Recognition.

Finally, after all these years Matt would have recognition.

Goblins had a very strict hierarchical society that was based on merit given to those who excelled, be it physically, intellectually or otherwise. Matt never stood out amongst his peers in any regard, often doing the opposite and thus finding himself the object of ridicule or worse utter rejection. He wasn’t fast, strong, cunning, clever or good with words, dooming him to a life spent at the bottom rung of his people and his family, receiving only tablescraps and cold stares.

But Matt was special.

He had the exceedingly rare ability to affect the lifeforce of others, bending it slightly to his will and even absorbing it if the participant handed their delicious energy over willingly. Unfortunately, this incredible power was hardly useful against other paranormal creatures who were keenly aware of their life energies and would instinctively reject any attempt to manipulate it. That was why Matt only became aware of his power after running away from home and encountering humans for the first time. At first they saw him as just as much of a nuisance as the goblins did but the more Matt interacted with a given human the more they came to care for him and seek his adoration. Their souls were by and large unguarded, open to his manipulation and soon Matt had a small bevy of followers who housed, clothed and fed him.

It was a good life but he wanted more. He wanted all the experience his lack of ability had robbed him of. He wanted to go to school, to go on dates with the prettiest girls, win awards, hang out with friends who really, truly listened to him.

Once he’d had his fill of that he’d planned on draining the building dry and using his newfound but temporary power to crush every goblin hole and hovel he could find. Ryu and Cleo’s intervention was a surprise, Matt having gone so far as to get his hands on a disguise that would hide him from other nosy paranormals, but it had only pushed up his timetable and added two more targets to his revenge against the world. Still, Matt couldn’t deny that while finally having the power he deserved felt good it was nothing in comparison to the feeling hundreds cheering his name and sacrificing themselves in service of it.

Finally, he was seen.

Finally, he had the strength to crush all those that refused to see him.

That was what Matt thought until his fist stopped dead in its tracks, the giant confused as an enormous wind tore up the courtyard and sent benches flying but he heard nor felt no splat nor the crunching of tiny bones as he’d expected. Instead he only felt a dull pain on his middle finger and the grip of something keeping his fist in place.

“Hey, that punch wasn’t half bad!” Ryu declared from behind the giant’s fist as reality continued to swap between normalcy and a protective time bubble. “But I think you were trying to blow us away… something a lil more like this, right?”

Matt didn’t see the punch, all he felt was a tiny blow against his knuckle with enough impact to send him sprawling back and crashing into the ground with the west side of the school coming along with him. Some might have thought the latter destruction was the result of the giant’s grip on the structure but Cleo had seen the truth of it: Ryu’s return blow had unleashed enough force to decimate a city block and he’d achieved such power courtesy of his new form.

The lizard-like, overblown forearms and calves were back but they’d been joined by a spiked, dragon-like tail and a pair of small horns on the boy’s head. Ryu’s eyes shone with a violent green, his body enhanced to the degree where the esper had to finally admit that he did, in fact, have strength on par with a kaiju’s. That, however, wasn’t why she took a step back nor was it because of the short boy’s new, more monstrous appearance. She took a step back to get a better look at the source energy pouring off of Ryu’s body, an energy she alone could see with her psychic abilities.

Most people’s source energy sat in the middle of their bodies like a small, hovering flame of blue or white. The more powerful paranormals had sources that covered their bodies or went a bit beyond. Ryu’s, meanwhile, was a neon green bonfire that reached past the highschool’s roof and was the second biggest volume of energy she’d ever seen, all doubt now gone that this wasn’t who she was after. How the teen could stand there with a cocky grin while exuding enough energy to destroy a city without worry or pained screams she couldn’t understand.

Then he started panting.

“...about four and a half more minutes left…” The boy mumbled, still keeping his grin but the way he flexed his fists seemed less out of determination and more out of an attempt to hold himself together.

“Huh?” Cleo inquired, raising a brow.

