Chapter 317: The Power of a Big Bro
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Chapter 317: The Power of a Big Bro
Brock faced off Alexander Petrovic. He held the Staff of Stone in one hand and the Bro Code in the other, while his entire being exuded power and wisdom. Everybody watching got an urge to look up to him. Many did. Most resisted. Only Alexander himself did not feel that urge, as his heart had frozen over by true ice, and his emotions were very weak.
Brock slapped the Bro Code shut with his fingers, then let it wink out of existence. In the name of Father and all bros, he declared in a booming voice, die!
He shot up. This time, he did not use Density to fly. The world itself gave way, as gravity was unworthy of constraining an immortal. His brown fur fluttered through the air. The tip of his staff whistled. His eyes were wide open in righteous rage, and he smashed upward with all the strength of his enhanced muscles.
Brock and his staff flew upward like missiles.
Alexander raised a hand. The air froze. A large wall of ice materialized instantly between him and Brock, and as the staff blasted into it, the wall cracked but did not break. Brock roared and punched it. The cracks spread. The wall shattered. Brock flew through, staff still extended and glowing golden, but Alexander was gone.
Ice spikes rained from the sky. Hundreds of them, each sharp and durable. Brock span his staff in the air, catching them all, but he missed the appearance of Alexander below him. A sword rose true; Brocks fur was matted with blood, barely saving his leg but taking a wild scrape on the shin. He rushed upward with Alexander in tow.
Fall! he shouted, grabbing the staff with both hands and smashing it downward. Alexander slashed up with both his swords. The three weapons met mid-air, one exuding dignity and the others coldness. Their clash was cataclysmic. The air froze and shattered. A booming shockwave flew in all directions. The cultivators on the battlefield below covered their ears as their clothes fluttered wildly.
The staff and swords pushed into each other, none giving way. They pressed harder. Brock gave it his all. Suddenly, the four ice wings of Alexander spread wide. Though his face remained expressionless, the temperature around them plummeted. Even Brock felt his fur ice over. He was forced to disengage, letting Alexander take the better of him and blast him away.
Fool, Alexander gloated, chasing Brock higher into the sky. My Dao counters yours. You practice Will elements, to which I am resistant. You fight in close quarters, in which I can delay you until you freeze. Just how will you fight me?
I will because I must! Brock retorted. Letting himself spin in mid-air, he held his staff close and accelerated until his spinning was a blur. He then controlled his flight to ram straight into Alexander. Spin Smash!
Ice wall.
A wall even greater than the previous one materialized. Brocks spinning form crashed into it, digging away at the true ice and shattering it, but he was delayed. Alexander flew away and willed a storm of ice spikes to appear, flying straight at Brock. This time, he could not block everything. Nasty gashes appeared on his forearms, none bleeding, as ice caked over the wounds. He could handle this much, but any mortal would have already frozen over.
Brock glared at Alexander from behind his crossed arms. His eyes held bloodthirst. He was furious and pained, determined. Hed had the advantage before they both broke through, but not anymore. It wasnt a matter of power. What Alexander said was true: between their two Daos, Brocks was countered.
But he refused to let that stop him. He would take revenge.
He just needed to get creative.
The new control he possessed over the ambient Big Thoughts was confusing. He wasnt yet used to it, but he could try.
Air bros, he spoke to the air, help me!
Air itself tightened around Alexander. His ice spread out, but it met more resistance this time. It moved slower, and Brock did not.
He whistled through the air. He reached Alexander and smashed him, controlling his staff in an intricate, brutal dance. His strikes were no longer made at full power, as he didnt want to get caught at an impasse again. Instead, he flew around Alexander, incorporating his own flight path into the staff movements.
The Staff of Stone flew back and over his head, crashing towards Alexander. Two ice wings blocked it, too hard to shatter, but the staff was already gone. It flew to the right, then its other end rose from below. Alexander blocked with one sword and slashed with the other. Brock ducked under it, enduring the cold, and stabbed the rear end of his staff into the opponents stomach.
Alexander flew back. Brock followed, pelting him with strikes from every direction. However, ice was left where Alexander flew, and that ice suddenly came alive to strike at Brock like hidden vipers. His shoulders and thighs were bitten. More patches of ice appeared on his brown fur. Brock roared and pushed through, pressing on with his assault, smacking Alexander again and again.
The swords and wings defended, but there was only so much they could do. Brock was a maelstrom, and Alexander was part mage. Finally, the staff broke through, smashing into the side of Alexanders ice helmet with enough strength to level hills. The man flew away. His head shook inside the helmet, but though his ice armor cracked, it protected him.
Brock could not afford to show mercy. Even as Alexander flew away from the impact, he pursued, spinning his staff in the air and bringing it down with a fearsome cry. This time, however, Alexander fought back. The ice covering his arm extended. It turned from just an ice gauntlet into a massive, nine-foot-long and three-foot-wide claw of ice, which grabbed at Brocks staff. It cracked by the impact, but it managed to immobilize the staff.
