"You mean Lone Wolf-san is not here?" Hibiki asked in surprise.
"I'M VERY SURE OF IT. MY SENSOR HAS TOLD ME SO." Robo Ky insisted.
"But why didn't he tell us of where would he go?" Elde added. "Takane-sensei, you said earlier that Lone Wolf-san went for weapon bargain, didn't he?"
"Haii, he told me so," Hibiki told him.
"Then we should go to the shop." Yuuki suggested and quickly walked to the weapon shop, as the rest of the group followed. At the middle of the way, Zero was standing on their path, staring at them with angst eyes. "Zero of Rockman X4. What can we do for you?"
The Hunter stared at the group, much to Robo Ky's annoyed reaction. "HEY, LEAVE US IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BUSINESS WITH US. OKAY?"
"Wait. Look at the rope," Hibiki uttered, pointing at a rope held in Zero's hand. "Zero-san, what's with the rope?"
"It's about," Zero spoke, trying not to have his words jammed at his throat, "it's about…"
"Haii? Please tell us what it's about, Zero-san," Hibiki pleaded.
Frowning, Zero clenched the rope tightly and let out a despaired breath. "It's about Lone Wolf."
Hibiki's eyes widened. "Lone Wolf-san? You know where Lone Wolf-san is?" hopefully she asked.
"I'm afraid I don't know," Zero answered with a somber tone. "Or…"
"Or what?" Yuuki asked.
Zero kept clenching the rope, still not looking at the people. "Or I couldn't find him." He tsked and tightly shut his eyes. "Lone Wolf SIX is nowhere to be seen again."
Hibiki gasped in shock. "What… what do you mean?"
Zero looked at her and tossed the rope he held to her. "This… this is all I could find." Hibiki picked the rope and looked at the Hunter in intrigue. "I don't want to say this, but he went to challenge Omega Rugal when this…" Again, he breathed out and looked at the group. "I think it'd be better to let everyone knows about this. I want everyone to gather at Hikki's house tonight."
x-x-x-x-x
At Yuu's house, everyone had gathered to hear what was Zero going to tell, including the shopkeeper Nik Hasta and his trustworthy Chibi Nik. They waited for Zero to explain what happened to Lone Wolf SIX.
"Alright, now that everyone is here, I'll explain what has happened to Lone Wolf," Zero uttered.
"What are you going to tell us about him?" Loki asked.
Zero just looked at Loki and made contact with Ciel. "Ciel, can I ask you a favor?"
"Yes, Zero?"
"Is there are any video footage of the event?"
"Yes, one of the Cyber Elves recorded it. But… Zero, should we let them know what happened?"
"Ciel, you know they should know the truth," Zero replied. "Transmit the video immediately."
"Yes, Zero."
He terminated the communication and looked back at Loki. "You will know." In less than a second, a transparent screen appeared between Zero and the group. Everyone waited and watched, as the said footage was screened upon it.
TRANSMISSION BEGINS
"Sorry, Lone Wolf, but you must die."
"I don't think that would be easy for you, Kusanagi."
In an instant, Lone Wolf SIX let out a Psych Burst Counter, preventing Sana from tightened his grapple. He roughly escaped the wall and landed back on his foot and snatched the USP. Sana managed to air-tech and landed swiftly on his feet, watching at the author. "Well, the wolf still possesses quite nasty bite," mockingly he uttered and increased the intensity of the summoned flame and gale.
"You've taken the Omega and the Chrono power, Kusanagi," Lone Wolf SIX spoke and loaded the handgun. "As the author of this GVS universe, I shall not allow any action to be done without my knowledge."
"Well, then," Sana replied and grinned. "Try to stop me if you can." With that, he immediately fired the flame projectile at Lone Wolf SIX. The author jumped over the projectile and fired torrents of .45 bullets at the NESTS warrior. Sana looked up at Lone Wolf and fired the second gale projectile at him. Lone Wolf SIX air-dashed over the projectile and counterattacked.
