Battle on Pontchartrain Lake

I stared out the window as we flew to Pontchartrain Lake. We were almost there. My first huge mission against a member of the Big Ten. I couldn't lie to myself and say I wasn't nervous. I was shaking. After defeating the Cyber Dragon, I couldn't possibly imagine what Barbara had planned.

"Ryder." Charlotte said as she watched me.

I looked at her then looked surprised as she pulled me to her and made me lay my head on her chest. "Char-"

"Shhh..~" Charlotte softly hushed me and rubbed my head. "I know you're nervous. We all get nervous in times like this...but you have nothing to fear.."

I nodded slowly and closed my eyes.

"If things get too out of hand for you...do not feel afraid of retreating. I want you safe at all times, I would sacrifice myself before letting you die." Charlotte said as she gently ran her fingers through my hair.

"I don't want you to sacrifice yourself.." I said softly then felt her touch my cheek.

"Then don't get yourself in that position..~" Charlotte said then softly caressed my cheek.

It was the first time Charlotte had talked to a male in such a manner. I was honored to be the one who she genuinely cares for. Charlotte holds a lot on her shoulders. She has a lot on her mind with the Black Market and Syndicates running rampant. I wanted to take some of that ease away from her.

I sat up and stared into Charlotte's eyes. They were so full of life...so beautiful. I could care less if she's nearly twice my age. I could care less if she was a cold blooded killer on the inside. I wanted her happy...

I gently placed my hand on her cheek then placed my forehead against hers. "I will...protect you all."

Charlotte closed her eyes and smiled. She pulled me closer then gently kissed my cheek. "I know you will, My Ace..~"

-----

A few hours passed and we finally made it to Pontchartrain Lake.

"Attention all units! Enemy combatants are in the zone! Ready your weapons and prepare for battle!" A woman warned.

I stood at the door and put on my mask then the Talent Symbol shined on the mask. I smirked and my terrifying presence was known. "No holding back...Magic is allowed."

Eliza's eyes shined and she licked her lips. Eve nodded and smiled.

"Dirty tactics are allowed." I said.

Rebecca smirked and crossed her arms. Noel rose her scarf and she became emotionless.

"Brute force is allowed." I said.

Wendy cracked her knuckles and nodded. Rhea smiled and put on her hat then bit the bottom of her lip.

"Alice. Bring your most powerful weapons." I said.

Alice nodded and carried her gun case.

"Let us slaughter them all and take back what's ours." I said then the Talent Symbol glowed a bit brighter.

Charlotte flipped her hair and smiled. "Drop the doors!"

The door began to slowly open and the enemy mercenaries looked up at us. I looked down at them and my coat flowed with the wind. I jumped out of the helicopter then unsheathed my katana. I landed on one knee then stood up.

"Go." I said then dashed forward.

"Open fire!" A man bellowed.

They all began to fire their bullets at me. I smirked then began to dodge the bullets.

'My adrenaline...' I thought to myself.

I began to kill some of the mercenaries with one slice then watched Rebecca run ahead of me. She parried an attack then punched one of the mercenaries in their face. She palmed their stomach and the force of the strike sent blew them away into a group. She held out her hand then Wendy slapped her hand, running past Rebecca.

Rebecca smirked and ran forward as well. Wendy dodged a strike from one of the mercenaries then Rebecca grabbed him from behind. Wendy struck him with an one inch punch, stopping his heart. Rebecca threw him into a woman who was running toward them. She twirled around, dodging a mercenary who tried to stab her. She grabbed his wrist, breaking it and disarming him then grabbed the knife and stabbed his neck.

Noel ran to the man and grabbed the knife and ripped it from his neck and threw it at a mercenary who tried to strike Wendy from behind. The knife went into the man's skull then he fell to the ground. She ran ahead then pounced on one of the mercenaries then took out her dagger and stabbed them multiple times before falling to the ground.

A bullet was headed straight for her, but a defensive energy wall deflected the bullet. I walked forward, adjusting my mask. I stood beside her and noticed another wave of mercenaries.

"Fools..." I said.

'My bloodlust...' I thought to myself.

Eliza and Eve ran forward. Eliza made the dead mercenaries into Undead Zombies then they ran toward the new wave of mercenaries. Eve stomped her food on the ground then clapped her hands together, performing hand gestures then two massive venus flytraps emerged from the ground. The flytraps began to release purple poisonous mist toward the mercenaries. Eliza infused her blood magic with the venus flytraps and made their mist stronger.

One by one the mercenaries fell as they inhaled the toxic fumes of the flytraps. I heard a sniper bullet and the bullet took out one of the flytraps in one blow. Eve looked surprised then noticed a man on the top of a building.

I looked in that direction as well and noticed a man with bluish green hair, golden eyes, and wore an assassin's attire. I noticed he wore a mask as well. The mask was a golden mask with a symbol on the forehead of the mask.

Charlotte grabbed my shoulder and looked at the man as well. "He has the Mask of The Fortune. He has something that was gifted to me and I want it back."

I looked at him and noticed he took aim at me. My heart began to beat harder then noticed the symbol shining brightly. He fired a bullet at me, and I dodged it, but somehow the bullet ricocheted off one the dead mercenaries metal plates and headed straight for me once again. Charlotte pushed me out the way and the bullet zipped to the sky.

