Chapter 12 – Zero Tenshi

Over the next week, the group found another Saren stone, Number 16. Nanoha, Sakura and Sarah had sealed it. When he asked them how it went, all they said was GIRL POWER. All Lee did during that week was continue train his ZERO TENSHI. He still couldn't do the initial thrust. When he went to Lance for help, he said he had never heard of such a technique, especially one that didn't use magic and thought it was an impossible idea, an attack without magic that is, so he couldn't help. He got even more flustered when Lee explained the Zero Time phenomenon to him, for such a thing was absolutely impossible with magic, and so to Lance was impossible period.

Lee had got the initial charge down, the extra step, and the stopping down now. They were starting to feel second nature to him but he just couldn't get the hang of the initial thrust, thus making the technique as of now merely a weird running style for Lee, and one which his father made a point of telling him not to use as such. Apparently the strains of the technique were too much to use consecutively, which became even more so when the technique was completed. Without the crash mat to absorb the impact, it wasn't safe to even practice as much as Lee was which John already thought was pushing it. He went up to his dad and asked if anyone besides him had ever mastered the technique to make sure it was possible. He said only one, Lee's older brother, Sora, who was in college and was also training to work with his father, had mastered the technique. He also said that Sora learned it much like Lee did. His brother hadn't been home in over a year due to a foreign exchange program at his college to study abroad but he called home often, and his semester abroad was going to be ending soon as well. Sora learned the charge, the step and the stop without too much trouble in a short period of time like Lee had but it took him a lot longer than that to learn the initial thrust. But he eventually did learn it after coming to a realization and now he can do it anytime and as often as he wants. Lee asked what that realization was and his father said, "Well, I imagine it's unique to each person but it's related to why you would need use the technique."

Several more days passed and he started going to his friend's houses again. His father had suggested he stop training for a bit and go visit his friends, if for no other reason than to rest his body, since overtraining would have negative effects. He also told Lee to think about what he had said. Lee's friends asked what exactly had he been doing. Lance couldn't grasp the idea of what Lee was doing so he couldn't tell them. Lee explained what he was trying to do. Everyone was amazed when he told them that the technique was non-magic. No one, not even his two best friends who already were aware of the super-human sword master that was Lee's father, thought it possible until Lee got up and put in a tape of his dad's kendo match. All they saw was his dad take the stance, grab the trophy and watch the guy fall over with scratches on him as Lee's Dad left the arena. They all thought that the technique was inhuman but then he told them that his older brother had succeeded in learning the technique as well. Chrono, "Damn, I mean I always knew your father was some kind of freaky strong but this is just a whole other level of badass. Maybe we should be having him fight the stones." They all started to laugh a bit.

Lee and the others were going home when Lance finally came to the conclusion that he understood about how this technique was not magic. It turned out that there is no magic that could completely stop time (though it could distort and change the apparent speed of it through altering physical constants like speeding up molecular movement in a given space, though truthfully time was still moving the same, that merely changed the speed that everything inside the effect moved at) so he was finally able to understand that it wasn't magic. When he finally was able to understand this, he found the technique fascinating. He was also able to then comprehend how difficult it must be to learn this technique. That said he also wondered what was behind the impossibility of the technique, for he couldn't wrap his head around the concept of sheer physical power being capable of such a thing. In any case he told Lee good luck and went with Nanoha and Sakura to go back to their house. Lee and Sarah decided to walk home for once. Teleporting everyday made it lose its luster and got pretty boring after awhile, and Lance had pointed out to them that even in most magical societies, it was considered bad etiquette to just teleport everywhere. And so they started to walk home. They took the long way as they hadn't taken it in a long time and Sarah liked the view. During the walk, they ran into their father out for an afternoon jog. He decided to walk home with them when suddenly; they both felt a dark presence, but something was off about it. It was different, very much unlike the Saren Stones.

