The air was blanketed by black smoke. The dark clouds grumbled from above and the sound of different explosions rocketed throughout the city. In some areas, metal clashed against metal creating a sound similar to sharp fingernails scratching against a chalkboard. It was a scene that the three friends had only seen in movies.
They watched the Beast King intently as the wind blew against his tattered garment. His devious smirk wrenched their hearts like a torture tool. This man had brought so much pain to many innocent people. He needed to be stopped at all costs.
"Sindy, you take my left and Andrew, you take my right," ordered Nathan.
Andrew and Sindy then quickly got into position with their weapons in hand.
"Well, this is quite a surprise..." Began the Beast King callously. "I expected you all to be groveling in your failures but instead you're back on the battlefield. I must admit that I'm quite impressed."
"We decided that we wouldn't let you win. Those same Demon Beasts you control will be eating your corpse from the cold concrete in just a moment," warned Andrew.
The Beast King licked his lips as if he laid his eyes upon a scrumptious meal. He could hardly wait to break Andrew's confidence.
"Is that so? Then we should even up the numbers first, shouldn't we? Beast Art: Human Mimicry!"
Utilizing his Beast Art, the Beast King summoned two human-like Demon Beast. They were the size of an adult human and had sharp scythes made from Spirit Energy.
"Now then, unlike the last time, I'll be taking this seriously! Don't die on me too quickly kids!!"
"Sorry, but that reservation is already set for you! Fire Art: Infernal Flare!" Exclaimed Sindy activating an Art Style.
Andrew also joined in with an Art Style of his own, "Water Art: Water Dragon Missile!"
Following this, the Arts exploded in a powerful explosion, coating the Beast King and his minions in a cloud of steam. This confused the Beast King considerably. Instead of having the attacks hit him directly, Sindy and Andrew had combined their attack to create a smokescreen around him. It was very evident that they had gained quite a bit of experience since his last encounter with them.
Due to this, he began looking around frantically in case of a surprise attack. This was when he noticed a slight shift in the smoke around him. He was certain that it was one of the assassins trying to catch him off guard.
"Too easy!!" He shouted as he swung his scythe towards the area where he had seen movement.
However, to the Beast King's surprise, it was nothing more than a piece of cloth torn from Nathan's uniform.
"Clench them damn teeth!" Suddenly shouted Nathan from behind.
Hurriedly, the Beast King swung himself around before blocking Nathan's sword with his scythe. Little did he know that this was exactly what Nathan had wanted.
Nathan then doubled his fist, pulled back his arm, and swung a ferocious punch into the Beast King's face. The power of the punch rocketed him backwards causing him to burst through the wall of smoke flying. The Beast King bounced across the road like a soccer ball before he could regain his balance.
However, his minions were still a major threat. They lunged at Nathan ready to cut him down but Nathan knew he wasn't alone. Almost immediately, Sindy and Andrew appeared beside him before simultaneously kicking the minions back towards the Beast King.
Slowly, the Beast King then arose to his feet wiping away a drop of blood from his nose. He could hardly believe how well the three assassins were working together.
"They marked my location within that smokescreen then created a diversion to catch me off guard. For a bunch of amateurs that was some decent teamwork," he thought to himself.
"Lightning Art: Thunderclap Strike!"
However, the three assassins weren't about to give the Beast King time to recover. Thunder boomed as Nathan threw himself towards him, ready to end the battle with one final attack.
Regrettably, one of the Beast King's minions managed to block the attack just in time. Following this, the second minion came with a downward swing of its scythe, ready to cleave Nathan in half. Fortunately, Sindy was not about to let that happen. She ran in front of Nathan before catching the attack on the blade of her knives."You've gotten better kids but now you're wide open!" Shouted the Beast King.
Quickly, the Beast King took advantage of the situation. He knew that Nathan and Sindy would not be able to react to his attack since his minions had them pinned. Ferociously, he then swung his scythe towards the two assassins. However, he had made a grave error. He had forgotten about Andrew who was now swinging his swords towards his neck.
Irritably, the Beast King was as skillful as ever. He swiftly dodged Andrew's attack before countering with a painful jab with the hilt of his scythe. The hilt jammed into Andrew's forehead, rocketing his skull with excruciating pain. But the Beast King wasn't done. Relentlessly, he then twirled himself around before delivering a violent kick to Andrew's cheek.
