{Date: 10/16 - Sunday}
{Time: 6:30 PM}
Adrianna stared at the masked figure, her eyes glowing with burning detest for the masked man before her. To her, for someone not within her family or close friends to wear Shiro's masks was the upmost disrespect.
Adrianna didn't hesitate to make the first move, running toward the masked man at high speeds, launching the first strike, but the masked man evaded her attack with ease. The two began to enter a dance of cat and mouse, Adrianna rushing the masked figure with a barrage of strikes, but the masked figure was slippery, evading each attack swiftly.
"And this is the Golden Star everyone comments on? Seems like your light is fading out!" The masked man taunted, countering Adrianna with a shoulder strike then knocked her back with a back fist.
Adrianna grunted as she held her face, stumbling backwards in pain. She shook her head, looking up from her hands, noticing a sphere of Spirit Energy homing in on her. Quickly, she caught the sphere, using her Alchemy to disperse the sphere of energy.
The masked man looked a bit surprised, an impressed chuckle escaping his lips. "Well, I didn't know you used alchemy as well. Now this battle has just become more interesting."
Suddenly, a blast of wind energy struck the masked man, blowing him away into a wall. He groaned softly, landing on his feet then looked up, noticing Ryder walking forward with his mask in hand.
"You've had your round with Adrianna, now it's my turn!" Ryder bellowed, putting on his mask and his demonic-esoteric energy began pulsating around his body.
I grunted heavily from Ryder's aura, guarding myself from the extreme pressure of his energy. 'No wonder Charlotte stopped him yesterday in our battle...the two mixtures of energy are extremely chaotic..!'
Orika stood back with Genesis, protecting Habilee and the others, her spine tingling as she felt the pressure of Ryder's energy. She held her arms tightly, goosebumps riding all over her skin. "What is that energy he has..?"
"It's a mixture of Esoteric Energy and Demonic Aura. Based on the history of these masks, each mask contains an entity within that correlates to one of Shiro's Masks. The Ace is the essence of a Love Demon named Talenta or now known as Athena," Genesis explained, continuing to deploy her barrier around themselves.
The masked man smirked as he got off the wall, walking forward with a mixture of excitement and annoyance. "Well, it seems that our fated battle will begin earlier than anticipated.."
Ryder's battle gear appeared upon his body, his focus set only on the masked figure and ready to eliminate him. "Prepare yourself to face the ultimate wrath!"
The masked man dashed toward Ryder, throwing a swift punch, but with Ryder's Unleashed State active, he was able to easily slip out of the way of his attack. Ryder immediately countered with a powerful left hook to his chin, staggering him then grabbed his arm, taking him down to the ground.
The masked man swiftly recovered, placing his hands on the ground, swinging Ryder off him a sweep of his legs. Ryder rolled along the ground, springing back to his feet then his Mask of Fortune began glowing a golden light.
"Good...good, I like that. Show me more of that power, Successor of Shiro Moji," The masked man taunted, tossing off his coat, revealing his black and violet combat gi.
Ryder tossed off his jacket, his Crest of Talent glowing a beautiful ethereal blue. A second Crest awakened on his arm, a radiant golden crest resembling the shape of a four leaf clover. "I don't think that's what you want..."
A giggle sounded in the room, a demonic presence filling the room and causing the air to grow colder. Adrianna recognized the sound of the giggle, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Suddenly, a large golden fox emerged from the energy Ryder's Mask of Fortune released. One tail manifested on the fox, her blue eyes glowing with a primal ferocity. Her claws began to shine a silver hue, ready to strike at any moment.
"What...in the hell is that..?" Cerebral asked, staring at the fox with a sadistic excitement.
I grunted softly, shielding myself from the high winds the fox's aura produced, the winds causing books and papers to fly around the room like a raging storm. "She looks similar to that fox in Judgement's files...Luckie.."
Ryder placed his hand on the fox's head, gently rubbing her fur then looked down at her. "Clover, are you ready to save your sister..?"
"You bet I am! I'm gonna make my mama proud and destroy this bastard who dared to tarnish Papa Shiro's name!" Clover roared, her voice echoing around the museum.
