24: Audacity

"Huh?" Volta tilted her head and her face painted confusion. Sam turns around and walked away from her, leaving her confused. He said "I like you", right? Why? She wondered. After staying still for about a minute, she ran to Sam and grabbed his hand. She forced him to turn to him, her grip on his arm was tight.

"Woah, what's up?" Sam asked, a little surprised.

"What did you mean?" She replied with a question, her tone was sharp and serious.

"What do you mean?"

"Daisuki dayo tte nani sore?"

"Sore wa sore da."

Volta looked visibly frustrated. She gripped tighter on Sam's hand, he felt how much it hurt but he simply smiled. He took a step closer and raised his hand to her cheek, caressing her face gently.

Sam smiled, "someday, you'll get it."

She curved her brows, "why not now?" 

Sam giggles. "Can you let me go now?"

Volta abruptly lets go of Sam and lets him walk away before catching up with him.

Night fell quickly after the practice, Heath found himself to be on the roof of the dorm rooms. He hung his feet over the edge and was looking up to the crescent moon. Seeing the moon reminded him of Laura. Especially how he's threatened to kill her several times already.

"I should apologize to her..." He mumbled to himself quietly, feeling a little guilty.

"What was that?" A voice shouted from behind him.

Heath turns around to see the last person he wanted to talk to, Dan. "What do you want?" Heath said in an exasperated tone.

"You seem down," he replied, a little intrigue welling inside him.

"Yeah? So?" Heath replied dismissively.

Dan walks over to him and sat beside him, folding his legs rather than letting them dangle. He didn't really say anything that would make a conversation, he let Heath and Jon feel awkward. Heath felt a slight ick coming from Dan, fidgeting quietly. Cracking his fingers, scratching the back of his neck. He started gritting his teeth and growling like a dog.

"Okay, what the hell are you here for?" Heath shouted.

"Do you have something to talk about?"

"No!" He shouted.

"Then I'll just sit here with you," he said, not even glancing at him.

Dan gazes at the crescent moon, "tsuki ga kirei, deshou?" He smiled, looking at Heath. Heath turns to Dan with a face of absolute disgust. "Nanda? Kimoi," he said.

Tsuki ga kirei, deshou? = The moon's pretty, isn't it?

Nanda? = What?

Kimoi = Gross/Disgusting

"What?" Dan shrugged, "I'm not lying."

Heath blushes slightly, "I don't even like you that much, what the hell?" He shouted in refutal.

Dan was lost, "what did I say?" He didn't understand why Heath was acting the way he was.

"Are you saying you don't know?"

"No...?" Dan replied, confused. "If I did, would I be asking, dumb ass?"

"Calling the moon pretty is a way of saying I love you."

"What...? How?" Dan couldn't find how it was mistranslated as so, since they are vastly different words written very differently.

"Some student in Japan translated I love you incorrectly, and his teacher thought it was a poetic way of saying I love you."

"How... Do you know this?" Dan was confused on this random knowledge Heath knew off the top of his head.

Heath blushes a little, then he pouts. "I've used it before," he said in a low bashful voice. 

"Who the hell would fall for you?" Dan laughs, jokingly.

Heath threw his face aside and sighed in annoyance loudly.

"Was I right?" Dan asked.

"Oh, shut up," Heath said as he pushed Dan away from him.

Then the air was thick with silence, awkwardness for Heath. He kept catching glances at Dan, not knowing what to do in the situation. He was enjoying his lone time until Dan came and rained on his parade.

Out of nowhere, Dan leaned his head to Heath, resting his head on his shoulder. Heath's body tingled in disgust and felt his space invaded. He folds his right and and sends his elbow behind Dan's head, knocking him over the edge and falling to the ground. Heath didn't even bothered checking if he was alright. Sounds of ice freezing was heard as Dan was on his butt rubbing the back of his head on a rising pillar of ice. Next to Dan's pillar was Nate who erected it.

"Itai naaa.." Dan said through gritted teeth.

"Why are you here?" Heath asked Nate, visibly getting more irritated.

"You dropped him," Nate shrugged.

"He fell by himself."

"Usokenaaaa!"

Usokena = Liar

Heath rolled his eyes and asked again, "what are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd talk with you, but then I saw him falling."

Dan stood up on the ice and leaped to the dorm roof, Nate did the same. "Thanks for that, Nate."

"It's... Nathan..." He mumbled.

"Hanashitai ga nanda?"

