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Raiden landed on the ground, arriving in the area filled with black and green forest around him while he stand up. He wear his small, black and red ribbon around his neck like a choker and black bodysuit under his gear revealing his collarbones. He keep a hold of his katana on his left hip as he was going to continue his search in this domain, he sensed a black and neon-green serpent lurking around. "Well, here we are..." he smirked, before a snake monster arrived before him. It growled at him in rage as it leaped at him and attacked, Raiden rolled his eyes and leaped backwards--before landing on the ground as he saw the girl manifested in front of him--the Serpent Raksha.
Lamia is a petite girl with long orange hair with slight curly streaks at the end with neon green tips at the end, her uneven bangs framing over her cheeks and green-neon eyes with black headband that has a white ribbon on it and pale skin. Her attire consists of black and gold short dress with white scale-like frills in the mid-part of the dress, she wears a green scaly gloves and leggings with a pair of gladiator and golden anklets. Lamia has a turquoise snake-like eyes with slits pupils along with her fang, a black strappy heeled shoes, and black and bronze wire-like strings on the black long gloves that reached down to her shoulders. She has no cloak, but a feather cape replacing it.
"Whoever you are, human. Leave while you still can," she threatened as she made a pose similar to snake-like; making them looks unnerving and intimidating. "I'm not human, lady, it's rude to presume."
Raiden commented that made her growled as she launched at him with her whip and fangs, but it was easy for him to avoid them as he leaped and somersault-twisting. Her eyes narrowed, seeing the stigmata on the back of his black haori--revealing that he's a Thunder Raksha and she growled. "Thunder Raksha... one who commands the thunder and electromagnetic forces... Raiden Amagiri..." she muttered, before she spoke calmly. "But, that will change. Once you surrendered and submit, I'll grant you to be one of us--it's your choice."
"You're really desperate to gain so many trust to someone else, 'Lamia'," he said, that revealed her name--while she turned out to be a quiet and calm one. Lamia glared at him, knowing how observant he is--for a supposed of being a prideful, hot-headed and strict member to his comrades. As she blasted her wires towards him, Raiden simply draws his katana and creates a red thunder-strike through his eight constructive thunder sword-breaking techniques and eight heavenly charge of thunder sword destruction. A eight simultaneous wave-like cut and lightning strike attack with several of electromagnetic spark scattered with his katana that sends her launching until his katana pierced through her stomach.
"I-Impossible... I didn't see that coming!" she shrieked, feeling electrocuted that made her staggered and stagger around--her cry almost echoed through the barren land and lake. Raiden's red thunder represents his status, how his father was able to wield much stronger and deadlier thunder of his cyclone while his son creates a much more powerful red thunder of his own. "Once a Raksha betraying humanity, becomes the main control of Legion... her death shall be granted and no life will be created again," he spoke coldly, before he smirked. "Let's not waste some time here, you should beg or maybe even crawl on your knees while you're at it, begging on your knees and crying like a useless worm," he told her.
Lamia began to transform into her serpent form--in size and ferocity, a very powerful creature even they have to attack it repeatedly for it to retreat. Lamia the Serpent could be blind, the most dangerous enemy to fight and will never be touched--but if a blade, arm or hand can touch her she can drain someone's life easily and it is one of her weaknesses.
Lamia was about to launch her arm against him--Raiden quickly deflected her arm as he swung his katana down and swiping it towards her. In lightning-fast movements and struck against the snake, barely visible--exerting the energy and the power to get himself on the feet. Once he turned into his full-form, the serpent trembled and moved back in a state of confusion and trepidation. Raiden flinched a little, he did get a cut on his wrist but it might be a deep cut. It hit him, because he knows a poison is in his system by that kind of attack--now he must get rid of them.
Raiden recalled the technique that Akito taught him on how to get the poison out from his body--so that's how he manages to do that without gaining any damage. He knows he'll let anyone to help him, but in order for him to die--he needs to eliminate the last bit of poison. He used his mouth to suck the poison and spat it out towards the grassy grounds, and thus the most poisonous bite would have that lethal effect. "Fuck, I had to spit them out..." he thought, before Lamia spotted him--fuck.
He used his last remaining elements to his strength as he attacked her with his four destructive and four elemental sword-breaking techniques, with few thrusts to launch a dark-red lightning bolts--causing Lamia to screech in pain. "AAAHH!!! Y-You...!!" she shrieked, "Raiden Amagiri, y-you...!! Y-You'll b-be the one... ARRGHH!!!" she suddenly transforming into her 'final form', revealing a giant snake-humanoid-snake-like hybrid-snake monster with a long necks, four long arms with wings and gigantic serpent tail. However, her upper arm and fingers ended in 'claws' with four fingers each.