Habilee watched the battle with hopeful eyes, a clear memory of the past flashing in her mind. 'Ryder is the spitting image of his father...I know Whitney is proud to have raised such an outstanding young man..'
"Ryder! Kick his ass!" Autumn rallied, pumping her fist in the air as she held Sakura close to her.
"Yeah..! Destroy that evildoer..!" Sakura weakly rallied, shaking her fist in the air.
"You've got this Ryder! We may not be that effective against higher ranking people like him, but we can offer you one thing, our Love," Olivia supported, her eyes shimmering with hope for Ryder to defeat the masked man.
"Yeah, man...This is for our dad as well. We are tasked with keeping his legacy. Make sure the angels hear you sing," Rain said, a determined expression etched onto his face.
Desiree stood behind, leaning against the wall as she watched the battle. "The people have spoken, Destiny's Hero. Let them know what a Liberator looks like."
Ryder smirked behind his mask, adjusting it lightly and turned his focus toward the masked figure. "I hope you're ready for what's coming...you should've had second thoughts before coming here."
The masked man laughed lowly, staring at Ryder with a sadist glare. "Then come at me. Once I kill you, you'll be just like your father...another memory for those like Adrianna to cry about."
Adrianna growled lowly at the masked man's disrespect, her golden energy crackling around her body. "Cuida tu boca..." She muttered, her violet eyes flaring with a fiery tension.
The masked man chuckled and rolled his shoulder, closing his eyes. "Let the battle commence..."
Ryder leaned down slightly, using a burst of speed to appear in front of the masked man with a swift strike aimed at his face. The masked man leaned out of the way of his strike, but due to a miscalculation, Ryder's strike still connected, a flash of blue and gold lightning shining upon impact.
The masked man groaned as he was knocked away, rolling out into the hallway. Ryder gave chase to the masked man, using bursts of speed to appear in front of him, landing a direct blow to his face once more with his knee.
The masked man groaned as he rolled backwards along the ground, recovering quickly upon one knee. 'What the hell..? It's almost like I can't avoid his attacks anymore...'
"What's the matter..? Can't keep up anymore?" Ryder asked, his tone laced with calm confidence and mockery, his body flickering and vanishing at high speeds.
'That's Hisumi's move...is he trying to copy her speed..? Such a trick won't work on me,' The masked man thought, jumping backwards to evade Ryder's high speed lunge.
Ryder scoffed lightly at his missed attack, getting back up and rushed back into the battle. "You won't avoid a second time!"
I peeked down the hall, watching as Ryder and the masked man fought in the main area of the museum. I made my way back into Shiro's area of the museum, looking at Adrianna. "We need to hurry to help Ryder. There's something off about this..."
Adrianna didn't think twice about my suggestion, nodding her head. "Yeah, but what are we going to do about mi familia? We can't just leave them here..."
I glanced at the others, thinking of a way to protect them while assisting Ryder against the Lost Syndicates. Once an idea popped into my head, I swapped my Valkyrie Type into Tank Type, gray Spirit Energy particles flowing around my body.
"Passing Shadow Garden, Cerebral Fields: Chusei!" I chanted, forming the hand seal "Protector" and offering a portion of my Death Energy to manifest the Gray Hound, Chusei.
Chusei stood beside me, guarding me with loyalty and a watchful eye. He was like an unmoving wall, his hazel eyes watching even the smallest particle in the room.
"This is Chusei, another one of the Cerebral Hounds. He is the Gray Hound, used for all defensive purposes. Defense is his specialty so with him you'll be safe," I explained, looking over at Chusei and used my Death Command to task him to protect Habilee and the others.
"Are you sure about this?" Adrianna asked, watching Chusei lay down in front of her siblings with a concerned expression.
I nodded, gently holding her arm then pulled her with me toward the exit. "They are safe. The Hounds are A Rank Beasts, it will be okay."
Adrianna followed behind me, her elder sister instincts kicking into overdrive. She decided to put her trust in me, hurrying behind me to assist Ryder. "Okay, let's go.."
