Today was the big day. Lucy, Hayanobu, and Tokihana were all packed up.
Lucy stretched her arms. "So… why aren't we just
teleporting there again?"
Tokihana looked at her. "One, I've never been there.
Two, I want to travel normally for the experience."
Lucy giggled. "Fair enough."
Aiji hugged her from behind. "I'll miss you a lot,
Lucy-chan," he said, giggling.
"I miss you more—and I love you more, Aiji-kun,"
Lucy replied, flustered.
Mamoriko chuckled. "You two are so cute. I'm glad
you're together."
Both Lucy and Aiji smiled at her.
Rikuya jumped between them, hugging them both.
"Well, Lucy, I'll be with your boyfriend while you're gone."
"Oh no, I'm so jealous," Lucy said sarcastically.
"Well, you three better do well to surpass my
expectations," Daikenji said, smiling.
Megumi stumbled in, having been organizing things
earlier. "Okay, guys, I'm excited to see your progress."
She nearly tumbled, but Himari caught her. "Yes, and
Lucy, you've become exceptional in almost everything. I'm sure wherever the
Saint is, you won't have much trouble defeating them," she said, praising her
immensely.
Lucy appreciated the compliment but her attention
shifted to Megumi. She noticed a bump on her stomach and that her posture
looked different. Megumi didn't move around much, so Lucy hadn't noticed
before. "Megumi-senpai, are you…?"
Megumi giggled. "Yes, Lucy. Didn't you know? I guess
you've only been with us for a week."
"I hope when I come back, I'll get to meet them,"
Lucy said happily.
Megumi smiled. "Of course you will."
Mamoriko walked over and kissed Hayanobu.
"Stay safe. I love you," she said softly, her tone
gentler than usual.
"Oh, are you going soft on me? I love you too,"
Hayanobu laughed.
Tokihana laughed at the whole scene. "Okay,
everyone, let's get going," she said, opening a portal to the airport.
"See you later, Aiji-kun," Lucy said, running
through.
"See you later, Mamoriko-chan!" Hayanobu called,
showing off as he ran to the airport.
"Show off…" Mamoriko grunted.
"See you guys later!" yelled Tokihana as she stepped
through.
They got through customs quickly and boarded the
plane in just an hour. As they entered, Lucy bumped into a distinguished young
man—white, medium-length messy hair, red eyes that glowed like a blood moon,
dressed in a white Shinto priest outfit (hat included). He had a youthful face,
maybe seventeen, and was quite skinny.
"Oh! My apologies, madam! I wasn't looking—really, I
should have paid more attention!" he chirped.
Lucy blinked. "It's okay, really—it's my fault," she
said, smiling, not minding too much.
He tilted his head, smiling faintly. "Yes, yes… but
one must always be aware of their surroundings. A misstep… a collision… and the
consequences could be… unfortunate, yes?"
"Thanks… I guess?" Lucy muttered.
He nodded solemnly. "Indeed. And I must say… when
you're out there, training, fighting… playing whatever it is someone with your
title does—do be mindful of your mortality. Accidents, as they say, have a
tendency to ruin perfectly fine plans."
Lucy stared, slightly confused.
He bowed slightly, almost theatrically. "Well then…
onward!" With that, he walked away, disappearing into the private flying area.
"That was… weird," Tokihana whispered.
"He's… unsettling, but probably fine," Hayanobu
said, trying to stay positive.
They all took their seats and headed straight to
Memphis. Lucy munched on a bag of overpriced chips—the ride otherwise dull.
Hours later, the pilot announced, "Alright, ladies
and gentlemen, you may now exit the plane."
As everyone stepped off, the same man bumped into
Lucy again, this time deliberately.
"Ah! Excuse me! Ah, my apologies! But it seems we
meet again… yes?" he chirped.
"Hey! Watch it!" Hayanobu shouted.
The man smiled teasingly. "Ah… you are… fascinating,
yes… Living Rewrite. Quite the moniker. Really. Must be difficult, carrying
such a… weighty title."
Lucy froze. "You…" she murmured.
