Beyond the Gods II

We're Gonna Fight

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

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

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

But the battle wasn't without major casualties.

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

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

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

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

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

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

It's been twenty years.

Bryce...

What happened to you?

Why was Yeling's weapon on your back?

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

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

"Sarina... I clashed with Sarina."

"You did? What happened?" I asked.

Bryce eyed me grimly.

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

My gaze dropped.

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

Bryce propped Tatsu against the wall, lighting a cigarette.

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

My heart dropped to the ground.

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

Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing shook his head.

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

I slowly reached out but hesitated.

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

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

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

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

"Hey man, listen-"

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

I heard the sounds of footsteps at my door.

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

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

"Annie..." Bryce muttered.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

After all, Bryce was always infatuated with her.

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

But the Bryce now...

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

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

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

Annie stepped back, her face full of discouragement.

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

Bryce glared at me with cruel eyes.

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

"Huh? What for?"

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

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

Only this time...

This time the roles were reversed.

Bryce made a fist and pointed it at me.

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

I stood before my Auxiliary Shadow, speechless.

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

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

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

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

"Defender..."

"Can I have a word with you two?"

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

"Annie, you alright?" I asked.

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

"What do you mean?"

Sigurd's hand clenched into a fist.

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

I looked forward, grimly.

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

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

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

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

Sigurd gritted her teeth.

"I see. I understand."

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

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

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

Defender raised an eyebrow.

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

"Yeah."

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

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

Defender sighed, resting his head in his hand.

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

I smiled warmly.

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

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

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

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

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

"Your future?" I asked.

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

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

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

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

I looked at Sigurd, whose expression was blank.

Brilliant poker face, Annie.

But I refuse to play that card.

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

Defender nodded.

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

Spoken like a true superhero.

I got up from my seat, extending my hand.

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

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

"Okay."

I turned around, my cloak shifting with my movements.

Sigurd bowed to Defender.

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

Defender smiled at Annie.

"The pleasure is ours."

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

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

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

"Understood."

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

"Lookin' good, Annie-chan."

Sigurd yelped, fumbling with the hat on her head.

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

"Should be fine."

"Define 'should'."

"Means I dunno."

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

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

Sigurd looked away, hiding her blush.

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

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

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

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

Annie scowled.

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

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

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

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

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

"Yes!"

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

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

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

Sigurd looked onward at the fireworks.

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

"And what's that?"

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

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

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

Sigurd's expression turned grim.

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

I grinned at my Auxiliary Shadow.

"Counting on it, TX7F!"

* * *

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

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

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

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

Sense him.

The movements of the air.

The shadows.

Changes in the environment.

I froze.

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

But there was no shadow...

No.

Get out of the way! Move!

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

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

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

How...

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

And not only that...

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

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

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

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

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

That's... that's right!

Annie didn't know about Bryce's awakening!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SHOOM.

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

Advanced Electricity Magic: COSMIC AUGMENTUS

TRIGRAMS SIX HANDS COMBINATION: FAST DRAW

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

"Wha-?!"

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

His signature Scarlet Uzi.

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

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

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

Elementary Light Magic: Flash

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

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

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

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

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

Shuffling...

No.

He wasn't shuffling...!

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

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

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

"What-"

SZRAK!

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

"GRAAAAAAAH!"

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

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

All my motor skills...

Were shut down!

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

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

Was embedded in Bryce's forearm.

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

Bryce glared at me with a look of contempt.

Hinokami Blood Arts: RED MIST.

The mist that was around me...

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

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

A grin appeared on my face.

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

Bryce fell to one knee.

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

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

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

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

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

"THIS IS NO GAME."

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

An expression so intense that I instantly froze up.

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

No.

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

Bryce was controlling my blood!

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

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

I gritted my teeth.

"Defibrillator Protocol!"

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

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

Bryce glared at Annie, causing her to freeze.

"Then he would have died."

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

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

"BRYCE! Take that back you assh-"

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

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

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

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

Hinokami Blood Arts: DEAD CRESCENT.

I...

I couldn't move!

Embodiment of Wrath: YAKSHA MODE

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

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

That arc was pure blood.

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

There was no way he could jettison so much.

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

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

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

"Aaron."

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

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

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

"What did you just say?"

Bryce bared his fangs, snarling.

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

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

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

I stepped forward.

Advanced Light Magic: TOTAL ECLIPSE

Advanced Sense Magic: REVERSE ASPECTUM

The entire radius encapsulating Bryce and I turned pitch black.

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

Convocatio: Special Ammunition Summoning - Venom Rounds

I rushed forward, deducing Bryce's movements.

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

THUNK.

THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK.

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

Another chill ran down my spine.

Seriously...?!

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

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

Blood and red flame ignited, shooting him to me.

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

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

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

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

PORTALIS - SWITCH GAMBLE

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

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

CONVOCATIO: TURRICALUM

I raised my hand, my face wild with adrenaline.

You'll get everything coming to you, Bryce.

If this is what you want!

GRAND FLEET: EMPIRE OF DESTRUCTION

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

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

Level 1 Hinokami

I stared at Bryce in disbelief.

No way.

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

But this sealed it.

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

"BRYCE!" I yelled.

INVERSE TSUNAMI RELEASE.

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

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

Hinokami Blood Arts: DEAD CRESCENT

An arc came flying my way.

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

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

"No. This match is over."

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

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

"Aaron... twenty years had passed."

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

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

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

"What... what are you saying?"

Bryce looked at me sadly.

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

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

"Bryce..."

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

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

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

Bryce shook his head.

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

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

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

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

Bryce landed on the ground, sheathing Tatsu.

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

BLOOD LINK.

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

Bryce...

You...

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

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

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

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

I rushed forward.

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

Bryce snarled.

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

"DAMN LIAR!"

Convocatio: Grenade Summoning

Magic circles surrounded me as Bryce readied Tatsu.

Hinokami Blood Arts: DEAD CRESCENT

RASENSHURYUDAN

Bryce hesitated, withdrawing his sword.

"What the-?!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hinokami Blood Arts: DEATH VOLLEY

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

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

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

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

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

Special Ammunition Summoning: SULPHUR ROUNDS

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

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

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

Trigrams Six Hands Combination Style: BULLET TWISTER

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

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

Bryce glared at me, ducking and dodging the bullet.

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

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

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

Portalis: GUNMAN'S GRUDGE

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

"GRAAH!" Bryce growled.

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

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

Bryce began to choke, stumbling back.

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

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

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

The Hinokami.

"What in the-" I said.

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

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

No.

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

I was going to see it to the end.

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

Very well, Outer Shadow Dainsleif.

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

"That voice... I recognize it."

I was sure you would.

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

Because I knew who was speaking through Bryce.

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

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

A crazy grin appeared on my face.

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

"Aelienne Regalia, The First Hinokami."

The Dogma Hunter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aelienne would kill them each time.

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

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

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

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

"You are correct," Aelienne spread her hands.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I narrowed my eyes, keeping myself alert.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aelienne held up her hand to me.

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

A breeze blew past us, almost on cue.

"The Hinokami Killer has him."

I clenched my teeth. I needed to ask this.

But I was terrified of the answer.

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

Aelienne looked at me with curiosity.

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

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