had set up for it.

Beside the Xy'phers, multiple portals opened up and energy spheres were being ejected from them to keep the opposing force at least disoriented, making them believe they were being hit from multiple directions, with some of the Xy'phers even bumping up against each other. This in turn would Avalon give some additonal room to recover and do what he needed to do to transform, while also using the various projectiles to intercept attacks directed at Bernkastel and May, almost like a crude barrier of sorts.
 
Cayde and Vegetto both yelped at the sudden impact of the axe, flipping backwards across the ground with the others. Both promptly slid to a halt, the ground cracking beneath Vegetto's boots as he forced himself to stop in a brutish contrast to Cayde's graceful flip and flexible maneuver. Neither one looked at each other in the brief pause of combat, Cayde's head immediately turning towards the scroll lying on the ground in the midst of the intense engagement.

The android, having heard the needs of Avalon to use the scroll, promptly broke into a dead sprint for the scroll. The intense gunfire and blasts from the Breakers exploded around Cayde in his sprint, the crystal horde mobilizing to charge the team before him as he dropped to the ground in a quick slide, deftly dodging a pair of Xy'phers lunging for a tackle towards his upper body. Scooping up the scroll in his right hand, Cayde hopped to his feet and drew the God Slayer pistol with his right.

"Step one, get the scroll."

The android began indiscriminately firing his pistol in every direction; the single shot action of the weapon largely ineffective in thinning out the horde before him while he ran back towards the team with a panick stricken voice in his screaming.

"Does anyone remember what step two was?!"

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Once Cayde had taken off in his initial sprint, he had left Vegetto alone in the midst of the ongoing battle. Vegetto's eyes narrowed at the sight only a few feet in front of him, all of the remaining Breakers moving to support one another in the combat as the Potara fusion stood back almost like a bystander. The short duration of being imprisoned against his will by Lucifer had lasted only a day, but Vegetto's expression bore hatred that most would spend a lifetime building under that same captivity.

The glare turned up solely to the perch Lucifer and Lilith sat from, Vegetto standing clearly indifferent to the chaotic battlefield before him. From the distance Lucifer and Lilith sat at, a normal eye would see a sudden flash of golden energy without any sound. Barely a streak of that golden energy could be seen before Vegetto appeared in front of the pair, the golden aura swirling outwards around the Potara fusion that now blocked their view of the battle below.

An intense boom of wind and force blasted outwards from Vegetto in a threatening manner, the crackling electricity swirling around the man in his Super Saiyan form. The lone bang of white hair nearly disappeared within the golden hue of the others, but the white noticeably stuck out among the flowing golden strands as Vegetto glared down to meet Lucifer's eyes directly while he floated in front of the angel.

"You said that if I landed a punch on your face...you would kill everyone."

The white gloved hands balled promptly into fists, the glare unchanged while Vegetto spoke.

"I want to make a new deal."
 
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The impact of the axe hitting Bage caused him to roll back a few feet before regaining his balance. Watching as the group was split up without a second to waste, the Saiyan detective tried to devise a way to distract the hero so Cayde could get the scroll back to Avalon. Though he seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if his feet were stuck in place, no Xy'phers holding him down. His heart pounded through his ears before he finally mustered enough strength to push himself forward.

Atomic Flare chuckled as if enjoying how the group struggled against her pure strength and as she towered over may and Bernkastel, she rose the axe above her head with the blade facing them, ready to tear them in two before she jerked back slightly, glancing down to see Berserk's sword latching onto her right ankle, scraping against her crystalized skin.

"Lose? Do you really think this is enough to stop me-!?" She nearly laughed out loud but was interrupted by the continuous fire from Detective Spawn. Her face was the first to be hit, her head swinging around violently at the impact followed by the other crashing into her body.

Bage hurried to Cayde and shouted out to him as he moved passed. "We have to touch her with it!!" He shouted, rushing straight for the preoccupied Flare in hopes to make Avalon's part easier. "Cayde, Throw me the scroll!!"

