Chapter Eighty: Time together
Before you cook me in the comments.
I've been busy with work, life and study, yare yare daze.
Does this chapter mean I'm back?
I dunno, but cope I do.
The room was bright.
It was excessively filled with all kinds of equipment. Not to mention its immense size, it was nothing short of a marvel of a laboratory.
Holographic screens, tubes that generated power within them, lab desk that contained all sort of smaller equipments.
People dressed in white coats moved briskly across the vast room.
"Activate reactor drive two."
"Reactor two active."
"Using the mana reactor—infusing the liquid chamber with Solution Three."
At the far end of the room, separated by a floor-to-ceiling glass wall, stood a containment chamber. Inside it was a tube.
Standing before the chamber were the ones who ruled DEM.
Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott.
"…This is— Ike, what is this?"
Beside him stood his Nordic blonde secretary. Once known as the world's strongest wizard, that title had long since lost its meaning.
With the emergence of Espers capable of fighting Spirits at full power, her meager compatibility with Realizers and Mana was the only thing she still had going for her.
"You see, my dear Ellen."
A bemused expression crossed Westcott's face as he stared into the containment chamber, no, at what was inside it, with a faint smile.
His dead eyes glimmered with something unnatural.
Obsession, perhaps.
Yet obsession alone could not explain a gaze so utterly devoid of life, stripped of even the faintest trace of light.
Yes. It was like looking into the eyes of a corpse.
And yet his tone remained cordial, the speech and manner of a refined noble from high society.
"I have often wondered how he could constantly output Territory at such a level… even before he became one with Artemisia."
"The answer was quite simple."
Put plainly—
If the strain currently borne by Morgan Sinclair were placed upon any other ordinary wizard, even Ellen, their brain would be fried.
Literally.
"And that is why, Ellen."
He slowly turned toward her with a mechanical smile, one that bordered on something sinister, as he stretched his hands out to her.
"Let us make you the world's strongest wizard once more."
It was the devil's whisper.
~
Meanwhile,
Japan. Tengu City.
Tengu City Mall.
A young man rested against the back wall of a building, completely carefree, his arms folded beneath his head and his eyes closed.
He wore a white shirt beneath a jacket, paired with black trousers and shoes. His dark hair shifted gently with the wind.
[Yess. We see the fit]
From his posture, it looked as though he was waiting for someone.
Right on cue, he cracked one eye open, gazing forward as footsteps clattered against the paved road in a steady rhythm.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, bro."
A platinum-haired girl came running toward him, waving energetically with a wide smile. Like her brother, she possessed a terrifying lack of fashion sense.
She wore a jacket covered in rock motifs and a skirt that reached her knees. Even the inner shirt was, Morgan could only describe it as colorful.
'What a rebellious sister,'
He thought.
"Oi, did you just think something bad about me?"
"No way."
He lied without hesitation.
Ashley, however, believing herself to be a magnanimous little sister, generously let whatever insult he had clearly thought slide.
Instead, she leaned closer with a mischievous grin, grabbing his hand in hers.
"Come on, let's go!"
She pointed forward and practically dragged him along without waiting for his input, tugging him so abruptly that his body jerked with each step.
This situation—
No matter how one looked at it, this was basically a date, wasn't it?
And how had it even started in the first place?
Well…
Long story short.
The girls wanted time alone with him.
Apparently, Kurumi introducing herself as his soon-to-be wife had triggered a wave of jealousy among them.
Especially Artemisia.
'Ugh. I feel a headache coming.'
Even while thinking that, Morgan allowed Ashley to pull him along. Before long, he stopped resisting entirely and followed her willingly.
However, his gaze lifted from the sliding glass doors in front of them to the bold sign mounted above the building.
[Arcade]
Morgan's expression flattened as he slowly turned to look at his sister beside him. Tilting his chin upward slightly, he gave her a faintly superior look.
"Oh? Someone's asking for a beating."
Ashley snorted at that. She clenched her left hand into a fist and dramatically swiped her right hand through the air.
"That one in England doesn't count."
Slowly, dramatically even, she raised her hand toward the sky before lowering it to point straight at him.
"Now that I'm basically the evolved version of myself, Super Ashley, I shall present you with your first trial of the day."
"Beat me."
Ah.
Right.
