Somewhere over Mongolia, 3:20 pm EST
Damien stood atop the plane with his back to the wind. He'd taken the time to change his attire on the way there. To avoid their destruction or getting them soiled in blood, he removed his white silk coat and the hat that he cherished. Before him was Junichiro, who, instead of his usual tied hair, suit, and coat that hung on his back, wore a deep green vest, compression arm sleeves, dark pants, and shoes and wore his hair let down as it flowed behind him in the wind.
He stood alert with his hand placed on the hilt of his undrawn sword. Above them was the beautiful night sky sprinkled with millions of stars that danced around the full moon.
"Such a gorgeous sight," Damien admired as he looked up.
"How did you manage to get here without me detecting you?" Junichiro asked. "I have failed my mission..."
"Your mission?" Damien lowered his head back to eye level. He glanced around at the plane with understanding. "Were you not supposed to let anyone near the plane? So, the contents of this plane are supposed to be under your protection, is it?"
Damien sent out a few sparks that flickered antagonistically in the air around him.
Junichiro's eyes narrowed.
"I should have killed you before."
"Yet you didn't," Damien responded a matter-of-factly. "Odd since it would've been oh so easy for you to. I couldn't even put up a proper fight with so many humans around. Why is it that you couldn't kill me? Was it pride? Honor?"
"No." Junichiro snapped. "You only stand here in your insolence now because my father had an interest in your abilities. They could be beneficial to him in the future."
"Is that so?" Damien smiled, unbothered.
Junichiro fixed his gaze with murderous intent as some of his energy leaked out.
"Let me assure you: that is no longer the case. You and your inferior posse will be slain tonight. I will not spare you a second time."
Damien rolled his eyes.
"Of course not. I wouldn't expect that from you. However, allow me to express that despite you crucifying me to a wall and killing the humans I was asked to protect, I don't hold a grudge against you. In fact, I'd rather we not have to come to blows if avoidable."
Junichiro frowned in disbelief.
"You jest, surely. You destroyed our plans but claim not to want to battle? If this is your resolve, you must surely be a burden to the others. Let me be clear: you will fight and die by my sword. Now, prepare yourself."
Junichiro drew both of his guns, their glowing purple barrels aimed at Damien.
Damien looked at him with disappointment. It was a long shot, but he had hoped that he'd avoid resorting to any confrontation.
"If you insist..." he said softly as he released a burst of powerful electricity from himself, causing Junichiro to cross his arms in cover.
Damien began to transform. First, his ascension mark across his chest began to glow lilac as his skin darkened into grey, his nails extended into sharp claws, the whites of his eyes turned black, his irises glowed lilac as his spirit energy, and his pupils changed from round to slit like a cat's.
The transformation released an incredible amount of power from him that caused several parts of the plane to tear and rise open before ultimately combusting.
"No!" Junichiro yelled as the smoke and flames rose from within the plane, and its nose tilted toward the ground.
"Now, what was that mission of yours again?" Damien smirked as he stood with electricity crackling around him.
Junichiro was seething in rage as they stood atop the plummeting plane. Even as it crashed in a ball of fire. The two of them casually strolled out of the inferno and stood before one another in an area with several tall trees all around them.
Junichiro breathed in and out with control, regaining his composure.
"I commend you," Damien spoke, impressed by his self-control. "I expected you to lash out in anger. It would've made things much easier for me."
"I am aware." He replied calmly. "I will not fall for such an obvious ruse. Instead, for ruining my mission and your continual defiance, I will sever your head and display it to Father."
"I suppose I'm left with no choice then," Damien retorted as he released his full power on display. Thunder boomed as his lightning struck trees around them, starting fires. Several instantly charred, and he heard them splinter simply because they were too close to him. At his feet the very ground changed as it was burned away.
Junichiro withstood the force, but Damien noticed him tense slightly, his body ready to move at any moment.
Damien had been told before that his power felt unpredictable in nature. That must be what Junichiro sensed at that moment.
Junichiro grimaced.
"You are not a Supreme Primordial. You should not be this powerful."
"I'm flattered you noticed," Damien bowed slightly in gratitude, then flashed him a beguiling smile.
"The bar's been raised," he continued with confidence. "You're no longer fit to face any of them. Tell me, does that frighten you?"
Junichiro set his jaw in quiet frustration.
Damien raised a finger. There was a slight rumbling beneath them. Using his Ferritic Pull, he manipulated large masses of metal elements from within the ground, summoning a few chunks of natural iron and titanium that floated around him. Using the heat from his lightning, he melted some of the metal chunks into liquid form before willing them to form a saber with no hilt. Instead, he melded part of it to his right hand. After enveloping it with his spirit energy, he brandished it elegantly before Junichiro.
Judging from the look in Junichiro's eyes, Damien could tell he saw his talent despite him never showing it.
"You know the way of the sword?" Junichiro inquired as a second explosion of the crashed plane sent shards of metal flying that bounced off their skin.
"I learned a while back," Damien answered, casually wiping a piece of metal from his shoulder.
Junichiro looked down at the guns in his hands in silence.
"Intend to use a gun during a sword fight?" Damien prodded.
Without responding, Junichiro raised his left arm and pointed the gun in that hand skyward.
"Bullet Onslaught," Damien heard him say as some of Junichiro's energy was gathered and focused into the barrel before being shot into the night sky like a violet flare. It then hung in the air over the forested area before it dispersed into thousands of bullets that were propelled downward.
Damien tilted his head as one of the bullets raced past where his head had just been. Then, he activated spirit enhancement as Junichiro's attack pummeled into the ground. When everything was silenced, and the dust cleared, Damien and Junichiro stood in a flat area. Even the burning remains of the plane were reduced to smoldering rubble.
"Now we have room to move," Junichiro said as he tossed the guns aside. "I only ever learned how to use guns because Father said my sword skills were too destructive, as you have experienced firsthand already."
Damien thought about the first time he saw one of Junichiro's sword attacks back when he simultaneously pierced through Tymon and the floor of Avarice's lab, then when he cut through an entire city with a swing. He could see why Avarice would handicap him by making him rely on guns instead.
"But from here on," he placed some sort of small device on his chest, then pulled the hilt on his waist as a broad sword materialized. Then, he released his power in an impressive outburst as the device began to glow.
[Speed enhanced], Damien heard a computerized voice speak as he turned his head slightly away, as Junichiro's power generated an unbelievable force.
He noted that Junichiro was a bit more powerful than him. That wasn't a surprise since Za'Fia had already informed us of each of their EQNs. But Damien had planned to use his superior speed to his advantage. If what that device just said was true, then this wouldn't be as simple as he hoped.
"I'm going to use my natural skills to end you," Junichiro continued as he took an elegant yet solid stance of his own. Sensing his energy, Damien could only describe the sensation of Junichiro's energy as bound and guarded.
Damien responded by adjusting himself. One slip up, and either of them could be killed...
-----
Fun fact: The energy converters that Trevor and Verin developed allows the user to gain a boost in power, speed, or strength if activated. This is done by channeling some of the user's energy into the device. The device then amplifies that energy artificially before rereleasing it, or it takes the energy, converts it into an adrenaline serum for the user's muscles, and then spreads it into their bloodstream for a physical boost. However, the dosage isn't large enough to cover the entire body, so it can only spread in one's upper or lower body, depending on where it's placed.
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