The Xypher elite's head hung low, her body looking close to tumbling over. The burning of her body from Spawn's gun caused steam to emit off of her, hiding her expression from the group. Bage lept forward, reaching his hand out to give Cayde a clear target to aim for so he could grab and touch Atomic Flare with the scroll before she would regain her thought. But then suddenly, the hero's left foot slammed against the ground, to keep her from falling. She swung her face around to meet the Saiyan's and pushed off the ground, closing the gap between the two of them. As the smoke cleared, Bage's heart dropped as he turned to the elite, seeing two very familiar scars on her now exposed face.

It really is...

image-24.png

Panich...!

The Xy'pher's fist connected with Bage's face before he could react, sending him flying across the battlefield toward a group of Xy'phers soldiers ready to capture him once he landed. Her hand reached up slowly, taking the remaining part of the mask into her hand and crushing it.

"You managed to harm me... Well done." Panich praised them, seeming to lose interest in Bernkastel and May. "But it won't happen a second time!" Then with a sudden jerk of her leg, Berserk was dragged right toward the elite.

"Hold on tight." She smirked as she came face to face with Berserk before punching the powerpunk in the cheek and tossing her back into the air. she gave the sword another yank to pull Berserk back to her, this time facing towards Bara and kicking the girl into the Majin. Like a paddle ball, Panich continued hitting the Breaker with the flat of her axe in this repeated motion and seemingly having fun with it. It wasn't until she noticed Spina heading off to the King that she tired of the game and as Berserk came back to her, she grabbed the girl by her shirt. Panich glared at the older Saiyan before slicing the sword's segment off of her leg and tossing Berserk to the ground.

"Walter! Portal!" She ordered the other while preparing to make a dash straight for Spina.
 
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Bara grunted as she was hit initially by Berserk landing onto her, but she was more shocked by the revelation that Atomic Flare was none other than Panich. Recovering after Berserk was pulled back towards Panich, Bara retaliated by stomping her right leg into the ground, before a burst of energy exploded from below right in front of Panich the moment she charged at Spina, while right as this attack went on, the Majin also fired two energy spheres that teleported and struck at Panich from the side, intending to disorient the corrupted Saiyan and preventing her from focusing on her attacks.
 
Zenta grunted as Nia crashed onto him and Spina, but luckily the older Saiyan flung most of the Xy’phers off them. The beast’s ears twitched upon hearing Spina issuing his orders to him and Nia, causing him to turn to Cuki in the crowd of Xy’phers. Without question, he ran towards his student as ordered, kicking away a Xy’pher that nearly snuck up behind her. Cuki turned to see her Master, her smile genuine but her eyes dead.

“Master!” Cuki shouted. “What’s the plan?”

“Protect Lady Bernkastel until her spell is ready.” Zenta replied, pressing his back against Cuki’s to cover her. “The King must not disturb Bernkastel.”

“Defend Kettles, got it.” Cuki’s palms ignited in a silver aura to mimic the white aura on her Master’s palms. “Let’s go!”

Both master and student sped towards Bernkastel and May, covering each other’s blind side as they crashed through every Xy’pher they met. Whenever the two fought side by side, the display is graceful, but this time, it was not. Zenta’s usual style remained, but cuki was harsher, more direct and personal. Their bodies were left with multiple holes from where she unleashed her energy, yet, some were still alive. She used Xy’pher parts to stab other Xy’phers, up close and personal. Cuki was cruel in her fighting style, making sure her enemy felt every bit of pain.

Zenta, taking note of this, would end the misery of the unlucky Xy’phers, however, he grew concerned. Although he could not see her face, he sensed something new in Cuki, something ominous. Even the voice of his student lacked any form of emotion. Regardless of where his thoughts were, his main priority was to protect Bernkastel with Cuki.

