"An attack of that level won't work on me..." Ace threw a ball of white flames toward the sniper like a cricket ball. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but there wasn't any way to escape.
He regrets his action for using God's Favor Skill to help his family. He thought that they would understand him but never imagined they would be this possessive.
"Water Vortex," Trisa stopped the white flames by creating a vortex around it. Devoid of oxygen to burn and Ace's poor control, the fire extinguished within the water vortex, "I am sorry... Please listen to me. It's for your safety... Don't make it worse." She wanted to tell him about his death but couldn't muster the courage to say so.
"Listen to you... Why?"
"Did anyone of you listen to me, ever? I can see the greed in your eyes... Limitless Grade is that precious, haa? Hahahaha... To think this is the payment for my help..."
"I might not be able to defeat you all. But I won't go down without a fight. I won't allow anyone to control my life... Come at me with everything you all got..."
Ace yelled in rage. He failed to control his anger as it continued to overpour from his heart. He never knew he had been holding this much darkness within his heart.
It was the effect of losing his sense of feelings from time to time. Instead of losing emotions, it got pent up within him. And now, all those emotions were gushing out like a broken dam. The dark power within his body began to react with his dark emotions.
"S_Activated: Super Strength..."
Ace dashed toward the sniper, hiding behind his family.
Thomas rushed in and tried to capture Ace by grabbing him with his massive body. He was confident in his unbreakable skin to hold him, "You ain't going anywhere."
But, things didn't go his way.
[Baaam] "Don't get in my way," Ace punched him in the stomach.
Thomas's body flew in the air and landed in front of the sniper. His unbreakable skin prevented a hole in his belly, but he could feel his internal organs bleeding, "Arrrgggg!!! Cough..." He coughed out blood and grabbed his stomach in pain.
*****
[Stamina: 80/100]
*****
Ace noticed the System's notification. He wants to finish this before his stamina runs out since he is not sure the green lightning will help him again. And, even if it helps him, it takes a few seconds to activate, and the others will capture him in that opening.
Everyone was standing in a circle around him. And even though Ace wanted to attack, he hesitated a little to raise his hands against his parents and grandparents. Although in his present life, his parents didn't teach him much. His parents, from his past life, taught him many things. And one of them was to respect elders. It was very difficult for him to choose who to attack.
[Zing] [Clank] Everyone summoned Aura Chains, like before, when Lucas was in control of Ace's body and threw it toward him. With his new vision, he successfully dodged them, but they continued to attack with those annoying chains to tire him out.
"Just stop this meaningless struggle and come with us..." Clare yelled. She had put a stone in her heart to attack her grandson, whom she used to play with and tell stories, all those years in secret.
But, to prevent his death, it was the choice they made together. They decided to become his enemy to save him. They will push him to his limits, and if he fails, they will seal him somewhere safe. Even though they knew that Ace would hate and curse them for the rest of his life.
"Enough..."
[Booom] Ace used his super strength and slammed his fists on the ground. A massive shockwave emerged, pushing everyone a few steps back. A big crater formed around his position. Dust and debris flew around everywhere.
[Bang] Another bullet flew toward him.
"Arrrggg!!! Kukkk!!!" The bullet struck his right shoulder. But thanks to his weapon immunity, the bullet couldn't penetrate his body. It is on the ground. But Ace felt the force from the shot in his bones.
**Weapon immunity: 100% [0 Damage when attacked with a weapon]
He grabbed a shard of broken crystal from the flying debris and threw it toward the sniper.
**10% Critical chance
**5% Extra True damage on critical strike
His weapon damage effects were activated.
The shard strikes the sniper's gun, shattering it to pieces.
*****
[Stamina: 50%]
*****
"Hufff... Hufff... Shit!!!"
Ace was huffing in exhaustion as his stamina depleted even further. And everyone was watching and attacking him like a caged bird.
"I am sorry... But, it's gonna hurt a little," The sniper took out a crystal from her pocket and crushed it between her fingers.
*****
S_Activated: Skin
Feel!!! DANGER!!!
*****
Ace looked at the bullet near his feet as the danger sign appeared in front of his eyes. A shiver ran over his body, "Judgement fla...Arrrrgggg!!!!!" He tried to summon his flames, but it was useless.
[Crackle] The bullet exploded before he could activate his Skill. A massive web of electricity emerged from it, binding Ace. He screamed as the electric shock seeped through his body. Although it was non-lethal from the aspect of superhumans, it was strong enough to put any 5th-level superhuman down.
