Apokalypses

"Verified Amusement area 11, Hall A. Avenue."

In the Akatsuki district of New Tokyo, a relatively well-known bar famed for its coziness, good drinks and very talented pianist is located at the said address. Although I don't drink alcohol because of health complications, I am not a teetotaler to not go to this place for anything else.

"Hey, boy!"

"Yeah?"

"Can I see your ID? The boss is a reputable man, and he doesn't want any brats sneaking here to get some shots and do something stupid later."

"Sure thing. Is a residential ID accepted?"

"It's not government issued, but I'll allow it…"

After the security guard checked my credentials, I entered the bar and found that it had some patrons who are drinking by the counter or chatting away at the lounging area. There are also some who are playing billiards and darts.

I was walking towards the counter when suddenly, the female bartender turned on the microphone and spoke towards the customers.

"A little announcement, our dear patrons! We unfortunately have to close early today."

"What?"

"Judy, we haven't even finished our game here."

"Come on, Judy. I haven't even turned over my shot glass yet."

Some of the customers complained about the sudden closure of the bar, citing their half-way done billiard table or their unfinished drinks. It was then that she announced something that made them stand up and form a line to the exit.

"If you can get out in my count of ten, I'll erase your tab. One! Two!"

Before she even said "seven", there was no one else in there… It seems like they owe the bar a lot if the promise of wiping out their tab was this alluring.

"Now then… to the only remaining outsider here and someone who owes us nothing."

"…So, you guys do know me."

"We sure do, Mr. Chronia… or would you like to for us to refer to each other with our Psychic selves?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Their identities and the extent of their true powers are no longer a secret to me after the events that happened in the Battle of Old Tokyo Academy… but one thing that has been questionable to me all this time is what they intent to do with all that power. That is to say, what is their ultimate goal is all of this mess that we are all in.

"I came here on behalf of the final wish of Charon-san, whom I only know of as a member of your Seers of Death and the leader of the Mori cult."

"Final wish?"

"Yes."

"Now, now… Hold your horses right now, young man. Are you telling me that Charon-san has kicked the bucket and- Whoa-!"

Before the young looking guy who seems a bit sleep deprived continued on speaking, I summoned my spear and out of it, I carefully took out the now immobile and porcelain doll-looking body of the old man.

"I see… so that is the reason why he's been gone for a while."

"Judy-san?! You knew about this?"

"He told me he'd be gone, that I know… But for him to return like this… I do not."

"I found Charon-san at Iwo Jima after he battled William Tetian. We were following a trail of Subspace Links across Old Tokyo and through them, got to arrive in the island after the fight was finished and William has left Charon-san to bleed to death."

I explained what happened so far and this is when I saw that all five of them had different expressions on their faces.

"That damn guy… I'm going to bleed him out like a pig too-!"

The sleep-deprived guy was plotting how to deal with William once they crossed paths. If I remember right, this guy is named Sawamura Shisui, the one that the S.S.S holds responsible for the 2055 Incident where an entire batch of students from New Tokyo academy was wiped out due to accidents. It was only after the S.S.S reviewed every clue that they learned of his involvement in it.

"Such a shame… I would've loved to have him hear my new rendition of his favorite piece."

The next to speak up was the guy that I fought against in Old Tokyo before and someone whose Psychic powers are related to music and the orchestra. His name is Inuguchi Osamu and to date, has been credited with over a thousand deaths.

"Buh-bye, Charon-san… but you should've finished reading "Moonlight princess" to me before you went away."

Next to speak was a little girl clutching a black cat on her arms. Her words sounded childishly innocent, but someone like me who has read the S.S.S file on her would know that the real her isn't speaking right now. Her name is Akisato Mirai, the main character's name of the popular magical girl anime "Magical Mirai". And just like the show, she fights bad people… often times in a way that the anime wouldn't show due to age-ratings.

"Don't worry, Mirai. Leave bedtime stories to me from now on."

"Really? Thankies, Judy-nee-san."

"It's nothing, sweetie."

Judy Ann Ikehara… the former chairwoman of the Ikehara group of companies that contested the Miyazono group greatly in the past. News reports from back then said that she was killed along with her children and close employees in a car incident, but given her involvement against the Miyazonos, I find it hard to believe that she wasn't purposely murdered by the Miyazonos.

