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| − | ==R7==
| + | Long ago, there existed a nation called Iaia, in which the land prospered, crops and resources provided from an unknown pit at the centre of the land known only as the Dungeon. For many years, the people of Iaia lived off of the Dungeon's fruits, for which life energy emanated from the pits to sustain the various crops growing on the surface. |
| − | "Which one of you is Master Wing."
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| − | The group of gangsters looked at each other then glared back at me with their machetes.
| + | However, one day, the Dungeon stopped supplying the nation with its energy, and soon the nation of Iaia suffered a large widespread famine. Crops would not grow, leading to a decline in food and medicine. Water was not purified, causing a widespread epidemic to plague the land. Because Iaia was secluded from the rest of the world, with little to no connection to the outside, the people of Iaia suffered for years, until one day, a group of seers and priests came together to pray to the gods for salvation and repentance. |
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| − | "Kill him!"
| + | For months on end, the priests came together and prayed to the gods, until one day, the goddess Demeter, along with her disciple, Paladin Koloth descended from the heavens to warn the mortals of the true nature of the Dungeon. The Dungeon was a massive labyrinth created in ancient times to house monsters, and as monsters died, their souls would ascend the Dungeon to the surface. However, due to the monsters being impure, they are unable to enter heaven, and so, instead, spread to the surface of the land, their life energy supplying the world through bountiful harvest. Over time, as the nation of Iaia continued using this resource, their numbers continued to climb, but the deaths of the monsters did not, causing a deficit in the life energy supplied to the land. To continue to live, the people of Iaia must descend the Dungeons to kill monsters. |
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| | + | Praising Demeter, the numerous people of Iaia swore their allegiance to the goddess, begging for her to stay and watch over their nation. Taken aback by the sincerity of the mortals, as well as feeling satisfied with the increase in her followers, Demeter decided to stay and watch over the people, tasking Koloth with establishing a Folia Level System after his fellow Paladin, Folianon, the Paladin of Harvest and blessing the mortals with the power to become stronger, and wield magic. Equipping the mortals with a means to fight monsters, soon, many became trained to become the first adventurers of Iaia. |
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| − | I adjusted my stance and sprinted forward, leaping into the air and driving my knuckles deep into the nearest goon's face. I could feel bones cracking as more blood stained my hand bandages. I spun around and sent a back kick which blasted another goon right through the paper windows of the dojo.
| + | However, as Demeter continued being worshipped, the other gods in the heavens were not happy with the attention Demeter was getting, and decided to descend to the mortal realm themselves to also obtain followers. Realizing the potential for another divine war, Koloth suggested the creation of Legions, groups of humans would choose the deity they want to worship, and the deity may choose those who would be fit to be their followers. |
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| − | "Master Wing will never fight some lowlife like you."
| + | Soon, Legions began to form, with the big three, Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades, Legions being the strongest, and some Legions being smaller than others due to the certain deities being less prominent than others. And for many years, adventurers of these Legions would descend the Dungeon to hunt and kill monsters, becoming stronger and establishing a trade system for monster shards to validate their contributions to the land. |
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| − | I closed in and grabbed the goon by the face and smashed him into the desk.
| + | The gods would return to heaven, with the Legions continuing to frequent the Dungeons and to become stronger, until the nation of Iaia prospered by these adventurers. The day Demeter and Paladin Koloth had come down from the heavens became mere folk tales, after centuries of prosperity, and with this, the rise of adventurer legends soon dominated the scribes, such as Leonidas Swallowtail of the Hades Legion, being the only Level 12 adventurer in existence, and Alexander Rosewald of the Aphrodite Legion, the greatest swordsman in the entire land. |
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| − | Four more gang members rushed in with their machetes as I lifted my foot, sending consecutive side kicks at them, as they shot backwards out of the dojo.
