Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Attack On Central Mall (Part 4)
Unbeknownst to Don, Samantha, and the rest of the people in Central Mall, a figure had arrived in the skies above.
She hovered with an air of authority around her, her long black hair tied into a ponytail that flowed behind her in the wind. Her eyes were a striking red, filled with a stern determination as she looked down at the scene below.
She wore a superhero bodysuit that clung to her fit figure, accentuating her toned muscles and wide, thick hips. The suit was a bold combination of red and black, with red covering her chest, blue and red on her arms, and black and red on her legs. Gold trim highlighted her chest and abs, and a glowing blue star rested just below her bountiful breasts.
With her hands on her hips, she scanned the mall beneath her, her expression one of focus. "Found you," she muttered to herself.
As she surveyed the scene below, her ears suddenly twitched slightly and she picked up a faint voice saying, "Don't do this."
Turning her head towards the mall's parking lot, she saw a man in a suit frantically waving his hands. "Don't do this, Red Star!" he shouted with clear desperation in his voice. "You're not authorized to operate as a hero on United Provinces soil!"
Red Star's frown deepened as she looked at the man. "A true hero isn't bound by the laws of man," she muttered in a low, firm tone. "All vermin of the earth who come before me shall be punished. In the name of Mother Rassia, I bring justice and order." Her eyes glowed a fierce red as she finished speaking.
Then, with a powerful burst of speed, Red Star flew towards the mall, her form cutting through the air like a missile.
Back in the parking lot, the man in the suit cursed under his breath. "Fuck, I'm not getting paid enough to deal with these foreign heroes." He quickly took out a phone and pressed it to his ear. "Yes, Director, we have a problem," he said, his voice tense and urgent.
As Red Star broke through the roof of the mall with a deafening **crash**, debris rained down around her. She landed with a thud and her imposing figure immediately drew the attention of both the Green Thorns and the panicking civilians.
"Somebody help!!"
"No!! Stop this please!!"
"AHHH!!"
People were screaming and scattering still, trying to find cover, while the Green Thorns paused their rampage to stare at the new threat.
Red Star, however, paid them no mind. Her eyes scanned the chaotic scene until they locked onto an individual standing atop a set of escalators surrounded by writhing vines. With a stern expression, she yelled, "Nightshade!"
The individual was a man in the dark green bodysuit, and he immediately flinched at the sound of his name. His outfit was made from eco-friendly, plant-based materials and was adorned with leafy patterns. His mask resembled the face of a deadly nightshade plant, covering the upper half of his face.
He turned to face her, fear evident in his eyes. "R-Red Star!" he stammered, but then he straightened, a twisted smile forming on his lips. "It's too late to stop me. My message has been sent!"
Red Star's eyes narrowed. "What message could possibly warrant such madness and attacks?"
Nightshade didn't respond verbally. Instead, he extended his arms, and the vines around him came to life, snaking their way down the escalators toward Red Star. She was unfazed by this and prepared for battle, her stance firm.
Nightshade knew he couldn't match her strength directly, so he used his control over plants to his advantage. The vines moved quickly, trying to entangle Red Star's legs. But she jumped back, avoiding their grasp, and with a swift motion, she blasted them with an energy beam from her hands.
**Zap!**
The vines sizzled and burnt away instantly, but more took their place a few seconds later. Nightshade frowned for a moment but soon grinned as he decided to use the chaos to his advantage.
He waved his hands, and the vines grew thicker and faster, spreading throughout the mall.
Red Star flew up, avoiding the creeping vines on the ground. She then charged at Nightshade with her fist aimed at his chest. However he acted fast and raised a barrier of thick roots in front of himself before the punch connected with a loud **thud**
The roots splintered but held firm.
"Is this all you've got, Nightshade?" Red Star taunted as she removed her fist from the roots.
Nightshade didn't answer. Instead, he sent a cloud of pollen her way, aiming to disorient her. Red Star's enhanced senses warned her of the incoming attack, and she flew back, avoiding the worst of it, but some of the pollen reached her.
She coughed and her vision blurred momentarily.