"…"

"I guess this is the first time for us to talk face to face like this… Miyazaki Koshiro-san?"

"…Yes."

Lastly, the one who is speaking sparsely with a slightly awkward expression on his face is someone that I have long wanted to talk to face to face.

"So… do you want me to talk about her, or do you want me to not divulge anything here?"

"I will ask about my daughter when the right time comes… but for now, I'd appreciate it if you'd answer this single question that's been bugging me."

"And that is?"

"Did she walk or talk first?"

Hehe… even as a heartless Seer of death and a man cursed to be a vessel of Spirit Death, he is still a father deep inside.

"She walked first and a week later, started talking. With Mio and Yukari being the ones that she's mostly exposed to, her first words are "Nee" (sister)."

"I see… that's good."

I was pleased to see that he has liked my answer, but that isn't what I am here for.

"I want to talk about the last words that he left me before he died. Although we only talked directly there for the first time, I felt as if he is entrusting me something so confidently that it felt uncanny.

"And that is?"

"He started out with these words… "Our Principle is broken. Humanity have stepped into the realm which they should not have stepped into.""

"""-!!!"""

"They who fancy themselves as gods will rise and proclaim their names with the voice of the masses. I leave you to destroy what shall exalt them towards their final and most dreadful form…"

I sensed that there was something strange about what I have said that ended up with them looking at each other with shocked expressions or just simply dumbfounded in their own ways.

""Entu grua, vria Apokalypta.""

"W-Wait… Koshiro-san?"

"…"

When I said the last words that are in the ancient language, I was surprised that Koshiro-san also spoke about it.

"Juror… what is the meaning of this?"

"Maestro is right. Why would Charon-san tell you about that order meant only for my knowledge as the caretaker of the Seers?"

"The explanation is simple, Judy… Charon-san didn't trust that you'd be the right person to make this call."

"…What are you guys talking about? "Entu grua, vria Apokalypta" means "And then, spoketh Apocalypse". But why do you seem like to be at each other's throat about it?"

"It's simple, Chronia. That's because it is the final line in Charon-san's "Requiem of Creation"."

"Wait… that elegy is-"

"Right… It's our order to begin the total decimation of the world and the opening of the gates from which all of mankind, their wiles, their vices, their deplorability and finally, their very souls will be taken from the face of the world and brought to where it should've belonged in the first place."

"It is this world's version of what happened in the Original World. But with the absence of those who should do it, we are placed to bring no salvation for any that we deem unworthy of it."

In an instant, a blast of Astra energy hit me like a whiplash and in that moment, I realized that I have made a miscalculation…

"To all five Seers of Death and all who has begged for penance for their sin of being born into this deplorable world of the blatantly sinful, today is the day when we shall begin our great cleansing of the world and all that is with sin."

With a thundering voice, all five of them exuded out tremendous power as if calling out towards the entire face of the earth. I stood up and tried to resist their combined blasts of Astra energy, but I realized that it is futile after hearing something that they said in unison.

"This world is beyond saving. Its inhabitants are undeserving of life. It no longer deserves to exist…"

"And we shall end it."

""

I knew it once I heard the name of the power that they casted all across the world.

This is the beginning of the end.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Psychic Services department. Reporting for duty, ma'am!"

"Department Chief Fujikawa Mana, in attendance."

Deep inside the administrative sector of the S.S.S's Shibuya bunker, almost all of the psychics of the S.S.S are in attendance in front of the agency's Director, Nakamura Yuri.

"…I'm pleased to have all- almost all of you in here today. I see that Vice Chief Chronia is absent?"

"He has told me in advance about that, Director. He said that after he was gone for a few days, he wanted to bond with his kids to not make them hate him."

"Ahaha… what an amusing fellow, that guy is. He's going out to fight while also being worried about how his kids are looking at him."

"To be fair, he's just doing what he can to make sure they'd be raised properly."

As they are talking about him, the other six psychics were standing by, unsure what to say about what they are hearing between Mana and Yuri. However, the conversation soon returned to what it is meant to be.

"In any case, I want to tell you a little something about the changes that would happen here in the agency following the recent events in here."

"Recent events?"

