Tennisman summons Deuce to his free hand as Squalo begins to descend back towards the Sea. Tennisman then jerks the Katana free of the shark as he kicks away from it. The Navi turns the movement into an impromptu slash before he all but throws the sword at the Cybeast. The Katana manages to just barely catch the Cybeast's dorsal fin as Squalo plummets far more quickly than the relatively small and light Tennisman.
Tennisman attempts his Ace Serve move with frantic haste. But circumstances are not really in his favor, as he finds himself falling through the air, and upside down on top of that. To further complicate matters, his target, while absolutely massive, is falling like a stone. This prompts him to make his attack with greater haste than grace in an attempt to tag the monster as many times as (in)humanly possible before it splashed down. Thus, Tennisman manages to hit with the first serve, whiffs on the second, and nails the third, striking the Cybeast a second time.
When it came time for the fourth serve, Tennisman sent it scorching along towards the Cybeast... However, by then it is far too late, as the ball made contact with the eruption of seawater rising in the wake of Squalo's re-entry into the Sea and is washed away. The column of water crashes back down again, and a massive Tidal Wave rises from the Sea to block out the horizon. The enormous wave surges forward and sweeps Tennisman and Deuce right out of the air in much the same manner as a stranded car getting 'collected' by a runaway freight train. And it felt about the same too, though the shared link took a little of the edge off both Navi and SP as Deuce's Brace reduced his share of the damage just a little. [Both: -111HP (total, each)]
The wave carried Tennisman and Deuce a short distance before something springy caught the pair. The elastic net held them against the crushing torrent just long enough for the wave to pass. Then net promptly collapses immediately after, leaving Tennisman sitting on the small island made up of perhaps a dozen grass panels. He triggers his terrain change ability which causes the grass to change to sand, and the island to expand to several times its previous size.
However, the island starts to erode away as the Sea begins to encroach from directly ahead. Tennisman gets his feet under him and prepares to defend himself even before sighting the now-rising shark fin. The fin slices through the approaching water, straight towards Tennisman. The Navi swings his racket, Deuce, at Squalo just as the Cybeast erupts from the water to bite him. However, before the giant shark can make a meal out of Tennisman, Deuce projects a barrier's spherical field into Squalo's open maw and manages to buy Tennisman a precious second or two....
What would the Navi do with that time?
----Allies---- (Danger!!)
TennisMan.EXE: 159 HP (6-Hit Shield, Deuce(WJ))
Deuce.SP: 49 HP
----Cybeast----
Squalo.???: 840 HP (It's gonna gnaw on your bones if you don't do something quick.)
----Objects----
Net: Collapsed
Terrain: 24% Sand (Crescent Island), 76% Sea
Yay Netopia!
last edited by
Neither he nor Deuce could claim to have ever been in a tigher spot than this and if they survived this battle, it would definitely be referenced whenever they faced lesser problems in the future. Even after being brutally battered, Tennisman held his ground against Squalo's rows and rows of razor teeth as they bore down on him. His options for escape were practically limitless, but duress from the thought of being eaten somewhat strained his imagination.
"Deuce?" Tennisman checked.
"I'll live." His racket answered back.
The Overwrap had expired and Tennisman was quick to bark out an order, "Desmond! Two Windrackets!"
Without arguing or the usual bout of hesitation, Desmond was already prepared and promply slotted in the two chips. He had recently taken up a habit of twiddling them between his fingers while watching Tennisman fight, aware that he would be asked to slot them in at any moment. Twin streams of Windracket data flowed down Tennisman's arms, one instance infusing itself into Deuce's frame while the other simply channeled itself into his right hand. Under the stress of the situation, it was the only plan he could come up with on such short notice.
Having never attempted two execute two Windrackets simultaneously, this was a bit of a gamble. The force from the attack always swept up a gale powerful enough to blow away his opposition, but it was not without its risks. Whenever he used it, he had always managed to counterbalance the backlash with solid footing or ample preparation. This was not one of those times. On top of that, he had no idea what kind of recoil two of them would cause, but he hoped it would be enough to keep those jaws from clamping down. His strength and time were running out. Both chips activated and a light breeze picked up, quickly escalating to a small vortex that wrapped around his racket. He was wielding Deuce doublehanded but that changed in an instant when the programs completely finished loading. Releasing his right hand from the grip, Tennisman swatted in a wide arc downwards while he gave Deuce a fierce swing upwards. In a motion reminiscent of tearing a sheet of fabric in two, the Windrackets unleashed themselves in opposing directions against Squalo's maw. Two semi-solid walls of air spread out and spiraled in the shark's mouth, whipping up water and the bits of sand and mud from the surrounding terrain.
It felt as if it would be more than enough to keep the Cybeast from biting down, but not willing to stay there and take the risk, Tennisman leapt back to the best of his ability to make a hasty escape. The sand wasn't making his movements particularly swift, and he held Deuce defensively ahead of him on reflex.
"Hey, hey, don't stop the offensive because you think you're safe." warned Deuce.
Tennisman thought his racket had a point and targetted one of Squalo's large globular eyes, "Panelshot."
"I'd have gone with A Hi-Cannon..." Desmond added but slotted in the requested chip.
The grid sectioning off a squre of sand shone brightly in Tennisman's eyes, allowing him to locate the easiest point of excavation. He stabbed Deuce into the ground and pried up a large block of the muddy terrain from the floor with practically no effort. The large cube popped into the air before Tennisman struck it with a powerful serve, sending a spray of sand into the Cybeast's eye. With any luck, it would be blinded and be forced to temporarily retreat to wash the silt from its face. If not, Tennisman realized he had just limited the amount space he could move around on and that was a bad move.