Taking advantage, Nightshade sent more vines after her, trying to entangle her limbs. But she shook off the effects of the pollen and used her immense strength to rip the vines apart.
She then flew forward again, this time with more caution.
As she closed the distance, Nightshade shouted, "Green Thorns, protect your leader!" Immediately, several Green Thorns rushed to his aid, their bats and makeshift weapons raised.
They tried to surround Red Star, hoping to overwhelm her with numbers.
However, Red Star's eyes glowed red as she unleashed a series of energy blasts, taking out several Green Thorns with each shot. **Zap! Zap!** The Green Thorns fell, but more kept coming.
She couldn't use her full power without risking the lives of innocent civilians nearby. "Count yourself lucky that I promised not to kill on foreign soil coward."
Nightshade used this to his advantage, continuing to send waves of vines and roots at her. One vine managed to wrap around her ankle, pulling her off balance.
She fell to the ground with a **thud**, but quickly rolled and blasted the vine away.
" *Tsk* This is pointless. Is this your idea of justice?" Red Star shouted, anger and annoyance rising in her voice. "Using innocent people as shields?"
Nightshade just laughed, his voice echoing through the mall. "Justice? No, this is retribution! The world needs to wake up to the damage it's causing!"
Red Star didn't waste any more time with words. She flew up, high above the mall floor, and then dove straight at Nightshade, using her enhanced speed to close the gap quickly. He tried to block her with another wall of roots, but she plowed through it with ease, the splintering wood scattering around her.
She managed to grab Nightshade by the collar, lifting him off the ground. "This twisted game ends now!" she declared, her eyes glowing with fierce energy.
Nightshade, in a last-ditch effort, released a potent toxin from his hands, aiming it directly at her face. Red Star winced as the toxin hit her, causing a burning sensation, but her durability protected her from the worst of it. Instead she tightened her grip on Nightshade and threw him across the mall.
**Woosh!** **Crash!**
He hit a column and slumped to the ground, dazed but not defeated. "You think... this will stop... the revolution?" he panted, struggling to even stand.
Unfortunately, Red Star didn't give him a chance to recover. She flew at him with incredible speed, delivering a powerful kick to his midsection. **Thud!** Nightshade doubled over in pain, the wind completely knocked out of him.
Desperate, he called out to his remaining minions. "Stop her! Protect me!"
The Green Thorns rushed at Red Star from all directions. But she proceeded to fight them off with a series of punches and energy blasts, her movements incredibly fast and lethal.
**Bam!** **Zap!** **Smash!**
Each hit sent a Green Thorn flying, but they kept coming, trying to wear her down.
Nightshade used the distraction to summon more vines, this time focusing on the civilians, hoping to force Red Star to divide her attention.
Vines snaked towards a group of people cowering behind an overturned table.
Red Star's enhanced senses picked up their cries for help and she spun around, firing an energy beam that incinerated the vines before they could reach the civilians. **Zap!**
Nightshade took the opportunity to strike her from behind with a vine whip. **Whack!** The force of the blow sent her staggering forward, but she quickly regained her balance, looking more annoyed than in pain.
"Enough of this!" she shouted. She then flew up, dodging more vines, and then came down with a powerful punch aimed at Nightshade's head.
He raised his arms to block, but the force of her punch broke through his defense, hitting him squarely in the face. **Crack!**
Nightshade fell to the ground, his mask shattered and blood trickling from his nose. He groaned in pain, trying to crawl away, but Red Star grabbed him by the back of his suit and lifted him off the ground.
"You're done," she said, her voice cold and final. "Count yourself lucky vermin, if it were up to me, you'd have died the moment I saw you."
She proceeded to knock him out with a swift punch to the jaw. **Thud!**
With Nightshade defeated, Red Star turned her attention to the remaining Green Thorns. She flew through the mall, dispatching them with quick, efficient strikes.
**Bam!** **Zap!** **Smash!** Each hit was accurate, neutralizing the threat without causing any harm to the civilians.
Meanwhile, Samantha was hiding in the changing rooms, clutching Don's body. She stroked his hair, tears streaming down her face, and kissed his forehead repeatedly.
"Please be okay," she whispered through her sobs.
"Please, Donnie, wake up."
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