"Right. First of all, I have decided to integrate the Interrogation and Incarceration Department to the Intelligence and Espionage department of Chief Eri Shiina."

"W-what?!"

"Then what will happen to Chief Ayato Naoi?"

"He's been… sent to another outpost where his talents are more suited to be used. Don't worry, he has accepted this reassignment properly."

"W-whoa, whoa… Wait a minute… are you telling me that Department Chief Naoi really accepted that."

"Yes, Goro-kun. And I'd appreciate if you wouldn't ask for more details about it. It's an internal issue that we settled properly. If anything, it would be beneficial to the entire agency to have this top-down restructuring in the long run. In any case, I asked for your presence because there has been a shake-up in the Miyazono group after Combined Team 4, consisting of two S.S.S and Sumeragi Psychics each destroyed another stronghold of the Miyazonos."

"A shake-up… would our next missions be about chasing after the running rats then, ma'am?"

"Exactly, Hotaru-chan. Team Argent managed to not only blunt but also completely stop the offensive being cooked up by the enemy. With their combined numbers and structuralized attack plans gone, they're either scurrying back to New Tokyo or forming their own independent attacks towards our bases."

"Would that be all, Yurippe?"

"Yes. I'd be leaving everything to you guys for now. Hunt them down and let's make sure that they won't be able to attain any kind of foothold in Old Tokyo. Am I understood?!"

"""Yes, ma'am!"""

After the six have left the office in order to form their pairs that would patrol Old Tokyo and hunt down the Miyazono Psychics, Mana stayed behind to ask Yuri a question that has bugged her greatly.

"Chief- I mean, former chief Naoi didn't resign, hasn't he?"

"…"

"You demoted and disseminated his department as punishment for something, yes?"

"…I really hate it when brats like you are sharp enough to notice such things, Mana."

While typing on her computer, Yuri answered Mana's question which made the latter stare out of the tinted glass door of the room.

"Is this about his dealings with the Sumeragi Kanbu officer? Or something more sinister?"

"Both... He broke the confidentiality clause by providing top-secret intel to someone outside the agency and in exchange, received something that only I and Hinata are meant to know."

"…"

"From how I see it, I did nothing wrong. Naoi might not be my best of friends, but he is a valuable person nonetheless. I mean, wouldn't you feel the same way about it, Mana?"

Being given that question, Mana sighed and asked Yuri something that caught her off-guard.

"Say, Yurippe… do you think that Ephraim is hiding too much from us about him?"

"Huh?"

"His past is one thing… but it bothers me that since the events in Old Tokyo academy, it seems like his mind is always somewhere else. I find it hard to believe that he has done nothing to inform us about what really happened to him back then."

"Just leave it, Mana."

"What?"

"Just let it be… I may not like it, but I believe that Ephraim has enough tact to tell us things that would really affect us. Whatever he might be hiding, I believe it's for the best that he'd be the one to settle it by himself."

"…I guess you have a point there, Yurippe."

After the two had that conversation, Mana felt a forboding sense of terror coming for her.

"Yurippe!"

"W-Wha-?!"

She hasn't felt something like this before and yet, her instincts kicked in as she jumped over her table and tackled Yuri down.

"M-Mana-! What on earth are you-!?"

"Stay still for a moment! It's coming!"

After shackling her right wrist with a Diminsher bracelet. Mana embraced Yuri tightly before coating both of them with her Astra energy.

*Kriii… PYIII-!!*

"What the hell-!?"

The electronics in the office fizzled on and off before bursting out. After that, tremors resembling a strong earthquake followed and shook the office greatly that both of them had to crawl under the table to protect their selves.

"This again…"

"Again?"

"This is just like what happened during that battle. A blast of dense Astra energy before earthquakes came… where could this be coming from now?"

After the earthquake subsided, Mana and Yuri emerged from under the table and saw that the office was a literal mess. Although there are no cracks or debris inside or outside of the office, every object has been toppled from their place.

"Darn it… This is Director Nakamura! All hands, report your respective statuses."

{"This is Yusa, Yurippe! *Bzzt-!* All agents are accounted for and there are only *bzz-t!* injuries amongst our numbers!"}

"That's good. Have everyone evacuate from the facility. Avoid using the trolley system. Tell all of them to get out through their respective bunker stations!"

