If the phrase ‘You do not know what tomorrow will bring’ manifested into reality by some macabre and unlucky spell from some deathly pne, then today would represent that manifestation second to the day of his rebirth.
These past few days were nothing short of trouble, none the more today. What was supposed to be a fun hang out with friends suddenly transformed into a chaotic dance with death with a demon as the lead dancer.
Gorro, Shota, and Kimi have all returned home safely. Though, how safe they were was certainly dubious. Considering that possibility of that Areiji monster spawning anywhere near their vicinity was possible.
Twice already it had shown up near him. Coincidence, possibly. However, Captain Apex didn’t seem to think so.
“So that’s the gist of it. The state guardians will especially monitor our district until this whole thing settles down.” Stanley said. “How long that will take? I can’t say for sure.” Stanley continued.
Dad looked out the window at the sight of the patrolled streets cross-armed and a crest-fallen face on what would’ve been a peaceful night.
So deep in thought was he that dad stayed silent throughout the whole expnation. Seemingly he understood it all, yet it was clear to Stanley from the furrow of his brow and the clenching of his fists beneath his cross-armed hands that something else bothered him.
Dad turned to Stanley’s direction, and met his gaze. Yeah, there was definitely something else bothering him.
Though he’d guess that Dad was worried about the neighborhood. After all, even if buildings have reinforced structure due to materials undergoing magical enchantment to prevent city destruction in the event of a battle in the city, the danger this time came from an Areiji.
Dad seemed to notice that Stanley understood as well, thus, his intense gaze dropped. A hard sigh escaped his lips. “I’m just gd you’re alright.” He said.
*Knock* *Knock*
Gentle knocks on the door were heard. Stanley moved on to open it for who it was, and there he saw the tall broad man with muscles possibly visible beneath his tactical combat suit, along with an equally muscur tall woman with braided hair.
“War Priestess. Captain Apex.” Stanley said. “Please come in.”
With that, the two walked in. Unequipping their boots, leaving only their socks to walk the floors of the living room. “We had Dec Z analyze the report that Miss Hartgrass had sent over to us much more thoroughly, he’s currently developing the necessary items needed for this mission as we speak.” He said gently.
Though his gaze slowly looked down before moving over to mom and dad. He took a deep breath, and spoke. “Mr. Ryker, Mrs. Ryker. We didn’t mean to drag your son into this early, but…” Captain Apex said.
“Nothing else should be said Captain. My son’s an Areiji, if there was a way he can make things easier on you, then so be it. I trust him to protect himself.” Dad said. Though, it was clear that he had to strain himself to say those words.
Captain Apex nodded in appreciation.
“Also, I leave my son in your care. I hope he makes a great state guardian.” Albert said, patting Stanley’s shoulders.
“He will. There’s no doubt it.” War Priestess said.
Heat made its way to Stanley’s face as he buried his hands in his pocket. It’s been, what… 90 something years since someone said – I leave my son in your care – to him. Technically, he was 111 years old. Then again, with his rebirth, he was still 16 in this world.
Stanley chuckled.
“Ah, that’s right sorry. I forgot.” Albert said, chuckling along with Stanley.
“Like I said many times, don’t worry about it. It’s nice to relive youth again.” Stanley said.
“Except you were more like a parent to us, than we were to you.” Mom stood up from the couch and spoke as well. After which, she turned to Captain Apex, the smile of a boasting mother already prominent on her face.
“ You know? When I tried changing his diapers for the first time and kept failing, he got impatient and started wrapping his own diaper on himself whilst he lectured me on how to do it.” Teresa said.
“Wait, you did that?” His little sister Rachel said.
“Guess it comes with the territory when raising an Areiji huh?” War Priestess giggled alongside mom. Captain Apex merely looked at everyone gently, a small smile on his face. Dad’s ughter quickly burst out. “I remember that.”
Dad ughed so hard, mom actually started looking at dad with the most perplexing marriage between ughter and offended. “As if something like that has never happened to you.” She said, gently spping her shoulder.
“I’m sorry I mean. I just watched a baby teach his own mom how to wrap his diapers.” Dad continued ughing, holding onto his stomach as though it hurts, and his face grew red.
“I mean no disrespect. It’s just…” Stanley said. Before he could finish, Mom spoke out. “Oh stop it, I know.” She said.
“Couldn’t imagine.” Said Captain Apex. “Anyways, I shouldn’t get in your way. Again, I apologize for all of this inconvenience. You all just make sure to stay vigint and keep calm. We’ll do the best we can to contain this mess. Stanley, if need be, we can count on you again yeah?”
“Yes sir.” Stanley said.
With a simple nod, both Captain Apex and War Priestess left.
Part 2
The door to the Ryker Household closed behind Duke Bhyrdun, the State Guardian named Captain Apex. After which, it was as though a weight had fallen on his chest in spite of the fleeting gentleness in his heart. They all looked happy in spite of the danger looming over them.
Stanley’s a good man, he kept his family in peace. Mr. Ryker too, there was a clear hint in his strained voice that he was trying too hard to ugh at some random anecdote. Dana may have not seen it, but he surely did.
Mrs. Ryker and the young dy’s face quickly shifted and ughed along. Not to mention, Dana got caught in their little moment too. Truly, it can be said. That nothing in this world could ete a man more than the faces of a smiling family.
It didn’t have to be his own. Others could do the trick too. Surely made him wish that he had something like that too. Speaking of which, he should get back to finding his brother once this whole thing is over.
Then a soft yet firm grip grabbed hold of his hand, her fingers wrapped around his, and made it so firm that he thought she would never let go.
He turned to hand’s origin, and there he saw Dana, the State Guardian called War Priestess. She didn’t look in his direction and a strong blush made its way onto her face. “Have I told you that you have family here too?” She said.
Dana has been married to him for 2 years already and she still at times spoke like they both were in middle school. He could practically feel her heartbeat through her palms. Despite that, under the gentle moonlight, the usually strong dy’s words lifted the weight off of his chest.
“You did.” Duke smiled.
“Then chin up tiger. You’re our new guardian chief, so don’t get all gloomy on me or I might just overtake you.” She said.
A chuckle escaped Duke’s lips as well as a relieved sigh. “As if I’d let you.” He then said.
A fsh of yellow light, and a quick footsteps came rushing towards him. There he saw the lean young d Lenny, the State Guardian Bolt-tastic, who zoomed in front of him to a point that he looked as though he teleported.
“All good down there Cap!” Bolt-tastic said. “Nothing special so far. Sensors aren’t picking up any anomalous disturbances anywhere from edge to edge. Maybe it won’t pop up tonight?” Lenny said.
He opened his status window, opened his inventory, selected something, and in blue polygons came out a pile of snack bars numbering in the hundreds, of which Lenny munched on them, leaving wraps on the floor that disappear into blue polygons.
Dana looked at him with bnk eyes, her clean freak was showing. Duke slightly bumped her shoulder, and she looked away with a huff.
“Perhaps, but Dec Z said that the anomalous mana signature is still around. Whether it will attack Stanley again or not is why we’re here.” Duke said.
“Understood Cap, but a man can hope.” Lenny said with a mouth full, some crumbs falling onto the ground.
“I wouldn’t put my hopes up if I were you. The Areiji signatures from this afternoon is building up at the district. It’ll show up soon.” Baron, the State Guardian known as Dec Z, said.
“Dec, my man. Always the bringer of bad news!” Lenny said, as he quickly cleaned up his mess, zoomed to a nearby recycling bin and returned.
“Sorry for the te response, but I’ve had the ground team set up the two-barrier yers we talked about.” Baron continued, ignoring Lenny. “Barrier activity begins now.” He said, pressing on something from his end.
Just as he said, a great transparent barrier of mana shot from the ground, ran across the sky, and encased the whole district as a film of mana hugged the district buildings completely.
There stood, the squatting Lenny and firm Dana. Baron was behind the screen, still back at HQ. “Alright. Back to your positions. Follow after this.” Duke said, his tone, a firm one.
Baron quickly logged off the video call, and the window screen disappeared. “Yes sir!” Lenny said with his trademark sarcastic sounding tone, one that seemed like he was joking around but was actually serious if someone got to know him properly.
Dana stayed behind, standing firm beside him. Hands behind her back, and kicking on the floor whilst pretending to look around for something, and her lips were puckered. Yeah, she was waiting around.
