Terror Infinity Side B

Chapter 23, Apocalypse Alice Intermission

Shin: When we're finished with our exchanges it's always an impressive sight. No one died, so we didn't lose any of our manpower, but actually increased by two able bodies. With the rewards from the last mission and with the addition of our sniper Connor and magician/strategist Jin, Team Japan has finally reached a new level of power!

ATTACKER/CLOSE RANGE FIGHTERS -

1. Shin: Team Leader, Ki Energy, One-eyed Ghoul genetic mutation, Na Ring×2, Gravity Blade, Lesser Fenrir Coat, Robo Cop's Auto 9 Infinite Ammo Model, and Holy Sword Switch Magic.

2. Aqua: Nen/Aura, Wolverine genetic mutation, Werewolf Bloodline, Thompson Contender Magic Code, Life Force Booster, and Red Ridding Hood's Cloak.

3. Misaki: Mantra and Armament Hardening Haki, Firebending, and Fire Dragon Slayer Mutation.

GUNNER/MID RANGE FIGHTER -

Kampa: M41A Pulse Rifle+M and Unicorn Beam Magnum.

Jin: Warlock/Beginner Rank Magic Power/Offensive magic user and Mastermind Strategist

SNIPER/LONG RANGE FIGHTER -

Shuai: Intermediate level Shaman Power and Earth Elemental Gnome.

Connor: Sniper, C-Class Trigger, Demon Genetic Mutation.

SUPPORT/OTHER -

Hikari: Support Type Persona and Magic Buffs.

Shin was overall happy with the power up of Team Japan and couldn't help but believe that they were definitely among the stronger teams within God's Dimension.

Aqua is a soldier of the JSDF, a powerful veteran of eight missions, has unlocked the Second Stage of the Genetic Constraint, and possess rank A-D enhancements and equipment (could do without her little girl form for the sake of my heart).

Hikari was an internationally wanted hacker genius, possessed a support type Persona and can use magic to increase the strength her teammates.

Misaki the former biker punk has acquired the powers of Haki, Firebending, Fire Dragon Slayer, and has unlocked the First Stage of the Genetic Constraint.

Kampa is a world ranked mercenary with the nickname Overlord, armed with both a M41A Pulse Rifle w/ Magic Upgrade, and Unicorn Gundam Beam Magnum.

Shuai was a once average recent college graduate, but is now a shaman with a variety of skills and Earth Elemental.

Connor has taken up the role of the team's sniper, possess C-Class Trigger, Demon Mutation, and has unlocked up to the First Stage of the Genetic Constraint.

And lastly Jin has acquired many low level magic skills along with the Witch/Warlock Mutation and Beginner Rank Magic Power.

Shin: And then there is their OP leader... me! Advanced Ki Energy, S-Rated One-eyed Ghoul Mutation, assortment of Ki Skills, an anti brainwashing magic spell, and owner of magic tools like Gravity Blade and two Na Ring... Hahahahahahaha!!! Aren't we all, no I the strongest!?

Hikari: Shut up, Shin! Stop talking to yourself and get ready. We’re about to have a meeting.

Hikari went ahead of Shin and he could only be left behind alone and sighing.

Shin: ...No respect. As a leader or loving boyfriend. Well, I'll always have my dream of being Over Powered by my side.

Jin: But you really are amazing Shin.

Shin: ...Jin. Hearing that from a man and especially you makes me feel sick.

Jin: Hahaha! In any case this Team of ours is really shaping up. Close range fighters, Midrange fighters, Long Range fighters, and Support roles. We only have eight Players to Team Japan's name, yet we're definitely well rounded enough. It's almost perfect!

Shin: Really? I do agree this is a good team that isn't perfect, but what are we missing specifically?

Jin: Well, if this was a video game then this party is good enough to power through most of the game, yet this isn't a game or typical RPG. The first issue at hand are our low numbers. To complete this game we need 20 able members who can stay alive, but that's a problem that can only be fixed with time. The second concern are our roles in the team. As we agreed, this is a good team for such a small party of eight, yet we could use some more midrange and long range attackers.

Shin: Well, yeah. We have more close range fighters than anything else at the moment.

