71. The Final Stand

'.....'= Thoughts 

"....."= Conversations 

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The shimmering veil of the Mirror Dimension faded, revealing Harry and his group standing silently in the shadows, just behind Pierce's teleporter, Thatan. Harry's sharp eyes narrowed as he moved with deadly precision. Without hesitation, he struck. The blue glow of the Rasengan flared briefly as he unleashed its power. Thatan, unaware of the danger, collapsed lifelessly to the ground. With the teleporter gone, Pierce's escape route was cut off.

At the same time, Wei, Mark, Emma, and Emily emerged behind the remaining Inhumans. Their movements were perfectly coordinated, a testament to their countless battles together. Wei summoned a glowing chain with a flick of his wrist, binding his target in place. Mark cast a subtle sleep spell that rendered his opponent unconscious without a struggle. Emma and Emily took down their targets with cold efficiency, their skills honed through rigorous training.

Still cloaked in invisibility, they remained undetected until Mark finally dropped the spell.

Silence fell over the room, broken only by the soft thuds of the defeated Inhumans hitting the ground. Pierce, watching in disbelief, froze for a moment. His eyes darted to Thatan's body, and realization hit—there was no way out.

But Pierce wasn't one to give in easily. His mind raced through escape plans, desperate for a solution. Before he could act, Harry stepped forward, his cold gaze fixed on Pierce. The air felt heavy as they faced each other, their shared history weighing on them.

"Harry," Pierce started, his voice calm but tense. "Your parents—"

Harry wasn't interested in hearing him out. His chakra flared, and the familiar spiral of energy formed in his hand as he summoned the Rasengan. He had seen enough stories to know that letting Pierce talk was a mistake. Without a word, Harry drove the Rasengan into Pierce's chest, the energy tearing through him. Pierce's eyes widened in shock, breath catching as the attack landed. He might have wanted to plead or explain, but Harry didn't care. The swirling energy ripped through him, ending his life in an instant. Pierce, who had once been a friend to Harry's parents and had betrayed them, was gone.

As Pierce's body fell to the ground, Harry stood over him, expression cold and unfeeling. The room fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the soft hum of the Rasengan's energy fading. He felt no satisfaction—only a deep emptiness. Killing had become a grim necessity. Each life he took blurred the line between justice and mere survival.

This emotional detachment felt like a blessing; he was not just avenging himself but also the man who had once owned this body, haunted by Pierce's betrayal.

Killing Pierce was both vengeance and release, a shared triumph over their past.

Mark, Wei, Emma, and Emily stood nearby, watching Harry with a mix of concern and camaraderie. They believed they understood his feelings, thinking that finally avenging his parents must stir a storm of emotions within him. They exchanged glances, silently resolving to comfort him and affirm that his actions were justified. They too had become accustomed to bloodshed, knowing that leaving enemies alive was a risk they couldn't afford.

Wei and Mark shared a look, a mutual understanding passing between them. They had all killed to protect one another, ensuring their mission succeeded without retaliation. The harsh realities of their world demanded it; they had seen too much and suffered too deeply. Emma and Emily, having dispatched their opponents with cold efficiency, felt the weight of the moment. They stepped closer to Harry, sensing the turmoil they thought lay beneath his calm exterior.

"Hey, Harry," Mark said gently, trying to break the silence. "You did what you had to do. It's over now."

Harry didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the ground where Pierce lay. The weight of the moment settled on him, but it didn't stir the emotions his friends hoped to see. Instead, he felt a clear sense that this was just another step in an endless cycle of violence. He glanced at the others, their faces showing a mix of admiration and concern, realizing they could never fully grasp what he was feeling.

"Let's move," he finally said, his voice steady, betraying nothing of his internal struggle.

Wei stepped forward, channeling his energy to open a swirling portal that shimmered with ethereal light. The familiar luxury of Mark's home awaited them on the other side. As they stepped through, the tension of the recent confrontation seemed to dissipate, if only momentarily. Wei closed the portal behind them with a flick of his wrist, sealing off the chaos they had just escaped.

Harry took a deep breath, grateful for the sanctuary. "Thanks for having my back," he said, his voice steady. He glanced at his friends, the weight of their concern palpable. "I just need some alone time."

Mark, Wei, Emma, and Emily exchanged worried looks, thinking Harry needed a moment to process his emotions. They respected his request, believing giving him some space would help him regroup after such a significant loss.

"Don't worry about me, I am fine," Harry muttered as he thought that they might have misunderstood him. He didn't want time to refocus his emotions or something...he just wanted to deal with the points he had been awarded with.

Actually the moment he had killed Pierce a system notification had flashed in front of him.

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Quest: Eliminate Alexander Pierce

Status: Completed

Reward: 50,000 points

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Due to the situation he had closed the panel without a second thought, and now he needed to spend some time in allocating his points.

Mark and the others nodded in understanding, sensing Harry's need for space, even if they didn't fully grasp it. "Let me show you to your room," Mark offered, his voice calm but supportive. He gestured for Harry to follow, leading him away from the group. As they moved through the familiar corridors of Mark's home, the weight of their recent battle lingered in the air.

Turning back to the rest of the group, Mark raised his voice slightly. "We all need a good rest. Go back to your rooms and sleep. We'll talk tomorrow."

They all nodded their heads at Mark's suggestion as they too were tried by the events of the day amd went to their respective rooms without Mark's guidance, stating that this was not their first time here.

As Harry after giving a nod to the rest, followed Mark, he felt a flicker of gratitude for his friends. They had fought beside him, and their loyalty meant everything to him. If not for them, getting the Tesseract and eliminating Pierce would have not been so easy.

Mark led Harry to his room, the familiar space filled with soft light and calming decor. "Get some rest, Harry. You've earned it," he said, offering a reassuring smile before turning to leave.

As the door clicked shut, Harry slumped onto the king-sized bed, the weight of the day crashing down on him. He took a deep breath, shaking off the remnants of the confrontation, and opened his system panel.

As he browsed through the panel, he finally found the long-awaited option. Without hesitation, he clicked on it. Another notification panel appeared before his eyes.

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• Initiate System Upgrade

• Requirements: 20,000 points

(Yes/No)

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Harry swiftly clicked on the 'Yes' option, and the information on the panel changed.

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Initiated System Upgrade

Time Required: 11 hours 59 minutes

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