Wind howls in the distance, mixed with the faint cries of students. The sound of an explosion lingers in the air, a ringing in my ears as dust settles.James Karawei: "What the... no... no way."I opened my eyes to find the entire schoolyard shattered, reduced to rubble by the power of the man hovering 10 meters above me, humming a tune. My grin faded into disbelief.I rose to my feet, brushing off dirt and debris. Around me, chaos unfolded. Jack Daniels lay on the ground, unconscious, just beyond where Cathy stirred, slowly coming back to life. To my right, Jasmine Olson was still alive—barely—her arm missing but her spirit unbroken. She was bleeding heavily, yet still grinning.Jasmine Olson: "Don't worry, Jamie! We've got to fight back now! He just destroyed our school! Who cares about the authorities? They're not coming. We're on our own now—consequences be damned! Will you help me? Jamie~?"She flashed a wild smile, clutching a gun in her hand. I reached out, my hand resting on her shoulder. I wanted to speak, to say something—anything—but the words wouldn't come.I wanted to scream, to cry. Why was I feeling this way for her? She barely spoke to me. Had she? I couldn't remember, not since I came back from Taured. Maybe it was 'human connection,' or some idealized notion of friendship... or maybe it was just hatred of the evil standing above us. I took the gun from her without a second thought, unloading it at the man in front of me.To my shock, the bullet popped against an bubble barrier. He halted his fall, creating another bubble from his right hand. It burst with a shockwave, knocking us all back.Keito Nakamura: "Woah there! You must be feeling a little frustrated, huh?"The bastard had the nerve to taunt me! I rose, fury bubbling inside me. Before I could shoot again, Jasmine charged at him, swinging a broken metal pipe she had yanked from the wreckage of the downstairs bathroom. She attacked with everything she had—but it was futile. Keito kicked her in the shin, effortlessly disarming her mid-swing.James Karawei: "Bastard! What the hell are you doing?"My voice remained eerily calm despite the fire burning inside me. My heart pounded, my chest tight. Looking around, I saw the destruction he had wrought. Keito Nakamura, the so-called "White Rose," had killed over 50 students and injured countless others in a matter of minutes. I could still smell the blood, the scent of death lingering in the air. The schoolyard, once teeming with life, was now eerily silent.I thought to myself: Ah... right... I'm human.My neutral expression gave way to a scowl, my heart racing faster than my mind could keep up. Anger. So much anger. I felt it coursing through my veins like a river of fire.James Karawei: "Why do you want me and her?"I pointed at Jasmine, now unconscious and stabilized by the "bubble magic" he'd used to stop her bleeding. She was alive, for now. But for how long?James Karawei: "Why? Are you going to torture us and kill us? Who's behind all this? Why—"My voice faltered as pain surged in my chest. I sank to my knees, gasping for air.James Karawei: "Why did you turn everything upside down... my life... you—You aren't thinking straight. I refuse to believe that glow in your eyes is yours, is it?"For a moment, Keito's eyes flickered with shock. The red glow in his irises deepened, a haze settling over his face. Then, it disappeared as quickly as it came. The bastard had the audacity to grin at me.Keito Nakamura: "Ha... kill you? Never."He knelt beside Jasmine, inspecting her body with a twisted look of interest. He placed her inside a "bubble prison," a floating cube of magic that suspended her in mid-air.Keito Nakamura: "My dear boy, you're not like the others. A lot of people aren't these days..."He stood, gesturing grandly with his hands, as if giving a speech.Keito Nakamura: "You see, everyone is born with great potential. The soul... It exists, James. So many things you don't know about the world. But you will. Soon enough."I took a step back, still reeling. This man was insane—there was no question about it now. But somehow, I couldn't tear myself away from his words.James Karawei: "What are you talking about—the soul? You're a maniac! You've killed my classmates! You've destroyed everything!"Keito pulled a vial from his pocket, filled with a swirling, rainbow-colored liquid. He twirled it in his fingers, then held it up for me to see.Keito Nakamura: "This serum, made by The Syndicate, activates the potential of one's soul—not their genetics. I don't know its origins, but Kaiden told me it's ancient. At least that's what he said..."He chuckled, uncrossing his arms and stretching them outward.Keito Nakamura: "I am an Ultra-Human, James! One of the chosen few. Those who possess a 'holy' ability—an ability that comes from the soul, not just the body. The Boss gave me this gift, and with it, my soul awakened! I was purified, cleansed! Magnificent! But you wouldn't understand, would you? No. You're just a foolish boy."His words were madness. Power. Purity. Soul manipulation. I didn't understand, but it didn't matter. The anger I felt swirled inside me, and I wasn't the only one feeling it. Cathy, still unconscious, was beginning to stir. She had been listening.Cathy Ariston: "YOU DAMN BASTARD, I'LL KILL YOU!!!"With an explosion of speed, Cathy rushed forward, tackling Keito from behind. In the struggle, she shattered the vial, its contents spilling onto her skin. Keito regained his balance, kicking her away with a force that sent her flying. But something was different.James Karawei: "CATHY!! NO!!"I reached out, but it was too late. As she soared through the air, a violet aura surrounded her, a shimmering forcefield that clung to her like a second skin. Her veins pulsed with a mixture of purple, black, and violet, and she began hovering, her feet barely touching the ground.Cathy Ariston: "What the hell is this?! What did you do?! Bastard!"She struggled against the force that kept her aloft, spinning to face Keito. Her eyes burned with a cold, unrelenting fury.Keito Nakamura: "No... this wasn't supposed to happen! This wasn't meant for YOU! What are you... No... you have a 'Divinity'?"He stumbled backward, clutching his head as the glow in his eyes intensified. Something was controlling him. But whatever it was, he wasn't in control.Keito Nakamura: "NO! I've made a terrible mistake!"Cathy, now floating above the ground, seemed to have gained control of her new power. She spun, hovering defiantly before Keito, her rage palpable.Keito Nakamura: "How foolish of me! Instead of awakening James... I've triggered something far greater. Cathy Ariston... You, my dear, are a force beyond comprehension. The 'Gravity Queen'—a Divinity of Gravity!"He laughed, a twisted, perverse sound. I could barely hear it over the sound of wind rushing past us as Cathy hovered in front of him, ready to tear him apart.Cathy Ariston: "Divinity? That doesn't matter to me right now! I'm damn pissed, and I do NOT want to be 'The Queen of Gravity' or whatever the hell this is! You'd better fix this, soap bar, or I swear I'll make you regret it!"With newfound rage and power, Cathy launched herself at him, her body moving with the force of a hurricane. She was ready to kill him.And for the first time in a long while, I felt it too—pure, unrelenting anger. The kind of anger that burned through my chest and turned my entire being into a weapon.________________________________________________________________________________Author's Note:Shorter chapter this time—I cranked it out in one go. I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, be sure to spread the word about how awesome (or cringe) this novel is! FUN FACTS!Fun Fact: Keito's strongest attack is called "Trillionfold Thorn Burst" in which he sends out as you can guess trillions of spiky bubbles the size of 3 foot tall boulders all around himself sadly he couldn't pull it off, I personally think of him to be small town level... but... that might change in the future, no spoilers though!
Fun Fact #2: "The Strange Liquid" in the vial is made out of an object.
Fun Fact #3: Don't ask me about Cathy's or any other characters measurements or 'cup size', i don't know what to tell you 💀
Fun Fact #4: Divinities have both a positive side and a negative side, both permanent, so basically it's a double edged sword, a blessing and a curse...
Anyway, see ya!
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