"Good luck in your matches, Midoriya, Tennyson." Yaoyorozu said, trying to contain all her emotions.
A translucent pink dome had manifested around her, and Gwen was floating just next to her… with a magic book, as ludicrous as that sounded.
So this… This was really going to be it, right? Her chance?
Seeing Tennyson and Midoriya then give her a thumbs up, felt like a jolt to her system–
Gathering her strength, and wiping the cold sweat on her face, she took in the warmness of the compound.
Gwen raised her arms. "Eo Recentia."
She raised her hand to wave–
Everything suddenly flashed white.
It was scary, feeling all five senses suddenly return empty… only to then appear at the second floor of a parking lot.
Instinctively, she looked up to Gwen again, and found her floating there. Only then did her sense of feeling tick back in again… starting with her pounding heart, feeling cold.
"Ugh…" As the bubble dispersed, Gwen also came down.
"Ms. Tennyson!?" Yaoyorozu caught her.
Gwen shook her head. "Ms. Tennyson is my– Ugh, nevermind, call me Gwen."
As strength returned to her, Yaoyorozu let her go with a soldier's efficiency.
"Teleportation hangovers really *are* the worst."
Yaoyorozu gave her a second to recompose. In the meantime, she looked around with adrenaline pumping through her veins. However… she saw no one to fight.
"And… may I ask where we are? Where are Kevin and Ingenium?"
Gwen directed her eyes to the same sights, putting her spell book away.
"I thought it would help if we surveyed the situation first." She stated. "If we teleported to him, we would already be in a firefight."
The headache of hers then subsided enough, Gwen put her hands on the temples of her head. "Now, to get to sensing them…"
Yaoyorozu heard a winded twinge in her tone however, and couldn't help but be concerned.
"I… I think perhaps we could ask Mr. Levin to take us back to the festival on the trip back. It should be easier on you–" She blurted out.
"No." Gwen lowered her hands. "Not unless we want a bunch of confused heroes at the school's gate, we can't."
Yaoyorozu's eyebrows went up. "Right…" she said. Her head lowered, self-reproaching. "You're right, I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Gwen tried giving a reassuring smile, before putting her hands on her head again. "I knew this was going to be a two-way spell, not to mention the upcoming fighting we will have to do."
And even with her exhaustion… Yaoyorozu felt a dignified air surrounding Tennyson's cousin.
"If I wanted to take it easy, I would have stayed in America." Gwen closed her eyes again. "I'm prepared to do whatever I can."
Yaoyorozu clenched her hand. That last line felt like a small knife digging through her skin…
"Ms. Te– Gwen had to shoulder a lot of the burden by coming here. Both the tracking and transportation are thanks to her ability." She thought before reaching for the front of her jacket. If she was ready, Momo knew she had to be too.
"To do what I can… and maybe even more." She thought, as Gwen found herself getting a beat on their location.
She tried her best to not hum–
"Excuse me, Ms. Gwen?" Yaoyorozu said. "Could I get a shield?"
"Just Gwen is fin–!"
The second Gwen turned; she saw Yaoyorozu taking off her jacket!
"Wait!" Gwen put up a square shield around her, covering it from all sides and setting the opacity to its maximum. "Yaoyorozu wha–?!"
"I just thought about it." the student replied from within the pink box… with a concise and steadfast tone.
The silhouette of her undoing her hair and sounds of taking off her shoes and sweatpants came through.
"The sports festival put all of our likenesses on television for everyone to see." She said. "So, there is a chance for my identity to be exposed as I am."
A pink glow covered her entire body.
"However, I won't worry about it. I can't afford to." she thought. "If I'm going to be of use, I have to do whatever it takes…"
With her shadow coming to a standstill, Gwen slowly lowered the shield. What emerged was a battle-ready Yaoyorozu.
Wearing a silver and black ninja yoroi with a black flak jacket, trousers, light sandals, and fingerless gloves; she stood tall and strong. Covering her hair was a cowl, and a face mask going up to above her nose. Apart from the steel staff reflecting the light on her back, she stood like an actual shadow.
"Looks pretty good." Gwen remarked.
"Thanks." A slightly muffled response came from her, as she also looked down at her outfit.
"This was Master Hamato's description for an authentic ninja garb." She thought, before taking off her fingerless glove to manifest another item.
It was a purple cloth, with two holes.
"A bandana?" Gwen asked.
"I believe it is called a hachimaki." She tied it over her eyes. "But yes."
With her eyes also obstructed, Gwen could almost feel how driven and anxious she was.
From under the purple cloth, it was almost as if those pupils that always reflected her doubts disappeared, leaving behind only the white sclera. The creation girl unsheathed her staff and checked it.
"Following from it, I assume it would also be most dangerous if we called each other by our names." She said, before putting the staff back. "So, as my codename… call me Creati during this mission."
Gwen raised an eyebrow, but seeing her stand up not so pensively, she smiled.
"Good call."
Yaoyorozu felt her cheeks warm up.
"Then…" Gwen took out her spellbook. "I guess I should dress for the part as well."
Honestly, getting to see it glow pink again, Yaoyorozu couldn't help but feel tantalized by its mystical aura.
"Then, for my codename, call me Lucky Girl." Her finger brushed under a set of incantations. "Vestimenta Sua!"
A twister enveloped her body in an instant, and she emerged with a black bodysuit, purple gloves, a purple utility belt. A black and purple cheshire cat mask completed the look.
"What do you think?"
Yaoyorozu nodded. "I think we look harmonious." Seeing as they both chose the black and purple color palette.
Gwen smiled at her, before letting the pink glow take over her eyes again.
Kevin and Ingenium's energies… and their struggles over a fierce fight… were both easy to sense.
With his life force veining, the hero was shakily zipping around.
"I'm not finished yet, Kevin." she could faintly hear from the battlefield.
Kevin had his much more annoyed scowl. "You have to make the end memorable, huh?–"
She could hear them. Countless bodies covered in steel hitting the ground–
"The knights!" Gwen broke her concentration.
Yaoyorozu instantly got on edge. "What happened?"
"I think I know why Kevin gave in with the charm." Gwen said. "This way!"
Platforms formed under Gwen's feet, and Momo took out a grappling hook. Away from the gaze of the public, they chose to travel from the skies but in the back of Momo's head, Gwen's premonition continued to blare.