"Urgh..!" Screamed Andrew as he was thrown back into the arms of Nathan and Sindy.
"Come on Andrew, don't be so reckless! Individually, he's stronger than each of us. If we hope to win then we have to keep our attacks in sync and not stray too far from one another!" Reprimanded Sindy.
Andrew then slowly wiped a bit of blood from his lips before apologizing.
"Sorry, I got a little carried away there...""It's all good. At least we managed to destroy his minions while you kept him busy," comforted Nathan.
The Beast King frowned upon seeing this. He hadn't noticed that his minions had been killed until Nathan mentioned it.
"Destroy my minions, you say? I have plenty more! Beast Art: Mass Summoning!"
Suddenly, a hoard of low-level Demon Beasts appeared before charging towards the assassins. Hurriedly, the three then got into formation before swiftly cutting them down. Little did they know that this was merely a diversion. As soon as they killed all the Demon Beasts, they found themselves surrounded by a thick blanket of dust that complicated their vision. They couldn't even see the Beast King.
"Demon Art: Shadow Arms!"
Taking advantage of his diversion, the Beast King used his Shadow Arms to deliver a powerful punch to Nathan's gut. Luckily, Nathan had detected the slight shift in the cloud of dust and had guarded himself with his sword just before impact. This had prevented him from taking any damage.
However, the power of the punch still flung Nathan into the air. Sindy and Andrew had to take immediate action to catch him, cushioning his fall.
"Damn, he's tough!" Groaned Nathan.
"What do we do?" Asked Sindy.
"He's struggling too so we just need to keep up the pressure. We can win!"
Slowly, the Beast King began to approach them with a broad grin across his lips.
"What's wrong kids? Tired already? Because I'm just getting started!"
"I'll try to beat him in speed!" Declared Nathan. "Lightning Art: Fading Strike!"
Nathan lunged at the Beast King with breathtaking speeds ready to end the fight with one final attack. Sadly, this proved to be a slight mistake as the Beast King did the unexpected and dodged the attack. This surprised Nathan considerably as no one had ever been able to dodge his fastest attack before.
"What? You thought I'd fall for the same trick twice? I've been waiting for you to make that attack from the second I laid eyes on you. It was all a matter of timing!" Laughed the Beast King.
The Beast King then jammed his elbow into Nathan's nape, forcing him to his knees in pain. He then lifted his scythe, ready to deliver the final blow.
"This will be your grave, Mind Hero!!"
Fun Fact: The Mind World was specifically built to support people from the Real World as their foundation. However, the reason the people of the Mind World can survive without having a mind attached to them is due to a special system the gods created for them. The Real World doesn't have that system which is why they need the Mind World to survive.
Sindy and Andrew dashed towards the Beast King. They couldn't allow him to kill Nathan."We're best friends!" Shouted Andrew."We won't let you kill, Nathan!" Supported Sindy.Forced to defend himself from their attacks, the Beast King swung his scythe towards them. However, they feigned to block his attack by sacrificing one of their weapons each. Due to this, they were both able to bypass the Beast King's defense.Desperately, they then went in for one final attack. They simultaneously lodged their weapons into the Beast King's shoulder just barely missing his neck. Finally, they then twirled themselves skillfully before delivering one final kick to his chest. The Beast King was sent flying backward as he bounced across the asphalt like a basketball.A second later, he began screaming in agony due to his injuries. He bled heavily from both shoulders and his eyes were filled with malice and pain."Aagh..!" He screamed. "Damn you insects!! I
Nathan didn't know what he was supposed to do. He needed to save all the hostages. One moment of distraction had led to this painful predicament. For once, Nathan wanted to be successful in saving someone's life. He needed to defeat the Beast King and keep his promise to Rosie. "King, what do you want us to do? I know we embarrassed you pretty badly out there but you're only making it worse by hiding behind a bunch of hostages," taunted Andrew. The Beast King frowned, "You're just asking me to kill the hostages, aren't you?" "No, we want to make a deal with you!" Interjected Nathan. "In exchange for letting these people go, you can do whatever you want with me. I'll throw down my life in exchange for theirs!" Andrew couldn't believe what he had just heard. There was no way that he would allow Nathan to sacrifice himself. However, on the other hand, the Beast King was quite pleased to hear this. It was the perfect opportunity to make Nathan suf
