5 Electrohammer Vanguard

"What are you doing, kiddo?" The vanguard asked with an arrogant tone, completely looking down at Joseph.

"I want to cross over" Joseph stated showing again his vision. "My sister needs a good doctor urgently."

The vanguard's eyes lightened, seeming to observe him "Don't joke around, kiddo. This is no place for you, only the strong can go through me. Return to suck your mother's breasts." He laughed "And for the little girl rather than a good doctor, a gravedigger would be a better option."

'It ends like this' Joseph put the vision that started giving a blue glow inside his pocket, clenching the wooden stick with both hands.

Joseph focused his mind on his vision, on the power hidden within "Elemental Skill: Ice Coating!" From Joseph's hands, ice surged, climbing all the wooden stick, covering it with an ice layer, thin spikes surging from all over the stick.

In the game, a vision gave basically two abilities. A normal Elemental Skill and an Elemental Burst. The Elemental Skill was an elemental technique that greatly varied between each character, having cooldown but not consuming any resources. On the other hand, the Elemental Burst was usually a far stronger technique, with a greater cooldown, and needing to absorb elemental particles.

Of course, now that this was reality, the things changed, becoming far more complex and flexible. Having just received his vision, Joseph was only able to learn how to use his supposed Elemental Skill, the knowledge of how to use having been implanted in his mind.

He could be able to use it every time that he wanted, but it would take part of his physical and mental strength, taking a good toll on his limited stamina. In his actual state, the most that he was able to do was casting it one time that of course would become less consuming and easier as he grew stronger and more familiar with it.

"Dammit allogenes" The vanguard spatted "Always thinking better than the others, a special breed favored by the gods. That the world should bend for them" The vanguard said enraged "You are nothing special, all of us had also been chosen by a God" He said clenching his electrohammer "Our power being even stronger than a weak vision!"

Joseph didn't doubt, jumping towards the fatui's guard, going directly for the first hit. Electrohammer Vanguards were considered tanks, they had high power and defense but they were quite slow.

Moreover, as their special ability, they were able to activate an electro shield, becoming incredibly tanky unless it was destroyed, thing that unless you have anyone with cryo skills, it became quite a hassle, usually taking his life first rather than the shield.

'If I am able to go through his armor and hit him before he activates his electro shield, I might have an opportunity!' Joseph swung his wooden stick, slashing at him.

"Crrr!" Just as the stick hit the vanguard, cracks appeared all over the stick, being smashed into smithereens with only the handle between Joseph's hands remaining, destroying itself without being able to do any damage.

"Useless" The vanguard spatted looking coldly and lifted his warhammer with both hands.

"Bang!" Lightning surged from the hammer, traversing all the vanguard's armor and exploding outside, directly impacting the unguarded Joseph.

"AAAAAAAGGGG!" Joseph was pushed over 3 meters, lightning passed over his body, intense pain passing over each of his cells as electricity burnt his insides.

"Did you really think that you have any opportunity?" The vanguard said coldly looking at Joseph laying on the ground, still convulsing as the remaining electricity passed through his body.

'Too impossible!' Joseph though over his pain. The person in front of him was simply too strong. He was equipped with top-notch technology armor and weapon, but even without them, Joseph knew he wouldn't be able to fight, the vanguard's pure strength being far greater, incomparable to someone as Kirill, showing his talent and training.

Moreover, he had discovered a big flaw of his Elemental Skill. It certainly increase the attack power and hardness, but the low temperature also affects its durability, making it far brittle, needing a good quality weapon to put it to good use.

"You know, kiddo?" The vanguard said "News run faster here and I have just discovered that you are a new recruit, one that just obtained a vision and crossed over the Army District, but didn't register yet."

"Ignoring the registration and coming towards here is certainly a break of the code" The vanguard grinned "That means that you should be punished." He stepped forward, more lightning surging from his feet, shooting towards Joseph, electrocuting him again.

"Aggggggg!" Joseph shouted in pain, black smoke surging from his mouth as he fell again on the ground, near Ellen.

The vanguard closed the distance, approaching the immobile Joseph, lowering his body and lifting Joseph's chin, making both eyes meet "I would let you learn with pain." He turned over Ellen "Weakness is not necessary. I would brand in your self to respect the strong."