Oh, now that everyone was gone, she was acting the way she was.
A small chuckle escaped from his lips as he knelt down and pced a hand on the barrier yer on the ground - a familiar feeling akin to dipping a body part in water washed over his hand.
He opened the dam to his soul, and let its spiritual force travel from the depths of his inner spiritual self through the interconnecting pathways, and towards the physical pne.
Mana gathered at the palm of his hand.
A deep breath was taken.
<
Weaknesses are key to victory: Uncovering enemy weakness; Overcoming personal weakness; Compensating ally weaknesses — He chanted to himself.
Mana traveled from the palm of his hand towards his fingertips, and a wave of mana surged outwards throughout the whole barrier above and across the yer of defense over the buildings. His mind attuned to the barrier.
There were certain parts where the barrier was thin, and areas were security could be exploited due to easy entangling of mana weaving throughout a section of the barrier. It was still a high-css craftsmanship on Baron’s end.
But it still could be improved slightly.
“Limit, break.” He chanted.
Again, mana traveled from the palm of his hand to his fingertips, and released it downwards. Mana surged throughout the whole barrier, the outer yer that barricaded the entire district, and the yer that hugged the buildings.
External limits, broken. Internal limits, broken. Weak points, closed. Deficiencies, covered. Unnecessary aspects, removed.
Final product: Double-yer mana defense composed of barrier and yer, efficient mana utilization.
Now there should be no weak points left. Still, there’s only so much he could do. As the saying goes, ‘One step short of God and it can be taken down’. So vigint, he still must be.
Duke stood back up. Taking a deep breath. Mana traveled from the soul, to the spiritual pathways, into the body. A feverish-like heat washed over his body, from the sor plexus outwards.
For a split nanosecond, the whole world ceased to exist, and he returned to that moment in time, back in his childhood. He saw the te police chief, Braxton Armstrong, soaring through the air. The wind gently blowing against his face, and he stood atop the fence feeling the same wind as he imagined soaring the air like him.
<
The feverish heat dissipated and a cool air enveloped him. The feeling of the ground left the base of his foot. Dana followed suite, and she hovered above the ground like himself.
“Let’s head on.” Dana said.
“Yeah.” Duke said
Soft air gently blew against his face as he pushed himself through the air with no force, soaring higher.
But now wasn’t the time to love the feeling of weightlessness in the air, now, Stanley and that Areiji was the priority.
Part 3
The great Captain Apex hovered above the clouds like some great powerful god made flesh. Protecting all under his territory with a watchful eye. No strings attached, no demand for absolute obedience in return for his power.
Even so, people practically worship the ground he walked.
Look at him. Powerful. Beautiful. A true paragon of the light. Cherish your beloved skies as you may, Duke. For truly just as death follows after life, darkness comes when light vanishes.
Zedric pced down his binocurs. A smirk made its way onto his face, and a chuckle escaped from his lips.
How couldn’t it? The mere thought of extinguishing such a champion made his blood boil with excitement— but for now, focus on Stanley.
There was no doubt that he would come face to face with Captain Apex in the future. Since the beginning of their birth, it was practically written in the stars. That as the future Godfather of Crime, he’d csh with a Paragon of Light no matter what.
For the fated csh of light and dark, Zedric needed to be ready. Captain Apex was one of the few who had power close to the Areijis.
He was no Rayford Heinzwalt, the only man in history to have magic surpassing the Areiji as an inhabitant of this world, nor was he Gregor Rockfield, the current strongest man not cssified as Areiji, but he was a step below that piece of almighty power.
“Uhmmm… boss? I don’t think tonight’s such a good idea.” Buroka, that whorish naked doll, said as she leaned against the balcony of the nearby apartment building.
No longer was her body covered in bloodstains, no doubt Leisar must’ve cleaned her up.
“There’s too many of them, and I don’t think they’d fall for me.” Buroka pouted, her body jiggled with each movement. Her twin-tailed blonde hair flowed with the gentle breeze and her naked body was exposed for all to see, yet she twiddled around like some child.
“You could probably seduce half the world with the way you look right now.” Leisar commented from within the apartment, leaning back on his chair and feet up on the table surrounded by even more corpses.
The floor was practically painted in blood. Zedric sighed, but looked away. Once the title of Godfather of Crime has been attained, he’d have multiple whorish dolls clean up Leisar’s mess.
In response to Leisar’s comment, Buroka looked down at her own nude body in analysis.
She jumped. The fatty voluminous blob on her chest bounced and jiggled, she looked behind to her naked bottom, stretching out wide that which was between the cheeks was exposed, she let go, then jiggled her bottom cheeks around. “I could, could I?” She then said, her face brightening with a smile.
She ran towards Leisar, her swaying bottom jiggling behind her, and she got close to Leisar’s face. “Thank you, bomby!”
“Don’t call me bomby…” Leisar said.
“Bomby!!” Buroka insisted.
Leisar groaned.
Okay, that’s enough. “Quiet, both of you!” Zedric said.
“Yes boss!!” Buroka said, quickly turning towards Zedric’s direction, saluting.
Now, back to the main problem.
As Zedric returned to looking at the two-yer barrier that just manifested over Stanley’s residential area, he could only think — Indeed it is a problem.
There was a high possibility of that barrier having a sensory or hostile defense effect. So he’ll need Leisar to cause a commotion and Buroka’s fluids to untangle the mana weaves that were making the barrier. But he would need to be quick.
If he knew anything about barriers, it would be that some would have hidden defense mechanisms. Which meant, he’ll need to dismantle that, before Leisar’s rampage, however, Leisar would need to run ahead and bombard them before they notice their barrier was weakened.
No problem on that part, however…
Besides the watchers of the skies comprised of the ‘captain’ and his woman, there were guards on the ground too. Now, from what he saw, one had some speed-enhancing magic, and a superior variant at that too.
That pn should suffice, but Leisar would need Buroka’s breast milk to barely match them all at once, though knowing the people of the light, they’d want to arrest him rather than go for the kill. That would be Leisar’s chance at survival.
So the abyss subspace really quick. He just hoped Buroka, that whorish doll, doesn’t wander off somewhere.
“Leisar.” Zedric said.
“We’re starting?” He spoke with a tired tone, dropping the chair as he stood up, and walked towards Zedric’s side, leaning on the balcony. “So what’s the pn?”
“Sip on the doll. Then go make hell for me over there. Wait for me to unlock the abyss subspace, then use it to escape.” Zedric said.
“Kill them?” Leisar asked.
“You won’t be able to. Not with all of them together. Just make sure to keep any eyes of me and Buroka.” Zedric said.
“Hmm.” Leisar hummed, understanding. After which he looked over his shoulder. “Buroka!!” He called.
Buroka skipped her way towards Leisar. “Bomby?”
Leisar picked her up, Buroka wrapped her legs around Leisar’s waist. Now mouth-level with Buroka’s nipples, he suckled on them. Hard that a wet sucking sound was heard besides the moaning from Buroka’s mouth.
Buroka’s liquids, her breast milk in this case, was altered to be ced with her raw renewable soul energy. The mana boost should be a colossal difference.
Leisar took his hands off Buroka, she fell to the floor with a thump. Another moan escaped Buroka’s lips as her body that naturally converts pain to pleasure, struck the floor.
A surge of mana could be felt emanating from Leisar’s body. Far beyond what his body normally had. Zedric smiled at the result.
“Excellent.” Zedric said.
Truly, he could say, that it was a good idea that he bought Buroka from that old oaf of a man. She was useless in his hands, even as successful as he was in creating the ultimate woman. After all, if one was going to raise their own whorish doll and give it some utility, at least, use what was added.
Not keep her locked up in some dungeon. She lost that right when she was given such… unique abilities.
With that thought aside, he had watched as Leisar leapt towards the balcony fence. By now, he should be distributing his ‘super points’ towards endurance, especially if he was going to jump off this 30 story building.
He finished in just a breath.
He leapt – and rolled as soon as he touched the ground. Super points distributed to speed, and he ran. Faster than any normal human could, but not something that super speed spells couldn’t overtake 30 times over.
Zedric himself should get going too. Or else, Leisar might be stopped.
“Buroka!” Zedric called.
Of which, Buroka approached him. “Boss?”
“Hold on tight.” Zedric ordered.
