(2/3/11)
Monday
12:30 AM...
A flash of steel intercepted Elder's blow. It was Masakodos Blade, wielded by Junpei.
Elder looked bewildered and was easily driven back by Junpei's furious and wild blows. For all his brutality and great skill, he was easily driven back. Perhaps it was the element of surprise, since Elder could beat Junpei easily. Or the Prophecy of the Messiah and his Disciples being undefeated when united. Nevertheless, Elder frantically defended himself and fought for his life as he was stupefied by the sudden and vicious attack. When he finally knocked Junpei back, Junpei made a ramp with his back that allowed a Pinaka-wielding Minako to do an audacious charged followed by a three hit combo. As she stunned Elder, she yelled out obscenities and sent him flying across the living room with a fluid sweeping crescent strike. Minako then anchored the spear on the ground and kicked Elder on the head before bringing the spear down on him. Elder staggered as he tried to get away, but Minako just kept on coming. It was easy to decipher that she'd gone berserk, since all she seemed to focus on was directed to either kill or maim Elder. She attacked him with the strength of a bear and the tenacity of a rabid wolverine. She gave no quarter, easily shown when she kicked Elder when he went down. Elder managed to swipe her away. As she fell back, She twirled her spear, allowing Akihiko to springboard in front of Elder with Thor's Gauntlets. He ducked a swing from Elder's blade and jumped to avoid another. He swung with all his might, hitting Elder in the jaw with a left-handed cross that cracked as loud as a Thunder Reign.
Elder reeled back, stunned, but regained his balance and managed to stay up. Akihiko sprang after him, punching him so fast and furiously that the staccato cracks from each fist colliding with the Elder's face sounded like Thunder from Asgard. Elder's face began to erupt in welts and became swollen red. Elder's brow bled underneath his hood. He went down and slumped by the couch, before waking up and charging after Akihiko.
Akihiko hit him with a flurry of blows, and Elder was seeing stars. Frantically, Elder swung his sword and Akihiko barely had time to block it with when he was send flying.
Luckily, his gloves were indestructible and he landed on top of something soft... Junpei, Minako and me.
"You fools!" He growled, wiping the blood from his lips, "I gave you a chance to join me, yet you declined. It's time for you to die." He raised his sword.
Akihiko, Junpei, Minako and I hugged each other.
"Hey!" Shouted a bad tempered voice, "No one knocks my husband down on his ass! No one! Koromaru, sic 'em boy!"
Koromaru growled and attacked Elder. Elder cried and frantically shook Koromaru off, but that only served to wound him even more. Koromaru didn't let up. He did several acrobatic attacks on Elder. He finally got him off. "Damn you!" Elder cried, "Damn you all to hell!"
"That's right, fool. We stand together!" I cried as they helped me up.
"Let us hope," He said dangerously, "That the Messiah will always be around to save the day."
"Don't worry." I said, looking at my friends, "I will be."
He nodded and disappeared in a pillar of dark flames.
The gang came over at Minako's insistence. No exceptions, as even Kenji came in his jammies.
"This better be good." Kenji yawned, "I need my beauty sleep."
Rio rolled her eyes, "Yeah right... You've been playing Devil Summoner 2 for the whole day."
"Nah, that's not it." Kenji denied.
Rio placed her hands on her hips, "That's definitely it! You even got to the point where you had to fight Camael!"
"Nice!" Lee cried, "But Astaroth sucks, you know that, right?"
"Bullshit!" Quan cried, "I like using him!"
"Three skills only?" Lee said with contempt.
"Anyway!" Minako interjected, "Let's get them up to date..." She then told them everything that happened today, including the attack, "So... Are you guys in?"
"Minako, please..." I pleaded, "Don't drag anyone in. I can do this myself."
"And look where that got you." Junpei said, "Flat on your ass with a sword in your face."
I really couldn't argue with that logic.
