Darkness surrounds a Core that belongs to a specific someone. The energy of this core radiates began to flicker and change.
The Core's appearance is encased in a special type of protection. Its casing is riddled of holes, which emits a bright shade of blue.
Its radiance gradually turns to purple, then changed into a complete dark blue. Different from its former, lighter shade of blue.
The Core continued humming for a while. Soon enough, it revs back to activity.
And so, a new journey began.
"Hy, Geno.." A voice echoes and fades in his senses. "Hai, Genos!..." A blurry image of a sidewalk slowly appeared, located to the right side. "Hey, Genos!" After a few passing time, the image and the voice are translated to a clear version of themselves.
Genos widened his eyes, turning his attention to a familiar voice beside him.
"Aya?" He lowered his chin slightly at his right side. Her height just a few inches above his waist, her small frame is covered in heavy clothes, suitable for combating cold weather.. "Yep, Aya's here!" Genos raised a brow in confusion, while Aya smirked at him. "You know, you were lost in your thoughts again Genos!.."
"O-Oh, is that so?" Genos's confused look reverted back to a stern one. "Yep, your were like "I am the Terminator of this street." kind of thing!" Aya said, imitating a serious marching robot. "I don't even know what you'd do without me." Aya put her hands to her waist, as she stuck out her chest with pride.
"Mhm." Genos just accepted the fact and continued their strolling.
The scenery seems to be in the time of Autumn, out on the street.
The two continued walking afterwards, with Aya chatting and commenting about the place and weather today.
Genos didn't take long to return to his thoughts, questioning the situation from the past and the change.
It didn't take long for Aya to notice Genos's contemplation, she fell to that of a worried look. Aya scanned around, devising a way to distract Genos from his troubles.
Genos felt a tug from his right hand. "G-Genos, look!" Genos turned his attention to Aya. Her eyes hidden in the shade of her hair. Her nervous smile is accompanied by a trembling posture.
"Cake!" She could only manage to blurt out one word out of timidity, while holding on to Genos's hand.
Following her sleeve leathered forearm/glove, she's seen pointing at the large window belonging to a bakery.
Genos looked at that specific cake she's pointing at. The cake itself looked to be in a normal state, and in a process of being delivered.
Genos has failed to notice the beauty of the cake she is referring to.
"You.. want one?" Genos questioned Aya, since none of them is even near their birthday, nor any of their fewer friends.
"Um.. N-No, I was thinking that cake looks like it was made through a lot of effort!" The cake is soon boxed up by one of the employees. "Shucks! I wonder who's the lucky guy to receive that from?" Aya's posture changed and slapped her knee, imitating one of the shows she'd seen.
A passing wind that carried the yellow leaves behind him was the response.
"So.. do you want one-" "No, I was just admiring the cake." Aya interrupted plainly.
After Aya's awkward attempt, the duo continued roaming, with Aya pouting out of frustration throughout the walk, and Genos absorbed in his own world.
After a long minutes of wandering, Aya has stopped pouting and had her head downcast for a while. Aya turned her head to her companion.
Genos is still deep in his thoughts for quite some time. 'That might just be a new record for you, Genos.' Aya moved on to see another view, instead of Genos and the pavement.
The passing crowd disregarded the pairs existence, most importantly Genos.
People have ignored famous heroes for the past two months, since the disappearance of monsters. And thus, the Heroes' purpose is the cost for the peoples' peace.
Most of the death rate and destruction rate are made by monsters after all.
They were confident the monsters has given up their attempted domination against humanity, so...
Aya's eyes landed on a specific group. A complete set of family, with their daughter between her parents, spending their time leisurely the same as them.
"S-Say, Genos." Genos ignored, staring at the space puzzled. Aya frowned a little, and nudges his arm with the side of her head.
Aya easily pulled Genos out of his trance, catching his awareness. Genos took a few seconds to recollect Aya's call. "What is it?" Her breathing hitch from his response. "W-Well, Genos." Aya stopped in place, causing him to do so as well.
She stared at her fiddling index finger, before she continued. "I was.. meaning to ask you about your.. troubles." Aya knew exactly what's troubling Genos. She'd seen it through her eyes, his efforts from day and night, ever since she...
If it's in someone's P.O.V from afar, they'd see a shy girl speaking to a guy, but Genos's earshot and view is closer to her. Melancholy filled her voice, body, and expression, masking it with a hint of smile.
"I know I usually nag on you... Is it nagging?.. Something like that." Aya exhaled, despite the lack of purpose.
"I was thinking if you.. see me as your sister.." Genos expression softened. "Or maybe-..." Whispering her next line, Genos interrupted before she could say anymore further. "What do you mean..?" His body language and expression slowly becomes troubled of where their discussion is leading to.
She quickly took notice of his uneasiness. Attempting to keep the conversation up, she tried to keep it from derailing by using a logical excuse. "I-I mean, our body is made by the same person.. so technically, I see you and Dr. Kuseno as family." Aya pushed out her words slightly emotionally.
Genos stepped ahead from her without hesitation, a clear sign that he'd rather end the topic there..
Aya remained the same, but her hint of a smile began to fade away, and her fiddling stopped.
She knows it was too late, thus. "I-I know you're normally cold, since my birth.. It doesn't bother me that much, but.." Her voice becomes increasingly unsteady, unsure of the word she's letting out.
She looked up at Genos, revealing her bright pink eyes, with irises that possesses a shade of purple on top and a black dot in the middle.
Artificial tears leaked in the corners of her eyes.
"Ahh-..I accepted you as my brother... I-I'm afraid that you'd.. r-reject m-me.." Aya choked on her words, afraid of the answer she was prying. Afraid he would completely shut himself away from her this time.
"I-I know I'm not the same person you knew well.. But I can't stop this feeling that has been rising in me.." She hugged her quivering arms, but never deterred to stop. "I want to be different from who you see on me!.."
She lowered her head as she covered her trembling lips with her palm, while the other held her aching chest. "I know I'm being selfish.. B-But pl-lease..." Her muffled voice undertones, sobbing as she sheds her misty-eyed tears. "Accept me.." She lost her breath after her last sentence, awaiting for his response.
Genos's head glanced over his left shoulder, before slowly facing her.
His expression shows a hint of regret, regrets that have always been there in the past few months ever since that day..
"I-I.." Before Genos could respond, his vision obscure and his hearing statics.
"i-I...!" Genos continued regardless.
"..." Colors disappeared and noises went deaf.
"..." Her image and the background dimmers.
"..." Then slowly, everything fades to nothing.
The last image he saw is burned in his mind. A machine bawling its eyes out, the sight of his mistake.
Birds chirped in the sky of the foreign city.
Variety of people and carts moved along in their busy street.
A place that claims the record of population over a hundred and thousand lives has their sky deform and crack, introducing the unknown into their world.
Genos gradually opened his eyes, shadows like liquid danced over his face. Genos felt a little peaceful, but his unforgettable memories kept him loathing.
Genos seems to have landed on a man made structure, since his legs are dangling over a damaged barrier from his landing. 'Must be a fountain.' Genos wanted to stay soaked for a little while, so he did.
He plans to get up after a few minutes. Shutting his eyes from the world and letting his guard down once again.
Tremor sent the water vibrating.
Exhausted of the past, exhausted of the future, Genos continues to stay still.
The water shook again from the disturbance.
Genos kept himself steady for a few more seconds. Splash- It hasn't been a minute until someone threw a pebble beside his face.
Genos took a glance at the corner of his eyes. The pebble continued to sink down, but the appearance felt a little disturbing.
Genos turned his head and squinted, focusing his sight on the pebble. A rock with a rough edge, one of the rubbles from his previous combat?
A large shadow suddenly overcame his face. Genos blasted his way through the fountain's barrier above him, avoiding a large piece of concrete just in time.
His back scraped against the floor, damaging his sleeveless jacket in the process. Afterwards, he performs a backward roll and uses his right open palm to slow his kinetic motion. He continued to drift while kneeling in one leg.
Genos halted to a complete stop. The first volume he heard after emerging out of the water are screams of distress.
Genos grabbed his attention towards the first distress of call.
Sadly...
A boy and his mother are weeping on a corpse under a large concrete piece. It engulfed the owner's body, but leaving a bone splintered arm exposed to the world.
