Full Moon Over ACDC Net

Wolfman gathered up the remaining data, glad to see that he had acquired enough spare data for a new battlechip. With one more battle, he would probably have enough bugfrags for Victor to install a basic attack routine into Selene.

"One more," Wolfman told his comrade.

"Okay, sure." Selene answered.

The two continued deeper into the net, looking for one last encounter.

((Battle 5 please))
Sssssssssss.

A digital wind sent leaves tumbling across the road. Wolfman followed the path. No more viruses got in his way; it was quiet and deserted at this time of night. The moon rode high. The black vault was speckled with constellations. If it weren't for the almost imperceptible underlay of a silver grid, it would be indistinguishable from the real sky.

The road bent, and Wolfman came to a pass between two rows of abandoned buildings. They weren't too high -- no more than five stories -- but they turned the path into a tumbledown canyon.

A gunshot shredded the night to pieces. Wolfman's top hat fell off.

A black figure leapt off a nearby rooftop and somersaulted in the air. Its billowing -- cape? coat? wings? -- were silhouetted against the pregnant moon.

Twenty feet ahead of Wolfman, the figure landed in a lithe crouch with the clap of soles on pavement. It rose to full height, which was an inch or two shorter than Wolfman. The figure was entirely black, so it was easy to see a hand, pale in the moonlight, come up from beneath its black garment to tip its tricorne hat.

"Good evening," said the figure. It had a voice to make proper ladies swoon. "That wasn't a miss. It was more of an introduction."

The wind rose then, and caught the figure's garment, pulling it aside. Underneath was a golden waistcoat studded with red buttons. A crimson silk necktie was tucked neatly in. The chain of a pocketwatched looped along his side. In the hand that wasn't tipping the hat was a long-barreled pistol made of interlocking clockwork and brass tubes.

"My name is Stakeman," the figure said. As the breeze released his garment, it dropped back around him. It was a sort of long, ragged cloak with sleeves, although the figure didn't sheathe his arms in them. "I am a hunter of darkness, of demons, of abominations like yourself. They are stains upon this realm."

He squared his body sideways and raised his pistol to point at Wolfman. His chin tilted up slightly, and for the first time, his eyes became visible. They were a very deep green. His black hair hung around his face like a curtain.

"Prepare yourself, monster. Your end is here, but no man will say I did not end it fairly."

Terrain: 60% Normal, 25% Soil, 15% Mud

Stakeman.EXE: 350 HP

WolfMan.EXE: 175 HP
Selene.SP: 40 HP

--HERE WE GO!--
--ROUND 5, FIGHT!--
"A monster, eh?" Wolfman spoke softly, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. "Perhaps. I won't argue with you. You don't seem the type to appreciate proper discourse anyway."

Wolfman bent slowly, eyes trained on Stakeman and the pistol he held in his hand. He lifted his fallen hat off the ground, glancing briefly at the hole that pierced straight through it. He stood and placed the hat on top of Selene. He pushed lightly on the moon's surface, bidding her move away.

"Stay back," he whispered. "This guy is mine."

"S-sure," Selene stammered, the worry evident in her voice. "But what about you?"

"I'll be fine."

Selene bobbed slightly, sure to keep the hat sitting firmly on her round surface, and moved away from the battlefield. She would be little help in a fight in her current condition, especially in a battle against another Navi. She would do her best to stay out of Wolfman's way and avoid the newcomer's gun.

"Are you sure?" Victor asked softly. "This guy means business."

"He can't hit what he can't see," Wolfman muttered.

"Of course," Victor slotted in the requested battlechip. "I'm sending you a few more for good measure."

Wolfman activated the first battlechip, spreading the sudden rush of energy across his entire body. Shadows enveloped him, bathing him in darkness, and where the shadows passed Wolfman ceased to exist. He hid within the darkness and vanished from sight.

He moved, stalking silently to his right and moving to encircle his opponent. He channeled the darkness, forming a sphere of energy that surrounding his free hand. He took aim at StakeMan, launching the orb of shadows straight at the Navi. The projectile sailed through the air, crossing the distance between the two combatants in the blink of an eye. If StakeMan didn't dodge, the shadows who smash into him, devouring portions of his data.

