Who’s the Real Enemy?

What I see on the camera genuinely shocks me: Jose is there—with a human-shaped alien. The alien speaks casually; long white hair, white eyes, red skin. He looks terrifyingly strong.

Alien: “Jose, they didn’t figure it out, did they?”
Jose: “No. I scrubbed everything. There’s no way they’ll find anything.”
Alien: “I can see the magic traces of the ones who came. Not bad.”
Jose: “Probably their three strongest.”
Alien: “What’s that blinking?”
Jose: “Oh, hell… They planted a camera!”
Alien: “So we’ve been spotted. I’ll go find them and be right back.”

The second we realize we’ve been made, we pack up and sprint to Base D. When we reach the gate, the alien is waiting for us.

Alien: “So you’re the trio that’s been tailing us.”
Victor: “Yeah. We’re here to erase you.”
Alien: “I like to remember the names of those I fight—if they’re strong. I am Blytharos.”

We give our names in turn: Daniel Victor, Magnus Drake, and Kiyoshi Kazuki.

Blytharos: “Kazuki, huh? Hahaha… Aren’t I lucky.”

I don’t get why he laughs at my surname; everyone looks puzzled.

Blytharos: “Forget it, you wouldn’t understand. Kiyoshi, you’ll learn later. I don’t have time to explain now.”

He goes for me first. I pop Blackout Armor and rush him. I draw my katana; we clash mid-air. His forearm sharpens like a blade; when my katana meets it, Magnus blasts in from the right with a jet of flame. Blytharos pulls back, dodging Magnus’s attack. Victor appears behind him; Blytharos turns, and Victor hammers his spine, sending him flying.

Victor: “Bought us a moment. Kiyoshi, keep clashing and weaken him with Blackout as much as you can. Magnus, keep using your technique like that—if he closes in, go hand-to-hand. I’ll join you when needed. Kiyoshi, hold the debuff.”

Magnus & me: “Understood.”

I dive back in, parrying Blytharos’s punches with my katana. Magnus breathes another blast—harder and faster this time. Blytharos doesn’t flinch; the flame stalls right before it hits. He smiles.

Blytharos: “Once I activate my technique, those before me don’t live long.”
Kiyoshi: “What the hell are you talking about?”
Blytharos: “My technique lets me set unbreakable, invisible walls anywhere I want. I choose their size and number.”

Suddenly my blade can’t reach him. Blytharos laughs.

Blytharos: “I’ve boxed you in with invisible walls. You won’t be escaping.”

He cages us with himself inside. Victor steps forward, calm.

Victor: “You’re seriously underestimating us, huh?”
Magnus: “Sir, I think it’s time.”
Victor: “Then let’s open up—full power.”

Magnus swells in size and mass; his skin turns pitch-black, eyes glowing crimson. Victor lunges at Blytharos.

—With a wall up that won’t work; he’ll just set another—

Victor’s sword pierces Blytharos’s chest.

Blytharos: “Aghh! How did it pass the wall?!”
Victor: “My technique cancels everything you think, plan, and enact.”

Blytharos: “Hahaha! Wouldn’t be fun otherwise!”

I glance back—Magnus is nine meters tall now, winged, unflinching. With a single step he’s on Blytharos and starts pounding. Blytharos’s guard is tight. Magnus opens his jaws and exhales blue flame—it seems to work, but Blytharos regenerates at insane speed. I’m about to jump in when Victor barks:

Victor: “While we handle this, go grab Jose! Don’t let him run!”
Kiyoshi: “You two can win, right?”
Victor: “What do you take us for?”

I trust them and go hunting Jose. Down in the garage, I spot him as I’m about to jump in a car.

Kiyoshi: “Jose, surrender. You’re under arrest for collaborating with aliens.”
Jose: “You can arrest me if you can catch me. Come on, try.”
Kiyoshi: “You asked for it.”

I reactivate Blackout Armor. Jose rushes; a crisp right–left–straight combo—I block. He whips an uppercut from low—back-roll to evade.

Jose: “Not bad reflexes.”
Kiyoshi: “I’m going to put you in the ground.”
Jose: “If you can catch me.”

He gets faster and faster; I can barely track him. One second behind me, the next in my face—I can’t tag him.

Jose: “They call me Sound-Speed Jose.”
Kiyoshi: “They should call you mutt; all you do is run like a stray.”

That really gets to him.

Jose: “ALRIGHT THEN! I’LL SHOW YOU REAL SPEED!”

My surroundings fill with Jose’s afterimages. He’s blistering fast. He peppers my face with jabs and darts away—again and again—relentless.

