He Saves Gods as a Man II

The Millennium Medusa

Two years ago

"Beta squad. Report." I whispered into my coms unit.

"..."

"Beta squad!" I repeated myself.

"B- Beta squad... acknowledged." Bryce grumbled.

"Gamma squad! Gamma squad! Move in!" I said.

"Gamma squad, moving in. Assassinating all lifeforms irrelevant to mission objectives." Sigurd replied.

"Gamma squad. No killing people. Also, go get your CPU checked with Master Jun after this." I replied.

"Charlie squad. Move in. Move in."

X8 nodded.

"Acknowledged."

BOOF.

I peeked from behind my cover.

"Charlie squad reporting. Charlie squad stuck. I repeat. Charlie squad is too big to fit."

"You... don't have to repeat yourself." I muttered.

Charlie Squad was now incapacitated.

This mission was going to go haywire soon.

I had to do it.

"Delta Squad! It's all up to you! Delta Squad!"

No reply.

"Delta Squad! Acknowledge!"

No reply.

I got up from behind my cover and approached Sarah, who was standing in the corner, her arms crossed.

"What are you doing, Delta Squad?!" I squeaked.

Sarah glared at me.

"I am not Delta Squad. I am Sarah Ultear!"

"Why aren't you in position?!"

Sarah threw her coms unit, a walkie talkie, on the ground.

"Because I look stupid!" She said, her face bright red in embarrassment.

"Come on.... Sarah. Don't be like that. The fate of Team Aaron rests on this mission!"

Sarah raised an eyebrow, turning towards the bowl of candy that was sitting in Outer Shadow Ernest Wang's room.

"Does it really?"

A vein popped on my forehead.

"Yes! Yes it does! After all... once we steal his precious limited edition Cherry Coke flavoured Jawbreakers, we can hold it for ransom. I'll have Outer Shadow Gjallarhorn in the palm of my hand to control! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Sarah gave me an extremely disappointed expression.

"Aaron! Aaron! Jubilee Squad has secured the loot!" June said happily in my coms unit.

"June!!!" I gushed.

"I knew I could always count on you!"

I ran to June's position, as Sarah rolled her eyes.

"June!!! My favourite Auxiliary Shad-"

Ernest gave me an annoyed look, as June popped a jawbreaker in her mouth, her eyes lit up happily.

"Mmm! Yummy! Thank you, Outer Shadow Gjallarhorn!"

Ernest patted June's head.

"No prob. But next time Outer Shadow Dainsleif drags you into his antics, you can always say no."

June shook her head.

"It's okay. I really like spending time with him. It's always so much fun!"

"Fun you say..." Ernest glared at me, as he pulled out his pole arm.

"Wanna see a trick, kid?"

June's eyes lit up.

"Mmhm!"

"Fantastic. For this trick, I'm going to turn this red eyed asshole into a shish kebab in 0.00001 seconds."

I staggered back.

"Ehhhh heheheheh.... Now Ernest... there's no reason to resort to violence! Hahaha.... Auxiliary Shadows! Retreat! Re- eh?"

I turned around to see Sarah leading the rest back to the Shadow Minions.

"Thanks for the candy, Ernest."

"Thank you, Gjallarhorn."

"Be sure to kill- er I mean take care of Bossman for us. Gonna hit up some 2K."

"Always an honour to be blessed with the Master of Da Sheng Men." Sigurd bowed, as everybody left me alone.

I laughed nervously at Ernest, who's body began emitting tremendous pressure.

"Um... this is probably a bad time to say this... but I also accidentally set your slice of life manga collection on fire."

"Which one?" Ernest's eyes somehow flashed even more dangerously.

"Um... would you believe me if I said... all of them? Ha. Ha. Hahaha..."

Da Sheng Men - NIMBUS STRIKE

"Wait... wha... that's not where a pole arm is supposed to go! YAAAAAAH!!!!" I screamed.

That day, June had to drag my barely conscious ass out of Gjallarhorn's barracks.

"Congratulations, Aaron! Mission success! We acquired the jaw breakers!" June said, enthusiastically.

"M- Mission... success...." I muttered.

I sat down gazing at the distance of Master Jun's realm.

"Ah man... if only his realm didn't literally look like Cybertron, it would be a nice place to settle down."

June sat in front of me, her big round eyes full of curiosity.

"Settle down? What do you mean by that?"

I scratched my chin, taking a sip from my water bottle.

"Ermmm... it sorta means choosing to just spend the rest of your days with someone you love. All day. Every day."

And have kids.

Of course I wouldn't tell a literal fourteen year old girl that.

June blinked.

"Wouldn't that mean you've settled down with me?"

PFOOOO.

I spat all my water onto the ground, still trying to process what this little girl just said.

"Ah. No this is different."

June handed me a paper towel, as always, whenever I spilled my drinks.

I took it, wiping my face.

"How so? Why won't you settle down with me?"

"D-Don't worry about it." I got up nervously, stretching my arms.

June's facial expression...

The subtle facial cues...

Was she disappointed?

I really didn't wanna verify it, but...

"Besides... settling down also means having kids. Wouldn't that seem wei-"

"I don't mind."

"Heh?"

June looked at me adamantly, pressing her hands to her chest.

"I... I don't mind. As long as you don't mind being with me! I'll do my best!"

I desperately tried to change the subject.

No no no.

This was beyond messed up.

She's fourteen... no. Technically she's thirteen dude. The legal age for marriage and... um.. the "naughty naughty" in Amerada was sixteen. But even then it felt wrong being with someone four years younger than me.

I got on one knee and patted her head.

"Come on, June. We both know you're too young. I'm seventeen and you're thirteen."

"I'm fourteen! I turn fourteen in two weeks!"

June pouted, and my heart felt warm.

Was this...

Sort of how Will and Nora felt whenever they dealt with my tantrums?

I chuckled.

"You're doing more than enough as it is."

June looked away, before putting a hand to her mouth and smiling.

"Of course I would... No matter what they say. I'll do my best to make sure you're the best Outer Shadow in the Black Legion. So please continue taking care of me!"

Present Day

"Aaron! Hey Aaron!"

My eyes fluttered awake, and to my disbelief, a familiar little girl appeared before me. Her smile radiating with kindness and light.

"June...? You're... you're alive..." I gasped, when suddenly, the little girl frowned.

"Oh." I muttered.

"Why did you call me 'June', Aaron?" Sakura asked.

She had somehow climbed onto my bed and was pummelling my chest with those tiny hands of hers like some messed up mutant spidermonkey.

"Nothing." I grumbled, getting out of the bed and leaving the room Diana had provided me in Andropol.

Sakura skipped alongside me. She had undergone another growth spurt. I was told by Diana that deities tended to age a lot faster in childhood, this aging would slow as they matured over time.

"Today, Diana taught me how to count. She's been teaching me lots of things while you were gone. I made you a bracelet while you were with your Auxiliary Shadows on mission."

"That's nice, Sakura."

Sakura stopped walking as I found myself walking alone.

"Aaron. Do you not like me?"

I paused, my heart racing.

"Ah. No. It's not like that."

"Then... why are you always leaving me on my own?"

I turned my head to see Sakura gripping a small homemade bracelet in her hands. My mind momentarily flashed to June standing there with her stuffed bear backpack.

I breathed deeply.

"It's... it's not your fault. I'm just not ready to take care of you."

"But Lord Bishamonten told me-"

My anger flared.

"Bishamonten didn't know what the HELL he was talking about. He was the reason I ended up like this!" I snapped, causing Saki to put a hand to her mouth. She was trying hard not to cry, and I knew.

But there was just too much history between me and Bishamonten and Avara... and June...

Of course Sakura had nothing to do with it.

I knew that more than anyone!

But...

I breathed heavily, trying to stabilize myself in the dark hallway. The lights that were illuminating it were only the candles that lined the sides.

"I'm too FUCKED UP to look after someone. To be a parent. You're better off staying here with Diana and being protected by the army of Andropol. It's for your sake, Sakura. That you don't end up in my world."

"But... that's not true! My predecessor's memories... I knew. And Lord Bishamonten told me about your past! You were just like me. You were on the run! We both lost someone important to us... we... you're just like me, you know how I feel!"

"Just because I know how you feel doesn't make me any more suitable to look after you than someone who is qualified to be a parent." I shot her down, not realizing the impact of my words.

Sakura gripped the bracelet, tears running down the side of her face.

"Why did you save me that day... when I was hunted by those wolves... why did you save me in the snow. YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT ME TO DIE!" She screamed, hurling the bracelet at my chest.

"I HATE YOU! I WORKED SO HARD FOR THAT BRACELET BUT YOU DON'T EVEN CARE!"

The bracelet clattered on the ground, as my mind flashed to when June's mother had thrown the stack of money bills at my chest. The money that I had been requested by Jun to deliver to her, following her world's customs.

I watched as Sakura ran off, sobbing. I stood in the darkness, unable to process anything.

I couldn't even say anything back...

Or even discern whether or not saying anything was a good idea.

I knelt down and picked up the bracelet, gritting my teeth.

The illustrations on it...

Were the same illustrations of the drawings and artwork of the walls in my old orphanage. Memories that I had spent with Will and Nora.

Sakura really went through Avara's memories... trying to turn dark memories into something light.

I summoned a red magic circle, putting the bracelet into it.

"She really sees you as her guardian. You know. Even when you spend so much time neglecting her. She refuses to see it that way. That's how much you mean to her, Aaron."

I got to my feet, turning to Diana Eustansia Avarice, who's Queen robes dragged elegantly across the ground. The glint of her crown shining, reflecting the light off the candles.

"I can't. I just... can't..." I muttered.

"I know."

Diana walked by me.

"But as someone who was neglected by her family. I understand how painful it is. The pain of desperately trying to cling onto the love of a parent, when everything is against you. The weight of being the one to end the legendary bloodline of Avalon."

"Your circumstances are different. Being born a girl wasn't in your control."

"And what of Sakura? Do you think she wanted to be a reincarnation of Avara? The Goddess who would forever be known as the one who mercilessly slaughtered a group of orphaned children? If she really embraced her circumstances, then why would she change her name to Sakura Hope?"

I clenched my fist.

"I won't tell you how to proceed with Sakura. I just wanted to tell you how it is. You sure like your facts, don't you? God-Eater?"

Diana smirked.

"You're the least queen-like queen I've ever seen in my life!" I snapped.

"A queen's gotta relax once in a while! Anyway. I can't dilly daddle for too long. I have to look over a heap of reports.... UGH!"

Diana left the hallway.

I left the castle and walked across the city of Andropol.

Adventurer squads were entering and leaving the city borders.

Ever since Nyx was defeated, citizens of Andropol had pleaded to Diana for the opportunity to use magic to grow stronger, becoming adventurers to ensure she alone would not be the only one to defend the city.

Though reluctant, as she cherished her people, she eventually obliged.

Now we had groups of adventurer teams forming all over the place, even an adventurer's guild too.

"HA! HA! HA!"

I glanced over at a group of recruits who were practicing their sword strikes.

A part of me got excited. After all (don't tell anyone this), MMO's still held a special place in my heart.

I actually have been playing them in secret whenever Annelise was at school, and everybody else was asleep.

Seeing Andropol like this was definitely a treat for my nerdy eyes.

"Yo."

I turned to the voice, to see a young man wearing a familiar Eagle's jacket. A black coat was draped over his jacket, crimson accents similar to the Victorian era, the sleeves running down his sides.

"Bryce! Shouldn't you be back at Philly?" I asked.

"Just taking a break. You know them shorties were missing me." Bryce laughed.

Sure they did.

Bryce looked over at the recruits who were training.

"Andropol really stepping up their military huh."

"Yeah." I said, glancing over at him.

It was hard to imagine this was the same kid who used to coop up in his room all day playing 2K, ignoring missions and being a loser.

Ever since the ordeal with his mom in Philadelphia, Bryce had glowed up.

He had a new sense of self and identity.

From the Eagles Varsity Jacket, to the bat with all the names of the residents in Philly written on it, to his father, Tevin "The Machine Gun" Jones' bandanna draped around his neck like a scarf...

Bryce "Hellsing" Jones was setting new records in life, rather than in video games.

I HATE YOU! I WORKED SO HARD FOR THAT BRACELET BUT YOU DON'T EVEN CARE!

I sighed.

"Bossman. You don't look too hot."

"How could you tell? Please don't tell me you learned how to read people from me too."

"No. Your scent."

I irked, shifting away from him.

"My what now?!"

Bryce raised his hands.

"Wait! It ain't how it sounds. Ever since my vampire powers manifested all my senses have been dialled to eleven. Your blood, it just gave off the scent that you looked kinda... down."

"Yeah. Just a little down in the dumps is all. Whatever."

"I won't ask. As long as you don't wanna share, bossman." Bryce said, adamantly.

"Thanks man. I appreciate it."

Bryce put a hand on my shoulder.

"I know a thing that can cheer you up. I actually came here to deliver you the good news."

"Good news? What are you talking about?"

Bryce smiled evilly, his eyes flashed a vampire red momentarily.

"Shhh... Sarah don't know..."

What exactly was this moron getting me into?

Bryce and I sat through a training session with several recruits.

"Listen, Bryce. I appreciate the sentiment. But how lame of a boss do you think I am? Watching newbies learn to fight is about as fun as listening to Sigurd giving her neuroscience presentations."

"Just wait, homie. You gotta be patient."

"HA! HA! HA!"

My eye twitched in annoyance.

"Is this because I invited you out to cheesesteaks? You know I don't roll this way. There's nothing I find attractive watching sweaty ass dudes learning how to handle sticks, man."

"Spread your legs out more. Your center of gravity is completely off!" A woman's voice said, sternly.

Heh?

A woman?

I slowly turned my head, as my jaw dropped.

A tall, curvaceous woman walked past the recruits, inspecting their form.

Her blonde hair dancing with her strides.

"No way... no friggn way!!!!" I squealed.

"Heheheheheh.... now you know why I didn't wanna get Sarah involved. Loyce's former shawty is a guest instructor today!"

I gave Bryce a grim and serious expression.

"Extremely well done. Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing. You have been promoted to my First Lieutenant."

Hellsing nodded, giving me a salute.

"With pleasure, Outer Shadow Dainsleif."

"Indeed."

We continued watching Vicki giving out the class. The way she would lean to one side, exposing her curves...

"Um... please forgive me... but I do believe this is considered... immoral. Outer Shadow Dainsleif. Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing." A young boy whimpered.

"ZIP IT, ROBBIE." Bryce and I snarled.

"SORRY!" Robbie cowered in fear.

Bryce grabbed X8's human form by the collar.

"Oy. You tryna SNITCH on yo own boys? We got a tradition we like carrying out to SNITCHES in the hood. Want a crash course?" Bryce bared his fangs at Robbie Fernandez, who looked like he was about to piss himself.

"Yeah! Tell em, Bryce!" I cheered him on, when suddenly, my danger signals spiked.

The three of us froze.

What was that menacing chakra?

It was on the level of John Crass-

"Aaron... I turn my back for a few hours, and here you are laying eyes on another woman." Sarah growled, murderously.

"AAAH!" I screamed, falling flat on my ass before Sarah Ultear, who's hand was hovering over the hilt of her legendary Hero sword, Ygviil.

"You scum... just because a woman shows skin does not give you an excuse to lay your lecherous eyes on her! What is so appealing of a belly shirt anyway!"

"I mean... you're technically wearing a belly shirt right now..." Bryce muttered.

"HUH?!" Sarah snarled at Bryce, her face like a rabid animal. Her straight, silky purple hair fluttered wildly in response to her new rage fuelled chakra aura.

"Eek!" Bryce whimpered, hiding behind Robbie, who quickly materialized into his robot form and going into Armadillo Mode, curling up into a steel ball.

Sarah grabbed me by the collar, lifting me up with monstrous strength and bringing her face close to mine.

"Am I not good enough for you..."

"N- No! I mean! I have preferences is all..."

Smooth... Aaron! You SS Ranked Dumbass!

Sarah clenched her teeth, as Bryce and Robbie had completely buried themselves into the dirt.

Real helpful, you guys!

Suddenly Sarah looked away.

"I... I can do it too, you know. I can show skin." She muttered.

"Wha-"

Sarah put me down, as she undid the zipper to her belly shirt, revealing her black sports bra.

"What... what do you think...?" Sarah asked, quietly, giving me a shy glance. Her blush deepened.

My nose trickled with blood as she glared at me, shocked.

"You- you pervert! Why do you have a nosebleed?!"

"Me?! Why did you undo your zipper like that! You have your knockers wide open for me to see!"

"B- Because... because...! UGH! I HATE YOU."

Sarah swung her fist, as it completely demolished a nearby training dummy, reducing it into ashes.

My jaw hung open.

Normally an angry punch in cartoons would just send a training dummy flying.

Sarah hit the training dummy so hard it completely decimated the thing into oblivion, leaving behind a burn mark on the ground as if a F-22 Raptor launched an artillery blast at it.

Sarah breathed heavily, as we all stood there awkwardly.

"Outer Shadow Dainsleif." Vicki interrupted us.

Sarah yelped, fumbling with her zipper as she hid behind me.

"Outer Shadow Onyx. To what do I owe this boner- I mean pleasure."

Vicki regarded us.

"I... I apologize for taking refuge here. It... it wasn't something I would imagine myself doing. Please excuse me burdening on Queen Avarice's kingdom."

"Hey. Don't beat yourself up over it. No one would have expected Loyce to do something like that. And you trying to protect Yeling. Honestly, I get it. He means that much to you, right?" I asked.

"Bro... your girl is right over there... you can't act like no simp in front of Lady Vicki man." Bryce whispered.

Sarah clenched her fists, but took a deep breath, calming herself and approached Vicki.

"Outer Shadow Onyx. With the admonishment of Inner Shadow Loyce Hal from The Black Legion, what has become of his Outer Shadows?"

Vicki looked away.

"They've disbanded. We're... we're split. Some of us still believe in the ideals of The Black Legion. But most of Master Loyce's followers have sided with him. And I know full well why. Master Loyce meant so much to each and every one of us. Just as Inner Shadow Jun Gasket means a lot to you all. It is the same with Loyce. To know he had been against the organization this entire time... it hurt. A lot."

"But it's all for Yeling though. He's fine, right?"

Vicki managed a weak smile.

"Y- Yes. Hakah and Yeling are training together. I... I never knew Yeling could smile like that before. Perhaps I was never meant to be."

"Vicki..."

Vicki was really good at hiding her emotions.

But not this time.

It looked like her entire world had been ripped from under her feet.

She really was in love with Yeling.

I never expected something like this from the feared Millennium Medusa.

"So... what's your plan, Vicki?"

"I must support Yeling. With whatever I have, of course. I won't stop until I get Kon Larum and his wife, Rya the Celestial on our side. He is our trump card, alongside you, Dainsleif, in fighting against Master Loyce. As much as I hate it, I cannot agree with what he is doing. All of this... all of this was for his benefit. That alone I don't have a problem with, but his end goal... his end goal is what I cannot accept."

I looked at my Auxiliaries, who were ready for battle.

"Well. For the time being. Why not stay with us for a bit?" I said, grinning.

Vicki's eyes widened.

"What?"

"You heard me." I walked up to my Auxiliaries, putting my arms around them.

"Right here. These guys have already been putting in the work to get stronger for the sake of taking on Loyce. I can confidentially say Sarah and Bryce here have surpassed even you!"

Vicki blinked.

"That's... that's not possible... how can an Auxiliary Shadow reach the rating of S Rank?"

Bryce chuckled.

"Shorty, you ain't seen nothing yet. We gon keep gettin stronger for Aaron's sake. No matter what. That's what it means to support a bossman as incredible as he. If ya wanna get stronger, ya gotta get stronger together."

Vicki gazed at the distance.

"Together..."

I reached out my hand.

"Vicki. Let me guess, this entire time, you've been trying to get stronger all on your own. Since Fenrir, Tourmentus, and the Demon Lords chose to be on Loyce's side. You've been alone. Am I right?"

Vicki looked away.

"So what about it? In a battle, it is your strength that gets added to the team. Your strength. Independence is just as important as-"

"And just how well did that work for you?" I asked.

Vicki clenched her teeth.

"I... I cannot... join forces with another faction..."

"But you're not even part of Loyce's gang anymore." I retorted.

"Even so... we parted ways on relatively respectful terms. The last thing they would want is to see me team up with-"

"With Dainsleif, right?"

We spun around, as Sarah shoved Vicki out of the way, deflecting the strike of a cleaver.

Thunder and lightning sparked outwards violently.

"Well what do you know. A Hero." A man smiled crazily from within the bangs of his wild hair.

Sarah gritted her teeth, shaking from the tremendous effort of keeping up the clash with the mystery man.

Only he wasn't much of a mystery.

The rune of Vala was implanted on each of his cleavers, and that wild expression... I recognized it from the rumours.

A man who got stronger from getting more and more damaged.

The very definition of guts and glory.

"I will not let you harm Onyx. Even if you are a Hero just like me." Sarah seethed.

"Just like you? Bitch. We are nothing alike. I am the Legendary Hero of the Dual Cleavers, Tourmentus. Unlike you, I defeated my world's Demon Queen. You needed the help of your SS Ranked boyfriend! Don't EVER think we're alike!"

Sarah hesitated, the shot clearly affecting her, as Outer Shadow Andrew Tengen slammed his knee into her chin, then kicked her in the chest, sending my Auxiliary away.

Tengen dropped to the ground, as I had already summoned my Draugr, about to fire, but black tendrils surrounded me, which manifested the shape of wolves.

"You're protecting Harriet. That means you are Master Loyce's enemy. After all, Harriet betrayed us for Despair."

My eyes widened as a wolf leapt at me in close range within the shadows, snarling, its fangs in full view, but Bryce grabbed the monster with one hand, baring his own fangs and roaring a vampiric roar, chomping down on the side of Outer Shadow Tommy Riordan.

Riordan growled, trying to fight back Bryce, as the two tumbled out of the way.

Vicki was frozen.

"No... everyone... I didn't mean to..."

"Invaders spotted at the gate! It's an entire legion of Furies!" The scouts shouted, as Andropol rallied their troops.

"They've breached the wall! They've taken to the skies."

A mass legion of furies filled the skies, their wings outstretched and in full view. But one figure was engaging the entire Demon Queen army alone, firing barrages of missiles and lasers like a one man military.

Robbie was holding back the armies of Loyce's subordinate Demon Lords and keeping them from overwhelming Andropol's army.

But from the center, the horde parted for a Fury who's wings were much larger than the rest.

On her head was a silver crown, and her unitard was decorated with silver shining accents.

Demon Lord Freya Althuum.

Freya glared at Vicki from the distance.

"How could you go against Master Loyce, Harriet. After everything he has done for our sake, you still have such little faith in our Inner Shadow?" She said.

Vicki stood frozen.

"Frey... I never meant to betray you all. This is all for the sake of-"

"For him. Right?" A man with two shining angel wings appeared before us, his sword outstretched.

I slipped out of the way, but the man managed to catch Vicki in the side, as her eyes widened. Completely taken off guard.

"Look at you. The Millennium Medusa. Your concentration has been broken. Look what Yeling Mah has done to you! This isn't love. This is corruption. He's ruined one of Master Loyce's most Complete Outer Shadows!" Demon Lord Erafil snarled.

I summoned my MP7 and fired a clip of bullets at Erafil, who deflected it off of one of his wings.

"Vicki. Fall back. You need to regain your bearings, otherwise you'll be dead weight!" I said, shielding Vicki from Freya and Erafil.

I aimed my Draugr at Erafil, who brought his wing up again to shield himself, but I fired right through the crevice, the bullet bouncing and deflecting off of the wall of the city, the reflected trajectory slamming into the Fallen Angel's back.

Erafil sputtered blood, stumbling forward, as I shot inwards.

Convocatio and Augmentus - Fast Casting

Convocatio - Grenade Summoning: Electrocution Disks, Binding Webs

I pressed the disks against Erafil, as the Angel shuddered from the enormous current.

I pushed myself back, flipping in the air.

Convocatio - Ultimate Ironsight 55XHPS Version 5

I reached into my magic circle, while flipping and setting the switch to "PIERCE MODE".

I took aim, focusing on the weak spot I had identified when firing at Erafil with my SMG earlier.

I pressed the trigger, as a red streak Destreum bullet shattered Erafil's feathers, piercing him right through the shoulder..

"GAH!"

Erafil glared at Freya, who flapped her wings, shooting to my direction with ridiculous speed.

"Dainsleif. I know you. You may be SS Ranked, but you are still a human. Even with Electricity Magic, you cannot keep up with my speed!" She said, closing in with deadly momentum.

Of course.

I figured.

The Queen of the Furies would never rush blindly into fights. She was the type of Demon Lord who cared for her people and fought her battles through tactics.

It was a shame that she would become my enemy.

Freya clenched her teeth, her eyes wild as she flew to my direction, but was suddenly halted dead in her tracks.

"WHA-"

I smiled sinisterly, my face an inch away from hers.

A look of realization dawned on her face.

"Bindings!"

I pressed my Draugr's barrel to her forehead.

"We don't take lightly to traitors to the Black Legion. And as I expected, you're still the same old Demon Queen I used to make fun of in The Black Legion. S Rank. Vala's blessing doesn't enhance Demon Lords, since y'all are the furthest from Hope there is!" I snarled, about to press the trigger, but my instincts suddenly spiked up.

Vicki cried out in pain.

From the corner of my eye, Erafil had impaled the Outer Shadow with his Skysword, blood gushing out of her side.

"How did he recover so quickly?!" I gasped.

Freya glared at me.

"Your initial hypothesis was correct about some of us. The Blessing of Vala cannot possibly enhance those of Demon and Monster blood to the degree of a Demon Lord. But Demon Lord Erafil is different. He is an Angel. He now ranks Low Tier SS Rank. Enough to dispatch the traitor."

"Tch!" I said, as I spun to assist Vicki.

Erafil had launched an assault at Vicki, who summoned her Perfect Balance ability, enhancing her body with a white glow from the Skyworld.

Celestial Scabbard - ARMOR OF ATHENA

Glowing white highlights arced throughout her body, running down her arms and thighs, as shining white armour cladded her shoulders and around her waist, lining her leggings with a scale-like plating.

"Using heavenly armour to protect yourself from an Angel's attacks? You always were the type of person to resort to cheap tactics like this as long as it guarantees victory." Erafil growled, the Skysword bouncing off of her armour.

Vicki brought her arm back.

Obsidian Ordnance - SNAKE'S GAME

A demonic black and red energy exited her arm, zig zagging violently across the world and ripping the grass and dirt apart.

Erafil went on the defensive, flying away and dodging the arc.

"This won't stop me." Erafil said, as he flapped his wings, unleashing a torrent of feathers which overwhelmed the dark energy, cutting into Vicki, who had not been concentrating enough to anticipate his next move.

Dozens of feathers embedded themselves into Vicki's arms and thighs, one of them piercing her side.

Erafil shot in again, but I spun to Vicki's direction, aiming my gun.

Light Magic - False Sword

Erafil's eyes went wide, halting himself deep in his tracks.

"No... Master Loyce erased that ability! How are you able to summon it again?!" He gasped.

"Dunno. But I do know that the nature of Noir's Cursed Demon Magic is the perfect counter to celestial beings. Wanna wager, dipshit?" I asked coldly, aiming the Thompson Contender to Erafil's chest.

"Doesn't matter how much you dodge it. Black Bullets is an area of effect. One press of the trigger and you're finished, pal."

Freya had undid her binds, but hesitated, knowing full well the effect of the Black Bullet.

"He's bluffing." A man's voice said, startling me.

ZWIFF.

"Wha-" I gasped, staring at my empty hand.

The gun I was holding was gone.

From the distance, a man in full military gear stood. A red scarf around his neck, and in one hand, was a highly advanced compound crossbow.

In his other hand, was my Draugr, the False Sword spell undone.

Suddenly, visions from three years ago flooded my mind.

A man who had overwhelmed my Auxiliary Shadows and I.

An assassination mission gone wrong.

And a gunshot which would haunt me forever.

"N- No... no way..." My voice trailed away, as the man slowly turned around.

More and more visions flooded my mind, flashing and alternating between past and present.

Why...

Why was he here...

Convocatio-

My hand fizzled with red sparks.

My magic was disabled.

To You, From Three Years Ago

SLAM.

I smashed into the ground, as before I knew it, the hand of the man was fully latched onto my face, shoving me into the dirt.

"Y- You..." Erafil stumbled back. Uncertainty washed over Freya's face.

"A- Are you going to interfere with our fight against Vicki?" Freya asked, cautiously.

The God of Warfare regarded the Demon Lords, then at me.

"This one is mine. Do as you wish with the Reincarnation."

"This won't end like last time." I snarled.

"Are you sure, God-Eater?" Jekyll asked.

I pulled out my sidearm MP7, emptying a clip at the god's face, but his hands moved at lightning fast speed.

Before I knew it, Jekyll held out a fist to my face, opening it and spilling the bullets onto my chest.

I gritted my teeth.

"S+ Rank. SS Rank. At the end of the day, the gap still remains."

WOOSH.

Jekyll hurled me into the air as I flew at supersonic speed. The sheer change in momentum churning my insides as I vomited, my eyes wide.

I smashed into the side of the castle, coughing out blood.

Jekyll appeared before me with frightening speed, as if he had suddenly teleported to my location.

"You spoke a half truth. It certainly won't be like last time."

SMASH.

My head flew right into the concrete, my skull ringing as Jekyll had slammed my head into the side of the castle.

"Because I will show my Lady just how powerful I am when I take my kills seriously."

KABOOM.

I smashed through the walls, skidding on the ground and falling down the stairs, hitting my head against the railing.

I scrambled to my feet, aiming wildly at Jekyll, firing a barrage of SMG bullets, but Jekyll zipped across the small space, dodging my bullets and creating afterimages.

Jekyll kicked me in the chest, knocking the wind out of my lungs as I flew backwards, slamming through another wall and crashing into another hallway.

I struggled to my feet, watching Jekyll approach me from the distance.

I aimed my MP7 and fired around the structural supports, collapsing down before Jekyll could close the distance.

His magic nullification...

There was a limit to it.

A weakness.

I had discovered it when I fought him the first time. But there was nothing I could do at the time.

I didn't have enough experience, my ranking was still S+.

But now...

Now was different.

I closed my eyes.

If I couldn't summon my guns with him in front of me, then the logical answer would be to fight him indirectly.

There was no time to summon everything. I had to summon whatever I could in this split second before Jekyll destroyed the barricade.

Convocatio and Augmentus - Fast Casting

Convocatio: Destreum ACR 6.8 Black Dot Sight, Spitfire AX5, Predator Launcher VX, Ultimate Ironsight 55XHPS Version 5

Convocatio Ammunition Summoning

I slung all of my firearms over my shoulder, my sidearms to my thighs, and my projectiles to my sides.

I took out my assault rifle, switching on the Black Dot Sight, sprinting towards cover as Jekyll decimated the barricade.

I leaned to one side, narrowly dodging an arrow from Jekyll's crossbow.

BEEP. BEEP.

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

I ripped the arrow from the rock and threw it back at the god, who swatted his hand, causing the arrow to explode violently.

Jekyll pulled out a SMG and fired, as I ran for it, hiding behind cover and tossing several smoke grenades and one flashbang grenade.

"Don't you know better than to try that on someone like me?" Jekyll asked, catching the flashbang and throwing it back, but suddenly, I popped out of my cover, aiming my Black Dot Sight and precisely shooting the grenade before the god could let go, causing the flash bang to unleash a blinding white light.

I turned back to the god, switching my AR magazine with Anti-Magic Rounds.

I had to disable his magic-nullification.... erm... magic.

That was one of the many headaches I had to deal with to fight on even grounds with someone at this calibre.

Out of all the gods I've faced...

The God of Warfare, Jekyll, was by far the worst.

Because he was basically like me.

But better.

I began firing, the bullets racing towards the god, but Jekyll stomped his foot, unleashing a shockwave which blew the bullets and me back.

I smashed into a concrete column, my head spinning.

Jekyll materialized in front of me, aiming his crossbow to my face, but I pulled out my Draugr, shooting at the small winding mechanism on the crossbow machine with a Napalm Round.

The weapon was engulfed with flame, causing Jekyll to grit his teeth, annoyed.

I pulled out another grenade from my belt, tossing it as it exploded into a toxic gas.

The flame of the napalm increasing its spread.

"Not bad." Jekyll muttered, coughing.

I slipped on my gas mask, pulling out my MP7. I began running across the castle, flanking, shooting, and taking cover.

Jekyll coughed and retched, dodging the bullets and blasting to the other side of the grand hall, running across the perimeter alongside me.

The two of us exchanged gunfire with our respective submachine guns.

I hid behind a column, as another wave of gunfire ripped the concrete apart.

I breathed heavily, calculating in my head.

From running around, I already memorized the architecture of the Grand Hall.

I took out my Ironsight, loading two bullets and encasing them into one bullet chamber.

The one in the front had a slit at the back for the other to rest on when fired.

I aimed down the spot with the sniper's scope, and fired.

The bullet ricocheted off of the surfaces like a game of snooker, as it raced towards the god.

From the reflection, I could make out Jekyll casually slicing the bullet with a knife, but to his disbelief, another one was right behind it.

"You little shi-"

The bullet slammed Jekyll right in the shoulder, as I felt my magic get restored.

Now was no time to mess around.

There was only a split second to finish this.

I concentrated, all my rage, and pain, from when Jekyll had tormented June and my team.

Then of Sarah... who embraced me every night to try to make me feel better.

If I was gonna honour June's memory, I didn't have to just protect my friends.

I had to kick this god's ass.

ASURA'S PENALTY

I stomped my foot, generating four extra arms from my back, as my body emitted a ferocious blue chakra aura.

TRIGRAMS

THIRTY SIX HANDS

"RAAAAAAAAH!" I roared.

Advanced Lightning Magic - COSMIC AUGMENTUS

Advanced Convocatio: THIRTY SIX FOLD THOMPSON CONTENDERS

I assumed my stance, six Thompson Contenders housing Anti-Hope Bullets loaded in each one, as I shot forward with immense speed, firing each one at Jekyll.

Jekyll swatted his hands, but the bullets slammed into the god's chest, sending him backwards.

I chased after him in a feral rage.

Jekyll aimed his crossbow, as I split off into three astral projections, each summoning a Caliga Anti-Aircraft heavy weight rifle.

The arrow zipped past one of my Chakra spectres.

Jekyll grimaced, pulling out a shotgun, as he took aim at all three of us.

Advanced Light Magic - False Legacy

I burst to the ground at light speed, allowing the shotgun blast to decimate my afterimage.

I brought my foot back, six barrels of the Caliga's rifles aimed at Jekyll from different positions.

I roared, firing and resisting the recoil of six explosive Destreum rounds as they slammed into Jekyll's back, sending him crashing through the roof.

"You bastard. Just who do you think you're messing with? There isn't a single bounty I hadn't completed. Until you came along."

My eyes widened, as I turned around to see Jekyll, who had teleported to my location instantly. His face leaking with blood.

"You're not the only one who fights smart. Now that I have a lock on your chakra, I know exactly where you are. Blinding tactics won't work on me."

Jekyll recoiled his fist and threw it, as I dodged, but Jekyll grinned, changing the direction of the punch and smashing it to the side of my face.

I spat out blood as I smashed through wall after wall, collapsing on the ground.

My vision turned blurry, as I felt a sudden pain in my head.

Something broke.

I held out my hand.

Convocatio - Turricalum Grand Fleet

Thousands of red magic circles appeared, but Jekyll brought his foot back, leaning forward and summoning a combat knife.

SHOOM.

Jekyll disappeared, as the god of warfare reduced to a series of white lines. Criss crossing across my vision at an impossible rate, cutting and slicing up each and every one of my DS34 Sanctuaries before they could even exit their magic circle.

I struggled to my feet, but collapsed, as the astral projections dissipated.

My body felt light, and my vision was getting blurrier.

My thoughts were getting slower.

And each footstep that Jekyll took to get closer to me felt like an explosion.

"Believe me. God-Eater. I don't enjoy this any more than you do." Jekyll raised his crossbow and pointed it at my head.

"Considering this is how you are going to die."

I gritted my teeth.

There was still too much for me to do.

I had to...

I clenched my fist.

But would Frenzy Mode even work on this guy?

It worked last time didn't it?

But with my body at this state...

Frenzy Mode might well kill me before Jekyll did.

Jekyll materialized in front of me, as I aimed my Draugr, but the god ripped the gun out of my hand and slammed his fist into my stomach.

I vomited blood, but managed to slip out of the way and launch a punch of my own, connecting with the god's face.

His head snapped back, but he didn't look at all harmed.

"Pfft." Jekyll cracked his neck, delivering another flurry of punches at me.

I pulled out my firearms to withstand the blows, which was probably not a bright move, because soon I found myself surrounded by the broken remains of all the firearms I had summoned.

I stood before the God of Warfare completely unarmed.

Jekyll cracked his fingers, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"I'm gonna beat you into fish paste." He snarled.

I gasped, my mind flashing back to the past.

I'm gonna beat you into fish paste! Will shouted at the gang members who were threatening Nora and I in the street.

Nora pulling at Will and yanking him away, scolding him for trying to start a fight with people who were obviously more dangerous than some orphaned kid.

Why...

Why did I have that memory...?

This had to be a coincidence.

SLAM.

Jekyll nearly punched my head off, as I deflected his punch with my forearms.

I flew backwards violently, smashing through the walls of a hallway and crashing into a room.

Jekyll climbed through the wreckage.

"Grrr..." I muttered.

There was no way in hell I could fight this guy hand to hand.

He was far faster than any gods I fought.

He was far stronger than any gods I fought.

And he was far smarter than any gods I fought.

It was almost like he had all of my expertise, then had it amplified through a Divine Harvard Degree with Honours and became a god level killing machine.

If fighting him meant going to the extreme, I had no choice.

Jekyll closed in and launched two punches at me.

I dodged and weaved like a boxer, my hand reaching for a frag grenade.

Jekyll's eyes flashed, noticing my hand movements, and reaching out to his face, but I flipped the pin, rotating the grenade on the palm of my hand.

Shock plastered the god's face.

"What are you-"

KABOOM.

"GRAAAH!" I roared in pain, as my entire arm jolted forward from the shockwave of the blast. I rotated my body, swinging my fist as hard as I could, using the explosion as propulsion and slamming it square into Jekyll's face.

The God of Warfare flew backwards violently, skidding with his feet as I closed in, ripping out two chunks of metal that were protruding from the destroyed walls of Diana's castle.

I jammed them into my belt and turned on the taser, gritting my teeth and resisting the agonizing pain of the electrical current.

"You're insane!" Jekyll exclaimed, as I swung my fists violently. Jekyll blocked my overhand strikes, but the current arced towards him as his face contorted in pain.

"The more you hurt me the more you hurt yourself!" Jekyll said.

"I'll do whatever it takes to fuck you up for what you did to June!" I snarled.

I launched a one two combo at Jekyll, his head snapping back.

I went low, dodging a hook and unleashed another combination of punches to his midsection as hard as I could.

The electrical current overloading my muscles and nervous system, forcing muscle contractions far beyond the limits of my body.

I could feel my bones beginning to crack, the pain overloading my body.

But my adrenaline forcing me back to the fight.

"ENOUGH." Jekyll ripped the metal knuckles out of my hands and kicked me in the face.

I smashed through the floor, descending down the castle and crashing through.

Jekyll then pulled out his SMG and fired, the bullets slamming into my body. My vision tainted with red.

I was taking gunshot wounds left and right.

The only thing keeping me awake was the sheer adrenaline coursing through my body.

I fell to the ground, rolling out of the way and knocking over a bookshelf, but Jekyll punched the bookshelf to the side, unleashing a loud explosion as the bookshelf was reduced into wood splinters, blasting a hole through the side of the castle.

Jekyll then closed in, grabbing me by the throat and smashing my body through more walls of the castle.

My vision was pretty much gone, as the two of us hurled into the throne room.

I fell before the throne of Diana Avarice, who was nowhere to be seen.

I tried to get to my feet, but fell over, all sense of balance gone.

"Your cerebellum has been crushed. You can't even stand anymore. Now I will finish the job."

Jekyll pulled out his crossbow and took aim.

Loyce's words boomed in my mind.

Your body is deteriorating, and by wielding Crassman's techniques, you are only accelerating your inevitable demise.

Fuck!

But did it look like I had a choice?

Either I used it and died later...

Or I died now.

I'd rather die later than now, when my comrades were still under attack!

I concentrated, my body glowing.

Trigrams One Gun Combination Style

I picked up a piece of rubble and aimed it at the crossbow bolt, which was flying at me.

But with the Chakra that I was now channeling, it was as if everything was in slow motion.

My senses, reflexes, and observational skills amplified significantly. Far beyond Augmentus.

DEAD EYE

I flicked my thumb, the stone splitting the bolt and smashing into Jekyll's forehead.

"What the-"

I got to my feet, Chakra now replacing the electrical signals in my brain and nervous system.

I rushed forward, dragging my fingers across the ground and ripping stone slabs out of the floor, unleashing a shockwave of dirt and rubble which slammed into the god and sending him backwards.

"Chakra?! You would even think about wielding something so taxing to your lifeforce when your body is like this?!"

Jekyll aimed his crossbow again, but I had closed in with devastating speed, grabbing his weapon with my bare hands and crushing it.

Jekyll's eyes went wide. His mouth hung open.

"N- No... her crossbow..." He muttered.

I grabbed the god by the face and slammed him into the ground with so much force, a crater formed, unleashing a shockwave which levelled the walls of the throne room.

I brought my fists back.

Asura's Penalty

I generated four spectral arms as I coated my own fists with Chakra.

BLOOD GLADIATOR

I began unleashing a relentless flurry of punches, sixfold, at Jekyll's momentarily unresponsive body, pummelling him and causing blood to explode from his mouth.

I then ripped the SMG from his other hand, generating a copy in each of my six arms, and fired at the god relentlessly, unleashing chakra laced bullets which slammed into him.

"HOW.... DARE.... YOU!!!!" Jekyll roared, grabbing one of my spectral arms, crushing it and breaking it into dozens of segments all at weird angles.

Jekyll then slammed his head into mine, sending me into the roof.

I crashed back onto the ground, my Asura projection dissipating.

I forced Chakra to course into my body, as a now unarmed Jekyll unleashed a flurry of ferocious punches at my direction. I was barely able to dodge, despite using chakra.

I slid back, forcing myself out of the fist exchange with Jekyll.

Everything that I had picked up from this guy's style...

Even after analyzing him...

I should have been able to take him down.

But no matter how much I tried to predict, how much I tried to analyze and read his movements...

He either ate all my shots, or he was able to counter.

I couldn't beat him no matter what I did...

And that wasn't the only thing.

Jekyll wiped the blood off of his mouth, rage filling his eyes.

His fist fighting style... was so familiar.

Because that style...

Was so similar to mine.

"You broke her crossbow. I will never forgive you for that." Jekyll said, menacingly.

I was going to crack a joke...

Something along the lines of "sorry I broke the birthday present your mom made", but at this point, I didn't feel like cracking any jokes.

The danger level of this guy was forcing me to take this fight 110% seriously.

"You little shit... I... I..." Jekyll grasped at the rune on his neck.

My eyes widened, as I stumbled back.

My Chakra senses were on high alert.

His power was exponentially increasing.

"She gave me that crossbow. She did. The most important person I had left gave me that. And you took it away." Jekyll whispered in my ear, as my heart skipped a beat.

He had closed in so fast, I hadn't even realized it.

Even with Chakra amplifying my senses.

SMASH.

Blood escaped my mouth, as my body crumpled in on itself.

Jekyll slammed his fist against my face, as I smashed into the throne. I tried to escape, but Jekyll grabbed my head and smashed me into the ground where the throne was.

Over and over again.

"Kill my enemies."

SMASH. SMASH. CRUNCH. CRUNCH.

"Kill them all."

CRUNCH. CRUNCH.

"For Lady Vala. So she..."

SMASH. CRUNCH.

"She will spare her... spare her life! That is my bargain!"

Jekyll lifted my heavily bloodied face from the remains of the throne.

I was sputtering blood, one of my eyes permanently closed.

I was breathing out of my mouth, but each breath felt wet with blood.

Jekyll leaned in.

"You weren't a priority. We were here to send you a warning. On behalf of Lady Vala and Great Demon Lord Loyce Hal. No matter what forces you amass. Even if you have the intel of Outer Shadow Vicki Harriet. You stand no chance. But if you want to keep meddling with their affairs, we will, without hesitation, end you all. We have already dispatched every other Outer Shadow and their Auxiliaries who tried anything. Crassman and Hellion... if they don't know their place, we will crush them too."

I coughed.

"Ah... urk..."

I knew better than to say something snarky.

As much as I wanted to kill Jekyll for what he did to June...

This "fight" was about as clear as day.

Even with Chakra control...

Even after everything I had done to improve myself and get stronger, even reaching SS Rank...

I still stood no match against the God of Warfare.

That day I had used Frenzy Mode must have been a fluke.

And even if I did have access to it, that shit would burn through the rest of my lifespan before I could stop Vala.

Even if there was still a grudge match between us, even if there was still bad blood...

I needed to know when to fall back.

"U- Understood..." I muttered.

Jekyll let go of my head as I crumbled to the ground, sliding and tumbling down the steps and watching my body fold in on itself.

I stared at the busted throne room from the cracked and destroyed floor.

Diana sure wasn't gonna be too thrilled about this.

Jekyll picked up the crushed crossbow.

"I also won't ever forgive you for what you did to this. But I know the bounds of my mission. So this is goodbye, Dainsleif."

I glared at Jekyll as he walked away.

I had to keep the anger in.

I had to keep the past in.

If I let myself give into my rage, I'll die.

No amount of rage and history with this guy will let me win this fight. This was reality.

"A- Aaron...?" A little girl said, as Sakura peeked from the entrance of the throne room.

My heart stopped.

No.

No....

Sakura gasped, tears flooding her eyes.

"Aaron! What happened! You're... you're..."

Jekyll stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes bewildered, unable to comprehend what he was looking at.

He then turned to me, the pupils on his eyes so dilated that his eyes were almost white.

A boiling rage, for beyond what he had displayed earlier, flooded me like a torrent.

"Why is she here." Jekyll whispered, each word laced with tremendous amounts of murderous intent.

Why was he so mad?!

"Wha- What do you mean...? That's... that's just a harmless little girl. She won't do anything. You came..." I burst into a fit of coughing.

Sakura watched in horror as Jekyll approached me, punching me in the face over and over again.

It was a miracle I was still even conscious.

"WHY. IS. SHE. HERE. WHY CAN I SENSE AVARA'S PRESENCE IN THIS GIRL." Jekyll roared.

Avara? Did this god know Avara?

If so, why was there so much animosity in his voice?

"Stop it! Stop bullying Aaron!" Sakura screamed, rushing forward to my direction.

"No... stay back!" I croaked, desperately, but Sakura Hope wasn't listening to me, as she shielded me with her tiny little frail body.

"Stop bullying him!" She screamed at Jekyll's face, who towered over her.

His animosity was now mixed with confusion.

"Huh?"

Sakura grabbed onto Jekyll's arm, against my desperate pleads to stop.

"Aaron is a good person! He can be mean at times! But you can't bully him, it's wrong! I don't want to see Uncle Aaron get bullied and hurt like this... so stop! Stop hurting him!"

Sakura screamed at Jekyll, tugging at his arm, as his rage began boiling over.

"Avara... Avara... You... you have the same soul signature as her... you ARE her!" Jekyll roared, bringing his fist back, but Sakura stood her ground, trembling and crying.

"NO! I won't let you hurt Aaron. He... he took care of me!"

Jekyll's fist trembled.

"What the FUCK did you just say..." He whispered, as a tear ran down his face.

I had no idea what was going on.

What was his connection to Avara?

This guy was impossible to read!

But one thing was clear.

I had to get Saki out of here. I had to...

Nothing mattered as long as Saki was safe.

"No... run Saki. Run! Jekyll... you came here to deliver the message right! I... I swear! I swear I won't interfere with you again! I admit defeat! I won't... I won't mess with you! I promise! Just don't hurt her... please! I'm begging you!" I pleaded, my voice breaking in a million different places.

Jekyll began trembling uncontrollably.

"Aaron Hope. How dare you... how dare you take in the very deity who ruined your life..."

Jekyll approached Sakura, as my mind flashed back to the very same god approaching June.

"No... don't... DON'T!" I begged, as all of the memories I had with June began folding in on itself, overloading my mind.

Then my memories of Sakura, the way she used to cling onto me.

The way she saw me as her guardian...

Because she didn't just see that part of me, that recognized her fear of being alone in the world...

But also that part of me that didn't want the same thing that happened to me... happening to her.

Jekyll raised his fist.

"It's okay Aaron. I will protect you. I... I will protect you this time. This time I will save you from Avara. I promise. I promise... I promise..."

I stared at the god.

"Wha-"

KABOOM.

"DAINSLEIF!" Robbie shouted, from within his robot form.

Assault X8 landed on the ground, his body click clacking and transforming into his golem heavy artillery mode.

"Your injuries are beyond critical. They are life threatening. I must prioritize your safety."

X8 approached Jekyll, but froze.

Jekyll glared at the combat mech, his eyes murderous.

"Robbie Fernandez. Surely you know the outcome of this. Someone as analytical as you."

X8's gears whirred, as a heavy, high powered laser formed on his back, aimed at Jekyll.

"Robbie... he has Saki... please... please don't let him take another from me... please..." I sobbed.

X8 turned to me. I couldn't tell what that robotic face was thinking, but suddenly, Robbie regained his senses, turning to Jekyll and powering his laser.

"Return Sakura Hope to Dainsleif, or you will-"

KABOOM.

