Volume Sixteen - The Cataclysm

== Chapter 181 - Skies Raining Fire ==
All Andromeda could do...was watch, watch the skies darken and brighten at once, being illuminated only by the searing orange light of the flaming meteor, the same meteor that blotted out the sun, the moon, the stars. The scale of this thing was...almost incomprehensible.
How could this kind of power even exist?!
How could a Socqreath hold this kind of power?!
"You...you robbed me of any reason to hold back." Orion says, both Orions, said, both crying, as their eyes were closed, their faces somber. "Thank you, for removing our limits...mortal." Andromeda glared, as both of them looked down at her in fury, and in a new wave of...pure arrogance. "Now that I have lost all mortal connections, I am truly, a god. I didn't want to be immortal, because then I would watch Artemis die, and never be able to join her. I never wanted to be all-powerful, because she would fear me as much as everyone else always has. Now...now that she is gone...I am...free." Orion says to her.
"...F...free...?" Andromeda responds, her voice cracking, as she began shaking with another emotion, not fear, like before, but...anger as well. "Free? FREE?!" "Yes, I am a god without restriction." Orion replies, his face now near-stoic. "YOU JUST...YOU JUST WATCHED THE GIRL YOU LOVED DIE...AND YOU THINK THAT'S FREEDOM?!" Androemda screams, as Orion simply continues to look down at her, both of them do. "YOU THINK THAT BY HAVING NO ONE TO CARE FOR YOU...YOU BECAME A GOD?!" "It is a God's duty to care for all others, a God does not need anyone to care for him." Orion replies coldly.
"NO!" Andromeda roars. "NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE, YOU DON'T JUST THROW SOMEONE YOU LOVE ASIDE LIKE TRASH! YOU NEVER LOVED ARTEMIS IF YOU TREAT HER LIKE A 'LIMITATION' THAT MADE YOU 'WEAK'!" Suddenly, the ground began to shake hard, the wind began to blow just as hard, as if the largest earthquake, the strongest hurricane, had just appeared. "Huh?!" Orion demands, as Andromeda stands up, glaring at him with a glare that held no mercy. Then, two immense Psychic Weapons, each the size of the castle, rushed at Orion, and...Demetrius could see them!
"What in the name of...?" Demetrius trails off, as Orion, shocked, has his clone rush in front to take the punches, which unleashes a shockwave and fireblast that Orion is forced to break in half. The clone hit? Reduced to atoms, as the flames and concussive force begins to level everything. The sheer force of the explosion seemed to knock the meteor back, as Orion growls in anger. "NO! I WILL NOT LOSE TO YOU! YOU WILL DIE!" He screams, forcing the meteor to fall faster.
Then...it exploded!
== Chapter 182 - Power of a God, Mind of a Child ==
"What the? What are those arms? Did they destroy that meteor?" Demetrius wonders. "Wait a minute. Why am I asking? Of course they did! Yay! Thanks for saving us, arms!"
Suddenly, the ground shook and split in half, as lava blasted out of the crevice at Andromeda, who used her Psychic Weapons to block as the lava was dispersed everywhere. "I CAN ERASE BEINGS FROM EXISTENCE BY THINKING ABOUT IT! WHY ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?!" Orion shrieks, as he has a massive tidal wave rush at Andromeda, who glares at it for a moment before cutting it in half. Massive shurikens appear out of nowhere, Andromeda slashing them apart as the cut through the ground below like butter. A tornado with the winds of a hurricane blew, taking effectively everything with it.
Andromeda claps two Psychic Weapons together to disperse this too, and suddenly felt a bit dizzy. "What...?" She demands, as hundreds of different swords and guns attack her at once. She manages to block these too, and whacks Orion away with one of her Psychic Weapons, Orion, somehow still in one piece, roars in anger, as Andromeda looks up to see multiple Ion Cannons forming in the air, before they fire down at her, unleashing massive explosions that could be seen even from the horizon!
"What the Hell is going on?!" A leader of another country roars, looking at the broadcasted destruction on a screen from inside a meeting room that, even a country away, still shook. "It's...it's like a full-scale nuclear war!" Another one of the leaders replies. "Then we need to evacuate!" Yet another one of the leaders shouts. All of them look on at the destruction that these two beings were causing. "It's as if...two gods are doing battle over there." The first leader in that room to speak of this incident breathes.
