The remnants of the Nexus Tower now stood as a testament to chaos, its two halves distinctly outlining the power that had rented it asunder. Amidst the ruins, the survivors—augmented fighters and various mercenaries—scrambled in disarray. Some lay motionless, victims of the explosive forces, while others stumbled through the rubble, seeking whatever cover they could find from what they now perceived as an unstoppable force.
"He's the Reaper, isn't he?" gasped a survivor, his voice quivering as much as his shaky form. He was an augmented gunman, his mechanical arms still sparking from overload and damage. Pieces of his enhanced visor hung loosely, flickering with residual data.
"How did he even find us here?" another cried out, a blade weapon expert whose once-pristine katana was now nicked and tarnished. His augmented eyes scanned the smoke-filled landscape, searching for the silhouette that had brought their mighty haven to its knees.
As the survivors exchanged frantic speculations, a shadow emerged from within the billowing clouds of destruction. Jaede, his eyes glowing an intense red that cut through the smog, gripped his scythe with assured dominance. Each step he took was measured and heavy, reverberating ominously through the broken grounds of the demolished tower.
"You fools cluster around your tech relics like moths to flame—easy to find, easy to obliterate," Jaede's voice was calm, yet it carried the weight of final judgment. "Manipulating the core of a dead person's augments is basic tech, primitives," he continued, a smirk playing on his lips. "A simple override command, and your enhancements become an internal ticking time-bomb. Quite literally."
As he spoke, the atmosphere tensed further—survivors exchanged looks of dread and realization, understanding the depth of their underestimation.
Before more words could be exchanged, a figure emerged beside Jaede, stepping through the smoke with a silent, predatory grace. She was clad in a tight, combat-ready black jumpsuit that accentuated her agile build. Her hair, a striking mix of dark blue and yellow, was tied back in a messy, braided ponytail that swung with each purposeful step. Her eyes, light brown and sharp, scanned the surroundings with mechanical precision, mirroring her partly cybernetic nature.
Her left arm was entirely robotic, sleek and designed for combat, with visible wires coiling up around her neck and embedding into the side of her head—an intricate network of enhancements that suggested a high level of augmentation sophistication. Clutched in her right hand was a metal chain, each end bearing cruel, sharp spikes that gleamed ominously in the dim light.
She said, "Gross. I hate people. Too many of them."
Jaede saw her, and said, "I don't know you, but you're pretty, do you maybe wanna…go out sometime or?"
"With you? No. Gross. I don't like people and all that. They disgust me."
"I'm different."
"Yeah they all say that."
"What are you doing here anyway? Trying to steal my glory? Piss off."
"No. I was assigned this mission from the CyberHunter association, and they warned me that a brat with the Devil's Core would probably be there so they told me to ignore you."
"That sounds like them. You must be new then."
"I am. I'm Klem."
"I'm—."
"Don't care honestly, it's not like we'll be friends after this."
"Trust me I'm a good guy. Promise!"
"Yeah right. Buzz off, this is my mission."
"Hell no. You buzz off. What are ya gonna do, tell on me?"
"I'm not a snitch."
"Ooooh you're so badass." Jaede said sarcastically, waving his handsz
As they stood side by side, the broken figures of mercenaries still capable of comprehending their fate whispered and groaned amongst themselves.
In the midst of the chaotic ruins of Nexus Tower, the surviving augmented fighters, desperate and driven by fear, began to gather. Their mechanical augments whirred and clicked as they closely positioned themselves around one another.
"Initiate Protocol Combine," one of them barked, his voice mechanically distorted. Panels on their bodies opened, and intricate cables and connectors sprung out, linking one fighter to another. "We're merging into Destructor Mode; he can't handle all of us at once!"
"Yeah, it's our only shot," another augmented fighter agreed, his limbs stretching and reshaping to fit into the growing amalgamation of technology and human flesh. "This guy isn't even a registered CyberHunter. He's off the grid—a rogue element."
Klem asked Jaede, "Are they powering up?"
Jaede yawned, "Seems like it."
As they continued to morph into a colossal, multi-limbed weapon of destruction, the air around them buzzed with electrical energy and the sound of metal grinding against metal. However, their transformation was not meant to reach completion.
Without a hint of hesitation or respect for the dramatic build-up that the fighters anticipated, Jaede, eyes still glowing fervently red, charged forward with his scythe arcing through the air with deadly precision. The blade met the half-formed mechanical behemoth with a thunderous clash, cutting through the network of amalgamated limbs and augments with ease. The creation was cleaved in two, sparks and wires erupting from its severed connections as it crumbled to the ground in a heap of twitching metal and flesh—utterly destroyed.
Klem, standing beside Jaede, let out a simple, "Wow."
Jaede turned to her with a smirk, running a hand along the shaft of his scythe. "You saw that right? Badass."
Klem shrugged, amusement flickering across her features. "Wow. Because you're not even a registered CyberHunter, so you're essentially stealing missions from real CyberHunters. And another thing, you didn't wait for them to finish their transformation like they do in anime and other shows."
"It was too boring," Jaede replied nonchalantly, flicking off some debris from his scythe. "I almost took a nap. And don't doubt me, they'll accept me soon."
"They won't accept someone with the Devil's Core. You successfully harnessed things that turn augmented people into husks. Once someone is merged with one, they instantly die, and something else takes over their body. Duh."
"Of course I do!"
