Chapter 7: Rumble in the Bamboo Forest


The giant ECHO soared the air as it swings his rock-like axe, at raging speed cutting the very itself, right where Reimu and Chris stood as the two humans jumped out of the behemoth's path of destruction barely avoided the surprise attack, never expecting such a large creature could move so fast.

The moment the axe hit the ground a great hurricane screamed out, the earth cried in pain as it rips open with its face misshapen from the attack, rocks and dust kicking up with the powerful whirlwinds breathing a mighty breath nearly knocking down everyone in the area.

All their eyes laid rest on the great black shadow before them. Mokou gritted her teeth in annoyance, Keine looked on with discomfort, Reisen trembling a bit in shock, Reimu eyeing the beast in surprise, and Chris shooting it a dirty angry look as he stands on one knee panting a bit.

The ECHO turned around and bared its razor sharp teeth at them beneath its wild unruly hair in a toothy smile, easily enjoying the feast of emotions emitting out of their bodies. The thing it did next was unexpected considering the situation everyone was in as it… waves its left hand at them in a mocking friendly manner.

"What the…? How is it still standing! I hit it with one of my strongest Spell Cards!" shouted Reimu angrily, not pleased that the beast still lives.

"Reimu-chan… take a closer look. Even though it didn't take it out, it still took some damage as you can see a few scrapes and scratches on it," Chris pointed out, "However it's going to take a lot more to bring this kind of ECHO down."

"Are you kidding me? We have to fight things like these everyday! This is just as bad as whatever Tewi could ever do to me!" squeaked Reisen looking on at the ECHO with a focus and determined look on her face as her hands shake a little.

"This poses a problem if these things invaded the Human Village! We cannot allow these things to continuing spreading all over Gensokyo!" spoke Keine in a calm fashion with a fierce look in her eyes.

"Great… something just as annoying as that wrenched moon brat," spitted Mokou looking uninterested in the thing before her.

"Echo echo echo! You can't beat me, echo! Call me ECHO Bash, and I'm here to smash! Get ready to be crashed, echo!" declared the great brute as it sinks into its own shadow below it.

Everyone started to look around on the ground to see where it will pop out from, however Chris was eyeing everywhere including the bamboo shoots.

Where is going to pop? Chris scanned the area around to intercept its attack when it strikes.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Chris spots a more 'solid' color of shadow that was strangely angled on a bamboo shoot as a giant arm extended from it with an axe with his arm in as shrink portion from the base where the shadow was until returning to its original size further away.

The giant ECHO arm was aimed at where Keine and Reisen stood, in perfect line up for the attack, and the axe cut through the wind as it makes a pass towards them.

"Lookout!"

Keine and Reisen looked over to their left as they saw the giant axe coming hurling towards them until the great weapon clashed where they stood. The ECHO popped out of the shadow, as the shadow disappeared, and looked to see its victims it assaulted but they were not where they were when it attacked as it looked to see where they went.

"Huh? What…? How do we?" Reisen spoke out after the giant ECHO's axe vanished from its sight.

Keine and Reisen blinked as Chris has them under his arms, wrapped around their waist, and let's go of them and pulls out his sword, holding them reverse style, reading himself to fight.

"Hey! That wasn't fair, echo! I had them first, echo!" cried out the ECHO in childish angry.

"Hey! Are you two OK?" asked Chris never taking his eyes off of the ECHO.

"Yeah… thank you Chris-kun," replied Reisen with a slight blush on her face.

"Chris-kun, thank you," said Keine with a smile until she pulled out her Spell Card and glared at ECHO Bash.

"No problem, there's no I'm letting this ECHO kill my friends!" said Chris narrowing his eyes in a more serious look.

"Kill? Echo? We ECHOES don't kill, we hurt just hurt everyone badly!" said ECHO Bash in a childish tone, despite its young man's voice, "What's the point of killing people for are fun to mess with!"

"Huh? What are you talking about? It seems to me you were going to kill them," stated an angry Reimu pointing her finger at the beast.

"What, echo? You people are weird, why would ECHO get rid of you? We're born of emotions, as people give out emotions and we feast on them. Kinda defeats the purpose, echo," replied the ECHO Bash.

Everyone remained silent.

"… That does make sense, thought honestly I thought offing one or two people wouldn't matter to you," said Chris with a sweatdrop forming behind him.

"Where's the fun in that? Normal people give out the great emotions are they're more easily scared and stuff, echo? But special people like you," said ECHO Bash as it turns its gaze onto Reimu, "Have even more delicious emotions to bring out when beating you up, echo!"

The giant beast soared through the air with remorseless speed and it revved its weapon into the air, before Reimu had a chance to counter with a Spell Card or block, the mighty rock substance weapon clashes down in screaming speed as it finally made a direct hit.

Blood splattered into the air as the ECHO grinned with delight.

Reimu held out her arms, instinctively, in retaliation to block the incoming attack taking by surprise to the speedy attack and closed her eyes. Reimu slowly opened her eyes realizing that the attack never hit her, but definitely heard something hit and felt a few of the warm liquid of blood hitting her face. She looked up to Chris standing in front of her with his swords held in, in an X-form when the axe barely over his head.

Reimu looked on her horror as she sees blood teeming down the side of Chris's face, as well as Keine, Reisen, and Mokou looked on with shock.

"You… You idiot! What were you thinking!" shouted Reimu.

Chris turned his head around to let Reimu see his face, and can see the blood coming down from his forehead and teeming off to the side of his face from the sheer force of the attack and the axe coming close to his head, and gives Reimu a big carefree smile.

"Don't worry. No matter what, I will never let anyone hurt my precious friends," Chris simply said with the same gentle smile.

Reimu's face started to heat up a bit from that comment, but she lashed out in worried angry. "S-Stupid! Don't scare me like that with that chivalry act of yours! I can take care of myself, I don't need you to protect me!"

Honestly… what am I'm going to do with him?

Chris just simply smiled and returned his attention onto the ECHO who was glaring at him at this point. Chris wipes away the blood on his face and uses his Ki Cure technique to heal his wounds up.

"That this!" roared Chris as he flings the ECHO's axe upward into the air causing the giant beast to lose its balance a bit from the sheer force of Chris's cross sword attack as Chris rushes in and knees it in the stomach, with the ECHO coughing a bit from the attack.

Chris increase the strength of his knee attack with his Ki, granted a more tremendous blow to the brute, and bounces off the ECHO's stomach while re-evaluating his Ki into a different element.

"Wind Style: Air Slash!" roared Chris as he slashes the ECHO with a double stream of wind cuts knocking the ECHO down onto its back.

The ECHO got back up and shook off Chris's attack like it was nothing and grinned. However Chris was giving it time to rest as he touches down on the ground and teleports at high-speed in front of the ECHO with a powerful roundhouse kick.

"How about another one? Wind Style:…," said Chris as his right leg creates a turbulence of wind circling it and he launches another kick, "Hurricane Kick!"

One blow after another, the kicks kept on kicking the giant ECHO in blurry frenzy with the ECHO unable to escape the raging attack. Everyone couldn't even see the kicks as they've become blurs to their eyes, they have never seen anyone attack so fast before and just with simple kicking.

Upon the final blow Chris's launch his last kick which created a whirlwind that spun the ECHO around in a circle as it was shot out into the bamboo thicket in a land crash in occurring within 5 seconds.

"Whoa," Reisen said in astonishment. She never thought a human can be so strong or fast as Chris has demonstrated before her.

"Chris-kun? I never would have imagined…," choked Keine, she never suspect the sweet and kind boy could be capable of such destruction power.

Well he's full of surprises, I like to see him use that move on Kaguya someday… hehe… Mokou mused to herself, laughing in her head the sight of Kaguya battered and tattered from such an attack.

"Hmph… do you have any more moves I should know about?" asked Reimu indifferent to the whole scene, though she seems kinda of angry for some reason.

"Hehe… well just my 'Kiai', but that's it. I don't have any other Elemental Ki attacks, just one of each elementals with the exception of my Wind element as it's my strongest and natural attribute," laughed Chris scratching the back of his head.

Kiai? As in breathing?

"*Sigh*… Fine, as long as you don't cause trouble for me with your powers," sighed an uninterested Reimu.

Was that what she was worried about? Chris thought with a sweatdrop behind his head.

"By the way, how many times did kick that ECHO?" asked Reimu remembering the speed of Chris' attack.

"Oh, it was two thousands kick with the last kick making a whirlwind shot created from the rapid kicks I dealt with," Chris smiled with explaining.

Everyone looked at him like he was crazy.

"Huh? What? Did I say something wrong?" said a confused Chris.

"Excuse me? Two thousand kicks in five seconds? Are you really human?" asked Mokou eyeing him.

"Yeah… I've done many Ki and Martial Art training regimes for a long time now. My training curriculum is quite unique which is how I developed my speed," said a sheepish Chris.

"Hehe… well that's certain interesting Chris-kun," chuckled a nervous Keine.

THUD

Everyone turned their attention to the giant ECHO as he gets back up brushing itself off from the attack looked on with an annoyed look on its face.

"Figures… I knew that wasn't enough to take it down," said Chris panting a bit. Apparently his attack cost his a little too much energy to execute.

"Chris-kun, please rest himself. We'll handle this from here," said Keine placing her hand on Chris' shoulder when she came to his side.

"Didja think you can beat ECHO Bash! I'm going to smash and trash ya! Get ready to be lash! Echo, ya!" roared the giant ECHO as it beats on its chest in a boastful manner like a gorilla.

Everyone just stared at it with a strange gawking looking.

Did… Did it really just try to rhyme or rap its words? Chris thought to himself.

ECHO Bash didn't give them a time to recollect their thoughts as it charges in after them, though Mokou counters with her fire danmaku halting its advance. Chris starts to get ready to fight, but Keine sticks her arm out to prevent him from attacking.

"Please, leave it to us Chris-kun," said Keine pulling out her Spell Card.

"Hmph, I was getting bored standing by," said Mokou as a pair of fiery wings erupted from her back in the shape of Phoenix wings.

Reisen ran to the other side of the giant ECHO as the big black shadow creature looked around and stared off with the three girls surrounding it.

"Tsk… You can't beat me, but this will be a treat!" roared ECHO Bash into a battle stance.

"We'll see about that, I don't care how tough you. We're going to beat you and go home, I had enough of you today," sneered Reimu walking beside Chris and pointing her gohei at the ECHO.

"Here's a surprise, echo! Wind God: Tornado to Heaven!"