Genos couldn't register the scene in front of him.
Ringing noises started resounding in his head. The corpse under the concrete was replaced by his faults. If he were to look down on his arms, he'd be greeted by a familiar liquid, dripping in the crevices of his palm.
'Because of your irresponsibility, the people who lent you their hand suffered!' His own words from the past reminded him of his fatal mistake.
Right now.. Genos is experiencing his very own PTSD.
Genos's shocked filled eyes remained still, turning his head slowly at the new coming victims from the raining rubbles.
Screaming, crying, ringing, and pain is the only thing Genos can hear. Carnage, loss, panic, and agony filled his trembling irises.
Genos slammed his forehead on the ground, grovelling to no one. Genos never intended to grovel, but his mechanical body sensed his desire to do so.
His teeth bit down on his lower lips, clear grief formed on his face.
His eyes refused to open, denying what can't be undone.
There's nothing he could've done. He hated the fact that he was spared, the fact he was forgiven by a mockingbird.
He cannot shed a tear for them.
He has no right to apologize for such slothfulness.
All he could do is grovel.
Genos continued to loathe as the ground below him tremors, and the people around him screams and cries.
His two miniature A.I took notice of Genos's condition. The pistons inside him snapped to life and slammed on him again and again, telling him to act and prevent anymore further casualties.
Genos snapped out of his stupor from the pistons' barraging impact. He clutch the earth below him, his consciousness hardwired to activity
Time slowed down around the massacre.
'Don't let it get to you...' Genos mechanical crevice widened.
'It'll only get worse..' His body began to hum.
'Right now.. these people...' An image of a girl with her coughed up blood on her jaw flickered. 'Need saving.'
Genos got on his knees. He curls his arms beside his head, his eyes sharpen to concentration, his jaw clenched with determination.
The hallucination of a well known blood faded away into the crevices of his mechanical forearms.
Genos has set his priorities to protecting the lives of these people's future.
Knights, elders, adults, and childrens ran alike, while others carried another.
Raining boulders are causing mass collateral damage in the south part of the Capital City.
Buildings destroyed out of shape, pathways filled with craters, gored limbs painted the walls and pavement.
Countless stomping of the fleeing citizens are deafened by their cries.
A youth with a black hair dodged in a serpentine through the free falling rocks, burdened by a royal-like girl who's weakened in her state of mind.
'Damn it! How did she lose all of her mana reservations!?' The teenager ran around the corner of a building through an alleyway, bringing cover against the falling debris. 'Why at the time like this!?'
Subaru raised his head toward the blue sky.
Boulders and pebbles appearing out of thin air. 'And where the hell are all these rocks coming from!?' The teenager kept his aching leg running for his life, along with his luggage on his back.
"I-I'm sorry Subaru.. B-Betty doesn't seem well after all, I suppose..." Subaru gave Beatrice a nervous reassuring smile. "Don't knock yourself out, Beako." Beatrice has her eyes completely shut from the crippling pain she's enduring, her breathing rate is faster to the point of begging for air. Even with her conditions, she was ready to offer her life for her contractor's safety, but he refused her so.
Subaru has noticed the people around him has lost their mana as well. Although, not as much as Beatrice.
Some tried to use water magic on the injured, but to no avail. A clear sign to survive this event is to flee.
Subaru huffs and puffs through his mindless fleeing. Subaru would've taken shelter indoors, but after witnessing a towering building being reduced to a mess.. he'd rather try to keep his distance away from the chaos.
Subaru has slipped through different types of pain. But, he wouldn't wish for others to feel his suffering.
Subaru sprinted out of the alley temporarily, running through the open gored pavement. Horror and tragedy alike are mixed in through the atmosphere, as the people around him are experiencing absolute helplessness.
Subaru's current objective is to get Beatrice to safety and hope to find Emilia well alive.
An image flashed in Subaru's eyes. Silver haired corpse, pasted on the pavement or wall. Subaru shivers from the thoughts alone.
With this possible image stuck in his head, his determination hardened for his desired ending.
In the process of reaching another corner of the building. Subaru plans to continue on straight, prepared to make a mad dash to another cover.
Subaru's legs began to ache worse than before, his breathing became harsh, his stress bar may as well reach a bull-crap amount of level. He knows he wouldn't be able to save this many people, he doubts his R.B.D is merciful enough.
Subaru leaped through the dust made by the rock that fell from who knew how long ago.
Tremors continued to shake the ground.
Unbeknown to Subaru, the rocks have already stopped falling from the sky.
Leaving the end side of the building, time slowed down.
Turning his head, he expected a massacre from the falling rocks. Instead, a back of a tall muscular man blocked his view, with a skin of cooled magma like tracing, who is also dangerously close in front of him.
Subaru has terror filled eyes, witnessing a killer amidst an apocalypse.
The Being has a bloodied right hand, tracing it from a bludgeoned knight beside it.
Although, it isn't its first kill as there are other paintings of red around its body.
It looked over its shoulder, acknowledging Subaru's existence. It grinned at him with its newfound chomper. Its mouth has a left over of the former vertical slit, remaining between its mouth.
Subaru's eyes peeled back, his footing confused whether he'd continue his route or put his distance from the Being.
Beatrice had one of her eyes squinting. She raises her hand towards the threat, while Subaru is busy losing his footing.
But neither could react.
Subaru's body is smeared against the building upon impact. Beatrice's fate is shown with her mana seeping out of Subaru's mushed upper body.
Only a few parts of him remained. It slid down to the floor, along with his lower body.
A backhand from the Being is enough to cease their existence.
Genos smashed and blasted any incoming rubbles while flying through the sky, before any of it made contact.
Genos current operation is to reduce as much death rate as possible.
Using specific arsenals purposed for crowd sweeping, he destroyed the rubbles in a variety of ways, close and far.
Genos performed a travelling spinning kick, fueled with both of his jet palm.
He smashed through the rubbles, reducing them into appropriate sizes for his next move.
Stopping his motion directly toward the remains. His chest opened in four directional outward cross, tearing the front of his undershirt in half and revealing his hole riddled Core.
Genos fired off his redirecting lasers from his Core, the same manner from a robot he'd beaten long ago. Infact, he's stolen the part in order for Dr. Kuseno to make a better replica and installed it directly on his Core to make way for his arm enhancement.
The beams reduced the remaining debris to a harmless size of dust. Afterwards, his arm launched and extended via cable.
He grabs one of the huge rubbles and uses it to smash another, by swinging it around. Simultaneously, he releases his calculated beams to finish off the job.
The huge rubble collided with a potential competitor, resulting in both shattering apart. He retracted his arm in place.
Genos points his other palm towards the divided mass. His wrist spun and locked, changing his incinerator into a different mode.
The crevices of his arm widened and released a resounding hum. Genos eyes locked and observed the speed of the divided rubbles. "Pressure Bomb."
Genos shot out two modified orbs that allow itself to change its shape and tension to move around, in order to execute his calculated expectation with less accuracy.
The projectile has a matching velocity of a peregrine falcon, and an appearance of a bright yellow sun.
The two orbs meet its target, blowing up in a large radius and obliterating the divided mass along with its nuggets.
Genos was satisfied with his performance. Though, it isn't the end yet.
He continued on demolishing all the other rubble into dust, until the fall ended.
Genos landed on the tallest available building amongst the wreckage, and scanned around him.
Remaining knights have apparently resumed their jobs after the fall. Knights and people escorts the survivors, and helps the critically injured.
Finally, Genos notices the differential species.
Genos can't call them monsters when they're helping each other out.
'Humans and monsters co-existing...'
Genos thought back of his place, his stern eyes softening. "This must be the place you're looking for, Garou.."
Genos walked off the edge of the building, flying to check around the vicinity.
Knights from the west section arrived in the southwest section of the Capital City, just right at the entry in the south section.
Amongst them is the pride among knights, or as they said, knight among knights.
The arriving knights scattered to help the victims in the rescue camp, leaving a redhead to himself.
The redhead searched around the entry of a war zone. Family and comrades mourned their dead.
The capital they trusted to keep their loved ones sheltered and safe, has failed to prevent countless losses.
It grieves the redhead to see the chaos results, there was nothing he could do when it appeared and ended in such an impossible short amount of time.
He grits his teeth and holds the knob of his sword tight. 'So much for a saint, hm?..' The redhead soon joined the other knights, helping as much as he could.