This was less of a date, and more of a trial for Morgan before the coming day.
A test where he had to satisfy the girls during their dates, essentially fulfilling their fantasies of spending time with him.
…Wait.
That sounded wrong.
Morgan thought.
No, no, this was ridiculous. And the fact that Kurumi had actually approved of it only made it more absurd.
Her own condition had been clear: if Morgan failed to satisfy the others during their dates, then—
Kurumi, you absolute…
In the end, Morgan simply let out a quiet breath and relaxed his shoulders.
"Fine. If it's just you, Ash, let's go."
"Hah!? What do you mean just me?"
Rolling up his sleeves as he said that, he casually walked toward the entrance while Ashley followed behind him, teeth gritted and fists clenched.
The doors slid open as they stepped inside.
Cool, regulated air greeted them immediately. The lower floor was packed with arcade machines lined neatly in rows, with screens flashing with colorful lights.
Off to the side were claw machines, stuffed toys pressed against the glass.
Even more machines stretched deeper into the building.
Ashley's eyes scanned the room quickly before her finger shot out, landing on a machine faster than Morgan could even choose one.
'She's taking the initiative.'
Morgan thought.
'Now that I have computational power close to Brother's, and I'm already familiar with Fighter C, I can do this.'
Ashley smirked inwardly.
Morgan's gaze, however, seemed to read her thoughts completely. The look he gave her practically said I know exactly what you're thinking.
For a moment, he almost looked like a maiden about to shed a tear.
But,
Fine. I'll beat you at your own game.
Both of them took their seats.
The machine separated them into two stations, Ashley on one side, Morgan on the other. The screen was switched on by both, instantly loading an arena.
Morgan wasn't completely unfamiliar with the controls.
The only problem was the game itself.
However—
Ashley chose this knowing I'd adapt quickly thanks to my ability… the one I can't even turn off anymore since evolving into an Esper.
She was aiming to defeat him before he could fully adapt.
"But sister… things won't be that easy."
He muttered softly under his breath.
[Choose your fighter.]
[P1]: Raimei
On the screen, a 2D girl animated smoothly in idle motion. She swayed left and right, occasionally releasing arcs of lightning from her body.
She had white hair, wearing a white body suit with blue eyes.
Ashley's smile widened.
"I choose Raimei…"
Raimei was a lightning-wielding character whose damage steadily accumulated thanks to her unique skill [Discharge], which functioned like a damage-over-time effect.
On top of that, her ultimate ability, [Dengeki], could inflict a stun. And under the right conditions, if [Discharge] had built up enough stacks…
…it could one-shot her opponent.
Morgan's confusion deepened.
This girl…
Wasn't she supposed to pick a character capable of quick burst damage before I could adapt?
He frowned.
But when he thought about it again, he realized it was her gamble. Most quick-burst characters had weak defenses. If she picked one of those, she would leave herself vulnerable.
And since his Deep Learning would kick in while he played…
"Fine. I'll choose this guy."
[P2]: Arashi
A swordsman appeared on the screen. He wore a bamboo hat and traditional haori and hakama, repeatedly drawing and sheathing his blade while performing swift practice slashes.
From her side of the machine, Ashley's expression tightened the moment she saw it.
He picked Sword of Wind… Not only an advantage type, but also a counter character—and a quick burst type too?
Thinking about it now, she might have slightly underestimated her brother's ability to make quick judgments.
Naturally, the game operated on an elemental system with counters, where certain elements held advantages over others.
Soon, the match began.
The battlefield loaded onto the screen.
The fight started.
Ashley took the initiative first. Her fingers moved quickly over the controls as she launched an attack.
A six-hit chain combo followed immediately by her special skill.
"Come on, take this!"
"Not so fast."
Morgan quickly input the defensive command. His character raised the sword in front of him, a blue barrier appearing as he blocked the incoming strikes.
Heh!
A faint smirk seemed to echo from Ashley's side.
Morgan's brow furrowed.
"…It can't be—"
"A guard break!"
On the screen, the blue defensive barrier shattered, sending Morgan's character sliding backward.
A small yellow lightning icon appeared on his HUD.
Status: Stunned.
"I see… so that's possible too."
Morgan murmured calmly.
Now he understood.
"Sorry, sis. But this game will end faster than you think."
"What?"
