Another spring blasted me further into the sky, but there was a key difference in how Spring ahead was using it this time. Before, the springs were being used to chip down at my body until there was nothing left. What was there to gain from continuously sending me upwards? Unless he wasn’t trying to attack me. His partner just needed an opening.

  Upon looking down, the sight of energy spiraling on the roof like the beginning of a whirlpool caught my attention. And Shark Tattoo was the clear reason for it.

  “Sharknado!”

  A gargantuan beast with teeth sharper than sharpened knives erupted from the circle of energy, its glowing red eyes locked on to my now descending body. With a name like “Sharknado”, I expected a hell of a lot more than just one shark spinning towards me like a torpedo. If Shark Tattoo really believed one puny radioactive beast was enough to kill me, then she had some more learning to do.

  I redirected energy to my fingers, preparing to add more scars to the shark’s slimy, mangled up body. That was until a better idea spawned in my head. Why destroy this monster so quickly when its strength still needed to be tested? Weakling already had the balls to challenge me. It was time to see what it could do.

  Very risky, Jerome. But what fun was there in a fight if risks weren’t taken? Besides, it was only risky if this animal actually posed a threat. The energy I had prepared retreated back into my system as I folded my arms.

  “You’re not worth the effort!” I laughed, falling into the belly of the beast. The shark’s rough tongue curled around me like an obese anaconda, its teeth closing down and bringing in the darkness. After that, nothing really happened. No special effects, no pain, no regret. Absolutely nothing.

  Actually, it’d be wrong to say I didn’t regret coming in here. Here this powerful zombie thought he’d be treated with the respect he so rightfully deserves, and yet this fool believed a radioactive shark would be enough for me.

  “Now you’ve made me mad!” I roared, digging my fingers into the tongue’s rough exterior.

  Using a mere fraction of my strength, I tore it from the bottom of the shark’s mouth, blood gushing out. There was an entire buffet to enjoy here, and I haven’t had a good feast in a while. With that new idea in my head, I began to chown down. Blood, flesh, teeth—nothing was off limits.

  The more meat I consumed, the more my power grew. Eventually, the shark couldn’t contain me any longer. Not because of the pain I caused, but because there was nothing left for me to devour. Now, the only thing keeping my fist from Shark Tattoo’s face was the distance between us.

  I closed it in seconds. The roof cracked under my landing, barely able to handle the impact. The woman would've fallen if it weren’t for the aura around her feet. Skilled aura users could shroud specific body parts with energy to withstand or deliver blows they normally couldn’t.

  She rubbed her face. “You weren't this strong before. What the hell is that transformation? Or is that just how you look now?”

  I snickered, flexing my fingers. “I think you're under a misconception here. This isn't me at my most powerful. This is me at my most ‘Jerome Hunter’. And I. Am. Nuclear!”

  “Nuclear Fi-”

  “Jaws!”

  A sharp pressure suddenly dug into my side. Then pain flooded through me. I looked down. Rows of jagged teeth, eerily like a shark’s, had pierced straight through my gut from behind, ooze trickling down their serrated edges. Impossible. My body was durable enough to block any of her nasty attacks, so what the hell?

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  Suddenly, my arms and legs were punctured too. It was then that I noticed there weren’t any puncture wounds at the back of my limbs. I wasn’t being stabbed from behind. The teeth were already inside of me.

  Shark Tattoo smirked. “That wasn’t just some ordinary radioactive shark you ate, buddy. From the moment they’re born, I insert some of my aura into them and watch them grow into the beautiful babies that you just eviscerated.”

  “And since I technically just absorbed your aura through the shark, then I’m susceptible to getting fucked up like this,” I said.

  “Good guess,” she answered, pointing her clawed hand at me. “My baby wants revenge from the afterlife, and I’ll make sure she gets it.”

  “Nuclear Fi-”

  Before any energy could move to my hand, the teeth sliced my body up like I was vegetables on a cutting board. Luckily, my head was still intact, and attacking wasn’t the only way energy could be used.

  “Nuclear Clones!”

  Two clones popped out of the remnants on my body, absorbing me and transferring my consciousness to one of them. While my clone fired bullets at the bald woman, I ran towards her, ready to finish what I started. However, teeth diced through my knees, causing me to collapse. She jumped out of the way before she was riddled with holes and continued the internal slicing of my body.

