The Height of Education

A lightning strike sent a massive flash and an accompanying crash throughout the network. Suddenly, Raiden was standing in the place where the bolt had landed. He looked up, and then around, his SciLab personality already clicking into place.

"Well, allow us to begin!" he proclaimed as he headed off, on guard for the viral attack that he knew would beset him eventually.

[Battle 1, 100 HP.]
The viruses were ready to greet Raiden full-force.

StarfishA: 60
StarfishB: 60
StarfishC: 60
Boomer: 60
Champu: 60

Raiden: 100 HP

LIVE AND LET DIE
ROUND 1
FIGHT!
"Assessing weaknesses...yes, those Starfish are primary targets." Raiden's entire left arm began to crackle with electricity as it was charged by an incoming chip. His other, from the elbow down, was wreathed in the same manner of lightning, although instead of sticking to his arm, it extended out into a slim spear of electricity that floated just beyond his grasp.

Pulling his arm back, he threw the spear of electricity at the first of the Starfish with a silent intensity that he didn't show on his face. Instead, he mentally plotted out his course, and took off toward the group of viruses. His left arm swung forward and he stabbed his electrified hand toward the next Starfish, intending to switch the charge in it from himself to the virus.

Then he took a quick step back, realizing that while he was occupied with the two Starfish, the rest of the viruses would be clear to throw in as many attacks as they wished. He retreated another step, and then took off, sprinting around the group of viruses in order to avoid the wrath that they were bound to return.

[1. Thunder on StarfishA (40 x 2 = 80 damage)
2. Thunder God on StarfishB (40 x 2 = 80 damage + stun)
3. Dodge]
The pathetic starfist are fried as he avoids another ones attacks. The boomer manages to catch Raiden in the side, however!

StarfishA: DELETED
StarfishB: DELETED
StarfishC: 60
Boomer: 60
Champu: 60

Raiden: 70 HP
His run changed to a stumble, and he clutched at his side, where the boomerang had cut into his coding. He slid to a halt, and raised his other hand. He was not going to let these viruses trouble him any longer. Just above his palm appeared a small point of red light that was drawn from the same colour that had been, up until recently, filling the network. Letting the wound in his side go, he threw the fireball viciously at the offending Boomer.

The SciLab network allowed a storm of panel fragments to be broken off the floor, and they were pulled together by an invisible force that bound it into the shape of a Boomerang. Raiden caught the weapon in both hands, and swung it backwards. Once his arms were twisted up to an absurd degree, he swung his entire body forward and released the Boomerang at the midpoint of his throw. That last Starfish was going to get it.

"That last one's an easy kill! Take it out now!"

"But I would rather take the path of prudence—"

Despite his protests, a small sphere of water appeared in his hand. Sighing, he looked over at the lone Champu. There were some times where he wished that he had more of a say in what the two of them did. Regardless, he wound up and threw the watery sphere across the ground as if skipping a rock across a pond, headed straight for the fiery virus.

[1. Heatshot on BoomerA (40 x 2 = 80 damage)
2. Boomerang on StarfishA (60 damage)
3. Bubbler on ChampuA (50 x 2 = 100 damage)]
The attacks hit, save for the boomerang, and the starfish attacks back! Raiden is trapped in a bubble!

StarfishA: DELETED
StarfishB: DELETED
StarfishC: 60
Boomer: DELETED
Champu: DELETED

Raiden: 50 HP <Trapped -1 action!>
"Assistance! Assistance!"

Raiden flailed around wildly, his fists banging off the sides of the bubble that had suddenly surrounded him. However, the makeshift prison wasn't giving way.

"Anti! Please send me additional ammunition!"

A burst of energy formed in his hand, and he pulled back three of his fingers to turn his hand into a simulation of a handgun. He jerked his hand upward, and the burst of energy crashed into the side of the bubble, popping it. He was depositied roughly on the panels below, but was up on his feet again in a second.

As Anti sent down another chip, the network's red hue collected underneath the single remaining Starfish. Raiden swung his hand down, and then brought it rocketing skywards again; in response, a pillar of fire exploded up from underneath the virus.

Instead of continuing the assault, though, he hopped to one side. With any luck, the last attack had been enough to finish the virus, but he didn't want to take any chances in simply standing around and waiting for the fight to end. In this state, at least, he had far more sense than to let himself do something that foolish.

[1. Shotgun (50 damage) way out of bubble
2. Flameline on StarfishC (70 damage)
3. Dodge]
The fire engulfs the star.

StarfishA: DELETED
StarfishB: DELETED
StarfishC: DELETED!
Boomer: DELETED
Champu: DELETED

Raiden: 50 HP

Rewards: Bubstar1, 350z
"May I please make a request?"

Anti blinked. This was unusual. Normally, he let her call the shots. It seemed as though he was starting to pick up some actual personality on his travels around the Net.

"Uh...what is it?"

"I would like to continue in ACDC."

"Why?"

Raiden shrugged. It was somethng that he himself couldn't explain. "A simple premonition, perhaps. Regardless, may we relocate to that area?"

Anti only wasted a minute thinking about it. "Fine."

Nodding gratefully, he took off deeper into the network, searching for the connection to ACDC that he knew was around here somewhere.

[Done here for now.]