Solar Blood Masters

The icy wind whipped across Raphael's golden hide as he stood at the edge of a precipice. Below, a chaotic scene unfolded. Creatures clashed in a frenzy of claws, fangs, and elemental energies. It was a brutal battle of survival.

"Such a magnificent view, Bull. Those below are ripe for the taking. Their points beckon us!" Pincer's black claws were tapping impatiently against the frozen earth.

His brother, Clamper, came closer with his tail twitching with anticipation. "A simple 'Gold Press' and those pathetic weaklings will be begging for mercy. It'll be a piece of cake for a mighty bull like you. And those points? They'll be ours to share."

Raphael blushed, their flattery was amusing. He could sense their greed, but wasn't this his true nature as well? He then puffed out his chest and assumed a more domineering stance. "Hmph! You two go ahead and soften them up. I'll join you shortly."

He wanted to observe them, to test their loyalty.

"But…"

"We'll be overwhelmed!"

Their protest didn't sway his resolve. "I'm testing your strength. Show me what you've got, scorpions. And remember, no backstabbing or your shells will be my next meal." He glared menacingly.

They shivered and didn't need further encouragement. With a synchronized nod, Pincer and Clamper rushed towards the edge and plunged into the ravine below.

…

At the bottom of the ravine, a chaotic battle raged. Trees were being uprooted, ice shards flew about, and a mixture of growls and roars resonated. It was a feast for those whose bellies craved chaos, and those souls that were watching on from the screens outside were cheering with delight.

"Such a magnificent clash of might!"

"That Panda Bear with Angel Wings! She's truly a terrifying beast!"

"Look at that rhino go, charging so valiantly, but his horns are no match for that monstrous tail strike!"

The creature in question was a large female panda with short white wings, she stood triumphantly over a tiny rhino that lay groaning on the ground. She was massive, with thick, black fur and a pair of horns that curved backward.

"HAHAHAHA! Your pathetic horn charge is useless against my Jade Star Tail, little runt! Your points… they're mine now, hahaha!"

She raised a hand, ready to claim her prize. But as her claws were mere centimeters from touching the rhino's fading form…

WHOOSH!

"Behind you, fat ass!"

"DIE!"

A flurry of black had those who were cheering, now screaming.

The two scorpion brothers attacked! They'd been watching, waiting for an opportunity and now it was theirs!

Pincer slammed his shield into her flank, sending the panda creature stumbling!

Clamper was even faster! He launched himself onto her back, digging his razor-sharp claws into her flesh!

"ARGH! You bastards! How dare you?!"

She was furious and lashed her tail, trying to dislodge Clamper who was dodging the emerald glows. The tail's tip, however, connected with Pincer who was flung away with a groan.

He was breathless, his shell felt like it had been crushed. "She's strong! Truly strong!"

Clamper's claws had found their mark and were now tearing into her flesh. Blood, thick and black, oozed from her wounds.

"You're a disgrace! You attack from behind?! Cowards! I shall teach you a lesson you won't soon forget!"

The panda was enraged. She reared back and unleashed a sonic blast from her gaping jaws!

WHOOSH!

"Panda's Fury!"

The shockwave sent the brothers tumbling backward as Clamper yelled, "Damn, her voice is potent!"

Pincer, however, had recovered. "Brother, finish her OFF!" He launched his shield at the panda. The impact momentarily staggered her.

"Now, Clamper!"

They attacked simultaneously! Pincer with his daggers and Clamper with his scorpion sting.

They were about to deliver the final blow!

Then…

BOOM!

The ground shuddered! A deafening tremor shook the clearing and sent shockwaves radiating outwards.

"What the hell…?"

"Where is that energy coming from?!"

A massive golden hoof materialized out of thin air and crushed the panda.

"ARGHH! NOOOO!" The creature beneath was flattened. Its screams were instantly silenced, then it exploded into a mist of light and vanished.

The scorpion brothers looked up with jaws agape.

"Holy…"

"It's… It's…"

"The Bull?"

Raphael towered above them. The expression on his face was a sinister smile that had their hearts pounding in their chest cavity. He'd watched their fight from afar. And at the opportune moment…

He struck!

Without a word, Raphael bent down and the points from their vanquished enemy was absorbed.

And above his head, 402 points were now evident for those who were watching to see.

