Life 2. Chronos Change

Ever since I met Mint, I have worn an eye patch. The reason? Because it was a gift from, him, my best friend; it helped me to cover my [Sacred Gear], which I used to hate.

When I became a Devil, when I trained to become stronger, when I lived with Mint, when I joined Ram, when we met Xie Xie, when Lucifer-sama assigned us our first mission from him, when we joined Okoma Academy, when we met Rito, when he joined us, when we helped Mint with his family, when Haruka decided to join us, when María turned into a Devil, when we had our [Rating Game] with Tiffania and then another one with Seila, when we met the inheritors of the Five Principal Clans, when we fought Beliaruin and the Star of Belen Magicians, when Ram made a pact with Ellice; during all those times, I wore my eye patch.

I wore that gift on the most important and cherished moments of my life.

That's the reason I appreciate it more than anything. I'll rather lose my strength, my [Sacred Gear] and my Devil characteristics over losing my eye patch.

As long as I have this eye patch, all is well.

As I, Abraham Hawkthorn, look at the giant monster known as John Smith, I can see the rest of the peerage getting ready for battle.

Ram extends her fiery wings, Rina summons many tokko, Mint takes out [King's Spear], Haruka draws his Holy-Demonic Sword, María and Rito active their [Sacred Gears]. While they do all those things, I just put on a fighting stance.

"Promotion, Queen!"

As Rito yells the signal, Ram spurts multiple fire pillars from the floor, surrounding John Smith from all directions. Now that he's enclosed, we can attack,

Haruka charges and slashes John Smith multiple times. On her side, Rina manoeuvres her tokko so they can hit John Smith from all sides.

" "[Balance Break]!" "

María and Rito active their [Balance Breakers] at the same time, while Ram disperses the fire pillars. As the knight troops created by [Blade Knight Mass] charge at John Smith, Rito upgrades his disk by using [Numberless Card: The Fool].

"I'll manually active [Number V: The Hierophant], [Number IV: The Emperor] and [Number XIX: The Sun], while I'll use my [Balance Breaker] to active [Number IX: The Hermit], [Number I: The Magician], [Number XV: The Devil]. Mint, attack after me."

"Roger."

Both Mint and Rito charge towards John Smith, and just when they jump-

[Number IX] [Number I] [Number XV]

As that sound plays, [King's Spear] moves fast towards John Smith.

"Third Form, Raining Explosive Blades!"

"Holy Lightning – Spear!"

[King's Spear] turns into many daggers that, alongside a Holy Lightning – Spear and many Senjutsu imbued rocks, attack John Smith.

" "Take this!" "

Then, Mint and Rito launches dozens of energy balls. While Rito is using both demonic energy and Fairy magic, Mint is using Demonic Fairy magic.

Now it's my turn to attack. I charge towards John Smith at high speed, and use my characteristic 3 Blows Technique.

"1, 2, 3!"

I get away from John Smith so Ram, Rina and Ellice can be close to it.

"Last move, now!"

Ram, Rina and Ellice launch countless fire balls to John Smith. John Smith falls to the ground after having been attacked by all our strengths.

With this, our special formation is done. To think we only practiced this once before, huh. Even when Mint and Rito improvised a way to add [King's Spear] to the formation, it came out fairly well.

"Buds, while I'll like to say that was a good attack, that thing isn't dead."

Just after Jin said that, John Smith stood up once again!

"Groaaaahhhh!"

Not only it isn't dead, but also angry at us! When it looks towards us with rage filled eyes, he launches an extremely powerful fire ball from its mouth!

"Come over here!"

Rito says that as he creates many magical barriers to cover us. He copied them from Beliaruin, and while they aren't unbreakable as Beliaruin's, they're pretty strong anyway.

However, John Smith's tail attacks me from behind, breaking our formation! Its strength is monstrous!

Rina's tokko attack John Smith, but many of them are destroyed by a hit from its tail.

María and her knight troops attack John Smith once again, but those get easily defeated by its chomp.

Rito and Mint use their energy balls against it, but John Smith destroys them with its fire breathe.

John Smith moves its tail to attack Ellice right away, but Ram protects her, suffering serious injuries from the hit.

Haruka tries to attack using his Holy Demonic Sword, but it gets broken in half by John Smith's claw!

It doesn't matter what we do against this monster, nothing can stop John Smith!

"Well, I'll intervene. Let's do it, Storm!"

As Jin says that, Storm appears close to him. Once he flies over Jin's head, Jin chants.

"Come forth, fifth prince of the Spriggan race, symbol of magic. Obey my words and let me fly, [Fusion]!"

At his words, Storm suddenly disappears, and red speck of light gets into Jin's body. After that, bug-like wings appear from Jin's back, while at the same time he's covered with a red aura. His eyes aren't red anymore, now they're yellow, just like Storm's eyes.

"[Spriggan Mode], that is how I call this form. Now, get ready to see something terrific, fellas!"

As Jin flies away, he creates an explosion of Fairy magic. So he has access to all the abilities owned by the Familiar he fused with, huh.

