Solar Blood Masters

"He's insane! Truly, truly insane!" Pincer claws clicked nervously against the frozen earth. He clung to a jagged rock as he peered over the precipice, observing the chaotic spectacle below.

"That damn Gastaroid…! He's not letting anyone pass. What a bully!" Clamper added.

A stray molten boulder whizzed towards them.

"Move!"

BOOM!

Raphael didn't hesitate. He unleashed a blast of golden energy from his horns. The 'Helios Sphere' struck the boulder and shattered it into a thousand fiery fragments that rained down harmlessly.

"Such power! But will it be enough?" Pincer wondered.

Raphael ignored him. He was fixated on a number that hovered above Gastaroid's colossal head.

"2,367 Merit Points!"

"That many…?!"

Pincer and Clamper gasped, but their shock was quickly replaced by a chilling awareness of the carnage that had unfolded. It was littered with countless bodies. Some lay motionless, others were fading away into particles of light.

Each had '0 points' displayed above their heads.

Gastaroid wasn't simply hovering there, no! He was relishing in this feast of points!

His massive arms, crafted from molten rock, were pounding the earth, creating fissures that spewed forth jets of searing flames. And those pillars, those dreadful fiery sentinels that guarded his Artificial Fire Pool… well, they were dancing.

Each time they slammed into a creature, Gastaroid's count increased!

"This is bad." Clamper shook his head.

Gastaroid alone had singlehandedly eliminated over 2,000 opponents from this race and he wasn't allowing anyone to pass by his barrier.

"Muwahahaha! Is THAT all you got, weaklings?! It would appear I got MY hopes up for nothing. There are only WEAKLINGS in Black Wind!

LISTEN UP, you fools! YIELD before my MIGHT and hand over ALL of your POINTS! I will BREEZE through this Selection Trial and earn a spot at the Great Divine Tribulation! However, I won't allow weaklings like YOU to participate in such a GRAND event. If you can't even get past ME, what use are you lot participating in the Great Divine Tribulation? DIE!"

His words were punctuated by a terrifying display of power. He intensified the heat emanating from his 'Artificial Fire Pool', sending waves of molten energy that crashed against the contestants!

From those depths of the fiery stream, massive, flaming hands erupted. They swooped out, incinerating a group of unlucky creatures who were desperately trying to climb one of those pillars.

"Muwahahaha!" His laughter was a chilling display of destruction that had even the bravest souls cowering.

"3,001 points!"

"He's… He's already earned THREE THOUSAND POINTS!?"

The scorpions gaped. Such a spectacle!

Raphael watched as a few desperate creatures below, ignoring Gastaroid's pronouncements, decided to challenge his fiery wall.

"We can break it!"

"Unite our strength!"

They combined their powers. They unleashed their most devastating attacks, but to no avail. It was like throwing pebbles at a mountain. The barrier stood firm.

"This is unfair!" Clamper's shriek echoed Raphael's thoughts. "Gastaroid belongs to Kongming Mountain, Emperor Julian's territory! He shouldn't be HERE! in Black Wind!"

"Crying won't help us win!" Pincer scolded his brother before adding, "We'll just wait and see. That bastard doesn't have infinite Solar Essence. He can't keep this up for much longer."

He looked at Raphael, whose massive golden horns were glowing faintly.

"We should find a better vantage point. Somewhere relatively safe to observe the situation."

"Hmm." Raphael nodded. "Those fools below are blindly attacking. We should capitalize on this chaos to amass some points, but let's do it from a safe distance. I don't want to get cooked today."

As they walked away, a triumphant grin stretched across Raphael's muzzle. He was truly enjoying himself. This trial was proving to be more entertaining than he'd anticipated.

"Hey, bull!" Clamper suddenly spoke up, "How come your points are rising when… you're not… eliminating anyone?"

"Clamper is right, bull! You've been with us the WHOLE TIME. Yet somehow… your points are increasing? How is that even possible?"

Raphael paused. He glanced at those scorpions, their curiosity was almost endearing. He could tell them about his Shadow Bats and how efficient they'd become at harvesting points, but those secrets were his to keep, at least for now.

"That," he said with a mischievous grin, "is a SECRET!"

And without another word, he galloped off, leaving the scorpion brothers baffled and wondering what advantage this bull Calamity had hidden up his hooves.

…

CRACK!

A colossal ice shard shattered into a million glittering pieces after Raphael's golden hoof slammed down with dreadful force.

"I yield!" A whimpering voice cried from beneath.

"Hmph! Another pathetic soul, offering his points so easily." Pincer claws clicked excitedly as a faint white light shot from their vanquished prey.

