Chapter 8

Hong Gil, Kousuke, and Zuriana had entered the room, only for the door to leave them in penetrating the darkness. Zuriana looked up for a ceiling but couldn't see a thing. 'Let there be… light!' The sky was filled with a blazing bright sphere that lit the room. The NothingBeasts turned their gazes towards the trio who stood as their enemies. They were positioned around a man strapped to a patient bed and Zuriana slowly pulled out the knife.

"There's the target, guys," she muttered under her breath. "Distract them."

To their surprise, in unison, they said, "With pleasure!"

Zuriana snapped her finger that activated the remote in her pocket, enabling Kousuke to use his TMS. He grinned at the sensation of electricity running through his brain cells and jumped up, way higher than any human could've done. In midair, he took in the sight of the NothingBeasts and outstretched his hands.

"Bow to me, trash," he chuckled while a mysterious aura enveloped him.

Zuriana gasped at the sight displayed in front of her. The NothingBeasts had all dropped down to their knees in a bowing position while their heads drooped towards the floor as if a heavy burden was being placed onto their shoulders. She recalled her previous situation when she realized Kousuke's true identity and the force she felt. 'This is his true power!'

The sun she created was getting shaded and illuminating the room with a dull purple fog. She noticed the dark fog was forming into the shape of a dark cloak covering Kousuke. When the NothingBeasts tried to fight against the force and swipe at him, he took in the blows and was pushed around like it was nothing. 'Does that cloak absorb the impact?'

She finally noticed Hong Gil among the NothingBeasts, kneeled down. But the pressure Kousuke had applied in the room was not affecting her. 'Is he doing this on purpose? I need to stop him!'

She snapped her fingers to disconnect the remote but after doing so, something else caught her off guard once more. The NothingBeasts were trashing in their positions, and one of the arms hit her in the gut. She didn't have enough time to process a counter and was pushed into the wall. It collapsed against the impact and Kousuke gasped at the sight. Hong Gil had managed to make a shield for himself but when the dust revealed the incident, everything went wrong.

The sight of Zuriana collapsed under the concrete caused Kousuke to lose his concentration and the NothingBeasts moved instantly. Two hurried over to hit Kousuke from the air while the other two rushed towards Hong Gil. The musician imagined a guitar before hitting a sound wave at the beasts. But it wasn't enough as fear fogged his mind. 'I'm going to die… I can't fight them! I don't want to die!' With those negative thoughts running through his mind, he gulped and tried with everything he had to stop the NothingBeasts from approaching him, leaving Kousuke with the two NothingBeasts and an unconscious Muslim.

The Japanese boy stared at Zuriana's small figure, his mind unable to think of anything. 'I-I caused this… When she was the only person to believe in me, I-I let this happen to her…' When the first NothingBeast grabbed him by the waist and lifted him up to their eye level, he still kept his gaze on the girl. 'Please don't be dead!'

"You aren't a good person…. Why are you fighting with them?" An unknown voice bounced into his mind.

Kousuke turned his eyes to the source of the voice and caught sight of Henry's lips curled into a smile. 'He's talking to me?'

"Yes you, boy," the voice agreed. "These people are against your existence. They will punish you, Tachibana Kousuke. Do you believe you should be with them? Shouldn't you join me in destroying all those unjust people in this world?"

Kousuke felt the sweat form on his face. Henry was right in many ways. The six and the NHA would surely betray him so why was he helping them anyway? He would be cast aside as the rest of the five lived in the free world after it all. 'Why shouldn't I join him?'

His eyes moved back to Zuriana's small figure and all previous dilemmas escaped his mind. He recalled only one thing. The one thing that made him choose this side no matter his own identity was being caught by one of the five. 'I need you.'

He recalled those moments in training as he smiled with her and when she complimented his skills. He thought back as when she agreed with his decisions when nobody else did and laughed along with him whenever she felt like it; especially the time when she requested the remote. "You're just a troubled kid who needs Zuri-nee chan to deal with you"

And the last moment on the roof; her final wish. '"And when this is all over, I want to bring you guys to Mekah. You'll love the Kaaba. It's very pretty".'

Those words made everything fit; his reason to fight for them, his reason for saving humanity from Henry. The edges of his lips curled upwards in a smirk and he returned his gaze to the NothingBeasts before admitting, "I'm going to Mekah with her to see the Kaaba! That is all the reason I need to defeat you!"

With determination rushing through his veins, he lifted an arm outstretched and yelled out, "DON'T FALL, YOU FIVE! REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE! WHO WE ARE! WHO WE'RE FIGHTING FOR! WE MUST STAND!"

A gush of confidence hit each and every one of the main five like lightning. The imagination emotion from Kousuke was spread among them as a message. 'We can't fall!'