Just like that, John Smith changes his attack towards Jin. His tail smashes Jin against the ground, making him cough blood. Since he's a human after all, his body isn't as sturdy as ours.

"Oh, you'll pay for that!"

Many more explosions of Fairy magic appear all over John Smith's body. John Smith's injuries are serious, but it appears to be either a mindless monster or unable to feel pain, since those injuries don't bother it.

John Smith breathes a ball of fire, while Jin is barely able to dodge it.

Once he gets close enough to a building, John Smith attacks by using its claws, and while Jin evades it, the building behind him collapses over him and John Smith.

John Smith then breathes a huge ball of fire, which creates an eruption-like effect on the ruins of the building. We don't know what happened to Jin, but since we're unable to feel his energy, we can only expect the worse.

During that time, we (with the exception of Haruka, he lost his will to continue fighting since his sword broke) used Phoenix's tears to recover our injuries. At least Jin's sacrifice wasn't in vain.

Then, we can see John Smith started moving towards us. It growls one more time with a really enigmatic yell.

"Uryyyyaaaahhhh"

As that monster gets close to us, we get ready to fight against John Smith once again.

Ellice, Ram, Rina, Rito and Mint launch all kinds of different magical attacks over that monster. Its injuries are serious, most people would be unable to fight by this point, but it continues moving.

María's knights attack it, but they're unable to cause major damages. Not even using my 3 Blows Technique seems to deal much damage.

"It's useless Ham; it doesn't matter what we do, our physical attacks aren't going to stop this beast."

María tells me that. I'm conscious I can't do much here, but not fighting under these circumstances would be worse.

"That which is born out of earth, whose spirit was cast out of iron, by means of water purified, hasten forth before me."

The countless papers thrown by Rina become 3 giant golems. The golems, despite being 3.5 metres tall each, aren't a match against John Smith, who is 16 metres tall. However, before being destroyed, the golems were able to cut off John Smith's tail, so we don't have to worry about it anymore.

"Even my golems didn't do much against it…"

Rina is perplexed after seeing how incredibly powerful this monster is. Know I understand why the Seven [Great Satan], the Cadres of Grigori, the Native gods and even the Maya Hero Twins are needed to defeat the millions of these there are. Now I wonder how Silverage is doing.

"Ham, watch out!"

As Mint yelled that, I notice John Smith's claw coming right at me! As I'm unable to avoid, I get hit by it!

Not only it sliced me, but it did it right in the face! All I can feel is an immense pain!

"I'll use the last Phoenix's tear!"

Ram says that before using our last Phoenix's tear on my face injury. If only I didn't have such a low talent in demonic power and magic, they wouldn't be wasting our last recovery source on me.

"Are you ok, Ham?"

"Y-Yes… I think so…"

As I feel the scar on my face already healed, I notice everyone is looking at me with a shocked face.

"Ham… your eye patch…"

The one to say that is Rito, who used to call me "guy with the eye patch" before learning my name.

I touch my face and….!

"My eye patch… where is it…!"

I look to my left only to notice my eye patch, which was destroyed.

"…!"

I… couldn't say even a word.

My eye patch is everything for me, without it, what can I do…?

"Ham, don't panic, it is just an eye patch-"

"You don't understand!"

Everyone, even Haruka, who tried to calm me down a moment ago, stood quiet.

"That was more than an eye patch to me! All my precious memories, during all of them, I was wearing that eye patch! It is a gift which helped me during my difficulties! And now… it is gone! Nothing will ever replace it!"

I yelled that while I was having tears coming from my eyes! What am I meant to do without my eye patch!

"… And what if you don't replace it?"

Mint was the one to say that.

"Wha-What…? What do you mean by?"

"You wore that eye patch I gave you because it helped you to cover your problems, right? In that case, what if you stop covering your problems?"

…

"I faced my problems with my family with the help of all of you. Because of that, my people are safe from Lavender, Nee-san can live with freedom, and I got [King's Spear]. I won more by facing my problems than by avoiding them."

"Mint is right. I used to hate Baraqiel for taking my dad's role without showing respect for his death, but it turned out it was all something my dad foresaw and asked Baraqiel to fulfil. Because I never asked Baraqiel why he married my mom so soon, I ended up hating him without a reason for years."

…

"So, even if I don't wear my eye patch, I can continue to live on as I have done?"

" "Yeah, basically." "

I hate both you… for being right.

While I always wore that eye patch, it wasn't because of the eye patch that I experienced all that…? Actually, if I didn't wear that eye patch, would anything of that be different?

Rito, Haruka was right about you, you're able to change people. Mint, you're my best friend, so I'll trust in you on everything you say.

"If what you say is right, if I can really live on without my eye patch, then I also can do one thing."

I look at John Smith with killing intent while being covered on a purple aura!

"I can fight off that monster without my eye patch! I don't need my eye patch to cover it anymore; I'll use my [Sacred Gear] to its limit!"

Yes, I can feel it. A power coming out of me that I have never seen before! The power to defeat this monster!