"Yo Deuce, fix yourself up," Desmond said, "You're no good to anyone if you get eaten or have to jack out again."
"Thank you for your kind words." spat the racket before he began to cover his damaged components with a network of animated wires.
Tennisman had his own worries and began to work on them one by one. First, by extending the dry surface he could walk on with yet another Court Change. He was growing very fond of those abilities as he took a few more steps back onto the growing patch of fresh grass. Secondly, he focussed on watching Squalo's movements to try and evade another surprise attack with his Reflex Volley.
"Explanation now?" Deuce asked.
Tennisman answered with a brief summary, "We reached the end of the Netopian network and found the source of the strange viral activity - This 'cybeast' named Squalo locked behind a gate. The gatekeeper tested us and deemed us worthy of challenging it."
"And you just thought to yourself, 'hey let's get screwed over'?" mused the racket.
Tennisman nodded to save some time.
"...Fair enough. Then let's finish what you started." Deuce said whimsically.
"YEAH! YEAH!" cheered Desmond.
With his team all on board and ready to go, it was time to fight with literally everything he had.
(Deuce's Team passive - damage is divided evenly between Deuce and Tennisman)
1 - Windracket Squalo (100 damage + Microburst + wide)
Deuce - All for One: Windracket Squalo (100 damage + Microburst + wide)
2 - Move back
Deuce - Brace (block 1 attack for half damage)
3 - Panelshot(sand) Squalo (60 damage + blind + 5% broken terrain)
Deuce - RestringEX Deuce (heal 45)
4 - Court Change - Grass (1/3 - 2/3 Grass Terrain)
5 - Dodge
6 - Reflex Volley (80 HP barrier)
"Deuce?" Tennisman checked.
"I'll live." His racket answered back.
The Overwrap had expired and Tennisman was quick to bark out an order, "Desmond! Two Windrackets!"
Without arguing or the usual bout of hesitation, Desmond was already prepared and promply slotted in the two chips. He had recently taken up a habit of twiddling them between his fingers while watching Tennisman fight, aware that he would be asked to slot them in at any moment. Twin streams of Windracket data flowed down Tennisman's arms, one instance infusing itself into Deuce's frame while the other simply channeled itself into his right hand. Under the stress of the situation, it was the only plan he could come up with on such short notice.
Having never attempted two execute two Windrackets simultaneously, this was a bit of a gamble. The force from the attack always swept up a gale powerful enough to blow away his opposition, but it was not without its risks. Whenever he used it, he had always managed to counterbalance the backlash with solid footing or ample preparation. This was not one of those times. On top of that, he had no idea what kind of recoil two of them would cause, but he hoped it would be enough to keep those jaws from clamping down. His strength and time were running out. Both chips activated and a light breeze picked up, quickly escalating to a small vortex that wrapped around his racket. He was wielding Deuce doublehanded but that changed in an instant when the programs completely finished loading. Releasing his right hand from the grip, Tennisman swatted in a wide arc downwards while he gave Deuce a fierce swing upwards. In a motion reminiscent of tearing a sheet of fabric in two, the Windrackets unleashed themselves in opposing directions against Squalo's maw. Two semi-solid walls of air spread out and spiraled in the shark's mouth, whipping up water and the bits of sand and mud from the surrounding terrain.
It felt as if it would be more than enough to keep the Cybeast from biting down, but not willing to stay there and take the risk, Tennisman leapt back to the best of his ability to make a hasty escape. The sand wasn't making his movements particularly swift, and he held Deuce defensively ahead of him on reflex.
"Hey, hey, don't stop the offensive because you think you're safe." warned Deuce.
Tennisman thought his racket had a point and targetted one of Squalo's large globular eyes, "Panelshot."
"I'd have gone with A Hi-Cannon..." Desmond added but slotted in the requested chip.
The grid sectioning off a squre of sand shone brightly in Tennisman's eyes, allowing him to locate the easiest point of excavation. He stabbed Deuce into the ground and pried up a large block of the muddy terrain from the floor with practically no effort. The large cube popped into the air before Tennisman struck it with a powerful serve, sending a spray of sand into the Cybeast's eye. With any luck, it would be blinded and be forced to temporarily retreat to wash the silt from its face. If not, Tennisman realized he had just limited the amount space he could move around on and that was a bad move.
"Yo Deuce, fix yourself up," Desmond said, "You're no good to anyone if you get eaten or have to jack out again."
"Thank you for your kind words." spat the racket before he began to cover his damaged components with a network of animated wires.
Tennisman had his own worries and began to work on them one by one. First, by extending the dry surface he could walk on with yet another Court Change. He was growing very fond of those abilities as he took a few more steps back onto the growing patch of fresh grass. Secondly, he focussed on watching Squalo's movements to try and evade another surprise attack with his Reflex Volley.
"Explanation now?" Deuce asked.
Tennisman answered with a brief summary, "We reached the end of the Netopian network and found the source of the strange viral activity - This 'cybeast' named Squalo locked behind a gate. The gatekeeper tested us and deemed us worthy of challenging it."
"And you just thought to yourself, 'hey let's get screwed over'?" mused the racket.
Tennisman nodded to save some time.
"...Fair enough. Then let's finish what you started." Deuce said whimsically.
"YEAH! YEAH!" cheered Desmond.
With his team all on board and ready to go, it was time to fight with literally everything he had.
