Outside of the headquarters, on a large hill, CyberHunters of the Association and Metro Zen augmented guards stood on standby, only to make sure none of the prisoners tried to make a run for it.
Klem was walking up the hill, thinking, 'This is gonna be hell. What are they doing all of this for? Jaede the Reaper may be strong, but fighting off Dark Light's most dangerous prisoners on death row…that's too much. Tch, it's not like I care or anything. So why am I even caring?'
As she walked past other CyberHunter's they said:
"That's the new recruit!"
"Her name's Klem right?"
"She's beautiful.."
"Back off she's mine."
"You won't fight over her, though."
"Whose squad is she in?"
"The 2nd highest ranked squad in the Association, the Dark Iron Squad. They're the only squad in the Association with 4 members, adding Klem is now 5. Every other squad has around 15-20."
"Why is that?"
"Who knows."
Klem thought, 'Stop staring stop staring stop staring stop staring…'
Klem made it to her new squad, and they all turned to her.
"Yo." Klem nodded upwards.
Ryel stood poised like an archaic figure from a futuristic lore; he was lean with a cleanly defined jaw, sharp enough to slice through the hardest steel. His dark hair swept back to reveal augmented glasses that continuously emitted a soft, analytical glimmer. These glasses were not just for show—they augment reality to reveal layers and details unseen to the normal eye. Dressed in a tailored coat that shimmered subtly under the city lights, his presence radiated calm wisdom. As he approached Klem, he adjusted his glasses, quoting gently, "'In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity'—Sun Tzu. Welcome to the essence of our order, Klem."
Stryx's appearance was a sharp contrast, reflecting his ninja-like stealth. His attire was streamlined for agility; dark, form-fitting fabric interwoven with reactive nano-material that responded to his body's movements. Unlike Ryel's vocal wisdom, Stryx communicated via bright words scrolling on a sleek, black screen embedded on his chest. As Klem neared, his screen flickered to life: [Welcome, Klem. Shadows speak louder than words]. His mask concealed any expression, but his posture—a balanced stance ready to spring into action—spoke volumes.
Teli, despite her younger appearance, commanded a surprising amount of presence. Her school outfit, an uncanny blend of classic design and modern warfare, featured pleated skirts rigged with defensive mechanisms and blazer buttons doubling as surveillance drones. Her eyes remained closed in an eternal, mischievous smile, as if privy to secrets the world wasn't ready for. Waving a small, augmented hand, she chirped in a bossy tone, "Timing is everything in this game, newbie!", before pirouetting on her heels, her skirt flickering with faint holographic shields.
Lastly, the figure of Grav loomed like an old warship refurbished for new battles. His height was accentuated by the steel braided beard that clinked softly with each calculated step. His entire skin looked forged from battle-worn steel, reflecting a lifetime of frontline escapades. His eyes sparkled with a zest for combat as he extended a large, metal-plated hand towards Klem. "Danger," he rumbled, "is the forge in which we are truly tested." His laugh was a deep echo that seemed to vibrate the ground, showing his eagerness to face whatever came next. "Damn I wish I was in there."
Teli said to Grav, "Must suck for you, we're on watch duty. There's nothing more fun than just watching Jaede fight, I'm such a big fan of him! He could teach me some kill moves."
Grav scoffed at Teli, "Get in line, brat. I'm gonna face him if he survives. It's been a while since I've had a good fight to the death."
Ryel said, "For the path of destruction is the only way to survival—."
Teli said to Ryel, "Stop with that quoting stuff!"
"Excuse me for having proper education and knowledge, little one."
"I hate that. Don't call me that. I hate it so much."
Stryx had words on his screen: [There's so many Metro Zen guards out here]
Grav folded his arms, "We gotta make sure no one tries to escape or run off. The prisoners here are murderers, rapists, they are among the worst of the worst."
Ryel added, "Yes, their path was truly horrifying."
Klem thought, 'Each one of them is strange. But they seem strong. In a group with the smallest but 2nd strongest squad in the Association, I'm probably lucky. More lucky than Jaede right about now.'
At that moment, Orion arrived towards that squad, saying, "Dark Iron."
Ryel bowed, "It's an honor to be in your presence."
"Remember your assignments. This will be the new recruits second mission. Klem, no matter what, no prisoner comes out of there. If they do, end them.l
Klem sighed, "Not an issue."