Andromeda felt herself sweating, as she glared at Orion, who himself was sweating. "So...you can destroy anything made of normal matter?" Orion demands. "In that case, I shall kill you with something that is exempt from the laws of the universe!" Suddenly, there were six Orions in the sky, each of them with malicious, despaired, prideful glowing red eyes. They lifted Andromeda into the air, and surrounded her like a hexagon, as they began to form something...
...A BLACK HOLE?!
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Andromeda screams, as she quickly pulls herself out of there before the black hole grew too much, but she could feel it continuing to pull her in. She saw Demetrius holding onto the ground with all his strength, as were Dione and Qian. "What the Hell did I wake up to?!" Dione roars, as she felt even her grip slipping. "YES! I AM, WE ALL ARE! THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SANITY OR MORALITY! THERE IS ONLY ONE WILL! MINE!" Orion screams back, as Copernicus attempted to move the entirety of his castle away, but the pull was too strong, even for him!
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! DO YOU?!" Orion roars at Andromeda. "I! I AM THE MOST POWERFUL, NOT ONLY AMONG THE SOCQREATH, BUT ALL THINGS! TRY AS YOU MIGHT, BUT YOU CANNOT ESCAPE! NOT EVEN LIGHT CAN ESCAPE A BLACK HOLE! AND ONCE YOU'RE STUCK INSIDE, YOU'LL BE RIPPED APART, ATOM BY ATOM!" Andromeda glared at the black hole, but doing so was painful. Then...she noticed something else...
Her body was slowly disintegrating!
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Andromeda shrieks, as Jack woke up, realizing that he was stuck under one of the massive Psychic Weapons, seemingly protected from...a black hole?! "Wh-what the Hell is this...?" Jack demands weakly, as he sees Andromeda. "An...Andromeda..." Jack then begins to pass out again, as the Orions laughed, all six of them. Andromeda glares at them all, as she sees the closest one, and slashes it. "Huh?!" Said Orion screams, as he is cut in half, the black hole seemingly becoming unstable.
That's it! Andromeda thought, she could destroy the black hole by destroying the clones! As such, she began slashing at any Orion she saw, but they all did their best to defend, blasting her with shockwaves as she felt the black hole grow, as it even consumed the air around them that they needed to breathe! Andromeda felt her body continue to disintegrate, her own power was too much for her, while Orion's seemed endless. She closed her eyes, and cried, knowing her tears, too, would become fuel for the end of this entire star system...
...perhaps the end of the galaxy...
Candice looked on at the destruction, completely and utterly petrified with sheer terror. This...this couldn't be happening...this had to be a nightmare! A mirage! Yet...she knew...the fear she felt...was real. It wasn't an illusion, like Cygnus' power, it was...real. Then, an idea struck her, as she glared at what she knew was the original Orion from tracking him with her eyes. She focused on him, on all of them, and thought. She had to do this, perhaps...perhaps she was the only one who could stop this madness from ending everything.
She focused, and focused, as hard as she could. She thought of everyone she ever knew, she thought of both species, she thought of the planet she had called home all her life.
She thought of Kasper.
She wouldn't let this war continue, it had to end! She had always been honing this skill, since she knew a day even remotely like this may come. She then closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and lets it out, as she focuses on using all her power she could...for one thing and one thing alone.
By now the dopamine of expressing his power had run out, and as Orion gazed into the abyss, he knew that this void perfectly reflected how he felt right now...but he didn't know why.
Then...he felt...odd. He felt as if...
...his power had ceased.
At that very thought, he saw it, he saw...the black hole exploded.
== Chapter 183 - End of Train of Thought ==
Candice was breathing heavily, as she collapses on the ground, feeling the blood run out of her nose, over her lips. Copernicus watched the skies clear, as the sun shone through on the remains of the battlefield, and the castle. Andromeda opened her eyes, feeling the pain of every part of her body aching. She looked to the side, seeing the bones in her shoulder exposed. From the searing agony in her other cheek, she thought bone was exposed there too. Yet she had no energy to scream with. She just watched the sun shine.
Then, she noticed, the explosion had...been redirected up and outwards, as there was a hole in the atmosphere and barrier. If that had not been redirected, there wouldn't be a planet right now, but...who redirected it? She then attempts standing up, but that was a bad idea on her part, as absolutely nothing moved. Then, she felt gentle hands help her up, and gentle arms wrap around her. It was Jack, he had gotten back up, and seemed to be unable to move much either, with his legs anyway. She wanted to say something, but no words left her mouth from her half-gone voicebox.