Raiden close his eyes, before he reverted into his Thunder Raksha form--the poison slowly dissolved once he was in his Raksha form. He dashed toward Lamia's head--by striking her sharply that made her snarled, followed by the simultaneous wave-like and charge attacks with his eight constructive thunder sword-breaking techniques and eight heavenly charged destructive thunder sword.
"Roar, Kurikara!" he summoned, manifesting his red and black-scaled dragon companion Kurikara--the female dragon roared as he jumped and landed on his pet's back and her wings are flapping gracefully. Kurikara opens her mound and blasting a long, blast-like thunder in fiery style--the white blast clashing against the rainbow-neon beam and Lamia was screaming and screeching while she tried to launch her stingers through the sky towards him.
Raiden jumps and creates a thunderous shockwave from his katana, before Kurikara bit the stingers and swung her claw towards her. Her speed is truly unparalleled, using her blade as her weapon and her powers are much stronger and able to shatter the lightning speed--one more slash attack--Lamia screeched and she roared while trying to pierce her against her venomous fangs. But Raiden dodges with great reflexes as he kicks her face--Lamia stumbled as Raiden somersaulted in the air and thrusts his katana into her Core--creating a huge sound that could be heard on the place. Lamia was trying to breathe, watching Raiden quickly sheath his katana as he reverted back into his human form.
"L-Lord Maha... please... don't kill me!"
Raiden was confused, what is she talking about? His eyes widened when she suddenly self-destructing herself, and just only in time he was stopped by her words. He stood there like a statue, horrified of what he had seen--this is the first time he saw his enemy suddenly... explode like a nuclear bomb itself. Kurikara purred as the dragon walked towards her and her head nudged against him, watching him patted her gently as he sighed. At least he didn't do something worse than that, somehow it hurt his heart. His expression was a mix of sadness and anger, although not much visible he still feels the wrath. "Now I started to feel bad... shit."
He watched Kurikara curling up with him, purring as he patted her gently. "There there," he told her, as Kurikara grumbled and she snuggled him and he only stayed silent. He hates this--why does he have to stay silent about it? All of those moments felt rather surreal to him... he sighed as the dragon morphed in a size of an eagle and landed on his shoulder. "Let's go," he smiled, approaching his katana when suddenly he collapsed. He staggered, holding on to his chest as he coughed and stood with struggles.
"Shit," he mumbled, grabbing his phone as he sat on the ground with difficulties. "Hey, need a hand?" he heard his comrade-friend Senja asked as he saw him standing there, with Karina who also happen to finish fighting with the other members of Legion Raksha. "I need antidote, I forgot to ask Akito for one..." he muttered, Senja began to help him stand with his arm around his back and Karina handed the flask of antidote that Akito made for them. Raiden accepted the flask and immediately drink the antidote without gagging, then he flinched in the pain as he gasped--as he let out the coughs from his chest; vomiting the remains of the poison as his body and wound began to recover and regenerate. "Okay... I'm fine, thanks."
Raiden thanked them, keeping himself steady before he began to stand by himself. "So, did you two defeated the two of the Legion? How was it?" he asked, both of his friends nodded as Senja folded his arms. "We did, tsk... it satisfied me, but the outcome is very bad," he explained, Karina narrowed her eyes. "In my case, it was annoying. Why a single Raksha will think that we can't be helpful to this world, damn that annoying Raksha. Where are the others, by the way?" she asked.
Senja glanced at the man beside him, before Raiden answered. "They're over there," he pointed his thumb at the direction behind him, a bit far but able to sense their presence.
Flashback...
Senja finished killing some of the Phantom Beasts on his way as he sheathed his sword, eyeing the blood-shed area of the site. He crushed the twitching beast with his foot, stomping them and grinds them harder. His deadly glare when he was under his trance always giving a chill to the others; from his fiery-dark look, deadly stare, cold and emotionless person to the point he would almost lost the control of his emotions and kill them immediately--including when he slaughtered all of his past enemies. That was enough to make him look even more threatening, as the bloody rain began to fall around him. One blood rained had landed on his black coat and outfit, before he eyed his outfit and only grinned.
"Such a nuisance..."
The figure with yellow blindfold over her eyes appeared as she appeared with six limbs behind her back, a deity-like being that appeared before him--she was one of the Legion Raksha's Upper Generals. Senja turned around, having to sense that he wasn't alone in this room. The Demon Raksha landed before him, smiling a little as she walked towards him; making a few steps until the blood flowed underneath her feet. He began to stomp his foot on the ground, creating an Anti-Phantom field around them--true to his identity as Binding Raksha, which means that he uses a power to make his opponents weakened. Her abilities were able to create an incredibly large number of her own body doubles which possessed unique physical and magical abilities--giving him a momentary pause before he slashed one of her clones with his sword and left the real one clenching her teeth.
