Difference between revisions of "Beyond the Gods II"

We're Gonna Fight

"Uh, so... er... Bryce... how've you been?" I laughed nervously.

Bryce ignored me, putting Tatsu on his back, and sat down in my room at Trion.

Ever since we had won our battle for Diacus, we were able to route the power to increase Trion's defenses. By driving Aran's forces off, Aran's cultists were now hesitant to invade Trion. Especially with the fact that John's Outer Shadows had decided to take up lodgings in the city.

But the battle wasn't without major casualties.

It didn't take a genius to know that the people of Millennium City and the Champions Universe were split on their opinion of me. While I did semi-free everybody from the fear of going out there, and the impending doom of Aran and Vala's forces...

I also was the one who made the call to send them all in a front-line battle.

Despite this... a few weeks had passed since the battle had wrapped up, and I had spent those weeks in recovery.

Now that I had woken up, I was greeted with massive festivities and celebrations, celebrating Trion's victory.

And that day would be the day Bryce had appeared from that reality anomaly.

But there was something he had said that left me incredibly concerned.

It's been twenty years.

Bryce...

What happened to you?

Why was Yeling's weapon on your back?

And as I watched the former loose cannon of my squad walk past me, it was clear as day that those twenty years had not been a good experience.

Because the thirty-seven-year-old Bryce that was before me seemed to have lost that same energy he once had.

"Sarina... I clashed with Sarina."

"You did? What happened?" I asked.

Bryce eyed me grimly.

"I lost both fights. And I know what happened to Sarah. I can never forgive Sarina for what she did."

My gaze dropped.

"Bryce... what happened to you? Can you at least answer that? I'm... really concerned for you man."

Bryce propped Tatsu against the wall, lighting a cigarette.

"Is it not already obvious by the fact that Tatsu and the Hinokami are with me? We've lost Yeling, Aaron."

My heart dropped to the ground.

"Yeling... there's no way... what's going to happen with our operation? Does Hakah know?"

Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing shook his head.

"I've been avoiding contact with anyone in the Black Legion for that reason. For twenty years, I've been searching for a way out of the past, after Shiki's technique had sent us hurtling out of the timeline."

I slowly reached out but hesitated.

Bryce wasn't the type of person to appreciate these types of gestures...

And seeing him like this, despite how hardened he seemed to have become, I knew that under all that toughness, was someone in deep pain.

"Bryce, let's just take it easy for a bit. We've just recovered from a battle. I think you should take advantage of that too."

My Auxiliary gazed out the window of our room. I fidgeted nervously.

"Hey man, listen-"

"Aaron... I'm now older than you. I've walked with these two feet for longer than you have. And I've seen... far too much tragedy. Just... too much. I understand that to you, only a few months have passed, but for me, twenty years have gone by. And it has not gotten any better. I cannot continue on my own, I realize that now. But I also need to know. Just how big the gap between me and The Black Legion's greatest Outer Shadow still is. Because judging from what I will see, it will indicate whether or not this crusade should continue."

I heard the sounds of footsteps at my door.

"Aaron? Are you speaking to someone? Who-"

Sigurd froze, her eyes wide, as she stared at Bryce, who turned to her with a deadpan expression.

"Annie..." Bryce muttered.

"Br- Bryce...? Is that really you?"

Bryce got to his feet and approached Sigurd, towering over her.

Annie was pretty tall for a woman's standards, especially for an Asian woman's standards from where she was initially modeled after.

But Bryce had grown so tall that he literally towered over his fellow Auxiliary Shadow, and even me.

If I had to guess... he was almost six foot-five.

"How much of the Omega Upgrade have you installed on your body?"

Sigurd blinked, her uneasiness leaking through. I could tell she was disturbed by the sudden change in Bryce's character.

After all, Bryce was always infatuated with her.

The Bryce in the past would have approached Annie and immediately started flirting with her, only to be shot down in a humiliating way.

But the Bryce now...

The Bryce now merely gazed down at his colleague from the past with cold apathy.

"I... I installed 85% of the upgrade. The remaining 15% is with Aaron. I plan on installing the rest soo-"

"Hmm, no. You cannot handle the upgrade. Your scent and your blood tell me that you don't have the resilience to counteract the Omega Upgrade's cyberpsychosis yet."

Annie stepped back, her face full of discouragement.

"Now Bryce. I don't know what you went through during those twenty years, but that's no way to speak to your colleague," I said.

Bryce glared at me with cruel eyes.

"2300 hours. See me forty klicks Southwest from Trion's central building."

"Huh? What for?"

A wave of realization washed over me, piecing together everything he had said.

Then my mind flashed back to four years ago, in the street of Philadelphia.

Only this time...

This time the roles were reversed.

Bryce made a fist and pointed it at me.

"We're gonna fight. At 2300 hours, you will come at me with everything you got. Or you will die."

I stood before my Auxiliary Shadow, speechless.

"B- Bryce... I..."

Bryce turned around, his cloak fluttering with his movements. The red scarf that used to be around his neck was no longer present.

And I found myself unable to say anything else as I watched Tyrell Jackson Jones disappear in a swarm of Shadows, dissipating into the wind.

"Aaron, Sigurd," A voice said. I glanced behind me to see James Harmon, standing near the entrance of my room. His helmet was off.

"Defender..."

"Can I have a word with you two?"

Sigurd and I walked down the hallway of Trion's Central Building.

"Annie, you alright?" I asked.

"Bryce... my sensors didn't pick up anything."

"What do you mean?"

Sigurd's hand clenched into a fist.

"Whether it was feelings of attraction. Or joy. Or energy. Whenever Bryce would greet us, he always showed that level of enthusiasm, spikes of happiness his body would either directly or indirectly emit. Yet... I couldn't pick up a single thing. I couldn't pick up anything, Aaron."

I looked forward, grimly.

"We'll find out what happened to Bryce tonight."

"Aaron, am I really not equipped to take on the Omega Upgrade?"

I glanced at my Auxiliary Shadow, the sounds of our footsteps echoing in the halls.

"It's better to go into the upgrade prepared but late, than early and have it blow up in our faces catastrophically."

Sigurd gritted her teeth.

"I see. I understand."

The two of us entered the room where Defender was staying. It wasn't any different from the rest of the rooms, which was a little surprising.

"Aaron. Sigurd, glad to see you two here. The heroes who saved Trion."

I sat down on the chair before Defender, while Sigurd stood by my side.

Defender raised an eyebrow.

"I suppose it is a little late to ask, but I assume Sigurd is your Auxiliary Shadow?"

"Yeah."

"And... once this is over..."

"Yes. I will be erasing the memories of each and every single person here in Trion of the Black Legion Organization. We cannot take the risk of exposing you guys to the memories of what has transpired today. You will only see this world as it is. This world will be what you accept to be the world you have always lived in."

Defender sighed, resting his head in his hand.

"Right to business it is with you, just like Shar, huh."

I smiled warmly.

"James, even when you won't remember who I am, I will always remember you guys. The good memories... and I guess the bad."

"Most of the bad was your fault, Aaron."

"I'm gonna fart in your office now."

James got up from his chair, gazing out the window.

"There is also the other matter I wanted to discuss with you. About our future."

"Your future?" I asked.

James turned around, the light of Master Jun's horizon shining against his civilian clothes.

"We want to return to our world. To Millennium City. To rebuild."

"Rebuild? But the Champions Universe is fated to collapse! Aran has-"

"This is our decision. Outer Shadow Dainsleif. Universes are fated to be destroyed either way. I don't want to live the rest of my days in refuge. Even if it is under the care of Inner Shadow Gasket."

I looked at Sigurd, whose expression was blank.

Brilliant poker face, Annie.

But I refuse to play that card.

"This will mean a mass exodus from Master Jun's world. And the complete loss of our protection. Can you accept these terms, Defender?"

Defender nodded.

"From the very beginning, our world has been the responsibility of our superheroes to protect. The Black Legion has an agenda of their own, don't they? Let's go back to the way it was. So you guys can move forward."

Spoken like a true superhero.

I got up from my seat, extending my hand.

"James Harmon IV. Then that will be our terms. I will give you a month to prepare for the exodus. Will that be enough time?"

"I'll run it through with everyone else."

"Okay."

I turned around, my cloak shifting with my movements.

Sigurd bowed to Defender.

"It has been a pleasure working alongside the people of the Champions Universe."

Defender smiled at Annie.

"The pleasure is ours."

The two of us exited the office and made our way across the pavilion, where the celebrations continued, and festive lights colored Master Jun's world in beautiful shades.

"Is it really okay for us to let Defender and the people of Trion go from our protection? What if Aran attacks again?"

"It's their decision to make. Ultimately, it was never our decision... or Master Jun's. They've accepted the fate of their world, and as the sole owners of that reality we gotta respect that."

"Understood."

I reached out to a booth and slipped a hat on Annie's head.

"Lookin' good, Annie-chan."

Sigurd yelped, fumbling with the hat on her head.

"What are you doing?! What if it gets in the way of my combat?"

"Should be fine."

"Define 'should'."

"Means I dunno."

"Then why did you put it on my head?!"

"I guess I just thought you would look cute in it. After all, you've got supermodel looks."

Sigurd looked away, hiding her blush.

"The way you can so casually say something so bold and out of pocket continues to escape my scope of understanding."

I chuckled, the two of us enjoying the festivities together.

But I could tell something was on my Auxiliary Shadow's mind. And I had a good feeling about what it was.

"Wishing it was Sarah who was by my side and not you?" I asked.

Annie scowled.

"It is because of my incompetence that I could not fully install that upgrade... and save Sarah in time for her to appreciate this festival with the man she loves."

"Don't beat yourself up, it is what it is, Annie. Besides, I don't mind spending it with you. You're an important friend to me."

Sigurd looked at me, as fireworks broke through the sky.

"Look, Daddy! Witchcraft and the mages created fireworks!"

"I see them, Lyla. Want me to lift you higher?"

"Yes!"

I reached out my hand and planted the hat firmer on her head.

"Quit it!" Sigurd squeaked, causing me to laugh.

"Annie, you're more than just a tool, and you're more than just an Auxiliary Shadow. What I said to Inner Shadow Reaper was true. You guys are my friends. You, Sarah, Robbie... and June. And Bryce."

Sigurd looked onward at the fireworks.

"There was one thing that my sensors had picked up when I first saw him."

"And what's that?"

"Loneliness... those twenty years he had spent, trying to get back to the present and find us... he must have spent a good portion of that alone."

To the point where seeing us made him unable to react... huh.

"Whatever Bryce is thinking... I still intend to take him on with everything I got."

Sigurd's expression turned grim.

"Whatever outcome this duel has, I will not lose faith in either of you."

I grinned at my Auxiliary Shadow.

"Counting on it, TX7F!"

Sigurd and I hiked to the location, precisely 40 klicks Southwest as Bryce had specified.

The winds of Master Jun's world blew against my cloak.

"I'm here. Bryce!" I shouted.

One of my DS35's unlinked from my belt, transforming into its Crossform.

Sense him.

The movements of the air.

The shadows.

Changes in the environment.

I froze.

The changes in the environment... something was changing.

But there was no shadow...

No.

Get out of the way! Move!

I forced my DS35 to jettison myself forward, narrowly missing Bryce, who landed on the ground from where I was standing.

A shockwave nearly smacked me point blank, but I brought my DS35 up at the last moment.

From the flying debris and the chaos, the face of my Auxiliary Shadow manifested, Bryce's dreadlocks menacingly parting and revealing two glowing red eyes full of malice.

How...

How much did he grow in those twenty years?! To the point where he was capable of positioning his downward fall such that the light of Master Jun's moons would not cast the growing shadow attributed to such a move?

And not only that...

Bryce rose from the crater, his eyes emanating a terrifying pressure that made my chest feel tight and constricted.

The degree of intimidation he had, he wasn't even using any Emission Chakra, yet I felt like I was frozen right on the spot!

Auxiliary Shadow breathed out, his teeth elongated and revealing his fangs.

A primal growl left his mouth, sending chills through my body.

I glanced at Annie, whose face was white as a ghost.

That's... that's right!

Annie didn't know about Bryce's awakening!

The entire time Bryce had explored his vampiric origin, Annie had been in Master Jun's world, trying to seek the Omega Upgrade.

The realization of what Bryce really was must have hit her all at once.

"Bryce... Bryce is a..."

Bryce slowly walked forward, the smoke and dust leaving behind a shadowy trail.

"This duel will show just how big of a gap still remains between you and me, Bossman. If there is any left. You're facing the strongest Hellsing to ever exist."

I pulled a Draugr from a magic circle and took aim.

"Don't get cocky now, Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing. I nearly killed Eliza in my last encounter. Hope those twenty years led to something."

Bryce pulled out Tatsu, releasing a red flame that illuminated the red cracks on his face.

"Don't you worry, Bossman. I've already cleared that bar... fifteen years ago."

SHOOM.

My eyes went wide, as I summoned my electricity magic, replacing the mana cost with my chakra and tapping into its Advanced Variant.

Advanced Electricity Magic: COSMIC AUGMENTUS

TRIGRAMS SIX HANDS COMBINATION: FAST DRAW

I spun around, whipping my handgun and aiming it at Bryce's face the moment he materialized from his supersonic speed, but to my shock, Bryce caught the barrel of the gun, closing his fist and crushing the Destreum in the palm of his hand.

"Wha-?!"

The folds of Bryce's coat revealed the barrel of a familiar-looking submachine gun.

His signature Scarlet Uzi.

A summoning spell and a light magic spell would take similar times to cast.

But a light magic spell would take slightly less time, on the order of microseconds, if optimized to use its weakest form.

However, seeing as Bryce was fast enough to react to my Fast Draw even with the speed boost of Cosmic Augmentus, I didn't have microseconds to spare.

Elementary Light Magic: Flash

A white magic circle appeared in my gun-hand, blinding Bryce as I whipped the butt of my handgun and knocked the Auxiliary Shadow at a pressure point.

But not before Bryce retaliated with Tatsu, barely grazing me.

I skidded backward, clutching my side and feeling a damp spot.

"Damn... your fighting style... you've been practicing, huh," I muttered.

Bryce slowly shuffled back, his head low, and his face shrouded by his dreadlocks.

Shuffling...

No.

He wasn't shuffling...!

I brought my DS35 up as a shield, as Bryce's legs interlocked, pushing the ground and releasing a massive shockwave. The Auxiliary Shadow shot toward me like a comet, breaking the sound barrier.

"Taser Protocol!" I shouted at my DS35, as the protocol updated its internals, releasing several hundred amps of current through its surface.

"HA! Damn, Bryce! After so long, here you are still falling for my tricks!" I taunted when suddenly, my surroundings turned red.

"What-"

SZRAK!

A massive current arced up my body as I roared in agony.

"GRAAAAAAAH!"

I fell to my knees, my vision becoming shrouded by an unusual red mist.

I began coughing and choking, trying to get my respirator on, but the current had temporarily disabled my nervous system.

