Chapter 10 - The Encounter of the One True Enemy

*Unknown location*

"Sir, your battle suit is ready. It's time to get prepared."

What is presented is a man sitting on his metallic throne while Nathan informs him. The man is undoubtedly Arcadia, the one responsible for Case Files 401.

"I noticed that you kind of getting yourself nearly killed during the previous mission. I shall give you an upgrade. So depend entirely on your Metavoid. I specially stolen that powerful Metavoid just for you

"I am sorry sir. For now, what is the plan for our next mission?"

Arcadia turns his whole body towards Nathan and stares at him menacingly for a while before mentioning his plans.

"You are to head over to the Azalea Research Center and get me the Elita sword. Bring it to me, but don't touch the grip of the sword. Kill anyone in your way."

"Understand, sir"

Nathan then proceeds to make his way to the research centre. The sword Rilles has been tasked to retrieve is held at the research department all along, but due to its undetectable nature, only Arcadia's technology can find it. Arcadia then projects Raz's face on the big screen.

"Just you wait, Raz. I will show you how powerful I have become. I will destroy you and your HQ. Just wait and see."

*Back at the training centre*

"Focus, Vulcan. You could fight against teleporters. Feel their incoming attacks."

"I can't. It's....too fast."

At this rate, it is impossible to teach Vulcan about fighting against time. I guess six seconds is too long, but I do not have faith in Vulcan.

"Vulcan, take five."

He looks extremely tired, but what can there be done? Thanks to General for forcing this onto me.

"Vulcan, Arcadia can basically use some sort of time bending skill. That is how he counters his enemy. Well you could fight that, so I figured I would use my time stop to fight you so that just in case he won't teleport out of nowhere."

"But time is too fast. It is hard to react to the sudden movements."

Not only that. My effort is to as well awaken that Metavoid he has been sealing. He is totally unaware of his own Metavoid.

"I might have a way. But I am not sure if it works."

Vulcan looks at me with hopes in his eyes.

*Training resumes*

"Focus, take a deep breath and listen to what I am saying and react towards it."

I immediately made my transformation to challenge him.

"Light Transform!"

Vulcan projects two blades one on each hand and got into defensive mode.

"Right"

I stopped time and moved to his right side as I attempted to strike him. Vulcan then responded to my direction and defended himself against it.

"Front"

He responded towards it again, but he almost got stroke

"Behind.....Left....."

I repeated the entire process one more time by randomising my directions. As I did that, I repeated it once more. Hopefully he is ready for this.

"Now, Vulcan. I won't say it and I will immediately dash towards you. Listen to it, feel it and read my movements."

As I randomly teleported, Vulcan closed his eyes and immediately struck my attacks from behind. I teleported again, and he got it. He got it all again and again. He had passively used his Metavoid, but he is unaware. He could listen to my footsteps, feel my movements and predict my attacks, because of his Metavoid. I believed that Vulcan's Metavoid has the ability to penetrate into any reality, but since he is unaware, he could only penetrate for a short while.

"Well, you did it. And I am proud of you. Now kid, get up stairs and get some rest. I will be there soon."

Vulcan makes his way to his room. But I have something far worse happening. My pager is beeping, signifying that I need to get to work. I wonder what mission that requires me to go.

*Meeting Room*

"Hey, it's about time. Your second day could have been worse."

A man in a grey shirt greeted me as if he knew me well. Perhaps Raz introduced me to him.

"Sorry I am late. Got caught up with-"

The man looked at me suspiciously and somehow let out a grin. I think I know this person.

"Well well well, if it isn't the man himself. Legend across Azalea. How has it been, Rilles?

"James? I did not expect you to be here."

"Our sons bond well to the extent of me knowing you.

Truthfully, I never expect James to be here. He is the father of Micheal, who is Radii's childhood friend. It is indeed fate that brought us back together at some point after Micheal had moved to a boarding school.

"So, Rilles. There is an invasion at the research centre, again."

"Is this anything to do with Arcadia?"

James then displays on the big screen a bunch of CCTV footage revolving around the research centre.

"Nathan. He is back."

"Whatever this Nathan is to you, it seems he has a goal this time. He was there to block your arrival and retrieve the object. You have to be there to investigate what is going on"

I know why Nathan was there before. But I need evidence to prove it. He had plans as Arcadia instructed. James then looks at the other members of the meeting left and right. Both sides gave their approval, but one did not.

"Commander, why are we sending a newbie into a battle? He could have died, before attaining his goal."

James then took out papers from his table and presented them on the big screen with a visualizer.

"The man you called a newbie, was an APD detective. The best of the best. We got questions, and he is the one who could bring answers to the questions. His stats is beyond expectations despite being new here "

The person that disapproved sat back and thought for a while until he eventually spoke from his point of view.

