SailorStar9: Chapter 52 goes up. This is Chapter 53. Read and review.

Disclaimers I don't own Sailor Moon and D. Grey-man since if I did own them both, the Planetary Senshi will have equal footing as Sailor Moon and the Allen/Lenalee pairing would be canon. But you don't see that happening do you? However, I do own the pairing, I hope.

Chapter 53: Level 4


Renny looked on in shock as the last surviving Combined Akuma started to morph, Bak, Reever, Mavi and another scientist having being knocked unconscious after rescuing Johnny.

"Stop..." Johnny moaned, struggling at get up. "Stop..."

"Wait, this has to be a lie... Bak... Reever..." Renny was stunned.

"Fool!" the Skull she trapped within the forcefield retorted. "An Akuma isn't something that can be stopped by the likes of you!"

"It's a living weapon," he added, the soul within the Combined Akuma emerging from its old shell as it turned into a feminine Level Four Mother Akuma. "That's why it's aptly named an Akuma."

Closing its hands as if in prayer, the Level Four Mother Akuma suddenly glowed a rainbow-colored light before turning into stone, revealing a number '4' on its stomach.

"That number..." Renny gasped.

It's... my fault... because I chased Tapp... Johnny wept, berating himself. Because I was caught...!


Flashback

"It was still... alive!" Johnny screamed in horror as he was being pulled into the Combined Akuma.

"Johnny!" Bak exclaimed.

"I'll get you out now!" Mavi told the captured researcher, as he and another scientist proceeded to pull Johnny out after Bak and Reever shone their talismans on the Combined Akuma.

"Keep it together, Johnny!" his companion urged.

"Section Chief..." Johnny choked out. "Tapp..."

"Renny, trap those Skulls up there!" Bak instructed, tossing his talisman to her.

"Roger!" Renny replied, trapping the Skulls before they entered the gate.

"Alright, everyone run!" Bak instructed, supporting Johnny with Mavi. "Everyone, hurry up and get away from this guy!"

"Damn, the power..." Reever's aide replied, the power of the talisman going off.

"Shit! The barrier!" Reever cursed as the Combined Akuma broke through the barrier with its tentacles. Extending its tentacles, the Combined Akuma proceeded to capture the rest of the surviving researchers as two of its tentacles lashed out at Reever and his aide.

"Damn it!" Bak hissed, dropping Johnny and rushing back to help the others.

Grabbing Reever's talisman, he shone it at the Combined Akuma, stopping its movements.

"Gotcha!" he mumbled, only to be attacked by a tentacle from behind.


It's... all my fault. Johnny sobbed. Because I tried to rescue Tapp... everyone tried to rescue Tapp and me.

"It's my fault!" he berated.

Just then, Allen entered the scene, his eyes widening in shock at the fallen researchers.

"This..." he gasped.

"Allen..." one of the trapped researchers mumbled. "Allen."

"Only..." he managed to choke out before pentacles broke throughout his body and he crumbled into dust. "Allen... sorry we... couldn't hold..."

The childish laughter was heard again as glowing red pentagon-shaped matter, which apparently originated from the broken stomach of the Level Four mother Akuma, rained around the stunned Exorcist.

Allen's left eye activated again as the baby Level Four emerged from behind the Combined Akuma.

"I'm Level 4." the almost human-like Akuma introduced himself.

"Marie, what happened?" Bookman asked the blind Exorcist who had suddenly gasped.

"Yes, this is... Akuma's noise." Marie focused on his Innocence.

"What?" Bookman pressed when the Exorcist winced.

"What?" Marie demanded. "I've never heard such a noise... how horrible!"

Allen teared as he stared the Level Four, realizing this Akuma did not have a soul within it.

Falling to his knees, he choked on the gas the Akuma let out.

I've never seen anything like this... he mused in horror, knowing that the trapped souls he witnessed before had not prepared him for what he had seen within the Level Four. This soul trapped inside is... just too horrible! This... is a Level 4. It's so dreadful... I can't bear to look at it...

Johnny reached out to the weeping Allen.

"Allen..." the gravely injured researcher choked out. "Allen, I'm so sorry. Please help..."

"Johnny!" Allen gasped.

"Please help everybody..." Johnny pleaded. "Sorry, I'm so sorry! Help... please help..."

"Who's everybody?" the Level Four inquired, landing on the ground. "Are you crying?"

"Yes." Allen replied, wiping away his tears. "For those who died and for you and your soul. But this is the last!"

With a cry, he powered up, charging towards the Level Four.

"I'll destroy you for your sake!" he swore, pulling out his sword. "Level 4!"

The Level Four simply blocked the blade with his arm. Swinging his sword, Allen broke the standstill, forcing the Level Four backwards.

"That's..." Bookman gasped as the Level Four shot past them.

"Bookman!" Allen shouted.

"There are injured people over there!" he added, going after the Level Four. "Help them!"

Bookman turned, his eyes widening at the fallen researchers as Allen engaged the Level Four again.

"Hurry, defeat him before he awakens!" the younger Exorcist told himself as he parried with the level Four.