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| − | I leaned in to the goon.
| + | ==R5== |
| | + | Nothing would go wrong, Ben said. |
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| − | "Boss Lok wants Wing dead. But he also instructed me to kill whoever got in the way."
| + | We were going to be fine, Ben said. |
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| − | "Yeah?" The goon sputtered from within the splinters of the wood. Blood was leaking from the corner of his mouth and spilled onto the ground.
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| − | "What makes me want to believe a little sixteen year old boy will resort to violence in interrogation?"
| + | I guess he was half right, because the moment we were warped to Folia, we seemed to be on the right course. But then Sammy decided to jinx the whole operation by shouting: |
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| − | "Huh?!" I said, as I drove his face deeper into the wood. | + | "We good, boys. What can possibly go wrong?" |
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| − | "I killed forty of your men already. And before that, I killed thirty six ''sifu'''s before yours. The Red Circle Gang is the most fearsome gang in all of China. Not just the province. You better watch your damn mouth."
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| − | A snicker escaped the goon's mouth as my eye twitched in annoyance.
| + | I glanced at Merrow, as she gazed at the opening of the wormhole, her eyebrows were furrowed. I lived with her long enough to know that whenever she was worried, her eyebrows scrunch up. |
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| | + | I reached out, but hesitated, stopping myself. Even if I tried to say something to her, I wouldn't know the right thing to say. I kept to myself as I brought my hand back down, dissolving into the mist of molecules that were dissipating and reassembling before my very eyes. |
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| − | "You may have killed our men. Killed a ton of masters too. But in the end, you're still a kid. You don't got experience like us. All you have is power. I can tell, from how you talk, from how you breathe, that you're controlling yourself."
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| − | The man shifted in my grip and faced me. His jaw was busted and misaligned, teeth were missing as he gave me a maniacal grin.
| + | "Keep your emotions out of this." Ben said, his one eye reticule kept focusing and zooming in and out. |
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| − | "You're scared of gore. Teenagers like you should be in high school, complaining how you don't get laid, skipping classes and staring at girls. Yet here you are, being forced to do these things and resisting the urge to vomit to save face for Old Man Lok." | + | "I know." Merrow responded. |
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| | + | Ben turned to us. |
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| − | "You don't know me." | + | "One of you is letting their emotions run wild. We need to keep it restrained. Multiversal travel through boom tube technology opens us up to attack if we generate a signal." |
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| − | "I don't?"
| + | Merrow, Deacon, and Ben all gave me a disapproving look. I threw up my hands. |
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| | + | "What?! Why are you guys assuming it's me?!" |
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| − | "I'm gonna kill you." I snarled as I tightened my grip, the guy's eyes turning bloodshot.
| + | Deacon readjusted his sleeves. |
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| − | "Oh. See. Here's the thing. I know you very well, Red Beast. The stray dog picked up by Old Man Lok after he was caught trying to steal fish from their coverup fish market to survive. I know all about you. You had nowhere to go. You didn't want to kill. But you did anyway. Am I wrong?" | + | "Out of all of us, we all learned to harness our emotions. The most likely people who would fuck up this operation are either you... or..." |
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| − | "Sh- Shut up!"
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| − | "Here's a challenge. Before I die. I want you to look at my face. Look at my face as you strangle the life out of me. And don't break eye contact. Only then, will I believe you are as much as a beast as Old Man Lok and all of China claims you are."
| + | Deacon's face paled. |
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| | + | "Great." He muttered, as everybody turned to Sammy, who's hands were inches from his mouth. Knowing him, he was probably biting his nails. |
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| − | "Bastard!" I roared as I squeezed harder. The sounds of choking. His face turning white as his eyes began to get bigger and bigger.
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| | + | "Sammy..." Merrow put her hand on his shoulder. |
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| − | I didn't want to kill. I hate killing.
| + | "What?" Sammy perked up, jolting to our position. |
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| | + | "What's up? I didn't do anything. I'm taking this mission super serious for once." |
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| − | I'm scared.
| + | "For once?" Deacon yelped. |
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| | + | "I need to make things right. I swear by it. On my life." |
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| − | But I don't have a choice. Just like ''baba'' once said in our native language.