"You know what... We're gonna go to Hakkōda mountains. We're gonna find this guy and we're kick ass, if need be!" Lee said.
"There's no reward for this." I said.
"Who said anything about reward?" Lee said, "I'm talking about friendship, honor and loyalty."
I smiled, "Thank you, guys..."
Lee then whistled, "I hear Hakkōda is tourist ass soup... Lots of pretty girls there... Mothers, lock up your daughters! Iwatodai Boys rolling by!" Lee said, to Fuuka's horror.
"You have a girlfriend!" Pinky cried.
"Well, looks like I'll just have to leave behind a string of broken hearts." Lee shrugs as he kissed Fuuka on the forehead.
No one made any objections, so we began to get ready for tomorrow. I didn't sleep at all. I just practiced my swordplay.
The next morning, a car from Cato arrived to pick up all up. We found out along the way that Cato excused us from school (Cato now being on the Board of Directors) and we arrived in his private airfield. Cat even went as far as to outfit us with everything we needed. Like Arctic camo, bulletproof vests, ski-masks, boots and guns. We rode a Willys Jeep, driven by Lee, to a modified Learjet 70/75. We climbed it and Lee kicked out the pilot, and said he would pilot it. After clearing things with air traffic control, we took off.
Junpei set down his pack. "Boy, this is heavy..." He panted.
"What's in it?" I asked.
"Frying pans!" He cried fanatically, "The ultimate weapon!"
I shook my head, "Fool."
"So, what's the plan?" Minako inquired, "Do we charge in, hold our guns sideways and go all gangsta on them?"
"No! Definitely not!" I cried, "We creep in, find the Dark Lord and take him out before Elder does, and if he refuses to cooperate.
"Do you even know what to do if we find him?" Rio inquired.
"Uh... No... I don't." I admitted.
"I vote to just storm the place!" Lee cried, "Let's go all kamikaze on them and crash the plane on their turf!"
Unsurprisingly, no one agreed with Lee.
"Okay, long story short, we go in and find him. No problem." I said as everyone nodded.
The flight was pretty smooth, surprisingly, since Lee was flying.
Turbulence was near zero. Until we came closer to Hakkōda and we saw the snowstorm.
Lee then turned the chatter on, "Serpent 69 to AWACS Thunderhead, we're approaching our target destination at range 200, oncoming altitude at 764 feet, over." Lee said to our AWACS, Thunderhead.
"AWACS Thunderhead to Serpent 69. Roger that. There's heavy snowfall in the area. Proceed with caution, First Lieutenant Aida. And good luck!"
"Roger-O and a bottle of rum!" Lee said jovially as we banked too far to the left, causing everyone to lurch to the right. Lee immediately levelled the plane. Junpei had already used his airsickness bag, as did Minako, Akihiko, Kenji and Quan.
"Hey, you sure you can fly this thing?!" I asked loudly, amidst the jet engine noise, "Our altitude's too damn low!"
"That's to avoid radar detection!" Lee shouted back.
"This isn't a sortie!" Akihiko cried.
"This is my style of flying. I fly so low, my code name was 'Snakeshit'!" Lee cried.
"Why snakeshit?" Kenji cried out.
"Why? Cause I fly lower than snake shit, that's why!" Lee said before laughing maniacally.
"Hahahaha," Akihiko laughed nervously, "Why am I laughing?!"
"They were about to call me 'Bull Shit' but cow manure doesn't crash as much as I do!" Lee cried as Kenji and Quan looked disoriented.
"Don't worry!" He cried, "I flew an F/18 Super Hornet. I only crashed about thirteen times!"
"Not helping!" Leah cried.
Suddenly, we were being peppered by bullets and javelins. A spear went through the aluminum wall. Another hit had punched a fist sized hole in the wall.
"Hey, what's going on back there?!" Lee cried, "We're losing altitude!"
Suddenly, the plane's alarm system went crazy. "Serpent 69, you've got three missiles locked on to you." Thunderhead advised, "And the area is hot with hostiles!"
