RE: DETERMINED
Act 3, Chapter 3 - White Whale vs True Hero (白鯨vs真のヒーロー)
Black Warp.
A strange name for an equally strange ability. Ryu stared at his hands, as black energy formed around his hands. He pointed a hand at one of the trees on the Alestian Island, focusing for a moment as he let his instincts drive him. He watched as the tree warped and changed, before turning into a large red diamond that fell to the floor, shimmering.
Ryu's eyes widened. He could change reality? He wondered what the limits on this ability were… this was something he had never seen or heard of. He walked over to the diamond, which was large enough to require him to put it under his arm, and raised his other hand again; this time focusing on weaponry. The black energy manifested again, before 'glitching' out of existence as dark red knives and violet shortswords appeared around him. A smirk slowly came to his face, as he knew he could use this to not only fight against the Witch's Cult and protect his friends but also repay Crusch by helping subjugate the White Whale. Especially since he knew where and when that beast would appear.
He waved his hand through the air, with the weapons floating around him dispersing. "Now… to get home." He said, and Black Warp obliged his wishes, the black-red power he had gained manifesting around him and sending him back to Lugunica. More specifically, back to Roswaal Manor. Everyone in the manor turned to him in shock once he appeared, including the still crying Rem. "...Hey, every-" Ryu was stopped from saying anything else as Emilia had slapped him. Ryu was briefly stunned, but he eventually laughed slightly. "No, I deserve that."
"You idiot! Rem told us what happened! No, we saw what happened! What were you thinking?" Emilia scolded him, as Ryu could see faint tears in her eyes. Anger born of worry. "You could have died if you fell from that far!"
"How'd you…" Ryu's gaze shifted to the pink-haired Oni maid in the room, who wasn't looking at him. Almost as if she was avoiding his gaze. Now it made sense. "Ram's Clairvoyance… she saw everything, didn't she?"
"I certainly did. You worried all of us, you idiot. You could have died. Truly, you are the Crimson Dummy." Ram coldly said, though her harsh tone only brought more laughter to Ryu.
"I am, I really am." He eventually calmed down, as a more serious look settled on his expression. He took the sword from before and put it on his side, along with putting on the broken-star amulet known as the Alestian Amulet. His mother's treasure. He felt a strange feeling flood him, as he eventually breathed in heavily and looked at Emilia. "Emi, I know you probably don't want me to leave just when I came back, but I have things I need to finish up in the capital. Important things that I can't postpone." As Ryu expected, Emilia had a disappointed/frustrated expression on her face as he said that. Looks like what Puck said in that… anomalous timeline was true, Emilia really did miss him. Did his friendship matter that much to her?
...Questions for later. "But, I promise I'll come back immediately after that's all over. I'll return to Roswaal Manor and keep my end of the bargain. I'm not the type to break a promise, right?" He stuck out his pinky finger to her, as Emilia pouted.
"Mou, that's so childish!" Regardless of her words, she did accept his offered finger, intertwining it with her own. "You better keep that promise, Ryu!"
"I wouldn't dare break it. Besides, I missed my friends." Ryu winked, a cheerful look in his eyes.
"...The White Whale?" Wilhelm asked Ryu, as the Prince had returned to House Karsten to give information on the Whale in exchange for help from his friend. Ryu noticed a faint gold aura appear around the man, as well as his soul of Perseverance beginning to glow in a particular manner. Ryu knew this kind of feeling from experience, Wilhelm wanted that thing dead more than anyone.
"I must say," Crusch began once Wilhelm had calmed down and apologized for his 'indiscretion'. "That's quite the claim, Ryu. What proof do you have of this?" Ryu silently brought up the Snap he had taken of the White Whale's face and eye, revealing his Interface for the first time.
"This is my Interface System. Something only available to me. Think of it as a unique Divine Protection." Ryu explained when he saw their curious looks. "But that's not what's important. Right there is a sighting of the White Whale amongst the timelines. My Interface System allows me to access the memories and possessions of things that belong to other universe mes." At the more excited looks on their face, he was sure they were pondering the existence of other universes. "It sounds absurd… but am I lying?"
Crusch shook her head. "No. Your eyes aren't flashing their dull blue of lies… and the winds of truth are blowing around you, not the ones of falsehood." She eventually sighed. "And I know you wouldn't be the type to joke about this either when you were the one who was so willing to train us for battle against the Whale. But what do you gain from all of this? You've been offering us all this information and help, but not once did you mention what you wanted out of this."
"I want to forge an alliance," Ryu said, a firm look in his eyes. He looked behind him briefly, looking at Rem, who had accompanied him here and had helped him plan this situation out. He then looked at Crusch, knowing he couldn't show any weakness or hesitation here. "An alliance to fight against the Witch Cult. If that isn't enough, Crusch, then I should be able to get you mining rights of the Magic Stones in Elior Forest. Not to mention I'll be allowing your Camp to take any credit I'd be given in the battle with the Whale."
"Hey, would you mind if I listen in on this?" A familiar voice asked, as Ryu inwardly sighed in relief. Anastasia really was taking her sweet-ass time, wasn't she? He shifted his gaze behind him again, as the lavender-haired Royal Candidate walked into the room with Russell Fellow right next to her.
"Pardon us," Russell said, as he briefly smiled at Ryu, with the Prince nodding back in his direction.
"Anastasia Hoshin… and Russell Fellow?" Crusch raised an eyebrow in confusion, as the businesswoman waved in greeting.
"Now, this isn't fair at all, if you ask me," Anastasia said, as she looked at Ryu, who shrugged helplessly. "You asked us to come, and then here you are, startin' things without us! Let us in on this too!"
"Was it Ryu here who asked you to come here?" Crusch asked, focusing her gaze on the young man, who was currently very calm.
"Well, to be exact, it was this girl he keeps with him." Anastasia corrected, before turning to look at Crusch. "I only heard the gist of things, but if you're really plannin' to subjugate the White Whale, I look forward to it!" Ryu then felt two hands placed behind him, turning to smirk at Anastasia as she looked at him. "For us business folk, whether the White Whale's around is a life-or-death matter! Of course, our mercenary team will help y'all!"
"In addition to the White Whale, I'm interested in the concession that Ryu-sama proposed of mining rights to the Magic Stones," Russell said, putting a hand to his chin. "If the alliance is formed, Magic Stones from pristine, untouched veins will be distributed to the capital through you, Crusch-sama. As the Merchant Guild's representative, I cannot let the offer go unheard."
"And did Ryu call you here?" Crusch asked curiously, as the businessman shook his head negative. Ryu coughed into his fist to get Crusch's attention back onto himself.
"I'll say it once more, Crusch. What I offer in return for this alliance is a share in the Magic Stone mining rights, information on when and where the White Whale appears, and my assistance in subjugating it. Not to mention giving all the credit of the Whale's subjugation to you, on my end at least." Ryu then stood up and put his hand out. "If our wishes and goals align like I think we do, then this will be a deal that greatly benefits you, and I am willing to change it wherever you wish if it makes it better, as long as it's within reason or my power."
Crusch stared at his offered hand, before sighing. "I still have questions, and some doubts… but I know you're not the type of person to trick or dupe me. I am willing to trust you, because of the fact that the Law of Integrity hasn't sprung up to catch you…" She then looked at Felix, who nodded. "Neither has Felix detected a singular lie amongst what you have said. Just like me." Crusch stood up, a smile coming to her face. "I am quite happy to hear you are willing to assist us in this battle, just as I am happy to hear your strength has returned." She took Ryu's hand and shook it, as Ryu's determined look only grew in potency. A faint smirk came to his expression.
The Anti-Witch Cult Alliance had been formed.
Ryu fell back to his chair in exhaustion moments later, as he had used every negotiating muscle in his brain to pull this current deal off. With how inexperienced he had become with dealings, contracts, alliances, and negotiations; it only made sense for him to feel exhausted, right? "There were a few touch-and-go moments," Ryu heard Russell say from behind him as he looked over at the man. "But I'm glad things worked out, Ryu-sama. I trust the promise we made prior to the negotiation still stands?"