(Deuce's Team passive - damage is divided evenly between Deuce and Tennisman)
1 - Windracket Squalo (100 damage + Microburst + wide)
Deuce - All for One: Windracket Squalo (100 damage + Microburst + wide)
2 - Move back
Deuce - Brace (block 1 attack for half damage)
3 - Panelshot(sand) Squalo (60 damage + blind + 5% broken terrain)
Deuce - RestringEX Deuce (heal 45)
4 - Court Change - Grass (1/3 - 2/3 Grass Terrain)
5 - Dodge
6 - Reflex Volley (80 HP barrier)
last edited by
Tennisman's double WindRacket attack launched Squalo backwards a fair distance in a very short time. The Cybeast hit the water with an enormous splash, much like the one that caused the earlier tidal wave, and disappeared into the sea before the serving of sand could reach it. The sand hit the column of water, and was wasted away in the ensuing surge. Luckily for Tennisman, it lost power and subsided long before reaching his island.
Tennisman took advantage of the sudden lull in the fighting to restore the island to its previous grass-covered state while Deuce restored some of his own HP. The SP braced for an attack while Tennisman readied defenses of his own and darted about anxiously. Both of them, and Desmond too, were prepared for a viscous counter attack.
They would be disappointed.
Instead of coming straight in, the giant shark's fin surfaced at the outer edge of the island, and began to circle. As the Cybeast did so, the outer edge of the island began to erode away as it passed.
What was it up to?
----Allies----
TennisMan.EXE: 159 HP (Equipped: 6-Hit Shield, Deuce(WJ)) (80 HP Barrier)
Deuce.SP: 94 HP (Brace)
----Cybeast----
Squalo.???: 640 HP (Circling)
----Objects----
Net: Collapsed
Terrain: 29% Grass (Island), 71% Sea
Tennisman took advantage of the sudden lull in the fighting to restore the island to its previous grass-covered state while Deuce restored some of his own HP. The SP braced for an attack while Tennisman readied defenses of his own and darted about anxiously. Both of them, and Desmond too, were prepared for a viscous counter attack.
They would be disappointed.
Instead of coming straight in, the giant shark's fin surfaced at the outer edge of the island, and began to circle. As the Cybeast did so, the outer edge of the island began to erode away as it passed.
What was it up to?
----Allies----
TennisMan.EXE: 159 HP (Equipped: 6-Hit Shield, Deuce(WJ)) (80 HP Barrier)
Deuce.SP: 94 HP (Brace)
----Cybeast----
Squalo.???: 640 HP (Circling)
----Objects----
Net: Collapsed
Terrain: 29% Grass (Island), 71% Sea
last edited by
Tennisman partially recognized this pattern from earlier; Squalo was restricting his movement and attempting to isloate him again. If this kept up, it wouldn't be long until his island was little more than another tiny patch of grass. He considered expanding his footing into another rolling desert again but the water would easily overtake that as well. Rather than continuing to allow his opponent to control the pace of the fight, he decided it was time to take charge.
"HolyPanel." Tennisman said, closing his eyes briefly and taking in a deep breath. He was ready to bunker down and it racked his nerves knowing he would be placing himself and Deuce in terrible danger in order to bring the shark down on his own terms.
Desmond was more vocal with his concerns, "You're just going to sit there and take whatever it throws at you?"
"No time to argue with the man, Desmond." Deuce interjected, "Running out of space here."
With Deuce's implied support, Tennisman relaxed a bit and was able to better focus on his plan. The HolyPanel slotted in and at his command, new data spread down from his legs and coated the floor below his feet in a layer of angelic light. The individual blades of grass bent down in solemn unison like a pious mass kneeling under the effect of the terrain change. Bathed in a white light, Tennisman felt his fears and doubts melt away and was filled with a sense of divine protection.
"Deuce, Overwrap and ready yourself." ordered Tennisman.
If he could, Deuce would have nodded, but he just erected another simple barrier and braced himself against another thrashing. It wasn't a pleasant thought, but he trusted Tennisman to keep him out of harm and more importantly, out of Squalo.
Tennisman raised his buster cannon to track Squalo's fin jutting from the water's surface and added, "HiCannon and MarkCannon."
"Finally! Something good!" Desmond smiled and slotted in two more chips.
Tennisman didn't want to spook Squalo into attacking prematurely and attempted to discharge both attacks as closely to each other as possible. He had given it some thought and reducing the amount of time between the shots would detract from the reaction from the first shot, possibly preventing it from evading the second. To that end, he queued the more accurate MarkCannon in the barrel as he readied the HiCannon. With every lap Squalo made, Tennisman's movement space dropped another degree and soon even his small sanctuary would be overtaken. He couldn't spare another second and fired. The HiCannon blast echoed loudly and made a rough splash where the shell exploded, followed just as quickly with a sharp beep and a piercing round that punched a clean hole right through the wall of mist. Not willing to wait and verify his success, he moved onto the next phase.
"FighterSword." Tennisman ordered.
Instead of pointing the weapon straight ahead or readying a long slash, Tennisman dropped his free hand down and waited for the counterattack. If he recalled correctly, the fully extended blade was incredibly long - long enough to strike from a considerable distance, but it was exactly that length that he hoped to take advantage of. Deuce meanwhile prepared in his own way by repairing another small section of his damaged frame.
"DUDE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Desmond roared in frustration, "STAB HIM! STAB HIM IN THE TEETH!"
Tennisman kept his calm demeanor, whether it was a blessing from his holy panel or just the feeling of being pushed too far. In spite of Desmond's continued ranting, Tennisman's words cut through through his operator's loud ranting as clear as day, "Kunai and Boomer."
Desmond seemed to instantly lose his momentum and relented, "...Fine."