"Don't ever think you can win with that pathetic weapon!" Sana shouted and made a Demon Scorcher. The barrier generated from the spinning movement deflected most of the bullets, and the uppercut almost hit Lone Wolf SIX.
"47 SPIKES!" and followed with the aerial knockdown kick, canceling the effect of the uppercut. Immediately a red aura flashed out of his body, a sign that the move was Roman Cancelled. Lone Wolf SIX pulled out the RPG-7 and aimed it at Sana. "Take a mouthful of this!" he declared and fired an HE rocket toward the NESTS warrior. The projectile hit, and Sana was pushed way toward the ground and crashed. Lone Wolf SIX didn't stop there, because he was now activating Guerilla Radio and proceeded with endless salvoes of RPG fired at Sana.
"Fool! Do you think what it takes to beat me?" Sana roared and fired a gigantic Great Serpent Cutter, canceling all the fired projectiles. Lone Wolf SIX got caught by the elemental overdrive and was trapped inside. Sana laughed maniacally and fired another of his elemental overdrive…
"Die, Lone Wolf! Great Serpent Cutter… CHRONO!"
The same Serpent Cutter hurled its way toward Lone Wolf SIX, only it was metallic blue in colour. The name suggested it: the Chrono effect caused the time space surrounding the flame to be distorted, and cancelled the earlier Serpent Cutter. The overdrive enveloped Lone Wolf SIX and severely damaged and hurt him all over. Sana emitted another of his maniac laughter and fired torrents of Dark Sweeper, intensifying the Chrono-enhanced Serpent Cutter to its maximum level. "Die, Lone Wolf! YOU MUST DIE!" he roared and fired a final and the heaviest of the Serpent Cutter. The final Serpent Cutter made contact with the Chrono Serpent Cutter and became a gigantic vortex of fire. Sana laughed again and again to see his opponent helplessly burned out by his elemental overdrive.
However…
"I must live!" and what came out from the vortex was a huge plasma beam, fired from Lone Wolf SIX's Seven Nation Army. It missed Sana, but it managed to free Lone Wolf from the giant vortex. Sana watched at the lone wolf who jumped out of the vortex and landed not far from him, holding a rope in his hand. "I have no other choice but to use this…!"
"Isn't that…?" Sana asked.
"Yes, it is," Lone Wolf spoke and stretched the rope. "Nobody in this world can try to disrupt the law made by me, not even you," he uttered and immediately pulled it. "TO THE-"
Sana already seized his arm and snapped it, before the Abyssal Void was executed. Lone Wolf SIX cried in pain and held his broken arm. He grinned and seized him on the shirt, and lifted him above the formed trap door. "Sorry, Lone Wolf. But I've told you before. You must die."
NOISE
NOISE MIXED WITH CRIES OF PAIN AND LAUGHTER OF SIN
MORE NOISES
EXPLOSION
SILENCE
TRANSMISSION ENDS
"What? It ends?" Zero quickly contacted Ciel for explanation on what happened after the noise.
"I-I'm sorry, Zero!" came the shocked voice of Ciel. "I had lost contact with the Cyber Elf and… Zero, is everything alright there?"
Zero lowered the intercom and looked at the group. Some of them had their shocked face, while some others frowned and shook head in disbelief. One of them caught his attention.
"Sonna… Lone Wolf-san died…?" It was Hibiki, her eyes widened in disbelief and horror. The one and only Lone Wolf SIX she had known and been with since the very first day of GVS, and her most beloved above all, lost. Lost and died by the hands of the NESTS warrior Kusanagi #102796. She fell to her knees and cupped both hands to her face. "Uso da… Lone Wolf-san wa…"
Zero approached the iaijitsu woman and knelt beside her. "I'm sorry, Hibiki," he spoke and put a hand on her shoulder. "I had tried my best to stop Lone Wolf, but…" He looked upward. Cassandra was touching his shoulder and giving out a headshake. He looked at the blademaster in bafflement before he nodded and stood back.
