10th Bullet: | Disfigured Chimeras | Bash The Mist |

Janda busted the door down and entered the makeshift laboratory. The moment he saw Khasta, he fired, his SMG dropping cases in rapid succession. Khasta's tentacles ripped out of his back and protected him once more. After Janda stopped shooting, the tentacles lashed, and Janda leapt onto one and dashed at the Desperado. Khasta let out a terrifying shriek before lashing out with a wild, unskillful slash with his scalpels, one in each hand.

With a swift jump past the childish attack, Janda flipped his gun around, grabbing the barrel and cracking the butt on Khasta's head. A graceful twirl in the air, and Janda sat in a crouching position on the blood table. He looked around the room, quickly surveying his surroundings. He saw Akio in the corner, her uniform gone and wrapped in a white blanket, and then saw Uvo inside one of the grotesque pods.

He let out a breath of relief. He was just in time.

Janda took his gaze back to Khasta, which was not Khasta but one of the tentacles, in which Janda leapt back and stood, prepping his gun for another swing, but Khasta only groaned and took a century to get up and fix himself.

"Guns... are meant to be used to shoot. Bashing my head with one defeats the purpose." Blood spurted out of the caving mark in his head, rotting skin slipping off his skull.

"I'll use a gun how I see fit." Janda stood straight and rested the weapon on his shoulder. "So what's your story?"

"I'm a scientist. I take pride in my work, Child of The Oasis."

"Don't call me that."

"Why shouldn't I? You're a part of a race of spirits with the blessing of the only overabundance of water in the Badlands. You should be proud. Or perhaps you're sad because you're the only one left. I mean, nobody but yourself can find The Oasis now."

"I prefer to keep it that way."

"Is that why you became a Killright? To be protected in the hands of The End?"

"No, because staying The Oasis by myself would be quite boring." Janda finished his talking and fired away, but the tentacles blocked the shots. Khasta cried in pain.

"Please don't shoot me. My tentacles, they protect me. They're quite violent. It takes me all my strength to control them."

"Where's your Scythe?"

"One experiment led to another, and now it's a part of me. This is my scythe."

Janda rubbed his eyes. "You're a weirdo."

"Who isn't? I mean, life would be boring without weirdos."

Janda thought on that. "You're quite right." He charged, bouncing off the walls and blasting kicks out of every angle. The tentacles blocked and countered, and Janda counter-countered. He tried to shoot bullets at Khasta's head, but the tentacles protected him. They leapt around the whole room, attacking and defending in a constant back-and-forth motion.

"You process information quite fast. The way you think and at such a rate. I should study you..."

Janda bulleted forward, rolling over a tentacle. Another came in to block, but Janda read it, dashing to the side and launching a full-powered kick to Khasta's head. The tentacle-powered scientist tumbled on the ground, and then he was lifted off the ground. Janda backpedaled and raised his gun, ready to fire.

"Are you a zombie or something?"

Khasta's head was on its side, so he snapped it back in place. The tentacles wriggled in anger, and Khasta snapped his head back in place.

"I am, but not those kinds of zombies. I'm on the brink of becoming one is the easiest way of explaining it."

"You should really look into other career paths."

"Science is my passion, Child of The Oasis. I'm the scientist of the Mavericks. My boss wishes to have my talents in his group."

"The Mavericks?"

Khasta chuckled. "They haven't told you about the Mavericks? We're the worst of the Desperados. We have the absolute scum of society in our midst: murderers, terrorists, and mindless monsters. And our leader... just pray you don't meet him."

"You talk too much. I'm getting bored, so just—"

Mist started to appear, and Janda was slammed to the ground. Mendax's misty figure sat on top of Janda's back.

"You shouldn't have forgotten about me, boy." Mendax punched Janda's head, smashing his face into the already bloody ground. Mendax looked at Khasta. "You're a horrible fighter."

"Fighting has never been my specialty."

Mendax sat up and walked over. "It should be. You're a Maverick."

"If you wanted a fighter, you should've picked one of Mormo's Seven. Besides, this is all a business. We're not friends."

"I know. I can't stand your guts, you twice-dead freak."

"Speaking of people who can't stand you, was it really wise to punch a person that can control water?"