Wolfman was on the move even as the shadow orb left his grasp. He didn't want StakeMan to use the trajectory of the shot to track his position. The Navi continued to circle his opponent, moving with short, silent steps to avoid detection. He moved behind StakeMan, determined to strike quickly and with deadly accuracy.

Wolfman activated his last battlechip and charged forward. He unsheathed his sword as he ran, holding the blade out before him as he ran headlong toward StakeMan. He planned to smash into the other Navi, taking him unaware and delivering a devastating blow in an attempt to cripple his opponent.

Summary:
1. Invis1 on self (Becomes invisible for 1 turn)
2. Tank Cannon (80 DMG) to StakeMan
3. Dodge
4. Dash Attack (90 DMG + Impact) to StakeMan

Selene: Dodge
((Baaaaaampf))
Wolfman cloaked himself in darkness just in time to save himself from Stakeman's opening salvo. His clockwork pistol barked once, and a silver bullet passed harmlessly through Wolfman's shadowy body.

"Damn!" hissed Stakeman. His green eyes darted from side to side, trying to pick Wolfman's form out from the other shadows that lay thick against the buildings. As a result, Wolfman's Tankcannon took him entirely by surprise.

The blast caught him full in the chest and spun him around. Through some nimble demon-hunting acrobatics, he managed to get himself righted in the air and landed on his feet in a half-crouch, facing the spot the attack had come from.

At least until Wolfman came charging toward him from another vector on silent feet. The movement in the darkness made Stakeman whip is head around. His hand went behind him to a scabbard that was strapped horizontally across the small of his back under his sleeved cloak. The Navi drew out what was little more than a wooden stake as long as his forearm. It was tipped and chased with silver.

Insteaad of diving to the side, Stakeman held his ground. Wolfman tore into him with his sword, but Stakeman met his opponent with an overhand stab of the stake, burying it between Wolfman's shoulders.

"Come on, now," Stakeman said as he took a step back. There was no hint of pain or duress in his voice. "Is that really the best you can do?"

Terrain: 60% Normal, 25% Soil, 15% Mud

Stakeman.EXE: 180 HP (Normal)

WolfMan.EXE: 105 HP (Normal)
Selene.SP: 40 HP (Soil)
Wolfman let out an involuntary yelp, the cry of pain escaping his lips before he could stop it. He broke away from his foe, retreating back to gain some space. He growled low, the pain in his back radiating through him. He could feel his body trying to repair itself, his skin attempting to knit back together, but the silver-tipped stake had left a grievous wound.

"Are you alright?" Selene asked, worry tingeing her voice.

"I'm fine!" Wolfman barked, harsher than he meant to.

The moon cringed, moving away from her companion and proceeding to circle the battlefield at a quick pace.

"It is alright," Victor attempted to soothe the stone globe. "He didn't mean to yell. It has just been a while since he has taken a hit like that. Isn't that right, Wolfman?"

"Shut up and send me some chips," answered the Navi, his growl dropping an octave.

Wolfman fell back, removing his jacket and glasses before dropping low on his haunches. His eyes burned with a golden light as he felt the shift begin. His muscles flowed as his bones lengthened, adding two feet to his height. His jaw jutted forward, stretching into a snout as his teeth lengthened to fangs. Claws sprouted from his fingertips, two inches long and ending in a dagger point. His pants shredded and his boots burst as his muscles expanded to match his new form. A tail grew from his backbone, sprouting black fur that rushed to cover the rest of his form. A massive werewolf now crouched low, golden eyes locked on his prey as a snarl revealed his fangs.

"I have yet to even begin," Wolfman growled.

The Navi tensed his muscles, digging his claws into the panel beneath him, before launching himself forward. His powerful frame propelled him across the battlefield, eating up the distance between himself and StakeMan in a moment. He barreled down on the Navi, opening his jaws wide. He attempted to bite down on StakeMan's shoulder, intent on tasting his opponent's blood. He needed to feed, to feast on StakeMan's flesh to fuel his bestial form.

He could feel a store of battlechip energy waiting within him and he activated it without hesitation. Jet black flames sprouted along his fur, washing over his arms and swirling around his claws. Wolfman slashed out at his opponent, raking at him with fiery claws. He continued his pursuit, attempting to drive back and overwhelm his opponent. He slashed once more, claws raking down toward StakeMan's face.