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Walter opened various portals to continue letting Xy’phers storm the battlefield until he heard Atomic’s orders. The first thing he noticed was Bara’s move on Atomic and he quickly held a hand towards her. A portal opened directly next to Atomic, protecting her moments before Bara’s blast landed on the Elite. A portal formed behind Bernkastel and May, redirecting Bara’s blast towards the two. The blast hit the ground, causing a deafening explosion of rock, dust, and debris.

In front of Atomic, another portal formed as the Elite flung herself inside. As the portal closed behind her, no one knew where Panich disappeared to.

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At first, the King was not paying attention to Spina, primarily focusing on Bernkastel, but as Spina approached the King, his head shot towards the Saiyan in a heartbeat. Spina’s fist stopped a few inches from the King, moments after he turned his head. There was no look of concern from the King, as if he was not worried about anything Spina would do to him.

“You are not my main target right now, Spina.” The King mocked. “I have bigger plans for stronger Breakers.”

The King shot Spina to the left, where a portal opened for Atomic Flare to come out of. With the speed Spina was flung at, Panich’s punch would hit much harder on impact. The King turned towards Bernkastel and May and casually floated his way towards the girls, not worried in the slightest about the surrounding battle. His gaze was entirely locked onto Bernkastel and her near statue-like stance.

The ground around May and Bernkastel started to rip itself into the air as the two ladies floated in place by the Red King’s psychic powers. Behind Bernkastel and May formed two javelins made of rock and crystal, aimed directly at the girls.

“I thought you would be more of a challenge, Bernkastel.” The King flicked his hand, the javelins rushing to the girls. “But I overestimated you.”

Cuki quickly appeared behind Bernkastel and May and shot her hands upwards with a mighty roar. From the ground erupted a steel wall that shielded the women from impalement. The wall was caving in as Cuki pressed her hands against it to keep it from falling.

“Master!”

Swiftly, Zenta scooped Bernkastel and May into his arms, taking them away from the King as fast as he could. The way Bernkastel barely moved an inch made him wonder if her spell is having a toll on her body.

“Lady Bernkastel! Snap out of it!”

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“Raaaaaggh!!!” Cuki shouted as she ripped the wall of steel from the ground and letting it fall on the King. “That should’ve slowed him down…!”

“Did it, really?” The Red King’s voice echoed as the steel barrier showed a deep circular dent from his barrier before crumbling like aluminum. “You are bold to show your face again, little one. Are you still as useless as you were when you fled like a coward?”

“Shut up!” Cuki shot her palm to the King before being stopped.

“Useless!” The King flicked the top of Cuki’s head before sending her flying towards Lucifer and Vegetto.

The youngster slammed against the hill Lucifer and Vegetto were near, her body shape printed on the mound. A sharp gasp of pain came from the woman as she pulled her body out of the self-made crater. She did not seem to notice the two at first before grabbing a handful of dirt and squeezing it in her hand in rage.

“Gotta… gotta get back.” Cuki turned her head before finally noticing Vegetto and Lucifer. “Huh?”

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Nia was quick to move as soon as Spina told her what to do. She quickly rushed to Avalon first, noticing him fighting back using a short ninja knife. Avalon turned to see Nia and waved his arm in the air. His face was full of panic, yet there was a vigor in his eyes.

“Nia!”

“Right!” Nia held her hand towards Avalon and her psychic powers lifted him into the air, away from the Xy’phers. “We must dent their numbers somehow! Bernkastel hasn’t moved an inch and it a sitting duck!” Nia pulled Avalon with her as she flew across the field. “Have you thought of anything in case Bernkastel’s magic fails?!”

“Damnit, what’s she doin’?!” Avalon grunted. “Uhh, I don’t know yet!”

“Then think quickly! The King has his sights set on her!” Nia pointed at the King nearing Bernkastel and May.

“Just… Just give me a sec!” Avalon bit his thumb to draw blood and performed a few hand signs. He was covered in an explosion of smoke before emerging on the back of his trusty paper bird. “I need to think…! I need to—!"

