Five Years Ago
10th September 2020 Panie Paris, Europe Afternoon - 12:30
(BOOOOM!)
A colossal explosion ripped through the sky near the Dark Knights office. It was a scar, a wound on the city's memory that no one in the Dark Knights could ever forget.
That day marked the first SS-rated Devil attack of the century. Forty percent of the city was utterly destroyed. The government's official cover-up called it a "natural disaster," but the casualties told the true tale: over 1,200 Dark Knights dead and around 2,000 injured, with 3,000 civilians losing their lives.
The blame—the hatred, the fear—was all shouldered by one man: Akira Kenji. He took responsibility for the attack and declared himself the eternal enemy of the Dark Knights. Yet, five years later, he remained free. Only the absolute highest-ups knew the real reason why he still hadn't been arrested.
Present Day
At the warehouse
A cold, determined voice broke the silence. "It's been 5 years, Grandmaster " Sam". Have you become stronger?" Akira stood ready, his stance coiled and deadly. "This time, I will deal with you personally"Sam.
" Don't dare to interfere with the master's family matter, Sam", Akira warned.
Sam muttered to himself. "So, he's here too?".
"No, but he sent me to bring them home," Akira replied, calm and maddeningly composed. He picked up a glass, the ruby-red wine catching the light.
"They are already safe at home. No one is going to hunt them again," Sam countered, his eyes narrowed.
"How can you ensure their safety when you were here?" Akira challenged, taking a slow sip before placing the glass down. He was baiting him.
Sam ignored the taunt, touching the earpiece hidden by his finger. "What's happening there, Yuki?".
["Everything is fine,"] a voice crackled back. ["Twelve Dark Knights were on duty near the building. I am personally guarding the flat. No one can enter before me," Yuki (The 2nd Grandmaster) assured him.
"Let's get this over with quickly, Akira, as she will be angry again for not coming back home at time". Sam sighed.
(Snap!)
"Atomic Rain!" Sam commanded. A torrent of blue particles erupted, blowing the back wall of the warehouse to splinters.
"Still standing, huh?" Sam noted, slightly impressed. "Come on, this is nothing!" Akira scoffed.
(Snap!)
Sam pulled his fingers, launching the next attack: "Hell Paradox".
In the space of a moment, thin, nearly invisible threads materialized. They were everywhere, crisscrossing the air just a meter away from Akira.
"Ice Age!" Akira roared.
A blast of super-cooled air flashed out. The Hell Paradox threads froze solid in mid-air, becoming heavy, losing all their velocity, and clattering harmlessly to the ground.
"Is that all you've got?" Akira laughed, a cruel, mocking sound.
Sam didn't answer. He closed his fist and pulled his arm back.
"What!" Akira looked up, his expression shifting from arrogance to panic.
(BOOM!)
An LPG gas container, likely an explosive trap Sam had prepared, detonated directly above Akira. Sam protected himself by immediately forming a dense cocoon of slime.
"Oh, man, you burned down my coat!" Akira shouted, a mix of fury and theatrical anguish. "You even know how expensive it is!". He flung the damaged coat aside.
Sam didn't hesitate; he launched his next spell. But the structure of the old warehouse simply couldn't withstand the power of their battle and collapsed. Both men had to jump back.
From a distance, a watcher named Kirito observed the chaos. "What is happening there?".
"Ice Spears!" Akira yelled, countering with a new attack. Sam rapidly converted his slime into small arrows to tackle the spears.
"Atom Conversion, Sodium!" Sam commanded.
The slime arrows instantly converted into Sodium. The moment they touched Akira's spell, they began to violently explode.
"Ugh!" Akira grunted in pain.
Sam used the explosions as cover, closing the distance for hand-to-hand combat. Attack after combo, he gave Akira no room to breathe. Akira finally managed an uppercut kick, but Sam blocked it fully.
Sam used the explosions as cover, closing the distance for hand-to-hand combat. Attack after combo, he gave Akira no room to breathe. Akira finally managed an uppercut kick, but Sam blocked it fully.
(THWACK!)
He was sent tumbling sideways, slamming hard into the truck.
"Now, now. Let's finish this," Akira said, confident of victory. "Well, look like it's time," Sam replied, a strange, awkward smile creeping onto his face.
"Now the real fight begins," Sam declared. He opened his eyes, and they were glowing electric blue. Lines of energy glowed from his pupils.
"What is that?" Akira gasped, nervously jumping backward.