Orika watched as we left then glanced at Genesis, meeting her gaze. The two nodded at one another, hurrying behind me and Adrianna to add another ally to our side against the Lost Syndicates.
Ryder and the masked man continued their ferocious hand to hand combat, the masked man using the environment around him as a weapon to slow Ryder down. Ryder was too quick on his feet, evading each attempt the masked man threw at him.
With a powerful bellow, Ryder landed a sparkling blow to the masked man's midsection, blue and gold lightning flashing upon impact. The impact of Ryder's attack sent the man crashing through the doors of the museum, causing him to crash upon the cold concrete outside.
The masked man slowly stood up, holding his mask to his face and grunted softly, regrouping from the heavy damage he took. "Well...it seems like you don't pull your punches often huh..?"
Ryder scoffed at the man, walking outside and freezing at the entrance, his eyes widening slightly. Before him, the rest of the masked man's forces awaited them like an army ready to strike.
"Oh you didn't think I would come here alone for a plan like this, did you? It would be foolish of me to not bring back up just in case something goes wrong," The masked man said, chuckling softly as he crossed his arms.
A woman sat on the hood of her squad car, her battle axe resting against her car beside her. Her eyes were glued to the screen, not taking any interest in the heist. "Can we wrap this up, Amadeus? I would rather watch Pandora dress up her Fell Beasts than to witness your play date with a bunch of D List Superheroes."
The masked man adjusted his mask, chuckling softly at her audacity to reveal his name so casually. "Well, Captain Kioshi...you are just the most patient flower of the entire bouquet aren't you?"
Kioshi rolled her eyes at Amadeus, not acknowledging his flirt in the slightest. "Your Sweet Nothings won't work on me, buddy..."
Adrianna, Orika, and I made it outside and came to a stop as we noticed the rest of Amadeus's allies were outside waiting for us. I walked forward to get a better look at the scene, my eyes landing on a familiar woman, my body instinctively preparing for battle.
"Kioshi!" I roared, summoning my katana and walking toward her with vengeance in my eyes.
Kioshi looked up from her phone, her eyes locking onto mine and her lips curled into a wide grin. A mocking laugh escaped her as she hopped off her car, grabbing her axe with enthusiasm. "Well, well, well...If it isn't 'Jane Doe'... You had me fooled when we first met after you were supposedly killed by the hands of Morata. Now that I know it's you, Hisumi..."
Kioshi's laugh was the same as before—mocking, cruel, and unshakable. I had waited too long for this moment, and now she stood between me and peace.
"First, I'll start with you then it will he Pandora and Morata, then when all is done, the Commander will fall as well!" I declared, readying my katana, Death Energy slowly forming and emitting from the blade.
Kioshi readied her battle-axe, getting into her stance with a smirk on her lips. "The Commander wants you dead or alive, either way...you have nowhere to run.."
{New Objective: Defeat Kyoshi - A Rank Threat}
"Leave the masked man to me and Ryder, Hisumi! Don't worry about us, just focus on your fight!" Adrianna called out to me, hurrying toward Ryder to give him aid.
I nodded, my gaze focused on Kyoshi only, my Vow of Death glowing an ominous light on my shoulder. I heard footsteps approaching me, my eyes flicking over to see Orika making her way beside me. "You aren't with the others..?"
"No, I will be at your side no matter the cost...even against the faces of Judgement," Orika said, surrounding her hands with Spirit Energy.
I smiled at Orika's words, glancing over at Genesis. "Gen, you know what to do."
Genesis saluted at me, a confident smile playing on her face. "Activating Protect Orika Protocol!"
I nodded, turning my focus back to Kyoshi with a cerebral gaze. "Let's take down this Judgement Scum!"
Without hesitation, I rushed toward Kioshi at lightning speeds, leaping toward her with a slash fueled by my determination and anger. Kioshi blocked my slash, pushing me back with ease then swung her axe in a wide arc.
Due to my Valkyrie Type being Tank Type, I was able to easily tank her slash, but the force of her attack knocked me back slightly. I stood my ground firmly like a sturdy pillar, both feet planted firmly upon the ground.
