1.16: The Zone!
An enormous barrier appeared before Franco, repelling the attacks from Rico and Kim Tam. They got pushed away but got back on their feet.
"Tch! What the hell is that?!" Kim Tam asked.
~ZONE PROWESS: EXPANSION!!
The barrier began to expand rapidly, destroying the buildings but keeping them within its diameter. But every time it came in contact with Kim Tam and Rico, they were electrocuted and then pushed away.
"DAMN IT! RICO, RUN FOR IT!"
They both began to run away, fast enough to keep their distance from the barrier. Franco kept expanding it to cover the entire district. Kim Tam went ahead to try and assess the situation. He noticed one of the demoniacs was not getting pushed away. It confused him until he saw a brick in its mouth, and the barrier easily let it in.
"So that's how it works, huh? I have to act fast, then!"
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Leah, Dazai, and Yaryura were fighting two of the demoniacs. Dazai covered it in a wave of water, and then Leah kicked it straight in two. The second one tried to run, but then Yaryura aimed her finger at it and then made a pulling gesture. It slung the demoniac back towards her, and then Leah finished it with another devastating kick.
THRASH!
"You're pretty good with your legs, Leah," Dazai told her.
"Thanks, I feel like my hands are useless compared to them, ha-ha."
They all gave a high five to each other but then felt the earth shake.
"Ugh, what now?!" Yaryura yelled in fear.
The barrier finally found its way there. Leah recognized it and held on to one of the bricks on the floor. Dazai saw what she was doing and copied as well, but Yaryura was too slow to react and got blasted away from the barrier.
"YARYURA!" Leah yelled as she saw her get electrocuted every time she came in contact with the barrier. Leah then kicked another brick toward her. "CATCH IT!"
Yaryura got back up, but the brick hit her right in the face when she looked up.
BAM!!
She stayed in that position for a while; then, the barrier went right through her. Dazai and Leah looked in her direction, hoping she was right. A twitch of her fingers relieved them both.
"Leah, you knew what that barrier was?"
"It's Franco. I recognized the color of his prowess. He did the same thing during our dreamworld countless times and during our dealing with Tedashii. So he taught us what to do against it."
"I see. So he is a force to not mess with."
"My face, it hurts…" Yaryura said as she began to bleed on her forehead.
"Oh, Yaryura, let me heal you."
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Rin, Ado, and Adrian were still wandering around the Central District. So far, no contact with more demoniacs or enemies at all.
"AT THIS RATE, I'LL GET OLD FAST!!" Rin exclaimed.
"That's not possible, Rin, you know that. And besides, we already got five demoniacs." Ado responded.
Adrian followed them from behind, still with so much on his mind. Out of the entire team, he was the only one who didn't forget what happened to Tedashii.
"WELL, THE GREEN ELF BACK THERE AIN'T WALKING AT ALL!!" Ado looked back at Adrian.
"Adrian, is everything alright?" Ado asked.
He stopped daydreaming. "Huh, oh. Yes, everything is fine." He said as he gave a dull smile back at him.
But Rin began to stretch his limbs around and began charging up spiritas.
"Rin, what are you doing?" Ado asked.
"I challenge you."
"What?"
Adrian was now aware of the situation. "Uhhh, guys, let's not do this right now."
"SHUT IT GREENBEAN! ADO! If you can kill more demoniacs at full speed than me, I'll do the guild chores for a whole week!"
Adrian was still offended, but he began to worry as Ado also began to charge up.
"No, Ado, please don't fall into his game too!"
"He wants to let me do the chores for a week, and I should let that SLIDE?! COUNT DOWN, ADRIAN!!"
"You have got to be kidding me. Guys, why don't we just-"
"COUNT!!! DOWN!!!" They both turned their heads and yelled at Adrian.
He gave the count without a response, and they both went full speed around the district. A battle of speed between Light and Thunder had begun. Adrian just sat down on a brick he found on the floor.
"And once again, I'm left behind to do nothing."
He sat with his hands covering his face, then heard growling from his left. It was four demoniacs that came for battle. "You have Got to be kidding ME!!"
Adrian then took a run for it while they followed him. "WHY SHOW UP ONLY NOW!!"
He kept on running, and they kept on following, and then he saw the barrier coming their way. He then stopped in relief and then turned towards them. "HAHAHA!! YOU GUYS ARE FINISHED NOW. THIS BARRIER WILL PUSH YOU TO YOUR DEATHS!"
The demoniacs stopped and began taking steps back. But when Adrian turned to enter the barrier, it electrocuted him and repelled him at the demoniacs. They were confused and tried to run into the barrier as well.
BZZZT!!!
One after the other, they all got repelled and fell near Adrian. He then exhaled and took a run for it. "WHYYYYYY!!!"
He yelled, running, and they shrugged their shoulders and ran after him. But as he looked back at the demoniacs, he stumbled over the same brick. He held it in his hand and then ran for the barrier. The demoniacs let him pass and followed him. But now, when he closed his eyes, he was right through.
"...Huh??…heh…HAHAHA! WHAT DID I TELL YA?!"
The demoniacs were all shocked, but then all scratched their heads and took bricks from some buildings. They stood still, and by surprise, the barrier let them in. Adrian dropped his brick out of disbelief.
"no…no…NOOOO!!!!!" He then began running again, and they just followed him.
