Muon and Dainsleif

Following the victory over the traitorous Inner Shadow Evangelion, Outer Shadow Aaron "Dainsleif" Hope continues his training with SFA-Muon. However, the Outer Shadow is unable to recount the events leading to the victory. What happened during the aftermath? What did he sacrifice that made him feel so uneasy about the battle?

And above all else...

What happened to his Auxiliary Shadows?

01

Several weeks have passed since Inner Shadow Slipstream threw me into SFA-Muon.

In these weeks alone, I learned a myriad of skills from squad coordination, disguise, and standard combat protocol and stances.

I learned of the things I lacked.

And the things that set me apart from others.

But among these things, was one thing that I would never forget.

"So how big are Sigurd's things?" Seven Five asked.

I spat out my oatmeal before my breakfast could even make it to the back of my throat.

"WHAT?!" I turned to the young Auxiliary Shadow of SFA-Muon.

Tactical War Doll 75-M of SFA-Muon was considered the strike force's greatest long-range marksman.

Based on her file, she was the daughter of a wealthy businessman named Alistair Winchester, and went by the name Charlotte Winchester. This connection alone would classify her as a noblewoman, or a young girl of noble status. According to the laws of her world, Charlotte would have learned the manners of a noble and carry herself with elegance.

Not that any of this mattered. Because from the first day till current, my impression of 75-M was anything but that.

In practice, the "noblewoman" in front of me, was probably the most chaotic little fifteen-year-old I had ever met. But then again, the only other teenaged girl I ever lived with and knew was June, who conducted herself far more properly.

If anything, if someone were to put June and Charlotte in one room, anyone with a brain would think that June was the daughter of House Winchester, and Charlotte the crazy fanatic of the yaoi Killing Stalking (don't ask me what yaoi means, because if you do not know, do NOT Google it. I had it explained by 75-M against my will).

"Wh- What do you mean by things? Haha, I'm gonna go take a dump now..." I muttered.

"Oh poppycock. Everybody knows you have your bowel movements at 0600 every morning, give or take ten minutes. It's 0700."

There is no way anybody except you would know that!

75 poked me on my arm.

"Spill the tea, Aaron-dearest! How big are her jugs? How big did Lord Gasket design them?"

"Why the hell do you need to know?!"

The War Doll leaned back and crossed her arms, pouting.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm an A-cup. And thanks to certain circumstances, I can't ever grow in this body ever again. My chest will forever remain the same."

"I didn't need to know that, thanks."

"Besides..." 75-M continued, completely ignoring my comment.

"...I heard on the first day of her assignment to your squad, you popped one! Is that true?"

"OKAY I am not having this conversation with you first thing in the morning," I exclaimed, getting up and tossing the cereal into the garbage.

Guess it turned out that War Dolls were also capable of assassinating appetites too. Good to know!

"AWWWW! Don't leave! Come back! Please please please please PLEASE!!!!" 75-M grabbed my waist and began wailing like a hysterical puppy.

"Let go of me, you moron! My god! Shouldn't a soldier be more prim and proper? You're a noble yet you're the most vulgar little girl I've ever met in my entire life!"

75 suddenly let go, as I turned around. Surprise crept into my face.

The War Doll's body language had changed.

Her facial expression had momentarily flashed with... hurt?

"Ah- Pigtails, I didn't mean-"

"Huh? What? What are you talking about? Hahaha!" 75-M quickly reverted back to her usual cutesy demeanour, forcing a laugh and twirling her pigtails.

"Was it my comment on your noble status? I didn't mean to-" we "No! No no no. It's fine. Totally fine."

"Are you sure? You know we're both interrogator types. We can't really lie to each other."

Charlotte looked away.

"Can we just drop it?" She whispered.

Concern laced my face. This was completely out of character for her, but if bringing this up made her uncomfortable, then it was best to drop it. Despite her teasing, Pigtails knew that I didn't really mind. As she herself was an interrogator as well, she could tell that her teasing only really just irritated me but never bothered me. If there was anything that crossed the line, she would know. Which was why of all the things she could tease me about, she never once brought up June.

And I had to take up my part of the bargain.

"Alright," I said gently, kneeling before the War Doll.

"But if there's anything bothering you, you can let me know. We're BFF's, remember?"

75-M slowly looked at me, surprise on her face, which transitioned into a big smile.

"BFF's... yeah... YEAH! Then once we're BFF's we can move onto the next stage and get marr-"

"Yeah, no."

"BLEH!"

The door behind us creaked open, revealing a red-haired girl with a relatively muscular tomboyish frame.

"The hell are you idiots doing speaking so loud in the morning? This isn't Basic, you're givin' me damn flashbacks again!" 76-M growled.

"Hey, it's Spitfire Spice," I replied.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

"BAHAHAHA!" Pigtails laughed, kicking her feet in the air and giggling like an idiot.

"STOP LAUGHING!" 76-M snarled, trying to reach out to her fellow squad member, but 75-M darted away with superhuman speed. I had to remember that these girls were all technically super soldiers. Whenever I was with Pigtails, I tended to forget that since she was always so outgoing.

But when I was with 76-M, the realization returned just as quickly as it left.

"Her face is turning the same colour as her hair! Lighten up, Ginger Giggles,"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

SMASH.

75-M and I stopped teasing 76-M as the War Doll smashed the edge of the counter with her fist, shattering it.

"Imma rip your balls off!"

"Wait! Don't do that!" I yelped, scurrying away and bumping into another War Doll who squeaked in surprise, tackling me and pinning me to the ground with a complex judo throw.

76-M and 75-M peered at us curiously with raised eyebrows.

"GAH! My liver! My spleen! My liver and spleen! You're gonna kill me!" I gasped as 78-M quickly let go, her face bright red.

"S- Sorry..."

I narrowed my eyes at the War Doll.

Was it just me... or that body language... was that lov-

"Another morning, another headache. I am once again reminded that I have not just 75-M, but the Black Legion's greatest PITA to babysit now," 74-M grumbled from the corner of my vision.

"Good morning Tali," I said.

"Do not ever call me that again."

"Come on, lighten up! We're not on the battlefield. Let's just loosen up a bit."

"Who taught you this?"

I pointed at 78, who yelped in surprise. Her black hair covered her face like Samara from The Ring.

"I meant that it was fine to be relaxed when we were safe is all, safe with... Aaron..."

"Safe with Aaron?" 74-M's eyebrows scrunched together.

"Safe with Dainsleif! Dainsleif! I mean, safe from the battlefield! I'm... I'm going to take a shower now."

78-M tripped over herself and scurried to the bathroom.

I wonder what 75-M was thinking at a time like this-

"That little bitch...!" Pigtails muttered under her breath. I turned to her and her face quickly flashed back to a smile.

"Huh? What? Oh would you look at that, it's time to get dressed!"

76, 74, and I watched as 75-M quickly ran to her room and slammed the door so hard the wall around it cracked.

"So is nobody gonna comment on the fact that I have a legit minor crushing on me?" I asked.

"Ugh..." Thalia buried her face in her hand.

76 continued peering at the bathroom door.

"Love is dangerous on the battlefield."

"Yeah, but it isn't something that you can stop, you know?" I replied.

"I know. Believe me, I know. But it still doesn't make it any better. Added with the fact that you're old as fuck and Seven Eight is sixteen, it'll never work out."

"Hey! I'm not that old! I'm nineteen!"

"Can we not talk about dating minors for just a minute?" 74-M said.

"Sorry."

76-M and I watched as 74-M walked forward and put a stack of papers on the desk.

"We have another deployment."

"Another one? How many campaigns have you guys gone on at this point?" I exclaimed.

"75-M has been on 282, 77-M and 78-M have been on 291, 76-M has been on 395, and I've been on 467."

"You're joking."

"Nope. This is just the nature of interdimensional travel and having to kill the enemy as fast as possible. Sometimes War Dolls are placed on other strike teams, sometimes strike teams are mixed and mingled to confuse the enemy."

"I'm basically looking at a 100-year-old war vet in the body of a fifteen-year-old girl..."

Thalia suddenly perked up, her back straightening.

"Well, I am quite mature for my age...!"

76-M rolled her eyes.

"Says the other girl with a crush."

74-M and 76-M locked glares, tension filling the air.

"Um... can we start the briefing and fill in the others later?" I asked.

"The others kind of have an idea of what the mission is going to be. The only person who doesn't know is you, actually," 74-M said, breaking the glare.

"What? Did you girls really leave me out again?"

"No, you testosterone-filled idiot. You were there when the mission was announced!" 76-M replied.

"Wait, really?"

BONK.

Thalia buried her head into the table.

"Yes. Dainsleif. You were there. But instead of listening and scribing like I had ordered you to, you decided to fill my iPad with loli jokes. Do you seriously not remember?"

"Did you like them?"

"No, I did not like them! Why would I like them?!"

74-M sighed.

"Okay. Well. The gist of the mission is to take down a group of specialist soldiers currently tasked with guarding the Demon King Jinn."

"Specialist soldiers? In what way?"

"They are essentially the upper echelon. The best of the best. Hyper-lethal combatants and the most terrifying soldiers. They fight like us, tactically. Intelligence suggests they were contracted off of an interdimensional contact. Since another strike team is involved with taking down the nation itself, we need to divide the resources. SFA-Muon has been tasked with crippling their contracted forces. The other SFA company will take down the Demon King army."

74 slid a piece of paper in front of me.

"You will take up a sniper role for this deployment."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Me? Isn't Pigtails the sniper?"

"Ordinarily... but this deployment is a little different. Because we have identified one of the soldiers on the enemy lines, look at this photo."

I assessed the image.

Green hair... bright blue eyes.

His posture... was akin to that of a nobleman.

Of House Winchester.

"No way... is this... is this Alistair? I thought Evangelion had killed all your parents!"

"No. It wouldn't have made sense unless something transcended the Great Akuma's Hinokami. But this is not 75-M's father," 76-M took the picture and put it back into the binder, a grim look on her face.

"This is Richard Winchester. The last surviving son of the Winchester bloodline."

My eyes widened.

I should have seen it coming. After all, from what Thalia had told me, Evangelion had killed all of their parents. But she never mentioned siblings.

For all we knew, there was no knowledge of what had happened to the brothers and sisters of the girls in the SFA Regiment.

To know that Pigtails' brother was the enemy...

"So you're saying that 75-M might be influenced by the fact that her enemy is family?" I asked.

"Seven Five was always unusual in the SFA Regiment. Because she is one of the best interrogators in the company," 74 explained, putting the binder away.

"She is more sensitive than the other members of Muon, and even the company. This in itself is required for an interrogator to figure out her targets. But because she is so sensitive, stuff like this tends to overload her. The enemy knows about Muon through Charlotte Winchester, even if 75-M destroyed that part of herself. And Lord Hellion knows this. This is your opportunity to learn about long-range sharpshooter training. Learn by filling in where 75 lacks."

"..."

I didn't like the idea of 75-M going through something like this. The events that had transpired earlier this morning came back to my mind.

"Dainsleif," 74 said.

"?"

"75-M will be fine. You're underestimating us again."

"I know, but how can I not?"

"Being in a squad, leading your comrades also means you need to trust them and accept that they will always be in danger. This is the nature of having your subordinates. And by extension, the nature of your job as an Outer Shadow."

She had a point.

That night, during dinner, I found myself glancing at 75-M. I didn't want to, but the thought of her being uncomfortable kept replaying in my mind. And I knew for a fact that she was aware of this, because after everybody left the mess hall, I felt her grab my arm.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Wanna come over to my room tonight?"

"Could you have phrased that in any other way..."

75-M giggled as the two of us entered her room. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary, and was pretty much what I expected from someone like her. Stuffed animals and squishmellows all over the place. But something did catch my attention, from the corner of my eye.

"Hey is that a collar-"

BANG.

A bullet whizzed past my face and blasted the BDSM toy to smithereens. The barrel of 75-M's rifle was still smoking from where she had fired with superhuman dexterity.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Yes, of course," I replied nervously.

I sat down on the ground while 75-M lay on the bed, crossing her legs and resting her chin on her hands.

"So I take it you know that Dick Douche is one of the specialists in our mission?"

"Dick Douche?" I asked.

"Yeah. Because he's a douche."

I held back the urge to laugh.

"Yeah. I'm not saying this is too much for you, but it doesn't make me any less worried, to be honest."

"Aww... you're really sweet. I mean it. But you don't have to worry. I always knew DD would have survived something like Lord Evangelion's attack. I mean he was always such a tryhard trying to win over Dad's affection."

"Was he like, one of those guys who was proud of his family name?"

"Oh yeah. One hundred percent! Winchester this. Winchester that. He loved to mock me because I always hung out with girls who were less popular in Azure Academy. He hated it. So it isn't a surprise that he became a Dark Hound."

I glanced at the books in Charlotte's room.

"Thalia wants me to accompany you during sniping."

75 was silent for a few seconds. I was expecting her to say something like "Wow what a dream come true, let's get married!" But this was unexpected.

"Is this why you were so uneasy during dinner?"

"Sorta? I mean, I would have thought all the War Dolls were emotionless husks."

"If that was the case, everybody but Miss 74 would be binned! Trust me, Aaron, we're human too. At least a part of us, anyway."

75 slid off the bed and approached her mirror, undoing her pigtails and letting her minty green hair down.

"How many times have you sniped?"

"Several? I mean there was a time where I had to fight a bunch of gods at a distance since I didn't have the tech from Master Jun to fight them up front."

"How many times have you had to disguise yourself?"

I raised my eyebrow.

"Disguise? Why would I need to disguise myself when I'm hidden away at a distance?"

"Hmmm. Yep. This makes sense now. Why Miss 74 has assigned to me. You've never had to blend in before, have you?"

"..."

A huge grin appeared on 75's face.

"Tomorrow morning. 0400. We're going to Millennium City. Greer & Harlick! I'm going to turn you into a nobleman worthy of such a princess like me!"

Oh god.

So this was what 74 meant by me filling in what 75 was lacking.

What kind of sick divine joke was this?!

75 continued laughing, but I could tell.

From deep under that smile of hers.

No matter how much machine Lord Slipstream and Master Jun had supplanted her body with...

Charlotte Winchester was still under there. Under all that cold hard metal and death.

And the thought of being forced to back to her roots as a noblewoman was bothering her. Just like this morning.

78-M had once told me that she believed that when someone was forced to mature fast, something would always end up breaking. One way or another, a War Doll had an inherent flaw that forced them to transition from innocent little teenage schoolgirls to hardened killers.

Whether it is through trial or tribulation that part never dies.

And now Tactical War Doll 75-M of SFA-Muon had to face hers.

* * *

"Miss Winchester! Pleasure seeing you here again! Where are the rest of the girls?" The tailor greeted 75 and me happily.

"Hello, Meredith. We'd like to see your selection for my fiancee here. We're getting M A R R I E D!!!!"

Hey.

"Oh! Wonderful! Let's see what we're working with here!" Meredith said, clasping her hands together.

Hey. Hold up.

Meredith called her coworker over, an old pudgy man, who inspected me.

"May we take your measurements, son? A man's marriage is one of the most important events of his life."

I'm not getting married, you half-wit!

"Charlotte you conniving little..." I grumbled while the man continued to take measurements.

"Ah."

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

The man looked up at me.

"Hangman? Is that you?"

"Ah fuck- I mean yeah. Yes. The things you heard are all a lie, by the way, I didn't fondle the Millennium Medusa's tits or anything."

The man chuckled.

"Son. I meant to say that I am grateful for the things you have done."

"The things...?"

The man leaned forward and put a hand on my knee.

"My name is Rudolph McIntyre."

My heart skipped a beat.

"McIntyre... as in..."

"Yes. My father... Martin McIntyre used to run a weapons shop down in Downtown. I heard he went out a hero."

"I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't protect your father, Rudolph."

"It wasn't your fault. I know you did your best to protect him. But my father was always someone who would never listen to what people would say. He would jump into a tank of alligators if it meant saving a little girl. That was just the person he was. I know because I lived with him most of my life. And from the stories he would tell after the events of Doctor Destroyer's second invasion, we always wondered. If the rumours of the Hangman were really true."

Rudolph smiled warmly.

"You bringing me back from that Demon's destruction through the Maiden's power... it cemented it. You have nothing to be ashamed of. It is an honour for me to do this for you."

My chest welled up in emotion, and we sat in silence for a few minutes while Rudolph continued taking measurements with several tools and papers.

Now it felt weird to tell him I wasn't actually getting married to that idiot!

"Your body... those scars, I reckon you didn't get them from falling off a bike or anything?"

"No."

"I figured. From everything Pop used to tell us about you... it always pains me seeing young people go through stuff like that."

I glanced at Charlotte/75-M, who was happily trying on dresses and giggling with Meredith.

"We fight for the smiles of the people."

Rudolph smiled, and for a brief second, I saw Marty, almost like a small hallucination.

The old man lived on, through his son.

Even if Rudolph wasn't a marksman like his father, there was still a bit of Marty's legacy that lived on.

"Now up and at 'em. We will have your suit prepared promptly for your wonderful marriage."

"Oh, I'm not getting married."

"..."

We stood there for a good thirty seconds before Rudolph slowly scratched the back of his head.

"Well... that's a huge relief."

"You really thought I was getting engaged to a minor! So my reputation really is still shit!!!"

"Hey now! Don't go assuming these things! I just thought your fiancee looked a little young is all!"

"There's no way I would get engaged to that little brat!!!"

Rudolph threw his head back and laughed, just like Marty used to do.

"Well. It was a pleasure speaking to you. And thank you again, for everything you've done."

I nodded, heading off, but not before Rudolph stopped me.

"Aaron."

I stopped, slowly turning around to see Rudolph saluting me.

"Keep up the good work, kid."

A grin appeared on my face.

"Always."

I returned to see 75-M pressing a turtleneck against 74-M.

"Aaron?! How are you finished so fast?!" Thalia stumbled back, upon seeing me, her face flushed red like a tomato.

"What? You've never gone to a tailor with a guy before? We do these things pretty quickly," I answered as I looked Thalia up and down.

"Lookin' good, Chief!"

Thalia looked like she was about to swallow a mouse.

"I... You... Don't you dare tell anyone outside of Muon about this!"

"I won't."

That was most definitely a lie.

Charlotte skipped next to me.

"I wonder what would suit that turtleneck. Thoughts, partner?"

"Hmm..." I put a hand to my chin, turning on my analysis eyes.

All the while, Thalia pursed her lips in embarrassment. It wasn't often that I got to mess with Seven Four like this, what with her being so uptight about everything all the time.

"Let's go for a skirt, Miss Winchester."

"Absolutely, Mister Hope. Let's make it extra short to really bring out those slender legs."

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!" 74 exclaimed, putting the turtleneck back and covering her face with her hands.

A few minutes later, 74 left the tailor with a bunch of new clothes.

"75. Dainsleif. Return to the barracks by 1600 for practice drills and PT. You may take time off right now."

"Roger."

I glanced at 75 and noticed she didn't buy anything.

"Uh, are you sure you don't wanna get anything?" I asked.

"Nope! Because you will feel obligated to carry it and I don't wanna get you to do that."

I raised my eyebrows. 75 was surprisingly considerate.

"Hey. Wanna go to the range?"

I turned to the War Doll.

"The range?"

Charlotte leaned closer to me, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Let's have a match. A sniping match. Let's see if your reputation precedes you, God-Eater! Loser pays for sundaes."

(One hour later)

"OH MAN! This Mega Sundae sure is GREAT when I'm not paying for it!" I gleamed, resting my face an inch away from the chilly bowl of sugary goodness.

"..." 75-M pouted from the other side.

I propped my feet against the bench across from me next to Charlotte, who continued pouting.

"Oh come on, it's not like you got demolished that badly. I'm actually quite surprised at your marksmanship skills; we were tied for the first half. You weren't relying on your cybernetics, were you? I could tell from the slight deviations in the bullet holes. Your shooting was human."

75-M looked up.

"Wow, you were able to tell from that distance? What's your eyesight? 40/20?"

"Apparently the doctor told me it was 80/20."

"80/20?!"

Charlotte shot to her feet.

"That's every marksman's dream! I remember when I used to grow up Dad always said someone with 60/20 vision was considered the cream of the crop for a Winchester. To know that someone exists with that level of acuity... that's superhuman! Did you train for it?"

"Sort of... By the way, were the Winchesters famed marksmen? You don't need to answer if you don't feel comfortable."

"No no. I don't mind. And yes. House Winchester is known for their marksmen. Originally, we were considered a long lineage of gold medallists in Shooting during the Olympics. That was what made us so wealthy in the first place. Dad was also a gold medallist but learned to capitalize on this by centring a business over our family name."

75-M stirred her parfait with her spoon, which had started to melt.

"My brother, Richard, hated how business-centric the Winchesters had become. And so did I. For a time, we were kinda on the same side. But the more we grew closer the more we grew apart. DD hated Winchester's business model, while I hated being a prim and proper lady. For my brother, being a Winchester meant being the best shooter possible, and so he left House Winchester and tried to revive the name on his own, while I left House Winchester by disgracing the title."

"Sorry to hear that. Was this why he joined the Dark Hounds?"

"Could be. But if DD knows I'm coming for Demon Lord Jinn, I will become a top priority for him. Because not only did I abandon the Winchesters in terms of being an Olympic class markswoman, but I also disgraced the name. The enemy now has a countermeasure for the Tactical Dolls sniper unit. Which was probably one reason why Miss 74 assigned you to me. My brother hates me."

I bit the edge of the spoon.

"I don't believe siblings truly hate each other. But then again, foster siblings probably don't count."

"Aww don't say that. I know you mean well. But DD really truly despises me. To the point of spite."

I looked out into the horizon at the flying cars in Millennium City.

"My own douchebag brother is out there. Hope I get to see 'em soon."

75 smiled at me, tilting her head.

"Then how about this? You help me with my douchebag brother, and I'll help you with yours!"

"You got a deal!"

02

A few days had passed, and with the clothes prepared for me, the day arrived for us to head to the world of Jinn.

I regrouped with SFA-Muon.

"Heya Aaron!" 75 waved at me happily, reaching for something on a bench when suddenly, 78 rushed forward and snatched it.

"GAH?!"

78 ran up to me and nervously handed me an object. I took it, realizing it was an M4A1 rifle, standard issue.

"Your rifle. We've issued you a standard one while you are still recovering from chakra and magic overuse."

"Do I need to speak some pledge or something?"

78 held back a laugh.

"No! We're not the Marine Corps. You've also already proven yourself back in our battle against the Ghosts of Tiamar. I think you're more than qualified."

"Aw, thanks. I appreciate it."

78-M brought her hands behind her back.

"Hey... I was wondering... after this deployment if you wanna go to the range with me too. Alone. You know..."

Yeah... this kid was definitely trying to ask me out.

And while I respected her efforts I had to turn her down before things got out of hand.

"Hey listen... Seven Eight, you're a wonderful girl, but-"

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" 75-M squeaked, putting distance between me and her comrade.

"You got to go to the range with Aaron, why can't I?"

"It's SO OBVIOUS why you want to go. Besides, I've already set the bar. There's no way you can beat my score at the range."

78-M's face turned murderously dark.

"We are both cybernetically enhanced, but you chose to shoot without your upgrades. All I could do is use Stance 67 and I'd blow your score out of the water."

"Oh? Then maybe I should go again and show you-"

"That's enough!" 74 walked forward and split the two apart.

"What in the world are you two doing? We're about to deploy and you're arguing over this red-eyed idiot?"

"Wow, thanks, Thalia."

"Need I remind you both, Tactical War Dolls 75-M and 78-M, that while you two are Charlotte Winchester and Riho Shinohara in Millennium City, everywhere else you are still soldiers. I will not tolerate this behaviour."

75 and 78 looked away.

Now I just felt weird. Plus I lost my chance to clear things up with 78-M before I could deploy.

"78, you will be with me and 76. 75-M and Dainsleif will establish their infiltration mission."

78's face flashed with indignation, but she hid it pretty well from 74-M.

"Yes, ma'am."

75 and I sat in our deployment zone away from the rest of Muon.

We were quiet for a bit, which was kinda awkward, but since we were already alone I might as well clarify things up with Charlotte first.

"You know... I thought I made it clear that I have no interest in dating any of you. You're all kids."

75-M pursed her lips.

"But we won't be kids forever. Three more years, and-"

"Even if you're eighteen my eyes are for Sarah only. She's coming back once we visit Chairon, and she was, and will be my fiancee."

75 looked like she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself.

"I... sorry. I lost composure a bit. What's gotten into me... we used to be all focused and everything but now look at what I'm doing. Arguing with my cell units..."

"It's fine. As long as we're clear on this."

75-M crossed her legs as the Shadows surrounded us.

Preparing to transport Auxiliary Shadow M75 and Outer Shadow Dainsleif to the deployment zone. Stand by.

"Love is dangerous for people like us. I know that more than anyone."

"..."

"But even so... I can't accept this. I will forever be loyal to both Sergeant Hellion and the Black Legion Organization, but even just for a little bit... I would endure wall cleaning for months if I could even experience it just a bit."

"Millennium City... you could live your life still there."

"But it isn't enough. I'm so sorry for sounding ungrateful, after everything you did for us, Aaron. But... once you're exposed to a little bit of a life that you were denied, you're naturally going to want to experience more. It's the nature of deprivation. I already have to put up with the fact that I will never age in this body. And that I'm not even human. And that I am basically half machine. In a way..."

75-M leaned back, smiling at me.

"I think this mission is almost like a treat for me. Even if it is just pretend, I can experience a life where I have a man. Just for a bit, Aaron, can you play along? For me? Please?"

* * *

The plan that we had devised involved infiltrating the kingdom of Trellis under the guise of a nobleman and noblewoman couple. Through the infiltration, 75-M could acquire the necessary information to plan her assassinations. This was the main thing she was trying to show me, and one of the biggest things I had neglected to acknowledge in my history of sniping.

As a sniper, it was important to understand the environment and the behaviour of one's target. Especially if everything banks on the success of a single shot.

This was the way that it was taught by Inner Shadow Slipstream, which was then passed on to me through Tactical War Doll 75-M.

"Sir Chestershire and Lady Chestershire, we look forward to you both at the Grand Ball of Jinn!" A Demon welcomed us into the entrance of the ball.

???

What the hell was I supposed to say?

"It is our pleasure to attend such a gathering. House Chestershire is greatly honoured to make Lord Jinn's acquaintance," 75-M bowed, her dress shimmering in the light.

For a split second, I found myself mesmerized by how elegant and graceful this BL freak was. It was almost completely out of character, and that was because it was.

The level of disguise Charlotte was able to achieve was incredible. And for the first time in my life, it was like I was seeing a full-on Winchester in 75-M.

"Smile and back straight," 75 instructed me.

I did as I was told while 75 led me by the arm. We had a prosthetic attached to my missing right side to avoid suspicion from the Demon King Army.

"Have you analyzed the behaviours of the nobles around you?" Charlotte whispered.

"Yeah. I'll mimic them."

"Good. But mimicking isn't enough. Most, if not all of the nobles here, are trained to uphold manners since birth. If you make even the slightest mistake, they will know."

"You know, I kinda like you like this."

"Oh, can it!"

We continued to socialize, and through this, we were able to extract crucial intel on the scheduling and movement patterns of the guests. But by the fifth hour, I could feel my jaw hurt from all the talking, and 75 noticed.

"Let's go outside."

I followed Winchester out the balcony, overlooking the expanse of medieval fantasy buildings.

"Damn! Never thought this would end!" I stretched my arm.

Charlotte smiled gently.

"I had fun! Though you could probably tell I was lying if I said I enjoyed being a noble again."

I scratched the back of my head.

"So do you do this every single time? Like espionage and blending in?"

75 shrugged her shoulders.

"Not all the time. But it doesn't hurt to witness their behavioral patterns firsthand even if a file has information. It is easier to retain information through experience than through some words on a page. No matter how much fanfictions I read it will never trump seeing a guy kabedon another guy."

Where the hell did the last part come from?!

I glanced at 75's hair, which had been dyed blonde and braided in almost like a circle around her head.

She really did look like a noble.

"I catch you looking...!"

"Geh!"

"Let's head back. Miss 74 has provided us with the rest of the evening before curfew. Let's try to make the best use of it."

"Sounds good."

We were about to head back when suddenly something caught the corner of my vision.

"Aaron? What is it?"

I paused.

Something in the distance. I thought I saw movement in the distance.

"I can't make it out, but... I thought I saw someone."

75 quickly approached my position.

"Initiating Stance 82 - "Bloodhound Protocol."

"Blood-what?"

Suddenly, 75-M's eyes turned red, glowing as her body started to steam. The War Doll got on her knees as if she was tracking something like a hunter.

"Elevated heart rate, adrenaline. Metabolic processes indicate distress and injuries. What you just saw was likely a prisoner being attacked. I think it might be an Elven species."

"What in the flipping ducks was that?!"

Charlotte stood up, her eyes reverting back to normal.

"Huh? Have you never seen us use our Stance Protocols before?"

"Umm... no? You looked like a damn Terminator! Do all the Dolls have this?"

"Yep! But we don't use it often. Sometimes our Protocols can leave behind cybernetic trails for tactical fighters to locate us. Anyway, I think what's going on is they're trading slaves."

I clenched my teeth.

"I kinda want to rescue them."

"This isn't in our protocol."

"What difference does it make if we're gonna end up blowing this whole Demon King nation to kingdom come anyway? Let's try to at least do some good. When the Demon Lord army is destroyed these prisoners will end up in the crossfire."

75-M contemplated for a bit.

"Okay. Fine. But only because it's you, Aaron-dearest."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that nickname."

As the two of us sneaked down the slope entering the forest, we could hear the sounds of several voices.

"These slaves are usually worthy 10 juons apiece. If we can bid the females at the ball we can earn even more."

"Chief, do you think we can keep some for ourselves?"

"What? The slaves?"

"Yeah. Whole lotta messed up shit I got in mind for those honeys!"

"Tone it down! They got us listen' here. Don't need you being all down bad for everyone to hear."

I could hear the sounds of whimpering from within the cage as one of the male elves made a disgusted grunt.

"You people are worse than trash!"

"What was that? Say that again, long ears."

Scuffles ensued as 75 and I managed to sneak behind a bush, witnessing the slave boy who had spoken against the captors get beaten viciously. All of the elves looked severely malnourished and dirty. The males were wearing rags, but the females...

The females were barely wearing anything. Their bodies were covered in cuts and bruises and were exposed intentionally.

Rage filled my chest as I reached for my rifle.

"Dainsleif, you need to calm yourself. Irrationality is not the way to approach these things," 75 said, putting a hand on mine.

"Doesn't this piss you off? I say we take down the slave trader on the far side with a suppression shot, masking it with the pattern of their footsteps. Then the both of us can dispatch the others in sequence so we can avoid alerting-"

"We won't kill anyone."

"What?!"

75-M turned to me with a serious expression.

"Not yet."

"This plan is sound."

"That isn't the point. If the rest of Muon were here, we would probably have done something very similar to what you suggested. Your plan is solid, but that was if we aimed to go for the kill right away. What do you think would happen if we killed those traders and let those elves go loose? Would that alert other guards? What if this was a peace offering between nations? This will put the nation on high alert and screw over the plans of the other SFA Task Force. We need to think about how our actions will ripple amongst the enemy and how it affects the environment."

I watched the elven boy get beaten, clenching my fist so hard that blood began to leak.

"I can't bear to watch this."

75-M ignored me, as we continued huddling behind cover.

"Hey. Garen. Here's your chance."

To my surprise, another boy emerged from the darkness. Unlike the other human slave traders... his ears were pointy.

"G- Garen..." The boy muttered.

Garen approached the fellow elf with a bow in his hand. His eyes were absolutely terrified.

"Come on, Garen. You were gonna be a Hero, were you not? Now's your chance to use your bow, after complaining all your life for not being able to use it!"

Garen clenched his teeth.

"B- But... but they're innocent. They're-"

"What was that? Just because they've got fucked up ears like yours doesn't mean jack shit to us. They're property and merchandise. Remember. It was YOU who chose to defect from the elves. Who was the little runt who was begging for a job after barely starving to death? You're gonna bite back the hand that fed you? Is that it?"

"No! I... I can't... I just can't murder them. I resent them but-"

A larger man grabbed Garen by the throat and wrist and forced him to cock the bow.

"Do it. DO IT."

"DO IT YOU LITTLE BITCH!"

"KILL HIM!"

Shouting ensued, as Garen began shaking in fear, pointing the bow to the boy.

I turned to 75-M.

"Garen is gonna kill that kid! Are we really not gonna do anything?"

"I never said that."

"Huh?!"

75-M smirked, putting her hand to her throat.

"Initiating Stance 19 - 'Chameleon Protocol'."

GRRRR.... ROAAAAR...

What.

The.

Fuc-

"What was that?!"

"Was that a Death Boar?"

"It sounded like a big one. We need to get out of there!"

"What about the elves?"

"Screw them! No amount of money is worth getting trampled by one of those monsters!"

I could hear the rest of the men run away, but Garen fell to his knees, his face pale and eyes wide in fear.

From between his feet, a puddle of liquid had formed.

All the while, 75-M continued making growling noises with her cybernetic upgrade until the traders were gone.

The two of us emerged from the bushes.

"Hiya!" 75-M said.

"Hey, wonderful weather for a stroll huh," I muttered.

Garen blinked.

"What... who... what's going on..."

75 and I helped the slave up.

"Hey man, do you guys need anything immediately? You're all in terrible shape," I said.

The boy glared at Garen, who remained petrified.

"How about you kill that traitor for us?"

Garen looked away, clenching his teeth, but 75-M ignored him and reached for the bars.

"Hmm. Magically reinforced. Oh well."

RIP.

Everybody stared at the War Doll as she tore the steel bars with her bare hands.

"We're from the Chestershires. You're all safe now."

Yeah, real covert there, 75.

I sat the slave down, but before we could do anything, another slave from within the cart ran up to Garen and slapped him in the face.

"Traitor."

Garen remained motionless, as the rest of the slaves remained in the cage. They were too petrified to come out.

"You guys... this is your chance to escape," I told the slaves, but one of the captives shook her head.

"No. We cannot escape. He will find us. The Kingdom of Jinn has some of the best trackers in the world. No matter how many times someone breaks us out of the traders we will just wind up in here again. Only our torment will worsen."

I glared at Garen, my hand inching toward my handgun which was still concealed in my suit pocket.

"You would join the scumbags who caused your own people this much suffering? I've never seen such a spineless little shit in my life."

Garen turned around and ran away, but before I could pull out my firearm, 75 grabbed my shoulder.

"Don't."

"But-"

"We've meddled enough. This is as far as we can do."

I watched the War Doll face the horizon from where the captors had fled.

"The captors were low rank. These flunkies were tasked with moving these slaves, therefore the slaves here were likely of little to no value by the organization they were working for."

"Then what do we do?"

"Leave us. The captors will return," one of the elves said, dejectedly.

"What?!" I replied.

"Aaron. We will come for them another time but now is not the time. You're being too brash again," 75 said.

I clenched my teeth, as I followed 75 back to the castle.

I understood why 75 wanted me to withdraw, but a part of me refused to accept it. If there was someone that needed help, I felt compelled to take action. Who wouldn't? But after living with the War Dolls for so long, things that I originally thought were second nature or common sense had become attributed to irrationality.

To make calls like this in the future...

Recognizing emotion from morals...

Was this what it took to be a true soldier fit for Tiamar?

* * *

The next morning, 75 and I visited a nearby town, where we stopped by a pub-like restaurant.

"Pop quiz time!" Charlotte said, cheerfully.

"How could you still be so cheerful after what happened last night?!"

75 put her fork on the table.

"Last night, how many surveillance spells could you detect?"

I stared at the War Doll from the other side of the table.

"What?"

75 rested her head against the palm of her hand.

"How many of those captors were bugged?"

I thought back to our encounter last night. The captors were too busy speaking misogynistic crap so ordinarily it would have been easy to completely forget about analyzing them. After all, they pissed me off to the point where I wanted to bust their caps with my weapons.

However, analyzing my environment was always second nature.

"Six of them had some complex communications unit that was embedded in their gear. I could see it from the folds of their leather hide."

"Mmhm. Second question."

75-M leaned forward.

"What kind of coms unit do you think they were? Visual or audio?"

My eyebrows raised.

"I... I couldn't tell."

The War Doll leaned back in her seat, with a smug look on her face.

"Hehe! I gotcha! It was a trick question - I wouldn't have been able to tell either."

"I'm gonna yank at your pigtails when we get back."

"Meanie! But you know... I didn't need to. Because I already knew. It was an audio-type communications unit embedded with coms magic. Visual magic branches from the Aspectum Tree and is one of the harder branches. Remember how I said that these guys were low-class flunkies? The way that one guy shut the other guy up when he went on his disgusting rant about those female elves?"

"Wow. I... I never thought of it like that. I've always had to do inference in the past, but this is to a whole other level."

"When you're sniping, the first thing you need to do is make inferences. Then from those inferences, you need to be able to support those claims with evidence. This was why I was able to bend those bars without any hesitation. Even if someone were to call me out, either the elves or the flunkies would not be taken seriously."

75-M giggled, getting up.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Make sure no one steals my handbag!"

"Okay."

I watched 75-M leave, as I was left alone in the pub. My brain had already started analyzing and assessing the environment. From the exits to the entrances. Escape routes, and potential attack points if an assault or assassination were to take place.

"So. You're who they sent to try to cover her ass, I presume."

I spun around in surprise to see a man sitting across from me.

"Uh, that seat's taken."

"So?"

My hand inched toward my handgun.

"Can I ask you to find another seat?"

"I don't see the problem. After all, that seat was reserved for a Winchester, right? I'm sure I can fill that role."

My eyes widened as I pulled out my handgun, but to my shock, the barrel of another was pointed straight at me from within the folds of the man's clothes.

"I know you. The God-Eater. The legend of the Black Legion Organization who is only ever useful when he isn't recovering or injured. But judging from how none of your fabled weapons are on you, I take it you are exactly that. Recovering and injured. For a hitman of the gods, you sure are... amateurish."

Richard Winchester leaned closer, his eyes were as cold as ice and his green hair illuminated from the lights of the pub in a manner that was the complete opposite of his sister's.

"You don't have chakra. You don't have magic. All you are is a man who's a little bit talented. But you know what they say? When everybody's got something special, no one is. Your appeal was being able to fight at a prowess rivalling that of a Special Forces Operative since age twelve. Well, what do you know? So could I. And so could my disgrace of a sister despite abandoning the Winchester name."

I gritted my teeth.

"If you wanna fight, then let's do it outside. If you're so confident that you can beat me as I am now, then let's settle it here and now."

The Dark Hound operative smiled, revealing several shark-like teeth. Even his teeth were modified to be killing tools. This kid... was hardcore to the bone.

"No. There's no reason to fight. I'm a little curious too. After all, I'm someone who has quite a morbid curiosity. They dispatched Char despite knowing her connection with me and the definite possibility of us having knowledge of their sniper unit. This means the organization that sent you guys is specifically trying to test you. If this mission is a game to them, then it is a game to me. Let's see who can play it better, Outer Shadow Dainsleif."

I examined the brother of 75-M. He definitely wasn't bluffing. Judging from the way he moved and the way he was constantly alert, it really did feel like he had been trained since a young age, which was consistent with what 75 had told me.

Added to the fact that he kept going on and on about how his sister was a disgrace, I guess he probably already deduced that I did care about Charlotte.

He was trying to use this against me to rile me up and make me lose focus.

But...

When it came to stuff like this, I also knew a few things about him.

He didn't want to start a fight early, but he overstepped with his attempt at verbal warfare. The more he tried to lash at his sister, the more he was revealing something that maybe he didn't want to admit.

"If you're trying to play mind games on me, don't bother. I'm already used to it, from your sister. Who's way better at it than you, by the way."

Irritation flashed on Richard's face.

"Are you trying to antagonize a Dark Hound?"

"You're irritated."

"I am not. I couldn't care less. Not you, nor that disgrace."

"I didn't bring her up."

I gently placed my handgun on the table, spinning it as the metal slid against the wooden surface.

"You don't wanna fight me? That's fine. But just so you know, when we first met, Charlotte was expected to try to take me down, and she did it without hesitation. Using the mission and playing the narrative that you 'don't care' is a sorry excuse for getting cold feet."

SLAM.

Richard rushed forward, foot on the table as he aimed the barrel of his gun to my head, but I had already grabbed it and brought my face close to his.

"The Winchesters you're so proud of was in the past. I'd rather be with the Winchester who's into freaky BL novels than some insecure little prick like you."

"You have no idea who you're messing with. This multiverse is vast. There's plenty of people just like you."

"Then that's a lot of people who can kick your ass, yet you're still here trying to fan your ego?"

Richard tried to yank his gun out of my grip but froze in realization.

"What... what is this strength?"

"You also made another mistake. I don't have magic. But I still have access to a little bit of chakra."

I closed my grip, white cracks appearing on his handgun as the barrel warped. I pushed the Hound back and reached for my handgun, but stopped myself.

If I started a scene now...

I'd mess up the operations of the SFA Company. I had to keep a cool head.

Richard stumbled back, hatred plastered all over his face.

"Trust me. When we meet again... under different circumstances, not only is Charlotte's head on the plate. So is yours."

Winchester turned around and was about to leave, but stopped for a few more seconds.

"One more thing."

I glared at the Dark Hound.

"What?"

"I wouldn't go assuming I'm just any other 'Special Forces Operative'. You said it yourself from the expression on your face. You know I'm the real deal. After all..."

Richard flashed his shark teeth once more.

"You didn't even see me coming when Sis left, did you?"

My heart skipped a beat.

He noticed.

Normally, I wouldn't have been able to have someone infiltrate my concentration like that. Earlier, when Richard had taken 75's seat, it was like he had appeared out of thin air. I completely didn't notice him at all.

To be able to conceal himself in public already spoke volumes to his abilities.

But to be able to conceal himself from me of all people despite being in my general field of view...

"I'm looking forward to our showdown. I'll show you what a true Winchester is capable of... God-Eater."

I sat in silence, glaring at the crowd as Richard had slipped out of my vision once more.

Completely leaving without a trace.

He had evaded me again.

75 and I left the pub and walked down the street.

As I looked around, all I could see were innocent civilians. Even if they were Demon and Monsterkind in nature, they still tended to their business like normal people. A part of me was starting to feel regret for what we were going to do to their nation.

"Hey! That's the kid who shattered our windows and stole from our shops! Someone stop him!" A voice shouted from afar.

I could hear the sounds of frantic footsteps from what I could guess to be a young child.

"Huh. I could have sworn I heard these types of footsteps before..." I muttered.

"A thief stealing when it isn't even dark yet? Makes me think they don't do this often!" 75-M remarked when suddenly, the kid rounded the corner and just about plowed into 75.

Unfortunately, the outcome of this would not be the classic bumping into your childhood crush rom-com style scene, because the moment the kid was about to make contact with 75, the War Doll immediately shifted her weight, knocking the boy off balance and sending him into the pavement.

"Ouch!" The kid gasped as he stared at 75, who had her hands in her pockets with a nonchalant look on her face.

75-M smiled, causing the kid to get to his feet frantically, but I stepped in his way.

"Move!"

"Then make me, thief."

The kid growled and tried to swing at me with his knife, but in one motion, I had already drawn my handgun.

Trigrams Six Hands Combination Style: QUICKDRAW

SNIP.

The knife flew out of his hands. The boy quickly reached behind his back and took aim, but the hood on his head had already slipped off, revealing a familiar-looking elf boy.

"Garen? Garen! You son of a- after the humiliation of yesterday you still didn't learn your lesson?!" I snarled, stepping forward, but 75-M made a squeaking sound.

"No! Why would you say that?!"

"Huh?! What do you mean?!"

Garen stared at the two of us.

"Are you... the Chestershires?"

Oh.

I forgot we were out of our disguises.

Oops.

Garen continued staring until 75-M stepped in front of him and ripped the bow out of his hands.

"If you're going to hesitate, you shouldn't be in this line of work."

Garen's nose scrunched up in frustration.

"I don't need to hear that from you. You're the same age as me, what could you possibly know about taking lives?"

75-M tilted her head.

"And did you? Did you take any lives?"

"..."

I closed my eyes.

"Why are you doing this, Garen? Your own people. You backstabbed them and had the audacity to look upon them while they were in their cages. Now you're trying for petty crime. I've never seen such a failure of a kid before. Where even are your parents?"

"THEY'RE DEAD," Garen snapped, catching me by surprise. 75-M looked at the elven boy with an expressionless face.

"Do you think I wanted to do this? To do ANY of this? I never asked to be a criminal! But... but if it means being whatever it takes to survive, then I'll do it. A traitor if I need to be. What do any of you know? What do you know? Huh?"

Garen clenched his fists, breathing frantically.

"I never asked for any of this. I'm supposed to... to... to have the time of my life at this age, and that's been ripped away from me. NO ONE is allowed to judge me for my choices. NOBODY. I've been thrust into a life that I didn't ask-"

SLAP.

Time seemed to slow to a halt, as Garen stumbled back, the sound of 75-M's slap still reverberating in the air.

The green bangs on 75-M's hair cast a shadow across her eyes, nearly concealing them, but the lower part of her face said it all.

I had never seen 75-M act so seriously before... aside from when she was sniping, or teaching. This... this was different. It was like witnessing a side of her I had never seen.

"Ask this. Ask that. Boo hoo. You were forced to grow a little faster than other people. And? That's your justification for being a criminal?"

Garen clutched his cheek in complete shock.

"You-"

"You're coming back with us."

"HUH?!" Garen and I said at the same time.

75-M narrowed her eyes, her face flashing with murderous intent.

"For one thing, it isn't safe when you have a bunch of angry shopkeepers after you. Secondly, you sound like nobody has given you a reality check, considering that slap has gotten you all rubbery. And thirdly, there's something about you that REALLY ticks me off. I'm going to use that to my advantage."

The War Doll approached the Elven Boy.

"You're going to tell me everything you know about the Dark Hounds. After all. The criminal organization you're working under... it's run by him, isn't it?

"You're working for Richard Winchester."

03

"Let me go! You two have nothing to do with the Elven people! Do you have any idea how much trouble you'll be in if House Chestershire finds out you're involved in the Dark Hound underground?!"

Garen continued struggling in his binds, but 75-M paid him no attention, dragging a stool and sitting in front of him with menacing eyes.

"The captors you worked with, are you all assigned into individual platoons?"

Garen glared at Charlotte.

"I'll tell you NOTHING."

I watched nervously as 75-M narrowed her eyes.

"You will tell me everything. Because whether you want to say it out loud or not, I will get my information one way or another. You've never fired a bow before, and when asked to execute one of your own kind, you froze. The more experienced a criminal is, the more they can fake their fear. But you have little to no veil in yours. Turn back and do the right thing before it's too late."

Garen struggled again.

"Turn back... and go where? I have nowhere to go home to. This is the life I have to live."

"If that is so, then so be it. But crime isn't something you can do half-assed. Besides, you getting captured is already enough for your platoon to have abandoned you. Regardless of what you think, these people have already forgotten about you."

"BULLSHIT! They will come looking for me. I swear to you-"

"They will come looking for you, and they will kill you."

Garen's teeth clenched tightly, and beads of sweat ran down his face.

"What... what makes you so sure..."

75-M got up and reached behind her handbag, pulling out a small box.

Upon opening it in front of Garen, the kid's eyes widened in terror.

"What in the... what is THAT?!"

"You know what these are. They are exactly what you think they are."

Garen heaved, a gag surfacing from his throat as he lurched forward, but nothing came out.

Even I was unnerved.

Inside that box...

Were severed fingers.

"The previous owner of these appendages was let go with a 'slight warning'. All he did was let himself be captured for three minutes. Each minute was one finger cut off. The boy didn't once spill a single ounce of information, but just being held captive was enough for his higher-ups to make the call to make sure he would never dare get captured again. How long do you think it has been since you've been caught by us?"

75-M flipped open a military knife and inched the blade closer to Garen's fingers.

"One minute. Five minutes. Ten minutes. That scuffle alone the other night with the elves. That would have been enough to sever every single finger on your hands if your captors were merciful. Assuming you had the willpower to keep your trap shut."

Garen continued sweating.

"Winchester... I've never once seen him. He's a higher-up so high up that some lowly grunt like me would have thought he was an urban legend. He's the one orchestrating the whole slave trade. I... I'm just trying to survive is all. That's all there is."

"And your platoon?"

"Twenty-six of us... we're tasked with one group of slaves. If we lose them, we get a guy to track them down for us. We all get flogged but that's it. I... I've told you all I know. So please... please let me go."

75-M raised an eyebrow.

"Let you go... where exactly?"

"Just let me go free! I'm begging you! I won't do crime ever again but I need to be let-"

SMASH.

75-M slammed her fist against the stone slab, cracking it.

Garen's face turned white as a ghost.

"What... what in the world are you..."

"You're still hiding something from me. Where exactly do you need to be such that you want to rush this?"

"I... I can't say."

75-M's hands inched toward her knife. That posture... it was a knife-throwing stance.

Before anyone could even register what had happened, the blade of the knife suddenly appeared on the other side of the room. Embedded within it, was a communications device.

"Now you can."

"It... it doesn't concern you-"

SCUFF. RUFFLE.

75-M shot to her feet and lifted Garen into the air with one arm, slamming him onto the surface of the table. With her other hand outstretched, the handle of the combat blade returned to its user.

"If you want so badly to be dissociated from the elven people, I can help with that. The ears are what gives it away, right?"

"No... NO! PLEASE! DON'T!"

Garen began struggling, but 75-M's enhanced cybernetic strength overpowered the boy, pinning him down.

The combat blade was getting closer to the root of his ear.

"75, stop! What are you doing?!" I exclaimed, completely taken aback by Charlotte's sudden demeanour.

The killing wasn't anything new to the War Dolls. After all, on my first day, I had witnessed 74 shoot a pregnant Fury without any hesitation.

But for some reason...

Seeing 75-M do it felt even worse.

I had never seen 75-M do interrogations before. She had once interrogated me, but it was always in a joking cutesy way. It was one of those things that you would be aware of on paper, but in practice, it may well have been something I had seen for the first time.

The extents that 75 would go to, to acquire information...

The coldheartedness of someone like this...

"NO! NO!!! PLEASE!"

"TELL ME WHERE YOU'RE GOING," 75-M growled, her voice changing into something demonic. Evil. I assumed her Chameleon Protocol was initiated, but it didn't make it any less disturbing.

"I can't... I CAN'T! HE'LL KILL THEM!"

EITHER HE WILL KILL THEM, OR I WILL, GAREN.

"S- Stop... STOP! Don't cut! Don't cut!"

GAREN OF HOUSE TREVYALEN, WHO DESERTED HIS PEOPLE. YOU HAVE THE FACE OF A BOY WHOSE LOVED ONES ARE HELD HOSTAGE. FORCED TO COMMIT CRIME YOU DID NOT WANT. THE EXCHANGE WAS FOR YOURSELF TO BE CAUGHT ON PURPOSE. BUT WHAT WAS THE EXCHANGE FOR.

Garen screamed, sobbing and flailing until it all came out.

"YOU'RE RIGHT! You're right! I... I was forced to commit those crimes. To steal. To be caught. They needed to send a message to the people. As a warning that we existed! I was just a precursor. The exchange was to let half of the slaves in our platoon go in exchange for me being executed. The people in that half... I was promised would include my brother."

75-M let Garen go, who sprawled on the ground, his face dejectedly lowered.

"I know I'm probably one of the most pathetic guys you've ever met. All my life I wanted to be a Hero. That was what my mother had told me, stories of the great Elf Hero Kadan. But I could never fill that role. I'm... I'm just a failure. And ever since the Demons, led by Richard Winchester raided our village, I was forced to do something so horrible. I can never be redeemed. I know that much. Forget being like Kadan, I can never consider myself an Elf. The... the best I can do is let myself get crucified in front of everyone, in the most horrible, gruesome death possible to atone and let even half of the people go free."

Several seconds passed. Silence ensued until 75-M turned around and left the room, leaving just me and Garen alone.

I took a deep breath.

"So they got you to do all that. I'm guessing for their entertainment, to force a guy to turn on his people and be spit on."

Garen's dejected face confirmed it.

I glanced at the door where 75-M had entered.

"The person behind all this is Winchester, right? If I take him down, the elves go free?"

"There is no guarantee of that. Even if we go free, someone else would probably try to take us. Of all the races, the elven are known to be the most physically weak. After all, you've never seen us use anything but bows before."

"..."

I got up and reached for the door, but Garen stopped me.

"Mister... you're not seriously thinking about going against a Dark Hound right? Those guys... they're monsters."

I thought back to what 75-M had lectured me about. If I killed Richard Winchester, family matters aside and the awkwardness with 75-M aside, would that really end the suffering of the elven?

Propagation and ripple effects... this was something I had neglected to realize in the past and was something Charlotte was trying to get me to understand.

The solution had to be more permanent. What was the point of killing Winchester if someone else took his place?

"I'll think about it," I replied, opening the door.

I found 75-M by the balcony, staring into the distance.

"So... I guess Garen's going to start having nightmares about you from now on," I joked.

No response.

"Um... Charlotte?"

75-M turned around, a blank look on her face.

"Did that unsettle you?"

"Any more than Seven Six's raging episodes? Not really... I guess."

"You know you can't lie to someone like me."

I gritted my teeth.

"Yeah. That was... messed up. I know Tactical Dolls do what they need to do to complete the mission, but what would have happened if Garen had not spilled the info? Would you really have cut off his ears and killed his family?"

I watched as 75-M took out a can of hairspray and sprayed it all over her head, turning its natural green to a platinum blonde, the same colour as the one she had used to disguise herself as Charlotte Chestershire.

"Sometimes I really hate being a sniper. I always considered myself a free spirit... but as you can see, sniping isn't just learning to sit in the distance and shoot the enemy at long range. That's the fun part. But every job has an unfun part. The interrogations... the lying... the blending in. This is all stuff they don't tell you in war movies."

"You're not normally this aggressive, are you? Something about Garen made you act beyond how you usually act in interrogations. You uh... can tell me to stop if you want."

75-M put the can away, gazing at her reflection in the mirror.

"Yep... Garen... really pissed me off. From the beginning, seeing him freeze up with that bow, I found myself feeling quite riled up. But I didn't really understand why, until he uttered something that made me snap."

I watched the War Doll approach the mirror, running her hands across her hair and braiding it like a princess.

"When you were in Lord Evangelion's core... you faced it, didn't you?"

"Faced it?"

"Your past demons. Avara... and June."

"..."

75-M tilted her head to the side, inspecting her braided hairstyle from the mirror. She looked so much like royalty... it was like I was looking at a completely different person.

"Your earlier suspicions and worries were correct, Aaron. I am, truly, utterly, terrified of facing my brother."

"Charlotte..."

"Stepping back into the shoes of a noble. Interrogations as a noble. Lying as a noble. Killing as a noble. It was easy to do all these things when I was anything else, but no one is born a killer. Every person needs a trigger to put them in that headspace."

75-M reached for her knife and inspected the blade.

"When Inner Shadow Evangelion interrogated each and every one of us, you probably heard from Miss 74 that every Doll had to face the death of their parents. Every Doll had to be forced to kill. To accept that mindset. And each and every Doll ultimately froze on the spot, leading to their original bodies being destroyed."

"Yeah."

75-M smiled, staring at the ceiling as she plopped onto the bed.

"I was the only person in Muon to have passed the test."

A chill ran down my spine.

"So you're saying... you're saying that..."

"I was a killer, from day one. There was no reason for me to be tested. I already had what it took to be a murderer. Because that was how I was raised. House Winchester wasn't just a family line of Olympians. We were a lineage of assassins."

75-M was the best interrogator in all of the SFA Regiment. I had my suspicions, but for the longest time, I always wondered why she was such an oddball.

Even if there were some girls who were a cut above the rest, they all received the same training. It didn't make sense for 75-M to be this far of an outlier from the rest of the War Dolls.

"I can interrogate and snipe. I can kill and fight. But as long as I was not doing this as a Winchester, then that was fine. To lie as a Winchester, by being prim and proper, I essentially would be accepting the side of me that I despised. When Evangelion forced me to kill, I shot Daddy right in the head. Without hesitation. But only right then and there, did I realize what I had done. What I always was. The horror behind this realization was what made me fail that day, despite passing the first part."

75-M laughed gently.

"Seeing Garen... you probably thought I was mad because it reminded me of myself. But no. It reminded me... of what I wished I could have been. It reminded me of the others. My classmates... my friends... my sisters in the SFA. They were never killers. They were innocent little girls. But I am not. Garen is everything that I wanted, but can never be. No matter how much I yearn for it."

I watched as 75's knife hand began to tremble.

"DD is proud of his Winchester name. He's proud of being messed up. But I hate it... so much. I don't know if I can complete this operation, because I will be completing it, not as Tactical War Doll 75-M, but as Lady Charlotte of House Winchester."

Pat.

"Huh?" 75-M said, startled, as I put my hand on hers.

"But that's why I'm here, right?"

The War Doll faced me, surprise on her face. I continued.

"74 assigned me to you. She knew all along, what you were going through. After all, she's the Chief War Doll of SFA-M, right? This job isn't for just you. It's for the two of us. Us BFF's gotta stick together, ya know?"

I reached out and flicked 75 on the forehead.

"Owie!"

"Stupid girl. There's also one more thing you got wrong. You never once did this as a Winchester. You're on a mission for SFA, are you not? We're here together, fighting as Muon and Dainsleif. Not Winchester and Hope. Defeating Dick Douche, if anything, is an indicator that you are above what you set yourself out to be."

75 put her hands to her forehead, pouting.

But a smile slowly formed on her face.

"You know what? You're right! I'm Tactical War Doll 75-M!"

"Hell yeah!"

"The best interrogator and sniper of SFA Muon!"

"Yeah!"

"And the fiancee of the best Outer Shadow of the Black Legion Organization!"

"Yeah- wait what?"

75 threw her arms around me as I tried to pry her off.

"Thanks, Aaron-dearest. I can see why Auxiliary Shadow Ultear was so attached to you. You're a good man. Once I find a boy around my age, I'll treat him like a prince, just like you!"

* * *

"Move it, long ears."

"Ouch! You don't need to kick me in the backside..." Garen grumbled.

"Shut it. I did not permit you to speak."

What was all that about treating a boy your age like a prince? What kind of prince was this?

75-M crossed her arms, overlooking the distance.

"So where are these so-called captors?"

"We're supposed to meet at the plaza before sunrise."

"Any idea what we're dealing with?"

Garen pursed his lips.

"A large berserker and a tactical sniper. They're a pair, known as the Spear and Shield. They're not on the level of a Dark Hound... but these guys... rumour has it that they once fought an entire fortress full of human soldiers and slaughtered them."

I loaded up my rifle with a magazine.

"I can take the berserker. Charlotte can take the sniper."

75-M gripped her rifle and eyed the plaza.

"They will be wary. We need to make them suspicious of at most, one mid-range fighter. This plan is sound. I've performed this strategy hundreds of times without fail."

I didn't doubt that at all, given her history as both an assassin and a Tactical War Doll.

However... there was just one problem.

One VERY big problem. In the form of a fifteen-year-old elven boy.

Garen slowly raised his hand.

"Umm... what about me?"

"You're the bait."

"Gods no!" Garen shot to his feet, his face incredulous.

75-M stared at the boy with a look I didn't think she ever made since I met her.

"Huh?"

"Why do I have to be bait? We're going to take the fight to them, right? I should at least be able to join the fight too. Let me use my bow!"

"No way!"

"Why?!"

75-M angrily grabbed Garen's bow.

"You're a liability! You'll just mess with the plan!"

"Give it back! It's mine! Stop thinking I'll screw everything up. I'd rather take orders from Aaron than you!"

"EXCUSE ME?!" 75-M squeaked, her face bright red in frustration.

"This is why I hate working with boys! You're all just a bunch of egotistical maniacs! You'd throw the whole squad under the bus if it means looking cool!"

Garen and 75-M brought their faces close to each other, seething and growling like feral animals.

"Guys..." I said.

"And what's with those braids anyway? Do you change your hairstyle every single day or something?"

"It's my disguise! I need it for my mission!"

"It looks silly. The Elven do better braids than whatever sorry excuse that is."

"WHAT?! I don't need to hear that from someone like you! A boy of all people."

"Well, it's the truth. If you think that would fly by Elven standards, I should introduce you to the rest of my people. You'd be a bigger laughing stock than me, and that's saying a lot considering who I am!"

"You must have a death wish coming if you think I'm just going to let that fly!"

...

I grabbed 75-M and Garen by their heads using my arm and artificial arm.

"Owowowowow!" 75-M and Garen squealed.

"Are you two done flirting? The enemy is here."

"WE ARE NOT FLIRTING!" 75 and Garen growled at the same time. Both of them were red as tomatoes.

"The boy... is not here," A gruff man's voice said from the corner of my vision.

"Ah," I muttered.

75-M grabbed Garen by the collar and shook him so hard his head wobbled like a bobblehead.

"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE! Get in position! Say you showed up late!"

Garen took off running, waving his hands frantically at the Shield.

"Sorry! I- I got distracted by someone. I'm here now."

The Shield examined Garen.

"What were you doing?"

"I... I had some weirdo hit on me. She was so clingy, and wouldn't shut up about how good her braids were when in reality it looked like she had gone through it with a weedwacker. Total bitch by the way."

I nervously looked at 75, who clenched her teeth.

"Why that little...! He needs to act more desperate. Why isn't he acting desperate?!"

The Shield leaned closer to Garen.

"You smell of overconfidence, Elf. You are hiding something from me."

Garen's face paled, as 75-M nearly dropped her rifle out of exasperation.

"Garen! Garen! Your face!" 75-M mouthed from within cover.

Garen glanced at 75-M, who was making gestures to show a defeated expression.

"Ah! No! I'm not at all confident. It's not like I have you know, powerful allies or anything."

"That idiot!" 75-M cried out.

My finger drew closer to my rifle's trigger.

The plan was to lure them in, both the Shield and the Spear. We located the Shield easily enough, but we still had no idea where the Spear was.

Garen having the P Hub level of acting was seriously not doing us any favours here, and I could tell 75-M was about to explode from frustration.

"You are planning something, aren't you, Elf? Then I wonder... if your plan accounts for your death here and now!"

Garen yelped, as the Shield lifted his greatsword above his head.

"Forget the plan! Garen's going to die!" I snarled, taking aim with my rifle and shooting the Shield square in the face.

PING.

"Ping?"

The bullet ricochet'd off the captor's flesh, causing the Shield to stop mid-swing.

"I WAS CORRECT. YOU ARE CONSPIRING WITH ANOTHER."

"Formation! Formation!" 75-M yelped, as the two of us tried to scurry to retrieve Garen, but Garen had already broken into a run, crashing into 75-M and landing on top of her.

"Gah!" Garen yelped as the two of them slammed on the ground, but before the two could make contact, 75-M had already grabbed Garen into a chokehold out of reflex.

"Ouch! Charlotte! You're gonna twist my neck off!"

The Shield narrowed his eyes.

"Charlotte...? As in the Chestershire?"

75-M made a frustrated grunt, which was kind of funny considering her high-pitched girly voice.

"GRRRRRARRRR!!!!"

I took aim with my rifle again but fired at the Shield's joints causing him to drop his weapon.

"Shield's immobilized! Charlotte... Charlotte?"

I glanced behind me to see Garen still tangled up with 75-M.

"Get off of me you daft twit!" 75 yelled.

"You get off of me! Of all the girls I would fall on top of in my fantasies, why was the first one some crazy chick like you?"

"Why in the hell would you be thinking about fantasies at a time like this?!?!?!"

The Shield charged forward, picking up his greatsword before I could stop laughing and charged the two.

75 shoved Garen out of the way as the Shield swung, but the greatsword was caught by the War Doll, who stopped its momentum.

75's eyes were fierce, as the Shield raised his eyebrows.

"For a little girl, you are surprisingly strong. However... strength and weight... do not correlate."

The captor suddenly raised his sword, with 75 still holding on.

War Doll and sword went airborne as the Shield was about to throw 75 off when suddenly, the War Doll let go, running up the Shield's arm with a combat blade in her hand with superhuman agility.

"Aaron! Pincer formation!"

"Roger!"

Pincer Formation. One person charges forward in melee while another flanks the enemy from behind through ranged.

I took aim, but the sound of a crack in the distance cut my concentration.

Suddenly, 75 stopped running, and a starburst of red appeared on her back as the War Doll fell face forward.

"Charlotte!" Garen shouted, rushing forward, but 75 held out her hand.

"Don't! The Spear... it's the Spear! Aaron!"

I took aim, but the Shield appeared in front of me, his fists raised to do a double overhand.

This whole operation had turned into a complete mess!

I rolled out of the way, trying to memorize and triangulate the location of the Spear.

If he had fired from that distance... with the size of 75's blood splatter...

But 75 was a War Doll, her biology could have been altered from a normal human.

Dammit, my calculations were all off!

"Aaron! What's wrong?" Garen shouted.

"I'm trying to figure out the location of that sniper, but I can't. I'm missing some variables."

"Variables?"

"Yeah. Like Charlotte's blood when she was hit. It could give me an idea of how far away the Spear is. But I have no idea what the properties of it are."

Garen turned to 75-M, who was fending off the Shield.

"Properties... I see! You want to know if she had her menstruation!"

I stared at the Elf.

"Wait what-"

"CHARLOTTE! WHEN DID YOU LAST GET YOUR PERIOD?" Garen shouted, causing both the Shield and 75-M to stop fighting.

The War Doll suddenly turned to Garen, completely ignoring the Shield, and marched up to the Elf with murderous intent.

"Take. Over." 75-M whispered to me.

"Take over? Like... with the Shield? But the Spear is still-"

"TAKE BOTH OF THEM OVER! NOW!"

"Y- Yes ma'am!"

Garen raised his hands, nervously.

"Umm, Charlotte? Why are you so mad? Hey, isn't the barrel of your funny weapon supposed to be pointed at the enemy? Charlotte?"

The Shield towered over me.

There was no time to worry about the Spear. If I was going to deal with both of them, I had to dispatch the enemy in front of me, otherwise there would be no way I could take on the other guy with my concentration split like this.

I took aim with my rifle, concentrating chakra on the barrel.

"Foolish human. Was the last shot from your strange-looking crossbow not enough of a hint that you cannot harm me?"

Trigrams Six Hands Combination Style - TRUE DEAD EYE

CHOOM.

A white beam of light engulfed the Shield, whose eyes were wide in surprise.

"What... was that..."

I quickly dove for cover, narrowly dodging another shot from the Spear.

I still didn't have enough information to triangulate his position, but I had an idea of where he was going.

"Charlotte!" I shouted at 75, who had pinned Garen to the ground and was trying to shove her rifle into his mouth.

The War Doll turned to me, as I pointed to the distance.

"7 o'clock!"

I watched 75-M get to her feet, her eyes glowing blue.

"Spear located. Initiating Stance 48 - Azrael Protocol."

"Azrael... Protocol...?"

A blue reticle appeared in front of her eye as the War Doll ripped the bow from Garen's hands.

"Hey!" Garen protested.

75 drew an arrow and brought the bow back, taking aim, and fired like an expert archer.

SWIFF.

I couldn't tell if the arrow had landed or not, but 75's expression confirmed it.

"Target eliminated."

Garen stared at 75, his jaw hung open.

"You... how... with my bow..."

75-M turned to Garen, her expression still filled with murderous rage.

"In my defence, it was Aaron who wanted to know about your menstruation cycle."

75 spun to me viciously.

Why the hell would you say something like that?!

* * *

"78 and I have eliminated three Dark Hounds," 76-M reported, taking out several articles of clothing, which I presumed belonged to each of the targets.

"Any injuries, you two?" 74-M asked from behind the desk of our makeshift office.

"No. But the prowess of each Hound was unusual," 78-M answered, putting a hand to her chin.

"It was as if they were fighting with technology very similar to our own. There is also the matter of one particular Hound, who we were unable to take down."

74 raised an eyebrow.

"Which one?"

"Winchester."

The air turned cold.

76 and 78 had made contact with Richard, but even they were incapable of taking him down despite full intention to.

"Permission to speak," I raised my hand.

74 gave me a nod. Her face momentarily flashed with approval.

Hell yes.

Wait...

Hell no, why was I scoring brownie points with these kids?

"Is something the matter, Dainsleif?" 74 asked.

"Winchester..." I tried to hide the irritation in my face from my realization.

"I've encountered him once. He came to try to provoke me, but he failed. He somehow slipped past my radar, completely undetected until he spoke to me. If we're going for another assault, we might need to engage him at a distance."

74 pursed her lips, as the rest of the squad turned to 75-M, who looked like she was about to fall asleep.

"75-M... can we hear your thoughts on this?"

"Huh? What?" 75-M suddenly snapped awake, clutching her head.

"..." Thalia's face flashed with annoyance.

"First, the incident with the Elves, and now this. If you are incapable of completing your end of the mission, you need to let me know."

"I'm fine, ma'am."

76-M crossed her arms.

"Could you make your case any less convincing?"

75-M shot to her feet.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm completely fine."

74-M got up from behind her desk and walked past me, approaching the boy sitting next to 75. A dark shadow cast over her figure, sending chills down my spine.

"Then care to explain why you have this boy sitting next to you?"

Garen looked up at Thalia, his face turning even more pale than before.

"H- Hi... I'm Gar-"

"Purpose and function."

"I'm sorry?"

74's eyes flashed murderously. This wasn't like with 75-M, who naturally looked adorable to offset her treatment on Garen.

74 had nothing holding her back.

"Then your visit is unsanctioned. Do you realize you are stepping into highly confidential territory? I have clearance to eliminate you."

"Wait! I didn't do anything wrong!"

SHHK KLIK!

The barrel of 74's handgun suddenly manifested, pointed straight at Garen's forehead.

"You are the reason behind 75-M's recent performance. I did my research on your background, you are not the type to keep secrets."

The air turned tense.

Depending on what Garen was going to say, his life was on the line.

Thalia was definitely not the type to spare people out of her own feelings. If she had a reason to take a life, she would do it without hesitation.

74-M's eyes glinted with murderous intent.

"Answer, Elf."

Garen clenched his teeth, glancing at 75-M.

"I'm... here to learn from Miss Charlotte... and marry her, ma'am!"

Surprise flashed on Thalia's face, as did 75.

"Huh?"

What?

What did he just...

What?

Garen cleared his throat.

"That day... when Charlotte used my bow, I realized if there was one person in the world who could help me realize my dream of becoming a Hero like Kadan, it would be Charlotte. In the Elven tribe, at least mine in particular, sharing weapons is a rite of passage toward marriage. I'm not really a big fan of it either since she's super weird, but we have our customs."

75 slowly turned to Garen, her jaw hung open so wide that it looked like it was about to fall out of her mouth.

"MARRIAGE?! You're thinking about MARRYING me after everything you've done?! Are you stupid in the head or something?!" 75-M screamed.

"Hey! I don't make the rules here! I kept telling you not to touch my bow, but what did you do?"

"You didn't tell me that would mean marrying me you fool!"

"ENOUGH!" Thalia growled, shutting both War Doll and Elf Boy up.

I watched 74 return to her desk, rubbing her temples with her hands.

"What's done is done. This boy now knows about our operations. I take it he was also aware of your codename?"

Garen laughed weakly.

"What? Like 'Seven Five M'? I kind of overheard it from Aaron."

I watched 74 slam her head into her desk.

"Hey... Thalia... you're gonna get brain damage if you keep this up..." I said, nervously.

"And just why do you think that is?" 74-M muttered.

"Sorry, ma'am. I'll make it up to you with some loli jokes."

"I'm going to kill you."

74 turned to 75, who looked like she was trying to swallow a mouse. Her bangs hid her eyes and her lower lip was trembling with rage.

"I hate to say this, but the Elf now works under you. For the duration of this mission, he will be your responsibility. Meeting adjourned while I try to find my headache stimpack..."

Poor Chief.

"Welp. I guess you go by Seven Five. Can I just call you Seven? Since we're going to be working together? Charlotte? Are you there? Yoohoo!" Garen began waving his hand in front of 75-M's face, but it looked like she had undergone some shutdown sequence because all she was doing was trembling with her little fists curled up like a girl about to throw a tantrum.

78 approached 75, her arms crossed and a condescending look on her face.

"Isn't this swell, 75? You found yourself a man. Now you can stop fawning over Dainsleif."

"..."

"What have you got to say for yourself?"

"...Wa..."

"Wa?"

"WAAAAAAAH!" 75-M wailed, running out of the room and throwing the door open so hard the damn thing nearly ripped out of its hinges.

78, Garen and I watched as 75-M ran out into the night like some runaway princess from a fairy tale.

"C- Cute..." Garen muttered.

"I'll go after her," I said.

"Me too," Garen followed up.

"You two morons will do no such thing," 76-M stepped in front of us.

"But-" I protested, but 76-M put her hand up.

"No buts. Between the love rival, the moron, and the moron with pointy ears, I'm the only one best to talk to 75 right now. You three get out of here."

The rest of us obliged, splitting up.

"Dainsleif, a word?" 74-M said before I could hit the hay.

"Can this wait until tomorrow? I was going to play Genshi-"

74-M lowered her face, a glare forming.

"Yes, ma'am."

I followed the Chief War Doll to her office. It always amazed me how fast 74, well actually, the War Dolls in general were at setting up base or camp. Where we were stationed, was in a very secluded area within the forest which was covered in camouflage and anti-magic to keep us from being tracked.

From the inside of the base, it was like we never left Hellion's barracks.

"I never got the chance to thank you for everything you've done for us, from helping me see the flaws in my ways, to showing me my strengths," 74-M said, gesturing to the chair in front of her desk.

"Sit, please."

I took a seat, as Thalia sat across from me.

"You know, if you ever need anything from me, I'm always obliged to help as a friend. There's no reason to feel like you owe me or anything," I said.

74 smiled, lacing her fingers together.

"You may be a pain in the ass... but you're the only person allowed to call me by my old name. I trust in your skills and your character. Which is why I wanted to call you in, regarding 75-M. Did she tell you anything... about her past?"

I felt uneasy.

"Y- Yeah. She told me she came from a lineage as a noble to House Winchester. But I promise you it wasn't like she was super open to telling me it off the bat. She did it to clear up any misunderstandings to help the mission progress forward."

"No no. That wasn't the intention of me asking. The reason I ask is because 76-M and 78-M have already dispatched a number of the Dark Hounds. I am currently planning a solo assassination of the remaining Hounds. The only one left that we are having trouble with is Winchester. And Winchester is not the type of opponent that can be easily defeated simply by increasing our numbers. Your previous suggestion of engaging at a distance is the best course of action, and on paper, 75-M is the best of all of us to take this on. But... I worry that she might not be in the right headspace."

"Man and here you were saying not to worry about her..."

74-M let loose a slight laugh.

"You caught me making a mistake! The thing is, I wasn't expecting the appearance of that Elf. The Elf's influence on 75 has changed things."

"How so?"

"I'm sure you already know."

A nervous smile crept on my face.

"I've never seen 75-M be so aggravated in my life. It's kind of amusing to see, in a sadistic sense. She's always so used to teasing the rest of us and being the ditzy one, but ever since Garen showed up in the picture it's like I'm seeing a totally different Seven Five."

74-M ran her hand through her choppy brown hair.

"I'm not against War Dolls having relationships... but I can tell 75 is not used to something like this. According to her resource log, she activated her Stance Protocols. This is concerning."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Is something wrong with your Stance Protocols? Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen you guys use your protocols at all since I met you. 75 was the first."

74-M nodded.

"There isn't anything functionally wrong with the Stance Protocols, after all, Sergeant Hellion had them implemented for a reason. It lets us gain a tactical advantage inherent to our cybernetic nature. But the problem is... these Stance Protocols tax our internal battery. The resource consumption of each Protocol is tremendous as a result of Inner Shadow Gasket rerouting his technology around our bodies. So while we are superhuman, we aren't immortal."

I watched Thalia pull a piece of paper from within a folder.

"I've used Stance Protocols in the past, but using a Protocol, even once a week is considered not recommended. We are trained to fight without them by using the skills taught to us by Sergeant Hellion. According to 75's log, she used three Protocols in the span of two days. At this rate, 75 will deplete her internal battery."

My blood ran cold.

"Thalia... what happens if a War Doll depletes her battery?"

74-M closed her eyes.

"Have you ever encountered a starving dog, before?"

"Y- Yes... they become extremely feral. They'd eat anything and anyone."

"A War Doll will desperately try to save herself since their internal battery is their source of power, they will enter a state of berserk rage to try to consume anything. Everything. To try to stay alive, everything goes. We've had one instance of a War Doll expending her battery, and she was executed by Sergeant Hellion, instantly. Without any chance of reasoning or hesitation. This was what prompted the one Protocol a week limit."

74-M put 75's log in my hands.

"Aaron, I've already lost 77-M. I can't lose 75-M. I want to be able to talk to her myself, but 75-M is fond of you and there is no time with the situation of the Hounds. If she continues at this rate...

"Tactical War Doll 75-M will die."

04

"Garen. Dainsleif. I've located where all the captives are," 75-M voice resonated from the other side of the door.

"Wait, 75, don't open the door!" Garen yelped.

"I couldn't care less what you want, fool!" 75 snarled, ripping the door off its lock to be greeted with a fully naked Garen.

"YEEEEEEEEEE AAHHHH!!!!" 75-M screamed, covering her eyes as she lurched backward.

"I told you not to open it, Tin Girl! Why did you do it?!"

"You didn't tell me you were changing, you imbecile!"

Garen got up and put a towel around his waist.

"Huh, so you can pull off the noble look when you try. Minus the disgrace of a braid job on your head," Garen said as he stepped forward and approached 75.

75's face turned bright red.

"I am a noble! Just... put some bloody clothes on!"

(Ten Minutes Later)

"I scoped out the slave trader by connecting with another noble who had done business with the Elven trade. They appear to be travelling underground. I propose we shatter the underground slave trafficking network, by sending it into chaos, we can lure Winchester out," 75-M reasoned.

"Is there anything we should prepare before going in? Underground is definitely to their advantage if we don't have the right tools for it," I said.

75-M assembled her rifle and tested her scope.

"I will be accompanying you two. Underground is a bad place for a sniper, and I assume Winchester knows that. If push comes to shove and everyone attempts to fight with stealth, I can always use the Bloodhound Protocol to-"

"No Protocols," I said quickly, cutting 75 off.

75-M paused, momentarily fixing her gaze at me.

"Fine. I will use conventional tracking. Regardless, we will need someone to act as a mediator for the prisoners. Unfortunately, this will mean Garen has to come along."

"Why is that unfortunate?!" Garen yelped.

I watched the War Doll sling her rifle over her back as she reached out to a cabinet and pulled out her tactical hairspray, changing her braided blonde hair into a dirt-brown. Paired with darker brown camouflage cargo pants and a bulletproof vest.

"Follow my lead. No one does something unless they ask me for permission. Do I make myself clear, you two?"

* * *

"What is wrong with you people?!" 75-M screamed at us as we continued running from our pursuers.

Enemies were coming in like hordes, but I had already figured out the network of tunnels.

"Should I cave it in?" I asked.

"We might risk blocking access points to the prisoners," 75 responded.

Garen notched an arrow into his bow and took aim, but the arrow went flying sideways and knocked over a lamp, causing a fire to spread.

"Whoops... missed again..." He muttered.

"HEY!" A group of large men shouted, intercepting the three of us.

I took aim with my rifle and took them down with Dead Eyes before they could give away any more of our position.

"In here!" 75-M pointed at an expanse.

"There?! We're gonna jump to our deaths!" Garen yelped.

I narrowed my eyes.

"No. There's water down there. The echo of our voices is more responsive than if it were empty space. We gotta jump."

"No!" Garen exclaimed, his face clammed up.

I gritted my teeth, turning around to see the horde of captors who were approaching us with bows and arrows. A couple of arrows were already flying our way, but I loaded another magazine and split the arrows mid-air.

"Garen! You gotta jump, man!"

"I can't... I can't!"

75 grabbed Garen by the shoulders and forced him into a hug, causing Garen's face to flush.

"We're going."

I continued splitting the arrows and firing around the perimeter of the cave ceiling, raining dust all over the captors as they scurried back.

"That guy's no ordinary marksman!"

I turned and jumped into the water, my vision blurring as I made my way to the rest of the group.

Tactical War Doll 75-M will die.

Those were 74's words. I couldn't let that happen, but what was causing 75 to use her Protocols so recklessly? Once during the ball made sense... but the other two times, could it have been from her influence with Garen?

Regardless of what the circumstances were, I couldn't just let 75 use her Protocols again. I had to find a way to convince her.

Or better yet, get to the root of the problem.

I reached the shore, to find 75-M and Garen on the other side.

I could tell from their body language that they had another argument.

"Guys. I know you two don't like each other, but we need to learn to get along. We won't finish this mission at this rate."

75-M wrung her clothes dry.

"We would have finished this mission... this entire assassination if Garen wasn't involved!"

"Garen is our lead to Winchester, though."

75-M marched up to Garen, jabbing her finger against his chest.

"What is wrong with you? I told you to follow everything I said. I told you to never fire that bow again. Yet what did you do? Because you wanted to be like Kadan you decided to fire that bow at the first enemy you saw?"

Garen clenched his fists.

"What's the point of having a bow if I'm not gonna use it?"

"Like hell do I care! This is about the mission. Not you. Quite frankly, I couldn't care less that you want to marry me, if you stuck around, you'd be dead anyway!"

"Guys," I said, but was completely ignored by the two teenagers.

"I've had it with you! Maybe if you properly trained me on how to use the bow, this wouldn't have happened! You drag me into your mess, and now you're just telling me to shut up and do what you say? I'm the only person who can calm those prisoners down and-"

"Calm them down? How?"

Garen's face was indignant.

"I'm one of their kind."

"No. You are not."

75-M threw her rifle into the dirt, the barrel embedding itself deep into the ground. The War Doll walked forward and grabbed Garen by the collar with astonishing strength causing the Elf to be pulled onto his tiptoes.

"YOU. WILL. NEVER. BE ACCEPTED BY THE ELVES. You said it yourself. You were a traitor. YOU abandoned your people. YOU DID. You will never be an Elf. And you most certainly will never be Kadan."

Garen's hands began trembling.

"75, that's enough! You're going too far," I protested, but 75-M continued.

"I've been on HUNDREDS of military campaigns. I've worked with and fought alongside THOUSANDS of different types of soldiers. Men. Women. Anyone on and off the spectrum. Each time I have been able to complete these campaigns without any major setback. I don't care how many years of experience the Elven people have, because no amount of experience they have can ever match a War Doll's. The Tactical Dolls are known to be the greatest soldiers on the front BECAUSE we are able to fight and win no matter our circumstances. We were literally CREATED to be the main military force for our organization against enemies TOO STRONG AND TOO VAST for our conventional fighters and operatives.

"Yet despite all this. ALL OF THIS. How in God's green Earth am I having so much trouble this time?"

"Earth? This is Alladia-"

SHHK SHHK.

75-M lifted her pistol to Garen's forehead and knocked the Elf's bow onto the ground.

"This. Is. Where. You. SHUT IT. Can't you see what I am saying? Can your testosterone-filled brain even comprehend where I'm getting at? Or am I being too convoluted for a peasant as primitive and STUPID as you? I'm saying that I've never met someone SO UNDESERVING, SO UNWORTHY, SO HOPELESS AS YOU. And I wish you would just BUGGER OFF and die alone, but it's one of God's best jokes that Miss 74 has forced you to be with me!"

Garen clenched his teeth, but 75-M kept her gun raised.

"Well? What have you got to say for yourself? What ridiculous comeback are you going to say?"

Time seemed to slow, as Garen knelt down and picked up the bow.

75-M's scowled persisted but hesitated upon seeing Garen face the other way.

"I don't have any comeback. You're right. I can never be like Kadan. I don't even see myself as an Elf anymore. All I wanted was to have you teach me how to be a bow. I wouldn't ask anyone else."

The Elf walked to the edge of the shore and threw the bow into the water.

"Garen-!" I gasped but stopped myself.

"I'm not someone who would ask a person to be their teacher so easily. I have a shitty ego. That day you wielded my bow and fired at The Spear, you looked so elegant and graceful. Like a real noble. Not those nobles who would act like jerks to the Elven and to people like me. But real. True. Powerful nobles. You inspired me, Charlotte. But all I can see from our interactions is that I've been doing nothing but annoy you, and you have no space for someone like me."

The Elf walked off into the darkness, leaving 75 and me alone.

75-M gritted her teeth, lowering her gun.

"G- Good riddance..." She muttered.

A lump formed in my throat.

"Are we going to continue with the mission?"

The War Doll faced the distance.

"Yes. We don't have to free the elves, but we can destroy their confines. The plan is still to lure DD out. We can do this regardless of the well-being of those prisoners. They don't matter to me anymore. Garen can go die in a ditch for all I care."

Anymore?

I inspected 75's face a little closer and noticed a slight blush.

"Hey... could it be that all the lashing out was on pur-"

"Where are those three? We can't make the boss any more annoyed than he already is," A man's voice said from the tunnels.

75 and I snuck behind several rocks.

"Got a plan?" I asked.

75 put a finger to her lips.

"While you were regrouping with us, I had already predicted they would come."

I narrowed my eyes and realized what she meant. Embedded in the rocks were several sentries.

CLICK.

"Click?" A captor asked, before a sudden wave of mechanical clanking ensued as the sentries activated, unleashing a horde of gunfire.

"What the- what kind of arrows are these?!"

"It's like they have a mind of their own!"

In a fluid motion, 75 spun around and took advantage of the chaos, calmly aiming with her sniper and shooting down the captors who were trying to call for backup.

I followed suit, aiming with my rifle.

Using the sound and chaos of the gunfire, we had drowned the shots of our own longer-ranged weapons and thus hid our positions.

"Ceasefire," 75 said, as the sentries packed up into their little modules.

I could hear the sounds of footsteps coming our way.

"We will do the Cat and Mouse formation," 75 said, pointing at a map she had drawn on a piece of paper.

"Lure the enemy away from the prisoners. We'll start small and slowly increase the pressure. That way, the captors won't feel inclined to kill the prisoners right away."

I raised my eyebrow.

"I thought you said you didn't care about the wellbeing of the elves?"

"I- I didn't! I meant... that it was a strategic advantage keeping them alive! Yes!" 75 stumbled all over her words, trying to straighten her back and force a grin on her face.

I sat down, propping my rifle up. We were waiting on the next wave.

"There has to be another way of convincing Garen to live a normal life away from the violence. I'm guessing this is the reason why you went through all that."

75-M looked away.

"Why's it matter... I did what needed to be done. He hates me and I broke his spirit. Now he won't... end up like Miss 74 and the rest of our kind."

"And what about you?"

"That is irrelevant. Besides, I was broken from day one. Garen has nothing to do with all of this. Once we have all the Elves free he can live his life without worrying about-"

"You know, for someone who had gone on that speel about how she hated being forced to do things, you sure are forcing a lot of things in your relationship."

"It's not a relationship!"

75-M stood up quickly.

"I do NOT have a crush on that idiot! You saw how he annoyed me!"

I rested my hand against my cheek.

"As far as I know, it seems he's been the only boy who has been able to make you this annoyed!"

75's mouth trembled as she fumbled with her words.

"I DO NOT have a crush! Besides, it doesn't matter anymore. The mission comes first."

We continued with our strategy, circling around the tunnel and luring the captors, until we finally reached the prisoners.

"Who the hell are you?" The captor exclaimed as I dispatched him with a timely placed rifle shot.

75 ran forward and ripped the bars open with her superhuman strength.

"Get out of here," 75-M said, but the prisoners, as I expected, froze in terror.

75-M lowered her head, shadows cast all over her face. All the while, the Elves spoke amongst themselves.

"Oh god... a demon..."

"She's a monster!"

"She just killed those men, terrible...!"

"Look at her clothes, they're covered in dirt!"

75 remained silent, while the Elves continued to speak amongst themselves. Even if 75 couldn't hear them, she could tell from their body language.

The prisoners were terrified of her.

And I could tell from her body language...

This affected her.

"Get out of here, you're free now," 75 repeated herself, but the Elven remained shellshocked.

The War Doll gritted her teeth.

"DO YOU PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND A WORD COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH? GET OUT! RUN!" 75 shouted.

"Charlotte! Calm down, you're scaring them even more!" I exclaimed.

75 reached for her rifle and fired at the edges of the cage, causing the female prisoners to scream in terror.

"Get out. Run. Do SOMETHING. Something that will make me believe freeing you ignorant peasants is worthwhile! You people... who without hesitation ostracized Garen despite him choosing to sacrifice himself for half of your freedom! Give me a reason to free you people other than having Garen see his brother again!"

75 marched forward, but one of the children, who I could probably guess was only six years old at most screamed at Charlotte.

"Stay away from us! Murderer! You're just like Garen!"

75 froze.

The little girl ran forward and held out her arms.

"No one who kills people so easily would be kind enough to help us! You're a monster just like them! We don't want someone like you to save us!"

"N- No... I'm... I'm really here to try to help you, but-"

"Murderer! Monster!"

75-M looked like she was at a loss for words.

If Garen was here...

"I really am... a monster..." 75-M muttered, her voice breaking.

Could I use a sedative or sleep dart to sedate them?

At this point, Winchester must have already been lured out. We were running out of time.

My hand inched toward my belt, when suddenly...

"No, she's not," a boy's voice said, silencing the Elves.

I slowly turned around, to see a familiar-looking elven boy. On his back was a bow which was so filthy it was dripping with brown water.

"You take back everything you said about Charlotte! All of you!" Garen growled.

One of the prisoners stepped forward.

"B- But Garen, you saw what she did to the captors-"

"You shut up! She killed those captors for you! If you wanna call someone a monster, then call me one. I don't care what you all think about me. A monster. A traitor. A scumbag. A failure. An annoyance. I'll take it all! But I will NOT let you people call this girl a monster! After everything she did to get here, all the tracking and research and investigating. HOW DARE YOU treat her the same way you treat me!"

75 turned to Garen, surprise plastered on her face.

"You...! Why are you here? You're not supposed to-"

"To what? To give up and leave you to deal with my judgemental people? You're out of your mind, Tin Girl."

"GAH! Tin Girl?! How dare you call me that after everything I've done! I'm freeing these people for you, you twit!"

Garen approached the prisoners.

"I know. I knew. I also knew why you were being so distant, after I walked off, I had a lot of time to think. You people. Every time someone tries to help you, you just close up and let yourselves be captured again. What's the point in living if you're just going to WILLINGLY let yourselves be slaves? Huh? Why does it have to always be SOMEONE ELSE helping us? And when they do, we always push them away?"

I watched Garen pull out his bow.

"It may be true that I'm considered a traitor, but I've shot this bow more times ever since I left the tribe than when I was still in the tribe. You people idolized Kadan. You always say 'we need more people like Kadan'. Why aren't any of you saying 'we need to BE like Kadan'?"

Another prisoner spoke up.

"You of all people have no right to criticize us! You left us. You joined our very captors!"

"I did not join. I was forced to. I was tricked into believing I could wield my bow for a higher purpose. Even if I could go back in time, I would still do it all over again the same way, Tross. I may be a complete klutz, and maybe I really am just a hindrance to Charlotte. But just being able to wield my bow and fight, even if I'm not good at it, is better than sitting on my ass and feeling sorry for myself."

The Elves were silent, as the air turned cold and damp.

Garen's breathing was the only thing occasionally breaking the silence.

Even 75 was at a loss for words.

"Forget it. Forget all of this. Charlotte. Aaron. You don't need to free my people. They don't deserve freedom... you can't help someone if they refuse to help themselves. The main objective of this raid was to lure out Winchester, right? Then let's continue with that. I can handle finding my brother when this is over," Garen said.

"Wait. Garen... are you sure about this?" I asked.

Garen nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am. So let's-"

BANG.

My eyes widened, as Garen suddenly stumbled forward. Just above his armpit, near his shoulder, was an increasingly growing patch of red.

"Garen!" I shouted, but before I could catch him, 75-M bolted forward and scooped the elf into her arms.

"No... No! You're fine. You'll be okay," 75-M said, her voice shaky.

"GRRRK. You're... supposed to be crying all over me... Tin Girl..."

"Shut up! Do not crack jokes at a time like this!" 75 reached into her pockets, but another bullet whizzed by the two.

Well well well. We sure are at the endgame, aren't we, sis?

75 growled as she dragged Garen to cover. I followed suit, trying to triangulate Richard's position, but it was like he was constantly changing position with each shot.

It reminded me of my Gunman's Roulette, where I constantly used Aspectum to teleport all over the place to hide my presence.

I took aim with my rifle, but a bullet came out of nowhere and knocked the gun out of my hands.

I quickly switched to my handgun.

Found you, bitch.

BANG BANG BANG.

?

I didn't feel like they connected.

It doesn't matter how skilled a marksman is, a bullet can only travel so fast. I'm surprised you couldn't figure that out. I thought we were one of the same kind, Dainsleif.

More bullets whizzed past me, occasionally grazing me.

Winchester was right. As long as he moved faster than a bullet, there was no way I could hit him...

That was if I intended for my bullet to hit him.

Prediction.

Control.

Continuity.

Getting cold feet now?

"I wish you would talk less, you're not even witty with your taunts!" I said, as I fired.

Like I said, there's no way you could GAH!

I heard the sound of a thud and a crash.

I rushed forward to the sound, scooping up my rifle and taking aim at Winchester.

But before I could pull my trigger, the Dark Hound knocked over a bunch of storage containers, blocking my sight.

I switched to my sidearm, momentarily catching him in my sight from within the debris. A small opening from the pieces of the containers that had shattered.

It was a millisecond of an interval, but a millisecond was plenty.

BANG.

Winchester grunted again as he returned fire, but the window of opportunity had long since closed, and the bullets embedded themselves into the wooden crate shards.

I took aim again and fired at a nearby shard that was airborne, which ricocheted and embedded itself into Winchester's leg causing him to snarl.

"How are you catching me... my speed is superhuman!"

Dumbass.

Just because you were faster than my bullets didn't mean shit to me.

Do you have any idea how many gods I've had to kill who were faster than me?

From Hermes, to Savitar.

I had to learn to predict their movement patterns.

The faster you were...

The harder I technically hit.

Every movement you make that I predict means I could bend the path of my bullets such that you would run into them, every single time.

BANG BANG BANG.

"ENOUGH!" Winchester roared, unleashing a shockwave that blew me back.

But as I flew backward, I unleashed a barrage of gunfire from my M4A1 at the ground before the Dark Hound, spraying dust into his eyes.

"75!" I shouted as the War Doll took aim with her sniper.

Game over.

...

Um...

"75? Where's the bang?" I asked.

I turned around, to see 75 suddenly go limp, falling face-first into the ground. Her eyes were rolled into the back of her head.

"Charlotte!" Garen and I shouted at the same time.

What...

What just happened?

Richard continued growling and snarling, clawing at his eyes.

I quickly took aim with my handgun, but my arm suddenly felt a rush of fatigue.

"I can't believe I have to rely on borrowed power... but I don't have a choice. Give me more power, Demon King Jinn."

A blast of dark energy emanated from the Hound.

"GRRRK!" I slid backward, trying to return fire with my bullets, but my head felt like it was about to burst.

"What the hell is this?!" I clutched my temples out of instinct, dropping my weapons as Winchester held out his hand.

"Too bad. I admit, you had me outgunned for a second there. But I will NOT lose to somebody like you, Dainsleif. Blessing or not, I cannot fall. As for the disgrace of the Winchesters..."

Richard glared at Charlotte, who had started convulsing.

"She's embarrassed herself enough. Maybe I will do what I should have done a long time ago."

"Richard you little shit! Don't you do it!" I tried to pick up my gun, but another wave of nausea and aches flooded my mind.

"Stay out of this. You've already lost. This is just a matter of family now..."

I panted, closing my eyes.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Count to ten.

Winchester took aim, but his gun suddenly flew out of his hand.

"What?!"

I got to my feet.

"You've gotta be one ignorant little prick to think a little nausea is enough to stop me."

I fired several bullets at the ground before me, blinding Winchester as I dove for cover. The enhanced operative followed suit, trying to track me down, but was incapable of doing so.

I grasped a rock and threw it behind cover, then another in quick succession in the other direction.

BANG.

Now.

I rushed forward like an arrow, throwing the crate that I was hiding behind over my head with a chakra-infused shunt.

"You know, just because we both had trauma growing up, doesn't mean we're the same," I said.

Winchester frantically took aim with his rifle, but nothing came out.

"I had the chance in a lifetime to become a god... I thought everything pointed toward it. But even then, I still held true to myself. Because the more power one gets, the more sloppy they become. What normally would have been careful attention to detail and caution had become substituted with some cheat power. Superhuman strength. Superhuman speed. That's something my sister always taught me, and that's something 74 reinforced. I bet you didn't even realize you ran out of bullets in your magazine when you were trying to shoot down my decoys, did you, Hound?"

"Shut up!" Winchester snarled, unleashing another wave of energy, but I had already predicted he would do that and chucked a third projectile at him.

The flashbang went off, blinding him as I blasted right through the energy, my chakra aura taking form into a sharp streamlined profile before me.

Trigrams

Six Hands Combination Style

I grabbed my rifle in one hand, and my handgun in my artificial one, and leaned forward, crossing the two guns before me.

ULTRA DEAD EYES

Weak points identified.

Twice the hands.

Twice the firepower.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG.

"ARGGHHHAHHH!!!" Winchester vomited blood, collapsing on the ground before me.

I slowly lowered my guns, which were still smoking.

"Is... is it over?" Garen muttered.

"No... can't be for sure," I said.

This guy... called for Demon King Jinn for power.

There was a chance that vertigo wasn't all Jinn had given him. Added to the fact that earlier when I fought him, he had displayed superhuman speed and dexterity, there was no way someone of his calibre would be defeated so easily.

Without my weapons, chakra, or magic, I was fighting at High Tier S Rank at best.

At this level, I couldn't afford any mistakes.

But was this really what I wanted?

This was Charlotte's brother, even if he was a scumbag, he was still her family.

Did I really have the right to make this call?

I aimed my handgun at the body and was about to pull the trigger, but a sharp twinge of pain erupted from my side.

"GRRK!"

Damn you, Outer Shadow. Forcing me to resort to this.

?!

I spun around, catching Garen trying to shoulder a barely conscious 75 on his back.

"Get out of here! I have no idea what Winchester did, but he's too much for me-"

CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM.

Lances of pain shot up my joints as I collapsed to one knee.

"GAH!!!" I roared in agony as a swarm of shadowy energy surrounded me.

I was warned about this. The attack of Inner Shadow Slipstream's Shadows. I welcomed the challenge with open arms, but the fun has its place. I cannot afford to disgrace myself. Not to the Winchester name. Not to Lord Jinn...

And certainly not Master Loyce.

"What...?!"

I slowly looked up at Winchester, who smiled sinisterly at me.

Oh, so this has evaded even the fabled God-Eater himself? Certainly you, or even my bonehead sister MUST have pieced it together by now. It's almost ironic that not one, but two Winchesters ended up in the Black Legion. Didn't I tell you? You aren't anything special, especially not to someone like me.

Outer Shadow Winchester of Loyce Hal, High Tier S+ Rank.

BANG.

Winchester's head snapped back, but the bullet didn't penetrate, instead being lodged within the shadowy flesh of the Outer Shadow.

What was that? A love tap, sis?

75 shakily loaded another round in her sniper, taking aim.

"Being proud... of whatever disgusting atrocity you've become... of course you would serve someone like Inner Shadow Empire."

You would know about becoming an atrocity, after all, I may have replaced my flesh with Shadow, but you replaced yours with steel.

"Charlotte, don't push yourself!" I shouted, but 75 fired again, this time the bullet whizzed past Winchester and caught the side of something metallic.

Richard hesitated, turning around to see what she had hit was a water pipe. Water exploded outwards violently.

You little bitch...! AFTER THEM. MY AUXILIARY SHADOWS.

The sounds of footsteps erupted from the distance, and they were getting dangerously louder.

I forced myself to stand, channelling the remaining chakra into my injuries as I rushed to Garen and 75.

"We need to go! At this rate I'll be at a severe disadvantage. 75, get on my bac-"

"I'll carry her," Garen grimaced.

"No. You're injured, dude. Let me-"

"It's the least I can do. We need someone to cover us, right? I can't shoot my bow... I can't fight. The best I can do is carry her to safety. 75 is my priority."

75 coughed, her body trembling. Something was seriously wrong with her, and I had a damn good guess as to what it was.

"Elf... don't push yourself..."

"You're one to talk, Tin Girl! Just shut up. And let me take care of you, just this once."

I turned back to Winchester, who glared at me from the other side of the flood which had blocked him from reaching us.

So water was his weakness.

This is not over, Outer Shadow Dainsleif.

We retreated, and all the while, 75-M grasped onto Garen tightly.

Every taunt that Winchester was sending our way, I could tell was affecting Charlotte.

Yes. Run. Run away again, little Charlie. From your heritage. From your responsibilities. But you cannot run from who you are; you are an anomaly. A living contradiction. Both a killer and a coward. To run from your destiny as a killer, yet to end up being the one to finish off Dad. And now, a killer as a War Doll.

You cannot run from me forever.

"Don't listen to him, Charlotte," Garen gasped, as his legs buckled.

"Garen, you can't keep this up. I think we've lost them," I said, but Garen shook his head, marching forward relentlessly.

The Elf would carry 75 for several more kilometres until we both collapsed, reaching the exit of the cave and bunking out in a secluded forest location.

"Let's set up camp here," I instructed.

Garen set 75-M down and gently laid her onto a stack of broken twigs and branches, weaving together an intricate pattern as if it were a basket.

"That's some nice craftsmanship," I commented.

"It's nothing. All Elves are expected to know how to do this."

We sat in silence, overlooking the night sky.

It would be around twenty minutes before Garen finally said something.

"How can I become strong like you two?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not strong. Charlotte's the strong one. I'm just crafty."

"You know what I mean. You're both so reliable."

I rested my head on my palm, eyeing Garen curiously.

"Trying to be strong for Charlotte, eh?"

"What? No! I never said that."

"...you do the same thing as her. I just noticed."

Garen fidgeted, his hands fumbling all over.

"What are you talking about?"

"When you're hiding something, or denying something, you twirl your hair around your fingers. Just like Charlotte does."

Garen stopped fidgeting and stood up, grabbing his bow and loading an arrow. But once he fired, the arrow went lopsided, tilting to the side and slamming into the ground.

"Fuck."

The Elf tried again, only to fail.

And fail and fail over and over again.

Garen noticed me watching.

"Pretty pathetic, aren't I? You can laugh."

"Why would I do that?" I asked

Garen put his bow on the ground.

"Did you know, according to legend, Kadan once saved this world from Jinn?"

"Really?"

"Yup. All he used was a bow. Yet a bow alone was enough for him to defeat Jinn's generals and Jinn himself. Kadan was literally the only person in the Elven to fight back against the Demons. He was the source of inspiration for all. But one day, he up and disappeared. Since then, the Elven had lost all hope that we would ever be protected and have our freedom again."

"You brought this up before... but you mentioned that you guys needed more people to step up to the task like Kadan did."

Garen examined his bow.

"The path Kadan chose to walk is a hard one because it meant throwing away what life he had for something most likely more miserable. We may have been slaves, but we had each other. I had my brother. It wasn't like life was all that bad. But once you choose to walk the life of Kadan, what we Elven refer to as The Calling, that's it. You choose to walk the path of a Hero, you will abandon everything. Because no one in their right mind would accompany a Hero."

The life of a Hero... huh?

"You kinda remind me of my fiancee," I commented.

"I'm not gay."

"That's not what I meant," I said, quickly.

"Garen, I have to ask. But what exactly is the reason you've wanted to pursue this life?"

"Do you even have to ask? For our freedom, of course."

"But you said your life already wasn't all that bad."

Garen gripped the edge of his bow tightly.

"I... I guess... have you ever hated how mediocre your life was? To be born out of a cookie-cutter template and to be someone you never asked for?"

"Like a predestined path?"

"Yes. Because this is the way of the Elven, from the first day we are born, we are given expectations to live by. To be high class, high mannered, no matter our circumstances. We are led to believe we are the best and finest race. Our elegance is superior to all. So even if we end up as slaves, we are still considered beautiful. That is the way of the Elven. But I don't wanna be like that. I wanna live my life the way I want it.

"So even if I did idolize Kadan, it wasn't just his heroics that made me so awestruck. It was... the freedom. The freedom of it."

"And I suppose the realization that Kadan's life is also one that is filled with trauma and bloodshed, was only after you left your tribe?"

Garen turned to me. Shadows were cast all over his face, and his blonde hair glowed from the crackles of the fire. His braids were elegantly tied. I could see how he could critique Charlotte's braids when his were to this level of meticulousness. Likely from many years of training too.

"When I was forced and coerced by the Underground, I really really regretted my decision to leave the tribe. I was gullible... and stupid. But you see? When I saw Charlotte use that bow... to me, it was like I was looking at someone who had realized the dream I so wanted. Charlotte, a girl who was barely older than me, somehow managed to get so strong. This was what I saw when she led that assault. With my own tools and resources, I couldn't grasp Kadan's dreams alone. But... Charlotte... Charlotte reawakened that dream for me."

Garen got up and picked up his bow, practicing his shots again.

"If I can't be good enough to fight right now, I'll do whatever I can, the best I can, at things that can help her. If it means carrying her a thousand kilometres, then I'll do it without a heartbeat. If it means practicing for a thousand hours, I'll do just that. I know I'm weak, so I'll do everything I can to become strong.

"I don't wanna see Charlotte overexert herself like that because her ally was too weak. Not ever again."

I left Garen alone to practice and lied on a set of leaves next to Charlotte, who was pretending to be asleep.

"You suck at pretending to sleep, by the way."

"GEH!"

I smiled, turning to the War Doll, who was hiding her face.

"So. You heard everything he just said. Do you still wanna crush his dreams to be by your side?"

"..."

I faced the other side, staring at the stars in the night sky.

"He's... not holding his bow right. That idiot," 75-M muttered, as I heard the sounds of leaves rustling and footsteps.

05

"From here on out, we are in the endgame. We're going to take down my stupid brother," 75-M said, spreading a huge sheet of paper across a desk.

The Shadows had supplemented us with the equipment we needed.

"In our last assault, we had seen that he had contracted some otherworldly power that invokes a state change that is vulnerable to water. So the crux of the strategy is to flood the entire base with the town's water supply to lure DD out. He won't come out himself - I suspect he's going to get his Auxiliaries to act as decoys. This will be where our sentry guns come in. We'll gun down all exit points save three. Then I'll track down DD and shoot the bastard down."

Garen nodded attentively.

"I see. I don't get it."

"Eugh..." 75 muttered.

I put my hand on the elf's shoulder.

"Use your bow to shooty shoot any enemies that come out of the hole."

"I'm not that stupid!"

75 examined the paper.

"Our last assault caused the elves to be transported out of the underground, but they haven't finished evacuating all their operations yet. So we need to launch our attack as soon as possible."

I walked to my area and did an inventory check.

Other than my rifle, I had requested a number of other equipment. More grenades. A shotgun. A submachine gun for a sidearm.

And most importantly...

My hand ran over a cylindrical syringe-like piece of equipment.

A mana stim.

Charlotte's plan made sense, but as with most plans, there was always a chance that things would go off the rails. If that ever happened, I needed to resort to bringing out the old God-Eater back. My fight with Richard showed that as he was, I couldn't possibly hope to beat him with the equipment I had now. I could... if I could lure him into an environment where I could maximize the opportunity to use traps.

But time was of the essence. We couldn't afford to let him escape again.

When it came to taking on tactical fighters, each fight is information.

I had already made a stupid blunder letting him go the first time, now he had an idea of the type of combatant I was.

This time, we had to finish him off for good. 75 had already made it clear she had no qualms about eliminating her brother...

Even if the thought didn't sit right with me, this was what was expected of us in this mission.

Close your heart to this, Aaron.

Thalia had always tried to drill into my head the importance of upholding one's sense of duty. Sometimes humanity came first, but in war, the most important part was to differentiate when humanity was important...

And when being a soldier was.

This was the time when you needed to have a hardened heart.

"The rest of Muon has finished their assassinations. The only Hound left is Winchester. While Winchester is around, the other strike team can't perform the purge on Jinn. So we have to hurry and-"

75 suddenly irked, clutching her head.

My heart skipped a beat.

Aaron, I've already lost 77-M. I can't lose 75-M.

"We need to take a breather," I said, standing up.

"No. The more time we spend on this the more we delay the strike."

"Those Protocols... I spoke to 74 about them. The limit was once a week, yet you initiated three in the span of a few days. You can't keep going like this!"

75 lowered her head.

"I'm... I'm fine... I'm-"

"You're not," Garen said, grabbing her shoulders, and causing her to yelp.

"EEK! Wha- What are you doing, you pervert Elf?!"

"Those Protocols that you were using. They were because you didn't have a choice, right? Before we launch the attack on Winchester, we should at least be able to make sure each person in our group can carry their weight. I know I can't carry mine yet. So... I guess what I'm saying is, can you show me how to fight?"

75-M pursed her lips.

"..."

"Come on, Pigtails. This'll be a good opportunity for you guys to know each other!" I joked.

"Don't phrase it like that!"

Garen gripped his bow tightly, as 75 began twirling her hair, her face becoming redder by the minute.

"F- Fine! But I'm only doing this for the mission. Do I make myself clear, Elf? Not for any other reason. None. Absolutely none!"

I pointed at 75.

"Tsundere."

"I'm not a tsundere!"

"That's exactly what a tsundere would say!"

75 got up and ripped open the door.

"Both of you can go die in a ditch!"

SLAM.

* * *

BANG. BANG. BANG.

"Starting today, there is no such thing as race. No such thing as an Elf. No such thing as a War Doll. No such thing as a husband, no such thing as a wife. Starting today, everything is a target. A fast-moving target. A stationary target. Everything is either an ally or an enemy. A resource or a threat. I will drill in everything Sergeant Hellion taught me and my battle sisters onto you, Elf."

Garen crawled through an intricate set of trenches, all the while, 75 continued firing rubber rounds from above.

"Shooting a bow is easy. An amateur can fire at a target when that target isn't firing back. Anyone can destroy a target when there's nothing on the line. But as a marksman in battle, EVERYTHING is on the line."

Garen stopped crawling and looked up.

"But I thought being a sniper meant being concealed-"

SMACK. A rubber bullet landed on Garen square in the jaw.

"GOW!!! What was that for?!"

75-M kneeled in front of Garen, her rifle pointed below his chin.

"Every time you're called into action, you freeze. This is pretty common among those who have never had their life in danger before. Their body isn't used to it, so they don't know what to do. Subconsciously, they panic. If I had someone like that watching my back, I might as well shoot myself in the head to prevent the embarrassment."

"That's a little extreme, isn't it, Tin Girl?"

BANG BANG BANG.

"BLEAGH!" Garen flew backwards back into the trench, his feet sticking up and his nose swollen to twice its size.

The next part of Garen's crash course was situated deep in a forest.

"Sniping isn't just about accuracy. It's about being used to being uncomfortable and maintaining your composure. If it means concealing yourself, 99% of the time, you will always be forced to put yourself in a position that is the least natural. Because the more natural your body is, the easier it is to detect."

Garen knelt down in a pile of leaves beside 75.

"It itches! I can't even hold my bow right. Why's it so uncomfortable in here?"

"Did you not listen to a thing I said?!"

Garen leaned in closer, causing 75 to fluster.

"Wh- Wha- What are you doing?"

"There's something on your face."

Garen reached out and wiped a smudge off Charlotte's cheek.

"EEP! Stop that! Of course, there would be something on my face, you fool! That's the whole point of the exercise!"

"Sounds like someone lost their composure!" Garen chuckled.

"GAH!"

The training continued, and I watched from the distance as Garen slowly showed improvement.

But...

"The Elf won't improve in time to fight on 75's level. Being familiar with our battle protocols requires many years of training," 74 said, crossing her arms.

"I have faith in him."

"Hmm..."

74 sat next to me as we watched 75 continue training Garen.

Well...

More so arguing instead of training.

"Back straight, angle your arm like this, so the drawstring doesn't whip your forearm when you fire."

"Hmm... I see..."

"Hey! What are you- Stop that!"

"I can't see your form when you're concealing yourself with that massive jacket."

"Of course, I would conceal myself when you're around! You're probably enjoying this, you pervert."

"What kind of a demonstration is this if you're just gonna cover up?!"

74 put a hand to her mouth and held back a laugh.

"I've never seen 75 so flustered before. It's kind of satisfying to see, considering all those years of us having to put up with her."

"Yeah, it's like she's having a taste of her own medicine with someone even more chaotic."

74 gazed at the town.

"Accompany me for a drink?"

I followed Thalia to the town. Her disguise was more of a civilian, lower class. Her semi-ragged shirt and pants made it seem like she was a labourer. I take it the Hounds she was assigned to fight were likely situated in the more civvie side. In other words, the Hounds were not some extravagant title or nobles who had their names well known.

They were all over the place, from the highest of high to the lowest of low.

74 sat across from me at a table.

"It's funny. We've completed countless campaigns in settings such as this."

"What? Like isekai?"

"No... what I mean is civilizations akin to a more primitive and less technologically advanced structure. Evidenced from their reliance on magic."

"So basically, an isekai."

"Ugh..."

I chuckled, taking a sip from my drink.

"So what's so funny about it?"

"Well... for me at least, I never really put much thought into it. A campaign is a campaign. A target is a target. But lately, each campaign seems to ignite something in me. Intrigue. Interest."

Thalia ran her finger across her glass.

"Excitement. Since you joined, it seems my life has had more colour in it."

"Glad to know my brain rot has finally reached the legendary Outer Shadow M74 of the Black Legion Organization."

"I don't mind it. I... kind of like it. But that's not all."

74 put her drink down.

"Simply put, I am under the suspicion that the enemy has learned about us and the way we work. Our abilities, our strategies, and our formations. Loyce's subordinates and subsequently their subordinates are slowly showing signs of adaptation to our methods."

"I see... so is this why you were surprisingly accepting of Garen's affiliation with 75?"

"Yes and no. I think Garen's naivety should have limits. I hope 75-M can limit his silliness to some degree, but the converse is also true. We have learned to become far too rigid. As you know, and have tried to show me multiple times, rigidity is itself a flaw in the battlefield."

74 rested her arms on the table, overlooking the crowd who had become more wild.

"First it was Richard Winchester. I'd be a fool if I was not expecting a trend from this. Lord Hellion's assignments are formed in response to Loyce's actions. I think... for subsequent assignments, we might each need to face something of our past. The enemy has learned about each one of us."

I made a fist.

"Let them. Let them try. But if they think they could do us in just because they knew a little about our upbringing, then they're wasting that intel they're so proud of."

Thalia smiled.

"Glad to hear it."

For the next few days, I continued to watch over Garen's training. 75 would push Garen harder and harder, but Garen soldiered through it all.

And soon, it was time for us to launch the assault.

"Dainsleif, Garen, in position."

"Roger," I said, turning to Garen.

"Oh shit. I mean, Roger, Charlie."

"..."

The training was worth it... right?

I glanced at Garen, who was whispering something into the coms device, but since it was a multi-way device, I could hear every word he was saying.

"Charlie, my bow's stuck! I think it got caught in my fly. Oh. Nevermind, I got it out."

"I didn't need to know that you moron!"

...Right?

"On my count, bring down Structures Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, Dainsleif."

"Roger."

I pulled out a bolt action rifle from my case and quickly assembled it, placing it in position.

"Scoping in..."

I took a deep breath.

Structural vulnerabilities located. A structural concentration was only 2 millimetres in diameter, which was even smaller than my bullet itself.

Wind speed estimated.

Distance calculated. Bullet drop calculated.

Angle calculated.

Deflection estimated.

My finger wrapped around the trigger.

The scope was positioned so that the target was aligned with the correct notch on the crosshairs.

Fire.

Fire.

Fire.

"Wait. Aaron, something's wrong," Garen said.

"BLAGHHH What the hell?!" I jumped, nearly shooting the bullet into the sky.

"What do you mean?"

"Mana spike... a really big one. I can feel it coming out from within those tunnels."

I grimaced. This wasn't good.

"75, we have a problem. Garen's picking up a huge mana spike from within the underground system. I think it might be a new enemy."

The enemy has learned about each one of us.

Shit.

A loud rumbling ensued, shaking the entire ground from under us.

"Wha- What is that?!" I yelped.

"No way..." Garen muttered.

"No way... as in no way a hot tall blonde is gonna emerge from that tunnel?"

"What? No! That's the sound of a Black Leviathan, and it's pissed."

"A Leviathan?"

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE.

KRA-KOOM.

A massive serpent ripped out of the ground, sending debris flying everywhere. Massive fireworks of water and fire ripped apart the underground system.

"That's... not that bad..."

The serpent continued emerging, longer and longer.

"Not bad at all..."

Longer and longer and longer...

What the hell is wrong with this isekai?!

"The Black Leviathan is one of Alladia's Great Beasts. Legend has it that the Leviathan could not be defeated by this world's mightiest nations. The only people who could slay it were the Chosen Heroes and Demon King Jinn himself."

"The hell did Winchester offer that thing to help him? A fucking Milkbone?!"

I took aim with my sniper, but I might as well have been aiming a toothpick at a skyscraper.

"Behind you!" Garen shouted, as I narrowly dodged the edge of a sharp blade.

"Master Jinn and Lord Winchester has sent me to take you, Dainsleif," a young, petite woman said, as she walked toward me.

For a moment, she reminded me of Sarah, as her black hair was combed into the shape of a bob, and several white straps contrasted with her black leggings.

But those cruel, blue, eyes were definitely not that of a Hero's.

They were the same as Winchester's.

If I had to guess...

I was facing one of Winchester's Auxiliary Shadows. He was trying to probe me for more of my abilities on the possibility that this woman would escape alive.

If I was going to fight this girl...

I had to defeat her to the point where returning was not an option.

This meant death.

"Sorry, I'm already engaged."

"..."

The girl shot forward, but I aimed my rifle and fired at the hilt of her sword, knocking the weapon out of her hands.

"Tch!"

From her other hand, a knife emerged, unsheathed from one of the straps that were attached to her thigh.

The girl swung, but I smiled crazily, bringing my foot back and drawing my submachine gun.

I fired, catching the girl in the stomach as her eyes went wide.

"White straps on black leggings? I mean, that's hot and all, but contrasting colours is a really stupid tactical choice."

I grabbed the girl by the head and, in one swift motion, quickly switched to my shotgun and jammed the barrel to her stomach, firing twice.

"RRK!" The girl cried out in pain as she flew backward.

Trigrams Six Hands Combination Style

I sprinted forward, dual-wielding my shotgun and rifle side by side.

GOBLIN'S DANCE

The assassin's body flopped around in response to the numerous shots and gunfire that were being inflicted. It was kind of funny using Goblin's Dance, and a reason why I had named it like that. In response to how the target's body would flop around like a ragdoll.

Or a Goblin Dancing.

I watched Jinn's hitwoman hit (get it?) the ground, her body and clothes in tatters.

"Time of elimination, eight seconds."

ROAAAAR.

"We need to find a way to stop that Leviathan. Any ideas?" I asked Garen.

"You're asking me?!"

"You're the most familiar with this world. Charlotte and I are practically foreigners here. Do you know if Kadan ever fought this thing?"

"No. But, I do remember the first time the Leviathan was defeated..."

I leaned in.

"And? How was he defeated?"

"A Hero clobbered him to death. With brute force."

You're fucking useless!

I looked around. Need resources.

Resources.

I glanced at the hitwoman. The only people who could defeat the Leviathan were Heroes or the Demon King himself.

I ran up to her and shook her collar.

"Wish dot com Sarah Ultear! I need your help. What is your connection with Jinn?"

The girl coughed.

"I... shall... not speak... about Lord Jinn... for I am his most loyal asset..."

"Garen! Help me lift her up!"

"Umm, okay."

Garen did as he was told. We hoisted the girl in front of the Leviathan.

"Do you know sound magic?" I asked.

"Yeah? Why?"

"I want you to amplify your voice and repeat after me."

"It sounds like you've got a plan."

"Foolproof. Are you ready?"

Garen nodded grimly.

I braced myself.

"Black Leviathan, I have Jinn's wife hostage. Leave at once or we will fondle her chest."

Garen froze, as if he had just been hit with a Windows Update.

"WHAT?!"