"Yeah, yeah. You were a big help, Russell." Ryu sighed, as he raised his left hand and waved it about for a while. "Once the subjugation has been dealt with, I'll give you my metia." He had learned that his old cellphone (well really, it was Frisk's) was something that Austin had in their possession and that in this world, it was seen as a rare object known as a Metia.
"So, you did do some groundwork before coming here," Crusch commented, a semi-amused tone in her voice. "I'm assuming you were waiting outside the door for your moment to enter?"
"The timing of our entrance was entirely up to us, though," Anastasia said, as he looked up at the girl again. "Well, as far as negotiations go, that just about passes?"
"You certainly took your time though, Hoshin," Ryu said, partially annoyed. "I almost thought you had flaked on me."
"When negotiatin', you gotta make your move at the right time." Anastasia winked, only making Ryu feel more annoyed, though he was doing an exceptional job at hiding it. "Well, while y'all are gettin' ready for the subjugation and such, don't forget to patronize the Hoshin company!" Anastasia had begun to walk out but paused as she turned to Ryu with a smirk. "As for you, Ryu… get better at negotiatin', and maybe I'll think about giving you a position in my Royal Court when I win the election." With those words, Anastasia finally left, leaving Ryu confused… and Austin to continue monitoring his soul, and the threads attached to them.
"You actually paved the way for negotiations before coming here, didn't you?" Crusch smiled at Ryu, as he smirked in response. "You're certainly more shrewd than I first thought."
"I just needed to flex a few muscles I forgot I had," Ryu half-shrugged. "I'm still adapting to my newly restored memories… as well as the experiences and knowledge I've regained with them. But, I think I'm getting somewhere." Ryu then sighed, warping a glass of water into existence with Black Warp and downing it quickly. "But honestly, I'm just relieved I pulled it off."
"Well, that's plain to see," Felix commented, as the cat-eared knight and Rem both had a small laugh over Ryu's exhausted attitude. Ryu smiled a little himself because of it and looked over at Rem.
"Well, we managed to pull off a little miracle of our own, wouldn't you say Rem?" He asked the maid, who smiled kindly.
"Yes, you are truly wonderful, Ryu-kun." Rem complimented, giving Ryu more of a boost to his strength and determination through her loving words. Rem had become an important part of Ryu's life, and a large factor in his Determination's return. Her opinion mattered to him quite a bit now. Especially after…
"Because… you're my Hero, Ryu-kun!"
A hero? Not until he killed Petelgeuse and avenged all those who had died because of the insane Archbishop. Not until he had killed Petelgeuse and released his old friend from his insanity. Not until he had taken back the Sloth Factor. Not until he had killed the Beast of Gluttony.
His journey to become a true hero would be a long one. It would be a long time until he could see himself as a True Hero.
"Ryu-sama." The Prince pulled himself out of his thoughts and looked at Wilhelm, who was now bowing to him. "I thank you. I offer you gratitude equal to that which I offer my lady, Duchess Crusch Karsten." The man straightened up his posture right afterward. "I am sure that you are aware, but if I may introduce myself… My family name is Astrea. I took the former Sword Saint, Theresia van Astrea, as my wife, giving me the honor of the bloodline's lowest seat. That is who I, Wilhelm van Astrea, am. I thank you for so kindly granting this old man the opportunity to slay the loathsome Mabeast that took my wife." Wilhelm bowed again, as Ryu processed all of this… and then immediately played it off like he knew what was up.
"Oh, right! Sure! I knew that!" Ryu said, his eyes flashing a dull blue as everyone instantly caught onto his pride-based lie and called him out on it.
"Ryu, the winds of untruth are coming from you," Crusch said in a somewhat amused tone, as Ryu nervously laughed. Whoops.
It was now late into the night, and Ryu was watching over the preparations for the battle against the White Whale. If he was being honest, he was somewhat unnerved about the idea of fighting the Beast of Gluttony, as now with the help of Black Warp and the tales from the people did he realize that the Beast was able to change cause and effect and 'erase' people from history. A strange ability, but one that matched what he saw in one of the previous timelines. He sighed as he raised his hands, forcing himself to practice using the new mysterious power of his.
Ever since he had left the Alestian Island, he felt much stronger. He felt like he could fell an entire forest of trees with a single strike… yet that was pathetic compared to his peak's strength, where he was able to damage a God with 'Infinite' power. He doubted he could get there again, since he needed godlike Determination levels to do that, and right now his soul had only regained its strength. He was far from that level of potency.
Amount didn't equal potency after all.
Ryu watched as his power shifted, allowing him to create whatever weapons he wished. It was malleable, just like Hate's power, but unlike Hate… he didn't feel like he was being corrupted or losing his humanity the more he used it. "Whatcha doin'?" He heard from behind him, as he turned to see Felix.
"Oh, Felix. I'm just messing around with my new abilities, trying to get used to them before the big fight. Gotta make sure to use every ability at my disposal, right?" Ryu smiled at the catboy, secretly forming a SAVE point behind him and crushing it to turn this into his new checkpoint in case anything at all went wrong.
"Hey, Ryu, look around. Can't you see it in nyall their faces?" Felix said as Ryu did just do that, looking at all of the men that Crusch had gathered. He recognized at least half of them to be people he had trained to use Soul Magic personally. "Nyot a single one is preparing unwillingly. Everyone wants to be rid of the White Whale, especially Old Man Wil."
Ryu looked over at the man, who was looking over a sword in his hands and testing it out by flowing his Perseverance magic into the blade, enchanting it and strengthening it before nodding; as if deeming the sword suitable for his usage in battle. "...He said it took his wife?"
"Yeah." Felix nodded in affirmation. "He's been chasing after the White Whale all this time, ever since it killed the former Sword Saint, his wife."
"..." How did a beast pull a feat like that off? Ryu's memories as Flugel were still fuzzy and he was still trying to sort things out, but he remembered one thing. Sword Saints were terrifying bastions of strength. For the White Whale to kill the former Sword Saint… it just seemed hard to believe.
"Anyways, you should think about getting some rest," Felix commented, as he walked off. "Don't want to see you be too tired to do anything, especially when you keep calling yourself our 'Trump Card'." Ryu's left eye twitched briefly from the teasing tone, before sighing. The knight did have a point there. But still…
He looked over at Wilhelm, his eyes softening. He could understand this man's rage and thirst for revenge… and would do anything to help him kill this beast, and find closure.
"Ne, Austin…" The Hate Origin looked away from his host's soul and over to Ryushi, who was currently boredly playing 'Go Fish' against a clone he had manifested. "Why're you so obsessed with those Threads?"
"The Threads, hm?" Austin refocused back on Ryu's soul, which was beating stronger and brighter than before, with multiple strings and threads attached to it. "Well, you know how strong someone can be if they accept the love of their soulmates, or vice-versa. Ryu accepted Rem's love, and now I see a large increase in his power as I expected. Not to mention the strength he gained from his Bloodline awakening."
"You do realize Blaze is alive, right?"
"I do, yes. But it's best we keep that a secret for the time being until Ryu's soul fully recuperates. Besides…" Austin turned to Ryushi, 'smiling' slightly. Or, well, the best an Eldritch Abomination blob could do for a smile. "Isn't it a good idea to let him have a bit of respite?" At that, Ryushi looked up with a smile.
"Yeah… you're right." After winning the game, Ryushi put down his cards and reabsorbed his clone, walking over to the soul as well. "It's peculiar. We didn't have these Soulmates as Flugel, but when we were summoned here by Envy, Ryu ended up with all these more Soulmates."
"Where this takes Ryu is a mystery. Let's discover the future together, brother."
It was now the next day, and Felix had led Ryu out for a very particular task… "You mean I get to pick my own Ground Dragon?" He asked Felix, as the catboy knight seemed somewhat offended.
"What is it nyow? Don't you like them?" Felix protested as Ryu looked over each one.
"I'm glad you're letting me borrow one, but I'm still studying stuff! I have no idea what makes a Ground Dragon good, we didn't have these guys back home!" Ryu said, walking around and looking over every Ground Dragon. "Does it look like I know what… to… do…" He paused in front of one specific Ground Dragon, staring into her golden eyes. He then slowly reached out, almost on instinct, as the Ground Dragon then leaned into his touch. A small smirk came to his face. "I think I've found my pick," Ryu announced proudly.