All my motor skills...

Were shut down!

From the distance, I could make out a red light, which began to get clearer and clearer, until the figure of a towering muscular man took form.

The blade of Tatsu, glowing with the flames of the Hinokami...

Was embedded in Bryce's forearm.

"What the... no way..." I muttered.

Bryce glared at me with a look of contempt.

Hinokami Blood Arts: RED MIST.

The mist that was around me...

Was the vaporized byproduct of Bryce superheating his own blood with the Hinokami that was coming from Tatsu!

"Blood contains salt and electrolytes. Ions. Meaning it's conductive," Bryce said.

A grin appeared on my face.

"Ain't that so? DS35'S! Siphoning Protocol!" I shouted as several Sanctuaries took flight, releasing a vacuum that absorbed Bryce's blood as well as his power.

Bryce fell to one knee.

I took aim with my Draugr, firing, but Bryce managed to slice the bullet with the edge of his sword.

"Seriously? A black swordsmaster?" I grumbled, loading another shell, and firing.

But this time, Bryce didn't slice it like I wanted.

The Auxiliary Shadow went low and charged at me like a bull.

"Jeez, dude! Going straight for an opponent that's ranged? That's low, even for you-"

"THIS IS NO GAME."

My eyes widened as Bryce suddenly appeared in front of me, his red eyes interlocking with mine.

An expression so intense that I instantly froze up.

I tried to move my muscles, but for some reason, I couldn't move.

No.

I could move... but my blood couldn't.

Bryce was controlling my blood!

Bryce's glare pierced right through me as he lifted Tatsu.

"What did I say? If you didn't come at me at full power, you would die."

I gritted my teeth.

"Defibrillator Protocol!"

A DS35 appeared to my side, unleashing a current into my body and electrocuting my muscles, forcing myself out of Bryce's bind before he could slice me in half.

"BRYCE! That's going too far! What would have happened if Aaron didn't dodge that?" Sigurd shouted.

Bryce glared at Annie, causing her to freeze.

"Then he would have died."

The vampire landed on the ground before his fellow Auxiliary Shadow, baring his fangs.

"I never took you for a coward, TX7F. You were always one of the best of us. You are supposed to be Aaron's right-hand woman. Yet here you are being reduced to a bystander. A big crybaby."

"BRYCE! Take that back you assh-"

Bryce clenched his fist as my movements locked up again. Tumbled across the ground, skidding to a stop.

"Holding back... you're still holding back? Why is that, Aaron? I told you to come at me at full power."

"Bryce, you know I can't do that! You're my Auxiliary Shadow!"

Bryce turned to me, his sword reeled back. The edge sliced his left shoulder blade.

Hinokami Blood Arts: DEAD CRESCENT.

I...

I couldn't move!

Embodiment of Wrath: YAKSHA MODE

I roared, breaking through Bryce's control and narrowly dodging the arc.

How the hell was Bryce able to deliver attacks of this magnitude?! This wasn't conventional Hinokami.

That arc was pure blood.

But the physics made no sense. The human body's veins were at most two kilopascals in pressure.

There was no way he could jettison so much.

His technique and his understanding of both Hinokami and his Vampiric powers...

Were beyond anything I had seen from when we were still in Philadelphia.

Bryce approached me with malice, the moonlight illuminating his muscular frame.

"Aaron."

I looked up, to see Bryce lowering Tatsu, red flames surrounding the sword.

"If you do not take this seriously, then I will do much more than kill you. I will kill Annie too."

I stared at Bryce, unable to process what I just heard.

"What did you just say?"

Bryce bared his fangs, snarling.

"If this is what it takes for you to come at me with everything you have, then this is the pact I will make. A pinky promise on my soul. Just as Yeling always says. There's no point in this duel if I cannot see you at your strongest."

Rage began to boil, my Yaksha Mode pumping more and more chakra through my body.

"Bastard. If that's what you want..." I whispered.

I stepped forward.

Advanced Light Magic: TOTAL ECLIPSE

Advanced Sense Magic: REVERSE ASPECTUM

The entire radius encapsulating Bryce and I turned pitch black.

The Sense Magic that I had used completely disabled the remaining four senses, making my presence completely undetectable.

Convocatio: Special Ammunition Summoning - Venom Rounds

I rushed forward, deducing Bryce's movements.

"I don't wanna kill you, but if that's how you wanna act, then I'll just put you in such a bad enough state that you'd BEG me to end you, you vampiric dumbass!" I snarled, aiming my MP7 and firing at the body before me.

THUNK.

THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK.

"You would continue lying to yourself? Going all out means to kill me."

Another chill ran down my spine.

Seriously...?!

I shut down the Protocol as well as my Magic Spell, to see the rounds I had just fired splitting the fabric of the cloak that Bryce had long since abandoned.

I spun around to see Bryce above me, blood trailing from his amputated feet.

Blood and red flame ignited, shooting him to me.

Bryce grabbed me by the face and slammed me into the ground, ripping the ground and forming a deep chasm.

"GRRRRARRRR!" I growled, my face dragging for miles on end.

"I watched Yeling give his life for me. While I stood helpless," Bryce snarled, his voice booming in my ears.

"The people who are most equipped to deal with Vala are those who are strong enough to make their lip service a reality. Entrusting the fate of all existence to a nineteen-year-old who can't even carry out his killing intentions is beyond absurd!"

PORTALIS - SWITCH GAMBLE

Bryce and I switched places, as I forced Bryce into the ground, then planted three DS35 plates to his chest.

The modules expanded, revealing their thrusters, and blasted Bryce into the sky.

CONVOCATIO: TURRICALUM

I raised my hand, my face wild with adrenaline.

You'll get everything coming to you, Bryce.

If this is what you want!

GRAND FLEET: EMPIRE OF DESTRUCTION

Thousands upon thousands of DS35's emerged from their magic circles, each with a Caliga Anti-Aircraft rifle barrel mounted on its platforms.

Bryce glared at me from the air, as the legion of DS35's began to glow.

Level 1 Hinokami

I stared at Bryce in disbelief.

No way.

I had my suspicions... I didn't want to believe it.

But this sealed it.

Bryce aimed Tatsu at the horde of DS35 Sanctuaries, red tattoos expanding from the hilt and arcing up his arm and onto the right side of his face.

"BRYCE!" I yelled.

INVERSE TSUNAMI RELEASE.

A gargantuan torrent of red flame engulfed the thousands of DS35's around me, sending electronic components everywhere.

I flew backward, hovering on my DS35 as Bryce ripped DS35 after DS35, leaping from one to another like a wild animal.

Hinokami Blood Arts: DEAD CRESCENT

An arc came flying my way.

I pulled my Caliga out of a magic circle and fired a bullet that pierced right through the arc, but Bryce forced himself forward, letting the bullet smash into his forehead.

But to my shock, the Auxiliary Shadow was not stopping, leaning his head forward until we were face to face.

"No. This match is over."

I quickly switched to my Spitfire AX shotgun, but Bryce ripped the gun out of my hands and grabbed me by the throat.

I began retching, trying to pry his hand off my neck, but to no avail.

"Aaron... twenty years had passed."

"I- I know... I know! But-"

"Aaron. I never did find a way back."

I stared at my Auxiliary Shadow, my eyes wide in shock.

"What... what are you saying?"

Bryce looked at me sadly.

"The only reason I'm here... is because I lived my time out. I never left the past. I grew along with it. Those twenty years, were how far I was whisked back in time. I never jumped forward."

I stopped struggling, my DS35's losing power and falling from the sky.

"Bryce..."

Bryce let go, watching me free fall. Sigurd quickly ran to my side, catching me.

"And now I know. You aren't strong enough."

"Bryce! I haven't lost, you know! I can still fight!"

Bryce shook his head.

"No, you can't. I could have finished you a long time ago, actually. That blow you landed on me with the rear end of your Draugr was intended to be a blow that could knock me out, correct?"

I gritted my teeth, which alone was probably enough for my Auxiliary Shadow to confirm it.

"I have the power to share the damage done to my body with my attacker."

I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out.

Bryce landed on the ground, sheathing Tatsu.

"Duel is decided. You've lost, Aaron."

BLOOD LINK.

A blow suddenly connected to the back of my head, causing my vision to go blurry. I stumbled forward, losing all the strength in my body.

Bryce...

You...

"Don't you dare... turn your back... on YOUR OUTER SHADOW!" I growled, stomping my foot on the ground.

A massive crack formed around my foot, forcing Bryce's attention to turn back to me.

"Twenty years, thirty years, a hundred years into the future. You will still, report to me, AUXILIARY SHADOW HELLSING."

Bryce's eyes flashed, but his blood control no longer affected me.

I rushed forward.

"I already have you figured out. Tell me why you're putting on that front, Bryce Jones."

Bryce snarled.

"I am putting on no front. This is me at my peak!"

"DAMN LIAR!"

Convocatio: Grenade Summoning

Magic circles surrounded me as Bryce readied Tatsu.

Hinokami Blood Arts: DEAD CRESCENT

RASENSHURYUDAN

Bryce hesitated, withdrawing his sword.

"What the-?!"

I flew into the air, throwing grenade after grenade and emitting a deafening pulse to the vampiric Auxiliary Shadow.

"This entire time, you were able to predict my attack patterns, by reading the scent of my blood. The hormones are attributed to every action I take that my endocrine system produces, and deducing what I would do based on my feelings. You've basically honed your skills to be almost like a vampiric empath, am I right?" I shouted.

"And what good does knowing that do for you?!" Bryce growled, unleashing a wave of Hinokami which blew apart the grenades.

Bryce assumed a stance, a blast of Hinokami flame ripping through his shoulders.

I flipped in the air, embedding several DS35's in the soles of my boots, transforming them into thrusters.

I blasted to Bryce's location, SMG in hand.

I fired a volley of bullets, while Bryce returned with an SMG of his own.

Hinokami Blood Arts: DEATH VOLLEY

I chuckled, as Bryce's Uzi bullets clashed against mine.

"What are you smiling at, you bastard?" Bryce shouted.

"Figure it out yourself, Sherlock! Your bullets... the way you've been able to move so fast, and the way you were able to send such lethal attacks even though they've been blood projections, is because of Hinokami, right?"

Bryce gritted his teeth, his eyes fixated on the yellow cloud that had suddenly begun to expand rapidly in response to the heat of his own blasts.

"Each time you use your Hinokami Blood Arts, you jab Tatsu into your body. Cutting it up, and superheating your own blood to generate that ridiculous amount of pressure. All I did was take advantage of that superheated blood is all," I said as Bryce began to retch.

Special Ammunition Summoning: SULPHUR ROUNDS

The putrid stench propagated everywhere, instantly eliminating Bryce's ability to sense my movements.

I tossed smoke grenade after smoke grenade, mixing the smell of sulphur with the smoke, disorienting my Auxiliary Shadow even further.

I landed on the ground as Bryce swung Tatsu, but I had already quick-switched to my Caliga, firing and ripping the blade out of his hands.

Trigrams Six Hands Combination Style: BULLET TWISTER

I switched my thrusters on again, twisting mid-air and taking aim with my Ironsight Sniper, firing the bullet and adding even more rotation to the projectile.

"Be honest with me, Bryce! What is it that you want?! Because under that tough guy act, you're like an open book!"

Bryce glared at me, ducking and dodging the bullet.

"Strength is all we have, strength without Hope. I refuse to let another person succumb to that false ideal!"

Bryce yelled, summoning his Uzi again and aimed it right at my face, his eyes wild.

"Keep lying to yourself, Bryce. But if you're gonna try to lie to your Outer Shadow, then at least convince yourself first!" I retorted.

Portalis: GUNMAN'S GRUDGE

A portal appeared in front of Bryce's face, redirecting the Ironsight bullet straight into his forehead, snapping his head back.

"GRAAH!" Bryce growled.

I reached out and grabbed Bryce by the neck as Bryce tried to swing his fist at my face, but my Yaksha Mode completely absorbed his impact, his punch glancing off my face.

"Only a man full of guilt and pain would use such a self-destructive fighting style. Cutting yourself up and boiling your own blood with something as dangerous as The Hinokami. TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT! TELL ME WHAT'S BOTHERING YOU, BRYCE!" I shouted.

Bryce began to choke, stumbling back.

"I shall... never... open..."

"Enough! Bryce, I can't possibly understand what you went through in those twenty years. I'm not God! I'm a human! But even so, I can tell a man's suffering when I see one! Despite it all, you're still my Auxiliary Shadow! Bryce!"

"SHUT UP!" Bryce tried to resist my touch, but I continued sending waves of Chakra into him, shutting down every source of power he had. But as I continued sending Chakra his way, something had started snaking up my arm.

The Hinokami.

"What in the-" I said.

Bryce's eyes had rolled into the back of his head, but the Hinokami was coursing through me with as much intensity as I was delivering my vision doubling.

If I let go, Bryce would recover, but if I didn't...

No.

I will not lose this duel, whatever this was...

I was going to see it to the end.

"Damn Hinokami, what the hell do you want to make me see? Out with it already!"

Very well, Outer Shadow Dainsleif.

I gritted my teeth, uneasiness rippling through me, but I held steadfast.

"That voice... I recognize it."

I was sure you would.

My surroundings began to change and warp. But the only thing on my mind was the owner of that voice.

Because I knew who was speaking through Bryce.

The Outer Shadow who had once served Inner Shadow Loyce and had become rogue.

The first rogue Outer Shadow in the history of The Black Legion.

A crazy grin appeared on my face.

"What'cha waiting for? Let's get the conversation going.

"Aelienne Regalia, The First Hinokami."

The Lone Vampire

Throughout history, the Great Akuma ruled mankind through six proxies, essentially six entities who made up her consciousness.

Each entity represented a part of her power and was interpreted by mortals in a certain way.

The Hinokami in particular, represented the Devil's Flames, which represented the Great Akuma's ability to rule through a blazing fortitude and iron heart. A warrior's thirst for battle and passion.

Like ancestry, the power that The Great Akuma bestowed upon the humans through her lieutenant, the Dogma of Equivalent Exchange, had gone through multiple lines of generations.

But the selection of a new holder for The Akuma's power wasn't something that was through any ritual.

The choice to have a new holder always meant two things: either the current holder had died in battle...

I stood before the figure of a woman in a red dress, in a golden-like dimension; with a ground comprised of flowing currents.

... or they betray both the Dogma and the Akuma.

Aelienne Regalia was The First Hinokami, the first mortal who was given the power to harness The Devil's Flames, in exchange for losing the ability to have kids, thus shattering her lifelong dream to become a mother.

It was said that Aelienne was the strongest Hinokami to ever have lived, and this held true for twelve generations.

When Aelienne had betrayed both The Black Legion and The Dogma, the Dogma and The Black Legion bestowed power to other Hinokami candidates, and these candidates, whether through hatred or diligence to the Dogma and The Black Legion's cause, would come after the traitor.

Aelienne would kill them each time.

