“Break Through!”
The words of a familiar voice rang out in echo as the portal was ripped open, Mia recognizing the voice from not too long ago, her heart sank as she watched a single man step through the portal that quickly shut behind him.
The man was taller than she remembered, but that wasn’t the only change. His body was more toned and marked with scars and stitches, metal bands on his wrists and shoulders. His head was shaved, gone was his black hair, replaced with a metal brace that was affixed to his head with screws. The symbol of Gaia was tattooed onto the center of his forehead, along with his several adornments on his skin-tight leather armor.
“…Hiiro…” Mia whispered; they had found him. And had done whatever… this…was to him.
A severed hand with a multitude of jewelry fell to the floor at his side, apparently haven been severed by the portal behind him.
“Who is this freak show?” Ria stood up, seeing the symbol of Gaia on his head she drew her sword, dashing towards him “one more to get Mia to-“
“No Ria run away! Banana! Banana!” Mia shouted, if Hiiro had activated his skill to force his way into the camp then it was still active, Ria was in danger,
“Eh?” she skidded to a stop, realizing that Hiiro was suddenly right in front of her.
“Open the portal, crush those who oppose.” He said in monotone, slamming down his sword.
Ria leaped back “Mia, you know this guy?” she asked, flying through the air and when she went to land one foot hit the ground and stopped next to her while half of her body went flying back, stumbling to the ground while the other half of her plopped to the ground with a wet squish.
Mia heard the splash of blood, turning to her sister and seeing her cut cleanly in half “S-sister!” she yelled, instantly she tried to load.
[::Error:: Load not available at this time.]
“AAAAAA!!!” Mia screamed, launching everything she had at him, spears, blades, fire, everything she could manage but she was missing him, her magic unnaturally curving to the side or disappearing when it got close to him “Hiiro!” She screamed, watching him slowly turn his head towards her.
He appeared in front of her, grabbing both her arms and breaking them in his grip “Open the portal, crush those who oppose.” He repeated.
“H-Hiiro…” Mia choked, she was lifted into the air and then slammed down to the ground.
Mia found herself back in the white hallway, not paying any attention to it she went to load, breathing a sigh of relief that she could. She then plopped down onto her butt “Now what…” she sighed, wrapping her tail around herself.
“When did they catch him… what did they do to him…” She squeezed her head, guilt washing over her “Shouldn’t have left him, my fault.”
[So, what are you going to do?]
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“I don’t know.” She leaned back, considering her options “He said that skill lets him do anything for an hour…” Slot 2 was far enough back to where they could warn people and stop Hiiro from showing up, but the issue was where did he come from. If he was on the boat than he was on Lexon, meaning…
“He could rampage in the city for an hour.” That was, if he was truly invincible with that skill active.
[He is blocking the usage of time magic. I am beyond pissed and personally insulted.]
She tried to remember what he said about it, she remembered the recoil, dragged him around enough to remember that… and the time limit of an hour. “Slot 3 is when he shows.” She groaned, her choices were to stop him from coming here and doing what ever he wanted in the city, have him come here and do what ever he wants here, or go to slot 1 and abandon this right at level 99 and get reset to 1.
“Why is he even working with that cult? We ran away from it!” she cried into her palms.
[Brainwashing?]
“Yeah, sure.” Mia dryly said, “always brainwashing.” She stood up, giving her neck a crack “has to have a weakness.” She just needed to figure out what. If her time powers could be countered and even messed with by other people, then there had to be something she could abuse.
And she had all the time in the world to figure that out.
“Ha ha haaa” she dryly laughed, she really wasn’t looking forward to this.
[Slot 3 loaded]
She was back in the tent right before the portal activated, she snapped to her sister, relief washing over her when she saw she was in one piece. She steeled herself “Ria! Banana!” she shouted.
Ria froze, stopping what ever she was doing and readying her weapon “What? More church mem-“
“No, worse, run!”
“Eh? Yo-“
The blue orb appeared over the circle, Mia’s face paled upon seeing it “Just run!” she didn’t have time to explain, she had to do better about keeping Ria in the loop, but for now she just had to deal with it. She created an ice cage over the circle as sparks began to fly, still seeing Ria in the room she shouted “Ria! Now!”
“…Right.” She ran out the tent, looking back at her sister before dashing out.
‘Going to have to do that every time…’ she gritted her teeth, spending her time reinforcing the cage as Hiiro cut through the ball, forcing open the portal and stepping threw.
“Open the portal, crush those who oppose.” Hiiro droned one, looking at his predicament inside the cage “Open the portal…” He raised his sword, slashing into the cage, effortlessly destroying it.
“Would have been nice.” Mia grumbled.
[At least we don’t have to guess why he is here.]
“Opening the portal…” Mia stepped back, Hiiro’s gaze falling on her “and kill who ever get in the way…”
Hiiro stepped over the rubble, the ice melting around him as to not impede him. He then swiped his sword in the air in Mia’s direction.
“Sh-“She tried to slow down time, but it failed, instead she felt a tiny tingle around her waist as she leaped away, she didn’t need to look to see what had happened, she had been cut in half from the waist down.
[Slot 3 loaded]
She kicked Ria again, this time setting the floor on fire below the portal but he just casually stepped down into it, the fire parting for him against Mia’s will “that stupid skill!” she screamed, getting decapitated a moment later.
[Slot 3 loaded]
She put him inside a box made of ice that was also on fire. He just cut through it.
Hid and tried to strike him from behind? Parried it.
Made an elaborate spiked ceiling and dropped it on him. It got caught on fallen debris and missed.
She even tried a pincer attack with Ria, but he dodged and countered.
Anything she tried to do was shrugged off by him and all the while he just kept repeating “Open the portal, crush those who oppose.”
Mia sat down on a chair, watching Hiiro step through the portal and scan the room “Hiiro…” Mia sighed, “I, am sorry I left you; do you remember me?” she asked, trying to plead with him.
His eyes fell onto her, staring for a few brief moments, then turning to walk out of the tent.
“Guess not.” Mia fell slack in her chair “wait.” She perked up, standing from her chair “he didn’t kill me?” She rushed out after him, seeing him stroll towards the massive mass of water.
He walked right up to it, not stopping as the water parted for him allowing him to walk inside unharmed. Otto and 2 other members came to investigate, the water quickly being dyed red as they were cut up.
“Huh.” Watching this from afar, Mia had an idea.