"I am… the Saint representing Diligence. Akuto
Shiramine," he said, calm yet arrogant.
Lucy opened her mouth, but he raised a hand,
grinning slightly.
"Ah-ah-ah, let me finish! Listen… not your enemy…
not yet, mind you. There is… another Saint here you must contend with. Engaging
me now… well, it could be… unwise. Civilians, you see… would likely… suffer."
He strolled off, humming softly, almost talking to
himself. Lucy Minami had just met the one person even Daikenji couldn't beat
alone—the strongest Saint.
The group's faces were dull.
"So we just let him go…" Lucy said, her joy drained
from her voice.
Tokihana placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "We don't
have a choice."
Later in a
hotel 6:00 Pm central.
They rested in the hotel room, still fixated on
their earlier encounter with Diligence. After a while, Lucy finally broke the
silence.
"So he can just walk around casually? Nothing we can
do about it!" she screamed, frustration clear in her voice.
"I'm going for a stroll," she added, getting up
calmly and walking out.
"Lucy…" Tokihana said quietly, a hint of concern in
her voice.
"Let her go—she'll be okay," Hayanobu reassured her.
Lucy strolled down the street until she reached a
local Safeway Food Mart.
"Hey, I'm not from around here. Can you just get me
anything?" Lucy said, her voice dull but polite.
"Sure, kid." The man handed her some chicken
tenders. "That'll be $6.07."
Lucy handed over roughly ¥898.
The man looked confused. "Sorry, kid, but I don't
take con—"
"I'll pay for it for her," a voice interrupted.
Lucy turned and saw the Saint of Diligence once
more. The cashier handed her the chicken tenders as she quickly shot out the
door—only to feel a pair of hands grip her shoulders.
"Not so fast, Minami. It's rather rude to not thank
someone for so gracefully buying you food," Akuto said.
Lucy tensed at his touch, turning to face his
illuminated crimson eyes. "Thank you… Akuto-yatsu."
Akuto dramatically grabbed his chest. "Yatsu, eh?
How cruel! I've never done anything negative to you."
"You killed my doctor, the coffee shop worker, and
you violated Mitsuyo-chan!" Lucy spat aggressively.
Akuto's face looked bothered as his grip on her
shoulders intensified—almost painfully. Lucy squirmed, grunting.
"Oh yes, her… I did that when I was younger. To be
fair, I only groomed her—I didn't take full advantage. But why immediately take
her side? Why assume I'm all bad? It's rather rude and inconsiderate, don't you
think, Minami-chan? Don't you?" Akuto rattled off, words spilling quickly.
Lucy felt utterly disgusted. Her heart pounded as
she clutched her chest.
"Because you're a monster!" she yelled.
He raised his hands and snapped his fingers.
"Absolute Completion."
As 〚Absolute Completion〛
activated, Lucy dropped to her knees, tears welling in her eyes.
"This ability punishes those who leave promises,
goals, or tasks unfinished," he continued. "They are crushed by the weight of
their own failures, regrets, and anxiety. Let's see… you wish to make up with
your parents, you made a promise with that Tokihana girl, you want to defeat me
to avenge all those I've slaughtered. Foolish. Those who hold regrets,
failures, and anxiety cannot fight me—and will never find me. Honestly,
Lucy-chan, I can easily blow your head off. I'm the strongest in the
world—well, other than Daikenji Kahito, of course. Honestly, Lucy Minami, I
hope when we come to blows, you are stronger than you seem right now." His tone
carried disappointment, but it seemed he intentionally wanted to anger her.
Suddenly, an ice block shot at Diligence, which he
ordered to explode.
"Oh, Yuki-onna, that's rather…" he was cut off as a
created kusarigama slashed at him, splitting his backside open. He quickly
jumped away, activating his passive ability, Tireless Existence.
"Oh, you really are strong, Living Rewrite," he
said, dramatically clapping his hands.
"Damn you…" Lucy breathed deeply.
"I really must go. I agreed with Sachiko-chan that I
wouldn't kill you or any other strikers without her," he added.
Lucy's eyes widened at the mention of Charity. "You
mean she's here!?"
