Chapter 44———Neo The Bohemian
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Akina Willoby, the other protagonist of this tale, has escaped the frozen winds of the Tundra Garden along with the firecracker Beri Alliyma Sosa, the young pilot of the Inugann Cade Kikaishin and the cold-hearted Finnish Cecilia Harmaajärvi——Now heading to the epicenter of this unexpected calamity. Though their path by flight can potentially work for them———Their classmates didn't have the same luck Akina and her group had.
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Outside Of The Garden, two cops watched how ZiON's greatest ambition was falling to pieces in delight while snacking on finger food.
Dionysus "Dio" Rampart and Tom Lewandoski, the killers of Ryoji's good friend Batsaikhan Dorj.
"All these idiots and politics fighting over nothing is entertaining to watch!" It was always a delight to Rampart that people suffered under his watch.
Officer Rampart was never the man to risk his neck for others and always took the easy way in doing a job. It didn't matter if there was blood on his hands, as long as he has power in the end.
"You think they need help in there?" Officer Lewandoski asked, his mouth was stuffed and did not pay attention to the food coming out of his mouth. He was a swine, a swine that has been sent away
Officer Rampart could have slapped his lackey for two things: For eating like a pig and asking a dumb question.
Luckily, he was feeling great ever since ZiON was going to burn to the ground after this was all over.
"These aren't our streets, Lewandoski—-Not our problem."
Yeah...He's right. Not our problem. Lewandoski thought before scarfing down that one more Pumpkin Spice Pop Tart before jumping into the car with him. The car took and left at the horizon.
Where did they go?
The last thing on their minds was that there was a rat in the S.C.V.E.U, they hated rats. This was the second they had this year and they needed a good rat trap for this one.
This rat was smart enough to stay into the darkness, only coming out when it was safe.
And they wanted this snitch to come out of its burrow.
Now: The Main Center Of The Garden
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There was much blood from the center that the remaining students will have painful memories; permanently etched into the back of their brains.
Sera.
Reza.
Shun.
Kemp.
Jordyn.
Armando.
Kadoku.
Takeo.
Helene.
Sasha.
"What can you do?" Shun asked his Assistant Principal, who stayed
Shun Yamaguchi has always been the rich kid, wore the richest costumes, got his fancy red and orange hero costume from one of the best Hero Costume Designing companies there was. He knew everyone tolerated him because of his words.
Except, his words, even the most wildest of them: He never wanted to ask that question just now. Or say disgusting things.
He has Tourette's.
She wanted to strangle the kid for questioning her strength, but forced a smile and looked back at the children she needed to protect. "Didn't anyone tell you," Her hand grazing the strings of her guitar with a large body of aether appeared being her, "that I'm a summoner?"
Neo the Bohemian, an Aeon that specialized in close-quarters combat. It had the appearance of pink-armored Aeon with a red cape, black sunglasses, and a large spike on its chin. Its limbs are all blades, and had blue circles beneath its leg swords. Despite the appearance, Neo the Bohemian was actually more reasonable and wise than his appearance said otherwise. It was an Aeon that also spoke English, or any language to interact with his worshippers.
Haruka Uteshiki. Why have I been brought here to this realm again? I thought the pilgrimage of the late Lulu was complete years ago... The Aeon asked her mentally, she put on her glasses and replied with a devil-may-care grin.
"I need you to lend me your power once again.."
Hmm. Very well, Miss Uteshiki. Commence the fighting. She darted faster than an eye could blink.
"Don't move!" Twelve soldiers from the Empire encircled her, pointing their guns. Hah. These idiots need to research more about me. "Neo...."
"Knock them out." She ordered with the Aeon blowing them away from the strong gales from its cape, knocking them out conscious while she played the intro of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody".
Such a lovely song with a dark meaning.
The reflective coda in the end was always the dealbreaker for all who listened to it.
Nothing really matters. This last line of the song still applies today; especially to Shinra currently. After her father died from battle, she was crowned empress.
The crown of the Shinra Empire was not like the European coronal- it was more like horns that sat atop of her hair. She enjoyed every part of this ambush she planned so sudden, gave her some excitement in her life.
Yami was bored with it. After the dusk has settled in, she would always be located at a dive in Saitama or the run-downs of Japan. Although people knew who was, due to her porcelain skin and icy-blue eyes, they were scared of her because of her unpredictable nature and ruthless aura. Only Beowulf wasn't afraid of her.
They were once playmates, met each other than Yami was seven and her eight. Yes, they were sisters not by blood; but from the heart.