For thousands of years, Aelienne's power could not be contested, until Yeling stepped into the picture.

And who would have guessed, that with the help of his friends from the Contingency Initiative, that unlucky number thirteen would be the one to kill the First Hinokami.

"Outer Shadow Dainsleif... no. Aaron Hope, I presume?" Aelienne asked me, taking a seat on a chair made of golden ivory.

"This is the so-called Hinokami realm, right?" I asked.

"You are correct," Aelienne spread her hands.

"Here before you lies the afterlife for past Hinokami holders. At least, the ones who failed to do their duty. For we will stay here, living a meaningless existence for all of eternity. A fate worse than death."

"Which explains why the other eleven Hinokami's aren't here, yeah?"

Aelienne inspected my cloak, the emblem of the Black Legion contrasting among the folds of black.

"Master Loyce still continues with his mission of self-destruction, I'm guessing."

"Aelienne, I have many questions to ask you, but let's start with the most obvious. Your consciousness manifested once I started to send chakra through Bryce. This entire time Bryce had been time-displaced, you were with him, weren't you?"

The First Hinokami got up from her chair, holding her teacup elegantly. As she walked, her strides caused the folds in her dress to drag against the ground.

Her dress was kind of mesmerizing, almost like I was being pulled into her.

Or maybe I was just too down bad after nearly getting my ass killed for weeks on end.

"Correct. Do you mind explaining why you came to that conclusion?"

I narrowed my eyes, keeping myself alert.

Aelienne may have been dead, but there was a reason why she was considered the strongest Hinokami for twelve generations straight.

She was an Outer Shadow to Loyce, and was also designated Elite Tier S+ Rank.

To put it in perspective, the only Outer Shadow that had possessed S+ Rank was Shosuke Shiki, who was the first to have a ranking like that, aside from me, in hundreds of years.

"Bryce... he is able to wield the Hinokami, even use Yeling's signature move, but the tattoos that come with the Hinokami Dogma Bargain didn't manifest on his body, they came from Tatsu. The only time he was able to channel the power was through that sword. Not to mention, those red flames... they're the same flames as The Firebird of the Black Legion."

Aelienne raised an eyebrow, before taking a sip from her tea.

"So in this eon, Master Loyce has chosen a death through wits over power."

"Aelienne, if it was true that you were with Bryce for twenty years, what happened to him? What happened to Yeling? Why-"

Aelienne held up her hand to me.

"The things that Jones had been through... I do not have the right to disclose. These are his experiences alone. If you need to know what happened to your Auxiliary Shadow, he must be the one to tell you. I have sworn a pact with the boy to respect his wishes. However... as for what happened to the Thirteenth Hinokami..."

A breeze blew past us, almost on cue.

"The Hinokami Killer has him."

I clenched my teeth. I needed to ask this.

But I was terrified of the answer.

"Inner Shadow Evangelion? So... is it true that... Yeling is dead?"

Aelienne looked at me with curiosity.

"What is your connection to the Last Son of Mahyako?"

"He is my friend. One of the most important people in my life. And... I wish I could have made it more obvious to him... that he was because I don't think he saw it himself."

"Hm."

Wisps of flame circled the body of the First Hinokami, occasionally going out.

It was pretty enticing, and at the same time, intriguing. My experience with Dogma Holders was, for the most part, the furthest from "elegant".

In this line of work, we never really took the time to appreciate the elegance behind things, unless it stood for a tactical advantage.

Even when Yeling chained his version of Hinokami with his Rain Style, which was a style that consisted of elegant movements, "elegant" wasn't exactly the best word to describe the guy.

Yeling's Hinokami was aggressive, beast-like, and hardened, like a well-oiled machine, a trained soldier.

But Aelienne's Hinokami was warm, smooth like velvet.

"Bryce walks a path of vengeance very similar to the Thirteenth Hinokami. He seeks to do what Yeling could not."

A lump formed in my throat.

Bryce...

You can't be serious.

"To fight the Hinokami Killer? Inner Shadow Reaper told me that Evangelion was created off the remains of a Supreme Primordial Demon! That's suicidal!"

Aelienne regarded me.

"And is your mission to destroy my Inner Shadow not suicidal in itself? I spent twenty years acting as Bryce's voice. However, the hatred that Bryce held in his heart was more than an act of self-pity. The Auxiliary Shadow held the guilt of failing Thirteen, leaving him in the hands of the most terrifying Hinokami Holder in existence. The strength he has amassed has been through nothing short of heartache."

"Then what are you suggesting I do?"

The Hinokami shrugged her shoulders.

"At this point, your guess is as good as mine. For years I have tried to speak to Bryce, but the more I spoke to him through Tatsu, the more I realized that there was nothing I could do for him. The Fourteenth Hinokami aims to not just slaughter Yeling, but his goal is to slaughter all unnecessary loose ends. Unbound Akuma Grade Dogma holders who pose a threat to the Great Akuma's revival."

"You never answered my question, at least not directly. Aelienne. You mentioned that Evangelion has Yeling, but you never explicitly said he was killed, did you?"

Aelienne smiled.

"No... I sense Yeling. If he truly died, his spirit would wind up here. After all, he, like me, is an Unbound Dogma Holder. But I do not sense his presence. I suspect... that this entire time, he has been holding off Evangelion."

A rush went through my chest. Almost like relief.

Yeling...!

"Then what are we waiting for?! Tell me where Evangelion is and we'll kick his ass!"

"And you are suggesting going against the Black Legion Organization?"

I paused, startled at my own words.

That was true.

By trying to recover Yeling... wouldn't I be going against the Black Legion?

Yet...

Yet I couldn't just...

"It's just like with Vicki... I'm doing exactly what Vicki did." I muttered.

Bryce.

Your anger and your rage...

It was all because of Yeling, wasn't it?

But we were Shadows to The Black Legion, if it was Lord Ginga's will that Yeling end up like this, then...

We didn't have a choice, did we?

Bryce... you didn't have a choice.

"This is all I can do for you, right now. Dainsleif, no. Aaron Hope. What you choose to do moving forward will be up to you. For I have tried to help Bryce Jones, but my words never reached him. Perhaps yours will."

The reality around me began to melt, taking me out of the Hinokami realm, until I snapped back to reality, my hand against Bryce's throat.

Bryce continued to bash me in the face to no avail.

"Let... GO!"

"Bryce..." I muttered as I slammed my head against his, sending both of us to the ground.

Bryce tried to get to his feet, but his legs buckled.

"He... he needs... I need..."

"Strong allies, right? That was the point of this duel, to gauge out the gap in power between you and me. And Sig's," I deduced.

Bryce glared at me.

"Don't you play detective with me, Aaron. The answer is simple. Either you are strong enough or not."

"Bryce, I know about what's going on with Yeling."

My Auxiliary Shadow froze in his tracks.

"Aelienne... Aelienne spoke to you?"

"Yeah. And she also tells me that you've been blaming yourself for what happened. Because by trying to save Yeling from Inner Shadow Evangelion... it would mean doing the exact same thing Vicki did, right?"

Bryce clenched his teeth.

"And you're saying I should abandon him?"

"No. I'm saying..."

I turned to Sigurd, who had reached our location, the thrusters on her shoulders returning to their compartments.

"Give me some time to think. I need some time to think about what to do."

Bryce regained his position, his hand clasped tightly on Tatsu.

"I've been... trying to figure out the solution myself for so many years, but there was nothing I could do. Every action would mean going against the Black Legion."

"I know."

"Then what the hell are you saying? That you'll 'think about it'?! What's there left to think! I've been thinking all this time and the answer has been in front of me and unchanging. As long as I am an Auxiliary Shadow of The Black Legion, I cannot go against Lord Ginga. But if I try to save Yeling by force, I'd get flattened like a bug! This... this duel..."

Bryce fell to his knees.

"Aaron... I wanted to lose. I wanted you to destroy me so badly that I could have at least a sliver of hope left that maybe... maybe the Outer Shadow that I once looked up to would find a way. An ingenious way to get Yeling out of this predicament."

Bryce planted Tatsu deep into the ground, a tear ran down his face.

"This duel... this duel wasn't one-sided at all. Was it, Bossman."

I sighed.

"No. It wasn't. You've improved so much that I had a lot of trouble fighting you."

My Auxiliary Shadow got up and approached me.

"Then... that means even Dainsleif of the Black Legion cannot help me."

"Bryce, there's still the possibility that I could-"

"WHAT POSSIBILITY?" Bryce shouted, grabbing me by the collar.

"Aaron... your response has cemented the reality of my situation. The reality of what I feared all these years. That what I want and what I can realistically have are so fuckin' far apart not even the smartest Outer Shadow in the most powerful Organization ever can fix!"

"There's still time! I- I don't have an answer right now, but I'll make sure I do. Aelienne says Yeling has been holding Evangelion off this entire time! He still hasn't entered the Hinokami Realm. He's been buying time for us, so let's make use of that!"

"No there isn't. There isn't, Aaron. It's fuckin' hopeless."

Bryce let go, shoving me back.

"I spent... four years with Yeling. When we were whisked back in time. I watched Yeling reconcile with his family in the Contingency Initiative. I watched him spend his birthdays with Squad Four. Did you know that when he smiles, he has dimples on the sides of his mouth? Did you know that his favorite food is Cananite Pork Cutlet? Did you know that he plays Mahjong? Did you know any of that?"

"I-"

"Yeling spent four years, having his smile return to him, only for it to be ripped away from him a fourth time. He lost his first family to the Hinokami. His second family to his best friend. His third family to Loyce. And now his world got pulled from under him by Inner Shadow Evangelion. Yet despite it all, he consoled me when I learned of Sarah's death. He brought me to that pier and brought me back from despair. No one... no one could possibly understand what he went through, because no one took that chance."

Bryce looked up to the sky. No words left my mouth. I had... absolutely nothing left to say.

Bryce...

Don't say it.

I beg you.

"If it means going against the whole Black Legion if it means going against you and committing treason..."

I gritted my teeth, my vision becoming blurry as my eyes began to water.

You vampiric... asshole...

"I will bring Yeling bac-"

SLAP.

Bryce's eyes widened in shock, as did mine.

The sound of the slap echoed across the valley. The sound was so sharp that it jolted the both of us out of our stupor.

"Commit treason...? Going against the Black Legion? Against Aaron? Against me? I never imagined the Bryce Jones I knew would grow up to be such a pathetic mess!" Annie growled.

Bryce stared at Annie with a look of pure surprise.

"You..."

"No one said that we were going to leave Yeling to suffer. No one did. Do not dare force words into our mouths! Bryce, time and time again, whenever we were faced with adversity we overcame it by pushing ourselves. If Yeling had known that no solution existed, then why would he continue to fight Lord Evangelion?"

"If we save Yeling, we're going against The Black Legion! What do you not understan-"

"I don't know... I don't know what you went through. I didn't even know you were a vampire this entire time. But you know what I do know? That you don't understand our Outer Shadow one bit."

"You ignorant cyborg, you-"

"Ever since June died... I've filled that void for Aaron's right-hand man. I saw my existence as nothing but a tool, a weapon. Because I believed Aaron feared forming another bond with his Auxiliary Shadow should a situation arise where another one of his comrades perished in battle. So my entire life I saw myself as nothing. Not a person. Not even a friend. But despite everything, Aaron saw otherwise. To this day... to this day, Aaron would do anything to protect and cherish the people he cares about. Even you. The fact that you would give up on him so easily... after ONE DUEL? Did it not occur to you that maybe Aaron didn't want to win this fight? That he didn't want to hurt the person he cared so much for?"

Annie clasped the folds of Bryce's shirt in her hand, her bottom lip trembling.

"You claim that you were powerless... and that Sarah's death pushed you to the brink of total collapse. Can you imagine what Aaron must have felt seeing the person he loved die in his arms? Can you imagine it? June... Robbie... Sarah... we've lost them all. But to Aaron, it must have felt like all that blood was in his hands. And now... now he has his own Auxiliary Shadow declare war against The Black Legion in front of his very eyes. How can you be such an insufferable ASSHOLE!"

Bryce stared at Annie, his face in shock, but Annie continued.

"Say all you want. But as for me... I know just how useless I am. I boasted of my ability to be compatible with Master Jun's upgrades... yet when it came time for me to accept the completed Omega Upgrade I faltered like a useless little bitch! And now here I am. A complete liability. An A+ Ranked Auxiliary Shadow while you fight at the level of an Elite Tier S+ Rank, bordering SS Rank. I'm surrounded by Shadows who have the momentum built up for them to keep getting stronger yet I have been reduced to a bystander. So tell me, Bryce. If YOU are useless. If AARON is useless. Then WHAT AM I? SAY IT! SAY IT, BRYCE!" Annie screamed, pounding her fists against Bryce's chest as tears ran down her face.

Bryce's arms relaxed to his sides.

"S- Sor..." The Auxiliary Shadow muttered.

"I'm sorry."

Annie buried her face into Bryce's chest, yelling and growling.

"Don't... don't you dare leave The Black Legion. Don't you dare leave us, Bryce. I won't ever forgive you... I'll hate you for the rest of my life."

"I- I won't. I promise. Pinky promise on my soul."

"Right now, we have the final component of the Omega Upgrade, and with it, Sigurd can complete it," I said to Bryce, the three of us huddled in our cramped little room in Trion.

Bryce hunkered down, his huge frame barely fitting in the space.

"But Annie isn't equipped to handle it, I'm guessing."

A blush of embarrassment formed on my Auxiliary Shadow's face, but Annie made an effort to hide it.

"Human nature... that's the secret to getting the final component installed. But... I'm second-guessing myself."

I looked out into the distance.

"With Loyce's specter defeated, either Loyce comes for a rematch, or the Vessels do. Now they know that Inner Shadow Reaper is in no shape to fight, we're even more vulnerable than before. So even if Annie gets her upgrade installed, we have no way of defending ourselves during the process."

Bryce grimaced.

"Sarina is among those guys too, I'm guessing."

I nodded.

"I've been meaning to ask, you clashed with Sarina twice, right?"

"Once, outside Harmon Industries, and the second time, in the past. I clashed with Sarina and she stopped me from getting to Yeling."

So Bryce encountered Sarah's little sis while still an S+ Rank...

The fact that he survived the encounter was nothing short of impressive.

"I'll never forgive Sarina for what she did to Sarah, but even if I wanted her dead, there's no way I can kill her. Even now as I am."

"The Vessels are immortal, from what I know."

"Yeah... but I have a theory."

Annie and I stared at Bryce.

"What do you mean?" Sigurd asked.

"Yeah? Since when did Bryce Jones the Cheesesteak Addict have any good plans?"

Bryce frowned.

"I'm not that stupid! I'm older than both of you now, by the way. Even if I did have any plans, you could at least give me the benefit of the doubt!"

I chuckled.

"Alright then, what is it?"

Bryce inspected the hilt of Tatsu.