"It's okay, Anne..." Jack says softly. "You don't have to say anything. It's better if you rest." Andromeda wished she could smile right now, but given the hole in her cheek, such an expression would be impossible. She wished she could cry, but her tear glands weren't functioning. Then, she realized...she didn't even know Orion's condition. They heard grunting, and turned to see Orion laying there in a pool of his own blood, his clothing ripped and his flesh burned and melted away. Yet...he smiled.
"Dammit...I actually...wanted to win a fight for a change." Orion groans weakly. "I don't understand...how you could have beaten me...with just strength..." Andromeda still said nothing. As Orion chuckled. "Actually...now that I think about it, I could have just imagined you dead any time I wanted. I even knew that was an option, yet went out of my way to make sure I didn't think it on accident. I guess I really did...want to enjoy a fight." He then stops smiling, and instead cries, grimacing. "AND DAMN YOU, DAMN YOU FOR KILLING ARTEMIS! I NEVER THOUGHT I WAS A GOD, I WANTED TO BREAK YOU COMPLETEY!"
Right as he finished that sentence...his body began breaking apart. Half his head seemed to break away, float up, and vanish, dissipating, as it showed what looked like a brain in a protective casing, with wires and antennae everywhere. "Wh...what the Hell...?" Jack demands weakly, as Orion's smile returned. "...I guess I could never bring it up." He says. "I was...never a real boy. My brain was....suggested, into making this body by a man named Rikudo Abraxas, though I doubt that name means anything to you guys." Jack and Andromeda just look on, as Orion chuckles again.
"Ah...when I first came into this world, I was told immediately that I was just a brain who imagined this body into reality. So I thought...I imagined the rest of this universe into reality too. In that way...I guess I did think I was God." Orion laughs, as he continues dissipating. "So what will you do now that you've beaten me, Andromeda? You just proved that you are the strongest Socqreath, are you really going to stand alongside humans?" Andromeda's mouth and voicebox had somewhat healed, as she abstains from giving a response, apart from leaning into Jack, who held her closer.
"...Alright, then." Orion replies. "If you stand with them...you'll fall with them. Be ready, because everything you've experience up until now, is nothing, compared to what will come after. This I imagine, but not in the way of imagining it into reality. It was reality, before I was in it."
"You will die, Andromeda and Jack. That is the true reality, not any that existed in my head."
Orion's body had almost fully dissipated by now.
"Ah, I guess it's time for me to leave this world...maybe, if I have a soul, I'll...see Artemis again..." He says, as his body fully fades away, the cased brain clattering to the ground.
It was finally over.
== Chapter 184 - Rebuilding ==
How many months it had been, Shunsuke didn't know. Jack and Andromeda were still in the hospital, and Candice and Kasper had gone off to make games. And Indra...Shunsuke didn't even know where he had been all this time. He thought about this as he walked towards his house, a small little shack with all the rooms they needed on the edge of the town. It was sturdy, and did its main job well, but it certainly wasn't as imposing as the mighty skyscrapers that towered over each other in the city. Still...he loved this house, and was proud to call it home.
The sheer destruction from the Socqreath war had been on the news for a while, and was all anyone seemed to talk about. The main subject...that meteor. That was what a god could create. How they survived, Shunsuke didn't know. He had unfortunately been unable to aid his friends during the war. He wasn't sure whether he would have been useful or not, against those with psychic powers. Still, he should have done something to help...he would, next time. And all times after next time. He promised himself that, as he opened the door, and walked in.
The only guardian left to raise him was his great grandfather, a kind man who could become a monster in a battle, yet those years were far behind him. A man from Earth, who had refused to leave it until Bernard's star could be colonized. A now short and thin man, with many lines across his face, and his kind, silver eyes, like his own, though he knew not whether his own eyes were kind, he wouldn't judge his own morality like that, not right now. His one guardian sat in his rocking chair, a cane in his hand as it lightly tapped the wooden plank floor. Shunsuke provided for the house, now. He had to.
"Ehhh, you're finally back..." Great Granddad Vaquero said, as Shunsuke noticed the Winchester on the wall. The Vaqueros were terrifying snipers, even when using only a Winchester. Shunsuke, sadly, didn't carry on a tradition his Great Grandfather's Great Grandfather had started. "Yeah, I am. You okay?" Shunsuke replies as he asks. "Yeahhhh, same as always." Great Granddad Vaquero answered, chuckling a bit. Shunsuke set the fully cooked pork down on the table, as he helped his Great Grandfather to his seat.
