PHASE 75 - THE ANTI-FEMINIST CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Right after the commotion that Rikkun made, we immediately ran out of the morgue and then all the way to the garden. We don’t want to make any more trouble in the Black Cross Mansion considering that they have already a matter to attend to, so we should stay clear out of trouble! Moreover, what Rikkun just did is a crime! We should get the heck out of here!

“R-Rikkun!?” I shrieked as I gasped for air as we run. “W-Why did you do that!?”

“That old fart is pissing me off!” Rikkun shouted. “Nobody lays a hand on my girlfriend!”

“Geez…” I puffed my cheeks with a blushing face. Even though I’m glad that my lover defended me from my evil step-mom, it is still not right for him to hit her mercilessly!

“Hahaha! That’s a good punch, Alaric!” Jecchan laughed as we continue to reach the gates. “I was about to hit her myself because of her arrogance, good thing you did it first!”

“You’re still abiding with the true gender equality thing, eh?” Heushac smiled as he patted Rikkun on the back. “That’s the Ric I know!”

“Hahaha! Damn right! Take an example from me, you lowly peasants!” Rikkun finally stopped running and stood up straight, his chest puffed and his hand on his hips. He looked like a superhero and wanted to be worshipped like one. "This is the character development I want! Death to the feminazis!"

I think Rikkun is going overboard. I'm going to punch some sense on him later...

“Huff...puff…” Jecchan gasped for air as she finally stopped. Heushac and I also made a temporary break when we finally reached the finish line which is the gate of the mansion. “I guess no one’s gonna pursue us here.”

“So, this is where we part ways.” Heushac smiled as he held his scalp. “Sis Erylle needed me in the investigation, and I can’t accompany you guys outside the mansion. Don’t worry, I’ll fix the bloody beautiful mess you created back in the morgue.”

“Thanks, Heushac.” Rikkun made a fistbump to his best friend, which Heushac immediately returned. “You’re the best.”

“Hahaha! See you around, Ric!”

<>

When we arrived at the terminal, we were lucky to have the next bus ready to depart. Jecchan, Rikkun, and I boarded on it immediately. We can’t believe that our summons is cut short because of Rikkun’s doing, but somehow, Jecchan and I feel like this is for the best. It’s not like we’re going to have any help anyway because another group has already taken the case, but we wanted to know more about the incident last night.

It’s still hours before the lunch break, and I think we can even catch up on our afternoon classes for this day.

Halfway through our travel time on the bus, I decided to sermon on my boyfriend.

“Rikkun… I’m glad that you saved me from my step-mom’s abuse, but don’t do that again. It will make matters a lot worse. Miss Baroquefloux just got her daughters dead, and it’s understandable that she’s furious.”

“But you’ve got nothing to do with it,” Rikkun said in a cold tone. “You’re not the one responsible for your step-sister’s death. Why should that old hag punish you?”

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“U-Ummmm, Rikkun… about the thing, I wanted to say earlier… The shadow… might have something to do with me.”

“What makes you say that?” Rikkun turned her full attention to me. On the far side, Jecchan is preoccupied with eating a bag of potato chips not caring about the world, but I’m sure she can hear me too.

I held my chest and caught all the air to my lungs to summon my courage to confess.

“I… I had a dream about that shadow… And I saw everything that happened that night… I saw it. I saw it kill my step-sisters… I also saw it chop Benedict to pieces.”

Rikkun’s eyes widened, not because of fear, but because of amazement. “Are you sure it’s not just a coincidence?”

I shook my head. “No. Every detail on my dream matched the reality we saw. I saw the same dead faces my step-sisters made before they die. I also saw the exact blood trails.”

“Strange.” Rikkun pinched his subtle. “Maybe you have the Guardian Ability too, huh?”

“That’s impossible.” Jecchan finally joined the conversation, and she’s pointing a potato chip to us. “ gives a set of visions and signs that will happen in the future. Tiara’s nightmare gave out specific events up to the very last inch of detail which was happening in real-time. I’m pretty sure these are different cases.”

“S-So, is the shadow connected with me on some sort?” I held my trembling hand.

“Maybe.” Jecchan threw the chip on her mouth and chewed shortly. “But we don’t have much idea for that right now. Blazing Heart is in charge, so we expect it to be over soon. As for the moment, we have to focus on our current assignment.”

“Capturing Leon Frembell, right?” Rikkun made an uninterested glare on his face.

“Yes. Eliseo had found a lead on the target, and we will move out soon. The operation will take place tonight.” Jecchan said. She passed me the bag of chips which I immediately caught. “I will include Tiara on the capturing team.”

“Wait, what about me!?” Rikkun cried.

“Tiara has nothing to do with Chronos, but you do. As I said several times before, he might trigger your evil side which might result in the birth of Aeternos. If you become the Cursed Aeternos, you might spank all the women you see. We don’t want that.” Jecchan said. “Besides, we might need Tiara’s ability to capture the God Core of Chronos.”

“It’s unfair that you’re involving Tiara and not me.” Rikkun groaned.

“Ahaha… Take it easy, Rikkun. Leave this to me!” I pumped my fists.

“Hah…” Rikkun sighed. “Fine, fine. This is the very first big Aether Crusade operation that won’t have me. I guess I’m not really the protagonist of this story anymore.”

<>

That very same night, we commenced the operation to capture the Curse God Chronos. The capturing team consists of Helena, Jecchan, and I, while Eliseo, Emily, and Drex are in charge of surveillance. We only need three people to battle the Cursed Guardian and the other three people will only make sure that no innocent people will get involved.

The place of the operation is the old park in Leng City. It’s already ten in the evening and there are no more people around. The old park is notorious for the sightings of ghosts and there are rumors that there are some white ladies that are running about at night. It’s also just a hundred meters away from the Nuclear Test Site. That is the main reason why this very park is surrounded by abandoned buildings.

This part of the city looks like a terrible ghost town.

“Bogey is at your twelve,” Drex said through the radio.

Jecchan leads the way as she went covert ops and acted as a secret agent. With a revolver on her hand, she made some dramatic action-movie stealth motions with her cat steps. Helena and I just followed her footsteps.

“There,” Helena whispered. She looked at her binoculars and finally saw the target with her own eyes. When she’s finished, she lent out the binoculars to me.

“Eh? Why is he so small?” I whispered.

“It’s because you are doing it wrong, dumbass.” Jecchan sermoned me. She flipped the binoculars over for me to see the target clearly.

Right at the center of the park is a swing for three people. The middle swing is occupied by a middle-aged man who has his hair, beard, and mustache white. He is wearing an old corporate attire that would make him look like a broke businessman. The blinking streetlights that shone upon his spot made it a little bit scary to approach him. Every time the lights go off, his crimson irises would glow.

If I was wandering here at night, I would easily be convinced that he’s a ghost.

I passed the binoculars to Jecchan which made her formulate quick plans and report to the surveillance. “One hundred meters from the target. We are ready to engage.”

“Right! Let’s do this!” Helena cried as she wore her mechanical glove. She immediately leaped out in the bush and dashed towards the enemy. “Commence Operation Kiss-ass!”

“It’s Operation Kickass, dammit.” Jecchan held her forehead in disappointment.