CHAPTER 39 : BLACK & WHITE PART 5

"The girl lost. Honestly disappointing... She really can't do anything without my help, huh?" Vincent sighed as he sat in his lab, one of the computers displaying footage from security cameras. The Special Force was seen storming into the White Tigers' headquarters in Teluk Gong.The unconscious thugs were being examined with a machine that took blood samples; this scanner could detect active Mutant Cells. Many thugs were handcuffed and taken out, while some Special Force members were putting the bodies of the slain into black bags."Captain... We have a 'Superhuman'," said a member of the Special Force to Syafiq, who approached Nora with several others."So it's true, huh? What happened to her?" Syafiq turned to face the wall blackened by the Star Beam. Other Special Force members pulled out a thicker type of handcuff, cuffing Nora completely and covering her face with an iron helmet."Check the upper floors!" ordered a Special Force member, and his subordinates followed behind."They're coming..." Kyoko muttered."We can hide there." Khairul pointed to a small space in the ceiling above them. Kyoko quickly brought him and Nasuha to that small area, and the three of them continued to observe what the Special Force was doing."I tried to call for help, but no one responded. It seems they are indeed attacking us simultaneously. White, it looks like our real battle has begun... Allow me to start it," Vincent pressed a button, and the sound of several cages opening echoed. Vincent turned around with a smile."Kill them all.""Understood," Eric replied with a blank expression, followed by several Strays with a type of iron helmet placed on their heads."What is that machine?" Nasuha asked, watching the machine the Special Force used to detect mutants, or what they called 'Superhumans.'"From what I can see, it's likely a machine that can detect whether we are mutants or not. Didn't you see earlier? They had something that could cuff our entire bodies," Kyoko replied, looking disturbed."How does the government have machines like that?" Khairul questioned."How would I know, but it's not surprising. The government hides a lot of things from us regarding what they know about the current situation. I wouldn't be shocked if someone capable and knowledgeable could create a machine like that," Kyoko explained. Khairul nodded in understanding, but suddenly he felt something was off; his danger senses were buzzing."Khai?" Nasuha noticed the worried look on Khairul's face."Strays? Mutants? I'm not sure, but... there are a lot of Strays near us." Khairul held his head, feeling dizzy from the many signals he was receiving."What?" Kyoko asked, puzzled."Mo-Monsters!" shouted a member of the Special Force before being tackled by Eric, whose blade sprang from his arm and stabbed the member in the neck, splattering blood onto Eric's face. All members of the Special Force aimed their automatic rifles at Eric and the other Strays behind him as they emerged from the underground lift.Eric threw the body of the slain member aside and stepped forward while the other Strays charged at the Special Force members, who began shooting furiously."I am... the sword," Eric said softly, as two more blades extended from his arms, with knives emerging from his back and sword blades from both his knees. Some bullets hit him, but Eric showed no sign of pain or distress, charging forward with the other Strays.Eric decapitated two more Special Force members, sending their heads flying, and the bullet wounds on Eric's body began to heal, as he expelled the bullets that had penetrated him. Some smaller Strays fell to the ground from the gunfire, but the larger Strays held their ground, forcing the Special Force members back, with some getting killed and injured."Back everyone! Keep your distance!" Syafiq commanded, aiming his revolver and firing a precise shot that struck Eric's forehead.Eric's head jerked back, and he stopped moving for a moment, but then he looked forward again, blood trickling from the gunshot wound on his forehead as he licked it.Suddenly, Nasuha and Khairul dropped down from the upper level. Khairul glared sharply at Eric; their eyes locked, and Khairul drew blades from both his arms."Stop!" Khairul shouted, but Eric merely looked