{"Aye!"}

Through her earpiece, Yuri contacted Yusa who was facilitating the evacuation of the entire agency from another part of the sector. However, as evidenced by the slightly poor quality of the audio, their communication equipment has also been hit by the blast of Astra energy.

"Yurippe! Your leg!"

After activating her Astra energy-enhanced sight, Mana saw that there was a few bruises on Yuri's right leg.

"It's nothing, Mana. Let's get the hell out of here. But first, I need to lock down the entire facility."

"I'll help out then!"

Although her desktop computer has been destroyed by the tremors and there was no electricity flowing in the main power lines, each of the sectors are still functioning through back-up power and as the Director of the S.S.S, Yuri has her own means to control her base.

"Give me the "S to U" encyclopedia and the Art of War book."

"These books are…"

"They're emergency consoles made by Chaa and Yusa. It allows me to have complete access in the bunkers in the event of an emergency like this… Let's see…"

Yuri opened the two books and instead of papers filled with images or words, it was a compact tablet computer that connects to a modem-like antennae of the other book.

"All bunkers are not damaged, and they can escape easily. It's good that I told them not to use the trolley system, many tunnels have collapsed… What more to see…"

"Yurippe! Look at that!"

Suddenly, Mana touched the screen to enlarge one security camera that is pointed outside of the gate of Ginza bunker.

"W-W-what on earth-!"

"Malignances…"

Normally, Malignances are only seen by Psychics or people trapped inside a Mental Subspace. Malignances with physical bodies, called Psych-Malignances are those that have possessed a psychic, or a normal person exposed to excessive amounts of Astra energy.

However, what they are seeing right now is something beyond normal.

"All hands! Arm yourselves before leaving your bunkers! I repeat! Arm yourselves before you leave the premises! We have a Code Red-Alpha in our hands! I repeat! We are in Code Red-Alpha!"

{"Bzzt-!!!"}

"Damn it!!! Respond! Anyone! Please respond!"

"Y-Yurippe…"

"What?!"

"It's… too late…"

Hearing Mana's weakened voice, Yuri's expression turned from frustration to utter powerlessness as she watched the numerous cameras pointing out of the exit points of the bunkers show her the bloody slaughter that happened to her agents.

{"G-get back! Get back- UWARGH-!!!"}

{"NOOO!!! SAVE ME-!"}

{"Not like this-! NOT LIKE THIS-!!!"}

Instead of safety, they ran into their deaths. For as soon as they opened the inconspicuous bunker doors and stepped out to the surface, none awaits them other than Psych-Malignances keen on making them the victims of their mass slaughter.

"No… No, no, no!!!"

"Yurippe!"

Horrified with the sight, Yuri stood up and took her rifle from her display rack and shouted an order to Mana.

"Mana! Get on your feet! We're heading out to save them!"

"It's too late, Yurippe! They're too far away!"

"Then we'll use the trolley to-"

"The tunnels have collapsed!"

"T-Then we'll use the-"

*Pyak-!*

"-!"

"Snap out of it, Yurippe!"

"M-M-Mana…"

"We can't do anything! All of our options have been shot down! Snap out of your shock and do something for those that are still alive!"

"-!!!"

"Kuh-! All hands, this is Psychic Department Chief Fujikawa! Cease the evacuation efforts and barricade the exit points!"

{"*Bzzt-!* Fujikawa! *Bzzt-!* will we come out of this? *Bzzt-!* We can't hold *Bzzt-!* for much longer!"}

"Don't worry about that! I'll send Psychics your way to clear the way out! Just hold down your bunkers!"

{"Affirmative!"}

After she has given those orders even through the thick garbling static of their radio earpieces, Mana turned around to see that Yuri has calmed down and can be reliably talked to again.

"Come on, Yurippe! As the Director, we all need you to lead us out!"

"Haah… Alright. Lead the way and let's get out of here!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Psychic Agent Asato! Behind us!"

"Leave it to me and board the bus!"

With their common communications equipment busted, Mana called for the S.S.S Psychics through a telepathic Augmenter tool. With that, the Psychics were able to head towards the major bunker exits and spread out their numbers efficiently.

At the bunker near Harajuku, Asato Hotaru is helping the Psychics to board the armored bus that would bring them out of the place that is now crawling with Psych-Malignances.

