章 1621: Impact (2/?)
Against even the wildest of expectations, the bout between Theo and Jack was neither one-sided nor the pretentious exhibition many had expected it to be. Instead, it was an intense battle where, against all odds, the comparably petite Theo was able to go blow-for-blow against a man known to shatter mountains with his bare fists. Even more ridiculous was the fact that, while she was pushed back a number of times, the person sent crashing into the walls of the arena, time and again, was actually Jack.
Though he wasn't really sustaining any serious injuries, Jack was unable to exercise the full extent of his power for fear of critically injuring, or even killing, Theo. As a result, he had been unable to find the sweet spot between Theo's defenses and her actual durability. Even breaking through her aura took an extraordinary amount of effort, and, though he hadn't noticed it at first, subsequent strikes had revealed there was a thin mesh covering her entire body. This paper-thin membrane, against all expectations, was actually harder than most metals he had struck, and, due to its flexibility, the vast majority of his attacks were completely mitigated...
In an effort to confirm his suspicions, Jack took advantage of the moment when Theo had leaped into the air to generate a massive shockwave with his aura. As a result, she was blasted high into the sky, but, once again demonstrating a surprising degree of combat proficiency, Theo actually 'bounced' off of thin air before flickering through the void like a phantom. He recognized this as the advanced movement technique, Koku Shundo, but, as it often took years just to master the basics, it was quite a surprise to see Theo bounding around freely.
Sensing an impending attack, Jack crossed his arms as an appreciative smile spread across his face. This looked like a defensive posture to most, but, just as Theo's figure appeared in front of him, his own vanished. In the next instant, his hand had been spread wide, and, like a top suspended in the air, Theo was left rotating rapidly before her body inevitably crashed into the ground, hard.
Jack realized it would be impossible to end the fight without injuring Theo, so, in an effort to try and end things before they got too far out of hand, he resolved himself and decided to apologize after the fact...
Though she hadn't sustained any actual damage, Theo felt the wind forced from her lungs by the unexpected impact. Despite this, she was able to recover almost instantly, an excited smile on her face as she attempted to sweep Jack's legs out from under him. To her surprise, however, a wispy golden aura pulsed from his body just as her foot was about to make contact with his tree-like legs. The pulse acted as a cushion of sorts that perfectly dissipated the force of her own blow. As a result, there was a brief moment where her movement had ceased completely, and, in that exact moment, Jack's fist, which was larger than her entire head, smashed into her impromptu guard.
For the first time since the start of the match, Theo experienced what it was like to be bounced across the arena's floor like a rock skipping across a lake. At the end of her relatively short journey, her body crashed into the incredibly durable barrier surrounding the arena. She learned that it was actually much harder than the floor itself, but, before she could even lament this fact, Theo opened her eyes to see another fist barreling directly toward her face...
With very little time to dodge, Theo attempted to raise her guard as she craned her flexible body to the right. In the same motion, she kicked outward with her left leg, but, from just the air pressure of Jack's fist alone, she was sent smashing back into the barrier as his fast made direct contact with her arm. She felt her own first smack into her face as an overwhelming force surged into her body, pain emitting from the bones of her left arm as it seemed to conform to the shape of Jack's fist.
Surprising them both, Theo's arm didn't actually break from the impact, and, though it felt like she had momentarily blacked out when her head slammed into the arena's barrier, she hadn't sustained any visible injuries. A ki-infused shockwave had clearly passed through her body, but, as if she was completely immune to damage, it dissipated almost instantly. In its wake, replacing the momentary pain, a feeling of exhilaration swelled up inside Theo that made it impossible to restrain the smile spreading across her face...
Jack sensed there was something very wrong with the current situation, but, even faster than his superhuman reactions, Theo managed to grip the thumb of his right hand. He was suddenly seized by the feeling his digit had been trapped in an unbreakable vice. By pure instinct, he succeeded in pulling away his hand and creating some distance between himself and Theo, but, in the process, all the flesh from his thumb had been less-than-cleanly removed...
Even Theo was surprised by her own strength, but, rather than show any perturbation, she crushed the surprisingly 'grilled' piece of flesh in her hand. Then, kicking the ground with enough force to cause a literal eruption, Theo turned into an extended blur as she attempted to capitalize on her advantage. She knew Jack could regenerate from such wounds without too much difficulty, and, if her Master's words were to be believed, which they always were, it might not even be possible for him to die. Thus, without questioning why the ground around her had started to turn into magma, Theo continued to rain down meteoric blows on an uncharacteristically serious and focused Jack...
