Meanwhile, within Hundred Tower…
Roshan and Barry navigated through the entrance, surrounded by vigilant Bloodguard officers securing the premises. Overhearing Asher's conversation, Roshan's keen elephant ears caught fragments of his report.
"Yeah, yeah, I turned 'em in, but then shit got weird, the kid froze time, no big deal, right?" Asher paced as he spoke into his phone, handling his gun with familiarity. "Yeah. Yeah, of course I told her. She said I should consider myself a Noble. Enrollin' me in the Academy. I don't fuckin' know — I just want out of this dumb line of work." Whistling at a passerby taking pictures, he added, "Hey! Back away from the premises, it's for your own safety!"
Undeterred, Roshan and Barry pressed on, navigating the corridors and heading for the elevator. Barry input the code for the 100th floor, and they proceeded until reaching the throne room doors. Barry's intention to knock was overridden when Rashon boldly entered, radiating confidence.
"You enter my throne room without permission?"
"And you entered our HQ without Ryder's, what's the difference?" Rashon retorted coldly. "Where is Kaizer Anderson?"
"Oh, you mean the boy?" Queen Hundred laughed. "Oh, that one is quite entertaining, isn't he? Even though he doesn't smile anymore, he certainly knows how to pull a prank."
Rashon grumbled. "I won't ask again."
Queen Hundred paused, casting a discerning gaze at the duo before smirking. "I have no idea where the Half-Vampire is. I'm not his babysitter anymore."
"What? Our system said he's here," Barry insisted.
"He just left. You just missed him, truly," Queen Hundred replied, nonchalantly waving her hand. "He froze all of us and ran out of here with his criminal friends."
"What?" Rashon and Barry exclaimed simultaneously.
"How many of them were there?" Barry asked.
"Five."
Roshan pulled out the handheld device from before and looked at its screen. It now displayed the error message that Kaizer could not be located within their current dimension.
"Overworld Dimension, Subject BKP."
Sure enough, it showed Kaizer's red dot displayed at their H.Q. in Arizona, U.S, on Earth.
Rashon and Barry exchanged glances, and then Rashon turned back to Queen Hundred.
"You were wise not to cause any harm to Kaizer, Your Highness," he said. "Perhaps this alliance could be of some good. Farewell."
"System, Open Time Controls, Transport To HQ."
In a flash of light, they disappeared from the throne room.
Upon reappearing in the Main Control Room of HQ, Rashon and Barry searched for any sign of Kaizer, but he was nowhere to be found. He wasn't in the Main Lobby, the Sub Control Room, the Meeting Room, the Lounge, or the bathrooms.
"He must be in the lab?" Barry wondered aloud.
Descending downstairs to the Underground Lab, they heard beeping and liquid sounds. Everything appeared as it should.
"Where is he, if he's here?" Barry asked out loud, throwing his rubbery arms up.
"I'm right here."
"AH!" Barry yelped as Kaizer appeared in front of them, disengaging his magic. "Kaizer, I thought I told you to stop doing that!"
Kaizer laughed. "Sorry, Barry, I couldn't resist. You jump, like, 6 feet in the air every time."
Roshan chuckled, placing a wrinkly hand on Kaizer's shoulder. "You did the right thing by coming back, you know."
Kaizer nodded. "I know. Honestly, it just seemed like the logical thing to do. We still have more work to do, don't we?"
Roshan smiled. "Indeed, we do. The Black King Project is yet to be fully completed."
"But we're close, though, right?" Kaizer's eyes narrowed.
"Closer than we've ever been, Kaizer," Barry chimed in, his expression serious. "Right now, the Serpentine DNA that your father gave to you is amplifying your Vampiric abilities. We took that same magical energy from your bloodstream and implemented it into a Blood-Tech infused machine to create a powerful weapon suitable for your… unique purpose."
"Is it done? I want to see it," Kaizer said, a hint of impatience in his voice.
Barry looked up at Rashon, and Rashon nodded. Kaizer grinned.
"Well, it's not complete, but I'll let you have one look. Just a peek." Barry waved Kaizer over to follow him, and Rashon and Kaizer followed the Selkie to the back of the lab, where a keypad was in the wall. Barry promptly put in a code, and the wall transformed into a door, sliding open with a whirr. A hiss came forth, and a cloud of cold fog spewed from the opening. There, past the fog, Kaizer laid eyes on The Black King Project.