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| − | ''Mo ban fat''
| + | "Sammy-" Ben warned him, but Sammy kept going. |
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| − | No choice.
| + | "Leah. I owe her that much. And not just Leah. It must be fate that she ended up in Iaia. Or I mean Folia. I've done so much messed up shit in the past, I need to atone--" |
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| − | I need to survive.
| + | "Sammy!" Ben grabbed his ear, his face stern. |
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| | + | "''What?!''" Sammy snapped, his face contorted in irritation, when suddenly, a boom emitted from our surroundings. |
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| − | If I'm going to live on my own without my parents. Without my brother, Wen. I need to do whatever it takes to survive.
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| | + | "What the hell was that?!" I yelped. Deacon floated in front of us. |
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| − | But that didn't change the fact that every time I saw a dying man I was terrified. Of what I had done. Of their dying faces. I always try to kill them fast, as per Boss Lok's orders. But the worst was always the interrogations.
| + | "Sammy's emotions. They've alerted them. Ben, what do you see?" |
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| − | "No. I have to focus." I commanded myself, as I continued to squeeze.
| + | Ben put his voice encoder away and reached into his new overcoat and pulled out several orbs, each floating around us in a circular hexagonal grid. Sentry Orbs. |
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| | + | The Sentry Orbs all opened up revealing little modules which shot a beam of cyan light from one another, encasing us in a protective field. Then several mini drones were released from each one, dispersing around our vicinity, as Ben's cybernetic eye from his mask glowed a brighter cyan. |
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| − | "I'm not afraid. I'm a killer. I will kill... I..."
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| − | The man stared at the sky.
| + | ''Energy Signatures.'' Ben's voice resonated in our mind. |
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| − | "I'm coming home, dearest Sing. Baba is coming home..."
| + | ''Two Acolytes, and a much larger aggregate of power coming our way from behind them. ETA: twenty seconds.'' |
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| − | My eyes widened, as tears began to leak down my face, as I looked away. A surge of strength snapped his neck as the goon's last breath left his mouth.
| + | Deacon powered up, his hands burst into black and orange flames. |
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| | + | "Acolytes. Do you know which ones they are?" |
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| − | "I won... don't lose yourself kid..." The man murmured as his face and body went slack.
| + | Ben shook his head. |
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| − | I fell backwards flat on my ass as I breathed hard, my mouth salivating as my body immediately began to gag. I spun around and threw up all over the ground. The vomit laced with blood from my injuries storming the gang hideout.
| + | Sammy spun around, and powered up as well, but I stopped him. |
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| − | I continued gagging and vomiting as the rain and storm sounds covered up my sounds. Nobody could hear me breaking down inside the dojo building.
| + | "Don't. Your powers will destroy the orbs around us." |
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| | + | "But-" |
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| − | "Of all the gang members he could have sent, he sends a child to kill me. How amusing." | + | "Sammy, you've done enough." I heard myself say, as I instantly regretted it. Sammy sulked and looked down in shame. |
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| − | | + | "I- Sorry. I didn't mean it like that." |
| − | I shot to my feet and assumed my form.
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| − | The man had a long beard, and a black suit. His greasy black hair was slicked back, and the dimly lit room created shadows all around his scars.
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| − | The man inspected the damage and the bodies strewn all around the dojo, then walked by me and looked outside.
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| − | "This entire hideout is now reduced to rotting bodies. I'm assuming you were the one who did this?" | + | |
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| − | I brought my foot back and shot forward, launching a punch at Master Wing's head, but Wing spun around and caught my fist with the palm of his hand.
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| − | "You fight aggressively with little regard for defense. Like a beast. But if that is how you want to use your Hung Gar, then it is to my obligation that you see the folly in your style, from one master to an amateur."
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| − | Before I could react, my midsection exploded in pain.