In a sudden flash of instinct and fast reflexes, Tennisman activated his Fightersword. The blade tip speared straight down, planting itself firmly into the ground. As the rest of the sword materialized, the navi was launched straight up into the air. Still holding onto the grip and with a new vantage point, Tennisman was quick to rain down a sharp volley of Kunais and a sickling Boomerang at Squalo before he was forced to drop back down.
(Deuce's Team passive - damage is divided evenly between Deuce and Tennisman)
1 - HolyPanel (Creates a holy panel)
Deuce - Overwrap Deuce (40 HP barrier)
Deuce - Brace (block 1 attack for half damage)
2 - HiCannon Squalo (80 damage + knockback)
3 - MarkCannon (70 damage + seeking + lockon)
4 - Extend Fightersword straight down (100 damage underneath self + dodge?) ((impromptu defense action))
Deuce - Restring Deuce (heal 30)
5 - Kunai1 (3 x 30 damage)
6 - Boomer1 (60 damage)
"HolyPanel." Tennisman said, closing his eyes briefly and taking in a deep breath. He was ready to bunker down and it racked his nerves knowing he would be placing himself and Deuce in terrible danger in order to bring the shark down on his own terms.
Desmond was more vocal with his concerns, "You're just going to sit there and take whatever it throws at you?"
"No time to argue with the man, Desmond." Deuce interjected, "Running out of space here."
With Deuce's implied support, Tennisman relaxed a bit and was able to better focus on his plan. The HolyPanel slotted in and at his command, new data spread down from his legs and coated the floor below his feet in a layer of angelic light. The individual blades of grass bent down in solemn unison like a pious mass kneeling under the effect of the terrain change. Bathed in a white light, Tennisman felt his fears and doubts melt away and was filled with a sense of divine protection.
"Deuce, Overwrap and ready yourself." ordered Tennisman.
If he could, Deuce would have nodded, but he just erected another simple barrier and braced himself against another thrashing. It wasn't a pleasant thought, but he trusted Tennisman to keep him out of harm and more importantly, out of Squalo.
Tennisman raised his buster cannon to track Squalo's fin jutting from the water's surface and added, "HiCannon and MarkCannon."
"Finally! Something good!" Desmond smiled and slotted in two more chips.
Tennisman didn't want to spook Squalo into attacking prematurely and attempted to discharge both attacks as closely to each other as possible. He had given it some thought and reducing the amount of time between the shots would detract from the reaction from the first shot, possibly preventing it from evading the second. To that end, he queued the more accurate MarkCannon in the barrel as he readied the HiCannon. With every lap Squalo made, Tennisman's movement space dropped another degree and soon even his small sanctuary would be overtaken. He couldn't spare another second and fired. The HiCannon blast echoed loudly and made a rough splash where the shell exploded, followed just as quickly with a sharp beep and a piercing round that punched a clean hole right through the wall of mist. Not willing to wait and verify his success, he moved onto the next phase.
"FighterSword." Tennisman ordered.
Instead of pointing the weapon straight ahead or readying a long slash, Tennisman dropped his free hand down and waited for the counterattack. If he recalled correctly, the fully extended blade was incredibly long - long enough to strike from a considerable distance, but it was exactly that length that he hoped to take advantage of. Deuce meanwhile prepared in his own way by repairing another small section of his damaged frame.
"DUDE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Desmond roared in frustration, "STAB HIM! STAB HIM IN THE TEETH!"
Tennisman kept his calm demeanor, whether it was a blessing from his holy panel or just the feeling of being pushed too far. In spite of Desmond's continued ranting, Tennisman's words cut through through his operator's loud ranting as clear as day, "Kunai and Boomer."
Desmond seemed to instantly lose his momentum and relented, "...Fine."
In a sudden flash of instinct and fast reflexes, Tennisman activated his Fightersword. The blade tip speared straight down, planting itself firmly into the ground. As the rest of the sword materialized, the navi was launched straight up into the air. Still holding onto the grip and with a new vantage point, Tennisman was quick to rain down a sharp volley of Kunais and a sickling Boomerang at Squalo before he was forced to drop back down.
(Deuce's Team passive - damage is divided evenly between Deuce and Tennisman)
1 - HolyPanel (Creates a holy panel)
Deuce - Overwrap Deuce (40 HP barrier)
Deuce - Brace (block 1 attack for half damage)
2 - HiCannon Squalo (80 damage + knockback)
3 - MarkCannon (70 damage + seeking + lockon)
4 - Extend Fightersword straight down (100 damage underneath self + dodge?) ((impromptu defense action))
Deuce - Restring Deuce (heal 30)
5 - Kunai1 (3 x 30 damage)
6 - Boomer1 (60 damage)
last edited by
Defending himself on his rapidly-shrinking island, Tennisman opted for a HolyPanel underneath his feet as he braced for Squalo's deadly attacks. The shark Cybeast simply waited out... waiting for what, Tennisman didn't know, and neither did his companions. Suddenly, the shark stopped dead in its tracks in front of Tennisman, and raised its tail. With a mighty whack, it slammed down onto the water. This had the effect of raising a massive wall of water right in front of the island Tennisman was on. His double cannon-attack did zilch against the mega-tsunami as it crashed down onto the island, and whatever remained of the patch of grass he had earlier was now gone. Only a small remnant of his HolyPanel was left standing. Deuce and his Navi were engulfed in the watery barrage, and all seemed lost for the tennis Navi.
