Part 10: First Climax

ACT 1: CLIMAX

Florence’s Perspective:

“A Regendozer? Haven’t seen one myself… but I guess he can absorb things into itself and regenerate.” Florence said as the Dozer spun like a top. It was a porcupine leopard Dozer, capable of healing itself. That was quite a scary combination, but Florence was ready to engage it in a long fight.

“Hmm?” The Dozer spun itself rather quickly at him, like it knew his weakness.

“A leopard’s speed…” Florence absorbed its impact, as it fired two nails at him. He shot two water blobs at the nails, destroying them as well.

“Florence! Do you need help?” His supporters asked as he told them to keep watch.

“I can handle this myself.” Florence said, absorbing all of the force until the Dozer lost all of its energy.

“Flo Technique: Water Gun!” A large pressurized water blob hits the Dozer as it was knocked back several meters away from him. The force was so huge that it ripped off the ground and toppled some trees along the way.

“But this is not good…” Florence thought to himself. “A power that allows that Dozer to regenerate… means I have to strike it down with one full attack.”

The Dozer absorbed the trees and branches, as its injuries were slowly recovered. It pinned its claws onto the ground, and dashed towards him again.

“It’s futile.” Florence said, creating a water blob in front, but it leapt up behind him which caught him by surprise.

“What..” Florence skidded back, moving his water blob towards the beast. But it no longer could absorb that force, as Florence decided to keep a distance.

“It had already adapted to my attacks…” Florence said, grinding his teeth. “My attacks are defensive… and require a force to act on the water blobs I create. If not, I cannot release any form of power at all.”

“It’s like a trampoline, if a lack of force is applied on it, the force that pushes it upwards is lacking.” Florence thought. “Looks like I have to use that ability you’ve taught me long ago… Captain Derek…”

He created water blobs across his fists as the leopard struck him with both of his paws. He blocked them, and punched the beast back as it fell to the ground.

“It is Derek’s technique!” One of the supporters yelled. “By filling your fists with that water blob, you can simultaneously absorb any incoming attacks and store that energy. You don’t release the water blobs at any given time, but by releasing it upon impact.”

“Yes, that’s right.” Florence said, as the beast attacked him continuously as he absorbed it. It fired off several nails at once, as Florence punched it all with just his fists. “As long as I keep absorbing the impact with these water blobs, I can release all that energy by punching. The more I absorb, the more power I can release.”

“That’s what impressed me from the day you worked for me, Derek.” Florence said, as the Dozer approached him. “Your constant hunger to improvise…”

Florence let out all of his energy on a strike to the Dozer’s stomach, obliterating all of the spikes from its body.

“But it’s not enough.” Florence said as the Dozer continued to absorb rocks and trees around it. “There is no end to this, is there?”

The leopard started to reform its spikes, firing all of them in one go.

“It is desperate now.” Florence said, creating a giant blob which blocked all of them. “It’s coming directly at me…” He filled his palm and released it but it managed to dodge it completely.

“Hmm… nice tactic but…” Florence said, as he released water from the base of his foot. It fired the beast away again but not with as much energy as before.

“The second in command, Dinesh, one of the supporters who had the power to transfer the force to his legs.” Florence remembered him clearly as he was rather unique. “Usually it is easier to transfer force through the shoulder, but I guess I can do it through my feet too.”

“But not as skillfully as he did. Such a shame.” Florence said as the beast only grew angrier. “I am running out of options against this meddling beast, but its power level is only in its speed. Josh would have wiped it off cleanly with his acid.”

“I don’t have time to waste on this.” Florence said, clapping his hands together. “The third in command, Jaafar, who could concentrate the force of the water through propulsion.” The beast charged at him, as he extended a stream from his palms. The beast swung at him, as he focused on dodging its attacks without attacking back. It kept its distance close, as Florence controlled the stream so that it would continuously hit against it. It tossed out spikes, but Florence did a circular motion, causing them to flow away from him. As the beast had exhausted its spikes, it decided to leap at him, as Florence steadied his legs. He took a deep breath and closed his palms, releasing a jet of water that obliterated the beast like a laser beam. It pushed its body towards the sky, with so much force that it flew outwards into space. The pressure from the water solidified it from the inside out, finally shattering it from the sudden drop in temperature.

Florence was exhausted, but he knew the Dozer was finally defeated.

As he could barely take his eyes off the ground, a shadow emerged from the bushes. A man that was rather familiar to him, clapped his hands eagerly at the spectacular view.

“Great work out there.” The man said sarcastically, knowing he could finally see all of his weaknesses. “But now that you are this weakened, I am sure you would just let me pass, right?”

He walked past him as Florence grabbed his shoulder.

“Why the hell are you released, Randall Tang?” Florence said as Randall released his weapon from his side. A corrupted sword that he had used to kill his own wife, was revealed to be in his own hands.

“The Wolf Tamer’s orders.” He stabbed him through the chest, and kicked him out of the way. “You know… you were poking your nose into your son’s business and this is what you get. You could have just let me go… and I would have spared you.”

“Yeah… I would have.” Florence said, releasing a water blob across his chest, as he was fired a great distance from him.

“What? I thought I killed him…” Randall thought, as he realized it was all just a fluke.

“You were right, Randall. You did see three of my secret techniques.” Florence said, as the fake him turned back into water. “But the last two haven't been shown to you yet.”

“Heh, you think you can match against me just because you have two more techniques?” Randall smirked, feeling overconfident. “I am only doing this because the Wolf Tamer ordered me to. I get a lot of compensation, you see.”

“Hmm, that sounds like he’s using you-”

“Wolf Sword: Dance of the Blue Waves.” Randall swung out his sword in a triangular pattern, as he thrusted his sword through the middle. A blast of blue energy tore the road apart, melting the side of a wall in the condo. It was quick, that Florence barely had time to react.