Jin: Also, I believe we need more conventional game classes to round us out so we can handle any situation. A full time healers/priest to keep us alive. An assassin/thief who can scout alone when long distance scans possibly fail and can handle sole stealth assignments. Someone who can set traps for when we are defending a location or when we know where a battle will take place. Then lastly some professional craftsmen like blacksmiths or alchemists who can both create tools, potions, armor, weapons, and maybe even construct them in the middle of a mission when the need arises.

Shin: Those kinds of talents would be helpful, but Jin, you really look at all of this as a game, huh? I do as well, but not like you.

Jin: Half and half really. I'm no fool. I'm aware this is real life, but this is real life with game and fantasy like elements in the mix as well. There's no harm in looking into Video Games and Mangas for inspiration, right?

Shin agreed with Jin there, yet he didn't want to say it out loud, so he walked away. Shin valued Jin's mind, yet every time that he talked to Jin he felt like he was losing something. Shin didn't know what, so for the moment he distanced himself from Jin and preceded to the planned meeting.

Jin: Wait up! Was it something that I said wrong?

Shin: Your existence.

Jin: ...That makes sense. I'm trash after all.

Shin: ...

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Team Japan had a meeting to go over what exchanges they each made after the Apocalypse Alice mission. They were each impressed with what they exchanged for, but had complex feeling when they learned of the free pass in points for Connor and Jin. Shin could understand they were all both jealousy of their advantage and wary of the reason why they held this advantage, but he assured them all that it was a good thing for Team Japan and that both Connor and Jin were allies.

Shin: Everyone is done with enhancements, right?

Shuai: I think we all are, but what is it Shin?

Shin: I thinking that... ahem, why don't we go take a break in Hawaii or somewhere like that? Ten days, not the one in the real world but the Hawaii in the world of BTOOOM. It won't take five times the points and Hikari said she will offer up the D rank reward to unlock it. It only takes ten points for a day in a mission world. What do you guys think? Just take a ten day break that will only cost us each 100 points.

Aqua: Sure, why not.

Misaki: I can use a break.

Shuai: It is also some extra time to train, but I do want to relax just a little.

Kampa: I am fine if everyone else is.

Jin: Doesn't matter, but I'm in as I don't want to be the odd man out (faaarrrr too late for that!).

Hikari: Isn't this great? That last mission was so dangerous, so we deserve a-

Connor: I refuse!

The two replies of Connor and Hikari, the two youngest in our group conflicted and they just glared at each other. The two contrasting answers made Shin felt even more embarrassed for bringing up the break.

Shin: We can't even agree on a vacation. What chance do we have against the other teams?

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Hikari: Why refuse?

Connnor: Why agree?

The two youngest members of Team Japan, Hikari and Connor asked that of each other loudly.

Connor: No other reason other then it's wasteful. I need to save my points for weapons. I may have a Point discount, but I can still use them to get top of the line normal sniper rifles and special bullets. I am not stupid enough to use them on luxuries like a vacation. We already get a ten day break as it is before the next mission and it’s already enough.

Hikari: What do you mean luxury!? We've been living in constant stress during the last mission. Those few hours were so tough that it feels as if weeks have passed, then we come back to this never changing dimension. I am going to go crazy if it continues like this. I think it's worth it to exchange ten days of peace with a hundred points! Otherwise why do you think God gave us this option?

Connor: I don't know, but isn't it just that your willpower is too weak? You already have a man to comfort you, right?

Hikari: What did you say, brat!? I'll... I'll have Shin kick your ass!

Shin: Me!?

Connor: Like I care. Also, not to mention there's already ten days of rest in God's dimension. Even without these ten days, even when you have to keep fighting for over a month, fighting just to stay alive, that pain after you unlocked your potential... you don't know anything, yet you think that you are stressed out. You’re just a weak girl.

Hikari's face became red as a apple after Connor's yelling. She then turned to Shin and asked angrily why wasn't he backing her up?

Hikari: Hey, this was my suggestion, but you agree with me right, Shin? So why aren't you saying anything to this dirty blonde haired punk (Hair! Hikari meant Connor's diry blonde hair that looks fake like that one protagonist. Absolutely not his Middle Eastern skin tone)!