Nathan clenched his fist in rage. His back was against the wall and the lives of many people were at stake. He hated to admit it but he only had one option if he wished to save not only the civilians but Andrew as well. If nothing was done then they would all be crushed by the crumbling building. He then took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he made a painful decision."Death, lend me your power!" Shouted Nathan. "I'll accept another letter! Just lend me at least 5%!"Death was very pleased to hear this. Nathan could sense the sinister smile he made from within his graveyard."Very well!" Answered Death from within his mind.Just then, a vast amount of Death Energy engulfed Nathan's body. Black lightning sparked and thunder boomed. The air around him became filled with the presence of death. Soon after, his right eye burnt with cold black flames and a darkened wing emerged from his back. His transformation was complete.Following this, a
The heinous images of the destruction of Conscience City crashed into Sindy's mind. A beautiful city where she had once wished to spend a romantic date with Nathan was now nothing more than his grave. The pain rattled her like an aftershock. If given the choice, she would have surely chosen any other form of physical pain over the emotional trauma that now haunted herSindy laid in her bed covered with red blankets, Nathan's favorite color. Her eyes were painted pink from the excessive crying that they had been through over the past two days. She had cried so much that she was surprised her eyes weren't bleeding. They stung as if acid had fallen into them."You never keep your promises..." She muttered softly to herself.Suddenly, a knock came echoing through her room door. Naturally, due to how she was feeling, she did not answer."Sindy, it's Andrew... Let me in..."The silence continued. Sindy still refused to respond. In a sense, she reminded A
Arc 2: RevivalNathan found himself watching his life like a movie. His memories played one by one like an old cassette to its player. From the time he was a baby being held in his mother's gentle arms, to the times when he met Sindy and Andrew. The happiest moments of his life played out peacefully, filling him with a strong sense of nostalgia. Nathan wished for the feeling to last forever. He wanted the sweet moments of bliss to stick to him like glue. Sadly, that all changed as soon as the memories of his father, James Styles, entered his conscience.He was the man who had abused his family for countless years. This was the hidden part of Nathan's past that he had never shared with anyone apart from Sindy. The belt, the whips, the stones, the hammers, and the knife threats all poured into his mind. They corrupted his peaceful memories like a deadly poison and like a flood, they drowned his thoughts;"Nathan, you should know better than to disobey your father," said James in a calm
Nathan's memories continued to pour into his mind like rain. He was happily reliving the memories of his past without his evil father coming across his conscience. This was when he stumbled upon his memories of the Mind World.However, something was strange. His memories were beginning to fade as if they had never happened in the first place. For some reason, he was losing his memories. His memories of Sindy and Andrew were the first to go followed by some of the experiences he had gained at AA.Loneliness soon began to cripple Nathan's soul. He could feel his existence quickly fading. A teardrop then fell from his eye and hit the dark floor beneath him that somehow changed into a dark lake upon impact.Nathan then fell into the lake beneath him with a splash before he began to sink. He flailed his arms and feet wildly as he tried to escape but it was to no avail. However, just before he could drown, his eyes were flung open to see a beautiful white light hovering above the lake.Desp
Nathan's eyes slowly opened to a light-brown oak wood ceiling. The scent of garlic rice, hot peppers, and baked chicken stabbed him in his nostrils. His stomach growled and his body felt a bit weak. He then slowly sat up only to realize he was on a small bed in a dimly lit wooded building."Where am I?" He groaned.Nathan couldn't recall what had happened to him. It was as if parts of his life were missing from his memories. He had a mild headache and his thoughts were fuzzy. He remembered basic information like his name and how he had gotten to the Mind World but that was all.Carefully, he then slid from the bed onto his feet. The floor was cold and smooth underneath his bare feet. However, he had some difficulty keeping his balance almost as if he had never learned to walk."You're awake!" Suddenly squealed a sweet voice.Nathan then fixed his gaze to get a clear image of the person before him. It was a girl that looked around 16 years. She had lush orange-brownish hair and curious
A 16-year-old boy with short orange-brownish hair and lavender-colored eyes had appeared before Nathan and Ava. He looked a lot like Ava, almost as if they were twins."Evan, it's fine! He doesn't remember anything since he woke up. I've been with him the entire time and he hasn't done anything to harm me!" Comforted Ava."Who's he?" Asked Nathan curiously."He's my twin brother, Evan. He can be a little overprotective though so try not to mind him too much!"Evan stared at Nathan as if he was some kind of undercover criminal."I don't trust you despite what my sister says. If you try anything funny, you'll regret it!""Evan, enough... Give our guest a break," said another unfamiliar voice.Nathan looked up to see that the voice belonged to an old man. He had cool salt and pepper hair tied back into a small bun. The lower part of his face was covered with a neat mustache that dangled an inch from his face and a long neatly shaved beard hung from his chin. His face had a few wrinkles b
