The next morning, Rio wakes to find himself being carried across the living room by Rachel.
He is surprised to find a fresh bowl of dog food sitting on the ground.
"I'm not eating that."
He barks out defiantly.
"hmm? Why not? My dad even got the good stuff."
"I don't care how good the stuff is. I refuse to reduce myself to eating dog food." Rio states.
Rachel sighs as she takes Rio out of her arms and places him down on the ground.
"Fine, but if you're not going to eat the dog food, what will you eat? You're not thinking of starving yourself are you?"
Rio shakes his head no.
"Don't worry, I can get my own food." He states smugly.
"Fine, whatever. I don't know why you need to be so picky anyways." Rachel states as she walks away.
Rio follows her with his eyes as she takes a seat on the couch and starts to flick through a magazine.
It didn't take long for Rio to realize that Rachel was reading a manga.
The cover had the words "Becoming the strongest spatula in a new world." plastered on the front.
Rio gave her a disappointed look as she happily scanned the pages.
She looks up momentarily to see Rio's judgemental stares.
"What? Do you have a problem?" She asks him.
"Oh no, there's no problem at all. I was just curious as to what you find interesting in that book of yours.
I've seen similar ones before, but the contents usually aren't quite so childish." Rio answers.
Rachel looks down in shame at the book in her hands.
"D-Don't judge me with those eyes of yours. It's a good book. And besides, You should try it first before saying its bad." she states defensively.
"Oh, really? Then I guess my mind will change once I take a peek inside, right?" Rio says with a smirk.
He jumps onto the couch and waddles over to where she is sitting.
Rachel quickly stands up and closes the book.
"W-Wait! I've got to go get ready! How about you read it another time?!" Rachel screams out as she runs away.
Rio sighs as he hears her door slam shut.
"Well, I guess she's pretty embarrassed." He whispers to himself.
Hearing his stomach growling, Rio decides to take this time to go for a quick walk.
Rio heads towards the back of the house and making sure no one is watching, he has Zack open the door for him before sending him back to the void.
Rio steps outside and sees that it is a beautiful day outside. The sun is out and the air is warm.
The sky is blue and the grass is green.
It was a perfect day for hunting.
Rio carefully and quickly makes his way down a few blocks.
Looking at all of the "Restaurants" in the area he chooses the first one that piques his interest.
Rio waddles up to the door and has Zack open it from the inside.
Rio enters inside and quickly has Zack lock the door behind him as they both make their way through the "Restaurant."
They search each room to find that the only inhabitants were a couple that looked to be in their mid 30's.
They were both still asleep which would make the next process much simpler.
Zack brings a sharp knife from the kitchen and with two quick motions, He slices both of the inhabitants necks and uses his strength to keep them from struggling.
Rio's mouth starts to water as he stares at the corpses presented before him and can't help but take a bite.
Before he knew it, he had consumed both of them whole leaving nothing behind. This was the first time he had eaten a human but he felt nothing about the act.
It was as if his body was a black hole, ready to consume anything it could.
He felt satisfied but he was never full.
"New mission from Alberoth: Consume 100 humans."
Rio smiled as the words appeared in his mind.
This mission was going to be very simple.
"I've still got some time, I might as well get started now" Rio smirks.
Returning back to Rachel's house, he finds her eating breakfast with her family.
"It took you a while, Where were you?" She whispers towards him unaware that her voice was still loud enough for her family to hear.
"I just had to go out to get something good to eat. '' He casually responds while sitting beside her.
Peering into his mind he takes a look at his mission and gives a satisfied smile.