"He's…"

"He took ALL the points! Such greed…"

Pincer and Clamper felt a tinge of betrayal. They'd fought so hard and this damned bull simply appeared and stole their prize! They'd have to voice a complaint.

"You promised to SHARE, bull!" Pincer shrieked angrily.

"This isn't fair! We had a deal!" Clamper added with a whimper.

Their protest was met with a bored snort. "Hmph! This is compensation for your earlier ambush. Besides, it's far easier this way, isn't it?"

"Easier?"

"What does that mean?"

They were puzzled, but as if their questions didn't warrant an actual response, he continued, "From now on, WE hunt TOGETHER. I'll share a few points. But I'll still be keeping the majority. You'll get stronger. That's what truly matters. And if anyone dares to question our methods…"

He then glanced towards a distant battle, a fiery one that was shaking the very foundations of the trial realm.

"We'll simply squash them, won't we?"

"But…"

"That's too…"

 "Keep up."

Raphael dashed off towards that fiery clash with his hooves kicking up plumes of snow and ice as his monstrous figure left behind a path of destruction. It was as if he were carving a path towards his destiny.

And with a mixture of reluctance and fear, those scorpions followed.

"Wait for us!"

…

Hours later.

"Hah! You thought your pitiful hide could withstand my venom, you pathetic worm!"

Pincer slammed his shield into a fleeing, crimson centipede, sending it sprawling onto the frost-covered ground. It twitched, then vanished into particles of light. Another soul devoured by the trials.

"Excellent work, brother! We've earned back everything we lost, and more!" Clamper counted the points hovering above his head. His claws clicked excitedly as those numbers flickered. They were now at 134 points.

"And all thanks to that bull!" Pincer looked at Raphael with a slight frown.

Raphael yanked off the wings of a bird and smashed its face before stealing its points.

For the past few hours, they had been hunting. Raphael, alongside Pincer and Clamper had rampaged through the icy landscape with an efficiency that had many of the less skilled competitors trembling. They were a force to be reckoned with.

"You were right, Pincer! This alliance is a good thing! Who knew hunting together could be so rewarding?" Clamper was giddy. "This bull is a beast, a true Calamity. With his 'Gold Press' and our cunning tactics, we can easily defeat anyone. Even an Emperor Calamity wouldn't stand a chance!"

"Indeed! Indeed!" Pincer agreed, his claws clicked again in delight as he observed their latest vanquished victim who was a furry creature with a beak and wings.

This pigeon-like creature glared at them before gasping, "You're all… poisonous. So cruel!"

"That, my feathery friend, is our nature! Embrace it or… well, you've already chosen the other option." Pincer laughed sinisterly as he brought down a claw and severed the creature's head with a swift strike. It dissolved into particles before he could finish its pathetic pleas.

"Now then, it's time to choose our next prey." Pincer rubbed his claws together.

But before he could even finish his declaration.

BOOM!

A terrifying tremor shook the earth, causing the ground beneath their feet to crack. It resonated throughout the trial realm.

"What was that?!" Raphael's monstrous form staggered slightly.

"Impossible! What could have triggered such a powerful tremor?!" Clamper hissed frantically as he clung to a nearby boulder.

Pincer, ever the pragmatist, quickly checked their surroundings. He looked at the timer, which still had two days remaining. "The race… It's not over! And this isn't Qi Hawk's doing either, so… WHAT THE HELL?!"

As their voices of shock and concern echoed throughout the frozen landscape, a spectacle unfolded before them that stole their breath away and would haunt them for a long, long time.

From the ground, massive chunks of earth and ice began to rise. Those slabs of rock and roots, some larger than Raphael himself were moving in one direction!

"The earth! It's levitating on its own!"

They weren't the only ones who'd noticed this anomaly. A collective gasp had other birds flying higher and those who'd been locked in duels scrambling to safer grounds.

"I've never seen anything like it!"

"What's happening?"

"Is… Is the world falling apart?!"

Their bewilderment and fear were valid. The skies above rippled with a cacophony of shrieks, roars, and horrified whispers, for it seemed a Calamity of unimaginable might was stirring, and its rage had even the very elements themselves trembling.

Raphael watched as a nearby frozen river began to bubble, then it erupted in a geyser of steaming, boiling water. He turned towards the scorpion brothers whose claws were now digging frantically into the frozen earth.

They looked back at him, "BULL, what do we do?"

