"All knowledge known. To fill an endless tome. A journey far from home. It's best to do it alone."

________________________________________________________

Skill List:

Kanji (lv0): Aspect of Energy: Electricity, Thermal.

{Skill points: 3}

[Full destructive power limit: Village]

Skills: [1. Infuse/Absorb] [2. Energy travel] [3. Energy trail] [4. Energy bolt] [5. Energy wave]

Inventory: Geographic sphere, mechanical soap, spyware device, tungsten-infused nanotech silver chain, tech tablet (Portal) (Hide, Input, Output, Convert, Compress).

Claire (lv0): Aspect of Creation

Skills: [1. Create (Slots: 5)]

Inventory: Black cloak, crossbow, crossbow bolt (modified with rotatenium), ammo pouch, Fanfics, mechanical soap.

David (lv0): Aspect of Form

{Skill points: 1}

[Range limit: Self]

Skills: [1. Expand (x2)] [2. Spikefacation] [3. Delay (1-10s)] [4. Shieldfacation] [5. Trigger] [6. Transform pattern Wave] [7. Net Transform]

Inventory: Iron bat, AK -47, mechanical soap.

Amelia (lv0): Aspect of Reality

{Skill points: 1}

[Attack type: illusion] [Attack range: x3 field of view]

Skills: [1. Third-person vision] [2. Blurring Mirage] [3. Double] [4. Connect] [5. Vision Swap] [6. Disguise] [7. Flash Mirage]

Inventory: Frying Pan, knife, mechanical soap.

Sarah (lv0): Aspect of Fiction

[Skill access: 1 skill for each item] [Conjured item 1]

Inventory: Mechanical soap, Nezha’s leopard bag (Nezha’s ring).

Noah (lv0): Aspect of Emotion

Skills: [Emotion infusion] (Emotional requirement: High)

Inventory: Gilded ax, mechanical soap.

Diana (lv0): Aspect of Law

{Laws unlocked: Law of Friction} {Limit: Only manipulate small values}

Inventory: None

________________________________________________________

A day of great conflict subsides, the general was neither pleased nor mad about the aftermath. He knew that today will the day that more progress will be made.

A sudden hiss and metal scraping appear behind him, and he looks back.

KARNAT "AH! HELLO, my guests."

"Sorry, we were a bit late. Here are eight powerful warriors."

KARNAT "I HEARD THEY ARE SPECIAL. KINDA LIKE A CRUDE REPLICA OF MY SUB GENERALS. But fear not, I'm not mad, I'M GLAD THAT THEY STEPPED UP TO TAKE THE HITS INSTEAD."

The general moves towards the warriors, glancing around their bodies. They seem stable, very stable. A great contrast to their minor Cultist inferiors. Karnat grins and asks the guide one last question.

KARNAT "THESE WARRIORS aren't "Warriors"... are they? STABLE BODIES, MORE VICIOUS INSECT PARTS. AND THIS VILE SCENT. THEY ARE FORMICIDAE MAJORS! AREN'T THEY?!"

The guide falls to the floor and retreats as Karnat slowly approaches him.

"Please!! Sir forgive my mistake! I didn't mean t-

Karnat swipes the guide's left mantis arm. It's fake.

KARNAT "NO WONDER YOU FELT DIFFERENT! YOU SNEAKING LITTLE RAT! ALRIGHT..."

He turns around and points at the warriors.

KARNAT "... ANYONE OF YOU MAJORS CAN GIVE THIS GUY THE MOST PAINFUL DEATH POSSIBLE. STEP THE FUCK UP!"

?? "I will do it."

A cloaked Major steps forward, his voice and the way his body moves, are similar in rhythm to that of a slithering snake.

Something erupts from his abdomen.

"NO!! PLEASE! NOT THA-

Before he could finish his plead, a large stinger injects its tip deep into the soft tissue of the guide's chest. His vision grows dizzy and he could barely observe the Major's monstrous scorpion-like tail. His body falls to the floor and begins to twitch constantly, his heart races and implodes. Blood and urine now drenched his deceased corpse.