Janda grabbed Mendax's neck from behind and slammed him into the ground. Stomping a foot on his chest, Janda let out a barrage of bullets. The mist dissipated, and Mendax howled in a fading pain.

"You two are terrible partners," Janda said, blood leaking from his head and onto his face.

"I don't care for him."

Janda dissolved his Death Arm and rolled his sleeves. He tapped his armband, and water droplets suspended in midair.

"Mendax," Janda began, "should really stay out of fights against guys that are his biggest weakness."

"He believes he's invincible. Unfortunately, fools surround me left and right. " Khasta cracked his fingers by flexing them. "Let's finish this."

"Nah, too much work." Janda sent multiple sharp droplets at Uvo's pod. The droplets cut the pod open, unleashing the Lieutenant. He dropped out and shook himself, feeling sluggish. His Death Arm dropped to the ground.

"The hell...? Janda?" Uvo stared and quickly grabbed his Death Arm. He observed the two. "Oh, you're feeling bored."

Janda didn't say anything and simply walked over to Akio, sitting next to her.

"Hurry it up so I can kick your keister, old man." Janda glared.

"Of course," Uvo said and chuckled. "Round two, Mr. Zombie-Man?"

Khasta stared. "Despite me feeding on you, you're filled with energy. I'm conflicted on whether to study you or feed on you further."

"My momma always said I'm the apple of many people's eyes. I feel honored!" Uvo roared and fired his Death Arm. Khasta gasped, and his tentacles couldn't even react to the miniature explosions of the bullets. He screamed in pain and was buffeted. Holes and even more holes dressed his body, and Uvo charged in with a classless bash with his Death Arm.

Khasta rolled on the ground, his whole body singed in flames and in pain. The tentacles shrunk back, and Uvo stepped forward.

"Dead already? Too bad."

Khasta's body shimmered and turned into mist. Uvo turned around to see Khasta, battered and bruised, running away. Janda stretched out an arm and clutched at the air. Mendax writhed, his figure reappearing.

"There's something I almost hate more than being bored," Janda said. "Annoying things." He turned his hand into a fist, and Mendax let out a dying screech. Uvo chuckled.

"Not bad. But I could've taken him out."

"Then you shouldn't have gotten captured."

Uvo glared but stared at the doorway. Janda stared as well. "Shouldn't we chase after him?"

"He's long gone. Best to go back to base."

Janda raised his head, walked over, and punched Uvo in the face. He then headed for the exit in a slow walk.

"Go get Akio, and let's get out of here."

Uvo stared at the deceased boy on the ground and then called out to Janda.

"Kid!" he shouted. "Do you know this boy or something?"

Janda stopped. "Mendax's power... He uses mist to create illusions, but for the most accurate one, he must kill the target. That boy was the illusion he used to get me here."

Uvo grunted. He walked over, picked up Akio and her stuff, and exited alongside Janda. He then slapped the rookie on the head. Janda moaned in pain and went to go for an attack, but Uvo dodged and laughed.

"Let's go and get a meal."

Janda hesitated to get the last punch in and eventually gave up. Too much effort. Effort, boredom, and annoying things. His weakness took him over, and he dropped his revenge.

                                                                                 ♱♱♱

Before they left for a meal, they first searched the building again for the staff who were locked in the basement. A special seal tag was placed to keep them from getting out. Yanasa thanked Janda for the valiant duties, ignoring Uvo. Akio eventually rose from her sleep and quickly changed back into her uniform, with red painting her whole face. In mere moments, the morgue was back to its bustling state, with gravediggers burying the bodies and tombstones being carved. Janda took a look at the young boy's tombstone.

The boy's name was Veritas.

He didn't say anything.

Janda summoned water droplets, drizzling the tomb and left.

                                                                                  ♱♱♱

Their steeds halted, and Uvo, Akio, and Janda stared at the gates. A Desert Mover and Tunker rested by the entrance of The Cathedral and there stood their captain and other troublemaking rookie. Rosner stood there nonchalantly, and Vadars beamed. An earring glinted on his earlobe.

"Hey guys!" he greeted.

"Vadars!" Uvo charged in and wrestled with him they both chuckled. "How have you been, kid?"

"Alright. Just a bit in pain." They faced each other, smiling like mad.

"No time for reunions," Rosner spoke, arms crossed and group huddled together. "We've been summoned by The End. Let's get a move on."