Author: Dan Rogers | Banner: Andrew Sudomerski

The sun was high above Solgell Island. The skies were clear. The isle’s native flora was in bloom. It would have been one of the most picturesque days in this island’s history were it not for the horrible pained screeches that could be heard from all across the island.

Toward the center of the island, a Kamacarus had wandered too close toward the valley of Kumonga and now found itself entangled in the arachnid’s webbing. It called desperately to any member of its kind for assistance. It was shrieking for what felt like hours, yet its calls went unheeded. The eight-legged behemoth slowly crawled over to its victim. The mantis desperately attempted to break free of the webbing, clawing at the ground and fluttering its wings, but only found itself further entrenched. The predator was upon it now. It let out one final screech, as it felt something puncture its body. The mantis felt its limbs stiffen and lock into place, as its energy slowly drained from its body. It slumped on its side, as its bright orange eyes dimmed.

Once the arachnid was sure that its prey was paralyzed, it began clearing some of the excess webbing so that it may get closer to its prey. The spider positioned itself atop its victim, and began spraying webbing upon it, gently rotating the frozen insect with its legs. Before too long, the mantis was encased in a web cocoon, perfectly preserved for the next time Kumonga hungered. The spider left its perch atop its food, and began crawling back to the center of its valley, so that it may lie in wait for the next unfortunate creature that wandered too close to its nest.

A low rumble made the spider stop in its tracks. It slowly turned toward the noise. The earth began to rip and a mound of dirt began to rise from the opening. The spider was no stranger to battling burrowing creatures, so this would not be a challenge. If anything, this monster would simply serve as another meal. Kumonga backed away, taking a strategic position atop a rock, ready to fire web at its subterranean opponent as soon as it breached back onto land.

To the spider’s surprise, it was not met with a large beetle or fire-breathing reptile, but with hundreds of scorpions. They were roughly a tenth of the spider’s size. They were hardly a meal. As they didn’t seem to be paying much attention to the spider, Kumonga did not feel the need to chase them off. It stayed atop its perch, studying these unfamiliar creatures that had wandered into its valley. They were a blue-ish black, with red accents adorning the center of their bodies. They seemed to be wandering around aimlessly, manically scurrying across the ground. Kumonga wondered what could have compelled these creatures to approach its home.

The spider’s question was answered almost immediately, as one of the scorpions found its way over to the cocooned Kamacuras. The small scorpion turned around and called for its brethren, who all began to skitter over. Once they had all reached the petrified mantis, they began attempting to move its body toward the mound of dirt they had emerged from. Kumonga realized that it must have been its prey’s cries that brought these scavengers to its home.

And now, they were stealing its meal.

Kumonga fired a web into the air, the sound causing the small thieves to drop its food. They scattered, running in all separate directions. The brown and yellow arachnid jumped into the air, landing atop its food. It lifted its leg and repeatedly slammed it against the ground, crushing its foes. The spider must have crushed twenty before they regained composure and all started to head back toward the mound of dirt they had emerged from. Kumonga would not let them get away that easily though. It knew it could not kill all of them, but it could ensure that they would learn to never approach its home again.

The spider leaped off of its food and began approaching the disrupted earth, making sure to step on as many scorpions as it could. Once Kumonga had reached the mound of dirt, it began repeatedly stabbing its leg inside of it, attempting to further frighten the intruders off. Suddenly, the spider felt a shock of pain as something clamped onto its leg. It felt its body leave the ground, as a giant claw burst from the pile of earth. The claw released hold on Kumonga’s leg, sending the spider soaring through the air. The spider let out a fearful screech, before landing on its back. Kumonga was dazed, but had the presence of mind to flip back over to view its attacker.

The mound of dirt began to shake, slowly revealing a larger scorpion. It had the same appearance as its smaller kin, a blueish-black with red accents covering the center of its body. It snapped its claws and let out an enraged shriek. Kumonga, still reeling from the throw, roared in response.

The scorpion quickly skittered toward its opponent. Kumonga realized that its opponent was much faster, and this would be a battle that would have to be done from afar. The spider leaped backward, creating a much larger distance between the two. The clawed creature, unwavered, continued its approach. The brown and yellow arachnid fired a blast of web, which covered the scorpion’s body, stopping its approach.

Kumonga cautiously approached its webbed opponent. Normally, the spider would be certain that this would be the end of the battle, but this creature was unfamiliar. This had to be handled carefully. Once the spider stepped a little more closely, the scorpion fired a strange brown liquid from its tail. The spider jumped backward, but some of the liquid splashed onto its front left leg. Kumonga’s skin began to sizzle, as it roared in pain. It desperately began rubbing its leg into the dirt, trying to find some relief from the pain. Unfortunately, it did not notice that its web began disintegrating.

In a blink of an eye, the scorpion was upon Kumonga. Its claw clamped down on the left side of the spider’s body, holding it in place. The spider let out another wail of pain. With its free claw, the scorpion began repeatedly hitting the face of its opponent. Kumonga’s vision began to blur from the flurry of blows. The scorpion opened its claw it had been pummeling the spider with, ready to snap it down on its opponent’s head.

The spider’s vision began to return, only to watch helplessly as its fate rushed to meet it. With its last burst of strength, it shot web at the claw, forcing it shut. The scorpion let out a grumble as it attempted to reopen its grip, but the spider’s webs would not budge. It released the left side of Kumonga’s body as it took its other claw in an attempt to peel off the webbing.

The spider, taking full advantage of the scorpion’s frustration, fired another blast of web, causing both its claws to stick together. Its stingered-opponent let out another grumble, as it attempted to pry its claws apart. It slammed them repeatedly on the ground, but Kumonga’s webs would not give way. The spider regained its footing, and began to approach its struggling opponent. It fired more webbing at its opponent’s legs to prevent it from escaping.

It was a hard fought battle, but it appeared as Kumonga was the victor. While the scorpion could still fire its acid at the spider, it would merely delay the inevitable. The spider stared hungrily at its opponent. The spider felt pride in defending its home from this invasive species. It clicked its jaws in preparation. Kumonga proved itself to be the dominant force on Sollgell Island, and that’s the way it would always-

Kumonga felt something pierce its abdomen, and suddenly rip back out. The spider turned away and began to stumble, slowly losing control of its legs. Kumonga had been too busy considering its stomach to notice that its opponent’s tail was still free. The scorpion lifted its tail and sprayed the brown liquid onto its claws, causing the webbing to melt away. It did the same to its legs, freeing itself from its opponent’s trap. It let out a triumphant roar.

The spider turned to face it, but it just could keep its footing. Its body crashed to the ground. As it watched its opponent slowly approach it, it could see its kin slowly begin climbing out of the dirt mound they had escaped into. Kumonga felt its limbs stiffen and lock into place, as its energy slowly drained from its body. It slumped on its side, as its bright blue eyes dimmed.

Now, Kumonga would be the meal.

Winner: Ts-eh-GO

Authors: Vincent Rodger & Matthew Freese | Banner: Landon Soto

-Hiroshima, 1964-

Dr. Bowen and his colleague Dr. Togami had been studying the leftover scales of Godzilla from his battle with Mothra, trying to find out how Godzilla’s unique radiation worked. With that knowledge, they could learn more about his biology. So little was known about the mutant, that any knowledge would be a breakthrough in the scientific community, for Godzilla was an anomaly to life itself. His unique mutation granted him a regeneration ability and his famous “Atomic Breath.” (more…)

Author: Andrew Sudomerski | Banner: Matthew Freese

Torrential rainfall pounded against the ruthless waves, churning riptides in their wake. In this place, there was no light, for a perpetual storm raged across the endless sky. Blotted darkness cast its shadow, reaching to the great horizon. Erratic lightning struck the violent ocean, acting as the only illuminating source in this treacherous void no sane man would travel.

Howling winds shrieked at an untapped volume, a deafening wail no mortal earth-dweller could hear. Yet in spite of the fearsome gale, an ethereal light brimmed in the depths of the storm. Alluring blue hues gestated above the vast ocean, warping the space around it. It tore apart at the seams, revealing an infinite pool of unstable reality. Contrasting the crimson hued bolts emitted from the storm clouds, the portal ripped apart with sky blue electricity and emanated its own artificial cloud. Pulsating with jubilation, a wrathful beast was soon to emerge.

Swooping in from the other side of the wormhole, a ferocious wyvern spread its wings out in the presence of the raging wind. Turbulence proved to be cumbersome for the dragon, but its skill and maneuverability could perform optimally in such harsh conditions. Several flaps of its mighty wings fought against the grazing wind, traversing the expansive skies. The wyvern’s natural senses guided it through this unfamiliar territory, following the swirling path of the clouds. Destructive hurricanes such as these held a natural-born pattern, one that required a skilled eye to notice. Using this, the wretched serpent navitaged onward.

As it presumed, the raging storm died down the closer it approached the brimming veil. Certainly, the sun had longed since dipped behind the horizon, for the sheet of light was illuminated by the rays of moonlight. When the vicious dragon tore through the layer of rainfall, what it found was nothing short of a beauty that remained undefiled by foreigners. The winged serpent slowed to a steady flight, basking in the sight of the arcane island.

Moonlight shone upon the natural beauty of Skull Island, with jutting rock formations, steep mountains, and canyons alike. The shining gleam from the foliage rustled with the nocturnal animals that roamed the night, yet it remained relatively undisturbed. Above the highest peaks, glistening lights of wonder descended from the skies, teeming with a spiritual presence. The aurora borealis gave the island an alien green hue, further complimenting its majesty.

Primal slits locked onto a vaguely familiar shape that caught its attention. A village, and at its heart a smoldering fire from a ritual long passed, which led to the sight of an axe. The spiked blade was embedded into the ground, the calcified hilt reaching for the sky. The select few natives stood in prayerful silence as the rest slept comfortably for the day to come.

At the perimeter stood an erect wall of protruding spikes, soaked in bloodied ichor. In the darkness of the night, lizard-like goblins rammed their lithe bodies against the wooden pikes, all in the vain attempt to satisfy their hypervoristic appetites. What a disgusting view.

Furrowing its brow, the draconic beast’s maw fermented an orange blaze…

—

Aloft on the highest peak that towered over the rest of the island, Kong gazed at the starry display. He had long since outgrown this peak, becoming too large to sit comfortably to observe its otherworldly beauty. This was his first hike in many years, simply revisiting to reconnect with the far heavens. He reached his large, furry hand to the sky, trying to grasp the stars themselves. It felt within reach, yet it remained so distant all the same…

His sage eyes, carrying an ancestral wisdom passed down through the generations, gleamed at the sight of the sleeping village. They were his people, the only thing on this island he needed to protect, an oath he must fulfill. For what would be left if they perished? He had lost his parents in battle, a jaded memory that stung like a wasp. He refused to lose more of his family, no matter the cost.

He tracked to the outermost walls of the Iwi village, noticing the voracious scavengers trying to pry the wall apart. While their efforts were ultimately futile, he did not take kindly to their presence. An embedded hatred from millennia of war and conflict between the Kongs and the Skullcrawlers. A seething growl escaped his lips. Then almost as if by divine punishment or happenstance, a trailing cluster of compacted fire soared directly at the foul cretins–but at a grave cost.

An eruption of blazing flames unfurled at the point of impact, rising to the air like a fiery mushroom cloud. The Skullcrawlers caught in the blast were incinerated without a moment to spare; those caught in proximity were blown to bits, scattering their limbs and bony armor all over. Likewise, the once fortified gate had been demolished by the fierce burst of fire, leaving the Iwi village completely exposed.

It didn’t take long for the mythic beast to notice the perpetrator, following the approximate trail of where the fireball had originated. Sailing the nighttime sky, a fearsome winged wyvern entered Kong’s sight. Adorned with sharp ridges that protruded from its body, the wicked beast soared the skies as its domain. The membranes that stretched across its wings were dressed in distinct patterns, an intimidation display for those who saw them. Attached to its theropodic frame, the wyvern beat its massive wings, circling around the scorched earth below.

Kong grimaced at the danger his people were in. Rising to his thick, stocky legs, the mighty guardian king scampered down the mountainside, opting to take the quickest route to the endangered natives. Much to his bewilderment, he witnessed the fire dragon descend upon the wreckage–snapping at the lesser Skullcrawlers and shredding them apart with its razor fangs. However, the gaggle of skull-faced cretins marched into the former safe haven, seeking to consume all in their path.

As he came to the mountain’s base, Kong pushed his large body into a gargantuan sprint. Heavy rumbling was felt throughout the island, disturbing the native fauna from their humble slumber. The mighty Kong aimed for the village, seeking to protect those retreating from the stampede of lizard-like fiends. Gushing a booming roar, Kong let his presence be known.

Coming to a gradual halt, the monstrous man-beast skidded to a stop, acting as the sole blockade between the Iwi and the voracious goblins. Bringing his massive foot up, Kong stomped on an entire troupe of Skullcrawlers, splattering under his heel. The earth shook under his godly retribution, a stark reminder of his integral role on the island.

Fearing the wrath of Kong, the Skullcrawlers diverted their gluttony from the pesky humans to the great god-beast. Clamping their serrated teeth, the flock of lizards tried to tear a piece of flesh off the mountainous primate. With a flick of his wrist, Kong swatted the diminutive reptiles like pests. The tremendous force of the giant’s hand shot the ravenous predators onto the swampy water, shattering their bones from the impact.

After picking off the freakish ghouls, his wrath stared at the dragon that initiated this insurgence. Beating his chest with his fists, Kong boomed a deep bellow, proclaiming his status to the enemy.

Kong, King of Skull Island!

Slurping another of the hypervores into its jaws, the wyvern locked eyes with the magnificent deity. Shrieking a hellish screech, the beastly dragon returned the favor, spreading its wings out in an impressive display.

Rathalos, King of the Skies!

Flapping its membranes, the Greater Rathalos leapt into the air and circled around, tracking the man-beast’s every movement. Kong likewise vexed his frustration with a grunt, ready to throw down with this colossal invader.

Fierce slits narrowed in on the beastial biped, flexing its talons. Compressing its wings, the vicious wyvern extended its claws in eager savagery, screaming as it dove toward the legendary titan. Raising his muscular arm in defense, Kong braced for the incoming strike, steeling his resolve. Like a bird of prey, Rathalos inevitably collided against the massive wall of shaggy fur and rough flesh, tearing its bladed talons into Kong’s musculature.

A booming cry resounded from the mighty guardian of Skull Island, feeling the gushing ichor pour from the gashes left by the wyvern’s talons. Blood splattered against the swampy waters as Kong clasped onto the winged serpent’s hind legs, engaging in a violent tussle. Twirling around, Kong swung the ruthless tyrant into a nearby cliff face, its head carving a trail in its wake.

Flapping ferociously, Rathalos tried to break free from the towering ape’s clutches, only instead to be overwhelmed by Kong’s brute strength. Heaving the squirming dragon over his shoulders, Kong slammed the vicious reptile into the odorous swamp, erupting in a splash of roaring tidal waves from the sheer impact.

Without giving the extradimensional invader a chance to retaliate, Kong swooped his mighty hands around Rathalos’ beaked jaws, prying them apart. Another round of talons slashed at Kong’s gut, while its powerful wings slapped against the gargantuan ape. Yet before the pivotal moment, a sudden surge of dizziness overcame the guardian beast. A light-headed ringing disrupted his concentration, losing his once firm grip over the crimson dragon.

Taking the chance, Rathalos slipped from Kong’s grasp, whacking the gorilla-beast in the face with its clubbed tail as it took to the skies. The hairy ape-man was thrown off his balance, sluggishly collapsing into a nearby mountainside. Erratic breath overtook the mighty king, trying to intake enough oxygen to remain conscious. Bringing his hand over to his wounded arm, he pressed against the gash with his pads. It stung, irritating the mighty ruler, but it was necessary. He held his blood-covered fingers to his face, struggling to focus on the abnormality present.

Using the moonlight above, Kong saw his blood was an abnormal color. Rather than the crimson ichor that would leak from injury, what stained his hand was intertwined with a deep purple. The sensation felt vaguely familiar, recalling his many spats against the Mother Longlegs that injected him with their bambooed spurs. In that moment, it clicked to what this was.

Poison.

Its potency was far more intense than that of a Mother Longlegs, however. This was evident as he struggled to rise to his feet, stumbling over himself to maintain balance. Even so, he couldn’t back down; not in the face of this invader from beyond the storm. Gritting his teeth, Kong pushed on, grabbing hold of a large boulder nearby. The side-effects from the dragon’s poison made it difficult to determine spatial distance, but Kong knew he had to try. Catapulting the boulder with a heaving throw, the large rock soared through the night sky.

Rathalos was quick to swerve out of the line of fire, allowing the boulder to harmlessly sail until it crashed onto the rocky shores of the island. Keen eyes observed as Kong readied another boulder, showing clear signs of fatigue. The beaked wyvern snorted, content with letting the poison do the rest of it. The more he fought, the more he would inevitably wear himself out. Then, he would be easy pickings.

Shifting trajectory to the highest peak the great ape came from, Rathalos perched atop the mighty cliffs that peered over the mountains of the island. Snake-like eyes glared at the mighty Kong, who in kind responded with immense vitality. Kong unleashed a warbling cry, beating his chest in a display of dominance. Rathalos likewise returned the favor, screeching with a howling blast of air, claiming supremacy in their fight.

Yet in their war cries, aside from disrupting the harmonious ecosystem with the swarms of the feathered and reptilian avians, sinister cackles responded in kind. The source came from neither Kong nor Rathalos, but instead the devils that dwelled beneath the island. Popping out of their dug holes like varmints, the Skullcrawlers emerged en masse, the hordes split between devouring Kong and ascending the heavenly mountain to confront the faux demon.

