Chapter 56: The Final Battle, Part 1: Uncontrolled Greed
The flame hits Edger, who doesn't move an inch. Mario stands, grinning, though he knows just what's to come. He takes a few steps back as Edger emerges from the flame unharmed. Edger swings his arms and the energy tentacles fling out and extend towards Mario with increasing speed.
Edger: YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO MY PLANS WITH YOUR LIFE!
Mario jumps the tentacles and clings onto a tree trunk as Edger coils the tentacles around the tree. Mario hangs on tightly as the tree begins to rot. Mario looks down in terror as the tree wilts down, rots away, and leaves Mario face to face with Edger, who grabs him and throws him into another tree. As Mario slams into the tree, he slides to the ground while Edger walks slowly towards him, his arms bubbling as he launches the tentacles again. The tentacles wrap around Mario and haul him into the air as Edger grins evilly.
Edger: Don't struggle, Mario... It'll be over soon.
Mario shakes and thrashes, trying to break free as he starts to glow.
Mario: L…let me go.
Edger: I will soon... I just need to take all the energy you have, and then your soul.
Mario shakes before closing his palms together. Edger tilts his head as Mario bursts into flames that rush down the tentacles and cause Edger to burst into flames as well. Mario frees himself from Edger's loosened grip and lands on the ground before rolling around, while Edger simply stands still until he dies and the flames go out. Mario grunts, panting and nervous as he turns his head to see Edger standing there.
Edger: Still not dead for good.
Mario: Yeah, I know...
Edger: That was a good move you pulled off. Risky for sure, but you managed it.
Mario: Why are you complimenting me?
Edger: Because in my mind, complimenting those I plan to kill makes me fully realize the accomplishments I'll achieve.
Mario grunts and spits at the ground, while Edger laughs and rubs his hands together, his arms starting to bubble up again as he grins. Mario slowly gets to his feet and goes to speak, but is cut off by Edger.
Edger: The life orb I was given contains the souls of two thousand bodies that died as a result of reckless greed. As you can see, the dieing trait of the souls that are embedded into a life orb must match. Once the life orb is formed, a lost body can be revived with it but only with that trait.
Mario: So that is why you're such a backstabber. You are just as greedy as two thousand super-greedy dead people.
Edger: Heh, there you go.
Edger whips his tentacles at Mario, who bounces back and launches a series of fireballs at him. Edger jumps them, twirling in the air before latching his tentacles to a few nearby trees that begin to die. Mario slams his palms into the ground, causing lava to burst out of the ground around Edger. Mario gets up and runs at Edger, firing a barrage of fireballs as Edger sighs and takes the assault before swatting Mario across the face and kicking him down.
Edger: Nope! No good.
Mario swings his foot and trips Edger. As Edger stumbles and falls on his face, Mario climbs back to his feet, spins, and throws another barrage of flames at Edger, who takes them all before getting up in perfect condition. Edger turns to Mario and laughs hysterically.
Edger: Wow, you've killed me nearly twenty times. That's one percent of my lives. Keep it up, shorty, and you'll do another one percent.
Mario: Shorty...
Edger: YUP!
Edger runs at Mario and goes to jump kick him, but is grabbed by the feet mid-flight and slammed repeatedly against the ground before being thrown into a tree, which snaps, breaks, and falls forward, crushing Edger.
Mario: I AM NOT SHORT!
Mario throws another flame that hits the tree, causing it to burst into flames. Mario slams his hands on the ground and fire bursts out under the tree and Edger. Mario stands panting again as he waits for Edger to emerge. As he stands waiting, he notices Edger is not coming from the flames.
Mario: Where are you?
Mario walks towards the flames and is tackled from behind and entangled in tentacles by Edger.
Mario: HOW DID YOU GET BEHIND ME?
Edger: You let your guard down while you were destroying that tree. NOW SIT STILL!
Edger begins to suck Mario's energy out again as he trips Edger once more. Edger stumbles back but catches himself before falling and flings out his tentacles, barely missing Mario as he rolls aside.
Mario: Just how do I kill you if you keep sucking the energy of everything in the surroundings?
Edger: Tough question, isn't it? Is there an answer? Yup! There is no way!
Mario: We'll see.
Mario throws a flame at him but Edger jumps aside easily. Upon landing, he falls to one knee before getting up. Mario raises an eyebrow and grins before throwing another fireball at him. Edger jumps the flame and lands on his feet, but twitches a little as Mario’s grin widens.
Mario: What's wrong, Edger? Have I killed you more times than I was led to believe?
Edger: N-no, I don't understand...