"During my travels, I encountered this Kingdom. There, I learned that it was cursed by this Demon King who had the ability to be immortal and undying. He couldn't be killed with weapons or magic alike. But even so, we managed to kill him."

"How?" Annie asked.

"Did you guys use any anti-narrative abilities? Chakra? Reality warping?" I said.

Bryce shook his head.

"The answer was a lot more simple than it seemed."

"What do you mean?"

Bryce's eyes shone in the dark, red blood-eyes that seemed to illuminate the room we were in. It also never occurred to me till now...

But Bryce's eyes had been permanently red the entire time.

The green that he once had, I hadn't seen his eyes revert back to normal.

He must have optimized his vampire form to allow him to retain the transformation constantly with next to zero stamina drain.

"The Demon King was killed by the Hero of that realm."

I blinked.

"A Hero? Was he strong?"

Bryce scoffed.

"Nah. He was the biggest bitch ass I had ever seen. But that was the thing. Only he was able to deliver the killing blow. The way we killed the Demon King was I would be the one to beat him down, and the Hero would deliver the final blow."

"What are you proposing?" Annie asked.

"If Vala is similar to The Great Akuma, if even one of the Vessels dies... then it would delay her return, right?" Bryce asked.

The gears in my head began to turn, as things started to make sense.

"If Sarina is killed, then they've lost. Or at the very least, that would be a huge blow to Lady Vala's forces."

Bryce nodded.

"The key to killing Sarina... is a Hero."

A Hero...

The image of a petite woman in the distance flashed in my mind. Her lavender hair blew in the wind.

Sarah Ultear.

The Hero of the Sword.

"Sarah... but..." I hesitated, and Bryce definitely picked it up from the scent of my blood.

"I know. That would mean Sarah needs to be the one to make that choice."

Annie's face turned grim.

"Even if we bring her back using the Omega Upgrade, do you think Sarah has it in her to make that call?"

The three of us sat in silence.

"Bossman... I know that maybe I am no longer the same Bryce Jones you knew, and maybe the things I am suggesting are cruel. But this is the reality of what we must do. This is no longer an adventure, it's war."

"No. You're right. You're absolutely correct," I said.

"So in times like this, we need to trust in Sarah. Our focus is to find a way to complete that Omega Upgrade and figure out a way to bring Sarah back from the dead."

"The Anti-Narrative won't be enough to bring her back," John said, causing us to jump. Bryce instantly got to his feet, Tatsu in hand, and swung.

"Wait! Bryce, that's-"

SWISH.

Bryce's eyes widened as Tatsu stopped in mid-air, frozen mid-swing before Inner Shadow John Crassman.

Reaper narrowed his eyes.

"A time-displaced Auxiliary Shadow? As I reckon, you were once known as Auxiliary Shadow Uzi, correct?"

Bryce lowered Tatsu, standing before the older seasoned warrior.

"No, I changed my codename to Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing a while back."

"After your mother?"

"How did you know that?"

John tapped his finger against Bryce's chest.

"Your chakra. Child."

Bryce hesitated, taking a step back, but John simply smiled.

"You must have been through a lot."

"Are you reading my Chakra again?" Bryce asked.

"No. Your face reminds me of the many soldiers who would return from war... worn and traumatized from battle. Your reaction was to instantly attack something foreign to you. That is characteristic of a soldier who has been forced to react that way."

Annie looked at Bryce, concern lacing her face.

"Bryce... your weapon."

Bryce returned Tatsu on his back and bowed before John.

"Inner Shadow Reaper of the Black Legion. Please accept my sincerest apologies for this unforgivable act."

"Arise, Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing."

Bryce returned to my side as I stood up.

"John, what did you mean the Anti-Narrative won't bring Sarah back?"

"The Anti-Narrative wielded by Primordial Aran Sol isn't a universal fix-it solution to everything. Its nature is to destroy the narrative and order of the world around it. Destroying the narrative of death may not necessarily bring Auxiliary Shadow Ultear back from the dead. Even if it did, there's no guarantee that it will be done correctly. A Hero who's been brought back through law-breaking means may no longer have the same narrative to carry out her duty."

"Then... what do we do..." I muttered.

John regarded the three of us.

"If it is the death of Sarina Ultear, Bryce Jackson Jones is correct. Only a Hero can slay a Demon. That is the law you must protect."

My face turned downcast.

Of course... it wouldn't be so easy.

Reviving my fiancee... in the end, was pretty much a pipe dream.

"However, there is a workaround."

"Huh?" I asked.

John sat down in front of us.

"My codename in The Black Legion is The Reaper. My powers work on the basis of death. If it is the revival of an unjust death, the person you seek is a man known as Chairon."

I blinked.

"Wait, you're saying all this time, we could have been reviving all our allies and you just kept your mouth shut?! Shit, my man, I guess I can revive Robbie along with-"

My voice cut out abruptly by John's deadpan stare.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"Death, in almost all cases, is absolute. To go against it is taboo. If death were trivialized, we would be at an eternal stalemate. However, as it stands, Death and Hope do not get well with one another. And the taboo practice of Sarina's action against her own elder sister, combined with the fact that she stands for Vala's Hope, should provide enough of a reason to bring Sarah Ultear back."

My heart began to race, as an overwhelming feeling surged through my chest.

Sarah...

Oh god...

"However... the council with Chairon is no easy task. You must defend against Death's Judge, both in strength and in words. I've visited Chairon many times in the past... and each time I was never able to convince him to revive my allies."

"Well ain't that reassuring," I grumbled.

John laughed gently.

"However, this was the Johnny Crassman of The Black Legion at the time. And you have proved yourself to have surpassed that blockhead in many ways more than one. So for what it is worth, you have my faith."

"How will we get to Chairon?" Annie asked.

John beckoned someone in, as a man entered the room, making the room even more cramped than before.

"Dammit guys, this room was initially supposed to be for me!"

"I see Dainsleif of the Black Legion still running his mouth even after a battle that crippled even someone as mighty as Inner Shadow Reaper."

My mouth hung open.

"Galeo!"

Galeo's eye twitched in annoyance.

"Right to real names it is with you..."

"Come on, we're close enough to use real names, right?"

Galeo kneeled before his Inner Shadow.

"Lord Crassman, I understand that my responsibilities are to escort Dainsleif and his Auxiliary Shadows to Tiamar?"

"Huh? Tiamar? That's where Chairon is?!" I yelped.

John nodded.

"The Warworld Tiamar of Outer Shadow Sixshot's reality has the strongest connection to Death there is. It has been at war for many eons."

Galeo got to his feet.

"If it is Chairon you seek, then you will need an escort who is familiar with The Aether. Because Chairon is a psychic... a Witch of Tiamar just like I."

I turned to Bryce and Annie, who nodded at me grimly.

"If it means bringing Sarah back, then we will do whatever is necessary," Annie said.

I reached out my hand and Galeo shook it.

"Alright then, Outer Shadow Sixshot. We will be in your care."

"There is one more person I would like you to journey with," John said.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"A very experienced Shadow."

SMACK.

John suddenly fell forward, his face slamming into the table.

"Hey," A woman's voice said, menacingly.

"Why don't you elaborate more... on what you mean by experienced? Johnny?"

Galeo, Bryce, Annie, and my jaws dropped.

"....."

"Ah, no. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant you had many years under your belt, is all," Inner Shadow Reaper said, nervously, before Tina Hunt.

Tina knelt down, smiling at me.

But it didn't take an SS Rank to tell there was a lot of murderous intent behind that smile.

"So you are the Outer Shadow who, instead of letting Johnny join me in the afterlife where I was young and beautiful, brought me back into an aging fifty-year-old body."

"I- Uh... Well, for what it's worth, I think older women are pretty hot too, you know," I mumbled nervously.

"How so?" Tina raised an eyebrow.

"Um... well. You know, as Aristotle of my version of Amerada, er I mean, Grecca once said, it's not the droopiness of a woman's breasts that makes a man aroused, but... the... level of... aging? Like wine?"

What the hell was I even saying?!?!?!

Tina grunted, crossing her arms.

"I wish to speak to Outer Shadow Dainsleif, alone, please."

I turned around frantically.

Guys.

You can't leave me alone with her, I'm begging you!

Galeo, Bryce, and Annie obliged, much to my disappointment.

Even John had left, giving me a complimentary grin.

"Sit."

"Yes, ma'am."

Why was I calling her "ma'am"? I was the one with seniority over here.

But given the background, I had learned of Auxiliary Shadow Terra, maybe being snarky was not a good idea.

I sat down on the table across from the older Shadow, who laced her fingers together.

For some reason, I felt uneasy.

This was an Auxiliary Shadow who worked for and knew John Crassman for a long time.

If we were talking about seniority in terms of experience... there was a chance that Terra had more experience than me before she had died.

There was also the fact that Tina Hunt was outright one of the scariest women I had ever seen, given how she was probably responsible for more damage done to Inner Shadow Reaper than some of The Black Legion's enemies.

"Aaron Hope."

"Yes, that's me..." I said, awkwardly.

Tina closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"There is something I want to tell you, but I don't know if you can handle it."

"What? What are you gonna tell me?"

"For years I have known Johnny. Ever since Taylor and I were adopted by our father, on the first day, Johnny was assigned to be our bodyguard. We were seven at the time."

"That's quite some history."

Tina rested her head against her hand.

"Bringing me and my sister back from the dead was a mistake."

My blood ran cold.

"What? But all I did was bring you guys back by the Anti-Narrative. There's nothing wrong with that, right? Plus, you guys were taken away from the Dogma's Exchange through trickery and-"

"Aaron. Listen to yourself. Truly, listen to yourself. Listen to what you are saying."

I caught my tongue, clutching my Dovetail.

"I don't understand..."

"We were meant to die. One way or another. What's done is supposed to be done. That is the order of the world."

"What's the point of that when your lives were taken from you like that, though?"

"Would you revive every single person who has died? Just because of the nature of their death? Would you bring back every soldier who had fought their wars through conscription? That's easily forty-seven million men and women who would be 'exempt' from death."

"But-"

Tina put a hand on the table.

"Reaper and I made a promise. To ensure no more people would end up like Johnny Crassman. Bringing back the lives of people precious to you, by breaking the rules and what is meant to be... is exactly what Johnny did."

My teeth gnashed together in frustration. My heart began throbbing, and I could feel my pulse through the veins around my eyes.

"So you're saying that you're against me bringing Sarah back from the dead."

"The Anti-Narrative was always something that Johnny had questioned even before he became an Outer Shadow. His First Circle Style honed the use of chakra, which, in a way, was a way to disrupt destiny and the esoteric, by remaining true to oneself. But there was a difference between staying true to oneself, and destroying rules and reason for one's benefit."

I was going to say something back, but... was I really in the right?

The power to bring people back from the dead must have been a power that everybody would have wanted at some point in their lives.

Why would I be so special so as to use it just to bring back the girl I loved?

"I wanted to thank you, thank you so much for giving Taylor and me the opportunity to see Johnny again. But even he knows, that our revival was not right. Sooner or later, someone will be here to collect us both."

"Then I'll use the Anti-Narrative again! I'll use it-"

"Again and again? For all eternity? Aaron... you may think that what you are doing is justice, after all, everybody is a main character in their story. But what you are doing is tampering with things recklessly on the basis of one's own sense of morals. And that is dangerous. The world's rules and reason were created in a way that all intricacies would not collapse on one another. A man cannot play the role of God."

I took a shaky breath.

Then... what am I going to do?

"I am not saying you cannot bring Sarah Ultear back from the dead. The possibility of that exists. But you must realize the weight of that decision. When you stand before Chairon, you must make the choice. Chairon is not someone who will accept the wishes of a person that benefits oneself. That is what I am saying."

Tina slowly put a hand on mine.

"Johnny struck a deal with the Devil to bring back the life of Taylor Hunt. Everything made sense to him. My Inner Shadow is not stupid, surely you've already realized this. Everything seemed to line up well for him. He had planned it all the way through. But when it came for the deal to be made, he got what he wanted... but at the same time, he lost something just as important. You cannot stand against Chairon's council... with Death itself, without realizing that nothing is as it seems. The world is convoluted, and is rife with double meanings."

Tina got up from her seat and approached the exit.

"We will be on standby, and Galeo will take you to Tiamar."

I was then left alone, sitting in the darkness of my room.

KNOCK KNOCK.

"Come in."

Bryce stepped into the room, his military boots creaking against the wood.

"Outer Shadow Sixshot's Shadows can muster only one more trip before they succumb to Aran and Vala's influence. If we choose to revive Sarah, it's going to be a final decision."

"I understand."

Bryce sat down across from me.

"The table back at your barracks was much fancier."

A smirk appeared on my face.

"Yeah... it really was. The last time we had our one-on-one at a table was at Millennium City Cheesesteak. Remember?"

"Yes. I remember."

The two of us sat in silence for a few moments.

"Tina is against me bringing Sarah back from the dead. Says it's morally unjustified."

"She is right."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Really? I thought you would be against it."

"I admit that I don't like Tina's stance on this. But she is right. Everything we are doing is unjustified. As with trying to rescue Yeling."

Bryce faced me, grimly.

"But answer me this, Aaron. As a Shadow to The Black Legion Organization, just how many of our decisions have been justified? Everything we have done has been assigned to us, and our missions completed without question. Here stands before you, a killer who has slaughtered thousands. Even Sarah, who stands for being a Hero, has lived a life of bloodshed. If we are talking about morality and ethics, we are just as bad as the folks on Vala's side."

I watched Bryce tie his dreadlocks back, the occasional strand falling to his face. It made me wonder if Bryce ever thought about how much he ended up looking like Tevin, his father.

Or even if the thought had occurred to him once.

"The Black Legion Organization isn't a company of superheroes. For the longest time, we've done whatever was necessary. I may have spent a fair share of my time slacking off but even I understood the implications of being an operative to the Organization. So Tina is right, what we are doing is unconventional, taboo, and potentially even dangerous. But if that is what's needed to stop Vala, then is that not more than enough of a reason to do so? No other group of individuals has taken up the task. The very precept of the Black Legion is outlandish, to begin with. We are exterminating the very concept of Hope herself."

My Auxiliary Shadow reached out and pressed his fist against my chest. It felt weird to be consoled by someone who, just a day ago, would have been younger than me by two years.

"If you fear yourself of doing something selfish and evil, then let us take that burden with you. Let us all be evil together. Isn't that the point of having allies, Aaron?"

A laugh escaped me, startling my Auxiliary.

"What's so funny?" Bryce grumbled.

"No... I just... never expected you of all people to end up consoling me. I... I never expected that at all."

Bryce smirked, reaching out his hand.

"You are still my Outer Shadow. I'll do whatever I can to support you, Bossman. Whatever choice you make, I will always take your side. Rest assured."

I took his hand, got to my feet, and headed to the door.

The two of us made our way out of the building when suddenly, a loud noise shook the ground.

BOOM.

Bryce and I sprung into action, running to the source of the sound. From the distance, I could make out the voices of several people shouting.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Who are you?" Tina's voice said.