"Ahhh, I might not like all this techy stuff that much...but this proves it's got its merits." Vaquero remarks happily, beginning to eat the pork slowly. Shunsuke himself ate steak, as he wished to at least uphold some traditions of their family. At best, he wished to uphold all of them. He looked toward the Winchester, the family weapon. He knew he was too strong to use it, and that saddened him. "A lot of people would die and kill to have my body type...it's not worth it." Shunsuke says. "Well, it has its own merits, Shunsuke." Vaquero replies. "A gentle pull of the trigger works as well as a stern one."
Shunsuke smiled. He had always tried to be gentle, no matter what. He was too strong for his own good, he didn't want to hurt people. The only time that didn't come up in his mind, really, was against that man with the thorn shaped horns, that psychopath deserved worse than what he got, and as horrible as it was to wish such things on anyone, most would agree with that sentiment. Then there were his friends...Jack always seemed caught up in fighting, Andromeda trying to be a better person. Candice wanted to unite two species, and Kasper wanted to make a video game. They all were so different from each other, but close nonetheless.
Which made it hurt more that he couldn't help them.
"Bisabuelo." Shunsuke started. "What is it, my boy?" His Bisabuelo asked with a kind smile. "I wanna know...what are the 'Space Dragons' you constantly curse the names of?" His Bisabuelo suddenly looked angry, and his voice reflected it. "They are what your parents were drafted into the war against. I...should have told you so long ago." He answers. "I forgive you." Shunsuke replies. "I wanna know exactly what happened, all of it." His Bisabuelo looks at him again, shaking.
"I was born at effectively the start of the last century, and roughly fifty years ago today, a new Emperor ascended to the throne of what are known as Netraxians." Bisabuelo Vaquero said. "I don't consider them any less people than us, but it's clear they have had no choice but to commit the atrocities they did. This Emperor seems to want nothing more than conquest for the sake of it, I pray to God that he at least wants more space for his subjects to live in. After all, overpopulation is what has made us expansionist." "Thanks for telling me, Bisabuelo." Shunsuke replies, as he finishes his steak.
"Bisnieto..." Vaquero starts. "...you are special, with the strength and endurance of an Elephant. But...I cannot afford to lose you, and that is not just for my own sake. It barely is. Be safe, in a world, a universe where humans are simply...human." Shunsuke smiles at his Bisabuelo, as he hugged him softly, his Bisabuelo hugging him back. "I will, I promise I will not die." Shunsuke replies. "You are my only family left, I see no point in my continued life, with my family gone and forgotten." Bisabuelo Vaquero says. They stopped hugging slowly, as Shunsuke looked over at the family photo from the past.
His Bisabuelo, Gabriel Vaquero, his Bisabuela, Cecilia Vaquero, his Abuelo, Daniel Cquero, his Abuela, Emma Vaquero, his Padre, Enrique Vaquero, and his Madre, Carolina Vaquero, and him. Only one of his family, who he cherished all of, was still with him. He would ensure their traditions, memories, never died, even if it was the last thing he did. He walked out of the house with a smile of pride, determination and joy on his face. If they could survive a meteor, they could survive anything.
Bring it, universe.
== Chapter 185 - Peacetime ==
Candice dressed in a similar gown to what she was in when she met Kasper, as she looked in the mirror. She wasn't blind to how she looked, but the only person she wanted to care was Kasper. She walked out and saw Lynx standing there, now alone. Once she did, the bliss faded, and the memories returned. The war had been absolutely horrible. So many people died...and the world was nearly destroyed. It wasn't something she wanted to go through again, not now that she had seen the horror first hand. Lynx wordlessly escorted her to a limousine, as they drove off.
"Lynx..." Candice starts. "What is it?" He asks. "Why can't...we just coexist?" She asked back, tearing up. "Why do we constantly have to be at war with each other? We're both...we're both capable of rational thought. We can both do almost the exact same things. Why...why do humans and Socqreath have to hate each other?" "...Cygnus was most of humanity's first impression of us." Lynx answers. "First impressions are important, but not enough to judge an entire species. I think most humans are simply scared of the idea of what they call 'aliens'."
Candice lowered her head, and cried softly. "I just...want our two species to live together peacefully." She whimpered, closing her eyes. "...I want that, as well." Lynx replies, looking on at the world outside the limousine. Candice thought of Kasper, and Jack, and Shunsuke, and all those teachers, and the military. How many of them really were willing to coexist with Socqreath? She only trusted that her friends would, but...what of everyone else? Especially after that war...she was left more worried when she thought about that damned war again.