My eyes widened in shock, as Jekyll suddenly materialized in front of my Auxiliary Shadow, his hand open.

It took a fraction of a second to realize he had just struck Robbie with his hand, and before I could react, X8's body shattered into a million pieces.

"ROBBIE!" I shouted, before Jekyll grabbed and yanked Sakura to a portal.

Sakura was unconscious in his arms, the shockwave that had been emitted from destroying Robbie's body having knocked her out.

"SAKURA!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, reaching out as far as I could.

No...

NO!

"Don't worry. Aaron. I will protect you from Avara. This time I will."

"GET BACK HERE YOU FUCKING GOD! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL TEAR YOU APART WITH MY OWN HANDS!" I roared, as Jekyll stepped into the portal, disappearing.

I screamed as hard as I could, guilt and heartbreak tearing my mind apart, as I blacked out from emotion.

Aaron Hope

"Your wounds are critical." A doctor said, but his voice seemed like nothing but a muffle.

"At this point, you may not be able to use your arms or legs again." Another said.

All muffle.

"Multiple aneurysms..."

"Highly susceptible to a stroke..."

"Permanent brain damage..."

"Recommended to retire altogether..."

My skin felt cold. I blinked, and all of a sudden, I was somewhere else.

In the snow.

A man was standing before a little girl, his gun in hand.

The wolves he had killed were still disintegrating, and the little girl's small dress was tattered, stained with blood, dirt, grime.

"But... you're just a mortal... how can a mortal protect a god?"

"You can say I'm no ordinary mortal. After all, you've identified me as the guy who kills gods. If a mortal can do that, I'm sure he can also protect them too. So I will protect you. Being out here sure is cold, huh."

The scene changed. The man and the little girl were now in an apartment complex.

She was sitting on a bed, sipping warm hot chocolate.

"I've had dreams. Dreams of my predecessor. Dreams of her slaughtering a bunch of children like me. And one of them, looked a lot like you. She killed two children. A boy and a girl. And they looked really close to you. And I know there isn't much for me to do... but... say I'm sorry."

My vision began to twirl, tumbling in and out of past and present.

"Killing would be wrong. Right?" A little girl's voice asked.

"Ah. You're... you're honestly so silly. You don't need to ask for my forgiveness, because you didn't do anything wrong. Whatever your predecessor did, has nothing to do with you. You're good. So keep doing good." The man replied.

My vision changed again, this time, the little girl was looking at me directly.

Her big round innocent eyes.

Even after being on the run, losing her guardian.

She looked at her guardian's killer, with eyes full of trust.

"I don't... want to be called Avara. Because the previous Avara did so many bad things and it made you sad. And probably made a lot of other people sad as well. I don't want that to be me. So... I want a different name."

The reincarnated Avara stood on top of my chest.

"From now on, I will be known as the Goddess Sakura! And you will be my first follower, Uncle Aaron!"

My vision tumbled out of reality, returning to the present. But not before Sakura's voice uttered one last request.

"Will you forgive me?"

I gasped, staring at myself in the mirror.

I was covered in bandages, one of my eyes was protected by a pad.

But a tear ran down it anyway.

I grunted, reaching out with the one arm that wasn't covered in bandages and casts, pulling my wheelchair to the edge of the nightstand. I was so injured, that even the magic of this world couldn't heal me. Sarah's magic couldn't heal me all the way either. This was as far as it got. Nanomachines were too risky, given the nature of my wounds.

There were a couple of flowers and cards.

I ran my hand over one of them.

It was from Sigurd.

Aaron.

I know right now, you most likely prefer to be alone. It is not within my right to say I can understand what you are going through. But we will always be here for you. Please. Just let me know, and I will drop everything to be by your side. I am currently searching for ways to become stronger, and I am safe. You do not need to worry about me. Trust in your friends, Dainsleif. We will always be there for you.

Sincerely,

Annelise "Sigurd" Scarlett

So she was okay.

That was great.

I ran my finger over another card.

It was a postcard, showing the view of Philadelphia. The same view that had Bryce's mural.

Written on the back...

Hey Aaron. It's Bryce.

Listen man. Take it easy. We'll be fine. Don't you worry about us. You just take it easy, okay? Don't push yourself too hard. Don't be too hard on yourself. Please.

Sitting on the edge, was a box of chocolates.

Dainsleif. I spent 46 hours searching online for the best solution to supporting a grieving comrade. However, it was a lot more difficult than I anticipated. I have much to learn. Despite this, I managed to purchase these chocolates. I also know that you are sexually attracted to tall women with distinct curvaceous features and blonde hair. So please take a look at the collage I spent fifteen hours composing of popular models in media doing highly suggestive poses. The link is provided down below.

I managed a weak smirk.

Robbie... I'm so glad you made it.

Someone knocked on my door, as it creaked open.

Sarah walked in, her eyes full of concern.

"Aaron..." She muttered, pressing her forehead against mine.

"It's..." I said.

"It's not your fault." Sarah's voice broke, as she put her arms around me.

"I promise you. It's not your fault. It isn't. So please. Don't ever think that." She whispered, gently stroking the back of my head.

Sarah reached for something behind her, and pulled out a small thermos, unscrewing the lid and pouring some liquid into it.

"Herbal soup from Kalidas. I... I prepared it for you. The doctor suggested several restrictions to your diet, and I found a recipe my younger sister used to always make that fits the requirements."

Sarah blew on the edge and lifted it to my lips.

Drinking the broth gave a warm fuzzy feeling in my body.

Sarah...

Sarah continued to pour some more, offering me the cup.

Sarah didn't know how to cook. She was always so bad at it. I always made fun of her for it, teasing how she was the least "wife-like" out of all the girls I knew.

She would always be so offended, to the point where she declared if she ever had a man, that man would be the one to cook all her meals, since that man would have the honour of marrying a Hero of Kalidas.

But here she was, giving everything she had to learn how to prepare this broth for my sake.

I drank the rest of the broth she made, as she put it away, helping me comb my hair and brush my teeth.

"Does it hurt anywhere?" She asked.

"No." I replied.

The rest of the day consisted of Sarah wheeling me around Andropol's infirmary.

I glanced at her bandages. On her eye was a new scar that ran down the side of her face and reached her chest.

I slowly reached out, as Sarah yelped.

"A- Aaron...!" She whispered, as my hand brushed across her collarbone, causing her to fluster.

"...Scar..." I croaked.

"I... I received it from fighting Tengen. He was quite a terrifying enemy. I never imagined a Hero would be so ferocious... ultimately I couldn't defeat him. I was spared after he got in an argument with Freya. My performance was unacceptable... but I will make sure to change that."

Sarah took my hand.

"But I'm fine, Aaron. I chose to fight a Hero stronger than me on my own accord. This is a path that I chose to take and will take. And I will do everything in my power to come back to you. No matter what."

Sarah got on one knee, resting her chin on my lap as I stroked her hair with my free hand.

Sarah closed her eyes, smiling.

"I'm your fiancee, after all. I want to be there for my wedding with the goofiest and silliest man I ever met."

Sarah would take care of me for the next few weeks.

She had informed me of the state of Andropol, as I slowly began to regain the ability to speak.

Vicki was shunned by all the people, for bringing harm to the city.

Diana was severely injured, as she was forced to fight Demon Lord Leon Valentine all on her own, while her soldiers were overwhelmed by Valentine's army.

Robbie had somehow survived being decimated, as he was technically just a spirit, and had been living in the form of wireless earbuds for a week. Bryce took advantage of this and used it to replace his AirPods during that time, showing off to all of his friends in Philadelphia his new "dripped out pods".

As for Bryce...

Bryce and Tommy had fought to a standstill. Vampire vs. Werewolf.

The fact that Bryce had fought toe to toe with a Vala empowered Outer Shadow shocked Riordan, who couldn't believe that Bryce had been a vampire this entire time.

I was glad all of my Auxiliaries were okay, but Diana was bedridden.

And I knew for a fact that Vicki was beating herself up for everything she had done.

"Sarah... where is Vicki now?" I asked.

Sarah helped me change out of my shirt.

"She left Andropol, after helping the city rebuild. She's in Millennium City, though she claimed she was fine, it was clear she was in insurmountable pain."

I inspected my hands. My body was still heavily bandaged. I was in no shape to stand, still in my wheelchair.

I was grateful to Sarah for caring for me.

"When I recover a bit more, I want to speak with Vicki."

"Very well."

I had recovered a bit more to go outside, as Sarah wheeled me around Andropol.

"Sarah... the doctors told me that I need to retire soon. At this rate, I won't be able to use my arms or legs ever again."

"I know. But it is your decision whether or not to keep fighting. I cannot stop you."

"I will keep fighting... but I will take better care of my body. No more of these extreme injuries. I promise you, Sarah."

Sarah gripped the handles of my wheelchair, leaning in and kissing the top of my head.

"I believe you."

We watched the sunset, as Sarah wrapped her arms around me from behind.

"We'll bring her back. Don't worry, Aaron. Sakura will come back to you."

I said nothing, closing my eyes.

I knew Sarah and the others didn't want to hurt me. But I knew just as much that I had been neglecting my responsibilities of being Sakura's guardian. Even when I had hurt her, and when I had yelled at her, swore at her face, and made her cry...

She still stood up to Jekyll, trying to defend me from him.

I didn't know what to do anymore.

I don't know what to do.

And I'm scared.

"Sarah..."

"Yes?"

"Can you take me somewhere?"

"Of course."

* * *

The orphanage had been replaced with a new building, a residential complex. A new river ran down the side of the trail.

In Amerada, a river always signified abundant life.

What an asshole move, considering the "abundant life" was most likely the bitch who damn near got me killed.

Sarah wheeled me along, as memories flashed in my mind of me playing with Will and Nora.

Growing up with the other kids in the orphanage.

"Here." I said, as Sarah stopped before a memorial full of flowers.

"Is this... a graveyard?" She asked.

"Yeah. Can you hand me the flowers?"

Sarah summoned a magic circle, taking out the flowers one by one as she helped me lay them next to each one.

Every foster sibling I had, whether or not I liked or disliked them (most of them I disliked by the way, since they called the MMO I was obsessed with a "gay ass game with the anime girls"), I spoke to their gravestone, recalling at least one thing that I enjoyed when I spent time with them.

And with every gravestone, Sarah learned of my past.

Until we finally got to the last two.

"Hey Will. Nora. I've been meaning to continue with my whole investigation on your last names. But... I've been pretty busy you know. And I haven't been visiting you often either. Damn. Look at the dirt that accumulated on your stone, Nora. How disrespectful. You could have been the next Shiel Hawkens!" I laughed, before accidentally bursting in a fit of coughing.

Shit, I was still too injured to laugh.

Sarah quickly rubbed my back, handing me a lozenge.

I stared at the stones.

"Will... and Nora... were the ones who taught me everything." I told Sarah, who sat down across from me, listening attentively.

"So... the Legendary God-Eater... the strongest Outer Shadow in all of the Black Legion. And the greatest fighter I've ever seen..."

I smiled.

"Yup. These two were my mentors. If it wasn't for these two hooligans, I wouldn't have been your Outer Shadow."

I reached out, brushing Will and Nora's gravestones.

"Will taught me how to fight hand to hand. How to be strong and fit. How to be athletic. Trigrams Combination Style... pretty much the foundation came from his way of fighting. It's not really a formal style, but for some reason, it worked for us. Will always protected me like a big brother. And I always looked up to him. When we were orphans, sometimes, we were bullied by people on the streets. Obviously. We were defenceless kids, and they could get away with whatever they wanted. But Will didn't care. He would gladly throw down for our sake, jumping into action and throwing hands. Of course, he would get in major trouble."

I put my hand on Nora's gravestone.

"And Nora taught me how to think. How to predict and analyze. How to approach a fight tactically and how to be smart. There's no way a human can fight gods and monsters with regular guns. But if it wasn't for Nora, I would still try to hack at the same tree using the same technique for years on end getting nowhere. You've always praised me as being smart and cunning, and whatnot. But... the truth is, I'm an idiot compared to Nora. Nora was a genius levels beyond me. If anything, her intelligence rivals even Master Jun's."

Sarah raised her eyebrows.

"She must have been incredible!"

I smirked.

"She better be! I expect no less from my teacher! But she never had a chance to make it big, due to her orphan status. She also... had a bad habit of stealing and making dangerous weapons. It was one of the reasons she was never picked up by anyone."

I put a hand on my chest.

"When I was little, I was... scared. A scared kid. These two took me in and taught me to be strong. Will taught me to be tough, and Nora taught me to be smart. Together, they helped me grow into a better and stronger person. In a way... I guess they were kind of like my parents almost. I always remember them during hard times and they gave me strength to go through them... but right now..."

I sighed.

"I'm... scared. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm terrified of what's going to happen to Sakura. I'm scared of the battle ahead of us. And I'm scared if I can even hold out until then. My body... my body is on its last strands. I can't keep pushing myself because I know I'm going to break soon. But this task... it's getting me to go beyond my limits. Well beyond it."

Sarah approached the gravestones and bowed.

"Master Will. Master Nora. Thank you so much for raising Aaron. He has grown up to be an incredible person."

I blinked.

"Sarah...?"

Sarah smiled.

"Though he is prone to being a troublemaker in The Black Legion. Maybe he got that from you, Nora. But some of it came from a hilarious late girlfriend of his. Sometimes he lashes out, especially when I or one of his Auxiliary Shadows gets hurt. I think he got that from you, Will."

"H- Hey! Don't go about telling them all my embarrassing things!"

Sarah giggled.

"I think they're adorable. I bet they agree too."

My face flushed.

"B- But... ah. Dammit. Of course this would happen eventually. It's inevitable for a wife to meet her in-laws at some point." I grumbled.

Sarah kissed me, and helped me replace the flowers to their gravestones.

I watered the plants and cleaned off their graves, as Sarah rested her chin on her hand, watching me intently.

I caught her smiling.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Nothing. I just... find you quite endearing when you care for things."

"Huh? I'm just brushing off Will and Nora's gravestones..."

"The little things all add up. Perhaps you do not see it yourself. But if Will and Nora were here, they would be so proud of the person you had become."

I looked away.

"Someone who left behind a trail of bloodshed and hatred, hands stained with blood, and now covered in bandages. I'm sure they're real proud parents."

"Killing in itself is nothing to be proud of. It's the act at which you would go to such extents. Isn't that what you told Bryce?"

I stared at her.

"I..."

Sarah stroked my face.

"Regardless of what you think of yourself. You chose me to be your wife. And I chose you to be my husband. That will never change. My opinions of you will never change."

A smile crept on my face.

"I guess you're right. I'm ready to head back now."

"Very well."

Sarah gripped the handles to my wheelchair, as we rolled off.

"Hey, Sarah."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Sarah sucked in air quickly, but let out a slight exhale.

"I love you too."

A few weeks later, I finally regained the ability to walk on my own, sorta, relying on crutches, though I found myself leaning against Sarah frequently.

Thank god she was strong as hell, otherwise Sarah probably would have to deal with a 6 foot man stumbling on top of her every twenty minutes.

I limped to the master bedroom, which was guarded by soldiers left and right.

"YOU!" Russel snarled.

"Ah shit. It's the leader of the Alzheimers Clown Council." I grumbled.

"The leader of the what?! How dare you speak ill of Her Majesty's Trusted Virgin Exemplar!"

This moron just called himself a Virgin Exemplar!

"If it wasn't for your incredibly... voluptuous... colleague..." Russel the Virgin shook his head violently.

"Her Majesty would not be in this condition! She had to fight an entire army all on her own... I can never forgive myself for forcing her into such a position. After everything she had been through back when she was still a Princess... and now this. I... should not have put the blame on you. Forgive me. But the one known as Vicki Harriet, I shall never forget. The things she has done..."

Russel buried his face in his hands.

"I had known Queen Avarice ever since she was a baby. I served her father, King Eustace. When both of her parents had perished... she had no one to turn to. I was so happy to see Miss Diana grow up every day. So happy that she saw me as the closest thing to a father... yet..."

"What Diana did she did out of the good for Andropol. And you say you're her caretaker, right? Surely you know how tough she is. She looked after an entire country all on her own since she was a kid. This isn't enough to take her down. And now we got people in Andropol getting stronger for their queen, becoming adventurers. We as her royal subjects are responsible to work hard for her sake. This isn't a defeat. This is just a reminder of what we must do. I'll deal with Harriet. Don't you worry."

Russel nodded, wiping his eyes.

"Thank you, Sir Dainsleif. My opinion of you has... improved... but only slightly."

Better than nothing, I guess.

I stepped into the bedroom, to see Diana gazing out of the window. Attached to her body was several magical tubes, connected to mana modules which looked like they were supplying her with revitalization magic.

"Youuuuuuuur majesty...." I said, in a grand tone, making extravagant movements with my hand.

Diana turned to me, as I tried to get on one knee, but Sarah stopped me.

"Idiot! You'll reopen your wounds!"

"But it's the Queen. God save the Queen!"

"You never once bowed to her since coming here and you're doing it now of all times!"

I started humming the Bremian anthem, while Sarah frantically tried to get me to stop fooling around.

Diana smiled.

"You have no idea how happy it makes me to see you finally goofing off again, Aaron."

I stopped wrestling with Sarah, turning to the Queen.

"Diana... listen... about Vicki-"

"No, Aaron. I made the call to let her into the Kingdom gates. Because she was someone who so desperately needed someone. Betrayed by her own colleagues and her friends. Loyce I imagine must have been like a father to her. I don't know what made her feel the need to go so far as to leave her cohort, but it must have been for his sake. As for... Sakura..."

I stared at the ground. Sarah wrapped an arm around me.

"She is alive." Diana said.

"Wha- What? Really?" I gasped.

Diana nodded, pointing at her eye.

"Did you forget my little demonstration when we first met? I can read the magical and physical potential of people, as well as their properties. Saki is still alive, but she is held captive. I don't know what they plan to do with her, but they haven't harmed her. So you can relax a little, your daughter is okay."

A sob escaped me, as my chest flooded with emotion.

Sakura...

Thank god...

"I need a plan to save her. But... right now..." I looked at my heavily bandaged body.

I was barely even able to walk.

Much less fight.

"How bad was the report?" Diana asked.

"Pretty bad. If I keep this up I'm gonna be a cripple before I have kids with Sar-"

I widened my eyes, holding a hand to my mouth.

What did I just blurt out?!

Sarah stared at me, her eyes bewildered. My mind flashed back to the day she had punched that training dummy, causing it to explode and disintegrate from the sheer force of her punch, which was probably equivalent to twenty military artillery strikes.

Diana snickered.

"I always thought you would end up with Sigurd. But then again, she's part robot isn't she? Part of me always was hoping the Saron ship would sail!"

"Technically she got turned into a cyborg, through Master Jun's abilities. So she's a human now. But... nah. Sig is more of a really close friend, it's not like that. And what the hell is a Saron ship?!"

Diana tilted her head.

"I thought you were in tune with mainstream media? 'Saron' is what you get when you combined Aaron and Sarah. Pretty cute, don't you think?"

"Remind me to never lend you Ernest's Rom-Com collection ever again."

Diana pouted.

"Those are my favourites!"

I looked out the window, as people continued rebuilding the kingdom.

"I'm gonna go see Vicki. And maybe we can think of a strategy to go from there. With me out of commission like this... there's only one guy I know at my level who can put up a fight now."

Diana nodded.

"Very well. If you ever need the assistance of the people of Andropol, please. Reach out to me."

"Will do."

Sarah helped me limp out of the bedroom, but not before Diana called out to me.

"And Aaron?"

I paused, turning to the queen, who gave me one more smile.

"When you see Saki again... remember to show your love to her. That bracelet that you still have on you. She needs to see how much she means to you."

I looked at my wrist, which now had the bracelet Sakura had made for me.

"Of course, Your Highness."

I limped out of the castle, walking through the village, gazing at the horizon. The nature filled land and waterfalls in the distance of the fantasy world.

Sarah sure fit right in, her black robe fluttering in the wind.

"Aaron."

"Yo."

"What was it that you said earlier?" She asked.

Shit! Shit on a stick!

I thought she would have forgotten about that... but never underestimate a Hero I guess.

"I... umm... it was nothing. I just blurted something out is all. You know me. Hahaha."

Sarah gripped my arm, her face turning red.

"Did you mean it?" She asked, quietly.

"Erm... I..."

Damn, was the cobblestone on the ground always this interesting?

"I want to have them too." Sarah whispered.

"Cobblestones?"

Sarah irked.

"Not that. I meant... that."

Sarah leaned against me, her lavender scent nearly putting me back into the infirmary bed.

"Children. Not now, when we have so much to do. But when this is over. I want... I want Sakura to have siblings so she won't feel alone. And maybe a part of me wants them because they will be from you as well."

I turned to Sarah, speechless.

Did this girl have brain damage or something?

Who would want to bear my kids?! I was a General Pain in the Ass (GPITA, according to the Black Legion Outer Shadows), enough as it was.

I couldn't imagine little versions of me running around and causing a mess for Sarah and I to clean up.

"We can give them a chance. A chance you were never given. Be a father to our children. Just like you will be to Sakura when you save her. That is my wish." Sarah said.

"Sarah..."

SKID.

I raised an eyebrow, something catching my eye.

"What the-"

I took a step, when accidentally, I stumbled, stepping on the black object.

CRUNCH.

"YEOOOOWWW!" Robbie's voice yelped from the object's speakers.

"BAHAAHAHAHA!" Bryce laughed hysterically from the bushes.

"BRO STEPPED ON HIS OWN SUBORDINATE! OH MY GOD. IM DEAD!"

Sarah quickly let go of me, her face infuriated at Bryce. Bryce stopped laughing.

"Oh shit, you're here too." He said, quickly.

"Why wouldn't I be?! Who is going to tend to Aaron?!" Sarah snapped, angrily.

I picked up Robbie, who was in his "earbuds form".

"X8, are you okay?" I asked.

"Status report: only a little bit compromised around my hinges." Robbie replied.

I smiled.

"I'm glad you're okay. I thought you... you would have died... I gave you an irrational request. It must have bugged your CPU out and-"

"No. Dainsleif. There were no calculations this time."

"What?"

"I cannot explain it. But... when I held you back three years ago, my calculations had indicated that you had a near zero chance of surviving if I let you engage Jekyll in combat. That day you fought him again and nearly died, my calculations told me the same thing. But for some reason... something overrode my precepts. Seeing you beg for me to let you go, unlike last time. Something inside me overrode my protocols and I aimed my lasers at the god, despite a 100% certainty I would be destroyed."

"Robbie..."

"Why are you here?" Sarah asked, angrily, as Bryce put an arm around me, causing me to wince in pain.

"Dude! I'm still recovering here!" I yelped.

"Sorry." Bryce let go, before Sarah could summon her sword and chop the vampire's head off.

"Listen, Bossman. You probably are thinking about heading out right? Well, I figured we probably can't stop you. So I dragged Robbie along. We gon come with you."

I blinked.

"Are you sure? Don't you need to be at Philly to train-"

"Nope. I figured I'm needed here. You can't fight right now. At a time like this, you need yo boys to back you up."

Bryce glanced nervously at Sarah.

"Er... and girl. But you get the point. We ride or die! Ride together and die together!"

"Let's hope we don't actually die together." I muttered.

"Dainsleif. While I recover data for another version of my mechanical combat body, please. Attach me to your other earlobe. I will provide additional support in a more compact form."

Robbie glowed, transforming into another earring.

I put it on my other earlobe.

Auxiliary Shadow Assault, ready for duty. Robbie's voice emanated in my head.

Greetings. I am Buck the Destroid. Always a pleasure to work alongside a fellow intelligence to serve our master.

Robbie paused.

Heh? Huh? What?

"You two are going to get along great." I said.

"Where to, Bossman?" Bryce asked.

I took a deep breath.

I always left them out of the loop back then, only ever using my Auxiliaries to throw hijinks and pranks on other Outer Shadows.

I never imagined I would be so reliant on them now.

And I was grateful for them.

"Huddle around me. We're going to Millennium City. To find a grieving Medusa."

If Letters Form a Word

"Awww man! Good ol' Millennium City! Hey. How about once the Shadows take us there, why don't we go grab a bite at Big Joe's pizza? I've been craving some of their-"

Sarah grabbed my ear, causing me to yelp.

"Owowowowow!!! What the hell's that for?!"

Sarah brought my face close to hers.

"The doctor said no heavy foods that might irritate your liver."

"What are you, my mom? What is one pizza slice gonna do?"

"I know exactly what's going to happen. You will have one slice, then you will say 'Oh! What's the harm in another?' Then from one slice you will eat two slices. And then three. Until the whole thing is gone!"

I pouted, turning away.

"Fine. We'll skip on eating out. But at least let me visit the amusement park rides. I wonder if that one park that Harmon Industries funded has already finished building."

Sarah leaned in, raising an eyebrow as she poked at my cast.

"Stop that! I'm gonna fall over!"

"Oh really? I thought you wanted to go on one of those amusement park rides. You will be susceptible to much more than a finger poke."

"...whatever. I guess we can just... be boring as HELL and find Vicki right away."

Bryce chuckled.

"What are you, a little kid? Weren't we supposed to come here for Vicki? Bro really decided to forget about Vicki over a pizza."

"You're one to talk! All you were thinking was bashing MC's cheesesteaks the entire time!"

"Because they ain't come close to Philly's! What do you want from me!"

"Something is wrong." Robbie interrupted us, having already recovered enough to create a human form for himself to inhabit.

Sarah put her hands on my shoulders, shielding me.

"No... was Millennium City always this desolate?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

The Shadows dispersed, as we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere.

At first glance, it seemed nothing out of the ordinary.

Buildings and streets, roads, and occasional cars.

But that was the problem.

"There's... no one here..." Bryce muttered, as we spun around.

Convocatio - Illium Obsidios

Sarah summoned an obsidian hunting knife, strapping it to one of her thigh bands. Her hand hovered over her sword, which was strapped to her back.

"Aaron... was Millennium City always this empty?"

All of my enthusiasm had drained out of my body.

Replaced with caution.

This was wrong.

The cars that were travelling around here... they looked like they were... following the same pattern.

Lifeless... almost like they were going through the motions.

It didn't seem like someone had cast a spell or anything.

But...

It was as if the world felt...

Completely unpopulated.

I narrowed my eyes at the distance. My heart stopped.

"Guys... do you see that?"

Sarah and Bryce turned to where I was looking.

"Whoa." Bryce muttered.

Sarah gasped. "How is that even possible? This must be some sort of illusion, magical or natural, it is as if the world is seemingly dissolving and degrading in the distance."

Robbie's body shimmered, transforming into a tall, skinny, humanoid droid, his Scout Mode.

From his shoulder, a contraption opened, releasing a mechanical drone, which hovered before us.

Begin scouting precepts.

The drone flew to the distance.

What the hell happened here?

"Robbie, what do you see?" Sarah asked X8, who focused.

This... does not compute. It is as if the world's resolution has been degraded significantly. I cannot explain it. It is almost like...

"A video game that was never developed all the way. And what you're seeing is pixels?" I asked.

X8 turned to us.

Pitch black. Pitch... pitch...

Sparks began sputtering from his mechanical body, causing him to convulse.

My eyes widened, as I spun to the direction of the drone.

"Bryce! Throw me an uzi!"

"Y- Yeah. On it, bossman!" Bryce summoned an uzi and tossed me the gun, as I quickly aimed down the drone, which was now several hundred kilometres away, firing and taking it out.

My head exploded in pain, as I turned away.

My brain began shooting danger signals into my body. For some reason, it was warning me of something that I couldn't even understand.

But I knew what to do.

I shouted to my Auxiliary Shadows.

"Guys! Don't look at the distance!"

X8 suddenly keeled over, his human body spilling out of the armour, which began corroding.

"Get back." Sarah pushed us aside, taking out Ygviil.

Cosmic Moon Magic - LUNA ARC

Sarah slashed, the silver arc decimating the armour and eliminating it.

From where the armour lay, the grass and ground had disintegrated. But for some reason, the remnants of the grass and ground... the little pieces that had gone up into the wind from being disintegrated were the same colour as their parent materials.

As if someone had decided to blend up the ground into a fine dust and let the wind carry it away.

Robbie scurried back, hiding behind us.

"Wh- What... what is that? What happened? My drone approached it, then it suddenly lost signal. And before I knew it, it was as if... my very existence had started to cease to exist... As if nothing mattered. I did not matter... and everything felt blank... I don't understand... I don't..."

Robbie began hyperventilating, as Sarah summoned a Convocatio spell, handing him a paper bag.

"As above. So below." A voice said, as we spun to its direction, but the owner of the voice had already disappeared.

"If letters form a word."

WOOSH.

Sarah took out her knife, dual wielding it with Ygviil, while Bryce pulled out his bat and summoned his uzi.

"And the words form a story."

WOOSH.

Sarah and Bryce were trying to pinpoint the source of the voice, but it was clear whoever was behind it was clearly too fast for either of them.

This was bad news.

"What to do if the letters are no more?"

"Back to back, guys." I advised my Auxiliaries, as Sarah and Bryce huddled in front of me and Robbie, who was still incapacitated.

"If a power revolves around a narrative..."

Wielding Chakra across my body was too much for it to handle. Especially when it was still in this condition.

But if I could wield only a percentage of this spiritual energy...

And psychologically I was used to channeling my spirit throughout my body...

Then subconsciously, if I only concentrated it in one spot... then I should be able to call upon a manageable portion.

Do what I can right now.

The rest will come later.

I concentrated my Chakra into my eyes, enhancing my senses.

Aspectum - Target Lock

My eyes darted back and forth, chasing after the black streak.

"...and the narrative revolves around an author..."

"WHAT TO DO, IF THE AUTHOR IS NO MORE." The creature hissed.

I pulled out my Draugr from my side, which had been pre-summoned, spinning to the direction of the attacker, which had penetrated both Sarah and Bryce's blind spots.

I pressed the barrel to the enemy's forehead, cocking the hammer and squeezing the trigger, but the creature's eyes went wide from within its cloak.

BANG.

HISSSSSS....

The creature fell backwards, as Sarah closed in, her body shimmering with a silver glow.

Cosmic Chakra Moon Magic - Great Luna Eclipse

Sarah's speed suddenly increased exponentially, silver electricity arcing off her body as she chased the monster down.

"You escaped me twice and nearly killed my Outer Shadow. I will not let this slide." She snarled, as the monster retreated, but Sarah was now too fast.

"One who channels the coat of arms throughout her body. Just as it was foretold."

Sarah slashed at the creature, but another intercepted her, as Sarah's eyes widened.

CHOOM.

Bryce went in, transforming into his vampire form, and swung his bat.

The interceptor blocked the strike, but Bryce's attack was so powerful it caused him to slide backwards.

The two hooded figures retreated, positioning themselves side by side.

"Why do they not fall to The Church?"

"We must rewrite the story."

"We cannot change their stories."

"They are immune."

I tried to aim my gun again, but my arm flared up in pain.

"But this one is vulnerable." A third attacker's voice appeared behind me, as I gasped.

Bryce and Sarah spun to me.

"Aaron!" Sarah cried out, as she rushed forward, but one of the figures took advantage of her surprise, swinging down with a scythe made entirely out of an unknown black mist.

Bryce managed to intercept it with his bat, saving her.

"Don't lose yo focus, woman! What the hell are you doing?!" Bryce yelled at her, but suddenly, more and more hooded figures appeared, swarming the two.

I tried to move, but it was as if I lost the ability to remember how to move... how to contract my muscles.

"The Sword Hero is immune to the anafabula. Her chakra runs intensely through the coat of arms. The Heir to Dracula is immune to the anafabula. A greater power of a higher narrative shields him. The Elemental is saved from the anafabula. He plays an insignificant role in this story. But..."

The figure stroked my face, smiling and breathing over my skin causing me to sweat profusely.

"The Joker of the Dark Hexagram is now vulnerable to the anafabula. Because his chakra has overridden the protection he once had. But the chakra is not strong."

I stared at the figure. I couldn't make out its face from the shadows of its robes, but its skin looked pale as snow. Wrinkled. Its mouth looked grotesque, its teeth missing.

"What... what are you..." I muttered.

"AARON! HANG IN THERE! AARON!" Sarah yelled, trying to fight back the horde of figures who were swarming them.

Bryce swung viciously, unleashing a wave of scarlet red energy which blew the attackers back.

"Go. Sarah. I can handle these fools on my own. You get yo man back!" He said, as he concentrated, growling and glowing a scarlet red.

"GRRRRARRRRRRR..." Bryce's fangs protruded out of his mouth, red cracks of energy forming.

The figures backed up.

"We cannot change his narrative."

"He is immune."

"We cannot defeat him."

"We must hold our ground."

"Yes."

"For the Church."

"I ain't got all day listening to YO BULLSHIT." Bryce roared, blasting forward and smashing one of the figures into the ground violently, unleashing a terrifyingly gargantuan shockwave which nearly levelled the landform we were standing on.

The hooded figures scattered, as Bryce chased them down.

"Gimme yo blood!" Bryce smiled maniacally.

Sarah rushed to my location, her body glowing with chakra.

"Robbie! Snap out of it! Help me protect Aaron!" Sarah begged, but Robbie stood still, his body petrified in fear.

The figure leaned in close to me, as everything seemed to dissolve.

"What am I? Who are we? Would you like to know...

"Joker?

"Would you like to be enlightened?

"For at the end of every doomed story..."

I gasped, as my surroundings elongated. As if I was going at light speed in outer space.

White lines flooded my vision, what looked liked stars were being distorted, stretched out to infinity.

"...is but one. Only one."

My body felt like it was being shunted at light speed. But it was then did I realize...

My body wasn't there anymore.

This was in my perspective, but it was not.

"I" was there.

But I was not.

I continued being shunted, my surroundings suddenly shrinking.

Soon, planets became the size of marbles.

And then galaxies.

Until I was looking at a sphere...

A weird sphere containing galaxies and stars...

Was this our universe?

But it didn't stop there.

"What... what the hell is this..." My voice trailed away, as to my disbelief... the universe itself began to shrink, more and more spheres appearing side by side in a spiral...

The figure's voice boomed in my mind.

If letters form a word, and the words form a story, what to do, if the letters are no more?

My brain felt like it was going to explode.

I felt like I was witnessing something I should not be witnessing.

And as the multiverse continued to shrink before me, a colossal figure appeared in my vision, his arm outstretched, holding the spheres in the palm of his hand. And in his other, a large brush.

I couldn't make out his figure, because it was so bright... but dark at the same time...

But something felt awfully wrong.

The gargantuan man was fading out of existence.

If a power revolves around a narrative and the narrative revolves around an author...

No fucking way...

Was this...

Was this supposed to be...

KABOOM.

I yelled at the top of my lungs, my mind and soul and essence filled with fright, fear, and panic.

The man had exploded into trillions of small particles, which each began to fade away.

What to do, if the author is no more?

I was surrounded by pitch black, and from the distance, was the figure of an extremely tall being.

Unnaturally, and unnervingly tall.

If I could guess... it was at least 29 feet tall...

A black cloak, and four horns sprouted from its head, but it was all I could make out. White mist rolled off its body... outlining it.

That white was the only way I could make its figure out of the darkness.

I had no idea why.

But every fibre of my existence was telling me to look away.

It was telling me to run away.

That thing was dangerous.

I should not be seeing it.

I should not ever dare look at it, and if, by any chance, I could avoid it...

Even if I had the power of a god, even if I had all the power in the entire world...

Even if I could control the path of my story...

I would still be no match for that thing.

It will devour me.

And as that... that... thing became closer and closer, that feeling of dread and terror only became exponentially worse, until there was nothing I could do.

But scream at the top of my lungs.

"Aaron!! AARON!!!" A girl's voice called out to me, as I blinked, the vision disappearing.

I yelled at the sky, convulsing, my body still petrified and terrified at what I was just shown.

Sarah grabbed me by the shoulders and buried my face into her chest.

"Aaron... oh god... oh god... you're okay. You're okay, you're safe. I'm here."

Bryce had his foot on one of the followers. His hood was now gone, his robes ripped to shreds.

All around him were the bodies of the deceased attackers.

He looked like a bald man, but aside from his skin and missing teeth... his eyes were completely black.

Just like the empty space that he had shown me after that... "creator" had been blown to smithereens.

"Who the hell are you. What the hell did you do to my boss? You best answer, before I CLOCK YOUR ASS." Bryce shouted, aiming his uzi at the man's face.

The man stared at Bryce.

"Incredible..."

Bryce's eye twitched in annoyance.

"I ain't got time for your cocksucking! Spill it before I lose my patience!"

The man's mouth slowly contorted into a sinister... unnerving smile.

"We are the Cult of Church Sol. We praise our destroyer. For he will bring the end to everything. For that is his purpose. His purpose to end all purposes. Until nothing is left."

Bryce tightened the grip to his submachine gun.

"Who is your destroyer. WHO."

The man began cackling.

"He has destroyed... trillions of realities. He has devoured... trillions of stories. He has spread to every world and reality imaginable. And this one... has been a victim too. That is the nature of our destroyer. That is the nature of the way... the way of Ara-"

Obsidian Ordnance - REAPER'S LIBERATOR

A black whip appeared out of nowhere, decapitating the man before any of us could react.

The man dissipated into a mist, his mouth still open, and his eyes completely unfazed, as if nothing could possibly faze him anymore as long as he was able to preach about his "destroyer".

"No. Do not ask about his name. Do not even think about investigating that rabbit hole." A woman's voice said, as Vicki Harriet landed on the ground, her hand outstretched.

Celestial Scabbard - DIVINE CLEANSING

A ray of white light shone from her hand, disintegrating the ashes of all the cult members.

Bryce stumbled back.

"Wha- What the hell are you doin?! We was questioning that dude!"

Vicki glared at him.

"And I am telling you to let it go. For your sake. For the sake of everyone you care about. Do not get yourselves involved with that cult. And above all else, do not even think about the being they worship."

Sarah held onto me tightly.

"Why... what's going on, Onyx? Why did they come for us? And why are they referring to Aaron as The Joker?"

Vicki sighed, scanning for any traces left of the cultists.

"Auxiliary Shadow Ultear. Let me see Outer Shadow Dainsleif."

Sarah hesitated.

"What are you going to do."

Vicki's face darkened.

"I am going to protect him from what I am going to say next. The same goes for Auxiliary Shadow Assault."

Sarah slowly let go of me, reluctantly, as Vicki approached me.

The air became tense, as Vicki knelt in front of me.

"I... It's the first time I've done this. So please be patient with me." She said.

"Uhh, yeah. Sure." I mumbled.

Vicki took a deep breath, as she approached me and kissed me on the lips.

"AYO WHAT THE FU-" Bryce exclaimed.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Sarah screamed angrily, summoning Ygviil, but Robbie frantically held her back.

"Sarah! Stay calm!"

Vicki pulled away, her cheeks bright red.

"Mmm. This... this doesn't mean anything. I was merely passing on to you a part of the blessing Loyce gave me."

I stared at the Outer Shadow, who turned away and was slightly tapping the dirt with one of her high heels, shyly.

Everybody went silent for a few seconds.

"Can I have another one." I blurted out quickly.

Shit! Hormones!

"WHA- ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Sarah snarled, grabbing me by the collar and shaking me back and forth until my head wobbled like a bobblehead.

"Stop! Sarah! I didn't know she was gonna kiss me!" I explained, desperately.

"Then why are you so aroused!" Sarah screamed at my face.

"I'm not. Swear on Bryce's life." I replied, as calm as possible.

"Why me?!" Bryce squeaked.

Sarah looked down at the bulge between my legs.

Her face was so red it looked like she would shoot steam out of her ears.

"Oh. Uh. Erm..." I stuttered, as Sarah slapped me in the face.

"In the end of the day you're just a pervert!"

Could this get any worse?

Vicki cleared her throat, as she approached Robbie and did the same thing.

"YOU WHORE! AFTER DOING IT WITH AARON?!" Sarah rushed forward like a rabid animal, forcing Bryce to pull her back.

"Stop! Yo! Sarah! Calm yo tits! She's doing it for a reason!" Bryce tried to reason, before Sarah eventually calmed down.

Robbie stared at me after Vicki pulled away.

I wanted to give the kid a thumbs up, but I feared Sarah would probably just cut my hand off with Ygviil.

A few awkward minutes later, Vicki sat down on a rock across from us.

"Have we all calmed down?" She asked.

Sarah was still eyeing daggers at her, clutching onto me tightly and pressing her chest against my arm, as if she was marking her property.

Since when did the SS Ranked Outer Shadow God Killing Legend get reduced to his girlfriend's property???

"I'm uh... guessing you did what you did for a reason?"

Vicki tried to hide her blush but was failing, as she crossed her (very attractive looking, don't tell Sarah) legs.

"As an Outer Shadow to Great Demon Lord Loyce Hal, I have been blessed by my Inner Shadow with a Reality Anchor. It means I am passively immune to reality warping effects. And in addition to that, the blessing provided by Master Loyce allows me to be immune to narrative changing abilities. Master Loyce designed such an ability such that it could only be passed down through an action that greatly displeases me."

I blinked.

"So..."

Vicki looked at Sarah.

"Yes. The act of kissing or making love to men I do not love. It greatly displeases me. So rest assured, Auxiliary Shadow Ultear. I do not harbour romantic feelings towards your lover."

Sarah loosened her grip on my arm.

"I... I see... thank you. I apologize for... what I said."

Robbie looked disappointed.

Chin up, kid.

You'll find a girl eventually. When you're older...

"But if you didn't like it, why did you blush?" I asked.

Normally if I asked this to any girls I knew, I would get roasted, burned alive, beat up, or slapped in the face.

Or even all of the above.

But Vicki didn't look at all fazed. I guess that was typical to her personality, considering I heard a rumour that she always just left her panties lying around in the barracks and not caring if any of the other Outer/Auxiliary Shadows got their hands on them.

One time, she walked in on her colleagues after a shower completely naked, much to their horror, and didn't seem to care.

"Well... when I kissed you and Soldier X8... it sort of... felt like I was kissing... Yeling..." She muttered.

Ah.

I see.

That 5 foot 7 midget was somehow more attractive than me! That guy pisses me off!

Vicki shook her head.

"Regardless. By salivary transfer and the act, you now have the minimum to resist what I will tell you now."

The mood got tense, as Vicki regarded us with a serious expression.

"The reason why I held back revealing who that cult was, is the fact that even just mentioning or thinking about the entity, at least in this level of narrative, will lead to entity deresolution."

Entity deresolution?

"What do you mean by that?"

Vicki regarded me.

"What did that cultist make you see? Did he show you?"

A lump formed in my throat.

"I saw... what looked like millions of universes lumped together... then some dude with a paintbrush..."

"And he exploded into countless fragments, along with all the universe orbs. From within the emptiness, an impossibly tall entity with four horns approached you." Vicki finished my sentence.

My heart stopped.

"Y-Yeah... how did you know?"

Vicki clenched her fist.

"The cult that you encountered is known as the Solist Cult. Otherwise known as The Cult of Church Sol. They worship the Ancient Supreme Primordial Demon Aran Sol. An anti-narrative."

Vicki leapt off the rock, approaching the distance.

"What you see in the distance, is the decay of this world. The decay of the Champions Universe. Beyond the horizon, you will encounter a great nothing. Because Aran's presence has already rotted this reality away. Scientifically speaking, every universe is meant to expand. But when this particular Primordial is present, the universe not only decays, but depending on its fate, it will collapse altogether. Aran's sole purpose is to destroy entire realities, narratives, and worlds just by being present. That is the nature of his Primordial ability: Apokolereos - The End of Reality. A super sentient anti-narrative being, weaponized by Master Loyce."

Bryce choked.

"What the hell?! That's broken as fuck! You mean to tell me this dude destroys entire universes just by chilling in the corner?"

Vicki looked at him.

"Yes. And his ability doesn't just end there. Even just looking into him, or even investigating his trails, uttering his name, without the correct conditions, and without a decent reality anchoring ability, will lead to entity deresolution. You will cease to exist. And this... is the reason why your Master, Inner Shadow Jun Gasket, has been missing this entire time. And also... my Auxiliary Shadow... Twilight Bolt... being out of commission now. Bedridden. He was one of the few unfortunate enough to be in close proximity to this world's decay, as Millennium City is his home."

Sweat ran down my back, as I turned to my Auxiliaries.

They were all frozen in shock.

Just...

What in the hell were we dealing with?

I knew Loyce Hal was stupidly overpowered. Inner Shadows John Crassman and Jay Hellion had warned me.

But they didn't warn me of this.

"Master Jun..." I muttered.

Sarah gritted her teeth.

"If even Master Jun couldn't handle Aran... what chance do we have? This... this thing is on Loyce's side?"

"However." Vicki interrupted us, reaching into her utility belt and pulling out her holographic projector. On it showed Constantine Lupin, who was slaving away at his desk.

"Aran Sol is still a Primordial Demon. At least, this is what the evidence points to. The Primordials are the penultimate strongest beings in existence. The only known Primordials I know, after digging, has been my Master, Ultimate Primordial Loyce Hal, this anafabula, Supreme Primordial Aran Sol, and now..."

I watched as a heavy shelf slowly began to topple over in the hologram.

And to my disbelief, Constantine turned around, instantly materializing before the shelf and lifting it up with one hand, saving a young woman, a fellow intern from certain death.

The shelf looked like it was made out of steel. It had to be at least 200 kilograms.

Constantine put a finger to his lips, grinning, as the woman returned with a smile.

"Primordial Demon Kon Larum. A being who has lost his memories of what he is, but retains remnants of his old monstrous strength. Master Loyce transpires with Vala to kill Yeling... I... I cannot let that happen to him. If there is anyone who can stand up to a Primordial Demon, it has to be another Primordial Demon. They must have some level of resistance to the immense reality warping abilities of Master Loyce and Aran Sol. But things have not been working my way. Kon refuses to remember his past, perhaps it is something subconscious... but I'm not convinced he has completely lost his memories. If he can still access his old strength to this degree, no matter how small it is, that means there is still a chance the Great Demon Lord still exists.

"There is still a chance that the SS Ranked Member of the Dark Hexagram, The Knight still exists."

Vicki turned the hologram off.

"I know... I've been a burden to you all. And I don't have the right to ask for your help. But I cannot do this alone. Vala has Sakura Hope, your daughter, Dainsleif. If we can get Kon Larum on our side, we may have some fighting chance. As we are now, we cannot launch any attempt to rescue the young goddess. Not when Aran is a threat. And especially not when Master Loyce is a threat as well. Three beings who can tear reality apart... we need all the help we can acquire."

My heart beat fiercely.

Saki...

"Then it's settled." I reached out my hand.

"We work together to get this Kon Larum guy on our side. And accumulate as much strength as well can, through companions and our own power. To take down Vala and Loyce. And rescue my kid."

Hellsing or Jones

"How are we gonna recruit Kon if no one even knows he exists? Didn't Loyce destroy all figments of his memory from everyone?" I asked.

Vicki had her Shadows teleport us to Renaissance Centre, where some Heroes were standing idly by.

But compared to my last visit with Bryce, that number had dwindled down significantly.

"We can't. But there are workarounds. My ability, Timeline Anchor. It is magical in nature. I imagine by now, you've already figured it out, Dainsleif."

Vicki Harriet was capable of resisting the mass reality warping effects of Kon's memory wipe.

And fundamentally... magic was a means to warp reality itself - though highly restricted and rule based.

Meaning...

"There's a way to remember Kon, whatever he did here- through some magical avenue?"

Vicki nodded.

"There are currently two mages in the Champions Universe that exhibit the highest magical power and its encyclopedic knowledge bank. You are familiar with Archmage Robert Caliburn, yes?"

"Er... yeah..." My voice trailed away.

Vicki raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you sound uneasy?"

"Well..."

Bryce laughed.

"It's cuz he once tried to pimp out Caliburn's ex and blackmail him for free amusement park rides at Vibora Bay. I'm not kidding."

Vicki gave me an annoyed look.

"Of course he would. Why wouldn't he be in such abhorrent terms with 90% of his connections."

"Hey! In my defence, it was obvious the relationship wasn't going anywhere. Caliburn wasn't making any moves on her, and he was always mentioning his ex-ex to his... er... ex. Regardless, I doubt I wanna see that guy."

Vicki undid her chest wrap, causing Bryce, Robbie, and I to squeal in panic.

"AYO PAUSE! WHAT ARE YOU DOIN SHORTY?!?!?!" Bryce screamed.

I quickly looked away, glancing at Sarah to make sure she knew I was better than... whatever she currently thought of me.

Sarah gazed at the ground, her face steaming red with irritation.

"Do you not know shame?" She muttered.

Vicki looked confused.

"I am taking off my top. Why should I be ashamed? Do men not do the same thing in warm weather?"

Sarah became flustered, as her chakra aura spiked up violently.

"Wha-?! What kind of reasoning is that?!"

Vicki frowned.

"So it isn't the same if I take off my shirt?"

"Of course it isn't the same! What are you- four years old?!"

"I'm biologically 19. But through the maturation process of my species, I am mentally 28 years old."

I raised my hand.

"So you're a MILF then."

Bryce exhaled through his nostrils.

"Bro... Aaron man..."

Sarah buried her face in her hands, as Vicki changed into a sleeveless shirt which exposed her cleavage, tying her hair back.

"For the record. I do feel embarrassment whenever I undress. Usually when I am forced to do it against my accord, or if I do it in front of Yeling."

Sarah made a groaning sound from within her hands.

"C- Can we... just move forward with planning please?"

Vicki finished changing, leaving the guys in a daze.

"I want to split this group. One group visits Caliburn. The other, Scarlet. Caliburn perhaps will be easier to convince, as he is aligned with Defender's faction. Scarlet, not so much, as despite having been already defeated by this world's heroes, she is still affiliated with the Trey Kings. Her reputation for visiting Club Caprice and luring men to their deaths has not been positive. The team going to Scarlet will need to be stronger."