"No shit..." Lee mumbled as several spears embedded themselves at the nose of the plane, "Guys, fasten your seatbelts!" He cried as he evaded the missiles easily.
"Missile!" Akihiko cried as a warrior wearing arctic camo and a purple cloak shot a Stinger at us.
Lee had no time to maneuver away, "Brace for impact."
We didn't even have time for that. The plane shuddered as the missile exploded on the tail of the plane.
"Minato! Parachute down! The target is below us!" Lee cried, "We'll just crash land somewhere!"
I nodded and grabbed a parachute bag from the floor. Lee then opened the cargo bay door and I leapt from it.
The feeling of falling was exhilarating, but if I make one false move, I'd be a splat on the ground. I pulled my parachute open, but to my horror, frying pans fell down instead of a canvas canopy.
"Goddamnit, Junpei!" I cried as I summoned Deus Xiphos and turned it into a Naginata and used Panta Rhei while spinning, thus softening my fall.
Unfortunately, I was blown away by the winds and I dropped into the rooftop of a strange building in the middle of the icy mountain, with a large thunder rod that looked like an antenna. I lost most of my equipment, except my blade, Evoker and a 9mm pistol Lee shoved into my thigh holster which, ironically, was Yukari's old holster. I took it out and went down the stairs.
The place was clean and well furnished. It smelled like disinfectants and strangely, it felt welcoming. I was 110% sure this was the final Dark Lord's base, and it seemed more like an asylum than a bastion of evil.
I kept my guard up. Anything could jump at me, especially in these locations. I played too much Obscure and Silent Hill games to be unwary.
Suddenly, my earpiece buzzed as I turned it on. Fuuka was online on the other side, "Minato-kun? Are you alright?" She asked frantically.
"Yeah, I managed to land on the roof of the Dark Lord's base. What about you guys?" I said as I checked the halls.
"Lee-kun crash-landed on a snowbank nearby. Everyone is uninjured, but the plane took a beating. We're currently making first-hand repairs. What's the situation there?" She asked, "I've overriden the alarms already."
"Damn it, it's worse than I thought..." I mumbled to the piece as I surveyed the area, "It seems like they've got some kind of laboratory and whatnot set up here..." I said, noting the sign Cardiology and Dialysis Lab, "Lord knows what kind of sick operations this one is running..."
"Be careful!" Fuuka implored, "We'll try to get someone there as soon as possible."
I saw someone go out of a room and walk away. He held a tray of blood samples, "Roger. Over and out." I said as I crept towards the first door and opened it. I was horrified at what I saw, "Jesus, Joseph and Mary, what have they done to you?" I exclaimed at an elderly man with an IV attached to his arm.
"They took some of my blood." He said feebly.
"Monsters...!" I cursed.
"Its only for the dialysis sample." He shrugs.
"Of course..." I said, trying not to upset the old man, "Alright, grandad, let's get out of here before they take something else away from you." I said as I herded the old man away through the halls. As I did, someone came out of the door behind me. It was the same man who took the old man's blood. I trained my pistol at him, "Aha! Good evening... Dr. Frankenstein!" I cried triumphantly.
The man seemed terrified as he sputtered and did not move.
"Now, come. I haven't got all night." I motioned the pistol as he meekly followed. As they turned to the curve on the hall, three women in white passed by and stopped as the saw me.
"Ah, and you three... You angels of Death!" I cried, "Come! Your reign of terror ends today! About face! Move it! Follow in a straight line!" I barked as they followed with the Doctor with terror.
We entered a ward, where several others were working on other people, "Come on, quickly and swiftly, I know what you minions of Darkness are up to! Up on that wall, now!" I barked as everyone obeyed me.
I pointed my pistol at the terrified congregation, "Alright... Perhaps one of you can direct me to your evil Dark Master..."
