Episode 43: Hurranian Trigger

[Vince Hardy]

Apollonir was shocked to see such speedy movement from Hades when it originally did not possess those capabilities. It must have been Andrew's power, the one he received as a soldier of Fury.

"Wish Clayf were here..." Apollonir silently lamented. He jumped in front of Vince to momentarily pause the approach of the blast via the Hex Code's power. He was able to produce an invisible wall of force that slowed it down, but he was struggling to do so. Hades' Saurer Cannon was supposed to be leagues above nuclear-grade power, so this was not going to bode well for Apollonir if it hits him.

"V-Vince...! Listen...! I can't...stop this...in my base form..." Apollonir notified him.

"So what's the plan?" Vince calmly wondered.

"I...will let this blast...detonate...then we will return in a heightened form..."

"Say no more." Vince ran forward to Apollonir's backside. He was lifted by Apollonir's tail. Apollonir roared as he fell over to his side. The blast went past him and struck a wall. A large mushroom cloud developed from this that sent shockwaves to Apollonir, which was enough to strike him and open a portal to the Doom Dimension. The Legendary Dragonoid was then carried off into the depths of the dimension.

[Andrew Bullock]

Andrew and Hades were not affected by the shockwaves in the slightest. The area was though. It started to cave in, as to be expected from the attack he launched. Their saving grace was the facility's defenses against a cave-in of that magnitude. A bright flash was sent over the area that reset the area back to normal without any signs of a struggle being there.

"I had a feeling that was going to come in handy someday," Andrew commented, hinting that he was the one responsible for the technology. "Hm...was it really that easy?"

Regardless of whether or not Hades was about to blow Apollonir into Dragonoid bits and pieces, Andrew and Hades proceeded towards the murals that locked the BT System behind it. For the first time in three hundred years, this weapon was about to be let out into the wild once more.

[Vince Hardy]

The portal was VERY close to disappearing once Vince and Apollonir were sent through there. When only a scarce trace of it was left, it forcibly opened back up.

"Nope!" Apollonir answered. He flew right back in there in the Switch Code transformation. He punched the floor as soon as he landed. This produced a shock wave that completely knocked Andrew and Hades off of their feet as they were pushed backwards. "It wouldn't have mattered even if you did manage to beat me. I could get out of there anytime I wanted to!"

Vince looked at Andrew. He could tell what Hades was just given. He recognizes that energy. It nearly happened to him.

"Chaos Ability X suits you. I figured you needed a buff of some kind, even if it is forbidden. It's a shame it didn't enhance your thinking too," Vince insulted. "Look on the bright side though. If the Hurranians have Kristen in their database, I'm sure she would be 'glad' to see how you look right now. I probably should be thanking you for not being there for my son after I got taken down. I wouldn't want him learning from a bad example."

[Andrew Bullock]

Andrew picked himself up from the floor after sliding back from Apollonir's blow. Hades did the same. It made a loud mechanical screech, because it was very unhappy that Apollonir had returned.

"That's below the belt, Vince," Andrew commented on him referencing the love of his life who died during 911. "Let me tell you something right now. Noland was hopeless. He was all too focused on making sure he followed in your footsteps. That blasted Dragonoid of his didn't help the situation either. All your damn teachings have shown was that it's okay to let people suffer. So what if people are about to meet a fate worse than death itself? As long as you get to walk free, it's all good, right?"

"No! It's not okay. You and everyone else who takes that ridiculous stance must be destroyed, and I'm going to start with erasing you both from existence. You'd better hope for your sake that Noland has a change of heart, because I'll be paying him a visit soon to see if any admiration for you is taken away along with you. He should have been more like me, someone who can actually defy the rules and make their own decisions in life in hopes they will not have to standby and watch their loved ones meet their end while some inconsiderate bastards wants you to sit there and watch!"

(Boss Theme 2)

[Vince Hardy]

Vince fumed when he heard Andrew's rhetoric. He might have been more hot-headed than Apollonir in this instance. His fathering was insulted to a great degree, and there were implications of Andrew wanting to go after his son. What was he going to do if Noland didn't show what he wanted? That was the key statement that set Vince over the top.