Their points updated:

Raphael: 517

Pincer: 193

Clamper: 189

"We've amassed so much! Just a few more and we'll be among the top 10."

"Truly magnificent, this bounty!"

For the past 58 hours, since their alliance, the trio had rampaged through the frozen wastes, crushing, incinerating, and scaring those unfortunate enough to cross their path. Their success was evident, both in their staggering point totals and the dread they instilled in others.

"Ah, such a sweet aroma. I want more!" Clamper licked his mandibles and wiped blood from his brow.

"Brother, relax! We can take a short break. After all, didn't we just eliminate seven opponents in a row? My tail stings even hurt a little." Pincer suggested as they settle beneath the shade of a snow-laden tree.

"Perhaps, but what if those other Calamities have already reached the finish line? That wouldn't be good for us, would it?" Raphael's words had them thinking.

"Gastaroid! Has he been defeated? Or did he simply give up on his quest to crush everyone and dash for the finish line?"

Pincer snorted in response. "Impossible. That Bull Mountain Demon is not one to back down from a challenge, especially when his pride is involved. If my memory serves me right, isn't that idiot fixated on surpassing his current limitations?

He's stuck at the peak of the Nightmare Calamity stage, 9th Layer. The only way for him to transcend his limitation, is to be blessed by the Void Emperor. He won't let a few pitiful insects stop him! Not now, not ever!

But if that bastard is still holding the line… then it means no one has made it to the top ten yet! Our opportunities, they are still within reach!"

"Enough with the guesses and speculations." Raphael was getting impatient. He'd had enough of this endless theorizing.

He wanted answers!

"I'm going to check on Gastaroid. You two, coming?" He glared at them expectantly.

"Wait! Wait for us, bull!"

"Damn! Such speed!"

They scrambled after him.

…

Sometime later, they arrived to discover a shocking scenery.

"Muwahahaha!"

"Oh no…"

"He's… still there?"

The trio stood once more upon that precipice, gazing down at the scene below.

The Bull Mountain Demon, Gastaroid, was still there. His form was even more colossal, and his power seemed to radiate with an even greater intensity. He was a fiery titan, laughing amidst a sea of molten rock and broken souls as he juggled massive, molten boulders with ease, sending those who dared to approach screaming in terror.

Above his head, those numbers continued to climb.

"How is that even possible?" Clamper was dumbfounded. He'd never encountered a being with such reserves of Solar Essence.

Pincer shook his head in awe. "Is this… is this what a peak Nightmare Calamity truly is? Endless energy? Unstoppable might?" He shuddered, then his gaze shifted towards Raphael who was gazing intently.

"Then imagine… an Emperor Calamity." Pincer's words had a chilling effect on Raphael.

"An Emperor Calamity?" He'd tasted those heights before, those potent energies of the 'Devil Star Fruit'. It had been a fleeting glimpse of absolute power. But it came at a cost.

"Will I ever reach it again?" His thoughts were shattered by a terrifying bellow.

"Muwahaha! COME you weaklings! DIE in droves!"

Gastaroid slammed a molten fist onto the ground.

BOOM!

A shockwave rippled outwards. It cracked the earth, scattering fiery debris!

From those fissures, a torrent of magma erupted.

Raphael watched with a dreadful fascination as a wave of desperate creatures, exhausted and weary, charged Gastaroid's barrier.

"We can't give up!"

"BREAK IT!"

But they were like ants attempting to topple a mountain. Their attacks bounced harmlessly against that wall of fire.

Among them were several powerful Calamities! Some were even at the 5th to 7th Layer of the Nightmare Calamity stage, and yet, despite their combined might, their valiant attempts to break those fiery chains, they couldn't put a dent in Gastaroid's defenses. He was truly a monstrous force!

"This is bad, brother. If those powerful Nightmare Calamities can't even dent Gastaroid's barrier… How the hell are WE going to cross the finish line in time?!" Clamper's fear was a whisper that mirrored Raphael's anxieties.

"Time…" Pincer's claws clicked anxiously against the rock. He looked up at the holographic timer that hovered menacingly above.

FOUR HOURS REMAINING!

The numbers blinked with a dreadful finality. It would appear that time truly was slipping away, and Gastaroid was the only one enjoying this Selection Trial.

"Muwahahaha! TASTE despair you WEAK SHITS! That is what I like! All of you INSECTS cower before the mighty BULL MOUNTAIN DEMON!

For HALF A MILLION YEARS… I've been STUCK at the peak layer! The only way for ME to break through now is to be BLESSED by Void Emperor Sindoll! You insects DON'T deserve such a privilege!

Thus… I'll have to end you ALL right HERE!"