No! Brock exclaimed. Spikes of ice flew at him from the left and right, but he couldnt dodge. If he let go of his weapon, it was over. Muscle bros, give me strength! he shouted. His biceps doubled and tripled in size. He pulled with all his strength, finally succeeding in dislodging the staff, but at a cost. The ice spikes met his fur. They didnt penetrate too deep, but he was now riddled with a dozen shallow injuries, all of which frosted over.
At least, I not bleeding, Brock said, panting. By now, he was injured in many places, but Alexander looked almost the same as when theyd started.
You lack the power to break through my defenses, the man declared, looking down at Brock from a greater height. You can persist if you want, but I will just wear you down. It is futile.
Never stopping, Brock said through gritted teeth. He set his jaw and trained his gaze on his opponent. He would fight to the death.
He charged again. His staff shone with golden light, carrying even greater power than before, but it was slower in return. The ice was always there. First the wall, then the spikes, then the growing ice on Alexanders body and the armor. His defense was just too strong.
Brock cracked his staff in, denting Alexanders armor under the armpit, but it wouldnt cause more than a bruise. In return, a hand of ice stretched out of Alexanders real arm, sinking its claws into Brocks leg and pulling.
Fur, blood, and meat went flying. Tendons were ripped. The wound instantly froze over, preventing further bleeding, but Brock was forced to retreat. Half his outer thigh was missing.
He did not scream, but his gaze darkened.
Is that enough? Alexander asked.
Never enough.
Again, Brock charged. His staff became a hurricane. This time, it was swift and elusive, its trajectory blurring through the air as Brock alternated its density between high and low. The ice wall cracked under his might. The swords slashed out but missed their mark. He scored a hit on Alexanders ribs, but that was the end of his staffs elusivity. The air around them froze over. Brock flew back, but ice spikes flew in from behind him and pierced shallowly into his back.
In a forest of Asia, a pack of small dogs stood victorious over a dozen dead tigers. They were Brocks dog bros from the Integration Tournament. Suddenly, all of them looked to the side, and longing appeared in their hearts. They contributed.
In Trial Planet, the blue crabs of Labyrinth Ring felt the calling and gave their power. So did the beasts of Garden Ring, including a nostalgic sphinx.
The remaining bro army on Outer Planet felt the same calling and instantly lent their power, shouting out, Big bro!
The bro army on the battlefield also complied, summoning any remaining vestiges of their power and pushing it inside the link. Even Nauja and Gan Salin felt the same, and both laughed as they siphoned their power to Brock.
Ever since the beginning, even without knowing it, Brock had practiced the Dao of Brohood. He had made bros across the entire galaxy, both strong and weak. Now, all of them were part of his power. He never stood alone. Bros together strong.
The only one not summoned to assist was Jack, as he was Brocks big bro, not his little bro.
Each individual bro gave Brock a tiny bit of power, but they were many. It added up. The ice spike was still falling, but Brock felt a rush of power enter his soul. It was far more than he possessed alone. He was overwhelmed. His entire body radiated intense golden light, and his every cell ached as it endured more power than it was meant to.
Brock was submerged in a burning vat of pain as his body struggled not to crumble, but it didnt matter. He laughed out loud, a clear, ringing sound. This was how it was meant to be. He was the big broand this was his power!
The ice spike crashed down. Brock balled his fist and punched it right at the tip. The world screeched to a halt. The ice spike shattered instantly from end to end. Golden light erupted, and when everybody could see again, Brock was no longer there.
Alexander did not think. He flew backward, barely dodging a staff that crashed down from the sky. How? he shouted, summoning walls of ice to his defense, but it was useless. Brock laughed. His staff smashed forward, radiating golden light like a new sun, and the true ice was helpless before it. The wall shattered instantly. The ice spikes melted. The hand of ice shattered under the impact, and Brocks staff met Alexanders chest, sending him flying away as he howled in pain.
He came to a stop an entire mile away. How? he screamed again, finally revealing a bit of emotion. The weaker he got, the weaker the hold of true ice over his heart. How can you be this strong!?
Brock laughed againa carefree, powerful sound. I told you, he replied, standing in the sky like a righteous god. You lived alone, so you die alone. But I His face broke into the widest, most relieved, most monkeyish grin possible. I have my bros!
Alexanders face warped. Absurd! he exclaimed. Your body cant take that kind of power! My defenses are absolute. You will break before I do!
He encased himself in ice. Sphere after sphere formed around him, wrapping him in ever greater cold, and even his domain superimposed itself over the ice, enhancing its durability. He was now trapped inside a new moon in the middle of the sky made entirely of ice.