"Okay. Well, I'm for one, not going to Caliburn." I said.

"Good. Then I will be the one to visit Caliburn." Sarah said.

I stared at her.

"Wait, what?"

Sarah gave me a blank expression, the same one she always had back when she was the Hero to her world. The look of the Blank Saviour.

"I will spearhead the operation to recruit Robert Caliburn. His powers are angelic in nature. My powers are of a Hero's blessing, of a similar strain of magic."

"But... you don't wanna-"

Sarah grabbed Robbie by the ear.

"I will take Soldier X8 with me. I do not need your help, Dainsleif."

Why was she going back to calling me by my Black Legion codename?!

Was she...

I watched Sarah yank at Robbie's ear, dragging him along. Her body language...

She must have still been mad at the fact that Vicki had kissed me and I did essentially nothing about it.

Of course, it was to give me the protection from Aran's influence... but...

"Wait... Sar-"

"Shadows. Take us to Vibora Bay." Sarah commanded, as darkness surrounded the two of them, disappearing before I could even finish my sentence.

"Bro... your girl is pissed..." Bryce said.

"Thanks man. Why didn't you go with them? You really want to go with us? This bitch has demonic powers I heard. She struck a deal with the devil or something."

Bryce rolled his shoulders.

"Well. I ain't scared of no devil. I'm interested to see how well this devil she contracted with compares to my Ma. She's pretty damn strong too, you know."

Vicki sighed.

"We will avoid fighting if necessary. Combat to the level of S Rank will mean collateral destruction no matter how contained the fight is."

"Avoid fighting you say..." I smiled evilly.

"I don't like when you smile like that." Bryce grumbled.

Vicki frowned.

"What are you going to do?"

* * *

"The Cosmic Pimp: Aaron Pope." The man read my resume, before giving us the most disappointed expression ever.

I crossed my legs, blowing smoke from one of the cigarettes Vicki had lent me. I nearly coughed my lungs out. How Vicki was able to smoke an entire pack a week was beyond me.

I had a whole suit on, covering all of my bandages and casts. I ended up looking like a big overweight man. Perfect disguise.

"Before you presents an opportunity. I am a firm believer in opportunities. Emphasis on the firm." I said proudly, pointing at my "goods". If I couldn't win him over in my qualifications, I might be able to approach this in the humour department.

The man stared at me.

"Erm. You know. Like. Firm. You know? Like I'm firm." I tried explaining.

"I know what it means!" The man snapped, gesturing to his side.

From the side, one of the three girls handed the man a cigar.

"We have plenty of managers for the dancer girls in this club. Too many in fact. What makes you stand out from the others?"

I cleared my throat, gesturing Vicki.

"Sit on my lap." I mouthed.

Vicki glared at me, her face dark.

"Excuse me?"

"Just do it! Also give me a bigger cigarette!" I whispered, fiercely.

"You could barely handle the smaller ones."

"Sit or I'll sell your panties off to the dark web!"

Vicki scoffed.

"Like I care if you sell my underwear to strangers. You've already done it to Outer Shadow Frey."

"And... er... oh! I'll tell Yeling!"

Vicki's eyes went wide, as she quickly sat on my lap.

Hell yeah.

"A- As you can see." My voice was an octave higher than usual, but I continued.

"This one is a special dancer. Her techniques are impeccable, but she is loyal to me. If you want her, I come included."

The man still didn't look too convinced.

I had no choice.

Time to bring out the big guns.

I pulled out something from my coat pocket, putting it on the table.

The man's face paled, as did the girls.

"What... is this really-"

"Fully legit. Gold. This is how much my girl has been raking in. Is this proof enough? I can make you millions. Are you really ready to pass this up?" I asked.

The girls looked at the man, who appeared very lost in thought.

Jackpot.

"Dainsleif... where did you get that gold?" Vicki asked.

"I borrowed it."

"Borrowed? From who?"

"I forgot."

Vicki choked.

"You forgot? You didn't steal that gold did you?"

"Who cares. We're the Black Legion Organization. Even our name is shady. What are they gonna do, arrest me? I've fought off the entire military forces of NATO in another world for Master Jun before."

Vicki put a hand to her face as if she was seriously regretting joining forces with me.

A few minutes later, the two of us were hired on the spot.

I continued pulling out blocks of gold out of my pockets, until the guy finally caved in.

Vicki began changing out of her stripper outfit, undoing her hair and letting it tumble to her shoulders.

"Your methods are beyond questionable." She said, coldly.

"They work, don't they? Now we can infiltrate Club Caprice and find Valerian. Once we do that, we can extract information, and covertly get her to cooperate without any fighting."

Vicki and I left Club Caprice, as Bryce stood awkwardly by his own car, veiled to be futuristic like the other cars in the city and pretending to be the valet.

"Thanks for watching our car, Bimbo Ballsags." I said.

"You little shi-! Er I mean... always a pleasure doing business with you... Master Pope." Bryce grumbled, his fangs looked like they were about to pop out any minute.

I got in the car, as Vicki got in shotgun, and Bryce leaned heavily towards the front from the back of the car.

I glanced out the window. The man was still watching us.

Shit!

Erm...

I looked at the controls.

Right... out of park... to...

I stared at the knob. It had a bunch of weird ass lines and numbers. One through six.

Where the hell was the P and the D?!

What the shit was this?!?!

"Do you seriously not know how to drive a car?" Bryce asked.

"I know how to drive! I drive a bike! Where the hell is Drive?"

"Drive? Bro, it's a manual."

"A what?"

"Feet on the brake and clutch. Neutral wiggle just to be safe. Shift to first gear and let off clutch to biting point. Gas."

I did as he said, before a car sped past us and honked aggressively.

"You idiot! Why didn't you check the mirrors and blind spots!" Bryce yelped.

"What?! You didn't mention that!"

"What kinda moron doesn't check if its safe to leave?! This ain't Florida bro!"

Vicki sighed.

Celestial Scabbard - Memorias Freese

My mind lit up with memories of someone behind a wheel, chased by a horde of monsters, and executing extremely complex manoeuvres.

"Whoa! What is this?"

Vicki ran her hand across the back of my head.

"I've temporarily implanted my memories into yours."

My jaw hung open.

"You can drive too?! Seriously?"

Vicki rested her head in one of her hands.

"Yes. I taught myself to drive when I was twelve, then formally passed the driving exam at fifteen as required by law with a perfect score. I drove a manual transmission vehicle when I was twelve, but had to use an automatic transmission for my exam. Learning to pilot a vehicle is a prerequisite for most people. How you never learned to drive is baffling."

When I was twelve I vomited on the Goddess of Fertility.

We drove off as Vicki got out of the car.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

Vicki pulled out her phone from... her chest wrap...

"What the- where did you just pull that phone from...?" Bryce asked.

Vicki ignored Bryce's question, as she inspected something on the screen.

"Qwyjibo in fifteen minutes. I am needed on the battlefield."

"We'll come." I said.

Vicki shook her head.

"No. You will be sighted right away as you are beyond Cos-"

Vicki suddenly clutched her temple, stumbling. Her legs buckled, as I caught her.

"Vicki? Vicki, what's wrong?"

Vicki's eyes widened.

"Her memories... her... this has happened before... I..."

Vicki coughed a patch of blood onto the ground, causing Bryce to quickly look away.

"Shit! I can't look bro. I won't be able to help myself." He said.

I propped Vicki up on one of my shoulders, but considering I was still not recovered, the task seemed a lot more difficult than it seemed.

"I'm... I'm fine. Cascaded memories from my predecessor momentarily... flooded my mind." She muttered.

"Did Loyce never get that fixed?" I asked.

Vicki rubbed her temples.

"No. Because I requested to never forget what she was like. I have her face. And I have her body. But those memories... those kind memories from when she was loved by the people... that is what keeps me going as a superhero in this world. Even if they spit on me for being a fake Lens... this is the path I want to take."

I regarded her.

I guess The Millennium Medusa was a superhero here for a reason.

Though she was the complete opposite of the superhero who she used to be in a previous life, someone who was lovable and kind...

This version of Lens smoked cigarettes for days, and an alcohol problem, and was notorious for breaking the bones of criminals.

"In the meantime. You will stay at my quarters. Although you now have partial immunity to Aran's influence, I recommend you to stay away from Carlton, who is bedridden in the guest rooms."

Blood flushed into Bryce's face.

"Your... your room...?"

Vicki breathed heavily, clasping her head. Her face still looked pale.

I reached out my hand.

"Vicki, are you sure you're okay? You seem weaker than usu-"

"I am fine. Shadows. Take Outer Shadow Dainsleif and Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing to my quarters."

It shall be done. Lady Onyx.

I didn't say anything, considering Bryce was still here, and I highly doubted she would not be defensive.

But the things she was displaying... from fatigue, nausea... to her moodiness... The Vicki Harriet I had known and heard of was always renowned for her ability to assess situations in an objective manner. She was known as Loyce's most Complete Outer Shadow, because she had it all. Smarts, recon, sheer firepower, strength...

From the first time I had seen her during her mission to retrieve Kon Larum at Baja Industries, to now, it was as if she was a completely different person.

These were all common symptoms of something... I knew this much because I had investigated this before when I almost believed Sarah had gotten it too when we were... um...

Love makes people blind.

But was a mere crush enough to make The Millennium Medusa irrational enough to defect and act rogue against her own Inner Shadow?

This relationship she had with Yeling had to be something to the point where she would go to that extreme. And if my hypothesis was correct...

Bryce and I were transported in a penthouse-like suite.

"Ayo bruh... this place is FIRE. Bossman! Check it out! There's a hot tub over here in the balcony!" Bryce laughed excitedly.

"Yo! Bryce! Don't go too wild in here. We're guests. And also, Vicki shares this place with Carlton. Have some respect for other people's-"

Bryce peeked from behind the fridge door. In his mouth was a bag of chips and a pack of shredded cheese.

"Nachos?"

My eye twitched.

"Listen. You ain't gonna tempt me with-"

Bryce wiggled his hand, in it, was a bottle of Sriracha.

"Spicy nachos!"

Ah what the hell.

If Twilight Bolt found out we could always just kill him and hide the witness.

We munched on what I presumed to be Twilight's snacks (since Vicki's diet was literally her kills and scavenging from hunting). All the while, worry filled my mind.

"Relax. Bossman. Sakura ain't gonna be in too much danger."

"How do you know for sure?"

Bryce shrugged.

"I dunno. Killin Sakura ain't gonna do Vala much good. All it's gonna do is it's gonna piss us off. As if we weren't pissed off enough already."

I still wasn't convinced.

Sakura had nothing to do with this war.

All of the bad things that were happening to her were because of her progenitor.

She did nothing wrong, but was thrown into chaos.

We had to find Valerian quick.

Part of me wanted to just capture Valerian myself. It would have been quick and easy.

But then I wouldn't know what to ask her.

We had to wait until Vicki was done with her Cosmic thingamagigy.

"Feel weird yet?" Bryce asked.

"What?"

"We in a girl's apartment right now. And it ain't just some ordinary girl. It's Vicki's."

I glanced at the mess of underwear that was strewn all over the place, along with the used cigarettes that were thrown everywhere.

Then at the empty liquor bottles.

Poor Carlton.

"I dunno about that, Bryce."

Bryce munched on his nachos, as he eyed an open door.

"Hey. Ain't that..."

Bryce got up, approaching the door.

I followed him.

"Bryce, be careful. I think that's where Coleson is. Vicki told us not to get too close to him, even if we have the Anchor now."

"Come on. What's that lil young buul gonna do against me?"

"We don't know how powerful Aran's affliction is. I don't wanna take that risk."

I put my hand on Bryce's shoulder, but Bryce shrugged me off.

"Why are you still so concerned about me dude? I've become yo strongest Auxiliary. I've surpassed even Sigurd and Shiki. Ain't nobody got shit on me now. I ain't no one's bitch, and I'm certainly no bitch to no Primordial Demon."

"What???"

Bryce bared his fangs at me, in the form of a devilish grin.

"I ain't like what I was before. I'm High Tier S+ Ranked. Actually... come to think of it. Didn't I whoop Eliza Hellsing's ass? She was SS Ranked right? So wouldn't that put me on the same level as you?"

I was seeing red flags pop up left and right from this guy.

"Listen, Bryce. Just because you beat Eliza doesn't automatically put you at a higher rank than them. There are circumstances. In your fight against Eliza it was completely to your advantage. She was wielding literal blood constructs, feeding you power. There's a reason why you haven't reached SS Rank despite that."

Bryce tilted his head, his finger hovering over my forehead.

"I don't gotta hear that from you. You ain't got nothing right now, you're covered in bandages. I'm literally a Vampire God. Why aren't I an Outer Shadow? Why am I still taking orders from you? Ay. No offense, Bossman. I'm just sayin. You know?"

My hand clenched into a fist.

"Bryce... what's gotten into you? Why are you acting out like this?"

Bryce turned to the door.

"I went from a gamer kid, someone who got rejected by everyone in Philly, to being their Champ. We was gonna get stronger in our own ways. This included Sarah. But it's so obvious I'm far ahead of her now."

"You don't know how hard Sarah has worked, Bryce. You literally have no evidence behind that claim." I retorted, my blood beginning to boil.

Bryce's ego was starting to get inflated. And I didn't like that one bit.

Bryce crossed his arms, giving me an unconvinced expression.

"No evidence? I fought a Vala enhanced Tommy 'Fenrir' Riordan to a standstill. Vampire versus Werewolf. I fought him to a standstill. If he didn't summon his pals, I woulda bodied his bitch ass. Homeboy was at least SS Rank. And I nearly beat him. What was Sarah's excuse? She a Hero is she not? A Sword Hero? Why'd she lose to Andrew 'Tourmentus' Tengen like that then? She got saved cuz his hoe was arguing with him and he lost concentration. Don't you ever compare me to Ultear. You know for a fact that I'm better."

"This doesn't give you a reason to act out like this. You are still an Auxiliary because you lack the other aspects that are crucial to being an Outer Shadow. And don't you dare talk down to your fellow Auxiliaries like this. Sarah went through hell in her training in secret to master Chakra. Even behind my back, she worked so hard. At the start, she was barely able to use Chakra, but you heard it yourself from the cultist - her Chakra control has grown to the point where she can passively resist Aran's influence without an anchor. Something that I still can't do."

Bryce scoffed.

"Of course you'd defend yo bitch. You've been pounding her every night. Why wouldn't you play favourites to her?"

My eyes turned dangerously dark.

"Bryce. At the end of the day, I am still your Outer Shadow. Tread carefully with your next words."

Bryce clenched his fist.

"I am... a god now. Put some respect on my name. I'm yo strongest man and you know it."

"Even if you are my strongest Auxiliary, you have no excuse to put people down like that. And to be overconfident over someone like Aran Sol of all things? You need to face facts. Even if you are SS Rank, the implications of Aran's power might be beyond that-"

Bryce shoved me out of the way, putting his hand on the door handle.

"Shadows. Restraints." I commanded, as Shadows surrounded Bryce, gripping onto his arms and legs.

Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing... please listen to reason.

Sir Dainsleif requests it.

Bryce gripped the doorknob so tightly the steel warped in the palm of his hand.

"Kon Larum? What's so great about that guy? Just cuz he can shatter planets with his bare hands? I can destroy worlds too. All I gotta do is suck the life essence outta this entire planet and everybody becomes a crisp. SS Rank... Dark Hexagram... I'm strong too. You mean to tell me you'd choose a Primordial over your boy?"

"No one is saying that, Bryce."

What the hell was going on with him? Did he...

My mind suddenly flashed to our fight against those cultists...

Bryce had killed several of them.

He had chased them down.

Gimme yo blood! Bryce had said to them. Implying he had ingested their blood... their essence...

Was that what was causing my Auxiliary to act out like this?

"Bryce. Listen to me. You're not well. Let the Shadows take you to an infirmar-"

"Bitch get yo hands off me!" Bryce snarled, swinging his bat and causing the Shadows to dissipate into dust.

Bryce aimed his bat at my face.

"Seems to me you always been playin favourites. Ain't that right?"

I clenched my teeth. Was I?

It was true... wasn't it?

"It don't matter how strong yo Auxiliaries were. You was always playin favourites even at the start. June? Huh? All cuz she smiled pretty? Cuz she liked huggin her little teddy bears and actin all sweet up in there?"

"DON'T YOU DARE BRING JUNE INTO THIS." I snarled.

"I DO WHAT I WANT. I SAY WHAT I WANT." Bryce Jackson Jones roared, slamming his fist against the wall and causing the entire building to shake violently.

"And I can choose to spit facts if I want! You know it in yo heart. If it was anyone else, you woulda trusted them. You trusted Master Jun to handle Aran Sol. You trusted Sigurd to handle Aran Sol. Why don't you trust me? I'm yo strongest man now. I'm yo RIGHT HAND MAN, AARON."

My hand trembled, as I realized that I no longer had control of it.

My nerves... I was told I had suffered permanent damage to my nerves... but...

Did this mean I no longer have control of my own nervous system?

And that wasn't it...

Ever since my fight with Vala, I noticed I was blurting things out that I normally would never have blurted out. At first I thought it was merely just me being flustered... but that was the thing.

I rarely ever did something like this, unless it was for my pranks and antics...

From my body deteriorating like this... I don't even know how much time I had left to live.

And now... Bryce...

"And you. You ain't need no Kon the Worldkiller. You got a Worldkiller here. A Hellsing. The heir to Count Dracula. The God of Vampires. I bet I can whoop this Kon Larum's ass any day."

I had no choice.

I had to find a way to subdue him before he did something he was going to regret. Bryce wasn't himself right now.

I felt like kicking myself for not realizing it sooner...

"Bryce. I can't tell if that part of you has resurfaced or not. Hellsing or Jones. You're walking a fine line with me. So tell me this. What do I address you now, from here on out? Hellsing? Or Jones?"

"Too late. Man. Fuck finding Valerian and Caliburn. Imma take this operation in my own hands. Imma show you I'm an Outer Shadow too. If we wanna show the enemy what's up, we show this Loyce Hal that I ain't scared of no Primordial. Cuz I'm stronger. Way stronger. Imma body Kon... hell... I'll do way worse than that, homie."

Bryce bared his fangs, running his hand over the bat, leaving behind a trail of wispy red energy.

"Imma kill his ass."

Is that so? You would dare threaten my husband with death? A voice vibrated all around us, the furniture began shaking violently.

Bryce spun around, summoning his Uzi.

"Who's this bitch? You want the smoke?"

Bright white angelic energy swirled in the corner of the room, as I shielded myself, sliding back.

But Bryce held his ground, snarling from under his fangs.

"I will protect my beloved." A woman began to take shape from the light, stepping out. Her translucent white silk dragged across her legs like a dress, but her top was cladded with a demonic black armour.

"I gave my word. To protect him. Even if he does not even remember the one he chose to marry."

Her straight long silver hair fluttered and tumbled across her shoulders, as her eyes illuminated a bright white.

The woman looked at us. Her aura was blinding.

"I am the Ancient Great Celestial, Rya the Lightgiver. The current... Demon Queen of Konia. And you, usurper, would bare your fangs to my beloved Kon Larum. You have chosen to make yourself an enemy to our nation."

The air became tense.

This wasn't possible.

How were there so many powerful beings being introduced now?

It almost felt like yesterday that the second strongest Outer Shadow in the Black Legion was Shosuke Shiki, the Devil Monk.

But as I glimpsed at the overwhelming aura of this Celestial, it was as if my entire world was being flipped upside down.

It was as if I was peering into light itself.

The very aspect of light and divinity.

And Buck's readings couldn't possibly be lying. Facts and numbers never lied...

I had to admit that when I first heard that Kon Larum was SS Ranked, I didn't believe it.

To become an SS Rank, one had to be beyond extraordinary.

Their power had to be impossible.

But seeing the bride of Kon Larum standing before us...

I was starting to believe it more and more.

Demon Queen Rya the Celestial.

Elite Tier S+ Rank.

"Bryce. Listen to me." I seethed, my hand inching back and hovering over my gun.

"For once, just listen. You cannot beat Rya. And neither can I in this condition. We need to abide by her terms. As we stand, Rya can kill both of us even if we try to team up against her."

Rya regarded me.

"As expected, from The Joker of the Dark Hexagram. You are aware of the situation. However, this still does not excuse the behaviour of your Auxiliary Shadow. Whether he jests or not. I am not one to take the risk to see harm befall my now mortal husband."

Bryce smiled maniacally, charging his bat and submachine gun. His Eagles jacket fluttering violently from his blood aura, which began to grow and grow, contending with Rya's Celestial aura.

"I'll show you. Once I blitz through you? Kon is next. And I'll prove to all of you that I'm more than just some Auxiliary Shadow."

Rya glared at Bryce, as the two charged.

"Shadows! Now! Port us away!"

Yes, Sir Dainsleif.

The Shadows exited out of my Invisibilis spell, which I had cast in secret in a perimeter around the two.

Rya's face flashed with surprise.

"The Joker... I fell for his deception!"

Bryce glared at me.

"Do NOT interfere with my fight. I can take Rya on my own, do you hear me?! Do you-"

Bryce became flooded with the Shadows, warping away along with Rya. I stepped into the dark mass, as I began teleporting alongside the two.

Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing

KABOOM.

Bryce fired a barrage of energy which exploded on contact, sending Rya back. I watched the Celestial slam through a large mountain, dust and debris flying everywhere.

Bryce laughed crazily, taking out his bat.

"Who said you get to nap? I'M the one who puts you to sleep!"

Bryce swung his bat, unleashing a wide red arc, sending it to Rya.

But a white beam of light exploded from the mess, creating a giant vortex the size of a city.

From within the winds, a white light manifested, and the arc dissolved.

Rya tilted her head, her eyes glowing.

"A Celestial's body is sacred. Consecrated since the conception of the world. We uphold the balance."

"Like hell do I care." Bryce snarled, going all out and charging at top speed. Faster and faster, a mach cone forming in front of him.

Rya held out her hand, as her body became brighter and brighter.

A bright divine beam of light shot out of her aura, completely engulfing Bryce.

I opened my mouth to shout, but the beam had died down, revealing Bryce suspended in mid air. His body was smoking and charred.

"That... all you got?" Bryce wheezed, clutching his arm. It was bleeding severely.

Rya narrowed her eyes.

"The heroes of this world wield my power. They call their partially efficient spell, the Celestial Conduit. I have afflicted the pure power of my essence to you. And it is clear just how effective it was."

Bryce clenched his teeth, blood leaking from it.

"Stop the cap. That didn't do shit to me!"

Bryce descended on a mountain and roared to the sky, creating a vortex of red energy.

Surprise spread on Rya's face, as Bryce's wounds instantly regenerated, the eagle on his dark green varsity jacket becoming darker and blacker, and his black coat rippled viciously in the blood-red aura. All around him, plants and wildlife, the cacti, began to dissolve, turning grey.

Bryce was absorbing the life force of everything around him, adding to his strength.

"Talk yo shit. Talk all day. Keep talking bout how high and mighty you all are." Bryce snarled, glowing red veins arced across his face and his forearms, as his eyes began glowing a vicious red.

Bryce stomped on the ground, materializing before Rya, who's eyes enlarged in shock.

"Too fast!" She gasped, as Bryce wound his fist back.

TRICK PLAY - SB 52 PHILLY SPECIAL

Red energy exploded from behind, taking the form of a gargantuan eagle the size of a massive meteor.

"The more you talk highly of yourself, the better my accomplishment is once I beat yo ass." Bryce shouted, throwing a devastating punch and launching the eagle at Rya, unleashing a continental sized red explosion.

POINT BLANK SCARLET EAGLE

"Shadows!" I gasped, as the Shadows lifted me in the air.

I watched the explosion rip and tear away at the outer edges of the planet, creating a massive chasm.

"Foolish boy! You would... you would split this Earth in half?" Rya croaked, her body flying into the ground and smashing into it, levelling landforms everywhere and creating a country sized crater.

Bryce floated in the sky, looking down from above. Darkness flooded his body, seemingly eclipsing the sun from our perspective.

His aura had now caused black storm clouds to fill the sky, red electricity and thunder to boom all over the planet.

White light emerged from the hole, as Rya shot to the sky, appearing before Bryce.

Her wounds also had healed instantly.

"You are too dangerous of a threat. I cannot allow you to harm my husband. Whether directly, or indirectly from your recklessness. I see now that you must be eliminated. I will no longer hold back."

I shouted at Bryce desperately.

"Fall back! Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing! This is an order! She was holding back the entire time, if she takes this serious it's all over! Fall back and retreat now! Shadows, take Hellsing back!"

The Shadows began to wrap around Bryce, but recoiled.

Sir Dainsleif, Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing's aura is too overwhelming.

I had to do something, but before I could come up with anything, Bryce laughed.

"Oh yeah? No longer holding back? You sure looked like you were goin all ou-"

SLICE.

Bryce coughed out blood, as a starburst of red exploded from his chest.

Rya had pulled out a sword from thin air, slashing at Bryce with undetectable speed. Her eyes cold as ice, and focused on taking her opponent down.

No...

Bryce could NOT beat this.

Her speed...

Her speed...

Bryce aimed his uzi wildly, and fired a conical blast of energy, but Rya disappeared instantly, appearing behind him, as thousands upon thousands of white lines manifested all over his body.

Bryce exploded into blood, as he fell forward, but before he could even regenerate, Rya had appeared on the other side of the mesa, causing Bryce to explode in blood again.

I watched my Auxiliary free fall, but Rya appeared on the ground from where Bryce was descending, and manifested two enormous wings, flapping them and impaling Jones through the chest as he coughed out blood, his eyes wide.

That speed... It was so fast...

And this entire time, Buck had been feeding me information of her battle stats.

That speed was even faster than Goddess-Oni Hybrid Tokiko Marin, who was said to be the fastest Outer Shadow in the Black Legion.

I had promised Sarah to come back to her.

So we could get married.

I had no intentions to break that promise.

And I knew if I pushed myself at this state, I might permanently damage myself even more.

But even so...

Bryce was my Auxiliary.

I may have played favourites...

But Bryce...

That doesn't mean I don't care about you. You mean a lot more to me than you think!

I watched Rya slam Bryce into the ground, smashing through the mesa as she closed in.

Cosmic Celestial Magic - ANCIENT SMITE

Hundreds of magic circles surrounded Bryce, as his eyes widened.

"Bitch, you think this can beat me?!"

Bryce swung his bat, unleashing a torrent of red and black energy, but the circles remained, as Rya appeared before Bryce, face to face, her eyes wide with rage.

"I will destroy you. Because you threatened my precious Kon."

Bryce contorted with rage, the magic circles became brighter and brighter, unleashing a blinding white light.

"Why... after everything I did to get stronger... why am I losing?!"

His body began to burn up, but he was no longer regenerating.

Rya grabbed Bryce by the collar, his body charred and his breathing was now laborious.

"You regenerate through your vile, dark magic. But it cannot counter the burns of light. You can no longer heal. I will destroy you."

"Buck! It's time! INITIATE PROTOCOL 'CYBERKNIGHT'!"

As you wish, Master Aaron.

Buck widened, his earring form expanding and detaching from my earlobe, taking shape into several mechanical armor pieces.

A shoulder brace, mechanical arm and elbow armouring, and advanced cybernetic boots.

I dropped my crutches and pushed myself into the armour pieces, the Destreum equipment cladding onto my hoodie and jeans at my forearms, biceps, and feet until I looked like a cybernetic soldier straight out of a cyberpunk game.

I landed on the ground, as Buck shifted across my body, creating two overmolds around the sides of my face. A cyan targeting reticule forming around my eye, relaying battle parameters and information.

I breathed heavily.

Master Aaron. All precepts and parameters operational. All systems in effect. Note that due to the absense of a power source, the main power that fuels these implants will be through your stamina. I recommend at most, five minutes of combat. Entering ten minutes will be fatal.

I gripped my Draugr in one hand and my MP7 in the other, gritting my teeth.

"I've always been known to do the impossible, Buck. And I ain't gonna let another Auxiliary die!"

I concentrated, letting my stamina channel into my leg bracers, the cybernetic lines glowing a fierce cyan, as I blasted into the air with an enhanced cyber jump.

Rya spun around, in shock.

"Joker...?!"

I aimed my Draugr and fired a round at Rya, who dodged it by moving her head to the side. But her eyes were wide in surprise as she clenched her teeth.

"You are still not in your optimal condition. I can defea-"

"I don't need conditioning to outsmart a celestial HOUSEWIFE." I snarled, as I flicked a switch on my Draugr.

"OBSIDIAN ROUNDS - ANTI-LIGHT SIPHONING."

Rya gasped, spinning to where the bullet had landed.

Only the thing I fired was not a bullet.

It was a projectile, and it had completely deceived the Celestial, who had thought I fired with the intent to hit her. The round expanded, taking the form of a cross. Light began entering it like a violent black hole.

I never miss a target.

I just choose not to hit it.

And this choice, was for a reason.

Rya stared at her hands, the aura weakening.

"What did you do?! My power is being siphoned away!"

"You're distracted. Ain't that a treat." I grinned evilly.

TRIGRAMS - SIX HANDS COMBINATION STYLE

I aimed my MP7, unleashing a magazine of obsidian rounds at Rya, who blocked it with her wings.

"Do not interfere! I have no ill will for you. My qualms are with the Vampire-"

Rya opened her wings, her face paled, as the barrel of a Caliga was aimed right at her face.

KABOOM.

Rya flew backwards violently, as I reached behind me, chucking dozens of disks at her direction.

The disks surrounded Rya, who was still trying to process what was going on, but the disks had already expanded, unleashing a torrent of electricity at her.

Rya grimaced.

"The Vampire could not sustain my power. The power of light. A mere human certainly will not handle it. I am sorry. But if you choose to side with the enemy, then you ARE the enemy!"

Rya unleashed a vortex of energy, but I had already predicted that, closing in until we were face to face.

Rya gasped, as I leaned in close to her.

"Don't you know how tornados work? They have an eye. At the eye is where the wind is the weakest. So if I want to counter your attack, I just have to get close. I don't need to be a vampire to do that." I said, aiming my Draugr, but Rya swung her sword with lightning fast speed.

"You would get close to an enemy knowing she is far faster than you? Perhaps I have misjudged you, Joker."

"Nah." I said, from the ground, as Rya spun her head frantically, realizing the thing she had sliced was a spectre grenade. Completely harmless.

I fired my Caliga, catching the Celestial in the chin as she flew upwards violently, the vortex disappearing.

I dropped the anti-aircraft rifle, immediately quick switching to my Ironsight and bombarded her with missiles, explosions rocking her back and forth.

"Buck. Lock on to her location."

Affirmative.

My vision lit up with a targeting reticule, as I immediately switched to my Spitfire AX5.

Rya screamed, materializing in front of me.

"DO NOT MOCK ME-"

I pressed the shotgun to her chest.

"Well, if you don't want people to mock you, maybe you should be less predictable." I chuckled, as I fired, slamming her back.

Rya skidded backwards, outstretching her wings.

"Do not mock me... do not dare! I am an ancient deity, a celestial being. From the first dawn, the first dusk. I was there. I watched over humanity. You do not know your place!"

Rya flew to the air, but several binds tugged her back down violently.

"What is this?!"

"Infinite Elastics, engineering courtesy of Master Jun Gasket and Moi. You sure like to boast about your speed. Hope you like seeing it backfire on you."

Buck generated another portal as I pulled out more orbs, tossing them all around Rya. The orbs expanded until it created a large sphere around her full of mirrors.

Rya was still confused.

As long as she was confused and disoriented, even a little, it was enough to launch my combination assaults.

But right now, my stamina was making me slower. There was a reason why I never unveiled Protocol Cyberknight. Buck the Destroid had no realistic power source anymore.

Everything was running off of my body's energy.

Thankfully, I had spent most of my time under Sarah's care.

And while I was recovering, I never moved or did anything too active.

All that energy had accumulated. Ready to go.

And though I only had at most five minutes to do this, it was plenty.

This was my trump card that I had been saving in case any drastic circumstances happened...

Bryce... for your sake, even if you insult me and your friends like this... you still mean a lot to me.

Your safety counts as a drastic circumstance.

Rya looked around.

"LET ME OUT."

"No thanks. You're cute, but you're scary. I don't like scary girls."

"I AM NOT A GIRL. I HAVE LIVED FOR EONS."

"Still act like one though."

"HOW DARE YOU."

Rya screamed, her body generating light, but the mirrors were reflecting them, compounding and redirecting them all into a concentrated spot.

Rya herself.

Rya stumbled, her body steaming.

"What is this? What is it now!" She exclaimed.

"I always found it weird. Why was a Celestial proclaiming herself a Demon Queen. Wouldn't that mean part of you is now darkness? And since you like to boast about being Kon's wife, that means you now have some Primordial Demon in you... er... not in a sus way."

I scratched the back of my head, but continued.

"I figured my obsidian rounds weren't gonna finish you off. You knew that too, but wanted to hide it right?"

Rya fell to her knees, desperately trying to escape her cage, but the more she used her light powers, the more it backfired on her, redirecting back at her from the cage of mirrors.

"But I can read people. And I knew right away from your subtle facial expressions and body language, that part of you is vulnerable to that light. Why did you wield your light through vortexes? In such a convenient way such that at the center you would be unharmed? So though effective, my obsidian rounds could never match an Ancient Celestial in power. But here we have it. A way to redirect an Ancient Celestial's own power back at her face. Ain't that funny?"

"No.... NO!! PLEASE LET ME GO! Joker... I beg of you! Please don't let him harm my husband! Let him hurt me, but not my beloved... I... I will never forgive myself..."

Rya sobbed.

I had won. Defeating the Elite Tier S+ Rank Lightgiver in three minutes twenty six seconds. The CyberKnight armour released from my body. My skin generated smoke everywhere, causing me to stumble from exhaustion.

Thank god I had my crutches....?!

My crutches! Shit!

I nearly fell on my face, but someone held on to me.

Bryce breathed heavily, leaning on one leg, but keeping me upright.

I stared at him.

"Bryce..."

Bryce looked down.

"How... I'm... I'm supposed to be stronger than you now. You... your entire body is in a cast, you're still recoverin from Jekyll... but how did you beat her and I couldn't..."

I sighed.

What was I going to do about Bryce? Something was clearly off about him. Something...

Bryce looked away.

"What kinda right hand man has to let his own boss finish the fight when he's covered in bandages." He muttered.

"I'm not expecting you to protect me in every circumstance, Bryce. That's asking too much of you, or anyone I know." I reasoned, but Bryce didn't look convinced.

"Bet if it was Sig you wouldn't have had to step in. Fuckin... Fuckin useless ass..." Bryce looked at his hands, which were still charred and burned from fighting Rya.

"Useless head ass... after everythin I had been through too-"

"Annelise wouldn't have been able to protect me against Rya. She would have tried to fight or at the very least, defend against an Elite S+ Rank as an A Rank Auxiliary Shadow. I'd be cleaning her parts off the floor and delivering them back to Master Jun for repairs while all the while she would be asking if I was okay."

Bryce clenched his teeth, walking away.

"That woulda been Sig before she started gettin upgrades tho. I'm different. I got no excuse, bro. I've done everything I can to get stronger and I'm still-"

"And? Don't you remember what happened to Annie when she fought against Shiki of all people? She got completely bodied by the Devil Monk. At the end of the day I had to fight him myself, then Bishamonten."

Bryce stopped in his tracks, as I held out my fist to his face. Bryce stared at my hand.

"You wanna be my right hand man so bad? Then you gotta start from the bottom up. You ain't ever gonna get stronger unless you learn from your mistakes, Bryce. That's how we all started out. That's how I started out. And if you really reached the point of being able to defeat an Elite Tier S+ Rank just from one encounter, then I'm seriously questioning the balance of this game. A B Rank Auxiliary Shadow fighting on the level of a Elite Tier S+ Rank in less than a month? That's broken as hell!"

Bryce pursed his lips.

"You're tryna butter me up."

"I'm just being honest. Let's work harder from here. Alri-"

Wait.

Why did Bryce move away from me?

"I... I can't..."

"Bryce? You good, man? If you aren't feeling well let's get you back to the Infirmary at Hakah's place. We can-"

"N- No... I..." Bryce clasped his chest, as I stared in horror at my Auxiliary Shadow.

From the mass of mirrors, Rya stumbled forward, her eyes full of horror.

"What... that aura... where did he get that aura from?"

"What do you mean? That's just Bryce's vampiric-"

"No! Stay away from him, Joker. That isn't your Auxiliary Shadow anymore!"

I turned back to Bryce, who's grip on the left side of his chest grew tighter.

"Ack... gah... I..."

Bryce's fangs elongated, but where his usual red energy had normally pulsated, was now replaced by a misty black.

The same black from those cultists.

"Aaron... I'm..." Bryce gasped.

I stepped forward, but Rya materialized in front of me.

"Joker, be honest with me. Did you or did you not encounter him."

"Him?"

Rya's expression hardened.

"The Supreme Primordial... the one who replaced Kon as Loyce's right hand man."

Supreme Primordial...

Aran.

"Bryce... he absorbed their blood. The cultist's blood and essence. But I didn't think-"

Rya's eyes went wide, as she turned to my Auxiliary, who's aura began pulsing violently.

No...

Bryce...?

"Sh- Shit... did I say... say all these things... man... Bossman, wish I could ask for you to forgive me... but..."

"BRYCE! HANG IN THERE!" I shouted, rushing forward, but Rya held out her hand.

"TO ME. TO ARMS." She shouted, as the heavens parted, revealing thousands of soldiers emerging from the clouds.

"YOUR HIGHNESS. THE BLADE OF KON. WE SHALL BEAR ARMS TO YOUR NAME." A chant echoed from the sky.

Hundreds of crosses appeared around Bryce, but the crosses dissipated instantly the moment they came within his proximity.

Soldiers stormed past us, trying to contain my Auxiliary, but were being disintegrated left and right.

Rya gritted her teeth.

"His aura has reached anti-narrative levels of lethality. Fall back!" She said, as several beings in heavy armour knelt before her.

"Your highness. The threat exhibits power similar to the Anafabula. We must contain the threat somehow."

Rya turned to me, panic in her eyes.

"Why did you bring the Anafabula here? Why did you endanger my husband like this?!"

"I... I didn't..."

"I did not attack you that day, because you showed no ill will to my husband. But now you have put him in danger. First with that Vampire God. And now with The Anafabula. That Primordial... how dare you!"

Bryce...

I spun back to my Auxiliary, my mind flashing to June.

"BRYCE. CONTAIN IT! CONTAIN THAT POWER!" I shouted, but Bryce looked at me with an expression full of defeat.

"Aaron... I didn't mean to say those things..." He said, weakly.

"I KNOW! WE CAN ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IT LATER! JUST FOCUS! FOCUS!" I begged.

No...

Bryce...

This wasn't happening.

This seriously wasn't happening.

Not again.

Bryce yelled to the sky, generating an explosive aura which disintegrated reality around him in a devastating cylinder of destruction.

I rushed forward, but someone grabbed my arm. I spun around, to realize Vicki had appeared, her body still steaming from using her Obsidian Ordnance and Shadows. She had just teleported here, and she was looking grimly at Bryce.

"Aran has gotten him. I'm... I'm sorry, Dainsleif."

"NO! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT. LET ME GO, VICKI." I roared, shoving her arm away as I ran forward, desperately trying to save my Auxiliary Shadow, but the storm was blowing me back.

And from the corner of my eye, I could see superheroes and military choppers in the distance, making their way to our location.

Rya glared at me.

"I will protect my husband from all dangers. And now I know you are one too. He shall stay in this world no longer. I am taking him back to Konia. By force if necessary."

Vicki stared at Rya then at me.

"What did you do?" She said.

But I couldn't answer, my focus completely on Bryce, who was being engulfed by a power that was too much for him to handle.

Sarah... the doctors told me that I need to retire soon. At this rate, I won't be able to use my arms or legs ever again.

I will keep fighting... but I will take better care of my body. No more of these extreme injuries. I promise you, Sarah.

Bryce closed his eyes, yelling in agony.

"AARON! I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! DON'T BLAME YOURSELF, PLEASE. I'M BEGGING YOU!" Bryce roared.

I ripped the bandages off my body, summoning everything I had.

"Dainsleif! Your body and my blessing can't-" Vicki exclaimed.

COAT OF ARMS: EMBODIMENT OF WRATH - YAKSHA MODE

Chakra flooded my body, ripping apart my muscle fibres as I began to glow silver, my hair growing out and becoming wild, my ears elongating and horns sprouting from my forehead until I gained the appearance of a devilish Oni.

I stepped into the storm. Immediately I felt myself slipping away.

This was the power of an anti-narrative, but I enforced the overwhelming surge of Chakra that was now channeling in my body.

I am Aaron Hope.

I am wrath.

The destroyer of gods.

I will protect the people I love and care about.

I reached out, my teeth clenched. I can't lose myself.

I refuse.

I lost Will and Nora. Then I lost Jessie. Then I lost June. Then I lost Sakura.

I made my way to the center of the overwhelming storm, my feet sliding back as I stood face to face with Bryce.

"BRYCE!" I screamed.

Bryce opened his eyes, gasping as he looked at me.

"B- Bossman..." He muttered.

"You're fine! Listen to me! You're my best Auxiliary Shadow! You got it?! The strongest. The absolute best! My right hand man! What kind of right hand man can't handle something like this? Right? So let's do it. Show me what you got! Control that power, dude! You got it!"

Bryce smiled.

"The best... huh..."

"Y- Yeah! Yeah! The GOAT. You are! Let's wrap this up... yeah? Let's wrap it up and go home. And I'll head to Philly, we'll have cheesesteaks all day. We can play 2K too if you want. I'll... I'll..."

"Brother... I hate seein you cry."

"Stop sounding like you're about to give up! You dumbass Auxiliary Shadow! Who said they were the Hero of Philadelphia?! The Scarlet Uzi! Are you not gonna honour your dad's wishes? Your mom's?"

Bryce's body momentarily flickered out of existence, as he gave me a confused look.

"What's... What's Philadelphia...?"

My eyes went wide, as I grabbed Bryce by the shoulders. I could feel my arms beginning to fade out of existence.

"GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!" I screamed at my Auxiliary.

I could face any threat I wanted.

Any threat... and I could beat them as long as I had a plan or a way to think things out.

But what could I do against someone who could literally warp and change the rules of reality?!

I needed... I needed help. Someone... anyone...

Anyone who could... who could help me at this level...

There had to be someone.

Someone, anyone.

I don't wanna lose another Auxiliary Shadow.

My eyes went wide. That was it!

"HAKAH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"HELP ME, INNER SHADOW HAKAH MAH! I BEG YOU!"

BOOM.

Thunder boomed, as the entire planet lit up purple.

WHO DARES THREATEN MY FRIENDS. AND INTERRUPTS MY BONDING TIME WITH MY BROTHER! A voice ripped through the skies and heavens from above. As I glanced up.

A girl descended from the skies, black robes fluttering, as the very heavens opened up, storm clouds and purple lightning emanating all around.

Hakah glanced at me, then at Bryce, who was fading from existence, energy ripping through his eye sockets and mouth.

"What is happening here? What did you do?"

"Hakah..." My voice flooded with relief.

"There's no time! Help me save Bryce! Please!"

Hakah raised an eyebrow, as she lifted a finger. Storm clouds formed over the torrent of anti-narrative, as the storm was overriden by the storms of Susanoo.

"Anti-narrative... Loyce, you would go to such extremes? Are you that stupid?"

The storm immediately subsided, as Bryce crumpled to the ground before me.

I rushed forward and cradled his head in my chest, trembling in relief.

Hakah descended before me, her eyes empty, as she glanced at us from above.

"Are you okay, Aaron?" She asked.

I slammed my forehead against the ground, so hard that it began bleeding.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. Hakah... I... I... I'll pay you back. I promi-"

Hakah knelt in front of me, putting a finger to my chin and raising my head.

"Soh gwah. Who said you owed me anything?"

"You... you saved Bryce... you..."

I glanced at Hakah's side, which she was clutching. Now that I focused, her face was pale, and beads of sweat were running down her face.

"Hakah... you-"

Hakah laughed gently, getting to her feet and turning around.

From the distance, a man approached us.

He looked below average height, and his long hair was tied back in a ponytail.

Covering one side of his face, as something glowed from within his bangs. A golden light.

On his back was a large katana like sword, strapped over a black leather jacket with a white fur collar.

Vicki gasped, her face turned red.

"It's you..."

The man approached me until we were face to face.

But...

Something about him was emitting tremendous pressure. It shouldn't have been possible, but my body was treating him like a predator.

On high alert.

Hakah looked at the man.

"Ah. You caught me! In my defense, I was doing it to help out my friends."

"If you keep this up, you'll end up like your Outer Shadows, Hakah." The man said, as he held out his hand.

It was decorated with dark crimson tattoos. Symbols of the Hinokami.

"I am Yeling Mah. I heard a lot about you from my sis. Nice to meet you."

The OTHER Mahyako Descendent

"Go back to your barracks." Yeling told his sister, who wanted to protest, but Yeling shot her a glare.

To our surprise, Hakah recoiled.

I never saw Hakah act so submissive before. A sadistic part of me wanted to weaponize it.

But before I got any funny ideas, the blade that was strapped on Yeling's back hovered to my face.

"Wha-" Vicki gasped, as Hakah's eyes went wide.

"Goh goh! What are you doing?!" She yelped.

Yeling glared at me, his eye glowing cyan blue.

"I have a lot to say to you. From what you did to Marcela. To what you got my little sister involved in. You ran away after our first fight. Maybe I should continue it."

I returned his glare, my hand hovering over my Draugr. Vicki wanted to say something, but it looked like she was uncertain.

"Lemme set the record straight, Yeling. That last fight between you and I was a fluke. I fought and killed Nyx using a Black Bullet. I was drained and you weren't able to bring me down. Even when I am like this, I can still beat you."

Yeling's eye flashed murderously.

"I'm not like what I was before. A kid like you doesn't understand the world. The gravity of your actions have befallen on everyone around you."

I shoved Yeling's sword away, stepping closer until we were face to face.

"Kid? Understanding the world? Who the fuck do you think I am? I've seen plenty. I've lost enough people to know the gravity of my actions."

"And? What are you doing in response to that? Getting my little sister involved in more of your bullshit? You're smart. You know my sister is taxing her body heavily by using Level 1 Susanoo. You'd throw her into your mess? And don't even get me started with all you Black Legion bastards."

Yeling turned to all of us.

"Invading us like that. Putting Shia and Inoko, Shen, all of my friends comatose. Forcing Marcela into doing another taboo. Yet another family of mine torn apart. Breaking my little sister into tiny pieces and rebuilding her into this... this monster. I will never fucking forgive any of you."

Hakah yanked at Yeling's arm.

"Yeling! What's gotten into you? You... you were so happy when you were with me! Why are you acting so hostile? You were kind to Vicki too, surely!"

Yeling shoved Hakah's arm away.

"I am kind to the people who deserve it. But to this... Black Legion Organization? What's there to be kind to? A group of fuckin killers who got my family hurt? You think I'll be buddy buddy with these people?"

Vicki looked away, a tear ran down her face, but she tried to hide it.

My blood boiled.

"Hey. Asshole. Kindness is a two way street. Hakah has been helping us. Some of these circumstances are beyond our control. What happened to Hakah wasn't because of us. If anything, I extended a helping hand to her. The only reason why she isn't trying to kill your ass anymore is because I helped her."

Yeling gritted his teeth, his blade still hovering over my face, when suddenly, a voice called out in a distance.

"HEY! HANDS IN THE AIR! THIS IS UNITY AND NATO."

We turned to the source of the voices, to see legions of superheroes and military aircraft approaching us at high velocity.

"Shit! They're here. Vicki, do you have something to say?" I asked.

Vicki blinked, looking at Yeling.

"I... um..."

She was so flustered by Yeling that she couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

What the hell did she see in this guy?

"Hey. I'm talking to you." Yeling said, but I grabbed his sword, blood pooling from my palm, to his surprise, as I ripped the blade out of his hands and threw it to the side, stepping close until our faces were an inch apart.

"Watch. Your. Next. Words. I don't care if you're Hakah's big brother. I will fucking beat you into fish paste if you keep pissing me off like this. Do you understand? You may be a little stronger than you were last time, but I have gotten stronger too."

Yeling's eye glowed fiercer cyan, as the heroes continued pestering us.

"I'd rather it be like this. I'll kill you and everybody in the Black Legion. Once I'm finished, I'll kill Vala. No one will harm the people who love me ever again."

"HANDS IN THE AIR! DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?" A superhero called out.

"We don't mean you any harm!" I called back, but before I could finish talking, Yeling lifted his hand, pointing it at the legion.

Level 1 Hinokami

The tattoos on his body glowed crimson.

"What are you-"

The bangs on his face parted, revealing his scorched flesh and cybernetic eye.

He was going to kill them all without a second thought!

The face of the guy who killed his own family...

This was the face of someone who was truly broken... I had thought he had healed a bit mentally from being with those rag tag team of hooligans, based on what I had learned about the guy.

What exactly happened to him when he was with Hakah? With Vicki?

I knew Vicki and Riordan had ambushed Yeling and his friends...

"This world is full of people who turn a blind eye to people who suffer." Yeling hissed, his voice animalistic and dripping with murderous intent.

"The Dogma chose me to bring balance back. While the rest of the Level 1 Akuma Grade Dogma holders gather, I would begin wiping the world off those who aren't worthy."

"You don't know what these people have been through. How can you make such an assumption?" I asked.

Yeling's expression was cold, contrasting with the immense heat that was being emitted from his palm.

