The seconds dragged on like heavy, thick hours, laden with tension and anticipation. The screens flickered with graphics that seemed to hold the fate of them all. Finally, a subtle change began to manifest: the dark virus invading Larot's brain—a writhing, shadowy mantle akin to living smoke—started to slowly recede, giving way to a faint but healthy glow that shimmered in the projected images.
"It's working!" Rafael exclaimed, his voice trembling with a mix of relief and triumph. The smile on his face was so genuine it seemed to light up the entire room. "We did it, sir!"
"We did it!" Adrian replied, allowing himself to relax his shoulders for the first time in what felt like an eternity. His hands trembled slightly, not just from exhaustion but also from the pent-up emotion.
Adrian glanced at Rafael and let out a brief but warm laugh. "You mean we did it, kid."
"They did it!" Megumi shouted from her position, hurling one last rock with precision at a robot attempting to flank them. The impact rang out with a metallic echo, and the robot collapsed with a thunderous crash. "Now we just have to wait for this to finish!"
At that exact moment, Leila felt a surge of renewed energy emanating from where Larot lay connected. It was as if an invisible electric current ran down her spine, awakening every nerve in her body. She frowned, turning toward the epicenter of that sensation. "Something's changing," she murmured, more to herself than to the others.
Aragon noticed it too. His eyes, weary yet alert, locked onto the same spot. A faint but sincere smile spread across his face. "It seems you succeeded," he said in a hoarse voice, heavy with gratitude. "Now we just need to hold on a little longer."
Both men, though exhausted to their limits, redoubled their efforts. Every movement, every strike, every decision was imbued with newfound determination. They knew the battle wasn't over yet, but for the first time in what felt like forever, they felt a spark of hope burning as brightly as dawn after an endless night.
One by one, the clones of Larot began to melt away like wax figures under a scorching sun. Everything around them turned white, a pure and immaculate void. In Leila's lap, Lingo—the small being she had protected all this time—whispered barely audibly: "Thank you," before vanishing into a silvery mist. An instant later, he reappeared transformed: a tall and elegant adult, dressed in The Dark Knight's armor that had meant so much to him.
"Lingo… is that really you again?" Aragon asked, his voice tinged with awe and joy. He approached with slow but determined steps, as if afraid the vision might disappear at any moment.
Lingo nodded, his face reflecting a mix of relief and pride. "Yes," he replied firmly, his deep voice resonating through the void.
"I'm glad you're back," Aragon said, pulling his apprentice into an embrace filled with the weight of years of worry, love, and shared sacrifices. It was more than just a hug; it was a silent declaration of everything that didn't need to be spoken aloud.
"This isn't the time for reunions," Leila interjected, her urgent but calm tone cutting through the air like a knife. "We need to get out of here, or we'll be trapped." She extended her hands toward them, her eyes gleaming with authority and concern. "Give me your hands."
Without hesitation, both placed their hands on hers. In the blink of an eye, everything around them dissolved. But just before the scene faded completely, something flickered in Lingo's mind: a vast, pristine white space, unblemished except for a tiny black speck moving slowly in the distance. The speck began to retreat from the light.
Back in the real world, now free from the subconscious realm, master and disciple found themselves face-to-face once more. It was more than a reunion; it was a father-and-son moment, brimming with emotions neither could put into words. Both turned toward Leila and her team, offering looks of profound gratitude.
"We're not entirely free yet," Akira pointed out, her voice sharp as a blade as she continued fighting the remaining robots. Her movements were fluid and precise, each strike calculated to maximize damage.
Leila observed the other fighters she didn't recognize, their bodies moving with almost supernatural coordination. "Well, who are you people?" she asked, her curiosity palpable even amidst the chaos.
"We're part of the Super Secret Agency units," Amaya replied without missing a beat, taking down an enemy with a swift and precise movement as she unleashed electric rubber snakes. Her voice was steady, but there was a glimmer of humor in her words.
"Well, I don't know all of you, but hey, the more, the merrier," Leila said with a shrug, blocking an attack with her telekinesis. Then, with a nostalgic smile, she added, "It's a shame my usual crew isn't here."
"How about we finish these things off?" Aragon said, his voice resonating with a mix of confidence and determination as he glanced at Lingo. His eyes gleamed with the same intensity as the flames dancing around his aura.
Lingo nodded firmly, a barely perceptible smile tugging at his lips. "I'm with you," he responded, his tone calm but charged with restrained power.
