4.2

Sheer Heart Attack: Diamond is Unbreakable

Ba-dum, ba-dum…

Six could feel his heart beating faster and faster. Was he already at his limit? The man took a quick injection and returned to normal. The envoy had proven to be more vigilant than he thought. It took Six a great deal of effort to create a sufficient distraction. Constantly moving from bushes to bushes, trees to trees, making them feel surrounded by a phantom army.

But the rapid continuous movements had proved to be strenuous. To make matter worse, to achieve such mobility, extra dosage of the Ladder must be pumped straight to the bloodstream. His heart felt like exploding, how Four could constantly overcharge herself like this Six had no idea.

Ah, the injection was taking effect, breaking down the vile poison in his blood. In a few seconds of meditation, Six was combat ready again.

Now to make his way back to Mi-Young, the rescue party, which consisted of Doraemon and Eikichi, should have arrived by now. He had been gone longer than expected but she should be able to hold them back long enough.

The man was surprised when a voice started to ring out in his head.

It was from headquarter, but how, all form of long-range communication was knocked out already. They must have diverted a great deal of resources to build a makeshift relay. But Six knew they were already running low, this must be a call of utmost importance.

"Six here, I've seen things you people wouldn't believe"

"Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion, this is One" The old man himself "I have a new mission for you, void all previous order"

"Roger"

"The last summoned at Llandudno has been identified, he is here in Saragarhi. Black biker jacket with helmet, can't miss him"

That would explain why the envoy was here. But why was this guy here, a coincident. If that was the case, One wouldn't have called directly to inform him. The old man continued.

"Your primary target is now to capture the one from the future and her only, everything is permitted. If you encounter the biker, do not engage, avoid him at all cost"

"Yes, sir"

As soon as the words of confirmation was muttered, the line went dead. The newfound information was nothing but confusing. With great worry, Six made his way back to his only remaining comrade.

Under the pressure, Jim blinked once only to see a spray of red when he opened his eyes again. The biker pounced on Mi-Young, a red pipe wrench in his hand. The woman was no stranger to hand to hand combat but it all happened too fast.

With his free hand, the biker grabbed Mi-Young's hand, twisting and tearing it off with ease. The woman staggered back only to find the pipe wrench connecting with her knee. A dry crackling noise rang out.

Jim Cross watched as his interrogator got put down with such speed. This was it, his chance to escape. Another crackling sound invaded the teenager's ears, ringing inside his head.

The bike mercilessly stomped onto the woman leg, crushing it like dry branches.

"He's taken an arm and taken a leg~"

The music played and it was here to stay. Sounds of crushing bones and flesh tearing filled the air. Jim turned the corner and collapses, his body exhausted. But at least he could rest now, that woman wouldn't be able to hurt him anymore, she wouldn't be able to hurt anyone anymore.

The teenager couldn't hear anything but the sound of music playing on.

"Prostitute yourself he says. Castrate your human pride~"

Calm down, calm down, he was safe now. And yet, his heart wouldn't stop beating, was it because of some drug. Or something within him calling out.

Jim Cross closed his eyes, once again she came to him, Jane Crawford.

One day out of the blue, she came up to him and just never left his side. But that wasn't the first time they met oh no.

His mind drifted back to where it left of earlier, their first encounter. Oh right, the young Jim came to the station with his father and he saw her, a lone girl trying to say something. But the policemen, they laughed her off.

'She was just in her rebellious phrase'

'How could someone so devoted to good, to God, could do such a thing'

'Such accusations are serious, young lady. Never uttered them again'

Just like that boy, Jane tried to call out for help, only to be silenced. Her screamed drown out by ridicules. That was when she saw her last chance, the son of the sheriff.

But the girl knew her words held no weight. But perhaps, if that boy noticed something strange, something suspicious. Maybe he could then tell that to his father, then maybe she could be free from the torment.

At last that was what Jane Crawford wanted, a dream that never came true.

"Sacrifice your leisure days. Let me squeeze you till you've dried~"

In the end, the wait was too much. She was too used up, both mine and body. Having nothing left, Jane ended her pitiful existent with two cold barrels.