"So, what are we going to do now?" Yuuki asked, as she soothed and calmed Hibiki down. "I'm too late to see Lone Wolf, and then this…"
Hikki suddenly punched the wall, startling everyone in the living room. "Lone Wolf SIX is not dead," he coldly uttered. "He's not the person who would easily be defeated by a mere clone."
"Hikki, what are you trying to tell us?" Millia asked.
Hikki pulled back his fist from the broken wall, leaving a hole in it. "I'm going to hunt and destroy that Kusanagi," he uttered with a murderous sight and walked toward the front door.
"Stop."
Hikki halted and turned around. In his eyes, Yuuki was staring at him with her 'That Girl' sight. "You're not going to use that again this time," she warned.
Robo Ky looked at her in surprise. "HUH? DON'T TELL ME THAT YOU…?"
Yuuki breathed out in concern. "Look. I know things are getting too complicated, but as That Girl, I can't afford to let anymore destruction on this planet."
"Then do you expect us to sit and do nothing!?" Hikki demanded.
"That's not what I mean!" Yuuki replied. "I have this report that YOU possess this forbidden power. Omega Rugal had discovered the lethal potential behind the power, and even the PWAB has full reports on it. Hikki, don't risk yourself using it again. Onegai."
"URUSAI!" Hikki roared and gushed out a gale from his fist. "I've had enough of this anymore! First, those PWAB machines wanted to detain me! Then, Omega Rugal came in and tried to take over my power! After that, Sana killed Lone Wolf! Next, you're telling me not to use it! Do you think I can handle all these problems? NO! And when I say no, it is NO!" He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, generating more gales from them. "Damn it, nobody, and I mean NOBODY, is going to tell me this and that." He eased the fist, yet still retained his sight of murder at Yuuki. "Lone Wolf is not dead, and I mean it."
Roughly, Hikki left the house to nowhere, leaving everyone in complete confusion. All of the people later looked at Yuuki and Loki, the former could only correct her eyeglasses and let out a sigh.
"Oh, my. I didn't expect this to happen"
Loki put his hand on her shoulder. "Relax, Yuuki. He was just angry. Sooner or later, he will cool down," he assured.
"Haii, you're right."
.
"Damn it! Lone Wolf's not dead!" Hikki cried and destroyed a nearby log with Reppuken. His blood was raging with lust anger. The news of Lone Wolf SIX's defeat to Sana was unacceptable, particularly when everybody knew that the author was unbeatable in his universe. "And nobody's going to tell me that he's dead! HE'S NOT DEAD, DAMN IT!" he cried again and fired a Double Reppuken at the same log. He breathed out in anger and clenched both fists and ignited electrified gales from it. "That's it! I'm going to avenge him right now! Nobody's going to stand in my way!"
Hikki suddenly turned around and lifted his fist upward, as to unleash the intensified gale to someone. He lowered the fist when he realized who the person was. He lowered his head, trying not to have eye contact with Hibiki.
"Hikki, what's wrong with you?" Hibiki asked. Hikki didn't answer; instead, he approached the woman and rested his head on her shoulder. A moment later, weeps were heard, as he slowly broke into tears.
"Lone Wolf's not dead, is it?" he asked between his sobs. He reached Hibiki's hand and held on it very tightly, trying to control his tears. "You believe in me, don't you? You believe that Lone Wolf's still alive, don't you?" Hibiki tried to say a word before she felt her gi dampened by torrents of tears. She looked at him and realized that he was crying bitterly. "Lone Wolf is not dead… He's not dead… but why everyone keeps saying that he is? Why? Why?" he spoke in somber.