"Wha-What!" Reimu reacted.

The giant ECHO revved its arms around its body and lashed its arms out and a huge burst of winds blowing everything away, the bamboo shoot rattling and almost being blown off from the ground, and everyone shield their bodies with their arms.

This is just like my Kiai move… Chris thought as he shielded his eyes from the whirlwind attack.

The girls suspended themselves midair and glared down on the ECHO, with Chris still catching his breath from exhausting a good portion of his energy.

"Chris-kun mentioned that ECHOES sometimes gain the abilities of others… but to actually see them using our Spell Cards abilities is still unbelievable," breathed Reisen regaining her composure from the sudden.

"Just like Chris and Sakuya mention. However it doesn't seem as powerful as Aya's… which works fine for me. I rather not fight a fully-powered version of that spell," Reimu noted.

The ECHO was breathing a bit heavy now, indicating it's getting tired and that the Spell Card ability it just used wore it out.

"Like it matters, we just burn to a crisp right?" said Mokou flapping her fire wings as she pulls out a card.

"Since we're in an agreement…" spoke Reimu taking out a something as well.

"Echo?"

As the girls pulled out their Spell Cards and aim it directly at the ECHO standing below, looking back and forth to each of them, snarling at them, ready to see their next move.

"Immortal: Fire-Bird Flying Phoenix!"

"Future: God's Realm!"

"Spread Sign: Invisible Full Moon!"

"Spirit Sign: Yin-Yang Orbs!"

A colorful array of different danmaku fire off from the four girls, coming in four directions where the ECHO is standing looking back and forth in a nervous gesture, and the magic-filled wide-spread energy bursts smash against the colossal beast.

BOOOOOOMMM!

A pile of dust and smoke was left where the behemoth once stood.

"Kinda anticlimax… erm, but oh well," shrugged Mokou as she and the other girls slowly descend back onto the ground.

"It's not over! Run!" screamed Chris.

"Huh?"

Out of the dust of cloud stormed out the giant ECHO Bash, speeding towards Mokou with its axe ready to smash and rip her underneath its rocky texture.

Mokou throws out her arms and cast her fire danmaku on it, but it didn't stop its advance and slammed its arm down where Mokou stood.

The ECHO lefts its axe to see that the white-haired girl it was attacking wasn't even there, and looked toward its right a few feet away with Mokou safely away from it with the red and black boy standing next to her.

"Close call, you alright Mokou-san?" asked Chris casting his gaze towards the fire princess of the forest.

"There was no need to save me… whether you believe me or not, I'm immortal… I can't die," smirked Mokou however a little glint of resentment of that fact shines softly in her eyes.

So she's the second immortal Kaguya-hime mention… Chris looked on in wonder.

Chris shakes his head and glares at Mokou. "That doesn't matter!"

Mokou look at him with surprise, but slowly narrows her eyes on him. "What do you mean it doesn't matter? No matter what they thing does to me I can't die."

"But you still feel pain, right?" retracted Chris.

"Well, of course…," muttered Mokou.

"Listen, I don't care if you're immortal, pain is still pain no matter what. You're not invincible and I will not stand by and watch my friends get hurt," said Chris standing up and walking over to the ECHO, "This time it's my turn to fight."

"Hey listen… I can fight

"Chris-kun please wait! You're still need to recover, just leave it to us," pleaded Keine.

"As remarkable as your healing prowess is, you mention that you burn too much of your energy when using some of your skills. It's not a good idea to excess yourself too much in your condition," stated Reisen looking concerned as well.

"I just don't want you guys to caught in my attack," smiled Chris before glaring at the ECHO.

"Eh?" Everyone snapped their heads in curiosity.

"It's ECHO Bash's smash time! I'll make you all soil your little breeches!" shrieked ECHO Bash as it dashes towards Chris.

"Blade Boomerang!" roared Chris as he throws his right blade at the ECHO Bash, like a spinning boomerang, at high-speed but the giant black shadow dodges to the side as it closes-in on Chris.

Chris smirk at this though and continues to charge in with just his left twin sword.

What's he thinking! Keine thought as she looks on worried.

"Recall!" commanded Chris with his right hand stretched out.

In a brilliantly flash of light, the sword that Chris threw earlier return to his hand and Chris and the ECHO, caught slightly surprise by this, slash at each other like Samurais of days of old with a single slash as a sudden flash with the two standing several feet away from each other. The giant ECHO screeched in pain as its left arm is severed clean off of it and falls to the ground.

"Got'cha! And I'm not done yet!" declared Chris looking back at the ECHO.

"Chris-kun… how did you do that with your swords?" asked Reisen pointing at him with the look of obvious surprise written on it.

"Oh that? Well my swords are special and this is another one of its secrets… I break it down into Ki particles and return it to me, however it can only come back to me as it's soaked in my Ki signature as I've used it for a long time and comes back on my call," answered Chris.

"Another odd thing about him… honestly is there anything else I need to know about you?" asked Reimu pinching her nose.

"Hehehe… Oh!" laughed Chris scratching the side of his head until he saw the ECHO stretched out what remained of its left arm.

As a black wave of energy and dust circle where the rest of its arm should be at, the energy particles clamp into and regenerate the ECHO's lost arm as the ECHO looks at its new left arm with glee and frowns at the one who severed its arm as its old arm dispenses on the ground.

"It… It can regenerate its limbs?" Keine said as she studies the beast in quivering shock.

"I'm more amazed that it's still standing after being hit by all of our danmaku," growled Reimu, "Just go down already!"

Reimu fires off colorful orbs of danmaku at the ECHO as it reaches its hand to the ground to do its 'Shadow Surf' ability to travel into the shadow world to avoid Reimu's attack and to attack them from any place again.

"Oh no you don't… Ability Cancel!" yelled Chris as he stretches out his right hand and within his mind's vision the temporal space shatters around him like glass as the ECHO's hand slams into the ground and winces in pain as it also gets blasted by Reimu's danmaku.

"A-Ability what?" Mokou spoke.

"So that's his Ability Cancel… that's a very useful skill," muttered Reisen under her breath.

"Why didn't you use it earlier in the battle? You could've save us a lot of grieve!" complained Reimu steaming a bit in the background.

Awesome! Perfect timing with it hitting its fist into the ground just before it phased into its Shadow Surf move. I wonder how long the range of the Ability Cancel is? Chris thought to himself pleased that he can command the Ability Cancel now.

"Would you like me to tell you?" Virus chimed in, talking in the back of Chris' mind.

Oh! Virus, hey there! Yeah, it would be great to know so I can adjust to the situation accordingly with it… Chris mentally replied back to his alter ego.

"Hehehe… Energetic as usually. Anyway the Ability Cancel has an Area of Effect range and a Long Range shot. The radius of the Area of Effect is 40 yards…," Virus explained.

That's sweet! And how long is the Long range one? Chris asked Virus.

"It is exactly 1.609344 kilometers," Virus simply stated with a hint of pride.

Seriously? Its range goes up to a mile! Chris said mentally shocked.

"Yes, however there's a catch with that. The Long range shot simply covers your frontal scope so you can't prevent others from engaging you from all sides and back and the further away the target is the less effective the duration is," Virus explained once again.

So if the target is further away, instead of two minutes of abilities lock it could be a minute or even less, Chris looked over the ability explanation and limitations.

"That is correct, however the Area of Effect version always has the power at full blast so it doesn't lose any effective of the ability even if it doesn't cover as much range as the Long version. However the intriguing part of the Long range version, despite being a front shot, is that the closer the target the more effective the Ability Cancel becomes meaning you can seal their abilities up to five minutes if possible but it drains more energy going for Long range," explained Virus sipping some tea in the white void of space of Chris' mind.

As always, there's a catch but it's good to know even more about the Ability Cancel. Thanks Virus! smiled Chris as he mentally thank his mysterious soulmate as Virus smiles back and returns back into Chris' soul.

"One more note, you can choose who you want the Ability Cancel to affect. So you don't have to worry about hitting your friends if you choose and think only to hit the ECHOES," said Virus moments before vanishing.

That's a very useful feature! Chris mentally thanked Virus.

"I will continue to observe your battle… if it starts to get out of hand I'll give you my support when the time comes," stated Virus before disappearing.

The internal dialogue exchange was only but a brief moment as Chris' focus returns to reality, with the scene filled with smash rocks, bented and twisted bamboo shoots stood, and dust and burn marks everywhere on the floor.

Did that whole talk really last a second or two in the real world? Got to ask Virus about that later…

Chris and ECHO Bash stare down as the ECHO shows its irritated and annoyed features at the boy as it builds up power with a faint glowing gray aura around it.

"Like I'm going to let you!" said Chris as he dashes towards the giant beast.

Just as the ECHO lifts up its axe, Chris vanishes right before its eyes. The boy in red and black high-speed warps behind the beast and kicks it in the back with sheer force that he propeller it off the ground.

SMASH!

Chris reappeared in front of it and double kick its under the chin to knocks it far into the air.

"Say what…?" Mokou breaths out the words as the girls watch the speculation unfold before them.

DUZZ! BWAK! PMMM! KRRRAK!

Chris continues to pummel the creature and knocking it back and forth in the air, like a ping pong, as Chris increases the speed of each hit making it impossible to even see a blur image of the two with only the sounds of Chris smashing against the beast with his punches and kicks hurling to one spot in the air to the next without break. Because of Chris' inhuman speed it appeared that he was flying to each spot, which in reality he returns to the ground to jump back into the air for the next assault.

DOM! KRAK! KWOG!

The next attack skyrocketed the ECHO once more into the air in a straight path, as Chris gently touches the ground and he jumps right up and far above the ECHO and he twirls himself around in a somersault until…

KWWOOOOGG!

Chris axe-kicks ECHO Bash's head and sends it hurling down into the ground, impacting the earth with its sheer mass and speed from Chris' assault as Chris slowly descends to the ground breathing heavily.

OK… maybe I wasted too much energy in that attack… Chris thought to himself trying to regain his lost strength as he descends slightly faster now.

The girls, who were watching the show pinball attack Chris perform, stood there with gawking expressions on their features.

Did… Did he really just do that! Reisen stood there not believing what she saw, her eyes twitching in disbelief.

Chris-kun… are you really human? Keine looked on with a sweatdrop behind her head with an unsure smile on her lovely face.