"That Reflectgus spell is really bothersome, Empress. Do you want me to-"
"No Beowulf-san. Let Elijah and Vaniguzu handle that. Teleport them to the students while warping more pawns to the game." She ordered her, the rest of the soldiers were overwhelmed by the Psycho Shinobi. She was confronted by Elijah, who asked her like a child would.
He levitated in the air still, where she looked at him with caring eyes. "Why do I have to do it, Shinny?!?"
She simply chuckled, "Well, when we accomplish our goal; I'll get you a brand-new Switch game for you."
"Promise?"
"Promise." She promised with a genuine smile, the young boy bursted into joy before being teleported to the kids, Vaniguzu stayed cruelly, "Wish you were like that with me."
"Shut up and do what I payed you to do." She reverted to her cold-blooded self, before being teleported—he muttered the words, queen bitch.
Yami Shinra shook her head in annoyance as Sora was finished with the soldiers and tried drop kicked her in the guts.
Yami Shinra still had much of her Aether in her body, rolling back from him to make distance.
However; Sora was tired and his stamina drained from an unknown reason. While kicking soldiers in the face——he was thinking on how this was happening to him. Could it be...that monster—Infusco? It dawned on him.
He could consume aether without suffering from the ramifications of it, what the hell is this guy? I need to stop him!
Purple lightning manifested through his hand, the pain wasn't too much to bear. It made his numbs to the touch after that, so it was considered as a last resort for him.
He must be hungry for blood...Brandon Lewis admitted, he only uses that when he's pushed to a corner. That Infusco guy; he's terrifying.
The beige monster turned around to see that Mr. Minami, who was bloodied up, had his trump card out on the public. That justu made him consumed all of his remaining aether in him. Thinking like that's gonna hurt me.....
With this technique I developed recently, I'm sure this will force him into submission.
"Psychotic Release: Soutsukyoiken-"
Before the man could introduce his new special move, dust surrounded the battlefield where the teachers and the Shinra Empire.
A contender has enter the fray!
And it was none than the assistant principal herself with the Aeon Neo the Bohemian!
Her crashing to the field piqued Infusco's interest—this was his first time going up against a summoner. His eye that resembled the inside of a pomegranate moved up and down at her—analyzing her every move.
Giving him no time to think through this, Neo slung his arm so the beige monster went a fair distance from them. Finally, she hit him in the head with her impervious guitar.
"HOME RUN!!!!" She yelled out, Yagi was thinking that it was more of a eagle than a home run. "I'm pretty sure that-"
"Are you serious right now? Call the police!! They can help us!!!"
Reza pleaded with Bubble-Dive, who was quiet the entire time.
Would they though? Kemp wished he could digress, being the English gentleman he is, decided to keep quiet.
He shook his head from the minor pain he had.
She held her ground. He thought, he had a soft point for strong women.
"YOU'RE A STRONG SUMMONER, BUT NOT STRONG ENOUGH..."He stated while turning his hands into blades and plunged them deep into the ground, she knew this was trouble.
Neo the Bohemian effortlessly dodged it, since he was a minor god of war and music. His blades met with Infusco's.... A struggle took place this instant——before their own eyes.
It's like a blade fest! Haruka exulted, it was wrong to have an outburst at this time.
She was always a cheery but modest girl. A native of Osaka, she lived there until her dad went broke from his job at the bank.
So, they decided to come to the N.U.S.N. for opportunities here.
The Assistant Principal——She can summon Aeons?! Takeo stepped back as he stepped on Shu's shoe, and icicles started to come out the cracks.
"Hey, budddy——Those are six hundred dollar boots you're stepping on!!"
Jordyn warned Takeo, she wanted smack him on the hand. "Don't be stupid! You'll kill everyone in the dome with your ice attacks!"
"I want to join the fight! I wanna-"
Sasha interrupted politely, "We all do, Takeo. But let's face it— we would've no chance against the Empire."
Several students took on both sides of the two, with Kadoku actually agreeing. As well as Jordyn, Takeo being on his side while Helene, and Armando took on Sasha's side.
"So, Arkhangel, you're implying that we're just stick to the guidelines; to be cowards about this? People will die if we don't intervene?" Kadoku asked angrily.
Helene fired back, "Alright. Let's say if we follow your orders and fight against these supervillains. A lot of our heavy hitters are pretty much gone. What can we do?"
After she opened her mouth, more arguments came about.
"I don't care about the teachers, but I do care of our safety and them living. We have to help them." Out of character, Jordyn spoke calmly about her wish.
