All rights are reserved to their respective owners. I own nothing in this piece of fiction with the exception of my OCs and the story itself.
WOOSH!
DIO cut through the sky as he flew over the city of Leanbox.
He was adamant about separating himself from the group to pick them off like the nuisances they were.
He used The World as a type of glider to help give the illusion of flight, as he glided at high speeds over the green city.
DIVE!
ZOOM!
With his eyesight, he could see all the different paths and routes available to him as he bulleted through the air, before diving down through some suspended platforms, and descended into the lower levels of Leanbox as he retreated further from the Basilicom.
The bloodsucker then reeled before he reached near the ground to stir suspicion as he was now in the lower regions of the nation's capital, the artificial lights of the buildings slightly making him more visible as he flew, looking for a dark spot to dive into.
"Tch. With all these lights, it will truly be a task to find somewhere deserted and dark." The vampire complained as he saw all of the citizens and surprisingly ASIC members linger around the ground levels of the city.
"Wait. I thought I brainwashed every single member. To think that they were more lurking about. This could work to my advantage. So could these pesky humans, if I play my cards right." DIO plotted, his intentions becoming sinister once more as he saw that a person was talking on a large electronic screen.
They were rather well-kempt, and we're talking basic information that was acquainted with what was being shown on screen, akin to a newspaper.
Or better yet, the news, as he learned after his initial awakening.
They were currently issuing the population to go in their houses at once, as a threat was on the loose, to what DIO could only assume was himself as he proudly smirked at his publicity, even if he initially wanted the opposite.
"If I can find where that news anchor is located, I can use their platform for one, nationwide brainwashing! Those pests will be overwhelmed by the very rogue masses they're trying to preserve! And not only that but since they'll all be home, not a soul will be away from my lull! Brilliant!"
DIVE!
SINK!...
DIO loudly whispered to himself as he finally saw a dark spot within a small space between two buildings, and diving into them before sinking into the darkness as the citizens below rushed to get to their houses or disaster shelters as they were now aware of DIO's presence.
STEPS!
...The Leanbox Army was soon seen after their prime target vanished, as they directed the citizens to shelters as they were armed with futuristic weaponry, on the lookout for the vampiric menace.
"Listen people!" A high-ranking officer yelled as her infantry marched, listening to her every word.
"The higher-ups have ordered us to investigate the streets for this vampire scum! And we have to eliminate him at all costs, for we must protect the people of Leanbox!" She continued as her troops responded.
"Ma'am yes, ma'am!" The soldiers responded.
"Keep marching soldiers! He has to be here somewhere! We'll patrol the streets all night if we have to!" The officer yelled as she diligently looked around, ready to blast the creature of the night's face off.
LASER FIRE!
LASER FIRE!
LASER FIRE!
And to their surprise, from the nooks and crannies of the buildings rose the shadows of said vampire as the soldiers immediately began to shoot at the rising shadows.
"Enemies spotted! Fire at will!" The officer yelled, before firing as well.
LASER FIRE!
LASER FIRE!
LASER FIRE!
PIERCE!
PIERCE!
PIERCE!
PIERCE!
PIERCE!
PIERCE!
PIERCE!
The platoon of soldiers fired at the shadows, their rounds piercing through the dark bodies of their targets as they were staggered from the laser fire.
As they fired, a voice from the shadows boomed as they immediately ceased.
"Fire as you will, you'll never be able to defeat my shadows! For they are as immortal as I!"
CEASE FIRE!
REGENERATE!
DIO yelled beforr cackling maniacally at the soldiers as they ceased fire, only to sed that the wounds they inflicted onto the shadows instantly were filled in.
"They're not going down, sergeant!" A soldier yelled as he saw their damage being revoked before their very eyes.
"We CAN'T afford to back down when the battle just started! Keep firing soldiers!"
LASER FIRE!
The army woman yelled as she pointed before firing as the soldiers unloaded their rounds once more.
"Started? This is the end."
JET BARRAGE!
DIO corrected the sergeant as the shadows of the vampire began to fore their Space Ripper Stingy Eyes at the platoon, returning fire.
"Argh!"
THUD!
One of the soldiers screamed as their skull was pierced as they instantly died from the trauma.
"Urgh!"
BEHEAD!
Another soldier was picked off, as his neck was severed from the force of the eye laser as he was beheaded from the sheer force, being dispatched without remorse.
One after another, soldiers were being killed off without fail as the Space Ripper Stingy Eyes targeted vitals as a surviving soldier quickly radioed to headquarters.
"HQ, This is Delta Squadron, were being overwhelmed! The target is sending shadows to tear through our numbers! Send reinforcements- AAAAH!"
JET!
THUD!
The soldier was murdered by a laser to the eyes and through the head as he crumpled to the ground.
The sergeant was in awe and horror as she saw her unit be ripped apart by the lackeys of her target as she desperately tried to fire her way through the forces, only for them to shrug off her fire and return with their eye lasers, killing off more of her brave men and women.
Screams and cries of her soldiers dying behind her only fueled her fury for the shadows as she held the trigger of her rifle, loading every single round into the murky monsters before her, albeit to no avail.
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS YOU DARK BASTARDS!"
LASER FIRE!
She cried in outrage as she fired her rounds.
DISJOINTED LAUGHTER!
The shadows only mockingly laughed at her attempts to eliminate them, only adding to her frustration and desperation to avenger her fallen comrades and end the battle.
"Shut the hell up, you monsters! Burn in hell!"
LASER FIRE!-
CLICK!
The sergeant roared as she fired until her rifle was empty.
"Shit!"
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The high-ranking officer cursed, before pulling out her futuristic handgun and began to fire at her enemies, without fear.
"Raaaah!"
DIVE!
JETS!
JETS!
The soldier yelled as she fired, jets of pressurized water passing her as she dived into an alleyway, covering from the fore of the shadows.
GRIP!......
She held her handgun by her side as she braced for some fire, but was met with eerie silence.
GRAB!
The sergeant had a confused look etched onto her face, before she felt her arms and legs be restricted by several arms.
GRAB!
"!-" The soldier's eyes widened as she was about to scream in alert, only for a hand to stifle the sound that would erupt from her lips as she was muffled.
SINK!
CLATTER!...
The shadows had managed to flank her, using the darkness of the alley for the perfect opportunity to ambush her. Her gun hit the ground as she felt the strength being sapped from her as she was absorbed into the shadows shortly after, MIA in a matter of seconds.
And just like that, the platoon of soldiers had been neutralized by DIO's fleet of foreboding forces without fail.
The mirth in the vampire's face could almost be felt as he knew that his shadows had done their job, just like he expected them to, as he traveled through the shadows towards the newsroom to carry out his strategy.
In the skies of Leanbox, flew our unsung heroes, chasing after the metrosexual menace. "Do any of you sense where DIO is currently?" Vergo asked as the four were airborne, in hot pursuit of the antagonist.
"Not anymore. He was just within a certain area before he vanished completely." Nebula responded as he squinted his eyes, trying to find the position of the vampire once more.
"It's almost like he completely vanished off the face of the earth." AL compared.
"It's more than likely he did,"
FALL!
JUMP!
SLOW ASCENT!...
Gris said as he fell, before jumping once again as he slowly ascended.
"Elaborate, please?" Nebula asked.
"He probably used his shadow travel to mask his presence from our ability to sense living objects." The hitman explained as Vergo agreed with his reasoning.
"It makes sense that I couldn't sense him once he sank into the shadows." The blonde voiced his observation as they reached into the heart of the city rather quickly.
