... The wielders embark on the task of settling into their mobile abode... sort of. Kanji finds comfort in the familiar, sinking into his bed without any desire for change. A level above, Claire swaps her night-vision goggles for the mechanical hum of a printer, setting out to breathe life into empty frames with her artistic illustrations. Rising even further, Gwen indulges in a color overhaul, using Izzybot's spare morpharabots to turn her mattress a deep, regal purple. She fires off a swift order on her P.D.A for a matching purple blanket and pillow, each adorned with whimsical cat faces, all of course from Amazon. Izzybot makes herself at home on the floor, its roots unfurling, weaving into the infrastructure of the room.

The gentle creeping of these roots lends a unique texture to Claire's ceiling.

Claire "Yeah, that's not creepy at all. Bestie! Some Izzy's roots are showing on my ceiling!"

Gwen "Oh! My bad! I'll tell Izzy to go easier on the floor!"

As Claire observes, the roots retract, nimbly patching their own trail with a russet plant matter. She continues displaying her artwork. Above Gwen's quarters, Sarah also spies the roots, finding their unusual presence more intriguing than invasive. After shifting her posters and books nearer to her bed, Sarah gazes at the expansive space she's created, an idea sparking in her mind. Taking advantage of Amazon's vast catalog, she transforms the entrance of her room into a charming micro-cinema, boasting twelve plush seats. They're organized in four seats per row, each row ascending meticulously towards the back, evoking a true theater-like ambiance.

Sarah "Awesome! With this, we can have movie nights back! Hey guys! I made a small cinema! If we want to have a movie night! It will be on my floor!"

Dave "What?! Sas, that was my idea!"

Sarah "Well too bad, Dave! I already set it up!"

Amidst the commotion, Noah surveys his room, unphased by the grotesque sight of corpses. However, the sight of spray cans lurking within the cabinets sends a ripple of unease through him. He seizes them, tucking them away within the macabre pile stowed beneath his bed.

Noah "Good." "This is great! I'll just tell them that I lost the cans. But wait! They will just buy me more! Okay, maybe I'll tell them that I used up all the cans. No! They will just do the same thing! Wait what if I-

Sarah "Noah? What are you doing?"

Noah "Sarah..." "S-Shit, did she see it? What do I do? What should I say?!"

Sarah "Huh? Where are all your cans?"

Noah "... I hide them. So no one takes them. "Nice! I'm pretty sure she'll buy that!"

Sarah "Ah, good choice. I understand. I don't want my books to be taken either. Come with me, I want to show you my room."

With that, Sarah pulls Noah down to the lower floor, their movement catching Adrian's attention as he gathers scattered books from the stairs. A smile sneaks onto his face before he stows the books in his inventory and reenters his room There, shelves line either side of the room in two meticulous rows, guiding one's gaze to his regal, king-sized bed framed in polished spruce. The shelves house an array of tales— Romance, Adventure, Folklore, Myths, and beyond. The space appears devoid of a kitchen.

Noah "Excellent. Everything is what it should be. Since I have some time... might as well see Sarah's room."

Traversing the entrance of his floor, Adrian is met with two resonating thumps. Unfazed, he continues his descent. These noises are the handiwork of Diana, who has just set down two massive 1000 kg dumbbells following an impressive set of 10,000 bicep curls. Barely breaking a sweat, she turns her attention to her bed...

Diana "One barbell isn't enough. I need more!"

Her fingers dance across her phone screen, navigating Amazon. She places an order— eight additional attachments, another quartet of barbells, and a plethora of weight plates. Upon their arrival, she starts installing them. A level above, Azan is cradling a freshly brewed cup of Africano, settled at his desk. He fires up the news to discover his father has initiated a search for him. His throat tightens as he grapples with his options, digits hesitating above his phone as he starts to dial a sequence of numbers.

Ada "Er... hello. Son, is that you?"

Azan "Yes, father."

Ada "Where have you been?! Did I say something wrong?! Did you... run away from home?"

Azan "No, father. I just... I just did what you told me in the best way I could. By being far away from... you... until your enemies give up."

Ada "Oh, I see... Well, just be safe. And tell me next time. Alright, champ?"

Azan "I will, father."

The call concludes and Azan's hand crashes against the desk. An unbearable wave of guilt engulfs him, triggering a release of sorrowful tears. His cries are overheard by Mina, who initially intended to immerse herself in the delicate art of constructing a ship within a bottle. Now, she rushes to Azan's side.