Immediately, Buroka jumped onto his back like a little child. “Gohh!!” He yelped as he nearly tipped over from the sudden extra weight on him. Buroka may act like a child and may have the common sense of a child, but she was no child.
Alright, enough.
At this, Zedric took a deep breath.
He opened the dam to his soul, and mana entered through his body through his spiritual pathways.
Weaknesses are key to victory: Cultivating once own weaknesses; Wearing weakness like an armor; Weakness brings forth Power — He chanted to himself.
<
Mana traveled from his sor plexus outwards to the rest of his body, and a chilling icicle feeling washed over him. His special barrier of opaque blue mana covered him, and he stood at the edge of the building, and he leapt.
Part 4
The partially cloudy sky that gave a slight illusion of peace drifted ever so gently across the sky. Duke hovered alongside it, watching. Even if the anomaly hadn’t shown up yet, it was still no excuse to sck off on the job.
As the new guardian chief, he’d need to set an example after all. If the leader falters, some subordinates would follow suite, or one would need to compensate and have more work on his or her hands.
In any case, it was better to— A wild high-sonic tone rang out in his ear, the sensory beacon of the barrier was alerted. Something hostile ran into the barrier, but… Pressure befell him, threatening to force him back to the ground. The world felt as though it were rumbling…
Then it went silent.
Dana’s guard went up, and the soft face that she had, hardened. She quick-equipped her weapons, and in blue polygons, her sword and shield manifested at the palm of her hands, of which she gripped it firmly. “What was tha—”
BOOM — Dana’s words were cut. Pilrs of fme blossomed upwards, a roaring thunderous explosion that rocked even the sky. The clouds that once drifted gently blew away violently, as the explosions shock wave rippled outwards.
Duke’s heart jumped. The ground team!
He and Dana flew down swiftly to see what caused the explosion. As he got close, he saw many of the ground team had already lost consciousness. However, those that remained were yelling and attacking someone.
A man in a loose suit, hair as unkempt as a wild animal. He ughed maniacally as fire exploded from the palm of his hands. Spells flew back and forth, but the man moved slippery across the floor, dodging every spell coming his way.
He backflipped over a crater, smoking and reddening palms aimed downward — BOOM! BOOM! — in quick successions, the ground exploded, knocking out plenty of the other Guardians that were fighting him.
If it weren’t for the barrier yer, the buildings would’ve been damaged and the people in it, killed. Thank goodness for Baron.
In blue polygons, a dart appeared at the palm of Dana’s hands. She quickly hid amongst the pilrs of smoke and fire, throwing the dart — PANG! — The dark struck something metallic connected to a nearby building, the wild man’s eyes flinched towards the sound for a second.
Dana came out from amongst the smoke, opposite where he flinched — BAM — his body skidded across the floor, and Dana came in for another strike, but his palm was facing her… His stomach dropped. He wanted to yell out faster, but his words were ter than his reaction.
“DANA!!” Duke yelled… but it was too te — BOOM! — From the palm of the wild man’s hands, a great explosion violently engulfed Dana, sending her soaring back and crashing towards a nearby building, the defense yer preventing the building from being destroyed.
Lenny’s lightning silhouette blurred towards him from a distance, and Duke knew what he needed to do.
Duke flew towards the wild man, moving between the plumes of smoke and fire that spawned from the wild man’s magic. Said man saw Duke, he raised up his palm up at him, and it glowed as the heat around it began to burn.
A nanosecond, the world ceased to exist around him as mana traveled to the palm of his hands.
Weaknesses are key to victory: Uncovering enemy weakness; Overcoming personal weakness; Compensating ally weaknesses — He chanted to himself quickly.
<
The nanosecond ended, and his mind returned to reality. The wild man in suit’s hands glowed a bright orange. Duke kept flying forward, and brought forth his hands as well. The target was the wild man’s spell, effect required – Downgrade the parameters of the opponent’s current spell.
Mana flowed outwards, and soared towards the wild man’s hand, quicker than he could unleash his explosions.
Duke kept flying forward, and… POOF
“Wha…?” The wild man said, his face contorting into confusion.
What was supposed to be a massive explosion, Duke made sure it was nothing more than a spark.
In that split moment of confusion, Lenny came in like a fsh of lightning. BOOM. The punch brought about by quick acceleration and force sent the wild man unching straight at Duke. He definitely must have some defensive spell for sure.
Even with a punch that quick, only a bit of damage was done to his body. Clearly, Lenny intended to injure him greatly, to incapacitate, so they can interrogate him as the medics regenerate his body slowly.
If that won’t work, then…
Mana flowed from his core to the rest of Duke’s body. The target of the spell was himself. Effect, remove his personal weaknesses for a brief moment. A small nanosecond passed.
<
The wild man’s body came flying at him. Duke drew back his hands – BOOM! – The wild man’s body was sent down to the ground like lightning, crashing down and skidding across the floor.
Still, the man stood up, his suit a wreck, his face, filled with bruises, but… he looked like he still could go on. His body shimmered, some defensive yer surrounded him too. The magical energy off of that yer, felt, foreign to the wild man though.
He was a tough one.
The wild man looked around, and growled like a beast at his surroundings.
Dana had just recovered and in blue polygons, a great many swords, spears, and magical staves manifested slowly above the air. Lenny’s speed made sure that no matter where the wild man went, he would follow. Duke had his arms outstretched, any spell… he’ll downgrade.
The wild man tried to move, but he limped forward and stumbled. The shimmer that surrounded his body shattered like gss.
Now he was helpless.
“Surrender now.” Duke said, hands still outstretched.
In a split moment, a great fsh from his right hand side at the edge of his vision, and his arm was pushed away by something. Something that came from nearby. Dana was shot in the back, and she fell down. He looked over at Lenny, and his head was bleeding.
An attack quick enough that even Lenny couldn’t see.
Someone was helping this guy.
BOOM!
From the wild man’s feet, a great explosion erupted from beneath the man’s feet, and he disappeared. A slight ripple on the floor where he once was.
The wild man escaped through an abyssal gate. Wait… an abyssal gate was open here?
<
A notification was sent to him. Duke’s elite system window popped and hovered before him, the face of Baron could be seen through the video call. “Captain, we have a problem.” He said, a serious face.
“What is it?” Duke said.
“Stanley… he’s in the abyss.” Baron said.
Duke’s eyes widen, and a “Wha…?!” Escaped his lips.
Immediately, he soared up in the air and located Stanley’s home.
He thought that perhaps, Stanley prioritized the safety of his family, hence why didn’t he .come out to help fight with the rest of the guardians. If that were the reason, he would’ve been fine with it. But…
As soon as Duke found Stanley’s house he saw that the front door was open. His heart dropped. Please, don’t let something happen to the Rykers. Please say they were alright.
Duke dove down to the open door, nding gently, yet quick enough.
“Mr. Ryker!! Mrs Ryker!! Rachel!!” Duke yelled.
And there he saw little snot-nosed and puffy-eyed Rachel Ryker and her mother Mrs. Teresa Ryker, tears poured out of their eyes like rivers as Mr. Albert Ryker hugged them both, though tears could be seen rolling down his face too. His fingers trembling.
No scratches or injuries on them but, Stanley…
Part 5
Everything moved so quick.
One moment, Stanley Ryker stood next to his parents. He heard an explosion, looked out the window and saw some kind of fight had been happening. He wanted to help as soon as Rachel stopped crying and tugging at his shirt firmly so as to not lose her big brother.
Sweet, she was. Rachel has always been a good girl, but that wasn’t the time to hold him back. It took a little while, after all, he couldn’t just grab Rachel’s hand and push it away, she might get hurt.
The explosions continued outside, and the fight sounded as if it were getting worse. He finally managed to get Rachel’s hand loose enough to rattle himself out, and Rachel yelled for him to not run off.
But as he opened the front door, what was supposed to be a step onto the front balcony, felt as though there was nothing to step on. He tripped, and he sunk into the ground.
As he fell, he looked up, and a ripple was all he saw, and he found himself… here…
Stanley looked up from where he fell.
It was a dark void yet some unknown light source from the depths of nowhere allowed him to see vague movements that riddled the bck sky, as though there was an ocean of ink swaying above him.
Cool, gentle winds blew against him.
He gnced around the wastend made of nothing but pearl white sand almost like ash. Nothing else could be seen in sight, not a single life, no buildings.
Crap!