'The prisoners are the worst of the worst amongst men and women of Dark Light. They all deserve death, but Carrigan plants false hope in the prisoners, sending them to their death, killing them before the death row sentence kills them. And in reality, he makes a shit ton of money doing it.'
Teli asked Orion, "If they actually kill Jaede, will those prisoners be free?"
Orion responded, "They will get years off their sentences, but not complete freedom. And they will still be fighting for their lives. But one thing should be known, is that the 80 prisoners that are here to kill Jaede, today was supposed to be the day of their normal execution in the prison for their crimes. That crazy bastard Carrigan will have them fighting for their lives for his enjoyment."
Ryel said, "If it is indeed fate that this shall happen, then their fate shall be intact. Thank you for sharing this with us."
Grav asked Orion, "Sir, I have one question."
"I'm not fighting you to the death."
"Why not?!"
Elsewhere in the large crowd, Luna was passing out cupcakes and snacks to all of the Metro Zen guards and CyberHunter's outside.
"It's Luna!"
"She always brings us the goods."
"She's spoiled us too much."
"Hell, I'm not complaining. I pass missions for her sake."
Around the corner, Dante scoffed, "Luna! Stop spoiling them!"
Luna waved with a smile, "Are you mad you didn't get a goody bag?"
"N-No!"
Astra walked past Dante, chuckling, "Haha, You're angry because of a goody bag."
"I'm not, dammit!"
Vega was nowhere to be found, she was far away laying on a rock, sleeping while eating a bag of chips from Luna's goody bag.
Orion finally said to Klem and the rest of the Dark Iron Squad, "Make Klem feel a part of the team. Me and the other leaders will be moving into the new headquarters in which you will all be informed of its location. And I charge each and every one of you, I even told the other squads this, do NOT tell Jaede where the new headquarters is. We will keep this one more confidential. Understood? If he finds us on his own, I'll know how badly he wants this. It's bigger than just killing a few bad guys."
Ryel nodded, "Yes sir, I understand."
Teli responded, "Crap. I was gonna tell him too."
Orion exclaimed, "What?!"
Klem raised her hand slightly, "I won't say anything."
Grav slammed his fists together, "You have my word."
The words on Stryx's chest screen said: "I won't tell a soul."
Orion grinned, "Good. Good work." And he left.
"Ah, there he goes." Ryel smiled. "He's full of wisdom. I could learn a lot from him. Unlike I can from my group—."
Teli put Ryel in a chokehold, "Say that shit again! I'll behead you!"
"Violence is very very unnecessary."
Stryx just sat on the ground, writing in a holographic journal that was black and gray.
Grav approached Klem, and asked, "Warrior. What was it like meeting Jaede the Reaper during a mission?"
Klem pouted, "Ugh. You heard about that?"
"Everyone has. Word gets around quick."
"It was..interesting."
"What's your thoughts about him?"
"He's an asshole. I hate him. But.."
"But?"
"He's not like others. I can't put my finger on it. Something about him."
'Something weird about him that makes me have thoughts about him. I don't even know what it is. Is it because he saved my life? Really? I'm so damn cringe. I feel like I got more to say to him. You better live, idiot.'
(Inside of the Headquarters)
Jaede burst through the reinforced doors with a force that sent tremors down the cybernetically-enhanced corridors of the CyberHunter Association building. The walls, lined with pulsating neon circuits, cast eerie glows of blues and greens, creating shadows that danced like specters. His footsteps, though measured, reverberated with the impending storm of chaos he was about to unleash.
Down the hallway, fifteen augmented prisoners, their bodies a grotesque tapestry of flesh and metal, dashed toward him. Their enhancements whirred and clicked with each movement, their voices a cacophony of malicious intent. "I'll be the first to rip his heart out!" one bellowed, brandishing a plasma-edged axe. Another, with eyes glowing a dangerous violet, sneered, "His head will earn my ticket home!"
Then they asked each other:
"What's the first thing you're gonna do when you're out?"
"Probably get my revenge on those who looked at me wrong. You?"
"Probably slaughter everyone at my old job. I hated them so much."