Shin: I did agree with you, but I didn't really give it that much thought. I just thought that whoever wants to go can go with us, so it's ok for anyone to stay here if you don't want to go, for one, I obtained a few new skills and I wouldn't mind some extra time to master them. Two, I need to relax a bit as well. It'll helps me recover to my best condition. I don't have any other intentions. It's just a hundred points and ten days. If everyone wants to go, we can go together.

Hikari: I've always wanted to go to Hawaii, just that I never got the chance. I also wouldn't mind the Alps. Since it's only a hundred points we should all be able to go easy. What does everyone think?

Hikari asked this of everyone and like before she got a good response. Other than Connor no one minded taking an extra ten days off to train or just have fun. Connor saw this and in time caved as well due to peer pressure. He might be a child solider, but he was still a kid deep down.

Connor: I can go along with this, but... Shin, fight me.

Shin: Me?

Connor: Yes. I want to test how much stronger you are when you unlocked your potential. I know you call that unlocking the Genetic Constraint. Any little difference in power can cause death in this world. Since we are going to encounter other teams, their teams should also have three, or, if we are fortunate, used to have three people that unlocked their constraint. I don't want to lose to them, so fight me. You should be at a very strong stage from what I saw in Apocalypse Alice. Now that I have enhancements as well if I don't lose to you, then I probably won't lose to them!

Shin: Well, I did reach a higher unlocked stage, but also because of that, it's a little out of my control. That's why I need some time for training. Otherwise I am also a little concerned with taking a trip. Going back to the real world last time was too abrupt... anyway, I might not be able to control my strength, so it might be better for you to ask Aqua instead. She is at the Second Stage as well and can control it much better.

Connor: Doesn't matter either way, but Shin, you’re closer to me in strength than Aqua, so it'll be a much closer and hard fought battle if we fight. The key to unlocking the constraint can only be felt at the brink of death... if you aren't prepared... die!

Shin tried to talk his way out of the fight and was definitely not prepared, but it was too late as Connor's eyes lost focus and he jumped away to gain some distance. Shin recognized this as the expression of someone who had unlocked their constraint.

Even though Connor had the small figure of a young teen, with the inhuman swiftness he had moved back and the mechanical ease that he drew a handgun from his clothes, Shin had felt a pressure that was as strong as, no higher than even the Btooom Commanders.

Although Connor choose not to switch to his new Trion Body, he was still the child soldier who overcame Apocalypse Alice with Team Japan in the last mission and furthermore he had just exchanged for the Demon race mutation. Shin knew he wasn't an opponent to look down upon and that he also wasn't one to hold back. Ignoring safety, Connor didn't hesitate to shower Shin in bullets.

Shin: (Fuck, they're all aimed for my vitals!)

At that instant Shin's eyes lost their focus.

Shin was forced to become serious as he jumped out of the line of fire with Instant Movement. He wanted to enter the unlocked mode of his own will, not only when he was in danger, but that wasn't an issue when an opponent like Connor tried to seriously kill him. The pressure Connor created in Unlocked Mode along with the deadly accuracy of his shots were enough to force Shin himself to enter the Unlocked Mode as well.

Shin: Fine! This is the First Stage!

Shin took out his Gravity Blade sword from the Na Ring and began to chase after Connor.

Seeing this Connor went on the defensive and kept a constant distance as he circled around Shin, looking for a chance to counter attack. Connor had speed not available to him during Apocalypse Alice which allowed him to stay just out of Shin's attack range. It was clear that from an observational standpoint Shin was being played with, yet Connor didn't feel that way as Shin avoided or deflected every bullet zooming towards him.

Even when they were both in the Unlocked Mode, Shin had reached a deeper level than Connor. His speed, power, and reaction were also much higher than Connor's. Though he was weaker in fighting technique, all his actions were instinctive in the unlocked mode, which helped him rival Connor.

Shin easily deflected Connor’s gunfire and when an opening appeared as he slipped backwards, Shin took advantage of it. Using Instant Movement Shin jumped at the defenseless Connor and swung the back of Gravity Blade towards Connor's shoulder. Connor had become tougher after his exchanges, yet bones would still break if he was hit with a increased weight slash.

