— Darling, tomorrow is Yuto's birthday! How could we forget it?
— Oh, right! We were so worried about our son that we forgot his birthday!
Yuto's parents were in their house in Osaka, reminding each other of an important celebration. His mother suggested:
— We can skip work tomorrow, let's go meet him as soon as possible! Then we can decide what we can do for a party!
— That's a great idea, honey! But let's make it a surprise so he thinks we forgot until we get there!
— That's an evil but good idea!
They both went to Tokyo to meet their son. Since the city was a little too big, they had a hard time navigating it. They got off the bullet train, confused.
— Darling, where should we head now?
— I have no idea, honey! Let's stroll around the city for now.
— Hm, we still have a lot of time until midnight, so I think it's alright.
They visited some places.
Yuto was agonizing in his bed, looking at the ceiling with no purpose.
This is all my fault... you know what? I don't really care. They wanted to be my friends, so they knew they were gonna die...
He started scratching his pulse with enough strength to make it bleed. This triggered the danger sensor Genesis planted on him, warning Charlotte to come as soon as possible.
Who am I trying to fool? If I didn't care, I wouldn't be thinking about it...
A message was sent to his phone. He grabbed it, thinking it would be just an useless notification. But he was so deep in his negative thoughts that he needed a break. Any kind of attention was welcome. He saw the hour, it was almost midnight.
I thought it was still day... I feel like I killed my best friends minutes ago...
The message came from an unknown number. It said:
— Hi, Yuto, I'm Akari, Tatsuya's son. I know this is sudden, but I need to talk to you as soon as possible. Can you meet me here?
Akari sent his coordinates.
How did he get my number? I think Tatsuya gave it to him, for some reason... He probably wants to ask me about his father. I must go.
Yuto finally got up from his bed and headed towards the building where Akari was. It was a bridge between two skyscrapers. Even though the buildings were modern, the bridge was a bit medieval. It was mostly yellow, had big windows and pillars supporting the ceiling. It was very similar to a game Yuto played as a child years ago.
This looks like Undert-
— Ah, Yuto! Thanks for coming here, and I'm sorry for disturbing your sleep!
He saw Akari on the other side of the long hallway. Golden hair and blue eyes as usual, but he was wearing something different. Dark blue hoodie, pink shoes, white shirt and black short shorts, like a certain skeleton from a certain game.
Who wears shorts and a hoodie at the same time? I swear, this is a reference to... nevermind.
— Hello, Akari. It's good to see you after so much time.
— I say the same to you, Yuto. You know, there were plenty of people I wanted to ask before you, but I didn't have another choice.
— Why? Don't you like me?
— That's not it, really! It's because the Boss asked me to find you. That's why I didn't want to resort to you so quickly.
Yuto widened his eyes, confused. Why would the Boss say that?
— The Boss? How does he know you? I mean, you're a level 7's son, but you don't have anything to do with the association...
— So my dad said all that to you... I'm afraid you're wrong in the last sentence.
— What do you mean? You're an executive, by any chance?
— Not only that, I'm pretty important to this city.
— Really? You're just a kid, this is child labor...
— No, I chose that way. My dad didn't want me to follow his career, but here I am.
— You followed his career? Are you a hero?
Akari broke the calm conversation between friends with a serious look. He stared directly into Yuto's eyes.
— Now, Yuto. Depending on your answer, many things will change. This is a inflection point in this timeline. Respond only with the truth.
What is this, an interrogation? I thought he was a kid, not a judge...
— Alright, I'll say the truth.
— What happened to my father? Do you have anything to do with his situation?
I knew it! He must be suffering now with his parents's absence.
— Only Tatsuya? What about your mother?
— They are probably in the same situation. Depending on your answer, I'll ask about her as well.
— Okay. Tatsuya is... dead. I'm sorry.
— Are you apologizing because you're guilty?
— Yeah. I didn't kill him directly, but he probably died because he was my friend.
— So you're the root of all problems?
Yuto thought about that question for a while. It was probably true. He felt guilty for everything that happened in the last days. He trapped himself in his room for years, with nothing important happening in between. Now everyone he considered friends was missing or dead. It had to do something with him. He was the root of of everything, like a protagonist. But not in a good way.
I guess this is the price I have to pay for being selfish. I knew they would die someday. I thought I could save them, but there are things not even I can control. Forget that "even", I'm not competent enough to say that.