"Yeah—what she said!!" Said the chubby boy innocently.
The special guest, Bubble-Dive, placed his hand on his hipsand made it float with his power.
Damn, these kids are nut-cases! He marveled, thinking on what he could do. Suddenly, a lightbulb illuminated brightly inside his head.
"Okay, everyone! Don't panic! Reinforcements will come!! Stay calm!!" Strategically speaking, he managed them to calm down a bit.
Although people couldn't tell from the helmet, but he smiled happily.
He wasn't always this strategic when he was younger. He went from having the lowest grades possible in a different but distinguished school to the one of the best hero that specializes in rescuing. While being a spontaneous individual himself, he abhors getting to taste new coffee.
You can't always be confident in winning so early.
Sasha knew this to be true. The young boy and the Hellfrost, Elijah and Vaniguzu appeared before them.
"Hi there! I'm Elijah and this-"
"The Hellfrost himself—Vaniguzu. Normally we don't barge in, but I felt we needed to—what's the word, Eli?" He politely asked, Elijah quickly said "Let yourselves in". He repeated the words while surrounding the gardens with large mountains of ice, entrapping the students here.
This ninja is seriously powerful. When I make ice walls, I needed to be seriously thawed when I put some some ice walls. Those towers got to be hundreds of feet in height. Takeo analyzed him while others were thinking about it; mostly Jordyn and Kemp.
This chap——My father was chasing him. This man's a serial killer who has committed many murders. And after six years trying to find Vaniguzu; I'm the one who's found him. Blimey…
Kemp thought as Jordyn continued it.
You sacrificed your dignity for power, Vaniguzu? I'm furious and inconsolable. What happened to you?
"Why....Why are you here?" Sera asked, her eyes widen by the second.
"We're here to kill the mighty Chief Apex—The Symbol of Valor. To struck Lino where it hurts the most: His dear old pal. That's why Infusco is here. He's an expert on how to kill the unkillable." After Vaniguzu explained, he looked at him.
Kill him!?! Panic started to over take Sera, looking at that monster—he has the potential to kill the No.2 Hero!
Infusco was fighting both Sora and Haruka at the same time, overwhelming them.
Meanwhile, it was two against one; with Brandon struggling against the Empress and General of the Shinra Empire. While Beowulf was graceful in battle, Shinra the polar opposite.
A merciless fighter, Yami Shinra would use any means to fight a battle; even if means fighting dirty. Seeing this as an opportunity, she threw Beowulf only because she was the human cannonball to be used of. So, with no hesitation, she threw her beloved general at him.
A near fatal hit to the chest plate.
His chest was bare for the naked eye to see, a waterfall of blood gushing out profusely as his students gasped in horror...
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///Ryoji///
After being in this damned "Searing Garden" and fighting everyone that had a bad thought in hurting us, were down with sweats.
"Hah.. That's the last of them; your highness." I told him while I finished a villain with my hand on a villain's face, burning it somewhat but too much. I had to keep myself look like I didn't know a thing or two . I tried to get my breath while I was in my Bonded-mode, my body in this forms is slower than my human body,but it's stronger.
Better.
Everyday in this school, I hadn't forgotten my search, how can I search for answers when the N0.1 Hero has his nose in everything I do since July?
The flames in this Garden is smelting hot—but the heat does not bother me anyway.
Anyway, I am aware of who I'm work with, the spoiled prince whose name is Regis Luxulric. Despite his Somnui heritage, he is not as arrogant or selfish like his family over in Somnus, but more ruthless when it came to dealing with villains just now. The first one who ambushed got their ear cut swiftly as possible; I couldn't believe it.
Sure, I was a child-soldier and I have killed many, something I am not proud of, but even I'm mesmerized that they would let anyone in the school. I am, truly. However, I have to confess; Regis is able to see through me.
Nobody can fool him even if he wanted to be fooled——it I remember correctly, in the olden days, the Royal family cast a spell on themselves so that they wouldn't be deceived by the Tenebrau Dynasti or other rivaling Empires back then.
Regis pushed back his glasses where they didn't fall that easily when he engaged in combat, but he needs to readjust them at the where they can fix it. I noticed he had to positioned his glasses three times, I don't need glasses because of my excellent 20/20 vision. In Ravenskrieg, one of the guidelines stated, no assassin can't have blurry vision or else they are disqualified from joining the faction, or my former faction before the decimation of Dolle.
I can't think of what I had to do there... Makes me want to kill myself. I hate for being a weapon; an assassin.