Senja loved to bind his opponents so he could fight them freely, not like they could find the gaps or anything--even when someone was clever in using their brain when it comes to battle. And, he was one of them despite his psychotic state. The Raksha began to move aggressively--appearing faster as she tried to hit him with an attack with her six talons from her behind. This time, her claws are much sharper that she almost managed to slash his head off. She tried her best to put on an attack with an endless amount of her duplicates and illusions when she is in defensive mode, revealing that his strike isn't enough to kill her because she must been regenerating quickly.
'Tch, how unfair this woman. Now I need to kill her, even if I'm gonna destroy her entirely.'
The blade seemed to have no effect on her and none of his usual attacks were quite effective; he let out a soft sigh, before the glowing field around them 'withered' and soon 'bloomed' with red spider lilies. Every blow he launched at her--each one of the spider lily, flowers, each their petal is transformed into a sharp blade-which forced the Raksha to retreat to the back again. "Binding Raksha, I thought you're the most brutal and dangerous Raksha that no one can restrain you," the Demon Raksha spoke, forcing a raspy laugh and blood trickled out of her lips. "But, I have not expected for you... to have limits!"
Senja smirked, his body began to emitting a red electrical wave and his movements are as fast as the speed of wind. No matter how many cuts did he receive, it might made him even more stronger. "You fell for it," he said, with his soft expressionless face--unbothered by the pain he suffered. "You underestimated me--never realized on how grave your death will be if you don't do the necessary work. Do not underestimate someone like us who works with more logic and logic, because what your mistake can be more fatal..." he said, before he spat to the ground.
That was totally something frightening.
Senja began to create constructive and destructive sword-breaking techniques, before unleashing his full power of eight simultaneous wave-like attacks--making the demon-like Raksha screech and screamed; thrashing around and fell down. His eyes became crimson red as he spotted his prey like a predator hunting for food, after his friends don't seem to mind he kills them either way. "And this... will be the last time you will be ever seen me," he said.
Senja transformed into his Binding Raksha form, while holding his Brahmastra; Muruga's Blade of Destruction.
'Is that so? Then again, anything can become my shield from an onslaught if it's your destructive sword,' a powerful and ominous voice declared that sent shiver down to her spine, grunting when Senja's blade pierced through her throat and down to her legs--creating red, spider-web-like marks around the body in a strange way that it sends a wave through her. The web-like marks were then shattered into several pieces, cutting deep through her 'flesh'. The demon growled as she was slowly staggering, gritting her teeth in pain. She gritted her sharp teeth, sending multiple punches at the right to the left as she went through what would certainly seemed like punching Senja with her spectral forms.
Until, he went past her and swung his blade--creating multiple constructive and offensive cuts that severing her limbs and all of her body parts entirely that resulting her dead. He reverted back into his human form, before he wiped the blood off of his cheek and forehead. "Well... at least this will be a satisfying victory that I just been looking for..." he muttered as he glanced over his back.
On the other side, Karina reverted back from her Heron Raksha form into her human form--defeating the last but not least the remaining member of Legion Raksha, watching the Mist Raksha coughed up blood from her illusions.
"You Rakshas... can never be helpful... to save the world...! Y-You're the biggest threats to our world, a-and for so many humans are suffering e-ever since the first Phantom Eruption in 1985 appeared..."
Karina huffed at what the Mist Raksha said, before glancing away. "Our world is the exact reason on why Phantom Beasts existed, I don't understand on what you said--but by the way, did you know anything about that Phantom Eruption?" she inquired, eyeing the former being--whose blood stained the grounds. Karina watched the Mist Raksha began to dissolve and appeared behind her to ambush her, before her eyes widened to see the Heron Raksha's glaive appeared to slay her off and cleaved into her head. "Such a nihilistic view... I pity them, anyway," said Karina, making her glaive disappeared as she saw Senja appeared from the shadows. "You're done yet?" she asked.
Senja nodded, regenerating his wounds before both of them catching up to Raiden and the others first.
End of Flashback...
Sanju was waiting for the last three as he was keeping an eye on Akito, Kanae and Kinana--until he saw Raiden, Senja and Karina are done getting rid of them. "You're back, guys... had to wait for a long time, huh?" Raiden remarked, he was answered by Akito with a scoff while his hand rubbed Kanae's head gently--who tried to stop him from rubbing her head, but he thinks he likes how she tried to shoo him away. "You made us to wait."