"We'll have no choice but to split up at this point." AL begrudgingly admitted as he looked over the now scarcely populated Leanbox streets.
"It seems that everyone has hidden in fear of DIO, and he's taken advantage of their absence. We have to cover more ground if we want to locate him quickly." The fire user said as he looked back up to the others.
"Taleia must have issued a state of emergency. It explains the void in the population. But about us splitting up, I agree. The longer we wait, the more time DIO had to pull something else out of his ass." The adventurer deduced as Gris them made plans.
"We all take a cardinal direction then. I take the south. AL gets north. Vergo gets east and you go west, Nebula." The assassin gave the direction that each warrior would go in. "If any of us find DIO, flare your energy and the rest of us will come to your location."
"Sounds fair enough, mate."
WOOSH!
Vergo agreed as he flew in said direction.
"Right."
BOOST!
AL nodded as he shot forward.
"Roger roger."
VOOM!
Nebula responded as he veered to the west.
DROP!
LAND!...
And the hired killer himself dropped from the air as he landed onto a suspended platform.
"That dark stalker has to be around here somewhere,"
GLOW!
VANISH!-
Gris muttered as he ran on the lengthy platform as he looked around for the vampire at superspeed.
JUMP!
LAND!-
BOOM!
VANISH!
He nimbly ran across the entire stretch before descending onto another level of thr suspended platforms, making a loud thud with his slippers before rushing ahead once more, when he observed that nothing of note was present above him after blazing through every nook and cranny.
Gris thoroughly investigated every building and corner, every alley and behind every tree, even peered in dumpsters and looked on rooftops, but the vampire was nowhere to be found as he jumped lower down.
JUMP!
LEAP!
HOP!
SPRING!
DASH!
KICKFLIP!
He kept going lower and lower as he searched to no avail until he found that he was on the rooftops of the buildings grounded to the floor, as he jumped from roof to roof on the lookout for the silver-haired menace (Excluding himself).
Even with the roofs as a vantage point to see what was down below, Gris had no luck im tracing the elusive vampire. He also made sure to stay wary of any shadows, they might attack him as he was as much a prime target for DIO as he was for the hitman.
"Life would be so much easier if I had Atley by my side. I have to start investing in indestructible accessories." Gris grumbled as he jumped over towards the building rooftop, continuing his search as he looked.
With DIO, he had successfully managed to locate the news station that was broadcasting the news to homes in Leanbox, the news anchor currently straightening his papers as he looked them over.
The camera crew was also setting up and fixing any errors found in their tech as they had an intern on the job.
"Jimmy, you're not supposed to press that." A senior cameraman scolded the intern.
"My bad, boss!" Jimmy apologized.
The other staff was about, setting up things as DIO decided to make his move.
RISE!
When absolutely no one was looking at the center of the room, he made himself appear at the table bu exiting from a shadow behind the office plant.
His shoes landing on the desk made his presence known as everyone suddenly looked at him, shock waxed onto their faces, his face was emotionless as he looked around.
"Who are you?!" The news anchor asked fright in his voice from the fear energy that oozed off of him.
"I am the one who is going to become your new ruler,"
BRAINWASH!
DIO said as he looked the reporter dead in the eyes as he turned, putting him under his mind control without fail.
His expression became a blank one, as he was now under the influence of DIO.
"And that goes for the rest of you as well!"
GAZE!
BRAINWASH!
DIO roared as he turned right back around as he darted his gaze to every single individual in the room, including security as he now had every person in the room under his control.
"Now, resume the program as usual, and make sure this station is on every single channel!" DIO instructed as the newly mind-controlled minions got to work at once.
"Move."
SIT!
He harshly told the news anchor as he immediately got off the chair, as DIO comfortable placed himself on it instead.
"Much better." The bloodsucker smiled as he clasped his hands together as he strategized further.
'Now that I've successfully managed to get ahold of this news station, and if my newly made minions can override every other station, then I can mind control every citizen in this city. The only slight is if my mind control will work behind a digitzed device.' DIO pondered as he shook his head.
'This is not the time for doubts. This is the time for action. Fortune favors the bold.' DIO steeled himself as the cameraman called for him.
"Lord DIO, you're live in 3, 2, 1-" He called.
When the count stopped, the houses and disaster shelters of Leanbox were privy to the vampire's image on every televised device.
"Good night, people of this nation. If you're currently witnessing this broadcast, you are now under the exclusive control of your new master, Lord DIO." The vampire announced as onlookers from across the nation that was gazing upon their screens were now plastered with blank expressions, their will drained from their eyes as absolute servitude was gained.
BRAINWASH!
The citizens that were viewing their TVs, no matter the station, were exposed to his mind-controlling message as the population of Leanbox with television coverage was now under the influence of the cunning creature of the night.
"And as your new master, I command you to cause as much destruction to Leanbox as possible! Riot in the streets, vent out your pent-up stress, even kill the neighbor's dog if that's your fancy! As long as you cause a problem, it's not a problem!" DIO said with a sadistic grin as his now brainwashed viewers were still taking in their instructions.
"And lastly, if you see any uncontrolled personnel or my targets, be adamant to use whatever means necessary to bring them down! If they are not with us, they are against us!" The vampire finished as he gave his servants a mental image of the people he wanted dead.
He knew that they wouldn't be able to do them in themselves, but they can overwhelm them with sheer numbers for a while, enough to keep them on the ropes for long enough for DIO to swoop for the kill.
"Now go! Cause mayhem and destruction in the name of DIO!"
NO SIGNAL!
DIO finished up his short announcement before the screen became a mix of digital colors, signaling that the signal had been cut off.
SMASH!
CRASH!
SWERVE!
BOOM!
SCRAMBLE!
And from there, the citizens started to riot, under their mental stupor as they barged out of their houses, kicking down trash cans and throwing bricks into windows, crashing their cars into houses, and smashing any object that was still intact.
CRASH!
The disaster shelters were quickly breached as the citizens from within as well as from the outside caused a ruckus as they overwhelmed the guards situated to protect them as they continued to abuse their advantage of being the same people they had to protect to overwhelm their non-lethal attempts to subdue them.
"They've breached the area!" A guard yelled as he was behind the door at one of the shelters.
The guards present tried to subdue out the citizens with hand-to-hand combat, but because of their sheer numbers, were quickly overwhelmed by the cluster of controlled citizens as they were effectively dispatched by their persons of value.
"They're taking down our numbers!" Another guard yelled promptly before she drowned in a sea of sucker punches and stomps, quickly losing consciousness from his VIPs.
"Damnit!" Thr last standing guard yelled as he was soon to join the same fate as his coworkers as he was taken down by the body slam of obese citizens, smothering him instantly as he laid there unconscious as the fatso rolled off of him.
The citizens then ransacked the shelter, taking over the institution before moving on to another shelter as they destroyed government property on their way there, following their master's commands.
Leanbox had begun to fold in on itself, thanks to the efforts of DIO's mind control.
DASH!
SKATE!
Taleia and Domio were rushing through the streets of Leanbox as they were still within a deserted area of the city as they moved with haste.
"Where are we going, Miss Taleia?" Domio questioned the soldier as he skated on the ground, keeping up with her dashing.
"We're going to my headquarters. They should be able to properly assess the situation and give any extra intel that they've gained from what I've given when we arrive there." Taleia explained as they made a corner, rushing under the streetlights as they made ground.
"Oh, ok. But it seems like a ghost town now." The preteen observed.
