Yanagi: "We're out of money... again."
Mihara: "I'll go find something."
Yanagi: "No, just... let me be useful."
Mihara: "No stealing, Yanagi. I don't want anyone to know where we live."
Yanagi: "But... I can just silence the witnesses."
Mihara: "There are cameras all over the city. And some powerful people know you, but not me. My power is also way more discreet than yours."
Yanagi: "A-Are you sure...? These jobs you take are kinda dangerous..."
Mihara: "Don't worry about me. I can always come back when things get serious."
Yanagi: "Then... come back soon, okay?"
Mihara: "Sooner than you can expect."
She left the port warehouse and walked around the city a bit, until she found the internet cafe she frequents to find requests on the web. She had some money saved for emergencies.
As she scrolled down the page, she found an interesting but suspicious offer. The payment was listed in another currency, so the contractor was not Japanese. The ad said:
"Have you seen this woman? Bring her to me, alive."
The delivery location, time frame and other details were also listed.
"Be aware that I am not responsible for casualties. This is a high-level mission."
Mihara: "Hm... a little suspicious, but my power is perfect for this."
She called the contractor.
— Who is this?
Mihara: "Call me Realocator. How can I find the woman you're looking for?"
— Part of this contract is to find her. I don't know how to locate her.
Mihara: "Are you serious? This city is huge."
— Not my problem.
Mihara: "Alright, I'll go find her. Put something where you want her to be."
— What?
Mihara: "It's my power. I'll switch her and the object around."
— Wait, teleportation powers? That's crazy convenient! What's the ideal range?
Mihara: "Anywhere on Earth."
Ria was sitting on a park bench, her back to the ocean. A man in white approached her, holding two ice cream cones. He handed her one.
— Didn't expect to see a Level 7 in person today.
Ria took a bite of ice cream, thoughtful.
Ria: "Hey, do you hate me?"
— For what? You're busy saving the city.
Ria: "The last fight... I could have stopped them sooner if I had taken it seriously."
— You still won, right? I'm sure you had a good reason to prolong the fight. The collateral damage may be great, but Kiseki is healing the city anyway.
Ria: "She can't bring the dead back to life."
— I think we all know that, except the delusional ones.
Ria: "Don't you hate being weak? You could die any day without a chance to say goodbye."
— Most of us are weak, and there's nothing wrong with that. Some may want to become stronger, but others don't care so much.
Ria: "What about you?"
— I don't hate not having power. Less responsibility, more peace and that electrifying anticipation you feel when a fight starts. We can't defend ourselves, we just hope a hero saves us in time. That in itself is not a bad feeling. It's like Russian roulette, you never know if you're going to survive or not.
Ria didn't know how to respond. She had been in this situation before, but now she was stronger than most people. Had she lost that humility?
— At least this world isn't boring, right?
He smiled at her. Without realizing it, a small smile formed on her mouth.
Ria: "Thanks for the ice cream. How much do you want? I'm quite rich, as you can see."
— Just talking to a Level 7 is a great honor. It's one of those priceless experiences, like dating or winning a final match.
Ria: "Are you really that selfless? If someone offered you a huge amount of money without wanting anything in return, would you refuse?"
— I would suspect them... though it's really tempting.
Ria: "Do you have a job? You don't look rich to me."
— I'm an ice cream shop owner... and you're right, I'm not really rich. But are you sure? Is there any amount you wouldn't miss?
Ria: "There you go. You shouldn't turn down offers just because they seem too good for you. Take any opportunity that doesn't seem suspicious. Wait a minute, I'll wire you the money."
As she turned her attention to her cell phone in her pocket, she felt a tingling sensation on her neck. She looked to the side. There was a chainsaw scratching her skin. A girl was holding the weapon, gritting her teeth, anger written all over her face. This girl was Chainsycho.
They never met, as the psychotic girl's power had long range and her friend, Katsuragi, wanted her to be safe. But she knew that Ria made her friend disappear into space and was furious. Even though she knew she had no chance, her goal was clear: to avenge Katsuragi.