They looked at each other, "What are you going on about?" The Doctor asked.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about." I snapped, "Tell me where I can find Viktor Frankenstein!"
They tilted their heads and looked behind me. I did the same and saw a man with sickly pale skin and hair as white as the snow, that contrasted with his unusually young face. He had a kind set of eyes, but a smile that betrayed his sanity. His smile was that of a mad genius.
"D-Doctor Frankenstein, I presume?" I stammered, looking at his nametag that read 'Dr. Viktor Frankenstein'.
A smile lit up on the hale white man's face, "Yes. And I feel thankful that I am here to welcome you... Mr. Arisato, Asian Messiah."
"Again, I'm sorry for terrifying your friends." I said as I sipped on the Earl Grey tea Viktor gave me.
"Of no consequence." He smiled, "That was the most exciting thing to occur here ever since that deer ran amok in one of the wards. But why would you be wary? This is only a hospital."
"Nothing. Its just that you haven't been found for a long time, and to be completely honest, this place isn't exactly a fortress of evil..." I noted.
Viktor laughed heartily, "What, were you expecting a grand and evil lair, like Minas Morgûl or Barad-dûr?"
"Actually, yes." I said, "I kinda expected a wicked bastion carved out of unbreakable mountain rock, surrounded by sharp spires of spikes around the battlements, with ballistas, manogels, trebuchets, archer towers and battle hardened guards, who fought thousands of intruders and lived defending the place."
"Hahaha! You've been reading too much Lord of the Rings!" He laughed again, "Well, I'll show you my real hideout. It's not here and we can get more privacy there. I have a hunch you aren't who you appear to be, Mr. Arisato." He said as he stood up. He seemed friendly and has no motives to hurt or kill me, so I followed him. He quickly stamped out his employee card and passed through the back gate.
We trudged up the mountainside for a while. I waded through, waist deep in the snow, literally swimming my way out, but Viktor, surprisingly, was walking as if he were in a casual stroll. What was more surprising, he didn't seemed affected by the blizzard, only wearing a lab coat, a polo shirt, slacks and light shoes. I guess it must be a trait if a fully realized Dark Lord.
When we stopped, we faced a rocky wall. "Turkish Delight!" Viktor said as the rock opened and revealed a pathway.
I stared at him. "What, were you expecting 'Open Sesame'?" He said with a smile.
I entered the opening. It was littered with skulls and bones and scraps of clothes. "A Dark Lord living in a cave... How original." I said dryly.
"Sarcasm is my second language, so right back at ya..." He retorted and passed through a curtain. It was basically a bachelor's pad. There was a home theater system, a 76 inch flat screen tv, a surround sound stereo, a modernized kitchen, a couch and coffee table in front of a bay window overlooking the mountain, a polished marble hearth with a polar bear skin in front of it and a complete collection of gaming consoles.
"Nice." I remarked, "For a Dark Lord, you've got a great pad."
"Thanks." He said and motioned me to take a seat before getting us both a few bottles of Voss.
"Now tell me, Mr. Arisato..." He gulped a few mouthfuls of Voss, "Why are you here?"
"Why am I..." I began, until it hit me, "Doctor! I... It's... I've got bad news!"
"Relax, Mr. Arisato." He said serenely, "It's just news. Bad news is just good news in disguise. Now, speak."
"Lord Zythos and Lord Isil... They're both dead!" I cried and told him about Elder, "He took Lord Koril's power and killed most of their followers."
He remain stoic, "That IS bad news..." He mused, "Only if you believe you cannot defeat him."
"B-But how can I?" I cried, "I was nearly killed today by Elder. I'm not fit to fight him."
"Yes you are." He insisted, "You are the Messiah."
"But you see..." I bowed my head, "I'm not quite sure if I'm worthy."
He thought for a while and stood up, "Well... Shall we find out together how worthy you are?" He said, taking a staff, "I will train you!" He declared.