"Because HQ issued a state of emergency. All citizens are required to either stay inside or go to a shelter based on their position. That's why ypu don't see anyone around here-" Taleia's explanation was cut off when she was met with a crowded area of citizens.
"Then what are all of those people doing here?" Domio questioned as the RRoD member was taken aback.
"I don't know. Hey! Get to a shelter, citizens!" The soldier alerted the crowd, only for them to look at her with blank expressions, before their faces became twisted with hate as they rushed the unbrainwashed duo.
"Get them! For Lord DIO commands it!"
UPROAR!
A person roared before tbe rest chased after the two.
"WHAT?!"
DASH!
SKATE!
The two yelled before they tucked tail amd retreated.
"What's wrong with them?! They're chasing after us!" Domio screamed as he skated for his life.
"They yelled out Lord DIO... Oh no." Taleia caught on as she looked behind her, seeing their blank eyes.
"What is it?!" Domio asked frantically.
"They're mind-controlled! That's the only reason they'd willingly follow that monster!" She exclaimed.
"Oh jeez!" The boy looked ahead as they made some turns, trying to shake off the group, but as they were hot on their heels, the citizens did not let up.
"We have to make it to HQ before we're surrounded!" Taleia urged as she looked at Domio, who nodded at her, albeit scared as he saw another group become aware of their location the second he looked over there.
"Tainted minds! After them!"
UPROAR!
MERGE!
A woman yelled before yet another group was after their skin. They soon merged with the original wave of pursuers before they combined to form a horde of a hateful mob.
"It's getting worse back there!" Domio alerted the soldier as Taleia took another turn, the boy following her as they inadvertently attracted more and more mind-controlled masses to their position the longer they lingered in the chase.
"And it's not going to be very likely for us to reach HQ if we attract too many of them to outrun! Listen, Domio!" She called for his attention as he looked back ahead.
"Yeah?!" The preteen ice user responded aa the soldier looked towards a manhole.
"We're going to have to dive into the nearest manhole after we make this turn!" She gave her plan as she continued."It's the only way we'll be able to shake them." Taleia told the boy as he nodded, the fear of being killed by brainwashed people overwhelming the disgust of traveling through the sewers.
"Alright, Miss Taleia! When do we jump into one?" He asked, waiting to find the one that they'd go into.
"I'll tell you...! Now!"
KICK!
ENTER!
ENTER!
CLOSE!...
...
UPROAR!...
...
The soldier shouted as the two made a turn around a corner before seeing one on the sidewalk as they promptly moved towards it before the woman took the lid and kicked it causing it to flip in, letting in Domio before she jumped in as the lid finished its rotation and set itself back into place by the time the mob arrived, the citizens rushing over them as a result.
"That was close..." Domio's voice echoed as the two were now in Leanbox's sewage system, the pungent smell of waste thriving in the anals of the underground tunnels as they stood on the dry sidewalk area of the sewer.
"Now that we're off their radar, we can get to HQ unbothered by their presence," Taleia said as her nose crinkled a bit from the smell from the sewer.
"Also Domio, what day is it?" The woman asked.
"...Tuesday." He answered.
"That makes a lot of sense. No wonder it smells like someone had to sit down for an hour and crap out spicy food down here." She waved in front of her face as the two began to walk a silent expedition to army headquarters.
BREAK!
BOOM!...
The vampire left the building, confident in his course of action as he left from breaking a window, and landing on the floor with a powerful boom.
"Now... For a fitting ride." He talked to himself as he looked around, before finding an abandoned limousine not too far from the news building.
It reminded him of his days where he used that indignat senator to drive around the streets of Cairo with disregarded for every road safety regulation in a high speed chase with the Crusaders.
A small smile began to present itself on his lips as he became content with the decision of the luxurious choice, old memories flooding back into his mind.
"That will do just fine." He smiled as he called for a few of his controlled servants and got them to open and hotwire the vehicle, before jumping into the back seat, with his legs crossed and his arms stretched across the headrests next to him as the limo began to move.
DRIVE!
"Where to, Lord DIO?" The driver asked as his subordinate looked back at him.
"Make a few rounds around the city. I want to see the fruition of my cunning course of action." He ordered.
"It shall be done." The servant looked ahead before driving at a moderate pace, the black limo keeping a constant pace as DIO looked through the tinted window.
He saw fires and smoke as store windows were broken, cars were overturned and debris was left across the road accompanied by the sounds of cheers as they saw their master within the limo that housed him.
He then turned to his right as he saw a group of soldiers be overrun by his minions as they brutally beat the snot out of the men and women in uniform, unable to properly get ahold of the situation due to their staggering numbers.
"WAAAAAUGH!" The cries of the soldiers were music to DIO's ears as they were stomped into the realm of unconsciousness, shortly before death by the excessive trauma of continued force after they lost consciousness.
The night was young as DIO continued to feel a sense of pride and satisfaction at seeing all this destruction in his name.
But all good things must come to an end, and he was no exception to the rule as he saw the same blonde-haired pest that tried to do him in last time busy with his minions as he knocked them out, too preoccupied to notice the limo that was passing by.
This made the good mood on DIO's features develop into a sinister gleam as he ordered his driver to move faster, once looking on the side mirror and seeing the blonde bastard following them.
"Go faster." He demanded.
SCREECH!
VROOM!
Vergo's eyes darted to the speeding car as all of the citizens he was busy with also stopped their match with their CPU Candidate.
"That car!" The bloke paused as he looked at the black limo, stopped in its tracks as he saw the driver, but more importantly, the person in the back, which was none other than DIO himself!
DRIVE!
And when the blonde god saw who sat in the back seat, his eyes widened with shock before narrowing with fury.
"DIOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He yelled, the rage present in his voice. Beelining for the black limo, he moved aside the citizens that he was helping, as dealing with the main reason they were like this might free them.
"I didn't expect to see you so soon again, blondie." He sniggered, the sunglasses only adding to the charisma as he continued. "Do try to keep up, we wouldn't want you to be as slow as the woman I froze? Because that implies you'd never catch me!" He laughed before the CPU Candidate angrily retorted.
"What the bloody hell did you do to these poor people!" Vergo roared his concern for his people through the roof as he flew, approaching as he slowly increased his speed as to not outright outspeed the car.
"Nothing much. A dab of mind control, with a pinch of mass broadcasting, and a dollop of being a villainous mastermind. That's not too hard for you to fathom, is it?" He joked as a mocking tone escaped his lips.
"YOU BASTARD!"
WINDWAVE!
WOOSH!
SLAM!
Vergo said as his pupils suddenly returned to being power signals, the hue returning to purple as a gust of wind blew everyone back, the citizens being knocked out as they were slammed into walls, poles, and trees as he chased the moving limo.
PUNCH!
SWERVE!
DIO had to use the arms of The World to make a sharp turn as his driver swerved, seemingly unmoved by the gust of emotion as they made way down the street.
LAND!
EXTEND!
GLOW!
"You'll pay!" Vergo yelled, before landing on the roof of the car and extending it towards the vampire's position, making it glow green so so it would effectively hurt DIO if it hit.
The bloodsucker stood there until the pole was about to pierce his head, before stopping time and seemingly moving the CPU Candidate's weapon back in the opposite direction with much more force.
BFFT!
LAUNCH!
"?!"
"WHAT!"
WOOSH!
REACH!
The green-clad man shouted as his pole flew into the sky as he outstretched his hand to get it back before it went out of reach from the sheer velocity it traveled from the hit.
"Question. Have you ever danced before?" Inquired the vampire lord.