Jaede, silent amid the threats, moved with a predator's grace. His deep voice broke the eerie silence as he calmly uttered, "Can I have a new skill?" At his words, a red digital, pixelated woman materialized beside him, her form sleek and ethereal. She draped her arms around his neck from behind, her voice resonating in the cybernetic air, "Yes, son."
In a blink, Jaede's body blurred into motion, a streak of red and black energy trailing behind him as his speed force tore through the air. His first opponent barely had time to raise his weapon before Jaede's bare hands clamped around his throat, lifting him off the ground. A swift, brutal twist, and the light faded from the prisoner's eyes. As life left the felon, Jaede plunged his hand into the convict's chest, extracting a pulsating core which morphed into a cackling energy sword, its blade a vibrant dance of red and black.
'Mother.'
He spun around, the sword slashing through the air, cutting through another attacker who had lunged at him with a cybernetic-enhanced fist. The sword met metal and flesh with equal ease, slicing the arm at the joint. As the limb fell, Jaede kicked out, his foot meeting the prisoner's chest, sending him crashing into a wall that crumbled upon impact, crushing his body flat in a splat of blood.
'It's her skill.'
Moving through the chaos, Jaede's form was a blur of destructive elegance. His eyes, bright with the red glow of power, scanned for his next target. A prisoner wielding a chain gun opened fire, the rounds exploding where Jaede had stood moments before. With elegance born of lethal necessity, Jaede dodged sideways, the ground where he had been erupting in sparks and shrapnel.
'I can transform the core of a dead enemy and turn it into a weapon of my choice. Seems like magic, and it probably is, but it's badass. I don't know why mother is here to guide me, but it gave me some sort of peace, and I have to ask her permission to use her own power, since I don't like to take without asking unless they ask for it.'
Approaching speedily, he drew forth another core from a downed enemy, and it transformed into a jagged-edge steel staff. Swinging it with devastating precision, he shattered the gunner's weapon into fragments before delivering a crushing blow to the skull, the impact echoing down the hallway like a gong of doom.
Jaede laughed, "HAHA! Is that all you got?!"
Jaede's onslaught was relentless. Each core he extracted turned into a unique weapon pulsing with the same red and black energy: a mini-gun that unravelled with cackling bullets, each round exploding upon impact like miniature bombs, a hook-spear that he twirled and threw, impaling two enemies against the wall, pinning them in a grotesque form of modern art. The fight transformed the hallway into a maelstrom of chaos and destruction. Walls cratered and floors buckled under the ferocity of the battle. The prisoners were formidable; each possessed enhancements that made them nearly superhuman. But none could match Jaede's brutal efficiency. He danced among them like death itself—untouchable, inexorable.
The prisoners kept trying to fight with their enhancements and weapons:
"Flank that brat!"
"We're gonna earn our freedom today!"
"Fuck it! Go all in on him!"
As more foes approached, Jaede shifted tactics with each new weapon formed from the cores. His movements were fluid, yet each motion ended in devastation. He launched the minigun once more; its red and black bullets spun through the air, weaving a deadly tapestry of destruction that shredded armor and flesh alike. The prisoners attempted to regroup, launching a concerted attack. Explosive rounds, plasma beams, and kinetic hammers were directed at Jaede, the hallway alight with the destructive power of their attacks. But Jaede, with the uncanny foresight granted by his enhancements, anticipated each move, his body weaving through the onslaught with supernatural agility.
Jaede chuckled, "Booooring!"
One attacker managed to close the distance, his fists enhanced with hydraulic crushing power. Jaede met him head-on, the energy sword in his hand slicing through the hydraulic pistons with precision, disabling the enhancements before a swift kick sent the prisoner hurtling down the corridor.
As Jaede advanced, his form was almost spectral, a phantom born of cybernetic nightmares, each step bringing death. Multiple weapons now hung at his side, each a testament to his lethal proficiency.
Finally, only silence remained as Jaede stood amidst the ruin of his foes, his chest heaving slightly with exertion, his weapons humming softly with residual energy. He looked down the corridor, his eyes reflecting the carnage, knowing this was but one battle in a war he was destined to fight—alone, unyielding.
Jaede smiled, "That was fun! Now let's go find your friends!"
Jaede skipped down the hallway, but then he stopped. His ear flicked, and he grinned more. He raised his fist up, a cackling red and black energy surrounding it, and he punched the floor under him, making it cave in. Destruction settled as he fell down, and he was in the cafeteria, where there were over 20 prisoners ready to attack.