"Lord Crassman!" Troia shouted.

More shouting.

"Bryce, take point," I ordered.

"Affirmative," Bryce said, summoning his powers. Red electricity jolted across his body, propelling him forward at lightning-fast speed.

"Sigurd! On Hellsing's six!"

A blast of blue light zipped past me as the figure of a well-built woman in a black leather suit unveiled her arm blades, running at supersonic speed and trailing Bryce.

Dammit!

How the hell did we get breached?!

I was still not in good enough shape to use any magic or chakra. I had to rely on my abilities as they were.

I rushed past Defender, who had also sprung into action. He was no longer in his usual power armor.

"Aaron! Any idea of what that was?"

"No, the barriers of Trion shouldn't have let anyone from the outside get in!"

Ironclad ran up to me, sword in hand.

"Is it the Demon King? The white-haired man?"

"No... that isn't possible. If Loyce invaded, that would mean he decided to spread his forces even thinner, which wouldn't make sense. He's already lost a third of his power."

"Then who made it into Trion?" Defender said, his voice frantic.

I continued sprinting to the location.

"Sigurd! Bryce! What's going on over there?"

No answer.

"Dammit, Defender, pass me a firearm."

Defender reached behind him and handed me an assault rifle. I inspected the gun with a quick once-over.

"Ehhh??"

An M4A1? Seriously?

So much for a futuristic city.

"You guys sure doubled down on your armory..." I grumbled.

"We ran out of ammo and resources after our battle at Diacus, of course, we wouldn't have a ton of good guns left."

"I swear to god the invader better be at most Psimon level."

"Hey! I may have lost my powers but show some respect to your seniors!" Psimon shouted from the distance, his head bandage falling off.

"Simon! What are you doing out of bed?!" Madeline Poe scolded.

The three of us rushed to the infirmary where the scuffle continued.

But the sounds of the struggle had died down, meaning... either the threat was contained...

I held out a hand, stopping Defender and Ironclad.

"You two, stay on the outskirts. On my signal, Drogen, break the doors open."

Ironclad readied his sword.

Now.

I made the signal, as Drogen busted the door open. Defender and I flew in, aiming our assault rifles.

My eyes darted around, but before I could even process anything, Defender and Ironclad were sent flying out of the room.

"Wha-"

SLICE.

I stared at the barrel of my M4, which had been sliced open.

No way.

Whoever breached Trion was able to send Defender and Ironclad airborne and slice down my assault rifle, despite us being the ones who attacked first.

That meant his reaction speed, and his movements were even faster than my ability to process what was going on!

I shifted my position, but suddenly, a concussive force slammed me into the dirt, smashing my jaw against the ground.

"URK!"

My vision began to unblur. Bryce and Annie were pinned down, along with Troia.

John was still in his recovery bed, along with Taylor, who was clutching on to him for dear life.

There was only one person who was standing in front of the stranger, who was putting distance between him and Crassman.

"Who are you?! Stay back!" Tina snarled.

The man chuckled, as I tried to force myself up, but the force that was on me was overwhelming...

As if I was underwater...

Underwater...

Pressure...

Hydrostatic pressure.

My eyes widened.

"Tina! Stand down! Don't provoke him!"

Tina clenched her fists, but the intruder scoffed.

"Hey, old hag, you heard Dainsleif. Stand the fuck down. Or I won't hesitate to cut you down. John, I thought you had a better leash on your dogs. I see being put in such a condition gave your subordinate Shadows a little spunk."

"Stand down, Terra. This isn't the type of person you want to give backbone to," Reaper ordered. Tina reluctantly put her hands down.

The stranger turned around, assessing the situation and each one of us.

"You maggots, I kind of had an idea of what's going on, but I guess it takes being on the front to see just how screwed you all are. To think you ended up in this state after facing Loyce of all people, you'd almost think the Pretty Boy was going easy on you."

"Impudent bastard! What do you know of what Inner Shadow Reaper's been through?!" Troia growled.

"Everything. I see everything. And that wasn't a taunt. It was a compliment."

The man took off his hood, revealing a heavily tattooed face, and a close crop cut.

"I always love doin' that. Putting on a guise. Havin' ignorant little fucks like you people underestimate me. Takes me back, really, it does. I remember when Yuyan Zheng, the little Chinese Outer Shadow of Hakah's thought he could threaten me with Yama's blade. Damn, it was fun pretending to be real scared, only for him to switch up. Say, Outer Shadow Troia. Auxiliary Shadow Terra. You spoke ill to me, I expect y'all to keep that energy goin'."

Troia's face turned white as a ghost.

"I- In- Inner-"

Inner Shadow Slipstream increased the pressure on all of us.

"Maggots. At attention."

True Soldiers

Jay Hellion walked a circle among all of us like a round-robin, starting with me.

The Inner Shadow knelt in front of me, lifting my chin into the air.

"Outer Shadow Dainsleif, Gasket's Gunman. Why don't you show the rest of these Shadows how a real Outer Shadow greets their superiors?"

"SS Ranked Outer Shadow Dainsleif, at attention, Inner Shadow Slipstream. To exist is to serve The Black Legion," I replied.

Jay then turned to Troia, his head stepping on her head and forcing her chin to slam into the dirt.

"A Ranked Outer Shadow Troia, at attention, Inner Shadow Slipstream. To exist is to serve The Black Legion," Troia said.

Hellion continued.

With Galeo, then Sigurd, until all was left was Bryce and Tina.

A bead of sweat ran down the side of my head. Something felt off, and the way Jay Hellion's body language and posture that was so outwardly obvious displayed itself...

I knew right away that he had caught on.

Jay snapped his fingers, and the Suijin released its pressure against Auxiliary Shadows Hellsing and Terra, the two of them stood still before the Inner Shadow.

Jay leaned in, his face centimeters away from Bryce's.

"Hey. Negro. I didn't like that look on your face earlier."

Bryce's eyes momentarily widened, the fingers on his hand curled into a fist.

No.

Bear it, Bryce. You have to.

No matter how out of line Inner Shadow Slipstream is, you have to bear it!

Jay held his glare on Bryce. Even if he wasn't emitting chakra or using his Dogma's, the pressure from his intimidation was terrifying. It was like being caught stealing food by your sergeant during basic. You felt like you were about to piss yourself because you knew you had fucked up immensely.

"Tyrell Jackson Jones. Intel says you're from a version of Philadelphia America where African Americans were severely and violently discriminated against due to the color of their skin. Confirm my intel. Answer me, maggot."

"Yes, sir."

"Then you must have a history with police and law enforcement. Answer me, maggot."

"Yes, sir."

Jay inspected Bryce's gear and his build.

"I'll let you in on a lil' secret, negro. Before I became a Shadow to The Black Legion Organization, I was a police officer. I had to arrest a ton of your kind. Every day. Someone would either steal from an old lady or an old man. Somebody would recklessly cut up in traffic in their little Dodge Hellcats all day. They all looked the same. When I became a Marine, I had expeditions all over South Africa, and I had to watch a bunch of my boys get gunned down by people who looked just like you. Look me in the eyes, boy."

Bryce made eye contact with the Inner Shadow, trying his hardest to resist the urge to slug him in the face.

Bryce... you gotta hang in there. No matter how out of line and racist Jay was, you gotta hold back!

"You must hate white people, don't you? Cuz here before you stands your senior, a white male who's had a history arrestin' and killin' your 'brothers'."

Bryce began to breathe heavily, but he didn't dare move a muscle in his arms.

"Am I makin' you mad?" Jay asked.

"No sir," Bryce answered.

"Then report."

Bryce clenched his teeth, biting down on his tongue.

"S+ Ranked Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing. At attention. Inner Shadow Slipstream. To exist... is to serve The Black Legion."

Jay narrowed his eyes, before turning away from my Auxiliary and faced Tina.

A rush of relief filled my body.

Bryce...

Tina glared at Jay, and suddenly, the surge of relief was replaced with fear again.

"Bastard..." Tina snarled.

"Terra, that's enough. You need to show respect to-" John said before Jay cut him off.

"Stuff it, Reaper. If you need to intervene, means you didn't discipline your dogs one bit. Let's see here," Jay put a hand to his chin.

ALL SEEING EYE.

The Inner Shadow smirked.

"Oh? Interesting. An Auxiliary Shadow from the 90's huh? You must have been a nice fuckable piece of meat back in the day. Shame your tits are all dried up, huh."

Tina gritted her teeth, but Jay didn't stop.

"You got spunk. More than Hellsing over there. That might fly in the 90's, but it don't fly here. You sound real sexually frustrated, bein' what. Fifty-some? Let's see here... your little sis... jealous that John went for your sis and not you?"

"Mock me again, and I'll-"

SMASH.

My body instinctively rushed forward, but I stopped myself at the last minute.

Tina!

Tina coughed, her eyes widening as the Auxiliary Shadow fell to her knees, retching and clutching her midsection where Jay had kneed her.

"Every Shadow here has bit back their pride and hatred for me to abide by the regulations of The Black Legion. What makes you think you're special to mouth off like that, huh? Bitch?"

KICK. SMASH.

Tina's face smashed into the dirt. Jay continued beating her down. I glanced at John, who grimly watched from the distance.

Jay knelt down and picked Tina up by her hair.

"Did you not listen to a thing that was said? Even Bryce Jones managed to keep it in. Do you think this is some kind of game all day every day? When it's time to show respect to your seniors, you show. Some. Fucking. Respect."

Jay slammed Tina's face back into the dirt.

"Auxiliary Shadow Terra. Report."

Tina clutched the dirt.

"B Rank... Auxiliary... Auxiliary..."

SMASH.

Tina coughed.

"Shadow..."

SMASH.

SMASH. SMASH. SMASH.

I bit back my tongue, resisting the urge to rush to Tina's aid. After everything that had happened... seeing this made my vision turn red.

"Terra... At attention... Inner Shadow Slipstream. To exist... is to serve The Black Legion," Terra coughed.

Jay snapped his fingers, releasing the Suijin's influence on all of us.

"At ease."

Galeo, Troia, and I rushed to Tina's side.

"Tina! Tina, you okay? Can you walk?" I asked.

Tina clutched her side, breathing heavily.

"John... Johnny..." She muttered.

"Sigurd, tend to Tina's wounds," I commanded.

Sigurd ran to Tina's side with several nanobots.

I turned to Jay, who stood before John.

"Missing arm. Missing leg. Missing internal organs. If you gotta use Senkaku to patch yourself up before battle, you're no use to us," Jay said.

Tina glared at the Inner Shadow, but this time, she didn't dare say anything.

John sighed.

"You're right. I'm retiring. I'm no use to The Black Legion like this."

A breeze blew between the two Inner Shadows.

"You were always such a stupid fool. Age doesn't change shit when under all that experience is some trigger-happy monkey who gets a thrill out of fighting a losing battle. Why they made the decision to promote you to Inner Shadow is beyond me. You should have stayed an Outer Shadow."

John smiled, leaning his head back.

Taylor clutched her husband's arm.

"Johnny... Johnny worked really hard. He fought that Demon Lord with all his might. It was because of his choice to hold off the second strongest Inner Shadow in history as he was that his allies remain alive!"

Jay's glare shifted to Taylor, who squeaked in fright.

But she refused to back away.

"Inner Shadow Slipstream, judging from seniority alone and the lesson you gave to my big sister, I can tell you're a man of high standing and experience. But surely you must know how noble Johnny was!"

Jay took a step forward, as all of us tensed up.

Tina's grip on me tightened as if she was going to rip the skin out of my arm.

Taylor closed her eyes, but to all of our surprise, Jay slowly put his hand on her head.

"Strong-willed wife. Lucky bastard John is."

HUH?!

My jaw dropped.

What the hell was this guy on about earlier about respect and duty and-

"I know what you're thinking there, Dainsleif. All Seeing Eye shows everything. Taylor ain't Black Legion. She's a colleague's wife. So obviously she gets a free pass."

Jay sighed.

"John, if this was how you've been treating your Shadows, then you should forget about Tiamar. The only people who are qualified are Dainsleif and Sigurd. The others don't get what it takes to have that Warworld's level of discipline and duty. From one soldier to another."

"Wh- What about Galeo, sir?" I asked.

Jay gave me a disgusted look.

"You think that little Witch would survive the journey to Chairon the Space Marine? The Space Marines are all about fierce dedication to the cause. The elite of the elite genes and the psychologically best can survive in that universe. I thought Outer Shadow Sixshot told you that he's considered the absolute worst scum in his world."

I glanced at the others. Especially Tina.

John wanted Tina to come along for a reason, and if I went alone, Tina definitely wouldn't like that. After all, she was adamant about keeping me from making the same mistakes Johnny did.

"They need to come. They gotta come with me. What's it gonna take for us to be Tiamar ready?" I asked.

Jay crossed his arms. Along the ridges where one of his hands was supposed to be, was a prosthetic from where Hakah had amputated his hand.

"Most of my Outer Shadows are busy holding off Loyce's ridiculous Demon Lord army. But I got a couple of Outer Shadows and their Auxiliaries you can meet. They'll show you what it takes to be a cohesive member of a military faction."

I turned back to my allies, who grimly nodded with approval.

"Alright then. Sigurd, Hellsing, Sixshot and Terra are with me. We'll go with Inner Shadow Slipstream. Troia, I trust the fate of the people of Trion to you and your Auxiliary Shadows."

Troia bowed.

"It will be done, Dainsleif."

Jay walked to the outskirts of Trion, overlooking the distance.

I followed from behind, the wind rippling through Sarah's cloak.

"Inner Shadow Gasket... even if your Auxiliary masters the Omega Upgrade, there is no guarantee of bringing him back to fighting shape. As it stands, we ain't got no one to be our tactician. No one can fill that role but that little brain-child."

Jay's body language and posture had changed again.

It was like I had no idea what he was thinking. One moment, he was a complete scumbag, who enjoyed harassing other people. The next, he had become a military sergeant in the middle of recruit hazing. Now, the body language and his movements were neither of those.

"Lord Hellion, about Tina-"

"John always had a bad habit of going easy on his Shadows. Whether it was his Auxiliary Shadows, to his Outer Shadows now. If you make the same mistake with your Auxiliary Shadows I'mma smack the shit out of you. There's a time and place to be goofin' off. But right now, when we're in the endgame, there's no time for any of that shit. Do I make myself clear, Outer Shadow?"

"Yes, sir."

Jay turned to me.

"Tiamar is a world that is known for its harsh dedication to war and battle. Either you support the cause or you're nothing. The entire universe is ravaged by battle, it's basically a non-stop hellhole of pain and suffering. That kinda behavior ain't gonna fly. But if you are serious about taking those Shadows with you to Tiamar, along with Sixshot, then y'all need to learn what it means to act as a soldier and work in a unit. My Outer Shadows and their Auxiliaries shall provide enough of a crash course."

"I understand."

