[ VOLUME 01: Rebirth ]
**In a distant realm, approximately 30 million light years away from planet Earth, during its 2419th year.**
*Tzt* *Tzt*
"RAVEN, THIS IS HQ! COME IN RAVEN! I REPEAT, COME IN RAVEN! MISSION REQUEST INCOMING!"
*Tzt* *Tzt*
A voice emanated from an electronic device within the Warp-class spaceship.
*Tzt* *Tzt*
"HQ, THIS IS RAVEN. MISSION REQUEST RECEIVED!"
*Tzt* *Tzt*
*Buzz* *Buzz*
A rectangular holographic display, showing words in the language of the universe, appeared suddenly.
[SSS - GRADE: MASS EXTINCTION MISSION
DETAILS: EXTERMINATE ALL HOSTILE CREATURES ON PLANET WG-13 IN THE WHIRLPOOL GALAXY
TIME FRAME: 1 UNIVERSAL MONTH[1]
PATRON: JESSICA CROWNS
REQUESTED BY: CLASSIFIED
STATUS: PLEASE CHOOSE: ACCEPT OR DECLINE]
With a slim build, standing at around 6.1 feet tall (~186cm), and adorned in black captain's attire, a middle-aged man with short purple hair and purple eyes, named Kairos Zest, quietly sighed. "So, Jessica, you've finally come for me, huh?"
…
[STATUS: PLEASE CHOOSE: ACCEPT OR DECLINE]
After contemplating the holographic display, Kairos eventually accepted the mission.
…
[STATUS: ACCEPTED]
*Buzz* *Buzz*
The holographic display transformed, revealing a galactic map with coordinates and a navigation system guiding the way to the mission location.
"Let's see how far you're willing to go, Jessica. We were once lovers, after all."
"WARPING TO PLANET WG-13! PLEASE BE SEATED AND BUCKLED UP! WARPING IN 10!
9…
…
…
3…
2…
1…
WARP TO PLANET WG-13 INTIATED"
*HUMMM* *WHOOSH*
…
*WHOOSH* *HSSSS*
"WARP ARRIVAL TO PLANET WG-13 SUCCESSFUL!"
"CONTINUING NAVIGATION TO A SAFE LANDING ZONE ON PLANET WG-13 FOR SSS-GRADE MISSION: MASS EXTINCTION MISSION"
*THUD* *HSSSS*
"LANDING SUCCESSFUL! OPTIMAL OXYGEN ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS DETECTED! DEPLOYING VISUAL RECEPTOR CAMOUFLAGE!"
Kairos released his seatbelt and made his way to the exit.
"CAPTAIN-LEVEL AUTHENTICATION REQUIRED FOR EXIT DOOR"
Placing his hand on a scanner, a holographic display turned green, confirming his identity.
[Name: Kairos Zest
Age: 40 Universal Years old[2]
Race: Human
Occupation: Captain of the Warp-Class Starship - Raven
Background: From Planet MWG-4 - Earth]
"400 years, huh."
"CAPTAIN-LEVEL AUTHENTICATION GRANTED! WARNING! THE EXIT DOOR IS OPENING!"
*HSSSS* *THUD*
"Haah… Here we go," Kairos sighed.
As Kairos approached a horde of beasts, the starship behind him sealed its doors and ascended, finding a safe haven in the atmosphere.
**Days turned into a week as time marched on**
*Patter* *Patter*
*HOWL* *GROWL*
*WHOOSH* *WHOOSH*
The sound of raindrops pattered, and the heavy winds whooshed around in the thunderstorm. Beasts of all kinds made their war cries as they marched on toward an endless battle.
*RUMBLE* *RUMBLE*
*SCREECH* *ROAR*
Hordes of millions of beasts headed towards one focal point: one man. Covered in purple lightning, he fought for his life.
However, suddenly, he jumped up and yelled loudly with his arms and palms facing the rumbling clouds above.
"MULTI-LIGHTNING RAIN!!!"
*CRACK* *PANG* *CLAP* *BOOM*
Which is then followed by an angry rain of purple lightning, decimating a few hundred thousand beasts around him.
*ROAR* *GRUNT*
Instead of fear, only cries of exasperation with a blinding rage continued to burn in the hearts and eyes of these wild beasts.
*THUD* *BOOM*
*Huff* *Huff*
Craters formed around him as the man, now weary from his ultimate skill, landed heavily on the ground and finally had a few seconds to breathe. "I can't keep going on like this... Huff... Huff... I'm completely worn out after that ultimate skill[3]..." he gasped.
'Then rest up and let me take over for now, Kairos. You've been fighting non-stop for a week.'
Suddenly, the voice of a middle-aged man was heard in Kairos's head.
"Huff... Huff... Okay, but Alucard, even you can only last a week or two at most. I don't think that'll be long enough to finish off this horde. Huff... Huff... There's probably another wave coming, and one more after that before we've killed 'em all." Kairos replied, finally able to catch his breath.
'Don't worry about it Ky. If Aidy can't do the job and gets tired, then I'll just take over. Plus, if even I can't finish 'em all, then we still have the big man, Mikey. Though let's pray it doesn't come to that or else…'
This time, a new voice, that of a mature yet somehow young woman, was heard in Kairos's head.