The King of the Skies boomed another hellacious roar, so loud and pronounced that it popped the auditory receptors of the Skullcrawlers closest to the fearsome dragon. But even the momentary delay of the horde didn’t stop the army of fiendish lizards from swarming the magnificent reptile. Gnawing at its crimson scales with their inward curved teeth, the Skullcrawlers tried to tear it piece by piece. Yet the hard scaly armor made it nigh impossible for them to pry it apart, only irritating the draconic beast at most.

An irked growl rumbled from its jaws, twisting around and trampling the insignificant pests. The lizard-like ghouls were splattered into paste under the dragon’s tremendous weight, smearing their mangled corpses along the rocky perch. A swing from the large barbed tail skewered the bone-faced cretins without remorse, leaving them shish kebabed against the bulbous tip.

Scissoring with its beaked snout, Rathalos plucked the ravenous hypervores off its body, crunching their miniscule frames between its bony fangs. Reptilian eyes kept a passive eye on the ancient primate, seeing him struggle with the pests all the same. Kong tore the pint-sized lizards with his massive fingers, crushing their bodies in the process. As Rathalos slayed the horde under its might, a booming roar from Kong caught its attention.

But it wasn’t what it expected.

In tandem with the bellow, the shadowy shape of a large boulder blotted out the glimmering moonlight. Rathalos grunted in frustration, realizing the ape’s tactile thinking and taking advantage of the situation. Nearly the size of the dragon’s head, the boulder slammed against its crest-like crown, smashing it against the nearby rockside. Emitting a guttural growl, Rathalos clumsily rose to its feet as the reptilian swarm continued their relentless siege.

With a vexing exhale, misty green gases slipped between the gaps of its teeth. Parting its mandibles, a sudden rush of incendiary smoke flowed from organic exhaust ports located in its lower jaw. The back of its throat illuminated with a fiery light, acting as the trigger to ignite its most lethal weapon. In a snap, the gases erupted into a stream of superheated flames, washing over its area of influence into a torching hellscape. Charred rock withstood the searing heat, though the gluttonous Skullcrawlers popped and melted into fleshy slag and stripped bone. With a clean sweep, the Greater Rathalos purged the mountainous cliffside of the pests–leaving only Kong and the residual Skullcrawlers on the slope to deal with.

Crushing one of the many devils under his heel, Kong’s attention was diverted to the mountaintop, focusing on the explosive burst of fire and the plum of pitch-black smoke that came from it. Anger flowed in Kong’s veins, his territory–his home–being defiled by this invasive hunter and his enemies. So when he saw the dragon peer down the mountainside, the two titans locked eyes.

The fearsome dragon screeched with malicious intent, brewing flaming heat in its maw. Flapping its gargantuan membranes, Rathalos lifted its massive form, several of the still-living Skullcrawlers falling onto the scorched mountaintop. Gliding from the peak, the crimson wyvern spewed an endless wave of sweltering heat upon the droves of ghoulish lizards. Their frail flesh blistered under its fiery wrath, and their calcified faceplate barely held under the torrent of fire. The mountain of the far heavens burned with a hellish light, tainting the sacred grounds and purging the devils that dared to climb its slope.

Snorting his building rage, Kong braced his bulky arms around his head, shielding it from the living hell that was inevitably due to arrive. As Rathalos flew overhead, hellfire accompanied the winged demon. Scalding fire washed over his thick fur and rugged skin, eliciting a godly scream from the indigenous deity. Though Kong fared far better than the diminutive devils, the blistering pain proved to be relentless and overwhelming for his poisoned state. With the stress coursing through his body, so too did the poison kick into high gear, forcing him to lose breath.

Even through the suffering, Kong persevered. As the inferno died out, the ape-beast kept himself supported by the nearby rock wall, trying to maintain consciousness. Glancing at the village, he found that the dragon had reduced even the nearby Skullcrawlers to cinders–incidentally saving the village in the process. Likewise, laid the scepter embedded in the heart of the settlement; his best chance at beating this monstrosity. However, before he could even move, Kong was suddenly pelted by successive bursts of coalesced flames, erupting into plumes of fire upon impact. A resounding scream echoed across the island as the guardian god succumbed to the wicked wrath of the Greater Rathalos.

The burning flames combined with the lethal poison was what finally brought him down. Losing consciousness, the mighty king slumped to the ground, crashing with a splash of swamp water. His eyes closed, unable to muster the strength to keep them open. Seeing this from above, Rathalos circled the fallen god, awaiting the moment of his death. The winged serpent cried a victorious shrill, its dominion almost guaranteed.

That was, until another roar emanated from deep within the island.

Rathalos recognized it without a shadow of a doubt. The screech originated from another member of its kind, indicative of extradimensional subspecies across different universes. However, this did not leave the lethal dragon with any semblance of joy; rather, a primitive territorial urge. No other Rathalos would claim this island as its own, and having taken down the apex predator, the wyvern would be sure to do the same with this intruder.

Swooping over the lush jungles, Rathalos unloaded a payload of condensed fire, setting the dense foliage ablaze. The native wildlife and florofauna scattered from their midnight sleep, fleeing for their feeble lives from the all-consuming flame. Yet the call continued to emanate a pained shriek from a distance, echoing from the heart of the island. Perhaps it had been injured by the native protector? Then disposing of it would be easier than anticipated.

Finding itself honing in on the source, the mighty dragon hovered a graveyard, littered with bones which told of an ancestry that had long since perished. Upon hearing the resonant cry of the lesser Rathalos, the wyvern scanned the surrounding skies for it… And found nothing. Snarling, the fire demon churned gaseous mist that ignited into a searing blaze. Pumping out one fireball after the other, the Greater Rathalos bombarded the valley of the fallen gods into a fiery hellscape–hoping to silence it once and for all.

Decayed bones shattered from the kinetic force, then reduced to charred stumps in the aftermath. The anguished souls cried out in misery as the land of the dead became defiled by torching flames. With the screeching silenced, Rathalos descended upon the burning landscape, hailing another screech of dominion. Frothing at the mouth with stewing flames, Rathalos reared up and unleashed a fiery display into the night sky, illuminating the darkness.

This island had been besieged by the King of the Skies!

A rumble caught its attention. Ceasing fire, the vicious wyvern peered at the ground below it, then it heard the noise; the cry of Rathalos buried beneath the ground… Then a sinkhole collapsed in on itself. Without giving the fire demon a chance, a bleach-colored skull emerged from the pits of hell, lunging straight for the dragon’s neck. The cry it emanated was one of Rathalos, yet its visage was anything but. The enlarged Skullcrawler clamped its curved teeth into the armored neck, applying as much pressure as it could.

More of the two-legged lizard’s body slipped out of the subterranean tunnels, firmly gripping Rathalos’ torso with its claws. The lithe tail coiled around the dragon’s legs, binding them together. The crimson wyvern tried to take flight, but he added weight brought the magnificent reptile down, restrained by a ghoul that the Iwi natives refused to speak its name:

Ramarak, the Devil of the Underworld.

Left to the vile mercy of the underground monster, Rathalos squirmed under the giant Skullcrawler’s clutches, losing precious oxygen and strength in the process. Its winged claws battered the hypervore, yet no gash deep enough could pry the devil off it. Time was a wasting; the beauty of the moon veiled by torrent clouds of despair. Trickles of water evaporated against the scorched earth, followed by more in the process. If the dragon didn’t act fast, death would certainly come for it.

Running low on options, Rathalos’ maw began to glow…

Rain poured from the rolling storm, the dark heavens filled with illustrious red lightning. Exhausted eyes peeled open, stirring from his bout with unconsciousness. He twitched his fingers, numb from the poison that spread throughout his body. He could barely feel the rainfall bounce against his skin. Once blood circulated back into his arms, the mighty titan heaved his colossal mass until he oriented himself in a sitting position.

Taking in and exhaling deep breaths, Kong oxygenated his blood to maintain consciousness. He brought his hand up to his forehead and rubbed against it, relaxing his overloaded nerves. After a time, he regained the strength needed to stand on his feet, cascading swamp water and raindrops rolling off his furry form.

Peering over to the village, Kong sloshed through the rippling swamp before entering the riverside, crushing the corpses of Skullcrawlers on his way. At the heart laid an ancestral weapon, one forged in the midst of countless wars amongst titans, acquired during his escapades beneath Skull Island, where the devils resided. However, he saw miniscule movement out the corner of his eyes, and from the foliage came the Iwi tribe. In solemn prayer, they remained drenched in silence. In that moment, Kong felt the hope of his people and their belief in him.

Kong nodded in understanding, then reached down and grabbed the calcified hilt. The residual radioactive stimulated the Royal Axe upon contact, which was revived in a reddish glow from the handle before the embedded spike illuminated a bright blue. Pulling the weapon out of its earthy altar, Kong did not proclaim a challenge; rather, he sluggishly moved in stride to where the demons of the sky and earth were fighting, hoping to fulfill the wishes of his people.

Ushering a guttural cry, Rathalos exhaled a ferocious burst of searing flame in desperate hopes of freeing itself. Washing over the gluttonous dweller, Ramarak’s skin blistered and popped from the sweltering heat, forcing the deranged reptile to uncoil and release its hold. Scampering away with fumbled footsteps, the fiendish lizard scowled at the burning wrath of the flying wyvern. Tortuous and unbearable, the enlarged Skullcrawler cut through the flames with its serrated tail, thwacking the angular jaw of the Greater Rathalos with a bone-cracking smash.

A freakish yell echoed from the skull-fiend’s throat, immediately sprinting into a stumbling charge. The rain stung its melted skin, but the disgusting fiend pushed on. Grunting from the sudden whiplash, the crimson wyvern heralded a rage-fueled scream, spreading its powerful wings out in an intimidation display. Standing its ground, Rathalos baited its enemy, waiting for the gap to be closed. In eager anticipation, Ramarak shrieked in gluttonous delight. But before it could once again attempt to pry the carmine armor, a swift and sudden twirl had the Rathalos’ barbed tail clobber the ravenous predator, throwing the fiend off-balance and near the outskirts of the boneyard.

Slamming its serrated tail to regain equilibrium, the massive Skullcrawler quickly tried to reorient itself, but the winged enemy would give no such time. Rathalos charged headfirst into the lizard’s side, pushing it farther inland and grinding foliage in their path. Splintered trees crunched under their tremendous weight, their bark embedding into the crack of their armor or the outermost layer of flesh. Yet this did little to deter either monster, who only sought to conquer the other for dominion over the island.

Ramarak paused, suppressing its urge to feed. This creature wasn’t going to be mere prey; rather, a fellow apex beast able to compete with its might. Focusing its eyes on the prize, the deranged lizard opened a mocking cry to the crimson wyvern, awaiting what it would do next. Almost as if following through with that taunt, Rathalos charged and heaved its body into the air with powerful flaps, but kept low to the ground. Outstretching its talons, the flying wyvern sought to rip the skull devil’s face clean off–its intentions made clear with a shrilling warcry.

Poison-dripping claws bare and outstretched, the transdimensional dragon swooped over the grounded Skullcrawler, digging its claws into the bony faceplate in an overpass. Deep grooves embedded into the calcified armor, trickling with purple ooze over the vacant false eyes. Though such a fierce strike was unable to inject the toxins into the voracious ghoul’s bloodstream, the subterranean reptile could feel the strength behind its talons. This foe was nothing short of dangerous.

Yet the instinct to kill it was all the more enticing to the devil of the underground.

Bursting into an immediate sprint, Ramarak pursued the airborne dragon, the latter who was making a gradual ascent. Parting its cone-like jaws, the Skullcrawler shot a lithe tongue from its fleshy sheathe and wrapped it around the base of the spiked-tipped bulge on the dragon’s tail. Anchoring itself to the ground by slamming its tail and burrowing its claws, Ramarak readied itself to use all the strength as its disposal.

In an instant, the fleshy tether halted the winged dragon’s flight path, coming to an abrupt stop. Trying to keep orientation in the sky, the Greater Rathalos flapped its mighty wings to maintain airlift, feeling the weight of its foe being dragged with it. The two great beasts vied for supremacy and entered a temporary gridlock in a conflict between land and sky.

Before Rathalos could regain full control, a rumbling that overpowered the drowning rain caught both of their attention.

The fire demon quickly located the source, and was immediately both infuriated and confounded by the sight before it. Rushing to battle, with a bluish bioluminescent axe acting as the sole light source, the large figure used a small ledge as a springboard. Soaring through the air, the bipedal ape brought the glowing axe up, screaming in furious determination.

Then bringing it down, Kong cleaved through the membrane of the dragon’s right wing, shredding it apart with an atomic afterglow.

Rathalos struggled to stay afloat, yet nothing it could do to remain airborne as it made a gradual descent until it crashed into the dense jungle below. Ramarak was quick to uncoil and retract its long tongue, peering at the sight of its ancient arch nemesis. Crashing with a tremendous explosive impact, Kong clumsily landed onto his legs, taking a moment to regain his breath. Rising to his feet, his fearsome eyes scanned the ravenous lizard and the wicked dragon, clenching the battle axe.

The sleek reptilian shifted eyes from the fallen dragon to the weakened god, astutely noting Kong’s exhaustion from his bout with the invader; a toll that would cost the apex guardian his life. Shifting gears, the devil of the underground maliciously bolted for the weary king, eager to consume the carcass that awaited after the fight.

Firmly anchoring his feet into the wet earth and spreading them apart, Kong readied his weapon. Swinging in a lateral chop, the azure hue blurred as the blade nicked the narrow snout, chipping bony fragments. Though this did not stop the relentless killer, who sought to use the opening before it to pounce against the large figure of Kong, toppling the hairy giant onto his back. The only barrier that kept the ravenous ghoul at bay was the bony handle pressed against the fiend’s neck. Slobbering jaws snapped shut directly at Kong’s face, resisting the vile demon with waning strength.

However, when push came to shove, the gluttonous appetite of the Skullcrawler proved to be too much. In an effort to protect his face, Kong released his grip on the handle and blocked it with his scarred arm, allowing Ramarak to clamp onto the wounded limb. The seminal reminder stung with a burning sensation, as the poisoned blood dribbled into the maw of the wicked lizard. Kong felt the pressure, screaming in agony as the bite pressed against his firm muscles.

Then off in the distance, Kong saw a hellish light soaring right for them.

A massive fireball collided against the scrawny hypervore, tossing it off with an explosive blast that dispelled the rain. The result forced the skull devil to release its grip, lacerating Kong’s arm in the process with its curved teeth. Using his strength, Kong propped himself up and traced the source, finding Rathalos in the distance. The crimson wyvern’s yellow eyes gleamed from afar, screeching in utmost fury as droplets pelted its draconic form. Slamming the claws of its damaged wing against the earth, the Greater Rathalos vexed its frustration as its mouth glowed with an orange blaze.

Pelting one after the other, the winged wyvern belched a burst of superheated spheres at the apex guardian, who could only react by blocking the incoming blasts with his arms and axe. The first came with an explosive ring, charring the calcified handle and the ape-beast’s thick fur. In the brilliant flash, Kong sealed his eyes shut as he endured the scorching blaze of Rathalos’ wrath.

The second came as quickly as the first, hurling into the great behemoth at astounding speed. A monstrous, booming cry resounded from the beastly deity, one heard across the island. This triggered an awakening within the battle axe under Kong’s possession, an ethereal blue glow emanated a brilliant light, almost as if responding to his will. Taken aback by the events that transpired, Rathalos shot one more burst of fire to see if its suspicions were correct.

Realizing the onslaught had ceased, he took the brief moment of levity to observe the battleaxe’s newfound power. With an assured grunt, the mighty king rose to his feet, regaining his breath. Instead of pulverizing the man-beast in a flurry of searing fire, the entire sphere was instead annihilated by a swing of the atomic axe. Resulting, in turn, was a sight nothing short of majestic; a rigid cleaver that trailed with the eccentric trail of an ancient lifeforce, with the core of the Royal Axe brightening like that of a blue sun.

No matter the case, no matter the cost, the fearsome scream of the Greater Rathalos made its fury known. Lowering itself to the ground, the fire-breathing wyvern made a mad-dash toward the colossal primate, rapidly closing the gap between them. Baring its vicious fangs in a sneer, the bellicose dragon howled in fierce contempt.

Responding in kind, Kong charged into a heavy sprint, armed with his enhanced weapon. Meeting head-on in their stampedes, Kong readied to bring his axe down, but Rathalos was quicker to the draw. With a hasty twirl, the clubbed tail swooped at the behemoth’s feet, toppling the island god mid-swing. A resounding thud echoed across the trampled tropical forest, with Kong on his side. Willing to take the risk, Rathalos used this chance to lunge toward the fallen beast and tore into his furry hide with its beaked maw. An agonizing bellow emanated from the god-king, who retaliated with a slash from his charged battleaxe.

The dorsal ridges found themselves embedded into the scaly hide of the crimson dragon, instantaneously crackling from the tremendous overcharged force of atomic energies. Sweltering and expanding in an instant, the explosive blowback threw the gargantuan wyvern off the mighty king, left with a massive crater in its side. A thunderous yelp made it clear of the Rathalos’ dire situation as it mercilessly rolled and flipped over, crushing all the foliage in its path. When it came to a skidding stop, the ferocious dragon weakly got back on its legs, disoriented from the blast that occurred. Not only did it hurt to move, the great dragon could also feel its armor rattle as if it had been fractured. Even in its damaged state, Rathalos would push on; and wouldn’t stop until it claimed superiority over these apex predators.