Akuto turned to look her in the eyes. "Of course she
is. She's the entire reason I came here, you know. But she's rather cruel, so I
recommend you be careful."
He walked away, leaving Lucy mostly undamaged.
Suddenly, Yuki jumped out of her shirt.
"Lucy-sama… I saw the entire thing happen.
Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do… forgive me, my lady." He grew and
rubbed her back with his wings.
"It's quite alright, Yuki. Even Daikenji-sama would
suffer injuries fighting that guy—there was nothing we could do," she said,
grunting slightly.
Yuki grew even larger and lifted Lucy onto his back.
"Shh… take a nap. You deserve it."
For the first time in forever—since before her
parents had left her—Lucy finally settled down. She stopped tensing up and
simply relaxed, shutting her eyes as her consciousness drifted off.
It's great to get some quality sleep
again…. I kinda miss being a kid where I didn't always have to fight for my
survival.
9:00
am central
Lucy wakes up rubbing her eyes, trying to shake off
sleepiness, and sees Hayanobu and Tokihana sitting at the table. Tokihana
notices her stirring.
"Lucy-chan, come here," Tokihana says, her tone a
lot sterner than usual.
"Oki," Lucy mutters, hopping out of bed and walking
over to sit in the middle seat.
"Yuki-san told us the rundown, but we want to know
everything—down to the last detail," Hayanobu says, serious but not mean. He
just wants to make sure Lucy's okay and is treating her like an adult.
"I understand." Lucy explains the entire situation.
By the end, Tokihana is visibly shaken—her brother's killer is here in the city
right now…
"Yuki-san sure left a lot out," Hayanobu says,
trying to lighten the mood.
"Well, Tokihana, I'll make good on our promise. I
swear," Lucy says, her voice serious.
Tokihana nods.
As they continue talking, a loud thump hits the
door. Three knocks… room service?
Lucy gets up. "Who is it?"
"It's… him," a deep voice says. Despite the depth,
she can tell the boy isn't much older than Aiji.
She opens the door just as Yuki jumps from under her
covers onto her shoulder.
Standing there is a roughly 16-year-old African
American boy—black hair in cornrows, brown eyes, muscular build like a football
player, and massive hands, the right one gloved.
"Lucy Minami?" he asks.
Lucy freezes. Who is he, and how does he know my
name? Could he be another Saint? What Saints are uncounted… only Temperance!
"Yes." As a Raīju sprouts from behind her, a few
Onibi also appear.
The boy raises his hands, startled. "Woah, woah, I'm
not a Saint if that's what you think."
Lucy eases her tension as she dispels the Yokai. Okay…
got it. He's not a Saint. Then what is he? Maybe a Kitsune? No, Yuki would've
called that out by now… maybe he's one of us? But he looks normal enough…
"My name is Darius Franklin. I work for an
organization of freaks like us called the Counterforce," he says nervously.
Hayanobu and Tokihana walk over. "Wow… an American
Striker," Tokihana mutters.
"Wonder if they also have a speedster," Hayanobu
adds.
"Well, no. It's just me and my boss right now,"
Darius replies.
Quite the interesting group…
"Well, I assume you know us. What are your powers?"
"My power is—" He snaps, and a gun appears in one
hand, a gauntlet in the other.
The group's faces go grim.
"In all due respect, bullets are roughly Mach 1.
Everyone here is at least light-speed. How do you expect to hit any Saints?"
Hayanobu says bluntly.
"For your information, my bullets can exit the
observable universe in roughly 1/3 of a Planck second."
Lucy, ever the nerd, blurts: "Roughly 2.45 followed
by 70 zeros… times the speed of light!"
"Nerd," Tokihana teases.
"Whatever," Lucy rolls her eyes.
"Well, that's the largest finite number excuse I can
give. In power-scaling terms, my bullet is infinite-speed. Our universe is
infinite in size—according to my boss Jeremy, who has the power of knowledge
and intelligence. So I assume he's right: my bullet can traverse it in less
than a picosecond," Darius rants.
The strikers look confused. "What's the matter?"
"What's the matter?" Darius questions.
