December 4th, 2008, 05:05 AM.
The Hillside Roads of Chichibu, Japan.
Fushhhhhhh…!
Wunnn… Tick… Tok…
The howling snow wind slipped through the sharp cliffs and the gaps between frozen pine trees. The voice of nature now merged with the strained roar of the ambulance engine, which stood frozen in place on the shattered asphalt road.
Beep~Beep~Beep.
Inside the dark and silent rear cabin, only the rhythmic sound of Jōgan's heart monitor echoed, becoming the sole sign of life that remained.
Tick~Tick~Tick.
The cabin lights flickered unstably, occasionally illuminating the figures of Sanna and Kaito, both slumped unconscious. Even in that state, their hands still gripped the sides of the stretcher, one last instinct to protect Jōgan's body, who had yet to awaken.
Grekk… krrr…
From the dashboard, the broken static of the radio crackled intermittently, accompanying Zulo, who looked utterly helpless, his head hanging as it rested against the dashboard.
"Grohhh…"
Outside, the Qarr Urqell still stood firm like a tower of death right in front of the ambulance. Its glowing red eyes stared sharply, piercing through the windshield as if scanning the prey trapped inside that iron shell.
Suddenly–
JEGREG~SREEEKK!
The ambulance driver's door was forced open from within. Hiji stepped out, placing his feet upon the snow with complete calm.
Without a single wound.
Without even the slightest bruise.
His clothes remained neat, in stark contrast to the wrecked condition of the ambulance. A faint smile and an extraordinarily composed expression were etched upon his mature face.
"Hah… That was close. If I had been even a fraction of a second late in deploying the barrier, they would have all been turned into minced flesh in there."
Hiji spoke softly, stretching his neck until it cracked. He continued calmly, casting a brief glance toward the shattered window of the vehicle.
Brugh… Brugh…
"Gerhhh…"
The Qarr Urqell let out a heavy growl. Hot steam billowed violently from its breath and between its sharp fangs, instantly crystallizing upon touching the biting air of Chichibu. With heavy steps that shook the asphalt, the monster moved closer, standing right before Hiji with the gaze of a predator ready to strike.
"Heh… If you had just stayed down on the asphalt after that shot…"
Hiji let his sentence hang. The corner of his lips lifted, forming a crooked smile filled with disdain.
"Maybe… you could have kept breathing for another ten minutes."
Hiji concluded, his tone carrying absolute confidence.
Brugh~Wusshhhh!
"Grohhh…"
The Qarr Urqell did not care. With a savage roar, it charged straight forward. Its massive claws spread wide, aiming for Hiji's face to tear it apart in a single motion.
However!
VREEEEEEE~BOM!
A torrent of flames erupted violently, striking the body of the Qarr Urqell just before its claws could touch Hiji. The force of the blast was so immense that the gigantic creature was thrown back, dragged several meters across the ground.
Sssssshhhhh~!
Scorching steam surged upward as the chromosphere of fire, its temperature far too extreme for Gaia's flesh, devoured the frozen asphalt. The cold air of the snowstorm vanished in an instant, replaced by a suffocating wave of heat.
Tap… Tap… Tap…
Hiji walked forward at ease. His left hand rested in his pocket, while his calm steps cut through the haze of smoke toward the body of the Qarr Urqell that had been hurled away.
ZTTTTTTTT~!
The roaring sound of a blazing solar chromosphere thundered from his right side. Hiji's right arm was no longer human flesh, it had completely mutated into a blazing mass of fire threaded with crackling electricity, scattering sparks that burned holes into the snow and asphalt with every step.
"Heh… You'd better stay down. At my age, I no longer have the appetite to play around."
Hiji spoke flatly. He looked down at the monster as if observing a dying insect at his feet.
With an almost careless motion, Hiji instead sat cross-legged upon the untouched layer of snow, waiting for his opponent to charge again, or to be consumed by its own flames.
Bruaghh!