She blocked Ria's power and struck her with the powerful chainsaw, but the weapon was too weak to even scratch her. Ria stood up, glaring at the furious girl. As she turned to walk toward her, she felt a hot stab in her stomach. Then, a pain began to surge. She looked down. A sword had pierced her body.
Ria: "Huh...? How can this..."
She tried to grab the blade, but it slipped from her hands, increasing the pain in her stomach. Turning around, she saw the decapitated ice cream man and a woman standing next to his corpse. She wore silver armor and had long, black hair that swayed in the ocean breeze. She held the bloody sword in her left hand.
Ria: "This can't be... you're that woman..."
She was familiar with that knight. That woman had been responsible for an attack on a village years ago.
Ria: "You killed my family..."
— See, that's what I was muttering to myself just a few minutes ago. Anger, desire for revenge, determination, regret, sadness... the list goes on. Even the great Ria, expressive as a statue, can feel and show emotions.
Something about that knight's voice bothered Ria. Not that it was annoying. It was even more expressionless and soulless than hers. But most importantly, that voice sounded masculine.
Ria: "Are you… a man…?"
— Surprise, confusion... Yes, I am a man. Everyone thinks I'm a woman because of my long hair. You said I killed your family? I didn't think a Level 7 hero would recognize me.
Ria: "You... don't remember...? You set my village on fire and killed everybody, except for me and Tetsushi..."
— Tetsushi? Sorry, I don't remember the names of people I don't respect. Since we're all saying names, mine is Shinji. What about yours?
He pointed to Chainsycho, who was just as appalled as Ria.
Shinji: "Are you after Ria too? Well, just don't get in my way."
He charged at Ria and swung his sword downward. Ria tried to grab the blade with her hand, but it sliced her arm easily, snapping it in two. She smashed a propulsion bullet to the side, traveling a few meters to stay out of his range. She held her arm with the other, helping the 7-Up stitch up the wound.
Shinji: "I thought you had a barrier. Is this that girl's doing?"
Ria: "Cowards... two against one is against the rules."
Shinji: "I don't care about rules. I don't care about anything, actually."
Ria: "Then why are you after me?"
Shinji: "You're in charge of everything in this city. And I'm looking for a special potion. I'm sure you have some of it."
Ria: "The 7-Ex...? How do you know that?"
Shinji: "Information travels easily. And ever since I was born, I've wanted to feel something. Any kind of emotion. I'm very compatible with 7-Up, so maybe this special blend has some effect on me?"
Ria: "So you burned down a village because you wanted to have fun...?"
Shinji: "Not just fun. Anything, really. The Boss helped me, but no one tried to stop me. Even though it didn't do anything for my brain, it was my right to try."
Ria: "Everyone tried to stop you... aren't they considered human to you?!"
Shinji: "Oh, my bad. I meant no one strong tried to stop me. Ants don't count."
Ria: "You... you let me live... and you're going to regret that decision..."
Shinji: "I don't leave relatives alive, so they can all meet in hell. The Boss asked me to leave some, so you're alive because of him. There was nothing to lose either way."
Chainsycho had been trying to harm Ria the whole time. They only noticed her presence now. As Ria turned her attention to her, Shinji charged towards her.
Shinji: "The barrier could become a problem... I can't let my support die!"
As he swung his sword at her, Ria held a piercing bullet and blocked the blade with her hand. The bullet was pushed against her palm, causing the cartridge to explode and release the projectile. At the last moment, Shinji arched his head back, the bullet cutting through the blade and grazing his forehead.
He quickly grabbed Ria's neck and began strangling her, trying to divert her attention from Chainsycho. Ria grabbed her revolver and shot him in the stomach several times. Even though his armor and body were pierced, he showed no sign of pain. He threw her towards the city.
Her body passed through several buildings, stopping after crashing into an empty shopping mall. It was white and blue, futuristic, and abandoned. There wasn't a single shop or person in the long hallway. Shinji emerged from the ceiling window, stopping a few meters away from Ria. His armor and sword were repaired.
Ria: "But how?!"