Though Theo seemed completely oblivious to the fact, Jack, and everyone else observing the fight, had mixed reactions to the changes occurring in the arena. To their amazement, confusion, and a wide range of other emotions, Theo's horns had actually started to branch. At the same time, three more horns had sprouted from her head, two above the original pair and one from her crown. They had the same ivory white color as usual, but, instead of a gentle curve, they became more angular, and, even from a distance, the crowd could tell they were inordinately sharp.
It if had just been her horns, the crowd wouldn't have been too surprised, but, from the small of her back, just above her butt, a rather thick white tail had sprung from Theo's body. Her hands and feet had also visibly transformed, and, though her clothes and mesh kept most of the changes hidden, a peculiar pattern that glowed like a yellowish flame began to spread from her hands and feet, slowly snaking its way up her arms and legs...
Perhaps the most notable change, at least from the perspective of Jack, was that the once-white sclera of Theo's eyes had turned completely black. As for her eyes, they had lost their pristine blue color, shifting into a glistening amber that, like the smile on her face, exhibited an incredible thirst for battle. She seemed to be completely enthralled by the battle, but, rather than appear drunk on power, Jack was surprised to find clarity within Theo's draconic visage...
Hoping to confirm his suspicions, Jack stepped backward slightly faster than Theo had delivered her blow. At the same time, he did something he would undoubtedly receive several complaints about later, grabbing Theo's horns and pulling her off balance. To some, this was akin to hitting below the belt or targetting the butt or bosom of a woman, as, even more so than other parts of their bodies, the horns of a Hellasian could be very sensitive.
Even Theo hadn't expected Jack to sudden yank her by the horns, so, without any suspense, she ended up slamming face-first into the ground with enough force to create a small crater. Despite this, she was more distracted by the painful throbbing emanating from her horns, and, though she was actually fond of small amounts of pain, Theo couldn't help but tear up slightly as she held her head and sobbingly muttered, "You asshole...I hate you..."
Jack obviously felt guilty for what he had done, but, as he 'needed' to confirm Theo's state of mind, it was one of the best methods available. She didn't seem like she was going to stop attacking him any time soon, so, in an effort to buy some time, he had to resort to the rather shameless method just to calm her down. This earned him a shower of booing from the crowd, but, without worrying about them, Jack adopted an apologetic smile as he said, "Sorry, kid. I needed to confirm you were still with us. Have you noticed the state of your body?"
Hearing Jack's words, Theo inspected her own body, but, unlike the crowd, she didn't show any particular surprise. Instead, she adopted a glowering look as she said, "You pulled on my horns for such a stupid reason? You really are a dumb gorilla...don't expect me to forgive you..."
Though she was actually very surprised by the changes to her body, Theo didn't think it merited having her horns pulled on. She suspected there was a different reason behind Jack's actions, but, regardless of what he might say, she wouldn't be content until she had gotten even. Thus, before he could say anything further, she formed her hands into claws as a pair of stylish black gauntlets formed around them...
Feeling a shudder run through his body like a bolt of electricity, Jack's figure became illusory as a gauntleted fist pierced through the area where his groin had been moments prior. He could feel a cold sweat begin to develop across his body, as, after failing her attack, Theo glared at him with the characteristic look of a woman scorned. Though her slightly puffed cheeks made her appear rather adorable, the determined vindication visible in her eyes promised 'extreme' pain the moment she managed to get her hands on him. To further exacerbate matters, she had the absolute support of the crowd, who, despite their curiosity regarding Theo's changes, felt Jack deserved a beating...
---
While his daughter was chasing Jack around the arena like a cat trying to crush a grasshopper, the Emperor, Michael, had a serious expression on his face as he briefly turned to Vrixho and asked, "Do you know what happened to my daughter?"
With a serious expression of his own, Vrixho, appearing like a kindly elder, lightly shook his head before saying, "I cannot be certain, but it would seem that Theo has awakened the bloodline of the Ancient Hellasian people. Were that the case, however, I should have been able to sense it. Instead, it seems like there is a foreign power stimulating the blood in her body. It is even suppressing the connection between myself and Theo, though, from what I can ascertain, this doesn't seem to be intentional. It is more like Theo, herself, is subconsciously suppressing the power I have bestowed her..."
