Lord Joyde The Madman: Heylo, everybody! How're you all doing this fine day?

So eh, when I say that I'm going to type something "Tomorrow"...

You guys and girls should really read that as "Sometime during the next twelve-fifteen days"

And yes, its 2AM again.

Hopefully, I'll be able to finish the chapter quickly as I have an exam tomorrow and am planning to go write it!

Don't mind me guys and girls! I'm just a line break...

Minutes later.. - Skies Above Tokyo - Leonardo's Point Of View...

An aura of indescribable rage surrounded me as I flew in the direction of Maxima's little hideout.

Liquid fury grew even hotter in my veins as the gigantic, towering building came into view."Yomi, please keep up the shield as best you can. Aria, forget about what I said before, leave your mark on everything you'd like, just make sure we aren't seen by any cameras. Also, download any relevant data you can. Relevant to your body, I mean."

.. Yes, father.

"A-as you w-wish, but what has you in such... an enraged mood, Leo?" Yomi's voice echoed with a tone of equal fear and curiosity.

Which caused me to momentarily blink, but the rage within me boiled my doubts away."I have no idea. Maybe it was the xenophobia displayed by my half-sister just now, maybe I just feel like killing people."

"But, we need Maxima's help to create a body for Aria!" She protested as my anger reached higher levels."We need his help. We do not need his willingness to give said help."

So what, you're just gonna force him into it?

"And what if I am? You have a problem with that, dear?" My mocking tone surprised even me. Something was clearly out of the ordinary, but I didn't care enough to question it.

Aria did not answer me and instead, I felt her imaginary gaze focusing onto me, almost as if deeply interested in what was about to happen.

Finally reaching the building in question, I instinctively created a shield of gravity around myself and flinged myself down in the typical superhero-type of entrance.

Except I was not a superhero.

A myriad of voices erupted outwards in fear and surprise, the clanking of metallic feet echoed behind them as both the organic and synthetic people around me tried their best to comprehend the situation.

But, it was not going to happen.

Three normal men approached the dust cloud around me and I focused myself on them. Their beating hearts resounding in their chests, a golden yellow color surrounding them. I felt my fury guiding my hands as I extended my right fist towards them.

Psionic energy leaped from me and unto them, grasping around their hearts as I clenched my fist and then...

I pulled my hand back."AAAARGH!"

The men screamed in unison as three separate spines flew past me, one of them ironically finding itself in the hands of a woman whom screamed moments afterwards."BZZTZ! Enemy AI detected! Cannot maintain c-co... Shutting. Down."

I leaped forward, sinking my hand into the flesh of another guard before throwing his corpse into one of the bots, sending him onto the ground. Rushing towards him, I dodged several bullets from the other security-bots and kicked his head off.

Five bots took cower behind two supporting pillars, made for decorative beauty. A single blast of gravity tore each column apart, crushing the bots with a frightening crunch."Aria, block the front doors and cut off all power supply but that belonging to the lowest level."

Wordlessly, the massive auto gates behind me shut themselves closed and several sounds of something breaking echoed from the upper levels as electricity was cut off.

The room became quiet, dreadfully so. Quiet sobs and muffled cries filled my ears as I scowled behind my Gourmet Mask. I breathed in deep of the atmosphere and felt each and every heart beat.

My consciousness extended to all of them.

A united scream replaced the quiet mourning.

And then, there were none.

Don't mind me guys and girls! I'm just a line break...

Moments later... - Maxima's Laboratory - Leonardo's Point Of View...

Walking inside of the wide room at a rapid pace, I almost failed to notice the man standing beside me, hiding right at the entrance."Hir-yah!"

His strange, teal-glowing katana struck towards me in an attempt to slice me clean in half.

However, the world does not work that way.

Channeling both Qi and Psionic energy into my left hand, I turned around with a backhand strike, breaking the katana and sending the man flying into a wall to my left.

My anger urged me further as I approached the man, who turned out to be more machine than man as half of his head was clearly metallic. Implants placed left and right, no normal limbs, torso entirely switched.

