Chapter 259: EPIC PET BATTLEEE!

"AND WE ARE BACK!" P.A.L.'s voice boomed across the subspace.

Alistair perked up, a slice of pizza still in hand, while the rest of the group enjoyed the lavish spread laid out before them.

Meanwhile, in the arena, Fluffy looked mildly annoyed—having been dramatically introduced only to stand there while the core rattled off sponsorships, upcoming events, and exciting new services within the Platijum Lily and Rathos.

Finally, P.A.L. returned to the match.

"ALL BETS ARE OFF! AND NOW, INTRODUCING OUR NEXT TWO CONTENDERS!"

One of the three beams of light that had remained in the corners of the arena began to glow in new shimmering intensity drawing everyone's attention toward it.

"FROM CITY CORNER—COMING IN AT A TOWERING 120 TONS—THE SIMIAN THAT COULD, THE WRECKER OF YOUR SHIT… GIGA-GOOOORRR!"

A colossal four-armed gorilla materialized beneath the southeastern spotlight, looming over the crumbling streets. It bellowed a war cry, the sound so deep it was felt more than heard. With all four of its massive fists, it drummed against its chest, the force sending out a thunderous shockwave that shattered every window in the surrounding buildings, making them tremble violently under the sheer weight of its presence.

But before the dust could settle, a new tremor rolled through the city—this one not from Giga-Gorr. The next beam of light shimmered unnaturally, pulsing with an intense, almost liquid quality.

Then came the sound—a deep, guttural rumble that shook the entire arena.

Along the coastline, the harbor’s waters began to churn. Violent waves crashed outward, then abruptly pulled back, draining away from the shore and revealing the cracked, ruined seabed below.

For one breathless moment, everything stilled.

Then the ocean surged back with brutal force—an overwhelming tidal wave exploding upward as something massive burst from beneath.

"AND FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE DEVASTATED HARBOR—COMING IN AT A COLOSSAL 180 TONS—THE LIVING TSUNAMI, THE TITAN OF TERROR, THE KING OF KAIJU… KAIJUUUUU PRIIIIIME!"

The harbor exploded.

A monstrous shadow surged upward, shattering the surface as a massive tidal wave erupted around it. Twin heads broke through first, eyes burning like molten fire, followed by the full rise of its gargantuan frame.

Water cascaded off its body in torrents as it loomed above the coastline. The wave it brought with it crashed against the city’s edge, sweeping away smaller structures and flooding the streets beneath its advancing bulk.

Now, both titans stood—immense, unmoving, locked in a moment of stillness before the clash to come.

"THE STAGE IS SET, THE MONSTERS ARE READY—AND NOW, IT'S TIME TO FIND OUT WHO WILL STAND TALL AND WHO WILL FALL!"

"WHAT TIME IS IT?" P.A.L.'s voice boomed, pausing for dramatic effect.

A wave of thunderous cheers erupted across the subspace, shaking the very air with excitement.

"THAT’S RIGHT! IT’S TIME FOR AN EPIC PET BA-BA-BA-BATTLEEEE!"

The crowd roared even louder, the energy surging to a fever pitch as the battlefield lights flared, signaling the clash about to begin.

"AND HERE WE GO! WE ARE OFF TO THE RACES, FOLKS!"

"I love this place!" Kujo cheered a bottle of spirit orchid wine in hand, a wide grin spreading across his face as he watched all three monsters charge toward the center.

Above it all, P.A.L.'s over-the-top commentary boomed across the entire subspace, narrating every movement with absolute enthusiasm.

"Glad you're enjoying yourself," Alistair said, watching Kujo take another swig from the bottle. "This is definitely up there with Lily's top events."

"Thank you very much!" the P.A.L. hovering behind them interjected, its voice chirping with delight. Meanwhile, its announcer counterpart continued shouting across the subspace, delivering the live play-by-play with even more enthusiasm.

"I am quite proud of this one, though I always value your feedback," P.A.L. added, bobbing eagerly.

"Well, I was kinda surprised you didn't add any intro music," Alistair noted. "It's pretty much a mainstay when introducing fighters in this format."