The suit was a marvel of advanced technology fused with magical energy, tailored specifically for Kaizer's unique abilities. In its default state, it gleamed with a metallic black sheen, adorned with intricate runic patterns that pulsed with Kaizer's Vampiric essence. The suit's surface seemed to shift as if alive.
"The B.T.A.M.S., or Blood-Tech Armored Muscle Suit, will be your fiery sword against Queen Hundred, The Cauldron, and any other enemies who stand in your way," Barry explained, looking up proudly at his brain-child. "The basics of it are pretty simple: the armor is encoded with your DNA, and it connects to your psyche when you wear it. The armor then transmutes your psychic waves into attacks and abilities."
"Oh… cool…" Kaizer said, gazing at the armor in awe.
"It has three modes of use: Combat Mode, for combat, obviously."
In "Combat Mode," the armor morphed, revealing sharp, angular edges and streamlined contours. Crimson energy lines traced along the suit's surface. Razor-sharp spikes extended from the gauntlets, and the helm formed a sleek visor, projecting an aura of lethal precision.
"Damn, I can't wait to fight with this thing," Kaizer said with a grin. "You really outdid yourself, Barry."
"That's not all. Then, there's Defender Mode," Barry continued. "For increased protection and more heavy-hitting attacks, but you sacrifice speed and agility for durability and strength."
Switching to "Defender Mode" transformed the armor into a robust, imposing form. The contours softened, and the surfaces thickened, creating a bulkier appearance. The armor's runic patterns glowed with a protective aura, and a shield-like projection materialized on the left arm.
"Woah…" Kaizer beamed, grinning at the spectacle. "Cool, I gotta shield."
"And finally, Warlock Mode," Barry continued. "This mode uses ten times more magical energy than the other two, and it takes time for it to recharge, but it's powerful. It's a balanced mix between Combat and Defender, and a Blood-Tech Core Amplifier is installed inside that activates when in this mode, charging your attacks with highly-concentrated, but less restricted power. The only draw-backs of this mode is that it may be hard to control how much magical energy you output with just one spell; It basically pops the cap off of your power and amps it all the way up to 1000%, full-blast. Collateral damage could be a potential issue, so just use with caution."
Entering "Warlock Mode" resulted in a breathtaking metamorphosis. The armor transcended its physical constraints, appearing as if woven from shadows and arcane energies. The helm took on a mystical visage, and the entire ensemble emanated a red glow.
Barry finished, "Whether in Combat, Defender, or Warlock Mode, the Blood-Tech Armored Muscle Suit not only will adapt to your needs but become a manifestation of your extraordinary powers. It's a perfect fusion of cutting-edge technology and magic."
"Wow… this is so amazing, you guys," Kaizer said, smiling. "But… Blood-Tech Armored Muscle Suit, though? Kind of a mouthful."
Roshan chuckled. "That's what I told him."
Barry shrugged. "Well, yes, I do see your point. That's why I was thinking about calling it a Blood-Tech Arms."
"Arms… hm." Kaizer nodded, looking off into the distance. "Kinda has a nice ring to it."
"Arms it is," Roshan said with a chuckle. "Now, Kaizer, there is something I must speak to you about— erm, the girl— Kira. She is here with you, yes?"
Kaizer sighed, lowering his gaze. "Look, I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have taken her with me to Sanguine, but—
"It's okay, Kaizer," Roshan assured, setting a hand on his shoulder. "But there is something I must ask you. What are you willing to sacrifice to save your mother?"
Kaizer paused. "What do you mean, Roshan?"
Roshan looked at Barry, then back at Kaizer, and sighed. "We are relocating you. To Arizona, here, at HQ. We want you to stay here for a while — we're so close to finishing the Arms, but we have a few more tests we have to run. You can finish your education online."
Kaizer looked down at the ground, in thought for a moment. "Well… I suppose, it's safer for Kira if I'm not with her, anyway. It'd be safer for her to stay as far away from me as she can…"
His voice became somber. "She's waiting for me in the Lounge. I'll have to tell her I'm not taking the flight back to Japan with her."
Barry sighed, empathizing with Kaizer. "You'll get to see her again, I'm sure. Right now, however, we have more pressing matters to deal with. I'm sure Kira would understand."
Kaizer let out a long sigh. "My father sure left me with a heavy load to carry."