"Fire your guns at them!"

"A-Aye! Eat this!"

*Ta-ta-ta-ta!*

""

Using her ability on the bullets fired by the S.S.S Agents, Hotaru managed to make even the puny nine-millimeter bullets to hit the Malignances with the velocity of a rifle bullet.

"Got em!"

"Wahoo!"

"Celebrate later! Get to safety first!"

"Y-Yes! Is everybody on board?!"

"All survivors and wounded are here!"

"Alright! Let's go! Agent Asato! Board with us!"

"I'll hang by the door! Keep it open!"

Meanwhile in another of the stations in the massive web of abandoned subway lines of Old Tokyo, Kageyama Goro is acting risking limb and life to protect his comrades too.

" It's clear! Get out now!"

"Go! Go! Go!"

At Goro's place, a massive wave of Malignances are making his job more difficult than he expected.

"Damn it! Get back, you monsters!"

"Don't leave everything to the Psychic Agent! Shoot them down as much as you can!"

For the other four Psychics, their fights are not as different from the others. They too, are struggling to save as many of their fellows as humanly possible.

"Agent Kamiya! Over here!"

"Leave them to me! Just get into the bus!"

"Aye!"

Kamiya Kanna can hardly keep the surging waves of Psych-Malignances away from her fellows.

"Agent Endou! Behind you!"

"RAAAAAHHHH-!!!"

"Whoa-!"

"Get away now before it gets more dangerous!"

"Y-Yes!"

"Come and get me, you monsters!"

Endou Jun isn't having the best time in his fight as well. With more and more of them coming, he is succumbing closer and closer to the madness of his fighting abilities.

"Agent Satoru! We should move back now!"

"I know that! So get the wounded away as far as possible while my wall of water can still hold them off!"

"Y-yes!"

"GRAAAA-!!!"

"Drat-! Get back!"

Satoru Koji, not being the best in fighting, can only form a defensive wall to hold back the monsters.

"Agent Amamiya! It's futile!"

"No! I can still save him!"

"He's no longer breathing! Let's move now!"

"N-Noo! I can still save him!"

However, the one most devastated at present is no other than Amamiya Misaki who has almost no offensive capabilities and was only able to heal some of the wounded for all of them to run away. However, some of the severely injured eventually ended up dying, which made Misaki desperate to futilely save them.

All across the old city, Malignances appeared and spread terror wherever they can be found. However, this event is not limited to Old Tokyo… and not even just Japan.

{"We are cutting our regular program to bring news from Manhattan island where strange beings that attack humans on sight has been sighted and are now spreading all across the state of New York."}

{"This is News 007 and this flash news is here to report sightings of peculiar creatures found in the Bristol area which has wreaked havoc by attacking people, causing damages to public and private property and has so far, not been able to be suppressed by the police. It is advised that all citizens stay in their homes and if a break-in by these strange beings are made, it is advised to not fight back and simply make your escape from the intruded premises."}

{"A report from Calcutta speaks that strange monsters have appeared in the city centers and have been partially contained by the army. All citizens are advised to escape from the- W-What? Another same incident has just been reported to have happened in Delhi!"}

{"Right now, we are in east of Perth city where the Australian navy are barely holding off a mass of strange monsters that emerged from the Swan River!"}

{"Breaking news from New Manila city, a horde of monsters appeared from the Manila Bay and have so far, been held in place by the Navy and Army. With the matter reaching the ears of the President, the issuance of martial law in the area is rumored to be debated in an emergency senate and congress meeting."}

All across the world, Astra energy pools invisible to normal people spread out and from it came out a great number of monsters that took human lives, often times by devouring them, and destroying buildings, causing a massive number of deaths and destruction.

Back in the bar in New Tokyo, Ephraim mustered all of his strength to stop the people whom he knew to have started this entire pandemonium.

"I said stop already! This isn't right!!!"

"Hmph… How naïve, Vessel of Law."

"-!"

With a slight sound of jeering in her voice, Judy spoke those words and turned her face to Ephraim. This is when he realized that the person speaking right now…

"In the end, the death of all creation really is the ultimate answer."

"You are right, Innkeeper. In the end, humanity can understand only the language of utter hopelessness, terror and eventually, the cessation of life."