Kong was likewise in a similar predicament. While the burst was more than enough to toss the Rathalos off him, the encompassing explosion left his head ringing and his fur singed. He also felt the axe missing from his hands, only noticing it out of arm’s reach. The Royal Axe no longer glowed with the majesty it held, drained of the power it needed to sustain function. His numbed body made it hard to move, but he tried to crawl to where his weapon laid.

Then, a pair of claws pressed against his weakened form.

One against his elbow joint and the other on his head, Ramarak asserted its dominance over the downed guardian. Though it desired to kill Kong, the enlarged Skullcrawler instead crawled over his body and smacked Kong’s face with its serrated tail. Ramarak eyed the legendary scepter with a sickening curiosity, knowing full well what it intended to do. Its flexible and lithe tail coiled around the calcified hilt, clenching it tightly. Though awkwardly imbalanced, the Skullcrawler wielded the battleaxe as its own, the dorsal blade only emitting a faint glow. With a sadistic sneer, the ghoulish lizard cried out in mockery.

Kong would suffer dearly.

The great ape’s eyes widened at the horrific sight before him, panicking and screaming at his nerves to move. Pushing his mass to the side, the legendary ape rolled just in the nick of time–with the atomic cleaver scraping a small chunk of flesh and hair. Kong winced at the pain, but he knew stopping would certainly be a death sentence. For every time he pushed, he would barely avoid another handle strike from the axe-wielding Skullcrawler as it dug into the wet earth. All this came to a close when Kong found himself pressed against a massive cliff face, leaving him nowhere to move.

A cackling cry of pleasure, Ramarak raised its tail above its body–eager to execute the heraclean behemoth once and for all! It emitted a deep laughter, one reminiscent to that of a Kong’s vocal patterns. A mocking taunt to the fallen king, for his title would be usurped!

Kong watched on, falling into a pit of despair. He had failed his people, defending his home from wretched devils that came to defile it… Yet, in a stroke of fate, the mammoth reptile froze in place. Stomach-retching gurgles foamed from the depths of the demon’s disgusting throat, upchucking bile from partially digested meals. The tail fell limp, losing its grip as the axe handle slammed into the mushy ground. Its equilibrium was thrown in disarray, barely able to keep itself planted on its two forelimbs.

Not wasting this second chance at life, Kong heaved himself off the ground, keeping a firm posture as to remain imposing. Yet before he could dive in to retrieve the battleaxe, a piercing scream closed in on the two. Kong saw the limping Rathalos barrel through the wreckage, the fierce determination in its eyes. The winged creature leapt atop the vulnerable Skullcrawler, pinning the wobbling fiend under its weight.

When Kong tried to move, without even looking, Rathalos retaliated with a swing of its barbed tail, smacking him directly in the ribs, hurling the giant to the ground. Overtaken by the poison and exhaustion, Kong collapsed under his weight, barely holding onto consciousness. However, seizing the opportunity, he clutched the hilt of the axe and limped away–hoping the wyvern wouldn’t take heed.

The subterranean devil squirmed at the mercy of the vicious wyvern, whose talons were pumping toxins into the malnourished flesh of the gluttonous reptile. Adding insult to injury, the sharp jaws scissored into the shoulder joint of the predator’s right arm, tearing at the frail flesh. Even when encountering bone, the strong jaws were enough to crush it with ease, and continued until the entire limb was severed from the body.

Time passed as the tyrannical dragon tortured the horrid pest. Then, with wings spread out, the Greater Rathalos proclaimed to this world’s heavens, awaiting the deaths of the island’s apex predators. Then, the gases flowed from the organic exhausts, the back of its throat glowing in an orange blaze…

The rainfall drowned out the dying shrieks of Ramarak and the heavy footfalls that sloshed through the mud. With the demonic dragon occupied with the deep-dwelling devil, the colossal beast used this chance to refuel his ancient weapon with a nearby source. The axe flickered a dim light when he closed in on the charred boneyard, more specifically the massive entranceway excavated by the large Skullcrawler.

Muzzling the axe into the edge of the complex catacombs, the dorsal ridge began emanating a glow, soaking in the radioactive presence that laid beneath the island. As it recharged, Kong sagged in the heart of the boneyard, feeling only the hardened glass from the immense heat and the ashen bones. Water drenched his singed fur, the island god feeling uncertain how long it would be before the dragon would track him down.

However, his exhausted eyes saw the remnants of his fallen forefathers–blackened and shattered from Rathalos’ rampage. A sting unlike any other irked the mighty god-king; not from the poison that flowed through his veins, but the fury that raged in his heart. Seeing his parents desecrated long after their deaths awakened the traumatic memory of their dying moments. A child mourning the loss of his family amidst an ever growing conflict; a child isolated to be the lone ruler of a forsaken island, where God didn’t finish creation. He was left time to mourn, patching the torn scars from the past.

When he finished processing, he saw that the axe was at ready capacity to carry on the fight. Pulling it out of the ledge, Kong trudged to where the Rathalos had been, provided it was still there…

The beast indulged in the cretin’s misery, but never once did it let its guard down. Its mouth brimmed with immense heat, but the target wasn’t intended for the poisoned devil. Turning around, Rathalos unloaded a hellish blaze that streamed from the back of its maw. Confirming its suspicions, the large frame of Kong was illuminated by the fiery fumes that rushed to consume the primal nephilim. Baptized by hellfire, Kong’s bellowing screams resounded across the island, the relentless onslaught ongoing. However, the searing flames were parted at a single point, splitting like a fork in a river against the radioactive axe.

Sluggishly charging in for one last hurrah, Kong boomed a mighty roar as he marched on, readying his weapon. Seeing its combustible flames shredded by the ancient axe, Rathalos could only watch in predestined horror its final moments. As the atomic source began to overcharge once more, Kong swung it down directly at the dragon’s head.

Then, a massive burst of fiery destruction overtook the landscape.

Consumed in a growing mushroom cloud, the island fell silent. In the midst of the carnage, a limping Ramarak–carrying itself with only one functional arm–wheezed and fumbled toward the first corpse it could find. Its flesh was scarred with nasty boils, yet its demented mind lived on. Flickering its tongue, it found the slumped body of the crimson wyvern that had invaded the island. The headless stump was all that remained, its body busted and armor shattered from the aftermath. However, what the creature couldn’t find was its arch nemesis.

Suddenly, Ramarak received an answer–with an unceremonious hack into its neck.

It felt the intense heat steam off the dorsal ridge, but that was all it could register before its perceived world was turned upside down. For the last twenty seconds of its existence, it saw its headless body spastically twitch and contort as it violently keeled over. Its eyes intensely focused on the bipedal hominid, registering only hunger and hatred… And finally, Ramarak was consumed by a darkness unfamiliar to it, one unlike the dark subterranean tunnels to the Hollow Earth.

Succumbing to the poison corroding his bloodstream, Kong limply staggered back to where the Iwi village resided, in hopes that they could cure him of these ailments. Taking one last glance upon the burned and ruined battlefield, he saw something in the distance. The storm warped unnaturally, with unstable tears in reality that struggled to sustain form. He grimaced, but proclaimed one thing to the threat that was soon to come with a booming bellow.

He was King Kong.

Winner: Kong (Legendary)

Authors: Matthew Freese | Banner: Matthew Freese

Humankind was terrified. Just recently, they had discovered that they were no longer on top of the food chain. The whole world witnessed the aftermath of a clash between titans, unable to see the actual battle due to the EMP waves output by the two fallen giants. They saw an absolute behemoth dip into the waters, its size making all other known animals look puny in comparison. But that wasn’t all. Leaks were released onto the internet, revealing a whole island filled with megafauna, ruled over by a bipedal ape almost as tall as Godzilla. Humanity’s greatest minds raced to figure out how to deal with the situation, how to calm the people down.

Any plans they had were dashed to pieces when flying saucers descended, capturing the two in tractor beams and pulling them away to unknown places. There were expectations of broadcasts being taken over and replaced with a declaration of invasion. But none came, leaving humanity in the dark as to the fate of the titans. To many, this silence was almost worse than the alternative.

But the aliens who had stolen Earth’s champions had not come to invade, not yet at least. Perhaps soon in the future, but they had other plans for now.

The Vortaak mothership was a colossal vessel, a black and green saucer large enough to hold an entire city within its walls. Streamlined buildings filled the interior of the ship, jutting up in perfect uniformity, some ending with pointed tops. It accommodated the millions of inhabitants upon it well as it sailed toward whatever planets its masters deemed fit to conquer. There was only one major setback it encountered, boredom. The same scenery every day with barely any change was almost oppressive. So, the rulers of the intergalactic conquerors saw fit to put up entertainment to keep the masses from plunging into ennui-induced chaos.

And what else would entertain a war-obsessed culture than blood sport?

Grand crowds gathered near the center of the city, surrounding a circular zone with no buildings aside from several evenly distributed across the edges of the space. Thin pillars supported blocky dishes with arrays of lights within. These controlled the force field surrounding the arena, ensuring that the battle would not spill out into the crowd.

Displays explaining the two combatants were scattered across the crowd’s gathering area. This fed into the fervor of the event, igniting many arguments throughout the masses about who would win between the two kings.

“Kong is a thinking animal, doesn’t matter what fancy crap Godzilla’s got!”

“One atomic breath and the ape’s dead!”

“Better reach, better upper body strength, better strategy!”

“Kong’s gonna get torn apart. Godzilla’s got claws, and armor that Kong can’t break!”

“Wrong!”

“No, you’re wrong!”

The endless bickering of the crowd revealed their long-withheld desire for conflict, spilling forth in an earsplitting echo of pent-up aggression. These conversations only made things more annoying for those few who wished to just see the fight, uncaring of who stood victorious at the end. Then all took notice as one of royal blood made herself known as speakers buzzed with life.

“My loyal subjects,” intoned the feminine voice of Vorticia, the queen of the pale skinned aliens. “It is time for the show!”

A beam of light shone down from the ceiling of the mothership, transporting in the first combatant. “Feast your eyes upon Godzilla, the alpha predator of the primitive planet Earth!”

Cheers and jeers echoed at the sight of the scaly colossus. He looked around, his tail dragging across the steel as he tried to understand what was happening. The leviathan shook his head, confused. One moment he had been sleeping peacefully in the ocean, the next he was in this strange, cold place.

“And his foe, the ruler of Skull Island, Kong!”

Another beam of light descended opposite Godzilla, making him stumble back, eyes widening. A gigantic, bipedal ape was there when the glow faded, looking just as confused as his “foe”.

Kong jolted his head from side to side, scratching his head with his long, fur coated right arm. Where was he? This wasn’t his beautiful home! Where were his people?

The giants kept their distance, scanning the area as they slowly began to walk around the arena. Murmurs filled the crowd, some yells rising. “Well, it appears as if our combatants aren’t in the mood to fight.” Both titans were startled by the voice, frantically searching for the source as it had come from all directions. “It appears as if they’ll need some motivation,” Vorticia added with a sinister tone to her voice.

The gloved finger of the queen pressed down on a button on the panel before her, which lit up with a harsh green.

Suddenly, the two tensed up, locking eyes with each other. Kong started pounding his chest, roaring in intimidation. Godzilla sucked in air, rearing back before leaning forward and letting loose a powerful bellow which made many of the Vortaak cover their ears. They charged, sending tremors through the metallic floor.

Godzilla lunged forward, jaws open. The guardian of Skull Island ducked beneath the bite, then jabbed the alpha-predator in the chest several times. The king of the monsters swung his claws at Kong, landing only a glancing blow. Despite this, it still tore open flesh and stained the mighty ape’s fur with his own blood. Roaring in pain and rage, Kong swung a haymaker into the side of Godzilla’s face, knocking out several teeth and cracking some others. The alpha-predator spit out a glob of blood, glaring at his foe. Godzilla slammed his massive, elephantine foot against Kong’s stomach, sending the ape reeling back.

Using the brief respite, Kong looked around the arena for anything he could use to gain an advantage. Nothing within the arena itself could be used as a weapon, nor was the flat, neutral terrain favorable to him. But if he could escape into the city, he might be able to…

The ape’s train of thought was cut off as Godzilla shoulder tackled him hard, sending the ape rolling end over end. The guardian of Skull Island gasped for breath, the impact having knocked the wind out of him. The booming thud of his reptilian foe’s footsteps motivated him to climb to his feet, then run in the opposite direction. Getting to the arena’s bounds, Kong reached out toward the crowd. The ape’s fingers hit a previously invisible barrier, now glowing bright green where he touched it. Kong roared in pain as his hands were assaulted by powerful shocks, sending him reeling back as smoke curled off his fingers. Unfortunately for him, he did not feel any stronger, meaning his ability to absorb electricity was not compatible with whatever this was.

Godzilla lunged forward again; claws outstretched. The mighty ape ignored the pain in his chest and fingers as he locked grips with his foe. Both fighters pushed against the other, their feet scraping against the ground. They were both locked in a stalemate, neither budging. Kong opened his mouth, baring his sharp canine teeth, before lunging forward. Godzilla roared in agony as the ape’s teeth tore into his left gills, the pain throwing off his focus enough for Kong to overpower the alpha-predator and throw him forward.

The guardian of Skull Island spat out a chunk of bloody meat as his foe hit the ground, denting the cold steel beneath. Kong took a second to catch his breath, before bending down to grab the saurian’s tail. Pulling hard and straining, Kong lifted his foe off the ground. The guardian of Skull Island swung Godzilla’s body into the wall of invisible energy, sending a pulse of light flying along the perimeter. The alpha predator bounced off, slamming into the floor once again. Kong tried to lift him once more, but the saurian flicked his tail out of the ape’s grip.

Godzilla got to his feet, deeply growling. Kong took up a fighting pose, beckoning the alpha-predator to come at him. The king of the monsters noticed the blood still staining Kong teeth, causing his snarl to intensify the more time passed. Godzilla charged forward, causing the mighty ape to brace himself for another clash of strength.

Godzilla stopped, turning swiftly. Kong had barely any time to react as his foe’s whip-like tail came toward his shoulder. Kong shot his right hand up to catch the appendage. The eighth wonder of the world screamed in agony as the end of the alpha-predator’s armored extremity tore into his palm, the force behind it nearly shattering the bones in his hand. Blood poured from the ape’s palm, staining the black metal and the saurian’s tail as it retreated.

Godzilla’s hand slammed shut around Kong’s throat, before the saurian lifted his foe into the air. The king of the monsters locked gazes with the guardian of Skull Island, his eyes narrowing. Godzilla roared at the top of his lungs, causing Kong to flinch as his ears were assaulted by the noise. As the guardian of Skull Island’s ears rang, Godzilla slammed him into the ground back-first. Kong was unable to focus on anything, the world becoming a blur and his ears still overcome by the noise. His surroundings solidified when something heavy pressed down on his chest, now revealed to be Godzilla’s foot. The alpha-predator grunted as he raised his leg, before stomping on Kong’s sternum. The mighty ape roared as he felt his ribs cracking from the blow. Godzilla raised his foot again, ready to break Kong’s ribs this time. The eighth wonder of the world swiftly rolled out of the way, leaving the monster king’s foot to harmlessly hit the ground. The king of Skull Island sprung up, jabbing his fingers at the saurian’s eyes, causing the leviathan to stumble back, howling.

Kong ran to the opposite side of the arena, then stopped to catch his breath and recover as best he could. Godzilla’s eyes shot open, his sight returning to him. The guardian of Skull Island roared and taunted his foe, beckoning him to attack. The king of the monsters prepared to charge, but stopped. He had lived more than long enough to know when he was being lured into a trap. So, he stood in place, staring. He silently dared Kong to make the first move, but the ape refused to budge from his place as well.

The audience watched, baffled. Some waited with baited breath for what the two colossi would do next, others slowly grew more angered as time went on. It hadn’t even been a full minute, but for the more impatient members of the audience, it was an eternity. They began booing, and even though they weren’t even a majority of the crowd, the sound of displeasure still echoed across the stadium. Both monsters tried to ignore the incessant noise, focusing on the other. But the annoying whining got to one combatant before the other.

Kong roared at the crowd, but they still booed and booed. The guardian of Skull Island began pounding at the floor, releasing a great, clattering racket. Noticing his foe was distracted, Godzilla began rampaging toward the mighty ape. The crowd’s whining stopped, leaving Kong to hear the booming sounds of his foe’s charge. The eighth wonder of the world reacted quickly, preparing himself. Godzilla groaned, why had they stopped the moment he began running?

The king of the monsters closed the distance between the titans, his claws bared and ready to shred. The guardian of Skull Island lunged forward, dodging his foe’s claw swipes. Kong wrapped his arms around Godzilla’s waist, shocking the alpha-predator, before heaving him upward with all his might.

The audience cheered and shouted as Kong lifted Godzilla above his head, before stepping backward to the wall. The mighty ape thrust his foe back, earning a cry of agony from the alpha-predator as his back was slammed into the forcefield. Powerful shocks rocked Godzilla’s body as he was forced against the shield, the barrier unbreaking. Kong held with all his might, fearing the consequences if he let go. The king of the monsters spasmed and writhed as alien energies flowed through his form, a tortured scream leaving his ancient jaws. Fighting through the pain, Godzilla moved his claws to where he believed his foe to be, his own vision too blurry from agony to be certain.

Godzilla felt fur, then felt flesh as he moved a little further down. Squeezing, he dug his claws into the flesh, drawing blood. Kong roared as his shoulders were shredded, the pain causing him to drop his foe. The booming sound of all ninety thousand tons of alpha-predator hitting the ground followed. The guardian of Skull Island backed away, clutching his shoulders to halt blood loss. Godzilla climbed to his feet, groaning in pain. Neither he nor Kong could see it, but the audience behind him could see the full extent of the damage dealt.