Raiden sticks his tongue at him, making Akito growled--seriously, can he even act like an adult who almost passed his twenties? God forbid, that nineteen-years old purple Raksha will ruin his life--but yes, Akito definitely cares for him and his well-being. They will await for the next update about the last unknown member of Legion Raksha, the one that Althair referred with a 'glitch' on them. "Sanjaya, what do you say? Do you have plans on making a new name for the team?" Senja asked, he wondered if Sanju had an idea about naming them in Silver Slumbering Dragon Organization. Sanju hummed, honestly he named them team 'Garden of Destiny' temporarily because he didn't know what to name them--until he finally came up with the new one. "Yeah, I have."
Kinana tilted her head, curious on what the nineteen-years old Indonesian will be naming their team. "From now on... let's rename ourselves, ADVENT."
He named the team ADVENT, derived from the word 'advent' that means arrival or coming from the Latin word 'adventus' and it also means the arrival of a notable person. He knew no one's agreed, but some of them looked genuinely surprised and impressed by the naming but he did shrug and he even showed a smirk to the others. Sometimes it left him still wonder how on Earth would they chose someone as creative as him (because he heard a random fact when he was eighteen years old and it fascinated him); for a millennia, he and his comrades will stay and keep their mind safe from the Phantom Beasts' threats and they shall have no fear. "That's... actually cool," said Karina, he seems amused--a bit relieved that his 'creation' is way better and they are satisfied by it.
"Yes, you're right. I think ADVENT is a way cooler name than 'Garden of Destiny'. Even though it sounds amusing and playful, but ADVENT--coming from 'advent'--is pretty and a historical word. So... this team will take it, right?"
Sanju glanced over his peers and teammates, he noticed Senja only hummed and smirked before giving a high-five to him. Senja actually supports him the most, which is something made him feels appreciated. Karina simply smirked at him, followed by a silent thumb up. "It's definitely better, I mean..." Raiden complimented, while he added. "Even though sometimes we'll deal with more more stupid and annoying Phantom Beast attacks and Legion Raksha that sometimes brought a cataclysmic, chaotic events in the world. We will deal with them--we are the SSDO, Silver Slumbering Dragon Organization, and we will take what it takes to save the world."
Kinana agreed, before the sixteen-years old girl hugged Sanju's arm--he was like a big brother to her and she smiled in delight. Akito nodded, while Kanae yawned as she stand up and folded her arms. "I don't care what people thinks of us, let alone the government--even when we were labelled as criminals. But, we just want to save the world," she said, lifting her head up proudly.
Akito grinned, before he goes to make them gather around in circle. "BUT, you see? We're almost adults, BUT we're together. Just to protect each other, but that doesn't mean we can't back each other up--sometimes," he added, making them to laugh. He eyed Raiden for a moment, because the guy flicked his forehead. His teammates laughed, before Akito clicked his tongue.
Sanju couldn't help but smile, together they will stand. Saving and helping people they could save along the way and putting a final end to this chaos, like Althair said... and nobody has been suspected what was exactly happening in the deepest shadow, too.
"Does our team include your older twin too, I mean Yukito?" Kanae asked, it makes Akito grumbled--gosh, and he's so loud.
His twin Yukito was the only one that can calm him down, until he's in his battle mode and when he becomes more murderous and all he could only hear the silence and deafening void that surrounded him. Yukito was strong, elegant that his battle is nothing too much because he always uses his full potential with using the full strength from his Flower Raksha abilities. Due to the compatibility of Insect and Flower Raksha's abilities, they can mix them into a one 'ultimate attack', a deadly attack that can obliterate things into pieces.
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"Hey! What took you so long?"
Yukito called, appearing in front of them because he has been pestered by Althair and the rest like Haruse, Renata, Salihin and everyone in the Silver Slumbering Dragon.
"Oh, so you finally decided to come along? I thought you will just continue lurking around by yourself," Akito said, eyeing the Flower Raksha standing behind the twin.
Raiden wanted to tease him, but he kept on smiling evilly and eventually going to poke the twins' back from behind and made both Yukito and Akito startled and yelped from the surprise--then Raiden laughed. While he only folded his arms, honestly he just waiting for them to join but honestly why Akito and Yukito were always having a race together? One for the victory and beating the Legion Raksha, and oh boy did they feel like young-adults. "Okay, let's just go there with all of your... annoying and loud voice?" Akihito remarked that made his rival nudged him, before Raiden turned to Yukito. "Yo, by the way... how was Althair this time? He's probably been yapping a lot and I'm guessing he's actually missed you!" he chirped happily.