"I represent what the Akuma represents. This is why I will be at the top. To be strong means to suffer. To gain power means to give something away. The Black Legion aims to also resurrect the Akuma, but their top Outer Shadow can't even understand the Organization's ideals? You claim to be greater than the Contingency Initiative, but at least CI had their ideals well laid out. To me, you're just a ragtag bunch of idiots who are doing random ass jobs, killing whoever you want, not even understanding why you're even here. That's what makes me different from all of you. I am upholding my duty to bring this multiverse into a better direction. By killing all these trash."

My hand touched the handle of my handgun, but a flame raced across Yeling's arm.

"Reflexes of a Fire God, or the reflexes of a human. What do you think is faster, Aaron?" Yeling's voice emanated darkness.

SMACK.

Yeling dropped his sword, the flames dissipating, as Hakah had walloped her older brother in the head.

"That's enough! When were you like this, Yeling? Since when? When was my big brother such a cold hearted killer?"

Yeling turned to Hakah.

"I'm the killer? What the hell have you people been doing then? I'm-"

"Stop! Just stop!" Hakah grabbed Yeling by the ear, yanking it.

"I chose to help Aaron because he is my friend! What's happening to my body is because I chose to do so. I'm happy with doing what I'm doing. I don't care what you think. But right now you're being creepy! So stop!"

Hakah let go, as Yeling clutched the side of his face.

"Hakah... I..."

Hakah wiped her eyes.

"Yeling... I'm... I'm so happy to see you. After so many years. I thought my Goh Goh was the greatest person ever. Even when I've been healed from my trauma... that hasn't changed. You mean so much to me. And it's because of that do I not want to see you walk down this dark path. Our objective isn't to resurrect the Akuma, it's to defeat Vala. I... I know what you've been through. Because your Mama and Baba who died that night were also my Mama and Baba."

Hakah buried her head in Yeling's shoulder, causing his flames to dissipate completely, and his tattoos to return to normal.

"You need to see the good in people. You may have had friends, but you're still broken, just like I was. And Marcela... it was my fault."

"No! It isn't! It's because you got brainwashed and-"

"IT IS. It is... all of the pain you're going through, it's partly my fault. And I'm so sorry. So so sorry. Goh goh. But right now... you need to see these people as your allies. Aaron Hope is not an enemy. Do you understand? And Aaron, Yeling isn't your enemy. He's the one we need to protect from Vala!"

Some of my anger left my body.

"Wh- whatever. I'm getting out of here. I have to take Bryce to the infirmary."

Hakah glanced at Bryce.

"He is suffering from the aftereffects of anti-narrative... I can nurse him back to health with Shakujin."

"How long is it going to take?" I asked.

Hakah looked uncertain.

"I'm not sure. But... I can take him to my Barracks. He will be safe there."

"Thanks. Thanks so much Hakah. Also, I... I'm sorry I got you to use Susanoo again."

Hakah smiled.

"And I will do it again. As much as you need me to."

Please don't.

Yeling sighed.

"I will come with you-"

"Nope."

"Heh?"

Hakah pushed Yeling as he stumbled, crashing into me.

"HEY! WATCH IT YOU IDIOT!" I snapped.

"HUH?! You're the moron who stood there as I stumbled! I thought you had incredible reflexes for being a gunman!"

"Are you pickin a fight?!" I shouted, as the two of us faced each other off, growling like rabid dogs.

"Quit it!" Hakah said, as Shadows surrounded her and Bryce.

"Goh goh. I am doing this for your own good. You and Aaron will be friends. Kay?"

Yeling's eye twitched.

"WHAT?! I never asked for this!" He growled.

"Me neither! Hey! Hakah! Don't go stealing my Auxiliary and leaving me with this angry replacement! HEY!!!!"

Hakah disappeared with Bryce, as Vicki, Yeling, and I stood there, awkwardly.

Rya was at a distance, her armies retreating, but she was glaring daggers at me.

"For as long as you stand in this world, my husband will never be safe. I will take him with me. I will do it by force if necessary."

I turned away.

This was bad.

We just lost a potential connection to Kon... and I knew Vicki was not gonna like this.

"Dainsleif. What did you do?" Vicki asked.

"I... Bryce... Bryce ended up being consumed by Ar-"

I turned to Yeling.

Shit! Was Yeling immune to reality warping?

Yeling scowled.

"I am an Akuma Grade Dogma Holder. I'm resistant to Apokolereos. And Alogigenesis, mind you."

Damn showoff!

We could compare sizes any day.

I was taller than this guy by over a head.

And I bet in other places too!

"This is bad. Very bad. I... I just hope Rya does not get through to Constantine any time soon. Not until we have explained the situation to Kon. We still need-"

"Hey. Vicki." Yeling interrupted her.

My eyebrows raised.

Vicki was never interrupted before. We were all afraid of her. I half expected Vicki to judo throw the guy, but to my surprise, Vicki stopped, turning away and blushing.

Oh. My. God.

She was into that kind of relationship?!

No wonder!

Only this foul tongued sociopath would talk to Vicki like this!

"Y- Yes... Yeling..." Vicki fumbled with her words, her legs buckling shyly.

This guy!

"Matt... Matt's regained consciousness. He wants to see you."

Vicki blinked.

"Vistara wants to see me of all people?"

Yeling nodded.

"Yeah. I already spoke to him. But... you know. He's never forgotten everything you've done for him. When I told him you were here, he was overjoyed. You should pay him a visit. Leave Valerian to us."

Vicki looked down.

"All I did was give him harsh treatment as his teacher. I'm..."

Yeling touched her hand, causing Vicki to make a girly sound that I never would have believed if anyone told me.

"If that was all you were to him, he wouldn't have been so overjoyed. And the Matt I knew, the one you created, never ever showed joy to that level."

Vicki turned to us.

"I... Alright. Very well. Yeling, take over this operation. Do not let Dainsleif get ahead of himself and ruin it. I will return shortly for an update. Please keep me informed."

"AYO WHAT?!" I squeaked, raising my hand.

"Why am I the one who you think is gonna ruin it?! I'm the most tactical one here! I'm the strongest and wisest and-"

"The youngest, from what I hear." Yeling said.

"HUH?! SAY THAT AGAIN YOU LIL SHIT!" I sneered.

"You're the youngest. Vicki is twenty eight. You're nineteen. If anything, you act like you're still in high school based on your freakouts and reputation."

"Oh yeah? And how old are you supposed to be? Probably twenty. Thinking you're hot shit being a year older tha-"

"I'm twenty six."

"GAH!!!"

Yeling smirked, as Vicki dissipated into the Shadows, her face uncertain.

"I will keep a leash on you. You do as I say. Talk only when I tell you to talk. Understand?"

"You lil shit. I'll talk whenever I want to! You can't tell me what to do. I've interrogated people before!"

"Oh yeah? Then let's run a wager then. You talk for five minutes and if we don't get chased by the Trey Kings then maybe I will consider you more than some six foot steroid abusing high schooler." Yeling said.

I brought my face close to his again, a vein popping on my forehead.

"Deal. Prepare to be mesmerized by how the SS Ranked Dainsleif of the Black Legion does things."

* * *

"Why the hell is this happening to meeeeeeeee?!?!" I wailed, chased after an entire army of Trey Kings across Vibora Bay.

"GET HIM!"

"KILL HIM FOR WHAT HE DID TO OUR BOSS!"

Yeling flew next to me, his arms and legs trailing red flames.

"What did I tell you-"

"SHUT UP!!! SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!" I snapped.

I revved my Warpath engines, as gang members chased me left and right.

"Why do you hesitate in killing them? They're nobodies. Lowlives."

"If I kill them, it'll cause another international incident! My reputation with Defender is as low as it can possibly get! Now I'm known as the Valerian Cleavage Sniffer! Fuck me!!!"

(Three Hours Ago)

The Shadows had transported Yeling and I as we appeared from the inside of the ventilation unit in Club Caprice.

"Interesting." Yeling remarked.

"What?"

"Vicki's Shadows aren't as... traumatized as yours."

"Traumatized?"

"I don't know how to explain it. But I can sort of feel what they feel. Hakah's Shadows have a sort of kinship with Hakah, maybe because they were all she had at the time. Vicki's Shadows are a lot more obedient and disciplined, like soldiers. But yours... it feels like every time they are summoned they're scared of what kind of weird shit you're gonna put them through."

"Talk any more and I'm transporting you into the bottom of the Pacific Ocean."

We watched guests left and right.

But just as I expected... they were lifeless husks, going through the rhythms.

This place felt like a wasteland.

"According to the Outer Shadows, Aran stepped into this reality for no longer than a second. And to think that this would be the magnitude of his brief presence. It's terrifying." Yeling said.

For once I agreed.

How were we going to defeat someone who could literally shatter the fabric of reality just by standing there?

We heard voices, as several girls walked past.

"Have you heard of the new girl?" One of the girls said.

"New girl? You mean the blondie?"

"Yeah. Apparently she's one of the new manager's girls, rumour said that she's so good at pleasing men that they gave her literal gold bricks as payment."

"Seriously? There's no way she's that hot is she? What's her name."

"No idea. But I got a glimpse of her sitting on the manager's lap. What a slut."

"Ugh."

I glanced at Yeling, and his face looked as sinister as ever.

"I hate women like that." He said.

"What do you mean?"

Yeling's one functional eye flickered with a red flame.

"The ones who switch up. The ones who aren't loyal to one man, and the ones who complain about being objectified when their actions speak otherwise. I hate them."

"They're strippers though. It's their job. I'm sure if it wasn't because of that they would be-"

"I'm just saying... whatever. You wouldn't understand. Considering your love life has been smooth sailing."

I was going to say something, but Yeling's body language gave me second thoughts.

He was older than me by almost seven years...

Given his history and his reputation as The Tidalflame, I could only imagine how shitty his dating life must have been... if even had one at all.

But that didn't make me want to mess with him a lil.

Heheheheheh.

"What do you think about that gold bar girl?" I asked.

Yeling irked.

"She disgusts me."

I smiled.

"Cool. Just keep that in mind."

I waited for the coast to be clear, before grabbing the grate and carefully taking it out, then reaching out with my legs and slowly dropping to the ground.

Aspectum - Radial Radar

My vision lit up. No spies nothing.

"Coast is clear. Come down, Yeling."

Yeling glanced at the ground, hesitating.

"Come on, dude. Just hop down."

Yeling slowly moved out of the section, awkwardly, before emitting a small blast of flame to cushion his hilariously terrible fall.

"Bro. You're gonna alert everyone here!"

Yeling scowled.

"I don't do stealth."

"Yeah. I can tell."

Yeling glared at me.

"Maybe I should just burn everything here, including you. Then tell Vicki something went wrong and Valerian died."

"Remember now. My name is Aaron Pope. The Cosmic Pimp. And you're... um... Buddy... Sanders..."

Yeling raised an eyebrow.

"Buddy Sanders."

"Just roll with it. You're my assistant. An... intern. You're studying the way of the pimp."

"For someone who supposedly has 210 IQ you sure come up with the most questionable cover stories."

"Shut up! Listen. The story right now, is Vicki is currently under the weather. Um... was... serving dudes out in the open and caught a cold. Yeah. Let's go with that."

Yeling shrugged.

"Whatever you say, Outer Shadow Dainsleif."

Was that sarcasm?!

Yeling reached into his pocket, and pulled out a phone, swiping up and tapping something.

Was he recording me?!?!

We tailed one of the women who was chatting up some guys. Her robes were white, with red accents, but I recognized her right away under her disguise.

Valerian Scarlet.

"I've noticed you had your eye on me this entire time. Has your girl not been satisfactory?" Valerian asked me.

"I have an eye for talent is all." I replied.

"Hmm." Valerian turned around, regarding us.

"Aaron Pope. You sure have a keen eye, if I'm one of your prospects." Valerian smiled.

"How about I come visit you, so we discuss some more." I said, trying to keep a straight face. She actually called me Aaron Pope. If she called me the Cosmic Pimp I swear I'll break down.

Valerian frowned, glancing at Yeling.

"Who is that? Your personal janitor?"

Yeling's eye widened in rage.

It took everything I had to try not to laugh.

Valerian Scarlet. Real name: Valerie Hartwig.

A descendent of the Hartwig family.

A young mage who struck a deal with the devil, Kerathios for power.

In exchange, she lived a life bringing souls to the devil. She would carry this out by luring men at Club Caprice to their doom.

It was the perfect cover story, given her charm and looks.

And as Valerie led Yeling, me, and several other men to her limousine, I could tell just from her body language...

She was dripping with murderous intent.

"Hell yeah! We get to spend the night with the Beauty of Club Caprice!" One of the guys said, pouring liquor to his buddies, were in high spirits, completely oblivious to the fact that they had fallen right into Valerian's trap.

I glanced at the guys who were sitting at the outer edges of the limo.

The folds of their clothes suggested they were concealing numerous firearms.

I was too focused on the mission to even realize Yeling had been inspecting me the entire time.

"So you like to use your head a lot, huh." Yeling observed.

"What?"

Yeling tapped his temple.

"You analyze your surroundings. You learn as much as you can, in case something happens you can come up with a solution right away."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Huh. So you're not all brawn after all, eh?"

"Hard work is all I have." Yeling said.

"A Fire God literally lives inside those tattoos of yours."

"A Fire God that took my family away and burnt my little sister to a crisp, forcing her into a life she never asked for. Everything I have done has been an exchange. The greater the power the greater the sacrifice. Yet before the Dogma approached me, I always fell behind everyone else. Do you know how that feels?"

I watched the city start to transition to Vibora Bay, as we entered the bridge. The sounds of the men partying and laughing becoming distant, despite them sitting literally across from us.

I could hear the gang members, who were pretending to be Valerian's bodyguards, casually discussing about random stuff, under the impression that this was business as usual, bring in idiots who thought they could have a shot at spending a night with Valerie to their imminent demise.

YOU need to see the good in people. You may have had friends, but you're still broken, just like I was. And Marcela... it was my fault.

I glanced at Yeling again, his eyes listlessly following the street lights that were making patterns across the inside of the limousine.

His bangs had momentarily shuffled to the side, revealing his ruined right half.

"Level 2 Intangibility." Yeling said, catching me glancing at his face.

"Uh. Sorry. I didn't mean to stare." I stuttered.

Yeling brought a hand to his face, stroking the scorched skin.

"Level 1 Hinokami took my family. Then Level 2 Intangibility took half of my face. The reason why the Dogma believed half of my face would be sufficient for something like the ability to be untouchable... was that I believed I didn't have the appearance to be loved by a woman. I always did my best to take care of my face and my personal hygiene, as well as doing everything I could to improve my attitude and personality, in hopes it would attract someone. Anyone. But it never worked out. No one gave me the time of day."

Yeling's bright, cyan eye glowed in the darkness, but it was shrouded by his shades.

"When I joined the Contingency Initiative, I was told that my path as The Tidalflame would be one filled with bloodshed. The Dogma told me I would never have been loved by anyone even if I didn't join Squad Four because my traumatic past would be too much for anyone to really accept in a partner. I was stubborn... and asked for a different exchange for my Level 2, but in the end, I was tricked by the Dogma into allowing half of my face to be taken away. When Level 2 became implanted into my body, the right side of my head caught on fire, and I lost my hair. When I looked in the mirror, and realized that... that thing was me, I wanted to kill myself. All chances of me finding love were completely gone if this was what I had become."

Yeling removed his hand, the bangs momentarily revealing his entire face. Half of it was normal. But the other half was corroded, deformed and wrinkly. Running down his right cybernetic eye was a nasty scar, even larger than mine.

"'You will be loyal to me. Yeling Mah. For in exchange of the gift of invincibility, I shall take from you. Half of your face. No man shall see you for who you are, and no woman will ever wish to kiss upon your ruined flesh. That will be your fate.' Those were the Dogma's words. I still remember them, verbatim. Heh."

Yeling smiled at me.

"It's funny how some people can become so strong in this world, without going through what I and probably many others did. This is the so called "Hope" Vala has brought back when she killed the Akuma. This. Right here."

Yeling pointed at his face.

"And to imagine the gall of these... human TRASH. To try and defend Vala? To try and defend her and bring her back over the Akuma? For a time, I thought my reasons to join CI were invalid, after I met with Shia Inoko and Shen. But... even in the end, there is nothing for me now. They will go about their own separate lives. I wasn't meant to be with them, and when I was attacked by those two Outer Shadows that day, and I watched these people fall because they couldn't keep up with me at Stage Four, it was clear as day. I couldn't stay with these people anymore. I had no place even amongst my own friends."

So Hakah...

This must have been why you brought him to me.

Because you believed me as someone who could change people, just as I had changed you...

I could change Yeling, and make him see hope, see light in the end of the tunnel, huh.

"Yeling, I-"

"AYO! We're here! Yes!" The guys piled out, as the guards kicked us out of the limo. We were escorted into a fancy looking castle like house.

"I hope you all enjoy your stay." Valerie smiled.

"Come on, honey! Show us what's under that hood of yours."

Valerie approached one of the guys, purring down his neck.

"Tonight, when it's your turn. I'll let you see everything."

Steam seemed to exit out the pervert's nostrils like a Thomas the Tank Engine if his life had went downhill and "off-the-rails".

I hopped off the car, but nearly stumbled.

"Ack! Gah..." I breathed heavily.

"B- Buck... My braces..."

Master Aaron. I highly recommend you avoid Protocol Cyberknight. You do not have the stamina to fuel the power requirements for operation.

"Th- That's fine... I just need something to brace me up in case a fight breaks out. My body is still injured."

Very well. Initiating Protocol Cyberknight at 10% operation parameters.

Several forearm-elbow bracers appeared before me, as I slipped them over my arms and concealed them under my blue hoodie. The foot bracers cladded my boots, slightly going up my black jeans.

"If you're having a hard time moving around, I can handle the fighting." Yeling said.

"I can handle it-"

"Wouldn't want you injuring yourself any more, especially when you're recovering. You'd make your friends worry."

I stared at Yeling, who gave me a nonchalant expression.

"You-"

"Contrary to what you think about me, I still have a heart under there." Yeling grumbled, putting his hands in his ripped baggy black denim pockets.

"And I wasn't lying when I said I got stronger, by the way. Hakah taught me to channel my powers, and my Anarchy Form. And I honed in my technique with Tatsu."

I blinked.

"You mean Aelienne's Tatsu? Wasn't that sword cursed to be unwieldable by anyone who wasn't her?"

Yeling smirked, tapping his backpack, which was the magical disguise he had used to conceal the katana hybrid longsword.

"Well. My flames are partly hers, you know."

We were told to wait in a room, as someone would call in each person one by one.

"Oh man! I can't wait!" One guy said.

"My life has been nothing till now. Now I get to tap that Valerian Scarlet! I'm the luckiest man alive!"

This was pretty sad to listen to. But...

We had a mission to do.

One of the guys laughed a perverted laugh,

"Once I smash Valerian, I'm gonna have so much confidence that I'll smash every girl I see. Whether they want to or not-"

"Human trash." Yeling muttered.

The guy spun to Yeling's direction, as did I, my eyebrows raised.

"HUH? The hell did you just say you lil Chinese punk?" The man approached Yeling, glowering down at him from above.

But Yeling didn't look at all fazed.

"If having a night with a paid prostitute is the source of your self worth, then that confidence you gain walking out that door will be fleeting." Yeling said, coldly.

"You tryna pick a fight? Who else gets to brag that they get to smash someone as fine as Valerian?!"

"No one."

"Exactly! Then what-"

"Because it isn't an accomplishment. Pay hundred bucks for a night with a prostitute. Is that really an achievement? Everything she says to you is because she was paid to do it. If you think anything that comes out of a hooker's mouth is genuine, then you might as well burn to death right here and right now." Yeling glared at the man, as his buddies came to his side, crowding around Yeling.

"Hey. You better watch your mouth, kid. Before we zip it for you."

"Who the hell do you think you are? There's no cops around here. Imagine what kind of shit we can do to you and get away with. You're probably in the same boat if you came here to her house. Hell, I got a wife back at home but she doesn't do it for me. She isn't anything like Valerian."

Yeling grabbed the man by the neck, lifting him in the air, his one eye began glowing, and the shades beginning to melt off his face.

"I oughta just kill you right now. While those guards are away. The new world has no place for failures in life. Let me guess. You spent your younger years having the time of your life, neglecting education, people who love you, and hard work. Now your life has gone downhill in a dull, boring, hastily arranged marriage, you're looking for the easy way out. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out, if someone like you is gullible enough to fall for a prostitute mid service."

My eyes went wide.

"Yeling, you idiot! Stop! You're gonna-"

Yeling's eyes flashed murderously.

"I will burn this world to the ground. Along with people like you. You want an easy way out so bad? I can give one to you for free."

I grabbed Yeling by the collar and yanked him back.

"AAAH! Sorry about that! He's just an intern after all! Hahaha! You know, kids these days right?"

The guys calmed down, but Yeling looked like he was seconds from bursting into flames.

"Kids?! I'm older than you by seven years you dork!"

"Shut up! I don't need to hear it from a five foot seven Stage Four Arsonist!"

The men came in, and pointed at me.

"He goes first."

Two guys approached me by the sides.

"Can I bring Buddy?" I asked.

"Ummm... what?" The guard said.

"You know. So he could... ermm... watch?"

Yeling made a disgusted face, as did the guards.

"Uh... I guess... you do you..."

Thank god none of my Auxiliaries were here to see me like this! I would definitely be a laughing stock for a whole month in the Black Legion!

The doors opened, revealing Valerian in her room. She was still wearing those white robes. The whole place looked expensive, with silk and curtains everywhere.

"What a beautiful night." She said.

I gulped.

It was now or never.

"Yes." My voice squeaked, as I put a hand to my mouth.

Yeling raised an eyebrow, clearly trying not to laugh.

Valerian ignored my voice cracking, as she turned around, slowly taking off her hood, revealing auburn brown hair tied back in several braids.

She was stunning.

"Why are you frozen? Did you not want to speak to me about prospects? Or has my appearance allured you. Pope. Or perhaps that is not your name."

How did she...

"Surprised? Of course I would recognize you. The Hangman. The 'Lecher of Millennium City'. Your reputation is notorious."

Where did the second one come from?!

Scarlet tilted her head, laughing evilly, as her eyes glowed a devilish yellow, as she twirled a set of keys around her finger.

On it was a fob that said:

"UNITY: VALERIAN SCARLET"

"I was a hero once too, you know. But it was oh so boring. When everybody around me is so weak. That includes you, by the way, and your freak of an accomplice."

Yeling looked like he was about to turn Valerie into ashes, but he restrained himself.

"Uh. So. Um..." I stuttered.

Scarlet looked at me inquisitively.

"You still have questions? Most of the men who enter my chambers fear for their lives. You know."

"Well. I mean... I kinda already know you're evil."

"Great! Then let's get this over with. I don't have all the time in the world. Trey Kings!"

The doors burst open, revealing numerous cultists wielding pitchforks, scythes, and knives.

"Wait!" I said, holding up my hands to the horde, including Yeling.

"Before you suck our souls. Let's have a proposition. Look, we got stuff in common, you know."

Scarlet scoffed, turning around and putting the key back on her nightstand, as her body shimmered with light, transforming into her classic dark garments, angelic golden shoulder guards, and golden tiger stripes decorating her thighs.

Cursed nephilim energy dribbled from her sleeves, as a red scarf covered her face.

"Such as?"

"Well! Err... I mean, we both got fired from UNITY."

The Trey Kings began making grumbling sounds, some even hissing.

Huh?

Did I say something wrong?

Valerian glared at me.

"I did not get fired. I left. You got fired, somehow. Imagine being fired from this clown show of superheroes. We are nothing alike, and if you continue to insult me, I will move ahead with the soul siphoning procedure."

"Ah. Okay. But we were both former heroes here, yeah? Yeah. I can't see your face under that hood and scarf... but I'll take that as a yes."

Yeling rolled his eyes, as he pulled out his phone, tapping on it.

Take this seriously you moron!

"Look. I just want answers. I figured if I approached you, you would never give me the time of day."

"That's the most accurate thing you have said all day."

You damn bitch!!!

I cleared my throat. Focus, Aaron. Focus.

"Just... tell your boys to back off for a minute, okay? Let's just have a short chat. You don't attack us, and we won't attack you. Are we okay with that?"

Valerian glanced at the Trey Kings, who were more than ready to throw hands.

Yeling put his phone back in his pocket, glaring at the gang members, his facial expression murderous.

The Trey Kings looked uncomfortable, as Yeling smiled sadistically.

"I love psychopaths. They make me look so normal when I roast them alive." He whispered.

I can't tell who needs therapy more, the psychopaths or you!

"Leave us. For now." Valerian said, as the cultists left, closing the door.

I threw Yeling a glare.

"No funny ideas you fire slinging lunatic!" I mouthed aggressively.

I sat on the little table across from Valerian, who crossed her hands and her legs.

"You would be the first man who, instead of running away with his tail between his legs, wanted to talk. I can't tell if you're already crazy, but your soul must be delicious."

Hartwig licked her lips.

"Er... Shadows, make sure Sarah Ultear isn't watching from some weird magical outlet." I whispered, quickly.

Y- Yes... Sir Dainsleif. We will take extra precautions to ensure your wife is unaware of your affair.

"Wait! No! This isn't an affair you stupid Shadows! Hey!" I whispered fiercely, as Valerian raised an eyebrow.

"So the Hangman also has henchmen of his own. My opinion of you has improved!"

Aw stuff it, you wench!

"I wanted to ask you about... The Primordial Demons." I said.

The air turned incredibly tense, as Valerian was silent for a few seconds. Her face studying me intently.

Even Yeling dropped what he was doing and turned to us.

Suddenly, the evil smirk and flirtatious aura Valerie had a minute ago melted off her face.

"Why do you ask." Her entire tone had completely changed.

"I... um..."

Valerian leaned forward, putting a hand on mine.

Yeling raised his eyebrows, his phone sliding out of his leather jacket pocket.

I heard his finger tap on the screen.

HEY!!!!

YOU BLACKMAILING MAHYAKO BRAT!

Valerian grasped my hand tightly. A bead of sweat ran down her face, as her yellow eyes were wide in...

Fear?

"Aaron. Has another Primordial Demon stepped into this world? Answer me honestly." She said, her voice tense.

"I... I don't know. I'm not sure. I just wanted to know."

Valerian clenched her teeth.

"If it's true, then this world is done for. But what will you do with all the information I'm going to tell you?"

"Uh..."

Valerian looked around frantically, rushing to her magic bookshelf, flipping through multiple books. From their magic circles, and from what I learned from Sarah when I studied magic under her tutelage, those books were 100% black magic.

"I will tell you everything I know. But please. Promise me this, Aaron."

Valerian looked at me.

"Promise me you have a means to dispose of this Primordial Demon. Because if it is true there is one living in this world, there is nothing we can do to stop it. This world will be destroyed. The destruction of this world will vastly eclipse even the Apocalypse that Lord Therakiel had once attempted on this plane of existence. The level of destruction that a Primordial Demon can unleash....

"Is multiversal."

The Apex Species

"Before mankind, there was another."

Valerian spread her hands, magical runes and particles surrounding us, as I peered into the patterns, my brain automatically and subconsciously linking the lines together until my surroundings warped. An illusion of a world surrounded the three of us. And Valerian's voice had become nothing more than a narrator in the background.

"A species that was the first to display intelligence and superiority. True, absolute intelligence. Not the type of intelligence that humans have. We were beings who embodied evolving intelligence, but these guys were the real deal. From the very beginning, they conquered. The first ever species to ever be known as the apex species. We've always been taught that at the beginning of time, there existed good. And evil. Angel and Devil. But there have been no accounts as to where the Primordials came from. And that is the thing.

"The Primordial seemingly willed themselves into existence. As if they chose to exist on their own accord. Not by fate. Free by choice. Without the limits of a higher power on a higher plane of existence, or a narrative. The Primordials, neither through heaven or through hell, existed."

I watched as an entire legion of mages readied themselves.

"History books have branched the magical families of this world. The magical community divided. The Duquesne Family, the Hartwig Family, the Caliburn Family, and many, countless more. But on one day, we stood together to defend against a colossal, unparalleled threat that was so frightening that we collectively decided to keep buried in the past. To never surface again."

I stared at the horizon. There was massive... gargantuan hole. It had to be at least 250 thousand square miles large.

Surrounding its perimeter, were countless magical runes. A large gathering of magic practitioners, continuously weaving hand signs.

Yeling's face was grim.

"They're containing something in that hole."

Valerie nodded.

"Anti-magic. Anti-fate magic. Combat nullification. Hexes. Curses. Black Magic. We used it all. From the righteous magic practiced by Asim Ka, the ancestor of Doctor Ka, to the magic practiced by the Duquesne family - The Circle of the Scarlet Moon. The sheer amount of mana that was spent trying to contain this threat... as you can see..."

BOOM.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

"Ready yourselves!" Asim shouted at the mages. At least several million in number, who populated the entire perimeter of the hole in massive hordes.

A ripple of magic circles formed, a wave of light rippling through the crowd, as a demonic green light ripped through the hole.

"Hahaha. Is this the sheer power of this world's magic? You all..."

CHOOM.

The entire world rumbled in response to the monster's green light, a beam shooting to the sky as a dark figure slowly ascended.

It had a physique as built as Ironclad.

And a face as bestial as Grond.

Two horns the size of its arms sprouted from its head, as its clothes, ancient and primal, resembling the shamans in the Canadian Wilderness, fluttered viciously in response to the tremendous mana the monster was emitting.

Valerian's face darkened.

"Unlike the classifiers that we historically used to quantify the threat level of beings, it was clear that this was not enough. President John F. Kennedy had initially classified this threat as Cosmic. And we had at least twenty of the top trained superheroes come together to take it down. But all it took was one glance, and every superhero within the vicinity of the creature instantly vaporized into dust. After investigating the remains, Asim realized, to his horror that the creature never used a single spell."

I watched as the magic circles shattered. One by one. Leading to a wave of shouts and frantic yelling.

"His mana surpasses even Anti-Magic? How is that even possible!"

"Stand firm! Stand firm!"

Yeling watched the scene, his one eye grim and emotionless.

"He killed them. With just the aura of his mana. The tremendous magical power that this creature has... is enough to disintegrate lesser beings."

"Precisely. A power that surpasses Cosmic Level Anti-Magic. Cosmic Level Fate Magic. Cosmic Level Nullification Magic. That day, it didn't just take the entire magical community to hold back the tremendous might of this Primordial Demon, it took everyone."

"His mana is at 10 percent! We can take him!"

The Primordial chuckled.

"Can you?"

"RAAAAAH!" Several heroes blasted forward.

"ENHANCE ME!" One of the heroes shouted, as thousands of magic circles covered his arm.

"Take the full power of a punch capable of shattering entire continents! CREATURE!" The man roared, throwing a punch at the Primordial.

Wind blasted outwards, flooding the entire battlefield and pushing everybody back.

But to my disbelief, the smoke cleared, revealing the man's fist, encased by the hand of the Primordial, who smiled evilly.

"No magic. No narratives."

The Primordial closed his fist, crushing the man's hand as he screamed in agony. The thousands of runes and magic circles that had contained him shattering.

"SAVE HIM! PROTECT HIM! USE ALL YOUR PROTECTION SPELLS, EVERYONE!" The mages yelled, as I watched the Hero glow blue.

"ALL TOGETHER! HIT HIM IN EVERY DIRECTION! HE HAS TO HAVE A WEAKNESS!"

The heroes all closed in, as did some of the battle mages, and magical projectiles shooting towards the Primordial.

"Is it wise... for you mages to use offence, when you should be protecting your hero?"

The hero grabbed the Primordial's head.

"You will not prevail. It will take the force of at least forty trillion tons of TNT to even graze me. I am known for being the sturdiest tank in all of America. I am the Iron Sentinel."

The Primordial raised an eyebrow, as attacks and spells bombarded him left and right.

But he was completely unfazed.

The Iron Sentinel's face became slightly uncertain.

"Forty trillion tons you say? Four times the kinetic energy of your orbiting moon. That is surely quite... unfortunate. These attacks, from your so called... defenders of this world. It equates to twenty eight times that number. Yet..."

The Primordial smiled evilly, closing his fist even more, causing the Sentinel to irk in pain, his eyes wide in fear.

"I CAN BARELY FEEL IT."

Chills went down my spine, as did Yeling, who slowly took a step back, forgetting that we were literally in a simulated world.

Valerian regarded the two of us.

"In this world, nothing is real. Nothing can harm you. Yet even this... this is enough to fill your body with primal fear. Can you imagine the fear we all felt that day?"

I was at a loss for words, as the Primordial continued laughing, raising his finger at the Sentinel's forehead.

"Forty trillion tons. On an unblessed body of this world's so called 'sturdiest tank'. With the thousands of blessings enhancing your defence. Hmm... I can sense... at least five thousand Auras of Radiant Protection. Thirty six thousand Auras of Primal Majesty. One thousand eighty six Inertial Dampening Fields. And what's this? Protection Fields... and Mental Bubbles. They really do not seem to have faith in your durability, Little Sentinel."

The hero clenched his teeth.

"I AM NOT AFRAID." He shouted, throwing a punch with his free hand, which contacted the Primordial's head.

But the Primordial didn't budge. His neck didn't even move a millimetre. His face was blank and empty, his stare...

It overflowed with intimidation.

"You should be."

The Iron Sentinel gasped, as the Primordial's finger hovered a hair's thickness away from his skull.

"My name is Dasc Osa. I am a Greater Primordial Demon. I have lived my life oppressed by my own kind for being the second weakest of my evolution. And for eons I yearned for a world where I could boast superiority. But now... I understand. Just how boring being the strongest can be. For this does not entertain me. Your fear does not bring me joy. Not anymore."

Dasc flicked his finger, as the Iron Sentinel exploded into millions of tiny pieces, the runes all around him dissipating to the utter disbelief of everyone in the battlefield.

Dasc then turned to the rest of the legion, his body swirling with a green aura of pure mana, causing everyone to fall from the sky, clutching their ears. From within the crevices of their fingers, blood leaked out for each and every single hero who was afflicted.

My ear suddenly had a pinching sensation, as if the eardrums were about to tear apart.

Yeling clasped his ears as well.

"Gah... how is his aura so powerful that it can induce a placebo to this degree...?!"

Yeling was right.

This was 100% a placebo... but it felt so real.

So so real.

Dasc then raised a finger to the sky.

"Begone. Defenders of the Champions Universe. You will cease to exist no longer."

ACHRONOLOGIA - UNIVERSAL ACCELERATION

A green magic circle covered the entire planet, turning the entire sky a devilish green.

Storm clouds surrounded Dasc, as green lightning ripped the ground.

I watched, hero after hero, beginning to shrivel and shrink. Their bodies and faces aging.

"Time manipulation magic to this level..." My voice trailed away.

"How in the hell did you guys survive this...?!"

"Keep watching." Valerian instructed me.

I turned back to the site.

The wildlife all around us began corroding, the buildings aging and becoming abandoned, as did the city.

The entire planet becoming an apocalyptic wasteland. But...

Dasc suddenly lowered his finger, as the magic circle dissipated, along with the storm.

"No." He said, turning around and ripping a portal through the fabric of space and time.

"It is beneath me to destroy this world. I now see what Sena meant. This is not worth my time. To destroy this reality... will only lower myself even further."

I stared at Dasc, my eyes wide.

"What... What did he just... did he just give up?"

"No. He spared us. Because to him, destroying a universe of our calibre is so beneath him that he would rather spare it than lower himself even further." Valerian answered, as she closed the hologram.

Yeling and I collapsed on the ground, sweating profusely.

Dasc Osa.

A Greater Primordial Demon. The second weakest of his kind...

If that was true...

If that was true...!

Just how fucking strong was Loyce?!

"Are you terrified?" Valerian knelt in front of me, handing me a towelette.

I grabbed it, wiping my face off the sweat.

"If he didn't... if he didn't... didn't spare you guys... none of this would have existed. None of you guys would even be alive!"

Yeling panted, taking a towelette himself.

"Yet you chose to keep this a secret? Are you all idiots?!"

I glared at Yeling.

"If word got out of the possibility of having another Primordial Demon attack to this extent, just what kind of state of panic would this induce on the world? Chaos would break out left and right! No shit they had to cover this up!"

Achronologia.

A power to manipulate the time flow of an entire universe.

And this guy was the second weakest of his kind.

This implied each and every single Primordial Demon had the ability to not just destroy worlds...

They had the power to destroy the reality of entire universes.

Suddenly, Loyce catching my Black Bullet with his fingers made a lot more sense. Aran putting Master Jun out of commission made a lot more sense.

These Primordials...

They were not something you wanted to mess with.

"Judging from your reactions." Valerie sat on her bed, glancing at the window.

"You have no plan to combat this new Primordial Demon threat."

I clutched my chest. I was hyperventilating.

Master Aaron. Awaiting approval to alleviate your hyperventilation.

"P- Proceed..." I gasped.

A temporary surge of relief flooded my body, as I stood up.

I took a deep breath.

"I... I can see why you were freaking out earlier. These guys are no joke. And yeah. I'm... I'm terrified." I admitted. My hand wouldn't stop shaking.

How the hell were we supposed to beat Loyce?

How the hell were we supposed to beat Aran?

How...

When I talked with Hakah, we chose which hurdle to tackle. It was a threat beyond SSS Rank - Vala. Or a threat that was Elite Tier SS+ Rank - Great Demon Lord Loyce Hal.

But at this point I couldn't tell what was harder. Or if either threat was even possible to neutralize.

No matter what...

I guess being someone who thinks a lot was a curse at this point... because everything was telling me the chances of winning were pretty much zero.

I...

I closed my eyes.

Guys... I'm so sorry for putting you through my-

"Pathetic." Yeling growled, slamming his fist on the ground.

Valerian and I turned to Yeling, surprised, who continued punching the ground. Sweat dripping from his shoulder length hair and peppering the ground. But his eye wide in rage.

"I'm so... fucking... pathetic. Right now. But..."

Yeling made a fist with his other hand, getting to his feet.

"Only now. I will get stronger. Stronger and stronger. No matter what it fucking takes."

Yeling glared out the window.

"Dainsleif is scared shitless of this threat. If no one wants to take this job, then I guess it was always mine to take."

I stared at Yeling.

"What are you saying? Didn't you see, that dude was-"

Yeling's glare redirected to me.

"And that was enough to scare you? Is being smart the same as being a coward? In the end, this was never a job for mere fodder to take. We are the last line of defense. If no one takes this job, who will? If it means becoming strong enough to kill a threat like this, then I will push myself to this level. This is not an excuse."

A flicker of flame rippled from his eyes and tattoos, as Valerian gasped.

"You... you made a contract with a demon too?"

Yeling smiled evilly, his body emitting red flames.

"No. You and I... are nothing alike."

The flames illuminated his face, revealing the right half, causing Valerian's eyes to become distraught.

"You made a contract with a lowly demon. I made a contract with the Devil herself. I am... The Devil's Flames. And through this... demonic flame..."

Yeling inspected his tribal tattoos, which glowed a fierce red.

"I will BURN every Primordial Demon to the ground. I will be the one to defeat Loyce Hal."

I choked.

"What the hell are you saying?! Did you not piss yourself looking at Dasc? The dude was a Greater Primordial. You're saying you can beat Loyce on your own? Are you stupid! This is beyond-"

"Impossible?" Yeling cut me off, his face sinister.

"They told me I could never defeat Urca the Slicer. It took me four years, but I surpassed the Leader of Squad One easily. They told me I could never go beyond Stage Two. I unleashed Stage Three, then later, Stage Four. They told me I couldn't defeat Aelienne, yet I was the one who cut her head off. Then they told me I couldn't reach an Outer Shadow in power... but..."

Yeling's mouth contorted into a smile.

"Why don't you... measure just how powerful I am, Destroid?"

Buck began calculating, as Yeling's flames became more and more violent.

A Rank.

A+ Rank.

Low Tier S Rank.

S Rank.

Elite Tier S Rank.

S+ Rank.

Buck's readings were still going up, as my eyes went wide.

Yeling stood before me. He wasn't even in Stage Two, his flames were so controlled that nothing was burning, but the tremendous pressure emitting from his aura was terrifying. So terrifying, that Valerian Scarlet of all people was petrified at the sight.

"The Devil's... Flames..." Valerian's voice trailed away.

Master Jun's voice boomed in my head.

First it was Hakah surpassing Stage Five. Now it's her older brother Yeling going past the theoretical limits of an Akuma Dogma Holder with Stage Four. There's something going on with the Mah Clan. And I want to figure out why. How are the Mah siblings so powerful?

Yeling Mah...

If he was older than Hakah...

Then in theory... his power would be...

My eyes went wide, as Buck's readings had stabilized. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

It felt like only yesterday that the Yeling Mah that we knew only matched the C Ranked Shadow Yuyan Zheng, the "Transplant".

But... whatever Yeling had done with Hakah during our time away...

The improvement was beyond drastic.

It shouldn't have been possible.

Standing before me, he wasn't even in his upper Stages in his Hinokami, yet...

Here stood the Devil's Flames.

The Tidalflame.

High Tier SS Rank.

I gritted my teeth.

"Yeling... are you serious about killing Loyce?" I asked.

Yeling's flames died down.

"Oh believe me. It isn't just Loyce. I plan on killing Vala too."

This guy...

Yeling approached me, holding out his hand.

"And if you... or anyone in the Black Legion, plans to harm my little sister even further."

Yeling's eye flashed evilly.

"I won't hesitate to kill you all too."

I smirked, taking his hand.

"You're on. Because I have no plans on losing to an Auxiliary Shadow of all people."

"Bet."

Valerian looked at us.

"Wait. So you two have a plan then? Are you going to get this kid to fight this Primordial with his flames? He's clearly not from this world. That much is certain."

"Hey! I'm plenty strong too!" I protested.

"Oh really?" Valerian gave me an unconvinced look.

"Yes! Just the other day I was stronger than this doofus. Look. I know my rep at MC isn't the best but I'm still the greatest gunman ever."

Valerie composed herself, crossing her legs.

"Even if you have this... Demon Fire User... battling a Primordial Demon is no easy task. I hope your intelligence you boast so much about will be enough to come up with a means. I just pray that we never have to be involved. There were far too many casualties in that battle against Dasc. I cannot imagine we can bolster the same strength as before, not when the magical community is so divided."

Well then.

I guess I should probably not bring up the fact that there were technically three Primordial Demons just chilling around or having some knowledge of Millennium City then.

Yeling shouldered his Tatsu-backpack disguise.

"We have the information we need. Let us head back."

I put my hands in my pockets.

Smooth as butter.

Nothing went wrong.

I approached the doors, but not before Valerian grabbed my arm.

"Hangman."

"Huh?"

I turned around, to see Valerian looking away.

"I... Forget it. Nevermind."

"What? Did you need something from me?"

"Well. I need... it. For Kerathios. Even with Lord Therakiel vanquished, my demon pact still stands. I can't just let you leave without at least something in return."

"Oh. You want a mana transfer. Yeah, sure." I said, as I took off my hoodie and shirt.

Valerie's face flushed red as her composure broke.

"Wha- What are you doing-?!"

Yeling stared at me.

"Wait. A mana transfer? You mean like that thing from Fate-"

I stood before Valerian, who stumbled back.

"Wait! Wait- Wait!!! I need your essence! Not that! What-"

"Relax. I'm already engaged. This is just to return a favour right? Besides. I need to improve my reputation around here, there's no better way than to thank someone. I understand how it feels to do a deal with the devil, I once wielded magic of a Demon Queen. It sucks. And you helped us out too."

"You're engaged?! That makes it even worse! Put your shirt back on- KYA!" Valerian fell on the bed, her arms and legs still outstretched as if her whole body had turned to plywood.

I brushed my neck.

"Well. I mean, I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a fan of it either. But... it's all for your contract right? Don't hold out on us. We owe you. We're not terrible people."

"I beg you to be terrible! Please just be selfish! I don't need-"

Yeling smirked, pulling out his smartphone again.

"Hey! No recording! I'm just returning a favour!"

I approached Valerian, who momentarily stared at my abdominal area.

"Oh yeah. I guess some girls are into that. Well, I did work pretty hard for them." I ran my hand over my abdominal muscles, as I climbed onto the bed.

"Alrighty. Let's get this over with. I'll have you know I don't have a lot of mana, so please be gentle when you steal it. Maybe ten... thirty percent tops."

"Gah... ga... ge... get..." Valerie stammered, her face red as a tomato as I leaned in.

Get?

"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU SWINE!" Valerian screamed, kicking me in the crotch as I felt a part of my manhood leave my body.

"Oh hey. Aaron's soul left his body." Yeling remarked.

"Gah..." I momentarily lost consciousness, my body collapsing as my face bounced on... two round objects...

"That's a lot of mana... damn..." I muttered.

Something was definitely flowing out of me.

I sure hoped it was mana.

And not... anything else.

I heard the sound of doors bursting open, as Trey Kings surrounded us.

"Boss! We heard a cry of distress! We're here to-"

Everybody went silent, as I slowly lifted my head, realizing I was face to face with the super villain, our faces only an inch apart.

She looked like she was about to cry.

"What? You got your mana didn't you?" I said.

"YOU... YOU CLEAVAGE FREAK!" Valerian screamed, kicking me off the bed as I conked my head against the (thankfully) soft carpet.

I stumbled back, as Trey Kings surrounded us.

"You buried your face into our boss's breasts?!" One of the psychopaths yelled at me.

"What?! But I was just giving her my mana!" I protested.

"NOT MANA YOU IDIOT! I WAS TALKING ABOUT YOUR SOUL! A PART OF YOUR SOUL!" Valerian shouted, her eyes were teary, and her face was red from embarrassment.

"Oh..." My voice trailed away.

Shitsville Avenue.

Valerian grabbed a blanket and covered herself with it.

"Wait!" I yelped, dodging a scythe as I booked it out of the room, chased by an entire horde of gang members.

"Valerian lures men to her chambers all the time! All I did was motorboat her! Why's she so flustered?!" I asked, desperately trying to save what reputation I had left.

"She lures them in but she doesn't actually do the act you idiot!" One of the Trey Kings shouted at me angrily.

"Well excuse me! Maybe she should have just hired weirdos on Craigslist instead of going to Club Fuckin Caprice!!!" I snapped.

"What kind of half assed excuse is that?!" The Trey Kings screamed.

Yeling gave me a look of disappointment as I kicked open the door to Vibora Bay, chased by Trey Kings left and right.

"Don't you say anything!" I exclaimed, as I whistled as hard as I could.

"Shadows! Summon my Warpath Battlebike! We're losing them! ASAP!"

As you wish, Sir Dainsleif. We will also keep our ethereal mouths shut, for your and Lady Ultear's sake.

Yeling snorted, covering his mouth, but I shot him a glare, jumping on my bike.

"Buck. Initiate my bracers. Only for limb support!"

As you wish, Master Aaron.

"Yeling? Yeling!" I shouted frantically, only to see Yeling had taken to the air, his arms and legs trailing demonic red flames and smoke.

"Drive, you SS Ranked Moron!" He yelled at me.

Didn't have to tell me twice!

I revved my engines, blasting away, as we drove as fast as we could out of Vibora Bay with the new knowledge we had.

As well as the reputation I had lost...

Primordial No Longer

"BAHAHAH! BRO! DUDE! NO FUCKIN WAY! NOOOOO STOP AHAHAHAAHA!" Bryce laughed nonstop, as I rolled into the parking lot of Vicki's residence.

I got off my bike, parking it and heading to the elevator, all the while, Bryce continued laughing, following me in the background.

"BRO! THE VALERIAN CLEAVAGE SNIFFER! NOOO WAY... I'M DEAD! NO! STOP! I'M ALREADY DEAD!"

My eye twitched, glancing at Yeling, who kept his hands in his pockets.

"Say something! You were part of the mission too!"

"I don't have anything to say." Yeling pressed the elevator button.

"We were doing fine. You just decided to ruin it all on your own."

Bryce poked his head at my field of view.

"So it was true? You forced yourself on Valerian? Dude."

"No I didn't!" I snapped.

"Listen. No one tell Sarah this. I swear to god. She will cut off my balls if she finds out." The elevator doors opened, revealing a familiar girl with straight purple hair. Her arms crossed, and her yellow eyes glowed wickedly in the dark.

"Hello." She said.

Umm.

Lightning Magic - Augmentus

I tried running away, but tripped on my own crutches, slamming to the ground, electrical magic still sparking off my body. I could hear demonic footsteps. Each footstep sounding like doomsday.

"Wait! Don't kill me! Calm down, Sarah!" I yelped, as Sarah marched towards me like an angry wife.

"You tried using lightning magic to run away from me!" Sarah exclaimed, angrily.

"No! I uh. I can explain!"

* * *

We all regrouped. Bryce had recovered from the anti-narrative. Robbie had returned, successful in his mission alongside Sarah. Yeling sat in the background, as Vicki flipped through a number of pages, her eyes fixated on the paperwork.

But the moment I plopped on the sofa, Vicki paused.

"Um... might I ask what happened?" She said.

I laughed nervously, shifting in the ropes that were tied all around me.

Sarah sat next to me, pulling the ropes.

"C- Come on, Sarah. It's not like that. Really. You don't have to tie me up like this." I protested.

"Hmph." Sarah pouted.

"We spoke to Valerian, and got a gist of the Primordials." Yeling said.

Vicki ran her hand over one of the papers. It had a full profile of Constantine Lupin.

"And what are we dealing with?"

"If the consideration of taking Kon by force still exists, I recommend you to put that on hold for now. Until I've gathered more power. Because as it stands, there isn't a single person who can stand toe to toe against a Primordial, other than my sister. But she can no longer wield her Susanoo to the same extent as she used to. Not after her fight against Vala."

Vicki clenched her teeth.