"All Seeing Eye showed me your convo with John. So you know that my Shadows have been fighting against Loyce this entire time."

From what John had told me, Inner Shadow Slipstream was holding off the entirety of Loyce's Outer Shadows and Subordinate Demon Lords all on his own. But if it was true that Loyce had been a Demon Lord that had conquered realities for eons on end and taken up Subordinate Demon Lords... just how big of an army was Jay up against?

"Billions, kid."

"What?!"

"Loyce has billions of Demon Lords under his wing. And each one of these Demon Lords has their own Generals and Demon Lord army. If you're talking about the number of subordinates, Inner Shadow Empire literally has a military force that dwarfs the entirety of The Black Legion Organization by countless orders of magnitude. Where did you think the Pretty Boy Conquerer got his Black Legion codename Empire from? No one matches Loyce in the sheer amount of followers he has. Smarts. Wit. Power. Combat. Armies. Nations. He has it all. This is the type of enemy who has turned against us.

"An absolute monster."

A lump formed in my throat.

"Then... this entire time, your forces have been holding them off? How many Outer Shadows do you even have?!"

Jay cracked his neck, the tattoos on his face and body were seriously making me feel uneasy. It was like I speaking to a mob boss or something.

"Forty-four."

"Forty-four Outer Shadows?!"

"Put two and two together, Dainsleif. Why do you think I've been summoned here after hearing about John's ridiculous plan to visit Chairon? With this raggedy-ass group of delinquents who can't even keep their composure just cuz some old geezer said something racist and misogynistic?"

I always figured there was more to Jason Hellion than meets the eye. There was no way someone with a Suijin Dogma and an All-Seeing Eye Evo could reach the status of an Inner Shadow. Looking back at it...

I stared at Inner Shadow Slipstream.

I never really knew who this man was.

From the very start, he had me completely fooled. He had all of us completely fooled.

The realization finally set in as Hellion regarded me through his orange-tinted shades.

Everything he had done was an act.

He had put on a guise of a complete asshole. Bullying and hazing Outer and Auxiliary Shadows. He even went as far as to try to put my Auxiliary Shadow, Sarah Ultear into having non-consensual sex, painting the picture of a complete scumbag.

When he was with Outer Shadow Transplant, he had given the impression of a loose cannon, someone who was overconfident with his abilities, enough for Yuyan to try and threaten him.

This man...

This man was far more deceiving and tactical than I would have imagined, and he had played me like a fiddle.

"I wouldn't describe my girls as Outer Shadows, as much as they wanna keep pesterin' me to refer to them as such. They're more like my operatives. Everybody under me works as a cohesive military unit. Frontlines in this war. Numbers alone don't mean jackshit without tactics. I've lived many lifetimes and led many campaigns. Loyce's forces have offset that advantage we have through sheer numbers. But that's all they got. You wanna know what it's like to be in a real war, Dainsleif? Then get to know what it's like. And make sure those fools take the experience to heart."

"Wait, hold up, did you just say girls? Who the hell have you been recruiting, exactly-"

"Dainsleif, we're ready to go," Sigurd said from behind me, as Bryce, Galeo, and Tina followed suit.

I turned back to Slipstream, but he had disappeared, his voice echoing around us.

"I'll be transporting you to one of our proxies. Make good use of your time. Hope you all learn quickly, because in my world? If you don't adapt, you die."

"Wait! You-" I yelped, as a swarm of Shadows began to surround us.

Sigurd ran to me, but several forces split us apart.

"What is this?" Sigurd exclaimed.

"Telekinetic force?" Tina asked.

I readied myself, my surroundings changing.

A cohesive unit.

A military regime.

This was how Inner Shadow Slipstream's company did things. Meaning if I slip up even once...

The consequences would be unimaginable.

I gritted my teeth, falling through reality, until I landed on a tiled ground, everything momentarily turning black.

I slowly regained consciousness, my eyes wandering around the environment and scanning, picking up information.

A chalkboard...

Rows and rows of desks with their chairs up.

Shadows... meaning a light source. On the left. Windows.

Was I in a classroom?

CLACK. JINGLE.

An AK!

I instantly scrambled under one of the desks, taking cover.

CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM.

Debris and splinters flew everywhere. I crawled to the next desk, keeping my head low.

The shooter was at the front of the classroom. From my position, I could make out...

A pair of shoes and girly socks???

Was I getting shot at by some little girl?

What was a schoolgirl doing with an AK47? What the hell was going on?

I regained my bearings, grabbing the legs of every desk I could find and forming a barrier around the girl.

"Most people who do that form a barricade around themselves, trapping them in. Intriguing."

CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM.

Stupid girl.

You just completely gave away your position by opening your mouth like that.

I didn't just crawl around for nothing. The entire time you were shooting, I had surveyed the entire room.

I was in a traditional Japanese-based classroom, and from the way your voice echoed across the walls of the surroundings, you weren't standing still. You were following me.

I led you to the back of the room for a reason.

I grabbed the leg of another desk and hurled it at the source of the voice, and was briefly able to make out the appearance of my attacker.

Just as I suspected, she had a build of a girl in high school at most. She was short, petite, and was wearing the traditional school uniform, with a blouse and dress, but slung over her shoulders was a bulletproof vest, and an army helmet. Her eyes seemed void of life, but her brown hair sat neatly around the sides of her head like a bob-cut.

And while I watched the desk fly in her direction, the girl darted the other way, going low.

Exactly to plan. Someone who was small like this girl wouldn't even think about going high. She would be the type to instantly duck or go low in response to a heavy object like a desk flying her way.

And at the back of a traditional Japanese-style classroom...

CRASH.

The girl spun around, in surprise.

"Lockers...!" The girl said as the entire row of lockers had been knocked off balance, falling on top of her.

SLAM!

I watched the dust and chaos recede, and slowly approached the girl, still on all fours until I was a few feet away from her.

There was no way she would come after me alone.

I swiped her AK47, spun around, exactly in my blind spot, and fired. I heard the sound of the bullet connecting with a weapon and metal warping.

Another girl yelped, losing balance.

"EEP! HE GOT ME!"

No. Not yet.

It wasn't over yet.

I dove for cover, narrowly missing what I presumed to be a shotgun blast.

I instantly crawled to the location of the first girl, jabbing the barrel of the AK to her throat.

"Drop your weapons and kneel in front of the chalkboard, unless you want to see your ally take an AK shell to the throat!" I snarled.

The shotgun girl slowly made her way to the front, but her shotgun was still in hand. While the girl who I presumed to be a sniper scurried to the front, her hands trembling.

Shotgun girl... her black hair was tied back, and the sniper girl had her hair tied back in pigtails.

I had no idea if this was supposed to be a fashion trend, but in a tactical sense, tying your hair back or shaving it down was standard on a battlefield.

Not to mention both of these girls were equipped head to toe with tactical gear. From camo pants to bulletproof vests, and utility belts.

"74-M, did that creepy man hurt you? Are you okay?!" The sniper girl wailed.

"HEY! SHUT UP! Don't call me a creepy man! Do as I said and kneel in front of the chalkboard!" I growled.

"EEK!!!"

The shotgun girl still didn't put her weapon down, glaring at me, but not before surveying the surroundings.

"He was able to instantly gauge out the layout of the classroom despite it varying slightly from the traditional... and immobilize 74-M without killing her. But even so, you don't deserve to live."

I gritted my teeth, pressing the barrel of the gun closer to 74-M's throat.

"Shotgun. On the ground, now."

"No. Because I know you won't shoot. Your face says you wouldn't want to because you already figured out who we are."

I smiled sinisterly.

"You wanna play that game? How many Outer Shadows have I killed for treason? This is an unsanctioned attack on an Outer Shadow of The Black Legion. You won't beat me in a battle of wits, girlie."

The shotgun girl's eyes widened, as she slowly dropped the shotgun to the ground, falling to her knees.

"Manipulative pervert," She muttered.

"We admit defeat. Please release us," 74-M said, in a deadpan voice.

I slowly let go, watching 74-M regroup with her two allies, and sat on the ground, crisscrossed.

All the while, little Miss Pigtails was still wailing.

"My sniper! He broke my sniper! WAAAAH!"

The shotgun girl never dropped her glare against me.

"You made 75-M cry. You're horrible."

Why the hell was I the horrible one?! You were the ones who shot me first!

74-M looked at me.

"Your weapon is still aimed at me," She remarked.

I tightened my grip on the gun.

"There's more of you here. Try anything and I pop 74-M. Judging from how you guys coordinated she must have been either the leader or a cornerstone to your operations team, given she was the front-line."

The shotgun girl closed her eyes.

"77-M, 78-M. Withdraw. Dainsleif has us in a bind."

Two more girls left their hiding spots inside the walls and dropped their weapons.

Both were semi-automatic. Neither of them had automatic weapons like the AK47 the first girl used.

Perfect for precise and aimed shots, with as little recoil as possible.

These girls...

They weren't for show.

"Master Hellion says you built a rapport hunting and surviving. Even with a five-doll-cell, we couldn't detain you."

I kept my grip on the gun. No way was I trusting anything they were saying.

74-M tilted her head.

"What can I say to make you lower your weapon?"

"Immobilize yourselves. Each one of you. Sitting down there with your weapons dropped means nothing to me unless I know you don't have any other tricks on your sleeves."

The shotgun girl, who I presumed to be 76-M clicked her tongue.

"Tch. He even saw past that too, huh."

"Wowee! Mister Dainsleif! You sure know your stuff!" 75-M said, happily.

"But you know... tactical warfare isn't just about surface-level knowledge. When it comes to tactics, every detail... every nook and cranny is important. And the way you're holding your gun is way too tight."

74-M's eyes flashed as I suddenly realized what I had done.

"Dainsleif of the Black Legion was known for using his firearms to fight tactically against loud opponents. But that leaves you with bad habits, as obscure as they are. In an environment where even the smallest detail can lead to a stealth op turning noisy, that's where you fall short."

I lowered my AK47, and realized exactly what Pigtails Girl meant.

I had boxed myself in by scoping so tightly... I had inadvertently put myself through tunnel vision, and the moment I had lowered my weapon, that was when I saw it.

Lights were all around me, that I never would have noticed if I hadn't lowered my gun.

Flashbangs...!

I leaped into the air, my brain operating on overdrive. 74-M had unleashed a flashbang array on either side, meaning if I kept my vision wide, I would have succumbed to the blinding effects.

But...

I scoped in again, to her surprise, taking aim at the little module that had interfaced with her eyes earlier and fired.

74-M flew backward, her head slamming against the wall. I landed on the ground and rushed forward, but not before 76-M pressed the barrel of her shotgun to my chest.

Their coordination and cohesiveness were ridiculous.

If even one member had screwed up, someone else was there to cover for them.

There was no time for indecision or reorganizing.

It was as if each member was telepathically linked or something to work together as a team.

"SS Ranked Outer Shadow Dainsleif. Immobilized," 76-M said.

I lowered my AK and did as I was told, with 76-M still prodding me in the back with her shotgun.

"Where are you guys taking me?" I asked.

"Chambers," 74-M answered.

We continued walking. All the while, I had inspected the rest of the "five-doll-cell". As far as I could tell, everybody seemed to be middle-high school-aged. Yet despite their appearances, the way they acted and conducted themselves was anything but.

From their habits and their walking patterns to the way they were constantly wary of their environments.

"We captured you today because we identified your pitfalls. In a real-world scenario, if you used Inner Shadow Gasket's weapons, we would realistically not have been able to detain an SS Ranked Outer Shadow. Your pitfalls would have been compensated by the sheer amount of technology in your arsenal," 74-M said.

"What about the others?" I asked.

"They should be wrapping up soon."

I glanced over at 74-M. She was completely devoid of emotion. Everything seemed calculated and planned out.

It kind of hurt to see someone at that age end up like this...

"I don't need your pity, Dainsleif."

"Wha-"

"I know what you are thinking. Because it is the same thinking as every person I have encountered. They pity us because of our circumstances. What could have been. But it was Master Hellion who gave us duty. That is enough."

"HEY HEY HEY!!!" 75-M poked her head into my field of view. Unlike the rest of her cell, 75-M was brimming with enthusiasm and emotion.

"Is it true that you beat an Inner Shadow in combat?"

"Yeah."

"That's so cool! You're great, wanna get married?"

I choked.

"N- No thanks. I have a fiancee..."

Who was at death's door. But I was hoping not for long.

75-M's eyes turned watery.

"Are you rejecting me?! But I'm great wife material! I can cook and I can clean and-"

"You tried shooting me with your sniper rifle a few minutes ago. And you're a teenager. I don't date minors. Sorry Pigtails."

75-M's jaw dropped.

"Don't call me Pigtails! My name is 75-M. A Tactical Doll for Master Hellion's Muon SFA Regiment."

"Tactical Doll?"

I was led into a dark room, sitting on one end of the table. 74-M sat on the other end and was flanked by the rest of the cell.

"Yes. We are the Tactical Doll Muon SFA Regiment, serving Inner Shadow Slipstream. I am 74-M, otherwise known as Outer Shadow M74."

An Outer Shadow...

"Then these girls are your Auxiliaries?"

"Yes. On paper, we are considered a five-doll-cell. We work together to act as a Special Forces Aggression unit. We were tasked by Inner Shadow Slipstream to assess and contain Dainsleif. The other SFA units were tasked each to handle the rest of your allies."

"Any idea how they're doing?"

M74 took out a paper and ran her hand over it. It still felt so weird seeing a little schoolgirl do something so corporate and professional with a straight deadpan expression.

"Sixshot and Sigurd were immobilized using specialized gear. The problem Shadows appear to have been Hellsing, who went after us with no hesitation, even injuring one of our dolls and sending her to the infirmary. Terra was extremely uncooperative, and required six tasers and eighteen sedatives to send to an unconscious state."

"Irk!"

I didn't want to imagine how Tina was going to react to being downed by little children, but seeing Bryce giving zero shits about who his opponents were was kind of refreshing to see.

I watched M74 cross her hands in front of me.

"Did you learn anything from this encounter?"

"Yeah... I guess my skillset wasn't very optimized for something like stealth tactical warfare?"

76-M leaned against the wall.

"Your entire career has been to fight enemies up front. Sometimes you would take unorthodox approaches, but it has always been loud. Judging from how you managed to give us all a run for our money for most of the encounter tells me you did have a background in reconnaissance and special operations that require indirect approaches, but given your history I'm guessing you had to go for a middle ground. Am I wrong?"

She was right. There was a time when I had to go the stealth route... but this was a completely different ball game. Habits that I had from the history of my career wouldn't fly in this line of work.

74-M put her hands on the table.

"Your skillset shines in a solo act. But as an Outer Shadow, you are responsible for your allies. If you cannot lead your subordinates, then you should not have them. That was the underlying philosophy Lord Slipstream made us uphold each and every day. The only reason we, as a company of only forty-four Outer Shadows, have survived this long. And continue to survive even amidst our war against Inner Shadow Empire's Demon Lords and Outer Shadows."