Jim knew it all, but he refused to look. Of course, something was strange with that girl. All the bruises, the shivers, the puking. Everything was now painfully clear to him, it had been for a while now. The naysayers were right, he killed her, he killed Jane Crawford.

"Don't look back. Don't look back~"

Wasn't that why he sacrificed himself for that boy.

Did he expect his blood would cleanse the sin, or did he want to be a better person, to see the world around him and the miseries within?

The answer was painfully obvious, it was the former.

But his life didn't end there, no, God had given him another chance to live. His sin may never be washed away, but it wasn't too late yet. The image of Jane and the little boy, clutching a Major America comic, flashed in his mind.

"STOP" The teenager screamed out with all of his might. The biker turned to him, head titling to the side "That's enough, leave her alone!"

The interrogator lied there, her arm gone her leg crushed. The needle was now digging into her stomach. But despite all that, she didn't utter a single sound. Not a scream of pain, a desperate begging. Jim couldn't help but admire such tenacity.

Even though she had caused him much pain, the teenager didn't wish her any harm.

In truth, Jim's mind was still fuzzy. The woman was an enemy, but one things he knew was that the teenager didn't want to see suffering in others, he wouldn't miss injustice ever again.

The biker head pointed at Jim, the music was gone, all there was silence. With great deliberation, he grabbed the needle and swirled it around the wound.

"AHHHHHH"

Wasting no time, Jim charged at the biker. A jab immediately connected to the side of the teenager's head. And yet, there was no pain. Jim tackled the biker as another jab hit his chin, but once again, he felt nothing.

"Flick of the wrist and you're dead baby~"

The music continued as Jim was knocked back with extreme force, it was as he was hit by a truck. And yet, the teenager stood up, he couldn't feel any pain, fear was seemingly purged from his mind.

Mi-Young tried to sit up, her body still screaming out in pain. That boy, it was the same from when he headbutted her. The needle simply slid along his forehead. The woman took a closer look. The teenager was seemingly… glowing!

No, his skin had somehow crystallised, becoming unbreakable, by her needle at least.

"Blow him a kiss and you're mad, ooh ooh ooh ooh~"

The biker thrusted his hand at Jim's stomach, focusing on a single point. With a loud crack, his hand broke through, entering the teenager stomach.

"Gotcha" Jim muttered.

The wound immediately closed and crystallises rapidly. Inside, even the ingestion, the innards were hardening, locking the biker arm in place.

Jim never expected to beat a monster like this. No, he would just have to make sure that this thing wouldn't be hurting anyone. The teenager grabbed the biker, his arms hardened even further. Soon, Jim could no longer control his hands and soon his limbs anymore.

But it didn't matter, he would lock this bastard up no matter what.

Jim looked at his grips glistening in the sun, so this was his power. It didn't befit a soul as ugly as him. The teenager could feel his body fading away as it crystalized, turning into diamond.

The biker thrashed but he was held in place the diamond grips, his hand still locked in Jim's stomach. With his remaining hand, the biker grabbed his pipe wrench and smashed the teenager, blows after blows.

Jim held on, trying not to fade away completely. Then, a small crack started to appear.

The teenager had reached his limit, the mana within him almost depleted. Seeing weakness, the biker pounded on his restraint with great vigour.

"Flick of the wrist, he'll eat your heart out~"

What would happen if he was completely spent, would he just crumbled, his consciousness faded away for good. Jim tried not to think about it, he mustn't let fear get the better of him. The teenager tried to turn to his interrogator. His lips, all crystallised, move with great difficulty.

"Run"

"A dig in the ribs and then a kick in the head~"

The cracks started to spread, so diamond could break after all.

"He's taken an arm, and taken a leg~"

Finally, his arms shattered into tiny pieces, his stomach broke open. Jim Cross fell to the ground, exhausted.

"All this time honey. Baby you've been had~"

This was his limit now. But Jim took heart. The teenager tried to turn his head and there he saw it. That white suit, that bald head shinning in the sun.

There Eikichi stood, the man looked at Jim.

"You did good, now rest"

The biker, meanwhile, was looking at something else entirely. Yes, how long had it been since he had seen it, that face of horror on that girl's face.