They both then told their father that they had forgotten stuff at their friends house and had to go back to get it and that he should go on ahead of them. They promised that they would be quick so they headed in the opposite direction while their father headed home looking none the wiser. Then when they had walked far enough away, Lee asked Lance telepathically to put up a citywide barrier. Lance did so quickly and as it went up, Lee and Sarah transformed into their barrier Jackets and their staffs appeared, and just in time too. Suddenly, they found themselves blown back a bit when a powerful yellow bolt of lightning hit the ground in front of them, but it was not natural lightning for it seemed to just for a moment stick to where it hit, and then disappeared in a blinding flash. Then, from out of the flash where the lightning had struck, a girl appeared. She had long blond hair in very long twin tails and deep blue eyes. She was wearing all black and she too had a staff. That said, it was obvious this stranger did not come in peace as she immediately raised her staff at them and began to shoot them down with powerful blasts of what appeared to be electrified yellow magic. This was a first for them, as they could both feel that she was not a Saren Stone, which could only mean that she too was a mage.

Lee started at this mystery person first, but the girl wasn't going to give him any time to think. She suddenly unleashed a large bright yellow blast at him, which he dodged, but he felt it, the air suddenly became full of static. Seeing as he had no other option, he decided it was time to fight back and tried to hit her with his BREAK IMPACT attack but missed and made a large crater in the ground. Then he shot off some Glowing shooters but she dodged them all. It was clear that she had much more experience as a magical combatant than Lee, for she dodged his attacks effortlessly while sending more of her own at him. That said, this didn't last long as Lee decided to take another approach and tried to go the diplomatic route. Lee, "I know you are Human. Why are you attacking us?" That said, the mystery girl clearly had no intention of engaging with him, and so slashed down her staff at him, sending a powerful bolt of lightning at Lee. Luckily, Sarah was able to put up a suitable defense in time, blocking it for the both of them, "Okay, now its my turn!" Sarah shot her PIERCING LIGHTS straight at the enemy, which dodged them all. "Second stage, BLIND DESTRUCTION!" The girl was caught off guard by the nature of Sarah's attack got caught in the multiple explosions and got knocked through the air but immediately steadied herself, clearly having taken little damage from the attack, but when she stopped moving, both Lee and Sarah could see her expression clearly for the first time, and unlike what they had expected, it wasn't malicious, or even mad, but sullen. Then for the first time, they heard her speak, "I need the Saren Stones. Please let me have them. I don't want to hurt you." She had a kind, soft voice but in it all, Lee could sense an extreme sadness. Lee, "Let's talk then, maybe we can work this out." The girl stared straight at Lee, "I cannot do that. Saren Stones cannot be given. They can only be won. That is their law and I cannot change that." Lee, "So are you saying that fighting is the only way? And if that's true, why did you just ask for them." The girl, "Yes it is the only way, and I asked you to give them to me to see how you would react, to see what kind of people you were. You seem like decent people, so I don't want to hurt you more than I have to, but I will do whatever I must to achieve my goal, so this battle is inevitable." Lee, "Then can I at least know your name?" The girl, "Fate, Fate Tesstorosa." Lee, "And I am Lee Cross," then he turned to Sarah, "Stay back Sarah, This is between me and her." Sarah flew back as to give them room and said, "If it looks even slightly dangerous, I'm going to help you." The girl identified as Fate, "It is common courtesy to give your device's name before battle." She raised her black staff which all of a sudden started crackling with lightning, "Mine is the Lightning Halberd, Baradiche." Lee not to be outdone focused some power into Haruno and suddenly his staff started glowing in a powerful golden light, "Okay then. Mine is Haruno."