Fortunately, before I succumbed into rumination of the past, someone reminded me of the present we were in. "You're decent in fighting, but you're too slow when punching the scoundrels."
"I could say the same thing to you." I refuted back. "You use too much magic that your Aether fades away quicker than mine."
He simply smirked from my comment.
"I guess we have something in common, you and I: Ryoji Kazama." He said while his face was drenched in excessive sweat.
I saw this as an insult, saying he has something in common with me. He's a prince. I'm a pauper/assassin.
While he rode the Royal vessel on the Somnui seas, fishing for exotic fishes at eight years old, I had to kill men in Afghanistan at eight years old.
Skin them.
Torture them as I made no one was going to kill me in my sleep.
"What do you want from me, Regis?" I asked with the intentions of crushing him, his usual stoic exterior disappeared and he showed his vulnerable side . "Our classmates," He looked down while scratching his head, "do you think-"
I had to interrupt him, I was not losing my forbearance, no. I just needed to get to the point.
"That they're dead or weak? Don't underestimate them like you did with the Dynasti many years ago? I remember how King Robb's pride was shattered as his army was swept away from the squalls of hell. Do you remember?" I provoked him as best as I could, instead he brushed it off and pulled one of his swords from the ground.
While I truly despise Somnus, I do respect the time, the effort they put in their armaments. That's a pro, but there's a con as well. Firearms are prohibited in the mystical world of Somnus, due to them being "barbaric".
Guns; they get the job done. Put a silencer on the muzzle of the gun. In the right hands, it could start off a war or save a thousand lives.
I'm not proud of the stuff I know that others do not.
Regis continued on speaking while I looked at my clawed hands, he examined his sword while doing so. "Tell me, Kazama; what will you do when your horrendous secret is revealed to our classmates?"
I gulped in fright. I haven't been thinking on what could occur if one of my peers found out the truth about me, yet anyone could one if I wasn't careful enough.
"I don't know, Regis." I croaked , He was being vulnerable. So, why shouldn't I return the favor.
"Hmm..I'm not a big fan of how you operate....But your secret is safe with me."
"How do I know if you can keep it?"
"We're both outcasts. You're a Raven and I'm a Somnui. We don't belong here in Surwick. You have no people here and I don't any people here either."
And..Believe it or not, Regis was right.
I am not a part of the school, I merely snuck my way into the gates and made a good first impression.
Well, it is what it is.
"Hold up, Ryoji!" Igneus warned me, all of the places, it has to be here. "I'm detecting some weird aura but it isn't friendly!!"
Suddenly, I felt an aura around the perimeter, a sinister yet minor aura. It had a feeling of nostalgia for me, as I used to fight them frequently as my days as a merc.
I turned around to see the sudden growling, a low growl, to be precise. Jebi ga...
"BEHIND YOU!!" I yelled out, I felt my eyes widened as it was none other than a goblin, a lower class of daemons yet shared the same nasty stench they carried from their skin.
Lunging like the feral beast it is due to them having no heart, it's tongue hanged out of its mouth as he got closer to Regis.
It's ambitious in attacking the future king of Somnus, I'll give it that.
But even determination falls short to experience.
Instantly from the moment I shouted, a blade of his impaled the Daemon through the mouth. Its eyes twitched, from the shock of the pain and organs being hacked from the insides. Slowly by surely, he pulled the sword telekinetically with haste.
The body fell down, its bulbous head jerked a bit——which made me fall sick a little bit in my stomach. Him and I exchanged looks of dismay while I took a closer look at the body, I could tell he didn't want to examine the daemon by his body language.
"Nothing on the front, Ryoji." My Heart told me, my nose flared up as I turned the Goblin around. Ugh, all of the warts were mountain ranges on its back. I wish that I had some sort of form to protect myself from touching frogs because you can actually get warts from a Goblin.
But there was something after of my years fighting these sons-of-bitches, I would never dreamt of this- a oval shaped device implemented in the behind of it.
It's a Daemon-controlling device, that ZiON invented????
I remember about this while I was doing a recon mission in somewhere secret, I was still in Ravenskreig if I remember correctly.
Two months before the Incident. Two months before my life went up in smokes.
Ironically, despite him being familiar in slaying the creatures of the night, has never witnessed such a terrifying secret.
"How...Is this possible? I thought Daemons were too incapable of being tame."
I shook my head and expressed myself. "It's not exactly domesticating them, but rather keeping them in control. It messes up with their brain psyches and I rather not get into——I just hope our friends will be all right."
"Me, too." Igneus said, worrying about the others.
I thought today was going to be a normal day.
———Track 44 Ended———