Jaede thudded onto the battlefield; the force of his landing sent reverberations throughout the cybernetic floors—metallic panels buckling under the impact. Surrounding him were twenty augmented prisoners, their enhancements a grotesque parade of combat ingenuity. One bore arms replaced with fusion blades, shimmering brightly, while another's entire torso was encased in reactive armor, his eyes glowing through a visor that projected targeting reticles.
Each prisoner brandished a weapon unique to their deranged modifications. There was a woman with mechanized spider limbs protruding from her back, each tipped with a different weapon—lasers, saws, and grappling hooks. Alongside her, a towering brute stooped under the low ceiling, his body a patchwork of gunmetal plating, and his hands were monstrous claws, redesigned for maximum destruction.
"That's him!"
"He got past the others?!"
"Don't attack all at once! That's probably how he got the other idiots! Remember, our freedom is on the line! Don't you wanna be free!"
Jaede snarled, "Hey..I wanna be free too. Don't count me out."
As Jaede landed, a shockwave of destructive energy exploded outward, propelling the augmented prisoners backwards. Recovering quickly, one swung a vibro-mace towards Jaede's head. But before the weapon could connect, a red pixelated arm extended through Jaede's chest, reaching out like a wraith. The arm grasped the prisoner by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. With a sickening crunch, the man's body contorted and twisted, transforming into a massive steel, red, and black spiked bat—energy crackling along its grotesque form.
This weapon was then seized by the pixelated woman—Jaede's mother. Her form, once digital and intangible, seemed to solidify as she wrenched the bat through the air. With deadly precision, she dashed forward, her movements a blend of both grace and ferocity. Each strike was a masterful display of brutality, crushing skulls and shattering bones, blood spraying in an arc, painting the metallic walls in a gruesome tableau.
Jaede smiled, "I still don't know you're doing that, but it's cool nonetheless."
Jaede watched momentarily, admiring the carnage wrought by his mother's hands. Then, as she spun, passing the bat to him, his own form melded into the dance of death they orchestrated together. His moves were fluid yet harrowing, each swing of the bat not just a blow but a statement of lethal prowess. He decimated a prisoner charging at him with an energy lance, the bat connecting with a resonating clang that sent vibrations tearing through the air. He passed the bat back to his mother, who then leapt onto a nearby wall, using her momentum to launch herself into a group of attackers. Her strikes were a blur, each impact highlighted by splashes of crimson and the distinct sound of metal crushing flesh. She was not just fighting; she was performing a symphony of violence that filled the corridor with chaos.
Together, they moved through the prisoners like a storm. Jaede's mother swung the bat with a wild abandon, her every move precise and deadly. Jaede, in turn, utilized his moments with the bat to execute sweeping blows that left no one standing. Their coordination was flawless, an intricate ballet of blood and destruction, punctuated by the exchange of the spiked bat. Every evasion was a near-miss, as enemy attacks—plasma rounds, chain knives, and shock pulses—sliced the air where they had just been. Jaede spun under a swinging electro-flail, his body contorting impossibly as the bat in his hand intercepted another foe's advance, crushing the aggressor's augmentation.
As the last of the attackers fell, the corridor, now a devastated battleground, grew ominously quiet. That silence, however, shattered with the heavy thuds of an approaching giant. From the shadows emerged an enormous prisoner, his muscular form a patchwork of hypertrophic enhancements. His head was bio-engineered, resembling a rhino, complete with a metal horn that gleamed under the flickering lights. His weapon was equally formidable: a cyberpunk wrecking ball, spiked with gleaming steel tips capable of crushing concrete. He stood imposingly, a titan among men, his chest heaving with each breath, eyes fixed on Jaede and his digital mother. His name was known and feared: Karnox, the Rampart Breaker. Squaring his shoulders, his grip tightened on the shaft of his wrecking ball, preparing for his charge. Here, beneath the neon glare and amidst the havoc wrought by their conflict, Karnox posed the ultimate threat.
Jaede said, "Oooh you're pretty big."
Karnox replied, walking forward dragging his chained wrecking ball, "So…you're the Reaper. You're quite famous through Metro Zen."
"I am!"
"They love you. Some of them do."
"That's an insult."
"What? Don't wanna be revered by criminals?"