Genos flies through the sky, watching for any survivors that may have been caught in the wreckage.
The first sign of life is a girl, crying in the middle of the debris.
Genos went on ahead to the girl's location. Upon closer look, she's attempting to lift a bloodied ro-
Genos went on ahead to the girl's-
"Huh?" Genos shook his head left and-
Genos went on ahead to the girl's location-
"What's happening!?.." This barrage of troubles is starting to become a nuisance to him.
Genos took quick glances at his surroundings.
He went ahead towards the girl again with haste, aware of the phenomenon's presence.
He landed beside her with a bit of distance, though she was already alarmed from the fast growing noise, causing her to press her back against the rubble behind her.
She wears a commoner's clothes from the medieval times, but damp with blood. Genos approached her casually without hurry, to avoid misunderstanding his intentions.
Despite the blood, she kept herself close to the puddle under the rock. She's almost as tall as his elbow if she were standing straight right next to him.
She stared at Genos with frightened teary eyes. Her breathing starts to quicken from such an appearance Genos has.
Genos stopped in his tracks. "I've.. come to help." He stood still, waiting for the girl's permission to advance.
She kept her eyes locked on him for a few seconds before she responded to his aid. "M-my papa!.." She stuttered and choked.
She turned her body, keeping her sight on Genos. The girl put her hand on the large rubble, motioning to help her lift the rubble. "Please!" She looked at him desperately for help.
He froze still in front of her, hiding his stern gaze in the shade of his hair. His thoughts were racing of theoretical choices, consequences, outcomes, and a variety of future possibilities of her fate.
Genos knew her father was a goner. Reuniting her to a mangled corpse may cause irreparable damage.
In the end...
"I'm sorry..." Genos approached her. "But that won't do." "Huh?" She was bemused by his response. Genos continued to approach her, grabbing one of her wrists that was leaning on the rock.
"N-No!" The girl used her other hand to pry off Genos's iron grip, but to no avail.
"You said you were gonna help me!" Her voice becoming unsteady, her sobbing returns with her despair.
She began hitting his iron fingers. Her adrenaline kept her numb from the pain, but her mentality spoke otherwise.
"I can't do that for you, it's for the better." Genos slowly starts dragging her away from the puddle. "WHY!?" She yelled her question in anguish. Genos stayed silent.
"Papa might still be alive there!" She changed her tack, stretching her free arm to grasp on the rubble's edges.
"It can't be him!" Her face slowly contorted into a mess of tears and snot. "He told me it would be all ok!
Genos has no experience in this kind of situation whatsoever. He's a hero who inflicts violence, but never a comforter for the mourners.
Thus why Master never proclaims himself as a perfect hero.
A flashback of a white caped man stood amongst his fallen comrades, while the Villain gave a speech about his cause.
He stares at the villain with a plain look. It may not look like it, but he understands the change this villain desires.
He would have agreed with the villain even if he is a rival seeker, but the method of achieving it made his Master back off.
Making such a poor excuse, this silenced the villain to confusion and hopelessness.
All his master could do is let the villain off the hook, his reputation plummets from his decision. Although, it doesn't bother him at all..
"Please, just help Papa!" Genos began tugging her away further from the pool. She responded by intensely struggling, trying to reach the puddle of blood.
"I know he's alive, I heard him!" The girl's leather boots kept itself on the ground, scuffing as he further tugs her away.
'It must've been his last words...' Genos kept his V.R (Vibration Receiver) active as a radar, seen in the corner of his eye.
No familiar pattern of a beating heart, neither unnatural struggling. The only presence his V.R picks up is the girl's thrashing limbs, and the miniature rubbles around them.
Previously, Genos lost his shoes in the fight. It would've worked regardless if he's wearing one, as long as his feet are planted on the ground.
He knows he has passed away, by the looks of how much blood has pooled out. 'He isn't that deep, but that's not the case.'
"Please!" She put her legs to work in an attempt to pull Genos instead. Stomping, tugging, scraping, and groaning are all she could manage. "Save my dad!" Her expression has that of a begging desperation.
"I'm-.. I am sorry.." Genos grabbed hold of her torso, carrying her in a locking bride. "NOO!" She continued to resist him by thrashing her fist on his head and face, while making loud grunts.
She attempted to slip from his grasp, yet again her efforts were wasted.
"NOOOHH!" Genos turned around from the rubble, slowly ascending with his calf booster. The girl glanced desperately over Genos's shoulder, her arm is attempting to bend in an impossible way to outstretch towards the puddle.
"PAPA!..." Genos flew to the direction of the knights' location, leaving the scene with the girl in arms.
After leaving her father behind, the girl has been crying and resisting for a long duration of time, demanding to put her back where her father laid. It took an unspecified amount of time to exhaust herself. Afterwards, wept herself to sleep.
Genos gently flies above the wreckage, heading back to where he once saw Atomic-Samurai's disciples.
Genos glanced at his pocket where his phone resides, the bulge in his pocket has been flattened against him. He doubts it has a signal anyway, just by the looks of lacking electric towers among the ruins.
Genos continued his focus on searching for any survivors, maybe a rescue party to drop off the girl.
'Now that I thought about it, there hasn't been any record of a co-existing haven.' This place seems humongous to be hidden from the satellites view. Genos starts to doubt his knowledge on the world view.
'The structures are quite medieval.' Genos observed the wreckage. Soon, he thought back about the knights 'Does Atomic-Samurai has oversea-'
Genos gently flies above the wreckage-
"GUH!?" Genos makes a complete stop and hovers. He searched for the joker who is responsible for these illusions.
He forgot about the phenomenon during the girl's moments. Genos could still remember his last thoughts, but the rest are forgotten.
Genos searched carefully with his thermal sight. 'None' He's beginning to doubt his senses, he'll have himself checked by one of his A.I later. "I must've gotten distracted."
Genos continued on his original route.
He observed the wreckage once again, checking for any survivors or rescue team he may encounter.
'Now that I thought about it, there hasn't been any record of a co-existing have-'
"GUH!?" Genos makes a complete stop and hovers-
"What's the meaning of this!?" Genos yelled aggravated, startling the girl awake to her reality.
The girl stared at Genos, petrified and confused. Genos froze still on her gaze, expecting her to return back to sleep before she-..
It didn't take long before her drowsiness disappeared, becoming aware of the past and present.
Ignoring her captor, she looked around her. She searched for that specific rock side to side, ignoring the fact she is high off the ground.
Genos stared at her while she kept this up, expecting the end result of her efforts.
"..."
"..."
When all else seemed hopeless, her eyes became teary, soon she cried on Genos's chest.
"NNAAaaa!..." She grips the undershirt of Genos's clothes. She wished it all to be a dream, but this is reality for her.
"Papa!.. Mama!.." She choked and repeated her father's title alone, her volume slowly dissipating.
She kept her grieving face hidden in Genos's chest while doing so.
"Nn-GAAaaahhh!..." She sounded every drop of her agony, clenching on the remains of his undershirt until her knuckles turned white.
Genos frowned worriedly upon hearing her mother's title. 'Her mother? What happened to her?'
He viewed her pitifully for a few seconds, allowing her to empty her emotions. Soon, he embraced her gently in his bridal carry-
Genos makes a complete stop and hovers. He searched-
Genos's eyes are hidden in the shade of his hair. His mouth clamped shut, the corner of his lips facing downward.
He could remember all three of his last thoughts and actions. Someone seems to be picking a bone with him.
"You aren't going to let us leave, aren't you? And what for?" Genos maliciously questioned the unknown entity.
"..."
"..."
'No respond.' Genos moved and increased the pace of his flight, jolting his passenger awake. "W-Whut-" Genos bursted into an appropriate speed, just enough for her body to handle.
She embraced Genos instinctively, covering herself from the wind current.
Genos has decided to ignore any survivors or rescue team, all he could think of is to bring her further away as much as possible.
He doesn't know how, and when it struck him with its sorcery. Thus, shaking them off is the only option he could think of.
Genos changed direction again and again, hoping he'd out run them, or at least confuse them by going behind the towering rocks.
Genos took a pit stop in one of the wrecked, roofless houses, accompanied with a large rock inside.
He set the girl down close in the corner, away from the gaps of sight.