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| − | "AAGH!" I yelled, as I was blasted across the dojo and crashed through the doors, leading to a large atrium. I tumbled to the ground as the rain soaked my clothes, my hair plastered to my face as I tried to get to my feet, but Wing lifted his foot, launching dozens of kicks across my body and my face. I slid backwards and fell to my knees. Then I heard a snap.
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| − | Before I knew it I was bombarded with staffs. I began coughing and choking out blood, the blood mixing with the rainwater that was pooling on the ground as Wing's goons continued to beat me down with their sticks. One strike landed on my head as I heard a crack.
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| − | My face slammed onto the ground, creating a splash.
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| − | ''You are weak, Shun-dono.''
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| − | "Shut up." I muttered, as one of the goons kicked me in the ribs. I clenched my teeth so hard I bit my tongue, blood leaking from my mouth.
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| − | ''It doesn't have to end like this. Give me control. Fifty seconds as a Wicked Oni will be enough to destroy every living being in this radius.''
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| − | "You're my slave, Hiiro. Do what I say. And I say stay put."
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| − | ''Your strength is not enough to defeat Master Wing. Wing is possessed like us, by a Chinese Yokai. A Yaoguai. But no sensei is as strong as me. No sensei has come close to Grandmaster Hataka Hiiro-Sensei. If you continue this, we will both die.''
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| − | "I will beat him with my own strength!"
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| − | ''This is no time to preserve your honour, Shun-dono! Just because you brought dishonour to your family does not mean you can run around naively on these bounties. Stubbornness will get you killed!''
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| − | "I said SHUT UP." I growled as I flipped around and spun on the ground, catching each goon in the neck with my feet as they crumpled to the ground. I flipped and repositioned myself as I yelled, launching punch after punch at Master Wing, who dodged them easily.
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| − | Wing went low and caught me in the stomach, then shifted to my left side, then slammed his fist into my right side as excruciating pain overwhelmed my body.
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| − | "AAUGHHH!" I yelled, as I fell to the ground clutching my side, my yells turning into cries as the pain was too much.
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| − | "RRRGHHH!!!" I slammed my forehead into the ground so hard that the cement cracked.
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| − | "I don't like killing children. After all, they are often misunderstood. But someone like you, who has been brainwashed by that old man, the only way out is to be executed with mercy."
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| − | I smashed my fist into the ground, trying to control my breathing.
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| − | Brainwashed?!
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| − | "Where are you parents, Red Beast?"
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| − | My parents.
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| − | It took everything I had to escape Baba. Baba was crazy and beat Wen and I as kids. And Ma tried to reason with us that it was for our own good like some maniac. But Baba beat us with that wooden stick, until my head almost split open, for anything that irritated him. He was always drunk, and sometimes he beat Ma too.
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| − | Baba and Ma taught Wen and I that the world was cruel. And that the only way out was to study at school and get a good job. It was always like this. We were forced to do stuff we didn't want to do. But as long as I had Wen, we were always together and suffered together.
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| − | But one day, Wen displayed a talent in wushu, then left our home to continue training and one day opening his own school.
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| − | Wen left me all alone.
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| − | He left me all alone to Baba.
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| − | And so, if Wen could leave our home with kung fu, then so did I. But because I didn't have the same talent, I had to resort to my own ways.
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| − | Wing kicked me in the face as I was launched into the air, crumpling to the ground.
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| − | "Unbelievable, that a child ended up being possessed by a ''yaogaui''. Then weaponized for a gang. The Red Circle knows no morals. As long as the gang is full of inhumane garbage, it will never be the top gang in China."
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| − | Wing stomped on my head as my face smashed further into the cement.
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| − | "GrrrrAAARRR..." I growled in pain.
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| − | "Demon possession should only be for adults. When they have gotten to their maximum potential. And even so, possession should only be used to take down threats, to protect your creed. Not to be used as a weapon. I accepted Wong-sifu to be my demon, so I could protect my wife and daughter. I threw away my humanity for them, and as a result, I ended up losing more than I protected. So to see a mere teenager use the power of a demon, and in such an irresponsible manner..."
