A/N: Will be posting some fanart for this chapter and the next chapter, if you're interested my deviantart is iHateFridays, Tumblr ihf-arts, and you can find my other social media on my profile.
Megami, Aoi, and their bodyguards were walking down the street. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky. Aoi was standing protectively beside Megami. Megami kept a calm expression on her face, walking forward. The bodyguards clutched their weapons tightly.
"A MONSTER!"
People were running around and screaming. A roar sounded from nearby, feet padding down the road. The bodyguards held up their weapons.
"Oh ho!" one of the monsters laughed, stopping when it saw Megami and her bodyguards. "Is that Megami Saikou, heiress to Saikou Corp?"
The monsters appeared to be large, dragon-like creatures with long, sharp claws, and scaly bodies. Their yellow eyes glowed with malice as they towered above the humans. Their wings spread out behind them.
"Stay back!" the bodyguards began firing at the monsters.
The monsters cackled, shoving the bodyguards away with ease. One by one, they tumbled down.
"Meg, stay back," Aoi put herself in front of Megami.
"A little girl, huh?" one of the monsters cackled. "What can you do?"
Aoi roared, holding out her fists. She punched one of the monsters square in the eye.
"AUGH!" the monster bared its teeth. "STUPID BRAT!"
It grabbed Aoi, tossing her aside. She crashed into a building.
Megami turned to monsters, who loomed over her.
"Be afraid, little girl," they giggled. "We'll make your dad come beg on his knees."
One of them raised a clawed hand, swinging it in Megami's direction.
"MEGAMI!"
The claws did not hit Megami. They hit Aoi, who had thrown herself in front of Megami.
Aoi fell to her knees. Blood streamed down her face, pouring out of her left eye socket. She screamed and screamed.
Megami stared at Aoi lying on the ground, blood pooling down her face.
"Aw, sad, are you, little girl?" one of the monsters teased.
Megami narrowed her eyes. "You will regret crossing me."
She grabbed the bag around her shoulders, leaping into the air. She wrapped the strand from the bag around the monster's neck, and pulled. The monster roared, screaming as it started to choke.
"LET GO!" another monster reached for Megami, but she kicked it in the face. She delivered a punch, just like her fighting instructor had shown. The monster was flung back. Megami kicked the third monster, causing it to scream in pain.
"ENOUGH!" the first monster grabbed Megami, holding her in one scaly hand. She struggled to get out, only to feel her ribs getting crushed.
"Stupid girl," the monsters giggled. "What do you think you are, some kind of hero?"
And then its head came flying off. The other monsters gasped in horror. Standing there was a man with a full head of spiky black hair, and a long, flowing cape. His eyes were glowing dangerously.
Megami recognised the man immediately. It was Blast, one of the world's greatest superheroes. He easily defeated the other monsters, leaving nothing but their corpses behind while catching Megami. He placed her on the ground.
"Blast…" Megami trailed off, staring up at him. "Oh my... how can I thank you for saving me?"
"Learn to protect yourself, kid," he advised, before walking away.
"Wait, Blast!" Megami stood up. "You… you have to teach me how to be a hero! You have to let me be your disciple!"
Blast continued walking, waving her off. "I don't do disciples."
"Then let me change your mind about that," Megami crossed her arms. "I need to become a hero so I can protect people, and kill monsters just like those." She made a face. "And besides, don't you need a successor?"
Blast hesitated, staring down at the young girl. She reminded him so much of Traveller, his lost love. His lip trembled.
"You don't know what you're getting into, kid," he walked away.
"Oh, but I do," Megami insisted, walking alongside him. "I'm prepared to put my life on the line, Blast. Anything it takes to become a hero, I will do it."
Blast stared at her. Determination fueled her every step. She was serious, and he knew it.
"Meet me by the forest at the edge of City Z by 6," Blast decided. "Then we'll see what you're made of."
He walked off. Megami put a hand on her chest.
I won't let you down, Blast, she thought. I promise.
The air was silent, and the sun was high in the sky. Not a cloud was in sight. Despite the gorgeous weather, an ominous feeling was creeping around. A feeling that crept into the souls and minds of everyone walking by. A feeling that made them stop and shiver.
There were many abandoned parts of the Earth. Wastelands, trenches, canyons, fields that stretched for miles without a single human contact. Most of the time. For one of the canyons was currently housing a young S Class hero. A young humanoid creature.
Ayano walked through the long, empty brown canyon, her footsteps echoing beneath her. The walls towered into the sky, a shadow covering her. As she continued to walk, the sun grew brighter.