Nathan, Ava, and Evan felt a rush of nostalgia. The memories they created in Youkatai Mountain would stick with them no matter where they went. It was now time for them to venture into a new chapter of their lives. Ava and Evan wished to see the world for themselves and Nathan was adamant about defeating the Cliques.They were now set to leave the village. They were all carrying heavy bags that had food, water, weapons, and other necessities needed for their journey.Rikugan smiled before wrapping his arms around them for a warm hug."Remember you three, you're always welcomed here no matter where your journey takes you. I am proud to have you as my students and grandchildren!""Thank you, grandpa..! I'm going to miss you so much!" Sobbed Ava."Take care of yourself, gramps! We'll come back when we're finished helping Nathan! Until then, please be well!" Added Evan tearily."I will. Now, please behave yourselves while traveling with Nathan. On your journey, you'll come to see many thi
Nathan felt like the world had stopped moving. His heart thumped against his chest and his breathing became heavy. His eyes became as cold as ice and the air around him became filled with blood lust. He was fueled with rage. He couldn't accept that Sindy and Andrew had been killed."What did you just say..?" He asked in an unsettling voice, looking at Illumi.Illumi began to chuckle like a child, refusing to answer. Due to this, Nathan charged toward the commander burning with rage. However, Rikugan grabbed onto his arm, stopping him from going any further."Nathan, control yourself!" Deterred Rikugan. "There's no guarantee your friends are dead! He could just be provoking you!"Ava and Evan also rushed to Nathan's side, trying their best to calm him down."Dude, calm down..! Gramps could be right! They might just be provoking you to get you to come over to them so that they can grab you and run!" Soothed Evan."Evan's right! Besides, you're in no condition to take on two commanders
Nathan..!" Squealed Ava in shock.Rocca and Illumi were also stunned. Nathan, the Mind Hero, who they believed to be dead was now standing before them. They were sure that he had been killed in the explosion back in Conscience City over a year ago. It made no sense why he was still alive."You..! This isn't possible... You're the Mind Hero, aren't you..? How are you alive..?" Asked Rocca in shock.Nathan didn't give an immediate response. In truth, he had recognized Rocca as well. He was the commander that Rick had fought back in Conscience City over a year ago. If his memory served correctly, Rick had called him The Man Of Steel, Rocca, also known as the most powerful Clique commander."I'm no hero. My name's simply Nathan and I have no interest in telling you how I'm alive."Rocca laughed, "This is great!! There was an order to capture you and that #4 assassin, Isabella! So when we heard you had died, we were quite disappointed!"Nathan ignored Rocca's statement. He was much more co
The fight had begun. Tension was now in the air and adrenaline began to pump. Rikugan lunged at the commanders with his hands shrouded in dark Spirit Energy.Swiftly, he snuck below Illumi's guard and slammed his fist into his stomach. Illumi's mouth widened as the air was squeezed from his lungs. He staggered backward, struggling to regain his balance.However, Rocca was not about to let his partner be defeated so easily. He swung his massive axes at Rikugan, quickly activating an Art Style."Steel Art: Metallic Cut!"Rocca's axes shone brightly as they approached Rikugan. Rikugan had to defend himself. Metallic Cut was an Art Style that sharpened weapons to the point where they could cut even titanium like butter.Nonetheless, Rikugan was prepared. Quickly, he activated a Zen Barrier that barely managed to block Rocca's attack. Fortunately, this had created an opportunity for him to counter."Destruction Art: Destructive Touch!"Rikugan didn't have much Spirit Energy at his disposal
After leaving Nathan behind, Rikugan arrived at the part of the village that was being attacked. The area was ravaged and left in a deplorable state. Houses, shops, and other buildings were now piles of wood scattered across the streets. Flames flickered and smoke danced its way up into the air. However, the fighting had already seemed to stop. The only thing in sight was destruction and bodies of the injured and the dead. This was strange to Rikugan given that he could still sense the Spirit Energies of those who had attacked the village."Grandpa!" Shouted Evan who had finally arrived with Ava. "Why are you just standing around?! Some of the villages are still alive! We need to help them!""Wait, both of you! Don't move!" Warned Rikugan."Huh..? Is something wrong?" Inquired Ava.Rikugan didn't answer. Instead, he peered his eyes before him as if someone was there."I won't fall for such a cheap trick! I know you're there! Save me the trouble and show yourselves!" Shouted Rikugan.