Her bum meets the former roof of the house, she hugs her knees close to her chest while slightly leaning away from Genos.
She looked at him with defeated red eyes, waiting for his next move. She doesn't trust Genos in one bit, it's understandable since he took her in an isolated place.
"Stay here and be quiet, someone is tailing us." The girl sent a glare at Genos, distrusting his words. "It isn't someone you'd want to encounter, I'll return shortly." Genos kept his gaze soft, attempting to reassure her that he isn't her enemy.
Genos stuck his back close to the side of the doorway. He slowly and slightly glanced outside with his thermal sight, watching for any sort of movements.
"..."
He waited for a long minute, hoping he'd catch a glimpse of their stalker.
Time to time he'd look up for any threats, time to time he'd check on the girl. Then afterwards, returning to sentry the wreckage.
'Show yourself, you damn cowa-'
Genos's eyes are hidden in the shade of his hair-
"WHERE ARE YOU, COWARD!?" Genos snapped, sick of the constant repeating time.
"WHY ARE YOU HIDING!?" Genos searched side by side with his thermal sight.
"IS THIS FUNNY TO YOU!?" His crevices began to glow.
"DOES SEEING US MAKE A FOOL OUT OF OURSELVES SATISFIES YOU!?" Genos's body turns in a snapping manner.
Genos's expression emits an obvious murderous intent. His gaze could kill, his lips peeled back to the point it may bite, his motion snapping as if he'll harm anyone if interrupted.
All of this information is made by the thoughts of a child.
She covered her terrified face with her arms. Her hands on her head, her eyes damp with tears.
She stared at Genos through the gap between her forearms. Horrified of Genos's behavior.
Genos took notice of this, his bridal lock loosening. "I-" Her head snapped away from Genos, startled by his voice alone.
"I am.. sorry..." Genos looked at her with sadness. He's almost forgotten about her, he was ready to destroy everything around him through impulse.
They hovered still in silence. Genos kept his eyes closed with a pitiful face, seeking forgiveness to the girl.
The girl's head leaned on Genos's chest. Building a little trust on him despite his act, and maybe because of the vulnerability he is exposing.
Genos finally felt relief. He opened his eyes, carefully observing his surroundings.
"Right, let's get you to safety." Genos whispered. She responded to him with a slow nod, allowing herself to rest furthermore.
Sadly, realization of the past and present didn't take long to cross her mind.
She doesn't want to burden him all too much. So.. she sobbed silently in his arms, mourning the fate of her father.
Genos continued on his flight, comfortably as possible as he could. Lessening his humming and vibration in his body. Gently flying to the point only a cool breeze meets her hair
He watched her peaceful form. His stern eyes softened from her view.
He hasn't done anything good to her. Yet, here she is.. entrusting her life to him.
He gazed on to the dawn, finally admiring the beauty of-
Genos's eyes are hidden in the shade of his hair-
Genos just continued on speeding his way in a bearable manner for her sake.
He weaved through the rocks, he knocked over the rubbles to create curtains of dust, he changed his direction plenty of times.
Yet in the end.
Genos's eyes are hidden in the shade of his hair-
Genos continued on repeating his action, desperately trying to shake off the bastard away from them.
This continued on with different lengths of time, before reverse.
He destroyed buildings with his incinerator, while he left her somewhere safe. Only for him to end up back again.
He left the girl to test his theory, if she's the cause of it. Only for him to end up back again.
He mindlessly destroyed buildings and houses out of rage, while the girl fled for her life. Only for him to end up back again.
Genos tried leaving the vicinity with her, testing a full 360 of the compass. Only for him to end up back again.
Genos couldn't calculate the length of time, only his last thoughts and actions returned to him.
Repeating uncountably.
Genos has an expression of a person who's given in, drifting in the sky mindlessly.
'I don't even know what is real anymore...' He looked at his sleeping passenger. 'Are you even here? Or just an illusion?' Genos is just about ready to leave it all behind...
But..
A loud crash was heard in front of Genos.
Just afar, is the unaffected section of the City. But, what exactly caught his attention are the knights being out done by a familiar figure.
"But what's the purpose of helping, if everything goes back again..."
Genos steadily hovers, searching for a meaning to fight.
He looked at the dawning sun, then to the girl in his arms. "I've always been weak.. How do I expect myself to-" Bzzt- "Then you just have to try again." A familiar voice echoes in his head.
He searched around him. "H-Huh?"
"I know failing and being beaten is bad n all when it comes to being a hero, but I know you are the kindness and determined hero I've ever known!"
Genos stared at the empty space, with a melancholic expression. "You tried equally as hard as them, you did your best just like them."
Genos shut his eyes tightly, his lips trembling uncontrollably. "You'd always stand up even if you're beaten!... even if your life's on the line.."
His breathing becomes rough from his growing emotions. "Infact, I hate it when you always throw yourself in harm's way..."
"So please... forgive yourself.."
The voice faded, leaving a memory of her grasp on the back of his hand.
"Forgive me for falling from such depth..." Genos opened his eyes, his face reverting back to its normal state. "But I refuse to stop here." Genos used the same response from the past.
Genos inhales, as his will comes back to life.
He was just about to blast his way towards the monster, only for him to be reminded of the survivor in his arms.
"That's right.. prioritize the citizens first." Genos was going to go further ahead, away from the area where the knights and the Being fought. His attention was caught by one of the knights, fleeing from the Being.
'Change of plan.' Genos went ahead to the fleeing knight, in order to deal with the Being sooner.
Genos is near the southeast section of the Capital City.
New sets of rescued crowds arrived at the east side of the ruins entry, holding a bountiful list of injured survivors and orphans.
A silver haired girl healed the wounded amongst the crippled, offering as much help as she could.
"How horrid.. who could have done something so horrible." She whispered with a pitying tone.
The man screamed after having his arm bent back by one of the knights. The knight nodded, gesturing for her to perform magic.
She was in the process of healing one of the mangled arms of the survivor. She gave them a pitiful smile and nodded in reassurance.
She isn't the only healer in the vicinity, as their greatest healer even wept while tending with these people.
She looked in the entry of the ruins, hoping for those familiar faces to emerge.
"Please be safe."
The surroundings slowly changed into a less demolished version of themselves.
Subaru is finally nearing the exit of this hell hole, as knights and magicians escorted them away from the battlefield.
'Pain, pain, pain!' This are the only thoughts that kept him running for so long.
Even so, Subaru has to keep his sanity intact for the sake of his loli.
Beatrice hasn't gotten any better either. The great spirit needs her mana back, and Subaru can't afford it even if he wants to.
"Just don't die on me, Beatrice." Subaru has dropped the nickname after his countless restart. He can't keep his act straight while being murdered by that thing.
Beatrice responded with a grunt of discomfort. He hoped the source of Beatrice's loss of mana isn't sucking her dry over time.
Subaru glanced behind while running, with a knight and magician beside him.
The Being's path is blocked by other knights and magicians through their efforts, who offer themselves up as a distraction to give them time for distance.
Subaru kept his head forward.
He can't save them, he can't be greedy today. He'll just have to repay them by crowning Emilia as their new ruler.
The Being smashed and hurled the body of knights and magicians alike, littering the street with corpses.
"What's with this thing!?" The new arrival questioned his fellow.
"Don't know, just keep it away from the camp!" The rough voice of the first knight ordered the new arrival.
They couldn't stack up their numbers, that thing is too fast. It wiped out squads swiftly, with its body littered with their comrades' blood and guts.
The Being roared in a high choppy tone with its newfound larynx.
Two of the mages unleashed their magic. The first casted Goa, while the other released El Huma. Three of the knights moved in to protect their mages, keeping them behind after their spell.
The being ignored the fiery ball, allowing it to make contact with its body. Smoke hid its towering figure.
Multitude of ice spears pierced the cloud of smoke. Hitting nothing but air.
The smoke cleared out from the duo's barrage, resulting in the disappearance of the monster.
"Where did it-" The knight's question was answered by a magician's scream from behind. "ARGH!" The mage who casted El Huma was grabbed by the head.
"NEITHAN!" Feminine voice yelled her partner's name. She turned beside her and pointed her wand towards the Being.
"GOA-" The Being used the man as a weapon. Plummeting the female again and again, until the corpse's body separates from the Being's treatment.