"Do as I say!"

"I'm not saying something so stupid!"

"Say it or I'll fondle YOUR chest!"

Garen closed his eyes.

"Gods of Alladia... please do not let Charlie find out about this... BLACK LEVIATHAN, I HAVE DEMON KING JINN'S WIFE HOSTAGE. LEAVE OR WE WILL FONDLE HER BREASTS!"

The Leviathan stopped circling the sky as it faced us. A snarl shook the ground.

"GRRRR..."

"LEVIATHAN! The two lie! I am not the wife of Lord Jinn! My name is Yvir! I am his-"

"Double Moon Groping Manouvre Sixty-Nine..." I said, calmly, reaching for the globes before me.

"EEEK!" Yvir screamed.

"She's a tsundere! She's madly in love with Jinn!" I shouted in return, completely confusing the Leviathan.

I looked around. It might be a long shot... but because the Leviathan had burst out of the ground and unleashed so much damage... there was no longer any need to take down every statue in sight.

One should be more than enough.

The Leviathan was killed through Brute Force.

Slashing and piercing wouldn't work on his hide. The only way to kill it and breach its defenses were through concussive forces.

I took out my handgun. The bullet drop was going to be insane. At this distance... I had to be even more vigilant with how accurate my shooting was.

A distance of over 5 kilometres.

A hit target of less than 2 millimetres.

I positioned the gun to my hip, hip fire style.

Didn't really have a choice... I had to land this. I couldn't talk shit and do this at the same time.

"Garen! I need you to confuse that Leviathan. Convince him that Yvir is Jinn's wife."

"How am I supposed to do that?!"

"Just say... that you saw her undressing in front of him or something! I don't know! We're running out of time."

I concentrated.

BANG.

I watched the bullet soar, following the trajectory I had predicted.

The bullet caught the target, causing a crack to propagate along the side of the statue.

The Leviathan continued circling around, when suddenly, the statue lurched forward, falling on top of the beast and slamming the monster into the ground.

Right onto the Underground system.

Water began pouring in, as cracks ripped across the ground. I yanked Garen out of the way, watching the cracks turn into massive chasms.

From the corner of my vision, I could make out Yvir struggling to escape, only to be pulled into the wreckage.

"Dainsleif to 75, Leviathan eliminated, proceed with the plan," I said.

No response.

Garen ran up to me, worry on his face.

"Charlotte?"

My blood ran cold.

"We need to find Charlotte. And I'm guessing... Richard. Come on."

"Oh. We won't let you do that, honey."

I spun around, aiming my rifle at the source of the voice, but a black blur came out of nowhere, knocking Garen airborne.

Multiple enemies.

Some were positioned in my peripheral vision.

"Garen!" I shouted, but a chill ran through my spine.

I looked down, seeing ice crystals forming at my foot and keeping me from assuming any stances.

I ducked, narrowly dodging an energy blast that damn well might have decapitated me right there and then.

"You little shits... I'm guessing you guys are Winchester's Auxiliary Shadows."

"You're correct. I am known as Auxiliary Shadow Auril of the Forbidden Winter. But... you, my beautiful, handsome bundle of warmth may call me Auril Marcia. For I have come to make you mine."

I narrowed my eyes.

She was tall I guess...

And had a huge rack.

But she wasn't blonde.

And most importantly, she wasn't Sarah Ultear.

"In your dreams, witch. Besides, judging from the body language of the little prick who's camouflaged in that tree over there, doesn't seem like you guys are all on the same page. You're just here to keep me distracted while your boss deals with 75."

"Tch..." The man muttered, as he leaped from the tree and landed on the ground beside Auril. He had a bandanna which covered his eyes like some edgy ninja.

"Return, Umbral."

The same black blur that had taken Garen returned to the Auxiliary, dumping the Elf onto the ground.

"Garen!" I rushed forward, but ice surrounded Garen in some kind of ball, lifting him into the air.

A growl resonated from under the rocks, as I dashed back, dodging a massive minotaur-like beast the size of a massive semi-truck.

The beast stomped forward and swung his axe, but I slipped past his strike and ran up his arm, dragging the barrel of my submachine gun along the surface and emptying an entire magazine of bullets.

As I expected, the bullets deflected off of his skin... save one part, where the Minotaur's facial expressions momentarily changed.

Weakspot detection. A trick that I had picked up from Tactical War Doll 76-M.

I grinned crazily and pulled out an object from within the folds of Sarah's cloak.

"Make any sudden moves, and I impale your little friend, Dainsleif! I know you are far too sweet of a man to let this boy die from your decisions!" Auril called out.

Yeah, no shit.

Auril narrowed her eyes at me.

"What are you doing... what are you hiding in that cloak of yours?"

"Why don't you squint and find out, Witch Bitch?"

BANG.

Auril cried out as I quickly aimed with my handgun, firing and catching the Auxiliary Shadow in the hand before the Ninja could even make a move.

Then I repositioned my sights on the Minotaur, firing another bullet right at his weak spot.

The Minotaur roared in agony as I landed on the ground, taking out my shotgun and blasting the ice cage to bits.

"Go! Garen! I gotta take out these Auxiliaries ASAP so we can get to Charlotte."

Garen gritted his teeth, looking around.

"I... I've trained for this... but..."

I sighed, glancing behind me.

The kid was petrified.

So Charlotte never really did find a way to help him break out of his funk.

"Garen... no one is asking you to perform your best on day one. Let me handle this. There's going to be plenty of opportunities to apply yourself. But if you rush things, you'll get killed in this line of work."

Garen reluctantly obliged, but before he could say anything else, the Ninja appeared in front of us.

"Hmm... your shadow... reeks of hesitation."

My eyes widened as the Ninja brought his blade back and sliced Garen in the chest, sending the boy flying into the sky.

"GAREN!" I screamed as I aimed my SMG, but the Ninja kicked me in the chest with superhuman speed.

I flew backward, only to find myself encased with a prison of ice that kept me from using any of my guns.

I had become completely immobilized.

The Ninja tilted his head, leaning backward.

"SS Rank. Outer Shadow Dainsleif. The legendary hitman for the gods. Why is someone so esteemed, so feared, even amongst those in the Black Legion, willingly letting himself go soft for this traitor of his own people?"

I breathed heavily, trying to force myself out with chakra, but I suddenly remembered...

I had no more chakra!

I expended everything to heal my wounds in my battle against Winchester in our last fight!

"Mmmm... you sure are... delicious when you aren't aiming your repulsive firearms at me. You may be SS Rate... but you are still just a human boy. Without your weapons, without Inner Shadow Reaper's techniques, without magic... you are defenseless."

Auril leaned in and licked my face. Her tongue felt ice cold to the touch.

Disgusting!

My eyes instinctively went for her chest, which... had surprisingly more jiggle physics than I was expecting.

Disgusting... yeah. Disgusting! Yep.

Totally...

Disgusting...

But it didn't matter how sexually appealing this woman was. My rage was still at an all-time high.

Garen...

"You two... just signed the biggest motherfucking death contract in your entire career."

The Ninja tilted his head back and laughed hysterically.

"HAHAHA! You've lost, Dainsleif. What can you possibly do? I really am, just doing you a service disposing of that boy."

I growled, struggling from the ice binds, but it was like my body had been frozen to the bone. I couldn't tell if my blood was frozen or anything, but I couldn't feel anything.

I had major frostbite everywhere.

The Ninja knelt in front of me, slowly taking off his mask and revealing a pair of pointy elf ears.

"Garen Trevyalen, the biggest disgrace of the Elven people. You see, even I know about the fool who wanted to be like Kadan. But like every other fool who wanted to be like the Hero, he up and ended up dead."

"The hell do you even know about Garen?!"

"Oh. I know quite a lot actually. More than you possibly will know. After all, I even know that the boy had been lying to you this entire time. Only telling you part truths."

I continued struggling, but I was losing strength.

I was seriously in trouble!

Keep that rage at an all-time high. I had no other choice. The increased metabolism in response to my anger was the only thing keeping me from passing out.

"Part truths? You have no right to talk about the Elven when you joined the Black Legion as a killer. Who do you even think you are-"

The Auxiliary Shadow of Winchester got to his feet, taking out a bow. A dark shadow cast across his body.

"Garen Trevyalen... of House Trevyalen. Born on the fourth of the eighth month after the Solstice Gloriana. For I watched his birth, delivered by my wife, shortly after her death to the Elven. I will tell you this, there's no other person here who knows Garen's nature better. I have known the boy since he was born. Who wouldn't know about his own nephew... after what his father, the so-called Hero of the Elven had done to my wife?"

My blood ran cold.

"The fuck are you saying..."

"No Elf would go to the extreme of walking in the footsteps of my brother so easily. You would have to be a maniac to do so! But alas... Garen did. Garen would follow in the footsteps of Kadan Trevyalen without hesitation. In hopes of one day avenging the man who killed him."

The Auxiliary Shadow pointed his bow to my face.

"Auril already introduced herself. I suppose I should too. Since you may well be dead by now. You may call me...

"Auxiliary Shadow Venan. Of House Trevyalen. And the one who has finally destroyed all traces of that despicable 'Hero' of a brother of mine."

SHINK.

"GRAH!" I coughed out blood as a large ice spike sprouted from my chest.

What little strength I had left took a nosedive into the gutter.

"Oops! Was that far too aggressive? It looks like I broke him, Venan! What a shame!" Auril laughed coyly.

No...

I fucked up!

Blood began rushing out of my mouth, gushing and overflowing as I began to choke.

My vision was turning blurry, all the while, I kept hearing this aging hag go on and on about how penetrating me was making her wet.

Fuck...

You've gotta be shitting me...

Was this how it ends?

I...

I still didn't get to save Sarah, my fiancee, from the clutches of death.

Didn't get to bring Bryce and Annie to Tiamar...

Didn't get to save Master Jun, after everything he had done for me.

I was going to throw a party with Sarah and marry her.

I was going to help Yeling...

So many things...

FWOOMP.

A strange-looking bolt appeared on the ice in front of me.

Tick. Tick. Ding!

"Wha-" Auril said, as a rune suddenly appeared from the point of contact. A rejuvenating feeling rushed into me, melting the ice.

I lurched forward as Venan growled, trying to finish me off with his blade, but another crossbow bolt flew his way. Venan caught it.

"The hell is this? Some kind of-"

The bolt expanded, unleashing a toxic black gas. I instantly held my breath, but Venan breathed it in, stumbling and clutching his throat.

I fell to the ground, slowly looking up to see the silhouette of an elf.

"How... how is he... shooting so accurately...?! Lord Winchester told us that he... couldn't aim..." Auril choked.

"Charlie told me to save this in case of emergency because she wanted me to keep this as an element for surprise against her brother. But... screw that," Garen's voice said, from the shadows of the nerve gas.

"You're right. I am a failure of a marksman. And I am a liar. Because what kind of jerkoff would tell people he was the son of a Bow Hero when he couldn't even use a bow himself? But Charlie figured it out in day one. She figured out everything. She knew I was lying to your face... and I'm so sorry for that, Aaron."

Auril screeched, holding out her hand and unleashing a wave of ice at Garen, but Garen lifted his weapon and fired another bolt which expanded, returning with a powerful shockwave which blew the ice apart.

The Auxiliary Shadow skidded backward, as did Venan, who continued choking violently.

"You... WHAT KIND OF WEAPON IS THAT?!" Venan snarled.

Garen aimed with his weapon.

Black tactical metal...

No way.

"A bow isn't my style. And I'm not Dad. Only someone with exceptional sniping skills could figure out the type of weapon that suited me best. This was what amounted to my training with 75-M. A style that suits a coward. A fool who can't even rely on his own competency."

The smoke cleared, revealing the weapon in all its glory.

A modern tactical compound crossbow of War Doll design, glowing with the runes of the Elven.

"I may be a fucking mess, but I will do whatever it takes to stand by her side. Take whatever weaknesses I have, and build around them! If I can't do it the Elven way, then I'll do it the Tactical War Doll way. If I can't aim, then I'll use a scope! If I'm not strong enough to draw an arrow back, then I'll have a machine do it for me! If I don't have enough mana to use any combat spells, then I'll use a medium!

"Starting today, there's no Elf. There's no son of Kadan. There's just a man who's going to kick your ass!"

06

(75-M's POV)

Lady Charlotte.

Lady Winchester.

First Lady of House Winchester.

Was a life worth living, if 99% of the time you spent it being moulded for the benefit of another?

SMACK.

I vomited all over the floor.

Nutrients from last night mixed in with bile. Hints of stomach acid.

Yes.

I never referred to it as food. We never called it that.

Everything was either "intake" or "nutrients".

"Calories", or "macronutrients".

Where there was "sleep", we referred to it as "recovery".

Where there was "eating", we referred to it as "refuelling".

Where there was "downtime", we referred to it as an "inefficiency".

Judging from the taste of it, I could deduce the percentage composition of the components. I barely digested the nutrients from last night.

Uncle was going to kill me for this.

I slowly looked up at Uncle, who still had the bar that he had used to hit me raised.

"The regurgitant tells me you did not digest last night's intake."

"Yes sir."

"Do you revel at the idea of being a disgrace to House Winchester? On your feet, child. Stance."

I stood up, assuming the first stance. Today would have been physical training.

Every morning, at 0300, I would present myself to my Uncle, who oversaw my training. There, I would undergo rigorous cardiovascular training, strength training, explosiveness training, and endurance training.

This would persist all the way to 0700, where I would be given my "intakes", which consisted of me eating various raw foods. The rest of the day would be either study of anatomy, techniques, or practical training.

Everything had a purpose and reason.

Everything had a reason to optimize and train my body.

Everything was designed to turn me into a Winchester.

My eyes fluttered awake. A bright light greeted me, and a wave of nausea was what woke me up. That nausea must have been what triggered that memory from so long ago.

The cybernetics within me awoke, jogging my memory.

I heard the sounds of footsteps in the distance, then weakly glanced at my body. It was torn and shredded. Ripped up.

Surges of pain signals were flooding my mind, showing that the effects of the endorphins had run out.

Pain was essential for a soldier. Pain was an evolutionary advantage some species had over others to alert them to danger.

This was something Sergeant Hellion had requested to Lord Gasket upon having our bodies rebuilt...

We needed to feel pain.

No matter how dangerous we would now subject our bodies to... we needed pain to keep us from diving headfirst into danger without caution.

I needed to move.

My internal heads-up display alerted me with a flashing message in the corner.

ST-REC46 DEPLOYABLE

Stimpack Recovery Compound 46.

"De- Deploy..." I croaked, feeling a compartment open from my thigh, sending a stimulant which metabolized instantly, forcing a surge of adrenaline into me.

I jolted upright, clutching my head.

"Owie... what a headache...!" I muttered.

Do you enjoy acting so feminine, Charlie? Does it bring you great pleasure to disgrace our family name?

"It sure does, Dick Douche," I growled, sprinting to cover and narrowly dodging several bullets.

Entering prone position.

Initiate tactical gear swap.

I dove to the ground, the baggy clothes around me tightening and conforming to my skin. Each set of clothes we were issued was capable of adapting to its size and shape depending on the situation. When I was ambushed by DD and his Auxiliary Shadows, I had already assessed the situation.

I was outnumbered and outgunned. I had no idea how many Auxiliary Shadows DD had, but it would seem as if he had deployed at least four to come after me.

I could only hope Aaron and Garen were okay.

The Winchesters are the greatest House of assassins in our world. Each member of the bloodline is expected to carry out their duty. But father had gone soft, so it was the responsibility of our Uncle to take over our training. You reject your nature, but deep down, you are still a Winchester. Killing our worthless father was enough proof, don't you think?

I peeked out from behind cover, but a bullet grazed the side of my face, leaving small mechanical components that were embedded into the synthetic flesh exposed.

Ouch!

I returned with a grenade, tossing it within the vicinity of the attacker.

Just like Protocol.

I sprinted forward like an arrow, body low as more bullets whizzed above me.

The voices of Sergeant Hellion's teachings resonated in my head.

Vision obstructed. The attacker will fire desperately in hopes of catching his target. He will almost always assume the target keeps upright. A subconscious psychological response.

Then Uncle's.

Psychology. Every living being is controlled by compounds that dictate their response to stimuli. A reduction in vision, a spike in adrenaline. Desperate heed. A warrior is honed to kill. A human is honed to live. Combined, the enemy seeks the elimination of their enemy through wild, uncontrolled shots.

Do not just remember this, little girl. Imprint it into your mind. Make it your subconscious response. For you are no warrior, and you are no human. You are a Winchester.

I flicked open a switchblade from my leggings, slicing wildly at the Auxiliary Shadow in front of me and slitting his throat. Wrapping my legs around his neck, I leaned backward, throwing him over, using the body as a shield.

Several knives embedded themselves into his body.

I had one Auxiliary Shadow hostage, but there were three more.

There was too much light. I needed to shroud this place in darkness.

I aimed my handgun and fired at every light in sight, sending a wave of pitch black all around.

I knew where I was. I was in the Underground...

DD had separated me from my strike team to try to take me out with select Auxiliary Shadows based on what skills he had surmised from our last encounter.

From the way Aaron had fought wildly against my brother, I could tell he knew this too. He fought with the desire to kill despite his feelings of consideration.

Each time we let the enemy get away, we let him get away with more information about ourselves which they would use against us.

Aaron...

I sat in silence, assessing my injuries.

The stimulant had long run out, leaving me in immense pain. But I had been trained to tolerate it as a Winchester, and had been trained to accept it as a War Doll.

COUGH. COUGH.

I stared at the sky, panting as sweat and blood ran down my head. My hair was let down, which was a severe disadvantage as it limited my mobility, but I was in too critical of a condition to even tie it back up.

I hated silence. Truly.

Because it always leaves me alone with my thoughts.

And lately...

It left me replaying past events and conversations in my mind.

Hey, I heard one of us passed Sergeant Hellion's interrogations course with flying colours!

Who was it?

I think it was Win- er I mean 75.

The pick-me girl? Seriously?

I heard 75... had done this stuff before. I heard it from Sergeant Hellion from his All Seeing Eye.

Oh my god... so she's got a head start against us? We should pick up the slack.

My hand curled up into a fist.

More memories.

More...

That 75... sure is a beast. To be able to smile and act all cutesy after everything she's gone through. If any one of us gets tortured, I bet she would be the last one to break.

I remembered shooting them a death glare, but because we were all War Dolls, death glares were practically commonplace.

Why are you so offended? We're complimenting you, girl!

These... these were not compliments.

They're not.

I know they mean well...

But...

But it isn't so simple.

The truth is far from simple.

Consider me a pick-me girl. Call me a feminine princess-complex. I would rather it be that way. It is so much easier to consider me as that. So much easier to explain it and chalk it up to some blanket term.

Because the reality is that I'm about as complicated as it can get.

I will be assigning you interrogation duty, Tactical War Doll 75-M, 74-M said, putting her hands on the desk.

As you are our greatest asset, from your ability to assess our enemy, to your ability to retain your composure being greater than all of us in this cell. Do you have any objections?

A surge of frustration rose from inside me, but I had been trained by Uncle to hide it. I had been trained to hide my feelings even more than anyone in this Regiment, to the point where it could fool even Miss 74.

No, ma'am. I will be the interrogator of Muon.

"What is the use of a sniper if your distance is breached, little girl?!" A man snarled, ripping through the cover I had built. My eyes momentarily widened in surprise and in shock.

I aimed my sidearm at the Auxiliary Shadow, but the man sliced with his sword, severing my arm and unleashing lances of pain that arced up to my shoulder.

I dove out of the way, blocking a second slice with my shin. The blade went right through, blood gushing from the point of contact.

If I continued losing blood at this rate...

Added with the fact that I had overused my Protocols...

I closed my eyes.

Concentrate... 75.

You are a War Doll.

You don't even get the "free innocent girl" pass like the others did. Everybody else started off a normal girl...

But I was killer since birth.

There are no excuses to being scared.

I spat in the Shadow's eye, causing him to recoil.

I set my sniper to auto and fired from its auxiliary ammunition supply, ripping into the Shadow's chest and sending him back.

Retreat...

Retreat!

You're on your last legs, sis.

KRAK!

My leg suddenly lost all of its strength, an explosion of metal components and blood erupted before me as I collapsed.

Two Auxiliary Shadows were closing in.

I had traps set up earlier... I wish I didn't have to use it on them, but I didn't have a choice.

Charges will be primed. Proceed? My interface said from within my head.

"Proceed..." I choked out, blood leaking from the corner of my mouth.

BOOM.

The two Auxiliary Shadows who were in pursuit were engulfed with an orange flame, ripping them apart.

If it wasn't the concussive disintegration of the explosives, it would be the high-spec shrapnel that would.

I dragged my body to the nearest trench I had dug myself and hid, my black tights blending in with the darkness.

Terrain change. Adjusting TacHAR tint.

My brown hair switched to black.

If only there was a way to change the colour of my blood...

Back in House Winchester, Uncle had once force-fed me this compound which could actually change the colour of my blood, but because I was only six at the time, I ended up throwing it all up. I was beaten with staves shortly afterward.

"Is this the style of the War Dolls? Hiding? Being cowardly?!" Another man shouted from the distance. Judging from the way his voice had resonated, the body it belonged to could not have been human.

He must have been an Elemental, crystalline in formation.

My weapons had no firepower to breach that kind of defence...

Either I pinpoint the weaknesses of his armor through a snapshot, or I use the Eye of Azrael... which would mean using yet another Protocol.

Idiot Auxiliary. The moment you step in range, she will shoot you down. Think before you embarrass yourself.

"Forgive me, Lord Winchester."

I clutched my chest.

No Protocols, Aaron's voice resonated in my mind.

Aaron...

From the first day I met you, I admired you.

After all, like everybody else in the SFA Regiment, we all knew about the legend of The God Eater.

In fact...

Everybody actually used you as a psychological and emotional anchor in trying to survive Lord Hellion's training. After all, if there was anyone out there who understood what it was like to be thrust into warfare at a young age, it was you.

A young boy who was forced to fight a god, and even after winning, was forced to make this a norm to survive...

You were the reason the girls could keep moving forward.

But to me...

It wasn't any of that.

I admired you because you were unlike anyone else I had encountered in the Legion. Or even the SFA.

When we were rebuilt as War Dolls, many of us lost our innocence. The desire to kill had to come to the other girls through a body-swap.

We were all put into the crucible and came out murderers...

But you...

On the first day I saw you fighting back Miss 74, I could tell from your facial expressions, you were someone who could still crack jokes and play pranks.

A part of you was broken, but not broken all the way like us.

I admire you.

But the truth was... I could never accept you.

The ground underneath me rumbled, as spikes ripped from below and pierced me in multiple places. I was sent airborne, my mouth open to scream.

But I was trained to not let it out.

"Gotcha, you little bitch!" Another Auxiliary snarled at me, as I struggled to escape, but it was over.

There was only so much running I could do against seven B Rank Auxiliary Shadows.

And an S+ Rank Outer Shadow.

"Well well well. You sure look worse for wear, Charlie."

I glared at DD, who approached me. He was wearing combat gear streamlined with the society of Alladia, but there were subtleties which showed that he had modified them for his style.

"Your Auxiliary Shadows... showed a bunch of inefficiencies... Uncle would have beat you up for that!" I managed to muster one witty joke, but one of the Shadows stepped forward and slapped me in the face.

Another Auxiliary punched me in the gut, causing blood to eject from my wounds and mouth.

This time, my body refused to listen to me, as I let out a cry in pain.

"That's enough, you guys. She's still my sister... I want to be able to savour her execution."

Dick grabbed my chin and forced me to face him.

Those same disgusting cold blue eyes...

That minty green hair...

I hated those traits... just as much as I hated those same blue eyes and green hair I would be greeted every morning in the mirror.

"You should be thanking me. You, who hate everything that our glorious House Winchester had given you. And Inner Shadow Slipstream had given you. You ran away from House Winchester, yet you ended up a Tactical War Doll in the Black Legion Organization. That alone tells you that you can't run away from who you are. Yet you would continue acting all girlish. It really is disgusting, at least to me. But if escape is what you want, you and I both know what the only option is."

DD pointed the barrel of his gun to my forehead.

"To Lord Hal, this would just be another mission. But to me... I think this is a great honour. You took away my chance to kill that loser of a father. So you can make it up, by being the one I get to kill."

I closed my eyes.

"Don't have any last words? I would have expected you to have some. Chances are, they're probably a lie anyway. You've lied since day one, after all. Lying to everyone around you, lying about what kind of person you are. Even lying to yourself no less."

"..."

DD smacked my face with his gun.

"For fucks sake... GET MAD. This isn't any fun when you're being so empty about it! Be scared! Do something! Are you not even at all scared about the fact that you're going to die, leaving Dainsleif and Garen all on their own?"

I clenched my teeth.

"They're better off without me."

DD raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? So for once, you're telling the truth! Yes... perfect old Dainsleif. And that goodie two shoes Garen. Both don't even know that you secretly hate them, do they?"

My eyes widened.

"I do not hate them!"

"HAHA! Look at you... looks like I found the weak spot of the SFA's greatest prober!"

I struggled, but each movement was causing more pain.

I don't hate them...

I don't...

DD paced back and forth.

"Garen I could believe... but why Dainsleif? After all... he did nothing wrong. He was your 'BFF'. Your rock. He was nothing but nice to you. He respects you. Yet... in the end... he wasn't it. Was he? Because you're one messed up little bitch."

I continued gritting my teeth, my chest pounding.

I could still feel the touch of his hands when he was fixing up the ribbons in my hair during the invasion of the Ghosts.

The way he would act so kind and delicate with me.

Every other girl would have found it a dream come true.

A tall man. Good looking. Rugged. Kind. Caring.

Strong.

They told me that the God-Eater was a man of immense intellect. That was what I wanted to believe too.

But...

Even the smartest Outer Shadow in the Black Legion couldn't expose me for who I was.

And him treating me like I was some broken little girl was what confirmed it.

An Auxiliary Shadow approached Winchester and spoke into his ear.

"Yvir is dead?"

"Yes, Master Winchester. She was slain by Dainsleif. Her sacrifice has aided us with more intel on his fighting style."

"Good."

DD turned back to me, smiling evilly.

"Most captives would be repulsed at how little I care for my subordinates. But you aren't. Are, you Winchester?"

I met his smile with a glare, causing DD to laugh.

"How amusing you are! No matter how many people I've messed with and killed, my anticipation of getting to kill YOU always trumped all of that. I'm so glad I'm headed in the right direction."

"Killing me changes nothing. Dainsleif will hunt you down. You thinking you can defeat an SS Rank is beyond delusional."

"I don't care if I die to Dainsleif. All that matters is breaking you. And I have already figured it out. Before I die to Dainsleif, I will let him AND Garen know how much you hate them."

DD pointed his gun at my chest, poking at my wounds and causing me to wince in pain and my consciousness to momentarily blank out.

All the while, frustration plagued me.

I didn't hate them...

I really didn't.

And it wasn't their fault.

The fault was entirely mine for being so complicated.

To Aaron, he must have thought that his appeal to my human side would make me feel better about my circumstances. After all, it worked on Miss 74, why wouldn't it work on 75, right?

But...

What I was looking for wasn't that. It was the opposite.

Each and every single time someone had commented on how I seemed so different this mission ticked me off.

Because it was confirmation that to you... my true self was that of some kind of girly princess-like girl who somehow retained her humanity even after going through Hellion's training.

I hate every single compliment that comes my way.

I hate every single attempt at being kind to me as if I were someone innocent in the past.

I hate every single person who tried to say that I was still human and had a heart.

I hate...

I hate people who try to be kind.

And there would be no way anyone would ever-

When I saw Charlotte use that bow... to me, it was like I was looking at someone who had realized the dream I so wanted. Charlotte, a girl who was barely older than me, somehow managed to get so strong.

Garen suddenly appeared in front of me, surrounded by a bright white light.

If I can't be good enough to fight right now, I'll do whatever I can, the best I can, at things that can help her. If it means carrying her a thousand kilometres, then I'll do it without a heartbeat. If it means practicing for a thousand hours, I'll do just that. I know I'm weak, so I'll do everything I can to become strong.

Garen...

Could it just be because he was such an idiot?

Or that he lacked in tact?

No...

My vision suddenly opened up, revealing the two of us at the top of a hill in the night sky. It was after a day of his training before our assault.

"You're... really friggin strong, Charlie."

"Compliments won't earn you brownie points, Elf."

"It's not a compliment. It's an observation. And I also made another observation..."

Garen leaned back.

"You really hate it when people try to appeal to your human side, do you?"

A gasp nearly escaped me, but I held it in.

"What makes you think that?"

Garen shrugged.

"If I was raised a killer since birth... and became this... metallic thing, no offence, but if someone went up to me and said 'hey, you got a heart under there!' I'd probably be pissed. It just makes me think they don't understand the full story. For someone who had to accept this line of work since the beginning, it's almost insulting to be treated the same as other people who probably were raised in a loving environment. Like... me I guess."

I watched the Elf put more pieces of wood into the fire, but he overstretched, causing him to clumsily fall back.

"GOW! Why is fire so hot!"

"No one told you to put your whole arm over the flame, you idiot!" I snapped, pulling the Elf back.

Garen chuckled.

"I dunno about Aaron, but I just can't see myself saying something like 'wow, Charlotte's actually a nice kind girl!' I just haven't earned it yet. I'm just a klutz after all. To me... I think you're a badass girl. Strong as all hell. Sure... a little weird, but... I admire that. Truthfully. You're strong. You're refined and honed. But not perfect.

"You may have been raised as a machine, but even machines can be loved."

The Elf boy suddenly froze, waving his hands frantically.

"ER, I mean not by me! Of course! I mean... like... we are gonna get married and stuff. But that's just customs. I don't... er..."

"Pfft."

"?"

"Hahahaha!" I laughed, genuinely for the first time in my life.

"You! You are such a terrible liar! It's almost nauseating!"

"Why am I being roasted?!"

Garen... was such a klutz.

Such a moron.

An idiot.

But so unlike everybody around me. Because he was so stupid and so incompetent...

A boy who abandoned his tribe to become a hero just to fail...

Yet determined to become strong despite it all.

I was surrounded by the best of the best.

Tactical War Dolls, honed soldiers with experience far excelling even the greatest warriors of other universes.

Outer Shadows who could destroy worlds with their bare hands.

God Killers.

Demon King Slayers.

Yet... here before me, the one guy who could see past my facade.

An absolute moron who stumbled to the solution through sheer accident... just by being himself.

Even a machine could be loved...

No one had ever said that to me before.

Not even Aaron.

"Tell me... who do you have to live for, Winchester?" DD asked as he continued prodding at my wounds.

At this point, the pain was too much for me. I was practically screaming in agony.

I was phasing in and out of consciousness. Even my cybernetics could barely keep me awake.

"Who could possibly see you for who you are, and accept you, CHARLOTTE WINCHESTER?"

I clenched my teeth, tears finally forming in my eyes.

No...

I...

I couldn't...

He's waiting for me.

He's looking for me.

"I can't die like this... I can't...!" I whispered.

"HEY!"

My eyes snapped open, as DD spun around in shock.

"What?! Auxiliaries!"

DD froze, his gun hand still hovering above my wounds, but no longer aimed at anything.

"Lord Winchester...! We... we can't hold him off! He's too much for us!" DD's coms unit buzzed.

"What?! Who's he?! Who's left here? How did we get breached? There's twenty-six of you! How can all twenty-six of you Auxiliary Shadows be overwhelmed?!"

"We're ALL trying to hold him off, my lord! All of us are trying to hold him off... but Outer Shadow Dainsleif is too strong! His... his magic has returned!"

"MAGIC?! I WAS TOLD DAINSLEIF HAD RUN OUT OF MANA AND CHAKRA!"

My eyes widened.

That mana syringe he had requested from our Shadows... he used it!

"That unbelievable guy... taking on seven Auxiliary Shadows at once and BEATING THEIR ASS! That crazy guy really WAS holding out on us, Charlie! Did you know he uses magic?! I didn't either!"

DD's face contorted into a scowl.

"Seven?! There's TWENTY SIX of them, you TWIT! How could your counting be that bad?!"

"Oh. I must have not seen the other eighteen then."

"Twenty-six minus seven is NINETEEN!"

"Oh, is it? I don't care."

Garen pointed the crossbow I had designed together with him at DD.

"You hurt my wife. I'm going to rip you a new asshole next to the one you already are."

Outer Shadow Winchester tilted his head, a small laugh leaving his mouth.

"This... THIS?! This idiot is the man you chose to pass on the Winchester name?! I... I have no words, really. Charlotte. Of all the men you could have chosen. I could have just assigned you one of my Auxiliaries to carry on the bloodline, but you chose this... Elven OUTCAST?!"

Winchester stepped forward, ripping the crossbow out of Garen's hands and grabbing him by the throat, lifting him up.

"GAREN!" I gasped, not even realizing that the training Uncle and Sergeant Hellion had pounded into my brain was no longer concealing my true nature.

My cry... was oozing with fear and desperation for the Elf's safety.

"GRRK!" Garen choked, as Winchester brought his face close to the Elf's.

"A part of me was worried that it would be Dainsleif who would come to save Charlotte. A part of me felt like I had to rush her execution. But I don't know whether to be relieved or INSULTED that the man who would try to take her away... is this JAG-OFF excuse of an Elf! An Elf who can't even wield a bow! An Elf who isn't even considered a part of his tribe anymore no-less!"

Winchester threw Garen as I watched the Elf slam into a rock-face, sliding to the ground.

"This... is this some kind of sick joke?! For an S+ Ranked Outer Shadow like me... on what grounds? In what universe? In what REALITY do you think YOU could stand up to me, Garen Trevyalen?!"

"Hey... don't go... turning your back now... you douche!"

Garen flicked his finger, and the crossbow lifted itself into the air, firing a bolt that Winchester caught with his bare hand.

The bolt expanded, unleashing a current which electrocuted the Outer Shadow.

"WHA-"

DD turned fluid, shadows leaking from the point of contact, but Garen held out his hand, his eyes glowing the same color as the runes that appeared on the side of the floating crossbow.

Elementary Water Magic - AQUA LANCE

A blast of water slammed into the side of DD, knocking him back into human form as Garen rushed forward, catching the bow.

DD brought his weapon up.

"You think I can't dodge your projectiles at this distance?!"

Garen yelled a battle cry and swung the crossbow like a bat, nailing DD right in the head, to his utter disbelief.

"Who said I was competent enough to fire my bow at this range?!"

"WHAT?! What kind of technique is that?!" Winchester roared in indignation, stumbling back as Garen swung again, catching the Outer Shadow and sending him through a rock.

Garen ran up to me and helped me up.

"That's enough... you've done enough, Garen. I need you to get out of here. Unpredictability is volatile, he will soon learn of your fighting patterns."

"If he learns to fight like an idiot, then that's on him! Let me help you. I'll just become more of an idiot!"

"No! What kind of logic is that?!"

Garen grabbed me by my shoulders, causing some strange feeling to rush into my whole body.

"And what are you going to do?! Look at you! You may be a cyborg but you have one arm and one leg in pieces! I have healing magic. Just stay close."

"Close? As in-"

Garen closed my eyes, sending a healing wave of energy into me.

A warm...

Kind...

And...

Why was the healing magic going into my chest?

"This is just a hug, you horny bastard!" I growled as I walloped the idiot Elf over the head.

"GAH! No! It's healing magic, I swear."

"You were trying to feel me up! How could you be so daft at a time like this?!"

"ARE YOU TWO IDIOTS HAVING A LOVER'S SPAT IN FROM OF ME?! YOU DAFT TWITS?!" DD roared from the wreckage.

I got to my feet, noticing that my appendages had indeed been restored.

My face felt hot.

"Th- Thanks for the healing magic," I mumbled.

"Don't mention it. Now let's take this guy on! Let's see him try to take our heads!"

"Careful what you wish for, FOOL."

DD materialized in front of Garen, who yelped and fired his crossbow in full automatic all over the place.

Winchester scowled, aiming his pistol right at Garen's forehead, but I aimed my sniper and fired right through the weapon, completely destroying it.

I switched my sights, firing a bullet that laced DD's cheek, but the Outer Shadow retaliated with submachine gun fire.

AUX Ligaments Activated: CYBER LEAP

A surge of power contracted the servos in my legs, sending me back.

I needed to find a way to keep him stabilized so I could line up my bullet.

One shot should kill him, but Winchester wasn't the type of person to let his weak spot be exposed so easily, especially with the movements he was using.

The movement set of House Winchester was designed from many years of tried and true warfare to keep an assassin as impervious to gunfire as possible.

Garen held out his hand and redirected the bullets that he had fired wildly earlier back to Winchester, who dodged them all with preternatural agility.

"That trick will not work on me," Winchester growled, as he reached out, but I fired a second shot from my sniper, causing the Outer Shadow to recoil and redirect his attacks on me.

I switched to my sidearm, firing at DD, but DD weaved through every bullet and grabbed me by the throat.

"You wish to die this way? Then so be it!"

A propulsive force blasted the two of us into the sky. I felt my body smash through rock face after rock face, until the two of us ripped through the ground and into the sky.

"CHARLOTTE!" Garen shouted after me, trying to use his Wind Magic to chase us down.

DD threw me into the air, bombarding me with gunfire as my body rag-dolled violently in response.

Critical Damage Sustained.

I needed to escape...

But DD had me trapped.

"You dare try to stand up to me? An S+ Rank Outer Shadow? I outclass you in every way. Judging from the way you fought, you're High Tier B+ Rank at best! I've always been superior to you. Back in House Winchester, and now in The Black Legion. You're just some silly Auxiliary Shadow, what can you possibly leverage that would make you delusional enough to face me?"

DD took aim.

"Stole my kill on father. I will reap that right, BY KILLING YOU."

I watched the Winchester squeeze the trigger, but suddenly, a white flash of light appeared, slicing his arms clean off.

"Damn! That really worked!" Aaron's voice buzzed in my coms.

"D- Dainsleif?!" DD choked, as the two of us turned to the source of the sniper, except...

There was no source.

Another bullet came out of nowhere, slicing DD in the leg, then his other leg, and finally his chest.

"WHERE ARE THE BULLETS COMING FROM?!" Winchester roared.

I grimaced, a smile appearing from the corner of my mouth.

That unbelievable guy...

He found a way to snipe in the most perfect conditions possible.

He found a way to perfectly conceal himself.

"Aaron, do you mind creating a Convactio portal for me? Direct it at my line of sight."

"Sure, but you're wide open."

"That won't be a problem."

I turned to Garen, who had his crossbow front and center.

"Are you ready... Garen?"

Garen grinned.

"Always!"

"Good. Because you're going to channel something a little more than just Elementary Magic."

"Portal!" I signalled.

Aaron obliged, creating a red portal before me.

DD transformed into a writhing mass of darkness, but there was no point. I had already caught his weak spot, but judging from his facial expression, I knew he didn't know.

A portal?! Doesn't matter where you shoot, you need to see your target. To know its trajectory.

My HUD lit up, a notification plastered before me.

Initiating Hellion's Blessing requires Stage 1 Clearance. Confirm identification.

Identification confirmed: Auxiliary Shadow M75.

Activating Blessing. Selecting mode.

Ready to deploy.

Dogma of Equivalent Exchange: Level 1 Suijin of Jason Hellion

PROTECTION OF THE WATER GOD

I concentrated, allowing the power to reroute into Garen's crossbow.

"Do it! Fire!" I shouted as Garen unleashed the bullet.

I fired into the portal, causing Winchester to react, shielding his face with a mass of shadows. Completely oblivious to the impending doom that had taken manifestation in a crossbow bolt.

Primed with the Suijin of Sergent Hellion.

Foolish girl. There is no way I would let-

SPLORCH.

Winchester's form became undone, revealing his human body, with a red hole dead center in his forehead.

"Wh- What...?!"

I watched DD try to take form again, but was unable to, as the crossbow bolt refused to conform to DD's shapeshifting, still shielded with the impenetrable defense of the Suijin.

"Finish him off. Aaron!" I shouted.

Convocatio - Ultimate Caliga

A massive red magic circle appeared from the distance, as my heightened vision picked up the Outer Shadow entering a prone stance, the same stance I and 74 had taught him.

"Time of elimination... 64 seconds. I could have done it better, but-"

"Shut up and just take the shot!" Garen and I snapped at the same time.

"Jeez! Temper temper. You two lovebirds are already thinking on the same wavelength!"

"Don't call us that!" Garen and I retorted.

Winchester's body began to crumble away.

"Charlie... your big brother is going to die... why don't you... disgrace us one more time... go ahead and cry those repulsive tears..."

I turned to Richard.

"Tears are unbecoming of a Winchester. And a War Doll."

"Yet you would shed tears for that... fool of an Elf."

A shadow cast across us, as the sun began to rise.

"Yes. Because when I am with Garen... I don't have an obligation to put on a facade. Garen accepted me for who I am. As Charlotte, something neither you nor anyone in House Winchester could do."

Winchester scowled.

"Good. Because I have no regrets either, my hatred for you and for Alistair will stay with me all the way to death."

DD raised an eyebrow, as more pieces of himself crumbled away.

"No... you lie. You still haven't let yourself go yet. If you did... you would be the one to kill me. You are still terrified of me, of our name. Of your nature."

A cackle escaped my accursed brother's mouth.

"HAHAHA! I may have lost, but SO HAVE YOU. That look on your face. That quiver in your bottom lip... you... you still can't accept how filthy you are! Take this to your grave. A killer as a Winchester, AND as 75-M of the Black Legion! I may have lost today to an Auxiliary and her loser boyfriend, but nothing compares to the joke of an existence that you are! The greatest, most twisted sense of irony! YOU. ARE. A. MONS-"

"Yep. There we go," Garen said, putting a piece of tape to Richard's mouth.

"MMF! MMF MMR MMM!" Richard squirmed, trying to remove the tape.

But I could tell what he was saying.

"What are you doing, you stupid elf?!"

Garen went up to me.

"Charlie. Look me in the eye. Don't look at Dick Douche. Just look at me."

I let Garen put his hands on my face, redirecting me to look at him alone.

"Man... even I could tell you're trying to hold back tears. Just let it all out."

"No... I... I'm sorry, Garen... but he's right. You're trying to be with a killer... you don't know what you're getting yourself into!"

Garen shrugged.

"Well. Can you see me trying to go back home? My family is dead. Everybody is dead. Except for my brother. But I can deal with this when the time comes."

"My body... I don't age... I could live potentially to the thousands-"

FLICK.

"Owie! What the hell is-"

"Dumbass. Look who you're talking to. I'm a freaking ELF. If you're talking thousands of years... that's the same lifespan as us. You won't outlive me. Ever. And don't worry about anything else. I'm an idiot. I can take it."

Garen reached into his back and pulled out an adult novel.

One of my novels.

"NO!!!" I screamed, trying to reach out, but Garen zipped away with a Wind Magic spell.

"You're into this stuff? Well so am I! Well, in the other direction anyway."

"That's not something I wanted you to see!"

"Huh? But Aaron says you're always so open about it."

"NOT TO YOU!"

Someone kill me!

Someone, please kill me!

"You... you..." Richard muttered as he let out a large sigh.

"Forget it. I've totally... completely lost. Finish it... Outer Shadow Dainsleif."

"Rich-"

Garen grabbed me into an embrace as I heard the crack of a powerful, anti-tank rifle from a distance, followed by an explosion.

But all I could see were the folds of Garen's shirt.

"Family isn't just blood. Charlie. Starting today... I will be part of the family you deserve."

"Then... let me help you too. We'll find your brother. Together."

07

(Aaron's POV)

Greatest wingman ever.

Add that to my resume, folks.

"In today's mission, I groped an Auxiliary Shadow's chest. And got impaled by a cougar. I stole lots of food from Demon King Jinn's castle reception. I also got 75 hitched. To an Elf," 74 mumbled, reading from my report before glancing at me with a pair of disappointed eyes.

"What the hell did I just read?"

I straightened my back.

"A report on a mission success, ma'am."

"That's your report."

"Absolutely, ma'am."

74 put the paper down and leaned back in her chair, putting a hand to her face.

"Are you all right, ma'am?" I asked.

Thalia ignored me and opened the window to our hideout.

"We've completed the mission and crippled the Dark Hounds protecting Jinn. The other Cell will deal with Jinn's army. As strange as it is... I'm glad. Very glad that you were able to help 75 do this. I was not expecting a Hound on the level of S+ Rank. If we had known about this earlier, it would have taken all of us in Muon to beat Winchester. A major miscalculation on my part..."

"Come on, don't beat yourself up like that. The only reason why Winchester even got that strong was because of Jinn."

Thalia shook her head.

"No. Jinn isn't that powerful. Jinn may be a subordinate Demon Lord to Inner Shadow Empire, but almost every single Demon Lord we have conquered has been at worst S~ Rank. To be able to supplement an ally and boost their power to that of S+ Rank... that would imply the existence of a subordinate Demon Lord on the level of The Devil Monk."

"Then..."

My blood went cold.

Thalia noticed my expression and nodded.

"Yes. Your suspicions may well be true, Dainsleif. Great Demon Lord Loyce Hal appears to have made the decision to intervene, at least to some small degree. But... given it's Empire himself, even a 'small' intervention from him could well turn the tide of a battle, as was evidenced from today."

"Shit..." I grumbled.

"There's also one more thing," 74-M turned to me.

"About... 75. I knew that she was nobility through her original name, but I was never informed about her past. Raised an assassin all her life... she never told me about this."

"Would you have treated her any differently if she did?"

Thalia ran her hand across the makeshift door.

"To me... 75-M is 75-M. Regardless of who she was in the past, I look at the soldiers before me as they are. This was, and always is my philosophy. Whether it is 75-M or anyone in the SFA Regiment. Or even you, Aaron Hope. Circumstances exist to help mould the individual into who they are today, but these circumstances cannot be used to define them. Who they are, to me, is dictated by what they do in the present."

The Chief War Doll paused.

"Hm."

I watched as Thalia kicked the door open, followed by a grunt and the sound of a 15-year-old elven boy hitting the ground with a noticeable

"BLEAGH!"

"Hey! Watch where you're kicking!" Garen the Eavesdropper shouted.

"..." Thalia's eyes glinted with murderous intent.

"S- Sorry boss! It won't happen again, I promise! Hide me, Charlie!" Garen yelped, hiding behind 75 like a scared little puppy.

Thalia's gaze redirected to Charlotte, who straightened her back. A bead of sweat ran down the side of her head.

"Umm... hiya... Miss 74... fancy seeing you here!"

"This is my office."

"Ah...yes... um..."

"Hey! Don't pick on my wife, you wench!" Garen taunted from behind 75's back.

"GEH! Are you trying to get the two of us killed?!" 75 yelped.

Garen put his hands on his hips proudly.

"I will die for your sake, Lady Charlie!"

"Don't die from something so stupid!"

74-M smirked as she walked past the two, causing a wave of confusion to ripple amongst the couple.

I gave Garen a thumbs-up, before following Thalia to the main room.

And just like that, we had returned to the barracks of Inner Shadow Slipstream.

"I'm BEAT," I muttered, plopping myself on the sofa.

"Enjoy your time while you still can. We have another deployment in two days," 76 said, reaching for the fridge and pulling out a protein shake.

"ANOTHER deployment?! I feel like I just got back from a hundred-year war and we're going on another one?!"

78-M sat down next to me. It was kind of funny seeing the two of us in the reflection of the mirror. A proper girl sitting with good posture and manners, while my lazy ass looking like the world's largest starfish sprawled and taking up three seats.

"The Marines in our world would have killed to have this opportunity. Most soldiers of our world spend their days cleaning the floor instead of actually fighting wars."

76-M scoffed.

"Learning to love to fight... what a stupid notion."

I raised my eyebrow, turning toward the War Doll.

"That's weird, coming from the biggest muscle mommy on the team."

76-M spat out her drink, her eyes wide as she choked.

"D- DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

"But I thought you liked it when people call you strong and chunky and-"

76 walked up to me, a deadly aura emitting from her body.

"I'm not. I'm a normal-sized girl. Repeat after me. Or I will cut your head off and tell 74 that you got your head stuck in the girl's toilets."

"You are a normal-sized girl," I quickly replied.

76 sat on the chair in front of me, crossing her legs. Come to think of it...

She wasn't so much chunky and muscular, maybe it was due to the fact that most of the time she was threatening bloody murder and threatening to cut off my balls.

If anything...

She was actually quite well-built. With the body of an athlete.

"Why are you eyeing me with that look... it's creepy."

"Nah. I was just thinking... you're not really as jacked as I thought. You have the body of a fighter. Maybe it's your personality."

76-M's eyes narrowed.

"HUH? What about my personality would make you think I'm some steroid freak?"

"I dunno. Ask the protein shake in your hand."

76 glanced at her drink, then quickly downed the whole thing in four seconds flat.

All 80 grams of protein...

Just down the hatch.

I leaned back, glancing around the apartment.

"Where's 75?"

76 bit back her lip.

"Last I saw, she was having a talk with 74. Judging from the way 74 called her in, I don't think it looked good."

I had a pretty good idea of what it was about.

"Have you guys... ever encountered any Dolls who overused their Protocols?" I asked.

78-M turned to me, surprised.

"Did 75-M use her Protocols?"

"Yeah. She used... the Bloodhound, Chameleon, and Azrael Protocols in our last deployment."

76-M raised her eyebrows.

"Was this because of Garen?"

"No. She used Bloodhound and Chameleon before she met Garen... The Azrael Protocol was in an attempt to finish off a captor quickly."

76 got up, rubbing the back of her head.

"Ugh... that stupid girl... why would she do something so reckless? She definitely was affected by Winchester on a psychological level."

I gripped the edges of my shorts, a sense of concern was building up.

"What's gonna happen now?"

76 ran her hand against the counter.

"The last time we had someone act out of line, it was 78, who disobeyed 74's orders and killed a suspect that was vital to Intel Ops. She ended up getting a 2-week suspension."

"It was an accident!" 78-M protested.

"Like hell it was! I saw you eyeing that man after he called you Riho-chan. You had 'murder' plastered all over your face."

78 looked away.

"He was going to get done in at some point anyway, with his obnoxious attitude."

"Besides the point..." 76 continued, crossing her arms.

"...Usage of the Tactical War Doll Stances requires logging and filing. The SFA is very strict on the usage of the Protocols. As for those who overused their Protocols... aside from that one incident with SFA Gamma, I don't recall anyone immediately. If anyone overused their Protocols it is almost an instant execution sentence."

Good to know. La dee fuckin' da.

"If Trevyalen is the cause for 75's conduct... I have a hunch that 74 will set him in her sights," 76 said.

"What? Surely not," I exclaimed.

"No. The idea isn't far-fetched in the slightest..." 78 replied, bringing her knees to her chin.

"Think about it, Aaron. War Dolls are expected to perform at maximum potential and optimal efficiency. We're expected to be the Black Legion's greatest guerilla fighters against Loyce's army. There's no room for any of us to underperform... unless we want a repeat of what happened last time."

My mind replayed the events of Evangelion's bout,

Then of Thalia being incinerated to near death.

I clutched my chest.

"Do you understand now, Aaron? Why I said love is dangerous on the battlefield," 76 scooted closer to me.

"Love will almost always get in the way of how we act. We may be cybernetic supersoldiers, but we are still teenagers going through puberty. Being all lovey-dovey just isn't it for us because of our purpose."

My grip tightened until my knuckles turned white.

76 sighed, resting her head against the headrest of the sofa.

"I'm... sorry if that's not the answer you wanted to hear. Seems every time I talk to you I'm adding to the list of reasons to hate me."

"Why would I hate you?"

76-M sat upright, startled at my response.

"You... don't...?"

"Every team needs that one person to tell people how it is. I kind of already figured it out since the first day of living here. You chose to be that person."

78-M narrowed her eyes at 76-M, who's face had taken on a pinkish hue.

"You're blushing."

"I AM NOT," 76 snapped.

78 sat up, flaring her arms and repeating 76's words in a mocking tone.

"LoVe iS dAnGeRoUs oN tHe BaTtLeFiElD! Sono kuso o watashi ni kureru na."

"Did you just insult me in Japanese?! You bitch!" 76 growled.

78 waved her hand dismissively.

"I am just pointing out your hypocrisy is all."

"GRRRRR!"

I glanced at 76-M, who continued scowling.

Normally, if someone scowled that much, they would develop wrinkles on their face.

I couldn't tell if it was the cybernetics or maybe she was naturally youthful, but hers didn't seem...

"Permanent".

The next morning, I followed the group out to Millennium City, where Thalia had administrative-related tasks to attend to.

"Mind if I tag along?" I asked.

"Absolutely not," Thalia replied.

"Why? My reputation precedes me! I can win over these guys in a second."

74-M poked me on the forehead.

"The last thing I need is to have the Lecher of Millennium City interfering with negotiations. Our partnership with UNTIL provides us with the necessary raw materials to go into the production of some of our military equipment. This is an important conference, and all the Chief War Dolls are to attend."

"So basically you don't want me to embarrass you in front of 0-A."

"NO! THAT'S NOT IT!" Thalia yelped, as I watched the Chief War Doll of SFA-M give the most spectacular jazz hands performance of the month.

76, 78, 75, and even Garen's facial expressions all said the same thing.

That was exactly it.

"I'm going to go to the hair cosmetics section," Garen and 75 said at the same time, causing them to yelp and stare at each other.

"Cute," I snickered.

I watched the couple move along until it was just 78, 76, and me.

"So uh... you girls want me to tag alon-"

"Greer and Harlick. See ya," 78 waved us off dismissively, as she shouldered her handbag and disappeared.

It took me a whole ten seconds to realize I was left alone with the resident rage machine.

"Um..." I said nervously.

"You interested in going anywhere? Like... a boxing ring or a nearby Sportcheck... what's Millennium City's version of Sportcheck?"

"Parfaits..." 76-M mumbled.

"What? Free weights?"

"I said I wanna get parfaits!" 76 growled, a blush forming. It almost looked like she was about to shoot steam from her ears.

"That's hella unexpected. What, they have protein powder in them or something?"

"NO! It's just... normal parfaits... why? Is that weird for someone like me?!"

My gaze sharpened on 76-M. It didn't occur to me, but...

She wasn't so much as mad.

She was embarrassed!

I didn't think I would see 76-M flustered in my life. Considering her two emotions since meeting her had always been: apathetic, or angry.

I followed 76-M down the street of Millennium City.

Maybe it was because I had only ever seen her in military gear, or in a tank top, but today, she looked extra different.

She was wearing a white sleeveless shirt and a black skirt and had her red hair let down, making her look like some high schooler who was going out on a weekend. Which she was.

But still...

It didn't make it any less trippy.

"You know, when you're not threatening blood murder and wearing your instruments of death, you look pretty lady-like," I commented.

76 glanced at me.

I could probably think of a dozen things she could say. All of which would circle back to severing my genitals.

I was fully prepared for a barrage of threats coming my way.

"I wasn't always like this. In fact, these clothes used to be what I always wore back in Azure Academy."

"No way. I refuse to believe that."

76's fists clenched as I found myself continuing to dig a deeper grave for myself.

"You're like, the LEAST feminine girl I ever met in my life. And I've met a whole slew of people. I mean, Outer Shadow Troia is an Amazon who considered getting surgery to remove one of her breasts to fire her bow better in battle. But even Troia acts more feminine than you. HAHA! Damn... I think you might as well compare yourself to Outer Shadow Rollo or something. I've met a lot of Viking-themed Outer and Auxiliary Shadows you could be affiliated with. You've also got that weird ruby-like hair of yours too. Maybe I could introduce you to-"

"GOD! YOU'RE SO ANNOYING!" 76 snarled.

The two of us left the parfait shop. I didn't really get anything, but I offered to buy 76 a to-go parfait as a make-up present after dissing her femininity.

"Are you still mad?" I asked.

"..."

More silence ensued until 76 finally said something.

"Th- Thanks for the parfait."

"No problem. I didn't know you were into sweets."

76 took small bites from her ice cream. For a second, I totally forgot that the girl next to me was technically a B Rank Tactical War Doll, who in theory, could achieve world domination all on her own if she wanted to.

"I... like the raspberry-flavoured ones. I used to get them all the time in this dessert shop across the street. How did you know? Did you use some kind of psychological technique or something?"

"I just chose that one 'cause it matched the colour of your hair."

"...of course you did."

I chuckled.

"You into donuts?"

"Yes!" 76-M's eyes lit up, as an expression I never would have imagined her to have appeared on her face.

"I love donuts! My favourite are the Boston Creams!"

"What about the raspberry ones?"

"Do you mean the raspberry glaze? Those are great too! If you want to get the tastier donuts, go for the cake donuts! The yeast ones are lighter but they use yeast fermentation to-"

76 stopped herself, putting a hand on her mouth.

"F-Forget you knew this about me."

"Why? This is the first time I've ever seen you so full of life before. I kinda like it, and I'm sure lots of people would too."

76-M looked away, silently nibbling at the fruits in her parfait cup.

"No. This... This side of me... Forget it. I don't feel comfortable talking about it."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to overstep."

"It's okay."

The two of us made our way back to Renaissance Centre, where we were supposed to regroup with the rest of the gang. But from the looks of it, it looked like everybody was still busy with their agendas.

"Hey! Hey!" A voice said.

"Hm?" I looked around to see where the voice was coming from and noticed the most questionable-looking man waving at us.

"Over here, you two!"

Was he a scammer or something?

76 raised an eyebrow.

"Juryrig. Gadgeteering Hero, and part of Project Mongoose."

"That has to be a made-up name."

"Nope. It's a superhero team assembled by Nighthawk. They're supposed to take down the VIPER organization."

Juryrig hobbled up to us.

"Hey! Keep that under wraps, cyborg girl! We're supposed to be a secret superhero organization!"

"It took me, like, ten seconds tops to uncover your 'secret' organization."

"How did you know my friend here is a cyborg?" I asked, trying to steer the subject to something else before we had Nighthawk come out of nowhere and try to give us the Men in Black treatment.

Juryrig reached out to try to touch 76, but the War Doll swatted his hand and caused the limb to snap right off with a loud

SCREECH-CRACK!

"Whoa! That's some impressive engineering that went into your prosthetics, girl!"

"Dude, your arm got ripped off..." I said.

"I'm a cyborg myself, as you can see. I was an engineering whiz back in the day and had to learn to patch myself up. I've been developing a whole bunch of equipment since then, supporting ol' Nighthawk in his operations. So I do have quite the keen eye, you see."

Did you not listen to a thing I said?!

Juryrig bent over and picked up his arm, slotting it back in place.

"Hmm, gonna need a few welds here n' there. But shouldn't be that bad."

"Well. It was nice meeting you, Mister Juryrig. I hope you haven't been inhaling too much machine oil fumes. Have a nice day," I said, putting my hands on 76's shoulders and steering her in the opposite direction.

"Wait! Don't go! I might have a very special mission for you two."

"We're not here to do any missions, Gearhead Gramps. We literally just got back from having parfaits and we need to get going."

"Come on! Don't be like that. I know about you, by the way, white hair boy. You're The Hangman, the one who defeated Doctor Destroyer last year! Don't go acting all humble now, boy!"

76 glanced at me.

"You worked for the people of this world?"

"I got fired."

"Fired...? What did you do?"

"I tried to kill Doctor Destroyer alongside Sigurd."

Juryrig chuckled.

"Sigurd... oh that young lass! Seems every time I've seen you, you've been with some cybernetic female! This one is definitely more bulked up compared to Sigurd. Perfect for the mission I have!"

76-M's eyes flashed murderously as her hand hovered over her handgun which was strapped to her skirt belt.

"Old man. Explain what you mean by bulked up compared to Sigurd."

"Wh-What's the mission, gramps?" I interrupted 76 before she could commit yet another war crime.

"The records in UNTIL say that you are a subpar superhero, but no subpar superhero has ever fought and defeated Destroyer. That fact has been kept confidential even amongst those who work in the organization. You are the real deal. And if your companion there is anything like Sigurd, then I'm looking at two of the strongest fighters this world's ever seen."

"Huh? What do they mean 'subpar'? Who's the dingus that wrote my profile?!"

"We have a lot of operations going on in Mongoose, but there is one villain who has been getting in our way. He goes by the name Ripper. We don't have the firepower or strength to take him down, and he's a berserker type. It would be great if you two could..."

Juryrig put his finger to his neck and made a slitting gesture.

"That's assassination, you know," 76-M said, approaching the superhero and leaning against his shoulder.

"Are you sure a goodie-two-shoes superhero like you is okay with that?"

76's green eyes glinted evilly, causing a sense of unease to wash over Juryrig.

"L- Look. I wouldn't be contacting you two if I wasn't aware of the consequences. We're in a pinch here. VIPER is an extremely ruthless organization, and superheroes are hard to come by ever since our kerfuffle with Trion. We just need Ripper out of the picture. What can I do in exchange for this task? I'm quite renowned in the superhero scene. I can grant you practically anything. Globals? Questionite?"

I put a hand to my chin.

"Hmm... you got an Inborn Tenacity Device?"

"Ummm... well, we don't actually... have that readily available anymore."

"No Inborns? What about a Therakiel's Sword cosmetic? A Brilliance protection trinket?"

Juryrig's face paled.

"Th- That's... That can only be obtained from Therakiel's Temple on a less than 1% chance! You're asking too much of me!"

"Literally any well-balanced team can go in there and raid that temple. I can raid that temple while drunk. What about a Dark Speed device?"

"Dark Speed...?"

"Okay. So you're useless then. You just said you could grant anything!"

"Well, not when anything is something like that! Okay. I'll correct myself. I'm a subpar superhero who can grant subpar rewards. How's that?"

"Are you even listening to what you're saying?"

76 leaned closer to me.

"Hey. What's a cosmetic?"

"It's like a fashion thing. It changes the appearance of your weapons through illusion. The one I'm asking for changes any swords into that of the Nephillim's weapon."

"But you don't have any swords."

"Who cares? The damn thing is like, worth twenty newborns. It's practically a steal to get it from kicking this Ripper's ass."

76 scratched her chin.

"Anything... huh? Do you have a file on Ripper? Let me see it."

"Y- Yes! Yes, I do. But please don't demand anything that's out of the realm of reason... please."

Juryrig handed a folder to 76, who flipped through the pages, her green eyes scanning the contents at a superhuman speed.

76's expression soured.

"This is the so-called Ripper these guys are having trouble with? Garen could take him down with the training 75's given him."

"The people in this world are a lot weaker than the people you're used to fighting, though."

76 closed the folder and handed it to Juryrig.

"We will eliminate Ripper before 1800 hours. In exchange, I want..."

Juryrig and I tensed.

What could a Tactical War Doll like 76-M want that would warrant her conducting an assassination for someone other than Inner Shadow Slipstream?

"..."

?

76 fidgeted nervously.

"Crepes."

Huh?

"What?" Juryrig and I said simultaneously.

"Aaron's ridiculous requests I can understand. But don't you dare tell me my request is too much for you to handle," 76 glowered over Juryrig, her eyes taking on a devilish glow.

"No! Nope! Not at all! Consider it done!"

"Yay!!!" 76 squealed, jumping into the air before suddenly stopping, and clearing her throat.

"You forgot you saw this. Speak about this to no one."

"Yes, ma'am," Juryrig and I responded as quickly as possible.

* * *

"Are you sure this was a good idea? We have to regroup with 74 and the others soon," I said.

"It's not like we're taking on a last-minute deployment. We do this all the time, actually. Last-minute assassinations and requests for other SFA Platoons. They usually just take a few hours at most."

"You know, when you phrase it like that, you guys take 'just another Tuesday' to a whole other level."

"Well... the reward is worth my time. So I will do it."

I put my hands behind the back of my head as we made our way to the helicopter that would transport us to Monster Island, supposedly where the VIPER headquarters would be.

...

Juryrig...

"By the way, just so I can confirm, you already know that this is a trap, right?" 76 said.

08

"Yeah," I replied, grimly looking out into the distance.

That guy was definitely up to something.

He told us that Mongoose was a secret organization, yet he would so blatantly blurt out their operations to the two of us. Me, maybe. But he had absolutely no way of verifying 76-M's identity. For all he knew, 76 could have been a spy unbeknownst to me working for VIPER.

The fact that he was so willing to request a kill op on Ripper was also a huge red flag.

But amongst all of the red flags...

There was one that stood out the most.

I had lied earlier, when I said I didn't know about Juryrig.

I knew everything there was about the guy. I worked as a superhero for UNITY, however short it was when I went by the name "Hangman", I did a background check on the details of the people working in the organization.

My victory over Doctor Destroyer was also extremely confidential information. There was no way someone like Juryrig would have access to this.

When 76 was skimming the file, I took a quick glance from the side. Juryrig was taking careful precautions to make sure only 76 could see the papers before handing it back.

From his facial expressions and his body language, he really didn't want me to see the folder in detail.

"That man wasn't Juryrig. He knows full well who we are. We can continue the assassination of Ripper, we will risk exposing some information about ourselves. But it can provide insight as to who the enemy currently is," 76-M said, as she pulled out a modular device from her belt.

The device began to swirl with the Shadows of Jay Hellion, porting her weapons and gear.

A shotgun and a rifle.

A combat knife.

And a military vest.

76 strapped her weapons to her body.

"Someone is trying to figure us out. How we work. How we tick. If we continue letting them do this without gaining some intel for ourselves, we'll be done in. This is a good opportunity to know a little about our opponent."

The two of us were dropped off at Monster Island, where 76 and I hiked toward the location that Juryrig had pinpointed for us.

"Place is crawling with VIPER men," I muttered.

"I don't see Ripper anywhere. According to his file, he once worked in the VIPER nest - but the organization has had a history at not being able to restrain the supervillain."

"Great. So he's Bane, then."

76 leaned over the edge, where her clothes took on the tint of the building.

"Do you think maybe I could get a pair of those nifty clothes?" I asked.

76 gave me a weird look.

"You want a skirt."

"No! Not the skirt. I meant like, the jacket and stuff. They take on the colour patterns of the environment. It's pretty cool."

"It's standard issue and was designed by your Inner Shadow to interface with our bodies... so I doubt it would be useful for you. It reacts to the environment and interfaces with our cybernetics, that's how the camo works."

"Awww! What a bummer."

"You've been hanging out with 75 way too much!"

I looked around.

"There's a lot of structural vulnerabilities in this base. I could maybe shoot down one of the control boxes and make it malfunction... send the troops out as a distraction and maybe we could segregate them out?"

"Hmm... no. We can't risk having them call in reinforcements. I'd rather not call in any Tactical Strikes. This is an off-the-books mission, so 33-K of SFA-Kappa has limited my ammunition use. I wanna save my ammo for Ripper himself."

"Good point. But if we're gonna conserve ammo, would it be better if we just locate Ripper and do a single-target hit?"

76 left the edge of the railing and pulled out something from the folds of her skirt.

"Nope. We're going to do it the old-fashioned way."

"Old-fashioned way?"

"Mmhm. CQC."

76 jumped off the ledge and landed on top of one of the VIPER men like a diver, timed exactly right where the cameras were panned away from her.

I watched as the War Doll twisted his neck and dragged the body into the shadows.

"I left behind something for you to use. Have you ever used a blowgun before?"

"Blowgun?!"

"Yep. They're real fun to use. You blow through them and it shoots out a dart."

"Haha real funny. I didn't think you guys would use something so primitive."

"Surprisingly, this was actually something Sergeant Hellion taught us, one of the first weapons he taught us to use. They're versatile since their ammunition is cheap and quick to make. Perfect for hunting."

I stood at a distance, surveying the backdoor entrance while 76 dispatched enemy after enemy through stealth takedowns.

"If 75 taught you anything in your last deployment, now's a good opportunity to put it to good use, Red Eyes. I can only do so much in melee. I'll need someone to take down any enemies at a distance in quick succession to avoid alerting the guards."

I inspected the area.

Several VIPER guards were casually chatting...

My last deployment, huh? So what lesson from our resident BL freak could be applicable in this situation?

When you're sniping, the first thing you need to do is make inferences. Then from those inferences, you need to be able to support those claims with evidence.

Judging from their posture and their physical builds... they didn't seem to be highly trained.

If someone were to be taken out, they didn't have the experience to act upon it before panic took a hit.

In other words...

The ones who would react first would be the ones who had a coms device. These were our top priority targets.

"We gotta take out the guys who have communications," I surmised.

"Good. I've already located the communications targets in my proximity. Can you locate the ones in the outer perimeter?"

I focused, making my inferences.

Now I had to find evidence to back it up.

I aimed my blowgun and positioned it at a nearby pebble.

Six Hands Modified Combination Style

DEAD EYE

FWOO.

A dart flew and knocked the pebble into the air, causing several of the guards to hesitate.

Two of them reached for the walkie-talkies, while the others yelped.

"What the fuck was that?!"

"I swear this place is haunted after what that brown-haired demon girl did to Freon!"

Two communications guards.

Twelve rookies.

"Priority targets obtained. By the way, what was that guy talking about? Brown-haired... as in Thalia?"

"Yeah. A few weeks ago Freon threatened to freeze over Greer and Harlick. 74 took that personally and raided his base all on her own. Apparently, the supervillain died from 'mysterious circumstances'."

"That's terrifying!"

"You're the idiot who keeps giving her headaches every morning!"

I slowly moved to the other side of the base, slipping past the field of view of a security cam and crouching behind one coms guard, and two rookies. I peeked over and got a glimpse of the entire area.

Visual memorized.

Movement patterns of bogies identified and memorized.

"Do you have a visual on the layout of the area?" 76 asked via. coms.

"Yeah. The whole place."

"Guess we won't need any HUD tech with you around, huh."

"Hell yeah. Praise me more, 76!"

"Just tell me if the movement I'm going to execute will keep our cover," 76 said, as I peeked at her location, reading her hand gestures.

"Yeah. All good. I'll dispatch on my end, and we'll coordinate."

"Roger."

I snuck up to the coms guard and waited before blowing into the blowgun, firing three darts successively at the three bogies.

Bodies thudded on the ground as I crawled forward, reaching behind me and holding up an SFA-Muon all-purpose tactical audio device to the receiver.

AI Audio Splice Software Complete. Activate conversation bot?

"Activate," I whispered.

I mounted the device to the receiver, listening in on the conversation and ensuring the device was responding accordingly based on the conversations it had recorded while I was sneaking up on the guards.

I slowly stood up, taking one of the guard's pistols and inspecting it.

I still had a little bit of mana left from my last deployment. I couldn't use it to the level of SS Rank like with Winchester's Auxiliary Shadows... but I could still use the small-scale elementary spells.

"76, I'm gonna use their weapons to hide my firearm signature. I can tag the enemies at long range too."

"Okay. Just wait for me to finish up this floor and we can move up."

I sat in waiting while watching Tactical War Doll 76-M stalk the darkness like a predator, approaching each bogie and eliminating them with terrifying efficiency.

I had lived with these guys for a while now, and by now I had become so familiar with their operations, that I could recognize the movement patterns they would use before they would even execute them.

But it still never failed to amaze me how fluid and how well coordinated these War Dolls were.

As I watched 76-M chain assault after assault, taking down each enemy successfully and lining up her attacks after one another, I could see how each member was at least B Rank.

76-M would take down a guard, which would line her next enemy up for a perfect strike. Swapping between weapons she could pick up from defeated targets would hide her signature. It was kind of like watching a professional snooker player line up their next shots.

Despite her outward appearance as a gruff close-quarters combatant, 76-M was anything but a brawler.

Even her wild strikes were highly calculated from years of training in high-stress environments. Paired with her cybernetics, it was like watching a hitwoman perform stealth takedowns at superhuman speed.

One blink, and you would miss it because, by the time your eyes opened again, four enemies would have been taken out, kill confirmed, and hidden from view.

A guard turned around, not realizing 76-M had fully blended into the darkness.

"Guys...?"

SHUNK!

The last remaining guard stood frozen, his eyes wide as a throwing knife sprouted from his forehead.

I watched him crumple to the ground, revealing 76-M, who pointed one of the pistols she had taken from a guard and fired several silenced confirmation shots.

There were sixty-two guards stationed in this area of the VIPER base, and Tactical War Doll 76-M had killed every single one without being detected.

In the span of seventeen seconds.

"Are you going to keep gawking at me, or are you going to finish the guards on your floor?"

"Oh. Right," I stammered, turning toward the guards on my level and finishing them off using the techniques taught to me by SFA-Muon.

The two of us continued our infiltration until we reached a hallway, where 76 held out her arm.

"Shh. No."

"?"

I watched 76 get down on her stomach, entering a prone position, similar to the Bloodhound Protocol, but her eyes stayed the same colour.

"Ummm why are you sniffing the ground? Do you have any idea how much bacteria is on-"

"Zip it, moron!"

"Sorry."

76-M continued sniffing. Normally I would have found that hilarious... but the way 76 was doing it made her look more like a demonic predator than a dog.

Like...

A hunter.

"Found him. Ripper. Probably went to the lab area. Judging from the hormones in the scent, he went to the lab in a frantic to inject something. I suspect it's the omicron compound that fuels his super strength."

"How in the what? You got all that from sniffing the ground?"

"I didn't sniff the ground. Don't make it sound so weird! I was using the tracking skills taught by Sergeant Hellion."

"Tracking skills huh... that stance you were in, it's awfully similar to the Bloodhound Protocol."

"Yep. You'll notice a lot of these Protocols, we can essentially replicate with our own skills. Whether it is using Bloodhound to track enemies, or using Azrael to pinpoint weak spots, even the Chameleon Protocol we use to change our voices, Sergeant Hellion personally had us learn to replicate these without our cybernetics. The Protocols exist as an emergency panic button in case we don't have time to use our human skills."

"Like an express method to achieving the same result?"

"Yes. There's always a price for shortcuts... in our case, the price is a heightened use of our internal batteries. One Protocol is equivalent to several days' worth of energy, and several days' worth of calories. This was why we were so surprised when we heard 75 used not one, not two, but four protocols in the span of two days. If she had gone for a fifth..."

76 bit back her lip.

"I don't even wanna think about it. That stupid little bimbo... I'll never live with myself knowing we had to execute our comrade because we weren't there for her."

I gave 76 a grin.

"Don't you worry. I'm sure Garen will be there for her."

"That just makes me worry even more!"

The two of us made our way to the main area, to find a huge hulking... thing hunched over.

I didn't need to read into anything to know he was on his last legs of sanity.

From the way he kept fumbling, to the way he was smashing practically every piece of equipment he could find.

"There's the target," I whispered.

76-M looked around.

"Careful. We shouldn't rush in blindly."

"Got a plan?"

76-M looked at her shotgun, then at Ripper.

"From first inspection, I don't think my shotgun will pierce his skin. Nor our rifles. We'll need to either shoot his orifices or go with a non-physical approach."

I looked around.

"You think we could use the tech around him to electrocute the guy?"

"It's not a bad idea... but we might risk alerting VIPER and having to fight off their reinforcements. There are still cameras around here, so we need to make it so that his death was an accident in case anyone catches us before we escape the base. Similar to how 74 killed Freon, except better since VIPER will actually believe it. Also, I'd like to wrap this up soon so I can visit Millennium City Pastries before we meet up with the others."

"That's your reasoning..." I muttered.

I peeked over the edge.

"What about that stuff he's feeding off of? Omicron?"

"Yep. It's a biotech that grants him superhuman strength. Supposedly it makes him feral if used in higher doses."

"If we can get him to overdose and enter a rampage, we could take him out and make them believe he OD'd and died."

"Hmm. We could pull that off. I can pull Ripper, you figure out the dosage levels and how to increase it."

"Maaaaan I always get the boring jobs."

"Shut up! Most of the boys we've ever had in Muon were tasked with cleaning the floor. You're lucky you get to even be on our missions!"

Most of the boys...?

Did Muon have boys in their cohort before me and Garen?

76-M broke cover, leaping on the guardrail.

"By the way... we should really wrap this up soon. That EMP I had set off will be deactivated. We need to defeat Ripper by then."

I snuck over to the console, inspecting the setup.

Numerous tubes and compounds...

This had to be illegal super soldier experimentation. There was no other way to describe this.

Back when Sig and I were still employed at UNITY, we had encountered something similar. Draysha.

But instead of Omicron, Draysha had the effect of swelling up the muscles of its recipients. It seemed like VIPER had found a way to bypass the drawbacks of Draysha through Omicron.

Yet...

I glanced at 76, who had engaged Ripper in combat. The hulking beast was swinging in a feral rage, but 76 was far too nimble, leaping acrobatically from cover to cover, forcing the supervillain to hurl rocks all over the place.

Destruction shook the entire base.

"Man... what would Nora do at a time like this?" I muttered.

Remember, Aaron. If you ever encounter a crossroads where you have no idea what direction to take...

...

...steal whatever you see!

You useless older sis!

My hand hovered over the Omicron solution. Even the mere fumes of it were making me feel increasingly aggressive.

Fumes.

SMASH. KRAKOOM.

Ripper roared, swinging and punching the air.

"WHY ARE YOU HIDING, LITTLE GIRL?! FACE ME!"

Ripper bellowed, pounding his chest, when suddenly, 76-M appeared out of the shadows like an arrow, sliding between the monster's legs and climbing up his back with superhuman agility.

In her hands was a frag grenade.

"Down!" 76-M commanded as I did what I was told.

I watched the War Doll shove the grenade into Ripper's mouth and leap out of the way.

A bright light ignited from inside Ripper's body. A jet of red steam shot out of every orifice in his body as the monster fell to his knees.

76-M pulled out her shotgun and fired at Ripper's chest point blank, causing a starburst of blood to explode out of his body.

It was the same as the last time I had seen her use that shotgun...

It all came together like solving a math equation.

76 had weakened the skin of Ripper by decimating a layer from within his body, then followed it up with a shotgun blast in quick succession, keeping Ripper from recovering.

It was similar to my Six Hands Combination style in that everything was in one continuous fluid motion, but in 76's case, there was no need to think in between steps.

All rehearsed, all routine.

There were virtually no kinks in her fighting style whatsoever.

76 grabbed a nearby beam and walloped Ripper over the head as the monster lurched backward.

"Uuuuuh..."

The War Doll spun around, revealing a SIG Sauer M17 in her free hand aimed right at Ripper's forehead.

BANG.

Ripper fell backward, his body slamming onto the ground like an earthquake.

"Ripper's down. I didn't kill him. Did you figure out the Omicron overdose?" 76 asked.

...Are you sure you didn't kill him?

He sure looked dead to me.

"N... No... no more..." Ripper muttered, causing 76-M to peer at the villain.

"No more... mommy."

"Pfft," I said, before quickly covering my mouth.

76 glared at me.

"That better not be a laugh."

"It's not. I swear to GA-AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OH MY GOD! HE CALLED YOU MOMMY! HAHAHA!" I howled in laughter, nearly doubling over.

All the while, 76 continued glaring at me, a vein popping out from her forehead.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!"

"Mommy... I surrender..."

"BAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"QUIT IT! The cameras can still record audio! We-"

76 froze, slowly turning around to see a group of VIPER reinforcements standing at the entrance of the destroyed lab.

"No..."

"What am I looking at," a guard said, as another raised his rifle and fired in our direction.

76 and I dove for cover, pinned down by the horde of VIPER troops who began firing at us relentlessly.

"This is YOUR fault! YOUR FAULT!" 76 growled.

"You're the one he was calling mommy though," I protested.

"HOW DOES THAT EVEN HELP YOUR CASE?!"

"We've been found anyway. Besides, what were we gonna do with all those bodies you had moved into the shadows?"

"I moved them in a way that it would look like they were hurled and had their bones broken by Ripper due to his rampage, you buffoon!"

I gripped my rifle.

"Well, we might as well finish the rest of these guys. Come on, it'll be fun!"

"I hate you."

"Aww, love you too, bestie!"

"GRRRRRARRRRR!" 76-M roared, grabbing her rifle and returning fire at all the enemies, gunning them down in quick succession.

I joined in our return fire, shooting them down with high accuracy.

When it came to firefights, the person with better detection was always at an advantage.

Unfortunately, there was no point in detection if you were up against a literal aimbot of a teenager and the biggest gigachad in existence.

Within the span of 45 seconds, we had completely eliminated all of the VIPER reinforcements in the base, a total of 226 soldiers.

76 breathed heavily, strapping her rifle to her back. Since she didn't ever run out of stamina, I could probably guess the heavy breathing was mostly out of rage.

"Umm... so..." I mumbled, scratching the back of my head.

"Wanna get pastries?"

76-M glared at me.

"F-Fine... but you're paying."

"Alrighty," I chuckled.

On the bright side, I had discovered the ultimate hack to calming the angriest Tactical War Doll in the entire regiment.

The bad news...

...was that VIPER now had two War Dolls on their radar.

A brown-haired demon girl.

And a muscle mommy.

* * *

In the end, we didn't learn jack shit from the encounter with Ripper.

"As requested, a box of pastries," Juryrig handed out a box to 76, who was already munching on the ones I had bought for her.

"WHA- you already have some on hand!" The superhero exclaimed.

76 grabbed the box from Juryrig's hands.

"Ripper has been eliminated. But we ended up having VIPER discover about us. Sorry about that."

Juryrig's face paled.

"Wh- What do you mean, discover? How many of them were notified?"

"All of them!" I laughed nervously.

I watched as the old gearhead slumped on his chair and closed the door in front of us.

"Th- Thanks anyway. I'll be sure to notify Nighthawk. And so ends our-"

CREAK. CRANK!

"Huh?"

"We're not done here," 76-M said, stopping the hydraulics with her one free hand.

The doors continued creaking and trembling, unable to close in response to 76-M's ridiculous cybernetic strength.

"You heard the lady, pal. Don't think I didn't catch that last-minute slip in your dialect, Juryrig. That is if Juryrig is even your real name."

Juryrig's surprised face melted, revealing a stone-cold expression.

"Oh dear, looks like I gave myself away after all. Unfortunate."

76-M quickly drew her firearm, but "Juryrig" swatted his hand, causing the weapon to fly out of her hand.

I drew mine as well, this time shoving it into a Convocatio portal and having it emerge from Juryrig's blind spot, but Juryrig chuckled, reaching behind and catching my bullet between two fingers.

"Nice trick. I guess my lord was right after all. This is the right strike force. As ridiculous as you two seem, your ability to discern, and your ability to use the tools you have in such an unorthodox mann-"

"Quit glazing. Show us your true form," I cut Juryrig off.

The supervillain grinned as his disguise melted, revealing a man with white hair.

For some reason, looking at him made me instantly feel uneasy.

"What the..." I muttered, taking a step back.

76 glanced at me.

"What's wrong?"

The man spread his hands, causing reality to shift around him. It was like... he was generating black holes in the palms of his hands.

"The Outer Shadow gets it. How long will it take for you to fathom, little Doll?"

76 clenched her teeth as she ripped the hydraulic doors out.

"76-M to Muon. We have a-"

"That won't work."

"What?"

The man laughed sinisterly, as I fired over and over again, the bullets refusing to bypass his aura.

It reminded me so much like Inner Shadow Reaper's... but it wasn't the same.

While Reaper's powers were from his chakra, it was like this man...

Was stopping the bullets through authority.

"In fact, no communication to the outside will work. Let's have a nice chat, while I take you two out."

Chat...

I glanced at 76-M, who slid something into my hand.

A mana syringe!

That brief moment of eye contact confirmed it.

We weren't gonna walk out of this without a fight.

"And so shall begin your execution-"

Convocatio - Grenade Summoning: FLASHBANG, Gun Summoning: Dual ACR Black Dot Sights

BANG.

The man reeled backward in response to the flash of light as I slipped backward.

Portalis and Augmentus: GUNMAN'S ROULETTE

I slipped in and out of reality, firing my assault rifle all around at strange angles.

A storm of bullets surrounded the man, while 76-M darted forward, catching the ACR that I had thrown behind me.

I watched the man raise his hand, stopping my bullets with a telekinetic shield, but 76-M snuck up from the shadows, seemingly out of nowhere and fired a series of bullets from behind, catching him in the back.

"These aren't normal bullets! Fascinating!"

"Stop getting a hard-on in battle, you weirdo!" I snarled, teleporting to a nearby railing several yards away and quickly switching to my Ironsight. I made a signal to 76-M, a slight facial expression. 76-M acknowledged, slipping on a mask.

Elementary Fire Magic: Ignis Pila

Convocatio Ammunition Summoning: Death Smoke Rounds

I loaded a bullet into my sniper, and ignited the barrel of the gun, firing a round that flew straight into the man's blind spot.

The man spun around, just as I expected, but the bullet ignited, unleashing a toxic gas.

"Nerve... toxins?"

76-M glanced at the side of my gun and flipped a switch instantly, setting it to shotgun mode and ran up behind the target.

The War Doll took aim and fired at the man, sending him flying forward.

Turricalum Duo

Two DS35's manifested from red magic circles, hovering before the man and changing form into floating circular disks.

"Gravity Protocol"

WHOOM.

The man faceplanted so hard that several cracks formed all around him.

76-M rushed forward and jabbed a syringe into the man's neck. An inhibitor.

Special grade.

"Shock procedure, Red Eyes!"

I blipped in front of the War Doll, my finger primed with a blue magic circle.

Elementary Lightning Magic: Augmentus

Blue electricity concentrated into my finger as I quickly jabbed the current into the syringe, priming every single molecule and increasing the potency of the solution.

The man slumped forward.

"Well... that didn't go as planned..." He muttered as he glanced at the two of us.

"This might be... a little awkward, but do you mind letting me go?"

76-M gave a cute smile, which, given her reputation, was utterly terrifying.

"Of course!"

"Really?"

"What do you think, dipshit?"

76 brought her combat boot back and stomped on the man's face, sending him unconscious.

* * *

76 dumped the man before the rest of the Dolls.

"We found the little crapchute who's been spying on us. Claims he was sent specifically to target Muon and Dainsleif."

"Hey!" The man said, nervously, but his smile soon melted as 74-M approached him coldly.

"White hair. The same colour as the Primordials... yet you were easily defeated by Dainsleif and 76-M. You're using borrowed power."

"Damn. Surely you must be the legendary and fabled Chief of the Muon Strike Force. The most mature of the War Dolls."

74-M's eye twitched in response to the glaze, but the Chief War Doll kept her composure. Unfortunately, it didn't go unnoticed.

"You've gotta be shitting me," 76 grumbled.

74 stepped forward, bringing her face close to the man's.

"These restraints use state-in-the-art binding technology that inhibits the use of metahuman powers on the metabolic level. From here on out, you will not be able to escape and are at the direct mercy of the highest-ranking operative in this room, which is me. You will answer every question I ask to the best of your ability."

A small crack of a smile appeared on the man's face, as I watched him throw his head back and laugh.

Garen jumped, clutching onto 75, much to her annoyance.

"What a pansy-ass," I snorted.

"You're one to talk!" 76 replied, trying to yank me off. For some reason, 78-M was shooting 76-M threatening looks.

The man leaned forward until he was face to face with the Chief War Doll.

"So you are Outer Shadow M74. The girls around you are your Auxiliary Shadows, and Outer Shadow Dainsleif is with you. I see. So the reports were true, the SS Ranked Joker is here with the Tactical War Dolls for training purposes."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Reports?"

The man glanced at me, before making eye contact with 74-M once more.

"Thalia Atlai... you hold your chest out high as you lead your Auxiliary Shadows. But I can sense it, deep in your movements. Deep in your words. Guilt. Inadequacy. Fear. Terror."

74-M narrowed her eyes, her hand inching closer to her handgun.

"What are you implying?"

"You act strong, but you are terrified. Deep down, you know..."

The man pushed forward, despite the bindings chaining him down.

"If I ever break out of these restraints, there's a chance I could slaughter each and every single War Doll in this room. By the time Dainsleif bails you out... it will be too late. More blood on your hands."

I nervously peered at 74-M's hand, which was starting to shake.

"Thalia... don't let him get to-"

"From 77-M's death."

78-M's face tensed.

"To the 56-J's desertion of the post. To abandoning Alice Azure. You sure are confident in your ability to lead for someone who's chickened out so many times."

76-M stepped forward, her fist raised.

"You sure have a lot of yap in that mouth of yours, shithead. Was your last ass-kicking not enough for you?"

"And? How do you know I didn't just let it happen?"

78-M pulled out her rifle and got in position, aiming it right at the man's forehead.

"I know who you are."

"Do you, now?"

74 spun around.

"Yield, 78-M! He's our source of intel!"

"Come on, 78. Listen to your incredibly flawed Chief. Listen to the girl who got your sister killed."

78-M's rifle began to tremble.

"Your ability to cause strife... the white hair...

"You're Susanoo-no-Mikoto. The God of Trickery and Storms."

Mikoto laughed cruelly, leaning forward and pressing his forehead against the barrel of 78-M's rifle.

"And what will you do with this knowledge? Will you execute me? Is this something 77... no. Risa Shinohara would have wanted?"

78's hand began to shake, and her body started to develop a tremble.

"You keep her name out of your damn mouth..." The War Doll whispered.

"Poor Risa-chan. Died so young. Died too early. The same way your mother had died. Peeking out to see something she was never meant to see."

78's lip continued to tremble.

"Enough, Mikoto!" 74 growled as she rushed forward, but Mikoto rolled his head and let loose a devilish cackle that froze everyone in place. I tried to summon something, but it was like my mana circuits had also become blocked in response to whatever Mikoto had done.

"Riho Shinohara... you may have ascended to a supersoldier, but to a god, a human is still a human. And a defenceless crying little girl is still a defenceless crying little girl, under all of that military training Hellion-san has put on you."

78's finger began to close in on the trigger.

"Do not call me by that name," 78 whispered threateningly.

"Does that make you mad? Calling you out like this? A god's understanding of life is so much different than a human's. I couldn't care less if you executed me here and now. After all, he who sent me would just send another. And another. And another. But by all means, if you want to shut me up for good, go ahead. Pull the trigger... Shinohara Riho-chan."

A bead of sweat ran down 78's head, as Mikoto continued his onslaught of taunts. Each taunt was becoming more and more aggressive.

"Do it. DO IT. DO IT!"

"78... 78 focus on me! Do not listen to him!" 74 yelled out.

"Come on... HAYAKU RIHO-CHAN! HAYAKU."

"78! Don't shoot!" I shouted.

78 clenched her teeth, her eyes wide in rage.

"SHOOT ME! SHOOT ME RIGHT NOW, YOU PATHETIC LITTLE GIRL! HAHAHA!"

"78! 78!" The rest of us shouted, which was probably not a good idea, since at this point I could tell she was near her breaking point.

And the trigger was starting to close.

"GRAAAAAAAH!" A feral roar ripped through the tension as everybody suddenly fell forward.

"Wha-" Mikoto exclaimed, as 76 rushed forward.

Initiating Stance 55: TAURUS PROTOCOL

The War Doll blasted forward in a frenzy, grabbing Mikoto by the collar and lifting him into the air, then proceeded to headbutt him right out of his restraints.

"FORMATION!" 74-M shouted, as the rest of the girls drew their rifles and aimed right at Mikoto, who scrambled back.

"You're not going anywhere, Mokoko!" Garen said, firing his crossbow and entangling the god in a strange runic mesh.

"My magic...!" The god gasped as the girls unloaded their magazines, bombarding Mikoto with a barrage of concussive non-lethal bullets.

"GAH!"

I took aim with my handgun, but suddenly, the god stood up, his eyes glowing.

Enough. That's enough information for me.

The War Dolls paused, a sense of unease washing over them as the god picked himself up, seemingly revealing no damage whatsoever.

I see. So the target wasn't Riho Shinohara after all. The one I was looking for.

"Was me, right?" I growled.

No.

"Huh?"

I had no idea if I should have felt relieved or offended, but suddenly, Mikoto appeared in front of 76-M, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into the wall.

"RRK!" 76 grunted in pain, as the others rushed forward, but with his free hand, Mikoto stopped everyone's movements once more. This time with the same authoritative wave that he had displayed earlier.

My suspicions...

My gut instinct from when I had seen him the first time...

It was true.

Mikoto was on a completely different level compared to everyone we had fought.

Even Winchester.

My target... is you. Vinci Blake.

76-M's eyes widened as Mikoto put his finger on her forehead.

In the name of Susanoo-no-Mikoto... may you be marked... by the curse of The God of Mischief.

BANG.

Mikoto paused, turning around to see a bloody patch starting to form in his weak spot.

The Protocols are dangerous for the War Dolls... are you sure this reckless move of yours was a wise choice, Chief?

74-M lowered her weapon, as her eyes still retained the glow and crosshair of the Azrael Protocol.

"Leave at once... I have already identified your weak point."

Mikoto smiled, dropping 76-M, who gasped for air.

"Alright alright! It was fun... but I'm out of time."

"HEY! Just where do you think you're going you divine asshole!" I growled, firing my handgun at Mikoto's position, but the god disappeared, leaving behind a bunch of bullet holes on the floor of our base.

"76!" The others rushed toward the War Doll, who slumped over, her eyes barely open.

"I'm... fine..." 76 muttered, struggling to her feet.

"No, whatever Mikoto did to you, we don't know if it was lethal or not. We need to get this checked out before we deploy," 74 said.

74 reached out, but 76 swatted her hand.

"I just said I'm fine. We cannot cancel on Sergeant Hellion because one Doll got careless. We do not have the luxury of forcing a double deployment on another Task Force. Do your duty, Chief."

"But-"

"DID I STUTTER?" 76 growled, grabbing Thalia by the shirt and bringing her closer.

"You are the leader of this team. Or did that fuckface excuse of a trickster god get under your skin? You keep telling Dainsleif to not underestimate us, yet here you are having so little faith in me. We've been through worse. Together. One little curse isn't enough to take me out."

74-M gritted her teeth, locking glares with her fellow War Doll.

"Even so... if we lose you..."

"You will NOT lose me. We will deploy. Together."

74 took a deep breath, getting to her feet.

"Very well. Tomorrow... we will deploy to our next mission. Take the rest of the day to recover, and begin filing for any equipment that must be requested beforehand. See you at 0500 hours."

I watched as Thalia turned around and left the room.

78-M clenched her fists.

"Don't you dare die on us, 76."

"I won't."

"The enemy won't care how much conviction you have. Loki certainly didn't when she killed 77-M."

75 got up and stood before 76.

"The hell do you want, Princess?" 76 snarled.

"..."

75 tilted her head, darkness shrouding her body, with just the glow of her cybernetic eyes illuminating her face.

"I'm not against you deploying, but don't go at it alone. In case that Curse takes effect... I want at least Aaron to be by your side."

76 gritted her teeth, her bangs covering her face.

"I get it. So leave me alone. Please."

75, Garen, and 78 obliged, heading for the door, but I stood where I was, glancing behind me. 76 slid back on the ground, covering her face with her hand.

"Did you not hear a damn thing I said, Red Eyes?" 76 snapped.

"Oh, I heard. I just don't feel like doing what you say."

76 glared at me.

"This is not the time to piss me off."

"You're upset."

"I'm always upset, dumbass."

"No."

I sat in front of the War Doll, who was trying to hide her clenched teeth by lowering her head.

"You're always mad. But not ever upset. This time is different."

"So what... so what if I'm upset? The mission comes first."

"What good will you do for Muon when you're like this?"

"..."

I reached behind me and pulled out one of the pastries I had stolen from the box Juryrig/Mikoto had bought for 76.

"Mmmm. Pastries!" I wiggled the pastry in front of the War Doll.

"Stop it! I'm not a dog."

"Jelly filled!"

76 let loose a half laugh and half sob, but tried to pass it off as a sigh as she let down her hair.

I watched the red tumble down her shoulders.

"I fucked up. And now 74's gonna have to deal with yet another War Doll who's on death's door. How many more people is she gonna blame herself for?"

"You'll be fine. You said it yourself-"

"I'M LYING!" 76 screamed, her hands balling up into fists.

"I'm... I'm lying. I lied about being fine. I'm... I'm..."

I took out a tissue and placed the pastry in front of 76/Vinci.

"When Jubilee was killed the first time... back when she went by the name June Lee Sung, how did you feel, Aaron?"

My heart wrenched in pain.

"I..."

"You blamed yourself, didn't you? And again... when it came to X8. And then when it came to Ultear. No matter how much your subordinates tried to convince you, deep down... the guilt. The pain. It was all there. It didn't make it any less painful. They died. And it felt like it was your fault."

I took a deep breath, leaning back.

"Can I call you Vinci?"

"Absolutely the fuck not."

"Alright, Vinci."

"..."

I chuckled, taking out another pastry and munching on it.

"Every leader is going to feel responsible for their subordinates. Always. No matter what you tell them, it's in their nature to worry. That's what makes them a good leader. I'd be more concerned about a leader who didn't care."

"I can't... afford to put any more strain on her. I knew her before we were War Dolls. Way before meeting Sergeant Hellion. Back when she went by Thalia Atlai. The first time we met, she had found me after Evangelion had destroyed our world and sent the place into complete anarchist collapse. I was leading a counteroffensive against the grown-ups who had been turned into zombies by the Fourteenth Hinokami. I was one of the first to kill in Azure Academy. To watch someone die."

76 brushed her hair back, revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes.

"So many times, we've clashed over who would be the Chief War Doll. The girls in the other squads always commented on our dynamic. Everyone had a very clear leader of the group, but when it came to Muon, no one really had an idea who would actually lead. 74 may have been more composed, but I had more experience leading because I had been the first to unite the girls on our counteroffensive to survive. I think we actually had a poll going on in the SFA over who would be the Chief War Doll in Muon. 74 and I were practically neck and neck."

"74... did she want to become Chief because of Zero-A?"

"Yep. And it was because of that, that I feel opposed to the idea of her leading. To lead means to have the mindset for it. But every day, it was 'I want to catch up to 0-A', or 'I'm not good enough for 0-A unless I do this'. 0-A this. 0-A that. Never was it ever anything about us. So yes. I may have been less composed, and I may have had a penchant for swinging first and asking questions later. But my focus was always on Muon."

76 looked at me.

"But that wasn't the only reason."

I thought back to Vinci's argument with Thalia.

"You didn't want 74 to go through with the stress of having subordinates die... because you've seen the horror of it, you've experienced it. And you understood the pain of losing those under your command."

A small crack of a smile appeared from the corner of 76's mouth.

"You sure are annoyingly perceptive."

"Thanks. It really gets the girls going."

"Pfft."

76 reached out and held the pastry in her hands.

"Of all the members of Muon... 74 has known me the longest. There were three more before us... before you showed up. As you can guess, the way we are named in the SFA is numerical."

"Tactical War Dolls 70-M to 73-M..."

"Were killed in action. Succumbed to their wounds under my decision to stay with Thalia to fight off a group of adults who were harbouring supplies. Died by my command."

"I'm sorry."

"No worries. But... I wish I could say I was able to push through 77-M's death. But the truth was, her death shocked all of us. And for me... it was a reminder of the burdens of being Chief. That day, when 78 slapped 74, I felt the urge to beat that Jappy down."

"Calling 78-M a Jappy is wild."

"Haha."

76 leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

"I lost to 74-M in an attempt to try to protect her from the guilt by trying to be Chief War Doll. And I lost again when 77-M was killed. Now... there's a chance that my service is going to be cut short because of something beyond our control. You saw it yourself. Mikoto... is on a level far beyond comprehension. If I had to guess, his ability to manipulate reality around him steps into the realm of causality. We don't have the tools or devices to deal with this curse."

"We won't know if we don't try."

"And we won't know if I'll live either... What I'm trying to say is..."

76's hand slowly inched closer to my sleeve, tugging on it.

"I don't wanna die... Aaron. When this curse hits... I want you to save me."

09

"Um... why are you here?"

"Greetings your lordship! I am here on behalf of my bestie to request your help on a certain curse!"

Inner Shadow Reaper froze, his teacup still mid-air and freezing over in response to his confusion. Emily the waitress began to panic, waving her hands frantically.

"L- Lord Reaper sir! Your tea! Your tea!"

"You do realize that while I am retired, I am still an Inner Shadow, Aaron."

"Which is precisely why I have come to seek your wise council!"

"...Why does that sound so sarcastic?"

I put my hands on my hips.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Mister (one limb) Reaper! Come on, say something, 76!"

"Hey. You added something just now!" John snapped.

76's face was still shellshocked, probably still trying to process what was going on.

"Why... why are you on speaking terms with an INNER SHADOW....?!"

"What do you mean? This is John."

Crassman slowly raised his hand.

"Erm... can you please show some professionalism? I'd rather you call me-"

"A BIG IDIOT! Daddy, a big idiot is here!"

"Now pumpkin, that is not how your mother taught you to address strangers!"

Jennifer Crassman, the daughter of John Crassman giggled, jumping on her father's lap and rocking back and forth.

"Where is your mother?" John asked.

"Jenny! Come back here!" Taylor exclaimed, jogging up to the family.

"I'm so sorry, Aaron! You must have urgent business with Johnny. We'll be on our way. Jenny, come here!" Taylor said.

"Awwwww!" Jennifer pouted.

John patted his daughter's head, smiling as he watched his wife and kid leave the tea shop. His face crinkled around his smile, sending waves of wholesomeness my way.

"Please excuse my family. So you must be Auxiliary Shadow M76. It is my pleasure to be at your acquaintance."

76-M yelped, straightening her back.

"Elite Tier B+ Ranked Auxiliary Shadow M76, at attention, Inner Shadow Reaper. To exist is to serve The Black Legion."

John waved his hand, laughing gently.

"No need for the formalities, my dear. I am not Inner Shadow Slipstream. Dainsleif tells me of a certain curse that was afflicted on you... among other things. But I would like to hear from you. Can you elaborate in more detail on your encounter with Susanoo-no-Mikoto? You'll have to excuse my chakra... I apologize if it is causing you discomfort."

76-M bit back her tongue as she interfaced with something on her thigh.

A strange compartment unlocked within her jeans, as I noticed her body language simmer down.

"I received a curse. The god did not elaborate. But he said it was by his name... I suspect it is some kind of curse of misfortune, but I cannot be sure. No one in the SFA Regiment has been able to identify it."

Crassman put a hand to his chin.

"Hellion did not use his All-Seeing Eye?"

"It would be a waste of his time to use his Evo on a single Tactical Doll, sir."

"Hmm, I would disagree. Inner Shadow Slipstream treats you all like his daughters. I would bring this up with him, however, I am aware that he is still extremely preoccupied with fighting off Empire's forces. I am not one to criticize his method of handling his Shadows... as I have resigned myself to guard duty for Inner Shadow Gasket's world."

"Can't you do something with your chakra? Like blast a hole into the curse or something?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, chakra is only a means to retain your sense of self. To higher degrees of mastery, one can wield it like a weapon to execute offensives, but to break a rule that transcends causality and is narrative protected to the point of a godly curse would be next to improbable."

"You're kidding me... but I thought you were able to break the order of the world with some of your attacks, why is Mikoto's curse any different?" I replied.

"I cannot answer for sure... I have glanced at your curse, M76. And the only way I can imagine you can break it is to dig deep into what it's feeding off of. I suspect it is the type of curse that can be broken through understanding. This is also an additional drawback of esoteric abilities, not limited to just chakra. You must be able to understand and comprehend your situation before you can dismantle it. If you cannot comprehend, you cannot direct your narrative bending to counteract it."

76-M bowed.

"I appreciate your time, Lord Crassman."

"No worries, young lady."

"HOY! This is a HUGE worry, dude! 76 is gonna die!" I squeaked, waving my arms all around the Inner Shadow.

John's eye twitched in irritation.

"I believe 76-M has the resolve to fight back the curse. Rather than seeking a shortcut, why don't you follow her example and seek solutions?"

"GRRRRR!"

John chuckled, putting his teacup down.

"Susanoo-no-Mikoto... I remember hearing of this name, back when I visited Japan with Taylor and Tina. The God of Storms and Trickery, he will be a very difficult opponent. Especially for you, Aaron."

"Why?"

"Because he fights the same way as you. Through trickery. Illusion. Deception. But he can do it better, as he has achieved godhood through this route."

"Hey. I'm more than just tricks. I have guns and military training too."

"Then all the more reason to rely on your comrades, Dainsleif. Lord Slipstream made a very smart call... stopping me from sending you to Tiamar hastily. I can see where I went wrong. You still have much to learn. I am very curious to see your development alongside this wonderful young lady, and her comrades."

76-M looked down.

Was...

Was that a blush...?

Oh my god, 76. You're into older men?

"Hey. Why do I have an urge to punch you right now?" 76 muttered.

"What are you, a mind reader?!"

"If I may, I can offer some assistance," John said, waving his hand.

"Assistance?" I asked, focusing my vision on the entrance. A man walked into the building, a rather lanky one. He was wearing a pair of aviator pants and a green sleeveless shirt, but a hood and a pair of goggles which concealed his eyes, which I knew would reveal his identity to his homeworld.

On his arms were numerous tattoos, one of which read

WITCH OF TIAMAR.

"Ayyy! Galeo! My man!" I exclaimed, reaching out and putting my arm around the Outer Shadow.

"Right to first names with you... again," Galeo Ixian, a.k.a., Outer Shadow Sixshot muttered.

"I know you two must deploy with the rest of your unit to your next mission. However, if curses plague you, my Outer Shadow may help. Sixshot shall accompany you on your mission."

Galeo blinked.

"I am doing what?!"

John turned around, giving his Outer Shadow a thumbs up.

"I trust in your abilities to deal with curses. You are, after all, a Witch."

"Umm... I'm a Psiker actually-"

"I have the utmost faith in my Outer Shadows. If this is any consolation for my inability to help you directly, then please. As long as Sixshot is okay with it," John said.

Was it just me, but Reaper was a little on the idiotic side?

I guess a little bit of Johnny Crassman never did leave the fabled God Reaper after all.

Galeo sighed, smiling as he lowered his head.

"May the Emperor strike me down."

Awfully pessimistic, Galeo!

"As you wish, Lord Crassman. I cannot imagine any mission with the Black Legion GPITA would ever go smoothly for you, Young Miss. As stated earlier, I am Outer Shadow Sixshot. I will be in your care."

"Who the hell are you calling a GPITA?!"

76-M bowed.

"No no. The pleasure is mine. Thank you for your assistance, Sixshot. I will be sure to inform my Chief about your participation in this mission. Your help is greatly appreciated."

* * *

Our next deployment was a little different from the last one.

"Full frontal assault. We will be taking down Demon King Porta and his nation," Thalia said.

"Is that seriously his name...?" I asked.

"78, you will conduct Operation Chokehold. With the world's supply chain in disarray, 75 and Garen will initiate a long-range offensive on the nation's Garrison, sending their military into chaos. 76, Sixshot, Dainsleif and I will raid the castle."

And with that, we were sent onto the battlefield. 76, 74, Galeo and I sat stationed in the ruins of an abandoned building, overlooking 78, who was sitting in a carriage that was headed straight for the Demon King city.

"Commence operation, 78. We will survey."

"Affirmative," 78 said.

I watched 78-M through a vision device.

She was sitting elegantly in a black dress, her hair tied back and tinted orange. The War Doll boasted a posture and an aura similar to that of a supermodel. Despite being only sixteen, 78-M had somehow made herself look several times more mature and professional.

Tactical makeup was what the girls referred to it as.

Imagine how hardcore you had to be to turn makeup tactical...

According to 74, 78 was to pose as a diplomat for the Demon King army and was to attend an annual conference that was held amongst a bunch of other diplomats and world leaders in a fancy-ass ball in Porta's castle. Upon receiving the signal, 78 would assassinate every single world leader there. From royalty to prime ministers and presidents to wealthy businessmen.

From the file we were each given to review, that would be 188 heads of state and government and 26 business moguls that made up The United Nations of Braede.

The very concept of it was insanity.

One world leader alone would warrant a tremendous amount of security. Secret service and the best operatives in the country would be dispatched to protect the leader. The idea of having every single world leader gather in one room... I couldn't even begin to imagine the many layers of security that would have.

What would that even be? 214 highly protected targets?

78 began patrolling the outskirts of the castle, presenting her badge to the guards and entering inside. From the way she was looking around, someone oblivious would think she was simply admiring the view, but in reality, I could tell she was absorbing everything.

From where the cameras were placed, to potential strike zones, enemy movement patterns, security vulnerabilities, areas to hide...

She was scoping the place out.

"You're kidding me... is she really going to assassinate every single politician and royal in that ball? All by herself?!" Garen exclaimed through our secure radio connection.

"Yes," Thalia answered. I was half expecting her to chew Garen out but was pleasantly surprised to hear her explaining it to the Elf.

"Each War Doll has their own talents, even though we are trained in the same fashion. We all have the same underlying training from Sergeant Hellion, but some of us have better affinities than others. For instance, your girlfriend specializes in long-ranged sniper combat and intelligence acquisition..."

"EEK!" 75 squeaked in the radio.

74 continued, suppressing the urge to laugh.

"76 specializes in close-quarters combat, I specialize in general large-scale warfare, infantry rifle handling, and coordination. As for 78..."

I watched as 78 walked past two businessmen, her orange bangs fluttering along with her movements.

"Damn... check out that one... do you think I have a chance?"

"You never know unless you know, man!"

"First target detected," 78 said.

"...Tactical War Doll 78-M is considered the greatest hitman in all of SFA-Muon."

78 smiled coyly at the man, who immediately blushed.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"Y- Yeah..."

"Then why don't we take it somewhere private?"

Several bodyguards approached 78.

"We will accompany Sir Peterson, for his safety."

"I understand."

I watched from the device as 78 led Peterson to an empty hallway. The War Doll glanced at a very small camera that was discretely mounted on the side and slipped to one end, using the bodyguards as a shield and blocking the camera's view of her.

Her repositioning was so subtle... it almost fooled me.

And it definitely fooled the bodyguards.

78 led Peterson to a bathroom, to the hesitation of the bodyguards. The businessman was the first to enter, then 78 followed, but before her foot stepped into the room, her body suddenly twitched.

A line of red slowly formed on the necks of all six bodyguards as 78 slit their throats with a single slice of her knife.

Before Peterson could even react, 78 spun around and snapped the businessman's neck, killing him instantly. The bodyguards stayed in position, slumping forward. But to the camera, it was as if the guards were still waiting for Peterson to come out of the bathroom.

78 pulled out a vial from her necklace, and activated it, changing the colour of her orange hair to purple. I watched the War Doll approach the mirror and change her hairstyle, tying it back into a braid.

The War Doll slipped out of the window of the bathroom, climbed to the roof and silently stalked two guards who were overlooking the outside.

I watched as 78 approached the female one and snapped her neck, dragging her away from the male guard. Then proceeded to pull out a silenced pistol, tag the second guard and drag his body onto a chair, sitting him down to make it look like he had passed out.

It was like watching a professional gamer speedrun a level from Hitman. 78 was taking out every target with flawless precision and strategy as if she had rehearsed every movement down to its finest detail, despite knowing full well this would be her first time playing it. I thought 76-M was a beast, hell, I even witnessed 75-M's fighting style in the past too as a Winchester, but...

78-M was on another level.

She killed her enemies with so much finesse and precision. Her movements were so damn subtle you needed to do a double take to catch it if you even could...

The idea of her being able to kill all 200+ politicians suddenly didn't feel so far-fetched after all.

Her next target was a politician who was chatting with a prince from what I presumed to be another country.

Guards were stationed all around them in a room. 78 walked down the hall like a supermodel on a runway, and aimed with her pistol, taking out the main electrical guy who collapsed on a console, sending the entire room into darkness.

I watched as the War Doll slipped into the room, locked the door and proceeded to eliminate every single body in sight at supersonic speed.

Two politicians and fourteen guards were killed in the span of 2 seconds from the time she had fired that silencer.

78 continued her killing spree.

Every single kill showcased her creativity. Whether it was explicit kills through her firearm or her knives, or disguises, or even through traps made with harmless objects...

It was as if she had neutralized every single target in a way that it could easily have been passed off as a freak accident.

"78, you've neutralized 75% of the targets. The remaining targets and security are starting to get suspicious. It'll be a matter of time before they realize a hitman has been sent to Porta's castle," 74 warned.

"Acknowledged. Requesting total blackout."

"You got it," 75 said as I heard the sound of a sniper being loaded.

Three shots were fired from 75's sniper rifle, each landing perfectly against the magic generators in the castle and sending the whole building into darkness.

Screams and shouts erupted from the whole area, as I heard the sounds of shuffling.

Emergency lights turned on, but by the time they were deployed, it was too late, because 78 had darted all around the castle with her cybernetic speed, planting dozens of smoke grenades that flooded the whole building with a haze.

"Commencing final elimination," 78 said as she loaded her pistol with a fresh magazine, the smoke parting revealing the figure of the War Doll, dual-wielding her gun with her knife.

FWOOSH.

78 zipped around, slitting and cutting, and disappearing back into the smoke. If she had done this at the start, the mission would have gone loud.

"All 214 targets neutralized. Begin Phase 2."

Hordes of reinforcements had already entered the castle; demons armed with numerous staves and weapons, as well as soldiers with an array of swords.

78 slowly got to her feet, the smoke swirling around her black dress. The War Doll slowly brought up a wire she had ripped out of a nearby communications box during her last assault, and wrapped it around a Demon, decapitating it before the army.

"SCREEEEEEE!!!!" A large demon hissed, as the horde charged the War Doll, who dropped the wire and retaliated, taking down soldier after soldier using whatever objects she could find.

A large minotaur-like creature bellowed from behind 78, but the crack of a sniper pierced his skull, followed by dozens of arrows which cut down another crowd of monsters.

75 and Garen had launched their counterattack.

"Sixshot, 76, Dainsleif, advance," 74 commanded us. Our group rushed forward through a mass of Shadows, warping us to the inside of the castle away from the battle.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" Two monster guards braced themselves to call for reinforcements, but 74 took aim with her rifle, shooting both guards down in a fraction of a second before they could even react.

"Barricade the door," the Chief War Doll said. 76 obliged, slamming the gate shut and applying a hardening compound around the edges and in a truss-like structure.

Galeo and I advanced, the two of us taking down any guards we encountered with gunshots and Aether strikes alike.

74 led the way, surveying the area, while 76 held the rear, swapping to her M4.

The deeper into the castle we traversed, the greater the concentration of the enemy. By the time we reached the final main room before the King, our weapons were smoking and glowing red hot.

"Allow me to take point," Galeo said.

74 turned to the Outer Shadow.

"Are you sure? I've read your profile, overuse of your powers may lead to catastrophic consequences."

"It won't come to that. Besides, you were going to continue this raid with your melee weapons to conserve ammunition, am I wrong? I can channel the Aether indefinitely as long as I don't channel it continuously for too long."

"Come on, Thalia. Have some faith in your fellow Outer Shadow. He's A Rank, you know. You both have a battle background. And all three of us Outer Shadows are traumatized weirdos!" I said.

"Speak for yourself!" 74 and Sixshot growled in unison.

"Oh."

I glanced behind me and noticed 76's posture was a lot more guarded than usual.

"Hey. Don't worry about it. We got your back, Vinci!"

76 clenched her teeth, forcing her original posture.

"I- I don't need pity! I'm fine! Focus on the mission, you Red-Eyed Pervert!"

"Huh. I was wondering when I was gonna be called a pervert again, and I had a whole four-day streak going."

"If anything, you're giving me more of a migraine than the curse..."

More monsters and soldiers piled into the room, facing us down.

"They're here! Do not falter, comrades. We will serve King Porta to the end."

74, 76, and I stepped aside until it was just Outer Shadow Sixshot facing the remaining reinforcements that had put distance between us and the Demon King.

Come to think of it, I never really saw Galeo at his best. Aside from my last attack on Diacus, I had seen Galeo fight... but a lot of it involved me trying to survive the onslaught of the Vessels of Vala.

The only thing I knew about the guy was that he was A Rank.

And he had briefly survived an encounter with the Vessel Achilles.

"My Inner Shadow once said, that one's martyrdom to a tyrant would be no different than a fool's death in vain. I see nothing but fools ahead of me."

The horde charged as Galeo unstrapped the staff behind his back, channelling a bright cyan flame.

A blinding flash of light illuminated the entire room, forcing me to avert my gaze. Despite being at a distance away from the Outer Shadow, I could practically feel the aftereffects of the attack.

"It's over."

What?

Already?

I slowly opened my eyes, to see the charred remains of the soldiers. Galeo had practically incinerated every single enemy in front of us, practically an entire platoon of soldiers in the blink of an eye.

"Holy crap..." I muttered.

Galeo walked forward, his boots scrunching on the ashes of the enemies. The staff in his hand was still blazing with a blue flame.

"Forward. Four percent should be enough for now."

Four percent...?!

Why didn't you fight like this back when we were getting our asses kicked in Diacus?

Galeo continued leading the offensive, blasting enemies with huge Aether strikes, electricity storms, and infernos.

"You must be having fun," I grumbled.

"Not necessarily. I do not enjoy killing."

"Really?"

The Outer Shadow nodded.

"Even without being labelled a Witch, I would have been considered an outcast regardless. In Tiamar, we are brainwashed into believing we are to either serve the Emperor through blood and strife or be subjected to eternal ridicule since birth. The reveal of my genetic mutation would only compound my ostracization."

74 raised an eyebrow.

"You do not enjoy killing, yet you do it anyway. Out of duty?"

"Yes. While I abhor the idea of taking a life, I understand that it is necessary at times. Back then, it was for my survival from those who sought to purge heretics like me. Now, it is in the name of the Inner Shadow who had saved my life and given me a second purpose."

A snarling demon appeared out of nowhere, but Galeo glanced to the side and parried the beast's claws with his knife.

The tattoos on his arms began to glow as the Outer Shadow pushed the demon back and followed up with a stream of bioelectricity which blew it into smithereens.

"The Aether speaks."

"Huh? Are you going crazy already, dude?" I asked.

"Very funny. But no. When I channel its powers, I can hear its voice. The voice of the Dimension of Chaos. It speaks to all who wield it, sometimes it speaks of cryptic tongue, sometimes it is decipherable."

"Was that time decipherable?"

"Yes. It warns of the nature of Porta. It also is saying the red-eyed fool beside me should shut up once in a while."

"That second part was totally made up!"

Galeo smirked, as the Outer Shadow stomped his foot on a Greater Demon, his cyan eyes flashing as the Demon's head exploded from a Brain Burst.

"Sixshot, what did the Aether say about Porta?" 74 asked.

The Outer Shadow pursed his lips and cast a brief look at 76.

"'Tread with care, to those branded with the heretical mark. Tainted shall be a target, sent far away.' I presume Porta is the type to use spatial magic."

A shadow cast upon the War Doll's face, as her head lowered slightly.

"So be it."

74's eyebrows scrunched up with concern.

"76, take extra caution. I still want you by my side when we face the Demon King. I need at least one War Doll to coordinate with."

"You don't need to ask twice, Chief."

We proceeded until we reached a massive towering set of black and gold doors.

"Ahead is the King," Galeo said.

74, 76, and I braced our weapons as the door slowly opened.

"What in the hell... is this..." My voice trailed away. Ahead of us, was what appeared to be a flood of blue light. Layers upon layers of dots pulsated.

It was as if I was looking at a vast tesseract, like a kaleidoscope of strange fractals that expanded to infinity.

What kind of a throneroom was this?

74 and 76 treaded carefully, their rifles raised.

"The platform ahead looks to be tangible, but it branches out. Deploying Spiderbot," Thalia said, as a compartment opened from her earrings, revealing a strange-looking drone that skittered across the path. Occasionally, it would scan its surroundings, choosing the safest path.

"We'll follow the bot's direction. Do not stray from the path of the bot."

I peered to the edge of our trail.

I picked up a stone and tossed it, watching the stone pass through what looked like a branch pathway into open space.

"Holy crap, that's terrifying. If we so much as slip we're done for!"

Galeo put a finger to his temple.

"I cannot sense an end to the expanse."

"Hey! Anyone scared of heights here?" I asked the group.

"Just shut up and walk, idiot," 76 growled, prodding me in the back with the butt of her rifle.

We continued advancing when suddenly, 74 held out her hand.

"Stop. Do not move. Do not make a sound."

"Why?" I asked.

HISSSSSSSS.

Oops.

I spun around to see a shimmering blue object darting to my position.

KRAK KRAK KRAK.

I covered myself with my prosthetic arm, fully prepared to have it damaged, but the object dissipated.

76 lowered her rifle, which was smoking.

"Thanks!" I whispered.

The four of us knelt, going low.

More and more objects surrounded us.

Ahead of us, the orbs had already surrounded the spiderbot. We watched as the bot disintegrated within the presence of the orbs.

"Spoteaters..." Thalia muttered.

"Spoteaters?" I whispered.

"They're creatures that are surrounded by an enzyme that catabolizes matter, doesn't matter if it is organic or inorganic, flesh or steel," 76 replied, squatting next to me.