"Your words bring me happiness and comfort, Maestro. Though I'd say that it would be more fitting if you find a suitable tune to accompany it."

As if not even caring that he is trying to fight back, the five Seers of Death spoke as they each faced each other in a circle and continuously emitted a great deal of Astra energy that he knew is causing the desolation that he is sensing outside.

"This… This isn't how I wanted for this to happen! I am-"

"The future you have peered through is the absolute of absolutes, Child of Cecilia."

"-!"

"Even before this world was reshaped in order to hide the absolute destruction that the War of Heaven and Earth has wrought on it, that future…"

"That outcome…"

"That fate…"

"It has all been decided and no matter how much you change it…"

"""""It shall not change."""""

With those words spoken in absolutes, Ephraim felt himself sink in hopelessness…

"You may chose to defy us, just like everyone will do, O Vessel of Celestial Spirit Law… but it shall change nothing. Even the best efforts of all of your humans shall change nothing."

"…Who decided that…?"

"…"

"Tell me… Who decided that what I can do is for naught!?"

Exuding out his Astra energy and covering himself with it, Ephraim stood his ground and gave each of the five a glare that made them tighten their expressions.

"Ever since I let so much destruction and death happen back then, I have never been able to forgive myself… I have almost killed the very person that I promised to protect just for this!"

"…"

"But no more! Not anymore!"

Ephraim summoned his Divine Weapon and pointed it towards the five Seers of Death.

"I will end this war without any other meaningless death!"

With his entire resolution in those words, Ephraim showed that he will not backdown against the Seers, nor will he change his belief on what he must do as an active player in this conflict.

"…Time will tell if you will truly remain in that path, Vessel."

"What?"

"After all, is it truly this deplorable world and its hedonistic people that has caused you endless loss, despair and pain that you wish to save… or is it just those that you truly desire to love and protect that you are doing all of this for?"

"-!"

As if struck by what the Juror said, Ephraim reeled back for a moment, but not before he snapped back to what he must do.

"We will see each other when we shall see each other, Vessel of Law. But by that time I believe that you are already far too late to stop any of what we must do."

In a flash of light, all five of them disappeared and with them, their traces that could've told him where they went. Disappointed at himself for just letting them get away like that, Ephraim reeled and gnashed his teeth in frustration.

"Calm down, Ephraim… There are much more important things to do right now."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"…That concludes my report, Yurippe."

"I see… this explains everything…"

With their headquarters damaged and Malignances still crawling and wreaking havoc across the city at present, the temporary base of the S.S.S is no other than the school building lent by the agency to the elementary school of Mio and Yukari.

At the improvised office of the Agency's Director, Ephraim gave his report to Yuri, substituting more believable words on the things that they talked about. In this version of events, he said that he managed to recover the body of one of the Seers of Death at an alley in Old Tokyo and to fulfill his last request, sent it to the other Seers. However, upon seeing the death of one of their comrades, the remaining Seers of Death has decided to finally act and pour their wrath towards the world and its people. Ephraim tried to stop them, but outnumbered and coming from an exhaustive mission, he was powerless and the five escaped to cause all of the things that are now endlessly being reported in the news across all of the countries of the world.

"The agency has suffered its own casualties and loss of resources, Ephraim. For now, I want you to secure your family and return here later to coordinate with your fellow Psychics and the Sumeragi group."

"Understood. They're already in the Imamura estate and guarded by top-notch Psychics, but I guess they'd want to see me first before I head out again-"

"I'm not talking about your children, Ephraim… This is about your family who came from your homeland."

"What?"

"I told the Imamura estate's attendants that they will stay there because of the chaos around Old Tokyo right now. You should meet them there before things escalate further."

A surprise that he didn't expect fell of Ephraim's lap. He turned to leave and handle it, but Yuri called him to tell him something first.

"Another thing, Rai-kun…"

"Yes?"

"You may have elicited my favor regarding Naoi… but the suspicion has only changed from one person to another, Ephraim."

"…"

"I may believe that you are doing everything for the common good, Ephraim… but I just want to warn you that if you will do something that will violate our principles…"

"-!"

"Trust me… I will stop at nothing to end you, even if it will be the last thing that I have to do."