"This was the only way to keep you alive... We are sorry. I am sorry, son..." Jin blinked before him and knocked him out.
"Get away from him... Jin!!!" Irina yelled. She has finished her scan on Ace's powers, "He is using sound waves. Get away!!!" She screamed in desperation, trying to warn everyone. Sound waves of that caliber can take down an Aura Master within such a close range.
[Wommmfff] The Aura chains binding Ace shattered like a bunch of thin threads. A shock wave fused with sound energy emerged from Ace. Everyone shielded their body with Aura coating.
"Wha...???" Jin stumbled to his knees. Blood was dripping from his ears and nose. A pinging sound was all he could hear, ringing inside his head. He was too close to avoid the sound energy.
The sound waves ruptured some of his sensory nerves and ear drums. He felt as if a grenade exploded near his face. He tried to stand up but fell to the ground as his vision blacked out.
"Jin!!!" Everyone screamed in fear, seeing the excessive bleeding.
"Shadow Shift," Clare blinked before Jin and teleported him back to her previous location.
[Shadow Shift allows the caster to move within the target's shadow]
[Sizzzle] [Wooosh] Two black flame wings appeared on Ace's back.
*****
**Rage: 100%
**Judgement upgraded: Level-2 [Ghost flames lv-1] [Heavenly flames lv-1]
**S_Activated: Skin [Passive Mode] [Time: 30 seconds]
[Feel!!! Danger detected. Frenzy mode Activated. The host's body will detect danger and avoid them with minimum movement. The host will be able to use 1 power limitlessly during this duration.]
[Stamina: 10/100]
*****
Jaxon, Trisa, Clare, Irina, Lea, Sniper Mio, and the portal man Fred were shocked to see the suffocating dark power radiating from Ace's body. Thomas was still out cold. They raised an Aura dome around Ace, putting everything into it.
"Damn it!!! It's getting out of hand," Jaxon said with a worried expression, "Why don't we let him go? What if that man was lying?" He looked toward Clare.
"He showed us... The end of time. You saw it through mental projection. Memories don't lie. If Ace dies, an unknown disaster will be unleashed on our world. Apocalypse will end everything..."
"I know how difficult it is... Why do you think I am helping you all? All I ever wanted was to see Limitless Grade powers, and look what I got dragged into..."
"Just hold on a little more... He is way past beyond his limits. Anytime now... He will fall..."
Irina said while shivering, remembering the vision she had while frozen inside the ice.
The moon was shining more brightly than ever for some reason. The wind stopped. There wasn't even a sound of insects. A cold and uneasy feeling swept over the area.
Ace was flying, just a little bit above the ground. His eyes went toward his father, who was gasping for air and bleeding profusely. He looked toward Thomas, who was lying unconscious, covered in blood. Then, his eyes went toward everyone's face.
"Wisp of Underworld Activate," Ace activated his Skill, but no skull signs appeared above their head.
[Booom] He flapped his black wings, blowing away the Aura dome.
Ace looked at his hands, "I never wanted this..." His feet touched the ground. The black wings fade away with a little sizzle.
"I never wanted to hurt anyone..."
"Arggg!!!!"
"Nooo!!! I will kill anyone who gets in my way..."
"Stop it!!!"
[Baaam] Ace grabbed his head and slammed it on the ground. He was losing control of his new power and couldn't think straight. The dark power of the Underworld was slowly swallowing him due to his weak mental strength.
*****
[System]
**30 seconds over
**Frenzy mode deactivated
[Stamina: 3/100]
*****
Ace's vision went blurry. Blood was dripping from his forehead.
"I never wanted to hurt anyone..." He kept on mumbling that while pointing toward his father, "What have I done?" He couldn't feel his body anymore and stumbled to the ground.
"Heal... father... I... sorry..."
"I never... want... hu..."
He gave up his chance to fight and kill. His heart was bursting in pain, seeing his father hurt. He couldn't believe that blinded by rage he injured his father. Even though he wasn't there much for him, but there were also some sweet memories of his parents spending time with him. At this point, all he wants is to heal him.
"I should have listened to their reasons..."
"Is this what you have warned me about... God? My choice... It looks like I messed up badly..."
Ace thought as he remembered the final words from God, telling him to choose his road properly.
A flicker of green lightning emerged from his finger and struck Jin before Ace closed his eyes in exhaustion, "So...rry..." He mumbled.