"Further enhanced by magic. They're extremely sensitive to sound, the spiderbot was making too much noise from its legs clattering against the ground. We can't risk alerting them otherwise we will expend all our ammunition."

A lump formed in my throat.

"Then what do we do? Can we still sneak past them?"

"We need to wait for them to disperse on their own accord," 74 answered.

"Do we even have that much time? The others are still holding off the reinforcements."

"No, it isn't a matter of whether or not they can hold out. I'm more worried about them finishing too quickly and meeting up with us. The moment they enter this area of the castle, if we can even call it an area, they will alert all of the Spoteaters here. Seems our communications have also been cut. The others have been radio silent. We'll need to brace ourselves for a full-fledged firefight if the others regroup before the Spoteaters leave."

The gears in my brain began to turn.

If the Spoteaters became active, we would risk using up the rest of our ammo.

74 and 76 would essentially be at a disadvantage when fighting Porta. The only people who could put up a fight would be me and Galeo. We had no idea how strong Porta really was, especially after what the Aether had said.

And I really couldn't risk another mana syringe while my body was still recovering.

We had to find a way to get the Spoteaters out of here... or at the very least, incapacitated.

A lightbulb went up in my head.

"That look on your face, do you have a strategy, Dainsleif?" 74 asked.

"Yeah. Let's make the loudest sound imaginable."

The War Dolls and Sixshot gave me a look of disbelief.

"What."

"They're sensitive to sound, right? The spiderbot got swarmed because it made sound, but not a loud enough one. If we let loose a loud sonic boom, we might be able to flood their senses. Galeo could dispatch them with his hacky Aether powers."

76 sifted through the pouches of her tactical bulletproof vest.

"You're suggesting a soundmaker. I might have something that does the trick."

The War Doll pulled out a device from her vest, followed by several earplugs.

"When I activate it, Sixshot can proceed with eliminating the Spoteaters. Everybody plug up."

The rest of us obliged, as 76 pressed the button, unleashing a deafening sound that caused the orbs around us to vibrate uncontrollably.

Galeo shot up, extending his hand.

SZRAK!

A flood of purple lightning left his arm, branching across every single Spoteater and illuminating the entire place with a bright purple hue.

"Well that was easy," I said cheerfully.

74 removed her earplugs, looking onward.

"My spiderbot has been destroyed. We don't have a spare."

"76, do you have a spare?" I asked.

76 put her soundmaker away.

"Hm? No. I do not."

"Really? I thought those spider bots came out of you."

"ACK-PFFT!"

"?"

76 nearly tripped all over herself.

"They do NOT come out of us! What the hell do you take us Tactical War Dolls for?!"

"Ummm... sorry? I just thought you guys were robots and stuff. That weird stimpack came out of your leg."

"That's different."

"How?"

"IT JUST IS!" 76 snapped.

"Look. All that matters is we do not have the means to navigate the rest of this freaking maze. We will need to find another way."

74 looked around. The whole place had turned into a massive expanse of fractals, the droning trance of the dots pulsating was the only thing that could be heard.

Come to think of it...

Where was the entrance?!

"This is bad. It must be the spatial magic the Aether had spoken of. We've completely lost bearings of our position," 74 said.

"Please tell me you're joking," I grumbled.

Galeo walked forward.

"Aether. Guide us."

So we were relying upon a cocaine-addicted Socrates for directions now?!

"Is that even gonna work? You're practically using the Aether as a GPS."

"Do you have any other ideas?"

I thought long and hard.

"Yeah. I do."

"You do?" 76 asked.

"Yep," I replied, getting to my feet and taking off my shirt.

"What the hell are you doing..." 74 muttered, unamused.

"Chill out ladies! You can admire my chiselled abs later."

"In your dreams!" 76-M growled.

Galeo gazed at the edge of the expanse as if he were contemplating jumping off the side.

"Galeo, your knife," I said.

"Gods, no! What are you planning to do with the weapon blessed to me by the Aether?!"

"Just trust me!"

"I'd trust the voices from Warpspace before a shirtless idiot who would strip in front of minors!"

"Huh, I'm surprised you even know that term- hey! Look. Just give me it. I'm gonna cut my shirt into pieces and use it to replace the spider bot."

"We have no idea how far this trail expands. What will you do if you run out of clothes?" Thalia asked.

"How do you feel about strip-"

SMACK.

"GAH! Fuck! It was just a joke! Just a joke!" I stammered, trying to protect myself from 74's onslaught and murderous expression.

"Put your shirt back on, Pervert Red-Eyes."

"Yes ma'am."

I put my shirt on, fixing up my buckles to avoid dropping anything down the expanse.

76-M looked over the distance.

"We have no means of even knowing the condition outside of this space. Time could be accelerated or dilated. We have no way of verifying."

Galeo closed his eyes.

"I cannot communicate with the Shadows either. We're trapped."

Yes. Quite fitting, for those foolish enough to challenge me.

The four of us spun around, wielding our weapons.

Before us, a throne had suddenly appeared, revealing an immensely tall figure who was wearing a dark red cloak.

His face was replaced with a swirling vortex, distorting reality all around it.

"Demon Lord Swirly! Release us at once!" I shouted.

Two girls merged with steel. A sorcerer. And a cloaked fool. Admittedly, this is a rather strange party...

Why was everybody calling me an idiot these days?!

"A party that will kick your ass. We're here to destroy you. By orders of the Black Legion Organization," I taunted.

Porta tilted his head, causing the points in space to distort in response to his movements.

You cannot destroy me. For I am this space itself. Can one destroy something as abstract as this space with firearms? If even the Aetherwalker hesitates to strike first... that alone should tell you that I cannot be stopped with physical bullets.

A blast of force smashed into us, sending us flying backward.

"Shit!!!!" I yelped, reaching out and grabbing at whatever I could find and latched onto a branch.

I turned and called out to the rest.

"GUYS!"

"We're fine!" Thalia responded. They were also grabbing onto whatever they could find.

Understand that you all could have perished from this attack alone. There are no branches tangible in this space. The moment I will it to be so, all four of you will fall to your deaths.

No...

No way.

This meant that... if Porta wanted to, he could choose to make the only thing keeping us alive intangible... and we would be done for.

I glared wildly at the monster before us.

Our lives were completely in the hands of Demon Lord Porta.

10

Think.

How do I get out of this mess...

My mind went back to my first fight with Yeling, back when he had his narrative reset by Loyce, and how I had managed to wound him despite his ability to go Intangible.

That's it!

"Guys! The platform he's standing on, it's tangible no matter what!"

"76! Flash and Spearhead Manoeuvre!" 74 shouted as 76 reached into her vest and flung a flash grenade at Porta, which set off.

Porta stumbled back, the sounds of two spearguns going off in the distance.

Two ropes and spears impaled themselves into the Demon King, causing Porta to howl in pain.

I watched as 74 and 76 were ziplined to Porta's position. 74 grabbed Galeo by the waist, while 76 grabbed mine. The four of us flew onto the platform causing Porta to snarl.

Outer Shadow Dainsleif, how dare you force me to expend my power in combat!

"Too bad so sad. Looks like your dictatorship's going capitalist."

Galeo charged forward, drawing a Force Sword from his back and clashing against the King.

"The Aether is not under your authority. Where I channel my power, you have no voice!"

Accursed Witch!

76 darted around the platform at supersonic speed, occasionally blinking into view to aim and fire with tracer rounds. Porta became bombarded with gunfire from a bunch of unorthodox angles, the glowing bullets illuminating the King's figure. However, the King was incapable of discerning the War Doll's next movements due to Galeo distracting him with his Aether-coated sword strikes.

"Dainsleif, Eagles Eyes," 74 said, as the Chief War Doll tossed a smoke grenade, obscuring the King's vision by flooding the entire place with smoke. However, because 76 had been using glowing bullets, the outline of Porta shone through the smoke, giving us a visual.

I took aim, based on the traced gunfire 76 was giving off, and listened intently to the King's grunts. Some grunts were louder than others... some grunts were different based on whether it was from Porta exchanging blows with Galeo, or taking hits from 76's gunfire.

"Weakspots identified!" I shouted, firing and catching Porta in his vulnerabilities.

The Demon Lord fell to one knee as 76 reloaded, falling back. Just as quickly as 76 stopped her assault, 74 had taken her place like a well-oiled machine.

There was practically no slack in their movement patterns.

These two were fighting and executing these manoeuvres with a mastery that could only be obtained from hours and hours of practice.

I continued aiming and firing, but 76 grabbed me by the shoulder and yanked me to the side before Porta could materialize before me.

"He's caught on to our strategy. I'll take point," 76-M advised.

I darted backward, swapping to my sidearm and firing at Porta, having already analyzed his moveset.

The King fought by creating spatial anomalies at certain areas in my proximity, in hopes of distorting my body. But because I had been watching him fight Galeo, I already knew where he would summon these anomalies.

Dodging and countering had become as natural as breathing.

I am becoming impatient!

Porta summoned another surge of energy.

"He's gonna do the whammy thing!" I shouted.

76 took aim with her rifle and fired, catching Porta at his joint and setting his force blast off center.

Galeo rushed forward, unleashing a surge of bioelectricity and locking the King to the ground while Thalia rushed in with a frag grenade in her hand. Her eyes locked with mine.

I pulled a grenade out of my cloak.

We were gonna deal the final blow when suddenly, the suppression fire from 76's weapon ceased.

"Dammit! My gun is jammed!" 76 snarled, switching to her sidearm, but the King glanced at the War Doll, sending another concussive field of energy that knocked the pistol out of her hand.

How fortune favours those over others...

74's eyes widened.

"The curse...!"

Porta snarled, the vortex in his face intensifying as several anomalies appeared in front of Thalia, catching her in the side and one of her legs.

I watched blood and spare parts fly out of the War Doll's body, but before Porta could continue his assault, Galeo intensified his bioelectricity, pinning the King down.

Galeo continued unleashing his lightning, locking Porta in place, but several veins had already started bulging from his forehead.

"Dainsleif... M74... I cannot hold out much longer."

74 grimaced. Her body had sustained major damage.

"I don't have a choice. We need to push forward. Initiating Stance 15: CHEETAH PROTOCOL."

Thalia's legs suddenly powered up. White circuitry began to shine through her black cargo pants.

FWOOM.

The Tactical War Doll disappeared in a blast of wind, leaving behind a white electrical discharge in her wake.

Thalia materialized above Porta, who growled and turned in the War Doll's direction, opening him up for a strike.

I closed in, my grenade hand reeled back.

Time seemed to slow as the adrenaline pumped into my veins.

My tunnel vision had seemingly blurred my surroundings.

Had to get this charge planted on Porta. 74 had taken a huge risk and expended a second Stance Protocol.

Didn't I tell you, Vinci? That you were my target? Mikoto's voice suddenly resonated in my mind.

A chill ran down my spine as I hesitated, glancing to my side. A patch of blood had formed near my ribcage.

Then my sight was directed toward 76, who stared at her rifle in shock.

The weapon had dislodged the jammed bullet casing... but the casing had shattered, and a fragment had flown in my direction, piercing me in my side.

"FUC-"

I slammed into the ground, dropping the grenade.

No...

We messed up!

74 clenched her teeth, her eyes wild.

"DO NOT LET UP. WE COVER EACH OTHER'S MISTAKES."

Thalia's roar of defiance shook me out of my stupor.

Damn right.

I took aim with my handgun.

Six Hands Combination Style: DEAD EYE

BANG.

I fired a bullet which glanced at the side of the grenade like a snooker ball, sending the projectile hurtling toward Porta's face.

Thalia yelled, jamming her charge in the same place.

"SIXSHOT! DAINSLEIF! FALL BACK."

Porta screamed, trying to rip the charges out of his body, but Thalia landed on the ground before the Demon King, her choppy shoulder-length brown hair fluttering wildly from the white electricity being discharged from her Protocol.

"By order of Sergeant Hellion and The Black Legion Organization, we brand you, subordinate of Inner Shadow Empire, a traitor. Your sentence is DEATH."

Outer Shadow M74 switched to her sidearm, firing at one of the sticky bombs and igniting it.

An explosion sent the War Doll flying back.

Right into me.

"AYO WHAT-"

SLAM.

The two of us tumbled backward as I began scrambling for something to grab onto, my prosthetic arm latching onto the edge of the platform.

Galeo rushed forward and caught the two of us.

"Pull us up!"

"You're... too heavy! Both of you!" Galeo gasped.

"Dammit dude do Psikers not lift?!"

"Now is not the time to be racist you mongrel!"

76 appeared from behind Galeo and growled, yanking the three of us onto the ledge.

"Is it over?" I panted.

My patience wanes. I shall not be humiliated. One so divine such as I.

Of course not.

"How the hell do we damage someone who's basically just space?" I exclaimed.

74 got to her feet.

"76-M."

"..."

"Whether or not the curse affects us, we work together to pull each other's weight. No one is blaming you. So continue to do what you have been trained to do. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes... ma'am."

The four of us huddled together.

"The platform... it's still here," 74 observed.

If Porta wanted, he could have just dissolved the platform, and we would have fallen to our deaths.

There had to be a reason. A reason why we were spared...

Spared...

No.

More like he wanted us to believe we were spared.

My eyes widened.

"Guys. What if the platform is here... because Porta doesn't want us to fall?"

Galeo turned to me.

"That is a bold claim."

"No. Dainsleif might be on to something," 74 whispered, her eyes darting around.

More and more anomalies were coming our way.

This shall be your grave. Today, I shall claim the subordinates of not just one, not two, but THREE Inner Shadows! Master Loyce... see my deeds today. For I shall show you the might of Demon Lord Porta. And- wait, what are you doing?!

"See ya," I said, leaping off the edge.

"That reckless little..." 74 muttered, as the others followed suit.

The four of us dove down the dotted domain, as the dots quickly elongated into millions upon millions of bright blue lines.

Did you seriously think I would let you fools just descend without resistance?!

A wall of matter formed in front of us, but Galeo took out his staff and blasted it into smithereens with an Aether strike.

"Sixshot, keep blasting away! The rest of us will provide cover fire!" Thalia shouted.

Galeo fired another Aether blast, but the blast suddenly disappeared, warped away from an anomaly.

"Anomalies!" 76 growled.

I spun around, glancing at the dozens of distortions that began to manifest around me.

Newton's Third Law, do you remember it, Aaron? Nora's voice rang in my head.

I pulled my submachine gun from my cloak and took aim, firing as the reaction force propelled me away from the anomalies.

"Guys! Newton's Third Law!"

74 and 76 blinked.

"Huh?"

"What's that?"

You girls knew how to disassemble an M4 carbine but didn't know high school physics?!

"Firing your guns will give you propulsion!" I clarified.

74 and 76 obliged, taking aim and dodging the anomalies.

"We're going to run out of ammunition at this rate. We need to reach the bottom fast!" 74 shouted at me.

I glanced at Galeo, who continued blasting wall after wall.

"Galeo! Can you use something more concussive? Shatter the walls into pieces. We'll use the pieces as footholds to accelerate our descent!"

Galeo nodded, modifying his Aether strikes as chunks of debris surrounded us to use.

We were getting closer and closer to the end, and from the distance, I could make out what looked to be a white orb.

"Is that... his heart?" I asked.

"OPEN FIRE," 74 commanded. The three of us took aim with our rifles when suddenly, a sense of nausea washed over me.

This will not be my grave.

Space distorted around us, elongating until four walls boxed us in.

Galeo's staff flew out of his hand, caught in one of the walls and disappeared.

"Those walls are dangerous! Huddle closer!" 74 said.

74, Galeo and I huddled, but something felt wrong.

"76...?" My voice trailed away.

My heart skipped a beat.

76 was frozen, and her combat knife was pressed against her throat. And behind her...

Was a familiar prick with white hair.

"Did I not tell you that I would be back, Muon and Dainsleif?" Mikoto said.

I aimed my handgun, but Mikoto waved his finger at me.

"Nuh-uh. Not this time, God-Eater. Do something I don't like, and Blake-chan becomes a blood fountain."

74's eyes widened in fury, but now our attention was split between the God of Trickery and the Demon Lord.

"How the hell are you even here?!" I growled.

"The mark resonated with me. And it was just... bad luck that this happened to be the type of Demon Lord the War Dolls were tasked to eliminate."

"Huh?!"

Mikoto smiled.

"Dots. Orbs. Space. Did you... connect the dots yet, God-Eater?"

"The hell are you on about? Let my friend go!"

76 struggled, but Mikoto made a clicking noise with his tongue.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Don't struggle now, little lady. You'll only make it worse for yourself. After all, you are the key to all of this. The key to dismantling this entire team."

Key?

How was 76-M the key to ending the team?

"Your fear of 74-M's safety, of upholding the horrible burden of Chief that you witnessed firsthand. That fear has made you psychologically weaker than the other War Dolls."

"Do not listen to Mikoto, 76!" 74 said, but Mikoto cut her off.

"They do not know the real 76. Or rather, they don't know the real Vinci Blake... but he did."

Mikoto slowly raised his finger at me.

"Aaron Hope. His very nature unravelled a part of you that you thought you destroyed. Many think gaining more allies makes you harder to kill, Dainsleif. But to me, and to you, we both know that is far from the case. You would put your life on the line for the people you care about. And you care very dearly for this broken little Doll. I can tell, from the way your hand trembles."

More and more anomalies began to take form. This time, we were so boxed in by the strange walls we had no way of evading them.

76 clenched her fist.

"Any last words, my lovely Blake-chan?" Mikoto whispered in the War Doll's ear.

"I'm sorry, Chief. But there is some truth behind Mikoto's words. I am terrified of hurting you. And I know that what I will do next will hurt you indefinitely."

76 smiled grimly at 74 and me.

"It was an honour serving Muon. And an honour to fight alongside the greatest Outer Shadow in the Black Legion. But if it is my final stand, I will not go out a damsel in distress. I'm taking this little prick with me to the grave."

Thalia's eyes widened.

"76... no! Don't!"

From her boot pocket, the War Doll slid another knife into her hands and jabbed behind her, stabbing the God of Trickery in the abdomen.

"GAH! What?!"

76 spun around, tackling Mikoto and sending them both through the energy wall.

Sparks flew everywhere.

Everything suddenly felt extremely quiet, only the sound of the drone of the expanse and the flowing of energy resonated as we continued free falling.

Galeo looked solemnly ahead, while 74's face went pale, in shock.

"I lost... I lost another one..."

76...

No...

Aaron, I've already lost 77-M.

My heart began pounding in my chest.

BA DUMP.

BA DUMP.

BA DUMP.

I don't wanna die... Aaron. When this curse hits... I want you to save me.

No.

I refuse to let this happen.

I made a promise.

I grabbed Thalia by the shoulders.

"I'm bringing Vinci back."

Thalia blinked, staring at me.

"You'll do what?! I can't lose you too! You were sent here to learn from me and Muon! What's the point if I just let you-"

"I will not die. I'm an SS Rate. Vinci may not be my Auxiliary Shadow, but I've already lost plenty. 76-M still has a lot of work to do in Muon and a whole life ahead of her. She will NOT have it cut short by some god."

"..."

"Look at me, Thalia."

74 made eye contact with me, her grey eyes were bloodshot and on the verge of tears.

So typical for a teenage girl.

Just the way it should have been. For the girl named Thalia Atlai, who should have been enjoying her childhood, but ended up becoming responsible for a group of soldiers.

"Mikoto is the God of Trickery, but he is still a god. And I am the God-Eater. Once I've brought 76-M back, I'm coming for his head. One more to the collection."

I turned to Galeo.

"Outer Shadow Sixshot. Outer Shadow M74. I trust Porta to you guys. I've got a god to kill."

For once, Galeo nodded in respect.

"Then so be it. Do your duty. Outer Shadow Dainsleif."

I faced the walls, sticking my prosthetic into it. Immediately I felt a tugging sensation as I let myself be pulled in.

Reality distorted all around me. Almost as if I was being pulled into a black hole.

But it didn't bother me, because my tunnel vision returned.

All that mattered was 76.

"Aaron."

I paused, peering at 74, whose grim composure had returned. Black grime and torn servo motors lined up her face like a Terminator.

"Sixshot and I will eliminate Porta. I entrust the life of my precious subordinate to you. Bring my soldier home."

* * *

In Amerada, I once went on a ride called "The Slingshot".

This was back when I was still dating Jessie.

None of the kids in our class wanted to go on it, but Jessie, being the lunatic that she was, was the only person to be all gung-ho about riding on the infamous "vomit-upchucker".

I remember sitting on the seat next to my late girlfriend and being flung into the air by g-forces.

It felt like I had all my innards being pushed against my mouth, and if I even so much as breathed out all my guts would spill out. So I held my breath the entire time.

Being thrust into the expanse of Porta's presence felt exactly like that.

The acceleration was so intense that it felt like I was about to vomit out all of my guts.

The points in the space had elongated far beyond lines at this point. Everything was just streaks of white as I free-fell at speeds far surpassing terminal velocity.

Something was accelerating me, and it didn't feel like I was accelerating downward.

Something was veering me off course as I let out an audible yell, trying to find some semblance of control in my trajectory.

"What are you doing?!" A girl's voice reverberated in my mind. I spun around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. It sounded just like Thalia's, only it sounded a little younger.

Almost like it came from a 13-year-old 74.

"What does it look like? I'm restocking."

Another voice. This time, it sounded like it came from a 13-year-old 76.

"She's dead! Isn't that already bad enough? We're robbing her!"

"And what good would this can of beans do for a corpse? The rest of the girls need food."

"That Demon's already made all the grownups crazy. If we become crazy ourselves, then this city is done for," Thalia retaliated.

"YOU'RE the crazy one for thinking what I'm doing is crossing the line. And let me tell you if it means cutting our dead classmates into pieces so we could use them as bait, then so be it. This is survival. This is what it takes to survive in this city now. Do you know what's going to happen to goody two-shoes girls like you? You'll end up like them!"

I heard the sounds of a struggle, and what sounded like Thalia hitting the ground with an audible grunt.

"You wanna end up with a crow pecking away at your intestines because you wanted to be a good girl, Thalia?"

The voices slowly disappeared as I continued being thrust around in the dot world.

Dots...

Points.

Points in one's life.

Dots. Orbs. Space. Did you... connect the dots yet, God-Eater?

This world was more than just an infinite expanse of visual points.

Each point... was reminiscent of a point in one's life.

What I was looking at...

Were the numerous points of Vinci's life, arranged in a complex fractal.

"I don't wanna live knowing I murdered my own little girl. Become strong... not because you were forced to. But because the sun will eventually rise up, and you will become strong enough to smile again for me."

Colours started to form as I found the space around me distorted into my surroundings.

I free-fell and nearly landed on the surface of a building, but at the last second, someone yanked at me by the collar of my cloak.

"ACK!"

I collapsed, rolling into the shadows of a cement room. I conked my head against the wall, scrambling to the corner with my gun raised at the person who had yanked at me.

"State your purpose and lunch!" I stuttered, trying to repeat what Thalia always said when encountered by an unknown bogie.

"It's purpose and function moron," A familiar voice said.

"...Vinci?"

"It's 76-M! How many times do I have to- GAH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! GET OFF OF ME!" 76 yelped as I ran forward and enveloped the kid in a hug.

"Holy crap! I thought you were actually gonna die! You actually survived...!"

"What do you take me for?! I'm not weak enough to just die from falling!"

76 pried me off her and propped her rifle against the cement ground.

"Why did you come here? You were supposed to be assisting our Chief."

"You told me to save you when the curse came, remember?"

"I- I don't remember saying something so stupid...!" 76 flustered, taking a step back.

"My business with Mikoto and my mark is my own. I separated myself from the group to deal with it without having it affect the performance of the team. My parting words were just a precaution. It didn't warrant the team's greatest asset to go out of his way to annoy me and ditch the Chief!"

"Aww, you called me a greatest asset. Thanks!"

"GRRRR!"

I looked out the window, scanning the environment.

"This place... isn't this Lord Hellion's base?"

"It is. It is my home city. Praetes. But something's wrong."

"What is it? The fact that it isn't burning with green flames?"

"Real hilarious. I mean... it's Praetes... but it's not at the same time. The buildings are similar but not the same. I think it might be an aftereffect from when you decided to jump in alongside me."

"How long have you been here?" I asked.

76 sat down on the pavement.

"Two days."

"Two days?!"

"Yeah. I already figured out the nature of Porta's abilities. His spatial magic works by interacting with different points in a person's relative time continuum. Different points in someone's life. When I was dragged here, I guess I got transported to a past point in my life. But... now you're here... our realities have merged."

"So you're saying this is a combination of Praetes and Amerada?"

"Maybe. But I wanna keep myself covert. I've restricted myself to handguns and concealed everything. I recommend you do the same."

I obliged, taking off Sarah's cloak and wrapping it up, putting it in a hidey hole.

"Kinda feel grateful to Thalia for telling me to keep my shirt."

"Hm."

76 walked past me and approached the door, where the sunlight shone across her outfit. A black tank top which accentuated her musculature and baggy black cargo pants.

Just how covert were we talking about???

The two of us cautiously exited the building. Immediately, a blast of heat smashed me in the face.

"Holy crap how hot are the summers here?!"

"95 Fahrenheit. Why?"

We continued walking.

"Did you exit the building during those two days? Or were you bunking out here?"

"I scoped the surroundings, but I never left beyond a 5-yard radius. I didn't want to take any risks until you arrived."

"So you were anticipating I would come!"

"Yeah. You're not exactly very obscure when it comes to wanting to help your allies out. I guess I kind of had a feeling you would come despite the situation."

76 suddenly, stopping, yanking me behind a pillar.

"What is it? Enemies?" I gasped.

76 knelt down, aiming her handgun in the distance.

"Not sure. But it could be Mikoto. I don't stand a chance against him on my own with limited ammunition. So if there's a chance of an ambush, I steer clear from it."

"Screw that! We should be kicking his ass after what he did to you!"

"You really are the definition of shoot first ask questions later, aren't you!"

If this was really a world dictated by 76's past, then it could mean that it was against her. After all, Mikoto had come and ambushed us at Porta's castle with the intention of making Vinci his target.

It only made sense to assume everything was hostile to her.

"Other way. There are no openings I can take to eliminate the bogey," 76 whispered.

I followed the War Doll, but suddenly, more voices could be heard in the distance.

"We're boxed in!" I exclaimed.

"Shit," 76 grumbled, looking around.

"Up there. To the roof."

I watched as the War Doll acrobatically leaped up a railing and climbed to the roof.

"Are you coming?"

I stared at 76.

"Yeah. Let me just get a freaking jet pack! I can't get up there!"

"Hold out your hand."

I did what I was told, and 76 yanked me up the roof with ridiculous strength.

I collapsed on the roof, my body almost warping the aluminum.

"D- Dainsleif..." 76 muttered.

"What? Are you shocked you borderline gave me a back injury?"

"Look."

I turned to where 76 was pointing and nearly choked.

"Is that... is that a giant floating skull?!"

In the distance, a massive skull made up the horizon. Thousands of strange-looking black monoliths orbited it as if it had replaced the sunrise. A green and purple hue illuminated the entire sky, giving the entire city an occultist vibe.

"Looks more like Vibora Bay than either Praetes or Amerada..."

"We need to find a way out," 76 said but was interrupted by several voices.

"Found em!"

"Hey!"

76 and I spun around weapons at the ready.

One of the members of the group, who looked to be the commander stepped forward. She was wearing a cap on her head which partially covered her face, hiding her eyes.

"Hey! Relax! We're not gonna kill you! Unless you say anything bad about BDSM anyway."

???

I hesitated, glancing at 76.

76 kept her handgun aimed square at the commander of the group that had intercepted us.

A cold look on her face.

"Your commander looks to be an important person. Turn back, or I will put a bullet through her skull and send this entire squad into disarray."

The commander smirked.

"Damn! Am I really getting threatened by a military loli here?"

"Pfft," I snickered but held my breath as 76 shot me a death glare.

"Do not take another step."

"Okay! I won't. But I have a feeling you and I both want the same thing."

"What's that?" I asked.

The commander grinned. For some reason, the grin sent a strange current down my spine.

It was laced with mischief... but that shouldn't have...

"We're all trying to get out of here, aren't we?"

"I've seen tech supports asking me for my credit card number less fishy than what you're proposing, lady!"

"A sense of humour I see! That's definitely a breath of fresh air. Means I oughta apply the Jessie effect on one less person!"

My eyes widened.

"Wait... what did you just say...?"

76 continued gripping her pistol at the group, who were also aiming their weapons back at us.

"Dainsleif! Do not advance!" 76 whispered at me fiercely, but I felt myself compelled to walk forward.

"Huh?" The commander said.

"Did I say something weird again? Hey! Men! Did I say something weird?"

One of the soldiers gave the commander a confused expression.

"Ummm, no?"

"What you just said... say it again..." I muttered, reaching out my hand to the commander.

"Say it again. One more time."

The commander scratched her head, slowly taking her hat off.

"Geez, what's with you? You sound like I just asked you to marry me or something!"

Large eyes... blonde hair tied back in a ponytail.

Blonde hair...

That I knew was dyed.

Because this girl never had blonde hair in the first place. It was brown.

I was wrong.

There was no way we were thrust here based on 76-M. This girl being here in front of me confirmed it.

Jessie continued giving me a confused expression.

"Umm, I don't think we've met before. But you two should really come with us. It's not safe out there."

11

"So you two are looking for a way out after getting into a kerfuffle with the god who controls this place... huh? That's not too far off from what happened to each one of us," Jessie said, putting a hand to her chin.

"By the way, I never got your names."

76-M crossed her arms.

"Blake."

Jessie grinned.

"Pleasure to meet you, Blake! My name's Jessie Lane, the commander of this troop. And you?"

My first girlfriend... who was supposed to be dead turned to me, causing my already busted brain cells to be resuscitated briefly enough for one barely functioning thought.

My mouth slowly moved.

"For... Forgot."

76's jaw dropped, while the air turned silent.

Only the sound of the fire crackling broke the awkward silence.

"Oh. Well! We'll figure something out!" Jessie said, happily.

76 had kept many things secret, as it was clear that we were to be at our highest caution. She left out details about who we were, and what we came to do, and only mentioned that we were trying to get out of here.

"When I was scouting the area, it was as if everything out there was hostile. Judging from the size and equipment of this team, I take it you all are part of a resistance?" 76 asked.

"You bet," Jessie said, slapping one of her subordinates on the back of the head, much to his surprise.

"Our classmates, we're all trying to get out of this messed up place. The day this god came and took over our world, lots of us were slaughtered. It was... tough. To say the least. But we were able to band together and try to save what little of the place was left. Eventually, we realized that all that mattered was each other. We've been trying to hold out. Occasionally, small strike teams would go out to try to survey the world, but we never went out too far."

"Why's that?" 76 asked.

"As you said... there's things out there. None of us have been able to find a way to fight it effectively. Guns work... to some extent. But they're far too nimble. We just don't have the agility to fight them up close."

"I see."

"Say..." Jessie leaned closer until she was a few inches away from the War Doll. But instead of smacking her like she did with Juryrig, 76 kept her stone-cold composure.

"You seem real good in a fight. How long have you been in the game?"

"A while. Why?"

"Well... we're actually thinking about runnin' another expedition. We got some intel that someone in an Academy might have knowledge about reaching The Skull. Supposedly, that's our ticket outta here."

"The Academy? So you think the Skull is where the exit is?" 76 asked.

"Yeah. And likely... where he is. The god that sent us here."

"..."

"By the way," Jessie said, breaking the tension.

"Does your friend here talk? He's just been starin' at me for like, the past twenty minutes with his mouth open. Is there something on my face?"

"GAH! Ah, shit. No. Nah. Just didn't get any sleep is all," I stammered, peeling my eyes away from Jessie.

"Hmmm? You hidin' something from me, Red?"

"Red?"

"Yeah. 'Cuz you got red eyes!"

Jessie inched closer to me, as I leaned back.

"Whoa whoa whoa, lady. Uh... You're... um..."

"What? Am I makin' you nervous, Red?" A whimsical grin appeared on Jessie's face.

"N- No..." I muttered, trying to look the other way.

"Hey hey. Don't be nervous here. I may not act like it, but I'm still a lady. You can't be goin' off treating me like I'm the plague or some BLEAH!"

Jessie suddenly face-planted in front of me. She had leaned too far forward, but I had caught her at the last second, our eyes making brief eye contact.

All of a sudden...

The Jessie in front of me flashed before my very eyes. To the same Jessie Lane, I had met when I was fifteen...

Back when we were fifteen.

"You... you should... fall less often..." I mumbled.

"You should... work out less often..." Jessie said.

"How the hell does that make any sense?!" I exclaimed.

"I have no clue!" Jessie laughed, scratching the back of her head. Her men seemed more embarrassed than confused as if they were used to their commander acting like a total klutz.

I let go of Jessie, watching the commander brush the twigs off her cargo pants.

"Well, it ain't much. But this is the Ameradan Resistance! We represent what's left of Amerada! Don't go expectin' much, because if there's something you want, we probably don't have it!"

I glanced at 76, who's eyebrows scrunched together.

Amerada.

Not Praetes.

This meant that these people had come from Amerada, my home country.

Yet...

"Say. Your group... this Academy... who exactly are you looking for?" 76 asked.

"We're not sure what his name was, but we have his picture if you want to take a look."

"Show me."

Jessie handed 76 a beat-up piece of photographic paper.

76 scanned the paper.

"I see. I am not opposed to accompanying you on the expedition, on two conditions."

76 held out her hand.

"One. Any information we disclose is up to our discretion.

"And two. Red and I can choose to abandon this group any time we want, without being pursued. Do I make these terms clear?"

Several of the men looked uneasy, glancing at Jessie, whose expression remained cheery.

"No problem on our end. We could use all the help we can get."

Jessie led 76 and me into an empty bunker.

"This is where you'll be staying. I assume you two are siblings."

76's expression momentarily soured.

"What makes you think that?"

"Uhhh you have red hair, and he has red eyes?"

What kind of outlandish reasoning was that?!

The two of us bunkered down. There were no beds...

No chairs...

Just a floor and a light.

"Welp! Make yourselves at home!" Jessie said.

"..." I gave Jessie a slightly disgusted look.

"Aww come on, Red. It isn't that bad. You survived this long, don't tell me your little sister was the reason you were alive!"

"That does not make sleeping on the floor sound any less unpleasant... Can't I at least have a pillow or something?"

"Picky picky, you sure are. My ex would have roasted you till heaven come for being so ungrateful!"

"Your ex?"

Jessie's smile momentarily melted.

Her ex...

"Yeah. He... didn't make it. At least, that's what everybody's been telling me. AWOL. But he's the reason we were all inspired to live and continue fighting. The most incredible guy I have ever met... he spent many years homeless but fought hard to survive. I kid you not, fought gods ever since he was twelve. Can you imagine that? And here we are struggling with just one..."

"He sounds hardcore."

"Oh, you bet. You're lucky it's me and not him you're complaining to. If my ex-boyfriend were to ever hear you complaining about sleeping on the floor he would have kicked your ass!"

Your ex-boyfriend was me!

Jessie waved her hand.

"Anyway! Make yourselves at home. Don't hesitate to ask for anything, other than sleeping arrangements through that radio over there. I gotta go back to the planning room! See ya!"

And with that, Jessie left 76 and me alone in the bunker.

I watched the War Doll disassemble her handgun, cleaning the components out.

Her face was covered in grime and dirt, and her eyes were grim.

I wasn't always like this. In fact, these clothes used to be what I always wore back in Azure Academy.

What was 76-M like when she used to go by Vinci?

"Quit ogling me. It's embarrassing."

"Sorry."

76-M put her handgun to the side and rested her head against the wall, staring at the ceiling.

"For all we know, none of this could even be real. In fact, we might as well could have walked into a trap."

I wish I could say I agreed...

But how could I just brush off Jessie as not real?

After everything that had happened to her.

Here she was before me, in the flesh.

Almost like I had a second chance.

Yet...

"Aaron. Love is dangerous on the-"

"I know. I know. Love is dangerous on the battlefield. But... ugh. You wouldn't get it, would you?"

76 examined me with those jewel-like green eyes.

"I think I know why I was targeted by Mikoto."

"Why?"

"Our backgrounds... there's sufficient overlap to form this reality. A reality that could drag the both of us in. By trapping me here, Mikoto would inevitably drag you here too. And by eliminating Dainsleif and M76, the rest of Muon will fall apart. At least... that was what he had in mind. But he made one miscalculation."

"Galeo."

"Yeah."

I clenched my teeth, opening and closing my fist.

My hand had become more and more shaky ever since seeing Jessie. All the emotions that had been bottled up since that fateful day... they were coming back through anxiety.

I knew I had to keep my guard up.

But knowing and having the conviction to follow through were two completely different things.

A part of me wished 76-M could understand, more than just rationally... but emotionally.

This was a call that was beyond hard to make.

Because subconsciously, my heart wanted this to be real. Even if my brain knew it probably wasn't.

"Jessie Lane. Can you tell me a bit more about her?" 76 asked.

I raised my eyebrows.

"Will it help with planning our next move?"

"No."

76 rested her hands on her lap.

"We need to rest anyway, and whether or not this is a trick, we need to recover one way or another. Since we're recovering... maybe you could tell me more about Jessie?"

"So this is gossip, basically."

"N- No! No. I... I just figured it wouldn't hurt to... you know, know you more. After all, you figured out my whole sweets thing."

I smirked, lowering my head.

"What did the Black Legion files say about Jessie? If at all? I haven't read my file in like, forever."

"It covered your background, and it mentioned how Jessie was the first girl you ever dated. 74 and I were shocked when we found out you even had a girlfriend, to begin with."

"What?! What makes you think that?!"

"Well... the person who wrote your file was your Inner Shadow, Lord Gasket himself, and he wrote, verbatim: 'Contrary to popular belief, Hope was involved in a relationship.'"

Contrary to popular belief?!

What the hell, Jun!

"Well. Yeah. Jessie was my first girlfriend. In fact... she's the reason why I was able to smile again and crack jokes. Before I met Jessie, I was probably as close to an edgelord as you could possibly imagine."

"Really?" 76 sat up, intrigue washed over her face.

That sure perked her up.

"Yeah. I wonder if I have an old photo of what I used to look like when I was your age..."

I fished through my pockets and took out my wallet.

I was never really one to own stuff like wallets, credit cards, or anything else.

After all, when I was homeless if I ever needed something, I often either threatened someone at gunpoint or robbed stores.

The wallet I had was a gift from Jessie. Even if it didn't store anything like credit cards or money or even an ID...

In it were memories worth more than any of that.

I flipped through some flaps in the wallet and ran my hand over an old photo of me and Jessie. We were probably fifteen at the time. I remembered when the photo was taken. It was probably one of the first dates we had ever been on. A shopping mall and an arcade, which consisted of Jessie dragging me along by the wrist.

This is a photo booth! Make sure you ain't squinting when the light flashes!

Jessie was smiling and making a peace sign, but I remembered that I wasn't smiling in the photo because I had forgotten how.

76 leaned closer and peeked at the photo.

I heard the War Doll gasp.

"What?! That's you?!"

"Yeah."

"You weren't kidding when you said you were an edge lord... my god. Did you ever cut your hair? It's almost as long as the Chief's!"

"Didn't have time to cut my hair when I was too busy running," I laughed gently.

"So your hair wasn't always grey! This is unreal! I never imagined an Aaron Hope with black hair before!"

76's expression suddenly changed.

"So... you weren't always a troublemaker."

"What makes you think that?"

76 took the photo and examined it. Her eyebrows were furrowed together, meaning she was deep in thought, a habit that I had noticed since living with her.

"Your eyes were so stern... so focused. But... so void of life, as if it was like the only thing on your mind was to survive. I always... thought you were a jokester from day one."

"Sorry to disappoint."

"No no... no. Quite the opposite, really. I kind of figured... there was a time in your life when you had to adjust. The other girls blindly believed that you always had a smile on your face since Day One. But it wasn't. You were human, just like us."

76 positioned the photo next to my face and made an inquisitive look as if she were trying to compare the two versions of me side-by-side.

"BLEH!!!" I made a goofy expression, sticking my tongue out and causing 76 to jump.

"GAH! Why you little... you know, I think I'd rather be doing this mission with a fifteen-year-old you than a nineteen-year-old you!"

"HAHA!"

76 handed the photo back to me.

"So... Jessie was the reason."

"The reason for what?"

"That you became... so full of life again. Even your habits and sense of humor are the same. You're both complete morons."

"I like to think that we're both comedically proficient."

"Yeah, right."

76 stared at the ground, fiddling with the little pebbles on the cement.

"Do you... feel comfortable telling me what happened to her?"

I clenched my teeth.

"She..."

The memory of Jessie pressing the gun to the side of her head resurfaced in my mind.

The tears streaming down her face, and my desperate pleas. The begging.

And the ultimate pull of the trigger.

For a gunman, it was almost ironic that my greatest phobia was the sound of a gunshot.

"She-"

"SO!!! REMEMBER HOW I SAID MAKE YOURSELVES AT HOME?!" Jessie sang, swinging the door open and cutting me off.

"GAH WHAT IN THE FLIPPING FUCK?!" I yelped, nearly toppling backward into 76.

"Haha! Sorry... I know I said to enjoy yourselves, but we actually are kind of in a bind right now... and could use your help..." Jessie scratched the back of her head.

"We literally just sat down!" I snapped.

"Aww come on! Don't be like that! Think of it as a volunteer activity to earn brownie points with the Ameradan Resistance! What kind of reward do you want? Lots of girls are in this resistance, you know."

"Any tall blondes with a big ass?" I blurted out.

"We got... tall blondes... can't testify the size of their ass though."

"Come on, I'm sure you girls have measurements for that."

"Yeah. The hips, I guess. I wonder if guys have measurements. What would they be?" Jessie put a hand to her chin, thinking intently.

"Very intellectual question, my fellow comrade in culture! The most important measurement for a guy would have to be the length and size of their coc-"

"ANYWAY!" 76-M got up, yanking me to the side, and approached Jessie with her firearm strapped to her side.

"We will assist the best we can. Brief us on the way to rendezvous, Commander Lane."

Jessie and I pouted.

"Yes yes. I'm sorry for interrupting your very important discussion. You two can yak it all up once the task is done," the War Doll grumbled, dragging the two of us by the ears.

The three of us made our way to the outside of the base.

And...

I guess the situation spoke for itself.

The groan of a massive mechanical monstrosity roared in the distance. Swarms of monsters polluted the skies like a locust cloud, turning it into a blackish-green hue.

"Commander Lane!" A soldier approached us, saluting.

"Jake, any progress on that Bulwark?"

"No Commander. Our ordnance didn't even leave a scratch. Its defenses are impenetrable. We've sent two squads to scout for weaknesses and neither of them has come back. There's too much of an enemy concentration over there."

As Jake continued with the fantastic news, I could hear the sounds of despair amongst the ranks.

"We're screwed... we're screwed!"

"My god... I've never seen something like this before."

"Get a hold of yourself! Do you think Aaron would have cowered like you are right now?!"

76 narrowed her eyes at the beast.

"It's reanimated with the power of Mikoto. I recognize that energy signature anywhere. The monsters are coming from its essence."

Jake nodded.

"We're completely overwhelmed. To make matters worse, one of our guys has reason to believe that the Bulwark is slowly inching toward our base camp. He estimates... six hours before we're completely overrun. We can go for another ordnance... but..."

Jessie slowly turned to us.

"Umm... any ideas?"

You're asking us?!

"Ordnance won't do anything on that bulwark's hide. It's magically reinforced," 76 said, eyeing the monstrosity as her red hair danced wildly in the air. The shockwaves of the monster's footsteps were so gargantuan that we were hit by typhoon after typhoon degrees of wind.

"We need to find a way to disable whatever is reinforcing the hide. Most of the time, monsters of that size receive magic through an adapter or an organ. Determine a way to destroy the organ to lower the magic barrier. If possible, find a way to reduce the bulwark's defenses, and only then will we be able to shoot it down with ordnances."

Jessie raised an eyebrow.

"Damn, girl! You sound like you've fought enemies that size before!"

76 turned to the soldiers. Her eyes tracked each one of them, from their physical build to their gear, to their weapons, and even their facial expressions.

"The woman with the bob cut and the man with the beard in a braid. Bring them here."

Jake blinked.

"Grace and Mitch... they're our top soldiers! How did you discern them so easily?"

"They're the only ones with fighting faces and have the most damaged gear. Yet they're still alive. The rest of your soldiers are wimps."

"Ehhh...." Jake muttered as Jessie laughed.

"Well, you're not wrong. We're all scared shitless!"

Was that even something a Commander could say?!

"This is madness! Are we sending our top soldiers to their deaths? We should keep them here, Commander!" A man shouted at Jessie.

Jessie glanced in the man's direction.

"Yeah."

The man marched up to 76, towering over the teenager. He was even taller than me, making him almost double 76's height.

"Under the command of this little girl? You've lost your mind! You all have! Did this world send you guys into madness?! Without Grace and Mitch, this camp is doomed."

"If we sit here and let the bulwark reach our camp, we will be doomed for sure," Jessie said.

The man loomed over 76, his menacing eyes glaring dagger at the War Doll, but 76 returned his glare with a sinister look.

"A commander's purpose is to lead and make decisions. A grunt's purpose is to follow these decisions," 76 said.

"I don't need to hear that from someone who's probably never fought a day in her life. Go back and play dress-up, little girl. This isn't a place for you to have your make-believe fantasies."

"And you think you are in a place to make any calls?"

"I've seen more action than you ever have-"

"If that is so..."

76 stepped closer until her face was an inch away from the man's.

"Then enlighten me, Private Swaffem of the 2nd Reservist Regiment of Amerada."

A shred of hesitation flashed on Swaffem's face.

"How did you figure out my name-"

"You claim to have seen action. Then enlighten me. Can you tell the difference between a knife cutting through flesh or bone? Have you ever crawled in mud and feces, and was forced to keep quiet to avoid alerting the enemy? Have you ever gone weeks without sleep, observing the enemy's patterns and having to deduce reality from hallucination? Have you marched upon enemy lines, fully prepared to be shot in the head knowing there was no other option?"

"No... but-"

"Have you ever gone toe to toe with a devout enemy soldier, who would do anything and everything, who would endure anything to see his loved ones again? To the point where you had to carve out his very intestines, because no matter how deep you cut, no matter how many bullets you put in him, he would never go down? Have you ever fought against someone who had just as much of a conviction to live as you did? No?"

76 grabbed Swaffem by the collar and yanked him so hard, that the soldier lurched forward, momentarily losing his balance.

"Don't lecture me about something you know nothing about. A Private who's never been deployed is no different than a construction worker who's never held a wrench in his life. Your title as a member of the Ameradan Reserves means nothing now. If you wanna be useful to these guys, then shut up and learn from those who are."

The entire base had suddenly gone silent, staring at 76 and Swaffem.

Even Jessie was staring at 76 with a surprised look on her face.

"Grace and Mitch. On me," 76 said, in a commanding voice. The way she had delivered it instantly made me want to shape up.

And it wasn't just me.

The bob-haired girl and the bearded man ran up to our flank, weapons in their hands.

"Specialization and background," 76 commanded.

"Yes ma'am. Grace Middleton. Ex-Special Forces. Specialization in suppression combat."

"Sergeant Mitch Wong. Specialization in guerilla warfare."

76 turned around, taking a rifle that Jake had handed to her and me.

"My name is Blake. I will be taking command of our unit. I have a background in general warfare. Specialization in CQC. My brother here is Red. His specialization is in combat engineering. He has an extensive background in firearms and general diversion combat. We will be raiding the bulwark's proximity. I will provide more details upon deployment."

Grace and Mitch saluted, but I could tell they were a little uneasy taking orders from a fifteen-year-old girl.

Jessie walked up to my side.

"I will command another squadron alongside you guys. We will work to distract the bulwark and try to lower the enemy concentration that is coming to your side."

I raised an eyebrow.

"You can fight?"

Jessie put a hand to her chest.

"ACK! I am offended! What do you take me for?!"

"Ummm, honestly you've done more to ruin your reputation as a Commander than support it."

Jessie approached me and looked me in the eyes.

Suddenly, my body felt uneasy.

As if all the danger signals inside my subconscious were all going off at once.

I was being...

Analyzed?

Was this really the same Jessie Lane that I knew?

"Hey. You have a really similar skillset as my ex..."

The blood drained from my face.

"Well, I mean. Lots of fish in the sea, you know?"

"I don't think I've met any other human being on Earth who's ever fought a deity and lived to tell the tale. Much less dozens."

The tension continued until Jessie looked away, rubbing her eyes.

"Sorry. I guess, you remind me a lot of my ex is all. As much as I want him to be alive... I gotta face reality. Not even he could have survived something of this magnitude. I'll group up with my squad. Blake and Red. We will depart on your call."

* * *

"This place is even more messed up than I thought..." Mitch muttered.

"Blake. The way you spoke about your plan to cripple the bulwark tells me you have a history in warfare against monstrosities. Care to share a bit more about your past so we could get to know you better?" Grace said.

"Focus on the mission, Middleton."

"Understood."

The four of us assembled near a hill, far from the outskirts of the base.

"Red, have you analyzed the movement patterns of the offshoot entities?" 76 asked.

"Yeah. They're sprouting from several pores around the perimeter of what looks like a massive floating gate that's physically shielding the body of the bulwark from the outside. I'm guessing that was also why the ordnance had trouble penetrating its defenses."

76 knelt down, peeking from over the hill.

"The pores open cyclically similar to an autonomous system. We can't guarantee we can breach the pores since each one has an egress of enemies. I want to propose an explosive approach.

"Plant bombs at select points to structurally weaken the pores the moment they open. The bulwark will open up more pores and send its monsters after the explosions in response to the threat. We can use the rerouted spawn pattern to our advantage and raid the gate through the pores that are not deploying as many monsters."

Wong pointed at each bomb drawing in the dirt.

"How will we plant the bombs without invoking a full-fledged deployment of enemies?"

"The bulwark more than likely believes we lack the firepower. Blake's strategy of using the explosives against a vulnerable area is unorthodox from the ways the Resistance has been using them. So it'll surprise the bulwark for sure. If we raid the pores and plant explosives, the bulwark will think we're just another strike team sent to die. They will send enemies at a normal density," I answered, glancing at 76.

"Do I sound awesome or what?!" I said, through facial expressions to the War Doll.

76 covertly rolled her eyes.

And with that, the four of us made our way to the first bomb site.

"Enemy swarms located," Grace said.

"Red and Wong will engage," 76 replied, prompting us to aim with our rifles.

The two of us gunned down the swarm, prompting several enemies to take notice and counter with projectiles of their own.

I grabbed my handgun with my prosthetic and aimed, shooting down the projectiles mid-air with perfect precision.

Mitch blinked, staring at me, but before he could form another sentence, 76 rushed forward, kicking a monster before it could take Mitch out and firing her rifle at its maw.

"Blank out again, and I can't guarantee I can save you in time."

"Sorry, ma'am."

Grace pointed at a spot.

"There. Mitch, can you plant the bomb?"

Mitch nodded, rushing forward. Grace provided cover fire, while 76 and I fought off the monsters starting to spawn from the pores.

I reached for a grenade, but 76 grabbed my wrist.

"No. No explosives yet."

ROAAAAAAAR.

A massive bellow interrupted our group as a large tyrant emerged from one of the pores, much bigger than the rest.

"Oh god... a Knight!" Grace exclaimed.

Mitch and Grace backtracked, trying to evade and fight the Knight simultaneously, but the monster was too much for them.

If a single Knight overpowered them...

I couldn't imagine just how hard the other guys who weren't as experienced as these two had it.

Especially if they were dealing with swarms of these guys.

"Continue planting the bomb," 76 shouted.

"But Blake... that Knight-"

"Red and I will deal with the Knight. Grace, continue holding off the forces."

Grace blinked.

"Y- Yes, ma'am."

76 and I sprinted to the knight's location.

76 aimed with her rifle and fired at the Knight. The bullet ricocheted off his hide as the Knight turned to us and roared.

76 fired again, this time in its maw, causing the Knight to buckle. I rushed forward, shooting at both of its legs, and dodged a swing from one of its appendages, grabbing the monster by the head and flinging myself onto its back. I examined the structure of the monster's hide, deducing its weak spots. It was impossible for something to be both mobile and invulnerable at the same time.

To have a degree of freedom meant to have something soft enough to enable the movement.

Meaning...

The Knight began to flail, trying to shake me off. 76 dodged a feral swipe and aimed with her rifle, disabling the other two limbs.

"Blake, its weakness is the neck!" I shouted at the War Doll, who acknowledged it and sprinted forward, leaping into the air.

I watched 76 clutch the monster by the horn, jamming her fingers into the hide and sending green blood all over the place.

"GRRRRRAHHHHH!"

The War Doll ripped the monster's head off, spine, skull, and all, then proceeded to fire confirmation shots with her handgun into the corpse, confirming the kill.

76 landed in front of Mitch and Grace, whose jaws hung open in disbelief.

"W- Wow..." Mitch muttered.

76 picked up a gun that had dropped on the ground and handed it to the Sergeant.

"Do not lose focus again. This squad is small enough as it is. We cannot afford injuries."

"Yes ma'am."

Whatever doubts these two had of 76 leading were probably shattered from this encounter alone.

We continued, gunning down enemies and planting bombs, until we reached the final site, where a man knelt in the center of a strange cathedral.

Several troops had been slaughtered, evidenced by the splatter of red.

"No..." Grace muttered.

"That was Phil's strike team... Mitch, that was Phil's squad!"

"That bastard!" Mitch growled.

"That's... not a monster, is it?" I asked.

The man slowly got to his feet. His hair was so long it pretty much covered his entire face, but his whole posture, even the way he was standing was giving me the chills.

But it wasn't just his posture.

There was something more.

I glanced at 76. Her face was pale.

Something that would even startle a War Doll...

"The red... I wanna see more red. Tell me... tell me where I can find more red."

Grace irked.

"That man... that man's been corrupted."

The man suddenly spun in Grace's direction, appearing in front of her with a knife in his hand. His eyes were wide in a frenzy, and an unnaturally large grin appeared on his face.

"GIVE ME RED!"

BANG.

I fired at the man, who dodged with frightening agility.

And for a brief second, I could see it.

His bangs had parted, revealing a set of green eyes.

Eerily green...

Almost like...

"Evangelion!" 76 gasped, narrowly dodging another swipe.

Mitch took aim with his gun, but the man spun around and laughed eerily, throwing his knife at Mitch's chest.

I took aim and deflected the knife, but the man appeared in front of me again with that insane speed.

"Sacrifices to the God of Fire!"

"GEEEH!" I snarled, throwing a punch that missed.

The man countered, catching me in the stomach and sending me into a pile of rocks.

My vision became blurry.

"Sacrifices... sacrifices... SACRIFICES TO THE FIRE GOD!"

The man redirected his attention toward, 76, flying in and stabbing his dagger right into her shoulder.

"Blake!" Grace shouted, as 76 tried to pry the man off, but the man continued sawing. The horrific sounds of servos ripping from the War Doll's arm filled the air.

"No... get away from her!" Mitch screamed, firing his rifle erratically at the man.

"Fear...! FEAR!"

The man spun around and jumped on Mitch, his knife raised, but Grace had fired several rounds from her rifle, causing the man to deflect them with his knife.

Agility, strength, speed, and durability.

This man was beyond superhuman.

If I had to estimate...

"Elite Tier A+ Rank. Bordering... bordering S Rank," 76 spat out a patch of blood from her mouth. Blood was pouring from her arm, which was now partially sawed off and emitting bioelectrical discharge.

I got to my feet but doubled over, the last hit from the man had knocked the wind out of me. Right in my liver.

"Stay away!" Grace exclaimed as the man marched forward, deflecting every bullet she was firing his way.

76 attempted to close distance by jumping to his position, but the man turned at the last second, grabbing the War Doll by the face and lifting her into the air.

"Little girl, you look just like the girls our god has assigned us to kill."

76's eyes widened, realizing exactly what the man was saying.

"The little girls of Azure Academy. Tell me. I want to know. Tell me where I can find more of you. Tell me more. TELL ME!"

The man slammed the War Doll into the ground so hard that a shockwave blew me back, crashing into Grace and Mitch, who was so winded they were barely able to stand.

"Our god seeks their blood. We shall slaughter them. Starting with you."

76 struggled to get up, but the man pinned her to the ground. Something felt horrifically off. 76-M wasn't always like this.

The look on her face...

It wasn't just rage. It wasn't just fury.

"You... I won't let you... I won't let you ruin their lives... I can't... can't bear witness to this again..."

It was trauma. Pure, terrifying trauma.

The man cackled, mashing 76 deeper into the ground.

"BEAR WITNESS?! No... I will kill you. You may witness our offerings once you are devoured by our lord!"

I had no idea what Vinci was like before she became a War Doll. But I imagined that, based on what I had surmised, she was just like her classmates. A regular teenage girl who lived her life. When Evangelion had descended to her world, the Inner Shadow had lobotomized and turned every single adult crazy. The adults invaded Azure Academy and sacrificed as many of the girls as they could find.

The Tactical War Dolls each had some kind of traumatic event that psychologically changed them from innocent little girls into cold-hearted killers.

The fact that 76 was forced to bear witness to this again... yet being so powerless to do anything about it-

"I thought I made myself clear..." 76 growled, forcing herself up, much to the man's surprise.

"What... what is this...?!"

76 pushed the man off of her, snarling like a wild beast.

"I'm not someone who enjoys jokes. YOU ARE NOT LAYING A SINGLE FINGER ON THOSE GIRLS."

The man stumbled back, as 76 took aim with her handgun and fired several rounds. The man deflected the rounds, but a bullet caught him square in the side.

76 lowered the rifle that she was wielding with her barely functional arm, smoking at the barrel.

"You... you are not like the ones our god wants. I must retreat. I must-"

SWOOSH.

76-M closed the distance, her eyes wide as she jammed her handgun into the man's side, firing. The man recoiled, slicing his knife which caught 76 in the face.

"Foolish girl! You may be different, but you are still prey for our god. Once I kill you, I will kill your friends. And then I shall- huh? My knife... is stuck?"

76 leaned forward, the blade lodged between two parts of her metallic jaw which had now become completely exposed. Black metal components had revealed themselves from where the man had sliced up 76's skin.

An animalistic glare appeared on her face that terrified everybody. I realized I was completely frozen, unable to move or process what was going on.

"You dare threaten my subordinates? Then I hope you're fully prepared to suffer the consequences!"

The man stared at 76, who ripped the knife from her face and impaled the man right in his forehead, sending shrieks into the sky.

"MITCH! TRIGGER THE CHARGES!" 76 roared.

"But- but Blake-"

"TRIGGER IT! NOW!"

Mitch scrambled to the remote that had been knocked out of his hands, his finger on the button.

Grace clenched her fists, trembling from the adrenaline.

"You're in the blast radius... you won't make it!"

The man shrieked, grabbing at 76, who kept stabbing over and over again.

A wild, hysterical battlecry filled the air.

"I will survive," 76 glared at Mitch and Grace, her metallic endoskeleton in full view.

"I'm not human anymore. Just like this monster. Prime the charges. THAT IS AN ORDER."

Mitch and Grace turned to me, their faces gaunt from panic.

"Do it," I said.

Mitch reluctantly pressed the button, sending the entire area in a flood of orange flame.

War Doll and monster were engulfed as I grabbed the two troopers and yanked them out of the chaos.

The three of us panted, catching our breath. Several minutes had passed until the smoke finally cleared.

Grace peeked from cover, and a gasp escaped her breath.

"Oh god... she... she survived...!"

76 limped toward us, her body had suffered tremendous damage, but in her hand, was the head of the man.

I watched the War Doll toss the head aside, a scowl on her face.

12

The four of us sat in silence, recovering from our encounter.

And just as awkward as I predicted this would be, just as it was.

"So you're a cyborg," Mitch said.

76 stopped patching herself and looked up.

"Yes."

"How... how did that happen?"

"None of your concern."

Mitch wrapped a bandage around himself, glancing at Grace.

Grace was still extremely pale. I knew she was Special Forces, but I guess the idea of having a yandere threaten your life and nearly kill the one person you were relying on probably was not a morale booster.

"Who was that man? You mentioned the name 'Evangelion'. Is that another god? Besides Mikoto?" Grace asked.

"We move ahead and locate the core after we have rested," 76 said, tossing an empty syringe aside and walking past the group.

"Blake. We can't proceed with this mission unless you tell us more. It's obvious you and Red are connected with these monsters, and I suspect you're also connected with the god that sent our world into ruin," Grace protested.

"If you can't even handle that cutthroat, what makes you think you can contribute to this mission when your mind is in disarray from playing detective?"

Mitch got up.

"We're the best soldiers the Ameradan Resistance has. We need to work together! But we can't do that if you're withholding information from us!"

76-M gripped her rifle, eyeing the two.

"Work together? Just what did you two do, when Red and I were fighting that cutthroat? Cowering? Multiple times we had to save you, instead of focusing our firepower on the enemy. A tactical task force is meant to work in tandem with one another to launch assaults. There was no coordination, no composure, nothing. For two ex-soldiers, you are both beyond disappointing."

"What did you realistically think we normal humans could do against that guy?!" Mitch snapped, stepping forward and facing off 76-M, who looked like she was seconds away from pulling the trigger T-800 style.

"We're not superhuman. We're regular-ass human beings expected to fight against a god. There's only so much we can do. I've lost enough brothers and sisters on the battlefield to know the limits of the human body. You're expecting too much!"

"If expecting you to keep your cool when Red and I are taking the heat of the enemy is too much to ask of you, then perhaps it would have been better if we did this operation ourselves."

76 jabbed her finger in Mitch's chest.

"At the moment, I have zero trust in either you or Middleton. Both of you have been liabilities. It took Red to convince you to detonate those explosives while I was holding back the cutthroat. That alone is enough for me to abandon the two of you."

Grace threw her rifle on the ground and marched up to the two.

"That's enough! What kind of commander are you?"

"The type that's needed," 76 snarled.

"No! I'll tell you the type of commander you are. You're the worst kind. And I've both led and fought for a large number of officers, Sergeants, you name it. A commander is responsible for their subordinates, just as much as their subordinates are responsible for not dragging the commander down. But there's only so much we can do with the skills and abilities that we have! If you can't mold your strategies and tactics to the skillset of your team, then what's the point of commanding them?"

76's fist clenched, and I could tell she was near her breaking point.

"Guys..." I said, cutting the conversation short.

"We got company."

We aimed our rifles at the source of the footsteps coming from the entrance where we had blown a hole through the gate.

If we had another ambush... we were screwed.

76-M was still damaged and recovering.

As for Mitch and Grace...

I glanced at their trembling hands.

Joseph, and doggystyle Mary.

We were fucked.

I had to channel chakra... it was the only way.

But my body wasn't ready for it yet. If I channeled it right away, I'd risk blowing my arms off or something like I did when I fought against Vala "Grond Style" back in Millennium City.

I couldn't find any openings unless we completely boxed ourselves in.

Tension continued to rise, as 76 stood in front of me, pistol in hand.

...

"Hello? Hello!" A girl's voice called out.

Grace narrowed her eyes at the source of the voice.

"Commander Lane...?!"

Jessie poked her head through the entrance, causing me to nearly shoot my ex... ex(?)-girlfriend point-blank in the head.

"WHOA! Calm down there, Red! I ain't the enemy!"

"Verify your identity!"

"What?! How do I do that?"

"Favourite pornsite!"

76, Grace, and Mitch stared at me.

"Huh?" They said, in collective unison.

Jessie put a hand to her chin.

"Erm... Probably Brazz-"

"It's her! I'll vouch for it!" Grace quickly said, cutting Jessie off before she could namedrop some highly cultured knowledge upon us mortal souls.

I lowered my rifle.

"Jessie, you made it! What's your status?"

"We made it in one piece. You guys really reduced the enemy forces. We were able to locate the organ... but we couldn't do any damage to it. We were completely outgunned and outnumbered there. The moment the explosives went off, the bulwark didn't just send hordes of enemies to the location of the explosion, but I'm guessing there was an increase in defenses around the organ. So we made the decision to regroup with you guys and try to bring 'em down together!"

I did a once-over on Jessie's squad.

Other than a few winded soldiers... none of them had suffered any injuries.

Even their gear didn't look any different than the ones they had in base.

"How the heck did you walk away from that without any injuries?" I asked.

"Ummm, I dunno. I just... commanded them I guess? Mitch and Grace! What happened? You two look like you just faced Mikoto himself!"

Mitch glared at 76.

"We certainly faced something."

...

Jessie looked around, seemingly assessing the situation.

"Hmmm. Okay. I think I have an idea of what happened here. Mitch and Grace, you two are assigned to me. Any objections?"

"None, Commander Lane."

76 looked like she wanted to say something, but turned around, hiding the pout on her face.

Adorable.

Jessie pointed down the path.

"I've already traced the entire network of pathways in that bulwark. The core is this way. Red and Blake, I want you guys to come with us."

"Wait, you already traced the network?!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah. It was pretty easy," Jessie shrugged.

What...

What was I looking at?

This airhead of a woman who I thought I knew was actually a genius?!

We made our way to the core, all the while, I stayed by 76's side.

"That scowl is going to give you wrinkles when you get older, you know."

76's scowl deepened.

"We don't age, moron."

"Temper temper!"

"UGH! What do you want me to say?! Our allies are worthless! This whole thing was such a mess. I want us to ditch this entire group and raid the skull ourselves."

"Having more numbers is still a safer option. You know this. Especially when we're out of supplies."

76 gritted her teeth.

"Why... why am I having so much difficulty commanding these guys? What am I doing differently from the Chief? I remained strict and stoic. I enforced everything Sergeant Hellion had taught me. Yet..."

The War Doll gazed at the group. Jessie put her arm around Grace's shoulders, and the two were laughing. The pale that was on her face was long gone.

"None of this would have happened if I had more competent subordinates. None of it."

"..."

"Oh god... what is that...?!" A soldier whispered.

"Is that a body?"

"Oh god... oh god...!" Another soldier panicked, as I heard the sound of her vomiting.

76 and I made our way through the crowd.

"A corpse? Here? That makes no sense. I thought the Resistance didn't make it this far," I muttered.

Jessie beckoned 76 and me closer.

"Do you two recognize her? She looks your age, Blake."

"My age?" 76 asked, surprise in her voice.

The two of us waded through until the body was in full view.

And a chill ran down my spine.

Aside from the disemboweled entrails... and broken limbs...

Something inside that body wasn't right.

Because from where the body was ripped open...

There were several servo motors and biomechanical components.

Characteristics of a cyborg.

"What the fuck...?!" 76 muttered.

Wtf was right.

What was someone like her doing in here? Not just the inside of a bulwark...

But in this reality?

76 sprinted forward, grabbing the deceased War Doll by the shoulders and trying to sift through her gear.

"A young soldier... just like Blake..." Grace muttered.

"How is this possible? How...?!" 76 whispered fiercely, turning to me with shocked eyes.

What did this mean?

A Tactical War Doll was in this reality.

But this made no sense.

I thought this reality was created by merging Vinci and my pasts together.

If a War Doll was here before us, that meant this reality had been formed before we even deployed to Demon King Porta's world.

And not to mention...

There realistically could have been no way a War Doll would be killed in a place like this.

She had all her gear with her, unlike 76 and me.

That meant something was here that was strong enough to kill a Tactical War Doll.

"63-F. Of SFA-Fusil. I thought Fusil went MIA when they were deployed to a Twin World. Why is this Doll here of all places?" 76 said, running her hands through the corpse's clothes and pulling out a bloodied knife.

"She went down fighting. If she had to resort to a knife, it meant whatever killed her was impervious to our weapons..."

I glanced at the Resistance members, who either looked petrified or were throwing up.

Jessie had told the members to camp out away from us, where they couldn't see the body.

"I hate this," Jessie muttered.

"I'd be very concerned if anyone found this funny, to be honest," I said.

"No," Jessie replied, a look of anger flashed on her face which startled me.

The Commander walked forward and put her hands on 63's face.

"Poor girl... so young... yet forced to do something like this. The idea of little kids fighting a war... even the sight of a little girl in military clothes pisses me off!"

76 was silent. I could tell she was no exception from Jessie's statement.

"Jessie, it's not like these girls had a choice," I said.

"I know. And that's what makes me so mad, because... my boyfriend... my boyfriend was the same."

My ears felt hot.

"My boyfriend was just the same. Forced to use a weapon so early, forced to kill. I don't care if little kids like to play pretend to fight with toy swords. It's pretend. It's not the real thing. What kind of sick PRICK would even try to do something so terrible to a child? What kind of sick sense of humor would a god have to force kids to fight for their lives?!" Jessie snarled, her hands trembling.

"Jessie..." I put my hand on her shoulder.

"What's done is done."

Jessie gritted her teeth, closing her eyes fiercely.

"I know. I know... Sorry. Sorry, I didn't mean to lose my cool like that. 'Specially in front of my men. I like to joke about a lot of things. I like to do a lot of outlandish shit. But... this is a line I will never cross. Killing a kid. Aaron would never forgive me if I ever did something so cruel."

I scratched the back of my head.

"I'm sure Aaron would never expect that from you!"

It felt weird referring to myself in the third person.

76 pulled out several items from 63's body, including some stimpacks and a communications device...?!

"AYO! That's a-"

76 kneed me in the groin.

"GACK! MY BALLS! ME BALLSACK!" I gasped for air. 76 kicked me in the balls so hard that I turned Scottish!

"Zip it, moron! We can't risk the others knowing I'm-"

"What is that? A coms device?" Jessie asked.

76 gave me a look of pure annoyance.

I laughed nervously.

"Yeah..."

76 inspected the device and fiddled with the controls, but a big "no signal" symbol flashed on the screen.

"The thing needs a signal booster," 76 said, holding the device in the air.

"A signal booster? Here? Is there even anything that could amplify the signal without alerting every single enemy?"

"No idea. But if I could use the device to transmit a signal to Muon... we might be able to get some reinforcements. We need to let the Chief and the others know we're still alive."

Jessie was listening intently to our conversation.

"And I assume you want me to keep this information confidential from the others... I take it, Blake?"

76 nodded grimly.

"Yes. If you can."

Jessie took a deep breath.

"I will. But... one thing. Can you tell me who you two really are? I hear from Mitch that you're a cyborg, Blake. I can already tell from you, Red, with that arm of yours."

I glanced nervously at 76, who nodded.

"Go ahead," She seemed to say.

"We're time travelers," I said, proudly.

76's mouth hung open as a wave of silence washed over us.

"That's..." Jessie muttered.

"AWESOME!"

"I know right?" I said as the two of us indulged in absolute brain rot.

"So I'm basically like, living in the movie scene of T2!"

"Except Judgement Day already happened."

"That's insane!"

"Yeah!"

BONK.

Jessie and I crouched, rubbing the tops of our heads from where 76 bonked us.

"Are you two morons finished losing brain cells? There's still much to do. We need to take care of the organ. Now that we know there's something out there that can kill people like me... this makes any further expeditions exponentially more dangerous. We need to be extra vigilant."

* * *

Our group continued the raid, shooting down enemies left right, and center.

And as we fought, I began to see why Jessie had become a commander.

When I knew Jessie back when we used to date, she was always extroverted and outgoing. She was the type of person who would always reach out to those who needed it. And this is a skill many people think they have but don't.

There are two types of non-extroverts.

Those who choose to be alone, and those who need the company of others, but either didn't realize it or don't know how.

Oftentimes, if an extrovert were to approach someone, they may find that the person had chosen to be segregated on their own accord. And as such, the extrovert may come off as annoying.

But there were those who genuinely sought friendships... yet didn't know how. Because they had spent so long being alone.

To have the ability to differentiate between these two types was rare. And it was a quality Jessie had.

The ability to lead your squadron wasn't all just skill. You needed to understand them.

Jessie's way with people was what allowed her to have her subordinates not just work with her, but have the desire to succeed under her command.

But in Vinci's case...

I watched 76 shoot down enemy after enemy with masterful precision and speed.

In fact... she was shooting down enemies before they even appeared like an aimbot. None of us could even register what had happened, as the moment we would turn around, a slew of corpses would have appeared out of nowhere.

"She's killing them before we can even react..." One of the freedom fighters muttered.

"Give me your magazine," 76 said to one of the soldiers, who was trying to shoot down a group of monsters in the distance but failing.

"But-"

76 glared at the man with a terrifying expression.

The man obliged, handing 76 his magazine as the War Doll reloaded, and picked off the enemies with the same level of precision.

Within minutes, 76 had killed 98% of the enemies who had appeared. The 2% was me. She stole practically every single kill, leaving none for the Resistance fighters.

Several of the soldiers were shooting 76 dirty looks, but Jessie disregarded it, putting an arm around Blake with a huge grin on her face.

"Well, I sure am glad you're on our side!"

76 shrugged Jessie off and approached the organ, running her hand along its side.

"Red, come here. What do you think?"

I approached the organ and felt the material.

"No. Our guns won't work against something like this. Its ballistic hardness is too high for our firearms or even our grenades."

Jessie looked around.

"If we can't shoot it... do you think we could use something else?"

"Something else... like the environment?" I asked.

Jessie pointed around the innards of the bulwark.

"The place looks like a cave. What if we level it and have the falling debris crush the organ?"

76 turned to the environment, her eyes scanning all around.

"Red, can you guesstimate where we can plant explosives to cause the most destruction?"

"I can. But we're gonna need a lot of cover fire. I'm not gonna be planting bombs while some monster shoots its disgusting quills into my backside."

"Then stand by. I'll collect mags from these losers and-"

"Let us fight!" One of the freedom fighters shouted.

76 glowered at the fighter menacingly.

"Huh?"

More and more of the Resistance joined the protest.

"Yeah! What's the point if Blake does everything?"

"There's no way she can cover an area so big."

"We all came here to defend our home. This is OUR fight!"

76's hands trembled in rage.

"Idiots... all you're doing is holding me back!"

"LET US FIGHT. LET US FIGHT. LET US FIGHT!"

76 stepped forward, but Jessie put a hand on her shoulder.

"Blake. Do you really not trust us?"

"Is that even a question? Did you see how damaged I was when we fought that cut-"

"Yes, I did. But I also heard everything from both Mitchell and Grace. You were expecting those two to fight in close proximity to the monster as if they could keep up with your agility. We're not like you or Red. We need to fight safer and smarter because we can't afford to cover our mistakes through skill."

Jessie raised her hand, calming the riot, then turned back to 76 and me.

"You've launched coordinated formations before, right?"

Technically, I did. But I never really knew what they were called.

Before I met Jay's Outer Shadows / War Dolls, I always did everything either by myself or with my raggedy ass group of Auxiliaries. We had a penchant of just figuring shit out on the fly and never really rehearsed or did any practice exercises.

I learned many formations during my time with SFA-Muon.

Thalia would lecture me about the formations, classroom style, in the living room. I remember she would intentionally wear a pair of glasses to look smart, which I found both hilarious and endearing.

Even more endearing would be the look of annoyance whenever I would fall asleep during her lessons. 74 would assign 78 to sit next to me with a squeaky hammer in her hand to bonk me in the head whenever I nodded off.

If we were to hold this area... chances were we would need a Perimeter Defense Formation with fallback positions and layered defenses.

"I want to propose a Perimeter Defense Formation with fallback positions and layered defenses," Jessie said, drawing the formation on the ground.

My jaw dropped.

How in the hell did she know that?!

Even 76's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"I... concur. But your soldiers are both inexperienced and have bad reflexes."

"The boulders all around, let's move them in a radial to provide natural cover. Layer the outer ring of soldiers with a backup. Each ring will have a trench and a fallback route to an inner ring if overwhelmed. Blake, given that you're one of our best assets, you should be providing distance support for the outer rings."

76 pursed her lips as if thinking "damn that's actually a good plan".

"F- Fine. We need to hold this position for as long as we can while Red plants those charges. We'll also need an escape route out of here."

I pointed at an area of exposed flesh.

"I can use my arm to tear open the bulwark and escape."

76 looked onward grimly.

"Sounds like a plan."

76 and I stood at a distance, watching Jessie coordinate her soldiers to dig and set up the defensive rings.

"Fellas! We will be initiating Formation Code My Wife Left Me for a Software Developer. Be sure you guys have hashed out your fallback plans and route strategies beforehand! Time is of the essence, so let's get to it!" Jessie called out.

What kind of a Code was that?!

Several of the Resistance members were already digging and setting up, with a look on their faces similar to mine.

"She's a good commander... but next time we should get someone else to come up with codenames..."

Your poor men!

"Tch," 76 grimaced, glaring at the entry points that Jessie and I had designed our barricade to provide. The monsters had no choice but to pool from the points all around to concentrate them better.

"They're too relaxed... this assault is going to have casualties. For sure."

"We don't know for certain," I said.

"No. I've led... I've led assaults before... I did..." 76's voice trailed away as she inspected her hand, which still had bits of bone and black metal sticking out.

"We fought the enemy while it had their forces diverted. The bulwark knows we are at the core. It will send everything it has to try to flush us out like pathogens. I should have been the one to conduct the counterattack."

"Was this something 74 would have done?"

"No. But it would be something she would have done if it meant preventing unnecessary deaths."

76 looked at me.

"I know I was being unnecessarily hard on these guys. But this is what's needed now. This is what's needed out of soldiers who are expected to fight against an enemy no man should be fighting. I know... because I've already lived it once. When my classmates were cornered by the grown-ups in Praetes... we learned the hard way. These psychopaths would even kill their own children. Monsters are no different.

"I've watched my own comrades die from my command. So many times. Too many times. Every time I knew... if I had done something differently I could have prevented it. By shouldering it myself."

Jessie and the Resistance continued digging. Several of the soldiers started to sing, and everybody followed suit.

"Patriotism and happiness are a recipe for disaster. We were happy once. Once."

A breeze from the bulwark's respiration blew against 76's face, parting her bangs and revealing a pair of cruel eyes.

"I've lived through over three hundred military campaigns. Each had its own challenges. Each had its own hurdles. But all of them had one thing in common. These men and women must be fully prepared for what's about to happen next because this campaign is no different. Loved ones will be taken. And grief will ensue."

* * *

"They're coming. I hear them through the walls," Mitch muttered, his eyes wide in terror.

The jovial atmosphere had suddenly been replaced with a weight of tense silence as everyone braced themselves.

"The fellas need some encouragement," Jessie said, getting up, but I stopped her.

"No. Let Blake do it."

I turned to 76, who looked away, a blush forming.

"I... I'll do it."

Jessie and I watched 76 get up from her position and approach the ring of soldiers, her hair dancing in the wind.

"S- Soldiers...!"

The freedom fighters momentarily turned to 76, a look of fright on their faces, but with a determination to live.

76 closed her eyes.

"Remember his teachings. Remember Lord Hellion's teachings... What would 74 do... What would... No."

The War Doll slowly opened her eyes.

"What would I do?"

76 stomped on the ground so hard the rock cracked.

"Jessie's words require no additional inspiration. So I'll provide you with something more practical. Something true to me. I've fought countless wars. I've fought through countless campaigns. Where I'm from, I am known as a Tactical War Doll. It is true that there is a gap between us, I will neither deny that nor will I sugarcoat it for you. However, it was my lapse in judgment to dismiss you so quickly. You are not deadweight to me. As long as a human has a firearm, they have worth."

More and more fighters turned to 76, listening intently to her words.

"Do not let panic set in. Panic and fear exist to keep you alive. Use the fear to enhance your instincts. Steady your aim, and take deep breaths before firing. And fire in burst shots. Do NOT set your firearms to fully automatic. Do NOT reload a magazine while there's still ammunition in it. If you feel that you are starting to fatigue, swap with your backup. Rehearse fallback options as many times as you need. Because you WILL need it."

The sounds of the monsters began to intensify, but this time, the freedom fighters were neither terrified nor distracted.

76 had instilled in them something that was different from what she had done before, and from what Jessie had done.

"You chose this fight. You will see it to the end. No matter what. This is YOUR world you are taking back, THIS IS YOUR MOMENT. There is no greater honour than going down knowing you struck back. And you WILL strike back with ALL YOU GOT. RESISTANCE OF AMERADA, SHOW THESE MONSTERS YOUR DETERMINATION."

The Ameradans roared in defiance, a battle cry that caused the monsters to begin piling through the entrances in hordes.

"OUR DETERMINATION!"

A horde of gunfire greeted the monsters in straight-up carnage as the Ameradans continued yelling, shooting every monster in sight. A sea of orange bullets flooded the entire battlefield.

Jessie and I stared at the War Doll, who continued shouting, standing at the top of the hill, firing left and right. 76 overlooking upon the soldiers of the Ameradan Freedom Fighters like a true commander.

"WHO'S WORLD ARE YOU TAKING BACK?!" Vinci roared.

"OURS!"

"WILL YOU FALTER IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY?!"

"NO!"

"THEN SHOW ME YOUR DETERMINATION, SOLDIERS OF AMERADA. DEFEND YOUR HOME. DIE FOR IT."

"FOR OUR HOME!"

Soldiers began to take hits left and right, starbursts of red exploding from the ranks, but rather than freezing up in fear, the battlecries became louder and defiant.

Jessie yanked me by the collar.

"Red! Let's go!"

The two of us booked it to the bomb sites as I glanced at 76 one last time.

The look of complete defiance on her face, the winds of battle blowing against her as she fired relentlessly and leading the platoon of soldiers.

More than just a commander...

But a War Hero.

What am I doing differently from the Chief? 76 had said.

Everything. Vinci.

Because you're not like Thalia. That is not who you are.

Thalia Atlai was Thalia Atlai, and Vinci Blake was Vinci Blake.

But that doesn't discount your worth as a commander.

You led the girls that day. If you hadn't taken up a position of leadership, those scared little girls would all have died without someone to take the initiative to fight back. None of them would have become Tactical War Dolls.

None of them would ultimately have been part of the war against Loyce's Demon Lords, and the Black Legion would have been overwhelmed.

You've contributed a lot more than you think.

"First bombsite," Jessie said over the sounds of fighting and gunshots.

There was so much chaos going on, I was surprised she even knew what was happening anymore.

My hands fiddled with the explosives, rigging them up to the sides of the bulwark's innards.

It didn't even feel like I was handling with organ hide...

I knew it was some form of mechanical monstrosity, but the crystalline structure had to be influenced by something supernatural.

"How long have you been doing this?" Jessie asked, nearly causing me to hesitate.

"Uhh, fourteen seconds?"

"That's not what I meant."

I finished up, as we sprinted to our next bombsite. Jessie was keeping up.

It was like I was seeing a partial reflection of myself. The combat knowledge. The conditioning.

Jessie was still waiting for my answer.

The focus.

"Several years now," I replied.

"Hmm...?"

The two of us continued rigging up the explosives until we reached the final site.

And a bad feeling welled up in my chest.

"Stop. No," I said, reaching out my arm and stopping Jessie.

"Huh? What's wrong?"

My eyes went wide, and a feeling of anxiety surged through my chest.

What was this feeling?

It was...

It was similar to...

The image of the dead War Doll flashed in my mind.

Now that we know there's something out there that can kill people like me.

A threat even greater than a War Doll.

I looked around, anxiety entering my pulse as I could feel even my own heartbeat through my chest.

"Red? Red. What do you see?" Jessie asked.

I slowly closed my eyes, breathing out.

Trust my gut.

Trust my senses.

What do you feel? Which senses are contributing to this?

Touch?

Hearing?

Smell?

Ambush.

Where would they come from?

I slowly opened my eyes, tracing the area where Jessie and my blindspots overlapped.

And I took aim with my handgun, firing and sending dirt flying in the air, moments before a blade penetrated it, skewed offset and narrowly missing Jessie by an inch.

"WHAT THE-"

"BEHIND ME," I growled, yanking Jessie behind me and aiming my gun at a man in the distance, firing.

The man drew his sword and deflected my fire.

Jessie stared at the spear that the man had thrown at us.

"Spears...? No. No... this can't be."

I clenched my teeth, taking a step back.

First the War Doll.

Now this.

"Answer me, Jessie," The man said, as Jessie stood frozen, terror on her face.

"Why do gods not feel remorse... when they take the lives of our young? Why do they not feel remorse... when they tear apart a family."

The man walked forward, momentarily glancing at the freedom fighters who were holding back the horde.

"The bulwark was meant to end your suffering. I authorized it."

"What are you talking about?! This monster is going to destroy what's left of us!" Jessie shouted.

The man was wearing a strange black cloak with silver embellishments.

And on his face was a mask covering almost all his facial features, but his long, black hair reached his shoulders.

The man held out his hand, and the spear flew back.

"Defiance to the very end. I can understand your reasons. But it will be an eternal shame that you cannot understand mine."

SPLAT.

My eyes blinked, as before me in the distance, a dozen freedom fighters suddenly had their heads decapitated.

It took a split second to realize the man had just killed a dozen of our guys using the spear before I could even register what had happened.

"No... NO! HOW?! How could you do this?!" Jessie screamed, pointing her handgun at the man. But the man spun around and closed the distance, sword raised.

BANG BANG BANG.

The man slid back, staring at the bulletholes in his sword.

"What-"

"Surely you killed our guys knowing full well we'd do the same to you, asshole," I snarled. The barrel of my handgun still smoking.

The man examined me, lowering his sword and summoning another one.

"Jessie. Come back to my side. This man is not who you think he is."

Jessie blinked.

"Why would I... trust you..."

"Because you know who I am. Deep down."

I turned to Jessie, whose face was so pale it was almost the same color as the bulwark core.

"Jessie, what's this lunatic on about?"

Jessie's lower lip quivered.

"We thought you were AWOL. What... what happened to you..."

...

The man stepped forward as I took aim with my handgun again, but he had disappeared, swerving through my gunshots as if they were coming to him in slow-mo.

His agility... was enough to dodge bullets...

My eyes widened as the man appeared in front of me, dagger in hand.

"Take my sword. And I shall take yours."

SLASH.

I blocked his strike just in time but stared in disbelief at the handgun he had sliced in half. Components and pieces flying everywhere.

Jessie rushed forward, causing the man to hesitate.

I took advantage and fired at his mask with my rifle, splitting it, but the man returned with a knife throw that sliced my jacket open, spilling the contents of my wallet onto the ground.

I fell backward, still firing at the man's face.

The man covered up, stumbling back, as Jessie growled, aiming her rifle at the man.

"Why are you doing this... WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!"

The man lowered his hand slowly.

"I don't understand... I don't get it... how is this possible..."

Jessie's eyes widened.

"You don't understand?! I don't understand!"

You two don't understand?! What do you think is going on in my head?!

I watched the man face us, then at the wallet contents.

It was like looking at a reflection in the mirror because that might as well have been it.

"That picture on the ground... why do you have it? Why... How did you take that picture... of me and Jessie..." The man muttered.

Jessie spun around, her eyes also fixed on the picture, and a look of horror flashed on her face.

Jessie's stare then redirected to me.

A look of disbelief, betrayal, hurt, and shock flashed on her face as the battle continued in the background.

"Aaron...?"

13

"Come to me, Jessie. This man is an imposter. He's using you," Aaron reached out his hand, but Jessie remained motionless, staring at the two of us.

"I... I don't... I don't understand..." Jessie muttered.

I slowly put my hands up.

"Erm... congrats on the harem?"

Jessie blinked, but Aaron's face contorted in rage.

"This clown can never be me. That obnoxious remark alone should tell you that he is the fake one!"

Aaron blasted forward, grabbing Jessie by the wrist and bringing her closer to him.

"You are my girlfriend. Not his. Not that clown's. Everything that has transpired may seem out of your understanding, but once you are truly by my side, I will explain everything. You were able to process the fact that I was the God-Eater, how is it that you cannot process this?"

CLICK CLICK.

I pressed the barrel to the back of Aaron's head.

"That's REAL rich, coming from the guy who's forcing his so-called 'girlfriend' to do what he wants without even hearing her input. I get Jessie's into BDSM, but BDSM isn't the same as gaslighting, dicks for brains. Did Jessie not introduce you to the Urban Dictionary yet?"

Aaron snarled, swinging his sword and slicing the twig that I had disguised as a gun in two.

"Whoa there! Temper temper! Sounds like someone's still a Jessie Effect virgin!"

"KEEP MY GIRLFRIEND'S NAME OUT OF YOUR DAMN MOUTH!"

"JESSIE JESSIE JESSIE! HERE COMES OL' JESSIE! HAHA!"

I danced around, firing all over the ground and sending dirt everywhere.

"What's the matter, Aaron?! Pissed off? Come on. Catch me if you can, you damn freak. Or was your version of Avara weaker than mine?"

Aaron roared, spinning his spear at lightning-fast speed and sucking all the dirt particles away, pulling me toward him.

"Oh shit," I muttered as I was blown off my feet, flying toward myself.

But instead of turning me into a six-foot shish kebab, Aaron grabbed me by the collar and forced me to face him.

"Every joke you crack is an insult to me."

I grinned, as I grabbed Aaron back and slammed my forehead into his. The two of us glared at each other.

One scowling.

One smiling like a lunatic.

"Wielding firearms... there is no way you are me. Neither Will nor Nora taught me to use guns. Will always taught me to fight with melee."

Aaron lifted me into the air.

Holy shit was this strength even possible?!

"The strength of my brother. The intelligence of my sister. THAT IS AARON HOPE. NOT SOME CLOWN LIKE YOU."

Aaron hurled me straight into the ground as I slid, scrambling away from another spear strike.

Aaron turned to Jessie.

"Come with me. NOW. I will dispose of this-"

"The Jessie Effect... Avara... this man knows about the Jessie effect... even his humour is like mine. How can I just dismiss him as an imposter?" Jessie said.

Aaron scowled, stepping forward.

"Jessie. That's enough. The war has made you tired. This was never meant for a human like you. I promise you that I will clear your mind-"

SMACK.

Jessie smacked his hand away, much to Aaron's surprise.

Jessie recoiled away, her teeth clenched.

"The Aaron I knew... the Aaron I knew was always reserved. Scared to meet new people. Scared to form loved ones because he knew they would be in danger. Day by day, I always wondered what you would be like when you would finally open up and live again. To smile through my influence. I ain't lookin' for any jokes, or for any humour, I never expected that from you because I knew you were hurt and needed to heal. But at the very least... the Aaron I knew would NEVER force me to do something I didn't want!"

Jessie turned to me, a tear running down her face.

"Answer me... please... if you are really Aaron Hope... Answer my question with honesty."

"Fire away."

"What was my wish when we were at Jaos? My New Year's Wish?"

I grimaced, a breeze parting my hair.

"Your wish... was for my wish to come true. Jessie. Because you always put me first. Just as I would for you."

A sob escaped Jessie as she placed a hand to her mouth.

"No way... no way..."

"YOU WOULD THROW ME AWAY LIKE ALL THE OTHERS?!" Aaron roared, charging with his sword in hand, but I figured he would blow a fuse.

I would have done the same if I got NTR'd by some alternate version of me.

I ran in front of Jessie and fired my rifle, catching Aaron in the chest.

"TOO BAD SO SAD! Maybe it's true that you knew Jessie at some point in the past, but I know in my heart that I dated a girl named Jessie Lane. And she taught me a bunch of things. How to live again! What a dominatrix was! What cuckoldy was!"

"DO. NOT. STEAL. THE ONLY... PERSON I HAVE LEFT IN MY LIFE!" Aaron roared, clutching the cuff of my jacket and facing me, seemingly ignoring the bullet wounds in his chest.

A knife came out of nowhere.

No way...

I couldn't dodge at this distance...!

BANG.

Aaron recoiled backward, a fountain of blood leaving his forehead as his eyes were wide in shock.

"Jessie... how could you..."

The barrel of Jessie's gun was still smoking. She was trembling from rage, but a look of determination still showed on her face.

"A lesson you taught me, Aaron. I taught you to live. And you taught me to fight. That was how it was. We were a couple once. But if this is what you have turned into, then that's what our relationship has become! An ex-relationship!"

Aaron snarled, taking a step forward, but Jessie and I aimed our guns at him.

"One more thing, Aaron," I growled.

"Will may have taught me to fight, and Nora may have taught me to think. But those two knuckleheads taught me something else. That their lessons were not just two separate entities. They were meant to be learned together. The biggest lesson those two taught me... was to adapt. Fighting with melee when you're just a regular human being... sounds to me like you never learned that lesson. Because only a complete MORON would try to fight a god with a sword!"

"BAST-"

I raised my remote control. The charges were fully planted.

"Guns. Explosives. Wedgies. Panty shots of my enemies. Blackmail. Sex tapes. Old tax fraud receipts! This is the skillset that I have that sets me apart from you, bitch boy. A skill that I could only learn from the biggest prankster I ever met."

CLICK.

I turned to Jessie, a huge smile on my face.

"Why don't we make our FANTASTIC exit, partner?"

A grin slowly formed on Jessie's face.

A familiar one.

The same one that Jessie had when she first met me.

Heya! You look like you could use some friends. The name's Jessie Lane, and one of these days, I'll make you a victim of the Jessie Effect!

"You bet... my number one Jessie Effect victim!"

"JESSIE! DO NOT TURN YOUR BACK ON ME. JESSIE! JESSIE LANE! JES-"

KRA-KOOM.

The two of us high-tailed it, but the shockwave of the explosions sent us airborne.

"Aaron! What's the plan for our escape?!" Jessie shouted.

"Out the exit orifice!"

"Did it account for us being airborne?"

"Hell no! I'm winging it at this point!"

"HAHAHA! SO WE'RE SCREWED THEN!"

"YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! HAHA!"

"HAHAHA!"

"Why the hell are you two mouthbreathers laughing while in this predicament?!" 76 shouted at us, having bounded to our position with her Cyber Leap.

"Blake! What's good, girl?" Jessie exclaimed.

"HOW COULD YOU EVEN BE ASKING THAT?!" 76 snapped, grabbing me by the arm as I grabbed Jessie by hers.

"Hold on! The others have evacuated. The ones who survived anyway."

Jessie and I turned around, gazing at Aaron Hope who was engulfed in flames.

"His body... isn't even burning. He's not human anymore..." Jessie muttered.

Aaron Hope...

Maybe it was true that this version of Jessie felt more comfortable with me at the moment...

But deep down, I knew.

"Jessie, do you still love him?" I asked.

Jessie pursed her lips.

"He's... my version of Aaron."

"Figured. I know I wouldn't have wanted to be cucked either. Now we know the mofo is superhuman, we have a chance of saving him again."

Jessie stared at me.

"You would do that? But... I was your-"

"Was. Jessie. In my timeline... in my world... I am engaged to someone else."

"WHAT?! YOU MOVED ON FROM ME?!"

"What? No! I mean... you're kinda... well..."

"I died, didn't I."

"Uhhh..."

"Did I at least die with dignity? Like a total badass?"

"Oh would you look at that, we're out of the bulwark already GOOD JOB BLAKE!" I said, changing the subject.

76 glanced at the two of us.

"If you two represent this Resistance's last bastion humanity is DOOMED."

* * *

With our mission to damage the core of the bulwark a success, Jessie had ordered her troops to launch artillery fire. Apparently, while 76, Mitch, Grace, and I were redirecting enemy forces, Jessie took the liberty of reclaiming artillery supplies that had been taken by the bulwark's presence, sending an auxiliary unit to return to the camp with the gunnery shells.

We weren't really greeted like heroes on the way back, but several people had complimented 76, but the War Doll paid the compliments no attention.

"Your speech gave us goosebumps, Blake."

"Are you sure you're a teenager?"

"Masterful command."

"Incredible!"

Some time was placed in providing send-offs to those who had perished in the defence.

"20 percent of our men were killed in that onslaught," 76 said, lowering her head to the Resistance.

"I'm sorry."

Jessie put a hand on 76's shoulder.

"Blake. If you hadn't taken command, the casualties would have been far worse."

"I understand. But 20% is still 20%. Regardless of the number, people died. Lives were lost."

76 raised her head and approached the War Table, where we began our briefing.

Jessie took a deep breath.

"Okay. First things first. Aaron is back."

"Thanks!"

"Our Aaron. Not you, dummy."

"Aww."

Jessie smirked, but the smirk was laced with a bit of sadness.

"I... don't know what happened to him, but it had to be Mikoto. There's no other way. I was so shocked by his sudden change in demeanour... he's also become far more stronger. As of now, I think what killed Blake's friend might have been him."

Several members of the War Table began to mutter amongst themselves.

"The God-Eater is back?"

"He's alive!"

"But he's not on our side..."

"What are we going to do?!"

"Fortunately... we have our own God-Eater! Right here!" Jessie spread her hands in my direction.

"Ta-da!" I said.

"..." The congregation gave each other strange looks, then gave me strange looks.

"Regardless of what you think, I can attest that this bumbling idiot is far stronger than what he leads on," 76 said, approaching my side.

"As for your Aaron Hope, he doesn't stand a chance against ours."

Several skeptical looks arose in the assembly.

"What makes you think that?" Someone asked.

76 crossed her arms, glancing at the firearm that was strapped to my belt.

"From what Red had briefed me, Aaron fights with melee weapons. He is automatically at a strict disadvantage since Red fights at range and knows how to gain distances against opponents who are stronger and faster than him. Aaron's fighting style suggests he has not learned numerous techniques that Red currently has, which implies that though the two come from similar pasts, they are not representative on a one-to-one timeline comparison."

"What do you mean?" Jessie asked.

76 glanced at me, giving a slight nod.

I guess the secret was out, anyway.

"In my world, Jessie Lane died."

A series of gasps ensued, followed by a tense silence.

"I tried to save Jessie by praying to the God of Hope, but the god didn't answer my prayers. Ghosted. This drove me to fight the gods in the first place."

Jessie raised her eyebrows.

"But didn't you fight gods when you were the God-Eater? You fought the goddess Hanako didn't you?"

"Yeah. But the gods that I fought and killed were not because I wanted to. It was because they were hunting me. It often involved me running and setting up traps. Occasionally I would have to brawl it out. But it wasn't a conquest. It was running. But... after my version of you died, my philosophy changed."

I made a fist.

"I wanted to kill them. I didn't wanna just run away anymore. And from there, I pushed myself. Harder and harder while keeping a smile on my face for her sake. I didn't start smiling during my time dating Jessie. It was after she had died did I decided to truly live for her sake. The smiles... the humour... one thing led to another, and I learned to open up to others. I made allies. Friends..."

Jun, Bryce, Sarah, June, Robbie, and Annie flashed in my mind.

"I learned from my friends. And some of the things I learned wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for them."

Jun helped me make weapons, but he gave me a purpose.

Bryce showed me the importance of brotherhood and allies.

June showed me what it was like to be compassionate and to have a heart despite my past.

Robbie showed me the importance of confidence in oneself and courage.

Annie showed me the importance of humanity.

And Sarah...

If it wasn't for Sarah, I would never have learned magic.

If it wasn't for Sarah, I would never have learned chakra.

And it wasn't just these guys. Yeling. Shiki. John. Hakah. Galeo. So many more.

Thalia and SFA-Muon.

This was what set apart Outer Shadow Dainsleif from The God Eater.

"The strength you see, the strength that surpasses the Aaron Hope of this world is the culmination of some of the most amazing people I ever had the pleasure of working with. If I hadn't learned to open up from hanging out with Jessie, I would never have had such incredible allies to help me get this far. The Aaron Hope I see seems to be a version of me that would have existed if I never met my friends and never learned from them. I would have gone through a completely different path. An incomplete one."

I approached the table and stabbed the picture of myself with a knife.

"This Aaron threw away his friends and his dignity for strength. I will NEVER lose to this version of myself."

I looked at Jessie.

"If we are gonna take him back, we have a fighting chance."

Jessie returned with a smile.

"I know."

"Aaron notwithstanding, we still have our objective. The bulwark was just a setback," 76 said, bringing up back to the war table discussion.

"Our next raid is here," The War Doll put a pin on a building.

I hesitated, startled for a second.

There?

But wasn't this...

"Azure All Girls Academy? Why would the bogie be there?" Jessie asked.

76 took a breath.

"Because the man we are looking for is Joseph Blake. His daughter goes to this school. Me."

The assembly went silent again.

"Holy crap you two are just full of surprises aren't you?!" Jessie exclaimed.

76 sighed.

"A monster will, no. Has already come for this world. He will send all the adults of the academy and the city of Praetes into complete anarchist collapse in an attempt to psychologically destroy my classmates. But the man you are looking for, we can still obtain his research by capturing him. The research you're looking for concerns Wormhole Technology. And it is only accessible through my late father's USB drive."

Jessie approached 76 and knelt in front of her.

"Blake, will you be okay with this mission? There might be a chance we might be encountering an alternative version of you. If she is anything like Aaron-"

"You need not worry about me. Because I have left all that behind," 76 said, grimly, as she took out the picture that Jessie had given her on our first night here in the Resistance, putting it on the table.

On it was a relatively middle-aged man with long shoulder-length red hair and green eyes, just like Vinci.

"Joseph Blake would be located in Praetes, in particular, a certain building in Azure Academy where he conducts his research. We will have to send a small strike team to raid the area and capture him. Chances are, he's probably already lost it and has gone paranoid trying to hunt his daughter down. We will take opportunity of the chaos and capture him and the USB drive. Then we will fall back."

Grace blinked.

"But Blake, what about the rest of the girls?"

"Leave them."

Everybody stared at 76.

"Are you serious? Blake! Those are your classmates!"

"We can't just abandon these little girls!"

76 gritted her teeth, staring at the table contents with a dark, solemn expression.

She and I both knew there was no stopping what was about to happen to those girls.

Especially knowing who was behind the attack.

"There is nothing we can do."

"Vinci..." I muttered.

"What will we do once we have access to the drive contents?" Mitch asked.

"I can probably piece together how to get it to work," 76 answered.

"Get what to work?"

76 looked up, her bangs almost covering her grim expression.

"I'm going to use the tech to send a signal to my squad. The rest of the War Dolls on my team will receive the signal and will know that Red and I are still alive. And hopefully, we get some backup from my sisters-in-arms."

!

"Blake, are you sure? This will detract from the rest of our team's mission," I said.

"It will, and it was the reason why I was putting off sending the signal. But as it is, there's no chance we can defeat the Aaron Hope of this world."

"What?! You just went on a speech about how I could kick his ass!" I yelped.

76 narrowed her eyes.

"And how are you going to do that with the equipment you have? Aaron has all the specialized melee weapons he needs to fight at maximum potential. You do not. You lack mana and chakra."

"I... have the Tactical War Doll arm though?"

"Yeah, that totally evens out the playing field."

Jessie put a hand to her chin and examined the map intently.

"A whole squad of military lolis..."

A vein bulged from 76's forehead.

"I am not a loli!"

"Aw come on, Blake! Don't be like that! You're such a cutie, you still got a lot of years before you end up like me!"

"I do NOT want to end up like you, you crazy bitch!" 76 growled.

"And a tsundere too!" Jessie laughed.

"BAHAHAHA!" I pointed at Vinci and busted out laughing, all the while, the War Doll's little fists began shaking in annoyance.

"OH MY GOD it feels like I'm dealing with two Red Eyed Idiots!" 76 exclaimed.

As the meeting adjourned, I followed 76 back to our quarters, where the War Doll stopped me before I could enter the room.

"Stay out."

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

"Now you're giving me a reason to come in."

"Stay out! I'll kill you!"

"Only if you give me a reason why. I left my Genshin comics in there. I haven't had my fix yet."

76's pout intensified.

"I... I NEED TO CHANGE! THERE! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW, PERVERT?!"

"Oh."

I scratched the back of my head.

"I honestly wasn't expecting you to be all bashful about it. I thought you were the type to just take off your shirt in front of guys because you didn't care."

76 put her arms around her chest, her face starting to become the same colour as her hair.

"What do you take me as?! Of course, I care!"

76 stepped inside and handed me a comic book.

"Here. Your weeb book. Now let me change, I am covered in sweat and ick."

"I already read that issue, I need Issue 4."

"Then re-read this one!" 76 snarled, slamming the door in my face.

"Oh wow, she really is like a little girl when she ain't got her war face on!" Jessie said while I was still reading my comic.

"SON OF AN AMERADAN WHORE how long have you been here?!" I yelped.

"Uh, the whole time, actually."

"Damn! You should teach me how to do that."

Jessie leaned forward and brought her face close to the comic in my hand.

"Huh. Didn't know you were into comics."

"Actually, I was a huge fan of MMO's. Even back then. I'm sure your Aaron was too."

"Really? What's this one about? Does it have romance?"

"Yeah. The main character, Momo falls in love with this 74-year-old neckbeard and she cheats on her boyfriend."

Jessie gagged.

"What in the- What?!"

"Bahahaha, nah I'm playin'. It's just a fantasy manga about a twin trying to find his other twin after the two got separated. Takes place in different nations. It's a pretty cool story."

"Man, I sure am a sucker for adventure. How many chapters does it have?"

"Quite a lot."

Jessie and I sat together as I explained the premise of the story to her. Occasionally we would joke about how the main character would end up in certain predicaments because of a stupid decision. We would take turns roasting the character left and right.

"Hey. Do you think my Aaron would turn out to be like you?"

"I can't say for certain. I mean, I never imagined I would end up an edge lord even at nineteen."

Jessie scoffed.

"I never once thought of you as an edge lord. A lil' standoffish, sure. But never an edge lord."

"You should get your eyes checked out."

Jessie brought a knee to her chin.

"I know I ain't your Jessie, and you ain't my Aaron. But if she could see you as you are now, she'd probably have the same reaction as me. Proud. Happy."

"You're proud I'm missing an arm?!"

"Well, besides that I guess."

I looked out into the distance.

"Sorry, you gotta put up with that version of me even at this age. Must've been a handful. But never feel like any of this is your fault. If I could go back in time and tell my Jessie that, I would remind her every single day."

Jessie looked at me intently, listening.

"I chose to live my life to be the way it was. It was never because I felt pressured to do anything. And to me... you've always been more than enough for me because you were you. Don't ever think of yourself in terms of worth."

I suddenly realized I was speaking directly to Jessie herself, as a smile formed on her face.

"Well, you certainly are a LOT more talkative. Seeing you like this... makes me feel like my dream came true a little early. Like a sneak peek."

"Sneak peek?"

Jessie ran her hand through my hair.

"Clean cut, none of that mop top. Full of life. Full of brainrot. Just like me."

"Oh yeah, 'cause being a complete moron is DEFINITELY a dream come true."

"You bet it is! No one in school would EVER join in my pranks! Tell me, Aaron, how many pranks did you pull in your timeline?"

"Oh shit, probably in the hundreds!"

"For real? Tell me!"

I recounted back to my days in the Black Legion and told her as many stories as I could.

From setting up a camera filming Frey playing with her stuffed animals, to starting a completely fake martial arts school to steal Shiki's students away, to organizing tactical heists to steal from my fellow Outer Shadows to use as ransom.

And with each story that came out of my mouth, Jessie's smile became wider and wider, until a tear ran down her face.

"Oh god... I'm... I'm so happy. To... to finally see you like this. Thank you. Thank you so much, Aaron."

"Ditto."

Jessie wiped her eyes.

"One day... one day I'll make sure my Aaron can see life the way you do. One day."

I held out my hand.

"To Aaron. In hopes that he becomes just as stupid as us!"

"HAHA! Bet. My fellow troublemaker partner in crime!" Jessie took my hand and shook it, exchanging troublemaker grins.

The night before the raid, I had trouble falling asleep.

As I lay on the mattress, staring at the ceiling, I couldn't help but replay my conversation with Jessie in my head over and over again.

If only...

If only she were my timeline's version of Jessie Lane. There were so many things I wanted to say to her.

But not enough time.

"Hey."

I rolled in my bed and faced 76, who was sitting at the edge of the room.

"What? Do you not sleep?" I grumbled.

"You look like you could use the window side."

"Do I really look like I have that bad of a heartache?"

"Yeah."

I scooted to the window side, as 76 shifted her position.

"I'm sorry I've been so insensitive."

"What brought that on? You on your period or something?"

"No, idiot. I just thought it was probably worth saying it now. That conversation you had with Jessie... I heard it all."

Damn, how thin were these walls?

"Vinci, you sure are a weirdo fuckup of a girl."

"WHA- I'm trying to be nice here, asshole!"

"But. You are also, deep down, a really wholesome person. I'm honoured that you feel comfortable sharing this side of you with me. Honest."

76 pursed her lips, gazing out the window.

"I can see why 78 likes you."

"Wow, just gonna do 78 dirty like that, huh?"

"Pfft. Everybody in Muon knows. Even if she tries to deny it."

"When you leave for Tiamar... I want to come with you."

"Huh?"

I stared at 76, who retained her gaze.

"Day after day, my life has been campaign after campaign. And I understand it is because of my duty. But down to the very core, the precept of a Tactical War Doll is to serve. Sergeant Hellion owes you a debt for saving us. I... I know it's selfish but I want you to use that debt by keeping us around."

I sat up, as Vinci closed her eyes, smiling. A genuine smile.

"74's said it before. But ever since you joined, I feel like there's been more and more colour in our lives. Day-to-day operations no longer feel black and white. Whether it's the annoyance of your antics... or things like this. None of these things we would ever have experienced if we continued being War Dolls for the Special Forces Aggression Regiment. So... you wanted Vinci Blake. Then here she is."

Vinci turned to me, the moonlight casting a shine on her red hair.

"I want to keep going on adventures with you, Aaron. Muon and Dainsleif. Even when your training with us is over... I want to fight by your side. Every day. Because it's fun. I look forward to each day now... So, please. Please don't leave us."

I grinned.

"Who said I was gonna leave you guys? Hell yeah, you guys can come."

76 perked up, surprise on her face.

"Really?"

"Of course. I've gotten so used to living with you guys, fighting with you guys. My team needs coordination. And you girls will always hold a special place in my heart. I can't imagine fighting my enemies without one of you little lolis by my side."

"You're so lucky I'm not 74 right now."

"HA! But yeah. I have absolutely no intention of casting you girls away. You're part of the Hope Household now. Get used to it!"

76 relaxed, sliding down the wall and slumping on the ground.

"Then... I'm looking forward to it, Red Eyes."

* * *

"Red and I will lead the capture mission for Blake. We will need some reinforcements," 76 said.

Jessie raised her hand.

"Can I come?"

"Absolutely not," 76 replied bluntly.

"WHYYYYY?"

"GOD you're so annoying! Aren't you the commander of this platoon?!"

"Aww."

76 clenched her fist.

"I understand that, aside from Jessie, some of you are hesitant to fight by my side. After everything that has transpired. From the way I've conducted myself and the lives that were lost in our last assault. But-"

"Stupid girl," Grace cut 76 off, propping her rifle up.

"No one was expecting you to be Little Miss Perfect, Blake. We all make mistakes. And for your second point, NO ONE thinks that. Isn't that right, Mitch?"

"Yes. I concur," Mitchell said, standing up.

"You've apologized already. We, as adults, have a responsibility to accept that and move forward as allies. You reinforced the importance of allies that day."

76 regarded the two.

"I appreciate the both of you. Truly."

Mitch and Grace nodded.

"But I will not be selecting the two of you for this mission," 76 said.

Grace raised her eyebrows.

"You're not?"

"No. I want you to concentrate your efforts here. You need to recover. During our defence, I noticed both you and Mitch were contributing the most. I am not having my soldiers overwork themselves, because no one is immune to burnout."

No one is immune to burnout, eh?

Thalia once said those same exact words.

"Then... who's going to come with you and Red?" Mitch asked.

"I'm..."

"I will."

Everybody slowly made way for a tall man with a military haircut, taller than the rest.

"Private Swaffem. I owe you a debt, kid. For giving me a wake-up call. I didn't do jack shit in our defence. I... froze up. And I know you knew. If you were able to micromanage checking up on Mitch and Grace."

76 examined Swaffem with critical eyes.

"This raid to capture my father is not going to be an easy one, with Aaron and Mikoto out there. It will be several orders of magnitude harder than the defensive. Do you think you can keep up with an alternate Aaron Hope and a Tactical War Doll?"

Swaffem grimaced with determination.

"If I can't, then I will do my best to pull my weight. I will do my best to learn."

I glanced nervously at 76, a part of me expecting her to shut him down, but to my surprise, 76 smirked.

"And you're not at all bothered by the fact that you will be taking orders from a 15-year-old?"

Swaffem scoffed.

"You're no 15-year-old. I judge only on ability."

"Then this will be a good opportunity to develop yours, Private."

"Yes, ma'am."

Jessie led the three of us to an old armoured truck.

"This fella is gonna take you to Azure Academy. Sorry, we ain't got no dropship. We'll be taking gunfire left and right, but Hartwood will do her best to drop you off in a place with cover and will assist in clearing out any local hostiles before leavin'."

The three of us sat in the back of the truck, shrouded by the cover while Hartwood drove. The guy sitting next to her was manning the guns.

"You three just sit and relax while the two of us handle the enemies!" The man shouted.

Swaffem, 76, and I sat quietly, listening to the sound of occasional clunking from the combat outside.

76 inspected her firearms and her gear.

A bulletproof vest on top of dark grey camouflage shrouded the War Doll with the environment of the ruined city.

Swaffem watched 76 disassemble and reassemble her firearms at lightning-fast speed, almost as if she had been doing it her whole life.

"How long have you been using your guns that you're able to do all that in half a second?"

"Only a few years."

"Really?"

"It's not so much the quantity, but the quality of your experience. I've had to put together destroyed weaponry on the battlefield whenever my weapons were damaged beyond repair. Being mechanically proficient is a prerequisite in surviving tense battlefield situations."

76 picked at one of the components in her rifle when suddenly, she winced in pain. One of the pieces had nicked the little bits of bone that were still protruding from her still-recovering hands.

"Holy crap, that looks like it hurt," I commented.

"Hold up, Blake, you're able to feel pain?" Swaffem asked.

"Yes. It was a requirement for us when we had our bodies cybernetically rebuilt. Pain is the body's natural defence mechanism for survival."

"But... I heard from Mitch and Grace that you were so damaged that your whole jaw was ripped open... wouldn't that mean..."

76 smirked.

"Oh yeah. It hurt so much that a part of me was screaming at me to just shoot myself to end the suffering. But this is typical, and expected. The body is not meant to be that damaged, and the pain was a good reminder of that."

Swaffem's face paled as if the realization of how hardcore the kid in front of him really was.

I leaned forward.

"Come to think of it, your body must have enhanced immune responses, right? The inflammation must have been intense to keep yourself from succumbing to any bacterial infections. Did you guys get any vaccines to make antibodies or anything?"

76 raised an eyebrow.

"What's that?"

"Huh?"

Swaffem and I stared at 76.

"Huh?"

"What?" 76 asked.

"Did I say something weird?"

"Wait, hold up, Blake. Do you really not know what a vaccine is?"

"No?"

...

"Do you know what an antibody is?" I asked.

"No? My Sergeant just told me, 'take this shot'. We didn't ask what it was. We just followed orders and took the shot."

"Then again, when I brought up Newton's Third Law, you were also clueless. So you really do have a middle schooler's education...!" I muttered.

"I have a sudden urge to kick you in the genitals right now."

Swaffem scratched his chin.

"Hey. Do you know what the quadratic formula is?"

A vein bulged from 76's forehead.

"No! I don't! Why the hell would I need to know all this biology quadricept formula nonsense?!"

LOL. She really thought the quadratic formula was a Biology term!

"Quit laughing, it's not funny! There was no reason for us War Dolls to know any of this garbage unless it provided us with tactical advantages on the battlefield!" 76 snarled, trying to intimidate Swaffem and me, but it was not working.

The more pissed she got, the more adorable her little rage bursts became, which incentivized the need to tease her more.

"Guys! We got a problem! We can't shake the enemies off!" Hartwood shouted from the driver seat.

Swaffem peeked out the little window, and to his horror, a swarm of floating entities had completely surrounded the truck, keeping us from moving.

"That's too many enemies! How are we gonna clear them all with the ammo we have?!"

76 glanced at the swarm. Within her irises, I could see her cybernetic computer calculating a bunch of numbers.

"Over eighty-three bogies out there. They look like they're trying to crawl their way into the truck."

"How do we kill that many monsters?" Swaffem asked.

76 put her hand to her chin.

"Judging from how coordinated they move... there must be a hive mind. If we kill the hive mind, we could disperse the swarm. We don't need to focus on killing them."

The War Doll breathed out.

"Initiating Stance 14: Synapse Protocol"

Swaffem was speechless as 76's cybernetic eyes glowed a demonic red. Steam began discharging from her body.

"There," 76 pointed at the distance.

"There?! There's no way we could hit it with the rifles we have! That's several kilometers away at least!"

"You're right. I don't think I can land that shot either. Not even my Chief could, and rifles are her specialty."

"Then what do we do?"

I slowly got up, drawing my handgun.

"I'll hit it."

Swaffem scoffed.

"There's no way. How are you gonna determine wind speed and bullet drop? You can't be certain what the wind is like the entire trajectory of the shot."

Actually, I could.

How do I make estimates if I can't stick my finger up and feel the wind?

The same way one could determine there was wind in the first place.

Wind cannot be seen.

Its presence is what confirms it's there. The way it influences the environment.

From how the leaves move in response to the wind.

To how the little flaps on the monsters move.

The smallest detail can give away the biggest factors.

I took aim, closing one eye and drawing a breath.

Six Hands...

76 immediately sprung into action, kicking open the window and sending the monsters back, before jamming her rifle at one of the nearest monsters that recovered and firing.

"Private, we're providing Red with cover fire!"

Swaffem took aim, assisting in the defence as I continued concentrating.

"What if he doesn't make the shot?" Swaffem asked.

"He will," 76 replied.

Combination Style...

DEAD SHOT.

I pulled the trigger. The crack of the handgun shook the mass, and the bullet soared, the trajectory began to change as a result of the wind.

"It... it's not gonna make it!" Swaffem said.

"It will. It's going to snake back," 76 replied.

"Snake back?"

"Yes. Like a para... parabulus... parab..."

"Parabola," I corrected 76, causing her to pout.

"The bullet follows a parabolic arc. Forces, drag forces, gravitational forces, and wind forces, are all forces that concern acceleration by Newton's Second Law. Acceleration is a squared relationship to position," I said, watching my bullet hit dead center on the target.

The Hive Mind screeched, causing the monsters to disperse.

I slid my pistol back into its strap.

"You guys are monsters..." Swaffem said, his voice trailing away.

"Enough gawking. Our stop is here," 76 popped open the back of our truck and leaped out, beckoning us to follow.

"Hartwood. Forsen. Our gratitude for the ride. Take care on your way back," 76 said to the drivers, who saluted.

The three of us shouldered our gear. Before us... was the place where it all began for 76.

What started it all.

From the massacre to the conscription.

The place where kids turned into soldiers.

Azure Academy.

14

The whole campus was in absolute chaos.

Between the scorching green flames and the hysterical screaming of the grownups who had gone crazy from the flames, it was hard to imagine there were any survivors.

Entire buildings were in ruins, all the while, we had several adults who were stumbling around, looking around and mumbling to themselves.

But among these details, one in particular was the most disturbing.

I clenched my teeth, staring at one of the men who was dragging the body of a child. One of the Azure kids.

His eyes.

They were so unnaturally wide, that it looked like it was about to bulge out of their sockets.

"My dear Tina... Tina... be a good girl and be Daddy's sacrifice for the Demon!"

"No..." Tina croaked, her limbs were all bent at unnatural angles, but she was so terrified, she was still able to muster one last croak for help.

"Someone..."

Swaffem rushed forward, but 76 stopped him.

"What are you doing?! We need to help her!"

"We can't risk giving away our position."

"BLAKE. THESE ARE YOUR CLASSMATES-"

"And what do you think is going to happen if that man alerts the others that there are enemies that can fight back? The Demon will come for us, and I guarantee you we have NO chance of fighting him. Even if Aaron is at full strength."

"But-"

Swaffem glared at the man. The man had drawn a knife, causing the girl to scream. The scream was so hysterical it didn't even sound human.

I couldn't watch as I looked away. I could hear the girl choke from her own blood.

All the while, 76 looked at the massacre with dead eyes.

"We advance."

Swaffem, Blake, and I continued our advance, keeping a low cover.

"Private. You need to keep your composure," 76 said.

"I know. But, does this not disturb you?" Swaffem whispered. The sounds of the adults mumbling their jibberish along with the screams of some captive Azure kids filled the air.

"..."

76 stopped, gripping her rifle.

"Of course it does. We may be cyborgs, but we were once human. Every time I recount these memories, rage fills me to unimaginable levels. I said, earlier, that this mission is going to be harder than the defence. Are you starting to understand now, why I said that?"

