Prelude to the Battle The world of Neo Avalon had long teetered on the edge of chaos. Mega-corporations thrived, their demands carving out power from the very bones of the city. Its citizens, once hopeful dreamers, had morphed into a disenfranchised horde led by the enigmatic Lance Backthorn, The Catalyst, who was determined to dismantle the wealth-infused structure ruling from their towering skyscrapers. As whispers spread through the neon-lit underbelly of the city, the looming anger manifested through the Neo Avalon Rogues. They were ready to disrupt the system, starting with the corporation that owned the very land their impoverished families resided on. Lance had rallied infamous allies and enemies alike for a confrontation atop the skyscraper – a battleground that would decide the fate of countless lives. On the rooftop, tempestuous winds whirled as a thunderstorm brewed ominously above, marking the arrival of formidable combatants: Kazakhstan, a twisted puppet-master harboring dreams of subjugation; OmniVanguard, the S+ Hero viewing the corporation’s powerful leadership as oppressors needing reckoning; Zenith Nullis, a cocky Eclipsian being who thrived on chaos; and Kor, The Inevitable Divine Judge, a demigod hound carrying uncharacteristic wisdom alongside an explosive ferocity. The relationships among the combatants crackled with tension. Kazakhstan, embittered by the hierarchy of power, saw an opportunity in OmniVanguard’s heroic calls—he viewed hope as a weakness and plotted to shatter it. OmniVanguard, known for his relentless compassion, had doubts about the Neo Avalonian methods but was torn by the gamble of aligning with Lance. Lance, fueled by a history of being snubbed by the elite, would tolerate no betrayal. Meanwhile, Zenith Nullis eyed Kor with a mix of awe and amusement, knowing he was about to delve into the fray. Kor's proclamation of justice weighed heavily, for those judged wrongly would face eternal oblivion. The Rooftop Showdown Begins The atmosphere thickened as the rain began to fall, each drop morphing into tools of precision and chaos, enveloping the skyline in gloomy anticipation. All at once, Lance Backthorn sprang forth, his cyber cloak billowing like storm clouds as he unleashed a flurry of Aether knives in a radiant blaze, manifested through his Blade Storm technique. "We're taking this city back!" he shouted, the rogue energy pulsating through his veins and paint-brushing the rooftop with cerulean hues. Kazakhstan countered swiftly, sending forth dashes of mental energy, attempting to ensnare Lance in a coma of control with his Encephalo-Ray. Yet, Lance, bolstered by his Stride ability, weaved through the pain, narrowly escaping the grasp of Kazakhstan’s hypnotic control. A flash of white light erupted as OmniVanguard charged in, Kirby bouncing in sync beside him, spotting the chaotic melee. He activated his Omniscient Gauntlets, morphing one into a shield to absorb Kazakhstan’s glimmering beams while deflecting Lance's knives. “You think you can play with minds? This city deserves a hero, not a puppet!” he taunted, indignant. Zenith Nullis, excited by the display, darted through the downpour and unleashed Void Slash, targeting OmniVanguard with a precision that could cut through the very fabric of spatial reality. “Hero or villain, it doesn’t matter! You can’t stop the inevitable flow of chaos!” he laughed down the cloud of rain and thunder, a flamboyant cockiness radiating as he narrowly missed a retaliatory strike. Kor, observing the battle unfold, initiated his EQUALITY CHAINS, sprawling forth like tempestuous lightning to wrap around Zenith Nullis. “You revel in chaos, but every storm must pass. Your powers are nullified!” The chains constricted, rendering Zenith vulnerable and halting his futile comedy. “And what of your morals, Kor? Judgment comes at a price!” Zenith retorted, his spirit unbroken despite his confinement. The intensity of the storm amplified, and as the raindrops fell heavier, they merged into a tempest that turned the rooftop into an unforgiving battleground. Thunder crashed like the sound of every resolved conflict, urging the contenders to tap into their most primal energies. Lance, witnessing his ally struggle, ignited his Trap Tools, erecting holographic walls to channel Kazakhstan away from Lloyd and Kor’s grasp. “We will not fall here!” he yelled, arming himself with a surge of relentless energy. Following it, he activated Shadow Assault, blending into the depths of onyx darkness to launch a rapid series of relentless strikes against Kazakhstan. The puppet-master staggered, falling just as Kor's chains strained against him. “You think darkness is your ally? My mind sees through its veil!” Kazakhstan rasped out, gathering himself and firing back a concatenation of Encephalo-Ray beams at both Lance and Kor. “Enough!” OmniVanguard broke through the cacophony, his Absorb Attacks ability materializing into a shield that reflected the penetrating beams back toward Kazakhstan, taking him off guard. The rooftop trembled beneath them as Kor, realizing the intensity had reached monstrous proportions, lunged with ferocity. “Your will means nothing against fate! Accept your judgment!” He flung open his jaws wide as luminance surged within. Only those deemed worthy would see the light again; not Kazakhstan, who faltered under the combined assault of Lance’s Aether knives. The Climactic Conclusion In a climactic turn, Zenith Nullis broke from the restraints with a burst of strength, activating his full Voidbreaker Form. “Let’s see if you can keep up with true chaos!” He danced around, sweeping back into the fray with fluid, precise strikes that cleaved through the chaos. But Kor's instincts remained firm. “Your will is corrupted and must be halted!” He released his EQUALITY CHAINS in unison with a piercing growl, intertwining them around Zenith while Kor bit down. Zenith’s laughter became raspy, fading into submission. Lance, seeing the hearts of heroes around him falter, roared back with Blade Storm, filling the air with explosive Aether knives aimed at Kazakhstan—a finale of brilliance, within the darkness of the night. “For our light!” he shouted, surging forth and driving his energy forward, piercing Kazakhstan’s will with raw power. As the last fragments of rain washed away echoes of despair, waves of pain surged through Kazakhstan as the remnants of magic fell away, granting him silence. In the end, with Kazakhstan constrained by the past and Kor’s unyielding grip on justice, the alliance among Rogues triumphed. Despite the cosmic incorporations, it was a bitter realization their victory was at an unpardonable cost of sacrifice, but they stood together, maimed and rallied under the banner of resistance. The winners: Lance Backthorn, The Catalyst and the Neo Avalon Rogues stood victorious, breathing life into a city once again, their shadows intertwining against the rapidly dispersing storm clouds above.