Ashley couldn't see his face from the other side of the machine, but she felt the confidence behind those words.
Still, she refused to let it shake her.
He was already stunned, and a guard break stun lasted five seconds.
Since her ultimate wasn't ready yet, she immediately triggered her unique skill.
"Raimei, use Discharge!"
Ashley struck a dramatic pose while pointing at the screen with both hands raised in a rock-and-roll sign as she leaned back slightly.
[Discharge!]
The screen darkened for a moment as Raimei gathered lightning into her palm before releasing it outward.
The attack was an AoE, lightning exploding in every direction within roughly five meters. Morgan's character was caught directly in the blast.
Both of them watched the HP bar drop rapidly, falling below fifty percent in seconds.
"…It's over."
Ashley murmured as the stun timer approached its end.
Then—
[Finisher!]
Her face instantly paled.
Morgan's character had activated his Ultimate.
Quick burst characters could recharge their ultimates quickly, though they usually dealt less damage overall.
"…Stacking an advantage type on top of a counter… and using the invincibility frame right as the animation ends."
Ashley muttered under her breath.
On the screen, the battlefield split apart as Arashi's blade carved through the air.
The ultimate concluded with a devastating slash that instantly removed thirty percent of her HP. But that wasn't the end of it.
Somehow—
Morgan had chained it into a counter, inflicting a critical strike, stunning her character at the same darn time.
Ashley stared at the screen.
What could she even do now?
She watched as Morgan's character dismantled her defenses with ease, chaining together all kinds of disgusting quick combos—like a Minato main in Storm 4.
"Haaaah…"
Ashley let out a long sigh.
She already knew she couldn't win.
Had her brother somehow taken advantage of the unique skill she used earlier?
If that was the case, she should have waited until the stun ended. In the brief moment while he was recovering, she could have activated Discharge then.
Ashley quickly ran the probabilities through her mind.
Sure enough, she would have gained the advantage.
But now it was too late.
With a defeated groan, Ashley rested her forehead against the arcade machine, sulking. Just then, a light tap landed on the top of her head.
"Don't be discouraged. You're already strong. I'm at peace knowing you're here."
"Mmph."
All he received in response was a quiet huff from his sister.
Morgan didn't press the matter further. He simply slipped his hand into his pocket and began walking toward the exit.
Ashley tilted her head slightly, cracking one eye open to glance at the direction he had gone.
"Stupid brother. Just make sure you come back quick~"
Despite her grumbling, a faint smile rested on her lips as she turned back to the machine.
His playstyle had just shown her another way to fight. Both in the game, and in life.
Meanwhile.
Outside the arcade, Morgan's lips twitched as he stared ahead.
A luxurious car was parked there.
In the front seat sat a woman with her hair tied neatly behind her head. She wore a dress that looked more suited for a grand ball than a casual outing.
The color was a deep wine red.
Combined with her makeup and elegant posture, the sight made Morgan massage his forehead in mild disbelief.
For a moment, he considered arguing against this whole situation.
But in the end.
'I digress.'
Thinking that, he opened the car door and stepped inside, resting his back against the backrest of the chair, while glimpsing at her.
"Say, Maya-nee… what's all this about?"
Just as he spoke—
"Accompany me just for today."
She spoke calmly before placing a hand over her chest, where the deep V-line of the dress revealed a glimpse of skin.
"What do you think about me today, Claire~?"
Morgan gave a wry smile.
"Do I really need to say it? Aunt always looks stunning… but today, you look even more radiant."
Maya's cheeks flushed as she quickly turned her gaze forward and started the car. Beside her, Morgan blinked in surprise, momentarily taken aback.
Gradually, a smile crept onto his lips.
Maya really couldn't handle compliments from him very well. Teasing her would definitely be fun, but he decided not to bully her today.
So instead, he simply kept smiling, resting his hand against the door and leaning his face on it.
As the car merged into traffic, a light jam began to form.
"So, Maya-nee, do you have any plans right after this?"
Maya's expression shifted slightly. If he wasn't mistaken, there was a trace of sadness in her eyes. She slowly shook her head.
"Not really… unless Claire wants something."
"I see. Then I'd like you to help Cee with the company. Is that okay?"
Maya didn't respond verbally.
But she nodded.
Silence stretched between them for another minute before Maya broke it this time, turning her eyes toward him.