My heart filled with pain with each scream that ripped through the sounds of the chaos.

This mission was difficult.

It wasn't just hard in the sense that Aaron and Mikoto were out there targeting us.

Or the fact that we had to conceal ourselves.

This mission was difficult because we were forced to let these kids be slaughtered.

We had to tell the human part of ourselves to ignore everything that was happening around us.

76 seemed to notice our unease, as she put a hand on Swaffem's shoulder.

"I know it's hard. It was that way when I started too. But we have a duty to carry out. This is part of the many burdens normal people... civvies as soldiers like you would say... will never truly understand. Duty and morals... sometimes don't go hand in hand. Can you accept this part of your job as a Private?"

Swaffem nodded grimly.

"I do, Commander Blake."

"Good. I promise you, that monster will get what he deserves. He did in my timeline. And he will in yours."

"Yes, Commander."

A huge explosion rocked the entire campus, followed by a building collapsing on a man.

I instinctively raised my arm to shield myself, peeking through to see the man completely impaled by a beam.

His innards had spilled out, but rather than scream in pain, the man...

The man...

"HAHAHA! BLOOD! GUTS! GUTS FOR OUR GOD! OUR GOD OF FIRE... I HAVE SPILLED MY INTESTINES FOR YOU... FOR I HAVE NO CHILDREN TO SACRIFICE!"

Swaffem held back the urge to vomit as we made our way to the outskirts of the building.

76 raised her hand, signalling us to halt.

"My father always kept several security guards to protect his research. We need to determine the appropriate window of approach."

76 reached behind her and pulled out a shard of glass, positioning it to the edge of the window.

"I'll take point, then signal when it's clear."

Swaffem and I waited outside, while 76 slipped in.

"Clear."

The two of us followed suit, taking aim with our suppressed firearms.

"Up head," 76 whispered, placing an EMP charge against an area in the kitchen. The blast fried the nearby cameras.

I took aim with my firearm and fired at a nearby guard. The guard collapsed on his chair.

76 advanced, picking off two more guards and dragging their bodies to the kitchen area.

"We continue-"

76 suddenly clutched her head.

"Blake?" Swaffem asked. I rushed forward, catching 76.

"Hey! Hang in there. Do you need a few moments to collect yourself? Was it because of the Protocols? You popped two earlier," I asked.

76 rubbed her temples.

"No. It wasn't because of the Protocols... my internal computer didn't warn me when I used Synapse. I think it's just some psychological reaction to being back here again. Forget it. We move on."

"Some psychological reaction? That sounds really bad. Maybe Swaffem and I can take point."

"No. Just... give me a few moments..."

76 leaned against the stairwell. Her face was pale and it looked like she was on the verge of throwing up. The War Doll pulled out a knife and cut into her cargo pants, slicing one side open. On the side of her now exposed thigh, a compartment opened, revealing a syringe.

The syringe was injected into 76, and I watched as the War Doll seemingly regained her composure.

"Forward."

I had to ignore that feeling in my chest. But it was hard to.

This was clearly invoking really severe forms of PTSD in Vinci, as much as she was trying to let on that it wasn't bothering her.

But I knew that she would probably be pissed if I tried to stop the mission over something like this.

After all...

Silencing thoughts of trauma and fear was part of her job.

"The gate... the gate... the gate is here! The gate..."

I glanced nervously at 76, who looked onward with deadpan eyes, loading up her shotgun with shells and handing it to Swaffem.

"Father is across the door. On my count, Swaffem will breach the door. Red, deal with any backup Blake has. I will be responsible for immobilizing him."

We nodded.

This was it.

"Three... two... one-"

"Hey, who- who are you three?" A voice said.

"SWEET BUTTERY JEEZUS!" I yelped silently.

76 spun around and pressed the barrel of her handgun right against the girl's forehead.

"Make any noise, and I WILL silence you myself!"

The girl put her hands to her mouth.

"No! Pl- Please... please don't kill me...!"

I narrowed my eyes at the girl.

She looked absolutely terrified and had ribbons in her hair. A sleeveless white blouse and a black skirt...

Wait.

Why was this outfit so familiar?

I wasn't always like this. In fact, these clothes used to be what I always wore back in Azure Academy.

"No way..." I muttered.

"You have got to be fuckin' shitting me!" 76 growled under her breath.

The girl's eyes began to water.

Vinci Blake was on the verge of tears trying to hold it in.

"Blake! I thought you said it was just Joseph here!" I whispered.

"I did. I could have sworn I would have been at the Academy that day at this hour! Classes normally start at..."

Dribble dribble dribble.

"Eek...!" Vinci yelped, as an object dropped on the floor.

The three of us peered at the object.

A...

Round... object with a hole in it?

"T- Today... was the grand debut... of the Pumpkin Glaze Donut... I skipped class to get it..."

Swaffem blinked.

"You skipped class for a donut?"

Vinci meekly nodded.

"Mmmhm... sorry... so sorry! I didn't mean to skip class... please don't punish me!"

76 tilted her head in a murderous rage.

"You little bitch! You have cost us our mission because of your donut obsession!"

A sob escaped Vinci, as she began to tremble. The water fountain tears were seriously making their debut!

"Blake! Stop pushing... Blake any further! You're gonna make yourself cry!"

"Do NOT call that me!"

"But... she is though."

"NO SHE IS NOT!"

"Uuuu... uuuu..." Vinci shuddered.

"Ah!! There there. You're okay. You're okay! Don't cry!" I said, putting my hands on her shoulders.

"Look! I'm not scary!"

Vinci gulped, her face was flushed.

"Those things... are those guns?"

"Uhhh, nope. They're... water guns..."

Vinci blinked.

"Oh. Okie."

Damn 76, you never told me you were so gullible!

"Vinci, honey? Is that you?" Joseph called out from behind the door.

"Shit!" 76 snarled, holstering her gun.

"We need to take your father back with us. Step aside." 76 said to her alternate self.

"Why do you want Daddy?" Vinci asked.

"None of your fuckin' business."

Vinci pouted.

"No. I won't let you. You're mean."

"GAH! YOU ARE SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS!" 76 growled.

"Vinc- huh? Who are you three?" Joseph asked, opening the door.

...

A tense silence filled the air.

"We're friends," Swaffem said.

Joseph narrowed his eyes at us, then at me. I still had my hands on Vinci's shoulders.

"Friends...? Why are three of you armed?"

"P- Paintball..." Swaffem muttered.

Good save, Swaffem!

"My friend here, Aaron, is Vinci's boyfriend."

Swaffem, what the fuck?!

Vinci's eyes widened as her face's blush deepened.

"A boyfriend...!"

76 grabbed Swaffem by the collar.

"What the hell do you think you're saying?!"

"But Commander, you just said she wasn't you!"

"She IS me, but NOT ME."

"How does that make any sense?!"

Joseph's jaw hung open.

"My research... oh god... my research was a success!"

76 glared at her father and whipped out her handgun.

"Come with us. Or I will kill you."

?!

"Whoa! Blake, what are you doing? Joseph isn't hostile!" I exclaimed.

76's eyes were glinting with murderous intent, but Joseph's expression warmed in response.

"Vinci... is that you?"

A flash of shock momentarily appeared on 76's face.

"Do not play mind games with me, professor. Hands in the air. I will detain you myself. You will return with us under custody. Your compliance is not a factor."

Joseph obliged, while the rest of us sat in silence.

"Of course, I will come with you, baby. But can you at least tell me what's going on?"

My version of Vinci cuffed her father and forced him to walk.

"That gate you were mumbling deliriously about has released a monstrosity that is currently running amok. Your world is in catastrophe. We will be escorting you to our headquarters."

"I see... I see... so my research... my life's work... it has finally seen fruition!"

76 clenched her teeth. For some reason, what Joseph had said struck a nerve and I could tell.

From the brief look of intense hatred in her eyes.

"Daddy... where are you going? I want to come too!" Vinci said, but 76 stood in her way.

"You're staying right here. One liability is plenty."

"But-"

"Did I stutter?"

Vinci pursed her lips.

"But... my boyfriend..."

Boyfriend?

76 gave me and Swaffem a death glare.

Oh.

"Come on, what's the harm? If Vinci comes with us, maybe ol' Pops will be more cooperative!" I reasoned.

Vinci's eyes suddenly lit up, as she clutched my arm, startling me.

"Yay!!! I get to come along!"

Swaffem looked out the window, as more chaos ensued.

Green flames were starting to creep toward the house.

"We need to move. While we're still in the clear."

"Too late. I'm seeing bogies coming our way," 76 snarled, loading her rifle and kicking the door open.

"Swaffem, escort the two to our rendezvous spot. Red and I will provide cover."

"Understood."

Swaffem reached out his hand to Vinci.

"Come."

"..."

GRIP.

"Huh?" I glanced at my arm. Vinci was clinging onto it for dear life, burying her face into the folds of my jacket.

"Red! What are you doing? I need some backup fire!" 76 shouted.

"Uhhh, we have a problem."

"What's the problem?"

"You. Technically."

"Excuse me?"

76 turned around, taking in the situation.

Her reaction was about the same as I expected.

"HEY, YOU LITTLE SHIT! Get your hands off of him!"

"..."

"Are you listening to me?!"

A flock of monsters came flying our way. 76 dodged to the side, ripping an entire panel out of the side of the building and using it as a riot shield, advancing forward and shooting with her sidearm.

I grabbed my rifle with my other hand and took aim, aiding in the defence.

"Forward! Spartan Formation, Red!" 76 growled.

I rushed behind 76, dragging Vinci and Joseph behind me while Swaffem tailed us, covering the back.

"Are we gonna make it at this rate?" Swaffem asked.

76-M gritted her teeth, shooting down monster after monster.

"No choice. Unless I knock out the Princess over there. Which I am tempted to do."

Vinci squeaked, tightening her grip on my arm.

"Owowowowowow! Hey! I can't aim my rifle when you're trying to tear my skin off!!! Please let go of me."

"S- Sorry..." Vinci muttered, burying her face deeper into my arm.

That's the opposite of what I just told you to do!

How was Joseph doing?

I glanced behind me.

"This is incredible! Incredible! My research was a success... and my daughter is so strong! This is an amazing day!"

Forget I asked.

This mf was crazy from the start.

"Blake! Do you see a hive mind anywhere?" I shouted over the chaos.

"No!"

Think...

What else could we use to drive 'em off?

I glanced at the adults who were still preoccupied with their crazy.

Bingo!

"HEY! THESE MONSTERS ARE TRYING TO TAKE YOUR SACRIFICES AWAY! OUR FIRE GOD IS GONNA BE PISSED!" I yelled.

The adults suddenly perked up, turning to our direction.

"What did he say?"

"Sacrifices to the Fire God?"

"I see them... I see TWO! Two children for the Fire God!"

"PURGE THE UNCLEAN! THE MONSTERS SHALL BURN!"

The adults went ballistic, rushing forward with gunfire and crowbars. The horde became confused, trying to balance the assault 76-M's group was giving with the sudden hostility of the humans.

76 turned to us.

"Now's our chance. Make a break for it."

The group rushed toward the rendezvous point, an armoured truck. Hartwood was waving at us frantically.

"THEY'RE TRYING TO ESCAPE!" An adult shouted at us, as dozens of men suddenly aimed their rifles our way, firing.

76 shot to our location, bracing her shield and absorbing the gunfire, but some of the bullets passed through, piercing her in her arms and legs.

"Private! Smoke! Now!" The War Doll growled.

Swaffem turned around, his face still shellshocked from the chaos of the situation, but managed to detach a smoke grenade from his vest, fumbling with the pin.

"SWAFFEM!" 76-M shouted, as more bullets pierced through her body. I was trying my best to give suppression fire, but it was like the adults did not give a flying shit that someone was shooting at them because none of them were running to cover.

76 grunted, throwing the shield forward as the panel slammed into several of the men and pinning them down.

Attached to the back was a sticky bomb.

The War Doll took aim with her sidearm, immediately firing at the module and causing an explosion which blew the hostiles back.

"Red! Finish 'em off!"

76 threw me her rifle as I caught it, dual-wielding two rifles in both hands.

Six Hands Combination Style

GUNMAN'S BLOOD FESTI-

"GAH! What?!"

Vinci was still clutching my arm, causing me to lose composure.

"LET GO OF HIM!" 76 growled, rushing forward, but several bullets slammed into her backside as her eyes went wide. A starburst of red exploded from her back, causing the War Doll to tumble to the ground.

The men were starting to recover. The window of opportunity that 76-M had given me had expired!

Vinci was still clutching onto me, her eyes wide in terror.

"VINCI! LET GO OF RED, YOU DUMB BITCH!" 76 roared.

"N- No... No! NO! Stop! I don't like this! I don't like this! I wanna go home! WAAAAAH! DADDY! DADDY!" Vinci wailed, as she let go, her hands glued to her eyes. Swaffem and I unleashed bullet hell at the hostiles, but we were outgunned.

76 limped forward, grabbing Vinci's arm.

"MOVE."

"NO!"

"I SAID MOVE! STOP CRYING!"

"NO! AAAAAH!!" Vinci continued crying, shaking her head furiously and shrugging off 76-M's attempts at grabbing her.

Hartwood had already escorted Joseph to the truck, but upon hearing his daughter cry, the scientist turned around, rushing back to our location.

"Baby? Baby! Hey!"

"Dr. Blake! You need to come back to the truck!" Forsen shouted after the scientist, but Blake ignored him, running toward his two daughters.

"Go back to the truck! Or I swear to god I will shoot you unconscious, old man!" 76 roared in rage, causing the scientist to stumble, taken aback by the stark contrast between a crying Vinci Blake, and an infuriated Vinci Blake.

"Stop yelling!" Vinci screamed, falling to her knees and burying her face in her arms in a fetal position.

"FUCK! I've HAD IT," 76-M growled as she raised her hand and struck her alternate self in the back of the neck, knocking her out cold.

The War Doll picked Vinci up like a sack of potatoes and turned to us, her eyes wide in fury.

"Red! Swaffem! To the truck. NOW."

Swaffem and I obliged as I continued firing at whatever structure I could find to mitigate the incoming gunfire the best I could.

We piled into the back, while Forsen tried to close the doors.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Forsen said, scrambling to get in, but suddenly a stray bullet caught him in the back of the head, spraying blood all over Swaffem, whose eyes went wide in terror.

A huge hole appeared in Forsen's face, right at the forehead as the copilot slumped forward. Half of his body landed right in front of us. Joseph threw up all over the floor, much to...

Well all of our chagrin.

"F- For- Forsen... Forsen's been killed...! Oh fuck... HOLY FUCK!" Swaffem gasped, hyperventilating.

"WHAT?! What happened to Forsen?" Hartwood asked, her voice frantic.

76 glared at Hartwood.

"Drive. Now. Forsen is not your concern at the moment."

"But-"

"Your concern... IS GETTING THE HELL OUT OF HERE."

"Yes, Commander!"

Hartwood did as she was told and gunned the accelerator, but Forsen's body had become lodged in the opening, causing bullets to spark against the sides of the now partially closed doors.

76 turned around, approaching Forsen and kicking his body out of the truck.

The corpse flew right into the enemies, momentarily cutting off their gunfire and allowing us to escape.

All the while, Joseph stared at his alternate daughter with a pair of horrified eyes.

"You're... you're not human..."

76 slammed the doors shut, breathing heavily from anger.

"You two... will shut the FUCK up for the rest of this trip. Do I make myself clear?"

The professor pursed his lips, sitting back down and clutching the sides of his head.

Meanwhile, Vinci was slumped in the back, tears still streaming from her eyes.

76-M leaned against the side of the truck, letting Swaffem sit instead.

"Blake, you're injured," Swaffem said.

"I'll recover."

"I froze again. I apologize."

"No need. The operation was chaotic, I expected there would be some miscoordination."

Swaffem's hand was still trembling. Forsen's blood was still on his face.

"Forsen... Forsen was Hartwood's husband. I don't know how we're going to break it to her that I got him killed."

76-M pulled bits of shrapnel from her side, eyeing the Private.

"No. The fault is mine. I couldn't round up the others."

76 clenched her teeth.

"Some commander I am."

"Blake, you're being too hard on yourself," I retorted, but 76 ignored me, pressing her forehead against the reinforced glass of the vehicle.

Blood was dripping from her exposed wounds. I couldn't tell how bloody her clothes were, since they were dark in colour, but I could probably tell they were drenched.

"I will be the one to tell Hartwood."

"What? But that's not fair on you-"

76 raised her hand, cutting Swaffem off.

"The fault of dead subordinates is always the commander's. This is how we've been trained. Regardless, we did achieve our objective. The professor is with us now."

Dr. Blake was still staring at 76 in terror, his bottom lip quivering.

"Vinci... what happened to you..."

76 sat down in front of the professor, eyeing him with a cruel expression.

"That is not my name."

A tense silence filled the air, only the sound of the vehicle traversing the terrain could be heard.

"Vinci. You killed. You... you weren't even fazed by that man dying. You even kicked him out of the truck..."

"If I did not do that, then everybody in this truck would have been cut down by gunfire."

Joseph's eyebrows knit together in concern.

"I... I know I wasn't a very good father to you. But... even I know that my little girl would never do something so violent. The little girl who I helped raise was the cutest little sweets loving daughter I ever-"

"Helped? You call what you've been doing for thirteen years helping?" 76 sneered, her eyes turning murderously dark.

Joseph gulped.

"I'm... I'm here now. Vinci. I know you're not my Vinci, but if you can still look me in the eye and call me 'Daddy' then I am still your father. My research is finished. I don't need to continue. I can finally be the father you need-"

CLICK CLICK.

Joseph froze, as 76 loaded her pistol, drawing the slide back as I heard the mechanical clicking of the weapon's components.

"Despite this being an alternate world... how is it, that my father still remains the same exact scumbag as he was in mine?"

"I... I don't understand, Vinci. Talk to me, baby."

76-M tilted her head, her eyes glinting with rage.

"I am not your Vinci. Do NOT call me that. You don't understand, because you never put me as a priority. I was always secondary to your research. And now... looking at Vinci here, I can tell right away that she still was secondary to your research."

"Then... then talk to me! Tell me what's bothering you. Tell me what's happened to you that turned you from the kind little girl I knew to... to..."

"To what? Exactly?" 76 said, her voice dangerously quiet.

"I..."

76 set her firearm down, as she reached for her shirt and slowly took it off, revealing an incredibly toned physique covered by only a black sports bra.

I had never seen 76 in her undies before (okay, that came out wrong). I kind of had an idea of what she must have looked like, considering how muscular her arms were for a girl her age whenever she wore tank tops.

Yet...

Seeing it now for the first time didn't make it any less disturbing.

Swaffem, Joseph and I stared at 76's body.

Cuts and scars everywhere...

Fully defined abs, capped shoulders, a wide V-taper, and burned scar tissue.

It was like 76's body had suffered tremendous injuries over countless years of battle. All the while, constantly pushing her body to its limits had resulted in an absurdly muscular and built frame. Did all the War Dolls look like this underneath all that gear?

76 leaned in and jabbed her finger against Joseph's chest.

"You don't get to make demands. Especially not to someone you've never known. Especially not when YOU are the reason why I and my classmates ended up this way."

My heart sank.

So it was true.

I had my suspicions...

It didn't take much to put two and two together.

And Vinci's hatred for her father was the cherry on top.

Joseph's eyes widened.

"I... was the reason you ended up like this...?"

76 was silent, her bottom lip was trembling. Her bangs hid her eyes, but I could tell they were trying to hold back tears.

"It doesn't matter. What became of me, what's done is done. But at the very least... I could only hope this version of you was a little better than mine. So far? Not convincing in the slightest."

"We've arrived, Commander Blake."

76 beckoned us to exit the truck, as the War Doll shouldered her rifle and approached Hartwood.

"Hey... Vinc-"

"No."

76 raised her hand and stopped me before I could take another step toward her.

"This is my responsibility."

"But-"

"Aaron."

76 turned to me, a look of solemn sadness was cast on her face.

"This is also part of the job."

My mind flashed back to when 74 had tried to comfort 78 after her sister was killed.

How Riho had slapped Thalia... and the look of realization that appeared on her face, completely overwhelmed the composure the Chief War Doll was known for.

My hand clenched into a fist as I watched 76 approach Hartwood.

The expression on her face flashed from confusion to realization, to shock and horror.

And the scream...

A gut-wrenching scream that transitioned into a cry of hysterical grief.

Hartwood grabbed 76 by the shoulders, wailing uncontrollably, but 76 only looked onward.

Shadows cast on her face, which was void of emotion.

"What... what have I done... my baby girl... has turned into this... emotionless husk..." Joseph whispered, but not before Swaffem grabbed the professor in a rage.

"You fuckin... FAILURE OF A FATHER!" Swaffem roared.

"Whoa! Swaf! Dude, calm down!"

"Calm down?! NO. I WON'T CALM DOWN. What kind of father would turn someone as sweet as that little girl into a killer like Blake?! How BAD of a father did you have to be?!"

Several members of the Resistance noticed the struggle. The freedom fighters ran up to us, trying to hold Swaffem back, but Swaffem continued strangling Joseph.

"So many men and women YEARN to have kids... especially during these times when even SURVIVAL isn't guaranteed. Yet here before you is your own FUCKIN' kid and not only did you NOT GIVE A SHIT about your daughter, YOU CAUSED ALL OF THIS?!"

Joseph whimpered, flung onto the ground by the stronger Private who flailed violently.

"LET ME GO!"

"SWAFFEM! We need the professor!"

"We just need the USB drive! This fuckin' excuse of a man doesn't deserve to live!"

"And what good is killing him going to do?!" I shouted, grabbing Swaffem by the collar and shaking him.

"You're forgetting that your world's Vinci Blake is still here. What the fuck is she gonna think when she finds out her dad got killed while she was out cold?!"

"YOUR Vinci said it herself. Joseph didn't give TWO SHITS about his daughter!"

"It doesn't matter. This is NOT your call. If Vinci still calls him Daddy and called out his name when she was crying earlier, that's enough proof that she still loves her dad. You don't get the right to choose who lives or who dies, Swaf," I snarled.

"What's going on here?" Jessie shouted, breaking up the fight and pulling Swaffem back.

"Swaf!"

Swaffem continued glaring at Joseph.

"My dad... my dad never got to see his son grow up. My father was falsely accused of sexual assault by my mother when I was still young. My mom never let me see him... but despite all that, my father always wrote to me. My mom kept them all. Till the day he was killed by Mikoto's monsters. Only then did I read them... did I even learn that he sent them. My father... he always wanted to get to know me but NEVER had the chance to. I can never forgive someone like Joseph."

"Swaf... I know. Please, believe me, I know," Jessie said, putting her hand on Swaffem's shoulder.

"Hey. Let's get you something warm to drink. Hey, Dennis! Mind taking care of Swaffem over here?"

Jessie called out to a man from the kitchen, who quickly made his way to Swaffem.

Swaffem glanced at 76 one last time, then at Vinci, who was still unconscious.

"I will always respect Blake. But... after seeing what she used to be like... then all of the scars on her body..."

The Private clenched his teeth.

"Aaron... war is such an inhumane and fucked up thing."

"Yeah. It is."

"...If you really are... an alternate version of our Aaron Hope... then I beg you from the bottom of my heart..."

Swaffem grimaced.

"Kill the god who has allowed all this to happen."

I nodded grimly.

"You bet, Swaf."

* * *

I dropped my rifle against the side of my room and then proceeded to unhook the prosthetic on my right arm.

"Ah... good ol' Genshin! My precious Issue 4... I have returned. Daddy is home!"

I cracked open the manga and was about to indulge when suddenly, the door creaked open.

"Go away, Blake. I'm boutta splurge in some top tier degenerac-"

"Um... hi..."

"Huh?"

Was 76 always that docile?

I peeked at the edge of the door and saw...

Well...

A red-haired girl.

Only this one was wearing a skirt... and had a hairband on...

And didn't have a permanent scowl on her face.

"Oh, hey Vinci."

"C- Can I come in?"

"Does Blake know you're here?"

"No... she's... kind of scary. I like talking to you."

"Awww. I like talking to myself too!"

Vinci put a hand to her mouth and giggled.

...

Was this really the same girl?!

I patted the ground next to me.

"I don't have any cushions... so you might have to make do with a sore bum."

"It's okie. Daddy used to get me to sleep on the floor."

Hold up.

What?

Vinci skipped to my side and plopped on the ground next to me, smiling.

"So umm... how old are you?" I asked, awkwardly.

Vinci blinked.

"Fifteen. Why?"

Fifteen?!

"Wait what? I thought you were thirteen."

"Do I not look fifteen? No way! Hehehe!" Vinci put her hands to her cheeks, giggling.

This...

Didn't make any sense.

I thought these girls were younger when Evangelion had come to take Alice and destroy Azure Academy. Would this mean...

Would this mean I was looking at a 76-M if she never turned into a soldier?

I put the comic down and repositioned myself to face Vinci.

"Mind if I ask you something?"

"Of course not. You're my boyfriend!"

"Eeugh... yeah, we're gonna have to do some clarifications before moving forward. I'm not your boyfriend."

The smile on Vinci's face melted.

"What? But... that man said..."

"Swaffem snorted too much crack. He was talking out of his ass. Listen, Vinci. I can't date you. For... a number of reasons."

Vinci pouted.

"Is it because you're dating the other version of me?"

"Pfft. Yeah, right," I smirked.

Vinci looked away, a glum look appeared on her face.

"Sorry... I must have been so gross."

"Hey, don't say that."

Vinci glanced at my prosthetic.

"Mm..."

"Mm?"

"I'm gonna go now. Bye."

"Wait. What?"

Before I could say anything else, Vinci hurried to the door, bonking her head against the doorframe with a noticeable

"EEP!"

I was left with more questions than answers.

A few minutes later, I had finished a few chapters. The door opened again, this time it was 76.

"Welcome back," I said.

76 eyed my prosthetic.

"You didn't clean its insides. Again."

"Aw come on, just one day isn't gonna hurt."

"I guarantee you it's going to hurt like a bitch the next day. Speaking from experience."

76 slumped on the ground next to me but hesitated.

"Why is this spot so warm."

"No idea what you're talking about."

"Someone was in here. Next to you. Who."

"Oh, huh, maybe I should go clean my prosthetic after all..."

I crawled to my prosthetic, but 76 grabbed me by the shirt and stopped me from moving. My hands began sliding on the floor.

"It was my pathetic counterpart, wasn't it."

"Please have mercy on my balls, Miss Blake."

"I'm not gonna do anything to your balls, you weirdo!" 76 snapped, letting me go.

The two of us sat on the ground. 76 watched me clean my prosthetic out.

"Make sure you get all the crevices."

"Why didn't you tell me that your father was the reason Evangelion ended up in your world?" I asked.

"..."

76 rubbed her arm.

"You never asked."

"Vinci."

76 lowered her head, running her hand through her hair.

"Would you have forgiven the person who brought Avara into your world?"

My mind wound back in time, back when I had first learned of how Avara ended up in Amerada in the first place.

The rage in my heart.

I remembered pressing the barrel of my gun against John.

The two of us sat in silence for a bit longer.

"I think... the Vinci in this world might not ever become a War Doll."

"What makes you think that?"

"I asked her for her age. She said she was fifteen. I think what we're looking at is a version of you if she had never been forced to kill as a War Doll."

76 pursed her lips.

"Even if I didn't get rebuilt as a War Doll, I would still have ended up a killer, Aaron."

"Don't say that."

"You're only telling me these things because you don't know the full story between me and my dad."

I was going to say something, when suddenly, someone barged the door open.

"What the hell, do y'all not have any locks or something?!" I snapped.

The man was breathing heavily, sweat pouring down the sides of his face.

"Blake... Red... Dr. Blake. He did it. He opened a rift."

76 and I shot to our feet, rushing toward the main room.

"That idiot! What the hell is he doing using the tech without telling us?!" 76 growled.

"No point now, let's go. This is our chance to alert the rest of our team!" I replied, sprinting to the room as fast as I could.

The two of us reached the main room. A crowd had formed around the center as pulses of shockwaves emanated outward.

"The breach is stable... it's stable. Just trust me on this, Miss Lane!" The professor reasoned, but from the heads of the crowds, I could make out Jessie wrestling with the professor.

"YOU ABSOLUTE BUFFOON. You opened another beacon and in our BASE of all places?!" Jessie shouted.

I barged my way past, reaching Jessie.

"The hell is going on?!" I said.

76 glared at Joseph, who put his hands in the air.

"I... I was told to open the breach."

"Who told you this?" 76 snarled.

"I did," Hartwood said, drawing her rifle to 76's head.

Several men quickly took out their guns, but even more, had already held the guys at gunpoint.

My jaw hung open. Jessie and I huddled next to each other.

"What the hell...?!" I muttered.

What was this?!

76 raised her hands in the air slowly.

"Hartwood. Explain yourself."

"I don't need to. The pieces have been set for our lord."

Jessie stared at the traitors with wide eyes.

"You're kiddin' me. We gave you guys shelter! We shared a roof! Shared meals!"

One of the traitors brought his finger closer to the trigger.

"That just shows how gullible you are. Trusting every damn human you see. Being naive has its flaws too. Aaron was the only one who picked it up, but thank goodness this version of him over there was just as stupid as you, Commander Lane!"

My heart skipped a beat.

No...

This entire time... Aaron had been killing these guys, I had thought he had done so on his own agenda but in reality...

He had seen right through them.

And I didn't.

Hartwood pressed her gun deeper into 76's head.

"Was Forsen... was Forsen's death because you found out about us? Depending on how you answer, I might let you live."

76 remained silent.

Joseph took a step back.

"Guys... I did what I was told. So please... please spare my daughter. Please spare my Vinci."

I narrowed my eyes at the scientist. Then at Hartwood.

"Where is she?"

"What do you people have to gain out of this? Mikoto won't just spare you guys from backstabbing on your own kind. He's a cruel god, he's just doing this for shits and giggles!" Jessie growled.

My hand inched toward my handgun, but I locked eyes with 76.

Not yet.

If we started a gunfight, chances were, the remaining members of the Resistance would be killed right here and now.

We had to play along.

Hartwood eyed Jessie.

"We achieved our objective. We wanted Professor Blake, and you people handed him to us. Now we can use the rift to breach back our real Commander. Sorry, Lane. It isn't anything personal. It's just how it is."

Swaffem had a look of pure hatred on his face.

"We took you in."

"..."

"Daddy? What... what's going on..." Vinci's voice appeared from the exit of the room. A look of pure confusion flashed on her face as she stared at her father.

"Baby? Baby get out of here!"

Hartwood glared at Vinci.

"Hey. Blake. A little bird told me that girl over there is an alternate version of you. If I kill her, wouldn't that mean you'll die too?"

76's eyes widened in realization.

A man from my peripheral vision had loaded his gun and pointed it at Vinci, who froze.

No.

No, I had to do something!

My hand reached closer to my belt, but 76 gave me a sharp glare.

"Don't do it," She seemed to say.

Don't do it?!

If Hartwood was right, you'd die!

"Go on. Brent," Hartwood said.

Brent took aim and fired, as the sound of the shot shook me to the very core.

"VINC-" I shouted, turning around, but to my shock, Vinci was still standing.

A man had appeared in front of her, blood pouring from his stomach and his mouth.

Swaffem coughed out blood.

"Sorry kid... for scaring you. But... I won't let a father watch his own daughter die."

76, Jessie and I watched the Private slump to the ground before Vinci.

And all of a sudden...

Nothing mattered.

Something in me snapped.

Just like it had during my battle with Jekyll.

And my battle with Eliza Hellsing.

76's eyes widened.

Don't think.

The muscle memory is there.

The only thing that my brain was focused on...

Was killing every motherfucker in this room.

Frenzy Mode activated.

15

Things that you would call ingenious are practically routine to him.

After all, each time he had to escape he had to come up with something revolutionary and completely unexpected.

Something so inconceivable and unorthodox that it would fool even a god.

These were the words of my Master.

Inner Shadow Jun Gasket.

And it wasn't just embellishment.

His words summed up perfectly what I was.

What I could do.

Why I was so feared.

Even amongst the gods.

If some bumbling idiot could kill a god with a smile on his face...

Then it would be a damn shame if that same idiot stopped smiling.

"STOP HIM-" Hartwood shouted, but before anyone could react, I had drawn my submachine gun, pinpointing the location of every hostile traitor in my proximity.

Which members of the Resistance had the fastest reaction time.

Because I had subconsciously already analyzed them all since the first day I arrived here.

The ones who would react the first... were the first ones who needed to go.

Six Hands Combination Style: DEAD EYES

RATATATATATATATAT.

Bodies slumped over as I blasted forward, sending the traitors into confusion.

It didn't matter if they pulled the trigger.

The ones who I left alive were the ones who would panic.

Unable to prioritize whether they should shoot the hostages or the man who had killed 20 percent of their men.

I shot forward like an arrow, while 76 followed suit, tilting her head and slipping past Hartwood's gun. The War Doll ripped the gun out of Hartwood's hands and kicked her so hard the traitor flew backward. Lights began getting shot out, flooding the room in darkness.

Only bits of light came in frequencies from the pulsing of the warp technology, which continued to vibrate.

All the while, the light flashed on and off, revealing less and less traitors.

Darkness flooded as I closed the distance toward a group of men who still held a couple of our guys hostages.

By the time the light returned, the group was killed. Bullet holes square in their foreheads.

"SHOOT!" Hartwood gasped.

"Which one?! Blake or Red?!" A man screamed, firing erratically at me. I barged right through, completely reading his patterns. Didn't matter if it was point blank.

He wasn't even holding his rifle correctly, and the spread of the gunfire showed.

I tackled the man on the ground and used his body as a shield, absorbing the gunfire as I marched forward, returning fire with my pistol.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG.

SHHK SHHK.

I unloaded a magazine and spun behind me, throwing the mag with so much force that it knocked another traitor back.

"RELOAD," I snarled.

76 darted forward, the flashes of light briefly snapping her location as the War Doll fired precision rounds all around me, giving me cover fire.

"CEASEFIRE or Vinci dies!" A man said, holding Vinci at gunpoint, but 76 spun around and fired her handgun. The bullet severed the man's trigger finger, and another bullet pierced right through his eye.

Chaos ensued, Resistance members fighting back the traitors. Yelling and fighting filled the air as the main room continued to flicker on and off from the pulsating portal.

"Aaron!" Jessie shouted as my body slowly started to calm down, but my hyperfocus was still there.

"We need to protect the Professor and Vinci!"

I made eye contact with 76, who nodded, breaking cover. All the while, the War Doll took aim with her pistol, picking off enemies left and right while marching toward the Professor and his daughter.

"He's here... HE'S HERE... HAHAHA!" Hartwood laughed crazily.

"Someone shut that bitch up!" I seethed.

76 finished picking off the remaining traitors in her vicinity and took aim from her cover, shooting Hartwood in the forehead and killing her instantly.

But more and more traitors began shouting.

"He's here..."

"Our lord..."

"He has come for us... for you..."

76 continued firing, swapping with every firearm she could find.

"Get to the professor, Jessie, Red! I'll hold our position until they've been evacuated!"

I roared, shooting left right and center all around with both guns in my hands.

"Vinci! Professor! Where are you?"

"Mr. Hope, Mr. Hope! Over here!" Joseph called out as Jessie and I rushed to their location.

"You two. We need to evacuate while 76 holds them off," I said.

The two of them suddenly froze, their eyes wide in terror.

"What's wrong?"

Joseph's mouth slowly opened.

"My baby girl... my baby girl! She's hurt!"

"Huh?"

I slowly turned around, to see 76 being held by the throat. The War Doll was lifted off her feet, and her body was suddenly covered in exposed machinery, blood, and damaged tissue.

The being who was holding her up was wearing an intricate set of white armour, his hair white as snow.

"76!" I shouted, turning to Jessie.

"Get those two out of there!"

Jessie tried to move but was frozen just the same, her eyes wide.

"Ho- Holy crap... what the hell is that... who the hell is that...?!"

76 slowly brought her gun hand up to shoot at the man point blank, but the man's eyes flashed.

To my horror, I watched as 76's arm flew right off the War Doll, landing before Joseph's feet.

"NO! VINCI!" Joseph cried out.

I rushed forward, taking aim with my pistol and firing, but the man began vibrating, phasing in and out of existence and dodging my bullets.

My precious followers. How I cherish them all the same.

"You-!" I said but was cut off by the sudden materialization of the god who manifested right in front of me.

SMASH.

I flew backward, my prosthetic arm shattering into hundreds of tiny pieces.

I smashed into a pillar, causing nearby crates to get knocked over. The man approached me, dragging a barely conscious 76 in one arm.

Humour me, Outer Shadow Dainsleif. Do you like games?

Another wave of force blasted me into the ceiling, sending me into the ground.

I coughed out blood, trying to regain my consciousness, but I was being smacked everywhere without even being able to register what was going on.

My vertigo was all over the place, essentially stun-locked in response to this guy's powers.

"I... who..."

Who am I? Then let us play a game. A guessing game.

I seethed, taking aim with my SMG and firing at the ceiling and causing it to collapse, but the god's eyes flashed. A wave of reality-altering energy halted the momentum of the rocks.

The man smiled, his eyes glinting.

A familiar... glint...

I serve with loyalty, steadfast and true,

To a power feared by many, it's known to you.

In shadows I work, their will I enforce,

Against their might, few can hold course.

Who am I, this dedicated soul,

To a mighty King, I pledge my whole?

What am I? Outer Shadow Dainsleif?

A King...

The white hair...

The eyes...

"Loyce...?!"

The portal from where Dr. Blake had activated his technology shimmered again. Hints of particles from the man seemed to have originated from it.

"Oh dear. Professor. How you have blundered again. First, it was with Evangelion, and now with this. Yet both times were for your daughter... how sad," another man's voice said.

76 rasped, her eyes barely open.

"Mi- Mikoto..."

The god appeared before us, along with a legion of similarly armoured entities to the man. An entire army.

They only kept piling out... more and more.

The assault back at the bulwark was one thing.

This... this was on another level.

The god approached us and bowed before the man.

"My lord. I have completed my task. Here before you, the God Eater and the War Doll of the Muon Regiment. Together, they have detached from the group. This shall be their grave."

The white-haired man smiled.

Very good, little Mikoto. You have served your purpose. And so ends... your little contract.

Mikoto's face flashed with confusion.

"Huh? My lord? What do you mean?"

WHAM.

A massive blast of force smashed Mikoto into the ground, to everyone's shock.

"What...?!" 76 muttered as I dragged her to me. Her body was so damaged it was beyond comprehension how she was even still conscious.

There is no need for an explanation. I just see that I have no use for you anymore. That is all.

Mikoto's eyes went wide.

"My lord... PLEASE! I have done no wrong!"

Must you be wrong, for me to kill you?

"But why? WHY?! I... did everything you asked me to! I lured the War Doll away from the others, I lured Dainsleif away! I brought them here, and-"

The man smiled sadistically.

Because... killing people for no reason is fun.

SPLORCH.

Mikoto shrieked, as the god exploded in an explosion of blood.

The man turned to me.

A complete demon. He was a complete demon.

This monster just killed his own ally for the fun of it.

His ally did everything he was asked to do. He didn't even do anything to offend him. Or made any mistakes.

Just as Mikoto had said, he did nothing wrong.

Yet...

The man killed him anyway.

I'd never seen evil like this before.

The wind of the portal continued to blow against him as the roof of our base ripped off, exposing everything to the outside world.

The armies continued flooding out.

From thousands...

To hundreds of thousands...

To millions...

"How... who..." I whispered.

No mana... no magic... no weapons. You are but a husk of what you once were. How disappointed my progenitor must be.

"Progenitor?"

The man smiled.

Yes. For we were created from him, after the events of the battle in Trion. The Nine Sons of Loyce, together, with our legions, we embody a fraction of our Father that you had so cast away. Aaron Hope. Did you truly think you and Crassman gained an advantage after using the Anti-Narrative to deplete a third of our progenitor's essence?

I took a step back, completely speechless.

This threat...

This threat was beyond anything I had seen before.

Rating...

At least...

Elite Tier SS~ Rank.

Surpassing even Inner Shadow Reaper himself!

Behold, Dainsleif of the Black Legion. For I am Loycael. The Fifth Son of War. And my army... the Thousand Swords.

Loycael smiled.

Woe to you, the day I decide to strike you and your little War Doll team down. Hundreds of military campaigns you say. Thousands of armies slain you say. You take pride in destroying Father's Subordinate Demon Lord armies. Then tell me... little War Doll...

Loycael turned to 76, who grimaced.

Do you have the gall to claim Muon can defeat MINE?

The two of us were sat in complete silence, unable to respond.

The Son turned around, spreading his arms before his army.

My Swords. Here before me lies the Man who claims to kill gods. And the War Doll who claims to kill armies. But on this day, BOTH shall be stripped of their titles. Outer Shadow Dainsleif. Auxiliary Shadow M76. You two shall not leave this world alive. Take this formed world, to be your grave.

I clenched my teeth, trying to get up, but 76 grabbed my arm.

"Aaron... don't. He will squash you like a bug. You know this."

Loycael threw his head back and bellowed a loud laugh, all the while, the legions of armies yelled their battle cry. The sounds of their marching were like explosions going off in orderly succession.

My Swords. Overthrow this world. Destroy the monstrosities spawned by Mikoto. Aaron Hope. Vinci Blake. You shall witness my power, for I shall do you both a service. You fear of the Demon and the Sergeant. Then I shall hunt them both down. For this world is now mine to conquer.

The Son began to glow, disappearing in a flash of light. All the while, the armies marched toward every monster and crazed adult in sight, slaughtering everything they could see.

Every hostile threat that 76 and I had been avoiding, was completely overwhelmed by this terrifying new enemy.

"No... This can't be happening..." Jessie muttered, overlooking the extensive damage.

The whole Resistance was destroyed.

From the base to its people.

The lives of the many survivors who, against all odds, had been trying to get through the rampaging God of Trickery...

Cut short in the span of fifteen minutes.

My body had become weak, heavily injured from being hurled all over the place by Loycael. But despite that...

I limped toward the body of Private Swaffem, who was still barely conscious. Each breath he was taking spurted blood.

"A... Aaron..." Swaffem croaked.

"Swaf. Hey. I'm here, brother," I said gently, cradling the soldier in my arms.

"I... never got to do anything... badass. Dammit..."

"Swaf. You saved Vinci's life."

"Got... myself killed... in the process though..."

I managed a weak smile.

"That's what made it badass, Swaf."

Swaffem's eyes started to lose their light.

"Hey... did I ever tell you about my Pop?"

"You mentioned he always wrote letters to you."

"In his... letters... he wrote of... a world."

"A world?"

Swaffem stared at the sky, which was polluted with grey and green.

"A city full of flying cars... and... people with superpowers... from another world..."

A sob welled up in my chest, as Swaffem began wheezing.

"He spoke of it... when he read Dr. Blake's papers. The prof is famous in this world... known for his crazy writings. Claimed it was from peering into the Wormholes that briefly existed. One world... was so unlike the rest. It just seemed... so bright. A man... in white and blue armor... a sorceress in green... hell. Apparently.. was a diva with superpowers! I... I was dumbfounded. Ain't... no way... it sounded so ridiculous..."

Swaffem burst into a fit of coughing.

"Swaf, hey. Hey, take it easy-"

Swaf grabbed my wrist, his eyes strained to try to stay conscious.

"I wanna tell you. I don't know which world you came from... but if you've ever seen it..."

"Swaffem. That city exists."

"It... it does...?!" Swaf's eyes lit up.

"Yeah. It's... it's called Millennium City. I've been there so many times."

A tear ran down his cheek, as Swaffem bit down hard, and a small grin appeared on his face.

"Millennium City... shit... I oughta... invite my Pop there sometime..."

"Yeah. Yeah, you should, man," I sobbed, trying my best to smile for the Private's sake, but he was rapidly losing the battle.

"Aaron... was I brave today?"

My eyes widened, the same words that my Auxiliary had once asked me...

"Swaf... can you tell me... what your full name is?"

Swaf blinked.

"My full name? Shit... I realized I never told ya... haha..."

Swaffem smiled, his eyes closing.

"Had my name changed... 'cuz my Ma forced me to. But back when I lived with Pop... my old name was Robert Fernandez."

No.

No.

NO.

"...Robbie? ROBBIE!" I shouted, shaking the alternate version of my Auxiliary Shadow in my arms.

But...

Private Swaffem was long gone.

Dead in my arms.

Jessie had rounded up the remainder of the survivors... we had gone from several hundred to the span of less than 12 from the attack.

The casualties were enormous.

Among the survivors were Mitch and Grace, but both were traumatized.

As for Vinci and Joseph...

"Vinci, come here, baby," Joseph reached out for his daughter, but 76 yanked her back and aimed her gun at the professor's forehead.

"Stay the fuck away from her. I won't let what happened to me happen to this Vinci."

The rest of us were silent, watching the altercation.

None of us had the energy to do anything but watch.

"No... you don't understand. I was coerced to open the portal."

"No, you weren't. You were persuaded."

"Persuaded?" I asked.

76's hand trembled.

"They told you, that you were gonna do it for Vinci, right?"

"What are you talking about, Blake? The prof did it for you?" Jessie asked.

Dr. Blake took a step back, his hands raised.

"Vinci. I..."

"Why don't you tell everyone, whose skull that is floating over there? I bet you didn't even tell your own kid. Because you were horrified of the realization of what you did." 76 snarled.

The Professor gulped, glimpsing at the giant floating black skull in the distance.

"When I was still young... your mother was afflicted with a curse. From a god. A God of Trickery."

Surprise washed over my face.

"God of Trickery....?! Like the same one who..."

"Susanoo-no-Mikoto. The curse would kill our daughter, but in an act of self-sacrifice... my wife Amelie instead found a way to reroute the curse to effect only her. And that took the form of a tumour that she kept secret from us until it was too late. In her dying moments, Amelie told me that she would drift off to a faraway place, far away from here. That was the nature of the curse."

"So that was why you wanted to develop that Wormhole Tech..."

Joseph clenched his teeth, a tear running down his face.

"Vinci, I've never once told a lie. Never to my daughter. I can't vouch for your father, but I can vouch for myself. I will never tell you a lie either. Everything I have done was for you. Every day, you would cry and beg for Mommy to come home. And so I made that my promise. I would dedicate my life to bringing her home from that faraway place. No matter the trillions of universes I would have to peer through... but it was always just a glimpse. Never a gate. Until the events of the last few days."

76's eyes widened in rage, her trembling became more violent.

"No... your work consumed you. You became a monster in my world. A monster only obsessed with the Wormhole. Your work brought the Demon here once. And it brought the Demon here in this world too. Not only that, it brought a Son of my Organization's greatest threat. Both times were because you wanted to help-"

"And I know that. I know... baby. I know how much of a screw-up Daddy is. But... I overheard you talking to Red! I overheard you speaking about needing your allies! So I thought... I thought if I could open the Wormhole again I could... I could bring your friends here so you wouldn't fight alone! Please... please believe me!"

76 shot forward, grabbing Joseph by the neck and slamming him against the wall of a ruined building.

"YOU'RE NO DIFFERENT. YOU'RE NOT. You have no idea... how FUCKED up I became because of what you tried to do! Wouldn't the logical choice of a father be to spend as much time with their kid after their mother had died?! No! All you did was hole yourself up in your room and became insane. Do you wanna know... do you wanna know where those scars came from?!"

76 continued trembling, and to my shock, tears were running down her face.

I've never seen 76 cry before.

Never.

"Tactical War Dolls don't get scars. Dad. Any scars present on a War Doll were from before they were taken in to become soldiers. The scars I showed you back when we were in that truck...

Were from you."

Joseph's eyes widened.

"Oh god... Vinci..."

War Doll Vinci's lower lip trembled.

"When the Demon came to our world, you believed that was my mother. You believed that thing was Amelie. And then... then you tried to kill me. It didn't even take Evangelions' fucking lobotomy to make you think I needed to die to bring your wife back. I did not matter to you. All that mattered to you was your wife. So that night... you bound me to a chair. I still remember to this day, I never realized how tough duct tape was. I never realized true fear to the point of soiling myself until that night. But I had to live. So..."

Even if I didn't get rebuilt as a War Doll, I would still have ended up a killer, Aaron.

You're only telling me these things because you don't know the full story between me and my dad.

"You killed him... You killed your own father..." I whispered.

Jessie put her hands to her mouth.

"Oh god... Blake..."

76's face darkened, as she lifted the gun closer to Joseph's head.

"Don't you dare fucking say all of this was for me. It was all for Mom. I was just a means to an end. And I see now, the same pattern is happening. I will never let Vinci near you. If someone needs to carry the burden of killing their own father, then I'll do it again. I am no longer human. I can take it. I am a War Doll. I will not let that burden fall on this girl's shoulders. I will-"

CLASP.

76 paused, as Vinci grabbed the War Doll's arm.

"Daddy isn't like that. Vinci. Please. Don't kill my Dad..."

76 glowered at her alternate self.

"Let me go."

"No!"

The War Doll faced the girl. But for once... the cowardly Vinci Blake stood her ground.

"Daddy may have spent years in that office. But I slept on the ground for him. I slept in his office for him. Every time I listened to his mutterings, he always said my name. He opened that portal again, knowing that the skull on the horizon was Mommy's. He knew he had failed to bring Mommy back and there was absolutely nothing to gain from opening it again, but he opened it again anyway, genuinely, for you. After realizing everything you had been through."

Vinci put a hand on her chest.

"I love my Dad. And we both know whatever happened to you in your world must have been beyond horrific to turn a scardey cat like me into this Resistance's greatest fighter. But the Daddy in your world is not the Daddy in mine. Please believe me."

76 slowly raised her gun at Vinci.

"Shut up... shut up..."

"Baby... please. Let us help you. Let us be the family that you never had..." Joseph pleaded.

"Vinci!" Vinci said.

"SHUT UP!" 76 screamed, firing in the air and throwing the gun against the wall, shattering it into hundreds of pieces.

"I... I can't... I can't do this anymore. I don't know what to think. What to feel. Loycael... this world... my Chief... the people who have died because of me..."

76 fell to her knees.

"I don't know what to do anymore..."

Jessie knelt in front of 76.

"Hey. Vinci."

"..."

"I'm glad that someone like you is in Red's life."

76 slowly looked up at Jessie, who was smiling warmly.

"What?"

"In your world... I heard from Red that I died. In mine... Aaron believes that he is nothing without me. I imagine it was the same for Red too. He had every reason to turn out like my Aaron but he didn't. Sure he had a strong spirit, but all spirits need someone to lift them up once in a while. You've been by his side, along with your team. I think part of the reason why Red is still kicking now is because of how awesome you are."

I knelt next to 76, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Jessie is right. Blake... it's true. The Joseph Blake of your world was a complete utter prick. But if this man opened a portal for your sake despite knowing his tech had already failed in its one purpose, then that alone tells me he's different from the father who took your innocence away. You're not surrounded by enemies. You're surrounded by friends."

Mitch and Grace approached us.

"Kid. When I see you, I don't see a scared little girl. I see a warrior worthy of a thousand respects," Mitch said.

"Your team... your team still needs you. No one here is against you, Blake. Let us help you. Your objective is to get to that skull, right? Then let's do that. No matter what it takes, I will see you back to your team. Leave this world to us," Grace said.

"Vinci," Vinci said, standing in front of the War Doll.

"Maybe I won't turn out as strong as you, but I still wanna be strong."

"Blake."

The crowd parted way for Joseph, who sat in front of his alternate daughter.

"I know my face is probably the last thing you wanna see. I understand. But to me... even if you are from another world, you are still my precious daughter. Even if you hate me, I will still love you, and will always want to help you. I can't bear to see you cry. And... I'm so sorry if it looked like I put your mother before you. But to me... it seemed the one thing you wanted the most in your life was to see Mom by your side. So that was what I wanted. But now I realize..."

Joseph brought 76 closer and embraced her. For once...

76 didn't refuse a hug.

"The one thing you wanted... was for me to be by your side. Because I was all you had left and I ignorantly left you. I promise you I won't make that same mistake. I will be with you, every step of the way until you get to that portal. I'll make sure my baby girl gets home safe."

I closed my eyes, getting to my feet and staring at the legions of enemies.

There was no beating this army with the people and gear we had.

And...

Even if I had my magic and chakra.

I still stood no chance against this Loycael.

Our only chance was to beeline it to that portal and escape.

"Red. Got a plan?" Jessie asked.

"Would bum rushing be considered a plan?"

"Probably not!"

"Then nope. Don't got one."

"That's okay. I'm fresh out of ideas too."

I laughed, as Jessie pressed her head against my chest.

"I'm gonna miss you, Red."

"I'm gonna miss you too, Jessie."

"Aaron... he saw past the farce. I remembered he once tried to reason with me, back before he disappeared. But everybody chalked him up to being crazy. Even now when he came back, he tried to kill as many of the traitors as he could, but wouldn't explain himself. As if he was willing to shoulder all the blame on himself. To sacrifice himself. Were you like that too?"

My heart welled up.

"Yeah. I hated that. I hate people who sacrifice themselves, but it's a little hypocritical to say. Since I was... and still am exactly like that."

"And... was that how I died? From sacrifice?"

"Pretty much."

Jessie pulled herself away from me.

"Let me tell you somethin', Aaron. Even if time rewound and I had this conversation with you again, knowing full well the outcome of what is to happen wouldn't be pretty, I would still do it anyway."

I blinked.

"What?"

Jessie jabbed her finger into my chest.

"I will always put Aaron Hope first. ALWAYS. Neither you nor my Aaron gets to decide what I want to do. I will bring you back to your world. Do not ever blame yourself for my decisions. Nor hers. Everything that has transpired has transpired. Everything that I have dedicated myself to do is of my accord. So Aaron... what I'm tryin' to say is..."

Jessie smiled, sending me back in time to back when I was used to date her. Jessie held out a fist to me.

"Keep a smile on. A genuine one. 'Cuz that's the type of people we are. And once you come home, give your world's version of me the most expensive gravestone flowers ever in Amerada. I won't settle anything for less."

I grinned, fist-bumping her.

"You bet."

* * *

The camp was set near the outskirts of the city.

Since our group had shrunk considerably, the size of the camp had gone down making us more mobile.

Which made me feel sick to even think.

"We're out of rations..." Jessie muttered, staring at the void in the distance.

"Our people are gonna go hungry."

"I looted the bodies of those killed by Loycael on our way here," 76 said, pulling cans out of her rucksack.

She's dead! Isn't that already bad enough? We're robbing her! Thalia's voice suddenly rang in my head.

"You robbed the corpses of the dead..." Joseph said.

76 eyed her alternate father while pulling the cans out.

"...I'm grateful."

A look of surprise flashed on 76's face.

"Th- Thanks," 76 mumbled.

"Hey hey! Do you have any other stuff in there?" Vinci poked her head into the bag, causing 76 to nearly topple over in response.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" 76 snapped, as Vinci shoved her hand into the bag.

"Huh? What's this?" Vinci asked, pulling out a rectangular-shaped block and eyeing it with a weird expression.

"It's a standard issue calorie block. A CB. We each receive some as emergency rations when on deployment," 76 answered, snatching it away.

"Awww! I wanna eat that one!"

"What are you, twelve?! Almost every flavour tastes like shit, by the way. I've had better-tasting MRE's."

Vinci pouted.

"Awww."

76 sighed, pulling another block out.

"But. There is one CB that you probably will like."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Because it's my favourite too," 76 answered, pulling out another CB, on it, had the words:

Pastry Raspberry Glaze

Vinci's eyes lit up.

"OMG! I want that one!"

76 handed the CB to Vinci as she took it, opening and sharing it with Joseph.

"I love pastries! Daddy, try some!"

The professor took a piece and munched on it, his eyes widening.

"It really does taste like raspberry-glazed pastries!"

76 watched them from afar, continuing to hand rations to the other survivors.

And for a split second, I could see a small smile on her face.

"Blake, was that the last Raspberry CB?" I asked.

"Yeah."

Joseph perked up.

"Really? Come! Have some too! It's your favourite, is it not?"

76 looked down, pulling out a normal flavoured CB and opening it up.

"It's the least I can do. We're going to be leaving through that skull and we won't be coming back. Let me do you guys some final favours before I go."

"..."

Vinci scooted in front of 76.

"Hey... you know you can still be called Vinci too. You don't need to go by Blake."

"That is no longer my name."

"..."

Vinci ran her hand through the War Doll's hair, startling her.

"I bet in your class, no one else had red hair."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?!"

"When I think about red, I think about victory. Daddy named me that because he believed I was born a winner. But for the longest time, I never believed I was. I always was meek and never had any friends because I was too shy. But... every time I've seen you take command and take the initiative, being so strong, I feel like you deserve to be called Vinci more than me."

76 examined her hands, which were once again covered in scratches and wounds. Somehow she had reattached her arm, but she had told me this would be the last time she could pull off another on-the-field reattachment surgery with the resources she had left.

"Vinci comes from the Latin word vincere, meaning to conquer. When I think about victory, I used to think that the person who embodied it was Mom. Because even in the end, she still didn't give up, and she saved my life, she conquered Mikoto's curse to destroy me. Now... when I think about victory, I think about you, Blake. How you've conquered everything that came your way, from your father to everything and became the War Doll that you are today."

Vinci yawned.

"It's getting late. I'm gonna go get some sleepies now with Daddy. You take care of yourself too... Blake. But... one last thing,"

Vinci smiled at 76.

"I always wanted a sister. I know it sounds weird to say. But ever since meeting you, it's been like having a super cool older sis look after me this entire time."

76 watched Vinci head to her tent with Joseph, leaving her alone.

I sat next to the War Doll, munching on a MRE.

"Whoever came up with these flavours should be on the field for all the casualties they caused in one package."

76 scoffed, chewing the CB. Her eyes never left the tent.

"Whenever I think about sisters... I think about 77-M. And how when she died, 78 lost her shit."

"And did you consider it? Becoming Vinci's sister?"

76 looked onward.

"I'm not... against it. But I will never ever expose her to this life. I want her to be the most protected girl in the world. And... I guess... Dad too."

"Hoho? Thought those two pissed you off!"

"Of course they do! All they do is panic panic panic! They lose all composure the moment things get rough! Dad is such a klutz! Thinks he's helping me yet he makes things even more messy than they already are. And Vinci being so girly just pisses me off thinking about it! Yet... yet..."

76 sighed.

"I think I've become fond of them. After that pep talk, they gave me. They really meant no harm in the end."

"When we return, you think we could rope them along?"

"Huh?"

The War Doll faced me with a look of surprise.

"Rope... along...?"

"If Garen could join Muon by living with 75, what's keeping you from living with your new sister and father?"

"A bunch of things! We can't drag them along our deployments!"

"No one said we'd be bringing them on missions. But they could experience a better life than this. This world's been taken over by Loycael. There's no living in a world ruled by that psychopath. At the very least, you can introduce them to Millennium City. I'm sure you'd be more than ecstatic at the possibility of introducing Vinci to Greer & Harlick."

I was about to scratch my head but realized my prosthetic was already destroyed.

It was back to being One Arm Aaron.

76 noticed me examining my destroyed prosthetic.

"No more dreaming, Aaron. We need to be realistic. Our chances of making it back as we are, are slim to none. We're low on ammo, and weapons, your prosthetic is gone. And I've run out of resources to repair."

"What do you mean you've run out of resources?" I asked, my eyebrows raised.

76 grimaced, lifting her shirt and revealing numerous wounds. Black endoskeletal components were completely exposed alongside the destroyed flesh on her body.

"I can... barely stand. I don't know if I can even fire a rifle right now. If I take any more damage, that's it. I can't come back from this. I'll die."

"No... Vince. Use my prosthetic! You need to repair yourself, you can't charge into battle like this!" I exclaimed, but Vinci shook her head, sadly.

"Your prosthetic has none of the components I need. One more big bang and I'm done for. The least I can do is bring you back."

76 laughed gently.

"It's funny. But... Mikoto believed you coming with me was compulsory in segregating us from Muon. It's ironic. If you hadn't come for me, I would have been finished on day one."

"What do you mean?"

"If you hadn't pushed for trying to form an alliance with the Ameradan Resistance, I would still have been holed up in that abandoned building. I would have tried to escape and deal with Loycael all on my own. There would have been absolutely no chance I would survive.

"Thanks for getting me this far. For having me experience what it's like to be loved by family. I was denied that. For the longest time. You got me to explore things I never once explored all these years and to learn things about myself."

16

"The skull of Amelie will be your ticket out of here. But it's heavily guarded by the forces of Loycael. The best we can do right now is to find our window of opportunity and book it. Confrontation is almost unavoidable. We need every bit of an advantage we can get," Jessie said.

76 pointed at the distance.

"We hike up any geographic areas with natural cover and as high as possible. If we are to run into his troops, we have the advantage of cover and elevation."

And with that, our group hiked up the highest hill, keeping our heads low.

All the while, none of us said a single word.

This was it.

It was do or die.

I watched Jessie and 76 lead the group. 76 was limping like crazy, and Jessie looked like she was seconds away from collapsing from exhaustion and sleep deprivation.

But both of them soldiered on.

For 76, this must have been like a fever dream, to see a reflection of her past that she had buried so deep. For me...

It was like a break from everything. To see Jessie again and find the closure that I needed.

But dreams were meant to end.

And here, as I, 76, Joseph, Vinci, Jessie, Mitch, Grace, and the rest of the survivors of the Ameradan Resistance marched to quite possibly our deaths...

I was reminded once more of our grim reality.

"Down!" 76 hissed, as we went low.

"What is it?!" Jessie asked.

A massive explosion shook the world, as I squinted into the distance.

Sure enough, 76's instincts held true. The figure of Loycael was levitated high in the sky. Seemingly beckoning something to approach him.

My eyes widened.

"He's gonna do it. What he said..."

Come, do you boast of such feral strength, Inner Shadow Evangelion. But in the end, you are but a recycled byproduct of Sena Ark. I am more Primordial than you ever will be.

The roar of a creature sent massive shockwaves across the battlefield as soldiers left and right tried to restrain a gargantuan black spiky beast.

FIFTH SON. DO NOT INTERVENE WITH LORD GINGA'S WISHES.

HAHA! Fool! You still think of Lord Ginga when you are at death's door! A puppet is worth only by its uses, NOT ITS BLIND LOYALTY.

Evangelion snarled, sending a massive wave of green Hinokami flame that incinerated the soldiers of Loycael, but the Fifth Son was not at all fazed.

Level 1 Hinokami: STAGE EIGHT - LEVIATHAN'S BREATH

The Inner Shadow jettisoned an enormous beam of green light that caught Loycael point blank, as yet another explosion shook reality to its core.

"What the hell...?! This firepower is ridiculous! What the hell even is that thing?!" Jessie exclaimed.

"WHAT?!" I shouted.

"Inner Shadow Evangelion. The Demon who sent us all into despair," 76 said, grimly.

Joseph and Vinci stared at the War Doll.

"You mean to tell me that atrocity was the reason you became a War Doll?"

"We need to move!" Grace said.

"The Demon has bought us some time. While Loycael is distracted, let's make a break for it!"

We hurried in the direction of the skull, but as I watched Loycael and Evangelion duke it out, a bad feeling welled up in my chest.

If even Evangelion couldn't beat Loycael...

That wouldn't just mean Loycael boasted power beyond an Inner Shadow.

Because Evangelion was one of the strongest assets of the Black Legion Organization. A Primordial Demon with the powers of the Hinokami Fire God had placed him at the level of SS+ Rank.

KABOOM.

Loycael warped all around the sky, followed by Evangelion who sent literal meteorites of Hinokami flame his way. Each fireball would have been strong enough to wipe out an entire planet...

Yet Loycael drew his sword and sliced each one with the arcs of his slashes with little to no effort whatsoever.

You serve my father, do you not? Yet you wish for his son's demise?

MY TASK, LIES IN THE DESTRUCTION OF ALICE AZURE'S SOUL. THIS IS DESTINED, WRITTEN BY LORD GINGA AND LORD HAL.

No. You are merely a puppet. The Hinokami transcends universes and reality. You know that you are but a branched existence. What you are...

Loycael slashed through another fireball, closing the distance and entering Evangelion's body. The flames of the Hinokami suddenly dispersed in response to the authoritative aura of the Fifth Son.

Is a puppet desperate to fight to the very end. Isn't that right, dearest Grandmother?

To 76 and my horror, Loycael ripped something out of Evangelion's body, in his hand, was the body of Sena Ark, whose eyes were still closed.

"No... no way..." I whispered.

"That fast... Zero-A and you had so much trouble getting to the core in your last bout yet it didn't even take Loycael five minutes to access it...!" 76 exclaimed.

Evangelion roared, trying to grasp at Loycael, but the Primordial Son blipped out of existence, teleporting away with Sena's body in his full possession.

Dearest Grandmother. You are just as beautiful as Father described. Let me end your suffering. By way of the narrative.

OUTER SHADOW SLIPSTREAM. AID IN YOUR MASTER, Evangelion bellowed, as a teal flash of light appeared.

"Sergeant...!" 76 gasped.

"MOVE! LET'S GO!" Jessie said, grabbing both of us and making a break for the skull. The soldiers of Loycael were too preoccupied with the fight, but now that Evangelion was on the brink of death, they would soon redirect that attention to the skull.

Level 1 Suijin Stage Five: ANTI-LIFE BULLET

Jay took aim, and fired a reality-altering bolt at Loycael, but the Primordial blinked in front of the Outer Shadow. Jay and Loycael exchanged blows, but just as quickly as the exchange started did it end, and I watched as Loycael sent Jay flying, right into our position.

"Get back!" Grace shouted.

KABOOM.

Jay slammed into the ground before us, his body covered in wounds.

"Sergeant Hellion!" 76 exclaimed, but put a hand to her mouth as Jay slowly got to his feet, glancing at 76.

"Blake! We need to run!" I urged, but the War Doll's face was fixated on her future Inner Shadow.

"Tactical War Doll 76-M of SFA-Muon... you do not belong here," Jay muttered.

Shock washed all over 76's face.

"Sergeant Hellion... you recognize me?"

"Of course. The Suijin, like all aspects of the Great Akuma, transcends timelines and realities."

Jay wiped the blood off his face.

"I am not the Inner Shadow Slipstream you serve. I am a branched reality, destined to die. Your place is with the rest of your battle sisters in the main reality. Auxiliary Shadow M76, you will do your duty and continue fighting for the Black Legion Organization."

What's the matter, little Outer Shadow? Has fear surpassed your sense of duty? Loycael taunted.

"I will fight to the very end. That is what it means to serve. This is my example for you, 76-M."

A swirl of Suijin energy surrounded Jay, as the Shadow blasted to Loycael's location with frightening speed. Flanking the Primordial Son in a wide radius and firing Anti-Life bullets all around, but the bullet remained suspended.

Loycael smirked and disappeared, materializing before Evangelion.

The speed of the Suijin is an intriguing specimen. If only speed was not the only thing you were so proud of, Jason Hellion. Because in the end, you were far too slow.

Jay grimaced.

"The Black Legion shall come for you, just as it shall come for your father. TO EXIST IS TO SERVE THE BLACK LEGION."

SNAP.

"Sergeant...!" 76 shouted.

Slipstream's lifeless body fell, thousands of feet in the air into the void.

Evangelion roared, chasing after Loycael, but the Primordial son impaled Sena in the stomach with his hand, killing her instantly.

The Inner Shadow buckled in response, his flames becoming more and more erratic as the Hinokami Holder threw his head back and shrieked.

A massive blast of flame erupted from his mouth and eyes, creating a massive tornado which sent soldiers left and right airborne.

Loycael only watched, in sick amusement at the suffering of the Inner Shadow.

In the end, not even the great bogeyman of the Black Legion could stop me. For I came from the greatest Demon King in existence. So shall I honour his name.

No...

Evangelion... Slipstream...

"RUN! MOVE!" The others shouted at us, as we continued sprinting to the skull.

Evangelion and Slipstream didn't even stand a chance against Loycael.

What chance did we have if we were gonna confront this guy?!

I continued running, but suddenly a breeze swept past me.

I dodged at the last second, tumbling to the ground as a spear manifested beside me.

"Soldiers!" Mitch growled, drawing his rifle and firing. But the soldiers marched forward, the bullets plinking off their armour.

I took aim with my handgun, firing at the chinks of their armour and downing them.

"Go!" I shouted at the others, firing at the soldiers and taking as many out as possible. The group continued to the skull. We were so close!

76 lifted her rifle and tied the strap to her shoulder, joining me in our relentless fight against an army too big for the two of us.

"We're surrounded!" Jessie shouted.

"DAMMIT! WE WERE SO CLOSE!" Grace screamed, taking aim with her rifle and firing.

Each soldier we downed was replaced by five more.

We were running out of ammo...

Out of everything.

A soldier rushed forward and impaled a survivor, killing him instantly.

"DARREN!" Another survivor shouted, grabbing the soldier and pulling the pin of his grenade.

"I'LL SEE YOU IN HELL, ASSHOLE!"

The soldier turned to the survivor as an explosion engulfed them both.

"DON'T LET UP!" Jessie shouted at the survivors.

"WE'LL FIGHT TO THE END. FOR BLAKE AND RED."

"FOR BLAKE AND RED!" The survivors yelled in response.

Jessie grabbed me by the collar.

"This is it. Get to the portal, Red!"

"But-"

"Red!"

Jessie pressed her forehead against mine.

"You've already granted every wish I coulda asked for. Let me grant yours. GO HOME."

76, Vinci, Joseph, and I rushed to the Skull, where a console was centred right in the middle.

"Any ideas?!" I shouted at Joseph, who gritted his teeth.

"I need to rewire it... but I have no idea where you guys came from!"

More and more soldiers were breaking through Jessie's ranks.

Jessie continued shouting, firing with her rifle until it ran out of ammo. The Commander switched to her sidearm, firing relentlessly. A huge smile was on her face.

"I GET TO SIMP FOR AARON BY FIGHTING TO THE DEATH! AIN'T NO BIGGER HONOUR! COME AND GET SOME!"

"GET SOME!" The survivors shouted in defiance.

More and more bodies fell.

Mitch had gotten into an exchange with a soldier, who impaled him with his sword. But Mitch roared in retaliation, drawing his combat knife and stabbing the soldier through the crack in his armour over and over again.

Both soldiers collapsed onto the ground, lifeless.

"Figure it out, Dad! Red and I will cover you!" 76 shouted as she braced her arm and fired with her rifle. Bits and pieces were coming off her body, but 76 only grimaced and forced herself to continue fighting.

I took aim with my rifle and joined 76 in the counterattack, but we were losing ground rapidly.

"We're not gonna make it!" I shouted at 76.

"KEEP FIGHTING."

"RAAAAAH!" I yelled a battle cry, shooting at every structure I could find to deal as much environmental damage as I could without wasting bullets.

A soldier rushed forward with a shield in his hand, blocking every bullet his way.

"76! Perimeter breached!" I shouted.

76 turned to Vinci, handing the gun to her.

"Aim and pull the trigger."

"But... I've never fired a gun before!"

"Then figure it out. Vinci... protect your big sis. And I'll protect everyone here," 76 said, sternly.

76 rushed the soldier, taking up a close-quarters combat stance. The soldier yelled, trying to shield bash, but 76 leaped into the air, flipping over the soldier and grappling him by the throat with her legs.

The War Doll twisted, breaking his neck and landing on the ground. Another five soldiers breached the perimeter, but 76 spun, launching several flying kicks that sent three of the soldiers flying back.

I took aim and fired at the exposed warriors, killing them, but another soldier grabbed 76 by the face and slammed her into the ground.

"BLAKE!" Vinci shouted.

76 twisted her legs again, wrapping them around the soldier's arm and breaking it, then ran up to the last one, slicing with her knife and sending a shower of blood which coated the War Doll's clothes.

More and more soldiers had broken through.

I was down to one mag of thirty bullets.

In the distance, I could make out Jessie, firing with her handgun at every enemy she could see, but the soldiers had completely breached her ranks, tearing and slashing away at the Resistance.

"RED!" 76 shouted, but I couldn't react in time as a soldier slammed me in the side of the head with his shield. I hit the ground, disoriented as the sounds of battle were drowned out by a ringing sound.

My vision was blurry. I could barely make out the man who was about to impale me with his sword, but suddenly, the man buckled. The sounds of a pistol firing broke through, cutting the man down before me.

I looked around, watching the battlefield in a haze.

76 was surrounded by soldiers. One of them had sliced her arm off, and another had sliced right into her side. But 76 retaliated, fiercely stabbing the soldiers with her combat knife.

If I take any more damage, that's it. I can't come back from this. I'll die.

No...

More and more soldiers were breaking through our lines.

I weakly lifted my gun and pressed the trigger, only to hear the worst sound a gunman could possibly hear.

CLICK CLICK CLICK.

I was out of ammo.

"Blake..." I croaked, as I tried to scurry back, but in my haze, I hadn't realized that the soldier that Vinci had killed collapsed on top of me, pinning my legs to the ground.

A hundred... two hundred...

Several hundred soldiers had breached us. I couldn't tell if Jessie was even still alive.

This was it.

"Shit... I'm sorry..." I muttered, staring at the sky as more and more soldiers flooded me.

"I'm done for."

"Giving up?! What kind of alternate version of me are you?!" A man growled as a sudden force slammed into the man, knocking me back.

?!

My haze disappeared, replaced with the figure of a man who landed in front of me. In both of his hands were two swords of ancient design. He was wearing robes with magical inscriptions all over it.

Behind him was Jessie, whose eyes were wide from adrenaline.

"Aaron?!" Jessie gasped.

Aaron spun around and faced the soldiers, slicing with his swords wildly at them. Bodies flew into the sky in response to Aaron's assault.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER. FROM THEM," Aaron roared, repelling the entire army with his weapons.

My doppelganger turned to us, his swords still shimmering with power.

"You want out? Then I will cover you. Jessie and I."

"Wait... you'll die! Come with us!" I pleaded, but Aaron glanced at Joseph, who was still fumbling with the controls.

"No time. On my way here, I could already make out millions more soldiers coming our way. Loycael was wrapping up with that Demon. Once he comes, it's game over for you guys."

I stared at Jessie with bewilderment, but Jessie simply grinned and grasped onto Aaron's arm.

"I get to go down fighting with my hubby. Couldn't ask for more."

"You really are still joking at a time like this?" Aaron asked.

"Come on, lighten up. This will probably be our last time to crack jokes!"

Aaron sighed. To my disbelief, his hair parted, revealing a grin.

An all too familiar grin that I saw in the mirror every day.

"Then... damn straight. For Will. For Nora. For Jessie. For everybody. You two sure caused a lot of ruckus... but at least today's been an eventful one!"

"PREACH!" Jessie laughed, as Aaron put his swords away, taking something out of his back.

The weapon expanded, revealing a crossbow.

Nora's crossbow.

"I am a moron, Aaron. Choosing to fight enemies with melee. But I got a few ranged weapons of my own too."

I limped toward Aaron and Jessie, putting my arm around the both of them.

"You guys... thank you for everything."

"Don't mention it!" Jessie said.

I pulled away, making eye contact with my doppelganger.

"Fight with her. To the very end. You hear me?"

Aaron smirked.

"You must have hearing problems, I thought I made that pretty damn clear."

I turned around and limped away, but not before Aaron stopped me.

"Aaron."

I paused, glancing behind me.

"I'll beat 'em all into fishpaste. In return, I want you to avenge the bastards responsible for all this. You hear?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. I hear. Give 'em hell."

I limped to 76, who was so damaged, she was barely able to even stand upright.

"How's the portal coming along?"

"We have a problem..." The prof said.

"What's the problem?"

Joseph turned to us.

"It can only transport three people."

Vinci's eyes widened.

"One of us needs to stay."

Joseph grabbed 76 and me and shoved us to the portal.

"You two are a no-brainer. Now Vinci, before I set you on your-"

"NO! DADDY!" Vinci screamed, clutching onto Joseph.

"DON'T LEAVE ME!"

Joseph held back tears.

"This is the least I can do. I've already ruined your life, baby. I ruined both of your lives. The more I try to help you the worse it gets. I want you both to live. Both of my beautiful daughters..."

76 grunted, grabbing her alternate father by the cuff of his shirt.

"Don't you go sprouting that shit to me! You're coming with us! Go back to the console and fix that half-assed job, Dad. We're not leaving you behind."

Joseph furiously wiped his eyes.

"We're running out of time! This is the best I can do!"

"Then I'll buy you more!" 76 growled, forcing herself out of the portal and facing the carnage ahead of us.

"You're not even my real father. My real father died by my hand. Years ago. You two... you two shouldn't have to go through what I did. No. You two CAN'T go through what I did. Aaron... please... protect these guys. I am expendable. War Dolls like me die all the time."

"Don't say that!" I shouted, reaching out for 76.

"What's Thalia gonna think when she finds out she lost another War Doll? What's 75 and 78 gonna think?! What about Jay! There are people waiting for you back home, Vinci! You can't just give up!" I pleaded.

76 looked up into the sky as the figure of Loycael descended upon us.

"We don't have a choice."

Trying to run away? Not very dignified, now are you, Shadows of the Black Legion?

Aaron spun around, his sword drawn.

"You... you will not lay a finger on them!"

Aaron charged, but Loycael appeared before him, impaling Aaron through the chest with his hand.

Aaron's eyes widened as blood exploded from his body.

"AARON!" Jessie screamed, running up to Aaron, who was lifted into the air.

You saw how I dismantled Evangelion and Slipstream, yet you still believed you stood a chance? Foolish you are, Aaron Hope. Even if you are a branched existence.

Aaron coughed out blood, reaching out his sword and nicking Loycael in the face.

"F- Fuck you... I am... the God Eater... I will NEVER give in... to... a god... even in death..."

Is that so?

Loycael dug his hand deeper into Aaron's chest, ripping his heart out and crushing it in the palm of his hand. Aaron collapsed before Jessie, his face lifeless.

"NO!" Jessie screamed, taking aim with her pistol and firing at the Primordial Son, but Loycael swatted his hand, sending her flying away. I watched Jessie slam into a horde of soldiers, who surrounded her.

76 marched forward, knife in hand, but Loycael turned to the War Doll and flicked his fingers, sending a wave of concussive force that blew her legs clean off.

"VINCI!" I roared, watching 76-M slam into the pillar of the portal, sliding to the ground. Her face lowered, and blood gushing from her severed arm and legs.

Joseph continued configuring the controls, cursing at himself.

"DAMMIT! DAMMIT! Joseph... how could you... how could you be such a FUCKUP?! How many times are you gonna keep failing?! Widen... widen damn you! Please... just this once... don't screw up... for my girls' sake!"

Loycael approached 76-M, who weakly looked up.

Defiant until the very end. Sergeant Hellion raised quite a warrior.

76 slowly raised her dagger, pointing it at Loycael.

"Even if I die... I will leave behind a scar so great that you can never forget me..."

How poetic.

Loycael grabbed 76 by the throat, lifting her up.

"PUT HER DOWN!" I roared, but Loycael smirked.

It is the War Doll's choice to lose her life, just as SFA-Fusil had done so. It is not your call to make, Outer Shadow Dainsleif. How a soldier chooses to go out.

"No... NO!" I screamed, watching Loycael lift his hand up.

BANG.

Loycael suddenly paused, raising his hand and stopping a bullet in mid-air.

What?

BANG BANG BANG.

More bullets appeared before Loycael, who put 76 down.

These bullets are fresh.

I slowly turned around, to see a group of three girls standing at the portal.

One of them, Japanese, yet had big round eyes and a figure of a supermodel.

The other had green hair tied in pigtails.

And the last one, in the middle, had brown choppy hair that reached her shoulders.

"Retrieval Manouevers," Thalia said, as 75 fired another sniper bullet at Loycael who stopped it only to be blinded by a flash of light.

78 got on her knees.

Initiating Stance 15: CHEETAH PROTOCOL

SHOOM.

78 appeared before 76, picking her up and blasting back to the location of the portal.

74 marched forward, rifle in hand and shooting at Loycael's feet.

Each projectile expanded, creating a protection field around the Primordial Son.

A mere barrier will not stop me.

"It is not a barrier. Shadows of Lord Hellion, take Creepy White Eyes away from our location," Thalia commanded.

As you wish, Outer Shadow M74.

SHADOWS OF GINGA? Do you not understand who you are trying to banish?! I am Loycael. The Fifth Son of Loyce! You shall not-

SWIFF.

74 knelt in front of 76, who was barely conscious. Each breath she took was laboured.

"76-M. Your sisters are here," Thalia said.

76 wheezed, turning to Joseph and Vinci.

"Take... them... Loycael... is..."

Foolish girls. Time is relative, and to me, the time you bought is but a fraction of a glimpse in my eyes.

Reality in front of us began to tremble, making way for Loycael.

Corpses of the supposed intangible Shadows littered the ground.

74-M faced the Primordial Son with a grim expression. The winds of the battle and chaos caused her hair to flutter wildly.

"Our priority is to escape. Scientist, what is the status of the console?"

Joseph stared at Thalia in awe.

"You are the Chief my baby girl spoke of...!"

74 marched toward the console, while 78 fired more projectiles at Loycael, flooding the Primordial with the Shadows of the Black Legion.

"Initiate STDP Protocol," 78 commanded.

It shall be done, Auxiliary Shadow M78.

75 knelt before Vinci.

"OH MA GAWSH YOU'RE SO CUTE! Are you really 76-M's alternate?!"

Vinci blinked.

"Ummm, yes?"

"AHHHH! MY HEART IS GONNA MELT! Who knew Mommy Big Muscles could be so adorable!"

"Th-Thanks...?"

Guys...

I'm injured too...

74 examined Joseph, who continued fumbling with the controls.

"No... I can't... I need to-"

"Professor Blake."

The prof turned to 74 with a panicked expression, but 74 returned with a stern one.

"Take a deep breath. You cannot think straight when your adrenaline influences your decision-making."

"H- How do I do that?"

"Think about the smile your daughter will have, a month from now. Once she has left all this behind. The goal you aspire to is the future of your daughter. Nothing else matters. The battle, the pressure, none of it matters. The only thing in front of you is your objective. Just as it was throughout your life. Focus on the task at hand."

Joseph gulped, turning back to the console.

"For my daughter..."

"Chief, can't hold him much longer!" 78 shouted.

74 turned back to the Primordial.

"Overload him. 75, 78, switch to fully automatic. Send him to a defensive position."

75 and 78 switched their guns, and fired erratically, forcing Loycael to stop the bullets.

Bullets cannot kill me.

74-M aimed with her pistol, firing.

"Not our intention."

"I got it to work!" Joseph exclaimed, as 74 took a step back, continuing her firing.

"Evacuate. Now!"

Loycael recovered from the assault, grabbing 78 by the arm, but the War Doll took her shirt off, slipping past the Primordial and retaliating with shotgun fire.

Vinci, 75 and 78 made a break for the portal, leaving just 76, 74, the professor, and I at the entrance.

"Move!" Thalia shouted to the professor, but the professor stared at the rest of us.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"My finger... I can only keep the portal open as long as I have my finger on the trigger."

76's eyes widened.

"No... Dad!"

74 grimaced.

"We need to go. Otherwise, the Primordial will catch all of us."

"DAD!" 76 pleaded, but Joseph gave his daughter one last smile before Loycael appeared behind him.

Do you wish so badly to die in front of your children? Professor?

"I know I'm not your version of Joseph Blake... but... I don't wanna live knowing I murdered my own little girl. Become strong... not because you were forced to. But because the sun will eventually rise up, and you will become strong enough to smile again for me."

76 gasped, a tear running down her face.

"The sun... Mom used to say this every night... how did you..."

Farewell, Scientist.

Loycael stabbed Dr. Blake right through his chest, but Joseph stubbornly kept his finger on the trigger, blood squirting from his mouth all over the console.

"Because... I was there... every night Amelie tucked you in... every night..."

74 grabbed me and 76, shoving us into the portal.

"MOVE!"

76 raised her hand, trying to grasp her father one last time.

"Daddy..."

"I love you, baby. Never forget that," Joseph muttered, as his lifeless body slumped forward.

Loycael laughed crazily.

Yes. Run away. SFA-Muon. Run from me. For when we meet again, I shall take more than just a piece of one of you. I shall take from EACH AND EVERY SINGLE-

The Primordial's voice cut out, as reality shifted before me. I began to tumble into space, watching my surroundings elongate violently.

"AAFF!" I yelped, slamming into the sofa.

"Dude!" Garen exclaimed, scurrying back and spilling his hot chocolate all over the ground.

"Ah. Hey, man," I muttered.

"What happened? Your arm is gone!"

"A lot..."

I glanced behind me to see Vinci and 76 on the ground, along with the rest of the squad.

76 seemed to have given Vinci the bad news, and Vinci was staring at the floor with her eyes wide, in complete shock.

"Aaron!" 78 said, wrapping her arms around me.

"Holy crap! Ah! My ribs!"

78 tightened her grip on me.

"I thought something happened to you! When I heard you jumped into the expanse..."

"I'm alive. So... it's fine... I guess..."

I gritted my teeth.

Jessie...

In the end... I couldn't save this version of you either.

"Aaron..."

I closed my eyes.

"Nothing that happened to me comes close to what 76 had to go through."

78 glanced at 76, who stared at the ground dejectedly.

"Her face... sounds like she had to go through a loss."

"How did you know?"

78 put a hand on my leg.

"Because I went through something like that too. It takes a piece from you, even if you never had anything to begin with. It always does."

74 approached 76, kneeling in front of the War Doll.

"I'm going to request Sergeant Hellion to pause deployments."

76 looked up at 74, startled.

"But Chief, we-"

"I am not going to force you to go out on the field at the moment. What you went through was too much. You need time. Both of you."

Vinci and 76 sat sprawled on the floor.

"I understand."

74 got to her feet.

"For now, you three will rest. 76, I have already requested the Shadows to begin repairs on your body. Vinci, you may borrow my bed for the time being until we sort out your lodgings. As for you, Aaron..."

74 turned to me, her expression softening.

"You can tell me all about it once you feel comfortable."

* * *

That night I dreamt of 76.

Okay.

That came out extremely wrong.

But the dream was a little different. It was like a glimpse of what it could have been.

76 sharing a meal with Vinci and their Dad, laughing. Vinci stealing food from 76's plate and the two bickering.

...

Thalia always told me not to pity people like the War Dolls, because none of them were looking for it.

Every time I came back from a deployment, a part of me felt sick.

This particular one made me feel much worse.

"Ah. Think happy thoughts. Happy thoughts," I muttered.

"Hey Aaron! Check it out! I got height adjustment surgery and somehow it turned my hair blonde!" Sarah said, running up to me with a cute smile on her face.

I felt her embrace, it almost felt real.

Hell yeah!

"What kind of dream is that?"

"AHH! WHO THE HELL-"

I spun around to see a familiar army dude leaning against a wall. We were somehow back at Azure Academy...

And a wave of nausea rose within me.

"Lord Hellion! Where's my tall blonde version of Sarah?"

"That's the first thing you ask?"

"Gah, no. No..."

Inner Shadow Slipstream looked out into the distance.

"Chief Tactical War Doll 74-M notified me of her request on a deployment hiatus. Does this have anything to do with what you saw in that twisted world?"

I pursed my lips.

"Lord Hellion... we encountered an offshoot consciousness of Inner Shadow Empire. He called himself Loycael, the Son of Loyce, the Fifth Son in particular. He was even stronger than Evangelion, sir."

"I am aware of this threat. By the way you phrased it, I take it that Loycael had slain Evangelion, and me in the process."

I gulped.

"Yes sir. I've never seen something like that before. But he also mentioned something about... a branch reality? Your alternate said it too."

Jay nodded.

"Yes. The timeline you are living in right now is considered the Prime Stream. It is where all the amalgamations of the Black Legion reside."

"Amalgamations... do you mean to say every single possible existence..."

"Picture every possible variant of yourself. Now imagine every single variant pooling together as one, or each variant dying. In my case, I was the latter. My alternate realized, either from the Suijin or was told, that he was an alternate. By the rule of the Prime Stream, his service would be fated to cut short. And thus was his case. Just like how your alternate was slain."

I gulped.

"But... what about Lord Ginga? And Loyce?"

"The ability to channel the existence of every single variant of yourself is a privilege reserved for the penultimate of beings in the Black Legion. There are very few who can... Lord Ginga is one of them. The other existence being Loyce, and Inner Shadow Gasket, your master."

"Wouldn't that make them... infinitely powerful then?"

"Yes. Yes, it would," Jay said, pushing himself off the pillar and looking onward.

"I've been fighting Loyce and his forces. Since my War Dolls have returned to service, the weight has reduced, but it still is a tremendous burden to carry. Every time I fight Loyce or his generals, I've had to use guerilla tactics. There is no way I can launch a direct assault, and Loyce knows this. Each time he has caught me, I've had to sacrifice greatly."

Inner Shadow Reaper came to mind. The horrific injuries he had sustained against Loyce despite Loyce being at one-third power...

"You're a good kid, but you have a few screws loose considering you are worrying about someone who allegedly tried to rape your fiancee."

"I know it was an allegation, sir."

"Doesn't matter. Nonconsensual sex is something I personally would never forgive someone for. Subconsciously you would wish the worst for that person. Alas, I am grateful for your concern, though you should focus your mental resources elsewhere."

I looked away.

"76... 76 watched her father die a second time. I hope you understand what she's going through. I don't wanna see her back on the field so soon. Ah! I didn't mean it like I'm asserting-"

"I understand."

I stared at the Sergeant.

"Wait, you do?"

"I like to keep a scummy profile as best I can, but in reality, I care about each one of these War Dolls like my own children. Even if Evangelion is no more, my girls still chose to serve me out of their own accord. I can never feel a greater honour than to have these girls proudly fighting for me. But that also means I cherish them all the same. 76-M... or Vinci Blake, has experienced something incredibly traumatic. I will see that she has all the therapy and support I can give her."

"...Is that all you came here for?" I asked.

"No. Unfortunately. I have come to follow up on the existence of Loyce's Sons. As you know, I have been fighting a guerilla war against the traitorous Inner Shadow. I don't have the bandwidth to deal with his Sons at the same time. I'm afraid I might have to task the Sons to you, Dainsleif."

"Nope, this is a bad dream. Gotta be. BEGONE. BRING BACK TALL BLONDE SARAH ULTEAR."

"...I have given 74-M full clearance of our munitions, hours, and artillery. This is going to be a task that far outweighs anything the Special Forces Aggression Regiment has ever seen. I want you to speak to 74 about the best course of action," Jay said, ignoring me.

"What about Zero-A? I thought special ops was her thing?"

"No. SFA-Alpha is preoccupied with other matters regarding Tiamar. This is something 74 personally requested me."

"She did?"

Jay nodded.

"Seems this is something that struck a nerve in the Chief. Loycael killed the alternate father of someone close to her. Seems she is fuelled by vengeance. While vengeance can be wielded as a weapon, 74 is far too young to be able to properly weaponize it. So I want you to harness that rage, Dainsleif. Work together with SFA-Muon to take down Loycael."

"This is nuts! I can't beat that mf even if I was at the same level as Reaper!"

"You're an idiot if you think you could beat an offshoot Loyce Hal in an upfront battle," Jay said, poking me in the forehead.

"Use your head, cum for brains! Isn't that what made you SS Rank in the first place?! I just told you that 74 has full clearance of our artillery. This includes mana syringes. And full clearance of hours means you can consult Crassman."

John...

That meant I had full access to restoring my chakra and mana.

I could enter my Vitruvian State again.

"That is all I can afford. I must leave now."

"Wait! Jay!" I called out.

Jay paused.

"If it's about your incredibly strange fetish for tall big-ass blondes, I don't care. Everybody in the Black Legion knows about your fetish."

"No. Not that. I just... wanted to tell you that when 76 saw that alternate of you... your death also shook her too. I just wanted to tell you that. She sees you as a father figure just as much as Joseph Blake."

The Inner Shadow smirked.

"You never can read through the lines, can you, Dainsleif? I appreciate it. Thank you. Now wake up, before another War Doll of mine causes an incident."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

My eyes fluttered awake. The room was still dark...

But...

Man, I didn't wanna get out of bed.

This bed felt too good, and the feeling of Sarah hugging me wasn't something I wanted to let go of...

Wait a second.

Sarah was dead.

Who...

I shifted in my sheets, slowly reaching for the light on my nightstand.

CLICK.

...

What the hell... is this...?!

78-M rolled over in the sheets, reaching out for my arm.

Hell no!

I scrambled to the door, struggling with the locks.

"Mmmm... Aaron..." 78 muttered, getting to her feet and approaching me deliriously.

This bitch was sleepwalking?!

"Stay away! Holy fuck!" I said, before reaching for the nearest item I could find, a clock, and threw it at her head.

The clock exploded into little pieces, sending the War Doll back onto the bed, passed out.

All the while, I fell to my knees, breathing heavily.

Now wake up, before another War Doll of mine causes an incident.

You've gotta be kidding me.

17

"Explain yourself, 78-M," 74 slammed her hand against the desk.

78-M wasn't fazed at all, staring at the desk surface.

"I wasn't aware of this. I knew I had sleepwalking problems, but I never imagined it would escalate to assault. I apologize."

75 had already brought Garen and Vinci to another room, while 74 and 76 interrogated 78.

74 sat down on the other side of the desk.

"This behaviour I will not condone. Ever. Do I make myself clear?"

"I understand."

74 glanced at me, then turned back to her War Doll.

"Aaron is one of our friends. Even if he was not, you of all people should understand that he has dedicated his life to his fiancee. You have no right to steal him away from Auxiliary Shadow Ultear-"

"And how do we even know Ultear can come back? Is the act of reviving a hero not just for personal gain?! We have plenty of Heroes in the Black Legion!" 78 snapped.

I was startled. I never seen 78 act like this before.

76 approached 78 and grabbed her by the shoulders, slamming her into the wall of the interrogation room.

"And what makes you think you're better than Ultear, you bitch? Just because you were the idol of Azure Academy, the hottie that all the boys liked, you're automatically entitled to date whoever you want? Is that it?" 76 snarled.

78 clenched her teeth.

"No... that's not it! I... I genuinely fell for him... I did..."

"Aaron is already taken and has no interest in you. Enough of your shit, you're lucky we haven't thrown your slutty ass into prison after that stunt you pulled last night. Move on."

74 and I pulled 76 away from 78, who collapsed on the floor of the room, her face downcast. I'd never seen this girl so broken and devastated before.

"You're telling me to suppress my feelings... it's not so simple... I can't stop these feelings."

74 took a deep breath, examining both 78 and me.

"78, I am putting you under suspension and will launch an investigation regarding your actions last night. Do you have any objections?"

"No ma'am."

"You will also stay away from Aaron. Five-yard radius minimum, unless Aaron says otherwise. What is your verdict?" 74 asked me.

I pursed my lips. I had no idea what to say.

This was probably the first time something like this ever happened to me.

78 had done this from her subconscious... and it wasn't like she did this intentionally.

But...

Who knows how many nights she had snuck into my room and slept with me?

It couldn't have been the first time.

"78... I need some space. But I promise you once I feel comfortable again let's have a long talk. I wanna know if we can fix this between us."

"..."

78 slowly got to her feet.

"I'm sorry Aaron. I'm really sorry. 74, please escort me out."

74 sighed, putting her hand on 78's shoulder and leading her out of the door.

A few minutes later, 74 knocked on my door. I was sitting on my bed, the events of last night still replaying in my mind.

"May I come in?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

74 pulled up a chair and sat in front of me.

"Do you need some space?"

"Nah."

74 ran her hand across the desk.

"I knew 78 developed romantic feelings for you. But I never imagined it would escalate to such an extent. As her Commander, I should have seen this coming and done something, but I didn't. I take responsibility."

"No worries. But... I should have made it more clear that I didn't have any interest in you guys."

74 rested her head against her hand.

"You must still be tired from everything that had transpired the last few days. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I just want things to go back to the way it was before, honestly. I know 78 didn't mean to do the things she did."

"Assault is still assault, Aaron. Our Sergeant is very strict when it comes to stuff like this."

I found myself examining the prosthetic was still sitting on my desk. Only...

"It's been repaired!"

"Yes. 78 had it repaired for you. The night you came back, actually."

"It must have been super late though, I didn't think anyone in the SFA would be awake at that hour."

"Nope. She personally repaired it for you. As I mentioned before, we each have a specialty."

"But I thought 78's was assassination?"

"Yes. But it was 77-M whose specialty was in Combat Engineering. She was also a sapper and a weapon technician, skills that she would teach 78 from time to time."

I reached out and put my hand on the prosthetic.

"Do you think we were a little harsh on her?"

"It's your choice if you want 78's suspension to be lifted. If you want my opinion, I think 78 should admit fault to some degree and be punished. Would intoxication warrant something like that? If by the same principle, DUI is not an excuse, neither should sleepwalking. If she had caught this early on, she would have raised this concern, but she did not."

I sighed, putting the prosthetic back on.

"Can you tell me more about 78... more so, back when she was Riho Shinohara? 76 mentioned she was like an idol back in Azure Academy."

74 picked up one of my comics and examined it, putting it back down.

"Back when we were in Azure Academy, we weren't just restricted to being on campus. Many of us had lives outside of the school. For me, I enjoyed going to the library, but in Riho's case, she was actually a very famous idol. A pop singer."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Like a superstar?"

"Yep. She was the talk of the town. Every day her phone would blow up with DM's from guys. She was practically a goddess to them. I suppose between her extremely talented voice, to the fact that she had a body most of us would yearn for, Riho really was blessed with top-tier genetics. Many of us were jealous. If I recall correctly, there was a name that circulated amongst certain hate groups for Riho, calling her Riho Big Rack after the size of her breasts."

I choked.

"You're kidding."

74 laughed gently.

"Riho was a famous idol, but her younger twin sister, Risa Shinohara was the exact opposite. She was reclusive and shy, much like Vinci was. Many didn't know Riho had a sister, much less a twin. Regardless, the friend group Riho and Risa were in still treated them the same. They even had a bet, I heard. Of who could snag 'Mister Perfect' first."

"Mister Perfect? I remember 78 bringing this up back when the Ghosts invaded."

"Yes. Though Riho was very popular with men, it wasn't long before she realized a lot of them were only just attracted to either her looks or her voice. None of them meshed. I'm a firm believer that a relationship is more of a partnership than anything. It's more than just finding a woman hot, or a guy hot."

I nervously picked at my shirt.

"Then I guess I was Mister Perfect for her."

"Pfft. Don't give yourself too much credit, Pervert Red-Eyes. You're still full of flaws, just as I am. But yes, in a way. 78 must have fallen for you after you did what I could not. Which was to help her move on from 77's death."

74 leaned forward, clasping her hands.

"Sometimes 78 would sing. Very rarely. She's a very talented music artist and her songs are known to be very catchy. I caught her once, singing in the shower."

"For real?"

"Mmhm. She sounded kind of like an angel. A husky voice yet with so much range. Maybe one day she could perform for you. 78 was always very musically inclined. I think at some point she used to listen to music with her headphones during deployments. Unfortunately, it got confiscated."

74 looked away.

"Look at me, going on a huge tangent. Here we were, condemning her for everything she did, but now all I'm doing is sprouting out all of her deepest secrets!"

"I'm glad I got to know 78 a little more. That last deployment with 76... for the longest time she thought I didn't like her. After everything that's happened, I think I feel a little closer to her as a friend. I'm glad."

A smile appeared from the corner of Thalia's mouth.

"You managed to tame the beast of SFA-Muon. Impressive. Even I couldn't do that. Tomorrow, if you're up for it, do you mind coming to Renaissance Centre with me?"

"What for?"

74 reached into her cargo pants and pulled out a bunch of coins.

"75 and Garen raided the castle of Demon King Porta."

"...You say that so casually."

"Yes, well. We usually take a little piece of coin here and there. Apparently, Garen and 75 challenged each other over who could be the 'bigger scumbag'. What ended up happening was the two knuckleheads looted the entire nation's worth of wealth. We don't have room to store all the loot, so I wanted to go to the Auction House and exchange them for Cosmic Keys of Power. There was a gold suit of armour that they stole, and it's been sitting in my room the entire time. I can't even roll over when I sleep now."

The thought of that idiot elf and that idiot War Doll competing over who could steal more didn't sound as far-fetched.

"Yeah, I can tag along."

74 clasped her hands together.

"Great! See you tomorrow morning, 0600. Let me know if you would like to rest though, I don't mind if you need to bail out tomorrow morning as well. I'll understand."

"Thanks, Thalia."

The next morning, I caught 78 outside by the balcony.

"Ummm hi..." I said.

"Hello, Aaron."

"Are you not gonna come inside? It's pretty cold out."

"No."

"..."

78 turned away, a blush forming on her face.

"I heard from 74 that you retracted my suspension. I should have received it in full."

"78, I've already forgiven you. I know you didn't mean to do it on purpose."

"No. But I crossed a line regardless. I swear to you that I didn't realize I had done these things in my sleep, but my first instinct was to try to defend myself by devaluing your relationship with Ultear."

I sat on a nearby chair.

"Can I be totally honest with you?"

"?"

"You're probably one of the most attractive girls in the entirety of the SFA."

78's eyes widened.

"Wh- What brought that on?! Jeez..." The War Doll stammered, trying to regain her composure, but her face was bright red.

"But looks alone isn't enough for a relationship. I'm sure you already know that by now. We gotta share interests, or at the very least, be able to be receptive to each other's interests. Meshing. Et cetera. I mean, the bond between you and me, I like it. We're friends, but we can't go beyond that. There's no chemistry aside from infatuation."

78 studied me intently as she leaned against the balcony sliding door.

I had to do a double-take. Thalia was right.

She really did have a curvy body. It never occurred to me, since I only ever saw her in her war gear. But ever since that mission to assassinate the leaders of Porta's world when 78 had put on that skin-tight dress, it was almost as if I was seeing her in a different light.

I couldn't tell if she was doing it on purpose, but between the shorts and the low-cut t-shirt accentuating her figure, it was top-tier bait.

Holy shit.

I wonder how brutal her DM's must have been.

"You're ogling me..." 78 muttered.

"My bad," I said, quickly.

"No. I don't mind if it's you."

"That just makes it sound so much worse!"

78 held back a laugh.

"Sorry, I just felt like teasing a bit."

I focused on the edges of the doorframe instead.

"I'm going to Ren Cen with Thalia if you wanna come. But if you don't, I get it."

"Thank you for the offer... but I think I'm going to stay here."

"78, it's fine, really-"

"It's not fine for me. There's a circulating custom in Japan, at least when I was raised in the Shinohara household. We are to uphold our integrity, and that day I broke it. I will do my due diligence, and face my consequences."

* * *

I met up with Thalia at the Champions Building.

"I thought we were going to the Auction House?"

"Yes. But I wanted to clear some logistics up with Defender before we continue with our day."

I followed the Chief War Doll to the building entrance.

"What logistics?"

"In response to the added threat of the Nine Sons, Sergeant Hellion has provided me with additional freedom as to how to handle the production of the Company Munitions. I want to see if I can initiate a partnership between Harmon Labs and UNTIL."

"The hell are the peashooters in this city gonna do against a literal Primordial Demon God..."

Thalia glanced at Renaissance Centre.

"Do you see those sentry turrets?"

"Yeah."

"I'm intrigued by how powerful they are against Onslaught threats. I want to see if I can integrate their artillery into ours."

"And you think those turrets are enough to take down Loycael and the other Sons?"

"No. But if we can accelerate efforts into their development, we might stand a chance. The artillery is meant to provide a hard-hitting measure against his armies. 76 had briefed me that the armies of Loycael equip a very strange form of armour that is resistant to conventional firearms. We cannot take any chances."

74 rung the doorbell on the intercom.

"Hello, we're here to speak to Defender."

"..."

"Hello?" Thalia repeated.

More silence ensued until the security guard behind the intercom spoke.

"What the hell... yo Stan, a kid wants to talk to Defender!" The guard shouted off the microphone.

"A kid?!"

"Yeah. Maybe she wants his autograph!"

"Tell her to go back to Mommy and Daddy! Maybe she's trying to film a Tik Tok or something."

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

"Erm... 74...?" I said, nervously looking at the Chief War Doll.

Her teeth were clenched and a vein had bulged on her forehead.

Uh oh.

"Ah! Sorry! I'm here with her. Ummm, business matters. Can you let us in?" I spoke into the intercom as the guards stopped laughing amongst themselves.

"Ah man, she's with her Dad. Buzzkill."

"Whatever dude, the door's unlocked. Just fill out the iPad with your contact info and someone will contact Defender shortly."

I put my hands on Thalia's shoulders and steered her gently to the reception table.

"Haha... you know how it is... ignorant dudes and all that..." I mumbled.

"I oughta break every bone in their bodies!" 74 snarled.

"C- Calm down! Come on, we're almost there."

Thalia approached the iPad console and examined the form.

"Dainsleif. You will fill out the form."

"Why?"

74 eyed me with a threatening expression.

"Fill out the form."

"Yes ma'am."

I quickly made my way to the iPad and tapped on the buttons, following its instructions.

Name...

Purpose of visit...

Name of Appointee...

"Ah."

Age...

"Pfft." I quickly put a hand to my mouth.

74's eyes widened in rage.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Fill out the form, jackass!"

"Okay.... pfft... ffft....haha..."

The two of us sat back on the sofa, waiting for someone to notify Defender.

"You know, we could have just barged our way in. It's not like there's anyone working in this building," I said.

"We must still abide by their rules."

"Well, I certainly didn't."

"And how did that turn out, Hangman?"

"Oh."

74 picked up a magazine and examined it.

"This is a nice place to live."

"Not a lot to check out though."

"Housing prices are agreeable, but I suppose it might be due to the fact that the buildings are subjected to monthly discords amongst supervillains and superheroes."

The War Doll put the magazine back down.

"How's 76 and Vinci?" I asked.

"Vinci still has frequent nightmares. I called in the Company therapist and she diagnosed her with emotional lability. The only person who could calm her down was 76, who herself, has suffered a severe psychological blow. I... I can't imagine how horrible it is to lose your parents twice. Losing our parents once was enough to modify us psychologically."

74's eyes flashed with rage.

"The bastard who hurt my friend and ally will suffer severely for this."

"..."

"Regardless, 76 and Vinci are actually in Renaissance Centre. If you are interested in checking up on them. It appears Defender is rather preoccupied at the moment so this appointment might take a little longer than-"

RING RING RING.

74 stared at me.

"What are you doing?"

CLICK CLACK.

"Hello?" A voice said.

"Hey, Vinci! I'm here with 74 in the Champions Building. Come over!"

"Really? Hey, sis! Aaron's here in Ren Cen!" Vinci squeaked happily.

"Good for him. I'm busy here- YAH!"

I heard the sounds of scuffling.

"We'll be right there! I'll order a box of donuts that we can share!" Vinci said.

"What are you doing?! I don't wanna share!"

"Sweets are tastier when eaten together!"

"Like hell it is! What are you doing with the strawberry-flavoured ones?! Hey!"

KA-CHACK.

I lowered my phone.

"Looks like we're gonna have some company!"

74 sighed, putting a hand to her face.

"You're going to be the end of me. I swear it."

"Defender is here to see you, Mister Hope, Miss Atlai," a secretary beckoned us to the office.

74 and I followed the secretary, where Defender was sitting on a desk.

I waved.

"What's good, James?"

"Eugh..."

What was that reaction?!

"So you're the troublemaker Hangman who's been giving the boss his migraines," a man said.

"Huh? Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" I snapped, turning to the man and nearly choking on my own spit.

Was this guy even human?

The "man" was 7 feet of pure fur and canine features. His head was like a wolf, but his body was so juiced up that I had a hard time believing he could even stand without going into cardiac arrest.

My brain instinctively connected the dots.

And came to one conclusion.

I pointed at the man-beast.

"Dude, you have a furry in your office."

"GAH!" Thalia's jaw dropped as she kneed me in the shin.

"OW!"

"I should have kept you outside!" 74 growled.

"Hey, I'm not a dog! That guy might be a different case though."

The Furry glared at me.

"I'm not a dog, you racist! I am King Behemoth, an Alpha Lycan. I hail from the mightiest species to ever grace this land. My kind leads the forefront of Cosmic Level tanking."

Thalia sat in the chair that Defender had gestured "King" Behemoth to prepare.

"Defender, I have come to inquire about the status of the Harmon Labs and UNTIL collaboration project."

James laced his fingers together.

"Yes, we're still working out the legal paperwork for it, but rest assured everything is in process. There's a lot of IP issues going on at the moment."

"IP issues?"

I nudged Thalia's arm.

"Intellectual property... think copyright."

Thalia pouted, obviously offended that there was something that evaded her knowledge.

"I... see. Do you have a lead time for when this will be completed?"

"It's hard to say. Though, I am a little on edge here. Why the sudden urgency to beef up our military power?"

74 pursed her lips.

"We are going to fight a foe that far surpasses the likes of Dasc Osa."

Defender's face paled, but not before King Furry interjected.

"We don't need military power. I can take whoever's got this little squirt all nervous."

74 suddenly shot Behemoth a deadly glare, but it was like this guy's brain had also become canine because he didn't seem to get the hint.

"I've taken blows from both Teleiosaurus and her Hatchling and have solo tanked a bunch of other Cosmic Threats. Everybody has said it was impossible, but I did it myself with no problem without any healers," Behemoth boasted.

"Your ignorance of this threat repulses me," 74 hissed.

"King Behemoth, stop this," Defender said, raising his hand, but Furry McOverconfidence wasn't finished jerking himself off, as he leaned in close to the War Doll. The dude's breath definitely did not have a good smell to it, but Thalia wasn't fazed at all.

"My ignorance repulses you? You know what repulses me? People who gotta resort to cheat tactics to take on something that they don't have the skill for. Of course, you wouldn't be able to do anything without relying on Defender's tech. You're not only a woman, but a little girl. Who do you think you are, trying to call the shots?"

Not only was this idiot a walking ragebait, but he was also sexist. This dude was speedrunning his Tweeter cancellation!

I half expected 74 to rip the Furry a new one, but maybe I spent too much time with 76 because instead of doing anything, 74 simply got up and headed to the door.

"I only came to inquire about the status of our merger. Thank you for your time, Defender. But, I do not have the effort to waste on reasoning with the delusional."

Defender looked uncomfortable but managed a slight sigh.

"No, the pleasure is mine, Miss Atlai. I'll keep you posted on any updates."

I followed 74 out of the building.

"The hell was that? The audacity of that guy! I swear every furry I've met has been an overconfident prick in this universe!"

"I keep forgetting that people like him exist..." 74 grumbled.

I stopped in front of the War Doll.

"Hey. Let's mess with him a little."

"That is something I absolutely will not do."

"Come on. I know he pissed you off when he called you a little girl."

"WHA- No! No, he didn't. I have no idea what you're talking about," 74 crossed her arms, looking away.

I fiddled with my phone while the both of us made our way to the Auction House.

"Hello, Pawsitively Delicious Dog Treats here. How may I help you?"

"Hi. This is Mr.... umm... Dog, here."

"...can I help you with anything, Mister... erm... Dog?"

"I'd like to order a shipment of your cheapest dog treats. Batches of ten thousand, please. Transported by truck."

I could tell from the slight pauses that the rep was more so confused than amused.

"Ten thousand? Transported by truck? Do you have an address?"

"Sure do..."

I was pretty sure I got the address right. Doxxing wasn't really my specialty, but I had learned how to pinpoint the addresses of targets before when I was younger. When I fought alongside 75, the War Doll taught me how to determine addresses along with information about our targets.

"Hehe... that mf furry better be braced for the biggest pile of karma he's ever seen!" I cackled.

"Why did you order so many dog treats?" Vinci asked.

"GAH! WHAT THE-" I yelped, nearly dropping my phone.

Vinci tilted her head, putting a finger to her lips.

"Hm?"

"How did you get here?"

"We were here this entire time, dumbass," 76 grumbled, shoving a donut into my arms.

"Here. Yours."

"What? The stingy musclebound terminator of SFA Muon is offering me one of her treasures? I'm honoured!"

76 reeled away, munching on the donut.

"HEY!!!"

"Hmph!"

Vinci laughed.

"I didn't know Blake was so cute when it came to sweets. It's like looking in a mirror."

"..." 76 turned away, hiding the look of embarrassment on her face.

74 approached us.

"We need to find a way to contain all the loot. Is everybody okay with us each pushing a wheelbarrow?"

"The fuck? I'm not pushing a wheelbarrow, do you have any idea how stupid we'd look?!" I yelped.

74 frowned.

"No?"

"Do you see anyone else lugging wheelbarrows?"

"I don't see why this is weird to you. Considering you made yourself known for fondling Outer Shadow Onyx's cleavage a few months ago."

Vinci gasped.

"You did what?!"

"It is but an exaggeration, young padawan. I merely was inspecting the best places to touch her unconscious body," I replied, trying to regain my composure.

"Do you even hear yourself?!" 76 exclaimed.

"Well, do you wanna push a wheelbarrow, Miss Blake?"

76 took a step back, her face flushed.

"N- No...!"

74 narrowed her eyes.

"You guys are so weird. Fine. I will do the exchange myself."

"Why do you need to do it? Those two idiots should be the ones auctioning them off!" I snapped.

"I have already tasked them with it. If I could guess, they're probably bickering somewhere already over whose fault this was. We've converted maybe 80% of their items to Cosmic Keys."

74 waved her hand.

"Whatever. I'm not forcing you three to do anything. I can handle this task myself. I have already lined up a buyer anyway."

"Who's the buyer?" I asked.

"You. Are. Kidding. Me," a familiar furry's voice grumbled from behind us.

"EEP!" Vinci yelped, as 76 stood in front of her, her hand hovering over her handgun.

"A lycan?" 76 asked.

The furry grunted.

"Hmm. This one at least respects my strength. Commendable."

76's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Then you should know strength can only be proven through practice."

"HA! I like the sound of your words, young lady. You shall be fit to be my bride!"

"HUH?!" 76 growled, rolling her sleeves up but not before Vinci and I pulled her back.

"Calm down! Hey! We can't cause an incident!" I exclaimed.

74 stood before King Behemoth.

"The items you requested will be here shortly."

"Hmph. I will determine the worth of your goods myself. Just be a good girl and hand it over."

Thalia's face flashed in annoyance, but she held it in pretty well.

"Give us a moment."

I watched Thalia interface with her Shadows, pulling articles of treasure from a mass of black shadows, when suddenly, my phone rang.

I took it out, answering it.

"Heyo."

"Hello. Is this Mr. Dog speaking?"

"Yeah..." I muttered.

"We're just calling you regarding your recent shipment. We sent your order to the recipient, who signed it."

"Great. Wait, what?"

"Yes. We completed the delivery. In the future, you can also check out our gift services too! We have a wonderful selection of fan treats too."

"Fan treats? But..."

But King Behemoth was right here!

Who the fuck did the shipment go to?

"Sapphire sends her regards. We'd also like to ask for your verbal testimony that we were not at all involved in this altercation and that we were only doing our job."

"ALTERCATION?! SAPPHIRE?! WHAT? Where did you send my damn package?!"

"To the address... sir, is there a problem?"

Hell yeah, there was a problem!

I just sent ten thousand dog treats to Sapphire!

"Can I confirm with you what the treats look like..." I asked, sheepishly.

"Ummm, sir, you purchased our affordable tier. The Mutt Munchies. Between you and me... erm... I don't think Sapphire took it that well."

HOLY SHIT!!!

I hung up, bringing my phone to my side. Was the weather always this hot?

My ears felt like they were about to catch fire.

"Red, what's wrong? You kinda look like you swallowed a mouse," Vinci asked.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong at all. Just had a call... with a date..." I lied.

"But Red, you don't seem like the type of person to ever get dates."

Was Vinci always this savage?!

76 raised an eyebrow.

"You do realize Tactical War Dolls have superhuman senses, right? That includes hearing."

I mustered a smile.

"I accidentally sent ten thousand dog biscuits to Sapphire's front door."

"How the hell did you do that by accident?!"

74 regrouped with us.

"Exchange has been completed. We have enough Cosmic Keys to splurge on Greer & Harlick for months on end! This is a massive victory for SFA-Muon."

This girl triumphed in over 450 military campaigns yet her idea of a victory was snagging deals from a shopping sale...

76 put a fist to her chest.

"Chief! I will launch a surveillance on the next sale. We will arrive at the store at 0400 first thing in the morning!"

4 am for clothes? Were these girls mental?

"Very good. Call in 75-M and the Elf. We will do a sweep on potential targets for the entire store and set our sights on said targets on the day of the sale," Thalia said, with a serious expression on her face.

"Affirmative."

The four of us sat at a nearby table on the outskirts of Ren Cen.

Man...

How was I gonna explain things to Sapphire?

Surely she wouldn't know it was me, right? I mean... I did go by the alias Mr. Dog.

"Sapphire shouldn't be the one you should be scared of, by the way," 76 said while casually snacking on a cupcake.

"What do you mean?"

Vinci nudged me.

"A star is only as big as her fans. According to Billboard Stardom Top 100 Sapphire is ranked third in the world. She has millions of fans all across the globe and always makes the charts with her songs. That's millions of people who are probably hunting you down as we speak! Hehe!"

Don't 'hehe' me I'm about to get crucified alive!!!

76 licked her fingers clean.

"Chances are, you've probably already been doxxed. How the hell did you even get yourself in this situation in the first place? You're like the grand station of stupidity."

I put my hands on my head.

"I... gave them an address, but I missed one number. Who would have thought it would just happen to be Sapphire's penthouse suite?"

...

"My life is over."

"So morbid!" Vinci exclaimed.

74 put down her drink cup.

"I told you not to do anything rash, and what did you do? You brought this upon yourself, Ero-Gunman."

"Please give me some solutions rather than kicking me while I'm down."

Thalia put a hand to her chin.

"Your battle is with the followers of Sapphire. If we cannot risk diplomatic relations with those in the Champions Universe, a solution I propose would be the Splinter Crocodile Tactic."

"What's that? I don't remember this being in our lessons?" I asked.

The Chief War Doll leaned forward.

"It's an ancient strategy devised a long time ago during the inception of the Special Forces Aggression Regiment. In this context, it involves luring a group of devotees using a different alias into a closed area, where we would then trap them through highly industrial locks. Then we deploy a poisonous reagent like the NX-13 Nightshade Whisper to eliminate them. This will initiate a ripple effect amongst the cult while retaining our cover."

Bravo.

What a genius strategy.

Genius strategy my ass!

What kind of solution was that?!

"If it's a social media war, maybe we could call in the reinforcements of another superstar," 76 suggested.

"I am very surprised Sergeant Girl Muscle came up with something more sensible than a Chief War Doll."

74 ignored my snide remark.

"Another superstar?"

76 pulled out her phone and tapped on the screen, putting the device on the table.

"Vinci mentioned that Sapphire was ranked third. We actually know someone who is ranked above that."

"We do?" I asked.

Since when did Outer Shadow Freya make a YouTube channel?

The three of us peered at the phone screen.

Ranked 3rd was Corazon "Sapphire" Valenzuela.

Cool.

But...

74's jaw dropped.

"Why... why is she here?!"

76 frowned.

"You sure you use social media, 74?"

"Yes! But I never learned of this until now!"

Even I was shocked, and I never followed these trends for the life of me.

Ranked 2nd in the world...

Riho "RIHOSHINO" Shinohara

18

"Okay, I forgive Riho for everything. How do I contact her to weaponize her simps?" I asked.

"Whoa whoa whoa. I never said we were gonna initiate a war. I just offered a suggestion," 76 said.

"This is a threat surpassing even SS Rank, woman!" I growled.

"An SS Rank threat?! We just got back from deployment!" Garen exclaimed, hiding behind 75.

"Hiya. What did we miss?" 75 asked.

"Aaron's going to be crucified by devotees of Sapphire. Looks like our work here is finished at last," Thalia said.

"That's not funny!" I snapped.

Garen peeked from behind 75's shoulder. Those two had practically become inseparable. 75 no longer seemed fazed by this idiot Elf clinging onto her.

"Oh. The Hangman Witchhunt? You were behind all that, Aaron?"

It's already got a name?!

"Have you tried asking 78 for help?" 75 asked.

"I offered the suggestion and Red accepted it right away," 76 muttered.

"Sounds drastic! Can I see 78's channel?"

"Sure," 76 said, handing the War Doll her phone.

Garen and I watched 75 scroll the phone.

"Wow. Fourteen million subscribers?! That's record-breaking. She's really blown up in the course of the few months we've been going by our former names."

"Fourteen milli? The hell does she do besides music? There's no way she got that many subscribers from her songs," I said.