— Yeah... I was always the root of all problems. I thought things could be different this time, but I was just being too optimistic. I feel like this universe targets me for some reason. I'm not being dramatic, something really feels wrong. How can I be so important in every bad way possible?
— I see... Yuto, you're not the only chosen one. For every rule there's an exception, right?
Yuto widened his eyes, remembering about what his sister once said.
You're right, I'm invincible. But to every rule there's an exception, right? An exception...
He looked at Akari. He was pointing his finger towards him, like someone blaming a criminal. A small light ball appeared in front of his index finger.
— What a shame, Yuto. I thought we were friends. Now I understand why the Boss said you're always in the middle of all problems. You admitted it yourself.
— You're...
— That's right, I'm Hakkiri, the top 1 level 7. Do you think even the worst person can change? That everybody can be a good person, if they just try?
Yuto was not shocked at the revelation. He understood that everything bad revolved around him. He remembered about Zenith and Slade, the worst people he ever met.
— No... I don't think people can change. They're born good or evil. They can have an opposite phase in their life, but their core is immutable.
— Thanks for telling the truth. You know you're just making your situation worse, right? You're pratically asking to die.
— I know, and I can't change my fate. Like I said, the universe is playing with me, so it must want me alive. So dying is not a bad choice. I may also meet my friends somewhere.
— You know there isn't a heaven or hell.
— That's why I said "somewhere". I don't know if it's the void, reincarnation, afterlife etc., but it's a possibility. There are endless timelines, so anything is possible.
— You're right. My dad tried to save me countless times, not only you. We're in the same situation.
Yuto smiled hollowly. At least someone understood him.
— You're right. So you understand why I should at least try to die. The universe will save me if it really wants me alive.
— Let's see if that's true. You're pretty calm, knowing that you can simply die if the universe doesn't need you anymore.
— I thought about this countless times, even before returning to Tokyo. I don't think I belong to this world, yet it keeps trapping me here. What if I just die? That's what I always wanted.
— So you want to become someone else in another world... What if you lose your memories or your identity?
— I don't really care. Would you like to be a plant if joy was injected into you every day? You would be happy, even if you were useless and didn't exist.
— That's a bit too profound for me. I'm just a kid, remember?
— I'm sorry for the philosophical shit. Come on, kill me. I want to taste what death feels like.
— If that's what you want...
Hakkiri increased the light on his fingertip. It got so intense that everything turned white. Not only the hallway, that was now destroyed. One quarter of the city disappeared instantly. A light was there for a millisecond and then nothing, not even ashes. The surroundings were burned by the heat, but what was consumed just turned into nothing. The air current changed drastically because of the heat, making a storm take form.
— Darling, it's midnight now! We lost track of time shopping...
— Don't worry, honey. Let's send a message to Yuto, then we can meet-
Dead. Just two out of millions. They were simply not important to the world, not to the universe, not to the association. The only people who cared about them were Yuto and Haji. But they were not important, not even close. If they died, no one would realize. They could just rot inside of a coffin that the people would walk towards their destination. But a coffin was not necessary for people who no longer existed. It was a waste of materials, money and time.
There were many important people that died in that incident. Did people mourn for them? Some did, most didn't care. It was not their problem. If their life weren't affected, screw the whole world. They're the real victims of the universe's torture, not the dead. At least the dead could rest now. They didn't even feel pain, how marvelous. It was the dream for everyone: an easy and painless death, not insufferable life.
Being born in a rich family is good, not being born is best. Only the luckiest of the luckiest could have such a fate. The people want you to suffer what they suffered. They can't stop their desires to simply bring less pain and suffering to the world. In the end, everyone must suffer before dying. With life, comes suffering. With death, comes peace. With none of them, comes bliss.
Yuto was one in billions who thought that every day. Why did my parents want to have me? They're being selfish, that's why I'll never have kids! Why do people feel bad after an animal dies to be eaten? It's being freed from the shackles of life. Of course, it was born for that purpose, so more suffering just to prolong our life and pain. But who cares about the other species? The humans are the ones who suffer the most.
If one could end humankind, everything would be alright forever. The stars and galaxies would consume our planet anyway. Nothing would matter. Ever. But the universe wants us alive, for some reason. Some say we have a mission to complete in our life. If that mission is suffering and making the rest suffer, everyone can do that easily. So why even bother to try anything? Yuto felt like nothing had any purpose. Being at peace is what matters the most.