Jose: “What’s wrong? Can’t catch me, can you!”

A hot ache swells inside me. I’m getting worked by Jose. Victor must have known—I was told to catch him so I wouldn’t become dead weight. I’m furious, but nothing’s working. All the training to awaken that hidden power… useless. I’m about to lose; I’m holding on to consciousness by a thread. Last resort: I spread Blackout across as much floor as I can. Jose has to hop; his speed wobbles. I lunge, throw a headshot—but my vision tilts, I whiff. Jose resets and dives again; my armor times out.

Jose: “Getting close to the end, huh?”

I’ve played my last card. No cavalry’s coming. I turtle up around my face.

Jose: “Keep doing nothing and you’ll die, Kiyoshi.”
Kiyoshi: “SHUT YOUR MOUTH!”
Jose: “Make me.”

Memories flash. I’m bleeding out. “Life flashing before your eyes”… I guess this is it. But I can’t quit. There’s revenge to take. I won’t quit.

Suddenly energy rises around me. Jose freezes, watching.

Jose: “What the hell is happening?”

My wounds knit. Power floods in. My arms light up in turn—fire, water, wind, earth. I feel my physical strength spike. I don’t fully grasp it, but that hidden power just awakened.

Jose tries to blitz again. First I coat myself in earth, then fill the area with mist. I make sure not to show my silhouette; he loses me. In a snap I clear the mist and start flooding the garage—Jose can’t leverage his speed anymore.

Jose: “WHERE ARE THESE POWERS COMING FROM?! EVERYONE’S ONLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE ONE!”

He’s not wrong… but something in me has changed; I can feel it.

I pounce and start hammering him, then wrap him in Blackout. He weakens and I keep piling on. My punches harden—as heavy as the antennaed alien’s—and I unleash a rain of blows. Jose’s torso tears away from his lower half—he’s as good as dead.

Jose: “How… did you do that?”
Kiyoshi: “I don’t know.”

Blood gushes from his mouth.

Jose: “Monster…”

He exhales his last.

I sprint back to Victor’s fight. It’s still going—Victor and Magnus are worn, and so is the alien. They can hold a few more minutes. I dive in.

Victor: “What about Jose? Did you catch him?”
Kiyoshi: “Jose’s dead.”
Blytharos: “SO YOU KILLED MY ALLY, HUH? NOT BAD, KAZUKI!”

—Why does this guy shout everything?—

Blytharos: “I’ve played with you long enough. And with Jose dead, it’s time I left.”

He drops something like a mine beneath him; smoke billows. He vanishes.

Victor: “Well done, Kiyoshi. Good work.”
Kiyoshi: “Thank you, Victor.”
Victor: “Honestly, I didn’t think you could beat him.”
Kiyoshi: “Yeah, I was losing. But I awakened something new.”
Victor: “What kind of power?”
Kiyoshi: “I’m not sure yet, but right now I can use all four elements.”
Victor: “What—at what level?”
Kiyoshi: “Feels like dark tier.”
Victor: “Keep that quiet for now.”

—I agree… but it feels like there’s more. It can’t just be this. Thinking back to the fight… my physical strength exceeded even the antennaed alien’s.—

I return to my city. At the airport, Victor and Magnus thank me and we part ways. As soon as I step through the base gates, my team meets me. I tell them what happened—but not about the new power.

Linda: “Captain… so you almost died?”
Keiji: “You’re really strong; you beat the chief commander of Base D.”
Bastian: “I’d say our Captain’s stronger than Commander Ellie now.”

Ellie appears behind Bastian.

Ellie: “Excuse me, Bastian—did you say something?”

Bastian freezes.
Bastian: “S-sorry, ma’am, you misunderstood—I didn’t mean it like that—”
Ellie: “How did you mean it, exactly?”
Bastian: “I, uh—”
Ellie: “Stop babbling. You’re on watch tonight.”
Bastian: “Understood, ma’am!”

Kiyoshi: “So you’re back, Commander.”
Ellie: “Yes. I heard what you did—well done. You’re getting stronger fast.”
Kiyoshi: “I’ve still got a way to go to match you, Commander.”
Ellie: “Hahaha! Good. Keep it that way.”

—That’s not what I really think.—

I take a few days off and go home. I can’t get Blytharos out of my head—he knew something about my surname. I don’t understand it; the best answer would come from him… but I don’t know where to find him.

I crack the window and lie back on the bed. I’m happy I found my power, but something’s missing. As I’m drifting off, a shadow slips in through the window.