Brock laughed again. Alexanders words were true. This power was far too large for his current body. His muscles were tearing, his tendons were taut, his entire body was cramping. The pain was excruciating. Yet, he did not care. He was a bro. A man. He would do what had to be done no matter the cost, and in this case, he did it with pleasure.
He pulled both hands back, letting his staff hover in mid-air. The wrists came together. The palms spread wide. This is for Father, he declared as wave after wave of golden power materialized between his palms. For Big Sis and unborn bro. For all my bros. For brohood.
The power gathered between his palms grew so intense that it felt like he was grabbing hot iron, but it did not matter. Before this victory, a little pain was nothing. The light flared ever brighter, becoming a sun between his palms. Finally, when all the power of his bros was siphoned in and he could no longer take it, Brock shot his hands forward, unleashing all that energy in a straight line.
Bro Beam!
The air thundered with his shout as it did with the beam of pure, inviolable power. It seared the air itself. It crashed into the large sphere of ice, instantly immolating its surface and digging in. So what if it was true ice? So what if Alexanders domain was enhancing it? Before the sheer momentum of brohood, this ice was nothing!
All the ice spheres shattered. Alexanders scream came from within as he burned in a cloud of pure power. Brock saw his body tumble from the sky to crash into the concert stage, catching glimpses of broken wings and shattered swords. Alexander lay in a cloud of dust that hid his body, unconscious and helpless. The bro beam dissipated, revealing a clear, sunny sky.
The breeze blew. Brock stood in the sky, sunrays falling over his half-iced fur, panting and in terrible pain. On the ground below, Alexanders blond, bloodied hair was sprawled against the white stone, and his icy blue eyes were closed.
In the battle between Brock and Alexander PetrovicBrock had won!
But it was not enough.
Brock flew down to reach Alexanders body. Its ice armor had already dissipated. He grabbed Alexander from both upper arms and raised him high. Wake, he commanded. His Dao shot into Alexanders body, assaulting his heart.
Alexander awoke with a gasp. Brocks fierce fangs and burning eyes were an inch away from his face. He instantly realized what had happened, and his face was clouded by fearthough, whether it was real or not, only he could tell.
I surrender, he cried out weakly.
Brock bared his fangs. You tortured and humiliated Father, he declared, speaking each word with gravity. You attacked unborn bro. You betrayed and harmed your planet bros. You weak, coward, shame. You dont deserve to breathe.
Alexanders eyes widened in terrorreal one, this time. What about your honor? he asked. I surrender!
You deserve no honor.
Brock bared his brorilla fangs and bit deep into Alexanders throat. He tasted the blood, the flesh. It was cold. He clenched his teeth and pulled away, taking with him the mans entire throat.
Alexanders eyes still gaped in disbelief, but his body tumbled to the ground, and his head was still in Brocks hands. He let it drop, then shattered it under his foot. Alexander Petrovic, the leader of the Ice Peak, was no more.
This is for Father, Brock whispered, gazing at the corpse. He took no joy in thisbut it was the only right thing he could do. Then, leaving the headless body on the ground, he let himself fall on his back. His entire body remained in pain and broken. He was barely alivemoving any more was impossible, but at least he had won.
He grinned as he stared at the sky, where his Big Bro was fighting. For the first time, Brock had carried his own weight around Big Bro. He had fought his own battle and won. His bloodied face broke into the widest, manliest, yet almost childlike monkey grin.
Hed never been prouder.
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Chapter 317: The Power of a Big Bro
Brock faced off Alexander Petrovic. He held the Staff of Stone in one hand and the Bro Code in the other, while his entire being exuded power and wisdom. Everybody watching got an urge to look up to him. Many did. Most resisted. Only Alexander himself did not feel that urge, as his heart had frozen over by true ice, and his emotions were very weak.
Brock slapped the Bro Code shut with his fingers, then let it wink out of existence. In the name of Father and all bros, he declared in a booming voice, die!
He shot up. This time, he did not use Density to fly. The world itself gave way, as gravity was unworthy of constraining an immortal. His brown fur fluttered through the air. The tip of his staff whistled. His eyes were wide open in righteous rage, and he smashed upward with all the strength of his enhanced muscles.
Brock and his staff flew upward like missiles.
Alexander raised a hand. The air froze. A large wall of ice materialized instantly between him and Brock, and as the staff blasted into it, the wall cracked but did not break. Brock roared and punched it. The cracks spread. The wall shattered. Brock flew through, staff still extended and glowing golden, but Alexander was gone.
Ice spikes rained from the sky. Hundreds of them, each sharp and durable. Brock span his staff in the air, catching them all, but he missed the appearance of Alexander below him. A sword rose true; Brocks fur was matted with blood, barely saving his leg but taking a wild scrape on the shin. He rushed upward with Alexander in tow.