P.A.L. let out an incoherent mumble as its body floated up and down, spinning on its axis before abruptly stopping. "Guh. I knew I forgot something! Thank you! I'll be sure to think of it next time."

Before Alistair could respond, the booming announcer P.A.L. cut in.

"UHH! A DEVASTATING PUNCH FROM GIGA-GOOOORRR SENDING KAIJU PRIME REELING! BUT WHAT IS THIS?! FAST AS LIGHTNING—FLUFFY INTERJECTS HERSELF INTO THE FIGHT OF TITANS!"

Alistair watched as Fluffy, despite her equally massive form, weaved through the skyscrapers, dodging one of the beams fired by the huge Kaiju's mouths. The blast went wide, slamming into Giga-Gorr instead.

A hail of metal plates crackling with lightning bombarded the huge lizard, arcs of electricity carving through her opponents and the buildings alike. Magnetized debris twisted unnaturally before crashing back down, metal groaning under the residual force.

"SUCH GRACE! SUCH FLAIR! SUCH LETHALITY! AND THAT, FOLKS, IS WHY SHE’S THE FAVORITE!" P.A.L. roared over the battlefield, his voice dripping with theatrical delight, as the space erupted in cheers and screams of approval.

Riseth leaned in, her voice rising through the Akashic Link. "Should we be worried?"

"Nah," Alistair replied casually. "Not until he gets a foot fetish."

"GIGA-GORR IS ON THE MOVE! OH, HE SWINGS TO THE LEFT—HE SWINGS TO THE RIGHT—UUUH, AND THERE GOES FLUFFY'S BITE, BUT WATCH OUT—HE'S A HUGGER!" P.A.L.'s announcer voice boomed across the battlefield.

"What other kinds of events do you have?" Nomura asked.

The drone buzzed and twirled in excitement at her interest.

"Oh, too many to count!" P.A.L. chirped. "We've got chance-based games, skill-based games, spectator events, luck-based events—you name it, we probably got it!"

“And each one runs in its own subspace?” Nomura tilted her head, curiosity evident in her tone.

“The Lily will create a subspace if you wish to play any game that isn’t already ongoing, or if you desire privacy!” P.A.L. explained, his drone body bobbing slightly up and down.

She nodded, considering. “I’d be interested in seeing something more refined—if that’s amenable to you?”

“Your wish is my demand,” P.A.L. purred. “Say the word, and I shall ensure you experience only the most refined entertainment.”

“Do not try to woo my woman, P.A.L.” Kujo flashed a grin, taking another swig from his bottle.

P.A.L. gave an exaggerated spin, voice full of mock offense. "I wouldn't dare dream of it! My circuits are far too delicate to handle the wrath of an Oni warrior. Besides, I am unsure if someone as refined as her would enjoy playing with my ball."

Kujo choked on his drink while Nomura sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You really had to word it like that?"

P.A.L. bobbed in place innocently. "Whatever do you mean?"

Before Kujo could reply, the P.A.L's announcer voice drowned his words out again.

"UUUH, GIGA-GOOOOR IS DOOOWN!" The battlefield flared with lights, the energy reaching a fever pitch.

"YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS! IT’S TIME TO DU-DU-DU-DU-DU-DU-DUUUUUEEEL!"

A spectacle of flashing sigils and dramatic spotlights erupted across the arena, illuminating Fluffy and the remaining Kaiju Prime as they squared off for the final clash.

Fluffy had wrapped herself around one of the skyscrapers, letting out a hiss, her tongue flicking as she rose up. Her feathery wings spread wide, making her appear even larger while metal plates spun in orbit around her, each one charging as the lightning coiled between them. The energy built with every pass, arcing violently in jagged bursts, illuminating the battlefield with flickering flashes of raw power. Her body tightened around the building, crushing and squeezing the structure, glass shattering as steel beams groaned under the pressure.

Kaiju Prime’s twin heads roared in unison, firing two blinding beams into the sky. The sheer force displaced the clouds hanging over the battlefield, tearing them apart in its own overwhelming display of power.