Shinji: "Intrigue, curiosity... I think you've forgotten the law of unity. When you consider your clothes and weapons as an extension of your own body, you can regenerate them along with your flesh."
Ria: "Even so, this rate is not normal..."
Shinji: "Just so you know, I don't have a power. But my compatibility with 7-Up is off the charts. Your barrier would protect you, but it seems like you can't reach that crazy girl."
Ria: "I don't need all my powers to beat you."
She pulled out both revolvers and shot at him with insane speed. He managed to dodge every shot. Ria spun her guns like helicopters, spreading the line of fire in all directions. Some bullets ricocheted off the walls, catching Shinji by surprise and hitting his eye. He stopped dead in his tracks.
Ria punched him in the face with amazing force. Then she drew her rifle and shot him in the face. He dodged and punched her in the stomach. She writhed in pain, but recovered quickly enough to use the rifle as a baseball bat. She hit him with the body of the gun and sent him flying out of the mall.
His body flew through a skyscraper and landed in an office. Ria jumped right after him, as she couldn't let him heal. He hid behind the desks. She aimed her rifle, looking for him. He flipped a desk toward her. She fired, hitting his heart. He managed to slash her side, cutting off part of her body, before the blade stuck. The impact sent her flying.
She landed on top of another skyscraper, on a helipad. Shinji arrived shortly after. She drew her revolver and began firing. He dodged the shots as he approached. When he was close enough, he threw a punch at her head, which she dodged by arching her head back. He swung his sword to the side. She smashed a propulsion bullet to the side.
She took out her carbine and shot him, hitting his arm. He ran toward her. She also dashed to the side using a propulsion bullet. She shot again, from a different direction. He tried to reach her again, but she kept using the same tactic, leaving him confused.
Chainsycho suddenly appeared, holding her flying chainsaw. Ria quickly grabbed her revolver with one hand, while the other held her carbine. As she aimed at the flying girl, Shinji punched her through the heart, stunning her. Chainsycho threw her chainsaw at her, which continued to hit her, dealing no damage. Ria fell to her knees.
Ria: "This is really bad... I can't defeat them alone..."
Shinji: "So? Can you fetch me some 7-Ex?"
Ria: "Unizard... if you're hearing this, I'm in trouble... please help me..."
Shinji sat on top of her and tried to punch her in the face, but his fists bounced off.
Shinji: "A barrier...? But that girl is still alive!"
Ria: "I'm so used to having the barrier on all the time, I thought that girl's power was to nullify powers... She simply changed the condition needed for it to work... Now I have to concentrate to keep it active..."
Shinji: "I heard your barrier isn't omnidirectional. I just need to find the weak point."
As he stood up, Ria jumped towards him, dragging his body with hers off the roof of the skyscraper. As they fell, he continued to hit her with his elbow, but she wouldn't let go. He pierced her limbs with his sword, but she was determined to take him down with her. They crashed into the asphalt, sending everyone nearby flying.
Ria: "The 7-Ex... might have traded my previous bullets for these new ones... I can't generate a regeneration bullet..."
Shinji stood up and brushed the dust off his knees. He began to circle her body, trying to find the weak spot.
Ria: "I just need to buy some time... I'm sure Unizard is coming... But if she's not... I'll take his life along with mine..."
She drew her revolvers and shot at him. He dodged the bullets. She shot at cars and the walls of buildings, making them ricochet. He continued to dodge them. Suddenly, someone touched him, in the middle of the gunfire. He was taken by surprise, so he looked back. It was himself.
Shinji: "What...?"
The bullets hit his body, stunning him for a second. Someone punched him in the side, sending him crashing into a wall.
Ria: "What... what are you doing here?!"
It was Yuna.
Yuna: "Saving your ass. I had a hard time reaching you, since you like to change scenarios every few seconds."
Ria: "You're no match for him! Call Kiseki, or Shentong!"
Yuna: "And leave you here? I don't know why, but I feel like if you die, things will get remarkably worse."
Ria: "Unizard's coming for the rescue! Just leave me alone!"
Yuna: "Your guarantee? You're not the one doing the telepathy."