Now he would be at peace forever. The greatest gift anyone could ask for. That's what he always wanted. He had no regrets. But his universe wanted him alive. To watch him suffer? Maybe. To entertain the gods of another dimension? Probably. He was never someone he wanted to be. He was someone his creator wanted him to be. His god wanted him to suffer. That's why he was still alive, somehow.
— So it's you this time...
Yuto was still recovering from the absurd light that blinded his only healthy eye, but he recognized his "savior". She had only one arm, yet she saved him with no hesitation. She was watching him for at least a few minutes, since she had to take him by surprise. She punched his face hard enough to make his nose bleed.
— What the hell are you doing?!
Charlotte was crying, annoyed by his attitude.
— I can't believe Genesis died for you... You're such a piece of shit.
— I know...
She punched him again and again, until she got tired. Her only hand was still bleeding because of her missing fingers and nails.
— You don't know shit! Millions of people died because you can only think about giving up all the time!
Yuto looked around and saw the destroyed city. Akari was surprised and a bit annoyed:
— Who are you, lady? You're interrupting our meeting.
— Shut the fuck up! I'm not talking to you, asshole!
He got a bit offended, but decided to see where things would go. Charlotte saw Yuto's empty eyes and shouted again:
— Are you going to be useless trash and lie there for God knows how long?! Your last enemy is right in front of you! This will be over once you kill that stupid kid!
— The Boss is still alive. He must have a lot of last weapons yet.
— Who cares?! You arrived here and you'll just give up?
— Yes, nothing matters anyway. The universe is too big, you know.
— So you let your friends die and that's it? You are such a disappointment...
— I was a disappointment since I was born. Just let me die, please.
— You know what? I give up on you. Just die there and let me finish your fucking job. Otherwise, this entire city will be erased from the map.
She got up and stared at Hakkiri, thinking about how to kill him. He warned her:
— I can kill you whenever I want, lady. Spare your life and let me finish him.
— I don't give a fuck about what happens to that bastard, but I can't let you kill so many people just because you can.
— Are you sure? I won't hold back-
Charlotte dashed towards his head, kicking it with her maximum strength. He was surprised by the attack and took little to no damage, but her entire body was electrocuted.
— Why even bother? You'll die with no purpose.
— Why won't you die?
— Electricity, lass. It covers my body as a shield and triggers with physical contact. You can't hurt me.
She threw her remaining nails towards his head, which just bounced them off with electricity.
— What did I just say?
He casted a light beam towards her. It started on the ground and dragged until it reached her. She dashed towards him again, trying to punch his head. She knew she would die eventually, but she had to at least try. He catched her fist easily and swung her body around, making her dizzy. He released her towards the sky.
When she was there, she realized how vast the damage his first attack did. Roughly 25% of the city and its people were gone, reduced to atoms. A cone-shaped area of pure nothingness but burned land. A storm cloud formed above her. A tornado also appeared, messing up everything.
I'm sorry, Genesis, I couldn't save anyone. I tried, but I'm just making this worse, ain't I? I hate to admit it, but Anelise was right, I am a side character. Yuto is the protagonist, for some reason. I have so many regrets, but they don't matter anymore. The universe is too big, you know?
A lightning strike hit her. It was so powerful that an explosion the size of an atomic bomb destroyed everything, especially in the epicenter. Her body got vaporized instantly. Millions died again because of the explosion, electricity and everything else.
Even the ground had difficulty dissipating all the energy, so many people died because they were touching it. Others weren't affected enough to be damaged. The ocean got electrocuted, killing almost all living beings inside of it. Some of the water got vaporized. The city lost power. Actually, Japan blacked out.
— Huh. Always wondered why people never use their strongest attack first.
Yuto watched it and felt guilty, but his inner demon said it had nothing to do with him. It was not his fault, nothing was. Even if it was, who cares? The universe is so immense that if one intelligent life form were to die, billions of others would still exist to be found. The humankind is too selfish to think they're the only one.
His guilt still crushed his mind. He couldn't fool himself anymore. It was all his fault, but not for something he did. It was for something he didn't do.
It's too late to even try anything... I can't go back in time, Tatsuya could. At least I can still end this. If I sacrifice myself, Akari won't have a reason to kill anyone, right?
Yuto, what the hell is happening? Are you seeing that shit in the sky? I almost died!
Unizard? Don't worry, I can put an end to this.