"Follow me!" He didn't need to explain. The curiosity that had fueled him was now a fire, and following those uprooted slabs seemed as good a way to appease that yearning as any.

He galloped forward. The other creatures were doing the same thing; flying and galloping. Almost every contestant in this race were attracted to this mass level of destruction.

…

"Damn! Those fires!"

An hour later…

Raphael stood at the edge of a massive precipice, overlooking a vast, molten lake below. His nostrils flared. The stench of sulfur and ash were overpowering. It was a scene of fiery destruction.

A river of liquid fire stretched across the horizon as far as he could see, dividing the frozen landscape in two!

And from this molten flow, hundreds upon hundreds of fiery pillars erupted. They stretched to the very sky. Together, these pillars released a energies which created a widespread energy wall where no one could pass through.

"Those energies, they're similar to… Fire Pool essences, but more menacing. I've never encountered anything like it before, could this be a natural phenomenon?"

"Fire Pool? But that's impossible!" Pincer hissed.

His brother Clamper agreed, "We're inside a Marble World! It's IMPOSSIBLE for a Fire Pool to erupt here, unless… unless… this is all Qi Hawk's doing? But why would he do this?"

Their questions were abruptly silenced as a horrifying realization dawned.

Across the blazing expanse, hundreds of creatures were trapped. They lay motionless upon the molten rocks. A few were struggling to rise, their forms were shrinking, as if dissolving into those very embers they were drowning in.

"They're…fading?"

"Who could be responsible for such brutality." As soon as Raphael said this, they heard it. A booming laughter that sent tremors through the very air itself.

"MUWAHAHAHA! BOW before true POWER, you pathetic weaklings! This is MY domain now! My Artificial Fire Pool will be your DOOM!"

Raphael's gaze locked onto the levitating earth chunks. They were converging toward a massive, floating mountain structure nearby, amplifying its grandeur and potency with each impact.

"That is…"

The mountain structure itself was already terrifying with its jagged peaks. But what truly shocked them was the creature it housed. It was growing out of it, as if nature itself had chosen this entity to be its champion.

Two massive arms, crafted from black rock with an infernal glow, stretched towards the heavens. Lava dripped from their fingertips!

The creature's chest was colossal, its span was as large as a hundred trees! And its head…

"That face…"

It was adorned with blazing horns as large as Raphael himself. A giant nose-ring adorned the creature's snout, which was blasting plumes of steam that could easily incinerate a lesser creature in a heartbeat. This was an imposing visage, and they were all frightened.

"It's… IT'S…"

Pincer and Clamper couldn't contain their shock as their claws clicked nervously. "That's the Bull Mountain Demon - GASTAROID!"

Other surrounding creatures who had paused hunting for points also starts commenting.

"Gastaroid?! But why is he here?!"

"What's that damn freak of nature doing in the Black Wind Selection Trials?"

"If he's here… we're all DOOMED! That demon won't allow anyone to reach the finish line!"

And they were right. Those pillars formed an impregnable wall. It blocked all paths to the finish line. They were trapped!

"Impossible! I can't get through! It's everywhere!" A mole-man burst from the earth beside Raphael. He was coughing, his fur was singed. He looked close to death.

"I've tried to burrow through the earth but… It's useless! Those flames! They're even present underground! There's no way to get past them! I'm doomed!"

His pronouncements were confirmed as a panicked bird came flying down.

"It's no use! I've tried to fly over, but… I can't! There's an blazing energy wall above those pillars. The heat is too intense! Not even teleportation seems to work."

"Hmm, not even teleportation. Seriously? That mountain thing can actually blocked this many participants?"

Raphael watched as Gastaroid continued absorbing those chunks of levitating earth, they'd now formed a massive arm that slammed downwards with a thunderous boom that shook the very foundations of the 'Marble World.'

"Because it's GASTAROID!" Pincer screamed.

"We are trapped within a SMALL 'Marble World'! This trial realm was hastily constructed, and as such the demon could manipulate its limitations! It's a prison! And we are his prey!" Clamper's words were laced with dread.

"So this is it…? Is there really no way around?"

"MUHAHAHAHAHA! There's NOWHERE to RUN, insects! You are ALL DOOMED!"

Gastaroid's demonic laughter reverberated across the ravaged land. Not only was he an impenetrable fortress, but he was also the claimer of their points.