Stopping his blade with just one hand, the Level Four charged up a purple energy ball, the shockwave blowing Allen back.

Why am I trembling like this? Allen wondered. Why is my fear creeping up like this? Is this the existence that's Level 4? This overwhelming sense of existence...

The Level Four used its mind waved to clear the smoke, forcing Allen to defend himself to avoid getting blown away.

"That's right, I forgot." the Level Four turned to Bookman and Marie. "This is the Headquarters for the Black Order."

Pressing a finger on its forehead, a purple pentacle appeared at its command.

"Extermination Machine..." it added. "I'll have you allow me to carry out the purpose of my existence."


Inside the Embracing Garden...

What's this sign? Marshall Tiedoll wondered. Gate 26...

"Marie, are you there?" he asked.


Outside...

"Yes, Master." Marie replied.

"What's going on over there?" Marshall Tiedoll inquired.

"To be honest, there's an Akuma that I've never seen before..." Marie admitted.

"It's a Level 4." Bookman supplied.

"Level 4?" Marie echoed as Bookman attended to Bak.

"Akuma..." Bookman looked over at the battle. "Will this weapon evolve even more? Even though it's an machine weapon, it has the appearance of a man..."

There's information of the Order's war with the Akuma, spanning over the century, recorded in me. He mused. However, the final stage of evolution is still unclear and the stages of evolution have been only confirmed up to 3. Which means, at this very moment, this is the first contact with the Level 4 for Bookman and the Order, and for the entire Human race.

"Level 4..." Marie echoed, Allen's sword swipes missing its targets.

"Level 4!?" Marshall Tiedoll repeated.

With a cry, Allen continued his assault on the Level Four, which merely slapped his enraged blade swipes with its arms.

"I won't let you kill anyone else!" Allen swore, attacking relentlessly. Slamming his sword at the Level Four, Allen was shocked when he missed the Akuma, the human-like Akuma appearing suddenly behind him.

"I won't let you run away!" he shouted, turning around to renew his attack.

The Level Four blocked his attacks easily, flying up to avoid another sword swing. Then, it flew back down to dodge Allen's attack when the teen jumped in after it.

What's this sensation? Allen wondered. The more I attack, the thing that spreads within me... this is... powerlessness... and hopelessness.

The Level Four smiled before an enraged Allen landed on its shoulders.

"Edge End!" the teen released his attack.

Please, disappear! He begged, only to gasp in shock a second later when he realized the Level Four was floating behind him, relatively unharmed.

"You'll be the first." the Level Four remarked, flicking an energy shot point-blank into Allen's body.

The teen coughed out blood as he was blown away by the energy sphere and crashing into a wall.

"Allen!" Johnny choked out.

The Level Four chuckled as it took out its first victim.

Timcanpy fluttered around the battered Allen in panic.

"What strength!" Bookman remarked, the three Marshalls outside the Embracing Garden looked on in shock.

"Even Allen!?" Marie inquired as Bak stirred in Bookman's arms.

"Walker..." Bak stammered, peering open an eye before passing out.

"Allen..." Reever mumbled, trying to get up before fainting.

"Now, next!" the Level Four chuckled, floating upwards to view its handiwork.

Covering its mouth with its cupped hands, a pinkish purple aura surrounded it before it let out a high-pitched scream. Timcanpy fluttered off to avoid getting hit by the shockwave.

"What?" Bookman demanded, covering his ears as Bak screamed in agony beside him.

"My ears!" Marie exclaimed in pain, his sensitive hearing getting affected the most.

"Marie! Marie!" Marshall Tiedoll called out. "Are you alright?"

"That noise..." he sank to his knees, the ripples of energy wilting the Embracing Garden's branches. "What is... no, my synchronization with my Innocence is weakening because of my dizziness..."

"What the hell is this noise!?" Marshall Zokalo demanded, sinking his blade into the ground. "It's throwing off the sense of balance!"

"You screamed, you bastard!" Marshall Cross hissed, realizing what had happened.

"On gatal..." he was about to summon the Grave of Maria when a soothing Cosmo rippled into the battlefield.

Kimi no sugata ha boku ni nite iru

Shizuka ni naiteru you ni mune ni hibiku

"This..." Marie looked up, his hearing momentarily returning to him.

"Athena..." Marshall Zokalo remarked. "A hymn?"

"No..." Marshall Cloud corrected. "Athena's... prayer..."

Nani mo shiranai hou ga shiawase to iu kedo

Boku ha kitto manzoku shinai hazu dakara

Utsuro ni yoko tawaru yoru demo

Boku ga eranda ima wo ikitai sore dake

Kimi no hayasa ha boku ni nite iru

Hadome no kikanakunaru sora ga kowaku natte

Boku ha itsu made ganbareba ii no?

Futari nara owaraseru koto ga dekiru

The Level Four looked down at the wilting Embracing Garden, the deteriorating roots revealing the researchers within it.

"There's a lot over here!" the Level Four chuckled, floating over.

"You bastard..." Marshall Tiedoll hissed, standing back up and re-activating his Embracing Garden as Athena's voice countered the Level Four's scream.

The Level Four grinned, readying a punch at the recovering Embracing Garden as Athena continued her song.