...Or not, as Tennisman emerged from the great tidal wave, the incredibly long blade of the fighter's sword as his savior. His incredibly quick reflex parrying and Deuce's Overwrap skill had warded off most of the wave's force, and he was very much alive and kicking. Deuce reinforced his strings, and not one second too soon. Shortly afterwards, Squalo leapt in the air with a mighty leap, its side turned to Tennisman. The tennis Navi did not realize what the Cybeast was doing, until the razor-sharp edges of Squalo's skin inched closer. Thankfully, however, Squalo's bodyslam was averted as Deuce went took some of the attack from himself, though Tennisman felt it as well. (20 to Deuce, 40 to Tennisman) The shark Cybeast then dropped into the much-larger waters, with not a fin in sight, just as a trio of Kunai and a large Boomerang met its hide. (30x3 + 60 to Squalo)
Tennisman was left hanging in mid-air, ready to fall at any moment. He might want to rectify that.
----Allies----
TennisMan.EXE: 119 HP (Equipped: FighterSword 1/2, Deuce[6-Hit Shield]) (Barrier Nullified) (Falling)
Deuce.SP: 104 HP (Brace) (Barrier Nullified) (Weapon Junction)
----Cybeast----
Squalo.???: 490 HP (Submerged)
Terrain: 5% Holy, 95% Sea
...Or not, as Tennisman emerged from the great tidal wave, the incredibly long blade of the fighter's sword as his savior. His incredibly quick reflex parrying and Deuce's Overwrap skill had warded off most of the wave's force, and he was very much alive and kicking. Deuce reinforced his strings, and not one second too soon. Shortly afterwards, Squalo leapt in the air with a mighty leap, its side turned to Tennisman. The tennis Navi did not realize what the Cybeast was doing, until the razor-sharp edges of Squalo's skin inched closer. Thankfully, however, Squalo's bodyslam was averted as Deuce went took some of the attack from himself, though Tennisman felt it as well. (20 to Deuce, 40 to Tennisman) The shark Cybeast then dropped into the much-larger waters, with not a fin in sight, just as a trio of Kunai and a large Boomerang met its hide. (30x3 + 60 to Squalo)
Tennisman was left hanging in mid-air, ready to fall at any moment. He might want to rectify that.
----Allies----
TennisMan.EXE: 119 HP (Equipped: FighterSword 1/2, Deuce[6-Hit Shield]) (Barrier Nullified) (Falling)
Deuce.SP: 104 HP (Brace) (Barrier Nullified) (Weapon Junction)
----Cybeast----
Squalo.???: 490 HP (Submerged)
Terrain: 5% Holy, 95% Sea
last edited by
The tall sword that kept Tennisman suspended in the air slowly retracted to a more manageable length, allowing him to descend back down onto his lone holy panel. Look down, he saw that there was literally no room to evade if Squalo decided to attack again; he was stuck. If he used a Court Change now, his sanctuary would be overwritten and the water would still eventually wash away whatever he managed to produce. As crazy as it sounded, it was better to bunker down now and endure the onslaught in order to exchange blows.
"Folder's running thin, man." warned Desmond, "Still got a few good ones left but we can't last forever. Ideas?"
A series of tactics cycled through his mind. He could use another Split Step to try and ride the Cybeast using the Fightersword as leverage, but reusing the same strategy didn't seem prudent, especially given the cunning of his opponent. His Ace Serve was still in a state of recovery, meaning his next offensive would need to rely entirely on his chips. Recalling the remaining stock of his folder, Tennisman recognized that most of them were fire elemental. The damp environment didn't lend any sort of advantages to using them, which was probably why so many of them still remained. The only option he could think of was expending them en masse and hoping for the best. He took in a deep breath, silently committing himself to follow through with his plan.
"Desmond," Tennisman addressed his operator grimly and listed off a subset of his chips, "Windracket. Flameline. Magnum. Fireburn."
His operator took in a similarly sharp breath at the request, pausing only to add, "...Good luck."
Tennisman nodded and took up a defensive position. He stabilized his footing, digging his heels deeply onto the shining square that defined his provisional fortification. His eyes darted across the water's surface as he prepared to stall with another Netplay before unloading his arsenal. Deuce provided a diligent vigil behind Tennisman, covering his blind spot and completing the full circular range of surveillance. The statuesque pair stood watch, unmoving and ready to strike.
There was an absolute silence.
"THERE!" Snapped Deuce, shattering the momentary serenity.
Tennisman spun around in a heartbeat with an open palm, instantly summoning a large reinforced tennis net from the water to bar Squalo's way. With a practiced motion, he raised his Fightersword high above his head and let the blade once again grow to titanic proportions. In a fierce hacking slice that nearly split the sea, he brought it straight down with all his strength. The energy blade shattered on impact with the water, having outlived its usefulness. With one weapon down, the Windracket took its place, prompting Tennisman to give a wide horizontal swing of his arm. A strong, whirling gust pushed back the water's edge from the holy panel, temporarily expanding the shoreline. Even if Squalo wasn't in range, Tennisman had planned to use the wall of air to repel incoming attacks as he raged on. Flameline data filled his racket as another swing of his arm swept a wave of fire into the ocean. Steam and mist lined the path of his attack as the firewall struggled to stay ablaze.
"GO GO GO!" Cheered Desmond.
Tennisman alternated to his buster arm and unloaded a Magnum round at Squalo's enormous frame, trailed closely by a jet of fire from the Fireburn. Though he was out of Windrackets, he still had energy to spare. With another wave of his racket, a second burst of air crashed against the sea in a defensive barrier of air. However, that final serve pushed him to his limit. Out of breath and chips, Tennisman needed to stop and recuperate. His mind was hazy from having expended himself too harshly. He could only hope that he was able to recover from his attacks before Squalo could.