"Then what do you propose I do? The point of my being sent here was because I wanted to infiltrate Tiamar."

74-M shook her head.

"No. You won't infiltrate Tiamar. If the operation goes loud, you will have casualties on your side. One Space Marine is rated A Rank. A Space Marine Cohort contains thousands of Space Marines. If you go loud, Sixshot and Terra will die."

"So I've been sent here to learn how to act more like a soldier."

"Yep, we're gonna learn so much about you!" 75-M clutched my arm, giggling.

"From your habits to your thought processes. To your personality. We will extract as much information about you, information that we cannot possibly access from your file. The same goes for the other Shadows. Only then, will we see if you are fit to enter Tiamar," 74-M said.

BZZT BZZT.

77-M reached into her pocket and pulled out a device, which was beeping red.

"77-M, report," 74-M said.

The Auxiliary leaned in and whispered in her ear. But I could tell from the movements of her lips what she was saying.

"An entire cell was wiped out?" I asked.

76-M's eye twitched in annoyance.

"You sure love eavesdropping, don't you, pervert gunman?"

Pervert gunman?!

"No, I just thought that you guys were handling the situation just fine, is all."

74-M closed her eyes, getting to her feet.

"What cell was this?"

"SFA-L. The whole cell was slaughtered. The mission turned noisy and one of the Generals notified the Demon Lord. He personally saw fit to execute each doll with his bare hands."

"I'm sorry," I said.

74-M headed to the door.

"If we had time to feel sorry for all the people we have lost, we would have since regained our innocence. This is war. SFA-L's destruction along with our sisters was inevitable. As with us. We live each day knowing there is a chance that it will be our last. That is what it means to be a Doll."

"But... they're still your allies, aren't they? If you have time to watch over me, then you have time to-"

SHHK SHHK.

"Another word out of you, and this room will be decorated with your brains!" 76-M growled as 77-M and 78-M held her back.

"Dainsleif, let's head to the main living quarters, kay?" 75-M urged.

"Uh, okay."

I let Pigtails lead me to the living room, which was elegant and decorated with expensive architecture. At the center was a large glass table with numerous sofas surrounding it.

I sat down on one of the sofas, with Pigtails sitting across from me. The two of us were silent, the sounds of 76-M threatening bloody murder from the interrogation room echoed in the background.

"75-M. Watch over our guest. I will report to Inner Shadow Slipstream to discuss the incident."

"Kaaaaaay."

We watched as 74-M opened the door, leaving the safehouse.

There was no way Outer Shadow M74 didn't feel any remorse... that would mean she had become a complete emotionless husk.

I knew she didn't want me to feel any pity, but how could I not? Someone her age should have been playing around with makeup, going out with friends, gossiping, and doing schoolgirl things.

Not dealing with the death of someone her own age with a cold and apathetic demeanor.

"It happens a lot."

I turned to Pigtails with a look of surprise.

"Really? But I thought you guys said you've been fighting Loyce's forces with little to no casualties through tactics and-"

"If that was true, we'd be the best-armed forces in existence! Hehe, how naive of you, Mister Dainsleif! I expected more from the smartest Outer Shadow of the Organization."

"You're making it real difficult for me to not try to yank at your pigtails right now."

Pigtails giggled again, putting her knees to her chin.

"Miss 74-M does have feelings. But she knows better than to let them out at a time like this. After all, we do have history. Each and every one of us. By the way, what are your thoughts on Master Hellion? Be honest with me, Mister Dainsleif. I can tell if you're lying."

I suddenly felt a twinge of caution, noticing that under that cutesy smile, there was something else there.

75-M was reading me like a book the entire time.

If I was being dishonest, I had a feeling she could tell right away.

"I think he's a lolicon. Who recruits a bunch of little girls to do his bidding. If he wasn't a cop I would have 999'd his ass the first chance I got," I admitted.

"PFFTTAHAHAHAHAHA!" Pigtails laughed, kicking the air with her feet.

"You're great! Marry me after this is over."

"In your dreams."

As we were talking, a door opened revealing 76-M, along with the other two operatives.

"74-M has a mission for us. Details uploaded to the secure line. It's going to be a clean-house operation."

"Wait, she has a mission right after being given the news about a whole cell dying?" I asked.

76-M narrowed her eyes to me.

"Did you really think we have the luxury of mourning when we're in the middle of a warzone? 75, 77, 78, and 74 will be doing the clean. I will survey since I specialize in CQC. Dainsleif, you will not be participating."

"I think I've refreshed my special operations skills a bit-"

"No. We do not take shortcuts in the SFA. Mistakes cost lives."

75-M put her elbow on my shoulder.

"Did you wanna be on a mission so badly with me? You dirty boy!"

I got up, ignoring 75 as she slipped and faceplanted on the floor with a noticeable

"URP!"

"When are you deploying?" I asked 76-M.

"Now. 74-M is already on the chopper. You will be with me, and you will watch how we do these missions."

I was going to say something but decided against it. These people knew what they were doing.

I needed to take this opportunity to figure out what I was lacking.

A few moments later, 76-M and I sat in a room full of screens.

"Can you at least tell me where the op is?" I asked.

76 glued her eyes to the screen, unresponsive.

"Isphixis. The clean-house operation involves cutting down the coordinators behind Demon Queen Freya's logistics and planning."

"Freya..."

Outer Shadow Frey...? But...

Frey didn't deserve any of this. She was one of the more benevolent leaders, her whole schtick was putting her people first and-

"Listen here, Ero-Gunman. I may not be as skilled as 75-M in terms of reading people, but even I recognize the look of a soldier who puts emotion before duty. I don't care who Freya is and how nice she was. To lump multiple responsibilities into one building and one cohort means an attack point. That's all this is."

"But-"

76-M turned to me with an annoyed expression.

"Freya chose to side with Loyce. It was her decision to make an enemy out of The Black Legion. Don't tell me the Organization's greatest Outer Shadow cannot see that?"

"76. Muon 1. Entering north gate."

"Acknowledged, Muon 1."

"76. Muon 2. Entering west gate. Six bogeys on the outer perimeter. Estimated four yards. Clear?"

"Acknowledged, Muon 2. Proceed."

I heard the sounds of suppressed firearms, then the sounds of bodies crumpling to the ground.

"Targets disposed of. Confirmation shots fired."

I stared at the bodies of several Greater Furies, who were being dragged by the girls by their necks, their bodies surrounded by Shadows.

Moments before they dissipated, the girls slit their throats one last time.

Confirmed kills.

These Furies... Freya had treated them like family. I remember visiting Frey in the past, and she always treated her people kindly.

To see them being gunned down and their throats slit open like this was beyond difficult to stomach.

But even worse, was the looks on the girls' faces.

None of them were at all fazed.

Even I recognize the look of a soldier who puts emotion before duty.

Was this what Jay wanted me to see?

"Secure the side room. 75," 76-M said.

From the body-camera feed, I could make out 75-M taking aim with her sniper rifle and aiming through an open pocket.

SNIP. SNIP. SNIP.

Three bodies crumpled to the ground, as a pregnant Fury screamed, but her voice wasn't being heard because of the sound-proof netting that Muon 1 had put all around the perimeter of the room.

The Fury fell to the ground, pleading for 74-M to hold her fire.

"Please... please! Don't shoot! Oh god! Please don't shoot!" The woman begged.

"On the ground," I heard 74-M reply through her body camera, but the woman scrambled back, hysterically sobbing.

SNIP SNIP.

The woman crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

74-M had shot her without any hesitation, ending her life.

"If a target refuses to follow orders, they are dropped as if they are an enemy," 76-M said.

"Without question."

I blinked, staring at the feed.

"But... what if they were just panicking and-"

"If they refuse to follow instructions, they are bogies. End of question."

I clenched my teeth, watching the camera feed of each person in the operation. The way they were intricately and precisely lining up their movements, setting up traps in a tactical manner.

Even their movements were so well thought out. There was virtually no way the squad could be caught in any blind spots because each person had covered their blindspots perfectly by their team member.

"That look in your eyes. I dislike it," 76-M said.

"Huh?"

76-M didn't turn around, but I could see from the corner of her face a look of irritation.

"I see why Master Hellion had brought you to us. If seeing 74-M shoot that pregnant Fury was enough to make you lose your composure, then even you are not qualified for Tiamar. A warzone requires warzone mentality. This is how we have survived. This is how you will survive."

76 continued watching the feed, interfacing with her squad members in the SFA with cold-hearted efficiency.

These weren't little girls.

They were trained, and highly lethal killers.

"76, visual sighted."

The two of us focused on one screen, which was 78's bodycam.

In front of her, through the hallway, was a large creature with two horns.

"Our weapons are ineffective. Suggest STDP."

"Commence. Going radio silent."

"Huh? Radio silent? Why? What's STDP?" I asked.

76 pushed herself out of the screens and grabbed her shotgun, dragging me by the ear until we were crouched down behind a sofa.

"STDP stands for Shadow Transport Disposal Protocol."

"Shadow..."

A mass of darkness formed at the center of the living room as 76-M tossed an object into the writhing mass. Several magic circles appeared in a hexagonal formation.

An anti-magic barrier.

SHHK SHHK.

76-M took aim, as the monster suddenly manifested from the Shadows, stumbling around and snarling.

"What... what is this? Where am I? Communications... communications are cut?! Where did you take me?" The monster bellowed.

"The Shadows transport enemies that are too resilient to our standard burst and semi automatic rifles here for deletion. Stay out of this, Dainsleif. You are a spectator only."

I watched 76-M leap from behind the sofa, approaching the towering monster with her shotgun cocked back, her oversized jacket dragging across the floor.

"When conventional takedown methods are ineffective, that is where I take over," 76-M said, aiming her weapon at the beast.

BLAM. BLAM. BLAM.

The monster buckled, keeling over and slamming into the ground.

76-M stood above the monster and pressed the barrel to the monster's throat, firing.

"Shadows, dispose of the body."

Understood.

I watched 76-M return to the console, her eyes glued to the screens once more.

It was like watching a well-oiled machine. Everything was systematic. There was no room for error and hesitation. If it had been me, I would have skirted around and used Aspectum or something to verify its weak points and shoot it down with an ACR.

But 76-M didn't take any extra steps, and proceeded with three shotgun blasts that were arbitrarily aimed at varying points of the body, namely the motor units, and the spread of the gun would inevitably hit any weak points. The Auxiliary Shadow then proceeded to take a full shot at the identified weak area, confirming the kill.

I stared at the girl in disbelief.

This was the type of system Inner Shadow Slipstream had at his disposal.

The level of meticulousness and procedure that went into their operations...

These were real soldiers.

True soldiers who were necessary to hold off the overwhelming forces of Loyce Hal.

Tactical War Dolls

"Girls. Let's go," 76-M said, causing everybody to single file at the door.

"Where's everybody going?" I asked.

Another mission? After this one?

There was no way any human could keep up with this work rate.

75-M turned to me with a grim look, which startled me, given how she usually had that cutesy smile on her face 24/7.

"There's a sale at the mall. We will not miss this opportunity like last time."

...

"What the hell happened to being a cohesive unit?" I grumbled.

"It is important for soldiers to have downtime. No one is immune to burnout," 74-M said while continuing to type on her computer display.

"You're not gonna go with them?"

"I am needed here. And I don't care for clothes."

75-M leaned close to me, whispering in my ear.

"She's just insecure about going out when there's a boy in our cohort-"

SMACK.

"Be sure to dispose of any corpses along the way," 74-M said to the rest of the team, who dragged 75-M out of the door.

I leaned against the doorframe, but not before 76 grabbed me by the cuff of my shirt.

"Do anything to 74 and you will answer to the entirety of the SFA-M company," She snarled.

"Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am, nice rack ma'am," I stammered, nervously.

76's face turned murderously dark.

"The only thing protecting your genitals is that lofty SS Rank title above your head."

And on that happy note, I was left sitting on the ground before Outer Shadow M74, who continued typing on the computer.

"Whatcha doing?" I asked.

"Filing hours. Bookkeeping is paramount in the structure of the SFA."

"Oh."

Time seemed to pass like centuries with each second the clock ticked.

Maybe I should have just gone with the rest of the girls and offered to carry all their stuff.

"76-M informed me of your uneasiness when you witnessed me eliminating that pregnant Fury."

My ears turned hot.

"I get it, it was part of the mission. We gotta do what we gotta do."

"And was she correct?"

"Yeah," I admitted, gazing at the far edges of the living room. Outside the windows was a futuristic-looking city, but the sky was dark, with nothing but the lights of the buildings in the distance.

"I know you're against me going to Tiamar, but we don't have a choice. If we need to slay Sarina Ultear, we need a hero, and-"

"There are other heroes, no? Why must it be Auxiliary Shadow Ultear? Romance is dangerous on the battlefield."

I pursed my lips.

"I don't know what you've been through, so I don't think there's any point in trying to explain my reasoning."

74-M closed the lid of her laptop and stood up, her bangs cast a shadow over her eyes.

"I am Tactical Doll 74-M of the SFA-Muon Company. I specialize in rifles and field combat coordination. In the Black Legion, I am rated Elite Tier A+ Rank. Is that enough information for you to-"

"That doesn't explain anything. I already know these things, and could easily figure it out from first glance."

"Then what else is there to know? Logic is all you need. In a battlefield-"

"In a battlefield..." I cut 74-M off, sitting down on an office chair and resting my hands against the headrest.

"...knowing an ally's psychology offers a better way to streamline combat decisions. Wouldn't you agree?"

74-M clenched her teeth.

"You were assigned to me. I was tasked to expose you to the way a soldier thinks so you could prepare for Tiamar."

"Have you thought that maybe Jay's assignment could potentially be two-way?"

74 eyed her helmet and vest, which were neatly hung up by the door.

"What exactly is it that you want to know about me?"

I put a finger to my chin.

"Hmmm, I guess how did you get recruited by Hellion, maybe? Did he stalk you in your school or something? I honestly didn't expect him to be a lolicon of all things."

I watched 74-M run a hand through her hair. I meant it as a joke, but I was genuinely curious.

What could have happened to this girl that would have taken away what she could have been, to turn into this cold-blooded killer?

"My Inner Shadow is not a lolicon."

...

"Umm, yeah. I certainly hope not."

"Sergeant Jason Hellion saved my life. He saved all of our lives. I am aware that some Inner Shadows recruit their Outer Shadows through interdimensional travel. That was how your Inner Shadow recruited his subordinates. However, my Master did not. For all of his Outer Shadows, and consequently, our Auxiliary Shadows came from the same place."

"The same place... so..."

I gazed outside, and 74-M nodded in response.

"Out there... a monster had run loose. For years we did not know how it came about, but one day, a race of monster entities invaded our world and released a deadly toxin that killed all humans above the age of sixteen. The monsters then proceeded to slaughter the remaining children who walked this planet. My battle sisters... we were students of The Azure All-Girls Academy."

I turned back to M74.

