Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY IN THE MIND WORLD SHROUDED IN DARKNESS...
A lonely castle stood shrouded in the thickness of darkness. Inside, the flames of small candles flickered and the doors creaked from the ominous wind that teased them. The air was chilling cold and a strong sense of danger was lurking around every corner.
Hollowed footsteps dared to march down a lonely hallway that led to a throne. On this throne sat an anonymous figure as its ruler. His bitter brown eyes radiated with so much evil intent that even the darkness chose to avoid his gaze.
Promptly, the footsteps then came to a halt. Before the throne now stood a teenage girl with a dark-blue katana strapped by her side complemented by a red dragon tattoo located underneath her left eye. Quickly, she then kneeled before the throne with respect drawn from fear.
"Aria," calmly began the figure on the throne with a voice as smooth as butter. "...what news do you bring?"
"Lord JS!" She answered quickly. "The Cliques have sent a report! They have reported that every member of one of their supporting organizations called the Scorpions have been annihilated by the Assassin's Agency!"
"And how does that concern me? My concern lies only with the Cliques. Their sole purpose is to draw attention to themselves so that I may keep Drakon hidden from the public. I do not care what happens to those who support them."
"The issue does not lie within the destruction of the Scorpions, my lord. It lies with those who were responsible. Two Triple Art Users by the names of Nathan Styles and Isabella Ross were the ones responsible!"
Lord JS's eyes then widened with anticipation. This news was of great importance to him.
"Nathan, you say? How amusing... It's been a while since I've seen his rebellious face..!" Muttered Lord JS to himself. "Aria, instruct the Cliques to capture both of them alive! It seems that the time has come much sooner than I had anticipated."
Presently, back at AA...
Alondo was still present in Nathan's room nibbling away at a bar of chocolate. He had just finished explaining Isabella's past to Nathan. However, this was not the reason that he had come to Nathan in the first place.
"So, why did you come here? I know it wasn't to tell me about Isabella's past..." Asked Nathan.
"Well, that is true. Actually, I came here to discuss your battle strength."
Nathan frowned. He had just finished hearing Isabella's depressing backstory but now he was about to be reminded of how pathetic he was. He wasn't very enthusiastic about the new topic.
"I don't need a reminder that I'm weak, Alondo. I already know that I am..."
"Nathan, you're only weak if you allow yourself to remain weak. You can get stronger! Compared to most people, you've come a far way in the space of just a month. You're a fast learner."
"But I need to be stronger! With the way I am now, I couldn't hope to save a single life!"
Alondo then sighed as he took another bite of his chocolate.
"I know you want to grow stronger very quickly. However, things take time. You can't attain power overnight. Even with the best tutors here at AA, it would still take you up to two or three years to reach Isabella's level of strength."
"I can't wait that long! The longer I take to gain more power the longer people will suffer! The Real World could even be destroyed by then!"
"I have a proposal then. I've been thinking of it ever since you got to the Mind World. There's someone that could train you better than anyone else in AA. Even better than Instructor Brady and Isabella combined."
"Wait, who?!"
"He's one of the three great Pillars of the Mind World. His name is Rikugan. He's the Pillar of Dark Arts."
"Wait, the Three Pillars?"
"They're special teachers that teach the three main forms of Spirit Energy. One teaches the Natural Arts, another the Light Arts, and the last the Dark Arts. On top of that, they're all Triple Art Users. They're regarded as the strongest Art Users in the Mind World."
Nathan then quickly jumped from his bed upon hearing this. A strong rush of excitement had come over him. If he were to train under one of the Pillars then there was no doubt that he could become stronger very quickly.
"This is what I've been waiting for! Finally, I can attain the power I need to fix everything and return home with Sindy and Andrew..!" He exclaimed excitedly.
"I'm happy to see that you're excited but Master Rikugan doesn't train just any student. From what I've heard, he's only had a total of five students in his time as a Pillar. On top of that, the journey to reach him is quite formidable."
Nathan then clenched his fists as a determined look came across his face. He didn't care how hard it would be. He was determined to do whatever it took to get stronger.
"I don't care how hard it is..! If I have to walk through hell to get to him then I'll do it. If I have to run around the entire Mind World a thousand times to become his student then I'll do it! People are suffering and families are being broken apart..! It all needs to end, Alondo! The pain I'll go through is nothing compared to the pain that the people of the Mind World face every day!"
Alondo was very pleased to see how determined Nathan was. He was certain that Rikugan would accept him as a student if he continued with his current drive to become stronger.
"I'll allow you to find Master Rikugan then. But before that, there's something else I need to talk to you about."
"Huh? What is it..?"
"Back on the mission, you told me that Scorpio mentioned something to you about a plan, right?"
"Yeah, he said that they were sneaking Demon Beasts into safe zones to get more attention from the government..."
Alondo hissed underneath his breath. It was as he had feared. The Clique's plan would certainly lead to the destruction of the Real World if nothing was done.
"What is it, Alondo..?" Asked Nathan in concern.
"As you should already know, the Cliques are the Mind and Real World's biggest threat. They're the lead organization that's rebelling for the Real World's destruction. At first, no one could tell what their goal was but thanks to you, we do now. Everything now adds up..."