We went out to his courtyard, where the snow wasn't too thick. He then took a sword from a rack.
"One thing you must know is that a sword is a part of your body." He explained, "It's like... like a long, really sharp extension. As your arm moves, so must your sword in perfect harmony." He said as he moved his sword arm in a fluid motion, cutting a branch from a tree seamlessly, "And just as your mind has limitless possibilities, so too are that of a sword. More possibilities, more styles and more ways to defeat your foe."
"Wait... I thought being a Messiah is about peace. Lately, all I've been doing is killing people and hurting them." I said dejectedly.
"Sword arts is not always about fighting." He said patiently, "It's making peace with your enemies. Besides, you do that for peace."
I nodded as Viktor motioned me to sit on his garden table, "A true Paladin, like yourself, must be artisians and wise philosophers as well as fierce defenders of their ideals. Arts also teaches that a warrior must sharpen his mind as well as his sword." He gave me a pen.
I thought for a while and accidentally fell off my chair. Ink splattered on the paper that I fell in. When I removed it, my face was imprinted on it.
Viktor nodded his head, "That works too..." He then took a sword, "Come at me."
"Are you serious?" I said, almost laughing.
He nods as I hesitantly stood up. I gave him a uninspired slash as he quickly disarms me and takes me down.
"The true path to victory is finding your enemies' weakness and making them suffer dearly for it." Viktor said, grabbing my wrists and squeezing, illiciting my cry of pain.
"To take his powers and use it against him." Viktor said as he steps on my wrists, causing me to scream out, "Your mercy and unwillingness to hurt anyone is a very good trait. But it will cause your downfall." He lets go as I stood up and bowed, "You must know that mercy and forgiveness is always within you. But do know that it's The Great Father's job to forgive, not yours."
He then motions to his garden, "A true warrior uses his surrounding to his advantage. I've been working on this garden for years now. It's perfect. Redesign it." He said as I went to work hauling a boulder, ripping off the green turf and placing it there as a seat.
Viktor looked dismayed, but ignored it. He took me to the back of his spire. It was littered with granite stones and shale rocks.
"You see this stone? I want you to destroy it." Viktor said, pointing to a particularly giant boulder.
"No problemo, Boss!" I said gleefully as I summoned my sword.
"No swords." He tutted, "Use this staff." He threw his Shepherd's Staff at me and I caught it with both hands.
"You're insane!" I cried, "That's a giant granite boulder, fifteen feet high and six feet across! I can't use this... this... this stick! It's impossible!"
"If it was good enough for Moses and David, it will do for the Messiah." Viktor said patiently.
"But-" I protested.
"Just imagine... It's not a rock. It's what you hate most in this world." He said, "So... What do you hate, Mr. Arisato?"
I thought about it, "I hate The Elder."
"Then rend his head from his shoulders, smite him where he stands and make him rue the very day he crossed you." He commanded as I gladly whacked the boulder with all my might. Nothing.
"Well, clearly, you don't really hate him THAT much." Viktor said with a wry smile, "Try it again."
"I hate that my parents died," I growled and whacked it again. Still nothing.
"Pathetic," Viktor said, "From the way you're striking, I'd say you're old chums with Elder and that you wished for your parent's demise. Tell me what you really hate."
"I hate that I'm too weak to save anyone." I growled and struck it again. Flakes of granite flew, but no significant damage.
"Pitiful." Viktor said.
"I hate how Elder kills people to get to me..." I seethed as I struck it again.
"Weak." Viktor said, "My great-great-grandmother can hit harder than you- and she was born in 16 B.C.!"
"I hate that my friends were dragged into this mess..." I hit it again. Still nothing.
"Saying that you hit like a girl would be a compliment."
"I hate how other boys look at Minako..." I struck it. A crack appeared.
"Yes... Yes... Keep going..." Viktor said, his interest sparked.
"I hate that... Minako sees me more as a friend." I struck it again. The crack became bigger.