Fall! he shouted, grabbing the staff with both hands and smashing it downward. Alexander slashed up with both his swords. The three weapons met mid-air, one exuding dignity and the others coldness. Their clash was cataclysmic. The air froze and shattered. A booming shockwave flew in all directions. The cultivators on the battlefield below covered their ears as their clothes fluttered wildly.
The staff and swords pushed into each other, none giving way. They pressed harder. Brock gave it his all. Suddenly, the four ice wings of Alexander spread wide. Though his face remained expressionless, the temperature around them plummeted. Even Brock felt his fur ice over. He was forced to disengage, letting Alexander take the better of him and blast him away.
Fool, Alexander gloated, chasing Brock higher into the sky. My Dao counters yours. You practice Will elements, to which I am resistant. You fight in close quarters, in which I can delay you until you freeze. Just how will you fight me?
I will because I must! Brock retorted. Letting himself spin in mid-air, he held his staff close and accelerated until his spinning was a blur. He then controlled his flight to ram straight into Alexander. Spin Smash!
Ice wall.
A wall even greater than the previous one materialized. Brocks spinning form crashed into it, digging away at the true ice and shattering it, but he was delayed. Alexander flew away and willed a storm of ice spikes to appear, flying straight at Brock. This time, he could not block everything. Nasty gashes appeared on his forearms, none bleeding, as ice caked over the wounds. He could handle this much, but any mortal would have already frozen over.
Brock glared at Alexander from behind his crossed arms. His eyes held bloodthirst. He was furious and pained, determined. Hed had the advantage before they both broke through, but not anymore. It wasnt a matter of power. What Alexander said was true: between their two Daos, Brocks was countered.
But he refused to let that stop him. He would take revenge.
He just needed to get creative.
The new control he possessed over the ambient Big Thoughts was confusing. He wasnt yet used to it, but he could try.
Air bros, he spoke to the air, help me!
Air itself tightened around Alexander. His ice spread out, but it met more resistance this time. It moved slower, and Brock did not.
He whistled through the air. He reached Alexander and smashed him, controlling his staff in an intricate, brutal dance. His strikes were no longer made at full power, as he didnt want to get caught at an impasse again. Instead, he flew around Alexander, incorporating his own flight path into the staff movements.
The Staff of Stone flew back and over his head, crashing towards Alexander. Two ice wings blocked it, too hard to shatter, but the staff was already gone. It flew to the right, then its other end rose from below. Alexander blocked with one sword and slashed with the other. Brock ducked under it, enduring the cold, and stabbed the rear end of his staff into the opponents stomach.
Alexander flew back. Brock followed, pelting him with strikes from every direction. However, ice was left where Alexander flew, and that ice suddenly came alive to strike at Brock like hidden vipers. His shoulders and thighs were bitten. More patches of ice appeared on his brown fur. Brock roared and pushed through, pressing on with his assault, smacking Alexander again and again.
The swords and wings defended, but there was only so much they could do. Brock was a maelstrom, and Alexander was part mage. Finally, the staff broke through, smashing into the side of Alexanders ice helmet with enough strength to level hills. The man flew away. His head shook inside the helmet, but though his ice armor cracked, it protected him.
Brock could not afford to show mercy. Even as Alexander flew away from the impact, he pursued, spinning his staff in the air and bringing it down with a fearsome cry. This time, however, Alexander fought back. The ice covering his arm extended. It turned from just an ice gauntlet into a massive, nine-foot-long and three-foot-wide claw of ice, which grabbed at Brocks staff. It cracked by the impact, but it managed to immobilize the staff.
No! Brock exclaimed. Spikes of ice flew at him from the left and right, but he couldnt dodge. If he let go of his weapon, it was over. Muscle bros, give me strength! he shouted. His biceps doubled and tripled in size. He pulled with all his strength, finally succeeding in dislodging the staff, but at a cost. The ice spikes met his fur. They didnt penetrate too deep, but he was now riddled with a dozen shallow injuries, all of which frosted over.
At least, I not bleeding, Brock said, panting. By now, he was injured in many places, but Alexander looked almost the same as when theyd started.
You lack the power to break through my defenses, the man declared, looking down at Brock from a greater height. You can persist if you want, but I will just wear you down. It is futile.
Never stopping, Brock said through gritted teeth. He set his jaw and trained his gaze on his opponent. He would fight to the death.
He charged again. His staff shone with golden light, carrying even greater power than before, but it was slower in return. The ice was always there. First the wall, then the spikes, then the growing ice on Alexanders body and the armor. His defense was just too strong.
Brock cracked his staff in, denting Alexanders armor under the armpit, but it wouldnt cause more than a bruise. In return, a hand of ice stretched out of Alexanders real arm, sinking its claws into Brocks leg and pulling.
Fur, blood, and meat went flying. Tendons were ripped. The wound instantly froze over, preventing further bleeding, but Brock was forced to retreat. Half his outer thigh was missing.
He did not scream, but his gaze darkened.
Is that enough? Alexander asked.