Avalon’s noticed his scroll missing, and a wave of panic began to show on his face. His ears twitched as he heard Cayde’s voice, and he instantly locked on the scroll in his hand. The way Cayde handled his gun gave Avalon an idea. The ninja’s face turned pale as soon as she saw a huge wave of Xy’phers rushing towards him, ready to overwhelm him. The hoard was large enough to block out Cayde’s view of the sky. If they were to overwhelm Cayde, then both he and the scroll would be gone.

Cayde always hits his mark, so maybe if Nia and I…

“Nia!” Avalon shouted. “Get Cayde out of there!”

Nia nodded before rushing over to Cayde and lifting him up with her psychic powers. As she and Cayde floated, Avalon flew closer to Cayde and snatched his scroll from his hand. Without wasting a second, Avalon performed several hand signs and an explosion of smoke appeared. Numerous Cayde-Clones came out, each one wielding a gun just like Cayde. While these clones may not be as strong as Cayde, they copied his every move and fired water bullets. Cayde by himself can take out many Xy’phers, a whole group of them can take out countless more.

“Step two was getting my scroll to touch Atomic or Walter! Cayde, my clones will copy your every move, so you can make it rain bullets!” Avalon said as he turned to Nia. “Nia, use your psychic powers to help Cayde and my clones evade the Xy’phers. Make it rain, Cayde, literally!”
 
“White hair is so oddly fitting for a gnat like you. Sticks out despite repeated efforts to blend in.” Lucifer snickered. “Remind me of take more of you later when this is all over, hmm?” The angel held out his hand, preventing Lilith from making her move. She back down, but still weary of Vegetto’s intentions.

“Depending on what you offer, I’ll entertain it. Choose your words, or fists, carefully.”

Just as Lucifer answered, Cuki crashed nearby. “Ah Cuki. Shown up for two minutes, and already proven to be worthless. Just like this one.” Lucifer clapped. “Welcome back.”

=======

Spina’s head rocked to the left from Panich’s punch. The impact resulted a shockwave that blew way some of the smoke from various energy blasts from the battle below. He recovered midair, turning to the Xy’pher. Wiping blood from his lips, Spina smirked. “I recognized that punch.” He added, seeing that Atomic Flare was Panich.

“The Red King’s reaction is faster than I thought. But that thing didn’t seem to notice my presence until the last moment.” Spina thought to himself while looking at the Xy’phers swarming on the ground; noticeably major sects of them are surrounding the Red King. “As long those rocks surrounded him like maggots…” His eyes returned to Panich. “It’ll be difficult to do crowd control if they get in the way constantly…” He made a quick decision.

“Hahah…” Spina laughed. “This is great. I was meaning to have a match with you again. Vegetto and Gogeta doesn’t cut it. They are separate entities from him... but you… you’re damn near the closest thing to that bastard prince, huh?” Spina suddenly tensed his muscles, his eyes narrowed as the embers on his face burst into a lively raging storm.

He let out a powerful roar as his energy spiked up dramatically. Taking a battle stance, as hints of water trails from his fingertips before clenching his hands into fists. In an aggressive manner, he taunted the Xy’pher Panich. “FIGHT ME NOW!”

Spina blasted forward, closing the gap between instantly, and slammed his fist against Panich’s stomach, followed up a swift kick against her right side.
 
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May thinks as she was grabbed by Zenta "I get the reflect would not work if the aggressor would not go form the front. But agent fully expected the others to distract most the xy'phers that could think."

May says "I gest I should carry Bernkastel or shood I guts shoot Radom Xy'phers." May thinks "if one of them is worrying about Bernkastel then this state should not have happened."
 
As Bage yelled for the scroll, Cayde cocked his arm back in the brief pause he made in shooting back the unending horde. Yet as his arm flung forward, the speed of Panich's strike sent Bage flying in the time Cayde took to toss the scroll. The android yelped in pain, managing to keep his grip on the scroll despite nearly throwing out his arm so that he did not chunk the scroll into an empty sea of Xy'phers or worse, into Panich's possession. The reveal did little to stir the android's feelings despite Panich's connection to the others; Cayde swiftly turned on his heel and began firing upon each Xy'pher that got too close for comfort.