Though their words weren't spoken very loudly, Vrixho's explanation was heard by everyone in the private booth reserved for the Imperial Family. This included the First Prince and Princess, the latter of which, without minding the fact she was talking over her father, asked, "Are you saying that Theo is resisting the contract with her own power? Does that not imply that power is nearing your own, Great Ancestor...?"
Nodding his head, Vrixho adopted an uncharacteristically solemn expression as he explained, "At her current rate of growth, I imagine Theo will surpass me within the next three years. She still has a long way to go, but, at her current level, she would be able to overwhelm most Great Spirits without assistance. It's like there is an infinite mass of energy contained within her body, and, over time, her capacity to wield it seems to be growing alongside her own reserves..."
Hearing Vrixho's statement, all three of the Imperials were surprised, as, based on his testimony, it implied that Theo didn't simply have the potential to surpass an Ancient Dragon, it was virtually a guarantee. If the energy within her body was truly infinite, that meant the only limit to her growth was the passage of time. This had numerous implications, but, most importantly, it guaranteed that the Empire would be entering a new era, one built upon the foundation of Theo's power...
Turning her attention back to the battlefield, an appreciative smile spread across the First Princess' face. She was considered one of the most powerful people in the entire Empire, but, compared to Jack and her much younger sister, there was a vast gulf. Despite this, she didn't consider it a bad thing, as, unlike the Second Prince, she had always been in the faction that heavily doted upon her beloved younger sister. Theo was the treasure of the Imperial Family, and, as if fate was rewarding their adulation, she ended up being the greatest of them all...
As this thought crossed her mind, the First Princess, Malin Bashireia Herasu De Vesuperisujimia, was surprised to hear her father groan, "It seems the fate of the Empire is already in the grip of the Sage Dragon Emperor..."
Though Malina was aware of Theo's appointment as Imperial Ambassador, she had been busy commanding the Southern Fleet along the Argyrian border. The impending war had occupied all of her focus so, despite hearing various rumors regarding the Sage Dragon Emperor, she was taken aback by her father's utterance, worriedly asking, "Father...?"
As his eldest two children were part of his circle of trust and two of his most competent military commanders, Michael decided to be forthright with them, pointing out, "Have you noticed the choker around Theo's neck? I had Henryk attempt to analyze it but the only thing he was able to determine it had a concealment function. Despite that, Theo doesn't even try to conceal it...I trust you understand my meaning?"
Remembering the purpose of this event was to complete Theo's Rite of Challenge, both Malina and Casimir, the First Prince, frowned. They both cared deeply for their younger sister, so, understanding their father's implication, neither was all that enthused about it. Her age was one reason, but, more than that, it was the fact that she was displaying a choker. This implied that she was in a submissive relationship, and, while that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it became a major issue when the other party was a contentious element or a foreign power.
Though he empathized with the thoughts of his children, Michael surprised them by shaking his head and saying, "You are not to intervene in this matter. Not only has Theo made her choice, but the power she received is undoubtedly due to the Sage Dragon Emperor. Even Vrixho isn't certain of victory, so, for the time being, it is best to allow Theo to be willful. She has already demonstrated an uncharacteristic amount of maturity for her age, and, though it remains to be seen just how far his influence reaches, it is likely that the Sage Dragon Emperor has already extended his influence into the affairs of both Ariadne and Ostia. He has also transported the Elves somewhere beyond our ability to detect, so, for the time being, there are no benefits in prying into his private affairs."
Despite feeling as though he had aged several years during a single explanation, Michael, like many long-lived Hellasians, had a habit of trusting his gut. It had gotten him through numerous battles in the past, and, though he had never fought on the frontlines, he had famously commanded both the Northern and Southern Fleets through several successful campaigns. Thus, even if it made his blood boil quite a bit, Michael decided it was best to simply support his daughter. Her actions might result in a complete shift in the social and political dynamic of the Empire, but, at the very least, she would have more than enough power to reign supreme...
Almost as soon as that thought crossed his mind, Michael witnessed his daughter dropkick Jack in the face, and, though it didn't do much damage, it sent him tumbling backward with two trails of blood flowing from his nose...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Theo is a tough cookie','Booooooo...!','Michael is surprisingly wise for an idiot who lets his son do whatever he wants...')
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