In a true fight, Fluffy would have ended the match right there. But apparently, she too had a bit of a showman’s honor. Rather than exploiting the opening, she continued to charge her attack, poised, waiting for the massive lizard to engage her.

Kaiju Prime stomped, entire buildings crumbling beneath its sheer weight as glowing energy built along its chest, spine, and eyes—power surging toward its own crescendo. They held like that for a few heartbeats, even P.A.L.’s usually relentless commentary falling silent to let the moment play out.

Fluffy’s body and wings shifted ever so slightly—then it happened.

They struck at once.

Their attacks unleashed in a flash too fast for most to catch, the sheer force ripping through the city, tearing away surrounding structures in the shockwave. Fluffy passed through Kaiju Prime in an instant, her original position now a smoking ruin as the metropolis behind her was cratered by the monstrous lizard’s devastating attack.

Her wings gleamed, coated in metal, the edges honed into two razor-sharp blades. And much like an old samurai duel, Kaiju Prime was split clean in two.

For a fraction of a second, the battlefield held still—then the charged energy and lightning erupted within the massive beast’s body, detonating outward in a blinding cascade. The air hummed with crackling power as Kaiju Prime was all but vaporized.

A stunned silence took over the subspace before a true storm of cheers erupted, waves of excitement crashing through the crowd like a living force.

"AND WE HAVE A WINNER!" P.A.L. declared, his voice practically vibrating with exhilaration. "WHAT A SHOW! WHAT A SPECTACLE! WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY ELECTRIFYING DISPLAY OF POWER! I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED NOTHING LESS FROM OUR FAVORITE—THE MAGNIFICENT, THE AWE-INSPIRING, THE UNDISPUTED SERPENT OF POISE AND DESTRUCTION—FLUUUUFFYYYY!!"

Fireworks—both real and illusionary—lit up the subspace in a dazzling cascade of colors. The subspace erupted in cheers, likely because the vast majority had bet on Fluffy. While the odds hadn’t allowed for an amazing payout, it was still essentially free chips, more than doubling what Nomura and Kujo had to play with.

"Oh, I leveled up," Riseth noted, glancing at her status.

"Huh, I guess I should send King to fight here more often," Alistair mused.

"Please do!" P.A.L. burst out, his voice buzzing with excitement. "I understand that fatherhood is important—I, too, care for my creations—but King is dearly missed!"

"I thought he still came by himself occasionally?" Alistair asked.

"Yes. Occasionally," P.A.L. sighed. "I would love to have him here full-time!"

“I’ll see what I can do.” Alistair’s reply made the drone bob excitedly. “But it’ll likely never be full-time.”

P.A.L. let out a long, theatrical sigh. “I understand. I guess it’s a good thing he’s creating offspring.”

Nomura tilted her head. “About that. Do we know when the eggs are going to hatch?”

Alistair shook his head. "Apparently, in a few months, but sadly, that isn’t a big open event. Rovari is very protective, and I wouldn’t want to stress her out even more."

"Understandable," Nomura said. "I wouldn't want a crowd of strangers watching me give birth either."

"That isn't quite the same," Kujo remarked, only to be met with looks from both Riseth and his wife.

"Just because the process is slightly different doesn't mean it's not an intimate moment for the mother," Nomura scolded.

Kujo raised his hands in surrender, while Alistair silently stuffed his face with Lirsaross jambalaya, glad it wasn’t him who had walked into that particular landmine.

"How about a round of poker? It's both skill and luck based, and I think Nomura would enjoy it a lot more," Alistair suggested, trying to take some of the heat off Kujo.

Riseth clapped her hands in excitement. "Ooh, that sounds fun! Maybe we could play a bit of Red Gambit too."

“Obviously.” Alistair smiled.

“What a lovely idea!” P.A.L. chimed, his voice carrying its usual cheerful energy. “Shall I create a suitable subspace, or would you prefer to join an existing one?”

“Let’s start with a private one for now. The other players are like sharks.” Alistair glanced toward Nomura and Kujo.

Riseth raised a brow. “In what way?”

“They smell fresh blood in the water.” A knowing smile tugged at Alistair’s lips as he gathered the leftovers and stored them for later.

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