"… [Balance Break]!"

As I yell that, I see everything with a purple tint; however, that isn't everything. Everything around me is stopped, nothing is moving. Neither my friends nor John Smith, not even the wind is moving.

As I blink, everything moves again. Yes, I see it. My power, the power in my eyes, is a new power different from before. It's a power over a new dimension.

"If [Dimension Change] is the Magical Eye of the Three Dimensions, then its [Balance Breaker] is the Demonic Eye of the Fourth Dimension, [Dimension Alternative: Chronos Change]!"

Just like that, I stopped time once again and charged towards John Smith with all my speed! If I understand it right, I can only stop time for 10 seconds, so I need to use this time as much as I can!

I unleash a barrage of punches towards John Smith! Hitting it in all possible places, my seconds fly away as I take distance and declare the name of what I just did.

"That's my new special move: 300 Blows Technique."

As I say that, many rays of purple light appear from John Smith's body. They appear on the places I punched.

"Amazing Ham! Not only you achieved [Balance Breaker], but it's also extremely useful!"

"Good job on that one, Ham."

Rito and Mint congratulate me. However, this isn't over.

"Maybe it isn't moving, but that thing isn't dead yet."

"Just what kind of abomination is it?"

Ram asks that with fear on her words. Even after all this, it isn't dead. However, there's one more thing we can do.

"I'll use the power of [Chronos Change] to stop John Smith, and only it. If I understand, I can do that for 30 seconds. So during that time, attack it with all your strengths."

" "Yes" "

As I say that, I use time paralysis on John Smith. Unlike time stop, time paralysis only freezes one person at the time.

María and her knights charge once more towards it, while at the same time Rina attacks with a hurricane. Ram creates giant fire balls thanks to Ellice's strengthen spell and launches them. Rito uses a Holy Lightning to attack.

"First Form, Spear!"

Mint turns [King's Spear] into its spear form and throw it right where its heart should be.

Suddenly, a giant flower comes out of John Smith's mouth, with the petals pointing right where its face is.

"Die already: Fourth Form, Light Flower!"

As Mint says that, the flower launches a massive light ray on John Smith, destroying its head, finally killing it.

"Fuh, that has to be our strongest opponent to date."

"Yeah, while Pride was clearly over its level when it came to attack, this thing was sturdy as hell."

Rito and Mint say that, not having any energy left from this battle. Actually, even I used all my energy on that last attack. I need to train further with it; furthermore, I can finally say this: I have achieved my [Balance Breaker].

Pawns

We ended up spending the next hours resting from that intense battle. Jin was indeed dead, so we had to comfort Storm.

"You know Ram, let's not take a "protect this person" kind of mission ever again."

"Yeah…"

Mint says that with his typical irony to Ram. Well, when they had to protect me, Rito Yuma, they also failed.

"Should we do what we did with Rito?"

"Sounds like the wisest choice."

As Ram says that, she takes out her 7 Pawn pieces. Since my Pawn is a [Mutation Piece], she only used 1 on me.

When she puts them close to Jin, he needed 4 Pawns to be reincarnated. That is quite a good number.

"… Guys, you won't believe the dream I just had. I was killed by John Smith and turned into a Devil."

"That is exactly what happened, word by word."

Mint is being as straight as always with this topic.

After explaining everything to Jin, he decided to leave his work place to come with us.

"This isn't terrific at all, but at least I won't end up as a hobo."

Shortly after that, Azazel-sama appeared close to us. It appears he also finished his work.

"So you killed that one, huh. These were tougher than we ever imagined. Many High-classes and even Ultimate-classes were deployed by both Devils and us, Grigori, to fight against the monsters. On the bright side, they are all dead now."

So much effort was needed, but in the end, we won.

Azazel-sama looks at Haruka, who has been rather sad since his sword broke, with interested eyes.

"Hey, that's the Holy Demonic Sword I heard about?"

"Well, it's what is left of it."

Azazel-sama takes the broken pieces right away and stores them into a pocket dimension!

"Sorry kiddo, but I'll give this to Michael-kun, who hated the idea of a sword that combined holy and demonic, as a first step to peace."

Right after that, he takes Haruka's hand while having bright on his eyes.

"However, I'll compensate you by giving you a little gift from Grigori. Ram, I'll return him along with Xie before your [Rating Game] with Silverage. Until then, see ya kiddos!"

After saying such thing with a childish tone, he just teleports while taking Haruka with him! I seriously don't understand him, the Governor General-sama!

"That means our time to see Xie Xie again has come."

Yeah, Xie Xie left our group to train with Grigori 10 days ago. That means that in 2 days, we will be able to see her again, along with the fruits from her training.

"I thought she'll never come back. Looks like I was wrong."

Mint is the one who said that. I don't know if he's being sarcastic or not.

"Well, now that everything is done, we should go back home and find a way to train Jin for the upcoming match."

While gaining a new Pawn into the team, we headed back home to prepare to our most important battle to date: the [Rating Game] with Silverage.