"His ability deals with Luck. What just happened was pure luck in his favor. There is a way to beat him." Charlotte said.

"How?" I asked.

"The more luck he uses, the more tax he gets until he gets jinxed. How much initial luck he has is beyond me, but I wouldn't focus on him as much. We are still here for Barbara. We can always get the mask another time." Charlotte said.

"Well...he's focused on me. I can't just ignore him." I said then dashed toward his location.

Charlotte smiled at me then held her arms. "Just as reckless as Rebecca..~" Charlotte dodged a punch from a mercenary then heard Alice's sniper going off then watched the mercenary drop dead.

I dodged another bullet from the masked man then kept running toward him. The man stood up then unsheathed his knife and jumped down from the building and dashed toward me. He slashed at my neck, but I stopped his arm with a block. I went for a counter strike, but he vaulted over me then slashed upwards. He looked surprised when he noticed a katana block the attack.

Rhea looked at the man with her emotionless eyes. She kicked him away with pure strength. "Sorry it took me so long, Bubba.."

I chuckled a bit then adjusted my mask. "Just as long as you're here...it doesn't matter how late you were. Now let's see how strong he truly is."

The man stood up and smirked. "The Ace. Ever since I was warned of your presence...I have been waiting to meet you. But you aren't the original Ace are you. Yes, you are someone new."

I glared at him and equipped my gauntlets. "Yeah. You got that right, The Fortune." I noticed his golden aura surround his body then I heard a sweet giggle.

I noticed a woman appeared behind him. She was a woman with hair the color of gold and it sparkled in the light. She has red eyes and a beautiful smile. She has a thin lithe body with medium sized breasts. She wore a white button up shirt, yellow tie, with a black skirt. She also had on thigh high boots. Her accessories consist of a gold coin clip on her hair, gold rings as bracelets and a gold pendant.

"What the hell is that..?" I asked.

"That is the Soul of The Fortune. That is Luckie." Rhea said.

I was a bit surprised. This man had the Soul of a Love Demon with him. "How did he awaken her..?"

"My name is Benedict Chance. I am The Fortune. Your boss was so kind to let us borrow her masks. Tell her I am still thankful." Benedict smirked.

"That mask does not belong to you. It was a gift to her from Shiro. I suggest you hand it over!" I demanded.

Benedict laughed and crossed his arms. "You sound just like him. To think he was dumb enough to leave items as powerful as this in the hands of someone so worthless like Charlotte White. It was easy taking the masks from her. She's a total klutz. Nothing about her is interesting other than her Alter Ego. She's just some old hag with nothing else to do with her life."

I growled in annoyance as he talked shit about Charlotte. "No one talks shit about her and gets away with it!"

"Have I angered the The Ace? Come test your luck. You will see what a real awakening looks like." Benedict said.

I calmed down then closed my eye. I exhaled and opened my eye. A terrifying presence began to emit from me. "Let us dance."

'It's almost like he's an entirely new person. He also has an insane Alter Ego..?'

I ran toward him and went for a punch, but he luckily dodged my attack then evaded the next two attacks I gave. He dodged my roundhouse kick, but I hit him with a donkey kick. He grunted as he was knocked backwards.

'He's much faster...stronger...smarter. Way smarter.' Benedict thought to himself.

Benedict grunted and dodged Rhea's attack then I hurried behind him. He looked surprised then dodged my attack. He kicked me away then parried Rhea and went for a stab, but an energy shield blocked the attack.

I walked forward then ran toward him. I unsheathed my katana then began to clash with him. I dodged his kick and slashed at his leg, but he blocked the attack then jumped up and went for a kick at my face. I dodged it then he grabbed my sleeve and pulled me toward him. He went for the punch, but I blocked it with my hand then hit him with a headbutt. He groaned and recoiled backwards. His eyes shined and he smirked then looked down at me and took his knife out of my stomach.

I fell to my knees and held my stomach.

"Ace!" Rhea called out to me and hurried to my direction.

Benedict stopped Rhea then smirked as he held a gun to my head. "One move and he's gone."

As I stared at the ground, the voice in my head became more clear.

"R..y..de..r." The voice said. "Ryder!"

I looked up and noticed a beautiful woman in front of me. The woman had long blonde hair styled in a single braid. She wore a short battle dress with a golden chest plate and a golden belt, black thigh high stockings, and silver boots with a golden outlined design. Her eyes shined a bright blue and her beauty was immeasurable.

"You can finally hear me!~ I am Talenta, the Soul of The Ace. My job is to provide you with my abilities through a bond with you. You've awakened defensive power, but now you've got to awaken more power. That is where your true ability comes in, Instant Evolution. If you survive a life changing battle or are in combat which threatens your life, your body will develop powers and abilities for you. This is why The Ace is the strongest Mask. Everyone wants it, but I have chosen you." Talenta explained.

"Now stand...Your fight against Benedict has not been settled yet." Talenta said then faded away.

She didn't stay meaning I haven't fully awakened just yet. However, seeing her was all the boost I needed to stand up and keep fighting through the pain. I wanted Benedict dead.

'What is up with this guy..? He just took a fatal blow to his liver and he's still standing..? Wait no, this is Heartless State. He suppressed the pain..! This guy just becomes more and more interesting..' Benedict thought to himself.

"Benedict." I started. I smirked then looked at him. "I'm taking the kill here."

To Be Continued...