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| − | Wing picked me up by the head and lifted me into the air. The rain had soaked Wing's shades, but from behind those shades, I could tell I was being pierced by the most menacing eyes.
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| − | The eyes of a gang leader.
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| − | "It really. REALLY. Rubs me the wrong way."
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| − | ''Shun-dono! You need to do it. NOW.''
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| − | I closed my eyes.
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| − | If I die here.
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| − | All of this would be for nothing.
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| − | All of that training I did with Hiiro.
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| − | All of those masters I killed.
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| − | All of those people I slaughtered with my bare hands to survive.
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| − | Ma's last wish was for me to be strong, and to stand with my own two legs.
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| − | That was the wish I promised to fulfill for her on her deathbed.
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| − | "Children should not play with toys. Red Beast. This is the full potential of a yaogaui possessed sifu."
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| − | ''SHUN-DONO.''
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| − | It was supposed to be with my own strength. I was supposed to be strong with my own strength, but I wasn't strong enough.
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| − | I could never catch up to Wen with my own power.
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| − | So I ended up with a demon.
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| − | But even when I did fight with Hiiro's technique, I always, always, ALWAYS fought with my own hands. My own strength. Because I needed to prove to Baba that I wasn't a failure of a son.
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| − | But if I kept this up...
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| − | Wing squeezed my head as I yelled in agony.
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| − | "ARGGHHHH AHHHHH!"
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| − | I was going to die.
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| − | ''SHUN-''
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| − | "FINE." I growled, as I glared at Master Wing's evil, sinister eyes.
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| − | "Lend me your strength, Hataka-sensei!"
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| − | I heard a demonic laugh.
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| − | ''Yes. Shun-dono. Let me in. Embrace me. You want me. You want the powers of a demon. To settle the score and unfairness with your brother.''
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| − | I yelled as I grabbed Wing's wrist, then planted my feet on his waist, leveraging and slamming Master Wing into the ground. Wing instinctively flipped out of the way and gained distance as I heaved, breathing hard.
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| − | My arms were bright red, my nails had turned black and spiky. From the puddles on the ground, I could see my reflection. A shadow of what I used to be. My face was completely red, my teeth spiky, and my eyes became snake like.
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| − | I brought one of my arms back and assumed the stance that only Hiiro and I knew.
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| − | The style that we had developed a long time ago.
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| − | The ultimate technique that encompassed both Hiiro and my abilities. Into one.
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| − | "Remember, Hiiro. I'm lending you a portion of my soul. Right now, I'm still in control, but whenever I ask for something, you will perform that action. Understand?"
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| − | ''Fine by me, Shun-dono. It is time we show this man the difference in our yokai. For I am beyond a normal yokai, a grandmaster like me. For I am a '''Wicked Oni''.'''
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| − | "Come and get it, Master Wing. Face our Converging River Fist."
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| − | I blasted forward, and went low, launching a leg sweep, then spun around and threw a flying spin kick that Wing fluidly dove out of the way, but it was useless.
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| − | ''Fluidity and aggression. Fire and grace. Wing Chun and Hung Gar. Together.''
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| − | I flipped midair, as I slammed my foot on the ground, throwing dozens of Chained Shadowless Kicks at Wing, who dodged them, but then the last kick I threw descended into the ground, cracking it as I dove in.
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| − | ''Converging River Fist: Infinite Shadowless Chain Punch''
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| − | My fists began flying in an undetectable flurry, Wing's eyes widening as his body began to be pummelled over and over again, sliding backwards.
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| − | Wing coughed blood as he clutched his midsection.
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| − | "Your yaogaui. Is incredibly strong. Far stronger than Wong-sifu." He muttered.
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| − | "Crush... them all..." I seethed, as I went low, striking the side of Wing's head with multiple open handed tiger claw strikes, then slammed my fist into his side, launching him through the atrium and into an office. I dove after him, as gangsters came to intercept me.
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| − | I kicked one of the goons with my heightened state, sending them flying into the air, as I faced off the mob with my bare hands. Punching, striking, kicking, rolling.