The vanguard walked over the sled carrying Ellen. Reaching it, he lifted his warhammer before turning towards Joseph "We learn and grow from the worst memories. Treasure it" He said before turning again his attention to Ellen, preparing to crash his hammer over her.

Killing a potential talented vision's user was a grave crime that he wouldn't be able to take responsibility for, but killing a weak little girl was no problem at all. And sometimes mental damage hurts far more than the physical one.

Joseph's eyes went wide in shock, fixed over Ellen and the hammer 'Would he really kill her like this?' 'Killing a little girl like nothing?'

'SAVE HER!!!!!' 'SAVE HER!!!!!!''SAVE HER!!!!!' 'SAVE HER!!!!!!''SAVE HER!!!!!' 'SAVE HER!!!!!!''SAVE HER!!!!!' 'SAVE HER!!!!!!''SAVE HER!!!!!' 'SAVE HER!!!!!!''SAVE HER!!!!!' 'SAVE HER!!!!!!''SAVE HER!!!!!' 'SAVE HER!!!!!!'

Allen's will continued pushing him to protect Ellen, but what could he do? 'I'm only a weak child one. What do you expect?'

'SAVE HER!!!!!' 'SAVE HER!!!!!!''SAVE HER!!!!!' 'SAVE HER!!!!!!'

'I can't do anything to stop it' Joseph thought 'Maybe it's better like this. Unlike Kirill, this soldier won't kill me. Maybe if Ellen's die, Allen's will disappears, letting me live freely without restrictions.'

"Tic" A low sound followed by a humid mark on the ground 'This is?'

"Tic" "Tic" Joseph quickly discovered tears surging from his eyes, falling to the ground. Tears of despair. They were Allen's tears, the tears of a weak young boy with a caring sister that when his sister fell, he put everything to protect and take care of her. Tears that transcended Joseph's will, like Allen's will transcended even his own death.

The vanguard's Warhammer started lowering.

'How could I be such a bastard?' Joseph couldn't be helped to be touched by Allen's care 'I would do my best, so don't blame me if it doesn't work.'

Joseph clenched his teeth, calling all his strength, pushing his body forward, jumping just between Ellen and the hammer, coating the little remaining handle in ice, pushing his mental strength over the limit, using his Elemental Skill again.

Seeing the mighty hammer approaching him, the time seemed to slow down. Joseph could see the lightning passing over the hammer, the cracking sounds ringing over his ear as it approached unstoppably, while Joseph faced it alone with a little broken stick, pushing his life in line.

"AAAAAAAAAG!" He shouted forcing his remaining strength to go further, forming more ice around the little handle.

'More!' Suddenly, under his pressure and strength light blue particles appeared all over the air, all of them being attracted towards Joseph's vision.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!" His vision started angrily devouring all of them, the ice coating becoming stronger and shining brightly along the vision, shooting a blindly light.

"BURST!" Joseph pushed all his self in it, the hammer finally clashing with the little stick.

"BOOOOOOOOM!" The ice exploded in an immense explosion, the stick completely extinguished by it and pushing everything away, repelling the hammer and throwing Joseph and Ellen over the ground.

"Bang!" Joseph crashed to the ground, the body of Ellen laying next to him with a pained look over her face.

He lifted his face a little with a extreme difficulty and saw the vanguard madly looking at him. He had tried his best, using all of his strength, but in the end it wasn't enough. His body was completely unresponsive, unable to even move a finger, due to a mix of tiredness and injures, the last explosion, injuring him highly.

On the other hand, the vanguard was completely fine, only having backed a step.

"You, BASTARD! YOU, broke down my electro shield! You know how much money and resources it needs to be repaired!" The vanguard shouted madly lifting his hammer again, however, Joseph was too tired to even listen to him, his sight blurring as his consciousness fell.

As his sight was turning black, Joseph could see the hammer falling towards him, the vanguard in his anger completely disregarding the possible punishment, only wanting to kill him.

"Pam!" A loud sound was heard but Joseph only felt a light breeze, just before he fell unconscious he could see an old man having completely stopped the nightly hammer with one hand.

The man was looking at him with a caring smile "You did well." It was the last thing he heard before the world turned black.

On the other hand, the vanguard's face morphed into shock, surprise, fear and awe, his hammer leaving his hands and falling to the ground.

"L-lord Pantalone."