"I want to ask," he stood next to Heath, looking up to the crescent moon. "How did you get so strong?"

"He cheated," Dan stated while rubbing the back of his head.

"Dan, I know," Nate sighed, then continued, "but, how?"

"Blue book, I think."

Hanashitai ga nanda = What do you want to talk about?

Heath stood up and was ready to jump off the roof and leave, "if that's what you wanna know, you're wasting your time," Heath said, coldly. As Heath took a small hop off the roof, he didn't fall. He simply floated. He looked down, then behind him. "Nanda..." He then realizes something, he looks at Dan with pissed off expression. "Hanashite!"

"Muri."

"Jaa, oroshite!"

Hanashite = Let me go

Muri = No way

Jaa, oroshite = Fine, put me down

Dan moved Heath more to the center before releasing him to prevent him from leaping. Heath drops on his feet. Dan stands, Nate turns and the two approached Heath together. Heath immediately dashes forward, passing the two. As he took off the roof, he was floating again.

"You really tried that," Dan laughs in surprise.

"Fuck..."

Dan moved Heath even further to the middle, the two then stand close together. Creating a small blockade that he'd have to maneuver around or over.

"It's because I have reason," Heath said as he dropped to his butt, one knee lifted, becoming a rest for his right arm.

"Reason?"

"A reason to fight," Heath clarified. "Having a reason to fight shapes your wavelength, by literal means, your soul. Once that's shaped, all you need is a better understanding of yourself."

"I don't buy that's the only thing you need to get a spell like that," Nate shook his head.

"You're referring to Oblivion Incineration?"

"That's what you called it?" Dan scoffed.

"It was half my idea," Heath replied, feeling a little embarrassed. "I got it when I was seven, okay?"

"Who's the other half?" Nate asked.

"His name's... Vehemence the Flame."

"Vehe- what?"

"Vehemence."

"Who is that?"

"Some fire entity in the Pantheon of Fire."

"Pantheon of Fire?" Dan repeated, confused. "Explain from the top," Dan thought it was too hard to follow.

"In the Blue Book that my family kept, it had spell called a Calling Spell. It is used to call upon beings that are classified as Gods. It's basically like applying for a college. You send an application and wait for a reply of acceptance. If you're accepted, you get a dream where you have a clear conversation with that God. If they like you, you'll get a Cosmic Resonance. Usually granting a spell that can defy the laws of physics. My spell allows me to turn invisible as I accelerate with big and unpredictable intervals. Shino's seem to be that green flame. A spell that burns reality itself."

Nate and Dan stood there in silence, trying to process what Heath had just explained. The two looked at each other, "did you get any of that?" Nate whispered.

"Nope," Dan whispered back.

"You make friends with a god, get strong spell, got it?" Heath was pissed that he had to explain it in caveman terms.

"Oh..." The two experienced the epiphany.

"How can we do that?"

"Uh... Without a Calling Spell...?" Heath mumbled, he began thinking as hard as he could. "No fucking clue," she shrugged.

The two sighed in disappointment.

Heath got irritated, "how am I supposed to know!? I cheated!" He said, trying to defend his case. Unluckily, Dan and Nate just looked at Heath in even more disappointment. "What!?" Heath challenged.

"Nothing," Dan said in a mocking tone.

"I swear I'll kick you off the building again."

"Try it, pussy! You won't."

Just as Heath was about to leap forward and kick the absolute living shit out of Dan, an explosion erupted in the near distance, catching all of their attention. "What the hell was that?" Nate asked.

"Can't be good, that's for sure," Dan said.

TWO MINUTES EARLIER

Kai was standing alone, outside of the faculty office building where Cathy and Shino were in. He leaned near the corner with a cigarette in hand, burning calmly, emitting a whirl of smoke. He takes a whiff as he looks up to the sky and sees the majestic crescent moon.

"Are we really gonna go to war?" He murmured as he exhaled the smoke. "I wonder if the kids are gonna be ready for that..."

Kai then sees a hand coming from his right and it released a large explosion that was enough to cover half a soccer field. After the fire subsided and the smoke cleared, Kai held up his hands, a see-through force field protected him from the blast. Everything behind Kai was burnt to cinder, leaving trails of ash and dust.

"Not dead, eh?" Said Michael as he tilted his head to stretch.

Kai dashed forward after he flashed a bright light and a loud thunder that shook the earth. It meant to blind his enemies as he moves faster than sound. His fist drove to Michael's face but was forcefully stopped by Michael.