"Hell Flame Explosion!" Sam screamed.
The ground cracked, and violent blue flames erupted from beneath. Akira leaped into the air to save himself, but Sam was waiting. Mid-air, Sam struck him with a kick, sending him crashing back down to the ground.
Floating above, Sam created a large sword from his slime. He raised it high and directed it downward.
(SHLUK! A sickening wet sound.)
The slime sword pierced Akira's chest.
"Cough!" Akira choked, blood spilling from his mouth. "It's not over yet!"
He was desperate. "Awakening!". "Dry Ice-death!" Akira shouted.
The immediate area, a radius of ten meters, instantly flash-froze, turning into a solid ice ground. Vines made of ice snaked out, attacking Sam. Sam summoned his sword to counter, but the relentless ice kept him from closing in on Akira.
(These stupid vines! If I don't finish him now, he'll cause another disaster here!) Sam thought frantically.
A vicious ice vine managed to breach his defense, tearing into his left shoulder.
"Not now," Sam grimaced through the pain. "Awakening, Hell's Gate!".
A massive shrine gate materialized behind Sam. A blinding, deafening explosion ripped through the area.
When the smoke finally cleared, Sam saw the truth. "He left," he muttered, grinding his teeth. "Tch".
["Sam, can you hear me?"] Kirito's voice returned over the earpiece. ["We have to leave soon. Police will be here. I don't want long paperwork. It's already 2:00 AM."].
"Yep, let's go. Branch can handle this," Sam replied. He dismissed his sword and headed toward the parking lot.
A Few Hours Earlier
11:10 P.M. Sam's Apartment
"We are home," Allya sang out. "Welcome back," Reno said, coming out of the kitchen.
"What are you doing in the kitchen, Reno?" Asuna asked. "Just washing dishes," Reno replied simply. "But today's is brother's turn," Allya said, putting the shopping bags on the couch. "Yes, but he has to go on night patrolling with Sam, so he will wash tomorrow's dishes," Reno explained, removing his apron.
"Allya, you got a parcel with your name on it," Reno mentioned. "Yes, I will see it later," Allya said lazily.
"Reno, what is the plan for the party?" Asuna asked eagerly. (Allya jumps on the couch with a soft POOF.) "We cannot do anything here until brother will be here," Allya said. "Then?" Asuna pressed.
"Don't worry about him. He has inter-school matches on that day, so he will come late at night," Reno revealed. "So till then we can make the preparation for the party?" Asuna asked hopefully. "Yep, let's do it," Allya agreed.
"First go and Do your H.W. , or Kirito will be mad on both of us," Reno said sternly. "Ugh, I have to it now ?" Allya complained. "Yes, before they come back." (Allya SULKS her mouth and stomps to her room .) "Why is brother so strict about studies?" she murmured.
"He does not study much but he forces his sister to study hard and do her best everywhere," Reno noted. "Yes, he cares a lot about his sister," Asuna agreed warmly
Present Day
(Inside a car, the low HUM of the engine.)
"Why does he want the siblings? He already achieved his goals and abandoned... He already have Kirito's... Wait. He didn't have it. Now I understand that's why they brought them to Japan ," Sam thought, deep in concentration while sitting on the passenger seat.
(Kirito's voice, pulling Sam out of his head.) "Sam... Sam, what are you thinking, and who is that man you were fighting?" Kirito asked while driving. "No... it's nothing," Sam said, snapping back to reality. "That man is Akira Kenji, he belongs to the Sol Invictus". "Those bastards again! What do they want from us?" Kirito asked, annoyed. "If I knew that, I would have already killed him," Sam joked. (Both LAUGH.) "Don't make jokes. He left the fight, so you didn't win the battle,"Kirito teased. "He left because he fears me," Sam said with confidence. (Both LAUGH again.) "Next time, I will face him," Kirito said, determinedly. "For that, first you have to get stronger," Sam reminded him. "And for that, teach me more spells and martial arts to fight," Kirito asked. "OK,let's resume Reno's and your training from next week," Sam agreed, opening a bag. "Oye, where is the protein bar?" Sam asked Kirito. "I ate it," Kirito admitted sheepishly. "You bugger! That was mine!" Sam exclaimed. "There is a store nearby. Want to stop? I will pay for you," Kirito offered. "No need, it's already too late. Let's directly go home," Sam declined. "OK," Kirito replied.
(The car's engine ROARS as they enter the tunnel with full throttle.)