His lower back was charred, scales and skin peeling off from the heat. Smoke curled off him, and the alpha-predator shook from the suffering. Not a single spine was broken, but some appeared to have light cracks in them. Pain wracked his form, but pain soon turned to burning rage.

A loud crackling sound hit Kong’s ears, sending chills down the ape’s spine. The audience oohed and awed as brilliant azure light started gathering in the jagged spikes on the alpha-predator’s back. The light began travelling up the spines, more and more slowly filling with the omen of destruction. Wisps of atomic power leaked from the cracks, poisoning the air. Unfortunately for Kong, this wasn’t nearly enough to stem the tide of toxic doom about to come his way.

Kong lunged forward, his hands aiming for Godzilla’s jaws. Before he could grab and shut them, a violent geyser of azure radiation poured from the maw of the alpha-predator, the mighty ape barely keeping his fingers from getting burned off. The audience screamed as a blue glow was cast over them, some in terror, others in excitement. Godzilla swung his head toward Kong, aiming the atomic breath at him. The eighth wonder of the world tried to roll out of the way, and though he avoided it, Kong fell on his back prone. Before he could get up, the alpha-predator stood over his body, staring at him. If looks could kill, Kong would have died then and there.

Godzilla unleashed his atomic breath straight down toward Kong.

The guardian of Skull Island threw up his arms and crossed them, the nuclear geyser crashing against his makeshift shield. The ape’s screams of anguish were drowned out by the deafening roar of the atomic breath, the fur on his arms being vaporized on contact, his flesh not faring much better. The blast ended as soon as it had begun, leaving Kong to writhe. Most of the hair on the front of his torso was gone, leaving burnt skin visible. His left arm, the one which he had put in front, had visible muscle charred pitch black where the beam’s epicenter had been. His other arm had horrific third-degree burns scarring it.

The azure glow faded from Godzilla’s spines. Pulling a foot back, he crashed a kick into the ape’s side, sending the still writhing ape rolling away. Coming to rest at the base of one of the towers, Kong breathed in and out rapidly as he tried to regain equilibrium. A heavy drum beat echoed, snapping him back into reality as Godzilla approached. The island king’s mind raced to come up with a plan to survive.

The alpha predator loomed over his foe, the corners of his mouth curling up. Kong noticed the structure beside him and smacked his fist against the base of the tower, sending cracks crawling across the steel. Chunks of it fell as the tower shuddered, leaning toward the two.

There was an odd, electrical sound which echoed, like something being shut off.

Godzilla observed the structure, tilting his head. Kong grabbed it, lifting it up and hammering the wide top of the tower into the leviathan’s face. It exploded on impact, forcing a cry of pain from the alpha predator.

Kong got to his feet as Godzilla stumbled backward. The guardian of Skull Island paused, realizing that he had slipped his fingers past the point of the barrier to grab the tower.

He stepped out of the arena’s boundary, unopposed. Scores of aliens were crushed beneath the ape’s feet, causing a mass panic. The screams of terror shook Godzilla out of his stupor, now surprised as everyone else at Kong’s escape. King Kong tore off the top of a building, tossing it at the alpha-predator. The chunk of alien metal broke as it crashed against his face, causing Godzilla to groan in pain. Growling in rage, the king of the monsters charged toward his foe, trampling the rubble.

Massive dents formed with each footfall as the alpha-predator rampaged toward the guardian of Skull Island. Extraterrestrials not already trampled to death were reduced to paste. A booming roar left his maw as he closed the distance, Godzilla swinging his claws at Kong. He reared back, but the talons still scraped away flesh. Both colossi stumbled slightly from the uneven terrain, but they kept balance. The mighty ape swung a haymaker at his foe’s gills, the result being a choked sound of agony as the wound from the earlier bite bled further. Using his foe’s pain to his advantage, Kong circled around, spotting a particularly cracked dorsal spine. Gripping it with one hand, the ape began punching it with his other. Godzilla was still dazed by the punch to his gills, snapping out of it due to a great snapping noise.

He swiftly turned around, only to scream once again when his own jagged scute was rammed into his chest, the make-shift shank going between his armor plates. Kong ripped it out, ready to stab the king of the monsters again. Godzilla punched Kong across the face with all his might, sending the ape flying back into the arena. Blood poured from the wound, staining the saurian’s scales.

Kong groaned as he laid on his back, the sounds of panicked crowds still ever present. Godzilla stared at his foe, waiting for the ape’s next move. The guardian of Skull Island searched his surroundings, for anything he could use to win. His eyes drifted further into the city, seeing a massive, blocky building.

That would work.

Forcing himself to get up, Kong ran into the city. Godzilla waited for his foe to approach, only to grow irritated as the ape ran past him. Turning to face his running opponent, the alpha-predator’s spines began glowing.

The ape reached a structure as tall as him, with a width that nearly matched. He crouched, grabbing it near the base. He strained and grunted, feeling it shift, but the foundation held strong. He growled, trying to move his hands to get a better grip, but stopped when a familiar noise sounded. Turning, Kong barely rolled out of the way when a stream of atomic fire raced toward him. The blue energy seared through the base of the building, then swept over the ground chasing Kong.

As the structure fell forward, the nuclear beam faded. Godzilla stomped forward, claws swinging. The ape barely dodged the strikes, then shoved both hands out. As the leviathan stumbled back, the ape turned and grabbed the fallen building, straining to lift it up.

Godzilla shook his head side to side, eyes shut. When he opened them, he was greeted by Kong leaping toward him, swinging the colossal structure over his head. The panel-like building cracked in half as it smashed into the leviathan’s skull, massive chunks of it falling upon impact. Red liquid poured down the leviathan’s body. Azure light began to climb up Godzilla’s spines as he grabbed the halves of the building, pulling it out of Kong’s grip and tossing them aside.

The mighty ape lunged forward, his hands grabbing the king of the monsters’ jaws. He could now see the gaping wound on the saurian’s skull, blood flowing from it like a river, bone being visible. Instead of trying to shut his foe’s maw, the guardian of Skull Island instead pulled it further open. Godzilla’s atomic breath continued climbing to the surface, ready to finish this battle once and for all.

Godzilla’s jaws broke, causing twin flows of blood to leave the outskirts of his mouth. The alpha-predator’s atomic ray followed, firing above Kong’s head. The ray hit the eighth wonder of the world’s fingers, burning them to the bone. The pain made both colossi go unconscious, limply collapsing. Neither was dead, but neither was in any condition to fight.

Far away, massively safer than her people, Vorticia and her parliament watched. Instead of aggravation and hatred at the destruction and death, she smiled. People could be replaced, buildings rebuilt. But creatures with such power and ferocity were invaluable. Pushing a button, she spoke to her military commanders.

“Remove Godzilla and Kong’s implanted devices and replace them with the mind control devices.” She released the button, leaning back. They would serve as excellent attack beasts, practically unstoppable. She pushed another button when a new idea came to mind. “Chart a course for Earth once the two are under control. Let’s see what else the planet has on it for us.”

Draw: Godzilla (Legendary), King Kong (Showa)

Authors: Patrick Alan Green & Connor Clennell | Banner: Landon Soto

San Francisco was sent into a panicked frenzy as the once beautiful city suddenly became a primal warzone between two of the most savage beasts to ever walk the Earth…

The thunderous roars of the mighty King Kong shook the metropolis to its very core as he fought for his life atop the city’s landmark bridge.

Citizens evacuated their vehicles, looking to flee the swaying bridge as fast as they could. Kong loomed overhead, wrestling against a horrible winged-beast, a ferocious griffon, known to some as the dreaded Black Moth.

A wake of cars and trucks were slung all across the bridge as Kong shoved his opponent backward through the vacant traffic, making his way to the edge. Black Moth let out a defiant roar, her eyes fixed on Kong as she sank her fangs deep into Kong’s shoulder, halting the great ape’s push. Kong let out a shriek before grabbing the beast by her front legs and tossed the hybrid animal over his shoulder with a powerful judo-like throw, slamming the predator to the pavement with tremendous force. The entire bridge swayed from the impact.

Kong fought to keep his balance as he carefully watched Black Moth crawl back to her feet. Kong beat his chest and lunged forward, grabbing the feral beast by her snout and bottom jaw and forcing her back to the ground. Kong was on top, pinning the griffon beneath his weight and battering the feline’s face as she struggled to escape his clutches.

For a split moment, it seemed the fight was to be finished instantly. Kong grabbed her gnashing jaws, pulling them apart with his incredible strength. Black Moth thrashed wildly, sensing she was inches away from death, she dragged her claws down Kong’s face, causing the Faro deity to lose his grip for a moment. That was all she needed.

Black Moth shook her head violently, sending the beast-god flipping head over heels backward, crashing into a series of vacant vehicles. The sound of crushed steel echoed as Kong crawled to his feet, scratching his backside as he dislodged hundreds of tiny metal splinters from his flesh. Kong fought through the pain, which only enraged him more. Pounding his chest boldly, he attempted to intimidate an enemy that would not be terrified.

Black Moth leapt forward as Kong moved back promptly. He cautiously circled the mix-mash creature, waiting for her guard to lower. His eyes glared at his opponent’s throat, and in a second, he sprung forward. His arm shot forward like a bullet, striking Black Moth in the throat, which took her by surprise. She stumbled backward, choking and gagging loudly. Kong did not pause in his assault, lunging again he caught the lion-beast’s rear left leg. Mustering up his strength, he twisted it violently as Black Moth let out an annoyed squall. Kong tried dragging the Frankensteined monster backward, but her hooked claws dug into the concrete, halting Kong’s game of tug-of-war.

In Kong’s confusion, she managed to pull her leg free, whipping backward, she pounced, biting Kong’s shoulder. Kong wailed out in pain, but kept his composure, he lunged again, grabbing her head and rolling the griffon to the ground and on her side. With a furious roar, Kong hammered his mighty fists into the screeching lion’s ribs with acute accuracy. Beating fist after fist in the same spot as his foe helplessly cried out in pain, gnashing her teeth wildly as she tried to end the assault.

As the two titans clashed, the bridge trembled beneath them. Each strike of their powerful fists and paws shook the pride of San Francisco like one of its famous earthquakes. Its steel supports groaned in protest as they were bent beyond their capabilities. Tensions cables went taut and snapped as the structure sagged, briefly whipping wildly like venomous serpents. If the battle continued, the bridge would not last much longer…

Black Moth hissed through gritted teeth. The pain of bruised ribs sent her into a frenzy, seeking an end to Kong’s fury, she pushed against the beast’s stomach. The great ape’s stamina was not infinite. The speed of his strikes waned, granting Black Moth the mercy she required to retaliate.

Her front clawed paws moved with unbelievable speed as they swiped Kong’s hairless, toned chest. Countless bloody rips instantly shredded the beast-god’s flesh, painting his light tan tone with streaks of crimson red. Kong howled out and clutched his chest. Black Moth moved like lightning, lashing out, slicing her claws into the ape’s sternum. Kong’s voice was drowned in agony as it boomed across the bay, sending a flock of seagulls flying into the horizon.

Both mammalian titans moved back, determining their next course of action. Both sported scars as proof of their animalistic war. Of the two, Black Moth fared for the worse. She winced and moaned with each breath she took. She vowed to make Kong repay her bruises with more than what he delivered.

Behind each shoulder, a brown feathered wing spread out to its full length. Her eyes narrowed and a sinister grin formed. They beat the asphalt with powerful winds, knocking away abandoned vehicles in a brisk windstorm.

Kong raised his thick arms, protecting his face from the blinding hailstorm of automobiles. By sacrificing his sight for defense, he was not able to see Black Moth take off from the bridge and to the air. She flew straight at the towering deity, paws outstretched and pushing him down onto his back.

Kong stared blankly at the sky above, seeking an answer for the surprise attack. A shadow fell over the fallen king, the roar of a lion echoing from above as Black Moth soared through the air. Kong’s rage intensified, but behind that, a tinge of curiosity about the arcane creature’s tactics formed.

At first glance, Kong had assumed her as nothing but a mere mindless animal, driven by its instincts to survive. The fact that she could formulate calculated plans intrigued him. It had been a long time since he had encountered a beast with an intelligence that mimicked, or even rivaled, his. On his far away home of Mondo Island, he had only the likes of Gorosaurus and dangerous serpents, and the occasional migrating monster like a giant octopus or Ebirah, to defend himself from. They all lacked the intellect to match his, but perhaps Black Moth would be the true rival to test his status as a god.

The thought worried him.

He pulled himself to his feet and scanned the skies, mouth agape, awaiting the griffon’s next move. His large eyes locked onto her flying form as she circled overhead like a giant buzzard, waiting for the opportunity to attack. With a loud ferocious roar, she suddenly descended, taking Kong by surprise. The massive gorilla reacted too late to stop Black Moth from slicing her claws across his back. Kong’s hand moved to cover his wounds as he grunted in pain.

Black Moth banked around for another pass. She soared toward the godly creature from behind, green feline eyes locked onto their target, forearms outstretched and claws unsheathed. Before her claws could find their mark, Kong spun around, his massive hands clenched together. Her eyes widened and she let out a surprised shriek, unable to stop. Kong’s hammer-locked fists bashed the side of her head, driving her into the asphalt with immense force. The bridge squalled and shook. Black Moth convulsed, her bruised brain running the last moments over and over.

Kong grunted, proud of himself as he beat his breasts, roaring into the heavens. Black Moth clumsily crawled to her feet and with a single flap of her wings, she took off. Kong slammed his fists against his chest, roaring in a rage for the chimera to come back down and face him. Black Moth did not comply, and roared back at the ancient ape, her head stinging from her own cry.

Snorting loudly in exasperation, Kong searched for a means to reach her. He looked over the supports for the bridge, a plan formed in his head. He walked over, placing his hands on the structure, then his feet, and began to climb. The metal groaned in protest under his weight, but Kong didn’t care. Before he could reach the top, the tower gave out and collapsed. Kong screamed as he fell and smashed into the tarmac, pinned under the mangled mass of steel. He pushed the twisted support off, grunting in exertion as he did. Before he had a chance to stand, Black Moth was on him.

The lion-condor chimera lunged for Kong’s throat. Kong’s hands caught her jaws mere inches from his windpipe. He tried to shove the feline away, but Black Moth’s determination gave her the strength to resist the ape’s god-like might. Against Kong’s struggles, her jaws moved closer to his throat. Kong roared in panic as Black Moth resisted his efforts to deter her. If he could not repel her, it would be over for him soon.

The two continued to struggle for dominance, unaware of the creaking and snapping coming from the bridge as their battle continued to destabilize the structure. In the midst of their struggle, their eyes met. Feline and simian orbs stared into one another, peering into the soul of their rivals. Kong couldn’t help but be entrapped by Black Moth’s eyes. There was something familiar about them. In the ape’s mind, it clicked.

She reminded him of “her”…

Kong’s eyes narrowed angrily, and he let loose a deafening cry of rage. Sorrow and anguish came flooding out as he remembered how she had left. He had played the memory back over and over until it had made him sick in the past. Why did this beast remind him of her?

His gaze locked with Black Moth’s once more. He looked into her eyes, seeing the familiar sparkle that her eyes had had. But it paled in comparison. Black Moth’s eyes were filled with nothing but coldness. There was the sparkle of intelligence in them, but it was very faint. It was like this creature once had a consciousness, but it had been lost to time, and only a feral beast remained. In a way, Kong found himself sympathizing with her. But sympathy was not enough to spare her from his wrath. He had sought out to find what he had lost long ago, and this demon dared to stand in his way.

With a defiant, deafening howl, Kong shoved Black Moth away. He got to his feet with astounding speed and smashed his fist across the hybrid’s head. Black Moth growled and backed away, preparing to take flight. Before she could leave the bridge, Kong grabbed hold of her left wing. Her eyes widened, and she cried out in agony as Kong ripped the appendage from her body. Tossing the spasming limb away, he pounded his fists against his chest in a display of dominance. Beneath him, the bridge buckled, causing the ape to stumble. He looked down, feeling the structure tremble beneath his weight.

Black Moth pounced, sinking her teeth into the ape’s chest while Kong smashed his fists atop the beast’s back. The bridge swayed from the hectic combat. Wires broke. Metal creaked like a dying animal before the structure began to give. Black Moth realized it and released her grip, ready to take flight to escape the chaos, but Kong’s fury wouldn’t allow it.

The ape raised his bloody right fist and smashed it against the back of Black Moth’s cranium. The impact buried the chimera in metal, trapping the beast as Kong ran to the center of the crumbling bridge. Kong wrapped his arms around the two main suspension cables and channeled all the rage he could muster. Then, Kong pulled.

The muscles on Kong’s arms expanded and the beast yanked the human cables with all his might. His feet sunk into metal, his eyes expanded with adrenaline and a furious roar echoed demanding the human creation to kneel to the King. A final roar broke all resistance sending the Golden Gate Bridge tower falling forward. The structure smashed into Black Moth then continued through the bridge, taking the entire man-made icon into the ocean. Kong and Black Moth disappeared, allowing silence to encompass San Francisco.

The water bubbled violently as the sun began to set. Helicopters swarmed the bay, scanning the rumbling waters for movement. There was none. A message came in over a base set up in the city. “No sign of targets, both are presumed dead.”

As the waters settled, a cumbersome feeling swept over all the residents who watched the events on the news.

As the sun finally set over the sea and dusk set in, Susan Watson took a moment of silence, she gripped Jiro’s hand, tears ran down her face as she stared out to sea. She had watched the whole thing. She covered her mouth as Jiro escorted her back to his car, sobbing as he opened the door for her. She stepped inside and the two silently left the scene. Head hung low, she whispered, “Goodbye, my King.”