Never enough.
Again, Brock charged. His staff became a hurricane. This time, it was swift and elusive, its trajectory blurring through the air as Brock alternated its density between high and low. The ice wall cracked under his might. The swords slashed out but missed their mark. He scored a hit on Alexanders ribs, but that was the end of his staffs elusivity. The air around them froze over. Brock flew back, but ice spikes flew in from behind him and pierced shallowly into his back.
In a forest of Asia, a pack of small dogs stood victorious over a dozen dead tigers. They were Brocks dog bros from the Integration Tournament. Suddenly, all of them looked to the side, and longing appeared in their hearts. They contributed.
In Trial Planet, the blue crabs of Labyrinth Ring felt the calling and gave their power. So did the beasts of Garden Ring, including a nostalgic sphinx.
The remaining bro army on Outer Planet felt the same calling and instantly lent their power, shouting out, Big bro!
The bro army on the battlefield also complied, summoning any remaining vestiges of their power and pushing it inside the link. Even Nauja and Gan Salin felt the same, and both laughed as they siphoned their power to Brock.
Ever since the beginning, even without knowing it, Brock had practiced the Dao of Brohood. He had made bros across the entire galaxy, both strong and weak. Now, all of them were part of his power. He never stood alone. Bros together strong.
The only one not summoned to assist was Jack, as he was Brocks big bro, not his little bro.
Each individual bro gave Brock a tiny bit of power, but they were many. It added up. The ice spike was still falling, but Brock felt a rush of power enter his soul. It was far more than he possessed alone. He was overwhelmed. His entire body radiated intense golden light, and his every cell ached as it endured more power than it was meant to.
Brock was submerged in a burning vat of pain as his body struggled not to crumble, but it didnt matter. He laughed out loud, a clear, ringing sound. This was how it was meant to be. He was the big broand this was his power!
The ice spike crashed down. Brock balled his fist and punched it right at the tip. The world screeched to a halt. The ice spike shattered instantly from end to end. Golden light erupted, and when everybody could see again, Brock was no longer there.
Alexander did not think. He flew backward, barely dodging a staff that crashed down from the sky. How? he shouted, summoning walls of ice to his defense, but it was useless. Brock laughed. His staff smashed forward, radiating golden light like a new sun, and the true ice was helpless before it. The wall shattered instantly. The ice spikes melted. The hand of ice shattered under the impact, and Brocks staff met Alexanders chest, sending him flying away as he howled in pain.
He came to a stop an entire mile away. How? he screamed again, finally revealing a bit of emotion. The weaker he got, the weaker the hold of true ice over his heart. How can you be this strong!?
Brock laughed againa carefree, powerful sound. I told you, he replied, standing in the sky like a righteous god. You lived alone, so you die alone. But I His face broke into the widest, most relieved, most monkeyish grin possible. I have my bros!
Alexanders face warped. Absurd! he exclaimed. Your body cant take that kind of power! My defenses are absolute. You will break before I do!
He encased himself in ice. Sphere after sphere formed around him, wrapping him in ever greater cold, and even his domain superimposed itself over the ice, enhancing its durability. He was now trapped inside a new moon in the middle of the sky made entirely of ice.
Brock laughed again. Alexanders words were true. This power was far too large for his current body. His muscles were tearing, his tendons were taut, his entire body was cramping. The pain was excruciating. Yet, he did not care. He was a bro. A man. He would do what had to be done no matter the cost, and in this case, he did it with pleasure.
He pulled both hands back, letting his staff hover in mid-air. The wrists came together. The palms spread wide. This is for Father, he declared as wave after wave of golden power materialized between his palms. For Big Sis and unborn bro. For all my bros. For brohood.
The power gathered between his palms grew so intense that it felt like he was grabbing hot iron, but it did not matter. Before this victory, a little pain was nothing. The light flared ever brighter, becoming a sun between his palms. Finally, when all the power of his bros was siphoned in and he could no longer take it, Brock shot his hands forward, unleashing all that energy in a straight line.
Bro Beam!
The air thundered with his shout as it did with the beam of pure, inviolable power. It seared the air itself. It crashed into the large sphere of ice, instantly immolating its surface and digging in. So what if it was true ice? So what if Alexanders domain was enhancing it? Before the sheer momentum of brohood, this ice was nothing!
All the ice spheres shattered. Alexanders scream came from within as he burned in a cloud of pure power. Brock saw his body tumble from the sky to crash into the concert stage, catching glimpses of broken wings and shattered swords. Alexander lay in a cloud of dust that hid his body, unconscious and helpless. The bro beam dissipated, revealing a clear, sunny sky.
The breeze blew. Brock stood in the sky, sunrays falling over his half-iced fur, panting and in terrible pain. On the ground below, Alexanders blond, bloodied hair was sprawled against the white stone, and his icy blue eyes were closed.