“Don’t you dare look down on the Wolf Tamer.” Randall said. “You already forgot how powerful I was that night, huh?”

“The only reason you won, Florence, was because you were assisted by the proprietors. Among them, you are the weakest link.” Randall said. “There is a reason why no one came to help you… because your water technique… lacks any offensive power. And you still brag about it like it’s something that special.”

“Power is something you can hold in your hands. Not something that needs to be relied on...”

“Look at all of the five men who worked under you… using your cheap technique.” Randall yelled. “What have they done but prolong their inevitable deaths?”

“Shut up!” Florence said, as the air around them started to feel moist. “If you have something to say, say it to me. But don’t you dare stain their sacrifices.”

“Flo Residences… They were all good people who fought with me because they believed in protecting their families and the ones they loved.” Florence said firmly. “I know what you guys want… the Hub Crystal… but you jolly well be prepared because you aren’t going to cross me.”

“We’ll see about that!” Randall screamed as he released the flames from his blade. It sliced up the air, but he noticed that they were not burning with much power. It was barely reaching Florence at all.

“Hmm, I guess that worked.” Florence said, as he was slowly releasing tiny water blobs into the air around him.

“He moistened the air around us?” Randall thought. “This bugger had more up his sleeve than I thought.”

Randall heated up his blade, causing the water to evaporate into the air. He swung it towards Florence, as he created a water blob to absorb its impact. But his sword was slicing right through, as he realized that his sword was so hot that it instantly evaporated the water it touched.

Florence skipped back, but Randall did not give him a single second to react.

“I did not want to use this…” Florence sighed, as he fully submerged himself into a water blob. The water circled around him at full force, as Randall’s sword could no longer cut through it as it just kept pouring in continuously.

“To think he still had a way to counter against me…” Randall stepped back as Florence released that energy and fired it back at him. Randall tried to block it but the force was enough to shatter his sword.

“Give… up already...” Florence was catching his breath as that technique was practically drowning himself.

“My sword can always be recreated by my Dozer.” Randall used his Dozer’s ability as the lead climbed up his arm.

“You aren’t going to be yourself any longer if you carry on.” Florence said as Randall wasn’t shakened by that fact.

“I have to do it… The Wolf Tamer promised me of a better life once I finish my task… so move out of the way!” Randall screamed. “This is … all I have left. You can sacrifice your data and rebuild the crystal… I … I only have this to regain my life…”

“Are you even hearing yourself speak?” Florence said. “Did you not care about your wife…? Why did you kill her? And the innocent guy working at the cashier?”

“Is this what you have to regain for it?”

“What do you know? I… My long life dream was to be respected… but no one gave that back to me. Not my wife… or my boss that I slaved for.” Randall said. “BUT the Wolf Tamer did… he promised me that he would release me. He understood what I wanted…”

Randall was remembering all of the days he suffered and knew he had no other choice. “Just let me through, and I promise to leave without killing anyone else.”

“And why should I believe you?” Florence asked. “I am like the people you hate… I do not respect you.”

“Then die.” Randall charged forward, as Florence used the third technique. Randall swung his sword up, causing a line of flame to approach him. Florence circled his palms, absorbing all that fire before clapping his hands together.

“Give up already.” Florence said, as the water sent him flying back yet again. “You can still become a better person than this. Using that weapon can only harm you.”

“Quit trying to talk me out of it… To think I would lose to a weakling like you, only makes my heart boil more vigorously.” Randall cried out loud. “Maybe it is time for me to unleash my true potential.”

“Wait… STOP!” Florence was not able to convince him, as the flames engulfed his body. The lead coating only grew up his shoulder and covered half of his face. It resembled a wolf-like appearance, as he slowly turned into a different person.

“Give… Hub Crystal... Let me… through this instant.” A deeper voice spoke through Randall, as his blade was now glowing brighter than before. Spikes formed from his arm and back, as the flames started to heat up the air around him.

Florence knew this was bad, and one touch of the flames would eradicate even the toughest of steel. His water blobs were already evaporating from the intense heat.

A wall of flames spun towards him, as Florence covered himself in a ball of water. The flames were heating up the water so much that Florence was barely able to keep himself unscathed. Randall came in with a swipe of his sword, as Florence dodged it with his cloning technique. He reappeared behind him, as he shot him with a burst of water. However, Randall’s spikes extended and pierced his shoulder, as Randall’s arm bursted into flames. Florence was kicked back as Randall turned around to slice him in the neck.

Florence grabbed it with his hand, coating it with as much water as he could. But he knew, it was of no use as it started to tear through it.

“You’re right… I am too weak for this.” Florence said, as he admitted defeat. At that very moment, Randall heated up his blade and ended him in one strike.

“Was it all that worth it?” Florence’s last words did not move the Dozer at all, as he collapsed to the ground.

“Blu, can’t this thing go any faster? I thought this is your best car.” Peng Goh asked as the crew was five minutes away from the Police Station.

“Yeah… I’m trying my best here, lady.” Blu said, jamming on the acceleration pedal. “But… something is bugging me…”

Josh was worried about Florence and the other two that he left behind. But he knew that they would survive this ordeal. He just had to trust them… right?

The car suddenly wheezed into a halt, as Blu suddenly stopped at a horde of Dozers rushing past the road.

In the far distance was smoke, as they were all in utter shock. Policemen were seen rushing in and out as Peng Goh ordered Blu to keep driving towards the station.

The far cry of Randall having escaped was heard rampant in their minds as they got closer and closer to the chaos.

Josh knew very well that they might have made a major mistake. But he wanted to believe that they were all safe.