So you're in the middle of everything again, huh? Don't even think about killing yourself, dumbass!
It's the only way...
I've heard that bullshit so many times in my life. Even in 14,000,605 possibilities, there's at least one good alternative.
Really? So tell me your ideas. You can't, right? Because you're just being optimistic.
You're right, I don't have enough mana to fight or think of a solution. But you're different! You can still kill whoever is doing this!
I can't do shit against the top 1.
The top 1, really? Well, I'll just have to pump your will to fight once again. Let's see... here! Not only did your friend Charlotte die, your parents did too.
Wait, what?
That's right, they just died in that cone-shaped light. Apparently they were here to celebrate your birthday.
Yuto's heart harbored hatred for them. They brought life into his miserable existence, after all. But this information made him crumble in tears. He was in despair now, knowing that some of his last loved ones died for a mistake he did. If he didn't want to die, if he wanted to live for at least them, they would be alive now. But he had to fumble everything once again. When he tries, everybody dies. When he doesn't, they still die.
It was his fault, but Akari didn't have to kill anyone besides him. The one who should be punished the most was that horrendous boy, who killed millions with no reason. After Yuto's eyes were dry from crying, he got up, determined. His nose was still bleeding by Charlotte's punches. They were her last remnants. And they weren't for nothing. He had to redeem himself, or at least try. After all, it's worth trying.
Thank you, Unizard. I have to make up for everything bad I did and didn't do.
Unizard smiled on the other side of the telepathy, trying not to die by all the damage the city took.
You're back again, Yuto. We can't go back in time, but this isn't over yet. We can at least try to fix some things and prevent more problems, right?
Her mana was still recovering from the intense battle from earlier, and her magic residue was almost overflowing the limit. Yet, she used everything she had to save the most people she could. Yuto couldn't be left behind. He had to put an end to all that chaos.
— Oh? I thought you wanted to die.
— And I thought you wanted to kill me, not the city.
— If I remember correctly, you said their death is the end to their suffering, yes?
— I was wrong. What if they're being sent to hell or somewhere worse? And what about the people who survived and are in debt forever now because of all the damage?
— I told you hell isn't a thing. And don't worry about the living, I'll erase the whole mankind from the map eventually.
— Why? What did they do to you?
— They tried to kill my father countless times. You know Slade? Thank you for killing her. I wanted to do that, but the Boss said she was necessary.
— So why don't you kill him?
— And lose the chance of fulfilling my mission to kill every human being? If my dad was still alive, I wouldn't have a reason to do that, but you had to ruin everything.
— Like I said, I didn't kill him directly! What if he wanted to die?
— And leave me behind in this stupid world? You're not that special, Yuto. If he died to save you, I must kill you. No one steals my father.
— So you're another yandere...
Yuto tidied his spiky quiff and smiled determinedly, like his tomboy sister.
— I know I shouldn't be smiling, but it's refreshing to know you're worth killing.
Hakkiri extended his hand to fire another cone-shaped laser. Yuto jumped upwards to make his attack not hit the city. A thousand light beams of different colors converged into a huge laser. The small ones hit his body, but didn't cause great damage. The large one almost erased him, missing by centimeters. It swept the whole sky, like an artificial sun. Many people were recording the event with their phones. The ones who didn't die or lose their electronic devices, of course.
The clouds disappeared instantly. The air combusted, leaving a hot air current trail. Yuto was pulled towards it and Hakkiri threw a huge lightning from his hand. It was a mix of yellow and light blue. Yuto tried to deflect it upwards with his gravity and it worked, since the electric current was much weaker this time. Akari "teleported" behind him and kicked him towards the city, releasing an electric discharge and destroying many buildings in the way.
How?! Does he have a teleportation power as well?
He appeared in front of him again, ready to throw another destructive light beam from his hand. Yuto pushed his body forward with his power, passing between his legs and getting electrocuted. Even though his body was stunned, he could use his power. He used a supreme gravity on Hakkiri, smashing his body to the ground. A cylindrical hole was left, but a huge lightning strike hit the area, launching Yuto's body away.
Akari climbed out of it, with a calm yet intimidating look on his face. His hair was spiky because of the electricity and his blue eyes were shining like nothing else. He started moving in different directions at such speed that even his afterimages were difficult to follow. He landed a punch on Yuto's chest, releasing a strong electrical current for kilometers. His body also got sent for at least a hundred kilometers, crashing into multiples mountains.