In the battle between Brock and Alexander PetrovicBrock had won!
But it was not enough.
Brock flew down to reach Alexanders body. Its ice armor had already dissipated. He grabbed Alexander from both upper arms and raised him high. Wake, he commanded. His Dao shot into Alexanders body, assaulting his heart.
Alexander awoke with a gasp. Brocks fierce fangs and burning eyes were an inch away from his face. He instantly realized what had happened, and his face was clouded by fearthough, whether it was real or not, only he could tell.
I surrender, he cried out weakly.
Brock bared his fangs. You tortured and humiliated Father, he declared, speaking each word with gravity. You attacked unborn bro. You betrayed and harmed your planet bros. You weak, coward, shame. You dont deserve to breathe.
Alexanders eyes widened in terrorreal one, this time. What about your honor? he asked. I surrender!
You deserve no honor.
Brock bared his brorilla fangs and bit deep into Alexanders throat. He tasted the blood, the flesh. It was cold. He clenched his teeth and pulled away, taking with him the mans entire throat.
Alexanders eyes still gaped in disbelief, but his body tumbled to the ground, and his head was still in Brocks hands. He let it drop, then shattered it under his foot. Alexander Petrovic, the leader of the Ice Peak, was no more.
This is for Father, Brock whispered, gazing at the corpse. He took no joy in thisbut it was the only right thing he could do. Then, leaving the headless body on the ground, he let himself fall on his back. His entire body remained in pain and broken. He was barely alivemoving any more was impossible, but at least he had won.
He grinned as he stared at the sky, where his Big Bro was fighting. For the first time, Brock had carried his own weight around Big Bro. He had fought his own battle and won. His bloodied face broke into the widest, manliest, yet almost childlike monkey grin.
Hed never been prouder.
Chapter 317: The Power of a Big BroBrock faced off Alexander Petrovic. He held the Staff of Stone in one hand and the Bro Code in the other, while his entire being exuded power and wisdom. Everybody watching got an urge to look up to him. Many did. Most resisted. Only Alexander himself did not feel that urge, as his heart had frozen over by true ice, and his emotions were very weak.Brock slapped the Bro Code shut with his fingers, then let it wink out of existence. In the name of Father and all bros, he declared in a booming voice, die!He shot up. This time, he did not use Density to fly. The world itself gave way, as gravity was unworthy of constraining an immortal. His brown fur fluttered through the air. The tip of his staff whistled. His eyes were wide open in righteous rage, and he smashed upward with all the strength of his enhanced muscles.Brock and his staff flew upward like missiles.Alexander raised a hand. The air froze. A large wall of ice materialized instantly between him and Brock, and as the staff blasted into it, the wall cracked but did not break. Brock roared and punched it. The cracks spread. The wall shattered. Brock flew through, staff still extended and glowing golden, but Alexander was gone.Ice spikes rained from the sky. Hundreds of them, each sharp and durable. Brock span his staff in the air, catching them all, but he missed the appearance of Alexander below him. A sword rose true; Brocks fur was matted with blood, barely saving his leg but taking a wild scrape on the shin. He rushed upward with Alexander in tow.Fall! he shouted, grabbing the staff with both hands and smashing it downward. Alexander slashed up with both his swords. The three weapons met mid-air, one exuding dignity and the others coldness. Their clash was cataclysmic. The air froze and shattered. A booming shockwave flew in all directions. The cultivators on the battlefield below covered their ears as their clothes fluttered wildly.The staff and swords pushed into each other, none giving way. They pressed harder. Brock gave it his all. Suddenly, the four ice wings of Alexander spread wide. Though his face remained expressionless, the temperature around them plummeted. Even Brock felt his fur ice over. He was forced to disengage, letting Alexander take the better of him and blast him away.Fool, Alexander gloated, chasing Brock higher into the sky. My Dao counters yours. You practice Will elements, to which I am resistant. You fight in close quarters, in which I can delay you until you freeze. Just how will you fight me?I will because I must! Brock retorted. Letting himself spin in mid-air, he held his staff close and accelerated until his spinning was a blur. He then controlled his flight to ram straight into Alexander. Spin Smash!Ice wall.A wall even greater than the previous one materialized. Brocks spinning form crashed into it, digging away at the true ice and shattering it, but he was delayed. Alexander flew away and willed a storm of ice spikes to appear, flying straight at Brock. This time, he could not block everything. Nasty gashes appeared on his forearms, none bleeding, as ice caked over the wounds. He could handle this much, but any mortal would have already frozen over.Brock glared at Alexander from behind his crossed arms. His eyes held bloodthirst. He was furious and pained, determined. Hed had the advantage before they both broke through, but not anymore. It wasnt a matter of power. What Alexander said was true: between their two Daos, Brocks was countered.But he refused to let that stop him. He would take revenge.He just needed to get creative.The new control he possessed over the ambient Big Thoughts was confusing. He wasnt