"No, Yaoyorozu. I… should be there." Tennyson had said, and they objected for good reason. However… was that the right call?
Yaomomo looked at Tennyson's cousin, and saw her worried.
"What happened Gwen?.." She thought. "What did we set out to face?"
Minutes earlier
Stain came down with another two-handed strike using his katana.
Kevin quickly grabbed the building next to him and ripped a part of concrete, blocking the hit. He fell onto his knee as the hero killer growled and put his full weight onto the contact point.
The concrete started to crack under the pressure, but the ex-con didn't.
"HAAAAAAA!" He pushed back and got off from one knee. Using his momentum, he tried to hit the hero killer, but it was for naught. The hero killer jumped over and Kevin slammed the concrete block onto the wall instead.
With an animalistic roar and inhuman speed, Stain emerged behind him with two daggers. The swings missed as Kevin ducked, turned around while standing up, and threw a fierce uppercut.
Stain's air was briefly knocked out as he flew back onto some containers.
Kevin, taking advantage of the brief pause, took a knee.
"He's persistent."
"More like a sociopath." Ingenium remarked from where he still laid.
Kevin turned to the hero, raising his brows. "Oh Tensei, welcome back. Glad you could join us.
"Sorry." The hero remarked, as his body still felt dull. "He has a paralyzing quirk of some sorts."
"Could be related to the slashing or blades and stuff. Whatever, that's fine, just give me an idea on how to take this guy down."
Sneaking another look, Kevin groaned. That was his hardest punch, and the guy was already getting back up.
"Your best bet is to disarm him at this rate." Ingenium remarked from the ground, as the ex-con got to his feet. "As notorious as he may be, he can't have many more swords left."
Kevin sneaked a sardonic frown. Great, basically "Continue trying, but also, try not to be carved up like thanksgiving dinner in the meantime."
He felt his eyes widen.
Ingenium was… lying on his elbows, with his back straighter than before.
"Hold up, Tensei, you–"
"I've had enough." Stain emerged from the trash cans, taking out brand new knives! "You're finished, both of you…"
Kevin growled. "Yeah, whatever dude."
He lunged forward, and Stain did too. They were about to meet in the middle!
*VROOOOOOOM!*
Stain could barely notice it but in a flash of glimmering blue, Ingenium sprung back on his feet!
"Recipro… BURST!"
The engines in his arms went into overdrive. He rushed forward towards Stain and jumped right before making contact. Stain could only narrowly avoid the high-speed kick aimed for his face.
"Come on!" Kevin cried out, but Ingenium wasn't done.
He landed on his two feet and immediately bounced back. Spinning midair, he came towards him with a downward punch!
Stain instinctively raised his arms, blocking some of the hit as he got slammed to the ground and slid back.
"Nice one."
"Thanks…" Ingenium took his stance next to Kevin, standing with extreme difficulty. "Thought… we could fight… dirty for a change."
Kevin smirked in response.
"You're learning, Tensei." His pride was swelling up from within.
"You're never too old to do so." Ingenium added. "Now… let's make this an unfair fight!
However, the duo would never get that chance. Right as Kevin was about to stomp on the poor killer, a knight in shining armor faded in.
"Huh?" Kevin barely flinched–
"Ahhh!"
A red laser hit Kevin squarely in the chest, sending him flying back.
"Nailed him, sir!"
"Well done, Knight Banneret!"
Ingenium changed targets, as aching struck him in his side. The ones who appeared and surrounded them were Forever Knights. Was this a hallucination caused by the blood loss or something?
"Nope, Tensei." Kevin assumed his stance again. "This is very much real."
The one leading them had full-body crimson red battle armor,a yellow visor and two swords.
"Form up!" One knight drew his sword and raised it to the sky to shine. "Heed the orders we've been given! Protect, Mr. Akaguro!"
Yes, this wasn't any dream. Ingenium tried to stay on his feet.
"Mr. Akaguro?" Stain echoed it… right before he appeared before that very same knight, sword to his throat. "How do you know that name!?"
The knight was paralyzed with fear.
"Please relax, sire."
From among them, a differently dressed individual stepped forward. It was another kid, brandishing a brown bowl haircut and eyes. He wore a red tunic which had metal arm and leg braces; a belt bearing the infinity symbol; red boots; and a red half-cape.
The knight looked at the kid. "Squire–!"
The kid was fearful to the bone. Especially when the bloodshot eyes filled with determination looked back.
"P-Please release him sir." The kid said. "We're here to assist you."
Stain did no such thing. He was on edge, feeling vary of all this medieval force–
"Of course, he wouldn't." Another figure warped in. Wearing the very same armor as his brothers-in-arms coupled with an orange gown and the knight's insignia on his chest. Not to mention the gold face plate which accentuated his facial features.
"His instincts have been impressively tailored for the field, Winston." He cleared his throat. "Forbear, for his instincts at negotiation may have dulled. Especially against such formidable foes."
"And now things are worse." Kevin said, instantly unnerved. The ninja's visor glowed red.
"Who are you supposed to be?" Stain asked. It was tiresome to repeat himself, however today apparently had to be an exception.
Among the crowd, it was Ingenium who muttered in recognition.
"Enoch."
Kevin raised an eyebrow.
"Wait, Eno... How do you know him?" he said, taking his eyes off the enemies for a second.
Ingenium shrugged. "Me and my friends made a list before splitting up. And I happen to have some spare time in the office."
Kevin tilted his head. "So, you memorize a villain list in your free time?"
"It helps to not be completely rusty. Guess the knights took interest in us finally."
"Very bad time for it to happen too." Kevin nodded.
Trying to be sneaky, one of his hands went behind his back, secretly reaching into his back pocket, before finding the red and gold charm.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hero Killer. I apologize for our unannounced entrance."
Stain's muscles visibly relaxed. "What is your purpose here?"
"The same as you." Enoch answered.
Kevin however was focused on his back pocket.
"Come on, what did it say? Come on…" Now he rattled his brain. "I even memorized it last…"
His eyebrows narrowly shot up.
"Auxilium."
Enoch was taken aback, as was Winston, both faintly hearing him.
"What was that?" Ingenium asked.
Winston turned to his superior. "'Help'... in Latin, sire."
