2.17

“Do you know anything about my opponent?” Rampage asked Silver Fang.

“Not a clue,” Silver Fang replied.

“Folks, have I got something special for you. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had to bring out my third fighter,” Puppet Master had his arms raised to the crowd and they roared with excitement. “I’ll give you a little extra time to bet before I bring my fighter to the ring.”

“Can I have some kind of clue?” Rampage asked Puppet Master.

“Did you hear that? He wants a clue. Do you think that’s fair?” The crowd gave a mixed response.

Rampage tensed. He knew how to fight, Silver Fang had taught him for a while, but he had always relied on brute strength.

“Here comes my fighter. You better hurry up and finalise your bets folks, I don’t think this fight will last ten seconds.” Rampage looked into the darkness of the room and thought he could see the faint light gleaming off something metallic.

Rampage’s opponent finally stepped into the ring. A strange looking robot, humanoid in shape, but at its waist it was like another torso with a head roughly where a stomach would be. Both heads were expressionless, no recognisable facial features save for a horizontal bar with a read light in the middle of each one.

“All righty, Rampage are you ready?” Puppet Master asked. A strange excitement pulled at the out limits of his voice.

“Yeah.” Rampage clenched his fists, his knuckles popping.

“Two For One, are you ready?”

“Yes,” the metallic drone was off-putting.

“Begin now!” Puppet Master stepped off the arena, something he hadn’t done for the other two fights.

Rampage braced himself but before he could move the robot was already on top of him, landing a heavy one-two punch and then kneeing him in the gut. The power was immense, and Rampage found himself doubling over the knee before being lifted up into the air. Rampage flew back and he landed on his feet.

Rampage lifted his arm up just in time to block a kick. Rampage was certain that his arm was close to breaking from the impact. He kicked up and charge his head into the middle of the robot.

His head contacted the robot, but the damage was minimal. Rampage’s body continued to fly through the body. Rampage rolled himself in the air and managed a glance at the robot. It had separated into two parts. Rampage landed in a crouch, his hand out in front on the ground for balance.

The top half of the robot raised its arms and Rampage watched as the hands folded into the arms and barrels popped out. The robot let loose a barrage of bullets. The bottom half brought the arms out in front and sheets of metal folded out. It looked like a pilot on the front of olden day trains.

Rampage put his arms up in front of him, the bullets bit into his flesh. Not as harmful to him as they would be to a normal person, but dangerous in these numbers.

The other half charged him from the side, connecting with his ribcage. Rampage felt the violent, wet snap of broken ribs and was sent tumbling to the ground.

While on the ground, Rampage fumbled in his pocket for his vials. He grabbed hold of one and punched the needle into his leg. The serum coursed through his body, giving him the familiar rush he had grown to like.

Rampage’s body rapidly morphed into his monstrous form and just as the robot was ready to ram him again, Rampage put out his hands and caught the robot.

“You hafta do better than that,” taunted Rampage.

“Well folks, it looks like this fight just got a little more interesting. I didn’t know he could do that, did you?” Puppet Master still sounded excited, but there was a hint of annoyance in his voice now.

Rampage threw the half of the robot and smiled as it flew into one of the mirrored pillars. It smashed through; mirrored slivers exploded out like a flower in bloom.

Rampage was hit with a barrage of bullets, but most bounced off. Rampage turned to see the other half floating in a strafe, continuing to shoot at him with no effect.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Rampage asked. He bound toward the robot and landed a powerful haymaker. The robot crashed into the arena. A small impact crater formed.

“Puppet Master, is this it? Your great third fighter?” Rampage started to laugh. Confidence surged through his being and the rush was exhilarating.

“Its not over yet,” cried Puppet Master. A great impact smashed into the back of Rampage’s skull. He turned to see the second half of the robot fly away. “Hit and run tactics aren’t going to work.” Rampage looked around and noticed the half he had smashed into the arena floor had disappeared as well.

The crowd started to boo. They wanted a fight.

“Are you folks not having a good time anymore? Do you want to see bloodshed?” Puppet Master began to sound desperate now.

“This fight is over. They’ve been out of the ring for too long,” Rampage approached the edge of the ring and stared Puppet Master down. The wooden marionette looked up at him and shook his head.

“The robot hasn’t touched the ground, it doesn’t count.” Rampage’s glare turned stone cold and he leapt toward Puppet Master.

“I’m going to end this now.” Rampage held his fist high but just before he could land the blow, he caught a glimpse of something flying in from his right. Something pierced through his side.

Warm blood seeped out of the side. Rampage fell to the ground and got up to see the robot that had been ramming him. Its blunt end had now turned into a grand bladed point.

“You better hurry up and get back up onto the arena,” Puppet Master goaded.

Rampage leapt up onto the arena. He watched the robot with the blade circle around and hover at the opposite end of the arena. The other half of the robot floated into view, sitting just above its counterpart. Instead of a barrel on each arm, it now had one large barrel sticking out just below the glowing eye.

An immense crack split through the air and Rampage felt immediate searing pain in his right leg. Focused attacks, the robot had figured out how to get through his armor.

Rampage let out a roar and the crowd cheered.

“It looks like now the tables have turned folks. This fight isn’t over yet.” Puppet Master’s frustration had faded away and the confidence had found its way back.

“Careful Rampage. This looks dangerous.” Rampage could barely hear Silver Fang’s voice. His head pounded and the pain was too great. His vision blurred a little and came back into focus.

Rampage felt for another vial, but it was difficult with the great claws he now had. He should’ve used more than one from the start.

The robot with the blade charged him again. Rampage dodged it just in time, but another loud crack followed, and he felt the impact hit his right arm. The pain was blinding.

Rampage fumbled for the other vials and could feel his pocket was wet. Some or maybe even all of them had broken. He tore the pocket away and slammed it into him thigh, hoping something would work.

The warm feeling rushed through him again and Rampage felt his strength renew. The pain was there, but it had been pushed to the back of his mind.

The robot with the blade came flying in from the side. Rampage stuck his hand out, giving it something to hit. The blade sunk through his flesh and in that moment of the robot stopping, Rampage grabbed it, ripped it free and held onto it.

Rampage rushed at the other robot half. It retreated rapidly and let off another shot. The bullet tore into Rampage’s shoulder, but Rampage launched himself through the air. He swung the blade and split the fleeing robot in half. He tore the other one in half as he landed on the ground.

“Well folks, we have a winner. Silver Fang’s team earned that victory. I hope you all made a lot of money tonight.”

Silver Fang, Rampage and Grand Hotpot approached Puppet Master.

“We made a deal,” said Silver Fang.

“That we did. The Ryokusan family will be smuggled out of Athena City. Well done you three. You can always come back and fight again whenever you want.”