It loosened its grasp on the mages head, some of his spine remained intact.
All three of the knights were startled by its speed and action. Two of them brought distance, but one was enraged.
"YOU BASTARD!" He charged in with his sword pointed.
"CLINT! NO!" The first arrival yelled to his comrade with an outstretched hand, while the other was struck by fear.
"RRHHAAA!" The advancing knight resounded his war cry. Ready to unleash his furious attack.
Except...
A back hand from the monster sent him speeding through a wall. Limbs bent to an unimaginable way, blood splattered around.
"SHIT." The first active knight kept his sword steady, his remaining fellow flees from the battlefield without notice.
The Being grinned at its prey mockingly.
It lowered its body and head to the knight's height. it spread its limb, standing on all four.
The knight knows he has no match from this thing, and his backup is still afar from his location.
His grip loosen from his sword.
Soon, he pointed the sword's tip to the ground.
The knight hissed. "Make it quick." His shoulders have lost all its will.
The Being propelled itself to the knight. Its jaw wide open, Its arms stretched beside Its head, Its open palms ready to ravage his body.
Time slowed down in the knight's eyes.
Accepting the fate he will receive.
"..."
"..."
Frame by frame, two legs appeared from the corners of his eyes. Frame by frame, foreign feet made contact on the side of the monster's head.
Suddenly.
Boom- The Being was sent crashing to the building with a flying dropkick, a karma of his dead fellow surely desired.
He turned his attention to his savior.
A human figure with a weird yet menacing armor. "W-Who-" "Are you ok?" He stood from his kneeling position, glancing at the knight behind him.
"..."
"A-Am I ok?" He raised his sword at him. "My comrade just died.. You think I'm OK!?" His voice skipped to a higher tone, outraged of the cyborg's question.
The knight is clearly pissed off of this newcomer's late entry. The knight has a hint of mournful grunting for their wasted troubles.
"YOU SENT THAT THING FLYING IN SUCH FORCE. IF YOU'VE CAME HERE EARLIER, OUR CASUALTIES WOULD'VE BEEN MINIMAL." He knows death will all come to those who arm themselves with swords.
"IRRESPONSIBLE, UNFORGIVABLE." In the end, he's only a human made for imperfections.
He panted after throwing a few more criticism. Soon, he points his blade to the monster.
Genos just kept his stern eyes on the thrashing monster among the dust and debris.
"I suggest retreating, I'll handle it." Genos took his stance, guarding the knight behind him.
"And LEAVE without its-?!" "Sire!" The knight turned his head from the call.
"I have a survivor on me!" The knight who ran, refereed to the girl he's carrying on his back.
The returning knight ran beside the first. "We have to leave it to him! I highly recommend it Sire!" The returning knight jumped to the point and agreed after overhearing their conversation.
They stood still for a few seconds, while the monster thrash about.
"..."
"..."
The first knight clicked his tongue. Sheathing his sword, but keeping his hand on the grip.
"Right, I got your back." The knight confirmed the other situation to be vital as well. The returning sighed in relief, expecting he'd refuse and fight.
The returning nodded to the cyborg, thanking him for lending a hand.
In the rules of rescuing a victim from an attack. One has to keep themselves close to the survivor, and the other has to take the role of a shield.
"I will call for reinforcement." The first knight shortly informed the cyborg, earning him a single nod. He readjusted his stance, just about ready to jump once they left.
Both of the knights with their kid ran back to the east. They cannot afford to waste anymore time, not now.
Genos watched them leave in the corner of his eyes. 'She went with him willingly.' All of his interactions are blank in her memory, the good and the bad. He has no history with her, and it's better to stay like that.
Deep inside, he'd wish for her to forgive him in this reality...
The monster stepped out of the hole made by Genos's assault.
The Being's head shook in a seizure like manner, whining and flinging its radiating saliva around.
'This time, I will eliminate you.' Genos's crevices widened and glow, boosters revving to activity, shoulder scanners readjusting its F.O.V.
While in amidst of whining in pain, it charged at Genos straight ahead with an open arm. Its mouth leaking its content, its open palms hardening to sharpened fingers.
"HHNNN!" Genos countered with a twisted torso and a bearable split stance. The air around Genos's arm deformed to an outward release of heat, but the reason is different.
Complex microscopic turbofans are riddled specifically in Genos's energy veins, releasing hot wind out of his crevices, allowing him to control his flight even with just one active Booster.
Starting with his left arm behind and left leg in front. He grazed the side of his fist against the floor, and raised along with his body. His left leg retracting into a crouch, then extending to their utmost length, leaving no loose joint. His right leg and arm tucks in, performing a familiar form.
Finally meeting the requirements to advance on the chin of his opponent, the impact released a shockwave from his assault.
It may imitate a cartoonic rising punch from the television, but with a body of pure control, the results are devastating.
The monster's attempt of mauling once again failed. Its back bent from the Impact that was left on its chin, its contents pouring out from the intense pain it received.
The Being's balance was almost thrown off the ground, but its left leg refused to yield and kept itself in place.
It quickly recovers with a bit of determination. Bending itself forward with an incoming right swing toward Genos.
He responded by closing in the distance and side stepping to the left, leaving a few inch right punch to its abdomen. The contents of its body bursted from the other side, but never losing its form.
The Being swiped again with its left claws, with only its shoulder to back it up.
His response was another side step, dodging under its arm to the right and following it up with a hook on its supposedly left kidney. The contents once again bursted out to the other end.
Both of Genos's attacks punctured its body, making it budge a little, but was never bothered by it. Some of its body liquid found its way inside Genos's crevices.
The Being decided to slam its claws in the middle, causing Genos to jump back.
Inside Genos's body, the functionality of the piston isn't technically attached to him. But instead, magnetically hovering inside him.
The scanners in his shoulder reacted from this small opportunity. The pistons pivot its direction toward the enemy, while it's still recovering from its own recoil.
It slammed inside Genos, launching him back after the Being destroyed the ground in front of it. Genos follows up smoothly with a twin eye-gouge, shoving it deeply in its head.
The monster reacted, quickly leaping away from the intense pains it's receiving. It held both of its vertical slitted eyes, its vocal shrieking in a choppy tone.
Genos wasted no time in admiring his execution, closing in the distance and striking its abdomen and groin with a quick elbow-jet punch.
The monster somehow could ignore those damages. It responded with a blind extending right kick.
Genos pistons reacted, lifting his left leg by pushing his left buttock.
Genos was surprised by the unexpected action his piston moved. Regardless, he cooperated by kicking the monster's leg by its shin.
Genos pointed an open palm towards the being and ignited it with a boom.
The being was sent launching back into the hole Genos made previously, with the second floor collapsing on it.
It stood up unfazed by his incinerator. Its hardened claws shatter and turn to ashes.
It hardens its forearms into a new form, shifting and protruding.
Heavy gauntlets with a spike in the end, proposed to pierce through wind and armor.
"Taking me seriously now?" Genos took his combat stance, prepared for a second round.
The monster roared, charging in with both of its gauntlets beside. Genos acted so likewise, prepared to trade punches with it.
Their fists pass by each other, dust blown away from their exchanging blows, bodies meet knuckles.
A head with a silver hair scanned through the arriving crowd of survivors, searching for those familiar faces she all knew about.
"Subaru, Beatrice!" She yelled their names, cupping her hands next to her mouth. She hoped for any respond in the rescued crowd, only to receive none.
She repeated her calls three times but.. "SUBARU!" Ending it with only Subaru's name. She has a sickly worried expression, feeling her tears building up.
Suddenly...
A bright light emerged high up in the ruins sky, and continued on falling behind the towering buildings.
Everyone else took notice of it. Childrens mistake it for a falling star, while adults are frightened of a possible disaster.
"I-It's the end of the world, isn't!?" One of the adults yelled his confusion. People began panicking, childrens embracing their parents, some decided to kneel and pray.
She squints her eyes, gazing at the falling star. "Subaru... Beatrice..." She whispered her thoughts unsteadily with an increasing anxiety.
She looked around the bivouacked healers and knights, checking if she's still in need of their aid.
Nodding to herself, she left with her cloak on. Heading inside the ruins, towards the light.
Unbeknownst to her, she just passed Subaru from the other side of the building.
"W-Whoa!.. What the hell is going on there!?"