"Come. What do you really hate in this world?!"
My face flushed red as a roiling ball of hatred took over me, "I HATE THAT SHE DOESN'T KNOW I LOVE HER!" I swung with all my might and the boulder burst asunder.
When the rubble and dust subsided, the rock spurted water like a spring. Viktor took a glass and filled two cups, and gave one to me, "My friend, true focus lies between hatred and serenity."
I nodded and tooka drink. Suddenly, my piece vibrated as I turned it on. It was Minako, "Minato, where are you? The GPS says you're inside some kind of rock, but we can't find any entrance. I'm here with Junpei, Kenji, Quan and Rio..." Then, an explosion was heard, "Oh my gosh! Quan tripped on something!"
Viktor sighed, "Tell them not to touch anything. Let's go."
We went out and the cave opened. Quan was bleeding from between his legs.
"There you are!" Minako cried as she hugged me, before pushing me away, "Quan tripped on something and-"
"He's dead!" Junpei sobbed as he hugged a crying Kenji and a bawling Rio.
"He was so young!" Rio sniffed.
"I always admired him!" Kenji wailed.
"He was an inspiration to Chinese-Japanese People everywhere!" Junpei said, "I shall name my son after him!"
"We'll rename Iwatodai City and skin a dog in his honor!" Rio declared.
"I'm not dead... Assholes." Quan grunted as he lay motionless.
"Relax, he just tripped on a bouncing landmine I placed there." Viktor said almost cheerily, "It's not designed to kill you, just to castrate you."
"Oooh... My gonads..." Quan winced, "Oh crap! I lost a nut!"
"That's the general description of being castrated." Rio said.
"He's not a hermaphrodite. Pay up." Junpei said as Kenji took out a few yen notes and gave it to Junpei.
"Don't worry. You can live without it. That's why you have two." Viktor said.
"No! I can't live without it!" Quan cried.
"All right, all right... I caused this, and might as well fix it." He holds out a hand and Quan was healed.
"Oh... Thank you." Quan said, "And you are...?"
"Dark Lord Viktor." He said as everyone drew entered the house and into the hall overlooking the courtyard.
He then faced me, "Minato, when you first arrived here, you were unsure of yourself and unready. Truth be told, no one ever feels ready. No one feels deserving of being a protector. And you know want to know why? Because no one does. It's human nature, pure and simple. We are always unworthy, simply because we're human, and all human beings, even beings like me, are flawed. But the Lord loves us anyway. He loves us for what we sometimes can become in moments of need. It wasn't your skills that impressed me... It was your heart. Your capacity to forgive and to fight even when you're sure to lose. Most of all, I admire your iron will, that drive that keeps you going when you know its time to quit. You say you're unworthy, but I say you're more worthy than us all. So stand there today, and know that you're in the same place every single Messiah has ever stood."
I felt immense guilt, "I'm sorry, Lord Viktor, but you're wrong..." I said, "I didn't come here to bear news and to train with you... Truth be told, I came here to kill you. I'm sorry." I said as Minako, Rio, Kenji, Junpei and Quan gawked with disbelief.
Viktor bowed his head, and turns his back, "I'm sorry too." He then unsheathes his sword and swings it at me. I blocked it quickly and pushed him back. The gang tried to intervene.
"No. I can do this." I said as I charged at Viktor. He jumped back to the window and we fell to the courtyard. We squared off as I readied my sword as he held his in a reverse grip, which could definitely allow a wide array of acrobatic attacks and sweeping strikes. The others watched us nervously.
He quickly charged in and attacked with a spinning sweep. I avoided it and he charged again, striking eight times in succession. I used all of my skill to block and parry each one as I tried a vicious counterattack.
He moved his head just in time as he slashed at my ribs. I hastily avoided the laceration and he tried to sweep at my legs. I jumped and kicked him in the head, but he slaps it away with the flat of his blade.