(Deuce's Team passive - damage is divided evenly between Deuce and Tennisman)
Deuce - Brace (block 1 attack for half damage)
Deuce - Watch Tennisman's back
1 - Netplay + Reinforce (3-hit shield + 20 HP object + heal 60)
2 - Fightersword Squalo (100 damage)
3 - Windracket Squalo's attack (100 damage + microburst) ((impromptu defense action))
Deuce - All for One: Flameline Squalo (70 damage)
4 - Magnum Squalo (120 damage)
5 - Fireburn Squalo (50 damage)
6 - Out! Squalo's attack (microburst) ((impromptu defense action))
"Folder's running thin, man." warned Desmond, "Still got a few good ones left but we can't last forever. Ideas?"
A series of tactics cycled through his mind. He could use another Split Step to try and ride the Cybeast using the Fightersword as leverage, but reusing the same strategy didn't seem prudent, especially given the cunning of his opponent. His Ace Serve was still in a state of recovery, meaning his next offensive would need to rely entirely on his chips. Recalling the remaining stock of his folder, Tennisman recognized that most of them were fire elemental. The damp environment didn't lend any sort of advantages to using them, which was probably why so many of them still remained. The only option he could think of was expending them en masse and hoping for the best. He took in a deep breath, silently committing himself to follow through with his plan.
"Desmond," Tennisman addressed his operator grimly and listed off a subset of his chips, "Windracket. Flameline. Magnum. Fireburn."
His operator took in a similarly sharp breath at the request, pausing only to add, "...Good luck."
Tennisman nodded and took up a defensive position. He stabilized his footing, digging his heels deeply onto the shining square that defined his provisional fortification. His eyes darted across the water's surface as he prepared to stall with another Netplay before unloading his arsenal. Deuce provided a diligent vigil behind Tennisman, covering his blind spot and completing the full circular range of surveillance. The statuesque pair stood watch, unmoving and ready to strike.
There was an absolute silence.
"THERE!" Snapped Deuce, shattering the momentary serenity.
Tennisman spun around in a heartbeat with an open palm, instantly summoning a large reinforced tennis net from the water to bar Squalo's way. With a practiced motion, he raised his Fightersword high above his head and let the blade once again grow to titanic proportions. In a fierce hacking slice that nearly split the sea, he brought it straight down with all his strength. The energy blade shattered on impact with the water, having outlived its usefulness. With one weapon down, the Windracket took its place, prompting Tennisman to give a wide horizontal swing of his arm. A strong, whirling gust pushed back the water's edge from the holy panel, temporarily expanding the shoreline. Even if Squalo wasn't in range, Tennisman had planned to use the wall of air to repel incoming attacks as he raged on. Flameline data filled his racket as another swing of his arm swept a wave of fire into the ocean. Steam and mist lined the path of his attack as the firewall struggled to stay ablaze.
"GO GO GO!" Cheered Desmond.
Tennisman alternated to his buster arm and unloaded a Magnum round at Squalo's enormous frame, trailed closely by a jet of fire from the Fireburn. Though he was out of Windrackets, he still had energy to spare. With another wave of his racket, a second burst of air crashed against the sea in a defensive barrier of air. However, that final serve pushed him to his limit. Out of breath and chips, Tennisman needed to stop and recuperate. His mind was hazy from having expended himself too harshly. He could only hope that he was able to recover from his attacks before Squalo could.
(Deuce's Team passive - damage is divided evenly between Deuce and Tennisman)
Deuce - Brace (block 1 attack for half damage)
Deuce - Watch Tennisman's back
1 - Netplay + Reinforce (3-hit shield + 20 HP object + heal 60)
2 - Fightersword Squalo (100 damage)
3 - Windracket Squalo's attack (100 damage + microburst) ((impromptu defense action))
Deuce - All for One: Flameline Squalo (70 damage)
4 - Magnum Squalo (120 damage)
5 - Fireburn Squalo (50 damage)
6 - Out! Squalo's attack (microburst) ((impromptu defense action))
last edited by
With his quick Netplay, Tennisman brought up a net for his defenses, although one couldn't help but think that the flimsy little thing would stand up to a Cybeast's relentless attacks. Squalo was still underwater, and his little island didn't give him much in the way of reassurance. Still, he stood down, and prepared for the worst. And it did come... well, sort of. Squalo seemed to be simply circling his island again (which was much smaller this time around) and doing absolutely nothing to ward off Tennisman's relentless attacks. Tennisman's vertical slice left a huge gash in Squalo's exterior (100 to Squalo), leaving out a trail of residual data streaming behind it as it continued its spiral around Tennisman.
....Was it getting faster?
A strong gust of wind blasted Squalo next (100 to Squalo), though its forces were not enough to stop the rapidly accelerating shark Cybeast. The water around Tennisman started to churn and fly up, a testament to the raw power of the cybernetic wonder. You could almost hear the angelic choir in the background as Tennisman threw his racket in a wide arc, sending the wave of flames towards Squalo. (70 to Squalo) As of now, though, the shark Cybeast was almost a blur, its humongous blue body now nothing but All-Consuming Rage(tm). In fact, the only thing that made Tennisman's attacks hit at all was the massive girth of the shark, as a round of Magnum fire blasted it with all its power, followed by the quick jet of fire from the Fireburn. (170 to Squalo) Finally, after a long while of Squalo's whirling around, the real attack came. The undercurrents of the sea rose up with a terrific noise, engulfing Tennisman's vision every which way. Now, the full force of Squalo was quite clear to the tennis-playing Navi.
A monstrous cyclone, created from pure momentum, razed the oceans as Tennisman watched on. His second burst of wind did absolutely nothing against the impending doom that was about to befall him, mixing simply with the intense gales that blew as a result of the cyclone's power. He was positioned directly at the eye of the storm, and so it was strangely silent in the middle of the spiraling seas. Calm. Serene. Then, it hit.