Fate charged at Lee. A large yellow circle appeared under Fate. "THUNDER SMASHER," Fate shot a blast of yellow, electrified magic at Lee. Lee changed his staff into shooting mode and a large gold circle appeared under him. "SHINNING BUSTER," Lee unleashed an equally powerful ray of Gold magic at Fate. The two blasts collided and canceled each other out. Haruno then lit up and sent a new spell to Lee telepathically, "Use BLITZ SHOT." Lee focused in, "BLITZ SHOT!" Lee found that he was able to fire off many shots of his own will. These shots also seemed to be very fast and could be fired quickly. He repeatedly shot them toward Fate who then fired some blasts of her own, "PLASMA LANCERS." She shot off an equal amount of yellow blasts to counter Lee's own golden ones, the only difference were that hers were pointed. Lee, "Take this, BLITZ SHOT, VERSION 2." Lee felt his magic gathering at the tip of his staff, "FIRE!" Lee shot off a rather large but still extremely fast blast of magical energy. It went straight for Fate but she put up a shield to block it and came out undamaged. Fate held her staff up high, "HAWKEN FORM." Her staff changed into a scythe with a blade made entirely of electric yellow magic. "So you want to do this up close and personal. Fine with me. MSD, IGNITION START." Now Lee's staff turned into a sword. They started going at it, exchanging blows. Lee was easily able to dodge the swings due to this forms enhanced abilities but the same could be said for Fate. She was dodging them equally as fast. The battle escalated into the skies as they went at it.

Fate flew back. "HAWKEN SABRE!" She launched the blade of her scythe off her device and straight at Lee who used a wide area shield to block it due to its apparent ability to turn in mid-air. He then swung his sword at her releasing a shockwave of magic at Fate who then made a new blade and cut it in half, thereby protecting herself. Next thing Lee knew, Fate was behind him and made a swing for his neck. He did a quick teleport and reappeared behind her. He made a swing for her and finally managed to hit her, though it was only a scratch on her arm. Lee looked at Fate questioningly, "Why do you need the stones so badly?" Fate, "I cannot tell you." She shot more PLASMA LANCERS at Lee who cut them all up very quickly.

Fate then fired off another HAWKEN SABRE that Lee dodged. Unfortunately, it headed straight for Sarah but she was ready. "HBD mode, Activate." Her staff changed into her short sword and she shot her BRIGHT SLASH at it and the two cancelled it out. Lee and Fate then went into an intense close range melee. Their magically endowed strikes were so strong that they released small shockwaves when they connected. It was an even fight that was at a melee stalemate for a good while. Lee had to thank his father though for the training he had been putting Lee through lately, since while he had mostly been focusing on teaching Lee his final move, he had also been making him do training on sword play fundamentals, and it was paying dividends right now as Lee was able to keep pace with the obviously much more skilled and experienced Fate. That said, it couldn't last forever as Lee was starting to tire and so was Fate. They flew to the ground, too tired to fly, and continued to fight, but it was clear that it wasn't going anywhere, they were too evenly matched, but then Fate remembered that there was still one move to play, and as much as she didn't want to, she would complete her mission at all costs.

In one move Fate disappeared for a second and the next thing Lee knew; Fate had a hold of Sarah with her staff at her throat. "Give up now and I will let her go. I can only plead with you to surrender; I don't want to do this." Just then, someone shot a blast at Fate from behind and hit her, forcing her to let go of Sarah who quickly teleported away and reappeared next to their friends. Everyone had arrived. Nanoha, Sakura, Chrono, and Lance were all there and ready for action. Then they all attacked Fate. Fate, outnumbered teleported away quickly and appeared on the ground behind Lee.

Fate swung her scythe at Lee from behind, and in that moment, time seemed to stop for Lee. He had no time to react as he helplessly watched as his sure defeat inched towards him from Fate. He thought it was all over when something completely unexplainable happened. Just before Fate's attack could hit Lee, a very dark golden shield appeared out of nowhere between Lee and Fate and stopped the attack dead in its tracks. Lee thought it was one of his friends' barriers as he didn't put it up and so he got out of the way, not sure how long it would last. Fate clearly didn't see this coming either and got repelled by the shield and shot back a few yards. Fate seemed both shocked and annoyed at this latest development, thinking she would successfully had defeated one of her assailants, but now had failed as said target was preparing his sword once again.