"I'm surprised," Rem said, as he looked over at his… love? Jeez, he really needed to figure out how things were going to work out soon, if only for the sake of his sanity. "That Ground Dragon's breed is known for its extreme pride."
"Pride, hm?" He could sense it in this Ground Dragon, a faint connection. Ryu knew this one was strong and loyal, just from a single look. "I think we're going to get along well enough." In his joy at finding the perfect Ground Dragon to complement his own strengths and personality, he didn't notice how Rem and Patrasche were now glaring at each other. Double whoops.
A while later, Ryu was led back inside to wait for the eventual journey to Flugel's Tree (he had no idea how to feel about that). He looked around, watching knights intermingle and laugh amongst each other with a smile on his face. He always loved watching the camaraderie of warriors and knights, allies and friends. He then felt a large hand grasp his head, and he looked up to see a large demihuman man, specifically a beastman. "Heya brat! My lady was tellin' me about you. You're the star of this little show, aren't ya?" The man grinned, as Ryu looked at the logo on his pauldron.
"You work for Anastasia… you're her mercenary group, aren't you? A member of the Iron Fang." Ryu realized as the man grinned even more.
"Not just that! I'm Ricardo, head of her mercenary team." He greeted, before shifting his attention to Rem (whilst still gripping Ryu's head tightly. He didn't mind much but it was mildly annoying). "Nice to meet you, too, lil' lady!"
"Ricardo, can you please let me go?" Ryu desperately asked, not wanting to deal with a sprained neck from how this large beastman was currently manhandling him. Ricardo ended up leaving and throwing him aside once he apparently saw Anastasia, with Ryu wincing as he held his neck. "That stung a little…" He hissed, before hearing metal behind him.
"So that's the pride of Anastasia Hoshin, the Iron Fang. They seem quite strong." He heard Crusch's voice say, as he turned to face her. She was now wearing steel armor that had gold trimmings on her upper body, along with brown gloves and a red cape. Her hair was also tied into a ponytail. Crusch smiled over in his direction. "I hope you rested well."
"I did, thanks. I mean, I did spend most of last night testing the ins and outs of my powers, along with getting back into my swordsmanship flow; but aside from that I slept like a child with no care in the world!" He raised a thumbs up, as Crusch softly laughed before a surprised look appeared on her face.
"Ryu, I'm surprised you aren't wearing armor or anything protective," Crusch said, as Ryu blinked.
"Eh? Oh, yeah…" He laughed moments later, calming down after he had let out his amusement. "I don't need armor. It'll just get in the way of my flow. Plus, I'm durable enough as it is."
"Is that so?" Crusch raised an amused eyebrow, as Ryu flexed his right arm with a grin.
"Yep! You saw my memories, didn't you? I'm way more durable than I was in the past as a kid now!" He answered, before growing more serious. "I will be going first though, into the battle. Due to my circumstances and abilities, I should be able to help weaken the White Whale to make the battle easier for us so we end up with few casualties." Ryu then saw she was about to comment on what he said, so he elaborated. "Crusch, I'm not dumb. A fight against the White Whale is risky since their strength is something that hasn't been seen… and no one survived fighting it yet. I'm just being realistic."
"I suppose you're right about that…" Crusch eventually admitted, just as the doors to the room opened up with more armored men coming in. "They're here." Ryu shifted his gaze to the armored men, as they stopped in front of him and Crusch, their gazes respectful.
"Crusch-sama, we have arrived." The man in front said, before looking at Ryu. "And if I'm not mistaken, you are…"
"Prince Ryutensei James Henderson-Shock, Royal Candidate in the Royal Selection and organizer of this event. Well, partially, that is." Ryu introduced himself, as the man walked over and placed his arms on his shoulders.
"Thank you, Ryu-sama. Thanks to you, our wish may come true. We could not be happier." The man said, before all the soldiers that came with him bowing in respect to both him and Crusch. They then all left in a single file line to convene with the rest of the forces against the White Whale. Ryu then looked over at Crusch.
"I'm willing to say those men also have a history with the Whale," Ryu commented.
"Yes," Crusch confirmed, "many are men who have retired from the front lines. They have joined our subjugation force at Wilhelm's invitation. Their morale and experience are comparable to those of the capital's active knights." Just then, Felix walked over.
"Crusch-sama, it's time," Felix said, as Crusch's attention finally shifted.
"Ah, right." She nodded, before looking back at Ryu. "You're welcome to come up with me. We are equals, after all." Crusch said, as Ryu blinked and eventually nodded, a faint smile coming to his face.
"Four hundred years," Crusch began her speech, with Felix, Rem, and Wilhelm standing behind her. Ryu was standing right by her side, with his Amulet currently equipped and hidden under his jacket. Using the godsend of an ability that was his Interface, he was able to Check the Amulet and see what it could do. Apparently, it was an ancient Alestian royal relic passed down from generation to generation and unlocked the powers of half-breed Alestians like him. Useful, especially since now his body had a powerful forcefield-like barrier around him to reduce the damage he took by 40%. "It has been four hundred years since the White Whale, created by the Witch of Envy, made the world its hunting ground, trampling the weak and dominating the land as if it were its owner."
Huh, he didn't remember that from his memories. Then again, they were jumbled, but he remembered neither Satella nor the Authority of Envy being able to do something like that. Regardless of his confusion, he paid close attention to Crusch's speech. "Countless lives have been lost in that time. Given its fog's unscrupulous nature, as well, the number of graves we cannot even inscribe with names will only rise. But those days of sitting idle end today!" Crusch said, her voice powerful and carrying across the room with ease. "Today, those of us here will end it! We shall strike down the White Whale, and stop further tragedy! We shall give the sorrow, which was never allowed to come to pass, a chance to shed overdue tears!" Crusch slammed her sheathed sword against the floor, causing a large clang to echo in the room. "We move out! Our destination is Flugel's Tree, on the Lifaus Highway! Tonight, we shall slay the White Whale with our own hands!" She drew her sword, as it began to glow with power. Her words gave every knight in the room a morale boost, as they released a bellowing war cry.
The journey to his Tree would be long, Ryu knew that. He was letting Rem handle Patrasche (he instinctually knew her name and didn't know how; eventually decided to chalk it up to some sort of soul link or something similar) since he didn't know how to yet. Which he should totally look into once this was all over, since he couldn't be a King Candidate and not know how to manage a Ground Dragon. Two demihumans riding wolf-like creatures appeared next to them, just behind Teymin (who was also accompanying them, to Ryu's somewhat worry. He didn't want to see his friend get hurt).
"Hi, hi! I'm Mimi! Glad to know ya!" Mimi (re)introduced herself, her tone just as cheerful and excitable as Ryu remembered it to be in the old timeline.
"My name is Hetaro. Nice to meet you." The other demihuman calmly greeted, as he could see a stark difference between them. Likely siblings.
"Yep, nice to meet you too." Ryu smiled slightly. 'I didn't really want to doubt it, but… I guess she really was Anastasia's second-in-command.' Ryu thought, keeping his mild surprise to himself. "I'm sure you all know me by now, with the Royal Selection and all, but I'm Ryutensei. I prefer to be called Ryu, though. You two are siblings, right?"
"Yes, my big sister and I will do our-"
"When Mimi and Hetaro are together, we're the strongest!" Mimi excitably interrupted her brother, amusing Ryu endlessly. "And the Captain's also here, so we're the super strongest!" She fell backwards, as Hetaro was forced to keep her upright so she didn't just fall off of her ride.
"Um, my sister and the captain tend to be a little rash, so I usually give the orders." Hetaro added, while his sister continued to chant 'strongest'.
"I see…"
"What's the matter with you, bro? You're awfully tense!" Ryu looked to the side and saw Ricardo move over to him, also riding one of the wolf-like creatures. He knew these creatures didn't hail from Lugunica, meaning they were likely from Kararagi, just like Anastasia.
"Hey, we're about to challenge a beast that's been terrorizing your lands for centuries! I think I get to be a little tense!" Ryu retorted as Ricardo laughed.