"What do you mean..?"
"This entire time, they've been using Demon Beasts to attack innocent people. It seemed quite random at first but now I understand that they're trying to shift the blame for their actions to the Demon Beasts. Their end goal is to make themselves look like the heroes while the government and hero agencies become the villains."
Nathan immediately understood what Alondo was trying to say. Not only would the Cliques have the Real World destroyed but they would also end up looking like heroes in the eyes of the people. Since hero agencies were also known for protecting the Real World, it would make them look like the bad guys when peace was attained through the destruction of the Real World. The public would view hero agencies as the protector of their source of pain.
"But how would they even go about destroying the Real World?" Queried Nathan. "It's not like anyone can even enter the Real World from the Mind World!"
"Nathan, remember that humans aren't the only ones who live in the Mind World. There are also beings such as myself called Minds. Each Mind is responsible for one human being. So what do you think would happen if the government tells all Minds to disconnect from their assigned human in the Real World?"
"No way... I-I never thought about that..." Muttered Nathan in realization.
"Yup, the humans of the Real World would all become brainless zombies. If they can't think, then they can't operate. They would all eventually die of stupidity as weird as that sounds."
Nathan clenched his teeth in frustration. He now understood just how dire the situation was for the Real World. Once the Real World was destroyed, Demon Beasts would no longer be a problem but many innocent people would still die. Nathan didn't know what to do. However, he was not about to be blessed with time to think it over.
Suddenly, an assassin came rushing into his room, breathing as if he had just finished running a marathon. He then looked up at Alondo with urgency in his eyes before speaking.
"Alondo, sir! We have an SS-Classed emergency!! Conscience City is under attack by the Cliques!!"
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
The Mind World And The Outcast Hero Leading To Disaster
Alondo was left in a state of shock. An assassin had just reported an attack on Conscience City. He couldn't understand why the Cliques had chosen to attack such a difficult target. Conscience City was one of the most heavily guarded cities in the Mind World. Due to this, Alondo hadn't expected the Cliques to attack it so soon."You're kidding, right!?" Exclaimed Alondo. "What's the status there?""It's hard to say..! We just received a report from the other hero organizations that they need desperate backup! All they told us was that many high-leveled Demon Beasts were attacking the city alongside Clique soldiers. They require the assistance of AA immediately!" Replied the assassin.Alondo then took a short moment to think. The situation was quite troublesome. He already had many other assassins out on missions. If he were to send out too many other assassins to Conscience City then headquarters would be left poorly guarded. Not to mention that he wouldn'
The Mind World And The Outcast Hero Tragedy Approaches
Thirty minutes after being permitted to participate in the mission, Nathan arrived at the Transport Bay. Upon arriving, he came to notice that quite a few assassins were already present.However, he recognized a few assassins inclusive of Sindy, Andrew, Prince, Isabella, and Instructor Brady. Sindy even gave Nathan a reassuring smile as he approached them. She could easily tell that he was nervous. Just then, before Nathan could exchange greetings with her, Alondo began to speak."Assassins," he began. "This is an SS-Classed mission. Conscience City has been overrun by the Cliques and their supporting organizations. It has just been reported that they are launching a full-fledged attack on the city with the aid of high-leveled Demon Beasts! Based on the current circumstances, I have deduced that the Cliques are holding nothing back. This means that not only is the city being flooded with Demon Beasts but there's a high possibility that all four remaining commanders of
The Mind World And The Outcast Hero Reunion
Shortly after jumping from the jet, the assassins came to notice how badly damaged the city was. It almost looked like an entirely different city. Fire and smoke danced into the air and some of the tallest buildings were now piles of rubble on the ground. Innocent people were even running and screaming for their lives as Demon Beasts chased after them.The dark clouds hovering above only made the chaos below look even more desperate. It all looked like a scene from an apocalyptic movie.While they descended, Nathan looked over at both his friends before giving them a reassuring nod. Sindy and Andrew did the same as they drew their weapons ready for battle.A second later, explosions rocketed through the area as the assassins made contact with their enemies. Rick was the first to attack, taking aim at a humanoid level 10 Demon Beast that was the size of a ten-story building."Chaos Art: Chaos Rain!"Rick quickly activated a powerful Art Style that s
The Mind World And The Outcast Hero Round 2! A 3 Versus 1 Battle!
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
The Mind World And The Outcast Hero The Fate That Approaches
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
The Mind World And The Outcast Hero A Constant Turn Of Events
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
The Mind World And The Outcast Hero The Tragic Hero
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 Mind World And The Outcast Hero What The Hero Left Behind
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
Latest Chapter
- The Mind World And The Outcast Hero
The Journey Begins
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
- The Mind World And The Outcast Hero
Rikugan's Decision
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
- The Mind World And The Outcast Hero
Heartfelt News
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 Mind World And The Outcast Hero
Defiance
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
- The Mind World And The Outcast Hero
Tribute To The Past
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.
- The Mind World And The Outcast Hero
Cliques Invasion
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
- The Mind World And The Outcast Hero
A Battle With Death (Part 3, Conclusion)
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
- The Mind World And The Outcast Hero
A Battle With Death (Part 2)
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
- The Mind World And The Outcast Hero
A Battle With Death
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
