Chapter 16: Clash of Titans
Awakened Rock's body began to change but unlike Hugo's transformation It wasn't with a flash of light but instead with a visceral muscular expansio.
A dark coarse brown fur sprouted from his skin rippling as his torso begun to swelle, his uniform stretching with a faint enchanted shimmer to accommodate the sudden mass. His face elongated with his jaw strengthening and his eyes shifted to a fierce, predatory amber.
Then Sharp wicked claws unsheathed from his fingertips giving his nails an omnious look to them.
When the transformation ended, he stood at an impressive eight feet tall—a monstrous werebear that would dwarf any normal awakened, yet he was still only half the height of the tentacled titan he now faced.
Hugo's crimson eyes observed the change with a strange flicker of superiority finding it's way into his heart
'he sheds his humanity to become this... Animal? And he believes it makes him my equal? The audacity is almost charming '
After all, how can awakened match the sheer potential of a divine aspect wielder? One who has access to such a powerful magnificent form that is.
"Sleeper Hugo, focus!" Rock's voice boomed, deeper and more guttural now, yet still carrying the sharp tone of an instructor. The command cut through the rising arrogance bringint back his true self for now.
"Considering you're still a Sleeper and I'm an Awakened, I will hold back to avoid hurting you. " Rock stated, falling into a low, balanced stance.
Hugo's tentacled face twisted into what might have been a sneer.
"So be it..." he growled, his voice a low, resonant threat that vibrated through the training hall.
In the next moment, he moved. The sheer speed was disorienting for something his size—a blur of black armor and green flesh closing the distance in a heartbeat brining a massive clenched fist down in a hammer blow meant to crush the werebear into the mat.
Rock while surprised by the ferocity and velocity of Hugo's assault was still a veteran awakened thus His instincts quickly overrode shock sidestepping the blow with a grace that belied his form, the air whistling as Hugo's fist smashed into the reinforced floor with a sound like a crashing bell.
The man bear proceeded to do something uttuerly unprecedented.
He shot upward in a terrifying speed, extending his clawed hands towards Hugo's startled face.
But then, no impact came because rock didn't attack his face.
instead he grabbed the mass of tentacles on his chin putting them on his shoulders and then he pulled downard bringing Hugo gigantic figure with him to the ground
THUD
Hugo's gigantic body slammed into the ground with a loud sound chaking the ground beneath them.
Sprawled on the ground, Hugo heard a strangly coherent beastial voice.
"Tsk, tsk," Rock chided, his bear-like face somehow managing to look unimpressed. "And they call me a brute. Boy, do you know how to do anything besides punching like an idiot?" He turned slightly, addressing the mesmerized, terrified class. "All of you, watch well! Just because an enemy is bigger doesn't mean it's unbeatable. Size without technique is just a bigger target!"
The other Sleepers had completely stopped their own spars, their faces a mixture of awe and focus at the confrontation.
Even changing star seemed strangely focused on the fight as if assessing how fast it would take for her to kill the tentacled figure.
Not realizing he was currently being killed in someone else mind, Hugo gritted his teeths in frustration, the condescension of his flaw fueling his motivation.
He rose, a low growl rumbling in his chest. The two titans began to circle each other, the air thick with tension as they waited for the other two make the first move.
This time it was Rock who moved first. He dropped to all fours and charged, a surprising burst of speed that ate up the distance between them in an instant, His claws were raised aimed to strike at Hugo's midsection.
But once again the attack never came.
It was a classical bait in the form of a feint. But hugo was not in his right mind so he simply braced himself for the impact, but it never came.
Instead Rock slid underneath his legs with shocking agility, twisting to grapple Hugo's massive legs from behind.
Sadly for rock, Hugo's current form was not just brute strength.
The [Maximum Reflexes] attribute of the Chimera Sui Generis flared to life. His body reacted before his pride-clouded mind could, He managed to spin around in shocking speed, his own bulk becoming a weapon and then he swatted the grappling werebear away with a powerful sweep of his arm.
Awakened Rock was sent flying, a furry cannonball that impacted the specially reinforced wall with a resonant
THWUMP
that shook the entire hall for a Moment, But The wall held as it was designed to withstand far worse then a mere awakened rank strike.
The instructor however, landed in a heap, shaking his shaggy head.