Mina "Azzy, are you okay?! I heard everything. I say you shouldn't feel bad about it! What you did was very brave! There was nothing else you could do in that situation!"

Azan "But... I... I lied. I have never lied to him before."

Mina "Lying is part of life. Being honest all the time can do more harm than good. Trust me, I know from... experience. Now, come with me. Let's check out the awesome cinema Sarah made. It'll cheer you up."

Guided by Mina, Azan descends, willingly leaving his room, the duo paying no heed to the enticing scent wafting from the second-highest floor. There, Amelia masterfully concocts a feast of twelve plates, each stacked high with succulent bacon and fluffy pancakes. An all-too-familiar tune starts to waft down from the ceiling, causing her to pause.

Amelia "Cheer up, Dave. That song... it's "Hello, Darkness". Isn't it? I know you only listen to that when you're bloody upset."

Dave "Yeah, I can't believe I was too slow to install my cinema, man. Now she has all power during movie night."

Amelia "Oh, don't be a sour plum. Say maybe a plate of bacon and pancakes will filter down that moody heart."

Dave "Fuck man, that sounds good! Fine... I can let this shit go. I'm coming down, Amber."

The sound of his approaching footsteps filters down to Amelia. Swiftly, she prepares a spot for him at a polished oak table, pulling out a matching chair. He slides into the seat and she serves him a plate, which he proceeds to devour with an odd, comical gusto that draws laughter from her. Once his meal is devoured, Dave steps up, assisting Amelia in ferrying the remaining plates to the fourth floor. Upon entering, they find the rest of the group engrossed in an episode of "Tim and Jarry".

Dave "Aw sweet! This is the shit, my dudes! Also, where's the gorilla lady?"

Diana "Right behind you, clown."

Dave "AH! What the fuck?!"

Diana ignores Dave as she takes the plates from his hands, distributing them among the other wielders. They settle down, indulging in the mouth-watering meal as the classic cartoon echoes in the background.

Kanji "... Now, that we are all set. Let's us depart. Mina, you will take the wheel."

Mina "Wait, if we are going by RV. How are we going to get to Ireland?!"

Kanji "I got it covered. You just need to drive to an isolated place... somewhere to the closest countryside."

Mina "Okie dookie, I'll try my best!"

Descending the stairs to the driver's seat, Mina surveys the controls. They strike her as remarkably similar to that of an ordinary car. Adjusting the seat and placing her hands on the wheel, the RV stirs to life, beginning its journey down the road.

As they traverse, a variety of intriguing conversations fill the air.

As the episode concludes, eight wielders vacate the impromptu cinema, leaving Gwen, Claire, and Kanji alone. An awkward silence settles between them until...

Claire "So, Kaney. What do you think we should do while we wait?"

Kanji "We'll just relax or you girls want to discuss something."

Gwen "Yes... I was wondering. We never really... talk much about our personal life. What are your hobbies?"

Kanji "Hobbies... you can call them that. I just like trying lots of new things because I was bored. If you are asking what I did the most during my free time. Then that would either be playing games, watching movies, or spending time with everyone in the program."

Claire "Lmao. We can tell about the last part. You spent like 100,000 hours."

Kanji "Haha... yeah... I wouldn't know what I would do without friends like you guys."

Gwen "Maybe... some people are just meant to be together."

Gwen subtly shifts her shoulder, brushing against his. Claire, catching the move, mirrors it on his other side. Kanji, caught between them, tries to suppress the rising blush.

Kanji "How about you two? What are your hobbies?"

Gwen "I for one find experimenting enjoyable. I also like playing video games and doing yoga."

Claire "I like drawing stuff, it is fun and keeps me inspired. I also like video games, tabletop games, watching movies, and internet videos... and hanging out with you two."

Gwen "That is very sweet of you to say." "Wow, nice move. Claire."

Kanji "So all three of us like playing video games. Might as well do that while we wait." "Come on. Take the bait. This fighting is killing me."

Gw/Claire "Sure. What game should we play?"

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Kanji "We'll go to Claire's floor. The game starts with an S-

Gw/Claire " Super Fight Bros! Ah, jinx!"

He observes their excited dash downstairs, his smile growing as he trails after them. Meanwhile, in the lofty top floor, Dave rallies the other wielders around his unfinished cinema set-up. His dozen cinema seats encircle a round table, crafted from striking red-tinted glass.

Sarah "The hell is this?! King Arthur and the lost cinema!"

Dave " Shut up, Sas. Also, where's the hell is Azbro?!"