Enoch nodded and crossed his arms. "The stripling has lit a beacon then."
Ingenium was still confused, however. "Wait, wha..?"
His eyes went back and forth between Kevin and Enoch.
"Kevin, what did you–"
"Don't worry about it." Kevin said as he could feel his back pocket warming up.
Stain's eyebrows raised. A beacon…
The killer's gaze traveled, beginning from his first two opponents, the tens of individuals in shining armor. And…
His ears picked up sirens.
…all the ones currently on their way. No matter what they said, there was no trust involved with anyone here.
Especially after the mention of a beacon.
"In either case, this place has gotten too crowded." he muttered, sheeting the sword.
Enoch raised one hand. "Rest assured, Hero Killer."
Stain raised an eyebrow.
"My colleague will see to it that your business here is concluded."
He gave the signal… and in this circle made by Forever Knights around the two heroes, the ninja stepped inside.
It had a dual-sided yellow plasma blade drawn…and it walked up to the two heroes.
The gold mask was obstructing Enoch's face, however there seemed to be a hint of joy in his voice. Not one of sadism, or any particular amusement, but rather one filled with pride.
One which could only be achieved after a successful mission.
"And as for restrictions on time." A faint sneer escaped his lips, as from his black gauntlets, a trigger with a red button emerged. "The Forever Knights always have contingencies."
The button was pressed, and all fighters present were treated to a unique kind of fireworks…
One after the other, spread out all over the city, detonations occurred. Lighting up like flares all over the city, only to be followed by sounds of crashing and screaming.
Ben 10: Hero Force
Chapter 33
One of Those Days
Shivers were sent down the spines of all of them, except for the knights.
Kevin gritted his teeth.
"No–!" Ingenium turned around, away from the ninja.
The laser lancers cocked into action.
"No sudden movements there, bright eyes." Kevin said. "Or, you know, not *yet* anyway."
The ninja was still walking towards them, visor glowing red.
Enoch assembled his hands behind his back again. "I'm afraid you two aren't going anywhere–"
As if he were the wind itself, Stain had drawn his sword and pressed it against Enoch's neck.
The knights re-aimed their lances, as even their crimson mechanical ninja felt it fit to pause.
"You would put innocents in danger?" he asked demandingly.
Enoch wasn't bothered.
"No need for aggression." He stated.
With a brusque, bored tone unrivaled by anything else he had to endure, he continued to talk at the hero killer. "Our knights are implementing your preferences."
It didn't lead to Stain lowering his sword. However, Enoch chose to move all the same.
Cracking his neck, he gathered his composure.
"No *real* *people will be harmed."
"Down, mutant!"
One knight showed a girl down on the ground. "Don't you dare interfere…"
"You can't do this!" The girl protested. "It's our st–!"
"Quiet!" The knight backhanded her.
As two from the squad set up the explosives, the rest set up a perimeter and opened fire to store fronts, trees, and benches. Citizens ran for their lives in a frenzy like no other, however some… 'particular people' weren't lucky enough to get away.
The girl on the ground had blue tanuki features, with different shades of brown fur, blue bob-cut hair, and a fluffy racoon-like tail. She was wearing a red hoodie, a white shirt underneath and navy-blue shorts. She was a heteromorph, and now, her fur was standing on edge, her bright white canine teeth showed–
"Nazuna?!"
The knight's partner then showed up with a fox-like girl next to her, wearing the same school uniform.
"Sorry." the fox despaired as the knight threw them together. "I couldn't get away–"
"Are you two done here?" The two knights were approached by another, this one carried the infinity symbol on his shoulder.
Both gave a bow. "Yes sir!"
The commanding knight looked in the distance, at the blinking detonators.
"Good." he said. before turning towards the girls. "However…"
He turned around with hands assembled behind his back.
"Try not to make too much of a mess."
The two knights instantly bowed their heads. "Right!"
Nazuna held onto her friend's hoodie, as Michiru was trying to intimidate them. The two knights however drew their laser lancers all the same–
"Look out!"
They could barely react to their commander getting hit with a pink disk!
"Creati!"
Yaoyorozu and Gwen were coming down at them from above.
"I have them!" Yaoyorozu kicked one knight in the face, before turning around and elbowing another in the gut.
The armored mook reeled, right before he got his lights knocked out by an uppercut.
More knights started to fire at them, but Lucky Girl got in between with her shields. The two civilians whimpered in fear.
"It's okay, it's fine." Yaoyorozu tried to assure them. However, their gaze quickly shifted to the bombs.
Creati noticed it as well.
"Get some distance. Please move!" She gestured the girls away and moved to disarm the explosives, but these were unlike anything she'd seen before.
"Lucky Girl!"
Gwen lifted her head up from behind the shield. "Switch dance partners?"
Yaoyorozu tilted her head. What did dancing have to do wi..?!
"Yes!"
Gwen nodded.
"You're surrounded, Lucky Girl!" The knights didn't lay off their fire, however. They heard their plan, and they weren't planning to let them execute it. "Your day of reckoning is at hand!"
"Really? Does that day plan include a rope and a burning stake by any chance?" Gwen opened her arms to the side.
The shield dynamically expanded, before she clamped the edges back together, trapping all of them inside a bubble!
"Because that would be on brand."
Creati got in between, as Gwen eyed the beeping bombs, even as she winced due to the lasers. "Are you ready?"
She took out her staff…
"They're all yours then." Gwen said, before dropping the bubble and running off!
The knights, however, only saw red. They aimed their weapons at Creati.
"Seize her!"
Yaoyorozu stayed silent and kept her moves unadorned. Even as the horde rushed her, she stayed fearless… and as her dynamic blows hit their bodies one after the other, a silent burning fury accompanied them all.
With five down, there was only one left.
"Eat laser, pros!" He directed his lance.
Yaomomo uncovered her backhand in an instant, manifesting a metal plate to bounce back the blast.
It dazed him. Sweeping his feet, she then slammed her staff right on his head, knocking him out!
"That's all of them…"
She felt her eyes widen. "The bombs–!"
"Taken care of." Turning around she saw Gwen, lifting her hand and gesturing to the explosives sealed inside her bubbles.
Silently they all went off consecutively, but also contained safe and sound. The two girls they just saved, stood up.
"Thanks!"