"That's going to be a problem. Because as we speak, Rya is ready to send her armies to retrieve Kon by force if necessary."

Yeling looked away.

"We need more strength. Gaging from the power displayed by Dasc, I can see why Kon would be rated SS Rank. But I'm convinced he might be even higher."

I really hoped Yeling was wrong, but unfortunately, I had to agree.

"The destruction of Dasc Osa was at least SS Rank. If we're factoring in the fact that Dasc was only a Greater Primordial, and that Kon is possibly higher in evolution than Dasc, that places him at least Elite Tier SS+. There isn't a single person here other than Hakah who can match that strength."

Bryce clutched his bat.

"Shit bro. Shit."

"So the only option is to get to Kon without violence, then?" Sarah asked.

Everybody was silent.

"Actually." I said, glancing up. My gears turning.

Everybody turned to me.

"Actually? Don't tell me you have... a means to defeat Kon..." Vicki's voice trailed away, as I paced back and forth. Sarah quickly got up and put her hands on my shoulders to make sure I didn't fall over.

"Are you serious? You witnessed it yourself, Aaron. Dasc's power was overwhelming. Against someone like Kon? There's no way we can defeat him like this. Not like we are now." Yeling protested, by I held up my hand, silencing him.

Dasc. Kon. Loyce. Aran.

Everything had to have a weakness. There had to be. Because if this hypothesis was correct... then there had to be.

Because this was how it worked. This was how they were designed.

"Let's start with Dasc." I said, as I approached Vicki's whiteboard.

"Pass me a pen." I told Vicki.

Vicki picked up a pen and threw it to me, as I reached out to catch it, but fumbled like a moron. Bryce snickered, but Sarah caught the pen and gently handed it to me.

"Erm. Thanks." I muttered.

Sarah looked away, hiding her eyes which looked... bloodshot?

"Don't mention it." She said, quietly.

Sarah...

I'll talk to you later after this. I promise.

The pen hovered on the surface of the whiteboard. I remembered everything the cultists said and showed me.

I began writing.

If letters form a word, and the words form a story, what to do, if the letters are no more?

Vicki raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?"

I continued writing.

If a power revolves around a narrative and the narrative revolves around an author...

If this was true...

It was a wild theory, but given our wild circumstances, we couldn't rule it out.

Turn hopelessness into something worth fighting for. A fighting chance.

Always.

This was how I always operated. No matter what. We keep fighting.

What to do, if the author is no more?

I pressed the chiseled tip on the board. Thinking hard.

Those... universal orbs, all stacked on one another.

And that man with the paintbrush...

What if it wasn't a paintbrush...

I began drawing lines on top of lines.

Until what appeared on the whiteboard, was a drawing of a pen.

"Ummm... Aaron why did you draw a pen?" Yeling asked.

I glared at the drawing.

"What to do if an AUTHOR, is no more. If... by... by some wild chance..."

I turned to everyone.

"Aran was created, by an author. His conception. The concept of his existence... then... wouldn't that mean Loyce and Kon... and Dasc and all these crazily overpowered Primordials were created by one too?"

Vicki raised an eyebrow.

"That's... a really wild theory, but suppose that is true, what are you trying to imply?"

I thought back to what Dasc had said.

What he had done.

I began writing the names of the four Primordials on the board. Dasc. Kon. Loyce. Aran.

Then an arrow, sprouting from Dasc's name.

Achronologia

"Achronologia... the power to manipulate time. That was his ability, right, Yeling?"

Yeling nodded.

"Y- Yeah?"

"He had used the ability to accelerate the universe... he had an idea of where the direction of the universe was headed. But... the thing was, didn't you notice that things aged differently, at different paces? The heroes who turned super old... they were closer to Dasc. The ones who were further away also aged rapidly, but not as fast."

"That is correct."

"That means Achronologia is a radial ability, the stronger it gets is the closer to Dasc. Meaning... right at Dasc's position, Dasc's perspective, would be to him, where time would flow the fastest. He would have an idea of how far ahead into the universe, into the Champions Universe he can look into."

I began drawing arrows, lines, all across the board.

"What if... that thing Dasc had said, in that flashback, was a lie?"

Yeling raised his eyebrows.

"A lie?"

"He had the ability to see so far into the future, he knew what would become of the universe. Meaning... he must have known what would become of it. He must have known about Aran Sol."

Yeling's eyes went wide.

"You're saying..."

I circled Dasc's name.

"Dasc's weakness. It is a fear for a greater power. His inferiority complex for being only a Greater Primordial. So intimidated, that when he saw a Supreme Primordial such as Aran, he didn't dare take over this universe back then. He left. Because he knew once Aran stepped foot into the reality, he would be toast."

Everybody was stunned, as I began writing more and more.

"Aran Sol. The Apocalyptic. If he really has the power to destroy all things... why has he become a tool by Loyce? Wouldn't he be the strongest Primordial of them all? Why is he only a subordinate? The power to eliminate all reality... no."

I put a big "X" over the word Apokolereos.

"His power is to eliminate specific realities. Specific. Meaning he is forced to use his powers only on those that are fated to end. Aran Sol's weakness, is his lack of free will."

Vicki stared at me.

"I- Incredible..." She muttered.

I moved the pen rapidly, dragging lines upon lines.

"Forget about that muscle head. Have some red candy." Nora sat next to me, handing me some red candy. I was still upset for not being able to catch up to Will when we went to the playground that day.

"I'm never going to be as strong as Will." I said, sadly.

"Who cares. What's so great about being a big burly jock, anyway! Their muscles are so icky!"

"Mmmmm! But you're a girl! Of course you don't care about getting muscles! I'm a boy! A boy needs to have muscles!" I protested.

Nora laughed, slapping me in the back of the head.

"Please don't end up like Will, Aaron. Besides. You still have me, right? If you can't match Will in big macho ness, at least you still have my smarts."

Nora tapped her temple.

I looked the other way.

"That just makes it worse. I'm way stupider than you. So I'm weaker than Will and dumber than you. How does that make me feel any better?"

Nora shrugged.

"Depends on your perspective. Because you think you're dumber than me, doesn't mean you're weaker than me. And just because you're weaker than Will, doesn't mean you're dumber than Will! It's all about perspective."

Nora leaned close to me, poking my nose.

"How do you want to see things?"

I blinked, my eyes shunting back to reality, as I stood before my own brainstorm, a series of thousands of lines, criss crossing, until I stood before Loyce's name.

"Because of this cursed knowledge, I quite look forward to how strong you all can get. I want my last moments to be quite simply.... extraordinary." I muttered, writing the words onto the board.

"His last moments..."

The sounds of the AC were all that I could hear, as everybody listened to be attentively. Even Bryce.

I turned to everybody, writing a word and circling it.

On the board, written in bold, block letters.

NIHILISTIC

"Nihilistic? You're saying Loyce is" Sarah asked.

I put the pen down.

"Loyce Hal spoke to me a couple of times before. And while I couldn't learn a single thing about his power, the one thing that really bothered me... was how... enthusiastic he was at the prospect of us getting stronger to take him down. It was almost as if he was looking forward to being defeated. Like... he couldn't stand being alive-"

SLAM.

I jumped, as Sarah rushed to my side.

Vicki put her hands on the desk, closing her eyes.

"V- Vicki?" I said.

Vicki took a deep breath.

"Let's... talk about Kon. Please." She said.

I looked at Yeling, who shook his head.

"Drop it." He mouthed.

I decided to do as he told, turning to Kon.

"Alright. As for Kon... this one, I guess I should have seen a million miles away. But I'll write it out anyway."

I scribbled on the board.

HIS PEOPLE

I glared at the words.

"His people. He would go so far as to give up his powers and his memory, just for the sake of his people in Konia. Depending on how we approach things, we can bend Kon to our will, or ally with him by allying with Konia. And also... if we wanna jog his memory... we might be able to use this to our advantage."

I tapped the words with the back of my pen.

"Absolutely no fighting Kon unless otherwise necessary. But if it comes down to that. Yeling and I will take him on."

Yeling looked at me grimly.

"I will prepare for this task. You can count on me."

"Good."

Vicki regained her composure.

"What is your plan then?"

I glanced at Vicki's fake nametag on her desk.

If these Primordials were creations from an author...

Then they must have had similar principles to most characters in stories.

They all had a weakness.

Because if they didn't have a weakness, they would be on the level of God.

Sounds like a recipe for a Tweeter internet flamewar if you ask me.

"I'm going to join the intern team at Baja Industries. I'm gonna get to know Kon inside and out, so I can figure out what he's like. His circumstances." I said.

Vicki opened her laptop.

"I... can get you in. But..."

"But what?"

Vicki frowned.

"I really don't trust you to handle this alone, after your fiasco with Valerian."

"Gah!"

Bryce laughed.

"AYO! I figured! Ay. Bossman. Let me handle this. Ya boy's got-"

"No, Hellsing. You are not a recommended fit either."

Bryce froze mid-air.

"What?! Why not?!"

Vicki gave him a disapproving look.

"You are the least intern-like person here."

"Hey! What you tryna imply huh?! A black man can't be an intern?!"

Vicki pointed at Bryce's pockets, one of the beer bottles was still sticking out.

Bryce sat back down.

"Bitch just jealous she ain't got no free booze." He grumbled.

"Well. You just need what, like computer science geeks? Gimme like ten minutes at the library, I'll read up on computer science stuff and I'll be a god in CS." I said.

"The issue isn't that. I'm sure you can gain the expertise at a miraculous rate. But you are too unpredictable. We need another..."

"Another..."

Someone geeky.

Someone who reeked "virgin"...

"Robbie! My man!" I said, cheerfully, as I wrapped my arm around his shoulders.

"Heh?" Robbie yelped.

"Wanna be intern buddies? Let's be intern buddies! It's been a while since I've hung out with my favourite MMO nerd in the Black Legion!" I said.

"MMO nerd...? But you were the one who introduced me to Genshin-"

"Aaaaand we're good to go, right Vicki?" I clamped my hand over Robbie's mouth.

"Mmf! MMF!" Robbie protested.

Sarah grabbed my arm.

"I am coming too." She said.

"What?"

Sarah silenced me with a glare.

"I. Am. Too."

"Y- Yeah. Okay. Yep. Yep, you're coming too. Yep." I laughed, nervously.

Vicki tapped on her keyboard.

"I can get you into the system. Be ready. Onboarding starts at eight o clock on Monday. It is best if you three did not act like you knew each other. Especially you two. Sarah and Aaron. If they know you two are engaged it will spell controversy over Baja's hiring practices."

"Understood." Sarah replied.

Vicki had prepared our cover stories. Robbie and Sarah were part of the Creative Team, with Sarah being so well versed in fantasy based combat (since she was the real thing), and Robbie being well versed with the competition.

I was assigned to work closely with Kon on the backend development. It took me approximately six hours of reading and catching up, along with my Augmentus spell to absorb the entire curriculum of an entry level Computer Science major. Though, I would have to say, it wasn't exactly something I wanted to do again.

Nevertheless, taking the whiteboard questions and later, acing the interview did give me a slight ego boost.

After onboarding, we were introduced to the other interns.

We shook hands, one by one.

"The name's Marco."

"Hello Marco." Sarah shook his hand.

"Where are you from?" Marco asked.

"Kali... fornia." Sarah corrected herself.

"Oh? Cool! I have family from there." Marco raised his eyebrows.

"Is that so?"

Marco chuckled.

"Hey. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to let me know. Working in Baja is a blast. It always takes time to adjust though."

Sarah smiled.

"You're so sweet. Thank you, Marco."

Marco blushed.

Suddenly, the welcome chocolate cake on my plate didn't taste so good.

In fact...

Was my metal fork always bent at this angle?

"Hey! Whoa... that's one funky fork you got there."

I hadn't realized I was still staring at Marco and Sarah, but a hand waved in front of me.

"Yo! Earth to Aaron!"

I blinked, turning around until I was face to face with one of the interns. I recognized him immediately.

On his dress shirt, was the word:

CONSTANTINE

"The name's Con! How are you?"

"Uh. Aaron. Nice to meet you man."

We shook hands. Vicki must have done something to erase the memories of all these guys, if Con hadn't recognized me right away.

"So you're the new backend software dev I'm working with! Hey, welcome to Baja!"

"Th- Thanks." I said.

Con looked at my fork.

"Funky fork. Hey, let me show you around. Cutlery is in the main lunch area."

I followed Con around.

It was hard to believe this dude was a Primordial Demon. Someone who could easily destroy this universe if he wanted to.

He just...

Didn't have that same malicious smile and ego that Dasc or Loyce had.

He looked so... friendly, and welcoming.

"Pay's a little low, but you learn a lot." Con grinned, as I sat down next to him.

Robbie sat with Sarah, but Sarah was completely preoccupied with Marco. They were chatting and having so much fun, and...

Sarah was smiling.

The Blank Saviour... who was known for being cold to everyone, she was smiling.

And she wasn't smiling to me, but to someone else.

Con caught me staring at Sarah's direction.

"Oh. That's the Creative Team. They're the ones who come up with the ideas for the game and apps and stuff. We're mostly working on a game called Everwinter Online. Ever played fantasy games before?"

"Of course. I used to play Gensh-"

I caught myself. What... what the hell was I doing? I was revealing all of my dark secrets to Kon! Yet...

"Genshin?! No way, dude! I play that too! How many of the characters did you get to Level 90?"

"Uh, around fifty two."

"Dude! That's insane! I only have forty seven. You should help me out sometime, the grinding is always such a drag."

"Aw man, tell me about it!" I laughed. The two of us chatting it up.

I never would have told anyone in The Black Legion that I played that MMO.

They would have laughed at me and found yet another reason to bully me.

Even Sarah didn't know.

The only person who did know was Robbie, and Shosuke. Robbie, since I knew for a fact that he would never bully me about it, and Shosuke, considering the dude was Japanese himself - it was part of his culture whether he liked it or not.

But when I was with Kon...

It was like it was fine to be myself, and to just embrace the things I liked doing.

"So you got on boarding done, right? Need a hand on how to use the version control software?"

"Nah. I already know how to use it."

"Personal projects?"

"Nope. Just... self learning."

"Damn! Straight from a textbook? That's insane, man."

After a bit more on boarding and training, Con got back to work on his computer. He looked like he was having so much fun, pressing buttons on that keyboard.

Even debugging, which I witnessed firsthand, as an absolute nightmare, seemed like something Con found fun.

It was as if he was truly, really, enjoying the work he was doing here.

"Con, mind if I ask you something?" I said.

"What's up."

"Why did you go into Computer Science?"

Con raised an eyebrow.

"Cuz I love solving problems. But... at the same time, I want my solutions to make people happy. When I code an app, or a software feature in this game, and I get to see clients enjoy it, it makes me happy. Even if they don't enjoy it, and they give feedback, I give it my absolute all to see what solutions I can propose to the software engineering team to address it. When a patch rolls out and the game is fixed, and I see the player base respond well, I know I did something that made them happy. And that makes me happy."

During lunch, Con took me around to see the rest of the facilities at Baja.

"Oh hey. You're Robbie Fernandez, right?" Con said.

"Hi. Nice to meet you." Robbie said.

"Hey. What's that on your bag?" Con asked.

"This? Oh... it's nothing..." Robbie quickly fumbled with a tag on his bag, trying to hide it from us.

"Come on, Robbie. Don't hide it dude." I said, but Robbie's face turned red.

"No. It's... nothing... really. It's-"

My hand slipped, as the tag of an anime girl popped out of the zipper.

"Aaron!" Robbie gasped, his face looked like it was about to explode in embarrassment.

"Oh shit. S- Sorry, Robbie. I didn't mean to-"

Robbie trembled, as Con stared at the tag.

"Isn't that Haruka from Evergarden?" Con asked.

Robbie stared at Constantine.

"How... how did you know?"

Con chuckled.

"I love that anime! Did you check out the new season?"

"Y- Yes... Yes I did!" Robbie's eyes lit up.

Robbie Fernandez... he was a guy who always had two "emotions".

Either robotic, or wimpy. Never anything in between.

Yet... within two minutes, Con had completely won him over.

He didn't do anything cheap or dirty, he didn't do anything tactical or manipulative...

Con was just himself.

And by sharing interests with Robbie... I was able to see a side of my Auxiliary Shadow I never knew existed.

"A- Aaron loves Evergarden too!" Robbie said, delighted, as he pointed at me.

"Wha- What? Don't go sprouting that nonsense... I... erm..." I stammered.

"Oh? Do we got ourselves a tsundere in our midsts?" Con wiggled his eyebrows.

"Ayo shut up dude!" I said, as I turned to see where Sarah was to make sure she didn't find out yet another embarrassing fact about me, but...

Sarah was nowhere near us.

"Wh- Where's... uh, the other intern?" I asked.

"Huh? You mean Sarah? I think she's still getting a tour by Marco. Lucky girl she is, Marco's like, a gajillion times more cool than me. He plays basketball." Con shrugged.

"Ah... haha... yeah... can I borrow Robbie for a sec? Gotta ask him some on boarding stuff real quick." I said.

"Yeah. Sure."

I dragged Robbie to one side.

"AYO! X8! Why is Sarah with that dingus?!" I yelped.

Robbie gave me a confused expression.

"Because she is trying to learn how to do her job?"

"Why couldn't she come with us?! Why are you not over there watching over things and being a third wheel?!"

"But... Sarah told me you needed supervision. That is why she sent me."

God dammit!

Sarah!

After the day had finished, Con waved Robbie and I good-bye.

"Hey! I'll catch you two tomorrow! Same time same channel, got it?"

Con hopped into a Student Driver car, as he laughed with his driving instructor, driving off.

"Ah damn. Well. I guess we got some intel, eh, Rob?" I asked.

"Mmhm." Robbie fiddled with his tag, a smile on his face.

"Aaron... does... does Constantine need to be an enemy? I... I really wish he isn't."

I sighed.

"He doesn't have to be. We'll make sure he doesn't have to be."

We waited for a little longer, but Robbie couldn't handle the cold.

"Aaron.. erm. I mean. Dainsleif. I am going to go first. It's too cold."

"Sure. I'll stay and wait for Sarah."

"Okay."

Robbie left, until it was just me in the cold. Freezing my tail off.

But all the while, the only thing on my mind, was how Sarah was so buddy buddy with that Marco guy.

What was so cool about that dude?

Sure he was... chill. And friendly. And... dressed smart.

But...

But I was her fiancee! I proposed to her and she said yes! So...

So I shouldn't be feeling this way, should I?

The door opened, as I spun around.

"Sar-"

I was cut off, to see Marco walking Sarah down the trail.

"Man. Maybe one day, I can invite you over to my place and meet my parents! My mom makes the meanest Shepherd's Pie!"

"I look forward to it, Mark." Sarah said.

"Awesome! Let's decide a time during lunch."

"It's a date!"

My jaw hung open.

A DATE?!

WHAT?!

Sarah approached me, as her smile melted.

"Why are you not back at Vicki's residence? We have a lot of work to do."

I clenched my teeth.

"Why am I not back? Because I was waiting for you!"

"There's no reason to. Marco offered to drive me back."

My hand balled into a fist.

"We... we're supposed to... go home together."

"Says who?"

"SAYS ME!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the distance.

I breathed heavily, my eyes wide.

Sarah tilted her head.

"Why are you getting so worked up? I don't like it when you shout at me."

"Well if you don't like it, then stop trying to piss me off by being with that guy!"

"What are you trying to say?"

Sarah's voice became dangerously low.

"You know exactly what I'm trying to say. This mission is about getting close to Kon. Not being buddy buddy with anybody else."

"You are already doing your part. I am trying to maintain my cover."

"You couldn't maintain your cover by being with me? Like Robbie is?"

"I sent Robbie to watch over you, because we all know how idiotic you can be in missions like this."

My heart began to beat faster and faster, adrenaline flooding my veins.

"Relationships are about communication. So let me get this out in the open. I don't like you being with Marco."

Sarah glared at me.

"Who I choose to be friends with is up to me! You cannot put me in a cage!"

"I... you..." I stuttered, as Sarah walked up to me and poked her finger at my forehead.

"And if I choose to break up with you and be with Marco, that is my decision."

I stared at Sarah, as the keys to my Warpath Battlebike, which I had been waiting to start up to drive Sarah home fell onto the ground.

"You're..."

Sarah glared at me, her eyes red.

"First with Vicki. Then with Valerian. I talk with one boy, and I'm getting scolded?! Can you imagine what I had to go through whenever you did stuff to those other girls?"

"It wasn't intentional!"

"Well neither is anything with Marco! He is funny, he is kind, and he is sweet! He is caring."

I... I needed to come up with a compelling argument!

I needed to come up with something... something...

But it was like I was drawing a blank.

I couldn't...

I couldn't come up with anything, with Sarah in front of me. It felt like I was losing something... and I had to do something before I lost it.

But before I could do anything else, Sarah turned around.

"I can go home by myself." She said.

"Sarah, wai-"

The Shadows surrounded her, as she dissipated, until I was left alone with my bike.

I slowly reached into my pocket, taking out the bird hairclip I had spent countless, sleepless nights crafting from those books I had borrowed from the library.

These little birds. They remind me of an avian species that used to perch on the sides of my house when I lived with Sarina. They were long extinct.

Ugh. I wish it was in the form of a hair-clip.

I clenched my teeth.

Why couldn't I have just given her the gift sooner?!

I...

I could do it now. I could...

The clip slipped from my fingers, as I stumbled trying to catch it, but from within my clothes, my concealed bandages and cast caused my leg to move awkwardly.

I fumbled, and watched the gift I spent hours making fall into the drain.

"No! Fuck! Fuckin... FUCK!" I screamed as I fell on my knees, staring at the clip which had long since been washed away.

"Better to cut ties, if you want the opinion of someone who has been alive for eons." A voice said from behind me.

I spun around, attempting to summon my Draugr, but my hand flared in pain.

Loyce chuckled, kicking a rock and watching it slide across the ground. He was wearing a full suit, his white hair glowing like snow in the darkness.

"Why- why are you here?!" I said.

Loyce tilted his head.

"So you are going with the numbers angle. To try and acquire as many hard hitters as you can to take me down. But in the end... you will never make it."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked.

Loyce smiled.

"You went to see Valerian Scarlet, and she told you about Dasc, right? Oh Dasc. Dasc Dasc Dasc. Such a wannabe Primordial. Bullied by everybody. He wielded Achronologia, yet despite this, his ability to manipulate time... Do you want to know what my magic affinity is?"

I gulped, as Loyce continued.

"It's Time Magic. I can perceive time as a continuity. Not as a stream, like you mortals do. I can choose to bend that time, I can choose to change that time, but... I don't feel like it. Because this time stream is the one I want, because it is the one that will yield the ending that benefits me. And that... that time stream, happens to be one where you don't make it."

"You bastard..." I growled, but Loyce held up his hand. I was frozen, unable to move a muscle.

Unable to come up with a plan.

"Why don't you follow Yeling's example?" Loyce asked.

"Excuse me?!" I snarled.

Loyce's eyes glittered with a sadistic light.

"Give up. Don't pursue women ever again. There's no point, is there? If you're going to die. You're only breaking Sarah's heart. She's found something better. She's found a place with Marco. Clearly she doesn't appreciate you being so overbearing on her, when you're the one unlucky enough to end up in such unfortunate misunderstandings."

"SHUT. UP. I CHOSE TO MARRY SARAH!"

"On a whim? Yes?" Loyce paced back and forth, whispering behind my ear.

"You chose to propose to her when she felt the most vulnerable. Wouldn't that make you the villain of this story?"

I clenched my teeth angrily.

He was... right, wasn't he?

As much as I hated the guy...

I could see why his intelligence was so feared amongst the Inner Shadows.

But I couldn't find another reason to disagree with him.

Suddenly, I felt what it was like to be on the receiving end of a one sided battle of wits. And it fucking sucked.

"Sarah... Sarah wanted to be with me. She chose me. She did." I tried to convince myself, but it wasn't working, and I knew Loyce knew that too.

"Sarah doesn't know what she wants. After all, this relationship formed from trauma. And then... through pity. Did she not show you her first shred of concern, outward concern, when she discovered your dying state? You cannot disagree with me when I say relationships off of pity... never end well. After all, that is your philosophy. Yes?"

Loyce disappeared, materializing on the logo of Baja Industries.

"Ninety two trillion, sixty six billion, seventy one hundred ways."

"What?!"

"That is how many different ways I can kill you. Eighty nine percent of those outcomes involve the destruction of both this universe, and Jun Gasket's world. But of all those different ways I can kill you here and now, I choose none. Because nothing brings me more joy than to see you break yourself down. It... intrigues me."

"You sick fuck!" I yelled, but Loyce wagged his finger at me.

"I am simply giving you guidance. Nothing good comes out of people like us, Aaron. You and I both. We are not normal beings. Let us stay abnormal. Yeling has already realized this, when he chose to no longer pursue love."

Loyce disappeared in a flash of light.

And you should too. God-Eater.

Lupin

"Whoa... Aaron, you look like you barely slept. Are you okay?" Con peeked at me.

I was falling asleep at my desk.

I couldn't get a single wink of sleep that night. When I arrived at Vicki's place, everybody was either asleep or out.

I had rolled onto a futon, but I couldn't even sleep.

My heart was hurting the entire night.

Whether or not... being with Sarah was the right decision. For either of us.

But even if it wasn't the right decision, choosing to break up with her made my heart ache even more.

And seeing her with Marco... made me feel incredibly insecure.

"I'm good." I lied.

"Okay... just let me know if you don't feel well. I can always talk to the boss to arrange some time off for you. Maybe work from home? We can always just Discet call online and get some work done. By the way, do you have an account? We can play Genshin together along with Robbie."

"Thanks, man. Yeah. Let's add each other. I'll text Rob."

A few hours later, came lunch.

"Want to eat out?" I asked Con and Robbie.

Con flushed.

"Er... wish I could. But I'm still a learner's driver."

I grinned, putting my hands behind my head.

"Well lucky for Y'ALL. I got a motorcycle license. Let's go out to eat!"

Con's eyes lit up.

"NO WAY DUDE! You have a bike?! That's awesome!"

Robbie frowned.

"But your Warpath can only handle one extra passenger."

I smiled evilly.

"I got a solution. You know, I'm somewhat of a scientist myself."

Con laughed.

"I get the reference!"

A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Robbie's face.

"I get it too, but I don't think I like it."

"YAAAAAAAAH! I'M GONNA DIE!!!" Robbie screamed at the top of his lungs, tears flooding his eyes, as Robbie trailed the back of my bike through a mechanical extension on a set of sketchy wagon wheels.

"RELAX! You're gonna be fine!" I shouted back.

Con put his hands in the air.

"This is AWESOME!!! I've never been on a bike before! This Warpath rocks!"

"Hell yeah it does!" I laughed.

I was feeling like shit earlier... but...

Somehow, Con made me feel better, even if it was temporary.

We made our way to the office, our hands full of fast food.

"Man. Did you catch the latest episode of Evergarden you guys?"

"There was a new episode?" I asked.

"Yah. Last night." Robbie munched on his fries.

"I liked that part where the Tetsu confessed his love to Haruka. I've been waiting all season for it. They really needed to clear it all up and honestly that episode hit me right in the feels!" Con clutched his chest.

"Yah. It really did. I'm so glad they finally made him confess. They were hurting each other because of it." Robbie agreed.

I stopped dead in my tracks, my argument with Sarah replaying in my mind.

I needed to clear things out with her. I... I couldn't just...

But at the same time, I didn't know what I wanted anymore.

Or what was best for her.

"Hey. Aaron." Con said.

"Aaron!" Robbie shouted.

"AARON!" Con and Robbie were now shouting at me.

Just leave me alone you guys! I need to think-

HOOOOONK.

My eyes widened, as I stared at the truck which had slammed on its brakes, it was moving towards me at 40 miles per hour.

My hyper thought processing had already assessed the situation. I had just stopped walking, standing still in the intersection. One of the trucks had decided to switch lanes, not realizing I was standing there like a clueless idiot. The driver had slammed on the brakes, but it was too late.

"AARON!" Robbie shouted, momentarily transforming into his robotic form, when suddenly, a blur appeared before me, and to my disbelief, Con stood, his arm outstretched, and stopping the truck.

The front of the massive vehicle warped and distorted, bending towards the profile of Constantine's arm, as my senior wrapped an arm around me, shielding me from the chunks of debris which exploded with his own body.

"C- Con!" I gasped, as Con glared at me, his teeth clenched and eyes wild.

BOOM.

Con breathed heavily, spinning to the truck driver, who was so bewildered he ran out of the truck, calling the cops.

"Aaron... you good, man?" Con heaved.

"Wha- What was that?!"

Con looked at his forearm. There was no injury whatsoever.

I knew he still had fragments of his old Primordial strength, but seeing it up close felt surreal.

This... computer science software developer who was known for being so cheerful and upbeat, a total video game geek and weeb, had just stopped a truck with his hand.

"I... uh..." Con muttered, as he walked away, his head down.

"Sorry you had to see that."

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Wait. Con." I said, grabbing his arm.

"You're just going to leave after you saved my life?"

Con clenched his teeth, as rain poured around us. Robbie ran to the intersection, shielding his head with his coat.

"Are you guys okay?! Oh my god!"

Con looked at the debris, the wreckage, then at us.

"I... I'm sorry. It um... turns out I have superpowers. I really didn't mean to lie to you guys. I promise. I just... nothing good comes out of using these powers, you know?"

"Why are you apologizing?" I asked, brushing the dust off my jacket, with a grin.

"That was AWESOME, dude! The way you stopped that truck with your bare hands!"

Con's eyes lit up.

"Wait. You guys aren't afraid?"

Robbie shrugged.

"That you are a super? Big deal. I can do it too."

Robbie held out his hand, as it transformed into a mechanical arm. Robbie then picked up the broken front bumper with ease.

"I'm a super too, you know."

Con's jaw hung open, as did mine.

"Dude! You just-" I gasped.

Robbie glared at me with a ferocity I never knew existed.

"He needs to see. He needs to see he isn't alone."

Con ran up to Robbie, inspecting his arm.

"How... what...?! So you're not only a fellow weeb but you're a fellow super too! I... Wow... I never expected..."

Robbie's arm reverted, as he began shivering.

"Cold..."

Con blinked.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry! Let's head back for now. I'll exchange contact info with the drivers and witnesses along with Aaron. You head back as soon as you can!"

As work wrapped up, Con walked with us down the street.

"Man. I seriously didn't think I would meet another meta human here in Millennium City."

Robbie grinned.

"Me neither."

Con ran up ahead and turned around, facing us.

"Hey. I mean... this isn't gonna change... you know. The fact that we're still friends, right? Now that you know..."

"BAAAAAKAAAA. Con. We're not gonna run out on you now that I know there's someone here who can carry my bike in repairs with one hand" I said.

"Yah. Baka, Con. We are friends. Super or not." Robbie pouted, pointing at him.

"And friends stick together."

Con's look of surprise turned into a grin of joy.

"You. Guys. Are. AWESOME. Hey, this weekend, come over to my place. Let's play tons of Genshin together!"

I frowned.

"Can't we do it online?"

"NO! Man. Trust me, it's different when we're together. We can communicate a lot easier. Plus, I got snacks!"

Robbie yanked at my sleeve.

"I want to go. Can we?"

I regarded my Auxiliary Shadow, who gave me an adamant expression.

"He's... my first... my first friend outside the Organization." Robbie whispered, his face turning red.

I sighed.

"Alright."

That night, going to bed still felt painful. I didn't manage to see Sarah at all. But...

It didn't hurt as much when I thought about my time spent with Con and Robbie. The three of us, just goofing off and having fun. Talking about anime and video games. Not worrying about what others thought of us.

Just having fun.

"Get in a fight with your girlfriend?" Yeling said, as I jolted from my futon.

"Dude! Are you trying to give me a stroke or something?!" I yelped, reaching for the light, but Yeling stopped me.

"Don't bother. It's just the two of us here tonight."

Right. Robbie was sleeping in the other room.

The living room sleepers were Yeling and I.

"You know. Loyce visited me, one night." I admitted.

Yeling raised an eyebrow.

"What did he say?"

I sighed.

"He told me... to follow your example."

Yeling frowned.

"I have a lot of bad examples, Aaron."

"Well... he told me... to just break up with Sarah. Because people like me shouldn't be in relationships because of my path. I guess... you sort of can relate, right?"

Yeling's one eye glowed in the dark, partially covered by his bangs from his hair, which he let down.

"I've never had a girlfriend before. So I don't know if I can give you any advice."

"What? You're twenty six and never-"

Yeling glared at me, as I quickly shut up.

"S- Sorry. I'm sorry. That was an asshole move of me. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

"No. It's fine." Yeling raised a hand.

"You're right. I'm twenty six and I've never experienced what it's like. But... perhaps that is in itself a blessing. Because I won't have to go through the pain of losing someone I love, or perhaps... the guilt of putting someone through that pain."

I looked down.

"It... must have been lonely... right?" I asked.

Yeling leaned against the side of the counter, as he popped open a beer and sipped it.

"Yes. It is. Any man in my situation who says they don't feel some degree of loneliness at some point in their life... is lying."

My heart twinged in pain.

"I'm sorry."

Yeling regarded me.

"Is it particularly important to you, that you need a wife or a partner so soon?"

"What do you mean?"

Yeling pointed at the door to Robbie's room.

"I've been watching. As I trained, I sometimes came to visit Baja Industries to check up on you. The way you laughed, the way you shared little bits of yourself to Con and Robbie. I didn't know you were a fan of the Evergarden anime. Nor did I know you played Genshin either. But when you were with them, were you not a little bit... happy?"

I thought back to my time with Con and Robbie.

How I had felt like shit the entire day, until I started hanging out with those two.

"If... you define the need for a relationship, as one that brings you happiness. Then you are quite short sighted. Too narrow minded. If you ask me." Yeling said, as he walked to the window of Vicki's apartment, gazing at the city scape.

"I..."

"But at the same time, if it is something that you really want. Then shouldn't it be something you work hard for? Nothing in this world should be free. And neither should relationships. I'm not a believer of a relationship that just falls into your lap, unbroken, unscathed. Free of imperfections. If you want a good relationship, then you need to work for it. Fix it. Expect hurdles, and work hard to overcome those hurdles. Just like any other good thing in your life. That is what I believe in."

I glanced at the books that I had kept hidden from Sarah. The "Hand Carving for Dummies" book I had borrowed.

Work for that relationship.

Nothing was as easy as it sounds.

"Yeling... I..."

Yeling turned to me and put his hand on my head, as I gasped.

"Six foot. Bulky. Jocky. But in the end, still just a kid." Yeling smirked.

"What are you saying-"

Yeling knelt in front of me, removing his hand.

"If you want my honest advice then I can give it to you. My honest advice would be... to not walk my path. Because my life... has been a byproduct of numerous mistakes and twisted views on the world that has thrown me into a path of no return. But it is a path I have chosen to take. The path that I walk isn't for you."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked.

"Because deep down, I have realized that you are a good person. And it took Hakah to show me that. After all, it was you who brought her back. You are kind. You are compassionate. You are silly and fun to be around. I can see how you have already gotten a marriage lined up so early in your life. Don't walk my path, Aaron. Because deep down... I am not."

I clutched my knee.

"Don't talk yourself down like that dude..."

Yeling shook his head, as he got up.

"I don't need life advice from a kid. You came for my two cents, and I gave them to you. As for me..."

Yeling put the beer bottle back in the fridge. His golden eye glowing and reflecting the light of the fridge inside.

"My quest to bring upon the Akuma's wishes still stands. Because I'm just..."

I watched as Yeling closed his eyes.

"A monster who killed his family for power. Now. Get some sleep, Aaron. Continue getting to know Kon. And while you do that, I will do my best to amass as much power as I can. Should Rya step in, she will not get to you. I swear on my life."

YELING'S POV

"Tatsu." I held out my hand, as Aelienne's longsword manifested in front of me at the hilt.

The blade's golden highlights illuminating in the darkness.

I stepped out of the apartment to the balcony, overlooking the expanse of buildings.

The wind blew at my hair, momentarily exposing my face to the atmosphere.

So cold.

Yet the demons inside me burnt so hot.

I glanced at Aaron, who had fallen asleep.

To become strong meant to suffer.

Aaron had become so strong... and had gained so much. From friends, to a wife... to comrades. Comrades who would become strong for his sake.

The price? His life. The trauma of being hunted at such a young age. By being forced to be so creative, that ingenuity had become nothing out of his ordinary.

Thinking outside of the box was no longer something that he was praised for.

It was a requirement for survival.

"You've done enough." I whispered, as I closed the window.

I leapt off the edge, plummeting, and landing on another balcony, rolling forward and out of sight.

"Shadows. Take me to Baja Industries."

As you wish. Last Son.

I materialized at the rooftop of the building, standing before a woman clad with armour, her white gown and silk dragging across the ground. But the white did not stain.

After all... her very essence was the definition of purity.

I planted Tatsu firmly on the ground, looking up before Rya.

"Why have you come here. Last Son of Mahyako." Rya said, coldly. Her legion of soldiers were on standby in the heavens, hidden in the clouds. But dozens of her most trusted warriors flanked me left and right.

"The Lightgiver. The Ancient Celestial." My eyes flashed. Floki assessing her combat proficiency.

"I humbly request you give us more time to make amends. The threat of Aran Sol and my comrades will not harm Kon."

Rya glared at me.

"You say this. But you saw it for your own eyes. The Joker of the Dark Hexagram brought my beloved into danger. He forced my beloved to use a portion of his power."

"The more he rejects his nature, the more it will tear him apart from the inside. You watching over him will cause even more conflict in his mind." I retorted.

"ENOUGH." Rya snapped, as the soldiers surrounded me.

"For his sake. Even if he does not remember me. I remember all the kind things he did to me. I will become a Demon, if it means protecting my beloved husband. I am seconds away from taking him back to his home world. Whether he wants to or not, I will force him to come with me. He must be safe! From everything!"

I gripped the hilt of my sword. Rain and lightning flashed before my very eyes.

"How ironic of you to say these things, when your forceful methods will inevitably put him in even more danger. The exchange was to become this mortal... Constantine. For your people's freedom. By forcing him back to Konia you are forcing his memories to resurface. Aren't you, in effect, going against your contract with Demon King Loyce?"

Rya clenched her teeth.

"Do not DARE question my methods. You have only existed for a mere twenty six years. I have existed for eons. Your wisdom does not come close to mine!"

"And how far has this wisdom gotten you? You went from becoming a celestial entity who watched over mankind, to putting on that crown that is reserved for Demonkind. You went out of your way to embed darkness into your heart just so you could protect your own people? Your methods are as sketchy as the Dogma's."

"Legion!" Rya shouted, as a wave of Valkyries rushed forward.

"YA!" A wave of battlecries ripped through the silence.

Level 2 Intangibility - Avatar of Vengeance

My body converted into a red flaming wisp, causing the spears and swords to pass right through me, melting into a puddle of liquid metal.

"Wha- he's become an entity of flame!"

"We can't harm him!"

I walked forward, approaching Rya.

"You do not want this fight. Not against Loyce. Not against Vala. If you cannot even defeat fodder such as me."

Rya unveiled her wings, shooting to the sky and firing a beam of light in my direction. Her Valkyries joined in from either side, adding onto that beam.

I undid my Intangibility, running a finger along Tatsu and imbuing the blade with a red flame.

Way of the Rain God - Form 1: DEVIL'S SURFACE SLASH

I brought my foot back, assuming a samurai stance and slashed with Tatsu, unleashing a perfect line of flame which cut the beam in half, travelling up and slicing through Rya soldiers, as Rya herself buckled from the arc. A crack appearing on her breastplate.

Her eyes wide in bewilderment.

"You dare mark me? I shall do to you as I did to the Son of Eliza Hellsing!"

Level 1 Hinokami: Devil's Comet

I shot towards the Demon Queen, our faces an inch apart.

"Your light worked on the darkness of Dracula. But I am not Dracula. My flames overwhelm even Tianlong himself."

DEVIL'S TYPHOON.

Rya flew backwards, her wings singed, as she unleashed a vortex of energy outwards.

Level 1 Hinokami - Stage Three: Grand Cobalt Assimilation

A horn jutted out of the right side of my head, the tattoos on my body becoming even more aggressive as my teeth turned into fangs, and my pupils becoming smaller, dilated in response to the Akuma's essence changing my very genetic code.

Blue flame ripped through my red, as the vortex transitioned from white divine light to a demonic blue flame.

"My light... it's been..."

Possessed. This fight was never in your favour, Celestial Rya.

My ancient voice rumbled from out of the storm, as my very aura tore Rya's powers apart, burning and vaporizing everything in its path until I closed in and grabbed the Celestial by the throat.

Rya began retching and choking, her aura and robes catching on fire as I glared at her with my one eye.

"H- How... how come a Stage Three Dogma Holder... is so strong..." Rya coughed.

"Because all other Dogma holders are just an imitation of The Akuma's power. They are mere soldiers to her cause, they mimic the power of her offspring. But I..."

I held out my hand, the blue flame rippling across it, the sheer heat of my flames distorting reality all around it.

"I am the real thing. A true descendent of the Akuma. A Stage Three Dogma Holder is equivalent to me at my base state. A Stage Four Dogma Holder is equivalent to me at Stage Two. At Stage Three..."

My flames emitted out a tremendous surge of heat, pushing all of Rya's soldiers away and opening up the clouds.

"He... he set the very heavens on fire..." One of the soldiers said.

"Impossible..."

I glared at the Demon Queen with a murderous expression.

"This is your final warning. Do not go against Loyce's wishes. Because whether you want to or not, he will find you. And he will tear apart this resistance all because you did something under what you believed as protecting your husband. None of us are on Loyce's side, but none of us have the power to match him divided. Much less surpass him. Stay within the contract, before Loyce decides to no longer be as merciful as he has been right now."

Rya returned my glare.

"There is more than one way to win a battle."

"What?"

Arms of light surrounded me, grasping onto my body.

"What is this-"

Rya shoved my arms out of the way, materializing across from me and making distance.

So the divine... righteous Rya the Celestial... would go so far to protect her husband, that she would turn to me for help.

"Shadows!" I shouted, but the Shadows instantly dissipated upon being summoned.

A smooth, velvety voice rumbled in my mind.

Foolish boy. You cannot summon something that is naturally weak to light.

"Who the hell are you." I snarled.

They call me by many names. But ever since Rya released me from my domain under the sovereignty of her realm's heavenly council... I have become... free. I have become my rawest, truest, most powerful form. You boast a power that surpasses Rya. But can you boast a power that surpasses the strongest Angel to ever exist? A power that surpasses even...

I gritted my teeth, as I tumbled out of reality.

LUCIFER HIMSELF?

My eyes went wide.

"RYA! You would go so far as to strike an alliance with Lucifer of all people?! How depraved will your methods go?!" I shouted.

Rya clenched her teeth.

"As depraved as it gets. Because this world is ugly. Where the Primordials exist... every beautiful thing turns ugly." She hissed.

Lucifer continued pulling me into his realm.

Level 1 Hinokami: FULL POWER STAGE FOUR - TRUE PHOENIX ASCENDENT

A large wing sprouted from my back, my horn becoming even more detailed as blue-white flames surged from my body. I aimed my palms into the singularity.

Stage Four...

GRAND ULTIMATE ITR ASCENDENT

A jet of Stage Four flame explosively rocketed out of my palms, igniting the singularity with a fierce white flame.

"RYA! RELEASE ME AT ONCE." I roared.

Everyone...

I can't let you all down.

From my blood and pain, the sheer grit and sweat. I promised everyone.

This resistance.

This team.

Hakah.

Squad Four.

"DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT KON WOULD HAVE WANTED?!" I yelled.

Mahyako spawn. I am your opponent.

"Like hell you are! My qualms are with Rya first!" I snarled, flapping my wing and spinning violently, a flaming over mold forming over my sword arm, shining with golden armour.

Way of the Rain God - Form 7: SHARP WINDS ASCENDENT

I thrusted Tatsu as hard as I could, as I made out the shape of the Devil buckling from my blow and shooting back into his realm, but his one arm was now latched onto my leg, pulling me in.

"Dammit!" I snarled, turning back to Rya.

"Sh- Shadows... contact... contact Vicki. Tell her I will temporarily be out of commission. And protect Kon from Rya. No matter what it takes. Prioritize this message!"

Last Son...! Your predicament... we cannot ignore you for a message!

"Shut up and do as I say! As the remaining son of the Mahyako bloodline! I command you to prioritize the message now!"

Lucifer chuckled, as Rya turned her back on me.

"RYA!" I shouted, as Rya stopped in her tracks.

More demons and evil spirits latched onto me, dragging me into Hell.

I will escape.

For the sake of these people. For the sake of my mission to bring true fairness in this world.

Not even the shackles of Hell will hold me.

"You will not get what you want. Once Loyce destroys us, KONIA will be next. No matter how much you ignore it, it is inevitable! Do you hear me?! Rya!"

Rya ascended to the heavens, along with her soldiers, as I fell through reality, landing on a pile of ashes, tumbling through wilting tree branches, ripping through... demonic... organic... landforms...

"URK! GAH!" I growled, as I reached out.

Arsenal of the Rain God: Twin Butterflies

Green energy surrounded me as two butterfly swords took shape.

I stabbed the blades against the sides of the landform, skidding and slowing down until I landed on the ground, surrounded by darkness.

I traced a circle on the ground with my foot, assuming my stance, as hordes and hordes of demons approached me.

This is my domain. Mah Ye Ling. Your flames... are MY flames. Lucifer's voice boomed in the realm.

The demons charged, as my eyes widened, chi filling my body and wrapping around the blades.

Way of the Rain God - CHINESE SLASH DANCE

I ripped through the hordes at supersonic speed, tearing demonic flesh and turning the room into a butcherhouse.

The demons screamed in agony, as I spun around, turning to a monstrous deity in the distance. His arm recoiled back.

I AM BAPHOMET. THE ICON OF SIN. AND YOU, MAH YE LING, SHALL ANSWER FOR YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS.

"Come and try!" I yelled back, transforming into Stage Two, as I blasted to his location.

Baphomet swung his fist, but I diced the entire thing into millions of pieces as I hovered on top of the avatar's head.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: DEVIL'S STARSHOOTER

I raced towards the deity's head like a comet, unleashing a gargantuan punch that shook the entire reality. Baphomet crumbled from the force of the strike.

I turned to the horde of demons, still in Stage Two.

"These flames.... ARE MY FLAMES." I yelled, unleashing a wide blast of blue flame outwards, illuminating the entire landscape a deep cyan.

The entire horde of hell, stood before me, snarling and growling.

Judging from the ones I had killed, each one... if any of their strikes, be it a blunt attack, or their claws, could hurt a lot. Each one was capable of packing enough power to warp steel.

Any mistake I make in this fight will be costly.

I breathed hard, trying to calm my nerves.

Could I even handle something to this extent?

Don't think.

Just do it.

I clenched my teeth, my eye wide, as I rushed forward, switching back to my Tatsu and delivered arc after arc of destructive fire, yelling ferociously as I fought back the forces of hell.

The Devil's Flames Burns Alone But Bright

"What have you got to say for yourself?"

SMASH.

My skull crushed against the concrete of the throneroom.

My eyes darted left and right, trying to find anything for leverage, but I just couldn't. Everything was against me.

And as Loyce's foot pushed me further into the ground, I could only think that the beautiful Catholic architecture was almost mocking me.

As if I was the only impure thing here.

The weakest being here.

"S- Spare them... please." I croaked.

Vicki and Tommy stood to the side. They didn't dare make eye contact with this Loyce Hal, as the Demon King grabbed me by the face and lifted me off the ground. My blood had left behind pools and stains all over the ground.

Vicki and Tommy were Outer Shadows who completely outclassed Danny. They made him look like fodder.

Tommy alone... had the ability to transform into a nigh unkillable wolf with limitless destructive potential. Him alone was enough to overpower all of my friends, sending them all comatose.

And Vicki... I had given my all to fight her, with my Stage Four Anarchy Form, but all it took was one arrow from her bow to weaken me, then a kick to the back of my head to knock me out.

But no one, neither Tommy or Vicki, came close to Loyce in power.

When I was dragged in, Tommy suggested killing me, but Loyce simply gave him a stare, and that level of intimidation alone caused blood to explode from Tommy's body, causing him to collapse.

And now, that stare was being directed to me.

Loyce studied me with a morbid curiosity, putting a hand to his chin.

"This is the elder brother of the terrifying... Hakah 'The Apocalypse' Mah. The Elder Brother of the only SSS Ranked Inner Shadow in the history of The Black Legion? You seem to only be A Rank at best."

I struggled to breathe.

Making eye contact with this enemy in itself felt dangerous.

Loyce brought me closer until we were face to face. His voice was nothing but a whisper, little thoughts of evil entering my ears.

"We will make. A Devil's deal. You've already made plenty before. Isn't that right? Devil's Flames."

I gritted my teeth.

I couldn't play any more games with this... monster. I had to go by his terms...

I couldn't let the people I cared about die.

"I am going to spare you. You can do whatever you want." Loyce said.

"Wh- What...?"

"In exchange..."

Loyce wiggled his fingers, reality distorting around them. My eyes wide.

It was as if reality itself was bending to his will.

The rules of this world... no.

The rules of everything bent to his will.

That was the level of command, sovereignty, the level of absolute power he had.

"You get to choose how I will make each and every member of your little 'family' disappear from your life."

What...?

Was this guy for real?

"I... My lord... I... I don't know... Please. Do anything you want to me. Don't... Don't take another.... another-"

"Family away?" Loyce smiled evilly.

"MAH YE LING. The UNBOUND Hinokami. As a former soldier to The Dogma of Equivalent Exchange, and after everything you boasted about. So philosophical about your views on who should have power and who should be happy. Why are you questioning my mercy?" Loyce said from behind me, as I suddenly realized I was no longer being held by the throat.

