Chapter 43: Alpha and Omega (Part 1)

*Clang clang clang!!!*

Weapons clashed and hits echoing around the area.

One and Neo were exchanging blows, Focusing only on each other, not caring about the Grimm that we're circling them both.

It was as if the Grimm around the two of them served as the arena bounds.

But when the two inched closer to the Grimm, The Grimm would step back...

Seemingly afraid of the both of them.

Because the shockwaves that emanated from their weapons clashing, Cut anything in it's path, Essentially killing anything alive it touches.

The clash of Neo's Aura and One's Brute strength and their skills were Earth shattering.

One found an opening, so she stabbed Neo with her halberd.

But before Neo could be damaged her umbrella opened.

Blocking the strike, One struck multiple times...

Yet Neo Parried all of them to the side as she countered her attacks.

Neo swept her feet from below, and kicked her in the stomach.

Bam!!*

One was sent flying, Crashing straight to a wall creating a hole.

One stood up, brushed off the rubble on her body, before walking out of the hole.

It seemed that One was uninjured.

She spun her halberd as she dashed towards Neo.

Neo has already memorized the pattern on Ones attack, she was methodical and quick. Fast and strong...

Muscle memory was undoubtedly a great method to counter this kind of opponent. However this would require quite the sturdy body to resist the attacks in the first place.

One was especially strong, her strikes were filled with vigour...

Without any doubt if she was struck directly by her Halberd, her aura would be greatly reduced.

Sure she could use her semblance to trick One, but it can only do so much, for her illusions would shatter from a single touch.

After a minute of exchanging blows, One grinned towards Neo. Not one of them getting a hit in towards the other...

"No one has ever lasted this long in front of my halberd... You're the first."

Neo shrugged her shoulders.

(I've seen people fight at ridiculous speeds, Strength that rival even a big Grimm...

I have fought strong people and creatures in my time...

But you are the second to make me excited in a fight...)

One tilted her head, "Second?"

Neo pointed at the direction where Haruki and Eris were fighting each other.

One gave an understanding nod...

For she also felt the same, The sinners and that man we're on a whole another plane altogether... Not even mentioning the sins.

Based on their powers alone, let alone their skills...

One smiled at Neo, "But... you and I are both hiding something aren't we?

you hide that strength, and shackle yourself... limiting on what you can do!

I can smell it! my instincts are telling me that you are strong!!

They have never failed me before."

Neo's expression darkened... she was surprised that One noticed the fluctuation on her aura...

One dashed towards Neo, and in the blink of an eye...

She appeared before Neo, Her halberd was sent straight to Neo's Right side, sweeping ferociously towards her waist.

Neo Twisted her body away, and with a swing of her umbrella, the Halberd was directly parried away to the side, and a fist was sent towards One's Guts...

Bam!!!*

A muffled grunt came out from Ones mouth as she was sent crashing towards the ground, creating a small crater.

It took a few good seconds for One to regain her footing.

Questions flooded her mind...

What the hell happened?

What was that?

In the next moment, she was charging ferociously towards Neo.

She repeatedly thrust towards Neo's direction.

Neo just simply opened her umbrella blocking all of Ones attacks.

Neo smiled smugly, (This all you got miss alpha? That can't be right? after all you did boast about your strength...)

One gripped Her Weapon, glaring at Neo.

"Heh, you fucking bitch... We'll see... we'll see... I'll break that cocky smile of yours."

She leapt up in the air, Gripping the halberd tight.

Lightning condensed from her weapon, then it raged around her spear. She hurled her weapon towards Neo.

A roar of thunder bellowed in the area, making the Grimm around them gain distance, their instincts telling them that they would die if they got hit.

But before it could reach Neo, Lightning disappeared from her weapon, removing it's might.

Neo deflected her weapon, As One was shocked...

Neo already intercepted the point where one would land, she dashed towards One.

She sent a palm towards Ones chest, before stepping forward. She smashed into One like a train.

One came into a violent halt, Then she knelt down coughing blood.

*Kahaak! "What the fuck was that!?"

Neo gave her a confident smile.

(That's a trade secret!)

Neo said as she winked towards One.

It was a series of techniques that she and Haruki practiced while they were still young.

At first when they started practicing it, she wondered what it was.

He only told her it was a form of martial art in his town.

And when Haruki told her the truth, He also told her that it was, Senjutsu also known as Sage Arts.

(A.N. : This is different from the one in Naruto. So don't get your hopes up for some Rikudou Senjutsu.)

It uses the Aura of a person, If you can use your aura to defend, you can also use it to attack.

You minimize the defense of your aura, and focus it all in one point then strike.

Sending ripples towards your opponent, causing a rebound inside. Although it mostly works on Grimm, for they have the opposite of the aura. But if the person doesn't have any aura left, then it could damage the target greatly.

Originally this technique used inner ki, or your battle spirit. But Haruki figured that using aura is easier, so he slightly modified it to suit his requirements.

Although Neo was still a fledgling when it comes to senjutsu compared to Haruki, when it comes to her peers she is unbeatable in it.