Before moving away, Karnat notices a familiar badge lying beneath the coat. He hisses in disgust and his mind begins to cloud with anger. However, he calms down and returns to his seat, and the eight majors wait silently for his demands.

KARNAT "OK FOR "SOME REASON" OUR SEARCHING DEVICES ARE DOWN. SO ANYONE OF YOU HAVE AN IDEA."

They all turn their heads to a member in the far back, a feminine figure steps forward and greets the general.

M116 "Major number 116 or M116 is at your service, my lord. My ability will be most useful that is if my lord insists on a small amount of physical contact."

Karnat hesitates, but then again he has no choice.

KARNAT "OK! FINE!"

She lays her hands on the spot close to where his left arm used to be. Strange red and mouth-shape projections appear and hover toward her ears. They seem to be whispering something to her. She stands and walks to Earth's map, one of her hands slowly pointing toward the furthest region South of Greece, also known as Crete.

__________________________________________________

Books, books, books everywhere. What is this place? A Library?

Nevertheless, this large place seems to be built like a labyrinth, full of passages and rooms.

In the very upper section of this building lies a pile of disorganized books, something is moving beneath. Its body slowly rises spreading the pile of books across the floor.

?? "Good morning."

It looks around, everything seems normal until it sees a now broken robot beside it. Small droplets of tears slowly drip from its eyes, but then something else catches its attention.

The sound of footsteps and scratches can be heard from the lower floors.

?? "Who's there?!!!"

The sounds fade, it must just be its imagination. So it ignores it and makes its way down to the front door, with the knowledge that a couple of guests will be here any minute.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dave "Yo dudes! Why are we out here again?!"

Claire "Kaney said he got to work on some stuff inside the portal or something. Oh, I hope it's a surprise!"

Sarah "It's probably something to help us with you know."

Diana "True, just like a true leader."

Noah "True, maybe..." "Please let this be not some crazy do or die type plan or thing. I know he is a smart guy but still shit is scary!"

Amelia "As I recalled, he requested me in aiding him with gathering everyone's bags. Perhaps he needed them for something."

Dave "Wait really! Fuck! I was looking at that shit all morning, man!"

he moves in front of the sealed portal, the air crankles and fluctuates with chaotic blue sparkles.

Dave "Just fucking hope he gives us something cool, dude."

________________________________________________________

Kanji "..."

Kanji glances at the hunk of metal he just created. With a flip of a lever, its engines and mechanical parts begin to shift, move, and start assembling a supply line of crossbow bolts. These bolts then exit into a smaller orange sub-portal within his main portal.

After the process, Kanji detaches a large syringe from the back of his tablet. Kanji opens its barrel, there are 12 microchips are arranged up in a neat line.

Without a moment's notice, he picks one up and samples it with the sub-portal's orange sparks. He then grabs out a small marker and labels the chip, "Claire".

Kanji "... that's the last one! Now let's move to the next subject."

Kanji looks around his dimension space, it is now half its original size.

His mind snaps back, and his eyes focus on the material at hand. His chain and the remaining rotatenium.

AN "Whoa! Umm hi, Kanji. I somehow can talk to you in your portal now. I guess maybe the device is now powerful enough now to introduce interdimensional communication."

Kanji "Alright! That was quite startling! Please don't shout as your first choice of action then suddenly spew an entire tower of information."

AN "Sorry. Anyway, what are you up to?"

Kanji "Well before I show you, there are a few things I like to talk about."

AN gulps, they begin to sweat.

AN "Are you mad?"

Kanji "No, I just want simple and clear answers... What did you do yesterday?"

AN "Well after Diana awakened her powers, our connection was severed. Apparently, the device underwent a kind of rebooting and upgrading process. The once void floor in the room I'm residing in was replaced with white mechanical flooring, its pattern is similar to those of abandoned spaceships. But you want to know the actual meat of what I did... the device gave me an option."

Kanji "Oh, go on..."

AN "It said |Will you exchange skill enhancement for sleep healing|, I'm guessing instead of buffing one skill per day, I can now instead heal everyone a substantial amount."

Kanji "... and puts us to sleep. A large price to pay for quite a useful asset... Man, you know I always thought of you as an all-knowing alien with more knowledge about the aspect users and that device than us humans. But I guess you were just as lost as we are."