at him."Aaaarrrghhh!" I am tortured... sliced... sliced... sliced... My whole body is replaced with the body of a monster until I feel no pain anymore. Until I can pull swords from my body.All of this to imitate you. The doctor keeps showing me footage of you while he cuts and slices my body... Do you know how painful that is? Every day I pray it doesn't hurt anymore... Suddenly, I feel nothing at all.Ah... I haven't felt this sensation in a long time...Eric smiled."See you!" Eric shouted. The Special Force began firing relentlessly, and Nasuha created a barrier to block the bullets."Back off! Leave this to us!" Nasuha demanded, and Syafiq raised his hand, signaling his team to cease fire."Who are you?" Khairul asked."I am you!" Eric retorted, rushing towards Khairul as their blades clashed, creating sparks, and Eric leaned closer to Khairul's face."Huh?!" Khairul was confused."See for yourself... See what I had to endure to become like you!" Eric pushed Khairul back, several Strays rushed towards him, but Kyoko managed to finish them off with a strong lightning strike. Eric appeared from the side of Kyoko swiftly, emerging from the black smoke created after the lightning attack.He stabbed Kyoko in the thigh."Arrrh!" Kyoko screamed in pain as Eric threw her aside."Kyoko!" Nasuha shouted, watching as Kyoko was dragged across the floor, blood flowing profusely from the deep stab wound. Khairul angrily continued attacking Eric, his blade scratching Eric's chest."Dammit!" Khairul yelled, their blades clashed repeatedly, moving so fast that the Special Forces around them were terrified and unsure of what to do."Kyoko." Nasuha moved towards Kyoko."Ergh... Arh... Itai... Itai..." Kyoko groaned, covering her face. Nasuha examined Kyoko's thigh, her expression turning nauseated."Aarrghhh!""Hahahahaaaarrghhh!"Eric laughed while fighting Khairul, who looked furious. Eric's blade scratched Khairul's face and grazed his neck, while Khairul managed to score a hit on Eric's forehead and abdomen."Kuaarrghh!" A Stray attempted to attack Khairul."Get lost!" Khairul decapitated the creature and refocused on Eric."Even though I have many blades... You... You're still holding out!?" Eric skewered both of Khairul's blades, immobilizing his arms."What are you? Why do you have my powers?" Khairul asked, noticing his wounds healing slowly."I am... Eric... Remember that. Remember my name... I am you, and you will become like me," Eric said with a vacant expression, sending shivers down Khairul's spine. Eric's wounds healed more rapidly as he stabbed Khairul in the stomach with the blade from his knee."Arrgh!""Oh... Maybe the doctor will put you on my body too. Don't worry, when you join me, you... you won't feel pain anymore." Eric whispered with a sinister smile returning to his face."Star Slash!" Nasuha severed Eric's arms, rushing toward the two of them, placing her palm against Eric's side."Star Beam!" The beam of light pushed Eric away from them. Khairul collapsed weakly, and Nasuha hugged him from behind, pulling him toward Kyoko."Khai... I'm here." Nasuha trembled, and Khairul took a deep breath."Thank you, Nasuha. You came just in time." Khairul replied, noting that the stab wound in his stomach was not too deep, but it wasn't healing quickly.We had just faced the earlier Mutant woman. Her powers were strong. Nasuha, Kyoko, and I had already expended too much energy. I wasn't healing quickly and was starting to feel tired...Not good. What should I do?Run? But the Special Forces will all die later..."Not yet... Not yet..." Eric walked forward even without both of his arms."What kind of monster is he?" Kyoko groaned, while Khairul appeared terrified. Nasuha stood up, the light surrounding her dimming, indicating her energy was depleting.Eric stepped forward again...Suddenly, a Stray grabbed him, and another Stray brought Nora, who was completely shackled. The other Strays began to flee. They all moved toward the exit."Shoot!" Syafiq commanded, and the Special Forces fired at the Strays, but they continued to run, ignoring the Special Forces' attack."Don't think I'll waste you, Eric," Vincent said, appearing in a helicopter carried by a Stray with multiple arms. Several Strays carrying Eric fell, but one Stray managed to toss Eric into the helicopter