"You're welcome–" Yaoyorozu answered.
"Are you a new hero?" The tanuki-girl spoke with stars in her eyes.
Yaomomo felt taken aback.
The fox-girl spoke nonchalantly. "She must be obviously. It's not like Shirou is the only hero around here."
"I know! But the way you beat them down with the staff, it was so cool!"
"No, we…" Yaomomo stumbled, unsure on how to handle the attention. "Um… Thanks for the enthusiasm, however I need you to get indoors… a-and away from windows."
"We're just not sure if this is over yet." Lucky Girl assisted.
The two girls seemed convinced.
"We will!" The tanuki girl said. "Come on, Nazuna!"
The two ran into the store inside. Yaoyorozu looked around, feeling her nerves settle. Benches and trash cans were knocked over, some small fires had broken out due to the blaster bolts, but all the knights were on the ground.
"Was that all?"
"In this direction, yes." Gwen responded. "The rest are scattered behind us but…"
Putting one hand on her head, she tried to sense them, but it seemed to only make her head hurt worse.
"Uh, they are just warping in, setting up bombs, and warping out of locations. It's a headache to try keeping up."
Her eyes opened up.
"For now, we should focus on getting to Kevin." Pink platforms manifested under her feet. "Willful destruction isn't exactly the knights' calling card. Something must have happened."
"I see." Yaoyorozu responded, nodding. However, it was as if she were forcing herself to move away.
"If we manage to stop them, these terrorist acts should cease…" the words dropped out of her mouth.
Gwen tilted her head. "What's wrong?"
"I just…" Yaomomo cut herself off, looking at the streets again. "I don't think it's right for us to leave people to fend for themselves. Against a threat such as the knights they must be requiring our help."
"There are police and pro-heroes for that. We have to let them handle it…" Gwen responded, as a lightbulb went off in her head. Yaoyorozu could see it too.
"This is a distraction." she said. "If Ingenium was also on the case, then he would have many sidekicks, and officers to help them… With these explosions, they are sure to be delayed."
The coin had dropped in Yaomomo's head too, but she just couldn't help herself being hesitant.
Gwen saw that, and sighed. If they could do both, she would want to help the people, no question. But they had to be smart. She took out her spellbook.
"We should go." She put both feet on the platform. "I have this spell that I could–"
Momo caught onto her pause, as a pink disk appeared in her hand. She looked behind her shoulder, seeing a knight with the infinity symbol reach for his own wrist!
A ninja star manifested from her wrist too, but the knight was faster! He hit the button on his armor, and all the knights faded away.
"They got away." she could say.
"A teleport beam?" Gwen said. "That's new–"
Another explosion went off. It reflected from Momo's eyes.
"That came from a farmer's market…" Yaoyorozu uttered.
"We need to go." Gwen stated, however Momo didn't move.
The location felt familiar to her.
"One of our offices had opened in that neighborhood." Yaomomo let her head fall to her hand. "My father said it was to take the pulse of the heteromorph com…"
Her eyebrows went up.
"Could these be deliberate targets?"
Her mind went back to the two girls they rescued.
"Kevin and Ingenium aren't heteromorphs. What if this is a separate operation?"
Without even looking at it a grappling hook manifested from her wrist, resulting in it stinging.
"I still have many reserves." She pulled her right sleeve back down and pulled up her left one. "If Ms. Gwen were to go, I should be able to at least–"
"Yaomomo!"
Gwen's call cut right through it.
"Sorry." She said, and lended her hand down to Momo as she stood on one of her pink platforms. "You ready?"
"But we..." Momo could say… before cutting off her own retort. She clenched her fists, and Gwen could very well see it.
"Understood."
Kevin, with his arms crossed into an x, skidded back.
"Huff… Puff…" he breathed out, as his metal arms almost fell to his sides.
With the wind starting to come through the alleyway, letting his scarf wave… the Forever Ninja rushed–
"HIIIIYAH!" Ingenium came out from Kevin's back, with blue fire bursting from his elbows!
Forever Ninja dropped onto his back, dodging his kick. Before the hero could regain his footing, it then pushed itself up from the ground and countered with a double rising kick!
Ingenium flew back with the impact, only for Kevin to jump and catch him.
Enoch, with his hands assembled behind his back, leaned towards Winston.
"How is it doing?"
Winston's look at the touchscreen was very scrambled. He seemed… rather out of touch, with one hand always going to fix his hair and his expression always stupefied.
"I… I think it's going well, sire." he answered. "Power output is only at 40%. All weapon systems are fully operational."
"How about the data inflow?"
"Several patterns have already been identified." Winston tapped the tablet. "That should smooth the energy usage even further… and I think it is directing the rest of it to our servers."
Winston turned the tablet to Enoch. The golden masked knight nodded.
"Good." He said, as he watched the battle himself. "That should serve the analysts well in the next tune up."
Kevin, despite the cracks in his armor, continued to close the distance. With his boxer style, he continued to swing his arms. His whole body seemed to flow with the attacks he threw out, stretching and balancing him around to carry the weight of whatever he used to strike with.
The Forever Ninja blocked an elbow, only to get hit by two kicks back to back!
"He's giving the inspiration that he's a hand-to-hand battler… but knows how to utilize every inch of his body properly." Enoch crossed his arms. "Prison seems to have served him well."
The ninja quickly got his balance back. Kevin, seeing an opening, tried to , it was prepared. Flexing its open hands, the ninja manifested yellow ninja stars–!
…Only for Ingenium to blaze forth and knock them out of his hands with a rising knee.
"The hero's life has kept him in shape."
The engines of Ingenium sputtered. "Huh–?!"
And that proved to be the ninja's chance to land a chop to the side of his chest. Ingenium fell to the ground once again.
"However, without the challenge of this life, flashiness has become his template. His actions… They resemble commercials of action figures. Flashy and boasting, however also static and wasteful."
His engines tried to roar again from the ground, only for the ninja to step on his ankle.
"Ah!" The blue fire on his elbows went out like a candle.
Enoch shook his head. "A pathetic message-bearer. That's what's become of him–"
Ingenium, refusing to stop, reached for his back. He pulled out a green suitcase which formed into a rifle as he completed his motion.
*Pew!*
It hit the ninja's visor, cracking half of it!
Enoch tilted his head. "Although...safe for his heart, it seems."