"I dunno. Back in House Winchester I was forbidden from using social media."

I took the phone and scrolled further.

"If she's got that many subscribers she's gotta be doing something on the side."

Garen leaned toward me as the two of us continued scrolling.

74, 75, 76 and Vinci started an in-depth strategy meeting on the most efficient way to approach the Greer & Harlick sale, but I couldn't care less.

I had more pressing matters.

"Damn... there's nothing here."

"Maybe it's because she's so hot," Garen commented.

I nervously peeked at 75. A flicker of irritation flashed in her body language, but she continued conversing like she didn't hear.

She definitely heard.

"Dude, your girl's over there. Don't say shit like that," I told Garen.

"What? I'm just being honest."

...

She was hot. If I was gonna deny it I might as well have a better time convincing Doctor Destroyer that it wasn't me who drew nipples on his statue near his factory.

There was no way there were fourteen million guys who fell for that...

No way.

I knew Riho was a huge idol in her world... but did it warrant so many followers?

"Hey, what's that?"

"What's what?"

"She added something. What's a SnapGram?"

"SnapGram? Oh, it's like a picture-sharing media platform. You take photos or videos, and that's your content to your followers. Good catch, maybe browsing her SnapGram could give some insight..."

I tapped the link.

And my jaw hung open.

"Great Kadan that's 78 in a swims-" I quickly clasped my hand over Garen's mouth before he could finish his sentence.

"Shush! Idiot! You're gonna alert the girls!"

Garen closed his mouth, as the two of us stared intently at Riho's Gram.

"There's no way..." I whispered as we continued scrolling.

Swimsuit and bikini photos...

Model shoots...

There was even one showing Riho licking a lollipop in the most seducing manner possible.

It kind of reminded me of the time I fought the goddess Venus back when I was like, fourteen. I couldn't even get past her endless hordes of fans, despite the massive hitboxes near their crotch.

The posts were one thing...

But the comments...

Good lord.

"Sexy... So hot... Came on first sight..." I read.

Garen pointed at one comment.

"This one guy commented 'I would do anything for you to step on me'. Is that supposed to be a fetish?"

I closed the app and put the phone on the table.

"I need healing."

"Healing? What kind?" Garen asked.

"Know any Cosmic Level Celestial magic?"

"That bad?!"

I handed the phone to 76, who was still chatting with the rest of the War Dolls.

This was it.

These degenerates were gonna be my saviours.

No doubt about it.

"I'm heading back to the barracks," I said.

The girls waved me off.

"I'm coming too," Garen said.

75 perked up, turning around.

"Wait, Garen, did Aaron rope you into anything?"

Why was your first instinct to suspect me?!

"No, not really."

75 narrowed her eyes, her analytical skills at work.

"Hmmm... you're going to see 78 regarding Aaron's situation, aren't you."

Sharp as ever, Charlotte! Garen better be careful with his next words considering his girlfriend was the SFA interrogator-

"Nope. We're gonna go see Sergeant Hellion, get chicken wings together, boys night out since it's the weekend."

Of the three things you said, not a single one was correct at all!

Garen grinned at me.

"How'd I do, Lieutenant Hope?"

"Great. I'm so glad you're on my side. I feel reassured already."

"House Trevyalen at work, buddy! Always here to represent father's legacy!"

Poor Kadan!

75 sighed, facing me.

"Just... don't put Garen in any danger... please..."

"Aww, what a caring girlfriend!"

"It's not what it sounds like! I... uhm... I just know how stupid he is! That's all! Yes!" 75 stammered.

Garen grinned at 75.

"You can trust me with my life, babe!"

"I just got a notification from my AI Tactics Module that my anxiety's gone up thanks to what you said."

To make things worse, the Shadows transported us way too far away from the Muon Barracks.

Our deepest apologies, Sir Dainsleif. However, due to the excessive expenditure of our abilities utilized by Lady M74 and M78 this is the best we can offer.

"Guess we're hiking to the barracks," I told Garen.

"All good. We Elven have pretty good stamina."

The two of us walked.

"How's things with Charlotte?" I asked.

Garen grinned.

"What can I say? Charlie changed my life."

"Did she now?"

"Yeah. For the longest time, I always felt like a failure and a klutz. Everybody's been calling me that since day one. I knew that more than anyone, I wasn't looking for someone to try to butter me up or anything. Charlotte not only read me like a book, but she knew the exact thing I needed. I needed a harsh reality check but also guidance to improve myself. And she's been helping me every single day since then, telling me that she would make sure I could work hard knowing she was always there to protect me."

I smirked.

"And did Charlotte tell you about what's been bothering her?"

"Eh. She says she wants to keep it between us, so I'll respect her wishes. Sorry bro."

"All good."

Garen continued grinning like an idiot. In his long braided hair was a hairclip, a bow and arrow.

"Cool hairclip."

"Thanks, Tin Girl bought it for me!"

We made our way to the main gate, where several War Dolls were lounging around.

"Hey. We got dropped off a bit far from here," I said.

One of the War Dolls glanced at me.

"Boys? What the hell are boys doing here?"

Another War Doll sighed.

"I couldn't care less. Let's just hurry up with Cleaning Duty before we become more of a laughing stock than we are already!"

"You two got Cleaning Duty? What happened?" I asked.

The first War Doll grunted, dragging a pail in front of her feet.

"We spoke out of line."

"Spoke out of line?"

"Yeah. Outer Shadow Hellsing got into an argument with his patron War Doll. Despite his patron being known for her ability to debate she absolutely crumbled in front of the big guy and started crying. I got caught filming it on my phone."

"That's hilarious. Wait..."

I paused.

"Did you just say Outer Shadow Hellsing?"

The War Doll's face paled, turning to her battle sister.

"Dainsleif doesn't know?"

The other War Doll shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head.

"Doesn't know what? Hellsing is supposed to be my Auxiliary, how did he become an Outer Shadow?" I asked.

That was weird.

What...

What happened to the fellas? Bryce and Annie were supposed to be...

I put my hand to my head, which began to throb.

"Why can't I remember...?!"

Garen put his hand on my shoulder, and a look of concern flashed on his face.

"Aaron, you look like you're gonna be sick!"

"My Auxiliaries... do you two know what happened to my Auxiliaries? I remember there was a fight... a wager... but then..."

I couldn't remember anything after that. All I recounted was we had won... but at a big cost, but upon trying to recall the price I was drawing a blank. I had fought Sena alongside Alice, and I was able to perfect my chakra, achieving something I would later dub my Vitruvian State, a state which rivalled even Inner Shadow Reaper in power.

The last thing I could remember was waking up in Muon's Barracks and being told we had a deployment.

I assumed I passed out from exhaustion because my chakra and mana were completely depleted.

One of the War Dolls stepped forward and stabilized me.

"Dainsleif, I think you should sit down. We aren't authorized to give you information on what had happened. If you want to know you should ask SFA-M."

"Why didn't they tell me?"

"Because everybody in the Special Forces Aggression Company was explicitly instructed to not tell you unless you asked. It was a rule made by Sergeant Hellion himself."

I breathed heavily, clutching my head.

"Dude, let me heal you," Garen said, hovering his hand in front of my forehead and sending healing magic throughout my body, calming my nausea.

"Thanks," I muttered.

"No problem. Thanks guys. We're gonna head to Muon's barracks now."

The War Dolls saluted us as Garen shouldered me.

"Sorry man, I must be heavy as all heck," I said.

"No problem. I'm used to it. I'm building up my physical strength."

I managed a weak laugh.

"Are you, now?"

"One day, I'm gonna carry Charlotte like one of those guys in those movies she watches. Well... except in this case, it will be a guy carrying a girl. Not a guy carrying a guy."

I nearly choked.

"She watches her BL in front of you?!"

"Haha! Hell no, I just peeked at some of her collection when she's away on the harder deployments."

"And... the fact that she likes that stuff doesn't bother you?"

"It's what she likes. I mean, I like the other way around, nudge nudge. If you catch my drift. I'm more open about it than she is, she still gets super embarrassed when I talk about it!"

I still felt so sick.

How could I forget my own Auxiliary Shadows?

What the hell was wrong with me?

A part of me wanted to confront Thalia for not mentioning it, but she was given strict orders. I couldn't blame her.

What could warrant Jay making such a rule?

What happened during the aftermath of Evangelion's wager?

What happened to me?

The rest of the walk consisted of me trying to hold back the urge to puke.

Garen and I made it to the barracks and opened the door, but before I could step inside, a voice filled the area.

The two of us paused.

It was like...

An angel...

Your words cut deep, tearing at my soul,

Even in your lies, love still takes its toll.

Bound by your charm, though I know it’s wrong,

In every tear I cry, your name’s in my song.

"..." Garen and I were speechless.

Speechless...

The nausea that I was feeling disappeared, and a rush was bubbling deep inside as I heard the voice sing.

It was like...

An adrenaline rush, almost a dopamine rush.

And the range...

The notes were high like a falsetto, but deep like a choir singer.

A voice that was too rich to be considered cutesy, yet too refined to be considered gruff.

"How-" Garen said, before walking into the doorframe.

"OW!"

The Elf stumbled backward, knocking into me as the two of us slammed into the glass door that kept everybody's shoes.

CRASH!

The voice abruptly cut out.

"Garen! You-"

"Who sent you. How many reinforcements. You have eight seconds to comply before I activate the charges I have planted on your accomplice."

"GAH! 78! 78, calm down! It's us!" I managed to choke out, trying to struggle against the War Doll's insanely strong grip on my throat.

78 suddenly let go of me.

"Ah gomen!!! Aaron, Garen, forgive me!" 78 exclaimed, bowing profusely.

I breathed heavily, trying to calm myself down.

"A- All good..." I muttered.

Garen poked at a device on his neck.

"There's a funny-looking zit on my neck."

78's eyes widened.

"Fool! Don't touch it! Let me disarm it."

The War Doll approached Garen and fiddled with the device. All the while, Garen's face was bright red, and... well... his line of sight was right where any teenage boy's eyes would be in his scenario.

Horny boy.

Take notes, Garen. I will show you how it's done, as an SS Rank Outer Shadow Legend.

"What are you two doing back so early?" 78 asked.

"We just came back from Millennium Titty not too long ago," I answered.

78 frowned.

"From where?"

Oh fuck.

"Millennium City," I corrected myself quickly.

Garen snickered before 78 pulled the device from his neck causing the Elf to yelp in surprise.

78 tossed the device into the garbage.

"I will be with you in a moment. I just got out of the shower. Please allow me to change and make myself presentable."

The two of us nodded like idiots.

"Yes ma'am."

I stared at the ceiling as best as I could, trying to erase the image of 78 in a bath towel out of my mind.

I love Sarah Ultear I love Sarah Ultear I love Sarah Ultear.

"I love Charlie I love Charlie I love Charlie..." Garen muttered, his eyes glued on the same place I was staring at.

Similar minds think alike.

78 came out of the room wearing a relatively tight T-shirt and jeans.

Goddammit...

At least it wasn't what she was wearing before.

The War Doll frowned again.

"Why do you two look so constipated?"

"No idea what you're talking about," I replied quickly.

78 sat down in front of us.

"I have not atoned yet. I-"

"If you wanna atone, then help me," I said.

78 blinked.

"What is it that you need help with?"

Garen raised his hand.

"Aaron's got a whole horde of-"

"Riho."

I put my hands on her shoulders, startling 78.

"Where are my Auxiliary Shadows?"

78's expression suddenly turned serious as she examined me intently with those purple eyes.

For a Japanese person, it was kind of hard to believe her nationality.

I spoke to Outer Shadow Devil Monk many times in the past, who was also Japanese, as well as Outer Shadow Dagrun. Though they came from alternate versions of Japan, they both shared very similar facial features akin to the Yamato people, which consisted of round jaws, but with Riho, it was like she didn't have that.

Her face was angular like a fashion model, with a pair of large round eyes.

But despite these looks, she was still somehow able to emit an aura of terrifying intimidation if she needed to, or sometimes even unintentionally.

As I felt 78's analytical gaze, I could almost feel the hairs on my body stand up on end.

"I cannot tell you."

I clenched my teeth.

"Why not? This entire time, you haven't brought it up. None of you guys have. What aren't you telling me? Why can't you tell me?"

"Sergeant Hellion instructed us to keep quiet."

"But why? Riho. Please. If you wanna atone, then tell-"

78 put a finger to my lips, shutting me up.

"I will take any request. I can grant you whatever you want. I will even give my body to you. But I will not break protocol. This is for your safety, Aaron."

I tensed up.

"Can you... at least tell me why?"

"How much can you remember?"

"I reached Evangelion's core... I fought with Zero-A against Sena Ark, and I achieved a form that put me on the same level as an Inner Shadow. After that, I can't remember. I can only recall that we did win... but I had to... sacrifice something. Something really big."

78's eyebrows scrunched together in concern.

"Go on."

"What? I can't-"

"You can remember. If you are able to recall that far... then keep going. Little by little."

I pursed my lips, the gears in my head turning.

"You want me to recount everything myself. Because if someone gave the truth to me all at once I'll be overwhelmed."

78 put a hand on mine, sending currents up my body.

"Do you want to remember?"

"Y- Yes... yes, I do."

The War Doll smiled.

"Then look me in the eyes, Aaron. Hear the sound of my voice. The feeling of my touch. I'll be with you, every step of the way. Your story up until now."

I felt Riho lace her fingers with mine. Her touch was sending me a calming feeling.

"A battle... a battle that was so great, but it took a piece from me..."

A piece...

A really big piece.

I slowly closed my eyes.

A crossbow.

A clash.

An orphanage...

I was fighting in the same orphanage as when my story started...

But why was I fighting in the orphanage?

Who was I...

The flash of a tall man with a military haircut momentarily appeared in my vision.

He was armed with a crossbow, an axe, and numerous guns.

The day I had become the God of Warfare was the day you fought Avara. I accepted those terms. I accepted servitude to Vala so I could save you from Avara... but by the time I had regained consciousness... Avara had already been killed. By you.

You...

Jekyll...

No.

That was not your name, not anymore.

That wasn't what I called you anymore. I called you something else.

Because I had figured it out, a long time ago.

My eyes flew open.

"WILL!" I shouted, grabbing onto Riho, but the War Doll didn't react, letting me clutch onto her desperately.

I began to pant heavily, sweat pouring down the sides of my head.

"A- Aaron! Dude! What happened?! What did you remember?" Garen gasped.

78 slammed into the ground as I fell on top of her. But the War Doll retained her composure, looking me in the eyes. Her glossy black hair spread out on the ground.

"It's okay, Aaron. You're safe."

"What... what the fuck... what the fuck was that...?!" I panted.

"You reached the point in your memory where you were able to unravel something about one of the Vessels."

I got off Riho and clutched my head, sobs welling deep inside.

"What the fuck... Will... Will was Jekyll...! This entire time... this entire time my brother was alive!"

Riho crawled forward and rested my head against her chest.

I didn't even care if I was given the pillowy billowy treatment.

My own brother was out there...

He was my enemy this entire time, how the hell was I not aware of this?!

"Aaron. Do you see why Sergeant Hellion didn't want to expose it all to you at once? You went through something that was so overwhelming that your mind instinctively shut down. The only way to catch up is to recount it yourself, little by little. But even just one fragment itself would break you, it could only be through someone close."

"But- But my Auxiliaries... my brother..."

"It will come in time. But you need to take it slow. Please promise me that. And as long as you can abide by this, I will be with you as you come back piece by piece," Riho whispered in a gentle voice, stroking the back of my head.

After a few minutes, I managed to calm down.

Riho was right. If she or anyone close to me wasn't there when I had this recollection, I might well have suffered a nervous breakdown.

How...

How bad was it that I had my mind completely reset?

...

Now that all of that had subsided, another realization had hit me.

"GAH! What the hell are you doing?!" I scurried away from 78's arms.

78 laughed, leaning back.

"Took you long enough! Haha."

"I thought I made it clear I ain't dating no kid."

"That's hurtful, you know. I'd like to point out that you are only three years older than me, so it's not like you're that much older to the point where you can call me a child so nonchalantly. What's wrong with liking someone older?"

"Erk..."

78 got up, flipping her hair behind her back.

"Also, in Japan, the age of consent is sixteen, just so you know. Not eighteen, like in Amerada."

"That's not the problem. My life is dedicated to Sarah. Once I revive... her..."

My hand dropped.

Why did I feel a sudden sense of dread?

It was like...

I slowly looked up, my vision blurring.

Bossman, you need to let her go! The dead aren't meant to be brought back to life!

Get away from me. I will revive her, regardless of what ALL of you say!

I clutched my chest.

"No... you cannot handle another one. Sit down. I will make you something to drink," 78 said as I watched her head to the kitchen.

A few moments later, Riho returned with a cup of tea and sat next to me, waiting intently for me to take a sip.

"I think we should stop talking about this."

"But-" I protested, but Riho held up her hand.

"I promise we can revisit this again some other time. When you are able."

"..."

I nodded reluctantly.

"Now," 78 clasped her hands together.

"What was it that you wanted me to do for you?"

"Huh?"

"Garen was about to say something, but you cut him off. I presume you came home early for a reason, but circumstances made you inquire about your Auxiliaries."

Oh yeah!

That!

I solemnly looked out the window.

"I pissed off an entire fandom and now they've started a witchhunt."

78 was silent for a few seconds.

"Let me guess, you disrespected someone from the Billboard Stardom."

"How the hell did you know?!"

Riho put a hand to her mouth, laughing.

"Because everybody in the Champions Universe knows, Aaron. You- pfft... you've become trending on Tweeter too. #HangTheHangman."

"YOU'RE KIDDING ME!!!" I wailed.

78 patted my head.

"Now now. It isn't all that bad."

"How?!"

"The others texted me before you arrived about your predicament and asked me to intervene due to my status as a 'celebrity'," 78 quoted with her fingers around the word celebrity as if she wasn't too proud of the title.

"And... will you...?"

"Of course I will, Aaron."

I fell to my knees, grabbing her ankles.

"You are a saviour! My queen!"

"Cute. Now please let go of my legs, I need to access my computer."

Garen and I stood outside.

"Go in," I said.

"You first."

"I ain't going in a girl's room! Every time I've stepped foot in a girl's room in this damn building I've gotten hurt!"

"And you're sending me in there?!"

"Not gonna lie I thought you were gonna go through with it," I said, honestly.

"How stupid do you think I am?!"

78 turned around.

"Come inside, please. For what it's worth, I have fans who are far grosser than you two."

Was that supposed to be reassuring?!

The two of us stepped inside. The whole room smelled like a sweet lemonade.

"S- Smells like 78..." Garen muttered.

"The more you talk the deeper of a hole you're gonna dig for yourself once 75 finds out, bud."

78 logged into her PC, where several music production applications were already open.

"Whoa, were you producing music this entire time?" I asked.

"Mmhm. It's a little hobby of mine."

A hobby... that netted you millions of fans...

78 opened her browser and hovered her fingers over the address bar, logging into her Tweeter account, but at the last second, the War Doll hesitated.

"..."

"What's wrong?" Garen asked.

"Forgive me. I'm... a little hesitant to log into social media despite it being part of my daily routine due to my side gig. I don't use it leisurely often."

"Why?"

CLICK.

The three of us stared at the icon in the corner.

9999+ DM requests.

9999+ Friend requests.

9999+ New follows.

"Um... well on the bright side, 9999 is less than a million?" I said, sheepishly.

"The counter only goes up to 9999, Aaron," 78 muttered.

"My condolences."

"Hey, you got fanart, 78!" Garen said, pointing to a post that Riho was tagged in.

I narrowed my eyes at the picture.

"That dude just spelled RIHOSHINO out of Lambos and took an aerial drone shot of it."

Riho scrolled past it, ignoring the horde of posts about her.

"Back when I used to be an idol in Praetes, I loved talking to my fans. I was a rather young performer at eleven years old, and my fans amounted to maybe in the tens, and twenties. They supported me and uplifted me to make better music. I loved them so much. But over time, more and more men replaced my fans as I got older. Almost every time they used my music as an excuse to get inside my pants. Disgusting."

"But surely you got fans who love your music," I reasoned.

"Yes, but when you have fans of this magnitude it's hard to micromanage. Also, I only did this performance thing for fun with no intention of blowing up. I wanted to buy cooler equipment for my music production projects but they were beyond my budget."

I glanced at the Riho worship posts.

"So this RIHOSHINO thing, you mentioned you did it as a side gig?"

"I uploaded one video of myself performing one of my songs, that was it. I figured it was probably a hit or miss because my music is niche, it usually just revolves around angsty girl drama and breakups. At least I thought it was niche, but within one day the video got over ten million views."

I scratched the back of my head.

"What about... you know... your SnapGram..."

"Oh. I just like taking pictures of myself. Who doesn't? It's not like people can see it."

"But it's... public..."

78 stared at me.

"Eh? Chotto matte, it is?"

She didn't know?!

"A-Anyway, let's focus on the task at hand..." I said quickly, manually moving 78's horrified expression back to the monitor.

78 took a deep breath.

"Okay. Let me just take care of something really quick."

Garen and I watched 78 navigate to her SnapGram and clicked a button that read

Permanently Deactivate Account

"AYO! Riho?!" I exclaimed.

"What? Let me delete my account! Hey!"

"What about your followers?!" Garen asked.

"Oh poor them. Looks like they'll have to find someone else to jerk off to! What a tragedy. It's not like I care about my popularity, guys! I'll just start over again."

After a few minutes of convincing Riho to just private all her posts, we finally returned to her Tweeter.

"What's the plan, 78?" I asked.

78 put a hand to her chin.

"Well... the best way is to offer an apology."

"I don't care if I gotta grovel in front of Sapphire, I'll do it-"

"But in your case, since you've built up such a notorious reputation at this point apologizing would just turn into a meme."

"Okay. I guess I'll just borrow one of your guns in the corner there and shoot myself instead."

"On the bright side, I could just use the Diversionary Tactic that 74 taught you, do you remember that lesson?"

I made a sour expression.

"Mmmm nah. I remember dozing off and you hitting me in the head during that part of the lecture."

"The Diversionary Tactic is as it sounds. We create a decoy to split the resources of our opponent. We've used this tactic a couple of times once when we conquered Demon King Hassan's world, where Hassan had taken over the planet in its entirety. We reduced the Demon Lord's army by having them micromanage battling us and the entire animal and wild beast population that had gone feral from our Rampage-Q7K gas."

Where have I heard this conversation before?

"We're not trying to kill them, Riho."

"No no. Not at all. If any of us were caught taking a life in Millennium City we would face the wrath of Seven Four. What I mean is, I can start fake drama with Sapphire and accuse her of something. My fans will be at war with hers. They won't be able to deal with you and my fans at the same time. What do you think?"

A grin formed on my face.

"Hell yeah. You're awesome, 78."

78 put a hand on her chest.

"I most certainly am!"

Garen made an irked face.

"What?! So we're saving Aaron through lying? How is that ethical in any way?"

78 glanced at the firearms sitting in their weapons rack right next to her stuffed animals on her bed.

Yeah.

Since when were any of the things we did ethical?

78 hovered her fingers over her keyboard when suddenly the War Doll paused.

"Oh."

"Oh, what?" I asked.

"You actually don't need to fret about Sapphire's fans. They have something else to worry about."

"What?"

Garen and I leaned over the monitor.

Trending on Tweeter...

"#QliphothicInvasion. Wait, isn't that the alternate realm Witchcraft had spoken of...?" I asked.

78 rested her chin against the palm of her hand.

"Hm. Well, hopefully, this invasion will bring about as many deaths to offset your shenanigans."

"You say that with no hesitation!" Garen snapped.

I sat down on the ground.

"Ah... safe at last."

78 smiled.

"Do you two have any other plans?"

"Not really," I answered.

"Do you want to see what I'm working on?"

Riho pulled up her music software.

The damn thing looked like an interface for piloting a spaceship.

"There are so many controls and buttons and knobs... I think I'm gonna hurl..." Garen muttered.

"It's not that bad. Wait until you see my other plugins."

"..."

78 glanced at us, probably picking up the sudden lack of interest.

"How simple you both are. Garen, I can understand. But Aaron, I'm surprised you find this overwhelming given your insane intelligence."

"Intelligence and patience to put up with complicated shit are two different things. Besides, I ain't that smart. This is music we're talking about."

"Hmph."

"Huh?" I raised an eyebrow.

Was 78 pouting?

"Guys, shouldn't we be a bit more concerned about the fact that Millennium City is going to be invaded by the forces of Quiff... Quip..."

"Qliphoth. No, we don't. The call to take arms is a call initiated by 74-M, not us."

Garen didn't look very satisfied with the answer.

"I don't like the idea of Charlie being in the middle of an invasion."

A smile appeared on 78's face.

"You're really sweet, thinking like that. But 75-M isn't the type of person who would crack from something as minuscule as the Qliphoth. But if you are still anxious, then why don't we pay them a visit?"

A few minutes later, someone came out of 78's room fully changed into a cold shoulder top and a pair of stockings, her hair was tied up in a bow.

Who the fuck was this?!

"GAH?!" Garen said, his face incredulous.

"78, is that you?"

78 made a confused expression.

"Umm, yeah? Why?"

"You're like a completely different person! I could barely recognize you!"

"Then it worked. The ripple effect of my SnapGram won't affect me if this cover even fools you two."

78 walked past us and headed for the door.

Was it just me, or... she looked almost... younger.

"For your information, it's not your imagination that I look different. I swapped back to my War Doll form. What you saw just now and during Porta's Raid was my natural state."

"War Doll form...?" I asked.

It hit me.

Of course, why else would I suddenly feel so attracted to 78 only recently after Porta's Mission? It was because she actually looked more mature. Like a legitimate sixteen-year-old girl.

The three of us hiked a little further out of Praetes.

"75 mentioned that because her body was rebuilt, she couldn't possibly grow any further. But, why was your body able to switch between forms so easily?" I asked.

"75 wasn't lying. Originally, our bodies were rebuilt while conserving our youth. The reason was that when we had our bodies burned the first time, we were smaller and far more agile. It's an evolutionary and tactical advantage to be able to be more nimble and crawl into smaller spaces.

"But for my specialty, I focus on targeted hits. I need to learn to blend in. It's hard to seduce a guy when I'm biologically thirteen, for one thing, it's gross. And also, it's easier to do so when I'm biologically a little older. So I requested Sergeant Hellion to modify my body such that I can have two configurations. The first configuration would be like my battle sisters, the War Doll mode. The second would be the result of me no longer being immortal and aging naturally."

Garen laughed.

"Or maybe the second form is just an excuse for you to date Aaron without him being called a pedo-"

SHHK SHHK.

Garen squeaked as the barrels of two guns pointed at the sides of his head.

"Shut up, Elf," 78 and I said at the same time.

"Yes sir and ma'am."

The three of us reached the Shadows drop point and were transported back to Millennium City, where we were greeted by a massive purple haze of the sky.

"Wow. Whole place gives massive Vibora Bay vibes," I commented.

"What's that?" Garen asked.

"It's a place here, I used to work with Robert Caliburn a bit there before he blacklisted me."

"...What did you do."

"Nothing."

78 and Garen turned to me, unconvinced.

"I groped Valerian Scarlet's chest..." I mumbled.

"Of course you did," Garen commented, unamused.

The fact that I was being judged by Garen of all people spoke volumes about my despicable act.

78 smirked.

"You really can't help getting into trouble, can you? Do you have an inclination to be a sexual predator to every female you meet?"

"N- No! No, I don't!" I stammered, waving my hands frantically.

"It was an accident!"

"You sure are accident-prone, if that's the case."

"Hehe."

"I'm serious! If I ever did these things out of my own accord you guys have full permission to shoot me."

74 waved us over.

"78. I take it things have smoothed over between you and Aaron?"

78 bowed.

"I believe I have done my penance. My inexcusable behaviour will be addressed."

76 gave 78 a respectful nod.

"Then we look forward to having our team's greatest hitwoman back in our ranks."

"Of course, 76."

I sat next to Thalia.

"So. We've been invaded."

"Yes. As we speak, the heroes have mobilized, hunting the Qliphothic beasts en masse. Fortunately, Greer & Harlick's sale will continue."

"What?! Even though there is an invasion?!"

"Yes. I assigned 76 to do negotiations."

"..."

Yeah. I bet there was a ton of "negotiation" between the most destructive War Doll in the Regiment and those poor businessmen and businesswomen.

"Are we not gonna help those guys? I mean, I analyzed these guys in the past. The forces of Qliphoth are no joke, one pack of beasts could technically down a superhero who is classified Level 40 on the Socrates Leveling System."

"Millennium City is my shopping district. Their strifes do not concern me."

74 crossed her arms.

"If we were to intervene, our strength would be made known and will complicate our business with the corporations here. Sponsorships and partnerships are fragile entities."

"The Cosmic Threats might be good practice for you guys."

75 scoffed while using Garen's head as a place to rest her upper body like a table.

"No way. We have better use of our time and ammo. Those guys would just be a waste of resources."

I raised my eyebrow.

"Those threats are similar to some of the monsters you guys fight though."

"No. They're not," 74 replied, waving her hand.

"They're practically like house flies to us. We've conquered significantly tougher opponents."

I rested my forearms against the table.

"Hmmm. I'm intrigued. How would you guys take down Teleiosaurus?"

"Do you have a file on it?"

I loaded up a video uploaded by a superhero of the fight. It wasn't long, and it was just a snippet, but I handed it to Thalia anyway.

Thalia inspected the video footage.

"The monster appears in the same spot every time?"

"Yeah."

The other War Dolls crowded around the screen.

"Several choke points in the terrain, Chief," 76 commented.

"Yes. The terrain can serve as an ambush point," 74 said, leaning back and repositioning the phone for everyone to see.

"This is a classic case of a Tripoint Execution. Terrain, Long-Range Incapacitation, and CQC takedown. Choke points will allow us to limit the target's mobility and set up tripwires and pitfalls to lock them in place. I notice right away that the targets are hormonally driven through rage, so scent emitters can also provide a point of control.

Thalia took out a napkin and drew a complicated-looking diagram in a matter of four seconds using a pen. I never realized how good of an artist she was.

"I would station 75 at position A here. A Barrett will be more than good enough for our purposes. Initiate the Eye of Azrael to detect vulnerable points, or if we have time, she may also do so through other methods. EMP rounds will jam any sensory equipment the targets use. Tranquilizer darts will weaken the target for high damage assaults.

"78 will plant several directional explosives and claymore mines in a matrix along the terrain shown here at Position B, C, D, and E..." 74 drew a grid of points.

"I would send 76 and myself to flank the targets at Pincer Positions F and G with high voltage tasers to paralyze them. During this stage, 78 will initiate the explosives to temporarily blind them, and 75 will aim for the weak spots. The mother dinosaur first, then the child dinosaur. 78 would initiate the remaining explosives to set off the secondary pit trap to bury the bodies upon confirmed kill. Extract."

74 handed the annotated diagram to me.

"I know you like to time your executions. I estimate it would take us fourteen seconds to defeat such an enemy. If we use Protocols, six seconds. However, in the first place, I wouldn't even eliminate the target if it is capable of such destruction. I would capture it and send it to SFA-Omicron for assessment so we could weaponize the monster. It sounds like a good asset for us for decoy tactics in future operations."

Well.

Shit.

"The forces of Qliphoth have historically been handled by the Heroes of this realm. There is no incentive for Muon to initiate a call to arms," Thalia said.

"Instead, we will camp here for the remainder of the day and night until opening the next morning. We have already pinpointed our targets. Ruby McSwipesALot will not steal another cardigan from me!"

76 stomped on the ground so hard the cement cracked.

"Chief. Our forces await your command and are at full strength with 78's return. We will not lose this battle again and disgrace Muon!"

75 raised her fist.

"Yeah! Screw that bitch! We've lost one too many battles already! We will not lose another!"

I whispered in 78's ear.

"You guys lost?"

"Yeah. In previous sales, we've always been able to snag 40% of our targets. However, 60% is always taken by an individual known as Ruby Espinoza. She brings her reinforcements, her cousins and friends in an act of defiance against us. We've lost the last 256 battles. We will not lose our 257th."

What the hell was I listening to?

"Surely you guys don't have to be that hardcore... right?"

76 flashed me a glare.

"Shopping is war."

Vinci jumped up and down.

"Yes. Especially when discounts are in place."

???

"Rest assured, Dainsleif," 74 put her hand on the table.

"This will not end up another loss for us. I have calculated everything down to the most minuscule detail. Every operation, no matter how insignificant it may seem, must be approached seriously. Relaxing invites habits that will creep into our critical missions. This is how we have been taught by Sergeant Hellion."

* * *

"I'm terribly sorry, girls. But we have to cancel our sale."

CLINCK. CLATTER CLATTER CLATTER.

Thalia dropped her night vision goggles, which clattered on the ground. I'd never seen her face so pale before.

"M- My first victory... impossible...!"

"WHAT?! Explain yourself, woman!" 76 grabbed the saleslady and shook her like a bobblehead.

"Well, you see, the effects of this invasion have spr- AH! Please let me go, miss! AAAH!"

76 had turned into an alcoholic husband.

Vinci, Garen, and 75 pried 76 off, while 78 gave the lady an inquisitive look.

"The Qliphothic Invasion shouldn't affect Greer & Harlick."

"I understand it may have seemed so, historically it never has. But for some reason, this time we had spotted a Nightmare Demolisher at our receiving area. We needed to call in a superhero."

"In other words..." I muttered.

The Greer & Harlick sale that we had stayed up two days for, scoping and analyzing our competition, our endless nights of camping and planning...

Was cancelled because of the Qliphoth?

Thalia lowered her head, her hands trembling.

"Arms..."

75 glanced at 74.

"Arms?"

The Chief Tactical War Doll of SFA-M looked up, her eyes glowing.

"INITIATING A CALL TO ARMS. SFA-MUON. WE WILL LAY WASTE TO OUR ENEMIES FOR RUINING OUR SALE."

19

"Team. We will initiate Operation IA-21," Thalia growled, crumpling the drink cup in her hand and marching toward the entrance of the store.

"Operation Ironclad Aegis? Isn't that a full defensive for emergencies?!" I exclaimed.

The Chief spun to me with a dangerous expression.

"This is an emergency. Our precious clothing retailer is in danger! I will inflict the most severe injuries to these Qliphothic beasts, they'll wish they were never created!!!"

"Oh. Okay," I replied, in a small voice.

Best not to piss this girl off any further.

Operation Ironclad Aegis.

A defensive perimeter that Muon had historically used to create an impregnable defence against hordes of enemies.

The first thing that was set up was the physical barriers. The girls used their cybernetic super-strength to lift entire cars, furniture, and barricades, fortifying entrances and windows. They also did the same at the entrance of the Powerhouse... which netted us a lot of weird looks. Several superheroes who were going there to retcon had to scoot around the girls as they did their thing.

Barbed wire lined the perimeter of the store all around along with traps, pitfall traps, bear traps and tripwires everywhere.

"Elf. Use Light Magic to hide the traps that 78 has set up," 74 ordered.

"...But the Elven looks down upon something like this, Thalia, the use of magic like this... it isn't graceful..." Garen protested.

74 glowered at Garen with a terrifying expression.

"Huh?"

"Luckily I'm not an Elf anymore! Trevyalen who? Haha!" Garen replied quickly.

Bro just sold his heritage away in an instant!

75 and 78 began setting up numerous sniper nests on the upper floors of the store.

"Manager. You will open the store to the outside," 74 said.

The manager gave 74 a confused expression.

"You're going to open us outside of the Powerhouse? That will make us more exposed to the invaders!"

"We cannot launch a counterattack with the store being housed in the Powerhouse. We have no space to kill our enemies."

"Little girls shouldn't be talking about killing!"

74 slammed her fist against the concrete wall, and cracks formed in response to the shockwave of her superhuman strength.

"I- I stand corrected... um... you have my full permission..."

The War Doll turned to a corner of the Powerhouse.

"Shadows."

A mass of darkness writhed out, causing several of the Powerhouse staff to freak out.

"What the hell is that?!"

Lady M74. How may we be of service?

"You will be our sentries. Each one of you shall initiate the Spartan Protocol."

As you command.

The Shadows began to twist and writhe, armour forming around them, and the chinks of their plate mail glowed a deep cyan. In their hands was a rifle.

It was singlehandedly the most badass and terrifying thing I had ever seen. A literal Intangible mass of darkness, ghost-like in appearance, yet armed with weaponry.

Thalia positioned the Shadows at the perimeter of the store to act as Guard Posts, as well as various Watchtowers that were built at vantage points.

I walked past several automatic turrets that 78 had set up all around.

"Um... you sure are going overkill with the traps for a bunch of monsters that probably aren't going to be a big deal..."

"This sale was very important for us, and we had it stolen from us by these Qliphothic idiots. We'll show them no mercy. Also, be careful not to set off the booby traps. I rigged them around the fake entrances I had built on the outer radial."

"How bad are the booby traps?"

"Well... you're human, so probably really bad. I set up several trip-wire-activated shotguns, grenades, automatic flamethrowers, and collapsing walls."

Sweet Buttery Jesus!

I walked past 76 and Vinci, my face pale.

"What's up with you? You look like you're gonna be sick," 76 said.

"Sorry, this is a little much, don't you think?"

"If seeing what 78 did is too much for you, you probably don't wanna know what 74 assigned me to do."

"What's that?"

"I was also assigned with decoys and diversions. So I put explosives, sirens, floodlights, and strobe lights in nearby buildings to disorient the creatures."

"..."

"Heya, Aaron!" 75 waved me over.

"Hey, Charlotte. What crazy shit did Thalia get you to do?"

"Layered Defense and Chokepoints. Funnelling the monsters in one passage will allow us to concentrate our firepower."

"Of course."

As if that wasn't overkill enough...

All of this took the girls under fifteen minutes to prepare.

I had absolutely no idea how they had managed to do all of this in fifteen minutes, but I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

This was the Black Legion we were talking about.

Each member was technically capable of taking over the world if they wanted to, that was our signature thing.

I stood next to 74, who was surveying the outside of Millennium City with a pair of high-power combat binoculars.

"How's the army, Chief?"

"Even if Hell itself invades Renaissance Center, our precious clothing retailer will remain unharmed."

"What about the rest of Millennium City?"

"I'm sure the police can handle it."

"..."

A few minutes later, 75 alerted us of the bogies.

"They're here."

A huge horde of Nightmares had appeared. I had never seen something like this before in Millennium City. There had to be...

Not in the hundreds... not in the thousands...

"What the hell...!?! Were there always this many when the Qliphoth invaded last time?! That's easily several hundred thousand of them right there!" A Hero gasped.

"No... something's off," another muttered.

"Begin Riftstorm Proxy maneuvers," 74 said.

"Okie dokey, Chief."

I watched 75 summon the Shadows and jammed her sniper into the mass, her eyes glowing.

Shadows appeared from the buildings that had acted as decoys, redirecting her sniper bullets to pierce the bigger Nightmares at unorthodox angles, practically shielding her position by acting as a proxy.

Larger enemies fell left and right.

The smaller enemies began tripping up the traps in the outer radial, sending a horde of them crashing down upon one another and creating chaos all around.

"You think they're being controlled by a hive mind?" I asked.

"No. Their behaviour suggests they act on instinct. Destruction. But this assault appears calculated, I imagine occultists are at work."

74 called 78 over.

"Scout the area for evidence of tacticians amongst the enemy ranks. Bring 76 with you. Dispatch with extreme prejudice."

"Affirmative, Chief."

74 looked onward at the horde.

They were starting to breach the outer line.

"Dainsleif, can you activate Building A and C to initiate a decoy?"

"Sure."

I took aim with my sniper and fired at the two points several kilometres away, activating the sound emitter which caused the armies to falter.

Right on queue, 75 flicked a switch, initiating the sentry guns at the decoy buildings to deploy. A massive storm of gunfire cut into the enemy lines from opposing directions, mowing them down in a pincer formation.

Hundreds of thousands had been reduced to several thousand in a matter of seconds.

"We outfitted the guns to use penetration rounds as per your suggestion, Dainsleif. Really good catch," 74 smiled.

"No problem. Glad to see you back to your usual-"

"Those Qliphoth will feel it straight into their ancestors. I will induce the most severe psychological trauma to their commanders. The word "shopping" will invoke the most critical of traumatic attacks imaginable for those bastards!"

"Ah."

The horde continued getting cut down until it was just several hundred remaining, which was still pretty bad, but it was better than before.

"Reduce the counterattack intensity," Thalia said.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"The horde has reduced such that our inner defensive rings can handle them."

"But wouldn't it be better to keep using the outers?"

"78 just informed me of the presence of several occultists. 76 and she initiated light combat with them and has deduced that they are capable of strategy. We will deceive them into believing this is the limit of our equipment and lead them straight into a full advance to our chokepoints. This is a battle of psychology as well."

A Demolisher roared, ripping chunks of the ground into the air.

75 took aim with her sniper.

"Dainsleif, split her bullets."

"Umm... Charlie is not gonna like that," I replied.

"Split them anyway. I'll just buy her nail polish after this is over."

I anticipated 75's sniper bullets. I had already analyzed her patterns. The next shot would appear...

At Building C.

I took aim with my sniper and fired at the first bullet that appeared, splitting it.

"AH!!! My shots! Who's the meanie who split my bullets?!" 75 wailed from the coms.

"We're redirecting to inner radial defenses. Allow the Demolisher to destroy the decoy leading to the chokepoint," 74 replied.

The Demolisher roared, throwing rocks that shattered the barricades we had set up. Enemies began to flood into the chokepoints.

Several automatic turrets had already engaged the enemy but were overwhelmed.

74 watched the feed intently.

What was she doing? The shop was gonna be overrun at this point.

"Ummm, Miss? They're going to get to our store!!!" A shop personnel yelped.

"Silence, fool."

"Y-Yes ma'am..."

74 took aim with her rifle, slotting in an auxiliary module to the side and signalled one of the Shadows to open the window.

"Let them accumulate."

I see what she was doing.

She was going to pile them in and take them all out in one blow.

The War Doll launched an object which collided with the horde, exploding in an orange fireball.

A mobile Molotov that burned the creatures en masse.

"Dainsleif, seal them in. Seal points Alpha, Beta, and Gamma."

I aimed my rifle and fired at the seal points Thalia had indicated through glowing lettering. The entrance of the tunnel collapsed, trapping the horde in as the flames consumed all of the oxygen, suffocating them.

The monsters hesitated in confusion as Thalia loaded another projectile into her grenadier launcher.

"Close the window once I fire this one."

Yes, my Lady.

PLINK.

Another orb flew into the decaying bodies, which blew open the barricade I had set up early and let loose a toxic bright yellow gas. The Shadow closed the window as I watched the bodies begin reanimating, growling and snarling at the opening that the explosive had created.

SCREEEEEEE!

The horde of zombified Nightmares chased after the other Nightmares, reanimating them as well in a ripple effect.

"Resume the counteroffensive," 74 instructed 75.

The Shadows pooled in front of us, revealing 76 and 78 who were covered in Nightmare blood.

"We dispatched the bastards," 76 said.

78 wrung out the blood from her tactical vest.

"Chief, we noticed something strange amongst the occultists. They seemed to be following orders from a leader. I interrogated one of them and managed to squeeze out a name."

"What is the name?"

"Lith."

"Lith?"

That name...

For some reason, it was giving me the heeby jeebies.

"Dainsleif, 78, with me. We will consult the Champions on this 'Lith'. 76, you will assume temporary command and make these filthy Qliphoth bastards bleed."

I glanced at 76 and noticed a new determination in her.

"Gladly, Chief."

I held my fist out to her.

"You got this, Vinci!"

76 looked away.

"I- I don't need you to tell me that! I've led before!"

I followed Thalia and Riho to the exit, but one of the personnel clutched Thalia by the arm.

"No! Don't go! You're the leader of this attack aren't you?! What kind of General just ups and leaves?!"

"My battle sister will assume command."

"Which one?"

"The one with red hair and green eyes."

The employee paled.

"Hey! What's with that reaction you little shit?!" 76 growled.

Riho reloaded her rifle and stocked up on supplies.

"Is this wise, Chief? We seem to be overly cautious. One Doll should be enough to seek Defender."

"No. I have a bad feeling about this - one of the Heroes mentioned this intensity is unusual for a Qliphothic invasion. We will not trade strategy for speed. 76, 75, and Garen will hold this line. I have full confidence in their ability to do so. We will fight our way to Defender and the others."

74 approached the main entrance of the store.

"Open the barricade."

A superhero, who had been caught in the attack gave Thalia a horrified expression.

"Open the barricade to that?! Are you crazy? Did you not see what the horde did to that Cosmic Level Tank? Tore him apart limb from limb and he had all of the Recognition equipment!"

"Open. The. Barricade."

The superhero gulped as she opened the barricade, releasing the store to the openness of the complete bloodbath of the warzone. The entire place had been corrupted with purple Qliphothic matter, and entire volcanos erupting with Nightmares had been spread all over the city.

"I've... I've never seen an invasion like this before. And I've fought many times in previous Qliphothic invasions. If you go out there you better make sure you have a tank and a healer-"

"78. Dainsleif. Advance."

The two of us obliged, ignoring the superhero's complaining as we marched forward.

78 and 74 gunned down enemies left and right while I took aim with my sidearm, shooting forward and picking off at a distance.

"78. Suit up."

"Affirmative."

78 pressed an object around her collar, which expanded and covered her body with a black Kevlar-like tactical suit. An aerodynamic and minimalistic mask covered her face, giving her massive Terminator vibes. The plating of the power armour was segmented, allowing maximum mobility.

It was like looking at something that clung onto her like a second skin, emphasizing her athletic build. The matte black surface was interspersed with segments of dark iridescent blue, giving off a predatory glint.

I glanced at 74 and noticed the exact same. It was as if I was looking at two predatory android assassin clones.

"The suit was recently issued in light of the events following 76's recent mission. Since I was given freedom on the tech the SFA uses. I sent in a priority ticket with Sergeant Hellion to have it made for us. Though it greatly enhances all of our senses, strength, durability, and speed, we cannot be too reliant on it," 74 said, the suit's helmet had distorted her voice, giving off a mechanical undertone.

"Do I get one?" I asked.

"You want a female suit?"

"N- No..."

74 laughed.

"I was just messing with you. I also sent in a request for yours, but it still hasn't been processed yet. There are a lot of intricacies in adapting our technology to a male's body. And a non-cyborg no-less. Rest assured, yours will arrive in due time."

The Chief pointed in the distance.

"The Champions building. It's under attack by a gargantuan beast."

I peered at the battle. Several superheroes had already engaged it in battle but were losing.

Many more were fleeing from it.

"Stop one," Thalia said.

Riho reached out and grabbed one of the superheroes running for his life and lifting him off his feet.

"HEY! LET ME GO YOU CRAZY KID!"

74 approached the superhero and eyed him face-to-face.

"Why are you running from that creature? Is fighting not standard protocol for these people?"

"There's no fighting that. It somehow got WAY stronger than usual. The only people who stayed were stubborn and were all tanks."

"Give me more details."

"It's all I know, kid! Just leave me be!"

78's eyes flashed dangerously.

"I can apply interrogation techniques, Chief."

"No. It would be a waste of time. Let this pathetic excuse of a superhero run. We will figure out a strategy ourselves," Thalia answered.

The three of us advanced to the building, where we found Defender and Witchcraft holding off the giant Nightmare chicken with all their might.

"HANGMAN! Why is it that every time something bad happens you're always involved, somehow?! You dare have the gall to stand before us as if you contributed anything to this society?" King Behemoth roared, marching toward me and breathing aggressively.

The smell of his breath made me wanna pass out.

"Without Aaron, your whole planet would have been destroyed a month ago, dog," Riho snarled, stepping in front of me.

The Furry took a step back.

"Why you... I am not a dog, I am an Alpha-"

"Did I ask? No? Then shut your trap, mutt."

Since when was Riho this savage?!

Defender hovered before us.

"Chat later. We need to take that thing out! Any ideas?!"

74 assessed the situation.

"76. What is the status of our artillery?"

76's voice buzzed in our communications.

"I can spare one round. What is the target?"

"Champions Building. A large Nightmare form akin to an avian species. Stand by for further instructions."

"Understood."

Thalia took aim with her sidearm and fired, the bullet glancing off the monster's skeletal body. A small bone fragment popped off, only to be reattached by a strange pulsating energy from deep inside its frame.

"It has a core," I observed.

"If we weaken the core, it won't be able to regenerate itself," 74 said.

"We can defeat this monster through catastrophic failure, basically," I followed up, pointing at the core.

"Slow its regeneration, deal enough damage to the point where it can't recover fast enough, and it'll reach a point where recovery is impossible. Your artillery could achieve that, but only if we weaken its core."

Defender paused for a few seconds.

"Any ideas on how to weaken its core, Beth?"

Witchcraft pursed her lips, watching the tanks stubbornly try to hold off the monster to no avail. Was it for honour? Ego?

Honestly, the superheroes in this world were feckin' weird.

"I know of a spell that could, in theory. But it will require more than one person to help with it. And it assumes the target is stationary, which isn't happening. This monster can use Void Shift."

I looked at Thalia.

"Can we bring Garen here?"

The Chief nodded.

"75. Requesting permission to port Trevyalen to my position. His magic is needed."

"Understood, Chief. Garen, you're up!" 75 said, from her coms.

"What?! No! I don't wanna leave your side, it's scary out there."

"Just go, you big baby!"

"I'll miss you though."

"...R- Really? Ah... gosh... I mean- hey! What are you trying to pull?! Get in the Shadows, you moron!"

"Damn, I thought that would work..."

Nice try, you idiot Elf.

A few seconds later, Garen appeared from a mass of writhing Shadows.

"Hi, guys. Can I go home now?"

"Elf, you will assist Duquesne in preparation for a weakening spell. Initiate the spell on my signal," Thalia said.

78 analyzed the monster.

"How will we immobilize it? The monster also appears to be spawning a lot of smaller Nightmares."

74 turned to the chaos.

"Time is of the essence... and I don't want to spend extra resources given the urgency of this situation. Dainsleif will immobilize it his way. 78, you and I will assist by providing cover fire."

The War Doll handed me a mana syringe.

"Thirty seconds of magic usage. This should be enough to take that thing to its knees and will not overburden your recovering body. Let me know if this is too risky for you, Dainsleif. Safety over anything."

"I'll take that chicken down."

I pressed the syringe into the slot on my prosthetic arm, feeling a surge of strength in my body.

Become a symbol of terror to these deities. I will make you the sharpest sword in existence, one who cuts down divine flesh. You will be my Dainsleif.

My eyes widened.

Elementary Electricity Magic: AUGMENTUS

Convocatio: TURRICALUM TRIFOLD

Three DS35's appeared around me as I hopped on one, taking to the air.

"Well well well. Look what the local KFC dragged in!" I taunted.

ROAAAAAAAAR!

I summoned my Draugr and took aim, firing at a joint in its leg and causing the creature to buckle. The Nightmare responded with a blast of energy.

Convocatio: No Summoning

A portal to the summoning realm opened, absorbing the energy fire and redirecting it to its back.

The creature stumbled forward right into a Spitfire Shotgun blast.

SCREEEEE!

I blinked to its open mouth, unloading M134 minigun fire at the orifice. The electrified shells temporarily stunned the creature.

"You and you! Tie it down!" I shouted at my sentries as the DS35's wrapped a tight cable around the monster, bringing it down.

I dropped to the ground.

"HEY! Chicken fiends! Over here!" I stuck my middle finger at the smaller guys, who screamed in rage.

Elementary Light Magic: Distortion Artifacts

I created several mirages of myself, lining them up at the feet of the creature. The mindless entities began blasting and biting into the illusions at a range, but they ended up chunking away at the larger Nightmare chicken itself.

The chicken shrieked, but I held up my hand, a purple magic circle forming around it.

Elementary Sound Magic: SILENCIO

No sound came out of the creature's mouth, keeping it from telling its spawn to stop pecking away at its feet.

I flew to the top again, my hand raised into the air.

Convocatio: Gun Summoning - Ultimate Caliga WA5000MX

A massive anti-aircraft rifle manifested from a red magic circle as I aimed the weapon at the monster's backside.

The monster reared its body, bending itself up, but I fired a shot that shook the entire city.

"What the hell kinda gun is that?!" Defender exclaimed.

"The Caliga."

"What? After the Crowned Avenger?"

"Yeah. 'Cuz it hits hard."

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

The monster shattered in response to each shot, its core healing over and over again.

"That's terrifying, but the monster is still healing!"

"I know, but the point is to lay the mofo flat."

"Flat? For what?"

I put my hand to my throat.

Elementary Sound Magic: AMPLIFICA

"Monster's secure! Send it!" I shouted, my voice amplified by the sound magic.

74 and 78 ceased fire.

"Garen, you are free to initiate the spell."

Garen and Witchcraft unveiled themselves from a light magic cloak, revealing a heavily intricate magic circle.

Intermediate Eldritch Magic: Sigils of Ebon Weakness

Six sigils appeared around the monster.

"76. You are clear to fire," Thalia ordered, through the coms device.

"Affirmative."

I took aim with my Caliga from above, ignoring the flock of monsters that were trying to shoot me down, because I knew 78 was protecting me.

KRA-KOOM.

A blast of light erupted from the massive Nightmare, causing it to shriek as loud as possible.

"It's... it's not dead...!" Defender gasped, but I cocked my Caliga back.

"Time of elimination... 28 seconds."

BOOM.

The massive Nightmare exploded in a mass of shattered bone and hide, leaving behind a horde of corpses and fleeing little Nightmares that broke in response to the death.

"Target destroyed. Confirmed kill," Thalia beckoned me down.

My mana had been expended, just in time as my DS35 disappeared.

"Hell yeah, you see that, folks? This is why you should stop calling me the Lecher of Millennium Cit- AAAH!"

I stumbled, falling as 78 leaped in the air, catching me like a princess.

"How adorable, Princess Dainsleif. Good work," The War Doll smiled.

"Can it, Riho."

"Hahahaha!"

War Doll and Outer Shadow landed on the ground before 74-M, who shouldered her rifle before Defender.

"Now. Let us hold a brief conference regarding the state of this invasion."

* * *

78 tapped her collar as the mask detached itself from her face, revealing Riho with a pair of earbuds on.

"WHA- You were listening to music this entire time?!" I snapped.

Riho gave me a confused look.

"Huh? What's wrong with that? I like listening to music."

"During an invasion?!"

"Wanna listen? It's one of my singles, Sadistic Boyfriend."

What kind of song name was that?!

74 ignored the two of us and sat in front of Defender. A group of superheroes were using the Champions Building as refuge alongside other civilians.

"Hey, what happened to Garen?" I asked.

"I sent him back to 75. Wouldn't want her to spend the rest of the operation worrying about her precious 'Dummy Long Ears'."

"That is an adorable nickname."

"I know, right? Haha."

Defender took off his helmet, sighing a sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad you guys showed up. I don't know how much longer we would have lasted, honestly."

One of the tanks made a sour expression.

"We were doing just fine."

Pfft.

Sure you were.

Tell that to your sweat glands which were probably working overtime.

74 put her hand on the table.

"Defender, I have received multiple accounts indicating that this invasion is markedly different from previous encounters. Can you provide further elaboration on this?"

Defender nervously bit back his lip, glancing at Witchcraft.

The superheroine gestured for everyone to leave the room while closing and locking the doors.

"Miss Atlai, does this have anything to do with the Black Legion Organization?"

Thalia pursed her lips.

"I am unsure. But one of my Dolls said the enemy mentioned a name. Lith. Does that name ring any bells?"

Witchcraft shook her head.

"No. It doesn't."

Damn.

Then... there was a chance that this Lith might be part of the reason why this invasion was different. And given the circumstances of recent events with the Nine Sons...

Lith might be connected to Loyce.

I would give my left testicle away if it meant not dealing with a Son at the moment.

"Are you sure? I mean, there's always history that you guys don't know," I said.

Witchcraft put a hand to her chin, thinking intently.

"There is one person who might know."

74 leaned forward.

"Who is that? And how can we contact them?"

"A seer. She goes by the name Noctua and is actually a well-known member of the magic community, albeit very controversial. She is situated in an area that is heavily infested with the Qliphoth."

My intrigue rose.

"Why was she so controversial?"

Witchcraft's expression soured.

"Because she uses a very dangerous form of magic. It's a magic that is forbidden amongst all magic users in the community. In my many years in Millennium City, I've never seen a single person use it other than Noctua, not even my own family uses it. It involves selling your own soul to a dimension known as The Astralum, a realm where reason breaks down due to it being a realm of pure chaos and psychic energy. Her kind has been called many names, but to those who are veterans in the magic community, we know her as The Astralumpath.

"I can't recommend Noctua to anybody. Her powers are wildly unpredictable... If you go to consult her... you need to be prepared to kill her if she does anything risky. I normally wouldn't even bring up Noctua's existence to anyone, but I recognize your strength, Hangman. And your friends here are associates of the Black Legion Organization, so I assume they are also very competent."

An Astralumpath... wouldn't that just be a Psiker?

"Psst. Hey. Thalia, can't we just get Galeo in here?"

74 glanced at me.

"I thought the same thing. But we cannot consult Outer Shadow Sixshot. After our battle with Porta, he was reassigned to other matters regarding the Vessels of Vala alongside the rest of Lord Crassman's Outer Shadows. We cannot rely on his connection to the Aether to inquire. Noctua is our best bet."

I didn't like how Bethany had essentially described Noctua as a ticking time bomb, but if it provided us some insight as to the situation of Millennium City we could get some idea of what our enemy might be. And save this world again.

The three of us headed for the door, except we had an extra guest.

"Ummm, what are you doing?" I asked Witchcraft.

"Just because I said you're strong doesn't mean I'm not going to come along with you. I have zero faith that you wouldn't cause an incident with Noctua like you have with the others."

"Others? The hell is that supposed to mean?"

"At this rate, the number of offences you have caused would make someone believe you were a supervillain, not a superhero who registered to UNITY."

I turned to 78 and 74.

"Come on guys, back me up here."

The girls shrugged their shoulders.

"Nope, she's spot on," 78 said.

"I thought you got fired from UNITY for trying to kill Doctor Destroyer?" 74 asked.

Witchcraft facepalmed.

"Right, I forgot. You're not even a superhero anymore. Having you go to Noctua is a crime in itself! No. Absolutely not. I am coming with you. Defender, take care of yourself."

Defender nodded.

"You too Beth. You're in good hands."

The superhero glanced at me.

"Ermm... well. Mostly good hands."

I'm gonna piss on every Defender statue I see!

Witchcraft brought us to a ritualistic circle in her office.

"The path to Noctua is a highly dangerous one. For extra precautions, I've applied a protection seal on each one of you."

"Thanks," I said.

Bethany studied me as we stepped into the portal.

"Aaron."

"What's up?"

"To seek Noctua is... actually highly taboo. I might be scorned for it. And as a magic practitioner yourself, you will be too. I'm not asking for anything from you, I am telling you these things in case you ever consider wielding the Astralum. Please... please please please do not. No matter how powerful the magic is."

I raised an eyebrow.

"You're talking as if I would actually consider it. I'm not stupid enough to sell my soul to any devils for power."

I pressed my fist against my chest.

"All you see here is good honest work. Just as I did, back in Trion. Don't worry. I saved you guys back then, I'll do it again. There's nothing to worry about."

Witchcraft smiled warmly.

"Thank you, Aaron. As silly as you let on, you really are one of the most dependable people I've ever met."

We made our way to the portal, porting us to a different region. But the chaos was still all too familiar. Entire buildings had been destroyed by the Qliphoth, and the sky retained its purple hue.

Monsters swarmed the roads and seemed to be heading toward a cathedral-like church that appeared covered in chains and barricades.

"The Temple of Neomus. Home of Noctua. We're gonna be facing entire hordes of Nightmares from here on out. So I hope you guys are ready for a fight," Witchcraft said.

74 and 78 put their masks on, bracing their rifles.

"Is there a way to approach the temple without fighting? Do these Nightmares have any extra senses that would cover their blindspots?" Thalia asked.

Witchcraft blinked.

"I- don't think so."

"Good. Then we will follow a trajectory that involves the least amount of fighting. I will be the frontman. Dainsleif, rear guard. Witchcraft, you will flank. 78 will dual onward and side supports."

74 led us through an intricate pathway, utilizing the maximum amount of cover possible. Her movements were refined, fluid, and honed, as if she had been here many times in the past, and only executing movements through rehearsal.

Only a glimpse was enough for her to pinpoint areas of cover. The degree to which she was able to do so rivalled my own back when I still went by the God Eater alias.

"Shh. Bogies 1 o'clock," Thalia raised her hand.

I took aim with my suppressor. 74 knelt next to me, speaking in a low voice.

"Left target will be yours. Right target will be mine. On my mark. Fire. Fire. Fire."

SNIP. SNIP.

Right on queue, 78 advanced, dragging the bodies away and tossing them into a corner.

"Advance," 78 said, taking up the position of frontman and doing the same thing. Rehearsed and fluid.

Witchcraft blinked, probably still in complete culture shock from the efficiency of the team.

"You girls are so coordinated. I don't think I've met anyone with this level of teamwork. It's beyond admirable for kids your age."

74 momentarily faced the superhero through her tactical mask. I couldn't tell what expression she was making since her face was concealed. They really did think of everything. In case there would be someone who could read their attacks through their facial expressions, the power armour would conceal it. If there was anyone who would specifically target a War Doll, there was virtually no way they could, since the armour was virtually identical, and they had full freedom to adjust their hairstyles through Tactical Hairspray and Extensions.

76's capture impacted 74 greatly to the point where she personally requested a measure like this.

76 had once asked me what she did differently from 74... what made 74 more fit to be the Chief.

I think this was it. This level of care and worry for her people. To Thalia, the Dolls in Muon... Garen... and I... we weren't just subordinates or even allies.

We were battle sisters and brothers.

If even one of us was hurt, then good fucking luck to the person who pissed off our Chief. Because among the Nightmares that made up this invasion, not a single one would compare to the nightmare that was Thalia's wrath.

"We aren't the ones you should be complimenting. You should be complimenting the man who taught us. He is the admirable one. But I will keep his identity confidential."

Witchcraft smiled.

"You must be very proud to serve such a man."

"Undoubtably. I will give my life in service to his cause. That is what defines a War Doll."

We arrived at the first roadblock.

"They're trying to drill inside," Thalia muttered.

"It looks magic in origin, Witch, can you provide intel on this?" Riho asked.

Witchcraft focused on the magic drill, which was emitting a silvery blue beam at the entrance of the Temple.

"The Temple is heavily guarded by the energies of the Astralum! They don't know what they're doing!"

74 knelt down next to Witchcraft.

"Explain."

Witchcraft's face paled.

"They're trying to penetrate the barrier that keeps the Temple safe, but the more they drill the more of the Astralum is being channeled to counteract it. If the Astralum is used beyond the limits of its wielder, we could suffer a catastrophe!"

"Chief, Dainsleif, do you two have a plan?" 78 asked.

Thalia surveyed the area.

"Several dozen Nightmares flank the drill, but the drill appears to have several points of leverage. I don't know if we have a means to deactivate the drill and initiate a force shutdown. We can initiate a structural collapse of those two pillars there and there," The War Doll pointed at two vulnerabilities.

"This will cut down their members and provide us with natural cover. We can pick off the rest."

"But what about the drill? That's three points of leverage we need to take out if we can't shut it down," Witchcraft asked.

"We only need to take out one," I said.

I drew a diagram in the dirt.

"Three points of leverage means the drill operates on triangulation, minimum constraint. Only one leg needs to be removed for the structure to be unstable. I can shoot it down, but I'll need cover."

"I'll protect you. Get it done," 78 said.

74 gestured Witchcraft to come over.

"You are with me. We will deal with the horde. 78, Dainsleif, take action upon my signal."

I advanced with Riho by my side, the two of us crawling forward and burying ourselves in the dirt of the barren nightmarish streets.

Fight only if necessary.

And take full advantage of them not knowing we were there.

That was the essence of guerilla tactical warfare.

"Sound emitter has been planted on the opposite side. When I activate it, you can destroy the leverage point. Let's wait for 74 to initiate that distraction," 78 instructed.

"Sounds good."

"This reminds me of the time when the Ghosts invaded. Do you remember?"

I glanced at Riho. I still couldn't really tell what expression she was making under that mask, but I had a feeling she was probably smiling.

"Which part? The part where I was giving you headaches or the part where we had 75 act as our sniper?"

"Both parts. I got to know you a little bit, just you and me. Without the others."

"I wish I could say times were simpler back then, but they really weren't, haha."

78 scoped in on her rifle, surveying the battlefield.

"For me, every operation is the same. Sure, the enemies are different, but it's always just been the same schtick. Survey, initiate, fight. Win. Repeat. But... things definitely felt different when 77-M died. It all just felt so real. Like I could be next, almost."

"I'll make sure it doesn't happen again. I saved 76, didn't I?"

I put a hand on Riho's shoulder, startling her.

"You protect me, and I'll protect you."

"..."

I quickly pulled away.

What the hell was wrong with me? These were the exact same words I had used for Sarah... our pact together when I proposed to her.

We would protect each other...

How could I so carelessly-

"Does speaking to me make you feel unfaithful to her?"

I gawked at 78, unable to hide my realization.

"N- No..."

"Aaron, every War Doll is trained in analysis, it isn't just 75 who knows how to read people."

I pursed my lips.

"Right now, I don't know what to think. Sarah is dead. But... there's a chance to bring her back to life through the liberation of Tiamar. I know it's selfish and I'm finding every excuse I can to try to follow through with it. I just..."

I closed my eyes.

"I promised her so many things and in the end she died, by her sister. I feel like the biggest piece of shit to just move on to someone else after doing something like that."

"How you talk about Auxiliary Shadow Ultear tells me... this isn't the first time you hurt her. Sorry if I am speaking out of line, feel free to stop me if I am."

"No. No, you're right. I did."

78 scooted next to me. In her War Doll form, she looked so small that she could easily pass as my little sister. It felt weird to seek counsel from a kid...

Suddenly, 78's body began smoking, growing in size as her frame became more curvaceous, accentuating her features until she was taller and bigger.

"Do you feel comfortable sharing when I'm like this?" The War Doll asked.

I sighed, resting my chin against the back of my hand.

"Riho, even if I do move on from Sarah, I'm not the type of guy you wanna be with. There's a lot of flaws in me that you don't see."

"Like what?"

"Eugh... you..."

78 gently laughed.

"I was teasing you, Aaron. But... there isn't a single person I have met who has been perfect. I went out of line when I slapped the Chief that day when 77 died."

I ran my hand over my scar.

"Back when I was still an S+ Ranked Outer Shadow, I initiated a hit on Jekyll. At the time, we were instructed to eliminate him since we suspected he might have been a Vessel candidate. We weren't aware he had already awakened a portion of Vala's power. I was overconfident and didn't think once about teamwork. I sent my team to take him down. We lost viciously... the only reason why we were able to make it out was because of June, who ended up getting shot in the head."

Riho listened intently.

"The story of Jubilee... I know about it."

"Her death destroyed me. Really did. I basically got a kid killed on duty... for me, it was the absolute worst feeling in the world. And I was at the lowest of the low. I still remember how June's mother threw the cash that Master Jun had prepared based on her world's customs... she threw the cash at my chest. The shrieks of horror realizing her little girl wasn't coming home. She demanded I explain in detail her death, and the more detailed it became, the more inhumane her screams were. I was psychologically damaged to no extent. But it wasn't just me."

My mind flashed back to Sarah, the blank and soulless expression on her face that had returned after that fateful mission.

"At the time, I knew Sarah had developed a crush on me. I'm not a dense idiot, I could tell from the hints she kept giving me, but she was too stubborn to admit it. When June died, we both couldn't take it anymore. We needed something... anything. So we started a relationship. A sexual one. Not even based on any compatibility, nothing. We used each other because we were both hurting. At some point, I realized what I had done... I was taking advantage of our vulnerabilities."

Sarah's vulnerabilities and mine...

The scent of the pillow had been marked with the lavender of her hair. Still remember it to this day.

"I was disgusted with myself. But, I went about it all wrong. I basically ghosted her and avoided her entirely. In an attempt to cut the 'relationship' short, I did everything I could to post her in positions where she would be as far away from us as possible. This continued... all the way until the day Loyce announced his betrayal."

"...So it was recent. I'm... so sorry... I didn't mean to push you to open up like that."

"No, you're fine."

I sighed.

"I betrayed her, over and over again, yet she still wanted me. When I asked if I could get a second chance, she accepted right away. So I made promise after promise, making sure she would be the happiest girl in the world. Yet... in the end, I couldn't protect her from her own sister."

"Can I see your scar?"

"What?"

Riho reached out and ran her hand over the scar on my face. It felt like a million volts had just surged through my body from her touch.

"I can't force you to be with me. But I also can't force myself to not have feelings for you. I want to keep trying. You accepted my flaws, and I will accept yours. This isn't me saying I want to move in on your girl, but if you ever want to give love another go, just know I will always be waiting."

"Pfft. You say that like you got a chance, Pop Star."

"Hehe. Give it a few years. When we're in our twenties, it isn't uncommon, you know. A three-year age gap."

I looked away, back at the battlefield.

"A part of me feels like I should move on from Sarah. Reviving someone from the dead is selfish and unethical, and I feel like I've had this conversation before. During my fragmented memory recollection. But... I just want to be able to talk to her one more time, to apologize. Even if she is a ghost. I want to know what she wants. Will she be okay if I move on from her..."

"Five years."

"Huh?"

78 took off her mask, revealing her older face in all its beauty.

"In five years, if we are both single and you feel comfortable, I will try again."

"Try what again?"

The War Doll poked at my forehead.

"Figure it out, I thought you said you weren't dense? I'll also request Sergeant Hellion to remove my War Doll form. The state you see me in right now will be a more permanent state."

"I... don't know what to say."

"You don't need to. Just know I'm not someone who gives up easily. You may not be Mister Perfect, but you're a lot more than you think you are, Aaron. And the way you speak to me shows that you see me more than just my body. I appreciate that in ways you might not realize."

BZZT BZZT.

"78. Dainsleif. Standby for the first wave of assault."

78 put her mask back on, her body transforming into its compact configuration.

"Standby."

"Initiate the attack."

78 flipped a switch on her suit, activating the sound maker as I took aim with my rifle, unloading a barrage at the leverage point.

The drill groaned, sending the beam up into the air and skewed away from the field.

Several Nightmares turned to us in a frenzy, but explosions set off left and right, killing their ranks and sending them into a state of confusion.

Right on queue, Riho gunned down the monsters during the state of disarray, cutting them down.

74 and Witchcraft regrouped with us.

"Is it over?" I asked.

"No," Thalia grimaced, looking onward.

"They're launching a counterattack. We've prodded a critical area for their operations."

"Ummm, then what do we do?"

74 reloaded her rifle.

"We hold this position. And drive the bastards back."

Several dark portals manifested before us, hordes of enemies approaching us.

78 darted forward like an arrow straight to one of the Demolishers, who braced itself, but 74 took aim and disabled all six of the monster's limbs, opening him up for the War Doll to scale the beast and stuff her rifle barrel into its mouth.

78 unloaded a barrage of bullets, killing the Demolisher and using its body as cover to gun down Nightmares all around.

I spun around, dual-wielding my two pistols and firing left and right.

One of the monsters shrieked into the sky. My hand hovered over a magazine in my vest. No.

There's no time.

"SENTRY!" I shouted.

74 acknowledged, stomping on the ground with her superhuman strength and sending several Nightmares airborne. The Chief War Doll spun around with her sidearm and took aim, eliminating the sentry from a distance.

78 followed up with a burst of gunfire, mowing down the airborne Nightmares before they could even recover. It was like watching my Six Hands Combination Style, except far more rehearsed and fluid, executed through combination moves of multiple War Dolls.

More and more Nightmares flooded in as 78 reached behind her power armour and pulled out a strap.

I took aim with my rifle, but 74 grabbed my barrel and stopped me from firing.

"Hey! What are you-"

"Yield. On my signal."

78 tossed the strap out, pressing a switch on her bracer and activating the floodlights that blinded all the Nightmares in a circumference.

"Now!" Thalia shouted at us, as we retaliated with our attacks at full force, pushing the enemies back through a storm of gunfire and magic blasts. The smaller Nightmares had stopped spawning, as the enemy composition had changed to mostly the big guys.

They were now incentivized to send exclusively their heavy hitters after losing too many of their smaller guys.

Demolishers began to make their way in, but they were unable to fit in the space that 74 and Witchcraft had rerouted. By demolishing the vulnerabilities, the drill had been covered by a roof of debris.

Portals couldn't form to fit the Demolishers in unless they caved the structures, risking the destruction of the drill.

Thalia had it completely thought out before executing the plan.

The four of us continued pooling our firepower at the chokepoint that the structure had introduced, cutting down the Nightmares until the horde dispersed, falling back.

"Threat neutralized," 74 said, pointing her barrel into the air.

The rifle was still smoking as I watched the War Doll approach the entrance of the Temple.

A pair of enormous doors barred us from reaching Noctua.

"Astralumpath Noctua! We have come to seek your council!" Thalia shouted, taking off her mask.

...

Moments later, a frail-looking man opened the door. He was shirtless, save for several strange runic lettering that lined his entire body. His eyes were covered in a black marking that looked like eyeliner.

The man made eye contact with the War Doll.

"By Orogtha... it is you..."

74 raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? Was our presence foretold?"

The man weakly lifted a finger to each one of us.

"A sorceress bound to justice. A boy whose past is his poison. And two girls of flesh and steel. Our Lady spoke this."

I glanced nervously at 74.

"Uhhh, on second thought, maybe finding Noctua wasn't such a grand idea after all."

"We're already here."

74 stepped forward, facing upward to the man.

"Bring us to your Lady."

"No... no, we cannot do that. Our Lady is busy."

"Your Lady predicted we would come here."

"But she never said she would help. She has much to do. Many things."

The Chief War Doll's face darkened.

"Your world is in danger, a threat looms that has intensified the attack of the Qliphothic Invasion. Surely Noctua is aware of this. We're offering our assistance, but we cannot help if we do not know who are enemy is."

The man trembled, his breathing erratic.

"Child of Slipstream, Lady Noctua shall not be involved with your affairs."

A vein bulged from my forehead.

"Buddy. We just saved your asses, and this is how you repay us? By telling us to take a hike? I dunno who Noctua is, but if she's as smart as you let on, then she should know that if we hadn't intervened you guys would turn into a black hole of bad decisions."

The man hissed.

"Heretic. I shall give no riposte to a man who bares his teeth to gods."

"I bare my teeth to them because I can kill 'em. If you wanna keep pissing me off maybe I'll put you in my sights too."

Witchcraft interrupted me.

"Please. We just want to ask Lady Noctua a few questions. From sorceress to sorceress."

The man scowled.

"Even if the daughter of the Duquesne Bloodline were to ask, I will not allow-"

"Duquesne. Hope. Atlai. Shinohara. You have done us a great favour, for that, I thank you," an old woman's voice said from the shadows.

The man yelped.

"My Lady! It isn't safe! Go back inside-"

The woman made eye contact with Thalia.

"You seek my knowledge on the nature of this foe. Why? To what does the Black Legion want from us that it would warrant an Elite Tier A+ Ranked Outer Shadow to personally step foot on my domain?"

I was half expecting Thalia to respond with a deadpan Jojo Reference expression "shopping". But...

74 didn't respond at all.

Her eyes were glued to Noctua's gaze, seemingly in a trance.

Suddenly, 74 stumbled forward, causing me to jolt forward and catch her.

"Thalia!"

78 instantly drew her sidearm, pointing it at Noctua's forehead. The man panicked, a sneer on his face, but Riho drew another sidearm and pointed it at the man.

"What did you do to our Chief? You will comply, or I will execute your Lady and you at the same time."

Noctua gave 74 a weird expression.

"My dear. I am terribly sorry you had to see that."

74 panted, clutching her forehead.

"What was that? A vision?"

"Visions are relative. No one can properly decipher prophecy. But it seems in your case, it appears as clear as crystal. The fate of the one called Outer Shadow M74."

78 glared at Noctua.

"Explain. Now."

I continued holding onto Thalia.

"Thalia, hey. Take it easy. What did you see?"

74's eyes were still wide in shock, her breathing was erratic. I've never seen her act like this... aside from that time...

77-M was killed right in front of her.

"Thalia... did something happen to one of us?"

"N- No... but... something happened... how long was I out?"

"How long? 74, you looked at her for a split second and then you collapsed."

78 gritted her teeth, her face dripping with malicious intent.

"What did you show my Chief? SPIT IT OUT."

Noctua sighed, as a sliver of energy wrapped itself around the War Doll's guns, disarming her instantly.

"Simply a glimpse. But the future is always shrouded in metaphor. For what it's wort-"

"Disarming me is not enough to keep you safe. I can kill you in forty-seven different ways in this scenario. You will comply."

The Astralumpath glanced at us nervously.

"Most visions are cryptic. It may have double meanings because it is shrouded in metaphors and symbolism. But the vision your chief had seen, even by my standards, is clear. No amount of analysis is needed to interpret the symbols. The service of Tactical War Doll 74-M...

"Will tragically be terminated soon."

20

I stared at Thalia for a good thirty seconds.

Tragically...

Terminated...

I mean... to be terminated, that didn't immediately mean death, right? But...

But Noctua used the word "tragically".

But maybe "tragically" as in someone else could die?

I couldn't just wish death on someone else. It was such a scumbag way of thinking, but right now, anyone...

Please, anyone but the people I cared about.

I'm not a good person. I know that more than anyone.

I don't care... I don't care about anyone else but these guys.

Aaron, look at me.

I am not June. You are sending no one to their deaths.

Those were Thalia's words during Evangelion's bout. That day when she made the decision to bear the full force of the Inner Shadow's Hinokami Flame for all of us.

I remembered how sick I felt, hearing that.

Aaron, look at me.

This was the first time she called me by my first name, and not my Black Legion Codename "Dainsleif".

"Aaron, look at me."

What would SFA-Muon be without their Chief? What would...

What would my life be like without my friend?

"Aaron, look at me."

No. There had to be a double meaning. There had to be. I had an IQ of over 200, don't tell me this was the limit of my-

BONK.

"OW!" I exclaimed, crouching before 74-M, who crossed her arms.

"Three times you ignored your Chief. That's three hundred pushups when we get back, for your information."

"Thalia, you-"

"This conversation is over."

"But-"

74 knelt in front of me.

"We came here to inquire about Lith. That is what we will do. We will handle other matters when we have bandwidth. But there is no point worrying about something if it interferes with the task at hand. You know this."

"..."

I slowly stood up, waves of nausea were slamming into me like a truck, but I felt a tingle in my fingers as 78 laced her fingers with mine. She was still in her older form.

"Hey. The Chief is tougher than some dumb prophecy. This isn't the first time she's had to face something like this."

"I feel like you're just saying that."

"No. I can testify to the strength of our platoon's commander. And, maybe to some degree, I am."

I grimaced, turning back to Thalia.

"Does this not bother you at all?"

78 let go of my hand.

"Of course it does. It never is a feeling I will ever get used to. But we have a duty, Aaron. As War Dolls, and as Shadows to the Black Legion. Let's focus on the task, okay?"

"...Alright."

"Good boy. Have a cookie."

"Do not call me that again!"

"Haha!"

74 approached Noctua.

"Tell us about the nature of this enemy. Have you looked into it with the Astralum?"

Noctua narrowed her eyes at the War Doll.

"Duquesne surely has warned you of the effects of the Astralum, yet you, without hesitation would consult me?"

"If you do anything that risks the safety of this world, I will kill you myself."

A small smile appeared on The Astralumpath's face.

"I see. Then come with me, War Doll."

The group entered a large set of doors, revealing a massive circle of glowing orbs.

"My Lady, this is beyond dangerous. You have peered at this entity before, and it nearly cost you your life! Why must you risk yourself for these people you just met?"

Noctua turned to her subordinate, then to us.

"No one can stop this threat. No one in this world. A threat that exceeds anything we have encountered since the arrival of The True Demon and Dasc Osa. You are widely respected by both your subordinates and The God-Eater for your ability to strategize. Tell me, War Doll, how would you approach an enemy whose very existence opposes Change."

"Change?"

The Astralumpath sat down, slitting her hand and letting the droplets fall into a pool. The purple murky water suddenly turned a bright red, glowing with a sinister hue that illuminated the entire room.

A strange symbol appeared in the water.

"This is the mark of Lith."

"A mark? So Lith isn't a person?" I asked.

"Lith is an abstract. An entity of pure concept. The Astralum tells me that though he is an abstract, his very essence comes from a being greater. A name had arisen from the voices of the realm."

"A being greater?" My voice trailed away.

"Yes. A connection. A familial one."

I really didn't like where this was headed.

"Would... this connection be... father and son?"

Noctua stared at me.

"You know of this connection?"

Fuck!

"Noctua, do you know the full name of the entity?"

"They called him... Lith, the Third Son of The Still."

Another Son of Loyce?!

"We're cooked..." I muttered.

Witchcraft's face paled.

"Again? Is it anywhere close to Dasc Osa?"

"Worse. Much much worse. We're dealing with one of the Nine Sons. We encountered one... he went by the name Loycael, and we barely made it out alive. We had to run for it. Now we're told a Third Son is out there, and not only that, it's practically an abstract."

"Lith represents the concept of being still. Any extension to this concept can be and will be wielded by the entity. I imagine that was the reason behind the increased strength of the Qliphothic horrors," Noctua said.

"But this doesn't explain the nature of the invasion. If Lith's existence opposes change, wouldn't the notion of being an outlier invasion be exactly that? How is Lith able to pull something like this?" 78 asked.

74 pursed her lips.

"We cannot fight this entity with our weapons. We need to consult a narrative solution."

I raised my hand.

"I could call in John again."

"We cannot. Lord Crassman is busy facilitating an investigation on the Vessels of Vala alongside his Outer Shadows. We cannot interfere with his operations. The Vessels are a separate battle all on their own," Thalia reminded me.

Dammit.

What were we gonna do?

"Come in, 76 to Muon," our coms buzzed.

Thalia pressed the module on the side of her exposed helmet.

"This is 74, receiving."

"We have successfully repelled the attack. Requesting orders."

"Standby. 78, provide a briefing to 76."

78 nodded.

"Affirmative."

The War Doll walked off, briefing 76 on the situation.

74 examined the room.

"We have repelled the invasion locally, but the threat of Lith still persists. I want to revisit this once we have additional weaponry that can combat an opponent like this. I imagine with the reduced enemy concentration you don't need to expend as much of the Astralum to hold them off?"

Noctua nodded.

"Correct."

"Then we will be heading out. Noctua, it would benefit us to speak again to discuss this tactically. Can you provide a waypoint for transportation in the future?"

"Very well."

Witchcraft didn't look too comfortable about the fact that we had basically set up an express line straight to the most dangerous mage in the world.

"Lady Noctua, why are you so open to this collaboration? In the past, you never accepted any partnerships with other practitioners of the magic arts, much less people who don't even use magic."

"Because historically there has been no one in this world who can handle the threats that require my services. Whether it be the supernatural such as Osa, or even those buried in the deepest archives of PRIMUS such as The Vancouver Angel, every time I have been offered a partnership, those involved could never pull the weight in the face of these overwhelming threats. The War Dolls and the Outer Shadow are different."

* * *

74, 78, and I returned to Greer & Harlick. The entire defensive perimeter barely looked any different from when we left it a few hours ago.

There were virtually no casualties under 76's leadership.

"Welcome back," 76 said.

"I hope your trip was worthwh-"

"RED! HEHEHE, I KNEW YOU WOULD COME BACK!" Vinci squealed as the alternate version of 76-M threw her arms around me.

"Grrrrr..."

I glanced behind me and noticed 78's face had contorted in rage, but only momentarily before she suddenly regained her composure.

Someone sure was jealous over a harmless hug.

"Chief, what did you learn from your expedition?" 76 asked.

"The one responsible for the enhanced attack is one of the Nine Sons. The Third Son, specifically."

76 grimaced.

"So Lith has been confirmed to be a Son of Loyce."

"Yes. He is also an abstract, meaning we do not have the means to fight him with our tools. We will need to seek the assistance of other Outer Shadows in the Legion."

I glanced outside, noticing the skies were no longer purple.

There was also something else.

But considering Thalia didn't bring it up... I guess she didn't feel like dealing with the whole termination thing at the moment.

I needed to respect her decision to do so because if there was anyone who was the most impacted by it, it was her.

As for Lith...

I needed someone who could help against narratives. If I couldn't console my Auxiliaries... or John...

There was one guy who wasn't triggering any of my episodes.

One guy whose very powers could counteract narratives.

I glanced at the girls all around me.

It was about time we had some more guys in here. This whole squad was practically a reverse sausage fest.

"I know a guy."

74 took off her power armour, and a surprised expression appeared on her face.

"You do?"

"Yeah. If it's taking on the abstract through narrative... there's one guy whose very powers destroy reality itself."

"...You have my curiosity."

I flipped my phone and dialled a number.

RING. RING. RING.

A few minutes later, our group returned to Muon's barracks, where I passed out on the sofa again.

"I AM SO. EXHAUSTED."

"What? It was one invasion," 76 grumbled, turning on the television, sitting on a couch next to mine and flipping to the bakery channel.

78 sat next to me with a towel wrung around her shoulders. Seemed her hair was still damp from the shower. I tried to avoid the obviously distracting scent of shampoo, conditioner, and body soap.

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

"I dunno, Thalia's prophecy still doesn't sit right with me."

"It doesn't for me either. But it's a battle for another time. Let's just enjoy the time we have while we can. Free time is a luxury for people like us."

"I guess. Thanks for following up."

"Always."

"By the way, where is Thalia, anyway?"

"She's in her office filing paperwork."

Garen perked up.

"She's doing paperwork after an invasion?!"

"Yes. Someone's gotta do it," 78 answered.

"Sounds like a lot of work. I'd never wanna be Chief."

75's expression soured.

"The day you become Chief will be the day Hell freezes over."

I glanced at the door.

"The Chief doesn't wanna deal with it right now, but I promise you we will tackle it together, Red," 76 said.

"What? How did you know about the prophecy?"

"78 told me."

I stared at Riho, who shrugged her shoulders.

"Transparency is one of the most paramount things in a squad. It's one of Sergeant Hellion's most important teachings."

"I see."

76 leaned back against the sofa, before glancing at Riho.

"How long are you gonna stay in that obnoxiously slutty form? There's no benefit to looking like that here."

"I like being in my natural state. Aaron likes it too."

I nearly spat out my drink.

"Hey hey hey. Don't rope me into the crossfire!" I complained.

"That sofa normally fits four of us at once, but between Pervert Red Eyes and you, there's only space for Vinci. The spot I always used to watch Custard Wars got snatched because you decided to go with that annoying bikini model form!" 76 growled.

78 put a finger to her bottom lip, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Ara. Someone sounds jealous of my assets."

76 fumed in response.

"Your assets?! What kind of assets are those? Having an hourglass figure is a recipe for attracting stupid boys who do nothing but waste your time!"

"76-chan, your show is starting."

"Oh! Oh no! Record... I need to record it! Remote, where's the remote... Vinci! Make sure we go over the footage, we need to capture every single dish," 76 panicked, her murderous aura dissipating instantly as the War Doll desperately tried to find the tools to record her favourite sweets television program.

78 leaned in closer.

"Hey. Who was the contact you had in mind?"

"Oh, I already contacted him. He should be coming shortly."

Riho scooted even closer until our thighs were practically touching.

"Umm... Riho, what are you doing?"

"Hehe. Just trying to sneak a-"

The door suddenly flung open, revealing 74, her hair a complete rat nest from doing paperwork for hours on end shortly after returning from a Qliphothic Invasion.

"We have an intruder."

78 got off me, her body transforming into its War Doll form again. However, the disappointment and irritation on her face still stayed.

"An intruder?"

76 spun around, her hand clutching the shotgun on the couch.

"Orders?"

"Zero-A says to stay indoors. We won't engage the threat. SFA-Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta have been deployed to deal with it."

"The Big Four?! That sounds like a big deal!" 76 exclaimed.

I frowned.

"What's the Big Four?" I asked.

Thalia marched to the center console and pressed a button, activating all of the armour in our base.

"In the SFA, each platoon has rankings too. Among the several cells, the most prestigious are the Big Four. They've historically been tasked with the hardest operations because their members are the best in the entire Regiment. As you can expect, 0-A is the undisputed greatest War Doll in history, and her strike team, SFA-Alpha is considered the best platoon in the entire organization. Followed by Alpha, is Beta, Gamma, and Delta."

"How do the rankings work?"

78 tied her hair back into a bow.

"A merit system. To be accepted into the Big Four requires a War Doll to complete an unprecedented number of operations that show incredible skill and valour. Think war medals and stuff."

"I would have thought Muon would be one of the top strike teams, after what Thalia had done in the bout."

74 shook her head.

"No. Muon is actually quite mediocre amongst the strike teams. What I did that day... is basically the norm of what is expected from the Big Four. 0-A does this daily."

That sounded incredibly hardcore.

I didn't know whether to be amazed or worried that there was a threat that required ALL of the Big Four to take care of.

"What do we do now?"

74 sat on the couch next to me, taking 78's spot and causing Riho to become even more irritated.

"We wait and receive updates."

The other War Dolls brought the sofas together and huddled in a circle around the audio transmitter.

Garen clutched onto 75 anxiously.

"Man... what if the threat comes here?"

75 laughed nervously.

"We can always run?"

"You guys? Running?! That's terrifying!" Garen yelped.

"Surely you guys have a countermeasure, right?" I asked.

"No. We don't," 76 said, grimly.

"That's so cap. I refuse to believe that."

"Then start believing. Because if the threat is so great that it would require not one but four of our best SFA companies, we realistically can't do anything to defend ourselves against it. We are at its mercy," 74 replied.

...

"0-A to SFA Global."

We perked up, listening intently to the broadcast.

"The threat has just downed SFA-Beta and is proceeding to engage both SFA-Gamma and SFA-Delta. Alpha will not be able to guarantee capture during this time. To all strike teams on the field, do not return to your barracks. To all strike teams currently in Headquarters, activate all defences and do not leave the building under any circumstances. To all strike teams assigned to Cleaning Duty, initiate the Bunker Protocol and keep yourselves away from the outside."

75's jaw dropped.

"Holy crap, that's bad!"

"AHHH! We're gonna die! We're doomed! Charlie, I don't wanna die! What the hell did you drag me into!!!" Garen wailed.

"Shut up! Crying doesn't help anybody!"

74 gritted her teeth.

"SFA-Beta... is known for their ability to take down single targets. We once held a war game against SFA-Beta. We didn't stand a chance against them. They were also historically known to be able to take down S+ Ranked Threats in under thirty seconds flat. If that thing downed Beta that quickly..."

"It'll be fine. You guys still have Alpha, Gamma, and Delta. I have full faith in their ability," I reassured the girls.

The receiver buzzed again.

"0-A to SFA Global. Gamma and Delta are out of commission. I will assign broadcasts to 46-A. Alpha currently engaged in active combat."

74 and the War Dolls gave me an exasperated expression.

"Aw come on guys, I swear I didn't jinx it."

"Can you screw this situation up any more than you already have?" 76 grumbled.

"The only way it's gonna get worse is if the threat is coming for us," I said, nervously.

"46-A to SFA Global. The target has overwhelmed us and escaped.

"SFA-Muon. Requesting full evacuation procedures. The threat has made it clear that SFA-Muon is its target. I repeat, SFA-Muon is the threat's target. Evacuate immediately."

...

"Well, fuck."

76 grabbed me by the shoulders and rocked me back in forth.

"YOU JINXING PIECE OF SHIT!!!" The War Doll screamed.

I stood up, turning to the girls. But... no one was doing anything.

"Guys, 46 just said to evacuate."

"Aaron. Evacuate means we're screwed. There's nothing we can do if the monster is fast enough to evade even Alpha," 78 said.

"So you're just gonna concede?"

74 got to her feet, looking through the window.

"Maybe it's come true sooner than I thought," The Chief War Doll muttered.

No.

I refuse to believe that.

"Chief, pass me a mana syringe."

74 turned around, staring at me.

"What? You can't handle another mana shot, Aaron."

"You guys are giving up way too early. You have an SS Rank right here. I'll kick his ass with mana."

"Another shot will kill you, Aaron."

I gritted my teeth, turning to the door.

Any second now, the threat would be here.

"Kill the lights. The best we can do is try to use darkness to our advantage," I said.

74 reluctantly switched the lights off as we waited in the dark.

...

I clutched my handgun.

Man...

Without mana, I was fighting at S+ Rank at best.

And supposedly, Beta could down me if they learned about me and plotted a calculated assault.

If this threat defeated not just Beta, but Delta, Gamma, and Alpha...

Even if I had Muon backing me up, I had no chance of winning.

"Goddammit. Fuck this," 76 snarled, getting to her feet and loaded her shotgun with shells.

"I'm not sitting here waiting to die. I'm gonna go down fighting."

74, 75, and 78 stared at the two of us.

"You guys-"

76 clutched her weapon tightly.

"This isn't the first time, you said it yourself, Chief. Why are you suddenly such a chicken? Because Zero-A lost?"

"What?! What does 0-A have to do with anything?!"

"Because you're always the one to keep your cool. The only time you don't is if a certain Red Eyed moron calls you a loli or 0-A is involved."

"GAH! N- No! That's not true!"

76 flashed 74 a glare.

"Then prove it, Chief."

74 took a deep breath, composing herself as she reached for her rifle.

"Stubborn last-ditch efforts... Reminds me of that time we had to hold our ground. Back when you and I went by our former names."

76 smirked.

"Yeah. I remember. You tried to throw your life away. Shame that now it's the complete opposite."

"It is not."

"It certainly is."

74 stood next to 76, both girls with their weapons ready and aimed at the entrance.

"The enemy apparently uses pyrokinesis. So it doesn't matter if we even have cover, the whole place will be illuminated during combat, anyway."

"An arsonist... huh. That explains why the assaults of the Big Four didn't do anything to it. If it burned everything up."

Wait.

Hold up, an arsonist?

The girls braced themselves as 78 stood in front of me.

"Stay behind me, Aaron," 78 whispered.

"Umm, I don't need to be protected, thanks-"

"Yes, you do. I can take a few blasts of fire before succumbing, but you cannot."

BZZT BZZT.

"Who's phone is ringing?" 74 snapped.

BZZT. BZZT.

"Ah, sorry. It's mine," I said sheepishly, as Thalia gave me an exasperated expression.

"Someone's texting me... let's see..." I muttered, flipping through the notifications.

"GEH!"

74 raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

"Ummm, I think I know who the intruder is..."

"Huh?"

I showed the girls the text I received.

Aaron. I requested the Shadows to transport me to the meeting point. But I was immediately attacked by a bunch of little sexist brats. They called me an old man, so I blasted them with a little bit of Stage One... and now I have a bunch of them after me. I will text you again once I've dealt with the threat.

I scrolled down to the next text.

What the hell is wrong with these people? Why did you tell me to come here? Are you even reading these texts? Just so you know, I accidentally knocked the group out unconscious. I think they seemed very important because three other groups were coming after me.

And the next.

I'm here.

74's face paled.

"You-"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

"..."

I walked forward to the door, my hand hovering over the doorknob.

The girls aimed their rifles intently at the entrance.

74 raised her fingers.

"Three. Two. One," she mouthed.

I flung the door open as the girls opened fire, but the man raised his hand and blasted everyone with a wave of wind that knocked us flat on our backs.

I instinctively took aim with my handgun and fired, but the bullet went right through the man as if he had gone intangible.

"The hell's your deal, punk?" The man snarled, grabbing me by the throat and lifting me into the air.

"AARON!" 78 exclaimed, rushing forward, but hesitated as the man turned to her with a glare that froze her mid-movement.

"I came for a man named Aaron Hope. If this is a trap, then I will incinerate each and every single one of you, including the ones I spared."

"S- Stop... A- Aaron is me... I'm Aaron, you fireslinging... lunatic...!" I choked out.

The man brought me closer, a sneer on his face.

"Huh? You? Prove it."

"B- Buddy... Buddy Sanders..."

The War Dolls paused.

"Huh?" 76 asked.

"Buddy Sanders? Who's that?" 75 asked.

The man dropped me on the ground.

"Explain. Right now, jackass."

I coughed, trying to catch my breath.

"Explain?! What's there to explain? You came here and gave everybody a heart attack!"

"They attacked first. They called me an 'Old Chinese Dude'!"

"And that was the reason you attacked them?! They're kids!"

"GRRRR..."

That rage... that irritation...

I remembered the rumour that had arisen from Hakah and Vicki about the one Auxiliary Shadow who had basically merged with another being. The result was his diet would have been twice the normal person's.

"Hey," I said, nervously.

"What?"

"Do you want a Kit Kat?"

...

"Huh?" The man and Thalia said, simultaneously.

"W- Well, I presume maybe you're hungry. I heard that you merged with another, right? So you have the appetite of two people? See, when someone is hungry, they're not themselves, and maybe that's why you're acting like... um..."

"Acting like what?" The man asked, his voice dangerously low.

"75! Candy gun down his hatch! Now!"

"EEP! Okie!"

The War Doll quickly reached for her sniper and took aim with superhuman dexterity.

The man spun around.

"You think I'd fall for that trick-"

PLUNK. PLOP.

"ACK! GAK!" The man dropped me as he began to choke.

"What did you do?!" I yelped.

"You said to shoot it down his hatch!"

"He's choking! It went down the wrong pipe!"

"How the hell was I supposed to know?!"

"He's wide open!" 74 shouted as she and 76 used the backs of their weapons to smack the man from behind.

The man slumped forward, his eyeballs rolled into the back of his head.

Target neutralized.

Time of elimination: 48 sec-

"Guys. How are we going to explain this to Lady Hakah?" 78 asked.

"No idea what you're talking about," I said.

"Yeah, I don't think denial is going to work this time, Aaron."

I tried to sit my friend's unconscious body up against a chair, smiling sheepishly as the rest of the girls gave me the most disappointed expression ever.

"Ummm... so this is the guy I talked about earlier... the one who would help us battle Lith. Yeling Mah. Known as Auxiliary Shadow Tidalflame, and the older brother of Inner Shadow Hakah... hope you guys get along? Haha?"

* * *

"Auxiliary Shadow Tidalflame. You have an extremely unusual profile," 74 said.

"I had an unusual recruitment," Yeling replied, munching on his eighth slice of cake.

"How the hell are you able to eat so much?" Garen asked.

"I don't know what you're on about, this is standard for me."

"You ate two whole Rotisserie chickens too," 75 muttered.

"Hey! The cake isn't unlimited, old man!" 76 snapped, causing Yeling to turn around. His glare intensified in response to his glowing cyan eye.

"The fuck? Did you just call me old? Know your place, you little brat!"

"Brat?! That does it, you're dead!" 76 snarled, but Yeling grabbed the War Doll by the face with superhuman speed, stopping her in her tracks.

"What else would I call you? A mature woman? I don't care if you're twelve or fifteen, you're still a brat. Just like Aaron over there. As far as I'm concerned you should be respecting me. Now- OW! WHAT THE- ARE YOU BITING MY HAND?!"

"GRRRARRARARARARAR!"

"LET GO!"

Yeling stood up, waving his arm with 76 still clamped on like the world's most stubborn puppy.

"Fine! Here. Your share," Yeling grumbled, putting 76 down as he shared the cake with the War Doll. 76's face lit up in joy but quickly hid it after realizing everybody was staring at the exchange awkwardly.

74 continued scanning the papers regarding Yeling's combat history.

"You are essentially an Akuma Grade Hinokami vessel unbound by the rules of The Dogma of Equivalent Exchange, who unlocked Five Stages of the Dogma Level. Your strength is phenomenal. To be able to take out the Big Four like that would mean you're at least SS Rank! Why are you only an Auxiliary Shadow? You're on par with Dainsleif himself. There has to be a catch behind this power... it's unfathomable-"

"ARF FAR, RAR FAR RAR RAH FAR."

74 looked up from the papers probably realizing the catch.

"...Huh?"

Yeling swallowed an entire bowl of pasta in one bite, causing the rest of the girls to pale in disgust.

GULP!

"I am too high maintenance to be promoted to an Outer Shadow. Also sounds like a pain in the ass, taking care of idiots. I once considered a leadership role, back when I worked for Outer Shadow Legion in his Contingency Initiative. But the thought nauseated me."

High maintenance was an understatement.

Garen shook his wallet, which had been emptied on a single grocery run to satisfy Yeling's voracious appetite.

"Dude, how many calories do you even eat?"

"Why is that something you need to know?" Yeling asked.

76 munched on her portion of the cake.

"Do you want to live with us? If you do, we need to know so we can adjust our grocery bill. I heard that since you were originally Loyce's Auxiliary Shadow and you, alongside your Outer Shadow defected from them, you've become a nomad. Most guys would kill to live in a house full of girls, you know."

"I'd rather just stay homeless, thanks."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

Lmao! This guy's "no shits given" attitude never got old.

"Yeling, staying with us will give an advantage strategy-wise as well. You can get to know us better so we can coordinate team-based assaults to take down Lith," Thalia reasoned.

"Wait, we're doing this as a team?"

"..."

74 put a hand on my shoulder.

"Aaron."

"Yo."

"Why are you and all your friends so weird?"

"Hey!" Yeling and I protested.

"What did you think was going to happen? We Uber you to the battlefield and you take on Lith on your own?" 76 asked.

"Yeah. You lot have fancy tech, I figured maybe you guys could spare a car or something."

Dammit, Yeling! That's not how to make an impression on the Tactical War Dolls!

Vinci laughed.

"He's like a reverse Aaron!"

Yeling stood up and approached Thalia.

"You have to write some reports, right? I overheard the War Dolls when they were trying to attack me. They are probably still hunting me as we speak, you should probably call the hunt off."

74 blinked, completely caught off guard by the fact that this fire-slinging three-head had just suggested something sensible for once in the past five minutes.

"Y- Yes. Of course. Of course, you're right."

The War Doll turned on the audio system and spoke into the microphone.

"This is Chief War Doll 74-M of SFA-Muon. The attack has been dealt with. Please respond."

"...This is War Doll 2-A of SFA-Alpha. We will visit Muon's Barracks for a briefing. Please be ready."

I glanced at 74, whose face paled again.

"Thalia? You look like you're about to be sick."

74 rubbed her eyes fiercely.

"Nonsense. I am fine."

"You paled the moment 2-A introduced herself. Is 2-A a well-known War Doll as well?"

"Y-Yes. Lieutenant 2-A was the third member to join the SFA and is widely regarded as Zero-A's right-hand woman."

"Sounds like a big deal."

75 giggled, resting her chin against the back of her sofa seat.

"It's because she is. Zero-A may be the greatest War Doll in terms of all-around ability, but she doesn't have the highest Black Legion Rating. In terms of pure combat ability, Outer Shadow A2 is the strongest War Doll, with a ranking of Elite Tier S~ Rank. That ranking places her on the level of some of Loyce's Outer Shadows."

"Thalia, you also called her Lieutenant 2-A? So you guys do have ranks in the SFA!"

"No. Only SFA-Alpha does that because Alpha has such a large team. It's divided into several sub-cells, an Officer and a Sergeant lead each cell. 2-A leads Alpha Primum as its Lieutenant, which is Zero-A's strongest squad."

"Jeez. Well, I sure hope 2-A is fine with the way I've been living then, sorry guys if I might have ruined things for you," I said.

75 waved her hand.

"Oh pish posh, Aaron. It really isn't that big of a deal. We can totally clean up and be on our best behaviour before 2-A arri-"

"SFA-Muon. I am here for briefing."

GAHALDKJALKDJASLKADJSDKLJ.

I nearly screamed, bumping into Yeling while the guy was still chomping down on his ninth bowl of pasta.

"What the hell?! Aaron?!" Yeling growled, spinning around and strangling me.

Yeling suddenly stopped, staring at a girl who had appeared behind me. She had her grey hair cut short in a bob, along with a pair of lifeless olive eyes. But her expression was anything but lifeless. The way the girl was standing and assessing everything around her made it seem like she had already analyzed practically everything, from ambush points, to escape routes in a matter of seconds.

This must have been Tactical War Doll 2-A.

Everybody froze and stopped what they were doing.

78's jaw had dropped in disbelief.

"I- I couldn't even see her coming..."

78... the best hitwoman in all of Muon couldn't even spot 2-A despite her history of analyzing her environments to perform stealth takedowns. She even said she was coming...!

I couldn't even begin to imagine just how lethal this War Doll must have been in the field.

This...

This was the skill of a War Doll from SFA-Alpha...

"Tactical War Doll 75-M. What did you mean by cleaning up? Please elaborate," 2-A said.

75-M's lip quivered.

"I... I- AHHHH! 74! Help!" The War Doll wailed, hiding behind 74 who looked like she was about to swallow a mouse.

2-A turned to 74-M.

"You aspire to stand by my General's side, yet you cannot reel in the behaviour of those three disgusting boys. Your claim to be Zero-A's right hand would mean you are looking to take my spot. Can you make that claim when I am in front of you?"

"N- No, ma'am."

Yeling stood up.

"Muon was the only squad to defeat me. I have no affiliation with these kids, so what I testify has no bias. And what I say is a fact."

2-A narrowed her eyes at Yeling.

"Yes. I am very curious to know how such a bottom-feeder squad like Muon could defeat a threat that even the Big Four could not stop. I certainly do not believe Seven Freeze-Up Four of all people could do it."

The War Doll pointed at me.

"I suspect it was Dainsleif who defeated The Tidalflame. Through an unconventional approach."

Damn... she wasn't wrong.

74 clenched her teeth.

"Yes, ma'am."

"How."

74 looked down, her bangs covering her eyes.

"A... a chocolate bar..."

"What?"

Come to think of it, Yeling's defeat sounded a lot more ridiculous in retrospect.

74 nervously pointed at 75's sniper, which had its barrel swapped out for a candy variant which I suggested she get for when we had trick-or-treaters to prank.

"Dainsleif suggested feeding Tidalflame... so my subordinate fired a chocolate bar into the target's mouth and he choked. We used this opportunity to knock him out."

2-A's expression intensified.

"I... see. I will relay this information to my peers. 74, I expect you to provide a full report by the end of the day."

"Yes, ma'am."

The War Doll turned around and looked at us one last time, in particular, me, Yeling, and Garen.

"Tch. Boys."

This bitch was sexist to the core!

"Screw you! At least Muon beat Yeling!" Garen shouted after the War Doll left.

I put my hand on 74's shoulder.

"Hey. Don't let what she said get to you. You're an incredible Chief, Thalia."

"Thank you, Aaron. I have a report to compile. Yeling, I sincerely apologize on behalf of the girls in the SFA Company for our ill-treatment toward you. You may use our facilities as you require. Please consult 76 regarding sleeping arrangements. I will be a little preoccupied with this report for the rest of the day."

Yeling approached 76, his body towering over her. Was it just me... or Yeling had gotten taller?

He was no longer the 5-foot 7-inch midget I knew who had a penchant for burning everything up.

He was now a 6-foot-2-inch man... who still had a penchant for burning everything up.

"74 told me to see you about sleeping arrangements."

76 put her fork down.

"We don't have a lot of rooms... unless you wanna sleep in the same room as Aaron. I can give you mine if you want."

"I'll sleep with Aaron."

Bruh.

You could not have made that sound any worse.

76 raised an eyebrow.

"Yeling, we're not gonna label you a pervert or anything just because a man sleeps in a girl's room. It's fine. Besides, Aaron says I'm not much of a lady anyway."

"Hey, you consume on average 120 grams of protein a day, you brought that on yourself, Tactical Girl Muscle," I replied.

"Don't call me that!" 76 snapped, her face beet red.

Yeling turned to 76, examining her with those dragonoid eyes of his.

"Anyone who identifies herself as feminine is entitled to be treated with the respect of a lady. This was what my mother taught me. I'll stay with Aaron since I've known him longer and he doesn't really care."

Hey! Don't make assumptions about me like that! I mean... I don't really care... but still!

A look of surprise flashed on 76's face.

"You're surprisingly considerate. I wasn't expecting that from you."

"You've been living with Aaron for way too long!"

Yeling propped the sword that was strapped to his back against the wall in my room.

"I greatly appreciate you guys for your offer. I'll take you up on it."

"No problem," 76 crossed her arms, gripping her elbows.

"Umm... do you mind if I ask something else?"

"What is it?" Yeling said.

"Do you... see me as ladylike?" 76 asked.

"Huh? Since when did you ever worry about something like that?" I commented, turning to the War Doll.

76's face contorted back into a sneer.

"I wasn't asking you, Pervert Red Eyes!"

Yeling approached 76 again, leaning in.

"Can't tell. Never thought about stuff like this."

"O-Oh..."

...

A few minutes later, Yeling lay on the bed, his arms folded to rest the back of his head.

"Bro. I think 76 has a crush on you," I finally said.

"Unfortunate."

???

"A girl likes you after you've spent essentially your entire life with no game and the first thing you say is 'unfortunate'?!"

"She's fifteen, not even counting the fact that her body is perpetually stuck at twelve, I'm almost double her age. That's beyond disgusting for someone like me. I'm pretty sure that's straight-up pedophilia."

Yeling closed his eyes. Well.

Eye. Since he only had one.

"I hear that one of the War Dolls in this team is sixteen and has the ability to revert back to her natural form."

My ears turned hot.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"She has the hots for you. I can tell, from my Dragon Senses. Her hormones shoot up whenever she's near you."

"That is a very disturbing way of describing attraction, dude."

"And? What do you feel about her?"

Dude.

"Don't turn the tables on me! I was asking you."

"And I gave you an answer. I am not interested in her. Her feelings for me are from the fact that she's perpetually in a state of puberty in that body of hers. But the feelings 78 has for you are more than just lust and basic attraction. I can sense it, biologically and psychologically."

How the hell was I losing an argument to this idiot?

I disassembled my rifle, laying the components flat on the desk.

"I ain't having this conversation."

"Alright."

I continued working on cleaning the components while Yeling napped away on the bed.

"Hey... I've been meaning to ask..."

"Hm?"

I could ask Yeling... technically. If he wasn't there when Sergeant Hellion had made that rule...

Maybe...

I knew it was dangerous and it could mentally break me, but the curiosity was killing me.

I needed to know.

I needed.

"Do you know what happened to my-"

CREAK.

I jumped, startled by the crack in the door.

I was half expecting someone to peek through, but no one was at the door. I had just left it open partway.

Maybe this was a sign telling me I should avoid asking.

"Your Chief is very overwhelmed," Yeling observed, breaking the silence.

"What?"

Yeling opened his eye.

"Surely someone of your calibre could tell."

"Thalia is used to it. I would help her if she wanted me to, with the paperwork and-"

"It's not the paperwork. Or the missions. I can sense it. She's overwhelmed emotionally."

My heart ached.

Of course, she would be.

Imagine being told you were going to have your service cut short through tragedy, that alone should be enough to crush somebody. But despite knowing this, Thalia kept pushing forward. That on top of all the stress of dealing with a whole strike team, and...

My mind rewinded to 2-A's confrontation.

Yes. I am very curious to know how such a bottom-feeder squad like Muon could defeat a threat that even the Big Four could not stop. I certainly do not believe Seven Freeze-Up Four of all people could do it.

74's determination to stand by Zero-A's side was not well received amongst those in the SFA's top platoon. If I could guess, the bullying wasn't uncommon for her.

"There's not much I can do. There's not much any of us could do, to be honest. This is a call only 74 can make."

"It's often those who are stubborn that fall prey to overwork, Aaron. I won't criticize how you guys do things, I'm just saying what I see. Take that as you will."

...

I knocked on the door to 74's room.

"Hey, Thalia? You doing okay in there?"

"I am almost finished with the report. Do you need something?"

"Uhh, can I come in?"

I heard the sound of tiny footsteps as the door opened, revealing an extremely exhausted 74-M.

"Holy crap! You look like a Threadhubber!"

"..."

"Sorry."

74 beckoned me inside as I stepped into her office.

I didn't really know what I was expecting, but the moment I stepped inside, I knew right away.

"That's a lot of books."

"I read during downtime."

"Oh."

More silenced ensued as I listened to the typing of 74's keyboard. Her face was glued to the screen and she hadn't combed her hair once, making it look like someone had gone through with a weedwhacker.

"Thalia, you need to rest," I said.

"I'm fine."

"You look like you're about to start a chain reply argument on t/politics any second now!"

"The report is due by the end of the day. I can make it."

I pursed my lips, watching Thalia take another sip from her coffee.

I knew Thalia was technically mentally fifteen... well, actually, a fifteen-year-old shouldn't even be drinking this much coffee in the first place, but to make matters worse, her body was that of a twelve-year-old. There was no way this was healthy, even if she was a Tactical War Doll.

I glanced at the clock. It was 6 pm.

The attack started at 6:30 am, and 2-A's arrival happened at 6:55 am. Meaning 74 had started the report at 7 am.

Thalia had been working nonstop for eleven hours. This wasn't even counting the fact that we had just gotten back from the Qliphothic Invasion.

During our time camping for the Greer & Harlick sale, I hadn't once seen 74 sleeping at all.

I found myself gripping the seams of my jeans tighter and tighter.

I watched 74 clutch her head, her hand trembling.

No.

I've seen enough.

"Stop. Thalia, that's enough. You can't handle anymore," I said sternly, getting up and grabbing the War Doll by the wrist.

FLIP!

"Heh?"

Suddenly, the ground turned into the ceiling as 74-M judo flipped me out of instinct, pressing the barrel of her gun to my forehead. Her eyes were frantically wide and bloodshot.

"Oh god! Aaron, I'm so sorry!"

"I- I accept your apology... c- can you please get your knee off my throat?" I gawked, retching and trying to regain my breath.

74 got off me, scouring her desk for a tissue paper.

"S- Sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

The Chief War Doll stumbled, falling into my arms.

"Excuse me... I have a report to... do..."

I grabbed Thalia by the shoulders.

"THALIA!"

74 snapped awake, startled.

"Aaron...?"

"Let me help with the report."

"N- No... I need to do it."

"Why? Does it matter who does it?"

"I must be the one to do it."

I clenched my teeth.

"Thalia, you're overworked. Stop destroying yourself for the sake of everyone else! Everybody is worried sick, even if they choose to not show it."

"..."

74 slowly trudged back to her computer, her fingers trembling over the keyboard.

"I need to... be the one to do this... I owe her that much..."

"Owe who? Thalia, you don't owe anyone anything!"

"2-A... 2-A was right. The moment I heard that the Big Four went down, I froze and gave up. I'm not the good chief you think I am."

"You're tired and not yourself. Just take a quick break. The report is due at 11:59 pm, right? Let's take an hour for you to collect yourself."

74 gritted her teeth. She kept spelling the same word wrong over and over again on the computer.

"I'll never catch up to Zero-A at this rate. I read... from Alpha's report that even when Yeling had downed them all... they were still fighting. Not a single one gave up until they were physically knocked unconscious. This included Beta, Gamma, and Delta. Even when Yeling had escaped and was headed to Muon, 2-A had dug herself out of the rubble and dragged her body to our barracks by foot."

"I'm sure it wasn't that long of a walk."

"The distance would have equated 15 kilometres, Aaron. The SFA Headquarters is a massive campus."

"Oh. Well, shit."

74's forehead conked on the edge of the table. Normally, I would have found that hilarious, but seeing 74 like this made this no laughing matter whatsoever.

"How do you think 2-A got here so fast? War Dolls are designed to feel pain and fatigue. But 2-A didn't show a single shred of that despite being on the verge of unconsciousness."

She was right.

When 2-A showed up to our barracks, it looked like she wasn't damaged at all.

She had a cold, demeaning expression as if she was freshly deployed.

But even so...

"Thalia, 2-A can do whatever the hell she wants, but ultimately, merit comes from accomplishments. Being emotionally numb to your situation won't mean jack shit compared to someone who's accomplished a ton more."

"Aaron... The prophecy... This attack... I'm... I-"

Thalia's voice cracked. A sob barely escaped the War Doll, startling me.

"Hey! Hey, Thalia, hey. It's fine. You're okay."

I gently pressed the kid's face into the folds of my hoodie.

74 was so much smaller than I thought she was. Maybe it was because she was so stoic and pragmatic all the time. Sometimes, I forgot.

This was a little girl.

A teenager who had limits.

Just like Vinci.

Just like June.

Just like Robbie.

"Don't you dare tell anyone... in the strike team about this... or I will personally kill you myself. You Red Eyed Idiot."

"I promise I won't. And you need to promise me you won't grind yourself to the ground like this again. Do you understand?"

74 pulled away. Her last little outburst was replaced with a deadpan and empty expression.

"I don't understand... What Sergeant Hellion sees in me. Why he assigned you to me."

"I'm pretty sure we had this conversation before. Your humanity-"

"No. My humanity is not it."

"Why? I bet you have way more humanity than anyone in Alpha."

"You're wrong."

74 furiously wiped her eyes.

"Do you know why I admire Zero-A so much? It isn't just out of guilt. I've told you this before, but when Zero-A fought back and led the charge alongside Lord Hellion, she was like a warrior angel. She wasn't just competent. She was inspiring. I've had this conversation once... with 76. And one thing that 76 observed was that while I have the ability to coordinate... I lack the power to instill the warrior spirit that 76 is capable of doing. Maybe you've seen her command before."

I remembered how 76 had inspired all of the soldiers back when we had been whisked into that Amerada-Praetes hybrid world.

The way she had turned the Resistance from a bunch of scared freedom fighters to warriors from one speech.

"Zero-A can do both. She is basically a better version of 76 and I combined in one War Doll. Whether it is caring for her subordinates, inspiring them, or commanding them flawlessly. She is the most complete War Doll in the history of the SFA. Every single person in Alpha has the potential to be Zero-A's successor. Candidates are evaluated based on this criteria too when they are considered for transfer to the platoon. Muon... Muon is as mundane as it is compared to the other strike teams."

The War Doll sighed, taking out a comb and brushing her unkempt hair.

"Sorry. I must be too drained. My mind has drifted off into other places."

I reached out, my fingers hovering over Thalia's face. The War Doll stared at me.

"...Aaron?"

PINCH.

I grabbed 74's cheek, pinching it causing the kid to yelp.

"OUCH! What are you doing?! You idiot!"

"Waking you up with the power of reality checks. You must really be exhausted if someone like you is spouting such nonsense."

74 got up, her face furiously annoyed.

"The moment you showed up I got nothing done! I'm going to... to..."

To?

74's eyes suddenly rolled into the back of her head, as the War Doll collapsed.

21

The door immediately flung open, revealing the War Dolls.

"Chief!" 76 shouted, grabbing onto 74 and cradling her head against her chest.

"Call in a medical, now!"

78 bolted to the audio line, while 75 returned to the room with several medical supplies.

"Hang in there, Miss 74, hang in there..." 75 whispered.

74's face was pale and delirious.

76 clutched onto 74 tightly.

"Fuck! Fuck... you suicidal bitch! Don't you dare leave me... How dare you force such a stupid rule on us...!"

Vinci had her hands covering her mouth.

"Oh god... What do we do?"

78 returned with fresh towels.

"75, where do I put the towels?"

75 continued checking 74's pulse.

"Prop her on the bed. She has a severe fever, get the towels damp or fanning at the least."

76 hoisted her Chief on her shoulders, gently laying Thalia on the bed. Thalia continued mumbling deliriously, sweat pouring down her face.

"Vinci... come here. I need you to watch 74's pulse alongside 75. Do everything 75 tells you to do. Do I make myself clear?"

Vinci nodded, sitting next to 75.

76 marched over to the audio console.

"This is Tactical War Doll 76-M of SFA-Muon. Requesting emergency paramedics ASAP."

Yeling and Garen appeared from their rooms, helping 78 acquire supplies, leaving just 76 and me in the living room.

I felt like the biggest piece of shit for not realizing just how burdened 74 was.

What the hell was I thinking letting her carry this burden alone? Just because she said so? I should have...

I should have...

"Red. 74 ordered us to stay out of her business. We can't go against the Chief's orders. It wasn't your fault."

"But-"

"Aaron."

76 put a hand on my shoulder.

"Right now, 74 isn't in a sufficient state to know we intervened. We'll do everything we can."

My hand clenched into a fist.

"Did you know Thalia was being bullied?"

"Yes. We all knew. We were all bullied by the Big Four, but 74 was bullied the most, being our Chief."

"And you guys just let it happen?!"

76 gritted her teeth.

"We didn't have a choice. The Chief ordered us to ignore it. There's no swinging back against The Big Four. They've contributed the most to the SFA."