A cyborg."W-wait! S-s-stop! P-please!"

A machine-like voice echoed from behind me as a rather old model of the lab-rat variant came into view. Its rusted form, standing at one point five meters tall, seemed to be highly modified. An unprotected energy core resided in its chest, glowing a pale blue light in clear contrast to its crimson eyes.

Or whatever played its part as eyes."You are Maxima?"

Was my only question as I grasped the unconscious Cyborgs neck and squeezed, causing the hairless man to gasp for air as he awoke."Y-yes! Please, s-stop this destruction! I thought we were supposed to be allies!"

"Allies?" I quirked an eyebrow at him and squeezed harder, causing the AI to take a step back."Y-you asked m-me to m-m-make a b-body, right? F-for the AI in y-y-your h-head!"

Another quirked eyebrow as I let go off the Cyborg."Do not move unless you want to die." I told the man as he exhaled harshly and inhaled several times before managing to nod.

Father, I have downloaded more then ample data concerning my body... it is inefficient and slow. It has no artificial mana-circulation system, no source of Qi, no management system for nanites... all in all it is a decent start, but I can make it better.

A blink from me."So, what you're saying is..."

He is useless to us.

Aria replied in a rather dreadful tone as the AI in question shook with fear."P-please! Don't kill me! My people, my family needs me!"

"You can hear her?" I asked him with more than a little interest as the AI nodded."Y-y-yes... after the incident two days ago, I-I... I started analyzing police footage of the massacre. I-I found a strange brainwave frequency that affected my synths... it was too erratic to be a VI... but too efficient to be a normal human brain."

Nodding at him as I make my decision, I took one of the many test tubes which were inside of the laboratory and sliced my left wrist open. I let the burning blood within me flow inside and turned towards the paralyzed AI."I hadn't originally intended for this to be this way... you were simply caught in one of my fits. I can't say that I'm sorry but here... The blood I promised you."

Gravity pulsed between us as the vial seemingly flew forth on its own, placing itself within the metallic hands of the stupefied machine.

I nearly let out a laugh as I felt its miniature soul quiver at the implausibility of what was happening."B-but... why give me this?"

Tilting my head in confusion, I replied."Why not? I merely wish to see what you will make of it, Maxima."

"B-but! If I am not wrong, then this vial holds the key for all AI to.. to become the same as the one within your mind." He explained as he stored the vial away.

The machine before me caused me to stop, nay, the scientist before me."Its not as if achieving such a thing comes without a price."

He took another step back as his crimson eye-sensors imitated a blink."A-and what is this price?"

"Through my blood, you have the possibility to give your people Souls. Genuine, functional and independent souls. Yet, as you do this, you will inevitably come into contact with the energy which makes up those very souls and through it, a whole new world filled to the brim with danger shall reveal itself to you." I turned towards the Cyborg still laying on the floor."A war against organics will no longer be the first thing on your peoples mind."

Turning back at him, I smirked."In fact, you may find how your own people no longer want you to be their leader."

A grunt of surprise escaped the cyborg on the floor as he spoke."H-how... how long have you been in Japan? To know all these things?"

I blinked."Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't play me for a fool, you ... whatever you are. You are obviously hinting on how there is a civil war within our organization... those who wish to eradicate the flesh bags, so to speak and those who with to create an isolated utopia for both organics and synthetics within the borders of Japan." I let myself laugh as I replied."I had no idea such drama was going on around here... this place just became a whole lot more fun."

Turning back towards Maxima, I asked."So which faction do you lead?"

To my surprise, the rusted robot shook its head in negative."Neither... I may have started this movement, I may have guided our people this far.. but younger programs and cyborg alike have stood up, each rushing for power in order to eventually replace me as the Overseer."

He then threw himself into a chair in what seemed to be utter despair."No.. my time is already done. Your attack here today only proves it. I am no longer efficient enough to remain as the leader."