yet used to it, but he could try.Air bros, he spoke to the air, help me!Air itself tightened around Alexander. His ice spread out, but it met more resistance this time. It moved slower, and Brock did not.He whistled through the air. He reached Alexander and smashed him, controlling his staff in an intricate, brutal dance. His strikes were no longer made at full power, as he didnt want to get caught at an impasse again. Instead, he flew around Alexander, incorporating his own flight path into the staff movements.The Staff of Stone flew back and over his head, crashing towards Alexander. Two ice wings blocked it, too hard to shatter, but the staff was already gone. It flew to the right, then its other end rose from below. Alexander blocked with one sword and slashed with the other. Brock ducked under it, enduring the cold, and stabbed the rear end of his staff into the opponents stomach.Alexander flew back. Brock followed, pelting him with strikes from every direction. However, ice was left where Alexander flew, and that ice suddenly came alive to strike at Brock like hidden vipers. His shoulders and thighs were bitten. More patches of ice appeared on his brown fur. Brock roared and pushed through, pressing on with his assault, smacking Alexander again and again.The swords and wings defended, but there was only so much they could do. Brock was a maelstrom, and Alexander was part mage. Finally, the staff broke through, smashing into the side of Alexanders ice helmet with enough strength to level hills. The man flew away. His head shook inside the helmet, but though his ice armor cracked, it protected him.Brock could not afford to show mercy. Even as Alexander flew away from the impact, he pursued, spinning his staff in the air and bringing it down with a fearsome cry. This time, however, Alexander fought back. The ice covering his arm extended. It turned from just an ice gauntlet into a massive, nine-foot-long and three-foot-wide claw of ice, which grabbed at Brocks staff. It cracked by the impact, but it managed to immobilize the staff.No! Brock exclaimed. Spikes of ice flew at him from the left and right, but he couldnt dodge. If he let go of his weapon, it was over. Muscle bros, give me strength! he shouted. His biceps doubled and tripled in size. He pulled with all his strength, finally succeeding in dislodging the staff, but at a cost. The ice spikes met his fur. They didnt penetrate too deep, but he was now riddled with a dozen shallow injuries, all of which frosted over.At least, I not bleeding, Brock said, panting. By now, he was injured in many places, but Alexander looked almost the same as when theyd started.You lack the power to break through my defenses, the man declared, looking down at Brock from a greater height. You can persist if you want, but I will just wear you down. It is futile.Never stopping, Brock said through gritted teeth. He set his jaw and trained his gaze on his opponent. He would fight to the death.He charged again. His staff shone with golden light, carrying even greater power than before, but it was slower in return. The ice was always there. First the wall, then the spikes, then the growing ice on Alexanders body and the armor. His defense was just too strong.Brock cracked his staff in, denting Alexanders armor under the armpit, but it wouldnt cause more than a bruise. In return, a hand of ice stretched out of Alexanders real arm, sinking its claws into Brocks leg and pulling.Fur, blood, and meat went flying. Tendons were ripped. The wound instantly froze over, preventing further bleeding, but Brock was forced to retreat. Half his outer thigh was missing.He did not scream, but his gaze darkened.Is that enough? Alexander asked.Never enough.Again, Brock charged. His staff became a hurricane. This time, it was swift and elusive, its trajectory blurring through the air as Brock alternated its density between high and low. The ice wall cracked under his might. The swords slashed out but missed their mark. He scored a hit on Alexanders ribs, but that was the end of his staffs elusivity. The air around them froze over. Brock flew back, but ice spikes flew in from behind him and pierced shallowly into his back.In a forest of Asia, a pack of small dogs stood victorious over a dozen dead tigers. They were Brocks dog bros from the Integration Tournament. Suddenly, all of them looked to the side, and longing appeared in their hearts. They contributed.In Trial Planet, the blue crabs of Labyrinth Ring felt the calling and gave their power. So did the beasts of Garden Ring, including a nostalgic sphinx.The remaining bro army on Outer Planet felt the same calling and instantly lent their power, shouting out, Big bro!The bro army on the battlefield also complied, summoning any remaining vestiges of their power and pushing it inside the link. Even Nauja and Gan Salin felt the same, and both laughed as they siphoned their power to Brock.Ever since the beginning, even without knowing it, Brock had practiced the Dao of Brohood. He had made bros across the entire galaxy, both strong and weak. Now, all of them were part of his power. He never stood alone. Bros together strong.The only one not summoned to assist was Jack, as he was Brocks big bro, not his little bro.Each individual bro gave Brock a tiny bit of power, but they were many. It added up. The ice spike was still falling, but Brock felt a rush of power enter his soul. It was far more than he possessed alone. He was overwhelmed. His entire body radiated intense golden light, and his every cell ached as it endured more power than it was meant to.Brock was submerged in a burning