"If that is what you believe, then I have no words to say. Majority wins. But if this person fails, you would need to speak to the General."

James nodded his head in agreement. Thus everyone gave their approval to proceed. But then James called me over.

"Rilles, I suspect this could be a trap. Maybe Nathan is currently there to draw you out."

"That is what I presumed, but there is no other way, right?"

"Come back in one piece, or else."

James seemed worried, but there was no choice.I then headed over to the preparation room and got prepared. Vulcan then head over towards me and gave me something out of ordinary

"Rilles. Take this keychain with you. It is from my parents and I believe it will protect you from any unprecedented disaster."

A rabbit keychain was passed to me. Honestly, I don't bring keychains around. From what I could tell, he insisted that I bring it along.

"Something from your parents is to be with you all the time. Why are you giving it to me?"

"You need it more than I do. Please, Rilles. I insist."

If he insists, then there is nothing to be said.

"Okay, then. Now go back to your room."

I gave him a head pat before allowing him to go back to his room. Well it kinda makes sense for him to act this way since he has been an orphan for quite some time and has no parental figure.

*Azalea Research Center*

"Well. I am back to this shit place. Oh look the hole we exploded, it is still there. I guess there is no turning back then."

As I made my entrance to the building, everything I saw was a massacre. Perhaps a shocking massacre. Nathan was that powerful, and I never expected this to occur. But why here? I was then led to the testing chamber after I saw someone who seems to still be alive.

"Sir, bear with me. What happened?"

"The magic sword....must.....be...protec-....-ted,"

"Magic sword? It shouldn't be..."

Suddenly a gush of electric attack was directed towards me from behind. I evaded but the man did not make it.

"Hello, Rilles. It's been awhile. Where is your partner?"

"If you meant that dude, he is on vacation. And by the way, how is Arcadia? Is he winning?"

"The sword is all that matters. You seem to have an idea about it."

"If you meant the Elita, then no. I have been searching for it for years. By the way, I knew exactly why you were there blocking our operation yesterday."

Nathan then looks at me straight in the eye.

"The trucks are distractions. You led Base Zero to their own trap. The comms interception is done by hacking our satellite to make it seem real. But the goal is to distract the law enforcers. So you could plant something onto the research centre to confirm the whereabouts of the sword. The alarm rang, but when cops are distracted by something major, the building owner has to issue evacuation on the exit and not the entrance. Am I right, Nathan?"

Nathan grins at me as if I have guessed it right on the mark.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?"

"Rilles Gregory, detective in APD."

"Well, I don't have a name. But my Metavoid belongs to one of Arcadia's friends."

There is no doubt when it comes to electrical Metavoid. It is no other than Xavier. How did it even end up there?

"Despite my objective being the sword, he had instructed me to kill those who got in my way."

"Then so be it. Light, Transform."

I got into my battle suit using my light transformer to enhance my fight. I am not sure for how long but it should suffice.

"Then die with the rest, Rilles!!"

Nathan proceeded to charge his electricity at maximum and shot it directly towards me. Since the electric is faster in an enclosed space, I have to hold it with my own body, in this case my armour.

"You won't last if you hold my high voltage of electricity with that suit of yours."

He is correct as soon as my HUD displays a low percentage of electrical resistance left. My suit could only withstand 250 kilovolts. But the electricity is at an unknown voltage, possibly 300 to 350 kilovolts. I can't fight like this.

"Time Defy-Stop the time."

As usual, time has stopped everything except me and I took this opportunity to get out of range. But everything resumes once again almost immediately. What is going on?

"You are indeed a unique teleporter."

"Most people said that, but they never got it right. I am more than a teleporter."

I immediately threw several daggers one by one as fast as possible, but all he did was deflecting it by repelling my sword using magnetism. While he was deflecting, I threw a dagger towards him.

"Time Defy-Stop the Time"

1...2...3.....

Time resumed almost immediately. What is going on? It's like I am using my Metavoid without my suit. 3.5 seconds is the longest I could stop. The watch is fried and it could only enhance by 0.5 seconds. The dagger I threw stabbed him right on his left shoulder. But I have to think of a finishing move fast.

"You sneaky little shit. You moved fast, faster than the last time we fought. Raz has taught you well."

"Raz did not teach me shit, and so is Kyro. They have their own way and I have my own. I learn from mistakes, unlike your boss, Using mistakes to create more mistakes."

Offended by that, he sends electrical current surrounding the whole room and it shocks me till my spine. Then he shoots a gush of electricity powerful enough to push me and break the wall behind.

