[???]"Master, I have received a report from our forces at Mount Konte. They have located a strange trio scaling the mountain towards that old abandoned base.They were too strong for our scouts to handle. Soon they will reach the summit. Will you permit me to go and take care of them?""No need. I require your services here. I will send someone else to handle our curious intruders. Now hurry back.""Understood master."***[mountain peak]Rio arrives at the peak of the mountain top where he finds a series of small carvings along the wall. Each carving is accompanied by an indent in the wall.These carvings were created for the purpose of allowing the Orders operatives a pathway into the facility.Rio instructs Zack on how to open the path.Walking up to the wall, Zack places his palm into each indent in an almost rhythmic pattern.Once he had removed his hand from the final indent, rumbling could be felt within the earth beneath them.The ground shook as the dust began clearing from
Without wasting a second Rio creates a cannon and shoots it at the Creature, And as if matching Rio's attack, the Creature sends a blast of his own.A large explosion is created as the two collide, sending debris scattering around the corridor.Rio quickly makes a shield to protect himself from the debris while he prepares for the next attack."Come on dog! Don't tell me that the mighty Zeran was sent to take care of a pack of weaklings!" The creature's face turns to anger as it begins charging its jet pack and launching itself towards Rio.Rio forms a blade that extends from his jaw as he slides below the oncoming attack.The blade cuts through Zeran's chest as he flies overhead and falls to the ground.Thinking that this is his chance Rio jumps towards Zeran to finish him off but is stopped short.Zeran had grabbed him in his large hand before Rio could bring the blade down."Let's see how durable you are," Zeran says as he begins tightening his grip on Rio.Rio struggled to break f
Zeran continued to shout at Rio, who was unable to form a response.Ignoring the tongue lashing that he was receiving, Rio fired a blast towards Zeran's remaining arm.This only caused him to scream louder as he dodged the blast.Zeran's face was twisted as he began charging towards Rio with incredible speed."So much for that," Rio mutters as he begins backing away."You're in for a world of pain," Zeran said as he raised his palm.The black energy from his hand formed into a large beam that shot towards Rio.Rio dodged out of the way but was instantly grabbed by Zeran, who slammed him into the ground.Rio could see a large crater forming on the floor where he landed.Rio quickly summoned a shield around his body and was able to deflect an incoming ray of black energy.Zeran began pelting the ground beneath him with blast after blast in the hopes of turning Rio into a bed of ashes.The blasts were becoming more frequent as Rio tried his best to maintain his shield.As the blast becam
[Facility]"Commander, We have a problem! The Beast is on a rampage within the cell! I don't think we can contain it here for much longer!""Calm yourself. What do you mean, we can't hold it. How much trouble can a small dog cause against fortified walls?""That's the problem. I don't think this is the right dog sir. This seems to be some kind of shape shifter! The previous beast we captured looked similar to this one but it was much weaker. along with it being weaker, it also attempted to manipulate our minds. This beast hasn't attempted to use his mind control once. It has only Rammed itself against the walls ever since it awoke. If we don't do anything soon, it will break free.""I'll handle the beast. Just make sure that HQ gets this information. If we truly are holding a different beast, then we need to make sure to catch the other one as well."Site-Bomb leaves the officer by himself as he draws his pistol and head towards the containment room.He can hear the sound of the beast
He was at a loss for words as he began to fly around the area from above.Rio couldn't believe what he was seeing.The world seemed to move around him normally but no matter where he went, the town was always directly below him.He didn't understand how something like this was possible but it was beginning to get on his nerves. He had been traveling from place to place with danger lurking at every turn. During his time at the Order, there were never this many abnormalities out in the world so closely knitted together."What are those Order bastards doing!" Rio shouted as he tried and tried to escape the boundaries of the town.Rio's rage began to get the better of him and he could feel his heart beating rapidly.Returning to the ground Rio formed Panoply into a cannon, firing haphazardly at his surroundings.The cannon blasts were powerful, and were able to destroy the houses with ease.The blast caused the ground to shake as he began to run around aimlessly trying to find a way out.