Connor was in trouble, yet-

Connor: Predictable.

Shin: !!!

Right before Shin's sword slash struck... blood cut open from flesh flew through the air. Before realizing when it happened, Connor, surpassing Shin's expectations, his hands moved like lightning as he dropped his gun and took out a knife and stabbed the wrist holding the Gravity Blade. Shin flinched for only a moment and was about to retaliate, but in Connor’s other hand appeared a new handgun pointed at Shin's forehead.

Shin: (His eyes are blood red? This brat, he fucking lured me in by pretending to be weaker than me when he had already grasped Demonic Power!)

Everything happened in an instant. Only Aqua, Misaki, and Kampa were able to see and keep up with their fight, so they saw Connor not hesitate to pull the trigger of the gun at Shin's head. It was already too late for anyone, even Aqua to stop the fated end for Shin... except for the person himself.

- *BANG*!

Connor: Huh?

Connor more so than anyone else was shocked to see his bullet cut through the room without making contact with anything solid. Not flesh. Not bone. Not blood. Just air. It then took another second to Connor to realize that Shin had avoided his point-blank range attack.

Shin: Child Soldier... this is the Second Stage!

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Shin: Lou... Lousy brat. You shaved off ten years of my life just now!

Connor lost.

Connor lost and Shin stood over him victorious.

The child soldier of the Middle East lost with no time to counter attack as the fight ended so suddenly. As fast a bullet a fist imbued with powerful Ki hammered itself into Connor's stomach and he was blown away across the room into a terrible crash landing, knocking him out cleanly to say the least.

Half of Team Japan had no idea what happened, the other half that could keep up with Shin and Connor's fight saw everything clearly.

The arm of Shin’s that was stabbed by Connor had suddenly enlarged to about twice its normal size. That arm forceful grasped Connor's arm despite the knife stabbed into the wrist and Shin shoved Connor away so that his gunshot would miss Shin's head. Then almost instantly Shin's other arm now twice its size struck Connor on the stomach and with the sound of something breaking, Connor’s consciousness was taken away as he was blasted clear across the Terminal Lobby ruthlessly.

Hikari: Shin! What is-

Hikari was initially happy that Shin had come out of that fight alive, but just a few seconds later Shin fell to his knees in pain having left Unlocked Mode with the battle over. Shin seemed as though he was suffering immense pain. His body began trembling, his arm gradually returned to its normal size, and his entire body was soaked in cold sweat.

Shin: This is the second stage of the Genetic Constraint according to Aqua. It enhances the body to an amazing degree, but it's difficult to control. The after effect is much worse than you can ever imagine. I'm still not at the level where I can exit this and be okay.

Aqua: Shin's right about that. I've gone through it myself, yet seeing it from the outside makes me wonder if Connor, who definitely has a few broken ribs had actually won. Outsider can only imagine the pain that you are in.

Unable to hear Aqua's voice anymore, Shin's started to tremble violently and clenched his jaw in pain. Shin crouched down on the floor and almost a minute later, there was a noticeable puddle of sweat on the floor mixed with the blood from the wound to his wrist, with Shin himself at its center. Anyone who observed this scene would think that the pain he was going through was hell, yet Shin himself would say that it was mild compared the first few times he's entered the Second Stage. The pain was normally worse, yet he was only in the Second Stage for a few seconds. In other words... this really was what Shin and Aqua would call mild crippling pain.

They sat in a circle and rest for a while waiting to recover and Mokoto and Jin's human creation, a teenage maid with black hair (Reminds me of certain maid who served the Commoner Sample of an all-girls elite school) brought out fruit and other snacks for the group while badmouthing Jin for this and that. It wasn't until then that Connor woke up. He immediately jumped up from the floor and then growled in pain where Shin hit him, and when he got a clear view of the situation, he could only sigh.

Connor: I see... I lost then.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Authors Note:

Rate/Follow/Favorite/Comment.

Proofread by Hoebagger

Another chapter in 10-12 hours! Big reveal next chapter.