He's too fucking fast! I didn't think a power of Light would give him light speed!
He landed on a flower field in the middle of nothing. A solar zenith came from the sky, even though it was midnight. Yuto avoided it by very little. The flower field was deleted and burned. Akari appeared at the sky, trying to find his enemy. Since his body was shining like a sun, Yuto found him quicker. He flew towards his back and hit two horizontal supreme gravities, one from each direction. It greatly increased the damage as they collided with each other.
Plus, Zenith's cards were making the fight a little more fair. Even though he had to be close to his enemy to have his power increased, it was a risk worth taking. Akari got stunned for a moment, since the attack was much stronger than he expected. Yuto didn't want to hit him directly, since it would trigger the electricity barrier. So he just tried to rip Akari's heart from the inside. It took a lot of practice and concentration, but he managed to damage it slightly.
Annoyed, Hakkiri released a extremely strong electrical current in every direction, paralyzing Yuto and making many lightning strikes destroy the landscape. In addition, he casted dozens of light beams towards random directions. They got bigger the longer the distance, so Yuto had to be closer to not be hit. They started moving quickly, destroying erasing and burning everything. The hot air current made Yuto's mobility worse, so he almost got hit multiple times.
The electrical barrier got bigger, so Yuto couldn't be too close or too far. His mechanical parts were malfunctioning from all the electricity. He felt like he was in a boss fight, so his adrenaline made everything easier to dodge.
The attacks stopped and Hakkiri raised his palm to create a giant light sword. It was so big that the blade was barely visible in the horizon. Even the handle was thicker than mountains. He swung it in every direction, hoping to hit Yuto. It deleted everything in hundreds of kilometers away, including many towns.
Shit, I didn't think the damage would go this far... I have to end this quick, or he will just destroy the country.
Even though it was night, the light was so intense that any normal human being would go permanently blind. He prepared himself physically and mentally to use his strongest attack: the same supreme gravity he used to kill Slade. Hakkiri threw countless lightning strikes from his hands, so he had to dodge them while concentrating his power.
Done!
— Take this, bastard!
Akari's body was smashed down in the air. It took about half a second to reach the ground, since there was nothing in the landscape. The closest surface was hundreds of kilometers away, so Yuto's attack had to be the strongest and fastest. It damaged their bodies significantly. Yuto's only eye was being blinded by using so much power at the same time.
When Akari travelled about six hundred kilometers into the ground, he released a omnidirectional light. It was powerful enough to blind Yuto for some seconds. It also vaporized the underground where he was. He managed to reach Yuto in less than a second, due to his light speed and capability of flying. He landed a powerful kick to his head, knocking him out instantly and stunning him for longer.
Then, Hakkiri connected a electrical chain to Yuto's body. He swung it like a whip and released it. His body travelled so far that he was now at the ocean near Tokyo. Yuto woke up and saw a huge tsunami charging towards him. Akari gathered the water with his electricity, making it a canvas to his powers. Electricity being the pencil and paint bucket, Light being the eraser.
He sent several light beams through the water, taking Yuto by surprise. He managed to dodge them, even though they arrived instantly, because of the light's speed. He was just that good to know where the next attack would come from. A huge storm formed, sending immense lightning strikes everywhere. Water flew in all directions, electric currents were shot towards him, as well as giant drops of water and light beams.
Yuto thought about something he tried only a few times before, since it was too draining and difficult to do with his power. But it was now or never, since it would give him a huge advantage.
Concentrate, Yuto... Freeze everything!
He managed to freeze almost all the water and part of Hakkiri's body. He used his power to stop all the molecules from moving, lowering their temperature. It was pratically impossible to do on that scale, but Yuto's adrenaline was doing wonders.
I got it! I can't believe I could do it in just one try!
Surprised, Hakkiri connected his electricty to Yuto's body again and swung it everywhere, breaking the ice and sending huge waves towards every direction. He released him, launching his body towards the sky.
They were both almost exiting the atmosphere. The curvature of Earth was visible there. Yuto catched some air with his power to be able to breath and not explode by the difference in pressure and everything else. Hakkiri didn't need any of that, since he was too strong to die for a stupid reason like that. He could resist it for at least a few hours.