Diana "What is this about, Icarus? Azan is watching over Mina right now as we speak."

Dave "This is fucking serious, ok! We have fucking forgotten something very important. Come on, think! What is today's date?!"

Adrian "It's the ninth of April. Hold on... yeah, I do feel like we forgot something."

Sarah "Wait a minute... Uh oh! Fuck! Why didn't I see it sooner?! Shit! We are such horrible friends!"

Noah "Huh? What do you mean?" "I don't get it. Is today an important day?"

Diana "Is this one of your pranks, Ica-

Dave "Shut up! We missed their BIRTHDAYS!"

Diana "What are you.... oh. Oh god! Fuck, wasn't the boss's birthday five days ago?!"

Sarah "Yeah, Claire and Gwen's birthdays were three days ago. What do we do?!"

Dave "Don't worry, dudes! I got a plan! We'll throw them the best surprise birthday party ever. I'll sacrifice my room for it!"

AN "Oh my! A surprise party! I am curious about the concept but never really experienced it myself."

Dave "You know a birthday party, right? You can help us by keeping it a secret until the time is right, bro."

AN "Soooo... I should keep my mouth shut until you guys are ready. Sounds easy enough."

Dave "Awesome, and bro... Can you like distract them from coming into my room?"

AN "I'll try my best. But right now, they seem very occupied. Playing some kind of video game... "Super Fight Bros" ?"

Dave "Nice. Just keep watching them and tell us if they make a move, dude."

At the helm of this massive vehicle, a focused young lady steers, her gaze laser-locked on the heart of the road ahead. Beside her, her best friend vigilantly monitors their progress, ready to intervene at the slightest sign of trouble.

Azan "You don't have to try so hard you know. I think you're doing great, Mina. We should be there quicker than I thought."

Mina "Hey, Azzy. What do think they are doing up there?"

Azan "Which group? Kanji's or Dave's?"

Mina "I can hear Kanji, Claire, and Gwen from here. But what are the others doing? They looked very serious."

Azan "They are probably resolving some kind of conflict. You know that Dave and Diana don't get along very well."

Mina "I beg to dipper! I think they are slowly coming along just fine! Maybe they are all just having a peaceful talk up there!"

Azan "You really think so? Hmmm... Maybe you're probably right. Hey, you want to play would you rather?"

Mina "Yeah, sure. But no morbid ones! Those make my stomach curl."

Azan "Alright... would rather make a paper plane or a paper boat?"

Mina "Paper boat! Because you can put a letter in it and it can survive through the waves of the ocean. Did you remember that one news?"

Azan "Right! The guy's name was Oliver. He got lost in the ocean on a raft but he made a paper boat with a message and someone found it. I still can't believe that stuff was real. Then again, miracles do happen from time to time. Ok, Mina. It's your turn."

Mina "Okay, chocolate or vanilla?"

Azan "Why can't it be both? To be honest, tasting them alone is boring but together... they make the perfect couple."

Mina "Aww, that's so sweet! Okay, then a new one. Would rather be poor and have billions of friends or be rich but can never make any friends?"

Azan "That's easy. I'll go with the first. I just ask each of them to give me one dollar and boom! Back in a business suit!"

Mina "Hahaha! That's a really good idea! Okay, you do the next one."

Azan "Would you rather hit a- Stop!"

Mina "A stop?-

A resonating thump jolts her attention, evoking an immediate halt of the RV.

The sudden lack of motion is sensed by the other wielders who assemble with Azan and Mina.

Kanji "What happened?! Why did you stop?!"

Mina "I think I hit someone. I-I'm sorry."

Kanji "Let's check and see. It might just be an animal."

Exiting their vehicle, they trace back their path down the road. They encounter a humanoid form, lifeless, yet devoid of blood spatter. As they approach, a flash of recognition sparks — a robe they've seen before.

Kanji "Azan activate your shield. Now!"

Azan maneuvers his suitcase, morphing it into a watch, which conjures a large forcefield enveloping his comrades. Kanji extends his hand, imbuing the shield with a crackling layer of electricity.

Diana "Boss Look! The corpse! It's melting!"

From beneath the forsaken robe, a horde of yellow cockroaches bursts forth, making a desperate bid to breach the forcefield.

Some manage to penetrate, only to be scorched by the charged exterior. On Gwen's command, Izzybot springs into action, ensnaring one of the resilient critters.

Gwen "I got one of them! Let's see what they are about."

Kanji "Please, do. We don't know if this corpse was just a distraction. I don't see any other cultists around here."