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Motoroshi was walking back to his house when he saw the barrier approaching him. He kicked a building and put one of its bricks in his pocket as it went right through it, then called Felicia. "Felicia, why did you suddenly activate your zone?"
She didn't understand what he meant by that.
"What are you talking about? I didn't do any… wait. What… color is the barrier?"
Motoroshi got irritated, thinking she was joking. "Are you seriously asking me what color is YOUR barrier?!"
"That's… not mine..."
"Who the hell did this then?!"
She then cut the call. Motoroshi then dropped his phone back and just kept walking.
***
Near one of the buildings, Genti arrived with Suzuki on his back. They were tired and a little hungry. "Don't worry, Su. I'll take good care of you. We…just got to wait for Tedashii to come back."
Suzuki gave a sad hum back, and they kept walking. He then spotted an open coffee shop. "PERFECT! SU, WAIT HERE FOR ME."
He then asked Suzuki to sit on one of the benches and ran into the storage room. After a few minutes, he returned with a handful of snacks and water, which they quickly consumed to regain energy. Their faces were filled with smiles of joy, but just as they were about to finish, they heard the sound of a gun being reloaded behind them. Slowly, they turned around and saw a girl holding them hostage.
"Who are you guys, and what are you doing in my store?"
The barrier went through the shop and right through them as well.
"HUH?! What was that?" She asked herself as she turned around.
Genti then got up and kicked the gun out of her hand. "SU, FIND A PLACE TO HIDE!"
Suzuki then ran to the counter and hid there. Genti then charged up spiritas
~WATER PROWESS: WATER BULLETS!
Bullets made of water then busted out of the bottles and shot the way at the mysterious lady. She just stared at each of them, and they immediately froze.
("Shit, an ice type!") Genti knew he was disadvantaged and tried to go into close combat. But she had another trick in her. She threw the water in one of the bottles at him.
~ICE PROWESS: HELL FROST!
CRRSH!!
Genti couldn't move a muscle immobilized in ice. She broke some off by his face to keep questioning him, grabbed back her gun, and sat on a chair in front of him. "Now, I will ask again: who are you guys?"
Suzuki then got up from the counter and went in front of Genti. She was startled by his bravery until she switched on the light and saw how they looked.
"AWWWWW!! LOOK AT THIS CUTE LITTLE ONE!!"
She dropped her gun and went to drown Suzuki with affection. Genti stayed in the same state, just watching in agony. Suzuki didn't know what to do, so he spaced out as if he was just a doll. "OH MY GOD!! THAT IS SO ADORABLE!!"
She picked him up and laid him on her lap. "You there, the gross-looking one! He gets to live, but I still don't know about you." She said to Genti.
"GROSS LOOKING??!! YOU'RE ONE TO TALK!!!"
She then lifted her gun back with ice. "No, YOU'RE one to talk."
Genti hated guns more than he hated death, so he tried to cooperate. "Alright. My name is Genti, and he is Suzuki. We are one of the survivors from the quarts. Our boss…went missing, so we were helpless and hungry. THAT'S WHY WE STOLE HERE; now, can you please get me out of this?! My gills are freezing here!"
"Quarts? Which one?" She asked.
"Beats me. I thought there was only one." Genti replied.
"Alright. Well, my name is Kate. Part of the 2nd Generation of Natives, Kate Frost."
They all finally came to peace, but the door was forced open.
BAM!
It was thugs that had clothes with the Hajiman symbol.
"Well, talk about a notable store. This place is still in working condition, too!" one of the bandits said.
Kate put Suzuki down and then held the gun toward them.
"Who are YOU guys?" Kate asked before the man of the hour entered.
"Firstly, I hate always having to answer that question. Secondly, we are only here for the boy. And thirdly, we are Hajiman, the evil organization behind the apprehensions." Motoroshi entered the store as the bandits made way for him. Kate then noticed that he was referring to Suzuki. She then stood in front of him and began charging up spiritas.
"Do you guys seriously think I'll let you take this little cute boy with you? DEAD WRONG!!"
Motoroshi then took a seat and pulled out one of the menus. "Let's see what's on the specials today." He began running his finger down the list and then pointed at Suzuki. "Boys, would you be kind enough to get me that boy? He goes for a special today."
All the bandits laughed and entered to get Suzuki. Kate made a wall of ice, and Suzuki blew it back to crush them between the door.
"GWAAAAHH!!"
The guards were hit with it at a fast speed. But right before they were crushed on the wall, Motoroshi broke it in half with his foot. When he looked around, they were both gone and left Genti. "AH WHAT!?!? YOU GUYS LEFT ME!!"
Motoroshi then approached him. "It seems you were betrayed...how awful."
"Go jump, you creep!" Genti responded.
"I do have a proposal to make you. Why don't you join us? It's good to recruit more people during this tragedy."
Genti was shocked when he saw his eyes were just like Tedashii's. But knowing his loyalty, he spat out water bullets that killed one of Motoroshi's men. "I don't know what you have to do with Tedashii, but I am NEVER gonna join a guy like you!"
"Humph…Your choice."
Motoroshi then turned around and rear with a roundhouse kick that laid Genti unconscious. Then he pierced his finger through the ice to stab Genti in his left arm so he could bleed and die slowly, and they left the building. "Boys, find them...but make sure they come alive."