Welcome back, Zemaku. Did you find out about Joe’s past, or did you make him an ally yet, for that matter?" Ren said.
"No, not at all," I said. "In fact, when I met Joe for the first time in a while, he was a completely different person. He only ever showed a couple of glimpses of what he once was, and when I asked what his breaking point was, he told me to leave and that I wouldn’t understand."
I told Ren, Hmm.
Ren was thinking. "Ya know, if someone I knew from my past, who didn’t know what happened to me, came up to me for the first time in years after I went through something traumatic and decided to ask me what happened, I’d have probably said the same thing," Ren exclaimed.
"I just wish I knew what changed Joe," I exclaimed.
"No time for that," my dad said.
"Oh, hey, Dad," I said. "So, what’s up?"
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"Who are you calling 'Dad'?" my father said. "I thought I told you before, call me by my rank. I’m Commander Bill."
"Oh, I’m sorry, Commander," I said in embarrassment. "So, what did you interrupt for?" I asked.
"Goki has just changed ranks on Thumb's hierarchy and demands a rematch with Ren."
"What?" Ren and I said in unison.
Neon War Chapter 2 Goki’s Return!
"Should I go too?" I asked Ren.
"No, I’m going alone," Ren said before storming off.
"Okay, I’ll just have to run and make my way toward Goki. I doubt his rank has changed that much," Ren said as he ran toward the location where Goki could be, not realizing the threat that stood in his way.
The scenery changed more and more, and the sky seemed to get darker. There was more smog and smoke in the sky—more pollution—as Ren got closer and closer to the meeting spot. Suddenly, he arrived, and Goki was there, standing atop a rock. The moment he saw Ren, he decided to flex his new rank and strength by using his AMD, or Aura Manifestation Device, to manifest a weapon with his aura—a sword-like weapon made of pure aura. Not just any aura, but an aura that reeked of wrath. He moved his right arm backward and then jumped, slashing at the rock. Instead of cutting it in half, he shattered it into tiny pieces.
"Kyahahaha!" Goki laughed. "Ren, you fool! You walked into a trap. You really think a no-thumb like you can kick my ass? Ehehahahaha!" Goki laughed even more.
"What?" Ren said. "Come on, Goki, you’ve only really changed rank to a small thumb. You’re only slightly more powerful than me," Ren said, brimming with confidence. Yet Goki just smirked.
"Oh really? Well, your legs seem to know more than your body, eh?" Ren said, then looked at his feet.
"Kyahahaha! So you finally noticed," Goki said. "I’ll let you in on a secret: I’m not a small thumb in rank at all. I’m a medium thumb, and you know damn well that you stand no chance against me! Kyahahahaha!"
To be continued…