"I should have kicked that 2-A's ass!"

"Even if you had mana and chakra, do you have any idea what the repercussions of attacking a higher-up would mean? You've stayed with us long enough to know the consequences of non-conformance and insubordination."

A few minutes later, 74 had stabilized, but she had not regained consciousness.

All the while, the rest of us sat in a circle in the living room.

"We need to finish the report," 76 said.

"How much is done?" I asked.

76 pulled out her extremely ragged and outdated laptop and put it on the table in front of us.

"You're still using that hunk of junk?" 78 asked.

"Shut up, Pornstar."

"I'm not a porn star! Don't call me that!" 78 yelped.

"I'm a pop star."

"Same shit."

"No, it's not!"

"Might as well be, with that slutty SnapGram of yours."

"Kusokurae, aho."

76 opened up the Doc on her computer.

"I'm surprised that bucket of bolts from 1867 can even run a word processor software," I commented.

"For your information, this computer has been around since 2005, and also, 74 made this document an online document on the cloud. So as long as it runs a browser, it's fine."

"I didn't take you for a tech whiz, Blakey."

"Couldn't care less what you think, considering I know you've been using our wifi to upload blackmail pictures of Outer Shadow Vicki Harriet's underwear collection. Did you really think a shitty VPN would be enough for me to not know it was you?"

Garen choked, coughing while 75 patted his back. It almost looked instant, as if 75 had done this before.

"You did what?!" The Elf exclaimed.

Yeling stood up and loomed over me.

"Diu lay... You little shit....! Did you just try to pimp my Outer Shadow?"

A bead of sweat ran down the side of my head.

"I was making like 50 bucks a picture man... I couldn't help myself. Honest..."

"You got a death wish?"

"N- Not really."

78 laughed, putting a hand to her mouth. It was a cute habit of hers...

Wait what the hell am I saying?!

78 noticed me staring and leaned closer, her lips close to my ear. I could practically feel her breath.

"You can take pictures of my underwear if you want. But no sharing."

"AH! WHAT THE FUC-"

"Hehe. Just kidding."

A vein bulged on 76's forehead.

"Can we please get back on topic here? The report is due in an hour!"

75 made a beckoning gesture.

"Lemme see. Lemme see."

76 positioned the computer in full view of everyone.

"182 PAGES?!" I exclaimed.

"The hell are you guys writing? A Tweetlonger?"

76 scrolled through the report.

"Most of the content involves filling out certain questions and stuff, as well as fields. Figures and tables make up a large portion of the report. We actually do not advocate for excessively long reports because the point is to convey information for others to properly parse. The problem is, when an incident involves the Big Four, especially on the scale of an SS Rank Threat, the paperwork skyrockets."

"I apologize," Yeling muttered.

76 looked up, her face startled.

"N-No, no, please don't think that, Yeling. It wasn't your fault."

A small smile appeared on Yeling's face.

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

I pointed my finger at 76, whose face had reddened a bit.

"Tsundere."

"Call me that again and I'll rip your finger off and shove it up your ass."

"Sorry, ma'am."

76 raised her eyebrows.

"Christ... she's practically finished the report. Just a few details left to fill out. I'm... surprised she even got this far given her condition."

"Nothing justifies working yourself to death," I said, leaning to the screen.

"What's left to do?"

76 put a hand to her chin. Subsections 92.6 and 94.8.8.4 need further elaboration. 78, 75, can you two fill those parts out? Have Red and Garen help you, respectively. I will prepare my notes for the meeting that's gonna happen in 74's place."

Yeling raised his hand.

"Let me help too."

76 turned to Yeling.

"You don't have to, Yeling. You just got here, I feel bad making you do work."

Why the hell did Stage Five Arsonist get a pass?! You hormonal teenager!

"I've written reports back when I studied at University. I also owe 74, if it wasn't for my attack she wouldn't have been so burdened. Let me help."

76 pursed her lips, glancing at the rest of us reluctantly.

"Very well."

Yeling smashed his fists together, causing blue sparks to emit outwards.

"Then let's get this done."

* * *

"How the hell did you somehow make this report even worse?!" 76 exclaimed in indignation.

"No idea what you're on about, I think it deserves an A+ and a Gold Star," I said, proudly.

76 grabbed me by the collar of my shirt.

"Read your section out loud, dipshit."

"Uhhh... I don't wanna, it's embarrassing."

Yeling scrolled to my section, reading the contents without my consent.

"Fight lasted 48 seconds. Shoved a big one down bro's hatch. Skull emoji. Skull emoji. Crying emoji. Two laughing emojis with tears."

The Thirteenth Hinokami looked up from 75's laptop monitor.

"What in the Gen-Z did I just read?"

"I thought the emojis would lighten the mood up a little."

"Have you never written a report in your life?!"

"I have!" I protested.

"I write reports to Master Jun all the time. He likes the emojis and the slang."

75 gave me a disappointed expression.

"There is no way the Black Legion's most intelligent Outer Shadow would write this slop. Did you not complete formal education?"

"No."

78 raised her eyebrows.

"Wait, seriously?"

Everybody was giving me surprised expressions.

"I dunno what you guys were expecting, I thought y'all read my profile. I dropped out of high school after Jessie died and went on that huge hunt against the gods. I spent middle school homeless."

78 stared at me, her eyes full of concern.

"Oh no! Poor baby..."

"Never call me that again."

76 put a hand to her face, staring at the ceiling.

"Son of an Argerian whore... why the hell did you offer to work on the report when you didn't even finish high school?!"

"Hey! You technically didn't finish high school either!"

"NO ONE ON PLANET EARTH uses emojis in their reports!"

75 put her hand up.

"I've finished my section!!! Garen helped! Hehe!"

Garen put his hands on his hips.

"Hell yeah, I did. I promise it isn't as bad as Dropout Dainsleif!"

I'm gonna replace all your hair products with hair removal cream!

76 flipped to 75's section.

There was no way I would have done worse than Garen.

I mean, come on.

It's Garen.

"It's good."

WTF.

I slammed my hands on the desk.

"HEY?! No way it's good! How?!"

Garen put a hand to his chest.

"We as Elven are known for our sophisticated language. I may not present myself that well, but trust me, when it comes to literature, it's an art. Just like hair braiding."

"Yeling, Vinci, and 78's sections are good too."

Vinci clapped.

"Yay! I got to be useful!"

I wish I could be happy for Vinci, but a more pressing matter was at hand.

"Yeling..." I spun to Yeling, a murderous scowl on my face.

"And here we go..." Yeling grumbled.

"Ain't no way I lost a battle of smarts to someone like you!"

"I studied at University, we do reports all the time. Real ones, unlike yours."

"Oh yeah? And what did you study, Folklore Dancing?"

"Honours Physics. Physics and English Language Arts are my strongest subjects, actually."

Yeling turned to 76, giving her a nod.

"Your ability to take command and delegate tasks is respectable. Your section was also really well written, I'm impressed."

76 flushed, her eyes momentarily widening.

"Th- Thank you! Ah... is it hot in here for anyone else? Ha... haha..."

Would you stop rizzing Blake for two seconds?!

76 cleared her throat.

"A- Anyway, I will fix up the war crime that is Red's section, and we should be good to go. I will be attending the meeting to present the report in 74's place, as aforementioned. Dismissed, good work tonight, everyone."

...

"76."

"Yeah?" 76 asked.

"Let me come to the meeting," I replied.

76 momentarily paused, but noticed the adamant expression on my face.

"Alright. Then prepare your wargear, Dainsleif. Because there's also one more thing I wanna bring up to the Big Four."

"What's that?"

76 nodded to 78, 75, and the rest of the crew.

"The thing that Noctua had made 74 see. If it's related to the Nine Sons in any way, then we need to address it, for 74's sake. I wanna make sure this gets brought up with the entirety of the SFA. I don't wanna see our Chief feel like she has to shoulder the weight of all of us. This whole time, I thought that we were comrades in arms. Brothers and sisters together in battle. But... it's clear now that 74 never saw it that way. She felt segregated from the rest of us, being the leader."

76 made a fist, a renewed vigour bubbling deep inside.

"When 74 cannot lead, this team is under my command. As its Deputy Chief Tactical War Doll, I will lead this group with everything I have."

I stepped forward, getting to one knee.

"Thalia's dream is to fight alongside Zero-A, which implies Muon needs to be at the same level as Alpha. If it means we gotta dig Muon out of the trenches of mediocrity, then I'll gladly put my name and status as an SS Ranked Outer Shadow to make her dream come true."

78 walked past us, grabbing her War Vest. Her body had shrunk back to its War Doll form.

"What are you doing?" 76 asked.

"I'm coming with you."

"78, the Big Four treated the Chief like dirt. I can't imagine their treatment for us is gonna be any better. It's better if we have less-"

"If they treat our Chief like dirt, then they should be prepared to funnel that toxicity to the rest of us. Because the Chief is one of us."

78 slipped on her uniform, tying her black hair back.

"We're all coming with you. No one has to bear the burden of ridicule alone."

Garen raised his fist.

"Yeah! We're Muon! Well... I guess... you guys are Muon, we're just guests..."

"No," 76 shook her head.

"You are part of Muon now, Garen Trevyalen. You all are. Anyone who stands and fights alongside me is an ally. This might have been something 74 enforced, but I couldn't give a flying fuck about positions and all that P.O.G. officer shit. No more of this nonsense that only one of us needs to bear the burden of meetings because of some lousy fuckin' title. We're in this together."

Yeling smiled.

"I've only recently been involved with your shenanigans. But I hope you guys will put up with my massive appetite and penchant for destruction."

I brought my fist out in front of 76.

"Commander Blake. Let's head out together as we did during the raid with the Ameradans that day. For 74."

Vinci brought her fist next to mine and 76's.

"I know I'm not much of a fighter, but I'll do my best to support in ways I know best."

More and more fists pressed against each other until all of us pitched into the huddle.

"...So, are we all just gonna go to the Roundtable Building then?" I asked.

* * *

The six of us were transported to the Roundtable Building, where several War Dolls stood guard.

"Muon? Where is your Chief?" One of the War Dolls asked.

"74 is in no condition to step outside. I have assumed command as Chief in her place until she has recovered," 76 answered.

"I see. Is there a reason why you brought three boys with you?"

"They are part of Muon."

The other War Doll pointed at Yeling.

"Isn't that the old Chinese geezer who put us on high alert yesterday?!"

Yeling scowled.

"Huh?"

76's professional look suddenly transitioned into a snarl.

"I have two SS Ranked Shadows by my side and you wanna insult my Yeling?"

Your Yeling?

The girls paled, but the intimidation didn't as long as soon as the realization of 76's slip-up hit them.

"What did you just call him?"

76 coughed.

"Nothing," The War Doll replied quickly.

"Hey now. I'm pretty sure you said-"

"Dainsleif," 76 said.

Trigrams Six Hands Combination: Sliver Shot

BANG.

The War Doll who was prodding us froze. Her hair was still fluttering in response to the bullet I had just hip-fired, cowboy style from within the folds of my jacket.

Sliver Shot.

One of the techniques in my repertoire. It involved hip firing while the target's attention was directed elsewhere. Practically impossible to detect, and nearly impossible to react to.

A sudden strike that was so sudden and fast that it once took down the god Garuda the Hindu God of Speed.

"What the fuck..." One of the other girls mouthed.

76 walked past the girls as we followed suit.

As we continued walking, I could hear the voices of the Chiefs inside the building.

"The Nine Sons claimed another strike team, it seems."

"Sergeant Hellion's absence from our operations is going to be costly. Do we really have what it takes to fight against enemies of that calibre?"

"If Tidalflame and Dainsleif are with us, it should be okay. What do you think, 14-B?"

"It's better if we had Hellsing and Sigurd as well, but they've been deployed elsewhere along with the traitor."

I stopped walking, my head flaring up in pain.

Deployed elsewhere?

Traitor?

My vision blinked in and out like a camera glitching out.

I felt someone tug at my arm, but my body wasn't responding.

AARON. What did you do? What did you do?! What happened back there?

My heart suddenly swelled up in pain. Why was it in pain?

Was that... Bryce? Why was he so frantic? Didn't we win that wager?

Why did it feel like I had lost?

Blurred voices filled my ears. Everything went in a haze, and I had no idea what I was hearing, or even seeing.

I stared at my hand, which was holding...

Not a gun?

That was weird...

I've never had a weapon like this before.

It looked almost like...

Nausea filled my stomach.

It was a crossbow.

Nora's crossbow.

No... what did Evangelion do to you, BOSSMAN!

"GRRK!" I stumbled, but something was keeping me from falling.

"Aaron! Aaron!" A girl's voice called out.

"AARON!"

"AH!" I exclaimed, my vision clearing and revealing a girl's face hovering before me.

78 was bracing me up.

"Aaron. What did you see?"

My head still felt like it had been wrapped in tin foil and microwaved, but I still managed some coherent thoughts.

"Bryce... Bryce got deployed somewhere..."

"Was it just that?"

"No. I did something... Something happened to me. We won that wager, I swear we did. But Bryce's voice was frantic. Worried. Horrified. That's not the type of voice I would expect from a victory."

I examined my hands. One normal, the other prosthetic.

"I was holding something. A crossbow. My... my sister's crossbow. How?"

78 and the rest of the gang huddled around me, concern plastered all over their faces.

"Aaron, don't feel pressured to talk about it if it's too much," 75 said.

I gritted my teeth.

"I don't understand. I never once used a crossbow before... I don't have one in my arsenal... how did I even get my hands on Nora's weapon?"

My head flared up in pain again.

"Aaron, I think you should stay outside," 76 said.

"I can handle the meeting-"

"No. We need to go together."

76 narrowed her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright. But know that if it's too much, you are always free to step out at any time."

76 stepped into the building first, causing the voices to cut out abruptly.

"Chiefs of Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. I have come on behalf of 74-M and Muon to present our briefing."

The rest of us stepped in. The Roundtable was just as huge as it was when I first saw it.

Four girls were sitting on four chairs which were embroidered with symbols representing each platoon.

Each one had an intimidating aura that screamed "dangerous", but the one near the middle left's aura was unlike the rest.

I could practically tell she was a cut above everyone in this room.

The first and greatest War Doll in the history of the SFA.

Tactical War Doll 0-A.

Zero-A examined our group.

"76. We were only expecting the Chief to show up. Why did you bring the entire strike team with you?"

"They need to have a say."

One of the War Dolls leaned forward. She was sitting in a chair that was highlighted "Beta".

"This is against protocol. A Chief is a Chief because they understand the situation to a greater affinity than their subordinates."

76 made eye contact with the Chief War Doll of SFA-Beta.

"The people here with me understand the situation more than any of you. For the record, none of you were able to stop Tidalflame."

The Chief of SFA-Delta grimaced.

"I read the report. His defeat was both unorthodox and humiliating. The only reason Muon was able to stop the Tidalflame was sheer luck. Don't go acting like a big shot because of some freak accident. Even then, Dainsleif caused the accident. If Tidalflame wanted to, he would have wiped out every single one of you clowns."

The rest of Muon glared at the Chief.

"6-D. That's enough," 0-A commanded, raising her hand.

"Since we have all gone through the reports in detail, this meeting is merely formality. I have personally reinstated this meeting to discuss connected matters. To my understanding, the recruitment of SS Ranked Auxiliary Shadow Tidalflame was made in an attempt to combat the threat of the Third Son, am I correct?"

"Correct," 76 answered.

0-A leaned forward.

"And have you developed a plan to weaponize the Thirteenth Hinokami?"

76 pursed her lips.

"No, ma'am."

6-D inspected Yeling from afar.

"I have sent several sub-strike teams to inspect the army led by the Fifth Son, the one you and Dainsleif encountered, and the Second Son. I've lost eight girls from one scouting mission alone. Six more have been held captive. The forces of the Nine Sons from my knowledge are beyond comprehension. Every mission involving them has cost me dearly.

"My battle sisters have gone through dismemberment, pain, and grief because of this new threat. I will not accept some half-baked solution like 'send the Tidalflame to fight the Nine Sons'. We need a proper plan. From what I hear, it sounds like you don't have a single one, Muon."

I gulped.

Eight War Dolls lost their lives from one investigation alone...?

The chief of SFA-Gamma put a hand to her chin.

"It isn't just SFA-Delta who has suffered. Every single strike team has seen casualties. We simply do not have the firepower to fight such a threat. If Tidalflame and Dainsleif are the only ones who are readily available, I suggest we assign them to a different strike team."

78 paled.

"What?"

76 stepped forward out of pure instinct, but before we could stop her, 0-A flashed the War Doll a look. Her magenta eye glowed with an unusual aura, stopping 76 dead in her tracks.

"I know what you are thinking. Dainsleif and Tidalflame, Dainsleif in particular, has become accustomed to Muon and is used to working with the Dolls in this platoon. However, given the urgency of this threat and the deaths of your fellow battle sisters, do you think it is wise to continue with this battle the way it is right now?"

76 gritted her teeth.

"You-"

"74-M is not with you, because she has collapsed from overwork, correct?"

76 took a step back, her face momentarily showing signs of hesitation.

"I speak on behalf of my Chief, this won't be happening again."

"It will. The pressure on the Chief of SFA-Muon is tremendous. I know because my unit had to take care of Auxiliary Shadow Sigurd, and 6-D has had to deal with Hellsing. Well... 43-D had to deal with Hellsing, and we all know how that went."

0-A took a deep breath.

"I know this isn't something you want to hear, Muon. But 74-M cannot handle looking after two SS Ranked Shadows. Just Dainsleif alone I can tell has burdened her greatly. This is beyond her capacity, 32-G is trying to help by suggesting this. Even if you cannot accept it."

78's grip on my arm tightened.

"Please... it isn't just 74. We can all pitch in to look after the two Shadows..."

0-A raised her eyebrow.

"Tactical War Doll 78-M. Do you know why we rarely have men in our ranks?"

"..."

The Chief War Doll of SFA-Alpha put her hand on the table. The screen on the table illuminating, showing a statistic.

"Ninety-six percent of the War Dolls in this company are straight. A psychological test shows that amongst this percentage, over 82% of the Dolls in this demographic failed, exhibiting irrational thoughts in response to romance. Among the four percent of the War Dolls belong to the LGBT community, with 74-M being one of them. The only person who failed this test was 74-M."

78's hand trembled. I could tell where 0-A was going with this.

"From the way you conduct yourself, to the way you subtly stand next to Dainsleif. You may be Muon's best hitwoman, but you cannot fool me. You are genuinely in love with Aaron Hope. And this has influenced your objective thinking severely."

"That isn't true! I-"

"The wear marks on your body are evidence that you have been using your natural form more often. 42% of your time is spent doing reconnaissance for targeted hits according to 74's reports, there is no reason for your body to be subjected to transformation wears to this extent unless you have been using it off duty. For Aaron. Or are you suggesting that your Chief has been falsifying her reports?"

I put myself between 78 and 0-A.

"So 78 has a crush, what, is that illegal now? A crush isn't enough to justify moving us out of Muon, Alice."

Alice narrowed her eyes at me, as I felt a strange sense of unease.

"There is an alternative. That involves keeping Dainsleif and Tidalflame in Muon."

32-G turned to her fellow Chief.

"There is?"

"Yes."

0-A ran her hand over 74-M's file, bringing up her profile on the screen.

"The reason Muon is falling apart like this is because of 74-M. It isn't uncommon for a Chief Tactical War Doll to succumb to burnout and I suspect this is the case for her. Sergeant Hellion had initially assigned Dainsleif to SFA-Muon because 74-M has virtually no romantic and sexual attraction to men, and historically Muon has been very by-the-books, given 74-M's approach to Lord Hellion's teachings. However."

0-A brought up another file.

On it, read:

MISCONDUCT REPORT: TACTICAL WAR DOLL 78-M. NATURE OF MISCONDUCT: ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT.

78's face transitioned into horror. I felt her grip loosen as the War Doll stepped away from me.

"No... I thought all I did was cuddle up to him... that was what 74 told me...! Oh god... what have I done...?!"

The file expanded, showing a CCTV footage of 78 in her aged form entering my room at night, curling up next to me while I was asleep...

Climbing on top of me.

Kissing me.

Every single night.

"Holy shit..." Garen muttered.

75 and Vinci gasped, putting their hands to their mouths.

76 spun to 78 and me, her eyes wide in disbelief, horror, and shock.

"78..."

0-A's glare focused on 78.

"74-M kept this information hidden from the rest of Muon. This may fly with your team, but it does not fly by me. Nor does it fly by anyone in this room. Especially not with Sergeant Hellion. From 74-M's collapse from overwork to withholding information, this is all enough evidence to show that the Chief War Doll of Muon has lost her prowess to lead this team."

78 rushed forward, putting a hand on her chest.

"This was my fault! It isn't 74's! If anyone should be punished, it should be me!"

"A platoon is the responsibility of the Chief's."

0-A closed the file, crossing her arms.

"I don't blame 74 for this. I can also tell that you didn't do this on purpose, but behaviour like this is still unacceptable. Once again, 74-M failed to abide by the rules. It is only because I recognize the things she has done for our Company that I have not banished her from the SFA. But, these actions have consequences.

"And the consequence that I have arrived at... is that 74-M is no longer fit to lead SFA-M."

A tense silence filled the air.

78's face was downcast, white as a ghost.

"Oh god..."

I reached out.

"Riho, it's okay, I-"

Riho recoiled from my touch, terror on her face.

"Don't... stay away from me... I don't deserve your kindness, Aaron..."

76 regarded 0-A with a grim expression.

"Then what becomes of our Chief?"

0-A slowly got up.

"If we go through with the alternative, I will take her in as my Lieutenant, serving under Tactical War Doll 2-A as a normal War Doll. And 2-A will be promoted to Captain. We will have her record and codename updated.

"To Tactical War Doll 74-A."

The other Chief War Dolls reacted with surprise.

"WHAT?!" 6-D snarled.

32-G's eyebrows knit together.

"You would instead take 74 under your wing rather than punish her for something this abhorrent?"

The Chief of SFA-B crossed her arms.

"74-M may have lost her edge as a Chief, but her knowledge of large-scale military warfare and planning is among the likes of the Big Four. I initially considered having her join our military strategy unit in Beta, but if she can be weaponized in Alpha, even better."

6-D's scowl intensified.

"I respect 14-B's calls since SFA-Beta has historically been the best single-target platoon. But 74 doesn't deserve to be in that spot, especially considering it has come to light what she has done! By taking her under your wing, you have essentially given her the avenue to build up toward Alpha's Lieutenant General, Zero. A spot of the highest prestige. I wouldn't trust any military operations to someone whose only drive to such standing is over a personal vendetta like a crush."

I grimaced. Thalia...

They basically had us in a bind.

Either give up me and Yeling to another team, or Thalia goes.

"I don't get it. You guys," Vinci broke the tension.

"Thalia did something wrong, but just what good does breaking apart a team like this do for anyone?"

6-D sneered at Vinci.

"Mind your place, little alternate, you have no right speaking to the Big Four like-"

"Shut up, bitch."

Everybody went silent.

Even 6-D looked startled at the sudden contrast Vinci had on her face.

Because it was the same look that was on 76's. Every single day.

The look that would send waves of intimidation and fear that 76 was known for. A look that 76 had adopted because of her patricide for her father...

"'I want to put 74 in another team, but she doesn't deserve to be put in another team'. Which is it? You're claiming that 74 is acting out of a personal vendetta, but here you are being a whiny little bitch just because 74 is working under Zero-A? I don't know anything about fighting. Just the other day, I was sleeping on the floor in my Dad's office when suddenly the world was ending and my Dad was slaughtered by Loycael. I never asked to be thrown into an existential war, but I never complained. Because 74 and my sis was there for me every step of the way."

Vinci's glare intensified. Even 76 had her eyebrows raised.

"How dare you criticize 74 for acting out of morals. She knew that 78 loved Red. They were close friends and Red even forgave her. Sure, she kept some of the information classified, but did you ever stop to think maybe she did it out for the sole purpose of protecting this team? Maybe it's true you guys are the top strike teams in this Special Forces Aggression Company, but 74 will NEVER give up Muon to go with Alpha if it means abandoning us. I know that as a fact! But what I can't stand, is this hypocrisy I'm seeing here. You have no right to demand 74, Red, or Yeling to leave Muon. That call should be something THEY make, not YOU."

6-D stood up, approaching Vinci, but Vinci stood her ground.

"Vinci Blake, this is your last warning. If you choose to talk out of line one more fuckin' time I'll-"

CLICK CLICK.

6-D brought her hand up with lightning-fast reflexes, grabbing the barrel of 76's gun before she could even finish aiming.

"Nice try, 76. But-"

CLICK CLICK.

SHINK!

CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK.

75, 78 and I pulled out our guns, aiming it right at 6-D. Yeling drew his sword, lifting it to her chin.

Even Garen had pulled out his compound crossbow, nervously pointing it at 6-D.

His lip was trembling and he was hiding closer to 75, but I could tell from his expression.

He was fully prepared to throw hands for Vinci.

I leaned closer to 6-D.

"You wanna keep yappin' or do you wanna throw down in front of the rest of the Big Four over there? Because from what I heard, you got your ass kicked by an SS Rank even with the help of SFA-Gamma. And here you are trying to beef with TWO SS Ranks. Are you stupid or something?"

Zero-A raised her hand.

"Enough. 6-D, I will not tolerate your behaviour. You are a Chief to the Big Four. Please act like one. As for the rest of you, it is a strict rule to not bring weapons into the Roundtable."

We yielded, as 6-D returned to her chair, a look of pure hatred on her face.

Vinci...

When 76 had become hardened, it was because she had to take a life away. Her father's.

But for this alternate version of Vinci Blake, she had hardened differently. By protecting us.

"..."

"Huh?"

Vinci fell to her knees, causing 76 and 75 to catch her instinctively.

"Vinci!"

"Ahhh!!! Sis, I was so scared! I don't wanna go to these meetings anymore!"

"What the hell were you thinking trying to give lip to a Chief War Doll?! Are you an idiot?!"

"No!!! Don't call me an idiot!"

I glanced at Alice, and for a split second, it was like a small smirk had appeared on her face.

Checkmate. Vulnerability found.

I approached the table, planting my hands on the surface.

"I have a proposition. Call it... a wager."

Alice's face hardened in response to the word.

"What are you proposing? What are the terms."

76 glanced at me nervously.

"Ummm, Red, what the hell are you doing?"

A breeze blew past me, parting my bangs.

"The Fifth Son. Muon will take him out. We do that, and we send the rest of the Nine Sons a message that we aren't here to mess around. The bastard has a debt he owes for what he did to 76 and Vinci's Dad. As well as Jessie's alternate. He's got a ton of blood money to pay for."

14-B gripped the edge of her seat.

"Dainsleif, Loycael nearly killed your team. He isn't someone who can simply be beaten-"

"I've seen him fight. I've analyzed him. The tools and strategies have been set. To you, he is a god. But to me..."

My face steeled in resolve.

"He is prey."

"..." The Four Chiefs hesitated, my declaration clearly had an effect.

Zero-A rested her hands on the table.

"And what is the rest of the wager?"

I slowly pointed my finger at the Chiefs of the Big Four.

"The rest of the wager I am proposing is that we will be the first strike team to claim the head of a Nine Son."

6-D's face transitioned into a sneer.

"Are you implying that Muon will kill a Nine Son before any of us in this room?"

"Yeah. If we can do that, then it's clear that the team Thalia has set up far outclasses anything you guys have built up. If we win this wager, you have no grounds to break apart this team."

32-G sat up, intrigued.

"Very well. SFA-Gamma will accept your wager. But if you lose... Dainsleif, we will claim you. Tidalflame will be up for grabs by anyone in the rest of the Big Four, but I have my eyes on you personally. We need a heavy hitter."

14-B raised her hand.

"SFA-Beta could use a Hinokami."

Zero-A got up from her seat, approaching us.

"SFA-Alpha accepts your wager, Dainsleif. But know this. We have had a history of taking on threats that are beyond us. You are suggesting a challenge that involves precise and meticulous planning which is exactly where the Tactical War Dolls excel at. This is not the same as our ambush from Tidalflame where we needed to act through improvisation. Improvision always bows in the face of those prepared. This wager is not as easy as you think it is."

"This is precisely why. Because it's one that I cannot complete on my own. I'll show you the strength of our team, including Thalia. And all of the War Dolls in SFA-Muon. This team isn't just Tidalflame and Dainsleif. Each person plays a part. If you guys can't see how stupid it is breaking this team, then let us show you through example."

The Chief War Doll of SFA-Alpha reached out her hand.

"Then I look forward to this challenge, Dainsleif- no. Muon."

I took Alice's hand and shook it.

Alice leaned in closer, her magenta eye locked gazes with mine.

"Between you and me. I do not want to see Seven Four go through the thought of losing her team. But I am someone who puts duty above all else. The safety of the girls under my command will always take precedence over a mere hunch. I cannot convince myself pragmatically that Seven Four can lead Muon. So... what I am saying is...

"Work another miracle, just like you always have. Be the symbol of resilience that we once looked up to once more. The boy who had his life taken away at a young age just like we did, but never succumbed and became the greatest Outer Shadow in our generation. Our anchor.

Prove me wrong again, Aaron Hope. For Thalia's sake."

* * *

"Well, that sure was an interesting meeting, huh?" I laughed, putting my hands behind the back of my head. We arrived back at the barracks, where Vinci had immediately started cooking dinner and doing chores for us.

Ever since Vinci had joined, since she wasn't much of a fighter, she insisted on doing all of the non-fighting tasks. This included record keeping, housekeeping, groceries, facilities...

After the ordeal with 74's report, she even insisted on handling little tasks for that too.

76 scowled.

"And what kind of plan did you have in mind to take down the Fifth Son? You saw how he managed to solo kill both Evangelion and Sergeant Hellion in that world."

"No clue."

"WHAT?!"

76 grabbed me and shook me violently.

"So you made a wager against not one, not two, but FOUR of the greatest Chiefs in the history of the SFA and you don't even have the slightest clue on where to start?!"

"HEY! It was in the heat of the moment, I swear!" I protested.

Yeling put a hand on his chin.

"Tell me more about this Loycael."

"He claims to represent the War Aspect of Loyce," 75 said.

"War... huh? Didn't Aaron fight an Inner Shadow like that?"

75's eyes lit up.

"Hey, you're right! The battle between Dainsleif and Bishamonten! Everybody in the Black Legion knows about that legendary fight. It was downright shocking, actually. For the first time in history, an Outer Shadow defeated an Inner Shadow in battle."

Well, that wasn't really true, given that John had done it in the past. But considering all of this God-Eater bullshit was technically his fault because of that fight, it was better not to acknowledge it and stoke his ego.

"And? What was the trick, Aaron?" Yeling asked.

I tried my best not to look offended.

"Wow. So you just assumed that I needed some kinda trick to beat Inner Shadow Bishamon?"

"I can't wrap my head around the idea that you could have defeated a God of War with weapons of war. There had to be an exploit you used."

I leaned back on the sofa. This particular sofa had become my go-to seat because it buried me so deep into the cushions. It also happened to be 76's favourite sofa too that she used to watch Custard Wars. Messing with Tactical Girl Muscle never got old.

"Yes. There was."

76's original look of irritation regarding the sofa dissipated, replaced with intrigue.

"Really?"

"Bishamon is an entity powered by strife and discord. Without either of those, he was basically SS Rank. A fair fight between the two of us. The only reason he had risen to Inner Shadow was because of all the war and battle all around him strengthening him. When I fought him, I needed the help of Outer Shadow Dagrun and her Auxiliaries to hold off Bisha while Sigurd and I stopped Doctor Destroyer's invasion. We stopped it as fast as we could, but even then, Bishamonten nearly killed Dagrun despite her ridiculous speed."

76 crossed her arms, her face deep in thought.

"In other words, if we need a foot of leverage against someone like Loycael, the key is to segregate him from his army. That still seems like a monumental task. We'll need someone to distract Loycael long enough for us to dismantle his legions and isolate him away from the war. Even then, we're still dealing with an incomprehensibly powerful opponent."

Yeling gripped his sword, fingering a piece of jade that hung around his neck.

"Aaron and I will distract Loycael. We are the only ones who can stand against someone like this. Army dismantlement I will leave to you girls."

"Agreed," I said.

76's eyebrows scrunched together in concern.

"Yeling, Loycael is ridiculously strong. He killed Evangelion, the Fourteenth Hinokami who I hear had completely consumed you for over twenty years."

"And Aaron is basically a cheap knockoff of Lord Hellion," 75 followed up.

"NO! Aaron! Yeling! Don't get rocked, please! You're the only other guys here in this unit, don't get yourselves killed and leave me alone just because Aaron was an idiot!" Garen pleaded.

"HEY!" I snapped.

Vinci arrived at the table and placed several dishes before us. Stir fry night! Awesome!

"I think this time will be different."

76 raised an eyebrow at her sister.

"How so?"

"Because in my world, those two beings were alternates, right? They're not off the main reality like this one."

She was right!

"Lord Hellion once interrupted my dream, and he said that alternates were destined to die. This might be why Loycael was able to defeat those two so easily. There's no way an offshoot entity from Loyce could be that powerful. I mean... come on, Annie, John and I only took out a third of his power. A third, divided amongst Nine Sons? Strong enough to defeat the Hinokami Killer and the greatest military commander of all time? Makes no sense.

"He had to have done this on purpose. He knew this would give him a strategic edge by inflicting a sense of perceived fear."

Yeling poked at his stirfry... except it was gone...?

I looked away for two seconds and he had scarfed it down instantly!

"We have two challenges then. The first is to deal with his army, and the second is to lure the Nine Son away and survive his onslaught. And somehow keep him from rejoining his army."

Garen raised his hand.

"That's three challenges, actually."

Neither of you morons are right!

"Before we do any of that, we need to initiate preparations. We can't proceed with the plan considering Red is not even recovered yet, 74's down, and we have no idea what our War Gear looks like," 76 interjected.

"Let's figure out logistics tomorrow morning, 0600. 75, Garen, you two will be with me, we will follow up on where 74 left off. Red, Yeling, figure out how to get Red back into fighting shape as much as possible. 78, keep an eye on them. At the end of the day, we'll check on the Chief and see how she is doing. We need 74-M in this fight. She was, and always will be our commander."

That night, I had trouble sleeping. The CCTV footage kept replaying in my head.

Riho's look of pure horror and the disgust she felt toward herself disturbed me.

She didn't want me anywhere near her, but she was still someone close to me.

I sat up.

"Hey, Ye-"

"ZZZZZZZZ...."

"Eugh..." Of course, Yeling would be asleep. The guy needed twice the amount of rest and food as a normal person.

I opened the door and headed to the main living area when suddenly, something caught my eye.

The shoes.

One of them... one of them was missing.

Riho's.

I bolted out the door, running as fast as I could.

Riho...

What the hell was she doing this late at night?

Where the hell could she be?

There was no time to use the tracking skills Thalia taught me.

What little chakra I still had, I needed to use it.

I braced myself.

Aspectum: Huntsman Radar

My eyes flashed, a red magical reticule appearing before one of my eyes. I could feel the enhanced blood flow in my body in response to the heightened magical state, but it felt like my blood vessels were going to implode any second.

No.

This was not a concern at the moment.

I needed to find Riho...

A blip appeared in my vision.

And to my shock, the blip was right at the gates. Where Shadow Transport was done.

I rushed to the garage and ripped my bike out of its housings, speeding as fast as I could to 78's location.

Don't... stay away from me... I don't deserve your kindness, Aaron...

"You stupid girl...!" I hissed, trying to fight back the growing anxiety in my chest.

I continued driving until I reached the gates to find 78 swirling with the Shadows.

"SHADOWS. CEASE OPERATIONS IMMEDIATELY," I roared.

78 turned to me, her eyes bloodshot, but she still managed to muster a weak smile.

"Hey, Aaron!"

"Don't 'hey' me! Where the hell are you going? It better be McRonalds or I'm dragging your ass back to the barracks!"

The Shadows had ceased, but 78 retained her composure, examining me.

"You came here unarmed?"

"What kind of a question is that? Riho. If this is about earlier today, I've told you dozens of times it-"

"You came out of sheer panic. To know you didn't even grab one piece of equipment. You don't have a single tool to stop me."

"What?!"

A breeze blew past us in the night scene of the rebuilt Praetes.

"It is unfair to the others if I leave Muon, especially given the state of the team. But it is also unethical for me to fight by your side. I cannot accept it. 74 threw her entire career away because I chose to let my lust take over."

"Riho... you're just tired. Come on, let's go home. Let's go home."

"Aaron..." Riho's voice cracked.

"I raped you."

"No, you didn't! All you did was..."

"Stop. I know... I know what I did. Sometimes I would wake up realizing I didn't have my clothes on. The CCTV footage showed it in its entirety."

I was at a complete loss for words.

"Riho, we can still work this out-"

"HOW can you say this?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! AARON!" 78 screamed, marching up to me.

"I assaulted you and the first thing you say is 'let's fix this'? Any normal person would report me instantly! Any normal person would have me locked up! Why do I get a free pass?"

"Because... because we're friends and I know you were aslee-"

"That is not an excuse!"

Riho's body began to grow, the t-shirt fabric around her breasts and the leggings around her hips stretching in response to her increasingly voluptuous frame. I couldn't help but glance at it, and I could tell 78 saw it right away.

"I'll tell you why, Aaron. It's because of my body. Because it's okay if someone hot does it? You might think it's okay, and it seems 74 thought so too considering she lied to the Chiefs, but I can't accept it. I can't live with myself knowing I did these things, and instead of paying the price, I had people try to bail me out."

I stepped forward, but my body instinctively backed away.

"Don't come near me, Aaron. I've rigged the entire perimeter of this exit with several thousand volts of electricity. A... a skill that... that-"

"Risa taught you, right?" I asked.

78's voice cracked.

"Tell me, Aaron. What was your impression of me... before you knew I had this form? Before you knew about my past?"

I tried to calm my nerves.

"You... you were quiet. You were so, so quiet, just like your sister. One would have believed you two were two peas in a pod with how in sync you were. But when Risa died, you exploded, and all your emotions came out. And that was when I realized, that you chose to act introverted despite being an extrovert, so your introverted sister wouldn't feel left out. You were there with her every step of the way."

I put my hand on my T-shirt, which was ruffling in the wind.

"Your impression on me was that you were considerate. You would throw your popularity away for the people you love. It was admirable, Riho."

Tears ran down 78's cheeks.

"Don't say that. Don't ever say that. Your impression was that I caused problems from day one. It had to be."

"Riho..."

"Don't deny it! The only time... the only time you ever paid attention to me was because I had snapped and hit 74 that day! You... you helped me out of pity. You showed me your kind caring side because I messed up. And instead of being grateful, my stupid... STUPID mind ending up falling in love! All of this was my fault. Connect the dots, Aaron. Where did it all start? It was because of me."

I brought my hand up.

"Riho... let's just... let's just calm down, okay? What... what are you planning on doing with those Shadows?"

78 clenched her fists.

"I am the greatest hitwoman of SFA-Muon."

"Y-Yeah, I know."

"I will dismantle the armies of Loycael through a solo assassination. Just like I did with the world leaders in the Porta Mission."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Alone?! Riho, that's suicide!"

"If I go down, I will ensure I take as many of the soldiers with me. The point is to send a message and to weaken his forces, correct? Then what better message to Loycael, than a targeted assassination hit that takes out a large chunk of his army?"

78 mustered another weak smile.

"It is conceited of me to think I deserve to burden the team anymore by leaving. But I don't deserve to stand and fight by your side. The logical choice for someone like me is to have my service terminated, but right now, we need as many Dolls on the line as possible. So the solution? One final stand. To serve Lord Hellion one last time before my departure."

"Don't you dare..." I snarled, stepping forward, but the electricity shocked me and sent me back.

"GRRK! Riho! Have you not realized that what you're doing is the EXACT thing I've said I HATE?! Sacrificing yourself to pay a debt NEVER DOES ANYONE ANY GOOD!" I yelled.

"This isn't about doing anyone any good. This is atoning for something that everyone here seems to be trying to bail me out of."

"RIHO!"

78 pointed at me.

"The Jubilee gave her life to protect you and your team. But she did it out of selfless sacrifice. Auxiliary Shadow Assault gave his life to protect you from a Vala Enhanced Grond. Again, out of selfless sacrifice. Professor Joseph Blake and the alternate Jessica Lane gave their lives, so you and 76 could escape. NONE of those noble feats should be compared to what I'm doing, Aaron. Because none of what I'm doing is selfless."

I...

I was running out of things to say to try to bring 78 back.

I needed something.

Anything.

"Riho, marry-"

"ENOUGH."

I stumbled back, startled as 78's expression changed to pure rage.

"Look what I've done to you, Aaron. You're now resorting to proposing to me despite your dedication to Ultear. Listen carefully to what you're saying. To the intention and your methods. You were, and always will be a man of integrity. It's one of the things I love about you. I can't have you throwing all that away for someone like me."

I breathed heavily, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

"Don't go... please..."

"Shadows. Transport me to the aforementioned location. By wager of Outer Shadow A0, override all prompts from Outer Shadow Dainsleif."

It will be done, Auxiliary Shadow M78.

"RIHO! NO! SHADOWS! Listen to me, listen to your higher ranked Shad-"

We cannot follow your orders, Outer Shadow Dainsleif, for we pledge allegiance to Lord Slipstream, by proxy of Outer Shadow A0. Your loyalties lie in Lord Gasket's Shadows.

"No... GODDAMMIT FUCK THESE TRAPS!" I roared, stomping forward and ripping through the barricade, electricity flooding into my body.

"AARRRRGHHHH! RIHO!" I yelled, trying to fight through the excruciating pain.

Riho stared at me, her face pale in shock.

"Aaron, what are you... what are you-"

"I'LL TAKE THOUSANDS OF VOLTS OF ELECTRICITY IF IT MEANS BRINGING YOU HOME!"

A sob escaped the War Doll.

"No... Stop! You'll kill yourself! That amount of current is lethal-"

"And you think throwing yourself on the front lines is any better, you STUPID BIMBO?!"

"This is necessary!"

"If that ridiculous FUCKIN stunt is necessary, SO IS THIS."

I forced myself forward, my vision pulsating with red. The electricity was shutting down my neurons and I could feel my muscles wasting away. My prosthetic detached from my body, slamming into the ground and twitching uncontrollably.

"Come home... COME HOME!" I roared.

78 began to cry, her body wracked with sobs and tears.

"I can't... I can't, Aaron."

"YOU CAN."

The Shadows had begun transporting 78 away, her body fading from existence.

"RIHO!" I screamed.

78 mustered one final smile.

"I love you, Aaron. But... you deserve better."

"NO!"

FWOOSH.

I rushed forward, falling flat on my face. I began clawing at the ground ferociously, trying to recover a Riho Shinohara that I knew would never come back no matter how hard I swiped at the air.

22

75, 76, Vinci, Garen, Yeling, and I scoured every single trace we could find. Every single clue we could get our hands on.

Every single Shadow and Tactical Doll we could contact.

But we couldn't find Tactical War Doll 78-M.

The biggest likelihood was that she was on her way to deliver her final strike directly at Loycael's kingdom using the Bloodhound Protocol.

That night, when I told everyone about what had happened to Riho, 76 ripped open her doors, only to find out that the entire room was barren.

The transactional history showed that Riho had sold every single piece of musical equipment, every single one of her belongings, and even the rights to her music and channel. The money was funnelled into purchasing military supplies to launch her suicide mission.

And in the center of the room, was a handwritten letter, along with all the equipment that the SFA had issued her, folded neatly, Japanese style.

Thank you, all of you. But I will not have the integrity of such incredible people wasted on someone like me. Allow me to serve you, one last time.

I will not use the equipment issued to me. The strength I wield will be from my own earnings. This is how it shall be done.

Though our parting was disgraceful, it was truly an honour to serve amongst everyone in Muon. Even if the world views us as the worst strike team, I never did.

Shinohara Riho

Tactical War Doll 78-M.

76 lowered her head, her bangs covering her face.

"78..."

75 knelt down next to 76, putting her arms around her.

"76, this wasn't your fault."

76 closed her eyes.

"But it is still my responsibility, regardless."

Yeling, Garen, and I were silent.

But Garen put his hand on my shoulder and I felt my hand tremble.

What could I have possibly said differently that night?

What could I have done?

If I had accepted Riho's feelings, would that have changed anything?

Sarah...

I've been led to believe I would do anything to stay loyal to you, but it has cost my friends so dearly.

It felt like I was giving up the world just to bring you back to life.

My intentions weren't because we needed a Hero to defeat Sarina.

The truth was that I wanted you back in my arms again. It was as simple as that. A selfish, self-centred reason.

If only I could speak to you...

Just once.

Just once, I needed to know if what I was striving for was right. Or if it was wrong.

I needed to hear that from you.

I clutched my head again as it spiked in pain.

Bossman, you need to let her go! The dead aren't meant to be brought back to life!

Get away from me. I will revive her, regardless of what ALL of you say!

I stumbled, bumping into my desk as papers and contents flew into the ground.

More and more vision flashed in my mind.

Riho was sacrificing herself for me again. Why was everyone sacrificing themselves?!

Even when I made it so damn clear that I hated that in a person?

Sacrifice...

I'm sorry kid. But this is one sacrifice I would never put on my own, Jay's voice suddenly reverberated in my mind.

"What... Jay...?!" I gasped, my vision changing again.

Alice was running toward me. I had fired my Draugr into her thigh.

Dainsleif... don't you dare... sacrifice yourself... FOR OUR SAKES!

A sacrifice...? Did I sacrifice myself?

The memories abruptly cut out. I was drawing another blank as I lurched forward, vomiting all over the ground in frustration.

"NO! FUCK! REMEMBER!" I snarled, slamming my head against the floor over and over again.

"REMEMBER, DAMMIT! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" I screamed at myself.

What happened?!

What happened that day?!

The gaps in knowledge, there was a connection to my desire to revive Sarah, there had to be.

If I had just REMEMBERED Riho wouldn't have gone on her suicide mission.

I clutched my hair.

"Remember... please... please remember, Aaron!"

No!

Dammit!

"DAMMIT! DAMN IT ALL!" I sobbed, slamming my head into the ground again.

"I hate this... I hate this so much. What the hell did I do that would warrant me resetting my mind like this?!"

"Be sure to clean that up. The smell is horrendous."

I looked up, to see a pair of tiny legs before me, which transitioned into a pair of shorts and a black tank top.

Thalia crossed her arms, regarding me from above. Her face was still a little bit pale, but she had regained her regal composure.

"76 filled me in. I heard about 78's declaration."

"Thalia, I- I couldn't stop her, I tried-"

"No one is blaming anyone for anything. It was my call to withhold information and I am more than willing to accept that I made a bad call that has cost us greatly. So do not beat yourself up for something we all played a part in."

74 knelt before me, handing me a tissue paper. I wiped the puke off my face.

"Thalia, I'm so sorry for not being there for you. You were overwhelmed by everything."

"I apologise too. The moment I woke up from my delirious state, I received a scolding by 76. Imagine that, being scolded by my own subordinate Dolls. But every point she made was valid."

74 sat down, crossing her legs in front of me.

"I should have been more open about my struggles. I let my delusions get the better of me, thinking that as a Chief I needed to stay strong for my platoon. Perhaps my service will be cut short, but I will do everything in my power to keep Muon strong until the very end."

"..."

74 reached out and I felt the touch of her hand on the top of my head. It was probably kind of humiliating to have words of reassurance from a fifteen-year-old... in a twelve-year-old's body...

But I was grateful.

"I've also been informed by the others that Zero-A doesn't see me as fit to be Chief."

"I set a wager. I'll prove 'em all wrong."

"No, Aaron. She is right. Well, partially right."

Thalia smoothed her hair with her fingers.

"I wasn't fit to be Chief. For the longest time, I saw it as a means to an end over some crush. I... guess I was doing it for myself, in a way. It made me very narrow-sighted, and over the last few days, you've seen just how ugly it can get. It took all of you guys to convince me that my approach really was wrong, and not only was it wrong, but it cost this team greatly. I need to do better. And I see that now."

I watched as the Chief of SFA-Muon got to her feet, picking up all the papers and stuff I had knocked over. It was a subtle detail, but there were many things that Thalia did that made her against the norm of a commander.

From doing gruntwork that a commander would normally assign to her subordinates.

Or now. Consoling one.

"78 is out there. And we're all worried sick. We're going to make 78's safety our top priority, will that be an issue, Dainsleif?"

"No, ma'am."

"Good. As for what happened earlier, and your little jab at me..."

PINCH.

"GOW!" I yelped as Thalia grabbed me by the cheek, pinching it.

"I don't like seeing you cry. You're someone who makes people like me smile. It isn't fair that everybody gets to be happy but you. I want to be able to make sure you smile too."

74 let go of my cheek, heading for the door.

"We will hold a meeting in fifteen minutes to discuss next steps. Pick yourself up again, Aaron. And let's come up with a plan to bring our friend back, okay?"

* * *

I joined the group after cleaning up the floor. Everybody was huddled around the table, which had been transformed into a massive touchscreen with statistics, diagrams, and notes all over.

"78's rescue should be a priority, what do you guys think?" 76 asked.

"Agreed," 75 followed up.

74 put her hands on the display, her eyes focused hard.

"Hm..."

74 slowly looked up, the screen illuminating her face.

"No."

Everybody stared at the Chief.

"Umm, Chief did that flu fry your brain cells or something?" Garen asked.

76 gave 74 a confused look.

"Chief. If 78 goes out there she's going to be slaughtered. We cannot afford any other delays! Our battle sister is in danger-"

"Regardless of the nature of her departure, this is 78-M we are talking about. She isn't the type to throw her life away."

The Chief War Doll tapped on a few icons on the screen, bringing up an interface.

Within seconds, a blip appeared on the radar.

75 gasped.

"What the- how did you do that?!"

Even 76's jaw dropped in response to what we were seeing.

"Chief... is that..."

"Yes. This is the location of 78-M. Even if she returned all of her issued equipment, there is one thing she cannot return. Herself. And in the end, no matter how much she tries to deny it, she was, and will always be a Tactical War Doll."

The gang gazed at the flashing icon that was 78-M. Except... the flashing was irregular.

Almost like...

"Morse code!" 75 exclaimed.

Riho...

Even now, you're still helping us.

74-M brushed her hair behind her ear.

"I understand that my intentions as Chief were never pure in the past. But that changes today. I will do everything I can to bring 78 back, however, this does not mean I will underestimate our Battle Sister. 78-M is our greatest hitman. Her choice to disclose her location to Aaron was an intentional one, just as it was to disclose her location using her built-in tracking software."

76 pursed her lips.

"Then... what do we do?"

"We proceed with the plan, knowing one of us has full eyes on the target. Vinci, the report you compiled is exceptional. Work with 78 as she sends information through code. Tidalflame and Dainsleif, you two will work on recovering Dainsleif's combat power, I will assist on that front. 76, you will lead 75 and Garen in acquiring sufficient battle power to dispatch Loycael's army. Right now, the objective for this meeting is to come up with a means to hold off an army of this magnitude."

Yeling raised an eyebrow.

"And do you have an idea of where to start?"

74 took a deep breath.

"I don't have one. The task of planning an attack of this magnitude is too much for me. The use of planned artillery offensives is not my expertise. So I have contacted someone for assistance."

"Someone for assistance? Who?" 76 asked.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

74 pressed the intercom button.

"It's open."

CREAK.

We all turned around, to see a familiar eyesore standing at the entrance of the room.

"J- Just so you know, it's not like I wanted to be here or anything. You idiots," Chief Tactical War Doll 6-D muttered.

I immediately sprung into action, slamming my hand against the wall next to the Chief War Doll's head of SFA-Delta.

"YOU LITTLE BRAT, HOW DARE YOU ROLL UP TO OUR CRIB!"

6-D's face contorted into a rage.

"I didn't ask for this!"

76 stepped forward, a scowl on her face.

"What the hell?!"

74 straightened her back.

"6-D was reprimanded for her behaviour during the meeting by Zero-A. Her punishment was to assist us in the assault against Loycael's army."

"GRRRRRR," I snarled, my face an inch away from 6-D's.

"Stop that! What are you, a dog?!" 6-D exclaimed.

The Chief scurried away from me.

"It is not a punishment! I was simply... temporarily assigned! Yes! That's it."

"So it's a punishment then," Yeling commented.

"No, it's not!"

"Sounds like it to me!" Garen chuckled.

"SCREW YOU! This is why I hate working with squads full of boys."

6-D cleared her throat, standing awkwardly between 76 and I.

"Quit baring your teeth at me like a pack of feral hounds! You two are making this so much more awkward than it needs to be!" 6-D snapped.

74-M raised her hand.

"Dainsleif, 76, Six is our guest. Please show some courtesy."

"What?! This bitch talked shit about you the entire meeting!" I protested.

"Six's expertise in artillery warfare is magnitudes greater than my own. If there is someone who can coordinate this assault it is her."

Six placed her hands on the display. Her eyes skimmed everything at an unnatural speed.

"Okay. Right away, I can tell Muon lacks the sufficient artillery to carry out any strategic offensives."

74 narrowed her eyes.

"I have enlisted the help of Harmon and UNTIL to develop prototype artillery solutions."

"No. That isn't enough."

6-D pointed at several locations from the limited data 78-M had sent us.

"Do you see these overhangs? These overhangs act as cover against aerial assaults. The data on weather patterns are insufficient to determine any precision strikes. An artillery assault isn't just about sheer firepower. The first strike is the most important because the first strike determines the trajectory of a fight. As of now, we need to continue relying on 78-M feeding intel to us on the nature of the enemy before we can launch any offensives. I would advise your team to continue preparations."

I scratched my chin.

"Wow, you're not all talk after all."

Six choked.

"WHAT?! What makes you think I'm incompetent?! I'm a Chief of the Big Four, you big oaf!"

So we really didn't have any artillery on us to launch any offensives, even with the prospect of Harmon.

This was bad.

Time... time was of the essence, especially with Riho putting her life at risk by being behind enemy lines.

The Chief of SFA-Delta leaned against the edge of the table.

"Look. I can tell from your expressions that you're itching to see combat. Don't try to hide it from me. But you need to understand that by having subordinates in danger like this, it's even more of a reason to not approach this hastily."

6-D bit back her lip.

"I know because I've lost enough subordinates to learn that lesson the hard way."

74's face was downcast.

"Six, I received word that you received heavy casualties from your investigations on Loycael."

"Yeah. We were not aware of how powerful the enemy was. We sent our Scout Regiment with standard-issue equipment. I watched my own girls have their vital signs cut short before my very eyes. Every death falls on the Chief, and every death feels like a part of me is taken away. I'm sure you can relate, 74. You may think the size of my platoon would make the deaths less impactful; that is far from the truth. The larger the platoon, the more worried I become."

Jesus.

I never realized how much Six must have gone through. When 77-M died, 74-M was shaken to the core, and when she saw 76 jump to her perceived demise back in Porta's raid, the same thing happened. The fear of losing your own subordinates never leaves.

And Six had to deal with that fear over and over again with such a large platoon.

Suddenly, her hard-headed attitude started to make sense.

It was fashioned from the pain of loss.

74 pursed her lips.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

Six ran her hand over the surface of the table.

"Thank you. And I apologize for the way I have behaved in that meeting. But when lives are at stake, especially at this point where the threat of Vala and Loyce looms ever so near, there is no time to be goofing off. I know you are the most adherent to Lord Hellion's teachings, 74, which was why when I found out you did something so reckless as to take in two SS Ranks, and then your decision to withhold information from your own team, I was beyond infuriated. Every War Doll has limits. Even Zero-A has limits. The important thing is to recognize where those limits lie, and to know when to back off when taking on tasks."

The rest of us were stunned in silence. This was such a contrast to how 6-D had presented herself a few minutes ago.

74 nodded.

"Then I look forward to your guidance. Please, help me learn to lead my squad better. For their sake."

Six blinked.

"You really are something, aren't you, 74? After we practically insulted you in front of Zero-A, you would still bend your knee to someone like me."

"Duty exists before pride, Chief."

The Chief War Doll's expression softened.

"Very well. Come back to me once the aforementioned preparations are complete. I will reorganize this War Table with the appropriate configuration for Tactical Artillery Warfare. Vinci Blake, as you have demonstrated a remarkable proficiency in parsing 78-M's logs, you will be working with me."

Vinci paled as if realizing that she was now left alone with the same girl she had called a "bitch".

"Um... I..."

"Relax. I'm not going to grill you over what happened. You're way too soft to handle something like that, unlike your musclebound doppelganger over there."

"Hey!" 76 snapped.

Six swiped her hand over the screen. I was starting to respect this girl more now.

"The hell are you jackasses standing around for? Get to work already!" The Chief growled.

Nevermind.

She was still a brat.

* * *

Thalia brought Yeling and me back to the Champions Universe.

"Why are we here again? It's a little too soon for you to go on another designer clothes shopping spree," I said.

74 made a cute squeaking sound which completely contrasted with her usual military demeanour. She kept glancing at Yeling as if hoping he wouldn't out her secret... like I had (oops).

"What?! No! I uh... No! We have come to figure out a way to restore your mana. Also, Dainsleif, see me in my office after this mission is over."

Well if she was this irritated at me revealing her hobby for designer fashion I wonder how pissed off she would get if she found out I sold the secret out to PRIMUS for 100k G, a Therakiel Sword Cosmetic, and an Inborn...

"Didn't know you had experience with magic," I said, trying to change the subject.

74 put her hands in her pockets. She had gone with casual attire, a pair of jeans and flannel.

Between her tomboyish body language along with her country-girl vibe, and her youthful cute face, it was like her getup was doing gymnastics all over the place.

"Muon has had a history of fighting mages. Of all the mages we have fought, they all operate on something similar. Mana circuits."

"Mana circuits?"

Yeling scratched his chin.

"I've heard of this before. From an anime."

"How are you saying these things with a straight face?" I grumbled.

"I think your mana circuits have been damaged from overuse. I noticed that you are only able to wield Elementary Magic, which means your circuits have limits. Constantly casting spells and forcing mana to course through your body has been leading to magic wear over time. We need to consult practitioners who wield similar."

"I don't really wanna bother Witchcraft again, to be honest."

"We won't. We will consult someone else."

"Awesome! Who?"

...

"Oh great. Just my luck that The Valerian Cleavage Sniffer has decided to grace this place with his presence again!" Robert Caliburn muttered. Didn't take 75-M to tell that his tone was dripping with sarcasm.

I clutched onto Thalia.

"Why him?! Of all the people here?!"

"I don't know what you're on about. Caliburn is the best practitioner here as an Archmage, and his skills are similar to yours. Guns and Magic," Thalia replied.

"Take that back, comparing me to Caliburn is an insult."

"HEY! You knock on my door unannounced and the first thing you do is roast me?!" Caliburn exclaimed.

"I have a request for you, Archmage," 74 stepped forward, putting a stack of currency on the table.

"I hear you only drink top-quality liquor, will these Globals suffice for our transaction?"

The Bullet Mage's face flashed with surprise.

"Ohh... now we're talking."

Did Thalia just bribe this dude?!

"Your file on UNTIL suggests you have the power to fight using Celestial Magic on the highest order. Can I confirm if this information is accurate?"

"Yeah. As an Archmage. I once held back the Nephilim Therakiel."

"Then you have the power to restore mana circuits through divine healing... am I correct?"

Caliburn raised his eyebrows.

"Mana circuit restoration? Did someone abuse their magic circuits?"

I lifted my hand proudly.

"Right here!"

Robert frowned.

"Of course, it would be you."

"Can it. I don't wanna hear it from someone who got cucked by a Club Caprice stripper," I blurted out.

"Do you want your mana circuits restored or not?!"

Caliburn reached out.

"Whatever. The little lady paid a pretty penny. The least I can do is put up with Pervert McCleavage over here for a bit. Show me your arms."

I brought my arm out, along with my prosthetic.

The mage hesitated upon seeing my prosthetic arm.

"What happened to your arm?"

"It... got amputated. Injury."

My heart ached again upon recounting the events leading up to the amputation. Sarah's look of pure desperation upon seeing her fiancee's arm missing.

"And you're still using rifles?"

"Yeah."

"Hm... they're not restoring normally. Makes me think it's about as psychological as it is physical."

Caliburn turned to Thalia.

"I cannot fix this."

"What?! You're useless, dude!" I yelped.

"Look, I wouldn't be saying this if I wasn't getting paid to. But the truth is, the damage that has been inflicted on you can only be repaired through oneself. Judging from the way your circuits have been busted up, I can tell you've had a history of overusing your body. Am I wrong?"

"..."

Caliburn's expression softened.

"Kid. It's not just your body that has been overexerted, is it?"

"No idea what you're talking about."

The war vet leaned back in his chair, his fingers were wrapped around a bottle of whiskey.

"There was a time when my circuits wouldn't regenerate. There was a woman who I met, back in Vietnam. She and I got together, and I truly thought she was the one. This was back when I was still dependent on the Flame Gem. But that relationship ended quickly. The woman I loved was killed by the Viet Congs for harbouring an enemy. I tried to use the Flame Gem against them, didn't do shit. I thought the rage would make my magic stronger, but did the exact opposite."

"I'm... sorry to hear that, dude," I muttered before the Magnum Mage put a hand on my shoulder.

"Aaron. The damage to your circuits is from grief and confusion. Your mind is in disarray, and it's psychologically keeping you from recovering your magic."

My eyes momentarily widened. The image of Sarah began flickering in my mind.

"From... grief?"

Thalia knelt beside me.

"Ultear. I remember you telling me that you made a promise to her, to never overexert yourself so you could live and hang up the gloves once all of this was over. To live a life with her."

I stared at my hand, which was starting to tremble.

"This was before she died. I subconsciously limited my magic usage because the constant use of Noir's Magic was killing me. When she died, I truly thought there wasn't a need to hold back anymore. But now... the prospect of bringing her back to life..."

Yeling regarded me from the corner of the Brownstone.

"The decision to revive Ultear or not to revive Ultear is tearing you apart inside. As long as that discord exists in you, your circuits won't fully recover."

"But, I was still able to use a bit of magic though. Through mana stims," I protested.

"The mana stims we have issued you are a stopgap measure. They won't alleviate the problem," Thalia interjected.

Caliburn put his drink back in the fridge.

"Kid. Nothing good comes out of bringing back the dead."

My heart twinged in pain.

"But... But it's necessary to-"

"Necessary for what?"

"..."

Caliburn brought a stool over and sat down on it, resting his arms on the backrest.

"Revive the dead, and the living shall walk in shadows."

"What?"

"It was an old proverb an old friend once told me. Do you have any idea how many times I've wanted to bring someone back from the dead? If it was that easy, I would have brought a bunch of folks back. But it never isn't. Because the dead aren't meant to be brought back, Aaron."

I slowly looked down.

"I just... I just want to have a conversation with her. One last time."

"If it is a conversation you want, I can provide a means. But it will not be easy. And quite frankly, it's quite dangerous."

I perked up.

"There's a way for me to talk to Sarah again?"

"Yes. But it is theoretical. All of it is. If the words of those close to you can't get past that thick skull of yours, maybe hers can."

I grinned.

"Hell yeah, bring it on!"

Thalia and Yeling gave me a look of pure disapproval.

"Dude... you didn't even wait for Caliburn to finish..." Yeling muttered.

"Aaron, you..." Thalia said.

"Come on, guys. Look. This is a perfect opportunity to get some closure. Please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?" I put my hands together, begging before Thalia.

"I'm begging you from the bottom of my heart. You're the most mature person in this room."

74's face flashed with irritation.

"That won't work on me! Again! Erm..."

A blush was starting to form on her face, causing the Chief War Doll of Muon to look away.

74 faced Caliburn, putting up a hand to cover her face.

"And just how exactly will we speak to the deceased Hero?"

Caliburn's face darkened. All of a sudden, everything felt super ominous.

The enthusiasm that I had earlier was replaced with a feeling of anxiety. As if I had a feeling of what he was going to say next.

"I have to technically kill you three. And myself."

Yeling and I froze in complete shock, but Thalia retained her expression.

"You want to send us into the realm of the dead to seek the soul of Ultear."

"Yes," Caliburn answered as I grabbed the Archmage by his coat.

"THEN START BY SAYING THAT FIRST, DIPSHIT!" I snapped.

"HEY! Don't wrinkle the damn coat, kid! It's bougie fabric! Look, what I said wasn't technically wrong. I need to send you guys to the other side," Caliburn explained.

Yeling scowled.

"If only our souls go to the realm, we won't have the means to defend ourselves."

Caliburn nodded, trying to smooth out his wrinkled coat.

"Yeah. Which is the first hurdle. Trying to get not just our souls into the realm of the dead, but our bodies and equipment with us. And the only way? Is to defeat the being who will be transporting us to the realm moments before he does. And when that corridor opens, that will be our window of opportunity to get in."

I scratched my head.

"So we have to kick the Grim Reaper's ass?"

"...You couldn't have made that sound any less lame?"

Caliburn reached for his grimoire and flipped to a few pages.

"I need to send all four of us into a state of near death. It's going to be a psychological battle to try to resist the urge to accept the temptation of spiriting away. Once the psychological battle is won, then comes the physical one. I'm assuming since you two are affiliated with Hangman over here, you guys aren't any pushovers whatsoever. So the physical part is the easy part."

Yeling looked out into the distance.

"I'll be honest, I'm going to have a tough time winning the psychological part. I'm a messed up dude."

My chest momentarily welled up in sympathy. Yeling went through a lot. If I was in his shoes, accepting death may not be so far-fetched.

Caliburn's expression softened.

"Don't worry. This is why I will be joining you three. As long as I can act as a conduit, if any of us wavers, we can help each other out."

74 regarded the grimoire.

"If it is the dead we're going to encounter, will conventional firearms be sufficient to fight it? Especially this Reaper entity?"

"I will enhance all equipment you guys have with my magic. Don't worry."

"I see. Then give us a few minutes to prepare in advance, if that's okay with you."

"'Course, little lady. My services come complimentary. Once all this is over, I'm going to splurge on some top-quality whiskey."

The three of us sat in a circle while Caliburn began sprinkling a strange substance all over the ground.

"I'm not gonna lie, this has got to be one of the most questionable things I've done. I don't even know if my status as Archmage will offset the degree of taboo this invokes."

"Eh, we'll be fine, easy peasy lemon squeezy!" I said.

Yeling's face was pale as a ghost.

"Y- Yeah... totally fine... totally."

Thalia closed her eyes, almost as if she were meditating. Or maybe she had another headache. These days she kept getting headaches over and over again, I wonder why?

Caliburn knelt in the middle of the circle.

"All this for a bottle of fancy whiskey, man. What's gotten over me today?"

"I think being cucked by Valerian made you an alcoholic," I answered.

"I'm gonna kill you now. Literally."

Maybe I should have toned it down with the insults, because shortly afterwards, Caliburn began to chant.

"Spirits of the shadowed past,

Through this portal, now be cast.

Veil of death, your path reveal,

To the land where lost souls kneel."

A strange chill was starting to run through my bones. It felt weakening, as if my mind was shutting down along with my body. It was an unusual feeling... I never imagined death would feel so...

Comforting.

Caliburn continued to chant as a wind current picked up, swirling around the four of us.

"Grave-bound whispers, heed our plea,

Open gates to what we see.

Bones and dust, and souls untold,

Guide us through the realm of cold.

By the power of the ancient night,

And the blood of mortal plight,

With this chant, we seek the dead,

TAKE US TO WHERE FEARS ARE BRED."

Ooh. Scary.

This wasn't the first time I was put into a near-death state. There was no reason this would be any harder than any fight I had ever taken in my life.

"Walk in the park. Let's kick the Grim Reaper's ass-AAAAHHH!" I screamed, a sudden jerking momentum sending me tumbling.

My eyes flew open, but all I could see was darkness.

The only thing that made me know I was tumbling was the feeling of nausea and my guts being flung around like that time I had taken Master Jun's Shadows on a practice driving test.

"AAAH AAAAH!!!" I continued wailing, trying to claw at anything.

Voices and murmurs surrounded me. It was creepy, almost like they were whispering in my ears.

Let us go...

It burns... it burns!

END ME... I BEG OF YOU, LORD.

Mommy... mommy I'm scared!

I gasped, trying to take in air, but it was almost like...

Anything that was entering my body my lungs. Nothing was being absorbed.

No.

Concentrate...

Concentrate.

Remember what you came here to do.

"HA! If this is the hard part, this is a walk in the park!" I taunted out into the darkness.

A walk in the...

The...

"Aaron? Aaron. Wake up."

"Huh?"

Little streaks of light were starting to form, which became thicker and thicker until the streaks of light felt more like streaks of dark.

I was freefalling...

Into a-

"Aaron!"

My eyes snapped open again.

"What?" I mumbled.

What was I looking at?

It looked like a wall of white. No.

Not a wall...

A ceiling.

I reached out with my hand, grasping the rays of light that had crisscrossed my vision. Little particles of dust had been illuminated.

For some reason...

For some reason, everything felt familiar.

"Honey, it's already noon! How long are you going to stay asleep?"

"Honey?" I croaked, sitting upright as an aged woman sat in front of me, entering my field of view.

She had long black hair that flowed down her shoulders and was wearing a nightgown.

But that wasn't what made me freeze in complete disbelief.

The woman frowned.

"Honey, are you sick? Do you need some warm water?"

"Y- Your eyes..." My voice cracked, as something strange began to build up inside me.

This person...

This person shouldn't even be here. She shouldn't.

This person would never... she would never ask me if I was sick.

This person would never even ask me how I was doing, or would even wake me up.

Yet here she was... sitting in front of my bed, asking me if I was sick.

Waking me up for sleeping in too late.

For the very first time, I was feeling something that I never realized I was missing, deep in my heart.

Something that I had been missing my entire life.

"My eyes? Is there something on my face?" The woman began wiping her eyes with her hands, but I suddenly lurched forward, grabbing her wrist.

I stared at the woman in front of me.

Those eyes.

Those red eyes, that I saw every morning in the mirror.

"Mom...?"

My mother gave me a warm smile, sending currents down my back.

My chest hurt in waves.

"Seems you had quite a bad dream."

"A bad dream?"

"Yeah. I heard you mumbling about it. Something about becoming an orphan... then meeting a bunch of foster siblings and killing gods? My goodness. I told you not to eat all that candy before going to bed! Look what happened. You even dreamed that your own mother died!"

"But- But, this... this..." My voice trailed away.

I stared at my hands.

That's right.

Hands.

As if... the amputation never happened. Then my reflection. My black hair. Not a single streak of grey, and not a single scar on my body.

"The Black Legion..."

"That's what you're calling it? Sounds like a heck of a story!"

"My friends... everyone..."

PAT. PAT. PAT.

My voice cut out abruptly as my mother ruffled my hair.

"Aaron. It was all just a dream. It's over now. Come downstairs. Let's talk more about it with me and your father over breakfast."

My father?

I never knew my father.

The thought of it angered me, not because of the nature of who he was. But the circumstances of how I ended up coming to be.

When it came to relationships, there was one thing I didn't agree with ever since I had hurt Sarah that day.

Something like intimacy to the level of something physical was precious. It was an act of love.

But there was no love when I was born. There was no love at all when I was created because it wasn't consensual.

My mother chose to keep me not out of morals, but because she didn't want the label of murderer over her head. That was all it was.

And as I walked down the stairs, I couldn't help but feel my fists trembling.

Step. Step. Step.

What would my father look like?

What was he like?

I was told by Yeling once that I had what he called "lottery winning genetics". I was over six foot tall, and apparently had the genetics of a bodybuilder and an athlete.

Bryce once said I had the facial features of a Greek God, which, given my status as the God-Eater, didn't really age well.

Would my father have the same?

Would he...

Would he be abusive toward me like how he was when I knew him?

But as I descended down the steps, that vision soon shattered. The figure of an old man came into view. He was wearing a tattered tank top, and he was munching on a bowl of cereal.

My eyes widened.

On the ground was pile of empty cans and bottles all neatly folded up in a bag.

"How was work?" Mom asked.

My father shrugged his shoulders, continuing to scarf down his food.

"Wanna know how much I made from picking all that up?"

"No!"

"Come on, guess, honey!"

Mom facepalmed.

"A hundred?"

"A thousand! Wait until I get my next splurge, we can finally afford a house to call our own!"

I raised my eyebrows.

"Why are you collecting all that trash?"

My Pop chuckled. A hearty chuckle. From the tears of his ripped up wifebeater, I could see his ribs.

"Each bottle is five cents, son. It might not look like much, but as I keep collecting and working my job at the plant, it really makes a difference! Hang in there, kid! I'll get this family out of this dingy rent trap. Soon we'll be living it up in a place full of trees and nature. I promise!"

I stared at the man that was supposed to be my father.

He was frail.

Skinny and emaciated.

The way he was scarfing down his food in that ripped up wifebeater and torn shorts... Those scratched up glasses that I could tell he had scrounged out of a dumpster. The grey hairs on his head that reminded me so much of my own.

Grey hairs that came from overwork.

What feelings I originally had of rage had been replaced with a sense of something else.

It took me a few seconds to realize what it was.

It was guilt.

"Dad... why are you... what..."

My father raised his finger.

"Uh uh. Didn't I tell ya, kid? No feeling bad. This is for the family! You go be that super successful doctor that you wanna be. But all that really matters is you're happy, son. I'm doing just fine."

"Dad, you're collecting bottles to try to make ends meet. Those scars... they're from work, aren't they?"

My father gave me a confused look.

"I knew you were preparing for med school, but look at you, being all detective-like. Just so you know, these scars were from minor things. It ain't anything to be-"

"No. Those cuts could only be from shards of glass due to handling garbage. You got them from collecting all that junk! You're... you're sacrificing yourself for us..." I muttered, my hands trembling.

"Aaron." My mother said, stopping me.

"We're doing this for your future."

"By watching my Dad humiliate himself like this?! No! Let me help. I'll collect bottles for you, so please-"

"Kid."

I stared at my father, who lifted the bowl up and swallowed the rest of the cereal. Even the way he ate lacked class.

Just like me when I was homeless.

"Doing these things makes your old man happy. Now, are you gonna make your old man sad by denying that from him?"

"N- No... No! But..."

"Son. I'm doin' just fine. Besides, I heard you got one hell of a fever dream."

"I- Yeah. Let me just... take a few seconds to compose myself."

I walked over to the edge of the house, looking out the window.

Amerada.

The slums of Amerada.

It was as if I had never left my house. The place looked like a complete slop.

The place was practically falling apart, yet...

I turned back to my parents, who were joking around. My mother... my father... both of them had a huge smile on their faces.

We were living in a dump.

Yet they were so happy.

I clutched my chest with my right hand.

How could they be so happy when they were living in such abysmal conditions?

I wasn't the type of person who enjoyed not knowing things. I wasn't anything like Master Jun.

And right now, there was one thing that was completely evading my understanding.

Why did I have the urge to stay here?

I lost count of the hours I spent in this house. My Mom thought I was still sick and had been suffering severe fever dreams, so she kept me from going anywhere public.

I found myself exploring the slums. There wasn't anyone around.

In fact, the whole place looked like a huge drag.

But each time I came home, it was that same feeling again.

Dad in his tattered clothes and his frail bony frame, scarfing down his food, likely because he wasn't getting enough of it. My Mom joked around with the same humour I had with my Dad.

Hours felt like days.

And soon, before I even realized it...

"Happy birthday, son!"

I opened the door from my walk to three tiny balloons strapped to our duct-taped chairs.

"What?"

"Turning twenty! My word. I'm getting old!" My mother exclaimed.

I slowly approached the cake in the center of the table. It was the smallest cake I had ever seen. Practically a cupcake. It was cut into thirds. One piece, the one pointed towards me, had a small candle on it.

"I went outta my way to collect twice the amount'a bottles for this one! These are the top quality candles! And the top-quality balloons I can find! The most expensive ones in the store!" My Dad exclaimed proudly.

I stared at the cake.

"Mom, did you bake this? It's cheaper to buy a pre-baked cake! We don't have the money to make something so-"

"Honey. This is a special occasion. Our son's turning twenty. I think we're allowed to be a little fancy, don't you think?"

My lower lip quivered. Her shirt was plastered with egg yolks and dough. We didn't have the money for an apron.

"Happy birthday to you..." My mother sang, as my father clapped his hands in response to the song.

Each clap made my eyes tear up more and more.

"Make a wish, son," My father said, gently.

My hand trembled.

My wish...

My wish was to return... return...

I looked up to see my parents smiling at me.

My two... poor and basically broke parents.

And the run-down house we were renting out of.

The cheapest, most scuffed birthday party I had ever seen in my life.

Yet a birthday party was arranged, despite our financial situation. The smallest details from the homemade cake that had to have cost a pretty penny. The extra fancy cutlery. The fancy balloons taped to the chairs.

Of all the birthday parties I've ever celebrated in The Black Legion...

Despite them being far more extravagant than this...

The irony was that nothing came close to this.

I clutched my chest.

My wish.

Honey. This is a special occasion. Our son's turning twenty. I think we're allowed to be a little fancy, don't you think?

I wish...

I wish I could live here forever.

I blew against the candle, but I blew a little too hard, causing a piece of icing to fly onto my Dad's shirt.

"AH! You got me, son!" My father laughed.

My mother clapped, joining in the laughter.

"WHA-?! What kind of lungs did I create?!" My mother exclaimed.

"I- I... PFFTHAHAHAHA!" I bellowed in laughter, clutching my stomach.

"I have no idea!" I hollered, as my father leaned back, laughing uncontrollably.

"If you ever decide to switch careers, you should be a COACH! That is probably the CRAZIEST diaphragm I've seen in a man!"

I'd never laughed for so long before.

I never knew my abs could ever get sore from laughing.

Because I never had a reason to laugh this hard in my life.

Until now.

A few days later, I had recovered enough to return to school.

Apparently, I had enrolled in some kind of Biology program at some distance University, and today was the day I could make a reappearance after my supposed fever.

I headed to the door.

"I'm heading out! See ya!" I called out to my family.

My parents waved me off.

"Don't you forget, we're going to have chicken tonight!" My mom called out.

I gave my mom a thumbs up.

"Don't you start without me!"

My hand hovered over the doorknob.

Every day had practically become routine now.

My priorities were to go to class, finish homework, and help my mom with preparing dinner. I also volunteered to carry some of the bags of bottles for my father as we went to get our refunds together.

It wasn't an ideal life... but it was the best I had ever felt.

Everything just seemed, right.

At least, that seemed to be the case, until I opened the door to see a man standing at the entrance.

I froze, staring at him.

"Uh... who is this?" I asked.

The man...

The man looked dangerous.

He was tall and was of Asian descent. His hair was long and was tied back, but the braid draped over one of his shoulders. His long bangs covered one side of his face, and his eye...

His eye was so unnaturally blue.

Almost like it was glowing.

His hand was raised as if he were seconds from knocking on the door. And that was when I noticed it.

On his left hand, was a stump where his ring finger used to be.

"Come. We've all beaten our trials. You're the only one who hasn't snapped out of it yet."

My jaw hung open as my Dad called out to me.

"Son? You okay over there?"

"I'm good, Dad! Just a salesman at the door!" I shouted back as I closed the door behind me. My nerves felt like they were about to explode from the adrenaline pumping in my body.

"L- Listen, man, we don't want no trouble. We don't owe anyone anything," I said.

The man glanced in the window of our run-down house.

"Those two your parents?"

"Y-Yes," I replied, my voice shaky.

"Aaron."

My heart skipped a beat as I stumbled back.

"How do you know my name?"

The man's eye widened in shock.

"You... don't recognize me?"

"N- No... we don't owe you anything, I swear. Please, please just leave us alone, okay?"

I watched as the man's hand hovered over something around his waist.

It looked an awful lot like...

I gasped, falling to my knees.

"No... no! Please! I'm begging you! We did nothing wrong!"

The man grabbed me by the cuff of my shirt and lifted me into the air with terrifying strength.

"AARON. What the hell are you doing?! Snap out of it!"

"Snap out of what?! How do you know who I am?"

"We're allies. Friends. Have you not forgotten why you're here?! To find Ultear? To find and save Riho?"

My mind twitched as I felt a strange current shock the back of my head.

"What are you saying? I have no idea what you're talking about. I have to go to school and help my family-"

"AARON. Your parents are DEAD."

My heart suddenly began to beat faster. The fear that had plagued me suddenly was replaced with rage.

"What are you playing at? Don't joke about something like that!" I snarled.

The man slammed me against the door, causing the voice in the house to cut out abruptly.

"Honey? Honey, what's wrong?!" The frantic voice of my mother called out.

"Son? Son! Hey!"

The door barged open, revealing my parents' panicked expressions.

The man stepped back, drawing his sword. For some reason... it looked super familiar.

Almost like...

My dream.

"Aaron. Believe me. I hate this as much as you do. But those two are not your parents. Please. You gotta believe me."

I stepped in front of my parents. For some reason, I had a feeling I could take this man.

It wasn't absolute.

I wasn't fully certain.

But one thing was clear.

I was not gonna lose my family. We suffered enough. We already lost the lottery in life with our poverty, the only thing we had was each other, and this man was threatening to take it all away.

That dream...

In that dream I had, I was able to summon weapons using a certain spell.

What was it?

"Aaron. You need to snap out of it. I'm begging you. This was exactly what Caliburn warned us about! The psychological test is the hardest part of this! You just need to barge past it. You don't need to do this alone, man!"

"SHUT UP."

A blast of air pushed the man away.

I stepped forward with a strange energy that was circulating within me.

It was like everything in my dream was coming true.

The same man who I dreamt of being.

I raised my hand, concentrating.

Remember that word.

Remember the chant.

CONVOCATIO

A red magic circle appeared before me. I reached in and felt the handle of a weapon as I pulled out, revealing a heavily decorated handgun with gold trim. The weapon was so intricately designed...

The barrel was massive, and there was something along the side.

I had no idea what I was holding, but I knew right away that it was something I used all the time in my dream.

Along the side was a word written in ancient, runic lettering. It was Old Norse.

DRAUGR

I gripped the gun tightly. Memories, battle instincts, everything that I dreamt I had returned to me as I lifted the weapon into the air, aiming right at the man's forehead.

"Stay away from my family. This is your last warning."

23

(Yeling's POV, Before Caliburn's Spell)

"Tidalflame," 74 pulled me aside shortly after Aaron's declaration of "not screwing up".

74 led me to the corner of the Brownstone.

"Will you be okay with this? From what I understand, you are not very confident withstanding the temptations of the dead."

"It will be difficult, but not impossible. You need not worry about me."

"Alright."

74 glanced at Aaron, who was using the butt of his rifle to scratch his back.

"Do not tell Aaron this, but I suspect of the four of us, he is the most susceptible to spiriting away."

I raised my eyebrow in response to 74's statement. That was surprising, considering how well he was able to handle the hardship in his life.

At the very least, he didn't turn into a terrorist/incel like I did in the past.

"What makes you think that?" I asked.

"I've had 75 analyze him in the past. And though he presents himself satirically, I know there is a side of him that is deeply broken. If we proceed with this plan to visit the realm of the dead, the being will definitely target that part of him."

My gaze hardened.

"If he falters, we will bring him back."

"Which is precisely why I am asking you, personally. If Aaron chooses whatever option the being presents him, there is a chance he might awaken his abilities prematurely. If he enters full power, neither Caliburn nor I can stop him. The only person who can stop him is you."

"You place way too much confidence in me, War Doll," I commented.

"Not confidence," Thalia said, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Just trust. After all, Aaron spoke highly of you. And I believe him."

* * *

"How... how are you able to resist this?!" The deeply distorted voice of Inoko the Berserker exclaimed.

Blue flames surrounded me as my tank top fluttered from the swirling currents of my powers.

"Find love. Find yourself a partner. Find yourself a wife. I'm sick and tired..."

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Two: COBALT ASSIMILATION

"OF PEOPLE TELLING ME WHAT I WANT."

DEVIL'S TYPHOON.

WOOSH.

The world around me was ripped apart as the charred bodies of every person I had fallen in love with disintegrated before me.

I marched toward Inoko, whose body began distorting, trying desperately to transform into anyone... anything.

"Oh. Do you think presenting me with a scenario where I get married is the ideal afterlife for me? How pretentious you are. Must a man's life be dictated by whether or not they have found a partner?" I snarled, grabbing the entity by the face.

I tilted my head, incinerating the being with a blinding flash of blue flames.

"This... this shouldn't be possible... this scenario should have been... something you could never say no to..." the monster croaked.

"You're forgetting one important detail, fool."

I leaned in.

"The Yeling Mah you think you know died when Loyce kidnapped me. Everyone I cared about now lives a life free from someone like me. I've accepted my fate. What you're trying to manipulate... is a walking dead man."

I tightened my grip, crushing the monster's skull in the palm of my hand.

I walked forward amongst the corpses, drawing Maika's sword and slashing left and right.

The trails of the blue Hinokami laced the edge of the blade, illuminating the Japanese Kanji of my old friend and her ex-husband. It was difficult to discern my appearance, but from the ocean of blood, I could barely make out my reflection.

The flames had illuminated my face, casting shadows amongst the ridges of my destroyed right side.

There was no way Death could hold me.

For the one thing that I truly wished had been taken from me the day I made a deal with an entity far surpassing any figure of death.

The words spoken to me by The Dogma of Equivalent Exchange will never leave.

The exchange I had agreed to transcends all narratives. Because the exchange belonged to the Dogma, and by proxy, The Great Akuma herself. It didn't matter to what degree I had Unbound myself, there were some rules that could never be transcended.

The rules that I had placed on myself can never be changed.

I raised my hand, incinerating the hallucination of Danny welcoming me to class alongside Duncan.

You will be loyal to me. Yeling Mah.

"Yeling... why are you doing this?! You and I were meant to be together forever! How could you do this?" A fake Anna cried out, carrying our supposed child in her arms.

I cut her down with Maika's sword, gritting my teeth.

For in exchange for the gift of invincibility, I shall take from you. Half of your face.

I continued marching forward, ignoring the throbbing pain in my heart.

The pain was pain.

I've bore pain every day since I was born.

Squad Four manifested before me, their powers brandished.

The Vision Evo of Lewis Greer.

The Teleportation Evo of Flint Monroe.

The powers of the Wendigo of Whitney Houndstooth.

...

The Illusion Evo of Maika Nagumo.

And the Dogma of Senkaku of Squad Leader Matthew Lam.

"Come home... stop this, just come home with us, Yeling," Maika pleaded.

Lewis clenched his fists.

"Yeling, you don't need to do this alone anymore!"

I greeted my second family with a hand raised and a torrent of blue, unstoppable fire which overwhelmed them.

No man shall see you for who you are.

"Mah Ye Ling... son... please don't become the monster they're trying to turn you into..." My parents whispered in terror.

I raised my sword in the air and impaled them both.

Tears were running down one side of my deadpan face.

If I still had my right eye, I had a feeling it would be pouring tears just like my left.

I continued walking forward, my legs sloshing through an ocean of the blood of my loved ones.

The feeling of the blood soaking up my jeans felt like their grasps to desperately try to keep me here, forever.

Even in death, they were tempting me.

But I had a duty.

I always had a duty.

Because for someone like me, someone who could never be accepted, the only thing that stands in front of me is my mission.

"Yeling, come home. If you cannot fit in with anyone, then come home with me," Outer Shadow Onyx reached out.

"I love you."

I lowered my blade, and the flames of the Hinokami surrounded the two of us.

Vicki's face was just as serious as ever.

"You know in your heart that you have fallen in love with me. I am everything you want in a woman. A strong and dependable woman who cares about you. And you also know, that I bear a child. It is ours-"

"You lie."

A sense of rage filled my body.

"That child belongs to Carlton. The only reason you kept me around was because you couldn't bear the idea of someone like me going on a rampage. Because I have power that could potentially surpass my sister's. I knew from day one you were manipulating me, but I accepted it. The manipulation is needed for the greater good. But just because I accepted it doesn't mean I'm happy about these circumstances."

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Five: DEAD MAN'S PACT.

My body transformed into the fabled Stage Five, tearing reality apart and ripping the realm into shreds.

Just my aura alone disintegrated Vicki into a pile of ash.

No woman will ever wish to kiss upon your ruined flesh.

"Thank you, figure of Death. You pissed me off enough to clear this hurdle easily. I've suffered long enough to know how to turn hurt into anger."

The currents of heat slammed into the reality around me causing everything to collapse in on itself. All was white as the final words of the Dogma spoke to me through my recounted memories of the Bargain.

THAT WILL BE YOUR FATE.

"My fate," I muttered, staring at my bloodied hand.

It was almost symbolic. To be denied that life.

Even from the beginning, I knew I was denied it.

Perhaps the Dogma and everything that had transpired was simply just to confirm it through a permanent reminder.

The finger that was reserved for a ring, the ring finger that was missing on my hand, which was amputated from my battle against Danny marked an eternal reminder of what I had become.

Or rather, what I was always meant to be.

A figure manifested before me.

You dare resist the influence of Noln the Ancient Spirit of Death?! To what audacity do you claim to possess such that you would think I would simply let you-

I blasted forward and slashed at the entity, ripping it apart in a storm of fire.

"I initially intended to leave you be, you are not the reason I have come here. But since you decided to show me those things, I'm thoroughly pissed off, so I've changed my mind. I'm not here to resist you. I'm here to kill you, and every single piece of shit in this place," I replied, menace dripping from my voice.

The entity shrieked in response to the flames, transforming and growing in size as the monster loomed over me. A dark horned ancient entity the size of Mount Fuji. Covered in fur and spikes.

I AM ERRA. THE ANCIENT LORD OF THE ENDLESS VOID. I HAVE EXISTED SINCE THE BEGINNING, SINCE YOUR BEGINNING, DEFYER. NO BEING HAS ESCAPED ME, NOT EVEN THE OUTER SHADOWS OF THE BLACK LEGION ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. I HAVE BEEN THEIR GRAVE FOR EONS, AND I SHALL BE YOURS.

Darkness flooded the entirety of my surroundings, replacing the white.

I gazed at the monster as reality swirled all around it.

Flashes of my past flickered inside the distortions and illusions of a past I wished for.

The flames, lightning, and swirling Rainwater of my Stage Five fought back against the distortion in a multicoloured haze.

Level 1 Hinokami Stage Five: Devil's Severence

A green and blue line appeared, slicing Erra in two and sending the entity back.

The monster roared, thousands of black orbs taking shape all over the realm and flying in my direction.

I zipped forward, going Intangible. I felt the orbs pass right through me as I manifested shape at the top, overlooking the entity from above.

Erra grumbled, tilting his gargantuan body left and right trying to locate me.

But I had already prepared for my next volley. My hand raised, my missing finger in full view.

REVEAL YOURSELF, TIDALFLAME. I HAVE SEEN YOUR PAST.

YOU WERE TRICKED INTO KILLING YOUR FAMILY FOR THE HINOKAMI.

YOU WERE TRICKED ONCE MORE INTO SWEARING AN OATH OF ETERNAL LONELINESS FOR INTANGIBILITY.

YOU MAY FOOL THOSE AROUND YOU, BUT YOU CANNOT FOOL ME. EVERY DAY SUFFERING PLAGUES YOUR MIND. EVERY DAY YOU SUBCONSCIOUSLY WISH FOR DEATH.

I SHALL DO YOU THE FAVOUR OF GRANTING YOU IT.

"You cannot kill a dead man twice," I retorted.

You can't kill me twice.

Death claims me once Vala is dead.

The flames of the Hinokami danced along my fingertips.

You can't kill...

How does it feel to see Aaron have yet another girl fall in love with him?

I paused.

Why were my flames not intensifying? They had stagnated in response.

Erra faced me, a low growl of satisfaction leaving his enormous body.

You state you have accepted your role as one who cannot belong. Yet no matter how much you try to focus on this so-called acceptance, you are thrust into scenarios where you are punished for it. The Special Forces Aggression Unit you are part of is a unit comprised entirely of women. Yet despite that irony, you can never fit in. Aaron may have found a place with them, but he is only three years older than the oldest of the Dolls, Riho Shinohara. But you are not exempt. You are twenty-nine years old, Yeling Mah.

Did you really think you had even a remote chance of finding a sense of belonging with them?

"Come on... COME ON," I shouted at my body.

Why were the flames not coming out?

Erra grabbed me and slammed me into the ground as my Stage Five dissipated.

"GACK!" I coughed out blood. The entity towered over me. His horrifying, dark flesh was in full view.

Flashbacks of Evangelion plagued my mind once more. That helplessness.

The terror of being faced by a bogeyman that targeted specifically me.

And not having a single person to turn to.

Forever alone, yet to constantly have people rub their relationships and friends in your face. It angers you, deep down.

"You're becoming a real pain in the ass-" I choked.

Erra slammed me in the stomach again. Over and over again with those massive fists of his.

I couldn't even go Intangible.

"GRRRRARRRRR...." I managed to stop one of his punches with my hands, stopping his momentum. But two more arms came out of nowhere, catching me in the sides then in the face.

Each strike delivered by Erra felt like a sledgehammer. So overwhelmingly heavy. My body felt like it was tearing apart with each blow it was taking.

I flew backwards and smashed into a graveyard.

Each gravestone marked the name of a loved one. And each one was singed with the Hinokami, implying that I was the reason behind their deaths.

And as I looked around at each gravestone I was once again reminded of each chapter in my life that had ended on a sour note.

From the onset of my mental illnesses back in University.

To accepting the Hinokami and destroying the only people who loved me.

To my time in Squad Four and Anna, both of whom died because of my selfish actions.

Then my time with Shia, Shen, and Inoko.

And now.

The Black Legion and my sister, who was soon destined to die in order to bring back The Akuma.

I breathed heavily as Erra slammed his fist into me again, flattening me against the ground and creating a massive crater in the graveyard. My eye slowly fluttered awake as I realized the gravestones had changed their orientation.

They were all facing me.

SMASH.

Another blow deepened me into the crater.

SMASH. SMASH. SMASH. SMASH.

Each chapter in my life ended in pain.

Could I really accept this next one without breaking?

"Tell me, Last Son of Mahyako, why the legendary Devil's Flames ended up so spineless?"

I gasped, my vision focusing on Erra who had changed form again.

Into a familiar man.

A familiar man with a grey hood and a bow.

Twilight Bolt knelt in front of me, grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and lifted me up until we were face to face.

"Yeling Mah, you are such a pathetic man. You would let all these people walk all over you. What happened to The Chinese Terrorist who had wielded that hate?"

I clenched my teeth.

"This is an illusion-"

SMASH.

I coughed, feeling the blow of Carlton's punch in my stomach and fell to my knees.

"Yeling. Are you just gonna take this beating?"

SMASH SMASH SMASH.

More blows landed on me and I suddenly found myself being unable to fight back.

The realization had hit me a long time ago since fighting Erra. And Erra knew it too.

If I lost myself to rage, that was it.

If Erra couldn't make me spirit away through desire, he would make me spirit away using another means.

Because he found out my strategy to transform the pain from loss into anger.

If I gave into my rage, then I would spirit away just the same.

In other words...

Carlton disarmed me and punched me in the face. I stumbled back, crashing into the wall of Vicki's apartment.

"Doesn't this piss you off? It has to. Not only did I take the woman you love, but now she's expecting to bear my child. Every day, you're gonna put up with that fact. Because you are Vicki's Auxiliary Shadow. Vicki manipulated you. Made you fall in love with her. Then had the audacity to get with Carlton behind your back."

I wiped the blood off my face, but Carlton grabbed me and slammed me into the wall, smashing my face into the ground.

"That same man is now beating your ass, Yeling. Don't tell me you're going to let me get away with it!"

SMASH. SMASH. SMASH. THUD. THUD.

No...

KILL HIM.

No.

DO IT.

I can't.

EVERYONE. EVERYTHING. WHY WON'T ANYONE LEAVE ME ALONE.

Don't listen to that voice, Yeling.

I forced myself to crawl forward, to try to escape Carlton's beating.

Whoever knew...

That in the end...

Even in my final moments, I was still treated as a joke.

What kind of cruel god...

Would fashion such a cruel existence?

Carlton dragged me back, pinning my face into the ground.

"Not even gonna swing back a little bit, Yeling? What's it going to take to make you break?"

Carlton began stepping on my head over and over again. I could feel the blood running down my face as my rage continued to bubble up inside like a pressure vessel.

The voice inside me...

The voice.

"You should have been there. The next time I fuck her, I'll make you watch. You must be into that, aren't you?"

"Grrrrrk..." I closed my eye.

KILL HIM.

KILL THEM ALL.

YOU HAVE THE POWER.

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DESTROY EVERYBODY WHO HAS HURT YOU, YELING.

My eye snapped awake, as a man stood in the corner of the room.

He was wearing black robes with red accents.

His eyes were so unnaturally blue, they were practically glowing in the dark.

And on his face was a mask.

A mask of a skull, decorated with flames at the back that transitioned into ocean waves.

A Tidalflame.

And as I felt the rage continued to build up, spilling over what semblance of restraints I had left...

I could hear the voice of the man who had started it all.

Hinokami. Is it wrong to want to kill? You wanted to kill even before you received the Akuma's Flames. You wanted everybody to die. Am I wrong?

"T- Taras..." I croaked.

Now. Your family, all that you held on to some semblance of value to this world, has been burnt to ash. By this world. You have nothing holding you back.

"Nothing... nothing holding me back..."

Carlton leaned in.

"Huh? Did my incredibly graphic detail of me and Vicki's late nights fry your brain cells or something?"

Do you want to destroy the world?

I continued trying to claw forward, reaching out to the younger version of me who was standing at the door.

Though not the strongest version of me...

Arguably the most iconic.

Because of what he stood for.

No matter how unethical it was.

He did it for himself.

And as I continued to try to reach for that version of me, I found myself speaking the exact same words as that night.

That night when Lord Taras Pax took me into The Contingency Initiative.

The day The Chinese Terrorist was born.

"Yes, sir. I want to destroy the world. But it isn't right. This world's laws do not make it right. I cannot hurt..."

Then join me, Taras Pax. Join the Contingency Initiative. I will let you use your powers however you want. Unbounded by this world's rules. For we shall create another. One for people who deserve it. One for people like you to deserve to be happy. And those who this world has favoured, those who don't deserve the riches they flaunt so carelessly before your face. Those people. I will give you the opportunity.

The riches they flaunt...

I slowly looked up to see Carlton and Vicki before me. Their bodies were seemingly glued together as they kissed each other passionately.

I turned around.

Reality had shifted again.

To entire groups of friends, and family.

Those who belong.

Everybody had someone. Everybody had a partner.

And they were surrounded by people who loved them.

Everybody except for me.

"HAHAHA!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Ugh. How much will I pay you to talk to him."

"Oh my god, Kinsey. You're so mean."

"Incels will be incels!"

Everybody had suddenly turned to me, pointing their fingers and laughing.

Why were you all laughing at me?

Was it not bad enough that I did not belong? I left it all behind.

I left Tidalflame behind because I understood the importance of not blaming those around me.

But...

Why are you still laughing?

Even when I chose to mind my own business?

The opportunity to eliminate them from the world. Yeling Mah. Join me, and you will become one to engulf this world in flames. Like a tsunami. Like an unstoppable torrent of vengeance. Like a tide.

Taras appeared before me. In his hand was a mask.

I breathed heavily.

Stop laughing.

STOP.

LAUGHING.

AT.

ME.

If this world would continue to torment me for my pain.

Despite my best efforts to live with it and accept it.

Then perhaps there was no reason to accept it anymore.

I reached out and took the mask.

A mask that was shaped like a skull. Decorated with flames that transitioned into waves.

"Like a Tidalflame."

I got to my feet, and the flames of The Hinokami swirled around me.

These flames could kill them all.

There was no better feeling than to terrorize every single fucking scumbag who had hurt me.

There was no better feeling than that.

I lifted the mask to my face.

They call me a terrorist. A murderer. A monster.

I am everything you say I am.

From the very start, I was never meant for this world of peace.

And just as this world took from me...

So shall I take from you.

As the Hinokami, I will use my flames...

To burn this world to ash...

And grow a fair one anew.

"YELING!" A voice called out as I spun to the source. A storm of mystical purple energy was breaking through the masses of bullies who were laughing at me.

"Do not stop me from doing what I must-"

"You need to let go of the rage!"

My eye widened.

"And what do you know of rage? WHAT DO YOU KNOW?" I roared.

The winds parted, revealing Robert Caliburn from the storm.

"Kid. You need to let it go. That anger in your heart will be your undoing!"

"Don't you DARE treat me like the others, Caliburn. I am not a child like Aaron, or the War Dolls or-"

"Kid."

I felt the grip of the Archmage on my shoulders.

"If the words of the people around you hold no impact, then please. Listen to mine. I know you're older than most of the people here, but to me, you are still just a child. Twenty-nine is nothing, you still have so much life left to live. I would give anything to be twenty-nine again, believe me."

"The world... the world rejects my existence."

"Yeling, this is all in your head. Erra is trying to force you to the other side using whatever means necessary."

"You do not understand. The Dogma Bargains I have initiated, everything that I have sacrificed. Yet no matter what I do, to accept, to strike back, to blame myself, to try to improve, everything is so suffocating. Everyone-"

"Must your existence be dictated by what other people think?"

The Archmage's eyes flashed as his body became an ethereal mass of magenta.

"Maybe it's true that you don't have a place to belong. I don't either, as you can probably tell by my habit of drinking and hanging out in Doctor Ka's Brownstone every day. I don't even have a place to call home."

"But-"

"Yeling. I want you to listen carefully to what I say.

"There's always gonna be people who try to make your life miserable. Always."

I blinked, the flames of the Hinokami had started to die down.

DO NOT INTERFERE, ARCHMAGE-

KRAKOOM.

WHAT?! YOU... LITTLE GIRL, HOW DID YOU ESCAPE MY PRISON?!

The sounds of gunfire cracked in the distance but Caliburn forced me to face him.

"Yeling, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it to you and say as long as you work hard you will have the woman of your dreams, or a group of friends who you could say you belong to. Nothing in life is a guarantee. This holds, no matter if you are a human, a mage, a Lycan, or yes, even a Dogma Holder. Your method is right, but your intent is wrong. Accepting your circumstances is good. Improving yourself is good. But your outlook... it isn't about an end goal. Because the future is never set in stone."

Caliburn's aura dissipated, revealing the seasoned war veteran.

"There was a time when I used to think like you. No sane man would wanna get his ass shipped off to Vietnam, trust me. When I fought that war, I never would have guessed I would become a mage of all things. Yet despite being Archmage, I'm still single and homeless. What a bitch, eh?"

"Why are you telling me these things..."

Caliburn raised his hand, transforming the reality around me.

We were in the barracks of Outer Shadow M74 and the Tactical War Dolls of SFA-Muon.

"The girls of this unit, the little lady told me that they offered you a place to stay. Even to this day, Aaron still speaks highly of you despite what you did to his fiancee and his friend back in Baja Industries. Perhaps it is true that you cannot fully integrate yourself with them because of this age gap, but can you deny that they value you to some extent?"

My hand trembled.

"No... but... but..."

Every single person who I had opened up to either betrayed me or was killed.

Every time I opened up I ended up hurt.

Every single.

Fucking.

Time.

"Lower your scope, kid. Focus on the small wins, and you will realize that they all add up. These people accepted you. Don't let the demons of your past influence your present."

"And if these people hurt me too?" I whispered.

Caliburn tilted his head, a smirk on his face.

"Then... as a fellow 'old man', give me a call, and we'll bust their skulls. Especially that little Red-Eyed Troublemaker's."

GOT YOU, LITTLE GIRL.

I spun around to see Erra in his monstrous form with Thalia in his hand.

The War Doll's face was leaking with blood and her black endoskeleton was exposed, indicating severe damage sustained to her body.

Outer Shadow M74.

This girl barely knew who I was, and from what I heard she was only A+ Ranked.

Yet despite that, she risked her life to stall Erra for my sake.

An enemy that had overwhelmed me previously.

Before we were sent to the afterlife, Thalia had pulled me aside, asking if I was okay with running this mission.

Just trust. After all, Aaron spoke highly of you. And I believe him.

Someone like that...

Someone like that couldn't possibly be bad.

"This Erra being is far beyond me and the little lady. You are the only person here who can stand against it," Caliburn said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't let this bastard get away with this. He disrespected you by showing you those things. This is a perfect opportunity to get some payback, don't you think?"

A renewed sense of rage coursed through my veins.

I marched forward, approaching Erra.

YOU. VERY GOOD. I SENSE THAT SAME BURNING ANGER IN YOUR SOUL. WIELD THAT RAGE AND TAKE OUT THIS LITTLE GIRL. FOR SHE IS-

"Do us all a favour and shut the fuck up," I snarled, my body transforming and growing in size. My voice quadrupled.

Blessing of the Last Son...

ANARCHY FORM.

I growled, assuming my monstrous transformation until I was the same size as Erra.

You so wished to reawaken that monster in me such that you would show such things. Then I assume you are fully prepared... TO MEET THE MONSTER I ONCE WAS.

I let loose a thunderous roar that blew Erra back, causing the Ancient Lord to drop Thalia in fright.

WHAT IS THIS... WHAT IS THIS?!

I stomped forward, drawing a massive sword which exploded with blue Hinokami flame.

Erra rushed forward, blasting me with the same black orbs he had used before, but nothing damaged my ethereal body.

I reached out, grabbing Erra by the throat and slamming the beast into the ground.

I lifted my sword and impaled the Lord, sending massive currents of flame outward.

All the while, I continued snarling like a feral animal.

Your form quakes in fear. Why is that? Do you mean to tell me you stoked the flames of The Thirteenth Hinokami and a descendent of The Great Akuma herself without once thinking that perhaps such a being was too much for you?

Erra shrieked, trying to slam his fists into my body, but the fists melted on contact.

SPARE ME. I BEG OF YOU, CHILD OF MAHYAKO.

I lifted my sword into the air and plunged it right into Erra, sending the entity ablaze with a blinding blue light and shattering the realm.

"Yeling! That's enough! He's down!"

Haha...HAHAHAHA! I cackled crazily from within my monsterized form. I continued stabbing, tearing and ripping Erra part.

Suffer.

Suffer for all eternity.

Burn from the flames of the Hinokami.

For the flames of the Fire God shall never be snuffed out.

Your penance shall be eternal.

I continued howling in laughter, my voice booming in the expanse.

I love this.

This RAGE.

This POWER.

Let's keep rampaging... let's keep destroying.

I want to keep tearing this place apart.

No one can stop me!

"Yeling!" A girl's voice shouted. My vision blurred, trying to focus on the figure of a young girl who had landed on my left shoulder.

"Come back to us! You need to stop!"

Huh? Why must I stop?

"Have you forgotten why we have come here? We're not here to rampage!"

I enjoy this. It brings me pleasure. To rip and tear apart those who doubt me. None can stop my rage. YOU cannot stop my rag-

"I know! I know that more than anyone, Yeling. But please, you need to remember... remember why we came here! Aaron is still out there! Do you not remember the promise we made?!"

I paused.

Promise?

"Aaron... your friend... our friend is still out there! He hasn't passed his psychological barrier... I think he's been captured by Erra's delusions!"

I clutched the hilt of my blade, rage still coursing and pumping through my body.

Thinking... thinking felt tiring.

Thinking was dulling my thrill.

I didn't want my thrill to end.

I raised my sword.

"YELING!" The girl shouted as the figure of a glowing pink avatar appeared before me, trying to chain me down.

I opened my mouth and blasted a torrent of blue fire from my breath, sending the pink figure recoiling back.

I shall pave my own path. Through destruction.

"Yeling..." The magenta figure muttered, before collapsing.

The only person left was the girl, who stood before me.

"Will you destroy the allies in front of you?" The girl asked.

I irked.

Allies... I have never had... allies... this form... this form blessed to me as a descendent of Mahyako was what kept me from succumbing to Inner Shadow Evangelion when none of my allies helped me. The more I push, the more I rampage, the stronger I become. Strength is everything. Strength is all you need. For someone like me...

"Yeling, you aren't Evangelion. Evangelion was a monster, he was created to be as such, and would forever be regarded as one. But you are a person, someone who deserves to be loved."

Step aside. You do not know the burdens of... of...

Caliburn's voice suddenly appeared in my mind.

Don't let the demons of your past influence your present.

I tilted my head, my gaze shifting to the pink entity that had collapsed.

My demons of my past...

"Yeling... it's true that I haven't known you long. I couldn't possibly understand what you've been through. But this isn't the first time I've had to face a Hinokami. That day I faced mine, was the Fourteenth Hinokami. I still can't forget the terror. The terror he had inflicted on me... the way he reanimated my parents into complete puppets of their former selves. The unnaturally large smiles on their faces that resembled his. And the searing pain he had inflicted on me when he destroyed my first body. When he destroyed Thalia Atlai. I can't forget it. The sheer... absolute evil that was Evangelion.

"But Yeling... even if you are in this berserk state... I can't sense that in you. You are powerful. You are strong, no doubt. As you are, you far exceed even Dainsleif in power. But... your strength isn't evil. From the first time I saw you wield your flames as the Thirteenth Hinokami, the feeling that I experienced wasn't fear. Yeling... what I felt was reassured. Your strength is dependable. Stoic. Dutiful."

No... these flames took the lives of my family... you have it all wrong.

"I refuse to accept that. The flames are what you make of it. That prophecy... the prophecy that I saw from Noctua haunted me. It haunted me every single night to the point where I couldn't sleep. But ever since you showed up, I've felt a sense of calm. I haven't felt that since my encounter with Noctua. You were called here by Aaron. There was no reason for you to help us, but you did so anyway. You didn't question anything I said... and you accepted our offer of alliance. Someone evil would never do something so generous. Someone evil would never instill a sense of tranquillity in me like you did. Yeling, I'm not asking you to accept me... and if you do not feel you are ready to open up again, neither I nor the rest of SFA-M will force you.

"But know this. I will do everything in my power... absolutely everything... to give you as many opportunities to redeem yourself again. Because even if you cannot see it yourself, I do. Under all that darkness and rage is a kind man who's been waiting for a chance his whole life."

I hesitated, my rage dissipating. I could feel my body shrinking in response to the girl's words.

And as I shrunk and returned to my original form...

The girl's appearance became more and more familiar.

"M74..." I muttered, stumbling forward before another person caught me.

I turned around in shock as Caliburn managed to catch me.

"Damn... if I hadn't blipped away last minute you would have killed me."

"Caliburn...?!"

74 stabilized me. Despite her small stature, she was surprisingly strong.

"Yeling... are you feeling a little better?"

"Yes. I... I apologize for succumbing to temptation again. I even injured you, Caliburn," I replied.

The rage had dissipated, but the disappointment remained.

I had succumbed to the effects of Anarchy again.

I really wasn't accustomed to that transformation at all despite everything I had done to progress.

Thalia sighed.

"So one is a complete idiot who speaks his mind... and the other goes on massive berserker rampages. You two sure are quite a handful, aren't you?"

"..."

The Chief War Doll approached me. Seeing her damaged like this didn't help.

"I'm glad you're back, Yeling."

I raised my eyebrows.

"You are not... upset?"

"I don't have a reason to. You managed to overcome that berserker rage yourself. But... I would prefer you save that as a last resort."

"I understand."

74 smiled grimly.

"Yeling, the choice is yours to make. Whether or not you wish to fight alongside us is up to your discretion. I know it is unfair to ask you of this now that we are in the middle of a mission and your strength is needed to bring Aaron back. But once this is over..."

This girl may have been fifteen, but she was so wise beyond her years that it was almost surreal.

But...

"You are not at all bothered by the fact that I am practically double your age?"

"I couldn't care less about age, Yeling. What's important is up here," 74 tapped her temple.

"Age simply provides one with the experience needed. In terms of mentality, fortitude, and strength, that depends on the person. But, if the difference between our ages still bothers you, then in a way, I do see you as someone with the maturity that is much needed in this team. Among the boys in this unit, we have an Elf who cannot even count the number of fingers on his hands and a Red-Eyed Pervert who can't go a day without getting himself in some kind of sitcom-style crisis. You are a breath of fresh air for me."

"Hm."

I looked out into the distance of the afterlife. The dark hazy clouds and the shards of broken, black glass made up the atmosphere of the dead.

"I will consider it."

A breeze parted 74's hair.

"I'm so glad. Truly. Finally. Someone who is normal-"

GROWLLL...

"Ah. Sorry, can you guys give me a moment? I need to replenish my hunger," I said, ripping a piece off Erra's dead body and stuffing my mouth.

It tasted atrocious, but I didn't have a choice.

It was bad enough that I had the appetite of essentially myself and Aelienne's (who, unfortunately, had quite a big appetite herself despite her insistence that I not mention it once in the Hinokami Realm).

Anarchy Form accelerated my metabolism even more and added with my Dragon Physiology...

I couldn't guarantee that I was the strongest Hinokami.

But I remember Aaron had once said I was definitely "the hungriest Hinokami in history".

74 stared at me.

"..."

"What?"

"N-Nothing," 74 replied, quickly, looking away.

?

Caliburn heaved.

"In what scenario would you even consider putting that in your mouth, much less eating it?!"

"I am part Celestial Dragon. I am carnivorous."

"So the first thing you did was eat the corpse of an Ancient Lord?!"

"Which I killed. By the way."

74 cleared her throat.

"Can we... erm... please get back to the mission at hand? Caliburn, what do you know about this place?"

"Everything that I know is from theory and literature. As far as I know, there hasn't been anyone who has ever made it to the afterlife alive, much less traversed it. At this point, we might as well be pioneers."

The War Doll looked onwards.

"That enemy, Erra far surpassed me in power. I even had the SFA-issued Second Skin equipped yet it wasn't enough for me to even kite such an enemy. If Erra was strong enough to momentarily overwhelm Tidalflame, then that's enough reason for me to assume Erra is at least SS Rank. I think it's safe to say we've entered The Terminus of this universe."

"The Terminus?" I asked.

"Every universe has a point where no being native to the realm can escape. Whether it is a planetary phenomenon such as a black hole, or the existence of a Demon Lord, there always is an existence that establishes authority. The beings of this world, at best, reach B Rank. What I can surmise from your fight against Erra is that Erra belongs to a subset of beings who act as that point of authority. Because there isn't a single person who I can think of who would escape what you went through."

Caliburn's face paled.

"S- Sounds about right. So what you're saying is... we've entered a region of this universe where by the laws of existence we cannot possibly defy."

"Yeah," 74 answered.

Even I felt unnerved.

To think there was an existence in this realm that was beyond SS Rank...

Erra had mentioned the Ancient Noln.

Noln...

The Ancient Spirit of Death.

Just like another Ancient that I knew.

And if Erra was strong enough to force me to use Anarchy Form, then it was clear the power Noln would have had.

"What is our plan of action?" Caliburn asked.

"We need to locate Aaron," 74 said.

"Here? I thought Aaron hadn't crossed over to the other side yet, how could he be in the afterlife?" I followed up.

"No. His spirit is most certainly here," Caliburn said.

"We're in Asphodel, according to the prophet Luno. This is the entrance to the underworld. It's where souls begin their transition to being spirited away by the Ancient Lord, which we ended up killing... Luno didn't mention anything about what happens if the Lord dies..."

"A problem for another time. How do we find Aaron in this mess?" Thalia said.

"That tree over there," Caliburn pointed out into the distance.

A black withered tree spread across the ominous red and orange horizon. It couldn't have been natural; the size was mammoth. Each strand of its branches looked more like an inverted root, and each branch was decorated with glowing red bulbs.

"The bulbs represent a soul," I surmised.

"Yeah."

"So how do we know which is Aaron's?"

"We could always just guess?"

I could see why Valerian left you.

"..." Thalia stepped forward.

"In the prophet's works, did they mention anything about tree guardians?"

"Yes. 'A serpent that spanned the skies of the dead stood guard at the tree of souls. Forever and ever.' I think there's a serpent hiding in the trees."

The War Doll put a hand to her chin.

"I see. We will need to formulate a plan to-"

"Fuck the plan, Aaron's in trouble," I said, raising my hand.

"Huh?"

INVERSE TSUNAMI RELEASE

FWOOSH.

A massive blue flame smashed into the tree, sending a massive creature airborne.

The serpent was just as Luno had described. To span the skies, so approximately the size of a skyscraper.

I hadn't realized it, but because of its black scales, it practically camouflaged in the tree, wrapping around it.

"Very good. Snake. Reveal yourself," I snarled viciously, but before I could continue my taunts, someone yanked me by the side.

"What is wrong with you?! Why'd you blast the Tree of Souls, you idiot?!" Caliburn screamed.

"I can take him."

"Your first reaction to that is to fight it?!"

"..." A vein bulged on 74's forehead.

I raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing... haha... hahaha..."

"Are you sure?"

74 gave me a smile that looked very obviously forced.

"Absolutely nothing is wrong. Nothing. At all. Nope."

"AAAH! It's coming!" Caliburn panicked.

"Why the hell did I sign up for this shit when I could have been sipping Point Royale at the Brownstone?!"

I fired another ITR at the Serpent, which recoiled from my blast and slithered deep into the ground.

"Behind you!" Thalia shouted as a rumbling shook the ground.

I spun around to see the Serpent emerging in an explosion of black shards from the ground, but a flash of light interrupted it.

The monster buckled in response to 74's gunfire but turned and opened its mouth.

74 readjusted her aim, firing at the maw and interrupting its attack.

I closed in from above, drawing my sword and delivering a powerful blue slash that slammed into the top of the creature's head. But I had missed.

Dammit...

It was far too mobile for my Rainstyle Kenjutsu to land blows with.

The fighting style that was adapted from Shen's countless years of battle was created from the numerous challenges the previous Celestial Dragon God had received.

But I never heard of Shen fighting other Dragons or serpent-like enemies before.

Unless I could find a way to immobilize this monster, I wasn't going to be able to land anything.

Aaron...

Aaron was about to be spirited away.

We needed to do something now!

"Do not falter," 74's voice suddenly snapped me back into reality.

I turned to the War Doll, who eyed me with a look of pure focus.

"We will recover Aaron. I know now how you fight and the limits behind the style. I will make sure you get that opening you need."

My eye widened in response.

"You..."

74 reached behind her back and pulled out several grenades, throwing them and bombarding the snake with explosions.

"Mage! Tie him down!"

Caliburn rushed over and invoked a chant, sending several chains that pulled the Serpent into the ground, immobilizing it.

"We created the opening you're looking for! Finish the attack!" 74 shouted, taking me by surprise.

This War Doll was no joke.

She had already predicted my repertoire just from watching me fight, just like Aaron did.

But in her case, she wasn't just able to get a grasp of my style of fighting, but she was able to revolve her own style to complement it.

"With pleasure," I snarled.

Rain Style Kenjutsu

Form 2 - SUN WHEEL

I dove downward, delivering a thunderous shockwave of Rainwater that tore apart the Serpent's hide and cut its head clean off.

The three of us watched the guardian dissipate into a shower of muddy black water, staining the fruits on the tree.

One of them was Aaron's.

"Caliburn, are you sure you don't know if there's any way to differentiate these fruits?" I asked.

"No. Luno didn't mention anything about differentiating them."

"Damn!"

74 approached the fruits, running her hand over it.

"They're so delicate. So precious. Each one of these represents the life of a person. Their memories. Their trials and tribulations. If that's true, then if one could peer into each fruit, they could locate the memories of the individual."

"But that could take ages," I said.

74 clenched her teeth.

"We're running out of time... I can do it. My brain has been cybernetically enhanced anyway."

"For billions of these fruits? You'll be overwhelmed!"

"Ummm... guys?" Caliburn said.

74 turned to Caliburn's position, her gaze shifting to where the Archmage was pointing.

"What in the world...?!"

A relentless tide of underworld soldiers had surged forward, their forms shrouded in a haze of darkness.

Each soldier was clad in some strange military attire that seemed to ripple like shadows, absorbing the dim light around them. Eyes glowed like embers beneath their helmets, fierce and unyielding, exuding an aura of malevolence. Their skin, a pallid grey, appeared almost translucent, revealing flickering veins of black that pulsed with a sinister energy.

But amongst these disturbing features, one thing stood out the most.

On the left side of their chest... was a badge.

The words written on it read in a blocked font: US ARMY.

"That uniform... that uniform is the OG-107!" Thalia gasped.

"OG-107?" I asked.

Caliburn gritted his teeth.

"The OG-107 was the uniform used by the US troops. During the Vietnam War. These monsters are my brothers from when I still served."

The soldiers howled in rage, taking aim with their rifles and firing a wave of bullets in our direction, but Caliburn stepped forward, stopping their munitions from getting to us.