The two drove out of sight.

Draw: Black Moth, King Kong (Showa)

Author: Joshua Reynolds | Banner: Landon Soto

– 1963 –

Has it been weeks, or has it been months? The great ape had no idea, but he was tired. The battle against the King of the Monsters had taken a lot out of his ancient soul, but the journey home was an even more perilous nightmare. Kong had no sense of direction, no natural instinct on how to return to his beloved home of Faro. He just kept going, non-stop. He couldn’t stop. Unlike the radioactive abomination he had defeated, he was unable to breath underwater. Like all other apes, he’d drown. And soon, that fact would seemingly become his destiny. Every stroke of his arms and kick of his legs through the ocean felt like a million tons of pressure on his limbs. He needed a break. He also needed to eat… (more…)

Author: Dao Zang Moua | Banner: Dao Zang Moua

The night was warm around the volcanic island. Everyday he would follow the same routine of finding food and returning to his home, yet he always felt hollow inside. He felt as though a part of him was missing ever since she had left him alone in this world. He remembered her light brown skin and wonderful laughter before the image was replaced with a bloodied and shredded body lying over their broken eggs, with a demonic leviathan standing over her corpse.

That horror had occurred just days ago, and Rodan knew he would always be stricken by the guilt of being too late to save his family from the clutches of a mad demon who rose from the volcanic depths. It was dead, but it had taken his family with it. He had considered joining his family into death’s embrace by diving into the volcano’s magma, yet he still found himself living on. He didn’t know whether this was due to the guilt he felt at being unable to save them or some other force at hand.

Rodan flew around his island home, having very little to do since the demon attacked. Looking around, he saw where several acres of jungle were now ashen fields from their battle. As he overlooked the island, he caught a glint of white in the moonlight underneath some rocks and moved down to inspect it.

Dropping to the ground, Rodan moved closer to the mound of dirt as he flapped his wings. The powerful winds quickly began to unearth the object, revealing a large egg the size of his leg. He knew this egg wasn’t one of his, as it had a different pattern and coloration.

Looking around, he tried to find a parent, but realized that he was the only monster around. Any other kaiju had been driven off by the teamwork of him and his mate to create their nest. The longer he stared at the egg, the more he remembered his family and the feeling of emptiness within him. Picking it up carefully, he took the egg back to his nest to raise whatever would come from it.

Years later.

Rodan looked over his now green island in peace as he twirled out of the way of a small reddish-brown creature. Rodan cackled tauntingly toward his adopted son as he watched the small Baragon tumbling around. It had taken months for Rodan to garner the conditions needed for the egg to hatch but when it did, what came out surprised him as the creature imprinted upon him.

Over the years of raising the creature, Rodan felt as though that emptiness in him was now filled with love for his adoptive son. A playful growling brought Rodan out of the past as he stared down at the juvenile Baragon scratching at the ground. Rodan watched as his son tried to fire his beam with no success. Usually, he would allow his son to play around the island, but occasionally he would play-fight with his son to allow him to be prepared should another monster appear if he was off hunting.

Rodan was showing his son his own Uranium Heat Beam when a loud roar echoed across the island. Fearing for his son’s safety, Rodan flew up to survey his surroundings as he ordered his adopted child to hide. Baragon mewled silently in disappointment as it leapt toward their home. Rodan flew higher as he began to search the shorelines for a threat when he saw what had landed on his island home.

King Kong shook the sea water off his brown fur as he surveyed the new landscape. Behind him were several wooden boats and rafts created by the remnants of his people. Nuclear testing had destroyed Farou Island and Kong knew his people wouldn’t survive the new conditions like he could. Thus, he took the people of his island out to sea and found them a new home, with them taking several seeds for the red berries he enjoyed.

As the humans landed on the shoreline, a loud cackle instilled the villagers with fear as Kong turned to find the source of the menace. He watched as a large reddish bird perched on a nearby rock structure as it called out for him to state his reasons for intruding upon his island.

King Kong roared back as he stood protectively over his humans. Seeing the humans, Rodan cackled for Kong to leave and to take his humans along with him. Turning to his humans, Kong knew that they wouldn’t last any more out on the open sea and this island was their best chance at life. Most of them needed food and water, while others were weak from the trip. Pounding his chest, King Kong roared for dominance over the island as he sprinted. Rodan cackled back and took to the air.

The two giants charged toward each other for ownership of the island as the small humans below ran for shelter. Kong swung his fist toward the oncoming dinosaur, only for Rodan to twist sideways as his chest spikes scraped Kong’s arm, shredding hair and skin off the ape. Kong reeled back in irritation as he clutched the newfound injury. Rodan noticed this; its flesh was tough, but it wasn’t as hard as the other kaiju scales and natural armor that he had gone up against.

The great ape lifted a boulder over his head and tossed it at the flying pterosaur. Rodan flapped once to shift his body upright before slamming his head against it, knocking the rock back toward Kong. The boulder struck the King of Farou in the chest, causing the ape to fling his arms up in fury.

Charging the flying reptile once more, Kong jumped up to try to get a grasp on the smaller creature. Rodan screeched as he flew just above Kong’s range, his horns flashed with crimson energy. A purple beam launched from Rodan’s beak and struck the brown ape in the chest, causing him to backpedal. Kong looked at his burnt and smoking hair as he patted the fires off his body. Turning back toward Rodan, he roared out furiously as he ran toward his foe.

Rodan wouldn’t let up though as he quickly maneuvered around the ape’s large arms and barreled into his bulky frame. Kong stumbled backward as Rodan quickly flew upward, slashing his spikes across Kong’s chest, leaving red scars on his flesh. Kong rubbed his damaged skin as he looked around warily for the crimson firebird. Rodan swooped down from behind the ape and began to viciously peck at his enemy’s unprotected back. Kong swiped behind him, but couldn’t reach the red monstrosity as he felt the sharp beak pecking his hide. Soon enough, Rodan had managed to draw some blood from the ape’s head, screeching in glee.

Kong rolled across the jungle below him to get out of Rodan’s attack range. He risked a quick glance toward his people, finding them safely hidden within some nearby sea caves. Pounding his scarred chest, Kong roared out as he slowly walked toward the winged beast. Rodan stared warily at Kong as his attitude changed suddenly. Flying toward him, he was surprised when Kong suddenly swung with a speed he hadn’t used before, knocking him out of the air.

Kong charged forth as he stared at the grounded Rodan. He was only distracting the bird until his humans were safe. Now that they were hidden from their battle, Kong could go all out.

Baragon stared curiously at the volcano he and his father called home. The usual smoke pluming from the crater was less than usual and the lava flows that should be pouring from side vents had cooled completely. It was as if there was something absorbing the excess magma inside the volcano. Hearing the sound of battle on the shoreline, the smaller monster decided to see what was happening within the crater to the volcano.

As he made his way toward the top, Baragon started to get a feeling of dread at what would await him at the top of the crater. Once he reached the top, he stared into the crater as what would usually be a large pool of lava, now seemed smaller as it bubbled. Walking into the volcanic chamber, he wasn’t prepared when a hand suddenly burst from the cooling lava. Backing up, he watched as a large humanoid shape made of magma pulled itself out of the volcano’s heart.

The lava giant took in a deep breath of air as it stared into the sky. It had been years since he last surfaced, and it was all due to that irritating bird. Kumasogami had risen from the depths of hell to wreak havoc and destruction. When he had surfaced long ago, he had found himself facing a large brown bird who was protecting her nest of eggs. He had taken intense joy in ripping her apart and smashing the eggs, only to be relentlessly torn apart and tossed back into the volcanic depths. After years of healing, Kumasogami was prepared this time to get his revenge, having absorbed much more of the magma to increase his abilities and increase his size.

A low growl attracted his attention to the side where he saw a much smaller creature pawing the ground as it stared at him. Kumasogami stared at the creature as the sound of battle in the distance entered his ears. This creature would have to do for now, until he could find that irritating bird and make it his trophy.

Baragon didn’t know what was happening. One moment, his volcanic home was flowing with magma, and the next it was becoming a large demon. Baragon growled menacingly at this demon, attracting its attention. He watched as the creature seemed to smile, one of its arms began to morph, growing wider and wider as it formed into a shield. The other arm extended outward, spiraling into a point as Kumasogami formed a stance with his new lance and shield.

Baragon leapt toward the lava beast, using the training his father had taught him as he struck the shield arm. A heavy smack to the chest knocked the smaller monster away to the side as he writhed in pain. Kumasogami laughed as he quickly made his way toward the smaller creature, morphing his lance into a duller weapon to prolong his fun. The spiraled lance started to morph in on itself. It extended outward forming a chain of magma with the end, pooling together to form a round thick ball with small blunt protrusions. Spinning his flail, he slowly made his way toward the downed creature.

Baragon heaved for air as that last blow had knocked out all the air in him. As he lifted his head, a blunt ball smacked him across the face as he found himself flipping through the air going closer to the edge of the crater. As he landed, he got to his feet in time to see Kumasogami walking toward him, his shield now gone and replaced with his normal hand while the other still twirled its flail. The young kaiju stared warily toward the lava golem as it started to taunt him with its other hand.

Baragon lifted himself to his full height to try to look intimidating only for Kumasogami to smack him across his now open belly with the flail, knocking the creature back. Seeing it in pain gave the demon joy as the chains fused into a rod, creating a mace. Grabbing Baragon’s horn, Kumasogami smashed the mace into the creature’s face multiple times, eliciting shrieks of pain from the diminutive burrower.

The sinister fiend drew its mace-arm back to finish the job, until the small beast opened his mouth and fired a red blaze of searing heat, striking the lava golem in the face. Blinded momentarily, Baragon felt the grip loosen on his body. Slipping out, he rushed forth and knocked the giant off its feet, then promptly jumped back. He wasn’t ready to fight something of this caliber yet.

Kumasogami got onto his knees as he turned to find the insolent reptile, finding it jumping away from the crater. Grumbling with anger at being blindsided by such a pitiful attack, Kumasogami held one hand out as it morphed into a bow, and his other hand created three arrows.

Taking aim, he touched the two together as three flaming arrows fired toward Baragon’s back. Each two of the arrows missed, while the third managed to imbed itself into the smaller monster’s back, exploding flesh and knocking the small dinosaur out of the air. Baragon roared out in pain as he started to dig, the golem behind him slowly took its time walking toward him, laughing maniacally.

Rodan was trying his hardest to avoid the rapid swings of the ape below him. Everytime he got close, Kong would be ready for him. Flying high into the air, Rodan twisted around in the air, watching Kong below as the massive ape lifted and tossed several rocks at the flying reptile. A crackling of his horns was all Kong had as warning as a Uranium Heat Beam fired down toward him. The beam lanced across the ape’s chest, burning the flesh and singing his fur as the primate attempted to pat down the smoking hair.

Kong roared out furiously as he threw more rocks at the aerial target. Seeing the crackling of the horns, he was quick to dodge another beam, pounding his chest tauntingly. Rodan was about to fire another beam down at the ape when a loud pain-filled cry entered his ears. Turning his head away toward its direction, he was hit head on by a large boulder.

Seeing that Rodan had been knocked out of the air, Kong charged toward the flying reptile and was quick to latch onto his foot as it took off. The Monster of the Sky screeched at Kong as another painful cry echoed across the island, along with the mad laughter of a demon. His son was in danger from the same demon that killed his family before. He began charging up his beam once more only for the once entitled Ruler of the South Seas to grip Rodan’s throat and attempt to suffocate the aerial monster.

He could feel his vision fading the harder Kong strangled him as the cries of his child entered his ears once more. He would not allow his son to die. He would not let his tragedy repeat itself. Flapping his wings madly, the giant pterosaur began to bombard Kong with strong winds as he used his talons to slash and claw at Kong’s legs. King Kong wouldn’t release his grip on the bird monster, however, as he continued to strangle the scaly avian.

Before the ape realized it, Rodan was hovering in the air as he embedded his claws into Kong’s legs. Rodan was fairly small among kaiju, but he had the strength to lift and carry Godzilla across miles of land. Flapping his powerful wings, Rodan took off toward the volcano’s crater, though his vision began to blur as he struggled to keep his grip on the flailing ape.

Kong released his grasp on Rodan’s neck as he noticed just how high they had gotten. If Rodan was knocked out mid-flight, both monsters would have fallen thousands of feet down onto the island. Now able to breath, Rodan took off faster than before toward the volcano. Aiming his head down toward the large ape, he fired off a beam point blank into the ape’s face as he released his grip on Kong’s legs. The beam forced Kong to release his hold on Rodan as he began to fall down, landing halfway up the large volcano.

The situation boded poorly for Baragon, his eyes glaring at the monstrous golem before him. He was bleeding in some areas and his bones were aching in pain, but he still did his best to avoid the rampant firing of the demon before him. He found that he was slightly faster than the large golem and could jump away should the golem get too close, but he was tiring quickly. All he could do against the demon god was run. As another volley of arrows fired toward him, Baragon jumped away as several explosions burst from where he once stood.

Midway through the air, Kumasogami rushed Baragon as its arm formed into a long spear. Thrusting forward, it impaled the small creature through the chest as two spiked protrusions formed beneath, turning the spear into a trident. Baragon roared in anguish as it felt the magma trident burning his insides. He fired off his Magma Heat Ray at the demon god, only for Kumasogami to laugh it off. Swinging his arm, he tossed the smaller monster off his trident as he stomped his foot onto the creature to keep it still. This time, it wouldn’t let the creature out of its grasp as the trident morphed, becoming smaller and wider until it formed a long axe blade.

Holding it over the dinosaur’s neck, the God of Kumaso lifted the axe high above its head. It would enjoy having this monster’s head as a prize. As it swung down, a purple beam fired at the joint holding the axe blade to his arm, blowing it up in the process. Kumasogami reeled back in pain as it held its wrist, the hand reforming slowly. Turning to the sky, it noticed a crimson blur, its face contorted into a malicious grin.

Rodan trilled in anger at the demon before him for injuring his son. Flying past him, the sonic waves coming off Rodan knocked the demon god away from his son and closer to. Landing near his son, Rodan prodded him carefully to see whether his son was alright. A small groan of pain from Baragon was enough of an indicator as he slowly got back up. His back was aching and bleeding along his chest.

Turning to Kumasogami, Rodan roared at the lava monster in anger, ordering his son to retreat. Kumasogami roared back as his left hand morphed into a shield once more. Rodan took to the skies as he fired his beam at the demonic entity before him. Kumasogami was more prepared this time as his shield was far tougher, being able to resist the beam’s piercing power. Laughing maniacally, the demon god morphed his fingers into spiked pointed knives. Swinging his hand outward, several throwing knives were launched from his fingers toward the aerial monster.

Rodan didn’t know what hit him as he felt several hot objects stab into his body. He began to spiral down toward the magma pool but barely managed to pull himself out of the dive just above the molten rock. As he entered the skies once more, he turned to see that Kumasogami had already reformed his fingers into sharp points and hurled more knives in his direction. Twisting in the air, Rodan avoided the sharp weapons as he fired another purple beam at the demon. Kumasogami was enjoying himself. The time he spent regenerating and rebuilding his body in the volcano had allowed him to grow in power and formulate plans against the creature.

Wings formed on the lava golem’s back as he screeched in glee at the challenge that opposed him. They were merely decorative, however it allowed for a different feature for the wicked deity. Kumasogami burst into a sprint across the landscape as his shield transformed into a bow, while arrows formed in his other hand, with the uranium heat beam trailing behind him. Taking aim, the demon fired off a salvo of arrows at his aerial opponent. Rodan swerved around the flaming projectiles as he moved to attack the golem. The demon smirked as he watched Rodan flying toward him as he reverted his arms back into hands.

Just as Rodan was about to strike, Kumasogami spun around and struck Rodan head-on with his wings. The giant pterosaur felt himself forced to the ground in pain as he flapped mercilessly to get airborne. A foot on his wing stopped him as he stared up into the eyes of Kumasogami. The demon formed his arm into a whip as he slashed at the downed bird. Sparks flew as he whipped across the sky monster’s tough scales, continuously burning and stinging the monster’s spiky chest and leathery wings. Rodan began to charge up his beam once more, only for Kumasogami to morph his whip into a fork-like object and imbed it into the ground around his neck, choking him.

The demon laughed victoriously to the sky as he swung his other hand to the side, throwing knife fingers flying and stabbing into Baragon who was jumping toward the demon to save his father. He stomped on Rodan’s chest causing blood to begin bubbling in his beak. Forming a spear, Kumasogami stabbed Rodan through his chest, trapping the avian dinosaur to the ground as he shrieked in pain from the burning sensation the spear gave off. Kumasogami snapped the fork off his arm, leaving Rodan there to watch as he slowly made his way toward the injured Baragon.

Rodan tried to call out to his son to run away, but couldn’t manage any words through his trapped neck. He was forced to watch as Kumasogami kicked his son in the side multiple times before smashing a sledge hammer arm into the smaller dinosaur’s head. He then changed his hands to normal and lifted the smaller creature above his head. Walking toward the magma pools, Kumasogami was prepared to throw the weakened dinosaur into the pits of hell when a loud deafening roar caught his attention. Before he could react, something had grabbed his wings. The creature forcefully turned his body as a large fist struck him across his molten face. Baragon fell to the ground just meters from the molten rock, unconscious.

King Kong roared out as he turned to look at his injured foe pinned to the ground. His face was burnt from where the beam had hit him, but he would survive. The Ruler of the South Seas grasped the fork-like protrusion and the spear before tearing them from the dinosaur. The avian kaiju felt a sharp pain as the spear was torn from his body, the blood hissing on the tip.

