SOS CH 49: The true meaning of Ouroboros (Patreon)

The moment Omid made his resolve, the pressure in the air immediately changed and this was something Noah did not miss.


Ouroboros immediately took its distance. Since he had no shield now, fighting in close combat against The Scorched would be —


Noah thought immediately stopped as he looked up with surprise, 


[Do you know what is the difference between a pilot who can use their Dark Matter and one who cannot?]


Noah could not answer, all he could do was look up at the multiple points of light that started forming all around The Scorched. On a second look, rather than simple light, it was clearly small ball of fire.


[Conventional weapons are of no use for us.]


<<Fire Style: Fire balls>>


Ouroboros increased the energy output to accelerate and escape faster but the Scorched had no care. Like a god raining down punishment on a mere mortal, a rain of fire fell toward Ouroboros, igniting everything on its way mercilessly.


At first, Ouroboros was able to avoid a few, but the rain seemed interminable and what should have happened happened. It was only a small mistake but in this situation, there was no escape.


Noah watched as the left arm of his Mecha was covered in flame and started to melt slightly.


Red flares sounded in the cockpit of Noah’s Mecha, showing that the damages were going beyond what was acceptable. 


Fuck. Just how hot is this? 


Noah could not deploy his own shield as the energy it would consume would be staggering. 


The situation had already turned badly but the worst had yet to come and Noah knew this. As such, 


“I can only rush forward!”


Even if he could not stop the flames nor could he go past Omid's shield, the shield was not up every time. He needed to take it down if he wanted to engage him. 


Noah changed tactics and Ouroboros followed on this, accelerating in the opposing direction while doing its best to avoid the concentrated fire attack. 


[I knew you would do that. Too bad.]


<<Fire Style: Fire Cloak>>


Whoosh!


Even sitting in his own Mecha, Noah could feel a hint of the heat that was suddenly emitted. It was like facing a small sun, an explosion of light and heat followed as everything around Omid went on fire.


The fire cloak was one of the most efficient defensive systems for the Djinn as it allied attack and defense all in one. This became even more when they were in their own Mecha as the Core and the Circuits worked as amplifiers and increased greatly the might they had access to.


It could be said that for most Mecha pilots of now, piloting skills had no use. Not even high technology. All that mattered was a core powerful enough that bring an even better boost.


Boom!


Blinded as he was, Noah had no way of reacting when The fire encased fist of the Scorched connected with the chest of Ouroboros, causing indention to form and pushing him backward like a cannonball.


In the cockpit, Noah groaned even as Ouroboros was sent flying as if it weighed nothing until it collided against a small mountain.


The fight had only changed for a short moment but he felt like it had been hours. The difference between them was all too clear.


Noah knew it. Even if he refused to accept it, he could not win as he was. This was simply impossible. 


—Noah…


His breath was rough. A sweet taste rose in his throat, but his healing factor immediately took car of this. 


Holding the controllers, Noah looked up, only to see nothing but a sea of flames seemingly covering the world. Even the lush forest filled with humidity was helpless in the face of this power. In a way, this was almost poetic.


The black smoke in flying high up, the crimson flame covering the world, and between all that —


The sound of a mecha, advancing slowly, one step another toward him. Each step seemed to be filled with a sense of purpose. A desire to suppress, an absolute confidence born from the clear difference in power.


Finally, the shadow of the mecha became clear and Noah watched as a flaming sword stopped a few mere inches away from the cockpit. 


There was no doubt that Omid only needed an instant to pierce Ouroboros and end him.


[Noah. If that is your name. You have been a fierce warrior and as much as I loathe to admit, if you had access to a better Frame, you might have won. But such is the fate of the Battlefield. Do you have any last words?] Omid's voice came out, his mood clearly far better than it was initially.


[Heheh, how magnanimous.]


[Such is the prerogative of the winner.] The sword approached closer, slightly piercing the place where the traces of the earlier punch still were. [Now Speak.]


Omid waited, wondering what the man would say. Would he try to fight back even though there was no more hope? Would he beg for his life? Or would ask for a favor?


Omid waited, anticipation rising. He did not know who Noah was truly, the kid was one filled with mystery but surely this would be the first page of his new legend. A legend where he would shed his identity as a pirate and become a Knight once again.


Any last words, huh..


Noah smiled as he looked at The Scorched. The sounds of alarms were still ringing as the heat from the sword was causing damage at this distance. 


[Then, tell me. Out of all the Pirates in your group. How high do you rank? Are you the strongest?]


An unexpected question came. There was no begging, only such useless questions.


How strong was he? Omid could not give a very accurate answer. The top executives of the Forty Thieves rarely fought against each others even if they could. There was simply no need to do so after all.


But as for being the strongest? The answer was pretty simple.


The picture of a young man flashed in Omid’s mind. Someone who, no matter how much Omid wished to deny it was worthy of respect and admiration.


[I am not the strongest.]


[I see.]


[If that is all you have to say — Die in peace.]


The sword plunged, ready to reap the life of Noah but Omid felt an unexpected tension stopping him from going further.


Omid instantly understood that something was wrong and while he wished to push forward, his instincts were telling him to retreat.


He listened to them — This was undoubtedly the best choice he made. 


[What the hell!]


Backing off away immediately, Omid watched with stunned horror as hundreds of tendrils of darkness appeared all at the same time. All of them were covered with bloodshot eyes and some of them showed jagged teeth filled with saliva.


He readied himself, thinking that the tendrils would attack him but what followed next made no sense to him.


After all, rather than attacking him — They started eating the mecha itself.


Crunch~!


The sound was frightening and the picture unnerving. He had the distinct feeling that thousands of ants were crawling on his skin and as the tendrils pilled on each other, soon they condensed into a round, almost oval form that was more reminiscing of an egg than anything else.


Then, crimson lines started to form, giving the faint impression that it was drawing something akin to a snake. 


A snake eating its own tail.


[Warning: Energy signal growing.]


Omid growled. He did not know what was happening but he would certainly not let this continue. 


<<Fire Style: Cruel Sun>>


Rising in the sky, a giant ball made out of fire slowly formed. This was perhaps his strongest and most destructive attack. When used in conjunction with his Mecha, Omid had enough power to wipe entire cities instantly. 


He pushed more than half of the remaining energy he had into this attack, well intent on destroying this abject thing.


The fire ball was launched, sailing like a bomb toward its target and once it reached it, an explosion of light and heat almost blinded him while pushing his own mecha backward.


Everything in a 500-meter radius was immediately erased, as Omid had done his best to focus all the power in one point, and a mushroom formed by dust appeared high in the sky.


There was no way for anyone to have survived this attack without the proper means. Surely this would be the end of that monstrosity.


Well…This was what he thought.


Reality though, had a way of always disappointing, and Omid realized once again this truth when the sound of slurping and suction reached him.


The camera of his mecha focused and he saw something he would never forget. Something that once again made no sense.


….The fire was being eaten by the giant dark egg…


In but an instant, all the fire in the surroundings were completely clean, leaving nothing but a scorched earth and charred tree.


“What…The…Hell…”


Nothing answered Omid.


Nothing expect — Crack~!


The sound of the eggshell cracking.


(AN: Won’t lie. Writing this was hard. The next chapter will be the last for this fight. Hope you liked it.)