Kai tried to push his fist forward but Michael's grip on his fist was too strong. Michael had a wide grin on his face. "Majide hayai zo," he was impressed. So, was Kai. He never had anyone catch his hand before, not even Shino or Cathy.

Majide hayai zo = You're really fast

Michael spun Kai around like he was weightless, then threw him back into the building he just left. Thrown through the building, it certainly caught Shino and Cathy's attention as the two rushed outside of the building and encountered Michael. 

Michael looks up to Shino's mismatched eyes and smiled warmly. Shino was captivated by Michael's look. Who is this guy? He asked confused.

During that time, Cathy took the opportunity to body lock him from behind, lifting him off the ground then slamming down hard. She pins him down as she froze her fist with jagged spikes of ice, she drove her fist down. She hammered down repeatedly but Michael barely budges. His face was completely covered by molten hellbricks that shielded him.

"They told me you were strong," Michael said in an otherworldly voice. "Were's all that power then?"

Michael creates an explosion that blew Cathy off of him, he quickly stands up. Shino rushes in lifting his leg directly to Michael's head. His shin already passed Michael's hands. He lands the kick, knocking Michael off balance, yet he was unharmed.

"Said strongest is also weak, huh?" Michael felt offended.

Michael swiped his hand across the air, casting Scorching Veil. A veil of flames that obscured both of their visions. Cathy snapped her fingers and the veil was put out in a mere instant. But by that point, Michael was already behind Shino. He catches him in a body lock, hopping a step forward and lifting upwards. He wanted to land a suplex but Shino boosted himself with his feet thrusters that helped him break free of Michael's hold. Cathy leaps forward to land a roundhouse to Michael's back, he flicked his hand down and blocked it. 

Time Freeze, Shino casted. As time completely froze, he takes a good look at Michael's face. I've definitely seen him before... 

Somehow, Shino's spell was dispelled. Wha- Michael drove his fist, enveloped with the molten hellbricks, directly to Shino's nose. He was punched to the building near them. Kai, running to catch up got hit by a flying Shino. The two fell over, enveloped in agony.

Cathy lifted her right hand and points her index and middle finger upwards as every other finger was folded. She gracefully spun her hand clockwise, simultaneously conjuring a loop of water behind her.

And just like that, she's a different sorcerer, Michael noticed. Her wavelength is completely gone. In fact, I can't detect her at all. The only thing emitting mana is that wheel of water. Even then, barely anything.

Michael enveloped his arms up to his elbows, his legs up to his knees, and his face down to his chest with the molten hellbricks. His face actually grew open a line that shined bright orange, indicating his eyes. Then a short crown of horns etched to his head. "Turning up, I see," he pretended to be excited.

"If I'm going to kill you, I need this," she claimed

Michael couldn't physically, but he was sweating. Feeling nervous from Cathy's unnerving non-existing presence. "Shit..." He mumbled.

Before the Assault

"Michael, you'll need to be careful."

"Should I really need to?" He scoffed, feeling confident in his own ability.

Shujin shook his head, knowing that his confidence would lead him to his utter defeat. "Let me ask you something, Michael."

"What?"

"Can you track a person after they've teleported?"

"Yeah?"

"How long? How far?"

"Within... Fifty kilometers, I guess," he said unsure. "For how long... I don't know, not long."

"There's one sorcerer that could track me while teleporting," Shujin said. "She was able to keep up with me after I've practically traveled across half the continent."

"Half the continent?" Michael was shocked.

"She managed to catch up with me thirteen times, and each time she landed a fatal blow on me. Cutting me in half, stabbing me through the heart, beheading me, etcetera."

"Thirteen times, across the fucking continent? How?"

"I don't know," Shujin shrugged. "I was only able to lose her because I split myself down to my atoms."

"Down to atoms..." Michael chuckled, feeling in disbelief.

"Her senses are sharper than any sorcerer I've faced, so watch yourself."

 Now

Standing about twenty meters apart from each other, Cathy lifted her hand and creates a ball of water, Michael does the same as he conjured a ball of flames in front of him. The two held their respective balls and drew it back like a bow and arrow. Having each drawn fully, they couldn't go any further, their shot would surpass the speed of a bullet. 

My flame arrow would be like a sniper bullet... While hers might be like a tank shell... I'll let her dictate... Michael thought silently as he focuses everything into this one shot.