"How does that feel, Rilles? You are pretty useless without your partner here, eh? Talk shit about my boss again, I dare you."

"You should be smarter about that, Nathan. Let's see, a cyborg or a human is powerful on an intellectual level."

I can divert electricity away from its original course, which should allow me to get close. I summon two daggers on each hand, while holding Vulcan's concept of fighting. Never let them know your moves and surprise them at their lowest.

I charged at Nathan. The gush of electricity directed towards me is going through my daggers due to its conductive nature. I then swayed it away from me and summoned another dagger to replace it. I did that multiple times until I eventually got close. Once I got close,I kept swaying my daggers to damage his parts, and even went to the extent of stabbing motion to jam his components. I managed to land a blow and took a step back to throw multiple daggers at once. This time, instead of repelling the daggers, he charged at me, receiving the stabbings at his parts and used one of my daggers and stabbed me in the stomach area. I lay down while holding my wound. Blood surrounded my right hand.

"I am a machine capable of learning. I have proven to you that I am smarter than you. I won't let anyone know my next move. Such a shame you use the same tactic as before."

"As smart as you....are. You..are..incapable of reading minds."

"What??"

"Time Defy-Stop the time"

Without hesitation, I stopped time. Within those 3.5 seconds, I knew what exactly needs to be done. I took a step back, using the remaining energy and will I have left, I threw all my daggers at him. As time resumes, my daggers all directed towards him at full power. Nathan knew that, the moment he charges at me, the daggers travelling at such speed will kill him for sure. He had no choice but to repel it with his electricity power, which he did. This time, while he is repelling, I threw a specially crafted knife towards him during time stop. As time resumes, the specially crafted knife stabbed him in the chest area.

"What. How did you do it?"

"Humans are capable of learning and understanding. Unlike machines who are programmed to learn, but not understand. I learned from our past battles, that daggers won't penetrate you that easily. Which is where magnets come into play.

I clenched my fist and the daggers that filled the whole room suddenly rose into a stabbing motion. The daggers then travel at high speed towards Nathan, circling around him before stabbing him at full force. Nathan has most of his parts and components destroyed from that attack. With that advantage, I took the opportunity to dash towards him and punch the hell out of him separating his head from his body. I then proceeded to stab his head with one of the daggers as a sign of victory.

"Now to find this Elita sword."

As soon as I picked up the dagger from Nathan's head, I noticed something in his eye. A black dot with a lens. It is no doubt a camera.

"He must have expected me. Arcadia must have expected them to send in one of Base Zero agents so he could monitor my fighting pattern. No way, I need to-"

As I turned around to retreat, I saw the man himself. The man in a black armour filled with blue lining. His grey hair and both of his eyes have a red coloured iris is already intimidating enough.

"Looking for this...Rilles Gregory?"

"Arcadia...no...Alex!"

"Alex is dead. Long dead. Raz must have told you how much of a hero I am. And he betrayed me for his own ideals."

"You are not close enough to be a hero. You are a demon. No. Worse than a demon."

"You have defeated my best soldier. But what makes you think, you could defeat me. I can read you like a book. I believe it is our first meeting, to which I have a question for you."

Arcadia then walks nearer to me. I then threatened him to stay back.

"A simple question, answer correctly means you live, otherwise you're dead. My goal is Azalea City. I have a plan to rebuild the civilization as I deemed it unprogressive. My question is will you sacrifice your ideals and save the city with me? Yes or no."

Only a psycho will create such a mess by posing a threat as such.

"Sacrificing what we have. In exchange for innocent human lives, a new civilisation shall be born? Interesting."

"Humans are far from perfect and innocent. Imagine a city without crimes. Imagine no life losses. Imagine a stable economy. Imagine a powerful and fair ruler. Imagine justice is what we all aim for instead of foul play and manipulation. Rilles, all such is the definition of a perfect world. That is my goal."

"That is not a goal. Balance is what we all need. That is not balance, but hell. You know my answer. Even if you persuade me that much, it is a straight up no. I shall not succumb to your persuasion. It is never a persuasion, but a manipulation."

"You just made the wrong choice, Rilles. You are messing with the wrong enemy."

"And you just mess with the wrong bloodline."

I then proceeded to charge at him with all my will and went for the stabbing motion towards his head. Instead of flinching, he lowered himself and punched me in the gut with full force and confidence.

"Really? With that injury you wanted to stab me. Here. Let me teach you the art of stabbing."

As I stood up, he dashed behind me and stabbed me from the back with the Elita. I shouted in agony. He then carefully pushes the blade upwards, increasing the chance of my death. He took out the blade and pushed me aside.

"Say Hi to Xavier for me."

He then kicks me with full strength on my head. Instantly knocked me out of my misery.