Nathan was exhausted. He had exerted almost every drop of Spirit Energy he had to defeat Death. The only good side to his fatigue was that his real body had no physical injuries. Since it was his Spirit Energy that had been fighting Death, his injuries had not been transferred over physically."Nathy!" Squealed Ava as she wrapped her arms around him. She was filled with joy to see that he had made it back alive."Hey," he replied tiredly. "I told you I'd be okay... I kept my word..!"Evan and Rikugan were also thrilled to see him. Truthfully, they had feared that he wouldn't be able to defeat Death. They were happy this was not the case."Are you feeling okay?" Asked Evan curiously."I'm mostly okay but I'm extremely tired... I feel like I could collapse at any moment...""Well, that's better than being back in Tartarus.""I agree..!" Sighed Nathan"And the seal?" Interjected Rikugan.Nathan then showed his katana to Rikugan, revealing the imprint of Death's name on the side."Wow! Do
Even though he felt like he had just been hit full force by a fast-moving truck, Nathan painfully picked himself up. Despite Death's threat to kill him, he refused to stay down."I see..." He began in a pain-filled voice. "Now it makes sense why I haven't been able to outrun you...""Have you lost your senses? You talk as if you have everything figured out even though you're about to die," proclaimed Death."I'm sorry, Death, but I don't have time to be dead. I'm no longer that kid who always failed his missions and lost every fight. And I'm about to prove that by defeating you!""Don't get cocky, you brat!" Boomed Death as he flew towards Nathan.Once again, time seemed to slow down. Nathan knew that running was pointless. No matter how fast he moved, Death would be able to catch him. His only option was to stand and fight.Nathan then took a deep breath as he prepared to activate an Art Style. His eyes began glowing bright blue while electricity flowed from his body like a beacon. E
Nathan clawed his way out of the grave. His body was rigged with pain but he couldn't allow himself to stay down. He had to defeat Death, no matter what."It's true," smirked Nathan. "You are strong... But that's exactly how I like it. The stronger you are, the stronger I will be when I make your power mine!""You insolent pest!" Boomed Death in annoyance.A dark sword made from flaming Death Energy then formed in Death's hand. Nathan knew that this meant trouble. However, before he could properly prepare himself, Death flew toward him at insane speeds.Following this, Death swung his sword violently at Nathan. Nathan, however, managed to block the attack with the blunt of his katana at the last second. Sadly, he had not calculated the terrifying power that would accommodate Death's attack.The power of Death's attack shattered the ground into pieces like glass, uprooting dead trees and graves with ease. The force sent Nathan flying through over a dozen dead trees before he collided w
Nathan, Rikugan, Ava, and Evan all sat in a circle while holding hands. Everyone aside from Rikugan was on the verge of suffering from an anxiety attack."G-grandpa, do we have to do this? This is suicide!" Argued Evan."This is not only Nathan's problem, Evan. This problem is as much ours as it is his. If we do not find a way to tame that angel inside of him then one day, its power will destroy the Mind World. We must do this!"Evan lowered his head as he tried to calm himself. He wanted to run away but he knew he had no choice but to fight."Grandpa, how can you be so calm? I know you're strong but not even you could stand up to an angel! Why aren't you scared?" Trembled Ava."Ava, sometimes we must face the things we fear the most. That is the only way to defeat our greatest nightmares.""I'm sorry that you guys have to go through with this..." Apologized Nathan.Ava smiled at Nathan, comforting him. Evan also gave him a reassuring nod to signify that it was okay. Following this, R