Way of the Galaxy

Some time earlier.

Akiol sighed as he entered the home. Entering his room he placed his phone on the charger and laid down. His walk was pleasant, but he found the time alone with his thoughts too much to handle for now. So he opted to go home and rest.

As his phone booted back up several notifications made their presence known. Taking his time reading them Akiol soon realized his Party was in danger. Whatever Jarvis needed help with was out of their control. Making his way to the gaming pod he familiarized himself with as much details as possible. Although it seemed there was a lot missing.

Regardless he entered the game and found himself in the Gated Arena. Mira and Givale called out to greet him, but his expression quieted them. Dashing through the area he quickly came across the forest and searched about. Wrock had left a scorched palm mark at the area he was supposed to enter, along with a video on how to bypass the ward.

An incredible foresight on his behalf, one Akiol was extremely grateful for. Eventually finding the area he followed the instructions and passed the ward on the second try. Jumping past the trees he quickly spotted bellowing smoke. With no other details he landed and took off. A beam of Aura following his path. His speed practically turned him invisible—excluding the bright Aura. The result of a complex footwork he created during those decades!

{Way of the Galaxy: Blazar Jet}!

Dashing across the village he eyed for any survivors. He spotted Jarvis' tames fighting against something. Changing his direction he aimed for the strange beast. Passing by it his speed abruptly stopped, his hand twitching.

The Chimera split in half and fell apart. The Sages stopped in surprise, "Akiol?"

"Is there anyone who survived?"

Extreok was the first to answer, "The one we came here with is over in that direction. He lacks the strength for this."

"Got it."

Without waiting he dashed in the direction pointed out by Extreok. Eventually he saw someone with flaming red hair. They were heavily wounded, and two creatures were reaching for him. Stopping their approach he placed himself between the two and reached for the wounded person, "Get up, this is no place to fall."

"The Chimera-"

The creatures had regained their arms and swung towards Akiol. He felt their approach and his hand twitched. To everyone who watched, he did nothing. For Akiol however, he unsheathed his sword and cut them repeatedly. Then placed it back in its scabbard.

{Way of the Galaxy: Photon Cutting Slash}.

A sword that cut photons of light, with it no light reflected off of it. Making an invisible sword with incredible cutting power. The Chimera split apart and the person grabbed his hand.

"Who are you?"

Akiol smiled, "The name's Akiol. Sorry for being late."

Lifting the person to their feet he frowned. His body was enhanced with Aura in order to properly execute the technique. Although not as drastic as the Form of Fortification, it still was an incredibly powerful enhancement. The fact that he still met resistance meant these creatures were far from ordinary.

Additionally. . . they have regenerated despite being torn apart.

Gear pointed past them and said weakly, "The one behind all of this is getting away. Please help."

"How much do they regenerate?"

"Infinitely."

"Great."

Givale and Mira appeared on either side of him. Akiol said, "Handle these ones."

Mira extended a hand and his blood axe formed, "Yes Sensei!"

Givale formed a bow, "Easy."

The space rippled and the two along with the Chimera disappeared. Most likely forcefully teleported by Givale. Akiol unsheathed Stars and located the person pointed out by Gear. Narrowing his eyes he murmured, "Third Stage eh? Been meaning to try myself against one."

Harold turned to face Akiol, upon noticing his Chimera gone he warned, "Do not try it."

"You're the one responsible for all this destruction?"

"Unneeded destruction. If it wasn't for you all meddling it wouldn't have turned out like this."

"Yet you didn't stop."

"Do not lecture me."

Extending out his arms he formed several projectiles of blood. Swinging his arms forward they shot towards Akiol at an incredible speed. Silver Aura extended from Akiol's body, moving slow as if incredibly thick. His hand blurred and lines of Aura connected between the projectiles, spreading quickly like glass cracking.

{Way of the Galaxy: Constellation}!

Twirling Stars in his palm the lines of Aura brightened, exploded, and all the projectiles scattered in different directions. Taking a few steps forward Akiol gauged his opponent. The pressure of a Third Stage was there, but the feeling of an expert wasn't. So either his opponent was skilled at hiding, or he was gifted the strength of a Third Stage somehow.

Harold frowned, "You're not simple. You're a newcomer, why bother interfering?"

"My friends are in danger, do I need another reason?"

"Childish."

Akiol absorbed Stars' scabbard and dispelled it into his offhand. Crouching slightly into a stance he braced himself. Harold dashed forward and threw a punch, a straightforward move with strength alone. Dodging this attack by ducking Akiol's hand twitched and a thick cut formed across the flesh-like armor.

{Way of the Galaxy: Photon Cutting Slash}!

His wound regenerated in an instant. Harold grit his teeth and delivered a flurry of rapid blows. As his punches were thrown forward tiny sparkling dots of Aura appeared. Like looking at the sky at night these dots looked like the countless stars in the sky. They twinkled and Harold found hundreds, if not thousands, of cuts forming on his arms.

{Way of the Galaxy: Countless Stars}!

Akiol smiled faintly, it seems luck was shining on him. This person was merely granted the strength of a Third Stage. Their combat was incredibly simple and easy to read.

Harold now realizing the threat that was in front of him, leapt backwards to increase the distance. To keep his advantage in power he launched forward several projectiles and tendrils. Akiol turned into a beam of Aura as his speed increased dramatically. Thin lines bounced between the projectiles and caused them to be directed elsewhere. The beam of Aura that followed Akiol's path bounced through the tendrils, weaving through like wind. Akiol's figure came to sight as he appeared hovering over the ground and close to Harold. Aura thickened at Stars and he swung horizontally.

The range between he and Harold was much too large for the swing to actually hit. Yet Aura extended out and cut through Harold and the tendrils. The Aura formed a ring around Akiol, its size was incredible. Additionally it was in the shape of a Spiral Galaxy, slowly spinning as it began to fade.