In unison, they raised their hands, and a surge of pure energy erupted from them like an overflowing river. The blast of power surged toward the remaining robots with dizzying speed, disintegrating them instantly. The metallic clamor of their collapsing bodies echoed through the area, leaving behind only piles of smoking scrap metal.
"We have already softened them up for you," Akira remarked sarcastically, crossing her arms as she surveyed the mangled remains of the robots. Her trademark smirk was unmistakable, even through the armor, and the faint sound of her lips parting could be heard.
Leila approached Larot, studying him with a mixture of curiosity and caution. "You're not against us anymore, right?" she asked, her voice soft but brimming with hope.
"No, not at all, young lady," Larot replied with a warm smile. "Thanks to you, I'm back to being myself… but not entirely." His expression darkened slightly. "There's something in my past that I've forgotten, and I don't know how to recover it."
"Maybe my boss can help you with that," Leila suggested, her tone optimistic yet practical. "But for now, we need your support to help Adia fight that evil being, Geros."
"It's only fair," Aragon interjected, nodding decisively. Then he turned to Lingo. "What do you say we help them and then pay Zeus a visit?"
"Nothing would please me more," Lingo replied with a smile. Both placed their fists on the structure blocking their path, and with a simultaneous shout, they shattered it as if it were a bubble pierced by a sharp needle. Fragments of metal and dust flew in all directions, leaving a clear path ahead.
Upon crossing the obstacle, the group found Podbe and the others locked in combat with a remnant of robots. "Reinforcements have arrived," Leila thought to herself, sending a wave of relief to the others.
They charged in together, joining the fray with an almost choreographed precision. Every movement was synchronized, as though they had fought side by side for years. Larot stood out among them; his fluid, calculated attacks exuded lethal elegance. With each strike, he felled the remaining enemies with breathtaking efficiency. His towering figure seemed to dance through the chaos, a beacon of determination amidst the heat of battle.
From a distance, Maria observed Larot with a mix of admiration and awe. Her eyes traced his silhouette, lingering on his now-uncovered face. "It's him… The Dark Knight," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the clamor. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she added, almost to herself, "He looks handsome without his helmet."
Leila, ever attentive, caught the comment and couldn't help but smirk mischievously. "I hadn't noticed," she teased, approaching Maria with a playful expression. Her lighthearted tone momentarily broke the tension of the fight, drawing a nervous giggle from Maria's lips.
"Are you going to attack us again?" Aiden asked, his voice laced with distrust as Podbe assumed a defensive stance, ready to act if anything went wrong.
"No, nothing like that," Larot responded calmly, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. His voice was firm yet kind, as if he wanted to convey with every word that he was no longer the same person who had once opposed them.
"What a relief!" Maria and Elena exclaimed almost in unison, completely forgetting that this very knight, whose presence now filled them with admiration, had once tried to end their lives. The transformation in him was so evident that it seemed to erase any trace of hostility. It was as if time had reset, offering them a fresh chance to know him without the prejudices of the past.
Likewise, Riota, Gat, Floud, and the others directed slightly stunned glances toward Aragon. "For today, we share one common goal: defeat whatever is behind this and then take down Zeus," Aragon declared firmly.
"As the saying goes: 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'… or something like that. I don't quite remember," Eduard added with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his neck.
Everyone decided to form a temporary truce—even Gat, whose stubbornness was legendary, and the children, especially Riota, on whom Aragon had left an indelible mark during their last confrontation.
"He looks different without his helmet, Sir Larot," Billy observed, his voice full of wonder.
"You're right," Aiden agreed. "He seems like a different person. He no longer radiates the same hatred he did when he wanted to kill us all. I wonder what changed."
Within Podbe's mental space, Reia processed the scene with her usual cold detachment. "You have reached level 16. You gain one skill point," she announced, reading the system notification with robotic precision.
"Ah, well, I guess we only gained one level since we didn't defeat all the robots. Too bad," Podbe commented with a hint of disappointment in his voice. However, he quickly shook his head, refocusing his thoughts.
"It doesn't matter, Podbe. You'll level up more later. Right now, let's go support Adia; she needs us," Aiden said encouragingly.
"Yes," the canine responded both mentally and aloud, punctuating his words with a bark that echoed like a ripple of determination.
"Alright, everyone, get ready. We're breaking through this wall," Aragon announced in a firm voice, his fist beginning to glow with an intense light that illuminated the surrounding shadows. Beside him, Larot did the same, their energies merging in a dance of light and power. With a simultaneous roar, they unleashed their attacks against the barrier, obliterating it in a blinding explosion. As the dust settled, they were astonished to find themselves facing a vast horizon that seemed to breathe with a life of its own, as if the entire world had been waiting for this very moment.