"So you have come."
Ayano looked up. Standing on one of the canyon walls was none other than Megami Saikou, aka the S Class rank 2 hero Goddess. The Hero was wielding her staff, hair flowing behind her. Her gaze was cold yet piercing.
Ayano stared back at her. The two stared at each other, silent. They both knew… only one of them was going to come out alive.
And then Ayano moved. Quick as a flash, she sliced the ground beneath Megami's feet. But of course, Megami effortlessly jumped off, floating towards the ground. She landed on her feet, standing on the same level as Ayano.
"Predictable," she chastised. "But of course. I always win, Miss Aishi. You're new to the Hero industry, really. You don't understand that."
She held out her staff, beams of power flying towards Ayano. Ayano swerved out of the way, one narrowly missing her face. She got faster and faster with every step. Soon, she reached Megami, only to come to face to face with her shield.
That shield is going to get in the way, Ayano narrowed her eyes. There's got to be something I can do to get around it…
She turned to the canyon wall, aiming her knife. She slashed, sending a barrage of rocks flying down. Megami stayed completely calm, the rocks not even scratching her shield. She scowled when she realised that Ayano had mysteriously vanished.
That girl… Megami narrowed her eyes. She-
KA-BOOM!
Megami stepped back, her shield flickering off thanks to red glitching. She narrowed her eyes at Ayano.
"Honestly," she sighed. She held out her staff again. "You're not-"
And then she stopped. Ayano was right in front of her, eyes glowing red. She had gotten even faster while the rocks had fallen. And then she started slashing again. She slashed and slashed, body covered in string. The red string flowed towards Megami, but of course she stayed nonchalant.
Megami held out her staff, defending herself from the continuous slashing. She was pushed back, approaching the canyon wall. She kept her breaths steady. Before long, she was shoved against the canyon wall, the slashing still going. She felt her head digging into the wall. She couldn't make a getaway, at least not yet.
"How pathetic."
Megami would've recognised that voice anywhere. She peered over her shoulder, seeing her younger brother Kencho Saikou, arms folded across his chest. A smug smirk was on his face.
Of course. Megami wasn't surprised to see him there. He always liked to show up and mock her, especially when he believed she was experiencing one of her 'worst moments'.
"Kencho," she ordered, coldly. "This is private business. Leave at once."
"Aw, why?" Kencho raised a brow. "Don't want everyone to see you lose against another S Class hero?"
"I told you to leave, Kencho," Megami responded, calmly. "Do not make me repeat myself."
"You don't scare me," Kencho huffed, turning away. "Coward. Pathetic. You honestly think you're number one, just because you were born first. You honestly think you're Father's special gift to the world, his prized possession. Well, you're not. You're just a stupid bitch. Father wanted a son, after all. Not some SKANK of a daughter. He didn't want some insecure, submissive girl like you to be Saikou Corp's heir."
Megami didn't say anything, or let any emotion show on her face.
"That's right, you can't do anything without your precious Blast, can you, sis?" Kencho taunted. "You're worthless without him. You're too scared to try anything without his approval beforehand. I know you've been waiting for him to come back and save you. You can preach all you want about how you're so 'independent' and 'strong' but at the end of the day, you can't do anything falling back on Blast."
Ayano noticed Megami's fists clenching. She smirked.
I don't even have to do anything, she thought. Kencho Saikou is covering everything for me.
"The Hero Association relies on you, and look how they're faring," Kencho continued. "Everybody hates them. Everybody is disappointed in them. Everyone knows they're a failure. And you know what that means, Meg?"
He took a step towards his sister. Megami wasn't facing him; instead, her face was shadowed over.
"It means you're a failure." Kencho continued, eyes flashing. "A pathetic little failure. Just as you've always been. You failed Aoi - she lost her eye because of you. You failed Father by fighting the Monster Association when he told you not to. You failed the universe by lying about that little prophecy. You're not the hero of that, are you? You just want to be so you can receive a few minutes of validation."
There was a moment of tense silence.
"It's all true, Yan-chan," Kencho turned to Ayano. "Megami really is a fa-"
"ENOUGH."
Kencho stopped talking. He had been slammed into a canyon wall by the throat. Megami squeezed it tightly, normally calm eyes fueled with a fiery rage. Kencho furiously coughed, blood dribbling down his chin. The usual smug cockiness found on his face was gone; instead, it was replaced with wide-eyed fear.