Summary:
Wolfen Physiology - Passive 15 hp heal
1. Lupine Grace (2x dodge)
2. Blood Feast (50 DMG Drain) to StakeMan
3. FireHit1 (60 Fire DMG + Impact) to StakeMan
4. FireHit1 (60 Fire DMG + Impact) to StakeMan

Selene: Dodge
((Boomph))
((Buuuuuuuuuurp))
((Bliiiiiiiiiiiiimp!))
As Wolfman charged him, Stakeman casually reached inside his cloak and tugged free a golden cross. With a jerk, the chain snapped, and Stakeman thrust the cross out at arm's length. It began to expand until it was so large that he could no longer hold it. The demon-hunter let go, but instead of dropping to the ground, the giant cross settled into a float in front of him.

Wolfman lunged at Stakeman, jaws wide, but he crashed into the cross instead. "You won't be turning me tonight, demon," Stakeman told him with a thin smile.

The werewolf swung one flaming paw toward Stakeman, but the cross swept around through the air, heading off the attack. The force of the strike sent cracks tearing through its golden face, though, and the pieces tumbled to the pavement. Stakeman was defenseless against the second Firehit. It tore through the side of his cloak and left a scorch mark twice as big.

Stakeman hopped back out of Wolfman's reach and fumbled around inside his cloak. Out came a little vial full of some glittering silver liquid. He flicked out the stopper with his thumb and downed it in one gulp. He tossed the empty vial toward Wolfman's face, but it was only a distraction as he raised his clockwork gun. Wolfman's bestial reflexes were sharp enough to guide him out of the path of the bullet as Stakeman fired it.

Terrain: 60% Normal, 25% Soil, 15% Mud

Stakeman.EXE: 170 HP (Normal)

WolfMan.EXE: 120 HP (Normal)
Selene.SP: 40 HP (Soil)
Wolfman growled, a low guttural sound that barely escaped his clenched jaws. The Navi crouched low, giving ground to open up the space between him and his prey. He snapped at Stakeman, baring his fangs, as he began to stalk in a slow circle around the cloaked man. He could feel his body repairing itself and wanted to give himself enough time to knit together the worst of his wounds.

"I have no intention of turning you," Wolfman replied. "I'm going to rip you limb from limb."

Victor slotted in a trio of battlechips and Wolfman could already feel the energy surging through his body. He opened his jaws wide, forming a shadowy sphere that hovered between his rows of fangs. The sphere pulsated with energy, the surface of the black orb writhing in constant motion. The Navi launched the orb toward Stakeman, aiming at the ground beneath his feet. Once the orb hit it would explode outward and consume anything in its path, panels and all.

Wolfman didn't pause in his assault. He slammed his fists against the ground, claws digging deep into the earth. He transferred the flow of power through his claws and into the panels beneath him. A low rumble was his response, a rumble that quickly grew louder as a geyser of boiling hot water erupted from the ground. A second geyser followed and then a third, each moving in a line and threatening to engulf Stakeman.

Wolfman leaped back, increasing the distance between himself and Stakeman. Selene followed suit, widening the circuit she was making of the battlefield. She changed up her flight pattern, zigzagging through the air and sometimes halting to reverse direction. Wolfman backpedaled a few feet before dropping into a low crouch once more. He raised his arms to protect his head, activating the last of his current batch of battlechips. His fur bristled, stiffening to form a protective barrier that would defend him from Stakeman's attacks.

Summary:

Passive Heal 15
1. Cracker Bomb (80 DMG + Blast2 + Panel Crack) to Stakeman
2. Waterline1 (80 Aqua DMG + Ground + Line) to Stakeman
3. Dodge
4. Guard1 to self (Blocks one attack and reflects up to 60 DMG to attacker)

Selene: Dodge
((Fiverump))
"Funny, beast. The feeling is mutual, but severing the head will suffice in your case," the hunter retorted, watching WolfMan's hands with hidden anxiety. As the monstrous navi released his projectile, his enemy made a swift roll to the right, his cape twirling around him like a pinwheel in motion. A crater formed in the net as the attack hit the ground where he'd stood a moment ago.