AN: "Hey! I could say the same thing to you! I thought you are a man of science but instead, you gave into these impossible facts and reality, almost enjoying it even!"

Kanji "Oh, AN. My dear ignorant, AN. Have you heard of the concept of undiscovered science?"

AN "That concept doesn't ring a bell. Is it a human-only one?"

Kanji "Well sorta, you see gravity exists way before the word "gravity" was created and given to it. It is stated that certain possibilities or ideas or concepts that can explain or link to what we already know or are familiar with, can be considered as part of science. And the same can be said to the aspects and the ancient relic you have."

AN "Oh, but how so?"

Kanji "We can link it back to the Big Bang aka the birth of the universe. Scientists today still don't know how or what created it exactly. And right now, seeing with my own two eyes, I can conclude that this relic might have to power to cause such an event whether through the relic's creation or possibly when the relic was transported into our reality. In turn, created the different laws and "Aspects" that exist in logic like Time for example."

AN "Ah I see. You didn't have to shoot me back, Kanji."

Kanji "Oh, I'm sorry. Let's just get back to the subject the hand."

He points to twelve colored portals... AN becomes curious.

AN "What do they do?"

Kanji "They are like storage or inventories which are accessed through these microchips here."

AN "Wait, portable inventories!! How?! For decades, my species has never come close to such technologies! Are you sure you're human?!"

Kanji "Maybe it isn't a difference in intellect, but a difference in purpose. I created this technology through mindless wondering and you have your current technology perhaps for the sake of survival or conquest. At least, that is what I concluded hearing from your history."

AN "Yeah, that... actually makes sense. Well, should we just meet back with the others?... Or is there something else to accomplish?"

Kanji "I can't go yet... I know that this might be risky but it is for the better."

Kanji places the chains on the floor and lays the remaining rotatenium on top of it. He can sense hundreds of nanomachines freeze up when the null rotateniums touched the chain. So he picks the rotatenium back and relays the words...

Kanji "... |Access protocol 589086| Disperse and avoid all contact with all foreign dark objects #00000 until next command."

Thousands of nanomachines begin to move away as Kanji places back the null rotateniums.

Kanji "Whew! Now let's begin! |Access protocol 589086| Begin molecular disassembling of foreign white objects #FFFFF. |Attach protocol 589086| repeat the same command with foreign dark objects #00000 afterward using white objects #FFFFF as the coating."

AN "Wow that's amazing! And it can understand all of that! Really?!"

Kanji "These machines are coded to understand the entirety of the English language as long as you know certain protocol commands and color codes. The sad thing is that these are the only available nanobots at hand while the others...well let's just say without them this entire space won't be functioning."

AN "Wait... no fucking way! Oops! Sorry, was that a bit too informal? And also isn't it a bit dangerous without your weapon?!"

Kanji "No problem, I haven't practiced fighting with my bare hands for quite a while now so this might be good practice for when I somehow lose my weapon in the future. But don't worry about that.... you know now that I think about it you sound more like a maid... seeing how you address people since we first."

AN "Yeah... I... don't want to talk about that. Let's just go back."

Even though he feels worried about AN's statement, he ultimately nods and exits through the portal without questioning them further. There seems to be no one guarding the portal. He looks and looks again, but nothing. Then sounds of laughter catch his attention.

Kanji "What the?"

He moves through the nearby bushes and sees his friends huddled around a bonfire.

Dave "...So basically he yelled at me "You fat-headed ra-

They all slowly look back and grin with guilt like kids being caught doing something they shouldn't.

Kanji "Guys. I thought I told you to guard the portal. What happened?!"

Diana "Sorry boss! It was all Dav-

Dave "Nah! What she means is this calls for a minor flashback."

(A couple of moments earlier)

Dave "Yo dudes, I'm bored!! Let's go do shit like jump into that lake over there."

Diana "No. Boss told us to stay here and guard. And stay we will! Don't try anything funny, Icarus!"

Dave backs down and lies on the wet grass.

Dave "Fucking party pooper!"

He looks around everyone here except Diana seems to be in the same mood as him. He has an idea!

