Cross and Conflicts

CHAPTER XXI: Defying Gravity

“Surprised, aren’t you?” Manica told him as he stood and dusted his shoulder.

His wounds were no more; only traces of blood remained. He did shoot himself dead; nevertheless, only a select few know that whatever injury is inflicted on him and however minor or immense, it will be healed within minutes. The politician may not appear so, but he is a person endowed with an extensive regenerative ability. This means that killing him is impossible.

Cross exchanged a glare to Manica’s smirk. For the second time tonight, his eyes gleamed red. In this instance, however, the latter didn’t do what the former wanted him to do. He just stood there and grinned, mocking the masked vigilante for his failure.

“The way I see it, ‘Cross’, that annoying divinity of yours doesn’t work on the same person twice. Am I not right?” There was utter confidence in his words; he, now, prided himself that he made the master murderer fluster and that he didn’t succeed in making him commit suicide. This incident made him remember a certain young boy before who possessed a similar divinity to Cross. He smiled knowingly; he may have figured something interesting.

Cross, nonetheless, remained intent not to let his main target live the next day. He aimed his gun to him and fired fatal bullets until the magazine was emptied.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

But…

Cling ing! Ing! Suddenly, all of the bullets dropped to the floor as a strong invisible force pulled these down. The vice mayor was very amused with this.

Although quite taken aback, Cross did not show it in his countenance. He understood that he wasn’t the only one with an extraordinary capacity. The world he is in, after all, is a breeding ground of monsters like him.

He looked to his north and saw a teenager with an expressionless face. The next thing he knew was that he couldn’t move even a single part of his body. His entire weight was glued to the floor beneath him; it was as if he became ten times heavier.

Manica, at his right, leisurely walked away past him and away from the scene. Buff—still minding the wound on his abdomen—meanwhile, hurried to fetch the oblivious Pyrus.

“Gravis!” yelled the politician without looking at him. “Do your best to kill him.”

The teenager didn’t bother to respond; he was already onto that. A moment later, he was left alone to face the master murderer.

“Cross, Kuya,” Gravis initiated. “Kuya” is an honorific for an older male. “Allow me to say that I am really honored to be in your presence right now.” There was no enthusiasm in his tone, but his words of admiration were genuine. Cross, for him, is an icon whom he looks up to. Ending him would greatly satiate his ego.

Gyrokinesis--the master murderer figured--is the divinity of this kid; in other words, he’s able to manipulate gravity. To Cross, this is cataclysmic since this is the only divinity that’s at the same level as his.

“However,” he continued, “I would be more honored if you die by my hands.”

Kkk Krak! Krak! Krak!

As the teenager grinned, the walls around and the ceiling above Cross collapsed.

Blaag! Blaag! Blaag!

The master murderer was buried in the debris.

Gravis smirked at the huge pile of rubble in front of him. He really got his opponent good; nevertheless, he didn’t permit himself to rejoice early. Their bout has just started and someone with Cross’ caliber wouldn’t be that easy to take down.

Bwasslsh! Suddenly, the broken pieces of stone, cement and glass exploded before him, and these were hurled at random directions.

In the meantime, Noumenon could only watch the astonishing scenes unfold. She grew weaker by the minute, and she hadn’t figured out what to do. The only thing which occupied her mind at that point was to get to Sister Lita’s remains.

With his hood off his head, Cross emerged from the wreckage unscathed. Abruptly, the debris surrounding him were sent flying towards Gravis.

The teenager, as an instant response, raised his palms and the pieces of wreck immediately settled down.

Boogsh! Blaag! Blaag!

This couldn’t, however, relieve him since he didn’t see Cross lunge at him.

Swish! He evaded his fist, but failed to do the same on the kick to his ribs that almost knocked him to a broken wall behind him. His soles skidded as he was pushed back while he did his earnest to remain rooted to the ground. He spotted the vigilante heading his way, so he instantly employed his divinity and pinned him down.

Cross had his knees bent, and he couldn’t stand. The intense pull of gravity was as if there were three full grown elephants that sat on him. He was really in for a compromising match. He noticed a big chunk of cement nearby.

Blakk! Blaag! The chunk was thrown to his teenage adversary who easily brought it down. As this occurred, Cross was able mobilize his body. Like clouds above them, several pieces from the wreckage were sent afloat as he dashed forward.

Gravis, on the other hand, dropped a knee and slammed his palm to the ground. Swwwnnk!

Brrrrrrrrrggggggghhhh!

To his surprise, all of the debris which should have made contact to ground halted a few inches above it. He looked to the front. In the sea of wreckage, the vigilante refused to drown in a loss. This had then turned out to be an important battle of divinities.

No one wanted to forfeit. For a while, they were on a standstill as their forces tried to overpower the other.

Bbbbbgggggghhhhh! The ground violently shook, yet it wasn’t because of an earthquake. What was remaining to the structure of the vice mayor’s mansion was eradicated.

Blaaaak! Brrrrrgggsh! The windows shattered; the walls disintegrated. It no longer looked like a big house anymore but the face of devastation after a hurricane of divinities.

Blgggggsssh! Blgggggsssh! Blgggggsssh! Blgggggsssh!

It was then like rain, except that it wasn’t water, but cement, stones and glass. In the downpour, Cross stood undaunted; Gravis stayed proud. They kept themselves alive and earned the respect from one another. They both knew, nonetheless, that they didn’t need to kill each other. There could be a suitable time for that. At the conclusion of their fight, the masked vigilante just watched the boy who can manipulate gravity slowly walk away. Until they meet again.