Getting to his feet, he thanked Kong for his assistance as Kumasogami roared angrily at the two. Forming a truce in the face of danger, Rodan took to the skies shakily while the Farou deity pounded his chest tauntingly toward the demon god. The God of Kumaso did not know what this new creature was, but it would pay for interrupting his revenge against the bird creature. Kumasogami held his arms out as he kicked the downed Baragon to the side to make room. King Kong roared as he too held his arms out for battle. The two stared at each other as Rodan lifted his unconscious son out of harm’s way.

A large lava bubble burst from the lake as the two giants rushed toward each other. Kong lifted his fist to smash into the lava demon, while Kumasogami morphed his fist into that of a hammer. Kong was the first to reach his opponent though Kumasogami was the first to strike. With a powerful swing, Kumasogami struck the mighty ape across the face with his hammer arm, knocking the beast to the side. A beam struck Kumasogami from the side, causing chunks of molten rock to burst, alerting him to Rodan’s return. Forming his shield in his other hand, he turned back to Kong as the ape charged toward him again.

This time, Rodan swooped in from the opposing side as his horns crackled with energy. The wicked deity twisted his body at the last moment allowing the Uranium Heat Beam to soar past him and strike the oncoming King Kong. Kong was sent stumbling backward from the sudden assault as Kumasogami took the advantage to transform his hammer into a whip. With a resounding crack, Kumasogami had the whip wrapped around Rodan’s leg as he pulled the bird to the ground with a crash. He saw Kong coming from the side as he lifted his shield to defend against the ape’s powerful blows.

The shield was doing its job as King Kong struggled to penetrate its defenses. Slowly but surely, Kong was fracturing the shield, which the demon took notice of. The wicked deity wouldn’t allow for him to get any closer as he whipped the still ensnared Rodan into a nearby boulder, taking the reptile out of the fight momentarily. His whip absorbed into itself, reforming into a spiked mace as the demon smirked.

Kong had his hands wrapped around the sides of the shield as he attempted to pry it off his opponent, even with how hot it seemed to be. As he was doing so, something sharp and blunt struck his leg. The giant ape roared out in pain as he held his bleeding and bruised leg. Kumasogami laughed as the mace transformed once more, this time spiraling outward into a point.

Kong stared at his opponent with fury in his eyes as he strafed to the side. Kumasogami struck first as he lunged toward Kong with his lance held outward. Kong met his charge head on with a powerful roar. Kong moved around the lance only for Kumasogami to smack him back with a shield bash. He then started to repeatedly stab at the ape’s body leaving sizzling, bleeding holes. Kong grasped onto the spear in his body and lifted one arm up. He then brought it down on the center of the weapon, breaking the rocky exterior as the demon god reeled back in pain. Kong tore the molten spear out of his body and held it on one hand. Lunging toward Kumasogami, he stabbed the spear into the cracked shield, shattering off pieces of it.

The demon roared out in pain as his shield returned to being a hand. Kong lunged forth, knocking the lava demon to the ground as he began to pound his fists onto its burning hot body. Kong didn’t care that his flesh was burning from sitting atop the demon. He just wanted it dead.

Kumasogami could feel his body cracking under the ape’s enormous strength and held his arms out to defend against the blows. As Kong struck at the demon’s arms, they quickly morphed into spiked clubs just as one of the ape’s fists struck it. The giant gorilla reeled back in pain as his fist struck the spikes. His hand was now bleeding with several holes showing his broken knuckles. Kumasogami took this to his advantage as he kicked the ape’s feet out from under him.

His arms morphed once more with one becoming a spiraled lance in one hand and the other a spiked whip. As Kong slowly got up, the sharp whip wrapped around his neck, forcing its serrated spikes into his flesh as the ape brought his hand up to tear off the tight weapon. The whip continuously burned the apes flesh as the loss of air slowly started to get to him. He could feel the tug on the weapon as Kumasogami thrust the lance into his shoulder earning a roar of pain from the mighty ape.

Pulling him closer, the demon god placed one foot on the ape’s back as he shoved the ape’s body toward the hot magma. Kong struggled to keep himself from touching the hot substance when a sudden shove forced the apes left arm into the molten substance. A great roar of intense pain echoed through the island as Kong could feel his flesh melting off within the hot magma.

Kumasogami laughed at the ape’s suffering when a purple beam struck the center of the whip. The wicked deity roared out in pain as he turned just in time for a speeding Rodan to smack him across the face with his chest spikes causing sparks to fly. Rodan flew about in the air as he began to bombard the demonic being from afar. Kumasogami growled out in pain as the beams continued to tear into his body.

Getting to his feet, Kumasogami went to form his shield when a powerful hand grabbed onto his arm. With the combined might of Kong and a well-placed Uranium Heat Beam, the two managed to tear off one of the demon’s shapeshifting arms. Hot magma poured out of the demon’s wound as he turned to his two attackers. Anger filled his eye as the stump near his shoulder closed off. With his remaining arm, he formed a large double-sided blade from his elbow onward as he roared at the two kaiju.

Kong stared at his burnt arm at his side before returning his attention to the giant demon before him. Rodan fired his beam at the kneeling Kumasogami, only for the demon to do something different. Instead of forming a shield or blocking it with the flat of his blade, Kumasogami slashed at the beam slicing it down the middle, causing it to split to the sides. Rushing forth, Kumasogami slashed at King Kong as the ape attempted to dodge the attack. The blade seemed to extend outward and become thinner as Kumasogami went past, slicing the ape across his chest.

Spinning around, he sliced upward toward the ape as Kong was caught off guard. The mighty ape recoiled in pain as he went to hold his bleeding chest. He was then surprised as he felt an odd sensation in his other arm, or rather the lack of a sensation. Kong fell to his knees as his burnt arm fell to the ground with blood starting to leak from the stump. The great ape heaved for air as he stared at the demon before him.

The wicked deity roared out as his bladed arm shifted once more as he moved back to avoid another uranium beam from an oncoming Rodan. As Rodan flew past, the demon swung upward with his flail arm knocking the air out of the airborne kaiju. Rodan struggled to keep himself airborne but found himself crashing to the ground.

Kumasogami formed throwing knives as his fingers before tossing them at the staggered bird wanting to end his life. As the blades came ever closer, Kong jumped in the way of the knives as they embedded their burning hot blades into his body. The ape could feel the burning sensation in his body but stood protectively over the flying reptile. During the battle, he had realized why Rodan had attempted to flee their earlier battle. Just as he had the villagers of Farou Island, Rodan had his son to protect.

Kumasogami screamed in anger that the ape would get in his way again as he threw more burning hot knives at the beast. Each knife impaled with intense sensation as Kong charged toward the golem. Forming a spear in his arm, Kumasogami thrust it toward the mammal’s chest. Kong groaned in pain as the sharp spear entered his body, the determined beast grabbing Kumasogami and pulled him closer. Roaring out to Rodan, Kong held on tight to the lava golem, grasping onto its body tightly as the spear burst from his back. Steam sizzled from both entry and exit points as they seared the ape’s innards.

Rodan took to the sky as he began to fire upon the two below him with all the power he could muster. Kumasogami screamed as the beams washed over his molten flesh, blowing off chunks of his body. Kong withstood the beams striking his body as he continued to hold onto the demon tightly. Acting quickly, Kumasogami kneed Kong with a low blow, knocking the ape to the ground. Turning toward the lava pool, the demon started to run toward it as a beam struck his leg, blowing it up at the knee.

Now on his chest, the wicked deity started to pull his way toward the molten pool of magma. More beams struck his back as his wings were torn off in the explosion. Molten fluids flowed from his wounds as he neared the volcanic center. Suddenly something had gripped onto his leg, causing the demon to turn his head.

A bleeding Baragon stood over the demon as he began to use his powerful forelimbs on the demon’s back. Kumasogami roared in anguish as he felt the smaller dinosaur tunneling through his molten body. Soon enough, Baragon had completely torn the demon in half though his paws were now red from the intense heat. Rodan landed near his son as he stared at the upper half of the demon. Staring into its eye, Rodan fired one more purple beam into its head, blowing up and finishing the demon for good.

Rodan cackled in triumph as he turned toward the injured ape. Kong laid on the ground breathing heavily as Rodan and Baragon walked over to him. He was bleeding in various areas and would die if left alone. Rodan cawed to his son as the younger kaiju stared at the ape warily before taking aim. He began to fire his heat beam at the ape’s shoulder, sealing the wound shut to prevent Kong from bleeding out.

Kong looked at the two in surprise before deciding that it didn’t matter. Rodan knew that if it hadn’t been for King Kong, he and his son would have fallen victim to the wicked deity’s might. With his wounds now sealed, Kong knew that the chances of him surviving had increased vastly. He knew that he had lost this fight as Rodan still had the energy and could very easily finish him off. Grunting in defeat, he thanked the two for their kindness as he closed his eyes and allowed his fatigue to claim him.

Rodan looked over to his injured son checking to see if he was alright. Finding that he would survive the encounter, the Monster of the Sky collapsed to the ground. Flying hadn’t helped his wounds in the slightest as they only made his wounds worse. Baragon nudged his father’s body as Rodan called out to his son. The smaller dinosaur moved underneath the larger pterosaur and started to lift him up onto his back.

Rodan thought back all those years ago when he first found Baragon’s egg. He remembered the sorrow he felt back then and thought about all the happy moments he and his son had shared afterward. Placing his beak on his son’s back, Rodan fell into a deep sleep.

Winner: Rodan (Heisei), Baragon (Showa)

Author: Harley Jameson | Banner: Landon Soto

It was the harshest storm in the history of the Pacific Ocean. A vast expansion of thunderclouds loomed for hundreds of miles, lightning dancing across the sky and slammed into the ocean, sending waves of salty spray whipping and hissing in the air.

But to the natives of Faro Island, each clap of thunder was the signal of death.

The Chief of the island called his people together, face ashen as the rain lashed down hard across his people. He disliked having to call them out in this maelstrom, but the winds were so harsh that their homes had been completely demolished, and they had worked hard in the grueling and deafening night of the storm to erect enough of a shelter that could survive the harshness of it all. In the distance, he could hear the roars of their God as loud as the thunder, the sounds of battle echoing across the island like a curse. The smell of death in the air.

He had a feeling, deep in his heart, that this would be their last night on their land.

The Chief had to shout over the cacophony of noise, water spraying against the thick reeded walls of the hut. “My people, I know you are all hungry and cold from the storm. The food has been washed away, our homes have been picked up and carried toward the water. But together, we are stronger than the forces that wish to destroy us. Together, we can overcome-”

The sounds of battle and roaring were getting louder. Everyone flinched and huddled together as the ground shook slightly. The Chief made a motion to signal everyone to stay put, and he cautiously stepped out into the raging inferno of rain and wind to see what was happening.

That was when he smelled the thick, iron of blood and burnt flesh. Lightning spit across the sky before slamming down a few meters away from the Chief. He jumped back in alarm when the light revealed a charred and singed octopus. Another of the giant creatures that their God had often fought. The treeline shattered as a tall, green bipedal dinosaur was hurled out from the forest, landing in a heap at the beach.

Gorosaurus heaved, his chest burnt and blackened and every breath he took made his chest burn like it was on fire. Slowly, the dinosaur pushed himself upright and glared daggers. He gave an ear-splitting roar that made the Chief cover his ears.

When he heard another roar boom out from the jungle, any hope he may have had for his people surviving that night would be dashed.

Lightning crashed through the thicket and set the forest ablaze but the fires were quickly extinguished by the severe rains. Black smoke curled in the air as two powerful hands shoved a couple trees aside, electricity dancing across the furry hands as another bolt raced down and crashed down on the beach.

The Chief watched in silent horror and awe as King Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World, slowly stepped out of the forest. Electricity and lightning covered him like a cloak, his hands constantly awash with electrical energy. His breathing was ragged, and his face glowed a ghostly blue. His eyes were blood-shot and full of intense, insane rage. The rage a creature only gets into when it is dying and knows it. The thought made the Chief’s blood run cold.

Kong was dying.

Although the Chief was unaware of the exact process, he was aware of what was happening. Kong always had a natural affinity with lightning, but the storm had pumped him so full of electricity that his body was shutting down as his organs were being fried by the amount. It was a slow, painful death. Each heartbeat pumping more and more of the deadly power that Kong so often found strength in.

And in that strength, came madness. Overcome by the pain, Kong had flown into an unceasing rage, desperate to find relief. Anything in his path was demolished and destroyed. Curling his lips, the big ape wasted no time and sprinted forward, shoulder-tackling the weakened Gorosaurus down on the sand. The dinosaur squealed as Kong raised electrified fists and beat down relentlessly on the creature.

He didn’t stop until his hands were soaked in blood, and Gorosaurus lay as a mauled pile on the shore. Kong rose fully, and screamed out as another bolt of lightning struck down onto him, his fur singed and smoking as he beat his chest and howled angrily, before turning his attention toward the Chief, and the sole hut where the remaining villagers watched from the entrance.

The Chief closed his eyes. In a small mercy, he was the first to die, so he didn’t have to hear the screams of his people as Kong slaughtered all of them.

*****

Jet Jaguar was not a fan of storms.

Being a robot, he naturally had no real concept of emotions other than what his programming allowed him to simulate, but that did not stop Jet Jaguar from on a clinical level, being able to dislike storms. The lightning crashed down with alarming enough frequency that his programming dictated that unless a serious threat to life was going to turn up, he was to remain indoors in the lab where it was safe. Even his complicated and sophisticated circuitry was susceptible to the raw electrical power of a bolt of lightning. As such, his programming was content on allowing him to do more menial tasks around the household of his creator, tuning in every once in a while as best he could to the staticy and patchy radio frequencies of the world to see if his help might be needed. Although when the algorithms were sorted through, the probability of such a thing wasn’t very high.

The radio hummed and whined, various radio stations tuning in and out. Various advertisements and music stations until…

“Kong-”

Wait. Jet Jaguar stood stock still, winding back to the radio station where he heard the name. The static burst into life and he wiggled his head around, extending his antennae as far as they could go to boost the signal. “I repeat, King Kong has appeared on the coast of Japan. We advise all members of the public to stay indoors. We shall provide updates when possible.”

King Kong had come back to Japan’s shores again. Although Jet Jaguar doubted that his presence was needed, he looked out at the storm raging outside and his internal mechanisms were considering whether or not it was worth the risk to help the self defense force. Kong was one of the few kaiju that they could actually deal with without too much trouble.

With a flash of lightning, Jet Jaguar threw open the doors and slammed them shut, lifting his arms and taking off into the dark skies.

It wasn’t particularly difficult to find Kong, tuning into the choppy radios had given the robot enough of a guide, along with not being particularly bothered by the concept of darkness. Rain lashed at his eyes and his programs whirred in warning as he found the ape. Something was off about the beast…

Lightning crackled across Kong’s skin, his face emanating a bluish glow. The ape gave a low groan, clawing at his chest before howling in rage and anger, stampeding forward and kicking at a tank which exploded on impact with Kong’s foot. The burning wreckage flew through the air and crashed onto the shores. His heart showed increased signs of stress that was steadily gaining, and in an instant Jet Jaguar knew what the problem was.

The new problem was how to stop him.

The dying Kong screamed out, snarling and beating his bloody and raw chest. Electricity shrouding him as a bolt of lightning smashed down onto him and nearly floored the mighty ape, but he remained standing and snarled angrily. Jet Jaguar’s programming warned him that exposed contact with the ape would certainly result in his immediate termination.

He grew to the size of Kong anyways and stood in front of the thin line of JSDF vehicles that remained alive. The thunder crashed overhead and Jet Jaguar cried out, thrusting his arm toward Kong. Jet Jaguar sympathized with Kong, but he couldn’t allow the ape to continue his rampage.

Kong snarled, and another flash of lightning echoed out with his battle cry as the ape charged forward. He swung wildly, Jet Jaguar ducking underneath the clumsy swipe and the robot slammed his fist into Kong’s gut, staggering the ape. Jet Jaguar immediately yanked his hand away as sparks danced around it.

Kong, unphased by the robot’s plight, lumbered forward and swung again wildly, grunting in irritation as Jet Jaguar easily rolled out of the way. He grunted, digging his hands into the wet sand beneath him and flinging his arms up, a great handful splattering against Jet Jaguar’s face. The robot jerked in alarm, hastily trying to wipe the sand off of his face and screeching when Kong shouldered into him in a massive shower of spark, sending him crashing down on the wet sand.

He shuddered and twitched. Even with such minimal contact, Kong was so supercharged with electricity that it was enough to send his systems into overdrive. He barely had time to get his bearings before he had to quickly roll out of the way, toward the choppy oceans as Kong slammed his fists down, showering more sand around.

Standing quickly, Jet Jaguar ran forward and punched Kong across the jaw, then quickly backhanding him and kicking out with his foot, knocking the ape right on his back.

Under normal circumstances, he would have pressed the advantage. But in Kong’s current state, the machine knew that advantage was completely gone. As Kong rose up to his feet, Jet Jaguar’s computer brain began making calculations about how to properly defeat his supercharged foe.

Kong panted hard, clawing at his chest and grunting in pain, heaving as he roared angrily and another bolt of lightning slammed down onto the ape. Jet Jaguar flinched back, looking up at the storm raging above him. Was Kong’s natural affinity for lightning causing bolts to be attracted to him?

There was no time to ponder the possibilities presented to Jet Jaguar as Kong waved his arms wildly and sprinted forward, Jet Jaguar aiming a kick at Kong, who caught the foot and howled at Jet Jaguar.