"Still on step two guys, could really use a hand here!!"

Cayde barely made it a few steps before he slowed his running, the bright lights from his eyes being nearly the only source of light in the massive shadow of Xy'phers that loomed over him. He soon came to a halt with the scroll in one hand and the gun in another, slightly slumping his shoulders.

"Oh...shit...."

Cayde then suddenly yelped, flailing in the air helplessly as Nia lifted him safely out of the encroaching horde that swarmed through seconds later, barely registering Avalon swooping in to take back his scroll. The android glanced around, still getting his bearings but stared on in awe at the sight of the clones forming. He listened on in silence as Avalon explained the mechanisms of the clones, and at the end, Cayde shook his head with an amused grunt and a tiny smirk of his mechanical lips.

"Kid...this might be your best trick yet! I could kiss you...but only a friendly kiss! On the cheek...definitely not on the lips."

With a quick acknowledging nod to both Avalon and Nia, Cayde audibly cleared his throat loud enough to ring out over the intense scrambling and scurrying of the Xy'phers below. The Cayde clones mirrored his motions but despite that, the original glanced around to his new comrades while he spoke with a confident tone.

"Gentlemen! This is a Cayde riff in 6!"

Spinning up the Godslayer pistol in one hand, Cayde chuckled to himself at his own reference.

"Watch me for the changes...and try to keep up."

With a wink to the clones that all matched his enthusiastic expression, Cayde suddenly flipped up the gun and fanned the back hammer of the pistol in rapid fire of the trigger. The quick fire of the gun rained down like machine gun fire from how fast the android fanned the hammer while squeezing the trigger repeatedly, a streaming wall of metal and water bullets being a new numerical force to finally match the overwhelming numbers of Xy'phers that poured outward towards the team. Cayde happily chuckled to himself, humming a familiar tune while the immense gunfire continued to rain down on the Xy'phers.

"Get some!!"

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Vegetto had tensed, his glare having momentarily shifted to Lilith in preparation for whatever attack may have come. Yet soon throughout the insults and taunting, Vegetto lowered his arms and relaxed his shoulders, his narrowed eyes remaining still. The intense wind and shockwave of pressure ruffled his gi and golden hair from the sudden impact of Cuki, prompting Vegetto to turn his head to the source.

Despite the arrival earlier, Vegetto had not given credence or thought to Cuki's entrance; his mind having wandered on his own thoughts in the midst of the opening brawl. Yet now that the girl was before him, Vegetto's eyes widened not in just shock, but in a brief momentary gaze of pure horror. He floated back ever so slightly at the sight, his eyes swiftly turning off Cuki while he stared down aimlessly towards the mountainside. His eyebrows twitched, struggling to bury whatever internal sensations felt as he forcibly exhaled through his nose. His eyes turned back slowly onto Lucifer; the sight of the angel enough to refocus on his mission at hand.

"The Red King denied you your precious answers. Whatever power you seek...this Creator's Essence or something like it in this world...won't be learned from him."

Vegetto's stern tone remained behind the dual voice, strengthening with each word from the momentary fear he briefly displayed at the sight of Cuki.

"This entire battle that you could end in an instant...is worthless. The only thing you are doing here...is risking their lives."

He clenched his fists tighter.

"So here is the new deal. If I can land a punch in your face...then you will get off your ass and help them fight. End this threat once and for all."

Vegetto audibly scoffed, slightly raising his tone while he spoke in an attempt to dissuade the reaction he expected to hear from Lucifer.

"Tck..and don't think I'm doing this out of some bond or love for them either. I'm only making a simple choice and keeping my word. They deserve better than to be played around with by fallen gods...whether it's me, or you."
 
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