Someone was sending messages to Yuto's phone desperately, but it broke in the fight. He looked up by instinct and remembered something absurdly important. He understood that his task now was to damage Hakkiri's electrical barrier. He casted a supreme gravity on him, sending his body towards the ground and exploding a mountain on impact. He did it again multiple times, annoying Akari, who sent an omnidirectional discharge and stunned him.
Yuto didn't stop, determined in causing as much damage as possible. Hakkiri grabbed a mountain with his power and threw it towards Yuto, who destroyed it with another mountain. They were both throwing mountains at each other now. Lightning strikes everywhere, light beams, mountains, storms, tornados and more. Yuto and Hakkiri were changing the landscape with their powers, grabbing everything and throwing everywhere. It was a food fight in an absurdly large scale.
Both were getting tired, so Hakkiri swung his palm, casting a colossal light wall and sweeping it. The only way to avoid it was getting around it, since it was impossible to jump or dig below it. Yuto flew as quickly as possible to not be hit. But Akari was faster and casted another wall with his other palm, closing it like a cage. Yuto used a horizontal supreme gravity towards the kid's heart and managed to erase it.
Surprised, Hakkiri made the walls disappear and joined his palms together, sending an unfathomably powerful yet small light beam. It pierced through Yuto's heart with no problem and went on until it reached space. Actually, it got even further than the Moon's distance to Earth. Luckily, it was aimed towards the sky. It would pierce the whole planet otherwise.
They both fell to the ground, exhausted. Yuto froze his chest and made the blood flow almost normally. Akari also made his electricity support his body, so he would last for at least a few hours fighting. But if he had to go all-out again, it would be hard to last minutes. Yuto, on the other hand, was in a even worse situation. He would only survive if he stopped fighting immediately, since he had to focus his power on his body.
Luckily for him, his job was done. He managed to weaken Hakkiri's electrical barrier by forcing him to use his power on himself.
— Are you tired, Yuto...? I can do this all day...
The air got a bit strange and Akari noticed it. Vertically, something was pulling the ground towards the sky. He looked up, but they were faster.
An abnormally big railgun strike hit Hakkiri. It was the infamous orbital cannon in action. Yuto managed to protect himself by very little. An explosion bigger than a normal Tsar bomba took place. There weren't any mountains left to tell the tale. The Earth once again had its rotation speed altered and was pushed slightly in its orbit around the Sun. This strike would be strong enough to destroy more than 5% of the Moon instantly and send it out of orbit.
The electricity of the railgun and flames from the explosion spread for over 10 kilometers from there, while the shockwave went for more than 100 kilometers. The strong impact, that is. Because the real shockwave circled the Earth multiple times. Of course, a lot of small and big cities got vaporized instantly. They didn't even get the chance to know about the damage Tokyo took from the fight.
Most of the country was still blacked out, but some places were returning the electricity with backup power or other meanings, since not all the cities's circuits were entirely destroyed. So the urban lights were still visible moments before being erased from existence. The planet's weather took major changes once again.
If Yuto could see all the damage a fight of that scale could cause, he would want to bring world peace once and for all. But he wasn't doing it just for fun. It was necessary to kill the level 7's, the real threat to mankind. Once they were dead, he could rest in peace. If he survived, it would be even better, but people would want him dead anyway.
How could a wanted criminal survive and all the great heroes die? Unacceptable. That was the common sense. The people loved the heroes, even when they were villains. They brought uniqueness to this world, so they were necessary. They didn't have to be actual heroes. Just making the world a more entertaining place to live was enough for them.
Yuto lowered the place's temperature to check if Hakkiri was dead. He was laying down, almost intact, except for the hole in his chest. They were in what remained of a flower field.
Shit! He's still alive!
— It's okay, Yuto. You win.
— Uh? Really?
— Yeah, the railgun drained almost all my power.
— Even a little spark of your power is deadly!
— Don't worry, I won't use it on you.
— What do you mean? I'm right here.
— No, I must do one last thing that I will not regret.
Hakkiri pointed his finger towards the Moon. He noticed the "X" mark Slade made.
— Wait, something is different. Not only the huge mark.
— Really? I don't know what that could be.
— The distance... It's way further than it used to be.
Slade's strongest attack pushed the Moon slightly off the orbit, almost breaking the Solar System.
— Can you seriously tell that from here? You're an anomaly...
— It's not hard to know that when I'm touching it.
His finger was releasing a slim lightning towards the Moon. It was the same ability he used to swing Yuto's body everywhere. It had a capability of attaching to an object and dragging it in the air like a whip.