"They've been reanimated. I dunno by who. That sick fuck... was that war not enough suffering for my boys?! Why'd you bring 'em back to this shit after all this time!"

I drew my sword, but Caliburn turned to me frantically.

"No! Yeling. Please, please don't kill my boys."

"Caliburn, these monsters aren't your troops!"

"They're not... but they once were. The call to end them is mine to make. You hear?"

I peered at the massive army of soldiers that were making their way to us.

"There are almost several thousand soldiers alongside the ones in your platoon. We also don't know by how much they have been enhanced by the influence of this realm, given that this is a Terminus. They could very well be superhuman for all we know," 74 warned.

Caliburn stood between us and the army, his coat flickering in the wind.

"You two need to find Aaron. I will hold off my boys."

I stepped forward.

"This could be a trap, if we go to find Aaron we can't bail you out-"

"Kid. I've been on this planet longer than either of you two combined. I know how to handle my inner demons."

"But..."

Caliburn assumed his Archmage form again.

"Give this old dog another chance at being cool, would ya?"

"..."

"HEY! You damn GRUNTS! Looking for me?" Caliburn shouted as the horde of soldiers shrieked, howling and taking aim with their rifles.

A legion of soldiers unleashed deadly gunfire at the Archmage, who flew into the air and blocked them with a shield of magic.

Staff Sergeant Robert Cole. A voice rumbled in the expanse.

It felt like it was coming from everywhere.

74's face grimaced, but her hand was still wrapped around my arm, keeping me from intervening.

You once fought alongside this very legion of soldiers in the Vietnam War. But in a vain attempt for glory, you stole the Flame Gem and abandoned your brothers. So presents you another chance to betray your comrades again. And you have taken it once more.

"Mind games won't work on me-"

From abandoning your brothers. To abandoning Linh. Do you so bask.

A shred of hesitation flashed on Caliburn's face as a rocket launcher blasted the Archmage point blank, sending him hurtling into the ground. Hundreds of soldiers ripped out of the shards that made up the sandy beach shore of a terrain. Combat knives in hand as if they were re-enacting a jungle ambush.

Caliburn unleashed a wave of magic to propel them back, but a rifle shot caught him in the leg.

"GRRK!"

No.

"Cal-"

74 tucked at my sleeve, cutting me off.

"Yeling, Aaron's running out of time. We need to trust in Archmage Caliburn."

KRA-KOOM.

I turned back to the fighting to see Caliburn summoning storm after storm of magic.

"Damn right, I'm a piece of shit. But if there's one person who should bear the burden of knowing he let the people who counted on him down, it's gonna be me. I've already lived my penance. But right now, if I don't do this, someone important to me right now is gonna be gone for good. You can play your mind games all you want, you little prick! I'll gladly throw it down. Cuz I'm someone who looks ahead, not behind!"

The Archmage raised his hand, summoning an orb of Eldritch magic and levitating guns that circled all around his body.

"You boys were brought back from the dead. Instead of resting in peace, some prick forced you to wake up again. Just hang in there, I'll put you all back to sleep."

SCREEEEEE!

Caliburn yelled, unleashing blasts of magic and gunfire in response.

"GO. YELING. THALIA. AARON IS RUNNING OUT OF TIME."

74 yanked at me with her cybernetic strength.

"Let's go! Otherwise, everything Caliburn is doing will be for nothing!"

The two of us sprinted to the tree, the sounds of Caliburn's tremendous clash booming in the distance.

I stared at the unending hordes of fruits on the tree.

Calling them fruits was a bit of a stretch. They looked more like organs.

Organs on a tree.

Disturbing.

"What's the plan here?" I asked.

74 focused hard, deep in thought.

"Your Dragon Senses, can you filter out any fruits that for sure could not be Aaron's?"

"No. I wish."

74 took a deep breath.

"Very well. Then I will initiate the Bloodhound Protocol."

The veins around Thalia's eyes began to deepen as her irises glowed a fierce red.

The irises had constricted, giving off the aura of a predator.

Useful as it looked...

I could tell it was putting an enormous strain on her body.

To be able to process that much information on the order of billions was unfathomable.

74 continued concentrating, but as she did so, a trickle ran down her face.

A trickle of blood leaked from her eyes.

"Grrrk..." 74 grimaced, trying to keep her composure as her eyes started to become bloodshot.

"A little more... there's just so many memories in a single person..."

Suddenly, the War Doll's knees buckled, nearly collapsing before I caught her at the last minute.

"ACK!"

74 coughed out a patch of blood.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, stabilizing Thalia.

"Pathetic... You pathetic excuse of a Chief..." Thalia muttered under her breath. But I could hear every word she was saying with my Dragon Hearing.

"Aaron... Aaron is counting on you, so is 78... everybody... yet..."

The Chief War Doll clenched her teeth in frustration. She may have done a good job at hiding it from us, but it didn't take any kind of mind-reading technique or Dragon Sense to know what was going on through her mind.

Aaron and 78 were both in danger, their lives were at risk. Caliburn was buying time for us against enemies of the Terminus, entities that overwhelmed me of all people.

And here presented in front of us was a problem seemingly too impossible to solve even with all of the computing power of a Tactical War Doll.

But even so...

74 wasn't alone.

Just as I wasn't when she brought me back from my berserk state.

It was due time that I repaid the favour.

"If this goes on you might succumb to overexertion. Is there a way to offset the load?" I asked. Thalia's eyes widened, seemingly being snapped back to the situation at hand.

"Offset... the load?"

"The Bloodhound Protocol accelerates your thought processes... maybe there is a way to channel part of that brainpower through a medium. Like me. Together."

"Together..."

74 turned back to the tree.

"I've never done something like that before. Linking up with a non-War Doll. I don't think anybody in the history of the SFA has done something like this before. It would require the medium to have a way to interface with our cybernetic core. I can link mine with you, but that's impossible. You're not cybernetic..."

I brushed the bangs on my right side back, revealing my missing eye socket..., and my less than appealing scarred tissue. From where the socket was, a metallic interface shone from the glow of the fruits.

"I once had a cybernetic eye installed on my right side, but it was destroyed in a battle. Can you use this?"

74 stared at the socket.

"You... Yes. I can."

"I'm surprised you're not as shocked by what I just showed you as most people," I observed.

"I've seen my fair share of weird. After all, we're both freaks here, aren't we, One Half?" Thalia said as she took off her combat suit along with her shirt, revealing a heavily toned build covered by a compression sports bra.

All over her body were very faint lines indicating cybernetic implants. I was told that these War Dolls were once normal girls, but after what Evangelion had done to them, they were incinerated so badly that the only way to bring them back from the brink of death was to basically rebuild each body using artificial cybernetic implants. The sheer number of implants and modules on her was disturbing.

At that point, would this girl even be considered human anymore?

The War Doll reached for one of those compartments on her forearm, activating it. Segmented components began to unveil themselves from her arm, releasing a cyan light and a cable which extended outward.

"This cable was initially what we used to upload new Protocols into our main processing units. But it serves additional functions to link to auxiliary modules. SFA-Delta actually uses this cable quite a lot when interfacing with the SFA-issued Artillery Guns. Count yourself lucky, Tidalflame, that you got to see this before Dainsleif."

I knelt down until I was at eye level with Thalia, who raised the connector to my eye socket.

"Yeling, are you sure about this? By linking up with me, everything I see, you will see too."

"It's better for two of us to deal with this than just you alone."

74 nodded grimly.

"Very well. Then prepare yourself, Tidalflame."

CLICK.

My eye widened in response to a horde of information entering my brain.

Numerous windows, prompts, codes, and flashes of memories flooded my mind.

The sound of Caliburn's battle began to drown out.

More and more memories flooded my mind.

Memories of Thalia's past.

A young girl who was raised in a normal, loving environment. Only to have it all torn away from her the day her bogeyman had invaded.

A school in flames, and a young Thalia running outside of the building to find her parents who she turned to for protection.

But as Thalia located the backs of the people who raised her whole life, it was clear that the loving parents she had known were long gone.

"Tal... is that you, baby?"

Thalia paused, as her parents turned around. Unnaturally large smiles appeared on their faces, and their eyes were so wide they were practically about to pop from their sockets.

More and more memories.

Memories of Thalia escaping her parents and being locked into a gymnasium. A girl who offered to give herself up to the deranged grown-ups by fabricating a lie that was so effective, that not a single girl looked back as they abandoned her to be sacrificed alive.

But one person was able to see through that lie.

And Thalia would bear the weight of letting the person she fell in love with be dismembered. The sounds of her horrific screaming engrained them into her mind.

"GAH!" I gasped, trying to regain my bearings.

But more and more of Thalia's past flooded my brain.

The suffering.

The terror that was Evangelion, taking her parents and her body away.

The searing pain of having her body ripped apart by the Hinokami's flames. Then the relentless, unending, brutal, and traumatizing training to become a Tactical War Doll. The physical alterations, non-anesthetic surgery for body modifications, indoctrination to becoming a killing machine, and the conditioning required to fight for days on end with no sleep or rest.

The blood, guts and feces of numerous corpses that 74 had been forced to deal with through an uncountable number of operations and military campaigns.

As I watched Thalia transition into Tactical War Doll 74-M, I could see the life gradually leave her eyes.

The horror that was originally on Thalia's face had been replaced with an emptiness.

Thalia had been born into a family...

But Seven Four was born into a warzone.

Aaron always referred to 74 as Thalia.

But to me, it was almost as if Thalia had died the day Evangelion had incinerated her.

Maybe this was why they went with numbered codenames.

Because who they were had perished long ago. Thalia Atlai had died that day. She was exactly what she was described to be.

A Doll.

A Doll of her former self.

I had only seen glimpses of this girl's life, but that was enough to shake me to the core. How could someone like this...

How could someone like this even want to continue living?

"Yeling! Focus!" 74 urged me as I continued clutching my head.

"I can't... your past... it's horrific!"

"Listen to me," 74 clutched onto my shoulders.

"What matters is now. Look past me. Look past my darkness."

"I..."

"Remember why we are here!"

My vision refocused on Thalia's grey eyes, grey eyes that, though empty, were filled with determination.

"It may be true that a large part of me died that day. I am willing to even admit that for the longest time, I wasn't living. I was serving. But right now... right now I have a reason to push forward beyond duty. And so do you. Our friend... a certain Red-Eyed Idiot is in a situation that he cannot pull himself out of alone. We need to be there for him. You know this too."

I gritted my teeth, the cable of 74-M's Aux Cord continued sending pulses of information into my brain.

But this time, it wasn't overwhelming me.

Our brainwaves were starting to synchronize.

"Locate him... find him... we need to find Aaron."

I looked onward, grimly.

Aaron Hope.

Remember his scent. That obnoxious scent of his. So full of humour, the complete opposite of me.

Thousands of memories soon turned to millions, which turned to billions.

But I was able to sift through it all with the help of 74's Protocol.

Where...

Where could that doofus be?

"Nora and I... we've been in the orphanage for the longest time. We don't have anywhere to go. But you do. Hell... your last name is Hope after all."

74 and I gasped simultaneously.

"Aaron... that was Aaron's memory!" 74 exclaimed, trying to focus on that one voice speaking out in the torrent of voices.

"I don't care about my last name! I have never once used it since! I'm not... I'm not good enough..." What sounded like a younger Aaron shouted.

"You don't have to be the strongest."

"You don't have to be the fastest."

"You are enough."

"Hang on, Yeling. I'm going to jettison our consciousness to the source of those voices," 74 said.

I braced myself, feeling a sudden acceleration jerk us forward.

It felt as if we were going into a freefall, but the acceleration continued. Continuing and continuing. Our surroundings warping in response to the fall.

Until...

THUD.

My eye fluttered open. I was standing in the snow alongside Thalia, whose eyes were glued to the figure of a young boy.

A twelve-year-old boy. In his hand was a sword that was slowly disintegrating.

He was wearing only a pair of pyjamas, yet the snow clung onto him and soaked him straight to the bone.

"Where are we..." I muttered.

"Where it all started," 74 replied.

"The start of Aaron's story."

24

"As goofy as he presents himself, Aaron Hope was always a prominent name in the Black Legion. There wasn't a single person in the Black Legion who hadn't heard of the infamous God-Eater. The only known SS Ranked Outer Shadow. The first Outer Shadow to defeat an Inner Shadow. The first Outer Shadow to survive an ambush from Vala herself. His resume and profile are among one of the most legendary and well-known in the entirety of the Legion."

74 sat behind the snowbank. The snow was leaving behind white dust on her head.

"To me, and to my battle sisters, Aaron was more than just an Outer Shadow. Because like us, he had his life taken from him at a young age. Coincidentally, the same age as me, actually. Yet despite everything that came his way, he soldiered past it all. When we underwent the indoctrination of becoming a War Doll, Aaron was a symbol of determination for all of us. He was the anchor that kept us from giving up."

The two of us watched a twelve-year-old Aaron stumble in the snow, forcing himself to continue walking. Tears were streaming down his eyes.

"Nora... Will... please come back... don't leave me... I can't do this without you guys..." Aaron mumbled, his body delirious.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Avara happened."

"Avara...?"

74 pointed at a mound of feathers and armour that was slowly disintegrating in the snow.

"The Goddess of Fertility had come down to the orphanage that Aaron once lived in and killed practically everyone. Aaron was apparently the only survivor that night. And was forced to kill Avara with his bare hands."

The two of us continued watching Aaron trudge forward listlessly.

Aaron Hope. Son of Cassandra. You dare show your fangs in the face of the gods? You shall suffer greatly for what you have done to our kin. For you have committed the worst of all heresies. To murder a deity you were meant to worship!

Aaron's face became white as a ghost.

"No... no! Avara... Avara attacked first! I was simply defending-"

Your pleas shall not pardon your actions, heretic. Fierce is our wrath to those who defile the name of the gods. There is only one fitting penance for something like this.

AARON HOPE. YOUR PENANCE OF DEATH BEGINS NOW.

Aaron bolted to the forest with a newfound strength, adrenaline forcing his eyes to be dilated to the max. His panting became hysterical and wild.

"No... NO NO NO NO NO NO! Why... why!"

The kid was sprinting as fast as he could, heaving and panicking.

Time shifted forward, our surroundings changing in response to the changing memories of our friend.

With each encounter with a god, Aaron was able to come up with something ingenious.

From faking his presence to creating false alibis.

To luring gods into areas that were the completely opposite of their element.

Gradually and slowly, we were watching the creation of the legendary Dainsleif the Black Legion was known for. Luck slowly became replaced with strategy.

"Aaron... I don't know if I can keep watching this," I muttered.

"We need to keep watching. Maybe this can give us insight as to what's keeping him from passing the psychological phase of the afterlife."

"What's keeping him from spiriting away?! Almost everything he went through is enough of a reason!"

74 looked onward.

"No. Aaron is strong. He was and always has been. No matter what challenges stood in his way, the legendary Dainsleif barged through. He was... and still is... our hero."

But as we continued watching Aaron's past unravel itself, I could sense uncertainty washing over 74's face.

Because while Aaron managed to overcome each obstacle...

It was like watching a piece of him get taken away.

A piece of him died along with each god he killed.

By the time Aaron had survived his second year of being hunted, the poor kid was unrecognizable from the first vision.

Hair so long that it reached his shoulders. Nothing but rags and a gun strapped to his back.

Grime and filth covered his whole face, and his eyes...

His eyes...

"What... I've never... I've never seen Aaron make that face before..." 74 muttered.

Aaron trudged forward, his lifeless face was eyeing a small corner in an alleyway.

"Hungry... so... so hungry..." a fourteen-year-old Aaron Hope croaked as I watched the kid stare at the lifeless body of a god he had killed.

"...Food. Need food."

Suddenly, Aaron doubled over, vomiting all over the floor.

I nervously glanced at Thalia, who was staring at Aaron with a look of complete shock.

Aaron knelt down and drew his knife, cutting open the god's chest.

"Fire... a fire will alert the other gods..."

SKRITCH... SQUASH... SQUISH...

I clenched my fist as I watched Aaron rip entire chunks of flesh from the god and raise it to his mouth.

The stench was beyond foul, and Aaron gagged in response to the smell.

"No way... is he going to..." I muttered.

I noticed 74's hand slowly rise to her mouth.

Her eyes were wide in horror.

"The God Eater. That... that's how he got his name..."

SQUISH SQUISH SQUISH.

Aaron sobbed furiously, forcing the disgusting mass into his mouth.

"MMMMMRRRKKK! MRRRRRRRRRRMM!!!!" Aaron gagged, forcing the mass down his throat and rejecting his body's attempts to expel the contents.

"URKKK GAAACK!"

But with each gag, Aaron would force another chunk into his mouth.

Over and over again.

By the time Aaron had finished "eating", the kid leaned against the wall, sliding to his knees.

"Why... why is this happening to me... what did I do to deserve this..."

Aaron stared into the sky with his lifeless eyes.

"There's no... there's no reason to continue living, is there? The only two people who ever cared about me are dead. I have no one to pray to... because if I even so much as pray I'll give myself away. Fuck... FUCK... it's not fair... it's not fair."

The kid slowly turned to a nearby piece of rope that had been tossed in the dumpster.

I watched as Aaron crawled to the rope and tied it against an upward railing, listlessly making a knot.

It took a few seconds for the horror to set in.

The thing that Aaron had made.

Aaron slowly climbed on top of the dumpster bin and brought the rope to his neck. There wasn't a single shred of regret on his face.

"Hey... Will... Nora, I'm sorry. But I can't continue like this. I just... I just wanna see you guys again. I'm sure there's no god who would care if I did it. After all, there isn't a single god who doesn't want me dead anyway. Right? RIGHT?!"

Aaron clenched his teeth, laughing maniacally.

"YOU ALL WANT ME DEAD. SO DO I. SO THIS SETTLES IT, RIGHT?! RIGHT?! AVARA? HERMES? HERCULES?! ROMULUS?! BETHRA? VENUS? OBI? RENA?!"

I realized Thalia had been silent the entire time.

"Hey, 74-"

"This... this wasn't... the files about Aaron never mentioned this..." 74 whispered, her eyes completely fixed on Aaron, who was seconds away from dropping down from the bin.

"Aaron was supposed to... he wasn't meant to..."

SNAP!

The rope suddenly snapped in half, tossing a delirious Aaron into the ground. The kid conked his head against the pavement, crying deliriously.

"YOU WON'T LET ME LIVE. YOU WON'T LET ME DIE THE WAY I WANT! WHY?! I NEVER ASKED TO KILL AVARA! I NEVER ASKED FOR ANY OF THIS!" Aaron screamed into the empty dark street, pushing his gun into his mouth, but the weapon jammed.

You will die when we so choose. Not over some personal whim of suicide. Aaron Hope. Your penance shall not be fulfilled in such a quick and painless matter. We will capture you. And we will subject you to far worse methods of torment than simple death.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Aaron screamed, pressing the trigger of the gun that was pointed in the inside of his mouth over and over again.

CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK.

"Mommy... that boy is crying..." a little boy said, causing Aaron to spin around like a rabid animal.

"Honey! Don't-" The mother gasped, as Aaron got to his feet, picking up his sidearm that was sitting on the ground.

"Please... take me in... I beg of you..." Aaron grunted, his voice raspy from all the screaming and crying.

"No... please, please stay away from us!" The mother begged, stumbling back.

"Mommy? Mommy! I don't like this! I'm scared!"

"Sweetie, it's gonna be alright. It's going to be okay. It's okay... it's okay..." The mother reassured her son to the best of her ability, but her own reassurance was plagued with intense sobbing.

Aaron tilted his head, his mind was truly gone.

"I... I just want a family... a place to live... a home... it's scary out there... I'm not any older than that kid over there. He's twelve, right? Just like I was..."

The mother reached for a piece of wood that was lying on the ground that had detached from Aaron's noose he had set up earlier.

"Stay away. Stay away from my kid. Stay away from me, you freak!"

Aaron paused.

"Freak...?"

"That's right! You- You're not human. You're not a boy. You're not a person! You're... you're just a freak! A freak who shouldn't even be talking to people like us!"

"Accept me... please... take me in as your son... I need..."

Aaron staggered forward, his eyes glazed over.

"I'm scared. I need a place to stay... please-"

THWOK!

I jumped, as did 74, whose hand hovered over her gun.

The look on her face was a complete contrast to the usual regal attitude she always had.

Aaron doubled over, blood spilling down the side of his head.

"Why did you hit me?"

"STAY AWAY!"

THWOK! SMASH! CRACK!

Aaron cried out in pain as the woman continued her vicious assault on the kid, slamming the side of the board that had several nails jutting out of it against Aaron's head.

"DIE! DIE DIE DIE! JUST DIE!"

Aaron slumped forward, blood gurgling from his mouth and his eyes were rolled into the back of his head.

74's hand and lower lip were trembling.

SCRITCH. CLUTCH.

"?!" The woman dropped the plank of wood, screaming as Aaron grasped onto her ankle.

"Please don't go... don't go-"

STOMP. STOMP. STOMP.

"GET AWAY FROM ME. I WILL NEVER. EVER. TAKE A MONSTER LIKE YOU AS A SON! NO MOTHER WOULD EVER WANT SOMETHING AS DISGUSTING AS YOU!"

Aaron's eyes widened as tears ran down his face.

The woman's son ran up to Aaron and kicked him.

"Stay away from my mommy! Monster!"

I felt 74 rush forward, but I grabbed her by the arm.

"What are you-"

"Thalia. These are memories," I said adamantly, causing 74's face to snap out of the delirious state of shock she was originally in.

"I..."

Suddenly, Aaron got to his feet, raising his sidearm.

"I know... I know who you two are. You're not a family... you two are GODS. You've come for me! Only gods would hurt me like this! You were sent by them!"

The woman and the son whimpered, scrambling back, but Aaron took aim and fired three times at a nearby structure. Two of the bullets missed, but one barely managed to make contact, breaking the chain and sending a ton of debris tumbling on top of the two.

CRASH!

Aaron walked forward, his red eyes seemingly glowing in the dark.

"Spare us... please... please let us go..." The mother pleaded.

"I need your wallet. Your belongings. All of it."

"Y- Yes... yes! I will give them to you. But please, please let us go!" The woman nodded aggressively as she handed Aaron her purse and everything.

Aaron grabbed the belongings and inspected his sidearm, only to aim it at the boy's head.

BANG!

"NOOOOOO!" The woman howled hysterically.

"MY BABY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! WHY DID YOU DO THIS?! OH MY GOD!"

Aaron then aimed at the woman's head, a look of pure emptiness on his face.

"All gods are liars. They will lie if it means capturing me."

"WE'RE NOT GODS!"

"You are. You're all gods. Only gods will hurt me like this... only gods would be so merciless. And everybody has been nothing but merciless to me. Everybody is a god."

Aaron's finger tightened on the trigger as his pupils dilated.

"Oh god... oh lord..." The woman whimpered.

"And everybody must die."

BANG!

The sound of the gun felt magnitudes louder than the previous one, so impactful that the reality around us shattered, leaving just 74 and I standing there in front of the tree.

The fruit of Aaron's soul was still in Thalia's hand.

As for Thalia...

Her face was white as a ghost.

"We need to get to Aaron," I urged.

"Y- Yes. Yes, we do," 74 responded, steeling her nerves.

"Any idea on how to access Aaron?" I asked.

"If the fruit is anything like how Caliburn had described it from the books of Luno, it acts as a corridor. We'll need to open the casing and let ourselves be consumed by its contents."

"Ready when you are."

The two of us grabbed the fruit.

"Yeling," Thalia said.

"Yeah?"

"If... if we don't succeed in convincing Aaron..."

"Don't say that."

"No. I feel it must be said."

74 made eye contact with me.

"I... I don't know if I can bring him back. If any of this was a good idea. If... if..."

The sounds of Caliburn's final stand continued to ravage our surroundings. Explosions, gunfire, and battles boomed in the distance, sending shockwaves of wind in our direction.

74's hair fluttered wildly.

"Yeling, you're the oldest person on this team. I just... I just want to hear it from someone with experience. Someone who is more experienced in life."

"I am the last person you want to get advice from, trust me."

"Yeling!"

74 looked up at me, startling me. Her bottom lip was quivering.

"Please. I just want to hear it from you. Whether or not all this is right... whether... whether I made the right call..."

"All of this? What do you mean?"

"Can I be honest with you? Just... just the two of us..."

"Of course you can."

74 pursed her lips, her hands clutching the fruit housing Aaron's soul, moments from shattering the shell.

"I'm scared. I'm so scared. I can't stop making mistakes. I feel like all of this was my fault, from 78's defection to this. Aaron's life is on the brink of being spirited away, and it's because of something I had no idea about. This whole time I've been seeing Aaron as a stoic pillar, I never realized... I never realized he went through something like this. Every call I make feels like I'm costing the team in some way. Now I'm going to be responsible for getting another friend killed!"

I knelt in front of 74, whose eyes darted around frantically, trying to focus on everything at once.

In the end...

In the end that small part of her that was trying to claw its way out of Tactical War Doll 74-M had finally reached the surface for me to see for the very first time.

"I was wrong. You really are still Thalia Atlai."

74 stared at me.

"What?"

I reached out and put my hand on hers.

"I understand where you are coming from. The need to take responsibility and lead a band of soldiers, because no one else can. But it's impossible to lead without stumbling. My Squad Leader back in the Contingency Initiative was one of the worst leaders ever, but in the end, I still admired him even in death. I can't say for certain that this is the right call. This is something we can only find out in the end after all of this is over. But right now... right now we need to keep moving forward for Aaron's sake.

"Thalia, you are an incredible leader. And I feel so, so relieved that you are finally able to open up about this. Because it shows that under all that machine is still the fifteen-year-old Thalia Atlai who cared about Alice that day. I don't know if it is fate or coincidence that you ended up becoming a babysitter for both Aaron and I... but if you ask me..."

I put a hand on my chest.

"I don't think there's a single person in this SFA Company who could do it as well as you. You make me wanna fight for your cause. No matter what happens, know that you have the full support of The Tidalflame on your side. And once we recover Aaron, you will also have the full support of The Dainsleif."

Thalia lowered the fruit, her eyes glimmering as I stood, putting a hand on the Chief's shoulder.

"Keep up the good work, Miss Atlai. It takes a very special type of person to win someone like me over. Trust me. I'm a man of jealousy. Of envy. Of self-victimizing. I would rather watch someone who has succeeded their whole life have everything ripped from them than once congratulate them. But when I see you, I feel every obligation to root for you all the way. Because you're the type of person to inspire others to fight for your sake."

74 looked away, a blush forming on her face.

"I... wasn't expecting to be buttered up..."

"I speak the truth."

A small smile formed from the corner of her mouth.

"Then... shall we? One Half?"

I bashed my fists together.

"Let's bring that Red-Eyed Fool back."

Thalia crushed the fruit, sending us into a veil. Our surroundings distorted, shifting and changing as the two of us were consumed by the soul of our friend.

As my eye slowly fluttered open, our surroundings had changed once more.

We had been transported into what appeared to be a slum. Crumbling walls were muted with decay, leaning precariously. Rust, metal scraps, and shattered glass littered the ground.

Overgrown weeds had claimed the territory of every street Thalia and I walked past. But if it was not the state of the buildings all around us, it was the air.

A scent of damp earth and emptiness. It was hard to say what this place must have been like in the past, whether or not what we were looking at was a spectre of what it once was, but it was as if time had stood still, standing in the center of the slum.

In the far distance was a run-down house, one of the more ragged ones.

The sounds of happiness echoed through the building, the walls must have been so thin that there could hardly have been any privacy whatsoever in that run-down corpse of a house.

Yet despite that, the laughter that ensued from that house sent waves up my spine.

"He's there," 74 pointed at the house.

"Aaron's signature."

The two of us sneaked to the perimeter of the house, peeking through.

What could Erra have shown Aaron that would make him trapped here for-

"HAHAHA!"

"AH! You got me son!" An old man howled in laughter, followed up with a woman who laughed in response.

"WHA-?! What kind of lungs did I create?!" The woman exclaimed.

"PFTTHAHAHAHAHAHA!" A familiar voice bellowed in laughter.

A familiar voice...

My heart rate went up.

"Aaron... that's Aaron!"

I turned to 74, whose eyes were wide.

"I've... never heard him laugh like this before. Never. I never knew he could laugh this hard before..."

I peeked through the window.

"If you ever decide to switch careers, you should be a COACH! That is probably the CRAZIEST diaphragm I've seen in a man!"

A family. An old man, so emaciated he was probably skin and bones, and an elderly woman, equally as emaciated sat flanking the sides of our friend, who was laughing so hard tears ran down his eyes.

What looked like a small cake appeared to have exploded, pieces of icing had flung onto the man's shirt.

And that's when it hit me.

The cake that was sitting in front of Aaron...

It was a birthday cake.

For the first time in his life, Aaron was celebrating his birthday with his parents. An experience he was denied for the longest time by the gods.

"..."

74 slid back down, her back leaning against the decaying planks of wood that made up the outer edges of the dying house.

"What kind of monsters would we be to pull him out of that?"

"Erra... Erra showed Aaron a reality that he couldn't possibly resist."

Thalia clenched her rifle so hard her knuckles turned white.

The voices continued.

Aaron's father put his hand on his son's head, while Aaron's mother wrapped her arms around him from behind.

All the while, the words of that woman in Aaron's memory continued to replay in my head.

GET AWAY FROM ME. I WILL NEVER. EVER. TAKE A MONSTER LIKE YOU AS A SON! NO MOTHER WOULD EVER WANT SOMETHING AS DISGUSTING AS YOU!

Aaron was fourteen at the time. To have something like that screamed in his face from someone he probably had developed an attachment to out of sheer desperation and paranoia... it must have done more psychological damage to him than any god.

74 tightened her jaw.

"We need... we need to bring him out. But this is a choice he ultimately has to make."

"There's no way we can use reason on him. There's no reason for him to abandon all this."

74 picked up a nearby can that I presumed had been dropped when the old man had been carrying it into the house, considering the stack of cans that were neatly laid out in the living room.

"From barren soil springs the strongest roots, nurtured by the storms of struggle."

I raised my eyebrows. I knew this saying.

"Where did you hear that? That's a quote."

74 lowered her head.

"I read a lot. I encountered this quote from an old book of proverbs. You know it too?"

"Yes. Because the quote is from the Chinese Prophet Lee Gah Mun of Canan. The quote referenced his time when he had to be conscripted in his war alongside our parent country, China against Argeria many centuries ago. Mun-san needed to abandon his wife and two sons, knowing full well that the average lifespan of a Canan/Chinese Warrior was at most, several days."

74 closed her eyes.

"We have no right to force Aaron to abandon the people he loves."

"But Thalia..."

I leaned forward, sitting in front of the War Doll.

"Aaron loves you guys too."

74 slowly looked up, and a hint of realization flashed on her face.

"But we're not related by blood-"

"So what? He still sees you as family, Thalia. He sees all of Muon as family. Maybe he did miss out on a pair of loving parents when he was thrown in the orphanages, but that gave him the perspective to realize that as long as there were people who cared about him to the point of risking their lives for his sake, then that's enough of a reason to consider them family."

I picked up another bottle that had littered the ground.

"Aaron is the type of person to throw his arms around anyone he cares about, regardless of who they are. I remember when I returned after being captured by Loyce, the first thing he did was force me into a hug. That bumbling idiot. But, that's just the type of person he is. Regardless of what he sees in front of him, maybe we can make him realize that though the people around him aren't real, the people in front of him are."

The two of us camped out, hiding from Aaron and the family for days on end.

Thalia analyzed the movement behaviour patterns of the family, and at the end of the duration, she formulated all the openings in their schedule to approach our friend.

I stood up, facing the door.

"I will fight Aaron."

74 shot to her feet in surprise.

"What? But what if he awakens his Vitruvian Form?! Even you can't hold back the power of his Vitruvian State."

"Then I will hold out as long as I can. The point is to force him to remember. I leave that to you, Chief. You can count on me for the heavy lifting."

"..."

I smiled, putting my hand on Thalia's head.

"You remind me so much of my little sister. The way she pouts whenever she doesn't get what she wants."

"I am not a child! I am fifteen-"

"Fifteen years old is still a child to me. That might work on someone like Aaron, but that won't work on someone who's pushing thirty."

74 pursed her lips, looking the other way.

"Don't you dare succumb. We have a lot of work to do once we get Aaron back to recovery."

"Yes, Chief."

I turned around and approached the door, taking a deep breath.

You goddamn Red-Eyed idiot.

Look what you've done to this poor girl. She's worried sick for your sake that she would place her trust in a mentally insane Hinokami Vessel.

You owe everybody here a damn apology after all that talk about not screwing up during Caliburn's ritual.

(PRESENT TIME, YELING'S POV)

Aaron fired two volleys of gunfire in my direction.

I went Intangible, feeling the projectiles pass through me, but Aaron's expression made me not convinced that I had succeeded in evading.

"I have no idea why you've come here, but mind games won't work on me. If my dream is real, then you have a pretty damn good idea just who you're messin' with!" Aaron growled, pointing at a spot behind me.

"What-?!"

FWOOSH.

"RRK!" My body suddenly felt sucked in to a vortex, my wispy ethereal form bending and twisting and sending me in a disorientated state.

Those vortex bullets again... just like when I first fought Urca back in Squad Four.

The way he was able to bypass my Intangibility by using Fujin, Aaron had somehow figured it out!

He may have lost his memory, but his absurd combat prowess and fight intelligence were still 100 percent there!

I exited my Intangibility, feeling myself hurtling to the ground.

"Dammit, Aaron! I do NOT want to fight you!"

"Then stay away from my parents!"

"For the last time, they're not your-"

Aaron blinked in front of me as I hesitated, bringing my sword up, but suddenly, another Aaron appeared right behind him?!

The barrel of his Draugr pressed against my stomach, blowing me open as a starburst of blood emitted outward.

"GAH!" I flew backward as Aaron rushed forward, unleashing an unrelenting assault of different weapon types.

From a submachine gun, to a handgun.

To a shotgun to an assault rifle.

To an anti-tank rifle to a minigun.

All weapons that were in this guy's arsenal were designed with such advanced technology.

I found myself completely on the defensive, despite this guy still trying to recover his memories.

Aaron bolted forward, his body sparking with electricity magic.

I braced myself.

Light Magic: FALSE SWORD

What?

Aaron suddenly disappeared, replaced with a flashbang grenade.

?!

BANG!

I stumbled backward, completely blinded as a massive blast of concussive force slammed into me, sending me hurtling into the air.

Another whirlwind of air currents surrounded me. I felt the tugging sensation of several cords wrap around my body.

By the time I opened my eye, I could see myself completely immobilized. Flanking me in every direction was a cross-shaped sentry drone emitting a red tractor beam.

"My family is all I have. The only people I love who love me. LEAVE. US. ALO-"

CRACK!

Aaron twitched in response to the sound, one of the sentries that was holding me back suddenly exploded in sizzling sparks.

The Outer Shadow spun around with his handgun, firing in response, but the bullet ricocheted off a cover that was shielding Thalia.

74 threw a grenade which Aaron dodged but followed up with more gunfire as the sanctuaries let me go and shielded their master.

I flew in, sword reeled back and ready to strike.

SWIFF.

Aaron disappeared, appearing before 74 as the two engaged in a duel of firearms. 74 abusing every source of cover she could find, firing at random inanimate objects to chain distraction assaults, but nothing was getting through Aaron's acute sense of detail.

"Aaron! Do you remember us?" 74 asked, but Aaron bombarded her with sentry gunfire which forced the War Doll to burrow deep into cover.

"You were in my dream. You led a band of soldiers, but a dream is a dream!"

"If you recognize me, then you know what we mean to you! Stop this!"

"I would choose my parents, I will always choose my family over some whim!"

I raised my hand to fire an ITR, but Aaron spun around, disappearing from sight.

It was like this guy had a history of fighting against opponents who displayed overwhelming might.

He knew I couldn't risk burning Thalia, so he was intentionally positioning himself in her proximity while also engaging her in battle.

My eye constricted, my Dragon Senses amplifying my sight to pin down the two.

Aaron had rushed forward, but Thalia unleashed a horde of gunfire that cut down nearby buildings, causing them to collapse between the two.

Aaron leaped from one building to another, another red magic circle forming in his hand. Before he could summon his spell, however, 74 broke cover, firing her rifle at Aaron's rune, shattering it and sending him flying.

"GO! YELING!" 74 shouted.

I blasted forward, grabbing my friend by the collar and flying into the sky.

"Aaron! Remember us! Remember why we have come here!"

"NO!"

"Then you leave me with no choice."

Level 1 Hinokami: Stage Four - True Phoenix Ascendent

My body exploded in a surge of blue flame, transforming as four horns sprouted on the top of my head and the sides of my skull. My hair became rigid, spiking and flaring to the back of my head as blue and purple electricity surrounded me.

Aaron cried out in pain, his eyes wide.

"Aaron... your parents are dead. You need to accept that. But we're still here! WE ARE. We're not dead, will you really throw us away to live in this fabricated reality Erra has put you in?!"

"No... NO! I can't believe you!"

"WHY?"

"I..."

74 rushed forward, her rifle raised, her face wild in response to the storms of the Hinokami and chaos we were causing.

"Aaron, can't you see? Your parents... your parents haven't come to find you! We're still in the same spot, just outside of your house, they haven't pursued you! Their voices have been cut out."

"SHUT UP!"

"Aaron, those weren't your parents. They were fabrications this world has put in front of you. The moment Yeling released his Hinokami it shattered that fabrication. Please, please listen to reason."

Aaron's eyes suddenly widened, turning to me.

"You..."

I gritted my teeth.

"Aaron. If you won't listen to me, at least listen to Thalia. She's been putting us first above all else since the beginning."

"My parents..."

"What?"

Aaron's eyes flashed with rage as a surge of power knocked me back.

"GAH!" I gasped.

A blast of white light surrounded the Outer Shadow, swirling violently and unleashing a violent storm of power.

74 swapped to her grenade launcher, firing at the mass of light in an attempt to interrupt it, but it was too late.

Embodiment of Wrath: YAKSHA MODE

SWOOF!

Aaron manifested in front of me, his face transformed, showing goblin-like features. His ears had become sharpened, and his teeth had turned into fangs. The scleras of his eyes had been inverted, revealing a pair of black pupils with demonic glowing red irises. His hair was so white it was glowing, and two horns had jutted out of his forehead.

A sadistic and terrifying smile appeared on his face.

"You killed... you killed my parents. Again. Once again, I've had my family ripped away from me. Do you think it's so funny? WAS MY SUFFERING NOT FUNNY ENOUGH FOR YOU THE FIRST TIME?!"

Aaron shoved his shotgun to my chest as I tried to go Intangible, but Aaron sent a flood of chakra into my nervous system, shutting me down.

CHOOM!

"AARGH!" I grunted in pain as I flew back, taking more and more hits from Aaron's unrelenting Six Hands Combination assault.

"They're all I have... they're all I have. Don't you dare try to take that away from me!"

I reached out, the tattoos on my arm glowing bright, only to have Aaron slam his elbow against my throat and send me to the ground.

It was only now did I realized that the Aaron Hope before me was drastically different from the one I was accustomed to seeing.

His hair was black and unkempt, just like his early years. Likely from living with his family in poverty, but there wasn't a single streak of grey.

The muscles he had built up weren't as defined as when he was an Outer Shadow, and he was significantly thinner than the Aaron I was used to.

A version of Aaron Hope if he hadn't been forced to become an Outer Shadow, to fight this war against Vala.

74 rushed forward, her gun in hand, but Aaron quickly drew his Draugr and disarmed her without even looking.

Thalia flew backward, shock on her face as her rifle shattered into little pieces.

The War Doll grabbed a throwing knife from her thigh strap mid-air and tossed it from her underhand.

PING!

Another Draugr shot deflected the blade, sending it hurtling right into her leg.

74 collapsed, her hair mangled and covering her face as Aaron turned to Thalia.

"No... Aaron..."

The God Eater approached the War Doll as a breeze blew past us.

74 struggled to lift herself up, but the servos in her arms had been ripped wide open. Likely from her clash with Aaron.

I had thought 74 held her ground when she was doing that gun exchange with Aaron earlier, but even I had completely missed it.

Aaron had discretely shot at her joints in a manner that it was almost impossible to realize until additional agitation propagated the damage.

When Aaron had disarmed her, all of the bullet wounds he had inflicted on her exploded outward, injuring her severely.

74 was a beast of a tactical gunfighter. And though her specialty was on strategy and coordination, in an up-front fight where she was forced to duke it out, there were limits to which a War Doll could operate.

Especially against someone like Aaron.

It didn't matter how much strategy and trickery one could pull, you could only go so far against someone whose whole career was based on that.

74 didn't stand a chance.

Aaron was on a completely different level.

"In my dream, I remember I had to kill children. It was the worst... most horrifying, most traumatizing nightmare I ever dreamt of. But a dream was a dream. And when I woke up, I had Mom making me breakfast. I was happy that it was all a dream. Yet why... how... how could this be happening? How? How am I being forced to live this dream out?!"

"Aaron... our time together... surely that couldn't have been... a nightmare..." Thalia croaked. Bioelectrical discharge sparked off her damaged body. The Second Skin power armour that had protected her body was all torn and destroyed long ago, revealing her tattered skin, damaged flesh, and black endoskeleton.

Aaron's eye twitched as if something was battling him inside.

Almost as if a part of him was trying to deny the reality that was being forced upon him.

The reality was that his parents were in fact dead.

The days he spent with his family were all just a fabrication.

All just a trick to get him to spirit away.

But the pain and the emotional need for a mother and a father was far outweighing anything on his mind. He had been denied those feelings of love since the very beginning. And the one time he was able to grasp the warmth of two loving parents he was being told it was to take advantage of his vulnerabilities in exchange for his soul.

"I refuse to believe that... I can't believe that! How could I... how could I accept this..."

74 closed her eyes tightly, her jaw clenched so hard I could see the veins showing on her forehead.

"Aaron... I'm so sorry. I hate that this is happening to you. None of this is fair... none of it. I know. But please... please you have to come back to us. I'm begging you."

The War Doll struggled to her feet, stumbling and staggering forward.

"You don't have a family, but I'll do anything you ask. Whatever you need. I'm always here for you, you just need to see that-"

"You'll grant me anything I want?"

Thalia paused, her eyes were barely open, but she mustered one weak nod.

"Anything..."

Time seemed to stop, the howl of the wind blowing against the barren remains of the slum that Aaron had come from.

"Then..."

Aaron pointed at the knife 74 had pulled from her leg.

"I want you to use that knife and kill me with it."

A subtle gasp escaped Thalia's breath as her hand trembled.

"I... I can't-"

"You said you would do anything I asked. I want to live with my parents, and I'm being told I can't, and that everything in my nightmare was true. If what I was is real... then it's true that I've had to do these horrible things. It's true that I never had a loving family. It's true that I've had to kill people to survive, to eat raw flesh from gods just to force myself not to starve to death."

Aaron fell to his knees.

"It's true that people died because of my actions. It's true that I'm... my Auxiliaries..."

Aaron's face suddenly contorted in pain.

"My Auxiliaries?"

74 rushed forward, her face frantic.

"No... No! Aaron! Don't think about that! Don't-"

Aaron snapped upright, his eyes glowing white.

"What... where... a wager. A wager that needed a sacrifice. The sacrifice... was..."

74 continued sprinting forward, as did I, but a sudden wave of energy slammed into us. Aaron jolted back, his arms outstretched as a beam of light left his eyes and mouth.

Aaron's shout in agony sent shivers down my spine.

"Yeling! We need to incapacitate Aaron! It's the only way to make him forget about the past!" 74 shouted at me.

"I'll try!"

I concentrated, but something inside me snapped and my legs buckled.

Shit!

My body... I had just used the Anarchy Form technique. My body hadn't recovered yet.

"The sacrifice..."

"NO! AARON! DON'T THINK ABOUT IT! YOU'RE NOT IN A GOOD STATE TO HANDLE THAT RIGHT NOW!" Thalia pleaded, tears running down her face.

"RAAAAH!" I roared, unleashing my Hinokami outward.

Level 1 Hinokami: DEVIL'S COMET

I blasted forward as fast as I could, but I was too late.

Because Aaron had already unravelled the truth.

"The sacrifice was my loyalty to The Black Legion Organization."

KRA-KOOM.

A flood of energy incapacitated both Thalia and me, sending us hurtling through space.

The entire slum was ripped apart, leaving behind a flood of white energy in a pitch-black expanse.

"We need to get to Aaron!" Thalia shouted over the howling sounds of the wind.

"And then do what?!"

74 gritted her teeth, turning back to Aaron who was contorting in strange angles in response to the overflow of chakra that was ripping him apart.

"Forward. I will march forward. For him."

The War Doll forced herself forward, the waves of chakra smashing into her and ripping her body apart, but the Chief continued marching forward.

"Aaron... I'm sorry for not being there for you when you needed it. For not seeing the pain you went through. I was so focused on the mission, I neglected the people who treasured me. I promise I won't neglect you ever again."

Thalia put her hands on Aaron's shoulders. Aaron continued to convulse, white cracks ripping through his face.

"Aaron!" Thalia pleaded, her voice wracked in sobs.

"Come back... come back to me!"

I watched as more components flew off 74's body. A piece of her eye was ripped open, revealing a glowing red dot surrounded by plated black segments, but her one human eye that still belonged to Thalia Atlai brimmed with tears.

"Muon... Muon isn't the same without you. The only reason why all the girls have been able to genuinely smile again was because of you. 75 was able to find love because of what you did. 76 was able to have a sister because of you. 78 was able to move on from 77's death because of you. And me... for me..."

74's voice broke.

"You made me realize just how flawed of a person I am. But above all that, how it was okay to be flawed. I don't need to be like Zero-A. I don't need to be perfect. I don't need to impress anyone. This whole time, I've never let anybody call me by my human name, but lately, I've become more open to being called Thalia again. Because of you. You've done so much for everyone around you, but I've done nothing in return."

Aaron continued to convulse, his hand reached out into the distance.

"So warm... so... so warm..."

Thalia blinked, her breathing was mixed with the heaving of her sobs.

"Warm?"

Another flood of energy slammed into us, but this time, I was prepared. I grabbed 74 and shielded her with my body, tanking the hit in her place.

"GRAAAAH!" I roared. The feeling of my skin being vaporized was beyond excruciating, tearing my mind apart and forcing me to focus on just not blacking out. Was this what Thalia had been enduring just now?!

How foolish you were, to resort to something so extreme to even stand a chance against me.

Thalia and I spun to the source of the voice.

74's face flashed with anger.

"LOYCAEL! You knew this would happen!"

No. I am not like Father. I cannot predict things beyond the perceived present. But I had a feeling you would resort to bringing Dainsleif back. I see you also recruited the Tidalflame to your cause as well. But did you really think you could wield both SS Ranks like weapons and not suffer from the repercussions of hastily put plans?

"I don't know who you are, but the plan to bring Aaron back wasn't just Thalia's!" I retorted.

Regardless of whose idea it was. I still do not find this any less amusing. What a pity that this is how the Dainsleif goes out. As you probably know, I am a rather sadistic individual. I will continue watching my enemies tear themselves apart before they even get to my throne. Tactical War Doll 74-M, it is truly a shame that the responsibility of the Black Legion's two most powerful Outer and Auxiliary Shadows falls on your shoulders. You were never able to shoulder such a burden. And now it shows.

Aaron choked, gurgling on his own saliva.

"We need to do something! Thalia!" I shouted, but 74's face was pale.

"I don't... I don't know what else to do... Yeling..."

"There has to be something! Anything!"

74 turned back to Aaron. His body was slowly starting to disappear from the Anti-Narrative. The aftereffects of recounting the events that had followed after Evangelion's defeat.

The aftereffects of fixing everything that had happened to offset his fate.

"He looked too far into what had happened that day. It's tearing him apart from the inside, down to the very core of his existence. What else is there we can use to pull him out of it!" 74 exclaimed.

I took a deep breath, concentrating.

What could possibly keep Aaron from succumbing?

Something that could anchor him back?

Ultear? But Ultear's death was the reason we came here, to speak to her soul. If reminding him of this wasn't enough...

Then...

Was there another reason why?

Aaron clutched his heart, sending more waves of energy that blew us back. No matter how many steps we took forward, we were blown back twice the amount.

At this rate, Aaron was going to disappear entirely.

Sarah's death wasn't enough to ground him back to reality. There had to be a reason why.

Why was the one woman he fell in love with not enough to bring him back?

Could it be that Sarah had died? No. There couldn't have been any other reason, this whole conquest was to help him find closure.

And to...

My eye widened.

"To move on. To move on from Sarah's death."

"What? What do you mean?" Thalia asked.

Think. Yeling.

You may not be as smart as Aaron or Thalia or any of the War Dolls.

But there was one thing that you had that they didn't.

Life experience.

Aaron's convulsing suddenly stopped as his body stabilized.

Thalia and I stood at a distance, hesitating.

"He stabilized?" I muttered.

"No. He's..."

A deep, scathing voice rumbled in the void.

This one is my champion now. Dearest sister of Hope, how your antics have reached even my realm.

The blood left my face as I took a step back.

"No... that can't be..."

74 yanked me out of the way before a stray lash of light could disintegrate me on the spot.

Aaron Hope. The God-Eater. The Heretic. He Who Kills Gods as a Man. The Joker. All these names are meaningless now. Because he has entered my sovereignty. The sovereignty of Noln, the Ancient Spirit of Death.

I clutched my sword, hesitation plagued every one of my movements.

All those who stand against Hope have had the advantage in that my sister opposes strife. She opposes battle. She opposes conflict. But I am different. For ALL forms of battle eventually lead to death. Death of oneself. Death of a soul. Death of a dream.

Another blast of energy radiated outward as Aaron descended, his feet touching the ground of the dark realm.

Aaron swiped his hand, as thousands of red magic circles appeared all around him, flooding the entire expanse with a mystical red glow. From each circle emerged a DS35 Sanctuary. The legion of sentries unleashed an overwhelming beam of red energy that pooled together into a huge blast that came our way.

I raised my hand and retaliated with a blast of my Hinokami, initiating a beam struggle.

But I could feel myself losing ground.

A beam that was enhanced by Aaron's life chakra, alongside whatever Noln had done.

We were gonna lose ground. If I didn't hold my position, both I and Thalia were done for.

And everything we have done up until now would be for nothing.

"GRAAAAH!"

There's no time to worry about repercussions.

Right now, I had to give it my absolute all.

LEVEL 1 HINOKAMI STAGE FIVE: DEAD MAN'S PACT

Green energy swirled alongside my purple and blue flames, transforming my body into an ethereal avatar of flame and Rainwater.

DEVIL'S GATE

The beam coming out of my hand intensified exponentially, pushing back against Aaron's blast as reality began to split and tear.

We were running out of options.

Think back to when Aaron interacted with them.

What was the one thing that I could never do when it came to love?

Memories of when Inoko professed her love to Shen reappeared in my mind. That realization that the girl I had fallen in love with would never love me back.

The realization that almost every girl I fell in love with would never reciprocate my feelings. Because I never was the one for any of them.

My fatal flaw.

Was the flaw of attachment.

This was something that Aaron would never struggle with. As much as he tried to claim that he couldn't go past it, that he couldn't accept it, deep down, he must have known.

Deep down, he had already moved on from Sarah's death.

That was why the idea of us trying to get to Sarah's spirit wasn't enough to force him out of his trance. Because he had already subconsciously come to terms with Sarah's departure and had moved on.

He was denying it to the core. Denying himself.

Each time he claimed he was adamant to Sarah I could tell from his hormones and his actions, that he was lying to himself.

After all...

This was something he ended up accepting. The day of that wager, we had all forced him to accept it. The difference between the Aaron Hope now and the Aaron Hope then during the aftermath was the presence of his denial.

I thought back to Aaron's interactions with the War Dolls. The very first observation I had made.

His interactions with that one War Doll.

The way she would subtly protect him, and the way she would always observe the things he liked. The way she would always do whatever it took to make him happy.

"I'm going in."

"What?" I exclaimed.

74 put a hand on my shoulder.

"Keep holding this position, Yeling. I need to be the one to bring my comrade back."

I watched as the War Doll closed her eyes.

Initiating Stance 3: GHOSTSTEP PROTOCOL

The War Doll began to disappear, her body going invisible.

I held my ground, giving everything I got.

I will not fall.

Even in the face of something like this.

Aaron still has a job to do, as do I.

This will not be our grave.

(AARON'S POV)

How quickly things had taken a turn for the worse.

I never imagined I'd be the one to cause the most trouble, but here I was.

I lost control of my own body and my own mind.

It was like watching my own body move and hurt my friends, and there wasn't a single damn thing I could do about it.

You are tired.

I am tired.

Just close your eyes and sleep, Aaron.

How tempting that sounds.

Let me take over from here. You don't need to worry about anything else.

It didn't matter if I came back. Honestly.

I mean... 74 and Yeling were now here.

They didn't need me.

After all...

I stared at the bright white light in the distance.

I had chosen to sacrifice my loyalty to The Black Legion. That alone would have been enough to mark me a traitor.

If I walked in the realm of the living I would have to deal with all that nonsense. All the bridges I had burned.

My Auxiliaries must have left me because I had cut ties with them.

There was nothing to go back to.

Nothing.

"Aaron!" A muffled voice shouted.

Sounded familiar.

Like 74...

Huh?

Who's 74 again?

Why was I here?

I'm so tired...

I just want to sleep forever.

"Just let me sleep. A problem for someone else..." I mumbled.

"Aaron! I will not leave this spot until you come back to us!"

"Goddammit just let me sleep!" I snapped, my eyes fluttering awake.

Who...

Who the hell was this?

A girl with messy brown hair, except...

She wasn't a girl.

She looked more like a Terminator. Half of her face was blown off, revealing a strange black metallic skull underneath.

Glowing red eyes.

A cyborg girl... pleading...

Pleading.

Just leave me alone.

All of you.

I'm tired.

I looked over to my side. Was I looking at myself in the third person or something?

My body was in full view, his hand raised as thousands upon thousands of DS35's flooded the skies, unleashing a horde of red beams at a single spot. And a person was holding it off with a blue flame.

"Real stubborn..." I muttered.

"Guy is done for. He's on his last legs."

"Aaron!" The girl shouted again.

"Go away!" I growled in frustration.

I felt a wave of energy leave my body, manifesting before the girl. The girl assumed some strange combat stance, engaging the copy in a fight, but losing.

Of course, she would lose.

I had already predicted her movements. A long time ago.

A long...

Time ago?

Did I know this girl in a past life or something? Why was her voice so familiar?

"I won't give up on you..." The girl croaked as my copy bombarded her with gunfire, sending her to one knee.

My consciousness was slipping away by the second.

Why were these guys so adamant about pulling me back?

These guys...

Fading... fading...

Yes. Just a little more, close your eyes and sleep. You've done enough. It's time to rest, Aaron.

"Yeah..." I murmured.

"I'm... I'm beat..."

"Aaron! No! Please! Remember... remember why you're here! I..."

I felt bad.

I made this girl cry.

I made...

So many people cry.

So... many...

KRAK!

The girl's pleas cut out abruptly as I heard the sounds of metal scraping against the ground.

"?"

I slowly opened my eyes.

Man... just for a bit.

Let me just see what's causing all the ruckus. Just a bit.

I descended down to see my copy standing over the girl. She was lying face-down, her body was completely broken, but her one functioning eye was struggling to stay awake. In her hand...

Was an object?

I focused on the object. It was sending me the strangest vibes.

The strangest feeling.

A strange bubbling feeling in my chest.

Go to sleep, Aaron.

"No... what is that in her hand?" I asked.

It doesn't matter. None of it matters now. Your job is finished, remember?

"Y- Yeah..."

Yeah. That's right. My job is done, whatever it is-

"Your birthday... present... she remembered... but she couldn't give it to you in time..." the girl croaked. Blood was trickling from the corner of her mouth.

My birthday?

I narrowed my eyes at the object. It was a strange little thing. An object on a keychain.

A...

Was that a figurine?

"Despite everything that happened... we had completely forgotten about it... but she never did. Every single day... she observed you... the things you liked. The last thing she wanted to give you before she left us... I'm so sorry I didn't realize it until now."

I turned around, my soul hovering over the little object. I scooped it out of the girl's hands.

Hey...

I recognized this.

It was a figurine. Of this character in this game I always played.

A game that I used to always play in my childhood.

Everything started to gain colour again.

Stop... Aaron. Do not look at that! You belong here. Go back to slee-

"Shut up! You're so annoying," I snarled, focusing on the object.

I know this.

I remember this.

I remember.

I brought the figurine closer. It was one of my favourite characters.

She was a dumb zombie girl who was known for being the most forgetful character ever.

But...

Her figurine shouldn't have been released so soon. She was one of the rarest gacha characters in the entire game, an SSSR Rarity Rank. Even acquiring her in-game was a monumental feat. I remembered spending hours upon hours trying to roll one. Even during duty when I was being bombarded with gunfire I had my phone out trying to roll the character which pissed off my friends.

There was no way this was real.

I turned the figurine over to see a note attached to it.

Happy birthday, Aaron! There's a lot I wanted to write on this note, but there's only so little space. Funnily enough, Genshin is a VERY prominent game in Japan despite it originating from China. I managed to squeeze in some downtime to visit my old place and use my status to order one expedited straight from the factory itself. I know you love Genshin, so I hope you enjoy this present!

No way.

Was I holding...

The first figurine of Kiki ever made?!

This thing had to be worth hundreds of dollars!

"Holy shit!" I gasped, laughing and clutching the figurine in my hands.

This is...

Who would go through all that trouble to...

To do something like this for me...?

Five years.

I can't force you to be with me. But I also can't force myself to not have feelings for you. I want to keep trying. You accepted my flaws, and I will accept yours. This isn't me saying I want to move in on your girl, but if you ever want to give love another go, just know I will always be waiting.

I blinked.

Who...

"Aaron!" A girl's voice called out, causing me to jump.

"Wha-" I stammered.

Where was I?

A girl was dragging me by the arm. She was wearing a baggy hoodie and around her neck was a pair of headphones.

"How long are you going to keep dozing off? It took us a couple of hours but I didn't take you for someone to get jet lagged so easily."

"Jet lag? I don't get jet lag. I was simply resting my eyes is all," I joked.

The girl laughed. Her laugh sent a jolt of warmth through my body. Her voice was like an angel.

I looked around, my brain instantly taking in the situation.

I was at a Genshin Convention.

Something I always wanted to go to, but never went out of embarrassment. The only person I was ever open to telling about my Genshin obsession was always Robbie, who had died.

My obsession...

Yet...

This girl had openly accepted it, and not only that, she fully embraced it.

"You..."

"What's wrong? Is my poor baby sick again but too proud to admit it?" The girl teased.

"No way. I never get sick."

"Uh-huh. Here. An Advil."

The girl handed me a pill as I took it, my face flushed.

"Th- Thanks, Riho."

My heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Riho.

Riho Shinohara.

More memories flooded into me.

Just know I'm not someone who gives up easily. You may not be Mister Perfect, but you're a lot more than you think you are, Aaron. And the way you speak to me shows that you see me more than just my body. I appreciate that in ways you might not realize.

I can't force you to be with me. But I also can't force myself to not have feelings for you. I want to keep trying.

Riho Shinohara. I remember this name.

My mind flashed back to the inside of a living room.

I remember this room.

I felt Riho's embrace.

It will come in time. But you need to take it slow. Please promise me that. And as long as you can abide by this, I will be with you as you come back piece by piece.

I remember this conversation.

"Riho..." I muttered as I reached out my hand, but for some reason, the further I reached out, the further Riho was.

I'LL TAKE THOUSANDS OF VOLTS OF ELECTRICITY IF IT MEANS BRINGING YOU HOME!

?!

I looked around, my surroundings changing until I was standing in a desolate area. Somehow, I knew where this was.

Things were starting to come back to me.

Riho was standing in the distance, a swirl of shadows surrounded her.

No.

Where are you going?

Where are you going, Riho?

"I love you, Aaron. But... you deserve better."

No...

No.

I remember. I remember everything.

What we came here to do.

My name was Aaron Hope.

An Outer Shadow to the Black Legion Organization.

We came here...

We came here to recover my power. To prepare for our raid against Loycael's nation.

To recover Riho, who had given herself up to launch a near suicidal scouting operation.

The storms around me began to calm as I felt my feet land on the ground before the girl.

Before Thalia.

"Thalia!" I gasped, running toward my friend and scooping her up in my arms.

"Thank... god..." 74 muttered. Her body was severely damaged. I looked to my side to see a version of my still bombarding a guy who was on his last legs.

Stop...

Stop!

"CEASEFIRE!" I shouted.

The clone disappeared, along with the DS35's. Yeling collapsed to his knees and was on the verge of passing out.

"Aaron..."

I breathed heavily, my heart was beating so fast that it felt like it was about to rip out of my chest.

I remember.

Reality parted, revealing the land of the dead. Caliburn was holding off what looked like an enormous legion of soldiers.

"Take 'em out," I ordered my sentries, as I watched them intervene and cut down the horde of soldiers that were moments from overwhelming the Archmage.

"Aaron?!" Caliburn called out.

"Yeah. I'm back," I said grimly as I continued holding 74 in my arms.

And around one of my fingers, looped between them, was the gift 78 had bought for me. A gift that she never got the opportunity to give me herself, because of everything that had transpired.

I clenched my teeth, my bangs covering my eyes.

Deep down, I must have known.

But I kept refusing it, I kept denying it.

If 74 and Yeling had to resort to damaging themselves like this, that meant they must have pulled out all the stops to try to bring me back.

That included bringing Sarah up.

But even Sarah wasn't enough to bring me back from the brink of spiriting away, because as much as I didn't want to admit it... As much as I tried to convince myself that I couldn't let her go...

I already moved on.

I stared at the keychain that she had bought for me.

The figurine should have been impossible to get, but Riho had somehow managed to acquire it through her connections.

This was enough proof of that.

I wasn't a dense idiot.

I knew that every single day she was observing my hobbies, things that interested me, and the foods that I liked.

Every time we had dinner, I noticed there were more things on the table that served no nutritional value. The War Dolls traditionally always had meals that were nutrient-based, with the sole purpose of acquiring the macros and minerals to ensure optimal health.

These new dishes were always my favourites. Personally cooked. They never showed up on the reimbursement bill of SFA-Muon, meaning they were paid out of pocket.

You came out of sheer panic. To know you didn't even grab one piece of equipment. You don't have a single tool to stop me.

Someone who made me so panicked that I had come unprepared, so unlike me.

It didn't matter what I kept telling myself.

There was no stopping what I was feeling.

No matter how much I tried to delude myself, it was clear as day.

I had fallen in love...

with Riho Shinohara.

25

"So let me get this straight. There was never a need to visit your dead fiancee's soul. Just that ordeal alone was enough for you to recover your mana circuits," Caliburn said.

"Yep."

"YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Caliburn growled as the guy summoned a gun out of thin air, threatening bloody murder.

After a few minutes of calming down, Caliburn leaned back in his chair, eyeing the briefcase full of Globals Thalia had dropped off.

"I already know what happened to Yeling. Considering Doctor Ka's fridge is completely empty. But I'm worried about the little lady. She looked like she was in terrible shape."

My chest twinged in pain, remembering the things she had said to me.

Every single thing she had said while I was in that trance I had heard it all.

From the pain she felt, the insecurity, and her endless apologies, thinking she had failed me.

And the terrible, horrible damage she had suffered.

My chest hurt like crazy when I saw 76 all beat up like that against the Cutthroat back when the two of us were whisked away by Demon King Porta's powers. But the damage 74 had sustained was far worse. And considering all War Dolls could feel pain, I couldn't even begin to imagine just how much physical pain Thalia had to endure this entire time.

"She's recovering."

"I see."

Caliburn flipped through a couple of pages in his grimoire.

"Your psychological block may have been removed, but your circuits still need to naturally regenerate. This will take time. I wouldn't start goin' all guns blazin' too soon if I were you."

"I understand."

The Archmage got up from his seat, taking out a small vial in one of his cauldrons.

"This is a calming potion. I want you to wake Thalia up and feed it to her."

"Okay."

Wait.

"Hold up, you want me to wake her up?"

"Yeah. You have a short window before the potion expires. Why?"

"You got any like, less volatile potions?"

"No. This is all I can manage. Potions ain't my thing."

"The hell? Aren't you an Archmage?"

A look of irritation flashed on Caliburn's face.

"Kid, if you don't feed that potion to the little lady the four hours I spent cooking that batch up will be wasted. I'm a Gun Mage first, apothecary second!"

I glanced nervously at the door.

"Hell no! Dude! Just learn to make potions better."

"Each minute you stand there like a jackass is another foot up your ass!"

I reluctantly took the potion in one hand.

"Where is Yeling anyway?"

"He said he had some errands to take care of. Besides, both of them were injured because of you. And I had to go through all that shit because of your antics."

That Chinese prick!!!

He totally ditched me! There was no way he had some random errands to take care of, the dude was practically a nomad! What kind of errands would he even have?!

I took a deep breath.

"Master Jun protect me..."

There were many things I had learned since living with the War Dolls of SFA-Muon.

Through trial and error (a lot of error, by the way), I created a list of rules, with each rule ranked by severity of punishment or consequence.

Some of these rules included:

1) No mentioning 76's weight/muscle tone.

2) No mentioning 75's bra size.

3) No getting 78 to say "sussy baka" out loud.

4) No making fun of 74's age or height.

5) No drawing doodles of 74 trying to reach the top counter every morning for her calorie blocks on her books.

And many more.

But amongst all of these rules, one rule nearly sent me to the graveyard with how dangerous it was if broken. In fact, it was a rule so terrifying that even the rest of the girls followed it strictly.

I slowly opened the door to the room Thalia was resting in.

That rule was to never wake the Chief up when she was sleeping.

According to what 76 had told me, when they first lived together, 76 made the mistake of waking 74 up for roll call. Supposedly, 74 backhanded 76 so hard she sent the War Doll flying through three walls and into the fridge, warping the steel and causing several thousand dollars worth of repairs.

If 74 could send Tactical Girl Muscle flying that far, imagine what she would do to my relatively frail-looking ass.

I crept up to her side.

"Oh god. Oh jeez. Oh lord..." I mumbled, trying to contain my nerves.

I needed to come up with a strategy.

What kind of protection could I use?

Shit! My circuits may have started recovering, but my mana was still gone.

I could prod her with a stick, but there was nothing long enough. If I used a rifle barrel, I could already imagine what she would do, having analyzed her style.

The scenario of 74 grabbing the barrel and yanking me to her position played in my mind.

I shook my head frantically, trying to get the nightmare out.

I could try throwing something at her head.

She'd probably destroy everything within a three-foot radius, so I would have to wait for her to come to her senses before jettisoning the potion down her gullet.

Damn!

We were in some seriously compromising shit here!

Fuck it.

We ball.

I approached Thalia, who was resting on one of the guest beds. Her usual tense and stern face was replaced with a relaxed demeanour.

I knew she hated being called cute, but she really did look so adorable when she slept.

Of course, I doubt she would be as adorable if she backhanded me across the entire damn Brownstone.

I clenched my teeth, holding one of the books I had stolen from Doctor Ka's library in my hand.

"One two..."

TOSS!

The book sailed across the room, bonking 74 square in the forehead before bouncing off. I quickly hid behind cover, trying to listen to the sounds of the sheets rustling, but nothing.

No response.

"Alright. Another one," I said, reaching for the second book.

TOSS! BONK!

No response.

That was two books I basically dropped on Thalia's head! How the hell was she still asleep? Weren't soldiers supposed to be trained to react immediately to a threat when asleep?

I crawled forward, retrieving the books.

I guess it was a good thing that Thalia was such a heavy sleeper. In a way, I was glad. I didn't have to be the one to feed her the potion.

I slowly raised my head.

Looked like Caliburn would have to make a new batch. #skillissu-

"..."

"Eh?"

I paused, staring at Thalia, who had sat up, her eyes fixed on me.

A good ten seconds passed for me to take in the situation.

The Chief War Doll stretched her hand out as I realized what I had just done.

"AH! WAIT! THALIA! IT'S ME, CALM DOWN!" I exclaimed frantically, bracing myself for the impact.

Pat. Pat.

"?"

I slowly opened my eyes to see 74's hand on my head.

"Good morning."

"Uhh... hi. You're not gonna backhand me across the room?"

"What?"

"What?"

74 slid off the bed, staring at her clothes with an empty expression. Her green t-shirt and camo pants were completely ripped up.

"Caliburn arranged a set of clothes for you since the ones you're wearing right now are all beat up," I explained.

"I see."

"I'll let you change, but this potion here..." I handed the position to the War Doll.

"It's a calming potion, it was made by Cal-"

GULP. GULP. GULP.

"GEH! Thalia, you're not even gonna question what it is?!"

"Do I have to? Whenever Sergeant Hellion gave us pills or shots we always just ended up taking them without questioning what it was."

"Oh."

I feel like I had this conversation before.

With a red-haired meathead.

"Anyway, I'll leave so you can change. Let me know if you need anything!" I waved 74 off, heading for the door, but before I could get to the doorknob, 74 stopped me.

"Aaron."

"Hm?"

I glanced behind me. Thalia looked deeply troubled.

"Why didn't you tell me about what you went through? Earlier. When we were trying to bring you back, I inadvertently saw your past."

"..."

I turned around, leaning against the wall.

"I didn't see a point in telling you. TMI, you know?"

"But-"

"Thalia. Everything that happened in the past happened already. I mean, from what I read, your past wasn't any fun either!"

74's bottom lip quivered.

"We all saw you as our hero. Our anchor to keeping our sanity when we were forced to become instruments of war. We were led to believe you were someone who would soldier through whatever challenge that came your way. But... I was wrong. So very wrong, wasn't I?"

"Well if you mean I didn't cry like a little bitch once when all that happened, then yeah. Haha!"

"Was I being insensitive to your situation this entire time? I... I need to know."

I grinned, stepping toward the War Doll and putting my arms around her. Thalia didn't flinch as she let me hug her.

If I had done that when we first met, she'd probably have dislocated a limb or two on my body.

"Hell naw. If anything, I think this little adventure made us a bit closer, don't you think?" I asked.

"...Once I've changed, I want to step outside."

"Okay."

* * *

I never realized just how beautiful Millennium City was. The sky was bright, a beautiful blue that stretched across the horizon. In the distance, away from the city bright patches of green decorated the view.

A gentle breeze blew against Thalia's choppy hair.

"The prophecy. The prophecy held true."

"What?"

"My service was cut short. Through tragedy. We were all technically killed when we were sent to the realm of the dead, but we came back."

!

She was right!

If Caliburn had sent us to the realm of the dead, then it did mean that we technically died. So that was what Noctua meant!

"That's great! Well. I mean, not so great, we basically died. But still."

74 smiled, her hand outstretched into the distance.

"No matter the campaign, no matter the mission. Why is it that the horizons always invoke the same feeling in me these days?"

"What do you mean?"

"The feeling of liberation. Of freedom. I chose to continue my service to Lord Hellion, but something has changed. A part of me enjoys the sense of freedom."

I leaned closer in 74's direction.

"You mean... freedom from service?"

"I don't know yet. But I want to keep exploring, not out of the purpose of completing a campaign, but rather out of my own accord. The world is so peaceful... just like the books I always read. 'Pastures of green paint the land, and bright blue splashes of colour paint the skies.'"

74's hand clenched.

"But not yet. I want to enjoy this view with everyone by my side. That includes 78. 76, 75, Garen, and Vinci. You. And Yeling."

I smirked, trying to keep my heart rate from going out of control.

For some reason, any mention of 78/Riho was making my chest beat uncontrollably.

"You sure you want me and the Stage Five Arsonist by your side when you're trying to enjoy the view? I thought y'all hated boys."

"Pfft. Please. I'm not like some War Dolls who are allergic to boys. There are some things boys can do that girls can't, and there are some things girls can do that boys can't. But that doesn't give me a reason to hate them."

74 turned to me, the two of us facing each other with the backdrop of Millennium City behind us.

"I understand you have your own squad and friends to take care of. But... visit me sometime, when this is over. I don't want our partnership to end-"

"What makes you think I'm gonna terminate what we have right now?"

"Huh?"

I put a hand on my hip.

"You're part of the fam."

"Fam...? I'm sorry, I don't understand that jargon."

"It's slang for 'people'. People who I trust deeply. Basically...

"family."

74's mouth slowly opened, her eyes startled. But before she could say anything, a loud scream caused the two of us to spring into action.

"MISS 74!!!"

"CHIEF!!!"

74 narrowed her eyes at a group of people who were running in our direction.

"Guys?"

75 suddenly zipped forward with her superhuman speed, blitzing the two of us with a fierce hug.

"Heavens to Betsy I thought you two had died! Your vital signs cut short... and the prophecy! The prophecy!"

76 appeared behind me, walloping me over the head.

"You Red-Eyed asshole, what the hell did you do?!"

"OW! Why'd you hit me-"

SWIFF.

76 suddenly cut me off, squeezing me in a bear hug that damn well might have cracked every rib in my body. Vinci also joined in the hug too.

"Don't scare me like that again. Don't ever. After everything you've done for us."

"..."

Vinci buried her face in my chest.

"Dumbass."

I got roasted by Vinci of all people?!

"Vinci, I thought you were with Six parsing 78's data?"

"Six let me come with the others. She said she could tell I wanted to be here. I'm so glad I am!"

Huh.

So Six really did have a heart after all.

"Guys... can we get some help over here..." Garen panted as he and Yeling approached us from the distance.

Yeling was carrying a bunch of what looked like massive anti-aircraft weaponry on his back, while Garen was slaving away, dragging the weapons on a cart.

The artillery solutions!

"Why are you giving me such a surprised look? I thought I told Caliburn to tell you I was running errands," Yeling commented.

"I'm not gonna lie I thought you ditched me to wake up Thalia on my own."

"I've suffered from enough group projects in Uni to know how scummy abandoning others is."

"YELING. WHERE ARE THE GROCERIES YOU PROMISED TO RESTOCK?!" Caliburn's voice shouted.

"Fuck," Yeling muttered.

Errands my ass!

Caliburn hovered before us in his Archmage form.

"I hope you guys had the closure you needed."

Yeling nodded.

"Yes. Thank you, Caliburn. I will always remember your words of reassurance."

Caliburn's expression softened.

"Always, kid. Always. Wait, hey! Don't butter me up when you pretty much cleared out Doctor Ka's fridge!"

"I thought I warned you that I had a voracious appetite! You said 'Don't worry about it, I ate a bunch too when I was your age'." Yeling protested.

"You ate the equivalent of FOUR Thanksgiving family dinners you goddamn glutton!"

75 gave a nervous and embarrassed smile.

"Hey, we've had this conversation before...!"

Caliburn exited his Archmage form and approached 74.

"This concludes our business, little lady."

"Yes. I apologize for the trouble we have caused you," 74 bowed.

"No no. It's my pleasure. Glad I could be of help. Not a lot of people have approached me these days since the Therakiel incident."

I raised my hand.

"Rob, you got time, right?"

Caliburn's expression soured.

"I know you didn't just call me 'Rob'. But yeah. I got some. Need some skulls that need cracking?"

"Wanna help us move the artillery guns?"

"I know a spell that could help."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's called the 'Go-us Fuck-us Yourself-us'."

"PFFFT!" Garen snickered.

74 rolled her eyes.

"Regardless. We appreciate your help."

Caliburn waved us farewell.

"No problem. I'm always down to help for a good bag of G's. As long as it doesn't involve gruntwork. I've lived a life of that."

We made our way to the barracks, meanwhile, I found myself walking alongside 76.

The War Doll raised an eyebrow at the figurine that was on my keychain, then at me.

"Did you see something when you were in the land of the dead?"

I nearly choked.

"Uh, what? Naw... what? See what? Huh?"

"74 didn't tell me anything, just so you know. If you don't wanna talk about it, I understand."

"Th- That's fine. I mean. I just thought of you guys and all. Yeah."

"Are you sure it didn't have anything to do with 78?"

I nearly tripped on a nearby rock.

"HUH?! 78? WHAT? I have no idea what you're on about."

"Ummm, your face is like, totally red, Red," Vinci laughed.

What the hell was wrong with me?

I never got this flustered.

It was usually me flustering other people with my antics.

"Hey. Don't tell me..." 76 leaned in close to me.

A bead of sweat ran down the side of my head as I felt my ears turn piping hot.

"..."

76 narrowed her eyes.

"You like collecting dolls. You're kinda weird, you know. Aren't you like, a grown-ass man?"

"OH YEAH! I LOVE DOLLS! HAHA! HA. HAHA!" I laughed nervously.

I felt someone's gaze as I glanced behind me.

75 was smiling sadistically.

Oh FML.

By the time we returned to our barracks, 75 skipped next to me.

"Hiya!"

"Hi."

"So... About Seven Eig-"

"Oh well, would you look at that! It's Six!" I said, with an artificial sense of enthusiasm, leaving 75 standing there pouting.

6-D turned around from a holographic screen that was full of new displays and interfaces.

It was like she had completely overhauled the entire system.

"You seem strangely chipper to see me after you called me a bitch earlier."

"Bygones be bygones, you know the saying? Looks like you completely overhauled the whole interface!" I said.

74 walked past me and examined the display and the setup.

"Chief Six, we have completed our preparations."

6-D glanced at the updated inventory on the interface.

"Good. Vinci and I have already mapped out a pretty detailed schematic of Loycael's Kingdom."

The Chief War Doll spread her hands as the windows dispersed, showing an intricately detailed floating fortress.

"Your War Doll, 78, has greatly reduced the enemy defenses."

I felt a surge of emotion in my chest.

"Riho..."

6-D brought a statistic.

"According to her reports, she has been able to successfully reduce the incoming resources that are supplied to the nation from neighbouring transit passages by cutting off communications and planner personnel. This includes their flight systems as their base is in the air. But that isn't enough. These soldiers are no joke, as my squads have investigated them in the past. Each soldier alone physically surpasses an individual War Doll. There is virtually no way we will win an up-front confrontation with these guys."

"Then what do you propose we do?" 74 asked.

6-D pointed at several areas on the schematic.

"I have already assessed the structural layout of the fortress. There are eighteen vulnerabilities that keep the fortress afloat. If we blow up these vulnerabilities, it will send the fortress crashing down. When I sent several squads to ambush these guys, they showed no resistance to gravity, meaning they will become disoriented if their fortress goes down."

I scratched my head.

"I'm no expert in artillery, but I've used my Sanctuaries as mini-rocket launchers in the past. These vulnerabilities don't look particularly straightforward to blast."

"Nope. It's impossible actually. Whoever designed the fortress knows what they are doing. Which is why I am proposing helping you guys by sending some of my girls to plant the bombs."

74 raised her eyebrows.

"But Six... you've lost enough soldiers."

"It is our fate as War Dolls to serve until our last breath. I will also partake in planting the bombs. As the artillerywoman, I can also get an idea of what the fortress looks like from the inside to plan an assault."

"What about us?" 75 asked.

"While SFA-Delta plants the bombs, SFA-Muon will initiate a strike to divert the attention of the army. The artillery you girls have acquired will serve as a distraction while Delta will be the ones to deliver the killing blow on the fortress to lure that S.O.B. out of hiding."

"But if Muon is discovered to be a distraction, wouldn't the enemy concentrate on you guys?" I asked.

"That is the plan. Loycael probably thinks you and Tidalflame will be assisting Muon, so I suspect he will come for 74's strike team. He will task the army against us. At that point, I will extract alongside my team and finish the army with artillery warfare."

It sounded like a good plan... but one thing seemed missing.

"What about 78," 76 muttered.

6-D turned to us, a grim look on her face.

"Can I be totally honest with you guys?"

No...

"78 is as good as dead. By the time Muon initiates their strike, the entire kingdom will go into chaos. Even if Loycael's nation is divided, the nation will be on even higher alert than when 78 was discretely taking out the supply chains."

"What?! I can't just accept that!" I growled, but Yeling put his hand on my shoulder.

6-D sighed.

"Look. Are you suggesting we funnel our already limited firepower on a squad to recover 78-M amongst the chaos?"

"Yes! 78 is one of us!" I exclaimed.

"Loycael isn't an idiot. Even the plan I have compiled assumes Loycael will engage in battle with all of Muon. If we send a team from Delta, our chances of taking down the army will reduce drastically, meaning 78 will be caught in the crossfire and killed. If we send part of Muon to recover 78, you guys won't stand a chance against Loycael, assuming the idea that he weakens from being isolated from his nation is true. Loycael will slaughter Muon, and with you guys dead, he will kill 78."

The Chief War Doll of SFA-Delta grimaced, her head hung low.

"No matter what strategy you propose, 78 dies."

I clenched my teeth.

"I can't accept this. I refuse to. Let me come up with something."

6-D's face flashed with sympathy, but 74-M put her hand on the table.

"The call to initiate this operation must be made in consensus between both Chiefs. I will not accept these terms."

A tense silence filled the air as Six eyed 74.

"Do you understand what you are suggesting? Who will recover 78 in this instance? We need at least five squads to plant the bombs. We need squads to serve as a diversion. We need squads to protect the bomb planters. Your squad probably plays the most dangerous role of luring and keeping Loycael in the same spot while we dismantle his army."

"I will help in planting the bombs."

76's eyes widened.

"WHAT?!"

75 clutched onto Thalia's arm.

"No! What are you saying?! You're going to plant all eighteen bombs alone?! You heard the Chief, it would take five squads to plant the bombs and even more to provide them cover fire!"

"I will recover 78. With the two of us together, we can initiate a small-scale stealth strike to assist SFA-Delta in planting the bombs under 78's guidance."

74 turned to 76.

"And I will entrust 76 in leading the assault on Loycael himself."

6-D tightened her grip on the edge of the table.

"You would place so much faith in a subordinate Doll? I know historically you and 76 have been neck in neck in the race to becoming Chief of SFA-Muon. But this was years ago. You've skyrocketed far beyond 76 in terms of team leadership."

"I have complete faith in 76's abilities," 74 said, adamantly.

76 took a deep breath.

"If our Chief trusts me, then I will abide by her decisions."

6-D examined our squad, her eyes darting back and forth with that same superhuman speed.

"This will be a very difficult operation to complete. And the decision to split your forces will be a huge risk, but if you are sure about this, then I will have to go along with it, Muon."

I looked away, my hand trembling.

Riho...

Hang in there.

Please.

It should have been me who was tasked to recover you. Not 74. I would never wish this on anybody.

"Aaron, if you go, our chances of holding off Loycael will fall to zero," Yeling said gently.

"You know, now's a really bad time to be humble," I grumbled.

Yeling turned to the rest of our team.

"My abilities fall flat against someone like Loycael. If he is anything like Loyce, even the slightest bit of strategy and deception will take me out. We need someone like you."

6-D hovered her hand over the display, minimizing the project workspace until it was back to the home screen.

"I can tell you guys aren't all that there. I'm not initiating an operation when my men and women aren't mentally on board. I'll give you guys some time to think it over, in the meantime I will prepare my girls for battle. You have until the end of the day to come up with a decision. Regardless of the state of Tactical War Doll 78-M after this operation, the work she has done for us at the moment is not permanent. There is only so much time before she gets caught and all of her efforts will be for nothing."

74 stood by 6-D, her gaze not leaving the War Table.

"SFA-Muon, dismissed."

I found myself staring at the figurine Riho had bought me of Kiki, then at the note she had written.

If it wasn't for everything she had done for me, I would have been spirited away in the realm of the dead.

"..."

I left my room and approached 78's. For a moment, I thought I saw her at her desk with her headphones on, clicking away at her music software and playing her electric keyboard. 78 turned to me, a smile on her face.

But the vision disappeared just as quickly as it showed up as I gazed at the barren space.

Riho had sold every single instrument, every single monitor, every single piece of equipment, from synthesizers to keyboards, to even her bed and furniture to afford the gear she would use to launch her mission.

It wasn't just Riho who had left.

Her very presence was gone.

I will be with you as you come back piece by piece.

"Riho... you broke your promise..." I whispered, my back sliding against the wall of her room as I sat down on the floor in a corner.

No matter what strategy you propose, 78 dies.

Why was it that I could come up with the wildest of plans, but when it truly mattered, my pathetic brain would shut down?

I opened my hand again. The figurine of Kiki gleamed from the light outside.

"SFA-Tau wanted to repurpose this room for additional equipment storage, but Miss 74 shot that suggestion down instantly," 75 said, sitting next to me.

"SFA-Tau isn't gonna do shit to this room, over my dead fuckin' body," I muttered.

"I concur."

I felt my bottom jaw tremble, and 75 seemed to notice.

"Aaron. You know we're just messing around when we make fun of your age, right? There's nothing wrong with the age gap between you and 78. As long as you wait until you're both legal age to, you know, hehe."

"I don't... know what you're talking about," I mumbled, my ears turning hot.

75 rested her chin on her knees.

"You can't lie to me, Aaron-dearest."

"I'm not lying. I don't know what to feel right now."

"Hmm, I would argue that you have it way easier than some people I know. They would have to go through an eternity giving hints because they're scared of the possibility that their crush doesn't like them back. But in your case, we all know 78 likes you. And it looks like these feelings are reciprocated."

I pressed the back of my head against the wall.

"You don't think it's gross?"

"Why should you care what people think? Technically, in Japan, the age of consent is sixteen, and 78 is unique among us in that she can revert back to her normal form. I wish I could. But it's too late for us. 78 had this configuration made when she was early in her career, so her body had time to become accustomed to it before the cybernetics took effect."

75 tilted her head, peeking at me.

"But you know, even if you want to follow the rules and customs of Amerada, there's nothing wrong with waiting. My father married my mother when they were in their twenties, but they knew each other when they were teenagers."

"..."

75 sat back in her spot, looking out the window of the room.

"I'm scared too. Of 78's safety."

"74 shouldn't be the one to recover her. It should be me. If I go, I can at least know I have some semblance of control over the situation."

"Do you not trust our Chief?"

I winced.

"No! No. But..."

"You've probably figured it out by now, but everyone in this cell will do anything to help you. Myself included. Miss 74 in particular, is no exception. You've done so much to help us. I can't speak for anyone else, but if you hadn't convinced me to tolerate Garen, he might not have continued to be in my life and changed it. But he did. You helped us all continue fighting when 77 died. By the silver spoon you even saved half of us during that wager."

75 put a hand on my knee.

"No matter what, we will not let 78 die."

I slowly closed my eyes.

"Thanks, Charlie. I really mean it."

"Awww. Look at you, being so sweet! Hehe."

"I was honestly thinking you would tease me the whole time."

"Wow. I didn't think you had such an impression of me."

"Every time we talk you would try to slip in marriage into our conversations!" I snapped.

75 laughed, kicking her little feet.

"Well, if you want me to tease you, then I can do that."

"Hell no!"

75 leaned in, cupping her hands against my ears until I could feel her breath.

"Apparently, 78 is super into guys who cuddle her and can play acoustic instruments, I heard this from 77."

"AH FUCK! WHY?!" I exclaimed.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

I sighed, making my way to the living room. Yeling was munching on what looked like a burrito, and judging from the other four bags that had littered the coffee table, he had already claimed many more.

76 was with him, taking notes.

"You eat approximately fifty-six-thousand calories a day... how are you not getting fat?!"

Yeling wiped his mouth.

"I burn a lot. I have the metabolism of Outer Shadow Firebird in my body, remember?"

"There is no way you can burn that many calories!"

"Well, according to Aaron you eat around three-thousand calories a day, yet you retain such an athletic lady-like figure despite being biologically twelve. If anything, you're a bigger enigma than I am."

76's face flushed.

"Um... I... uh..."

Yeling noticed me and waved me over.

I sat next to 76, who continued looking like steam was coming out of her ears.

"Hey. Hanging in there?" Yeling asked.

"Yeah. I think I'm starting to get some motivation back after talking to 75."

76 fingered the edges of her shirt.

"I'd never forgive myself if 78 doesn't make it out of this alive."

"That's a little unfair on yourself, Blake," I replied.

"Unfair or not. 78 never deserved to go out like this. I know what she did was horrible, but she's punished herself more than plenty. There's no reason she has to do this to herself."

We were silent for a bit.

"Aaron, 76, you two have survived an encounter with Loycael. Can you tell me more about the guy?" Yeling asked.

76 winced, seemingly remembering how she was basically rag-dolled the entire fight.

"Surviving was a bit of a stretch. I got my ass kicked."

"Same," I muttered.

"Loycael possessed tremendous telekinetic abilities," 76 recalled, putting a hand to her chin.

"With just the snap of his fingers, he was able to send me flying and rip both of my legs off."

Yeling nearly choked on his food.

"What?!"

"Everything the guy did seemed authoritative as if he commanded the battlefield. Commanded the trajectory of the battle. He was also proficient with a sword," I said.

"..."

Come to think of it...

Loycael's encounter with us barely revealed anything about him. It was one of those rare encounters where I couldn't extract any information from the fight.

Almost as if he was hiding his power on purpose.

"There's also the assumption that it is just Loycael. If he has any Greater Demons or generals, we don't know," 76 followed up.

"He has a couple," 6-D's voice appeared out of nowhere.

I spun around to the source of her voice, spotting a girl with her auburn hair tied in two buns, a pair of shorts, and a big camo-patterned shirt that had the words "U.S. ARMY" embroidered on the front.

A complete contrast to the gruff Chief War Doll of SFA-D that we all knew.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" 6-D snapped.

The Chief War Doll sat next to Yeling.

"According to the reports from my squads, Loycael has several generals. Shuuki the Grey is known for his tremendous planet-shattering strength. Traysha the Wise commands most of Loycael's armies, and is the main tactician of the nation. His ability to strategize rivals even the Chief War Dolls of The Big Four. The last general... probably the worst..."

6-D took a deep breath. Her hands were slightly trembling.

"...Is Ka'thas, also known as Torso. He is known for being a sick, twisted piece of shit. He has a hobby of kidnapping children and cutting off their limbs. You can probably tell how I learned of this particular general. Ka'thas is the strongest of the three generals, but because of how unhinged he is, he is also the least reliable."

The rest of us fell silent.

"I'm sorry," Yeling murmured.

6-D looked up, shadows covering her face from her bangs.

"If we face the generals in combat, I pray that we do not encounter Ka'thas. This particular general rarely makes an appearance as my scouts, at least the ones who survived with their minds somewhat intact, have testified that Torso spends most if not all of his time with his 'playthings'. Any attempts to pull him into action are ill-advised."

The Chief got up from the sofa.

"Regardless. My team has already initiated planning. You don't need to worry about the generals, as we have until midnight for 74-M to make the call. That's several hours for you guys to think it through."

And with that, the Chief left 76, Yeling, and me sitting in silence.

A huge wave of nausea had crashed into me.

I felt like I was about to be sick.

Ka'thas.

If that disgusting bastard got his hands on 78...

I shook my head fiercely.

No.

I can't think of it like that. 78 is way too nimble and smart, she wouldn't get herself caught that easily.

I needed to have faith in Riho.

I needed to have faith.

...

Faith...

Memories of Sarah being impaled by Sarina flashed in my mind as I nearly doubled over, an anxiety attack starting to build up deep inside me.

My breathing became erratic when suddenly, someone put her hands on mine.

"Red. Whatever happens, we will do everything to be there for each other. You know this," 76 said gently.

I felt Yeling put his hand on my shoulder.

"Let's keep our heads high. The future isn't set in stone."

* * *

I stood by 74 as Muon regrouped at the War Table.

Both Chiefs faced each other, and the light of the holographic displays illuminated their faces.

"Chief War Doll 74-M of SFA-Muon. Have you reflected on the terms presented before you?" 6-D asked.

74 nodded grimly.

"I have."

"And your verdict?"

74 glanced at me.

"My verdict..."

The air felt tense as Muon waited intently for their Chief to give the final call.

Once 74 accepted these terms, there was no changing the plan.

We would proceed with having 74 infiltrate Loycael's Kingdom to recover 78.

My heart was beating so hard that it felt like it was about to burst from my chest.

Faith.

I needed to have faith that 74 would do what was best for our situation.

But my anxiety felt like it was about to skyrocket. The only thing on my mind was Riho's safety.

"My verdict is-"

BZZT. ZZT! ZZT SZRAK! CRACKLE!

Garen yelped.

"Ummm! Is the War Table supposed to do that?!"

The War Dolls sprung into action as 74 clutched onto her sidearm, staring at the screen. The screen was flickering and glitching out violently, windows warping and distorting.

Slowly and surely, the figure of a man started to take shape.

A familiar face that sent chills down my spine.

I momentarily turned to 76. Her expression was the same as mine.

Complete utter horror.

"We've been hijacked! 76!" 6-D snapped.

"..." 76 took a step back.

"76-M! Acknowledge!" Six followed up, but Blake was completely frozen.

"Who- who is that?" Garen gasped.

"Sis... sis, it's him...! It's the man who killed Daddy..." Vinci whimpered, clutching onto 76 frantically. Her face was pale and stricken with absolute terror.

Tactical War Dolls. Truly an enigmatic... contradictive existence. Soldiers stricken with the emotional instability of a developing teenage child.

I found myself panting, my chest hurting like crazy.

"You... Loycael... how did you breach this network," I heaved.

Loycael's hologram smiled sadistically.

Fancy a guessing game, Heretic?

I pulled my gun out of a magic circle, aiming, but 74 stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Aaron. Don't."

"But-"

"That's a hologram. Shooting that won't do us any good."

Loycael laughed sinisterly.

Thalia Atlai. You carry such an immense burden on such incompetent shoulders. Did you really think you could defeat my nation with a plan as fickle as this?

"This is a secure network, how did Loycael breach us?" 6-D growled.

"Only a War Doll... can access the network..." 76's voice trailed away.

A sudden wave of nausea washed over me.

I felt sick.

So very sick.

At the realization.

Loycael waved his hand, revealing a young girl confined in a dark room. The floor was decorated with ceramic white plates but splattered with a violent, dark, red.

She was chained to a chair and her face was hung low, her black bangs covered her eyes.

It took me a few seconds to realize the red splatters were coming from her, a stream of blood leaking from a spot on her temple that showed evidence of something being ripped out.

And on her neck was a familiar metal flower I had made for her to honour her sister's death. Completely bent and twisted in odd angles, just like each one of her limbs.

"RIHO!" I roared, blasting forward, but Yeling appeared behind me, restraining me with overwhelming strength.

"Aaron! You need to keep calm!"

"THAT BASTARD HAS RIHO!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face. I found myself entering an uncontrollable fit. All rational thought left me as I stared desperately at the bound and gagged Riho Shinohara.

I made it very clear that I had no interest in the Tactical War Dolls, however thrice I have had you children try to interfere with my affairs. First, it was SFA-Fusil. Then it was SFA-Muon. Then it was SFA-Delta. Now I hear that Muon and Delta plan to launch a combination assault on my nation. Do you think yourselves as something noble?

"You slaughtered my girls. You have no right to play morals, Primordial," 6-D snarled.

I did what must be done. You were the one who instigated everything. Or perhaps you were following orders? Regardless of whose chain of command it was, you made the decision to follow orders and provoke me.

74 breathed heavily, trying to regain her composure.

"What is it that you want? You have made it clear you have come to barter, as you have made an appearance before us tonight."

You planned on infiltrating my kingdom alone, Atlai. What I want... or rather, what he wants isn't far too different. He wants just one of you.

Thalia clenched her teeth.

"And which one of us is it that he wants?"

Loycael smiled, raising his finger and pointing it at Vinci.

My heart almost stopped.

Alternate Vinci Blake. You will become Ka'Thas' plaything. In exchange, I will release 78-M.

Vinci froze, her face white as a ghost.

It was like time suddenly slowed to a stop from the shock.

Not a single one of us moved a single muscle in response to what Loycael was proposing.

Not a single one of us was able to process what he was saying.

After a few seconds, the silence broke as 76 grabbed onto Vinci and yanked the alternate behind her.

"If you need a Vinci Blake, then take me. Leave my sister out of this," 76 growled.

My general made it very clear that it was the alternate he wanted. Not you.

"TELL THAT GENERAL TO GO FUCK HIMSELF!" 76 screamed.

Loycael put a hand on his chest, feigning surprise.

My my. How very unladylike, 76-M. Do you see why my general wouldn't want someone like you? He is a man of immaculate taste, a fellow sadist. There is no point in removing the limbs of a little girl who would spit in his face until the very end. Your alternate on the other hand...

Vinci trembled violently, tears from her eyes.

"No... no...!"

Loycael's eyes flashed with a sick, inhumane glint.

Yes... that is the face. That is the face he loves.

SMASH.

Loycael raised an eyebrow at 74, who had thrown one of her throwing knives at the Primordial Son. The handle of the blade embedded itself in a nearby wall, piercing the hologram square in the forehead.

Alternates were never meant to live with their doppelgangers in the main reality. It is their fate to die. 76 and Dainsleif witnessed this themselves and can provide testimony. I am doing you a favour by taking in Miss Blake.

74's grey eyes glowed murderously.

"Never. General Ka'Thas can take me. But Vinci Blake is off limits."

Hm. I thought I made it clear that you are not in a position to bargain. Torso. Come and give these children a small show and tell.

74's eyes widened as the hologram expanded, revealing a huge, gargantuan man hiding in the shadows. He had to be at least ten feet tall.

He had shiny obsidian skin, shrouded by a torn apron stained with red. Twisted horns crowned his head, and a pair of red, demonic eyes glowed with a sadistic hunger. And on his face was the cruellest smile I had ever seen, complete with jagged teeth. From the way he stood, to the way he presented himself, it was clear he had a long history in his sick fascination with torture.

In each of his clawed, oversized hands was a cleaver the size of a car.

Ka'Thas opened his mouth to speak, and his voice rang like a knife scraping against bone.

"You will give me that little girl or this one suffers more."

74 froze, her mouth hung open as Torso bent down and raised his cleaver at Riho's leg.

"NO! STOP!" I pleaded.

SLICE!

Riho screamed in pain, the sound of her leg being severed and clunking on the ground shaking me to the core.

Riho's mouth was open so wide it almost looked like her jaw was about to be dislocated. Her cry had long since run out of breath, but was still going in response to the pain. Her voice raspy in its feeble attempts to beg for mercy. And each second I watched her, was another second of my soul leaving my body.

"Do you know why I can make these Dolls scream despite their history of withstanding pain? It is because I do not cut in a clean manner. Each strike is designed to be inefficient. To shatter and shred, not to slice."

Ka'Thas grinned, his saliva dripping all over Riho's clothes as the War Doll shivered in agony.

"Each time I cut, I shatter her bones. The cracks go up her joints, and the splinters shatter outwards and pierce her flesh. Then I shear the flesh, rip and tear as I saw the limb off. A beautiful art, rewarded by the purest of screams."

No.

NO.

THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING.

"I'LL FUCKIN' KILL YOU!" I roared hysterically, summoning my Ironsight Sniper Rifle.

Loycael watched me with a sick fascination.

Do you think you can kill Ka'Thas?

"I'll kill him... THEN I'LL KILL YOU," I growled.

74-M wanted to say something, but her voice was tripped up.

6-D clenched her fists.

"Dainsleif, you need to approach this rationally-"

I raised my finger and pointed it at Ka'Thas.

"No magic. No chakra. Only the weapons issued to me by SFA-Muon. I will kill you. If I lose, then you can keep me."

"And what makes you think I will abide by these terms, child?"

I breathed heavily.

"You are a man of methodology. I can see it from the way you describe your torture methods. To the way, you've been analyzing each one of us. You know, deep down that I am just as unstable. I will-"

No.

I nearly bit my tongue at the sudden impact of Loycael's words.

The impact of a plan failing me.

However. I have another proposition for you.

A bead of sweat ran down my back.

"And what's that?"

Loycael tilted his head.

Aaron Hope. Eliminate yourself from this battle. Ka'Thas will take you as a prisoner alongside 78-M.

A portal formed in front of us.

Step inside. You like to read people... so do I. And I can read you like a book. Your feelings for Riho Shinohara are as plain to see in front of your allies. So strong... that you would throw the whole world away for the person you love.

My hands trembled violently as I continued glaring at Ka'Thas.

"You will suffer the greatest torment. There is no greater torment than to watch the horror on this girl's face as the boy she loves gets torn apart before her very eyes," Ka'Thas sneered with pleasure.

"I..."

I turned to the rest of my friends.

Yeling was eyeing me, but his expression softened.

"Aaron. You can beat Ka'Thas."

"But what about you? With Loycael... you..."

74 put her hand on mine.

"I have faith that you can do it too. Loycael is under the belief that you are the reason we will stand a chance against him. Without you, he thinks our team will collapse. But... I've spent enough time with you to have picked up a bit of your bad habits."

Yeling's hand clutched my shoulder.

"We will hold out, we're not looking to beat Loycael. I have utmost faith that you will recover Shinohara, and we will be waiting for you to come back. Once you do, we will kick this bastard's ass for everything he's done."

My old friend brought his hand out.

"Pinky promise on my soul, brother."

Brother.

A rush filled my chest.

"I never thought I'd hear that from you," I mustered a weak smile.

Yeling's bangs parted, revealing a rare grin from the Thirteenth Hinokami.

"We've known each other long enough. Or would you rather-"

SWIFF.

I threw an arm around Yeling, pressing my face against the guy's shoulder.

It seemed like an eternity ago when Yeling was shorter than me, but now he was taller than me by a good two inches.

"I was wrong. So wrong for choosing a fake family over you guys when we were in the realm of the dead. So wrong for grieving over Will for turning to the other side. You're my family. You."

I felt Yeling put his hand on the back of my head.

"You have nothing to apologize for."

I approached 76 and Vinci, who were speechless.

"Don't blame yourselves for what's happening. I'll come back."

76 pursed her lips, hiding her bloodshot eyes.

"You damn better come back. Or I'll kill you."

I knelt before Vinci, who had her hands over her mouth.

"I'm so useless... I'm pathetic, Red. I'm-"

"Vinci."

Vinci held back a sob as I reached out, running my hand along her hair. Just like 76's, which was brushed straight, but let down as it sat neatly over her shoulders.

"You are far from useless."

"How can you say that?! Red! It's because I'm so weak that this has happened."

"Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Loycael just so happened to have figured yours out, but that doesn't make you useless. You are amazing for someone who was pulled into this chaos. Your father would be so, so proud of you."

Vinci buried her face in her hands as 76 put an arm around her sister.

"Red. You got this," 76 said grimly.

I nodded, as I felt someone grab my wrist.

75 and Garen stopped me.

"You helped us get together. You deserve your happiness too." 75 said.

"I'm terrified, but... if you ever need help..." Garen handed me a trinket with a rune on it.

"You can momentarily call me. 75 helped me make this rune. I'll be able to offer you my assistance for a time. I'm willing... to put my life on the line to make sure you and Riho come back."

Garen... the scaredy cat who was terrified of the smallest things and clung onto 75... was offering to step into battle for my sake.

"You guys..."

I made my way to the portal, where 74 stood before it. The winds of the portal's energies were causing her hair to dance with the currents.

"74..."

"Dainsleif."

74 approached me.

"Your actions have compromised any chances of us holding our own against Loycael."

"..."

74 suddenly stepped forward, embracing my midsection.

A hug.

For the first time since meeting her, it was 74 who hugged me first.

"I'll be waiting, Red-Eyes."

And with that, I approached the portal, my body entering it.

* * *

They had me cuffed, keeping me from using mana or chakra.

A large orc-like creature shoved me to the ground before Loycael, who sat on his throne.

By his right side was an unnaturally tall man, at least eight feet tall, who had a long face and pointy ears. He had a regal, stoic expression that reminded me of Thalia's expression when I first met her, void of life and emotion. He was wearing black tactical wear underneath a long grey trench coat with gold trim. By his side was what looked like a bayonet-style rifle. From the way he conducted himself, it was as if he had years of experience not just fighting wars...

But winning them. There was no doubting it.

This man had to be Traysha the Wise.

By Loycael's other side was what looked like a coffin, covered in red decorations atop an obsidian sheen. By process of elimination, this had to be Shuuki.

"Where is Riho? And Ka'Thas?" I asked.

But nothing left my mouth.

Traysha eyed me, his white eyes had flashed like crystal, indicating the use of some kind of magic spell that had silenced me.

Aaron Hope. I am glad we have come to an understanding.

I glared at the Son of Loyce with hatred.

The Primordial left his throne, approaching me. His white robes dragged across the black and amber carpet.

He resembled Loyce so much in looks, but when it came to the way he presented himself, he showed more regalness. More royalty.

It was very foolish of the War Dolls to attempt to do battle against my people. I am very surprised you did not object.

Traysha's eyes were twitching, occasionally darting around. From the distance, hundreds of armoured knights took to the skies.

The supplies that Riho had cut out... they had regenerated almost instantly!

Right off the bat...

We had lost one of the key assumptions that made our plan go cohesively well. The assumption was that we had limited their mobility.

This war, my creation. The creation of this nation, all in response to the strife of The Black Legion and my Father. But in the end, we are all doing what we want, aren't we? What is it that you want, Aaron?

I felt my voice return.

But I had no idea what to say.

If I say the wrong thing, Riho's life would be cut short.

"I've come as per your demands, Loycael. Take me to Ka'Thas."

Loycael raised an eyebrow.

Very well. But I can sense a small hint of defiance in you still. What do you think, Traysha?

Traysha continued looking onward, not even making eye contact with me.

"Your strategy will not work, because you still believe you stand a chance against Torso. From the power of Great Demon Lord Loyce Hal, I gained conception using the property of his Alogigensis to generate time from nothing. I was created with the generated history of leading and conquering battles, fights, duels, and wars for thousands of years. I can gauge the strength of an enemy without even looking at them. Just from how they react to their surroundings, I can surmise their habits."

I clenched my teeth.

"Theory never measures up to practice."

"You have no means to defeat Ka'Thas. Ka'Thas specializes in defeating ranged gunmen and those who like to think... exactly like you. It does not require practice to know how this fight will end up."

The General's eyes twitched.

"You take pride in your ability to analyze. But I do not take pride in mine. Because I already know my power far surpasses yours. One who has developed their abilities for only eight years, as opposed to one who has developed theirs for thousands. You have no feet to stand on, little Outer Shadow.

"Your little fantasy of saving your partner by defeating the big bad is both delusional and expected from a child such as you. It will not work. But I am sure my lord would be very curious to see the expression on your face when you realize what you have thrown yourself into."

The general's eyes twitched again, each twitch was followed up by a wave of soldiers from outside of the throne room. It was then did I realized what he was doing.

His eyes were twitching...

Because he was commanding his armies. He had restrained me, analyzed me, managed his armies, and was holding a conference with Loycael all at the same time.

What kind of monster was this?

Loycael returned to his throne, seemingly teleporting there instantly. The Primordial crossed his legs.

I agree with Traysha's assessment. Aaron, a part of you wants to battle Ka'Thas and rescue that little War Doll. If you refuse to listen to your logical conscience, then even better for me to witness your hopes get crushed. Bring him to The Den.

Several armoured soldiers entered the throneroom, dragging me away and leading me through endless corridors.

As we walked down the hall, the extravagant ornaments of my surroundings slowly transitioned into darker, damper, and bloodier walls.

By the time we reached the entrance, I was greeted with a pitch-black set of doors, which opened revealing the same room I had seen Riho.

But the only thing that greeted me was the dark expanse and blood-splattered ceramic floor.

BOOM!

The doors behind me closed, leaving me in the open space. It looked like the inside of a football stadium. Large, with a massive dome for a roof.

But nothing but pitch black, save the white blood-stained floor.

This sick P.O.S. must have intentionally asked the floor to be white.

Because it made the blood and entrails that stained it all the more visible and disgusting.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

From the darkness, I could make out the figure of an enormous beast. Hands the size of boulders. In one of his hands was the same cleaver that he had shown in the hologram.

Ka'Thas emerged from the darkness, his horrifying figure illuminated by the one stray light. His apron was splattered with fresh blood.

Dragging behind him was an unconscious Riho, who had her leg reconnected, but her body was completely damaged beyond recognition. Bare flesh and steel were exposed, and her hair which usually neatly flowed down her back was matted with blood, pieces of stray steel, and bone.

"KA'THAS," I growled.

Convocatio: DUODECIM TURRICALUM

Twelve magic circles circled around me, revealing my DS35's in their orb sentry forms.

I pulled my Draugr out, marching forward, my finger on the trigger.

"HA HA HA. Your rage satiates me, BOY," The General rumbled as the monster grabbed Riho and threw her in my direction.

I hesitated, dropping my aim. I rushed forward and grabbed Riho.

"Riho! Hey! You're... you're..."

My voice trailed away as the corpse suddenly fell apart, from the legs to the arms, to finally her decapitated head.

I stared in horror at the head of the girl I was meant to save.

No...

"Riho...?!"

I frantically brushed the hair aside, panic filling every single one of my moments and revealing the girl's face. Only...

It wasn't Riho's.

"Who-"

"What you are holding is the head of one of the girls in SFA-Fusil. How pitiful you are, to lose your composure within the first ten seconds of this encounter!" Ka'Thas bellowed in laughter, causing the entire room to tremble.

I put the War Doll's head down, trembling with rage.

"Where the hell is Riho, you SICK FUCK?"

"You came here to be my prisoner, boy. Since when do you get to make demands?"

I drew my Draugr, firing.

This man was massive. From the way he was walking earlier, he couldn't have been agile enough. The taser bolt soared into the air, passing right through the General as my eyes widened.

"What?!"

I felt the air currents change as I spun around, another magic circle discretely summoned from my hand.

Elementary Light Magic: Hidden Rune

Convocatio: Grenade Summoning

"DESTREUM BUCKLER!" I shouted.

The DS35's came together to form a shield, but Ka'Thas's hand emerged from the wall of Destreum metal, shredding the shield apart and revealing his monstrous face.

"What is this supposed to be, tin foil?"

The monster reached in, grabbing me, but I had already ported away, leaving behind a clone from one of my grenades.

My clone choked, but just as quickly as Ka'Thas squeezed, the clone dissipated into a noxious dust.

I appeared from the other side, my rifle aimed right at the dust cloud.

Elementary Fire Magic: Ignis Pila

I fired a flame-shrouded bullet which ignited the dust, causing a green explosion that the monster inhaled.

"BIND HIM," I commanded my sentries, as the DS35's came together to form an interlocked sphere which imprisoned the monster in the superheated biotoxic gas.

I landed on the ground, my Aspectum spell highlighting Ka'Thas.

But the monster shrugged it off, ripping the casing apart.

"Is that all you got-"

SHHK. SHHK.

I lowered the barrel of my Caliga and fired, unleashing a bolt of white light which caught Ka'Thas in the chest. The creature skidded backward, clutching his midsection as I forced Electricity Magic to course through me.

Augmentus

I bolted forward, cocking my rifle again and catching Ka'Thas in the chin, but the monster rebounded, clutching his cleaver and slashing down.

I used my electricity magic to narrowly escape, dropping my anti-aircraft rifle and quickly switching to my Draugr.

I fired several rounds at the monster's fingers to try to disarm him, but Ka'Thas suddenly disappeared again.

This guy was far too agile!

I spun around again, but Ka'Thas grabbed me by the prosthetic and crushed it, yanking me in the air.

"You're not the type to use the same trick twice. Reverse psychology doesn't work on someone like me, foolish human! I have spent thousands of years tormenting my victims. Reading my prey. Understanding them. So I could break them in the most satisfying way possible... this is true art."

The monster swung me around as I growled in frustration.

"RRRRRRARRR!"

WHAM!

I smashed into the ground, my bones screaming at me as my eyes widened in response to the edge of a cleaver that was making its way dangerously close to me.

My Hyperspeed Thought Processing kicked into overdrive, analyzing every detail of the situation down to the microsecond. Time almost slowed down from my perspective.

I could propel myself downward to dodge the blade using a combination of Fire Magic and one of my explosive grenades... I had no choice but to do that with my arm at this angle.

No!

My brain took in the detail of Ka'Thas' scaly knee that had braced itself.

He had completely predicted what I would do! If I dodged downwards his knee would catch me square in the face.

He...

Those who like to think... exactly like you.

I had to choose. Whether to take the slicing damage of the cleaver or the crushing damage of his knee. Both would mean instant death!

He had me completely in a bind...

This was no normal berserker.

A beast who was as smart as he was strong... as agile as he was big...

If I was struggling this hard with mana as an SS Rank, there would have been no way Riho could have escaped this encounter.

Her guerilla operation was always destined to fail.

Always...

This isn't about doing anyone any good. This is atoning for something that everyone here seems to be trying to bail me out of.

NO.

I was running out of time. That cleaver was getting closer and closer, my window of processing was about to expire.

If I didn't have time to make a choice...

Then MAKE more time.

Elementary Electricity Magic: ULTRASPEED THOUGHT PROCESSING

Electricity jettisoned through my brain, accelerating my thought processes even further.

My head felt like it was about to explode.

I never used Ultraspeed Thought Processing for that reason. It was highly risky with the chance of imploding my blood vessels.

But if I didn't use it, I was going to die either way.

Think.

THINK.

If I couldn't get this third option, I would have to take the brunt of the two.

Crushing or slicing. Pick your poison.

Wait.

Slicing?

I narrowed my vision on the edge of the blade. It wasn't sharp in the slightest. It was dulled, almost on purpose. The indents on it showed that it had been used to saw off flesh and bone.

It is because I do not cut in a clean manner. Each strike is designed to be inefficient. To shatter and shred, not to slice.

That was my gateway out of this. Ka'Thas' stance was balanced to deal equal damage between a slash and a knee, meaning it wasn't full force.

Elementary Electricity Magic: CONSTRICTION

I forced my mana to course through my body as my muscle cells contracted. Time sped up as I took the full impact of Ka'Thas' strike straight into the chest.

I flew backward and slammed into a nearby column, blood jettisoned out of my mouth as I let loose a howl.

"AGGGHHRKKK!!"

I fell to my knees, vomiting blood all over the place, but I wasn't dead.

"HAHAHA! Look at you, God-Eater. You look like you're on your last legs. Did my little game stress you out that bad? I can practically smell the mental exhaustion your body is giving off."

I slowly got to my feet, trying to take another step, but my legs buckled.

No way.

I...

I stared at the blood-stained ground, my vision momentarily blurring.

Ultraspeed Thought Processing was too much for me!

I slowly looked up to see Ka'Thas raise his cleaver again.

"GRRRRR! This isn't over yet!" I roared.

Six Hands Combination Style: QUICKDRAW

I fired, the bullet hitting Ka'Thas right at the joint that I had analyzed during the timeframe of our fight, but Ka'Thas suddenly shifted his weight, the bullet glancing off his abyssal hide.

The monster spun around mid-air with frightening speed as I felt his enormous hand sending me to the ground.

KABOOM!

My vision momentarily blackened. I slowly opened my eyes in a complete daze.

"Almost. Almost there... heh... heheheheh... Only moments now, before you make that look."

"What look... you FUCKER!" I snarled, forcing myself to my feet and throwing a smoke grenade.

I breathed heavily, limping back.

There was no cover.

Nothing.

This dome was completely to my disadvantage as a ranged fighter.

What kind of overpowering creature was this? He was extremely tanky such that Caliga shots didn't do shit to him. He was absurdly strong due to his enormous size. And to top it all off...

His speed.

His agility.

And worst of all...

Ka'Thas stepped forward and clasped his hands, sending a shockwave that blew me and my smokescreen cover back. I slammed into the ground, skidding to a stop as I stared at the monster in complete disbelief.

This monster was a fast thinker. Just as fast... and quite possibly...

Faster than me.

"Yes. That is the face I was looking for."

I clenched my teeth as Ka'Thas readjusted his cleaver, showing my reflection.

The absolute disbelief, frustration, and shock on my face.

Ka'Thas planted his vehicle-sized cleaver into the ground, crushing it.

"Do you want to know why I agreed to Lord Loycael's terms of bringing you here, boy? As opposed to that delicious little virgin girl? Because of that face. The face of an overconfident little brat who grew a little too cocky because his opponents were absolute braindead fools. Do you think of yourself as someone special just because a Level 100 could defeat Level 1 grunts? Let me guess."

The monster's mouth contorted into a sadistic smile, his jagged teeth leaking with a corrosive material that yellowed the ceramic plates.

"You took one look at me and assumed I was slow. And dumb. A brainless butcher who satiates on endless carnage and violence."

I found myself being unable to move.

"..."

Ka'Thas threw his head back and howled in laughter.

"FOOL! Those who think that way are amongst the weakest and are the biggest fools to exist. Let me tell you, little boy, one who takes pride in their intelligence and none else, are the first to break from this world. True power is the culmination of everything. Intelligence. Strength. Power. Influence. Fear. You are either complete or not. There is no such thing as partial completeness. Such a notion does not exist, and is what you think yourself to be."

"Shut up... SHUT UP," I snarled, rushing forward, but Ka'Thas bellowed in laughter twisting his blade and blinding me with the reflection of the light. I stumbled as the figure of the monster appeared before me, throwing a punch that caught me straight in the chest.

"ACK!" I choked out, my surroundings elongating in response to my body shooting into the air, slamming into the top of the ceiling and falling back down.

My vision slowly turned black.

It was almost a blessing that I lost consciousness before I hit the ground.

* * *

I woke up to the sounds of girls screaming.

Tactical War Dolls who had been taken hostage, likely from SFA-Delta who couldn't make it back.

My face felt cold against the cold damp floor of what looked to be a holding cell.

Someone was approaching me from the corner, a female figure who was covered in grievous wounds. I felt the touch of a cloth wrap around my injuries.

She was covered in sweat, grime, and blood, but there was a very faint smell underneath all that, a familiar lemonade smell.

"Riho... Riho!" I gasped at the beautiful face of a girl who had tended to my wounds.

Riho managed a weak smile under her exposed flesh and cybernetic implants.

Her body looked like it was stitched back together, likely from the resources that the War Dolls had to repair themselves, but her wounds were still severe.

She had been beaten, burned, whipped, cut open, and sliced, even her body had evidence of dismemberment. From the stitches upon stitches of the temporary repairs, I could tell she had been dismembered multiple times in the same places.

Yet despite that...

Riho still tried to smile for my sake.

I rushed forward and enveloped her in a hug, startling the War Doll.

She wasn't in her War Doll form, I could tell that much from the size of her body, but I still felt the urge to completely cover her up with my embrace from the horrible reality that was the outside.

"Riho, oh my god, I thought you were dead... you have no idea... you have no idea how worried I was! How pissed I am! How relieved I am. How... How-"

Pat. Pat.

I clenched my teeth as Riho patted the back of my head, gently pulling me away from my embrace.

Her hands, which had bits of bone sticking out started making weird movements.

"What are you doing? Charades? Riho, just talk to me, it's safe to talk."

Riho shook her head sadly.

"Riho...?

78 continued making hand movements as my mind started to piece together the horrible truth of what Ka'Thas had done to her.

Those hand movements...

She was doing sign language.

"Aaron, can you understand what I am saying?" Riho signed.

"Y- Yeah... Riho, just... just talk, please. Just..."

"I'm sorry, Aaron. But Ka'Thas was relentless when he captured me. And I can tell he was with you. You shouldn't have come here for me, Ka'Thas is exceptionally dangerous if he defeated even you in battle. The only person who should be here is me."

"It doesn't matter anymore. Riho, just... just use your words," I mumbled.

Riho breathed out, sympathy washing over her face.

"Baby, you need to stop being in denial. What's done is done."

"No! No... I'm not in denial. This isn't real. This isn't happening. We can undo it. We can! We... We can..."

Everything...

Everything that Riho had built up, her one semblance of her past, and her one anchor to her time as a human being not just in Millennium City but also in Praetes...

That sick fuck took it away from her. As much as she was trying to hide it, I could tell from her expressions.

I couldn't accept this.

I couldn't.

I can't...

"Aaron. The damage that has been inflicted was precise and methodological, it cannot be reversed. Believe me, I want what you want more than anyone. But..."

Riho's hands trembled as she lifted them to sign once more.

"Ka'Thas destroyed my voice. I can never talk or sing again."

26

"Aaron, you cannot formulate any strategy when your mind is in disarray. I am cybernetic, have you already forgotten?" 78 signed.

I clutched my knee with my one functional hand.

"What do you want me to even say? That we should just proceed with everything knowing that bastard did this to you?"

"Sitting here feeling overwhelmed is counterproductive. I also deserved-"

"NO. You did not deserve any of this!" I snapped, causing Riho to jump.

I grabbed the War Doll by the shoulder.

"Riho, no more of this. The assault, the lovemaking, it's over. It's in the past."

78 examined me with her round purple eyes.