The limousine came to a stop at Kasper's mansion, as Candice walked out, Lynx acting as a bodyguard. They walked into the mansion, and saw Kasper working on his game. Candice smiled and sat down next to him, as he noticed her, and smiled back. "Hey, Kasp." Candice said, as Kasper blushed. "Hi." He replied. She looked on at the game, which appeared to now have what looked like a spike covered being on its cover. "Who's that?" She asks. "I...haven't thought of a name yet." Kasper answers shyly. "How about...Spike?" She suggests, to which Kasper nods. "Yeah, that could work." He says.
== Chapter 186 - The Calm ==
Kasper woke up where he had fallen asleep, in Candice's arms. Her hug made him feel good, and he didn't want to leave it, but, he had to, if he was going to get more progress done on his project. He slowly wriggled out of the hug, and called his wheelchair toward him. It grabbed onto his wrists to move him onto itself. It was a painful process, but too less effort than climbing onto it manually. He opened the door and left towards what could effectively be called his laboratory.
Kasper closed the metal door behind himself, and sighed, before moving towards the desk and getting to work. The goal he had here was trying to recreate the chip that had been in his spine. If anyone asked, it was a prototype that had nothing to do with the chip from the future, even though its design was fully based on that. Kasper doubted he would be able to understand or replicate it, but he had to try. After that war, he couldn't just sit on the sidelines and watch. He wouldn't be a burden to his friends any longer.
Kasper then chuckled to himself, remembering his encounter with Kafziel. "I guess I learned nothing..." He remarked quietly, as he continued to design the chip. Once it was completed, all he would need to do is print it, and it would be ready to insert after creating a surgical robot. One mistake would mean he would have to start all over again, and he didn't think he could bear that. He kept on going, carefully putting everything into place, as the chip soon looked completed. "Alright...let's see if this works." Kasper says, as he presses the button to print the chip. But he could instantly see a problem.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kasper screamed, it was the first time he rememembered screaming. He had gotten so close, yet the chip would clearly not repair his spine. He threw it against a wall, slammed his fist against the table, bowed his head down, and began to cry. He was supposed to be the smart one, and he couldn't even make one little chip. What was he, then? He thought now...that he was dead weight, useless in every way.
There was a knock on the door, as it opened. "Kasper?" Candice asked, sounding worried. "C-Candice..." Kasper whimpered, looking at her with a face wet with tears. Candice walked over to him, and held him close. "What's wrong?" She asked sweetly, before noticing the chip on the screen. "What's that?" "I...was trying to fix my spine." Kasper answered. "But I...I failed...again. I'm sorry...I'm useless..." "Don't say that." Candice replied softly, wiping his tears. "You mean everything to me, I don't want to see you sad like this. And you're not useless, you're the smartest of us all."
Kasper hugged her back, still crying. "Thank you...thank you so much, Candice." He said, his voice cracking. "I love you." "I love you too, Kasper." Candice replies, smiling as she rested her head on his shoulder. This was the only thing Kasper needed. That chip came second to Candice, the person in this world he loved the most. This was the only calm he got in this time, everything else was a violent, raging storm that rarely stopped, like a hurricane. All he knew now, was that he was glad, happy, that he still meant something to others. He smiled as well, and leaned his head against Candice's.
== Chapter 187 - Receeding Darkness ==
Andromeda was leaning against a wall, staring at the night sky. They had come so close to never seeing this sky again, that it was...scary. It shook her to her core that such a cataclysm had occured a bit less than a year ago. They had had the time to rebuild, and it was mostly repaired, but some scars from the war never left. For instance...SPT7 was destroyed, so a new Royal Guard Member was to be chosen, to ensure that there were still four members. She didn't know who would be chosen, but after all of this...she found herself caring a little. And Richard...she hoped he didn't get the spot.
She kept thinking about what she had done back there. It didn't seem possible. She couldn't have destroyed that meteor, she was nowhere near powerful enough. Yet she knew it had happened, that it had nearly cost her...her life. She did all of it out of her rage at Orion, but so much more so out of her desire to protect and save Jack...she was glad she had succeeded a bit...but she wasn't the one that had stopped the black hole. Candice deserved that credit, now and forever. Andromeda still didn't know how she fought Orion, she would have to ask Kiyomasu, he always had answers.