Mokou stood there with her arms folded, and from her wide-eye shock expression turned into a smug smirk. Hmph… not bad, maybe he can teach me to do that. I have the perfect practice dummy in mind for that… hehe…

Reimu planted her palm into her head and sighed. Why am I hardly surprise at this?

"Chris-kun… are you alright? Doesn't that stress your body?" called Keine getting over her shock fairly and unusually quickly.

"Yeah… my body stings a bit because I overused my Ki a little there, but it should be fine in a moment," replied back Chris getting closer to the ground.

"Hey! Chris-kun watch out!" yelled out Mokou as Chris turns his direction back to the ECHO from Mokou's alert as he slowly descend from the air after performing his pinball attack on the ECHO. The ECHO was still alive and it didn't seem happy.

How is that thing still standing after that! Reimu verbally thought as she looks at the ECHO with great irritation and shock.

ECHO Bash gets up, and looks peeved, as the giant behemoth kicks its foot to the ground until it suddenly bent his leg in a 90 degree turn and kicked into Chris' stomach, making him cough for the sudden unusual strike.

DOM!

What the…? It can bend its body parts like that? Chris thought as he got hit.

And then so after kicking him with a bended kick, it winds up its left hand and backhands Chris from his left side…

SMACK!

… and sends him, at high-speed, away from battleground as a speeding blur of red and black smashing against the bamboo shoot from the ECHO's powerful attack.

RPG Battle Report, with chibized versions of Chris and ECHO Bash! Chris suspends in midair as ECHO Bash charges its attack. ECHO Bash uses Backslap and Chris takes 1030 damage! Critical Hit! Chris is in critical condition!

"Chris-kun!" shouted Keine as the group watch as Chris is sent hurtling in the air, smashing against the bamboo shoot, off into the distant direction.


Back at Eientei, two figures are enjoying the peaceful afternoon by sitting outside and drinking some tea and some bunnies run around playing with each other without a care in the world.

"I wonder how they're faring," said Kaguya sipping her newly poured Jasmine tea.

"I'm sure they're alright, but honestly princess. You shouldn't be outside where those black shadows can attack you," spoke a worried Eirin rubbing the side of her head.

"Is it safer inside? Last time those things popped into my room and your clinic… I do believe it doesn't matter where I am as these things can come and go as they deem fit," replied Kaguya bringing the tea to her lips once again.

"Indeed that is true, if only we have more information about how they travel… then I can conduct a way to prevent these things from entering our home," said Eirin writing some notes on her clipboard.

"That would be marvelous… I wonder how Chris-san is doing…" sighed Kaguya staring off into the direction where the boy in red and black ran off to.

Eirin looked back at the moon princess and gave her a sly smile. "That's interesting… You've never been interested in boys a quite long time since your impossible requests, though you were hardly interested in them at all. What is it about him that catches your fancy princess?"

"There's something about him I can't quite place my finger on…. It's just that there's something unusual about him that sets him apart from the other men. I want to know more about him," giggled the moon princess. "Plus I love the gift he gave me."

"Indeed, I was quite shock to see his body recover so fast like that. I wonder if really is human."

Eirin shakes her head and smiles before returning to her clipboard to jog down more notes to expelling the ECHOES from Eientei.

CRACK! CRASH! CRACK!

"Huh? What's that sound?" said Kaguya alerted by the noise.

"What in the…?" Eirin perked her head up and looked in the direction the noise came from, which grew even louder as they see a pile of bamboo shoots being blown away by an incoming object.

CRACK! CRASH! CRACK!

BOOM!

The flying object finally skid against the ground and smashes itself in front of Eientei, where a trail of dust left behind from where it came from, causing both Kaguya and Eirin to shoot right up and stared at the smoking crater.

A hand popped out and soon followed by a human figure, as the boy slowly gets up and breathes heavily from the sudden shock of the attack that fling him over here. A boy clan in red and black stood up with a tattered and battered clothes.

"That was painful," said Chris in a calm fashion as he shakes off the pain by shaking his body like a dog shaking off water from its body, but in a cartoonish or anime style.

"Chris-san!" Kaguya cried out as Chris turned away and waved at the princess and Eirin.

"Oh! Hey Kaguya-hime and Eirin-san, sorry for dropping in like that," smiled Chris casually.

"Excuse me! Chris-kun, how did you survive that impact?" asked a clearly shocked Eirin pointing at him.

"That? I'm used to pain, this is nothing. Guess it made my body resilient because of I guess," shrugged Chris scratching the back of his head.

"Guess it made…? Are you truly human, Chris-kun? I finding it hard to believe more and more with each thing you do, even if it's on the two occasions I've seen you already so far," spoke Eirin with narrow eyes.

Chris simply chuckled back at her.

Suddenly a huge shadow formed before Chris and out came the giant ECHO that everyone was fighting earlier and the one that flung Chris over to Eientei, smiling at him in mischievous etiquette.

"Echo echo!" cried ECHO Bash as it looms over Chris.

"I was wondering when you would pop back for more," said Chris entering into battle stance with his swords in reverse grip as usual. Though my body still needs to recover…

"Is… Is that thing an ECHO! I didn't think they can grow so huge!" cried Kaguya as she hides behind Eirin.

"This would be a problem if this type of ECHO came storming into our home!" shouted Eirin as she takes out a bow, materializing from her Spell Card, and aims it at the ECHO.

"Chris-kun! Are you alright!" called out Keine running towards the ECHO and Chris from the direction Chris was hurled from.

Alongside with Keine coming into sight were Reimu, Reisen, and Mokou following behind in suit.

Time seems to slow down with two people locked eyes with each other, ignoring everything around them. Mokou and Kaguya immediately noticed the other's presence. With Mokou frowning and glaring at Kaguya and Kaguya herself gave Mokou a smug cocky smile and narrowed her eyes with a hint of annoyance in them.

"Tsk… it had to hurl Chris off into this area," spitted Mokou looking away with disgust and annoyance.

"Well, well, well if it isn't Mokou. How are you faring this lovely evening? Horrible, I presume?" smirked Kaguya with a triumphed look on her face as she notices Mokou in tattered condition. Maybe these ECHOES aren't so bad after all…

Mokou glared back at Kaguya with such ferociousness that it could kill someone with that look as her hand is encased in a flames. "What did you say..!"

Why am I sensing such hostility emitting between these two? Chris nervously chuckled given their situation. Though Mokou seems to dislike Kaguya more than Kaguya dislikes Mokou, judging by their auras…

"Um… Mokou-san… Kaguya-san… can we discuss this later? Right now the ECHO…?" Keine interrupted with a nervous sweat behind her head.

"Very well…," said Kaguya with elegance as she brought her sleeve up to her mouth.

"Hmph… whatever," spit Mokou looking away disinterest.

The ECHO started its assault after the short intermission between the two groups ended as it reached its arm into the ground, creating a shadow path since it regained its abilities, aiming its attack towards Chris.

"Light Style: Holy Barrier!" Chris shouted anticipating the attack by performing a hand sign creating a translucent white barrier around him.

The arm erupted from the ground and the ECHO enlarged its hand tries to grab Chris' entire being, but is stop by his barrier where both the hand and barrier clash electrical sparks flew. The ECHO tried spreading its shadow underneath Chris but Chris didn't sink into the shadow.

Huh? It didn't phase through? Of course! Energy clashes with energy! Chris mentally noted the ECHO's Shadow Surf's weakness. However he looked below him where the shadow was before him and a chill went up his spine.

Deep within the shadow Chris saw several pair of yellow eyes staring back at him, and he knows those are the ECHO's eyes looking right at him smiling and waiting for him to come right on in. Even further back away from the ECHOES, Chris could see a tint of purple… what was that?

So their Shadow Surf move isn't just their special ability to travel to one place to another… Chris realized what that ECHO ability really is.

"Spirit Sign: Yin-Yang Orbs!"

Reimu blasted her orbs at the ECHO's back causing it to retract its arm and glare back at the shrine maiden as she glides over to Chris' side.

"You have a knack of getting into trouble, don't you?" spoke Reimu directly at Chris as she glares at the ECHO.

"Sort of," chuckled Chris.

The ECHO spit out a barrage of energy blasts at Reimu and Chris as the both of them graze through the attacks return fire with their danmaku and Ki blasts pummeling the giant beast. The ECHO took the attack and was pushed back only slightly and started to breath heavily now hinting that it's near the end of its strength.

"It still won't go down? I'm getting fed up with this thing!" panted Reimu as her fatigue catching up to her.

"If I had a little extra firepower it would go down right now," breathed Chris catching his breath as he slowly gathers his energy to recover.

"Chris…," Virus spoke from the depth of Chris' psyche.

What's up Virus? I'm kinda busy at the moment… Chris replied back to Virus.

"I'm giving you back access to your Super Level form," stated Virus with a deadpanned voice.

What? Seriously! Awesome! Chris mentally replied with enthusiasm and excitement. We can finally turn the tables on this thing!

"Just a few things, I change the duration amount of how long you can stand in your Super Human form from the original 10 minutes to 5 minutes now to conserve your energy and remove the stress on your body and lifespan," explain Virus.

I can't last as long now! Oh well, I at least I would be in pain anymore in that form… thanks Virus, you're the best! Chris answered back as he prepares himself to transform.

"Chris-kun, what are you doing?" asked Keine watching Chris throw his swords in the air.

"I'm just taking it to the next level!" exclaimed Chris as his swords came back down and stopped midair, glowing a faint aura, as Chris brought his arms in front to form an X position as small particles of natural energy came flowing into him.

What's he doing? Eirin thought studying Chris' odd maneuver.

"This is getting exciting! I have to write this down!" shouted Aya with glee as she takes pictures on her camera of the battle before her.

"Yeah things are getting… eh? What! Aya, when did you get here!" Mokou spoken realizing that the crow tengu appeared on top of Eientei watching the scene below while writing in her book.

"Just now! You can't expect the number one reporter of the Bunbunmaru to ignore the sounds of fighting and explosive where a great scoop is being born! Besides I wanted to get more information about our newest resident since I didn't get enough last time!" exclaimed Aya.

Everyone just groaned.

The ECHO narrowed its eyes to study the move Chris is doing as his swords break down and are being absorbed into his body and then its eyes snapped open realizing what that technique is.

"Ech! I knew that move! I won't let you do that, echo!" screamed the ECHO as it runs charging in after Chris.

Chris-san… what kind of spectacular technique are you going to show? Kaguya eyes Chris with delight curious about the light show the young man is performing.