That's just how he is, honestly in the group--he is the cheerful and very playful one, the friendliest Raksha that almost reminds them the pure innocence and kindest being. However, in the battle--Raiden is the opposite. Cold, deadly and strict--along the two types of personalities that he possess--one would be serious and concentrated, and the other--mocking, cocky and arrogant. With that same cold demeanor and glowing eyes, a feature of true Thunder Raksha--people says that they look exactly like an Oni but not one hundred per cent one.
"Alright, you named your team ADVENT... where did you get that from?" Yukito asked, he was quite surprised on the sudden mentioning about that name. "The word advent derived from the Latin word adventus. It means the arrival of a notable person, sometimes it could be their birth, death or coming to a place or anything," answered Kinana, Senja agreed with his usual composed demeanor. "I thought you would name the team Royal Flash or something--"
No, not that name--Sanju has the upper hand in the team, after all. Because he has better-unique naming sense and he's the one that gave the team 'Garden of Destiny' so that will be surprising, but he didn't like to admit he was intelligent and creative one in the group. He's too low-profiled to get noticed, because apparently he didn't like being given a spotlight or attracting attention from others. He had realized that and apparently he has a long way to go for his self-restraint, because he did things that weren't as brave or unapologetic. "Don't, it sounds like I'm in a fucking superhero group or something..." Sanju muttered, sighing and he's been known as a reserved member or he prefers to be alone.
Well, it's good that he has allies to support him.
Althair watched Sanju and his team gathered from the distance while discussing new plans on how to stop Maha's schemes, he saw how much the team developed through a year not just give them the better bond with each other but also the capability to do the worst damages on their foes. Well, that's what kind of damage or destruction a group of Rakshas with strong mental capabilities who almost graduated college and even professional life, also in their career as rescuers and defenders of this world--are capable of doing.
"Oh right, I need to give them salaries... it's the end of the month now."
***
Haruna was thinking of giving his new team a name, while waiting for Izana to come back from her mission. "Man, I wonder what will be the name of my team..." he said, before he saw Izana returned while panting heavily after teleporting through the device she has been keeping during the mission--as if she just escaped from the enemy who caught her red-handed. "What's wrong, Izana?" Juha asked, seeing her panting while she coughed a little. "I escaped... from there, finally..." she said while breathing excessively and she can hear her heartbeat is racing due to running, before she glanced at Karuna who was planning a strategy with Elden, Kasai and Kashiya in the office of the Nirvana Organization Headquarters. "Hey, have a seat first, man! You're hyperventilating!"
Kirana helped her to sit down as she was taking some time to calm down, before receiving a cold bottle of water--drinking a huge amount of them before her heart began to pace slowly and normally. Izana wiped off the sweat from her forehead, while Karuna open the door and wide-eyed as he was surprised to see Izana like this. "Izana, are you okay?" he asked, while Kasai and Kashiya walk out from the office to check on them. "I-I'm okay... give me a moment..."
Izana said, before she sighed as she regained her consciousness for a moment. Masaki saw her take out the pendant necklace from her chest pocket, then she continued. "Karuna, here's what I obtained..." she explained.
Flashback...
Izana slowly opened her eyes, she look around as she was kidnapped by her own father Maha and his other subordinates--in the remote island where the Legion’s base of operations located--and somewhere in the unknown islands of Indonesia. She felt the pain all over her body, she could barely move due to the restraints on her wrists and ankles. They used ropes to bind her hands together, leaving her feeling helpless as she couldn’t use any Brahmastra to escape. ‘Urgh... great, I can’t transform into Water Raksha, that’s just great...’ she thought, remembering what happened and she had to give up.
Izana woke up to find herself inside a room that looks like a jail cell here, there was a large wooden desk with papers scattered everywhere, a single chair facing her direction. ‘Why am I here? Did my father just captured me?’ she wondered, recalling what happened yesterday—she was sleeping in her room of her dormitory; she didn’t realize her father kidnapped her by using his ability.
She was awakened by a loud noise, and found herself lying here.
Izana saw her father standing outside the window, staring at her while wearing a light-gray robe with hood over his head. “What do you think, daughter?” he asked, walking closer to her without showing any expression on his face. He was carrying a bag full of documents in his right arm while his left hand holding onto the windowsill, before he turned to look at her. Izana stared at him blankly, unsure of what he wants from her as she tried to resist against him. “Father...” she murmured, which still had mixed feelings toward him and what he have done. Even though he’s the reason why she suffered before, he also helped her when she needed help. But she never forget the fact that he was the one who made her friends like this, which she find unforgivable.
His youthful face remained the same, he doesn’t look humane when he has that eternal youth like an Asura. But, his solemn look on his face made her intimidated of him.“Why are you here?” she asked, trying to calm down her nerves.
Her father smiled lightly, his eyes glinted which he glared at her.