Now was not the time to be standing still, he needed to get home. Maybe the Areiji Monster would show up any time, and he needed to be there to help. But most importantly, keep his family out of the way.
Stanley’s heart sunk at the mere thought.
Every building was built with materials processed through material bonding magic, the resources’ internal magical energy were pulled out from within its natural life force, so buildings wouldn’t break easy, yet that Areiji Monster did, almost too easily even.
Even if the State Guardians managed to defend it further with a barrier, how could he be so sure that the Areiji Monster won’t just destroy everything again?
He needed to get back up there, but… how?
“One thing I know for sure. Standing still won’t do me any good.” Stanley said to himself.
Stanley let out several deep breaths. The quickening of his heart ceased, and slowed down to a normal pace.
One would lose to the enemy, if he was too focused on the opponent ahead. So now, focus on getting out first.
So, Stanley walked forward. Yet no matter how many steps he took, the same wastend was all he saw. His only gauge of distance was the small hills of white sand that could be seen every now and then.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to tell if he was even walking.
Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned to an hour. White and bck started to hurt his eyes, and his own light skin and clothing were the source of varied color around him.
Part 6
The plumes of smoke and fire had all but subsided, yet… Duke Bhyrdun knew the storm had yet to pass. He sighed. Before him were not just Lenny and Dana, but many other guardians. Burns littered most of their bodies, yet they were all not on door’s death just yet.
The state guardian bck tactical vest and suits increased survivability, so all of them survived. The concussive force from the explosions knocked them all out, but they’ll survive.
Duke sighed.
The wild man was a decoy. He had no intent to kill, just distract whilst whoever his partner was dragged Stanley to the abyss.
A while ago Baron had called him, telling him that Stanley had vanished, then… he found out that a hole had been made in the mana barrier. One that he specifically enhanced. He needed to go and check what happened first, whilst Baron searches the whole area for the source of the abyssal gate.
In the meantime.
“Medics, over here!!” Duke called out, as a few white-cdded emergency responders ran, and their eyes quickly fell towards Lenny and Dana before stopping. Out of everyone, both of them were the most hurt. Whatever that green fsh was, took them both of them out cold.
Duke knelt as the alchemical circuits were being drawn by the medics, and pced a palm on her cheek. “You did a good job, get some rest.” Duke said, and…
Dana’s breathing eased and she seemed to have colpsed into his palm, her warm cheeks growing hotter. Dana just hummed a response of understanding.
Now, as much as he didn’t want to let go of her face. As much as he wanted to stay here and watch her get better. There was still work to be done. First he needed to figure out what happened, how could’ve this happened under his supervision. Where things went wrong?
Duke separated his palms from the warmth of Dana’s face, as he did, her eyes opened, and a smile made its way onto Duke’s face, and she melted into sleep.
Now then…
He pced his hand on the ground. He took a deep breath.
Weaknesses are key to victory: Uncovering enemy weakness; Overcoming personal weakness; Compensating ally weaknesses — He chanted to himself.
<
Mana traveled from the palm of his hand towards his fingertips, and a wave of mana surged outwards throughout the whole barrier above and across the yer of defense over the buildings once again.
With the barrier’s entire specs visualized in his mind, he could see it.
“Wha…?”
His heart dropped. What was all of this?! Forget weakened, the entire barrier’s defensive systems had been dismantled. The defense yer, which was supposed to detect and halt any hostile intruders – gone.
It was worse off than earlier in the night when he reinforced it. Everything had been taken down to the point that the external barrier was nothing more than a glorified transparent dome.
Whoever was partnering with the wild man, had some kind of spell to degrade another’s spells, or just was a natural counter to barriers.
For now, better reinforce it again. “Limit, break.” Duke chanted.
A wave of mana surged across the whole double-effect defense yer
Again, mana traveled from the palm of his hand to his fingertips, and released it downwards. Mana surged throughout the whole barrier, the outer yer that barricaded the entire district, and the yer that hugged the buildings.
Finally, it was patched up… as best as he could. The defensive yers would need Baron’s supervision. There was no need to give an official order, Baron prided in his work, and for it to come undone like this, no doubt he was making his way here at this very moment.
But beyond that, he needed to find the source of the Abyss Gate. That would mean… he’d have to search the whole area, someone here… was an agent of the Varvadels.
He stood. With but a thought, his system window popped in front of him. Moving to the communications screen, he begun typing.
<
The communications screen and system window disappeared into thin air.
With that, wind surrounded him as he hovered above the ground for a moment, then gently he flew up and away. The scene of the explosive battle with the wild man getting smaller as he flew further, then he turned his gaze.
Dana stayed asleep, and he flew up.
Part 7
More walking, and rumbling could be heard from his stomach as if compining about a ck of food. His mouth was dry and the only source of liquid was his own saliva in his mouth. The gentle wind didn’t seem so gentle anymore.
His mind grew a little weary. This pce, it felt like it was sucking the energy out of him.
“Is there no end to this pce?” Stanley said.
It was unfortunate. There was no spell he had that could get him out of this situation. Not a single one. Most of his spells were tailored towards specific people, he was those kind of mages, Areiji or not, whose spells weren’t as versatile.
Then, there was no technique in material bonding that allowed any transmutation of sand to water or food.
Stanley kept on walking. And soon, there was another color, another body. It was lying down on the surface. It was blurry at first, but as he got closer, the figure grew clearer. Stanley’s eyes perked, and there he saw a…
“Oh no.” Stanley said.
His heart dropped at the sight, his stomach churned, and boiling anger threatened to burst out at the moment.
Laying just a distance away was a naked blonde woman.
With as much strength as he could muster, Stanley kicked off the sand and ran, and the woman’s figure came into full view. Everything else blurred out of sight, only the naked woman on the floor. Red marks surround her, a part of her cheek was swelling, and her nose looked broken.
He looked down, and no doubt semen flooded out of her vagina. Stanley grinded his teeth. Heat boiled up to his face. His head blurred. For a moment, Haruka’s visage overtook the woman’s body.
It was the same even then. He found Haruka’s body, circur bruises at the neck, bnk eyes, her body contorted like a doll, her skin cold to the touch.
Stanley shook himself out of it. Now’s not the time to return to that moment. The woman needed help.
With that, Stanley took a deep breath. For a split nanosecond, the whole world ceased to exist. The nanosecond ended.
<
The target was this woman, spell requirement – healing.
With that, from sections of the woman’s body, floral subspecies: longicalycinus of the Dianthus superbus flowers sprouted, and wrapped around him. Replicas of Haruka’s essence wrapped around the woman, and a dim glow overtook her body.
Soon, her body looked brand new. As though nothing had ever happened to her, though frankly, her mind was anything but… the medics could deal with magical mental attacks like with Kimi and Shota, but natural trauma brought about through normal means…
That was more delicate.
“Ughh…” The woman said, regaining consciousness.
“Stay put, I’m going to get us to safety. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you.” She uttered out.
Stanley’s gave out a sigh of reli— Excruciating pain from his testicles rippled up to the base of his stomach, the woman had struck him in the balls, and Stanley keeled over, crutching them.
The twin-tailed blonde woman quickly ran backwards, gleefully ughing and yelling “I did it!!” Before he could call the nadeshiko flowers to ease his pain, the color green took over his vision, and…
“AHHHHH!!!!” Stanley yelled, writhed on the floor.
A sudden, sharp, burning pain flowed throughout his body.
Like a hammer to every nerve, searing pain rippled throughout his body.
His body spasmed and contracted beyond his control.
The world went blurry.
Then the pain ended. Like tiny ants moving underneath his skin, his body felt numb. His mind struggling to process what had just happened.
Two blurry figures walked out into his vision standing next to the naked woman whose ughs echoed in her mind, distorted. Then… everything cleared. The blurry figures smoothened and became clear.
Standing next to the naked woman were two men. One looked to be in his 30’s, the other in his 20’s. The woman herself looked to be in her early 20’s, possibly even te teen.
The man that looked to be in his 30’s, hair groomed like he was ready for a professional party and wore a simple suit and tie, had this smirk on his face, like he had just done the impossible.
“For an Areiji, you sure fall for the most simple of tricks.” Said man spoke, eloquently. “Though I never suspected that being the weakest of them all means that you think like a mouse. Put some cheese on the ground, and everything else falls into pce.” He continued, chuckling as he said.
Stanley gnashed at his teeth.