"What of it?" Answered Vergo, suspicious of his intentions as he didn't directly respond the question, instead implying he had busted a move at some point.
"Driver, play something up to the times." He ordered the limo driver.
CLICK!
"Now playing Darude - Sandstorm."
As the song started, it faded into the bridge before the beat dropped as DIO raised his sunglasses as his eyes glowed red, with his Space Ripper Stingy Eyes charging up.
"Sandstorm? But this isn't a troll link-"
JET!
PIERCE!-
DODGE!
CLEAR...!
Two pink and white swirling beams of superheated liquid punctured the metal of the roof as the time traveler's eyes widened before he moved out of the ways, the beat drop commencing as the beams flew into the air, splitting the clouds from the rate they proceeded.
STUMBLE!
JET!-
STAGGER!
JET!-
TRIP!
JET!-
TWIST!-
Stumbling back from the attack, another SRSE beam appeared behind him as he staggered forward from hearing the metal being busted through from the sheer force before the car hit a bump, turning out to be a collapsed officer, causing him to trip into what would've been a perfectly aimed SRSE beam had he not twirled out of the way.
THUD!
"Urgh!" Winced the green-clad warrior as he fell onto the roof.
ROLL!
JET!
An eye laser ran down the entire roof from where DIO sat to the front side near the driver as the blonde rolled to the side before a single hair on his head was singed.
"Dance, monkey, dance!"
JET!
DODGE!
JET!
MISS!
JET!
EVADE!
An entertained invader let out a joyous laugh as he was pleased with the scramble for safety that his opponent was having as more lasers came for his neck.
BFFT!-
SUMMON!
FLOAT...!
DIO was all but eager to continue the combo as he sicked his stand next, the ghostly entity floating through the roof of the limousine before putting up its arms, ready for combat.
BFFT!
BIFF!
"Uak!" Vergo yelled before he spun like a bicycle wheel, the enemy stopping time continuously to disorient the blonde as his eyes kept looking for the ghost, but was only met with the incomprehensible agility.
VOOM!
BFFT!
"MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA!"
KICK BARRAGE!
The World ruthlessly high kicked, side kicked, sweep kicked, drop kicked, roundhoused, and front kicked the time traveler as his legs barely registered as a yellow line, let alone anything at all as it felt like the godling was being struck by nothing at all from its sheer dexterity.
Laughter that undeniably belonged to the man behind the slaughter sitting on his ass was heard from the car as this infuriated the CPU Candidate, unable to do anything as he was being handled with ease thanks to the apparition of fighting spirit.
"On the verge of defeat? How quaint. Heroes always find themselves on the cusp of failure, each and whenever faced with a worthy foe." He mouthed off, his voice being projected through The World's mouth as he beat the tea bags into the accent-heaving blonde.
Knowing he couldn't directly win in a head-to-head confrontation, he decided to do the next best thing.
PUSH!
SLAM!
COLLAPSE!-
"NANI?!-" DIO screamed before the roof of the limo fell on him as Vergo used his wind affinity to fall back into the surface he stood, the extensive damage it took weakening it enough for the roof to completely collapse as a result of his quick thinking.
This also made the stand dissipate from the unintentional damage the vampire took as mayhem started to unfold within the high-speed vehicle, due to the driver being knocked unconscious from the force the blonde unwittingly used to escape the dark ghost.
SKID!
SWERVE!
Swerving uncontrollably, the limousine haphazardly drove across the street with haste that only quickened as the unconscious driver's foot was pressed on the gas with no way of moving off.
Vergo quickly got to look out to the front of the vehicle to see that they were headed straight for a supermarket building as he saw the approaching glass windows that showed the inside of the open establishment.
"BLIMEY!-"
DING DONG!
SLIDE!...
"Welcome to Dor-Mart. Thank you for shopping-"
VROOOOOOOOM!
SCREAMS!
"AAAAAAAAAAH!-"
SPLATTER!
The brother of Vert yelled in shock as the vehicle mowed down several shoppers, blood splattering from them making contact with the grill from the ludicrous speed that the car went. The blood of his sister's people was spilled onto him and the unconscious driver as he was being flung around his position, unable to reach the wheel.
Several aisles were smashed through from the limo as products stained by the slain were sent helping into the air as the white-haired vampire crackers at the carnage with far too much glee.
"Simply amazing! I've never so many humans gather in one place just to die! They should rename these places from supermarkets to super caskets!" His satisfied laughter made the blonde's blood boil.
"YOU SHUT YOUR BLOODE MOUTH!"
GRAB!-
PULL!
SWERVE!-
TUMBLE!
Grabbing the wheel, Vergo caused the car to turn into a lateral tumble as it the remaining aisles fell from the weight of the vehicle as it became severely damaged with DIO sat completely still as he folded his arms, a bemused look on his face with the COU Candidate struggling to keep a grip on the crashing car.
It finally found the place where it would crash into. Hnfortunately for the green brother, that being said, the breaker room was one place that he desperately wished it didn't pick.
TUMBLE!-
CRASH!
EXPLODE!-
SHUT DOWN!
The resulting explosion causes the entire building to blackout from the damage sustained to the area as it became indiscernible to the naked eye. If not for the fire that the wrecked luxury car let off from it's crash site.
"Tch...!" The green fighter, twisted on the floor and covered in blood that was not his own got up to see the mess. Everyone who hadn't fled was deceased, and the collateral was no small fee.
Yet standing before the flames, was a unfazed DIO as he slowly approached, his footsteps echoing as the sounds of the burning fire eating away at the busted machinery.
KICK!
"Urk!"
An invisible foot kicked the blonde back onto his feet as he stumbled up, before snarling at the vampire as he grabbed his pole for support before gripping his fist in restrained fury.
"You... You won't win!"
GROAN...!
He seethed, his bangs over his eyes as he glared through them. "Not after what you've done!" His irises shrunk as he squeezed his staff hard enough for the metal to creak.
"But I already have."
BFFT!
"...!" He doubled over, feeling the knuckles of the ghostly stand in his abdomen as he coughed. Floating back to its master, DIO's eyes narrowed before widening.
"DAMN YOU!"
SLAM!
RUMBLE!-
KNEE!
Attempting to counterattack, Vergo used his pole as a crutch before raising his knee to the phantom's chin with the quake caused by the power used to keep himself from falling.
ELBOW!-
BOOM!
GUST!...
But The World had other plans, halting the attack with his own causing a loud reverberating sound as the force caused a burst of wind to travel as the godling's foot was sent onto the ground with enough pressure to indent the tile floor of the building.
UPPERCUT!
"Kuh!"
"Resistance is futile! Useless!" Screamed the vampiric menace.
"MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA!"
BARRAGE!
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"Hmph." DIO looked up at the screaming CPU Candidate as Vergo hollered in agony, before sticking out his hand.
"LIMELIGHT!"
PUNCH!
BLAST!
"Unf!" Vert's brother wheezed.
"Damnit!" DIO yelled.
The CPU Candidate yelled before a green blast was charged and fired, DIO's eyes widening before his stand rushed and sent a super punch towards the plexus of the time traveler just as the blast fired and struck DIO right in the shoulder, due to his aim being disrupted by the blow.
SMASH!
CRASH!
The two were sent in opposing directions as Vergo was hit through the ceiling as DIO was sent out of Dor-Mart via another hole caused by him crashing through it.
BANG!
BOOST!
BANG!
BOOST!
BANG!
BOOST!
"What the fuck is wrong with you people!"
GRATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATTATATATATATATATATA!
BOOST!