He glanced behind him along with Beatrice, who's slightly recovering.
"I-I don't know.. I suppose." Beatrice hasn't seen something so bright. Subaru assumed it as the Night Banisher. "Guess they're taking care of it." He turned his attention away from the light. "I just hope Emilia is in the camp."
The knight and magician beside him professionally ignored the light, keeping their guard up from potential ambush.
Subaru spots an increasing size of crowd in his view. Sweat pouring out from his marathon and anxiety. 'Emilia, just wait for me!' Subaru thought hopefully.
Windows shatters, carts blown away, pavements riddled of damage, buildings busted through.
Genos weaved through his enemy's barrage.
Jumping, side stepping, parrying, grazing.
The monster has adapted in the fight, avoiding hits plenty of times.
The Being lost an incredible amount of mass from its attacker, to the point of having to lower its height to the same level as Genos.
Its speed and flexibility in every part of its body has increased multiple times, it also sacrificed some of its mass on its newfound jagged gauntlets.
Worst case scenario, Genos discovered the content of this monster has a corroding effect upon contact. Turning one spot to ashes.
Genos can't keep up any longer, as the crevices of his arms have some of its contents. 'I have to finish it quickly! But..'
The monster hasn't staggered from all the damage it received from its body back then. Now.. he can't even land a hit on it.
'How do I slow it down!?' Genos observed the monster in the midst of their exchanging punches and weaving.
The Being dodges like an experienced martial artist, Its attacks and recoil reacts faster than before, leaving no opening for Genos.
Genos had his bum saved by his pistons plenty of times. He has become increasingly desperate to strike the monster down with just an inch of opening, causing the monster to do so likewise.
Genos has his mouth clamped shut, denying any foreign liquid it may enter. His eyes squinted, just enough to protect his sight.
He hasn't let it get to his face or body after the discovery, sadly his arms are beyond saving. Thus, he used both of it to shrink the Being down until he figured something out.
'I never thought the outcome would become worse.' He continued to dodge and strike, only for the being to do the same.
This all repeated for a long duration of time, with Genos slowly being overwhelmed from the decaying damage in his forearms. 'What do I do!? WHAT SHOULD I DO!?' Genos observed the monster, searched through his memory, tested any weakness a humanoid could possibly have.
Genos widened his eyelids in realization.
'The head.' He struck it before, it reacted from it, it agonized on it.
With his new Intel, he began simulating a countermeasure while in the midst of their swings.
The pattern of its attack and the power behind it, it all came from the twisting of its body and the leg work it puts through.
Genos understands now.
He broke off from the barrage by leaping away. The Being took no time, leaping toward Genos with a left flying punch.
Time slowed down.
Genos glared at It with a malicious gaze.
His body twisted to the right, his other arm hidden from the monster's sight, as he prepared for that very moment.
The Being grinned from his unusual form.
Genos has both of his arms at one side, with his shoulder left to face the monster.
The Being sent its fist toward Genos, closing in on his face. Genos remained still, waiting for his time to strike.
In a close call, Genos parried with a back hand on the monster's shoulder. Just as Genos hoped, the monster is too close to avoid him, thus.
Genos sent a quick close contact jet-supported punch with his other hand. The Being was sent tumbling like a ragdoll, ending it in grovelling posture.
Before the monster could even react from the pain, Genos chased with an active boosters and dealt a rising uppercut.
This uppercut is specially backed up with: elbow-jet, shoulder-booster, and pistons. Kinetically enhancing his delivering blow.
The Being was sent flying against the building. Scraping against the windows and walls, reaching the roof and beyond. Genos raced with it, out running it with ease.
Both of the combatants are airborne, with Genos being way above it. Genos stared at the monsters agonizing form. 'This time..'
His eye shifted apart. 'I will..' "Thunder Eye!" He emits a bright light and an additional Sonic Boom, directionally. Nearby windows shattered from the after effect, bystanders' heads would've popped if they were caught point blank.
The monster's head experiences absolute pain in its non-existing ears. Its head violently shook around, liquid pouring out of its slits and maw.
'ANNIHILATE YOU!' Genos used all his existing boosters to their suggested boundary, air behind him becomes noticeably deformed. "HHNNNN!"
Genos rocketed toward the Being, breaking the sound barrier in the process. His fist beside him travels in its highest record Genos could ever have.
He slammed his knuckles down on the Being's head, his whole body pivoting in a full 360 after sending it straight down into the building.
The being travelled through every floor, causing the whole structure to collapse.
Its behind met the very floor of the earth, leaving an incredibly large crater.
Genos continued on his assault, launching both of his fists via cable. He grapples on the monster's shoulders, then makes retracting noises.
"THIS IS YOUR END!" Genos yelled, sealing the Being's fate.
Genos plunged his way to the monster.
Boosters and microscopic turbofans increasingly deformed the air around him, his grapple acting as an additional power for his finishing blow.
The Being's shoulders were slightly raised off the ground, as the cable retracts. Its head and jaw dangling lifelessly, waiting for its demise.
The sound barrier is once again broken.
Bright light filled every corners of the ruins, temperature sky-rocketed, dust blown away from the scene
A small meteor has been replicated.
Every fabric of Genos's clothes is set ablaze, turning into ashes. His body glowing from the heat he's currently travelling at.
Just when Genos is closing in on the Being's head, he puts an additional cherry on top.
Genos swung is legs down, both of his knees approaching the Being's head fast-
The area around them blew up in a noticeable cloud of dust. Large scale crater swallowed countless buildings around it. Debris and rubbles from the crater propelled as a new set of raining rocks.
Leaving a mark in the book of Lugnica.
Birds in the forest flew away, mammals and mabeasts turned their heads, travelling merchants felt disturbance in the soil.
The ground in the Capital City tremors.
The foreshock reached other sections of the city, dissipating as the distance went on. Nearby forests weren't spared, disturbing the peace in it.
Damaged buildings in the ruins finally collapsed.
Residents who felt the tremor left their houses, evacuating to a nearby section.
Childrens and adults alike embraced their family members. Animal mounted carts panicked..
Soon, everything went dead silent.
The silver haired girl got back on her feet after experiencing an extremely close earthquake. Luckily, she isn't surrounded by fragile houses and buildings.
"W-What just happened?" The light disappeared and the ground shook, definitely not a good sign for her.
She questioned one of the injured knights previously, burning the information in her mind. "Tall figure, grey skin, and weird markings." She repeated the knight's words.
That thing attacked out of nowhere, and Subaru or Beatrice wasn't found after their return, it worries her to an extent. The light and the tremor made her feel ever more unsettled as well.
'Why is this happening? Why does it involve Innocent people? Why here!?' Her negative thought sends her into a further depth of distress. 'Puck, what do I do..?'
She looked at her pendant, expecting a response. She grasped her pendant, feeling the mana around it.
Tears are starting to roll down on her face. She wiped it away quickly, putting her head back to the game.
'Just don't take away my Subaru! Let me see him again and tomorrow!' She prayed for whoever's out there, sprinting further into the ruins. Her heart pounding against her chest, fretting over the fate of her companion.
A redhead knight watched the falling star tremble the earth. He was considering going after the problem, but he has his hands full of panicking citizens.
The number of retrieved survivors has more people than the east side of the ruins, but fewer knights and healers in the west.
He cannot leave behind his post, he'll have to deal with it later on.
He walked around, attempting to calm the citizens. "Please, do not panic! Do not push! We are here to guide you all to safety!" The crowd couldn't hear the redhead's instructions through their yelling and screaming.
'There isn't enough of us to control this many people, none of us can shout loud enough through them..' The redhead frowned upon their complications.
Scanning around the crowd, he caught a glimpse of pair beast-human children, which seem to be below at the age of 12. The girl cried amongst the panicking adults while her supposedly brother comforts her, but not without shedding his own tears.
They stood amidst the panic, none of the people acknowledged their existence.
The redhead came to the siblings' aid, pushing the terror-stricken people around him without regards.
He kneeled in front of the siblings. "Hello.. did you lose your parents in the crowd?" He questioned them with a friendly smile, only for the girl to cry harder than usual. Her brother is about to burst into tears as well, but keeps himself strong.
"I see..." He grasped both of their hands, leading them away from the chaos.
His expression in rare times, has a glaring gaze.