Megami breathed out heavily, her fist trembling. She stared at her brother choking to death, gasping for air. Her eyes widened in horror. She shook herself out of it, dropping her brother. He collapsed onto the ground, furiously gulping down air.
"You almost killed your own brother," Ayano noted, hands under her chin. "A noble hero you are, Megami Saikou."
Megami turned around, staff in hand. Her expression had returned to its iconic serious, icy cold glare.
"But everything he said is right, isn't it?" Ayano asked. "You really can't do anything without that Blast, can you?"
Megami shook her head. "Ah… Miss Aishi. You're a naive fool."
Ayano suddenly felt the ground rumbling beneath her. An engine whirring, deep in the Earth. A siren boomed around her.
Megami stood still, staff in hand. Her face had a tinge of smugness.
The ground suddenly exploded; the force of multiple mines. Ayano was sent skyrocketing through the air, smoke trailing behind her. She landed on a canyon wall, her ruptured legs reforming themselves. She stared down at Megami, eyes dead.
"Did you honestly think I would take it easy on you?" Megami asked.
Missiles came out of nowhere, flying towards Ayano. They slammed into her, cracking the canyon walls. Ayano tumbled towards the ground, doused in red blood. Megami summoned another shield, protecting herself from the rockslides. Blood and guts trailed down the rubble.
Ayano reformed her misshapen body parts again, summoning a wall of strings. She forced herself to get back up. She zoomed towards Megami, eyes flashing. Megami narrowed her eyes. She pushed a button on a remote. A large machine emerged from the ground, wielding a large laser blaster. More missiles were earring to go.
KA-BOOM!
The massive, shimmering laser fired at Ayano, its force slicing through the canyon like butter. Ayano gritted her teeth, falling over like a broken toy; the laser had completely removed her legs. Even more blood pooled out, and her strings had vanished. Another rude shock was the familiar shaking of the Earth. A huge slice of the canyon wall fell towards Ayano, crushing her underneath.
Megami stood there, staff in grip. She waited calmly.
Pathetic, she thought. That girl is no match for Saikou Corp tech-
A slash of red made its way through the canyon. Out from the debris and rubble emerged none other than Ayano Aishi, red strings covering her skin like veins. Her body twitched.
"Still not enough, I see," Megami put a hand on her chest. "Then I have no choice. I will have to finish this myself."
She pressed down on the bow near her neck, holding out her arms. Silver-coloured robotic armour crawled its way down her arms, covering them. The same happened to her legs. A protective mask appeared over her face, shielding it. Her hair flowed out behind her. She held out her arms, covered in her new outfit. She truly looked like a goddess.
"This is a new prototype weapon from Saikou Corp, known as the Shi no hakobi-te," Megami declared, narrowing her eyes behind the mask. "A new invention that will revolutionise the way heroes fight, and protect them from injury. Congratulations, Miss Aishi." She narrowed her eyes. "You get to be its first test subject."
She held out her robotic arms as Ayano approached. She reached out, grabbing Ayano's head. With ease, she slammed her into the canyon walls. She fired laser beams at Ayano, who moved out of the way, twitching inhumanely.
"Your biggest mistake was underestimating me, Ayano Aishi," Megami declared, holding out her arms again. "You believe you could defeat me, since you've defeated every other hero you've encountered. But I am not like other heroes."
Ayano held out a chainsaw, racing towards Megami. But Megami fired another laser, destroying the chainsaw with a single blast. She herself made her way towards Ayano, hands ready with another laser. Ayano had her head tilted on an inhuman angle, but was still standing. The two faced each other down once again.
Ayano lunged, but Megami was ready. She blasted a hole through Ayano's chest, blood flying everywhere. Ayano stumbled back, holding out her strings. The strings made their way towards Megami. Megami grabbed them in one fist, snapping them.
"Do you think you can turn me into one of your little puppets, Miss Aishi?" Megami asked, looking down on the shorter girl. "You truly are pathetic."
She grabbed Ayano by the neck, holding her in the air. She blasted her in the face, the laser going through her head. Her body slacked over, like a corpse. Before she could start repairing herself, Megami fired at her again, blood pooling around her. She fired and fired, the ground cracking beneath them. The Earth shook with every laser.
"Not enough for you?" Megami asked, almost smiling. "Don't worry, Miss Aishi. My victory will end with a bang!"
She attached a missile to Ayano, sending her up into the sky. Smoke and ash trailed behind her as she flew between the clouds. And like a gruesome firework, she finally exploded into bits and pieces.