"He's crying like a kid…" she whispered and softly rubbed his back. "Poor him. If only I could do anything to help him…"
x-x-x-x-x
Despite several conflicts occurring around the world, elsewhere GVS2: Battle Revolution is happening like a festival, as if nothing would stand in their way. Most recently, the TAG team of Kusanagi Kyo and Yabuki Shingo had won their teacher/student-doctor/patient match with their opponent Faust and Zappa. Also, during the match at the White House, the team of Anji/Baiken/Chipp successfully defeated the team of Genjyuro, Mai & Lee. Lee, who had received the news of the death of his colleague Jam, decided to team up with the Japanese trio as to investigate the cause of Jam's death. Previously, Slayer had won the match with Yamazaki and it was approved by the organizer as an official duel, though both insisted that it was merely a sparring duel.
One peaceful day at the Kusanagi Mansion, while Kyo was watching over as Yabuki was sparring with Benimaru…
"Hello, Kusanagi boy." Almost in an instant, Kyo looked at the main door and saw the red witch I-No standing in her provocative pose. "Well, well, well. Our Kusanagi boy is surprised to see me here. Boo-hoo-hoo."
"Who are you?" Kyo demanded.
"Aww, what's gotten in your mind, Kusanagi boy?" seductively I-No asked. "Don't you know me?"
"As far as I know," Kyo answered and ignited crimson flame from his fist, "I don't know you. Look, miss, if you're looking for trouble with me, I suggest you to leave this place now."
I-No grinned and licked the tip of her lips. "What if I don't?"
"If you don't…"
"Hey! It's Shiina Ringo!" suddenly Shingo exclaimed and rushed toward I-No. "I've been dreaming to see Ringo-san live for a very long time, and now my dream has come true! Ringo-san, can I have your autograph, please?"
A very huge drop of sweat popped upon I-No's head, as well as Kyo and Benimaru. She looked at the Kusanagi-ryuu apprentice in bafflement, trying to figure out what had happened. "Kid, I am not Shiina Ringo. Okay?"
"But you are Shiina Ringo!" Shingo insisted. "Aha! I know. You must be disguising as somebody else to avoid fanatic fans of yours. But this kind of disguise cannot fool me. You are indeed Shiina Ringo. Please, can I have your autograph?" he begged and stared at I-No with puppy eyes.
I-No could only slap her forehead and shook his head. "What's gotten in this brat's head really?"
x-x-x-x-x
"Zofeah, you are destined to awaken the sleeping dragon and restore the world to its proper state. Whether you want to accept it or not, this is the task you cannot avoid."
"This is also your parents' wish before they passed away. They wanted you to continue the legacy of your family. You may ignore the council, Zofeah, but please think of your parents."
"Then what about my twin brother? Will he know about this? Will he be involved, too?"
"Your brother does not know about this. You don't have to worry about him."
.
Zofeah abruptly woke up. The dream of the very first day he was assigned by the elders emerged again. Not only it was disturbing, he could not sleep for a night because of its constant disturbance. Breathing heavily, he looked up to the open sky and saw stars glittering in its blackness. Then silently he fell asleep and leant against the Buddha statue.
.
"Waaa! He's thrown my amulet! He's thrown it away!"
"Zofeah, what's wrong with you? Who stole your amulet?"
"The guard took the amulet and threw it to the river. Sob, it was a present of big sis, and…"
"You wait here. I'll kick the guard's sorry ass for messing with you."
"But what if the amulet is gone? I don't want to lose it."
"Don't worry about it. If it's gone, I'll look for the amulet, no matter how hard it might be."
"Will you find it, brother?"
"Of course I will find it. It's for the sake of my little brother Zofeah. You'll just have to believe in me. Okay?"
.
Again, Zofeah opened his eyes. This time, a nostalgic memory of him and his brother emerged in his dream. He inserted his hand into his pocket and took out an amulet with jade stone carved upon it. For a while, he admired its beauty before clenched it in his hand.
"Brother… where are you now?"