Dave "Hey bros! What about we all share how we met each other like a fresher type shit man."

Sarah "What... you seriously forget?... actually I can't blame you. That was a long time ago."

Noah "Same" "I too agree."

Claire "That's a great idea, Dave. It will help kindle our friendship."

Amelia "And relive great memories. All thanks to Kanji."

Dave "Fuck yeah bros! You heard them! And besides are doubting that "Boss" can't defend himself. Zakovov."

She looks at everyone and gives up, she kicks the ground in frustration.

Diana "Fine! But only because it will help with team bonding. I will also mostly watch the portal."

Dave "Ok fine by me! Any of you bros know how to start a campfire."

Noah "I do." "Fuck yes! It's my time to shine!"

The group moves through the nearby bushes and finds a perfect clearing with no grass.

Noah picks up his ax, he trembled with excitement, his body glowing a yellow hue boosting his movement. He cuts a nearby tree with incredible zealous, and as the tall tree falls to the ground he wastes no time and begins chopping its trunks into logs.

The final result is astounding, a 5-foot-tall bonfire stands proud lighting the entire clearing.

Dave "Task failed successfully omega lul."

|His chat type Omegaluls|

Claire "Ok me first! I met Kanji on Final Fiction 14 during an alliance raid. He asked everyone to be on a voice call for better gameplay, and when I first heard his voice I fell in- I mean I knew we were destined to be great friends!"

Amelia "That's wonderful, Claire! I guess I'm next. Our first meeting was quite strange actually, he was wearing a mask and looking for someone to teach him cooking online when you know... that virus happened."

Dave "HISS!!! No, don't mention that cursed event!"

|His chat spams monkaMask and monkaOMEGA|

Amelia "Sorry... I forgot it was quite a troublesome time. Moving on, he didn't learn much and instead liked my personality. So he asked me to join the friend group. I am fully glad I accepted it because if I didn't accept his offer..."

Amelia holds Dave's hand.

Amelia "I wouldn't be here with you and everyone here."

Dave tries his best not to appear embarrassed.

Noah "That's neat. But not edgy and cool like how me and Sarah met Kanji." "You could say that."

Sarah "True. It was quite a coincidence that all three of us joined an emo-only discord. Oh, how I remembered where rock and heavy metal music played 24/7. It was fucking sick! And I think Kanji was there cause he was bored or whatever. Eventually, he took an interest in us and asked us to join the group. We of course joined because...we didn't have any friends."

|Dave's chat types Sadge true|

Noah nods in agreement. He then sees Diana moves in from her lookout.

Diana "Okay, let's get this over with! I met the boss on the same basis as Amelia as he was looking for ways to build his form. Seeing him now, I am super proud!... anyhow I'm going back to the lookout."

Dave blocks her path with his bat in hand.

Diana "Icarus get the fuck out of the way!"

Dave "You said you wanted team bonding. That's barely any at all Miss musclehead! Where's the spirit?! Where's the passion?! At least listened to my story and stay like all the good bros here."

Diana "Hmph! Fine!"

She sits between Sarah and Noah. The force of which tattles the log under them and it shakes violently. The two edgy peeps feel anxious and somewhat threatened.

Dave "Ok, me and my dude Kanbro met up in a heated fight in some fps game. I don't remember its name but I remember it being kinda shit. But that was not the good part, it was when we lost and started flaming each other. It was funny and lit as fuck! I still remember the first words he said to me. So basically he yelled at me "You fat-headed ra-

(Resume present conversation)

Kanji "Ah never mind! I'll let this slide! Let's just go meet Adrian Ariti. At least that is what I recalled his last name was."

Diana "Correct boss! Just hope he isn't a wimp in real life like he was online."

Claire "Hey! Leaving the poor guy alone! He probably just has some problems in his life."

Kanji "Guys, let's just go."

They followed Kanji across the region of Crete until they made their way to its eastern shores. Looking from on top of a cliff, the place seems bland and deserted with no signs of life or modern structures, the beaches were littered with garbage and ocean debris.

A stark contrast to what truly captures the group's attention is a lonely lighthouse standing on a piece of limestone almost too small to support its mass. The distance of which just lies a hair short of deep water. The exterior of the structure is made of polished concrete and covered with lush flora unfamiliar to both Kanji and his friends... they all knew that this is the place.