"You wanted to do close combat," said Fate, "Then lets do it. ZANBER MODE." Her staff then changed into a giant long sword. That said, instead of trying to stab any of them with it, she instead stabbed it into the ground where a large electric yellow magic circle appeared. "AntiMagicField ACTIVATE." A shockwave shot out in all directions from Fate's weird broadsword, but to their surprise it just washed over them with no effect. Then out of nowhere, a different dome appeared in Lance's barrier. Suddenly, Everyone's Barrier Jacket disengaged and to their shock and horror, all magic disappeared, and part of Fate's huge blade as well, though there was still a good portion of solid yellow metal blade left. Fate, "It is impossible to use magic in this field. So what will you do?" Lee though just stared her down, "Everyone, leave this to me. I will fight her on my own." Everyone stepped back and gave them room. They ran at each other. Lee was slower now but so was she. They clashed swords multiple times. Then she swung her large sword at Lee swinging it downwards. It hit the ground and to Lee's surprise, it made a crack in the ground that spread in all directions. "How heavy is that thing anyway? And more importantly how can she swing it around like it was just paper?" Fate, despite her appearance, was much stronger then she looked, and faster as well.

Lee was getting tired now. He had used up most of his stamina during the battle and was running out of strength to fight with, especially without magic to aid him. He couldn't rely on his magic, as it couldn't be used in Fate's weird field. That said, he knew he had an answer, a technique that didn't use magic, and a powerful one too which could immediately flip the tables, but only if he could do it. It was a dangerous gamble, for he had never succeeded before in using it, and so the end result could very well end up disastrous if he got it wrong. That said, he knew he couldn't let himself be defeated here. He was out of saner options anyway so he knew it was do or die time as he pulled up his sword and got into the stance. He drew the hilt level to his face. Put his left hand on the blade tip and bent his legs as Fate looked on intently, making sure that she would be prepared for anything her opponent threw at her. Lee, "Fate, I'm sorry, but I'll try and do this quick." Fate looked a bit ticked that she was being written off all of a sudden and held her own sword up for one final strike, " Talk is cheap, if you think you can then just try it!" She suddenly started charging at Lee, who just stared her down, waiting for just the right moment, feeling a heat build up inside him in anticipation, and then he saw it, "ZERO TENSHI!" Lee started the charge that brought him into Zero time. Then as he started forward, the realization came to him, the reason for his using this attack. He used it as the last resort to protect his friends. It was instantaneous, but Lee felt it, the sensation of entering Zero Time, but this time it was different, at best he could describe it as being in true Zero Time. By comparison to what he had been doing earlier, it was like before he was merely glimpsing it through the tiniest of windows, like a peephole in the door, but now he had just opened that door all the way and passed through. It was an exhilarating feeling, his body seemed to already know how to move and he found that he wasn't just passing through it like he normally did, but he was truly moving within the confines of that that single, imperceptible, stopped moment, and he knew what to do.

No one saw it; it just happened. Lee just disappeared and reappeared in a different spot at the same time. Then after a moment, he turned towards Fate, "It's over." Fate collapsed and fell to the ground. She had slashes all over her body and a stab wound in her left arm. "I tried to avoid the heart," said Lee as Fate tried to get up but failed. The AMF disappeared and their Barrier Jackets returned. Fate though still had the energy to speak, "What did you do?" Lee, "ZERO TENSHI, the technique that my father invented. It is not magic; it is swordsmanship, which was why I could use it inside your anti magic space." Fate, "Ze-ro Ten-shi, I will remember that Lee Cross."