AL swore ad he dodged gunfire from the citizens of Leanbox as they managed to mug some gun stores and arm themselves, firing semi automatic firearms and handguns at the warrior.
LAND!-
RUN!
GUNFIRE!
The bullets from the aforementioned guns were behind him as AL flew onto a building before running on its surface, the bullets behind him as he ran as fast as he could, only at Mach 5 due to his multiplier being reset from before.
AL had to restrain himself from just firing a large fireball and instantly incinerating the mob after him, for that would piss Vergo off to no end. That, and the fact that they seemed off from their regular selves from their energy.
LEAP!
MISSILES!
EXPLOSIONS!
The afro warrior had to leap from the building as he saw that some of the citizens had managed to get their hands on a missile launcher, before using The aid of another to fire at the flame user as he moved from the predicted area that it would land.
GUNFIRE!
The side of the building was destroyed as the rest of the top of said structure collapsed on itself as it tilted over, falling from the air as AL looked back at the group of people still firing at him, not aware of the building about to crush them all.
"For Lord DIO! The one that controls fire must perish!" The group of people yelled.
GUNFIRE!
"They're going to get crushed! But they won't listen to me if they're following DIO...! Following DIO! THEY'RE MIND-CONTROLLED! Oh, fuck!" It quickly clicked in AL's head as he suddenly nose-dived before zooming near the ground, approaching the mind-controlled mob.
BOOST!
He had to dodge and maneuver out of their gunfire, but even so, he was still struck a few times. But that only helped AL, as his damage received aided his speed as he was boosted to Mach 10 from the constant supply of bullets hitting his body.
'Now!'
"Hah!"
PUNCH!
WOOSH!
The man mentally signaled as he reeled his hand and punched the air in front of him.
CRASH!
The air pressure from his punch moved all of the citizens from the way of the building, causing them to slam into buildings as they were promptly unconscious from the force AL used.
"I might have overdone it a bit... But there's no time!" He remembered as he looked at the falling piece of building.
PUSH!
BOOST!
The fore user quickly shot up into the air and put both hands in front of him before thrusting with his feet, back, and elbows as he pushed against the falling weight of the building.
Contesting with the thousands of tons of force was easier said than done, as AL sweat bullets trying to keep whoever was still inside the building from being killed by the subsequent pressure from the structure collapsing on the ground.
AL grit his teeth as his back was now on the ground as his face was scrunched I one of pain and effort as he tried his mightiest to push the building, but was slowly, yet surely being squished by the weight of the mass of glass, concrete, and metal that easily weighed over 15,000 tonnes, not even mentioning the furniture within.
"I... I can't let this fall down!... I have to... Push it back!"
CRIES OF TERROR!
CRUSH!
STRAIN!...
BOOST!...
AL strained as his form was being pushed into the ground, the building's glass slowly starting to crack as he sensed that people were still within said structure and panicking at that by the screams he heard within the walls.
AL's body was smudged between the ground and the building as he was being flattened by the weight of the two opposing forces.
But due to being crushed, he was also gaining strength thanks to his Burning Fever's ability kicking in once again, boosting his multiplier to 15 as he stopped being pushed deeper into the ground as all movement downwards from the building ceased.
LIFT!
BOOST!
CRASH!...
That number soon jumped to 20 as he began to move the building off of the ground as his flames grew twice in size, the building suddenly being turned upright before being placed on the ground, with a loud crash.
LEAP!
LAND!...
AL breathed heavily as he looked at his hands. They were burning from inflammation as he clenched them before landing on the ground and looking at the citizens that... Jumped from 4 stories down?!
The people he had just saved managed to land without injury as the others from varying floors broke the glass and landed as they all came into view.
Their eyes were blank as their expressions were grateful, but not to him.
"Only the glory of our master could have attracted the very one he desired to die to our location! Bring him his blood for out eternal savior! Lord DIO!" One yelled as the others charged the burning man.
AL had a deadpan on his face as he looked at the group of people coming to kill him.
"Ah shit, here we go again."
VOOM!
The man sighed before outstretching his hand and firing an invisible wave of KI at the group of mindless minions.
CRASH!...
The minions were soundly put down as they slammed into walls and glass before being knocked out, AL having to restrain his will to kill as he had done just all that work for his saved hostages of the situation to try and murk him.
"I'm getting real tired of your shit, DIO," AL grumbled as he shot back up in the air, faster than before, as he blasted into the air to look for more citizens to knock out. If they were being mind-controlled then a good beating should bring them back.
Nebula was currently with a squad of soldiers as he met them patrolling the area that he was in not too long ago, as they saw him flying over them.
Good thing too, since he was nearing his now 5-minute time limit in using gravity for flight.
They initially told him to head to a shelter, but upon further explaining that he had both intel and an idea on what the threat could muster, he was then instructed to go to headquarters.
But after he told them that he was friends with an RRoD member that was already on her way to do that (Most likely, he just said that so that they'd let him come with them), the group's highest-ranking soldier just let the adventurer in the platoon and told him to stay in the middle, since he had high value.
"So can you tell us what we're fighting against?" The leading soldier, that being a first lieutenant asked the god.
"Well, from what I've gathered we are currently up against a vampire but the name of DIO, D-I-O in all capitals, that can suck blood, travel through shadows, make shadowy clones of himself, fire lasers from his eyes, freeze you with a touch, with superhuman speed, strength, and dexterity, regeneration from destruction down to a pile of blood, not to mention the invisible fighting ghost that moves faster than human comprehension and the arsenal of knives that can make you catch a stroke by being cut alone from sheer fear and the most unimportant part of it all, that he can make time grind to a halt for who knows how long, the threat of instantly being killed ever-present." The blue-haired adventurer dropped ability after ability as the soldiers were slack-jawed by how many fearsome abilities the vampire possessed.
"P-Pardon, citizen?" The lieutenant asked as he was recording his explanation to the higher-ups, the static present with them as well, as they didn't expect all of that information to be given to them in such a short frame of time.
"In layman's terms, you guys are perpetually fucked." Nebula summarized as the soldiers were spooked by DIO's formidable arsenal of abilities.
"The one time we need Lady Green Heart the most, she's nowhere to be seen. Goddessdamnit." A corporal cursed as he held his rifle in defeat.
'Now if I told you where she was, you guys look like you might outright give up. But not to worry, I have an idea.' Nebula brainstormed.
"Those guns you have there won't work on his shadows." Nebula pointed out. "You'll need something that either has spiritual energy or something that destroys them with thr power of light." He advised.
"Like a laser tank?" A soldier asked.
"Exactly. The size of the beam that would come out from a theoretical laser round should be able to destroy his shadow minions." The pseudo protagonist strategized. "Another thing as well." He continued.
"What?" The lieutenant responded. His explanation made some semblance of sense, but it didn't sound like enough.
"You'll need something that will be able to keep him in one place. In other words, you'll need something to block out any shadows and make the area bright enough so that he's stuck in one specific area and can't move away without the help of his ghost or his time stop.'' Nebula continued, his strategy being broadcasted to Leanbox Army HQ as they walked via radio.
"Then what?" The corporal continued, wanting to know as much as possible to be able to take down this DIO upstart that thought he could jeopardize Leanbox while they were around.
"You guys can also bring wooden stakes, garlic, and UV rays." Nebula joked, not wanting to tell them that that was most of what he could think off of the top of his head.
"Serious inquiries only, citizen-!" The lieutenant was cut off by a group of citizens roaming about, thrashing and destroying property as they ran about like hoodlums and nomads.