  Energy burst from my palms, rocketing me into the air. I felt a piece of my pain leave the moment the energy left my hands, and an idea sprouted. I aimed my hands at the sky, a ball of green slowly growing in size at the center.

  “Nuclear Beam!”

  The giant blast tore through the air, ascending upwards until it dispersed into sparks. The pain was gone, but so was my stored energy, leaving me falling back to the roof my clone and Shark Tattoo were fighting in.

  Although, those sharp teeth left him in a bad shape. Absorbing him back would put me in the same problem I’d just gotten out of, so the most efficient way to save him was to take her out.

  I landed next to my duplicate. “Hey, you! You’re doing sloppy work for someone made from my image. You should be ashamed of yourself!”

  He scoffed, falling to his knees. “Don’t act so full of yourself! I had the same idea as you, but these fucking teeth make it hard to move. And with this crowd forming underneath us, it’ll be hard to think of anything other than wanting them to shut up.”

  “What are you two arguing about?” asked Shark Tattoo.

  I ignored her. Instead, my attention turned to the bystanders watching from below, acting like they’ve never seen a fight before. It amazed me how each one of them were wearing Halloween costumes, even though they were, like, four months too late.

  “Holy shit! That’s a Type Two Radion!”

  “No, it’s obviously just some dude in a costume!”

  “What dude in a costume shoots fucking green light out of his hands!? Not to mention, he’s literally trying to eat that poor guy!”

  “I’m not eating shit up here!” I screamed back at them, waving my arm in the air like an angry old man.

  “That thing talks!”

  “If Jason sees this, we’re all screwed!”

  The only person these weaklings needed to worry about was me. That included Shark Tattoo, staring at me like the battle was already won. But now that I knew the best counter to her ability, then this fight was in my favor.

  “Sit back and watch how a real zombie fights,” I told my clone, who growled in response.

  Sprinting toward her, I didn’t expect any more problems to come my way. That expectation shattered the second something pressed against the bottom of my foot. I flipped midair and crashed onto my back.

  Spring Head was back for more. Just like last time, the coward had a hiding spot ready, but that didn’t stop me. Slamming the backs of my hands against the roof, I launched myself upward and landed perfectly. Everyone’s vision needed to be obscured, including mine. So I scraped my knuckles against the rooftop’s surface, kicking up a thick smokescreen.

  He needed sight to hit me with those springs, but I couldn’t see him either. And that was fine. All I had to do was wait. Seconds passed. A section of the dust somehow bounced to the left. After I added to the smoke, another round of waiting occurred.

  Then, another section went up, and another nearly hit me in the face. A realization came to me as I crouched down. Spring Head was using his ability at random, meaning my earlier theory was correct. However, that didn’t erase the possibility of the springs coming in contact with me.

  Good.

  The black scales on me snapped open, hovering around me as my green body underneath revealed itself. A spring touched my back, it was quickly absorbed. With each spring, I became more and more replenished.

  “Orange! Stop using your springs,” Shark Tattoo shouted, the smokescreen clearing to reveal her worried expression.

  “It’s too late!” I roared, flying after her with a fist full of energy.

  Someone was faster, slamming into my hip with a knee before the final blow could be delivered. Right before I was sent flying back into the air, I saw who did it. That prick Spring Head. The coward finally grew a set of balls and put on a pretty good serious face.

  I was able to catch myself with my rocket feet before going too far. “Now that was a good attack! I could feel the emotion behind it.”

  Spring Head rubbed his neck and sighed. “This is such a drag.” Considering his lazy expression and horrible posture, he clearly didn’t want to be here. “Sharketa, why’d you have to almost die like that? Do my eyes not say ‘I’m tired’ enough for you?”

  “I’m trying to save our asses here, dude,” she replied, wrapping her arm around her neck. “With me out here, you were going to be safe, ya idiot.”

  “The most tiring thing in the world is protecting other people as if they’re your own body. So I’d very much appreciate it if you didn’t make me do that.”

  “Well, aren’t you two a cute couple,” I cut in, folding my arms. “It seems you fight at your fullest when she’s in danger, so I’m gonna give you a challenge. If neither one of you is unable to land a single hit on me, then I will kill her.”

  Just as I expected, Spring Head added some life to that lackadaisical look of his. These humans still had more fuel in the tank, and I planned on getting every last drop.

  I raised my fists. “After all, she is important to you, isn't she?”