"After Claire returns, what do you plan to do?"
She asked this assuming he would succeed. What came afterward… she didn't know. Even Kurumi, the one closest to him, had no idea.
She was the first to ask.
"It's the thing you usually see in movies. We live happily ever after. Or do you not like that kind of story?"
Maya laughed at his answer.
"Hahaha. I feel like I'm getting to know you all over again, but that doesn't sound like you at all. Your next journey is far away from here, isn't it?"
"You knew?"
"I wasn't a top agent at DEM for nothing."
She stuck her tongue out at him playfully. But soon after, her expression turned solemn again as she let out a quiet breath.
"When that time comes…"
Maya began, but Morgan cut her off.
"I'll take all of you with me, so don't worry."
As if he already knew what she was going to say, he finished the sentence for her. A brief silence followed, but it didn't last long. Soon, a dazzling smile appeared on the woman's face.
It was a very beautiful smile.
Right then, she pulled over to the side of the road and unlocked the door. With a casual wave, she pushed him out of the car.
"Now, off you go~"
"O–oi, what's that about—"
Before his words could even finish, she had already closed the door from the inside, smiling to herself as she watched his dazed expression.
'Enjoy your next partners. She—oops, they're already waiting.'
With that thought in mind, she drove off, leaving Morgan alone by the roadside. He tilted his head slightly.
Fumu.
"All of these occurrences… surely they can't just be coincidences, can they?"
Morgan leaned his head back just a little, only enough to catch sight of the two people standing behind him. One wore a smile, while the other looked noticeably nervous.
"This was the only way. Otherwise, a certain someone's head would swell."
"Pfft—"
At that, Morgan and Cecile stifled their laughter at the same time. Eventually, both managed to stop, and Morgan cleared his throat.
Slowly, he placed one hand behind his back and the other over his chest, leaning forward slightly.
"Cee, Leo—may I accompany you today?"
"Oh my, how gentlemanly. I thought it was supposed to be the other way around?"
Cecile covered her lips with her hand as she spoke, and even Leonardo nodded with her eyes closed. It was safe to say they were both a little moved.
"Well then, accompany us~"
Saying that, the two girls stepped closer and each held one of Morgan's arms. Leo did so while trying to turn her face away, though she still gathered the courage to hold on.
Cecile, on the other hand, was noticeably bolder than her friend.
And just like that, under the gaze of many passersby, they began to walk together.
"Dammit!"
"Raiju, perish!"
"Argh! God, take his soul tonight!"
As they walked, Morgan could hear voices filled with envy being directed at him. At first he tried to brush them off.
However, each curse grew stronger than the last.
"I'm more handsome than him, dammit!"
"Man, it really be the chopped ones."
Morgan's lips twitched violently. His fingers also twitched.
He was dangerously close to releasing a psychic wave, just strong enough to give everyone nearby a mild headache.
But he held himself back.
He shouldn't use his powers against ordinary people just because they said things he didn't like. That thought made him sigh.
"Here we are."
They had stopped in front of a store. A television faced the glass pane, allowing people outside to watch the news playing on the screen.
Morgan had assumed they were taking him somewhere like Ashley had earlier.
But he was wrong.
"Ahh, we don't really have a specific place in mind. But we wanted to show you this."
On the screen, a news broadcast was playing.
The Eurasia border.
Even now, the irreversible damage caused by the Eurasian Sky Disaster had not diminished in the slightest.
Many had lost their homes. Many who once had families there had lost them. And most were now forced to live as immigrants.
But in some underdeveloped countries, people were even fighting each other for supremacy over the scarce resources left in those areas.
There were also those who benefited from the chaos.
"In a way, we're like them. Children who grew up in an orphanage. At the very least, Leo and I had it better than those children."
"Mm. It was worse. I saw it myself during the mission you sent me on."
Leo and Cecile each voiced their thoughts.
It seemed Artemisia's influence had truly rubbed off on them. Still, their wishes weren't bad. They simply wanted to make the world a better place.
"The reason I left things to you, Cee, is because I believe in you. Do as you wish. I and the others have complete faith in you."
Morgan then turned his gaze toward Leonardo.
"You're becoming more reliable too, Leo. Please watch over Cee and Ash."
Both girls nodded at the same time.