Shinji jumped off the wall, cracking his shoulders.
Shinji: "You have managed to surprise me. Congratulations, you've won my respect. What's your name?"
Yuna didn't respond. She took a deep breath, focusing on the enemy. Shinji's clone was still in the same place as before.
Yuna whispered to Ria: "I can't control his clone, only distribute the damage to all versions of him. Shoot it."
Ria took out her carbine and shot the clone in the head with a piercing bullet. The head was damaged, but the hole was smaller than the bullet. Consequently, Shinji suffered the same damage.
Shinji: "I see... Now I have another one to protect."
He ran up to the clone and grabbed his arm, throwing him far away. His head was hit by a shot from behind. He turned to look at Ria. Just as she was about to shoot, nothing happened. The condition of her power changed again. Taking advantage of this short space of time, he ran towards Yuna, who suddenly disappeared. She was already behind him. She kicked him with both legs, sending him flying down the street.
He stabbed the asphalt with his sword to slow himself down. Yuna ran toward him. This time, she was slower. She summoned three clones of herself, one behind him and the others at his sides. They grabbed his arms, stopping him from moving for a second. Yuna punched him in the chest, but did no damage. He pushed her clones away and punched her in the face, cracking her skull and disorienting her.
His head was suddenly pierced. Another clone punched his head from the side. He swung his sword horizontally, trying to cut the clone in two, but it disappeared. Shinji continued to feel his body being shot. Yuna left several clones of him behind so Ria could line up their bodies and fire her carbine, hitting multiple points at once.
He kicked Yuna, who was kneeling in pain. However, her body transformed into another clone of him. He damaged himself. She appeared from behind and punched him in the head, stunning him. He tried to stay on his feet as his body continued to be hit by gunfire from all directions.
A chainsaw appeared from above. Yuna noticed it and grabbed the spinning blade with both hands. Chainsycho tried to force the weapon down, but even injured, Yuna was much stronger. Shinji pointed his sword at her heart. Yuna tried to make another clone and switch places, but her power didn't work. She tried to jump away, but her stomach was stabbed. He pulled the sword back, leaving her limp body hit the ground.
Shinji: "Thanks for the help again... You're here because you can't beat Ria alone, isn't it?"
Shinji and Chainsycho felt a strange sensation. Some particles around them began to float, and a purple light appeared. Then, in the small cylindrical volume where they were, everything was crushed instantly.
Yuna rubbed her eyes, trying to understand what had happened. Yuto knelt down and offered his hand to help her up. Unizard healed her.
Yuto: "This is the first time we meet. Your name's Yuna, right? Unizard told me about you."
His smile was sweet and gentle.
Yuna: "What about Ria?"
Unizard: "We've given priority to you and the knight. Ria can survive a little longer. Would you mind taking us to her?"
They ran at a steady pace to preserve their stamina and mana. After reaching Ria, Unizard quickly healed her.
Unizard: "Sorry for taking long."
Ria: "Thanks for saving us."
Unizard: "Huh? I thought you'd be mad at our incompetence."
Ria: "I'm sure you came as fast as you could."
Unizard: "Well... thanks, I guess? You're not being sarcastic, are you?"
Ria: "Yuto, did you notice something?"
He was staring at the ground, pensative.
Yuto: "Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I didn't feel the supreme gravity hitting one of them."
Yuna: "You can feel where your attack hits?"
Yuto: "Yeah, I can sense any kind of gravity, actually. I'm sure the chainsaw girl is dead, but the other..."
In a dark throne room...
— We both know you can take me out with one punch. But I can help you with your task.
Shinji: "I doubt that. Do you have any 7-Ex?"
— Wait, your voice... are you a man?!
Shinji: "Answer my question."
— Sorry, I didn't expect this turn of events. The answer is no, but politics is on my side. If you ally with me, we can help each other. You as the brawn, I as the mind.
Shinji: "I'm sorry, but what kind of person are you? You don't seem very important to me."
— You don't recognize me? Seriously? How uncultured can you be? But I'll let that slide since you're handsome. Greetings, I'm Elizabeth.