Rewinding time to the initial transformation, the wild-boy Rise disappeared completely – only to be replaced with a monstrous creature that glared across the battlefield.

Noel appeared especially short in comparison, considering his newfound height.

But now isn’t the time to joke around about that.

Seeing this transformation, Both 1 and 4 gritted their teeth and nodded once at each other. The game officially changed. They didn’t know how strong these two were, or where they each came from, but it was clear that other parties had their hands inside the non-combatant’s building. The two children standing before them right now, were clearly trained to kill! A thick murderous aura rolled off of them in waves – confidence, and even deadlier than that was a ‘desire’ to eliminate any who they designated as a 'target’. Their sole purpose right now…

...at this very moment…

...was to kill. To kill ruthlessly, and without remorse.

1 took a step back. His body began to release an odd, invisible force from nearly every pore of his body. His jacket trembled sporadically, spasmodically shifting like a strong, pressurized wind were about to burst forth from underneath it.

.

.

As the built up pressure became much too strong for his jacket to bear, 1 threw it aside. His well – hardened muscles and impressively trained physique were jealous-inducing. Multiple clips and pockets were eye-catchingly decorated like medals across his inner vest, his long, breathable pants and what had been fastened to it: his clearly customized belt. Who knows what sort of hidden weapons and gadgets he’d stored away for special occurrences during assassinations and other miscellaneous or difficult missions!

The energy picked up surrounding his body, more specifically his arms, and suddenly, the clearing slightly trembled. As more energy spun around the man, it seemed to ‘condense’ in on itself until it became one inch thick and as visible as heat waves under a scorching, summer sun. For a small interval of time, the earth trembled.

Fiercely so, it trembled…

However: to claim that the sole contributor of this treacherous rumbling was due to 1’s invisible energy coating would be a fallacious error! Why? Because he alone, could never cause the area below the surface soil to tremble as much as this!

It may be true that 4 lost the first time they clashed. But now there was a powerful ally by his side – second in command, codenamed ‘1’! 4 knew 1’s timely assistance meant that he could go all out! So, for this mission only, he can forget about the consequences!

Forget attracting the heroes! Or cutting into their faces! Just forget it all…!

He concentrated all of his energy on transforming the metal underneath the ground and within his scattered weapons. A high number of grey colored particles began to converge around him…

..Or more specifically, his exposed arms, hands, fingers, legs, kneecaps and military boots. Across his entire torso, bits of unearthed metal fluttered into the numerous gash marks that pre – transformed Rise left behind. Yes, those open armor marks led to a torn inner shirt and regenerated chest skin where blood was once drawn from, but the controlled metal specs didn’t touch any of that.

All it fused with were the split and cracked areas on his damaged armor, in order to reconnect it entirely. In this way, he rarely needed to visit a repair shop, so long as he could find the right metals around him within nature’s bounty.

The clumps of metal came together until he sported a new look entirely. His arms and hands now appeared to be encased in an entire, special set of metal, shimmering and glistening under the mid-day’s solar rays. With a bit closer inspection, one would be able to tell that the metal overshadowing his arms was shaped a bit like a three-pronged lance. The centerpiece grew outward until he dragged it along the floor, similar to Rise’s bladed fingernails. The two outer spikes though... were a bit too short for dealing realistic damage. Were they simply for show? Both arms donned the same exact pieces of weaponry, encasing 4’s hands down to the very fingertips.

Below the young man’s waist, his once pair of military grade combat boots became encase in a metal coating that ran up to the kneecaps: becoming greaves. His shoulder received the same exact treatment as his shattered chest plate, where raw metal worked to reconnect the split armor...all in order to protect the soft and freshly – healed flesh.

.

.

Lastly, he covered up his exposed love handle – an almost forgotten about body part subsequently healed by 6.

Everyone on the battlefield seemingly ‘transformed’ or powered up somehow...!

1 gained a thick layer of invisible energy – a mysterious force harboring enough of an impact to shatter the earth.