He slowly rose, a low annoyed grumble escaping his throat. As he muttuered "Monstrous bastard..."
The gap in raw power was clear; in their transformed states, they were both technically Awakened and Hugo's form was simply… more powerful.
Emboldened by the successful blow, he charged once again. This time deciding not to punch instead using his greater reach and mass, he grabbed the werebear in a powerful clinch, lifting him from the ground, and preparing to slam him down with devastating force.
Rock, instead of struggling against the impossible strength, did the one thing Hugo didn't expect.
He bit down on the tentacled arm holding him.
It wasn't a bite meant to maim, after all Rock was still an instructor who knew how to measure his power But the blow was still delivered with the shocking primal force of a bear sending a sharp, immediate pain coursing through Hugo pain that was utterly infuriating.
As it wasn't a dignified, honorable wound but instead It was a dirty, animalistic trick which he strangely felt annoyed about in his current form.
Hugo let out a primal scream of rage and pain, his grip instinctively loosening. "You mongr—!"
Before the curse could fully form, Rock was already moving. The moment his feet touched the ground, he dropped his center of gravity wrapping his powerful arms around Hugo's leg and then with a grunt of immense effort born from perfect leverage, He pulled with all his might.
Hugo's colossal weight caught off-balance by the sudden sharp pain and the expertly applied force betrayed him.
THUD.
For the second time in the fight, the giant crashed to the mat, the impact juddering through the floor.
He lay there for a moment, stunned more by the humiliation than the force of the impact.
"Stay down for now, brat," Rock spoke sharply standing over him with his chest heaving slightly.
"Anger is a weapon but you let it control you . You saw an opponent and thought 'smash,' not 'fight.' A Nightmare Creature with half a brain would already be feasting on your soul if you tried this tactic in a real fight. "
The words cut through the arrogant haze, reaching the real Hugo buried beneath his Flaw's influence which made him feel a hot flush of shame—not the titan's wounded pride but the boy's realization of his own incompetence.
He had power but he was fumbling with it like a child would do with a live grenade.
He sighed, the sound a rush of air from a massive chest and sat up crossing his legs as best his form allowed looking up at Rock's beastial form then with a certain idea ran through his mind mixed with a bit of greed.
'I wonder if I can imprint him...' The thought was a bizarre testament to the strange new rules governing his life.
'well here goes nothing...'
He drew upon the instinctual knowledge granted by the nightmare spell and activated his innate ability [Essence Imprint]
The Omnitrix symbol on his chest glowed with a soft yellow light then A strange, translucent energy, invisible to all but him washed over Awakened Rock transformed figure.
For a few moments, nothing happened. Then, a new voice, synthetic and distinct from the Spell's spoke in his mind.
[Unidentified DNA sample detected...]
[Error: Mutation detected.]
[DNA is too similar to the wielder's core genetic template...]
[Essence Imprint failed.]
Hugo sighed internally. 'Of course. He's still human at his core, just shaped differently not a different race...'
It was a disappointment but at the same time a a valuable Discovery.
'I wonder if that rule applies to Saints as well... or if their humanity has been so fundamentally altered by ascension that it would register as something new.'
He filed the question away for later and met Rock's amber gaze. "So," Hugo said, his voice back to a more measured tone . " besides my bad usage of my aspect, What exactly is it I'm lacking?"
Instead of answering his question, Rock began to shift back, his form shrinking back to its human—though still massively imposing—state.
He looked up at the seated titan, his expression professional.
"You have the physicality to overpower most things you'll meet as a Sleeper, and your reflexes are also top-tier," Rock began, crossing his arms. "But you fight like a brawler in a bar.... " he said pausing for a little as he scratched his hair "You need a weapon."
Hugo's raised his non-existent eyebrows . "A weapon?"
"Absolutely. Hammering everything with your fists is a great way to break your hands, even with your durability. It's inefficient and leaves you open for attacks, More importantly, it forces you to get too close. So Despite your speed, your attack movements are telegraphed and linear which makes You subconsciously rely on overpowering, not outmaneuvering. If I were an awakened devil with hide like steel or a poisoned touch, you'd already be dead already right now ."
'If you were a Nightmare Creature, I would have used Soul Essence to enhance my strikes,' Hugo wanted to retort, but he held his tongue.