'I'm a lot slower than I usually am as a Tank Type, so my usual Quick Attacks and katana won't be harmonious with such a Sturdy and Defensive type. I need a new weapon and style,' I thought, regrouping myself and stood up straight, causing my katana to disappear.
"Hisumi, are you okay?" Orika asked, hurrying toward me and placing her hand upon my arm.
I looked at Orika with a smile, gently placing my hand upon hers. "I am, don't worry..."
I turned back toward Kioshi, my gaze meeting hers directly, the years of pain and torment flashing within my eyes. Their voices rang in my mind, but this time it wasn't as haunting, their voices fueled my resolve to put an end to Judgement.
"Right now, I am a Tank Type. I am not equipped for speed as I am, and I have to stay as a Tank Type for the others. If I switch now, Chusei will be returned to the Gardens and the rest of New Karma will be vulnerable," I explained to Orika, glancing at my hand then closed my eyes.
"As much as I don't like it right now, I need to release Cerebral...only for ten minutes. That's all I need," I continued, my gaze shifting over to Orika's once more.
Cerebral grew excited at the fact that I was resulting to letting her take over, allowing to make usage of my power as a Tank. "Heh...~ So, you want to let the Cerebral Assassin out? Well, you're lucky our goals are aligned..."
Orika gripped my sleeve, a worried expression etched onto her face. "Hisumi, there has to be another way. We just tamed her yesterday, and you're already giving her full control..?"
"What are you two over there yapping about? Don't tell me that you are scared now that your demons are in front of you!" Kioshi taunted, stepping back and placing the bottom of her axe upon the ground. "Maybe you two need a little warm up..."
With a snap of her finger, a few Lost Syndicate Members stepped up, each one armed with a weapon. Once of the members were a gunman, the other wielded a broadsword, and the third was a woman using a tome containing Esorian Spells.
I looked at the three members in front of us, my gaze becoming more serious. "If anything goes south and Cerebral goes wild, I need you to kiss me. You're the only one who can calm me down...so I can regain control."
Orika knew that I was set on letting Cerebral take control, and despite her inner protests, she decided to allow me to go forward with it. "Okay, but I'm not leaving your side...this may not be my fight to win, but I will make sure you do win."
I smiled warmly at her words, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. "My heart is forever yours, Soulmate.."
Orika smiled at me, watching as I began the process of swapping my main source of energy from my Heart to my Mind. "Mine is yours as well...Soulmate.."
Death Energy began to slowly dominate my Spirit Energy until it completely enveloped my body. Opening my eyes, they began to glow a faint dreading red hue, my eyes cold and visceral like a seasoned assassin.
My lips began to slowly curl into a sadistic smirk, my gaze focused on the three Lost Syndicates members in front of me. My Death Energy began to flower dangerously around my body, the wild energy causing a few plants within the courtyard to immediately decay.
"Let the hunt begin..." I said coldly, my tone chilling to the core, causing even Kioshi to shudder.
Kioshi's gaze became more intense, her body shuddering from my cold, yet excited tone. 'After all these years...I finally get to see the Black Cerebral again. Now I have to fight against a literal mastermind...This is beyond my pay grade as an A- Rank Captain..'
The three members shuddered at my presence, their bodies trembling at the sight of the Beast before them. The woman wielding the tome took a step back, unable to make a sound due to her fear taking over her mind and heart.
As she backed away from me, she bumped into something, her body immediately freezing. She looked up, her heart sinking to her stomach as she noticed my Senyata Eagle looming behind her, preventing her escape.
"There is no running from this battle...my sights are already set on three prey. Now you too...can join the Cerebral Fields!" I declared, my Vow of Death shining brightly against my arm.
Orika grunted softly as she listened to Cerebral speak through me, her chilling words still frightening to her even as an ally. 'I'm glad she's on our side...kinda..'
With no escaping the Black Cerebral now deployed in battle, the climax of Lost Syndicates' heist was now beginning with their battle against me as the one entity they feared. The stage was set, and I planned to use the ten minutes I had as Cerebral as efficiently as possible.
~{To Be Continued}~