"Hey, tin can!"
As the ninja held his face, Kevin came from his blindspot and smacked him away.
Forever Ninja flew back, he tossed his plasma blade forward midair, hitting Kevin's shoulder!
"Ah!.." Kevin felt a surge of yellow energy tensing his body. " A restraining feedback?!"
However, it was only momentary. Just as quickly, his muscles obeyed him again.
Winston looked at his superior. "The lethal setting remains in reserve."
"Keep it that way." Enoch faintly waved his hand, before putting it back on his mask's chin.
"So, you decided to use the rifle!" Kevin remarked as Ingenium got a persistent smirk on his face.
"It was about time!" Ingenium admitted. "Now, get in close!" He laid down some cover fire.
As Ingenium emptied a whole bunch of energy bolts onto the robot, it turned off one side of the blade and started deflecting. It was like a light show and Kevin suddenly took the spotlight, dealing a blow onto the ninja's chest.
The ninja backed away, dodging the next hit, but a blaster bolt hit its shoulder.
"A pro-hero full of vigor… and a transgressor of equal permanence, working together." Enoch thought. "Perhaps they could get in the way of my master's plans."
With the endless barrage of strikes and blasts, they forced the ninja on the back foot.
Kevin then tried to sweep his legs, as Ingenium took aim–!
The ninja pulled out a kunai from its forearm and threw it with an amazing sleight of hand. It hit Ingenium's shoulder piece, making him miss–
"Tense–!"
Then grabbing Kevin by the collar, the ninja headbutted him, before kicking him back.
Both heroes panted with exhaustion. The ninja took position again. Ingenium pulled out the kunai.
"You better take five." Kevin said.
"No…" Ingenium could say, before coughing. "I got a little more–"
"... time before kicking the bucket?" Kevin took the lead between them. "Yeah, kinda my point."
Despite his spirit, Tensei was starting to shake, his left foot also making a red trail behind him… the one that just had a knife stuck into it…
"I got you into this." Ingenium said.
"Yeah." Kevin felt his anger spike. "And it became my job to get you out, so let me do it!"
From his feet, a stone armor conjured upwards to replace his cracked metal one.
"Come on, you overgrown roomba. Here I am!"
Enoch wasn't even faintly amused. Ingenium opened his mouth–
A small pellet fell in front of them, and suddenly the passageway overflowed with purple smoke!
The knights around the two heroes scrambled.
*Cough! Cough!*
"Knights! Stay sharp!"
*Cough Cough!*
Kevin's anger got replaced by a smile.
"What is going on, sire!" Winston had dropped the tablet, hiding behind Enoch.
The golden masked knight simply looked up.
Two girls, dressed in black and purple suits, dropped down from the sky. Stain narrowed his eyes. "More children…"
"The transgressor's cavalry no doubt." Enoch stated. "Later than expected, however inconsequentially so."
Pink disks manifested on the cheshire one's hands, as the other took out the staff from the sheathe on her back.
"What are you waiting for?!" One of the knights with an infinity symbol stepped forward, one hand raised. "OPEN FIRE!"
Instantly taking positions back-to-back, Gwen put up a pink dome around them.
"Creati, Ninjutsu door opening up in five…"
"Understood." she raised her staff.
As the knights let the lasers bombard, Gwen opened a hole from the top, letting Yaomomo leap up and then drop into their lines!
Ingenium was still lost on what's happening. "What in the–"
Kevin came right back and knocked out two knights behind them!
"Not the time to gawk, Tensei!" He said. "Help the girl!"
"R-Right!" Ingenium ran after Momo, despite the blood.
Kevin smirked, as he took his place next to Gwen, who had just dropped the dome.
"So, you really came." Kevin remarked, blocking one knight's sword, and pummeling them back.
Gwen made a shield and launched three blasts through it.
"Well… it sounded like you needed it." She said and gestured around them. Considering the fine mess."
"Yeah, I agree, it could definitely use a lady's touch. "Kevin grabbed one knight in the head, and kneed him in the face! "Speaking of messes, where's your cousin?"
Gwen opened her mouth–
"In the festival, I presume."
All of a sudden, the knights stopped attacking… Enoch approached before them.
"Gwen Tennyson, registrant to the arcane arts." He said. "How courteous for you to come and help your old adversary today."
"Enoch…" She said in recognition.
"Yep, someone really dug him up from that sleeping machine." Kevin muttered. "Pretty desperate move."
Gwen looked at him questioningly, as did Enoch.
"What?" Kevin raised his shoulders. "I know people."
Gwen didn't question it.
"In either case…" She turned to Enoch, with hands glowing pink. "I don't know what brought you back. But this will end."
Kevin palmed his fist.
"Took the words right out of my mouth." He said, before running ahead.
However, yellow shurikens rained down to the path between them!
"Ah, tsk tsk tsk." Enoch said. "Unfortunately, I can't be an opponent to the two of you today."
Kevin stepped in front of Gwen.
"Yeah? Why, 'cause you want to fuel the learning algorithm a little longer?"
Enoch's empty eyes… fell down onto Kevin.
"I figured it out, smart guy." Kevin gestured to the ninja. "You had this one fighting two-against-one with us so it could adapt to us."
Enoch's response was still a composed one.
"Well done, Kevin Levin." He remarked. "However, your knowledge in the situation hardly matters."
"Up until Ingenium took out that gun, it didn't." Kevin came with the snarky remark; however it was ineffective against Enoch.
Seeing that he couldn't get a rise out of him, Kevin felt unnerved. Crouching down to one of the unconscious knights near the bottom of his feet, he absorbed their armor's metal.
"Anyway bozo, what matters is that my partner was hurt before but now…" Kevin said, gesturing to Gwen on his side, raising her glowing hands. "She isn't. And it's definitely not a match for us both."
The ninja lit up both sides of its plasma blade. Enoch brought his hands forward and crossed them on his torso.
"You are mistaken." he remarked.
The ninja then, without warning, froze before them.
Mechanically, with glowing red tech lines emerging, its arms opened to their sides. It's once a dual-sided blade split into two… and both arms followed suit. Starting from the shoulders down to the middle finger, his arms split from the middle, giving him four arms!
"The warrior is at 100% power, sire. Lethal settings engaged!" Winston called out.