“I’ve been waiting for you, daughter. I know that you know about me, but you’re avoiding me for a long time. After what happened, I figured out what you did the whole time… in Scarlet Armband Army, as a double agent? I know what you’re thinking right now, but you need to understand that I’m your father, Izana,” he stated with a serious voice. “And, I have no choice but to get you back here. Not only that, you also responsible for the mess you did.”
There’s Gideon and Orther who were surrounding her that made her shrink back in fear, but the look on Orther's face tells her 'don't worry, let me handle this' and she wasn't sure if he was meaning to help her. Oh crap, this is how she’s cornered now and Izana tried to break free but failed because of the restraints.
Izana took deep breaths as she tried to keep calm, remembering her father’s agents that terrified her. She wanted to stay away from him for a while, but she knew that she’ll have to see him sooner or later. Well, he did find out that Rahayu stole his documents and gave them to his daughter--making him even more angry. “I know about you father, I know this is very very bad… but--”
“That’s not important now, Izana.”
Izana sighed when she looked at her father who is pacing around the room, he was moving his hands around the documents on the desk. “As much as I hate to admit it, I’m afraid of you,” she admitted, without looking at him as she heard him spoke. “Of course you are. That’s normal, you’re a human after all,” Maha replied, waving his hand dismissively.
Izana turned her gaze towards the door, seeing the familiar faces of her father’s agents. Yukariko, Amon, and Kain. What are they doing here? she wondered, she noticed the missing member who weren’t with them; Haneul. “Where is Haneul?” she asked, looking at him. Maha answered her question, as he tilted his head a little. “We don’t know where he went, he ran away during the battle against Yura.”
Izana narrowed her eyes, before she grumbled and glared at him. “How come did he disappeared?” she questioned further.
Maha chuckled lightly, “He probably fled the battlefield, like everyone else. He probably find out Yura is Varuna, he was a coward for facing an Asura like him. I can’t believe he had to leave his post, he knows that I will protect him, and you too,” Maha told her, before he grinned as he take off his white robe. “Since you’re Water Raksha...” he muttered, before he pulled down the hem of his shirt exposing his abdomen.
Izana gasped as her eyes widened, she snapped. “Father! Why are you--”
Before she finished her sentence, he grabbed hold of the bottom edge of his shirt and tore it apart, revealing his upper torso. There were four thick scars running along his stomach, marking the shape of a sword. It’s impossible for someone to survive such wound unless they possess powerful attack on him. “These scar marks my past life. These wounds are painful to heal, but it’s nothing compared to the agony of losing people dear to me,” Maha explained, before he put on his uniform back to cover his scars.
“Those are the scars of your old identity, isn’t it?” she asked, pointing at the scar mark on his lower abdomen.
“Yes, but those are gone now.”
Izana gulped hard, she glanced at the scars once again and remembered what happened last time--she learned that her father used to be immortal. But it still unknown if he really is an Asura or not. Maha continued, folding his arms. “I became an immortal mortal since I lost everything--my entire family, and most importantly... myself,” he said. "You're the only family I have, Izana Amane. I adopted you, after what happened to your parents."
The Water Raksha closed her mouth, unable to speak anything anymore. After a moment passed, she finally regained her senses. Izana shake her head a bit, her vision went clear when she look up at him. “Why did you show me these things, Father?” she asked, frowning at him in disbelief.
She couldn't believe this, why did he tell her about this now?
“To remind you that I am a man with flesh and blood like you. And that I feel every pain just like you, and I will reverse every creations in this world,” he said, before he put on his clothes and sat down in front of her. “I think it’s time for me to indoctrinate you, daughter. You set one of my experiments free, even Haruna... so this is what you deserve.”
Izana tried to resist but failed, her heart pounding so fast that she almost fainted. ‘Please don’t force me,’ she prayed silently, knowing that this is inevitable. She’s going to become his disciple, his student--his pupil. A part of her feels disgusted of him for what he have done to her friends, but another part of her secretly desires to learn from him.
No, she would never fall on such a temptation.
After several minutes of silence between them, Maha spoke up first. “So tell me, Izana... are you willing to follow me as a teacher, and master, my dear daughter?” he asked, gazing at her intently.
Izana bit her lip, she didn’t want him to hurt her friends—so she had no choice.
“No thanks, I’d rather die as a martyr to protect my friends. I’m doing all of that to prevent you from creating more clones of Sanju. You’re more than just a devil himself who experimented the innocents, you even had one of my friends’ clones and I can tell it was him. You think I will be fooled? I won’t let that happen… with that revealed. I have EVERYTHING that your organization has.”