Loyce had completely redirected my attention, appearing from behind the back of his throne, wiping his hands from my own blood.

I crumpled to the ground and fell to my knees.

Loyce continued.

"You prance around. Oh so happily. With a power that is no longer bound by the rules of The Dogma. For the year, you continued getting stronger to take one of our strongest Inner Shadows back. Without any repercussions. Don't you think your linear path of progression is a little... too liberal?"

"I... I understand that. But... these people..."

Loyce suddenly appeared before me.

"Jun Gasket found you so interesting. 'Why is he so strong? What is going on with the Mah Siblings?' As if the answer wasn't already so obvious. It was because of my Outer Shadow, wasn't it? My former subordinate."

Look at me. Yeling Mah. Loyce's voice rumbled in my head, forcing me to do as he said.

I came face to face with the Demon King.

"Aelienne Regalia. The S+ Ranked Firebird. She broke you from your cage. After defecting from mine. How abhorrent."

My heart stopped beating momentarily.

This guy knew everything!

He... he knew...

If I was going to lose the people I loved...

I needed to at least know they would be happy.

"I... I want them to live their lives... a life where I never existed." I said.

Loyce raised an eyebrow.

"Interesting... so selfless... just like your sister. Very well."

Loyce teleported to his throne, crossing his legs and lacing his fingers together.

"Speak. And I shall make it so. By my power of Alogigenesis. I can make anything a reality. Before me Great Demon Lord Loyce Hal, no limits exist. Be it power. Or reason."

And so...

I wished for a life for my mentor and teacher.

Matthew Lam.

To continue his comatose life being nursed by Rui Iwatani, the girl he fell in love with. And while Squad Leader Matt would have no recollection of who I was, he would still remember his life as a Squad Leader, and his life in the Stormwatch Brigade. Because it would be that history that reinforced his life with Rui.

I wished for a life for Inoko and Shen.

Inoko... was in love with Shen.

And Shen... loved Inoko.

But both were tied down by my circumstances. I brought Inoko to join my adventurer party, and while Inoko loved Shen, their relationship never manifested because in the end, Shen was still a divine dragon.

"For the Great God of Rain, Shenlong. If I were to rewrite his narrative to be a mortal, living with Inoko the Berserker, I will have the powers of the Rain God in the palm of my hand. As a further reminder of what I can do. And what you cannot. I will implant the powers of the Rain God into you, once more, Mah Ye Ling. As a brutal scar, of the kind of life you will live. Remember what you have done today, for trying to go against The Black Legion. By forever having the Rain God within you."

I wished for a father daughter life of peace for Kyokou and Katsuya. Free from the Dogma. Free from the darkness of this world.

Urca the Slicer went so far as to defy The Contingency Initiative for his daughter. To run away and hide, despite his notorious reputation as being historically its strongest member. I always believed him to be a coward, but as I became closer to these people, I started to understand why he did it.

I'm sorry Urca, for the things I said that day.

I hope this will make amends.

For the dying Marcela... I asked Loyce to pardon her taboos, and to allow her to join Lewis in the afterlife. To make Lewis' dream of being with the girl he loved come true.

And lastly.

Shia.

I wished for her to live a life of a normal high school girl. She didn't deserve any of this. A little girl like her had no place in this world of darkness of bloodshed.

After Loyce had granted me these blessings, I spent months living in each reality which Loyce had now created for these people, but not as a person. But as a ghost.

None could see me, none could recognize me. None could touch me.

And as I watched Shia turn around to look at me. The one person who stood out from the crowd of high schoolers in uniforms...

The one person who was scarred, with a sword strapped to his back originally owned by the person he had killed.

I knew from the bottom of my heart that she could never sense me.

Shia ran in my direction. A laugh and smile on her face, as she ran right through me.

Our expressions complete polar opposites of one another.

And I watched Shia embrace her new friends. Laughing and giggling.

Happily.

Of all the people I had spent time with...

Shia always held a special place in my heart.

She had let me stay in her place when I was homeless... struggling to find a place to live after losing to Danny the first time.

Then she decided to come along with my adventures.

A memory resurfaced.

It was when Shia and I visited China, along with Inoko and Shen.

"China is really pretty." Shia said, perching her arms on the side of the coach we were riding.

"Yeah."

"Hey... Yeling. Maybe some time, when the curse is broken, we can go again sometime. The four of us. What do you think?"

"I don't mind."

"And then... maybe after that. We can explore other places. More and more. We can keep exploring. Together."

I clenched my fist, watching as Shia said the same thing to her friends in the same room I used to live with.

"Hey! Mitsuki! Akane! Even after we graduate, let's keep exploring! More and more. Together!"

"Yeah!"

"That's a lovely idea, Shia!"

Every day.

I watched Shia every day, not as a companion. Not as a friend.

But as a ghost.

A ghost of a forgotten past.

Every day. Every month.

And before I knew it...

Two years had gone by. I watched Shia have her first boyfriend. I watched Shia graduate and get her first job, affording her first place.

And while I was happy...

I looked at myself in my reflection. Only there was no reflection. But if there was... I doubted I didn't look like absolute shit.

Two years had escaped me.

As did what little bits of my happiness and soul was left.

Until Vicki pulled me out of the trance.

And for a few weeks, I remained unresponsive to Vicki.

"Henceforth, you are my Auxiliary Shadow. Yeling. Your codename is The Tidalflame. I am your superior, Outer Shadow Onyx."

No response.

A vein popped up from Vicki's forehead, as the Shadows ruffled nervously.

He is the first male to show attitude to her.

"Hey. I'm talking to you. Do you not understand Engl-"

SPIT.

Vicki's eyes went wide, as my saliva raced down the side of her face.

"Why you little-"

"Wait! Harriet! Restrain yourself!" Her other Auxiliary Shadow, Twilight Bolt yelped, trying to hold her back from clobbering me.

"Do you not understand your situation?" Vicki growled.

"Each and every person in this Black Legion can kill you immediately! Without a second thought. Master Loyce spared you by making you my Auxiliar-"

"If he wanted to spare me." I muttered listlessly.

Vicki stopped, as did everybody else.

I looked up at the Outer Shadow, tears streaming down my face.

"He should have just killed me." My voice broke.

"If I must live a life... where every person I cared about is ripped away from me, or abandons me... forever... then I don't want to live anymore. If I must serve the very Organization that had put me through this eternal torment... then I will rebel. Every person in this group can kill me? Then I say go ahead. Release me from this prison, because I've had... enough."

Twilight Bolt let go of Vicki, as she approached me.

"You have had the gall to spit in my face. To ignore me for weeks on end. To insult me and hurl insults. No man has ever done this to me before and lived to regret it." Vicki said coldly.

I glared at the Outer Shadow, uttering not a single word.

"But I will allow you to live."

"What? Is this some kind of sick joke?" I asked.

Vicki knelt in front of me.

"No. Have you not forgotten the reason you have done all this? Your sister still lives in this Organization. You say you want to die... yet your sister still waits for her older brother to return to her arms. You say you have lost everybody, when that is blatantly not true. If you want to live for the reason of someone, then you can start with Lady Hakah."

My eyes went wide.

Hakah...

How could I have forgotten?!

This entire time...

Memories of my time with my little sister... then of me pressing her against the tree and causing her to cry.

I had so much to say to her again. Of how much I had to apologize for making her so sad.

She did nothing to deserve the life she was living. She was the sweetest and kindest girl I ever knew in my life.

But it was all because of the views I had against the world, did my Hinokami flame burn her to a crisp, ruining all chances she ever had to live her life.

And yet here I was... begging for death, before I could even see her again.

What kind of older brother was I to wish for something so god damn selfish?

Vicki held out her hand, causing Twilight and the Shadows to gasp.

L- Lady Harriet... is being kind!

Vicki scowled.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

I knew what to do. It was the least I could do.

Twilight yelped in fear, as I took Vicki's hand.

"I will... live. At the very least. I will try to find a reason to. Starting with Hakah." I said.

Vicki helped me to my feet, as she handed me off to Twilight.

"Welcome to the team, Yeling." He said, gently.

"And Vicki?" I said.

Vicki narrowed her eyes.

"My name is Harriet. Call me only that."

"Vicki. I will call you Vicki." I returned her glare, causing more gasps.

Vicki looked surprised, looking away.

"F- Fine. Vick... Vicki... What is it that you wanted to say?" She asked.

"Thank you." I replied.

* * *

SLAM.

My back smashed against the side of a rock, as demons and fallen angels surrounded me.

"He is running out of stamina."

"Only a fool would challenge the armies of hell."

"He cannot keep fighting."

I heaved, Hakah's smile in my memory.

"Find a reason to live... starting with her..." I muttered, leaning heavily on Tatsu.

Cuts and scrapes, wounds and bruises covered my entire body. Floki was so damaged that sparks were coming out of my right eye socket, stinging my skin.

Blood leaked from my body in hundreds of places, and from my mouth, but I forced myself to press forward.

I hate The Black Legion.

Nothing will ever change that.

But...

Seeing Aaron and his Auxiliaries. Twilight. Vicki. Everyone. And my sister.

Even if I lost my first family.

Even if I lost my second one.

This was still a chance, and a chance meant hope. Not the false, toxic hope that Vala stood for. But the hope that made me want to keep living.

I lost my first family because I was weak.

I lost my second family because I was weak.

And if I don't become strong... I will lose this one too.

Flames swirled around me, violently, as a wave of overwhelming heat blew all the demons back.

Channel that power. The power that once stood for destruction. Then for warmth. Now for something more.

My tattoos raced up my body.

Matt. Lewis. Whitney. Maika. Flint.

Shia. Shen. Inoko.

Kyokou. Urca.

Rui.

My flames began racing up my body, my body transforming, but not into a devil, but something more.

No armour cladded my body, because the armour would only hold me back. It would only keep my feelings inside.

A being of pure flame.

Fire... can be more than just destruction. A fire can be used for warmth. Maybe that was what you were missing. Your flames are so blue, so cold. My flames are red, filled with warmth. This is the difference between us.

No. Aelienne.

You weren't completely correct.

This blue flame...

"What is he up to?"

"This isn't like his Stage Four..."

"He couldn't have..."

"Without Ginga's blessing?!"

I stomped on the ground, melting it. The demons raced forward, but were unable to enter the radius of my flames. The sheer heat of what I was feeling... the sheer heat that was keeping me marching forward.

To get stronger.

To push further.

This flame I will never give up. It is a part of me.

It doesn't mean destruction. It isn't cold.

This blue is a part of me.

It is a reflection of everything I have been through.

From the distance, Lucifer gazed at me, his face intrigued.

"Oh? Well now. Rya certainly has brought me... an interesting find. Seventy two hours ago, the Hellspawn, all at least A Rank, chipped away at you relentlessly until you were barely able to stand. And now here you are, with a renewed vigour. I am curious. What is it this time?"

My eyes widened, as I roared a mighty roar.

A battlecry reflecting all of my pain in my life, now fully weaponized. To unleash a new level of strength no one ever imagined someone like me could attain.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Five - Dead Man's Pact

I transformed, unleashing a devastating wave of blue and purple flame which ripped apart every demon in the plane of hell.

Every last one, as Lucifer descended into his own realm, looking around.

The red, orange, flaming lava, now replaced with the blue and purple glow of my Stage Five Hinokami.

Lucifer's look of surprise slowly transitioned into a look of excitement.

"In all of my countless eons of existence, there stood no mortal who could match my power. The power to create stars. To bend reality. To rule and be unmatched. For I was the strongest angel to exist. The strongest being. Known even amongst the multiverse..."

I seethed, flames exiting my breath as I glared at the Devil.

Lucifer smiled.

"Let us see what the power of The Akuma's Last Son can do."

Lucifer materialized before me, a sword appearing his hands as he sliced down, but I had already caught the blade. Green electricity sparking from my hand.

The Angel stumbled back, surprised.

"Such intense heat. Incredible..."

I lifted my hand.

FWOOSH.

Lucifer flew backwards, his wings singed.

"Do not get carried away, MORTAL."

SHOOM.

I materialized in front of the devil, my eyes bright. Floki long since dissolved and melted away, leaving behind an empty eye socket.

Another memento of my old life burnt away.

I slammed my fist against Lucifer's face, the skin dissolving from under him.

"ENOUGH." Lucifer shouted, blasting me away with telekinetic force, but to his disbelief, I stood my ground. A massive hole appearing in my torso. My wispy flaming body glaring back at the Devil viciously.

"What....?!"

Stage Five Hinokami... because it was completely emotion based, I was acting completely off of instinct.

And since my instincts called upon every aspect of my being, that meant the concept of switching between my abilities no longer existed in this state.

Whether it was Hinokami, or Intangibility.

Or even Shen's power.

I concentrated, my body reforming instantly.

Everything was being manifested at once. There was no need to call upon them. They were all a part of me.

I roared, unleashing a typhoon of blue and purple flame, green electricity and thunder booming from within the firestorm as Lucifer was completely overwhelmed, engulfed by the suffocating heat.

"I... am the only Devil. This is what I am. No Akuma shall take that title from me!"

The Angel retaliated with a roar of his own, his skin melting and tearing away from my storm, along with the elements of this reality, until all that was left was a red, demonic carcass, its wings turning grotesque, and spikes protruding everywhere over his body.

Lucifer began to grow and grow until he became double my size, ripping through the storm and grabbing me by my neck, but his hands became singed.

"How are your flames more powerful than mine?!" The Devil snarled at me.

But I had no retort. The only thing that was controlling me was my emotions.

And all of my emotions wanted this guy dead.

From the storm, the construct of a green dragon manifested, burning a fierce cyan-green as it shot outwards, chomping down on Lucifer and sending him into the ground.

"Away from me, beast!" Lucifer swatted his hand, dissipating the dragon, but I had already closed in, flying at him at a wild speed.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Five...

"YOU WILL NEVER BE THE TRUE DEVIL. EVEN IF YOU REPRESENT HER FLAMES. THE TITLE OF DEVIL BELONGS TO ME." Lucifer roared, as I reeled my fists back.

Thousands of fireballs appeared behind me, each the size of Aelienne's Phoenix Covenant.

DEVIL'S BLOOD COVENANT

I unleashed a flurry of punches, sending the thousands of planet sized fireballs at Lucifer and his world.

Lucifer yelling at the top of his demonic lungs, as my bestial roar overpowered his, leaving behind nothing but flaming destruction all over the realm of Hell.

I collapsed on the ground, exiting Stage Five and breathing heavily.

"Urk... gah..." I muttered, trying to get to my feet.

Lucifer's body lay motionless on the ground, when suddenly, I heard a gasp and a sputter.

"Y- You... you destroyed my realm... you destroyed my angelic body... then my demonic form... there is nothing more ugly than to rely on this realm to win... there is no satisfaction."

Orange electricity jolted from the sky, electrocuting Lucifer's demonic body as he ascended, all of his wounds regenerating instantly.

My eyes widened.

"What?!"

Lucifer clenched his fangs, glaring at me.

"As long as Hell exists, I will never die. And no matter how much you burn this realm, Hell is Hell. Hell will always keep burning. Whether it is through my flame. Or yours. I will always come back."

I took a step forward, summoning Tatsu, but Lucifer flicked his hand, causing the sword to fly out of my grip.

CLATTER CLATTER CLATTER.

I aimed my palm at Lucifer's face.

Level 1 Hinokami - Inverse-

SMASH.

A wave of telekinetic force blasted me through dozens of burnt landforms as I skidded across thousands of bones.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Lucifer's footsteps... resembling explosions, continued getting louder, until the Devil stood before me. His eyes full of fury.

"This is no victory. This is no win for me. If not for this realm... I would have lost! I would have lost to a mere... PAWN to this Akuma!"

I got to my feet, but Lucifer winded his fists back and began pummelling my body over and over again. Blood exploding from my nostrils, my mouth, and my eye, as I smashed through more landforms. But I was never given the chance to hit the ground, as more and more combinations landed, hurling me all over the realm.

Why was I losing?

SMASH.

After everything I had accomplished.

SMASH. CRUNCH.

I had unlocked Stage Five. I recognized my weaknesses and I tried to move forward...

CRUNCH. SQUEALCH.

Lucifer landed a punch square in my face, as I momentarily blacked out, but another blow instantly jolted me back into consciousness.

I fell to my knees, blood pouring from my broken nose.

A hero was supposed to win in the end.

Wasn't this... wasn't this how it was supposed to be?

An author... a creator who was controlling the direction of this story.

What a wild... wild thing to believe.

But if what Aaron was saying was true...

SMACK.

Lucifer backhanded me as I skidded backwards. My vision blurry. I coughed out blood into the sky, the blood droplets landing back on my face.

Because deep down, I have realized that you are a good person. And it took Hakah to show me that. After all, it was you who brought her back. You are kind. You are compassionate. You are silly and fun to be around. I can see how you have already gotten a marriage lined up so early in your life.

SLASH.

"GRRAAAAAAAAAAH!" I yelled in agony, pain flooding my body, as I felt myself being lifted up.

I slowly opened my eye, to see a large white.. beautiful.. wing, sprouting from my chest.

He had impaled me right through my chest with his wing. A fatal wound.

This fight was over.

I stared Lucifer in the face, as his face was wild, bloody, and frantic.

My own words resonating in my mind.

Don't walk my path, Aaron. Because deep down... I am not.

I see.

I was... never the main character in this story. In the end.

Only the good guys get a good ending.

"Mah Ye Ling... believe me. I do not see this as a victory. But regardless. I am not one to break my end of a promise. And my bargain with Rya was one of divine proportions." Lucifer said, as I hovered listlessly.

My body no longer moved, no matter how I tried to force it.

I coughed, my mouth contorting into a smile. The cough slowly transitioning into a laugh.

"Ha... hahaha.... hahaha!" I cackled, grabbing onto Lucifer's wing, my eye maniacally wide.

"YOU-?! You dare laugh at my face in your last dying moments?!" Lucifer shouted at me, as I continued laughing.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" I laughed hysterically, throwing my head into the sky, spraying blood everywhere from my ruptured organs.

That's right.

I'm a bad guy.

The worst guy in the world.

No wonder...

No wonder I was denied love.

Someone like me?

Of course I'd be alone. But was that a bad thing?

I tightened my grip on Lucifer's wing, forcing Hinokami's flame to incinerate everything in sight.

If I was going to go out, I was going to take everything out with me.

I'm sorry Hakah. But in the end, you found a place with Aaron and his friends. You made friends.

That was ultimately what mattered to me.

Goh goh is proud of you, little Hakah.

"STOP THIS! YOUR BODY CANNOT HANDLE ANY MORE FLAME, YOU WILL COMBUST!"

"You sound real scared, LUCIFER MORNINGSTAR. Aren't you the KING OF HELL? The omnipotent being? The definition of EVIL?! What's to be scared of from a mere MORTAL?!" I laughed crazily, throwing my head forward, face to face with the Devil with the widest grin I could ever muster.

Lucifer's face was uncertain, as he threw my body back onto the ground, my back and spine slamming into the mass of bones as the Devil drew his sword.

"In a way, you won this fight, Flames of the Akuma. Because though I will be the one to have killed you, I had to kill you this way. With you laughing at my face."

I coughed, choking on my own blood.

"Burn bright." I muttered, as I watched the tip of Lucifer's sword descend, closer and closer to my head.

"The Devil's Flames burns alone..."

Lucifer glared at me.

I grinned, my teeth coated in blood.

Show no fear to the Devil.

I die by my own terms.

Even in my last moments, I will not die resenting the hand I was dealt. Give fate a last final fuck you.

"This is goodbye. Yeling Mah. Though I find no joy in doing so... I never go against my word."

Then this shall be your first, Lucifer Morningstar.

KABOOM.

The wind escaped my lungs, as the figure of a tall man in a black coat stood, his back turned to me.

But a familiar white hair. White as snow greeted me.

"You-" I choked, as I suddenly felt my body rejuvenate, all my wounds repairing itself.

"Who are you." Lucifer snarled, as the man walked forward.

"Who am I? Why... I am just like you." The man smiled evilly, his one eye glinted white.

"A Demon King."

Lucifer scowled.

"Only one King can rule. And you are in my realm. Where I stand at my strongest. Even the Akuma's Flames could not kill me. You cannot cut omnipotence. And I am the definition of omniscience."

The Elite Tier SS+ Ranked Inner Shadow tilted his head.

"Is that so? Then let this strike... cut through such."

Loyce swept his hand with shocking speed.

SLICE.

Lucifer froze, as he slowly brought the stump of his wrist to his his face. His hand had been severed, and was not regenerating.

"What... what did you... how did you-"

Great Demon Lord Loyce Hal laughed. A laugh that somehow... felt even more frightening than the Devil himself.

"As valiant as it was, it is not in Yeling's place to die so early in his journey. He still has much to do. And I certainly cannot bear to see his demise be so... anticlimactic."

Lucifer sneered, as he exited his demon form, transforming back into his angelic body with his suit.

"I know you. The Legendary Demon King. The Strongest Primordial Demon to ever exist. The Ultimate Primordial Loyce Hal. A being who evolved to the point of being too strong for his own good. Beyond his realm. Beyond the omniverse. And beyond the limits of fiction and existence. But even so, there are some things you cannot surpass."

"How flattering." Loyce brushed his sleeves, as he studied the landscape.

"You changed the very climate of Hell itself with your flames. Not bad, Yeling."

Lucifer glared at Loyce.

"Do not ignore me. You may be a Great Demon Lord, but I am the King of all Demons! The infamous, notorious, representation of sin and evil, the culmination of darkness. I am the King of Hell. The strongest being of all creation, next to the creator. I am your king, Hal. I am Lucifer Morningstar."

Lucifer materialized into the sky, holding a finger up.

"The mortals once theorized the birth of a universe through a supermassive explosion. A supernova. The Big Bang. Then how fitting. I shall replicate this universe creating power, and through this creation, it shall spell your end. And now the Stage Five Hinokami of the Great Akuma cannot even nullify such a reality distorting power, what can you do. What can a mere Primordial do?!"

"Ah. How big your ego is. It is no surprise you were thrown down here by your creator. How pitiful." Loyce said, as he walked forward.

I was at a loss for words, being reduced to a mere spectator.

But without generating that same Stage Five Hinokami flame, there was nothing I could do against Lucifer now.

I was facing against two Extreme Level Reality Warpers. The only reason why I was still alive was because of Loyce.

Lucifer laughed sinisterly, a blinding light focused on the tip of his finger as the orb approached us. The pressure building up exponentially.

But the laugh slowly died down, as the pressure and winds barely affected Loyce.

As if Loyce had completely ignored the physics behind a universe creating level supernova.

"Lucifer Morningstar. Your ego precedes you. I suppose I can see where it came from. After all, you were the one to successfully kill Supreme Primordial Sena Ark. The mother of my brethren. But you don't seem to understand..."

Loyce wrapped his hand around the orb, closing it as the light disappeared in a flash.

Lucifer stumbled back, his face pale in shock.

"How..."

"...the difference between a Supreme Primordial and an Ultimate Primordial."

Loyce suddenly appeared in front of Lucifer before any of us could even register what had just happened.

A smile crept on the Great Demon Lord's face.

"I am... and shall always be... the strongest demon in existence. And that includes you."

Lucifer froze.

"I... I cannot move! What have you done?!"

Loyce brought his fist back.

Alogigenesis: Divine Comedy - Complete Erasure

"A power that can rewrite anything. A power that infinitely transcends narratives. Is there any other fitting way to describe my power..."

Loyce swung his fist, as Lucifer disintegrated into trillions of fine particles, along with the entire realm of Hell. Until everything was... blank.

White.

Loyce brushed his knuckles.

"...as simply... a Divine Comedy?"

My jaw hung open, sweat pouring down my face.

"L- Loyce..."

Loyce turned to me, as my heart stopped.

"You are not free either."

"What? But you saved me from-"

Loyce smiled, as he approached me slowly. Knowing full well there was nothing I could do to defend myself.

"All... for the outcome that I want. I am taking you back."

"Wait... no..."

Alogigenesis: Divine Comedy - Absolute Domination

I fell to my knees, the strength leaving my body.

No.

I needed to get back to them.

To Hakah.

I was spared. I barely made it out of this ordeal. I needed to come back to her and her friends.

"Tell me why. Yeling Mah. I want to know why." Loyce said.

I coughed, my vision turning blurry.

Hinokami was no longer coursing through my body, making me susceptible to Loyce's reality warping.

"Earlier, you told yourself that you would always be alone. You had forsaken your ties with your sister and her comrades. You claimed to be the 'bad guy'. But now you fight so desperately to survive and return to them. Is this a change in heart?"

"Erk... I..."

Loyce's eyes glinted.

"The Devil's Flames burns alone. But bright. Was that what you were going to say?"

I tried to scramble back, away from the Demon Lord... the strongest Demon Lord in all of existence, but I might as well have been trying to do the backstroke up a waterfall.

There was no getting away from Loyce, and I knew that from the bottom of my heart.

But no part of my body wanted this. Every muscle fibre and every cell in my body wanted to escape so bad.

"Forever alone. You would burn forever alone. A monster. A murderer. A killer who has accepted that no matter what reality he is in, he will never fit in with anyone. And so the Tidalflame would burn. Burn and burn like an unstoppable torrent of vengeance. The flame that rips through his body, only burning brighter and brighter. This was what Yeling Mah was supposed to be. This was what you accepted in your dying moments to the Devil Lucifer."

Get...

Get away from me...

I slowly lifted my hand, the four fingers that were still on it, trembling from intimidation.

"Please let me... please let me live..."

Loyce knelt down in front of me, his finger on my forehead.

"Oh. I will certainly let you live. But you will live by my terms."

By his terms...?

Loyce smiled sinisterly.

"You have broken through your mold. Time and time again. Deep down, Aaron Hope is the good guy. And deep down, Yeling Mah is the bad guy. Lonely. Angry. Resentful. That is who you are supposed to be. Is that so hard to follow?"

A lump formed in my throat, as Loyce's finger began to glow.

No...

I don't want to go back...

I just want to be happy.

Please don't take that away from me.

Alogigenesis - Divine Comedy: Narrative Reset.

"Sorry, Yeling. But we need the real Tidalflame in this story. Not this. I hope you understand. But once I am done, this you will soon cease to exist.

"So this is goodbye."

Yeling Mah

AARON'S POV

"RRRRGHAAAAAH!!!" I groaned, lifting the barbell into the air.

"DUDE! That's insane... 315 pounds for two reps? Without super strength?" Con said, as I put the barbell back onto its rack.

Con, Robbie and I were at the Baja Industries gym. I had recovered slightly to allow moderate exercise...

But my conditioning had plummeted severely.

I breathed heavily, studying the palms of my hands.

I went from being able to do 20 reps of 405 pounds to barely only doing 2 reps of 315.

And according to the doctors, even that was pushing it.

The recommended weight would have been 225.

I glanced at Robbie, who had picked up a 5 lb dumbbell and... was doing some weird rowing/pushing hybrid motion.

"Never thought I'd see Robbie Fernandez of all people holding a dumbbell." I joked.

Robbie gasped, putting the weight back.

"I just wanted to... fit in. With you guys is all."

Con laughed.

"To be honest, the only guy who probably belongs in the gym is Aaron. Me being here is kind of cheating because of my powers. Relax! It's all about health and everything."

Con put an arm around Robbie, as the two laughed.

Robbie...

When I had first met you, you were always so shy and scared of people.

Even when I was first introduced to you, Master Jun had tried to pass you off as a mere mechanical creation of his by your request. It fooled even me. I never would have thought that the Assault Unit Soldier X8 was really just a person (err... I guess a soul) inside a robot body.

People who were always cladded up in big bulky armour, specializing highly in defence, were typically the ones who were the most scared to get hurt. And in your case, you were scared of practically everything. From getting physically hurt, to trying to make friends.

The Robbie I knew from back then would never have been laughing and chatting with other people...

Yet here you are.

And while everybody has gotten stronger in some way shape or form... I'm glad you didn't let that bother you. Because in a way you got stronger yourself.

If you don't believe it, let me take a picture of you right now. Smiling so happily with Con and I.

Sir Dainsleif.

"Huh? Shadows? What is it?"

The Last Son has returned.

A bead of sweat fell on the ground.

"Yeling is back? Is he hurt? Jesus. I hope he's fine."

He has returned, and is in good health.

Seriously?

I heard from Vicki's Shadows that Yeling had been pulled into Hell.

Yes, not the figurative hell. I'm talking the H E double hockey sticks Hell.

So not only did this lunatic survive the literal manifestation of the underworld, he must have also survived Lucifer Morningstar... who was rated SS~ Rank, on par with the Inner Shadows, but came back unharmed.

What in the H E double hockey sticks?

I got up and left the gym.

"Aaron? You heading back early?" Con asked.

"Yeah. Something came up." I answered, turning to Robbie.

"Keep an eye on him." I mouthed.

Robbie nodded.

I summoned my Shadows and teleported to Vicki's place, running forward, before bumping into someone.

"KYA!" A girl's yelp echoed in the parking lot as the two of us fell on the ground.

"What the- hey, you okay?" I asked, as the edge of a sword hovered before my face.

My heart crawled into my throat.

"Wait! Calm down! I'm not a threat, I'm-"

Sarah and I made eye contact for a little too long, long enough for it to be extremely awkward.

"S- Sorry." Sarah muttered, de-summoning Ygviil and turning around quickly.

"Wait." I said, grabbing her arm. For someone so freakishly strong, she was so slender.

Sarah stopped, but didn't say anything.

I sighed.

"Listen. We... should probably talk."

I walked in front of her. But Sarah had her head hung low, her bangs partially covering her eyes.

"What I said was out of line. I shouldn't have been so unreasonable." I explained.

"No. I was the one... extremely out of line. For suggesting something like that to a man I had agreed to marry. Some wife I am." Sarah muttered.

"What? No, you didn't do anything wrong-"

Sarah ran forward and buried her face into my chest, sobbing.

"I was supposed to help you with getting to know Con. But all I did was cause you trouble and do anything but the mission. And I said such hurtful things. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

I gently put my hand on the back of her head.

"Stupid girl." I chuckled.

Sarah pulled away.

"The... ceremony won't happen until the threat is over. That should give you enough time to find a partner more suitable than I. I'm... I'm sorry for being such a burden on you-"

I fished out something from my pocket and placed it in her hand.

Sarah looked surprised.

"What is this?"

I slowly opened her hand, revealing a brand new, crafted hair clip.

"The Topaz Swallowtail. That's the name of the bird that always perched on the sides of your house, right? I did some research on Kalidas, though in the end I had to ask some of the old folks in the village about the Hero Ultear. You sure like old fashioned stuff, never expected that from you!"

Sarah blinked, her eyes tracing the hairclip, as she gasped, remembering the conversation we had in Philadelphia.

"That time I said... I wanted it to be in a hairclip..."

I grinned.

"Yeah! Good memory! I wanted to turn it into a hairclip, but Buck told me it would have been impossible. So I borrowed a few books from the library and learned how to craft one myself. It took a while though."

"So all those nights you spent awake..."

"Yeah. L-Listen. I know I should have been resting. Don't get mad, okay? It was all for-"

Sarah cut me off, leaning forward and kissing me.

"How could you..." She muttered.

What?!

What did I do wrong this time?!

"How could you love me so much after everything I did and said to you..."

I pulled away, running my hand across the side of her face.

"Well. Because we're engaged? Through thick and thin. Through hard times and good. Isn't that what the old guy in a wedding ceremony says? Of course arguments are going to happen. What matters is we get through them and learn from each one."

Sarah managed a weak laugh.

"For someone so smart... how stupid of you to fall for someone like me. But I suppose... I will indulge in this. Because I want to be with you too." Sarah smiled.

"Promise. I promise I'll come back to you in one piece. I'll take care not to get hurt."

"Then I promise I will do everything in my power to protect you." Sarah said.

"Then it's a done deal. No backing out this time. Got that, Princess Ultear?"

Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Boss."

We came closer, as I took the hair clip and put it in her hair.

Sarah ran her hand through it, blushing.

"Does it... look good on me?"

I realized the entire time, I wasn't breathing, as I sucked in air, filling my lungs.

I never knew someone could be so powerful, so badass...

Yet at the same time, be the most beautiful thing in the world.

"I would have done a pinky promise. But this is none of my business, is it?"

I turned to see Yeling, leaning against a pillar.

"Ye- Yeling?! You're here?! Dude you should be resting." I exclaimed, running up to him and throwing my arms around the guy.

"What the- Let go of me you dolt!" Yeling yelped, trying to escape my grip.

"Nice muscles bro. But mine are bigger. You ain't escaping from me!" I laughed.

"You overgrown blockhead. Let go of me!" Yeling protested.

"Listen. Yeling. You gotta give us more of a heads up rather than telling your Shadows that you'll 'be back later'. When you tell someone that, no normal person would think you meant you would come back from Hell of all places. You gave me quite a scare! Imagine if you never came back, can you imagine how sad the ladies are going to feel with you gon-"

SHOVE.

I fell backwards, shocked, as Sarah ran up to me.

"Aaron! Why did you push Aaron? He was just trying to be-"

Yeling glared at us.

"Do not joke about something like that." He said coldly.

My tongue caught in my throat.

"H- Hey man... I was just joking you know-"

"And I told you. I really do not appreciate you making jokes about that." Yeling said, as he eyed Sarah's sword, which had manifested in her hand. But Sarah quickly dematerialized it.

"Sorry, it was just an instinct..." Sarah tried to explain, but Yeling tilted his head.

"You pull Ygviil on me again, and I will answer with Tatsu. What is a Sword Hero without a sword?"

Sarah's face turned pale.

"I... I didn't mean to."

I put distance between Yeling and my fiancee.

"Listen Yeling. We both apologized. Let's just leave it for now, okay? Sarah didn't mean to do it. But even if it was out of instinct threatening her like that I cannot accept."

Yeling's eye flashed blue.

"And what are you going-"

"Yeling!" Vicki shouted, the door swung open, as she ran up to her Auxiliary Shadow.

Yeling turned to her, the bangs of his hair momentarily shifted.

A gasp escaped me.

That golden implant that was originally there... was gone, and left behind was an empty black eye socket. All around it, what looked like burn marks.

As if that golden eye had melted, part of its molten melt dribbled on his skin leaving behind even more scorches.

"Harriet." He said.

Vicki froze.

"Y- Yeling... You're back. What... what happened? My Shadows notified me that you were sent to the Underworld but they told me they were restricted to elaborating more."

Yeling ran his hand through his bangs.

"Let's go to your place first."

* * *

"So Rya is now considering contracts with The Devil to bring Kon back to her side... the extent she would go to..." Vicki muttered.

"But Robbie and I are still trying to get to know Con! Surely she's seen from our interactions that we mean no harm to him!" I said.

"Even so. Friends are not the thing that Rya is worried about. It's Aran. Even if we consider the possibility that Aran has left the realm, the Champions Universe is dying. And soon, Kon will be derezzed along with the rest of the supers in this reality."

"Not if we bring him to our side." I argued.

Vicki didn't look convinced.

"I have already dispatched Hellsing to watch over Con from a distance. From what he reported, he had frequent run ins with Rya's Valkyries. But I had given him strict instructions to not kill anyone. However, even if that is the case, if Rya herself decides to fight him... he will lose."

I tightened my grip on my kneecap.

"Then I will assist Bryce." Sarah said.

Vicki looked up.

"But-"

Sarah stood up grimly.

"If Rya is too much for Bryce alone, then she will need to face both Bryce and I. I am needed on the field, more so than being at Baja."

I looked at my Auxiliary, realizing what she meant by that.

"Sarah... you could still join Robbie and I-"

"No. I... I only came along because I was worried that you would... do something with another... but I have realized how foolish to worry about something like that. So I trust you, Aaron. To befriend Kon Larum alongside X8. And I will assist Bryce, by doing what I do best."

I smiled.

"Then I trust you."

Vicki put a hand on the back of her head.

"But even if both you and Hellsing fought Rya, against her army... I-"

"Ultear and Hellsing don't need to fight Rya." Yeling cut Vicki off, as his eye glowed a demonic cyan.

"What? But Yeling..." Vicki said.

Yeling smiled darkly.

"If the Lightgiver wants to interfere with our mission for her silly, warped, view of love. Then she will get what's coming to her. She struck a deal with the Devil to protect Kon. But now the Devil is no more. And if she continues with her stupidity..."

Yeling's expression turned murderous, as he raised his hand. Blue flame wisping from his palm.

"...then I will make sure that she is no more."

"Whoa whoa whoa. Dude. No one is saying to kill Rya." I said, but caught my tongue.

Was it just my imagination?

But for a second... Yeling's flame flickered black.

"My enemy. I will kill... all my enemies. Vala. Rya. And Loyce."

After the meeting ended, Vicki pulled me to the side.

"I need to speak to you, and get your assistance in one of my investigations."

"Uh, can it wait? I was gonna play Genshin with Con and Robbie-"

"Dainsleif."

"Okay. Okay."

Vicki summoned her shadows, porting us back into Ren Cen.

I followed Vicki from behind, watching as some heroes greeted her.

"Lens."

"Good to see you as always."

Though, it wasn't without undertones. Little hints of resentment in their voices.

And I knew Vicki could tell too, considering she was the second most intelligent Outer Shadow, seconded only to me.

"Something is off with Yeling." Vicki broke the silence as I nearly bumped into her.

"EEEaah! Don't just stop walking out of nowhere, lady!" I yelped.

Vicki ignored me, as she began fiddling with her wrist straps.

"Surely you can tell too, Dainsleif. Ever since he went to the Underworld... he's become... darker."

"Yeling's always been dark though. It's his whole schtick."

"This isn't funny."

Vicki closed her eyes.

"I spent enough time with Yeling. I know where his resentment comes from. When Yeling spent those two years watching all of his close friends live their lives, lives created by Master Loyce, lives where he was no longer a part of... I could see the hurt inside his heart. Especially as he watched that little girl... Shia."

"He..."

Those friends of his... so that was what happened to them.

He lost them all because of Loyce.

I gritted my teeth.

How could I have been so ignorant of what he was going through? And how... how ignorant of what I was doing in front of him. The friends that I had, my Auxiliaries... hanging out with Con. These were all things that Yeling had lost.

Yet I flaunted it in his face the entire time.

Yeling... I'm so sorry man.

"But even so. Despite this. He kept pushing forward. Fighting for us, fighting alongside us."

Suddenly, something completely unexpected appeared on Vicki's face. Something I never would have expected from The Millennium Medusa.

Vicki smiled.

"What an incredible man he is."

So this was why Vicki fell for him.

I almost thought she was into S&-

"Gah!" I irked.

"Why are you giving me that look?" I asked.

Vicki's eyes turned cold.

"I had a feeling you were thinking something very rude."

Guilty as charged.

"So... um... about Yeling..." I tried changing the subject.

Vicki leapt down a railing with her superhuman athletics. I had to follow her on a DS34.

"The Yeling I know would never snap at something like that." Vicki said.

"What? You mean-"

"I saw. I saw him snap at you when you made that incredibly obnoxious remark."

My face flushed red.

"It wasn't obnoxious... I just..."

"Dainsleif, sometimes, certain jokes can have a completely different meaning depending on the person."

"I... I know. I'm sorry."

I continued following Vicki. She was familiar with a lot of the people in the city, though I wouldn't say her reputation was... too impressive.

And that cemented when we came across a group of thugs.

"Lens? That bitch is still alive?" A man said.

"No. Rumour has it she came back from the dead. Reborn almost. No memories of who she was before."

"If she's anything like the old one, then all we gotta do is give her some generic sob story and she'd let us go. She's sweet like that."

The thugs laughed, completely oblivious to the fact that Vicki had used her Obsidian Ordnance to make us invisible.

Vicki raised an eyebrow.

Oh boy.

"Are these guys Purple Gang?" I asked.

"Yes."

"So... are we gonna beat them up?"

"Depends. They're not doing anything illegal right now. Aside from calling me sweet. If they keep disrespecting me then I'll beat them to a pulp."

This lady was crazy!

"I heard this version of Lens is blonde."

"No way. For real?"

"Yeah. She even clipped her hair short these days. Almost like a shaggy Karen cut."

I snorted.

"He just called your hairstyle a shaggy Karen cut!" I snickered.

SWOOSH.

The gang members who were laughing suddenly froze, as a hand appeared from behind them, taking one of their cigarettes.

"What was that about my hair?" Vicki asked, as she put the man's cigarette in her mouth, smoking it and exhaling smoke into their faces.

Her eyes glinted with bloodlust. And a sadistic smile appeared on her face.

"Wh- What are you t- t- talking about?" The man stuttered, as his buddies backed up.

"No way... it's her."

"R- Relax guys. We're not doing anything illegal. Right? And she's a hero. She ain't got no grounds to arrest or hurt us."

Vicki tilted her head.

Celestial Scabbard - Eyes of Artemis

"100 kilograms of cocaine stashed in the trailer of that truck. Forty six hundred needles of heroin. Headed eastbound out of Westside, implying illegal exports." Vicki said.

"Wha- Bitch you don't got no proof!" One of the goons approached her, which probably wasn't a very bright move, because the moment he stepped forward, Vicki instantly grabbed the guy by the face, lifting him up as he kicked his legs like a little kid.

"Oh shit! Call backup!"

The Purple Goon began tapping on his communications device, as more and more goons came to back them up.

"We got enough guys here to make Kodiak piss himself! We're certainly not gonna let a woman get in the way of our business."

Vicki shot them a glare, spreading a wave of intimidation and uneasiness across the crowd.

Only Vicki could set off danger signals like that without Chakra.

"First you called me sweet. Then you made fun of my hair. Now you're comparing me to that hairy buffoon. Your obliviousness knows no bounds."

Vicki spat out the cigarette, blowing out a stream of smoke, before she tossed the Purple Gang member aside, and summoning a bow out of thin air.

Obsidian Ordnance - Purgatory Arrows

An arrow appeared in her hand, as she aimed and fired a black bolt at one of the trucks with deadly accuracy which rivalled mine.

The metal instantly began corroding into a black goo, revealing the powder and needles before anybody could even react.

"KILL HER!" One of the goons shouted, but Vicki turned to the gang, who froze in fear.

"Wha- What's one hero going to do against several hundred of us! And she's a woman! Come on guys!"

"B- But... didn't you hear the rumours?"

"What rumours?"

"That's the reincarnated Lens isn't it?"

"Are you for real?"

Vicki walked forward, causing uneasiness and fear to ripple across the crowd.

Rumour had it that Vicki was the reincarnation of Lena "Lens" Soni. While Lens was loved by Millennium City for her kindness and compassion, her friendliness to the citizens and children...

Vicki Alenia Harriet was the complete opposite.

Brutal. Violent. Merciless.

While Lena stood for justice through warmth and compassion...

Vicki stood for justice through terror and fear.

One guy, probably pressured into doing it, recklessly charged forward and tried to shoot Vicki with his handgun, but Vicki instantly overpowered him, grabbing his finger and breaking it, causing the guy to scream in pain.

"Holy shit! She's the real thing!"

"D- Don't let up! We got-"

SWIPE.

Vicki raised an eyebrow, slamming the guy onto the ground and inspecting the bottle of liquor he was carrying.

"So you're the new Kevin Poe. Is this cheap whiskey the only thing that differentiates you from the rest of this trash?"

"BOSS!" The goons wailed.

"Do something!"

"Like what?! She just overpowered the boss so quickly!"

"W- Wait... Wait! You can't kill me! I'm Talos! I'm the strongest villain in all of Westside! I control-"

Vicki popped open the lid of the liquor and downed the entire thing in six seconds flat.

I joined the goons, our mouths hanging wide.

What kind of hero...

Smoked stolen cigarettes and chugged liquor...

"You... you won't kill me. You can't. You're a hero-"

"I can't? Don't you know what I did to your old boss?" Vicki leaned forward, pressing her high heel against Talos' throat.

"I... I..."

Vicki held out her hand, creating a whip of black energy.

Obsidian Ordnance - Reaper's Liberator

Vicki swung the whip, disintegrating the entire Purple Gang hideout and all of their trucks. Cocaine and drugs going up in smoke and black ash as Talos stared at the destruction.

"N- No... NO! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Vicki pointed the whip at the boss.

"Cleaning."

"LENS!" A furry guy in a cop outfit ran up to Vicki, his hands raised.

"For the hundredth time! This is not how you treat criminals! Look at him, you made another one wet himself!"

"Tsk." Vicki muttered, getting off Talos and walking past the cop.

"I solved the problem. But by all means, Kodiak. Let the cycle continue. I will come back to give Purple Gang another routine beating once they've escaped prison for the two hundred forty eighth time."

Vicki walked off, pulling out yet another cigarette from her chest wrap and lit it up, smoking it.

I nervously waved at Kodiak.

"H- Hi. Uh. Don't mind me."

Kodiak narrowed his eyes.

"Aren't you the Hang-"

"What? I don't know what you're talking about. I think you're going senile... I heard monkeys have a short lifespan, better consider retirement old fella!"

Kodiak blinked, trying to process the fact that he basically got roasted for being part gorilla.

Vicki scowled, crossing her arms, as I caught up to her.

"Tsk. I hate the way MCPD does things. But it's not in my right to change this city, considering it is Biselle's responsibility."

"You should probably quit it with the cigarettes. It doesn't look cute on you."

Vicki exhaled a line of smoke, eyeing me coldly.

"N- Nevermind." I said quickly.

"Keep walking, Cosmic Pimp."

"Yes ma'am." I squeaked, my voice small.

We continued making our way across town, until we found ourselves in front of a bookstore.

"You dragged me all the way here to read books?" I groaned.

Vicki ignored me and opened the door, a small jingle rang across the shop.

"Hi. What can I do for you?" A lady at the front said.

Vicki took the cigarette out of her mouth.

"I am here for the Trismegistus."

The lady looked up.

"Lens? It's you. And... wait. Isn't that the Hangman?"

The lady quickly put her arms around her chest area, her expression guarded.

"Hey! Surely my reputation isn't that bad!" I protested.

"Take me to the back." Vicki said, as the lady led us to the back room.

"The information you requested is on the shelf over there. I don't know what you're planning to do, but please be careful. These are forces you don't want to bring on this plane of existence."

"I am well aware."

Vicki took the books out, flipping through them.

"If I wanted to read books I would have just spent the day with Sigurd." I grumbled.

"Shut up and read." Vicki snapped, shoving a piece of paper in my face.

"Kings of Edom? The hell is this?"

"They are Qlipothic beings. They've existed for eons. That paper listed their destructive crimes to humanity and the numerous realms they have visited."

"And we're investigating this because...?"

"According to the history of this world, these Kings have been Multiversal threats. Take a look at some of the named kings."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Vulshoth, Deizzhorath, Esleggua... I am definitely butchering their names aren't I."

"Keep reading."

"Mgatraor, Orogtha, Pthaar..."

My eyes went wide, as I read the next name.

"Denosa."

Denosa.

Den Osa.

"Osa...? As in Dasc Osa? The Primordial???"

Vicki nodded grimly.

"But this is not how Primordials work. I've looked into Primordials Demons, as my Master is one. Primordials do not reproduce. They do not have brothers or sisters. They follow a system similar to a colony. A single Queen Primordial who produces offspring. This Queen Primordial was known as Sena Ark."

"Okay. So why the hell does this weirdo share the same last name as Dasc?"

"Why don't we find out?"

I blinked.

"Say what now?"

Vicki got up.

"I am inclined to believe the Kings of Edom have a connection to Master Loyce. I am going to question them and get as much information about my Master as possible. By going to their realm."

"So going to Qlipoth. Please tell me you're joking. I promised Con I'd be playing Genshin but instead I'm doing questionable shit with you."

Vicki tilted her head.

"Leave Constantine to X8. You are coming with me. I have already lost my usefulness as a combatant compared to your Auxiliaries, while your injuries have reduced your prowess significantly, but my information gathering is still on par with yours. So let the two top strategists of The Black Legion do their part."

Vicki and I made our way back to her residence, but before we could even get to the door, we heard shouting.

"What is going on in there?" Vicki said.

I opened the door, to see Yeling and Bryce in an altercation.

Sarah and Robbie were holding Bryce back.

"You don't know what you're doing! You gon KILL Rya?! How the hell's that gon get Kon on our side, dumbass?"

I glanced at the counter, which had a large dent on it.

Yeling's knuckles were bleeding.

"If Rya is stupid enough to do these things, then she doesn't deserve to be called a Celestial. Even if we got her on our side, she will do nothing but slow us down with her idiocy."

"But what about Kon?!" Bryce shouted.

"If Kon is worth being on our side, then he will know the fallacy of supporting his deranged wife."

"You lil, do you not have a soul or some shit?!"

Bryce rushed forward, but Vicki suddenly materialized in front of him.

"Hellsing! Yeling! That's enough! What on Earth are you two doing?!"

Bryce pointed at Yeling.

"This psychopath was about to KILL Rya! He drew Tatsu and nearly cut her head off!"

Vicki stared at Yeling, bewildered.

"Yeling! The point is to keep her away from Kon! But not to KILL her!"

"The more I interact with this Celestial the less I want to see her alive to rattle that mouth of hers. Time and time again, she has tried to use questionable methods. I do NOT want someone so foolish to be fighting alongside us." Yeling replied.

"She's only doing this because she believes her husband is in danger!" Vicki retorted, but Yeling scoffed.

"Husband. Wife. Boyfriend. Girlfriend. All this meaningless BULLSHIT that is getting in the way of what needs to be done! If it wasn't for such irrational 'ideals', Loyce would long have been eliminated ages ago!" Yeling snarled.

"Working in teams is about building trust. Even if it is not to the level of familial bonds, this trust is still crucial in a team. How many times have I had to tell you this?" Vicki exclaimed.

