Sorcerer in DC Chapter 20: SDC 20

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Seeing Blockbuster fight was a wake-up call I didn't know I needed. I always had so vague idea of how powerful ta-humans were, but the exhibition match between Dr. Phosphorus and Blockbuster made it brutally clear.

And I was nowhere ready for a conflict on that level.

The fight started well enough. Blockbuster was a mountain of a man, standing well over eight feet tall, with biceps larger than two waterlons and fingers as thick as sausages. He trundled into the arena, his head held low, blinking against the bright overhead lights.

Harley cooed in the background.

"A The big guy's a real hobody. He's still not used ta da lights an' the glam of da big stage."

And that was when Phosphorus struck.

"Free hit? Don't mind if I do."

He landed a blow hard enough to rock the giant back, leaving a burning welt on Blockbuster's face. The strange man had irradiated skin that cast dark shadows over his skeleton, making him look like he was wearing an over-the-top Halloween costu—but far more terrifying. He wore a lab coat, formal trousers, and dress shoes. But what stood out most was his face. His blackened skull gave him a perpetual grin, a hunch reinforced by the tone of his voice. He sounded like he was having way too much fun.

"That hurt," Blockbuster said slowly, a frown erging. "Glowing man bad. Blockbuster hurt glowing man!"

"That's what I'm talking about!" the irradiated man cackled. "Bring it on, Hyde!"

Blockbuster swiped at Phosphorus. The doctor hopped back, flinging a ball of green fire. It struck the giant's forearm just before it connected with Phosphorus's chest, sending him flying. Phosphorus flipped mid-air, laughing as he landed gracefully—only to imdiately fall on his ass.

Blockbuster's fist ca down seconds later, but the doctor twisted, sand exploding beside him. He grabbed the massive arm with a manic grin, his hand humming with a green glow as it lted flesh. Blockbuster howled but didn't shrink back. Instead, he leaned into it, his second hand snapping down onto Phosphorus's arm. He twisted, freeing his injured hand, and growled.

"Blockbuster mad!"

Down Phosphorus went in an explosion of sand. Up, then down again. Another explosion. It happened three more tis before Blockbuster yelped and let go.

Phosphorus's body skipped across the arena, coming to a painful stop with a groan. His clothes went up in flas as he rose, the earth blackening around him.

"There goes another pair," he sighed. "I'm going through these faster than underwear. But since I'm naked... might as well commit. Showti!"

He charged Blockbuster, laughter bubbling from his throat as he moved at a speed far exceeding my enhanced abilities.

Blockbuster hesitated at Phosphorus's sudden boldness, and it cost him. His swing ca too slow, allowing the doctor to duck into his guard and carve a chunk out of the giant's chest with a swipe. Three more strikes followed, all precise, all delivered in the monts between dodging wild strikes.

Then, in a surprising feat of guile, Blockbuster feinted. Phosphorus hopped left prematurely, and the giant hamred him down with a double-fist before he could recover. The doctor crashed to his knees but retaliated imdiately, his body flaring radiation-green, lting the giant's forearms to the bone.

In a Herculean feat of willpower, Blockbuster raised his arms again and drove them down, hamring Phosphorus deep into the dirt. Before the doctor could recover, the giant kicked a mound of sand over him and stomped down. Again. And again. And again. Each stomp hit harder than the last until the entire arena was shaking. He didn't stop until Phosphorus stopped twitching.

Then, with a grunt, Blockbuster grabbed Phosphorus's limp body and hurled him across the arena. The wooden border wall exploded on impact with a loud crack.

"Ow!" Phosphorus's voice rang out, shocking the audience as much as it did Blockbuster.

How the hell is he still alive?

The giant recovered quickly though, baring his teeth. He took one shaky step forward—then collapsed to one knee.

"Blockbuster tired," he grunted. "Will make glowing man pay when he recovers."

"Won't hear complaining," Phosphorus muttered, both hands shooting up in surrender.

I raised an eyebrow at the display, wondering if I could survive a fight with either of them.

Two hits from Blockbuster would probably shatter Inverse. Doctor Phosphorus could probably manage it with one concentrated attack.

Probably best to stick to street thugs and small-ti assholes for now.

"Well, there you have it!" Harley announced. "Another challenger bites da dust, though it ca at a price. Looks like our champion's gonna be out of commission for a few days!"

Cheers and boos erupted from the audience. Most were pissed that Phosphorus surrendered, but a scant few were happy that the big guy survived.

"Quit yer bellyachin'!" Harley said. "The doc here'll fill in the anti if he's up for it! Open exhibition, just like the good ol' days."

Harley looked Phosphorus's way. The skeleton man shrugged. "Why not? Could use the money."

—

The following matches were less explosive but just as brutal. The first fight featured Sai girl, whose stage na was Cheshire. Her opponent was so no-na guy in swat gear, complete with the helt, bulletproof vest, and riot gear helt. His weapon of choice was an extendable baton.

He was either a really stupid cop or had a very unfortunate fashion sense.

That's really not going to inspire a lot of rcy.

Why he'd chosen to fight looking like that was beyond .

His fighter na was Bolt, and I quickly learned why.

He was fast—faster than even . But that didn't help him against Cheshire. She moved like her nasake, an agile predator, and toyed with him.

Cheshire would parry with one hand, feint with a knee, and strike with a stab, then reverse the combination or pull out a different set altogether. She was a specter, entirely unreadable. She moved with no rhy or reason, body blurring in a complicated chain of movents that resulted in Bolt leaking like a bloody fountain. Taking the fight to the ground didn't make a difference.

By the end, she had crippled the man, bruised his larynx so badly he couldn't surrender, and was about to kill him when she suddenly stopped. She ripped off his helt, exposing his petrified face to the world before she sheathed her weapon.

"Fight dressed like that again, and I'll kill you," she said, flinging his helt to the wayside as she walked off the stage.

"Killer performance as always, Cheshire!" Harley hooted. "And Bolt? You really should've known better than showing up in pig gear. Welp, a month or two of bedrest will make sure you never forget."

The crowd lapped it up.

Two more fights ca and went, neither as brutal as Cheshire's. Soon, my number was up. My opponent? The old military guy.

He gave the sa uneasy feeling Cheshire did.

An old saying ca to mind—beware of an old man in a profession where n usually die young.

...

What should Julius's super na be? Immortal is obviously out.