?? "That's because there are no other. Except for me! M114!... Oh, dangit! That didn't rhythm. I wished I was 103."

Suddenly, a blonde figure emerges from behind a huge boulder, a cultist, clutching what appears to be a notepad. With an abrupt movement, he tears a page from it. As it detaches, the page transmutes into a glitchy void.

Gwen "Kanji. This is very strange... this cockroach. It only consists of a single cell!"

Kanji "A single cell... I see. It's his ability. This guy can probably divide his entire being into those cockroaches. But if a single cockroach is just one of his cells. Then... how many does he have? How much can he control them?"

Gwen "There are approximately 37.2 trillion cells in the human body. But since he has been modified, I say that he has way more than that."

M114 "Wow, good observation! You just got that after a brief encounter! You guys make me look like a gosh darn amateur. No problem... because by the end of the day... I'll know EVERYTHING about you!"

Brandishing a katana of a familiar gray glint, the cultist charges forward. The wielders recognize the material immediately, the same used in the armor of those imperial soldiers. They dodge around his assaults, and with a swift stroke, Sarah dismembers his feeble form. But instead of falling lifelessly, the severed pieces morph into additional cockroaches.

Sarah "What the hell?! Is this guy fucking immortal or something?!"

Kanji " I would say semi-immortal. That fucking general chose the perfect candidate for gathering information."

Dave "Then should we like not attack him, bro? So he doesn't get more shit."

Kanji "The key is patience. I'm guessing that his tactic is to annoy us so we will use more drastic measures to get rid of him. We need a simple plan to get rid of all the roaches at once."

Behind yet another boulder, the cultist overhears their conversation.

M114 "What the hell?! They are just humans! How did they catch on so fast?! Should I retreat and come up with a plan with the others? No... M124 will think that I'm a loser if I do that. May a more reckless approach."

He breaks cover, barreling towards Diana.

Diana "You can't serious, right? This guy is much more of an idiot than me."

A wicked grin playing on his lips, he changes target to Claire instead. Diana, quick to read his move, delivers a fierce punch to his head. It erupts into a mass of cockroaches that swarm over her face, robbing her vision. Despite its missing head, the cultist's body lurches forward, only to be thwarted by Dave, who sweeps his legs out from under him. Three crossbow bolts find their mark on his back, causing his body to disperse once more into an army of cockroaches.

They gather around the fallen katana. With a united effort, they hurl it at Claire, but Kanji intervenes, blocking it with ease.

An aura of glitched space engulfs the weapon, causing it to blink out of existence. Meanwhile, at a distance, perched upon another boulder, M114 regenerates from a lone yellow cockroach.

M114 "Fuck! I barely got any info. Come on! There must be something that can stir them up. Wait... of course!"

The wielders observe as Kanji unleashes a surge of electricity, frying the skittering cockroaches.

The sudden growl of an engine powering up catches their attention.

Dave "What the?! Bro! That son of a bitch! He's taking our RV!"

Mina "We need to stop him!"

Kanji "Hold it. He is trying to provoke us to use more abilities. I'll sacrifice myself for the sake of this team."

With a speedy flourish, Kanji forms an electrified blade at the end of his chain and gives chase to the moving vehicle. With a tab to his legs, he imbues them with sonic speed, closing the gap rapidly. Reaching the right distance, he launches his weapon. At the same time, his body transforms into a streak of electricity, zipping along the chain and appearing on his bed. He finds himself face-to-face with M114. His fist tightens and a spark of anger ignites in his eyes as he strides toward...

M114 "HAHAHAAHA! You're too late! I broke off the breaks and soon your precious RV will go off the cliff along with you!"

Kanji "It seems you have forgotten one very important thing."

M114 "What is it? Can you see that I've won?!"

Kanji "That this RV runs on electricity!"

Kanji drives his hand into the vehicle's floor, siphoning off every scrap of remaining energy. Closing in on the cultist, he latches onto his neck. He transforms the man's entire body into a rubber-like state and unleashes a sound wave. M114 can sense every cell in his body trembling, bouncing uncontrollably in response to the powerful vibration.

his body splits of its own accord, reducing to a frenzied mass of cockroaches that turn on each other in cannibalistic chaos.

Dave "Dude.... we have... made it. Oh, you finished him off."

Kanji "Yeah... but we must still keep an eye out..."