— Wait, what are you doing? You can't be serious...
— I am dead serious, Yuto.
Akari had a crazy look on his face.
— Even if it's too far away, it will reach Earth eventually, and there's nothing humanity can do.
He pointed his palm upwards and pulled his finger back, like he was inviting the Moon to come.
— This is my last achievement. All the suffering will be gone for real in a few minutes, Yuto. No need to thank me. I know nobody would understand me, anyways...
Akari died.
— Wait, what are you saying? This can't be happening... Hey, don't die, please!
The Moon was now approaching Earth at an alarming speed.
At a dojo.
— Howdy, Hayate-chan! I just got back from the ice cream shop with a mint chocolate milkshake! Do you want to taste it?
— M-Master, I'm afraid this is not the time for that...
— Why the serious face, Revon? Something bad happened?
— Master, please look at the sky.
— Whoa! The Moon is bigger!
— Actually, it's approaching Earth as we speak. Should we do that?
— Hm... Wait until it's closer.
— B-But what if it collides before we use your power?
— Don't worry. You have been watching that Yuto guy since you met him at that mall, right? I trust him. If he fails, I'll use my power on you. So make sure to be here when that happens.
— Understood, Gojirou-sama.
Revon, the level 6 ninja disappeared in the shadows to find Yuto and Hakkiri, since they have been basically teleporting here and there during the fight. She was in a dojo talking with her master, Gojirou Kaname, the strongest ninja in the world. Considering his power, he was technically one of the most powerful beings in the universe.
He had pink hair and covered his face with a monitor mask, which simulated his eyes and mouth with a pink light. The reason behind that weird costume was unknown, at least for the public. He was energetic and playful, even when the Moon was about to hit his planet. Kohashi Hayate, also known as Revon, was one of his students. She wore a black face mask and a ponytail, over her black ninja uniform. The dojo wasn't much affected by the fight.
How the fuck is this even possible?! I know he was the top 1, but this is just ridiculous! I have to at least try...
Yuto raised his hands towards the Moon and used his power. Since it was still too far away, his power took around a minute to reach there, even with its maximum speed. Unizard was also trying to repel it with the mana she had, without exceeding her limits. Yuto, however, was forcing his body too much.
Mifuyu, the scientist, Ria and all the heroes who didn't die and could help were using all their efforts to make the Moon return to its original position. It was impossible using only force, since the inertia would make it fly away from orbit and crash into other planets eventually, or become their natural satellite. Even that was out of question, since there were no heroes capable of doing that. At least, not known ones.
Gojirou was one of the exceptions, even though his power wasn't related to super strength like Kanata. It was really different from all the others and could actually kill himself, so it was absurdly dangerous.
Those who remained in Tokyo were trying everything they had: missiles, bullets, railguns, anything that could be strong enough to at least minimize the impact. Nothing worked. The Moon was approaching at 1% the speed of light and would arrive in less than two minutes. The surface's gravity was already being affected.
Earth was being slightly pulled towards it. The oceans, buildings, clouds, everything was changing drastically. When it was close enough, Yuto used all his power to push the Moon away. He forced himself so much that he lost his other eye's vision. Additionally, his power ceased to function as a heart, causing him to slowly lose consciousness.
The Moon was slowed down slightly, but Earth's gravity was still pulling on it, speeding it up again. When it was seconds away from colliding, it suddenly changed direction, messing up everything on the planet again. It was now in the opposite direction, heading towards where it came from.
But the damage was already done. The surface was devastated, millions died, including Yuto. Since he was in the middle of nowhere, nobody came to save him. What made the Moon return wasn't his power. He died for nothing.
In a warehouse by the sea, two female voices could be heard:
— Yanagi, why did you do that?! You won't be able to move your body for days now!
— It's not the time yet, Mihara. Plus, I want to destroy this world by myself. I won't let anyone else steal my kill...
— I thought your goal was to end everything, no matter who did that... Sleep well, leader.
At the dojo again.
— Wah... That's really bad, Hayate-chan!
— I'm ready, master.
— Alright, let's do it. Close your eyes and concentrate. But remember: only return to the most crucial moment. If you can't change anything more than that, don't even try.
— Understood, Gojirou-sama. I chose the moment when he's most vulnerable.
— Perfect. Just end Yuto's job then. Now is the infamous countdown time! Black hole in 3, 2, 1...