"Heh. That's true. Well... If it does get to that point, since I won't be conscious, I'll just say my thanks to you ahead of time, Lavinia. Oh, and Michael too if he gets involved. Though I've never really talked to him much." Kairos said before closing his eyes and getting ready to switch places with Alucard.
'Hey. What about me kid? I'm the one that's definitely taking over. Don't I get thanks too?'
The voice which seems to be Alucard questioned before going silent, almost as if he had been wiped away.
'Hah, why's an old man like you complaining about some minor flattery? Since when did you get so attention grabby?' Lavinia voiced out.
However, before their argument could continue, Kairos told them to stop arguing and then fell silent, just like Alucard had.
The purple lightning around Kairos receded. All the way to the front and back of his chest, where his heart was located. Finally, it disappeared completely. Then, his purple hair swiftly turned blazing red, and his purple eyes became icy blue. His fingernails started growing a little, resembling claws, and fangs also extended slightly from his canines, making him look like a vampire.
Flames started forming on the front of his chest, where his heart was, and ice on the back. They spread across his body until the whole front side was covered in flames and the back in ice, with a perfect balance of repulsion and attraction in between.
"Sigh... It's been a hot minute since I was last in the body. Oh well, let's hope I'm not too rusty," said Alucard, who had now taken over and transformed Kairos's body.
'Well... Just let me know when you can't take it anymore and save an ult for a switch okay?' Lavinia said worriedly, as she noticed that this fight would most likely involve her and possibly Michael as well.
"Heh. Don't worry yourself too much, granny. If the big man has to take over, then that'll just be a cakewalk for him. Though it would also be quite tragic as well," laughed Alucard.
'Hmph! Looks like you're becoming even more senile, old man. How dare you call this beautiful young lady a granny! Exclaimed Lavinia.
"Haha. Still as childishly reactive as ever. You women and your age complex. Did someone forget that they are almost two decades older than the other? Alright, let's end it here, it's time to get back to work," replied Alucard, charging forward and launching as many AoE(Area of Effect) skills as he could.
**Time flew by, the thunderstorm passed and two weeks later, beastly corpses began to rot all over. Even with clear skies, the stench of death and blood continued to spread on the never-ending battlefield**
*WHOOSH* *FLUTTER*
A man of fire and ice was seen flying high in the sky. With his icy wings coated in flames, he raised both arms up in the air, clasped his hands, and then yanked downwards, as if he were pulling on invisible chains.
"ICE-FIRE PHOENIX JUDGMENT!!"
Suddenly, two huge phoenixes, one completely made of ice and the other of fire, appeared above the man to his left and right. They then combined and made their way down to the battlefield below like nuclear missiles, blasting away the surroundings and killing millions of beasts in the process, while littering the ground with ice and fire storms.
*BOOOM* *BOOOM*
*WHOOSH* *HISSSS*
*WHOOSH* *CRACKLE*
The man of fire and ice was obviously the transformed Kairos with Alucard as the temporary host.
*WHEEZE* *PUFF*
*WHEEZE* *HUFF*
After taking a few heavy breaths and calming down his breathing, the fire and ice around Alucard started receding, similar to Kairos's lightning after his ultimate skill.
"Lavinia... Huff... I'm done... Huff... I can't... Huff... That last ultimate skill should buy us enough time for another transformation and for you to take over... Huff..." said Alucard, weakly.
'Okay. Guess it's finally my turn. Good job holding off for two weeks. I should probably be able to last for three or four weeks. Hopefully, by then, the horde shouldn't be a problem anymore. If not, we might have to call Michael. But if we do... Then...'
Lavinia paused, cutting off her sentence.
"Then, once Michael is finished dealing with the beasts, Kairos will be left vulnerable, and we would most likely disappear forever," finished Alucard, before going silent, along with Lavinia.
Kairos's body, which Alucard had taken over, started changing yet again. His blazing red hair and icy blue pupils turned bright green and brown respectively. The hair grew until it reached slightly below his shoulders. His muscles receded, and his skin became smoother and softer, taking on a more feminine appearance. However, shortly after that, his skin transformed, becoming scale-like, resembling that of a snake, and then evolving into a dragon-like texture. Four protrusions began to grow, two above his forehead and two from his shoulder blades on the back, gradually shaping into two dragon horns and two powerful dragon wings.
*ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR*
After the physical transformation was complete, a mighty roar echoed through the air as Lavinia had fully taken over, causing even some of the distant beasts to shiver slightly. Emerald-like armor began to form around her chest, near the heart, accompanied by a gust of wind swirling around her.
A dozen earthy orbs materialized in two diagonal circles, orbiting around Lavinia in a formation resembling an "X" when viewed from the front or back.
"Sigh... Every time I take over, I swear I'm the one who feels the pain of growing these horns and wings. Still, even now, after all this time, it feels weird being in a man's body. Oh well, it's time to fight... For the next three or four weeks, I guess... Although I can't shake this ominous feeling. The last time I felt this way was when I died... Sigh... Well, that's not depressing at all… Cheer up, Lavinia, you've got this! Plus, Kairos always manages to make it out of these sticky situations somehow... Lucky bastard…" Lavinia rambled, trying to reassure herself.
*ROAR* *GROWL*
As Lavinia was lost in her thoughts, the beasts began to converge once again.
"Well... As Alucard said before, it's time to get to work," said Lavinia, attempting to encourage herself in the process.