"Your comments about how I fathered him is your opinion, and that's okay. I won't go to blows with you over that, but..." Vince responded. "As for what you're going to do to Noland if he doesn't match your description...you'd better hope you have hope, because you can guarantee that I'll show you what suffering really is when I'm mobile after your defeat."

Vince put his carefree attitude on hold. For one in a long while, he was extremely intent on taking Andrew down, whatever it took.

"Apollonir, we're dealing with a hyper-lethal enemy. I don't care if you collapse this fortress. Burn it down, if necessary," Vince ordered.

"Ha! Never thought you'd ask me to loosen up," Apollonir laughed. "Let's go then!"

"Ability activate! Closing Fire!" Apollonir spread his wings out on full display. They were smothered in a rainbow-colored flame that boasted a lot of might. The energy was converted into tiny particles that were pushed outward, scattering throughout the field. In a random order, they would converge onto Hades and expand, covering the area in the Dextra-attributed fire Appolonir is known for, and one that Hades cannot hope to extinguish.

[Andrew Bullock]

Andrew went into a fit of laughter after Vince threatened him. If there was a perfect way to show Vince that he didn't care and that the threat wasn't going to happen, this was it, just laughing right in front of him. It wasn't the most disrespectful thing Andrew could have done, but it went a long way to showing how little respect Vince deserved in his eyes.

"Thank you for calling me hyper-lethal. I'm flattered you know that I'm very dangerous," Andrew celebrated, rather sarcastically if he should say so himself. "Ability activate! S.H.R.E.D.D.E.R.!"

For an attack that could come in any direction, Hades needed extra eyes. That is where the S.H.R.E.D.D.E.R. unit came in handy. Hades opened the canister above its chest. Miniature Hydranoid heads poured out of it and positioned themselves around Hades in a defensive perimeter. With this in play, Hades could see what they were seeing, so it would be able to detect when a projectile comes within range of hitting it. Thanks to Andrew's powers, Hades could shoot the orbs down before they expand to prevent the spread of Dextra fire, sparing them from any difficulty. This is exactly what happened.

"Ha! If you thought randomized particles were enough to get me started, then I won't even need to resort to using any more high-powered weaponry. You're only worth the minimum," Andrew condescendingly stated.

[Vince Hardy]

"Keep up your talking. It'll only make shutting you up feel so much better," Vince encouraged with a thumbs up. "Ability activate! Maximum Revolution!"

Apollonir's Switch Code shielding made a charging sound. He was gearing up for what could possibly be a Triple Node combination attack. From the glare he gave when looking at the opposition, this was going to be fierce.

"I think it's funny how someone could cheat their way to power and then act like they're the mightiest force in the universe," Apollonir expressed. "I've faced mightier foes than you, but even they knew they had to climb the ladder first. How about I show you what power looks like?"

Apollonir raised his arms as if he were calling something down to them. Suddenly, a pressure wave weighed down on Hades and its mechanisms, pushing them down in a violent fashion. Bursts of Dextra-attributed lightning tore through them all, followed by a trail of Dextra fire that slammed its way through Hades. It acted as if it were a solid rather than a form of energy. It targeted the chest first before moving behind it and hitting it from behind. It then went for the lower extremities before hitting the upper regions. Each blow left behind a scar of fire that continuously burned through Hades' hull, despite how durable it may seem.

[Andrew Bullock]

Apollonir's power was definitely fearsome, but it was not unbeatable. If anyone knew how to take down opponents who could possibly be stronger than him, it was Andrew. It almost always was the case for him.

"I bet you have, Apollonir, but being more powerful doesn't make you the better fighter," Andrew rebounded. "Ability activate! Inhibitor Release!"

Hades being a mechanical Bakugan was a boon here, as if it could feel pain, this move would be nigh impossible. Hades' ball form was depicted doing a cyclone spin. The same move was depicted on Hades while standing up. This warded away all forms of attack placed on its body. A ring of darkness went up and down its body, showing signs of adaptable technology. As long as it stood in this battle, it would never be impeded by Apollonir's Dextra fire, as far as the physical aspect of it goes. This was further boosted by the presence of the God's Tear, not to mention the showing of force that produced a shockwave capable of flipping Apollonir's backwards.