He poured mana at his hands, a spell already activated. Yet the air hummed—his mana flickered weakly inside the barrier.
Stanley outstretched his hands, and red spider lilies grew at the base of the trio’s feet and—
“AHHHHHHH!!!!”
Excruciating pain returned, and the whole process and numbing began all over again. When it ended, Stanley only y there, what felt like even more ants moving beneath his skin continued on. The man chuckled.
“A true rat you are huh? You think I wouldn’t consider the fact that you would try to use your cheats inside the barrier? Then again, points for trying.” He said, then looked down that Red Spider Lillie that Stanley had formed. “Summoning flowers for a cheat skill? Rat’s too generous for you, perhaps I can have that oaf turn you into a flower girl for his wedding.” He said.
The middle-aged looking man then cpped his hands together. When they separated, a line of mana was drawn, and with quick speed, his hands danced around, drawing an alchemic circuit that would jumpstart the material bonding process.
The other man with the spiky wild hair, who looked to be in his mid-20’s stood there almost tired. Hands in pockets. His loose suit looked ruined, and were torn in multiple areas, almost as if he had just finished a fight.
Then, Stanley’s eyes moved to the woman and… “Huh?”
The naked woman squatted before a bowl that manifested in blue polygons, rubbing herself. Her tongue rolled out, her cheeks were flushed, and her hips thrusted as her fingers rubbed her vagina.
“Just kill me.” Stanley said.
The middle-aged man stopped, almost surprised. “Kill you? I’m not going to do that. I actually appreciate you. What would I do without you? Well, many things, but you simplify the process.” He said, continuing to draw the alchemical circuit.
One has yet to see. It was a strange circuit, runes were repced with strange rough drawings.
Stanley forced himself up, everything felt painful, and before he knew it, he stood on his feet. Breathing. Panting.
Still, the middle-aged man kept this smirk on his face. “Oh, don’t worry. Areiji’s can’t escape this barrier no matter what.” He then said, confidently, as he continued drawing. “Now, you must be thinking. What? Such a barrier exists? Well, I’ll tell you this. My beloved Buroka whom you’ve had the… pleasure of meeting has vaginal fluids that can be used as a special ingredient for highly powerful material bonding techniques. You don’t read those in the textbooks.” He then said.
Stanley pressed his hands onto the barrier.
These people, they’re sick in the head.
“Oh don’t look so glum, there’s more where she came from. When I take your cheat, maybe I could have your little sister turned into one as well, though not the same as her, Buroka was made with specific functions in mind. No one can replicate her.”
Anger boiled out. His hand balled into fists, and he smacked the green barrier that surrounded him. “You keep my sister out of this!” He yelled.
The middle-aged man looked at him in surprise, yet kept the amused smile. “Okay big brother! Then I’ll just turn you into one. Would you like some nice pair of tits to go with your cute face?” He then said.
“Not many people accept men.” The spiky-haired tired man said, his voice almost tired and weary.
“I was being sarcastic Leisar don’t take it seriously.” The middle-aged man then said.
Soon, the alchemic circuit was completed, becoming a full magic circle. However, it remained hovering mid-air, unlike the usual process where one pces the circle drawn onto the ground and the material over it.
“Well then, that should be good.” The middle-aged man said. Of which, he turned to the woman, he called Buroka. “Buroka, if you please?”
The woman named, Buroka, skipped her way to the middle-aged man. “All done!” She said presenting the ball she had been masturbating on, before him. “Thank you.” He said, taking the bowl and pcing it below the hovering magic circle.
From blue, the magic circle shifted to a glowing indigo.
“And you, my dear Stanley. Are you ready?” He said. Opening his system window, as a transparent screen hovered before him. He selected something, and in blue polygons, came a small book with a red gem in the front.
Stanley kept his mouth sealed.
“Silence of the flower girl, I get it. Now one likes a d who disturbs the ceremony, ey?”
Stanley could only furrow his eyebrows in return.
The middle-aged man pced his book into the floating magic circle, the pages flipped as though wind blew towards it. The barrier around him went from green to red, and…
“AHHHHH!!!”
The excruciating pain returned, but it was different. A greater pain that seemed far worse than from the body, something within, like something from his existence was being torn out. An indescribable pain. It was… too much.
Stanley’s screams intensified as his chest glimmered, and out came something wobbly, and orb-like, he knew… that was a piece of his own soul. That middle-aged man wanted Stanley’s spells, spells only that can be obtained by an otherworlder called the Areiji.
Spells were part of the soul, crystallized from experience and personality. For it tear…
Then it stopped.
Stanley dropped down to his knees. Breathless. Panting. His voice sore from all the screaming, but that wasn’t the point. A strong familiar demonic mana, like one that was endless as the vast oceans seemed, then a great familiar glowing light shone forth.
Stanley’s eyes went wide.
The Areiji monster… it’s back. Of all times, and here too…
The trio before him looked back at the swirling hurricane of mana. The ground rumbled and the inky ocean waves above grew furious, and it seemed as though a storm occurred within the vastness of the inky ceiling void.
The magic circle broke, and the fluids on the bowl burst into fmes. Thunder cpped and fshes of lightning lit the inky bck ceiling of a sky.
The light… faded. A familiar monster stood there.
A chalk-white monster of a man. It’s bloody razor teeth gred at him with a big smile as it salivated. It’s eyes were like the night of the lunar eclipse. It’s muscles rippled and unguted like something creeped around under its skin. Bck markings ran across its body, ending at its sharp fingers and toes.
The fetus apparition from yesterday that nearly mentally broke Kimi and Shota, that grew into that monster from early that afternoon that attacked and targeted Stanley.
Stood before him, once again and growled like a beast.
“Run… it’ll kill all of us.” Stanley said to the trio.
That thing, it’ll kill them for sure. The middle-aged man turned back to him, a surprised look on his face, his smile, disappeared. Yet he stayed firm. He looked back at the spiky-haired man in a loose suit, whom the middle-aged man called Leisar. “Go.” He then said.
“Don’t!” Stanley struggled to speak, but his words fell ft.
Leisar stood forward, arms stretched out, and…
BOOM!!
A great psma ball - light fshed – heat and super compressed air flung forward – everything before Leisar had been reduced to ashes.
At least, it should’ve. Yet… when the smoke cleared there stood the Areiji monster. Kneeling over, yet only a few burns could be seen.
It looked like it was writhing in pain, but not from the burns. No. A green aura coated engulfed his body, and the burns healed in but a nanosecond.
No. Something else was happening. It was changing… again.
It’s chalk-like skin turned into a light toned skin-pigment. Its sharp fingers and toes shrunk and those monstrous hands became normal mans of a man. The bck markings vanished like ashes peeling away. Hair grew atop its bald head.
In pce of the Areiji Monster… was a naked mountain of muscle.
He stood.
Stanley’s breath hitched as the newly reborn Areiji’s face showed itself to him.
Young like the day he first met him, eyes as cold as the day he lied at the morgue. His bnk eyes pierced his very soul even if those gaze weren’t aimed at him.
Memories of his past life back in Japan flooded his mind. The reason why he became a police officer in the first pce stood before him.
He was brought back to the gunfight at Shinjuku, where bullet rains took many lives. He was brought back to the sacking of the Omnitsutora-gumi, where corpses revealed a hidden devil. He was brought back to the murder of the Mouta Family.
Pieces of gss from a gss vase prickled the face of a little boy’s face – 10 years old he was. His grandfather had repeated knife stabs to the throat and stomach.
And the boy’s sister… Haruka…
Her deceased body fshed in her mind. Bnk eyes. Cold skin. Bruised Neck. Vioted out of dignity that her corpse was like a broken puppet.
She was 17. SHE WAS ONLY 17!!
She wanted to be a baker. She was going to leave that hell of a pce. She had no big dreams, but she wanted something! Anything! And he… he…! He!!! HE!!!
Even then, his bnk crazy eyes revealed the devil within as he was handcuffed and moved to the police car.
This was him. The Crime with a Face himself. Haruka’s killer.
“Okazaki… Ryutaro…” Stanley whispered.
Part 8
Okazaki Ryutaro… oh… Okazaki Ryutaro… Ryutaro… Ryutaro! RYUTARO!!!
His eyes burnt with anger. His heart burnt. Everything around him blurred away. Screw those guys! It’s Ryutaro that he wanted to punch right now! If it weren’t for his exhaustion or for this barrier, rendering him unable to do a single thing, he would’ve just ignored those three idiots and got HIM!!!