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| − | Bodies flying into the air due to the extreme striking power of my attacks.
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| − | ''Shun-dono. I cannot supply you power for much longer. You must end this. Let me assume complete control for the rest of the period. Use the FULL Wicked Oni Transformation.''
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| − | "No!" I said, as I blocked a bat with my forearm, then proceeded to strike the batter in the throat with my fingers, choking them to death.
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| − | I launched another kick, but the mob began to swarm me, Wing emerging from the ruins.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "Your demon cannot supply you power for much longer. I will end this. With my full power. Your yaogaui may be stronger than mine, but I am a stronger host than you. I will show you that superiority."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "He wasn't using his full power?!" I gasped, as I leapt back, a machete managing to slash at my chest, blood leaking from the torn hoodie as I stumbled, and a kick from a goon caught me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | I hit the ground, my spurt of power beginning to wane, the mobs kicking me in the side.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Master Wing began to change, his skin turning deep purple as two black horns protruded from his head, his eyes turning a pure black.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "This ends now. Red Beast."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Wing charged, and before I knew it, all of the mobs around me were sent into the air. Time seemed to slow down, as the raindrops almost went suspended. Bodies flying in a blink of an eye, as Wing's new demonic speed was at a whole different level, all the mobs around me were killed in an instant.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | My eyes widened as Wing's talons went for my throat.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ''DO IT! SHUN-DONO. DO IT NOW.''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "I give you total control. Use my body for the remaining amount of time. HATAKA HIIRO SENSEI!" I screamed as I seemingly left my body.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | My hand moved on its own, and before I knew it, Hiiro had grabbed Wing's wrist, stopping his immense momentum easily.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "What have you done?" Wing stuttered, as Hiiro (in my body), calmly pushed Wing back, sending the Master into a nearby column.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "This is your full power, Wong-sensei? Wing-sama? Perhaps Shun-dono would have struggled against you, but in the face of me, you are nothing."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "I call your bluff, foolish sifu!" Wing shouted, as he blasted forward with blinding speed, launching an onslaught of punches at me, but Hiiro stepped back.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ''Converging River Fist: Two Thousand Hands Technique''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | My hands began moving so fast that all I could see were a bunch of after images. Each hand stopping and blocking Wing's punches in an elegant manner, and responding with a counter punch that buckled Wing's body.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "Impossible!"
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "No. This is very possible. This is what sets me apart from the other masters. For I, Hataka Hiiro, am a true Grandmaster."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "A... grandmaster... no. This can't be..." Wing stumbled back in disbelief, his body wracked with bruises and bloody cuts.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Hiiro smiled evilly.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "That is correct. I am, skill wise, at a level of the Grandmaster. For I used my talent in taijutsu, for Hung Gar. To become stronger. Even if it meant beating my classmates. And for killing my own master. The only way to be stronger, is to fight to survive. And the way to fight to survive, is to force your opponent to fight for survival as well. That was my philosophy, as I used my taijutsu to kill. To murder. To commit crime."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Wing glared at Hiiro/me.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "You disgrace kung fu! You don't deserve this tit-"
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "Of course I do not deserve the title of Grandmaster. This was why I was never given such an honorific. I was banished from my schools and schools in all of China. And so, I moved to Japan, to learn their ways."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Wing cut Hiiro off as he rushed forward, but Hiiro slammed him back with a Shadowless Kick.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "In Japan, I learned many things. And one of the most memorable things I learned, was kenjutsu. And now, I will demonstrate, what a true Grandmaster is capable of. One who has mastered both Chinese and Japanese Martial Arts, and has used it to commit numerous crime and bloodshed. Come. '''Tomone'''."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Hiiro held out his hand, as a white and blue katana manifested itself in front of us.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | A female voice rung in my head. Tomone's voice.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ''Hataka-sama. My beloved Hataka-sama. It brings me with great joy to know you never forgot about me. It is an honour to fight as your blade.''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "Dearest Tomone-chan. I will never forget you." Hiiro said with my voice. Which felt weird.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "You... you monster!" Wing shouted.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "You disgraced not just Chinese Kung Fu, but Japanese Martial Arts as well?!"