"Ya ain't a little tense though! You look like you'll end up snapping if something sneaks up on ya! Loosen up a bit, man!" Ricardo said, bringing a small smile to Ryu's face.
"Yeah, whatever. What are you guys even riding, though?" He asked curiously.
"They're called Rigers." Ricardo informed him. "Ya won't see 'em too often in these parts though. They ain't as strong as Ground Dragons, but they're far more agile. If it comes to a brawl against the Whale, that's when they'll really shine, so watch close; alright little boss man?"
'Little boss man?' Ryu thought incredulously, as Ricardo rushed off, before shaking it off. Best not to overthink things. He watched as the man went around, bringing smiles to those around them and lightening the tension.
"It looks like Ricardo-sama is trying to ease everyone's nerves." Rem softly said as Ryu fell deep into thought to plan things internally. Rem looked over at him. "Ryu-kun, are you alright? You seem to have returned to being tense."
"Eh?" Ryu snapped out of it moments later, as he grinned. "Nah, I was just thinking. Trying to be a True Hero has a different meaning for me. I've met a True Hero before, and I'm trying to tap into her mindset to keep myself on my feet."
Undyne was his ideal of a true hero.
Undyne was relentless.
Undyne was strong.
Undyne was ready to sacrifice herself to save others.
If he wanted to be a true hero, to be able to claim a title such as hers, he would need to earn it over time. This was just step one. Felling a beast of evil.
It was now night. Ryu found himself unable to relax as he continually checked his Interface, his stats, everything. He wanted to be sure he was ready for battle.
Name: Ryutensei
Soul: Determination/Justice Hybrid (Peace) + HATE
LOVE: 3
HP: 43
Max HP (Current): 43
ATK: 30 (+100)
DEF: 30 (+100)
EXP Value: 31
GOLD: 1,960
Lugunican Currency: 0
Kills: 9 (1 Human, 8 Wolgarm)
Equipment: Aicenfall (Sage's Sword), Alestian Amulet
Traits: Justice, Determination, Bravery, Integrity, (limited) Kindness
Abilities: Black Warp, Peaceful Aura, Alestian Aura, Black Lightning. Others locked due to lack of Determination Potency.
Ryu sighed. This was the best he could do for now, so he would roll with it. He created another SAVE point and crushed it in preparation for the battle against the White Whale, setting Flugel's Tree as his save point. But even still… He looked up at the large tree, a hint of pride entering him. He planted this ginormous thing… even though he wondered how it got its nutrients to get that big. Probably mana absorption, though that brought more concerning questions. "Ryu-kun, I know that look. You're overthinking something, aren't you?" Rem asked as Ryu laughed.
"You know me too well, Rem!" He cheerfully said, before jumping off of the tree's roots. He then brought up his Interface one final time, this time to check his Snap and the time of the Whale's appearance in the last timeline. He also pulled out Frisk's… his cellphone to make sure the time set on both were the same, so the alarm would work as intended.
"That's going to inform you of the Whale's appearance, right?" Rem asked as he nodded.
"Yeah… looks like everything's in order." He looked up, as he felt something pull him in a certain direction. The pull of fate and curiosity, as he walked around the tree with Rem and found Wilhelm behind it, staring at a field of yellow flowers. "Wilhelm… I heard the story from Felix. How this beast took your wife, and how you've been searching for revenge ever since."
Please forget that." Wilhelm said, still staring at the field of flowers. "It was all time idly spent in an old man's delusions."
"You truly love your wife, do you not?" Rem asked, as Wilhelm finally turned around.
"Yes, I love my wife." He said, a firm tone in his voice. "More than anyone. And no matter how much time passes. My wife was a woman who loved to look at flowers." He returned his gaze to the field, his eyes softening by a fraction. "She never wished to wield a sword, but the sword loved her more than anyone. With no choice but to live for the sword, my wife accepted her fate. When I married her, I took it from her, forcing her to abandon the title of 'Sword Saint'. But the sword would not allow her to do that…" He looked at Ryu again, smiling slightly and bowing. "Ryu-sama, I thank you again. In this battle, I can find answers in my own sword. And perhaps I will finally be able to visit my wife's grave. At last, I can go and see her."
Ryu's eyes gained a determined look, as he walked over and put his hand out. "Wilhelm, I promise to do whatever it takes to help you kill this vile beast. Your wife will be avenged." He swore, as Wilhelm took his offered hand and shook it, a faint smile coming to his face.
Mere hours later, Ryu was on guard, his hand constantly twitching and ready to fight the White Whale. He knew it was almost time, and he was feeling… anxious. No, not just anxious. He was waiting for the White Whale to arrive, so the highly anticipated fight could begin. So the tension in his body would finally fade.
Then, his phone finally began to ring, the alarm set on it finally activating as Ryu's nerves finally reached an all-time high. His hand went to touch his hidden sword, Aicenfall, trailing against the snowflake insignia on its hilt. "It's time." He said to Crusch, as he turned to face her.
"Troops! Be on guard!" Crusch commanded as every soldier prepared for the Whale's appearance. The troops began to murmur and worry as the time passed, looking around to find the Whale, before…
"Over there!" One of the men pointed out, as Ryu looked behind him to see the White Whale flying through the air, its crimson eyes glowing menacingly. No intelligence behind it, nor any type of thought. Only malice. The beast flew right over them, as Ryu's eyes narrowed with determination. It was time.
"Troops-"
"Let's go!" Ryu yelled out, as Rem shot out a quick Al Huma spell to throw out jagged spears of ice at the Whale. Ryu snapped his fingers, crimson knives forming en masse and piercing the White Whale, blood falling to the floor from the 'small' puncture wounds formed on its skin. Crusch stared for a moment before a smirk came to her face.
"Troops! Follow that man into battle!" She commanded as the soldiers all ran after Patrasche and the duo with a powerful war cry.
The battle against the White Whale had begun.
In the back, lagmite canons shot off beacons of explosive energy that impacted into the Whale, irritating it as Ryu began to think, looking for any weaknesses in the beast. "Ryu, they're about to fire the Night Banisher. We should close our eyes." Rem recommended as Ryu blinked, only now remembering that information and closing his eyes. The resulting explosion was enough to create artificial sunlight for the area, as Ryu opened his eyes and smirked. Now he could see much better.
The Whale finally opened its eyes moments later, finally getting over its stunned state as it looked around, before looking down upon the army. Its eyes narrowed before it opened its mouth and released a large bellow that shook the ground below it and kicked up dust clouds from the sheer power of the sound. "...Ryu, how are you feeling?" Rem asked, as Ryu's smirk only grew.
"I'm scared. Scared of the popularity I'll gain once this is over, that is." He shifted his gaze to Teymin. "You stay in the back, girl. Act as support. Give people the Purified stuff we worked on making, but only if it's absolutely necessary." He commanded the Wolgarm, who yipped and ran off to do as her owner wished. "Now, let's get this over with!" Ryu's eyes narrowed as he channeled the power of Hate, a faint black aura radiating off of him. The White Whale looked down at them as they ran off on Patrasche, before flying right at them at shocking speeds. Ryu was ready to attack it with Black Warp but didn't get a chance to as the beast was stunned by a wind blade striking into it, a large gash now covering its face.
Ryu looked back to see Crusch with her sword drawn, the weapon glowing green with Wind Mana. "You greatly underestimate us if you think you can look away so carelessly, beast." She said as the canons in the back began firing yet again, assaulting the Whale from all sides with beams of energy. Once the Great Mabeast finally had enough and started charging at it, Crusch called for a dispersal. The troops went in two different directions, with Wilhelm charging right at it on his Ground Dragon. He jumped off it moments later, as Ryu's eyes narrowed, forming Integrity Platforms right into the floor to give Wilhelm a boost in speed and strength when he inevitably jumped.
"For fourteen long years, I have dreamed for nothing but this day," Wilhelm said to himself, his eyes closed. He then opened them moments later, a ferocious light in them as he glared at the White Whale. "Fall here, and leave your corpse behind." He waited for moments, until the Whale was mere meters away from him, to finally jump into the air. His strength was augmented by Ryu's Integrity magic for those moments, as he drew one of his swords and enchanted it with his magic. "Like the monster you are, die!" He then stabbed right into the beast, blood flying once his sword pierced its defenses.