4 covered his chest, arms and legs in metal. More metal was surfacing with every passing instance, making it entirely possible that his goal, long term, is to encase himself completely in armor. It could also be the reverse, and 4 is instead preparing for the metal he wears to shatter. And in retaliation to such thoughts he has decided to adorn the entire battlefield with traces of raw metal: ripe and ready to serve as potential substitutes if his battle suit winds up damaged.

Rise suffered the most drastic change of all. He was initially only 5 foot 9. Tall, but not nearly enough to overshadow just anybody.

But now?

...His dark brown mane of hair stuck to the growing back until it changed into grey. With finger nails as long as short swords and a height that rivaled the tallest non-combatant in their class, this monster child seemed about ready to choose his next meal. And if looks could kill, then he’ll have zero problems with these murderous mercenaries.

Noel too prepared himself for battle! It was one of the few rare times he felt that his adversary deserved to die.

But…

His appearance didn’t change, not in the least.

Everybody changed appearance or altered themselves in some way, yet in Noel’s case…

.

.

.

The comparison was too striking!

His eyes? The same.

His ears? The same.

His mouth? The same,

His nose? The same.

His hair? The same.

His arms? The same.

His hands? The same.

His chest? The same.

His stomach and abdomen? The same.

His legs? The same.

His knees? The same.

His calves? The same.

His feet? The same.

His back? The same.

His spine? The same.

Nothing changed!!

This fact alone, made him feel a little gloomy deep down.

Though that only lasted for about a second.

It also irritated him a tad, that nobody was at eye level anymore…

but again, this feeling dispersed very quickly.

The only difference appeared not as any sort of physical changes, but within his countenance.

.

.

...It was his smile. A bright, but not too wide; soft, yet unhindered by kindness; ambiguous and artful smile…

But a belligerent, cold and tactful smile that emitted an uncanny ‘pressure’ all the while.

Throughout the entire stand-off, what caught 1’s attention was this very change in pressure – and that very pressure rolled off of his ‘smile’ in spades.

Noel: “*Chuckles*

Are the three of you done? ‘Powering up’ or changing clothes and armor, or ‘evolving’ or whatever?”

4: “…”

1: “...”

Rise: “GRRRAAAAAHH…! Who is fucking evolving in your eyes?! I’m not some—!”

4: “Hey, second boss, One: What the hell do you think IS that monster?? Is… is it a werewolf?!

Is that what they look like??”

1: “*Glances then turns* I don’t know. Be careful. It looks like a young humanoid beast of some sort. I acknowledge that I’m stating the obvious, but even as a child, you cannot forgo the realization that ‘Humanoid Beasts' tend to hold speed records that humans simply cannot imitate – the first strike is probably key to your survival. I’ll take care of this one over here.”

4: “Probably key to ‘MY’ survival?? Are you leaving ME to fight that ...thing ALONE!?!?!

I...I mean, it’s not like I mind all that much, but I find it unfair that I’m forced to take on this strong beast who can probably shred my metal armor like it was a piece of paper! Don’t you think we’ll...oh I dunno, INCREASE our odds by fighting together...? Side by side??”

The man, codenamed 1 kept his eyes on the brown haired boy, more specifically on that creepy, unnerving smile of his. With a huff of indignation, he lifted his arms up high and focused. Two balls of radiating invisible energy instantly broke off from his ‘energy layer’, which swiftly replenished what was lost. Those two balls rose high up into the sky until forcibly clashing…

...then fusing together in the sky and taking the shape of one massive ball. The ball thinned itself out, becoming as flat as a frisbee, but extremely wide in the process of exchanging so much mass for width.

Afterwards...that flat mass of invisible energy, like a disc becoming an umbrella top – came crashing into the ground with the downward swing of his arms.

The mass of energy created by 1, second head of the deadly mercenary group ‘Numbers’ and current leader for this student massacre, became one massive dome.

1: “Trust me. Haaah. If my hunch is correct: then…

...you’ve got the easier opponent. A FAR easier opponent, I might add.”

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