Tremor struck fear in the east side of the ruins. It isn't all too far from them, causing the people to get on their knees.
Variety of races stuck their bodies close to their friends and family members. Subaru got on the ground as well, with Beatrice on her makeshift bed just in time.
"The hell is going on now!?" Subaru sounded out his thoughts. His hand was already on the back of Beatrice's head, ready to carry her anytime.
Beatrice has passed out after putting up a front of her recovery, making her conditions worse than before.
After the tremor went silent, one of the beast-human healers yelled on the top of its lungs. "ATTENTION, WE'RE MOVING THE CAMP FURTHER AWAY FROM THE RUINS. PLEASE REMAIN CALM AND GATHER YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES. WE WILL ESCORT YOU ALL TO A SAFER DISTANCE." Subaru turned his head to the beast-human who yelled their intentions.
The beast-human in knight clothes climbed off the supply box and walked towards the other active knights, only to be interrupted by a sprinting knight from the injured section.
"Ferris!" Subaru called out, temporarily leaving Beatrice to her own.
Felix is talking to one of his comrades, both seem to be displaying heated body language. "FERRIS!" Subaru yelled, catching the attention of the healer.
Felix turned his head toward the voice. His eyes widened in surprise. "Subaru!-" Felix was interrupted by the knight who was talking to him, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcefully turning his attention back to the knight.
"Listen Sir. Argyle! We cannot move out just now! Our comrades are still in there, what if they weren't able to find us!?" The knight desperately attempted to persuade Felix to think of another choice.
"We need to leave, we'll have to make do with the carvings we will leave behind!" Felix refused again, adding another to their debate.
"But if another tremor covers it, it'll all be useless! We don't know what else could happen in there before they could find their way out!" The knight criticized his choice.
"I would have left half of our knights to give them a warm welcome, but what if the buildings come crashing down on them!? That quake is too dangerously close, could you nyot get that through your thick skull!?" Felix responded angrily at the knight, before leaving him to his own devices.
Felix jogged to meet up with the youth. Subaru stood there astounded.
"Hey, Subaru." Subaru snapped out of his gaping expression. "Thought you died back there." Felix said with a smirk.
"You just shut that guy down." Subaru pointed out, earning him a shrug. "The guy's brother was deployed to scout for another exit in the area, Ferri-chan can't blame him." Subaru nodded understandingly.
"Well, hope the dragon's blessing on him." Subaru said, while scratching the side of his chin. Felix nodded in agreement.
Felix soon notices the great spirit over Subaru's shoulder. "Does she nyeed treatment?" Felix questioned with a scent of worry.
"I don't think you could do anything for her." Subaru shook his head in dismissal. "She lost all her mana, along with mine." Subaru informed.
"Is that so?.. Didn't kynow we'd need Bokko fruits as well." Felix pinched his chin, looking for a solution to relieve Beatrice of her condition.
Subaru remembered his reason for approaching Felix. His gaze grimly changed, returning back to his own question.
"Ferris." Subaru sternly pulls out Felix from his thoughts. "Hm?" Felix raised a brow, wondering the sudden mood Subaru switched to.
"Have you seen Emilia around?" He pushed out his concern for the half-elf, with a stern gaze to accompany it.
"..."
"Oh.. Her? I did." Felix didn't expect his serious question would be about his lady, but he'd be the same if his lady was lost.
He put his hands on his hips, his tail wagging side to side. "She was worried sick, yelling in sadness while I uhh..." Subaru glared, giving him a clear sign that he has no time for his bull-crap.
He skipped over his playful act, putting his head back to the topic. He dropped his arms beside him, and cleared his throat a few times. "Did nyou not meet with her?" Subaru kept his glare on him, giving him an obvious answer.
"She was the one calling for you, sometime ago..." Felix slowly frowned and strayed into contemplation. Subaru's fingers twitched. His mood switched to confusion, feeling uneasy of Felix's sudden silence.
Subaru felt his world spiralling while the beast-human was processing his answer.
"She.. was wearing one of those cloaks-.. ahh crap.." Felix scratched the back of his head irritatedly. "What? What is it!?" Subaru grasped Felix shoulders vexed, shaking him for an answer.
"C-Calm down lover boy! Your lady must've gone on her own to find nya." Felix responded, a little annoyed.
"W-WHAT!? I mean, it feels good to know she worries about me n all. But why didn't you stop her!?" He asked him with a rather confusing emotion, whether he's angry or that..
"Now, I didn't kynow she'd willingly risk her life to a guy like you." He crossed his arm and averted his gaze, pretending like he never knew.
Subaru was on the verge of knocking this cat out, but he could only let out a hiss of annoyance. "She was tending the wounded, I was expecting it'll keep her busy." Felix added.
"I don't care about that!" Subaru yelled enraged, his patience running out with his cool. "Where did she go!? I'll find her my own!" Subaru declared, turning away towards the ruins as he waited for Felix's response.
"Nyow hold on knight, Ferri-chan didn't say he wouldn't help." Felix corrected and nodded to himself.
"Huh!?" Subaru's head snapped back, only for Felix to raise a hand in front of him.
Felix then calls out three knights. "Ben! Hide! Garry!" They appeared out of the crowd, turning their heads and approaching them with haste.
"You guys are going to be led by this dude here." Felix jumped to the point, his thumb directed to Subaru.
Subaru turned his back around to face the knights who will accompany him.
Felix patted Subaru on his shoulder, giving his signature smirk. "Don't push them into doing something so impossible nyow." Felix jokes, while Subaru kept his scowl intact.
"And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about nyour great spirit there." Felix pointed out, since Subaru seemed to have forgotten about her from his outburst.
"I'll carry her personally, in fact." Felix grinned with an obvious mischievousness.
Felix went ahead to Beatrice, carrying her in a bridal manner. Subaru followed behind, frowning at Felix for an obvious reason. "You better not take your eyes off her." Subaru threatened, pointing a finger at Felix.
"Wow there, spare little me the spanking will nya." Felix acted flushed, before smirking at him again.
"We're going nyow, good luck with that!" Felix winked and left with Beatrice in arms. He took the attention of the crowd and fellows, leading them to a safer spot to camp around.
Subaru clenched his fist, before turning around to his knights. "Awaiting command, partner." One of the knights said.
"Right... Ferris didn't tell me where she went.." Subaru scratched his neck exasperated, and then letting out a sigh of disappointment.
"Description?" One of the knights asked, attempting to help the fellow out.
"White cloak-" The other knight quickly interrupted Subaru. "I saw her." The knight turned and pointed where the cloaked girl went. "She's in fact the only one who is wearing a cloak." The knight added to avoid any confusion.
"Thanks.." Subaru said relieved and mentally exhausted. The knight who answered nodded and awaited for their next action.
Subaru turned to the entry where Emilia went. "Then, let's get her outta there." Subaru faced the ruins once again with his glaring eyes, marching back into danger.
The rising cloud of dust continued to ascend into the blue sky, creating lengths of branches. In one of the branch of dust spits out a blonde cyborg further into the east of the wreckage.
'How!?' Genos soars through the sky before getting pulled by the gravity.
His back met the ground, leaving a crater and rolling about. He stopped his motion with his right arm after facing the sky.
His left forearm has been corroded enough to be removed from their place, leaving the cable exposed.
'I've destroyed its head, yet!' A loud crash was heard afar from his left side. Genos rolled back up from his feet, taking his stance once again.
The Being stands in front of him nonchalantly. Its head has lost all but one facial part.
It stared at Genos with its new singular eye.
The slit has rotated to its side and widened for a black sclera to fill its empty socket. It gave him the death stare with its red iris.
Dust continued to rise behind the Being, Its form differ from what it previously had.
Its torso and legs have become skinny. Its right arm tripled the layers of its hardening with an additional flexibility. Its right breast and shoulder grew quite a mass to support the weight and power of its arm. Its left upper arm is fused to Genos's forearm, stopping the corrosion to use it as its own.
'Mutation and Adaptive type.. And here I thought it is getting weaker..'
Genos observed the Being. Its gray body still has the same pattern of cooled magma, but emitting a hue of red.
The Being walked towards Genos with a murderous atmosphere. Genos's stolen forearm twitched to life, clenching a newfound energy to fill its crevices.