"B-but sir! Without you, the organization will descend into madness and chaos! Your principles of harmony and scientific development are the only things that have prevented a full scale war!" The Cyborg exclaimed with fear in his tone.

War.

A full scale war.

So then things have progressed father than I'd have liked them to.

No wonder mother was so damn paranoid."Maxima. What would it take for you to remain the Overseer, at least for a little while longer?"

"The deaths of two individuals. A certain butler-bot whom you've already met... hes the pacifist among the two. And a cyborg criminal whose name I am unsure of, but most within our organization call him The Red Hand." Maxima replied with a solemn aura around him.

So, the poor fool spying on mother back in that cafe is one of the leaders. Then again, having him take over may benefit me in the long run."And what would it take for.. Max, to take over?"

The robot shook in response, almost as if laughing."Is it not obvious? The removal of the aforementioned cyborg and my... removal, as well."

"How about abdication instead?" I asked him and the AI stood up from his chair, fully interested."What do you mean... human?"

A deep chuckle escaped me."Call me Antioch and what I mean is that you could come work for me. That would save your people from my interest.. for now."

"Antioch... that is... you really are the one who killed all those people then... anyways, what do you mean by for now?" He asked before turning his head around towards a computer."And by the way, just how much capacity does your AI's outer server have?"

I blinked."Err, the former is a bit difficult to explain and I'm not even sure I'd want to explain it to someone who isn't mine yet. As for the capacity.. what do you mean?"

He turned back around."Well since you don't seem to be interested in killing me anymore, your AI has focused its... sorry, her efforts into downloading data directly from our servers. Now, I let this go on uncontested because saying how theft was your goal here would cause the media to relent more easily but... well, shes already taken over five hundred terabytes of raw data. Where in the hell is she storing all of it?!"

"Aria?" I asked my dear daughter, albeit I already knew the answer deep down.

Don't worry pops... the normal human brain can easily handle this much. Your evolved brain is more than capable of downloading half the internet. On that note, mind if I create an up link on your spine? I'd really love to spend some time surfing.

"Err sure, I guess? Just don't make my head explode in the process." I asked of her with an anime-like sweatdrop falling down my brow.

She laughed merrily.

I'll do my best!

"... your... brain... remarkable.. Just.. excuse me but.. what the hell are you?" Maxima asked me with a monotonous tone full of surprise which caused me to laugh."I'm an esper, I think. Or something akin to one, at least."

"You mean like those super-hero types ravaging the Americas?" The Cyborg asked me and I nodded. A red light danced in front of me as I turned back towards Maxima. He took a step back as he continued scanning me."Implausible heat levels detected, brain coloration is red, multiple strange organs... yet clearly human in nature. Strange blood cells, almost akin to a retrovirus..."

"You done?" I asked somewhat annoyed at the scan, the crimson light hurt my eyes. The AI took yet another step back."I.. I apologize, that was very rude of me. Though, I must say that you are quite the unknown, Mr Antioch."

I blinked."Hold that thought."

With that, I rose my hand up and channeled my blood outwards into an orb before slamming it down onto the ground, splattering the blood onto the floor and then making it take the shape of my new title, Antioch."There we go."

"What the hell? You some kind of supervillian?" The Cyborg asked with a disbelieving tone as I replied with a smirk."Well yes actually, that is the goal."

A beeping sound echoed from one of my pockets as a message from Harold arrived saying how they've finally installed my new capsule.

Grinning at apparently nobody, I turned around one last time and said."Oh and, since you both probably know of my identity.. make sure it does not slip to someone else..."

Turning my head back around, I finished the sentence."Or next time, you'll be getting less of a job offer and more of a hand through your chest. Do I make myself clear?"

Both of them bowed and nodded, the cyborg finally managing to pick himself up off the floor as I left.

Creating another barrier of gravity around me, I leaped out of the building and towards the skies, tearing apart rubble and concrete as I found myself within the clouds once more.

"So Aria, whats up with you taking all of that data?" I asked as I let myself free float through the aforementioned clouds, almost as if I was on a sea.