as the Stray carrying Nora leaped toward the helicopter and managed to cling to it."Got you, sword." A muscular man was also in the helicopter, catching Eric and pulling him inside. The Special Forces moved out, firing at the helicopter, but it had already flown far from them, causing many shots to miss."What happened?" Vincent sighed."It doesn't matter what happens. We need to go help White and Alex; they haven't responded at all," said the muscular man, with Eric lying unconscious on the floor of the helicopter and Nora still unconscious in her seat."Many Strays and my machines have been wasted... Such a loss. How did the Masked Man survive from that day? Now he has his own group. Look at what he's done to my work," Vincent lamented, as the muscular man smiled."Oh, Vincent. We will receive much more than what we lost, trust me. We will win this war," the sturdy man confidently replied."People with naïve beliefs like yours will all be destroyed. Let me speed that up!" White said, Khalid's armored arm beginning to crack as he stepped down harder on Ali, when Chyou suddenly appeared above him, grabbing White's shirt and teleporting him out of the building."S-Stop it!" Alex shouted, sitting down and holding his head. Mei was using her powers on Alex, causing the knives controlled by Alex to drop to the floor.White fell from his position, and Chyou looked at White with empty eyes before disappearing from sight."Chyou..." Khalid grasped the cracked part of his shield as Chyou appeared in front of him and Ali."The problem is solved... Even with his metal body, he'll surely be dead...from this height," Chyou said, while Khalid and Ali simply stared at Chyou."Chyou. We didn't plan to kill him. We want to capture him and understand what he's doing," Khalid sighed, while Chyou shot him a glare."What nonsense are you talking about? You two can't fight him at all... He will kill you... We know he won't cooperate. Killing him is the only right choice," Chyou retorted, and Ali clenched his fists."No... You're wrong, kid," Ali said, stepping closer to Chyou."Enough already... What's done is done. Chyou just wants to save you both," Mei admonished, as Alex lay unconscious due to Mei's powers."He kills people, you know that?" Ali asked."We've killed many people... Do you think the Strays weren't people originally? You're the one being foolish here... I won't put my sister in danger any longer," Chyou replied."That's enough, Chyou." Mei gently pushed Chyou away from Ali. Khalid looked around, checking on Alex first, then walked to the edge of the broken window, looking down.Suddenly, White grabbed his helmet and slammed Khalid, sending them both crashing into the upper building where Ali, Chyou, and Mei were. The Beast Tiger helmet was smashed on the left side, revealing Khalid's wounded face and blood flowing from his forehead."Do you think a simple way like that will kill me?" White asked before throwing Khalid against the wall. Chyou teleported Ali and Mei to that floor as well. Ali clenched his fists tightly and charged toward White."Argh..." Khalid leaned against the wall, his Beast Tiger shield damaged in many areas, as Mei approached to check on him."Khalid..." Mei looked worried as Khalid slowly stood up. He pulled out the Beast Tiger card from its slot, causing the shield to disappear. Mei watched as Khalid stepped forward."Don't worry about me... We need to help Ali," Khalid said, and he and Mei looked at Ali, who was exchanging blows with White, while Chyou assisted Ali in dodging White's powerful and heavy attacks."I won't fall easily either." Khalid pulled out a card featuring a knight holding a sword. He inserted it, and Mei turned to him with a smile."Transform! Warrior Card, Sentinel!" A new shield formed around Khalid. His helmet materialized with three horns, the entire shield colored gold and silver. Khalid inserted another card."Weapon! War Axe!" A large axe appeared in Khalid's hands, which he rested on his shoulder. Without waiting any longer, Khalid charged at White with his Sentinel armor. He swung the axe at White, forcing him to stop fighting Ali and block the axe blade.Khalid managed to push White back, and White's fierce face collided with the reflective surface of the Sentinel helmet, showing Khalid's determined eyes.