"Oh no, you don't!" roared Reimu and she takes out her gohei and dashes in to smack the ECHO with it, but it vanished before her and appeared before Chris. "What? How can it move so fast…!"

"Eat this, echooooo!" ECHO Bash roared like a beast as it hurls its axe downward upon Chris in relentless speed to smash Chris, but the ECHO's axe is stopped by Chris's aura, cracking under pressure, as it gets forced back and pushes the ECHO away.

TMMMMM…!

"Transform! Super Level!" screamed Chris as he throw his arms back to his side as a golden aura erupted around him like flames, with small light sparks sparkling around him, and his black hair transformed to a golden yellow color, his blue eyes turned fiery red, golden markings etched onto his face, and his red jacket becoming orange. A serious frown etched his face as he stares down the ECHO who retaliated with a disgustingly annoyed face.

Everyone stood gawking at the sight. They did not expect a human to become a golden warrior before them.

"Who… What… How? What in the world did you do!" stuttered Reimu pointing towards the golden Chris with a disbelief look on her face.

Kaguya sitting behind Eirin, observes Chris with awe and delight in her eyes. He's… become a golden light. What an interesting young man is he!

"In all my life, I have never heard or seen a human being capable of such a feat…," whisper Eirin with utter surprised and confusion on her delicate features.

"He turned gold… he turned gold! Ayayayaya… what a scoop! I knew he was a great source of material, but this takes the cake! I'm so glad I came by!" giggled Aya as she discovers the scoop of a lifetime and starts taking pictures of Chris' Super Human form.

"Chris-kun…," Keine stuttered as well as she doesn't know what to say.

Is that Chris! He looks so different now… how does he trigger this form? Is it the swords or something else or both? Reisen questioned Chris' technique trying to figure out the secret of his ability.

"…," Mokou just stands there and takes in the sight of Chris' golden transform and gives a small smirk.

"No… it's that form! It's that golden form that Master Levin told us ECHOES about! This is bad, echo! I'm so screwed, echo!" quake the giant shadow as it steps back slowly and in fear, its body shaking uncontrollable, and glaring at Chris with an annoyed and angry expression.

Master Levin…? Mokou caught wind of that word, not understanding who this Levin is.

"I'm getting out of here!" roared the ECHO as it makes it escape by opening a shadow gateway to run away, but as its hand almost reaches the shadow surface Chris is stands next to it like he was always there and grabs its hand.

"Sorry, but the party is just starting. Stay awhile," said Chris with a smirk as he bends the ECHO's arm upward away from the ground as the ECHO staggering to break free. "After attacking my friends I'm not letting you get away… Ability Cancel!"

The temporal space shatters around Chris and the ECHO as the ECHO loses its abilities. Chris releases the ECHO's arm as it backs away and glares at Chris, as the golden-haired boy frowns to show his serious side.

"Chris… I do not think is was wise to use the Long range shot to increase the time it cannot use its abilities as it takes twice as much energy to use a regular Ability Cancel, even if I did restore a great deal of your stamina," Virus sighed in.

Sorry about that Virus, but I have to stop this guy… Chris mentally replied back to his odd friend.

"I understand, but allow me to give you a gift. A new technique exclusively for this form," dotted Virus as he snaps his fingers.

As the golden aura around Chris flared up, a pair of glowing glyph starting to draw itself behind Chris as the boy turned his head back to see the energy behind him flowing in unusual direction. The glyphs curved in a pattern like a wing and at the end, where the feathers would be, curved into edges or spikes. The glyphs were thin and translucent in a golden light, though it did shown for each few seconds a wave of a rainbow-ish light passed down from top to bottom of the glyph wings.

Angel-like wings? Chris thought inspecting his new golden wings he grew. "That's new…"

He's like… an angel… Kaguya whispered in the back of her mind as she looks on in childish delight and excitement.

"This little move is called, 'Light Style: Angelic Wings'. This is a support move that is both offensive and defensive and you can bend it to your will to shield you or increase the intensity of your wings to slash through your enemies," Virus explained subtle mischief.

It's funny you know, my Super Form is a Light form represent an Angel while my Divine Darkness form is a Dark form representing a Demon… Chris mentally mused.

"He… He grew wings?" Reisen stated.

"That's amazing! Gotta write that down!" dotted Aya as she jogs that bit down in her book.

"I'm going to kill you, ech!" yelled ECHO Bash as it tries to punch Chris.

However Chris dodged the attack and slugged the brute with a simply blow and knocked it flying back, as Chris reappeared behind it and kicked it back where it was ago and somersault and kicking it up into the kick as Chris appears once again before it in the air and does a somersault kick back into the as Chris reappears right besides Reimu. All of these attacks happen within a second, and everyone stood there blinking at what just happen.

"Huh? What the… when did you get next to me? What did you do to that!" exclaimed Reimu dotting back and forth at the ECHO groveling in the dirt and the golden Chris next to her.

The ECHO got back up on its feet and stared at Chris. "It is true what Master Levin said! You can move faster than the speed of light in that form! Even Master Levin said he had a rough time fighting you in that form!"

Everyone turned their heads at that declaration and looked back at Chris who was sweating a bit.

Faster than the speed of…? You're saying that this human is faster than a tengu, especially me! Aya thought about that part. Ayayayaya, I have got to check that out!

"So… you did skim about the fight with Levin," giggled Kaguya finding out that there was more to the story of Chris and Levin's battle.

"Geez, you have a lot of explaining to do Chris! Don't tell me you have another transform or whatever ability thing you do," snarled Reimu glaring at Chris.

Chris looked back with a nervous smile on his face. "Hehehehe… he…"

"Don't tell me… you do have another one!" said Reimu realizing another fact about Chris.

"Well… I only transform into that Dark form at the end of the fight with Levin and even then I don't know how to transform into it! It happen instinctively!" pleaded Chris shaking his hands in the air.

Dark form? He has both a Light and Dark form? Intriguing… I have to learn more about this and how it affects his body… Eirin analyzing the information before her and keeping mentally notes about it for later.

"Fine, but you better tell us everything this time! Or else!" demanded Reimu pulling out her gohei and smacking against her hand.

"Eeeeeei….! OK, OK! I'll spill, I'll spill! But after beating this ECHO!" stated Chris shifting away from Reimu a bit.

"As if! Bash and blast!" screech the ECHO as it blasted several Ki spheres at Chris and Reimu.

Chris smirked and extended his wings in front of him, bending the glyphs to have a winged shield as the blast clashed against it exploding on contact. The ECHO glared back and spit into the ground as Chris retracted his glyph wings back into position.

"My turn then," spoke Reimu as she fired off her danmaku at the ECHO.

However ECHO Bash, this time, instead of grazing through the attack the black shadow decided to eat each of Reimu's danmaku.

CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

The creature munched on them like snack and kept them in its mouth.

"Wha-What the! They can eat danmaku too!" gritted Reimu.

"OK, that's something I didn't know about them," said Chris surprised at the ECHO's sudden and random tactic.

ECHO Bash spitted the danmaku back at Reimu at such velocity it was almost a blur, but Chris appeared before Reimu and slapped them away. Chris shook his hand in pain, and looked at the slight burn marks on his gloves.

I see that deflecting energy is too dangerous in this form compare to my base form… and seeing as my body is still damaged from the previous attacks it isn't a good idea to deflect any blasts at all.

Chris leans his body back and focuses his energy on his glyph wings, sharpening them with more energy, and dashes at blindly light speed cleaving the ECHO's axe in two, as well as knocking the ECHO backwards making it land face down in the ground, before ascending into the air looking down at the ECHO after his attack. However his angelic wings disappeared, since he wasted all of the energy in that attack.

"Wait… you can fly in that form?" asked Reimu remembering Chris said he couldn't fly before.

"Yeah… only in this form do I gain the ability of flight as the Ki is circulating through my body in the right condition to allow Ki users to fly," answered Chris.

"But why didn't you go as fast as your previous move?" asked Reisen.

"Hehehe, echo! I know, I know! Your body is still human and it puts a lot of strain on it for moving at that speed making him that move as he can only do it a limited amount of time and for short bursts as well, echo!" explained ECHO Bash, which surprised everyone, "My master was the one who explained it to us ECHOES."

"Wait… stress? Chris-kun does this form shorter your lifespan when you use it!" asked Keine glaring at Chris with a concern look on her face.

Everyone looked at Chris, concerned and slightly annoyed.

"Well… originally. My body is getting more use to my Ki abilities so I'm not shorting my life anymore, but I still need more Ki to maintain my body from further harm," explained Chris scratching the back of his head.

He… he seriously is shorting his life? I'm not too keen about my immortally, but that's just stupid… Mokou thought with an un-amused look on her face.

"Chris-kun… we need to have talk about this, after you're done with the ECHO," glared Eirin, as a doctor she was not too pleased to hear someone purposely harming their body for such a stunt.

I'm in big trouble aren't I? Chris gulped.

"Yes, indeed you are," stated Virus popping up once again.

Oh, Virus there you are! I have to thank you for this new move, but it's still a little hard to control… thanked Chris quite happy for this new move.

"About that, I can give you a new abilities but I cannot grant you the experience need to perform them," Virus explained.

Well that's nice… I guess I'll have to practice that when I have the time. I hope it isn't too long to master it since I manage to grasp everything fairly quickly, Chris replied back in a pondering manner. Though I surprise even myself on how I learn things quite quickly…

"Well that is because of me… I can accelerate your learning growth so everything comes to you naturally. How do you think you've learn so much so much in the short 10 years you started to take your work even more seriously?" mused Virus.

That was you! Aw man, I thought it was my natural talent to picking up things fairly quickly! Chris pouted.

"Don't be so quick to digress. I was trying to be discreet, what I meant was I simply accelerated your learning growth rate meaning it was still all you to get where you are. I simply give you a little nudge forward," smiled Virus. "But even still, just because I gave you a new move doesn't mean you know to use it completely. Like a video game character for example, the hero is given a new skill to fight with but he's level 1."

I get it! Just because you have doesn't mean you strong enough until you gain a few more levels to increase your powers and learn how the skill works and such, oh and maybe a few equipment to…

"Chris, focus…"

And maybe the skill has skill levels too, that would be a perfect example! The more it increases the more you use it improves…

"Chris, focus… focus…"

Ah… sorry. Got carried away there… Chris nervously chuckles back. Oh I have another question!

"That can wait until next time, you'll return to reality in a moment, good luck," said Virus casting Chris back onto the battlefield though it seems like nothing was changed. As if the whole conservation was just but for a moment.

