NOVEL FROG CHAPTER 63: Final Fight
Atlas stood at the center of the dilapidated castle his gaze steady as he looked at each member of the Portal Crushers. “Portal Crushers,” he began, his voice carrying the weight of their journey, “look at where we are now. Every single one of you has pushed through challenges that seemed impossible. We’ve faced tough opponents, brutal training, and moments where it felt like we might not make it. But every time, you dug deep and kept going.”
He paused, letting his words sink in. “Remember those days when the drills were endless, when every muscle in your body was screaming for you to stop? When we questioned if it was worth it? It was those moments that forged us into the team we are now. It wasn’t just about getting stronger physically; it was about building trust, becoming a unit that could take on anything.”
Atlas’s eyes gleamed with pride. “Today, we are going to prove that we’re not just fighters. We’re a force to be reckoned with. We’re a team that stands together, no matter what. And this victory—it’s just the beginning. We’ve faced challenges before, but we’ll face even tougher ones ahead. And I know that we’ll come out on top because we’ve already proven that nothing can break us.” He knew the finals were just preparation for the portals and had to keep pumping that subliminal message in.
Atlas quickly assessed their position. Spotting a room that seemed defensible, he took charge. "Alright, here's a good spot. I'm gonna need three of you to take the centre. Hank, grab Isabella, and Wang Bo. Hang out in the centre here. You can see there's two entrances. Keep an eye on both of the doors. It’s vital that nobody sneaks in without you seeing them."
Hank nodded, his face set in determination, "You got it."
Atlas then turned to the others. "The rest of you, look up."
The remaining team members glanced up at the exposed, crumbling roof of the castle. The gaps in the stone provided just enough space for a few agile fighters to perch above.
"I'm gonna get you up on that roof," Atlas explained, "It looks sturdy enough. Well, mostly sturdy enough. Probably."
John, still nervous, hesitated. "Really?"
"Yeah, John, thanks for volunteering to go first. Step on my hands." Atlas said with a smile.
With a quick boost from Atlas, John managed to leap up and grab hold of the roof. It wobbled slightly but held firm. One by one, the rest of the team followed suit, positioning themselves above the room below.
"Everybody ready?" Atlas asked.
"Yeah, we're good," Isabella confirmed, swords at the ready.
***
Satisfied, Atlas left the room, slipping into the shadows to find a better vantage point. Meanwhile, Sword and Iron, now down to just seven members after the Shadow Vipers' betrayal, were making their way through the castle, looking for their next target.
"I can't believe they did that. They really behave like shadow vipers," growled Marcus, his frustration evident.
"Don't worry, we've still got seven of us," Darius replied, trying to keep his team focused.
As they rounded a corner, they spotted Hank and two other Portal Crushers in the centre room. "Ha, great. They've broken up into groups. That was a bad move," Marcus sneered.
Without hesitation, Sword and Iron charged into the room. Hank, using his shields to protect his teammates, fought valiantly, but the numbers were against him. With a roar, he leaped into the air. [SLASHING] and (CRIPPLING) announcements were going off, and finally, after getting a (STUN), he was then (KILLED). But before Sword and Iron could finish off Isabella and Wang Bo, the remaining Portal Crushers dropped down from the roof, blades flashing in the dim light.
"(STAB)! (STAB)! (STAB)!" The ambush was perfectly executed.
"(KILL)! (MEGA KILL)! (SLAUGHTER)!" The system's voice echoed as the last of Sword and Iron fell. Their plan had worked spectacularly.
Atlas looked over the battlefield from his hidden vantage point. *We’ve faced more pressure than these odds before in daily training,* he thought, reminding himself of the countless hours they’d put in, the relentless drills, the nights spent pushing their bodies and minds to the limit. *This is just another test—one we’re going to pass.*
But the victory was short-lived. The noise of the fight had drawn the Shadow Vipers, who rushed into the room, weapons at the ready. The Portal Crushers, already worn down from the previous battle, were caught off guard. Despite their best efforts, they quickly found themselves outnumbered and outmanoeuvred. Shadow Vipers took a couple out…. (FATALITY!)
(Kill!)
(MEGA KILL!)
Atlas, who had been lying in wait, reentered the fight.
“Here’s Johnny!” he yelled, jumping into the room.
With precise and lethal strikes, he tore into the rear of the Shadow Vipers.
(STAB!)
(DECAPITATION!)
The system announced as Atlas finished the last one of them with his signature move—a cross-slash that pinned down his opponent’s sword, followed by a swift jump kick to the head,
(FATALITY!)
“Nobody expects the Night Elf!”
When the dust settled, only three Portal Crushers were left standing—Atlas, John, and Evalynh. The battlefield was littered with the SFB immobilized bodies of their enemies. "PORTAL CRUSHERS, TOTAL VICTORY!" The system proclaimed, and the crowd erupted in cheers, the arena shaking with the force of their applause.
Atlas, breathing heavily, looked at his surviving teammates..
"The Portal Crushers have done it! I can't believe it, Cotton. This little dark horse team from a gym no one's ever heard of has won the championships. This is definitely one for the history books!" The excitement in the announcer's voice was clear, matched only by the roar of the crowd. His co-announcer, equally stunned, added, "This is absolutely incredible. No one saw this coming!"
The stands erupted into chaos as fans screamed, waved banners, and hugged each other in disbelief. The live chat on every streaming platform exploded with comments, emojis, and virtual cheers.
***
Almost ready: *WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS, MY FRIENDS…*
Berlinismycat: *meow meow*
Iamtherealatlas: *yes. I totally won. Pretty much by myself.*
Calgarycrusherslive: *lol. Party in the downtown square if you all want to come.*
Twinksrhot: *probe me, Atlas.*
****
John, still catching his breath from the adrenaline of the match, couldn't help but think, *What if we keep winning? What if this is just the beginning? We could be unstoppable. The glory, the recognition, the sponsorships—it could all be ours.*
***
Meanwhile, back in Calgary, the city was alive with celebration. Car alarms blared, music pumped from every corner, and the streets were filled with fanatics. The police were out in full force, trying to make sure that the fans dressed in mock Crusher uniforms and wielding fake swords didn’t accidentally kill somebody or themselves. Plenty of drunken fights happened that night, and tons of declarations of eternal friendship, sometimes between the same people.
One guy, who had bet his entire savings on the Portal Crushers, was laughing hysterically as he flashed his phone showing the payout. "I'm buying a new truck, boys!" he shouted, slapping high-fives with everyone around him. "Drinks on me!"
***
Back in the locker room, the Portal Crushers revelled in their hard-fought victory. Atlas, standing at the center of his team, raised his glass of champagne and said, "We've done it. Nobody thought we could, but we did. You all trusted me with my crazy training ideas, and look where it got us. We’ve faced more pressure than this before, and we came out on top. Every. Single. Time."
Alicia, smiling to herself, thought, *Yeah, your crazy training was both insane and a lot of work, but it paid off.*
John, still catching his breath from the adrenaline of the match, added, "Thanks for letting me join you on this wild ride. It’s been a blast."
The Portal Crushers cheered, hugging each other, and spraying champagne across the room. Laughter and shouts of victory filled the space as they celebrated their unbelievable triumph.
As Atlas sipped his champagne, something caught his attention. The blinking notification that had always been in the corner of his vision—the one that counted down the time until the next portal—had stopped. Suddenly, a blue screen appeared before his eyes, and text began to type out on its own.
"System update available."
***
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