Yeling glared at all of us.

"Trust in a team is not the same as the trust I have seen in some of the members in this group."

"What the hell are you trying imply?!" Bryce growled.

Yeling tilted his head, as he pointed his finger. A blue ball of flame manifested on it as my eyes widened.

The fireball suddenly shot to Sarah, and before I could even process any thoughts, my body moved on its own.

"Sarah!" I yelled, reaching out and jumping in front of my girlfriend, the ball landing square on my arm.

"GAAAAAAAAH!" I screamed in pain, as Sarah cried out.

"Aaron! Why did you do that?! Stand still!"

Sarah quickly grabbed me in an embrace, her hand sending a magical current, healing my burnt arm.

"WHAT THE HELL?! YOU TRYING TO MAKE AN ENEMY OUT OF US?!" Bryce roared, but Robbie did his best to hold him back.

"Bryce! We mustn't fight! We can't!"

Vicki glared at Yeling, as she quickly closed in and brought the guy into a judo tackle, pinning him to the ground.

"THAT'S ENOUGH." Vicki snarled, pushing Yeling's face across the floor.

"What has gotten into you! Ever since you returned from the Underworld you claimed you were okay. But this is clearly not okay. Starting fights with your own allies. Going against my orders and trying to kill potential comrades. You need to take some time to reflect on your actions!"

Yeling broke out of Vicki's hold, shoving her away.

"Allies?" Yeling whispered, as a dark aura pulsated from his body.

"Vicki, stay back." I croaked, as Sarah continued healing me, glaring at Yeling.

"Aaron... stay behind me. I won't let him get to you." Sarah said.

Yeling regarded us.

"From the very start I never once saw you all as allies. What did I tell you when I first met you, Aaron? The Black Legion is my enemy. The only reason why I am here at all is because of Hakah. And the fact that our goals momentarily aligned. Those were the only prerequisites. But now... Hakah is away. And our goals have deviated. To kill Loyce means to take action. Not wasting time trying to gain favour from some IDIOTIC Celestial and her amnesiac husband."

"Yeling..." I glared at him, but Yeling returned my glare.

"And you. Aaron Hope. Even your name pisses me off. Someone who boasts to be so smart. Yet would run into the line of fire from my Hinokami just to save his girlfriend. How fuckin disgusting."

"The fuck did you just say?!" I snarled.

"Yeah. I fuckin said it. WHAT? ARE YOU MAD?" Yeling slammed his fist against the counter, causing debris and porcelain dust to fly everywhere.

I clenched my teeth, my eyes wide, as Yeling continued.

"The people who should be qualified to kill Vala are the people who don't represent what she is. Vala is Hope reincarnate. Her very existence is an abstract. Do you know what else represents Hope?"

We were silent.

"Love. Love is Hope. How do any of you expect to beat Vala, or even Loyce, if love clouds your judgement? From love for a comrade. Love based on camaraderie... and worst of all."

Yeling pointed at Sarah and I.

"Love in its purest form. Don't you ever say you strive to kill Vala. Don't you ever dare say you want to carry out your Organization's ideals, when you two are the furthest from it!"

"We're the best chance against Loyce and Vala! You heard. Loyce has already immobilized almost all of the Outer Shadows in The Black Legion! No one has the balls to face Loyce but us. It has to be-"

"Wrong. The best chance against Vala are the people who have nothing left to lose. Someone who has no more ties. Or at the very least, someone's ties who can easily move on if that person has died. Aaron Hope. The God Eater. The Dainsleif. If you die, can you imagine the insurmountable pain that Ultear is going to feel?"

Sarah pursed her lips, as I glanced at her.

I was at a loss for words.

Yeling's hands trembled.

"Vicki has Twilight. Hakah has you guys. You have a wife. Bryce and Robbie have you. In the end, you were never qualified to take on the burden of fighting against Hope, because you have manifested Vala through the love you surround yourself with. Fighting fire with fire isn't real. It only works in stories. The proper way to fight fire is with its opposite. The only way to fight Hope is with Despair."

Yeling brought the tuft of hair back, merging it with his ponytail and revealing his whole face.

"Look at me. Aaron. Don't you dare flinch."

I glared at Yeling's face, but his right side was just so... painful to look at.

"You're struggling, aren't you. Do you see what true Despair looks like? Do you see? This is what it takes to defeat Vala. If you really want to join me in this battle, then forsake love altogether."

I looked at Sarah again. Her face was pale.

"I won't ever forsake Sarah, Yeling. No matter how fucked up your philosophy is!" I snarled.

Yeling's face contorted with rage.

"Then forget about making friends with Kon. Forget about trying to fight Loyce to save Sakura Hope. I will be your opponent."

Vicki gasped.

"Yeling. Don't do this. This is ridiculous!"

Yeling swept his hand, as we all fell backwards. A column of blue flame separated us from Yeling, as his one eye shone maliciously through the fire.

"There was always one way. Your way or mine. The outcome had already been decided, since back then. Let's finish this."

Sarah stepped in front of me.

"If you want to fight Aaron, you need to go through us."

"Hell yeah. You ain't getting close to Bossman, you lil bitch. Not when he's in this state. You always had a punchable face. But after all that bullshit you just spewed, that just makes me wanna punch you even more!" Bryce growled.

Vicki closed her fist.

"Yeling. Is this really what you want? To be abandoned once more? These people... they're trying to help you. But you're-"

"If they wanted to help me. Then they wouldn't be flaunting their luxuries in front of my fucking face." Yeling hissed, as an explosion of blue flame jettisoned out of his body, levelling the entire flat as we were exposed to the sky. Thousands of feet in the air.

Wind blew aggressively between my friends and Yeling, who faced us down.

Blue and purple flames flickering from his body like a demonic avatar straight out of Ghost Rider.

"Once I'm through with you. Rya is next. Then if Kon wants to reawaken and get revenge for his wife, then I'll burn him too. Each fight will make me stronger. Stronger and stronger. Until I kill all of my enemies."

I breathed heavily, activating Protocol Cyberknight. The bracers cladding my forearms and boots.

"Stay out of this Vicki. This is our fight." I said.

Bryce and Sarah powered up, while Robbie transformed into his X8 Assault form.

"Aaron... I don't want to do this..." Robbie muttered from within his armoured robotic body.

"We don't got a choice." I said, as my team approached the Last Son of Mahyako.

His Devil's Flames burning bright.

"We don't got a choice. This was always bound to happen in the end." I muttered.

Reignition of a Reality

Sarah transformed into her Luna Form, while Bryce transformed into his Vampire State.

Yeling brought out Tatsu, the blade burst into blue flame.

Way of the Rain God - Form 1

Green electricity sparked off his body.

"Everybody! Evade!" I shouted.

DEVIL SURFACE SLASH

A blue arc of pure heat blasted to our direction. Catching Robbie in the chest and sending him back, crashing through a skyscraper and emitting a shockwave which shattered the windows.

"Rob-" I shouted, but Yeling appeared next to me, his fist reeled back and his eye dilated with adrenaline.

Level 1 Hinokami - Devil's Comet

"Aaron!"

Sarah closed in Ygviil in hand, as Yeling smirked, redirecting his fist and swinging a large arc. Sarah's eyes widened, trying to change the trajectory of her sword to block Yeling's punch.

A starburst of blue flame ripped the skies apart.

Sarah seethed, all the while, trying to clash with Yeling, but her sword began trembling, buckling under the pressure of the Hinokami.

I pulled out my Draugr from a spatial portal, and fired, but the bullet zipped right through Yeling's head.

Hinokami and Intangibility - Devil's Hurricane

A storm of fire blew Sarah and I back, but Bryce took advantage of this and blasted forward, shooting past us, as he swung his bat.

Yeling blocked it with Tatsu.

"Try and burn us, boy. I'll eat all of yo flames, bitch!" Bryce snarled, opening his mouth as the flames entered his body.

"I feel real fired up. You feeling fired up, Yeling?!"

Bryce swung his fist, his knuckles catching Yeling right in his forehead, causing him to bleed.

Another shockwave shook the entire city.

But to Bryce's disbelief, Yeling didn't budge from his spot. All the while glaring at Bryce.

"You want to eat my flames? Go right ahead."

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: COBALT ASSIMILATION

A horn ripped out of his right side as the flames became even more violent, mixed with purple.

Bryce began choking, his blood red eyes enlarged.

"Bitch don't play games with me!" He shouted, unleashing a demonic red hound projection. The hound howled, and chomped down at Yeling, but Yeling had instantly backed away with tremendous speed.

Bryce closed in, charging Yeling, but Yeling had instantly gone Intangible, passing right through him and appearing in the air.

"What the-"

Way of the Rain God - Form 2: SUN WHEEL

Sarah rushed forward, her sneakers skidding across the destroyed concrete as she left behind a silver shockwave, intercepting Tatsu with Ygviil and saving Bryce before he could be decapitated.

I aimed with Draugr, gritting my teeth.

There was no way my bullets could do anything against a guy who could go Intangible.

But after witnessing Yeling fight, I knew right away what kind of combatant he was.

Yeling was the type to be sensitive in battle. To respond to any stimulus.

Contrary to how aggressive he was, he was highly defensive in that regard.

Meaning even if it was a bullet that couldn't harm him, he would still react to it.

BANG.

I fired, the bullet passing right through his head, as Yeling turned around, but Sarah took full advantage of his indecision, slicing up and catching Yeling in the chest.

"Wha-" Yeling gasped at the line of red that had formed along his sternum.

Sarah's wild expression illuminated by the blue flames and her Luna Form.

Cosmic Chakra Moon Magic - MOON GODDESS LUNA ARC

Sarah unleashed a powerful slash which sent Yeling flying into a building, melting through and unleashing a wave of screams from the civilians.

Yeling stopped his momentum of heat.

Double Inverse Tsunami Releases

I strapped my Draugr to the side and pulled out an Ironsight, taking aim at his arms several miles away.

SWOOSH.

Two torrents of flame came flying Sarah's way, but missed wildly, as I had fired the sniper and severed his arms.

Yeling growled, regenerating them with bursts of flame, but Bryce appeared from behind.

"Gotcha bitch!" He snarled, swinging his bat and catching Yeling in the side of head, a red explosion shooting the guy back.

From a distance, Robbie had transformed into a massive cannon, aiming Yeling down and firing a barrage of missiles, which exploded on contact.

Yeling flew into the side of a building as I leapt into the air, greeting him.

Trigrams Six Hands Combination

Yeling glared at me and held up his hand, but I fired at his face with my Draugr, obscuring his vision, then chucked a grenade at his feet.

The projectile expanded, unleashing a torrent of air like a vacuum and sucking him in.

Yeling tried to go Intangible, but it backfired quickly, forcing him in one spot.

"Why you little-"

I pulled out my MP7 with my other hand, running around him in a huge arc and firing at his palm.

"GRAAH!" Yeling growled, clutching his hand and dropping Tatsu, as blood leaked down his sleeve.

Bingo.

How else was this guy going to hold his sword if the rest of his body was Intangible? Obviously a part of him still had to have form to hold that sword.

"AARON." Yeling roared, firing a stream of flame at my direction. The sheer heat sucked the air out of my lungs as I began suffocating, my concentration broken.

"B- Buck! Air!"

Right away, Master Aaron.

A mask formed over my face.

I promised Sarah I would take care of my body.

I would reserve magic unless absolutely necessary.

I glared at Yeling, who emerged from the wall of flames. His eyes murderous.

This was necessary.

Convocatio and Augmentus - Continuous Fast Summoning

I spread my arms, electricity arcing across them.

Level 1 Hinokami - Devil's Comet

Convocatio - Spectre Grenades

Yeling shot forward with immense speed, his fist disintegrating my clone.

"A fake-?!"

I pressed the barrel of my Draugr to his forehead.

"RAHHHH!" Yeling roared, emitting tremendous flames which melted the bullet before it even left the barrel.

I dropped my Draugr and switched to my Black Dot Sight.

Convocatio - Ammunition Summoning: Taser Rounds

I aimed at his feet, firing.

Yeling froze, stunned by the electrical current as I landed on the ground, reaching behind me and throwing out a number of disks.

"Vertigo Protocol."

The DS34's unleashed waves of concussive energy, slamming into Yeling, who stumbled.

I tossed my assault rifle, quick switching to my Spitfire AX5 and firing a huge shotgun round.

Yeling flew into the air, blood trailing from his chest.

"That all you got?!" Yeling snarled, recovering faster than I expected. Flame covered his arms.

"GRRK!" I grunted, pulling out a flashbang from a red magic circle and tossed it at Yeling, closing my eyes to avoid the light.

Yeling stumbled in the air, as reloaded my shotgun.

SHHK SHHK.

I aimed the barrel at Yeling, but to my shock, the guy grabbed the barrel. His one eye glowed cyan.

"BURN."

I gasped, letting go of my Spitfire as the barrel melted, causing the firearm to explode right in my face.

I flew backwards.

"DS34's! Hold him back!" I shouted, falling on one of my DS34's and flying away.

The DS34's circled Yeling, firing their lasers at him, but Yeling roared.

Level 1 Hinokami: Devil's Typhoon

I yelped, the heat slamming into my like a truck. The DS34 lost its stability as I crashed through dozens of windows, scrambling through the building and offices, assessing the structural environment.

I summoned another Draugr and picked off all the structural vulnerabilities, causing the roof to collapse on Yeling.

Level 2 Intangibility

Yeling walked through every obstacle I threw at him, melting everything that I was throwing his way.

I tossed a smoke grenade and leapt out of the window, quick switching to my sniper and loading it with explosive rounds.

I began free falling, thousands of feet in the air, but I fired at eight corners precisely at several of the gas pipes in the building.

"Buck! Ignite!" I shouted.

Yeling melted open the window, trying to find me, but the sounds of beeping distracting him, causing him to spin around.

KABOOM.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

"AARON!" Yeling roared, as the upper floors of the building collapsed under him, from the eight explosions I had fired.

I grabbed the side of a neighbouring building.

From the destruction, a blue light shone, which turned into a blast of flame.

I lifted my legs, shielding the flame with my DS34 hoverboard, but the force of the heat shunted me onto the roof of another building.

I skidded to a stop, as I slowly opened my eyes, face to face with the the logo of Baja Industries.

SHOOM.

I spun around, frantically to see Yeling had already reached my location, landing on the roof and creating several cracks on the ground, which glowed blue.

I aimed my Draugr and fired a Vortex bullet, which suspended before Yeling, vibrating violently and parting his flames away.

But Yeling tensed, his flames glowing even brighter.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Three - Grand Cobalt Assimilation

The bullet vaporized as another wave of heat slammed into me.

I had no choice.

I figured this would drain my stamina.

But if I was going to fight Yeling, I couldn't hold back now.

"Buck. Initiate Protocol Cyberknight."

As you request, Master Aaron.

The bracers on my arm grew, climbing up my limbs as my entire forearm began encased with the black metal. My boots became heavier, plating going up my kneecaps and cladding my black jeans.

The mask on my face expanded slightly.

Yeling regarded me grimly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a mask. It was patterned like a skull, with flaming contours which transitioned into water current.

I watched as Yeling put the black mask on his face, his one eye glowing from within the eye hole and illuminating the skull mask.

There was no backing out now.

This was what I had to do. This was the best I can do right now without Chakra.

And I knew that no tricks was going to work against a guy who could burn every trap I set to dust.

I had to fight him head on.

I hated that so much.

But even so...

The image of Will appeared in my mind.

Not every battle can be won Nora's way.

Trigrams Six Hands Combination

I assumed my stance, pulling out my MP7 in my other hand, as Yeling materialized in front of me, his fist reeled back.

I gritted my teeth wildly, pressing my Draugr against his elbow and fired, causing his arm to explode.

Yeling's eye ignited, as his body released tremendous flame my direction. But I already predicted it, spinning around and aiming the barrel of my SMG to his back and firing, causing him to stumble forward.

Yeling turned around and unleashed a spiral tornado of flame which knocked me back, but I aimed my Draugr, returning with more shells which connected with his feet.

Grand Ultimate Devil's Meteorite

Yeling blasted towards me, as I ducked his punch.

Buck throwing warning signals left and right over the fact that the Hinokami Flame protection from Protocol Cyberknight was reaching its limits.

I returned with gunfire of my own, trying to catch parts of his body that momentarily regained tangibility.

Dodging and countering, as I fought toe to toe with The Devil's Flames.

Yeling slammed his fist downward like an axe, dissipating a spectre, but I managed to catch him in the chest with a Caliga shell, sending him skidding back, before rushing forward with my cybernetically enhanced limbs, unloading vicious combinations between my Spitfire, my Black Dot, and my Ironsight missiles.

"RAH!" Yeling shouted, drawing Tatsu and slicing up my Ironsight.

I leapt backwards, breathing heavily, as I unloaded another clip of bullets from my assault rifle, but Yeling was disintegrating everything I was sending his way.

"Those are some impressive upgrades you gave to that Destroid. But its already starting to buckle from Stage Three. And you still have two more stages to go." Yeling seethed.

I kept my mouth shut, whispering ever so slightly.

"Hang in there, Buck!"

Operating... at four percent efficiency. I'm sorry, Master Aaron. But we are at the mercy of Yeling Mah's indecision to use Stage Four.

Wait a second...

Yeling approached us, his Stage Three form burning bright.

He wasn't going Stage Four...

Meaning...

"Stop. Yeling. I know under that maliciousness, you're still there."

Yeling paused.

"What kind of bullshit are you trying to pull this time?"

"No bullshit."

I held out my hand.

"I promise. I... I think I know what happened to you when you were dragged to Hell." The gears in my brain turning.

To twist your narrative is child's play to me. I have done battle against beings far beyond you, capable of changing entire realities and conquering them, for eons. At some point, it means nothing.

Those were Loyce's words to me.

Could that mean...

"Loyce changed your character. Didn't he? He changed you. Using his narrative warping powers. Right? It's okay! I understand. Listen, you're not completely gone! There's still a part of you in there. Otherwise why else wouldn't you go Stage Four?"

Yeling glowered at me.

"Don't you dare act like you understand me. Someone as bright as you should know that reality warping doesn't affect Dogma Users."

"No... but not when they're completely drained. You fought the forces of Hell. All by yourself. That must have drained you, right? And that was when Loyce-"

"ENOUGH."

A blast of heat slammed into me as Buck shattered into pieces, shocking me to the bone.

"BUCK!" I stared at the pieces of an old friend. But Yeling stepped on the shards of Destreum with his boots.

His eye looking down at me sinisterly.

"I am me. I am Yeling Mah. Loyce didn't change me. I have always been The Tidalflame. Hatred. Resentment. An unstoppable tsunami. An unstoppable torrent of vengeance. That is who I am. That is who I always have been. Don't you dare appeal to something that was never ever there. I am loved by no one. No one cares for a killer. No one-"

"SNAP OUT OF IT!" I yelled.

"Yeling! I care about you. I DO. But there's nothing we can do to help you if you keep pushing us away! And I know the thing that is speaking right now is not the real Yeling!"

"I AM AS REAL AS IT GETS." Yeling roared, shooting forward, but a bright silver flash appeared before me, Sarah blocking his strike.

"Sarah!" I gasped.

"Aaron... your... I'm sorry about Buck. But you can't fight anymore. You haven't recovered. Pushing you this far in a fight... I must honour my part of the promise!"

"Stop! Sarah, you can't hold back Yeling!"

"I'll do whatever it takes to protect my man!" Sarah growled, her body glowing white as she pushed Yeling back.

But Yeling flipped in the air.

Way of the Rain God - Form 8

SHOOM.

Yeling closed in, as Sarah frantically blocked with Ygviil.

DEVIL'S FOUR SEASONS

SLAM. SLAM. SLAM. SLICE.

Sarah coughed out blood, skidding back as a patch of red began spreading across her side.

"Sarah!" I yelled, rushing forward, but Yeling punched me in the face.

Sarah slashed again, but Yeling grabbed the Hero by the neck and flew into the air, arcing across the sky and smashing her through numerous buildings and leaving behind a trail of destruction.

KABOOM.

Sarah flew my direction, slamming into the roof and levelling the entire Baja Industries building and skidding to a stop before me.

"Uh... uhhh..." Sarah groaned in pain, her eyes were barely open as she started losing consciousness.

WOOSH.

A fresh wave of blue flames ripped the doors of the company building apart, revealing Yeling in his Stage Three form, burning and melting everything in his path.

I tried to get to my feet, but collapsed. My ankle flared in pain.

No way.

My wounds... did they reopen?!

Yeling continued marching to us, but Sarah forced herself back to her feet, blood pouring from her body.

"Stupid. Woman." Yeling growled, as his body sparked green electricity, disarming Sarah then plunging the blade deep into her thigh.

Sarah screamed in pain, as Yeling brought himself close to her.

"STOP. YELING!" I begged, throwing myself before him.

"I give up! I lose! Don't hurt her any more! Please!" I yelled, as Sarah continued screaming, the blade of Tatsu igniting with flame, burning her flesh from where the sword had cut right through her leg.

"I... I'll... protect... Aaron..." Sarah struggled, as she made a fist with her free hand, trying to hit Yeling's head. But her strength was completely gone.

"You two love each other so much. Once I send you to the afterlife, you'll have all of eternity to be together." Yeling said, as his hand hovered in front of Sarah's face.

Sarah's eyes widened.

"STOP!" I screamed, when suddenly, a fist came out of nowhere, catching Yeling in the side of the head. Yeling flew backwards, smashing through a concrete pillar as Sarah collapsed on the ground.

I scrambled to her, cradling her head on my chest.

"Sarah! Sarah, stay with me! Please!" I begged.

"Aaron... Aaron... please... please be safe..." Sarah muttered.

"Aaron... is that you?" The voice of Constantine Lupin said from the darkness.

"Con?!" I exclaimed. Con ran up to me and Sarah, concern filled his eyes.

"What's going on?! Who the hell is that guy? I- I called the cops. Don't worry. Let's run! We have to run for it!"

Con noticed Sarah's wound.

"No... holy fucking shit! Sarah! Oh my god! We need to wrap her leg up with something! We need to-"

"Kon Larum." Yeling growled, the concrete evaporating all around him.

Con's eyes widened.

"Jesus Christ! That dude's bad news! Come on! I... I need to come up with something..."

I clenched my teeth.

"Con. Punch the ground."

Con looked at me.

"What?!"

"Just do it! Baja has a bottom floor, doesn't it? Might as well bring down a floor than die from him!"

Con ran forward, punching the ground, as Yeling stumbled, falling down the chasm.

I shouldered Sarah and forced myself to move forward.

Sarah...

How could I let this happen to you?!

"Aaron! I got this. Let me help." Con said, carrying Sarah gently over his shoulder.

The two of us made a break for it, but suddenly another wave of heat blasted us forward. Con fell, spilling Sarah onto the ground.

"Ah man! Shit! Shit shit shit! I chose the absolute worst night to work overtime!" Con screamed.

I grabbed Con by the shoulders.

"Con! Listen to me! I... I have so much to explain to you. But right now, we need to get Sarah out of here! Do you have a vehicle?"

"I'm a Learner's Driver dude!"

"Fuck! Why didn't you get your license sooner?!"

"You're scolding me now of all times?! What happened to 'everybody learns at different rates'!"

"Maybe if we weren't running for our lives!"

I pulled out my gun, firing at whatever I could find to slow Yeling down.

But nothing seemed to work. Even pure nitrogen gas that would have frozen him in place, the fire extinguisher, anything...

Yeling was burning right through each one.

"I'll kill both you and Kon." Yeling said, as he lifted his hand.

SCARLET EAGLE

The entire building shone red, causing Yeling to hesitate.

"Damn you-!"

"I AIN'T DONE. WE AIN'T FINISHED." Bryce roared, blasting through and blitzing right through Yeling's flames. Red veins covered his entire body as he unleashed a massive blood eagle which smashed into Yeling, causing a massive explosion that blew everybody back.

"Yes. We are." Yeling said.

Level 1 Hinokami - Stage Four

SHOOM.

Bryce recoiled, the flames racing up his arm and consuming the entire eagle.

Yeling closed in, Tatsu held back.

Devil's Surface Slash Ascendent

A massive blue and red arc connected with Bryce, sending him hurtling into the sky.

Yeling then turned to us.

I pointed my gun but Yeling's sword hand flickered. The barrel got sliced in half.

"My flames will be enough to kill Loyce. The flames of the Hinokami eliminate reality bending itself. No one shall carry the burden of fighting Hope, but me. Because only I can handle the burden of true Despair."

"That isn't true! You don't need to be the embodiment of Despair to fight Vala! You don't! If you keep this up you'll run yourself into the ground!" I shouted desperately, but Yeling shook his head.

"There will be... only one. Only one shall sacrifice themselves. I can handle it. I've handled despair my whole life."

Loyce...

You Primordial asshole.

I'll make you pay for what you did to Yeling!

"I can't. I won't let you."

Yeling closed in and grabbed me by the throat, slamming me against the wall.

"Aaron!" Con shouted.

"Go! Get Sarah out of here!" I yelled.

Yeling brought his face close to mine.

"I hate stubborn people like you the most. The stubborn people so adherent to such... naive ideals."

"It isn't that." I coughed, trying to keep myself from blacking out.

"Then why? Why do you insist on being such a barricade on my mission!"

"Because I promised Hakah!" I growled, causing Yeling to hesitate.

I grabbed Yeling's hand, trying to pry it off.

"I promised your sister to save you. Just like how I saved her. I promised! I can't... I can't let her down any more than I have already! Loyce fucked you up! Don't you fucking deny it! I was just starting to get to know you, dude. What you said... that night to me. The way you treated me. The way you gave me that pep talk about Sarah that night. If you wanted me dead from the start, why would you waste your time like that?!"

Yeling clenched his teeth.

"Don't you lump me in with your other friends. I don't fit-"

SLAP.

Yeling stumbled back, clutching his cheek and staring at the person who had slapped him, bewildered.

I staggered forward, breathing hard. My legs had long since lost their strength. My wounds had reopened and I could feel weakness spreading through my body.

"You-" My voice left me, as Vicki appeared in front of Yeling.

"If you don't fit in with them. Then come home with me." Vicki said, adamantly.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Yeling growled, grabbing Tatsu and swinging, but Vicki caught the blade with her own hand, blood dripping from her palm.

"Vicki!" I said, but Vicki held her ground.

"Just who do you think you are talking to?" Vicki snarled, as she grabbed Yeling by the collar.

"Shut up! You don't understand what I've-"

"I've met plenty of people like you. I mentored someone just like you. Angry. Resentful. Full of jealousy towards people who were kind and full of heart. Someone who knew he could never ever be loved. But in his case, it was because of his Dogma Bargain. Or have you forgotten who the teacher of the man you looked up to so much is?"

Yeling hesitated, dropping Tatsu.

"Sq- Squad Leader Matt was special."

"Matthew Vistara was no different than you. He was lost. But of course. It was not my responsibility to guide him back. If anything, I turned him into a monster. But even so. When he felt alone and abandoned, I made sure he wasn't. Even if it was temporary."

Yeling glared at Vicki, his one eye tearing up.

"Don't you try to reason with me, bitch!"

Yeling swung his fist, which connected with the side of Vicki's face. But Vicki stood. Blood leaking down the corner of her mouth.

"Hit me all you want. I'll take it. For my student's student's sake. I'll take it all."

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" Yeling screamed, punching Vicki over and over again, as I tried to stop him, but my body wasn't listening to me.

"Yeling! Yeling stop!" I shouted.

Yeling struck Vicki in the side, as her leg buckled.

"What do you know! Huh?! What the hell do you know?! To never be accepted no matter how hard you try! To be resented no matter how much you force that stupid smile on your fucking face! This is my chance to go out in style. My chance. This job needs someone like me. Otherwise what other purpose do I have?! What other-"

Vicki grabbed Yeling's fist. Her face was completely bloody. But she managed to maintain her determined expression.

"Do you know how I can take a beating from you so easily? Because I've dealt with these beatings all my life."

Yeling gritted his teeth, recoiling from Vicki's touch.

"I don't know how it feels to be resented? How many times do you think I've had children throw rocks at my head in the streets of Millennium City? How many times do you think I've been called a Millennium Medusa by these people? Do you think I want to be called a monster who turns people to stone just by how hideous she is? All because I was born as a reincarnation to someone else. No matter how much I try I am never accepted because I can never be her. But I persevered. And as I watched you. Yeling Mah. Continue moving forward despite everything Loyce had did to your previous family. That was when I truly accepted you as my Auxiliary Shadow."

Vicki struggled forward, blood leaking from her wounds and leaving behind a mess on the ground, but in spite of that, Vicki spread her arm out, wrapping around Yeling's neck and resting his head on her shoulder.

"Kid. When I spoke to Vistara... he had no recollection of you. It must have been painful, wasn't it?"

"Shut up... let go of me, you bitch...!"

"If you resent me so much, then push me away. But I know you don't have the strength to do so. Master Loyce can fiddle with your character as much as he wants. But in the end, you're still a child of the Akuma. Your character can never be erased. And that character, I know so well."

Yeling's arm dropped, as Vicki pulled her Auxiliary Shadow closer.

"In the end, you can act heroic all you want, and as mature as you want. You may be older than Aaron. But in my opinion, you're still just a silly naive, sad, and lonely boy full of angst. Just like me. And just like Aaron. You haven't fully experienced the world."

Vicki coughed out blood, as she stumbled, falling on top of Yeling.

"Vicki...! Your wounds... I..." Yeling yelped, as Vicki's eyes began closing.

"Fight past Master Loyce's Alogigenesis. This isn't enough to break you, kid." Vicki muttered.

"Vicki... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... everyone... I'm so sorry." Yeling's voice trembled.

I dragged myself to Vicki. Her entire midsection was horribly bruised.

"Yeling..." I said.

Yeling cradled his Outer Shadow in his arms, his eye wide and trembling.

"What... what have I done... what have I done to my friends..."

I didn't know what to say.

Whether or not to forgive him.

Of course, the man who had hurt my friends and put my future wife into critical condition wasn't Yeling. It was someone else...

Did I really have it in me to say "all good man."

This wasn't enough to chalk it all up to a simple "oops."

No matter how rational I put it.

Yeling stared at the ground, his flames dissipating.

"Vicki... I... I let you down."

Vicki coughed.

"If you have the energy to... to... feel sorry for yourself... then... use it to... dod... dod..."

"Dod?"

Vicki's eyes fluttered open partway.

"Dodge...! Yeling!" Vicki gasped, frantically, as a large shadow appeared around us.

"Guys!" I shouted, as a massive explosion sent me flying back. My back slammed against a concrete pillar, as I crumpled to the ground.

A massive wall of green had separated me and Yeling.

A familiar green. From a familiar monster.

But something was not right.

On his back was a cyan mark.

The mark of Vala.

Grond. Understands. Grond... can think... No. I can think. I can think for myself...

I stumbled back, as Grond turned to Yeling, who was still cradling Vicki, trying to escape with her on his shoulders.

"Wha- What the hell is that?!" Yeling said.

Grond tilted his head, a green orb of energy forming in his mouth.

"Get out of the way! Yeling!" Vicki croaked, pushing her Auxiliary aside. The green orb expanded into a beam, catching Vicki square in the chest.

"Vicki!" Yeling and I shouted, watching Vicki smash through more structural supports, buried in debris left and right.

Vicki was already heavily injured from withstanding Yeling's onslaught of punches.

She then took a blow straight from a Vala enhanced Grond.

"N- No way..." My voice left me. My brain going into overdrive, trying to figure out a way to escape.

As we were now, drained and out of power from our fight... against a Vala Enhanced Grond?

We had to run.

There was no choi-

"BASTARD!" Yeling roared, rushing forward, Tatsu in hand.

"I'll fuckin kill you!"

"STOP! Yeling! You're out of juice! You can't-"

SMASH.

Grond slammed two of his fists, catching Yeling in the back of the head and causing him to smash into the ground violently. Shockwaves rippling outward.

Yeling!

I pushed myself off the ledge, struggling forward, to see Yeling sprawled in the center of the crater, blood leaking from his head.

Yeling tried to force himself up, but that blow completely knocked the wind out of him.

Let... me... see. Yes. This is good. This is very good. Grond grumbled.

Dammit!

Convocatio - Destreum ACR 6.8 Black Dot Sight

I aimed the laser pointer to Grond's eyes and fired, but the bullets glanced off his corneas, emitting blue ripples of energy.

This beast suffered from the deresolution of Aran Sol. His character, fading into irrelevancy in this world. But because of Mahyako's Hinokami, Aran's influence has stopped taking affect. And where death ceases, there is hope. Where Grond has been saved, there is hope. And where there is hope... there is me.

I tossed several venom grenades, but Grond walked through them.

"DS34's Siphoning Protocol!"

The DS34 Sanctuaries circled the monster, siphoning as much as they could.

Your sentries could not siphon away Loyce Hal. What makes you think you can siphon me? God-Eater?

"Dammit!" I yelped, throwing several smoke grenades and flooding the entire place with mist.

But Grond clapped his hands together, dissipating my illusions instantly. The shockwave slammed into me as I smashed through the glass, crumpling to the top floor of the building.

Vala Grond leapt, appearing before me. From where his yellow eyes normally were, Grond's eyes glowed blue.

You sent the last daughter of Mahyako to fight me. And the last son of Mahyako to fight Loyce. But you have made a major miscalculation. And that is assuming a single child of the Akuma can defeat her greatest adversary in existence.

Yeling and Vicki were down.

With Vicki in a potentially critical state.

Sarah was critically injured.

Bryce was nowhere to be found.

I could only hope Con made it out alive.

But I couldn't even summon my Shadows, with Vala's presence blocking me from doing so.

Think. Aaron. THINK!

Your story ends here. Aaron Ho-

BOOM.

An explosion rattled Grond, who stumbled, and turned around.

And to my shock, a young boy stood in the distance. His arm partially transformed into a mechanical cannon. His body was cut up and bleeding and he was breathing hard, but for the first time...

Robbie Fernandez, the X8, was standing his ground without his robot form.

An Empty Life

Robert Fernandez. Known amongst his peers as The Black Legion's Biggest Coward.

Vala Grond leapt down the floor, approaching Robbie, who's legs were trembling.

"D- Don't... don't hurt my friends..." Robbie's voice was small.

And you are willing to look death in the eye once more? Or has your previous dance with death not been enough to force you to hide forever in your metallic shell?

Robbie's cannon glowed, powering up, but before he could do anything, Grond grabbed the kid by the neck, lifting him up.

"STOP! VALA!" I shouted, ripping a curtain from the side window and using it as a rope, slinging it against the sharp of a glass corner and sliding down it.

Robbie retched, tears in his frightened eyes.

"I'm not scared!" He said adamantly, but Grond chuckled.

A Coward and a Liar. Perhaps you have chosen a good place, being a subordinate to The Dainsleif. You can turn to him for protection, while you contribute absolutely nothing to your team. Just as it always has been. Because you are afraid. Afraid of death.

I had to do something. But this enhanced version of Grond was so powerful he was tanking literally everything I was throwing at him.

I gritted my teeth. No choice.

I had to do it.

Close your eyes, and concentrate.

Coat of Arms - ASPECT OF PIERCING: ANTI-HOPE BULLET

A bullet appeared before me as I quickly summoned my Caliga, loading it into the rifle and taking aim and firing.

Vala Grond's arm exploded into a green starburst, dropping Robbie. I rushed forward, catching the kid and darting away, ignoring the pain in my chest.

"Rob! Let's get out of here. Transform into Wingjet Mode and take everyone to safety. We don't have the means to fight this Vala enhanced Grond right now."

Robbie closed his eyes, fighting back tears.

"I'm... I'm useless."

"Don't say that. You just froze in the-"

"I'm only useful when I'm in my android state! But even in that state I make... cowardly decisions. Even when I'm not a human anymore! I'm still a coward!"

My eyes widened, as a rock came out of nowhere.

I dove out of the way, but something in my midsection snapped, as I coughed out blood, collapsing onto the ground and dropping Robbie.

Robbie tumbled, rolling on the floor, while I struggled to my feet, but blood came out of my mouth like vomit.

I was seeing double.

"God... god dammit..." I muttered, trying to get to my feet but collapsing.

Robbie stared at me, his eyes wide.

"A- Aaron...?"

"Run! Robbie! Go! Go! Go! Move it!" I shouted at him, as we booked it, running from the rampant green monster.

"Robbie. You need to turn into X8 again! We don't have a choice!"

"I... I can't! I don't have the stamina. The best I can do is partially manifest into my android form!"

Shit!

There is nowhere to run.

Grond appeared before us, paralyzing us to the bone.

I clenched my teeth.

"Stay behind me kid. I'll... I'll think of something."

Grond.

What did we know about this guy? His real name was Sidney Potter, but after being exposed to copious amounts of radiation, chemicals, and experimental drugs, he had devolved into a creature of immense strength border lining High Tier C Rank.

His skin was extremely durable, but not invincible. He had lost all sense of his intelligence, becoming a mindless berserker. That itself was his only weakness, allowing harder hitting fighters to land shots easily.

But now, Vala had taken control of him.

Not only did all of his abilities get dramatically enhanced to near S+ Rank, he also now had the intelligence associated with Vala's blessing.

Meaning we were no longer dealing with a complete moron. That one weakness that we had was gone.

If only my body wasn't failing...

I had to watch what I was doing otherwise I would die before the job was done!

But right now, I couldn't find another way other than to use Chakra.

There was no other way.

"Robbie. I'm gonna use Asura's Penalty. Once the arms come out, you run the other direction. No looking back." I said.

Robbie's eyebrows raised.

"What?! But Sarah said not to! Your body can't handle it! Please, we need to find another-"

"There is no other way! You clearly don't have the power to take on a S+ Rank Threat as a B Rank Auxiliary Shadow. And as I am right now, I'm only S Rank. If I use Asura's Penalty that can push me back to SS Rank, maybe even High Tier SS Rank. I don't have a choice."

"I... I can..."

"No you can't. Robbie. You don't need to force yourself anymore. I know you're terrified of dying. I understand. And I respect your reasons for doing so. Just trust in your boss."

Robbie clenched his fists.

"Pathetic... I'm... I'm..."

Prepare yourself, God-Eater. Grond wound his fists back, shooting in with blinding speed.

"BRING IT ON, YOU DIVINE BITCH!" I snarled, bringing my own fists back. Within each hand, a Spitfire AX5 shotgun manifested.

Asura's Penalty - TRIGRAMS THIRTY SIX HANDS

Four more arms manifested at my sides, hovering with a divine cyan chakra aura. Each arm manifesting a Spitfire AX5 projection.

I growled, aiming the six barrels at Grond and firing, unleashing a devastating blue explosion which blasted Grond back.

But the moment I did that, blood exploded from my arms and mouth, as I irked, falling backwards.

"AARON!" Robbie screamed, grabbing me by the shoulders. My spectral form dissipating.

I began coughing violently, blood spraying on the ground.

"Aaron! Hang in there! Please! Stay with me!" Robbie pleaded.

Grond marched forward, growling and snarling like a rabid animal.

Robbie spun around, his face white as a ghost.

The God-Eater is finished. And now it is your turn. Coward of the Black Legion.

Tears ran down Robbie's face.

"Why... why am I so pathetic... why! Why! Why why why why why!"

Robbie slammed his head against the pavement.

"The last time I was brave... the last time I was brave... I made everybody sad. And now... now that I keep myself safe... I'm still making everybody sad. Why... why can't I..."

The answer is simple. Robbie Fernandez. Because your sole existence is to bring pain. In life and in death. Jun Gasket gave you another chance in life. But in my opinion, that is in itself, another form of suffering. A second life, just to disappoint everyone around you.

I tried to lift my arm, but to my disbelief...

It wasn't moving.

I couldn't...

I couldn't move my arm!

"Robbie! RUN!" I screamed at my Auxiliary, who was frozen in fear.

"YOU NEED TO RUN! I DON'T MIND IT IF YOU RUN! YOU'RE STILL MY AUXILIARY IN THE END OF THE DAY!" I yelled ferociously at Robbie, who was still standing there. Grond approaching him slowly.

Yes. Run away. Keep running away from danger. That is all that you are good for now. Died a hero, and reborn as a coward.

Robbie gritted his teeth.

"I... I don't know... I don't know what I want anymore..." He muttered, as Grond swung his fist.

"ROBBIE!!!!"

CATCH.

I gasped, my eyes wide, as the figure of a young man with medium length jet black hair intercepted Grond's punch. His arms trembling and his teeth clenched.

"You-"

"Damn! So... so this is the legendary Grond that I keep hearing about in the news?! That's... insane. That's insane, man." Constantine Lupin struggled, as he pushed the monster back with tremendous strength.

Grond skidded backwards, inspecting the human version of Kon Larum.

You... you should not exist. He was supposed to erase you from existence.

Con breathed heavily.

"I hate using these powers. They've done me no good. They've scared job employers and made me broke for months! But you know what I hate more? Living knowing I could have used these powers to protect my friends. I will NOT make these regrets. You're going down!"

"Wait. Con. You need to be careful. Super strength does not mean super durability. This version of Grond is enhanced. His strength is way higher than the one you saw in the news and articles. One punch and you're toast-"

"Aaron." Con cut me off, as he stood before Grond, putting distance between him and Robbie and I.

"C- Con..." Robbie muttered, as Con walked forward, cracking his neck.

"Don't you dare hurt my friends. You green freak!" Con shouted.

I knew Con was physically strong. He stopped a truck with his bare hands.

But in this world, the sad reality was that being able to stop a truck was no longer something considered extraordinary.

Not compared to hard hitters who could easily destroy planets.

If you pair a Devastator Class Strength meta human against another Devastator Class Strength meta human... the obvious winner would be the one who was physically stronger.

And Grond was now in a class of his own.

His striking power was similar to Shosuke Shiki's.

You could stop a truck all you want. But what's that going to do against someone who could destroy an entire continent just from the shockwaves of their punches?

"Con!" I whispered.

"I've had the same recurring dream. I've never told anyone this." Con said, as he continued walking forward, rolling up his sleeves.

"I was... standing before... six people. They wanted to hurt a bunch of people that I cared about. I don't know them, but for some reason... I felt obligated to protect them. And I fought all six of them. I knew that I couldn't beat them all. They were all only barely weaker than me individually, but I fought them. The only thing on my mind was to protect the people. I don't know... I don't know if that dream was out of chance, but there was no way it was coincidence that I would have the same dream over and over again."

Constantine stood before Grond, who narrowed his eyes.

You would challenge me in a feat of strength as you are now? As you stand, your strength is comparable to a Level 20 Superhero at best. And I stand... well beyond the Cosmic threat.

"That's.... that's what the dream version of me would have done!" Con responded.

Then this shall be your grave.

SMASH.

Con dove out of the way, narrowly missing the fists, as he leapt into the air, driving his fist into Grond's face.

"YAAAAH!" Con shouted, as Grond's head snapped back.

But to everyone's shock, Grond recoiled, facing Lupin.

I don't even feel your punches.

"Wha- no way! That punch was capable of levelling an entire building!"

If that is your standard for strength, then this fight has already been decided.

"CON! DUCK!" I shouted frantically, as Grond swung his fist, catching Con in the chin and sending him several yards across the building. I watched Con smash into numerous roof trusses, his body crashing through a wall, leaving behind a blood trail.

Grond leapt to his direction.

"Shadows! Contain him!" I commanded, as Shadows began to latch onto Grond's legs. But their arms began thinning out.

Sir Dainsleif... Lady Vala's aura... it is causing us to... wane...

Grond turned to the Shadows, emitting a tremendous pressure which vaporized them on the spot.

I struggled to my feet, summoning a gun with my one functioning arm and taking aim.

Weakness.

This guy had to have a weakness.

Grond began marching towards me, each footstep like an explosion.

Jesus Christ!

"HEY! I'M NOT DONE YOU UGLY GREEN FREAK!" Con shouted, grabbing Grond from behind like a sumo wrestler.

"RAAAAAAAAAGH!" Con roared, lifting the creature into the air and throwing him back, causing Grond's head to smash into the ground.

Con faced me, breathing wildly. Blood was running down the side of his face.

"Con! Are you okay?" I asked.

Con grinned.

"Are ya... kidding me? I'm... living the dream! Literally!"

Kon Larum. So this is the pitiful state Loyce has put you in.

Con turned around.

"What did you just call me-"

SMASH.

My eyes widened, as Grond instantly closed distance, his fist connecting with the side of Con's face, snapping his head back, blood spraying from his mouth as Grond send Constantine flying out of the building, smashing through dozens of houses and creating a massive canyon of destruction.

"CON!!!" I screamed, rushing forward, but Grond stepped in front of me, his arm brought back.

Adrenaline pumped throughout my entire body.

Shock and fear, freezing it in place.

I was gonna die!

Grond swung, but a metallic object came out of nowhere, cladding onto his fists.

What is this?

More and more metallic objects began cladding onto Grond's body.

Initiate Protocol: Containment

X8's voice rumbled from the modules.

"Robbie?!"

Containment? You cannot contain Hope, fool.

The pieces began to glow, exploding, but the parts began coming together, taking the shape of an android unit, who materialized before me.

"X8... you-"

X8's one robotic eye glowed red.

Auxiliary Shadow Assault. On duty. New priority assignment: survival optimization target - Outer Shadow Dainsleif.

X8's arms expanded, as Grond stepped forward, but a blinding red light shone from Robbie's mechanical implants, causing the creature to stumble.

I struggled, limping the other way. X8 followed, increasing the intensity of the light.

"Good call, X8. Keep blinding him until I figure something out!"

Affirmative.

We continued moving, as modules detached from X8's body, shooting the blinding light at Grond's face and orbiting the monster. All the while, Vala Grond was swatting the modules like flies to no avail.

"We need to find Con. I don't know how durable he is, but that last punch definitely hurt him a lot. I'm worried sick."

X8 regarded me.

Your safety is the priority.

"What?! Do you have a screw loose or something? We need to check-"

This is illogical.

I glared at my Auxiliary.

Robbie Fernandez.

When he was in human form, he was a coward.

But when his body transitioned into a robotic state, his mind, his heart, and his brain... they were replaced by robotic components too.

It was almost like he was a completely different person.

I knew that, and I understood that.

But it didn't sit right with me that just a minute ago, he was beating himself up for not being able to protect Con or I.

"We ARE going to rescue Con. This is an order."

Affirmative. Adding secondary precepts. Initiating Wingjet Mode

X8's body transformed, as a pair of fighter jet wings and propulsors expanded from his back. My Auxiliary wrapped his arms around me as we shot to the air.

Grond ripped the last module apart, roaring at us and leaping to us.

X8's eye glowed and beeped, as more modules expanded from his shoulders, launching several micro munitions which exploded on contact with Grond's skin, slightly changing his trajectory, but before Grond caught X8's wing.

"Shit!" I yelped, pulling out my Draugr and loading in a flash bang round.

I fired, over and over again, unleashing flash bang after flash bang, but Grond swung wildly.

Trajectory offset. Flight systems compromised.

"Shake him off! Evasive manoeuvres. Use his momentum against him!" I shouted.

Executing.

I hung on tight, as X8 dove, executing complex manoeuvres in the air and shaking Grond off, but not before the monster ripped X8's wing clear off, causing us to hurtle to the ground from the sky.

X8 grabbed me and shielded me as we crashed, pieces of his armoured robotic body ripping off, sparks and explosions flying off. We skidded to a stop in the middle of nowhere.

All the while, I could hear Grond's roars, his footsteps getting louder and louder.

From the distance, I could make out a mangled body, trapped in a crater. The man's eyes were barely open, struggling to stay awake.

"Con!" I gasped, rushing forward to his side.

"A- Aaron... d- damn... I lost..." Con chuckled, coughing out blood. Blood was pouring everywhere from his wounds.

"You did enough. We need to get back-"

"No." Con grabbed my wrist.

"But-"

"No. No, I refuse to hold you back."

"Now isn't the time for that! This is real life. If we don't run we're gonna die!"

X8 approached us, as Con narrowed his eyes.

"R- Robbie?"

X8 regarded Con.

Blunt force trauma. In terms of physical strength, Grond is over five thousand times physically stronger than you even if you reach the theoretical Level 40 of the Champions Universe power cap. Brute force is all you have. You will not win this fight.

"Rob is right. You can't win. Let's go-"

"NO." Con snapped, startling me.

Con got to his feet.

"That man in my dreams. That man in my dreams would fight against a horde of enemies that were too strong for him to protect his people... that man in my dreams... it has to be me!"

My heart stopped.

"What are you saying?" I asked.

Con closed his eyes.

"That dream. I had it over and over again. It couldn't have been a vision. I don't know why I feel this way. But it felt like... it almost felt like a memory. If I was such an incredible person back then... why am I rotting away, being an intern here! Living such an unfulfilling life! When I could be doing so much more!"

Con inspected his fist.

"I know I'm stronger than this. I don't know why... I just... I just know. I don't expect you guys to understand that. But surely... surely you understand the feeling of needing to be someone more! The feeling of unsatisfaction!"

X8 stepped in front of Con.

You are thinking irrationally.

Con grabbed Robbie by the shoulder, startling him.

"Did that robot superpower of yours ruin your brain too?"

X8's reticules focused in and out, almost like he was trying to process a response.

Does not... compute...

"Yeah. I wonder why? There are just some things in this world that cannot be acted on algorithms and analytical thinking. Take it from a software dev."

X8 reaffirmed his stance.

Irrational decisions lead to undesirable outcomes. These lead to death. Processing the world is not a flaw-

"Yes it is. If you are someone who lives, seeing the world as nothing but algorithms makes you no different than being dead!"

X8 paused, as I raised my eyebrows.

Did... the unbreakable coding of X8's mechanical brain...

Dead... I am...

Con glared at Robbie.