One Stood up once more charging at Neo, But she kept getting struck.

Her inner organs are probably ruptured, She was bleeding from her eyes, nose, and ears.

She spat out the blood as she smiled, "Not bad!! But you're still hiding something!! This is not the extent of your powers!!"

One cracked her neck and hands. Then cracking sounds came out of her body.

Her armor was slowly removed, It revealed multiple scars. And wounds that were sewn shut after opening.

Then Those scars reopened, with it came out multiple legs that looked like a Spiders, Hands that could extend like a Nuckelavee.

Her arms were covered in spikes, Then Her face was covered by a bone face of an apathy.

She looked horrifying...

"Hehehehehe!!! I am the strongest of My mistress' creations!!

What now? still think that you can fight me while still holding back?"

Expecting Neo to be horrified she stared at Neo with Her blood red eyes.

*Click!*

Neo took a picture of her...

Neo's eyes were glowing, (You look like the Creature from the old horror movie Haru showed me!!)

"What!? you think this is a fucking joke!?"

Neo tilted her head cutely. (How did you do that then?)

One puffed He chest that had a gaping maw between it. As she explained towards Neo the genius of her Mistress.

"You see, I'm not fully homunculus... I was a human. Although when mistress found me I was already dead...

I was one of many to be used as a test for her homunculus project...

She used artificial organs, then mixed it with Grimm parts that she could salvage, the way she did it is beyond me...

But as she continued her tests I was the only one to survive. The burden of cramming Grimm parts on a dead body was immense so the others slowly broke down and disappeared.

Then I don't know how... but I opened my eyes to be surprised that I was alive... No memory of my past life...

The first thing I saw was her, looking at me affectionately.

I was The first doll she has successfully recreated...

The pillar of the group, then slowly Our family grew and became big... There were now 3 more sisters.

But since I was the first, I had to be the strongest.

Even if four had been perfected, I had to be the strongest...

For I am the pillar...

The only protection they have against this cruel world.

And yet as time passed by I noticed, something was wrong...

Everytime we fail, She would look at us as if we were failures...

What she wanted we're perfect dolls, not People with emotions...

For dolls cannot betray her.

For dolls cannot ostracize her.

For dolls cannot disobey her.

FOR DOLLS COULD LOVE HER AND ONLY HER.

That sick obsession lead her to change us even more, to replace more parts of me that made me human and turned it into Grimm...

At first I thought she was only furthering her research, Well that was true...

But her insanity was soon revealed, the perversion of her original goal, twisted because of her own past...."

One looked at the broken glass beneath her feet, and all she saw was an unfamiliar monster...

She laughed...

"You see the only thing that's left from my original body is my heart...

I've repaired and replaced parts of myself a hundred times over, I swapped in parts of Grimm in and out so many times I can't even remember to keep track...

But my heart? this heart? it's never been touched.

So if I go and replace that with a Grimm's, what happens? what then?

Would I still be myself? or a fully fledged Grimm Homunculus...

Can I confidently say that I'm still One? The pillar of our family or would it just be someone else wearing my skin!?

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!

How ironic isn't it? I've broken myself into so many pieces and replaced parts of me she didn't like, so I could make her happy and protect my siblings....

But what if... eventually I've replaced everything, would I still be the one protecting them? would I still be the one making them happy!?"

Neo was silent she was listening to One's story...

One smiled, "I'm surprised you didn't take this chance to attack me..."

Neo smiled, (Exposition purposes...)

One wondered what she meant but she just brushed it off and continued.

"You're quite the weird one but... you're not a bad person. You're the first to treat me as an equal beside my siblings.

You know besides the fact that were just dolls to her...

We tried to justify our existence by telling ourselves and turning away from the truth, that our purpose is to serve...

That's probably why she thinks we're flawed... Because of our own thoughts... Our own feelings caged by a predetermined symbol our master wanted us to represent...

We're more than that God fucking damnit!

Why make us sentient in the first place if you wanted dolls!!

I guess she could only curse her own genius for that...

Well after she made us, she wanted to research about the essence of humans the soul...

She thinks it's the missing key point on her quest to make the perfect dolls.

But she's just making us more human like!! That's fucking insane!!

But at the end of it all, I will never defy her... Because she holds my sisters hostage.

I may not be fully Homunculus... but my feelings for my sisters aren't fake...

We're as real as it gets."

One finished her monologue thinking that Neo didn't bother to listen, but she was there waiting for her to finish... Listening from start to end...

"Hehehehehehe, such a shame... if we weren't standing on opposite sides I would have loved to fight along side you..."

Neo nodded her head, she agreed on One's sentiment.

But deep down they both knew that it was only a pipe dream, An opponent is an opponent...

They must not feel for the enemy, for it will only lead in death...

When you stand on opposite sides it is inevitable...

Between two groups of people, who have inconsistent kinds of worlds, there is no remedy but force...

They know they didn't have to fight... But it was necessary, for the people around them...

(Shame... but we have our own job to do...)

Neo said as she steadied her stance.

One nodded her head.

She roared towards the sky...

Then...

They charged towards one another, trying to end their meaningless battle.