Dave "Ayo! What the heck?! That guy lives on a goddamn fancy lighthouse in the goddamn ocean! The hell is he always whining about!"

|His chat types Madge|

Kanji "Well, we just have to find out now do we."

They make it down the cliff and onto the shore.

Kanji deploys a floatable raft from his tablet, it inflates and lands on the ocean's surface. The group jumps on and starts paddling with their bare hands.

A brief sailing journey ends and they jump from the raft and face the lighthouse's front door.

Kanji begins knocking.

The sound of heavy footsteps approaches them from behind the door. It flings open and a ginormous man walks out whose body structure is built almost identical to those Frankenstein monsters from the early 1800s. The gentleman wears a plain white button shirt, brown trousers, a pair of glasses, and a red bow tie beneath his neck. He also has clean brown hair and an old medieval pouch attached to the left side of his waist. What's in it? No one will ever know.

Kanji "Umm... We are looking for Adrian Ariti... Sir."

?? "Oh greetings, my friends. My name is Adrian Ariti."

Everyone is in shock, no one could mutter a word. But then-

Dave "Wow! Just fucking wow, man! First of all, why are you talking like that bro?"

Adrian "Isn't that how people greet each other physically."

All "No."

Adrian "Ah. I see that I have been pranked. That old mechanical goose, even in passing he managed to get one off on me... anyway I didn't know that there were eight of you guys already here."

Sarah "E-Eight?"

Before they could react, their view of the sky was covered by a sheet of... wings.

Everyone's gone. All that is left is a standoff between Adrian and a mysterious lady in a red robe.

Adrian "Where are my friends?!"

She walks back, fearing a tackle that never came. She sees the giant guy now sitting there silently, she waits anxiously for his next action.

Adrian "Damn damn damn! I'm a pacifist! I can't fight! How can I help my friends... That's it!" "AN!!!"

M116: "Who?"

AN: "Wait. How did you- oh, you are a passive dreamer like Claire, right?"

Adrian "Yeah but my dreams were about yesterday's conflict which is quite unfortunate. If I would have been with guys, everyone wouldn't be so much in a pickle at that time. But to far greater peril, where are the others? Are they safe?"

AN "They are all separated into different sealed rooms within your home in a one-on-one match. And for some reason, I can't talk to them."

Adrian "Damn if only I could communicate with them, they could escape those rooms. I guess we have only one thing left to do."

AN "Yep! On it!"

AN spins the relic and it stops on a symbol with an open book radiating a murky brown aura.

Without a moment to waste, AN slams as hard as they could.

A surge of power enters Adrian's waist, turning it into a bundle of blank papers and scripts. The panel right of Diana's panel lights up to show the view of Adrian.

Adrian "This is very.... very uncomfortable."

AN "Really? That's a first. But never mind that, do you want to know what your powers do?"

Adrian "Of course but first..."

He turns and gives an intimidating glare, and the female cultist freezes up.

Adrian "You stay there!!!"

M116 "Dammit. Why did they leave me with this monster? Why is he telling me to stay here if he could just finish me?...wait. I see. He is being cautious and thinks I have his friends as hostages. Great! I'll just stall and hope the others are done. Then they'll make mincemeat out of this oaf."

The cultist remains motionless, and Adrian becomes pleased with her decision.

Adrian "Ok, you can tell me now."

AN "You are (The aspect of Knowledge). You have been chosen this aspect due to a life of taking knowledge through a literature medium and your desire to write your own story."

Adrian "Actually about the writing part, I haven't written anything yet. I hoped for this day for a long time, so I can write a true story experience through my very eyes. Also, it will be in a poem style because I admire the love bards who spread stories during the medieval ages."

AN "Although that was great to hear, everyone else is in deep trouble!"

Adrian "Oh...sorry. Carry on."