"Robbie. I don't know if this is just your meta human powers affecting your thinking. But... I honestly did not expect this from you. Was this all just an act? Acting like this innocent kid who loved video games? Were you even my friend in the first place?"

Does not compute... does not...

X8 clutched his head.

Why does it not compute? Why can I not... compute this...

Con brushed X8 off.

"If you were a real friend... you wouldn't reduce me down to just a bunch of variables. I'm sorry, Robbie. I'm sorry for being so wrong about you. But even everything I believed about you was wrong, you're still someone that I need to save. I've lived this mundane life long enough."

"Con!" I shouted after him, as Con marched straight to Grond. X8's arms dropped, as his head lowered.

Back for another round?

Con took off his hoodie, throwing it to the side.

"Earlier. You called me something. You called me... Kon Larum. Would that happen to be that guy I saw in my dreams. The one who fought six enemies at once?"

Vala Grond tilted his head inquisitively.

Do you admire that man?

"Yes. Who wouldn't? And if that man... that Kon Larum, was me in an old life... then I... I want to be that man again!"

Grond threw his head back and started to laugh, much to Con and my shock.

The fact that you admire that old life... tells me you have not regained all of your memories.

Con's face contorted into a scowl.

"Trying to be smart? I'll beat some sense into you!"

Con rushed forward, as I called after him.

"Con! Don't be reckless!"

Con threw his fists, connecting two of his punches and causing Grond to stumble back, but Grond chuckled, swinging all four of his arms like an uppercut and sending Con hurtling through the air.

"Con!" I shouted, aiming my Draugr and firing every neurotoxin ammunition I had imaginable into Grond's backside. But the workhorse simply wasn't slowing down.

Con landed on the ground, cracking the pavement, as Grond leapt to his position, landing on top of him.

"GAH!" Con gasped.

I had to keep the pressure off...

But I was out of DS34 Sanctuaries. And calling any more spells was sure to destroy my body to limits unimaginable.

I glanced at my right arm. I was still unable to move it.

If this was permanent... there was possibility that...

No. Focus on the mission!

I aimed my Draugr, shifting my thigh and reloading the gun in mid-air with one hand, and pointing it at Grond, shooting between the cracks of his teeth and forcing the neurotoxin to enter his system orally.

Smart strategy. But against an unstoppable force, no amount of wits can get you out of death's door, Joker.

Grond leapt at me, as I stumbled back, but before Grond could close even half of the distance, the entire creature buckled. Con tackled it mid-air, his eyes feral, blood pouring from his forehead.

"I'm your opponent!"

As you wish.

SLAM.

Grond swung his fist, smashing Con into the ground. The shockwave blew me back once more as I skidded to a stop, watching Grond pummel Con relentlessly.

Over and over again.

"STOOOP!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, but Grond continued his assault, until Con stared blankly into the distance, his body twitching and spasming from the beatdown.

It's over. You cannot even move your body.

Vala Grond brought his fist and smashed Con's head further into the ground.

Do you really want to be that man in your dreams, Constantine Lupin?

"Y- Yes..." Con muttered.

"Anything... has to be better... than this nothing I'm living right now..."

Is that so?

Con's eyes widened. A tear leaked down his cheek.

"My life... my life has to be more than this. I... I flunked out of school twice. The only reason I got this job was through sheer chance. The boss didn't even glance at my resume. I... I had to watch all of my classmates move on in life while I fell behind. And while everybody has had families and... and great high paying jobs. I've... I've been stuck an unpaid intern for four years. All because I'm not smart enough to move up in life! Stacking boxes and counting oranges after work every day! No matter how much I smile, no matter how much I laugh! My life... my life has never gotten any better!"

Con clenched his teeth.

"I... I might as well be dead to the world. Because I've become a loser. I always thought that attitude meant everything. But it doesn't! Not in this life!"

Vala Grond regarded Con.

But it is a peaceful life, is it not?

"NO!" Con cried out, his voice breaking.

"I don't care if it's peaceful! A life... a life that is mundane... I don't care if it's peaceful I'd rather be dead! But... whenever I close my eyes at night... I picture something different. It's a different world. A different body. But... somehow I know it's still me. This old me. That other life. That one had meaning! So much meaning! I had power, but I knew not to flaunt it around! I used that power to protect people! Why... why was that life taken from me?!"

Con closed his eyes tightly.

"All my life I wanted to help people. If I wasn't athletic enough to join the army... then I could help people a different way. I tried becoming a doctor but I wasn't good enough. I tried going into law but I wasn't smart enough! I... I tried everything, until I discovered computer science. I learned to make apps. I learned to make fun programs, and while I managed to make people laugh and have fun with my creations... it just... it just doesn't come close to the way I used to help people back then. So... why... WHY WAS THAT LIFE TAKEN FROM ME! WHY!"

Grond released his fist, stepping back.

Do you truly want to know? Constantine Lupin? Aaron Hope? Of the type of life Kon Larum lived?

I stared at Grond and Con from a distance.

"What...?"

Vala emerged from Grond's body, her shimmering body hovering in the air, as Grond collapsed.

"Grond no feel too good... Grond sleepy..." The big buffoon whimpered, falling flat on his stupid face.

Vala turned to me, her one eye was still missing, a massive scar had replaced it. But it still didn't make her look any less threatening. It was as if she was a divine being with no material body whatsoever.

This "form" looked more of a manifestation than anything.

Vala pointed a finger to me, as I suddenly appeared next to Con, sprawled on the ground.

"Y- You... you know about Kon Larum's history!" I said.

Vala nodded.

Of course I would. After all. Loyce Hal's Alogigenesis does not affect me. Reality warping... narrative transcendence... no matter what level of narrative one is in. Hope transcends all. No matter what story. What reality. What frame of narrative. Hope is an abstract and exists everywhere. I cannot be defeated no matter what. I exist. Forever.

Con breathed heavily, glaring at Vala.

"Show me."

Vala regarded Con.

Are you sure? Once this knowledge is opened up to you, there is no going back. All I can say is this. There is a reason why Kon Larum ceased to exist. And this choice was made... on both sides.

"Both sides?" I asked.

Con kept his resolve.

"Show me. I'm ready."

Very well. Constantine Lupin. On behalf of my name. Let the knowledge of The Dark Hexagram's Knight. The SS Ranked Great Demon Lord Kon Larum, come to light. Shall this bypass the rule of Alogigenesis. So shall this knowledge be imparted. Your previous li-

"NO." I heard Robbie shout, startling both Con and Vala.

"What are you-" I said.

Robbie ran forward, his metallic body crumbling away, transitioning into a human body.

"Robbie?" Con muttered, as Robbie ran in front of Con, spreading his arms wide open.

"Y- You can't..."

"Why not?"

"You... you're the only friend I have. Once you go back... what we have together will be gone. Our time spent together."

I grabbed Robbie by the shoulder.

"What are you doing?! We need Kon!" I retorted

"NO! Can't you see?! This... this whole thing is a trap!"

"What are you talking about? There's no way that-"

Robbie glared at Vala.

"You did this on purpose. There's no other reason why you would make Con go back knowing full well it would add to our list of allies. You want him to go back for a reason!"

Vala's aura flickered.

Or perhaps this is just another excuse for you to continue this fantasy life. Move aside, Fernandez. We both know you don't have the courage to stand against me.

Robbie legs trembled.

"Con... Con chose to live this life. You said this choice was done by both sides. That means the person who Con was before... the person Con was before didn't want to live that life anymore. He was sick of it. To the point where he willingly let it go."

Silence, you foolish boy. What do you know about Kon Larum's tribulations? What do you know about-

"I know everything! I know that whenever Con plays video games with Aaron and I he smiles. As big as he can. Whenever the three of us eat lunch together and talk about anime and movies and restaurants and our future plans. He smiles. Even if the life he lives is mundane, the Con he once was figured it had to be better than whatever he was living back then!"

Con stood before Robbie, stunned.

"Rob..."

Vala glared at the Auxiliary Shadow.

You are testing my patience, Robert Fernandez. Are you perhaps sympathizing with Kon because you too, are living a second life?

"A second life...? What is that spirit saying?" Con's voice trailed away, as Robbie clenched his fists, trying to hide his fear.

Robert Fernandez. You were once an ordinary boy. But you were fearless. You jumped into danger headfirst, without any regard of your own safety. You were known amongst your peers as a Daredevil. But one day, one of your stunts went wrong. Isn't that right?

Robbie clenched his teeth, taking a step back.

"I..."

A stunt... that cost not just your life, but the lives of your own parents. By being so fearless, you ended up getting your own family killed by your recklessness. When Inner Shadow Jun Gasket revived your soul, he gave you a mechanical body. But as a result of your trauma, you became cautious... no. You became... fearful. Fearful of any threat that could put you in danger. And as you gained more and more friends, the fear grew. In a way, you are what Aaron Hope strives for in a friend. One who stays alive no matter what it takes. But to the extreme. Am I wrong?

Vala closed in, her face inches away from Robbie's. Robbie froze in terror, as Vala laughed.

Enough with your act of bravery. We all know that you are a coward. You died in your first life and brought misery to everyone who once cared about you. How... IRRATIONAL of you to walk in the same footsteps as before. Do you want to see Aaron sad? Do you want to see Sarah and Bryce sad? And most importantly... do you want to see Constantine sad?

"Hey! That's enough! Leave Robbie alone-" Con shouted, but collapsed, his body bleeding heavily.

"Aaron..." Robbie muttered.

"Robbie, get out of here. Let us handle it-"

Robbie turned around, his body glowing.

"I don't want to die again. But... I also don't want to live my life as a coward."

"Th- that's fine. Robbie. You can live however you want. I won't hold it against you. So turn back, it's dangerous-"

Robbie's body began transitioning into metal, mechanical components cladding it.

"When... the time comes. Activate the Protocol. That was what... Master Jun told me when he created this body for me. I didn't understand what it meant. But..."

"Robbie?! What are you doing? Hey... that's not funny. Look, I'm sorry I kept messing with you! Just go back! Go-"

Robbie grabbed onto Vala.

What are you doing-

"You're not getting away."

Rockets began to unfold from Robbie's shoulders, as they started to emit a red explosive jet of flame, pushing the two of them off the ground.

Unhand me you fool! What do you think you're doing?!

"ROBBIE! WHAT ARE YOU- STOP!" Con and I yelled desperately, trying to catch up to a now airborne Robbie Fernandez, who flew Vala into the air, thousands of feet from the ground.

Jun Gasket Dyson Sphere Technology - Siphoning Protocol X8's voice rumbled in the sky.

"Master Jun's Dyson sphere...?!" I gasped, as I quickly summoned my grimoire. To my horror, blue particles began exiting it.

No.

Robbie you couldn't be thinking...

"Robbie! STOP! DON'T DO IT!" I screamed.

I turned to Con, who's face was pale, staring at the sky.

"What is he doing... what's he doing?!"

"CON!" I shouted at him, holding out my grimoire.

"You need to use your strength. That strength from your past life. We need to destroy this grimoire before Robbie can absorb it into his body!"

"What?! Why? Why is Robbie calling upon its-"

"HE'S SIPHONING MY ANTI-HOPE MAGIC!" I yelled, frantically. Tears running down my cheeks.

Con's eyes went wide.

"What...?!"

I threw the book onto the ground, summoning my Caliga heavy weight rifle. Aiming it with one arm and shooting the book with a high powered round. But my shoulder dislocated, as I fell to my knees.

"GAHH!" I growled, dropping the rifle. The grimoire was unharmed.

Con quickly ran up to the book and grabbed it.

"What... what do I do?"

"Tear it in half! That should destroy it."

Con grabbed the two ends and began pulling as hard as he could, but the grimoire wasn't buckling one bit.

"It won't... it won't break!"

"Pull harder! Try harder, please Con! Please!" I begged.

Con closed his eyes.

"Dammit... DAMMIT! TEAR! RIP! DAMN YOU CONSTANTINE! WHY ARE YOU SO WEAK!" Con screamed.

Dainsleif... would you say... I was brave today? Robbie's voice resonated in my mind.

"SHUT UP ROBBIE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAY SHIT LIKE THAT SAY IT IN YOUR HUMAN FORM!" I growled.

Dainsleif... at this altitude... if I return to my human state I will not be able to carry out my final Protocol.

A bright light began shining in the sky.

You FOOLISH BOY! You would waste your second chance on this?! After everything Jun Gasket put you through, after everything YOU went through to live this second life you are going to THROW IT AWAY AGAIN?! Vala screamed.

No. Not again. Soldier X8 responded, his body glowing with my Anti-Hope Magic.

"CON!" I ran up to him, as Con continued trying to pull on the edges of the book, but his nails scraped across the covers, ripping and splitting, leaving behind blood trails and nail fragments on the ground.

"Gah! No! Aaron! Let me try again! I can do it!"

"We don't have time! If we don't do it now we're gonna lose Robbie forever!"

Con looked at the sky frantically.

"What do we do... what do we do!"

I summoned my Draugr, ignoring the pain in my chest as I began firing at the book over and over and over again. I needed to come up with something!

That damn 210 IQ of mine... that stupid Hyperthought Processing...

Where was that stupidly burdening superhuman brainpower I was supposed to have?!

I needed a strategy, I needed to think of something fast!

Think! Aaron! Think!

Save your Auxiliary! Save him!

The bullets were deflecting off the book. Of course they would.

My weapons... each and every single one, had been converted to magical variants because I had put them into my Summoning realm.

There was no way they could destroy their source.

Their source.

My eyes widened.

That was it!

A weapon that wasn't summoned through Convocatio. A weapon that I had on hand. Surely I had something in my Black Legion gear. I had to.

I spun around frantically, patting my body down.

A weapon.

A weapon...

My hand hovered over something from under my Black Legion vest.

I pulled it out frantically, aiming it at the book, but to my disbelief...

It was a grenade.

"Wha-"

No!

NO!!!

"Chuck it at the book! Shoot the grenade!" Con said, frantically, as the blue Anti-Hope light began getting brighter in the sky.

Right! How could I be so stupid!

I shoved the grenade into the pages of the book as I took my Draugr, fumbling. My stupid arm was dislocated!

Hang in there, Robbie.

I'm here.

You don't need to do anything stupid! It was all my fault, okay!

Even back then, with June.

It was my fault! I... I wasn't prepared enough! But... but I won't let the same thing happen to you, okay?

I aimed my Draugr, squeezing the barrel.

Everything is fine. I'll save you after I blow this damn grimoire up-

KABOOM.

My eyes widened, as the Draugr clattered onto the ground.

The bullet...

The bullet had never left the chamber.

Suddenly, everything felt silent.

And motionless.

And surreal.

As if the world stopped moving and stood still.

"What... what just happened?" I whispered, as Con fell to his knees, staring at the sky.

My head slowly craned to the clouds, to see that the heavens had parted.

Smoke and blue electricity sparked everywhere.

Remnants...

Remnants of an explosion...

Remnants of... of...

"Rob... Robbie...?" My voice broke.

The Cowardly X8

"Gr... Grond see little man... Grond smash little man!" Grond stumbled forward.

I aimed my Draugr and shot him twice in the head, right at its vulnerable point, killing the monster instantly.

The Cosmic Threat crumpled onto the ground, lifeless.

Neither Con nor I said anything. As the sky rained ashes.

Robbie... wasn't coming back down.

Not ever.

I had lost yet another Auxiliary Shadow.

I dropped the gun on the ground before my grimoire.

The sight of both items made me bitter.

(Four Years Ago)

"Will that be all, Master Jun?" I bowed, hiding the irritation in my voice.

I had finished my mission with X8 and June.

And as usual, X8 sat in the corner, with his big hunky mechanical body that supposedly was able to tank nuclear blasts, and shooting at the enemies at a distance.

Even June was fighting alongside me.

This idiot had no excuse!

"Yes. Dismissed, Dainsleif."

"Very well."

"Oh. By the way, for what it's worth... X8..."

"Whatever. You created him to be a defence unit right? Whatever. His name's Assault which makes no sense, but I respect your decision."

"Yeah... er... that's the thing. He's not technically... my creation."

I turned around.

"Say what now."

Jun laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah... It's... a funny story actually. If you want to stick around."

"Sure I guess."

And so, Jun gave me the entire truth.

Soldier X8, codenamed Assault, was a battle focused Android. Designed and built by Jun Gasket's genius.

But...

The real X8, was the ghost of a boy named Robert Fernandez.

When Robbie was still alive, he was known as the "Spanish Daredevil". Known for his insane stunts and fearlessness. He was a legend amongst his friends and colleagues, being only fifteen at the time.

But one day, Robbie had attempted a stunt, dragging his family along. He convinced his parents that he was a "trained professional". That day, Robbie decided to walk on a wire, across a canyon. While his parents would be attached to a safety harness, Robbie would scale the wire without any safety equipment whatsoever. All the while, he filmed the whole thing on his smartphone to his millions of viewers worldwide.

And as Robbie continued scaling the wire, a gust of strong wind knocked him off balance. Robbie clutched onto the wire, as his parents became bewildered, watching their son dangling thousands of feet in the air by nothing but the wire.

Robbie supposedly still had his grip on the wire but the wind blew his body, and he slammed his skull against the side of a mountain face. And because he had no safety gear on, the blow to his skull knocked his sense of balance and strength away, causing him to lose his grip.

Falling to his death, Robbie's family became distraught. The second to go was his mother, who unhooked herself from the harness to desperately try and save her son. But the wind would blow her away, causing Robbie's mom to fall to her death as well. The father would off himself out of guilt.

When Robbie awoke, he had been transformed into a vengeful spirit. There, he would haunt the canyons, until one day, he met Jun, who offered him a second chance at life by building him a new body. Robbie would forever be in Master Jun's debt.

But it wasn't without a price. A huge price.

The Spanish Daredevil would be gone forever, and since being reborn...

Robbie became terrified of death.

And as Robbie became friends with me, June, Sarah, Sigurd, and Bryce, each bond he made strengthened his philosophy that in order to make sure nobody would worry about him, he would keep himself safe no matter what.

No matter how much everybody scorned him for being a coward.

"So. Yes, Aaron. X8 knows you've been badmouthing him and calling him a 'Dickless Robo Dildo' behind his back. But he never said anything because he would rather the people he cared about get mad at him, than mourn his loss."

A few hours later, I saw Sigurd and X8 arguing in the hall.

"You are an Assault Unit. Why are you always on the defensive? If you had allocated more direct firepower we would not have failed this mission!" Sigurd scolded.

"It is not rational. The risk-"

"You would bring up the factor of risk? There was an 82% chance of success."

"An 82% chance of success means an 18% chance of failure. I take these chances as an absolute."

Sigurd's eyes flashed red, as Bryce and I quickly jumped in to hold her back.

"Whoa there! TX! Come on! Calm down." I said.

"This Assault Unit requires recalibration. I will file a request."

X8 turned around, walking away, seemingly oblivious to everything we were saying.

Whether it was an 18% chance of failure. Or even a 5% chance of failure...

X8 would only go on the offensive if the chances were at most 0.5%.

That was how scared of death he was.

The more X8 cowered and hid under those heaps of metal armour, the worse our reputation became.

"Dude." Outer Shadow Dag said, while we were having lunch.

"Hi." I responded.

"Aren't you that Outer Shadow with that giant metal pussy of an Auxiliary?"

I stopped eating, my fork hovering from the plate.

"What?"

Dag smirked.

"You heard me. Everybody knows. That one guy in your team, the big hulking robot. You'd think he would be the one to march onto the front lines. But the guy is basically a giant metal turtle. Hiding. He's starting to get a rep as The Coward of The Black Legion."

I got up, putting the tray back and heading to my barracks.

Dag continued laughing at me.

"See ya! Tell that pussy I said hi! Maybe someone oughta rip his metal shell apart. I wonder how SHOOK he would be when he realizes that little tin suit won't protect him forever! HAHAHA!"

I didn't let that get to me.

Of course I wouldn't.

Idiots will be idiots.

Though I would be lying if I said that it didn't occur in my mind that one of my Auxiliaries wasn't doing his job.

And that would later escalate in one particular mission.

I grabbed X8 and slammed him into the wall.

"What the HELL were you thinking?!" I snarled.

X8's reticule circled around his helmet.

"I performed the logical course of action. Our casualties were lessened."

"Our casualties?! June was put in critical care because you didn't intercept that blast! She had to absorb the entire thing on her own!"

"My calculations concluded that her body could withstand it, while if I intercepted the blast her hesitation would lead to a 5% decrease in-"

I slammed my fist against X8's head.

"5%? 5% was all it took for you to abandon June?!"

"A- Aaron... it's fine! I'm okay, see! Please don't yell at X-" June tried to reason, but I ignored her.

"Why don't you look me in the face, when you tell me these things?" I asked, my voice low.

"That would be... illogical. I won't-"

"Show me your face." I said.

June blinked.

"But... X8 is a robot."

"No he isn't. Show me your human form, Robbie. This is an order."

X8 froze, taking a step back. For the first time, the robotic and lifeless creature of an Auxiliary Shadow was showing indecision.

"I humbly request you to-"

"Do I need to repeat myself?" I asked.

"Aaron! X8 doesn't like it! Stop!" June scolded me, but X8 got on one knee, his mechanical plates beginning to undo themselves.

June's eyes went wide, as a kid no older than her stood before us, his fists balled, and his bangs covering his eyes.

"Master Jun... Master Jun told you to keep it a secret!" Robbie whispered.

"Yeah? Well maybe if you weren't such a WIMP I wouldn't have to resort to that, huh? Have you maybe thought about that? June is younger than you and for whatever reason has bigger balls than you ever will!"

Robbie rubbed his eyes with his sleeves.

"Wait! X8!" June called after him, but Robbie ran off, fighting back tears.

"Aaron! How could you say something so mean!" June turned to me angrily.

"What? Why are you defending him?!"

June grabbed me by the ear, causing me to yelp.

"Owwowowow! What are you doing?! Hey! That hurts, you coal monkey!"

"Apologize to him!" June pouted angrily.

"Like hell I will- YEOWWW!!!"

June let go.

"If it was me, would you have apologized?"

"What are you saying? You would never do something so cowardly. You're the bravest Auxiliary Shadow I have."

"But if I chose to one day run away because I was scared. Would you still be mad at me?"

"Of course not. You're a kid. I'll do anything to make sure you're comfortable."

I caught my tongue.

"X8 is only two years older than me. Of course he would be scared. Anyone our age range would be scared! And I'm sure there's a reason why he is."

June was right. His reason was perfectly valid.

June stood on her tip toes and pecked me on the cheek.

"AAH! What are you doing, you creepy monkey!" I exclaimed, stumbling backwards and nearly tripping on the carpet.

June giggled.

"I'm soooo happy that you want the best for me! But..."

I irked, trying to hide the heat that was building up in my my ears. June leaned in closer.

"Try not to make me your favourite again, kay? Everybody here looks to you as their leader. As much as I do. We just have our own ways of showing it, and our own stories. Maybe you just need to peek into X8's story to understand him."

It took a few hours, but I finally built up the courage to overcome the awkward barrier and knocked on Robbie's door.

"Uh. Can I come in."

"Okay." X8's human voice responded.

I stepped inside, to see...

Things that were not robot parts.

I stared at all the posters of video games and anime.

"Whoa. You-" I said.

"I'm a nerd. I know." Robbie muttered, burying his face in his knees.

"I'm a coward and a nerd. You don't have to remind me. I always have people remind me that every day."

Robbie tapped his head.

"When I'm X8, I hear people talking about me all the time. But I don't feel anything because I don't have a heart when I'm a robot."

I was at a loss for words. This was totally unexpected.

Robbie sniffled, as he got off his bed and dusted his desk. On it was a super powerful gaming PC. He unlocked it, but hesitated, as he quickly tried to cover up the screen.

Hoh?

"What'cha got there, Robbie." I asked.

"Nothing." Robbie responded quickly, trying to change the desktop wallpaper as I leaned in.

"WAIT! DON'T LOOK!" Robbie yelped, but I grumbled, yanking the kid out of the way.

"'Don't look' my ass! I'm your boss. I gotta figure out what my Auxiliaries are up to once in a while. Especially when I'm the one paying the ISP for wifi."

"No! Wait!" Robbie yelped, as I closed the Settings window and was greeted by a wallpaper of a familiar anime girl.

"Oh... shit..." I muttered.

Robbie buried his face in his hands.

"P- Please... please don't laugh at me." Robbie whispered, his voice small.

"Dude, who's the artist?" I asked.

"What?"

I turned to Robbie, a grin on my face.

"Isn't this Kaori from Oath of Silence?" I said.

Robbie blinked.

"Oath... of Silence?"

"Yeah. She's the main heroine in it. She can't talk and stuff, but in the end, she finally accepts her feelings for this guy who she had been in love with, and when the two marry, her first words were 'I do' during their vows."

Robbie looked away.

"I didn't know that was what it was called. I only know it by its Japanese name."

"Oh? So you a sub guy then?"

Robbie gave me a confused look.

"How do you know so much about this kind of stuff? Aren't you a big buff jock who... bullies people like me."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Who said that? They have a death wish or something?" I walked up to Robbie's shelf and hunched over.

"That's a sick collection."

"Th- Thanks. I've been collecting. But I can never figure out where it was from. I bought it from the same artist who made that wallpaper, you see. I've... been meaning to try and find the anime for it or even its manga, but I couldn't get a single hit."

"That's because it's neither."

"Really?"

I smiled, pulling out my phone and loaded up the game.

"It's from Genshin, dude. The Gacha MMO."

"A MMO...? I don't know about that... Grindy games aren't that fun when you start off as a noob. I don't think I can ever get into it."

"That's if you're alone. If you wanna really get to know the game and source material for all those figurines, hit me up. I have almost all of the characters at max level."

Robbie stared at me, his eyes glinting.

"Seriously? That's awesome!"

"Yeah! By the way, my PC is a literal piece of crap. Let me play some games on yours sometime!"

"Okay!" Robbie said, happily, when suddenly, he stopped himself.

"I... I shouldn't be doing this, should I? Is this a test?"

"Test?"

"You came here to confront me about... about my recent performance as an Auxiliary. I... I'm trying my best, I just... my past life and-"

"It's fine. Robbie."

"But-"

"I said it's fine. I know what you went through in the past. You know."

I sat down on the chair across the room, gazing out the window.

"Nice view outside. Too bad weebs like us prefer to be indoors, eh?"

"Mmmgh. You're just... saying that." Robbie sat down on his bed.

"You know. When I was younger. I was just like you. I was obsessed with playing MMO's to no end! To the point where in the orphanage, people loved to tease me about it. Some even bullied me. Called me a nerd. A hikikomori, a weeb, a future NEET in the making, man. The names never stopped."

"And that's why you became all big and strong and scary? Never touching this stuff ever again?"

I showed my phone screen again. On the login page, it showed that I had played the game at 8pm last night.

I put a finger to my lips.

"Don't tell anyone else... but I've been playing in secret!"

Robbie stared at me.

"What... what are you saying then? You're not mad?"

"I'm saying... do what you want to do. If it doesn't feel right, then... I can't force you. Just like how I refuse to give up my love for anime and Genshin and all the stuff that other people give me crap for. I don't mind if they mock me for it. As long as I find it fun. Isn't that the whole point of having hobbies and interests?"

I turned to Robbie.

"And the same goes for how you live your life. You've been completing missions at a distance. Taking a highly defensive tactical approach. It gets the job done in the end, right? I can't force you to do more front line work if you don't want to. You leave that to people like Sarah and Bryce. And the stealth-ops to Sig. I'll be back, we can talk about weeb stuff when you're free."

I made my way to the door, when suddenly, Robbie grabbed my wrist.

"Huh?"

"I want..."

Robbie looked at me, his face determined.

"I want to be brave. Someday. But... not right now. Not when I have so much to get over. I know I'm a huge coward. But... one day. I want to hear you say it. I want to hear you say that I was brave. I'll do it for you."

I smirked.

"Looking forward to it then. Auxiliary Shadow Assault."

(Present Day)

I stood in the rain and ash that fell from the sky.

A metal core had clunked onto the ground, cracking the pavement and cement. It had long since lost its light.

All the while... Robbie's words rung in my head.

Dainsleif... would you say... I was brave today?

I gritted my teeth, my lower lip trembling.

The rain plastered my bangs to my scalp. The rainwater mixing with my tears and dripping off my chin.

"The... the bravest." I murmured, slowly picking up the core.

From the skies, a faint blue light descended.

Vala breathed deeply, her body mangled, and her one eye wide.

That... that boy... how dare he use Anti-Hope magic against me!

My heart began beating harder and harder, almost as if it was about to rip out of my body.

"Hope... hope my ass... if this is what hope means... then I want no part of this narrative."

Vala glared at me, as she landed on the ground, stumbling.

With Robbie Fernandez gone for good... now I can proceed to pick you all off one by one. Soon none will-

SHUT UP. My voice boomed across the valley, as a massive shockwave blew everything back.

Vala froze dead in her trail.

I turned to her, my eyes wide.

"How dare you... still blabber with that mouth of yours... after everything you've done." I said coldly.

Vala grimaced.

How dare I?! How dare you, to still bare your teeth at me after your comrade has been blown to a billion pieces!

Another wave of power ripped through my body, as Vala stumbled.

What- how are you doing that?!

I stood before the Spirit of Hope, hatred bubbling inside of me.

"Stay... the fuck... away from us." I snarled, as something was forcing Vala to retreat.

A mere human... a mere human shouldn't be able to emit this tremendous amount of Chakra! This level surpasses even John Crassman!

Vala glanced at Grond, entering its body as the four armed creature got to its feet.

One blow was enough to knock out The Devil's Flames. One blow was enough to shed blood from the former Apex Primordial Kon Larum. One blow shall be enough to crush a mere mortal like you!

I gritted my teeth, emitting more and more Chakra, the pain and grief fuelling my aura. But Vala Grond slowly began pushing through with sheer strength.

This shall spell your doom. I will finish this for good! Grond shouted, when suddenly, a tremendous pressure emitted from the corner of my vision.

"No. This is enough. I've lost enough friends today." A voice said, as I turned around.

Who... who was this?

A man approached us. His hair, white as snow, just like Loyce. But slightly longer and spikier. His pupils glowing white.

But unlike Loyce, his attire had changed. A grey and black robe, with a black hood that draped across his shoulders. And a dark, black aura which surrounded him.

Alstroemeria - ABSOLUTE DOMINION

Vala Grond grimaced, as he wound his fist back.

Your strength, even if it is momentarily reawakened, is still no match for Hope

Vala Grond threw a devastating haymaker to Kon's direction, but to my disbelief, the Primordial stopped the punch with his finger.

Kon's eyes shone with a brilliant white light, white electricity sparking from his pupils.

COSMIC ANCIENT MAGIC: ARGONAUT

Black lightning and demonic mist swirled around his body, as his image temporarily flickered, and before I knew it, Grond buckled over. Twenty craters had formed on his chest, as Grond was reduced to a line of green light.

SHOOM.

Grond blasted backwards at light speed, smashing through hundreds of buildings, as Kon marched forward, his pupils wide.

Do not mock me, Primordial! In the end, you are still much weaker than Loyce ever was! And Loyce is second only to me!

Vala Grond leapt into the air, as she fired the same green blast that had taken out Vicki.

But to my shock, Kon simply stood his ground, and swatted the energy ball aside, causing it to explode into the distance.

Kon brought his foot back, winding back his fist.

"Each step I take is a tremor. Each breath I take is a typhoon. Each time I clench my fists a planet is destroyed. Time and time I have warned people like you. Yet you would not listen. Time and time again. I must teach the same lesson for thousands of years. I'm sick of it."

KON LARUM! Vala shouted from Grond's body, as Kon launched a punch, unleashing a continental wide shockwave into the air. The shockwave was so great in magnitude, that it not only slammed Vala Grond away, but to my horror, the creature exploded into a green mist.

Completely disintegrated from the sheer aftershocks of Kon's punch.

My jaw hung open.

The sheer... physical power that he had...

It was unlike anything I had ever seen.

Not even Shosuke could emit force at this level.

The power to shatter planets with his bare hands.

With a power like that, that rumour almost seemed like an understatement.

Kon regarded me, studying the wounds all over my body.

"I can't... lose any more... friends..." Kon's voice began trailing away, as he stabilized himself.

"I can't..."

Cosmic Celestial Magic - Sona Martyr's Consecration

My body welled up with a current, as I felt my wounds begin repairing itself.

"What did you do-"

I stared at my injuries. Kon wasn't just healing the ones that I had...

He had...

He had completely healed the ones that had been plaguing me this entire time, minus my arm.

He had restored me seemingly to full strength!

Kon took a step forward, when suddenly, his hair reverted back to black, his clothes disintegrating back to Constantine's old outfit.

I grabbed Con with my one working arm. He felt a lot lighter than before.

Whatever that spell Kon Larum had used... he had brought me back. Though not at full capacity... I felt like I was back in fighting shape.

No one I knew could fix me. Not Diana. Not Sarah. Not Master Jun's servants. No one.

This was the power of a Primordial Demon.

"Con..." I muttered, as Con leaned heavily against me. Tears leaking down his face.

"Robbie... I'm so sorry..." Con said weakly, before losing consciousness.

* * *

"Oh shit! Bossman's waking up!" I heard Bryce say, as my eyes fluttered open.

I was in Mercy Hospital, from what I could assess. My body was once again covered in bandages.

Sarah was definitely going to kill me.

Thankfully, while the doctor was writing up my report, I had caught a few glances at the paper from the distance from my 80/20 vision.

There wasn't anything too critical... aside from...

I looked to my right side, realizing that what was supposed to be an arm attached to it was no longer there.

"Bossman. Hey." Bryce quickly ran to the door, but I grabbed his wrist.

"Don't..." I muttered.

Bryce paused, his head hung low.

"What happened to him. We each had a role to play. It wasn't on you, Bossman. I hope you understand."

My head bounced back on the pillow. I subconsciously began drawing patterns on the tiles of the ceiling.

"Listen, Bossman. Let's take a break. A break from all this right now. You deserve-"

"Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing. Report." I croaked.

Bryce blinked.

"Boss-"

"REPORT." I snapped, my mouth quivering.

Bryce jumped in his seat, as he tied his dreads back.

"Rya... saw Kon manifest inside Constantine, and had a mental breakdown. I fought her back to keep her from interfering. Took multiple Scarlet Eagles but I took her down with Vicki's help. When Yeling spoke to Rya, he finally talked some sense into her, pointing out that by forcing Kon back into his old life he'd be painted a target by Loyce. That did a number on her, and she took her army, retreating."

"And... Sarah..."

"She's fine. She's tough. But she's gon be in that leg cast for a bit. No need to worry no mo, Bossman. She's tough."

"Is that all?"

Bryce stood up, gazing out the window.

"Constantine... doesn't remember anything. According to him, he blacked out after witnessing Robbie's death. He uh... is gonna need a lot of therapy and counselling. Baja gave em several months of paid leave to mourn n stuff. I... I think you need it too. I'll give you some space."

Bryce left, as his wrist slid from my grip.

I stared back at the ceiling.

Helpless. Weak.

Powerless.

I lost Robbie and my right arm.

Was I even going to be able to fight as an Outer Shadow now that I was basically only limited to my left arm?

All of my contracts... all of the gods I had killed.

There was always something that I lost from each fight I was in.

But... this mission has taken more from me than any of my missions combined from my years being an Outer Shadow.

"Robbie... how could you... be so cool..." My voice broke, as a surge of emotion welled up in my chest.

From the biggest nerd, to the bravest Auxiliary.

You sure went out like a beast. Better than I ever will.

I used my left arm and pressed the back of my hand to my forehead.

If only I didn't have emotions.

If only I didn't feel pain.

Life would have been so much easier, wouldn't it?

A... god...

A god wouldn't have to deal with this, wouldn't they? They were immortal... They would be used to living eons without friends, without family...

Wouldn't it be so much easier if I became a god?

I clenched my fist, reaching out.

If I was a god...

Jekyll had become a god from a human... from what I recalled.

I remembered how despite all of my many years of training and pushing my body past its limits, in the end, I still didn't have what it took to fight toe to toe with someone with godly strength.

Maybe I should throw away my philosophy...

Being a human was just too exhausting given my line of work.

FLOOM.

A large sound startled me as I spun around to see the doors being flung open. Sarah rushed in, her eyes bewildered.

"S- Sarah..."

Sarah ran up to me, a hand to her mouth.

"Oh god... your arm... oh my god..."

Sarah collapsed on my chest, her hand hovering over the stump on my right shoulder.

"Does it hurt?" She whispered.

"No. Nothing hurts." I responded, dejectedly.

"I don't feel anything anymore. I'm... exhausted."

Sarah slowly got off of me, pursing her lips.

"I... I see. L- Listen. If there is anything you want. If there is anything I can do for you, please. Please tell me. I'll do my best to..."

I sat up, propping my back against the pillow.

"I want to become a god." I said.

Sarah stared at me, shocked.

"What...?"

"I'm done being a human. What has staying mortal done for me, Sarah? To be powerless? To be weak? To become attached to other mortals and watching them die? Time and time again I've... I've seen my limits. And these limits are only ever growing wider and wider. If I was a god I could have stopped Vala. If I was a god I could have killed Jekyll. If I was a god... if I was a god..."

"If you were a god... you wouldn't have met me." Sarah said.

My voice caught in my throat, as Sarah slowly got up heading to the door.

"Perhaps... that would have been... the best for you. I will see if I have anyone I know. I have connections as a Hero. Perhaps I can speak to one of the goddesses to-"

My body suddenly moved on its own, lurching forward.

Sarah yelped, as I grabbed onto her midsection from behind with my arm, burying my body against her back. Her lavender scent filled the air around her and calmed me down.

"Don't go. Please." I murmured.

Sarah slowly sat back down, and turned around, stroking the back of my head.

"No matter what happens. As long as we come back together. That's all that matters to me."

I nodded.

"Though I... would appreciate it if you came back to me in one piece."

I managed a slight smirk.

"You managed to crack a joke. The world must be ending." I muttered.

Sarah rested her chin on my head.

"Do you really want to become a god, Aaron?"

I felt her hands reach for my back, sending warmth throughout my body.

"No. Not if I give up a future with you. I guess I just felt..."

"Overwhelmed? We... all felt that way, when we heard the news. But... you know? Robbie was always look for a chance to go out with a Hero's ending. His desire to be brave in spite of everything he had been through in his first life. Perhaps this wasn't how anybody wanted. But in a way - Robbie finally went out the way he wanted to."

"I don't know what I want anymore. I want all of the people I care about to be safe, but I also don't want them to feel like they're not allowed to live their lives the way they want to."

Sarah ran her head through my hair.

"Your hair is growing out again. You almost look like that silly boy who slung all of his strange weapons on his shoulders when we first met in Kalidas."

"Ah yeah. Year One Dainsleif. Classic Aaron. Haha. I don't even remember when I started clipping my hair shorter."

"You trimmed it when I told you that your bangs kept stroking my face... whenever we did the act." Sarah responded, her face red.

I blinked.

"Seriously? I was that concerned about my appearance? I always thought I looked awesome. I guess that makes sense."

Sarah scoffed.

"As I recalled, I remember complimenting your physique that night too. You started wearing short sleeved clothing since then."

"Wow. Come on. I don't need burns on top of these injuries, Princess."

Sarah leaned in and kissed my forehead.

"You protect me. And I'll protect you. That was the deal, right? Whatever happens, trust in me that I will do everything I can to come back to your side. And I will trust you to do everything you can to come back to me. I will return to Hakah's barracks to prepare a field report in your place."

Sarah stood up, as I reached out to her.

"Wait. Those field reports, you know how to write them?"

"Yes. I have written letters to members of royalty back when I was still a Hero in Kalidas."

"Okay... just... try not to use a quill. I use a pen whenever I make hard copies. If you need help turning it into a virtual scan just ask Rob-"

I stopped, but Sarah put her hand on my head.

"I'll ask Bryce or Sigurd. You can relax."

I sat in silence after Sarah left me alone.

The silence felt shitty... but it didn't last long, as another knock on the door interrupted me.

"Come in." I said, approaching the door.

The door cracked open, revealing a guy with half of his face covered by his bangs, rest of his hair tied back in a ponytail.

"Yeling..." My voice trailed away. Yeling entered the room, propping Tatsu against the wall.

"I was going to ask if you could walk, but I guess this answers my question."

I sat back down in my bed.

"How's... your injuries...?" I asked.

"I've been through worse." Yeling answered, as he narrowed his eye at my right side.

"That's a familiar sight."

"Familiar sight?"

Yeling nodded.

"Reminds me of my mentor. He also lost his arm. But he lost it through a Dogma Bargain."

"Your mentor..."

Matthew Lam, formerly Matthew Vistara. Vicki's student.

The Loki of the Contingency Initiative. Vicki had once considered making him an Auxiliary. The guy had a lot of potential. The only thing he lacked was pure firepower, and the way he fought could not offset this deficiency by just being cunning like me.

If he had more firepower, he would have been at least B Rank.

But even if it wasn't for that, Lam would never have joined the Black Legion. He had a grudge to settle with Stormwatch.

Yeling sat down across from me.

"I uh. I'm sorry I got myself tangled with Loyce behind your back."

"Don't worry about it. I knew it wasn't you the moment I-"

"That's the thing. That... personality. Loyce didn't add a new personality to my narrative. The words he said when he used Alogigenesis was 'Narrative Reset'. That Yeling Mah that attacked you guys was... fundamentally still me."

A breeze blew past my hospital room, causing the branches to dance.

"Tidalflame. Loneliness and resentfulness. Back then, I let those emotions completely consume me. I don't know about you, but when I unlocked Stage Three, it wasn't just me choosing to unlock it. When it happened, I had no intention to go up a Stage. It... just sort of happened. In response to me giving into despair. That Yeling that you fought was the one who had chosen to feel sorry for himself and neglect all the good in his life. I never wanted to go back to it, but I guess Loyce decided it would be funny to bring it back."

"Don't worry about it dude. You're back and that's what matters, right?"

Yeling scratched the back of his head.

"So you're just going to completely forget about the fact that I stabbed your wife in the leg and gave her fourth degree burns?"

"Well I mean. That... er..."

Yeling smirked.

"I'm going somewhere tomorrow. If you can walk. I can take you there. I think it will help you a lot."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Really? Where are you taking me?"

Yeling ran his hand on my desk.

"I go there all the time to pay my respects to my fallen comrades. To my comrades back in the Contingency Initiative. It's a place to honour the dead. I imagine it would be appropriate for Robbie."

"Yeling..."

Yeling walked to the door, grabbing Tatsu.

"I'm taking that as a yes? I'll come by tomorrow and I'll pick you up."

Let's Infiltrate Konia

The next day, Yeling picked me up in his car.

"Since when did you learn to drive?!" I grumbled.

"Vicki taught me. She found out I was like, twenty six without a license."

"But... didn't you do a road test or something?"

"Yeah. I passed it with only one minor."

This damn guy!

Yeling revved his engine, driving off as the Shadows surrounded us, transporting us to another realm.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Arii."

"What? Like that character from League-"

"No you buffoon. The city of Arii. It's famous for its adventurer guild."

"Oh."

Yeling pulled over to the side of the road.

"Conceal the car." Yeling instructed, as the Shadows swarmed it. I followed him into the town.

Adventurers populated the town left and right, giving me vibes to when I first met Sarah at Kalidas.

"I used to be an adventurer here. With... Shia Inoko and Shen. Inoko was our supervisor." Yeling recalled.

"Does that explain Tatsu on your back?"

"Nah. I got that when I beat Aelienne."

"Okay there, badass."

Yeling turned a corner, as he paused. A slim but athletic woman ran out of a hostel, dragging a man with long flowing green hair behind her.

"Wait! Inoko-chan! I'm not fully rested!"

"You woke up at 12, today! We were supposed to trade in our fish scales an hour ago!"

"A god like me deserves the utmost beauty sleep!"

"Ugh!"

Inoko...?

I glanced at Yeling, who was hiding his emotions. His bangs covered his eye, concealing any hints of what he was feeling. But a twinge of pain escaped his body language.

"Those two fools... always bickering! I can never understand it. But for some reason it makes me happy. And I guess that's all that matters."

"Yeling..."

Yeling walked off, momentarily walking past a laughing and smiling Inoko. His steadfast and grim expression contrasted with the smile on his old friend's face.

All that pain.

All that loss.

If there was anybody who could understand what I was going through, even remotely... it was Yeling.

"We're here."

I nearly bumped into him, causing Yeling to scowl.

"Watch where you're going you SS Ranked Dumbass!"

"Hoy! I'm crippled here, remember?!"

I turned around, to see a shrine.

"What is this?"

"It's a place to honour the dead." Yeling said, as he approached it.

From within his aviator leather jacket, he pulled out a small bag of items.

"I usually carry something that I believe represented them the most, or something that would serve as a gift. This shrine acts as a conduit to the other world, at least that was what Arii culture believed. I find it... interesting that as I keep coming here the items gradually changes. I guess I start to understand them a bit more with each visit, even if they have already passed on."

I watched as Yeling took out a bouquet of flowers.

"Hey Flint. I didn't realize that today was your anniversary with your girlfriend. You always brought her tulips, right? Anyway. I'm glad you two are able to have your anniversary together on the other side. Hope you accept these flowers, add it onto the pile you probably picked for her in heaven. Haha."

Yeling put the bouquet into the shrine, as it dissipated into mist. Yeling then reached into his bag, taking out another item.

It looked like... a necklace. But it looked tribal, with what looked like sabre tooth fangs or something.

"This is for you, Whitney. I remembered going to the mall once and you telling me to wait outside. But jokes on you. I sneaked in and found you looking at this necklace in secret. You got so mad that you nearly sucked the soul out of me that one time. Since then it became a traumatizing memory. But... I found the same necklace on one of my travels with Vicki. You always wanted to give off the impression that you were one of the cute girls who liked cutesy wutsey things, right? It's fine. No one is here to judge you. Besides, I think this looks cute on you. Plus you already have those native trinkets on your belt whenever you're on the field anyway."

Yeling put the necklace into the shrine and fished out another item. It was an action figure... of something I couldn't recognize.

"Lewis and Marcela. The most unlikely couple, considering the first thing you did, Lew, was berate Sella for crying so many years ago. Good on you both. And Sella... I'm sorry it took this long to put you out of your misery. But you got your wish. You're with Lewis in the afterlife. I figured this would be appropriate for my visit. An action figure from Lenin Zero. You guys both liked that manga. Interesting first manga for you, though Sella. Hope there's plenty more manga in the afterlife!"

Yeling then reached in to his bag, fishing around, until his hand caught on something.

When he pulled it out, in his hand, was a sakura petal.

"Maika Nagumo. Maika-senpai. Known amongst the entire Contingency Initiative as the Squad Four Party Girl. Of course, not everyone knew what you were like before you got that name, right? Even I didn't. But I guess you preferred it that way, huh. After all, it was Matt's words to you that made you want to loosen up and embrace your wild party animal. But sometimes, whenever I think about you these days... I don't see you as the crazy drug and alcohol obsessed girl that everyone made you out to be. You trusted me with that katana... you trusted me with Ito Kintaro's sword. That thing had so much meaning to you. And I went ahead and lost it."

Yeling knelt down, staring at his reflection in the shrine.

"There was so much about you that I wanted to know more about. You were the oldest member of Squad Four, you were there with Matt since the beginning. But no one would have known. Out of everybody in the Squad, we would have thought Whitney would be the most in love with him, but... it was always you. It was Matt's words that brought you out of your trauma from your ex-husband's abuse. It was his words that brought you strength when you were at your lowest, when your unborn kid was killed by Ito. And when your sister was killed before your very eyes. Of course I wouldn't have realized it. I was just so focused on my problems to even bother thinking about others. But now..."

Yeling put the sakura petal into the shrine.

"I will honour your memory. Liquor and drugs... those never defined you. You know that, right? And Matt told you that... when he gave you that sakura petal earring. I didn't manage to find one, but as I walked in the streets of Japan when I visited my homeworld, I came across one. A sakura tree. Those things sure were pretty. And I know there's plenty on the other side. I hope this one can join those over there."

Yeling got to his feet, reaching into his bag and taking the last two items. It was a jade necklace, and put it into the shrine.

"Mama. Baba. I'm okay now. I'm working on it. But I think I got a good handle on things now. Hakah is doing fine. She's happy and made lots of friends. You can rest easy."

Yeling clapped his hands and bowed. A gust of wind blew seemingly in response to his actions. And with that, Yeling stood to the side, beckoning me forward.

I cleared my throat, staring at the shrine.

Now that I thought about it... my gift felt sort of silly.

But...

Wasn't that the whole point of pursuing the things we liked?

I reached into my backpack and took out a figurine of Kaori from Oath of Silence, placing it into the shrine.

"Robbie. You damn kid. You really did it, you know!" I laughed.

"You managed to go out with a bang. You were brave. I'm... I'm so proud of you, kiddo. And I know you might feel a bit of guilt for making us sad... but we understand why you did it. I understand why you did it. So you don't need to feel bad anymore. We'll do our best. We'll march forward and take Vala down. I promise you."

I clapped my hands, bowing, and watching as the figurine began to dissolve.

"Goodbye for now. My fellow weeb. One day, when I grow old with Sarah, and eventually when I head on over to the other side. I'll definitely fill you in on all of the manga and anime that you missed out on! Don't you worry, kid."

I put my backpack back over my shoulder, about to turn around, but Yeling stopped me.

"Isn't there... another person you wanted to talk to?"

My eyes went wide. Since when was Yeling so sharp?

"I... yeah. Yeah."

Yeling nodded.

"Then I'll leave you alone for now. Once you've finished, meet with me outside the building. And we'll go home."

Yeling left the shrine, as I was left alone.

There was still... one last thing in my backpack.

And everything felt so...

So quiet.