"Oi! Stop right there!" A soldier yelled towards the citizens, the mass of people turning towards them as they all had the same dreaded blank stares. Their faces were molded in rage and hatred. They rushed the soldiers as they were startled by the sheer speed the citizens moved towards them.
"That is not normal."
"BARO BARRIER!"
REPULSION!
Nebula noted as he quickly stretched out both hands as he yelled out an SP Skill.
A large rectangular field of repulsive gravitational energy was formed in front of the CPU and the soldiers as the mob was kept from advancing as they all smashed their bodies against the invisible wall in a vain attempt to advance.
"What the...?!" The lieutenant observed the state of the citizens.
"I don't care what type of meds those people are on, this ain't natural." A staff sergeant commented as she held her gun with an unnerved gaze.
"Bring the head of the one in blue! Lord DIO orders us!" One yelled.
"We will not rest until our master's orders are met!" Another shouted.
"Oh no." Nebula groaned as he kept the barrier stable.
"What is it?" The lieutenant asked.
"DIO has mind control. How else does he have the general population acting like they sniffed a buttload of crack and watched a 2D Age documentary." He realized.
"He has what?!" The lieutenant exclaimed as the horde of minions continued to growl and scream at the soldiers.
"Oh, sorry."
PUSH!
SMASH!
PILE!...
Nebula apologized as he sent the barrier to a building, smashing it into the wall as the citizens were promptly smashed into the wall, being knocked out from the force they crashed into the wall at, before landing in one big pile of bodies.
"I said he has mind control." Nebula said in a more direct and louder tone as the lieutenant, as well as the others, looked at him, once again their faces waxed with surprise.
"You just killed them!" A private said with concern and horror.
"No, I knocked them out. If I killed them, they'd all be a bloody splat on the wall. They're still citizens." Nebula shrugged.
"You make a good point, but just try not to almost accidentally crush every single bone in their body next time." The sergeant sighed.
"No promises, but I'll see what I can do. Do you guys want to head back to headquarters, or jeep patrolling?" He asked.
"Since everything you said up to now I was sending to HQ, it's more efficient if we keep giving them a live update on the situation out on the field rather than go back and give DIO time that's unaccounted for." The private explained as the lieutenant looked at him.
"Good thinking soldier. Let's move out!" The lieutenant acknowledged as the group decided to trek deeper into the city for any noticeable activity.
Gris had finally investigated every inch of the southern part of Leanbox, only to find nothing but some patrols, some mind-controlled minions that he totally didn't kill (I swear), and a feeling that he was probably not the wisest to choose the most uneventful place to conduct his search.
"Fuck. I should have chosen another direction. I've only ran into mind-controlled minion after mind-controlled minion." The hitman muttered as he hung one over the edge of a 25 story building.
"Drop me if you dare! I'd be happy to die for Lord DIO!" The servant yelled as his overweight body made the fabric of his shirt rip, unwillingly speeding up the process of his demise as he hung there
"Will he save you, though?" The assassin asked.
"Of course. He'll have a nice lofty bed for me in Celestia!" The minion justified.
"If you say so." The hired killer shrugged before dropping him off the edge just as his fabric ripped off, dropping the piece of fabric with him.
"FOR DIO-SAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!'' The mind-controlled citizen yelled as he fell to his death.
Gris jumped over the building as well, before running down the window as he caught up to the falling speed of the minion with ease.
FALL!
PUNCH!
KNOCK OUT!
WOOSH!
SLAM!
CRATER!
He soon surpassed the obese man before catching him with his fist, the man colliding with his face as he was promptly knocked unconscious, his skull rattled like the snake as he was sent unconscious without fail.
GLOW!
HEAL!...
Gris sighed before touching the back of the man, healing him just enough so that he'd spend a few weeks in the hospital, instead of an eternity in the afterlife.
"As much as I felt the urge to kill any of these people, offing the masses would leave fewer people for me to possibly assassinate, and that's bad for business. Also blondie's opinion, but I could care less when it comes down to it." The hired killer sighed as he removed his hand.
He then looked around. Bodies of citizens with broken bones and severe bodily trauma laid about as Gris decided to move to another sector of Leanbox, racing past the unconscious populous that littered the streets.
LEAP!
JUMP!
STRONG JUMP!
HIGH LEAP!
SPRING!
WOOSH...!
LAND...!
The assassin leaped from the ground to a wall, before leaping to another wall, then to another, until he found the tallest building in that area, before jumping to the rooftop of said building.
"Hnn!"
GLOW!
SUPER JUMP!
ZOOM!
The hitman then glowed a bright white before jumping towards a random direction, soaring higher than the tallest building in Gamindustri as he soared through the air thanks to his aura.
DESCEND!...
The hair of Gris blew behind him as the wind blew past his face as he ascended past the clouds before he slowly started to descend.
FALL!
The hired killer's eyes darted for where the vampire could possibly be as he looked over the vast location of Leanbox. He tried to sense out where the bloodsucker might be as he fell faster, deactivating his aura as he fell, increasing his fall speed dramatically as he did so.
He soon pinpointed where the creature of the night was currently located as he found that Vergo was currently battling him.
"The blonde bastard kept him to himself. No wonder he's currently struggling by the fluctuations of his energy."
AURA!
ZOOM!
The silver-eyed assassin laughed to himself before reactivating his aura and plummeting past terminal velocity.
REEL!
Gris pulled back his two fingers, getting ready to explode the vampire the minute his eyes locked onto his position.
THROW!
On the ground, however, Vergo still struggled against the overwhelming odds of fighting the clock-stopping creature of the night as DIO threw multiple knives at the male.
DODGE!
STAB!
STAB!
STAB!
STAB!
STAB!
STAB!
STAB!
STAB!
STAB!
The CPU Candidate maneuvered past every knife with agility as he ran across the street, feeling the chill of fear energy behind him as each knife was indented into the building behind him as he dodged the projectiles.
BLAST!
BLAST!
BLAST!
BLAST!
BLAST!
Vergo then fired some KI blasts of his own at the vampire, the energy blats racing towards the vampire.
BLOCK!
SMOKE!
But unfortunately, The World's arms quickly appeared to brace its master of any external damage as smoke was formed from the successful block.
The view of the invader was obscured as he stood there, a confident look on his face that his attack had been foiled.
"You'll have to try much harder than that if you want to defeat me." DIO goaded.
His goading caused two hands to stretch out beside him, the vampire unaware of their position continued to look ahead as he waited for the smoke cloud to clear to see his opponent's shocked face.
The hands beside him then suddenly slammed towards one another as they smashed into the ears of DIO, blowing out his eardrums as he was caught off guard by the maneuver, Vergo's voice yelling as the vampire was temporarily defended as a ridiculously loud shockwave emitted from the area of origin, the smoke cloud being instantly scattered from the force of the attack.
"Thunderclap!"
CLAP!
DEAFENING BOOM!
DISPERSE!-
SHOCKWAVE!
WINDWAVE!
SHATTER!...
The blonde roared as the shockwave expanded quickly, shattering all the nearby windows as the vampire's ears gushed blood as Vergo's eyes met with his.
"Then try harder I shall!" Vergo responded as he took advantage of the vampire's overconfidence as he wailed on the man's frame, landing blow after blow at shocking speeds.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!...
BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM!
MINI SHOCKWAVES!
THUNDEROUS BARRAGE!
RUMBLERUMBLERUMBLERUMBLERUMBLE...!
SHOCKWAVES!