"I think Vince should tell you in his own words, since he already has a knack of describing my threat level. There's a reason why my darker half was able to elude even the Marshal of the Silver Knights while he was doing his dirty work with the Pack. Knowing how to fight using a weaker power just makes you that much more prepared to fight with a stronger power. It only makes sense, but you tend to steamroll your opponents a lot. I wouldn't expect you to fully comprehend what it means to fight at your full potential."

[Vince Hardy]

Apollonir skidded back on his feet for only three inches before restoring himself back to full awareness, in terms of his battle positioning. He noticed the change in Hades' energy when that ability was played. He knew exactly what he couldn't do.

"The reason for why that happened the way it did...could be luck," Vince purposely said to piss Andrew off. "Ability activate! Double Up!"

Apollonir's Switch Code shielding overflowed with energy. It was enough to obscure most of his body except for his face. He immediately gunned for Hades by running towards it. He ran in circles around the machine, giving afterimages of his movement. He struck Hades' central head by plucking it, which completely blew it off. He continued to mask his movement as Apollonir's power progressed.

What Andrew didn't know was that this was a highly advanced version of Drago's invulnerability technique with the Nova Sentry. Not only is Apollonir shielded during this process, but it also serves as a charging mechanism for him that will allow him to fire off a powerful attack in an instant. The power increase that he has now would disappear, but he would be foregoing the charging time needed to declare a high-powered attack.

"Here's where those masterful fighting skills of yours will come in," Vince noted. "Make it quick. It might not be a head that gets blown off next time."

[Andrew Bullock]

"He's incorporating battle techniques from the other Soldiers now..." Andrew realized. This caused him to grunt. It wasn't like Apollonir did anything major to set Andrew back, but everyone there was aware that this was the start of something big.

"It'll be your head," Andrew pointed. "Ability activate! Corporeal Bomber!"

This is another super-powered weapon that stands alongside Saurer Cannon and Full Burst as the big badass guns Hades was built to house. Hades did not bother caring about Apollonir doing whatever he was doing. The healing factor from the God's Tear made it possible for Hades' head to regenerate faster. The feature was already present from having Hydranoid's battle data, but having it accelerated made him almost invincible to many opponents.

"Quit dillydallying and get to the meat of your arsenal, Vince. There's only so little room you have left now," Andrew warned. Indeed, when the singularity was crafted using all three heads shooting at the same time, they could see what he meant. The orb-shaped singularity reached the center of the field and began to suck everything in, except for Hades. Hades' foot impeded Andrew's progress towards it. The penalty for being sucked inside of the singularity meant getting ripped apart at the subatomic level. This also includes any projectile that comes in its way. It was impossible to nullify under most circumstances.

This technique would last for approximately fifteen seconds without interruption. Once that's completed, another fifteen seconds would be expended having the singularity burst outwards and scatter lasers everywhere. These projectiles also destroys affected body parts at the subatomic level.

[Vince Hardy]

Vince smiled as he and Apollonir were being pulled into this attack. His plan worked. Apollonir crossed his arms as he was going towards it, comfortable with what was about to happen.

"I'm my own boss," Vince clarified. "I'll fight at my own pace. If it's not broken, I'm not going to fix it. Ability activate! Neo Reflector!"

A variation to Apollonir's Neo Valute, Neo Reflector involves the use of Apollonir's wings. He expanded them. He used the right side of them to cover himself. In doing so, he shone a bright light towards the singularity that changed its color. It was now rainbow-colored, representing the transfer in ownership. Vince's movement was halted, and he didn't have to bother moving his legs at all.

"You really should be more careful with stuff like that," Apollonir added in. He landed right in front of the singularity, blocking Andrew's vision of it. He smacked it overhead with his tail so it would land in his right hand. He was now walking towards Hades while casually carrying this dangerous payload. "If you fire those off this carelessly, imagine how you'd be with the BT System. You're a walking disaster." Apollonir launched the singularity towards Hades in a short arc.