As he finished counting, a black hole billions of times bigger than Earth replaced the planet. Its center was on Hayate's brain. Everyone on that timeline died instantly, including Revon. Her mind, however, travelled back in time.
She saw the event horizon, where everything happened. She couldn't move or do anything. There was an infinite amount of information overloading her brain. There were things humanity could never even dream of knowing. She was seeing everything and nothing at the same time.
She returned only a few minutes, when she was already at the dojo. Her master wasn't there, but she knew he was at the ice cream shop. She ran towards the nearest one and met him. She was out of breath, because the fate of humanity was on her hands.
— Master, please...
— Ah, I used my power again? Okay, just tell me where to take you.
— A flower field about four hundred kilometers away from here. There's a trail of electricity and broken mountains leading there.
— Alright, let's go. Hop on me.
She rode on his back. He flew to the sky to see the trail. It was pretty obvious, since the damage was absurd. They arrived there in no time, quite literally. In less than a second, because they teleported. He hid in a bush to see everything from afar. Revon approached Hakkiri's almost dead body.
— No, I must do one last thing that I will not regret-
The ninja took a shotgun from her back and shot the kid in the head multiple times. It was powerful enough to pierce through mountains, so it managed to explode his brain after many rounds. He couldn't use his electricity towards the Moon again. Yuto was disgusted by that scene, even though his vision was blurry. He never saw a kid being brutally murdered like that before.
— What? You've seen worse than this. Why is it so surprising all of a sudden?
— Who are you? And what are you doing here?
— Don't you remember me? You've seen me multiple times already, at the arena, at the mall etc.
— Really? Ugh, my head hurts... I'm sorry, I can't recognize you.
— I see. Well, your job is done now. The world almost ended, but don't worry. There's always someone left to clean your mess.
Revon walked away, leaving Yuto confused.
At the station.
Alright, my job is done.
Disruptor was leaving the cannon's control room, since it was the perfect time for her to escape the station. The lights went completely off for some seconds, before a red emergency light turned on. When she opened the last door to leave the room, there was someone waiting for her at the end of the corridor. She positioned herself to fight.
Who is she? How did someone know I was here?
She was a girl, almost the same age as Disruptor. She had blond, short and spiky hair. Her eyes were green, even though they were as dead as a corpse. There were dark circles under her eyes, looking like she was undead. Her skin was also pale. She wore the same astronaut suit as her and everyone else.
Disruptor controlled the machine guns on the ceiling to shoot at her head. Out of nowhere, a black sphere appeared in front of her and blocked all the bullets. It distorted the red light around it, like a black hole. The girl kicked it, launching it towards the guns and destroying them. The sphere fell towards Disruptor, who dodged it by rolling backwards.
She tried to close the metal doors between her and the girl, but nothing happened.
Huh?! Did they stop working? The emergency power should still be on-
The girl punched the black sphere, throwing it towards Disruptor. Because the corridor was narrow and she was distracted, it hit her perfectly. Since the doors were still open, she was pushed towards the control room's terminal along with the sphere, which kept her trapped against the terminal.
The lights came back to normal. She tried to push it away and destroy it, but nothing worked. The girl slowly approached her, until she was in the same room. She punched and kicked the sphere multiple times, breaking Disruptor's ribs one by one.
I'm losing consciousness... For some reason, I can't use my power. This must be this sphere's thing...
She noticed someone behind the girl.
Huh? Who is he? Since when was he there?
The mysterious man was using a futuristic mask that covered his entire face. He had grey short hair and wore a black suit and hat. He placed his hand on the girl's shoulder.
— That's enough, Kanojo. After all, we only want her dead, right?
The girl stopped punching the sphere reluctantly, but not because she wanted to continue. She was trying to stop her body from moving completely. Noticing the distraction, Disruptor took a shard of glass from the terminal and threw it towards the man. He dodged it by just moving his head.
— See? She's smart enough to take any chances to kill any of us. So just be a good girl and finish her.
The girl removed the sphere from there. It just disappeared, leaving no remains. She grabbed the hacker's neck and lifted her. Disruptor tried everything to make her release her grip. Biting, scrathing her arm, kicking her stomach and anything she could think of.
She's too strong even without the sphere! Who is this, a level 7?
The girl was crying. Her empty and soulless eyes were suffering. She clearly didn't want to do that. However, she sliced Disruptor's neck with her hand, killing her.