Haruka…
How could he… why would he? To someone like her… Her of all people. Haruka…
Memories invaded his mind. Uncontrolble. Clear as though he was there again.
Haruka, another student of the same css, and himself when he was still Saejima Ken, sitting on the slopping hill near a river. Ken, didn’t want to go home yet. Haruka just lied down, stretching herself across the gentle grass, her brown hair spread out. The other boy, just ughing after he had beaten down another delinquent who tried bullying himself and Haruka.
Beneath the setting sun, that was the most peaceful moment where it would make a person wish it could st forever.
Then her dead body invaded his mind again, like a broken record pying. Her cold unmoving body, her legs bent out like a broken doll. Her neck covered in circur bruises. Her eyes completely wide and lifeless, almost red-shifted from being strangled.
His throat hurts from all the screaming as the police held him back. His eyes puffy. He wanted to rush in and just fall in front of her… but the police wouldn’t let him.
His eyes… were like back then. Empty. Bnk. Bleak. Cold. Disgusting. Predatory! Murderous! Vile!
Even as he was cuffed and walked to the police car, those eyes remained the same. Like the eyes of a dead man, no life, no soul. Those eyes held the devil inside of them, not even a smile. He did such horrible things to her with such… passion!! If he wasn’t even happy to do it, then WHY DID HE DO IT?!
“Buroka, come.” The middle-aged man said, breaking him from his train of thoughts. “Yes boss!!” The woman Buroka said, skipping over to the middle-aged man.
In that moment, a greenish-blue barrier surrounded the middle-aged man and Buroka. Buroka arched her back, and the middle-aged man sucked on her breasts.
The 20 year old looking man named Leisar stepped forward outside of the barrier. His hands reddening, and sparks fshed, as he got ready for combat.
And Ryutaro… not a single expression on his face. Bnk eyes still. Cold devilish eyes still.
As the middle-aged man’s lips left Buroka’s bosom, the barrier’s color changed to a deep violet. Strange foreign mana radiated from it. Buroka… that strange woman, her fluids enhanced spells. She acted like a child, presents herself like a prostitute. What have they done to her?
Ryutaro took a deep breath. His body glimmered with a neon green glow for a moment.
Leisar, recognizing battle, took stance. Not like any battle stance he had ever since, just one fitted for a wild beast. Sparks popped at the palm of his hand— Ryutaro palmed Leisar’s head, pushed and pinned him against the middle-aged man’s barrier.
“Wha…?!” The middle aged man said in surprise.
Yeah, Ryutaro was that Areiji monster. That meant now, he was much more dangerous, he was fully reborn, with all of his mind intact. All his cruelty. But… Buroka, the poor girl would be killed as well. No, they all need to be brought to justice, they couldn’t die like this, not from a devil like Ryutaro.
“No… I’m here, don’t kill them. I’M HERE!!” Stanley yelled.
Yet, Ryutaro simply moved his gaze from Leisar to Stanley, a confused look grazed his face. His lips begun to move, but… Buroka ran out of the barrier that was protecting her.
“Leave Bomby alone you bad man!! Leave Bomby alone!!” Buroka yelled, smming her bare fists on Ryutaro’s body that looked to be a mountain of naked muscle.
Ryutaro simply looked down at the nude Buroka, his gre alone made her freeze, and her knees caved inwards. “Leave… Bomby alone…” She said in between teary sniffs. Tears welled in her eyes and piss erupted from between her legs.
Then… she cried loudly, snot and tears streaked her face, her body trembling like a scared animal—yet her hands still reached for Leisar.
Ryutaro only looked down at Buroka. His massive arms loomed down over her, and tried to touch her.
The world blurred just for a moment. Images flooded his mind back. He touched her too. Ryutaro touched Haruka too.
Stanley gnashed at his teeth, and whatever strength his body allowed him, he jolted up. “Don’t touch her!!” He yelled, pulling up his hand to cast, but… nothing… his mana tank felt empty. Whisps of mana dissipated before they could be converted into spells.
BOOM!!
A violent explosion erupted from Leisar’s palms. A fsh of fiery orange light, and a booming sound. Ryutaro soared and cut through the air, skipped across the wastend, and an audible thud could be heard from the
“Bomby?” She tearfully uttered, with a small smile. She lifted her hands up, almost like she wanted a hug.
Leisar forcefully grabbed her like a ragdoll and tossed her into the middle-aged man’s barrier. “Stay out of my way idiot!!!” He yelled, his face contorted into a brimming rage.
Buroka sat up within the middle-aged man’s barrier. “Bomby… is alright?” She sniffed.
“I will be if you stop crying! You’re hurting my ears!” He yelled.
She sniffed and held herself back from crying any longer.
“I hate to break your little moment, but he’s coming back!” The middle-aged man said.
He was right.
Neon green glimmered amongst ash-white sand, and Ryutaro’s herculean frame stood there like a roaring lion ready to devour, each step a massive thud like that of a titan’s. The burns that were on his body, rapidly healed until it seemed like he hadn’t been hurt at all.
“I’ll support you from here, you make sure to keep him away from us.” The middle-aged man instructed. His deep violet barrier glimmering, as if ready for battle.
“Got it!” Leisar said.
Concussive force erupted from Leisar’s palms and feet – air rippled – Leisar was unched him forward.
Ryutaro slow walked - with one titan-like kick off the sandy floor - the ground cratered - ash-white sound blew outwards - Ryutaro rushed forward with booming speed.
The two met in the middle with a thud and – BAM! – a heavy csh of explosion and a fist.
Leisar leapt and maneuvered around, as explosions erupted from the palm of his hands repeatedly, kicking ash-white sand around and blurring the area. The middle-aged man’s barrier released projectiles of crackling purple energy, homing in on Ryutaro, searing the air in the process.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
Purple explosions erupted from the ground. Pilrs of fme and smoke rose with it yet, Ryutaro weaved with inhuman speed, each footstep kicked up plumes of ash-white sand, the ground groaning under Ryutaro’s weight.
Leisar endlessly chased escape from their close distance, yet the effortlessly faster Ryutaro kept himself at close-combat with him. Yet it was not a trade of blows. Leisar’s palm sparked with spells of explosions, but Ryutaro interrupted the spell before it could be cast.
Leisar threw a punch. Ryutaro blocke - the left-hand block itself was an age uke (上げ受け) – a swift hand switched and gyaku-zuki (逆突き) to the throat. Leisar flinched, he stumbled back. In that swift moment, Ryutaro rushed towards him and – ippon seoi nage (一本背負い投げ), Leisar was grabbed and thrown over Ryutaro’s shoulder.
*BAM*
A hard sm on the ground.
Ryutaro had not lost his touch. Even the most basic martial arts moves were executed fwlessly. When he fought the rest of the cops back at the Shinjuku Shootout and he was cornered at a warehouse, it was unbelievable, watching one man decimate cops with guns with mere shadow and fists alone.
Now… with magic… as an Areiji… Ryutaro seemed even more unstoppable.
Ryutaro smmed Leisar around as though he were a ragdoll, both hands at Leisar’s feet and he swung him in the air. Ryutaro leapt with a thud. Mid-air, Ryutaro was behind Leisar as he fell to the ground. He drew his fist back - POW!!
Leisar’s body crashed down to the ground like lightning, a crater where he nded. At the same time, another series of projectiles were released from the deep violet barrier. As Ryutaro nded, he took Leisar’s body by the hair, and held it before the homing purple projectiles.
At least, it looked like he was. One moment he looked as though Leisar’s body would be a shield, his face crumpled slightly - then threw the downed Leisar back.
*BOOM!*
The homing projectiles crashed with crackling energy, sparks of purple electricity scattered around him. Dust picked up, and silence befell.
“Did we get him boss?” Buroka said, tugging on the middle-aged man’s sleeves.
However, a green glimmer tore through the dust wall and Ryutaro stood there… baffled. He stared down at his body, not a single scratch on him. His brows furrowed, he looked as though he was expecting some kind of damage, yet known came.
And from his bnk face, surprise emerged.
It… made sense. He had just been reborn and probably still didn’t know much of his own power. The fact that he even managed to use some of it was not that unusual for an Areiji, who are living cheat codes.
“…” The middle-aged man grumbled beneath his breath.