The instructor's point was valid, Raw power was obviously not enough.
After a moment, Rock looked him up and down with an awkward glance "Uh, you're not going to revert back? I get acclimating to your transfomrmation is important but you're making your classmates nervous and quiet frankly, you're taking up a lot of space."
Hugo felt a wave of embarrassment run over him . "About that..." he mumbled, leaning forward to keep his voice as low as possible "I… can't revert back to my normal form until the timer ends."
Rock's eyes widened slightly in understanding before quickly returning to normal.
"I see. That's a significant limitation. You need to be careful with, Transformations are powerful yes, but the ability to release your form whenever is just as crucial. Being human is sometimes more beneficial than being a… giant squid monster. No offense. I'm a bear myself, you know... so be careful when you decide to transform."
The attempt at humor did little to soften the blow but the wisdom behind the words struck home. This inability to control the duration was a shackle especially considering there would also be a recharge timer after each transformation.
Hygo looked down at the Omnitrix symbol on his chest with a strange expression.
'Maybe...'
He reached a massive finger and pressed the symbol.
Nothing.
He tried to focus, to will the transformation away as he had willed it into being.
Again, nothing.
It was locked, as if He was a prisoner in this powerful but prideful shell until the relic decided otherwise.
With a final, defeated sigh that ruffled the hair of Sleepers standing too close, he resigned himself to waiting.
a silent hulking monument to his own current limitations.
Unbeknownst to him, from the shadows of the highest observation balcony, a certain pair of onyx-black eyes watched the entire exchange missing no detail with a sharp, calculating look gleaming within them.
---
After finally detransforming in a flash of red light —a relief that was both physical and mental—Hugo felt the strange arrogance recede, leaving behind the sobered, determined boy. He immediately went to the weapon racks that lined the hall.
His eyes scanning the array of blades, axes, and maces but they kept returning to only one weapon.
the spear.
He hefted a training model, its weight familiar and comforting in his hands.
Hugo loved the spear for a myriad of reasons that now felt more solid and true than ever.
Firstly, it wasn't as difficult to master as a sword which required years of dedication to its complex forms and edge alignment.
The spear's fundamentals—thrust, sweep, parry—were more straightforward which was a crucial factor given his three-week deadline.
Secondly and most importantly, it had an extremely long reach. In his Vilgax form, his arms were long and big but a spear would extend his threat radius exponentially meaning he could keep a faster, more agile opponents at bay, controlling the space around him.
It was the weapon of a tactician, not just a brawler which was exactly what Hugo was trying to achieve.
And finally, it possessed an incredibly versatile moveset as It wasn't just a pointy stick.
He could thrust for lethal precise strikes, of use the butt of the spear for close-range strikes and sweeps and even use the shaft to block and parry incoming attacks.
It was a complete system unto itself. Plus, he couldn't deny it.
there was just something insanely cool about a warrior wielding a spear. It spoke of discipline, grace and lethal efficiency, a stark contrast to the wild fury of his transformed state.
And so, for the remaining hour and a half of the class, Hugo practiced. He drilled the basic thrusts, the footwork, the sweeps, over and over until his muscles burned and the sub-instructors' shouts of "Pivot your back foot!" and "Don't overextend!" became a mantra in his head. It was grueling and repetitive yet utterly essential for his nascant skill to grow.
---
After the combat class ended, the Paragon of Purity walked through the academy's sprawling corridors completely exhausted.
Yet The weight of his situation felt heavier than any training spear as He was mentally cataloging his overwhelming to-do list.
'Let's see... I need to develop a proper fighting style for both my human and transformed self in three weeks. I need to acquire a Memory weapon... And I also need to learn the basics of runic sorcery using my Galvan transformation...'
His shoulders slumped slightly as the feeling of overwhelmenss envolped him in a tight grasp.
His original meticulously planned training schedule was in tatters as Reality was far more demanding than his theoretical plans had accounted for.
He reached the door to his next class— which named [runic sorcery & language class].
Taking a deep breath to center himself, he pushed the door open.
"Focus," he mumbled to himself. "I just need the basics, and my transformed self will do the rest."
His mind was so preoccupied with his internal checklist that he completely failed to see the thick, leather-bound bestiary hurtling towards his face the moment he crossed the threshold.