vat of pain as his body struggled not to crumble, but it didnt matter. He laughed out loud, a clear, ringing sound. This was how it was meant to be. He was the big broand this was his power!The ice spike crashed down. Brock balled his fist and punched it right at the tip. The world screeched to a halt. The ice spike shattered instantly from end to end. Golden light erupted, and when everybody could see again, Brock was no longer there.Alexander did not think. He flew backward, barely dodging a staff that crashed down from the sky. How? he shouted, summoning walls of ice to his defense, but it was useless. Brock laughed. His staff smashed forward, radiating golden light like a new sun, and the true ice was helpless before it. The wall shattered instantly. The ice spikes melted. The hand of ice shattered under the impact, and Brocks staff met Alexanders chest, sending him flying away as he howled in pain.He came to a stop an entire mile away. How? he screamed again, finally revealing a bit of emotion. The weaker he got, the weaker the hold of true ice over his heart. How can you be this strong!?Brock laughed againa carefree, powerful sound. I told you, he replied, standing in the sky like a righteous god. You lived alone, so you die alone. But I His face broke into the widest, most relieved, most monkeyish grin possible. I have my bros!Alexanders face warped. Absurd! he exclaimed. Your body cant take that kind of power! My defenses are absolute. You will break before I do!He encased himself in ice. Sphere after sphere formed around him, wrapping him in ever greater cold, and even his domain superimposed itself over the ice, enhancing its durability. He was now trapped inside a new moon in the middle of the sky made entirely of ice.Brock laughed again. Alexanders words were true. This power was far too large for his current body. His muscles were tearing, his tendons were taut, his entire body was cramping. The pain was excruciating. Yet, he did not care. He was a bro. A man. He would do what had to be done no matter the cost, and in this case, he did it with pleasure.He pulled both hands back, letting his staff hover in mid-air. The wrists came together. The palms spread wide. This is for Father, he declared as wave after wave of golden power materialized between his palms. For Big Sis and unborn bro. For all my bros. For brohood.The power gathered between his palms grew so intense that it felt like he was grabbing hot iron, but it did not matter. Before this victory, a little pain was nothing. The light flared ever brighter, becoming a sun between his palms. Finally, when all the power of his bros was siphoned in and he could no longer take it, Brock shot his hands forward, unleashing all that energy in a straight line.Bro Beam!The air thundered with his shout as it did with the beam of pure, inviolable power. It seared the air itself. It crashed into the large sphere of ice, instantly immolating its surface and digging in. So what if it was true ice? So what if Alexanders domain was enhancing it? Before the sheer momentum of brohood, this ice was nothing!All the ice spheres shattered. Alexanders scream came from within as he burned in a cloud of pure power. Brock saw his body tumble from the sky to crash into the concert stage, catching glimpses of broken wings and shattered swords. Alexander lay in a cloud of dust that hid his body, unconscious and helpless. The bro beam dissipated, revealing a clear, sunny sky.The breeze blew. Brock stood in the sky, sunrays falling over his half-iced fur, panting and in terrible pain. On the ground below, Alexanders blond, bloodied hair was sprawled against the white stone, and his icy blue eyes were closed.In the battle between Brock and Alexander PetrovicBrock had won!But it was not enough.Brock flew down to reach Alexanders body. Its ice armor had already dissipated. He grabbed Alexander from both upper arms and raised him high. Wake, he commanded. His Dao shot into Alexanders body, assaulting his heart.Alexander awoke with a gasp. Brocks fierce fangs and burning eyes were an inch away from his face. He instantly realized what had happened, and his face was clouded by fearthough, whether it was real or not, only he could tell.I surrender, he cried out weakly.Brock bared his fangs. You tortured and humiliated Father, he declared, speaking each word with gravity. You attacked unborn bro. You betrayed and harmed your planet bros. You weak, coward, shame. You dont deserve to breathe.Alexanders eyes widened in terrorreal one, this time. What about your honor? he asked. I surrender!You deserve no honor.Brock bared his brorilla fangs and bit deep into Alexanders throat. He tasted the blood, the flesh. It was cold. He clenched his teeth and pulled away, taking with him the mans entire throat.Alexanders eyes still gaped in disbelief, but his body tumbled to the ground, and his head was still in Brocks hands. He let it drop, then shattered it under his foot. Alexander Petrovic, the leader of the Ice Peak, was no more.This is for Father, Brock whispered, gazing at the corpse. He took no joy in thisbut it was the only right thing he could do. Then, leaving the headless body on the ground, he let himself fall on his back. His entire body remained in pain and broken. He was barely alivemoving any more was impossible, but at least he had won.He grinned as he stared at the sky, where his Big Bro was fighting. For the first time, Brock had carried his own weight around Big Bro. He had fought his own battle and won. His bloodied face broke into the widest, manliest, yet almost childlike monkey grin.Hed never been prouder.