A swift hook was landed, followed by a hardened follow-up punch, before a kick to the ribs was struck, followed by a high kick to the chin, before a flurry of punches so quickly they vanished were doled onto DIO's mug, succeeded by a barrage of kicks that caused some mini shockwaves to occur before they were combined into a relentless combination of fearsome kicks and punches, each blow rolling like thunder itself, the booming shockwaves following through at every hit!
"Thunderous Combination!" The CPU Candidate roared as DIO was being overwhelmed by the sheer power of the strikes sent his way.
GRAB!-
BLAST!
The vampire was fuming at how he could be caught off guard like this as he was being manhandled by the blonde as the SP Skill was coming to a close as Vergo grabbed the face of DIO before sticking his hand into his chest as the bottom of his Pam's faced each other, before sending a large wave of lime green KI.
"Blargh!" DIO screamed as his body was slowly being destroyed, the beam carrying him in the process.
VOOM!
He quickly stopped time as he was being vaporized before making The World move him out of the way, time resuming as his regeneration kicked in.
'That was close... I was wrong to underestimate that man, more so if he had something like that up to his sleeve... And especially since he was the first one to damage me out of everyone...!' DIO scowled as his body healed, his clothes included.
'And the fact that I can't heal my injuries in time stop is even more of a hindrance!' The vampire snarled as his body finished healing and the beam finally subsided.
...BLAST!...
"Ha... Ha..." Vergo breathed lightly as he looked at the perfectly he saw that DIO was breathing heavily, and managed to fully heal.
"Shite! He regenerated in stopped time!" The blonde cursed as he looked at the heavily breathing vampire.
BOOM!
FLASH!
And to add even more surprise surprise the situation, DIO exploded.
WINDWAVE!...
"That's...!" Vergo realized as he shielded his eyes.
STATIC!...
STATIC!...
His guts were promptly splattered as blood was spread everywhere, discharge being present at his place of temporary death.
CRASH!
DUST!...
The perpetrator of said attack suddenly landed next to the bracing Vergo as dust and dirt was kicked up from the landing.
WOOSH!
AURA!...
It was blown away as Gris was revealed, with static coursing through his index and middle fingers as a contempt look was on his features.
"Didn't you listen to what I said?" The assassin's look of mirth dropped as he stared down Vergo.
"I'm awfully sorry if witnessing the mind control of my citizens and actively fighting said threat distracted me, Sir Gris. It's not as if I can fall from the heavens and SMITE my bloody opponents!" The blonde responded with sarcasm.
Well, you can, but you're just being difficult. And besides, it's not like he's dead for good."
SPLATTER!-
REGENERATE!
Gris pointed as DIO quickly formed into a ball of blood before bursting back into shape and form as he was heavily panting.
"Hah... Hah... Hah..!" DIO reappeared, wide-eyed with veins on them as he had sweat all over his body. His regeneration back to back really took a sizeable portion of energy from him, especially if it was full body back to back.
"Damn you insignificant pests!" The man screamed as he brandished The World.
"The World!"
BFFT!
SUMMON!
He yelled as the black stand appeared through distortion once more.
"He looks noticeably tired. His regeneration must be catching up to his stamina.''
REACH!-
GRAB!
Vergo theorized as he reached for his pole, before it returned to him, the weapon in his arms once again.
"If we can just keep wearing him down, we'll be able to stall him long enough to find a sure-fire way to kill him," Gris added as he got into his stance.
"Focus on DIO. I'll keep The World at bay." The god devised as Vergo nodded before the both of them looked at the silver-haired vampire.
"You honestly think making me sweat means something? Your efforts are nothing more than high-intensity cardio, for I am DIO!" He yelled with indignation.
"Be silent before I reduce you to a pathetic puddle once more." Gris spat, before sniggering mockingly at the stand user.
"WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"
DASH!-
ZOOM!-
WOOSH!-
CRASH!
BOOM!
The vampire yelled before he rushed the two, Vergo and Gris returning the action.
"Are we there yet?" Domio asked the elder female as the two of them had been wandering about the sewers for about an hour.
They finally stopped by a manhole, so Domio asked the question that was floating in his head for a while now.
"I believe so." We should be right below the manhole in front of them by now." Taleia responded as they looked up the ladder for the manhole that was in front of HQ.
They had been quietly wondering for about an hour, making sure not to attract the attention of any of the mobs above them my moving too quickly or vomit from being constantly exposed to Taco Tuesday waste as they traveled in total silence.
Taleia was the first one to climb up the ladder to see if the coast was clear. She didn't hear anything as she was climbing up the many stairs.
She slowly opened the lid, to see that her headquarters was still intact. The guards being conscious and unbrainwashed immediately pointed their weapons and started to bark commands.
"Get out of the manhole and identify yourself!" The closer one yelled, his gun trained.
"Do as we say, now!" The further one barked as she also had her laser spear aimed at the manhole.
"Stand down, you two! This is your superior officer, RRoD Member Taleia!" The half-elf yelled back at the two as the guards gave the manhole some space.
"O-Officer T-Taleia, ma'am?!" The closer guard reeled. "What are you doing down there?" He asked.
"Evading the mind-controlled masses. I have some important personnel with me as well, also unbrainwashed."
PULL!
The soldier continued as she pushed out the manhole as it skidded to the side, her face becoming clearer to the two as they pulled her out.
"It's good to see you again, ma'am."
SALUTE!
The female guard saluted, as did the male as they were reacquainted with the elite soldier.
"Likewise."
SALUTE!
The half-elf saluted back.
PULL!
Domio's hand was seen grabbing the ground outside the manhole as Taleia and the female guard pulled him out of the hole.
"Thanks." The boy bowed after he was pulled out of the sewers, his nose reacquainted with air that didn't smell like a tipped porta-potty had a child with a prison toilet.
"No problem." The guard responded.
"Are the Commanders still inside?" She asked.
"Affirmative. They've yet to leave. A steady link of information is being given to them as we speak from a platoon of soldiers in the western side of Leanbox." The male guard explained as the RRoD member nodded her head.
'One of the guys must be there. That's good. I can catch up as we devise a way to take down DIO.' Taleia thought as the female guard talked to her radio.
"We have an elite soldier requesting entrance, can the engineers open the door, over." The guard stated as she talked into her walkie-talkie.
OPEN...!
The doors soon opened as they were granted entrance into the walls of headquarters, the big solid metal doors opening as they saw the military institution within the premises.
Permission has been granted, Corporal, over." The engineer responded on the other side of the radio.
The facility was filled with soldiers of varying ranks moving about as they went from building to building, with heavy laser assault weapons and files depending on what job they were assigned as the two walked inside of the area.
SHUT!
The guards then returned to their positions before the gates closed behind them, Domio slightly jumping at the sound the doors made as they latched back together.
"Yikes!" The boy yelled as the gates slammed behind him.
"You'll get used to that. Eventually." Taleia told the preteen as a sergeant ran up to her.
"RRoD Agent Elfenlied! The Commanders request a meeting of importance! It pertains to the information gathered since your last conversation with the intelligence department!" The sergeant stated as the soldier nodded.
"Right. Come on, Domio. We have people to see." The elven individual held the boy's hand to guide him as Domio followed the woman who started to seem more like his mother than his party member.
"Ok." The Loweean responded as they walked towards the central building, getting to getting to their desired destination as the top of the top in the combat department had called for their presence. AL wandered around the desolate streets of northern Leanbox, clearing out the entire vicinity of civilians in a nonlethal manner.
His vest had been torn off from the number of citizens he had to fistfight, and accompanied by the fact they dogpiled him multiple times proven too much for his clothes as they were ripped apart just to get to him.
