Chapter 20: My Dream. Our Dream. The New World.

Flame Mask remained there petrified for a second before he realized he had to make a move before the person squeezing his hand. He sought to burn Symon with his black flames. 

"Die, Symon!" 

"Oh, I am afraid I have to refuse, sir," replied Symon, twisting the arm of the enemy. 

"Ah!" winced Flame Mask as it hurt. It was the first occasion during his venture into this island he had experienced pain. "How?" he wondered. 

Symon watched his hand get covered in embers. "Wow, it sure is hot," he reacted in amazement, leaving his hand. 

"Just what are you made of?" questioned Flame Mask when he realized his flames had no effect on him, still struggling in pain after he leapt away from him. 

He pointed his palm at Symon and aimed to burn him with a flame-throw. A massive wave of flames erupted out of his palm and engulfed the entire region around Symon and even beyond. "How would you save yourself now?" he commented as a mock.

Suddenly, he felt someone's tap on his shoulder. "Huh?" He turned and discovered it was Symon, standing behind him with a subtle smile. 

"You should not flirt with fire," Symon advised. "It might burn you."

Flame Mask twisted his torso and aimed his hand behind himself. He exerted a substantial amount of firepower in his flame attack, as he had joined both his hands this time. He expected Symon to get charred this time. There was no one who could withstand this immense firepower. "What do you say now, Symon?" He lowered down his arms to view the dead leader of The Outliers. However, he found nobody, and noticed a presence behind him. He hastily turned in reflex to strike him, but he received a powerful kick to the side of his neck, which caused his flames to fade away for a moment. His body bent upside down just through the sheer force of the kick and struck the ground. 

Kenny saw his face for a split second when his flame blew away and recognized his face. "It is… him." He realized Flame Mask to be the investigative officer who had appeared to investigate in Tangent's house. "So, he was not a real officer."

"How?" reacted Flame Mask after realizing the gap in their strength. "I can not engage with you longer."

Symon was about to pound him beneath his feet when the enemy fired a blast at Kenny while still remaining on the ground. Symon swiftly carried Kenny away to protect him from the fire blast, which allowed the enemy to take the opportunity to prepare himself for an escape. 

"I will return for your head, Symon," declared Flame Mask, blasting the metal ceiling above his head and flying away after an explosion beneath his feet. But before he blasted away, he said his parting words to Kenny. "Exceptional, if you want to avenge them, come at me. Kill me if you can."

Symon carried Kenny away to save him from the wreckage crashing from above. "I will be waiting," he muttered. He glanced at Kenny and smiled. 

Kenny listened to the enemy, clenching his fists. He then stared at Symon's face and thought, "So, he is Symon Dyne, the leader of the organization. He is strong."

***

Symon placed him down, leaning his back against the wall, and gave him his hood to wear. "It is not appropriate for young men to roam around unclothed. It feels embarrassing." 

After a while, Pupu arrived with her rescue team.

"Your own Pupu is at your service!" She greeted Symon and proceeded to her duties. She checked Cosant and concluded he was no more. She placed a white sheet over his face, and her men carried him away. Scribble Mask was also dead.

The man who examined the giant skultar shouted, "He is still alive!" 

"Him being a skultar saved his life," reacted Symon. "Human bodies are fragile," he added when he looked at Cosant being carried away. 

"Shut the f**k up."

"Huh?" Symon could not understand this enraged response. He could observe a fermented rage inside Kenny, which could explode any moment. "Pardon?" 

Kenny scowled at him, his eyes in rage. "If you had only arrived earlier, Uncle Cosant would have been alive. Where were you when they put their lives on the line fighting the enemy?"

"I know you are in pain," responded Symon, lowering his tone. "I understand how it feels when you lose someone close to you."

"Then why did you not…" Kenny was about to cry, but he saw Tangent being carried away on a stretcher. 

"S-Stop here. I-I want to t-talk t-to Kenny," Tangent stuttered. The people carrying him stopped near Kenny and Symon.

Symon wrapped Kenny's arms around his shoulders and brought him closer to the old man. 

Kenny's eyes flooded with tears when he viewed the burnt body of the old man. He had also lost his limb. 

"Kenny…" uttered the old man with the last remnants of his breath. "Our time is over. I and Cosant entrust everything to you now."

"No, do not say that," Kenny argued, overflowing with emotions. "You will be okay."

"Kenny," continued the old man, "it is time. Get stronger and avenge us. Help Symon create The New World. A world without injustice. My world. Our World." He took a hold of Kenny's hand. "Create it with your own hands… I leave everything up to you now… uh…" Suddenly, his grip loosened and his hand dropped. His eyes turned lifeless.

Kenny sobbed. Tears draining down his cheeks like a waterfall. 

Symon closed Tangent's eyes with his hand, before Pupu covered his face with a white sheet as well. 

"Rest well, my friend," Symon expressed. "I will never forget your contribution. Your heroic sacrifice will be cherished forever." He looked at Kenny, who sobbed relentlessly. "I am sorry for your loss."

They carried the old man away. 

Kenny wiped off his tears after a moment. His expression transforming into a resolute one. "I promise you. I will get stronger. I will turn your dreams into reality. Rest well now." He glanced at Symon.

Symon could see the fire in his eyes. He smiled and nodded. "Welcome to the team, Kenny."

***

They all departed the island on the organization's rescue boats. Kenny kept looking back at the island as it went farther. 

He had vowed to carry the will of the old men, and he was prepared to do so. The next phase of his journey was about to begin.

***

LATER

Somewhere in a lonesome alleyway, someone in a familiar limousine waited for someone. It was Hagambo Dryer who expected good news. 

Suddenly, someone turned up and knocked on his car window. He lowered his window glass and realized it was Scribble Mask.

"I am waiting for you for an hour," said Hagambo. "Have you brought his head? Have you slain my brother's killer?" He scanned Scribble Mask, but could see he carried no head with him. 

"I had promised to bring you the killer of your brother," said the masked man. "Here I am." He took off his mask, and it turned out he was Orange in the disguise of Scribble Mask. "I will take a head, but it is not meant to be mine."

Hagambo's eyes expanded in shock, and his face turned pale.