"Of course not, I want others that aren't bad guys to acknowledge me. Not the ones who think I'm like them, or gonna be like them."
"One day, that power will consume you. And I'm gonna laugh."
"Who the fuck said you're gonna make it out of here alive?"
Jaede and his mother, standing amidst the carnage they had wrought, faced Karnox as he thundered toward them. The bat still crackling with energy between them, they readied themselves for what would surely be a battle of monstrous proportions. The scene held—a tense, electric pause in the chaos, promising further devastation to come.
Jaede's digital pixelated mother walked back into Jaede's form, and he felt a surge of peace, a small hi't of it.
Karnox, muscles bulging beneath his bio-engineered rhino skin, swung his heavy wrecking ball with a force that promised oblivion. The ball, mounted on a long chain, whirled through the air with a sinister hum, smashing into walls and floors alike. Each impact resonated like a clap of thunder, sending shards of shattered metal and concrete flying, explosive destruction spreading in waves throughout the cavernous confines of their battleground.
Amidst the chaos, Jaede's reflexes honed by countless battles, sprung into action. His body moved with an otherworldly agility, a blur of motion that dodged the relentless onslaught of Karnox's wrecking ball. As the weapon obliterated the infrastructure that had once defined the space, Jaede's maneuvers were almost balletic—twisting, jumping, and sliding with precision.
'Those chains… The wrecking ball itself is constructed from a high-density, tungsten-carbide core. This provides it with substantial mass and the ability to deliver devastating blows. The outer layer is a composite of carbon nanotubes and reactive armor plating which can absorb and redistribute the energy from impacts, thus preventing any potential backfire or recoil damage during high-force collisions. The chain linked to the wrecking ball is no less impressive. Forged from a blend of titanium alloys and shape-memory materials, it possesses high tensile strength and the ability to elongate or retract based on Karnox's neural commands. Enhanced with electromechanical fibers, each link in the chain can contract or expand, allowing Karnox to alter the length and configuration dynamically during combat scenarios. One of Karnox's most formidable enhancements is the digital multiplication mechanism. This system interfaces directly with Karnox's neural implants, granting him the capability to generate multiple instances of the wrecking ball mid-battle. Utilizing quantum entanglement and holographic duplication technology, the chains reproduce while maintaining the physical properties of the original. This allows for simultaneous multi-directional attacks, significantly increasing Karnox's area of influence on the battlefield. The control system of this weapon is intricately tied to Karnox's neural implants. These implants are situated at the base of his skull, receiving and transmitting information directly from his brain, allowing real-time command over the wrecking ball and chains with mere thoughts. The system uses advanced AI algorithms to predict possible trajectory errors and autocorrect in microseconds, ensuring precise strikes against opponents. Each chain is lined with micro-capacitors which are capable of channeling high-energy pulses along its length. These pulses can be used to electrify the chain, deterring enemies from attempting to grab or cut it. The wrecking ball itself can be supercharged, glowing with accumulated energy before release, resulting in explosive impacts upon collision. The power for these features is supplied by a compact nuclear fusion cell integrated within Karnox's suit, providing a seemingly inexhaustible energy source for prolonged engagements—.'
In a particularly bold move, Jaede sprinted towards the sweeping chain. As it swung low, aimed to crush him, he leaped and landed atop it, running along its length. The chain vibrated intensely under his feet, threatening to buck him off, but his balance held firm.
Karnox, witnessing this, sneered and manipulated his bio-tech enhancements. Suddenly, the single chain split, multiplying into three, each with its own deadly wrecking ball spiraling wildly. The newly formed chains thrashed about, seeking Jaede like serpents of steel and doom. Jaede flung himself from the original chain as the duplicates swung towards him. Twisting mid-air, he narrowly avoided a crushing blow that obliterated a large portion of the wall behind him. Landing softly, he sprinted, his steps barely touching the ground, evading each subsequent attack with less than a hair's breadth to spare. Targeting a brief opening, Jaede seized a flailing chain, his grip iron-tight. With a grunt of effort, he redirected the momentum of the wrecking ball back toward Karnox. The massive enemy dodged, the ball missing him by inches, and crashed through a support beam, causing part of the ceiling to sag ominously.
Karnox exclaimed, "No way Jaede the Reaper is not attacking! Are you scared to come close?!"