The HolyPanel stood strong against the wave of water, absorbing much of the impact of the powerful attack, as well as Deuce's Brace skill. It was an understatement to say that it was shocking that Tennisman survived at all, but he did. (63 to Tennisman, 32 to Deuce) Thrown of the storm, he stood on clear blue water, his Holy panel nowhere to be seen. His net was somewhere off in the distance, somehow still standing. And now, the great Cybeast Squalo swam in front of him, staring him down. It was apparent now, that the battle had taken its toll on the both of them. Squalo was surviving by a mere inch of its life, and so was Tennisman, and Deuce. The Cybeast breathed noisily as its cold eyes glared unblinkingly at Tennisman.
----Allies----
TennisMan.EXE: 56 HP (Equipped: Deuce[5-Hit Shield])
Deuce.SP: 72 HP (Weapon Junction)
----Cybeast----
Squalo.???: 50 HP (In front of Tennisman)
----Objects----
Net: 20HP (2-Hit Shield)
Terrain: 100% Sea
....Was it getting faster?
A strong gust of wind blasted Squalo next (100 to Squalo), though its forces were not enough to stop the rapidly accelerating shark Cybeast. The water around Tennisman started to churn and fly up, a testament to the raw power of the cybernetic wonder. You could almost hear the angelic choir in the background as Tennisman threw his racket in a wide arc, sending the wave of flames towards Squalo. (70 to Squalo) As of now, though, the shark Cybeast was almost a blur, its humongous blue body now nothing but All-Consuming Rage(tm). In fact, the only thing that made Tennisman's attacks hit at all was the massive girth of the shark, as a round of Magnum fire blasted it with all its power, followed by the quick jet of fire from the Fireburn. (170 to Squalo) Finally, after a long while of Squalo's whirling around, the real attack came. The undercurrents of the sea rose up with a terrific noise, engulfing Tennisman's vision every which way. Now, the full force of Squalo was quite clear to the tennis-playing Navi.
A monstrous cyclone, created from pure momentum, razed the oceans as Tennisman watched on. His second burst of wind did absolutely nothing against the impending doom that was about to befall him, mixing simply with the intense gales that blew as a result of the cyclone's power. He was positioned directly at the eye of the storm, and so it was strangely silent in the middle of the spiraling seas. Calm. Serene. Then, it hit.
The HolyPanel stood strong against the wave of water, absorbing much of the impact of the powerful attack, as well as Deuce's Brace skill. It was an understatement to say that it was shocking that Tennisman survived at all, but he did. (63 to Tennisman, 32 to Deuce) Thrown of the storm, he stood on clear blue water, his Holy panel nowhere to be seen. His net was somewhere off in the distance, somehow still standing. And now, the great Cybeast Squalo swam in front of him, staring him down. It was apparent now, that the battle had taken its toll on the both of them. Squalo was surviving by a mere inch of its life, and so was Tennisman, and Deuce. The Cybeast breathed noisily as its cold eyes glared unblinkingly at Tennisman.
----Allies----
TennisMan.EXE: 56 HP (Equipped: Deuce[5-Hit Shield])
Deuce.SP: 72 HP (Weapon Junction)
----Cybeast----
Squalo.???: 50 HP (In front of Tennisman)
----Objects----
Net: 20HP (2-Hit Shield)
Terrain: 100% Sea
last edited by
It was a success. Tennisman had somehow managed to endure Squalo's thrashing hurricane of an assault to deal his own series of decisive blows that ended in his favour. Droplets beaded along his uniform as he balanced on some unseen platform just below the water's surface. He never wanted to enter Squalo's aquatic domain but that no longer seemed an issue. The once majestic Cybeast was now teetering on the verge of collapse, but it wasn't willing to fall on its own. He needed to finish this. What few battlechips remained in his folder all seemed viable, but the desire to end this fight with his own hands set one particular attack apart from the others.
"Are you certain the article listed the nose as a suitable target?" Tennisman asked.
"Yeah, but are y-" Desmond partially replied.
Tennisman cut off the rest of his operator's thought, "Firehit."
Desmond desperately wanted to argue sticking to the safe route and staying out of range, but he recognized that expression and the tone. His navi's mind was made up and it was just best to follow along, especially now at this crucial moment. Tennisman released Deuce's grip and let his racket slowly drop down, allowing it to just barely hover over the water.
"What are you doing?" Deuce asked.
Tennisman gave no reply, and instead activated the Firehit. Clenching his left hand into a tight fist, the moisture around his glove evaporated away in a sudden mist punctuated with a sharp hiss. The air around his arm blurred into a haze as the temperature shot up to searing levels and soon ignited into a wreath of flames. He altered his footing, shifting his weight to the balls of his feet and locking onto his destination.
He inhaled and pressed off the ground. The only thing that marked his sudden disappearance was a jet of water that splashed back from his departure point. A fraction of a second was all it took to cover the distance between himself and Squalo's imposing visage. He exhaled, releasing his breath in a primal warcry that seemed to magnify the intensity of the trailing tendrils of fire that spiralled up and around his wrist. His arm had already been pulled back and all that was left was the execution - both of his attack and his target.
1 - Split Step (teleport) ((Unjunctions Deuce))
2 - Firehit Squalo's nose (60 damage + impact)
"Are you certain the article listed the nose as a suitable target?" Tennisman asked.
"Yeah, but are y-" Desmond partially replied.
Tennisman cut off the rest of his operator's thought, "Firehit."