Ryu watched from afar as he saw a faint white glow around the White Whale, the glow of magic. Soul Magic, in particular… but it wasn't natural. It was given unnaturally, injected into it. He now knew… if he didn't teach these people Soul Magic, they would have all been unable to pierce the defense around it.
The Whale began to thrash around in pain as Wilhelm continued to cut into it with his swords, ignoring the defense of the aura around it. "How wonderfully cooperative of you, coming here to be slain!" The 'Sword Demon' slashed at the White Whale, his swords cutting through it like a knife going through melted butter. Eventually, the beast bucked back, flinging Wilhelm off of it, but his Ground Dragon rushed in and caught him just in time to avoid being eaten. Ricardo then rushed in, slashing at the beast with his greatsword.
The troops continued to attack it, as Crusch drew her sword and prepared the technique she was working on since Ryu taught her how to use her Soul's magic. "Let's test this out, shall we? Troops, fall back!" She commanded, before drawing her sword back as it gave off a bright white glow. She enchanted her sword with Wind Mana, just as she did when preparing her 'Hundred Man Sword Strike', but this time; she added something extra. Perseverance Magic. "Infinity Slash!" She called out as she struck her sword through the air, sending a ripple of magic through the air… that caused the White Whale to not only visibly flinch, but cave in from its strength, blood exploding from its wound. "Fire! Aim at its flank!" She commanded her troops, with the magic-users in the back prepared their spells.
"Al Goa/Fire!" The mixture of Anastasia's demihuman mages and Crusch's trained Bravery mages shouted simultaneously, with orange flames shooting from their palms and impacting right into the flying Whale. It was then when Ryu raised his hand, a storm forming in the sky, just around the area, but not entering the area where the Night Banisher had affected. Lightning formed and shot right into Ryu's hand, where he then jumped into the air and pointed his hand downwards.
"Black Lightning!" He roared, as a black stream of electricity shot from his extended right hand, and exploded on impact with the White Whale, where Ryu then fell moments later and fell… Right back onto Teymin's back. He petted the large, now True Form Wolgarm as he smiled. "Good girl, thanks for catching me." He praised his pet, before glaring up at the White Whale, knowing it survived the explosion. Nothing was that easy.
"Looks like we used all our best attacks from the get-go," Ricardo commented, as Ryu looked over in the beastman's direction. "If that doesn't make it fall, then it's a lot tougher than we first thought." Ryu bit his lip at those words, knowing that the White Whale wasn't naturally this strong. It was stronger than it was supposed to be… because someone had tampered with it, somehow, and gave it a limited amount of Soul Magic. They just needed to get rid of that first, and the Whale would be a more tolerable fight.
"Its white hair scatters mana and neutralizes force. My magic was not as effective as it appeared earlier." Rem explained as she and Patrasche ran over. Just then, Crusch commanded the beacons to fire again, as more attacks were hurled at the White Whale from the canons.
"Time for round two then," Ricardo grinned over in his direction. "Show me what you've got, little boss man. Alright everybody, let's do this! Hack away at its remaining strength!" Ricardo's squad then rushed off on their Ligers, with Ryu's gaze constantly shifting across the battlefield, planning multiple strategies at once and discarding each one mere moments later as his mind made a better one.
"I can see you seem really focused, and I don't want to bother you…" Ryu heard as he looked over to see Felix. "But when exactly are you gonna use that strange ability of yours to summon up more weapons?"
"I can't just repeatedly use that forever, there's a minor cooldown on its usage along with a heavy drain on the power it uses to source its strength," Ryu explained, as his eyes narrowed on the beast. "I can bypass that with enough Determination, but I'll need time to build that up."
"Isn't there anything you can use in the meantime while you build it up?" Felix asked as Ryu's eyes widened. Now he thought of it… His hand went to his hidden, sheathed sword as he drew Aicenfall.
"Y'know what, Felix? You're right!" He looked over at Rem as he jumped off of Teymin. "Rem, swap with me for a moment, will you? I need Patrasche if I'm going to pull this off!"
"Right!" Rem nodded, as they traded, but not before Ryu patted the Oni maid's head with a small loving smile on his face. Ryu got back on Patrasche and had her charge right at the White Whale, forming Integrity Platforms on the floor as it ran through the air, before jumping off the final one and gaining a lot of airtime. He brought Aicenfall back in preparation to attack, landing on a platform just as Wilhelm fell from the beast, forming an Integrity Platform yet again. Ricardo noticed it and hit the barrier right at Wilhelm, who pushed off of it just as it shattered from the force acting upon it, giving him a considerable boost.
Wilhelm began to cut into the beast's eye, as it then fell right onto the floor, where he then stabbed it with his sword and jumped off of it. He raised the punctured eye to the sky, a faint smirk on his face. "Miserable… witchfiend."
"What's that?"
"Something's off…"
Ryu's eyes narrowed as he picked up on the conversations down below using his connection to Teymin. Something was changing, and he could see it from here. That's why he was up here, to get an upper view of the battlefield and assess what to do. He watched as the Whale's remaining eye turned a bright blood red, with the aura of Monster magic finally fading… but the vague scent of Corruption radiating off of it. He watched it's body opened up to reveal… holes that strange, teeth-like things in them. They began to spin and hum, just as the White Whale opened its maw to release another mindnumbing roar.
"That's about enough. Ice's Fall." Ryu coldly said as he slashed his blade through the air, a wave of pure cold, pressurized air slicing through the air and right through the Whale's right fin. It distracted the beast enough to stop whatever it was doing as it writhed in pain through the air, giving the Prince more time to think as he shot a thread of Hate at the floor and used it to pull him and Patrasche back to the ground, landing right next to Crusch.
"What did you do?" Crusch asked Ryu curiously, as his red and yellow-green eyes narrowed, glaring at the beast.
"I don't know if I'm being honest. I have no idea what it was planning, but I've learned letting beasts like them start doing something that takes time is a bad idea." Ryu then took charge of the army. "All those with ranged attacks, please release your strength now! We cannot let the enemy recuperate!"
"Right!" Ryu heard multiple voices shout at once, as the soldiers who had ranged attacks and spell began to unleash them upon the Whale, giving it no time to use whatever power it had in its arsenal. Of course, at some point, it had enough of that and released another wailing shockwave that kicked up dust in everyone's eyes.
Taking that time, it released its Fog, covering the area in dense smoke. Once Ryu opened his eyes, he gritted his teeth in annoyance. He needed to figure out a way to attach himself to more people so he could keep track of the battlefield. He continued to think, dodging attacks and the smoke of pressurized Fog coming towards him. "Teymin!" He internally commanded his Wolgarm, tapping into the Hate he had given her. "Give Crusch a small sliver of the Purified Hate you've made!"
Moments later, he felt it, a connection to another being; that allowed him to see things on the battlefield more clearly from Crusch's perspective. Pushing that to the back of his mind, he brought back the rest of the unpurified Hate in Teymin to reabsorb it for usage with his… "Black Warp!" He called out, as the Fog around him twisted and warped… before eventually dispersing altogether.
"Ryu!" He heard as he looked up to see Crusch's grateful expression. "Thank you for dispersing some of the Fog." She then looked around. "How many men have we lost?"
"My unit has twelve men left." One of the battalion leaders said. "We're short three."
"Who was lost?" Crusch asked as Ryu felt dread creep down his spine.
"I don't know." The man looked down as Ryu grit his teeth. He knew there would be casualties, but he didn't expect it to be this early into the fight! This Whale… was persistent, to say the least.
"I have fourteen men left," Another reported. "One deserted. I'm missing six. I'm sorry." Ryu's eyes briefly flashed with Hate before he calmed down. He needed to sparingly use his Hate to ensure he had enough magic to use Black Warp. He then turned around when he heard more men approach from the back.
"Forgive my haste," Wilhelm said as he came from behind them, leading a mixture of Anastasia's mercenaries and Crusch's troops. "What's our damage?"