In a flash, the hunter produced another silver stake and drove it immediately into the ground. WolfMan's water attack hit him in a torrent, but he kept his hands clutched around the artifact and gritted his teeth. A trail of cracked earth began to rise around the object, then suddenly radiated light from inside. The path snaked its way towards WolfMan.

WolfMan was quick enough to dodge it, but couldn't anticipate its return trip. As it passed him, light erupted from the cracks that had already formed, hitting WolfMan in a soft spot at his flank. Following up, the hunter pulled a snub-nosed revolver from inside his cloak and fired off three rounds. The first ricocheted off of WolfMan's body, hitting the hunter in the arm and causing him to growl in frustration. The other two found a mark, barreling into WolfMan's body.

Throwing aside the expended gun, StakeMan grinned, showing the white of his teeth. "The immortal have a habit of dying around me," he warned the monster, flexing his fingers in an imitation old-west stand off as he waited for his enemy's next move.

Terrain: 45% Normal, 15% Cracked, 25% Soil, 15% Mud

Stakeman.EXE: 90 HP (Cracked)

WolfMan.EXE: 75 HP (Normal)
Selene.SP: 40 HP (Soil)
"Of boredom, no doubt." Wolfman taunted his foe.

The Navi fell into a low crouch, baring his fangs with a deep throated growl. His golden eyes flashed bright as he concentrated on healing himself. For all his bravado, Wolfman was injured. The hunter's silver bullets were doing their work, slowing down the wolf's natural regeneration. He would need to push him powers to their limit if he was going to survive this encounter.

"A-are you al-alright?" Selene asked, the worry plain in her voice.

"I'm fine," Wolfman growled. "Now stay back."

The moon bobbed in response, keeping her distance from both Wolfman and his opponent. She continued to strafe behind the wolfish Navi, using him as a shield to protect her from Stakeman's bullets. She was worried about him, but she had seen Wolfman survive tough situations before and had faith in him.

"Slotting in a few more chips," Victor chimed in. "But try and end this fast. We are running low on the good stuff."

Wolfman pushed himself up to his full height, towering over Stakeman, and spread his arms out wide. He could feel the battlechip data coursing through him and reveled in it. He raised his head toward the sky and unleashed a deafening howl. The sound reverberated around him, forming a cone of destructive force that Wolfman sent directly toward Stakeman. The force of the howl would no doubt disorient Stakeman, damaging his eardrums and sending spikes of pain jolting through his skull.

The Navi broke into a loping run, moving in a wide circle around Stakeman. He pivoted, charging toward Stakeman for a few steps before cutting to his right. His clawed feet carved rivulets in the earth as he turned. He performed another quick dash, moving perpendicular to Stakeman as he summoned up the last of his set chips. He turned at the last moment, dropping low as he faced his target.

Wolfman moved to howl again, flames roaring from between his jaws in place of sound. The flames formed a fireball that sailed across the battlefield toward Stakeman. With luck, the inferno would be enough to finish the hunter off. If not, Wolfman was running low on options.

Summary:

-Passive 15hp heal
1. Recov50 (Heal 50hp to self)
2. Pulsar1 (70 DMG) to Stakeman
3. Dodge
4. Heatshot (40 Fire DMG) to Stakeman
"You're a funny guy, werewolf. Let's see if your wit can save you from a bullet in your skull," the navi replied, pulling another handgun from his cloak. Carefully, he loaded it up, flicking the chamber shut with a quick, practiced motion. The hunter's eye twitched as he watched the wounds he'd inflicted across WolfMan's body closing. He pointed his gun at WolfMan, preparing to fire.

He was unprepared, however, for WolfMan's high-volume howling attack. Clutching at his head, the hunter barely resisted the reflex to fire off his shot in poor accuracy. Taking a moment to reaim, he growled and shot off the bullet with a deafening bang; the silver projectile passed through WolfMan's collar, drawing a stream of data. Unfortunately for the hunter, the shot didn't seem to be lethal. "Dammit," he swore, preparing another floating gold cross shield.

WolfMan smashed the shield with an explosive burst of fire; the shield cracked, but held. Seizing the opportunity, the hunter reloaded and fired another quick bullet, this one apparently not made of silver. It injured WolfMan and knocked him back a short distance onto the dirt, but didn't do much real damage. "Let's finish it, monster!" the shooter growled, pulling both hands into his cloak. As his hands left his head, DragonierMan could see data flowing in a bright trail from each glove; the howl must have inflicted great injury.