Jaede replied, "Nope! Just doing some insane internal nerdy dialogue to myself. Don't worry about it."
"You're insane!"
Karnox, though caught off guard, responded with a feral roar and continued his relentless assault. He swung another chain, this time faster, its wrecking ball glowing with an eerie internal light, suggesting an impending explosion.
Undeterred, Jaede, his face set in a mask of determination, executed a series of rapid, acrobatic flips to close the gap between himself and Karnox. As he moved, he materialized a red and black crackling steel scythe from the nanites that bordered the edge of combat, hurling it towards Karnox with a calculated miss.
The scythe embedded itself into the wall, and Karnox, assuming he had outmaneuvered Jaede, paused to revel in his perceived advantage. That moment of arrogance proved to be his downfall.
In less than a blink, Jaede had activated his cloaking ability, his form blurring into pixels before re-materializing at the location of the scythe. His hand grasped its hilt firmly, and he turned, a malicious smile twisting his lips.
"Hehe.."
Karnox turned just in time to see Jaede strike. The scythe, empowered by both technology and raw fury, sliced through the air and Karnox with brutal efficiency. The large, muscular form of Karnox was cleaved in two, a fine spray of bio-synthetic blood painting the scene.
This devastating blow wasn't merely the end for Karnox; it triggered a catastrophic structural failure in their environment. With a deafening roar, the entire section of the headquarters began to collapse. Walls caved in, floors buckled, and ceiling panels descended in a chaotic avalanche of rubble.
Smoke and dust filled the air, obscuring vision but not the clear and present danger of total annihilation. Jaede, his chest heaving with exertion, watched as the once impenetrable fortress of their enemies crumbled around him.
As he stood amidst the destruction, his victory was stark against the backdrop of devastation — a testament to the deadly prowess he and his digital mother possessed. The silence that followed was weighty, filled with the echoes of their ferocity and the settling ruin of the battleground.
Jaede walked through some smoke, his scythe in his hand, his form covered in blood, and he said, "Who's next?"
"Me.."
Jaede stopped in his tracks, and he saw none other then Kenji.
Kenji was sitting on the floor in a different department, the large armory.
Kenji continued, "I wanna talk."
"Talk? No way you're trying to get me to spare you."
"Do you even know why you're fighting?"
"Yes. To earn my way to be a real CyberHunter."
"The Metro Zen prison warden, Carrigan is partnered with the CyberHunter Association. This is all a death game. We're fighting for our lives and for our own freedom—."
"Duh. I knew that."
"Seriously? You?"
"It's not like I'm dumb."
Kenji stood up, and said, "Let's team up."
"I won't team up with—."
"A bad guy, yeah yeah whatever. I'm not supposed to be at Metro Zen. That damn cult…the ones who have been roaming around lately, they—."
"You know about them."
"I do. Seen some. I can help you if you help me. I'm not with the petty tricks and shit, no games. I'm not strong enough to beat you, but I'm strong enough to hold my own. But that cult, the ones who have been gathering the black and red cores, they framed me. To cover their tracks, because they couldn't kill me, they found another way to get me out of the way."
"Give me information now, then I'll end you. That way your information won't be wasted."
"DUDE!"
"I'm joking."
"But the CyberHunter's are really hunting that cult who's been merging people with the red and black cores. That could be your little ticket."
"Know anything about the ones with the white cores? That other cult?"
"That cult is hidden amongst men. Even I can't find or locate them. They are the dangerous ones. I tend to stay away from that area."
Jaede thought, 'Yet, they want me. They try to capture me…Why?'
Jaede smiled, "Alright, I'll make you be my sidekick."
"Tch. I'm no one's sidekick."
"You're MY sidekick." Jaede stuck his scythe at Kenji.
Kenji folded his arms, "Fine whatever."
"Also, what are you getting out of this?"
"…Redemption. To prove my innocence. I have a daughter to see. I'll exchange information for my protection and concealment."
"…Alright. So how many prisoners came with you?"
"At least 80."
"That means there's more of them. Let's go then!"
"Just like that?"
"What?"
"Just gonna let me tag along?"
"Yeah, why not? You're my informant and new sidekick. And I know you won't do anything crazy, right? I might as well use you. I might get some extra credit from Orion and the others."
"Hmmm. Okay."
"Great. Let's go."