Exhausted, Kanji collapses onto the floor, his body radiating a bright blue hue as sparks scatter around him. The others bide their time, waiting for the display to subside before carefully moving him to his bed. Gwen and Claire retreat back to the second floor, keen to resume their games. Azan orders a colossal battery from Amazon, restoring the RV's energy. He joins Mina upfront and reignites the engine, steering them as far away from the recent battle as possible.

Meanwhile, Dave and the remaining wielders ascend the stairs, eager to resume their party plans.

Dave "Ok guys. Now that the bastard is gone. Any ideas for the party?"

Sarah "I know that all three of them like chocolate."

Noah "Doesn't everyone like chocolate? "Yeah, who wouldn't like chocolate."

Adrian "I only prefer dark chocolate."

Diana "But it is still chocolate! Also, how did you know that the Boss likes chocolate?"

Sarah "Well, not to sound creepy. But I like going through our chat logs and... writing down stuff. Just for some inspiration."

Dave "Weirdo Alert! Weirdo Alert! Just kidding. Now we know what fucking cake to get, bros."

Amelia "I can offer to make the cake from scratch, Dave."

Dave "Sounds good, Amber. Home-baked stuff is way better than processed shit. It's like comparing diamonds to dirt, bros."

Adrian "Let's not forget presents. I already prepared mine."

Dave "Cool. What is it, bro? I'm going to give Kanbro a pair of fucking sick headphones. And-

Adrian "Dave, may I suggest keeping our presents a secret. It would be like a surprise for everyone if we do so."

Dave "Ok, true. I almost fucked up there, man. Now, what time do we start the party?"

Diana "The boss once told me that dusk is his most relaxing time of the day."

Dave "Okay then, dusk it is! Dude, we should make it tomorrow!"

They exchange a celebrative high-five and commence their festive preparations, adorning the floor with balloons and ordering an assortment of confetti and indoor fireworks.

Far from their sight, behind a distant tree, a cultist wrestles to free himself from a cockroach cocoon. With only his torso exposed, he uses the tree for leverage to pry his legs free. A wave of nausea sweeps over him as he lumbers towards the nearest pond. M114 slams the ground in anger as he notices his left eye, now a bloody orange color, leaving his left field of vision in darkness.

M114 "Those bastards! They are going to pay dearly for this!"

He fashions an eyepatch from a leaf and bush fibers. Attempting to proceed, he stumbles, noticing that his right leg has disintegrated into a swarm of yellow cockroaches.

His cells are locked in a horrifying conflict, consuming one another.

M114 "... stop. Stop. STOP. STOP YOU LITTLE SHITS!!!"

The cockroaches, hearing his shout, halt their infighting. They skitter back, reassembling his lost limb. This act of obedience surprises him— never before have they responded so directly to his needs. Grinning in newfound understanding, he bites off a chunk of his thumb, spitting it onto the ground. Almost instantly, trillions of cockroaches converge from all directions, permeating his body in vast numbers, and he feels his vitality being restored.

Once the process is complete, he revisits the pond, lifting his makeshift eyepatch to reveal a permanently changed eye. With a defiant stomp, he pulverizes the leaves beneath him into a fine dust.

M114 "Shit! I don't know what she will think about this. Fuck! I have had enough for today."

An aura, riddled with glitch-like distortions, envelops him, and in the blink of an eye, he teleports back to the general's ship.

KARNAT "Well... What can you tell us?"

M114 "Well, they are very smart. They read me like a book."

M115 "We already know that, boy. Tell us what we don't know."

M114 "You know the guy with the business suit... I think his suitcase can turn into different things that can do different stuff. So far we know one which is a shield watch. I suspect that he has more. That blue-haired guy has a shield too but he can make it out of electricity. He used Sound on his feet and meself. And he can people rubbery. I say that in total he has control over electricity, sound, and elasticity. He can also create an energy blade at will. This is all the new info that I found today."

KARNAT "Excellent! Knowing that bastard having control over sound and elasticity is big. I can have time to find the perfect match for him. From now on, you don't have to go in alone. You must stay in the background and collect more info. If the troops are in your trouble, you must step in to help them. Got it Major!"

M114 "Yes! Your words are wise, me Lord."

KARNAT "Good. Now leave me to my planning!"

Upon exiting the room, M114 is welcomed by M124.

M124 "What's with the new look?"

M114 "Oh this. I-I just. There was an Er-

M124 "I like it. Also, you did a great job today. Stealing their RV was quite smart. But in the end, they took something from you... didn't they? This means we are in the same boat. You and I, we seek vengeance!"

M114 "Y-Yeah... that's right! We will make them pay!"

(To be continued)