"You mean to tell me... that Jay had rescued you guys... not because of his fetishes?"

74-M walked past me, running her hand over her combat vest.

"Lord Hellion not only saved us. He made us strong. It was through him that we were able to survive the first wave. But... ultimately we were not strong enough. No matter how much training he had given us. Each one of us was slaughtered before his very eyes. And it would be the first and last time I ever saw genuine despair in his face. We were like the daughters he never had, and to have us ripped apart by that beast was something that broke the unbreakable man we all looked up to like a father."

I blinked.

"Then how are you talking to me right now? Wouldn't that mean... you guys..."

74-M reached behind her shirt and unbuttoned it, revealing several compartments around her skin.

"We were all rebuilt. Repurposed. No matter how many years go by, our bodies will remain the same. I may look like a middle schooler, Dainsleif, but in reality, I am twenty-four years old."

I stumbled back.

"Holy shit! You're even older than me! You're literally a loli!"

"Call me a loli one more time and we can save 76-M the trouble of severing your genitals."

"Sorry, ma'am."

74-M slowly buttoned back her shirt and sat down at her desk.

"Earlier, you harbored many negative views on my Inner Shadow. I hold little to no regard for any of these views. Because that is further confirmation I have of my Inner Shadow's abilities. It is true. He is harsh and he is strict. But if it was not for his training regime, we would all have succumbed to cyber-psychosis the day we had our bodies rebuilt into tactical machines. No matter what anyone thinks of my Inner Shadow, he will forever be the man who gave us the strength to continue forward, as many of us had our lives destroyed. We were all just children that day, little girls who had the corpses of our mommies and daddies engrained in our minds."

I watched as the Outer Shadow shifted the helmet and her uniform, revealing the Black Legion crest.

"The only time I will ever go against his wishes would be his insistence on us refraining from showing our pride as his Outer Shadows. I am proud to be his Outer Shadow."

I smiled.

"I bet."

"You don't believe me?"

"Do you need 75-M to come over and verify the genuity of what I said?" I asked, approaching 74-M, and getting on one knee.

"I will be in your care, Outer Shadow M74. And thank you, for being genuine with me. I promise to give it my best and to learn as much as I can from you."

74-M was silent for a few moments, before holding out her hand before me.

"Rise, Outer Shadow Dainsleif. We still have a lot of work to do."

I took her hand and got to my feet.

"You mind if I ask you something else?"

M74 raised an eyebrow.

"And what's that?"

"When you shot that Fury... did you really not feel anything?"

The Outer Shadow regarded me with a deadpan expression.

BZZT. BZZT.

74-M pulled out her coms unit.

"An incident has occurred."

"Another one? How long are you gonna be gone? I kinda don't want to spend the rest of my days here being a stay-at-home househusband, thank you very much."

"You are coming with me."

"Huh?"

74-M opened the door, revealing a warp gate.

"Inner Shadow Slipstream's orders."

I was introduced to the other Outer Shadows of Jay Hellion.

"How many boy toys will you drag into this mess, M74?" A girl perched in her seat like a pelican, nibbling on a piece of licorice.

"Introduce yourself, Outer Shadow," 74 said to me.

"SS Ranked Outer Shadow Dainsleif, reporting to Inner Shadow Gasket. I am under the care of Outer Shadow M74."

The licorice dropped from the girl's hand.

Damn right. About time someone paid me some long-due respect. Being the greatest Outer Shadow was no walk in the park.

"Eww! Isn't he that disgusting pervert who took pictures of Outer Shadow Frey's panties?"

WTF.

"Yes, he also made 75-M cry on their first encounter."

You damn bitch!

Several other girls entered the chamber, a large glass table in a dark room with a hologram of the Black Legion crest at the center.

And along with them, were the others.

"Aaron!" Sigurd said.

"Annie, damn does it feel good to see a full-grown woman for once!" I exclaimed.

M74 gave me a death glare, but I ignored her and wrapped my Auxiliary Shadow in a hug.

"Bryce? Where's Bryce?"

"Here. Bossman."

I smirked.

I always wondered how Bryce was with kids. The thought of The Champion of Philadelphia getting jumped by sixteen-year-old schoolgirls had to be as hilarious as what I imagined.

I turned around to see Bryce Jones, with his patron Tactical War Doll sobbing...?

"You didn't have to hit me!" The girl said.

Bryce glared at the doll.

"You shut your goddamn trap, you brat."

"EEP! But... but we contained you! Show Big Sis D43 some much-needed respect!"

"Using a Chiyo Tachibana cosplay to lower my guard and strike me from behind don't count as contained. And I'll never show respect to some four-foot white girl tryna give me orders."

"WHY YOU...! There's still a lot of things you need to learn! I have a whole syllabus for you! Starting with learning how to respect your seniors, and the same basic training Master Hellion made us go through!"

"I cleared Basic yesterday."

Outer Shadow D43 gulped, a blush forming from embarrassment.

"B- But... your temper could... use some improv-"

"Huh? The fuck you just say 'bout my temper?" Bryce leaned in, his red eyes glowing through the shadow his dreadlocks formed on his face.

D43 looked like she was about to swallow a mouse, but before she could, Bryce averted his glare.

"I'm workin' on it," He muttered.

D43 stared at Hellsing, her blush deepening.

Thank god Bryce Jackson Jones was into Asians.

I turned back to M74, who gave me an irritated expression.

"Mouth off to me and you will never use the bathroom the same way again."

Of course, I would be the one with the short end of every stick in the multiverse.

"Sigurd, how was your experience with Slipstream's Shadows?"

Sigurd turned to her patron.

"Outer Shadow A26 taught me the elements of effective combat. However, my deficiencies lie... in more personal aspects. Not so much war-based."

A26 approached Annie's side.

"Of all the Shadows, Auxiliary Shadow Sigurd is the most fit for Tiamar. However, it is my understanding that she wishes to harness an infamously colossal upgrade. As we Tactical Dolls are of a similar make as TX7F, we will do as much as we can for her."

Another doll crossed her arms.

"So as to keep all of us from doing what we need to do. While our sisters are getting killed out there by that Rogue Deicider's Shadows, we must play babysitter?"

"T92, this was an order issued by Master Hellion. Or are you suggesting that his order is unwise?"

T92 pursed her lips.

"At least your guest wasn't a complete problem child."

"MMF! MMF! URF! MMF!" Tina growled from within her binds.

Ah.

Yeah, that makes sense.

But among the group, there was one person missing.

"Where's Outer Shadow Sixshot?" I asked.

74-M poked my shoulder.

"Something happened to him during his scuffle with R68. We suspect he may have suffered from a trauma attack when one of R68's Dolls wielded a fake Bolt Carbide to harness his psychological weaknesses. I fear that of all the Shadows, Galeo Ixian may be the most unfit due to his past in Tiamar."

My eyebrows knit together in concern.

"Galeo..."

M74 pulled me to her seat, forcing me to kneel beside her.

"Your focus should be on your own problems. Ero-Gunman."

"IRK!"

Footsteps echoed across the room which caused the commotion to die down.

From the shadows, a tall man approached the front, flanked by a Doll who was wearing an eyepatch.

"Who's the girl next to Hellion?" I whispered.

"Outer Shadow A0, our ace," 74-M replied.

"Ace...?"

"Yes. Similar to how you are Inner Shadow Gasket's Ace. In our case, Zero-A is the greatest of all of us. She was the first to be recruited by Master Hellion and was the first to be rebuilt. In terms of rating, she is considered High Tier S~ Rank."

I inspected Zero-A, noting down the gear she had on.

Minus the missing eye, it was like she had her loadout honed down for mid-range combat.

"Is she a front-line fighter?" I asked.

"None of us are, but in terms of being on the field, 0-A is responsible for leading her task force on offensives. She's also one of the very few Dolls who are permitted to fight alongside Master Hellion. That's the level of skill and command she has. As you may have guessed, Master Hellion prefers to keep us from fighting aggressively since we aren't equipped to do so."

Zero-A stood by Jay's side and started the meeting.

"Incident brief commencing."

One of the Dolls leaned forward.

"Another cell has been destroyed?"

"Five cells."

I sensed a wave of uneasiness ripple across the assembly.

"Master Hellion, we need to withdraw our level of aggression. Maybe a guerilla approach?" T92 suggested but was cut off by A0 with a glare.

"If we lean on guerilla warfare even further than we have, we are providing Loyce with more of a reason to push his forces even further. What we have is the best we can do."

"Our sisters are being slaughtered out there by those Demon Lords! Five cells?! We're down to thirty-eight units now! We can't keep pushing like this. It hasn't even been two months and we've lost 24 percent of us... even if we are talking about strategy this is killing us!"

Jay slammed his hand against the table, causing T92 to sink back in her chair, her face filled with bewilderment.

"We continue with what we are doing."

T92 stared at the Inner Shadow with disbelief.

"Yes sir," She muttered.

Jay tapped on a console in front of him, bringing up a number of statistics on the hologram in front of us.

"If we go with heavier guerilla tactics, A0 is right. We're givin' Loyce more incentive to push his forces because he knows we're hesitant to fight back. But the recent fatalities haven't been because of Demon Lords. Or Loyce's Outer Shadows."

I clenched my fist, the image of Jekyll appearing in my mind.

"Is it the Vessels?" I asked, causing everybody to turn to me in surprise.

Jay's gaze shifted to me.

"No. They haven't tried anything yet, since attempting to fight Inner Shadow Reaper, they've realized that they aren't anywhere near ready to mount any offensives. The only threat right now is Inner Shadow Empire's forces."

"The issue is more localized than that, Outer Shadow Dainsleif. We are led to believe that we have a mole in our ranks," A0 said.

The air turned tense. Some of the Outer Shadows were sending side eyes to one another.

Even M74 looked uneasy, her grip tightening on the edge of her seat.

"A mole...? But 74, you said that Jay saved all of your lives, who would be stupid enough to betray him?" I asked.

74 didn't respond, her face pale.

Jay got up, reviewing the bodycam footage of his operatives.

The holograms captured one operation - a massive serpent in the sky which was sending waves of fire across a world and demolishing buildings left and right. From the distance, a Tactical Doll waved a signal and unleashed several mortars which damaged the serpent's hide, with several Dolls flanking the creature and shooting restraining webs.

"This was an offensive led by B33. Her Dolls were responsible for subduing Demon Lord Duriel. The process went smoothly, with the task force being able to neutralize the Demon Lord's commanders successively, and sending the chain of command into chaos. The group backed Duriel into a corner and forced him to enter his serpentine mode. We were close to finishing him off, but something went wrong."

Duriel roared into the sky, magic circles appearing in the clouds and sending a strange sludge to the city, swamping all the buildings, the electrical netting, and consequently, half the SFA.

"SFA Beta Unit's strategy failed instantly, and the sludge broke through their contingency. This was suspiciously well-planned for Duriel. 34-B had informed the company that Duriel was not the type to form a strategy that precise," A0 said.

One of the Dolls raised her hand.

"But... how is that enough for us to conclude that it was from our side?"

A0 swiped her hand, revealing the properties of the netting.

"The Restraint Tactical Netting circuit schematic was designed such that the current draw is highly resistant to any outside factors. The way the sludge worked was it formed a parallel circuit with the flesh-net interface, reducing the current draw of the mechanism right down to the small window we had designed it to be. A resistance value that, by natural means, would have been almost impossible to precisely achieve. Yet somehow, this sludge achieved just that."

A0 turned to Jay, who paced back and forth, a hand to his chin. I half expected him to explode and call us all jackasses or something like the typical Jay Hellion we all knew, but that facade was long gone.

What we were looking at was Inner Shadow Slipstream.

"I already know who you are. All Seeing Eye shows all. It isn't too late to speak to me about it, we can discuss it after the meeting in private."

Everybody was silent for a few seconds.

"Was it you, 74?" I blurted out.

Shit on a stick!

"HUH?!" 74 shot to her feet, her face beet red.

"How dare you accuse me of something like that? Can you not read the room?!"

"S- Sorry! I didn't mean to, my condition's worsening, and sometimes I blurt things ou- OW OW OW OW OW!" I yelped as M74 shoved the barrel of her rifle into my mouth.

"After everything, I and SFA-Muon lectured you about and you go and embarrass me in front of not just Master Hellion but Zero-A of all people?! You really are a GPITA you insufferable moron!"

"Wait! 74, calm down! We're in a meeting, you're making things worse!" I said, causing 74-M to freeze, her eyes wide in embarrassment.

My patron Doll slowly turned around to see Zero A eyeing her with a blank look.

From the corner of my vision, I could make out Annie and Bryce doing their best to try to not look like they were affiliated with me.

Thanks for the support, guys.

"As of now, I will be freezing operations," Jay said. The tension in the air tightened again.

Even A0 turned to her Inner Shadow with a look of surprise.

"How long will this last?"

"As long as it needs to. There's no point trying to force my operatives on missions if they are not in the right mindset. I could have kept the mole under wraps, but even then suspicion and intrigue would cascade amongst you girls. I'll cover all the missions until each one of you reinforces your ideals. I don't want anyone succumbing to their feelings. The fault of this mole is mine and I will accept that responsibility."

Memories of John Crassman getting his eye slashed out by Loyce appeared in my mind.

"No. Jay, are you for real? Didn't you see what happened to Reaper? You're gonna fight the entirety of Loyce's forces on your own?" I asked.

Jay removed his shades.

"74-M, reprimand your soldier."

74 slammed me into the desk, causing Bryce and Sigurd to react, but Jay held out his hand, pinning the two Auxiliary Shadows in place.

"Now I'm not gonna say this again. In here, you are a soldier, and I am your commander. Talking back to me has consequences. M74, at position."

74 closed her eyes and approached Hellion, bowing before the Inner Shadow.

"At attention, Master Hellion."

"You will be assigned cleaning duty."

I stared at 74-M, who kept her head low, but I could see that she was gritting her teeth.

"Understood. I will assign tasks to my unit according-"

"No. Only you will be doing the cleaning."

What?

"That's not fair! I was the one who spoke up against you, what does M74 have anything to do with-"

"Dainsleif!" 74-M shouted, startling me. Her eyes were bloodshot.

"You keep quiet and learn your place in this unit. Do I make myself clear?" She growled.

"Y- Yes, ma'am."

Jay crossed his arms.

"For that little emotional outburst, you will also be assigned wall patrol. Acknowledge."

"Yes, sir."

The rest of the Shadows kept quiet, but many were secretly laughing at 74-M. I could tell from the micro-movements in their faces.

They were laughing at her.

Cleaning duty and wall patrol must have been the lowest of the low.

"Meeting adjourned. Dismissed," A0 said.

And with that, we were all sent back to our respective residences.

I followed Outer Shadow M74 back to her residence, but the entire time, she refused to talk to me.

Or even look at me.

Despite that, I knew exactly what she looked like. All of her movements and her body language, as much as she tried to contain it, was immediately obvious to me.

74-M was devastated.