"What the fuck?" Rio yelled out as he struggled to find a non squishy place to land.He was unable to return above ground as the hole that had brought him here had long been filled by flesh. He was not stuck in what appeared to be some form of a tunnel system with pathways and openings strung about in different directions. This was the first time he'd been able to really take in his surroundings and he wasn't exactly enjoying himself.As Rio made his landing begrudgingly a new message flashed in his mind."New mission from Alberoth: Put the false god in its place."[Reward varied dependent on your performance]As Rio read the mission, he could feel Alberoths smugness radiating from the words."Look at this guy. He's like a pot calling the kettle black."Rio lets out a chuckle as a sharp pain radiates in his head."Ouch. If you can't take the heat, just get out of the kitchen!" Rio complains to Alberoth as his pain increases before fading altogether.With the pain gone, all that remain
The swarm was gaining on Rio as he continued to evade their grasp. Cutting down the few that had reached him while maintaining his speed.His heart was racing as he continued his flight as the number of creatures had reached the point where it was almost impossible for him to continue avoiding them all.He wasn't sure where he was headed anymore as he Began flying through tunnels at random. There was no time to think. All he knew was that he needed to get away from these things no matter what.As the Strings caught up Rio removed his hind talons and replaced them with cannons as he filled the tunnel with the echoes of his destruction.He rained down fire down the tunnels behind him blasted through the swarm of strings reaching for him. This would have been amazing for him if not for the fact that they would just come back stronger.There was no more space in the tunnel for more strings to become visible to Rio, but he could hear the sounds of rumbling behind him as they raged.Rio too
With the room clear, Rio can hear the distinct sound of gears turning behind the closed doors.As the gears turn the door opens exposing an interior full of rusted machinery. The sounds of flowing sand audible from within the chamber.Rio took a quick glance around the room as he flew inside.The walls were covered with various pipes and tubes that were connected to the walls, ceiling, and floors.The room was steaming from the many pipes and causing Rio to sweat.The place was like a sauna as the heat only got worse as he continued further into the space."What kind of place is this? What kind of machine produces this level of Heat." Rio ponders as he continues to inspect the area.After taking a few moments to take in his surroundings, Rio began looking around for the sound of the humming.The volume of the humming had grown substantially after passing through the door.It was loud enough to hear even with the blaring Mechanisms working within the room.Following the sound, He comes
Hiro focuses his mana and summons a barrier around himself while Rio rains down fire on the crowd of Larissa clones. Rio's orbs tear through the clones like paper. Each one falling to the ground after receiving a direct hit from Rio's barrage. The sound of impact echoes across the area as dozens more clones fall to the ground dead or dying. Seeing the destruction that the wolf was able to cause in such a small amount of time, Larissa gasps in amazement. "This is what it means to have real power. I'll definitely make you mine." Larissa whispers softly. Her eyes glow brightly with excitement as she approaches Rio. "Come on now, come to mama." She charges forward at him, avoiding the fire coming from above Rio. As she gets closer, He readies himself. Stabbing her dagger towards RIo, Hiro swiftly moves in to block the strike with his sword and slashes downward towards her. Larissa dodges the slash effortlessly but her eyes widen in shock when Hiro grabs her arm with his free hand.
Turning her attention back to Hiro, Larissa places a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "I think I'll take my sweet time getting rid of you first. Then I can take my time with your companion," With that Larissa teleports behind Hiro and wraps her arms around his neck. Hiro struggles against her grasp but finds it difficult as he can feel his power fading as she takes hold on him. Hiro continues to struggle against her, until Fye sends Larissa crashing to the floor. Hiro quickly distances himself from Larissa to catch his breath and as he does so Larissa steps out from the crater left from her landing. "I'm going to ask that you don't interrupt me when I'm working, young lady. I will get to you when it is your turn. In the meantime, How about you play with these guys." Larissa snaps her fingers causing the ground to shake. From within the earth rise several zombies which crawl out from the soil. Each zombie stands tall and menacing with rotting flesh covering their bodies. "Now t
6 months fly by as Hiro continues his training under Gaius. With every passing day, Hiro becomes more comfortable with using his magic. Rio was worried when their training had begun taking longer than he had hoped but, his worries faded when he looked at how much time he had left. Despite being in the trial for 6 months It seemed to have only been around 6 days outside. And with all this time Rio was able to reap the benefits of Gaius's training as Hiro was becoming more and more powerful. Hiro was now at a state where even Gaius was beginning to have trouble handling him, and Gaius knew that Zack would be ready to head out into the world. Gaining permission from the king, Gaius gave Hiro a set of armor and weapons. Hiro wore the outfit proudly as he headed out to the castle's entrance. There he met Zack who was waiting for him. Once they arrived, Hiro was given a map with a destination marked on it. Zack told him that this was a place known as the city of the dead. According to