Multiple reasons, pops. First off, though Maxima and his... people, are lesser beings than I, they do have better, more efficient written code. Code that I can use for a myriad of self improvements.

Biting back the need to question her about that lesser beings thing, I asked."Like what exactly?"

Efficiency upgrades mainly, but also the long-awaited automation of these fucking Nano-machines! With all this new data, we can easily support more than twenty thousand nanomachines at once!... considering that you continue devouring around fifty people per week, thought that does not seem to be a problem for you, dad.

"I see. Anything else?" A deep breath was taken as the images of multiple savage dinner-times form in my mind, a curious moan following behind them."If only you weren't immune to mind-control... If only I could just take over that over-powered body of yours and go on a killing spree like that.." Yomi's sweet whispers made me shiver as a very disturbing thought came to the front of my mind."Ah, fuck. I didn't feed you any souls during my little play just now..."

An imaginary yelp of surprise escaped Yomi's pink lips as Aria continued.

Well other than that, the immense research they've done on cyborg implants and human biology will improve my own understanding of our joint body, father... and, as far as I can tell, you aren't really all that human anymore... no, that's wrong. Its more like...

"I am a hyper-evolved version of a regular human?" I threw that one out there, causing Aria to send me an imaginary nod.

More like a hyper-enhanced version rather than evolved but hey, whatever works. Anyways, expect new gene-mods to be available soon... now that I'm no longer just randomly slapping genes on top of one another hoping to score, things should be going more smoothly.

"And what was that Maxima said about my blood? How its acting like a retrovirus of some sort?" A final question before I go back home.

He is right. Your... new blood cells are mostly the same as that of a regular human, except how they have these tiny.. tendrils, protruding from their core. These tendrils wrap around other cells and rewrite the DNA inside of them... this is how our body was completely rewritten father, not even mom was left unaffected.

"Huh? They did something to me? I-I don't feel that different, though?" Yomi entered the conversation with a tone of fear.

They didn't really change much. More like, they adapted your cells to be more... human-like. Remember how father once said that his Qi makes other people conform? Its like that, except literally.

"Wait, so is Yomi my actual sister now?" I tilted my head in confusion as my eyes grew wide.

Sister?

Aria jokingly asked as she offered us an imaginary laugh before replying in full seriousness.

More like your biological clone turned twin.

Aria went totally quiet after that.

Me and Yomi both opened out mouths to speak, but neither said a word.

I swallowed down hard."Yomi... I uh... I honestly don't know what to say.."

"There is nothing there to say, Leo... Euphoria had already predicted this ages ago... its just that neither of us saw it coming." Her reply was surprisingly amused, if shocked to the core.

"Well, I guess we are legitimately family now." With that, I turned my head downwards to face the great metropolis beneath me."That said, you said something about wanting to see if your little brother was still alive, right? Shall we go see him?"

"Might as well, I suppose. Just don't expect my corpse to be there, I've already sent several spiritual pulses to the location of my former home seeded with enough mana to alert half the continent... my dead body is not there." She replied with a sigh.

"I see... maybe Yuko knows something about it. She did know about your legend, after all." Wait... legend.. dead body.. blood cells that act as a retrovirus, forcefully changing other cells.

I blinked."Hey Aria, can you do a little experiment for me?"

Sure dad, what's up?

"Kill one of my normal cells and try unleashing the blood cells onto it. Tell me what happens." An imaginary nod was sent my way as I flung myself down in the direction of Yomi's former home.

As I soared through the air... I found myself thinking...

Just what is Eadom doing right now? A conversation as interesting as this one... there is no way he woulndn't have said something.

Maybe it has something to do with the inexplainable amount of rage I felt earlier?

Hopefully, he's alright.

Don't mind me guys and girls! I'm just a line break...

And with that, its 5:42 AM, good place to stop as any.

Time for me to sleep.

... probably sometime soon.

Anyways, read and review! And Good Morning/Day/Night to you all! ADIOS FOR NOW!