Doushite mo raku ja nai michi wo eranderu

Suna ni mamireta kutsu wo harau koto mo naku

Konna fuu ni shika ikirenai

Waratte unazuite kureru darou kimi nara

Kimi ni boku kara yakusoku shiyou

Itsuka boku ni mukatte hashitte kuru toki ha

Kimi no shisen wo hazusazu ni iyou

Kitto dare yori jouzu ni uketomeru yo

"This..." the Level Four spat, finding itself restricted by the immense Cosmo that radiated from somewhere within the Order.

Kimi no sugata ha boku ni nite iru

Onaji sekai wo miteru kimi ga iru koto de

Saigou ni kokoro nakusu koto mo naku

Boku wo suki de irareru

Boku ha kimi ni ikasareteru


Inside Hevlaska...

"Athena..." Hevlaska looked at the exhausted Goddess inside her body in worry.

"I'm sorry, Hevlaska." Athena apologized, as she floated within the body of the 'Innocence Keeper', her Cosmo radiating weakly around her.

"Don't apologize." Hevlaska assured her. "To be able to stop a Level Four with your body condition... especially after re-generating Kanda's and Lavi's weapons with the 'Heart'..."


Back in the lab...

Discovering that its movements were returned once the Cosmo faded away as the song ended, the Level Four smashed its punch straight through vines and onto the ground, engulfing Marshall Tiedoll, the researchers and everybody else in the aftershock.

The now awakened Allen flattened himself on the floor as the blast enveloped everybody.

Just then, Howard cut through a flying debris before it hit Allen.

"Link..." Allen muttered.

"I can't have you die on me yet..." Howard told him, before gaping when he saw the flaming ground below.

"What?" he gasped in shock, the Level Four standing unharmed in the middle of the flames.

"Can it be..." Allen was stunned. "Everyone from the Science Department..."

"Can it be..." Howard was taken aback at the sheer power of the Level Four. "Everything...!?"

"Bookman... Marie... Miranda-san... Master... everybody disappeared!" Allen wept.

"Don't be ridiculous! The Marshalls can't be..." Howard protested.

Below, the level Four raised its hands in victory.

"Fools! All fools!" one of the Skulls chuckled.

"Good, Level 4!" his companion agreed. "He is the Earl-sama's and our weapon, indeed!"

"Now, let us out from here!" the first Skull instructed. "If we don't go back quickly, there'll be some trouble for Earl-sama."

"It should be easy for you to break a barrier like this." his partner added, laughing.

Landing in front of the barrier, the Level Four fired a blast through the barrier and the first Skull's chest.

"Er... huh?" the Skull blinked at its smoking body.

"Fool," it choked, before collapsing to the ground. "Not me too..."

"You bastard!" one of the two remaining Skulls cursed before the Level Four fired another two blasts through the two Skulls' chests, killing them as Allen looked on in shock.

"Sorry." the Level Four chuckled, smashing the talisman under its foot. "I'm a bit excited. I won't calm down unless I kill more!"

"There are more humans inside here." it looked up at the gate.

"No, the bastard's going to attack the rest of Headquarters!" Howard exclaimed, realizing what the Level Four intended to do.

"Stop..." Allen choked, barely able to get up, before passing out.

"Walker!" Howard tried to shake Allen awake. "Walker!"

He looked back in horror as the gate slid open.

"What's this!?" one of the Finders behind the gate stammered as the group faced the Level Four.

"Contact the Command Center!" his companion instructed.

The Level Four grinned, charging up an energy ball, annihilating the Finders with it.


In the makeshift Command Center...

"The target has moved from Lab 5 to the Headquarters!" the intercom warned.

"What?" Koumi demanded.


In the hallway...

Kanda glared as he looked up at the roof, Chaoji supporting the injured soldier beside him.


In the infirmary...

"Lab 5 annihilated! Akuma has moved to the back of the Lab!" the intercom sounded. "I repeat! The target has moved from Lab 5 to the Headquarters!"

"Akuma..." Lenalee echoed.

"The Akuma seems to have evolved to Level 4." the intercom added. "The safety of the Exorcists in Lab 5 cannot be confirmed. I repeat!"


In the demolished lab...

"Walker!" Howard tried to shake Allen awake. "Allen Walker! Allen! Allen Walker! Allen! Allen!"


SailorStar9: *Sigh* Another short chapter. Now that's done and I know you guys hate me right now. In the next chapter, the Level 4 starts its attack on the Central Headquarters. He targets Koumi, thinking that he is an exorcist. When the Level 4 is trapped in a shield, Koumi takes the opportunity to find Hevlaska, with Kanda and Chaoji following him. Meanwhile, Malcolm forces Lenalee to follow him and meet Hevlaska, with Lavi running after them. When Koumi and Kanda go down the elevator, the Level 4 attacks them. Hevlaska tries to force the Innocence into Lenalee's body, but suddenly, the Level 4 attacks Hevlaska, leaving her seriously injured and throwing a deeply weakened Athena out of her body. Lenalee tries to call out for her Innocence when the Level Four approaches the two females.