{Way of the Galaxy: Density Wave}!

Gear couldn't fathom it. There was no doubt Harold was stronger than the Chimera, but this person was fighting him completely overwhelmed Harold! It was a stunning sight to see!

Just who was this Akiol person?

Harold's wounds regenerated in an instant. Stepping back out of fear he weighed his options.

Akiol landed, the last of the Aura vanished as he hit the ground. The regeneration was incredible, since that was the case he would need a lot of power in a singular moment. Since that was the case. . . He would need more than the Form of Fortification.

Energy crackled as he activated Stars' Berserk Skill. The purple halo appearing, power surging through his body. The Aura reinforcing his body skyrocketed, increasing in thickness and size. Crouching down Akiol dashed forward. Appearing behind Harold a small black hole formed at Stars' tip. Expanding outward it slammed into Harold and began erasing a lot of his body before knocking him upward.

Akiol turned into a blur as he jumped towards him. Appearing on the opposite end Akiol kept his height with Aura. Flicking his sword he caused a massive explosion of Aura at Harold's location. It expanded outward in a spherical shape, spinning slowly while producing a high pitched whine.

{Way of the Galaxy: Supernova}!

With a flip of his sword he then sheathed Stars. The supernova then slowed and began to condense. Becoming smaller and smaller while maintaining the extreme amount of power it held. At a certain point it struggled to shrink further, rapidly expanding and shrinking slightly made it look like it was twitching.

{Way of the Galaxy: Nebula}!

Akiol landed and watched from afar, a frown on his face. Power on this level wasn't enough either. Although he could match the gap with the difference in Skill, he was still lacking in terms of firepower.

"I don't know if my Aura will be able to handle increasing the power. . ."

Shaking his head he gripped Stars again, "Rather it's more beneficial to buy time."

The nebula shattered and Harold fell to the ground. His body almost torn beyond recognition. However all his wounds regenerated before he even touched the earth. Landing with a small boom Harold extended his hand, "Thanks to that I've learned more of what I can do."

Akiol eyes narrowed, but then the ground arced with red energy. Upon touching Akiol it coursed through his body and froze his limbs. It was like his every being was focused on purging the energy, and not listening to his commands. As he was unable to move flesh arose from the ground and encompassed him. Like a lotus closing in around him but lacking all the beauty of one.

'Akiol!' -Stars

The flesh sealed shut and the once powerful Aura was nowhere to be seen. Gear collapsed to his knees. Even after all this there was nothing that could be done. He failed, after all this struggle he failed.

All the villagers, the ones he helped, the ones who helped him. He couldn't protect them. Because of him everyone is dead, including Lemon. Once again he failed to protect the things he cared about.

"Oh Alice, what do I do?"

-<>-

Alice was. . . a sun.

A brilliant cheerful smiling pierce of joy. More importantly, she was Gear's little sister.

Their parents were rarely available. Always fighting, always screaming. For them it was the most terrifying thing possible. Leaving them with only each other. To Gear he did everything possible to make sure she was safe. For Alice, she provided him with the strength needed with her smiles.

Together they could take on anything, at least he thought.

One fight grew a little too extreme, and accident happened and the two of his parents ended up dead. After that it became a blur. The sorting of their funerals, the issue of Gear and Alice themselves. It proved to be a problem.

Eventually they were taken in by a family, one that truthfully did care for them. Eventually Gear and Alice learned to enjoy such things. Life was finally looking up.

Then Alice was overcome with a deadly sickness.

She was hospitalized for so long. Gear spent a majority of his time visiting her, constantly chatting with her. Trying his best to protect her from something she had to face alone.

One time he entered, and she seemed even more worse. Nothing but skin and bones. Yet she looked out the window with a sense of peace. As if coming to terms with something.

Holding the bitterness in his heart he took a chair next to her bed, "Alice! I brought those things you asked for. I had to sneak past the doctors for this."

She smiled, as brightly as ever, "Let me see!"

Pulling out a notebook and several colored pencils, "Tada!"

Placing them on the bed he watched as Alice opened the book and began to doodle, "It's so boring here! They don't let me do anything."

"I know. I tried to talk to them but I can't do much."

"But you gave me these!"

Gear wryly smiled, "I suppose so."

Sitting in silence Gear listened to the sound of pencil on paper. He felt no boredom. Rather he was enjoying every second of his time. Watching Alice happily doodle was enough for him.

"It's done!"

"What did you make?"

"Take a look!"

A decent drawing of a character holding a wrench was shown. What caught his eye almost immediately was the flaming red hair, "Who is this?"

"A Hero! Someone who tries too hard to fix everything."

"Oh? Does he every succeed?"

". . ."

"A no is it?"

"He can't fix this."

"That wouldn't make him a hero then."

Alice shook her head, "That's not what a Hero is."

Inhaling sharply Gear asked, "Why the red hair?", in an attempt to shift the focus.

"So you can know who they are instantly!"

"I think it's missing something."

"It is?"

"A sidekick. No Hero is good without their trusty sidekick."

"Oh yeah!"

Alice went back to doodling. Happily using the pencils as if it was the greatest thing in the world. Gear felt his body slump, he couldn't stand much more of this. She wasn't getting any better, and it pained him to come to this reality.

His watch beeped, startling him out of his daze, "Ah, I promised to meet with someone. I have to go before it's too late."

"Will you be back tomorrow?"

"Of course! Then you can show me the Hero's trusty sidekick. I'll leave these here, don't let the doctor take them alright?"

"Okay!"

Gear smiled and left, slowly clicking the door shut he made his way to his plans. An action he would regret for far too long.

For that night, a few hours after he left, Alice died alone.