"A total of twenty-one men. An entire platoon of soldiers have been wiped out…" Crusch said, as Ryu knew… that no one would know who those brave soldiers were. No one but… him. "It won't even be possible to properly protect the honor of the lost." Ryu could see Wilhelm's grip on his sword tighten, a steely gaze in his eyes. Crusch continued to command her soldiers. "Now that its in the fog, we won't know whence it will attack. Staying grouped up is the worst thing we can do. Disperse immediately!"
Just as Crusch said that a shrill cry echoed from around them. Ryu could feel it panging against his mind momentarily, but disperse just as quickly as it came. Unnerved, he covered his ears as he looked around. "What is that?" Crusch looked around in a panic, as Ryu tried to figure out what the Whale was doing. He then witnessed a man fall off his Ground Dragon and to the floor, covering his ears in pain as he screamed. The man began to scratch at his face, and Ryu panicked as he then put his hands out and began to try healing the man and soothing him with a mixture of his Kindness magic and his Peaceful Aura, He began to eventually calm down and sleep, as Ryu then got up and rushed over to Rem.
"Rem, how are you feeling?" He asked the maid, concerned for the woman who pulled him out of his dark spot. He reached out and touched her hand, as she smiled at him weakly.
"I'll be fine now, thank you Ryu-kun." She said softly, as Ryu silently transferred a dormant and weak portion of Purified Hate into her. To better her chances of being able to shrug off the effects of this mind-affecting Fog. Felix rushed over to him, as Ryu looked at the somewhat frantic knight.
"Ryu-kyun, I saw what you did with that soldier back there! Can you help me out by doing that more?" He asked, as Ryu eventually nodded and went around, helping calm down soldiers and putting them to sleep before they could harm themselves more. The whole time, he was on guard, ready to act if he saw the White Whale. Eventually, the tension finally got the better of Ryu as he shot to his feet. He had done enough healing in his own eyes, right now he needed to end this.
"Crusch, I'm going to buy us some time! Have everyone regroup!" He said to her, before rushing off and not giving Crusch a chance to question him. "Rem! I'm gonna need you to keep an eye on me in case my Hate gets the best of me, so forgive me for bringing you right into the danger zone." He apologized as he jumped onto Patrasche's back again, and reaching out his hand to the girl. Rem nodded as she accepted the hand and climbed on, with Ryu looking at Teymin. "I'll need you to stay with Crusch and the others, alright girl?" He asked the Wolgarm, who nodded and rushed off in a hurry.
"Ryu, you don't need to apologize. I'll follow you anywhere." Rem said, warming the young man's heart before he narrowed his eyes and took off on Patrasche.
"Ryu, wait! The Fog-"
Ryu closed his eyes, as he tapped right into his soul, thinking of Austin's Hate. Not the Hate he had been taking and manufacturing, purifying with Teymin's help. No, the true primordial essence of the Hate Origin. He thought of tapping into it, mining it like a miner mined for precious gems and metals. He then opened his eyes, the whites of them disappearing as an almost demonic look appeared on his face. "Full Release: Hate!" A thick aura of hatred surrounded him, coating him in the 'evil' scent of the primordial Hate. What he didn't expect was for something to change just as he did so. Not only did he get the strength boost from releasing the power of Hate into his mortal body… he also noticed how time had stopped briefly. Dark mist curled around the edges of his vision, as a familiar presence loomed over him briefly.
Once the effect wore off, did he realize Satella had indirectly helped him by making him look like more of a treat to the White Whale. Well, when he said it like that, 'help' sounded subjective. Oh well. He then smirked once he saw the Whale's figure appear in front of them, its maw opened. Rem was prepared, as was he. They raised their hands together and performed a joint spell. "Ul Huma!" They called out, two spears of ice jutting out of the floor and stabbing the White Whale… only for it to disappear like it was never there. Ryu's eyes widened, as he drew Aicenfall instinctively and slashed upward, just as Wilhelm came from above and slashed downward into the beast. Blood flew everywhere, with Hetaro and Mimi then jumping up behind them on Rigers.
"Sis, together!" Hetaro commanded, as they both drew in a lot of air and released it as a large pressurized blast of Wind Magic, exploding on impact with the White Whale. Ricardo then jumped onto the distracted whale and cut into it with his greatsword, destroying its pores as he went. The Whale screeched as more pores opened up, but it continued to follow and chase after Ryu, just as the Prince wanted it to.
"Looking away from me, are you? How cold." Wilhelm said from atop the Whale. "And here I spent the last fourteen years utterly mad for you!" He stabbed the White Whale with his sword, easily piercing its defenses with his enchanted blades. He then jumped into the air and drew another sword, landing on the beast's back.
"This is startin' to get fun," Ricardo said from atop the whale, holding his greatsword and hanging it off of his shoulder. "It's sturdier than expected, but now I know we can certainly handle this!"
"No, it's putting up less of a fight than it should." Wilhelm disagreed, slashing at the beast's back. "I find it hard to believe that this Mabeast got the better of my wife, a Sword Saint. The fact we got the jump on it, and that it didn't use its Fog to disperse our forces to begin with-" Just then, the Whale tilted upwards, causing the two men on its back to fall. "I'll take a parting gift on my way out then!" Wilhelm gritted his teeth, slashing at the Whale's other fin and cutting it clean off, just as his Ground Dragon caught him again.
Ryu then convened back with Wilhelm, a faint smirk on his face. "Hey, looks like the lessons on magic I gave you are really coming in handy today, hm?"
"I suppose they have." Wilhelm smiled back, before growing serious. "But we should stay alert, Ryu-sama. We don't know from which direction it will attack from." At the man's words, Ryu looked around, before his instincts flared up.
"Disperse!" Ryu commanded, as the men around them immediately did so, just in time to narrowly avoid the Fog falling from above. He sheathed Aicenfall instantly and summoned his Sword of Determination, slicing with the weapon and sending arcs of red energy to slice in what he assumed to be the Whale's direction. A prickling sensation then crept up Ryu's back as he turned to Wilhelm, only to see a large maw coming in to swallow the man whole. It dispersed dirt, stone, everything in its path, just to bring Wilhelm into its monstrous mouth and eat him.
But the Whale didn't stop there, as it charged right at him, with Ryu's eyes widening in panic. He formed a hasty Spherical Kindness Shield around him, Rem, and Patrasche; which shattered on impact with the beast, sending the Prince flying as he eventually hit the ground and looked up. "Thank goodness for Aura dampening all damage I take…" He weakly laughed… before realizing that there were three White Whales above him. "Wait… what the actual fuck?"
Ryu could feel it. The utter despair amongst the soldiers, the willingness to give up. They saw a hopeless situation amongst the fact there were three White Whales now, but Ryu wasn't. He was too stubborn now to just cave in. He knew that Wilhelm could be saved and that they could win, but only if they acted fast. "Everyone!" He instantly called out, getting the attention of the army. "We can't give in now! We have lost too much to do so! Brave lives that fought hard to get us this far!" He pointed up at the Whale that swallowed Wilhelm. "We can't let it swallow him! As long as he isn't swallowed, we can save him and figure out a way to salvage this situation! You are warriors who have waited for this day, right? SHOW ME YOUR RESOLVE THEN!" He then rushed off, climbing back onto Patrasche as he looked up, seeing Rem wail on one of the Whales with her morningstar.
Eventually, she fell, but Ryu rushed in and caught her in his arms with a smile. "Not so fast, Rem. You can't just run off like that, we need to stick together!" He glared up at the White Whales, feeling his strength slowly build up once he let the strength boost part of Austin's Hate fade, leaving only the scent for the time being. "I'm not giving up just yet, freaks! Bring on everything you've got!" He challenged them, an angry and determined look in his eyes.
Ryu then supported Rem up as she formed her Oni Horn, creating an Integrity Platform as she jumped off of it and into the air, landing on one of the White Whale's backs. He then smirked, as he patted Patrasche's neck. "Let's go, girl! Get me right under that damn Whale's nose!" He told the Ground Dragon, who instantly obliged by running off at full speed before he could properly prepare himself. The Whale Rem was attacking rushed at him from behind but was immediately struck back as Rem hit it with her morningstar.