And with that, she disappeared. Everyone ran over to Lee, but before they could quite get there, he collapsed onto the ground. All at once, it was like all the energy had left his body, he had never felt so exhausted before. This must have been what his father had meant about the cost of using this ultimate technique. His muscles felt like they wanted to be convulsing wildly, but didn't even have enough energy to do even that. Yet despite all this, he was still barely conscious. His friends finally arrived to where he had fallen and Lance had immediately started some healing magic.

"That was amazing Lee," said Sarah, "You did it. You finally pulled off ZERO TENSHI!" Everyone was congratulating him on a good battle. Just then though, Lee butted in, wanting to ask his question before he truly lost consciousness, "By the way, which of you put up that dark gold barrier. You really saved my hide out there. I thought I was a goner." Everyone looked around at each other. Sarah, "I didn't do it." Sakura, "Wasn't me either." Chrono, "Don't look at me." Lance, "All of my barriers are usually green." Nanoha, "I didn't even have Raging Heart in Staff mode yet." Lee, "Then who was it? It definitely wasn't me, right HARUNO." Haruno blinked, "You nor I put up a barrier." Lance, "Well that's strange, barriers don't just erect themselves. Someone had to have created it." With the mystery of the unknown barrier and the mystery girl fresh in their minds, Lee finally fainted.

Authors Note:

So I think this is the first time I posted an author's note twice in a row, but I felt it important to touch upon the titular technique that this chapter is clearly centered around. First off, if it wasn't made obvious last chapter, then everyone should know by now that Zero Tenshi, as powerful (and frankly kinda cheat-y OP) as it is, is NOT in any way magic based, and this chapter's entire plot is designed to drive that point home. That said, because of that, right now, it must seem like some overpowered always win sure-kill kind of move. But I want to state right now that despite appearances, this is NOT some out-of-left field skill, but is meant as the basis for a major future plot point.

In addition, I will clarify that for such an over powered attack, it might have felt like too short a time that Lee spent to learn it, and probably not enough effort for it to have paid off in such a grand way, and to that, I will give some out of context clarification. If it isn't obvious by now, Lee as a character is unusually talented at learning combative skills, be it magic, or in this case swordsmanship, and I'll state the majority of it is in fact raw natural talents that put him in a class above average people. Its why he seems to be naturally stronger than his friends, and was able to learn to use magic at a much quicker pace. He has an immense talent for learning skills, spells and techniques that far exceeds an ordinary character, and as well he should, given that he is clearly designed as a shounen-style protagonist, but expect that to be expanded upon in the future.

And finally, the last point I want to express is the nature of Magic. I don't normally like to world build outside the main narrative, but in this case I think it's been shown enough that I feel safe doing it this once. I've hinted and, in some cases, more directly shown it, but magic as it is currently shown is actually much more logical than the term would normally imply, which was why Lance could immediately tell that a technique that could outpace time wasn't magic, for the simple reason that in this universe, laws of magic exist in the same way as laws of physics and matter, there are rules by which it has been discovered that it can function. Of course, the reason for this in terms of this story should be obvious. While it is heavily divergent from the original series from which I have taken inspiration, this is still the universe of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, and in that universe, magic is treated more as a type of energy than an enigmatic power. That is not to say that it can't do most of what it does in fairy tales, but that it can't simply enact such effects and phenomenon just because the user wills it. Only the most powerful of mages could pull off something so overpowered, and still not to anything close to an unlimited degree. Thus for almost any mage, in order to pull off such effects, logic must be used to control magic to cause such effects and phenomena. In the example of levitating a ball off the floor, a normal mage couldn't just expend magic and hope the effect would occur, but would normally need to understand that they would need to coat the ball in their magic, and then apply some kind of effect or property in the desired quantity to make the ball float, be that adjusting the effect of its mass to be lighter than air, gravity manipulation, or by expelling kinetic force from underneath it. The more complicated logic involved is most often combined together and formulated, which is what a spell consists of. This is effectively the same as their existence in MGLN, though there will be other slight changes to the original, but those are for later.