Gideon was enraged that Izana has infiltrated the confidential informations of SAA and this made him want to execute her, but Orther held up his hand at him because he know how pissed he is. “Don’t worry, the oracle is safe, at least she didn’t harm her right?” he stated with a smile and eyes closed, before he turned to Izana as he mouthed: "Close your eyes."
Izana was wide-eyed, before she nodded.
Suddenly, Orther triggered his fingers inside his pockets which creates an explosion around them and Izana was free from the leash. The Water Raksha felt his hand pulling her wrist and ran off with him from the facility, Gideon got unconscious from the blast and Maha was standing there--with the regenerating wounds on his body. "That rat...!" he snapped, before he saw the 'fainted' Orther and he had to get her back here.
The real Orther ran towards the port while pulling her hand, both of them ran together and far from the sight of the SAA army behind them. "T-Thank you... h-how can I repay you?" she thanked him, but he simply smiled. "No need, just do a favor for me in return. Don't tell anyone that I'm doing this for you, even your friends," Orther stated, before they stopped and he look around--before he used his Psychic Binary through closing his eyes; channeling his strength towards her.
Izana suddenly felt a surge of energy running through her veins, regaining her stamina and power as she take out her teleportation device; but it was broken. "It's broken--" he handed the spare one towards her, making her thanking him again--seriously why is he so kind now? He never been like this before. "H-Here, this is for you," she gave him the folders that he needed, it's unknown what was inside of it--but it seems confidential from the 'CONFIDENTIAL' stamp on the folders. "Thank you, now go. I'll distract him, he won't find out."
As she teleported, Maha has arrived as he saw Orther was standing there--turning around with his eyes closed. "She escaped, I tried to resist but it seems like she decided to go against me," he said, Maha believed him--nonetheless. "Fuck, that's just great... come on, we need to finish something first," he said, before Orther walking away from him and smirked in hidden; this idiotic father of Izana doesn't seems to notice what he was doing behind his back.
However, Maha seems suspicious of him... but he decided to hold it back...
End of Flashback...
"I see... so you broke free."
Jaemin commented, adjusting his glasses while standing beside Kasai. The rest of Haruna's team were listening to her, although they couldn't help but curious how come Izana survived like that--but it was a miracle that Izana was able to make it. 'I know my father is horrible, but... I just can't hate him...' she thought, not wanting to hate him but she was disappointed of what he did to her and her friends. 'I'm sorry... father.'
***
Althair was writing a book of research with sources and references with the eleven books beside his laptop and almost finished onto the last page, he was inside his bedroom as he slurped his cup of tea. Then, he heard a door knock as he responded by telling the visitor to come in. "I sense someone is approaching at the door," Althair replied without looking behind. He was alone before Sanju popped his head, greeting.
"May I ask you some questions?"
Althair closed his laptop and shifted his laptop to the other side before taking a sip, before he gestured Sanju to sit on the couch and he decided to sit at the seat opposite him. “I heard what happened, how are you feeling?” he asked, Sanju nodded as he leaned his back against the chair. “I’m fine, the others too. Do you know Maha's background? Like, he's our enemy but we haven't found any track records like where he was born, we know where he studied but... he's kind of mysterious--and we want to know his true motive behind the Phantom Eruption," Sanju spoke, before he added. "We asked Izana about this because she's his daughter, and she didn't even know what kind of person he was, she didn't even look at the picture of him."
Sanju watched the leader of Silver Slumbering Dragon turned to look at him, as he spoke before taking another sip.
"There's no single trace nor idea where he came from, however, his research... had several ideas of the cause of the Phantom Eruption, such as he can perform to connect the realms--that is being suspected during his university times of him. He was the alumni of Oxford University in Phantom Beast Research and Biology major, bachelor and master's degree but also taking a doctoral degree."
Sanju nodded, confirmed the case because he wanted to go through the file about the incident. "He was one of the top students, became the alumnus, his first study subject and graduated earlier. He has cum laude and returned back to Indonesia. Your father mentioned, he was helping on international peace and serving the country while he is still running for Ph.D. for Historical and Archaeological at that time."
Althair had to recall the old memories of his grandfather, he told him when he was a little child and went back to normal as he let him continue listening. "Mahatma Kartawinata... his face is still young from the beginning until now. I can't help but feel if something wrong has changed him and his course," Althair smirked before he turn to see the other young man, who felt like a weight lifted from his heart.
"Regardless, Mahatma has changed during the moment when he finished his Ph.D. When he returned to Indonesia, his marital status is single now... but he used to have relationship with someone and is a woman. And, she died long time ago but we didn't got her name in the paper. Even if the public knows about his private life--even people assume he hides something more that not for them to be shown yet."
