Chapter 137 - The Boom

Age 1991

"Do you have any idea what happened?" Katrina asked with a small sigh. She glanced back and forth at the heavily beat up Kitsune and Cloud. Her group didn't really look much better to be fair...

"No," Kitsune muttered out. "It was super weird. This pink-haired girl showed up. And you did something. Them a guy showed up. And he knocked the girl out. And then they left?"

Katrina let out another sigh as she folded her arms up. "Great... Okay well... Crap then."

"We're sorry."

"It's fine. Just try to be more careful next time okay?" The Captain said giving a small nod of her head. "You represent the Enforcers now

More importantly, you represent Squad Six. Anything bad you do will be reflected onto is as well. We aren't just a single unit. We're a team."

"We will," Cloud said nodding. "We were caught off guard by the events. We did our best but we simply were not even close to being a match... It annoys me greatly that there are people who are that absurdly strong and yet are still younger than us."

"You'll get used to it," Jackson said giving a slight smile. "It can be hard at times but eventually you'll have to learn to accept it."

"That's not good..."

The white-haired Vice-Captain let out a small laugh as he stabbed his sword into the ground. "Well. Let's just hope the others are doing okay. After all, they're stationed somewhere way worse than us. We should head back to Oleander for now, and wait for them to return."

Meanwhile...

'Boom!'

The metal pole exploded in a massive explosion.

"Oww..." Hero whined slowly setting up. "That hurt..." He muttered out. He looked down seeing the large piece of metal that was impaled into his body. White liquid flowed out of his wound as he forced the thing out. Of he was a normal human he would have bled out in seconds. 

"Hero!" Ken yelled jumping up to her feet. Thankfully both her and Sera didn't look that injured. They were a bit banged up, and had some cuts on them, that were bleeding but that was about it. 

The surrounding area they were in was a massive crater.

"Ha! You crazy kids!" The male Organization member yelled out as he jumped back up to his feet. He let out a loud laugh as he looked around. "Well, I'll be damned. You three day screwed us over." He announced. He walked over to the girl Organization member who was unconscious now. "Come, baby. Let's head back." He muttered reaching out and grabbing the girl. He picked her up throwing her over his shoulder. "Oh. And before I go. Word of wisdom. There's one more machine set up. The people assigned to it aren't as nice as I am. They'll likely just kill if they see you. If I were you I'd leave this city while I have the chance. Even if by some miracle you stop the machine this city is finished. It's so badly destroyed that it is unbelievable. The Bestia Macht will probably be here soon now that the walls are gone. So take my advice and leave."

"You aren't going to kill us?" Hero asked confused. 

"Nah? Truth is I kind of like you kid. I wanna see you get stronger and unlock that Attribute of yours so we can have a real fight where I won't have to hold back. Besides. Machines broke. No point in sticking around."

"Oh... You're a nice man. Why are you on the Organization?"

"Well. I have my reasons. For now, I'll be seeing." Before they could say anything else his leg came out as he kicked the ground as hard as he could. The force of it rocketed him up into the air as he flew away.

"Well, that just happened..." Ken muttered out.

Hero ignored the small girl as he walked over to where the machine was. It was still a massive metal pole stabbed into the ground but now it was missing several pieces and covered in burn marks. Hero reached to the top pulling up a yellow gem.

"It's as I thought." He said looking down at the gem. "This is the thing that infected Zero and those other guys turning them into monsters?"

"What?" Sera asked confused. 

"Long story... Remember the mission we did where we came back all best up and everyone started to gossip about us? Well, we fought glowing crystal that turns people into monsters called the Corruption." Ken said calmly. "Also. HERO! Drop that!"

Hero gave a nod as he dropped the crystal. As soon as it hit the ground his smashed his foot into it as hard as he could absolutely obliterating it into nothingness. 

"That won't be hurting anyone else." He Announced calmly. He reached his hand out placing it on the pole. "And now..." He said calmly. He grabbed it and pulled back ripping a section off of it. 

Orange liquid flowed out dripping onto the ground as both the two girls quickly stepped away. Hero didn't move standing there as the liquid flowed over him. His clothing began to sizzle and burn away at the bottom where the liquid touched as the flesh on his legs, and arms melted away. 

Having a regeneration ability was really helpful.

"That's not all." Hero said calmly reaching a melting arm into the machine.

"Hero is acting kind of different..." Sera muttered. "And his powers are weirder now. Also is he bleeding white blood?"

"Do you think he's actually Hero... Or is he the Seraphin."

"Here it is!" Hero announced pulling back. He ripped something out of the tube throwing it on the ground. "Oh crap-"

They all let out loud screams when they saw that it was, in fact, a body that was now on the ground. 

"Eww!" Sera yelled jumping away.

"Gross," Ken muttered.

"That scent. No doubt about it. He's a Seraphin." Hero dropped to his knees examining the body. It was just a young man. Much of his flesh was gone since he had been in the orange liquid. He didn't seem to have a heartbeat or even any blood in him. A pair of silver eyes blankly stared up to the dark sky.

Hero let out a small sigh as he reached out closing the body's eyes.

"Hero?" Ken asked slowly.

"They're using Seraphin's to powers those things up..." Hero growled out. He jumped to his feet punching his hand. "Now it's personal. I'll destroy every last one of-"

"Surprise kick!" A loud voice announced.

Heron felt a foot slam into his face as he was knocked away crashing into one of the buildings that were somehow still standing. 

"What the hell!" Everyone yelled startled as a figure landed on the ground. 

"Wait a minute..." Ken muttered slowly. "That girl... Heather?" 

"The daughter of that rich Noble?" Sera asked.

"Halt evildoer!" Heather announced pointing down on Hero. "I won't stand for-"

Hero's hand came out grabbing the girl by the head as he held her up. "Why'd you kick me?" He asked curiously holding her with one hand. He made sure not to hurt her as she kicked at him.

"Put me down!"

"Okay."

Hero dropped her.

Heather jumped back to her feet as she glared at the boy. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Umm... Stopping a machine that was going to blow up the city." Hero said casually pointing at the metal pole. "How about you?"

"Ahh. So that's the machine I read about." Heather muttered slightly as she stared at the device. "Impressive. But there is one more right?"

"Okay slow down," Ken said placing a hand on the small girl's shoulder. "Heather listen. You should leave and get somewhere safe. It is dangerous right now. Where's your dad?"

"Ha! As if I would know." The girl pulled away as she walked forward. "And besides! I'm not leaving until I stop those machines. Don't get in my way."

"Your Twelve..." Hero said flatly. "I won't let you go off and fight."

"Well screw you! You aren't my dad. And I don't even listen to my dad."

"Heather. Stop." Hero said slowly. There was a quiet pop as a bone spike popped out of his hand. "I will knock you out if your force me to."

Heather seemed to hesitate for a moment seeing the dangerous look on Hero's face. It would seem the naive idiotic boy wasn't in the mood to play around. He was just pissed off now.

The girl shook her head as she raised her hand up. "You won't stop me! I'll get there first and break the machine before you three!" She announced slamming her hand down as a massive mountain of crystal formed out blocking them all off. "Ha! Good luck getting past that! While you're trying I'll escape!"

"Heather! You idiot that's dangerous!" Hero yelled at her. She didn't seem to listen already running away. Hero jumped forward stabbing his claws into the crystal and began to climb up it.

"Do you get the feeling this is karma for not listening to our baby sitters," Ken asked letting out a small sigh as she to began to climb the crystal.

"Oh for sure," Sera said with a nod

And with that, the three began to climb.