Meanwhile, in a remote corner of Africa, the atmosphere was quite different. The interior of the makeshift ship was filled with tension interspersed with moments of levity.
"Mr. Ezequiel, what happened? I thought we were going to support the others in the Pacific," Piti remarked, his tone heavy with concern as he looked at his boss with questioning eyes.
"It seems this ship broke down," Ezequiel replied, scratching his chin absentmindedly as he inspected the remains of the engine. "They rushed me a lot, and I forgot to install a proper motor with the parts I found," Becky added, lowering her gaze with a hint of guilt.
"Well, young lady, it's not entirely your fault," Azulema interjected, crossing her arms with a mischievous smile. "Sometimes, Ezequiel is an old man who likes doing things in a hurry."
"Old man!" Ezequiel exclaimed, pretending to be indignant. "You and I are contemporaries, Azulema." Then, more calmly, he added, "Yes, I think I owe you an apology, Becky. I rushed you to build the ship, and that wasn't fair. I'm sorry."
"No problem, sir," Becky replied with a shy smile. "The good news is that we have the cure, and Unit O will send it to us. So we can heal the controlled orphans and take them to a safe place."
"Yes, I think you're right," Mark agreed, his voice calm but brimming with optimism. The girls—Teresa, Alicia, and Samanta—exchanged knowing glances before surrounding him with admiration. "You always see the bright side of things, Marky," they said in unison, making the young man blush intensely.
"Oh, my!" Azulema exclaimed, pushing the girls aside and dramatically taking Mark's hands. "This boy deserves some space, don't you think? Besides, it's my turn." In her mind, Azulema thought, I was the only one allowed to call him Marky.
"Alright, I'll report our location so they can send us supplies," Becky said, refocusing as she began moving some tools around. "And I'll build a machine exactly according to my boss, Adrian's specifications."
Suddenly, Piti's stomach growled loudly, breaking the brief silence. "Sir, I'm hungry. Isn't there anything to eat around here?" he asked, rubbing his belly with an anxious expression.
"No, Piti, there's nothing in this rickety ship," Ezequiel replied with a resigned sigh. But no sooner had he finished speaking than everyone's stomachs began to growl in unison. The fight against the controlled ones had left them all exhausted and famished.
"I have a task for you, young Piti," Ezequiel said with a sly smile. "Go and buy food for everyone. My treat." He pulled out a card and handed it to the boy. "Really, sir? Anything at all?" Piti exclaimed, thrilled.
"Yes, Piti, nothing at all. Besides, you're the fastest one here," Ezequiel confirmed. The boy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Alright, sir. For food, I'll do anything." He quickly jotted down what everyone wanted to eat and disappeared in the blink of an eye, moving like lightning. In the blink of an eye, he returned laden with bags of food from different parts of the world.
"How fast you are, boy!" Azulema exclaimed, genuinely impressed by herself. "For someone with that build, you're much more agile than you look."
"Thank you, ma'am," Piti replied, blushing slightly.
Once everyone had eaten, they received doses of the cure via special transport. "Alright, I'll tell the remaining cadets to keep the controlled ones under custody and prepare to return to base," Azulema announced authoritatively.
"Girl, you can build another ship, but this time make it good and powerful," Azulema instructed Becky. "Yes, ma'am," the girl replied with determination.
"Well, you have half an hour to do it. Now that everyone is satisfied and ready to support the boss, it's the perfect moment," Azulema said. Becky nodded and began working, her hands moving quickly and precisely. In no time, she completed a ship that resembled a silver sparrow, elegant and swift.
"Everything's ready, and now I've improved everything," Becky announced proudly as the group boarded. Azulema, Piti, the three girls, Ezequiel, Mark, and Becky took their places.
"Alright, destination: the Pacific Ocean. Just hold on, everyone," Azulema said as the ship roared to life, soaring into the sky like an arrow toward its target.
In Japan, Ray and his team were also preparing to depart. After leaving the cadet leader in charge of distributing the cures and returning with the orphans to the base, they boarded their ship.
"Alright, it's time to go," Margaret announced with determination. Ramona, Brea, Marta, and Sheila boarded Radar's ship, heading toward the meeting point with their supreme leader, Drake.
There were only four hours left before the time indicated by the general would run out.