The ECHO Bash raises its left arm and gathers its Ki energy to its fist and aims it at Chris who is staring at the fallen ECHO.

"Light Style: Spirit Sword!" roared Chris as he extended his right hand out and his entire hand flared up with a golden light as a sword-shape beam erupted from his hand, and extending its range, hacks the ECHO's arm right off. The ECHO winces in pain, but just glares at Chris.

Huh? I don't get it… he had a clean shot of destroying it right there… Eirin noted Chris' missed opportunity. Why didn't he go in for the kill?

"Chris! Just hurry up and finish it! It's starting to get late," shouted Reimu.

Chris sighed and nodded his head. "Very well… Super Chaos…"

Chris holds out his right hand out and a golden and black sphere of energy started to circulated as Chris charges up for his final attack.

The ECHO shakes in terror as it knows it's going down.

"Big brother…" the ECHO muttered.

Big brother… a familiar dark-haired girl appeared in Chris' mind the moment the ECHO spoke those words.

Sis! Chris' eyes widen in shock and his body starts to tremble.

"Big brother…? Is this ECHO born from some of the emotions of the children at the village," Keine repeated the words and looks up to Chris. "What the…? Chris-kun, what's wrong!"

Chris floats emotionlessly in the air. Sis…

"Chris? Hey Chris! Just don't float there! Attack!" bellowed Reimu.

ECHO Bash looks up to see the motionless Chris and grins at the perfect opportunity for a counterattack, and fires a powerful energy blast from its mouth flying directly at Chris.

"Chris-kun, watch out!" shouted Reisen getting Chris' attention.

"Chris, snap out of it!" Virus roared in the back of Chris' head.

"Huh?" Chris snaps out of his daze, but it is too late at the blast was already upon him.

BOOOOMMM!

Chris is blasted by the attack and is sent hurling down to the get ground at great speed and crashes into the floor.

"Chris-kun!" shouted Keine as Reimu runs over to Chris' side.

Upon getting to where Chris was laying, Chris' Super Form negated and reverted back to his regular base form.

What the… what happened! Why did I return to normal? Chris thought as his body was in totally pain.

"Did you forget that your Ki need to stay in that form was quite low to begin with? And that if you're hit by a powerful attack with low energy reserves it forcefully negates your transformation?" Virus growled in a disappointing sigh. "Plus you're body was still damaged… remember?"

Oh… I guess I was a little too overzealous then? Hehe… Chris grimace a bit with a sweat on his head.

Virus gave an irritated deep sigh and planted his palm on his face. "I do remember you can be… forgetful sometimes…"

Sorry…

Chris slowly picks himself up and Reimu stands by his side.

"What is wrong with you? Are you alright?" asked a somewhat concern Reimu.

"I'm been better, this is nothing. Anyway about that ECHO…" said Chris casting a gaze on the black beast.

The ECHO slowly picks itself up a well and opens its mouth. Chris instinctively remembers what move it is going to use.

"Everyone! Cover your ears!" yelled Chris.

"Wall of Sound!" screeched the ECHO as a high-pitch booming noise came out of its mouth, attacking everyone's ears. However they mention to cover their ears in time, but the sound was still too loud.

"Dammit… what the hell is this!" gritted Aya as her super hearing is causing her vision to go blurry.

"This noise… it's hurting my ears!" grunted Kaguya trying her best to cover her ears.

What an annoying attack… Mokou spoke in her mind as her vision has gone blurry.

The ECHO revs its attack up with its axe, as Chris does his best to sense it even with his blur vision.

"There!" Chris teleports behind the ECHO and spins around.

"Ice Style: Diamond Dust!"

A mist of frozen air circulated around Chris as the red and black boy slashed at the ECHO's feet, causing the mist to become crystal ice shards and upon the impact froze the ECHO's feet in place.

"Ech! Echo!"

Chris vanished besides Reimu once again and stood there panting. I'm burning too much energy! And ice is my lowest element power!

"I had about enough of this ECHO, I'm going to exterminate it! Chris, you're helping!" growled Reimu getting her Spell Cards ready and her gohei.

"I have something in mind… ready for a tag team move?" chimed in Chris as he readies himself as well.

"Ohhh~… This is getting good, got to take pictures of this!" squealed Aya as she gets her camera ready.

Chris and Reimu dashes to each of the ECHO and slashed it with their sword and gohei respectively, and continue to do so when Reimu hops over Chris as she strikes the ECHO in the head and Chris sweeps at its feet as he passes by Reimu. The pair then ran around it shooting their danmaku and Ki blasts at it, weakening tremendously and ran in front of it as they both jumped up and kicked it in the chest, prompting them to somersault ways away from the ECHO.

"My right hand holds the benevolent darkness… and my left hand holds the malevolent light!" Chris swords started to twist with dark and light energy.

Huh? Is my energy different now? Chris noted as he sees at the dark energy in his right sword as white sparkles of light like his sword became a mini-universe and the opposite holds true for his left sword except the space was white with black stars.

"DIVINE UNITY FUSION!"

"FANTASY HEAVEN!"

A wave of black and white mixed energy and seven pairs of yin-yang orbs meld together to form a purple sphere of light and both attacks are sent hurling in the ECHO's direction is it stands there, as it cannot move due to the frozen ice on its feet, and unwillingly embraces the full force of the attack. The ECHO is shot back and its body starts to dispense.

"Finally… by the way what kind of move was that?" asked Reimu as she wipes away on the sweat on her forehead.

"It's a special move I developed that doesn't do barely any physical damage, unless I choose so, and it's main purpose is to drain an opponent of their energy or stamina to render them incapacitated without harming them," stated Chris as he is kneeling on the ground after wasting the last bit of strength left.

"Are you serious?" Reimu tilted her head in wonder. "That seems so… friendly. That would be a good way to take down any nosy Youkai, but now we have these things to worry about."

"Well at least we know that we can take down a High-Level ECHO here," panted Chris regaining his breath as Reimu helps him up.

"High-Level ECHO?" the dying ECHO said, the words echoing confusion, until it cracked a smile, "Hahaha! You got it all wrong! I'm not a High-Level ECHO… I'm a Mid-Level ECHO! You're way off, they're much more powerful than we are, echo!"

"What…?" Reimu spit at the word in shock as well as everyone with the same disbelieving expression on their faces.

"That's right! We Mid-Level ECHO are only about one third as powerful as the High-Level ECHOES… and the thing is I was only using 70% of my maximum strength the whole time! Echo!" croaked ECHO Bash as it lower body is completely dispensed. "And the thing is, the stronger the emotions that make us ECHOES the stronger we are! Even a Low-Level form ECHO like Vocals can match the power of a Mid-Level ECHO, but it still depends on the strength of the emotions as well as what type of emotions are melded together and the number of the emotions as well! That's what defines us ECHOES, echo! Even though, Master Levin is way more powerful than them!"

Is that why the ECHO Vocals at Remilia's mansion was stronger than the others? Chris mentally noted as he remembered a particular ECHO that gave him grief before.

"You got to be kidding me… are you saying they're that powerful!" muttered Reimu.

Everyone quake a bit, the thought of running into those types of ECHOES anytime soon. Strangely the ECHO picked up on that atmosphere and sighed.

"However… it does take a month or two for one High-Level ECHO to be born, give or take. You won't be running into them, like tomorrow, echo…," ECHO Bash said as its arm final goes, strangely cheering them up.

"Huh? I don't get it… aren't you evil?" pointed Mokou at the ECHO.

"Hell no! We're chaotic neutral, besides we ECHOES are born from both positive and negative emotions. It's only natural that we be helpful from time to time, but we like endless chaos more," gloated the ECHO as its head is about to dispense. "And we're energy beings… even if you kill us, the ones you defeated will return again one day… even me! But it takes years of that though, echo… sometimes… or maybe months… it varies…"

And with that the ECHO vanished completely.

"Oh that's just great, more bad news. So the ECHOES we defeat will come back again anyway! Just like those fairies," growled Reimu with a palm on the side of her head.

"Well at least we know more about them and it doesn't take that long for them to come back," said Chris in an optimistic manner.

"Indeed, but you need rest Chris-kun," said Keine helping the boy by swinging his free arm around her to pick him up.

"Yes, and we have a lot to talk about especially about that transformation ability of yours," said Eirin narrowing her eyes on Chris.

This is going to be a long day… Chris chuckled nervously.


"Well that explains quite a bit," spoke Eirin after taking a sip of tea, with everyone present in a room inside of Eientei all sitting around a table though Mokou was leaning against the rim of an open door with her arms folded.

"So this, Super Human form you've discovered during your training sometime ago increases your speed and power but at the cost of straining your body. And due to the way your body is setup that the Ki causes some harm to it which results in decreased overall lifespan?" Eirin summarized what Chris told her.

"Yes…," Chris nodded cautiously. "However my body has cleared up that problem, mostly, since I got into Gensokyo so it's doesn't stress my lifespan anymore."

"But originally it did, and you were well aware of it, and yet you continue to use your Ki for who knows what," glared Eirin in an un-amused narrow eyes.

"Erm…" Chris stuttered nervously.

SMACK!

"Ittai!" bellowed Chris holding his head in pain with his new bump, and with anime tears rolling down his face. "Why did you hit me… and you, too, Reimu?"

"I have no time for fools," stated Eirin in a deadpanned voice while smacking her mallet in her hand. "I thought you were smarter than that, clearly I was wrong."

"Really now Chris… you're messed up in the head to do something like that," sighed Reimu smacking her gohei in her hand.

"I agree that is it reckless to do such a thing, even if you mean well," said Keine, her eyebrows arc in a sad fashion.

"I'm more surprised, that this so-called uncle of yours overseen to your training knowing the problem at hand," sighed Eirin with her hand on her forehead.

"Sorry, but I had my reasons," replied Chris while sighing depressingly.

"What I like to know is why you reverted back your normal black-haired self after the ECHO struck you," pondered Reisen.

"Oh that, you see I need to maintain my Ki levels in that form so if I have less than half of my stamina when I get hit in that form there's a chance I revert back, forcefully, and the lower the reserves the more likely I revert back," replied Chris.

"That explains it… doesn't that hurt though?" asked Reisen a little worried about the drawback of that effect.

"Not really… but if I had at least three times the amount of stamina I wouldn't have my lifespan in danger nor would my Ki hurt me anymore…," muttered Chris.

"Three times? You're saying if your body had more stamina, it wouldn't stress you anymore?" Eirin perked up.