"Very well, squire." Enoch said delightfully, before gesturing to the ninja. "Please you two, now if you demonstrate for me the validity of your words."
Automatically two hands grabbed the yellow blades… as his other two arms grabbed the katanas from his back.
Gwen annoyedly side-eyed Kevin.
"Yeah, I know." Kevin said, putting up his fists again. "I'm dumb."
With the plasma blades kept at his sides, the ninja used his upper arms to spin the katanas like a helicopter!
Yaoyorozu dove into the crowd of knights.
"Stop her!" One of them gave the order, but she tried to be nimble.
Throwing her grappling hook to a roof, she got some air.
"Don't fight fair, Momo. Fight to win!"
She swung around and came down on one with a dive kick!
Jumping up, Momo then got behind one of the knights. Putting the staff back on her back, she grabbed him from under the arms…
"Don't shoot!" He cried out.
Right in that second, more smoke pellets manifested in her hand. Opening her fist, she let the pellets go, and then the knight in order to vanish into the smoke.
"Because of the suit, I can't make titanium shields."
Crouching next to the big green trash can, she bid for her chance.
"So, it is time to resort to other methods."
Making sure they lost her, she got back up, making more pellets–
"There!" One knight called out.
The knights fired, and she threw the pellets. Instead of purple smoke however, they burst forth with a violent detonation!
"What the!.."
Momo tried disappearing into the smoke again, only to swiftly appear before them.
"Remember the techniques!"
She pole-vaulted towards them. Hitting one with a flying kick, only to rise and hit another with a roundhouse kick. Then raising her staff, she spun it and hit one other right in the torso, knocking away their sword!
She looked around. As the smoke unraveled, all that was around him were beaten bodies.
"Phew…" She relaxed–!
A green blaster bolt zipped by her face, hitting a knight behind her.
"Ahhh!"
Momo instantly put up her guard.
"On-the-field lesson one!" She heard a distinct voice. "Always have someone watching your back!"
Momo turned around… and saw the injured Ingenium.
"Now, need a hand?" He asked, almost laughing.
Momo wasn't amused though. She thought about the lesson, putting one hand on her chin…
"Yes–?!"
Before she could properly answer, more knights engaged. Ingenium, kept trying his engines but they continued to sputter–
"Come on!- Ah, fine!" He turned his attention to the rifle instead, blasting knights down.
Momo remained as Ingenium's diversion. She threw herself onto one of the knights, quickly busting one of his kneecaps, kicking him in the face, and then sending him packing with a back kick, all the while making herself turn to other opponents.
"All in one…" Ingenium thought, his eyebrows raised. A smirk ran through his face, this teen was wicked–
Just then, his thoughts stopped dead in their tracks.
Using her hand, she parried the sword of another knight. They tried to strike again, but she blocked them using the staff. As soon as they pulled back, Momo went for a poke, stabbing and shattering the helmet all in one blow.
The air suddenly felt ten times heavier.
He could see her fight with impressive agility for her age, never taking a second to stop to rest, always straining herself… all with a burdened conviction on her face.
As the noise of combat fell on deaf ears, Ingenium cut through it with a muttering under his breath.
"Helen…"
As more knights came through, Momo retreated back.
Making more explosive pellets, she knocked down another wave of the knights and it managed to provide some breathing room.
"Creati, was it?" Ingenium asked, and Momo answered.
"Yes, sir… Ingenium."
Her answer was swift, and nervous, as made explicit by her fib. Honestly, even despite all the things she came to hear about, being in the presence of a real pro-hero on the field made her waver. Not to mention, he was a real plumber.
"I have to say… It's an honor to be fighting alongside you today."
She respectfully bowed her head. Ingenium seemed to appreciate it but was also remaining humble with ease.
"Same here." he said. "Though… I really would wish it were under better circumstances."
Momo tilted her head.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I, uhh…" Ingenium put down the rifle, and leaned on it like a cane. Momo could feel the apprehension intensify. "I-I just wanted to say, it's rare for me to meet famous people outside the hero sphere."
Momo narrowed her brows. "Outside the hero sphere?" She echoed… only for the coin to drop!
One hand went up to her hachimaki to check–
"Magister Labrid informed me, don't worry." Ingenium responded, raising a hand. "Other than Gwen, I heard there is supposed to be only one other girl in the team."
Momo hissed in embarrassment.
"I…" she lowered her gaze, trying to not face him even with her mask on. "I apologize. Tennyson himself wanted to show up, however–"
Ingenium held up his hand.
"That's alright. I get why he's unavailable." He shrugged. "My brother is too, as you know."
Momo felt like slapping herself on the forehead. Of course, he would know of the Sports Festival!
The pro-hero then cleared his throat and stood up straight. "I understand you're filling in for him. And you're doing great, from what I can tell."
He gestured to the beaten and battered knights around them. Momo did the same–
"Not even a scratch." She saw him point to her suit.
Momo looked again and… didn't even blush.
"I appreciate the compliment." she said.
Ingenium instantly noticed the muted reaction and tilted his head.
"It's in my best interest to at least attempt…" She said, slowly opening her arms, only for them to assemble back, clutching onto the staff. "...Even if the outcomes are only a fraction."
Ingenium… could see the adrenaline of battle fade from her body as she spoke. He extended his hand. "Ya–"
"ENOUGH!"
One knight pulled himself up, also possessing the infinity symbol on his shoulder. Momo instantly got back into combat stance, holding her staff with both hands.
"Must be a ranking indication."
From his cracked helmet, the knight looked livid. "I've had it… WITH YOU PEOPLE GETTING IN THE WAY OF MASTER ENOCH!"
Ingenium took aim. Momo started spinning her staff, taking position in front of him. It allowed him to see the forced tense state of hers, and… it did nothing short of paining him.
"DON'T EXPECT TO COME OUT OF THIS ALIVE!"
Enoch saw it all.
As his robot and men poured their hearts over his commands, he intently watched everything from the sidelines, not involved, arms crossed.
There was neither sighing nor shaking and puffing however, but only a slight hum that would slip out between his lips, muffled by the mask and kept to himself.
One hand of his raised to his chin, only to form into a fist.
If Stain learned anything from him, other than the fact that he and those who he commanded were an odd bunch, was that there was power but an irritating minimalism to his movements.