She then turned to see Jack walking towards her, as he sat down next to her. He looked up at the stars with her, and smiled. "We saved the world, Anne..." Jack said softly. "We're heroes." "I never thought...I'd be a hero..." Andromeda replied just as softly. "I always saw myself...as a monster. I still do." She closed her eyes, as she began to tear up. Jack wiped her tears, and hugged her gently, as she leaned her head on his shoulder and hugged back. "I'm so glad...I met you, Jack." She says, her voice cracking. "You've given me a reason to be happy...to love...to live...thank you...so...so much..."
"You're super welcome, Anne." Jack replied, as they looked back at the sky. That moon was where the incident that started the war occured, but now, it shined peacefully onto the world, brightly and softly, as if it were apologizing for the trauma and despair it had caused. The two looked at each other again with kind smiles, as they kissed. It had not been the first time, but it always felt as good as ever. They were together, now and forever. That would never change, no matter what. Andromeda, and Jack, were both as sure of it as always, and were sure they would only be more sure in the future.
== Chapter 188 - Birthday Boy ==
Jack woke up in Andromeda's arms, as she still slept in his. This one small, peaceful moment at the start of each day filled him with joy. The two of them could just rest together for a bit, and hold each other as close as they wanted, without having to worry about anything. Birds chirped as the rising sun shone through the window. Jack leaned in closer to Andromeda than he already was, as she leaned into him even while asleep. This moment, it was his absolute favorite part of each normal, subpar, and amazing day. And it would be his favorite of this day, as well.
It was later, as Jack had been training in all his skills, including swordsmanship, for the past few hours to wait for what he knew was to come. Today was the day he had been looking forward to all year. Despite knowing Karim would resurface in the future, Jack's training for that inevitable next encounter was done with a smile. Jack would keep pushing forward, no matter what, and he would beat Karim. No, that was selfish, and he knew a bit unrealistic. They would all beat Karim together! Yeah, that was much better sounding, to defeat someone that insanely above them together, that will be great.
"Jack!" Andromeda calls, as Jack smiles and runs towards her. They embrace each other happily and kiss passionately, before they then walk inside. And it was not what Jack had expected, it was better! Balloons in the shape of the number 18 were strung over a large cake with a gun and sword patterned on the top. Various banners were hung around the room, and a pile of presents sat in the corner, all of the decorations were a bright, vibrant red, the same color as part of Jack's jacket. Indeed, it was his eighteenth birthday!
"Wow, this is better than I could've ever dreamed of!" Jack shouts in glee. "Thanks so much, guys!" "This is one of the few benefits of being rich." Kasper replies. "You can get your best friends cool stuff." "He means you're welcome." Candice says with a smile, as they all laughed. They all heard a clang from the garage, as Shunsuke emerged from it soon after. "One of your present's in there." Shunsuke says. "It was too big to bring in here, so I put it in there just now." "I'm looking forward to it, Shunsuke!" Jack replied, as they gathered around the cake, the candles lightning themselves upon sensing Jack.
"Happy birthday to you." They started singing, as Jack felt incredibly joyfull. "Happy birthday to you." They continued, as Jack smiled more, before they heard the front door open.
"Happy birthday, dear Jackson..." Another, familiar voice said, as they turned to see who it was...
"...happy birthday to you." Karim finishes, staring at them all with a small smile.
== Chapter 189 - Drafted ==
"Karim..." Jack breathes, as they began to take a few steps back. "It's my birthday! What do you want?!" "It should be pretty obvious what I want." Karim answers, as he takes out his gun and aims it at Jack. "I want to test your skills, since they clearly must have improved since we last fought." "Not the birthday present I wanted." Jack replies, as he aims his own gun at Karim. Jack's friends stay behind to help him, Candice and Andromeda forming their Psychic Weapons, Kasper having his pad at the ready, and Shunsuke putting up his fists in a fighting position.
Karim pulls the trigger rapidly, unloading bullet after bullet at them. Jack dodges the bullets rushing towards him as he fires back at Karim, who as always ignored them. However, Jack's firing was a distraction, as Karim notices Andromeda glaring at him and pulls his arm back, avoiding the slash from the Psychic Weapon. Karim is then punched in the face by one of Candice's Psychic Weapons, but his head barely moved back, as he gave not much of a response, apart from to reload his pistol and keep shooting at them. Kasper forms a barrier to defend them, as they began to run.