Terrain: 45% Normal, 15% Cracked, 25% Soil, 15% Mud

Stakeman.EXE: 20 HP (Cracked) (1 movement away from WolfMan)

WolfMan.EXE: 70 HP (Soil)
Selene.SP: 40 HP (Soil)
"Heads up," Victor warned Wolfman as the cloaked Navi began his charge. "I'm transferring you our last ranged battlechips. We'll only have the Rageclaw left so make sure you drop this guy."

Wolfman nodded in response. He didn't have enough time to speak as he backpedaled away from Stakeman. He didn't know what his opponent had in mind, but he knew that he didn't want to get within melee range just now. His claws dug into the soil at his feet, his sure footing giving him a boost in speed. He backed away from Stakeman, trying to open up space between the two of them.

He could feel the battlechip energy building up within him, begging to be released. He summoned up the energy, forming a shadowy sphere within each palm. He hurled first one and then the other in front of him, aiming for the space between himself and Stakeman. With luck, the cloaked Navi would charge right into the path of the explosions and take himself out. The small orbs expanded outward, quadrupling in size for a brief moment and destroying anything caught within their blast radius.

Selene was behind Wolfman as he dodged away, but the moon suddenly cut to his left. She made a wide turn before surging off perpendicular to Stakeman's charge. She knew enough of her own abilities to avoid a direct confrontation with Wolfman's opponent. Wolfman halted suddenly, dropping on all fours and facing down his enemy. He opened his jaws wide, summoning up the last of the battlechip energy. He hurled a ball of shadow from between his fangs, the bolt of energy sailing straight toward Stakeman. If the Navi didn't dodge, it should be enough to lay him flat.

Summary:

--Passive 15hp Heal
1. Dodge backward (Dodge bonus from terrain)
2. Throw Mini-bomb (60 DMG + Blast1) into Stakeman's path
3. Throw Lilbomb (50 DMG + Blast1) into Stakeman's path
4. Shotgun (50 DMG) to Stakeman

Selene: Dodge
WolfMan's first blast knocked out StakeMan's shield. The next hit its intended target, dealing significant damage, but failing to topple the hunter. As WolfMan took up position in front of him, the wolf's opponent pulled out another loaded gun, aiming it straight for WolfMan's head. "Let's see you survive without that head," he grunted, using the last of his strength to pull the trigger.

Just as the bullet left his gun, so did a large ball of black energy from the wolf's mouth. The bullet passed through WolfMan's cheek, drawing a stream of data. The shadow ball collided upon its target with a tremendous explosion, knocking the hunter back. WolfMan's wound, surprisingly, wasn't lethal; his regeneration would see to that. The hunter, on the other hand, was finally immobilized.

"The fight made one thing clear to me... I was right to hunt you down, beast... A thing like you is a danger to everyone... but it'll take more than me to put you down," he gasped out, leaking data around the net. Finally, his EJO mechanism kicked in, transporting him away from his intended prey.

Stakeman.EXE: EJO'D

WolfMan.EXE: 45 HP (Soil)
Selene.SP: 40 HP (Soil)

--BATTLE 5 COMPLETE--

GET: TriArrow, 800z, 17 Bugfrags
"Damn it," Wolfman cursed as his opponent vanished in a flash of light.

"What?" Selene asked as she bobbed closer. "You won, right? You beat him?"

"Yes, but he got away. I couldn't finish him."

"And men like that have a way of showing up when you least expect them." Victor chimed in. "And when you are most vulnerable."

"I'll be ready," Wolfman growled.

"I hope so because I doubt that is the last we'll see of him."

Selene stayed silent, floating above the residual data left behind when Stakeman had fled. She watched as Wolfman gathered the data and portioned it into sections that he sent on to Victor's PET. There had been a lot of data left behind and she commented on such.

"Yes," Wolfman agreed. "Enough for a new battlechip for myself and a good number of bugfrags for you. I think we have enough to supply you with a few new combat abilities."

"I agree," Victor said. "Feel free to jack out now."

The Navi nodded and prepared for leaving the network. A pillar of light washed over him and Selene, drawing them upward into the sky.

((Jack-Out))