First Mission (Last Part)

The colossus, seeing his opponent falter, let out a triumphant roar. Moving with shocking speed for a creature of his size, he swung his massive foot in a brutal arc.

Ryosuke, dazed, pressed a hand to his head, trying to regain his balance. But it was too late. The titanic foot came crashing down on him with overwhelming force, obliterating everything beneath it. A fresh shockwave ripped through the area, reducing the remnants of the factory to dust and shaking the ground as though the earth itself might collapse.

From a safe distance, the Scourge watched intently, his lips curling into a cruel smile for the first time.

"That'll teach you, you arrogant brat," he hissed, his fangs glinting in the fiery light. "Never underestimate your enemies, fool."

But his smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. His slit pupils widened in shock, and he clutched his face, as though struck by an invisible pain.

At that moment, the colossus's gigantic foot—the one meant to crush Ryosuke into oblivion—disintegrated before the Scourge's astonished eyes.

The titanic creature staggered backward, unbalanced, its deafening roar of pain and surprise tearing through the air. Black fragments, like ash, swirled in the space where Ryosuke still stood.

Ryosuke, still standing despite his battered state, slowly lifted his head. His face was pale, blood dripping from his nose and eyes. His hands trembled, and his breath came in ragged gasps. Yet he spoke, his voice cracked but laced with an odd sense of resignation.

"Looks like... it's finally... time to call it a day."

He wavered, dropping to one knee.

The Scourge, his face twisting with panic, barked a guttural command:

"Finish him!"

The colossus, despite its precarious stance, managed to regain its full height. Its enormous, shadowy fist tore through the air, the sheer force shaking the rubble around them.

Ryosuke, still kneeling, seemed barely able to move, his labored breaths echoing in the oppressive atmosphere.

Just as the crushing blow descended, something unexpected happened.

With a muffled, resonant sound, the entire colossus froze in place. Then, without warning, it disintegrated into a cloud of dark particles. The particles swirled briefly before vanishing, as though the massive creature had never existed.

The Scourge, eyes wide with disbelief, stumbled back several steps, his voice trembling as he muttered, "Impossible..." His gaze darted frantically between the empty space where the colossus had stood and Ryosuke, still kneeling.

But instead of charging at the weakened young man, the Scourge whirled toward the black wall of shadow looming behind him. In a desperate move, he summoned all his strength and raked his claws against the barrier, unleashing a deafening screech. The echoes of the impact reverberated through the ruins, but the wall remained unscathed, absorbing the blow without a single ripple.

Ryosuke, swaying but still upright, lifted his head slightly. A faint glimmer of mischief flickered in his weary eyes. His voice, though faint, carried his signature hint of sarcasm.

"Too bad you didn't tell your lackey to hit the wall first. Might've given you a shot at getting out of here alive."

The Scourge turned slowly, his face twisted in terror he no longer bothered to hide. His eyes, once brimming with arrogance and cruelty, now gleamed with visceral fear.

"No… wait…" he stammered, raising a trembling hand in a plea for mercy.

But instead of surrendering, he summoned new abominations, using the last shreds of his power. Gaunt, grotesque creatures clawed their way out of the shadows, though they were far fewer and far weaker than before.

Ryosuke began to move forward, step by deliberate step.

The monstrosities, despite their horrifying forms, never even had the chance to attack. As they drew near him, they crumbled into ashes without a sound.

"It's a shame, really," Ryosuke said, his icy voice cutting through the suffocating silence. "You could've been something truly fascinating. But I suppose you wasted most of your power halting your transformation. I could've waited, you know."

He paused, watching as the Scourge continued to claw at the barrier of shadows, desperate for escape.

"And let's not forget your little spectacle earlier," Ryosuke added, a faint smirk curling his lips. "That colossus of yours… must've drained you dry."

The Scourge howled in frustration, pounding the barrier again with every ounce of strength he had left. "This isn't fair!" he roared, his ragged voice breaking the stillness. "I can't die now! Not when perfection was within my grasp!"

But as his rage flared, the flow of new creatures ceased entirely.

Ryosuke, now just behind him, spoke softly:

"It's over."

The Scourge froze, his entire body trembling under the crushing weight of the presence behind him. Slowly, he turned. But before he could speak, Ryosuke locked eyes with him, his gaze sharper than a blade.

The Scourge, drained of all strength, collapsed to his knees. His claws scraped at the ground in a pathetic attempt at defiance. "Mercy… please…" he whimpered, his once-dominant voice now cracked and hollow, his arrogance shattered into fear.

Ryosuke stopped a few paces away, raising his hand slightly.

For a moment, he simply stared at the defeated creature. Heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the faint crackle of dying flames around them.

This Scourge… where could it have come from?

In a manga, it made sense for some things to remain unseen, but a creature of this magnitude should've made waves.

His thoughts darkened. What if its mutation had gone wrong?

The idea seemed plausible, yet another, far more unsettling thought crept into his mind.

What if it's me? What if my existence, my actions, caused this change?

The notion gave him pause. If the very fabric of the narrative could shift beyond his awareness, it might complicate his plans.

Then, with a faint shrug, he let out a quiet, almost amused sigh.

Well, that might make things more entertaining.

Ryosuke extended his hand, revealing a small, gleaming black orb resting in his palm.

The Scourge, seeing the object, recoiled further, his reptilian eyes wide with primal fear as they fixated on the sphere.

"Relax," Ryosuke said, his tone almost soothing, though a faint smile played on his lips. "You'll achieve perfection. But… it'll be on my terms."

Before the Scourge could respond, an invisible force engulfed him. His massive body twisted violently, dissolving into a vortex of shadows that was drawn into the tiny orb. In mere seconds, nothing remained of the creature but a suffocating silence and the faint echo of its final scream.

Ryosuke closed his hand around the orb and tucked it calmly into the inner pocket of his coat.

"Well, that's that," he murmured, his tone casual.

His eyes swept over the smoldering ruins of the factory, a flicker of weariness in his expression. The chaos around him felt like nothing more than a fleeting distraction. Yet, a thought suddenly resurfaced, narrowing his gaze.

Mechamaru.

TO BE CONTINUED!

A/N:

My original novel, The Slacker Hero, has just been signed for a Webnovel licensing contract! Thank you all for your support. To celebrate, I'll be releasing two new chapters!

Next Chapter: Sorry, I'm straight