The right path?

“Look, I don’t need anything complicated, I need you to destroy the biggest factory down here.”

“And why is that?” said Ryūji.

“Sorry but my lips are sealed. You don’t need to know anything, the only thing you need to know is that after you finish that, you come back here and I will give you the troops. Understood?”

“Sure. See you in thirty minutes!”

“Aren’t you a bit cocky?”

“Perhaps. Guess we will see in thirty minutes.”

“Do you really think he will give us the troops?” said Hikaru.

“Of course not.”

“Then why are we doing this?”

“We’re already in a battle. The moment I walked up to him I challenged him. He tries to outsmart us, while we try to do the same. Now we need to realize what he is trying to do with this.”

“ISN’T THAT TOO RECKLESS!”

“Stop screaming Daichi. He is the only one who has powers.”

“How would you know that?”

“He wouldn’t let anyone be as strong as him. He wants to be at the top, all by himself.”

“You deduced all that from that brief conversation? You sure are a menace.”

“Was that supposed to be a compliment Daichi?”

“What do you think?”

“From you? A compliment?”

“Fuck you!”

“Anyway, let’s hurry up.”

They got to the factory in about 10 minutes.

“We got here in record time. Now we just need to destroy this in 10 more minutes. Are you ready?”

“Does it really matter? I will open the front gates as a distraction so you can enter from the back.”

“Of course, Daichi. Sorry, I mean boss.”

“Very funny. Go already!”

As Daichi opened the front doors where drones come to pick up materials, the other four entered through the open windows. As the guards were confused, they took them down before they could have realized. All the workers started panicking.

“Please stay calm! We are the terrorists who started a war against the dome. We came here to liberate you. I’m the leader and I promise you, you can go home safe. They will pin it all on us.”

One of the workers looked at Ryūji with hate in his eyes.

“Why?”

“What?”

“Why must you ruin everything now?”

“Please stop! They will kill us!”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“They finally stopped abusing us. Even if we were considered inferior they stopped beating and spitting on us, but now you started causing trouble. They doubt us and treat us like shit once again, sometimes even kill us. For what?”

“For what? Is that even a question? Don’t you want to be free? Don’t you want to have control over your own life?”

“Of course I do, but you won’t win. You can’t battle an entire country. You will just make it all worse.”

‘In that moment I saw Ryūji’s eyes turn blank, no hope, no determination, only disappointment and resentment.’

“I didn’t start all this just to lose. Now get out of here or I will detonate this factory with you in it!”

Even doe they didn’t want too, they left in fear.

“That could have turned out wrong.”

“It could have, but my bluff worked didn’t it, Hikaru?” said with the same disappointed eyes.

“Can you and Shō tear down this place by yourselves?”

“S… sure.”

Shō and Hikaru managed to make something explode inside the factory. As they were going back through the sewers Ryūji started walking slower and slower, looking down at the ground. Hikaru saw that so he stopped to talk to him.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The man who provoked the mafia boss without a shred of fear in his heart was brought down by a worker. Why?”

“I didn’t start this fight all for myself. I want to build a community. One I can trust to evolve in a good way after I die. I don’t want this to happen ever again. When you see people who aren’t willing to fight for a better future, you start to question if they are worth fighting for.”

“I think I understand. You sacrifice everything for people that might not want it, but sacrifice was never about that. You do it for a better future, even if they don’t see it, it will be better for them. Isn’t that enough?”

The beginning of a smile appeared on Ryūji’s face.

“I guess that’s why I started all of this. You sure have a way with words Hikaru. Thank you, I can’t waste any time now. We are about to fight our mightiest foe.”

“Yeah. We count on your plan boss.” As he said that Hikaru fist bumped his shoulder.

As Hikaru got further away, Ryūji whispered something that nobody heard.

“Thank you!”

It took them about 20 minutes to get back.

“Impressive. I thought you were just bluffing but you almost did it in time.”

“Had a problem I didn’t expect to be there. Anyway, why are you here all alone?”

“I will answer if you respond to my question? How can you call yourself the leader when you are the weakest?”

“I asked the question first.”

“I’m alone here because they would only be in my way.”

Not even a second passed after that and Taichi gut punched Ryūji. He fell on one knee.

“Don’t worry! I held back.”

“Why did you do this?” asked Koji.

“Why? I need something from you, and I don’t feel like giving something back.”

“Of course. People are selfish and would do anything to achieve their goals. They don’t care who they crush in the way.”

‘I never saw any emotion on Koji’s face, but now it was brimming with rage.’

Lightning started shooting everywhere around Koji, as the expression on Taichi’s face changed from confused to intrigued Koji started running towards him and from his palm a shield started to be conjured. Once again the expression on Taichi’s face changed, this time he seemed disappointed. He waited for Koji to be close enough and he touched his shield, throwing him in the wall behind him.

“That shield tickled. Who wants to try next? At least be entertaining.”

“You bastard. Miyu pass me a knife.”

"Shō, stay back!" said Daichi.

"Why? We need to help them!"

"Just listen to me you fool!"

Hikaru cut his palms and his shoulders, he started running towards him conjuring knifes from his shoulders and a katana from one of his palms. He launched four knifes towards him, Taichi touched them on the side and deflected three of them towards the roof. As he did that Hikaru managed to get up close and personal, trying to cut his neck off but one of his knifes returned to Taichi in time for him to deflect Hikaru’s slice. As Hikaru was off balance after the deflect Taichi touched his sword and it started to be pull back. Hikaru tried with all his might to hold on to it but it flew off anyway. Without a weapon Hikaru was punched into a wall by Taichi.

“Utterly useless. How are we supposed to trust him? Anyway, no time for this now. Are you awake Koji?”

“Yeah. What’s your plan Miyu?”

“Just follow my lead! Game on!”

“That was better but not good enough. Another try?”

“Hey shit head! If you take your eyes off me you won’t have them anymore!”

“Big words coming from a small lady.”

“Who are you calling small, shortie?”

“You are starting to get on my nerves.”

“Then come at me, big man!”

Miyu threw 4 knifes at him.

“Again? It didn’t work before.”

He deflected three of them and one got past him.

“Now, is it the same?”

Taichi blinked and as soon as he opened his eyes Miyu disappeared. Without a moment to analyze the situation he got a knife in his shoulder.

“I missed. You had to move didn’t you?”

“Sorry I didn’t stay still when you teleported.” As he said that he tried to touch her but she teleported back. She stuck a knife in the ground.

“Are you ready Koji?”

“Of course.”

She touched him when he stabbed him, marking him. Miyu teleported him where the knife was and Koji trapped him within four walls made of lightning.

“Very good! Now were talking! Let’s start the show!”

Taichi touched the roof of his cage and the it started floating to the roof of the sewer, as did he mere moments later then he started floating up and then in the direction of the wall and then  he dropped to the floor. His moves seemed robotic but they were fast enough to compensate for that. Miyu didn’t leave a sign anywhere else so she tried throwing a knife but it was to late. Taichi punched her and sent her flying to the other side of the room.

'Goddammit, we need to run. Shō might make it but now there isn't anyone to distract him so the chances are small. I can't let it end here.' thought Daichi.

“That’s one of the three. I see all of you are awake, even you. Did you expect to rose up from the floor and be the triumphant hero. It’s not going to happen, because you are weak, Ryūji.”

Ryūji started smiling.

“You can say I’m weak all you want, in fact it’s true. I can’t manipulate my blood, teleport or even use electric walls, but if I give up who will stand up again. Do you hear me!? All of you rise up! Let’s bring him down and accomplish our dream!”