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Hiiro regarded Wing with no sympathy.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "I have shared enough with you. I cannot have word of my power be spread. For you are all who has heard it. This is goodbye."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "Goodbye? No. This is not right. We can work something out, Hataka-sifu. I can make you rich. I can give you the pleasures of my prostitutes. I can give you the world-"
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "I don't need the world, foolish human." Hiiro said, coldly.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "I am already dead."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Wing stumbled.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "No. Please. Don't-"
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ''Converging River Fist...''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Hiiro brought one foot back, as he lifted Tomone with one hand, his other hand on her hilt as the head was lowered, my eyes piercing right through Wing's soul.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ''Tomone's Ceremony of Roses.''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "HATAKA-SIFU!!!!" Wing screamed, as the shockwaves of Hiiro's thousands of sword slashes that he delivered in the fraction of a second cut right through the Master, his body exploding into thousands of fragments and a starburst of red.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==R7==
| + | |
| − | "The job is done." I placed the jade ring of Master Wing on the table. Boss Lok sipped his tea and took the ring, inspecting it.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "You got blood all over it." Lok remarked.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | I bowed. "Master Wing was strong, Boss Lok."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Lok glanced at me and my ragged clothes.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "I have another job for you. In two days, Fu will be arriving to our province on a business meeting to discuss our heroin trade."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | If you hadn't already guessed, Lok runs an illegal heroin drug dealing corporation in China. If Fu was having a business meeting to discuss stuff with Lok, it meant there was a huge disagreement. Otherwise, Fu would not have gone in person, and would have sent someone to go for him. So to have Fu come in person... this was big.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Lok ran his hand over the edge of the table, then along the leg of one of our maids. The maid shuddered but kept her composure. Lok gestured her to leave, which she did obediently.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "Red Beast. I want you to go to the meeting spot, and kill Fu."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | My eyes hovered to the ground listlessly. So it was a backstabbing. Not like it mattered.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | I've been working for Lok for so many years, I could hardly be bothered to consider if the things I did in my job were ethical or not. It just simply didn't matter anymore.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | I needed to survive. I needed to eat. I needed a roof.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | And Boss Lok was the only reason why I could have rice on the table.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Everything Boss Lok wanted out of me, and all of my fellow gang members, we would perform with everything we had. No questions. No fuss.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Like the maid, we were also expected to be obedient dogs.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Even if it meant taking a life.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "As you command, Boss Lok."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Lok stood up.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "Fu is most likely being guarded. Considering Fu himself knows no styles of his own. I suspect he has contracted The Snake."
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | My senses lit up.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The Snake.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | It took everything I had to keep my adrenaline and beating heart in check.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | How did Fu get Snake on his side? The fighter that had been rumoured to be able to instantly decapitate his opponents with a single chop. Of all of fighters I had encountered in China, there was always one name that was feared in the underground.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Yeung Min Ho, The Legendary Snake.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | In terms of fighting ability, he was considered a borderline Grandmaster. If I even so much as managed to let him strike me with his fangs, I was dead. Demon Possessed or not.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Lok made eye contact with me with his merciless eyes.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | "The Snake is one of the most dangerous fighters in all of Underground China. Fighting him is not a wise choice, even for you, Red Beast. Master Wing is an incredible fighter, but The Snake is on a different class of his own. Remember, your goal is to kill Fu. At the end of the day, Snake is simply a fighter on contract."
| + | |
Long ago, there existed a nation called Iaia, in which the land prospered, crops and resources provided from an unknown pit at the centre of the land known only as the Dungeon. For many years, the people of Iaia lived off of the Dungeon's fruits, for which life energy emanated from the pits to sustain the various crops growing on the surface.
