The beast comes forth from the ocean as Orion slowly makes his way up the hill to greet him.
Somehow, though he has been downgraded in his display, the power and presence of this beast turns a list of warnings on before Orion.
LEGENDARY BOSS
LEGENDARY BOSS
WARNING
WARNING
MAJOR EVENT
WORLD EVENT
XP NOT HIGH ENOUGH
XP NOT HIGH ENOUGH
"Why don't you just go back to the normal menu?" Orion says under his breath.
His eyes oblige, and his lack of a legend status with his combat and survival xp's come before him again.
Orion looks at the large gun before him, knowing it won't be enough. "Maybe I can just throw it at him."
His eyes then scan over the top of the hillside as the beast comes forth from the sea.
Larger than the smoking aircraft carrier behind him.
It's face, a horrible, demonic face. Like a dragon and lizard, with glowing eyes and sets of teeth in its mouth and protruding out of it, breaking through the skin line and lips.
The rest of its body follows roughly the same vibe, like an enormous komodo dragon that Satan would call a pet.
But from its back protrudes tentacles.
Innumerable. Of all shapes and sizes, from the size of a man to the entire length of the beast itself.
Like an octopus was latched on, or a disease coming forth from it. A vile, horrible creature, it is.
The beast emerges completely, coming face to face with Orion, tentacles swinging, and breath pushing.
""You are whom I've been seeking."
Orion is horrified.
It is the most terrifying thing he has ever seen. The thing of nightmares.
It is also awe inspiring by its size and anatomy and strangeness.
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But at the same time, Orion does not care.
At the beast or the voices in his head or what this all means.
He just knows it means nothing to him.
So he is fearless.
"Here I am."
"Bow to me!"
"No."
"Do you not fear me, oh competitor?"
"I do. I'm just over it."
"Over it? You face a god before you. One the books of old foretold and whom will keep the world under it's massive influence forever, and you are over it? You, whom have the honor to die before me in combat, are over it?"
Orion looks at the horrible face.
"Yeah. Something like that. Why don't you get out of my head and use that horrible mouth of yours."
The beast is offended. It opens its horrible mouth and screams, pushing Orion back.
A deafening wave of energy and noise comes forth.
Orion falls to his knees, but does not fall down the embankment.
He slams his massive gun into the ground like a sword or a flag, staking his ground, while holding on for dear life.
The beast then looks at him, and almost smiles.
"Is this better?" The beast says, speaking with its mouth.
A growling baritone of a voice. Similar to the voice in everyone's head, but with the added senses of smell, heat, and vibration.
"It is. What do you want?" Orion slowly gets up, facing his enemy.
"I have been looking over the seas for a competitor. The few I've had have been nothing. This is my world now. But, alas, the world I have is nothing but islands. There is some larger land masses that have inhabitants, but I am not permitted to enter those lands, yet. So, I search these oceans, finding someone to fight me. A legend, preferably."
Of course.
"Do you have the menu?"
"I do."
"Good."
"What does that have to do with you?"
The beast does not answer. It does not know how too.
Orion chuckles. "You are not all knowing, all you?"
The beast growls. "Ah. A follower of the Man God, you are. Of course. That cross around your neck. Do you think it protects you?"
"Yeah."
The beast does not answer, and it's tentacles start to sway agitated.
"You are not a legend, are you?"
"No."
The beast becomes angry and yells into the air.
It then whips its horrible body around the sand barge, swimming and swaying, and it knocks the aircraft carrier into the water more, sending pieces of the wreckage across the sea with its force.
The nuclear ship is now just toy like shards of metal across the ocean and a heap in this small bay.
The beast comes back before Orion, face to face.
"You have more to unlock. But you are legendary. You have to be. I have seen you. I have sought you. I know what you could become. Should I fight you now? It would not be fair. You don't have a sword. But if I defeat you now, what will I have to look forward to? I could let you survive, and perhaps you will grow into a more formidable opponent."
Orion lifts his gun and takes a step forward, and aims.
His finger is on the trigger.
The beast likes this.
"Get to it. Finish me. Fight me. I have nothing left to lose. And I'm sick of your meddling thoughts. Want another body to crush? Here I am. But that's all you will get."
The beast nods.
"Those behind you are on the verge of mental breakdown just by my presence. My very song and anthems as I swim through the oceans cause man to follow me, worship me, or kill all they know. Some explode when I reveal myself. The fallen don't have words in their language for me. They try to please me but fall short because I am beyond them. But you. Nothing. It is you. But you are not ready."
Orion feels a little push of pride.
"Oh. Yes. You should feel that. You and me. We were destined for this."
The beast loses Orion at that. And he's mad that he's in his head somehow.
He lowers his gun.
"No."
The beast tilts its head.
"No?"
"No. I'm not letting you tell me what I was destined for."
The beast does not answer, but stares at the man before him.
Orion tosses his gun and falls to his knees.
Not in surrender.
But completion.