Match 20: Kumasogami vs. Gezora

Match 20: Kumasogami vs. Gezora is the 20th match in the KWC and written by Christian Salabert.

## Story

Gezora was already searching for food as he pulled himself out of the ocean off the shores of Birth Island. He was hungry and none of the nearby sea creatures had sated his hunger. Perhaps there was something tasty waiting for him inland. Shaking the seawater off his slimy skin, Gezora lashed out at a group of palm trees as he went, uprooting the trees and sending them flying in every direction.

He hadn’t made it very far before the ground began to shake. A portion of the earth fell away, revealing raging flames below. The tentacled beast moved in to investigate, making sure to keep a safe distance from the intense heat. Suddenly, a burst of flames erupted from the hole, and a massive form emerged. Kumasogami had returned to Earth.

Gezora screeched with glee. He didn’t know what this new creature was, but it was sure to make a tasty meal. He advanced immediately, waving his tentacles threateningly.

Kumasogami glared at the being approaching him. He had returned to Earth with the intent of utterly destroying it, but hadn’t expected an attacker immediately after arrival. But still, it was of no concern to the demon. This beast would serve as a good warm-up. He flexed his arms and attacked.

Gezora lashed out with his tentacles, bashing Kumasogami in the chest. The blows struck against the devil’s torso with thunderous force, but did not injure him. It didn’t even cause him to take a step back. Kumasogami growled and grabbed one of Gezora’s tentacles in his hands. Gezora screamed as his foe’s superheated skin began scorching his flesh. Gezora tugged on his tentacle, trying to wrench it away from Kumasogami’s grip, but the demon was not about to let go. Smoke poured from Kumasogami’s hands as Gezora’s tentacle was burned beyond recognition. Gezora pulled again, and this time the burnt portion of the tentacle was torn away, leaving the cephalopod with a charred stump at the end. Gezora shrieked in pain and fear as his foe advanced.

Gezora knew it was no match for this creature and began to retreat, but Kumasogami was much faster. He began punching the colossal cuttlefish in his massive head, leaving burn marks with each strike. Gezora tried to defend himself, but could not stand up to the power of Kumasogami’s onslaught. He was getting badly burned each time they made contact, and the blows to the head were beginning to take their toll. Suddenly, Gezora felt the icy cold water of the ocean on his tentacles…

Kumasogami was having fun with this fight, if one could call it that. This multi-limbed creature was nothing more than a walking target, one the molten monster was perfectly capable of neutralizing. Then he realized the fight had taken them dangerously close to the ocean. But before he could back away, Gezora lashed out with his tentacles, wrapping one around each of his wrists. Despite the smoke already sizzling from Gezora’s tentacles, the sea creature began tugging Kumasogami towards him, towards the mighty Pacific. Kumasogami panicked – though his opponent was laughably pathetic, his environment was most certainly lethal to him. He could not allow Gezora to pull him into the ocean.

Summoning his demonic powers, the fingers on Kumasogami’s right hand transformed into arrows. In bursts of flame, the arrows were launched from his hand and struck Gezora’s leg tentacles. The cuttlefish instantly released Kumasogami’s wrists and writhed in agony, but the lava beast wasn’t finished yet. He transformed his hand once again, this time into the curved blade of a sword. With a mighty swipe, he sliced Gezora’s head wide open, spilling the sea monster’s innards all over the beach. Gezora’s eyes went dark as his body collapsed into the waves.

His opponent slain, Kumasogami transformed the sword back into his hand. He surveyed the scene of battle with satisfaction. Upon discovering that he was surrounded by water, he realized he had entered Earth in a rather inconvenient location. Undeterred in his mission of destruction and hoping to re-emerge in a section of the globe where he could cause some real damage, Kumasogami returned to the depths of Hell from whence he came.