AN "Your aspect allows you to access two abilities (Info Extraction) (Connected Minds). (Connected Minds) allows you to quickly share any information to the allies instantly through your mind, but you can't get information back from them unless they are speaking said info. As for (Info Extraction), You can get information from anything and everything within your peripheral vision. I'm sending you how your scaling works through your skill window right now."

lv0: Only able to extract half of the basic information.

lv1: Full basic information extraction.

lv2: Reveal all secrets and basic information.

lv3: Reveal secrets, weaknesses, and more information.

lv4: Complete and utter knowledge of everything in the universe unless its powers transcend to a godlike status.

Adrian "Wow. All of these are pretty underwhelming when compared to the others except the last one of course. However, this kind of power...."

He tips his glasses.

Adrian "... absolutely suits a pacifist like me. Activate Connected Minds!!"

It clicks. He hears a female voice, it's Amelia!

Adrian "Amelia are you okay?!"

Amelia "Wait, Adrian?... I'm... ur.... bit... busy... right now!"

Amelia dodges constantly using her doubles and blurring mirage to help escape a set of ten homing daggers.

?? "Ahahaha! Keep running little princess! Soon your corpse will fall under the name M117."

Amelia "A pretty stupid name for a fackin dumb midget."

M117 "What did you say you bitch?!!!"

Th daggers split into two groups and race towards her from different sides. With nowhere to go, she backflips.

Amelia "Argh!!"

A couple of blades managed to tear up her entire left foot, and she hits the ground and injures her butt. She sits there helpless, unable to move or dodge.

The short cultist slowly walks towards her with devilish smiles, slowly one by one the floating blades start hovering just above her head.

Adrian "Amelia! I can help! Please tell me where you are!"

Amelia "I don't know!... thi-this room has a lot of empty shelves. I'm backed against the left blank wall."

Adrian "Amelia! Quickly! Press the wall as much as possible!"

With all her stamina she pushes the wall as hard as she can. It moves back til a sudden ticking noise begins.

M117 "What are yo- What is that sound?!"

The ceiling begins to shake and unfold, releasing a ton of sturdy books crushing, suffocating, and trapping the little cultist.

Amelia "Whew! that's over. Dammit, I'm bleeding like bloody crazy."

She looks at the piece of red cloth sticking out from under the pile of books and slowly crawls towards it. She reaches out her right hand an-

A large stinger pops out and injects itself into her hand.

Fortunately, nothing happen and the poison had no effect. She's happy that she was given this perk and so she rips a large chunk of the cloth without worry. Using the last ounce of energy she has left, she pulls out the stinger and folds the cloth around the injured foot. With Her body and mind exhausted, she falls asleep.

Adrian " Amelia. Amelia! Damn, she's asleep, isn't she? I can't reach anyone else out from here."

Adrian tries opening the front door, but it won't budge. He turns and walks closer and closer to the frightened robed lady. Her breath accelerates and subsequently, she passes out from fear.

Adrian "Oh my god. How can I get in now?!"

He looks at her, she is pretty childlike and almost innocent looking.

Adrian "She must be a pacifist too. Poor thing."

He grabs a line of rope from his pouch and ties up her arms and legs. Now, he prays that his friends can make it out safely.

In a different room near the top of the lighthouse. Claire faces off against a space-changing opponent.

?? "Before we start, I would like to introduce myself. My name is M118. My power is teleporting objects or creatures within the space beneath with my wings to places where my wings have touched."

Claire "Oh hi! My name is Claire, novice Aspect of Creation. Umm... why did you tell me all about your power?"

M118 "Because from the data we learned you specialized in crossbows, knowing this and you are going against me. YOU ARE SCREWED. S. C. R. E. W. E. D."

Claire fires a volley of bolts, but the cultist grabs them with her wings, and the projectiles vanish. Claire looks around, anxiously waiting for them to appear.

Claire "Where did they go?!"

"AAARGH!"

The bolts appeared from behind and pierced deep into her back. Lucking none of them fractured her spine or her ribcage or any vital organs.

M118 "Want to go again, sister?"

Claire grunts and shoots a few more volleys and again they disappear. All of them suddenly fly out from all directions, but this time Claire manages to dance her way out of danger.

M118 "Bravo, sister. That was an excellent performance. But you already know by now. IT IS POINTLESS! I have touched everything in this room!"

Claire "Alright! You win!......... at one thing that is."