However, one day, the Dungeon stopped supplying the nation with its energy, and soon the nation of Iaia suffered a large widespread famine. Crops would not grow, leading to a decline in food and medicine. Water was not purified, causing a widespread epidemic to plague the land. Because Iaia was secluded from the rest of the world, with little to no connection to the outside, the people of Iaia suffered for years, until one day, a group of seers and priests came together to pray to the gods for salvation and repentance.
For months on end, the priests came together and prayed to the gods, until one day, the goddess Demeter, along with her disciple, Paladin Koloth descended from the heavens to warn the mortals of the true nature of the Dungeon. The Dungeon was a massive labyrinth created in ancient times to house monsters, and as monsters died, their souls would ascend the Dungeon to the surface. However, due to the monsters being impure, they are unable to enter heaven, and so, instead, spread to the surface of the land, their life energy supplying the world through bountiful harvest. Over time, as the nation of Iaia continued using this resource, their numbers continued to climb, but the deaths of the monsters did not, causing a deficit in the life energy supplied to the land. To continue to live, the people of Iaia must descend the Dungeons to kill monsters.
Praising Demeter, the numerous people of Iaia swore their allegiance to the goddess, begging for her to stay and watch over their nation. Taken aback by the sincerity of the mortals, as well as feeling satisfied with the increase in her followers, Demeter decided to stay and watch over the people, tasking Koloth with establishing a Folia Level System after his fellow Paladin, Folianon, the Paladin of Harvest and blessing the mortals with the power to become stronger, and wield magic. Equipping the mortals with a means to fight monsters, soon, many became trained to become the first adventurers of Iaia.
However, as Demeter continued being worshipped, the other gods in the heavens were not happy with the attention Demeter was getting, and decided to descend to the mortal realm themselves to also obtain followers. Realizing the potential for another divine war, Koloth suggested the creation of Legions, groups of humans would choose the deity they want to worship, and the deity may choose those who would be fit to be their followers.
Soon, Legions began to form, with the big three, Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades, Legions being the strongest, and some Legions being smaller than others due to the certain deities being less prominent than others. And for many years, adventurers of these Legions would descend the Dungeon to hunt and kill monsters, becoming stronger and establishing a trade system for monster shards to validate their contributions to the land.
I guess he was half right, because the moment we were warped to Folia, we seemed to be on the right course. But then Sammy decided to jinx the whole operation by shouting:
"We good, boys. What can possibly go wrong?"
I reached out, but hesitated, stopping myself. Even if I tried to say something to her, I wouldn't know the right thing to say. I kept to myself as I brought my hand back down, dissolving into the mist of molecules that were dissipating and reassembling before my very eyes.
"One of you is letting their emotions run wild. We need to keep it restrained. Multiversal travel through boom tube technology opens us up to attack if we generate a signal."
"Out of all of us, we all learned to harness our emotions. The most likely people who would fuck up this operation are either you... or..."
"Great." He muttered, as everybody turned to Sammy, who's hands were inches from his mouth. Knowing him, he was probably biting his nails.
"What's up? I didn't do anything. I'm taking this mission super serious for once."
"I need to make things right. I swear by it. On my life."
"Leah. I owe her that much. And not just Leah. It must be fate that she ended up in Iaia. Or I mean Folia. I've done so much messed up shit in the past, I need to atone--"
"Sammy's emotions. They've alerted them. Ben, what do you see?"
Ben put his voice encoder away and reached into his new overcoat and pulled out several orbs, each floating around us in a circular hexagonal grid. Sentry Orbs.
The Sentry Orbs all opened up revealing little modules which shot a beam of cyan light from one another, encasing us in a protective field. Then several mini drones were released from each one, dispersing around our vicinity, as Ben's cybernetic eye from his mask glowed a brighter cyan.
"Acolytes. Do you know which ones they are?"
"Don't. Your powers will destroy the orbs around us."
"Sammy, you've done enough." I heard myself say, as I instantly regretted it. Sammy sulked and looked down in shame.
"I- Sorry. I didn't mean it like that."