"What's power-scaling?" they all ask.
"It's determining how fast or strong someone—or
something—is. Infinite speed means traveling an infinite distance in finite
time."
"Oh, is that so? Well… we're only light-speed, I
think?" Lucy says.
"Incorrect. Hayanobu and that bird Yuki are
infinite-speed in travel, based on my expertise. Jeremy can't power-scale, so
don't trust him. The rest of you react that fast too—even that Aiji boyfriend
of yours."
Lucy's cheeks flush.
"Why do you know so much about us?" she asks.
"Well, don't take this the wrong way, but we've been
spying on you for the past week. A Saint has been here in the city… Sachiko, I
think she said her name."
"So it's confirmed. Akuto didn't lie—she's here,"
Tokihana says.
"Would you like to meet my boss?" Darius asks.
"Of course," Lucy replies.
At the Counter-Strike
base, 9:35 AM
The base was quite large—much shorter in height than
the mansion the Strikers owned, but far wider. It looked like something out of
a low-budget sci-fi movie, Alien vs. Humans-style.
"Rather giant place you have here," said Lucy.
"Well, for what my boss does, it's just right."
"And that would be?" Hayanobu asked.
"You'll see. He explains it a lot better than I
can."
"Alright then," said Hayanobu.
Darius pulled into the driveway, entering the
garage.
"Daddy's home."
They walked through the door into a base that seemed
to stretch endlessly. "Wonderful, just wonderful." Suddenly, a young man
appeared—around 18 years old, pink hair, pink eyes, wearing a lab coat over
black pants and a shirt.
"Hello, my name is Jeremy Olsteen."
"Lucy Mi—"
"I already know who you are. Thought that was
obvious," Jeremy said condescendingly.
Lucy's eyes twitched. "Oh yes, my apologies,
asshole," she muttered, slapping his hand away.
"Maybe if you were smart, you would've known… what,
are you autistic?"
"That's enough." Yuki jumped out of her shirt,
kicking Jeremy in the face.
"Ow! What the hell, Yuki?"
He grew to his normal size—bigger than an ostrich,
broad enough for Lucy and Aiji to ride on. "I won't tolerate disrespect to the
lady."
Normally, I'd probably stop this… This guy is
being a total jerk. Why did he call me autistic? What the heck? We just met! I
mean, we don't need these people anyway, but I do think Aiji-kun and Darius
would get along quite well, Lucy thought.
"Wait, wait! I'm sorry. Forgive me. I wasn't trying
to be a jerk. I was just giving my honest opinion. My brain works differently,"
Jeremy pleaded.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Tokihana asked.
"Wait, wait—he's right, he has autism. I keep
telling him to stop diagnosing people, but he doesn't listen. I told him it
offends people," Darius added, pleading.
"Yes, Darius is absolutely right. Please forgive me,
Lucy Minami and her loyal servant Yuki. Please don't kill me!" Jeremy begged.
"Kill you? I wasn't planning on it… I was just gonna
make Mamoriko or Yuki beat you or something," Lucy said, feeling second-hand
embarrassment.
"Oh, sorry about that." He got up, dusting off his
lab coat.
"Well, anyway, your friend here told us you have
something going on."
"Well, before you guys got here, I was polishing my
Makima figures."
"…."
"Well, anyway, let me show you Strikers my wonderful
creation."
They walked down the hall until they reached a room
with three glass cryogenic pods. One was empty; the other two contained
featureless human bodies—one female, one male.
"These are what I call the World Authorities. They
will be used to balance out the Saints; their power will hold absolute
authority," Jeremy said proudly.
"That's… interesting. How do you make them?"
"I take human DNA and splice it with Yokai."
All the Strikers grew grim.
"Uhhh…" Lucy began raising her hand, ready to summon
a Yokai to attack him.
"Wait, wait! Let me clarify—I take it from people
who have already died or from consenting donors!"
The Strikers all took a deep breath.
"Well, that's nice to know," said Hayanobu.
"But, um… hey, where's the other one?"
"He has a mind of his own. Be careful."
Suddenly, a tall figure appeared in the doorway.