Electricity danced through the machine’s circuits as Kong pushed Jet Jaguar down on his back and began punching mercilessly on him. Jet Jaguar flailed around, having the robotic equivalent of a seizure as his body began smoking and sparking. His circuits were going into overdrive and it wasn’t long before he went limp, going into emergency shut down.

Kong panted, watching his beaten and blackened foe fall limp. He prodded at Jet Jaguar, but upon seeing no response assumed he had died and stood back up, beating his chest and bellowing victoriously. Turning around, he began walking back toward Japan.

When Jet Jaguar turned back on, the storm had somehow gotten worse. His eyes pierced the darkness with light and he slowly stood to his full height, brushing the sand off of his body. He looked around, seeing the wreck of Kong’s rampage and he knew that he had failed his mission to stop the ape. His internal clock was fried and he had no idea how long he was on the ground.

If Jet Jaguar were capable of feeling horror, it would be that Kong was nowhere to be seen and his radio wasn’t operating properly either. With no way to determine where the ape had gone, he would have to start looking for him the old fashioned way.

Jet Jaguar watched as the lightning crackled overhead, the thunder exploding around him as he lifted off the ground. Normally, he would conserve energy and shrink down to fly again but desperate times called for desperate measures. He needed to find Kong and stop him, no matter the cost.

It was a clunky liftoff, but the robot protector paid it no heed as he soared through the air as fast as he could go, The winds and rain battered his giant form as he looked for Kong across the countryside, trying to repair his radio as quickly as he could. Lightning crashed around him, and he once swerved to avoid a bolt that struck out at him a few seconds after.

The distant sound of tank-fire finally caught his attention. His optics zoomed in a little as he saw Kong battling the army. He held in his hand the charred remains of a few soldiers, throwing the corpses like ragdolls across the battlefield. His body was literally humming with how much electrical power he had stored up. Jet Jaguar could hear Kong’s heartbeat getting faster with each breath. He would die soon.

This had to end.

Under normal circumstances, his programming wouldn’t allow him to perform such a rash and illogical act. But as Jet Jaguar watched Kong slaughter the soldiers, he knew it had to be done to stop the ape. He had done it once before to stop Megalon, and he would have to do it again to stop Kong.

Jet Jaguar began to grow again. Larger than he had done before until he was towering over Kong. His estimates was that he had grown a quarter of his size and the strain on his body was already starting to be felt. Metal groaned as Jet Jaguar took a thunderous step toward Kong, who looked dumbfounded to see the opponent he thought he had killed back and taller than ever.

Swinging his arm, it smashed against Kong’s head and sent the ape crashing down against the ground. Giant lights pierced the blackness and shone down on the downed ape as Kong burst up and charged at the gigantic Jet Jaguar, slamming his bulk into the machine.

He staggered back, but remained standing this time and instead kicked out viciously, replacing technique for raw power and he heard the sickening crunch of bones as Kong’s weakened body was tossed across the makeshift arena and landed in a heap.

The strain was starting to wear on Jet Jaguar’s body but he refused to shrink back down until he knew Kong was no longer a threat. Metal groaned under the weight and smoke began to churn from his overheating body, the rain hissing against his hot coating. When he saw Kong was about to stand he moved over and viciously kicked at the ape’s side, sending the dying creature sprawling on the ground.

Kong coughed, heaving as he rolled over and convulsed. The electricity around his body was starting to fade, and he gave a weak noise and looked up at the storm raging overhead. He could feel his heart beating slower, it was getting hard to breath. Closing his eyes, King Kong slumped over. Finally dead.

Jet Jaguar turned, shrunk back down and in silence, and flew back home.

Winner: Jet Jaguar

 

Author: KeSean Johnson | Banner: Matthew Williams

He had heard of this malicious creature and its reign of terror, reeking havoc wherever it crossed. The malevolent beast shedding its ruthless evil and destruction across the galaxy.

The three-headed horror of the universe was on a path of chaos. He laid waste to anything, mobile or immobile. Cruelty, destruction, pain and death was all he knew. Nothing else mattered but the end of the universe.

A small planet located behind Jupiter had recently just been caught in the evil monstrosity’s road to annihilation. Like a fiery god angered by its people, the horrid monster rained destructive, cosmic lightning bolts upon the defenseless planet. A barren wasteland it was turned, erased of all natural resources, its people on the brink of extinction. The demon wanted—no, needed—to exact his revenge. His next target was planet Earth.

The intergalactic king of terror known as Grand King Ghidorah cackled with evil glee, glaring at his new adversary. A lone knight, donned in silver armor had come to stop his reign of terror. A praised god known by his ancient people, his heavenly powers toppling that of the Earth’s defenders. Their combined might was only enough to replenish the galactic monstrosity. He would send this devil into eternal damnation. With the shining light of the sun and the masculine power of a supernova, there was no possible way this dragon could come out on top. It was not in its destiny as so it was for the divine knight.

The all powerful Sun God known as Utsuno Ikusagami clenched his fists. Utsuno could not allow this tyrannical dragon to cause anymore obliteration. He sought to kill this terrible creature once and for all. Stretching his arms out, the silver warrior summoned a vast amount of gold blades on his back. These acted as his wings, giving him the wonderful ability of flight. Utsuno charged Ghidorah, only for the golden dragon to spew a volley of gravity bolts his way, halting his approach. The heavely knight used his arms to shield his face, resulting in burn marks and electrocution. He was not prepared for that attack. This battle was going to be a lot more challenging than he thought.

Grand King Ghidorah laughed at his foe before charging more cosmic energy into his maws and firing it at his opponent. Utsuno was ready this time, forming an oval-shaped shield made of unknown energies. The otherworldly beams of destruction were stopped in their tracks. Grand Ghidorah wouldn’t let up, still shooting his lightning blasts into the shield. Utsuno became worried, knowing his blockade would falter at any moment, and he was correct. The shield cracked, then twisted, and finally shattered like glass. Yet, he was already on the move, dodging the gravity beams and flying overhead.

By the time Ghidorah looked upward, Utsuno Ikusagami descended upon him, slamming his right fist into his central head, releasing a shriek of agony. Ghidorah’s left head shot at Utsuno, only for the knight to grasp its throat in his right hand. The right head sprang to action, but Utsuno caught that one as well. Ikusagami tightened his grip, squeezing as hard as he could and zapping them with his special energy touch. Afterward, he drove his right knee into the dragon’s liver, forcing the monster to shriek in pain and gag at the same time.

The central head brought itself upward, uppercutting thr guardian in his armored chin and forcing him to stagger. Charging up deadly volts of electricity into the tips of his wings, Grand King Ghidorah then let forth twelve shots of crimson lightning into Utsuno Ikusagami’s body. His metallic armor acted as a conductor, cranking up the power of the wing lightning. Utsuno cringed in anguish, the lightning bolts giving him a painful shock treatment.

Ghidorah flapped his gargantuan wings, charging at his stunned opponent. When Utsuno stopped cringing in pain, he was treated with a massive dropkick which sent him hurtling into a tiny asteroid. The impact dazed him, but he still managed to hold himself together. Grand King Ghidorah flew at his enemy once again, but Utsuno managed to sidestep the speeding demon at the last second, driving all three of his heads into the asteroid. Faintly, Ghidorah shrieked in pain, nearly knocked into unconsciousness by the crash.

While his adversary was dazed and confused, Utsuno wrapped his silver arms around Grand Ghidorah’s long necks and bent them backward. Simultaneously, the Sun God drove his right foot into the dragon’s back, cracking it in all the wrong ways. This galvanized the beast, widening its six red eyes and blasting his opponent point-blank in his featureless face. The sudden gravity beams sent the warrior hurtling backward.

Like a swimmer accelerating off a wall inside a pool, Grand King Ghidorah pounced off of the damaged asteroid, giving him a head start to his top flight speed. Utsuno tricked his deadly opponent into believing he was down for the count. Ghidorah was getting ready to maul the knight, only for the warrior from the heavens to leap up and snatch all three of his muscular necks. The dreadful dragon panicked, having no way to escape from his tightening grip. Utsuno Ikusamagi spun in a complete circle before releasing his foe upward. The galactic demon catapulted into a rushing asteroid, knocking the air right out of him and sending him further into the vacuum of space.

Utsuno Ikusagami knew for a fact his opponent was nowhere near defeated and decided to give chase. The silver knight dodged every oncoming rock, spinning, twirling, and still keeping his focus on the one asteroid with his enemy on the other side. After floating behind it, he waited for his enemy to arrive from either above him or on either side of the space rock. What he didn’t come to realize was that Grand King Ghidorah was flying under the asteroid.

Ghidorah lifted his three demonic heads, spotting the warrior’s feet. Utsuno Ikusagami was ambushed, being blasted in his soles, causing him to clutch his feet and become frantic. Grand King Ghidorah cackled with evil glee, seeing his foe struggle to overcome his pain. Flying up toward his opponent, Grand Ghidorah then sank his large fangs into Utsuno’s feet and tossed him downward into yet another oncoming asteroid. The satanic dragon followed the rock he laid on, erupting cosmic lightning blasts into his fallen foe.

Utsuno lay stiff as the devastating bolts of lightning electrifying his limbs. The silver knight spotted his adversary flying overhead, but it was already too late. Grand King Ghidorah dropped onto his enemy, driving his scaly feet into his torso. Like a joyful child on a trampoline, the three-headed dragon jumped up and down, denting the deity’s armor and crushing him underneath his gigantic weight. Ghidorah grew tired of this act, deciding to hop off of his downed opponent.

Bright, yellow flashes formed in his maws, charging up his gravity beams. The yellow bolts of devastation spewed from his mouths, exploding around Utsuno Ikusagami and forcing him to roll over onto his stomach. The golden devil chuckled at his foe’s suffering. Knowing his opponent would continue his assault, Utsuno activated his wing blades, spinning rapidly like a giant buzzsaw. After using his arms to lift himself up, the divine warrior spun to the right, his wing saw cleaving Ghidorah’s right foot from his ankle.

Grand King Ghidorah cried out in anguish, falling onto his back, his ankle becoming nothing more than a bloody stump. His opponent was extremely tough, but the god knew he would overcome the odds. Utsuno looked to finish this battle, the war between knight and dragon. The metallic warrior lifted his arms out and focused on his energy. Channeling a high quantity of divine power into the medallion on his forehead, Utsuno Ikusagami then fired an awesome blast of raw energy into Grand King Ghidorah.

Something seemed to be wrong. The terrible dragon never erupted into a great ball of fire. There wasn’t even an explosion. Grand King Ghidorah used his golden scales to manipulate Utsuno’s Sun beam into a light barrier!

Ghidorah thanked the nature of his own body for saving him from oblivion. Utsuno couldn’t believe what just happened. That same energy beam was enough to turn the devilish, eight-headed dragon, Orochi, into a living inferno. What did it do to Grand King Ghidorah? Absolutely nothing.

Grand King Ghidorah flew off of the asteroid, finally rejuvenating his strength. The terrifying monster passed by Utsuno Ikusagami, bombarding the knight with deadly gravity bolts. He spun around while cackling with insanity. When Utsuno turned to face his enemy, he was met with a massive wing to the face, knocking him back. Ghidorah then hoisted his forked tail over his groin area which connected to the sides of his opponent’s head. Bringing his tail down, Utsuno was forced to fly downward.

He halted his decent. The warrior barely dodged the oncoming lightning blasts which manipulated gravity. His reflexes came into play. Grand Ghidorah continued his spam of gravity beams, yet not one blast hit their target. Utsuno flew in continuous circles as he was trying his hardest to not get blasted. Finally coming up with another strategy, the silver knight twirled upward, almost like creating a giant DNA strand. This confused and infuriated the three-headed monstrosity because he couldn’t land any hits on his enemy.

Utsuno stopped flying. Ghidorah seized firing. The hydra turned around only for his enemy to punch his central head, catching it off guard and releasing a shriek of agony. Utsuno backhanded his right head, then slapped the left one, zapping it at the same time. Becoming seriously aggravated, Ghidorah then constricted his middle neck around Utsuno’s throat. The ancient warrior was beginning to suffocate and so started to panic. He bashed his fists into King Ghidorah’s chest over and over, but nothing seemed to work. The outer heads then wrapped their necks around his arms, holding him still. His movements became slow and lazy. Now that his opponent was pained and slowed, Grand King Ghidorah relinquished his torture and vomited more destructive beams of galactic lightning into his stiff foe. He glared at his enemy who was now floating aimlessly in the vacuum of space. Curling his lips and snarling, Ghidorah then let forth a ferocious cry of triumphant victory. The demonic dragon added insult to injury by bouncing off of his unconscious opponent’s form and flying away.

He decided to utilize the extracted life essences he had taken by will from every planet he had encountered beforehand. Grand King Ghidorah then began to form a meteor around his masculine body. This would definitely help him travel to Earth a lot faster.

Images scattered inside Utsuno Ikusagami’s brain. Everything he saw were memories from his troubled past. He was once a rejected prince, being deceived as a child of the Devil himself. His kingdom believed that he himself had murdered his own sick mother after giving her his special amulet, its true power being nearly uncontrollable. Day and night, land-to-land, the dishonored prince searched for the three treasures of Yamato. After achieving the treasures, the prince and his new female companion journeyed to the moon. He did battle with the ruthless, almighty god known as Tsukuyomi. After being outmatched, the doombringer transformed into the humongous red hydra, Orochi. Yamato Takeru fused with the Sword of Snake Kerosign, a sacred mirror, and his partner; Oto Tachibana. He then morphed into a proud, heavenly God of the Sun: Utsuno Ikusagami. Using his amazing, divine powers, the warrior conquered the eight-headed dragon, his duty as a protector being successful.

Now he had faced a new opponent. Another hydra, but more dangerous and more powerful. Even more powerful than the last. This dragon, despite having five less heads, was more cunning and possessed twice as much raw power in his arsenal. The dragon defeated the knight, but his mission of protection and balance was not over yet. No matter the circumstances, Utsuno had to beat the unbeatable! He had to conquer the unconquerable! Slay the unslayable! Utsuno clenched his fists. On this day, he would slay yet another hydra!

The meteor was formed half way around Grand King Ghidorah’s body. All of a sudden, a massive, orange beam made of enhanced energies collided with the half-meteor. It was decimated in an instant, exploding all around its creator. Grand King Ghidorah roared furiously, fueled with inner rage. He was so close! The menacing monster charged his foe, but Utsuno stood his ground. The knight stuck his arms out and completely stopped the speeding dragon. Ghidorah’s left head shot out like a cobra, biting into Utsuno’s right bicep. Then came the right head, sinking its sharp fangs into his left bicep. Finally the central head bit down into his neck.

Utsuno struggled to escape from his triple death grip, but with this new sudden power surge, there was no way he would be defeated again. Ghidorah’s fangs sunk deeper, yet he could not break the holy armor. The golden dragon’s bloodlust was still not quenched. Utsuno stuck his right arm out to the side while Grand Ghidorah charged up yellow, cosmic lightning into his three maws, and a sword made of holy energy materialized in the noble warrior’s right hand. Right as Ghidorah was about to end his life, the blade was plunged into his chest like a hot knife through butter, seizing his lightning bolts.

All three of his heads lifted upward simultaneously and shrieked in absolute anguish. The holy blade was extremely close to piercing his black heart. Utsuno Ikusagami relinquished his sword from the dragon’s chest and swiped it down his right wing, ripping through the appendage like tissue paper. Ghidorah released a cry of agony, shooting off strands of purple lightning at his foe. Utsuno spun around and activated his wing blades, using them to bounce and deflect the oncoming bolts of electricity into the empty vastness.

Ghidorah growled at his relentless opponent. The demon summoned more gravity-manipulating lightning into his maws while the silver knight channeled more particles of intense energy into his forehead. Grand King Ghidorah released the destructive gravity beams from his mouths, uniting them into one super gravity beam. The medallion ray ruptured from Utsuno Ikusagami’s forehead. The two awesome blasts of raw power smashed into one another, looking to overpower each other. Ghidorah spewed more cosmic energy into his combined blast, causing his opponent’s ray to be pushed back. Utsuno summoned more power into his beam, forcing his enemy’s blast to fall back. The runaway energy coming from both giants erupted, a massive explosion of astronomical proportions being created.

Both Utsuno Ikusagami and Grand Ghidorah were sent hurtling backward as the galactic explosion was formed in between them. Upon stopping himself, Utsuno caught a glimpse of Ghidorah speeding toward him like a living bullet. That was all he needed. Before Ghidorah could tackle his foe, the silver knight turned ninety degrees to the left. Grand King Ghidorah’s eyes widened, panicking as he could not stop himself. It was at that moment when Ghidorah’s left wing was completely shredded in half by Ikusagami’s wing saw.

The demonic dragon turned around, squealing in insane agony. Almost instantly, a zero gravity field formed around the hydra so that he could still possess the ability to fly. Out of nowhere, Utsuno Ikusagami slammed his bulk into Grand King Ghidorah. Pushing him backward, the hydra was forced through one side of an asteroid and straight out the other, forming a gaping hole in the space rock.

Utsuno continued his forward rush, finally driving Ghidorah into an asteroid three times their own size. An impact crater was formed from the collision, holding the dragon in the rock as Ikusagami materialized another sword of enhanced power in his right hand. Ghidorah’s right head shrieked its last as it was severed from half way down its neck, vile blood spraying everywhere. Utsuno, with his free hand, grasped the severed limb and slapped the other two heads with it in utter disgust before casting it aside. Ghidorah roared in frustration, unable to overcome his enemy’s deadly assault.