And like that wasn't enough, the child next to him was the complete opposite. With his shaky stature, his pensive and stressed nature was painfully evident, holding no power of his own. Even if he were to stand up straight for a change, beating him would be no different to breaking a toothpick, not that Stain would do it without reason.
No, the only thing that made him useful was the tablet he had buried himself in…
… or at least the tablet he was supposed to have his head buried in. Stain could see him throwing glances towards the actions for the child with a cat mask. The interest in the boy's eyes towards the pink energy attacks seemed unparalleled, and yet his superior was seemingly okay with not reprimanding him.
"O-Oh, sorry sir, umm…"
The child had looked back into his tablet, as his eyes briefly crossed the black slits that passed as Enoch's eyes.
"The ninja can fight at full power as long as there is energy in his power cell, sir. No need to worry." he said.
The mannerism of Enoch didn't change.
"And how much power does he have left?" He asked.
Winston scrambled to check. "82 percent..." he hesitantly replied–
"Very well." Enoch's response was once again brief, collected. "Prepare to withdraw our forces as well as our associate."
His orders elicited a very brief pause from Stain. Those words, they were so calmly stated!.. Retreat, right now?!
And the child was seemingly comfortable with going along with it.
"Very good, Sir." he stated–
"Is that it then?"
Instantly Winston felt his superior's gaze shift as his head also slightly turned to the left, at the killer. The cold, calculating atmosphere got replaced by one of burning, confused bloodlust.
You lot come to interrupt my work only to retreat… at the cusp of total victory." The killer said. "And now you dare presume my allegiance?"
Winston felt a smile creep up his face, as he saw Stain engage with his superior again, so he instantly put a hand over his mouth.
Thankfully Stain's attention wasn't on him.
"Our enemies are the same." Enoch stated, channeling a peculiar obliviousness… that Stain hadn't seen before. "I don't see a reason for presuming bad blood amongst us."
Hearing it immediately pissed him off.
"Your organization is one of apathetic, surgical operations… sloppy ones at that." Stain countered.
However, the air around Enoch didn't change, still showing no indication that he understood.
The killer's blood red eyes made contact with Enoch's infinitely black eye-holes.
"Even if our enemies are the same, what I don't see is an actual benefit for us to see each other at all."
"You would never know. Your conviction is a powerful motivator–"
Keeping the eye contact, Stain's bloodlust suddenly flared.
"Don't test me with these lies!" He reached for his sword. "I am well aware you couldn't care less about *my* mission!"
"And that's a problem… however it's not one you have strictly with us, isn't it?" Enoch retorted, once again quick, but also condescending. He broke off the eye-contact, turning to watch the unfolding battle, each of the heroes fighting with utmost determination alongside a pro-hero.
"People just don't care. They enjoy pretending that they aren't drowning in a very living infestation, don't they?"
He assembled his hands… and feeling a hint of his cold, dead, calculated expression once more from behind that mask, Stain followed his drifting gaze.
"They don't know it's what influencers rely upon."
The killer saw the injured Ingenium chatting with the black-dressed teenage girl as they fought. Focusing his senses, he could listen in, and Enoch could see his souring expression.
Holding onto his delight at his leisure, Enoch declared.
"Even in their lowest moments, there is no telling what act they'd pull, all for the sake of just a little… more."
Stain moved towards them, eyes locking on as if he were a weapon and someone had pulled on his trigger. He drew his katana…
Winston quietly approached next to his superior.
"You did it, sir." He said with the lowest, but still audible voice he could channel.
Enoch took a deep breath, as his usual suave pattern of behavior returned. The cold calculated aura manifested around him again.
"It's an unfortunate loss." he stated. "However, given the limited options… incurring a retaliation from the legendary Ben Tennyson is unacceptable."
"When all is said and done, the Hero Killer will be subject to the witch hunt…" his squire stated under his breath, a cold sweat still appearing over his brow.
Enoch assembled his hands behind his back.
"And we will have facilitated the conditions to let it transpire as so."
Winston looked back at the battlefield. All he saw now was a ninja, keeping Gwen Tennyson and Kevin Levin busy, while a number of soldiers bogged down the girl in the ninja suit, and further weakened Ingenium. "But the league…"
"...will not be able to add him to their ranks." Enoch answered for him. "His character wouldn't allow him to do so."
His superior tilted his neck slowly and forcefully, cracking it.
"The result will be to the benefit of both parties, only for the moment." he said, as Winston felt a silent fury burn. "My liege's reckoning will be absolute."
Just then Gwen blocked one of the plasma blades!
"Hey, look!" Kevin gestured over to Tensei and Yaoyorozu. "Look at how they're getting along."
"That's great. Hmph..!" She grunted. "Not the time though!"
Three more descended one after the other, but Gwen put up a shield for them too.
The blades hissed loudly. Gwen strained her hands, trying to pour more power, but the shields shattered! Gwen put up another, but the same thing happened. The ninja struggled, only to cut right through.
"Hey, terminator." Kevin held it by the shoulder, turning him around. "...Step off!"
He landed a fierce uppercut. The robot's head went all the way back!
The ex-con laughed. Besides his knuckles hurting like hell at this point, seeing even more electricity come out of that broken visor was quite the…
Like it was on the press of a button, the bot's head came back down. It raised his swords, and Kevin raised his arms–!
"AH!"
Kevin fell to his knees. The sword had gone through and chipped his forearms. The knight raised all four swords!
Gwen put her hands together, and put the robot's head in a bubble!
It whirred around confusedly, right before targeting Gwen again.
"Ah!.. Hssss." Kevin was left to clutch it, before taking a deep breath to look. It had only cut off his armor and shirt, thankfully not his skin.
"Guess, it's not in the stun setting anymore." He cracked his neck, before recalling the little squire's words. "They seriously took off the gloves."
Putting the blades back, the ninja punched the bubble helmet with its four three-fingered hands. It shattered, and just then Gwen launched an energy tendril, trying to snatch one of the plasma blades–
The robot saw it coming. It grabbed the energy tendril, and using the katanas, slashed it in half!
Gwen reeled back. She tried making steps to attack from above, but the ninja jumped to her level and kicked her down.
The robot then stabbed the steps… letting itself fall to even ground, as the shattered pieces fell down like glass behind him, before vanishing.