Gaius walks out into the field and tosses his spear at Hiro. He fumbles with the weapon for a bit until it finally slips from his grasp and bangs against the ground. "Don't break it now. I only have one of those" Gaius chuckles as he watches Hiro pick the spear up from the ground. As soon as Hiro picks up the spear, Gaius plants his feet and stares down the boy. "Come on now, don't make me wait too long. Just come and give me your best shot. Hiro swallows nervously and clenches his fists tightly as he stares at Gaius. He had spent the previous night practicing how to use his power defensively but had failed to learn how to use it offensively. Knowing that his best choice would be to just try his best, Hiro runs at him with the spear in hand. He wields the weapon clumsily as he rushes at Gaius. Before he can make contact, however, Gaius blocks Hiro's path by raising his arms to block the attack. Gaius grips him by the neck and throws his body back to where he started. "I know y
The next morning, Rio and Hiro hurry to the training grounds as per Zack's request. Hiro's eyes were red and swollen from lack of sleep. His hair looked messy as if he hadn't washed it recently either. Despite these signs, his face remained full of determination as he faced off against his mentor. Gaius was already waiting for them when they arrived. He stood tall and proud with his spear held by his side. "By the look of you, I'm guessing that you didn't get much sleep." Gaius states bluntly as he looks over Hiro. Hiro shakes his head in response. "I might not have gotten much sleep, But you will see the impact of all of my efforts soon." Hiro explains confidently. Gaius narrows his eyes slightly before responding. "Cockiness is not an attractive trait, But I will allow you a bit of pride if what you say is true. Now then, How about you prove to me how strong you are today?" Gaius says as he steps forward with his spear raised high above his head. Without hesitation, Hiro readi
"Again!...Again!...AGAIN!!!" Gaius shouts as he continuously slams his spear and fist into Hiro. Hiro groans as he pushes himself up to his feet yet again. Not giving up, Hiro takes the beating while attempting to draw on the power from before. But no matter how many times he tries it, Hiro remains unable to protect himself. Gaius smacks Hiro upside the head with his free hand, sending him flying through the air and crashing into a training dummy. Hiro hits the wooden structure with such force that it cracks beneath his weight before collapsing entirely. "Damnit!" Gaius curses as he runs over to Hiro and picks him up off the floor. "Maybe we should take a quick break. If we continue at this pace, you won't live long enough to even see real combat." Gaius sighs while dusting Hiro off. "We'll come back tomorrow when your wounds have healed. Until then, I want you to keep practicing on manifesting your power." Hiro nods in agreement with his exhausted body. As Gaius walks away from
Jack then begins to lead Hiro away from the fountain. As they begins to walk away, Rio notices that the light that had engulfed Hiro's body begins to slowly seep into his body, Causing his stats to increase with every passing moment.Rio couldn't suppress his grin as he watches his servants power increasing, which in turn allowed his own power to reach new heights.After a few minutes pass, the three of them arrive at an outdoor training ground with equipment and weapons stationed around it. Jack then gestures towards a nearby man wielding a spear."This will be your instructor, Gaius. He is one of our kingdoms greatest warriors." Jack explains as he leads Hiro over to him. "Gaius, this is the Hero that we mentioned before. He will be joining us in the near future. And we have much work ahead of us before then."Gaius bows his head respectfully and nods his head in greeting. He then turns his attention back to Hiro as he extends his hand. "I am honored by your presence and welcome yo
The rest of the day passes by smoothly with Rio and Fye focusing on their given tasks while Hiro rests in the bed. Then next morning, Rio is awakened to the sound of a knock coming from outside the room. It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to the light as he sits up in his bed and orders Hiro to open the door. As soon as Hiro opens the door, Rio spots a man dressed in a black robe and holding a book in his hand. He seems familiar to Rio as he stands there in front of the door. "He must have been one of the men accompanying the king earlier." Rio figured as he stretched out his body. "Good morning hero." The man says to Hiro while giving a slight bow. "I hope that your night was well." The robed man adds after seeing Fye sitting in the corner of the room. "Yeah it was pretty good. I was able to get some sleep. Hiro tells the man in response as he invites him inside. "Rio had given Hiro the ability to answer independently for the time being. Although he wanted full control o
The two of them are led to a bedroom with large windows that overlook the city. The city is bustling and filled with people and traffic. As Rio and the young boy enter the room and close the door, the young boy begins to take a seat upon the bed. As Rio and the boy sit on the edge of the bed and face each other, the king begins to speak. "This will be where you will be staying during your time with us in the grand kingdom of Chania. I will allow you some time to rest for the day as you will be busy tomorrow as we help you gain control of your new powers. Have a good night, Hero." The king leaves the room and closes the door, leaving Rio and the young boy alone to take in their surroundings. As soon as they are alone, Rio activates his domination to gain control over the boy. With full control of his powers returned to him, Rio figures that it's in his best interest to take the reins personally in this trial. Especially if the boy's powers turn out to be of use to him. He was sti