Mario: Well in that case...
Mario charges a super fireball as Edger begins to shake on the spot.
Edger: I... I feel them coming...
Mario throws the fireball, which hits Edger, causing him to burst into flames. Mario stares at the flames as two red eyes appear in them. Mario backs up as Edger runs out of the flames on his hands and feet and scampers across the ground, eyes pure red, foaming at the mouth, and still on fire. Mario turns and runs as Edger growls and speeds up. Mario turns as Edger keeps going and crashes into a tree. Edger shakes his head and turns, looking around for Mario while releasing high-pitched roars.
Mario: What... is happening?
Edger's eyes flicker before returning to normal. As he slowly gets to his feet, his body spins, launches into the air, and lands as he spins on the ground before his eyes go back to red. Mario backs up and throws a fireball that hits him. Mario throws five more that dart between the trees and also hit him. Edger flies across the ground and gets back up, seemingly back to normal. Taking his chance, Mario runs at him. As he gets closer, Edger wraps him up in his tentacles a third time only for Mario to keep running and tackle him. Both topple to the ground, and Mario pins Edger down.
Mario: WHAT IS GOING ON?
Edger stares at Mario, wide-eyed and giggling in a creepy tone.
Edger: They've come to claim me, like they claimed Warth before I brought him here.
Mario: What?
Edger: The souls, Mario, hehehehe. The souls that turned Warth into that massive dragon.
Mario: Didn't your dad do that?
Edger kicks Mario off him and gets to his feet.
Edger: All he did was shut down Wraths brain long enough for them to takeover.
Mario grunts as Edger kicks him and twitches more.
Edger: These spirits are the spirits inside the orb. Did you think I could fight two thousand souls bouncing around in me? Why do you think I used me energy sucking power to suck more than just the life of people?
Mario goes to get up but is kicked down again.
Edger: STAY DOWN! The more living bodies I absorb, the more greed-contradicting powers I get and the more cancellations that are made. Thanks to your brother and Warth though, I lost four thousand conflicting souls, and the orb’s souls are coming back.
Mario gets on his hands and knees, grunting and looking up at Edger.
Edger: My greed is now over the top. My desire to absorb you has grown. Why? In doing so I will gain so much: energy, life, the title of the one to defeat THE Super Mario, the greatest evil, the indestructible living dead, and the only existing entity who can utilize nearly two thousand souls to live a full life for each of them individually.
Mario presses his hands on the ground and flames burst out and send Edger flying into a tree on fire. As Edger falls and grunts, Mario rises to his feet and grins.
Mario: You talk too much. Informative? Yes! Am I excited? No!
Edger: Hehehe... Look at me, Mario... Can you tell they have finally said enough?
Mario: I can tell you're insane!
Mario throws a fireball at Edger. As the flame flies at him, Edger's eyes turn red again and a cracking sound is heard. Just as the flame approaches, Edger's mouth expands about two feet and swallows the flame, chewing it up with a fanged mouth. Mario backs up and falls over as Edger shakes violently.
Edger: FINALLY! IT IS TIME! TIME TO ASSUME THE ULTIMATE BODY! TAKE ME AWAY, SOULS, AND LET THIS VESSEL BE YOUR HOST WHILE I AM YOUR KING!
Edger shakes as the marking on his forehead glows red. Mario backs up across the ground a little.
Mario: No... To think this could have happened to all seven of them if they’d let their traits overwhelm them like him.
Mario stares in horror as Edger falls to his hands and knees before growing to ten feet in that pose. His body fills over with a coat of shining gold, and coiled strands of the energy tentacle substance line the arms and legs. Edger's head grows and bares its giant mouth, with two rows of teeth on each jaw. His eyes turn a deep red color as small holes appear to line his body and from which flailing energy tentacles emerge. Mario slowly gets to his feet as the monster in front of him emits a blinding roar, Mario noticing his mouth seems to have nothing besides the teeth and endless darkness.
Mario: Oh yuck!
Mario turns and runs as Edger rampages towards him, breathing massive streams of flames at him. Mario jumps and runs from them, narrowly dodging them all. Mario claps his hands and throws two fireballs to each side, hitting trees and setting them ablaze. As he runs, the flames spread from tree to tree, engulfing the forest more in the progress. As he runs, he gives a quick look over his shoulder as he sees Edger plowing through trees unbothered.
Mario: OH GOD! HOW IS THAT THING DOING THAT?
Mario runs to a clearing and finds himself at a cliffside. Mario backs away scared and turns as he sees Edger coming into view. Mario quickly gasps and panics as he trembles in fear.