"Yeah… that's how it works for Ki users back in my world," said Chris.

Eirin got up and left the room. "I'll be right back, I'll have something for your ailment."

"Eirin-san….? She doesn't have any vitamins to increase stamina… does she?" ponder Chris thinking what Eirin has in store.

"Hehehe… you'll learn in time that Eirin-san can make about anything to help people. There is nothing she can't do for people, unless they're not among the living anymore of course," spoke Kaguya sitting across from Chris.

"Really? That would be great!" exclaimed Chris in a happy tone.

"Hey… I can do that too, but I need time to increase your stamina," whispered Virus.

Yeah, but I need to get stronger as quickly as possible with these ECHOES around and Levin… Chris replied back.

"Yeah, but… it's my job…," pouted Virus.

Eirin momentarily return to the room holding a green pill in her hand.

"Master… what is that?" asked Reisen pointing at the green pill.

"This is a special energy vitamin pill I made, specifically for Chris-kun here. With this it will reduce what strain Chris' Ki does to his body and it will increase this stamina three fold. Think of it as a thank you for getting rid of that ECHO for us," said Eirin as she deposited the pill into Chris' hand.

"Wow! That fast, that's amazing!" exclaimed Chris looking at the pill.

"This is nothing, it was quite easy for someone like me to fix up," smiled Eirin.

"By the way… how much does this cost? I mean, I don't feel right just taking it," said Chris.

"You don't have to worry about the pay, this one's on the house. But the next time you'll have to buy for the rest of my supplies, but you can pay whenever you want," explained Eirin.

"Oh I see, like a tab almost. Anyway, thanks," thanked Chris as he swallows the pill.

Why do I feel like he's going to be a regular here? Eirin sighed in the back of her head.

The moment the pill entered his body, Chris felt a surged of energy rushing through his veins.

"Whoa… this is amazing! My body feels lighter now! Thanks Eirin-san!" Chris happily chirped noticing the increase in his energy reserves and his body has recovered drastically and become lighter.

Everyone just stood there gawking at Chris for some reason.

"What? What is it?" asked Chris confused to why everyone is looking at him.

"Erm… Chris-kun you're hair…," Keine blurted out as she points to Chris.

Chris tilted his head in curiosity and grabbed a piece of his hair and pulled it down to see it. Chris almost jumped out of his spot… his regular black-haired with now completely green! The hair suddenly changed its color on Chris, however the white tips still remained.

"What the! My hair's green!" exclaimed Chris in a stun manner as his eyes white out in typical anime freak out mode.

"Oh dear, sometimes even Eirin-san's products can sometimes cause side-effects. Especially newer ones," explained Kaguya with a mischievous grin, trying her best to hold back her laughter.

"Hmmm… the subject has exhibited a sudden change regarding the pigmentations of hair follicles, which results in the color change of the melanin. Further study is needed," Eirin spoke aloud as she writes down on her clipboard.

"Well Chris… hehe… green is a good color for you," chuckled Reimu trying to hold back her laughter.

"Aw man! This green hair clashes with my clothes," pouted the now green-haired Chris as he continues to examine his hair.

"Well now, now that we learn about his transformation abilities and the full fight with Levin regarding both cases, I think we should continue our topic on the ECHOES," stated Eirin putting her pen down.

"Yes, it would be great to know where they come from. Hitting them home would definitely help us," stated Reimu.

"I think I have a good idea," chimed in Chris as everyone looked at him. "When you see those ECHOES entering those shadow portals… I think they're really opening a gateway to their home world or nest and using it to pop in and out of places."

"What? What makes you so sure that's their home world?" asked Reisen curious about the question.

"Well during the fight with ECHO Bash, when its shadow portal was underneath my barrier I noticed several eyes of ECHOES deep inside that shadow staring back at me and there's some purple stuff as well floating in there," explained Chris recalling the sensation of the ECHO's shadow, "But this is just a theory, I'm not sure if it's true or not."

"If that's the case, then why don't we just hop in there?" asked Reimu narrowing her eyes on Chris.

"That's the problem… you can't unless the ECHOES drag you into the shadows themselves," replied Chris.

"What makes you so sure you can enter them?" asked Aya, writing down all this golden information presented to her.

"Because the first time I fought the ECHOES back in my world, a pair of ECHOES dragged me into their shadow. Tsk… I remember the little buggers biting me legs when it was underneath," growled Chris as he rubs his leg as he recalled that part.

"That poses a problem, even if it does serve to provide us with knowledge to enter their home world," sighed Eirin.

"Yeah, we don't know what lies in that world or how many ECHOES are there or even if we know how to get back home," explained Chris with his arms folded and looking down onto the table thinking over the information they have, "But on that note we know how to detain them."

"Detain them? You know how to prevent them from entering our homes?" Kaguya chimed in, looking quite happy about that.

"When I was using my barrier the ECHO and its shadow could not phase through it even though it's a solid surface as energy clashes with energy. ECHOES can use their 'Shadow Surf', what I like to call it, only on solid surface as they cannot use it in the air if you recall them opening a portal in the air," explained Chris.

"That's right, it never did use that shadow thing in the air," declared Keine recall the ECHOES previous actions.

"And energy barriers stop ECHOES from entering or leaving places… hmm, that works to our advantages. It will take me some time to create a special barrier to keep out those ECHOES and allow others to continue to pass through. This is very helpful information, you observed all that in battle?" mused Eirin quite happy with what they have.

"And we know what the other abilities those ECHOES possess, which will helps us better prepares ourselves against them," said Chris confirming the last bit of information regarding the ECHOES.

"Then let's call it a day. I would say I'm quite happy and proud of everyone gathering all this information, you exceeded my expectations especially you Reisen for helping them out and attaining this invaluable knowledge," said Eirin with a proud smile on her face.

Reisen couldn't help, but smile with pride etched on the corners of her lips and she looks away shyly and embarrassed.

"Yes, since these black shadowy monsters have been around Gensokyo for about a week, given that those rumors were true from the Youkai," said Keine.

"Wait… what! The ECHOES were already in Gensokyo!" Chris perked a brow up in completely shock and surprise. There was some of them running amok before he even tried to stopped Levin from spreading them at the dimensional gateway.

"Why yes, though no one has ever seen any during that time… is that a problem?" asked a worried Keine as Chris looked utterly annoyed and surprised.

"Fuhahaha! I'm well prepared for that! I know about the youkai who controls the boundaries and how to deal with her! It can easily take down that lazy shrine maiden, those weak Onis, pathetic vampires, the worthless maid, useless magicians, unworthy flower-loving youkai, the hag of a judge, washed-out gods, idiotic immortals, and all the others without sweat! I know all they're weakness and know how to take them down!" shouted as Levin as he extends hand out.

"Tsk… Figures, that explains how he knows so much about Gensokyo and its inhabitants," Chris muttered under his breath that no one could hear him.

"That's great information! And I'll be sure to add that all in the Bunbunmaru!" exclaimed Aya as she starts to take off. "I'm happy I went to the Scarlet Devil Mansion first to learn more about you Chris-kun later!"

"Wait, Aya-chan!" shouted Chris as he grabs Aya's arm, "I understand you're a reporter, but you cannot mention about Levin in your newspaper! It would cause a panic with the people!"

"Chris-kun is right, I advise you against printing that information in. But seeing as the ECHOES will make their presence known to the humans in the village, it's better to let them know what it is that they're dealing with," agreed Eirin.

Aya looked back and forth to Chris and Eirin and sighed in defeat. "Alright… this once, just this once I won't print that information regarding Levin since you asked. However…"

Aya leaned in forward to Chris and whispered in his ears. "You owe me one favor, not matter what."

"Huh?"

"Laters! Be sure to expect the greatest issue of the Bunbunmaru tomorrow!" chirped Aya as she blasted away from Eientei.

"And there she goes… honestly what are we going to do with her?" sighed Reimu.

"Aya-san seems quite taken with you, you're quite popular with the girls. Must be the same back home, right?" giggled Keine.

"No I'm not… girls aren't interested in me, in that sort of way romantic or otherwise. The girls back home just care about looks than personalities, even if looks are somewhat important," told Chris with a half-amused half-depressed look in his eyes. "But I don't mind if I become friends with them, I'm happy to have more friends to hang out with and enjoy life with."

"Oh…," Keine spoke, not wanting to venture further into that conversation. I wonder why? He's such a sweet boy, even if he's a little impatient and reckless, I find it hard to believe…

"Well it's time for me to get going, I've been here long enough," said Mokou hopping off the porch and walking back at to the forest.

"Mokou, take care of yourself and watch out for those ECHOES," Kaguya said with an innocent smile on her face.

Mokou, including everyone turned their faces towards Kaguya, as the fire guardian of the bamboo forest gave a snarling glare at the moon princess. "What do you say…? You know what, I'm not in the mood today… those ECHOES wore me out, but next time I'm not holding back."

"Later Reimu, Keine, Eirin, Reisen…" waved Mokou without looking back and then stopping in her tracks and gave a small look at Chris and smirked, "And see you later, music boy."

"Music boy?" Everyone asked as they look at Chris.

"Oh yeah! She heard me playing on my ocarina which I have in my… eck! Where's my backpack!" said Chris as he notices he lost his backpack, possible from the fight with the ECHO.

"Oh, here you go Chris-kun! When that ECHO hurled you over to Eientei, you're backpack flung off of you. I made sure to grab it, here you go," smiled Keine as she handed Chris' blue backpack to him.

"Thank you Keine-san! I owe you one!" Chris said with a cheerful smile.

"I'm glad," replied Keine.

"Well then… time to hit the road," muttered Mokou taking her exit.

"Wait Mokou, I'll come with you. Take care everyone… and Chris-kun, please no more reckless acts from you OK?" said Keine as she followed her best friend until both of them disappeared from sight.

"I think that's enough for today, I'm going home. Let's go Chris," said Reimu massaging her shoulder as she walks away.

"Yeah, it's getting late and I'm tuckered out even with the boost in stamina. Take care guys!" Chris waved at the residents at Eientei as he and Reimu leave.

"Have a safe trip and take care, Sir Chris," waved Kaguya at the red and black boy.

Chris and Reimu stopped in their tracks and they look back at the moon princess with a puzzling look and then at each other. Sir Chris?

"Will do, thanks Kaguya-hime! We'll be sure to learn a new song or two for you to hear the next time I visit," smiled Chris.