Conjuring the spell and drawing it back was the easy part, timing it was more difficult. They stood there in silence, staring each other down, for a solid five seconds that felt like hours. Their breaths were held, in order to not let the firing moment slip. Cathy released hers first. Michael reacted quickly and released his, thinking that it would just collide and create an explosion, then returning them to hand-to-hand combat. Cathy catches her draw and ducks away to the side. Michael's projectile flew past Cathy, then she drew hers back again and released quickly. 

What? Michael was trying to process what had just happen, at that point her projectile him directly in the chest. His impenetrable armor was chipped off easily. Creating crumbling cracks. Michael feels an upward rush from his stomach as blood began spilling from his lips, he felt his internal organs heavily damaged.

She broke my armor that easy. Yeah, I can't win this. I hope this was enough time, Shujin.

Like a coward, Michael covered himself into flames and disappeared. Cathy was about to follow his path but there was nothing to follow. As Michael literally went off-world.

BACK WITH HEATH, NATE, AND DAN

As the three were about to jump down from the roof, they sensed someone standing right behind them. They turned around to see a man in black and white. 

"Oh, fuck off..." Dan sighed.

Heath charges forward without a thought, casting his most powerful spell, Cosmic Resonance: Oblivion Incineration. As he begins to phase out of existence, he tried to cut right through Shujin's body. But no matter how or from where he slashed, Shujin was able to perceive his every move.

Dan reaches his hand out and grabbed Shujin's gravity and plummets him to his knees. Nate froze a pathway of ice right under Shujin, then erected spikes that impaled Shujin through his chest, stomach, and back. As he was completely immobilized, it was Heath's chance to slash Shujin's head off clean. Heath went back and forth to chop up Shujin's body to tiny pieces, however he couldn't make a scratch on Shujin's mask.

"Is he dead?" Nate asked, unsure.

"You think?" Heath retorted. "He's not."

Every piece of Shujin's flesh and his head glitched and returned to normal. He gives the three a curious look. "Have we met before?" He asked as he points at them.

"What, did you forget?" Dan asked, a little pissed off.

"Not you, Dan. The red hair," Shujin clarified.

"It's not red!" Heath shouted, "it's fucking orange..." He murmured.

"Right, orange hair... Are you ginger?" Dan asked in whisper.

"Wha-" Heath was completely speechless.

"Well have we?" Shujin asked again.

"I'll make you fucking remember."

The three got in stance and they leapt forward at the same time, charging as fast as they could to immobilize Shujin. As the three got in a one meter range, Shujin clasped his hands together and unleashed a shockwave that engulfed the three with an electric charge and they disappeared to thin air.

Shujin then jumped off the roof and entered the building normally. He then went to the elevator and pressed the button to call for it. It came from the third floor. After the elevator arrived, it opened slowly, revealing Sam, Jay, and Hiro. 

The three's eyes widened in surprise to see such bizarre choice of clothing. Shujin pounced forward and touch each of them at their chest, turning them all into electric charges that disappeared to thin air. 

Shujin then went to the lounge where Laura, Kris, Volta, and Vic were hanging out. Without a moment's hesitation, he touched all four at the top of their heads. The four didn't even have time to react.

Laura found herself in a weird cave structure with none other than the last person she wanted to be with, Heath. She looks around to see no passage way to the cave. An isolated place. "What the...?" She mumbled, perplexed.

"Shujin kidnapped us. I think the whole school," Heath quickly explained.

"Why am I stuck with you?" She pouts.

"I didn't have a choice either, okay?" He sighs, annoyed.

"MINNA-SAN, Irasshaimase!" Shujin's voice echoed through the cave, somehow.

"Is that an intercom?" Heath said in disbelief. "This guy's using the Blue Book for that!?" He got irritated.

"Welcome to what I would like to call, a Test Run," Shujin was in a cave with all of his crew, watching some hologram projection of everyone that got meshed together.

"Test run?" Laura murmured.

"Now, I know what you're thinking. Test Run ga nandayo? Well, my friend Ri-"

"Nakama janaizo!" Ri refuted.

"Nee, kare wa tomodachi desuneee..." Shujin laughs. "Anyway, it's to test out our new hybrids! Get to the last stage, and you'll get to fight it! Good luck! Have fun!" He said gleefully, he then turned dead serious, "try not to die." 

Minna-san, Irasshaimase! = Everyone, welcome!

Test Run ga nandayo? = What test run?

Nakama janaizo = I'm not your friend!

Nee, kare wa tomodachi desunee = Hey, he's my buddy!