"Gerhhh…"
With a roar that split the night sky, the Qarr Urqell made a massive leap, launching itself out of the ring of fire to escape the searing heat.
"Oh… That's quite high,"
Hiji murmured flatly. His head moved slowly, following the monster's leap through the air with an almost irritating calm.
Bruakk!
The massive body of the Qarr Urqell landed harshly, crashing into a row of pine trees, snapping their branches into splinters.
"Mmm… That sounded painful."
Hiji muttered, shaking his head, offering false sympathy with not the slightest emotion in his eyes.
The monster rose again. Hot steam enveloped its body, the result of scorched flesh meeting the freezing snow.
Now, its glowing red gaze locked sharply onto Hiji, who still sat cross-legged in calm ease upon the white expanse.
HMMMMMMMM~VREEEEEE!
Its rage surged. The chest of the Qarr Urqell swelled, drawing in as much oxygen as possible before concentrating all its remaining energy into a single point. The pressure of Gamma energy gathering within its lungs created a piercing frequency, vibrating the surrounding air molecules.
KRAKK~BOOMHH!
The monster's jaws opened wide, releasing a condensed supersonic Gamma wave. The attack roared forward with devastating force, tearing through trees and ripping apart the asphalt in its path, heading straight toward Hiji.
"Kromosfer Bakod ng Araw[1]."
He spoke softly, yet with authority. Just as the deadly roar was about to touch his shadow, Hiji gave a faint smile. He slowly shook his head once more.
WHUMMMMMM~BLAAARRR!
In an instant, the chromosphere flames erupted, tearing through the air, surging in all directions and forming a plasma barrier that enveloped Hiji and the entire ambulance area.
VREEEEE~THOOOOM!
As the blazing tongues of chromosphere fire collided with the condensed supersonic Gamma wave, the hills of Chichibu seemed to lose their gravity. The piercing high-frequency shriek attempted to split the dense solar plasma, creating a horrifying visual distortion within the void of space.
You no longer have a choice to fight,"
Hiji slowly rose to his feet, brushing the dust from his clothes as he glanced toward the visibly exhausted Qarr Urqell.
"Kromosfer Salakab ng Araw[2]."
Hiji said calmly. He extended his right hand, still formed of blazing plasma, directly toward his target.
WOSHHHH~SHHHHH!
Without warning, the air around the Qarr Urqell tore apart. Like a dimension opening its jaws, a massive surge of chromosphere fire burst forth, engulfing the monster's body within milliseconds, as if the atmosphere itself had devoured it alive.
Szzzzzzzt~!
"Grohhh…"
Only one final roar escaped before the Qarr Urqell's body completely dissolved within the blazing embrace of plasma, vanishing without a trace.
***
Meanwhile, in the Katsushika District, at Hugo's residence.
Ting… Srek.
The sound of a cigarette butt being pressed firmly into the base of a metal ashtray echoed, followed by the faint scrape of ash slowly dimming and dying out. Inside the TV room, lit only by the dim glow of the screen, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, as if the very oxygen in the room had just been drained by the presence of two immense entities.
"Hahss… I hope you can give me a fierce fight,"
Hugo said softly, yet his tone carried a heavy challenge.
Hugo rose from his relaxed seated position. He stretched his body and muscles until a series of cracks echoed through the silent room. A faint, easy smile formed on his face.
"Gerhh…"
The Alpha Urqell let out a low growl. Its voice was calm, too calm for a monster. It simply stood still, staring sharply at Hugo with the gaze of an apex predator on Gaia. There was no fear, only pure, controlled killing instinct.
Hugo slowly turned his body. Now, their gazes met. The human eyes of Hugo, filled with secrets, clashed directly with the blood-red eyes of the Alpha.
Within that room, time itself seemed to stop.
[1] Bakod ng Araw :Inspired by classical Tagalog, it means Wall of the Sun/Solar Wall.
[2] Salakab ng Araw :Inspired by classical Tagalog, it means Bars of the Sun/Solar Bars.