Sanju wasn't surprised, he was at amazed... BUT he was quite concerned when he heard him being in relationship with a woman long time ago. Althair continued explaining to him, it was all black and dark... and there's something that they didn't expect.
"Maha was said to consume Gandapana, an alcoholic divine wine for Asuras alike. He became forever young and never aged from that time. His short hair with uneven long bangs remained platinum blonde until now, those kinds of colors--not counting the past pictures from the file or the record book from the university itself," he added.
"Something very odd indeed," Sanju couldn't help but got himself curious about the secret his enemy hide well from everyone, especially some kind of truth within him could be linked with one possible event.
"He has many records of using Phantom Beasts as an experiment to revive his deceased lover, fifteen times and he failed--until he found Izana in the orphanage that resembled his deceased lover. According to his logbook, Izana is supposed to have the looks similar to his deceased lover. Except that, Izana is eighteen years old now and still doesn't even grow taller or any change at all. My apologies, I don't mean to height-shaming her, but--"
Sanju rolled his eyes, he doesn't have time to talk about height--it's subjective for him. "It's okay," he reassured him, even he can't help but agreed that Izana doesn't look like an adult unlike him. "I assume the date when he brought Izana back home and where they were from is dated a couple years after, so that explains why our databases had limited data," Sanju commented.
"Yup, Izana... is adopted. But, she kept her surname Amane because she was Japanese--while she was adopted by Maha as his daughter. Sounds crazy, but she was either part of Maha's plan or not (or he was just lonely too)," Althair sighed, before turning his gaze back at the blue folder. "You're also got experimented but good thing you survived, Haruna also survived... we already know about this. So... wait... Izana and Maha's DNA are... similar? Wait, I think Karuna gave me the folders of her since he had one, I need to double-check again."
As soon as he checked and reviewing the profile of both father and daughter in front of him, before he confirmed everything with surprise and not surprised at the same time. "Wait... how come? Uh-oh," Sanju and Althair stated it in surprised, he was just thinking... but it wasn't unbelievable, it was... truly unexpected. While Althair is being shocked... he looks like he wanted to throw up in a garbage can.
"This shit is crazy... do you want to know?"
Sanju raised his eyebrows, but he was scared at the thought of it. "Okay..." he replied, and Althair exhaled a deep breathe and a loud annoyed groan as he placed the folder to the desk. "Well... Izana is indeed, legitimately... and genetically… she is Maha's daughter."
After a solid thirty minutes of silence and shock, Sanju couldn't believe it--but this is somewhat becoming even crazier with all of the mess happened today, he is starting to lose his mind. "HUH?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!?!" he said with a really loud scream voice as he exploded.
Althair facepalmed at Sanju's outburst reaction, realizing he let the cat out of the bag. "I'm both confused and puzzled, how did... he achieved that? That's just... wow. And he let her under the care of someone he trusts, including the Legion of Rakshas members that stayed with them. However, that information I know is quite too dark for the ears... yet. Maha can perform any kind of magical spell--but some is connected to the creation of a life. Now, we talked about something really dark, creepy and disturbing. I’m sure this is getting even more worse.”
Althair shivered, before he explained about the situation. "He can make an experiment, just like what you said right?" Sanju tried to reiterated, which Althair can confirm as he nodded. "Yep, unfortunately... the blood-related 'research' Maha made is somehow interconnected with Bionics and biotechnology. It is confirmed that… he conducted some cloning experiments by taking their genes and some of his subjects were released by him—not to mention ‘saving’ them from their accidents in the past. He was meaning to ‘replicate’ his deceased lover with his cloning experiments, but failed when he tried each of the clones.”
Okay, this is getting a bit messier because there's only two answers he knows from Maha's ability; either Maha has both superhuman strength and great knowledge of medicine or having advanced knowledge on biotechnology, maybe even involving both combined as one.
The other question is, how could he use his ability within a full power? Those questions may be unanswered, but in a way--the explanation is somehow making a sense and answered most of it. Althair glanced at Haruse who was holding the folders of the SAA executives who went either missing or dead. “I guess Karuna did the right thing after he baited those SAA people into the site that day, but we didn’t know about the oracle yet… you know what I’m talking about,” Renata stated calmly with a yawn, Icha was blowing her bubblegum as she was typing on her computer in gaining more data.
Aldiano was folding his arms, the masked man still eyeing the beach and the villa in case there’s no intruders coming. Salihin was holding his tarot cards with his eyes closed, wondering that what will happen next from his forecasting. “What did you found, Salihin?” Renata asked, approaching him who still reading the tarot cards from the table he formed. “There will be a ‘big surprise’ after this, don’t you think?” he asked, turning his head to look at her.
“Please tell me that this is a joke.”
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