Kaguya returned the gesture with her own world-renown beautiful smile. "I look forward to that day!"

"Well I guess we better get going," said Chris walking back to the shrine with the shrine maiden.

"Wait a minute Chris-kun! Don't walk over…!" shouted Reisen, but it was too late.

SMAAAASSHHH!

Chris fell into a hole that appeared out of nowhere, with his back against the floor.

"What the…? Where did this hole come from?"

"Hahaha! Got'cha Reisen! Even with those black shadows around I can still… usa? You're not Reisen, who are you?" said a particular rabbit Youkai.

She wore the same pink nightgown dress that the other rabbit Youkai were wearing, black shoulder-length hair that seem ruffle, fluffy rabbit ear bent downward instead of upward like Reisen's, and the one thing that truly set her apart with the carrot necklace around her neck.

Chris climbed back up, but clings to the edge leaving the rest of his lower body still in the hole and looked at the Youkai rabbit with his arms resting on the ground.

"I'm Christopher Trevas Corona, but please call me Chris. Now can I ask? What is up with this hole and who you are?" Chris answered the rabbit Youkai with his own question.

"I am Tewi Inaba, and about that hole is for Reisen not you! I was out and about getting my friends home from those black shadows, and I wanted to show I'm not scared of a few prankstering amateurs and still mess with Reisen," chuckled Tewi as she helps Chris out of the hole.

"Come on Tewi-chan! We don't have time for your pranks at the moment!" declared Reisen, in a chibi state, throwing a fist into the air in the background.

"Just my luck…," muttered Chris with a depressing manner.

"Hehehe… you don't have to worry about that! You're just in luck, I can turn you luck around if you want!" Tewi waved her finger in the air with a smug look.

"Really? Wait… is this a special ability of yours?" asked Chris wanting to make sure.

"Sure is! I can grant good luck and fortunate to Humans!" smiled Tewi, however Chris planted a palm in his face. "Huh? What's wrong, usa?"

"Tewi… our friend Chris here is a special human here as he has a special ability too," chimed in Eirin. "Which is called Ability Cancel, which makes him immune to others special abilities."

"What! Seriously…?" spoke Tewi in a surprised manner as she looks at Chris.

"Yup…" Chris replied. The one TIME I wish I didn't have the Ability Cancel…

"Awww… that's too bad! Guess you have to find good luck on your own then," said a cheerful Tewi with her arms behind her back.

"I suppose… well I have to get going. See ya next time, I wouldn't mind getting to know you a little bit more," said Chris as both he and Reimu start to leave the bamboo forest, who was waiting for him.

"Come back next time! I like to see what else you can do… besides falling into holes!" giggled Tewi waving her back at the pair who disappeared from sight.


Aya returns home to develop the pictures she's taken today, especially the ones where a certain boy went into a golden form.

"This is great! This will be the greatest scoop of all times that I'm so lucky to get my hands on!" squealed Aya with joy as she takes out the finish develop photos and looks on to examine her work.

Her face twists in horror when she realizes something. "I don't believe this! That golden form of his blurred the image! How can this be!"


"*sigh* Today was a long day," sighed Reimu as both she and Chris finally return to the Hakurei Shrine. The familiar red gates greeted the both of them as they passed it and walked into the front yard of the shrine.

"Yeah… though I'm just glad no one really got hurt fighting the ECHOES… and that my hair finally turned back to normal," said Chris examining his black hair that was recently turned green.

"Hehe… I have to admit, green looks good on you," chuckled Reimu.

"Right…," Chris sarcastic replied, "However I'm great that I have three times the amount of stamina than usual thanks to Eirin's energy vitamin! I have to pay her back as soon as possible, which reminds me… what would you like me to do around here? I don't want to laze around and not work, so have something in mind for me?"

"Yeah, since you mention you wanted to work around I have something in mind," said Reimu as she went out behind the shrine and a few minutes later comes back with a broom and throws it to Chris. "Your job is to sweep around the shrine. Plus you're going to be the main source of income around here, so if you could get a job at the Human Village that would be nice."

Chris nervously chuckles on that comment and nods in agreement and starts to sweep. "I might have an idea where to work… but for now I'm going sweep first and then get some rest. Even I don't have the energy to fight any more ECHOES today."

"Agreed, it would be great if someone could prevent them from popping up everywhere and stop their movements in the shadows," said Reimu to the air.

"Oh Reimu dear, if it were that simple I would have done that a while ago," spoke an older female voice as a black gap opened up in the air and a familiar figure dropping out of it.

"Yukari-sama!" Chris spoke out as he recognizes the person dropping by. The blonde-haired Youkai was now sporting a new outfit instead of the Chinese and Japanese mixed articles she wore previous, as she now was wearing a long purple dress, long white gloves, and black high heels though she still had her signature mop hat and pink umbrella with her.

"Hello there Chris, it's good to see you again! You've done a great job of getting rid of the ECHOES splendidly!" compliment Yukari. "Now then Reimu, can we get us some tea to enjoy?"

Yukari-sama…? Reimu twitched her eyes annoyance at Chris' respect for the great boundary Youkai. "Sorry, I'm all out."

"Is that so? What a shame, I was looking forward to the famous Hakurei tea while discussion with the situation on hand," sighed Yukari, disappointing written on her face.

"You were watching the whole ECHO Bash fight, weren't you? And you were also there during the entire conversation at Eientei… even if the gap was small and hardly noticeable," Chris slyly said.

"Now, now Chris-kun… you shouldn't been unraveling other people's secrets of communication with your Ki sensing abilities," playfully scolded Yukari as she waves her finger in the air back and forth at Chris.

"Listen here you old hag, shouldn't you been doing something about these ECHO monsters?" Reimu butted in the conversation.

"Reimu! Be a little more respectful!" complained Chris shook at Reimu's rudeness at Yukari.

Yukari cringed at the 'old hag' part, but shook it away with a smile and replied back to Reimu. "Chris-kun is right Reimu dear. You should learn to respect your seniors, but I'll lecture about that to you some other time."

"Yeah right… anyway what exactly are you doing about with these ECHOES? If you haven't notice they're causing problems to both humans and Youkai, and because of them I most likely won't be getting any peace and quiet anytime soon," stated Reimu with her hands on her hips.

"Oh yes about those ECHOES…," started Yukari with a deep and serious look on her face as she closes her eyes.

Chris and Reimu draw in a little closer to hear what Yukari has to say.

"… I have absolutely no idea what to do about them!" Yukari smiled in a cheerful manner.

Both Chris and Reimu did the anime trip at Yukari sudden declaration.

"Are… Are you kidding me!" Chris bellowed first.

"Yukari…," gritted Reimu as she pulls out her gohei and readies it up like a baseball bat.

"Oh come on, I merely jest. Then again these things have irritated me greatly over the few days they have been here," coldly stated Yukari, "With them nibbling on the Hakurei Border like it was a snack."

That bit of information caught both Chris and Reimu's ears.

"Wait… they're EATING the Hakurei Border?" said Reimu finding it hard to believe.

So that's the name of the border surrounding Gensokyo… Chris mentally noted.

"No Reimu, I said nibbling not eating. Honestly child, you have much to learn, where do you get it from?" Yukari said like a disappointed mother.

SMACK!

Reimu bashes her gohei against Yukari's head, however Yukari pays no mind though she gentle rubs with Reimu hit her.

"Reimu!" Chris quickly stated.

"Playfully as ever. Back on topic, these ECHOES simply nibbled on my precious border to get my attention. They stopped when I made an appearance, but these things had some gall to pull a stunt like that," said Yukari displeased.

"I'm surprise you didn't take away their powers instead," declared Reimu with a pout.

"Huh? Reimu don't you understand?" Chris spoke up surprise by Reimu's declaration. "Didn't you understand what Yukari meant? She stated that she cannot use some of her gap powers on the ECHOES due to their unique body construction."

"Huh…? What do you mean? You know some of Yukari's annoying way of being cryptic?" flinched Reimu by Chris' observation on Yukari's behavior.

"Ah Chris! You understand me better than most people! How you make my heart sing with your insight ways," giggled Yukari humorously.

"Hmph… I'm surprise you like a human," frowned Reimu.

"Let's say my dear Reimu is that Chris-kun has grabbed my heart the first time we met," chimed Yukari with a mischievous smile.

"Huh?" Reimu perked her brow down in a curious manner.

Chris franticly waved his arms in the air between Reimu and Yukari. "Hahahaha! Yukari-sama you're quite funny, but there's no need to talk about that! We met, we met! There's no point talking about it, so return to the topic about the ECHOES."

"What's with you?" asked Reimu surprised by Chris' behavior.

"Oh Chris, you're so funny. You're quite a delight to have around, especially with those ECHOES around," laughed Yukari.

"Sorry about that Yukari-sama, it's my fault for letting Levin bring the ECHOES here," apologized Chris.

Yukari pulls out her fan and playfully jabs it into Chris' cheek. "Now don't you worry your little head, you've done more than I expected and puts me in great pleasure to know I have such a hard-working young man to take care of my home."

"Then why don't you do it from time to time… you old hag," muttered Reimu.

"Now Reimu, you should know how busy I am as such I am unable to attend to the problem at hand. That's why I have you… and Chris to help," smiled Yukari.

Yeah right… you mean sleep all day and leave us with your work… Reimu mentally replied.

"Anyway… we need a plan for when Levin finally arrives in Gensokyo. I rather not allow him to gain the upper hand again," said Chris recalling his previous fight with the evil god.

"It's simple… when he gets here I'm kicking his butt," Reimu said.

"What! Don't you have a plan… like for all the times you've stop those incidents you mention before?" Chris pointed at Reimu.

"Nope I just beat anyone causing problems and that's it, it always works out for me," replied Reimu with her arms folded.

Chris planted a palm in his forehead. "Good lord…"

"You worry too much Chris, I'll personally greet this Levin person when he gets here. He'll understand soon enough that crossing me is the worst mistake anyone can ever achieve in their lifetime," Yukari answered with flaring golden eyes.

"That's all good and fine, but what about the ECHOES? Can't you take us to where their nests are?" asked Reimu.

"No," Yukari simply said.

"What! Listen here, these things are going to be a pain and I like to get rid of them as…"

"That's the thing Reimu, I cannot. As in I cannot enter their home turf with my powers, as impressive and useful as they are," Yukari cut in.

"Wait… you cannot enter their home turf which we speculate is the shadow paths they use?" Chris chimed in.