Grabbing the central head’s lower jaw, Ikusagami electricuted it and hoisted the neck upward. He plunged his heavenly sword into its throat, locking it with the asteroid and spewing nasty blood. Staring at his ruthless enemy made him angered, something a god should not feel in the sight of others for bad things would come. Bringing his right arm upward, Utsuno summoned a spear of static holy light and chucked it at Ghidorah. Unlike the holy beam, it managed to penetrate his light barrier, slicing straight through his left shoulder, restraining his joints and causing a huge explosion. Focusing more power into his left hand, Utsuno formed another deadly spear and threw it at the dragon’s other shoulder. A third spear was flung, piercing the demon’s left knee. One last spear connected with Ghidorah’s right knee. The satanic dragon was crucified on an asteroid, sapping him of his legendary power and siphoning all the evil that lurked inside of his body.

Grand Ghidorah let forth a weakened cry of distress. Utsuno channeled holy energies into his medallion, seeking to end this monster’s reign of destruction. The blast was fired, but was halted by Ghidorah’s still active light barrier. Two more beams shot out, but were unsuccessful in damaging their target. Utsuno brought his arms up and slowly dropped them, focusing even more godly energy into his forehead. Another medallion ray erupted from his head, even more massive and powerful than all the rest. Instantly, Ghidorah’s light barrier shattered, letting the beam of holy energy collide with his body. Ghidorah cried one final roar of retribution upon his adversary. Some of his scales, along with some inner organs, evaporated at a rapid rate. His insides overheated and began to combust. Finally, the three-headed dragon exploded into a brilliant ball of flames, being completely set ablaze by Utsuno’s mega medallion ray.

Utsuno seized his blast, giving his unlimited energy a chance to replenish itself. The once horrible beast, the galactic doombringer, the planet destroyer, the devilish obliterator, the King of Terror, Grand King Ghidorah…was no more. The divine knight, the Sun God, Utsuno Ikusagami, had conquered, and slain the dragon.

The denizens of Earth would live to see another day, thanks to a god they never worshipped…

Eternal damnation the dragon was sent into… The heavens above the knight ascended to.

Between God and Devil, this is how it always should be and will be.

Winner: Utsuno Ikusagami

Author: Connor Clennell | Banner: Dao Zang Moua

For years, mankind had been plagued by monsters. No matter how hard they fought back, it seemed as if they had no hope to fully repel the larger-than-life beasts that shared the same soil as them. Had no choice but to watch them tear down their homes, steal away their loved ones, tear down everything they had worked hard to achieve.

Yet in the carnage and chaos, one nation had managed to avoid the conflict between man and monster. Whilst the governments of Japan and the United States sent out their armies and arsenals against the likes of Godzilla and King Ghidorah, the United Kingdom hung back, leaving its military and civilians out of a conflict that didn’t involve them…at least, not yet. As the other nations of the world suffered from the heavy loss of life and the costs of repairing the damage and building new weaponry to take down their gargantuan neighbors, they flourished. Rebuilding their economy, improving their quality of life, strengthening their defenses. What was once a tiny, insignificant island was quickly growing into a new international superpower.

The people of Great Britain had grown to believe they were safe from the terrors of kaiju. None had ever tried to set foot in their waters or on their soil before. Why would they now?

Today, they would be proven wrong.

In Blackpool, crowds of people carried on with their daily lives, not giving a care about the dangers that existed outside their waters. Atop the Blackpool Tower, a young boy was on the verge of crying as he watched his balloon float away from him into the sky above. He barely paid attention to the sudden shouts and screams around him, as people pushed and shoved each other aside in a desperate rush to get to the elevator. It wasn’t until his mother lifted him up to carry him and he could see over her shoulder that he saw what the cause for all the commotion was.

Few people saw the object flying in over the ocean at an astounding speed. Even fewer survived its arrival.

Hurricane level winds swept up helpless cars, trams, buses and people, scattering them across the town like garbage. Massive waves engulfed the beach and the promenade, wiping away treasured landmarks and memorials. Sonic booms shattered every window within Blackpool’s limits and reduced less structurally sound buildings to tons of concrete rubble. All this in the span of a single minute. Maybe even less.

When the carnage had died down, the town was unrecognizable to the survivors. Mangled bodies of vehicles and people littered the ravaged streets, obscured by dust and debris. Across the city, the cries of people in agonizing pain and in mourning of their deceased filled the air. No one could have expected this. Blackpool had been torn apart by forces brought about by the advent of Rodan.

The crimson pterosaur circled above the ruins of Blackpool, scanning for a place to roost after his long voyage. His sharp eyes found a suitable target, and he made his descent. Rodan came down atop the Blackpool Tower, crushing its observatory under his titanic weight. The rest of the structure wobbled and groaned in protest, but managed to support Rodan’s form. In the giant’s beak, a bottlenose dolphin flailed helplessly in its dying moments. Throwing his head back, Rodan opened his maw, allowing gravity to send the dolphin down his throat. He closed his beak with a loud clapping sound, only to open it again a second later, spreading his wings and releasing an echoing, challenging cackle. Blackpool was his domain now. Let any other creature challenge him at their peril.

His moment was interrupted, however, as the tower began to tremble beneath him. Rodan looked down, tilting his head in confusion. The streets below shook violently, the tremors bringing down buildings not fully obliterated by Rodan’s sonic booms. Huge jagged cracks appeared in the concrete and tarmac, spewing violent flames. From his perch, Rodan watched the cracks grow larger and the flames engulf the ruins below. Suddenly, the tower itself began to sink, disappearing into the inferno. Screeching in surprise, Rodan escaped a fiery fate by taking to the skies. He and the pockets of survivors watched with anticipation as the Blackpool Tower was consumed by the Earth, vanishing into a hellish pit of fire and brimstone.

Rodan looked down at where the tower had just stood, warily observing the gaping chasm that had appeared in its place. Unholy sounds escaped the sinkhole’s molten depths, filling the reptile’s soul with dread. Forms moved around within the flames, neither human nor monster, but creatures from another world. Thousands of tortured souls cried out, begging for freedom from their eternal prison. This gateway to the underworld was something beyond even Rodan’s intelligence and comprehension. He was sure of one thing, however: he was going nowhere near it.

To further compliment the pit, a colossal, inhuman form began to rise from the depths. A large four-fingered hand composed of rock clamped down on the chasm’s edge, followed by another, pulling a demonic creature out of Hell itself and to the surface. Kumasogami reared his hideous visage back, letting loose a haunting, atrocious bellow that pierced the souls of those present with fear and dread, announcing his return to the mortal realm after centuries of slumber. The former God of the Kumaso Kingdom had returned to walk the Earth once more and burn civilization to ashes.

Though as the molten beast scanned the broken shell of Blackpool, it seemed something had razed the town to the ground before him. Recently too, judging by the still setting smoke and burning fires. A screech from above caught Kumasogami’s attention. The demon’s single triangular eye regarded Rodan’s airborne form not with fear or anger, but boredom. While he enjoyed tearing apart his enemies and drinking the blood out of their still beating hearts, the pteranodon hardly looked to be a worthy foe. Still, if it wanted to die so badly, who was he to deny its final request? Kumasogami spread his arms wide and roared a terrible roar at Rodan, accepting the Lord of the Skies’ challenge.

Pulling his wings close, Rodan dive-bombed the molten titan at incredible speed. Taken by surprise by his foe’s speed, Kumasogami was left with little time to defend himself, and raised his arms to grab Rodan’s own as he closed the distance. Gripping the aerial predator’s arms tightly, Kumasogami grinned in sadistic pleasure as his superheated touch burnt and seared Rodan’s flesh, earning several painful cries from the mutated pteranodon. In retaliation, he brought the tip of his beak down atop Kumasogami’s head with extreme force. Kumasogami relinquished his hold, clutching the top of his head and hollering painfully. Molten lava dripped from his cracked cranium, corroding the ground below. Rodan used his foe’s distraction to ascend into the air, his natural realm. With a single flap of his wings, he created a powerful sonic boom that knocked Kumasogami back onto the beach behind him. As the dark one’s feet disappeared under the waves he growled painfully. But while the cooling waters doused his flames, it was not enough to wound the beast from Hell.

Rodan’s cackling cry echoed around the area, seeming to come from all directions. Kumasogami looked around frantically as he tried to locate the reptile, to no avail. Rodan cackled again, the sound closer this time, but before Kumasogami could react, the oversized pterosaur slammed his spiked chest into the back of the titan’s head, sending him crashing to the ground. Kumasogami quickly got back onto his feet, only for Rodan to slam his feet into his face, causing him to fall backward into the ocean. Both the demon and the waters hissed as his superheated form made contact, steam rising from all sides. Pulling himself out of the now boiling water, Kumasogami was knocked to the ground once more as Rodan swooped in low and sliced the demon’s leg with his wing.

Kumasogami groaned as he pulled himself off the ground. Rodan was just too fast to face while in the air, and if Kumasogami wanted to win this bout he’d have to force the crimson terror out of his element. The dark one’s arms fell to his sides as his hands began to shift and change. His left hand took on the appearance of a bow, the other morphed its fingers into three deadly arrows. Kumasogami joined the arrows with his bow and took aim. Rodan issued a cackle and dive-bombed Kumasogami again, but this time the demon was ready, spinning on his heel to face the pteranodon and fired his arrows. Skillfully twisting his form, Rodan avoided the molten projectiles and continued his attack, striking Kumasogami in the face with his wing before retreating once more. Kumasogami snarled angrily and turned to face Rodan’s retreating form as his fingers formed into another set of arrows.

He raised the bow and arrows to target Rodan, but did not fire, waiting for the pteranodon to get closer this time. Rodan began to pick up speed as he approached Kumasogami, cackling wildly, as he prepared to slam his beak into the molten titan’s cranium. Moments before he could, though, Kumasogami launched his arrows, striking the giant pteranodon’s armored chest. Crying out in pain as plumes of fire and smoke rose from his chest, Rodan swerved midair, abandoning his attack run. Kumasogami lowered his arms, letting out a low, sinister laugh at his foe’s pain.

Suddenly, Rodan stopped mid-flight and turned to face Kumasogami. The demon’s laughter died in his throat once he noticed Rodan’s crown of horns glow a bright gold, as flashes and sparks of energy crackled across them. Rodan cackled angrily before opening his beak and unleashing a violet beam of atomic energy, striking Kumasogami dead center in the chest. The dark one howled as chunks of molten rock and lava blood fell to the ground and staggered back. Rodan was not finished, however, and fired another blast of his uranium ray. Kumasogami’s left hand exploded into chunks as the beam struck, causing more agonizing pain to course through Kumasogami’s body and earning another deafening cry from his molten throat as he clutched the stump of his hand. Rodan’s mocking cry filled the demon’s ears as his hand regenerated, vengeance clouding his mind. As Rodan dive-bombed him again, Kumasogami reverted his right hand back to its normal state and broke into a sprint toward the giant pterosaur. The demon bent his legs, leaping into the air toward the descending Rodan. The mutated pteranodon cried out in surprise as Kumasogami planted his foot atop his head and kicked down, sending him plummeting to the ground hard. Kumasogami landed mere meters away and turned to face Rodan, still dazed from the impact, growling cruelly as he prepared to deal the finishing blow…

Pulling himself upright, Rodan spun around and blasted Kumasogami square in the chest with his uranium heat beam. Kumasogami stumbled backward from the blast and tripped on a pile of rubble, falling back and crushing Blackpool North Station under his bulk. As the demon flailed about trying to get back up, Rodan lifted himself into the air and approached Kumasogami. The molten titan lashed out in an attempt to grab Rodan, but the Lord of the Skies managed to stay just out of his reach and began pecking furiously at the dark one’s skull. Kumasogami roared in pain as each strike of Rodan’s beak worsened the damage already inflicted to his cranium, threatening to crack the demon’s head open like an egg. His hands desperately sought out a weapon to use against his crimson foe, eventually finding an abandoned DMU train. His right hand closed around the two vehicles, the heat from his body quickly turning them to molten slag, and he swung his arm upward, smashing the deteriorating train into Rodan’s face. The DMU exploded on contact, embedding shards of glass and twisted metal into the right side of Rodan’s head. Rodan ceased assaulting Kumasogami, rearing his head back and crying out in pain as shrapnel pierced his eye. He flew back and landed, trying to claw the debris out with his fingers.

Kumasogami stood up, using the time Rodan spent removing the shrapnel well. His right arm fell to his side, the fingers of his hand fusing together and extending to form a deadly blade. Raising his new weapon, Kumasogami swung it at Rodan, striking the reptile on his armored chest and drawing a shower of sparks. Rodan cried out in shock and leapt back, but Kumasogami swung faster, his sword cutting through the membrane of Rodan’s left wing. The crimson pteranodon cackled in anger and pain as he ascended out of Kumasogami’s reach. He observed his torn wing, assessing the damage. His wing was still capable of granting flight, obviously, but he could no longer harness his true speed, lest he damage his wing further.

Out of the corner of his good eye, Rodan watched Kumasogami’s hands morph into a bow and arrows once more. He quickly moved, avoiding the first trio of arrows. Kumasogami could tell Rodan was in distress, as he was moving a lot slower now. It made tracking him much easier. He raised his bow, firing another set of arrows at the mutated pterosaur. Two arrows struck Rodan’s underbelly, the other exploded against his neck. Rodan let out an angry cry and swerved toward Kumasogami, grasping the demon’s head in his talons and dragging him across the town. The Lord of the Skies released his grip, sending Kumasogami crashing down atop Bloomfield Road Stadium, partially burying him in several tons of concrete and steel.

Furiously, Kumasogami pulled himself up and glared at Rodan. The pterosaur’s horns glowed once more as he fired his uranium beam, blowing off Kumasogami’s bow-hand, then repeated the action with the demon’s other hand. Kumasogami shook his arms wildly, his stumps spilling lava across the area, as Rodan swooped in and smashed him in the face with his chest. Kumasogami fell back, roaring in fury. Already his hands were regenerating and morphing into new shapes. His right hand grew in size, his fingers sinking into his rocky hide to form a large ball. Several spikes grew out of the ball, finishing the weapon’s completion. His left hand took on a similar shape, then detached from his wrist, dangling on a rock-formed chain. Kumasogami swung his new morning star and flail, testing their weight and air resistance, then spun around and slammed his morning star into Rodan’s face, who had been sneaking up on the molten titan.

Wearily, Rodan opened his eyes. Kumasogami’s blow had been strong enough to not only knock him unconscious for a few moments, but send him flying halfway across Blackpool. Rodan felt the ground beneath him quake, and he looked up to see Kumasogami sprinting toward him, bellowing in rage. Flapping his wings, Rodan began to take off, firing a uranium ray at the charging demon. Kumasogami raised his morning star to take the blow, sacrificing the limb to continue his charge, and swung his left arm. His flail slammed into Rodan’s chest, breaking several ribs with an audible cracking sound. The crimson pterosaur’s cry of agony was literally drowned out as blood gurgled out of Rodan’s maw as one of his lungs was punctured. He blasted Kumasogami with his uranium beam, incinerating rocky armor and lava blood alike, as he clawed at the dark one’s face with his talons, ignoring the burning pain that shot through then with every strike.

By now Kumasogami’s morning star had reformed, and he smashed the medieval tool into Rodan’s side, sending the oversized pteranodon crashing to the ground. He leapt atop the fallen reptile and began pounding his face with both morning star and flail. Rodan beat his wings and kicked out, cackling painfully as he was crushed and burnt underneath the demon. His efforts were futile, and only served to increase the severity of the dark one’s beating.

After several minutes of non-stop smashing, Kumasogami finally relented. He stood up off Rodan to observe the Lord of the Skies’ broken form. His chest was singled completely black, raw red flesh poking out of several gaping wounds. The pteranodon’s head lay in a puddle of his own blood, his beak crackled and missing several pieces, which were scattered all around his head. Yet the slow but steading rise and fall of his chest proved Rodan was still alive. Kumasogami’s hands morphed into blades as he raised them above his head, ready to deal the killing blow. But then a much more sinister thought struck him. Why kill him and end his suffering, when he could make him suffer for all eternity?

His blades morphed back into four-fingered hands, and he bent down to pick up Rodan. Carrying the mutant reptile above his head, Kumasogami marched over to where he had come into this world. As he stood at the edge of the opening, he glazed into its fiery depths, disturbed glee filling his tainted soul. The moans and cries of the underworld, along with Kumasogami’s vile laughter, was enough to rouse Rodan from unconsciousness. With a surprised screech, the Lord of the Skies was cast into the pit, vanishing into the cloud of fire and smoke. Kumasogami’s laughter rose to a horrifying, booming volume as he turned away from the gate to Hell and focused his attention—

With a triumphant cackle, Rodan flew out of the pit, escaping the terrors of the underworld. Kumasogami spun around, his twisted visage frozen in shock. Rodan’s bruised and battered eyes narrowed as a furious cackle emanated from his throat moments before he expelled a beam of atomic hate on Kumasogami’s face. The dark one’s cries died in his throat as it was torn away by the force of Rodan’s heat ray, alongside most of his facial feature. As Kumasogami clutched at the remains of his face, Rodan blasted open the ground beneath him with two more uranium rays. The ledge Kumasogami resided on crumbled away, and he fell screaming as best he could into the pit, continuously being assaulting by uranium beams. Rodan never saw or heard him hit the bottom, if there even was one, and breathed a sigh of relief. With its only connection to the mortal realm severed, the hole to Hell closed up, leaving no trace that it was ever there.

Exhausted but victorious, Rodan made his leave. His new territory now reeked of the underworld’s dark presence, and he wanted to be as far away from it as possible, taking to the air and heading toward much greener pastures.

Winner: Rodan (Heisei)