"..."

"What?"

The War Doll slowly lifted her finger, pointing down toward where my hand was.

I had accidentally grabbed her breast.

"AH! Sorry! I didn't mean to-"

CLASP!

Riho laced her fingers between mine. Her face showed clear signs of fatigue and exhaustion, but she remained upright.

I felt my forehead press up against hers.

"Riho, I forgave you a long time ago."

"..."

I heard the sounds of frantic sign language, but I closed my eyes, causing 78 to squeak in frustration.

I continued shutting my eyes.

"You're gonna listen to what I have to say. Every single word. Because for the longest time, you've been trying to force words into this conversation. Forcing a narrative. No one in Muon asked you to throw yourself into that suicide mission like that. No one in Muon felt the need to terminate you like that. Nobody. But you did this all to yourself under the belief that what you did was irredeemable."

Riho's sign language slowly stopped as I reached for the back of her head, pressing her face and body against my chest.

She was cold as ice, and as much as she tried to hide it, I could tell she was shivering. I recalled how Ka'Thas had basically drooled his corrosive saliva all over her clothes, and during my battle against the General, the entire dome was below zero degrees, freezing temperatures. I practically felt like I was about to give in to hyperthermia during my fight, and only lasted several minutes. Riho would have spent almost an eternity down here in this pit. Her body had to have succumbed to major frostbite at this point.

I readjusted myself, wrapping my cloak around her and spreading as much body heat as I could.

Riho's body relaxed, the side of her face pressed up against my chest. The two of us were caught up in a tangled embrace and only the light of the distance outside of the jail cell provided us with some semblance of position and direction. But neither was needed.

The only thing on my mind was to calm Riho down and give her a sense of comfort.

"Can you listen to what I have to say?" I asked gently.

Riho slowly nodded, her eyes staring listlessly as a result of her sudden relaxation and the warmth I was giving off.

"Thalia, Yeling and I went to visit Caliburn. We attempted to use an ancient ritual to send our souls to the realm of the dead."

78's eyes momentarily widened, her hand raised to sign again, but I grabbed her wrist.

"No. Let me finish."

78 eyed me angrily, but her expression softened as I repositioned my grip until we were holding hands.

"It was... hard. We were sent into a state of effective death, and we were all faced with a seemingly impossible challenge. For me... that challenge was the fabrication of a reality where I could live with my parents. It was a scenario that was so difficult to give up. And even when I did, I found myself battling Thalia and Yeling. I practically succumbed to the influence of the void."

I shifted my weight, allowing Riho to better rest on my lap. Her legs gently curled together as she tried to keep the exposed parts of her broken endoskeleton from touching me.

The black jeans that she was wearing were ripped and had evidence of corrosion, leaving behind streaks of Riho's pale thighs and blood everywhere.

"What brought you back?" Riho asked.

I fished through my pockets, taking out my keychain. Riho's eyes widened.

"The present you gave to me. Did you have any idea how much this thing costs?"

"It tallied up to 134 thousand yen. But it was worth it to see the look on your face when you had the figurine you so wanted in the palm of your hand. So badly that you would spend countless hours trying to acquire it during our missions and getting flack from the rest of the team."

I gently put the keychain back, staring at the wall. Riho's chest was pressed up against mine and I could feel her pulse alongside mine, almost as if they were in sync with one another.

"And the meals? No one I ever knew who lived with me could have possibly guessed the type of meals I liked. No one even knew what my ethnicity was, but somehow, you were able to identify it. Antikristo lamb and pasta with octopus. The latter was home-cooked, I could tell."

78 quickly looked away, her already blushing face reddened more.

"I had a feeling you were Greek is all."

"Nowhere in my file did it mention I was Greek. My surname isn't Greek in origin, so there would have been no way you could have guessed based on that. Also, feeling is the last thing I would expect from a Tactical War Doll."

78 squealed in embarrassment, rapidly signing out of panic.

"I have lots of fans! Fans of different ethnicities and races! I had a couple of fans from Greece. And-"

I leaned in and gently pressed my lips against her forehead, causing Riho to freeze.

"Gotcha. Managed to tease you back after all the teasing you did to me! HAHA!"

Riho pulled away, a massive pout on her face.

"Now is not the time to be an idiot! Jerk!"

I continued laughing. My laugh echoed in the corners of the cell and reverberated against the walls. It felt like a sudden shockwave had been emitted and pulsed all the negativity and darkness back.

Riho pressed her face against my chest again.

"I just need to sleep. To recover from the events that have happened. Once I'm rested, I will pay you back tenfold, you jerk. So please... give me a few... minutes..." The War Doll's signing slowed, her hands drooping.

I tightened my embrace.

"Yeah. Go to sleep, Riho. You deserve the best sleep ever."

Around half an hour later, 78 had woken up.

The War Doll tugged at the corner of my shirt, reaching inside hers and taking out the metal flower I made for her what seemed like an eternity ago.

"Hey. Sleep well?" I asked.

78 nodded, getting off me and kneeling on the ground.

"We need to come up with a plan to defeat Ka'Thas."

"Screw beating him. Let's bail."

78 gave me a look of playful exasperation.

"Aaron. If running from Ka'Thas was an option I would have done so a long time ago."

"Yeah yeah. I know," I grumbled.

Riho put a hand to her mouth and tried to laugh, but her shredded voice box emitted a high-pitched whine like metal scraping against itself.

The sound startled the War Doll, causing her to recoil in embarrassment.

"Sorry, you had to witness that," 78 signed quickly.

"Riho, let's find a way to get your voice back once we defeat Loycael. I'm sure Jay has something for you."

"As much as I wish for that to be true, there's nothing that can be done. Some damage cannot be repaired on a War Doll, especially if it targets the human aspects. I also have..."

78 hesitated, her hands suspended mid-air before resuming.

"Lost my War Doll form."

My eyebrows raised.

"What? What do you mean?!"

Riho tried to shrink her body into its compact state, but her body wouldn't transform.

"Something must have broken when Ka'Thas tortured me. I can't tell if it is psychological or physical, but I'm stuck like this."

"I don't mind," I blurted out.

78 stared at me for a good four seconds.

DUMBASS!!!

Riho leaned forward, and a mischievous grin appeared on her face as she noticed my eyes momentarily darting to the two very sculpted features accentuated by her crop top.

I stared at the ceiling which was full of spikes and blood. All of sudden, my mind cleared, returning to worry.

"Riho, what else did Ka'Thas do to you?"

78 crossed her legs, her eyebrows scrunching together in concern.

"Do you think you can handle it?"

"Probably not."

Riho looked away, running her hand across her arm.

"When I was holed up in The Den, Ka'Thas subjected me to all forms of torture. A War Doll is trained to withstand all forms of interrogation techniques, but Ka'Thas knew where to prod, and where to keep prodding to make us break. He broke me many times... and I would be lying if I said I hadn't given up multiple times. It was when you were thrown into the cell did colour returned to my life a bit. I really... truly wanted to die. Many times."

78's hands trembled as if recalling the torture.

"That monster broke things in me that will never be fixed."

My heart felt like someone was poking at it with a red-hot iron rod.

"But. I am here now. And I can fight. Let's come up with a plan, I presume SFA-Muon has launched their attack. We need to be by their side, considering you have been incapacitated by being here with me."

"..."

"Baby, I understand seeing me like this hurts you, but we have a job to do," 78 signed, a gentle expression on her face as she put a hand on my knee.

"I am willing to let go of my past transgressions, but you must do your part too by looking past what has happened to me. We are Outer Shadow and War Doll alike. The others are counting on us, so let's get through this together, okay?"

"Okay. Alright," I replied, taking a deep breath and collecting myself.

I found myself gazing at the bars of the cell. At that point, I realized even the bars themselves were barbed and covered in taser wire.

Ka'Thas had planned everything down to the very last detail.

"Ka'Thas is extremely fastidious. His strikes and his movements suggest he looks into his opponent and analyzes them. So a straight-up assault won't work. And I highly doubt any indirect assaults would either because he probably has this whole place planned out such that his fights are always to his advantage," I observed.

"This makes sense. Ka'Thas specializes in torture."

I recalled how I was practically outclassed in every single way. Even the supposed advantage I had as a ranged fighter was completely nullified.

"The guy is a tank, being able to withstand multiple Caliga shots like that. So not only is he smart, he's built like a berserker."

"When I encountered him, I attempted to weaken his physical condition using sedatives, but it didn't work. His physical prowess rivals that of Outer Shadow Monolith who was said to be strong enough to withstand the influence of multiple nuclear warheads."

I put a hand to my chin.

Think.

How would we beat something who was both smart and tanky?

There had to be a solution I was missing.

"He reminded me of you," Riho signed.

"BLEH! What part?!" I exclaimed, nearly falling over. Being told that I resembled that sick bastard would have been enough of an insult on its own, but hearing it from Riho made it feel ten thousand times worse.

78 put her hand to her mouth and repressed her laugh, her whole body shaking.

"No no. Forgive me, I meant his fighting style. His affinity for analysis and prediction are both overwhelming. Layered strategies won't work on him if it is directly aimed in his sights."

"His sights..." I muttered.

Just like me.

That was it!

"Riho, do you remember how you guys defeated me the first time?"

"Yes. We won through the skin of our teeth."

"No, but how you guys won."

78's eyes lit up.

"I see. You are suggesting we take advantage of the possibility of his tunnel vision."

"Yeah. Maybe we could have you try to launch assaults in his peripheral vision..."

"That will not work."

78 made a circular gesture.

"I have escaped this cell many times to try to launch ambushes on this General. His peripheral vision is nearly unlimited as if he possesses no blind spots."

"Damn!"

Now what?

"We can still approach this through the tunnel vision angle, but I want to propose approaching it another way," Riho signed.

"Another way?"

"You think very pragmatically, that is fine. And I think Ka'Thas does too. This is where the other side comes in. The psychological side. Both of you excel at assessing the situation around you, and what is immediately there. But this is what makes me different from you, as someone who specializes in precision assassination over offensives. I need to understand the psychological aspects of a situation as well."

"The psychological side... you mean there's another layer to this?"

Riho lowered her face, shadows cast over her body as the screams of Ka'Thas' other victims continued.

"Do you hear the screams all around us?"

"I'd rather not, to be honest."

"They are the screams of SFA-Delta. Many of whom I assume have been reported KIA because it would appear they might as well be."

"..."

Riho drew a diagram on the ground with a nearby stone, scratching the cement with white lines.

"The dome is positioned in the center, with cells all around. If we can enlist the help of the prisoners here, we can direct a sudden strike from all angles that will redirect the trajectory of our fight against the General."

Riho was a genius.

If it was true that Ka'Thas was like me, we both suffered from tunnel vision. And in a way...

We both had some degree of self-destructive ego.

In no scenario would we even think that the prisoners would muster enough willpower to fight back. After everything had happened, they were broken beyond repair.

But there was a reason why I would think that, and likely Ka'Thas.

Neither of us were idiots.

"You're suggesting we get the others to fight on our side? You just said this mofo knew where to prod when torturing you, wouldn't that mean he's already broken them?"

"I know where you are coming from. But this was before you arrived. You gave me the will to keep moving forward. I'm sure you would to them too."

I gritted my teeth.

"You're suggesting that my presence alone would inspire them to take up arms again?"

Riho nodded.

"You are a hero to us, you can inspire-"

"No."

78 paused as I slowly got up, inspecting the wounds on my body.

"I'm no inspiration."

"Aaron..."

"What kind of inspiration gets his ass kicked like this? What kind of inspiration gets his allies killed? I'm already on the fence about having you join me, now having the girls of SFA-Delta risking their lives to fight this bogeyman after what he did to all of you? How can I do that?"

My mind flashed back to my battle in Diacus.

How I had basically told the people of Trion to make a head-first dive into battle.

I remembered the thousands of lives lost.

Even if we had won, it was at a cost so high that the opinion of the one who had proposed this strategy was mixed.

"How could you say I am an inspiration after everything that has happened?"

From Sarah to June, to Robbie.

Then to Thalia's destroyed body when she desperately tried to save me from spiriting away.

Every time someone persuaded me that it wasn't my fault, something would happen shortly afterward that would make me rethink everything.

How was this any different?

78 stood up.

"Aaron. How long are you going to keep blaming yourself?"

I grimaced in response to Riho's statement.

"As long as these things keep happening."

I've heard the same speech over and over again from everyone around me.

I knew that the choice to throw their lives away for the greater good was theirs to make.

I knew all of that.

There wasn't a single argument that anyone had made that would make it any better.

I had heard it all.

What was Riho even going to say? That the choice was theirs to make alone? That it wasn't my fault?

The War Doll slowly lifted her hands to sign.

I sighed.

"Listen, Riho, I think I have an idea of what you are going to say. But I've heard the same thing over and over again, there's nothing you can say that can make it any better-"

"If you cannot accept that this is part of the job, you shouldn't be an Outer Shadow."

I froze, staring at Riho's hands, then at her face.

A stern, cold, and serious expression plastered all over it.

"But-"

"Guilt is a very human response. But guilt is as commonplace for a human as death is for an Outer Shadow. This line of work will have many deaths. And oftentimes, these deaths will be from those very close to you. A mother. A father. An ally. A partner. A soulmate. A brother... and a sister.

"I cannot guarantee the safety of my life, much less the safety of every battle sister in this prison cell. Or anyone in SFA-Muon. Deaths will happen, no matter if you are prepared for it or not. Do you think a doctor has ever completed their many years of service without witnessing death and having to tell their family about it? Even the Chief had moments where she was so shellshocked at the deaths of her own allies that her composure broke."

"..."

78 approached me and ran her finger over my scar, her eyes were stern but mixed with compassion.

"You will experience loss. A tremendous amount of loss. To the point where you may think it is unfair, but this is the line of work you chose to continue doing. And even if you didn't... like I was, whether or not you accept it, whether or not you are prepared for it, it will come. The best you can do is accept that it will happen."

A bubbly feeling of emotion welled up in my chest.

"But Riho... it... it doesn't make it any less painful."

"If you do not feel pain from the death of a loved one, then you have died yourself. Aaron, it is healthy to mourn. It shows that you still have a heart. To mourn for someone tells me that you value their lives. If you value the lives of your comrades, then you can lead them because you can formulate strategies to ensure your forces do not burn out."

I felt Riho continue stroking the side of my face, sending a calming feeling through my body.

"It is not a sin to feel guilt from death. It is not a sin to mourn and cry for them. What matters is being able to pick yourself up and move forward. This is also your responsibility as a soldier. Can you accept this part of your role as one?"

I took a deep breath, the calming feeling turning into tranquillity. All of a sudden, the stress and anxiety that had been burdening me felt lifted.

No one had ever given me this talk before.

To accept that this was part of my line of work.

Even if I prepared down to the last detail, death was inevitable.

The important part was to pick yourself up again after you had given yourself enough time to cry it out.

My hand balled up into a fist.

"Yeah."

* * *

Riho had timed when Ka'Thas would make his rounds around the cells.

According to her findings, the General would choose two prisoners at random to torture. He would have his fun with them for a week before swapping.

The others would sit in their cells for hours on end, slaving away at menial tasks under the surveillance of a sentry known as The Warden.

Under normal circumstances I would never imagine the War Dolls to do general labour, considering their idea of "punishment by humiliation" was to clean walls.

Regardless, Riho told me that many of the War Dolls had ended up psychologically destroyed, such that laborious tasks had become trivial for them to complete if it meant living another day.

It would be The Warden for whom we had to watch out. Especially when I was in this condition after yet again getting my ass beat and sent to a state of recovery.

78 peeked at the edges of the cell, her eyes tracking for any movements before ripping a piece of denim from her skinny jeans and stuffing it in a space between the cell and the floor.

The War Doll then walked over to a pile of scrap in the corner, pieces of her own body that were partially ripped out by Ka'Thas which she pulled out.

78 then proceeded to stuff a rod-like component into the space, using the denim as a shim to pry the door open.

CRRRRRRK!

I wrapped my hand with Sarah's cloak and helped with the door, the two of us opening it far enough for 78 to slip through and disengage the locking mechanism with her lock-picking skills.

"Clear," 78 said.

I opened the door fully and slipped out, carefully setting it back down to reduce the noise.

The two of us sneaked down the hall, but something occurred to me.

"Wait, Riho, hold up," I whispered.

78 turned around, a look of confusion on her face.

"What's wrong?" She signed.

I took off my cloak.

"What's wrong?! You can't be running around looking like that! Put this on and cover-up."

78 stopped me, putting a hand on mine and gently returning the cloak to me.

"I don't need it. You are more susceptible to hypothermia than I am. We are conditioned to withstand temperature extremes."

"But... you..."

Riho tilted her head inquisitively.

I gulped.

How was I gonna explain that she looked like a SnapGram thot? The crop top that was, well, let's be honest, at this point, it may as well have been a bra with how torn up it was. And the denim jeans that she ripped up into daisy dukes to mess with the prison door locks, there was more Riho than clothes.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't see the unethical implications of sneaking behind 78 like this...

Especially when she was no longer in her little loli form. It wouldn't have been a problem if she was smaller, but ever since I had learned that she lost her War Doll form, my chest had been feeling tight more frequently.

"Th-That's not the problem here, you- you have so much exposed, I'm just worried someone might see, and you know, it must be embarrassing and uh, I just wanna be respectful for your rights and..."

What the hell was I even saying?!

Riho suppressed another laugh, having realized what I was talking about.

"Awww! You're so adorable. But you do realize that most if not all of SFA-Delta are straight right? We have a very small LGBT community in our ranks, you have nothing to worry about."

"Eugh..."

78 took the cloak from my hands and wrapped it around herself.

"Thank you for being respectful and telling me to cover up. You are very considerate."

"Y-Yeah, t-t-t-t-to-totally..." I shivered.

78 gave me a once over as I tried to hide my trembling.

"What a gentleman."

"Y-y-y-ye-yeah..."

"..."

"..."

The sounds of the prison complex continued in the background, the water droplets from nearby pipes and sewage echoed in the distance.

DRIP! DRIP! DRIP!

"I take back what I said, I'm gonna freeze to death!" I yelped, waving my arms frantically.

I grunted in irritation, reaching for the bottom of my shirt and taking it off.

78's composure suddenly changed.

"Here. Put this on. I'll just put the cloak over myself," I said, handing my shirt to Riho.

Riho took the shirt and slipped it on. Her face was bright red as she kept staring at my abdominal area.

Dammit Riho don't make it any weirder than it already is!

I watched the War Doll examine her new threads.

"Thank you. This shirt covers me up quite well considering it is two sizes bigger than me."

"Yeah. Problem sol...ved..." My voice trailed away.

The shirt had covered her top half completely, but it had left her legs seemingly exposed since it covered her jean shorts as well.

"AH!!! I can't win!" I wailed.

The two of us sneaked across the hall of the dome until we reached a roadblock.

Riho held out her hand and stopped me from proceeding onward, putting a finger to her lips. I did as she instructed. The two of us knelt low.

Footsteps...

Loud ones.

"The Warden," 78 signed.

I clenched my teeth tightly, fixing my gaze on a nearby piece of glass that had embedded itself on the ground from the exposed angle.

SWIFF!

"GEH!" I yelped, but 78 quickly reached out and put her hand to my mouth, keeping me from busting the two of us.

"Quiet! Do you want us to get caught?"

"Sorry..."

"Just bear with it, please. The reflection off of that piece of glass won't show you because of Ultear's black cloak, but the T-shirt you gave me is white."

78 crawled into the folds of my cloak, causing the cloak to wrap the both of us up like the world's largest sushi.

The smell of lemonade filled my nostrils.

The two of us continued to stare at the reflection of a man barging in.

He wasn't particularly big... at least compared to Ka'Thas.

But he was still ripped and a massive hulk, standing at an estimated 7 feet.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

In one of his hands was a massive object that I couldn't really make out.

"What the hell is he holding?" I whispered.

"A dragon head," 78 answered.

"A what?!"

"The Warden hunts dragons as a hobby," 78 clarified.

I fought dragons before. They weren't particularly hard... but then again, I was spoiled by Master Jun's weaponry. Without Master Jun's weapons, the idea of taking down a dragon required significant combat prowess.

The last thing we needed was to deal with a dragon slayer.

"Please tell me the dragons in this realm are like, at most the size of a Toyoda Tundra."

"They are the size of a Toyoda Tundra."

A surge of relief washed over me.

"Really?"

"No."

"The hell?! Then why did you say they were?!"

"Because you told me to tell you!"

I gave 78 an irritated frown, causing 78 to laugh. Well, suppressed laugh.

This girl and her teasing...

"The Warden specializes in close-range combat against kaiju size threats. If he is forced to fight enemies on a smaller scale of size, he might be at a disadvantage. The only issue we run into with him is whether he notifies Ka'Thas by communication or Ka'Thas learns of his elimination. But I do not want to take that risk. Better to avoid fighting if we can."

We waited for The Warden to leave. The two of us continued sneaking until we reached the first cell.

And my heart practically stopped.

Three girls were imprisoned in there, all three of them were wearing combat gear so damaged they were practically rags. Their faces were beaten, swollen and inflamed showing evidence of severe infection. One girl had both of her legs removed and was sitting listlessly, her eyes sunken and staring into the distance in a lifeless haze.

The other two girls had their limbs intact, but their expressions were so empty and lifeless that it was even a miracle they were still conscious.

But the moment they saw me, surprise appeared on their faces.

"You... is that you, Muon?" One of the girls croaked.

"Yes. We have come to request a call to arms from the other survivors," 78 signed.

"Why bother... we are all dead either way," A girl muttered. Her voice box was so destroyed that her voice was practically static, distorted and robotic.

"Guys, if we all work together, we can beat Ka'Thas," I reasoned.

The girl who saw me first gave me a look of pure indifference. On her neck was a pair of dog tags that read "61-D".

"What makes you think we're any help? Did you not see 80-D over there? What good is there for a War Doll who's missing her legs and half of her brain?"

My throat constricted.

"I..."

Riho stepped forward, signing with her hands.

"Dainsleif is here now. We can launch coordinated assaults with someone of his calibre."

"I may be permanently crippled, but even I can tell Dainsleif was no match for Ka'Thas," 61 replied, turning to me and inspecting my body from within her prison cell.

"You're suffering from numerous bruises and micro-fractures from the way you're slightly limping. A tactical fighter doesn't normally take this much damage from a melee opponent, meaning Ka'Thas had outsmarted even you. We stand no chance of beating a monster like that."

"If we pool our forces together, we can add another layer of strategy!" 78 reasoned, but 61 clenched her teeth.

"NO," The girl with the robotic voice snapped, dragging herself to the bars and grabbing them tightly. Blood leaked between the crevices of her destroyed fingers. One of which was bent backwards at an unnatural angle.

78 took a step back, her hand hovering over a shard of glass she had picked up and fashioned into a shiv.

"You... you leave us the HELL alone! Haven't we suffered enough?! First, it was Azure Academy, then it was Evangelion, and now this!"

"62! Enough! Please, your War Doll battery is almost depleted, you need to calm down," 61 urged her comrade desperately, but 62 continued banging her head against the bars over and over again, fresh blood staining the bars.

"I've suffered... we've suffered. But you didn't. Not as much as we did, 78. Why do the Muon Misfits get away with so many things?! Yet we end up being so fuckin' expendable?! Explain that to me! EXPLAIN!" 62 screamed.

78 bit back her lip, but I stretched my hand out, putting distance between the two War Dolls.

"You have no idea what 78 went through. You guys all were tortured, singling Riho out like that isn't fair!" I protested, but 62 glared at me with an intense hatred in her eyes.

"YOU have no idea what's been going on. After all, you're just a boy. Must be nice. Riho. Getting this six-foot hunk of a man to run to. We have NOBODY. No guardian angel. NO ONE. Chief Six abandoned us. Everybody has!"

"Hey! That's enough!" I snapped, but 62 continued gnashing her teeth.

"The only reason why you hang on to hope is because this SS Rank is here to bail you out, and the fact that he's fallen head over heels for you. You've always had it easy with that body of yours, 78. Back in Azure Academy. Then in the SFA, when Sergeant Hellion recognized your potential to seduce targets, practically giving you a reason to age normally. Do you have any idea how many of us wish we could all grow up? No? Of course not. Because you've had a free pass your whole life."

62 heaved, blood leaking from her mouth. The War Doll was shivering violently, but 61 made no effort to stop her as she approached the wall and skidded to the ground with a defeated expression on her face.

"I'm not just here for Riho. I wanna help you guys too. Please, believe me," I said, trying to calm myself down.

Tears began to run down 62's cheeks.

"You cannot help us. We're too far gone. Too... far gone..." 62 mumbled, before collapsing on the ground.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, rushing to the bars but recoiled at the touch.

A bead of blood slowly formed from my fingers where I had been pricked by the barbs.

My chest twinged in pain.

"No. Come on, let's fight back. We can do it!" I said.

61's expression softened. The War Doll slowly got to her feet.

"Dainsleif... my battery is almost depleted. As with the rest of the girls here who have been locked up. Not just us."

"What?!"

78's eyes widened, seemingly in disbelief.

I found myself sweating more and more.

Desperation filled my veins as I continued with my last-ditch effort to recruit these girls...

But...

"Guys..." My voice trailed away.

"I take it even 78 didn't know. Considering Ka'Thas gave her special treatment. But Ka'Thas is a thorough monster. He won't stop satiating himself with his sadistic urges until his targets are burnt out. The girls you see locked up in here... it's only a matter of time before we shut down from malnutrition.

"I find no satisfaction in what I say, but I have one of the highest constitutions in SFA-Delta. I've had to watch each and every single battle sister here succumb to psychosis in response to their battery depleting. And soon, so will mine."

I fished through my pockets.

"You- You just need food, right? I have something... surely..."

61's face flashed with sympathy.

"There is nothing you can do. SFA-Delta cannot help you. Because we are all already dead."

61 recoiled as she coughed out blood, her eyes completely bloodshot.

I heard more screams from the distance, and the horror finally hit me.

Piecing everything together.

"Judging from the expression on both your and 78's faces, you have deduced where these screams are coming from. They're not from Ka'Thas' torture. They're from the girls of SFA-Delta cannibalizing each other alive to desperately keep their depleting batteries from running out."

I slid to the ground, my face pale in shock.

"This is... too cruel...!"

78 clenched her fists, raising them to sign.

"61. We still have a chance. This dome must have food somewhere. We can acquire it for you all. I have not finished my sweep in my attempts to assess this place, but with Dainsleif on my side we can scout the area and find as many supplies as we need to replenish everyone's stores."

61 pursed her lips, her eyes getting droopier by the second.

"We have done our passes at escaping and figuring out the dome. But each time a War Doll was caught, they were killed by The Warden. You mentioned you did your runs too, but the only reason why you are alive is because Ka'Thas knew you were perfect bait to lure in Dainsleif. I take it our Chief initially wanted to use Dainsleif for her plan to initiate their strike against Loycael's Kingdom. Seeing as he is here now, looks like the bait worked. As long as you are here, 78, Dainsleif is on a leash by the Primordial Son."

78 was speechless, her hands still frozen mid-air and unable to form a response.

61 coughed, trying to stabilize herself with the bars despite the injuries the barbed wire was inflicting on her palms.

"The only one who has survived an encounter with The Warden is 80 over there. And she's basically brain-dead at this point. The Warden's polearm pierced her right through the skull."

...

"Ron..."

"Ron?" I perked up, as did 78. Even 61 turned to the source of the voice, her eyes wide in shock.

"80? Was that you...?" 61 whispered.

"Ron... Aa...Ron..."

61 took a step forward and fell to her knees, crawling frantically to 80's side.

"80! Hey! Don't exert yourself! Your battery is critically-"

"Aaron... I want to see... Aaron..."

I spun to 78.

"Open the door."

78 obliged, forcing the door open with her cybernetic strength. I rolled through, rushing to 80's side and grasped her frail hand.

"Hey. Hey, 80, I'm here."

80 slowly blinked, her eyes still empty and on the verge of blanking away.

"See... cannot... turn to see..."

I slowly put my hands on the kid's face, redirecting her gaze to me. For a split second, life seemed to reappear in her empty hazel eyes.

A small smile formed on her face.

"Aaron Hope... it's like... totally... an honour..." 80 murmured.

"No. I'm honoured to be here with you, 80. You've been fighting till the very end. I'm so proud of you," I said, my voice shaky.

"Heh... 65... always said you were... an odd one..."

"65?"

"The bridge defence... do you remember?"

My eyes slowly widened in response to what she had said. 65... of SFA-Iota. Tactical War Doll 65-I. I remembered her. This was back when the Ghosts of Tiamar had invaded. I saved 65 and a bunch of other girls on that bridge, moments before the call to blow it up with them as casualties were made. That day, I had saved a bunch of the Dolls, but I couldn't get all their names.

"I was there... you saved my life... by kicking me into the water..."

"Ah. It was the only thing that came to mind, to redirect the Laser Carbides."

"I know. You pulled off... a miracle..."

I clutched onto 80's hand.

"I'll pull off another. Just for you. Let me locate the food stores so I can save everyone here."

"I will... tell you... where the... stores are... but you... cannot save... me..."

"Wh- What are you saying? Haha. Don't joke around like that. I'll pull it off, just trust in ol' Uncle Aaron-"

CLUTCH!

80 grasped onto my hand tighter, a look of determination on her face.

"I have... less than a minute... before my battery is gone for good. I just... wanted to see you... just once... before I die..."

"No! Don't say that!"

Tears ran down the War Doll's eyes as her lips trembled.

"You inspired... me to... work hard and... join SFA-Delta... I was originally... Tactical War Doll 80-I... I was... demoted... for performing poorly in SFA-Nika... but I worked hard... after you saved me... I worked so so hard... but..."

The War Doll flinched as a spark of electricity arced up her body.

The light began to leave her eyes, her movements slowing down and her face glazing over.

"I got captured... I'm so... pathetic.."

"No. No don't say that. 80. You're amazing. To work so hard that you got promoted to the Big Four!"

80 coughed, her eyes dimming.

"The supplies... are in an underground... bunker... two doors... decorated... with the head of a dragon... only The Warden... has the key... to get the stores... you must defeat The Warden..."

78 clutched her fist.

"I know where these doors are."

61 lowered her face.

"80. You were one of the best Forward Observers in my unit. I knew you were once removed from Nika... but you worked hard to rise the ranks. I never realized how hard you worked... I'm sorry if it took something like this for you to get the recognition you deserved."

80 swallowed.

"No... I got... the recognition... by joining... Delta. I'm just... so so... glad... that I got... to hold Dainsleif's hand..."

I brought the War Doll's hand to my face, pressing up against it to give her the much-needed warmth she needed in her final moments.

"80-D. The knowledge you gave me will save your sisters today. Whatever happened in the past doesn't matter. Know that in your final moments... you got my respect. I'm so, so proud of you," I said, trying to hold back the overwhelming urge to sob.

80 smiled one last time.

"That's... all I wanted... to hear... thank you... Aaron..."

SIZZLE SIZZLE.

80's hand went slack as the War Doll slumped over, lifeless.

"..."

I felt 78 wrap her arms around my neck from behind, the side of her face brushing against mine.

"I couldn't save her in time..." I muttered.

"One hour," 61 said.

I looked up at the War Doll.

"What?"

"One hour before my battery fully depletes. I was among one of the first to have my battery drained by Ka'Thas, so as long as I am alive, so are the others. I can't guarantee their mental state, they have probably all become psychotic by now. But they are still alive. If that hour passes... I will shut down just like 62 and 80, and so will the others. So..."

61 slowly raised her hand and saluted 78 and me.

"You got 80 to say all of that... despite half of her brain being gone. For her sake, I will fight on your side. So do your best, and pull off that miracle 80 adored you for. Because we're gonna need it."

78 and I left the cell and made our way to the central area where 78 predicted The Warden would be. Against my wishes, 61 used the spare parts from a disembowelled 62-D and repaired my broken prosthetic.

We found him sitting at a nearby table. On his belt was a set of keys slung on a ring. Now that I was closer, I could make out certain details of the guy's body.

Cladded in an ancient abyssal armour with complicated silver trim, several red braids decorated the plate mail in an intricate pattern across his chest like a sash. He was well-built, large, and muscular, but upon closer inspection, I realized that his body was matted with fur.

And his face...

It looked almost like... a monkey?

Something about this guy was giving me the strangest sense of deja vu.

The Warden's polearm pierced her right through the skull.

My heart skipped a beat.

No way.

But...

That didn't make sense.

If this guy was who I thought he was...

No.

Concentrate. It doesn't matter now. 61 and the rest of the girls of SFA-Delta were running out of time. This was our window of opportunity that we could not afford to miss!

"Riho, do you have a plan?" I whispered.

"We need a way to temporarily cut his communications and a passage to escape if our attack doesn't succeed. I've already figured out the latter, but I only have a shiv. I'll be next to useless."

"What if I distract the Warden and give you an opening to use your melee weapon?"

78 shook her head.

"I once fought alongside other members of SFA-Delta when we attempted to take down the Warden the first few days I arrived here. The Warden boasts immense durability. One of the girls had smuggled a revolver and fired it at the Warden point blank. The bullet only glanced off his skin."

I examined my hand, feeling the magic circuits within it.

"I can summon two weapons. One for me and one for you. How familiar are you with my arsenal?"

Riho put a finger to her lips.

"Summon two Spitfire AX5 shotguns with a silenced reload configuration."

I raised my eyebrow.

"We're not going with a rifle or a sniper?"

"The Warden fights in close-range combat. He will do everything it takes to ensure all fights are to his advantage, which means closing distance. Your AX5 is a mid-range weapon, so if you create an opening for me, I can still take the openings at a distance while also not struggling if he shifts his attention to me."

I summoned two AX5 shotguns and handed one to Riho, who inspected the weapon.

SHHK SHHK.

Riho scoped in on the shotgun, then propped it against her thigh.

"I like the size of it. Your guns are soooo big."

"Please don't say that ever again."

The War Doll stifled a laugh.

"Your reactions never get old."

"Haha. Very funny. Let's focus on the task at hand."

78 leaned forward, her eyes narrowing at the Warden.

"You are better at one-on-ones. I will leave the planning to you."

I flipped a switch, setting my AX5 to precision mode and scoped in.

What could I use to my advantage?

If it was true that The Warden was able to shrug off attacks, it would make sense that his hobbies included killing dragons.

Ideally, I wanted to take him down in one hit, but given his rapport for killing these little girls, I couldn't make such a dangerous assumption.

Think...

If one blow wouldn't take him out, then I'd have to find a way to disable him so he wouldn't be able to react.

"Riho, what was your plan to cut coms?" I asked.

78 took out her shiv, pointing it at the Warden's neck.

"Cut his larynx. Each time we launched ambushes on the Warden, we were able to deduce th he had human-like organs."

I focused on the Warden's limbs.

"Then I'll disable his limbs. We'll launch the attack at the same time."

Riho blinked.

"But how do we do that if we are both a distance away?"

I thought for a few seconds.

"Throw the shiv at that bark support over there," I said, pointing at the pillar.

78 lowered her weapon, staring at me and signing with a confused look on her face.

"Wouldn't that give our position away?"

"Just trust me. We're running out of time."

Riho slowly nodded, adjusting her grip on her shiv until she entered her knife-throwing stance.

FLICK!

The knife flew as I concentrated.

"The Warden's reacted to the knife!" Riho signed out of surprise.

I aimed and fired, the bullet slicing through the Warden's leg and causing him to buckle. The bullet deflected, slamming into the shiv that Riho had thrown and unleashed a storm of mini-projectiles which peppered the Warden and sent him flying back. The knife ricocheted, its trajectory changing until it flew right into the Warden's throat, embedding itself into his flesh.

"Go!" I whispered fiercely as the two of us rushed forward.

The Warden growled, turning around and reaching for his polearm, but 78 slid against the ground, aiming with her AX5 and catching him in the chest twice.

"GRRRR!" The Warden snarled, opening his mouth to speak, but no coherent words came out of his mouth. We had disabled his speech.

I aimed with my shotgun and fired at the polearm, sending it flying away before readjusting my aim at the Warden who had materialized before me with frightening speed.

I fired once at the ground, sending the terrain flying into his eyes and blinding him. Right on queue, 78 reappeared, pulling the shiv out of the Warden's throat and unleashing a series of precise, helical slashes all over his body.

But the Warden wasn't at all fazed, grabbing Riho by the throat and slamming her into the wall.

Wide open.

I rushed in, bringing my shotgun forward. I made eye contact with Riho, who did the same.

The Warden hesitated, probably having realized what we were going for.

The last few attacks had cut down his mobility to fight and his communications. Riho had set up a distraction, allowing me an opening to take the opportunity. But the moment I rushed in, we knew the Warden had the reflexes to react to what I was about to do next.

The only way to defeat an opponent with superhuman reflexes was to set him up in a situation where just because he had comprehended what was going on, did not mean he had the means to counteract it.

And we had achieved just that.

If the Warden went for me, he would suffer a blow from Riho's shotgun blast. If he focused on Riho, he would suffer a blow from my blast. Riho made the right call going for the AX5. The AX5 was designed to fire highly concussive shotgun rounds.

Perfect for distraction and disorientation.

The Warden grunted in irritation, dragging Riho against the side of the wall and throwing her in my direction. I lowered my AX5 and caught her.

Riho quickly aimed with her shotgun.

The Warden's eyes widened.

An opening!

Riho pressed the trigger of the AX5 when suddenly, the Warden took a step back and howled into the air.

"WHA-" I exclaimed as a rod appeared from the shadows, blasting the shotgun right out of 78's hands to her disbelief.

The two of us tumbled backward, facing the Warden who regained his composure.

In his hand was a massive staff which suddenly shrunk into a smaller, more compact form.

"What kind of..." My voice trailed away.

This style.

I knew this style.

The Warden blasted forward and appeared before me.

I shoved Riho out of the way and braced myself.

Overhead swing was a feint.

He was going to jettison himself to the side and make a side swing.

ZIP!

The Warden disappeared with immense speed, leaving behind an afterimage.

I raised my shotgun to my side and blocked the strike of his staff, a jolt of force slamming into my body. I skidded to the side, my teeth clenched and my eyes fierce.

Surprise flashed on the Warden's face. I took this opportunity and stomped on the edge of Riho's AX5, sending the weapon into the air. I let go of the one I was holding and caught the airborne AX5, spinning it by the finger, took aim bolt-action style, and fired a round at the Warden's chest.

The Warden skittered back, narrowly dodging the strike.

78 was staring at the two of us, dumbfounded.

Sorry, Riho.

I didn't have time to explain how I knew this guy's style.

But once I've dealt with this traitor's ass, I'll clarify everything to you.

I took aim again.

He was going to run to the side in an arc.

ZIP!

I watched as the Warden sidestepped and flew into the air, staff in his hand.

He was expecting me to block it.

And I knew what move he was going to use next. I emptied my magazine, the mag falling to the ground.

A look of indecision flashed on the Warden's face, but he continued his attack anyway.

Clones of the Monkey King

Twelve strands of hair were released from one of his fingers. I watched each strand transform into a copy of the Warden, surrounding me.

I stomped on the ground, my hand hovering over the barrel of my shotgun that was aimed upwards and formed a purple magic circle over it.

Elementary Sound Magic: SONITUS

I fired the shotgun, which unleashed a sonic boom that dissipated the clones.

The Warden landed on the ground, but before he could follow up with anything, the table that he was originally in the room was flung in his direction.

I watched him slice it open with the polearm he had resummoned into his hand, but the barrel of a shotgun appeared from the chaos of the debris, revealing 78 who had scooped up the AX5 that I had dropped earlier.

I took aim as well.

CHOOM.

The Warden recoiled back. I fired from my direction, catching the Monkey King the other way.

78 closed in, her shiv in hand and jammed the knife into the Warden's chest.

War Doll and Warden alike slammed into the ground.

I sprinted forward, creating an arc with my prosthetic.

Elementary Electricity Magic: Vena Occisor

Blue sparks and electrical discharge flowed through my prosthetic arm. I rushed to 78's location, watching the War Doll leap backward to avoid the Warden's counterswing.

The Warden then spun to me, a look of pure fury on his face. But another shotgun blast disoriented him as I dove forward and planted the palm of my prosthetic hand against his chest, sending the electricity magic into his nerves and overloading his nervous system.

The Warden roared, falling to his knees, defeated.

"..." I breathed heavily, taking a step backward.

"Why... how... how could you do this... Ernest?" I growled.

Outer Shadow Gjallarhorn, or Ernest Wang continued his raspy breathing, his body smoking and transforming into his normal human form.

"I don't... need to hear this from you..."

My hand clenched into a fist. I took a furious step forward and kicked Ernest in the chest, sending him hurtling backward and ripped the keys from his belt.

"I don't even know what to say to you right now. So many things come to mind. So many ways I can kill you for everything you've done. And everything you've turned your back on. But right now, you're not a priority."

I have to get to the food stores.

Now.

We were running out of time.

"You can't," Ernest muttered.

I froze, my face contorted in rage. I slowly turned around, my hand gripping my shotgun in a fury.

"The fuck you just say?"

78 ran up to me and put distance between us.

"Aaron, you need to calm down."

"That S.O.B. betrayed us! Betrayed the Black Legion! Betrayed Master Jun! He hurt you and killed your allies! He- He-"

"We don't know the full story. There has to be a reason behind his defection."

"What reason is there?! I should OFF his ass right here and right now!" I roared.

"AARON!"

Riho clutched onto me, her eyes pleading as she opened her mouth to try to cry out my name after signing it.

But the same metallic grinding came out.

The War Doll slowly let go.

"You cannot let your rage take over. Do you understand? Not when there's so much at stake. We cannot afford to be hasty."

I slowly softened, my rage dissipating. Riho continued stroking my arm.

"What do you mean we can't? These keys lead to the food stores, don't they?" I asked.

Ernest struggled to his feet, unstrapping his flask and drinking it. The Gourd healed his wounds.

"I may have the keys to the food stores, but the food blocks can only be accessed by decrypting an intricate magic rune. I can't do it."

I gritted my teeth.

"Then how do we access the stores?"

"It has to be someone who has the aptitude to undo magic runes."

78 tugged at my sleeve.

"Regardless of how we do it, we need to at least reach the stores first."

I reluctantly nodded, but my glare on Ernest remained.

"Yeah. While we're on our way, let's have a long chat. Ernest."

We made our way to the set of doors 78 had located. All the while, I prodded Ernest in the back with my shotgun.

"How long are you going to keep doing that?" Ernest asked.

"You're lucky I haven't blown your monkey ass up," I snarled.

Ernest didn't reply, causing my anger to spill over.

"You killed those girls, Ernest. Did it not occur to you what you've done? Master Jun gave you a second chance and you threw it in the trash!"

"..."

I stopped the group and slammed Ernest against the wall, my face an inch away from his.

"Bastard! Explain yourself!"

Ernest stared at me listlessly.

"I..."

I took a shaky breath, trying to recollect myself.

"When you became Sun Wukong's successor, the Celestial Council scorned you because you weren't worthy. You were thrown into this role without your knowledge. But Master Jun defeated the Council. He set you free. You had a choice to either join The Black Legion or continue your life as a Monkey God, yet you chose the Black Legion. You chose Jun because you admired him. Just like the rest of us did. I don't... fuckin... understand..."

I breathed heavily, my gaze glued to the ground.

"I don't understand. Why spit on everything he has done for you? To serve someone as sick as Ka'Thas? As twisted as Loyce?"

Silence filled the air, the droplets resonating from the cave as the screams of the War Dolls echoed in the distance.

"He promised."

I slowly looked up to see Ernest's defeated expression. Only... it wasn't just defeat.

It was desperation. Panic. Indecision.

And regret.

Ernest slowly slid onto the ground, his back scraping against the rocky stone cave-like wall.

"What...?" I whispered.

"Loyce promised he wouldn't kill Master Jun. He promised Aran would only bring Master Jun to a state of effective death but not complete death if I served him. I don't know why it was just me. I hate every second of this... every time I kill another one of my own, I hate it. So so much. But if I didn't... Master Jun will die."

"Master Jun wouldn't go down so easily! He's-"

"The only reason our Inner Shadow even exists is because of Loyce, Aaron... He's as good as dead. We've all given up," Ernest croaked.

"...Then... then why are you still serving Loyce if you gave up?"

The Monkey King swallowed a lump that had developed in his throat.

"Ka'Thas killed all my Auxiliaries, save one. My disciple... Jinah. If I so much as act out of line, Jinah will die. I've already witnessed what Ka'Thas had done to her. My student will never see again. She will never hear again. She will never walk again. But at least she is still alive."

78 clutched my wrist, almost telling me to let go of my rage.

Ernest clutched his belt. His ancient robes were stained with blood. I had a feeling of whose blood it must have been after what he had told me.

"Ernest. Are you gonna live in fear for the rest of your life?" I asked.

"..."

"I don't know much about Ka'Thas, but if there's anything that I know about psychopaths, it is impossible to reason with them. You have no grounds to assume Ka'Thas will spare your disciple. You can continue playing an unfair game... or you can join me to break it."

Outer Shadow Gjallarhorn clenched his teeth tightly, the shadows covering his face. I hadn't noticed it earlier, but his hair was matted with blood as well, streaked with grey. The torture must have triggered something in him.

"Every single day, I was forced to accept that Inner Shadow Empire had sent his overwhelming horde of subordinates to hunt us all down. Rollo... Freya... Angurvadal, I know for sure that they're dead. I watched Outer Shadow Tourmentus slice Rollo up with some absurd strength. Tengen wouldn't normally match Rollo in strength, yet he was able to overpower him so easily. I was defiant. Like you. Like Wukong.

"You don't think I couldn't accept this situation? I fought to the very end. Twenty Demon Lord armies came for me. I fought them alongside my disciples, my Auxiliaries. I truly... believed that we could repel the attack."

"Ernest, we haven't lost yet."

"You say this, but you really have no idea what the state of The Black Legion is. The Auxiliary Shadow by your side doesn't either, I take it. That's expected of the Organization when secrecy is such a big thing. But when the system crumbles, things come to light. Ka'Thas showed me everything."

"..."

Ernest brought his hands together, a golden rune forming and revealing Master Jun's barracks.

It was completely in ruins. A huge horde of monsters appeared from the skies.

"Empire sent his armies down on us. Master Jun warned that we would be hunted and forced us leave, but none of us did. The ones who were still in the barracks chose to stay, and not a single one of us left our posts despite what our Inner Shadow commanded."

I watched as my fellow Outer Shadows greeted the charge. An all-out war ensued.

"We were able to repel the attack. As many as four hundred armies were destroyed that day. We thought we were victorious, but we were sorely mistaken. Because that was when The Demon appeared."

From the anomaly in the sky, another batch of soldiers emerged. This time, they were grotesque.

And they were chanting the same thing repeatedly as if in a trance.

As above. So below.

If letters form a word.

And the words form a story.

What to do if the letters are no more?

"It was a bloodbath. I remembered Freya trying to evacuate the people of the Champions Universe. One second she was making eye contact with me, but the moment I blinked, she had disappeared. Replaced with black ash. The same with Angurvadal, who had gained the upper hand against the Demon's cultists. But the moment he disappeared, the cultists immediately overwhelmed his Auxiliaries and slaughtered them all."

Ernest clutched his chest.

"As for me, I was captured by the cultists and led to Loyce's kingdom where I was held prisoner for months. I couldn't even detect my Auxiliaries. By the time I found them, it was too late. It would be here. In Ka'Thas' den, did I discover their dismembered bodies. My disciples... I once told them that there was no greater honour than dying in battle, defiant to the very end. Just like Sun Wukong was. And that if they followed me, they would walk a path of a warrior's glory. Defiant against the heavens. Yet..."

The Outer Shadow took a shaky breath, deactivating the rune. Ernest pointed to the far distance where the screams continued echoing.

"They went out like that. Do you have any idea how much of a failure I am? I promised them so much. And they ended up being diced into pieces instead! Every day... every day I live with the foolish hope that Ka'Thas has spared Jinah despite taking away practically everything from her! Every day I am forced to do this shit under that belief! You don't think I know the kind of liar Ka'Thas is?! Of course I do! I'm forced to serve that sick fuck every single day!"

Ernest got to his feet and slammed me against the wall. 78 shot forward, but I held out my hand, stopping her.

"I don't wanna believe it! Even if it's a 100% chance. What was all of this for? What was all of this blood on my hands for, Aaron?! If in the end, I find out that Jinah is already dead! What was it all for?! TELL ME! TELL ME!!!"

Outer Shadow Gjallarhorn continued clutching onto my cloak, crying bitterly.

"Aaron... no. Outer Shadow Dainsleif. If everything I said is true... then you and I... we're all that's left of Master Jun's Outer Shadows. But right now... I am so exhausted. So sick and tired of everything. It may as well be just you. Just you to stand as the last bastion of Master Jun's legacy. I don't deserve to call myself Jun's Outer Shadow anymore. I..."

"I can't guarantee Jinah's safety," I said, bluntly.

Ernest's grip on me loosened.

"I know."

"But what I can do is give you the opportunity to avenge them. Your Auxiliaries. When Master Jun named you, he named you Gjallarhorn after the horn that is used in the Norse Mythology to signal Ragnarok. You stood for rebellion. Rebellion against the Celestial Council by taking up Sun Wukong's determination to do whatever the hell the Monkey King wanted."

I regained my posture, examining my fellow Outer Shadow.

"Ernest. When I first met you, you always struck me as someone who would never back down from a higher power. You claim to be nothing like Wukong, but you were his successor because you embodied his will. I know deep down that you still haven't fully succumbed to Ka'Thas. He may have taken away your Auxiliaries. But he hasn't taken away the spirit of the Monkey God in you. This I can help you with. Right here."

I pointed at Ernest's chest.

"Your fire. I will help you reawaken it. Help me get vengeance on this sick bastard."

Ernest was silent for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what I was saying before closing his eyes.

"Are you sure you want my help after everything I did to these War Dolls?"

"You should be asking 78 this."

The Outer Shadow turned to 78, who crossed her arms.

The War Doll reluctantly nodded.

"Killing is killing. But I know you did this against your own wishes. I will accept your strength, for the sake of this mission," Riho signed.

I approached the door and looked around. We were in a large circular room, the perimeter laced with cave-like walls. If an assault was launched here, we were definitely at risk of being buried alive.

Almost like it was way too calculated.

Almost like...

An ambush point.

"Aaron, do you have an idea?" Riho signed.

"Yeah. I hope so."

I dug into my pockets and pulled out the trinket Garen had given me.

"If I activate the trinket, Garen will come. Hopefully, he has a better idea of opening this rune than any of us do, since magic is his specialty."

The three of us watched intently. I pressed down on the trinket, his words resonating in my mind.

Except nothing happened.

"What? Is that it?" Ernest asked.

"I don't... understand..." My voice trailed away. I continued pressing down on the trinket, using whatever I could to try to activate it. Even my magic wasn't working.

Frustration began to rise inside me. Time was ticking away for those girls! Now was seriously not the time for technical issues, what the fuck?!

"Dammit... work! WORK!" I growled.

"Oh. Don't expect a magic solution to get you out of this any time soon. Dainsleif."

I spun around, as did Ernest and Riho, but the three of us were at a loss. It was like the voice was coming from every single direction.

"I saw that look on your face earlier, Hope. You predicted this, but you ignored your own instincts. This is the consequence of assigning such high stakes to children, they break so easily when under stress and pressure. So so easily."

I raised my shotgun but hesitated.

A strange chill ran up my spine.

"DOWN!" Ernest growled, appearing behind my blindspot. A shockwave of force pushed me back, but 78 ran in front of me and caught me before I could conk my head against the spiky ground.

I turned to see Ernest clashing against the hulking monstrosity that was Ka'Thas. Polearm against Meat Cleaver. The blood of the War Dolls stained Torso's apron, and a sadistic grin plastered all over his face, revealing a set of disturbingly uneven yellow spiked teeth.

"Warden Gjallarhorn, your betrayal was also predicted. But no matter how much I saw it coming, it still never ceases to irritate me how delusional you Outer Shadows can be."

"FIGURE IT OUT! DAINSLEIF!" Ernest growled, his body transforming into his Monkey King form.

Gjallarhorn leaped back, dodging a cleaver strike, but narrowly missed Ka'Thas' followup strike with his other cleaver, the cleaver slicing his clone in his place.

The Outer Shadow created two other clones in front of him which he jettisoned into the air. The clone extended his staff to Ernest, who caught it and was propelled into the air as the rest of the clones charged the General, who laughed maniacally.

Ka'Thas unleashed several wide arcs that blew the clones back and turned around, deflecting Ernest's blind-spot slash.

The General grumbled, his hand reeled back to strike.

Gjallarhorn's face hardened in fury.

Way of the Monkey: CLOUD STEP

The Outer Shadow dissipated into pure mist, leaving behind a decoy which blew apart from Ka'Thas' attack.

But this was where his first blunder was made.

He made the same exact mistake Yeling had.

Just because you were intangible did not mean you were safe from harm. Never use something like a mist form against an enemy whose strikes were strong enough to generate wind pressure.

And I watched as Ernest found that out the hard way, regaining form and propelled several feet backward from Ka'Thas' monstrous strength from his earlier strike. The wind pressure slammed into his materializing body, sending Ernest hurling into the side of a wall.

And I was once again reminded of the type of monster Ka'Thas was.

From planning to anticipating.

His technique was flawless.

Ka'Thas charged again, slamming his cleaver against Ernest's polearm and shattering it before following up with a shoulder bash that slammed into Gjallarhorn point blank.

Riho and I were still trying to figure out how to physically open the passage. But a shadow suddenly loomed over us as the two of us dove for it, dodging the flying body of our comrade who slammed into the door and slid to the ground.

"Dude!" I exclaimed.

"F-Focus... on disarming..." Ernest croaked, forcing himself to his feet.

"I'll crush this bastard with my trump card!"

Steam jettisoned from the Outer Shadow's body, red fiery veins accentuating themselves from his forearms. The fur on his face became more spiked and his monkey eyes took on a devilish fiery glow.

Spirit Transformation: STONE MONKEY

Stone-like formations encrusted Gjallarhorn's fists and knees.

Ka'Thas laughed, stomping toward the three of us, but Ernest disappeared in a flash of wind, materializing before the General and unleashing a flurry of punches at supersonic speed, bombarding him with stone and fire.

Ernest's speech had devolved into primal screeching and chattering, embracing his inner Wukong.

"How humorous you are, little Monkey! Your solution to my ability to strategize... was to throw away your own!"

Gjallarhorn screeched, weaving through Ka'Thas' strike. The General stomped on the ground, but the Outer Shadow chaotically used the rocks as grapple points. It was like watching a strategist battle against a mindless berserker. But the berserker had refined himself.

I watched as the Monkey King laughed crazily, spinning in the air.

Arsenal of the Monkey King: Ruyi Jingu Bang

A staff appeared in Ernest's hand, which extended and slammed into the General's chest. Ka'Thas managed to catch it, yanking Ernest to his position.

But rather than dodge, Ernest's eyes widened crazily. The staff shrunk, to Ka'Thas' surprise.

"HAHAHA! HEHEHEHE!" Outer Shadow Gjallarhorn chattered, using the accelerated momentum to poke the General square in the eye.

"GRAAAAAARRRROOOAAAAR!!!" Ka'Thas yelled in agony.

"DISGUSTING MONKEY FILTH!" The General bellowed in rage, grabbing Gjallarhorn by the throat and slamming him into the ground and undoing his transformation with brute force.

Ernest coughed, redirecting his hand and forming a rune, but nothing came out.

"YOUR FIXING MAGIC WON'T WORK ON ME. YOU ACCURSED FOOL."

SLAM!

Ernest's eyes widened as Ka'Thas smashed his fist into his midsection. Then his face.

Over and over again, Ka'Thas unloaded a fury of punches that widened the crater Ernest's body was forming in the ground.

"Dammit! I can't just watch my comrade get beat up like this!" I snarled, but Riho grabbed me.

"No! Our priority is to undo the door! If you run out there everything Gjallarhorn has done will me for nothing!"

"We never asked him to sacrifice himself!"

The punches suddenly stopped. Ka'Thas emerged from the crater, blood dripping from his fists.

"Do not bother trying to undo that spell, foolish children. I will tell you straight up how to open that door."

"..." Riho and I hesitated, making distance between the General and ourselves.

Ka'Thas pointed at Gjallarhorn's defeated body.

A sadistic smile on his face.

No...

"You're kidding me..." I whispered.

As if the things this P.O.S. had done weren't deplorable enough...

There was always somehow something new that would make him even more of an insufferable... inhumane... monster.

Riho clenched her teeth, as did I.

"Ernest was never meant to see Jinah again... because he would never make it back to her alive," I deduced.

"HehehAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ka'Thas threw his head back and laughed wildly into the ceiling of the room.

"YES. INDEED, OUTER SHADOW DAINSLEIF! The heart of a Celestial Monkey God. The only way to undo that rune is to pour the blood of Outer Shadow Gjallarhorn all over it!"

27

"No... no way..." I muttered.

This was...

This was too cruel.

Riho analyzed Ka'Thas, her face grim but unchanging in response to the reveal of the solution.

"Aaron, we have no choice. Ka'Thas is not lying. Ten minutes remain before 61-D's battery fully depletes and she shuts down."

"How can I just accept that?! Ernest! Ernest still needs to see Jinah-"

"Aaron."

Riho grabbed onto my shoulders, a stern look on her face.

"Be honest with yourself. Can you honestly see Ka'Thas sparing Jinah? Was there ever a reason for him to if he knew that Ernest would turn on him in the end?"

Ka'Thas picked up a barely conscious Gjallarhorn and tossed him to us.

"Go on. Children. This intrigues me. I want to see what decision you make."

I glared at the General with intense hatred

"How can people like you be allowed to exist?"

Ka'Thas grinned maliciously.

"Do not blame me for something your kind came up with. This is a classic case of the Trolley Problem, proposed by British philosopher Phillipa Foot."

No.

I wasn't going to sacrifice an ally. Ernest may have had all this blood on his hands, but he did all of this so he could see his disciples again! How could I just...

How could I just tear his heart out like that?

"Aaron. We are running out of time," Riho signed urgently.

Ka'Thas' grin persisted.

"Are you really the famed Outer Shadow of The Black Legion? It is a shame to know the best is a twenty-year-old child who cannot even make a single hard call."

No...

"No-"

CLASP!

I gasped. Ernest had grabbed onto my wrist. His eyes were still closed, and his face was completely beaten bloody. His breath was raspy and broken.

"Aaron... you gotta... save these girls..."

"Are you kidding me? At the cost of your life?! There has to be another way!"

"There is no other way. I'm sorry, bud."

"DON'T YOU DARE PUT THIS ON ME, ERNEST."

Ernest brought me closer, his eyes slowly opening as tears ran down the crevices of his eyelids.

"I've lost everything. My Auxiliaries are dead. My disciple is dead. I killed all those girls and served a sick bastard for a lie. There is nothing I have left to live for. The least I can do is give my heart to save these kids."

"DON'T SAY THAT!" I screamed.

"YOU listen to ME, you goddamn GPITA. You are all that's left. You're gonna have to deal with way more death... in a way... this is something only you can do. An SS Rank."

Ernest tightened his grip on my wrist, his face pleading.

"Don't let me die knowing I failed even myself."

"..."

My chest hurt. So much.

Ernest reached into his chest, a magic rune forming as he pulled his heart out and set it in my hand. It was still beating, connected by a glowing magical cord that tied his soul to his body.

"Hey. Look at me."

"No."

"Look at me, you damn Red-Eyed asshole!"

I reluctantly returned my gaze to my fellow Outer Shadow, who placed his hand over mine.

"Haha... man... at least in the end, I got to finally see the biggest prankster in Master Jun's faction cry. Serves... you right..."

"Now's not the time for jokes, you stupid monkey!"

"Now's always the time for jokes... after all... weren't you the one who embodied that?"

"..."

Ernest smiled weakly.

"Do you remember when you used to always steal my jawbreakers? I still remember back when you used to rope your Auxiliaries along. Despite being so smart, you couldn't lead for shit. You couldn't coordinate for shit. The only person who managed to get their hands on my candies was June."

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

If I didn't take this one life, many more would die.

I briefly made eye contact with Riho, suddenly remembering her words.

You will experience loss. A tremendous amount of loss.

Loss.

If I couldn't accept that this was my part of the job, then...

I couldn't call myself an Outer Shadow.

So steel yourself.

Accept death.

Accept...

A bubbling sensation filled my gut as if a surge of power suddenly unlocked inside me. A mental dam that had been set up in my mind had been breached, releasing things that had been originally suppressed.

I stared at my hand, which began shimmering with a familiar white light.

Memories of my time with Sarah flickered in my mind. From our training with Inner Shadow Reaper.

What was the first lesson he tried to teach us when it came to chakra?

"Acceptance is the first step to mastering chakra."

I approached Ernest and knelt down in front of him with a new stride.

"Outer Shadow Gjallarhorn, are you ready to serve Master Jun one last time?"

Gjallarhorn nodded slowly.

"It would be my honour, Outer Shadow Dainsleif. Let me redeem myself, and find atonement in the afterlife."

I took the heart and crushed it in my hand, splattering the blood all over the rune and dissipating it.

Immediately, the doors opened, revealing hundreds upon hundreds of calorie blocks inside.

"Riho, take the blocks to SFA-Delta. I will hold off Ka'Thas," I said.

78 hesitated but noticed my change in posture.

Yeah.

I was able to pick things up again, just like before.

During my fight in Sena's core.

My situation awareness had increased in a complete 360 to the point where I didn't even need to look around to fully analyze my surroundings.

I had a feeling this state was temporary, but it would be enough.

"Tough storms weather the hidden warrior," Ka'Thas grumbled, marching forward and picking up his cleaver which was stained with Gjallarhorn's blood.

"Show me your strength. Joker of the Dark Hexagram."

I sent a glare at Ka'Thas, momentarily stopping his movements with a wave of chakra.

True Chakra Mastery: VITRUVIAN DAINSLEIF

Ka'Thas backed up and threw his cleaver with immense might. I dodged to the side, letting the cleaver brush past me.

My eyes flashed, visions of Ka'Thas' possible movements flashing in my mind. The window needed to parse and analyze his movements had shrunk infinitesimally, allowing me to extrapolate his movements to an even greater degree. Far surpassing what I was able to before.

I didn't realize it before, but there was something attached to his cleaver at the end.

It was a thin thread that I couldn't possibly detect if I wasn't in this state.

But now 80/20 vision had increased even further. I could make out the smallest detail.

Ka'Thas nudged a small movement that could have fooled even a trained Tactical War Doll. I could sense with my chakra that the blade had returned, trying to catch me in the back with a surprise attack.

SPLORCH!

Ka'Thas laughed in glee as my body double collapsed onto the ground in a shower of blood, but I had already teleported to the edges of the room, hiding with Invisibilis.

1 microsecond elapsed.

True Chakra Mastery: ASURA'S DEATH PENALTY

I sucked in my breath, feeling the air currents fill my lungs with fresh air.

2 microseconds elapsed.

Ka'Thas the Torso. You are the sickest, cruellest, most inhumane piece of living garbage I have ever seen.

But if I gave myself into rage, I would be letting you win.

Because you satiate on desperation, on anger, on reckless vengeance. You satiate on it knowing it would brew into despair.

I gave you despair once.

Vitruvian me will not give it to you again.

3 microseconds elapsed.

Trifold Combination Casting: FALSE SWORD, CONVOCATIO and PORTALIS

Sixfold Anti-Hope Roulette

Four spectral arms sprouted from behind me until I resembled the fabled Asura, each wielding a Thompson Contender and a Convocatio portal. The same effect applied to the other clones in the room.

The clone disappeared, as the General hesitated.

"Wha-?"

4 microseconds elapsed.

But for you, General, you only had one microsecond to process and react.

A big man like you, no matter how conditioned you trained your thinking, signals can only travel through your body so fast.

I don't care how many thousands of artificial years Loyce gave you.

You were designed to be flawed.

From a despicable sadist to an abomination not even a mother could love.

Consider it a goddamn blessing that I was the one you pissed off.

I'll end your miserable existence today.

I fired into the portals, as thousands upon thousands of portals manifested before the General. The General's eyes darted around at hypersonic speed, trying to differentiate each one.

"No... some of these portals are fakes...!"

Good job.

But that was the easy part.

That was the whole point of Gunman's Roulette.

You're a smart man.

Why don't we play a game?

Risk it all, you sick fuck.

Which of the eight thousand four hundred and two portals will be the ones to finish you off today?

I pressed the triggers to my six Contenders, as did my clones, and unleashed bullet hell which sliced through Ka'Thas, who groaned in pain.

The bullets penetrated the monster's hide, entering another portal.

"Iron Maiden Protocol," I whispered.

The bullets re-emerged from the other adjacent portals, slicing into Ka'Thas again.

"ARRGHHH! HOW ARE YOU USING MAGIC?! I'VE BLOCKED OFF ALL MANA IN THIS ROOM!"

Riho was right.

And that observation was the key to figuring you out, you bumbling idiot.

You were just like me.

Analyzing and calculating.

While I abused overwhelming weaponry, you abused overwhelming biological prowess.

But because you were like me, you happened to also have taken up my bad traits.

An ego that would sometimes shroud judgment.

You were so proud to come up with this dome to seal my magic and my fighting style, that you were blinded by your accomplishments and that led you rigid.

You didn't once think about the possibility that a version of me existed that could tap into spells using a proxy medium.

That proxy is my chakra.

I revealed myself, standing before the General of Loycael's army.

Ka'Thas roared, charging at me like a bull.

I narrowed my eyes.

Analysis complete.

Ka'Thas barreled to the side, trying to feint me out, but I went low, my hand raised, feinting a Light Magic spell.

"False Rune or not, I have trapped you in a position where you can't possibly escape!" Ka'Thas roared.

Convocatio

Ka'Thas dove in, delivering a double overhand which went right into the portal.

Anti-Magic Grenades

Indecision plagued the General's face as if thinking "why did you summon anti-magic"?

I triggered the grenade, a flood of anti-magic cancelling out my portal. Though the portal was summoned using my chakra, it was still magic.

And the anti-magic was capable of cancelling it out, with Ka'Thas' arms still partway inside the distortion in space.

SPLORCH SPLAT!

Ka'Thas roared in agony, stumbling backward as I materialized in front of him, a Thompson Contender in my hand.

Reality spiralled and distorted around the barrel in preparation for my Anti-Hope bullet. My finger tightened on the trigger, seconds from squeezing it.

Ka'Thas opened his mouth and unleashed a deafening shout that blew me back. I skidded to a stop and attempted to retaliate, but a flood of weakness washed over me.

Dammit!

My Vitruvian state...

I was nearing my limits. If I used it all up, there would be no means of activating it again!

"Ha... haha... you had me worried for a second there, Dainsleif. That state is surely troublesome, but I see you still haven't fully mastered it to the point of calling upon it by will. And I can tell it taxes you greatly."

I winced, exiting my state and taking a step back.

I threw a smoke grenade and made a break for it in Riho's direction.

I ignored all of Ka'Thas' taunting, cursing at myself.

We'll launch another attack.

I promise you that, Ka'Thas.

But I couldn't use Vitruvian again until I figured out a way to call upon that state more reliably.

"Did you think you would escape after revealing such VULNERABILITY, BOY?!"

?!

Ka'Thas suddenly appeared before me, parting the smoke. I froze in horror at the hulking beast, who was covered in bloody wounds. His apron was in shreds, and bright white lines had encrusted his entire body in a series of networked veins.

Almost as if he had entered an enraged mode from being pushed to a state he had never been pushed before

I lifted my prosthetic just in time to catch a blunt strike from Ka'Thas. I flew backward and slammed into the side of the doorframe, a lance of pain shooting up my spine. I crumpled to the floor only to narrowly block another punt from the monster that sent me into the shelves.

"RRRK!" I grunted, trying to scurry back.

Ka'Thas marched forward, his eyes wide with ferocity.

"I came here, I let you choose to kill The Warden out of the thrill of seeing the look on your face as you slew your own comrade. I thought it would be fun. This was supposed to be fun, but I am not having fun anymore. You dared show me your Vitruvian state, you tricked me into believing you had exhausted your mana and your chakra. I hate being outsmarted."

SMASH!

My prosthetic warped in response to Ka'Thas' blunt strike again. The concussive forces that were being sent to me shook me to the bone. I found myself buried in splinters and broken pieces of wood and stone.

And...

Something else.

Calorie blocks littered the ground before me, causing a chill to run down my spine.

The calorie blocks...

Riho didn't take them all?!

"HAHAHA. SO OF YOUR MANY OBJECTIVES, NONE WERE COMPLETED!" Ka'Thas roared in amusement, barging through the debris.

No...

Riho...

The girls...!

Ten minutes had passed a long time ago... did this mean...

"Yes... that face... I love that face. The look of despair. Of hopelessness. I've yearned to see that look on your face, Dainsleif!"

Ka'Thas knelt in front of me. Waves of terror froze me on the spot.

"And I shall continue to indulge. I will make you suffer. I will peel the flesh off that girl's bones. I took away her voice. That was only the first of many things I had planned for her. I know you find her sexually attractive too. So I will take that away as well. I will pour molten steel on her face and deform it beyond recognition. I will remove each and every single limb from her body. I will destroy her hormones and never make her feel libido again."

The monster's mouth contorted into a sneer.

"The best pain is the one inflicted on those you love."

I forced myself to my feet, but Ka'Thas slammed my throat into the ground, knocking the wind out of me.

"And there isn't a single thing you can do to stop me."

My eyes widened in fury but transitioned into panic.

What could I possibly do?

Without my Vitruvian state.

I needed...

I needed to find a way to access that power again, but it had to be from a source that wasn't so spontaneous! Did I seriously need someone to die for me to become useful?!

Ka'Thas chuckled, his voice shaking the entire room as he lifted me into the air, cleaver in his other hand.

"And so starts your preparation. I shall dice off your limbs. And make you watch as I tear little Shinohara apart!"

"First volley," A voice said from the distance.

I hesitated, as did Ka'Thas.

"What?" Ka'Thas said, turning around.

A flood of orange light overwhelmed my vision, causing Ka'Thas to drop me to the floor.

A War Doll zipped to my location and retrieved me. The movements were so fast I could hardly register...

But I recognized her scent.

"Riho...?" I whispered.

Riho clutched onto me and flew back behind cover as the girl's voice appeared again.

"Second volley."

CHOOM! CHOOM! CHOOM! CHOOM! CHOOM!

A wave of explosions flooded Ka'Thas once more, sending him hurling back.

"What is the meaning of this?! I destroyed your weapons!"

Ka'Thas roared, swinging his scythe and unleashing a torrent of wind pressure.

From the chaos, a familiar girl stood at command.

"Streamline Shield Wall!" 61-D shouted.

Several War Dolls marched forward in a highly calculated and precise manner, planting their riot shields on the ground which expanded into a highly aerodynamic profile. The wind blast evaded them.

"SPARTAN COUNTERATTACK!"

Dozens of barrels revealed themselves, unleashing a horde of counter-gunfire that slammed into Ka'Thas.

The monster buckled, dragging his cleaver against the ground, barreling forward and blasting the girls away. Several girls hit the ground, their eyes rolled into the back of their heads and lifeless.

I instinctively bolted forward, but 61-D made eye contact with me, almost telling me to stay where I was.

"Dolls of SFA-Delta. We hold this ground in the name of Inner Shadow Slipstream. And Outer Shadow Dainsleif. We shall falter to no one. This abomination took our dignity away. WE SHALL TAKE IT BACK."

The girls marched forward, weapons at the ready.

"INITIATING SFA-DELTA KRIEGSMEN MANOUEVRES."

The girls advanced, putting on a strange-looking mask. It had angular designs, almost as if they were miniature skulls like Yeling's, but the irises glowed a deep green.

And the black tactical armour looked more like it was designed to take hits. There were slits on the armour near the breastplate that glowed green, and it took me a few seconds to realize that they were Roman Numerals.

On it, embroidered in a small font, was the number "IV".

Ka'Thas roared in indignation, but several shots of gunfire sent him stumbling back.

The General swung his cleaver, catching two more Dolls who were sent flying, but the Dolls continued advancing mercilessly, seemingly without any regard for their safety.

But from the way they were moving...

It wasn't just some kind of kamikaze attack.

They were somehow even more coordinated than SFA-Muon.

The power of SFA-Delta as a Big Four wasn't just their ability to strategize.

It was their indoctrination to war.

Their battle service was unparalleled to the point where it intimidated even the big bad bogeyman himself.

"YOU GIRLS ARE INSANE!" Ka'Thas bellowed, bracing himself to throw his cleaver when suddenly, the girls who had supposedly died reached out and clutched the General's leg.

"WHAT?! Your vital signs were cut short!" The General exclaimed in disbelief.

I stared at the girls in shock. On their tactical armour, the Roman Numerals now said "III".

Multiple lives?! These girls were trained to shut down even their own bodily functions to make it seem like they had died!

The girls with three lives took advantage of Ka'Thas' hesitation and got to their feet, unstrapping grenade launchers from their backs and sprinting in a circle all around the General, flanking him while chucking grenade smoke and tactical webbing.

The beast tried to stomp on the ground, but the movements of Ka'Thas had slowed down in response to his limited vision and mobility.

Several more girls were sent flying from Ka'Thas' swings, cutting down their lives, but this didn't stop them at all. They continued, ripping through their lives until the number on their armour read "0".

"88-D to 61-D. Specialized combat tactics ready."

"Deploy," 61 responded, as the girls holding the shields stepped back, revealing another line of troops who had several spearguns at the ready.

BANG!

Dozens of spears suddenly emerged from the Dolls' line, piercing Ka'Thas in several places. The monster bellowed in agony and swinging in a feral state.

Several of the girls who had their armour at 0 were flung into the air, this time, killed for good.

"They've been breached! They need to-" My voice trailed away, as 61 greeted Ka'Thas with a grim expression.

"THIS... THIS IS NOT RIGHT! WHERE ARE MY CRYING VICTIMS THAT I INDULGED IN?! WHERE ARE THOSE CRYING FACES?!" Ka'Thas thundered, stomping and smashing the ground with a new source of power. The tactical restraints and webbing undid themselves.

The girls continued marching forward. Ka'Thas charged, ripping into them and sending bodies flying into the air.

But the girls never stopped.

They continued advancing, the eye slits in their skull helmets glowing in the darkness and giving off a cold, merciless, and unwavering sense of resigned duty.

"78. Dainsleif. Come with me," A War Doll of SFA-Delta commanded.

"But-" I protested but was cut off.

"SFA-Muon does things their way, we do things our way. We are War Dolls of SFA-Delta. Our existence has, and always will be, to serve. There is no greater honour than that. We are one of the Big Four, an elite force. Even if the enemy wavers, we shall not."

The three of us made it out of the Den, where the rest of the prisoners had been escorted out.

The Doll who led us handed Riho a rifle.

"78-M, Dainsleif rejoin your unit."

"But what about you guys?" I asked.

"SFA-Delta can handle it from here. Now go!"

78 pulled me along, but just before we made a break for it, the girl stopped me.

"Aaron!"

I paused, slowly turning around to see the girls of SFA-Delta saluting me.

"Thank you for saving our sisters. We will fight to the death for you as well."

I slowly nodded, before following 78.

* * *

I panted, trying to catch my breath. 78 noticed me slowing down and stopped, pulling me to the side.

"You are exhausted. The Vitruvian state took too much out of you!" She signed.

I pursed my lips and glanced behind me. The sounds of fighting continued.

"Delta... what the hell kind of unit culture is that?"

78 sat me down gently on the ground and knelt before me.

"SFA-Delta is known for their unparalleled skill in battles of attrition. They've historically been deployed to take down massive armies to soften defences through the Multiple Lives Precepts."

"That's completely... that's completely opposite to what you guys stand for, though!"

78 shook her head.

"You are confusing duty with reckless suicidal assaults. Delta knows what they are doing. They are a team of several hundred soldiers and can even clone their own soldiers. What you witnessed were the deaths of their own copies. But with these copies... they are complete replicas of their progenitor Dolls. The selfless sacrifice a Clone must have must come from the Doll as well."

My jaw dropped.

"So those numbers..."

"Multiple Lives Precepts cannot be used on Tactical War Dolls, we don't have the biological capability to handle such a demanding upgrade, but Delta's clones can. When you saw them put on their helmets, they were able to hide the fact that they were clones from Ka'Thas, who they had deduced could tell them apart despite our Tactical Hairspray, Extensions, and Makeup. They actually go by many names, but for the longest time, we never called them 'Delta'. We always knew them as...

"The Corpsewalkers of Praetes. Those who walk the fine line of life and death with zero hesitation. Because for a Clone to accept death, means the Doll must too."

I bit back my lip, trying to get to my feet, but I collapsed, my legs buckling.

"Dammit! I'm... fuck!" I gasped, cursing at myself angrily.

"Aaron. Getting mad at yourself isn't going to help anyone."

"Thalia and the others must have launched a counteroffensive by now! The plan was to regroup with them as soon as possible before they got overwhelmed by Loycael! We need to hurry!"

Riho put a hand on my face and forced me to look at her.

"Panic is lacing every decision you're making. You need to recover. You're doing no one any good like this. Please understand, Aaron."

A horde of footsteps suddenly interrupted our conversation.

"We are in no shape to fight. In here!" Riho signed, forcing an iron panel open with her bare hands and squeezing in. I crawled in beside her as the two of us closed the door in on us.

We were so close we could feel each other's breaths.

I was probably all sweaty and disgusting, but at least Riho was too.

I continued panting, trying to catch my breath.

"I need to... I need to use Vitruvian again. It's the only way."

Riho eyed me with her purple eyes. Her long black hair left behind a set of bangs that were neatly cut across her forehead, reminding me so much of Annie.

The War Doll glanced at her arms, which were tangled with mine. We were so close to each other that we had to do some weird gymnastics to fit in the space and were basically tangled like a game of Twister gone wrong.

"Sorry. I guess you can't really sign in here. I'll..."

Why do you feel so pressured to use the Vitruvian State? Riho's voice resonated in my head.

"What the- how are you doing that?" I yelped.

Stance 46: Bridge Protocol.

"Riho, you shouldn't expend a Protocol just to talk to me-"

How I choose to use my Protocols is up to my discretion. I'm really worried that you feel pressured to put your life at risk like this. The Vitruvian State is too taxing for you, if there's anything that we're doing that's making you feel forced to resort to something like this, we need to know.

I clenched my teeth, lowering my head.

Conk!

"Ow! Sorry..." I muttered, realizing I had just knocked foreheads with Riho, but Riho didn't look at all surprised.

You unlocked Vitruvian earlier... but it was out of your acceptance of Gjallarhorn's death. It isn't just a physical burden it has placed on you, it's also a psychological one. Aaron... each time you use your chakra to such a degree, it's been out of something so jarring. It may be true that you do recover from it, but something like this isn't mentally good for you.

"I have no other way of using it!" I whispered fiercely, my lower lip trembling.

"Riho... the only way to use chakra is to reach deep in yourself and accept your emotions. The deeper the more intense the emotions the stronger I can draw it out. John was able to draw out so much because his past was horrible!"

Riho was quiet, listening to me.

Aaron. Must it be bad emotions? There is one emotion that you might have that can work.

"What's that?"

The War Doll leaned in, pressing her nose against mine.

Love.

My face felt hot as I tried to scurry away, but my limbs rubbed against Riho's body, causing her to make a somewhat startled expression on her face.

"I uh... don't know... if..."

78 reached out.

If you do not feel comfortable, tell me right away. And I will stop.

"Huh? What do you mean? What are you doing?"

I felt the touch of Riho's hand against my face, then the back of my head.

Aaron, do you love me?

My eyes widened.

"Uh! Um... well... uh... I..."

Riho eyed me intently.

I don't want to rush you or pressure you into anything. But... a lot of the friction that has developed between us seems to be linked to the situation that you're currently in. Maybe this is why your chakra has stunted as well. If you want to be able to wield your Vitruvian state without drawbacks... I think we need to tackle this at its source.

I found myself clenching my teeth so hard my jaw stuck out like the Gigachad meme.

"..."

When you held me back when you regained consciousness in Ka'Thas' cell, I was so happy. So relieved to see you again. But... I hated myself for feeling this way. It was clear you weren't interested in me, but I kept trying and pushing instead of just letting it go. Yet when you held me, the hope returned. Right now, I don't know how you feel about me. I'm not 75, I can't just piece together something if you're giving me mixed signals.

"Our ages..." I muttered.

Do you think I am too young?

"No. I just... we're three years apart, and I mean... it's..."

Riho leaned back, withdrawing her hand and brushing her hair behind her ear.

I remind you of June, don't I?

A jolt ran through me at the realization.

"I-..."

I know I didn't disclose my birthday, since birthdays were never a thing in the SFA, but I turned seventeen yesterday. Regardless of how you see me... if the age gap bothers you, then I understand. I will stop with my advances-

I suddenly jolted forward, pressing my lips against Riho's. The War Doll stared at me in astonishment as her face turned bright red.

I pulled away, realizing what I just did.

"Oh shit! Sorry! I didn't, uh I didn't mean to..."

Riho leaned forward and passionately kissed me back, sending jolts of electricity coursing through my body.

Don't apologize.

"Okay."

You also suck at kissing.

"Okay."

We continued for almost two minutes, until we stopped, catching our breaths. This had to be the least sanitary kiss I ever had.

Sweaty ass dude and a somewhat less sweaty but still sweaty War Doll tangled together in a damn locker.

"You don't think I'm... weird or anything?" I murmured.

Wait a year, and we can take it further. What we have right now is more than good enough for me.

"Jesus... you have like, no filter."

Hahaha!

Riho pressed her forehead against mine.

Tell me how you feel, Aaron.

I closed my eyes.

"I don't wanna lose you. Or anyone. You're all precious to me."

Are you afraid of what Loycael will do to us?

"Yes... YES! I AM! I'm terrified! I'm so scared. Jessie... Jessie shot herself in the head because of what I did. Sarah got herself impaled. BOTH TIMES! Both times they died OUT OF NOWHERE! I..."

My voice broke, everything coming out like a flood.

"Fucked up shit happens to people I care about. People I love. I mean... look at what Ka'Thas did to you! You can't even sing anymore! He... he said the most fucked up shit to me when you were gone... he said he was gonna disfigure your face and mess up your hormones and... and..."

Aaron. I'm right here. I don't need to be able to sing to be happy. I can always find other ways to produce music. I can't guarantee my safety, but I will do everything I can to make sure we'll be together.

"I'll hang up the guns for good, and I'll quit being the Dainsleif. I'll never wield a gun again and play pranks and I'll-"

Is this really what you want?

A gasp escaped me as Riho continued stroking the back of my head.

To quit being the gun-slinging lunatic you're known for? To quit playing pranks? To quit being yourself?

"As long as it makes you happy and safe in the end. I'll hang up the gloves-"

Aaron, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Do not callously throw yourself away for other people's sake. Especially not for my sake. If it doesn't make you happy, why bother? Do you think I will be happy knowing you're not?

"..."

Riho smiled gently.

Do something for me. Starting today till the end.

"What's that?"

Smile when you feel like smiling. And cry when you feel like crying. Don't smile because you feel forced to. Smile because you want to.

I stared at Riho for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what she had just said.

"I... I can do that..."

You've been living your life for other people. I like that side of you, but being so selfless can be dangerous if it is extreme. And right now, it is that selflessness that has caused you to feel pressured into all this.

"Then... you're suggesting I forget about it all?"

No.

Riho slipped her fingers through mine.

Enjoy every moment in the present. Do not worry about the future unless you are in combat. Do not fixate on the past. Focus on the present. If you abide by this... then we can both appreciate the gifts and blessings we've been given despite our circumstances.

A surge of relief suddenly washed over me as a white glow emitted from my body.

My chakra...!

Riho peeked out of the locker.

Several bogies on our six. And my Protocol is running out. Do you want to put your new powers to the test, Aaron-kun?

"Wow, an honorific. Crazy times," I joked.

Riho's Protocol expired as she reverted back to sign language, slowly opening the door and revealing a bright light from the outside. But from my angle, it was like a heavenly light that flooded the darkness we were in just a little longer, illuminating her body like she was a guardian angel.

"I don't know JSL, I only know ASL as I attended Azure Academy. I can only call you cute nicknames when using Protocols," 78 signed, before reaching out her hand.

I stepped out as the two of us faced a group of soldiers, who took notice and immediately braced for combat.

I studied the palm of my hand, filling my mind with the present. Thalia. Blake. Vinci. Garen. Charlotte. Yeling.

And Riho.

True Chakra Mastery: VITRUVIAN DAINSLEIF.

My body transformed, and my spiky hair grew out and reverted to its original black from so many years ago.

"We gotta get back to our Chief and our friends. So I hope you don't mind if I take you clowns out in a hurry," I said, a grin on my face.

The first true smile I had in forever.

The soldiers rushed forward, spears at the ready, but I marched forward, summoning my Draugr and firing three chakra-enhanced bolts that shattered their armour. Shockwaves rippled outward and shattered the windows all around.

78 and I advanced, following 78's tracking skills.

"Left."

The two of us were greeted by more guards.

I tossed Riho my ACR Black Dot Sight.

Convocatio: Turricalum Quattuor

Four DS35's left my magic circles and hovered before the guards, elongating into a series of panels.

Without even being told to, Riho took aim and instinctively fired at one of the panels, initiating the Iron Maiden Protocol and shredding the guys through the ricocheting bullets.

In each room we entered, we dispatched more and more guards until we met up with a squad from SFA-Delta who were pinned down by archery fire.

"A sorcerer is making the soldiers durable enough to shrug off their attacks," Riho commented.

"I'll dispatch the sorcerer and you help Delta with the soldiers," I instructed.

"Okay."

I materialized in the air, stepping on one of my DS35s in its hoverboard configuration. My Ironsight Sniper at the ready.

Light Magic: Invisibilis

Sound Magic: Silencio

Sense Magic: Phantasma

The shockwaves of the battle caused my long black hair to dance in the wind. But I had completely concealed myself. If I wasn't in my Vitruvian State, using three stealth spells would have taxed my mana immensely. But with my chakra seemingly unlimited, I now had a means to keep it up.

The goal was to blitz through as much of the enemy as fast as I could. Time was of the essence.

We needed to get to the others.

When it came to sorcerers, they had a tendency to hide behind their soldiers. But I had no means of detecting them even with Aspectum.

I needed a probe.

"Dainsleif of Muon, this is 15-D of SFA-Delta, Eighth Division. Copy," A Doll spoke in my coms.

"Copy," I confirmed in my coms, remembering Thalia's lessons.

"I will deploy a Clone Formation to charge the lines under the guise of a kamikaze attack. The girls will provide cover fire as the Clones attempt to locate the sorcerer. Dispatch with extreme prejudice once the sorcerer has been identified."

"Copy."

I watched intently as a Doll Clone broke formation, rushing forward with a box in her arms. Her skull mask completely concealed her face, but the expression and impression it gave off was that of a war machine charging the enemy with a grim determination.

The enemy immediately took notice, throwing spears and arrows in her direction, but the Doll rushed forward, acrobatically dodging the arrows as a storm of gunfire countered the arrows.

Several Dolls tossed smoke grenades to the Clone's proximity, concealing her movements as the Clone broke enemy lines. One of the soldiers impaled the Doll Clone through the back with his sword, but the Doll didn't flinch, and continued her advance.

More and more of the soldiers panicked and focused their attack on the Clone when suddenly, four more Clones joined in the assault, dividing their attention.

Several soldiers rolled out a massive automatic arrow launcher, unleashing a storm of arrows that cut down the Dolls left and right, but the Multiple Lives Precept kicked in, and the corpses of the Dolls rose back from the dead like zombies, marching forward amidst the barrage.

"Dainsleif! Sorcerer located!" 15 exclaimed.

I immediately took aim at a man who was hovering in the back, desperately trying to coordinate his soldiers to kill the Clones who had fired tracker darts into his armour.

BANG.

The man went slack, causing a purple shockwave to emit outward. The soldiers stumbled and I could sense that their defenses had weakened.

"SFA-Delta, Eighth Division, Artillery Formation," 15-D commanded as several nets suddenly undid themselves, revealing four mini-artillery guns that had been concealed the entire time.

"First Volley."

CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM!

A surge of orange blasted into the enemy lines, sending the soldiers up in explosions and smoke. Many of which exploded in armour fragments.

The soldiers desperately tried to initiate a shield wall, but the artillery fire was too coordinated and too concentrated.

"Second Volley."

CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM!

The shields exploded, sending the soldiers back.

15-D took off her helmet, revealing a sleek bun and cold, apathetic gold eyes.

The War Doll's eyes glinted with a pragmatic steel, aimed directly at the completely exposed enemy soldiers.

"Final Volley."

CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM!

The enemy broke, their defences completely in shambles as the girls advanced in hordes, bayonets on their rifles. It was funny seeing a bunch of grown men panic, completely swarmed by waves of girls wearing skull masks and heavy tactical warfare coats.

Riho tugged at my shirt.

"Save your Vitruvian state."

"Wait," I said, turning around and glaring down the hall.

"I wanna use it one more time."

"What for?"

My hand balled up into a fist.

"Ka'Thas."

Riho gazed at me with a look of concern.

"Aaron, Ka'Thas is a secondary objective. We need to focus our firepower on Loycael. Was this not what you told me on the way here that Muon is responsible for the Nine Son?"

"I know... but I wanna pay that bastard back a hundredfold now that I can-"

"If you do this, you risk exhausting your body. Your new power may be more efficient, but it is not infinite. It isn't wise to use it all up over a personal grudge."

I found my hand shaking in rage.

"But he deserves the worst!"

"Baby, look at me."

Riho put a finger on my chin and gently moved my face to hers.

"Ka'Thas hurt us. He hurt you. He disrespected you, but ultimately, it was SFA-Delta who suffered the most. Their unit's doctrine revolves around unwavering duty and unparalleled resilience to the worst forms of brutal warfare. Self-sacrifice and long, gruesome assaults are their most notable feats; this was what made them the top Four factions in the entirety of the SFA Company.

"They take pride in their ability to throw their lives on the line for the sake of the greater good, of all the units, even the Big Four, the Praetes Corpsewalkers are known for their unbreakable sense of loyalty to the SFA. But Ka'Thas not only took that away, he mocked them by forcing them to live with the fact that they had their loyalty broken. To them, there is no greater insult to their honour. This is their chance to get revenge. More than me. More than us. Let them have this chance to tear that bastard apart."

My rage slowly dissipated.

"A- Alright."

A smile appeared on Riho's face as she leaned in and stole a peck on my lips.

"Good boy."

A blush started to form on my face as my Vitruvian form dissolved. My hair returned to its original spiky length and its grey colour.

"Wh-Where to next..." I mumbled.

One of the War Dolls of SFA-Delta approached us.

"The Throneroom. That is where Muon is ultimately heading to take on Loycael. With 78-M recovered, Dainsleif, the best call is to initiate a splinter assault on the Son. But take special care, there are still the other two Generals you need to worry about."

78 and I bolted in the direction of the Throneroom, taking out any guards who were in our way.

Just as Thalia and Six had predicted, the main forces had been diverted.

Everything seemed to go according to plan, but a really really sick feeling started to develop in my chest.

Something felt wrong.

We continued running when suddenly, Riho froze, her eyes wide.

"Riho? What's wrong?" I asked.

Riho slowly lifted her finger in the distance.

"Was 76 supposed to be here?"

"What? No? She was part of the main force."

"Then... who is that?"

I turned to where Riho originally pointed, my eyes glued on a War Doll who was limping out of what looked like the ruins from a brutal skirmish.

Her body was completely damaged and half her face was peeled off.

"Blake!" I shouted, running to her direction. 76's face flashed with surprise and relief. The War Doll rushed forward to us.

"76, what's going on? I thought Muon was making their way to the Thronero-"

SWOOSH!

76 interrupted 78, throwing her arms around her and me.

"Guys... oh god... finally. Something went right for once..." Blake whispered. Her voice was trembling.

The sick feeling inside me began to grow. 76 pulled away from us, wincing in pain. Her whole body had suffered tremendous injuries. Blood was leaking from her grey camouflage, causing patches of reddish black to bleed through her clothes.

"76, what happened?" 78 signed sternly.

76 caught her breath.

"We were split up. Yeling didn't stand a chance against the Primordial Son and he went after us. Thousands of soldiers came in like waves, piercing us from behind. All we needed to do was distract him, but we hesitated to attack him and waited for you to come. I think he knew that we were waiting for you and he came after us instead."

I put my hands on 76's shoulders.

"Blake, where are the others?"

76 shook her head.

"I have no idea. I had to fight and escape, I barely made it out alive and now I'm lost in this labyrinth."

A surge of anxiety washed over me.

Guys...

Riho turned to me.

"We need to find the others. With us divided, Loycael, or any of the Generals can easily pick us apart. Any ideas?"

We needed to regroup.

Regroup.

Something brushed against my leg as I peered down, catching the trinket Garen had made for me from falling out of my pocket.

"The trinket!"

Garen's magic really did come in clutch in the end!

I reached out and squeezed the device. A magic circle formed before me, which transitioned into a portal.

Right on queue, two teenagers spilled out.

"AAAAAH- OOF!" 75 yelped, falling flat on her face. Garen fell on top of her, aiming his crossbow frantically.

"ENEMY! SHOOT! SHOOT THE ENEMY!"

"Whoa! Dude! Garen, it's me!" I exclaimed, grabbing Garen's weapon by the barrel before he could turn me into a Greek Shishkebab.

75 scrambled to her feet, her eyes darting around frantically.

"Miss 74... Miss 74? Where is she?"

76 clenched her fists.

"So you couldn't find her either. Did you see Yeling?"

75 shook her head. Her face was covered in grime and scratches.

"Loycael blasted Yeling out of the castle. We have no idea what happened to him. The explosion sent Garen and me flying into another part of the kingdom, and we were ambushed. We were seconds away from being overwhelmed when Garen's trinket went off and teleported the two of us here."

"..."

75 turned to 78, her eyes glued on her throat then at her. Given her rapport, I had a feeling she already figured it out at first glance.

"78... is something wrong with your voice?"

76's gaze fixed on 78, her face aghast.

"Yeah, come to think of it... 78 you've been using ASL this entire time."

The rest of the team gave 78 a look of deep worry, and 78 took a deep breath, raising her hands to sign.

"Ka'Thas took away my voice permanently while he was torturing me. I cannot talk."

"No... no way..." Garen muttered as 76 got up and wrapped her arm around her battle sister.

"We'll never leave you behind ever again. Got it, Pop Star?"

78 nodded slowly, her bottom lip trembling, but she did her best to hide it.

75 then glanced at me, and a small grin appeared on the corner of her mouth.

"Hmmm?"

"Wha- What the hell do you want..." I grumbled.

75 playfully skipped over to my side, her face an inch away from my right ear.

"How did her lips taste, you player?"

"GAH! Why you...!" I growled.

75 squealed, dodging my angry swipes with her superhuman speed.

"You got a whole bunch of teasing due once we get back. Both of you."

78 and my face turned red.

A sudden explosion rocked us back. I instinctively covered myself with my prosthetic, but Riho seemed to have a similar idea because she immediately put herself between me and the blast.

"What the hell was that?!" I yelped.

"The ordinances. We stationed several Shadows to operate the artillery while we infiltrated the Kingdom. As we speak our Shadows and Delta's Shadows are currently holding off the bulk of the forces out there that have been dispatched to deal with us," 76 answered.

"I mean it looks like it's working."

KRA-KOOM.

Several Shadows flew into the air, their bodies smashing into the side of the exposed Kingdom wall from the windows and dissipating into darkness.

76 grimaced.

"Traysha has our Shadows completely pinned down out there, and our forces have been split. Our Shadows can't do anything and our artillery isn't distracting them as it should be."

75 had her rifle gripped tightly.

"Distract Loycael's forces to allow Delta to plant the explosions. Have the forces take the bait once Delta gets discovered and reroute their main fighting forces to Delta Bomb Squad for a splinter attack on the main enemy troops. Muon goes in and engages Loycael. The plan was sound, but Traysha saw through the whole plan. The guy is a monster."

"..." If Ka'Thas was that terrifying despite him being considered one of the more unreliable Generals, I couldn't begin to comprehend the strength of the other two.

I remembered how Traysha had basically condemned me the entire time, but simultaneously he was commanding his armies in the background.

He was able to debate me and figure out Muon and Delta's plan at the same time.

And considering 74 was missing...

Traysha had it completely planned out.

He knew 74 was our main strategist, without her, we were sitting ducks. And Yeling was our most consistent heavy hitter, so he advised Loycael to take him out early and split Thalia away from us.

Our main unit that was meant to engage Loycael now consisted of a half-assed Vitruvian Human, three War Dolls in bad shape and an Elf who looked like he was seconds from wetting himself.

Riho turned to 76.

"76-M, with 74-M missing, you'll need to assume temporary command."

"I know."

The others braced themselves for combat.

"What's the plan, Deputy Chief?" 75 asked.

76 ripped a piece of cloth from her camo jacket, turning it sleeveless as she wrapped her leg wound up.

"If we engage Loycael we are dead meat. We need to find Tidalflame and 74 before we launch any offensives. I will initiate the Bloodhound Protocol and try to track our Chief down. You guys cover me."

The five of us sprinted to the ledge where the explosion had taken place. The entire wall was breached, revealing the outside of the kingdom.

Soldiers left and right were doing battle against the Shadows, who were equipped with firearms but had their distance breached.

The artillery guns that Muon had set up were completely flooded with the armoured soldiers who barged through gunfire left and right.

Explosions continued in the distance where SFA-Delta had engaged the soldiers in the sky.

"Dammit... the artillery!" 76 muttered.

"Delta wasn't supposed to use their artillery yet. They've been forced to use their armaments!"

"Guys... Look over there..." 75 said, her voice shaky as she pointed out into the distance.

My heart nearly stopped upon seeing where 75 was pointing at.

A massive canyon had formed as if a meteorite the size of a city had blown right through it. The valley's edges were laced with a smouldering blue, green, and purple flame.

The flames of a Stage Five Hinokami.

"Yeling...!" My voice left me at the sudden realization of our predicament.

What kind of power did Loycael have that could send Yeling of all people hurtling out of the kingdom like this?!

"We're running out of time. We need to recover both Yeling and Thalia, but Yeling could be completely unconscious for all we know. And we have no idea where Thalia went!" I exclaimed.

76 closed her eyes, trying to formulate a plan.

"Shit... fuck!" She whispered angrily.

I turned back to the inside of the castle. The sounds of fighting had continued.

"If the plan was to have the forces of Loycael concentrated on Delta, that part of the plan has succeeded. Aaron and I managed to escape Ka'Thas' Den and we met up with forces from Delta on the way. Our plan is still to target Loycael and isolate him from his army," 78 said.

"Each second we spend trying to find 74 and TF is more time for Loycael to join his soldiers. It may be true that Loycael overwhelmed us instantly, but Yeling had put up a decent fight in that he was able to distance the King from his men to some degree," 75 retorted, causing indecision to wash over Riho's face.

76 put a hand to her chin, pacing back and forth amidst the fighting.

"75's right. Yeling bought us some time. But that time is fleeting. If we're going to recover someone... we have no choice but to prioritize Yeling first. And leave coordination to me."

I didn't like the idea of leaving 74 by herself, but the one thing we were lacking was straight up firepower.

"What if we split up?" Garen asked.

"No. If we split up more than we already have, it's even more of a reason for Loycael's Generals to pick us apart one by one," 76 said.

"But Delta's got it covered, don't they?" I asked.

"SFA-Delta is engaging Ka'Thas and Traysha, with Traysha having more than enough bandwidth to take us on as well. It's not those two Generals I'm primarily concerned about," 76 replied, before a voice suddenly cut her off.

Yes. Torso and The Wise should not be your primary concern, MUON.

A shiver ran down my spine as a man materialized out of thin air, slicing at me with a large sickle.

Riho managed to yank me out of the way, but the man materialized again before the War Doll, launching a kick which sent her flying straight into a pillar.

"78!" 76 shouted, before the man appeared again.

This time I was ready.

BANG!

I fired with my Draugr, shattering the man's sickle, and a follow-up shot caught him in the neck sending his bleeding body airborne.

75 immediately followed up, taking aim with her semi-automatic rifle and firing a volley which slammed into the man.

76 spun around, snarling like a beast and grabbed the man by the collar, pulling him in and kneeing him straight in the chin. From the ruins of the collapsed pillar, 78 bolted forward, knives in her hands and slicing at the attacker from multiple angles.

The man stumbled, only to be greeted with the barrel of 76's shotgun which blew him back.

"Elf!" 76 growled.

"In the name of House Trevyalen, I cast you down with the magic of the Elven, for magic refined for centuries-"

"JUST SHOOT THE DAMN CROSSBOW, GAREN!" 75 snapped.

"EEK! Okay!"

Garen fired a bolt that was laced with a magic rune, expanding and catching the man before he could dissipate again.

I bolted forward, Draugr in hand, but before I could finish him off, the man disappeared.

"What? That spell is an immobilization spell!" 75 exclaimed.

So even your magic cannot hold my might manifestations. That is unfortunate.

"Who the hell is this guy?!" Garen snapped, trying to regain his footing.

Ka'Thas the Torso.

Traysha the Wise.

This guy... had to be...

"Shuuki," I muttered, narrowly dodging another manifestation before following up with SMG fire. But the manifestation held out his hand, stopping it with pure force alone.

"Back to back!" 76 shouted as the five of us huddled together, facing off the ghostly apparition of a man who stood before us. Well...

Standing was a bit of a stretch.

The man was so skinny it was almost like I was looking at a mummy, an emaciated one. He was hunched over in such a disturbing way that it was almost incomprehensible how this apparition was giving us so much trouble.

I traded a few blows. But those blows are enough for me to conclude that I do not need to leave my coffin to face you. These apparitions will finish you off.

"Apparitions?" I asked.

Shuuki's spectre tilted his head.

You are a smart one. If you pose even a fraction of a threat to Lord Locyael, then I expect that you can at least understand how this apparition has come to be.

The gears in my head turned.

Shuuki the Grey.

What did 6-D say about this guy?

Tremendous planet-shattering strength

Like Kon.

But...

My mind flashed back to when I was dragged into the throneroom. Loycael was flanked by two entities. Traysha, and beside him was a coffin.

That coffin...

A look of horror spread on my face, causing Riho to lean in close to me out of concern.

"Aaron, what is it? What did you figure out?" Riho signed.

"That apparition... we can't beat it," I muttered.

"What?"

Shuuki's spectre walked forward, and in a split second, his presence disappeared once more.

My heart skipped a beat as we all slowly turned around.

"No... what... what just..." 75 whispered, her eyes wide in terror, disbelief, shock, and above all else.

Horror.

Garen stared at the four of us.

"Guys? Why are you all looking at me like... that..."

SPLORCH.

Shuuki's ghost tilted forward until his face was side by side with our Elven comrade.

His sickle was sprouting out of Garen's chest. Blood spilled all over the floor, the sound chilling me to the bone.

No...

No way...

"GAREN!" 75 screamed, her eyes glowing a bright red.

"75, calm yourself!" 76 urged, but the War Doll blasted forward, leaving behind a crater on the ground.

Shuuki leaned back, allowing 75 to pepper him with rifle shots. The apparition disappeared into a ghostly white mist as 75 barged right through, clutching onto Garen who had collapsed.

"Ah... what the... hey... Tin Girl... hey..." Garen gasped, trying his best to stay awake.

75 put her hands on her boyfriend's face.

"No... No! Garen!" 75 sobbed, trying her best to resuscitate the Elf, but Shuuki had left behind a hole the size of a golf ball in his chest.

According to the memories of Atlai, men were never allowed to join the ranks of any Tactical War Doll Platoon as the risk of irrational thinking from romantic feelings would be expected. I believed Muon was special, to not just harbor men, but develop romance with them. Unfortunately, I am led to believe this is not the case. And that I was wrong.

Shuuki manifested another form, blinking in and out of existence.

The apparitions he had created...

They were from him.

His power, his strength, they were so great, that he could redirect his own might, his own aura into physical manifestations at will.

It didn't matter how strong our weapons were.

We couldn't beat this guy.

These apparitions were invulnerable to any damage whatsoever.

And as long as they came from Shuuki himself, they all harbored his tremendous strength.

The strength to destroy a planet, and the speed that came from that strength.

All that power... in the hands... of someone as evil, as sinister...

As a General of Loycael.

Shuuki smiled sadistically at 75, who continued sobbing hysterically, clutching onto Garen.

"GAREN!!!" 75 screamed.

How quick you are to crumble from the death of a boy. Muon, you do not need to resist anymore. You have already lost.

Shuuki pointed at 76.

You are the temporary leader of this group. You shall be my target.

Shuuki advanced with tremendous speed. The rest of us couldn't even react to it.

SMASH!

"Blake!" I shouted, but to my surprise, Shuuki's face registered shock.

"To deal damage... you need to be tangible..." 76 muttered, raising the side of her shotgun that had caught Shuuki's sickle. The weapon had cracked and split into two, and an orange glow began to manifest deep inside the firearm's machinery.

76 drew her sidearm and fired at the specter, but Shuuki regained his intangibility. 78's rifle shots passed right through the entity.

How insightful, Tactical War Doll 76-M.

Shuuki shot forward, this time adjusting his trajectory last minute and causing 76's pistol to be knocked out of her hand.

The General reeled his sickle back, ready to strike, when suddenly his hand stopped mid-air.

What?!

I stepped forward, tightening my grip on Shuuki's wrist.

"Hey, asshole," I said menacingly.

Shuuki slowly turned to me as a punch connected square in the face and sent him flying back.

How... how are you landing hits on me?

I walked forward, my body glowing with chakra.

Each second Charlotte cried the angrier and angrier I got.

Shuuki the Grey.

Supposedly he was known to be strong enough to destroy planets.

His strength was so extreme that he could manifest specters to bully people who were weaker than him.

Garen...

Garen was one of us.

He gave life to 75, despite her past as a Winchester and her present as a War Doll.

Yet this bastard took him away from her. From us.

76 stared at me in surprise.

"Red...?"

Outer Shadow Dainsleif, you wield the same techniques as Inner Shadow Reaper. But this will not be enough to-

QUICKDRAW

CHOOM!

A volley of bullets slammed into Shuuki's chest, leaving behind white energized shockwaves that split the entire hallway apart.

Blasts of rubble ripped out of their walls.

Shuuki stumbled, materializing before me, but I had already predicted it, firing my AX5 and sending him up into the mist.

The General materialized in my supposed blind spot.

I spun around and grabbed the General by the throat, bringing him closer.

"I'm gonna destroy every single one of your specters. Each specter gives me information on where your real body is. And once I've figured that out? I'm coming for your head."

Shuuki tried to dissipate and go intangible, but my chakra locked him in place.

What is this... your composure... your style, it has become more aggressive, almost animalistic...

"Shut up."

SPLORCH!

I tightened my grip and broke the General's throat, stomping on his body and sending a massive shockwave outward from where my foot landed.

The General coughed, slashing with his sickle and unleashing a torrent of wind pressure. I dodged the arc and back-stepped.

Shuuki roared, materializing and slashing with his sickle, but each second I was engaged in combat, the more I wanted this guy to suffer.

Every single moment of this defeat.

You will suffer. You will be humiliated.

Not even going to dodge? Have you gone mad, Dainsleif? What a shame-

CRUNCH!

?!

I snapped forward, my mouth wide open as the blade entered it. I bit down as hard as I could, shattering the blade with my bare teeth to the shock of Shuuki, 76, and 78.

Shuuki instinctively backed away, retreating. This would be the first time he retreated.

A moment of weakness that I would exploit. And it would be then did I realized I had entered that state again.

Just like I had when I was with 76 in that alternate Praetes.

Chakra swirled around me, but my red eyes no longer saw reason.

It was filled with berserk, feral, and animalistic rage.

Memories of Garen, 75, and me filled my mind, while Garen's dying body and 75's face of heartbreak filled my vision.

And she's been helping me every single day since then, telling me that she would make sure I could work hard knowing she was always there to protect me.

"You... this is all your fault..." I muttered deliriously, walking forward and sending waves of chakra outward.

I pointed my handgun in the General's direction.

"We're gonna settle this debt of yours. Send as many specters as you want. It's not gonna save you from what's gonna happen next," I snarled.

Vitruvian Frenzy Mode activated.

28

(74's POV)

"Come in," Zero-A said, beckoning me inside.

The office of the greatest Tactical War Doll in the history of the SFA Company greeted me as I stepped in.

Sat in her chair, the Chief War Doll of SFA-Alpha crossed her hands, inspecting a screen. Her eyes darted at an inhumane pace, scanning the contents.

Zero-A's signature Sage Eyes, which allowed her to process information hundreds of times faster than a normal War Doll. It was said that when Alice Azure had been rebuilt into Zero-A, her body demonstrated remarkable compatibility with Lord Gasket's cybernetic technology on par with Auxiliary Shadow Sigurd. It was surmised that this was due to Alice's nature as a Vala Vessel candidate, which made her body naturally inclined to lean towards good fortune by way of its narrative.

The result was a greater affinity to the enhanced cybernetic abilities the surgery would have normally provided.

Zero-A's strength, speed, processing, intelligence, and sight were beyond the norm for a War Doll.

"Chief Zero, about my request," I said.

"I know about your request."

"..."

Zero looked away from her monitor, fixing her gaze at me.

I felt my heart rate double in pace.

"76 tells me you engaged in yet another self-sacrificial offensive."

"It was the logical choice given the time constraints."

"I did not authorize this."

I bit back my lip.

"The explosives were planted and we were able to proceed with the operation. I only suffered moderate damage to my cortex, which is irrelevant."

"If Muon had done what I suggested, 42 percent of the damage you sustained would never have happened. Yes, the operation would have suffered the risk of failure, due to the time constraint, but it would not have been at the cost of one of our own. Cortex damage is costly to repair, not to mention the fact that you withheld information about your attack from the other War Dolls of Muon. Trust is as essential as strength in a combat squad. Especially one as small as SFA-Muon."

Zero-A leaned forward in her chair.

"Must I remind you, 74-M, that you are not the Chief of Muon? As there has yet to be a formal decision, all decisions must be run through me. I am the temporary Chief of your unit, which means you follow me. But rather than adhering to my orders of a guerilla assault, you chose a borderline kamikaze strike."

I was speechless. A part of me wished to argue my case, but I could not follow through.

Zero was correct.

We all reported to her in Muon, and this was a chain-of-command decision.

"I understand."

Zero-A eyed me critically.

"I have also read your proposal. You wish to become Chief."

"Y-Yes."

I no longer had the same degree of confidence as I initially had when I entered Zero's office.

"Do you know what the other Chiefs of the SFA call you?"

"No, ma'am."

Zero's magenta eyes glinted from the reflection of her monitor.

"They call you Suicide Seven. Because of your reckless tendency to self-sacrifice."

"Chief Zero, the act of self-sacrifice is the ideology upheld by SFA-Delta. I fail to understand why I am exempt from this!"

Zero's eyes flashed, sending me into a state of submission.

"Delta's operations use self-sacrifice through their Multiple Lives Precepts on their Clones. That aside, the casualties they suffer have historically been for a tactical advantage. If an explosive is to be planted in spite of intense gunfire, then self-sacrifice comes into play. Your case is different."

The Chief War Doll clasped her fingers together, pointing at me.

"You feel inclined to initiate self-sacrifice at the first opportunity you get. You are lucky 6-D is not in this room, or she would most definitely chew you out."

A surge of frustration washed over me.

I was ready. I had planned every aspect of my strategy down to the smallest detail. Damage was inevitable, but the plan was flawless.

Yet as I made eye contact with Zero-A, I was once again reminded of the tremendous gap in our knowledge.

"The plan you made had many flaws."

My heart skipped a beat.

"I would like to know what they are, ma'am as a learning opportunity," I replied bitterly.

Zero-A flipped through her monitor, providing me with a visual of the mission from my perspective.

"You mapped out every blind spot and area for a fully covert path to infiltrate the cathedral. But you did not factor in air currents. Your scent was picked up by this gaunt here," The War Doll pointed at the corner of the screen, to my shock.

A gaunt did notice me! I couldn't even register it!

"Gaunts are known for their acute sense of smell. In your report, you wrote that you were detected by a Shiver, but the Shiver did not detect you. The gaunt did. It also notified several other Shivers after you killed the one Shiver who you thought had activated its homing beacon. This was why the wave came after you. If you were to launch such a reckless strategy, you should have used your Tactical Perfume to mask your scent, but you didn't."

I stood in the center of the office, my bangs hung low.

"This is not the first time you have put entire missions into jeopardy because of your tendency to throw yourself in danger under what you perceived to be a good call. Can you see why you do not have the merits to become Chief?"

"Yes... ma'am," I muttered, heading for the door.

"Tal."

A rush deep inside me stopped me dead in my tracks.

Only Alice ever called me Tal. All of our classmates before we became War Dolls always called me Thalia. Or Atlai.

But never "Tal".

This would be a name exclusively used by Alice when we were still human.

"Ma'am?"

I slowly turned to see Zero lacing her fingers together, gazing at me intently.

"Tal, I know this isn't something you want to hear. And I know where this mentality is coming from... but... Please. Listen to what I have to say. Sacrifice is never as fulfilling as it sounds. No matter how noble it is, you will always find yourself regretting it in your last moments."

* * *

My eyes fluttered awake, the HUD of my cybernetics lighting up.

Catastrophic organ damage sustained.

Motor units inhibited by 38 percent.

Cognitive units intact.

Warning: Partial severance in right limb detected. Catastrophic damage on left and right leg detected.

Partial severance...

I looked around in a haze, disorientation flooding my mind, but I could make out the situation.

The explosion that Loycael had inflicted on us had separated our group. I was buried in rubble, but from the aftershocks of the battle that was raging outside, chunks of debris had lifted those that had pinned me down.

My body was wracked in pain.

I panted, trying to control my breathing. My vision had become hazy and blurry. Likely the endorphins in my body had run out.

Both of my legs were crushed, and the metal warped. My midsection was blown open, revealing my core and partially my ribcage

The sight itself was sending waves of nausea through me.

Contrary to what the girls and Aaron thought of me, I was extremely queasy when it came to gore and injuries.

The sight of my damage always sent me into a state of overwhelming nausea to the point of vomit.

A battle of both physical attrition and mental attrition was fought each time I sustained severe injury.

Calm yourself, 74-M.

You are the Chief of your unit.

If the Chief falls, so do her subordinates.

Calm yourself.

Calm.

I breathed out, my HUD sending another message through my cortex.

Resource available for repair.

"Route repairs to... both leg modules... and organs..." I panted, trying to keep the vomit from leaving my body.

Repairs initiated.

I rested my head back against the rock. The ashes in the air had left snow-like particles coating my hair.

"You will always find yourself regretting it in your last moments..." I weakly recited Zero-A's words that day.

I always believed self-sacrifice was the epitome of a noble soldier.

According to the company therapist, I was diagnosed with severe survivor's guilt from the aftereffects of Alice's sacrifice.

The guilt would manifest severe forms of trauma. Every night, I would be awoken by the screams of the girl I loved.

Of the many books I read, there was one scientist and psychologist by the name of Sigmund Freud.

In his seminal work, The Interpretation of Dreams, Freud discussed how dreams could be fragmented and unclear, reflecting unconscious thoughts and desires. Modern neuroscience research showed that during REM sleep, the brain regions responsible for logical reasoning and detailed memory became less active, contributing to the vague nature of dreams.

But the memory of Alice's limbs being amputated by her father always made an occurrence in my dreams.

In disturbing detail.

Repairs complete.

I forced myself to my feet, trying to yank my destroyed right arm from underneath the rubble.

"RRRRRRK!" I growled, and excruciating lances of pain began to shoot up my arm, straight from the core of my bone.

The pain.

The pain...!

Bear it.

Bear it, 74.

Thalia would have succumbed to the pain.

But Thalia Atlai is no more than a name. The person was long gone.

Show me the War Doll that had become Chief.

The resiliency needed to serve your sisters in this Company!

"ROOOOAAAAARRRR!" A loud sound shook the entire region of the now destroyed throneroom.

My eyes darted to the sound, instinctively triangulating its position.

It came from a hulking creature the size of a small house.

Massive blades made up its six limbs, all of which were poised.

It was going to charge!

I yanked at my arm again, but the rubble was too heavy. Judging from how the metal in my endoskeleton had warped from the weight, the rubble had to be at least 46000 kilograms.

The creature dug its paws deep into the pavement, preparing its barrage.

I had no choice.

I pulled out a combat blade from my combat boots and sliced at my arm, tearing apart the flesh as more lances of pain jolted up my body.

A War Doll was trained to withstand pain. But the training was limited.

We needed to fear pain.

This was what kept us from commencing reckless maneuvers.

But I would be lying if I said I wasn't wishing the training had been complete as I tried to saw my own arm off.

"RRRRRAAAAAAAH!" I screamed, tears flooding my eyes. Every tear that ran down my face irritated me. Tears made me feel weak.

KRIK! CRUNCH!

My arm finally detached from the rest of my body. The creature barreled past me, its blades slicing my face open, but luckily not my body in half.

I fell backward, dropping my knife and reaching for my sidearm.

There was no time to pinpoint this beast's weaknesses.

I'd have to fire at any spot that looked remotely vulnerable.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!

The bullets ricocheted off the monster's hide. I fell on my back, scurrying and narrowly leaping in the other direction before the monster's follow-up charge could shatter me into hundreds of pieces.

I took aim again, firing at a structural vulnerability that sent a nearby pillar collapsing on the monster mid-charge.

The monster buckled. I bolted forward, unstrapping a grenade from my combat vest, and jammed it into the monster's mouth, setting it off.

An orange explosion lit up from inside the monster's hide, evidenced by a soft glow that penetrated its skin and hide.

The monster buckled, slamming into the ground before me. I approached one of its blades and yanked it out with my cybernetic strength, releasing an ocean of blood that coated my clothes with a bloody black.

I raised the blade into the air before the creature, my eyes wildly dilated.

From the way it was poised, to the way it charged...

The muscle activations seemed to spread outward from the midsection of the animal.

This was where its central processing organ must have been.

I jabbed the blade appendage deep into the midsection of the monster, confirming my hypothesis as its entire body had gone slack.

I took a step back, wiping the blood off my face.

I found myself catching my breath. This was bad.

If I was out of breath already, this likely meant that one of my pulmonary organs had been destroyed.

Catastrophic organ damage... I thought the repairs had fixed my organs, but if it didn't...

That would mean the Tactical War Doll internal computer module had suffered damage too.

I clenched my teeth, limping to cover.

It wasn't safe. I needed to come up with a strategy to regroup with the others. If I had been missing for a long time, 76 would have assumed command.

The logical choice would be to prioritize searching for Yeling, who was sent flying off the radar from Loycael's last attack. The role of leadership and tactics could easily be filled by 76.

The responsibility of regrouping and surviving fell solely on me.

Tactical War Doll 74-M, it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance. I have seen your history. An intensive military career that spanned only four years, yet the experience you gained would be equivalent to that of a hundred. As a fellow tactician, I salute you.

The way he spoke, and the way he articulated his words showed evidence of precision and meticulousness.

If what 6-D said about the Generals was true, then this was likely Traysha the Wise.

I kept silent, trying to find cover and assess the surroundings.

There were plenty of places to find cover and even more to conceal myself.

However.

A strange glow began to illuminate the cracks behind the wall behind me.

I instinctively dove for cover, but at the last moment, spikes ripped out of the ground, impaling me in several areas.

Floods of pain washed over me as I felt myself jettisoned several feet into the air.

What are you, without your team, Chief?

I crumpled onto the ground, unable to regain my bearings. My cerebellum had sustained injury.

I fired at the spikes before they could elongate to my position, hiding behind another wall. A volley of arrows shattered the concrete from where I was.

Positions triangulated.

I slid an explosive across the ground to the other side of the ruins, then took aim with my sidearm. I had to estimate the trajectory of it to allow the bullet to exit the hole that had developed on the side of the cover wall. It would be impossible for the bullet to hit the soldiers. I was not Dainsleif.

But I had my own methods. I fired, the bullets whizzing past the armored soldiers. I watched them turn toward the bullet, returning fire with their arrows.

Several of the soldiers approached the decoy, hesitantly. One kicked the wall over, revealing the explosive I had planted.

"Detonate," I whispered.

KABOOM!

The soldiers flew backward in surprise, disorientation cascading amongst the ranks.

I immediately took aim with my rifle, gunning the soldiers down.