The scream causes Akio to turn back. In front of him is now the third soldier that he neglected, who used the last of his power to lunge at the General in a final attempt to injure him, if not kill. Akio's reaction was a bit late, but he still prepared to counter the attack with a punch...
- "No, you don't."
Suddenly, the soldier's leg is grabbed, as he's taken back and thrown to the ground, cracking it. Akio retracts his punch, seeing that the one who threw the soldier down is none other than...
- "Genkei."
Genkei, whose hands are reinforced with wind magic, turns back to look at Akio. His glare shows anger, but he softens up when he sees that his young cousin has done the rest of the work.
- "Thanks, Akio."
- "For what?"
- "For getting here in time. I saw Alexa when I was coming here. She didn't seem that injured, but two soldiers who were in a better condition than her.. she'd die."
- "You're right, but don't thank me. Let's just get them back to the headquarters.. but what about that one?"
Akio points to the soldier that Genkei threw to the ground. Genkei turns back, seeing that he's not moving.
- "I.. don't know."
Genkei walks towards the soldier, checking his pulse.
"Looks like he's still alive. What a tough bastard."
- "You did crack the floor though..."
- "He deserved it. I don't mind paying if anyone complains."
Akio chuckles at the remark, as he grabs the two soldiers and Genkei taakes the other one. The two head back and enter the meeting room, seeing the other four Generals and the other soldier that Genkei beat up earlier.
- "Yo! Sorry for the late arrival, but we've brought some souveniers."
Genkei's remark prompts the Generals to chuckle, as the two leave the unconscious soldiers next to the tied up one. As they head towards their seats, the conscious but tied up soldier looks at Akio with a death glare, who looks at him back with the same expression.
- "Now then! Let's start our first official Council, shall we?"
The other Generals can't help but react positively to Akio's declaration. After all, this is a big milestone for them.
During the Council, the six Generals touch upon the activity of the Dark Wizard and his soldiers during the past few weeks, including the two ambushes that occured just minutes prior.
"It looks like their activity has ramped up a bit recently. What do you have to say?"
Akio gives the floor to the soldier.
- "As if I'd tell you anything. Go to hell."
- "You know, you and your friends don't usually get the chance to speak directly to the Shining Generals.. so how about you reconsider?"
Akio raises his right hand, creating a small fireball.
- "That doesn't scare me. Torture me all you want, you--"
The soldier's rambling is interrupted prematurely by Alexa, who punches him.
- "Stop your bullshit. Why'd you come here? Your ambushes were bound to fail, so you do have some ulterior motive."
- "That's ironic, considering that you almost did get beaten."
The remark angers Alexa, who puts the soldier in a chokehold, picking him up and pushing him against the wall, as she creates magma in her right hand.
- "Why are you here!?"
- "Alright, alright! I'll talk!"
Alexa's.. negotiating skills left the other Generals speechless, as Akio started laughing.
- "Of course. Thank you for your convincing, Alexa."
In response to Akio's regard, though, Alexa looks at him angrily. This takes Akio aback, but he realizes what's going on.
"..right. Let him go for now. Afterwards..."
Alexa nods, releasing the man, who's struggling to breathe. Afterwards, Akio takes him to the front.
- "Speak up."
- "A-Alright..."
The soldier still has difficulty breathing, speaking through labored breaths.
- "We were sent here to give you a warning... The ambushes were an attempt to weaken you."
- "By whom? Was it the Dark Wizard himself, or was it anyone else?"
- "One.. of his commanders."
- "What's his name?"
- "I don't.. know."
- "What..?"
- "He never.. told us his name. He just gave us orders."
Akio ponders on it, thinking that the soldier's lying. He looks at the others, who have the same puzzled look at him. before they can continue, though...
...!!
Suddenly, the man starts vomiting blood uncontrollably, as purple and black flames envelop him. The same happens to the other three.
- "Damn it! Genkei, let's get them out of here!"
- "Right."
Akio and Genkei run towards the exit, with the former grabbing another soldier and Genkei taking the rest. As soon as they leave, Alexa follows them.
- "I have a job to finish. I'm going with them."
Alexa nods back at the other three, as she leaves. Aoi and Harumi look at Jack, who's a bit dumbfounded, as he tells the girls to come to his office.
A few minutes go by. Akio, Genkei and Alexa are headed to the outskirts of the city, so as to not endanger anyone. The two Generals drop the soldiers down, as they're now fully engulfed by the flames.
"What the hell happned to them?"
Alexa questions their condition, but Akio and Genkei can't answer. Akio tries to use his fire magic to perhaps control the burning flames, but that doesn't work.. until the flames are extinguished on their own?
This puzzles the three Generals, as they check the pulses of the soldiers.
...
- "They're dead."
Akio is the first to draw the conclusion. He stands up, looking at Alexa.
"What do you want to do now? You wanted to take revenge, right?"
- "Yeah. I let my anger take hold of me, though. We should destroy their bodies. If this was something that happened remotely by someone's magic, then there's no telling what else could happen."
- "Right."
The three prepare attacks with their magic to destroy of the bodies properly, but suddenly, Akio's watch rings.
- [Akio!]
- "What the..? Jack? What happened?"
- [I just received a call from a scout. His squad was attacked by one of the Wizard's soldiers, but he was unusually strong. He asked for you.]
- "So.. it's probably that 'commander'. Alright, we'll be heading there-"
- "What the hell!?"