'Known as Nyx Arbor, the Black Tree is a gnarled, twisted behemoth whose bark seems to absorb light. Its roots snake through the underbelly of the city, entwining with the sewers and abandoned subways. Legend has it that the Black Tree was the first to emerge, birthed from the void to bring structure to chaos. From its branches fall the Black Cores, also known as Dark Light. Those who are unfortunate enough to be touched by these cores undergo a horrifying transformation. Augmented individuals—those with cybernetic enhancements—become berserkers, losing their sanity and gaining dark, demonic abilities. They roam the city as avatars of destruction, spreading fear and chaos. In stark contrast, the Lux Arbor* or White Tree stands as a pillar of luminescence. Its branches glow with a soft, almost holy light, casting long shadows that seem to whisper secrets. The White Tree is revered by many as a symbol of purity and hope. However, the White Cores or *False Light* it produces are anything but benevolent. Those who come into contact with these radiant orbs transform into *Radiant Beings*. They chant hymns and mantras about light and purity, but their true purpose is far more sinister. These beings are drawn to me for some reason, the main character, and will stop at nothing to consume me, killing anyone in their path. I still don't know why they want me, but they fight me, and never try and kill me, but I kill them. Their chants are hypnotic, often luring unsuspecting victims into their deadly embrace. The Ruber Arbor, or Red Tree, is a colossus of blood-red leaves and thorny branches. Its presence is both mesmerizing and terrifying, a stark reminder of nature's wrath. The *Red Cores* or *Beast Light* that fall from its canopy bestow a primal fury upon those who touch them. Augmented individuals become *Beast-like Beings*, merging with the essence of ancient, monstrous creatures. These beings possess incredible strength and ferocity, turning parts of the city into hunting grounds where only the fittest survive. It's so much to it, but I don't wanna bore myself with inner dialogue lore. Let the bloodshed continue.'
As they bantered, a figure observed the scene from a distance, standing outside the carnage-strewn perimeter of the destroyed building. He was dressed in a pristine white suit, contrasting sharply against the grim, devastated surroundings. His hair was slicked back, and black augment lines traced the contours of his skull, ending at a pair of dark glasses that masked his eyes. Blood dripped from a gash on his head, staining the collar of his white shirt.
"How dare he…how dare he! I built Nexus Tower from the ground up! Supplying enhancements to everyone in Dark Light! Those bastards!"
The man's breath came in short, sharp gasps as he witnessed the epic takedown, using an enhanced inhaler, his hand trembling as he reached up to adjust his glasses. Fear was evident in his posture, the realization of being totally outmatched dawning upon him as he silently questioned what his next move should be in the face of such overwhelming force.
As Jaede and Klem prepared to leave the smoldering battleground, their movements halted abruptly. Klem's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of a solitary figure dressed in a white suit trying to stealthily retreat from the chaos. Recognizing the potential threat or valuable information he might hold, Klem nudged Jaede, nodding subtly towards the man now identified as Haines.
"Bet you didn't notice him. This is why you're gross and I'll never like you." Klem said.
Jaede replied, "Once you see how badass I am, you'll go on a date with me. Watch."
"Doubt it. But do whatever you want."
Upon being spotted, Haines turned abruptly and bolted, his fear etched in every panicked step as he pushed through debris and leapt over fallen beams. The chase ensued with Jaede and Klem swiftly pursuing the frenzied man as he darted through the crumbling infrastructure of Nexus Tower.
"I'll lead them further! Yes! Chase me, dumb idiots!"
Just as they were closing in on him, Haines, desperate and cornered, withdrew a small artifact from his jacket. "No more games!" he shouted, his voice cracking under stress as he held the artifact aloft. It hummed ominously, energy pulsating in an erratic rhythm before it emitted a deafening blast, akin to that of a nuclear explosion. The explosion expanded violently, a colossal wave of obliteration racing toward Jaede, Klem, and everything else in its unforgiving path.
It was a nuke going off.
Klem tensed, ready to dive for cover or dash away from the imminent destruction, but Jaede placed a calming hand on her shoulder, halting her with a confident smirk. His eyes glowed an intense, brighter red, filled with unspoken promise of counteraction.
Klem exclaimed, "Are you crazy?! It's a nuke! Headed for us!"
Jaede walked forward, sighing, "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. I just know I'm not the same scared boy I was last year."
As the nuclear-like explosion surged towards them, Jaede lifted his scythe, which now crackled with a menacing blend of black and red energy that spiraled towards the heavens. Suddenly, a digital apparition materialized beside him, a pixelated red woman with flowing long hair who mirrored Jaede's movements and grasped the scythe alongside him.
With a powerful, calculated movement, Jaede dashed forward, the spectral woman moving in perfect synchrony with him. Together, they drew the scythe through the air in a massive, sweeping arc. The weapon tore through the very fabric of the explosive force, parting the monstrous wave of energy down the middle. The split halves of the blast continued outward, now diverted away from Jaede and Klem but carrying on to wreak further destruction on their surroundings, cleaving buildings and shattering what remained of the Nexus Tower in a spectacular, fiery onslaught.
As the dust settled and the echo of the redirected explosion rumbled in the distance, Klem stared at Jaede wide-eyed and uttered in shock, disbelief coloring her voice, "This weirdo... parried a nuke?!"
'Is this because of the Devil's Core?! It's insane! But I won't acknowledge him for it. Nope. I have to act like I don't care.'
Meanwhile, in the middle of the upheaval, Haines capitalized on the distraction to put more distance between himself and the duo. However, as the initial shock wore off, Jaede and Klem quickly regained their composure and resumed the chase, determined to uncover the secrets Haines clearly protected and the reasons behind his desperate gambit.
As they darted after the fleeing figure, the scene cut with the swirling debris and fading echoes of chaos, leaving their relentless pursuit hanging in a breath of suspense and anticipation.
Jaede said, "Guess you're coming with me on my mission."
"You mean my mission, fool. Go home. You're gross."
"You love me, and we just met, I already know."
"I definitely don't."
"Don't fight the feeling." Jaede sang.
"Don't ever sing again."