M118 "Wha-

Claire runs towards her at full, she panics and tries to fall back. Claire closes in and gives the cultist a heavy uppercut and follows up with a spin kick to the chest.

The punch fractured the cultist's fragile jaw and the kick breaks open her spine. Claire points her crossbolt to the cultist's head.

Claire "Any last words?"

M118 "Well..." she coughs "...fucking played."

Ack-

Point blank. Clean hit. Claire moves towards a locked wooden door. She kicks it down.

Claire "Huh, maybe I should do more melee."

Meanwhile, Kanji has found his match. He faced his opponent in an empty room just under Claire's.

He releases a barrage of punches and kicks. But they were all parried by a tall and broad-looking cultist.

Kanji "Wow, your skills are pretty good. Although, for some reason, my electricity isn't working on you. Let me guess, electrical immunity."

?? "Yes, but don't be cocky to think that is what makes me strong. I have been living longer than you. Young people these days have no respect, I'll teach what a true fighter is like."

He smokes a cig and slowly unbuttons his robe. It reveals a pair of razor-sharp mantis claws.

Kanji "Wait. But how did you-

?? "You get it now. I was just only using my left foot to parry your attacks. Before you die, might as well tell you my name. I'm M120. I'll be your doom."

Kanji "Sorry to tell you this. But you have made a terrible mistake."

His left hand begins to glow a snowy white while his right glows a sunny red. The cultist puts his claws up for defense in response. Kanji pushes onward and laid a storm of punches burning and freezing the claw's exoskeleton. The cultist tries to endure the pain but his body gives up, so he tries to dodge to right.

Crack.

His left claw breaks and a mixture of green and red liquids pour out rapidly. His eyes are full of rage and like a beast, he lunges toward Kanji on all fours.

But then-

Claire "Oh no! you don't!"

She shoots a couple of bolts, hitting the back of his head and his left shoulder. Thus, breaking off his other claw. In death, the cultist says nothing but leaves behind a creepy smile.

Claire rushes toward Kanji and hugs him tightly. He looks at her back, she is completely wrapped to the brim with healing bandages.

Kanji "Are you okay?"

Claire "I'm okay as long as you are."

He hugs her back and the two run out to find the others. They navigate to the very bottom of the building and find everyone safe and sound.

But something feels off.

Kanji looks at everyone there. Their eyes filled with regret. He continues and looks closer. Someone lying on the floor.

Kanji "Guys what happened?! Amelia is she dead?!"

Diana "Chill, boss. She is just sleeping."

Kanji "Then why does everyone seem so....down."

Diana "This was all a setup."

Kanji "What do you mean?"

Diana "I assume that you, Claire, and Amelia were the ones who went head to head with the enemy. The rest of us however face opponents that didn't even put up a fight! They just dodge and observe. They were just gathering information, boss!"

Dave "But the good news is that none of us used our remaining skill points dude. Otherwise, we would be exposed, bro."

Diana "Although I dislike this prick. He does make a good point. But now, we know for certain that the general you guys were talking about has a grasp of all of our abilities."

Kanji "That bastard! He's learning! Dammit!"

Adrian steps forward, everyone's eyes are now drawn to him.

Adrian "To lighten up the mood. We do have one thing that will help."

Adrian drags out the unconscious M116.

Kanji "A hostage! This is perfect!"

Kanji grabs his tablet and zaps her up.

Noah "What do we do now?"

Kanji "I would say we rest. It is been a long day for everyone...and oh I almost forgot. I heard from AN that Adrian you already knew about everything. So what do you say? Are you in?"

Adrian "Heck yes! I'm in!"

Kanji "Great! Now before we go into sleep healing. AN, our next destination is in Africa."

Claire "Wait! I have to give you guys something first. Adrian. Diana. Here have this."

She hands out two mechanical soaps. Adrian smiles upon receiving her gift, but Diana raises her eyebrow. She doesn't see the purpose of having such an item.

Claire "Ok! Good to go AN!"

AN "Got it! Now initiating sleep healing in 1. 2. 3..."

The group's eyes slowly close shut and their wounds begin to heal. AN goes over the panel and selects Africa.