Factored with the superhuman speed and strength, it was safe to say that engaging in combat and not sticking to his wind-wave attack was not a wise decision at first.
His pants weren't spared from the ordeal either as they sported ripped and torn edges by the pants holes as well as scratches and strings sticking out from the constant punishment. He even lost his slippers and was braving the apparent apocalypse barefooted.
On the bright side, he could now add to his resume that he managed to overcome a swarm of over 100,000 people in a war of attrition and ass-whooping, together with the fact that his Burning Fever had jumped to a whopping 40 after literally getting swarmed like a zombie apocalypse victim.
Said feat was proven by the tens of thousands of bodies that he had to lie all around him, his knuckles dripping with blood as the ember by his heart burning brighter than it ever did before.
The same could be said for his pupils as they danced around like the wild flamed they were.
It did make him feel uncomfortable that he had to also beat up kids, animals, senior citizens, and disabled people, but they tried to kill him so he used self-defense to justify socking a mind-controlled elderly couple each in the face.
"Dayum. That's about everyone. I still think I may have overdone it a bit, though by the blood on my hands." The fire user observed as he looked at his drenched palms.
"But that's not a reason to stop and contemplate my morality right now. DIO's not in the north sector, s I'll have to check another. I'm closest to the west so I'll head over there next."
BOOST!
ZOOM!
The warrior decided as he flew into the air and traveled across the night sky.
"Nebula should be somewhere in that sector, so I'll just look for him directly since he must've also investigated most if not all of it by now," AL said to himself as he flew across the city, sensing Nebula's energy.
Once he found its signature, he made a beeline to regroup with his old friend.
"Found ya."
BOOST!
ZOOM!
The man's eyes widened before he made an effort to go faster, using his arms to boost him as well by making the entirety of the back of his arms eject flames.
He pushed his speed to Mach 45, his arms dramatically increasing how fast he could move as he closed in on the position of Nebula.
Not even a while after he kicked his speed in gear, he saw the blue adventurer walking with a group of soldiers, talking about something he couldn't hear quite clearly due to the distance he was above them.
"Bullseye. But they're so far above me, I'll have to drop down."
FALL!
FLIP!
SOMERSAULT!
LAND!-
CRASH!...
AL decided as he turned off his flames and fell, flipping and somersaulting, before landing on the ground in front of them.
"!" The platoon was properly shooketh by the random person landing in front of them.
"Stand up and stand down!" A private yelled, a weapon in her hands.
AL rose, towering over most of the soldiers as his eyes burned with anticipation.
"Don't shoot, I'm not resisting arrest!" AL promptly raised his hands with some instinctive fear, before facing the soldiers.
"Wait... He doesn't praise DIO like the others." Another corporal realized as he kept his laser rifle trained on him. "He might not be affiliated with him." She continued.
"He isn't. Isn't that right, AL?" Nebula had a goofy smile on his face as the pyro warrior turned to him.
"Ayeeee. I'd given you a high five but my hands are kind of contaminated." He explained.
"Contaminated in what?" The lieutenant asked.
"The blood of the innocent." AL seriously stated.
"WHAT!" The group of soldiers exclaimed with horror.
"The mind controlled innocent. I had to subdue them, and they kind of started to get stronger so I had to use more empowering to beat them down. I didn't kill any, but some of them might be in the hospital when they come to..." He continued, looking down and clenching his hands.
"Why do you look like they all dogpiled you, though?" Nebula asked.
"Because they did. Did you find DIO, yet?" He asked.
"Nope. We've been patrolling the west side and taking out the brainwashed and some shadows but other than that, that bloodsucking bastard's nowhere to be found." The god summarized as he gestured accordingly.
"Oh. I see. Well then. I suppose you guys were just moving to another sector." AL guessed, deflating.
"You betcha. We were just going there until you landed and interrupted our trail." The lieutenant responded.
"Hm. Well, I guess we have to pick another sector. East or South?" The flame fighter asked.
"Not much I've heard from the guys down south. It might be another fruitless endeavor to go that direction." A staff sergeant said as he told AL. "Well, either that or the mind-controlled minions got to them." They continued.
"But I've also heard a lot of cut connections eastward. That's a cause for concern if I've ever heard one." The private brought up. "Either way, on one hand we have a swarm of mind-controlled citizens, and on the other where DIO might actually be." The soldier weighed his options.
"There's a simple way we can resolve all of this." Nebula voiced as the soldiers turned to him.
"There is?" The corporal asked.
Nebula looked to AL, who then caught on to what he meant.
"Oh, right. Sensing." He stated.
"Sensing? Sensing what?" The lieutenant asked.
"We can sense the life force of every living thing with our ability to manipulate the natural energy of all living things, otherwise known as KI." The adventurer explained as he scanned over the south side of the nation.
"Correct. We can also tell the difference between persons based on their energy signature, and even under what influences they are, such as mind control if the stigma takes control of their life energy. And since this kind of control makes them stronger and faster, it's obnoxiously apparent." AL continued as he sensed the east sector.
They stayed quiet until AL suddenly opened his eyes.
"I feel his energy!"
"DIO's?!" The lieutenant asked with anticipation.
"No, Lady Green Heart- OF COURSE, IT'S DIO! I sense Gris and Vergo fighting with him too. There's also a bunch of knocked-out civys." AL snapped as he explained the situation.
"Good job. All I really sensed in the south was a bunch of unconscious people that Gris probably beat into comatose." Nebula stated.
"This Gris individual sounds rather violent." The corporal observed.
"Well, he is. To the east, where the plot is developing!" Nebula stood on a piece of rock and pointed before stepping off of it and continuing on his way.
"I'm surprised none of the Guild Members were able to help us out by now." A private comment as the group followed the two superpowers.
"I'm betting they're either scattered about and in hiding, brainwashed and have been defeated by us already, or they've all been called to your headquarters to assist you guys." AL thought.
"If we go by Occam's Razor, the third one is most likely if they haven't been brainwashed." Nebula stated, the fascinating occurrence of him using his brain.
"How would you know?" The lieutenant asked. The curiosity was etched on their face as they knew the relationship between the Guild and the nations, but he really wanted to know how Nebula concluded.
"My ex-girlfriend is in RRoD." He simply answered, which got the platoon to slightly slacken their jaws at the revelation.
A/N:
Heya there, reader!
If you're seeing this, this is a rewrite of the chapter, just to correct some repetition, fix some spelling errors, and improve the spelling quality, especially in the earlier chapters.
So remember, italics and bold is going for gold.
That's the end of the chapter!
I probably have to apologize to Vert for what the plot has done to her nation. Then again, she has a sibling from said plot, so it's not as bad as it could be.
I had to cut this chapter into like 20 different segments so that I could show what each important character was doing. Hell, I even gave a filler platoon some time to shine before they, uh... Died.
Also about DIO's mind control, I just gave it the ability to JOJO. Even if he didn't showcase the ability to mind control through electronic devices, I'm giving him it now for plot purposes.
And for the Guild Agents... To be honest, I forgot, but since Leanbox imploding on itself is in the works, cut me some slack. I'll put them in the next chapter to get fodderized by the Vampire that Cheated Death. Who knows? We might actually see a canon character in Leanbox? I heard it's a certain redhead.
But other than that, Nepgear, Compa, IF, and Nisa are probably sound asleep. The twins too if they didn't stay up past their bedtime.
Anyways, that's it for this chapter. I'll see you, people, next week!
Arrivederci.
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