“You… let me out of here and I’ll fight him for you.” Stanley said. Standing up, but as he did, his legs colpsed on him. His arms felt numb, and it almost felt like they weren’t there at all, like they were just pieces of meat hanging from his body.
“Nice try flower girl.” The middle-aged man said.
Damn… He really couldn’t do anything. Why though? What was this barrier?
Stanley saw. Ryutaro’s gaze switched from his body to the duo still within the barrier - a neon green shimmer momentarily and… the ground cratered, the ash-white sand was kicked up, and he rushed forward like a titan.
Purple projectiles scorched the air and zoomed towards Ryutaro, yet he simply ran forward, the projectiles dissipating upon impact of his body. Dissipating into cackling sparks of purple that danced behind him.
The ground cracked, and blue light danced into sparkles as Ryutaro rushed forward.
“Wha…?” The middle-man said in shock. Was there supposed to be a trap there?
Another magic circle cracked beneath Ryutaro’s feet as he ran. There were no doubt traps set up beforehand. When did it get there? Since when? Stanley was too focused on the fight, and
“Unbelievable.” The middle-aged man said, yet there was no fear in them. He didn’t know if he was hearing things, but Stanley, could only hear awe in his voice even as Ryutaro rushed forward. “Show me more.” He then said, in excitement.
In that moment, from the barrier, at least dozens of orbs emerged that orbited around said barrier like pnets around the sun. Even so, Ryutaro rushed through, the balls shattering as it struck his body, and with one punch, a hand lit in neon green.
*BAM!*
The middle-aged man’s barrier broke like a shattered window. He dared not run. Even as he nded and was knocked out, his eyes held no consciousness, Stanley could see, a wide grin on his face. Ear to ear. Glee somehow expressed on his face, even knocked out.
But… that wasn’t the problem.
Buroka shivered. Her naked body crawled back, stopping at the barrier as she curled and hugged her knees, crying. Ryutaro’s naked body loomed over her own nudity. Her figure overpped Haruka’s, was this… what happened even back then. Was Haruka… crawling back… scared too?
Stanley’s stomach churned. Heat rose to his face, and he wanted to lift his hands, yet the numbness refused to go away. His legs, arms, fingers, toes, nothing worked. Only his head. Ryutaro… I beg of you, please… don’t… not another… don’t…
“Please…” Stanley whimpered.
Ryutaro stopped in his tracks. Bnk eyes stared down. A simple head movement, gesturing towards the wild man Leisar behind him, knocked out. Buroka stood ever slowly, she ran. “BOMBY!!” She cried tearfully, running past Ryutaro, yet with a swing to the back of her neck. She fell.
Her body fell and colpsed, yet his eyes remained on Stanley’s figure.
Ryutaro loomed over him. Each step that he took towards Stanley, and he could see that man again. The man back in Japan. The face of crime, the Underboss of the Tenryu-kai (天龍会).
He walked even closer… So, this was it. His second life, gone.
He did have fun while he was still here.
Shota, Gorro, Kimi. They better not end up screw around too much. Shota, you’ve got a lot of heart, just be realistic. Kimi, don’t let your parents bully you into submission. Gorro, tame your lust please, and try not to let what happened in the past get to you. Your family would always be with you, if you let them.
Mom. Dad. Stanley hoped that their parting was more peaceful than this. Rachel better clean up her act in time, or she might be lonely.
Captain Apex. War Priestess. Sorry for having failed so early, let’s hope they could find another protégé to mentor in the future.
He could feel the numbness sooth. Mana was being used. He could feel the nadeshiko flowers wrapped around him. Yet the healing was weak, he had lost too much mana. But it was enough, to feel his arm being wrapped around Ryutaro’s shoulders as he carried Stanley up.
Stanley’s opened wide. He turned, and there he saw a face that he thought had been lost to time. A gentle one. “Let’s get you out of here.” He said, a deep baritone voice that he remembered yet still had that young edge to it.
When he st had this voice, he remembered… No… none of that.
“L - let… go. I can walk on my own.” Stanley said.
Ryutaro didn’t bother looking at him, but simply begun walking forward, and Stanley’s legs were like noodles being dragged across the ash-white sand. “Don’t argue. He simply said, almost like an order. That part never changed about him at all.
Yet, why… was he helping? Why did he sound like… Ryutaro again?
Then it struck him, Buroka. “Wait. The blonde girl.” Stanley said. “Help her too. She needs our help.” He said.
Ryutaro halted, and begun to turn. At this, Stanley’s heart, though confused, felt a few kilos lighter. Buroka, didn’t seem good with them. Not at all. He needed to get her to the hospital, get her mentally checked up. Only God knows what kind of sick things have been done to her.
BOOM!
Something fell like a meteor from the inky bck sky, crash nding onto the ash-white wastend, a cloud of dust formed. Ryutaro halted in turning, and looked over his shoulder. Stanley saw something zooming through the air towards him, a familiar tactical combat suit of the State Guardians.
A broad man flying towards him, and there he saw. Captain Apex. “Stanley!!” He yelled.
“Captain!!” Stanley yelled.
Captain Apex halted mid-flight, hovering for a bit before nding down gently. At which he paced towards Stanley, his brows furrowed and he seemed breathless. His combat suit looked torn, and his face seemed to have some dirt on them. “I’m gd you’re alright. Your family’s worried sick.”
“I… can imagine.” Stanley said.
Before he knew it, the numbness disappeared. That limpness like his arms were not fully attached to his torso were gone, and he could move his fingers again. His legs too, he moved it slightly, the feeling of ants moving under the skin had all but gone away.
“I can move now, thank you.” Stanley said.
Simply nodding, Ryutaro let go of Stanley, and he finally stood on his own. He stumbled lightly, nearly falling, but… he centered himself, his hands outwards. Before he knew it, he clutched his hands, opening and closing them. At this, a sigh of relief left his mouth.
“And you are?” Captain Apex asked.
“Ryutaro…” He paused for a moment, as if in thought. “Okazaki Ryutaro.” He then said. His voice deeper and bnker than the gentle commanding tone of Captain Apex who had this voice that just made any person listen to his instructions.
Captain Apex looked behind Stanley and Ryutaro, and there he saw the middle-aged man, Buroka, and even Leisar a little off into the distance as Captain Apex scanned his surroundings afterwards. “In any case, I’m gd you’re both alright. Come on, your family is waiting for you.”
“You know a way out?” Ryutaro asked.
“No, but we caught the agent supervising this pce. My colleagues are keeping him in pce as we speak.” Captan Apex expined.
Ryutaro simply nodded.
It didn’t take long after that, but a ripple-like portal had opened, and he stepped through it. Between the two spatial ripples, it was like moving through water. Then on the other side, his parents stood there waiting for him.
Rachel broke free from Mom and Dad’s grip. “STANLEY!!!” She ran with every ounce of strength – Stanley braced for her tackle – she leapt – Rachel nearly tackled the weakened Stanley to the ground. His fall only being caught by Ryutaro, who stood behind him, and held him upright with a palm.
Stanley never looked. No, he didn’t want to look. Ryutaro… this must be some kind of alternate timeline of Ryutaro, he was… never helpful, to anyone. Even back then, he… Enough about that. Rachel needed all the comfort she could get.
His shirt muffling her cries and wet with her tears.
Ryutaro was walked away by Captain Apex and War Priestess, and several other guardians had held the cuffed trio that captured him. The knocked out Buroka, clothed in a towel, was carried over to the police truck. Leisar, who had awoken, grumbled, his eyes only on the unconscious and toweled Buroka.
But… then, the middle-aged man.
A man he still had no name to. Yet the grin when knocked out by Ryutaro was crystallized there in his head. As though even knocked out, he continued to stare at him in glee with unblinking eyes. It was though he seemed knocked out yet, he wasn’t… like he was still conscious somewhat.
That same man emerged from the spatial ripple. His gaze was glued to the ground, comple— His eyes shot wide open — his knees buckled and he colpsed to the ground — body convulsed as though he was being electrocuted and foaming at the mouth.
“Hey… Hey!! Somebody get me a medic here!!” One of the State Guardians said, and soon a medic came rushing in.
Part 9
Zedric Zeppeci’s body convulsed with no end! His mouth foamed, muffling any sensible screams that were coming out. It hurts, everything burns. Familiar pain like that of when his master first shattered his soul into fragments to sell them ran through his body.