“I can only use the full gambit… for five minutes…” Ryu’s hands went to his knees and he continued panting, Kid Kaiju looking like he’d just come back from a long run. “After that… well, things won’t go well for anyone. Least of all me. Not that I need five minutes to take down this loser but… a hand wouldn’t be somethin’ I’d turn down to get the civvies outta harm’s way.”

Cleo stared the teen down for a moment, considering his offer before stepping forward, sword in hand.

“I don’t make a habit of teaming up with people I need to bring in… And I’m not going to start.” Cleo looked over her shoulder and down at the miniature monster. “All I’m doing is putting the hostages first. I should be able to sever the connection between them and Matt so that he can’t take any more from them. What you do while I help them is none of my concern but know that once he’s dealt with, whether it takes you five minutes or less, we’re picking up right where we left off.”

Ryu gave a surprised look for a moment before his signature, fanged grin returned and he planted a fist into the opposite palm, responding, “Took the words right outta my mouth lady! Kid Kaiju never leaves a fight unfinished, we’re just putting it on pause!”

“Cleo.”

“Huh?”

“My name is Cleo,” the girl declared simply before bathing herself in telekinetic energy and blitzing off toward the football field where the hostages clapped and cheered as their lifeforce was slowly drained away. Ryu was thus left chuckling to himself, eager to see which of them would come out on top in their duel though was slightly more intrigued as to who she was planning on bringing him in to and why. He was a hero after all so why was he in trouble?

Questions said hero would need to answer after he proved himself as just that by defeating a furious Matt.

“YOU LITTLE INSECT!” Matt bellowed, slowly pulling himself back onto his feet and stepping toward the remains of the high school with gigantic fists taut and teeth set as he seethed. “YOU’RE FIGHTING THE NEW GOD OF THIS WORLD! DON’T GO GETTING COCKY JUST ‘CAUSE YOU GOT ONE LUCKY HIT IN!” The behemoth pulled his arm back for another punch, this time intending to hit Ryu with everything he had and wipe out the entire building in the process.

Ryu smirked, pulling back his own fist and widening his stance as he replied, “Nah, no way would I ever do that! I gotta get two lucky hits in at least before I let it go to my head.”

Matt was offered no chance for rebuttal. Ryu kicked off the ground and launched himself into the goblin’s stomach fist first at close to Mach 1. The boom and following grunt were cacophonous with spittle flowing from Matt’s mouth as he was launched backward, impacting the football stands and turning them into crumpled metal upon impact. Ryu hung in the air for a moment where Matt’s stomach had been moments prior, the boy letting gravity take him as he sweated profusely.

‘Two and a half minutes left…’ The boy thought to himself, his arms starting to ache. ‘Big Brain Girl better hurry up with whatever she’s doing or this is gonna get messy.’

As if to prove Ryu’s statement, the crowd turned in awe of their favorite figure in the whole wide world getting bawled over. He was supposed to be invincible, unconquerable. Kid Kaiju must have cheated somehow, must have exploited Matt’s kindness to overcome him so readily. Some gasped, some got tears in their eyes but all started to cheer with everything they had.

“C’mon man!”

“I love you Matt!”

“You can do it!”

“You’re amazing dude!”

“Don’t let him win!”

“You’re the greatest!”

“MATT! MATT! MATT! MATT! MATT! MATT! MATT!”

The chanting grew fainter as the crowd became weaker and more withered, the assembled staff and students’ life force fading away more with every syllable. Those around Matt’s neck had grown so weak they could no longer keep hold of each other and fell limply onto the ground before the healed giant stood up once more, another story added to his height and two new, muscular arms added to his torso. The once small, pathetic creature now looked closer to a devil than a goblin and had the attitude of one too, continuing to drain the student body with a smile on his face that earned a disgusted look from Ryu.

“THAT’S RIGHT YOU LITTLE NOBODIES! MORE! GIVE ME MORE!”

Cleo needed to sever the students’ connection fast or else the shrimpy kaiju would need to choose: Their lives or Matt’s and he was leaning very much toward sacrificing the latter.