I lost my balance, but I grabbed a railing abd clambered on to it. Using my newfound height advantage, I sliced at him.
"Good! Use height to your advantage! Clever! Fight from a height!" He remarked as he clears the advantage by climbing to the railing too. He stabs at me again, but I jumped on the other side and went behind him. He avoided my slashes by parrying it easily. He tried a running stab, but I rolled underneath it and nimbly jumped through the railings and into the small grove of trees.
"Using your superior agility and speed on a much older opponent... Very wise!" He said as he chased me down.
I stumbled and ran in the grove, cutting as many bamboo stalks as I can to deter his path, but he cut through it like it was butter. I ran off and grabbed a bamboo to whiplash him with it, but he cut through it easily.
"Yes, yes!" He exclaimed as I repeatedly pulled on bamboo stalks to strike him, but he cut through it, "Use the terrain! Make them fight for you!"
I ran to the courtyard pool and used Bufudyne to freeze the pool. He slipped on the ice and regained his balance shakily, "Yes, use your powers! Your strength lies in using them!"
I shattered the ice and he fell in. I ran back to the ground, where he immediately returned. He knocked me down with a sweeping strike, and was about to finish me, but I grabbed a handful of dirt and quickly melted the ice with Agi and threw the mud in his eyes as he reeled back.
He positions the blade behind him, for sneak attacks, "Very resourceful and underhanded..." He then perks up his ears and listens.
I tried sneaking around, but Minako cried, "Finish him!" To which, he knew I was behind him and attacked me. He quickly knocked me down and stabs between my legs.
"NOOOOO!" I cried as the blade, luckily, missed.
"Whew, that could've been nasty, eh?" He said as he helped me up, "Congratulations, Minato, you are worthy." He threw his sword back to the rack and washed his eyes out, "But I think I'm too old to be fighting the Messiah and his friends."
"Wait, then you're not angry about me planning to have you killed?" I asked.
"Well, I'm a little upset, but I've come to realize if you wanted me dead, then you would've done it at the hospital." He said, "Losing can be a victory too. Train and believe in yourself. Trust your friends, Minato. You can learn a thing or two from them. If you continue with your current oath, you can rise up to be a greater master than I." He said kindly, "Now, there's a blizzard coming and you must rest. I have a spare room on the second floor. It's a wee bit old world, but will do. Now, go on for dinner."
We ate dinner and went to bed.
The next morning, we heard trumpets as the light shine through the window.
Viktor smiled as he came up, "Your friend, Elder, is here, with guests." He said cheerfully.
A/N: The Hospital in Hakkōda mountains is purely fictional, and if there ARE any hospitals up there, it is purey coincidencial.
Did you like this chapter, perchance? Then kindly review it! Usual quote is in effect! Hope you enjoyed.
Q/A:
Lionhart: Thanks! Also, Days of Summer isn't really ne of my best works, so think twice before reading it... Yeah, lots of strange things there, made in my 'dark days'...
Also, it's fine if you don't have constructive criticism. Merely reviewing helps me already!
Blah: Please STOP talking! Seriously, no one cares if I'm writing a thousand more chapters. Stop reading if you don't like it!
Night: Maybe... Brown braided hair...? Maybe...
Radaketor: Don't! He's alive!
Cutie: Yup. Also gives Elder a reason not to kill Minato. Hakkōda mountains is real, but the location of Viktor's base is fabricated.
Level up!
Blue: She does have one, but she won't use it yet...
Rose: No moment... She might even leave without telling Minato...
Zombie: I'll try, but I can't promise anything...
Shin: Not likely...
Darkblah: Aha! Well, I do hope you will! Thanks!
DragOn: Not much Elder battles here, but plenty later on. Read on!
Little Frenchie: Au revior, Frenchie.
Infinite Carnage: If you want the two to unrealistically become a couple, I suggest you read a story elsewhere. The buildup is important, for your information.
Guest: Why, thank you! I hope you enjoy!