He knew he failed his mission.
Thus, a third of his soul was to be taken by Ajak. Even now, his projection stood before his eyes only. Unseen to others, he stood there, next to his convulsing body. A mere projection due to having his soul inside his body.
“Too bad honestly, and you were so close. But a deal’s a deal right? Mr. Zeppeci.” Ajak said.
His hands, projected and unseen to others as they were to him, dug into his body. Pain like piercing broken bones and electricity ran through out his body. Pain. Familiar pain. The same pain his old master used to shock him with, it was so familiar, so… nostalgic.
It was like his brain was restarting and being refreshed.
Out of nowhere, as though in reflex, ughter emerged out of his body and exploded out. Ajak’s projected hand dug through Zedric’s soul, taking one-third of it, and soon at the palm of his hands, the familiar glowing wobbly orb thing that was Zedric’s soul plopped out.
Pain erupted as he yanked it out with so much force, and Zedric’s throat grew sore from the loud ughing.
The medic who came to check on Zedric and held him down were yelling, yet his ears heard nothing of their words of light, just the sound of his own ughter and pain erupting around him.
Before he knew it, a third of his soul was gone, including the stock that was loaned to him by Ajak.
His convulsions ceased, a wide still on his face. His body felt weightless… smaller. It definitely wasn’t the case of his physical body literally changing, but the spirit can be felt in the body.
He may have lost his own magic, but that was what he signed up for, and not the end.
After all, no matter where light shone, the dark would always be on every corner.
And that Areiji who just appeared, that godly power that he dispyed, the power to shrug of magic itself. Zedric was coming for that. Most definitely.
His world turned bck.
Part 10
The middle-aged man, Buroka, and Leisar had already been taken away by the Police Truck.
Mom was brought back to the house after her knees caved in and for a moment she gasped air as if she couldn’t breathe and Dad brought her back into the house. Even now, he was just fanning her, she was sweaty and tears kept falling from her eyes.
Stanley knew that. Kyoko used to also have that reaction whenever Hachiman or Natsu went missing for even just a day. She wouldn’t be able to breathe, and she seemed like she was going to faint.
When Natsu would come home dirty, Kyoko would just yell in worry and Stanley, well, he was named Ken at the time, had to make sure she didn’t end up scaring the poor child who just wanted to py outside with her friends, and that… boyfriend of hers… yeah, he did remember seething a little bit thinking that she was pying with that Takeshi boy.
Hachiman would be at the library studying, and Kyoko would get worried sick too, so much that Hachiman had to always say when he was going to the library.
Mom was no different than her. Rachel went ahead and pyed with their neighbor’s child Conrad, and Dad would seethe too, but ultimately just zip his lips tight.
But enough about the past… now…
Ryutaro stood at the center of the Haroz City-State Guardian Investigation Circle. Magic circle made up of hundreds of small alchemical circuits linking together revealed recent memories involving a certain crime.
So, everyone saw what happened. How Ryutaro saved Stanley and how he fought. If only… it was legal to see further into the past unreted to the crime, they would arrest him on the spot, or at least, attempt to.
But Ryutaro did nothing… not yet at least.
Stanley knew. He’d do something again. No doubt about it. This was Ryutaro. Behind those cold eyes, y the devil himself. He couldn’t even care about his own allies, who he used his as a shield to cover him from bullets.
And they said that Yakuza had honor, but since when did Ryutaro have any honor? When did his father have any honor? No…
He remembered that day, that massacre of Onmitsutora-gumi (隠密虎組). A rival gang, their boss chopped limb from limb, and hung like decorations on the ceiling, the member’s children and wives, bleeding naked on the bed, vioted. Was that honor? No no no no no…
He had dealt with some yakuza, they were criminals true but business was always a first for them, but… not him, not the Tenryu-kai (天龍会), they weren’t yakuza. Just a bunch of monsters under the name of yakuza.
He’ll find it. He’ll be sure. Ryutaro will start again.
“Guess that confirms it, he’s the reborn Areiji. Lucky for us, he spawned inside the subspace, but I guess no matter where Stanley went, it would spawn near him wouldn’t it?” War Priestess said, breaking Stanley from his train of thoughts at the mention of his name.
“I am quite curious of that. I had my suspicions but always considered the alternative… but he did spawn near you every time.” Captain Apex said. “I know it’s a bit hard to believe that two people from the same period on Earth can end up in the same period here, but perhaps…?” Captain continued.
No two people from Earth could appear in the same period. That was the general consistent when it came to reincarnation. Someone who was in Earth 1211 could appear anywhere in the timeline of Aseri, past or future.
It was why Charlemagne of Carolingian was even reborn in Aseri 150 years ago, or Mun all the way back in the Null Century. Heck, Jeanne d’Arc was reborn during the Decade World War and fought as part of the 12 Padins of Charlemagne.
“I can’t deny that I know him, but… it’s a bit… much for me to talk about.” Stanley said.
Captain Apex pced a hand on his shoulder. “Alright. But if you feel like talking, please talk to me or your parents about it.” He said.
“Thank you.” Stanley responded. Captain Apex turned but before he could leave. “But please, I know you’re cautious with every Areiji that comes but be extra wary of him. Ryutaro’s a dangerous man, violent, and now that he’s an Areiji…” Stanley’s voice trailed off.
Captain Apex looked over his shoulder at Ryutaro, lingering for a moment, then turned back. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for the warning.” He said.
But just one more.
“One more favor. I look different from when I was in Japan, he doesn’t recognize me. Please don’t tell him.” Stanley said.
Captain Apex nodded. “Alright.” From which he left, walking towards Ryutaro.
Now Dad, he stood before Ryutaro, a full 90 degree bow. “Thank you, for saving Stanley. He may have the mind of 100 years old, but he can still be reckless. Thank you.” He said tearing up. Mom, who seemed to have just recovered but was still sweating, bowed as well, and so did Rachel. “Thank you.” They both said in unison.
“Your welcome.” Ryutaro responded, eyes unmoving and devoid of any light, almost like he was just saying it as nothing more than an act. “Please, raise your head.” He continued.
At this, Captain Apex walked over, a huge smile on his face trying to be friendly. “Mr. Okazaki. If I may, I’d like to take you to back to the station, so we can fill in your legal documents for residency and run you through the basics on our world as well while we’re at it.” Captain Apex said, friendly.
“Very well.” Ryutaro simply said.
“And some clothes as well.” War Priestess said, walking in with folded clothes as well. Ryutaro received them with both hands, trying to act all respectful.
Yeah as if, this was just like back… then…
Ryutaro eyes wandered around for something.
“Just change here.” War Priestess said— collective face palms could be heard. Captain Apex nudged her shoulder a bit. That was when she got it, and her face turned a bit red. “Uh… I didn’t mean it like that, I mean… I… sorry.” She then said, before silently huffing and crossing her arms and walked away in a blush.
Captain Apex had this smug smirk on his face as he watched his wife leave them and enter the police truck first. After which, he turned back to Ryutaro. “Mr. Okazaki, could you imagine like a screen hovering before you? It sounds strange but you’ll understand when you see it.”
Ryutaro for a moment, lost in his thoughts, probably doing as he was told to imagine. Then on cue, the status window popped before him.
“So I’ll expin the rest as we head to the station, but for now, try to find the inventory screen.” Captain Apex said, moving in closer to Ryutaro to help him find the selection that he needed. “There. Then choose, store in inventory.” Ryutaro selected with his finger, and his clothes disappeared into blue polygons. “Now, press equip.” Ryutaro selected and…
In blue polygons, his once naked body had been covered in a white shirt, simple athletic trousers, and running shoes. Standard earthly casual wear that was adopted into this world long ago.
“Perfect. So, shall we?” Captain Apex said, gesturing to the vehicle.
Ryutaro nodded, and he entered the police truck. Captain Apex turned to Stanley as well. “I’ll see you in css next week Stanley, have a good rest!” Captain Apex yelled, then climbed into the back seat of the truck as well.
At this, the Police truck moved, and soon, it’s figure receded into the distance. Still, Stanley’s eyes were glued to what used to be there.
Don’t think saving me is going to change anything Ryutaro. I swear it, if I see a hair out of pce in anyone’s head. I won’t make the same mistake, I’ll kill you myself. — Stanley thought.
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[[To be Continued]]