"The only one who may sniff Ryu-kun is me!" She growled out, causing Ryu to feel a bit weird but he rolled with it. Rem was a sweet enough girl, he could ignore that. He then looked in front of him to notice another Whale blowing out Fog at him and panicked for a moment, as he didn't have enough Hate built up to use Black Warp again.
"Close your mouth!" Ryu heard as a wind blade knocked the Whale aside, with Crusch rushing up next to him on her own Ground Dragon. "At a glance, this situation seems dismal. Where is Wilhelm?"
"Well, since you remember him, obviously the Fog hasn't gotten to him. One of the Whales seems to have eaten him though, so we need to figure out a way to bring him out onto the battlefield again." Ryu sighed in exhaustion.
"Ryu, don't you find it weird?" Crusch began, as the white-and-red-haired Prince looked over in her direction. "There are now three White Whales. If this Mabeast actually lives in a group, how did we not know that until now?" At their words, Ryu's eyes widened, looking up at the beasts and noticing one was high above the clouds… not going down for anything… That had to be linked to all of this.
"Crusch, I recommend we all split up! You handle one of the Whales, I'll handle the other! I have a plan!" Ryu motioned for Patrasche to run off faster than before, as he activated his soulsight to find the exact Whale with Wilhelm inside. "There!" He pointed his hand out and charged his Mana up and infused it with his Justice Magic. "JIWALD: JUDGEMENT ARC!" He roared, as a beacon of heat shot from his hand, drilling a hole open on the top of the Whale just as Rem bashed into the Whale with her morningstar. His Spell hit the area Rem had hit directly as if they were thinking in unison even at a distance. From the hole, a bloodied and gloved hand came out… and then, the entirety of Wilhelm's body. Ryu immediately ran over and began to administer first aid to ensure he was alright with his limited Kindness Magic.
"Ryu-sama, it seems I have still much to learn." The man weakly said. "I was careless…" He then fell asleep, as Ryu sighed in relief. He wasn't dead, thankfully.
"Is he alright?" He heard Hetaro say, as he continued to watch over Wilhelm, Ryu's face covered in green light as a side-effect of using Kindness' healing.
"Yeah, he'll be fine. But it'll be better to get him to Felix, he's the real medic around here. Even at my peak, I'd never be able to compare to Blue himself." He said to the brother-sister duo of Mimi and Hetaro.
"Of course! But what about you?" Hetaro asked as Ryu looked up, his red eye glowing brightly.
"I need to… do something."
"Are you serious? It divided?" Crusch asked Ryu, a stunned expression on her face as he nodded.
"Yeah, a lot of factors have got me convinced on that. From its fighting strength, to the left eye that Wilhelm gouged out. The real one is trying to avoid battle with us because it knows it's in danger." Ryu glared up at the floating White Whales in the sky.
"I do agree with your observation that these ones are weaker than the one we have previously engaged with," Crusch said, "But what good does knowing this do? Killing three White Whales is easier said than done."
"Even if we had the power to do so, we don't need to kill all of them." Ryu shook his head. "Just one is enough. The real one dies, and the rest go with it. And the real one is… right up there." He pointed at the White Whale all the way up top. "It's just hanging around, doing nothing but observing. Isn't that a bit suspicious?"
"I see your point, but… that's too far for even me to hit, I think." Crusch's grip on her sword tightened. "I cannot rely on my sword to hit from this distance. If I had one perfect strike, then it might be possible…"
"I have a plan. But it's definitely risky, and I recommend everyone to get back. In fact, there's a very small chance this works in the first place. You want in?" Ryu smirked slightly.
After explaining his plan, Crusch stared at him in shock. "You're insane… you don't actually think you can pull that off, do you?"
"We're already insane for taking on this thing, wouldn't you say?" Ryu chuckled, looking up at the Whale. "But this is the best plan I've got, sorry to say."
"Your life is most definitely at risk with this plan, Ryu. Are you sure you want to go through with it?" Crusch asked one final time, as he nodded firmly. "...If you're so sure, then I'm in. I will take your gamble." Crusch put her fist out, as Ryu bumped his against hers.
A True Hero is always ready to sacrifice himself to save others.
"Time to make light of my powers, eh?!" Ryu grinned, as a bright light briefly exploded from his red eye. He put his right hand out, keeping his left hand on Patrasche's reins, as a crimson spear appeared in his extended hand. He threw it at the Whale in the air, forcing it to dodge and confirming his suspicions that it was the true Whale. None of the other Whales were so adamant about dodging. "Thanks for outing yourself, you idiot beast! Black Warp!"
Ryu felt it again, the shift of his reality as he disappeared, reappearing far in the air on an Integrity Platform he had summoned on a whim. He then smirked down at the floor, knowing his friends were fighting valiantly to help him pull off this gambit. "I made a promise, Wilhelm. I'll help you avenge your wife at any and all costs!" He then jumped off the platform, as he raised his hands, forming his Black Lightning again but this time infusing it with as much energy as he could and enhancing it further with Black Warp. "Down you go, vile beast!" Ryu thrust his left hand down, pointing it at the White Whale with an angry look on his face. "ABSOLUTE VOLTAGE!"
One moment, there was silence. The next, the sound of a massive thunderclap and the ground exploding as a large black lightning bolt struck the floor along with the true White Whale's form. The force of the earthquake was enough to cause Flugel's Tree to fall over ("OH NO MY TREE!", Ryu internally panicked) and then trap the Whale in place. Ryu continued to fall from the sky, his magic completely exhausted and unable to summon anything to help him, but he was caught as Rem jumped into the air and saved him from falling to the floor and breaking his bones.
What, fall damage wasn't gonna kill him in this state. He had survived falling from terminal velocity as a kid, this was nothing. Regardless, he was thankful as Rem gracefully landed on the floor, using Kindness shields as makeshift Integrity Platforms as she slowed their descent drastically.
Wilhelm, now finally back on his feet, walked over to the downed Whale as he prepared to take his revenge… He then sliced at the beast, blood spraying everywhere as he began to cut into it with a furious rage, as Ryu could feel his rage, his heartache, his love for his deceased wife. He raised his sword, enchanting it with Perseverance Magic as he looked down on the beast. "Sleep for all eternity." With those words, he plunged his sword deep into the White Whale, sending a ripple of power as it then exploded with blood from its open wounds. The beast eventually closed its eyes, as Ryu felt its soul finally shatter. It was dead. The clones, likewise, disappeared as they never truly 'existed'.
"It is finished… Theresia.." Wilhelm muttered to himself, looking upon the sunrise. "At last, Theresia. I can finally say it. My dear… I LOVE YOU! FOREVER!" The man cried out, bringing tears to Ryu's eyes upon seeing the emotional scene. Who knew… that true love was such a powerful drive?
"The White Whale has fallen!" Crusch announced to the army, as Ryu limped over in her direction, with Rem supporting him and him doing the same for her. "The Mabeast of Fog, which has terrorized our world for four centuries, has been struck down by Wilhelm van Astrea!" All the soldiers cheered simultaneously, as Ryu laughed weakly… before coughing heavily into his hand. He was noticing a correlation between his magic levels and his health recently, but for now, he just wanted to watch this joyous day. "This battle… is our victory!"
But joy could only last for so long before the pain of reality hits you. The people soon mourned those who had either died or were lost in the battle, even if they didn't remember who they were. Ryu himself, sat upon a hill, watching the sunrise as his body slowly repaired itself. "Are you alright, Ryu?" He heard Crusch say as she walked over in his direction, turning his head to look at her.
"More or less. A bit strained, but I'll live." Ryu shrugged, before smiling slightly. "I'm glad you're alright, Crusch."
"I am, thanks. But what you said about casualties was the truth, earlier." Crusch looked down, as did Ryu. "Our losses are not few. Even with the White Whale's defeat, those who have vanished will not return."
"...We did our best, Crusch. We cannot protect everyone, even if we wish we could." And even if Ryu went back with his saves, there was no guarantee that there was a way to save those who were lost today. And he had used his Black Warp to its limit today, meaning he couldn't attempt to 'fix' this.
"I suppose you are right, Ryu. It fits for the hero who brought down the White Whale, to be someone with a level head that sees the good in any situation." Crusch commented as Ryu looked over at her in surprise.
