Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry for the delay :c I actually got pretty sick, so I had to take a break since it was impossible to write. To make up for it, I made this chapter a bit longer than usual :P I hope you all enjoy!

_______________________________________

Little of note had happened so far in his mad rush home, but that peace was short-lived. Just when Jimmy was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a giant metal rectangle was illuminated by his headlights.

Skirrrt!

Jimmy slammed on his breaks bringing his car to a screeching halt. His stellar deductive abilities claimed the object to be a truck that was completely flipped on its side and blocking half of the road. Upon closer inspection, an injured man on top of the vehicle punching and kicking over its edge was revealed. 

The heck is he- oh wait!

Hidden in the shadows of the night, four dark figures were attempting to scale up towards the man. With the man's defense gradually losing steam, Jimmy had to make a decision.

There's still enough room for me to drive past them and get home while the creatures are distracted. There's no way I could take on all of those things, anyway. I have to leave him. Yes... that's the best course of action. 

With that thought, Jimmy moved to place his foot on the gas pedal but stopped before he could.

Come on, why aren't you moving, foot!? Even if I was to try to save him, we'd both just end up dying!

His foot would not move.

Jimmy glanced back towards the truck and locked eyes with the man. He didn't need to know him to recognize the desperate and panicked expression plastered on the fighter's face. Jimmy let out a sigh and his tension momentarily left him. There was no way he could simply abandon him.

A moment after accepting this fact, a creature perfectly camouflaged with the night hoisted itself up from the opposite end of the truck.

There was a fifth!?

Jimmy sprang out of the car and immediately chucked his bat towards the creature. Though it was a good thirty feet away, the bat whacked the creature hard enough to knock it over the edge and sent it falling back down to the road.

Everything stopped.

No one would have imagined someone so scrawny to deal a blow like that with such strength and accuracy. Of course, that assessment would normally be correct. Not even Jimmy would have believed it, had he not done it himself.

While Jimmy and the man were frozen in shock over what just happened, the creatures also paused, seemingly contemplating what to do. 

Their silent discussion lasted only a second and three of the four creatures abandoned the truck to focus on the newer threat. The fifth creature staggered slowly behind them, seeming bent on revenge for the bat hit.

Welp, this is how I die. Goodbye cruel world, I regret every decision I've ever made and I blame you for it.

"Here goes nothing... Elemental Shield!"

Dirt swirled in front of Jimmy's hand, forming the shield he recently discovered. The four creatures took this as a sign to battle and began a mad dash towards him. 

Just as the first creature came into range, Jimmy swung the shield horizontally, causing the creature to slam back into his nearest companion, bringing them both to the ground. Jimmy bashed the stone disc into the head of the first fallen creature, before swinging it in a circle around himself to ward off the others' approach. He continued whacking the two, not wanting to miss the opportunity. After about four hard smashes with the shield, particles flew out from the chest of one of the creatures and a familiar sense of power washed over him.

"Ha! Steve Rodgers has nothing on-"

A sudden strong impact on his back sent Jimmy flying. He hit the ground hard and skid a few feet across the rough asphalt before coming to a stop near the truck. 

Ouch... Note to self: pay more attention to your surroundings when fighting against a mob of monsters.

His back hurt like crazy from that punch and his side was completely bloodied and scratched from the road. Despite the pain, Jimmy had no choice but to pick himself back up and prepare for the second rush of the creatures.

As he predicted, two of the three remaining creatures began dashing towards him, while the third injured one that Jimmy could not fully defeat slowly picked itself up.

Once in range, Jimmy swung his shield at the first creature's legs, causing it to fall to the ground with a howl. Completely disregarding its companion, the second creature leaped over the body and swung its large arms down in an attempt to crush him.

Thud!

The shield moved overhead and blocked what would have been an instant kill had it landed. The shield continued to block all of the attacks being thrown by the creature, but despite none of the blows landing, the pressure from its punches steadily pushed Jimmy backward.

This desperate deadlock lasted for a few seconds before being interrupted when Jimmy tripped over an object. He quickly fell backward and the creature's next punch flew overhead. Not missing this opportunity, Jimmy launched the shield straight up into the creature's chin, delivering a deadly uppercut.

He quickly sprung up desperate to deliver another blow but got distracted upon stepping on the rolling object once again.

Oh my god, this freaking- oh wait it's my bat! 

He was overcome with relief as he bent down the pick up his long-lost weapon. Instantaneously, another dark creature flew just above his bent body. A cold sweat washed over Jimmy as he watched the creature hit the ground hard with a thud and skid to a painful stop. 

Annoyed at himself for feeling Deja Vu towards that scene, Jimmy silently thanked his bat for saving him once again.

A faint noise suddenly caught his notice. Jimmy turned around to see the third creature dashing towards him, but this time he was ready and delivered a powerful blow with his shield. He then rushed in and struck the dazed creature with the bat, knocking it to the ground

Particles gushed out of the collapsed creature's chest. As Jimmy felt himself being filled with power, the pain in his back significantly lessened and the cuts on his side healed rapidly.

Whoa! Is this what the skill meant when it said I'd absorb lifeforce?

"Watch out, lad!" 

A loud yell from the top of the truck brought Jimmy back to attention. The last two of the creatures targeting Jimmy were nearly back on their feet, so he rushed over and slammed his shield down onto one of the creature's heads, cracking its skull. 

While this new rush of power healed the remainder of his wounds, it did little to cure the nausea created by such a gory scene. 

"Thanks for the- hey man, catch!"

Jimmy interrupted his own sentence upon seeing the desperate struggle the man was engaged in on the top of the truck. He immediately tossed his bat up to the man with a shout of warning, who quickly caught and used it to deliver a deadly strike on the creature.

Oi, this dude is a bloody mess and still managed to hit that hard!

Jimmy glanced back towards the last injured creature in front of him. Though he only had his shield left, it was plenty enough to deal with the creature, now that he didn't have to worry about other attackers. Each time the creature stepped into range, Jimmy simply bashed it with his shield. It only took a few weak hits before the fight reached its end. 

Thunk!

A moment later, a loud noise caused Jimmy to turn around and see a creature fall to the base of the truck. A proud but injured man looked down at it.

"Looks like you struck him out."

"Please let me catch my breath before you make those terrible puns."

After that short exchange, a robotic voice once again spoke in Jimmy's head.

[ A battle broadcast has concluded. Battle Credits will be awarded shortly. ]