Gwen jumped back, making pink disks to fire. The ninja followed.
Before she could shoot, it got in her face, bringing its spinning arms closer–!
Gwen crossed her arms, trapping herself in a bubble.
The ninja pressed itself against it.
"It's futile to resist." Enoch said. "Face it, Gwen Tennyson, this fight is a foregone conclusion."
"Yeah?" She called out with alarm in her voice, behind her pink shield. "Well, sorry if I drag out the ending! Kevin!"
"On it!" Kevin took a deep breath, refreshing the armor, before stomping the ground!
The robot jumped to the wall in response. It allowed Gwen to drop the shield and take a breath.
However from there, with the swords stuck into the wall and all six limbs unraveled, it looked like a spider.
"Ew…" Gwen said, before starting to fire upon it.
With slight clinking from each limb, it continued to avoid her…
"Let me." Kevin got in between them, with one of the large green dumpsters raised with both hands!
He jumped into the air, shifted to hold it from the side, and threw it with all his might!
And the dumpster hit the ninja dead on, sticking right through the wall!-
As he landed, Gwen tapped her on the shoulder.
"Hey." Kevin said.
"That was a careless move." She said, with very obvious concern. "What if there was someone inside?"
"There wasn't." Kevin shrugged, brushing it off with his usual prideful expression. "And besides, I think we've got bigger problems."
The hissing sound came back to her ear. She looked up.
"What do we do?" She asked.
Kevin scratched his hair, humming. "I've got no clue. Like I said, the tin can has a learning algorithm."
"And that does…?" Gwen asked. "So, we can't use the same move twice?"
Kevin shook his head. "Probably that's not it… if so, it must have a way bigger memory than anything else I saw from the knights, but probably not."
Gwen looked up at the dumpster again. It was starting to be shimmed from its spot.
Kevin opened his hand. "What it's probably doing is identifying our patterns during combat, figuring out what we do the most, and trying to find a counter to only those moves."
He groaned, also sneaking a look at the side too, shaking his head. "So, if we're gonna take it down, we need to overwhelm its processor. Do a lot of moves we haven't done before, the more unpredictable the better, but where do we get that?.."
A light bulb went off in Gwen's head. "I think– I think I got it!"
He watched her pull out a small purple book. She opened a page, letting it float in a pink orb. "You want them in order or mixed?"
"What's that?" Kevin asked.
"A bunch of spells." Gwen nervously answered, speaking fast. "Spells I never really got to perform… or really don't know what they do, exactly. But my magic still never did work well with tech."
Kevin scowled. "Now that doesn't–"
*BOOM!*
The robot bursted out! With all blades at hand, it landed in front of them.
"Caution to the wind then. Play 'em, Gwen!" Kevin said, and got behind the redhead, while the robot looked on peculiarly, tilting its head like an animal… before running at them, blades spinning!
Gwen held out one hand, as the book floated up to her. She squinted.
"Abducere…" She drew a pink circle mid-air. "...Omnia!"
She waved her hand behind it, and a blast launched forth! The robot couldn't dodge it. When it hit, it split the robot into 5 different layers, all lined up behind it!
"Holy…" Kevin murmured.
The first layer was the armor, the second were the inner metal parts like joints and skeletal structure, the third were the wiring–
Enoch looked on with dissatisfaction at Winston. The brown-haired kid was left to scramble with the tablet.
In the midst of it though, Kevin's eyebrows went up. A smile crawled up onto his face.
"Oh, but where are my manners?"
He put a hand on the first layer, the robot's outer plating.
"While she's doing her thing, I can't let her be the one to have all the fun."
The crimson red metal started crawling up his body, replacing the stone. "Nice armor." He remarked.
Winston pressed another button. "Aaaand… It's magnetized sir!"
All of a sudden, with the pink glow being overcome by a yellow one, all the parts merged back together–
Kevin slammed it in the torso. Forever Ninja moved to retaliate with the swords!
However… they didn't go through.
The robot was caught off guard, whereas Kevin grinned.
"What's wrong? Can't cut your armor?!"
He gave it a left uppercut! Gwen opened up another page.
"Oh, this one…" She extended her hand. "Reanima Verdanica!"
The robot went static again, as flowers grew from its inside. Kevin took the chance to land a right roundhouse, letting some of the petals wave in the air.
The visor turned red again, and Gwen opened up a new page–!
"Umm, uh… Statere Amittere… In Sinistram!"
Before it could strike, as it ran, the left leg of the robot gave out, making it stumble.
It could hardly stay on its feet. The bot kept stumbling in place on its own like a drunk person. Kevin then helped him out of course… by sweeping its legs, and slamming both hands onto it as it was on the ground!
Gwen smirked. It was working. Blindly casting spells were working!
She excitedly turned another page.
"Now what's…" She just read it outloud, turning to the ninja and Kevin, currently on top of him. "Transfera Identica!"
"Creati! Wait up!" Ingenium tried to follow her. However Momo was fighting beyond intently now.
She jumped into the midst of Forever Knights, hitting one with the back of the staff before kicking the gun out of one soldier's hands!
Turning around, while also spinning the staff, she slammed it to another knight's head. Jumping up, she then kneed another in the chin.
"No." she said in her head. "I can't."
Landing down, strands of hair also flowed down and further obstructed her face to the enemy.
"That's eighteen down… between myself and Ingenium."She breathed heavily.
Ever since she had teleported, it has been endless running, jumping and combat. And her stomach was starting to hurt.
"Die, alien conspirator!"
Another knight then approached her, who seemed to be female by her figure and voice, along with three others by her side. She drew her gun–
A blast hit her squarely in the chest.
"Alien conspirator, really?" Ingenium asked. "Sounds to me like you're running low on insults!"
He took aim again, and pulled the trigger, only for it to click but not fire.
"Jammed?!"
"Sounds to me it's you who's running low!-"
The other three drew their guns, but Momo rallied first, kicking one in the face, as her staff clashed with the sword of another.
As their metal grinded against each other, she grabbed the staff with both hands. However, the knights didn't fancy a fair fight. Yet another one, finding himself at such close range, drew his sword.
From her side eye, Momo saw him raising his sword. Quickly changing her stance, she managed to block both swords at the same time!
However, the force made her fall on one knee.