Karim shoots at the barrier with another magazine of bullets, before he takes out a switchblade and springs it open, before stabbing it into the barrier and beginning to cut a hole big enough for him to fit through into it. "Dammit!" Kasper shouts, as he began to leave as well, right as Karim kicked in the part of the barrier he had cut out with the switchblade, before walking into the barrier which dissipated soon after that and springing his switchblade closed. He then takes out his gun and walks forwards to keep chasing them, right as Shunsuke rushes at him!
Karim fires all seven shots at Shunsuke, who throws up his arms to block before whacking the gun out of Karim's hand and throwing a punch at his face, a punch that sends him stumbling back as he quickly regains his footing, and wipes his own blood off his mouth. "Interesting..." Karim remarks, as he catches Shunsuke's next punch and slams him through a wall hard enough to shake the manor. "Guh!" Shunsuke grunts, as he swings a kick at Karim, Karim twisting to the side to dodge as he grabs Shunsuke's leg and pulls his opponent forwards, grabbing him by the neck and throwing him.
"In the garage!" Kasper shouts. "You'll find one of your presents there." "I'm definitely looking forward to it." Jack replies, as Candice briefly stops running. "Wait...where's Shunsuke?!" She yells. "Oh, no! He must have stayed behind to fight Karim!" Jack says, worried. "Shunsuke should be able to escape easily enough, and if he can't, I have drones ready to help him." Kasper replies. "We won't leave without him." Andromeda states, as they walked towards the garage.
Karim and Shunsuke were throwing a flurry of punches at their faces and torsos, catching and blocking with their forearm eachand every punch the other threw at them. Karim then swings kick at Shunsuke's legs to attempt sweeping him off his feet, Shunsuke leaping up to avoid as Karim takes advantage of this to knee Shunsuke in the stomach, sending him flying back. Shunsuke was almost immediately sent flying further when Karim quickly kicked him in the stomach, Shunsuke grabbing onto a door handle that simply caused the door to go with him, Karim running after him.
Shunsuke regains his footing with enough force to crack the ground and swings the door at Karim, who kicks it in half and with the same motion kicks Shunsuke to disorient him. Karim's foot lands on the ground, as Karim then swings his other foot at the side of Shunsuke's head, Shunsuke feeling his collarbone crack as he stumbles back further. He tries to throw a punch at Karim, who catches his wrist, pulls it back past his head and delivers a Karate chop to Shunsuke's elbow to bend his arm back. "GRAH!" Shunsuke roars in agony, as he tries to throw another punch with his other fist.
Karim dodges this punch as well, as he backflips to send Shunsuke tumbling through the hallway away from the garage. Shunsuke lands with a crash and once again grunts in pain, as Karim slowly walked towards him. Shunsuke tried to kick Karim in the leg, as Karim grabbed his foot and began to twist it. This is exactly what Shunsuke wanted, as he pushes past the pain and kicks Karim in the center of mass to make him stumble back and let go of Shunsuke's twisted leg. "You're a tough one, aren't you? Like I am." Karim says with a smile on his face, enjoying the battle. "Yeah." Shunsuke replies.
Karim takes out his pistol again and reloads it, pointing it at Shunsuke's forehead. Shunsuke knew he wouldn't be able to dodge or block the bullet in this state. If the shot was taken, he would be a dead man. Despite knowing this, he simply strengthens his resolve and glares at Karim, who stares back with his smile intact. "Oh, you hate me now, do you?" Karim asks. "Or have you always hated me? That seems pretty likely, Vaquero." Shunsuke just continues his glare as Karim's grin widened and his pupils dilated in a more insane looking expression.
"And I distinctly remember that fight with your great, great, great great grandfather." Karim says, Shunsuke's pupils dilating in horror.
== Chapter 190 - Legends Told ==
Shunsuke's great, great, great, great grand father was Fransisco Vaquero, the greatest gunman of all time. He had been known as La Reencarnación del Demonio--The Demon's Reincarnation. His skill with a revolver was unmatched, even by the most advanced pistols of the time. He fought in wars using only a Winchester and a Shotgun, along with his trusty revolver. He was the very man who started their tradition in the first place, and lived over two centuries ago...Karim had lived at that time?! He fought Fransisco Vaquero?!
He lived?!