It balled its right hand and demonstrated its power by swinging it to the right side, blowing away dust and debris in a large radius.
This surprised Genos, not of its demonstration, but because of the approaching steps in his radar.
The newcomer appeared out of the alleyway, coincidentally in the path of speeding rocks and dust.
Genos acted fast, blasting his way to the stray girl with his available arm.
Rocks and pebbles soared into the unaffected area of the section.
Silver hair flows through the wind current of its sprinting owner, zig-zagging and blocking with her quick casted fragile ice walls from any incoming debris.
She took cover in the alleyway from the falling debris, but she doesn't plan on hiding any longer. 'I thought they said those falling rocks had stopped!' She panted with her hands on her knees.
With a new additional reason to find them, she continued her sprint through the alleyway, turning to a corner and out into the opening.
She prepared to block any incoming debris, but her timing was wrong.
Dust and rocks appeared in front of her at point-blank, even her magic wasn't fast enough to keep up.
'Subaru..' Her last thought laid on a smiling youth, before she's ravaged by speeding rocks-
Suddenly, she was sandwiched between the wall and on the back of someone, just next to the alleyways entrance.
The man in front of her shielded every gap as possible as he could. She shuts her eyes instinctively from the blowing dust coming in their way.
Rocks and dust hitting metal is the only thing she heard from the man's body.
'A knight!?' She assumed with sounds alone, keeping her sight protected from the dust.
"HNG.." He kept his stand against the wind pressure, keeping the girl tight behind him.
Rocks hit his face, body and shoulder, but it never deterred him from protecting the girl behind him.
After the air pressure ceased, he loosened his pressure on her. Her body leaning on his back.
"Are you-" Before he could ask, the monster appeared in front of him. The Being sent his mechanical forearm toward Genos's face.
His eyelids peeled back, reflecting the approaching fist in his eye. The space between him and the Being's fist is too close, limiting the options he has.
There's a girl behind him, dodging would mean leaving her in harm's way. Taking her with him has a high risk of accidental injuries from the rough handling. Taking the hit might crush her behind him if he's not resistant enough.
With no other way, he picked his last available option. An option that'll surely give him a high disadvantage after performing it.
Genos ducked, dodging under the iron fist.
Before it could make contact on the girl's face, he physically tackled the Being by the torso.
His chest received the corroding effect from his decision.
They tumbled on against each other, rolling on the pavement a few more times. The Being ended it with a twin kick, launching Genos away.
It simultaneously got back on its feet, chasing down its soaring nemesis. Genos twisted his body in mid air, pointing his feet down to the ground.
Genos's feet meet the floor, leaving a small crater then drifting backward. He quickly put his legs to work, sprinting and scraping the concrete in one go.
Both combatants advance on each other, bringing the pain once they close in.
Genos's fist travelled beside his head, soaring to the Being's face. The Being responded likewise.
The next exchange of barrage will be their last parting gifts to each other..
After images of flying fist filled their view, betting their life in their knuckles.
He reveals his gritting teeth, accompanied with a deep scowl. The monster kept its single eye glaring as they closed in.
Finally...
Pavements are instantly scraped off around them, wind thrashing from their swings, air deformed in their intensity.
The silver haired girl was almost blown away by their swings. She kneeled down on one knee, reducing the wind pressure's effectiveness on her.
She covered her face with her left arm, while her right hand kept itself on the ground for support.
She peered on the two, recognizing one.
'It isn't accurate, but that thing has no excuse for its actions.' She was able to see the attacker's fist, literally close to her face. Sadly, she hasn't noticed her savior's condition.
She pointed her right open palm towards the Being. Unfortunately, they're moving too fast for her. "W-What's with them! Ack!" The wind pressure suddenly got stronger, making her drift back slightly.
She was soon forced to get on the floor. Her chest pressed against the ground, her legs straightened apart, her arms used as a wall against the wind current.
All she could do for now is stay put.
She felt useless, being unable to aid her savior. So she watched for the outcome, waiting for an opportunity to-
Her expression jumped to horror
Her savior's arm shattered in the middle of their fight.
'Damn it...' His only arm has finally reached its limit from the corrosion. Breaking half of his upper arm.
He didn't intend to clash knuckles with it, but the creaking of his body began to interfere. Causing him to do so.
He would've lost his head from his own fist, if he hadn't made the decision. The Being's mechanical arm barely grazed his cheek, as they passed each other.
The corner of his lips curled up, laughing internally at his failure.
'I've lost the coin toss, it was expected..'
He froze in his spot, his stance remained wide after the clash.
'My A.I was aware of the corrosion on me, they couldn't support me in the end..' The monster turned to Genos with a right hook, its glare intensifying for a kill
'You've both done your job well, I'm to blame for my recklessness...' Genos accepted. He's escaped plenty of near death, finally one has grasped him..
'Forgive me that I couldn't avenge you...' 'Forgive me that I couldn't save you...' His life flashed before his eyes, retracing back to his regrets.
A village destroyed and massacred by them.
A girl who lost most of her mass, bleeding in his cold arms because of his so called kindness.
The people he left to die in agony because of his selfish decision.
And finally.. a husk and its creator he will leave behind after his passing.
'Then just try again.' Her words resounded in his head again.. The words he'd want to listen to again, even if it came from them.
'Right.. her..' His thought was drawn to the image of that humanoid machine.
'You're just a memory of her former self, a machine that won't change a thing.' He doesn't know if it's the machine who has been talking in the past few months, or her actual will.
'Yet, you're the only remaining shard of her existence.' He could never move on, failing both of them because of his vengeance and slothfulness.
'So..' The Being's fist approached between his eyes, landing for a complete decapitation.
His senses refocus, his body emits, and finally.. his will reignites one more time. 'I won't let you go until I'm DONE!' Genos performed a spinning heel kick. Rotating to the right, allowing the side of its fist to graze on his back.
Snap- Unfortunately, his lower right leg is also destroyed after colliding with its head. 'The contents of its head must've gotten into it as well.. how foolish of me.'
The power he infused with his remaining enhancement was simply dismissed, leaving one leg to support him.
Genos tumbled and fell after his failed attempt of assault, landing on his face. The Being shook the pain away, and walked nonchalantly to claim its kill.
Genos simply turned his attention to the Being, while he lay flat on the ground. Plainly staring at its approaching demise.
'Humorous..'
'Humorous..'
Him and the Being thought alike. A pride of a determined hero's shame is exposed to the world.
The Being stepped closer to Genos, pulling his left fist back- "Al Huma!"
Before it could get any closer, the Being had been engulfed by a towering ice. The ice melted slightly from the Being's emitting heat, only for the glowing hue in the monster ceased in its attempt to thaw its cage.
The corrosion on his body stopped, simply peeling away into ashes. Once again, he is saved by someone on the verge of death.
'Comical...' The girl quickly ran to his right side. "O-Oh, this is much worse than I thought!" She grabbed onto his shoulder, putting some effort to flip him on his back. She disregards his weird body as she doesn't want to discriminate against anyone, most importantly if they're in critical condition.
"Argh!" Her fingers slipped, as she fell to her bum pathetically. She attempted to flip him over again, but the weight of his body was too much for her. He cooperated by lifting himself with the stub of his half upper arm and shifting of his left remaining arm.
Crash- The process wasn't gentle at all.
"I-Im sorry, I'm sorry!" She apologized profusely, her knees on the ground while checking and tracing his damages in panic without any idea.
Facing the sky, he finally sees the face of his savior. 'I've seen better...' Genos thought neutrally.
She searched his body for anything familiar she could treat from her existing knowledge. The sparks of his body startled her, sending her again into a panic mixed confusion.
"O-Oh no! what should I do!?..." She hasn't seen such a body, but she'll try her best either way.
She opened her palm towards him, her hands glowing green as she attempted to do the unknown. 'Esper? She must be a hero by chance then...'
His sight began to blur, new arrivals appeared far behind her.
Her attention was caught by the new arrivals. She stood up, shouting and gesturing for them to hasten around him.
Genos slowly closed his eyes, unconsciously switching to internal repair mode.
'I'll rest for a bit.. Ned.. Mercy..' Genos informed his two miniature Core A.I before he blacks out.
Slowly, his sight obscure. Slowly, his hearing statics. Slowly, everything deafened. Slowly, his consciousness parted from his body...