Desmond desperately wanted to argue sticking to the safe route and staying out of range, but he recognized that expression and the tone. His navi's mind was made up and it was just best to follow along, especially now at this crucial moment. Tennisman released Deuce's grip and let his racket slowly drop down, allowing it to just barely hover over the water.
"What are you doing?" Deuce asked.
Tennisman gave no reply, and instead activated the Firehit. Clenching his left hand into a tight fist, the moisture around his glove evaporated away in a sudden mist punctuated with a sharp hiss. The air around his arm blurred into a haze as the temperature shot up to searing levels and soon ignited into a wreath of flames. He altered his footing, shifting his weight to the balls of his feet and locking onto his destination.
He inhaled and pressed off the ground. The only thing that marked his sudden disappearance was a jet of water that splashed back from his departure point. A fraction of a second was all it took to cover the distance between himself and Squalo's imposing visage. He exhaled, releasing his breath in a primal warcry that seemed to magnify the intensity of the trailing tendrils of fire that spiralled up and around his wrist. His arm had already been pulled back and all that was left was the execution - both of his attack and his target.
1 - Split Step (teleport) ((Unjunctions Deuce))
2 - Firehit Squalo's nose (60 damage + impact)
last edited by
As Tennisman leapt at Squalo for the final showdown, the shark Cybeast did so as well, executing a flying jump and kicking up a wave of water behind it. Its maw grew wider and wider, until razor-sharp teeth clamped down on the tennis player. (80 to Tennisman) Tennisman's fiery fist went straight for the gold, whacking the shark Cybeast clear on the nose like some cliche'd movie or something. (60 to Squalo) The force seemed to have been the last straw for Squalo, as it released Tennisman from its powerful crushing bite, and let out one last bellow of pain. The sound echoed throughout the network, and time seemed to stop. Even the churning seas stopped for a while, perhaps in silent mourning. The slaying of a great mythical beast didn't happen all that much, after all.
Tennisman was left to drop, most unceremoniously, on the water, creating a bit of a splash as he went. Squalo thrashed around for a bit, but that was short-lived, as it silenced. The raw data structure of the Cybeast began to unravel, unroll even, into a massive datastream. The stream flowed through the air with the grace of a serpent before hurtling into Tennisman's chest. A blue light engulfed the tennis Navi as the stream continued to flow and the recipient convulsed around in pain. The stream then hit the back of the Navi as well, the powerful forces lifting his body skyward. There seemed no end to the massive raw data being received as Tennisman continued to writhe around.
And then, it stopped.
The blue light still enveloped the Navi, and it let down the wrecked body down onto the water, as if a child. The sea calmed, the waves were silent. Desmond's PET received one single message on his screen, punctuating the battle with a single line.
"BeastOUT Acquisition Confirmed. Readjusting Parameters... 1%"
----Allies----
TennisMan.EXE: 1 HP
Deuce.SP: 72 HP (Weapon Junction)
----Cybeast----
Squalo.???: DEFEATED.
----Objects----
Net: 20HP (2-Hit Shield)
Terrain: 100% Sea
-CYBEAST 0, TENNISMAN 1-
-THE VICTOR EMERGES-
Rewards:
- BeastOUT: Level 1 SqualoOUT
- 100 BugFrags
Tennisman was left to drop, most unceremoniously, on the water, creating a bit of a splash as he went. Squalo thrashed around for a bit, but that was short-lived, as it silenced. The raw data structure of the Cybeast began to unravel, unroll even, into a massive datastream. The stream flowed through the air with the grace of a serpent before hurtling into Tennisman's chest. A blue light engulfed the tennis Navi as the stream continued to flow and the recipient convulsed around in pain. The stream then hit the back of the Navi as well, the powerful forces lifting his body skyward. There seemed no end to the massive raw data being received as Tennisman continued to writhe around.
And then, it stopped.
The blue light still enveloped the Navi, and it let down the wrecked body down onto the water, as if a child. The sea calmed, the waves were silent. Desmond's PET received one single message on his screen, punctuating the battle with a single line.
"BeastOUT Acquisition Confirmed. Readjusting Parameters... 1%"
----Allies----
TennisMan.EXE: 1 HP
Deuce.SP: 72 HP (Weapon Junction)
----Cybeast----
Squalo.???: DEFEATED.
----Objects----
Net: 20HP (2-Hit Shield)
Terrain: 100% Sea
-CYBEAST 0, TENNISMAN 1-
-THE VICTOR EMERGES-
Rewards:
- BeastOUT: Level 1 SqualoOUT
- 100 BugFrags
last edited by
Desmond called out to his navi over his PET's microphone, "TENNISMAN! TENNISMAN!! HEY! HEY!"
His body remained unresponsive as he laid placid on the water.
"DEUCE! WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM?" Desmond shouted in a panic.
The racket hovered over to Tennisman's side and released a swathe of strings over his body only to have them repelled with a flash of blue sparks.
"Augh! I don't know what's wrong, I can't repair him." Deuce reported, "Jack us out."
"Fine!" Desmond replied.
Twin beams of light engulfed Deuce and Tennisman, whisking them away from the oceanic battleground back to the relative safety of the PET.
((ACDC Town))
His body remained unresponsive as he laid placid on the water.
"DEUCE! WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM?" Desmond shouted in a panic.
The racket hovered over to Tennisman's side and released a swathe of strings over his body only to have them repelled with a flash of blue sparks.
"Augh! I don't know what's wrong, I can't repair him." Deuce reported, "Jack us out."
"Fine!" Desmond replied.
Twin beams of light engulfed Deuce and Tennisman, whisking them away from the oceanic battleground back to the relative safety of the PET.
((ACDC Town))