That pathetic girl, Megami narrowed her eyes. Of course that won't be enough. But luckily, I have one final move. One move that will stop her once and for all.
Of course, Ayano's body was reforming again. The firework had taken her legs again. But it was slower this time. She was starting to slug behind. Her body… was getting weaker. Megami… was getting stronger.
Not long now… a voice whispered at the back of her head.
Not long indeed… Ayano's form glitched. She's strong for now, but I can still win…
Megami was not surprised to see Ayano return, still pushing through. She noted the strings on her body, and the bend in her back. She was still living… but barely. She just needed one final push, and she'd be gone for good.
"I see that I have no choice but to use my Ultimate Move," Megami narrowed her eyes. "You will not survive this, Miss Aishi. Now is your chance to turn back and repent for your crimes."
Ayano pulled out her knife.
"Walking right to the slaughter," Megami almost smiled. "So be it."
And then she was right behind Ayano, towering behind her. Before Ayano could move, Megami pinned her down to the ground with a foot. Ayano couldn't move. And then, effortlessly, Megami ripped off both of her arms. Blood poured from the wounds.
Ayano's legs were next. They came off with one quick slash. The girl was nothing but a torso. Megami pointed at her neck. Ayano's eyes bled out.
"I should've killed you a long time ago," Megami declared. "But it was your mistake thinking you could defeat me. I am a hero, Ayano Aishi. I live to protect humanity. As long as you threaten my planet, I will continue to protect them." Her eyes flashed. "Even if they all despise me, I will protect them."
Ayano, for a brief moment, thought of Saitama. Her body tried to reform.
"You're nothing but a mindless creature," Megami stated. "A creature that needs to be exterminated. And that's what I shall do. You won't poison this world anymore!"
She raised her staff, eyes glowing with pure power.
"WRATH OF A GODDESS!" she bellowed, slashing downwards. And the whole world went white.
Ayano couldn't feel anything, even as the power raced through her, completely annihilating her and her surroundings. It was mind-blowing, Earth-destroying. Ayano could see why Megami was an S Class hero. Ayano couldn't comprehend her power, but she knew nothing could survive it. Not even a dragon. She had wiped out everything, every little part of her.
Ayano Aishi was dead, forever. She was not coming back. Her body had been completely destroyed. She was nothing but a memory.
"So… she killed you."
Ayano glanced up at God, its swirling, disformed figure. The Void.
"You cannot come back anymore," God told her. "At least, not in the way as you did before. You have lost your humanity. It was killed."
"I want more power," Ayano told it.
"You won't be human anymore," God told her. "This is the point of no return. If you go back… you will have no control anymore. You will be an unstoppable force of nature. You will SNAP."
"I want to be the strongest," Ayano declared.
"Then you are ready for your ultimate power," God, if it had a face, would've been smiling. "Go forth, my Yandere. Fulfil your purpose."
Fulfil… my purpose…
Ayano fell to her knees. Saitama's face appeared in her mind.
Become… the strongest…
She began to shake, strings crawling up her arms. Her head tilted back and forth.
Cleanse… the world…
Everything was shattering. The world was turning to dust.
Make… them… pay.
SNAP
Megami kneeled down on the ground, breathing out heavily. Her armour retracted itself, until she was herself, despite minor injuries, and her messy hair. She had done it. She had saved the world.
But… that move took everything out of me, she thought. It's only a last resort… but it's a last resort for a reason. Nothing survives the Wrath of a Goddess.
Then… she felt it. A feeling that crept into the souls and minds of everyone walking by. A feeling that made them stop and shiver.
Ahead of her was a figure. A familiar figure, but something was… off about it. It was Ayano Aishi, but her face… it was as if someone had sucked the life from her. Her skin was pale and chalky, her eyes completely empty, her body completely still. She wasn't even breathing.
She can't still be alive… Megami thought, standing up. That's impossible… she can't…
She stood up, holding out her hands. But… for some reason… an awful feeling was brewing in her gut. For once in her life… she felt like she was going to lose. The entire sky had turned blood-red, matching Ayano's strings.
No… I will fight back… I won't let her win. I am a hero. It's my duty to protect my people.
She stood up, but it was too late. Ayano had stuck her knife right through her heart. It was so quick, she had never seen it coming. She looked up at Ayano's dead, empty eyes. Soon, she shared the same expression.
I was a fool… it's all my fault… I was never the hero of the prophecy… she fell over. I just wanted the glory for myself…
Blast, I failed you… I'm sorry.