Fleur grinned at the feeling in her fingertips before facing the thousands of NothingBeasts around her. Despite her bleeding head from hitting the doors, she stood strong against the numbers. "I can't just lag around, now can I," chuckled the teen while she raised her arms. Around her, the leaves ruffled in the wind and multiple eyes began gleaming in the shadows. "Let's see how far my powers can go, guys!"

Animals began emerging from the trees and they all took Fleur's side. '"The truth behind your powers isn't just flowers, Fleur," said Erika back at the NHA training room. Erika held up a poster featuring a pet store. "You planned on helping this shelter, am I right? You're a nature freak, right?"

The girl nodded. "But what do you mean? What does the shelter have to do with my powers?"

Erika's smile widens at a thought. "I believe your imagination range isn't just weed controlling. You've dreamt of communicating with animals, right?"

Fleur's eyes widen at her words. "D-Do you mean-"

Erika simple turned away with a chuckle, "It depends on you…"'

Fleur stood side by side with nature's forces and pointed a slender finger at the NothingBeasts before announcing; "CHARGE!"

Lewis and Petra were being held by the NothingBeasts when Kousuke's message hit them. Petra clenched her fists to think hard on an image and the ground shook like mad causing a crack to open, swallowing a few NothingBeasts.

The beasts that held Lewis were among the fallen but the kid confidently ripped out an arm and summoned a chain towards the nearest light bulb, pulling himself out of its' grasp. He looked at the remaining NothingBeasts and imagined a few dumbbells appeared out of nowhere, hitting their heads continuously until Petra was free. When they stood side by side, they glanced over at the rest they hadn't managed to attack.

"Ready for round two?" Lewis asked the elder girl while ignoring his dislocated shoulder.

"You bet I am!" Grinned the Greek while a swirl of dust appeared. "Keep the door shut!" As she summoned a huge squall, she let cool freshwater wash away the blood dripping for various cuts. Her confidence was boasted as she imagined the water to be holy healing water and let it fix up her injuries as she dropped hell on those opposing her.

Hong Gil felt the ground shake and the words that hit his mind steeled his will. His eyes met Kousuke's struggling figure and a small smile grew onto his face. 'I guess he is one of us, huh?' He closed his eyes and imagined the crowd cheering. The times he was on stage with his friends. 'I want to do a show with them… At least once…'

When he opened his eyes, he stood on a magnificent stage with a spotlight on him and massive speakers at his side, banging out a soundtrack he created before the incident. 'This is for you, Korea!' He tapped his TMS like a microphone before shouting out, "LETS ROCK AND ROLL!"

Their combined attacks shook the entire building and debris began falling. The NothingBeasts that held Kousuke dropped him to protect Henry's unconscious body and the Japanese boy hurried to Zuriana. His heart was hammering against his chest, concern wielding up. "Zuriana! Wake up! You can't be dead just yet!"

Her eyelids fluttered open. She took a moment to process her surroundings and winced in pain. When she could make out Kousuke, she tried to move towards him but she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and gasped at the wet feeling in her stomach. "I-I can't get out, Tachibana! I think I broke a rib or two!"

"Aren't you invincible with your TMS? You said it yourself!" He cried while gripping her hand tightly to keep her from falling unconscious again.

Zuriana closed her eyes to try and imagine it but her breathing hitched as another wave of pain hit her and she coughed blood. Kousuke was completely helpless as she confessed, "I can't think straight with the pain! I can't do it!"

Her gaze dropped to something at Kousuke's feet. He joined her and saw the specially made TMS knife and his TMS remote controller. The freedom was in his reach yet he hesitated. 'I promised to help her!' He took the two items and placed the remote gently into her grasp.

"Will you let me use my full powers to end this once and for all?" he asked while he leaned closer, their gazes glued together. "Will you trust me with the most important task, Zuriana?"

She looked deep into his soul, searching for any sign of anger or hatred. She was concern he would use the opportunity to escape with a TMS and cause more havoc. But to her relief, all she could find in his determined eyes was a steeled will to finish this all. Her mouth twitched to a pained smile.

"You really want to see the Kaaba? I'm not a good guide, you know," she joked, ignoring the pain.

"You're the best we could ever ask for, Zuri-nee chan," grinned back the Japanese with a smile she had never seen.

With that smile finally revealed, all worries left her mind. "Save the world, doctor."

She pressed the knife in his grip and nodded before gently pressing his lips onto her forehead. He watched her eyelids flutter shut before turning around. As he walked down the path towards the last remaining NothingBeast that stood between him from reaching Henry, he could hear her thoughts bouncing in his mind. 'Make it count, Tachibana Kousuke.'