"I know every thought that just passed through your head." Karim says, as he smiles at Shunsuke wider, looking completely insane now. "Fransisco Vaquero was by far the most fun I ever had in any battle! I felt my heart pound, I smelled my own sweat, I tasted my own blood, heard my own breath, I saw each bit of muzzle flashing from that revolver! That battle was one I survived not through some superhuman drug I had not yet had, but through my sheer force of will! It was...exhilerating!" At this, Karim pulls the trigger, and Shunsuke hears the bang of the gunshot, closing his eyes.
...That was exactly it.
He had heard it!
Shunsuke opened his eyes and saw that a drone had taken the hit for him, as the drone bulrushes Karim and along with the help of many others bulrushing and dragging with rope, manages to force Karim away from Shunsuke long enough for more drones to quickly carry Shunsuke out of the hallway and into the garage. Karim swings one of the drones into the others to destroy them and runs to the garage, slamming the door open and running inside.
Inside was a space pod in the shape somewhat of an old space shuttle with the more for-the-current-time motifs added in, nameley the more rounded out arrowhead shape and the glass cockpit, like a jet plane, and it had enough space for all of the five to fit comfortably inside. It aimed multiple machine guns at Karim, who simply aimed his pistol at the craft and unloaded at one of the enjines. However, a forcefield appears on the engine, blocking all the bullets without issue. "Hmm..." Karim thinks, as he puts his gun away, spreads his arms wide and smirks maliciously.
The machine guns then unload into Karim, who lets himself be hit by them as he is forced through the then pulverized walls and turned into Swiss Chess. His blood spilled everywhere as his suit was fully ruined by the machine gun fire. The only places it seemed to bounce off of were where Karim's weapons were hidden in his trenchcoat. Karim throws a throwing knife at the cockpit, but a forcefield protected that too. "Well, how about that..." Karim remarks, as the ship turns around, and flies away. Karim chuckles, and feels himself begin to heal. Though he was damaged, none of it was fatal to him.
== Chapter 191 - Joining the Guard ==
Arthur Grant, the Biology Teacher, the man who had cured all diseases, walks through the hallway towards the main room where it would happen. The doors opened, and there he stood, there stood Rosenstock, and the Royal Guard. Dione, Demetrius, and Grimwald. Now...Arthur would stand alongside the topmost people of the government. He didn't know how to feel about that, as he walked forwards, up the stairs, to stand atop his pedestal, as the others stood on theirs.
"Thank you for coming, Arthur Grant." Rosenstock says. "We are glad to see you knew what your place was immediately. With SPT7...gone...that pedestal now belongs to you...and only you." "Your Majesty..." Arthur says, as he kneels. "I am humbled to be in your presence, and honored to be in your service." "We no longer have our knight in shining armor." Rosenstock says solemnly. "However, I see now that we must move forward. Your expertise in biology has been ignored for far too long. With Demetrius, you are going to help us end this war once and for all!"
All four of them rise, Rosenstock having likely been fine with that as he made no order for them to sit down. "Where do we begin?" Arthur asks, as Rosenstock turns towards him. "Demetrius' lab will have samples of Netraxian DNA. You are going to use it to make a device that scans the very DNA of agents. And with it, we will ensure that not one Netraxian has infiltrated our ranks." The King answers. "It will be done, my lord." Arthur replies, bowing to Rosenstock.
== Chapter 192 - To War ==
"GAH!" Kasper screams, as he reads the newspaper, the headline of it being 'MAIBAUM MANOR BURNED DOWN BY TERRORIST!'. "KARIM LIVED AND HE DESTROYED OUR MANSION!" "My presents..." Jack whimpers, as tears rolled down his face. Andromeda glared at the newspaper as if she was trying to force the mansion to resurrect with sheer force of anger. Candice bowed her head down sadly upon hearing this, as she kept healing Shunsuke's wounds. "That man...just has to ruin everything..." Shunsuke groans. "I'm sorry...I couldn't stop him." "You held him off." Jack replies. "Thanks for that."
Shunsuke smiles and gives a thumbs up, as they see a royal looking pod chariot thing fly to them. "What the?" Candice asks. "It's...King Rosenstock!" Jack shouts, as the pod lands, and it is indeed the King who walks out, flanked by a platoon of soldiers all donned in armor, holding rifles, with swords at their hips, the shiny metallic white color of the Huscil. "What's going on here?" Andromeda demands, as Rosenstock smiled at them. "Seeing as you're barely of age for this...I'll word this drafting in a fun way." Rosenstock says, as his expression became serious, and he opened his eye.
"How do you five feel about fighting dragons?"