[Andrew Bullock]

"...Lars Lion..." Andrew's assumption was correct in his assumption that Apollonir was adapting the skills of other Legendary Soldiers. This time, it was an extremely dangerous showing as he was now in danger of being obliterated by his own weapon.

"Guess I have no choice..." Nero slightly regretted as he made his next move. "Ability activate! Distortion Buster!" This was a risky ability, because doing this would render the dimensional travel equipment installed in Hades unusable for some time. If Andrew needed to make a quick escape following this fight, he can forget it now. At least he'd escape with his life by taking the plunge now.

On the bright side, this was in league with the super-powered weapons like Full Burst and the recently activated Corporeal Bomber. What could go wrong?

"Cut it," Andrew commanded. Hades' eyes had purple twinkles when the order was given. They opened their mouths to discharge an invisible pulse of energy. Hades then swiped in the singularity's direction. This created a tear in the dimensional barrier, allowing Hades to erase its own incoming attack without any resistance. It was the monumental successor to Tec's G-Factor ability.

This ability was undoubtedly overpowered, so it could not be maintained for long under normal circumstances; however, the God's Tear made sure Andrew would be able to keep this up for a while. It should give him enough time to end this fight.

"How about now, Vince!?" Andrew eagerly awaited. "Teleportation!" Hades tagged him with its tail and warped him right in Vince's face. It was there that Andrew wanted this to become more physical. He threw a carefully aimed punch towards Vince's nose.

[Vince Hardy]

"No...you didn't..." Apollonir reacted with great shock. He stayed on his toes upon the realization that this was the kind of power Hades wielded. It was quite fearsome. "He just split the dimension..."

Apollonir then noticed something wasn't quite right, other than the fact that Andrew was announcing what he was doing. "Vince! On your guard!"

Since Vince only had like a split-second to react to Andrew's punch, he moved his face out of the way. He went to the right, since Andrew chose to punch with his right hand. While doing this, he grabbed Andrew's left shoulder to push himself away from the engagement. It was at this moment that Vince got in a boxing stance, because there was only one way one of them was walking away from this, and that was with the other person bloodied up and beaten.

"Apollonir, take Hades down, and I'll take Andrew down. Deal?" Vince laid down with a serious tone in his voice.

"Deal," Apollonir accepted. He roared at Hades in response to the dimensional distortion. If there was ever a time to destroy Hades, it was now.

(Boss Theme 3)

[Andrew Bullock]

Hades made a loud mechanical laugh after it showed off its ability to split the dimension. It must have become more self-aware, seeing as it was being assisted with godly energy. Apollonir now had to be even more careful when engaging it since one mistake could cost him his life, even with him being at the level that he's on.

"I question whether you're going to be capable of that," Andrew confidently declared. "My Hades will split that Dragonoid's particles across multiple dimensions. Even Lars Lion won't be able to save him. As for your situation..."

Andrew closed his eyes and flexed for a few moments to concentrate his dark power. He intended to use it to the fullest against Vince. If he was to show any mercy, he might even beat himself into submission as punishment.

"You're going to have to get creative. You know who the better fighter always was, and now I'm enhanced far beyond human standards. It'll only take one hit." Andrew ran towards Vince with the intent to fake right and then target his heart.

[Vince Hardy]

"Oh really?" Vince didn't react to Andrew's fake, but when his heart was targeted, Vince casually shoved his left arm in the way to block the punch. When Vince was hit, a rainbow light shone across his body in a flash. "The Switch Code doesn't quite agree with that. Unfortunately for you, this is an even fight."

The Switch Code establishes a bond with the user and the Bakugan on a very deep level. The Bakugan already receives a deeper understanding of how attribute energies work that empowers them beyond the scope of what is regularly achievable in most circumstances. The same happens to the brawler as well, albeit on a smaller scale. It's more difficult for the person to recognize this ability though.

Vince swiped his right foot over to Andrew's calf. After striking it, Vince quickly swung his left fist to strike Andrew across the face.

Meanwhile, Apollonir was attempting to close the distance between himself and Hades. He wanted to make it uncomfortable by forcing it to make a quick decision. Because he knew that he could be splattered, he did not want to be too reckless in his approach. He was patiently waiting for the opportunity to present itself before making a decisive move.