[Consumed humans - 37/100]
"HQ to Team 3, As you've proven that you are unable to contain The anomaly that escaped from Montana, we have decided to send in a specialist. He will be taking over your team from now on. We have given him the best equipment possible to aid him in his mission. Be sure to follow any and all orders from him until that anomaly is secured. His code name is Site-Bomb. Good luck team. HQ out""As you've all heard, I'll be your new commanding officer. I am going to have to ask you all to do your jobs exactly how I say them. Failure to comply with my orders may result in your immediate termination. Now I know it took me a little bit longer to get here than what you were expecting. But that was because I was doing something that I would have expected your team to do.As you are probably aware, there has been a large amount of disappearances around this town recently. Are any of you aware of the similarities between these disappearances? Well let me tell you. All of the victims of these disapp
Rio was woken from his nap by the sound of someone entering the house. He quickly got up and waited in front of the door.Rachel walked in and Loudly shut the door behind her. Her face was sullen and she seemed distracted."How was school today?" her mother asked.Rachel simply shook her head and went to her room.Her mother sighed before returning to her work."What's wrong with her?" Rio wondered."Don't worry about her boy, She gets like that from time to time." The mother reassured Rio after seeing his worried pacing.This was the first time he had seen her so down. She was usually cheerful and upbeat."Maybe I should go check on her. Maybe I can cheer her up?"He waddles over to her bedroom and kicks the door lightly."Hello?"There was no answer.Rio tries again but the room is silent.Gathering some boxes and chairs that he found upstairs, Rio makes for the doorknob.He tries as best as he can with his small body but the door is locked."You can't keep me out forever." Rio says
The Creature roared as it stared down at Rio.Its voice was like thunder and echoed throughout the whole building.It's appearance was something of a nightmare. Its body was a pale white, with long sharp nails and a tail that stretched behind it. It had four arms, each ending in a hand, and its feet ended in black talons as well. Each of its limbs took on the form of a different animal, and it seemed to shift every few seconds. At one moment, Rio would be looking at a bird-like arm, then he would be seeing the back end of a dog, and next thing he knew, Rio would be looking at two legs that resembled a horse.Rio stood in awe at the creature before him, and tried his best to not show any signs of fear or hesitation, which proved to be difficult since he was staring directly into the creature's ever changing eyes."Emergency Mission from Alberoth: Escape!"Rio began to think about how to get away from the beast but time was not a liberty that he would be granted.With a blood curdling s
Rio Didn't want to admit it but he knew exactly what that meant."No... It can't be.." Rio said sadly."Rachel?"He couldn't believe it.The thought that Rachel was actually the monster rampaging in front of him was hard to comprehend. But there was no doubt in Rio's mind. It was her.He didn't know how she ended up like this but he couldn't help but worry.He couldn't just leave her like this.He had to save her.Jeremy had finished drawing his next chalk monster and Rio wasted no time sending it towards Rachel followed by Vector.It seemed like a waste of time but they had to try it.The chalk drawing jumped right at her while Vector leaped above her head and brought his knees down on her.Using his weight he slammed into her head while the drawing restricted her movement.But as expected, she was completely unharmed and easily knocked Vector right out of the air.She then used a snake-like arm to wrap around the drawing, squeezing tightly until it shattered.Rio's eyes widened as h
He was awoken a few hours later by the sounds of chatter around him. He opened his eyes to find A group of armored men with various tools entering the room.They hadn't noticed him underneath the rubble yet but He knew they would if he stayed for any longer than he already had.He dropped both Zack and Vectors bodies into the void to recover and wait for a chance to escape. He needed to chase after the man from earlier as fast as he could. Just knowing that Rachel was in his hands filled Rio with anger as he gained a new mission."Take out your anger on the agents"Rio had no problem accepting this mission and quickly gave up his plans to escape unnoticed.As far as Rio could tell, there were about five men inside of the building."These men must have been related to the guy that took Rachel."Rio could feel the rage burning deep within him as he considered how to dispatch this group.A head on attack was definitely a no go, and with his two fighters out of commission and no space for
"Site-bomb to HQ, I've successfully secured the target. I'll begin transferring the beast to a temporary site. until a containment chamber can be arranged.From what I saw, This beast has quite a bit of bite to it. Might need a stronger unit to hold the little bugger.""HQ to Site-Bomb, good job on the retrieval mission. You were as quick as usual.I'm sending you some more personnel to assist you in holding this beast down until we can get a proper containment unit for the subject.And make sure to be extremely cautious, The subject has already escaped once before.""Don't you worry about that. I'll make sure to keep all eyes on the prize 24/7""Understood, we expect nothing less of you. HQ out.""Now then, we wouldn't want you waking up prematurely now would we."Site-Bomb injects Rachel with a sedative as he takes her to a small white room. The room contains only a shoddy looking bed with 5 cameras hanging from the ceilings.There's a camera in each corner and another directly in t
The group drives down the highway towards Mount Konte while thinking back to his time in the facility, remembering the days when he worked there as a researcher.He was in charge of a number of abnormalities. None of them were very dangerous but if even one of them were released, it could shift the balance of the planet.He never really cared about any of the intricate workings of the Order but now that he was going to fight against them, It wouldn't hurt to borrow some of his old toys.There was one abnormality that he knew he needed for himself above all others.It was one that he had discovered only one year into his tenure as a researcher.He had been tasked alongside his fellow researchers with investigating a case involving a known group that rivalled the Order.The group in question had a reputation for making use of Monsters and Abnormalities in their quest for power. Rather than keeping the abnormalities from impacting the world, they would actively use them to manipulate the
Arriving at their destination, Rio and Vector ditch their car and begin walking into Mount Konte.The Facility that they were looking for was stationed at the base of the largest of the mountains, with the only entrance being located at the mountain's peak.Rio and Vector take a moment to catch their breath and survey the area before moving forward.Looking around at his surroundings Rio notices that Mount Konte seemed to be devoid of all plant life.As he continues to walk he is surprised by how different the land was compared to his memory. He remembers seeing green trees and plants everywhere he looked and now he was surrounded by nothing but bare rock.He stops and looks at the ground and is shocked to see a trail leading further into the mountain range."That's odd, Why would there be a trail all the way out here?" Rio ponders why that would be but decides to ignore it for now. There seemed to have been quite a time gap between now and when he was last here. He figured he might a
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