"Wait, what do you mean? Wil was the one who killed the thing." Ryu asked, as Crusch smiled and shook her head.
"That may be true, but if it wasn't for your quick thinking and your self-sacrificial plan, I doubt we would have been able to succeed today," Crusch said, slight admiration in her eyes. "How's your arm feeling in particular by the way?"
"I'll need to give it a few hours to heal up, really." Ryu sighed, looking at his left arm, which was colored red from the strain he had put on it with his overcharged Black Lightning technique. "But honestly, I don't deserve that title. Neither 'Hero', nor the one who brought down the Whale."
"There is no need for modesty here, Ryu," Crusch said. "In fact, I would love to welcome you to my household and reward your accomplishments and your kindness."
"Sorry, Crusch, but I think I'll have to put a raincheck on that." Ryu slowly got up, leaning on his right arm to help him do so as he looked at the Duchess that was his 'rival' in the elections, commonly called the 'War Goddess'. He smiled slightly, finding that title appropriate in his mind. "Crusch, I gotta say, you're an amazing person. I have a feeling if you won the Royal Selection, things wouldn't turn out bad for Lugunica at all. You're a capable leader. And if it wasn't for some complicating factors, I would have taken you up on your offer. But, right now I've got a lot on my plate."
'Petelgeuse for one.' His eyes narrowed briefly before he smiled and calmed down again. "I hope that even if we become enemies, that we can somehow get along," Ryu said, putting out a hand for the armored Princess to shake.
"Ryu, allow me to correct one idea you have." Crusch began, catching his attention. "Even if we do come into conflict one day, I shall remain friendly toward you. Even if the day where we must settle things comes upon us, I shall not forget the debt I have incurred on this day. Therefore, even if we become enemies, I shall respect and show you favor until the end." Ryu blankly stared at her, not expecting this from Crusch. He eventually smiled, though his smile was one of calm relief.
"As if I hadn't already had enough conflicts of interest." Ryu joked, a relaxed look in his eyes. "Man, Crusch, are you trying to get me on your side so you can ensure you win the election either way?"
Crusch laughed softly, a gentle smile coming to her face. "Perhaps in the future, I will see you as a proper partner, Prince Ryutensei. Until then, you are an ally, a rival, and a great friend." Ryu then smiled, albeit with a somewhat flustered expression on his face, as they shook hands. "Now, I shall take our wounded and the White Whale's carcass to the capital. But I have a feeling you won't be accompanying us."
"I've got some things to settle, yeah." Ryu nodded, a firm determined look in his eyes. "It may be a little rude of me, but I set up this whole Whale hunt to ensure I could get some help with something."
"Oh? The White Whale was something secondary on your mind?" Crusch seemed amused. "How much assistance do you require?"
"I'm not even sure anymore." He looked out to the wounded, a sorrowful expression settling on his face. "I didn't expect the battle against the White Whale to have this kind of toll… Plus…"
"Then why don't you make use of this old man, Ryu-sama?" Wilhelm said as Ryu looked to see the man walk up to him with a grateful expression on his face… where the man immediately kneeled before him. "Ryu-sama, with this subjugation, it was you that allowed me to finally carry out my reason for living all this time. I thank you… I thank you with all I am!"
Ryu smiled eventually as he sighed. "It wasn't just me, Wilhelm, and you know it. You did just as, no, more to help fight the Whale than I did. It was you who persevered to get to this point, to finally avenge your wife. Not me. All I did was help, you did the heavy lifting." Ryu tried to shrug off what he saw as needless praise. "Besides… wasn't it the love you had for your wife that let you do this?"
Wilhelm eventually smiled and looked up at him. "I thank you again." He then stood up and turned to Crusch.
"I recommend you hold onto that treasured sword for a while," Crusch said to the old swordsman. "In the days to come, being unarmed won't do you any good."
"Yes, my lady. Thank you." Wilhelm replied as Crusch shifted her attention back to Ryu.
"Take Felix and half of the uninjured. That should number about twenty." She said, as his eyes widened. Was she really just giving him these men? She seemed to have noticed his surprise too. "I told you I have no wish to be shameless. And that I would respect you, did I not?"
Ryu blinked, before smiling widely. "Thank you, Crusch. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!"
"You can nyot move, right?" Felix said to Rem, as Ryu watched this exchange closely to ensure Rem didn't overdo it. "As a user of healing magic, I cannot let you push yourself further! You will stay behind-"
"But-" Rem tried to protest, but she fell over as Ryu caught her with his uninjured arm.
"Hey, you should really watch how you use your Magic, Rem! Don't overexert yourself for my sakes!" He gently scolded the girl, worried for her health. "Just obey Felix, he's the most experienced healer out of the three of us."
"I can't! I won't!" Rem protested again, as she dug her face into Ryu's jacket. "It hurts to much… I can't bear it! When you're in trouble and in need of help, I want to be the first to reach out to you! That's all I want, so please-" Ryu reached over and began to softly stroke her hair, as a faint smile came to his face.
"Rem, you needn't worry. You've already saved me so many times… done so much for me… you even brought me back from the deepest pits of despair." He softly smiled at her, with pure adoration in his eyes. "It's high time I repaid the favor. This time, just leave things to me. I'll handle my issues on my own. I can do this, I know I can."
"After this… will you still keep me by your side?" Rem asked, looking up at him, as Ryu reached over and placed a gentle kiss upon her forehead.
"I promise, Rem. Besides… I should be the one asking you that." He said, as Rem eventually smiled and then placed a finger on his lip.
"I shall hold you to that promise, Ryu-kun. You can't back out now, can you?" Rem said in a half-teasing tone, only reaffirming Ryu's suspicions that he had indeed grown to love Rem.
"I'll be okay, Rem. I'll find a way to fix everything." Ryu swore, a confident grin coming to his face. "I'm supposed to be a True Hero, right? Well, I've taken one step in that direction! So you don't need to worry about a thing! Right now, I'm powered by the endless Determination you've given me!"
Rem stared at him as tears formed in her eyes before they fell freely as she tightly hugged Ryu. "Yes! My hero is the best in the world!"
Ryu felt truly blessed… to have someone who cared about him so unflinchingly. He felt like there was nothing that could take him down.
"Man, you got to have all the fun, didn'tcha little boss man?" Ricardo grinned as he placed a hand on Ryu's shoulder.
"Ryu-chan was really cool! He knocked down that Whale with one hit!" Mimi cheered, jumping up and down excitably. "That was really awesome!"
"I'm currently questioning how you two are still up and running. I mean, didn't your brother collapse of exhaustion earlier?" Ryu looked at Mimi with an incredulous eyebrow raised.
"Hetaro's just a baby. He's weak." Mimi said as she turned away, holding her staff. "Really, it's so pathetic…"
"I know in the battle with the Whale, I didn't get much done, but don't you worry." Ricardo confidently said. "My lady asked me for a favor after all. In the real battle comin' up, I'll really show ya what I've got."
"The real battle? You're acting like I'm going to war."
"Fighting the Witch's Cult is basically the equivalent of that, wouldn't you say?" Ricardo said, as Ryu froze up and looked up at him in shock. "Never underestimate the merchant information network, little boss man. You never know what kind of info you might get if you just pay attention and look around a bit." His gaze then shifted. "Ah, there they are."
"Oh?" Ryu looked over in the direction that Ricardo did, as he noticed another group of soldiers riding over.
"That's half of our mercenary team," Ricardo explained. "Half of 'em were sent to block the road, instead of fightin' the Whale."
"So, they'll be helping us too?" He asked, getting a nod of confirmation. "Who's leading them?"
"That'd be my little brother, Tivey!" Mimi piped up, as Ryu wondered about the logistics of Mimi's family tree for half-a-second before deciding it wasn't important. He looked over again, noticing a familiar face amongst the crowd.
"Hey! It's Julius!" Ryu grinned and waved with his good arm. "Julius, nice to see you around!" He called out, as he saw the man blink and then smile visibly, waving in return. This was a good army, he supposed.
Now, to figure out a plan to beat Sloth.
RE: DETERMINED
Act 3, Chapter 3 - White Whale vs True Hero (白鯨vs真のヒーロー) - END