"Correct… I do not know why myself, but when I used it to go after the little devils that attack the border my gap ripped itself apart just trying to open way the pathway to where they escaped," Yukari answered with a twisted face of discomfort.

"That's just wonderful…," Reimu planted a palm on her head.

"If that's the case, it can't be helped. We'll just handle them when the time comes," said Chris while he was sweeping the floor.

"I have faith in your abilities. With that note, I shall take my leave. I will come for you, Chris-kun, next time to discuss some things," said Yukari grabbing Chris' attention, "And Reimu my dear…"

"What?"

"You've see to grown a bit attached to the young man before you. Now make sure not to do anything I wouldn't," whisper Yukari into Reimu's ear before Reimu tried to whack her with her gohei.

"Excuse me! What do you mean by that!" Reimu yelled back. "Besides what are you even here for?"

Yukari gave a quick look at Chris and return her gaze to Reimu and smiled. "What? Am I not allow to come and visit my favorite shrine maiden every once and a while to see how she's doing? Besides, if you don't keep your tea supplies in stock I'll come visit every day to make sure you do!"

Reimu gave Yukari a hard look without even replying back, and scoffed away.

"I look forward to seeing you again, Chris-kun," said Yukari with a wink, making Chris' cheeks heat up a bit, as she appears besides Chris and whisper in his ear, "And I cannot wait until I meet the being that dwells within you as well."

With that note Yukari disappears into her gap.

Reimu looked at Yukari's odd behavior and narrowed her eyes on Chris.

"That was fast, I was hoping to ask her something," sighed Chris returning to sweeping the shrine floor.

"What was that about? What's going on between you two? Did you like her?" asked Reimu with her arms folded.

"Huh? Well, yeah, I like Yukari-sama! I think she's great and wonderful person," smiled Chris.

Reimu was taken aback but that and gave a small glare at Chris. "Seriously?"

Chris nodded his head.

"You must be desperate if you're going after that hag," said Reimu waving it off.

"Eh? I'm not sure what you meant by that, but Reimu-chan let's do our best to stop the ECHOES all around Gensokyo and Levin. I'll make sure none of them get near you," said Chris as he pounded his fist on his chest.

Reimu looked insulted at that statement and looked back at Chris.

"Listen here Chris, I've protect Gensokyo from all kinds of incidents on my own. I can take care of my well being, and I don't need a boy to protect me from any danger. Got it?" glared Reimu with her hands on her hips.

"I know that, I can sense it. You have amazing powers deep inside of you but it's just that I can't stand to see people suffer in front of me," Chris said while rubbing the top of his nose with a goofy smile, "Even though I know you can take care of yourself, there's another reason I protect you."

"And can I ask what that is?" asked Reimu with her arms folded and looking suspiciously at Chris.

"It's because I like you Reimu and I didn't want you to get hurt," said Chris with his warm smile before returning to sweeping the floors of the shrine.

Reimu's cheeks slightly turned red. "W-What…?"

BA-BUMP

Reimu places her hands over her heart and looked down in a curious manner.

Why did my heart skipped a bit there? Reimu thought to herself after hearing Chris' comment, but shook it off as nothing and walk back inside of the shrine to prepare some tea to drink.

However at the edge of the woods, a black shadow was on the surface on the tree with a pair of yellow eyes watching the scene before disappearing.


The scene where the gap Youkai, shrine maiden, and the boy in red and black were talking with each other mere moments ago were being seen on a strange screen with an aura around it, mimicking a television screen and further back away from the one screen a few more can be seen with different parts of Gensokyo being shown.

The place where these 'screens' were being watched was a mucky yellow mixed with brown, red, green, and orange lights swimming in the mucky yellow space with no end, as the vast void of space continue on forever with a single figure sitting in Indian-style watching with an evil grin. A young man dressed in black clothes. The evil god, Levin.

By his side two beings materialized beside him and watched alongside with him. Izanagi and Izanami, two ancient gods from Japan who were bested in battle by the one they stand beside of.

"Hehehe… Fools, they honestly think they can defy me? It matters not, let them dream of amiable victory… in the end I'll show them the true despair and terror awaiting for them in their reality," chuckled the evil god with a smile.

"Lord Levin, how are you able to watch them like this?" asked Izanagi studying the strange windows presented before his 'master'.

"This? Quite an easy task, how else do you think I got information regarding Gensokyo and its residents? Everything these ECHOES see and hear return to me in these windows I've created, linking them to the ECHOEs themselves. I set them loose a few days prior before my attempt to reach Gensokyo, for not for a certain 'mishap' I would have conquest my new world," Levin casually replied back. "ECHOES are energy that can phase through any dimensions, even one that do not permit the same luxury for a solid sentient."

Then Levin scoffed with a distasteful look. "However a few unlucky Youkai came in contact with them, which allowed the rumors of them to spread a bit. I was hoping to keep them a secret for a little bit before I truly sent them there to do damage."

"That explains a bit," chimed in Izanami, "And that boy's ability to tame others' powers… it resembles yours in a way Lord Levin."

"Tsk," Levin squat. "Not. Even. Close."

The two Japanese gods look back at each other with a confused look, though what Levin says is true.

"I'll admit that his ability bears some resemblance to mine but, oh, how they are vastly different on how it operates and what it is merely stated it as the same is an insult," stated the evil god with glee, "His ability has provisos to what they can do, which my true ability does not suffer the same faulty arrest like his."

Levin turns his back to the two gods and smiles. "You remember my ability, correct? The same ability I used to help me defeat you two and your three children after I resurrected all of you back to life from the previous dimension we were in. However even if I do not possess my technique, I would have brought down all five of you though I bet I would sweat a little."

Izanami looked down, her face trembling with fear, while Izanagi gritted his teeth in fury. The image of them and their kin kneeling in pain and defeat before the dark god, still fresh in their minds, without a single scratch on him smiling down in victory with his golden gates from behind him opening with the black tentacles with razor teeth and eyes start to devour them.

Ability! More like an unfair advantage… truly fitting to the 'king' of gods… Izanagi cursed himself in his head. No one in Gensokyo can stop it… except that boy in red and black…

"Yes, it is the most superior ability of abilities for someone like me," declared the evil god as he stood up, "I am the ultimate being in the universe, any universes. None have surpassed me, none even come close… and I will burn my stature into their minds. Not even that hag of a boundary Youkai can defeat me as my 'true god' ability can trample over hers, and even without it I know how to counter her powers."

"However that boy in red and black… whatever his name was… Chris something… does pose a slight problem with the only ability that can stop mine's but it matters not. He only knows of my secondary ability that I forged to enchant it even further to imprisoning gods instead of commanding them from a certain distance which is unlike my true ability," said Levin has he opens up his golden circle gates behind him and pulls something out… a red lance.

"If only I've gotten the chance to use my 'Myriad of Gods' vault to take out my sacred and demonic weapons like Gáe Bulg here," said Levin looking at the cursed red lance in hand, "And Excalibur and a few other ancient forgotten treasures, I could've crushed him where he stands."

Levin laughs a bit before putting away Gáe Bulg back into the 'Myriad of Gods' vault and looks back into the windows. "It matters not. Their levity ways of thinking to defeat me are quite reprehensible. However, they are playing their roles as pawns perfectly… yes, even Yukari is playing her part as my tool marvelously."

"What do you mean Lord Levin?" asked Izanami.

"Since that maverick factor, known as the red and black boy, I've revised my goals. Having them defeating the ECHOES is one of them and learning about my existence is another," said the Levin with a smirk.

"Huh? For what purpose does that benefit for you?" spoked Izanagi unsure what Levin is planning or thinking.

"Everything… my plans will go according as I've written without interference and I will show them… the hopeless of their plight really is and the looks on their faces," said Levin, "I will not leave things to chance, everything I've planned will come into fruition and they will all grovel at my feet… and in the end I will kill that little Ki user, and enjoy every last second watching his demise! But before that, Chris, give me one hell of a show I can enjoy!"

The evil god sits back and enjoys the show, waiting patiently for the day he'll rain down true terror on the world of Gensokyo and claim it as his domain.


Author's Note: Here we are! The next chapter! So sorry for taking so long with getting this one out, I've been busy with work and schoolwork. I know I said it would be around 9,000 words long I thought it wouldn't be some informative and I did get carried away but it was worth it!

If anyone has noticed yet Chris always gets hurt one way or another in each chapter whether it be a minor or major wound. Kid such can take a beating, no?

Anyway you might have noticed by I changed the amount of time Chris originally can last in his Super form from 5 to 10 minutes in this one before halving it to 5 minutes, because originally Chris was suppose to last 10 minutes in his Super form. I have no idea why I stated it in Chapter 2 that it was 5 minutes so I'll go back and fix it later.

About Chris's Super Level/Super Human form, if you people can tell, was inspired by the Super Saiyan form from Dragonball Z and Super Sonic from the Sonic series since having a super or power-up form is awesome in my books. However for a human super form I wanted to make it unique to it so I added in some pros and cons to it to make it fair compare to where they're based from, and I added a few things to make them a little different for the human counterparts.

Also a female super human has platinum-silver hair and markings with red eyes still well the male counterpart is the gold version, to show the difference between genders to make it even more unique and platinum is a girl's favorite color and best friend. :-P

Just kidding… \(^_^)/

And you learn more about the ECHOES in this chapter which shows how terrifying they really are. They can change the size of their body at will, can use their Shadow Surf on any solid surface to travel or warp, and even some of Yukari's powers cannot affect the ECHOES. They're still a few more secrets left about the ECHOES you haven't seen yet that will really surprise you which will come soon, but not too soon.

Finally, Levin makes a return in this chapter albeit in a somewhat cameo role. I plan to have him to appear throughout the story like this to see what he's up to and learn a little bit more about him… and I wanted to make it clear in this story that Levin has something big planned and a hint to what his real ability is, which I already know what it will be for the sake of the story which many people won't like.

The next chapter will be an Omake chapter I've been thinking about. My story will have these Omakes to take breaks between the story for a good laughter and have the characters relaxing a bit and I hope you guys enjoy it!

With that, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter my faithful readers! If there's any errors or mistake in this chapter please let me know so I can correct myself. This is VirusChris signing off!

EDIT: For those of you already read this, I've updated this chapter with some missing part of the story that I forgot to put in. It's in the conversation after the battle with ECHO Bash and near the end of that section so do read that part when you find the time.

Disclaimer: Touhou is property of ZUN, Team Shanghai Alice, and all characters, except for my own original characters in this story, to them.